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Many ST-segment elevation acute coronary syndrome (STEACS) patients fail to activate the Emergency Medical System (EMS), with possible dramatic consequences. Prior studies focusing on barriers to EMS activation included patients with any acute coronary syndrome (ACS) without representation of southern European populations. We aimed to investigate the barriers to EMS call for patients diagnosed for STEACS in Italy. A prospective, single-center, survey administered to all patients treated with primary percutaneous coronary intervention for STEACS in a tertiary hospital in northern Italy from 01/06/2018 to 31/05/2020. The questionnaire was filled out by 293 patients. Of these, 191 (65.2%) activated the EMS after symptoms onset. The main reasons for failing to contact EMS were the perception that the symptoms were unrelated to an important health problem (45.5%) and that a private vehicle is faster than EMS to reach the hospital (34.7%). Patients who called a private doctor after symptoms onset did not call EMS more frequently than those who did not and 30% of the patients who did not call the EMS would still act in the same way if a new episode occurred. Previous history of cardiovascular disease was the only predictor of EMS call. Information campaigns are urgently needed to increase EMS activation in case of suspected STEACS and should be primary focused on patients without cardiovascular history, on the misperception that a private vehicle is faster than EMS activation, and on the fact that cardiac arrest occurs early and may be prevented by EMS activation. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s11739-021-02894-7.

Purpose The intravitreal dexamethasone implant (DEX-I) is an alternative to anti-VEGF for the first-line treatment of diabetic macular oedema (DME). However, several questions remain regarding its routine use and its place in certain situations not always specified in current recommendations. A national consensus approach was, therefore, initiated by French retinal experts. Methods An iterative Delphi consensus approach was used. A steering committee (SC) of seven experts analysed data from the literature to formulate statements divided into five key areas of treatment. These statements were submitted to the independent and anonymous electronic vote of 87 French retina experts among whom 39 expressed their opinion and therefore constituted the voting panel. Results After two rounds of voting, 22 and 7 of 38 statements received a strong consensus and a good consensus, respectively. The consensus level was higher for statements regarding first-line indications and safety of DEX-I compared to those regarding efficacy assessment, reprocessing time or pathophysiological biomarkers. The panellists recommended the preferential use of DEX-I for patients with limited availability for multiple injections, those who needed to undergo cataract surgery or who had a recent cardiovascular history, and as a therapeutic alternative to anti-VEGF in patients with a history of vitrectomy, retinal serous detachment, hyper-reflective points or dry exudates in optical coherence tomography (OCT). However, some statements proposed by SC experts were not validated. Conclusion This study provides some key recommendations to clinicians treating diabetic macular oedema, which may be useful when using intravitreal dexamethasone implants in daily practice.

Resumen La infección es una complicación infrecuente de los aneurismas de la aorta abdominal. Campylobacter fetus tiene un especial tropismo por el endotelio vascular y ha sido reportado como causa de infección de aneurismas aórticos. Este tipo de infección es de alta mortalidad por lo que el reconocimiento temprano con el inicio precoz de terapia antibacteriana efectiva es clave. Además del tratamiento médico, puede requerirse cirugía, la que tiene una alta letalidad en pacientes inestables y con comorbilidades. Comunicamos el caso clínico de un adulto mayor con un aneurisma de aorta abdominal infectado por C. fetus. Dado su compromiso del estado general y antecedentes cardiovasculares se decidió tratamiento médico con imipenem, con una buena respuesta clínica y microbiológica, sin recurrencia de los síntomas. También se presenta una revisión de los casos publicados.

Instruction Hyponatremia can be caused by various conditions such as Cerebral Salt Wasting Syndrome (CSWS), Inadequate Antidiuretic Hormone Secretion (SIADH), secondary adrenal dysfunction and thyroid dysfunction. However, each diagnosis has different treatment and inadequate treatment may increase mortality and morbidity, especially CSWS and SIADH. To the best of our knowledge, this case is considered rare clinical scenario and we would summarize some diagnostic criteria for these two diseases in this case report. Case presentation A 44-year-old Asian man was presented with cerebral salt wasting syndrome and elevated brain natriuretic peptide (BNP) after 2 weeks of a mild traumatic brain injury. Central nervous system examination revealed GCS 14 without neurological or neurosurgical deficit as well as cardiovascular history. CT scan showed right temporal hemorrhage #1.4 × 1.5 cm, scattered subarachnoid hemorrhages in the right hemisphere. The patient was treated in the direction of CSWS and symptoms of hyponatremia improved after 7 days. Re-examination after 3 months did not show any abnormal symptoms, sodium serum level returned to normal. Conclusion Hyponatremia caused by CSWS may occur in mild traumatic brain injury. Therefore, an accurate diagnosis and proper differentiation from SIADH is necessary to obtain an appropriate treatment with fluid and salt replacement. In this way, the patient morbidity and mortality can be reduced significantly.

A 68-year-old Caucasian man with a history of Waldenstrom macroglobulinemia (WM) on treatment with ibrutinib for 2 years presented with syncope. He had no prior cardiovascular history or risk factors. On the day of presentation, he had an episode of dizziness followed by a sudden loss of

Objectives To investigate the knowledge of radiologists on breast arterial calcifications (BAC) and attitude about BAC reporting, communication to women, and subsequent action. Methods An online survey was offered to EUSOBI members, with 17 questions focused on demographics, level of experience, clinical setting, awareness of BAC association with cardiovascular risk, mammographic reporting, modality of BAC assessment, and action habits. Descriptive statistics were used. Results Among 1084 EUSOBI members, 378 (34.9%) responded to the survey, 361/378 (95.5%) radiologists, 263 females (69.6%), 112 males (29.6%), and 3 (0.8%) who did not specify their gender. Of 378 respondents, 305 (80.7%) declared to be aware of BAC meaning in terms of cardiovascular risk and 234 (61.9%) to routinely include BAC in mammogram reports, when detected. Excluding one inconsistent answer, simple annotation of BAC presence was declared by 151/233 (64.8%), distinction between low versus extensive BAC burden by 59/233 (25.3%), and usage of an ordinal scale by 22/233 (9.5%) and of a cardinal scale by 1/233 (0.4%). Among these 233 radiologists reporting BAC, 106 (45.5%) declared to orally inform the woman and, in case of severe BAC burden, 103 (44.2%) to investigate cardiovascular history, and 92 (39.5%) to refer the woman to a cardiologist. Conclusion Among EUSOBI respondents, over 80% declared to be aware of BAC cardiovascular meaning and over 60% to include BAC in the report. Qualitative BAC assessment predominates. About 40% of respondents who report on BAC, in the case of severe BAC burden, investigate cardiovascular history and/or refer the woman to a cardiologist. Key Points • Of 1084 EUSOBI members, 378 (35%) participated: 81% of respondents are aware of breast arterial calcification (BAC) cardiovascular meaning and 62% include BAC in the mammogram report. • Of those reporting BAC, description of presence was declared by 65%, low versus extensive burden distinction by 25%, usage of an ordinal scale by 10%, and of a cardinal scale by 0.4%; 46% inform the woman and, in case of severe BAC burden, 44% examine cardiovascular history, and 40% refer her to a cardiologist. • European breast radiologists may be ready for large-scale studies to ascertain the role of BAC assessment in the comprehensive framework of female cardiovascular disease prevention.

A 61-year-old woman diagnosed with chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) (Sokal intermediate risk) was treated with the tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) nilotinib 600 mg/day. The patient was a nonsmoker and had no cardiovascular history, diabetes, or other relevant diseases. Blood tests revealed

Introduction: Pulmonary embolism and aortic dissection are two formidable cardiovascular emergencies. Their exceptional association has a poor prognosis with very high mortality. The aim of our study was to report the case of a 31-year-old patient with pulmonary embolism associated with De Bakey’s type I aortic dissection, admitted to the cardiology department of Kati University Hospital. Case Presentation: We report the case of a young patient of 31 with no known cardiovascular history, on estrogen-progestogen contraception for 10 years, who consults for a left basal thoracic pain of increasing intensity, a whitish productive cough, hemoptysis and dyspnea stage III. She was admitted to the cardiology department, transthoracic cardiac ultrasound objectified aortic insufficiency, dissection of the aorta, the presence of the intimal flap, the false and the true channel, dilation of the right cavities with HTAP. The chest CT scan revealed bilateral lobar and segmental pulmonary embolism, De Bakey’s type I aortic dissection. Medical treatment was instituted for hemodynamic stabilization at the end of sending her to a center specializing in cardiovascular surgery for better management; unfortunately she succumbed before the preparations for her evacuation were finished. Conclusion: The pulmonary embolism associated with aortic dissection constitutes a medical emergence of rare incidence in a cardiological environment;if the diagnosis was quickly made in our patient, the lack of technical platform made management difficult.

