scholarly journals Cardiovascular risk assessment using ASCVD risk score in fibromyalgia: a single-centre, retrospective study using “traditional” case control methodology and “novel” machine learning

2021 ◽  
Vol 61 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Sandeep Surendran ◽  
C. B. Mithun ◽  
Merlin Moni ◽  
Arun Tiwari ◽  
Manu Pradeep

Abstract Background In autoimmune inflammatory rheumatological diseases, routine cardiovascular risk assessment is becoming more important. As an increased cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk is recognized in patients with fibromyalgia (FM), a combination of traditional CVD risk assessment tool with Machine Learning (ML) predictive model could help to identify non-traditional CVD risk factors. Methods This study was a retrospective case–control study conducted at a quaternary care center in India. Female patients diagnosed with FM as per 2016 modified American College of Rheumatology 2010/2011 diagnostic criteria were enrolled; healthy age and gender-matched controls were obtained from Non-communicable disease Initiatives and Research at AMrita (NIRAM) study database. Firstly, FM cases and healthy controls were age-stratified into three categories of 18–39 years, 40–59 years, and ≥ 60 years. A 10 year and lifetime CVD risk was calculated in both cases and controls using the ASCVD calculator. Pearson chi-square test and Fisher's exact were used to compare the ASCVD risk scores of FM patients and controls across the age categories. Secondly, ML predictive models of CVD risk in FM patients were developed. A random forest algorithm was used to develop the predictive models with ASCVD 10 years and lifetime risk as target measures. Model predictive accuracy of the ML models was assessed by accuracy, f1-score, and Area Under 'receiver operating Curve' (AUC). From the final predictive models, we assessed risk factors that had the highest weightage for CVD risk in FM. Results A total of 139 FM cases and 1820 controls were enrolled in the study. FM patients in the age group 40–59 years had increased lifetime CVD risk compared to the control group (OR = 1.56, p = 0.043). However, CVD risk was not associated with FM disease severity and disease duration as per the conventional statistical analysis. ML model for 10-year ASCVD risk had an accuracy of 95% with an f1-score of 0.67 and AUC of 0.825. ML model for the lifetime ASCVD risk had an accuracy of 72% with an f1-score of 0.79 and AUC of 0.713. In addition to the traditional risk factors for CVD, FM disease severity parameters were important contributors in the ML predictive models. Conclusion FM patients of the 40–59 years age group had increased lifetime CVD risk in our study. Although FM disease severity was not associated with high CVD risk as per the conventional statistical analysis of the data, it was among the highest contributor to ML predictive model for CVD risk in FM patients. This also highlights that ML can potentially help to bridge the gap of non-linear risk factor identification.

2021 ◽  
pp. 194173812110048
Author(s):  
Alec J. Moorman ◽  
Larry S. Dean ◽  
Eugene Yang ◽  
Jonathan A. Drezner

Context: Limited data are available to guide cardiovascular screening in adult or masters athletes (≥35 years old). This review provides recommendations and the rationale for the cardiovascular risk assessment of older athletes. Evidence Acquisition: Review of available clinical guidelines, original investigations, and additional searches across PubMed for articles relevant to cardiovascular screening, risk assessment, and prevention in adult athletes (1990-2020). Study Design: Clinical review. Level of Evidence: Level 3. Results: Atherosclerotic coronary artery disease (CAD) is the leading cause of exercise-induced acute coronary syndromes, myocardial infarction, and sudden cardiac death in older athletes. Approximately 50% of adult patients who experience acute coronary syndromes and sudden cardiac arrest do not have prodromal symptoms of myocardial ischemia. The risk of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) can be estimated by using existing risk calculators. ASCVD 10-year risk is stratified into 3 categories: low-risk (≤10%), intermediate-risk (between 10% and 20%), and high-risk (≥20%). Coronary artery calcium (CAC) scoring with noncontrast computed tomography provides a noninvasive measure of subclinical CAD. Evidence supports a significant association between elevated CAC and the risk of future cardiovascular events, independent of traditional risk factors or symptoms. Statin therapy is recommended for primary prevention if 10-year ASCVD risk is ≥10% (intermediate- or high-risk patients) or if the Agatston score is >100 or >75th percentile for age and sex. Routine stress testing in asymptomatic, low-risk patients is not recommended. Conclusions: We propose a comprehensive risk assessment for older athletes that combines conventional and novel risk factors for ASCVD, a 12-lead resting electrocardiogram, and a CAC score. Available risk calculators provide a 10-year estimate of ASCVD risk allowing for risk stratification and targeted management strategies. CAC scoring can refine risk estimates to improve the selection of patients for initiation or avoidance of pharmacological therapy.


