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We read with interest the article by Harmon et al,1 which found that 2% of sudden cardiac deaths in National Collegiate Athletic Association athletes are attributed to Kawasaki disease (KD). We suspect that sudden cardiac death in these individuals …

© 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. Background and Aims N-terminal pro B-type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) is inversely associated with diabetes mellitus, obesity and metabolic syndrome. We aim to characterize the association between NT-proBNP and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), a condition strongly associated with metabolic syndrome. Methods 4529 participants from the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis (MESA) free of cardiovascular disease, without self-reported liver disease and not diabetic at their baseline visit in 2000-2002 were included in this analysis. NAFLD was defined by a liver attenuation < 40 HU. Relative prevalence (RP) for NAFLD was assessed adjusted for age, race, and sex, percentage of dietary calories derived from fat, total intentional exercise, alcoholic drinks per week, and interleukin-6 by quintiles of NT-proBNP. Adjusted linear spline model was used to characterize a non-linear association between NT-proBNP and liver fat. The inflection point (IP) was the NT-proBNP concentration where there was a change in slope in the association between liver attenuation and NT-proBNP. Results RP for NAFLD decreased by 30% from the lowest to the highest quintile of NT-proBNP, p = 0.01. We observed an inverse linear association between NT-proBNP and liver fat, which plateaued (IP) at an NT-proBNP concentration of 45 pg/mL. Linear regression coefficient (SE) per unit of NT-proBNP less than and greater than or equal to IP was of 0.05 (0.02), p = 0.001 and 0.0006 (0.0008), p = 0.5, respectively; differences between slopes, p < 0.0001. Conclusions In this cross-sectional study of a community based multiethnic sample of non-diabetic adults, low levels of NT-proBNP are associated with greater prevalence of NAFLD.

Congestive heart failure is a widely prevalent chronic condition affecting over 23 million people worldwide. The heart failure spectrum spans from asymptomatic individuals at risk to those suffering symptoms even at rest. In between are patients with silent left ventricular dysfunction, which is often only diagnosed after an abnormal electrocardiogram or chest imaging is obtained during workup for other medical conditions. One in 10 of such individuals will develop symptoms annually. The 2013 American College of Cardiology Foundation and the American Heart Association practice guideline for the management of heart failure recommends screening particularly high risk individuals with echocardiography, as studies indicate pharmacologic treatment of asymptomatic left ventricular dysfunction improves outcomes. One area of interest is the role of natriuretic peptides – such as B-type natriuretic peptide, or BNP, and its N-terminal fragment, NT-proBNP – in screening. Although investigators have debated their cost effectiveness, studies have found that these biomarkers are useful not only in evaluating for current left ventricular dysfunction, but also in predicting future dysfunction, incident heart failure, and all-cause mortality. Accurate risk stratification, diagnosis, and prompt initiation of treatment in these individuals are important facets of heart failure care that natriuretic peptides may facilitate.

Summary Background Peripheral conversion of androgens to oestrogens via aromatase is the primary source of oestrogen in postmenopausal women and may play a role in cardiovascular health. Design Prospective. Participants, Measurements The association of an index of aromatase activity (AROM), the serum oestrone-to-androstenedione ratio, with 25-year cardiovascular disease (CVD) mortality was examined in 819 postmenopausal non-oestrogen using women (mean age at baseline = 72). Results Overall, 247 deaths were attributed to CVD. The median AROM value was 60 (95% range 17–129). AROM was positively correlated with age (r = 0·28) and body mass index (BMI) (r = 0·22) (P

Since the initial studies showing the usefulness of B-type natriuretic peptide for aiding in heart failure diagnosis, a vast number of other clinical applications for this neurohormone have emerged. In addition to refining our capabilities to diagnose and prognosticate in acute heart failure, natriuretic peptides are now being used in outpatient heart failure clinics, in screening programs, and in risk prediction algorithms in various settings. In just 10 years, B-type natriuretic peptide has gone from being an unknown biomarker to being one of the most useful in cardiology and beyond. In this perspective piece, the investigators review what we have learned about using natriuretic peptides over the past 10 years and the anticipated advances in their use over the next decade.

Background— Up to 25% of patients with untreated Kawasaki disease (KD) and 5% of those treated with intravenous immunoglobulin will develop coronary artery aneurysms. Persistent aneurysms may remain silent until later in life when myocardial ischemia can occur. We sought to determine the prevalence of coronary artery aneurysms suggesting a history of KD among young adults undergoing coronary angiography for evaluation of possible myocardial ischemia. Methods and Results— We reviewed the medical histories and coronary angiograms of all adults Conclusions— Coronary sequelae of KD are present in 5% of young adults evaluated by angiography for myocardial ischemia. Cardiologists should be aware of this special subset of patients who may benefit from medical and invasive management strategies that differ from the strategies used to treat atherosclerotic coronary artery disease.

Objectives The goal of this study was to evaluate the prospective association of fetuin-A levels with cardiovascular disease (CVD) mortality. Background Fetuin-A is a circulating inhibitor of calcium deposition in the vasculature and of insulin action in muscle and fat, and may be involved in the pathogenesis of CVD. Methods This is a population-based prospective study of 633 men and 1,025 women (median age = 73 years) who had fetuin-A levels and CVD risk factors evaluated in 1992 to 1996 and were followed for vital status through 2010. Results Plasma fetuin-A (g/l ± SD) was highest in women using oral estrogens (0.55 ± 0.12), intermediate for women not using oral estrogens (0.51 ± 0.10), and lowest for men (0.50 ± 0.10), p Conclusions Low fetuin-A levels predicted greater risk for CVD mortality in older adults without diabetes, but were associated with reduced risk of CVD death in those with diabetes. Fetuin-A may provide novel insight into mechanisms leading to CVD death in those with versus without diabetes.