This report describes a 61-year-old female with no previous cardiovascular history presented with acute heart failure. Clinical, laboratory, and imaging findings suggested the diagnosis of pneumococcal invasive disease with concomitant purulent pericarditis. Prompt pharmacological and operatory treatment with both pericardiocentesis and further fenestration brought to a complete recovery.

The metabolic syndrome combines morphological, physiological and biochemical abnormalities that evolve over time, predisposing the affected person to atherosclerosis and its complications. The purpose of our work was to determine the clinical and biological profile of metabolic syndrome in patients received for medical examination according to WHO criteria. This was a retrospective study over a 1-year period: from January 1st, 2018 to December 31st, 2018. The information collected was clinical (sociodemographic characteristics, anthropometric data, initial blood pressure, cardiovascular history) and biological data (fasting blood glucose level, lipid test). Two thousand six hundred and two patients visited during the study period, including 291 patients (11.18%) for a reason that may evoke the metabolic syndrome but 115 files were retained for this study. The age of the patients was 58.39 ± 10.02 years with extremes ranging from 32 to 81 years old. Metabolic syndrome was found in 77 patients, or 66.9% of patients who had consulted for a reason that might suggest this diagnosis. 44.3% had 3 criteria for definition; 19.1% had 4 criteria and 3.5% had 5 criteria. All patients have benefited a mono, bi or antihypertensive therapy associated with antidiabetic or hypolipemic treatment. Metabolic syndrome better predicts cardiovascular risk than analysis of individual risk factors. Its prevention involves diet which must be hyposodium, hypolipidic, without fast sugar and daily physical activities.

Despite improvement in the prognosis of ANCA-associated vasculitides (AAVs), increased mortality, mainly from a cardiovascular origin, persists. We aimed to determine the role of cardiovascular risk factors (CVRFs) on the occurrence of major cardiovascular events (MACEs) in AAVs. Patients with AAVs were successively included in a prospective cohort study, which assessed CVRFs (defined by age &gt, 50 years in men and &gt, 60 years in women, personal history of cardiovascular disease, smoking status, obesity, diabetes, dyslipidemia, hypertension, and sedentary lifestyle), the use of glucocorticoids and immunosuppressive agents at baseline and during follow-up, and the occurrence of MACEs. One hundred and three patients were included, with a median follow-up time of 3.5 years. In the glucocorticoids and cyclophosphamide adjusted multivariate analysis, the occurrence of MACEs was associated with older age (p = 0.001, OR = 14.71, 95% CI (confidence interval) = 2.98–72.68), cardiovascular history (p = 0.007, OR (odds ratio) = 6.54, 95% CI = 1.66–25.71), sedentary lifestyle (p = 0.011, OR = 4.50, 95% CI = 1.42–14.29), hypertension (p = 0.017, OR = 5.04, 95% CI = 1.33–19.12), and dyslipidemia (p = 0.03, OR = 3.86, 95% CI = 1.14–13.09). The occurrence of MACEs was associated with the number of CVRFs (p &lt, 0.001), but not with the use of glucocorticoids or cyclophosphamide (p = 0.733 and p = 0.339, respectively). The implementation of a screening and management program for modifiable CVRFs, particularly hypertension, sedentary lifestyle, and dyslipidemia, may be beneficial for AAV patients in order to reduce their cardiovascular risk.

Background During COVID-19 pandemic, elective invasive cardiac procedures (ICP) have been frequently cancelled or postponed. Consequences may be more evident in patients with diabetes. Objectives The objective was to identify the peculiarities of patients with DM among those in whom ICP were cancelled or postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as to identify subgroups in which the influence of DM has higher impact on the clinical outcome. Methods We included 2,158 patients in whom an elective ICP was cancelled or postponed during COVID-19 pandemic in 37 hospitals in Spain. Among them, 700 (32.4%) were diabetics. Patients with and without diabetes were compared. Results Patients with diabetes were older and had a higher prevalence of other cardiovascular risk factors, previous cardiovascular history and co-morbidities. Diabetics had a higher mortality (3.0% vs. 1.0%; p = 0.001) and cardiovascular mortality (1.9% vs. 0.4%; p = 0.001). Differences were especially important in patients with valvular heart disease (mortality 6.9% vs 1.7% [p Conclusion Among patients in whom an elective invasive cardiac procedure is cancelled or postponed during COVID-19 pandemic, mortality and cardiovascular mortality is higher in patients with diabetes, irrespectively on other clinical conditions. These procedures should not be cancelled in patients with diabetes.

Introduction: The use of vitamin K antagonists (VKAs) in non-valvular atrial fibrillation (NVAF) is complicated due to the narrow therapeutic margin they present and their unpredictable dose–response relationship. Most studies are based on warfarin, with the results being extrapolated to acenocoumarol. However, studies comparing the two treatments in terms of the degree of anticoagulation control are scarce, justifying the present study. Main factors associated with poor control of time in therapeutic range (TTR) of anticoagulated patients are also studied. Methods: Cross-sectional study, with real-world data from patients treated in primary care (PC). Data were obtained from the System for the Improvement of Research in PC (SIDIAP) database, covering 60,978 NVAF-anticoagulated patients from 287 PC centres in 2018. Descriptive statistics were derived, and odds ratios were estimated by multivariate logistic regression. Results: 41,430 patients were considered: 93% were being treated with acenocoumarol and 7% with warfarin. There was no difference in poor control of TTR between the two types of VKA treatment, acenocoumarol and warfarin (38.9 vs. 38.4, p = 0.610). Poor anticoagulation control was mainly associated with advanced alcoholism (OR = 1.38), liver failure (OR = 1.37) and intracranial haemorrhage (OR = 1.35) as well as female sex, age &lt, 60 years, cardiovascular history, diabetes mellitus and other variables. Conclusions: There is no association between poor anticoagulation control and the type of VKA treatment administered. Factors associated with poor control of TTR must be considered in clinical practice to improve control and decision-making.

The cerebrovascular accident or stroke represents the third cause of mortality in Uruguay and the world, as well as the first cause of disability.Its treatment with acupuncture is very effective especially if started early and mainly in those of ischemic nature.We report the case of a patient with a cardiovascular history who suffered an ischemic stroke, who was treated with craniopuncture, with a very successful response.

Objectives: Type 2 diabetes mellitus(T2DM) can accelerate the clinical process of atherosclerosis(AS). Dipeptidyl peptidase-4 inhibitors(DPP-4Is) have potential anti-AS effects. And, we completed a meta-analysis of the changes in carotid intima-media thickness(CIMT), flow-mediated dilation(FMD), and pulse wave velocity(PWV) of DPP-4Is to research the effect of DPP-4Is in the progression of AS in T2DM patients. Materials and methods: We included RCTs that evaluated the impact of DPP-4Is on CIMT, FMD, and PWV compared to other treatments from PubMed, Cochrane trials, and Embase database before October 31, 2020. We selected the random-effect model and calculated the weighted mean difference(WMD) to evaluate the effect of CIMT, FMD, and PWV in T2DM patients. Results：Through the meta-analysis, we found that DPP-4Is can significantly reduce CIMT in T2DM patients(WMD =-0.036, 95% CI:-0.055 to-0.017; p≤0.001). Based on the subgroup analysis, we found that CIMT was significantly decreased in patients with greater than 12 months of intervention and without cardiovascular diseases. Besides, we also found that DPP-4Is had a not significant efficacy on the improvement of FMD in T2DM patients(WMD=0.635, 95% CI: -0.112 to 1.383, p= 0.097). Our subgroup analysis showed that for T2DM patients who have cardiovascular diseases, DPP-4Is can significantly increase their FMD. In addition, we also found that DPP-4Is had an insignificant influence on PWV in T2DM patients(WMD= 0.424, 95% CI: -0.198 to 1.046, p= 0.18). but SGLT2 inhibitors may reduce the PWV of T2DM patients. Conclusions: DPP-4Is can alleviate the development of AS in T2DM patients to a certain extent by reducing CIMT. And, we believe that long-term use of DPP-4Is may be more helpful to alleviate the atherosclerotic development of T2DM without obvious cardiovascular history.

