Effect of the Mediterranean diet in cardiovascular prevention.

The Mediterranean diet is the best evidence-based model for cardiovascular prevention. In addition to 2 major randomized secondary prevention trials (Lyon Heart and CORDIOPREV) and 1 primary prevention trial (PREDIMED) that have demonstrated these benefits, there is an unprecedented body of high-quality prospective epidemiological evidence supporting these beneficial effects. The key elements of this traditional pattern are the abundant use of extra-virgin olive oil and high consumption of foods of natural plant-based origin (fruits, vegetables, nuts, and legumes) and fish, along with a reduction in processed meats, red meats, and ultraprocessed products. Moderate consumption of wine, preferably red wine, with meals is an essential element of this traditional pattern. Although removing wine consumption from the Mediterranean diet has been associated with a reduction in its preventive efficacy, doubts have recently arisen about the possible adverse effect of even low or moderate intake of any alcoholic beverages. A new large Spanish trial, UNATI, which will begin in June 2024, will randomize 10 000 drinkers aged 50 to 75 years to abstention or moderate consumption. UNATI aims to answer these doubts with the best possible evidence.

Mediterranean Alcohol-Drinking Pattern and Arterial Hypertension in the "Seguimiento Universidad de Navarra" (SUN) Prospective Cohort Study.

Alcohol drinking patterns may determine the risk of hypertension and may also modify the detrimental effect of high alcohol intake. We prospectively evaluated the effect of the Mediterranean alcohol-drinking pattern and its interaction with the amount of alcohol consumed on the incidence of arterial hypertension. In the "Seguimiento Universidad de Navarra" (SUN) cohort, we followed-up 13,805 participants, all of them initially free of hypertension, during a maximum period of 16 years. Information about diet, chronic diseases, lifestyle and newly diagnosed hypertension was collected using validated questionnaires. We used a 7-item score (0 to 9 points) that jointly considered moderate alcohol consumption, distributed over the week, with meals, and a preference for red wine and avoidance of binge-drinking. During 142,404 person-years of follow-up, 1443 incident cases of hypertension were identified. Low adherence (score < 2) to the Mediterranean alcohol-drinking pattern was significantly associated with a higher incidence of hypertension (multivariable-adjusted hazard ratio 1.81, 95% confidence interval 1.09−2.99) as compared to the high-adherence (score > 7) category. Among alcohol consumers, a high adherence to the MADP is associated with a lower incidence of hypertension. Compared with abstinence, a high adherence did not seem to differ regarding its effect on hypertension risk.

Screening of Fabry Disease in Patients with Chest Pain Without Obstructive Coronary Artery Disease.

Identification of Anderson-Fabry disease (AFD) in cardiac patients has been restricted so far to patients with left ventricular hypertrophy. Coronary microvascular dysfunction has been described in AFD with and without cardiac hypertrophy and may represent the only manifestation in AFD patients, offering a possible earlier diagnosis. We studied the prevalence of AFD in 663 patients with chest pain with normal or non-obstructive coronary arteries. The overall prevalence of AFD in this cohort was only 0.15% (1/663). AFD is not a frequent cause of chest pain without obstructive coronary artery disease and screening efforts should not be conducted in this patient population.

Clinical profile and outcome of cardiac amyloidosis in a Spanish referral center.

INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVES: Cardiac amyloidosis (CA) is produced by amyloid fiber deposition in the myocardium. The most frequent forms are those caused by light chains (AL) and transthyretin (ATTR). Our objective was to describe the diagnosis, treatment and outcomes of CA in a specialized Spanish center. METHODS: We included all patients diagnosed with CA in Hospital Universitario Puerta de Hierro Majadahonda from May 2008 to September 2018. We analyzed their clinical characteristics, outcomes, and survival. RESULTS: We included 180 patients with CA, of whom 64 (36%) had AL (50% men; mean age, 65±11 years) and 116 had ATTR (72% men; mean age 79±11 years; 18 with hereditary ATTR). The most common presentation was heart failure in both groups (81% in AL and 45% in ATTR, P <.01). Other forms of presentation in ATTR patients were atrial arrhythmias (16%), conduction disorders (6%), and incidental finding (6%); 70 patients (40%), had a previous alternative cardiac diagnosis. Diagnosis was noninvasive in 75% of ATTR patients. Diagnostic delay was higher in ATTR (2.8±4.3 vs 0.6±0.7 years, P <.001), but mortality was greater in AL patients (48% vs 32%, P=.028). Independent predictors of mortality were AL subtype (HR, 6.16; 95%CI, 1.56-24.30; P=.01), female sex (HR, 2.35; 95%CI, 1.24-4.46; P=.01), and NYHA functional class III-IV (HR, 2.07; 95%CI, 1.11-3.89; P=.02). CONCLUSIONS: CA is a clinical challenge, with wide variability in its presentation depending on the subtype, leading to diagnostic delay and high mortality. Improvements are needed in the early diagnosis and treatment of these patients.

