Open Heart最新文献

Background: Previous studies have suggested an adverse role of epicardial adipose tissue (EAT) in aortic stenosis (AS), potentially mediated by direct effects on the myocardium. This study aimed to assess whether EAT volume and density are associated with cardiac remodelling and clinical outcomes in a well-phenotyped cohort of patients with initially asymptomatic AS.

Methods: In this post hoc exploratory analysis of a multicentre, prospective longitudinal study, asymptomatic patients with moderate-to-severe AS (n=136; age 68.6 (60.1, 75.3) years, 27% female) and control participants (n=39; age 59.0 (54.0, 67.0) years, 38% female) underwent echocardiography, cardiac CT and MRI. EAT volume and mean CT attenuation were measured from non-contrast cardiac CT using an automated deep learning software. The primary outcome was symptoms necessitating valve replacement, cardiovascular death or major adverse cardiac event.

Results: Participants with AS had significantly higher indexed EAT volumes (56.5 vs 38.8 cm³/m², p<0.001) and lower EAT attenuation (-76.3 vs -69.9 Hounsfield units, p<0.001). Both measures were correlated with markers of AS severity. Indexed EAT volume was not associated with cardiac remodelling in AS after correcting for confounding variables; however, a higher mean EAT CT attenuation was associated with higher indexed left ventricular mass. There were 42 (31%) primary outcome events over a median of 370 days. Lower indexed EAT volume and higher mean CT attenuation were associated with the outcome, independent of age and sex. Indexed EAT volume remained negatively associated after further adjustment for AS severity.

Conclusion: Indexed EAT volume was higher in patients with AS, but not associated with MRI markers of cardiac remodelling. A higher indexed EAT volume was independently associated with a lower occurrence of symptoms and cardiovascular events. Further studies are needed to corroborate these findings and whether EAT has a potentially protective role in symptom progression in AS.

Trial registration numbers: NCT03518645, NCT03132129.

Aims: Heart failure (HF) often coexists with chronic kidney disease (CKD), impacting prognosis. This study aims to evaluate renal function trajectories and their impact on major clinical outcomes in a cohort of patients hospitalised for 'de novo' HF with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF).

Methods: This is a prospective cohort study that included patients hospitalised for 'de novo' HFrEF at two university hospitals. Renal function was assessed using the CKD-Epidemiology Collaboration formula. Total mortality and the combined total mortality and HF readmissions were evaluated during follow-up.

Results: Of 370 patients, 306 were eligible. At discharge, 24.6% had estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) <45 mL/min/1.73 m². Higher eGFR at discharge was associated with better outcomes. During follow-up, 79.1% showed eGFR ≥45 mL/min/1.73 m². Patients with stable or improved eGFR had lower total mortality and HF readmission rates. Factors associated with renal function improvement or stabilisation included less prior CKD, hypertension and younger age, higher eGFR values at discharge and more use of quadruple therapy at the end of uptitration period.

Conclusions: In patients with 'de novo' HFrEF, renal function deterioration at discharge correlated with poorer outcomes. However, stabilisation or improvement during follow-up was linked to better prognosis. Routine renal function assessment is crucial in HFrEF management, guiding personalised treatment strategies to mitigate renal function decline and improve patient care.

Introduction: Ischaemic heart disease (IHD) remains a leading cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide and poses an increasing public health challenge in India. The rising incidence of myocardial infarction, especially among younger individuals, is concerning.

Aim: To compare cardiovascular risk factors, clinical presentation, angiographic patterns and reperfusion characteristics between younger and older adults presenting with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI).

Methods: A cross-sectional analytical study was conducted among 260 patients admitted to a tertiary care hospital in South India with a first episode of STEMI. Participants were selected using convenience sampling and included 65 younger adults (≤45 years) and 195 older adults (>45 years) in a 1:3 ratio. Data were obtained through structured interviews and review of the medical records. Continuous variables were analysed using the Independent Student's t-test or Mann-Whitney U test, while categorical variables were assessed using the χ² or Fisher's exact test. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were performed with results reported as ORs and adjusted ORs with 95% CIs.

Results: The mean age was 40.14±15.79 years in the younger group and 60.84±8.25 years in the older group. Younger patients had a significantly higher male predominance, greater alcohol consumption, positive family history of premature cardiovascular disease, shorter sleep duration and higher anxiety scores. In contrast, older adults have a significantly higher prevalence of hypertension and diabetes mellitus. Multiple logistic regression revealed an increase in average sleep duration was associated with a 0.57-unit increase in the log-odds of being aged >45 years. On the contrary, the anxiety score was inversely associated with older adults (β=-0.10; AOR=0.90; 95% CI 0.82 to 0.99).

