Early cardiovascular structural and functional abnormalities as a guide to future morbid events

2020 ◽  
pp. 204748732090141 ◽  
Author(s):  
Daniel A Duprez ◽  
Sue Duval ◽  
Lynn Hoke ◽  
Natalia Florea ◽  
Gregory Grandits ◽  
...  

Aims Our aim was to evaluate the predictive value of a battery of 10 non-invasive tests of cardiovascular structural and functional health on the future risk of cardiovascular morbid events. Methods and Results A total of 1900 asymptomatic adults concerned about their risk for cardiovascular disease underwent non-invasive assessment with 10 tests of vascular and cardiac structure and function. A disease score (DS) was calculated for each individual based on these 10 tests. Follow-up (mean 9.2 years) for cardiovascular morbidity and mortality was available for 1442 individuals (mean age 53.2 years, 48.2% women). Those in the lowest DS tertile (0–2) experienced 0.16 cardiovascular events per 100 patient-years (PY), those in the middle tertile (3–5) experienced 0.86 events per 100 PY, and those in the highest tertile (6+) experienced 1.3 events per 100 PY ( p < .001). Sensitivity analysis, assuming a neutral effect of DS on projected events in subjects not followed, did not alter statistical significance. Risk assessment using the Framingham risk score (FRS) also predicted morbid events but the two methods differed in identifying individuals at high risk. The net reclassification index was improved by 0.11 ( p = 0.01) when DS was added to FRS. Conclusions Assessing the biological disease process in the arteries and heart of asymptomatic adults provides a guide to the risk of a future cardiovascular morbid event. Larger and longer studies are needed to determine whether risk factor algorithms, the severity of the biological process or some combination is the optimal method for identifying individuals in need of intervention to delay morbid events.

2017 ◽  
Vol 7 (3) ◽  
pp. 198-206 ◽  
Author(s):  
Qiuhong Shi ◽  
Jing Zhu ◽  
Sheng Feng ◽  
Huaying Shen ◽  
Jianchang Chen ◽  
...  

Background/Aims: Left ventricular hypertrophy and dysfunction are key cardiovascular risk factors of patients on peritoneal dialysis (PD). The purpose of this study was to investigate the dynamic changes of left ventricular (LV) structure and function in patients on long-term PD. Methods: Patients who underwent PD catheter insertions from January 2010 to December 2012 in our PD center were enrolled into this study. Cardiac structure and function of those patients were determined by echocardiography (4 times) at 12-month intervals. Patients' biochemical parameters, body mass index, blood pressure, urine output, ultrafiltration, and total fluid removal volume were collected. The use of antihypertensive drugs and active vitamin D3 was also recorded. Results: A total of 40 patients were included. After 3 years of follow-up, patients' PD duration time, LV mass/height2.7 (p = 0.580), interventricular septal thickness (p = 0.216), left ventricular posterior wall thickness (p = 0.216), and LV ejection fraction (p = 0.270) did not show significant changes during the follow-up. In contrast, the E/A ratio (p = 0.004) and e' (p < 0.001) were statistically decreased, and the E/e' ratio (p = 0.006) was increased. Left atrial diameter was increased (p = 0.008), but the changes in left atrial diameter index did not reach statistical significance (p = 0.090). Conclusion: Long-term PD patients maintain stable LV structure and cardiac systolic function, but cardiac diastolic function declines over time.


2012 ◽  
Vol 27 (1_suppl) ◽  
pp. 10-15 ◽  
Author(s):  
R D Malgor ◽  
N Labropoulos

Chronic venous disease (CVD) is very prevalent and causes a significant financial burden in Western societies. Accurate diagnosis is mandatory to define the anatomy and pathophysiology involved in the disease process. Duplex ultrasound (DU) is a well-established non-invasive tool used for varicose veins work-up that, most recently, has also been utilized for follow-up after endovenous procedures such as endovenous laser or radiofrequency ablation and foam sclerotherapy. Insightful information on how DU is performed during varicose veins work-up and the rationale of DU utilization for endovenous procedures are discussed.


2022 ◽  
Vol 20 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Kamran Hosseini ◽  
Maryam Ranjbar ◽  
Abbas Pirpour Tazehkand ◽  
Parina Asgharian ◽  
Soheila Montazersaheb ◽  
...  

