Prevalence of Chagas Disease in the Latin American-born Population of Los Angeles.

Background: According to an estimate from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Chagas disease (CD) may affect 1.31% of Latin American immigrants in the United States, with >300 000 cases. However, there is a lack of real-world data to support this estimate. Little is known about the actual prevalence of this neglected tropical disease in the United States, and the bulk of those infected are undiagnosed. Methods: From April 2008 to May 2014, we screened 4,755 Latin American-born residents of Los Angeles County. Blood samples were tested for serologic evidence of CD. We collected demographic data and assessed the impact of established risk factors on CD diagnosis, including sex, country of origin, housing materials, family history of CD, and awareness of CD. Results: There were 59 cases of CD, for an overall prevalence of 1.24%. Prevalence was highest among Salvadorans (3.45%). Of the 3,182 Mexican respondents, those from Oaxaca (4.65%) and Zacatecas (2.2%) had the highest CD prevalence. Salvadoran origin (aOR = 6.2; 95% CI = 2.8-13.5; P < .001), prior knowledge of CD (aOR = 2.4; 95% CI = 1.0-5.8; P = .047), and exposure to all 3 at-risk housing types (adobe, mud, and thatched roof) (aOR = 2.5; 95% CI = 1.0-6.4; P = .048) were associated with positive diagnosis. Conclusions: In the largest screening of CD in the United States to date outside of blood banks, we found a CD prevalence of 1.24%. This implies >30 000 people infected in Los Angeles County alone, making CD an important public health concern. Efficient, targeted surveillance of CD may accelerate diagnosis and identify candidates for early treatment.

Coronary Heart Disease in the Middle East and North Africa: Current Status and Future Goals.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: The Middle East and North Africa has witnessed a dramatic transformation over the last 30 years caused by rapid urbanization and modernization and significant changes to diet and lifestyle. This review attempts to highlight recent data in regards to ischemic heart disease and its risk factors from the region. RECENT FINDINGS: Ischemic heart disease is now the leading cause of death in the region. Age at presentation with myocardial infarction and acute coronary syndrome appears to be significantly younger than global averages. Increased rates of all major risk factors including diabetes, hypertension, hyperlipidemia, smoking, obesity, and sedentary lifestyle have been noted. Specifically, significant changes to dietary habits and growing epidemic of use of alternative tobacco products are noted. This review article highlights the growing epidemic of ischemic heart disease in the region led by dramatic increases in incidence of its risk factors. This epidemic will require a multipronged approach to address the varied issues and mitigate the growing prevalence of the disease.

PFO closure: End of an era or beginning of a new chapter?

This large long-term retrospective cohort study shows that percutaneous patent foramen ovale (PFO) closure is safe. Higher rates of recurrent stroke or TIA were noted in older patients (age>55) and those with diabetes and hypertension Randomized trials have failed to show significant benefit from PFO closure for cryptogenic stroke though pooled analyses and longer-term follow-up have revealed significant reduction in recurrent strokes. Future studies and longer-term follow-up will need to elucidate which subgroups of patients will benefit from closure.

Safety Profile of Nifurtimox for Treatment of Chagas Disease in the United States.

