Inflammatory biomarkers in assessing severity and prognosis of immune checkpoint inhibitor-associated cardiotoxicity.

AIMS:Inflammatory biomarkers, including CRP, the neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), and the neutrophil-to-eosinophil ratio (NER), may predict outcomes in cancer. However, their value in immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI) therapy-associated cardiotoxicity remains elusive. We aimed to characterize the relationship of inflammatory markers with severity of ICI-related cardiotoxicities (iRCs) and prognosis among patients with iRCs.METHODS:Patients who were diagnosed with iRCs between January 2019 and December 2021 were retrospectively enrolled and were dichotomized based on iRC severity into low-grade (grade 1-2) vs. high-grade (grade 3-4) groups.RESULTS:Forty-seven patients were included. The median time-to-event from first ICI infusion to onset of iRCs was 35 days (IQR: 19.0-65.5 days). When compared with respective baseline values, cardiac biomarkers and inflammatory markers were significantly elevated at onset of iRCs. Compared with low-grade iRCs, NER at iRC onset was significantly increased among patients with high-grade iRCs (Group × Time, P < 0.01). When grouped by the median NER (184.33) at iRC onset, NER ≥ 184.33 was associated with high-grade iRCs (OR: 10.77, P < 0.05) and had a 36.3% increased mortality compared to the lower NER group (HR: 2.67, P < 0.05).CONCLUSIONS:In patients who develop iRCs, NER is significantly elevated at iRC onset, and higher NER correlates with greater iRC severity and higher mortality. Larger datasets are needed to validate these findings.

[Clinical characteristics of patients referred to cardio-oncology clinic].

To explore characteristics of outpatients in a single cardio-oncology clinic, patients visiting cardio-oncology clinic of Fuwai Hospital CAMS&PUMC (Beijing, China) from January 2020 to December 2021 were analyzed retrospectively. In total, 330 patients were included, the median age (Q1, Q3) was 58(46, 66) years, and there were 192 females (58.2%). The purposes for visit included an evaluation and treatment of cardiovascular adverse reactions (n=247, 74.8%), pre-antitumor therapy assessment (n=51, 15.5%), and management of primary or metastatic cardiac tumors (n=32, 9.7%). For patients with cardiovascular adverse reactions, the most common tumor type was breast cancer (n=88, 29.5%), followed by gastrointestinal cancer (n=70, 23.5%), and hematological cancers (n=62, 20.8%). Among them, 236 cases (95.5%) had received antitumor drugs in the past; 38 cases (15.4%) had a history of chest radiotherapy; some cases were complicated with hypertension (n=69, 23.2%) and/or hyperlipidemia (n=69, 23.2%); 42 cases (14.1%) had a history of coronary heart disease; and 16 cases (5.4%) were complicated with atrial fibrillation or flutter. Among 32 patients with cardiac tumors, 11 cases (34.4%) had primary malignant tumors; 6 cases (18.8%) had benign tumors; 2 cases (6.3%) had metastatic tumors; and 13 (40.6%) had unknown pathological types. This study explores the epidemiology of cardio-oncology in China and provides clinical insights for the future development of cardio-oncology. In the future, it is still necessary to study the benefits of cardio-oncology clinics and develop standardized indicators to evaluate their benefits.

Knowledge level of cardio-oncology in oncologist and cardiologist: a survey in China.

Traditional Chinese Medicine Compound (Tongxinluo) and Clinical Outcomes of Patients With Acute Myocardial Infarction: The CTS-AMI Randomized Clinical Trial.

