Global Heart最新文献

Introduction: Optimal diagnosis and management of acute coronary syndrome (ACS) is essential to improve clinical outcomes and prognosis. Sex disparities in ACS care have been reported in the literature, but evidence gaps remain. This review aims to map and to summarize the global evidence on sex differences in the provision of care across the ACS continuum.

Methods: A systematic literature search was conducted in Pubmed, EMBASE, and the World Health Organization Global Index Medicus. The search was restricted to original research articles published between January 1, 2013, and August 30^th, 2023, and with a full-text available in English, Spanish, Dutch, or French. The search terms and key words covered five aspects of the ACS care continuum: pre-hospital care, diagnosis, treatment, in-hospital events, and discharge.

Results: Of the 15,033 identified articles, 446 articles (median percentage of women per study: 29%), reporting on 1,483 outcomes, were included. Most studies were conducted in high-income regions (65%). Studies reported on pre-hospital care (8%), diagnosis (9%), treatment (45%), discharge (14%) and events (24%). For 45% of outcomes, results favored men, 5% favored women, and 50% showed mixed results or no sex difference. ACS care aspects with the largest sex differences were pre-hospital care (58% of the outcomes favored men vs 7% favored women) and diagnosis (70% favored men vs 2% favored women).

Conclusion: Studies on sex differences in ACS mainly come from high-income regions. Sex differences in ACS management are widely reported and mainly unfavorable to women, especially in the early phases of pre-hospital care and diagnosis.

Introduction: Heart failure (HF) is a leading cause of hospitalization and mortality worldwide, emphasizing the critical role of optimal medical therapy (OMT) in improving patient outcomes. Despite extensive research, most scientific evidence regarding HF is gathered and studied in developed countries, leaving substantial knowledge gaps regarding HF in Latin America and the Caribbean.

Objective: To characterize the sociodemographic and clinical profiles of HF patients and to assess their adherence to OMT in the Americas.

Methods: The AMERICCAASS Registry is a prospective, observational, multicenter study, including patients aged 18 and older, both hospitalized and ambulatory, and diagnosed with HF. Sociodemographic and clinical data were collected from the first 2,500 patients to characterize the study population. Adherence to OMT was subsequently evaluated according to left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF).

Results: Among the 2,500 patients in the study, 36% were hospitalized and 64% were ambulatory. The median ages of the patients were 66.9 (hospitalized) and 66.3 years (ambulatory). Males made up 60.8% of hospitalized and 59.3% of ambulatory patients. The majority had HF with reduced LVEF (≤40%): 60.7% for hospitalized and 58.5% for ambulatory. The New York Heart Association (NYHA) functional class II predominated among ambulatory patients (67.9%), while NYHA functional class III predominated among hospitalized patients (46.6%). Only 21% of patients with reduced LVEF were receiving quadruple therapy, whereas 12.3% of patients with mildly reduced LVEF (41-49%) were on this treatment.

Conclusion: The findings demonstrate that the sociodemographic and clinical profiles of HF patients in the Americas are broadly consistent with international reports. However, the low use of OMT observed in this population underscores gaps in adherence to current guidelines. These results highlight the need for targeted strategies to improve pharmacological treatment adherence to optimize health outcomes in this region.

Background: Cardiometabolic conditions are rising among women in low- and middle-income countries and appearing at younger ages. The role of female reproductive characteristics in cardiometabolic risk is not well understood.

Methods: We analyzed seven reproductive characteristics and seven cardiometabolic indicators obtained from 644,191 non-pregnant women aged 15-49 years in the 2019-2021 India National Family and Health Survey (NFHS-5). We conducted a latent class analysis of cardiometabolic indicators (systolic and diastolic blood pressure, random blood glucose, body mass index, waist circumference, and use of anti-hyperglycemic and antihypertensive pharmacotherapy) to identify risk clusters. Multinomial logistic regression models accounting for age and sociodemographic characteristics assessed associations between reproductive characteristics (age at menarche, age at first birth, natural or surgical menopause, parity, time since last birth, experience of pregnancy loss, current contraceptive use) and cluster membership.

