A Scoping Review of Health Equity Interventions in Governmental Public Health.

CONTEXT: Despite major efforts in research, practice, and policy, racial and ethnic disparities in health and health care persist in the United States. Interventions in collaboration with governmental public health may provide ways to address these persistent racial and ethnic health and health care disparities and improve health outcomes. OBJECTIVE: To conduct a comprehensive review of health equity interventions performed in collaboration with public health agencies. DESIGN: This scoping review includes intervention studies from Ovid MEDLINE, PsycINFO, and Academic Search Premier, published between 2017 and 2023. The search strategy used terminology focused on 4 concepts: race/ethnicity, equity, health departments, and epidemiologic studies. ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA: The following inclusion criteria were determined a priori: (1) intervention tailored to reduce racial/ethnic health disparities, (2) public health department involvement, (3) health outcome measures, (4) use of epidemiologic study methods, (5) written in English, (6) implemented in the United States, (7) original data (not a commentary), and (8) published between January 2017 and January 2023. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: This review focused primarily on 4 dimensions of racial health equity interventions including intervention components, intervention settings, intervention delivery agents, and intervention outcomes. RESULTS: This review indicated that health equity interventions involving public health agencies focused on the following categories: (1) access to care, (2) health behavior, (3) infectious disease testing, (4) preventing transmission, and (5) cancer screening. Critical strategies included in interventions for reaching racial/ethnic minoritized people included using community settings, mobile clinics, social media/social networks, phone-based interventions, community-based workers, health education, active public health department involvement, and structural/policy change. CONCLUSIONS: This scoping review aims to provide an evidence map to inform public health agencies, researchers, and funding agencies on gaps in knowledge and priority areas for future research and to identify existing health equity interventions that could be considered for implementation by public health leaders.

Association of Cumulative Systolic Blood Pressure With Left Atrial Function in the Setting of Normal Left Atrial Size: The Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities (ARIC) Study.

BACKGROUND: Lower left atrial (LA) function is associated with increased risk for cardiovascular disease events; data on risk factors for impaired LA function are limited. We evaluated the effect of cumulative systolic blood pressure (cSBP) from midlife to older age on LA strain in adults with normal LA size. METHODS: We included participants in the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities study with LA strain measured on the visit 5 echocardiogram (2011-13), excluding those with atrial fibrillation and LA volume index >34 mL/m2. The cSBP was calculated from visit 1 (1987-89) through visit 5. Linear regression models were used to evaluate associations between cSBP and LA strain measures. RESULTS: A total of 3,859 participants with a mean (SD) age of 75.2 (5.0) years were included in the analysis; 725 (18.8%) were Black and 2,342 (60.7%) were women. After adjusting for demographics, cardiovascular disease risk factors, heart failure, and coronary heart disease, each 10 mm Hg increase in cSBP was associated with 0.32% (95% CI, -0.52%, -0.13%) and 0.37% (95% CI, -0.51%, -0.22%) absolute reduction in LA reservoir and conduit strain, respectively. Associations were attenuated after adjustment for left ventricular (LV) systolic and diastolic function and mass (-0.12%: 95% CI, -0.31, 0.06 for reservoir strain; and -0.24%: 95% CI -0.38%, -0.10% for conduit strain). In subgroup analyses, the association of cSBP with conduit strain was statistically significant among those with normal LV systolic and diastolic function. CONCLUSIONS: Cumulative exposure to elevated blood pressure from midlife to late life was modestly associated with lower LA reservoir and conduit strain in older adults with normal LA size, mostly related to the effect of blood pressure on LV function and mass. However, the association of cSBP and LA conduit strain in subgroups with normal LV function suggests that LA remodeling in response to hypertension occurs before LV dysfunction is detected on echocardiography.

Reported Unmet Hearing Aid Need in Older People With Dementia: The US National Core Indicators Survey.