Objectives Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) can accelerate the clinical process of atherosclerosis (AS). Dipeptidyl peptidase-4 inhibitors (DPP-4Is) have potential anti-AS effects. And, we completed a meta-analysis of the changes in carotid intima-media thickness (CIMT), flow-mediated dilation (FMD) and pulse wave velocity (PWV) of DPP-4Is to research the effect of DPP-4Is in the progression of AS in T2DM patients. Materials and methods We included RCTs that evaluated the impact of DPP-4Is on CIMT, FMD and PWV compared to other treatments from PubMed, Cochrane trials and Embase database before October 31, 2020. We selected the random-effect model and calculated the weighted mean difference (WMD) to evaluate the effect of CIMT, FMD and PWV in T2DM patients. Results Through the meta-analysis, we found that DPP-4Is can significantly reduce CIMT in T2DM patients (WMD = -0.036, 95% CI:-0.055 to-0.017; P ≤ .001). Based on the subgroup analysis, we found that CIMT was significantly decreased in patients with greater than 12 months of intervention and without cardiovascular diseases. Besides, we also found that DPP-4Is had a no significant efficacy on the improvement of FMD in T2DM patients (WMD = 0.635, 95% CI: -0.112 to 1.383, P = .097). Our subgroup analysis showed that for T2DM patients who have cardiovascular diseases, DPP-4Is can significantly increase their FMD. In addition, we also found that DPP-4Is had an insignificant influence on PWV in T2DM patients (WMD = 0.424, 95% CI: -0.198 to 1.046, P = .18), but SGLT2 inhibitors may reduce the PWV of T2DM patients. Conclusions DPP-4Is can alleviate the development of AS in T2DM patients to a certain extent by reducing CIMT. And, we believe that long-term use of DPP-4Is may be more helpful to alleviate the atherosclerotic development of T2DM without obvious cardiovascular history.

Los aneurismas del seno de Valsalva son anomalías poco frecuentes que pueden ser de carácter congénito o adquirido, y pueden ser intervenibles o no acorde con la presentación clínica. Se expone el caso de un paciente joven sin antecedentes cardiovasculares de importancia, que consulta por cuadro de dolor torácico y en quien se documenta de manera temprana aneurisma del seno de Valsalva asociado con insuficiencia mitral. Se intervino quirúrgicamente y fue dado de alta a los 90 días de la cirugía con evolución clínica favorable y remisión de la sintomatología cardiovascular.

A 71-year-old woman without a cardiovascular history was transferred from a nearby hospital to our catheterization laboratory in cardiogenic shock on vasopressors following a very late presentation anterior ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) ([Figure 1A][1]). She reported avoiding

Objective The objective of this study was to analyze the effects of obesity on postoperative complications and patient and graft survival after kidney transplantation. Methods We retrospectively included 506 patients who received a kidney transplant in our center during eleven years. Obesity was defined by a body mass index ≥ 30 kg/m2 based on World Health Organization criteria. Using univariate and multivariate analyses, we evaluated the impact of obesity on surgical complications according to the Clavien-Dindo classification up to 30 days after surgery. The impact of obesity on graft and patient survival was assessed using a Cox proportional regression model. Results Seventy-one patients were obese (14%), and mean follow-up was 63.1 months (59.7-66.5). By multivariable analysis, obesity was associated with delayed graft function (hazard ratio [HR] = 2.60 [1.31-5.02], P = .004). Obesity was not associated with surgical complications, but cardiovascular history was (HR = 1.68 [1.09-2.99], P = .048). By Cox regression analysis, obesity was significantly associated with a higher risk of graft loss (HR = 1.55 [1.06-2.99], P = .042) but not with patient survival (HR = 1.82 [0.88-3.79], P = .106). Conclusion Obesity was associated with delayed graft function and graft loss. However, it was not associated with surgical complications. Kidney transplantation remains the best therapy for obese patients suffering from end-stage renal disease, despite shorter graft survival.

Introduction: The hypercoagulability state induced by COVID-19 has been well established and various forms of subsequent thromboembolic events have been reported throughout literature including multiple cases of intracardiac thrombi, four of which in our center alone, this case being the fifth. Case report: We report the case of a 38-year-old male with no prior cardiovascular history who -subsequently to a COVID-19 infection-developped a right atrial thrombosis associated to a pulmonary embolism, and in whom cardiography revealed an interatrial communication. Management relied upon curative doses of low molecular weight heparin (LMWH) with favourable outcome. Discussion: In our discussion, we lay out the various physiopathological mechanisms incriminated throughout literature in the genesis of a hypercoagulability state distinctive of COVID-19, before highlighting the incidence of an interatrial communication (whether a Potent Foramen Ovale or Atrial Septal Defect) discovered in patients with COVID-19, and the potential paradoxical embolization risks they imply as well as reported cases. A mention of hemostatic parameters monitored was also warranted. Finally we discuss the guidelines in terms of prophylactic and therapeutic anticoagulation in hospitalized patients before discussing cardiac thrombosis's therapeutic options. Conclusion: Our case highlights various key points which could change the prognosis of COVID-19 patients, whether related to the underdiagnosis of interatrial abnormalities or with regards to the diagnosis to thromboembolic events, but also the indisputable place of anticoagulation in COVID-19 management.

ObjectivesThere is minimal literature examining the association of sepsis with out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA). Using a large national database, we aimed to quantify the risk of OHCA among sepsis patients after hospital discharge.DesignPopulation-based cohort study.SettingNationwide sepsis cohort retrieved from the National Health Insurance Research Database of Taiwan between 2000 and 2013.ParticipantsWe included 17 304 patients with sepsis. After hospital discharge, 144 patients developed OHCA within 30 days and 640 between days 31 and 365.Primary and secondary outcome measuresThe main outcomes were OHCA events following hospital discharge for sepsis. To evaluate the independent association between sepsis and OHCA after a sepsis hospitalisation, we constructed two non-sepsis comparison cohorts using risk set sampling and propensity score matching techniques (non-infection cohort, non-sepsis infection cohort). We plotted the daily number and daily risk of OHCA within 1 year of hospital discharge between sepsis and matched non-sepsis cohorts. We used Cox regression to evaluate the risk of early and late OHCA, comparing sepsis to non-sepsis patients.ResultsCompared with non-infected patients, sepsis patients had a higher rate of early (HR 1.66, 95% CI: 1.27 to 2.16) and late (HR 1.19, 95% CI: 1.06 to 1.33) OHCA events. This association was independent of age, sex or cardiovascular history. Compared with non-sepsis patients with infections, sepsis patients had a higher rate of both early (HR 1.28, 95% CI: 1.00 to 1.63) and late (HR 1.13, 95% CI: 1.01 to 1.27) OHCA events, especially among patients with cardiovascular disease (OR 1.35, 95% CI: 1.01 to 1.81).ConclusionsSepsis patients had increased risk of OHCA compared with matched non-sepsis controls, which lasted up to 1 year after hospital discharge.

Dysphagia is not a normal process of aging. Dysphagia aortica refers to external compression of the distal esophagus from an enlarged, ectatic or aneurysmal thoracic aorta leading to mechanical obstruction of the food bolus. It is a rare cause of dysphagia seen in the older population and predisposing risk factors include female gender, short stature, and kyphosis. We selected the case of an octogenarian with a significant cardiovascular history presenting with dysphagia where the diagnosis of dysphagia aortica was delayed but ultimately identified. Although rare, we urge and remind a high index of suspicion for clinicians treating this patient population.