The diameter of the pupil is affected by changes in ambient illumination, color, spatial structure, movement, and mentaleffort. It has now been found that pupil diameter can be affected by cognitive processes. That is, it can be entrained byalternations between broadly spread and narrowly focused attention that are cued exogenously (attention is “summoned”bythecue)orendogenously(attentionchangesundertheperceiver’sintentionalcontrol).Pupildiameteralsoisaffectedbypost-eye-blinkconstrictionsthatoccurmostoftenwhenattentionisnarrowed,andpossiblybychangesevokedbythenearreflex,althoughchangesinattentionstateparsimoniouslyaccountfortheentiretyoftheresults.Changesinpupildiameterproducedifferencesinsphericalaberrationthatalternatelyblur(whenthepupildilates)andsharpentheretinalimage(whenthe pupil constricts), affecting the relative sensitivity of large receptive fields that mediate broadly spread attentioncompared with smaller receptive fields that mediate more narrowly focused attention. Results for endogenously cued,intentional changes in attentional spread provide definitive behavioral evidence for cortical feedback to subcortical nucleithat control pupil diameter, either directly or through pupil-constricting eye blinks. Analyses of convergent and divergentchangesineyepositionindicatethatthenearreflexwasactivatedlongaftertheinitiationofrelativelygradualattentionallycued changes in pupil diameter, and further, that when it occurs, the near reflex facilitates ongoing changes in pupildiameter.Keywords: Pupil dynamics, Attentional spread, Cortical feedback, Spherical aberrationIntroductionIt has long been known that the diameter of the pupil changes inresponse to changes in ambient illumination, the purpose being tocontrol the brightness of the light falling on the retina. However,the pupil also responds to changes in color, spatial structure, andmovement (Slooter & van Norren, 1980; Young & Alpern, 1980;Young et al., 1993; Young & Kennish, 1993; Sahraie & Barbur,1997;Gamlinetal.,1998).Inaddition,itiswellknownthatinternalstates entailing arousal, effort, interest, and emotion are observablethroughtheireffect on thediameter ofthe pupil(Hess PKahneman & Beatty, 1966; Beatty, 1982).In the experiments reported in this article, it is determinedwhether the diameter of the pupil can be affected by cognitivemechanisms entailing changes in attention, irrespective of differencesin mental effort. More specifically, we investigate whether the di-ameter of the pupil can be entrained by alternations between broadlyspread and narrowly focused attention. If it were found that pupildilation is greater for broad than narrow attention, it would provideevidence that differences in spherical aberration are associated withthe alternating attentional states. That is, greater spherical aberrationwhen the pupil is dilated would blur the retinal image, decreasing thecontrast of high spatial frequency information (Campbell & Green,1965; Campbell & Gubish, 1966), andthereby, increasingtherelativesensitivity of the large receptive fields that mediate broadly spreadattentioncomparedwiththesmallerreceptive fieldsthatmediatemorenarrowly focused attention (Hock & Balz, 1994; Balz & Hock, 1997;Hock et al., 1998; Hochstein & Ahissar, 2002). It is determinedwhether pupil-entraining changes in attentional spread can be cuedboth exogenously (attention elicited by the stimulus) and endoge-nously(attentioncontrolledbytheperceiver)(Jonides,1981;Corbetta& Shulman, 2002). It also is determined whether differences in pupildiameter can result from sustained broad attention compared withsustained narrow attention. When endogenously cued, changes inattentional spread are intentional, so they must be initiated cortically.Evidence for pupil entrainment with endogenous cueing thereforewould provide strong behavioral support for cortical feedbackinfluencing the subcortical control of pupil diameter (Gamlin et al.,1998; Barbur, 2004).Materials and methodsThe diameter of the pupil is notoriously variable, even in theabsence of stimulation, so differences between broadly spread andnarrowly focused attention could not be consistently observed bythe examination of pupillary time series. To address this problem,the two attentional states were rhythmically alternated, and the

Objectives The purpose of this study was to determine the association between neutrophil gelatinase–associated lipocalin (NGAL) levels and cardiovascular and all-cause mortality in community-dwelling older adults. Background NGAL is a novel marker best known for its role in rapidly identifying acute kidney injury. Although expressed in atherosclerosis, its association with cardiovascular disease (CVD) in the community has not been reported. Methods We measured plasma NGAL levels in 1,393 Rancho Bernardo Study participants without CVD, mean age 70 years. Participants were followed for a mean time period of 11 years. Results During follow-up, 436 participants died (169 from CVD). In models adjusted for traditional CVD risk factors and creatinine clearance, NGAL was a significant predictor of CVD mortality (hazard ratio [HR] per SD log increase: 1.33, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.12 to 1.57), all-cause mortality (HR: 1.19, 95% CI: 1.07 to 1.32), and a combined cardiovascular endpoint (HR: 1.26, 95% CI: 1.10 to 1.45). After further adjusting for N-terminal pro–B-type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) and C-reactive protein (CRP), NGAL remained an independent predictor of each outcome. NGAL improved the C-statistic (0.835 to 0.842) for prediction of CVD death (p = 0.001). Net reclassification improvement (>0) with the addition of NGAL was 18% (p = 0.02); the integrated discrimination index was also significant (p = 0.01). Participants with NGAL and NT-proBNP above the median had increased risk of CVD death versus those with only NT-proBNP elevated (HR: 1.43, 95% CI: 1.12 to 1.82). Conclusions Plasma NGAL is a significant predictor of mortality and CVD in community-dwelling older adults, independent of traditional risk factors and kidney function, and adds incremental value to NT-proBNP and CRP. The potential impact of these results includes providing insight into new mechanisms of CVD and the possibility of improving screening, intervention, and prevention.

Aims Biomarkers have proven their ability in the evaluation of cardiopulmonary diseases. We investigated the utility of concentrations of the biomarker procalcitonin (PCT) alone and with clinical variables for the diagnosis of pneumonia in patients presenting to emergency departments (EDs) with a chief complaint of shortness of breath. Methods and results The BACH trial was a prospective, international, study of 1641 patients presenting to EDs with dyspnoea. Blood samples were analysed for PCT and other biomarkers. Relevant clinical data were also captured. Patient outcomes were assessed at 90 days. The diagnosis of pneumonia was made using strictly validated guidelines. A model using PCT was more accurate [area under the curve (AUC) 72.3%] than any other individual clinical variable for the diagnosis of pneumonia in all patients, in those with obstructive lung disease, and in those with acute heart failure (AHF). Combining physician estimates of the probability of pneumonia with PCT values increased the accuracy to >86% for the diagnosis of pneumonia in all patients. Patients with a diagnosis of AHF and an elevated PCT concentration (>0.21 ng/mL) had a worse outcome if not treated with antibiotics (P = 0.046), while patients with low PCT values (

Aims Midregional pro atrial natriuretic peptide (MR-proANP) is useful for diagnosing acute heart failure (HF) in patients presenting to the Emergency Department with dyspnoea. Optimal interpretation of MR-proANP requires understanding of how various demographic variables influence its levels and performance as a diagnostic marker. We sought to determine how age, race, sex, and body mass index (BMI) affect the levels and interpretation of MR-proANP for the diagnosis of acute HF. Methods and results The Biomarkers in Acute Heart Failure (BACH) study was an international 15-centre study of 1641 patients presenting to the Emergency Department with acute dyspnoea. Of these, 1352 had complete information on age, race, sex, and BMI. MR-proANP levels increased with age and were higher in men and in patients with lower BMI. MR-proANP performed better as a diagnostic marker in younger individuals and in blacks compared with whites. Despite this, MR-proANP at the recommended cut-off point of 120 pmol/L was >90 % sensitive in ruling out the diagnosis of acute HF in all subgroups of patients except white subjects

