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The apolipoprotein B (Apo B), Apo B/A1 ratio, lipoprotein (a), and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C)/Apo B ratio are associated with coronary artery disease (CAD). However, the association between these parameters and CAD in non-diabetic patients without high LDL-C levels is unclear. Our goal was to assess which parameter was most strongly associated with CAD in non-diabetic patients without high LDL-C levels. This study included 487 non-diabetic patients with LDL-C 130.0 mg/dL. All the patients underwent coronary computed tomographic angiography. We assessed the significance of each continuous atherogenic biomarker for CAD (incidence of coronary plaque and revascularization) without and after adjustment for standard risk factors. The LDL-C/Apo B ratio and lipoprotein (a) were significant risk factors for the incidence of coronary plaque on multivariate analysis after adjustment for standard risk factors. The LDL-C/Apo B ratio was significant for the incidence of revascularization in multivariate analysis after adjustment for standard risk factors. The degree of coronary calcification and plaque burden according to the tertile of LDL-C/Apo B showed significant differences between the groups. Our data indicate that LDL-C/Apo B ratio is the most predictive parameter for coronary atherosclerosis in non-diabetic patients without high LDL-C levels.

Background The efficacy of implantable cardioverter defibrillators (ICDs) for primary prevention is controversial in patients with nonischemic heart failure (HF). We evaluated the mortality and predictors of mortality in patients with prophylactic ICD implantation for ischemic and nonischemic HF. Methods From 2008 to 2017, 1097 patients (667, nonischemic HF and 430, ischemic HF) who underwent prophylactic ICD implantation, were identified from the Korean National Health Insurance Service database. We used propensity score overlap weighting to correct the differences between two groups. Results Those with ischemic HF were older (67.0 ± 10.1 vs 61.8 ± 14.2 years), more often male (71.4% vs 63.7%), and had more comorbidities than patients with nonischemic HF. During a median follow‐up of 37.3 months (interquartile range [IQR], 14.2‐53.8 months), all‐cause mortality was higher in unweighted patients with ischemic HF than in those with nonischemic HF (10.9 vs 6.4 per 100 person‐years; hazard ratio [HR], 1.74; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.38‐2.20; P, In contemporary HF patients undergoing prophylactic ICD implantation in Korea, all‐cause, cardiac, and non‐cardiac mortality rates were similar between patients with non‐ischemic and ischemic HF when weighting is performed to account for differences in patient characteristics. Therefore, the benefit of prophylactic ICD therapy in HF patients should not be restricted to ischemic patients.

Background: High low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) and old age are major risk factors for coronary artery disease. However, the risk factors for coronary artery disease in relatively young patients with low LDL-C have not been elucidated. Therefore, we performed this study to evaluate the risk factors of coronary artery disease, in patients under 65 years with low LDL-C.Methods: This study included 622 lipid-lowering agent naive patients ≤65 years with LDL-C Results: Of the total 622 patients, the mean age was 54.4 ± 8.9 and the mean LDL-C was 91.0 ± 23.1 mg/dL. Multivariate regression analysis showed that age, male, diabetes mellitus, and hypertension were independent predictors of coronary atherosclerosis. A high LDL-C/Apo B ratio was a negative predictor of coronary atherosclerosis.Conclusions: A low LDL-C/Apo B ratio is associated with the development of coronary atherosclerosis in patients ≤65 years with low LDL-C levels.

Background: While the surgical correction of moderate aortic stenosis (AS) can be deferred with a watchful waiting according to the present guideline, the clinical outcomes for moderate AS with comorbidity have not extensively been studied. We aimed to explore the factors that would contribute to the outcomes of moderate AS with at least five years of follow-up duration. Methods: Medical records review identified patients with moderate aortic valve (AV) stenosis from January 2008 and December 2012. Echocardiographic data were gathered, and the final 5-year clinical outcomes, defined as the composite of cardiovascular (CV) death, admission for heart failure (HF) aggravation, and AV replacement, were evaluated. Results: Among 148 patients (mean age, 69.3 years; mean AV area, 1.24 cm2), 79 had adverse outcomes (16 CV deaths, 32 AV replacements, and 31 HF cases), during a mean follow-up of 5.6 years. The event group showed worse dyspnea of NYHA III-IV and a higher frequency of diabetes mellitus (DM). They had a higher frequency of moderate or moderate-to-severe functional mitral regurgitation (MR) and smaller AV area. In the multivariate analysis, DM (HR 2.29, 95% CI 1.03-5.10), moderate or moderate-to-severe MR (HR 4.84, 95% CI 1.66-10.07), and NYHA III-IV (HR 3.84, 95% CI 1.72-8.56) independently were associated with adverse outcomes. Conclusions: The symptomatic patients with moderate AS had higher events than expected, and early intervention should be considered in case of concomitant MR and DM.

