Pub Date : 2025-10-19DOI: 10.1016/j.ahj.2025.107292
William J. He MD MHS , Brenton R. Prescott MS , Vanessa Xanthakis PhD , Gary F. Mitchell MD , Susan Cheng MD , Ramachandran S. Vasan MD
Background
Previous studies have reported that obesity-related metabolic abnormalities (eg, diabetes and hypertension) lead to myocardial dysfunction and adverse cardiac remodeling. However, it is unclear whether such cardiac remodeling is from obesity or obesity-related metabolic abnormalities. We hypothesize that overweight and obesity are associated with adverse cardiac remodeling independent of associated metabolic abnormalities.
Methods
We evaluated 6,639 participants from the Framingham Heart Study who underwent echocardiography and had no prevalent cardiovascular disease. Individuals were classified into 6 obesity sub-phenotypes based on metabolic health (metabolically healthy or metabolically unhealthy) and body mass index (normal weight, overweight, or obese). Obesity subphenotypes were related to echocardiographic measures using multivariable regression analyses.
Results
Mean age was 49 years and 55% were women. Overweight and obesity were consistently associated with adverse cardiac remodeling in both metabolic healthy and unhealthy participants. Among metabolically healthy participants, compared to the normal weight group (referent), overweight and obesity were significantly associated with increased left ventricular mass (11.6 and 21.4 gm), left atrium end-systolic dimension (0.27 and 0.48 cm), global longitudinal strain (0.82 and 1.06%), and the ratio of early diastolic trans-mitral flow velocity to early diastolic mitral annulus velocity (0.35 and 0.87) (all P < .001). Additionally, obesity was significantly associated with mitral annular plane systolic excursion (0.08 cm, P < .001) and relative wall thickness (0.01, P = .001) compared to the normal weight referent group.
Conclusions
Increasing body weight was associated with adverse cardiac remodeling regardless of metabolic health status, which suggests that obesity may directly increase the risk of adverse cardiac remodeling.
{"title":"Association of obesity subphenotypes with indices of cardiac remodeling in the Framingham heart study","authors":"William J. He MD MHS , Brenton R. Prescott MS , Vanessa Xanthakis PhD , Gary F. Mitchell MD , Susan Cheng MD , Ramachandran S. Vasan MD","doi":"10.1016/j.ahj.2025.107292","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ahj.2025.107292","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>Previous studies have reported that obesity-related metabolic abnormalities (eg, diabetes and hypertension) lead to myocardial dysfunction and adverse cardiac remodeling. However, it is unclear whether such cardiac remodeling is from obesity or obesity-related metabolic abnormalities. We hypothesize that overweight and obesity are associated with adverse cardiac remodeling independent of associated metabolic abnormalities.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>We evaluated 6,639 participants from the Framingham Heart Study who underwent echocardiography and had no prevalent cardiovascular disease. Individuals were classified into 6 obesity sub-phenotypes based on metabolic health (metabolically healthy or metabolically unhealthy) and body mass index (normal weight, overweight, or obese). Obesity subphenotypes were related to echocardiographic measures using multivariable regression analyses.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>Mean age was 49 years and 55% were women. Overweight and obesity were consistently associated with adverse cardiac remodeling in both metabolic healthy and unhealthy participants. Among metabolically healthy participants, compared to the normal weight group (referent), overweight and obesity were significantly associated with increased left ventricular mass (11.6 and 21.4 gm), left atrium end-systolic dimension (0.27 and 0.48 cm), global longitudinal strain (0.82 and 1.06%), and the ratio of early diastolic trans-mitral flow velocity to early diastolic mitral annulus velocity (0.35 and 0.87) (all <em>P</em> < .001). Additionally, obesity was significantly associated with mitral annular plane systolic excursion (0.08 cm, <em>P</em> < .001) and relative wall thickness (0.01, <em>P</em> = .001) compared to the normal weight referent group.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusions</h3><div>Increasing body weight was associated with adverse cardiac remodeling regardless of metabolic health status, which suggests that obesity may directly increase the risk of adverse cardiac remodeling.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":7868,"journal":{"name":"American heart journal","volume":"292 ","pages":"Article 107292"},"PeriodicalIF":3.5,"publicationDate":"2025-10-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145342938","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-10-18DOI: 10.1016/j.ahj.2025.107291
Juan F. Iglesias MD , Gregor Leibundgut MD , Dik Heg PhD , Gabriele L. Gasparini MD , Grigorios Tsigkas MD, PhD , Claudiu Ungureanu MD , Giuseppe Colletti MD , Sophie Degrauwe MD , Panagiotis Xaplanteris MD, PhD , Karsten Schenke MD , Alexandru Achim MD , Maarten AH van Leeuwen MD, PhD , Maia Muresan MSc , Shigeru Saito MD , Gregory A. Sgueglia MD, PhD , Adel Aminian MD
Rationale
Distal radial access (DRA) has emerged as a promising alternative to conventional transradial access (TRA) for coronary angiography and percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). However, existing randomized evidence on DRA primarily involves low-risk patients undergoing diagnostic angiography or noncomplex PCI using ≤6 French (Fr) introducer sheaths. The clinical benefits of DRA among patients undergoing PCI for complex coronary lesions using large-bore guide catheters remain therefore uncertain.
