Scoping Review of Screening and Assessment Tools for Social Determinants of Health in the Field of Cardiovascular Disease.

BACKGROUND: Despite the importance of implementing the concept of social determinants of health (SDOH) in the clinical practice of cardiovascular disease (CVD), the tools available to assess SDOH have not been systematically investigated. We conducted a scoping review for tools to assess SDOH and comprehensively evaluated how these tools could be applied in the field of CVD.Methods and Results: We conducted a systematic literature search of PubMed and Embase databases on July 25, 2023. Studies that evaluated an SDOH screening tool with CVD as an outcome or those that explicitly sampled or included participants based on their having CVD were eligible for inclusion. In addition, studies had to have focused on at least one SDOH domain defined by Healthy People 2030. After screening 1984 articles, 58 articles that evaluated 41 distinct screening tools were selected. Of the 58 articles, 39 (67.2%) targeted populations with CVD, whereas 16 (27.6%) evaluated CVD outcome in non-CVD populations. Three (5.2%) compared SDOH differences between CVD and non-CVD populations. Of 41 screening tools, 24 evaluated multiple SDOH domains and 17 evaluated only 1 domain. CONCLUSIONS: Our review revealed recent interest in SDOH in the field of CVD, with many useful screening tools that can evaluate SDOH. Future studies are needed to clarify the importance of the intervention in SDOH regarding CVD.

Awareness and Feasibility of Women Chairing Cardiology Sessions in Scientific Meetings: A Nationwide Survey by the Japanese Circulation Society.

Background: Diversity and inclusion remain a concern in the field of cardiology. Female cardiologists have less opportunity to chair sessions in scientific meetings than men. However, cardiologists' awareness and perspectives on feasibility of chairing sessions is poorly understood. Methods and Results: A web-based survey on awareness regarding the commitment of chairing sessions was sent to 14,798 certificated cardiologists registered with the Japanese Circulation Society (JCS). A total of 3,412 valid responses were obtained, such as 523 women and 2,889 men. Female cardiologists exhibited less interest in serving as chairpersons in Japanese and English sessions (71% women vs. 82% men, p < 0.001, 30% women vs. 40% men, p < 0.001). Influencing factors of chair acceptance in Japanese sessions for female cardiologists were being a cardiologist for over 10 years [odds ratio (OR) 1.84, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.02-3.33], experience studying abroad (OR 3.35, 95% CI 1.93-5.81) and chairing sessions (OR 8.39, 95% CI 5.48-12.9), having a Doctor of Philosophy (OR 2.82, 95% CI 1.09-7.31), presence of 4 or more female cardiovascular specialists in the hospital (OR 1.70, 95% CI 1.10-2.61) and of role models (OR 2.86, 95% CI 1.93-4.24), and awareness of the JCS chairperson's manual (OR 10.7, 95% CI 6.67-17.1). The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve revealed that the number of female cardiovascular specialists in a hospital was a more sensitive predictor of chair acceptance among male than female cardiologists. Conclusions: Female cardiologists were less likely to accept chairing sessions compared with male cardiologists and the presence of female cardiovascular specialists positively influenced chair acceptance.

Status of Medical Care and Management Requirements of Elderly Patients With Heart Failure in a Comprehensive Community Health System　- Survey of General Practitioners' Views.

Background: Given the high prevalence of heart failure (HF) in the elderly, it is essential to establish medical coordination between general practitioners (GPs) and acute care hospitals (ACHs) in an aging society. The aim of this study was to elucidate the status of acceptance of elderly patients with HF and their management requirements in a comprehensive community health system. Furthermore, we investigated GPs' interest in using information and communications technology (ICT) in patient care. Methods and Results: We sent a questionnaire survey to 1,800 GPs in January 2015 and received 392 replies. The overall prevalence of home visits was 55%, with no differences according to GP background characteristics or geographic area. However, less than half (44%) reported accepting patients with symptomatic HF for treatment in their clinic. In addition, only 3 GPs reported accepting and providing emergency visits for patients with refractory HF. In particular, GPs who were not certificated cardiologists, female, and older showed poorer acceptance of symptomatic HF patients. More than half the GPs wanted the prompt acceptance by ACHs of emergency patients, followed by strengthening of home care support at discharge and support for end-of-life care. Half the GPs were interested in telemedicine. Conclusions: ACHs must promptly accept patients with HF in cases of emergency and strengthen nursing care support at discharge. It is also necessary to consider how to support older and female GPs.

Validation of wearable textile electrodes for ECG monitoring.