Results: Women had a median age of 29.4 (IQR: 21.5-38.4) years, were mostly married (71%), and resided in rural areas (68%). Five cardiometabolic clusters emerged: normal (36%), high-normal (46%), isolated-overweight (12%), hypertension-overweight (6%), and glucose dysregulation-overweight (1%). Early menarche (<13 years), early age at first birth (<20 years), and natural or surgical menopause were positively associated with two or more high-risk clusters (ORs: 1.13-1.62). Higher parity was associated with higher relative odds of isolated-overweight (ORs: 1.31-1.39), while longer time since last birth (≥ 8 years) was associated with hypertension-overweight (OR: 1.25 95% CI: 1.18-1.31) and glucose dysregulation-overweight (OR: 1.21, 95% CI: 1.07-1.37). Pregnancy loss increased the odds of all high-risk clusters (ORs: 1.21-1.42), while contraceptive use decreased the odds (ORs: 0.88-0.93).

Conclusions: Five cardiometabolic risk clusters were identified in Indian women, with cluster membership linked to reproductive characteristics. The timing of fertility milestones and reproductive history appear relevant for early risk stratification among women in early to middle adulthood.

Key messages: Indian women aged 15-49 years exhibited 5 distinct patterns of cardiometabolic risk clustering: normal, high-normal, isolated-overweight, hypertension-overweight, and glucose dysregulation-overweight clusters.Early age at menarche (<13 years), early age at first birth (<20 years), natural or surgical menopause, higher parity, longer time since last birth, and pregnancy losses were associated with at least one of the high-risk cardiometabolic clusters.Reproductive history and the timing of reproductive milestones may improve early disease risk stratification in Indian women.

Background: Rheumatic heart disease (RHD) is the leading cause of cardiac death in children, with over 300,000 annual fatalities. Immunological, genetic, and environmental factors contribute to an increased risk of RHD. It remains unclear whether first-degree relatives have a higher prevalence of RHD compared to the general population in the same region.

Methods: We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis of echocardiographic screening studies reporting the prevalence of RHD in family members of individuals with RHD or acute rheumatic fever. PubMed, Embase, Cochrane, and Lilacs databases were searched. RHD was classified as per the 2012 World Heart Federation criteria. Random-effects models assessed definite RHD prevalence in study groups.

Results: Four of the 1,160 studies were included, with 776 first-degree relatives screened. Two studies were from Africa, one from South America, and one from Oceania. In the first-degree relatives of index cases, the prevalence of RHD was 7% (95% confidence interval [CI] 3.7-13). The control group, individuals screened with no known RHD cases in their family, had a lower prevalence than first-degree relatives (risk ratio [RR] 0.44, 95% CI 0.26-0.75). There was no difference in the prevalence of RHD among siblings and parents of cases.

Conclusion: There is an overall prevalence of non-relatives from the respective region, which suggests that genetic predisposition may play a role. In future studies of RHD, the systematic screening of first-degree relatives should be considered with a better control group-socioeconomic, region, age, and sex-matched.

Background: Familial hypercholesterolemia (FH) is an inherited disorder that causes elevated LDL-C levels leading to premature cardiovascular disease but remains underdiagnosed. This study aims to determine the prevalence of FH in Pakistan using data from multiple laboratory networks and compare it with other counties of the region.

Methods: The study analyzed lipid profile data from two large laboratory networks in Pakistan, applying Make Early Diagnosis to Prevent Early Death (MEDPED) LDL-C criteria for the general population to identify FH cases. A pooled prevalence estimate of prevalence of FH in Pakistan was calculated by combining the data of studies reporting prevalence in Pakistan. A systematic review was conducted to assess FH prevalence in South and Southeast Asian countries.