Objectives The aim of this study was to determine the association of fetuin-A with subclinical cardiovascular disease (CVD) in community-living individuals. Background Fetuin-A is a hepatic secretory protein that inhibits arterial calcium deposition in vitro. Lower fetuin-A levels are associated with arterial calcification and death in end-stage renal disease populations. The association of fetuin-A with subclinical CVD in the general population is unknown. Methods Among 1,375 community-living individuals without prevalent clinical CVD, we measured plasma fetuin-A concentrations. Peripheral arterial disease (PAD) was defined by ankle brachial index aamp;amp;amp;lt;0.90, coronary artery calcification (CAC) was measured by computed tomography, and common and internal intima-media thickness (cIMT) were measured by carotid ultrasound. PAD was measured concurrent with fetuin-A, and CAC and cIMT were measured 4.6 years (mean) later. Results Mean age was 70 ± 11 years, and 64% were women. Fetuin-A levels were inversely associated with CAC severity. When evaluated as CAC categories (0, 1 to 100, 101 to 300, aamp;amp;amp;gt;300) with ordinal logistic regression, each SD higher fetuin-A was associated with 31% lower odds of CAC severity (proportional odds ratio: 0.69; 95% confidence interval: 0.46 to 0.92; p = 0.008) in models adjusted for demographic data, lifestyle factors, traditional CVD risk factors, and kidney function. In contrast, no association of fetuin-A was observed with PAD or high common or internal cIMT in adjusted models. Conclusions Lower fetuin-A levels are independently associated with greater CAC severity but not PAD or cIMT. If confirmed, fetuin-A might mark calcium deposition within the vasculature but not atherosclerosis per se.

To investigate a possible link between cardiovascular risk factors and age-related cognitive decline, the association of the 1998 Framingham Cardiac Risk Score (FCRS) with the trajectory of cognitive function test (CFT) performance over an 18 year period was examined in adults 50 years and older without clinical heart disease at baseline.Participants were 985 men and women who had assessments of cognitive function at 3- to 4-year intervals. The association of FCRS category with CFT score trajectory was examined using mixed-effects models stratified by sex and controlling for age, educational level, and number of successive cognitive assessments.At baseline, median FCRS corresponded to a 14% risk of a coronary heart disease event within 10 years for men and an 8% risk for women; 31% of men and 6% of women were at high (20%) risk. In longitudinal analyses, women with FCRS risk higher than 7% had a higher rate of decline on tests of verbal fluency (p values.05) and long-term recall (p values.01) compared with low-risk women; modest, but significant (p values.05), differences in the trajectory of Mini-Mental State Examination and Trail-Making Test B scores were also apparent. FCRS category was not related to the rate of decline in CFT performance in men.For older women, very low levels of risk of coronary heart disease were associated with preservation of cognitive function for 10 years, suggesting that the maintenance of cardiovascular health may slow cognitive decline. The minimal association in men, who were at higher baseline risk, may be due to the selective attrition of men with greater cognitive decline.

Background— In patients with heart failure (HF), increased arginine vasopressin concentrations are associated with more severe disease, making arginine vasopressin an attractive target for therapy. However, AVP is difficult to measure due to its in vitro instability and rapid clearance. Copeptin, the C-terminal segment of preprovasopressin, is a stable and reliable surrogate biomarker for serum arginine vasopressin concentrations. Methods and Results— The Biomarkers in Acute Heart Failure (BACH) trial was a 15-center, diagnostic and prognostic study of 1641 patients with acute dyspnea; 557 patients with acute HF were included in this analysis. Copeptin and other biomarker measurements were performed by a core laboratory at the University of Maryland. Patients were followed for up to 90 days after initial evaluation for the primary end point of all-cause mortality, HF-related readmissions, and HF-related emergency department visits. Patients with copeptin concentrations in the highest quartile had increased 90-day mortality ( P P r =0.047). Conclusions— This study showed significantly increased 90-day mortality, readmissions, and emergency department visits in patients with elevated copeptin, especially in those with hyponatremia. Copeptin was highly prognostic for 90-day adverse events in patients with acute HF, adding prognostic value to clinical predictors, ser um sodium, and natriuretic peptides. Clinical Trial Registration— URL: http://www.clinicaltrials.gov . Unique identifier: NCT00537628.

Few tools exist that provide objective accurate prediction of short-term mortality risk in patients presenting with acute heart failure (AHF). The purpose was to describe the accuracy of several biomarkers for predicting short-term death rates in patients diagnosed with AHF in the emergency department (ED).

Background: Pulmonary hypertension and right atrial pressure overload (RAPO) cause dilation of the coronary sinus (CS). Persistent connection of the left superior vena cava (LSVC) to the CS is another cause of CS dilation. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the usefulness of coronary sinus cross-sectional area (CSA) and eccentricity index (EI) in differentiating persistent LSVC from right heart overload and RAPO in patients with dilated CS. Methods: We identified 15 patients with a dilated CS by echocardiography. Offline analysis was used to measure CS-CSA and CS-EI at end-diastole in the parasternal long axis plane. EI was defined as B/A, where A is the widest diameter and major axis of the CS, and B is the diameter of the minor axis (perpendicular to and bisecting A at its midpoint). Persistent LSVC was confirmed by either computed tomography or injection of agitated saline in the left antecubital vein. Results: CS-CSA was significantly larger in PLSVC group than in group with RAPO. Also, CS-EI was lower in PLSVC than in RAPO group (P = 0.0003). EI was the most sensitive and specific discriminator between patients with persistent LSVC vs. RAPO. CS-EI was 0.8 in all RAPO patients (sensitivity and specificity = 100%). Conclusion: Patients with persistent LSVC have a significantly higher CS-CSA than those with elevated RA pressure. When dilated CS is present, a CS-EI

