Search

Aims: The atherosclerotic profile and advanced plaque subtype burden in symptomatic patients ≤45 years old have not been established. This study aimed to assess the prevalence and predictors of coronary artery calcium (CAC), plaque subtypes, and plaque burden by coronary computed tomography angiography (CCTA) in symptomatic young patients., Methods and Results: We included 907 symptomatic young patients (18-45 years) from Montefiore undergoing CCTA for chest pain evaluation. Prevalence and predictors of CAC, plaque subtypes, and burden were evaluated using semi-automated software. In the overall population (55% female and 44% Hispanic), 89% had CAC = 0. The likelihood of CAC or any plaque by CCTA increased with >3 risk factors {RFs, odds ratio [OR] 7.13 (2.14-23.7) and OR 10.26 (3.36-31.2), respectively}. Any plaque by CCTA was present in 137 (15%); the strongest independent predictors were age ≥35 years [OR 3.62 (2.05-6.41)] and family history of premature coronary artery disease (FHx) [OR 2.76 (1.67-4.58)]. Stenosis ≥50% was rare (1.8%), with 31% of those having CAC = 0. Significant non-calcified plaque (NCP, 37.2%) and low-attenuation plaque (LAP, 4.24%) burdens were seen, even in those with non-obstructive stenosis. Among patients with CAC = 0, 5% had plaque, and the only predictor of exclusively NCP was FHx [OR 2.29 (1.08-4.86)]., Conclusion: In symptomatic young patients undergoing CCTA, the prevalence of CAC or any coronary atherosclerosis was not negligible, and the likelihood increased with RF burden. The presence of coronary stenosis ≥50% was rare and most often accompanied by CAC >0, but there was a significant burden of NCP and LAP even within the non-obstructive group., Competing Interests: Conflict of interest: P.P., and D.L. are supported by grants from Amgen and Philips. A.L. is a consultant for and on the advisory board of Medtronic, Abbott, Boston Scientific, and Philips. R.B. has received consulting honoraria from Caristo, Novartis, Silence Therapeutic and grant/research support from Amgen and is a member of the board of directors for the American Society of Nuclear Cardiology and the Society of Cardiovascular Computed Tomography. M.J.B. has received grants from the National Institutes of Health, U.S. Food and Drug Administration, AHA, Amgen, Novo Nordisk, and Bayer and is on the advisory boards for Amgen, Sanofi, Regeneron, Novartis, Novo Nordisk, Bayer, 89Bio, Kaleido, Roche, Inozyme, emocha, VoxelCloud, and Kowa. D.S.B. and D.D. received software royalties from Cedars-Sinai Medical Center and hold a patent (US8885905B2 in the USA and World Intellectual Property Organization patent WO2011069120A1, ‘Method and System for Plaque Characterization’). S.S.V. has received honorarium from the American College of Cardiology (Associate Editor for Innovations, acc.org) and grant funding from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, National Institutes of Health, World Heart Federation, and Tahir and Jooma Family. L.S. has received consulting honoraria from Amgen, Regeneron and Philips and research grants from Amgen and Philips. The remaining authors have nothing to disclose., (© The Author(s) 2024. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the European Society of Cardiology. All rights reserved. For commercial re-use, please contact reprints@oup.com for reprints and translation rights for reprints. All other permissions can be obtained through our RightsLink service via the Permissions link on the article page on our site—for further information please contact journals.permissions@oup.com.)