Importance:Tongxinluo, a traditional Chinese medicine compound, has shown promise in in vitro, animal, and small human studies for myocardial infarction, but has not been rigorously evaluated in large randomized clinical trials.Objective:To investigate whether Tongxinluo could improve clinical outcomes in patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI).Design, Setting, and Participants:Randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial was conducted among patients with STEMI within 24 hours of symptom onset from 124 hospitals in China. Patients were enrolled from May 2019 to December 2020; the last date of follow-up was December 15, 2021.Interventions:Patients were randomized 1:1 to receive either Tongxinluo or placebo orally for 12 months (a loading dose of 2.08 g after randomization, followed by the maintenance dose of 1.04 g, 3 times a day), in addition to STEMI guideline-directed treatments.Main Outcomes and Measures:The primary end point was 30-day major adverse cardiac and cerebrovascular events (MACCEs), a composite of cardiac death, myocardial reinfarction, emergent coronary revascularization, and stroke. Follow-up for MACCEs occurred every 3 months to 1 year.Results:Among 3797 patients who were randomized, 3777 (Tongxinluo: 1889 and placebo: 1888; mean age, 61 years; 76.9% male) were included in the primary analysis. Thirty-day MACCEs occurred in 64 patients (3.4%) in the Tongxinluo group vs 99 patients (5.2%) in the control group (relative risk [RR], 0.64 [95% CI, 0.47 to 0.88]; risk difference [RD], -1.8% [95% CI, -3.2% to -0.6%]). Individual components of 30-day MACCEs, including cardiac death (56 [3.0%] vs 80 [4.2%]; RR, 0.70 [95% CI, 0.50 to 0.99]; RD, -1.2% [95% CI, -2.5% to -0.1%]), were also significantly lower in the Tongxinluo group than the placebo group. By 1 year, the Tongxinluo group continued to have lower rates of MACCEs (100 [5.3%] vs 157 [8.3%]; HR, 0.64 [95% CI, 0.49 to 0.82]; RD, -3.0% [95% CI, -4.6% to -1.4%]) and cardiac death (85 [4.5%] vs 116 [6.1%]; HR, 0.73 [95% CI, 0.55 to 0.97]; RD, -1.6% [95% CI, -3.1% to -0.2%]). There were no significant differences in other secondary end points including 30-day stroke; major bleeding at 30 days and 1 year; 1-year all-cause mortality; and in-stent thrombosis (<24 hours; 1-30 days; 1-12 months). More adverse drug reactions occurred in the Tongxinluo group than the placebo group (40 [2.1%] vs 21 [1.1%]; P = .02), mainly driven by gastrointestinal symptoms.Conclusions and Relevance:In patients with STEMI, the Chinese patent medicine Tongxinluo, as an adjunctive therapy in addition to STEMI guideline-directed treatments, significantly improved both 30-day and 1-year clinical outcomes. Further research is needed to determine the mechanism of action of Tongxinluo in STEMI.Trial Registration:ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT03792035.

Cardio-oncology: Shared Genetic, Metabolic, and Pharmacologic Mechanism.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW:The article aims to investigate the complex relationship between cancer and cardiovascular disease (CVD), with a focus on the effects of cancer treatment on cardiac health.RECENT FINDINGS:Advances in cancer treatment have improved long-term survival rates, but CVD has emerged as a leading cause of morbidity and mortality in cancer patients. The interplay between cancer itself, treatment methods, homeostatic changes, and lifestyle modifications contributes to this comorbidity. Recent research in the field of cardio-oncology has revealed common genetic mutations, risk factors, and metabolic features associated with the co-occurrence of cancer and CVD. This article provides a comprehensive review of the latest research in cardio-oncology, including common genetic mutations, risk factors, and metabolic features, and explores the interactions between cancer treatment and CVD drugs, proposing novel approaches for the management of cancer and CVD.

Combined use of low T3 syndrome and NT-proBNP as predictors for death in patients with acute decompensated heart failure.

BACKGROUND:In patients with established HF, low triiodothyronine syndrome (LT3S) is commonly present, and N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) is a useful marker for predicting death. This study was aimed to evaluate the prognostic value of LT3S in combination with NT-proBNP for risk of death in patients with heart failure (HF).METHODS:A total of 594 euthyroid patients hospitalized with acute decompensated HF were enrolled by design. Of these patients, 27 patients died during hospitalization and 100 deaths were identified in patients discharged alive during one year follow-up. Patients were divided into 2 groups on the base of the reference ranges of free T3 (FT3) levels: LT3S group (FT3 < 2.3pg/mL, n = 168) and non-LT3S group (FT3 ≥ 2.3pg/mL, n = 426).RESULTS:In multivariable Cox regression, LT3S was significantly associated with 1 year all-cause mortality (adjusted hazard ratio, 1.85; 95 % confidence interval [CI], 1.21 to 2.82; P = 0.005), but not significant for in-hospital mortality (adjusted hazard ratio, 1.58; 95 % CI, 1.58 to 2.82; P = 0.290) after adjustment for clinical variables and NT-proBNP. Addition of LT3S and NT-proBNP to the prediction model with clinical variables significantly improved the C statistic for predicting 1 year all-cause mortality.CONCLUSIONS:In patients with acute decompensated HF, the combination of LT3S and NT-proBNP improved prediction for 1 year all-cause mortality beyond established risk factors, but was not strong enough for in-hospital mortality.