BMJ Open ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (11) ◽  
pp. e043487
Author(s):  
Hao Luo ◽  
Kui Kai Lau ◽  
Gloria H Y Wong ◽  
Wai-Chi Chan ◽  
Henry K F Mak ◽  
...  

IntroductionDementia is a group of disabling disorders that can be devastating for persons living with it and for their families. Data-informed decision-making strategies to identify individuals at high risk of dementia are essential to facilitate large-scale prevention and early intervention. This population-based case–control study aims to develop and validate a clinical algorithm for predicting dementia diagnosis, based on the cognitive footprint in personal and medical history.Methods and analysisWe will use territory-wide electronic health records from the Clinical Data Analysis and Reporting System (CDARS) in Hong Kong between 1 January 2001 and 31 December 2018. All individuals who were at least 65 years old by the end of 2018 will be identified from CDARS. A random sample of control individuals who did not receive any diagnosis of dementia will be matched with those who did receive such a diagnosis by age, gender and index date with 1:1 ratio. Exposure to potential protective/risk factors will be included in both conventional logistic regression and machine-learning models. Established risk factors of interest will include diabetes mellitus, midlife hypertension, midlife obesity, depression, head injuries and low education. Exploratory risk factors will include vascular disease, infectious disease and medication. The prediction accuracy of several state-of-the-art machine-learning algorithms will be compared.Ethics and disseminationThis study was approved by Institutional Review Board of The University of Hong Kong/Hospital Authority Hong Kong West Cluster (UW 18-225). Patients’ records are anonymised to protect privacy. Study results will be disseminated through peer-reviewed publications. Codes of the resulted dementia risk prediction algorithm will be made publicly available at the website of the Tools to Inform Policy: Chinese Communities’ Action in Response to Dementia project (https://www.tip-card.hku.hk/).


2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Peter Piko ◽  
Zsigmond Kosa ◽  
Janos Sandor ◽  
Roza Adany

AbstractCardiovascular diseases (CVDs) are the number one cause of death globally, and the early identification of high risk is crucial to prevent the disease and to reduce healthcare costs. Short life expectancy and increased mortality among the Roma are generally accepted (although not indeed proven by mortality analyses) which can be partially explained by the high prevalence of cardiovascular risk factors (CVRF) among them. This study aims to elaborate on the prevalence of the most important CVD risk factors, assess the estimation of a 10-year risk of development of fatal and nonfatal CVDs based on the most used risk assessment scoring models, and to compare the Hungarian general (HG) and Roma (HR) populations. In 2018 a complex health survey was accomplished on the HG (n = 380) and HR (n = 347) populations. The prevalence of CVRS was defined and 10-year cardiovascular risk was estimated for both study populations using the following systems: Framingham Risk Score for hard coronary heart disease (FRSCHD) and for cardiovascular disease (FRSCVD), Systematic COronary Risk Evaluation (SCORE), ACC/AHA Pooled Cohort Equations (PCE) and Revised Pooled Cohort Equations (RPCE). After the risk scores had been calculated, the populations were divided into risk categories and all subjects were classified. For all CVD risk estimation scores, the average of the estimated risk was higher among Roma compared to the HG independently of the gender. The proportion of high-risk group in the Hungarian Roma males population was on average 1.5–3 times higher than in the general one. Among Roma females, the average risk value was higher than in the HG one. The proportion of high-risk group in the Hungarian Roma females population was on average 2–3 times higher compared to the distribution of females in the general population. Our results show that both genders in the Hungarian Roma population have a significantly higher risk for a 10-year development of cardiovascular diseases and dying from them compared to the HG one. Therefore, cardiovascular interventions should be focusing not only on reducing smoking among Roma but on improving health literacy and service provision regarding prevention, early recognition, and treatment of lipid disorders and diabetes among them.


