Atherosclerosis of the iliac arteries for the prediction of erectile dysfunction and epistaxis in men undergoing abdominal CT scan.

BACKGROUND: To investigate the association between erectile dysfunction (ED) as well as epistaxis (ES) in relation to the extent of iliac atherosclerosis. METHODS: In this retrospective cross-sectional study, all consecutive male patients treated at our institution from 01/2016 to 12/2020 undergoing abdominal CT scan were evaluated. Patients (n = 1272) were invited by mail to participate in the study in returning two questionnaires for the evaluation of ED (IIEF-5) and ES. Patients who returned filled-in questionnaires within a 3-month deadline were included in the study. The extent of atherosclerosis in the common iliac artery (CIA) and the internal iliac artery (IIA) was assessed by calcium scoring on unenhanced CT. Stratification of results was performed according to reported IIEF-5 scores and consequential ED groups. RESULTS: In total, 437 patients (34.4% of contacted) met the inclusion criteria. Forty-two patients did not fulfill predefined age requirements (< 75 years) and 120 patients had to be excluded as calcium scoring on nonenhanced CT was not feasible. Finally, 275 patients were included in the analysis and stratified into groups of "no-mild" (n = 146) and "moderate-severe" (n = 129) ED. The calcium score (r=-0.28, p < 0.001) and the number of atherosclerotic lesions (r=-0.32, p < 0.001) in the CIA + IIA showed a significant negative correlation to the IIEF-5 score, respectively. Patients differed significantly in CIA + IIA calcium score (difference: 167.4, p < 0.001) and number of atherosclerotic lesions (difference: 5.00, p < 0.001) when belonging to the "no-mild" vs. "moderate-severe" ED group, respectively. A multivariable regression model, after adjusting for relevant baseline characteristics, showed that the number of atherosclerotic CIA + IIA lesions was an independent predictor of ED (OR = 1.05, p = 0.036), whereas CIA + IIA calcium score was not (OR = 1.00031, p = 0.20). No relevant correlation was found between ES episodes and IIEF-5 scores (r=-0.069, p = 0.25), CIA + IIA calcium score (r=-0.10, p = 0.87) or number of atherosclerotic CIA + IIA lesions (r=-0.032, p = 0.60), respectively. CONCLUSIONS: The number of atherosclerotic lesions in the iliac arteries on nonenhanced abdominal CT scans is associated with the severity of ED. This may be used to identify subclinical cardiovascular disease and to quantify the risk for cardiovascular hazards in the future. TRIAL REGISTRATION: BASEC-Nr. 2020 - 01637.

Evolution of myocardial oedema and fibrosis in HIV infected persons after the initiation of antiretroviral therapy: a prospective cardiovascular magnetic resonance study.

BACKGROUND: Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infected persons on antiretroviral therapy (ART) have been shown to have functionally and structurally altered ventricles and may be related to cardiovascular inflammation. Mounting evidence suggests that the myocardium of HIV infected individuals may be abnormal before ART is initiated and may represent subclinical HIV-associated cardiomyopathy (HIVAC). The influence of ART on subclinical HIVAC is not known. METHODS: Newly diagnosed, ART naïve persons with HIV infection were enrolled along with HIV uninfected, age- and sex-matched controls. All participants underwent comprehensive cardiovascular assessment, including contrasted cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR) with multiparametric mapping on a 1.5T CMR system. The HIV group was started on ART (tenofovir/lamivudine/dolutegravir) and prospectively evaluated 9 months later. Cardiac tissue characterisation was compared in, and between groups using the appropriate statistical tests for the cross sectional data and the paired, prospective data respectively. RESULTS: Seventy-three ART naïve HIV infected individuals (32 ± 7 years, 45% female) and 22 healthy non-HIV subjects (33 ± 7 years, 50% female) were enrolled. Compared with non-HIV healthy subjects, the global native T1 (1008 ± 31 ms vs 1032 ± 44 ms, p = 0.02), global T2 (46 ± 2 vs 48 ± 3 ms, p = 0.006), and the prevalence of pericardial effusion (18% vs 67%, p < 0.001) were significantly higher in the HIV infected group at diagnosis. Global native T1 (1032 ± 44 to 1014 ± 34 ms, p < 0.001) and extracellular volume (ECV) (26 ± 4% to 25 ± 3%, p = 0.001) decreased significantly after 9 months on ART and were significantly associated with a decrease in the HIV viral load, decreased high sensitivity C-reactive protein, and improvement in the CD4 count (p < 0.001). Replacement fibrosis was significantly higher in the HIV infected group than controls (49% vs 10%, p = 0.02). The prevalence of late gadolinium enhancement did not change significantly over the 9-month study period (49% vs 55%, p = 0.4). CONCLUSION: Subclinical HIVAC may already be present at the time of HIV diagnosis, as suggested by the combination of subclinical myocardial oedema and fibrosis found to be present before administration of ART. Markers of myocardial oedema on tissue characterization improved on ART in the short term, however, it is unclear if the underlying pathological mechanism is halted, or merely slowed by ART. Mid- to long term prospective studies are needed to evaluate subtle myocardial changes over time and to assess the significance of subclinical myocardial fibrosis.