BACKGROUND: Nifurtimox is 1 of only 2 medications available for treating Chagas disease (CD) and currently the only drug available in the United States, but its safety and tolerance have not been extensively studied. This is the first study to evaluate tolerance of nifurtimox in US patients with CD. METHODS: This investigation assessed side effects in a sample of 53 patients with CD, all Latin American immigrants, who underwent treatment with nifurtimox (8-10 mg/kg in 3 daily doses for 12 weeks) from March 2008 to July 2012. The frequency and severity of adverse events (AEs) was recorded. RESULTS: A total of 435 AEs were recorded; 93.8% were mild, 3.0% moderate, and 3.2% severe. Patients experienced a mean of 8.2 AEs; the most frequent were anorexia (79.2%), nausea (75.5%), headache (60.4%), amnesia (58.5%), and >5% weight loss (52.8%). Eleven patients (20.8%) were unable to complete treatment. Experiencing a moderate or severe AE (odds ratio [OR], 3.82; P < .05) and Mexican nationality (OR, 2.29; P < .05) were significant predictors of treatment discontinuation, but sex and cardiac progression at baseline were not. Patients who did not complete treatment experienced nearly 3 times more AEs per 30-day period (P = .05). CONCLUSIONS: Nifurtimox produces frequent side effects, but the majority are mild and can be managed with dose reduction and/or temporary suspension of medication. The high frequency of gastrointestinal symptoms and weight loss mirrors results from prior investigations. Special attention should be paid during the early stages of treatment to potentially severe symptoms including depression, rash, and anxiety.

Heart Failure Secondary to Chagas Disease: an Emerging Problem in Non-endemic Areas.

Chagas disease affects millions of people worldwide. Though the majority of infected individuals remain asymptomatic, approximately 30 % of patients progress to develop cardiac manifestations and eventual heart failure. While vectorial transmission occurs predominantly in South America, Central America, and Mexico, millions of people originally from these endemic regions immigrate to non-endemic countries in North America, Europe, and Asia. Outside of rare specialized centers, health-care providers lack experience diagnosing and treating this disease. This lack of experience likely leads to far fewer Chagas disease patients being diagnosed than what actually exist in non-endemic countries, with subsequent adverse effect on patient outcomes and health-care expenses. Underdiagnosis increases the risk of developing cardiomyopathy, associated heart failure, and life-threatening ventricular arrhythmias as the disease progresses.

Tolerance of benznidazole in a United States Chagas Disease clinic.

The US-based Center of Excellence for Chagas Disease performed an observational study on the safety and tolerance of benznidazole 5 mg/kg/day for 60 days in 30 adults with chronic Chagas disease. The side-effect profile was suboptimal, including 5 cases of debilitating neuropathy and an unusually high angioedema rate.

Repolarization parameters are associated with mortality in chagas disease patients in the United States.

OBJECTIVE: The goal of this study was to examine the association between ECG repolarization parameters and mortality in Chagas disease (CD) patients living in the United States. METHODS: CD patients with cardiomyopathy (CM) and bundle branch block (BBB) or BBB alone were compared to age- and sex-matched controls. QT interval, QT dispersion (QTd), T wave peak to T wave end duration (Tp-Te) and T wave peak to T wave end dispersion ((Tp-Te)d) were measured. Presence of fractionated QRS (fQRS) was also assessed. The main outcome measure was the association between ECG parameters and mortality or need for cardiac transplant. RESULTS: A total of 18 CM and 13 BBB CD patients were studied with 97% originating from Mexico or Central America. QTd (60.0±15.0 ms vs 43.5±9.8 ms, P=0.0002), Tp-Te (102.6±29.3 ms vs 77.1±11.0 ms, P=0.0002) and (Tp-Te)d (39.5±9.4 ms vs 22.7±7.6 ms, P<0.0001) were prolonged in CD CM patients compared to CM controls. Chagas CM patients had more fQRS then controls (84.2±0.10% vs 33.3±0.11%, p=0.0005). QTd (59.9±15.0 ms vs 29.5±6.9 ms, P=0.0001) and (Tp-Te)d (40.0±15.9 ms vs 18.5±5.4 ms, p<0.0001) were longer in the CD BBB group compared to BBB controls. Univariate analysis showed QTd (56.9±15.0 ms vs 46.5±17.3 ms, p=0.0412) and (Tp-Te)d (36.8±13.5 ms vs 28.5±13.3 ms, p=0.0395) were associated with death and/or need for cardiac transplant. CONCLUSION: Our results indicate that P-max and PD are useful electrocardiographic markers for identifying the ß-TM-high-risk patients for AF onset, even when the cardiac function is conserved.