Background: After a cryptogenic stroke, patients often will require prolonged cardiac monitoring; however, the subset of patients who would benefit from long-term rhythm monitoring is not clearly defined., Objective: The purpose of this study was to create a risk score by identifying significant predictors of atrial fibrillation (AF) using age, sex, comorbidities, baseline 12-lead electrocardiogram, short-term rhythm monitoring, and echocardiographic data and to compare it to previously published risk scores., Methods: Patients admitted to Montefiore Medical Center between May 2017 and June 2022 with a primary diagnosis of cryptogenic stroke or transient ischemic attack who underwent long-term rhythm monitoring with an implantable cardiac monitor were retrospectively analyzed., Results: Variables positively associated with a diagnosis of clinically significant AF include age (P <.001), race (P = .022), diabetes status (P = .026), chronic obstructive pulmonary disease status (P = .012), presence of atrial runs (P = .003), number of atrial runs per 24 hours (P <.001), total number of atrial run beats per 24 hours (P <.001), number of beats in the longest atrial run (P <.001), left atrial enlargement (P = .007), and at least mild mitral regurgitation (P = .009). We created a risk stratification score for our population, termed the ACL score. The ACL score demonstrated superiority to the CHA 2 DS 2 -VASc score and comparability to the C 2 HEST score for predicting device-detected AF., Conclusion: The ACL score enables clinicians to better predict which patients are more likely to be diagnosed with device-detected AF after a cryptogenic stroke., Competing Interests: Disclosures Dr Di Biase is a consultant for Biosense Webster, Boston Scientific, Stereotaxis, and St. Jude Medical; and has received speaker honoraria from Medtronic, AtriCure, EPiEP, and Biotronik. The other authors have no conflicts of interest to disclose., (Copyright © 2024 Heart Rhythm Society. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Abstract: Learning from the healthcare system's response to the COVID-19 pandemic is essential to better prepare for potential future crises. We sought to assess mortality rates for patients admitted for acute decompensated heart failure (HF) and to analyze which factors demonstrated a statistically significant correlation with this primary endpoint. We performed a retrospective analysis of patients hospitalized with a primary diagnosis of acute decompensated HF within the New York City Health and Hospitals 11-hospital system across the different COVID surge periods. Mortality information was collected in 4,405 participants (mean [SD] age 70.54 [14.44] years, 1885 [42.87%] female).The highest mortality existed in the first surge (9.02%), then improved to near prepandemic levels (3.65%) in the second (3.91%) and third surges (5.94%, p < 0.0001). In-hospital mortality inversely correlated with receipt of a COVID-19 vaccination, but had no correlation with left ventricular ejection fraction or the number of vaccination doses. Mortality for acute decompensated HF patients improved after the first surge, suggesting that hospitals adequately adapted to provide quality care. As future infectious outbreaks may occur, emergency preparedness must ensure that adequate focus and resources remain for other clinical entities, such as HF, to ensure optimal care is delivered across all areas of illness., Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflicts of interest., (Copyright © 2024 National Association for Healthcare Quality.)

Background: Despite its clinical benefits, patient compliance to remote monitoring (RM) of cardiac implantable electronic devices (CIEDs) varies and remains under-studied in diverse populations., Objective: We sought to evaluate RM compliance, clinical outcomes, and identify demographic and socioeconomic factors affecting RM in a diverse urban population in New York., Methods: This retrospective cohort study included patients enrolled in CIED RM at Montefiore Medical Center between December 2017 and May 2022. RM compliance was defined as the percentage of days compliant to RM transmission divided by the total prescribed days of RM. Patients were censored when they were lost to follow-up or at the time of death. The cohorts were categorized into low (≤30%), intermediate (31-69%), and high (≥70%) RM compliance groups. Statistical analyses were conducted accordingly., Results: Among 853 patients, median RM compliance was 55%. Age inversely affected compliance (p < .001), and high compliance was associated with guideline-directed medical therapy (GDMT) usage and implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD)/cardiac resynchronization defibrillator (CRTD) devices. The low-compliance group had a higher mortality rate and fewer regular clinic visits (p < .001) than high-compliance group. Socioeconomic factors did not significantly impact compliance, while Asians showed higher compliance compared with Whites (OR 3.67; 95% CI 1.08-12.43; p = .04). Technical issues were the main reason for non-compliance., Conclusion: We observed suboptimal compliance to RM, which occurred most frequently in older patients. Clinic visit compliance, optimal medical therapy, and lower mortality were associated with higher compliance, whereas insufficient understanding of RM usage was the chief barrier to compliance., (© 2023 Wiley Periodicals LLC.)