Angiographic Scoring System for Predicting Successful Percutaneous Coronary Intervention of In-Stent Chronic Total Occlusion.

The purpose of this study was to develop a scoring model to predict the technical success of recanalizing via antegrade approach in-stent chronic total occlusion (IS-CTO) by percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). We retrospectively collected data from 474 patients who underwent an uneasy IS-CTO PCI via antegrade approach from January 2015 to December 2018, consecutively. We selected clinical and angiographic factors and utilized a derivation and validation cohort (4:1 sampling ratio) analysis. Factors with strong correlations with technical failure, according to multivariable analysis, were assigned 1 point, and a scoring system with a 4-point maximum was established. The model was then validated with a validation cohort. The overall procedural success rate was 77.4%. On multivariable analysis, the factors that correlated with technical failure were proximal bending (beta coefficient [β] = 2.142), tortuosity (β = 2.622), stent under expansion (β = 3.052), and poor distal landing zone (β = 2.004). The IS-CTO score demonstrated good calibration and excellent predicting capacity in the derivation (receiver-operator characteristic [ROC] area = 0.973 and Hosmer-Lemeshow chi-squared = 5.252; p = 0.072) and validation (ROC area = 0.976 and Hosmer-Lemeshow chi-squared = 0.916; p = 0.632) cohorts. In the validation subset, the IS-CTO score demonstrated superior performance to the Japanese chronic total occlusion score (J-CTO) and PROGRESS CTO scores for predicting technical success (area under the a curve [AUC] 0.976 vs. 0.642 vs. 0.579, respectively; difference in AUC between the IS-CTO score and J-CTO score = 0.334, p < 0.01; difference in AUC between the IS-CTO score and PROGRESS score = 0.397, p < 0.01). Our results suggest that the IS-CTO score system is a helpful tool to predict the technical success of IS-CTO PCI via antegrade approach in china. Graphical Abstract.

The impact of J-CTO score on in-stent chronic total occlusion percutaneous coronary intervention.

AIM:The purpose of this study was to investigate the impact of J-CTO (Multicenter Chronic Total Occlusion Registry of Japan) score on in-stent chronic total occlusion (IS-CTO) percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI).METHODS:A retrospective data collection was conducted on 474 patients undergoing a difficult IS-CTO PCI from January 2015 to December 2018. The primary endpoint (major adverse cardiovascular events [MACE]) consisted of target-vessel myocardial infarction (MI), cardiac death or ischemia-driven target-vessel revascularisation (TVR) at follow-up. The cut-off points were estimated by the Youden index.RESULTS:The overall procedural success rate was 77.6%. On multivariable analysis, factors including proximal bending (beta coefficient [β] = 3.465), tortuosity (β = 3.064), stent under expansion (β = 3.109) and poor distal landing zone (β = 1.959) were associated with technical failure via antegrade approach but not the J-CTO score (OR = 0.632; 95% CI [0.352-1.134]; P = .124). After a median follow-up of 30 months (interquartile range: 17-42 months), multivariable analysis revealed that receiving >18 months of dual antiplatelet therapy (DAPT) was an independent predictor of decreased risk of MACE (HR: 2.690; 95% CI: 1.346-5.347; P = .005). But the J-CTO score was not an independent predictor of MACE (HR: 1.018; 95% CI: 0.728-1.424; P = .917).CONCLUSIONS:J-CTO score system is not a helpful tool to predict the technical success of difficult IS-CTO PCI via antegrade approach, nor does it correlate with long-term outcomes in patients undergoing IS-CTO PCI. Nevertheless, factors associated with technical failure include proximal bending of ≥30 degrees, under expansion of ≥10 mm, moderate or severe tortuosity (bending) ≥20 and poor distal target. Long-term DAPT therapy contributes significantly to decreased MACE.