Outcomes of Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement in the United Arab Emirates: Real-world, Single-centre Experience from an Emerging Programme.

Background: Data on outcomes of transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) in the Middle East, particularly in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), are limited. Whether centres with a low volume of patients requiring the procedure can achieve similar outcomes as those reported in pivotal clinical trials remains unclear. This study evaluates procedural outcomes of patients undergoing TAVR in a newly established programme in the UAE. Methods: Procedural outcomes of consecutive patients who underwent transfemoral TAVR at a single centre in the UAE between January 2016 and November 2021 were compared with those at centres in the lowest quartile (Q1) of procedural volume in the Transcatheter Valve Therapy Registry, which covers centres in the US. Results: Among the 183 patients included in the study, the median age was 76 years (interquartile range [IQR] 71-82), and 42.1% of patients were women, with a median Society of Thoracic Surgeons predicted risk of mortality score of 4.6 (IQR 2.9-7.5). Most of the patients (93.3%) received a balloon-expandable valve. All-cause death within 30 days, stroke and major vascular complications occurred in 0.6%, 0.6% and 2.2% of patients, respectively, compared with 3.1%, 2.2% and 4% in patients treated at Q1 hospitals. Conclusion: Patients undergoing transfemoral TAVR at an emerging centre in the Middle East had favourable outcomes compared with those performed at Q1 hospitals in the US. These findings suggest that careful patient selection for TAVR is critical and may help optimise patient outcomes, especially when procedural volumes are low.

Transcatheter aortic valve replacement in a patient with critical bicuspid aortic stenosis and cardiogenic shock: case report.

Background: Cardiogenic shock (CS) is associated with significant morbidity and mortality (27-51%). Little is known about the feasibility and safety of emergency transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) for critical aortic stenosis (AS) in acute myocardial infarction (AMI) with CS. Case summary: A 57-year-old male with history of tobacco dependence and diabetes mellitus presented with acute posterior ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction and CS. The patient initially underwent successful primary percutaneous intervention to an anomalous circumflex artery coming off the right cusp. It was noted to have advanced CS out of proportion to his coronary anatomy. Echocardiographic assessment noted critical AS. Heart team decided to perform percutaneous aortic balloon valvuloplasty under support of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation. Percutaneous aortic balloon valvuloplasty was performed and was complicated by severe aortic regurgitation (AR). A balloon-expandable transcatheter heart valve was then placed with resolution of AR and stabilization of the patient. Then, the patient was subsequently decannulated within a week then was able to go home after 47 days (32 days intensive care unit). His course was notable for a minor stroke due to initial period of hypotension and CS. He was extubated and remained hospitalized for several weeks participating in rehabilitation. Follow-up echo showed a well-seated and functioning transcatheter heart valve. His left ventricular systolic function improved from 21% to 45%. Conclusion: Emergency TAVR is feasible and can be performed in a patient with AMI and CS. Early initiation of mechanical support allowed the patient to receive definitive treatment. The multidisciplinary heart team is essential and reflected in the ultimate outcome of our patient.

Familial Hypercholesterolemia in the Arabian Gulf Region: Clinical results of the Gulf FH Registry.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Familial hypercholesterolemia (FH) is a common autosomal dominant disorder that can result in premature atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD). Limited data are available worldwide about the prevalence and management of FH. Here, we aimed to estimate the prevalence and management of patients with FH in five Arabian Gulf countries (Saudi Arabia, Oman, United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, and Bahrain). METHODS: The multicentre, multinational Gulf FH registry included adults (≥18 years old) recruited from outpatient clinics in 14 tertiary-care centres across five Arabian Gulf countries over the last five years. The Gulf FH registry had four phases: 1- screening, 2- classification based on the Dutch Lipid Clinic Network, 3- genetic testing, and 4- follow-up. RESULTS: Among 34,366 screened patient records, 3713 patients had suspected FH (mean age: 49±15 years; 52% women) and 306 patients had definite or probable FH. Thus, the estimated FH prevalence was 0.9% (1:112). Treatments included high-intensity statin therapy (34%), ezetimibe (10%), and proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 inhibitors (0.4%). Targets for low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) and non-high-density lipoprotein cholesterol were achieved by 12% and 30%, respectively, of patients at high ASCVD risk, and by 3% and 6%, respectively, of patients at very high ASCVD risk (p <0.001; for both comparisons). CONCLUSIONS: This snap-shot study was the first to show the high estimated prevalence of FH in the Arabian Gulf region (about 3-fold the estimated prevalence worldwide), and is a "call-to-action" for further confirmation in future population studies. The small proportions of patients that achieved target LDL-C values implied that health care policies need to implement nation-wide screening, raise FH awareness, and improve management strategies for FH.