Subclinical cardiovascular disease in HIV controller and long-term nonprogressor populations.

OBJECTIVES: Elite controllers (ECs), viraemic controllers (VCs), and long-term nonprogressors (LTNPs) control HIV viral replication or maintain CD4 T-cell counts without antiretroviral therapy, but may have increased cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk compared to HIV-uninfected persons. We evaluated subclinical carotid and coronary atherosclerosis and inflammatory biomarker levels among HIV controllers, LTNPs and noncontrollers and HIV-uninfected individuals in the Multicenter AIDS Cohort Study (MACS) and the Women's Interagency HIV Study (WIHS). METHODS: We measured carotid plaque presence and common carotid artery intima-media thickness (IMT) in 1729 women and 1308 men, and the presence of coronary artery calcium and plaque in a subgroup of men. Associations between HIV control category and carotid and coronary plaque prevalences were assessed by multivariable regression analyses adjusting for demographics and CVD risk factors. Serum inflammatory biomarker concentrations [soluble CD163 (sCD163), soluble CD14 (sCD14), galectin-3 (Gal-3), galectin-3 binding protein (Gal-3BP) and interleukin (IL)-6] were measured and associations with HIV control category assessed. RESULTS: We included 135 HIV controllers (30 ECs) and 135 LTNPs in the study. Carotid plaque prevalence and carotid IMT were similar in HIV controllers, LTNPs and HIV-uninfected individuals. HIV controllers and LTNPs had lower prevalences of carotid plaque compared to viraemic HIV-infected individuals. The prevalence of coronary atherosclerosis was similar in HIV controllers/LTNPs compared to HIV-uninfected and viraemic HIV-infected men. Controllers and LTNPs had higher concentrations of sCD163 and sCD14 compared to HIV-uninfected persons. CONCLUSIONS: Subclinical CVD was similar in HIV controllers, LTNPs and HIV-uninfected individuals despite elevated levels of some inflammatory biomarkers. Future studies of HIV controllers and LTNPs are needed to characterize the risk of CVD among HIV-infected persons.

The association of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease and cardiac structure and function-Framingham Heart Study.