Design
DISCO COMPLEX is an investigator-initiated, prospective, multicenter, international, open-label, randomized, controlled trial with a blinded outcome assessment and superiority design. The trial will compare in a 1:1 ratio large-bore DRA versus conventional TRA using a 7-Fr introducer sheath in 708 patients undergoing PCI for complex coronary lesions (chronic total occlusions, left main disease, heavily calcified lesions, or complex bifurcations) with a 7-Fr guide catheter. The primary hypothesis is that large-bore DRA is superior to conventional TRA with respect to the incidence of forearm radial artery occlusion (RAO) assessed by Doppler ultrasound at hospital discharge. The prespecified DISCOPHILE COMPLEX hand function substudy is a noninferiority trial evaluating whether large-bore DRA is not inferior to conventional TRA with respect to change in full-Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder and Hand (DASH) questionnaire score from baseline to 12 months in participants of the DISCO COMPLEX trial.
Enrolment status
The trial aims to recruit a total of 708 patients from 10 to 15 participating centers across Europe. The first patient was enrolled on August 31, 2023. As of August 20, 2025, 385 patients have been included.
Conclusion
DISCO COMPLEX is the first randomized clinical trial designed to test the superiority of large-bore DRA over conventional TRA in reducing RAO rates among patients undergoing complex PCI with 7-Fr guide catheters.
{"title":"Distal versus conventional radial large-bore access for percutaneous coronary intervention of complex coronary lesions: Rationale and design of the DISCO COMPLEX randomized superiority trial","authors":"Juan F. Iglesias MD , Gregor Leibundgut MD , Dik Heg PhD , Gabriele L. Gasparini MD , Grigorios Tsigkas MD, PhD , Claudiu Ungureanu MD , Giuseppe Colletti MD , Sophie Degrauwe MD , Panagiotis Xaplanteris MD, PhD , Karsten Schenke MD , Alexandru Achim MD , Maarten AH van Leeuwen MD, PhD , Maia Muresan MSc , Shigeru Saito MD , Gregory A. Sgueglia MD, PhD , Adel Aminian MD","doi":"10.1016/j.ahj.2025.107291","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ahj.2025.107291","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Rationale</h3><div>Distal radial access (DRA) has emerged as a promising alternative to conventional transradial access (TRA) for coronary angiography and percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). However, existing randomized evidence on DRA primarily involves low-risk patients undergoing diagnostic angiography or noncomplex PCI using ≤6 French (Fr) introducer sheaths. The clinical benefits of DRA among patients undergoing PCI for complex coronary lesions using large-bore guide catheters remain therefore uncertain.</div></div><div><h3>Design</h3><div>DISCO COMPLEX is an investigator-initiated, prospective, multicenter, international, open-label, randomized, controlled trial with a blinded outcome assessment and superiority design. The trial will compare in a 1:1 ratio large-bore DRA versus conventional TRA using a 7-Fr introducer sheath in 708 patients undergoing PCI for complex coronary lesions (chronic total occlusions, left main disease, heavily calcified lesions, or complex bifurcations) with a 7-Fr guide catheter. The primary hypothesis is that large-bore DRA is superior to conventional TRA with respect to the incidence of forearm radial artery occlusion (RAO) assessed by Doppler ultrasound at hospital discharge. The prespecified DISCOPHILE COMPLEX hand function substudy is a noninferiority trial evaluating whether large-bore DRA is not inferior to conventional TRA with respect to change in full-<em>Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder and Hand</em> (DASH) questionnaire score from baseline to 12 months in participants of the DISCO COMPLEX trial.</div></div><div><h3>Enrolment status</h3><div>The trial aims to recruit a total of 708 patients from 10 to 15 participating centers across Europe. The first patient was enrolled on August 31, 2023. As of August 20, 2025, 385 patients have been included.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><div>DISCO COMPLEX is the first randomized clinical trial designed to test the superiority of large-bore DRA over conventional TRA in reducing RAO rates among patients undergoing complex PCI with 7-Fr guide catheters.</div></div><div><h3>Trial Registration</h3><div>Clinicaltrials.gov: Identifier, NCT05490238.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":7868,"journal":{"name":"American heart journal","volume":"292 ","pages":"Article 107291"},"PeriodicalIF":3.5,"publicationDate":"2025-10-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145336263","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-10-17DOI: 10.1016/j.ahj.2025.107290
Linda Ye MD , Michael P. Girouard MD, MBA , Alan S. Go MD , Jane Y. Liu MPH , Rishi V. Parikh MPH , Thida C. Tan MPH , Emily S. Lee MD , Grace Sun BA , Rami Halaseh MD , Ankeet S. Bhatt MD, MBA, ScM , Leonid Pravoverov MD , Sijie Zheng MD , Jana Svetlichnaya MD , Jesse K. Fitzpatrick MD , Harshith R. Avula MD, MPH , Keane K. Lee MD, MS , Sirtaz Adatya MD , David Ouyang MD , Parag Goyal MD, MSc , Alexander T. Sandhu MD, MS , Andrew P. Ambrosy MD, MPH
Background
Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a major risk factor for heart failure (HF). However, the burden of worsening HF (WHF) events among adults with mild-to-moderate CKD has not been well described.