Lipid Control Post Coronary Artery Bypass Graft: One Year Follow-Up of a Middle-Eastern Cohort.

Background: Data on patient characteristics and provider practices in the management of lipids per the new guidelines in specific secondary prevention patients in the Middle East is limited. Objective: To explore patient characteristics and lipid management practices according to the new cholesterol guidelines in secondary prevention patients, up to one year following discharge for coronary artery bypass graft surgery (CABG). Methods: A retrospective chart review of patients discharged post CABG between February 2017 and February 2018 at a quaternary care centre in the Middle East. Patients were characterized by baseline demographics, comorbidities, and use of lipid lowering medications. Results: 189 patients were included in the analysis. Most were diabetic (70.9%) and classified as very high risk per the ACC/AHA guidelines (84.1%) and as extremely high risk per the AACE guidelines (85.2%). Most patients (93.1%) were discharged on high intensity statin. About one third (28.6%) were never seen or only followed once within the first 2 weeks post discharge. Of those who continued to follow up beyond 3 months and within 1 year of discharge (44.4%), about half (51.2%) had follow-up lipid panels performed. Patients who followed up and were seen by a cardiologist were five times more likely to have lipid panels ordered than those seen solely by a CT surgeon. Of those with follow-up lipid panels beyond 3 months: 59.3% achieved LDL goal of <70 mg/dL and 29% achieved LDL <55 mg/dL based on their respective goals. Conclusions: Most patients undergoing CABG in a quaternary care centre in the Middle East are high risk ASCVD. Nonetheless, lipid goals are not commonly achieved nor routinely monitored. Providers will need to transition from the previous risk stratification and statin-only focused approach to adopt the most recent guidelines.

Robotic Totally Endoscopic Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting: Systematic Review of Clinical Outcomes from the Past two Decades.

Robotic totally endoscopic coronary artery bypass grafting (TECAB) was introduced in 1998 and has over a period of two decades gradually emerged from single-vessel revascularization to multivessel bypass grafting. Dedicated centers have continuously evolved and further developed this minimally invasive method of coronary bypass surgery. A literature review was conducted to assess intra- and postoperative outcomes of TECAB. PubMed returned 19 comprehensive articles on TECAB. Investigation was focused on perioperative outcome parameters, i.e.: operative time, conversion to larger incision, revision for bleeding, atrial fibrillation, stroke, acute renal failure, and mortality. Outcome from the analysis of 2,397 reported cases showed an average operative time of 291 ± 57 minutes (range 112 to 1,050), conversion rate to larger incisions at 11.5%, and perioperative mortality at 0.8%. Pooled data demonstrated 4.2% operative revision rate due to postoperative hemorrhage, 1.0% stroke incidence, 1.6% acute renal failure, and 13.3% de novo atrial fibrillation. The mean length of hospital stay measured 5.8 ± 1.7 days. Conversion rates and operative times decreased over time. According to data in the literature, coronary bypass surgery carried out in completely endoscopic fashion utilizing robotic assistance can require relatively extensive operative times and conversion rates are somewhat higher than in other robotic cardiac surgery. However, major postoperative events lie in an acceptable range. TECAB remains the surgical revascularization method with the least tissue trauma and represents an opportunity for coronary artery bypass grafting via port access. Rates of major complications are at least similar to conventional surgical access procedures.

