Detailed phenotyping reveals distinct trajectories of cardiovascular function and symptoms with exposure to modern breast cancer therapy.

BACKGROUND: Breast cancer therapies are associated with a risk of cardiac dysfunction, most commonly defined by changes in left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF). Recently, the authors identified 3 classes of LVEF change after exposure to anthracyclines and/or trastuzumab using latent class growth modeling. The objective of the current study was to characterize the clinical, biochemical, and functional profiles associated with LVEF trajectory class membership. METHODS: Transthoracic echocardiography and biomarker assessments were performed and questionnaires were administered at standardized intervals in a longitudinal cohort of 314 patients with breast cancer who were treated with anthracyclines and/or trastuzumab. Univariable and multivariable multinomial regression analyses evaluated associations between baseline variables and LVEF trajectory class membership. Generalized estimating equations were used to define mean changes in cardiovascular measures over time within each class. RESULTS: Among the 3 distinct subgroups of LVEF changes identified (stable [class 1]; modest, persistent decline [class 2]; and significant early decline followed by partial recovery [class 3]), higher baseline LVEF, radiotherapy, and sequential therapy with anthracyclines and/or trastuzumab were associated with class 2 or 3 membership. Sustained abnormalities in longitudinal strain and N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) were observed in patients in class 2, as were heart failure symptoms. Similar abnormalities were observed in patients in class 3, but there was a trend toward recovery, particularly for longitudinal strain. CONCLUSIONS: Patients with modest, persistent LVEF declines experienced sustained abnormalities in imaging and biochemical markers of cardiac function and heart failure symptoms. Further investigation is needed to characterize the long-term risk of heart failure, particularly in those with modest LVEF declines.

Should non-cardiovascular mortality be considered in the SCORE model? Findings from the Prevention of Renal and Vascular End-stage Disease (PREVEND) cohort.

Competing non-cardiovascular related deaths were not accounted for in the Systematic COronary Risk Evaluation (SCORE) model. In this study we assessed the impact of non-cardiovascular related deaths on the prognostic performance and yield of the SCORE model. 5,752 participants from the Prevention of Renal and Vascular End stage Disease cohort aged 40 years and older who were free of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (CVD) at baseline were included. A cause-specific hazards (CSH) CVD-related mortality prediction model that accounted for non-CVD-related deaths was developed. The prognostic performance of this model was then compared with a refitted SCORE model. During a median follow-up period of 12.5 years, 139 CVD and 495 non-CVD-related deaths were reported. Discriminatory performance was comparable between the models (C-index = 0.64). The models showed good calibration although the CSH model underestimated risk in the highest decile while the refitted SCORE model showed overestimation. The CSH model classified more non-events into the low risk group compared to the refitted SCORE model (n = 51), yet it was accompanied by a misclassification of six events into the low risk group. The refitted SCORE model classified more individuals as high risk. However, the potential overtreatment that may result from utilizing the refitted SCORE model, when compared with the CSH model, still falls within acceptable limits. Our findings do not support the incorporation of non-cardiovascular mortality into the estimation of total cardiovascular risk in the SCORE model.

Statins Do Not Significantly Affect Oxidative Nitrosative Stress Biomarkers in the PREVENT Randomized Clinical Trial.

PURPOSE: Preventing Anthracycline Cardiovascular Toxicity with Statins (PREVENT; NCT01988571) randomized patients with breast cancer or lymphoma receiving anthracyclines to atorvastatin 40 mg daily or placebo. We evaluated the effects of atorvastatin on oxidative and nitrosative stress biomarkers, and explored whether these biomarkers could explain the lack of effect of atorvastatin on LVEF (left ventricular ejection fraction) in PREVENT. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Blood samples were collected and cardiac MRI was performed before doxorubicin initiation and at 6 and 24 months. Thirteen biomarkers [arginine-nitric oxide metabolites, paraoxonase-1 (PON-1) activity, and myeloperoxidase] were measured. Dimensionality reduction using principal component analysis was used to define biomarker clusters. Linear mixed-effects models determined the changes in biomarkers over time according to treatment group. Mediation analysis determined whether biomarker clusters explained the lack of effect of atorvastatin on LVEF. RESULTS: Among 202 participants with available biomarkers, median age was 53 years; 86.6% had breast cancer; median LVEF was 62%. Cluster 1 levels, reflecting arginine methylation metabolites, were lower over time with atorvastatin, although this was not statistically significant (P = 0.081); Cluster 2 levels, reflecting PON-1 activity, were significantly lower with atorvastatin (P = 0.024). There were no significant changes in other biomarker clusters (P > 0.05). Biomarker clusters did not mediate an effect of atorvastatin on LVEF (P > 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Atorvastatin demonstrated very modest effects on oxidative/nitrosative stress biomarkers in this low cardiovascular risk population. Our findings provide potential mechanistic insight into the lack of effect of atorvastatin on LVEF in the PREVENT trial.