Objectives
This study assessed the burden of WHF in a contemporary cohort of adults with mild-to-moderate CKD.
Methods
We identified adults with mild-to-moderate CKD (eGFR 30-59 mL/min/1.73m² or eGFR ≥60 mL/min/1.73m² with albuminuria) within a large, integrated healthcare delivery system from 2012 to 2021. Outcomes included hospitalizations, emergency department visits, and outpatient encounters for WHF, stratified by HF status and level of CKD.
Results
Among 375,495 adults with mild-to-moderate CKD, mean age was 64 ± 16 years, 54% were women, mean eGFR was 76 ± 26 mL/min/1.73m², and 6.5% had prior known HF. CKD stages G1A2 (31.6%), G2A2 (24.9%), and G3aA1 (25.1%) were most prevalent. Rates (95% CI) per 100 person-years for WHF events were 1.85 (1.83-1.87) for hospitalizations, 0.85 (0.84-0.86) for emergency department visits, and 0.83 (0.81-0.84) for outpatient encounters, resulting in a cumulative rate of 2.42 (2.40-2.44). Event rates were higher at lower eGFR and higher albuminuria levels.
Conclusions
WHF is a common source of morbidity in adults with earlier stage CKD, and particularly high in those with lower eGFR and greater albuminuria. These findings underscore the importance of implementing available and emerging cardioprotective and renoprotective therapies in this high-risk population.
{"title":"Worsening heart failure events in adults with mild-to-moderate chronic kidney disease","authors":"Linda Ye MD , Michael P. Girouard MD, MBA , Alan S. Go MD , Jane Y. Liu MPH , Rishi V. Parikh MPH , Thida C. Tan MPH , Emily S. Lee MD , Grace Sun BA , Rami Halaseh MD , Ankeet S. Bhatt MD, MBA, ScM , Leonid Pravoverov MD , Sijie Zheng MD , Jana Svetlichnaya MD , Jesse K. Fitzpatrick MD , Harshith R. Avula MD, MPH , Keane K. Lee MD, MS , Sirtaz Adatya MD , David Ouyang MD , Parag Goyal MD, MSc , Alexander T. Sandhu MD, MS , Andrew P. Ambrosy MD, MPH","doi":"10.1016/j.ahj.2025.107290","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ahj.2025.107290","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a major risk factor for heart failure (HF). However, the burden of worsening HF (WHF) events among adults with mild-to-moderate CKD has not been well described.</div></div><div><h3>Objectives</h3><div>This study assessed the burden of WHF in a contemporary cohort of adults with mild-to-moderate CKD.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>We identified adults with mild-to-moderate CKD (eGFR 30-59 mL/min/1.73m² or eGFR ≥60 mL/min/1.73m² with albuminuria) within a large, integrated healthcare delivery system from 2012 to 2021. Outcomes included hospitalizations, emergency department visits, and outpatient encounters for WHF, stratified by HF status and level of CKD.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>Among 375,495 adults with mild-to-moderate CKD, mean age was 64 ± 16 years, 54% were women, mean eGFR was 76 ± 26 mL/min/1.73m², and 6.5% had prior known HF. CKD stages G1A2 (31.6%), G2A2 (24.9%), and G3aA1 (25.1%) were most prevalent. Rates (95% CI) per 100 person-years for WHF events were 1.85 (1.83-1.87) for hospitalizations, 0.85 (0.84-0.86) for emergency department visits, and 0.83 (0.81-0.84) for outpatient encounters, resulting in a cumulative rate of 2.42 (2.40-2.44). Event rates were higher at lower eGFR and higher albuminuria levels.