2021 ◽  
Vol 80 (Suppl 1) ◽  
pp. 377.1-377
Author(s):  
I. Sheriff ◽  
A. Lima ◽  
O. Tseng ◽  
A. Aviña ◽  
M. Dawes ◽  
...  

Background:Inflammatory arthritis (IA) predisposes patients to several chronic conditions including cardiovascular diseases (CVD), diabetes (DM), osteoporosis (OP) and infections, likely due to systemic effects of inflammation. Studies have found that patients with IA often receive suboptimal care for screening and managing these conditions.Objectives:This is the first phase of a study which will develop and pilot test automated EMR reminders for family physicians. The reminders will prompt family physicians to screen for and address risk factors for these conditions. We conducted a Delphi process to select care recommendations to be addressed by the EMR reminders.Methods:We conducted a review of current BC, Canadian and international guidelines for screening and addressing risk factors for CVD, DM, OP and infection. A list of 22 care recommendations, including their level of evidence and risks/benefits of implementation, was reviewed by a panel of six family physicians, three rheumatologists and three IA patients, in a three-round online modified Delphi process. Panelists rated each care recommendation, using 9-point scales, on 1) their clinical importance, 2) their likelihood of improving outcomes, and 3) implementation feasibility. Results were discussed in an online forum. Panelists then rated slightly revised care recommendations, modified based on feedback from the discussion. Care recommendations were retained if the median rating was ≥7 with no disagreement as defined by the RAND/UCLA Method handbook.Results:A list of 15 care recommendations was selected by the Delphi process for EMR integration, including recommendations that address CVD risk assessment (1), hypertension screening (1), DM screening (2), fracture risk assessment (1), BMD testing (1), osteoporosis prevention (1) and treatment (1) with bisphosphonates, preventing infections through immunization (2), minimizing steroids (1) and hepatitis screening (1), screening for hydroxychloroquine retinal toxicity (1), and counselling for lifestyle modifications (2). We excluded 7 recommendations which addressed lipid testing (1), BMD testing in steroid users (1), immunizations (2), weight management (1), and DMARD laboratory test monitoring (2). Recommendations were excluded on the basis of importance (1) or feasibility (6).Conclusion:The results of the Delphi process will inform the development of reminders, integrated in EMRs, that will support family physicians in their efforts to engage IA patients in addressing risk factors for chronic diseases related to inflammation. We hope to improve the prevention of these diseases, which represent an important cause of morbidity and mortality for people with inflammatory arthritis.Acknowledgements:Iman Sheriff’s work on this project was funded by the CRA summer studentship programme. Dr. Lacaille is supported by the Mary Pack Chair in Arthritis Research from UBC and The Arthritis Society of Canada. Thank you to all who participated in the Delphi survey.Disclosure of Interests:None declared


2020 ◽  
Vol 30 (Supplement_5) ◽  
Author(s):  
L Palmieri ◽  
S Vannucchi ◽  
C Lo Noce ◽  
A Di Lonardo ◽  
B Unim ◽  
...  