Cardiotoxicity of CPX-351 in children and adolescents with relapsed AML: a Children's Oncology Group report.

Introduction: Anthracyclines are effective in treating acute myeloid leukemia (AML) but limited by cardiotoxicity. CPX-351, a liposomal daunorubicin and cytarabine, may provide therapeutic benefit with less cardiotoxicity. Acute changes in left ventricular systolic function and cardiac biomarkers were evaluated after a cycle of CPX-351 in children with relapsed AML treated on the phase 1/2 Children's Oncology Group study, AAML1421. Methods: Subjects received 135 units/m2/dose of CPX-351 on days 1, 3, and 5 as cycle 1. Echocardiograms were performed and centrally quantitated at baseline and at the end of cycle 1 (day 29 +/- 1 week). High sensitivity troponin (hs-cTnT) and N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) were measured at baseline and serially through the end of cycle 1 (days 5, 8, 15, 22 and 29). Differences between baseline and post-CPX-351 echo/biomarker measures were analyzed using Wilcoxon signed rank tests. Linear regression was used to model post-CPX-351 left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) with cTnT/NT-proBNP at each time point, controlling for baseline LVEF. Cancer therapy related cardiac dysfunction (CTRCD) was defined as a decline in LVEF of ≥10%-<50%. Results: Twenty-five of 38 heavily anthracycline pre-treated (median 348 mg/m2 daunorubicin equivalents) subjects enrolled on AAML1421 were included in the cardiac analyses. At baseline, centrally quantitated LVEF was <50% in 8 of 25 subjects (32%) with a median LVEF of 53.8% [48.0, 56.9]. Following CPX-351, LVEF declined significantly (ΔLVEF -3.3% [-7.8, 0]) and 6 of 25 subjects (24%) experienced CTRCD. Amongst all subjects, hs-cTnT was modestly increased at end of cycle 1 compared to baseline [baseline hs-cTnT 7.2 (3, 10.6); ΔcTnT 1.80 (0, 6.1), p = 0.03]. NT-proBNP remained stably elevated without significant change. No significant associations were seen between NT-proBNP or cTnT levels and post-CPX-351 LVEF. Discussion: In this single arm study of anthracycline pre-treated children exposed to CPX-351, baseline abnormalities in cardiovascular function were prevalent. Following CPX-351, LVEF decreased, cTnT increased, and NT-proBNP did not change. Longer follow-up is needed to determine whether these changes result in clinically meaningful long-term decrements in cardiac function. An ongoing randomized trial of CPX-351 compared to standard anthracyclines in anthracycline naïve patients will provide further insight into the cardiac effects of CPX-351 (ClinicalTrials.gov; NCT04293562).

Trajectories of renal biomarkers and new-onset heart failure in the general population: Findings from the PREVEND study.

AIMS: Renal dysfunction is one of the most critical risk factors for developing heart failure (HF). However, the association between repeated measures of renal function and incident HF remains unclear. Therefore, this study investigated the longitudinal trajectories of urinary albumin excretion (UAE) and serum creatinine and their association with new-onset HF and all-cause mortality. METHODS AND RESULTS: Using group-based trajectory analysis, we estimated trajectories of UAE and serum creatinine in 6881 participants from the Prevention of Renal and Vascular End-stage Disease (PREVEND) study and their association with new-onset HF and all-cause death during the 11-years of follow-up. Most participants had stable low UAE or serum creatinine. Participants with persistently higher UAE or serum creatinine were older, more often men, and more often had comorbidities, such as diabetes, a previous myocardial infarction or dyslipidaemia. Participants with persistently high UAE had a higher risk of new-onset HF or all-cause mortality, whereas stable serum creatinine trajectories showed a linear association for new-onset HF and no association with all-cause mortality. CONCLUSION: Our population-based study identified different but often stable longitudinal patterns of UAE and serum creatinine. Patients with persistently worse renal function, such as higher UAE or serum creatinine, were at a higher risk of HF or mortality.