OBJECTIVES: Hearing aids have important health benefits for older adults with Alzheimer disease and related dementias (ADRD); however, hearing aid adoption in this group is low. This study aimed to determine where to target hearing aid interventions for American long-term care recipients with ADRD by examining the association of ADRD and residence type with respondent-reported unmet hearing aid need. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS: This cross-sectional study used data from the United States National Core Indicators-Aging and Disabilities survey (2015-2019) for long-term care recipients aged ≥65 years. METHODS: We used multivariable logistic regression to model the likelihood of reporting unmet hearing aid need conditional on ADRD status and residence type (own/family house or apartment, residential care, or nursing facility/home), adjusting for sociodemographic factors and response type (self vs proxy). RESULTS: Of the 25,492 respondents [median (IQR) age, 77 (71, 84) years; 7074 (27.8%) male], 5442 (21.4%) had ADRD and 3659 (14.4%) owned hearing aids. Residence types were 17,004 (66.8%) own/family house or apartment, 4966 (19.5%) residential care, and 3522 (13.8%) nursing home. Among non-hearing aid owners, ADRD [adjusted odds ratio (AOR) 0.90, 95% CI 0.80-1.0] and residence type were associated with respondent-reported unmet hearing aid need. Compared to the nursing home reference group, respondents in their own/family home (AOR 1.85, 95% CI 1.61-2.13) and residential care (AOR 1.30, 95% CI 1.10-1.53) were more likely to report unmet hearing aid need. This pattern was significantly more pronounced in people with ADRD than in those without, stemming from an interaction between ADRD and residence type. CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS: American long-term care recipients with ADRD living in their own/family home are more likely to report unmet hearing aid need than those with ADRD in institutional and congregate settings. This information can inform the design and delivery of hearing interventions for older adults with ADRD.

Validation of a Zio XT Patch Accelerometer for the Objective Assessment of Physical Activity in the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities (ARIC) Study.

BACKGROUND: Combination devices to monitor heart rate/rhythms and physical activity are becoming increasingly popular in research and clinical settings. The Zio XT Patch (iRhythm Technologies, San Francisco, CA, USA) is US Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved for monitoring heart rhythms, but the validity of its accelerometer for assessing physical activity is unknown. OBJECTIVE: To validate the accelerometer in the Zio XT Patch for measuring physical activity against the widely-used ActiGraph GT3X. METHODS: The Zio XT and ActiGraph wGT3X-BT (Actigraph, Pensacola, FL, USA) were worn simultaneously in two separately-funded ancillary studies to Visit 6 of the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities (ARIC) Study (2016-2017). Zio XT was worn on the chest and ActiGraph was worn on the hip. Raw accelerometer data were summarized using mean absolute deviation (MAD) for six different epoch lengths (1-min, 5-min, 10-min, 30-min, 1-h, and 2-h). Participants who had ≥3 days of at least 10 h of valid data between 7 a.m-11 p.m were included. Agreement of epoch-level MAD between the two devices was evaluated using correlation and mean squared error (MSE). RESULTS: Among 257 participants (average age: 78.5 ± 4.7 years; 59.1% female), there were strong correlations between MAD values from Zio XT and ActiGraph (average r: 1-min: 0.66, 5-min: 0.90, 10-min: 0.93, 30-min: 0.93, 1-h: 0.89, 2-h: 0.82), with relatively low error values (Average MSE × 106: 1-min: 349.37 g, 5-min: 86.25 g, 10-min: 56.80 g, 30-min: 45.46 g, 1-h: 52.56 g, 2-h: 54.58 g). CONCLUSIONS: These findings suggest that Zio XT accelerometry is valid for measuring duration, frequency, and intensity of physical activity within time epochs of 5-min to 2-h.

Racial Differences in Nursing Home Quality of Life Among Residents Living With Alzheimer's Disease and Related Dementias.