A 71-year-old woman without a cardiovascular history was transferred to our hospital with persistent hypotension days following an inferior ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI). Urgent coronary angiography for refractory shock showed a proximal occlusion of the right coronary artery (

Background Copeptin, a marker for vasopressin, is related to advanced cardiovascular disease such as myocardial infarction. Purpose The aim of the present investigation was to assess whether copeptin is associated with the different atherosclerotic plaque stages expressed by coronary artery calcium scores (CAC score). Methods Copeptin and CAC score were studied in 677 participants in the ICELANDIC MI cohort without a history of a myocardial infarction at baseline. The Agatston method was used to measure coronary artery calcification visualized by means of computed tomographic scans. The CAC score was categorized into four classes: 0, 1–99, 100–399, and ≥400. Correlations between the CAC score and copeptin were assessed using Spearman's Rank Correlation while the predictive value of copeptin and CAC score were evaluated with Cox proportional Hazard regression analysis (unadjusted and adjusted for age groups, serum creatinine, gender, hypertension and type 2 diabetes mellitus). The primary outcome was cardiovascular events (CVE) while total mortality served as secondary outcome. Results The median copeptin level was 6.4 pmol/L and the median CAC score 227.0 (IQR: 48.3–692.4) for the total cohort. The highest copeptin level was seen in people with a CAC score ≥400. Copeptin predicted total mortality in the unadjusted analysis and the CAC score predicted both outcomes. Only the CAC score that predicted outcome following adjustments (CVE: HR 1.35, 95% CI 1.23–1.48; p Figure 1 Conclusion In this cohort of elderly individuals without a previous MI a high CAC score was as a significant predictor of future cardiovascular events. People with high a CAC score had elevated copeptin levels but copeptin did not serve as a prognostic indicator. This suggests that copeptin elevation in people with CAD is an expression for the general state of disease rather than an indicator of a pathophysiological role of vasopressin in this context.

Background Clinical-epidemiological research has advanced our knowledge on the negative impact of lupus nephritis (LN) on systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) outcomes. Impaired renal function at LN diagnosis and failure to normalize renal function upon aggressive immunosuppressive therapy are associated with a very poor long-term renal outcome. Most reports on that field are however based on tertiary care data of limited sample size that impede the ability to generalize the findings. In order to measure the impact of renal function impairment on clinical outcome such as death or cardiovascular events effectively, updated comprehensive information at national level is needed. Objectives We conducted an analysis of a French nationwide database to assess the characteristics associated with the presence of CKD (i.e. eGFR Methods Characteristics of all admitted SLE patients experiencing CKD in France from 2009 to 2015 were analyzed through the French medico-administrative database. Factors associated with CKD and major clinical outcomes such as end-stage renal disease (ESRD), cardiovascular event (CVE), septic shock and death were assessed. We used a multivariate Cox proportional hazard model and subdistribution hazard models to analyze survival without major clinical events according to the presence of CKD. Results From 2009 to 2015, 26 320 SLE patients were hospitalized in France. Among them, 6 439 (86.5% women; mean age 45.7 [16.5] years old) had a baseline stay in 2009 during which CKD was reported in 428 (6.7%) cases. Multivariate analysis showed that lupus nephritis (OR 6.6 [5.2-8.4]), high blood pressure (OR 3.5 [2.8-4.5]), septic shock (OR 3.2 [1.7-6.0]) and past cardiovascular history (OR 1.4 [1.0-2.0]) were associated with CKD status. From 2009 to 2015, ESRD, CVE, septic shock, and death occurred in 4.0%, 14.4%, 6.3% and 9.6% of the 6 439 SLE patients. CKD at baseline was independently and strongly associated with the occurrence of ESRD (sdHR 15.9 [11.6-21.9]), CVE (sdHR 1.7 [1.4-2.2]), septic shock (sdHR 2.1 [1.5-2.8]) and death (HR 1.7 [1.3-2.2]) during the follow up Conclusion CKD is a major risk factor for overall morbidity and mortality in SLE patients, highlighting the need for early pre-CKD lupus nephritis diagnosis and treatment Disclosure of Interests: Arthur Mageau: None declared, Jean-Francois Timsit: None declared, Anne Perozziello: None declared, Benedicte Giroux Leprieur: None declared, Stephane Ruckly : None declared, Claire Dupuis: None declared, Lila Bouadma: None declared, Thomas Papo: None declared, karim sacre Grant/research support from: GSK

Background Cardiovascular risk is not uncommon in patients with chronic inflammatory rheumatism. Objectives The objective: To evaluate the interest of systematic electrocardiogram (ECG) as a tool for detecting cardiac abnormalities during spondyloarthropathies (SA) and rheumatoid arthritis (SA). Methods Consecutive patients suffering from SA, RA, hospitalized during the period from 2016 to 2017 and free from cardiovascular events were included. An ECG - 12-lead - was performed and interpreted by a cardiologist without the diagnosis. Results A total of 44 patients with SA were included (average duration 9 ± 8 years), 56 patients with RA (average duration 11 ± nine years). They were all asymptomatic on the cardiac level and without a cardiovascular history. The population was homogeneous, concerning the presence of the cardiovascular risk factors, except for the diabetes, more frequent in the RA groups. The proportions of extra systoles, atrioventricular blocks (2.2% in the SA group, 1.4% in the RA group), complete or incomplete left branch block (respectively: 0.7%, 0.6%), complete right limb block or left branch block (respectively: 0.8%, 2.7%) and abnormality suggestive of myocardial ischemia (5.2%, 10.8%) Conclusion In patients with no history of cardiovascular disease who are asymptomatic, performing a systematic ECG does not reveal the increased risk of specific cardiac complications related to these conditions in patients with SA and RA. References [1] Danesh J, Whincup P, Walker M, et al. Low grade inflammation and coronary heart disease: prospective study and updated meta-analyses. BMJ2000;321:199–204. [2] Bulkley BH, Roberts WC. Ankylosing spondylitis and aortic regurgitation. Circulation 1973;48:1014–27: [3] Nitter Hauge S, Otterstad JE. Characteristics of atrioventricular conduction disturbances in ankylosing spondylitis. Acta Med Scand 1981;210:197–200. [4] Brunner F, Kunz A, Weber U, et al. Ankylosing spondylitis and heart abnormalities. Clin Rheumatol 2006;25:24–9. [5] Yildirir A, Aksoyek S, Calguneri M, et al. QT dispersion as a predictor ofarrhythmic events in patients with ankylosing spondylitis. Rheumatology 2000;39:875–9 Disclosure of Interests None declared

International audience; Purpose: To measure subfoveal choroidal thickness (SFCT) in the elderly and to determine the associations among SFCT, cardiovascular history, and the 10-year risk of fatal cardiovascular disease (CVD). Methods: We conducted a population-based study, the Montrachet (Maculopathy Optic Nerve, nuTRition neurovAsCular, and HEarT disease) study, in subjects older than 75 years. SFCT was measured with spectral-domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT) with enhanced-depth mode imaging. Participants underwent a comprehensive eye examination. The history of CVD, CVD risk factors, and a score-based estimation of their 10-year risk of cardiovascular mortality (Heart Score) were collected. Results: Overall, 764 participants were retained for analysis. The mean SFCT was 206.4 +/- 83.0 mum. The mean age was 81.9 +/- 3.6 years. After a multivariable analysis, older age (beta = -32.56 mum, P < 0.001) and longer axial length (beta = -20.71 mum, P < 0.001) were independently associated with thinner SFCT. SFCT was not significantly associated with sex, cardiovascular history, classical CVD risk factors, or prognostic risk score. Conclusions: This study confirms that longer axial length and older age are associated with thinner SFCT. However, SFCT does not appear to be a biomarker for cardiovascular history in this study.