Rationale and design of the Children's Oncology Group study AAML1831 integrated cardiac substudies in pediatric acute myeloid leukemia therapy.

Background: Pediatric acute myeloid leukemia (AML) therapy is associated with substantial short- and long-term treatment-related cardiotoxicity mainly due to high-dose anthracycline exposure. Early left ventricular systolic dysfunction (LVSD) compromises anthracycline delivery and is associated with inferior event-free and overall survival in de novo pediatric AML. Thus, effective cardioprotective strategies and cardiotoxicity risk predictors are critical to optimize cancer therapy delivery and enable early interventions to prevent progressive LVSD. While dexrazoxane-based cardioprotection reduces short-term cardiotoxicity without compromising cancer survival, liposomal anthracycline formulations have the potential to mitigate cardiotoxicity while improving antitumor efficacy. This overview summarizes the rationale and methodology of cardiac substudies within AAML1831, a randomized Children's Oncology Group Phase 3 study of CPX-351, a liposomal formulation of daunorubicin and cytarabine, in comparison with standard daunorubicin/cytarabine with dexrazoxane in the treatment of de novo pediatric AML. Methods/design: Children (age <22 years) with newly diagnosed AML were enrolled and randomized to CPX-351-containing induction 1 and 2 (Arm A) or standard daunorubicin and dexrazoxane-containing induction (Arm B). Embedded cardiac correlative studies aim to compare the efficacy of this liposomal anthracycline formulation to dexrazoxane for primary prevention of cardiotoxicity by detailed core lab analysis of standardized echocardiograms and serial cardiac biomarkers throughout AML therapy and in follow-up. In addition, AAML1831 will assess the ability of early changes in sensitive echo indices (e.g., global longitudinal strain) and cardiac biomarkers (e.g., troponin and natriuretic peptides) to predict subsequent LVSD. Finally, AAML1831 establishes expert consensus-based strategies in cardiac monitoring and anthracycline dose modification to balance the potentially competing priorities of cardiotoxicity reduction with optimal leukemia therapy. Discussion: This study will inform diagnostic, prognostic, preventative, and treatment strategies regarding cardiotoxicity during pediatric AML therapy. Together, these measures have the potential to improve leukemia-free and overall survival and long-term cardiovascular health in children with AML. Clinical trial registration: https://clinicaltrials.gov/, identifier NCT04293562.

BRCA1/2 Mutations and Cardiovascular Function in Breast Cancer Survivors.

OBJECTIVE: Animal models suggest that BRCA1/2 mutations increase doxorubicin-induced cardiotoxicity risk but data in humans are limited. We aimed to determine whether germline BRCA1/2 mutations are associated with cardiac dysfunction in breast cancer survivors. METHODS: In a single-center cross-sectional study, stage I-III breast cancer survivors were enrolled according to three groups: (1) BRCA1/2 mutation carriers treated with doxorubicin; (2) BRCA1/2 mutation non-carriers treated with doxorubicin; and (3) BRCA1/2 mutation carriers treated with non-doxorubicin cancer therapy. In age-adjusted analysis, core-lab quantitated measures of echocardiography-derived cardiac function and cardiopulmonary exercise testing (CPET) were compared across the groups. A complementary in vitro study was performed to assess the impact of BRCA1 loss of function on human induced pluripotent stem cell-derived cardiomyocytes (iPSC-CMs) survival following doxorubicin exposure. RESULTS: Sixty-seven women with mean (standard deviation) age of 50 (11) years were included. Age-adjusted left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) was lower in participants receiving doxorubicin regardless of BRCA1/2 mutation status (p = 0.03). In doxorubicin-treated BRCA1/2 mutation carriers and non-carriers, LVEF was lower by 5.4% (95% CI; -9.3, -1.5) and 4.8% (95% CI; -9.1, -0.5), respectively compared to carriers without doxorubicin exposure. No significant differences in VO2max were observed across the three groups (poverall = 0.07). Doxorubicin caused a dose-dependent reduction in viability of iPSC-CMs in vitro without differences between BRCA1 mutant and wild type controls (p > 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: BRCA1/2 mutation status was not associated with differences in measures of cardiovascular function or fitness. Our findings do not support a role for increased cardiotoxicity risk with BRCA1/2 mutations in women with breast cancer.

Paraoxonase-1 Activity in Breast Cancer Patients Treated With Doxorubicin With or Without Trastuzumab.