Conclusion: Younger patients with acute STEMI exhibited an increased burden of modifiable lifestyle and psychosocial risk factors, emphasising the need for age-specific preventive interventions.

Background: Guidelines permit up to 360 J for synchronised biphasic electrical cardioversion (ECV) in atrial fibrillation (AF) lasting >48 hours. The CHESS randomised trial reported higher first-shock success with fixed 360 J versus a low-escalation 125-150-200 J sequence. Much of this evidence used adhesive pads without manual pressure and anterior-posterior positioning. We evaluated a 200 J-first, fixed-escalation biphasic ECV protocol delivered with a standardised technique in an emergency department (ED).

Methods: Single-centre retrospective observational study of consecutive adults undergoing elective ECV for symptomatic AF >48 hours (2019-2021). Procedures used hand-held paddles with firm chest pressure in the anterolateral (AL) position under deep sedation. The predefined sequence was 200→300→360 J if needed. The primary outcome was restoration of sinus rhythm (SR) documented on a 12-lead ECG within 120 min. Secondary outcomes were first shock success at 200 J, cumulative efficacy, SR to discharge without post-ECV antiarrhythmics, adverse events and subgroup efficacy. Results were contrasted descriptively with 360 J-first cohorts (CHESS).

Results: Of 451 ECV procedures identified, 374 were eligible. The primary outcome was achieved in 97.3% (364/374; 95% CI 95.5 to 98.7). First-shock success with 200 J was 88.0% (329/374; 95% CI 84.3 to 90.9). Escalation to 300 J and 360 J was required in 44 and 15 patients. SR was maintained to discharge in converted patients. Two minor adverse events occurred (2/374, 0.5%) and no serious adverse events were recorded.

Conclusions: A 200 J-first, fixed-escalation biphasic protocol with a standardised technique (manual paddles, firm pressure, AL placement) achieved high first-shock and excellent cumulative efficacy for AF>48 hours in real-world ED care without routine pharmacologic adjuncts. Findings support considering a 200 J-first approach and motivate pragmatic multicentre randomised controlled trials directly comparing 200 J-first versus 360 J-first under harmonised technique with objective safety endpoints.

Background: Persistent atrial fibrillation (AF) remains challenging to treat with catheter ablation. The left atrial posterior wall (PW) may represent an important non-pulmonary vein (PV) substrate; however, randomised trials have not demonstrated improved outcomes with adjunctive PW isolation (PWI), potentially reflecting technical limitations of thermal ablation rather than a lack of mechanistic relevance. Pulsed-field ablation (PFA) is a non-thermal ablation modality that selectively targets myocardial tissue and may enable safer and more consistent PWI. We compared real-world outcomes of PFA and radiofrequency ablation (RFA) for combined PV isolation and PWI in patients with persistent AF.

Methods: 200 consecutive patients (100 PFA and 100 RFA) undergoing combined PVI and PWI were retrospectively followed for up to 12 months. Baseline characteristics were broadly similar; however, PFA patients had lower left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) (43.5% (35.5-55.5%) vs 47% (40-58), p=0.01) and higher CHA₂DS₂-VA risk score (3 (2-4) vs 2 (1-3), p=0.01). Primary outcomes were acute procedural success and freedom from recurrent atrial tachyarrhythmia (AT) at 6 and 12 months.

Results: PFA achieved near-universal PWI compared with RFA (99% vs RFA: 65%, p<0.005), with shorter procedure duration (106 vs 143.5 min, p<0.005), reduced left atrial dwell time (62 vs 98 min, p<0.005), and faster time to PVI and PWI (all p<0.005). Major non-vascular complications were uncommon (1.5%) and similar between groups. At 12 months, freedom from recurrent AT was higher with PFA (70% vs RFA 54%, p=0.03), with lower odds of first detected AT recurrence in adjusted time-to-event analysis (OR 0.46 (0.26-0.82), p=0.009).

Conclusions: In this real-world cohort, PFA was associated with a higher rate of acute PWI and greater freedom from AT compared with RFA, without a signal of increased complications. Prospective randomised studies are needed to define the role of PWI delivered with PFA in patients with persistent AF, including those with reduced LVEF.