AbstractClinical oncologists need more reliable and non-invasive diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers to follow-up cancer patients. However, the existing biomarkers are often invasive and costly, emphasizing the need for the development of biomarkers to provide convenient and precise detection. Extracellular vesicles especially exosomes have recently been the focus of translational research to develop non-invasive and reliable biomarkers for several diseases such as cancers, suggesting as a valuable source of tumor markers. Exosomes are nano-sized extracellular vesicles secreted by various living cells that can be found in all body fluids including serum, urine, saliva, cerebrospinal fluid, and ascites. Different molecular and genetic contents of their origin such as nucleic acids, proteins, lipids, and glycans in a stable form make exosomes a promising approach for various cancers’ diagnoses, prediction, and follow-up in a minimally invasive manner. Since exosomes are used by cancer cells for intercellular communication, they play a critical role in the disease process, highlighting the importance of their use as clinically relevant biomarkers. However, regardless of the advantages that exosome-based diagnostics have, they suffer from problems regarding their isolation, detection, and characterization of their contents. This study reviews the history and biogenesis of exosomes and discusses non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) and their potential as tumor markers in different types of cancer, with a focus on next generation sequencing (NGS) as a detection method. Moreover, the advantages and challenges associated with exosome-based diagnostics are also presented.


Author(s):  
Sarah Helen Coleman ◽  
Anupam Rej ◽  
Elisabeth Megan Rose Baggus ◽  
Michelle S Lau ◽  
Lauren J Marks ◽  
...  

Background and Aims: Methods of assessing gluten-free diet (GFD) adherence in adults with coeliac disease (CD) include serological testing, dietitian evaluation, questionnaires and repeat duodenal biopsies. Persisting villous atrophy (VA) is associated with CD complications, however gastroscopy with biopsies is expensive and invasive. This study aimed to assess the abilities of a duodenal bulb (D1) biopsy and the Celiac Dietary Adherence Test (CDAT) to detect persisting VA in adults with CD. Methods: A prospective observational study of adult CD patients referred for follow-up duodenal biopsies was performed. Quadrantic biopsies were taken from the second part of the duodenum (D2), in addition to a D1 biopsy. Patients underwent follow-up serological testing, and completed the CDAT and Biagi Score. These non-invasive adherence markers were compared against duodenal histology. Results: 368 patients (mean age 51.0 years, 70.1% female) had D1 and D2 biopsies taken at follow-up gastroscopy. Compared to D2 biopsies alone, additional D1 biopsies increased detection of VA by 10.4% (p<0.0001). 201 patients (mean age 50.3 years, 67.7% female) completed adherence questionnaires and serology. When detecting VA, sensitivities and specificities of these markers were 39.7% and 94.2% for IgA- tTG, 38.1% and 96.4% for IgA-EMA, 55.6% and 52.2% for CDAT and 20.6% and 96.4% for the Biagi score. Conclusions: Bulbar biopsies increase detection of persisting VA by 10.4%. Serology, CDAT and Biagi performed poorly when predicting VA. The gold standard for predicting persisting VA remains repeat biopsy.


2006 ◽  
Vol 8 (5) ◽  
pp. 389 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ghada M. M. Shahin ◽  
Geert J. M. G. van der Heijden ◽  
Michiel L. Bots ◽  
Maarten-Jan Cramer ◽  
Wybren Jaarsma ◽  
...  

<P>Objective: To evaluate clinical and echocardiographic outcomes for the semi-flexible Carpentier-Edwards Physio and the rigid Classic mitral annuloplasty ring. </P><P>Methods: Ninety-six patients were randomized for either a Classic (n = 53) or a Physio (n = 43) ring from October 1995 through July 1997. Mean follow-up was 5.1 years (range .1-6.6). We included standard patient characteristics at baseline and during follow-up. Analyses were adjusted for age and gender, and for factors that differed across groups at baseline. In 2002, echocardiography was performed in 74% of the survivors. </P><P>Results: We found a 16% difference in mortality: 14% in the Physio group (n = 6) and 30% in the Classic group (n = 16) (adjusted P = .41). Life table analysis shows that the absolute risk of death after 30 months is lower in the Physio group. Intra-operative repair failure occurred in 3 patients (6%) of the Classic group, and in 4 (9%) of the Physio group, resulting in mitral valve replacement. Late failure occurred in 1 patient (2%) in the Classic group, and in 4 (9%) in the Physio group. At follow-up, left ventricular function did not differ across groups (ejection fraction 45% and 48% (adjusted P = .65)). The combined NYHA class III-IV had improved for the Classic group in 42% and for the Physio group in 34%. </P><P>Conclusion: Although the 16% difference in mortality did not reach statistical significance, it is considered clinically important. No differences in morbidity, valve function, and left ventricular function were found. Further research to explain the difference in mortality is required.</P>


