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The Framingham Study: Across 6 Decades, Cardiovascular Disease Among Middle-Aged Adults – mean life expectancy increased and the RLR of ASCVD decreased. Effective primary prevention efforts and better screening increased.

Posted in Atherogenic Processes & Pathology, Electrophysiology, Frontiers in Cardiology and Cardiovascular Disorders, HTN, inflammation independent of lipid levels, Origins of Cardiovascular Disease, Pharmacotherapy of Cardiovascular Disease, Population Health Management, Population Health Management, Genetics & Pharmaceutical, Systemic Inflammatory Diseases as CVD Risk, Vascular Diseases on April 22, 2022| Leave a Comment »

The Framingham Study: Across 6 Decades, Cardiovascular Disease Among Middle-Aged Adults – mean life expectancy increased and the RLR of ASCVD decreased. Effective primary prevention efforts and better screening increased.

Reporter: Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN

Temporal Trends in the Remaining Lifetime Risk of Cardiovascular Disease Among Middle-Aged Adults Across 6 Decades: The Framingham Study

Ramachandran S. Vasan

and

Originally published 18 Apr 2022

https://doi.org/10.1161/CIRCULATIONAHA.121.057889 Circulation. 2022;0

Abstract

Background: The remaining lifetime risk (RLR) is the probability of developing an outcome over the remainder of one’s lifespan at any given age. The RLR for atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) in three 20-year periods were assessed using data from a single community-based cohort study of predominantly White participants

Methods: Longitudinal data from the Framingham study in 3 epochs (epoch 1, 1960-1979; epoch 2, 1980-1999; epoch 3, 2000-2018) were evaluated. The RLR of a first ASCVD event (myocardial infarction, coronary heart disease death, or stroke) from 45 years of age (adjusting for competing risk of death) in the 3 epochs were compared overall, and according to the following strata: sex, body mass index, blood pressure and cholesterol categories, diabetes, smoking, and Framingham risk score groups.

Results: There were 317 849 person-years of observations during the 3 epochs (56% women; 94% White) and 4855 deaths occurred. Life expectancy rose by 10.1 years (men) to 11.9 years (women) across the 3 epochs. There were 1085 ASCVD events over the course of 91 330 person-years in epoch 1, 1330 ASCVD events over the course of 107 450 person years in epoch 2, and 775 ASCVD events over the course of 119 069 person-years in epoch 3. The mean age at onset of first ASCVD event was greater in the third epoch by 8.1 years (men) to 10.3 years (women) compared with the first epoch. The RLR of ASCVD from 45 years of age declined from 43.7% in epoch 1 to 28.1% in epoch 3 (P<0.0001), a finding that was consistent in both sexes (RLR [epoch 1 versus epoch 3], 36.3% versus 26.5% [women]; 52.5% versus 30.1% [men]; P<0.001 for both). The lower RLR of ASCVD in the last 2 epochs was observed consistently across body mass index, blood pressure, cholesterol, diabetes, smoking, and Framingham risk score strata (P<0.001 for all). The RLR of coronary heart disease events and stroke declined in both sexes (P<0.001).

Conclusions: Over the past 6 decades, mean life expectancy increased and the RLR of ASCVD decreased in the community based, predominantly White Framingham study. The residual burden of ASCVD underscores the importance of continued and effective primary prevention efforts with better screening for risk factors and their effective treatment.

SOURCE

https://www.ahajournals.org/doi/10.1161/CIRCULATIONAHA.121.057889#.Yl6sSKaYNF4.linkedin

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Precision Cardiology to Benefit from New Atlas of Cells of the Adult Human Heart

Posted in Cardiovascular Research, Frontiers in Cardiology and Cardiovascular Disorders, Origins of Cardiovascular Disease, Resident-cell-based, Single Cell Genomics, Single-cell sequencing, Systemic Inflammatory Diseases as CVD Risk, Variation in human protein-coding regions on September 29, 2020| Leave a Comment »

Precision Cardiology to Benefit from New Atlas of Cells of the Adult Human Heart

Reporters: Justin D. Pearlman, MD, PhD, FACC and Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN

The Voice of Dr. Pearlman on potential clinical implications of the New Atlas:

Published on 9/24/2020 in Nature

Litviňuková, M., Talavera-López, C., Maatz, H. et al. Cells of the adult human heart. Nature (2020). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-020-2797-4

Abstract

Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death worldwide. Advanced insights into disease mechanisms and therapeutic strategies require deeper understanding of the healthy heart’s molecular processes. Knowledge of the full repertoire of cardiac cells and their gene expression profiles is a fundamental first step in this endeavor. Here, using state-of-the-art analyses of large-scale single-cell and nuclei transcriptomes, we characterise six anatomical adult heart regions. Our results highlight the cellular heterogeneity of cardiomyocytes, pericytes, and fibroblasts, revealing distinct atrial and ventricular subsets with diverse developmental origins and specialized properties. We define the complexity of the cardiac vasculature and its changes along the arterio-venous axis. In the immune compartment we identify cardiac resident macrophages with inflammatory and protective transcriptional signatures. Further, inference of cell-cell interactions highlight different macrophage-fibroblast-cardiomyocyte networks between atria and ventricles that are distinct from skeletal muscle. Our human cardiac cell atlas improves our understanding of the human heart and provides a healthy reference for future studies.