Elevated urinary albumin concentration predicts worse clinical outcomes in hospitalized acute decompensated heart failure patients.

OBJECTIVE:To investigate the prognostic value of elevated urinary albumin concentration (UAC) in hospitalized acute decompensated heart failure (ADHF) patients.METHODS:We measured UAC at baseline in 1818 hospitalized ADHF patients who were admitted to our Heart Failure Center. All patients were followed up for a median period of 937.5 days. The primary endpoint was a composite of all-cause death or heart transplantation (HTx) or left ventricular assist device (LVAD) implantation.RESULTS:In total, 41.5% of ADHF patients had albuminuria (UAC ≥ 20 mg/L). The median value of UAC was 15.5 mg/L. A total of 679 patients died or underwent HTx/LVAD during follow-up. The median UAC was significantly lower in non-HTx/LVAD survivors (14.3 mg/L) than in those who died or underwent HTx/LVAD (18.0 mg/L, P < 0.001). Compared with patients without albuminuria (reference, n = 1064), those with albuminuria had a 1.47-fold higher risk of all-cause death or HTx/LVAD (95% confidence interval [CI]:1.26-1.71, P < 0.001), with hazard ratios (HRs) of 1.42 (95% CI: 1.21-1.66) and 1.74 (95% CI: 1.33-2.26) in patients with microalbuminuria (20 mg/L ≤ UAC < 200 mg/L, n = 617) and macroalbuminuria (UAC ≥ 200 mg/L, n = 137), respectively (both P < 0.001). After adjustment for significant clinical risk factors, the albuminuria group had a higher risk of primary adverse events than the non-albuminuria group (HR = 1.28, 95% CI: 1.09-1.50, P = 0.003), with HRs of 1.27 [95% CI: 1.07-1.49] and 1.36 [95% CI: 1.01-1.84] in patients with microalbuminuria and macroalbuminuria, respectively (P = 0.006 and P = 0.041). The adjusted risk of primary adverse events also increased with the degree of albuminuria in the test for trend (HR = 1.21, 95% CI: 1.06-1.37, P for trend = 0.004). In the subgroup analysis, albuminuria had a significantly greater prognostic value for patients with left ventricular ejection fraction ≥ 40%, eGFR ≥ 60 mL/min/1.73 m2 , BUN/creatinine ratio ≥ 20 or NT-proBNP < 2098 pg/mL.CONCLUSION:The presence of albuminuria evaluated by UAC predicts adverse clinical outcomes in hospitalized ADHF patients.

Dose-response effect of postprocedural elevated cardiac troponin level on adverse clinical outcomes following adult noncardiac surgery: a systematic review protocol of prospective studies.

INTRODUCTION:Myocardial injury after noncardiac surgery has been recognised as an important complication associated with short-term and long-term morbidity and mortality. However, whether a higher level of postoperative cardiac troponin (cTn) is associated with a higher incidence of major complications remains controversial. Hence, we will conduct a comprehensive dose-response meta-analysis based on all relevant prospective studies to quantitatively evaluate the association between elevated postoperative cTn levels and short-/long-term adverse clinical outcomes following adult noncardiac surgery.METHODS:We will search the PubMed, EMBase, Cochrane Library, ISI Knowledge via Web of Science, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, Wanfang and VIP databases (from inception until October 2020) to identify all prospective cohort studies using the relevant keywords. The primary outcome will be all-cause mortality. The secondary outcomes will include cardiovascular mortality and major adverse cardiovascular events (MACEs). Univariable or multivariable meta-regression and subgroup analyses will be conducted for the comparison between elevated versus nonelevated categories of postoperative cTn levels. Sensitivity analyses will be used to assess the robustness of our results by removing each included study at one time to obtain and evaluate the remaining overall estimates of all-cause mortality or MACE. To conduct a dose-response meta-analysis for the potential linear or restricted cubic spline regression relationship between postoperative elevated cTn levels and all-cause mortality or MACE, studies with three or more categories will be included.ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION:Ethical approval is waived for the systematic review protocol according to the Institutional Review Board/Independent Ethics Committee of Fuwai Hospital. This meta-analysis will be disseminated through a peer-reviewed journal for publication and conference presentations.PROSPERO REGISTRATION NUMBER:CRD42020173175.