Objectives The aim of this study was to determine the prognostic utility of midregion proadrenomedullin (MR-proADM) in all patients, cardiac and noncardiac, presenting with acute shortness of breath. Background The recently published BACH (Biomarkers in Acute Heart Failure) study demonstrated that MR-proADM had superior accuracy for predicting 90-day mortality compared with B-type natriuretic peptide (area under the curve: 0.674 vs. 0.606, respectively, p Methods The BACH trial was a prospective, 15-center, international study of 1,641 patients presenting to the emergency department with dyspnea. Using this dataset, the prognostic accuracy of MR-proADM was evaluated in all patients enrolled for predicting 90-day mortality with respect to other biomarkers, the added value in addition to clinical variables, as well as the added value of additional measurements during hospital admission. Results Compared with B-type natriuretic peptide or troponin, MR-proADM was superior for predicting 90-day all-cause mortality in patients presenting with acute dyspnea (c index = 0.755, p 3.28), and it was also superior to all other biomarkers. MR-proADM added significantly to the best clinical model (bootstrap-corrected c index increase: 0.775 to 0.807; adjusted standardized hazard ratio: 2.59; 95% confidence interval: 1.91 to 3.50; p Conclusions MR-proADM identifies patients with high 90-day mortality and adds prognostic value to natriuretic peptides in patients presenting with acute shortness of breath. Serial measurement of this biomarker may also prove useful for monitoring, although further studies will be required. (Biomarkers in Acute Heart Failure [BACH]; NCT00537628 )

Background— Growth-differentiation factor-15 (GDF-15) is emerging as a prognostic marker in patients with cardiovascular disease (CVD), but its prognostic value in community-dwelling adults has not been reported. We hypothesized that GDF-15 would add incremental power for prediction of mortality in a population of community-dwelling older adults without known heart disease. Methods and Results— We measured plasma GDF-15, N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP), and C-reactive protein levels in 1391 Rancho Bernardo Study participants, mean age 70 years, with no history of CVD and followed them for a mean of 11 years. In models adjusted for traditional CVD risk factors, GDF-15 was a robust predictor of all-cause, cardiovascular, and noncardiovascular mortality. GDF-15 was a stronger predictor of all-cause mortality than either NT-proBNP or C-reactive protein (hazard ratio [95% confidence interval] per SD log 10 units 1.5 [1.3 to 1.8], P P P P =0.01). Conclusions— Growth differentiation factor-15 is a strong predictor of all-cause, cardiovascular, and noncardiovascular mortality in community-dwelling older individuals, adding incremental value to traditional risk factors and to NT-proBNP and C-reactive protein levels.

Background ST2, an interleukin-1 receptor family member up-regulated in the setting of cardiomyocyte strain, has prognostic value in patients with acute myocardial infarction, chronic severe heart failure, and acute heart failure. The predictive value of ST2 levels in outpatients is unknown. We studied the clinical and echocardiographic correlates of ST2 levels and evaluated their prognostic use in outpatients referred for echocardiograms. Methods ST2 levels were measured in 588 outpatients referred for echocardiogram. Subjects were analyzed by quartile as well as by optimal ST2 cut-point (28.25 ng/mL) derived from receiver operating characteristic curve analysis. All-cause death at 1 year was the primary outcome. Results In this cohort with mean age of 68 ± 12 years and median ST2 level of 19.8 ng/mL (interquartile range 15.8-23.7), 25 deaths occurred. Heart rate, creatinine clearance, use of diuretics, and the presence of right ventricular hypokinesis were independently associated with ST2 levels. At 6 months, no patients with ST2 below the median had died. Patients with high ST2 levels had an increased risk of death (adjusted hazard ratio [HR] 2.5, P = .02); those with elevated levels of both ST2 and B-type natriuretic peptide were at even higher risk (adjusted HR 4.3, P = .01 vs none elevated). Conclusions ST2 levels reflect right-side heart size and function and are independent predictors of 1-year mortality in outpatients referred for echocardiograms. The optimal cut-point derived in this cohort is comparable with the previously identified prognostic cut-point for sicker patients. ST2 may be an especially strong prognostic marker for short-term mortality risk.

Objectives Our purpose was to assess the diagnostic utility of mid-regional pro–atrial natriuretic peptide (MR-proANP) for the diagnosis of acute heart failure (AHF) and the prognostic value of mid-regional pro-adrenomedullin (MR-proADM) in patients with AHF. Background There are some caveats and limitations to natriuretic peptide testing in the acute dyspneic patient. Methods The BACH (Biomarkers in Acute Heart Failure) trial was a prospective, 15-center, international study of 1,641 patients presenting to the emergency department with dyspnea. A noninferiority test of MR-proANP versus B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP) for diagnosis of AHF and a superiority test of MR-proADM versus BNP for 90-day survival were conducted. Other end points were exploratory. Results MR-proANP (≥120 pmol/l) proved noninferior to BNP (≥100 pg/ml) for the diagnosis of AHF (accuracy difference 0.9%). In tests of secondary diagnostic objectives, MR-proANP levels added to the utility of BNP levels in patients with intermediate BNP values and with obesity but not in renal insufficiency, the elderly, or patients with edema. Using cut-off values from receiver-operating characteristic analysis, the accuracy to predict 90-day survival of heart failure patients was 73% (95% confidence interval: 70% to 77%) for MR-proADM and 62% (95% confidence interval: 58% to 66%) for BNP (difference p Conclusions MR-proANP is as useful as BNP for AHF diagnosis in dyspneic patients and may provide additional clinical utility when BNP is difficult to interpret. MR-proADM identifies patients with high 90-day mortality risk and adds prognostic value to BNP. (Biomarkers in Acute Heart Failure [BACH]; NCT00537628)

Atrial fibrillation (AF) occurs frequently in the intensive care unit (ICU) and can be a challenge to manage, especially when complicated by rapid ventricular response (RVR) and hypotension. Dexmedetomidine may reduce the incidence of supraventricular tachyarrhythmias, in particular AF, in the

Differentiating coronary artery aneurysm (CAA) due to Kawasaki disease (KD) versus atherosclerosis can be challenging but is important because the management and prognosis of each condition differs. Our aim is to assess the role of IVUS and FFR in differentiating CAA due to KD versus atherosclerosis

Current tools for cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk assessment in asymptomatic individuals are imperfect. Preventive measures aimed only at individuals deemed high risk by current algorithms neglect large numbers of low-risk and intermediate-risk individuals who are destined to develop CVD and who would benefit from early and aggressive treatment. Natriuretic peptides have the potential both to identify individuals at risk for future cardiovascular events and to help detect subclinical CVD. Choosing the appropriate subpopulation to target for natriuretic peptide testing will help maximize the performance and the cost effectiveness. The combined use of multiple risk markers, including biomarkers, genetic testing, and imaging or other noninvasive measures of risk, offers promise for further refining risk assessment algorithms. Recent studies have highlighted the utility of natriuretic peptides for preoperative risk stratification; however, cost effectiveness and outcomes studies are needed to affirm this and other uses of natriuretic peptides for cardiovascular risk assessment in asymptomatic individuals.