Enquadramento: A cefaleia é um sintoma comum nos cuidados de saúde primários (CSP). Pode ter características sugestivas de uma cefaleia secundária grave, devendo o médico de família (MF) estar atento aos sinais de alarme. Sendo assim, perante um sintoma inespecífico, as competências nucleares do MF capacitam-no para gerir a incerteza, facilitando a gestão das várias possibilidades. Descrição de caso: Sexo feminino, 21 anos, antecedentes de disseção aórtica aos nove anos, sem MF na Unidade Funcional. A 01/09 recorre a consulta de intersusbstituição (CIS), grávida de 12 semanas, por cefaleias com 2,5 semanas, holocranianas e quase diárias. Foi-lhe indicado paracetamol em SOS. Por antecedentes cardiovasculares importantes foi referenciada a consulta hospitalar de obstetrícia. A 14/09 recorre a CIS por manter cefaleias holocranianas de predomínio frontal, de caráter pulsátil, com fonofobia, fotofobia e osmofobia, sem cedência ao analgésico. É encaminhada para o serviço de urgência (SU), onde foi observada por neurologia que considerou tratar-se de uma enxaqueca sem aura. A 01/10 teve consulta de obstetrícia, referindo novamente cefaleias intensas com reforço da toma de analgésico. A 07/10, agora com 17 semanas de gestação, recorre a CIS por manter cefaleias frontais. Por quadro arrastado, com recurso a múltiplas consultas com médicos diferentes, opta-se por contactar telefonicamente o neurologista de urgência. No SU, a angio-ressonância magnética (RM) revelou trombose venosa cerebral do seio lateral esquerdo. Foi internada na Unidade de Cuidados Intermédios Polivalentes e iniciou terapêutica com enoxaparina 12/12h. Discussão: A prevalência das cefaleias nos CSP é alta e, na maioria dos casos, sem sinais de alarme. A continuidade de cuidados, abordagem abrangente, modelação holística e a capacidade de gestão de cuidados - características da medicina geral e familiar -, são essenciais na avaliação destes utentes e conferem ao MF clara vantagem sobre os restantes especialistas na resolução de problemas complexos ou indiferenciados. Este caso vem demonstrar, uma vez mais, a importância de todos terem um MF Background: Headache is a common symptom encountered in primary health care. However, it may have features that suggest serious causes. The family doctor should be aware of this risk when faced with a patient with nonspecific symptom. The core competencies of family medicine should allow the doctor to manage uncertainty and to acknowledge various possibilities when faced with a pregnant patient with headache. Case description: A 21 years old patient with a history of aortic dissection at age 9 years presented to a health care center at 12 weeks of gestation complaining of daily headaches. She did not have her own family physician previously. Paracetamol was prescribed for use as needed. Due to her cardiovascular history, she was referred for obstetric consultation at a local hospital. Two weeks later she returned to the health centre without an appointment complaining of severe pulsatile headache, with phonophobia, photophobia, osmophobia, and without improvement with analgesics. The patient was referred to the local hospital emergency department, where she was examined by a neurologist, who diagnosed migraine without aura. Two weeks later, she had a follow-up consultation at the hospital for the pregnancy. She complained of severe headache again and was prescribed analgesics. One week later she returned to the health centre without an appointment (at 17 weeks gestation) because of persistence of the headache. Due to the long course without improvement and multiple consultations with different doctors, contact was made with the neurologist on call at the local hospital and an emergency consultation was arranged. A magnetic resonance angiogram revealed a left lateral sinus cerebral venous thrombosis. She was admitted to the intensive care unit and was treated with enoxaparin. Conclusion: Continuous, comprehensive care and the ability to manage health care resources gave the family physician an advantage in the management of this challenging case. This case highlights the importance of a family doctor for every patient

The 2018 American Heart Association/American College of Cardiology (AHA/ACC) cholesterol management guidelines identified 2 distinct groups of patients with atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) prompting different treatment recommendations.To investigate whether the addition of high-sensitivity troponin (hsTn) testing to guideline-derived ASCVD risk can improve risk classification and downstream treatment recommendations.A prospective cohort biomarker substudy was performed that included 8635 patients enrolled in the Prevention of Cardiovascular Events in Patients with Prior Heart Attack Using Ticagrelor Compared to Placebo on a Background of Aspirin-Thrombolysis in Myocardial Infarction 54 (PEGASUS-TIMI 54) trial. Patients were assigned to risk groups of either very high-risk ASCVD or lower-risk ASCVD based on their cardiovascular history and comorbidities, in line with the 2018 AHA/ACC cholesterol management guidelines criteria. Patients were also classified on the basis of hsTnI level (ARCHITECT assay; Abbott) using cut points of 2 ng/L (limit of detection) and 6 ng/L (risk threshold), followed by joint classification on the basis of clinical features and hsTnI level. The setting was a nested prospective cohort study in a completed multinational trial. Participants were all patients who had a myocardial infarction 1 to 3 years before enrollment, were at least 50 years of age, and had at least 1 high-risk feature. The study dates were October 2010 to December 2014. The dates of analysis were June 2019 to January 2020.The primary end point was a composite of cardiovascular death, myocardial infarction, or stroke.Among 8635 patients enrolled in the PEGASUS-TIMI 54 trial, the median age was 65 years (interquartile range, 58-71 years), and 6614 (76.6%) were men; 8340 (96.6%) were White individuals and 176 (2.0%) were Black individuals. Patients meeting clinical criteria for the very high-risk ASCVD group had a primary end point 3-year event rate of 8.8% compared with 5.0% in the lower-risk ASCVD group (hazard ratio, 2.01; 95% CI, 1.58-2.57; P .001). When patients in the very high-risk ASCVD group were further risk stratified by hsTnI level, 614 of 6789 patients (9.0%) with an undetectable hsTnI level had a 3-year event rate of 2.7% (1% per year), which was less than the overall rate in the lower-risk ASCVD group. Analogously, in the lower-risk ASCVD group, 417 of 1846 patients (22.6%) with an hsTnI level exceeding 6 ng/L had an event rate of 9.1%, comparable to the overall rate in the very high-risk ASCVD group. The addition of hsTnI to guideline-derived ASCVD risk led to a net reclassification index at event rate of 0.15 (95% CI, 0.10-0.21). Overall, use of hsTnI reclassified 1031 of 8635 patients (11.9%) (1 in 11 with very high-risk ASCVD and 1 in 4 with lower-risk ASCVD).The findings of this cohort substudy suggest that a strategy incorporating hsTn into a guideline-derived ASCVD risk algorithm provides enhanced risk stratification and reclassifies 11.9% of patients into a more appropriate risk group. This application of hsTn testing might be used to optimize the care of patients with ASCVD.

Over recent decades, research into the causes and mechanisms driving the development of cardiovascular disease has rapidly evolved. In everyday real life, this translates into ever more targeted treatment strategies that can be adapted to each individual’s cardiovascular history and risk.

OBJECTIVES: The benefits of initiating statins in the elderly remains debated. We evaluated the effects of initiating statins in the elderly, according to cardiovascular risk. METHODS: This population-based cohort study used data of the representative sample of the French healthcare system database for the 2008-2015 period. New users of statins, aged 75 years and above were dynamically included in the cohort and matched 1:1 to statin non-users on age, gender, numbers of different drugs dispensed and medical consultations, and cardiovascular history. Patients were classified in three cardiovascular risk groups: secondary prevention (history of coronary heart disease), primary prevention with modifiable risk factors (diabetes or cardiovascular medications), and primary prevention without modifiable risk factor (none of the above). Effect of cumulative use of statins on occurrence of acute coronary syndrome or all-cause death was analyzed by using multivariable time-dependent Cox models stratified on cardiovascular risk at inclusion. RESULTS: Among the 7284 patients included, median follow-up was 4.7 years. Cumulative use of statins was associated with a lower risk of outcomes in the primary prevention with modifiable risk factors group (adjusted hazard ratio 0.93 per year of use; 95% confidence interval 0.89-0.96; p

International audience; Background and aims : Lipoprotein apheresis (LA) is a complex therapeutic option and poor compliance can adversely affect treatment outcome. The aim of this study was to describe long-term compliance to treatment in patients undergoing regular LA therapy and to investigate factors related to low compliance.Methods : We analysed 11,391 prescribed procedures of LA performed between 1990 and 2007 in 51 patients with familial hypercholesterolemia. Regular LA treatment was initiated in patients presenting with either homozygous familial hypercholesterolemia (n = 21), or severe heterozygous familial hypercholesterolemia (n = 30) with elevated LDL-cholesterol levels and who did not respond adequately to diet and drug therapy; the majority of these patients (n = 30) had cardiovascular disease at initiation of therapy.Results : The overall observed compliance rate based on the number of achieved/programmed procedures was 87.5%. Neither cardiovascular history nor subtypes of hypercholesterolemia was associated with compliance. In addition, there was no impact of patient demography on compliance. Treatment frequency alone significantly impacted non-compliance (i.e. patient with weekly procedures were less compliant). Interestingly, a non-significant decrease in compliance was observed among patients aged

Background: High rates of pneumonia and death have been reported among elderly patients with rib fractures. This study aims to identify patterns of injury and risk factors for pneumonia and death in elderly patients with rib fractures. Methods: A retrospective multicenter observational study was performed using data registered in the national trauma registry between 2008 and 2015 in the South West Netherlands Trauma region. Data regarding demographics, mechanism of injury, pulmonary and cardiovascular history, pattern of extra-thoracic and intrathoracic injuries, ICU admission, length of stay, and morbidity and mortality following admission were collected. Results: Eight hundred eighty-four patients were included. Median age was 76 years (P25–P75 70–83). 235 patients (26.6%) were 81 years or older. Moderate or worse extra-thoracic injuries were present in 456 patients (51.6%), of whom 146 (16.6%) had severe head injuries and 45 (5.1%) severe spinal injuries. Median ISS was 9 (P25–P75 5–18). The rate of pneumonia was 10% (n = 84). Ten percent of patients (n = 88) died. Risk factors for in-hospital mortality included age (OR 3.4; p = 0.003), presence of COPD (OR 1.3; p = 0.01), presence of cardiac disease (OR 2.6; p = 0.003), severe or worse head (OR 3.5; p < 0.001), abdominal (OR 6.8; p = 0.004) and spinal injury (OR 4.6; p = 0.011) by AIS, number of rib fractures (OR 2.6; p = 0.03), and need for chest tube drainage (OR 2.1; p = 0.021). Conclusions: Pneumonia and death occur in about 10% of elderly patients with rib fractures. Apart from the severity of thoracic injuries, the presence and severity of extra-thoracic injuries and cardiopulmonary comorbidities are associated with poor outcome.

