Journal of the American Heart Association
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Background Liver cirrhotic patients with nonvalvular atrial fibrillation have been excluded from randomized clinical studies regarding oral anticoagulants for stroke prevention. Whether non-vitamin K antagonist oral anticoagulants ( NOAC s) are superior to warfarin for these patients remains unclear. Methods and Results This nationwide retrospective cohort study, with data collected from the Taiwan National Health Insurance Research Database, enrolled 2428 liver cirrhotic patients with nonvalvular atrial fibrillation taking apixaban (n=171), dabigatran (n=535), rivaroxaban (n=732), or warfarin (n=990) from June 1, 2012, to December 31, 2016. ⋯ The advantage of lower gastrointestinal and all major bleeding with NOACs over warfarin is contributed by those subgroups with either nonalcoholic or nonadvanced liver cirrhosis. Conclusions NOACs have a risk of thromboembolism comparable to that of warfarin and a lower risk of major bleeding among liver cirrhotic Asian patients with nonvalvular atrial fibrillation. Consequently, thromboprophylaxis with low-dose NOAC s may be considered for such patients.
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Multicenter Study
Associations of Unhealthy Food Environment With the Development of Coronary Artery Calcification: The CARDIA Study.
Background While prior studies have linked the neighborhood environment and development of subclinical atherosclerosis, it is unknown whether living in neighborhoods with greater availability of "unhealthy" food outlets (fast-food chain restaurants and convenience stores) is associated with risk of developing coronary artery calcification ( CAC ). Methods and Results We included 2706 CARDIA study (Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults) participants who underwent CAC measurement during follow-up years 15 (2000-2001), 20 (2005-2006), and 25 (2010-2011). Neighborhood features examined included percentage of all food outlets that were convenience stores and fast-food chain restaurants within a 3-km Euclidean buffer distance from each participant's residence. ⋯ Each 1-SD increase in percentage of convenience stores was associated with a 1.34 higher odds of developing CAC (95% CI : 1.04, 1.72) after adjusting for individual- and neighborhood-level covariates; however, there was no significant association between increased percentage of fast-food chain restaurants and developing CAC (odds ratio=1.15; 95% CI : 0.96, 1.38). There were no significant associations between increases in either food outlet percentage and progression of CAC. Conclusions Our findings suggest that increases in the relative availability of convenience stores in participants' neighborhoods is related to the development of CAC over time.
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Randomized Controlled Trial
Impact of Diabetes Mellitus on Ventricular Structure, Arterial Stiffness, and Pulsatile Hemodynamics in Heart Failure With Preserved Ejection Fraction.
Background Heterogeneity in the underlying processes that contribute to heart failure with preserved ejection fraction ( HF p EF ) is increasingly recognized. Diabetes mellitus is a frequent comorbidity in HF p EF , but its impact on left ventricular and arterial structure and function in HF p EF is unknown. Methods and Results We assessed the impact of diabetes mellitus on left ventricular cellular and interstitial hypertrophy (assessed with cardiac magnetic resonance imaging, including T1 mapping pregadolinium and postgadolinium administration), arterial stiffness (assessed with arterial tonometry), and pulsatile arterial hemodynamics (assessed with in-office pressure-flow analyses and 24-hour ambulatory monitoring) among 53 subjects with HF p EF (32 diabetic and 21 nondiabetic subjects). ⋯ Conclusions Diabetes mellitus is a key determinant of left ventricular remodeling, arterial stiffness, adverse pulsatile hemodynamics, and ventricular-arterial interactions in HF p EF. Clinical Trial Registration URL : https://www.clinicaltrials.gov. Unique identifier: NCT 01516346.
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Background Left ventricular (LV) hemodynamic assessment has been sparsely performed in patients supported on continuous-flow LV assist devices (cf LVADs ). Insight into dynamic changes of left heart parameters during ramp studies may improve LV assist device optimization and evaluate pathology. Methods and Results To complement right heart catheterization, a novel technique for left heart catheterization in patients with a cf LVAD was developed. ⋯ Significant aortic insufficiency was associated with a marked increase in LV end-diastolic pressure despite a concomitant decrease in pulmonary capillary wedge pressure with increasing LV assist device speeds. Conclusions Inclusion of left heart catheterization to a typical right heart catheterization LV assist device ramp protocol imparted unique insights to optimize cf LVAD speeds in different clinical scenarios. A novel index, the TAG was defined and provided additional resolution to optimized offloading.
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Background Cerebral amyloid angiopathy ( CAA ) is a major cause of lobar intracerebral hemorrhage in elderly adults; however, presymptomatic diagnosis of CAA is difficult. Hereditary cerebral hemorrhage with amyloidosis-Dutch type ( HCHWA -D) is a rare autosomal-dominant disease that leads to pathology similar to sporadic CAA. Presymptomatic HCHWA -D mutation carriers provide a unique opportunity to study CAA -related changes before any symptoms have occurred. ⋯ We found no significant differences between presymptomatic carriers and control participants. Conclusions The d MRI technique is sensitive in detecting alterations in symptomatic HCHWA -d carriers but did not show alterations in presymptomatic carriers. This result indicates that d MRI may be less suitable for identifying early white matter changes in CAA .