Aims: There has been a shortage of human studies to elucidate the association between serum arsenic levels and the prevalence of hypertension. This study multidirectionally investigated associations among arsenic exposure, dietary ingestion, and the risk of hypertension by combined human epidemiological and mouse experimental studies.
Methods and results: This study focused on the total arsenic level in fasting serum, a biomarker of arsenic exposure. Associations among ingestion frequencies of 54 diet items of Japanese food separated into six categories, total arsenic level in fasting serum, and the prevalence of hypertension were investigated in 2709 general people in Japan. Logistic regression analysis demonstrated a dose-dependent association between serum arsenic level and hypertension and a positive association between the ingestion of fish meat and hypertension. Further analysis showed that the latter association was fully mediated by increased fasting serum arsenic levels in humans. Similarly, oral exposure to the putative human-equivalent dose of arsenic species mixture with the same ratios in a common fish meat in Japan increased systolic blood pressure and arsenic levels in fasting serum in mice.
Conclusion: This interdisciplinary approach suggests that fish-meat ingestion is a potential risk factor for arsenic-mediated hypertension. Because the increased consumption of fish meat is a recent global trend, health risks of the increased ingestion of arsenic via fish meat should be further investigated.
Graphical AbstractClinical outcomes and treatment adherence during 12 months follow-up. *Second bleeding event in same patient. PCI, percutaneous coronary intervention; TVR, target vessel revascularization.
[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1093/ehjopen/oead072.].
[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1093/ehjopen/oead063.].
Aims: Cangrelor is the only intravenous P2Y12 inhibitor available. Safety, efficacy, and transitioning from cangrelor to oral P2Y12 inhibitors were recorded in patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS). The ARCANGELO study aims to assess the safety of cangrelor on bleeding and the effects of the transition to oral P2Y12 inhibitors in a real-world setting according to the European Medical Agency's requirement.
Methods and results: Adult patients with ACS undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) receiving cangrelor were included in the study. Patients were followed for 30 days. Incidence of bleeding events, major adverse cardiac events, and transition strategy to oral P2Y12 were recorded. Among 1004 ACS patients undergoing PCI, 995 (99.1%) were eligible for the analysis; 597 (60.0%) of them had ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction. A total of 925 (93.1%) patients underwent PCI by radial catheter access, and 972 (97.2%) received drug-eluting stents. All eligible patients received bolus and cangrelor infusion between 2 and 4 h in 95% of the cases. A total of 730 patients (73.4%) received ticagrelor, 127 (12.8%) prasugrel, and 138 (13.9%) clopidogrel as transition therapy. Bleeding, according to Bleeding Academic Research Consortium (BARC) criteria, within 30 days post-PCI occurred in 5.2% of patients (95% confidence interval: 3.9-6.8%); 0.5% experienced a moderate (BARC 3), and all others mild (BARC 1-2) bleeding events. Major adverse cardiac events occurred in 14 (1.4%) patients, principally all-cause mortality (n = 6 patients) and myocardial infarction (n = 7 patients).
Conclusion: The use of cangrelor in ACS patients undergoing PCI and the transition strategy to P2Y12 inhibitors are confirmed as safe and effective in daily practice.
Aims: Increased blood flow eccentricity in the aorta has been associated with aortic (AO) pathology, however, its association with exercise capacity has not been investigated. This study aimed to assess the relationships between flow eccentricity parameters derived from 2-dimensional (2D) phase-contrast (PC) cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR) imaging and aging and cardiopulmonary exercise test (CPET) in a cohort of healthy subjects.
Methods and results: One hundred and sixty-nine healthy subjects (age 44 ± 13 years, M/F: 96/73) free of cardiovascular disease were recruited in a prospective study (NCT03217240) and underwent CMR, including 2D PC at an orthogonal plane just above the sinotubular junction, and CPET (cycle ergometer) within one week. The following AO flow parameters were derived: AO forward and backward flow indexed to body surface area (FFi, BFi), average flow displacement during systole (FDsavg), late systole (FDlsavg), diastole (FDdavg), systolic retrograde flow (SRF), systolic flow reversal ratio (sFRR), and pulse wave velocity (PWV). Exercise capacity was assessed by peak oxygen uptake (PVO2) from CPET. The mean values of FDsavg, FDlsavg, FDdavg, SRF, sFRR, and PWV were 17 ± 6%, 19 ± 8%, 29 ± 7%, 4.4 ± 4.2 mL, 5.9 ± 5.1%, and 4.3 ± 1.6 m/s, respectively. They all increased with age (r = 0.623, 0.628, 0.353, 0.590, 0.649, 0.598, all P < 0.0001), and decreased with PVO2 (r = -0.302, -0.270, -0.253, -0.149, -0.219, -0.161, all P < 0.05). A stepwise multivariable linear regression analysis using left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF), FFi, and FDsavg showed an area under the curve of 0.769 in differentiating healthy subjects with high-risk exercise capacity (PVO2 ≤ 14 mL/kg/min).
Conclusion: AO flow haemodynamics change with aging and predict exercise capacity.
Registration: NCT03217240.