Author information

Author notes

These authors contributed equally: Monika Litviňuková, Carlos Talavera-López, Henrike Maatz, Daniel Reichart

These authors jointly supervised this work: J. G. Seidman, Christine E. Seidman, Michela Noseda, Norbert Hubner, Sarah A. Teichmann

Affiliations

Cellular Genetics Programme, Wellcome Sanger Institute, Wellcome Genome Campus, Hinxton, Cambridge, CB10 1SA, United Kingdom

Monika Litviňuková, Carlos Talavera-López, Krzysztof Polanski, Kenny Roberts, Liz Tuck, Eirini S. Fasouli, Hongbo Zhang, Omer Bayraktar & Sarah A. Teichmann

Cardiovascular and Metabolic Sciences, Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine in the Helmholtz Association (MDC), Berlin, Germany

Monika Litviňuková, Henrike Maatz, Catherine L. Worth, Eric L. Lindberg, Masatoshi Kanda, Giannino Patone & Norbert Hubner

EMBL – EBI, Wellcome Genome Campus, Hinxton, Cambridge, CB10 1SA, United Kingdom

Carlos Talavera-López

Department of Genetics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States

Daniel Reichart, Emily R. Nadelmann, Daniel M. DeLaughter, Hiroko Wakimoto, Joshua M. Gorham, J. G. Seidman & Christine E. Seidman

Dept Physics/Cavendish Laboratory, University of Cambridge, JJ Thompson Ave, Cambridge, CB3 0EH, United Kingdom

Sarah A. Teichmann

Department of Cardiology, University Heart & Vascular Center, University of Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany

Daniel Reichart

National Heart and Lung Institute, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom

Michael Lee, Sara Samari, Joseph J. Boyle & Michela Noseda

British Heart Foundation Centre of Research Excellence and Centre of Regenerative Medicine, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom

Michela Noseda

Department of Surgery, University of Cambridge, NIHR Cambridge Biomedical Centre, and Cambridge Biorepository for Translational Medicine, Cambridge, United Kingdom

Krishnaa T. Mahbubani & Kourosh Saeb-Parsy

Charité-Universitätsmedizin, Berlin, Germany

Norbert Hubner

Berlin Institute of Health (BIH), Berlin, Germany

Norbert Hubner

DZHK (German Centre for Cardiovascular Research), Partner Site Berlin, Berlin, Germany

Barbara McDonough & Norbert Hubner

Cardiovascular Division, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Boston, MA, United States

Barbara McDonough & Christine E. Seidman

Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Chevy Chase, MD, United States

Christine E. Seidman

Institute of Computational Biology (ICB), HMGU, Neuherberg, Germany

Matthias Heinig

Department of Informatics, Technische Universitaet Muenchen (TUM), Munich, Germany

Matthias Heinig

Division of Cardiology, Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada

Hao Zhang, Anissa Viveiros & Gavin Y. Oudit

Mazankowski Alberta Heart Institute, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada

Hao Zhang, Anissa Viveiros & Gavin Y. Oudit

Department of Histology and Embryology of Zhongshan School of Medicine, Sun-Yat Sen University, Guangzhou, China

Hongbo Zhang

Department of Rheumatology and Clinical Immunology, Sapporo Medical University, Sapporo, Japan

Masatoshi Kanda

Corresponding authors

Correspondence to J. G. Seidman or Christine E. Seidman or Michela Noseda or Norbert Hubner or Sarah A. Teichmann.

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COVID concern in Cardiology: Asymptomatic patients who have been previously infected demonstrating evidence on MRI of scarring or myocarditis

Posted in Atherogenic Processes & Pathology, Biomarkers: Inflammation, Cardio-Oncology, COVID-19, COVID-19 effects on Human Heart, Frontiers in Cardiology and Cardiovascular Disorders, inflammation independent of lipid levels, Medical Imaging Technology, Image Processing/Computing, MRI, CT, Nuclear Medicine, Ultra Sound, Origins of Cardiovascular Disease, Population Health Management, Genetics & Pharmaceutical, SAR-Cov-2 a vasculotropic (blood vessels) RNA Virus, Systemic Inflammatory Diseases as CVD Risk, Treatment Protocols for COVID-19, Virus Infective Acute Respiratory Syndrome: SARS-CoV on September 21, 2020| Leave a Comment »

COVID concern in Cardiology: Asymptomatic patients who have been previously infected demonstrating evidence on MRI of scarring or myocarditis

Reporters: Justin D. Pearlman, MD, PhD, FACC and Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN

The Voice of Dr. Justin D. Pearlman, MD, PhD, FACC

Indeed, many viruses can cause inflammation and weakening of the heart.