Inflammatory biomarkers in assessing severity and prognosis of immune checkpoint inhibitor-associated cardiotoxicity.

AIMS:Inflammatory biomarkers, including CRP, the neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), and the neutrophil-to-eosinophil ratio (NER), may predict outcomes in cancer. However, their value in immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI) therapy-associated cardiotoxicity remains elusive. We aimed to characterize the relationship of inflammatory markers with severity of ICI-related cardiotoxicities (iRCs) and prognosis among patients with iRCs.METHODS:Patients who were diagnosed with iRCs between January 2019 and December 2021 were retrospectively enrolled and were dichotomized based on iRC severity into low-grade (grade 1-2) vs. high-grade (grade 3-4) groups.RESULTS:Forty-seven patients were included. The median time-to-event from first ICI infusion to onset of iRCs was 35 days (IQR: 19.0-65.5 days). When compared with respective baseline values, cardiac biomarkers and inflammatory markers were significantly elevated at onset of iRCs. Compared with low-grade iRCs, NER at iRC onset was significantly increased among patients with high-grade iRCs (Group × Time, P < 0.01). When grouped by the median NER (184.33) at iRC onset, NER ≥ 184.33 was associated with high-grade iRCs (OR: 10.77, P < 0.05) and had a 36.3% increased mortality compared to the lower NER group (HR: 2.67, P < 0.05).CONCLUSIONS:In patients who develop iRCs, NER is significantly elevated at iRC onset, and higher NER correlates with greater iRC severity and higher mortality. Larger datasets are needed to validate these findings.

[Clinical characteristics of patients referred to cardio-oncology clinic].

To explore characteristics of outpatients in a single cardio-oncology clinic, patients visiting cardio-oncology clinic of Fuwai Hospital CAMS&PUMC (Beijing, China) from January 2020 to December 2021 were analyzed retrospectively. In total, 330 patients were included, the median age (Q1, Q3) was 58(46, 66) years, and there were 192 females (58.2%). The purposes for visit included an evaluation and treatment of cardiovascular adverse reactions (n=247, 74.8%), pre-antitumor therapy assessment (n=51, 15.5%), and management of primary or metastatic cardiac tumors (n=32, 9.7%). For patients with cardiovascular adverse reactions, the most common tumor type was breast cancer (n=88, 29.5%), followed by gastrointestinal cancer (n=70, 23.5%), and hematological cancers (n=62, 20.8%). Among them, 236 cases (95.5%) had received antitumor drugs in the past; 38 cases (15.4%) had a history of chest radiotherapy; some cases were complicated with hypertension (n=69, 23.2%) and/or hyperlipidemia (n=69, 23.2%); 42 cases (14.1%) had a history of coronary heart disease; and 16 cases (5.4%) were complicated with atrial fibrillation or flutter. Among 32 patients with cardiac tumors, 11 cases (34.4%) had primary malignant tumors; 6 cases (18.8%) had benign tumors; 2 cases (6.3%) had metastatic tumors; and 13 (40.6%) had unknown pathological types. This study explores the epidemiology of cardio-oncology in China and provides clinical insights for the future development of cardio-oncology. In the future, it is still necessary to study the benefits of cardio-oncology clinics and develop standardized indicators to evaluate their benefits.

Knowledge level of cardio-oncology in oncologist and cardiologist: a survey in China.

Traditional Chinese Medicine Compound (Tongxinluo) and Clinical Outcomes of Patients With Acute Myocardial Infarction: The CTS-AMI Randomized Clinical Trial.