Medicina ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 57 (7) ◽  
pp. 660
Author(s):  
Csilla-Andrea Eötvös ◽  
Roxana-Daiana Lazar ◽  
Iulia-Georgiana Zehan ◽  
Erna-Brigitta Lévay-Hail ◽  
Giorgia Pastiu ◽  
...  

Among the different types, immunoglobulin light chain (AL) cardiac amyloidosis is associated with the highest morbidity and mortality. The outcome, however, is significantly better when an early diagnosis is made and treatment initiated promptly. We present a case of cardiac amyloidosis with left ventricular hypertrophy criteria on the electrocardiogram. After 9 months of follow-up, the patient developed low voltage in the limb leads, while still maintaining the Cornell criteria for left ventricular hypertrophy as well. The relative apical sparing by the disease process, as well as decreased cancellation of the opposing left ventricular walls could be responsible for this phenomenon. The discordance between the voltage in the frontal leads and precordial leads, when present in conjunction with other findings, may be helpful in raising the clinical suspicion of cardiac amyloidosis.


2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Aaro Salosensaari ◽  
Ville Laitinen ◽  
Aki S. Havulinna ◽  
Guillaume Meric ◽  
Susan Cheng ◽  
...  

AbstractThe collection of fecal material and developments in sequencing technologies have enabled standardised and non-invasive gut microbiome profiling. Microbiome composition from several large cohorts have been cross-sectionally linked to various lifestyle factors and diseases. In spite of these advances, prospective associations between microbiome composition and health have remained uncharacterised due to the lack of sufficiently large and representative population cohorts with comprehensive follow-up data. Here, we analyse the long-term association between gut microbiome variation and mortality in a well-phenotyped and representative population cohort from Finland (n = 7211). We report robust taxonomic and functional microbiome signatures related to the Enterobacteriaceae family that are associated with mortality risk during a 15-year follow-up. Our results extend previous cross-sectional studies, and help to establish the basis for examining long-term associations between human gut microbiome composition, incident outcomes, and general health status.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Roi Tschernichovsky ◽  
Lior H Katz ◽  
Estela Derazne ◽  
Matan Ben-Zion Berliner ◽  
Maya Simchoni ◽  
...  

Abstract Background Gliomas manifest in a variety of histological phenotypes with varying aggressiveness. The etiology of glioma remains largely unknown. Taller stature in adulthood has been linked with glioma risk. The aim of this study was to discern whether this association can be detected in adolescence. Methods The cohort included 2,223,168 adolescents between the ages of 16-19. Anthropometric measurements were collected at baseline. Incident cases of glioma were extracted from the Israel National Cancer Registry over a follow-up period spanning 47,635,745 person-years. Cox proportional hazard models were used to estimate the hazard ratio for glioma and glioma subtypes according to height, body mass index (BMI) and sex. Results 1,195 patients were diagnosed with glioma during the study period. Mean(SD) age at diagnosis was 38.1 (11.7) years. Taller adolescent height (per 10cm increase) was positively associated with the risk for glioma of any type (HR 1.15; p=0.002). The association was retained in subgroup analyses for low-grade glioma (HR 1.17; p=0.031), high-grade glioma (HR 1.15; p=0.025), oligodendroglioma (HR 1.31; p=0.015), astrocytoma (HR 1.12; p=0.049), and a category of presumed IDH-mutated glioma (HR 1.17; p=0.013). There was a trend towards a positive association between height and glioblastoma, however this had borderline statistical significance (HR: 1.15; p=0.07). After stratification of the cohort by sex, height remained a risk factor for men, but not for women. Conclusions The previously - established association between taller stature in adulthood and glioma risk can be traced back to adolescence. The magnitude of association differs by glioma subtype.


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