So far there is no established action to take for prevention, and management is based on clinical manifestations of heart failure: shortness of breath, particularly if worse laying flat or worse with exertion, leg swelling (edema), blood tests showing elevated brain natriuretic peptide (BNP or proBNP, a marker of heart muscle strain), and a basic metabolic panel that may show “pre-renal azotemia” (elevation of BUN and Creatinine, typically in a ratio >20:1) and/or hyponatremia (sodium concentration below 135 mEq/dL). If any of the above are suspected, it is reasonable to get transthoracic echocardiography for systolic and diastolic function. If either systolic or diastolic function by ultrasound show significant impairment not improved by usual therapy (diuretic, ACEI/ARB/ARNI, blocker, aldosterone inhibitor e.g. spironolactone) then an MRI scar map may be considered (MRI scar maps show retention of gadolinium contrast agent by injured heart muscle, first demonstrated by Dr. Justin Pearlman during angiogenesis research MRI studies).

There is no controversy in the above, the controversy is a rush to expanded referral for cardiac MRI without clear clinical evidence of heart impairment, at a stage when there is no established therapy for possible detection of myocarditis (cardiac inflammation). General unproven measures for inflammation may include taking ginger and tumeric supplements if well tolerated by the stomach, drinking 2 cups/day of Rooibos Tea if well tolerated by the liver.

Canakinumab was recommended by one research group to treat inflammation and risk to the heart if the blood test hsCRP is elevated (in addition to potential weakening of muscle, inflammation activates complement, makes atherosclerosis lesions unstable, and thus may elevate risk of heart attack, stroke, renal failure or limb loss from blocked blood delivery). The canakinumab studies were published in NEJM and LANCET with claims of significant improvement in outcomes, but that was not approved by FDA or confirmed by other groups, even though it has biologic plausibility. https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-67361732247-X/fulltext

Some Heart Societies Agree on Cautions for COVID-Myocarditis Screening

— Official response has been modest, though

by Crystal Phend, Senior Editor, MedPage Today September 18, 2020

Such evidence of myocardial injury and inflammation on CMR turned up in a German study among people who recovered from largely mild or moderate cases of COVID-19 compared with healthy controls and risk factor-matched controls.

Then an Ohio State University study showed CMR findings suggestive of myocarditis in 15% of collegiate athletes after asymptomatic or mild SARS-CoV-2 infection.

But an open letter from some 50 medical professionals across disciplines emphasized that “prevalence, clinical significance and long-term implications” of such findings aren’t known. The letter called on the 18 professional societies to which it was sent on Tuesday to release clear guidance against CMR screening in the general population to look for post-COVID heart damage in the absence of symptoms.

The Society for Cardiac Magnetic Resonance quickly responded with a brief statement from its chief executive officer, Chiara Bucciarelli-Ducci, MD, PhD, agreeing that routine CMR in asymptomatic patients after COVID-19 “is currently not justified… and it should not be encouraged.”

She referred clinicians to the multisociety guidelines on clinical indications of CMR when deciding whether to scan COVID-19 patients. “While CMR is an excellent imaging tool for diagnosing myocarditis in patients with suspected disease, we do not recommend its use in patients without symptoms,” she added.

The American Heart Association didn’t put out any written statement but offered spokesperson Manesh Patel, MD, chair of its Diagnostic and Interventional Cath Committee.

“The American Heart Association’s position on this is that in general we agree that routine cardiac MRI should not be conducted unless in the course of a study” for COVID-19 patients, he said. “There’s a lot of evolving information around people with COVID, and certainly asymptomatic status, whether it’s recent or prior, it’s not clearly known what the MRI findings will mean or what the long-term implications are without both a control group and an understanding around population.”

The ACC opted against taking a stand. It provided MedPage Today with the following statement from ACC President Athena Poppas, MD:

“We appreciate the authors’ concerns about the potential mischaracterization of the long-term impact of myocarditis after a COVID-19 diagnosis and the need for well-designed clinical trials and careful, long term follow-up. The pandemic is requiring everyone make real-time decisions on how to best care for heart disease patients who may be impacted by COVID-19. The ACC is committed to helping synthesize and provide the most up-to-date, high quality information possible to the cardiovascular care team. We will continue to review and assess the scientific data surrounding cardiac health and COVID-19 and issue guidance to help our care team.”

While the open letter noted that some post-COVID patients have been asking for CMR, Walsh noted that primary care would likely see the brunt of any such influx. She personally has not had any patients ask to be screened.

SOURCE

https://www.medpagetoday.com/infectiousdisease/covid19/88704?xid=nl_covidupdate_2020-09-21

Effect of interleukin-1β inhibition with canakinumab on incident lung cancer in patients with atherosclerosis: exploratory results from a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial

Published:August 27, 2017DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(17)32247-X

Summary

Background

Inflammation in the tumour microenvironment mediated by interleukin 1β is hypothesised to have a major role in cancer invasiveness, progression, and metastases. We did an additional analysis in the Canakinumab Anti-inflammatory Thrombosis Outcomes Study (CANTOS), a randomised trial of the role of interleukin-1β inhibition in atherosclerosis, with the aim of establishing whether inhibition of a major product of the Nod-like receptor protein 3 (NLRP3) inflammasome with canakinumab might alter cancer incidence.