ObjectivesAmong nursing home (NH) residents with Alzheimer's disease (AD) and AD-related dementias (AD/ADRD), racial/ethnic disparities in quality of care exist. However, little is known about quality of life (QoL). This study examines racial/ethnic differences in self-reported QoL among NH residents with AD/ADRD. Methods: Validated, in-person QoL surveys from 12,562 long-stay NH residents with AD/ADRD in Minnesota (2012-2015) were linked to Minimum Data Set assessments and facility characteristics. Hierarchical linear models assessed disparities in resident-reported mean QoL score (range, 0-100 points), adjusting for case-mix and facility factors. Results: Compared to White residents, racially/ethnically minoritized residents reported significantly lower total mean QoL scores (75.53 points vs. 80.34 points, p < .001). After adjustment for resident- and facility-level characteristics, significant racial/ethnic differences remained, with large disparities in food enjoyment, attention from staff, and engagement domains. Discussion: Policy changes and practice guidelines are needed to address racial/ethnic disparities in QoL of NH residents with AD/ADRD.

Association of Atrial Fibrillation With Stroke and Dementia Accounting for Left Atrial Function and Size.

BACKGROUND: Atrial fibrillation (AF) is associated with higher risks of ischemic stroke (IS) and dementia. Whether alterations in left atrial (LA) function or size-atrial myopathy-confound these associations remains unknown. OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to examine the association of prevalent and incident AF with ischemic stroke and dementia in the ARIC (Atherosclerosis Risk In Communities) study, adjusting for LA function and size. METHODS: Participants at visit 5 (2011-2013) with echocardiographic LA function (reservoir, conduit, contractile strain, and emptying fraction) and size (maximal, minimal volume index) data, and without prevalent stroke or dementia were followed through 2019. For analysis, we used time-varying Cox regression. RESULTS: Among 5,458 participants (1,193 with AF, mean age of 76 years) in the stroke analysis and 5,461 participants (1,205 with AF, mean age of 75 years) in the dementia analysis, 209 participants developed ischemic stroke, and 773 developed dementia over 7.1 years (median). In a demographic and risk factor-adjusted model, AF was significantly associated with ischemic stroke (HR, 1.63; 95% CI: 1.11-2.37) and dementia (HR: 1.38, 95% CI: 1.13-1.70). After additionally adjusting for LA reservoir strain, these associations were attenuated and no longer statistically significant (stroke [HR: 1.33, 95% CI: 0.88-2.00], dementia [HR: 1.15, 95% CI: 0.92-1.43]). Associations with ischemic stroke and dementia were also attenuated and not statistically significant after adjustment for LA contractile strain, emptying fraction, and minimal volume index. CONCLUSIONS: AF-ischemic stroke and AF-dementia associations were not statistically significant after adjusting for measures of atrial myopathy. This proof-of-concept analysis does not support AF as an independent risk factor for ischemic stroke and dementia.

Measuring Nursing Home Quality of Life: Validated Measures Are Poorly Correlated With Proxies From MDS and Quality of Life Deficiency Citationsl.

OBJECTIVES: Ensuring quality of life (QoL) is an important goal of person-centered nursing home care. The provision of person-centered care relies on information captured in the Minimum Data Set 3.0 (MDS). It is unclear to what extent MDS items or QoL-related facility deficiency citations correlate with validated measures of nursing home residents' QoL. This study evaluated correlation among MDS items, facility deficiency citations, and residents' QoL from 2 states that currently collect these measures. DESIGN: Cross-sectional study. SETTING AND PARTICIPANTS: A total of 11,487 long-stay residents in 356 facilities in Minnesota and 13,835 long-stay residents in 851 facilities in Ohio in 2015. METHODS: The outcome, QoL, was measured using validated instruments (Minnesota QoL survey and Ohio Resident Satisfaction Survey). Predictor variables included scores for Preference Assessment Tool (Section F), Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (Section D) for depressive symptoms from MDS, and count of QoL-related facility deficiency citations from the Certification and Survey Provider Enhanced Reporting database. Spearman's ranked test assessed correlation between predictor and outcome variables. Mixed effects models evaluated associations of QoL summary scores with predictor variables, adjusting for resident- and facility-level characteristics, accounting for clustering at the facility level. RESULTS: In Minnesota and Ohio, predictor variables (Section F and D items, and facility deficiency citations) correlated significantly but poorly with QoL (coefficients ranging from 0.003 to 0.3, P < .001). In the fully adjusted mixed effects model, all predictor variables, demographics, and functional status explained <21% of the total variance in QoL among residents. These findings were consistent in sensitivity analyses stratified by 1-year length of stay and by diagnosis of dementia. CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS: MDS items and facility deficiency citations encapsulate a significant but very small proportion of variance in residents' QoL. This indicates the need to measure QoL directly among residents, to plan person-centered care, and to evaluate its performance in nursing home facilities.

