Acta cardiologica
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Meta Analysis
Body mass index and mortality after acute coronary syndromes: a systematic review and meta-analysis.
The association between body mass index (BMI) and mortality after acute coronary syndromes (ACS) is controversial. The objective of this analysis is to summarize the available evidence of this association and perform meta-analysis using adjusted estimates. ⋯ Increased BMI was associated with increased adjusted survival after ACS when compared to normal BMI. Unexplained heterogeneity and suboptimal quality of studies limit the strength of the results. This seemingly paradoxical finding needs to be confirmed with further research.
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Randomized Controlled Trial
Efficacy of losartan as add-on therapy to prevent aortic growth and ventricular dysfunction in patients with Marfan syndrome: a randomized, double-blind clinical trial.
Marfan syndrome (MFS) is a multisystemic hereditary connective tissue disease. Aortic root aneurysms and dissections are the most common and life-threatening cardiovascular disorders affecting these patients. Other cardiac manifestations include mitral valve prolapse, ventricular dysfunction and arrhythmias. Medical treatment of cardiovascular features is ultimately aimed at slowing down aortic root growth rate and preventing dissection. Losartan has been proposed as a new therapeutic tool for this purpose. To which extent losartan affects cardiac function has not been studied previously. ⋯ Losartan on top of beta-blocker therapy has no additional effect on aortic growth or on cardiac function in patients with MFS. Our results are underpowered but are in line with the result from other groups. In order to have a better insight on whether a group of patients could benefit more from losartan therapy, the outcome of an on-going meta-analysis should be awaited.