BACKGROUND & AIMS: Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease confers increased risk for cardiovascular disease, including heart failure (HF), for reasons that remain unclear. Possible pathways could involve an association of liver fat with cardiac structural or functional abnormalities even after accounting for body size. METHODS: We analysed N = 2356 Framingham Heart Study participants (age 52 ± 12 years, 52% women) who underwent echocardiography and standardized computed tomography measures of liver fat. RESULTS: In cross-sectional multivariable regression models adjusted for age, gender, cohort and cardiovascular risk factors, liver fat was positively associated with left ventricular (LV) mass (ß = 1.45; 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.01, 2.88), LV wall thickness (ß = 0.01; 95% CI: 0.00, 0.02), mass volume ratio (ß = 0.02; 95% CI 0.01, 0.03), mitral peak velocity (E) (ß = 0.83; 95% CI 0.31, 1.36) and LV filling pressure (E/e' ratio) (ß = 0.16; 95% CI 0.09, 0.23); and inversely associated with global systolic longitudinal strain (ß = 0.20, 95% CI 0.07, 0.33), diastolic annular velocity (e') (ß = -0.12; 95% CI - 0.22, -0.03), and E/A ratio (ß = -0.01; 95% CI - 0.02, -0.00). After additional adjustment for body mass index (BMI), statistical significance was attenuated for all associations except for that of greater liver fat with increased LV filling pressure, a possible precursor to HF (ß = 0.11; 95% CI 0.03, 0.18). CONCLUSION: Increased liver fat was associated with multiple subclinical cardiac dysfunction measures, with most of associations mediated by obesity. Interestingly, the association of liver fat and LV filling pressure was only partially mediated by BMI, suggesting a possible direct effect of liver fat on LV filling pressure. Further confirmatory studies are needed.

Clinical and subclinical cardiovascular disease in female SLE patients: Interplay between body mass index and bone mineral density.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Since accelerated atherosclerosis has been reported in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), predictive biomarkers of cardiovascular disease (CVD) are needed. Among non-traditional risk factors, bone mineral density (BMD) has been related to CVD. However, its role in SLE remains controversial. This study aims to analyze the associations of subclinical atherosclerosis with traditional and non-traditional CV risk factors. METHODS AND RESULTS: In a cross-sectional study, atherosclerosis burden was compared between 112 female SLE patients and 31 controls. Plaque number and carotid intima-media wall thickness (cIMT) were assessed by ultrasonography. In a retrospective study, BMD determinations obtained 5-years before the ultrasonography assessment were analyzed in a subgroup of 62 patients. Plaque frequency was increased in SLE, even in patients without CV events or carotid wall thickening. cIMT was increased in patients with CVD, positively correlated with body mass index (BMI). Interestingly, a paradoxical effect of BMI on carotid parameters was observed. Whereas underweight patients (BMI < 20) showed increased prevalence of carotid plaques with low cIMT, those with BMI > 30 showed higher cIMT and plaque burden. Overweight patients (25 < BMI<30) exhibited both elevated cIMT and plaque number. BMI was an independent predictor of BMD. In our retrospective study, patients with either clinical or subclinical CVD exhibited lower BMD levels than their CV-free counterparts. A low lumbar spine BMD independently predicted CVD development after adjusting for confounders. CONCLUSION: SLE was associated with a higher subclinical atherosclerosis burden, a bimodal effect being observed for BMI. Decreased BMD can be a CV risk biomarker in SLE.

Late-Life Depressive Symptoms as Partial Mediators in the Associations between Subclinical Cardiovascular Disease with Onset of Mild Cognitive Impairment and Dementia.

OBJECTIVE: To study whether depression contributes to the association between subclinical cardiovascular disease (CVD) and dementia, and identify the contribution's magnitude. METHODS: Among participants from the Cardiovascular Health Study Cognition Study who did not have baseline CVD-related events (N = 2,450), causal mediation methodology was implemented to examine whether late-life depressive symptoms, defined as 10-item Center for Epidemiologic Studies-Depression (mCES-D) Scale scores ≥8 from 2 to 3 years after baseline, partially mediated the association of baseline subclinical CVD (CAC, carotid intimal medial thickness, stenosis, and ankle brachial index) with mild cognitive impairment (MCI)/dementia onset occurring between 5 and 10 years from baseline. The total effect was decomposed into direct and indirect effects (via late-life depressive symptoms), obtained from an accelerated failure time model with weights derived from multivariable logistic regression of late-life depressive symptoms on subclinical CVD. Analyses were adjusted by baseline covariates: age, race, sex, poverty status, marital status, body mass index, smoking status, ApoE4 status, and mCES-D. RESULTS: Participants contributed 20,994 person-years of follow-up with a median follow-up time of 9.4 years. Subclinical CVD was associated with 12% faster time to MCI/dementia (time ratio [TR]: 0.88; 95% CI: 0.83, 0.93). The total effect of subclinical CVD on MCI/dementia onset was decomposed into a direct effect (TR: 0.95, 95% CI: 0.92, 0.98) and indirect effect (TR: 0.92, 95% CI: 0.88, 0.97); 64.5% of the total effect was mediated by late-life depressive symptoms. CONCLUSIONS: These data suggest late-life depressive symptoms partially mediate the association of subclinical CVD with MCI/dementia onset.