Although great progress has been made in the diagnostic and treatment options for dyslipidemias, unawareness, underdiagnosis and undertreatment of these disorders remain a significant global health concern. Growth in digital applications and newer models of care provide novel tools to improve the management of chronic conditions such as dyslipidemia. In this review, we discuss the evolving landscape of lipid management in the 21st century, current treatment gaps and possible solutions through digital health and new models of care. Our discussion begins with the history and development of value-based care and the national establishment of quality metrics for various chronic conditions. These concepts on the level of healthcare policy not only inform reimbursements but also define the standard of care. Next, we consider the advances in atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease risk score calculators as well as evolving imaging modalities. The impact and growth of digital health, ranging from telehealth visits to online platforms and mobile applications, will also be explored. We then evaluate the ways in which machine learning and artificial intelligence-driven algorithms are being utilized to address gaps in lipid management. From an organizational perspective, we trace the redesign of medical practices to incorporate a multidisciplinary team model of care, recognizing that atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease risk is multifaceted and requires a comprehensive approach. Finally, we anticipate the future of dyslipidemia management, assessing the many ways in which atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease burden can be reduced on a population-wide scale., Competing Interests: Robert Ostfeld receives research grants from the Purjes and Greenbaum Foundations; and scientific advisory board member, Mesuron Inc., with stock options. Vera Bittner served on the Steering Committee for the Odyssey Outcomes Trial (Sanofi and Regeneron), served as National Coordinator for the CLEAR Outcomes Trial (Esperion), the STRENGTH Trial (Astra Zeneca), and the DalGene Trial (DalCor); she is Site PI for ORION (Novartis) and EVOLVE-MI (Amgen), and is co-investigator on an industry/academic collaboration between Amgen and the UAB School of Public Health (PIs: Muntner and Colantonio). All monies for these activities go to the institution. VB serves on a DSMB for Verve Therapeutics and serves as Senior Guest Editor for Circulation and receives personal honoraria for these activities. Seth Martin reports funding from the American Heart Association (20SFRN35380046, 20SFRN35490003, COVID19-811000, #878924, #882415, and #946222), the Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (ME-2019C1-15 328, IHS-2021C3-24147), the National Institutes of Health (P01 HL108800 and R01AG071032), the David and June Trone Family Foundation, the Pollin Digital Innovation Fund, Sandra and Larry Small, CASCADE FH, Google, Amgen, and Merck. Dr. Martin has received material support from Apple and iHealth. Under a license agreement between Corrie Health and the Johns Hopkins University, the University owns equity in Corrie Health and the University and Dr. Martin are entitled to royalty distributions related to the Corrie technology. Additionally, Dr. Martin is a co-founder of and holds equity in Corrie Health. This arrangement has been reviewed and approved by the Johns Hopkins University in accordance with its conflict of interest policies. Furthermore, Dr. Martin reports personal consulting fees from Amgen, AstraZeneca, Chroma, Kaneka, NewAmsterdam, Novartis, Novo Nordisk, Sanofi, and 89bio. Michael Shapiro serves on the scientific advisory boards of Amgen, Ionis, Novartis and Precision BioScience and is a consultant for Ionis, Novartis, Regeneron, EmendoBio and Aidoc. Leandro Slipczuk has received institutional grants from Amgen and Philips and consulting honoraria from Amgen, BMS and Philips. Michael D. Shapiro is serving as Guest Editor and one of the Editorial Board members of this journal. We declare that Michael D. Shapiro had no involvement in the peer review of this article and has no access to information regarding its peer review. Full responsibility for the editorial process for this article was delegated to Carmela Rita Balistreri. Others report no conflict., (Copyright: © 2023 The Author(s). Published by IMR Press.)

Implantable cardiac monitors are routinely placed for long-term monitoring (LTM) after a period of negative short-term monitoring (STM) to increase atrial fibrillation (AF) detection after a cryptogenic stroke or transient ischemic attack (TIA). Optimizing AF monitoring after a cryptogenic stroke is critical to improve outcomes and reduce costs. We sought to compare the diagnostic yield of STM versus LTM, assess the impact of routine STM on hospitalization length of stay, and perform a financial analysis comparing the current model to a theoretical model wherein patients can proceed directly to LTM. Our retrospective observational cohort study analyzed patients admitted to Montefiore Medical Center between May 2017 and June 2022 with a primary diagnosis of cryptogenic stroke or TIA who underwent Holter device monitoring. Of 396 subjects, STM detected AF in 10 (2.5%) compared with a diagnostic yield of 14.6% for LTM (median time to diagnosis of 76 days). Of the 386 patients with negative STM, 130 (33.7%) received an implantable cardiac monitor while an inpatient, and 256 (66.3%) did not. We calculated a point estimate of 1.67 days delay of discharge attributable to the requirement for STM to precede LTM. Our model showed that the expected cost per patient in the STM-first paradigm is $28,615.33 versus $27,111.24 in the LTM-or-STM paradigm. Considering the relatively lower diagnostic yield of STM and its association with a longer length of stay and higher costs, it may be reasonable to proceed directly to LTM to optimize AF detection after a cryptogenic stroke or TIA., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors have no conflicts of interest to declare., (Published by Elsevier Inc.)