Abstract Background Italian National Prevention Plan 2005-08 included 10-year cardiovascular risk assessment (10-CR) for the general population aged 35-69 years using the CUORE Project risk score. GPs were encouraged to perform 10-CR and send data to the Cardiovascular Risk Observatory (CRO). Aim To show updated data of the ongoing surveillance system of the 10-CR in the Italian adult population. Methods Data were collected using the cuore.exe software, freely downloadable by GPs from the CUORE Project website (www.cuore.iss.it). The CRO provides a web-platform to compare data on 10-CR and risk factors at regional/national level. For persons examined at least twice, variations in risk factors from baseline to follow-up and 95% confidence intervals (C.I.) were calculated using methods for matched pair samples. Results Up to February 2019, about 3,500 GPs downloaded cuore.exe; about 300,000 CR assessments on about 140,000 persons were sent to CRO. Mean CR was 3.1% in women (W), 8.5% in men (M); 28% of M, 64% of W were at low risk (CR < 3%); 9.9% of M, 0.4% of W were at high risk (CR ≥ 20%); 26% of M, 16% of W were current smokers; 13% of M, 10% of W were diabetic; 33% of hypertensive M, 35% of hypertensive W were under specific treatment. Among those with at least two risk assessments (31% of the sample), 11% shifted to a lower risk class after one year (14% of M, 7% of W). Systolic blood pressure mean levels decreased by 0.6 mmHg (95%-C.I. 0.3-0.8 mmHg), diastolic blood pressure by 0.5 mmHg (0.2-0.7 mmHg), total cholesterol by 4.1 mg/dl (3.0-5.2 mg/dl), smokers prevalence by 3.1% (2.3%-4.0%); HDL-cholesterol increased in W by 0.3 mg/dl (0.1-0.5 mg/dl). Conclusions Data demonstrate that 10-CR assessment can be an effective first step to implement preventive actions in primary care. Individual risk score is a useful tool for GPs to assess CR and promote primary prevention focusing on the adoption of healthy lifestyles. Data can be used to support health policy decision process. Key messages The cuore.exe software, freely downloadable from the CUORE Project website-www.cuore.iss.it, allows GPs to assess the CUORE Project risk score, to collect and to send data to the CVD Risk Observatory. 10 year Cardiovascular Risk assessment in the general adult population can be an effective first step to implement preventive actions in primary care.


2020 ◽  
Vol 41 (Supplement_2) ◽  
Author(s):  
A Salasyuk ◽  
S Nedogoda ◽  
I Barykina ◽  
V Lutova ◽  
E Popova

Abstract Background Metabolic syndrome (MetS) and abdominal obesity are one of the most common CVD risk factors among young and mature patients. However, the currently used CVD risk assessment scales may underestimate the CV risk in people with obesity and MS. Early vascular aging rather than chronological aging can conceptually offer better risk prediction. MetS, as accumulation of classical risk factors, leads to acceleration of early vascular aging. Since an important feature of MetS is its reversibility, an adequate risk assessment and early start of therapy is important in relation to the possibilities of preventing related complications. Purpose To derive a new score for calculation vascular age and predicting EVA in patients with MetS. Methods Prospective open cohort study using routinely collected data from general practice. The derivation cohort consisted of 1000 patients, aged 35–80 years with MetS (IDF,2005 criteria). The validation cohort consisted of 484 patients with MetS and carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity (cfPWV) values exceeding expected for average age values by 2 or more SD (EVA syndrome). Results In univariate analysis, EVA was significantly correlated with the presence of type 2 diabetes and clinical markers of insulin resistance (IR), body mass index (BMI), metabolic syndrome severity score (MetS z-score), uric acid (UA) level, hsCRP, HOMA-IR, total cholesterol (TC), triglycerides (TG), heart rate (HR), central aortic blood pressure (CBP), diastolic blood pressure (DBP). Multiple logistic regression shown, that presence of type 2 diabetes and IR were associated with greater risk of EVA; the odds ratios were 2.75 (95% CI: 2.34, 3.35) and 1.57 (95% CI: 1.16, 2.00), respectively. In addition, the risk of having EVA increased by 76% with an increase in HOMA-IR by 1 unit, by 17% with an increase in hsCRP by 1 mg/l, by 4% with an increase in DBP by 1 mm Hg, and by 1% with each 1 μmol / L increase in the level of UA. The area under the curve for predicting EVA in patients with MetS was 0,949 (95% CI 0,936 to 0,963), 0,630 (95% CI 0,589 to 0,671), 0,697 (95% CI 0,659 to 0,736) and 0,686 (95% CI 0,647 to 0,726), for vascular age, calculated from cfPWV, SCORE scale, QRISK-3 scale and Framingham scale, respectively. Diabetes mellitus and clinical markers of IR (yes/no), HOMA-IR and UA level were used to develop a new VAmets score for EVA prediction providing a total accuracy of 0.830 (95% CI 0,799 to 0,860). Conclusion cfPWV at present the most widely studied index of arterial stiffness, fulfills most of the stringent criteria for a clinically useful biomarker of EVA in patients with MetS. Although, parallel efforts for effective integration simple clinical score into clinical practice have been offered. Our score (VAmets) may accurately identify patients with MetS and EVA on the basis of widely available clinical variables and classic cardiovascular risk factors can prioritize using of vascular age in routine care. ROC-curves for predicting EVA in MetS Funding Acknowledgement Type of funding source: None


2019 ◽  
Vol 29 (Supplement_4) ◽  
Author(s):  
L Palmieri ◽  
B Unim ◽  
E Mattei ◽  
M Tijhuis ◽  
A Fehr ◽  
...  

