Home-measured pulse pressure is a predictor of cardiovascular disease in type 2 diabetes: The KAMOGAWA-HBP study

Background and aimsPulse pressure (PP) is a prognostic predictor of cardiovascular mortality. This retrospective cohort study aimed to investigate the association between home PP measurements and cardiovascular disease in patients with type 2 diabetes.Methods and resultsHome blood pressure was measured for 14 consecutive days in 1082 patients with type 2 diabetes, and pulse pressure was calculated.A 10 mmHg increase in morning PP was associated with a 1.30-fold increase in the risk of cardiovascular disease. The risk of cardiovascular disease was 1.88 times higher in the morning in the higher PP group than in the lower PP group. In the receiver operating characteristic analysis, the areas under the curve (95% confidence interval) corresponding to the PP (morning, evening, and clinic) for new-onset cardiovascular disease were 0.63 (0.58–0.69), 0.62 (0.57–0.67), and 0.59 (0.54–0.64), respectively. The area under the curve for PP measured in the morning was significantly greater than that for PP measured in the clinic (P = 0.032).ConclusionHome-measured PP is a better predictor of new-onset cardiovascular disease than clinic-measured PP, in patients with type 2 diabetes.     

Comparison of golimumab 100-mg monotherapy to golimumab 50 mg plus methotrexate in patients with rheumatoid arthritis: Results from a multicenter,cohort study

Objective. The aim of this study was to compare the efficacy and safety of golimumab (GLM) 50 mg + methotrexate (MTX) combination therapy and GLM 100 mg monotherapy in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA).

Methods. The subjects were 115 RA patients (92 females and 23 males; median (range) age, 64 (17–87) years; median (range) disease duration, 8 (0.6–48) years) started on GLM. Eighty-three patients received GLM 50 mg/4 weeks + MTX (C group; median (range) MTX dosage 8 (2–16) mg/week), and 32 patients received GLM 100 mg/4 weeks (M group).

Serum C-reactive protein (CRP), erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), matrix metalloproteinase-3, disease activity score (DAS) 28-ESR, DAS28-CRP, simplified disease activity index, and clinical disease activity index were evaluated 4, 12, and 24 weeks after starting GLM.

Results. There were no significant differences in disease activity, adverse events, and drug continuation rates at 24 weeks between the groups. The DAS28-ESR remission rate was 34% in the C group and 26% in the M group.

Conclusions. GLM 100 mg monotherapy improved disease activity as well as GLM 50 mg + MTX combination therapy. GLM 100 mg monotherapy appears to have a sufficient therapeutic effect in RA patients who cannot take MTX.     

中国老年人群牙齿缺失与全因死亡风险关联的前瞻性队列研究

 目的 探讨中国老年人群余留牙齿数量与全因死亡的关联。方法 基于2011－2018年中国老年健康影响因素跟踪调查(CLHLS)纵向随访资料,通过调查问卷获取调查对象的基线特征、既往病史、余留牙齿数量等信息,采用Katz量表和简易智能状态检查量表评估日常活动能力和认知功能。采用多因素Cox等比例风险模型评估余留牙齿数量与全因死亡的关联。结果 共纳入8658例老年人,男3895例(45.0%),女4763例(55.0%),平均年龄为(85.7±11.2)岁,经7年随访,死亡4488例(51.8%),牙齿余留数量与年龄增长呈负相关(P<0.05)。多因素Cox回归结果显示,在调整年龄、性别、身体质量指数(body mass index,BMI)、吸烟、饮酒、锻炼、高血压、呼吸道疾病、心血管疾病、日常活动能力失能、认知功能受损等因素后,余留牙齿数量每增加一个,全因死亡风险下降1%,与余留牙齿数量为0的老年人相比,≥20颗余留牙齿的老年人的全因死亡风险下降22%。结论 中国老年人群余留牙齿数量的减少可能增加全因死亡风险,应预防老年人群牙齿脱落。     

Retinal vessel diameter and cardiovascular mortality: pooled data analysis from two older populations.