The relationship of erectile dysfunction and subclinical cardiovascular disease: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Erectile dysfunction (ED) is associated with cardiovascular disease (CVD) and CVD mortality. However, the relationship between ED and subclinical CVD is less clear. We synthesized the available data on the association of ED and measures of subclinical CVD. We searched multiple databases for published literature on studies examining the association of ED and measures of subclinical CVD across four domains: endothelial dysfunction measured by flow-mediated dilation (FMD), carotid intima-media thickness (cIMT), coronary artery calcification (CAC), and other measures of vascular function such as the ankle-brachial index, toe-brachial index, and pulse wave velocity. We conducted random effects meta-analysis and meta-regression on studies that examined an ED relationship with FMD (15 studies; 2025 participants) and cIMT (12 studies; 1264 participants). ED was associated with a 2.64 percentage-point reduction in FMD compared to those without ED (95% CI: -3.12, -2.15). Persons with ED also had a 0.09-mm (95% CI: 0.06, 0.12) higher cIMT than those without ED. In subgroup meta-analyses, the mean age of the study population, study quality, ED assessment questionnaire (IIEF-5 or IIEF-15), or the publication date did not significantly affect the relationship between ED and cIMT or between ED and FMD. The results for the association of ED and CAC were inconclusive. In conclusion, this study confirms an association between ED and subclinical CVD and may shed additional light on the shared mechanisms between ED and CVD, underscoring the importance of aggressive CVD risk assessment and management in persons with ED.

Distributions of Subclinical Cardiovascular Disease in a Socioeconomically and Racially Diverse Sample.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Differential subgroup vulnerability to subclinical cardiovascular disease is likely, and yet few, if any, studies have addressed interactive relations of age, sex, race, and socioeconomic status (SES) to these conditions to examine nuances of known health disparities. We examined distributions of carotid atherosclerosis and arterial stiffness in a socioeconomically diverse, biracial, urban sample. METHODS: Participants (n=2270) in the population-based HANDLS study (Healthy Aging in Neighborhoods of Diversity Across the Life Span; 30-64 years old, 44% men, 57% African American, 39% with household income <125% federal poverty threshold) underwent carotid intimal medial thickness (IMT) and pulse wave velocity assessment. RESULTS: In cross-sectional hierarchical regression analyses, interactive race×SES effects were identified for IMT and pulse wave velocity, such that high SES African Americans had significantly thicker IMTs and faster pulse wave velocities than all other subgroups (ie, low SES African Americans, low SES whites, and high SES whites). A race×sex effect was also identified for IMT, such that the IMT discrepancy between white men and women was more pronounced than the discrepancy between African American men and women. Finally, an SES×sex effect indicated that while IMTs of high SES and low SES men did not significantly differ, high SES women had marginally thicker IMTs than low SES women. CONCLUSIONS: High SES African Americans may be particularly vulnerable to subclinical cardiovascular diseases, placing them at enhanced risk for clinical cardiovascular diseases, including stroke. These findings suggest that male sex, low SES, and African American ancestry may represent imprecise generalizations as risk factors for subclinical cardiovascular disease.

Cardiometabolic disease in South Asians: A global health concern in an expanding population.

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is one of the main causes of mortality and morbidity worldwide. As an emerging population, South Asians (SAs) bear a disproportionately high burden of CVD relative to underlying classical risk factors, partly attributable to a greater prevalence of insulin resistance and diabetes and distinct genetic and epigenetic influences. While the phenotypic distinctions between SAs and other ethnicities in CVD risk are becoming increasingly clear, the biology of these conditions remains an area of active investigation, with emerging studies involving metabolism, genetic variation and epigenetic modifiers (e.g., extracellular RNA). In this review, we describe the current literature on prevalence, prognosis and CVD risk in SAs, and provide a landscape of translational research in this field toward ameliorating CVD risk in SAs.