The objective of this study was to determine associations of paraoxonase-1 (PON-1) with development of cancer therapy-related cardiac dysfunction (CTRCD). PON-1 is a cardioprotective enzyme associated with high-density lipoprotein that prevents oxidized low-density lipoprotein formation. Given the role of oxidative stress in doxorubicin-induced cardiotoxicity, PON-1 activity may have relevance for the prediction of CTRCD. In 225 patients with breast cancer receiving doxorubicin with or without trastuzumab, we quantified PON-1 activity through its paraoxonase (Pon) and arylesterase (Aryl) enzymatic activity at baseline, during, and after doxorubicin completion. Echocardiograms were performed at baseline, during therapy, and annually. CTRCD was defined as a decrease in left ventricular ejection fraction by ≥10% from baseline to <50%. Associations between baseline biomarkers and clinical variables were determined using multivariable linear regression. Associations between changes in biomarker activity and time to CTRCD were evaluated using Cox regression. Pon was directly associated with Black race and inversely associated with Stage 2 cancer. Aryl was inversely associated with body mass index. After doxorubicin completion, activity levels of Pon and Aryl were significantly decreased (median ratio compared with baseline for Pon: 0.95 [Q1-Q3: 0.81-1.07, P < 0.001]; for Aryl: 0.97 [Q1-Q3: 0.85-1.08, P = 0.010]). A total of 184 patients had an available quantitated echocardiogram at baseline and at least 1 follow-up visit. Increases from baseline in Pon at doxorubicin completion were independently associated with increased CTRCD risk (per 10% increase: hazard ratio [HR]: 1.21; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.05-1.39; P = 0.007). Associations between increases in Aryl and CTRCD tended in the same direction but were of borderline statistical significance (HR: 1.17; 95% CI: 0.99-1.38; P = 0.071). In patients with breast cancer treated with doxorubicin with or without trastuzumab, increases in the Pon enzymatic activity level of PON-1 were associated with increased CTRCD risk. PON-1 activity may be relevant to mechanistic risk prediction of cardiotoxicity with anthracyclines.

Rates of laboratory adverse events by course in paediatric leukaemia ascertained with automated electronic health record extraction: a retrospective cohort study from the Children's Oncology Group.

BACKGROUND: Adverse events are often misreported in clinical trials, leading to an incomplete understanding of toxicities. We aimed to test automated laboratory adverse event ascertainment and grading (via the ExtractEHR automated package) to assess its scalability and define adverse event rates for children with acute myeloid leukaemia and acute lymphoblastic leukaemia. METHODS: For this retrospective cohort study from the Children's Oncology Group (COG), we included patients aged 0-22 years treated for acute myeloid leukaemia or acute lymphoblastic leukaemia at Children's Healthcare of Atlanta (Atlanta, GA, USA) from Jan 1, 2010, to Nov 1, 2018, at the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia (Philadelphia, PA, USA) from Jan 1, 2011, to Dec 31, 2014, and at the Texas Children's Hospital (Houston, TX, USA) from Jan 1, 2011, to Dec 31, 2014. The ExtractEHR automated package acquired, cleaned, and graded laboratory data as per Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events (CTCAE) version 5 for 22 commonly evaluated grade 3-4 adverse events (fatal events were not evaluated) with numerically based CTCAE definitions. Descriptive statistics tabulated adverse event frequencies. Adverse events ascertained by ExtractEHR were compared to manually reported adverse events for patients enrolled in two COG trials (AAML1031, NCT01371981; AALL0932, NCT02883049). Analyses were restricted to protocol-defined chemotherapy courses (induction I, induction II, intensification I, intensification II, and intensification III for acute myeloid leukaemia; induction, consolidation, interim maintenance, delayed intensification, and maintenance for acute lymphoblastic leukaemia). FINDINGS: Laboratory adverse event data from 1077 patients (583 from Children's Healthcare of Atlanta, 200 from the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, and 294 from the Texas Children's Hospital) who underwent 4611 courses (549 for acute myeloid leukaemia and 4062 for acute lymphoblastic leukaemia) were extracted, processed, and graded. Of the 166 patients with acute myeloid leukaemia, 86 (52%) were female, 80 (48%) were male, 96 (58%) were White, and 132 (80%) were non-Hispanic. Of the 911 patients with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia, 406 (45%) were female, 505 (55%) were male, 596 (65%) were White, and 641 (70%) were non-Hispanic. Patients with acute myeloid leukaemia had the most adverse events during induction I and intensification II. Hypokalaemia (one [17%] of six to 75 [48%] of 156 courses) and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) increased (13 [10%] of 134 to 27 [17%] of 156 courses) were the most prevalent non-haematological adverse events in patients with acute myeloid leukaemia, as identified by ExtractEHR. Patients with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia had the greatest number of adverse events during induction and maintenance (eight adverse events with prevalence ≥10%; induction and maintenance: anaemia, platelet count decreased, white blood cell count decreased, neutrophil count decreased, lymphocyte count decreased, ALT increased, and hypocalcaemia; induction: hypokalaemia; maintenance: aspartate aminotransferase [AST] increased and blood bilirubin increased), as identified by ExtractEHR. 187 (85%) of 220 total comparisons in 22 adverse events in four AAML1031 and six AALL0923 courses were substantially higher with ExtractEHR than COG-reported adverse event rates for adverse events with a prevalence of at least 2%. INTERPRETATION: ExtractEHR is scalable and accurately defines laboratory adverse event rates for paediatric acute leukaemia; moreover, ExtractEHR seems to detect higher rates of laboratory adverse events than those reported in COG trials. These rates can be used for comparisons between therapies and to counsel patients treated on or off trials about the risks of chemotherapy. ExtractEHR-based adverse event ascertainment can improve reporting of laboratory adverse events in clinical trials. FUNDING: US National Institutes of Health, St Baldrick's Foundation, and Alex's Lemonade Stand Foundation.