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusions</h3><div>WHF is a common source of morbidity in adults with earlier stage CKD, and particularly high in those with lower eGFR and greater albuminuria. These findings underscore the importance of implementing available and emerging cardioprotective and renoprotective therapies in this high-risk population.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":7868,"journal":{"name":"American heart journal","volume":"292 ","pages":"Article 107290"},"PeriodicalIF":3.5,"publicationDate":"2025-10-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145328176","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-10-09DOI: 10.1016/j.ahj.2025.107287
Olivia Girolamo BMedSc , Muhammad Dzafir Ismail MBBS, MMed , Rosanna Tavella BSc, PhD , Eng Lee Ooi MBBS, PhD , Sivabaskari Pasupathy BSc, PhD , Sarena La BMedSc , Abdul Sheikh MBBS, MD , Christopher Zeitz MBBS, PhD , John Beltrame BSc, BMBS, PhD
Background
The Coronary Slow Flow Phenomenon (CSFP) is considered a coronary microvascular disorder and has been defined as a corrected thrombolysis in myocardial infarction frame count (cTFC) ≥25 frames. Recent invasive physiology studies have reported that cTFC is not a surrogate marker for coronary microvascular dysfunction (CMD), defined by an abnormal Coronary Flow Reserve (CFR), questioning the integrity of CSFP. This study evaluates the Functional Coronary Angiography (FCA) findings of patients with and without CSFP, as well as the relationship between cTFC and invasive coronary functional measures.
Methods
FCA utilizing a pressure-Doppler flow wire during adenosine infusion, and acetylcholine provocation, was undertaken in 103 patients with angina and non-obstructive coronary artery disease (<50% stenosis; ANOCA).
Results
The FCA findings revealed CMD (i.e. CFR<2) in 43%, inducible coronary artery spasm (58%) and microvascular spasm (13%) in patients with the CSFP (n = 69), which was similar to those without CSFP (n = 34). However, the CSFP patients had a lower resting coronary blood flow velocity (19 ± 7 vs 23 ± 7cm/s, P = .009) with higher resting microvascular resistance (5.8 ± 1.9 vs 4.4 ± 1.7mmHg/cm/s, P = .006) and higher hyperemic microvascular resistance (2.35 ± 1.09 vs 1.94 ± 0.93, P = .049), despite a similar hyperemic CFR (2.25 ± 0.84 vs 2.26 ± 0.58, P = .971) compared to those without CSFP. Furthermore, the cTFC as a continuous measure, correlated with resting coronary blood flow, resting/hyperemic resistance but not CFR.
Conclusion
The conventional marker of CMD (i.e. CFR <2) was similar in patients with/without the CSFP. However alternative hemodynamic markers of impaired coronary microvascular function were abnormal in patients with the CSFP, including resting/hyperemic coronary microvascular resistance. Moreover, cTFC is a simple semi-quantitative marker correlated with coronary microvascular resistance and thus has clinical utility in the diagnosis of the CSFP.
