Lewis, Bradley R.

Abstract Aims Glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1 RAs) reduce major adverse cardiovascular events in diabetics. This study aimed to investigate the cardiac, cancer, and overall mortality effects of GLP-1 RAs in diabetics treated with anthracyclines. Methods and results We retrospectively identified 1384 diabetics treated with anthracyclines from 2013 to 2023; 56 received GLP-1 RAs between their first and last dose of anthracycline. These patients were propensity score matched 4:1 to 224 controls without concurrent GLP-1 RA use. Because stage was not available for 10 of the 56 patients, a repeat analysis was conducted with additional matching for cancer stage in 46 cases and 92 controls. Major endpoints were rate of all-cause and cancer-related and cardiovascular disease (CVD)–related mortality, no evidence of disease (NED), and hospitalization for CVD including heart failure (HF), over 5 years. Survival analyses were conducted using cause-specific hazards Cox regression. Patients on GLP-1 RAs had a significantly lower 5 year overall mortality (HR 0.46, CI 0.24–0.87, P = 0.007) and cancer-related mortality (HR 0.42, CI 0.19–0.91, P = 0.03). This mortality risk reduction remained significant even when accounting for covariates (HR 0.39, CI 0.20–0.75, P = 0.002). The percentage of patients with NED was higher in the GLP-1 RA than control group (60.9% vs. 38.0%, P = 0.007). A decline in left ventricular ejection fraction was seen in controls but not in patients on GLP-1 RAs. There was no significant difference in CVD hospitalization; the rate of HF-related hospitalization was very low overall. Conclusion GLP-1 RAs may offer survival benefits and better cancer- and cardiac function-related outcomes in diabetics undergoing anthracycline chemotherapy.

Background Coronary microvascular dysfunction (CMD) represents an early functional characteristic of coronary vascular aging. Klotho (α‐klotho) is a circulating protein inversely linked to physiological aging. We examined low klotho as a potential marker for vascular aging in patients with CMD and no coronary artery disease. Methods and Results Patients undergoing nonurgent angiogram for chest pain who had no coronary artery disease underwent invasive coronary microvascular and endothelial function testing. CMD was defined by ≤50% increase in coronary blood flow (percentage change in coronary blood flow) in response to intracoronary acetylcholine or coronary flow reserve ≤2. Fresh arterial whole blood was used to analyze circulating endothelial progenitor cells with flow cytometry. Stored arterial plasma was used for klotho analysis by ELISA. Participants with CMD (n=62) were compared with those without CMD (n=36). Those with CMD were age 55±10 years (versus 51±11 years; P =0.07) and 73% women (versus 81%; P =0.38). Traditional risk factors for coronary artery disease were similar between groups. Patients with CMD had less klotho (0.88±1.50 versus 1.75±2.38 ng/mL; P =0.03), and the odds of low klotho in CMD were significant in a logistic regression model after adjusting for traditional cardiovascular risk factors (odds ratio [OR], 0.80 [95% CI, 0.636–0.996]; P =0.05). Higher klotho was associated with higher numbers of endothelial progenitor cells with vascular regenerative potential (CD34 + and CD34 + CD133 + KDR + ). Among a subgroup of patients with atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease risk <5% (n=58), CMD remained associated with lower klotho (OR, 0.80 [95% CI, 0.636–0.996]; P =0.047). Conclusions Klotho may be a biomarker for CMD and may be a therapeutic target for groups of patients without significant traditional cardiovascular risk.

Introduction: Rate of aortic stenosis (AS) progression in patients with concurrent atrial fibrillation (AF) has not been previously described. Objectives: To describe changes over time in aortic valve area (AVA) and associated hemodynamics during AS progression in patients in AF versus sinus rhythm (SR). Methods: Patients with AVA ≤ 1 cm 2 and preserved left ventricular ejection fraction ≥50% were identified from the Mayo Clinic Echocardiographic Laboratory Database. Serial echocardiograms prior to the development of AVA ≤ 1 cm 2 (Time 0) were examined. Inverse probability weighting was used for statistical analysis. Results: A total of 166 patients were included (SR=79 and AF=87), mean age 78.1 ± 7.8 years, females 31%. The rates of AVA reduction (-0.14±0.01 vs -0.12±0.01 cm2/year, p=0.31) and increase in trans-aortic peak velocity (+0.23 ± 0.02 vs +0.22 ± 0.02 m/sec, p=0.55) and mean gradient (MG) (3.9 ± 0.3 vs 3.8 ± 0.4 mmHg, p=0.83) did not differ between AF and SR (Figure 1). However, AF was associated with systematically lower forward stroke volume index (SVi), peak velocity and MG for the same AVA compared to SR (p<0.04 for all) throughout AS progression. When AVA reached 1 cm 2 , SVi (38.8±6.6 vs 45.7 ±8.9, p=0.02), peak velocity (3.9 ± 0.6 vs 4.1 ± 0.6 m/sec, p=0.04) and MG (36.6±10.9 vs 41±12.8 mmHg, p=0.03) were lower in AF compared to SR. Conclusions: The rate of AS progression was not different in AF versus SR. However, forward flow was systematically lower in AF resulting in discordant AS during AS progression and when AVA reached 1 cm 2 . Doppler velocity and MG criteria for severe AS appear to be lower in AF versus SR which has implications for timely diagnosis of severe AS and patient management.