Abstract Background Identification of high risk individuals is one of the main goals of the primary prevention of cardiovascular disease (CVD) and constitutes the basis for implementing actions aiming at reducing modifiable risk factors at individual level through changing life styles or drug interventions. The most appropriate method for identifying high risk individuals is the absolute risk assessment, a probability indicator of incidence, predictable on the basis of risk factors levels. Objectives The CUORE project score of the National Institute of Health-ISS is adopted in Italy; since 2007 ISS has implemented a national training course for General Practitioners-GPs with the aim of supporting and facilitating the use of CVD risk assessment in clinical practice as a preventive action in the general population. Results The training course is based on five sequential packages linked to educational credits: packages 1-2 facilitate the adoption of standardised methodologies for the assessment of CVD risk score; in package 3 patients are invited by GPs to assess the risk score; packages 4-5 evaluate and discuss data collected with GPs and stakeholders. A cascade training was implemented: ISS personnel provided training to local GPs who in turn provided the same training to other GPs. Two manuals for the training course were published. Since 2007 about 4,300 GPs were trained; about 320,000 10-year CVD risk assessments were performed in 260,000 men and women aged 35-69 years. Feedback was provided to all GPs participating to the 4th-5th packages of the training courses. Conclusions Implementation of the training course for the use of CVD risk assessment in the population represents a primary preventive action according to the recommendation of the EU Guideline on CVD prevention. The collected data may play an important role in the identification of strengths and weaknesses of preventive actions and represents the first step to improve good clinical practices standards.


Heart ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 105 (16) ◽  
pp. 1273-1278 ◽  
Author(s):  
Laura Benschop ◽  
Johannes J Duvekot ◽  
Jeanine E Roeters van Lennep

Hypertensive disorders of pregnancy (HDP), such as gestational hypertension and pre-eclampsia, affect up to 10% of all pregnancies. These women have on average a twofold higher risk to develop cardiovascular disease (CVD) later in life as compared with women with normotensive pregnancies. This increased risk might result from an underlying predisposition to CVD, HDP itself or a combination of both. After pregnancy women with HDP show an increased risk of classical cardiovascular risk factors including chronic hypertension, renal dysfunction, dyslipidemia, diabetes and subclinical atherosclerosis. The prevalence and onset of cardiovascular risk factors depends on the severity of the HDP and the coexistence of other pregnancy complications. At present, guidelines addressing postpartum cardiovascular risk assessment for women with HDP show a wide variation in their recommendations. This makes cardiovascular follow-up of women with a previous HDP confusing and non-coherent. Some guidelines advise to initiate cardiovascular follow-up (blood pressure, weight and lifestyle assessment) 6–8 weeks after pregnancy, whereas others recommend to start 6–12 months after pregnancy. Concurrent blood pressure monitoring, lipid and glucose assessment is recommended to be repeated annually to every 5 years until the age of 50 years when women will qualify for cardiovascular risk assessment according to all international cardiovascular prevention guidelines.


2001 ◽  
Vol 127 (3) ◽  
pp. 399-404 ◽  
Author(s):  
T. D. TENKATE ◽  
R. J. STAFFORD

Campylobacter infection has one of the highest rates of all the notifiable diseases in Australia, with a peak in children aged 0–35 months. A matched case-control study was conducted to investigate risk factors for campylobacter infection for children in this age group. Eighty-one cases and 144 controls were enrolled in the study that was conducted between 24 January 1996 and 21 January 1997. The following risk factors were found to be independently associated with illness: ownership of pet puppies (adjusted odds ratio [OR] 16·58, 95% confidence interval [CI] 3·73–73·65) and pet chickens (OR 11·80, CI 1·37–101·75), and consumption of mayonnaise (OR 4·13, CI 1·61–10·59). We propose that children aged less than 3 years are at risk of campylobacter infection if residing in a household which has puppies or chickens as pets.


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