Association between health status and sociodemographic, clinical and treatment disparities in the Patient-centered Outcomes Related to TReatment Practices in Peripheral Arterial Disease: Investigating Trajectories (PORTRAIT) registry.

Patients with peripheral artery disease (PAD) and intermittent claudication (IC) have impaired functional status and quality of life. However, little is known about which factors are associated with poorer health status at the time of initial presentation for PAD specialty care. Characterization of such features might provide insight into disparities that impact health status in this population. A total of 1258 patients from the United States, the Netherlands and Australia with new or worsened IC were enrolled at their first PAD specialty care visit between June 2011 and December 2015. The mean Peripheral Artery Questionnaire (PAQ) Summary Score (range 0-100), a disease-specific health status measure, was 49.2 ± 21.9. Hierarchical, multivariable linear regression was used to relate patient characteristics to baseline PAQ. Patient characteristics independently associated with poorer health status were age ( p < 0.001), female sex ( p < 0.001), not being married ( p = 0.02), economic burden (moderate/severe vs none, moderate/severe vs some; p = 0.03), difficulty getting care (moderate/severe vs none, moderate/severe vs some; p < 0.001), chronic lung disease ( p = 0.02), back pain ( p < 0.001), bilateral vs unilateral PAD ( p = 0.02), intermittent claudication severity (moderate vs mild, severe vs mild, p < 0.001), and lack of prior participation in an exercise program ( p = 0.005). Disparities in both vascular and non-vascular factors were associated with patients' health status at the time of presentation and should be addressed by all who care for patients with vascular disease.

Abnormal sodium channel mRNA splicing in hypertrophic cardiomyopathy.

BACKGROUND: Our previous studies showed that in ischemic and nonischemic heart failure (HF), the voltage-gated cardiac Na+ channel α subunit (SCN5A) mRNA is abnormally spliced to produce two truncated transcript variants (E28C and D) that activate the unfolded protein response (UPR). We tested whether SCN5A post-transcriptional regulation was abnormal in hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM). MATERIAL AND METHODS: Human heart tissue was obtained from HCM patients. The changes in relative abundances of SCN5A, its variants, splicing factors RBM25 and LUC7A, and PERK, a major effector of the UPR, were analyzed by real time RT-PCR and the expression changes were confirmed by Western Blot. RESULTS: We found reduced full-length transcript, increased SCN5A truncation variants and activation of UPR in HCM when compared to control hearts. In these patients, real time RT-PCR revealed that HCM patients had decreased SCN5A mRNA to 27.8±4.07% of control (P<0.01) and an increased abundance of E28C and E28D (3.4±0.3 and 2.8±0.3-fold, respectively, P<0.05). PERK mRNA increased 8.2±3.1 fold (P<0.01) in HCM patients. Western blot confirmed a significant increase of PERK. CONCLUSIONS: These data suggested that the full-length SCN5A was reduced in patients with HCM. This reduction was accompanied by abnormal SCN5A pre-mRNA splicing and UPR activation. These changes may contribute to the arrhythmic risk in HCM.

The effects of statins on exercise and physical activity.