Early Cardiac Effects of Contemporary Radiation Therapy in Patients With Breast Cancer.

PURPOSE: To characterize the early changes in echocardiographically derived measures of cardiac function with contemporary radiation therapy (RT) in breast cancer and to determine the associations with radiation dose-volume metrics, including mean heart dose (MHD). METHODS AND MATERIALS: In a prospective longitudinal cohort study of 86 patients with breast cancer treated with photon or proton thoracic RT, clinical and echocardiographic data were assessed at 3 time points: within 4 weeks before RT initiation (T0), within 3 days before 6 weeks after the end of RT (T1), and 5 to 9 months after RT completion (T2). Associations between MHD and echocardiographically derived measures of cardiac function were assessed using generalized estimating equations to define the acute (T0 to T1) and subacute (T0 to T2) changes in cardiac function. RESULTS: The median estimates of MHD were 139 cGy (interquartile range, 99-249 cGy). In evaluating the acute changes in left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) from T0 to T1, and accounting for the time from RT, age, race, preexisting cardiovascular disease, and an interaction term with anthracycline or trastuzumab exposure and MHD, there was a modest decrease in LVEF of borderline significance (0.22%; 95% confidence interval [CI], -0.44% to 0.01%; P = .06) per 30-day interval for every 100 cGy increase of MHD. Similarly, there was a modest worsening in longitudinal strain (0.19%; 95% CI, -0.01% to 0.39%; P = .06) per 30-day interval for each 100 cGy increase in MHD. We did not find significant associations between MHD and changes in circumferential strain or diastolic function. CONCLUSIONS: With modern radiation planning techniques, there are modest subclinical changes in measures of cardiac function in the short-term. Longer-term follow-up studies are needed to determine whether these early changes are associated with the development of overt cardiac disease.

Left ventricular segmental strain and the prediction of cancer therapy-related cardiac dysfunction.

AIMS: We aimed to determine the early changes and predictive value of left ventricular (LV) segmental strain measures in women with breast cancer receiving doxorubicin. METHODS AND RESULTS: In a cohort of 237 women with breast cancer receiving doxorubicin with or without trastuzumab, 1151 echocardiograms were prospectively acquired over a median (Q1-Q3) of 7 (2-24) months. LV ejection fraction (LVEF) and 36 segmental strain measures were core lab quantified. A supervised machine learning (ML) model was then developed using random forest regression to identify segmental strain measures predictive of nadir LVEF post-doxorubicin completion. Cancer therapy-related cardiac dysfunction (CTRCD) was defined as a ≥10% absolute LVEF decline pre-treatment to a value <50%. Median (Q1-Q3) baseline age was 48 (41-57) years. Thirty-five women developed CTRCD, and eight of these developed symptomatic heart failure. From pre-treatment to doxorubicin completion, longitudinal strain worsened across the basal and mid-LV segments but not in the apical segments; circumferential strain worsened primarily in the septum; radial strain worsened uniformly and transverse strain remained unchanged across all LV segments. In the ML model, anterolateral and inferoseptal circumferential strain were the most predictive features; longitudinal and transverse strain in the basal inferoseptal, anterior, basal anterolateral, and apical lateral segments were also top predictive features. The addition of predictive segmental strain measures to a model including age, cancer therapy regimen, hypertension, and LVEF increased the area under the curve (AUC) from 0.70 (95% confidence interval (CI) 0.60-0.80) to 0.87 (95% CI 0.81-0.92), ΔAUC = 0.18 (95% CI 0.08-0.27) for the prediction of CTRCD. CONCLUSION: Our findings suggest that segmental strain measures can enhance cardiotoxicity risk prediction in women with breast cancer receiving doxorubicin.