Correspondance to: catherine.creuzot-garcher@chu-dijon.fr, Department of Ophthalmology, University Hospital, Dijon, France, Eye and Nutrition Research group, CSGA, UMR 1324 INRA, Dijon, France.; International audience; PurposeTo identify patterns summarizing the retinal vascular network in the elderly and to investigate the relationship of these vascular patterns with cardiovascular history.MethodsWe conducted a population-based study, the Montrachet study (Maculopathy Optic Nerve nuTRition neurovAsCular and HEarT diseases), in participants older than 75 years. The history of cardiovascular disease and a score-based estimation of their 10-year risk of cardiovascular mortality (Heart SCORE) were collected. Retinal vascular network analysis was performed by means of Singapore “I” Vessel Assessment (SIVA) software. Principal component analysis was used to condense the information contained in the high number of variables provided and to identify independent retinal vascular patterns.ResultsOverall, 1069 photographs (1069 participants) were reviewed with SIVA software. The mean age was 80.0 ± 3.8 years. We extracted three vascular patterns summarizing 41.3% of the vascular information. The most clinically relevant pattern, Sparse vascular network, accounted for 17.4% of the total variance. It corresponded to a lower density in the vascular network and higher variability in vessel width. Diabetic participants with hypoglycemic treatment had a sparser vascular network pattern than subjects without such treatment (odds ratio, [OR], 1.68; 95% CI, 1.04–2.72; P = 0.04). Participants with no history of cardiovascular disease who had a sparser vascular network were associated with a higher Heart SCORE (OR, 1.76; 95% CI, 1.08–2.25; P = 0.02).ConclusionsThree vascular patterns were identified. The Sparse vascular network pattern was associated with having a higher risk profile for cardiovascular mortality risk at 10 years.

Ergotamine and its derivatives were used for multiple diseases; in the nineties, its use in association with caffeine was considered a standard treatment for migraines, although it has been in decline, due to the evidenced toxic effects related to its chronic use including vascular, cardiovascular and central nervous system manifestations. In this article is reported a case of a 59-year-old female with chronic use of caffeine plus ergotamine for more than 20 years; afterwards she develops peripheral artery disease, severe mitral and tricuspid valve regurgitation with requirement of valve replacement. In the absence of past cardiovascular history and rheumatic fever, its clinical evolution and pathology results are associated with ergotism.

Background— Examining trends in cardiovascular events and mortality in US health systems can guide the design of targeted clinical and public health strategies to reduce cardiovascular events and mortality rates. Methods and Results— We conducted an observational cohort study from 2005 to 2011 among 1.25 million diabetic subjects and 1.25 million nondiabetic subjects from 11 health systems that participate in the Surveillance, Prevention and Management of Diabetes Mellitus (SUPREME-DM) DataLink. Annual rates (per 1000 person-years) of myocardial infarction/acute coronary syndrome ( International Classification of Diseases-Ninth Revision , 410.0–410.91, 411.1–411.8), stroke ( International Classification of Diseases-Ninth Revision , 430–432.9, 433–434.9), heart failure ( International Classification of Diseases-Ninth Revision , 428–428.9), and all-cause mortality were monitored by diabetes mellitus (DM) status, age, sex, race/ethnicity, and a prior cardiovascular history. We observed significant declines in cardiovascular events and mortality rates in subjects with and without DM. However, there was substantial variation by age, sex, race/ethnicity, and prior cardiovascular history. Mortality declined from 44.7 to 27.1 ( P P =0.03) for those with DM only, and from 18.9 to 13.0 ( P P =0.10) and stroke rates (1.6–1.6; P =0.77) did not decline and heart failure rates increased (0.9–1.15; P =0.0005). Conclusions— To sustain improvements in myocardial infarction, stroke, heart failure, and mortality, health systems that have successfully focused on care improvement in high-risk adults with DM or CVD must broaden their improvement strategies to target lower risk adults who have not yet developed DM or CVD.

Introduction. Besides participation in the primary prevention, screening as secondary prevention is an important requirement for primary care services. The effect of this work is influenced by the characteristics of individual primary care practices and doctors’ screening habits, as well as by the regulation of screening processes and available financial resources. Between 1999 and 2009, a managed care program was introduced and carried out in Hungary, financed by the government. This financial support and motivation gave the opportunity to increase the number of screenings. Method. 4,462 patients of 40 primary care practices were screened on the basis of SCORE risk assessment. The results of the screening were compared on the basis of two groups of patients, namely: those who had been pre-screened (pre-screening method) for known risk factors in their medical history (smoking, BMI, age, family cardiovascular history), and those randomly screened. The authors also compared the mortality data of participating primary care practices with the regional and national data. Results. The average score was significantly higher in the pre-screened group of patients, regardless of whether the risk factors were considered one by one or in combination. Mortality was significantly lower in the participating primary practices than had been expected on the basis of the national mortality data. Conclusion. This government-financed program was a big step forward to establish a proper screening method within Hungarian primary care. Performing cardiovascular screening of a selected target group is presumably more appropriate than screening within a randomly selected population. Both methods resulted in a visible improvement in regional mortality data, though it is very likely that with pre-screening a more cost-effective selection for screening may be obtained.

Good afternoon, and welcome to the Scientific Sessions. On behalf of all of the American Heart Association’s (AHA) clinicians, scientists, lay volunteers, and staff, I extend a warm welcome and offer my thanks for your efforts to understand, prevent, and treat cardiovascular diseases. We are inspired by your dedication to saving and improving lives. The burden of these diseases is something we all share, no matter where we live or work. So let us make the most of our opportunities to learn from one another throughout the Scientific Sessions. For these next 4 days, Chicago is home to the latest in cardiovascular and stroke research. Chicago is also home to significant cardiovascular history. Ninety years ago, Chicago resident Dr James B. Herrick joined Dr Paul Dudley White and 4 other pioneering physicians at Chicago’s Drake Hotel to create the AHA.1 They started this lifesaving organization just 4 miles away from where we are sitting right now. Yet, it was worlds away when we consider what we can offer patients today. We now have tools at our disposal that we could barely imagine only a few years ago. New diagnostic and therapeutic options are being discovered at a pace unseen in human history. We have an unprecedented opportunity to harness these advances to save and improve lives, and that is what I would like to talk to you about. But first, I would like to share a quick illustration of just how much our tools have changed. This 28-pound box is the actual ECG machine Paul Dudley White used in his office decades ago.2 It was considered state of the art back then. With the patient lying supine and connected to the device, a paper recording of the ECG could be obtained, a single lead at a time. Now, …

IntroductionPeople with serious mental illness exhibit higher morbidity and mortality rates of chronic disease than the general population. A significant proportion of premature deaths has been related to modifiable cardiovascular risk factors and may be related to medications taken for mental illness.ObjectivesEstablish a clinic for a cohort of patients with chronic mental illness dedicated to monitoring physical health focusing on modifiable risk factors.MethodsPatients with chronic mental illness taking psychotropic medications long term were invited to attend clinic.The following areas were examined: History focusing on current mental state, cardiovascular history assessing diet, exercise, personal and family history of cardiovascular disease, Exam including waist circumference, BP, pulse, ECG and calculation of BMI. Laboratory tests including HbA1c, Lipid profile, and other tests as appropriate such as serum lithium. Examination for tardive dyskinesia (Abnormal Involuntary Movement Scale (AIMS)), outcomes, (Health of the Nation outcome scale (HoNos)) and quality of life (WHOQOL-Bref) were performed also performed as additional indicators of global health.ResultsSample consisting of 47 patients. Mean age 56.1 (SD: 13.6) males 27 (60%). Mean years of illness 23.1(SD:12.2). Mean HoNos 2.7 (SD 2.5). Four cases prolonged QTc, 5 HbA1c > 6% (2 no prior record of elevation); 18 abnormal lipid profiles, (12 no prior record of elevation); 4 blood pressure readings ≥ 140/90, 3 no prior diagnosis of hypertension; 18 BMI > 25.ConclusionsThis is a newly established clinic. Preliminary results have highlighted modifiable risk factors some of which may represent new diagnoses. Close liaison with General Practice is of importance.Disclosure of interestThe authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.