Heart failure (HF) patients have a poor prognosis, yet outcomes might be improved by early identification of risk. We investigated the prognostic value of B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP) in patients at risk for HF (American College of Cardiology [ACC]/American Heart Association [AHA] HF Stages A and B), and compared prognosis with Stage C/D patients.Outpatients referred for echocardiogram (n=829) were stratified by ACC/AHA HF stage and BNP levels (cutpoint of 100pg/mL). Primary outcome was death or cardiac hospitalization at 1 year. BNP levels increased with increasing numbers of cardiovascular risk factors and with HF stage. Stage A/B patients with high BNP had a similar or worse prognosis than Stage C/D patients with low BNP. In fact, the prognosis of Stage C/D patients with low BNP did not significantly differ from the prognosis of Stage A/B patients with low BNP (adjusted HR 1.21, 95% CI 0.62-2.37), whereas Stage A/B patients with high BNP did have a significantly worse prognosis (adjusted HR 1.91, 95% CI 1.11-3.28).Individuals without any history of HF but with BNPor=100pg/mL are at equal or higher risk than those with a HF history whose BNP is100pg/mL. BNP may be useful to identify asymptomatic individuals at high risk for future cardiovascular events.

There is room for improving current risk stratification tools for the primary prevention of cardiovascular disease (CVD). disease (CVD). Integrating the measurement of multiple biomarkers into a single risk assessment algorithm, a strategy increasingly being used in acute cardiovascular care settings, also has promise for primary prevention. A number of novel biomarkers, including natriuretic peptides, sensitive cardiac troponins, and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein, have successfully been incorporated into multimarker panels that can improve traditional CVD risk assessment measures, and new markers emerge regularly. Targeting the appropriate populations that are most likely to benefit from more advanced screening will be key to the success of a multimarker approach to preventing CVD. Studies evaluating specific combinations of biomarkers (with or without noninvasive tests of subclinical CVD), cost-effectiveness, and clinical outcomes are needed before a multiple biomarker approach to primary prevention of CVD can be widely advocated and implemented.

Background Detection of heart failure (HF) in stable outpatients can be difficult until an overt event occurs. This study sought to determine whether the combination of B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP) and impedance cardiography (ICG) could be used in a nonacute clinical setting to risk stratify and predict HF-related events in stable outpatients. Methods and Results Patients undergoing routine outpatient echocardiography underwent ICG and BNP testing and were followed for one year for HF-related events (Emergency Department [ED] visit or hospitalization due to HF or all-cause death). A total of 524 patients were analyzed, resulting in 57 HF-related events; 16 ED visits, 17 hospitalizations, and 24 all-cause deaths. Using Cox regression analyses, BNP and systolic time ratio index (STRI) by ICG proved to be the strongest predictors of future HF-related events. Patients with a BNP >100 pg/ml and STRI >0.45 sec-1 had a significantly lower event-free survival rate than those with a high BNP and low STRI (67% versus 89%, P=.001). In patients with LV dysfunction only, if both BNP and STRI values were high, the relative risk of a HF-related event increased by 12.5 (95 % C.I. 4.2-36.7), when compared with patients with a low BNP and low STRI (P Conclusions In a nonacute clinical setting, both BNP and ICG testing can provide unique predictive power of long-term HF-related events in a stable cohort of patients with and without LV dysfunction.

Objectives This study investigated the prognostic value of detectable cardiac troponin T (TnT) and elevated N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) levels in a population of community-dwelling older adults. Background Minimally elevated levels of TnT, a marker of cardiomyocyte injury, have been found in small subsets of the general population, with uncertain implications. A marker of ventricular stretch, NT-proBNP has clinical utility in many venues, but its long-term prognostic value in apparently healthy older adults and in conjunction with TnT is unknown. Methods Participants were 957 older adults from the Rancho Bernardo Study with plasma NT-proBNP and TnT measured at baseline (1997 to 1999) and followed up for mortality through July 2006. Results Participants with detectable TnT (≥0.01 ng/ml, n = 39) had an increased risk of all-cause and cardiovascular death (adjusted hazard ratio [HR] by Cox proportional hazards analysis: 2.06; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.29 to 3.28, p = 0.003 for all-cause mortality; HR: 2.06, 95% CI: 1.03 to 4.12, p = 0.040 for cardiovascular mortality); elevated NT-proBNP also predicted an increased risk of all-cause and cardiovascular mortality (adjusted HR per unit-log increase in NT-proBNP: 1.85, 95% CI: 1.36 to 2.52, p Conclusions Apparently healthy adults with detectable TnT or elevated NT-proBNP levels are at increased risk of death. Those with both TnT and NT-proBNP elevations are at even higher risk, and the increased risk persists for years.

Objectives Lipoprotein-associated phospholipase A2 (Lp-PLA2) levels predict incident coronary heart disease (CHD) in adults without known CHD, independent of heart disease risk factors. We examined whether the independent association was apparent in older adults. Background Serum levels of Lp-PLA2, an enzyme that hydrolyzes oxidized phospholipids to yield potentially proatherogenic particles, have been associated with CHD and may help predict cardiovascular risk. Methods Participants were 1,077 community-dwelling men and women, median age 72 years, who had no known CHD at baseline (1984 to 1987) when blood samples and risk factor data were collected. Participants were followed for CHD events for a mean of 16 years, through 2002. Cox proportional hazards regression models were used to examine the association of serum Lp-PLA2 with incident CHD (myocardial infarction, angina, or coronary revascularization). Results The Lp-PLA2 levels positively correlated with age (r = 0.09), body mass index (r = 0.11), low-density lipoprotein (r = 0.37), triglycerides (r = 0.25), and C-reactive protein (r = 0.10), and negatively correlated with high-density lipoprotein (r = −0.27) (all p Conclusions Elevated Lp-PLA2 levels predict CHD events in apparently healthy older adults, independent of CHD risk factors.

Natriuretic peptides (NPs) are released from the heart in response to pressure and volume overload. B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP) and N-terminal-proBNP have become important diagnostic tools for assessing patients who present acutely with dyspnea. The NP level reflects a compilation of systolic and diastolic function as well as right ventricular and valvular function. Studies suggest that using NPs in the emergency department can reduce the consumption of hospital resources and can lower costs by either eliminating the need for other, more expensive tests or by establishing an alternative diagnosis that does not require hospital stay. Caveats such as body mass index and renal function must be taken into account when analyzing NP levels. Natriuretic peptide levels have important prognostic value in multiple clinical settings, including in patients with stable coronary artery disease and with acute coronary syndromes. In patients with decompensated heart failure due to volume overload, a treatment-induced drop in wedge pressure is often accompanied by a rapid drop in NP levels. Knowing a patient’s NP levels might thus assist with hemodynamic assessment and subsequent treatment titration. Monitoring NP levels in the outpatient setting might also improve patient care and outcomes.