Methods

We did a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial of canakinumab in 10 061 patients with atherosclerosis who had had a myocardial infarction, were free of previously diagnosed cancer, and had concentrations of high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP) of 2 mg/L or greater. To assess dose–response effects, patients were randomly assigned by computer-generated codes to three canakinumab doses (50 mg, 150 mg, and 300 mg, subcutaneously every 3 months) or placebo. Participants were followed up for incident cancer diagnoses, which were adjudicated by an oncology endpoint committee masked to drug or dose allocation. Analysis was by intention to treat. The trial is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT01327846. The trial is closed (the last patient visit was in June, 2017).

Findings

Baseline concentrations of hsCRP (median 6·0 mg/L vs 4·2 mg/L; p<0·0001) and interleukin 6 (3·2 vs 2·6 ng/L; p<0·0001) were significantly higher among participants subsequently diagnosed with lung cancer than among those not diagnosed with cancer. During median follow-up of 3·7 years, compared with placebo, canakinumab was associated with dose-dependent reductions in concentrations of hsCRP of 26–41% and of interleukin 6 of 25–43% (p<0·0001 for all comparisons). Total cancer mortality (n=196) was significantly lower in the pooled canakinumab group than in the placebo group (p=0·0007 for trend across groups), but was significantly lower than placebo only in the 300 mg group individually (hazard ratio [HR] 0·49 [95% CI 0·31–0·75]; p=0·0009). Incident lung cancer (n=129) was significantly less frequent in the 150 mg (HR 0·61 [95% CI 0·39–0·97]; p=0·034) and 300 mg groups (HR 0·33 [95% CI 0·18–0·59]; p<0·0001; p<0·0001 for trend across groups). Lung cancer mortality was significantly less common in the canakinumab 300 mg group than in the placebo group (HR 0·23 [95% CI 0·10–0·54]; p=0·0002) and in the pooled canakinumab population than in the placebo group (p=0·0002 for trend across groups). Fatal infections or sepsis were significantly more common in the canakinumab groups than in the placebo group. All-cause mortality did not differ significantly between the canakinumab and placebo groups (HR 0·94 [95% CI 0·83–1·06]; p=0·31).

Interpretation

Our hypothesis-generating data suggest the possibility that anti-inflammatory therapy with canakinumab targeting the interleukin-1β innate immunity pathway could significantly reduce incident lung cancer and lung cancer mortality. Replication of these data in formal settings of cancer screening and treatment is required.

Funding

Novartis Pharmaceuticals.

SOURCE

https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-67361732247-X/fulltext

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The Role of Cholesterol Crystals in increase of NLRP3 Inflammasome affecting Coronary Artery Disease & Carotid Atherosclerosis

Posted in Atherogenic Processes & Pathology, Frontiers in Cardiology and Cardiovascular Disorders, Origins of Cardiovascular Disease, Systemic Inflammatory Diseases as CVD Risk, Vascular Diseases on September 15, 2020| Leave a Comment »

The Role of Cholesterol Crystals in increase of NLRP3 Inflammasome affecting Coronary Artery Disease & Carotid Atherosclerosis

Reporters: Justin D. Pearlman, MD, PhD, FACC and Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN

The Voice of Dr. Justin D. Pearlman, MD, PhD, FACC

Justin D. Pearlman, MD, PhD, FACC – Scientific Expert & Key Opinion Leader on Cardiovascular Diseases, Cardiac Imaging & Complex Diagnosis in Cardiology: Senior Editor & Author

The study published in Lancet https://www.thelancet.com/journals/ebiom/article/PIIS2352-3964(20)30361-3/fulltext

shows plausible evidence for a sequence of events following atheroma crystal formation in blood vessel walls leading to inflammation and consequential injuries from atherosclerosis. The liquid crystal behavior of atheroma was first demonstrated in original PhD dissertation by JDPearlman MD PhD who demonstrated that 0.5 C temperature shift at body temperature converts the physical state of atheroma lipids to crystalline, known as liquid-crystal behavior, and studies he performed with NMR (nuclear magnetic resonance) and EPR (electron paramagnetic resonance) demonstrated that triglyceride levels impact the transition temperature. The current study shows a cascade of responses to the atheroma crystallization that leads to damaging inflammation and risk of acute obstruction. In particular, the current study demonstrates accumulation of blood complement factor complexes C1q and C5b-9, along with increases in complement receptors C5aR1, C5aR2 and C3aR1. Priming human carotid plaques with C5a followed by cholesterol crystal incubation resulted in pronounced release of interleukins IL-1β, IL-18 and IL-1α. Further understanding of the dominant pathways linking atheroma crystallization to unstable plaque with clinical consequences (heart attack, stroke) points to additional opportunities for medication or gene therapy to mitigate the harm.

Cholesterol crystals use complement to increase NLRP3 signaling pathways in coronary and carotid atherosclerosis

Open AccessPublished:September 11, 2020 DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ebiom.2020.102985

Abstract

Background

During atherogenesis, cholesterol precipitates into cholesterol crystals (CC) in the vessel wall, which trigger plaque inflammation by activating the NACHT, LRR and PYD domains-containing protein 3 (NLRP3) inflammasome. We investigated the relationship between CC, complement and NLRP3 in patients with cardiovascular disease.