Meta-analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials on Patent Foramen Ovale Closure Versus Medical Therapy for Secondary Prevention of Cryptogenic Stroke.

The optimal management of patients with cryptogenic stroke (CS) and patent foramen ovale (PFO) remains controversial. We conducted a meta-analysis to assess the effect of PFO closure for secondary prevention of stroke on patients with CS. We searched the literature for randomized control trials assessing the recurrence of stroke after PFO closure compared with medical therapy (antiplatelet and/or anticoagulation). Five randomized control trials with a total of 3,440 patients were included. The mean age was 45.2 ± 9.7 years and follow-up duration ranged from 2.0 to 5.9 years. PFO closure significantly reduced the risk of stroke compared with the medical therapy (2.8% vs 5.8%; relative risk [RR] 0.48, confidence interval [CI] 0.27 to 0.87, p = 0.01, I2 = 56%). The number needed to treat for stroke prevention was 10.5. PFO closure was associated with an increased risk of atrial fibrillation compared with medical therapy (4.2% vs 0.7%; RR 4.55, CI 2.16 to 9.6, p = 0.0001, I2 = 25%). There was no significant difference in all-cause mortality (RR 1.33, CI 0.56 to 3.16, p = 0.52, I2 = 0%), as well as no difference in bleeding risk between the 2 groups (RR 0.94, CI 0.49 to 1.83, p = 0.86, I2 = 29%). In conclusion, our meta-analysis demonstrates that PFO closure is associated with significantly lower risk of recurrent stroke in patients with PFO and CS compared with medical therapy. However, atrial fibrillation was more common among closure patients.

Cardiovascular and endothelial effects of fish oil supplementation in healthy volunteers.

Consumption of fish oil (FO) is associated with reduced adverse cardiovascular events. In a randomized, blinded, placebo-controlled trial, 26 subjects (17 men and 9 women; mean age [+/- SD] 31 +/- 3.7 years) received 1 g FO capsule (n = 14) or placebo (1 g of corn oil, n = 12) for 14 days. At day 0 and day 14, heart rate (HR), blood pressure, endothelium-dependent brachial artery flow-mediated vasodilation (EDV), and endothelium-independent nitroglycerin-mediated vasodilation (EIDV) were assessed with ultrasound. FO supplementation resulted in a significant increase in EDV (20.4% +/- 13.2% vs 9.9% +/- 5.4%; P = .036) and EIDV (32.6% +/- 16.8% vs 18.0% +/- 14.9%; P = .043). Resting HR decreased by a mean of 5.9 +/- 9.4 bpm (FO) compared with placebo (mean increase of 0.73 +/- 4.8 bpm [P = .05]). FO supplementation in healthy subjects is associated with improved endothelial function and decreased resting HR.

The Prevalence of Chagas Disease Among Latin American Immigrants with Pacemakers in Los Angeles, California.

AbstractChagas disease (CD), with associated conduction abnormalities, is a common indication for pacemaker implantation in Latin America. The prevalence of CD in Latin American immigrants with pacemakers residing in the United States has never been studied. This single-center cross-sectional study included pacemaker patients who were aged 18 years or more with a previous residence in Latin America for at least 6 months. Patients with an implantable cardioverter-defibrillator, cardiac resynchronization therapy, or iatrogenic and/or congenital heart block were excluded. Serological testing for Trypanosoma cruzi was performed at enrollment. A total of 80 patients were enrolled, and CD was diagnosed in six patients (7.5%). Patients with CD were more likely to be from El Salvador (P = 0.001). Other clinical, therapeutic, electrocardiographic, and echocardiographic variables were similar between the CD and non-CD groups. There is a high prevalence of CD among Latin American immigrants with pacemakers in Los Angeles.

