The effect of non-invasively obtained central blood pressure on cardiovascular outcome in diabetic patients in Assiut University Hospitals

Background The major cause of morbidity and mortality in diabetes is cardiovascular disease, which is exacerbated by the presence of hypertension. Therefore, proper control of BP in diabetic hypertensive patients is essential. Few studies have specifically investigated the prognostic significance of central BP in Egyptian populations with diabetes and hypertension and its relation with cardiovascular outcome. This study aims to evaluate relation between central BP and diabetic composite cardiovascular complications. Results Diabetic patients with CVD were significantly older (p value < 0.01), obese (p value < 0.01) with long duration of diabetes (p value < 0.001) and had significantly higher peripheral and central systolic and diastolic BP and higher AIx@75(p values < 0.01) than those without CVD. Regarding the metabolic parameters, they had significantly higher fasting blood glucose, HbA1c, and higher blood cholesterol levels (p values < 0.001), higher LDL (p value < 0.01), triglycerides levels (p value = 0.014), and microalbuminuria (p value = 0.028). Logistic regression analysis found increased BMI, central systolic BP, and AIx@75 were independent predictors of composite CVD (p values < 0.05). Conclusions There is a pattern of favorability towards central rather than peripheral BP indices to predict the occurrence of CVD in diabetic patients.

Series: Cardiovascular outcome trials for diabetes drugs Canagliflozin and the CANVAS Program, dapagliflozin and DECLARE-TIMI 58, ertugliflozin and VERTIS CV

EMPA-REG OUTCOME was a landmark trial with the sodium-glucose co-transporter-2 (SGLT2) inhibitor empagliflozin, which demonstrated significant reductions in major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE, a composite of cardiovascular death, non-fatal myocardial infarction and non-fatal stroke) driven by reductions in cardiovascular deaths and accompanied by an early reduction in hospitalisation for heart failure. This was followed by cardiovascular outcome trials with canagliflozin, dapagliflozin and ertugliflozin. The CANVAS Program was an integrated analysis of the CANVAS and CANVAS-R trials with canagliflozin. It demonstrated a significant reduction in MACE, but not in any of the components, and there was an unexpected increase in amputations and fractures with canagliflozin. The DECLARE-TIMI 58 trial with dapagliflozin had two co-primary endpoints. A composite endpoint of cardiovascular death or hospitalisation for heart failure was significantly reduced, but there was no significant difference in MACE comparing dapagliflozin with placebo. Analysis of patients with a prior myocardial infarction, however, demonstrated significant reductions in MACE. The VERTIS CV trial with ertugliflozin was disappointing as there was no difference in MACE comparing ertugliflozin and placebo. In all four trials a reduction in hospitalisation for heart failure was observed in patients with type 2 diabetes, regardless of whether they had existing atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease or increased cardiovascular risk. Pre-specified renal outcomes were reduced with empagliflozin, canagliflozin and dapagliflozin, and these drugs are now commonly used in the management of people with type 2 diabetes. It is hard to envisage an ongoing role for ertugliflozin in routine clinical management as the evidence for its cardiovascular benefit is not convincing.

Investigating the Effects of Dapagliflozin on Cardiac Function, Inflammatory Response, and Cardiovascular Outcome in Patients with STEMI Complicated with T2DM after PCI

Objective. To explore the effect of dapagliflozin on cardiac function, inflammation, and cardiovascular outcome in patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) combined with type 2 diabetes (T2DM) after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). Methods. 70 patients with STEMI and T2DM were divided into the control group (n = 35) and the observation group (n = 35). Before surgery, patients in both groups were given conventional treatments such as coronary expansion, antiplatelet, anticoagulation, and thrombolysis, and PCI was performed. After the operation, both groups were given conventional antiplatelet, anticoagulation, lipid-lowering, and hypoglycemic treatments. On this basis, the observation group was treated with dapagliflozin tablets for 24 weeks. We observe and compare the left ventricular end-diastolic diameter (LVEDD), left ventricular end-systolic diameter (LVESD) and left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF), myocardial enzyme spectrum, inflammatory reaction, and occurrence of adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) of the two groups of patients before and after treatment. Results. After treatment, the LVEDD and LVESD of the two groups were lower than those before treatment, and the observation group was lower than the control group (P < 0.05). The LVEF of both groups was higher than that before treatment, and the observation group was higher than the control group (P < 0.05). After treatment, the levels of two groups’ patients’ creatine kinase (CK), creatine kinase isoenzyme (CK-MB), and troponin I (cTnI) were all lower than those before treatment, and the observation group patients were all lower than the control group (P < 0.05). After treatment, the levels of serum myeloperoxidase (MPO), C-reactive protein (CRP), interleukin 6 (IL-6), and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) in the two groups were all lower than those before treatment, and the observation group patients were all lower than the control group (P < 0.05). After treatment, there was no statistical difference between the two groups of patients in cardiogenic death, recurrent myocardial infarction, and other adverse cardiovascular events (P > 0.05). But, the incidence of severe arrhythmia and heart failure in the observation group were both lower than those in the control group (P < 0.05). Kaplan–Meier survival curve analysis showed that the median survival time without MACE in the observation group was higher than that in the control group (P < 0.05). Conclusion. Dapagliflozin treatment for patients with STEMI combined with T2DM after PCI can improve cardiac function to certain extent, reduce inflammation, and will reduce the incidence of adverse cardiovascular outcomes.