Background: International guidelines recommend percutaneous coronary intervention within 120 min for high-risk acute coronary syndrome. In Indonesia, a sprawling archipelago with a rising cardiovascular burden, the ministry of health is expanding catheterisation laboratory (cath lab) infrastructure. This study aims to evaluate the current distribution, population coverage and 'effective access' to cath labs to inform equitable infrastructure planning.

Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional geospatial analysis using a primary hospital survey (January-June 2024) to identify 335 functional cath labs. Travel times were estimated from the midpoints of all inhabited subdistricts (kecamatan) to the nearest facility using road network modelling. Primary outcomes included cath lab density per million population and the proportion of the population within successive 30 min travel thresholds. Secondary outcomes assessed 'effective coverage' by adjusting for National Health Insurance (BPJS) credentialing.

Results: Nationally, cath lab density is 1.23 per million population, with a median travel time of 54 min. While 73.0% of the total population can reach a facility within 120 min, stark disparities exist: 95% of urban residents have 2-hour access compared with 66.9% in rural areas. Regionally, Java (92.3%) and Bali (91.5%) show high coverage, while Papua and Maluku face critical gaps, with >80% of the population requiring more than 3 hours of travel. 46.3% of cath labs are covered by BPJS, and only 5.1% offer documented 24/7 service. When accounting for insurance status, national 2-hour coverage drops from 73.0% to 63.5%.

Conclusion: Although geographical access appears moderate at a national level, Indonesia's cardiovascular infrastructure is highly inequitable and operationally constrained. Many provinces meet density benchmarks but lack geographical coverage or financial/operational readiness. Beyond Indonesia, this approach offers a practical tool for other low- and middle-income countries to align scarce cardiac care resources with population need.

Background: Early graft failure within 90 postoperative days is the leading cause of mortality after heart transplantation. Existing risk scores, based on linear regression, often struggle to capture the complex, multifactorial biological interactions necessary for personalised donor-recipient matching. This study utilised explainable machine learning (ML) to identify robust predictors of 90-day graft failure and developed a clinically interpretable, ML-informed nomogram designed specifically for cross-population generalisability.

Methods: Using the UNOS registry (2008-2020; n=25 200), XGBoost/Random Forest models identified 90-day graft failure predictors from 32 donor-recipient variables. Explainable AI (SHapley Additive exPlanations) analysis revealed key predictors and their non-linear interactions, which were translated into a clinically applicable nomogram. External validation was performed on a large, single-centre Chinese cohort (Wuhan Union Hospital ; 2018-2023; n=563), assessing performance via area under the curve (AUC), calibration and decision curve analysis (DCA).

Findings: The final model incorporated eight predictors: recipient factors (prior cardiac surgery, age, bilirubin, body mass index (BMI)), donor factors (age, gender, BMI) and cold ischaemia time. The XGBoost-derived nomogram demonstrated consistent discrimination (AUC 0.67, 95% CI 0.64 to 0.70) and calibration. Patients stratified into the high-risk group (top quantile by nomogram score) had a 2.4-fold increased hazard of graft failure (HR 2.42, 95% CI 2.11 to 2.78). DCA confirmed the model's clinical utility across a wide range of risk thresholds (0.0-0.4). External validation in the Chinese cohort affirmed its generalisability (AUC 0.67).

Conclusion: This study introduces an ML-informed nomogram for 90-day graft failure, validated across USA and Chinese populations. By translating ML insights into a clinically interpretable tool using routinely available pretransplant variables, it bridges a key translational gap in transplant risk prediction. This tool can aid in optimising donor-recipient matching and personalising post-transplant management, with the potential to help address geographic disparities in heart transplant outcomes.

Background: To compare the efficacy and safety of off-label low-dose versus standard-dose antiplatelet agents in coronary heart disease (CHD) patients, focusing on the evidence gap in comparisons of low-dose versus standard-dose ticagrelor and prasugrel.

Methods: PubMed, Embase, the Cochrane Library, ClinicalTrials.gov, China National Knowledge Infrastructure and Wanfang databases were searched up to 11 May 2025 for randomised controlled trials. Study quality was assessed using the Cochrane Risk of Bias 2.0 tool. A meta-analysis was performed, with relative risk (RR) and 95% CI as the effect estimates. Subgroup analyses were performed stratified by antiplatelet agent type, ethnic region, treatment duration and CHD subtype.