Background Carvedilol is one of the most effective beta-blockers in reducing ventricular tachyarrhythmias and mortality in patients with heart failure. One of the possible antiarrhythmic mechanisms of carvedilol is the suppression of store overload-induced Ca2+ release, especially for the triggered activity. Objectives Premature ventricular complex (PVC) originating from the ventricular outflow tract (OT) is the most common form of idiopathic PVC, and its main mechanism is related to triggered activity. We evaluate the efficacy of carvedilol to suppress the OT PVC. Methods The electronic medical records at our hospital were screened to identify OT PVC patients treated with carvedilol. Clinical, electrocardiographic, and Holter monitoring studies were reviewed. Results A total of 25 patients who underwent Holter monitoring before and after carvedilol administration were found and enrolled. The mean age of the patients was 54.9 ± 13.9 years, and the mean dose of carvedilol was 18.2 ± 10.2 mg (sustained release formulation, 8/16/32 mg). The 24-h burden of PVC in 18 (72%) of 25 patients was significantly reduced from 12.2 ± 9.7% to 4.4 ± 6.7% (P = 0.006). In seven patients, the burden of PVC was changed from 7.1 ± 6.1% to 9.8 ± 8.4% (P = 0.061). There was no difference in age, carvedilol dose, duration of treatment, ventricular function, and left atrial size between responding and non-responding groups. Conclusion In this retrospective pilot study, treatment with carvedilol showed PVC suppression in 72% of patients. Now, we are conducting a prospective, randomized, multicenter study to evaluate the effect of carvedilol on OT PVC (Clinical trial registration: FOREVER trial, Clinical-Trials.gov: NCT03587558).

Background/aims To date, prospective data are limited on efficacy and safety profiles of statin therapy in Korean hypercholesterolemic patients. Hence, the aim of this study was to evaluate the practice patterns of statin therapy and its efficacy and safety through the prospective Daegu and Gyeongbuk statin registry. Methods Statin naive patients who were prescribed statins according to the criteria of Korean Guidelines for Management of Dyslipidemia were enrolled. Clinical and laboratory evaluations were performed at baseline and at week 8, where the efficacy was assessed with the same guidelines. Results Of 908 patients, atorvastatin and rosuvastatin were most frequently prescribed statins (63.1% and 29.3%, respectively). High intensity statins (atorvastatin 40 mg or rosuvastatin 20 mg) were prescribed in 24.7% of all patients and in 79.5% of high and very high risk groups. The total and low density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol levels decreased from 203.7 ± 43.0 to 140.6 ± 28.6 mg/dL and 134.4 ± 35.7 to 79.5 ± 21.3 mg/dL, respectively. The achievement rate of the LDL target goal was 98.6% in low risk, 95.0% in moderate risk, 88.1% in high risk, and 42.1% in very high risk patients (59.7% in overall). There was no significant difference in the efficacy between atorvastatin and rosuvastatin. Adverse events were observed in 12.0% of patients and led to 1.4% of treatment cessation. Conclusion The efficacy of the usual starting dose of statins in daily practice was relatively insufficient for Korean hypercholesterolemic patients with high or very high risks. Short-term adverse events of statin therapy were not common in Korean patients with a low discontinuation rate.

Background and Objectives Nonvitamin K antagonist oral anticoagulants (NOACs) require stricter medication adherence. We investigated the NOACs adherence in real-world practice. Methods We screened all patients in our cardiology department the day before their outpatient appointment, over a 5-month period. We enrolled 719 consecutive patients who were taking NOACs for atrial fibrillation. The patients were contacted by phone or text to bring the remnant pills with them without any information why. Adherence was measured by the percentage of prescribed doses taken (PDT) (number of doses taken/number of doses expected to be taken from the last prescription × 100 [%]) and the Morisky Medication Adherence Scale (MMAS)-8. Results All 4 NOACs (apixaban 47.8%, dabigatran 21.2%, rivaroxaban 18.4%, and edoxaban 12.6%) were prescribed. The mean duration that the patients had been taking NOACs was 7.2 ± 5.7 months. The PDT was 95.4 ± 9.1% in the once-daily dosing group and 93.4 ± 12.7% in the twice-daily group, and the difference was statistically significant (p = 0.017). The mean MMAS was 2.6 ± 0.8. The proportion of patients with a PDT Conclusion Most patients who were taking NOACs had excellent adherence regardless of the dosing frequency. An MMAS ≥ 3 could be used as a simple screening tool for a poor NOAC adherence.