BACKGROUND: This is the second update of the review first published in 2017. Hypertension is a prominent preventable cause of premature morbidity and mortality. People with hypertension and established cardiovascular disease are at particularly high risk, so reducing blood pressure to below standard targets may be beneficial. This strategy could reduce cardiovascular mortality and morbidity but could also increase adverse events. The optimal blood pressure target in people with hypertension and established cardiovascular disease remains unknown. OBJECTIVES: To determine if lower blood pressure targets (135/85 mmHg or less) are associated with reduction in mortality and morbidity as compared with standard blood pressure targets (140 to 160/90 to 100 mmHg or less) in the treatment of people with hypertension and a history of cardiovascular disease (myocardial infarction, angina, stroke, peripheral vascular occlusive disease). SEARCH METHODS: For this updated review, the Cochrane Hypertension Information Specialist searched the following databases for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) up to November 2019: Cochrane Hypertension Specialised Register, CENTRAL, MEDLINE (from 1946), Embase (from 1974), and Latin American Caribbean Health Sciences Literature (LILACS) (from 1982), along with the World Health Organization International Clinical Trials Registry Platform and ClinicalTrials.gov. We also contacted authors of relevant papers regarding further published and unpublished work. We applied no language restrictions. SELECTION CRITERIA: We included RCTs with more than 50 participants per group that provided at least six months' follow‐up. Trial reports had to present data for at least one primary outcome (total mortality, serious adverse events, total cardiovascular events, cardiovascular mortality). Eligible interventions involved lower targets for systolic/diastolic blood pressure (135/85 mmHg or less) compared with standard targets for blood pressure (140 to 160/90 to 100 mmHg or less). Participants were adults with documented hypertension and adults receiving treatment for hypertension with a cardiovascular history for myocardial infarction, stroke, chronic peripheral vascular occlusive disease, or angina pectoris. DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS: Two review authors independently assessed search results and extracted data using standard methodological procedures expected by Cochrane. We used GRADE to assess the quality of the evidence. MAIN RESULTS: We included six RCTs that involved 9484 participants. Mean follow‐up was 3.7 years (range 1.0 to 4.7 years). All RCTs provided individual participant data. None of the included studies was blinded to participants or clinicians because of the need to titrate antihypertensives to reach a specific blood pressure goal. However, an independent committee blinded to group allocation assessed clinical events in all trials. Hence, we assessed all trials at high risk of performance bias and low risk of detection bias. Other issues such as early termination of studies and subgroups of participants not predefined were also considered to downgrade the quality evidence. We found there is probably little to no difference in total mortality (risk ratio (RR) 1.06, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.91 to 1.23; 6 studies, 9484 participants; moderate‐quality evidence) or cardiovascular mortality (RR 1.03, 95% CI 0.82 to 1.29; 6 studies, 9484 participants; moderate‐quality evidence). Similarly, we found there may be little to no differences in serious adverse events (RR 1.01, 95% CI 0.94 to 1.08; 6 studies, 9484 participants; low‐quality evidence) or total cardiovascular events (including myocardial infarction, stroke, sudden death, hospitalization, or death from congestive heart failure) (RR 0.89, 95% CI 0.80 to 1.00; 6 studies, 9484 participants; low‐quality evidence). The evidence was very uncertain about withdrawals due to adverse effects. However, studies suggest more participants may withdraw due to adverse effects in the lower target group (RR 8.16, 95% CI 2.06 to 32.28; 2 studies, 690 participants; very low‐quality evidence). Systolic and diastolic blood pressure readings were lower in the lower target group (systolic: mean difference (MD) –8.90 mmHg, 95% CI –13.24 to –4.56; 6 studies, 8546 participants; diastolic: MD –4.50 mmHg, 95% CI –6.35 to –2.65; 6 studies, 8546 participants). More drugs were needed in the lower target group (MD 0.56, 95% CI 0.16 to 0.96; 5 studies, 7910 participants), but blood pressure targets were achieved more frequently in the standard target group (RR 1.21, 95% CI 1.17 to 1.24; 6 studies, 8588 participants). AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS: We found there is probably little to no difference in total mortality and cardiovascular mortality between people with hypertension and cardiovascular disease treated to a lower compared to a standard blood pressure target. There may also be little to no difference in serious adverse events or total cardiovascular events. This suggests that no net health benefit is derived from a lower systolic blood pressure target. We found very limited evidence on withdrawals due to adverse effects, which led to high uncertainty. At present, evidence is insufficient to justify lower blood pressure targets (135/85 mmHg or less) in people with hypertension and established cardiovascular disease. Several trials are still ongoing, which may provide an important input to this topic in the near future.

Introduction and Aims: Serum p-cresyl sulfate associates with cardiovascular disease in patients at different stages of chronic kidney disease. p-Cresyl sulfate concentrations are determined by intestinal uptake of p-cresol, human metabolism to p-cresyl sulfate and renal clearance. Whether intestinal uptake of p-cresol itself is associated with cardiovascular disease in patients with renal disease has not been studied to date. Methods: We performed a prospective study in patients with chronic kidney disease stage 1-5 (clinicaltrials.gov NCT00441623). Intestinal uptake of p-cresol, under steady state conditions, was estimated from 24h urinary excretion of p-cresyl sulfate. Primary endpoint was time to first cardiovascular event, i.e. cardiac death, myocardial infarction/ischemia, ventricular arythmia, cardiovascular surgery, cerebrovascular accident or symptomatic peripheral arterial disease. Statistical analysis was done using Kaplan Meier estimates and Cox proportional hazard analyses. Results: In a cohort of 200 patients, median 24h urinary excretion of p-cresyl sulfate was 457.47 µmol (IQR 252.68-697.17). After a median follow-up of 52 months, 25 patients reached the primary endpoint (tertile 1/2/3: 5/6/14 events, log rank P 0.0368, see figure). Higher urinary excretion of p-cresyl sulfate was related with cardiovascular events (univariate hazard ratio per 100 µmol increase: 1.112, P 0.0015). In multivariate analysis, urinary excretion of p-cresyl sulfate remained a predictor of cardiovascular events, independent of markers of renal function (Hazard ratio 1.120, P 0.0022) and in different models with other cardiovascular risk factors (Framingham risk factors, cardiovascular history, diabetes mellitus and biochemical parameters). The independent association between urinary excretion of p-cresyl sulfate and outcome persisted after correction for serum p-cresyl sulfate. Conclusions: Intestinal uptake of p-cresol associates with cardiovascular disease independent of renal function. Insights into mechanisms governing intestinal generation and absorption of p-cresol may lead to identification of novel therapeutic targets to reduce cardiovascular disease risk in patients with chronic kidney disease.

Background and objectives A modest protective association between bisphosphonate prescription and mortality among women with CKD but without clinically manifest cardiovascular disease has been shown. Whether a prior cardiovascular event (myocardial infarction, stroke, or heart failure) modifies this association is unknown. Design, setting, participants, & measurements A cohort of adult women with stages 3 and 4 CKD receiving primary care in a rural integrated health care system during the period 2004–2011 without history of advanced malignancy or organ transplantation ( n =6756, median age=74 years, median follow-up=4.3 years) was retrospectively assembled. The primary analysis compared those patients prescribed bisphosphonates (both prevalent and incident use during follow-up) with those patients not prescribed. Additional approaches were taken to account for survival and indication biases. The primary outcome was time to death by Cox multivariable regression. Results In the primary analysis, compared with women not prescribed a bisphosphonate, the hazard ratio (95% confidence interval) for death among women prescribed a bisphosphonate was 0.90 (0.78 to 1.04) if there was no history of cardiovascular event but 1.22 (1.04 to 1.42) if there was history of cardiovascular event ( P for interaction=0.004). In the additional approaches, associations between bisphosphonate prescription and mortality among those patients with a prior cardiovascular history varied: hazard ratios (95% confidence intervals) were 1.25 (1.01 to 1.57), 1.48 (1.16 to 1.88), and 0.94 (0.66 to 1.34). Interaction by prior cardiovascular event history varied across these three approaches ( P =0.07, P =0.22, and P =0.05). Conclusion In this study of women with CKD, the association between bisphosphonate treatment and mortality risk was inconclusive across a series of analyses designed to account for various types of selection and indication bias.