OBJECTIVE: We sought to review studies examining the effect of statins on symptoms of exercise tolerance, markers of muscle injury and activity levels in physical active individuals. BACKGROUND: Statin therapy reduces atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (CVD) events. Regular physical activity is also associated with reduced CVD events, but statin therapy can produce muscle complaints, which may be more frequent in physically active individuals. We reviewed the literature to determine the effects of statins on symptoms, exercise performance and activity levels in physically active individuals. METHODS: We performed a PubMed search to identify English language articles reporting on statins and their effect on athletic/exercise performance, and symptoms in active individuals. RESULTS: We identified 65 articles, 32 of which provided sufficient information to be included in this review. Seventeen of the 32 studies examined the incidence of myalgia while exercising on statins, and showed that myalgia was increased in 8 of the 17 (47%) of these studies. Of the 17 studies examining the effects of statin therapy on muscle injury, 6 (35%) studies reported that statins augment the increase in creatine kinase (CK) produced by exercise. There were 10 studies that examined statin effects on aerobic exercise performance, only 3 of which (33%) concluded that statins decreased performance. Two (25%) of the 8 studies examined the effects of statins on muscular strength and suggested that statins decreased muscular strength, whereas 2 (25%) reported increased strength. Statins did not consistently affect physical activity levels since statins were associated with an increase in activity in 3 of the 5 studies examining habitual exercise. None of the studies showed a relationship between statins use and exercise and an increase in myalgia or a decrease in exercise performance. There was also no correlation between intensity of statin therapy and an effect on these variables. CONCLUSION: Statins may increase the incidence of exercise-related muscle complaints and in some studies augment the exercise-induced rise in muscle enzymes, but statins do not consistently reduce muscle strength, endurance, overall exercise performance or physical activity.

Statin and Its Association With Delirium in the Medical ICU.

OBJECTIVES: To examine the association between statin use and the risk of delirium in hospitalized patients with an admission to the medical ICU. DESIGN: Retrospective propensity-matched cohort analysis with accrual from September 1, 2012, to September 30, 2015. SETTING: Hartford Hospital, Hartford, CT. PATIENTS: An initial population of patients with an admission to a medical ICU totaling 10,216 visits were screened for delirium by means of the Confusion Assessment Method. After exclusions, a population of 6,664 was used to match statin users and nonstatin users. The propensity-matched cohort resulted in a sample of 1,475 patients receiving statin matched 1:1 with control patients not using statin. INTERVENTIONS: None. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: Delirium defined as a positive Confusion Assessment Method assessment was the primary end point. The prevalence of delirium was 22.3% in the unmatched cohort and 22.8% in the propensity-matched cohort. Statin use was associated with a significant decrease in the risk of delirium (odds ratio, 0.47; 95% CI, 0.38-0.56). Considering the type of statin used, atorvastatin (0.51; 0.41-0.64), pravastatin (0.40; 0.28-0.58), and simvastatin (0.33; 0.21-0.52) were all significantly associated with a reduced frequency of delirium. CONCLUSIONS: The use of statins was independently associated with a reduction in the risk of delirium in hospitalized patients. When considering types of statins used, this reduction was significant in patients using atorvastatin, pravastatin, and simvastatin. Randomized trials of various statin types in hospitalized patients prone to delirium should validate their use in protection from delirium.

The Arm is Not the Leg: Pathophysiology, Diagnosis, and Management of Upper Extremity Deep Vein Thrombosis.

Upper extremity deep venous thrombosis (UEDVT) involves thrombosis of the deep veins of the arm as they enter the thorax. They are increasing in frequency, largely due to the rising use of central venous catheters and implantable cardiac devices, and represent more than 10% of all DVT cases, Upper extremity deep venous thrombosis has been historically misunderstood when compared to lower extremity deep vein thrombosis (LEDVT). Their associated disease states may carry devastating complications, with mortality rates often higher than that of LEDVT. Thus, education on recognition, classification and management is critical to avoid long-term sequelae and mortality from UEDVT. [Full article available at http://rimed.org/rimedicaljournal-2017-05.asp].

Normal Variant T-Wave Changes in an Athlete with Structurally Normal Cardiac Anatomy and Function.

Athletes who perform regular and intensive physical activity may undergo structural and electrical remodeling of the heart that results in electrocardiographic changes that can cause concern. Marked T-wave inversion may represent one such physiologic change. On the other hand, T-wave inversion could be a sign of inherited heart muscle disease or may be a normal variant. Therefore, it is imperative to determine whether abnormalities on an athlete's electrocardiography (ECG) reflect underlying cardiac disease that could place the athlete at risk for sudden cardiac death. For athletes who present with markedly abnormal ECGs, the echocardiography and cardiac magnetic resonance imaging should be considered to evaluate the potential for cardiac disease. We report the case of a high-intensity athlete with concerning ECG changes who required additional studies to exclude cardiac disease.

Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation as a Bridge to Surgery for Infective Endocarditis Complicated by Aorto-Atrial Fistula and Cardiopulmonary Collapse.

The timing of surgery for active infective endocarditis is challenging when patients exhibit mechanical dysfunction and hemodynamic compromise. Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation has been described in treating sepsis but not, insofar as we know, in treating the acute mechanical sequelae that arise from infective endocarditis. We report perhaps the first case that shows the usefulness of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation as a bridge to definitive treatment in a 35-year-old man who had infective endocarditis followed by aorto-atrial fistula and cardiopulmonary collapse.

Reduction of Cardiac Arrests: The Experience of a Novel Service Centric Medical Emergency Team.

OBJECTIVE: To determine whether a novel, service-centric, medical emergency team (MET) model can impact cardiac arrest (CA) rates. METHODS: A retrospective pre- vs. postintervention analysis was performed on patients ≥ 18 years who had a CA between 2007 and 2012. A service centric MET model was initially implemented on the inpatient cardiology service and expanded hospital wide during 2008-2009, maturing to 10 teams in 2010. Service centric is defined as a medical or surgical service-specific MET team based on the location of the patient. RESULTS: The rate of CA (per 1,000 hospital days) in the year 2007 prior to the initiation of MET was compared to rates during program maturation (2008/2009) and after full maturation to 10 teams (2010-2012). A total of 1,140,233 hospital-care days were analyzed between 2007 and 2012, with 745 CAs recorded (0.65 events per 1,000 hospital days). The overall CA rate was higher prior to MET initiation (0.84 in 2007) compared to postinitiation (0.59 in 2008/09) and maturation to 10 teams (0.64 in 2010-12) (P < 0.003 for both pre- vs postcomparisons). No differences in CA rates were detected between either post-MET initiation time frames (P = 0.342). Similar trends in CA rates were observed in the intensive care unit (ICU) (3.96 vs 2.14 vs 2.68 per 1,000 hospital days in 2007, 2008/2009, and 2010-2012 respectively, with P < 0.001 for both pre- vs postcomparisons). CONCLUSIONS: A service-centric MET program was associated with a reduction in the rate of CAs both hospital wide and in the ICU. These observations maybe explained by the earlier intervention in care of unstable patients by an expanded group of caregivers.

Managing the Complications of Mild Therapeutic Hypothermia in the Cardiac Arrest Patient.

Mild therapeutic hypothermia (MTH) is used to lower the core body temperature of cardiac arrest (CA) patients to 32°C from 34°C to provide improved survival and neurologic outcomes after resuscitation from in-hospital or out-of-hospital CA. Despite the improved benefits of MTH, there are potentially unforeseen complications associated during management. Although the adverse effects are transient, the clinician should be aware of the associated complications when managing the patient receiving MTH. We aim to provide the medical community comprehensive information related to the potential complications of survivors of CA receiving MTH, as it is imperative for the clinician to understand the physiologic changes that take place in the patient receiving MTH and how to prepare for them and manage them if they do occur. We hope to provide information of how to manage these potential complications through both a review of the current literature and a reflection of our own experience.

A tale of two syndromes: Lyme disease preceding postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome.

The pathogenesis of postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS) is poorly understood. However, it has been suggested that altered immune activity or denervation of the autonomic system following illness may be an important trigger. Patients infected with Lyme disease have a small incidence of post-Lyme disease syndrome that share similar characteristics to POTS. We report a short series of two women who present with persistent symptoms of orthostatic intolerance consistent with POTS after treated Lyme disease.

Cardiac adipose tissue and its relationship to diabetes mellitus and cardiovascular disease.