Cardiology Involvement in Patients with Breast Cancer Treated with Trastuzumab.

BACKGROUND: There is limited evidence regarding the impact of cardiology involvement in the care of cancer patients. OBJECTIVES: We evaluated the impact of cardiology involvement on guideline-adherent cardiovascular monitoring and risk factor management in breast cancer patients treated with trastuzumab. METHODS: In a single-center retrospective cohort study, we evaluated electronic health records from 1,047 breast cancer patients receiving trastuzumab between January 2009 and July 2018. A visit to a cardiology provider beginning from the 3 months prior to cancer therapy initiation until the last contact date defined cardiology involvement. Guideline-adherent monitoring, defined by echocardiography assessment within the 4 months prior to trastuzumab initiation and follow-up echocardiography at least every 4 months during therapy, was compared in patients with and without cardiology involvement prior to treatment initiation. Multivariable associations between cardiology involvement and time-varying risk factors blood pressure (BP) and body mass index (BMI) were assessed using generalized estimating equations. RESULTS: Cardiology involvement occurred in 293 (28%) patients. A higher proportion of patients with cardiology involvement prior to trastuzumab initiation had guideline-adherent monitoring (76.4% versus 60.1%, p=0.007). Cardiology involvement was associated with an average 1.5mmHg (95% CI -2.9,-0.1, p=0.035) lower systolic BP; which was more pronounced in those with hypertension (-2.7mmHg (95% CI -4.6,-0.7, p=0.007)). Cardiology involvement was associated with a lower BMI in patients with baseline BMI≥25 kg/m2 (mean difference; -0.5 (95% CI -1.0,-0.1, p=0.027)). CONCLUSIONS: Cardiology involvement in breast cancer patients treated with trastuzumab is associated with greater adherence to cardiovascular monitoring and modest improvements in risk factor control.

Changes in Cardiovascular Biomarkers With Breast Cancer Therapy and Associations With Cardiac Dysfunction.

Background We examined the longitudinal associations between changes in cardiovascular biomarkers and cancer therapy-related cardiac dysfunction (CTRCD) in patients with breast cancer treated with cardotoxic cancer therapy. Methods and Results Repeated measures of high-sensitivity cardiac troponin T (hs-cTnT), NT-proBNP (N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide), myeloperoxidase, placental growth factor, and growth differentiation factor 15 were assessed longitudinally in a prospective cohort of 323 patients treated with anthracyclines and/or trastuzumab followed over a maximum of 3.7 years with serial echocardiograms. CTRCD was defined as a ≥10% decline in left ventricular ejection fraction to a value <50%. Associations between changes in biomarkers and left ventricular ejection fraction were evaluated in repeated-measures linear regression models. Cox regression models assessed the associations between biomarkers and CTRCD. Early increases in all biomarkers occurred with anthracycline-based regimens. hs-cTnT levels >14 ng/L at anthracycline completion were associated with a 2-fold increased CTRCD risk (hazard ratio, 2.01; 95% CI, 1.00-4.06). There was a modest association between changes in NT-proBNP and left ventricular ejection fraction in the overall cohort; this was most pronounced with sequential anthracycline and trastuzumab (1.1% left ventricular ejection fraction decline [95% CI, -1.8 to -0.4] with each NT-proBNP doubling). Increases in NT-proBNP were also associated with CTRCD (hazard ratio per doubling, 1.56; 95% CI, 1.32-1.84). Increases in myeloperoxidase were associated with CTRCD in patients who received sequential anthracycline and trastuzumab (hazard ratio per doubling, 1.28; 95% CI, 1.04-1.58). Conclusions Cardiovascular biomarkers may play an important role in CTRCD risk prediction in patients with breast cancer who receive cardiotoxic cancer therapy, particularly in those treated with sequential anthracycline and trastuzumab therapy. Clinical Trial Registration URL: https://www.clinicaltrials.gov/. Unique identifier: NCT01173341.