A highly conductive textile was woven from nano-fibers coated with the PEDOT-PSS polymer. The aim of this study was to assess the usefulness of textile electrodes for ECG recording as a smart garment. Electrode textile pads and lead wires were sewn to the lining of sportswear and their tolerability to repeated washings were tested up to 150 times. The electrical conductivity of the textile electrode remained functional for up to 50 machine washes. To assess the level of motion artifacts or noise during the daily monitoring of ECG, a single lead ECG with conventional or textile electrodes was recorded during supine rest, seated rest, upright trunk rotation (i.e., twisting), and stepping movement in 66 healthy adults. A Holter system was used for data storage and analysis. ECG patterns of P, QRS, and T waves were comparable between the conventional and textile electrodes. However, the signal-to-artifact-and/or-noise ratio (SAR) during twisting was larger in the textile electrodes than in the conventional electrodes. No skin irritation was seen in the textile electrodes. The single lead textile electrodes embedded in an inner garment were usable for continuous and/or repeated ECG monitoring in daily life except during vigorous trunk movement.

Extracellular volume fraction assessed using cardiovascular magnetic resonance can predict improvement in left ventricular ejection fraction in patients with dilated cardiomyopathy.

T1 mapping using cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) is useful for myocardial assessment. However, its prognostic value is not well defined. The aim of this study was to determine whether T1 mapping with CMR can predict reverse cardiac remodeling in patients with non-ischemic dilated cardiomyopathy (NIDCM). We also investigated the predictive prognostic value of T1 mapping with CMR in these patients. We included 33 patients with NIDCM admitted to Nippon Medical School Hospital between February 2012 and October 2015. All patients underwent CMR and echocardiography for clinical assessment within 1 month of admission (13 ± 16 days). Follow-up echocardiography was performed no sooner than 6 months after the initial echocardiogram (536 ± 304 days). We evaluated the correlations between native and post-contrast T1 values/extracellular volume fraction (ECV) and the difference in left ventricular ejection fraction (ΔLVEF) determined at baseline and follow-up echocardiography. No correlation was noted between ΔLVEF and native (p = 0.150, r = - 0.256) or post-contrast T1 values (p = 0.956, r = - 0.010). However, a significant and substantial correlation was found between ΔLVEF and ECV (p = 0.043, r = - 0.355). Four patients were hospitalized for heart failure (HF), but no cardiovascular-related deaths occurred over a median follow-up period of 34 months (interquartile range 25-49 months). Kaplan-Meier curves stratified by the median value of ECV were created. The higher ECV groups experienced a significantly higher incidence of HF-related hospitalization (p = 0.0159). ECV measured by CMR can predict improvements in LVEF in patients with NIDCM. In addition, ECV may be a predictive factor for HF-related hospitalization.

COPD advances in left ventricular diastolic dysfunction.

BACKGROUND: COPD is concomitantly present in ~30% of patients with heart failure. Here, we investigated the pulmonary function test parameters for left ventricular (LV) diastolic dysfunction and the relationship between pulmonary function and LV diastolic function in patients with COPD. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Overall, 822 patients who underwent a pulmonary function test and echocardiography simultaneously between January 2011 and December 2012 were evaluated. Finally, 115 patients with COPD and 115 age- and sex-matched control patients with an LV ejection fraction of ≥50% were enrolled. RESULTS: The mean age of the patients was 74.4±10.4 years, and 72.3% were men. No significant differences were found between the two groups regarding comorbidities, such as hypertension, diabetes mellitus, and anemia. The index of LV diastolic function (E/e') and the proportion of patients with high E/e' (defined as E/e' ≥15) were significantly higher in patients with COPD than in control patients (10.5% vs 9.1%, P=0.009; 11.3% vs 4.3%, P=0.046). E/e' was significantly correlated with the residual volume/total lung capacity ratio. Univariate and multivariate analyses revealed severe COPD (Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease III or IV) to be a significant predictive factor for high E/e' (odds ratio [OR] 5.81, 95% confidence interval [CI] 2.13-15.89, P=0.001 and OR 6.00, 95% CI 2.08-17.35, P=0.001, respectively). CONCLUSION: Our data suggest that LV diastolic dysfunction as a complication of COPD may be associated with mechanical exclusion of the heart by pulmonary overinflation.