{"title":"Functional coronary angiogram findings in angina with non-obstructive coronary arteries patients with coronary slow flow","authors":"Olivia Girolamo BMedSc , Muhammad Dzafir Ismail MBBS, MMed , Rosanna Tavella BSc, PhD , Eng Lee Ooi MBBS, PhD , Sivabaskari Pasupathy BSc, PhD , Sarena La BMedSc , Abdul Sheikh MBBS, MD , Christopher Zeitz MBBS, PhD , John Beltrame BSc, BMBS, PhD","doi":"10.1016/j.ahj.2025.107287","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ahj.2025.107287","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>The Coronary Slow Flow Phenomenon (CSFP) is considered a coronary microvascular disorder and has been defined as a corrected thrombolysis in myocardial infarction frame count (cTFC) ≥25 frames. Recent invasive physiology studies have reported that cTFC is not a surrogate marker for coronary microvascular dysfunction (CMD), defined by an abnormal Coronary Flow Reserve (CFR), questioning the integrity of CSFP. This study evaluates the Functional Coronary Angiography (FCA) findings of patients with and without CSFP, as well as the relationship between cTFC and invasive coronary functional measures.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>FCA utilizing a pressure-Doppler flow wire during adenosine infusion, and acetylcholine provocation, was undertaken in 103 patients with angina and non-obstructive coronary artery disease (<50% stenosis; ANOCA).</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>The FCA findings revealed CMD (i.e. CFR<2) in 43%, inducible coronary artery spasm (58%) and microvascular spasm (13%) in patients with the CSFP (<em>n</em> = 69), which was similar to those without CSFP (<em>n</em> = 34). However, the CSFP patients had a lower resting coronary blood flow velocity (19 ± 7 vs 23 ± 7cm/s, <em>P = .</em>009) with higher resting microvascular resistance (5.8 ± 1.9 vs 4.4 ± 1.7mmHg/cm/s, <em>P = .</em>006) and higher hyperemic microvascular resistance (2.35 ± 1.09 vs 1.94 ± 0.93, <em>P = .</em>049), despite a similar hyperemic CFR (2.25 ± 0.84 vs 2.26 ± 0.58, <em>P = .</em>971) compared to those without CSFP. Furthermore, the cTFC as a continuous measure, correlated with resting coronary blood flow, resting/hyperemic resistance but not CFR.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><div>The conventional marker of CMD (i.e. CFR <2) was similar in patients with/without the CSFP. However alternative hemodynamic markers of impaired coronary microvascular function were abnormal in patients with the CSFP, including resting/hyperemic coronary microvascular resistance. Moreover, cTFC is a simple semi-quantitative marker correlated with coronary microvascular resistance and thus has clinical utility in the diagnosis of the CSFP.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":7868,"journal":{"name":"American heart journal","volume":"292 ","pages":"Article 107287"},"PeriodicalIF":3.5,"publicationDate":"2025-10-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145257129","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-10-07DOI: 10.1016/j.ahj.2025.08.015
Haiying Hu BSc, Linjun Wang BSc
{"title":"Statistical methodological limitations and improvement suggestions in the study of vitamin D deficiency and cardiovascular mortality after heart transplantation","authors":"Haiying Hu BSc, Linjun Wang BSc","doi":"10.1016/j.ahj.2025.08.015","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ahj.2025.08.015","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":7868,"journal":{"name":"American heart journal","volume":"291 ","pages":"Pages 216-217"},"PeriodicalIF":3.5,"publicationDate":"2025-10-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145257132","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-10-07DOI: 10.1016/j.ahj.2025.107288
Kivanc Ozonat PhD , Corey Centen B.Eng , Sarah Smith B.Eng , V. Burak Aydemir PhD , Marat Fudim MD, MHS , Adam D. DeVore MD, MHS
Background
Outcomes for patients living with heart failure (HF) remain poor with high rates of death and hospitalization due to worsening HF. Noninvasive tools may be useful to identify patients at risk for disease progression before these outcomes occur. For example, loss of cell mass and compromised cell membrane integrity throughout the body are associated with chronic disease, mortality, frailty, and malnutrition. As the cell membrane loses its integrity, its electrical capacitance decreases, lowering bioelectrical phase angle. Data collected during the SCALE-HF 1 study (NCT04882449) was used to evaluate bioelectrical phase angle as a marker for heart failure (HF) hospitalization risk. Phase angle was measured by the FDA-cleared Bodyport Cardiac Scale.
Methods
SCALE-HF 1 was a multicenter, prospective, observational study, investigating HF event prediction. Baseline phase angle was measured during the first week in the study with the patient standing barefoot on the Cardiac Scale at home for approximately 20 seconds. HF hospitalizations were independently adjudicated. The analysis was based on univariable and multivariable Cox regression models adjusted for age, sex, race, body mass index (BMI), left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF), inpatient status at enrollment, and selected comorbidities and laboratory tests.
Results
329 participants with HF were enrolled across 8 US sites with 238 patient-years of follow-up. 312 (95%) of the participants had a baseline phase angle, and 57 (18%) of those had a HF hospitalization during the follow-up period. Participants with baseline phase angle in the lowest quartile (suggesting worse cell membrane integrity) were at increased risk for HF hospitalization compared to participants with baseline phase angle in the highest quartile (Hazard ratio: 3.44, 95% CI: 1.55 to 7.63, P = .002). When adjusted for risk factors selected from age, sex, race, BMI, LVEF, laboratory tests and comorbidities in the multivariable model, participants with baseline phase angle in the lowest quartile continued to be at increased risk for HF hospitalization compared to participants with baseline phase angle in the highest quartile (Hazard ratio: 3.51, 95% CI: 1.73 to 7.12, P < .001).
Conclusions
Phase angle was found to be independently associated with HF hospitalization risk. The noninvasive measurement, acquired with a familiar scale form factor, may help guide remote care and triage.