Association of abnormal p-wave parameters with brain MRI morphology: The atherosclerosis risk in communities neurocognitive study (ARIC-NCS).

BACKGROUND: Recent evidence indicates that abnormal P-wave parameters (PWPs)-ECG markers of atrial myopathy-are associated with incident dementia, independent of atrial fibrillation (AF) and clinical ischemic stroke. However, the mechanisms remain unclear and may include subclinical vascular brain injury. Hence, we evaluated the association of abnormal PWPs with brain MRI correlates of vascular brain injury in the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities Neurocognitive Study (ARIC-NCS). METHODS: ARIC-NCS participants who underwent 3T brain MRI scans in 2011-2013 were included. PWPs were measured from standard 12-lead ECGs. Brain MRI outcomes included cortical infarcts, lacunar infarcts, cerebral microhemorrhages, brain volumes, and white matter disease (WMD) volume. We used weighted multivariable logistic and linear regression to evaluate the associations of abnormal PWPs with brain MRI outcomes. RESULTS: Among 1715 participants (mean age, 76.1 years; 61% women; 29% Black), 797 (46%) had ≥1 abnormal PWP. After multivariable adjustment, including adjusting for prevalent AF, abnormal P-wave terminal force in lead V1 (aPTFV1) and prolonged P-wave duration (PPWD) were associated with increased odds of both cortical (OR 1.41; 95% CI, 1.14 to 1.74 and OR 1.30; 95% CI, 1.04 to 1.63, respectively) and lacunar infarcts (OR 1.36; 95% CI, 1.15 to 1.63 and OR 1.37; 95% CI, 1.15 to 1.65, respectively). Advanced interatrial block (aIAB) was associated with higher odds of subcortical microhemorrhage (OR 2.04; 95% CI, 1.36 to 3.06). Other than a significant association between aPTFV1 with lower parietal lobe volume, there were no other significant associations with brain or WMD volume. CONCLUSION: In this exploratory analysis of a US community-based cohort, ECG surrogates of atrial myopathy are associated with a higher prevalence of brain infarcts and microhemorrhage, suggesting subclinical vascular brain injury as a possible mechanism underlying the association of atrial myopathy with dementia.

Association of Right Ventricular Afterload With Atrial Fibrillation Risk in Older Adults: The Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities Study.