Prevalence of cardiac amyloidosis among elderly patients with systolic heart failure or conduction disorders.

Objective: Cardiac amyloid infiltration can lead to systolic heart failure (HF) or to conduction disorders (CD). Patients with transthyretin (ATTR) amyloidosis are particularly exposed. We sought to determine the prevalence of ATTR and AL among patients >60 years admitted with CD or unexplained systolic HF and increased wall thickness. Materials and Methods: We studied 143 patients (57% males, 79 ± 9 years) with HF (N = 28) or CD requiring pacemaker implantation (N = 115). In total, 139 (97%) patients (28 with HF and 111 with CD) underwent 99mTc-DPD scintigraphy to detect ATTR, and 105 (73%; 19 HF and 86 CD) underwent AL screening. Results: Five patients (4%; 95%CI:0-7%) exhibited wild-type ATTR (ATTRwt) amyloidosis, 2 (2%; 95%CI:0-4%) had CD and 3 (11%; 95%CI:0-23%) HF. No patient showed AL. The 2 ATTRwt patients with CD were previously asymptomatic, did not show classical ECG signs and exhibited mild LV hypertrophy with preserved LVEF. By contrast, all ATTRwt patients with HF had ECG and echocardiographic signs of amyloid. During a mean follow-up of 18 ± 11 months, 3(60%) patients with ATTRwt amyloidosis (1 CD and 2 HF) and 14(10.4%) without died. Conclusion: Prevalence of ATTRwt amyloidosis in patients with CD requiring pacemaker is low. Although, additional studies are needed, prevalence seems to be higher in elderly patients with systolic HF.

Perfil clínico y evolución de la amiloidosis cardiaca en un centro español de referencia / Clinical profile and outcome of cardiac amyloidosis in a Spanish referral center

Introducción y objetivos La amiloidosis cardiaca (AC) se produce por depósito de fibras de amiloide en el miocardio. Las formas más frecuentes son la amiloidosis por cadenas ligeras (AL) y por transtiretina (ATTR). Nuestro objetivo es describir la experiencia en el diagnóstico, el tratamiento y el pronóstico en un centro especializado español. Métodos Se incluyó a todos los pacientes diagnosticados de AC en el Hospital Puerta de Hierro Majadahonda desde mayo de 2008 a septiembre de 2018 y se analizaron sus características clínicas, su evolución y su supervivencia. Resultados Se incluyó a 180 pacientes con AC, de los que 64 (36%) tenían AL (el 50% varones; edad, 65±11 años) y 116, ATTR (el 72% varones; edad, 79±11 años; 18 con ATTR hereditaria). La forma de presentación más frecuente fue la insuficiencia cardiaca en ambos grupos (el 81% con AL y el 45% con ATTR; p <0,01). Otras formas de presentación en pacientes con ATTR fueron arritmias auriculares (16%), trastornos de conducción (6%) e incidental (6%). Ya tenían otro diagnóstico establecido 70 pacientes (40%). Se pudo diagnosticar de manera no invasiva al 75% de los pacientes con ATTR. A pesar de que el retraso diagnóstico fue superior en la ATTR (2,8±4,3 frente a 0,6±0,7 años; p <0,001), la mortalidad fue mayor en los pacientes con AL (el 48 frente al 32%; p=0,028). El tipo de AL (HR=6,16; IC95%, 1,56-24,30; p=0,01), el sexo femenino (HR=2,35; IC95%, 1,24-4,46; p=0,01) y la clase funcional de la NYHA III-IV (HR=2,07; IC95%, 1,11-3,89; p=0,02) fueron predictores independientes de la mortalidad. Conclusiones La AC constituye un reto en la práctica clínica, con gran variabilidad en su presentación en función del subtipo y con un retraso diagnóstico y una mortalidad elevados. Son necesarias mejoras en el diagnóstico temprano y el tratamiento de estos pacientes. (AU)

Introduction and objectives Cardiac amyloidosis (CA) is produced by amyloid fiber deposition in the myocardium. The most frequent forms are those caused by light chains (AL) and transthyretin (ATTR). Our objective was to describe the diagnosis, treatment and outcomes of CA in a specialized Spanish center. Methods We included all patients diagnosed with CA in Hospital Universitario Puerta de Hierro Majadahonda from May 2008 to September 2018. We analyzed their clinical characteristics, outcomes, and survival. Results We included 180 patients with CA, of whom 64 (36%) had AL (50% men; mean age, 65±11 years) and 116 had ATTR (72% men; mean age 79±11 years; 18 with hereditary ATTR). The most common presentation was heart failure in both groups (81% in AL and 45% in ATTR, P <.01). Other forms of presentation in ATTR patients were atrial arrhythmias (16%), conduction disorders (6%), and incidental finding (6%); 70 patients (40%), had a previous alternative cardiac diagnosis. Diagnosis was noninvasive in 75% of ATTR patients. Diagnostic delay was higher in ATTR (2.8±4.3 vs 0.6±0.7 years, P <.001), but mortality was greater in AL patients (48% vs 32%, P=.028). Independent predictors of mortality were AL subtype (HR, 6.16; 95%CI, 1.56-24.30; P=.01), female sex (HR, 2.35; 95%CI,1.24-4.46; P=.01), and NYHA functional class III-IV (HR, 2.07; 95%CI, 1.11-3.89; P=.02). Conclusions CA is a clinical challenge, with wide variability in its presentation depending on the subtype, leading to diagnostic delay and high mortality. Improvements are needed in the early diagnosis and treatment of these patients. (AU)

Better Adherence to the Mediterranean Diet Could Mitigate the Adverse Consequences of Obesity on Cardiovascular Disease: The SUN Prospective Cohort.