{"title":"Bioimpedance phase angle is associated with increased heart failure hospitalization risk","authors":"Kivanc Ozonat PhD , Corey Centen B.Eng , Sarah Smith B.Eng , V. Burak Aydemir PhD , Marat Fudim MD, MHS , Adam D. DeVore MD, MHS","doi":"10.1016/j.ahj.2025.107288","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ahj.2025.107288","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>Outcomes for patients living with heart failure (HF) remain poor with high rates of death and hospitalization due to worsening HF. Noninvasive tools may be useful to identify patients at risk for disease progression before these outcomes occur. For example, loss of cell mass and compromised cell membrane integrity throughout the body are associated with chronic disease, mortality, frailty, and malnutrition. As the cell membrane loses its integrity, its electrical capacitance decreases, lowering bioelectrical phase angle. Data collected during the SCALE-HF 1 study (NCT04882449) was used to evaluate bioelectrical phase angle as a marker for heart failure (HF) hospitalization risk. Phase angle was measured by the FDA-cleared Bodyport Cardiac Scale.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>SCALE-HF 1 was a multicenter, prospective, observational study, investigating HF event prediction. Baseline phase angle was measured during the first week in the study with the patient standing barefoot on the Cardiac Scale at home for approximately 20 seconds. HF hospitalizations were independently adjudicated. The analysis was based on univariable and multivariable Cox regression models adjusted for age, sex, race, body mass index (BMI), left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF), inpatient status at enrollment, and selected comorbidities and laboratory tests.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>329 participants with HF were enrolled across 8 US sites with 238 patient-years of follow-up. 312 (95%) of the participants had a baseline phase angle, and 57 (18%) of those had a HF hospitalization during the follow-up period. Participants with baseline phase angle in the lowest quartile (suggesting worse cell membrane integrity) were at increased risk for HF hospitalization compared to participants with baseline phase angle in the highest quartile (Hazard ratio: 3.44, 95% CI: 1.55 to 7.63, <em>P</em> = .002). When adjusted for risk factors selected from age, sex, race, BMI, LVEF, laboratory tests and comorbidities in the multivariable model, participants with baseline phase angle in the lowest quartile continued to be at increased risk for HF hospitalization compared to participants with baseline phase angle in the highest quartile (Hazard ratio: 3.51, 95% CI: 1.73 to 7.12, <em>P</em> < .001).</div></div><div><h3>Conclusions</h3><div>Phase angle was found to be independently associated with HF hospitalization risk. The noninvasive measurement, acquired with a familiar scale form factor, may help guide remote care and triage.</div></div><div><h3>Trial Registration</h3><div>ClinicalTrials.gov NCT04882449. <span><span>https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT04882449</span><svg><path></path></svg></span>.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":7868,"journal":{"name":"American heart journal","volume":"292 ","pages":"Article 107288"},"PeriodicalIF":3.5,"publicationDate":"2025-10-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145249401","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-10-07DOI: 10.1016/j.ahj.2025.08.016
Matthew Gold MD , Sarah Kulkarni MSPH , Arshed Quyyumi MD
{"title":"Response to letter by Hu regarding article, “Statistical Methodological Limitations and Improvement Suggestions in the Study of Vitamin D Deficiency and Cardiovascular Mortality After Heart Transplantation.”","authors":"Matthew Gold MD , Sarah Kulkarni MSPH , Arshed Quyyumi MD","doi":"10.1016/j.ahj.2025.08.016","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ahj.2025.08.016","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":7868,"journal":{"name":"American heart journal","volume":"291 ","pages":"Pages 218-219"},"PeriodicalIF":3.5,"publicationDate":"2025-10-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145257101","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-10-03DOI: 10.1016/j.ahj.2025.107285
Tayyab Shah MD , Samantha Coratti BA , David Farraday BA , Laurie Norton MA, MBE , Charles Rareshide MS , Jingsan Zhu MS, MBA , Michael G. Levin MD , Sae-Hwan Park PhD , Scott M. Damrauer MD , Jay S. Giri MD, MHS , Neel P. Chokshi MD, MBA , Benjamin M. Jackson MD, MS , Mitesh S. Patel MD, MBA , Alexander C. Fanaroff MD, MHS
Directly contacting eligible participants with an offer to join a randomized clinical trial (RCT) is an efficient recruitment method, but the effect of different outreach strategies on enrollment fraction and completion of the trial protocol is uncertain. In a study within a trial (SWAT) of an RCT testing a physical activity intervention in patients with peripheral artery disease, eligible patients were randomized to receive an email with an invitation to join the study and a link to the trial’s online platform (“opt-in”) or to receive an email framing participation as part of the standard of care followed by telephone outreach from a study coordinator (“opt-out”). Among 5176 participants contacted by unsolicited email (3909 opt-in, 1267 opt-out), enrollment fraction was 1.0% in the opt-in arm (n = 39) versus 3.6% in the opt-out arm (n = 45) (OR 3.65, 95% CI 2.37-5.64); there were no significant differences between opt-in and opt-out participants in the rate of completion of trial protocol steps. This SWAT of recruitment strategies demonstrates the potential for opt-out framing and active outreach to increase enrollment fraction without compromising protocol completion in direct-to-participant RCTs.