BACKGROUND: Atrial fibrillation (AF) is widely perceived to originate from the left atrium (LA). Whether increases in right ventricular (RV) afterload in older adults play an etiological role in AF genesis independent of LA and left ventricular (LV) remodeling is unknown. RESEARCH QUESTION: Is higher RV afterload associated with greater AF risk independent of LA and LV remodeling? STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: In this observational prospective study, we included 2,246 community-dwelling older adults (mean age, 75 years) without known cardiovascular disease, with LV ejection fraction > 50%, LA volume index < 34 mL/m2, and E/e' ratio < 14 and a measurable functional tricuspid regurgitation jet velocity. From 2D-echocardiograms, we estimated pulmonary artery systolic pressure (PASP) and pulmonary vascular resistance (PVR). We ascertained incident AF (through 2018) from hospital discharge codes and death certificates. We estimated hazard ratios (HR) by Cox regression. RESULTS: During follow-up (median, 6.3 years; interquartile interval, 5.5-6.9 years), 215 participants developed AF. AF risk was significantly higher in the third (vs first) tertile of PASP (HR, 1.65; 95% CI, 1.08-2.54) and PVR (HR, 1.38; 95% CI, 1.00-2.08) independent of LA and LV structure and function, heart rate, BMI, prevalent sleep apnea, systemic BP, antihypertensive medications, and lung, kidney, and thyroid function. These associations persisted after further exclusion of participants with tricuspid regurgitation jet velocity > 2.8 m/s and lateral and septal mitral annular velocity above age- and sex-specific reference limits. INTERPRETATION: In older adults, higher RV afterload is associated with greater AF risk independent of LA and LV remodeling. Future research should focus on confirming this novel association and elucidate underlying mechanisms.

Association of Echocardiographic Measures of Left Atrial Function and Size With Incident Dementia.

Importance: Atrial myopathy-characterized by alterations in left atrial (LA) function and size-is associated with ischemic stroke, independent of atrial fibrillation (AF). Electrocardiographic markers of atrial myopathy are associated with dementia, but it is unclear whether 2-dimensional echocardiographic (2DE)-defined LA function and size are associated with dementia. Objective: To examine the association of LA function and size with incident dementia. Design, Setting, and Participants: The Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities (ARIC) study is a community-based prospective cohort. An exploratory, retrospective analysis was conducted. ARIC centers are located in Forsyth County, North Carolina; Jackson, Mississippi; Washington County, Maryland; and suburban Minneapolis, Minnesota. For this analysis, visit 5 (2011-2013) served as the baseline. Participants without prevalent AF and stroke and who had 2DEs in 2011-2013 were included and surveilled through December 31, 2019. Exposures: LA function (reservoir strain, conduit strain, contractile strain, emptying fraction, passive emptying fraction, and active emptying fraction), and LA size (maximal and minimal volume index) as evaluated by 2DE. Main Outcomes and Measures: Dementia cases were identified using in-person and phone cognitive assessments, hospitalization codes, and death certificates. Cox proportional hazards models were used. Results: Among 4096 participants (mean [SD] age, 75 [5] years; 60% women; 22% Black individuals), 531 dementia cases were ascertained over a median follow-up of 6 years. Dementia incidence for the lowest LA quintile was 4.80 for reservoir strain, 3.94 for conduit strain, 3.29 for contractile strain, 4.20 for emptying fraction, 3.67 for passive emptying fraction, and 3.27 for active emptying fraction per 100 person-years. After full-model adjustments, there were statistically significant associations between measures of LA function and dementia; the hazard ratios (HRs) from the lowest vs highest quintile for reservoir strain were 1.98 (95% CI, 1.42-2.75); for conduit strain, 1.50 (95% CI, 1.09-2.06); for contractile strain, 1.57 (95% CI, 1.16-2.14); for emptying fraction, 1.87 (95% CI, 1.31-2.65); and for active emptying fraction, 1.43 (95% CI, 1.04-1.96). LA passive emptying fraction was not significantly associated with dementia (HR, 1.26 [95% CI, 0.93-1.71]). Dementia incidence for the highest LA maximal volume index quintile was 3.18 per 100 person-years (HR for highest vs lowest quintile, 0.77 [95% CI, 0.58-1.02]) and for the highest minimal volume index quintile was 3.50 per 100 person-years (HR for the highest vs lowest quintile, 0.95 [95% CI, 0.71-1.28]). Both measures were not significantly associated with dementia. These findings were robust to sensitivity analyses that excluded participants with incident AF or stroke. Conclusions and Relevance: In this exploratory analysis of a US community-based cohort, several echocardiographic measures of lower LA function were significantly associated with an increased risk of subsequent dementia. Measures of LA size were not significantly associated with dementia risk. These findings suggest that impaired LA function may be a risk factor associated with dementia.