Results: A total of 22 randomised controlled trials, involving 7486 patients, met the study criteria. Among them, 92.09% were Asian, and 63.63% of the included studies exclusively enrolled acute coronary syndrome patients. All patients received the dual antiplatelet therapy (aspirin combined with a low or standard dose of P2Y12 receptor antagonist), mainly with low-dose prasugrel and ticagrelor. Off-label low-dose antiplatelet agents significantly reduced myocardial infarction (MI) (RR 0.75, 95% CI 0.58 to 0.97) and minimal bleeding risks (RR 0.64, 95% CI 0.50 to 0.82) compared with standard doses, with comparable risks for other ischaemic and bleeding events. Compared with standard-dose clopidogrel, they significantly reduced MI risk (RR 0.71, 95% CI 0.54 to 0.93) but increased overall (RR 1.40, 95% CI 1.11 to 1.77) and minor bleeding risks (RR 1.86, 95% CI 1.02 to 3.38). Compared with standard-dose prasugrel or ticagrelor, they demonstrated comparable ischaemic risks and significantly reduced overall and minimal bleeding risks. All other subgroup analyses were consistent with the overall findings.

Conclusion: Off-label low-dose antiplatelet therapy reduces the risks of MI and minimal bleeding. It surpassed standard-dose clopidogrel and offered lower bleeding risks than prasugrel or ticagrelor, thus representing an effective secondary prevention strategy for Asian CHD.

Prospero registration number: CRD42023438376.

Background: Low socioeconomic status (SES) is linked to increased cardiovascular risk, but its association with carotid atherosclerosis in the general population is less well studied. We examined associations between individual-level and area-level SES and carotid plaque burden and explored potential sex differences.

Methods: In this cross-sectional analysis from the Akershus Cardiac Examination 1950 Study, individual-level SES was defined by educational attainment, and area-level SES by urban versus rural residence and median household income of municipality. Carotid ultrasound was used to quantify plaque burden with a plaque score (0-3 per segment; maximum 24), where >3 indicates elevated cardiovascular risk. Associations between SES and plaque score were estimated using Poisson regression in crude and adjusted models.

Results: We included 3673 participants (48.8% women; mean age 63.9 years). The prevalence of elevated plaque score (>3) was 23.3% in tertiary, 28.2% in secondary and 31.4% in primary education groups (p for trend <0.001). Women and men with primary education had 32% and 24% higher plaque scores than those with tertiary education (p<0.001). After adjustment for cardiovascular risk factors, excess atherosclerotic burden remained 22% in women and 12% in men (p<0.001). No significant associations were observed for area-level SES, and no sex interactions were detected.

Conclusion: Lower educational attainment is associated with higher carotid atherosclerotic burden in both sexes, independent of cardiovascular risk factors, while area-level SES shows no clear association. These findings suggest that educational disparities contribute to atherosclerotic disease burden and merit further investigation in longitudinal studies.

Introduction: Persistent atrial fibrillation (PersAF) presents a significant clinical and economic burden and is associated with poorer outcomes after catheter ablation compared with paroxysmal atrial fibrillation (AF). Pulsed field ablation (PFA) has emerged as a new form of energy modality for AF treatment. Sphere-9 is a novel dual-energy large-focal lattice tip (LFLT) catheter that is also capable of high-density mapping. The study aims to evaluate the cost-effectiveness of Sphere-9 catheter versus conventional radiofrequency (RF ablation for the treatment of PersAF in the English National Health Service (NHS) setting.

Methods: Individual patient data from the SPHERE Per-AF randomised controlled trial were used to estimate efficacy, safety and resource utilisation parameters in symptomatic PersAF patients. The cost-effectiveness model consisted of a hybrid decision tree (1-year time horizon) and a Markov model with 3-month cycle length (lifetime time horizon, 40 years) and was developed from the perspective of the English NHS. Unit costs were derived from the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) clinical guideline for AF diagnosis and management (NG196) and NHS national cost collection data. Health benefits were expressed in quality-adjusted life years (QALYs), and all benefits and costs were discounted at 3.5% per year in line with NICE requirements.

Results: LFLT ablation was found to be dominant compared with RF, since it was less costly and it produced greater health outcomes. LFLT was associated with an average cost of £15 433 and 8.26 QALYs per patient, compared with £20 861 and 8.20 QALYs for RF ablation. Results remained robust across all sensitivity and scenario analyses.

Discussion: The Sphere-9 catheter is a cost-saving strategy for treating patients with PersAF compared with conventional RF ablation. Given the growing burden of AF and limited healthcare resources, Sphere-9 presents a valuable option for improving patient outcomes while optimising NHS resource allocation.