AIMS: The retinal microvasculature may reflect pre-clinical changes in the cerebral and coronary microcirculations. We assessed whether smaller retinal arterioles and larger venules predicted coronary heart disease (CHD)- and stroke-mortality. METHODS AND RESULTS: We pooled data from the Beaver Dam Eye Study (n = 4926, aged 43-86) and the Blue Mountains Eye Study (n = 3654, aged 49-97). Retinal vessel diameters were measured from digitized retinal photographs. Change point models were used to assess and document the existence of threshold effects. We defined smaller arterioles as diameters within the narrowest quintile and larger venules as diameters within the widest quintile, with other quintiles as the reference. Of 8550 participants, 7494 (88%) with complete data were included, of whom 653 died from CHD and 299 from stroke over 10-12 years follow-up. After multivariable adjustment, each standard deviation (SD) increase in arteriolar diameter, or SD decrease in venular diameter, was not found to be significantly associated with either CHD-mortality or stroke-mortality. However, smaller arterioles [hazard ratio (HR) 1.34, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.11-1.62] and larger venules (HR 1.24, CI 1.02-1.52), predicted increased risk of CHD-mortality. These associations were mainly evident among persons aged 43-69 (smaller arterioles: HR 1.70, CI 1.27-2.28; larger venules: HR 1.41, CI 1.06-1.89). Smaller arterioles (HR 1.64, CI 1.00-2.67) and larger venules (HR 1.53, CI 0.94-2.47) were also associated with an increased risk of stroke-mortality among persons aged 43-69. CONCLUSION: Retinal vessel diameter may predict risk of CHD and stroke deaths in middle-aged persons.     

CAD Severity on Cardiac CTA Identifies Patients With Most Benefit of Treating LDL-Cholesterol to ACC/AHA and ESC/EAS Targets

ObjectivesThis study aimed to assess if information on CAD severity from coronary computed tomography angiography (CTA) can identify patients that benefit most from treating low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (LDL-C) to American Heart Association/American College of Cardiology (ACC/AHA) and European Society of Cardiology (ESC) guidelines targets.BackgroundCurrent treatment guidelines for secondary prevention of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) disregard severity of coronary artery disease (CAD) for treatment choices. It is unclear whether severity of CAD should be considered in treatment recommendations.MethodsAmong 20,241 symptomatic patients undergoing diagnostic CTA from the Western Denmark Heart Registry, we assessed the number needed to treat (NNT) in 6 years to prevent 1 ASCVD event as well as the proportion of all events that could be prevented by treating LDL-C to targets. We assumed a 22% relative reduction of ASCVD events per 1 mmol/l reduction in LDL-C.ResultsIn multivariable analysis with no CAD as the reference, the subdistribution hazard ratio for ASCVD events was 4.0 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 3.3 to 4.9) for 1-vessel disease, 4.6 (3.5 to 6.0) for 2-vessel disease, and 5.6 (4.0 to 8.0) for 3-vessel disease. Consequently, the NNT to prevent 1 ASCVD event in 6 years by treating LDL-C to targets varied greatly from 233 (ESC) and 110 (ACC/AHA) for patients with no CAD to 8-9 for patients with 3-vessel disease (both ACC/AHA and ESC). The estimated percentage of ASCVD events that could be prevented by achieving guideline targets was 30% to 36% for patients with obstructive disease. However, <20% of patients achieved targets.ConclusionsAn individualized approach based on CAD severity can identify symptomatic patients that are likely to derive most and least benefit from treating LDL-C to ACC/AHA and ESC treatment targets.     

Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis (MESA): JACC Focus Seminar 5/8

The MESA (Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis) is a National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute–sponsored prospective study aimed at studying the prevalence, progression, determinants, and prognostic significance of subclinical cardiovascular disease in a sex-balanced, multiethnic, community-dwelling U.S. cohort. MESA helped usher in an era of noninvasive evaluation of subclinical atherosclerosis presence, burden, and progression for the evaluation of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease risk, beyond what could be predicted by traditional risk factors alone. Concepts developed in MESA have informed international patient care guidelines, providing new tools to effectively guide public health policy, population screening, and clinical decision-making. MESA is grounded in an open science model that continues to be a beacon for collaborative science. In this review, we detail the original goals of MESA, and describe how the scope of MESA has evolved over time. We highlight 10 significant MESA contributions to cardiovascular medicine, and chart the path forward for MESA in the year 2021 and beyond.     

Costes médicos directos y sus predictores en la cohorte “Variabilidad en el manejo de la artritis reumatoide y las espondiloartritis en España”

Objective

To analyze the resource utilization in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients and predictive factors in and patients treated with biological drugs and biologic-naïve.

藐小棘隙吸虫流行病学研究 Ⅲ.饮水与藐小棘隙吸虫感染的前瞻性定群研究

本文以前瞻性定群研究,报道了饮水与藐小棘隙吸虫感染的关系。结果表明:1.陈桥洲居民藐小棘隙吸虫年感染率为11.23%;2.饮用塘水和混饮江、塘水者感染藐小棘隙吸虫的相对危险度(RR)分别是饮江水者的3.72倍和4.28倍;3.饮生水人群的 RR 是非饮生水者的8.12倍,且分层分析后上述关系仍然成立;4.感染率与饮生水量呈剂量反应关系;5.其它寄生虫未见上述联系;6.当地人群特异危险度(PAR)及特异危险度百分比(PAR%)分别为9.43%和83.97%。结果提示生饮塘水为当地居民感染藐小棘隙吸虫的主要途径。