Major depressive disorder is associated with fragmented QRS.

Objective There is a close link between major depressive disorder (MDD) and cardiovascular disease (CVD). Increasing oxidative stress, changes in hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis and platelet clotting cascade may lead to subclinical myocardial damage in MDD patients without overt CVD. The aim of the study was to investigate whether MDD is associated with fragmented QRS (fQRS) on electrocardiogram (ECG) which may reflect myocardial fibrosis/scarring and ischaemia. Methods and results A total of 66 MDD patients without overt CVD and 35 age- and sex-matched control subjects were enrolled in this study. Twelve-lead surface ECGs were analysed for the presence of fQRS and echocardiographic examination was performed for each individual. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to assess the relationship between MDD and fQRS. The baseline characteristics in terms of age, gender, body mass index and cardiovascular risk factors were comparable in the groups (all P values >0.05). Left ventricular ejection fraction, left ventricular wall thickness and diastolic blood pressure were also similar in the two groups. The presence of fQRS was more prevalent (P < 0.001) and SBP values (P = 0.007) were higher in patients with MDD compared to controls. Moreover, multivariate binary logistic regression analysis indicated the recurrent MDD as the only independent predictor of fQRS on ECG (beta =0.196, 95% CI 0.046 - 0.827, P = 0.014). Conclusion The presence of fQRS on the ECG is associated with MDD, and may be a beneficial tool for detecting subclinical cardiac damage in this population.

Estimated GFR and Subsequent Higher Left Ventricular Mass in Young and Middle-Aged Adults With Normal Kidney Function: The Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults (CARDIA) Study.

BACKGROUND: Left ventricular hypertrophy is common and is associated with cardiovascular events and death among patients with known chronic kidney disease. However, the link between reduced glomerular filtration rate (GFR) and left ventricular mass index (LVMI) remains poorly explored among young and middle-aged adults with preserved kidney function. In this study, we examined the association of cystatin C-based estimated GFR (eGFRcys) and rapid decline in eGFR with subsequent LVMI. STUDY DESIGN: Observational study. SETTING & PARTICIPANTS: We included 2,410 participants from the Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults (CARDIA) cohort with eGFRcys > 60mL/min/1.73m(2) at year 15 and who had an echocardiogram obtained at year 25. PREDICTOR: eGFRcys at year 15 and rapid decline in eGFRcys (defined as >3% per year over 5 years from years 15 to 20). OUTCOME: LVMI measured at year 25. MEASUREMENTS: We adjusted for age, sex, race, diabetes, body mass index, low- and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels, cumulative systolic blood pressure, and albuminuria. RESULTS: Mean age was 40±4 (SD) years, 58% were women, and 43% were black. After 10 years of follow-up, mean LVMI was 39.6±13.4g/m(2.7). Compared with eGFRcys > 90mL/min/1.73m(2) (n = 2,228), eGFRcys of 60 to 75mL/min/1.73m(2) (n = 29) was associated with 5.63 (95% CI, 0.90-10.36) g/m(2.7) greater LVMI (P = 0.02), but there was no association of eGFRcys of 76 to 90mL/min/1.73m(2) (n = 153) with LVMI after adjustment for confounders. Rapid decline in eGFRcys was associated with higher LVMI compared with participants without a rapid eGFRcys decline (ß coefficient, 1.48; 95% CI, 0.11-2.83; P = 0.03) after adjustment for confounders. LIMITATIONS: There were a limited number of participants with eGFRcys of 60 to 90mL/min/1.73m(2). CONCLUSIONS: Among young and middle-aged adults with preserved kidney function, eGFRcys of 60 to 75mL/min/1.73m(2) and rapid decline in eGFRcys were significantly associated with subsequently higher LVMI. Further studies are needed to understand the mechanisms that contribute to elevated LVMI in this range of eGFRcys.

Life Course Socioeconomic Position and Subclinical Disease: The Jackson Heart Study.