Background N-terminal-pro–B-type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) and cardiac troponin T (TnT) predict cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk in a variety of populations. Whether their predictive value varies by ethnicity is unknown. We sought to determine whether NT-proBNP and TnT improve prediction of incident coronary heart disease (CHD) and CVD, independent of CVD risk factors, in a multiethnic population; whether NT-proBNP improves prediction compared with the Framingham Risk Score or the Pooled Cohort Risk Equation; and whether a second NT-proBNP further improves prediction. Methods Both NT-proBNP and TnT were measured in 5,592 MESA white, black, Hispanic, and Chinese participants (60% nonwhite; mean age 62.3 ± 10.3 years) in 2000 to 2002 and 2004 to 2005. We evaluated adjusted risk of incident CHD and CVD based on baseline and change in biomarker concentration. Results Participants were followed up through 2011 and incurred 370 CVD events (232 CHD). Concentrations of NT-proBNP and TnT varied by ethnicity. Both NT-proBNP and TnT were associated with an increased risk of events (adjusted hazard ratio [HR] for CHD [95% CI] for fifth quintile vs other 4 quintiles of NT-proBNP, 2.03 [1.50-2.76]; HR for CHD for detectable vs undetectable TnT, 3.95 [2.29-6.81]). N-terminal-pro–B-type natriuretic peptide improved risk prediction and classification compared with the Framingham Risk Score and the Pooled Cohort Risk Equation. Change in NT-proBNP was independently associated with events (HR for CHD per unit increase in ΔlogNT-proBNP, 1.95 [1.16-3.26]). None of the observed associations varied by ethnicity. Conclusions Both NT-proBNP and TnT are predictors of incident CHD, independent of established risk factors and ethnicity, in a multiethnic population without known CVD. Change in NT-proBNP may add additional prognostic information.

© 2015 Society for Pediatric Pathology. Coronary artery aneurysms (CAA) remain an important complication of Kawasaki disease (KD), the most common form of pediatric acquired heart disease in developed countries. Potentially life-threatening CAA develop in 25% of untreated children and 5% of children treated with highdose intravenous immunoglobulin during the acute phase of the self-limited vasculitis. Noncoronary artery aneurysms (NCAA) in extraparenchymal, muscular arteries occur in aminority of patients with KD who also have CAA, yet little is understood about their formation and remodeling. We postulated that activation of the transforming growth factorb (TGF-β) pathway in KD may influence formation and remodeling of aneurysms in iliac, femoral, and axillary arteries, the most common sites for NCAA. We studied a resected axillary artery fromone adult and endarterectomy tissue fromthe femoral artery from a second adult, both with a history of CAA and NCAA following KD in infancy. Histology of the axillary artery aneurysm revealed destruction of the internal elastic lamina and recanalization of organized thrombus, while the endarterectomy specimen showed dense calcification and luminal myofibroblastic proliferation. Immunohistochemistry for molecules in the TGF-β signaling pathway revealed increased expression of TGF-β2, TGF-β receptor 2, and phosphorylated SMAD3. These findings suggest ongoing tissue remodeling of the aneurysms decades after the acute injury and demonstrate the importance of the TGF-β signaling pathway in this process.

© 2015 Canadian Cardiovascular Society. Sleep-disordered breathing (SDB) is one of the most common comorbidities in people with congestive heart failure (CHF). Although SDB has major cardiometabolic consequences, the attributable risk of SDB in asymptomatic CHF patients remains unclear. Whether early intervention using positive airway pressure would improve the prognosis in CHF patients is uncertain. As yet, there is insufficient evidence that routine polysomnography screening is cost-effective for asymptomatic CHF patients. Careful clinical risk evaluation and thoughtful use of limited-channel home sleep testing should be considered before the application of routine polysomnography in all CHF patients.

Objectives The aim of this study was to characterize the range of management issues raised by adults with cardiovascular sequelae from Kawasaki disease (KD) in childhood. Background Aneurysms resulting from vascular inflammation associated with KD in childhood may remain clinically silent until adulthood. Adults with large aneurysms, unstable angina, or myocardial infarction following KD in childhood present unique challenges to interventional cardiologists and cardiothoracic surgeons. Methods In an observational study of adults with histories of KD in childhood, data were collected regarding the medical histories and outcomes of 154 adult KD patients, of whom 21 underwent either percutaneous interventions or surgery. Results Of the 21 subjects with interventions, 11 had been diagnosed with KD in childhood, and 10 had histories of KD-compatible illnesses. Seventeen subjects were asymptomatic until experiencing acute cardiovascular symptoms: acute myocardial infarction (n = 12), angina (n = 2), end-stage congestive heart failure requiring cardiac transplantation (n = 1), and claudication (n = 2). Conclusions Cardiovascular complications in these subjects illustrate the following points: 1) even small to moderate-sized aneurysms that “normalize” on echocardiography in childhood can lead to stenosis and thrombosis decades after the acute illness; 2) coronary interventions without intravascular ultrasound may result in clinically significant underestimation of vessel luminal diameter; 3) failure to assess the extent of calcification may lead to suboptimal procedural outcomes; and 4) patients with symptomatic peripheral aneurysms may benefit from endarterectomy or resection. Interventional cardiologists should be aware of the potential challenges in treating this growing population of adults.

Background: Coronary artery aneurysms resulting from vascular inflammation associated with Kawasaki disease (KD) in childhood may remain clinically silent until adulthood. Young adults presenting with large aneurysms, unstable angina, or myocardial infarction (MI) following KD in childhood present unique challenges to the interventional cardiologist and cardiothoracic surgeon. We present a range of management issues raised by this patient population. Methods: Participants who underwent cardiovascular interventions were identified from an observational cohort of 154 individuals with a history of KD enrolled in the San Diego Adult KD Collaborative. Of these 154 participants, 63 (40.9%) were originally diagnosed with KD and followed by one of the co-authors (JCB) and were designated as Cohort 1. The remaining 91 participants (Cohort 2) were referred by their physician or self-referred for participation in the study. Results: Of the 154 participants, 20 (12.9%; 2 from Cohort 1 and 18 from Cohort 2) underwent cardiovascular interventions: 9 had percutaneous interventions and 11 had surgery. Twelve participants had been diagnosed with KD in childhood, 7 had a history of a KD-compatible illness in childhood, and 1 had proximal coronary artery aneurysms compatible with KD. Fourteen participants were asymptomatic until experiencing a major cardiovascular event: 8 presented with an acute MI, 3 presented with angina, 1 presented with end-stage congestive heart failure requiring cardiac transplantation, and 2 presented with extremity claudication. Conclusions: Cardiovascular complications in individuals with a history of KD illustrate the following points: 1) Even small to moderate-sized aneurysms that “normalize” by echocardiography in childhood can lead to stenosis and thrombosis decades after the acute illness; 2) Coronary interventions without intravascular ultrasound may result in underestimation of vessel lumen diameter; 3) Failure to assess the extent of calcification may lead to suboptimal procedural outcomes, and 4) Patients with symptomatic peripheral aneurysms may benefit from endarterectomy or resection. Interventional cardiologists should be aware of the complications encountered in this growing population of young adults.