Type-2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) plays a central role in the development of cardiovascular disease (CVD). However, its relationship to epicardial adipose tissue (EAT) and pericardial adipose tissue (PAT) in particular is important in the pathophysiology of coronary artery disease. Owing to its close proximity to the heart and coronary vasculature, EAT exerts a direct metabolic impact by secreting proinflammatory adipokines and free fatty acids, which promote CVD locally. In this review, we have discussed the relationship between T2DM and cardiac fat deposits, particularly EAT and PAT, which together exert a big impact on the cardiovascular health.

Tumor lysis syndrome in a nonsmall cell lung cancer.

Tumor lysis syndrome (TLS) is an oncologic emergency caused by intense tumor cell destruction resulting in profound electrolyte abnormalities. It is generally recognized as a consequence of cytotoxic therapy in particularly chemotherapy-sensitive tumors such as hematologic cancers. Despite having been primarily recognized in hematologic malignancies, TLS has been reported in solid tumors as well. We present a case of a 72-year-old female who developed TLS after receiving etoposide and carboplatin for a poorly-differentiated carcinoma with areas of small-cell differentiation metastatic to her liver. She had previously undergone a thoracotomy and resection for a poorly differentiated squamous cell cancer of the lung.

A systematic review of the time course of atherosclerotic plaque regression.

OBJECTIVE: We sought to determine the time required for lipid treatment to produce regression of atherosclerotic plaques. BACKGROUND: The cholesterol content of atherosclerotic plaques contributes to their instability, and most acute cardiac events including myocardial infarction and sudden death are produced by coronary plaque disruption. We systematically reviewed the literature on atherosclerosis regression to identify the time required for cholesterol egress, plaque regression, and possible plaque stabilization. Such information may help decide when patients with statin side effects or other reasons for statin discontinuation could consider a reduction in the intensity of treatment. METHODS: We performed a PubMed search to identify English language articles reporting atherosclerotic regression. Articles pertinent to the topic were reviewed in detail. RESULTS: We identified 189 articles, 50 of which provided sufficient information to establish a rate of regression and 31 of which demonstrated plaque regression with statin therapy in the carotid (n = 11), coronary (n = 16), and aortic (n = 4) vascular beds. Plaque regression occurred after an average of 19.7 months of treatment. CONCLUSION: Regression of atherosclerotic plaque using statin therapy in those studies documenting regression occurred after an average time of 19.7 months. This suggests that patients should undergo approximately two years of aggressive lipid reduction before considering a reduction of statin therapy.

Microalbuminuria as a risk factor for cardiovascular disease in healthy individuals: a case report and review of the literature.

Cardiovascular disease without significant traditional risk factors is uncommon. Microalbuminuria has been linked with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease in the diabetic and hypertensive patient. However, a similar influence of microalbuminuria on risk for cardiovascular disease occurs in individuals without diabetes or hypertension, and predicts all-cause and cardiovascular disease mortality in the nondiabetic and general population. Microalbuminuriais a risk factor commonly overlooked despite evidence of being an independent marker for cardiovascular disease. We report a case of a myocardial infarction occurring in an otherwise healthy 64-year-old male with microalbuminuria, without traditional cardiovascular risk factors. Awareness of microalbuminuria as an early diagnostic marker for cardiovascular disease (CVD) is essential in the risk assessment of otherwise healthy individuals.

Magnesium adjunctive therapy in atrial arrhythmias.

Magnesium (Mg) is an important intracellular ion with cardiac metabolism and electrophysiologic properties. A large percentage of patients with arrhythmias have an intracellular Mg deficiency, which is out of line with serum Mg concentrations, and this may explain the rationale for Mg's benefits as an atrial antiarrhythmic agent. A current limitation of antiarrhythmic therapy is that the potential for cardiac risk offsets some of the benefits of therapy. Mg enhances the balance of benefits to harms by enhancing atrial antiarrhythmic efficacy and reducing antiarrhythmic proarrhythmia potential as well as providing direct antiarrhythmic efficacy when used as monotherapy in patients undergoing cardiothoracic surgery.