Results: Analysis of 545,087 individuals (Median age 45 years, 58.2% males) identified 2,911 FH cases [0.55%, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.53-0.57%), equivalent to a prevalence of 1:182. Pooled analysis with a previous Pakistani study, totaling 1,533,393 subjects, estimated the overall FH prevalence in Pakistan at 1:273 (95% CI: 0.21-0.64%). Prevalence decreased with age, being highest in the <20 years group (1:29), while no gender differences were observed. A systematic review of South and Southeast Asian countries revealed limited data, with FH prevalence estimates missing for majority of the countries of the region.

Conclusion: This study provides an updated estimate of FH prevalence in Pakistan and highlights the scarcity of data in South and Southeast Asia.

Background: Cooking with polluting fuels is common in low- and middle-income countries and may impact blood pressure, yet data on this association in urban Haiti is limited. This study describes the prevalence of polluting fuel use and indoor cooking, evaluates their associations with blood pressure, and evaluates whether effects are heterogeneous by sex in urban Haiti.

Methods: Using cross-sectional data from the Haiti Cardiovascular Disease Cohort study, prevalence of polluting fuel use and indoor cooking was estimated. The associations between polluting fuel use and indoor cooking with systolic blood pressure (SBP), diastolic blood pressure (DBP) and hypertension (HTN) (mean SBP ≥140 mmHg or mean DBP ≥90 mmHg) were estimated using generalized estimating equations. The interaction between polluting fuel use and sex was also evaluated.

Results: Among 2,931 participants, 58.2% were female and the mean age was 42.0 (SD = 15.9) years. The majority (88.2%) primarily cooked with polluting fuels. Polluting vs clean fuel users tended to have less than a high school education (38.0% vs 22.8%), earn ≤ 1 USD/day (70.5% vs 67.4%), and have high food insecurity (85.0% vs 64.3%). Polluting vs clean fuel users had similar HTN prevalence (adjusted prevalence ratio [aPR] = 0.94, 95% CI: 0.80, 1.10). Average SBP was similar for women (0.99 mmHg, 95% CI: -1.46, 3.44) and lower for men (-4.80 mmHg, 95% CI: -8.24, -1.37) who used polluting vs clean fuels. Cooking indoors vs outdoors was associated with higher HTN prevalence (aPR = 1.12, 95% CI: 1.00, 1.25) and higher average SBP (1.67 mmHg, 95% CI: 0.15, 3.20).

Conclusions: This study demonstrates that most Haitians in Port-au-Prince cook with polluting fuels and often indoors. Those with higher poverty are more exposed, with mixed results in their association with blood pressure. Longitudinal studies are needed to clarify causal relationships and inform interventions promoting clean fuel use. (ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT03892265).

Background: COVID-19 has led to nearly seven million deaths and male sex has been reported as one of the main risk factors for mortality. Few studies have analyzed cohorts of male patients, especially in underrepresented regions in the medical literature, such as low and middle-income nations. To address this gap, we conducted large-scale, male-specific, multinational analyses, to improve understanding of factors associated with mortality in this high-risk population and global variations.

Methods: This is a prospective, multicenter study that includes data from the CARDIO COVID-19-20 registry and the WHF COVID-19 CVD study. A multiple Poisson regression model was performed to evaluate differences in factors associated with in-hospital mortality among male COVID-19 patients across different regions.

Results: We analyzed 4,899 hospitalized male COVID-19 patients from 32 countries: Africa (11.2%), the Americas (44.7%), Asia (33.8%), and Europe (10.2%). Median age was 59 years (IQR: 47-69), with 50.5% aged 40-64. ICU admission was 42.4%, and mortality was 19.2%, with marked regional differences (ranging from 6% in Europe to 26.9% in the Americas). Poisson regression showed age >80 years (aRR = 4.21) and IMV (aRR = 3.80) as the strongest factors associated with mortality. Other factors included diabetes, chronic kidney disease, myocarditis, and decompensated heart failure. Mortality risk was higher in Africa (aRR = 3.86), Asia (aRR = 2.72), and the Americas (aRR = 2.23) compared to Europe (p < 0.001). Anticoagulation/Antiplatelet therapy showed a potential correlation with survival.