Methods

We analysed plasma, peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) and carotid plaques from patients with advanced atherosclerosis applying ELISAs, multiplex cytokine assay, qPCR, immunohistochemistry, and gene profiling.

Findings

Transcripts of interleukin (IL)-1beta(β) and NLRP3 were increased and correlated in PBMC from patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS). Priming of these cells with complement factor 5a (C5a) and tumour necrosis factor (TNF) before incubation with CC resulted in increased IL-1β protein when compared to healthy controls. As opposed to healthy controls, systemic complement was significantly increased in patients with stable angina pectoris or ACS. In carotid plaques, complement C1q and C5b-9 complex accumulated around CC-clefts, and complement receptors C5aR1, C5aR2 and C3aR1 were higher in carotid plaques compared to control arteries. Priming human carotid plaques with C5a followed by CC incubation resulted in pronounced release of IL-1β, IL-18 and IL-1α. Additionally, mRNA profiling demonstrated that C5a and TNF priming followed by CC incubation upregulated plaque expression of NLRP3 inflammasome components.

Interpretation

We demonstrate that CC are important local- and systemic complement activators, and we reveal that the interaction between CC and complement could exert its effect by activating the NLRP3 inflammasome, thus promoting the progression of atherosclerosis.

Keywords

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Dr. Giordano Featured in Forbes Article on COVID-19 Antibody Tests in Italy and USA

Posted in Biomarkers: Inflammation, Cancer Researchers Fighting COVID-19, Coronavirus Gene Expression, COVID-19, COVID-19, COVID-19 effects on Human Heart, COVID-19: Pandemic Surgery Guidance, Diagnostic Immunology, Diagnostics and Lab Tests, Economic Impact of Coronavirus Pandemic, Evolution of Biology Through Culture, Frontiers in Cardiology and Cardiovascular Disorders, Immune-Mediation (independent immunopathology: lung and reticuloendothelial system), Interviews with Key Opinion Leaders (KOLs), number of asymptomatic infections, Population Health Management, Population Health Management, Genetics & Pharmaceutical, SAR-Cov-2 a vasculotropic (blood vessels) RNA Virus, Scientific Publishing, Systemic Inflammatory Diseases as CVD Risk, tagged #italy, antibody tests, COVID-19, diagnostic antibody, diagnostic testing, Forbes, forbes magazine, immunoassay, key opinion leaders, SARS-CoV-2, scientific leaders on May 10, 2020| Leave a Comment »

Dr. Giordano Featured in Forbes Article on COVID-19 Antibody Tests in Italy and USA

Reporter: Stephen J. Williams, PhD

via Dr. Giordano Featured in Forbes Article on COVID-19 Antibody Tests in Italy and USA

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The role of PET/CT in diagnosing giant cell arteritis (GCA) and assessing the risk of ischemic events

Posted in Frontiers in Cardiology and Cardiovascular Disorders, inflammation independent of lipid levels, Medical Imaging Technology, Medical Imaging Technology, Image Processing/Computing, MRI, CT, Nuclear Medicine, Ultra Sound, Systemic Inflammatory Diseases as CVD Risk, Vascular Diseases on May 22, 2019| Leave a Comment »

The role of PET/CT in diagnosing giant cell arteritis (GCA) and assessing the risk of ischemic events

Reporter: Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN

May 20, 2019 — PET/CT images are offering evidence of a link between vascular patterns at the time of diagnosis for giant cell arteritis (GCA) and a patient’s risk of an ischemic event, Spanish researchers explained in a study published online on 12 May in the European Journal of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging.

The group found that patients with inflammation in vertebral arteries, which causes blood vessels to narrow, were five times more likely to develop ischemic symptoms. The information may be particularly helpful because GCA is difficult to diagnose in its early stages.

“Bearing in mind these results and our findings, we consider that the vertebral arteries should be carefully studied in patients with suspected GCA, not only to support the diagnosis but also to assess the risk of development of ischemic events,” wrote lead author Dr. Jaume Mestre-Torres and colleagues from Hospital Vall d’Hebron in Barcelona.

GCA’s challenges

Giant cell arteritis is an inflammatory disease that causes the large blood vessels to narrow and restrict blood flow. The affliction is typically seen in the temporal arteries and the aorta in adults older than 50. Currently, there is little information on how the disease develops, although there are indications that it may be linked to genetics.

The challenge for clinicians is that there are “no specific clinical symptoms that lead to the diagnosis of GCA, but headache and ischemic symptoms such as jaw claudication and transient visual loss or permanent visual loss may raise suspicion [of the disease],” the authors noted.

Results

In assessing visual loss, the team found no significant differences between patients with vertebral artery involvement and permanent visual loss (61.5%) and patients with vertebral artery issues and no permanent visual loss (58.8%) (p = 0.88). Interestingly, the presence of intrathoracic large-vessel vasculitis tended to protect against a patient’s likelihood of permanent visual loss.

In addition, “all patients with vertebral involvement but no aortic involvement showed ischemic manifestations at disease onset,” the researchers noted. “In contrast, none of the patients with aortic involvement but no vertebral hypermetabolism showed ischemic symptoms.”