OBJECTIVES: African Americans experience higher rates of cardiovascular disease (CVD) and lower childhood and adult socioeconomic position (SEP). Research that examines the associations of multiple measures of SEP with subclinical CVD markers among African Americans is limited. METHODS: Data from the Jackson Heart Study (JHS) were used to examine cross-sectional associations of childhood SEP and adult SEP with subclinical markers among 4,756 African American participants (mean age 54, 64% female), adjusting for age, health behaviors and CVD risk factors. Subclinical markers included prevalent left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH), peripheral artery disease (PAD), coronary artery calcification (CAC), and carotid intima-media thickness (CIMT). RESULTS: The prevalence of LVH, PAD and CAC was 7%, 6% and 45%, respectively. The mean CIMT was .72 ± .17 mm. In fully-adjusted models, having a college education was inversely associated with PAD (OR, .27; 95% CI .13,.56) and CIMT (ß=-29.7, P<.01). Income was inversely associated with LVH after adjustment for health behaviors (OR, .49 95% CI .25,.96), though associations attenuated in the fully-adjusted model. Measures of childhood SEP (material resources and mother's education) were not consistently associated with subclinical disease measures other than a positive association between material resources and CIMT. CONCLUSIONS: Subclinical disease markers were patterned by adult SEP measures among African Americans.

Varying patterns of brachial artery flow-mediated dilatation in women with polycystic ovary syndrome and controls: An application of the group-based trajectory modeling.

PURPOSE: To identify changing patterns of absolute change in brachial artery lumen diameter (LD) after reactive hyperemia in women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) and controls and to quantify the association of PCOS status and participants' factors with these patterns. METHODS: Brachial flow-mediated dilation was measured in 128 women with PCOS and 148 controls aged 30-60 years. Group-based trajectory modeling was used to investigate absolute change in LD every 30 seconds for 2 minutes after occluding cuff deflation. Multinomial logistic regression was used to identify factors associated with trajectories. RESULTS: Three patterns emerged, namely nondilators (42.2%), dilators (44.6%), and enhanced dilators (13.0%). The proportion of women with PCOS did not differ across groups. Independently of age and PCOS status, larger baseline LD (odds ratio; 95% confidence interval: 2.51; 1.29, 4.89) and lower insulin levels (0.70; 0.52, 0.93) were associated with nondilators rather than with dilators. Higher total cholesterol was associated with dilators in women with PCOS but with nondilators in controls. CONCLUSIONS: Trajectory modeling identified distinct patterns of change in LD and factors associated with the endothelial response. This method may be a useful tool to understand the brachial flow-mediated vasodilator response.

Complement protein C3 and coronary artery calcium in middle-aged women with polycystic ovary syndrome and controls.

Circulating complement protein C3 (C3) levels have been associated with coronary artery calcification (CAC) in women with systemic lupus erythematosus, but have yet to be evaluated in women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). We aimed to determine whether C3 levels were elevated in women with PCOS compared to controls and to quantify the association of C3 with cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors and CAC and if PCOS modified this association. This cross-sectional analysis included 132 women with PCOS and 155 controls, 35-62 years old, from the third visit of a case-control study. CAC was measured during the study visit, and circulating C3 was measured in stored sera. The presence of CAC and CAC categories (Agatston score 0, 1-9.9 and ≥ 10) were used for logistic and ordinal regression analysis, respectively. C3 levels were not significantly different between women with PCOS and controls. Among all women, C3 was associated with the presence of CAC and increasing CAC groups after adjusting for age, PCOS status and insulin or body mass index (BMI), all p<0.05. In addition, C3 was associated with the presence of CAC after adjusting for age, PCOS status, BMI, insulin and African American race, p=0.049. PCOS status did not modify these associations. In conclusion, circulating C3 levels may prove beneficial in identifying women at risk of CVD in women with PCOS and the general population.

Subclinical vascular composites predict clinical cardiovascular disease, stroke, and dementia: The Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis (MESA).