Association of Differential Leukocyte Count With Incident Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm Over 22.5 Years: The ARIC Study.

OBJECTIVE: Leukocytes contribute to the development of abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA). We evaluated whether associations of differential leukocyte counts with AAA persist after accounting for traditional risk factors of AAA. APPROACH AND RESULTS: Among 11 217 adults from the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities Study, we evaluated associations of differential leukocyte counts at baseline (1987­1989) with incident AAAs over a median follow-up of 22.5 years, using Cox proportional hazards regression. Each differential leukocyte count was categorized into 5 groups­below normal, tertiles within the normal range, and above normal, with the first tertile serving as the referent. We identified 377 incident AAAs through 2011, using hospital discharge diagnoses, linked Medicare records, or death certificates. At baseline, higher neutrophil, monocyte, and eosinophil counts were associated with higher risk of AAA, independent of smoking, other differential leukocyte counts, and other traditional risk factors. The association with incident AAA was the strongest for above normal neutrophil count, with an adjusted hazard ratio (95% CI) of 2.17 (1.29­3.64). Below normal neutrophil, lymphocyte, eosinophil and basophil counts were associated with higher risk of AAA with adjusted hazard ratio (95% CI) between 1.86 (1.04­3.35) and 1.62 (1.10­2.39). CONCLUSIONS: Higher neutrophil, monocyte, and eosinophil counts in midlife are associated with higher risk of AAA, even after accounting for traditional risk factors such as smoking, obesity, and atherosclerosis. This suggests the need to identify nontraditional risk factors and treatment strategies to mitigate the residual risk of AAA conferred by midlife inflammation. Whether immunosuppression is associated with higher risk of AAA needs further investigation.

Hematocrit and incidence of venous thromboembolism.

BACKGROUND: Patients with polycythemia vera with high hematocrit have increased risk of venous thromboembolism (VTE). OBJECTIVE: To determine whether high hematocrit in the general population is also associated with elevated VTE risk. METHODS: The prospective Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities Study performed a complete blood count in 13 891 adults aged 45 to 64 in 1987 to 1989. We identified incident hospitalized VTEs through 2015 and performed proportional hazards regression analyses using race-sex-specific categorization of hematocrit percentiles (ie, <5th, 5th to <25th, 25th to <75th, 75th to <95th, and 95th-100th percentiles, with the 25th to <75th percentile serving as the reference). RESULTS: Over a median follow-up of 26 years, 800 participants had an incident venous thrombosis of the leg and/or a pulmonary embolism. There was a nonlinear association of hematocrit with VTE incidence, with risk elevated 72% for participants above the 95th percentile of hematocrit compared with the reference. Specifically, hazard ratios (95% confidence intervals) of incident VTE were 1.27 (0.91-1.76), 1.06 (0.87-1.28), 1 (reference), 1.17 (0.98-1.40) and 1.72 (1.30-2.27) across the 5 hematocrit percentiles, adjusted for age, race, sex, body mass index, smoking status and pack-years, and other confounding variables. The association of high hematocrit with VTE was limited to provoked VTE, with little evidence for unprovoked VTE. Hemoglobin above the 95th percentile also was associated with an increased risk of VTE. In contrast, there were no significant associations of platelet, leukocyte, neutrophil, or lymphocyte counts with VTE incidence. CONCLUSION: High hematocrit and hemoglobin in a general middle-aged population sample were associated with increased long-term risk of VTE, particularly provoked VTE.

Respiratory complications and 30-day unplanned hospital readmissions in patients with epilepsy.