Strong observational evidence supports the association between obesity and cardiovascular events. In elderly high-risk subjects, the Mediterranean diet (MedDiet) was reported to counteract the adverse cardiovascular effects of adiposity. Whether this same attenuation is also present in younger subjects is not known. We prospectively examined the association between obesity and cardiovascular clinical events (myocardial infarction, stroke or cardiovascular death) after 10.9 years follow-up in 19,065 middle-aged men and women (average age 38 year) according to their adherence to the MedDiet (<6 points or ≥6 points in the Trichopoulou's Mediterranean Diet Score). We observed 152 incident cases of cardiovascular disease (CVD). An increased risk of CVD across categories of body mass index (BMI) was apparent if adherence to the MedDiet was low, with multivariable-adjusted hazard ratios (HRs): 1.44 (95% confidence interval: 0.93-2.25) for ≥25 - <30 kg/m² of BMI and 2.00 (1.04-3.83) for ≥30 kg/m² of BMI, compared to a BMI < 25 kg/m². In contrast, these estimates were 0.77 (0.35-1.67) and 1.15 (0.39-3.43) with good adherence to MedDiet. Better adherence to the MedDiet was associated with reduced CVD events (p for trend = 0.029). Our results suggest that the MedDiet could mitigate the harmful cardiovascular effect of overweight/obesity.

Mediterranean Alcohol-Drinking Pattern and the Incidence of Cardiovascular Disease and Cardiovascular Mortality: The SUN Project.

BACKGROUND: We assessed the still unclear effect of the overall alcohol-drinking pattern, beyond the amount of alcohol consumed, on the incidence of cardiovascular clinical disease (CVD). METHODS: We followed 14,651 participants during up to 14 years. We built a score assessing simultaneously seven dimensions of alcohol consumption to capture the conformity to a traditional Mediterranean alcohol-drinking pattern (MADP). It positively scored moderate alcohol intake, alcohol intake spread out over the week, low spirit consumption, preference for wine, red wine consumption, wine consumed during meals and avoidance of binge drinking. RESULTS: During 142,177 person-years of follow-up, 127 incident cases of CVD (myocardial infarction, stroke or cardiovascular mortality) were identified. Compared with the category of better conformity with the MADP, the low-adherence group exhibited a non-significantly higher risk (HR) of total CVD ((95% CI) = 1.55 (0.58-4.16)). This direct association with a departure from the traditional MADP was even stronger for cardiovascular mortality (HR (95% CI) = 3.35 (0.77-14.5)). Nevertheless, all these associations were statistically non-significant. CONCLUSION: Better conformity with the MADP seemed to be associated with lower cardiovascular risk in most point estimates; however, no significant results were found and more powered studies are needed to clarify the role of the MADP on CVD.

Dietary Inflammatory Index and Incidence of Cardiovascular Disease in the SUN Cohort.

BACKGROUND: Diet is known to play a key role in atherogenesis and in the development of cardiovascular events. Dietary factors may mediate these processes acting as potential modulators of inflammation. Potential Links between inflammatory properties of diet and the occurrence of cardiovascular events have not been tested previously. OBJECTIVE: We aimed to assess the association between the dietary inflammatory index (DII), a method to assess the inflammatory potential of the diet, and incident cardiovascular disease. METHODS: In the prospective, dynamic SUN cohort, 18,794 middle-aged, Spanish university graduates were followed up for 8.9 years (median). A validated 136-item food-frequency questionnaire was used to calculate the DII. The DII is based on scientific evidence about the relationship between diet and inflammatory biomarkers (C-reactive protein, IL-1ß, IL-4, IL-6, IL-10 and TNF-α). Cox proportional hazard models were used to estimate hazard ratios (HR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) for the association between the DII and incident cardiovascular disease (myocardial infarction, stroke or cardiovascular death). RESULTS: The risk for cardiovascular events progressively increased with each increasing quartile of DII (ptrend = 0.017). The multivariable-adjusted HR for participants in the highest (most pro-inflammatory) vs. the lowest quartile of the DII was 2.03 (95% CI 1.06-3.88). CONCLUSIONS: A pro-inflammatory diet was associated with a significantly higher risk for developing cardiovascular events.

Caracterización de la miocarditis por COVID-19 mediante resonancia magnética cardiaca / Cardiac magnetic resonance characterization of COVID-19 myocarditis

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