Importance:Tongxinluo, a traditional Chinese medicine compound, has shown promise in in vitro, animal, and small human studies for myocardial infarction, but has not been rigorously evaluated in large randomized clinical trials.Objective:To investigate whether Tongxinluo could improve clinical outcomes in patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI).Design, Setting, and Participants:Randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial was conducted among patients with STEMI within 24 hours of symptom onset from 124 hospitals in China. Patients were enrolled from May 2019 to December 2020; the last date of follow-up was December 15, 2021.Interventions:Patients were randomized 1:1 to receive either Tongxinluo or placebo orally for 12 months (a loading dose of 2.08 g after randomization, followed by the maintenance dose of 1.04 g, 3 times a day), in addition to STEMI guideline-directed treatments.Main Outcomes and Measures:The primary end point was 30-day major adverse cardiac and cerebrovascular events (MACCEs), a composite of cardiac death, myocardial reinfarction, emergent coronary revascularization, and stroke. Follow-up for MACCEs occurred every 3 months to 1 year.Results:Among 3797 patients who were randomized, 3777 (Tongxinluo: 1889 and placebo: 1888; mean age, 61 years; 76.9% male) were included in the primary analysis. Thirty-day MACCEs occurred in 64 patients (3.4%) in the Tongxinluo group vs 99 patients (5.2%) in the control group (relative risk [RR], 0.64 [95% CI, 0.47 to 0.88]; risk difference [RD], -1.8% [95% CI, -3.2% to -0.6%]). Individual components of 30-day MACCEs, including cardiac death (56 [3.0%] vs 80 [4.2%]; RR, 0.70 [95% CI, 0.50 to 0.99]; RD, -1.2% [95% CI, -2.5% to -0.1%]), were also significantly lower in the Tongxinluo group than the placebo group. By 1 year, the Tongxinluo group continued to have lower rates of MACCEs (100 [5.3%] vs 157 [8.3%]; HR, 0.64 [95% CI, 0.49 to 0.82]; RD, -3.0% [95% CI, -4.6% to -1.4%]) and cardiac death (85 [4.5%] vs 116 [6.1%]; HR, 0.73 [95% CI, 0.55 to 0.97]; RD, -1.6% [95% CI, -3.1% to -0.2%]). There were no significant differences in other secondary end points including 30-day stroke; major bleeding at 30 days and 1 year; 1-year all-cause mortality; and in-stent thrombosis (<24 hours; 1-30 days; 1-12 months). More adverse drug reactions occurred in the Tongxinluo group than the placebo group (40 [2.1%] vs 21 [1.1%]; P = .02), mainly driven by gastrointestinal symptoms.Conclusions and Relevance:In patients with STEMI, the Chinese patent medicine Tongxinluo, as an adjunctive therapy in addition to STEMI guideline-directed treatments, significantly improved both 30-day and 1-year clinical outcomes. Further research is needed to determine the mechanism of action of Tongxinluo in STEMI.Trial Registration:ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT03792035.

Cardio-oncology: Shared Genetic, Metabolic, and Pharmacologic Mechanism.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW:The article aims to investigate the complex relationship between cancer and cardiovascular disease (CVD), with a focus on the effects of cancer treatment on cardiac health.RECENT FINDINGS:Advances in cancer treatment have improved long-term survival rates, but CVD has emerged as a leading cause of morbidity and mortality in cancer patients. The interplay between cancer itself, treatment methods, homeostatic changes, and lifestyle modifications contributes to this comorbidity. Recent research in the field of cardio-oncology has revealed common genetic mutations, risk factors, and metabolic features associated with the co-occurrence of cancer and CVD. This article provides a comprehensive review of the latest research in cardio-oncology, including common genetic mutations, risk factors, and metabolic features, and explores the interactions between cancer treatment and CVD drugs, proposing novel approaches for the management of cancer and CVD.

Combined use of low T3 syndrome and NT-proBNP as predictors for death in patients with acute decompensated heart failure.

BACKGROUND:In patients with established HF, low triiodothyronine syndrome (LT3S) is commonly present, and N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) is a useful marker for predicting death. This study was aimed to evaluate the prognostic value of LT3S in combination with NT-proBNP for risk of death in patients with heart failure (HF).METHODS:A total of 594 euthyroid patients hospitalized with acute decompensated HF were enrolled by design. Of these patients, 27 patients died during hospitalization and 100 deaths were identified in patients discharged alive during one year follow-up. Patients were divided into 2 groups on the base of the reference ranges of free T3 (FT3) levels: LT3S group (FT3 < 2.3pg/mL, n = 168) and non-LT3S group (FT3 ≥ 2.3pg/mL, n = 426).RESULTS:In multivariable Cox regression, LT3S was significantly associated with 1 year all-cause mortality (adjusted hazard ratio, 1.85; 95 % confidence interval [CI], 1.21 to 2.82; P = 0.005), but not significant for in-hospital mortality (adjusted hazard ratio, 1.58; 95 % CI, 1.58 to 2.82; P = 0.290) after adjustment for clinical variables and NT-proBNP. Addition of LT3S and NT-proBNP to the prediction model with clinical variables significantly improved the C statistic for predicting 1 year all-cause mortality.CONCLUSIONS:In patients with acute decompensated HF, the combination of LT3S and NT-proBNP improved prediction for 1 year all-cause mortality beyond established risk factors, but was not strong enough for in-hospital mortality.