BACKGROUND: To help mitigate the burden of health care on US economy, public policymakers and health care legislation have been focusing on reducing hospital readmissions. Respiratory complications have been identified among the commonest of adverse events in neurologic patients. The goal of our study was to better understand respiratory complications and their contribution to rehospitalizations in patients with seizures. METHODS: We used the 2013 Nationwide Readmission Database to analyze unplanned 30-day readmission rate (30RR). The study population comprised of patients with index hospital discharge diagnosis of generalized convulsive epilepsy and status epilepticus. Patients under 18 years of age, who died during hospitalization or who had missing demographic data, were excluded. Patients hospitalized in December were also excluded due to lack of 30-day follow-up. The primary outcome of interest was 30-day readmission. The causes of readmission were determined by corresponding International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision, Clinical Modification codes. RESULTS: The 30RR was highest in patients with index hospitalization discharge diagnosis of status epilepticus, followed by generalized convulsive epilepsy (intractable), followed by generalized convulsive epilepsy (nonintractable). While seizure was the most common reason for readmission, contribution of respiratory complications to readmissions was 7.85%, 12.39%, and 6.93%, respectively. Pneumonia/aspiration pneumonitis and respiratory insufficiency accounted for the majority of the readmissions in all subgroups. CONCLUSIONS: Respiratory complications are the leading nonseizure cause of 30-day unplanned readmissions in patients with generalized convulsive epilepsy and status epilepticus. Further research on identifying appropriate interventions to reduce readmissions from respiratory causes may improve outcomes for patients in these epilepsy subgroups.

Prospective study of plasma high molecular weight kininogen and prekallikrein and incidence of coronary heart disease, ischemic stroke and heart failure.

INTRODUCTION: High molecular weight kininogen (HK) and prekallikrein (PK) are proteins in the kallikrein/kinin system of the coagulation cascade. They play an important role in the contact activation system of the intrinsic coagulation pathway, renin-angiotensin activation, and inflammation. Hence these proteins have been posited to affect the occurrence of cardiovascular events and thus to be potential therapeutic targets. Previous case-control studies have provided inconsistent evidence for an association of HK and PK with cardiovascular disease. METHODS: In the prospective population-based Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities(ARIC) Study, we used Cox proportional hazards regression models to investigate the association in 4195 middle-aged adults of plasma HK and PK concentrations in 1993-95 (linearly and in quartiles) with incident coronary heart disease, ischemic stroke, and heart failure through 2016. RESULTS: Over a mean of 18 years follow-up, we identified incident cardiovascular events (coronary heart disease and ischemic stroke) in 618 participants and heart failure in 667. We observed no significant relation between HK or PK and cardiovascular disease or heart failure, before and after adjusting for several potential confounding variables. CONCLUSIONS: We found no compelling evidence to support an association of plasma HK or PK concentrations with incident CHD, ischemic stroke, or heart failure.

The Efficacy and Safety of Tetrachlorodecaoxide in Comparison with Super-oxidised Solution in Wound Healing.

BACKGROUND: Some of the relatively newer, more efficacious, and potent topical wound dressing solutions include tetrachlorodecaoxide and super-oxidised solution. This study compares the efficacy and safety of these two drugs. METHODS: This is a block-randomised, double blind, parallel-arm, post-marketing study. One hundred fifty patients with ulcers (75 blocks uniform for sex, ulcer aetiology, diabetes mellitus, and wound area score) were randomised into the two treatment arms. Patients were observed for eight weeks with weekly assessments. One hundred and twenty patients completed the study. Wound healing was objectively assessed by measurement of wound area, scoring of wound exudation and tissue type, and using the pressure ulcer scale of healing Tool (validated for multiple wound aetiologies). Subjective improvement in pain was noted using a visual analogue scale. Both groups were compared using Mann-Whitney U test on all indicators. RESULTS: Difference in change in wound tissue type in the two groups was significant (α=0.05) by intention-to-treat (ITT) and per-protocol (PP) analysis at the end of week two (ITT and PP, P<0.001) and week four (ITT, P=0.010; PP, P=0.009). P-values for other comparisons were not significant (P>0.05). No study-related adverse events were observed. CONCLUSIONS: Both drugs are efficacious. Tetrachlorodecaoxide yields healthy granulation tissue earlier. Both drugs appear to be safe for application.