SOURCE

https://www.auntminnieeurope.com/index.aspx?sec=sup&sub=mol&pag=dis&ItemID=617395

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@Cleveland Clinic – Serial measurements of high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP) post acute coronary syndrome (ACS) may help identify patients at higher risk for morbidity and mortality

Posted in Acute coronary syndrome, Acute Myocardial Infarction, Atherogenic Processes & Pathology, Cardiovascular Research, Frontiers in Cardiology and Cardiovascular Disorders, HTN, inflammation independent of lipid levels, Origins of Cardiovascular Disease, Pharmacotherapy of Cardiovascular Disease, Systemic Inflammatory Diseases as CVD Risk on May 5, 2019| Leave a Comment »

@Cleveland Clinic – Serial measurements of high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP) post acute coronary syndrome (ACS) may help identify patients at higher risk for morbidity and mortality

Reporter: Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN

Key Points

Question Are initial and serial increases in high-sensitivity C-reactive protein levels after acute coronary syndrome in medically optimized patients associated with increased risk of a major cardiac event, cardiovascular death, and all-cause death?

Findings In this secondary analysis of the VISTA-16 randomized clinical trial that included 5145 patients, baseline and longitudinal high-sensitivity C-reactive protein levels were independently associated with increased risk of a major adverse cardiac event, cardiovascular death, and all-cause death during the 16-week follow-up.

Meaning Monitoring high-sensitivity C-reactive protein levels in patients after acute coronary syndrome may help better identify patients at greater risk for recurrent cardiovascular events or death.

Abstract

Importance Higher baseline high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP) levels after an acute coronary syndrome (ACS) are associated with adverse cardiovascular outcomes. The usefulness of serial hsCRP measurements for risk stratifying patients after ACS is not well characterized.

Objective To assess whether longitudinal increases in hsCRP measurements during the 16 weeks after ACS are independently associated with a greater risk of a major adverse cardiac event (MACE), all-cause death, and cardiovascular death.

Results Among 4257 patients in this study, 3141 (73.8%) were men and the mean age was 60.3 years (interquartile range [IQR], 53.5-67.8 years). The median 16-week low-density lipoprotein cholesterol level was 64.9 mg/dL (IQR, 50.3-82.3 mg/dL), and the median hsCRP level was 2.4 mg/L (IQR, 1.1-5.2 mg/L). On multivariable analysis, higher baseline hsCRP level (hazard ratio [HR], 1.36 [95% CI, 1.13-1.63]; P = .001) and higher longitudinal hsCRP level (HR, 1.15 [95% CI, 1.09-1.21]; P < .001) were independently associated with MACE. Similar significant and independent associations were shown between baseline and longitudinal hsCRP levels and cardiovascular death (baseline: HR, 1.61 per SD [95% CI, 1.07-2.41], P = .02; longitudinal: HR, 1.26 per SD [95% CI, 1.19-1.34], P < .001) and between baseline and longitudinal hsCRP levels and all-cause death (baseline: HR, 1.58 per SD [95% CI, 1.07-2.35], P = .02; longitudinal: HR, 1.25 per SD [95% CI, 1.18-1.32], P < .001).

Conclusions and Relevance Initial and subsequent increases in hsCRP levels during 16 weeks after ACS were associated with a greater risk of the combined MACE end point, cardiovascular death, and all-cause death despite established background therapies. Serial measurements of hsCRP during clinical follow-up after ACS may help to identify patients at higher risk for mortality and morbidity.

SOURCE

https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamacardiology/fullarticle/2725734

Inflammation’s role in residual risk

Residual risk of cardiovascular events or death remains high following ACS, despite coronary revascularization and optimal guideline-directed treatment with antiplatelet and LDL cholesterol-lowering agents. Inflammation is thought to drive this risk, but no effective treatment for such inflammation is commercially available. The secretory phospholipase A2 inhibitor varespladib was developed to meet this need, and it was evaluated in VISTA-16.

VISTA-16 was an international, multicenter clinical trial that randomized 5,145 patients in a double-blind manner to varespladib or placebo on a background of atorvastatin treatment within 96 hours of presentation with ACS. The trial was terminated early due to futility and likely harm from the drug, which was subsequently pulled from development.

Implications for practice

The association of increasing CRP levels with residual cardiovascular risk may prompt more intensive treatment to lower this risk. In particular, a secondary analysis showed that use of antiplatelet agents (clopidogrel, ticlopidine and prasugrel) was associated with stable or decreasing hsCRP levels.

“Monitoring not only lipids but also hsCRP after ACS may help us better identify patients at increased risk for recurrent cardiovascular events or death,” notes Dr. Puri. “High or increasing CRP levels could be an indication to optimize dual antiplatelet therapy post-ACS, along with high-intensity statin therapy (and possibly PCSK9 inhibitors) and antihypertensive therapy, in addition to instituting measures that are globally beneficial, such as dietary modifications and cardiac rehabilitation/exercise.”

