Disparities in adoption of new diabetic therapies with cardiovascular benefits.

AIMS: Sodium-glucose co-transporter 2 inhibitors (SGLT2i) and glucagon-like peptide-1 agonists (GLP1a) have cardiovascular benefit, but adoption into clinical practice has been lagging. We aim to evaluate use of SGLT2i and GLP1a across socioeconomic strata (SES), medical risk as well as provider type. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective cohort study of the prescription of SGLT2i or GLP1a within 12 months of clinic visit between January 1, 2018 and January 1, 2019 using de-identified claims data. The primary outcome was the composite of a medication fill of either an SGLT2i and/or GLP1a within 180 days of the index visit. RESULTS: Of the total cohort, 125,636 (15.8 %) received either a GLP-1a or SGLT2i.The odds of prescription of either medication was 0.64 [p = 0.006)] in patients with heart failure. Patients who identified as Black, Hispanic or Asian had lower odds of the primary outcome [Black: (AOR 0.81, p < 0.000); Hispanic: (AOR 0.87, p < 0.000); Asian: (AOR 0.83, p < 0.000). The odds was higher for those treated by an endocrinologist versus primary care clinician [AOR 2.12, p < 0.000)]. CONCLUSIONS: Prescriptionof SGLT2i or GLP1a was lower among patients with cardiovascular co-morbidities and those who identified as Black, Hispanic or Asian. Further efforts to minimize these disparities should be pursued.

N-Terminal Pro-B-Type Natriuretic Peptide as a Biomarker for the Severity and Outcomes With COVID-19 in a Nationwide Hospitalized Cohort.

Background Currently, there is limited research on the prognostic value of NT-proBNP (N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide) as a biomarker in COVID-19. We proposed the a priori hypothesis that an elevated NT-proBNP concentration at admission is associated with increased in-hospital mortality. Methods and Results In this prospective, observational cohort study of the American Heart Association's COVID-19 Cardiovascular Disease Registry, 4675 patients hospitalized with COVID-19 were divided into normal and elevated NT-proBNP cohorts by standard age-adjusted heart failure thresholds, as well as separated by quintiles. Patients with elevated NT-proBNP (n=1344; 28.7%) were older, with more cardiovascular risk factors, and had a significantly higher rate of in-hospital mortality (37% versus 16%; P<0.001) and shorter median time to death (7 versus 9 days; P<0.001) than those with normal values. Analysis by quintile of NT-proBNP revealed a steep graded relationship with mortality (7.1%-40.2%; P<0.001). NT-proBNP was also associated with major adverse cardiac events, intensive care unit admission, intubation, shock, and cardiac arrest (P<0.001 for each). In subgroup analyses, NT-proBNP, but not prior heart failure, was associated with increased risk of in-hospital mortality. Adjusting for cardiovascular risk factors with presenting vital signs, an elevated NT-proBNP was associated with 2-fold higher adjusted odds of death (adjusted odds ratio [OR], 2.23; 95% CI, 1.80-2.76), and the log-transformed NT-proBNP with other biomarkers projected a 21% increased risk of death for each 2-fold increase (adjusted OR, 1.21; 95% CI, 1.08-1.34). Conclusions Elevated NT-proBNP levels on admission for COVID-19 are associated with an increased risk of in-hospital mortality and other complications in patients with and without heart failure.

Gender Disparities in Cardiology-Related COVID-19 Publications.

INTRODUCTION: Female authors are underrepresented in cardiology journals, although prior work suggested improvement in reducing disparities over time. Early in the recent COVID-19 pandemic, female authorship continued to lag that of their male counterparts despite a surge in publications. The cumulative impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on authorship gender disparities remains unclear. We aimed to characterize gender disparities in COVID-19-related cardiology publications across the duration of the ongoing pandemic. METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed COVID-19-related research articles published in the top 20 impact factor cardiology journals between March and June 2021. Gender representation data were extracted for any author, first authors, and senior authors. RESULTS: We found that 841 articles were related to COVID-19, with a total of 5586 authors and an average of 42 articles per journal. Less than a third (29.9%) of the total authors from publications were women. Women represented a smaller proportion of first authors (21.3%) and senior authors (16.4%). CONCLUSIONS: Female authorship has continued to lag male authorship for the duration of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. The pandemic may have impeded progress in reducing gender disparities in academic cardiology publications. The low proportions of first and senior female authors may reflect the impact of the pandemic on women in cardiology in leadership domains.