Prevalence of Chagas Disease in a U.S. Population of Latin American Immigrants with Conduction Abnormalities on Electrocardiogram.

Chagas disease (CD) affects over six million people and is a leading cause of cardiomyopathy in Latin America. Given recent migration trends, there is a large population at risk in the United States (US). Early stage cardiac involvement from CD usually presents with conduction abnormalities on electrocardiogram (ECG) including right bundle branch block (RBBB), left anterior or posterior fascicular block (LAFB or LPFB, respectively), and rarely, left bundle branch block (LBBB). Identification of disease at this stage may lead to early treatment and potentially delay the progression to impaired systolic function. All ECGs performed in a Los Angeles County hospital and clinic system were screened for the presence of RBBB, LAFB, LPFB, or LBBB. Patients were contacted and enrolled in the study if they had previously resided in Latin America for at least 12 months and had no history of cardiac disease. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and immunofluorescence assay (IFA) tests were utilized to screen for Trypanosoma cruzi seropositivity. A total of 327 consecutive patients were screened for CD from January 2007 to December 2010. The mean age was 46.3 years and the mean length of stay in the US was 21.2 years. Conduction abnormalities were as follows: RBBB 40.4%, LAFB 40.1%, LPFB 2.8%, LBBB 5.5%, RBBB and LAFB 8.6%, and RBBB and LPFB 2.8%. Seventeen patients were positive by both ELISA and IFA (5.2%). The highest prevalence rate was among those with RBBB and LAFB (17.9%). There is a significant prevalence of CD in Latin American immigrants residing in Los Angeles with conduction abnormalities on ECG. Clinicians should consider evaluating all Latin American immigrant patients with unexplained conduction disease for CD.

Colchicine for prevention of post-cardiac procedure atrial fibrillation: Meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.

BACKGROUND: Development of atrial fibrillation after certain cardiac procedures is a common medical problem. The inflammatory process plays an important role in the pathogenesis of post-cardiac procedure atrial fibrillation (PCP-AF). Colchicine, a potent anti-inflammatory agent, has been used in several studies to reduce the risk of PCP-AF. This meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) was conducted to assess the efficacy of colchicine in prevention of PC-PAF. METHODS: We searched PubMed, EMBASE, Web of Science, Cochrane Library database and Google Scholar for RCTs, using terms "Atrial fibrillation, atrial, or fibrillation and colchicine". The primary end-point was the occurrence of AF post cardiac procedure, which includes cardiac surgery or pulmonary vein isolation. The safety end point was the occurrence of any side effects. Estimated odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) were evaluated. RESULTS: A total of six RCTs were included in this meta-analysis, enrolling a total of 1257 patients. Colchicine significantly reduced the odds of PCP-AF (OR 0.52; 95% CI, 0.40-0.68, P<0.001, I2=0%). However, occurrence of side effects was significantly higher with colchicine when compared to placebo (OR 2.10; 95% CI, 1.34-3.30, P<0.001, I2=0%). The number needed to treat is 7 and the number needed to harm is 11.2. The proportion of patients discontinuing treatment was 16%. CONCLUSION: This meta-analysis shows that colchicine is an effective drug for prevention of PCP-AF. Colchicine could be considered as a prophylaxis to reduce PCP-AF, with some risk of treatment discontinuation due to the poor gastrointestinal tolerance (diarrhea).

Rapidly Progressing Chagas Cardiomyopathy.

Chagas disease, caused by the parasite Trypanosoma cruzi, can cause a potentially life-threatening cardiomyopathy in approximately 10-40% of afflicted individuals. The decline in cardiac function characteristically progresses over the course of many years. We report a case of Chagas disease in which the patient experienced an atypical rapid deterioration to severe cardiomyopathy over the course of 16 months. This case argues the need for increased routine surveillance for patients with confirmed T. cruzi infection, who are determined to be at high-risk for worsening cardiomyopathy.