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Accurate measurement of central blood pressure (BP) using upper arm cuff-based methods is associated with several factors, including determining the level of systolic BP (SBP) amplification. This study aimed to determine the agreement between cuff-based and invasively measured SBP amplification. Patients undergoing coronary angiography had invasive SBP amplification (brachial SBP – central SBP) measured simultaneously with cuff-based SBP amplification using a commercially available central BP device (device 1: Sphygmocor Xcel; n = 171, 70% men, 60 ± 10 years) and a now superseded model of a central BP device (device 2: Uscom BP+; n = 52, 83% men, 62 ± 10 years). Mean difference (±2SD, limits of agreement) between cuff-based and invasive SBP amplification was 4 mmHg (−12, +20 mmHg, P < 0.001) for device 1 and −2 mmHg (−14, +10 mmHg, P = 0.10) for device 2. Both devices systematically overestimated SBP amplification at lower levels and underestimated at higher levels of invasive SBP amplification, but with stronger bias for device 1 (r = −0.68 vs. r = −0.52; Z = 2.72; P = 0.008). Concordance of cuff-based and invasive SBP amplification across quartiles of invasive SBP amplification was low, particularly in the lowest and highest quartiles. The root mean square errors from regression between cuff-based central SBP and brachial SBP were significantly lower (indicating less variability) than from invasive regression models (P < 0.001). Irrespective of the difference from invasive measurements, cuff-based estimates of SBP amplification showed evidence of proportional systematic bias and had less individual variability. These observations could provide insights on how to improve the performance of cuff-based central BP.

Introduction: It is well known that high density lipoprotein cholesterol is inversely correlated with the risk of coronary artery disease. However, data is limited regarding the relationship of high density lipoprotein cholesterol in the acute setting of coronary artery disease and particularly how it compares to the most well-known biomarker, cardiac troponin I. Hypothesis: We assessed the hypothesis that high density lipoprotein cholesterol could be used as an alternative marker to troponin for acute coronary syndrome (ACS) in high risk patients. Methods: We analysed 740 patients of the BRAVEHEART cohort presenting for coronary angiography at our institution between October 2009 and March 2014. Of these, 153 patients presented with ACS, including 44 with ST elevation myocardial infarction and 109 with non-ST elevation myocardial infarction, and 587 patients presented without ACS. Binary logistic regression was used to compare high density lipoprotein cholesterol and cardiac troponin I levels as predictors of ACS, independent of age, sex, cardiac risk factors and statin use. Results: Patients presenting with ACS had higher median cardiac troponin I levels (0.34 vs. 0.02 μg/L; p Conclusion: In conclusion, high density lipoprotein cholesterol was found to be an independent marker of ACS in high risk patients at our institution. Further studies on high density lipoprotein cholesterol could determine its clinical use in conjunction with troponin levels in patients presenting with ACS.