Angiographic Scoring System for Predicting Successful Percutaneous Coronary Intervention of In-Stent Chronic Total Occlusion.

The purpose of this study was to develop a scoring model to predict the technical success of recanalizing via antegrade approach in-stent chronic total occlusion (IS-CTO) by percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). We retrospectively collected data from 474 patients who underwent an uneasy IS-CTO PCI via antegrade approach from January 2015 to December 2018, consecutively. We selected clinical and angiographic factors and utilized a derivation and validation cohort (4:1 sampling ratio) analysis. Factors with strong correlations with technical failure, according to multivariable analysis, were assigned 1 point, and a scoring system with a 4-point maximum was established. The model was then validated with a validation cohort. The overall procedural success rate was 77.4%. On multivariable analysis, the factors that correlated with technical failure were proximal bending (beta coefficient [β] = 2.142), tortuosity (β = 2.622), stent under expansion (β = 3.052), and poor distal landing zone (β = 2.004). The IS-CTO score demonstrated good calibration and excellent predicting capacity in the derivation (receiver-operator characteristic [ROC] area = 0.973 and Hosmer-Lemeshow chi-squared = 5.252; p = 0.072) and validation (ROC area = 0.976 and Hosmer-Lemeshow chi-squared = 0.916; p = 0.632) cohorts. In the validation subset, the IS-CTO score demonstrated superior performance to the Japanese chronic total occlusion score (J-CTO) and PROGRESS CTO scores for predicting technical success (area under the a curve [AUC] 0.976 vs. 0.642 vs. 0.579, respectively; difference in AUC between the IS-CTO score and J-CTO score = 0.334, p < 0.01; difference in AUC between the IS-CTO score and PROGRESS score = 0.397, p < 0.01). Our results suggest that the IS-CTO score system is a helpful tool to predict the technical success of IS-CTO PCI via antegrade approach in china. Graphical Abstract.

The impact of J-CTO score on in-stent chronic total occlusion percutaneous coronary intervention.

AIM:The purpose of this study was to investigate the impact of J-CTO (Multicenter Chronic Total Occlusion Registry of Japan) score on in-stent chronic total occlusion (IS-CTO) percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI).METHODS:A retrospective data collection was conducted on 474 patients undergoing a difficult IS-CTO PCI from January 2015 to December 2018. The primary endpoint (major adverse cardiovascular events [MACE]) consisted of target-vessel myocardial infarction (MI), cardiac death or ischemia-driven target-vessel revascularisation (TVR) at follow-up. The cut-off points were estimated by the Youden index.RESULTS:The overall procedural success rate was 77.6%. On multivariable analysis, factors including proximal bending (beta coefficient [β] = 3.465), tortuosity (β = 3.064), stent under expansion (β = 3.109) and poor distal landing zone (β = 1.959) were associated with technical failure via antegrade approach but not the J-CTO score (OR = 0.632; 95% CI [0.352-1.134]; P = .124). After a median follow-up of 30 months (interquartile range: 17-42 months), multivariable analysis revealed that receiving >18 months of dual antiplatelet therapy (DAPT) was an independent predictor of decreased risk of MACE (HR: 2.690; 95% CI: 1.346-5.347; P = .005). But the J-CTO score was not an independent predictor of MACE (HR: 1.018; 95% CI: 0.728-1.424; P = .917).CONCLUSIONS:J-CTO score system is not a helpful tool to predict the technical success of difficult IS-CTO PCI via antegrade approach, nor does it correlate with long-term outcomes in patients undergoing IS-CTO PCI. Nevertheless, factors associated with technical failure include proximal bending of ≥30 degrees, under expansion of ≥10 mm, moderate or severe tortuosity (bending) ≥20 and poor distal target. Long-term DAPT therapy contributes significantly to decreased MACE.