Impact of ß-blocker selectivity on long-term outcomes in congestive heart failure patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

BACKGROUND: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is present in approximately one-third of all congestive heart failure (CHF) patients, and is a key cause of underprescription and underdosing of ß-blockers, largely owing to concerns about precipitating respiratory deterioration. For these reasons, the aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of ß-blockers on the long-term outcomes in CHF patients with COPD. In addition, we compared the effects of two different ß-blockers, carvedilol and bisoprolol. METHODS: The study was a retrospective, non-randomized, single center trial. Acute decompensated HF patients with COPD were classified according to the oral drug used at discharge into ß-blocker (n=86; carvedilol [n=52] or bisoprolol [n=34]) and non-ß-blocker groups (n=46). The primary endpoint was all-cause mortality between the ß-blocker and non-ß-blocker groups during a mean clinical follow-up of 33.9 months. The secondary endpoints were the differences in all-cause mortality and the hospitalization rates for CHF and/or COPD exacerbation between patients receiving carvedilol and bisoprolol. RESULTS: The mortality rate was higher in patients without ß-blockers compared with those taking ß-blockers (log-rank P=0.039), and univariate analyses revealed that the use of ß-blockers was the only factor significantly correlated with the mortality rate (hazard ratio: 0.41; 95% confidence interval: 0.17-0.99; P=0.047). Moreover, the rate of CHF and/or COPD exacerbation was higher in patients treated with carvedilol compared with bisoprolol (log-rank P=0.033). In the multivariate analysis, only a past history of COPD exacerbation significantly increased the risk of re-hospitalization due to CHF and/or COPD exacerbation (adjusted hazard ratio: 3.11; 95% confidence interval: 1.47-6.61; P=0.003). CONCLUSION: These findings support the recommendations to use ß-blockers in HF patients with COPD. Importantly, bisoprolol reduced the incidence of CHF and/or COPD exacerbation compared with carvedilol.

Impact of sleep-disordered breathing and efficacy of positive airway pressure on mortality in patients with chronic heart failure and sleep-disordered breathing: a meta-analysis.

BACKGROUNDS: To conduct a meta-analysis to investigate whether sleep-disordered breathing (SDB) is an independent risk factor for mortality and whether positive airway pressure (PAP) decreases mortality in patients with chronic heart failure (HF). The impact of SDB and the effects of PAP on mortality in patients with chronic HF remain unclear. METHODS: We searched the MEDLINE, EMBASE, and Cochrane databases. Clinical trials that addressed mortality and the effect of PAP on mortality in chronic HF patients with SDB were included in this meta-analysis. RESULTS: Eleven studies (1,944 participants in total) that addressed mortality in chronic HF patients with SDB were included in this study. Patients with SDB showed a significantly increased mortality risk compared to those without SDB [risk ratio (RR) 1.66 (1.19-2.31)]. In sub-analyses, a significant increase in risk of mortality was observed for central sleep apnea versus no-SDB [RR 1.48 (1.15-1.91)], whereas no significant increase in risk was observed for obstructive sleep apnea versus no-SDB. Five randomized controlled studies (395 participants) that assessed the effect of PAP in chronic HF patients with SDB were analyzed. Adaptive servo-ventilation (ASV) significantly reduced all-cause mortality in chronic HF patients with SDB [RR 0.13 (0.02-0.95)], whereas continuous PAP did not significantly reduce all-cause mortality [RR 0.71 (0.32-1.57)]. CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of SDB in patients with chronic HF is associated with worse survival, and ASV reduces all-cause mortality in patients with chronic HF concomitant with SDB.

Solutions for retention of female cardiologists: from the survey of gender differences in the work and life of cardiologists.

BACKGROUND: To prevent a future shortage of cardiologists, it is important for female cardiologists to continue working. Gender differences in the professional and private lives of cardiologists, as well as the barriers to work for female cardiologists, were surveyed. METHODS AND RESULTS: In August 2007, a questionnaire was mailed to all 195 faculty members/fellows and 155 alumni of the Department of Cardiovascular Medicine at Nippon Medical School. More female cardiologists were dissatisfied with their job than male cardiologists (34% vs 17%, P<0.005). Women reported greater career limitation by family responsibilities and housework. Men and women both reported that long working hours was the most problematic issue, but significantly more women reported this than men (76% vs 94%, P<0.05). Female cardiologists were more concerned about occupational radiation exposure (88% vs 59%, P<0.01) and wanted opportunities for retraining after childcare leave (100% vs 76%, P<0.01). CONCLUSIONS: The following measures should be taken: (1)establishment of more family-friendly working conditions in hospitals, (2)provision of various work positions that allow more flexibility and predictability for women, (3)establishment of a retraining system, and (4)development of work and research opportunities that are attractive to women. The Japanese Circulation Society is expected to establish a retraining system at certified institutions.