Early Changes in Cardiovascular Biomarkers with Contemporary Thoracic Radiation Therapy for Breast Cancer, Lung Cancer, and Lymphoma.

PURPOSE: We characterized the early changes in cardiovascular biomarkers with contemporary thoracic radiation therapy (RT) and evaluated their associations with radiation dose-volume metrics including mean heart dose (MHD), V5, and V30. METHODS AND MATERIALS: In a prospective longitudinal study of 87 patients with breast cancer, lung cancer, or mediastinal lymphoma treated with photon or proton thoracic RT, blood samples were obtained pre-RT and after completion of RT (median, 20 days; interquartile range [IQR], 1-35). High-sensitivity cardiac troponin T, N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide, placental growth factor (PIGF), and growth differentiation factor 15 (GDF-15) were measured. Associations between MHD, V5 and V30, and biomarker levels and associations between echocardiography-derived measures of cardiac function and biomarker levels were assessed in multivariable linear regression models. Analyses were performed according to the following subgroups: (1) breast cancer alone and (2) lung cancer and lymphoma combined. RESULTS: The median (IQR) estimates of MHD ranged from 1.3 Gy (0.9-2.4) in breast cancer (n = 60) to 6.8 Gy (5.4-10.2) in mediastinal lymphoma (n = 14) and 8.4 Gy (6.7-16.1) in lung cancer (n = 13) patients (P < .001). There were no significant increases in biomarker levels from pre-RT to post-RT in breast cancer. In lung cancer/lymphoma, PIGF increased from a median (IQR) of 20 ng/L (16-26) to 22 ng/L (16-30) (P = .005), and GDF-15 increased from 1171 ng/L (755-2493) to 1887 ng/L (903-3763) (P = .006). MHD, V5, and V30 were significantly associated with post-RT PIGF and GDF-15 levels in multivariable models. Changes in biomarkers were not significantly associated with changes in echocardiography-derived measures of cardiac function. CONCLUSION: Contemporary thoracic RT induces acute abnormalities in vascular and inflammatory biomarkers that are associated with radiation dose-volume metrics, particularly in lung cancer and mediastinal lymphoma. Long-term follow-up studies are needed to determine the impact of these changes on the development of overt cardiac disease.

Bio-adrenomedullin as a marker of congestion in patients with new-onset and worsening heart failure.

BACKGROUND: Secretion of adrenomedullin (ADM) is stimulated by volume overload to maintain endothelial barrier function, and higher levels of biologically active (bio-) ADM in heart failure (HF) are a counteracting response to vascular leakage and tissue oedema. This study aimed to establish the value of plasma bio-ADM as a marker of congestion in patients with worsening HF. METHODS AND RESULTS: The association of plasma bio-ADM with clinical markers of congestion, as well as its prognostic value was studied in 2179 patients with new-onset or worsening HF enrolled in BIOSTAT-CHF. Data were validated in a separate cohort of 1703 patients. Patients with higher plasma bio-ADM levels were older, had more severe HF and more signs and symptoms of congestion (all P < 0.001). Amongst 20 biomarkers, bio-ADM was the strongest predictor of a clinical congestion score (r2 = 0.198). In multivariable regression analysis, higher bio-ADM was associated with higher body mass index, more oedema, and higher fibroblast growth factor 23. In hierarchical cluster analysis, bio-ADM clustered with oedema, orthopnoea, rales, hepatomegaly and jugular venous pressure. Higher bio-ADM was independently associated with impaired up-titration of angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors/angiotensin receptor blockers after 3 months, but not of beta-blockers. Higher bio-ADM levels were independently associated with an increased risk of all-cause mortality and HF hospitalization (hazard ratio 1.16, 95% confidence interval 1.06-1.27, P = 0.002, per log increase). Analyses in the validation cohort yielded comparable findings. CONCLUSIONS: Plasma bio-ADM in patients with new-onset and worsening HF is associated with more severe HF and more oedema, orthopnoea, hepatomegaly and jugular venous pressure. We therefore postulate bio-ADM as a congestion marker, which might become useful to guide decongestive therapy.

A systematic review of epidemiology, treatment and prognosis of heart failure in adults in Ethiopia.