Background: The endothelium is a single layer of epithelial cells that lines the blood vessels and is a major component in maintaining vascular homeostasis. Impaired endothelial cell (EC) function can contribute to cardiovascular disease states, but whether there is an association between endothelial dysfunction and the presence of coronary artery aneurysms after Kawasaki disease (KD) is unknown. Methods: We enrolled 110 teens and young adults, ages 16 to 30 years, with a history of KD (61% male), as well as 30 healthy controls (HC, 53% male). EC function (reactive hyperemic response after a 5 minutes brachial artery occlusion) was measured using the EndoPAT 2000. Reactive hyperemia index (RHI) and PAT ratios were determined. KD subjects were categorized based on their worst coronary artery status (normal, transiently dilated/resolved aneurysm, aneurysm). Results: The mean age of KD subjects and HC at the time of EndoPAT was 25 ± 9 and 26 ± 7 years, respectively (p=0.42). Mean time since onset of KD was 23 ± 19 years. Subjects with a history of transiently dilated/resolved aneurysms had a higher mean lnRHI compared to other KD subjects (0.91 vs 0.74, p=0.01) and HC (0.72, p=0.02). When PAT ratio was evaluated as a function of time after occlusion release, those with transiently dilated/resolved aneurysms had a trend toward a more favorable profile while other groups appeared similar (Figure). Conclusion: Most young adults with a history of KD have normal EC function. Individuals with a history of transiently dilated coronary arteries had a paradoxical trend toward better EC function, which may indicate healthier vasculature. The significance of this finding merits further study.

Background: Measuring carotid strain is a noninvasive way to assess the mechanical properties of the arterial wall. Whether there is an association between carotid strain and coronary artery status after Kawasaki disease (KD) is unknown. Methods: We enrolled 82 young adults, ages 15 to 30 yrs, with a history of KD (58% male), as well as 16 healthy controls (HC) of similar age (56% male). Carotid wall strain was measured from cine loops of common carotid artery B-mode ultrasound data using an offline optical flow analysis algorithm. Strain was normalized for age (Z-score) using a regression equation derived from a separate series of healthy young adults. Subjects were categorized based on their worst coronary artery status (normal, transiently dilated, aneurysm). Results: The mean age of KD subjects and HC at the time of carotid measurements was 25 ± 8 and 28 ± 8 years, respectively (p=0.30). Mean time since onset of KD was 20 ± 8 yrs. KD subjects with transiently dilated coronary arteries had significantly higher carotid strain compared to those with normal coronaries (p=0.002) and to HC (p=0.01) (Figure); those with CAA had a nonsignificant trend toward lower carotid strain compared to other groups. KD subjects with normal coronaries had carotid strain similar to HC. Conclusion: Young adults with a history of KD with normal coronary arteries also have normal carotid artery strain. Individuals with a history of transiently dilated coronary arteries had a paradoxical trend toward higher carotid strain. Thus, KD patients whose dilated coronary arteries return to normal may have healthier vasculature compared to other KD patients. The significance of this finding merits further study.

Background: As a result of the acute vasculitis associated with Kawasaki disease (KD), subsets of patients with a remote history of KD have coronary artery aneurysms and may develop coronary artery stenoses with associated risks of late morbidity. Hence, there is a need for effective non-invasive testing to detect coronary artery pathology and risk stratify patients with a remote history of KD. In a pilot study we previously showed that computed tomography (CT) coronary artery calcium (CAC) scoring with relatively low radiation doses detects late CAC in patients with aneurysms and a remote history of KD. Methods: We performed CT calcium volume scoring in 166 subjects (median age 19.5 years) with a remote history of KD (median interval from onset of KD to CT 15.1 years). Coronary arteries were classified as normal (n = 100), transiently dilated (n = 23), persistently dilated (n = 10), resolved aneurysm (n = 9), or aneurysm (n = 24) based on the initial echocardiograms. We defined coronary artery pathology as the presence of a coronary artery aneurysm or stenosis. Results: All subjects with coronary arteries classified as normal, persistently dilated, or resolved aneurysm had zero CAC. All but one of the subjects with transiently dilated coronary arteries had zero CAC (the one subject with a CAC score of 666 mm 3 had a history of severe left main coronary artery stenosis requiring bypass surgery). Of the 24 subjects with coronary aneurysms, all but 5 had CAC (median volume score 542 mm 3 ; range 17 mm 3 to 8,218 mm 3 ). Four of the 5 subjects with aneurysms and no CAC were imaged within 6 years of their episode of acute KD. For subjects imaged 9 or more years after their acute KD (n=144), the presence of CAC on CT had a sensitivity of 95% and a specificity of 100% for detecting coronary artery pathology. Conclusions: For patients with a remote history of KD, CT calcium scoring is a sensitive and specific test for detecting coronary artery pathology. Patients with coronary artery aneurysms secondary to KD develop late CAC, which may be severe. The pathophysiology and clinical significance of this calcification are currently unknown.

To further explore the potential role of sST2 in the progression of cardiac disease, this section reviews both the associations with cross-sectional findings and longitudinal changes in cardiac structure and function measured by echocardiography and cardiac magnetic resonance imaging with sST2 levels in a variety of patient populations with or at-risk for cardiovascular disease. In a Pro-Brain Natriuretic Peptide Investigation of Dyspnea in the Emergency Department substudy in patients with acute dyspnea, sST2 levels were found associated with left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF), and both estimated right ventricular (RV) systolic pressure and RV hypokinesis. In a large cohort of ambulatory patients referred for echocardiograms, sST2 was predominantly associated with RV and not LV structural findings. In contrast, in the Framingham Heart Study, a community cohort of >3,300 participants, sST2 was not associated with either echocardiographic finding, although in the Cardiovascular Health Study, sST2 appeared strongly associated with the presence of diastolic dysfunction. Little evidence exists on the relation of sST2 levels with longitudinal change in cardiac structure and function. A substudy of Eplerenone Post-Acute Myocardial Infarction Heart Failure Efficacy and Survival Study (EPHESUS) evaluated the association among LV remodeling (defined as an increase in LV end-systolic and -diastolic volumes), sST2, and the benefit of eplerenone and found that sST2 levels were good surrogates of left ventricular remodeling. In the same line, the ProBNP Outpatient Tailored Chronic Heart Failure (PROTECT) study found that more time spent with an sST2 level less than the cutoff of 35 ng/L identified patients with a greater probability of a decrease in LV diastolic index over 1 year.