Prolongation of QT associated with electrolyte changes can lead to ventricular arrhythmias. Correction and supply of calcium, magnesium, and potassium are essential to managing this condition. In this report, we present a case of QT prolongation due to magnesium and vitamin D deficiency in a patient with rheumatoid arthritis.

Author's summary As COVID-19 spreads worldwide, cardiac injury in patients infected with COVID-19 becomes a significant concern. Thus, this study investigates the impact of several electrocardiogram parameters and disease severity in COVID-19 patients. The deceased patients showed increased dispersion of QTc and Tpe-c compared with surviving patients (78.2±41.1 vs. 40.8±24.6 ms and 60.2±37.3 vs 40.8±24.5 ms, both p, Background and Objectives As the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) spreads worldwide, cardiac injury in patients infected with COVID-19 becomes a significant concern. Thus, this study investigates the impact of several electrocardiogram (ECG) parameters and disease severity in COVID-19 patients. Methods Seven medical centers in Daegu admitted 822 patients with COVID-19 between February and April 2020. This study examined 267 patients among them who underwent an ECG test and evaluated their biochemical parameters like C-reactive protein (CRP), log N-terminal pro-B-type Natriuretic Peptide (NT-proBNP), cardiac enzyme, and ECG parameters (heart rate, PR interval, QRS interval, T inversion, QT interval, and Tpe [the interval between peak to end in a T wave]). Results Those patients were divided into 3 groups of mild (100 patients), moderate (89 patients), and severe (78 patients) according to clinical severity score. The level of CRP, log NT-proBNP, and creatinine kinase-myocardial band were significantly increased in severe patients. Meanwhile, severe patients exhibited prolonged QT intervals (QTc) and Tpe (Tpe-c) compared to mild or moderate patients. Moreover, deceased patients (58; 21.7%) showed increased dispersion of QTc and Tpe-c compared with surviving patients (78.2±41.1 vs. 40.8±24.6 ms and 60.2±37.3 vs. 40.8±24.5 ms, both p

Background and aims The prognosis of stented lesions differs according to in-stent neointimal characteristics on optical coherence tomography (OCT). In particular, patients who show in-stent heterogeneous neointima are associated with a higher incidence of target lesion revascularization (TLR) compared with those who show in-stent non-heterogeneous neointima. However, the relationship between in-stent neointimal characteristics and native coronary atherosclerosis progression has not been clearly elucidated. The study aimed to investigate the relationship between in-stent neointimal characteristics and progression of native atherosclerosis. Methods The neointimal characteristics of 377 patients with 377 drug-eluting stents (DESs) were quantitatively and qualitatively assessed using OCT. The OCT-based neointima was categorized as homogeneous (n = 207), heterogeneous (n = 93), and layered (n = 77). The relationship of non-target lesion revascularization (non-TLR) with neointimal characteristics was evaluated after OCT examination of the stents. Results After a median follow-up duration of 40.0 months, patients with heterogeneous neointima showed significantly higher non-TLR rates than those with homogeneous neointima and tended to have higher non-TLR rates than those with layered neointima (heterogeneous vs. homogeneous:14.0% vs. 8.7%, p = 0.046; heterogeneous vs. layered neointima:14.0% vs. 7.8%, p = 0.152). Multivariate analysis showed that the independent determinants for non-TLR were heterogeneous neointima (HR: 2.237, 95% CI: 1.023–4.890, p = 0.044) and chronic kidney disease (hazard ratio [HR]: 8.730, 95% CI: 2.175–35.036, p = 0.002). Conclusions The heterogeneous neointima in DES-treated lesions was associated with a higher incidence of non-TLR and target lesion failure. This finding suggests that the neointimal pattern may reflect the progression of the native lesion.

