International journal of cardiology
-
Multicenter Study Comparative Study
Comparative effectiveness of angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors and angiotensin II receptor blockers on major adverse cardiac events in patients with newly diagnosed type 2 diabetes: a nationwide study.
Guidelines for hypertension management recommend either angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors (ACEIs) or angiotensin II receptor blockers (ARBs) as first-line therapies for diabetes population. No head-to-head trial has been conducted to determine the priority of ACEI/ARB use for major adverse cardiac events (MACEs) in diabetes mellitus. ⋯ This large cohort study supports the comparative effectiveness of ACEIs and ARBs in terms of MACE outcomes in patients with incident diabetes.
-
Multicenter Study Clinical Trial
Rationale and design of GISSI OUTLIERS VAR Study in bicuspid aortic valve patients: prospective longitudinal, multicenter study to investigate correlation between surgical, echo distinctive features, histologic and genetic findings in phenotypically homogeneous outlier cases.
Bicuspid aortic valve (BAV) is the most common congenital heart disorder, affecting up to 2% of the population. Involvement of aortic root and ascending aorta (aneurysm or, eventually, dissection) is frequent in patients with pathologic or normal functioning BAV. Unfortunately, there are no well-known correlations between valvular and vascular diseases. In VAR protocol, with a new strategy of research, we analysemultiple aspects of BAV disease through correlation between surgical, echo, histologic and genetic findings in phenotypically homogeneous outlier cases. ⋯ The aim of the study is to identify predictors of favorable or unfavorable evolution of BAV in terms of valvular dysfunction and/or aortic aneurysm. Correlations between different features could help in identification of various BAV risk groups, rationalizing follow-up and treatment.
-
The CHA2DS2-VASc and HAS-BLED are well-validated stroke risk prediction scores for atrial fibrillation (AF), but their role in risk stratification of major adverse cardiac events (MACEs) and major bleeding for non-AF patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) is unknown. ⋯ In patients without AF undergoing PCI and discharged on dual antiplatelet therapy, the HAS-BLED score performed better than the CHA2DS2-VASc for the prediction of MACE. Although both scores predict MACE, their discrimination was modest. Conversely, both scores did not significantly predict major bleeding in non-AF patients undergoing PCI.