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Subclinical cardiovascular disease (CVD) measures may reflect biological pathways that contribute to increased risk for coronary heart disease (CHD) events, stroke, and dementia beyond conventional risk scores. METHODS: The Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis (MESA) followed 6814 participants (45-84 years of age) from baseline in 2000-2002 to 2018 over 6 clinical examinations and annual follow-up interviews. MESA baseline subclinical CVD procedures included: seated and supineblood pressure, coronary calcium scan, radial artery tonometry, and carotid ultrasound. Baseline subclinical CVD measures were transformed into z-scores before factor analysis to derive composite factor scores. Time to clinical event for all-cause CVD, CHD, stroke and ICD code-based dementia events were modeled using Cox proportional hazards models reported as area under the curve (AUC) with 95% Confidence Intervals (95%CI) at 10 and 15 years of follow-up. All models included all factor scores together, and adjustment for conventional risk scores for global CVD, stroke, and dementia. RESULTS: After factor selection, 24 subclinical measures aggregated into four distinct factors representing: blood pressure, atherosclerosis, arteriosclerosis, and cardiac factors. Each factor significantly predicted time to CVD events and dementia at 10 and 15 years independent of each other and conventional risk scores. Subclinical vascular composites of atherosclerosis and arteriosclerosis best predicted time to clinical events of CVD, CHD, stroke, and dementia. These results were consistent across sex and racial and ethnic groups. CONCLUSIONS: Subclinical vascular composites of atherosclerosis and arteriosclerosis may be useful biomarkers to inform the vascular pathways contributing to events of CVD, CHD, stroke, and dementia.

The essential role of dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry in the prediction of subclinical cardiovascular disease.

Subclinical cardiovascular disease (Sub-CVD) is an early stage of cardiovascular disease and is often asymptomatic. Risk factors, including hypertension, diabetes, obesity, and lifestyle, significantly affect Sub-CVD. Progress in imaging technology has facilitated the timely identification of disease phenotypes and risk categorization. The critical function of dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry (DXA) in predicting Sub-CVD was the subject of this research. Initially used to evaluate bone mineral density, DXA has now evolved into an indispensable tool for assessing body composition, which is a pivotal determinant in estimating cardiovascular risk. DXA offers precise measurements of body fat, lean muscle mass, bone density, and abdominal aortic calcification, rendering it an essential tool for Sub-CVD evaluation. This study examined the efficacy of DXA in integrating various risk factors into a comprehensive assessment and how the application of machine learning could enhance the early discovery and control of cardiovascular risks. DXA exhibits distinct advantages and constraints compared to alternative imaging modalities such as ultrasound, computed tomography, magnetic resonance imaging, and positron emission tomography. This review advocates DXA incorporation into cardiovascular health assessments, emphasizing its crucial role in the early identification and management of Sub-CVD.

Progression of subclinical cardiovascular disease in patients with HIV.

OBJECTIVE: Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infected patients are at increased risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD). Multidetector computed tomography (MDCT) stratifies cardiovascular risk in asymptomatic patients with subclinical atherosclerosis. The aim of this study was to determine the ability of MCTD and clinical and laboratory parameters to assess subclinical CVD progression in HIV patients. METHODS: Prospective longitudinal cohort study of patients with at least 10 years of HIV infection and 5 years of antiretroviral therapy history, low cardiovascular risk and monitored for 6 years (2015-2021). All patients underwent clinical assessment, blood analysis, carotid ultrasound, and gated MDCT in 2015 and 2021. RESULTS: Sixty-three patients (63.5% male) with a mean age of 49.9 years (standard deviation [SD], 10.5) were included in 2015; 63 of them were followed until 2021. Comparing the results from 2015 with those from 2021, Systematic Coronary Risk Estimation-2 (SCORE2) was 2.9% (SD, 2.1) vs. 4.4% (SD,3.1); Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis score (MESA risk) was 3.4 (SD 5.8) vs. 6.0 (SD 8.6); coronary artery calcification CAC) score >100 was 11.1% vs. 25.4% (P < 0.05); and 11% vs. 27% had carotid plaques (P = 0.03). CONCLUSIONS: After six years of follow-up, an increase in SCORE2, carotid plaques, CAC scoring and MESA risk was observed. MDCT findings, along with other clinical and laboratory parameters, could play an important role as a marker of CVD progression in the evaluation of patients with HIV and low cardiovascular risk.