Elevated urinary albumin concentration predicts worse clinical outcomes in hospitalized acute decompensated heart failure patients.

OBJECTIVE:To investigate the prognostic value of elevated urinary albumin concentration (UAC) in hospitalized acute decompensated heart failure (ADHF) patients.METHODS:We measured UAC at baseline in 1818 hospitalized ADHF patients who were admitted to our Heart Failure Center. All patients were followed up for a median period of 937.5 days. The primary endpoint was a composite of all-cause death or heart transplantation (HTx) or left ventricular assist device (LVAD) implantation.RESULTS:In total, 41.5% of ADHF patients had albuminuria (UAC ≥ 20 mg/L). The median value of UAC was 15.5 mg/L. A total of 679 patients died or underwent HTx/LVAD during follow-up. The median UAC was significantly lower in non-HTx/LVAD survivors (14.3 mg/L) than in those who died or underwent HTx/LVAD (18.0 mg/L, P < 0.001). Compared with patients without albuminuria (reference, n = 1064), those with albuminuria had a 1.47-fold higher risk of all-cause death or HTx/LVAD (95% confidence interval [CI]:1.26-1.71, P < 0.001), with hazard ratios (HRs) of 1.42 (95% CI: 1.21-1.66) and 1.74 (95% CI: 1.33-2.26) in patients with microalbuminuria (20 mg/L ≤ UAC < 200 mg/L, n = 617) and macroalbuminuria (UAC ≥ 200 mg/L, n = 137), respectively (both P < 0.001). After adjustment for significant clinical risk factors, the albuminuria group had a higher risk of primary adverse events than the non-albuminuria group (HR = 1.28, 95% CI: 1.09-1.50, P = 0.003), with HRs of 1.27 [95% CI: 1.07-1.49] and 1.36 [95% CI: 1.01-1.84] in patients with microalbuminuria and macroalbuminuria, respectively (P = 0.006 and P = 0.041). The adjusted risk of primary adverse events also increased with the degree of albuminuria in the test for trend (HR = 1.21, 95% CI: 1.06-1.37, P for trend = 0.004). In the subgroup analysis, albuminuria had a significantly greater prognostic value for patients with left ventricular ejection fraction ≥ 40%, eGFR ≥ 60 mL/min/1.73 m2 , BUN/creatinine ratio ≥ 20 or NT-proBNP < 2098 pg/mL.CONCLUSION:The presence of albuminuria evaluated by UAC predicts adverse clinical outcomes in hospitalized ADHF patients.

Dose-response effect of postprocedural elevated cardiac troponin level on adverse clinical outcomes following adult noncardiac surgery: a systematic review protocol of prospective studies.

INTRODUCTION:Myocardial injury after noncardiac surgery has been recognised as an important complication associated with short-term and long-term morbidity and mortality. However, whether a higher level of postoperative cardiac troponin (cTn) is associated with a higher incidence of major complications remains controversial. Hence, we will conduct a comprehensive dose-response meta-analysis based on all relevant prospective studies to quantitatively evaluate the association between elevated postoperative cTn levels and short-/long-term adverse clinical outcomes following adult noncardiac surgery.METHODS:We will search the PubMed, EMBase, Cochrane Library, ISI Knowledge via Web of Science, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, Wanfang and VIP databases (from inception until October 2020) to identify all prospective cohort studies using the relevant keywords. The primary outcome will be all-cause mortality. The secondary outcomes will include cardiovascular mortality and major adverse cardiovascular events (MACEs). Univariable or multivariable meta-regression and subgroup analyses will be conducted for the comparison between elevated versus nonelevated categories of postoperative cTn levels. Sensitivity analyses will be used to assess the robustness of our results by removing each included study at one time to obtain and evaluate the remaining overall estimates of all-cause mortality or MACE. To conduct a dose-response meta-analysis for the potential linear or restricted cubic spline regression relationship between postoperative elevated cTn levels and all-cause mortality or MACE, studies with three or more categories will be included.ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION:Ethical approval is waived for the systematic review protocol according to the Institutional Review Board/Independent Ethics Committee of Fuwai Hospital. This meta-analysis will be disseminated through a peer-reviewed journal for publication and conference presentations.PROSPERO REGISTRATION NUMBER:CRD42020173175.