Abstract Aims The objective of this study was to assess the effect of HER2-directed therapy (HER2-Tx) on peripheral vasoreactivity and its correlation with cardiac function changes and the additive effects of anthracycline/cyclophosphamide (AC) therapy and baseline cardiovascular risk. Methods and results Single-centre, prospective cohort study of women with newly diagnosed stage 1–3 HER2-positive breast cancer undergoing HER2-Tx +/− AC. All participants underwent baseline and 3-monthly evaluations with Endo-Peripheral Arterial Tonometry (Endo-PAT), vascular biomarkers [C-type natriuretic peptide (CNP) and neuregulin-1 beta (NRG-1β)], and echocardiography. Cardiotoxicity was defined as a decrease in the left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) of &gt;10% to a value &lt;53%. Of the 47 patients enrolled, 20 (43%) received AC in addition to HER2-Tx. Deterioration of reactive hyperaemia index (RHI) on Endo-PAT by ≥20% was more common in patients receiving HER-Tx plus AC than HER2-Tx alone (65% vs. 22%; P = 0.003). A decrease in CNP and log NRG-1β levels by 1 standard deviation did not differ significantly between the AC and non-AC groups (CNP: 20.0% vs. 7.4%; P = 0.20 and NRG-1β: 15% vs. 11%; P = 0.69) nor did GLS (35% vs. 37%; P = 0.89). Patients treated with AC had a significantly lower 3D LVEF than non-AC recipients as early as 3 months after exposure (mean 59.3% (SD 3) vs. 63.8% (SD 4); P = 0.02). Reactive hyperaemia index and GLS were the only parameters correlating with LVEF change. Conclusion Combination therapy with AC, but not HER2-Tx alone, leads to a decline in peripheral vascular and cardiac function. Larger studies will need to define more precisely the causal correlation between vascular and cardiac function changes in cancer patients.

Background: Previous percutaneous coronary intervention risk models were focused on single outcome, such as mortality or bleeding, etc, limiting their applicability. Our objective was to develop contemporary percutaneous coronary intervention risk models that not only determine in-hospital mortality but also predict postprocedure bleeding, acute kidney injury, and stroke from a common set of variables. Methods: We built risk models using logistic regression from first percutaneous coronary intervention for any indication per patient (n=19 322, 70.6% with acute coronary syndrome) using the Mayo Clinic registry from January 1, 2000 to December 31, 2016. Approval for the current study was obtained from the Mayo Foundation Institutional Review Board. Patients with missing outcomes (n=4183) and those under 18 (n=10) were removed resulting in a sample of 15 129. We built both models that included procedural and angiographic variables (Models A) and precatheterization model (Models B). Results: Death, bleeding, acute kidney injury, and stroke occurred in 247 (1.6%), 650 (4.3%), 1184 (7.8%), and 67 (0.4%), respectively. The C statistics from the test dataset for models A were 0.92, 0.70, 0.77, and 0.71 and for models B were 0.90, 0.67, 0.76, and 0.71 for in-hospital death, bleeding, acute kidney injury, and stroke, respectively. Bootstrap analysis indicated that the models were not overfit to the available dataset. The probabilities estimated from the models matched the observed data well, as indicated by the calibration curves. The models were robust across many subgroups, including women, elderly, acute coronary syndrome, cardiogenic shock, and diabetes. Conclusions: The new risk scoring models based on precatheterization variables and models including procedural and angiographic variables accurately predict in-hospital mortality, bleeding, acute kidney injury, and stroke. The ease of its application will provide useful prognostic and therapeutic information to both patients and physicians.