{"title":"Effect of opt-in versus opt-out framing on trial recruitment: a study within a trial of the GAMEPAD randomized trial","authors":"Tayyab Shah MD , Samantha Coratti BA , David Farraday BA , Laurie Norton MA, MBE , Charles Rareshide MS , Jingsan Zhu MS, MBA , Michael G. Levin MD , Sae-Hwan Park PhD , Scott M. Damrauer MD , Jay S. Giri MD, MHS , Neel P. Chokshi MD, MBA , Benjamin M. Jackson MD, MS , Mitesh S. Patel MD, MBA , Alexander C. Fanaroff MD, MHS","doi":"10.1016/j.ahj.2025.107285","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ahj.2025.107285","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Directly contacting eligible participants with an offer to join a randomized clinical trial (RCT) is an efficient recruitment method, but the effect of different outreach strategies on enrollment fraction and completion of the trial protocol is uncertain. In a study within a trial (SWAT) of an RCT testing a physical activity intervention in patients with peripheral artery disease, eligible patients were randomized to receive an email with an invitation to join the study and a link to the trial’s online platform (“opt-in”) or to receive an email framing participation as part of the standard of care followed by telephone outreach from a study coordinator (“opt-out”). Among 5176 participants contacted by unsolicited email (3909 opt-in, 1267 opt-out), enrollment fraction was 1.0% in the opt-in arm (<em>n</em> = 39) versus 3.6% in the opt-out arm (<em>n</em> = 45) (OR 3.65, 95% CI 2.37-5.64); there were no significant differences between opt-in and opt-out participants in the rate of completion of trial protocol steps. This SWAT of recruitment strategies demonstrates the potential for opt-out framing and active outreach to increase enrollment fraction without compromising protocol completion in direct-to-participant RCTs.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":7868,"journal":{"name":"American heart journal","volume":"292 ","pages":"Article 107285"},"PeriodicalIF":3.5,"publicationDate":"2025-10-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145231441","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-10-02DOI: 10.1016/j.ahj.2025.107284
Ahmed Abdelaziz MD , Shrouk Ramadan MD , Mohammed Tarek Hasan MD , Muhammad Desouky MD , Karim Atta MBBS , Abdelrahman Hafez MD , Mahmoud Mohamed Shams MD , Ahmed Helmi MD , Rahma AbdElfattah Ibrahim MD , Ahmed Sobhy MD , Rehab Adel Diab MD , Fayed Mohamed Rzk MD , Ahmed Farid Gadelmawla MD , Ziad Mohsen Alenna MD , Mohamed Abdelaziz MD , Mohamed Nabil Hamouda MD , Noha Hammad MD , Daniel Lorenzatti MD , Carl J Lavie MD , Leandro Slipczuk MD, PhD , Gregg W Stone MD
Complete revascularization in patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) and multivessel disease reduces major adverse cardiac events (MACE) compared with incomplete revascularization, although whether survival is improved is uncertain. For this systematic review and meta-analysis, all randomized trials of complete vs incomplete revascularization in patients with acute MI without cardiogenic shock were identified from PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, and Cochrane Library databases from inception to December 31, 2024. The primary and major secondary endpoints were MACE and all-cause mortality derived from reconstructed time-to-event individual-patient-data from published Kaplan-Meier curves. Additional outcomes included cardiovascular mortality, MI, and unplanned repeat revascularizations. Outcomes were expressed as hazard ratios with 95% confidence intervals. This study was registered with the PROSPERO (number, CRD42023415428). A total of 9 randomized trials with 9,658 patients (86.8% with STEMI) were identified among whom 4,671 (48.4%) patients had complete revascularization. Patients with complete revascularization had a lower 5-year risk of MACE (HR: 0.59, 95% CI: 0.54 to 0.66, P < .001) compared with incomplete revascularization. Complete revascularization was also associated with lower 5-year risks of all-cause mortality (HR: 0.64, 95% CI: 0.56 to 0.72, P < .001), cardiovascular mortality (HR: 0.82, 95% CI: 0.71 to 0.95, P = .008), MI (HR: 0.69, 95% CI: 0.55 to 0.87, P < .001), and unplanned repeat revascularizations (HR: 0.62, 95% CI: 0.54 to 0.71, P < .001). Complete revascularization results in lower risks of all-cause and cardiovascular mortality, MI, unplanned repeat revascularizations and MACE in patients with acute MI and multivessel disease. These results support current guidelines recommending CR in hemodynamically stable patients with STEMI, emphasizing that this approach may improve survival.