Conclusion: This study reflects the complexity of factors influencing COVID-19 mortality among male patients hospitalized with COVID-19, emphasizing global variability. The substantial differences in mortality noted across countries are likely due to differences in disease severity, comorbidities, clinical care, and health system factors. Age remains a primary risk factor, with older populations particularly vulnerable. Our findings underscore the need for targeted and tailored regional approaches to manage male COVID-19 patients.

Background: Little is known about the prospective relationship between visual acuity (VA) and atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) events and the extent to which this association is mediated via potential mediators. This study aims to investigate the relationship between VA and ASCVD events, including the mediation effects of potential factors.

Methods: A prospective study was conducted using data from 110,522 participants in the UK Biobank, all of whom had baseline visual acuity (VA) measurements collected between 2006 and 2010. VA was assessed using the logarithm of the minimum angle of resolution (logMAR) chart, with the better-seeing eye selected for analysis. Incident ASCVD events were obtained from hospital admissions and death records up to April 2021. The longitudinal association between VA and ASCVD was examined using Cox proportional hazards models. A four-way decomposition mediation analysis was performed to quantify the indirect effects of hypertension, diabetes, depression, and socioeconomic status in mediating the relationship between VA and ASCVD.

Results: Over an 11.13-year median follow-up, 5,496 ASCVD cases were recorded. A one-line worsening in VA (0.1 logMAR increase) was associated with an increased risk of ASCVD (HR = 1.63; 95%CI = 1.35-1.96, P < 0.001). Mediation analysis showed that hypertension, diabetes, depression, and Townsend deprivation index contributed 3.8%, 3.3%, 5.7%, and 5.9% to this association, respectively (all P < 0.05). Notably, depression was the strongest mediator, accounting for 10.0% of the association in women (P < 0.05).

Conclusions: Our study demonstrates that visual decline is associated with an increased risk of ASCVD. Early intervention through regular eye exams can help mitigate the risk of ASCVD in middle-aged and older adults. Additionally, mental health is a key mediator in the VA-ASCVD relationship, particularly among women.

Objectives: Hypertension is a chronic disease widely prevalent around the world. While previous observational studies have suggested a link between air pollutants and an increased risk of hypertension, causality has not been established. Our study aimed to investigate potential causal relationships between five air pollutants and four blood pressure phenotypes through two-sample Mendelian randomization.

Methods: Two-sample Mendelian randomization (MR) analyses were performed using genome-wide association studies (GWAS) data from the IEU OpenGWAS project. The main analysis method was the inverse variance weighting (IVW) method. Heterogeneity was assessed by Cochran's Q test, while pleiotropy was assessed by MR-Egger regression. Sensitivity analysis was performed by weighted median method, MR-Egger method, simple mode method, weighted mode method, and leave-one-out analysis method.

Results: Mendelian randomization results showed positive causal associations between PM10 with hypertension (OR: 1.49; 95%CI: 1.06, 2.09; P: 2.23 × 10^-2) and systolic blood pressure (β: 1.89; 95%CI: 0.32, 3.47; P: 1.85 × 10^-2), positive causal associations between PM2.5 and hypertension (OR: 1.26; 95%CI: 1.01, 2.58; P: 4.30 × 10^-2), and negative causal associations between NO₂ and systolic blood pressure (β: -1.71; 95%CI: -3.39, -0.02; P: 4.74 × 10^-2). None of the above associations were subject to pleiotropic bias, and all associations were heterogeneous except for PM10 and hypertension. The leave-one-out analysis showed that no single SNP affected the stability of the results.

Conclusion: Elevated levels of PM2.5 and PM10 have been associated with an increased risk of developing hypertension, with PM10 specifically linked to higher systolic blood pressure levels. Interestingly, NO₂ has shown potential as a protective factor in lowering systolic blood pressure. This study clarifies the causal relationship between five air pollutants and elevated blood pressure. Ensuring good ambient air quality is essential in preventing hypertension and reducing the overall disease burden.