Background: There are good data to support using a single high-sensitivity cardiac troponin T (hs-cTnT) below the limit of detection of 5 ng/L to exclude acute myocardial infarction. Per the US Food and Drug Administration, hs-cTnT can only report to the limit of quantitation of 6 ng/L, a threshold for which there are limited data. Our goal was to determine whether a single hs-cTnT below the limit of quantitation of 6 ng/L is a safe strategy to identify patients at low risk for acute myocardial injury and infarction. Methods: The efficacy (proportion identified as low risk based on baseline hs-cTnT<6 ng/L) of identifying low-risk patients was examined in a multicenter (n=22 sites) US cohort study of emergency department patients undergoing at least 1 hs-cTnT (CV Data Mart Biomarker cohort). We then determined the performance of a single hs-cTnT<6 ng/L (biomarker alone) to exclude acute myocardial injury (subsequent hs-cTnT >99th percentile in those with an initial hs-cTnT<6 ng/L). The clinically intended rule-out strategy combining a nonischemic ECG with a baseline hs-cTnT<6 ng/L was subsequently tested in an adjudicated cohort in which the diagnostic performance for ruling out acute myocardial infarction and safety (myocardial infarction or death at 30 days) were evaluated. Results: A total of 85 610 patients were evaluated in the CV Data Mart Biomarker cohort, among which 24 646 (29%) had a baseline hs-cTnT<6 ng/L. Women were more likely than men to have hs-cTnT<6 ng/L (38% versus 20%, P <0.0001). Among 11 962 patients with baseline hs-cTnT<6 ng/L and serial measurements, only 1.2% developed acute myocardial injury, resulting in a negative predictive value of 98.8% (95% CI, 98.6–99.0) and sensitivity of 99.6% (95% CI, 99.5–99.6). In the adjudicated cohort, a nonischemic ECG with hs-cTnT<6 ng/L identified 33% of patients (610/1849) as low risk and resulted in a negative predictive value and sensitivity of 100% and a 30-day rate of 0.2% for myocardial infarction or death. Conclusions: A single hs-cTnT below the limit of quantitation of 6 ng/L is a safe and rapid method to identify a substantial number of patients at very low risk for acute myocardial injury and infarction.

AbstractObjectivesTo assess the impact of pulmonary hypertension (PH) on outcomes of patients with severe mitral annular calcification (MAC) undergoing transcatheter mitral valve replacement (TMVR).BackgroundPH is associated with poor outcomes after mitral valve surgery. Whether the presence of PH in patients with MAC undergoing (TMVR) is associated with poor outcomes, is unknown.MethodsRetrospective evaluation of 116 patients from 51 centers in 11 countries who underwent TMVR with valve in mitral annular calcification (ViMAC) using balloon‐expandable aortic transcatheter valves (THVs) from September 2012 to March 2017. Pulmonary artery systolic blood pressure (PASP) by echocardiogram was available in 90 patients. The subjects were stratified based on PASP: No PH = PASP ≤35 mmHg (n = 11); mild to moderate PH = PASP 36–49 mmHg (n = 21) and severe PH = PASP ≥50 mmHg (n = 58). Clinical, procedural, and echocardiographic outcomes were assessed.ResultsMean age was 72.7 (±12.8) years, 59 (65.6%) were female, Society of Thoracic Surgeons score was 15.8 + 11.8% and 90.0% where in New York Heart Association (NYHA) class III–IV. There was no significant difference in all‐cause mortality at 30 days (no PH = 27.3%, mild–moderate PH = 19.0%, severe PH = 31.6%; p = 0.55) or at 1 year (no PH = 54.5%, mild–moderate PH = 38.1%, severe PH = 56.1%; p = 0.36). No difference in adverse events, NYHA class or amount of residual mitral regurgitation at 1 year were observed between the groups.ConclusionThis study suggests that the presence of PH in patients with predominantly mitral stenosis with MAC undergoing TMVR does not impact mortality or adverse events. Further studies are needed to fully understand the effect of PH in this group of patients.