© 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. Coronary artery aneurysms that occur in 25% of untreated Kawasaki disease (KD) patients may remain clinically silent for decades and then thrombose resulting in myocardial infarction. Although KD is now the most common cause of acquired heart disease in children in Asia, the United States, and Western Europe, the incidence of KD in Egypt is unknown. We tested the hypothesis that young adults in Egypt presenting with acute myocardial ischemia may have coronary artery lesions because of KD in childhood. We reviewed a total of 580 angiograms of patients ≤40 years presenting with symptoms of myocardial ischemia. Coronary artery aneurysms were noted in 46 patients (7.9%), of whom 9 presented with myocardial infarction. The likelihood of antecedent KD as the cause of the aneurysms was classified as definite (n = 10), probable (n = 29), or equivocal (n = 7). Compared with the definite and probable groups, the equivocal group had more traditional cardiovascular risk factors, smaller sized aneurysms, and fewer coronary arteries affected. In conclusion, in a major metropolitan center in Egypt, 6.7% of adults aged ≤40 years who underwent angiography for evaluation of possible myocardial ischemia had lesions consistent with antecedent KD. Because of the unique therapeutic challenges associated with these lesions, adult cardiologists should be aware that coronary artery aneurysms in young adults may be because of missed KD in childhood.

Since natriuretic peptides were successfully integrated into the clinical practice of heart failure (HF), the possibility of using new biomarkers to advance the management of affected patients has been explored. While a huge number of candidate HF biomarkers have been described recently, very few have made the difficult translation from initial promise to clinical application. These markers mirror the complex pathophysiology of heart failure at various levels: cell loss (troponin), fibrosis (ST2 and galectin-3), infection (procalcitonin), and renal disease (several renal markers). In this review, we examine the best emerging candidates for clinical assessment and management of patients with HF.

Background B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP) is valuable in diagnosing heart failure (HF), but its utility in obese patients is unknown. Studies have suggested a cut-point of BNP ≥100 pg/mL for the diagnosis of HF; however, there is an inverse relation between BNP levels and body mass index. We evaluated differential cut-points for BNP in diagnosing acute HF across body mass index levels to determine whether alternative cut-points can improve diagnosis. Methods The Breathing Not Properly Multinational Study was a 7-center, prospective study of 1586 patients who presented to the Emergency Department with acute dyspnea. B-type natriuretic peptide was measured on arrival. Height and weight data were available for 1368 participants. The clinical diagnosis of HF was adjudicated by 2 independent cardiologists who were blinded to BNP results. Results Heart failure was the final diagnosis in 46.1%. Mean BNP levels (pg/mL) in lean, overweight/obese, and severely/morbidly obese patients were 643, 462, and 247 for patients with acute HF, and 52, 35, and 25 in those without HF, respectively ( P Conclusions Body mass index influences the selection of cut-points for BNP in diagnosing acute HF. A lower cut-point (BNP ≥54 pg/mL) should be used in severely obese patients to preserve sensitivity. A higher cut-point in lean patients (BNP ≥170 pg/mL) could be used to increase specificity.

Background Previous studies have shown that in patients presenting to the emergency department (ED) with heart failure, there is a disconnect between the perceived severity of congestive heart failure (CHF) by physicians and the severity as determined by B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP) levels. Whether ethnicity plays a role in this discrepancy is unknown. Methods and Results The Rapid Emergency Department Heart Failure Outpatient Trial (REDHOT) was a 10-center trial of 464 patients seen in the ED with acute dyspnea and BNP level higher than 100 pg/mL on arrival. Physicians were blinded to BNP levels. Patients were followed for 90 days after discharge. A total of 151 patients identified themselves as white (32.5%) and 294 as black (63.4%). Of these, 90% were hospitalized. African Americans were more likely to be perceived as New York Heart Association class I or II than whites ( P = .01). Blacks who were discharged from the ED had higher median BNP levels than whites who were discharged (1293 vs. 533, P = .004). The median BNP of blacks who were discharged was actually higher than the median BNP of blacks who were admitted (1293 vs. 769, P = .04); the same did not hold true for whites. BNP was predictive of 90-day outcome in both blacks and whites; however, perceived severity of CHF, race, and ED disposition did not contribute to the prediction of events. Conclusion In patients presenting to the ED with heart failure, the disconnect between perceived severity of CHF and severity as determined by BNP levels is most pronounced in African Americans.

“Be not simply good; be good for something.” —Henry David Thoreau, 1848 ([1][1]) Troponin assays are getting better, so much so, in fact, that we as clinicians need to similarly evolve in our understanding of how we can use them most effectively. I have observed medical house staff cast off

Objective: To test the hypothesis that children and adults with a history of Kawasaki disease (KD) are more likely to have abnormal lipoprotein particle profiles that could place them at increased risk for developing atherosclerosis later in life. Study design: Fasting serum samples were obtained from 192 children and 63 adults with history of KD and 90 age-similar healthy controls. Lipoprotein particle concentrations and sizes were measured by nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (LipoScience Inc, Raleigh, North Carolina), and serum was assayed for total cholesterol (TC), triglycerides, and high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol (HDL-C). Low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol was estimated using the Friedewald formula. Data were analyzed in a least-square means model, with adjustment for age and sex and with the use of Holm correction for multiple comparisons. Results: Compared with respective control groups, both adult and pediatric subjects with KD had significantly lower mean very low-density lipoprotein-chylomicron particles, intermediate-density lipoproteins, triglycerides, and TC concentrations. Pediatric subjects with KD had significantly lower LDL particle and LDL cholesterol concentrations and lower mean TC/HDL-C ratio (P

Sorting out the etiology of dyspnea in patients with a history of heart failure is not always straightforward. Although an acute heart failure exacerbation would seem to be easy to distinguish from an acute respiratory illness, data from objective clinical studies has shown otherwise. Procalcitonin (PCT), a biomarker that rises in the setting of bacterial infection, carries great potential for guiding the diagnosis and treatment of heart failure patients with possible acute respiratory infection. In this issue of the International Journal of Cardiology, Kutz et al. demonstrated that patients with a history of heart failure and suspected lower respiratory tract infection experienced reduced antibiotic duration and superior outcomes with PCT-guided therapy. The results in this subset of heart failure patients from the ProHOSP study were consistent with the results seen in the overall study population. This study points to the need for a randomized controlled trial in a broader population of heart failure patients with acute dyspnea, to further define the prominent role that PCT can play in more personalized medical treatments that can improve patient outcomes.