SOURCE

https://consultqd.clevelandclinic.org/increasing-inflammation-correlates-with-residual-risk-after-acute-coronary-syndrome/amp/?__twitter_impression=true

The HFE H63D variant confers an increased risk for hypertension, no increased risk for adverse cardiovascular events or substantial left ventricular remodeling

Posted in Frontiers in Cardiology and Cardiovascular Disorders, Gene Regulation, Genetic Mutations in Congenital Heart Disease, Genetics & Innovations in Treatment, Genetics & Pharmaceutical, Genome Biology, HTN, Origins of Cardiovascular Disease, Systemic Inflammatory Diseases as CVD Risk on November 12, 2018| Leave a Comment »

The HFE H63D variant confers an increased risk for hypertension, no increased risk for adverse cardiovascular events or substantial left ventricular remodeling

Reporter: Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN

Conclusion:

The HFE H63D variant confers an increased risk for hypertension per allele and, given its frequency, accounts for a significant number of cases of hypertension. However, there was no increased risk for adverse cardiovascular events or substantial left ventricular remodeling.

HFE H63D Polymorphism and the Risk for Systemic Hypertension, Myocardial Remodeling, and Adverse Cardiovascular Events in the ARIC Study

Senthil Selvaraj

,

Sara Seidelmann

,

Odilson M. Silvestre

,

Brian Claggett

,

Chiadi E. Ndumele

,

Susan Cheng

,

Bing Yu

,

Miguel M. Fernandes-Silva

,

Megan L. Grove

,

Eric Boerwinkle

,

Amil M. Shah

, and

Scott D. Solomon

Originally published12 Nov 2018Hypertension. 2018;0:HYPERTENSIONAHA.118.11730

Abstract

H63D has been identified as a novel locus associated with the development of hypertension. The quantitative risks for hypertension, cardiac remodeling, and adverse events are not well studied. We analyzed white participants from the ARIC study (Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities) with H63D genotyping (N=10 902). We related genotype status to prevalence of hypertension at each of 5 study visits and risk for adverse cardiovascular events. Among visit 5 participants (N=4507), we related genotype status to echocardiographic features. Frequencies of wild type (WT)/WT, H63D/WT, and H63D/H63D were 73%, 24.6%, and 2.4%. The average age at baseline was 54.9±5.7 years and 47% were men. Participants carrying the H63D variant had higher systolic blood pressure (P=0.004), diastolic blood pressure (0.012), and more frequently had hypertension (P<0.001). Compared with WT/WT, H63D/WT and H63D/H63D participants had a 2% to 4% and 4% to 7% absolute increase in hypertension risk at each visit, respectively. The population attributable risk of H63D for hypertension among individuals aged 45 to 64 was 3.2% (95% CI, 1.3–5.1%) and 1.3% (95% CI, 0.0–2.4%) among individuals >65 years. After 25 years of follow-up, there was no relationship between genotype status and any outcome (P>0.05). H63D/WT and H63D/H63D genotypes were associated with small differences in cardiac remodeling. In conclusion, the HFE H63D variant confers an increased risk for hypertension per allele and, given its frequency, accounts for a significant number of cases of hypertension. However, there was no increased risk for adverse cardiovascular events or substantial left ventricular remodeling.

Footnotes

The online-only Data Supplement is available with this article at https://www.ahajournals.org/doi/suppl/10.1161/HYPERTENSIONAHA.118.11730.

Correspondence to Scott D. Solomon, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, 75 Francis St, Boston, MA 02115. Email ssolomon@rics.bwh.harvard.edu

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Cholesterol Lowering Novel PCSK9 drugs: Praluent [Sanofi and Regeneron] vs Repatha [Amgen] – which drug cuts CV risks enough to make it cost-effective?

Posted in Atherogenic Processes & Pathology, Epigenetics and Cardiovascular Risks, Fatty acids, Frontiers in Cardiology and Cardiovascular Disorders, inflammation independent of lipid levels, Lipid metabolism, Lipidomics, Lipids, Origins of Cardiovascular Disease, PCSK9 Inhibitor Therapy, Pharmaceutical R&D Informatics, Pharmacogenomics, Pharmacotherapy of Cardiovascular Disease, Systemic Inflammatory Diseases as CVD Risk, Value-based Drug Pricing on March 12, 2018| Leave a Comment »

Cholesterol Lowering Novel PCSK9 drugs: Praluent [Sanofi and Regeneron] vs Repatha [Amgen] – which drug cuts CV risks enough to make it cost-effective?

Reporter: Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN

UPDATED on 4/5/2022

Early PCSK9 Inhibition in AMI Yields Plaque Regression

Ted Bosworth

April 05, 2022

https://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/971582?spon=2&uac=93761AJ&impID=4140595&sso=true&faf=1&src=WNL_mdpls_220405_mscpedit_card

https://www.mdedge.com/cardiology/article/253443/lipid-disorders/early-pcsk9-inhibition-ami-yields-plaque-regression

UPDATED on 1/15/2019

In the patent fight over PCSK9 inhibitors, the Supreme Court refused to hear Amgen’s appeal of a 2017 court decision allowing Sanofi and Regeneron to continue selling alirocumab (Praluent). Amgen still has a new patent trial starting in Delaware federal court next month, FiercePharma reports.