Examining the Causal Mediating Role of Cardiovascular Disease on the Effect of Subclinical Cardiovascular Disease on Cognitive Impairment via Separable Effects.

BACKGROUND: An important epidemiological question is understanding how vascular risk factors contribute to cognitive impairment. Using data from the Cardiovascular Health Cognition Study, we investigated how subclinical cardiovascular disease (sCVD) relates to cognitive impairment risk and the extent to which the hypothesized risk is mediated by the incidence of clinically manifested cardiovascular disease (CVD), both overall and within apolipoprotein E-4 (APOE-4) subgroups. METHODS: We adopted a novel "separable effects" causal mediation framework that assumes that sCVD has separably intervenable atherosclerosis-related components. We then ran several mediation models, adjusting for key covariates. RESULTS: We found that sCVD increased overall risk of cognitive impairment (risk ratio [RR] = 1.21, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.03, 1.44); however, there was little or no mediation by incident clinically manifested CVD (indirect effect RR = 1.02, 95% CI: 1.00, 1.03). We also found attenuated effects among APOE-4 carriers (total effect RR = 1.09, 95% CI: 0.81, 1.47; indirect effect RR = 0.99, 95% CI: 0.96, 1.01) and stronger findings among noncarriers (total effect RR = 1.29, 95% CI: 1.05, 1.60; indirect effect RR = 1.02, 95% CI: 1.00, 1.05). In secondary analyses restricting cognitive impairment to only incident dementia cases, we found similar effect patterns. CONCLUSIONS: We found that the effect of sCVD on cognitive impairment does not seem to be mediated by CVD, both overall and within APOE-4 subgroups. Our results were critically assessed via sensitivity analyses, and they were found to be robust. Future work is needed to fully understand the relationship between sCVD, CVD, and cognitive impairment.

Polyvascular Subclinical Atherosclerosis: Correlation Between Ankle Brachial Index and Carotid Atherosclerosis in a Population-Based Sample.

We assessed the correlation between the biomarkers of lower limb atherosclerosis (eg, ankle-brachial index [ABI]) and of carotid atherosclerosis (eg, common carotid intima-media thickness (IMT) and presence of atherosclerotic plaque) in a population-based cohort from Girona (Northwest Spain) recruited in 2010. Ankle-brachial index and carotid ultrasound were performed in all participants. Generalized additive multivariable models were used to adjust a regression model of common carotid IMT on ABI. Logistic regression multivariable models were adjusted to assess the probability of carotid plaque in individuals with peripheral artery disease. We included 3307 individuals (54.2% women), mean age 60 years (standard deviation 11). Two patterns of association were observed between subclinical biomarkers of atherosclerosis at the lower limb and carotid artery. Ankle-brachial index and common carotid IMT showed a linear trend in men [beta coefficient (95% confidence interval) =-.068 (-.123; -.012); P = .016]. Women with peripheral artery disease presented with high risk of atherosclerotic plaque at the carotid artery [Odds ratio (95% confidence interval) = 2.61, (1.46; 4.69); P = .001]. Men showed a significant linear association between ABI levels and common carotid IMT values. Women with peripheral artery disease presented with high risk of atherosclerotic plaque at the carotid artery.

Subclinical cardiovascular disease and polycystic ovary syndrome.

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) impacts approximately 6%-10% of women worldwide, with hallmark features of hyperandrogenism, irregular menses, infertility, and polycystic appearing ovaries on ultrasound. In addition, PCOS is associated with several endocrine and metabolic disorders, including obesity, insulin resistance and diabetes mellitus, hypertension, dyslipidemia and metabolic syndrome, which all increase the risk for subclinical cardiovascular disease (CVD), the presence of altered vascular endothelium without overt CVD. In this review, we summarize the most recent literature regarding subclinical CVD in women with PCOS, including markers such as flow-mediated dilation, arterial stiffness, coronary artery calcium scores, carotid intima-media thickness and visceral and epicardial fat.