Traditional risk factors for cardiovascular disease can only assess risks for groups of people. New parameters of arterial stiffness are more reliable for predicting cardiovascular outcomes for individuals with and without a cardiovascular history. The objective of this study was to assess the effects of Magnesium-EDTA chelation therapy using new methods and parameters such as pulse wave velocity (PWV), central blood pressure (SBPao) and endothelial function (Aix). We followed 43 patients with an abnormal PWV and SBPao, setting them up in two groups. The 21 patients in Group A had already been diagnosed with cardiovascular disease. The other 22 patients in Group B also showed abnormal PWV, SBPao and Aix, but showed no cardiovascular symptoms. Each patient in Groups A and B received one Mg-EDTA treatment per week. The total treatment plan consisted of 25 Mg-EDTA chelation treatments according to the standard protocol of IBCMT. After 25 Mg-EDTA chelation sessions, PWV and SBPao improved significantly in all patients of Groups A and B. In addition, Aix improved significantly in these patients, but remained abnormal. Group C included 18 asymptomatic patients with normal PWV or SBPao. Aix was abnormal in this group, but to a much lesser extent than Groups A and B. The 18 asymptomatic patients of Group C did not receive Mg-EDTA treatment. Observation showed no significant changes in all three parameters of arterial stiffness. The results of this study indicate that a course of treatment with Magnesium-EDTA chelation therapy significantly lowers cardiovascular risks. We conclude that Mg-EDTA chelation therapy improves PWV as an indicator of arterial stiffness, SBPao (central blood pressure) as an indicator of aortic elasticity and Aix (augmented aortic index) as an indicator of endothelial functioning. These improvements in PWV, SBPao and Aix demonstrate that atherosclerosis is a dynamic and (partially) reversible process.

© 2014, BMJ Publishing Group. All rights reserved. Introduction: Valvular heart disease (VHD) is an increasingly important cardiac condition, driven by an ageing population and lack of progress in the development of medical therapies. There is a dearth of accurate information to guide decision-makers in the development of strategies to combat VHD, and no population-based study has been performed specifically to investigate its contemporary epidemiology. This document describes the design and methodology of the OxVALVE population cohort study (OxVALVE-PCS), which was conceived to address this need. Methods and analysis: Participants aged 65 years and older attending a participating general practice in Oxfordshire, UK, are invited to attend a screening examination. Exclusion criteria include previously diagnosed VHD, inability to provide consent, terminal illness or excessive frailty. Demographics, a focused cardiovascular history and vital signs are recorded at the initial screening examination, accompanied by an echocardiogram. Any finding of significant VHD triggers a separate, more formal echocardiographic assessment (including acquisition of a threedimensional dataset) and collection of blood samples for future genetic and biomarker analysis. Participants provide consent for longitudinal follow-up and enrolment in future cohort substudies. We also assess the acceptability of community-based echocardiographic examination and compare self-assessed quality of life between those with and without VHD. Conclusions: OxVALVE-PCS will provide contemporary epidemiological data concerning the community prevalence of undiagnosed VHD, facilitate accurate deployment of scarce resources to meet the anticipated increase in demand for VHD-associated healthcare and create a series of subcohorts with carefully defined genotypes and echocardiographic phenotypes for long overdue clinical studies. Ethics and dissemination: This study was approved by the local research ethics committee (Southampton, UK; REC Ref: 09/H0502/58). Results: Results will be submitted for publication in peer-reviewed scientific journals.

To determine pediatricians' practices, attitudes, and barriers regarding screening for and treatment of pediatric dyslipidemias in 9- to 11-year-olds and 17- to 21-year-olds.American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) 2013-2014 Periodic Survey of a national, randomly selected sample of 1627 practicing AAP physicians. Pediatricians' responses were described and modeled.Of 614 (38%) respondents who met eligibility criteria, less than half (46%) were moderately/very knowledgeable about the 2008 AAP cholesterol statement; fewer were well-informed about 2011 National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute Guidelines or 2007 US Preventive Service Task Force review (both 26%). Despite published recommendations, universal screening was not routine: 68% reported they never/rarely/sometimes screened healthy 9- to 11-year-olds. In contrast, more providers usually/most/all of the time screened based on family cardiovascular history (61%) and obesity (82%). Screening 17- to 21-year-olds was more common in all categories (P??.001). Only 58% agreed with universal screening, and 23% felt screening was low priority. Pediatricians uniformly provided lifestyle counseling but access to healthy food (81%), exercise (83%), and adherence to lifestyle recommendations (96%) were reported barriers. One-half of pediatricians (55%) reported a lack of local subspecialists. Although 62% and 89% believed statins were appropriate for children and adolescents with high low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (200?mg/dL) unresponsive to lifestyle, a minority initiated statins (8%, 21%).US pediatricians report lipid screening and treatment practices that are largely at odds with existing recommendations, likely because of lack of knowledge and conflicts among national guidelines, and concern about treatment efficacy and harms. Education regarding pediatric lipid disorders could promote guideline implementation.

Objective (1) Compare rates of abnormal screening electrocardiograms (ECGs) using updated criteria compared with older criteria. (2) Compare rates of abnormal ECGs by ethnicity. (3) Evaluate ability of ECG criteria to detect the predicted number of athletes with previously undetected cardiovascular abnormalities. Design Prospective and retrospective review of ECGs. During the prospective portion of the study, the 2005 European Society of Cardiology criteria were used from 2008 to July 2011 and the 2011 Stanford criteria were used from August 2011 to 2013. Retrospectively, all ECGs were reevaluated using the 2011 Stanford criteria, 2013 Seattle criteria, and 2014 Sharma Refined criteria. Setting Division I National Collegiate Athletic Association University. Participants 874 incoming athletes over a 5-year period. Interventions ECG screening program. Main outcome measures Number of abnormal ECGs and number of athletes with newly discovered cardiac abnormalities. Results Abnormal ECG rates were the 2005 European criteria 10.7%, 2011 Stanford criteria 6.6%, 2013 Seattle criteria 2.8%, and 2014 Sharma Refined criteria 2.8%. In black athletes, the Stanford criteria resulted in more abnormal ECGs compared with Seattle or Sharma Refined. Three athletes were found to have a previously undetected cardiac abnormality (2 with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy and 1 with preexcitation). Conclusions More recent ECG screening criteria substantially reduce the abnormal ECG rate and thus the number of athletes requiring additional testing. ECG screening criteria identified the predicted number (1/300) of young athletes with serious underlying cardiovascular disease. These criteria prompt not only additional cardiovascular testing but also a more thorough cardiovascular history.

Summary Background and objectives Deterioration of kidney function impairs testosterone production, with hypogonadism being common in men with chronic kidney disease (CKD). In nonrenal populations, testosterone is suggested to participate in the atherosclerotic process. In male dialysis patients, we showed that low testosterone increases the risk of mortality. We here studied plausible links among testosterone levels, vascular derangements, and cardiovascular events in nondialysis CKD men. Design, setting, participants, & methods This was a cross-sectional analysis in which flow-mediated dilation (FMD) was assessed in 239 CKD male patients (stages 1 to 5; mean age 52 ± 12 years), together with routine measurements, serum total and free testosterone, and follow-up for cardiovascular outcomes. Results Total and free testosterone levels decreased in parallel with the reduction of kidney function. Multiple regression analyses showed that total and free testosterone significantly and independently contributed to explain the variance of FMD. After a median follow-up of 31 months (range 8 to 35 months), 22 fatal and 50 nonfatal cardiovascular events occurred. In Cox analysis, the risk of cardiovascular events was reduced by 22% for each nanomole-per-liter increment of total testosterone. This reduced risk persisted after adjustment for age, renal function, diabetes mellitus, previous cardiovascular history, C-reactive protein, albumin, and FMD. The same was true for free testosterone concentrations. Conclusions The reduction in endogenous testosterone levels observed with progressive CKD was inversely associated with endothelial dysfunction and exacerbated the risk of future cardiovascular events in nondialysis male CKD patients.