Comparison of Apical and Asymmetric Septal Phenotype in Patients With Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy: Clinical Features and Prognosis / 中国循环杂志

Objectives: To compare the clinical features and long-term outcomes of patients with apical hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (ApHCM) and patients with asymmetric septal hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (ASHCM). Methods: Data from 600 patients (300 with ApHCM and 300 with ASHCM) identified in a consecutive single-center cohort between 1996 and 2014 were retrospectively analyzed. The two groups were 1:1 matched by age of diagnosis, gender and the presence of outflow tract obstruction. Clinical features, cardiovascular mortalities, incidence of sudden cardiac death and cardiovascular morbidity (including unexplained syncope, atrial fibrillation, nonsustained ventricular tachycardia, progressive heart failure, embolic stroke or transient ischemic attack and myocardial infarction) were compared between the two groups. Results: Forty-two patients (14.0%) had a maximum LV wall thickness of ≥30 mm in the ASHCM group compared to only 11 patients (3.7%) in the ApHCM group (P<0.01). 156 patients in ApHCM group (52.0%)and 168 patients in ASHCM group(56.0%)underwent cardiovascular NMR examination, the incidence of late gadolinium enhancement was significantly lower in ApHCM group than in ASHCM group(26.9% vs 76.2%,P<0.01). The mean follow-up durations for ApHCM and ASHCM were (7.5 ± 4.0) years and (6.6 ± 5.4) years, respectively. The incidence of cardiovascular death (1.0% vs 5.7%), sudden cardiac death (0.33% vs 3.3%) and major adverse cardiovascular event (18.3% vs 40.3%) were significantly lower in the ApHCM group than in the ASHCM group (all P<0.01). Unexplained syncope, nonsustained ventricular tachycardia, and progressive heart failure were less common in ApHCM group than in ASHCM group (all P<0.05). Multivariate COX regression analysis showed that late gadolinium enhancement positivity (HR=4.62, 95% CI: 2.28- 68.0, P=0.02) and unexplained syncope (HR=8.56, 95% CI: 2.1-16.6, P<0.01) were independent predictors of cardiovascular mortality. Unexplained syncope was independent predictor for sudden cardiac death (HR=4.40, 95% CI: 1.5-15.2, P=0.02). Conclusions: After eliminating the interference of age at diagnosis, gender and outflow tract obstruction, patients with ApHCM represent a more benign prognosis with a lower incidence of cardiovascular mortality and morbidity than patients with ASHCM.

Comparison of benazepril monotherapy to amlodipine plus benazepril in the treatment of patients with mild and moderate hypertension: a multicentre, randomized, double-blind, parallel-controlled study / 中华心血管病杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To evaluate the efficacy and tolerability of the fixed combination of amlodipine 5 mg/benazepril 10 mg once-daily therapy, compared with benazepril, 10 mg, monotherapy in patients with mild and moderate hypertension, and to evaluate the 24 h antihypertensive efficacy and the duration of action by ambulatory blood pressure monitoring.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>In a multicenter, randomized, double-blind, parallel controlled trial, 356 cases of hypertensive patients after 2 weeks wash-out, and then given 4 weeks of benazepril 10 mg monotherapy, 220 patients with mean seated diastolic blood pressure (SeDBP) remained ≥ 90 mm Hg (1 mm Hg = 0.133 kPa) were randomly divided into benazepril 10 mg/amlodipine 5 mg (BZ10/AML5) fixed-dose combination therapy group (once a day, n = 113), and benazepril monotherapy group (daily 20 mg, n = 107). In the two groups the patients with SeDBP ≥ 90 mm Hg were doubled the dosage of the initial regimen at the end of 4-week treatment for additional 4 weeks, and the patients with SeDBP < 90 mm Hg remained the initial regimen for additional 4 weeks. The primary endpoint was to evaluate the improvement of SeDBP at the end of 8-week treatment. There were 74 patients (the combination therapy group n = 38, monotherapy therapy group n = 36) completed the 24 h ambulatory blood pressure monitoring which was included in the final efficacy analysis.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The randomized, double-blind treatment for 8 weeks, the mean value of SeDBP reduction, the reaching target blood pressure rate and total successful response rate to the treatment (a SeDBP < 90 mm Hg or a decrease of 10 mm Hg or more from baseline) were (11.7 ± 6.8) mm Hg, 65.7% and 88.5% in the combination therapy group, respectively, and were (7.7 ± 6.9) mm Hg, 35.5% and 65.5% in the monotherapy group, respectively. There were statistically significant difference between the combination therapy and the monotherapy groups in all the 3 indexs (P < 0.001). The fixed combination significantly reduced systolic blood pressure (SBP) and diastolic blood pressure (DBP) values throughout the 24 h. The trough to peak ratios of DBP/SBP in the fixed compound of benazepril/amlodipine (10 mg/5 mg) and benazepril (20 mg) alone were 83.1%/76.0% and 85.8%/79.5%, respectively. Adverse events rates were 16.8% in the combination therapy group and 35.5% in the monotherapy group (P < 0.001).</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>The combination therapy with benazepril/amlodipine was superior to benazepril monotherapy and was well tolerated in patients with essential hypertension and allowing a satisfactory BP control for 24 hours.</p>