与不完全血运重建术相比,st段抬高型心肌梗死(STEMI)和多血管疾病患者的完全血运重建术可减少主要不良心脏事件(MACE),尽管生存率是否提高尚不确定。在这项系统评价和荟萃分析中,从PubMed、Scopus、Web of Science和Cochrane Library数据库中确定了从开始到2024年12月31日的急性心肌梗死无心源性休克患者的完全与不完全血运重建术的所有随机试验。主要终点和次要终点是MACE和全因死亡率,这些全因死亡率来自于已发表的Kaplan-Meier曲线中重构的个体患者数据。其他结果包括心血管死亡率、心肌梗死和计划外重复血运重建术。结果以95%置信区间的风险比表示。本研究已在PROSPERO注册(编号:CRD42023415428)。共有9项随机试验,9658例患者(86.8%)被确定为STEMI,其中4671例(48.4%)患者完全血运重建术。完全血运重建术患者发生MACE的5年风险较低(HR: 0.59, 95% CI: 0.54 ~ 0.66, p
{"title":"Complete revascularization in patients with acute myocardial infarction and multivessel disease: Pooled analysis of Kaplan-Meier-derived individual-patient-data","authors":"Ahmed Abdelaziz MD , Shrouk Ramadan MD , Mohammed Tarek Hasan MD , Muhammad Desouky MD , Karim Atta MBBS , Abdelrahman Hafez MD , Mahmoud Mohamed Shams MD , Ahmed Helmi MD , Rahma AbdElfattah Ibrahim MD , Ahmed Sobhy MD , Rehab Adel Diab MD , Fayed Mohamed Rzk MD , Ahmed Farid Gadelmawla MD , Ziad Mohsen Alenna MD , Mohamed Abdelaziz MD , Mohamed Nabil Hamouda MD , Noha Hammad MD , Daniel Lorenzatti MD , Carl J Lavie MD , Leandro Slipczuk MD, PhD , Gregg W Stone MD","doi":"10.1016/j.ahj.2025.107284","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ahj.2025.107284","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Complete revascularization in patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) and multivessel disease reduces major adverse cardiac events (MACE) compared with incomplete revascularization, although whether survival is improved is uncertain. For this systematic review and meta-analysis, all randomized trials of complete vs incomplete revascularization in patients with acute MI without cardiogenic shock were identified from PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, and Cochrane Library databases from inception to December 31, 2024. The primary and major secondary endpoints were MACE and all-cause mortality derived from reconstructed time-to-event individual-patient-data from published Kaplan-Meier curves. Additional outcomes included cardiovascular mortality, MI, and unplanned repeat revascularizations. Outcomes were expressed as hazard ratios with 95% confidence intervals. This study was registered with the PROSPERO (number, CRD42023415428). A total of 9 randomized trials with 9,658 patients (86.8% with STEMI) were identified among whom 4,671 (48.4%) patients had complete revascularization. Patients with complete revascularization had a lower 5-year risk of MACE (HR: 0.59, 95% CI: 0.54 to 0.66, <em>P</em> < .001) compared with incomplete revascularization. Complete revascularization was also associated with lower 5-year risks of all-cause mortality (HR: 0.64, 95% CI: 0.56 to 0.72, <em>P</em> < .001), cardiovascular mortality (HR: 0.82, 95% CI: 0.71 to 0.95, <em>P</em> = .008), MI (HR: 0.69, 95% CI: 0.55 to 0.87, <em>P</em> < .001), and unplanned repeat revascularizations (HR: 0.62, 95% CI: 0.54 to 0.71, <em>P</em> < .001). Complete revascularization results in lower risks of all-cause and cardiovascular mortality, MI, unplanned repeat revascularizations and MACE in patients with acute MI and multivessel disease. These results support current guidelines recommending CR in hemodynamically stable patients with STEMI, emphasizing that this approach may improve survival.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":7868,"journal":{"name":"American heart journal","volume":"292 ","pages":"Article 107284"},"PeriodicalIF":3.5,"publicationDate":"2025-10-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145228615","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}