Background: The presence of frailty increases the risk of long-term mortality for a myriad of reasons, but its association with cardiac-specific mortality among the elderly undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) is unknown. We sought to determine the relationship between frailty and cause-specific (cardiac versus non-cardiac) mortality among elderly patients undergoing PCI. Methods: A prospective cohort of elderly (>65 years) patients undergoing PCI at Mayo Clinic between October 2005 and September 2008 were tested for frailty using the Fried criteria. Vital status was prospectively monitored including evaluation of death certificates, telephone interviews and review of autopsy/medical records. Results: Frailty data was obtained in 428 (84%) of 508 elderly patients (median age 74.2 years [SD 6.4, range 65-100]; 59% male). Of these, 92 (21%) patients were frail while 231 (54%) had intermediate frailty and 105(25%) were not frail. Frail patients were older than intermediate and non-frail patients (77.6 vs 74.3 vs 71.0 years; p<0.001) and had more comorbidities (mean Charlson index 4.6 vs 3.9 vs 2.8; p<0.001). There were 113 deaths (26% of cohort) during 5.1 median years of follow-up, of which 77 (68%) were classified as non-cardiac and 36 (32%) which were classified as cardiac. Frailty at baseline was associated with poor overall survival compared to non-frail patients (HR 6.1, 95% CI 3.2, 11.6; p<0.001). The estimated effect of frailty was nearly 3 times greater for cardiac mortality (HR 13.1, 95% CI 3.0, 57.0; p=0.001) than non-cardiac mortality (HR 4.6, 95% CI 2.2, 9.7; p<0.001). These findings remained significant following multivariable adjustment. Conclusions: Frailty is common among elderly patients undergoing PCI and is associated with poor overall survival and both cardiac and non-cardiac causes of death.

Background: Transthoracic echocardiography is the mainstay of cardiac imaging and is highly dependent upon cardiac sonographers for whom image acquisition can be physically demanding and associated with musculoskeletal pain. Prior studies are limited by the absence of adequate control groups and a lack of adjustment for potential confounders. Objectives: The purpose of this study was to determine the prevalence and impact of work-related musculoskeletal pain in cardiac sonographers as compared to a large control group of non-invasive healthcare professionals with similar demographics. Methods: An electronic survey was administered to Mayo Clinic employees identified by human resources at six major patient care facilities in four different states. Results: There were 2682 employees within the departments of cardiology and radiology who were contacted and 1532 (57%) completed the survey. After exclusion of those who wear protective lead aprons, 517 employees comprised the control group and 66 cardiac sonographers made up the study group. Cardiac sonographers and the control group were similar in age, sex, BMI, length of employment and history of prior musculoskeletal pain. Cardiac sonographers reported work-related musculoskeletal pain more frequently than the control group (88% vs 40%; p<0.001). This association persisted after multivariable adjustment for age, sex, body mass index, length of current employment and history of pre-existing musculoskeletal pain (OR 11.6; (95% CI 5.32, 25.5); p<0.001). Cardiac sonographers were more likely to seek medical care for their work-related pain (55% vs 21%; p<0.001) and to have missed work due to pain (35% vs 12%, p<0.001). Conclusions: In this multi-site case control study, cardiac sonographers experienced significantly more work-related pain and missed more work due to pain than a large control group of non-invasive healthcare professionals with similar demographics.

Background: There is great degree of interobserver variability in the visual angiographic assessment of left main coronary disease (LMCD). Fractional flow reserve and intravascular ultrasound are often used in this setting. The use of instantaneous wave-free ratio (iFR) for evaluation of LMCD has not been well studied. The aim of this study is to evaluate the use of iFR in the assessment of angiographically intermediate LMCD. Methods: This is an international multicenter retrospective observational study of patients who underwent both iFR and intravascular ultrasound evaluation for angiographically intermediate LMCD. An independent core laboratory performed blinded off-line analysis of all intravascular ultrasound data. A minimum lumen area of 6 mm 2 was used as the cutoff for significant disease. Results: One hundred twenty-five patients (mean age, 68.4±9.5 years, 84.8% male) were included in this analysis. Receiver operating curve analysis showed that an iFR of ≤0.89 identified minimum lumen area <6 mm 2 with an area under the curve of 0.77 (77% sensitivity, 66% specificity; P <0.0001). Among the 69 patients without ostial left anterior descending artery or left circumflex artery disease, receiver operating curve analysis showed that an iFR of ≤0.89 identified minimum lumen area <6 mm 2 with an area under the curve of 0.84 (70% sensitivity, 84% specificity; P <0.0001). The correlation was not significantly different when the body surface area was considered. Conclusions: In this study, in patients with intermediate LMCD, iFR of ≤0.89 correlates with intravascular ultrasound minimum lumen area <6 mm 2 regardless of body surface area. The current study supports the use of iFR for the evaluation of intermediate LMCD.