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a complex endocrinopathy affecting many women of reproductive age. Although its physiology is poorly understood, hyperandrogenemia and insulin resistance play a pivotal role in this complex syndrome, predisposing patients to a variety of cardiovascular and metabolic modalities. Current therapeutic options, including lifestyle modifications and medications, often do not satisfactorily improve clinical outcomes. SGLT2 inhibitors (SGLT-2i) are a novel option which can potentially improve many hormonal and metabolic parameters for patients with PCOS, though the net cardiovascular effects remain under investigation in this population of patients with PCOS. Overall, the use of SGLT-2i may be associated with beneficial somatometric, metabolic and hormonal outcomes of PCOS. To date, all available studies have recorded body mass index, waist and hip circumference, and fat mass reductions, improved insulin and androgen levels, and reduced blood pressure. The aim of the present review is to summarise PCOS-related manifestations and mechanisms leading to cardiovascular disease, to explore the cardiometabolic impact of SGLT2i on PCOS, and to critically analyse the cardiometabolic and hormonal outcomes of the recent studies on the use of SGLT2i in women with PCOS., (© 2023 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Patients with multiple myeloma (MM) are at a high risk for developing cardiovascular complications. Global longitudinal strain (GLS) can detect early functional impairment before structural abnormalities develop. It remains unknown if reduced GLS is associated with reduced survival in patients with MM. We conducted a retrospective cohort analysis of patients diagnosed with MM between 1 January 2000 and 31 December 2017 at our institution. Patients with a 2D transthoracic echocardiogram completed within 1 year of MM diagnosis, left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) greater than 40%, and no history of myocardial infarction prior to MM diagnosis were included. GLS was measured using an artificial-intelligence-powered software (EchoGo Core), with reduced GLS defined as an absolute value of <18%. The primary outcome of interest was overall survival since myeloma diagnosis. Our cohort included 242 patients with a median follow up of 4.28 years. Fifty-two (21.5%) patients had reduced average GLS. Patients with reduced GLS were more likely to have an IVSd ≥ 1.2cm, E/E' > 9.6, LVEF/GLS > 4.1, higher LV mass index, and low-voltage ECG. A Total of 126 (52.1%) deaths occurred during follow-up. Overall survival was lower among patients with reduced GLS (adjusted HR: 1.81, CI: 1.07-3.05).

Background: Maintaining good mental health among Emergency Department healthcare workers (ED HCW) is paramount to well-functioning healthcare. We measured mental health and COVID-19 symptoms in ED HCW at a COVID-19 epicenter., Methods: A cross-sectional, convenience sample of adult (≥18 years) ED HCW in Brooklyn, New York, USA, who were employed at ≥50% of a full-time effort, was surveyed September-December, 2020 with reference period March-May 2020. An anonymous email-distributed survey assessed gender, age, race, healthcare worker status (clinical versus non-clinical), SARS-CoV-2 testing, number of people to talk to, COVID-19-related home problems, mental health care interruption during COVID-19, loneliness, and survey date. Outcomes included symptoms of depression, psychological distress, perceived stress, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), anxiety, and resilience measured using validated scales., Results: Of 774 HCW, 247 (31.9%) responded (mean age 38.2±10.8 years; 59.4% White; 52.5% men; 80.1% clinical; 61.6% SARS-CoV-2 tested). Average mental health scores were significantly higher among clinical vs non-clinical HCW (P's<0.0001-0.019). The proportion reporting a clinically-relevant psychological distress symptom burden was higher among clinical vs non-clinical HCW (35.8% vs 13.8%, p=0.019); and suggested for depression (53.9% clinical vs 35.7% non-clinical, p=0.072); perceived stress (63.6% clinical vs 44.8% non-clinical, p=0.053); and PTSD (18.2% clinical vs 3.6% non-clinical, p=0.064). Compared to non-clinical staff, Medical Doctors and Doctors of Osteopathy reported 4.8-fold higher multivariable-adjusted odds of clinically-relevant perceived stress (95%CI 1.8-12.9, p=0.002); Emergency Medical Technicians reported 15.5-fold higher multivariable-adjusted odds of clinically-relevant PTSD (95%CI 1.6-150.4, p=0.018). Increasing age, number of COVID-19-related home problems and people to talk to, loneliness and mental health care interruption were adversely associated with mental health; being male and SARS-CoV-2 testing were beneficial., Conclusions: COVID-19-related mental health burden was high among ED HCW in Brooklyn. Mental health support services are essential for ED HCW., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest None of the authors have any conflicts of interest related to this study.