While the surgical correction of moderate aortic stenosis (AS) can be deferred with a watchful waiting according to the present guideline, the clinical outcomes for moderate AS with comorbidity have not extensively been studied. We aimed to explore the factors that would contribute to the outcomes of moderate AS with at least five years of follow-up duration.Medical records review identified patients with moderate aortic valve (AV) stenosis from January 2008 and December 2012. Echocardiographic data were gathered, and the final 5-year clinical outcomes, defined as the composite of cardiovascular (CV) death, admission for heart failure (HF) aggravation, and AV replacement, were evaluated.Among 148 patients (mean age, 69.3 years; mean AV area, 1.24 cm2), 79 had adverse outcomes (16 CV deaths, 32 AV replacements, and 31 HF cases), during a mean follow-up of 5.6 years. The event group showed worse dyspnea of NYHA III-IV and a higher frequency of diabetes mellitus (DM). They had a higher frequency of moderate or moderate-to-severe functional mitral regurgitation (MR) and smaller AV area. In the multivariate analysis, DM (HR 2.29, 95% CI 1.03-5.10), moderate or moderate-to-severe MR (HR 4.84, 95% CI 1.66-10.07), and NYHA III-IV (HR 3.84, 95% CI 1.72-8.56) independently were associated with adverse outcomes.The symptomatic patients with moderate AS had higher events than expected, and early intervention should be considered in case of concomitant MR and DM.

Background Although it has been reported that renal function can improve after catheter ablation of atrial fibrillation ( AF ), long‐term changes in renal function and its relationship to rhythm outcomes have not yet been evaluated. We explored the 5‐year change in estimated glomerular filtration rate ( eGFR ) in AF patients depending on medical therapy and catheter ablation. Methods and Results Among 1963 patients who underwent AF catheter ablation and 14 056 with AF under medical therapy in the National Health Insurance Service database, we compared 571 with AF catheter ablation (59±10 years old, 72.3% male, and 66.5% paroxysmal AF ) and 1713 with medical therapy after 1:3 propensity‐score matching. All participants had 5 years of serial eGFR data (Chronic Kidney Disease‐Epidemiology Collaboration [ CKD ‐ EPI ] method). Catheter ablation improved eGFR 5 yrs ( P OR ], 0.98 [0.97–0.99]; P AF catheter ablation (adjusted OR , 2.02 [1.67–2.46]; P eGFR 5 yrs . Among 571 patients who underwent AF ablation, freedom from AF /atrial tachycardia recurrence after the last AF ablation procedure was independently associated with an improved eGFR 5 yrs (adjusted OR , 1.44 [1.01–2.04]; P =0.043), especially in patients without diabetes mellitus (adjusted OR , 1.78 [1.21–2.63]; P =0.003, P for interaction=0.012). Although underlying renal dysfunction (2 ) was associated with atrial structural remodeling (adjusted OR , 1.05 [1.00–1.11]; P =0.046), it did not affect the AF ablation rhythm outcome. Conclusions AF catheter ablation significantly improved renal function over a 5‐year follow‐up, especially in patients maintaining sinus rhythm without preexisting diabetes mellitus.

In general, patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI) have severe stenosis secondary to a superimposed thrombus at the event. Optical coherence tomography (OCT) is a useful imaging tool for patients with AMI. This allows us to identify the site of ruptured plaque, erosion of fibrous cap, and characteristics of stenotic lesion. In this case, we present the difference of the ruptured cavity and obstructed lesion.

Purpose This study aimed to elucidate which echocardiographic criteria at three time points, for cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) response, are accurate in discriminating the hierarchical clinical composite end point (HCCEP). Materials and Methods We included 120 patients (age, 66.1±12.6 years; men, 54.2%) who underwent CRT implantation for heart failure (HF). Echocardiography was performed before and at 3, 6, and 12 months after CRT implantation. The 1-year HCCEP included all-cause mortality, hospitalization for HF, and New York Heart Association functional class for 12 months. CRT response criteria were decrease in left ventricular (LV) end-systolic volume (LVESV) >15%, decrease in LV end-diastolic volume >15%, absolute increase in LV ejection fraction (LVEF) ≥5%, relative increase in LVEF ≥15%, and decrease in mitral regurgitation ≥1 grade. Temporal changes in CRT response rates, accuracy of CRT response criteria at each time and cutoff value for the discrimination of improvement in HCCEP, and agreements with improvement in HCCEP were analyzed. Results HCCEP improvement rates were 65.8% in total group. In nonischemic group, CRT response rates according to all echocardiographic criteria significantly increased with time. In ischemic group, CRT response rate did not significantly change with time. In total group, ΔLVESV at 6 months (ΔLVESV6) had the most significant accuracy for the discrimination of HCCEP (area under the curve=0.781). The optimal cutoff value of ΔLVESV6 was 13.5% (sensitivity=0.719, specificity=0.719). ΔLVESV6 had fair agreement with HCCEP (κ=0.391, p