BACKGROUND: Systematic characterization of heart failure in adults in Ethiopia is lacking currently. In this review, we sought to summarize the available scientific evidence on the epidemiology, treatment and prognosis of heart failure in adults in Ethiopia. METHODS: A systematic review of PUBMED, EMBASE and SCOPUS was conducted for studies published between January 1990 and July 2017. Studies reporting on incidence, prevalence, treatment or prognosis of heart failure in individuals older than 14 years of age were included. RESULTS: The search yielded 66 articles, out of which nine were found to be eligible for inclusion in this review. There are no studies reporting the incidence or prevalence of heart failure in the adult population in Ethiopia. There are, however, indications that heart failure might be a significant burden in the country, and typically affects middle-aged adults. Valvular heart disease, predominantly related to rheumatic heart disease, is the most commonly identified heart failure cause across the included studies. There are very limited data on treatment and prognosis. CONCLUSION: There is limited scientific evidence on the epidemiology, treatment and prognosis of heart failure in adults in Ethiopia. Further studies are needed for the better understanding of the burden and treatment of heart failure in the adult population in Ethiopia.

Prevalence, predictors and clinical outcome of residual congestion in acute decompensated heart failure.

BACKGROUND: Congestion is the main reason for hospital admission for acute decompensated heart failure (ADHF). A better understanding of the clinical course of congestion and factors associated with decongestion are therefore important. We studied the clinical course, predictors and prognostic value of congestion in a cohort of patients admitted for ADHF by including different indirect markers of congestion (residual clinical congestion, brain natriuretic peptides (BNP) trajectories, hemoconcentration or diuretic response). METHODS AND RESULTS: We studied the prognostic value of residual clinical congestion using an established composite congestion score (CCS) in 1572 ADHF patients. At baseline, 1528 (97.2%) patients were significantly congested (CCS ≥ 3), after 7 days of hospitalization or discharge (whichever came first), 451 (28.7%) patients were still significantly congested (CCS ≥ 3), 751 (47.8%) patients were mildly congested (CCS = 1 or 2) and 370 (23.5%) patients had no signs of residual congestion (CCS = 0). The presence of significant residual congestion at day 7 or discharge was independently associated with increased risk of re-admissions for heart failure by day 60 (HR [95%CI] = 1.88 [1.39-2.55]) and all-cause mortality by day 180 (HR [95%CI] = 1.54 [1.16-2.04]). Diuretic response provided added prognostic value on top of residual congestion and baseline predictors for both outcomes, yet gain in prognostic performance was modest. CONCLUSION: Most patients with acute decompensated heart failure still have residual congestion 7 days after hospitalization. This factor was associated with higher rates of re-hospitalization and death. Decongestion surrogates, such as diuretic response, added to residual congestion, are still significant predictors of outcomes, but they do not provide meaningful additive prognostic information.

Plasma biomarkers to predict or rule out early post-discharge events after hospitalization for acute heart failure.

AIM: Improved prediction of early post-discharge death or rehospitalization after admission for acute heart failure is a major unmet need. We evaluated the value of biomarkers to predict either low or high risk for early post-discharge events. METHODS AND RESULTS: A total of 1653 patients enrolled in the PROTECT trial who were discharged alive and with available blood samples were included. Forty-seven biomarkers were serially evaluated in these patients. Measurement closest to discharge was used to evaluate the predictive value of biomarkers for low and high post-discharge risk. Patients were classified as 'low risk' if post-discharge 30-day risk of death or heart failure rehospitalization was <5% while risk >20% was used to define 'high risk'. Cut-off values that yielded a 95% negative predictive value and a 20% positive predictive value were identified for each biomarker. Partial area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (pAUC) in the high-sensitivity and high-specificity regions was calculated to compare low-risk and high-risk predictive values. Of patients analysed, 193 (11.7%) patients reached the 30-day death or heart failure rehospitalization outcome. We found marked differences between low-risk and high-risk predictors. Cardiac-specific troponin I was the strongest biomarker for low-risk prediction (pAUC = 0.552, 95% confidence interval 0.52-0.58) while endothelin-1 showed better performance for high-risk prediction (pAUC = 0.560, 95% confidence interval 0.53-0.59). Several biomarkers (individually and in combination) provided added predictive value, on top of a clinical model, in both low-risk and high-risk regions. CONCLUSION: Different biomarkers predicted low risk vs. high risk of early post-discharge death or heart failure readmission in patients hospitalized for acute heart failure.