Amgen’s Repatha hits wall at SCOTUS but presses ahead—new price breaks included

by Arlene Weintraub |

Jan 9, 2019 12:04pm

Amgen has been trying since 2015 to protect its PCSK9 cholesterol drug Repatha by keeping Sanofi and Regeneron’s rival Praluent off the market, even going as far as to ask the U.S. Supreme Court to review an ongoing patent fight.

But that attempt fell short this week as SCOTUS refused to hear the company’s appeal of a 2017 court decision allowing Sanofi and Regeneron to continue selling its head-to-head rival.

Amgen isn’t giving up the fight, though. The company is prepping for a new patent trial starting in Delaware federal court next month. And it’s responding to long-standing criticism of the high cost of PCSK9 drugs, which hit the market in 2015 at list prices of about $14,000 a year.

Amgen had already brought the price of the biweekly version of Repatha down to $5,850 per year before discounts and rebates, and late Monday it said it would lower cost of the monthly injectable dose to that same level.

SOURCE

https://www.fiercepharma.com/pharma/amgen-suffers-setback-repatha-patent-case-but-vows-to-press-as-it-gives-patients-a-second

UPDATED on 11/13/2018

ODYSSEY OUTCOMES: Alirocumab Cost-effective at $6000 a Year

Marlene Busko

November 11, 2018

CHICAGO — Treatment with the proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 (PCSK9) inhibitor alirocumab (Praluent, Sanofi/Regeneron) is cost-effective at $6319 a year when the willingness-to-pay threshold is the generally accepted $100,000 per quality-adjusted life-year (QALY), new research reports.

Deepak L. Bhatt, MD, MPH, Brigham and Women’s Hospital Heart and Vascular Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, presented these cost-effectiveness findings for alirocumab, based on data from the ODYSSEY OUTCOMES trial, here at the American Heart Association (AHA) 2018 Scientific Sessions

As previously reported, results from ODYSSEY OUTCOMES were presented at American College of Cardiology (ACC) 2018 Annual Scientific Session in March and the study was published November 7 in the New England Journal of Medicine.

Strengths of the current cost analysis include that it used actual trial data as opposed to modeling estimates, Bhatt pointed out to theheart.org | Medscape Cardiology.

SOURCE

https://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/904744?nlid=126063_3866&src=WNL_mdplsfeat_181113_mscpedit_card&uac=93761AJ&spon=2&impID=1799507&faf=1

Did Amgen’s Repatha cut CV risks enough to make it cost-effective? Analysts say no

Sanofi, Regeneron’s Praluent pulls off PCSK9 coup with 29% cut to death risks in most vulnerable patients

by Eric Sagonowsky |

Mar 10, 2018 9:00am

https://www.fiercepharma.com/pharma/sanofi-regeneron-praluent-odyssey-outcomes?mkt_tok=eyJpIjoiWldSaFpqYzBZelExTmpCaCIsInQiOiJaU3RXSXQ0NzQ1dFdYV3BsXC8ySTd6WlJMejZxZXVEV2RQMDhGd1B6WUZnNXZTT1VVT0ZjZ1A0SCthYTBEMUQ0RWZRbk1cL2pGYVZHdDVoRzhwc01MTnNseU9tM3V2RmlrV0dtOFVRUUZlUEFoWVZGeXlPb0tQWWJ4bFJielVVMFpCIn0%3D&mrkid=993697

SEE our curations on PCSK9 drugs:

https://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/wp-admin/edit.php?s=PCSK9&post_status=all&post_type=post&action=-1&m=0&cat=0&paged=1&action2=-1

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Systemic Inflammatory Diseases as Crohn’s disease, Rheumatoid Arthritis and Longer Psoriasis Duration May Mean Higher CVD Risk

Posted in Frontiers in Cardiology and Cardiovascular Disorders, Origins of Cardiovascular Disease, Systemic Inflammatory Diseases as CVD Risk, Systemic Inflammatory Response Related Disorders on October 9, 2017| Leave a Comment »

Systemic Inflammatory Diseases as Crohn’s disease, Rheumatoid Arthritis and Longer Psoriasis Duration May Mean Higher CVD Risk

Reporter: Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN

Longer Psoriasis Duration May Mean Higher CVD Risk

Effect size ‘similar to that of smoking’

Several studies have shown that methotrexate, which has anti-inflammatory effects, reduces CV risk in patients with rheumatoid arthritis, suggesting that good anti-inflammatory control may be expected to reduce CV risk in patients with psoriasis.

Menter has worked closely with the senior author of the current study, Nehal Mehta, MD, of the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia, to identify cardiovascular issues in the psoriasis population. In one recent study, investigators found that the prevalence of moderate-to-severe coronary calcification was similar between patients with psoriasis and those with type 2 diabetes, and approximately five times greater than healthy controls.

Investigators found that moderate-to-severe psoriasis was a significantly stronger predictor of coronary calcification than type 2 diabetes, and the effect was independent of known CV and cardiometabolic risk factors.

SOURCE

https://www.medpagetoday.com/Dermatology/Psoriasis/68429?xid=nl_mpt_cardiodaily_2017-10-09&eun=g99985d0r