Efficacy of monotherapy with 15 antihypertensive agents in treating essential hypertension assessed by 24-hour ambulatory blood pressure monitoring / 中国医学科学院学报

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To evaluate the efficacy of the monotherapy of 15 agents in treating essential hypertension.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>After 2-week wash-out, a total of 370 patients with seated diastolic blood pressure 95-114 mmHg and seated systolic blood pressure < 180 mmHg were randomized to different therapeutic groups. 24-hour ambulatory blood pressure monitoring was performed before medication and at the end of 8 weeks.</p><p><b>RESULT</b>All the agents significantly reduced the 24 hour mean blood pressures after treatment except doxazosin, terazosin, and torasemide.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The result suggested that the angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors, angiotensin II receptor blockers, beta-blockers and long-acting calcium antagonists were effective in treating essential hypertension, while the low-dose doxazosin, terazosin and torasemide can be used for combination therapy but not for monotherapy.</p>

Prognostic value of N-terminal-pro-brain natriuretic peptide on admission in patients with chronic heart failure / 中华心血管病杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>Heart failure is responsible for a huge burden in hospital care. Our goal was to evaluate the value of N-terminal-pro-brain natriuretic peptide (Nt-proBNP) on predicting death or hospital readmission after hospital discharge in patients with chronic heart failure (CHF).</p><p><b>METHODS</b>From March 2003 to April 2005, 135 consecutive patients (97 male and 38 female, mean age 60.7 years +/- 13.1 years) with chronic heart failure [dilated cardiomyopathy (44%) and coronary heart disease (35%)] were included in this study. Plasma concentrations of the Nt-proBNP were measured by ELISA on admission. All patients received conventional therapy and were followed up for 24 months. The primary end point was death or readmission.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>(1) During the follow up period (640 days +/- 100 days), 11 patients died and 39 patients rehospitalized, the median Nt-proBNP level on admission was significantly higher in patients died during the follow up period (5908 ng/L) than that of rehospitalized patients (2768 ng/L, P = 0.038). Plasma Nt-proBNP level on admission were significantly higher in primary end point group (n = 50, 2947 ng/L) than that in non-primary end point group (n = 85, 917 ng/L, P < 0.01). (2) Variables associated with an increased hazard of death and/or rehospitalization were Nt-proBNP and NYHA degree when analyzed by logistic regression models. Increased Log Nt-proBNP was the strongest independent predictor of an adverse outcome of CHF (odds ratio 13.8, 95% confidence interval 2.29 to 2.78, P < 0.01). (3) Area under the curve for Nt-proBNP in evaluating prognosis of CHF patients was 0.885 (positive predictive value 88.5%, negative predictive value 11.5%).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Nt-proBNP level on admission is a strong predictor of rehospitalization and death within 24 months after hospital discharge in patients with chronic heart failure.</p>