Blackshear, Joseph L.

Abstract Introduction: A and T are associated with the development of cardiac dysfunction. The kinetics of cardiac biomarkers early after A or T treatment (Rx) is undefined. Methods: We studied hs-TnT (detection limit: 3 ng/ml, myocardial infarction threshold 14 ng/ml) and nt-proBNP (detection limit: 5 pg/ml) levels just prior to (baseline), and on days +1, +2, +3 and +7 during the first and second cycle in breast cancer pts treated with A (n = 11) or T (n = 11). Baseline and peak values for each cycle, baseline to baseline, peak to peak, time to peak, and baseline corrected area under the curve (AUC) were calculated. Study No. NCT01771549 Results: Group (grp) A pts were younger, 51 ± 18 years, than T grp pts, 60 ± 13 years. Three pts in A grp and 4 pts in T grp used antihypertensives. Baseline ejection fraction (EF) was 52-68% (A grp) and 56-69% (T grp). Hs-TnT was undetectable in 5/11 A grp, and 2/11 T grp pts at baseline. By cycle 2 day +1, all A pts had a detectable level of hs-TnT (p = 0.03) compared to 7/11 T pts. Median time to peak level for hs-TnT was 1.5 days for the A grp and 1.2 days for the T grp (NS). In the A grp, significant transient increase in nt-proBNP were also seen (Table). In the T grp, a significant rise in nt-proBNP was not seen in cycle 1 but was seen on cycle 2 day +1 and cycle 2 peak. AUC values were positive for hs-TnT in A pts but not in T pts, and were positive for nt-proBTNP for both A and T. Only 1 pt in A grp had symptomatic EF decline (47%) three months from start of A. None of T grp pts had EF decline. Conclusion: A, but not T was associated with increase in pre-Rx (cycle 2 only), peak, and AUC hs-TnT levels for cycles 1 and 2 with peak values occurring 1.5 days post-Rx. This study evaluating serial kinetics of cardiac biomarker in pts receiving A or T therapy, suggests that assessment of pre- and day +2 post-Rx values could be a means of quantifying cumulative myocardial injury over the chemotherapy course. *Roche Diagnostics Corp, Indianapolis, IN provided assay reagent kits. hs-TnT, ng/mlA, cycle 1A, cycle 2P-valT, cycle 1T, cycle 2P-valBaseline4.69.3<0.0027.75.0NSPeak9.6**16.1†<0.0028.06.8NSTime to peak, days1.61.5NS1.11.3NSAUC above baseline7.1±13.427±19<0.001-1.4±7.2-5±17NSnt-proBNP, pg/mlA, cycle 1A, cycle 2P-valT, cycle 1T, cycle 2P-valBaseline9490NS12480NSPeak361*359*NS209206†NSTime to peak, days1.81.9NS2.21.8NSAUC above baseline423499NS78**-32**<0.5*p<0.001,† p ≤0.01††p = 0.002NS = statistically non-significant (p>0.05)**p<0.03 Citation Format: Pooja Advani, Jonathan Hoyne, Alvaro Moreno-Aspitia, Marcia Dubin, Shelly Brock, Caroline Harlow, Tammy Wollett, Saranya Chumsri, Joseph Blackshear. A prospective pilot study of kinetics of high sensitivity troponin T (hs-TnT) and amino terminal (nt-proBNP) in breast cancer patients (pts) treated with doxorubicin (A) or trastuzumab (T). [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 107th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2016 Apr 16-20; New Orleans, LA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2016;76(14 Suppl):Abstract nr 3930.

Background and Purpose —Thoracic aortic plaque identified by transesophageal echocardiography heightens the risk of stroke associated with atrial fibrillation (AF). We sought to identify the prevalence, predictors, and implications of aortic plaque in patients with nonvalvular AF. Methods —Thoracic aortic plaque was prospectively sought in 770 persons with AF with the use of transesophageal echocardiography and classified as simple or complex on the basis of thickness ≥4 mm, ulceration, or mobility. Clinical and echocardiographic features of thromboembolism were correlated by multivariate analysis. Results —Aortic plaque was detected in 57% of the cohort, and complex plaque was detected in 25%. Both were found more frequently in the descending than in the proximal aorta. Potentially etiologic patient characteristics independently associated with complex plaque included advanced age, history of hypertension, diabetes, and past or present tobacco use. Comorbidities associated with aortic plaque were prior thromboembolism, increased pulse pressure, ischemic heart disease, stenosis or sclerosis of the aortic valve, mitral annular calcification (>10%), elevated serum creatinine concentration, spontaneous echo contrast in the left atrium or appendage, and left atrial appendage thrombus. The prevalence of complex plaque in patients aged <70 years with <10% mitral annular calcification, without ischemic heart disease, or without pulse pressure ≥65 mm Hg was 4% (95% CI, 1% to 6%). Conclusions —Aortic plaque is prevalent in patients with AF and is associated with atherosclerosis risk factors and with left atrial stasis or thrombosis, which are themselves independent stroke risk factors. Since the predominant location of complex plaque was in the descending aorta, the role of aortic plaque as a source of embolism in AF is uncertain.

Background— The Carotid Revascularization Endarterectomy Versus Stenting Trial (CREST) found a higher risk of stroke after carotid artery stenting and a higher risk of myocardial infarction (MI) after carotid endarterectomy. Methods and Results— Cardiac biomarkers and ECGs were performed before and 6 to 8 hours after either procedure and if there was clinical evidence of ischemia. In CREST, MI was defined as biomarker elevation plus either chest pain or ECG evidence of ischemia. An additional category of biomarker elevation with neither chest pain nor ECG abnormality was prespecified (biomarker+ only). Crude mortality and risk-adjusted mortality for MI and biomarker+ only were assessed during follow-up. Among 2502 patients, 14 MIs occurred in carotid artery stenting and 28 MIs in carotid endarterectomy (hazard ratio, 0.50; 95% confidence interval, 0.26 to 0.94; P =0.032) with a median biomarker ratio of 40 times the upper limit of normal. An additional 8 carotid artery stenting and 12 carotid endarterectomy patients had biomarker+ only (hazard ratio, 0.66; 95% confidence interval, 0.27 to 1.61; P =0.36), and their median biomarker ratio was 14 times the upper limit of normal. Compared with patients without biomarker elevation, mortality was higher over 4 years for those with MI (hazard ratio, 3.40; 95% confidence interval, 1.67 to 6.92) or biomarker+ only (hazard ratio, 3.57; 95% confidence interval, 1.46 to 8.68). After adjustment for baseline risk factors, both MI and biomarker+ only remained independently associated with increased mortality. Conclusions— In patients randomized to carotid endarterectomy versus carotid artery stenting, both MI and biomarker+ only were more common with carotid endarterectomy. Although the levels of biomarker elevation were modest, both events were independently associated with increased future mortality and remain an important consideration in choosing the mode of carotid revascularization or medical therapy. Clinical Trial Registration— URL: http://www.ClinicalTrials.gov . Unique identifier: NCT00004732.