Citations

Introduction: Atrial fibrillation (AF) is a prevalent cardiovascular disease that significantly impacts public health in the United States. Although numerous clinical trials aim to optimize AF management, concerns about demographic disparities in trial participation persist. This study assesses the representation of age, sex, race, and ethnicity among participants in AF trials conducted in the US, highlighting potential biases that could affect the generalizability of trial outcomes. Methods: An extensive review of clinical trials registered on ClinicalTrials.gov involving patients with AF up to April 2024 was performed. The search was filtered to include all completed interventional trials across phases 2 to 4 without restrictions on the initiation or completion dates. Data were extracted concerning mean age, age distribution, sex, and the racial and ethnic composition of the trial participants. Results: From the 173 trials analyzed, a total of 1,355,239 participants were included, with an average age of 64.7 years. The demographic breakdown revealed a participant pool consisting predominantly of older adults (>65 years: 70.8%), with a significant underrepresentation of the younger age group (18-65 years: 29.2%). Males constituted 65.2% of the trial population, highlighting a gender imbalance. Racially, 74.1% of participants were White, while African Americans (7.7%) and Asians (5.9%) and other racial groups were notably underrepresented. Ethnic disparities were also evident, with Hispanic participants making up only 11.5% of the study population. Conclusion: The findings demonstrate significant disparities in the age, sex, race, and ethnic backgrounds of AF clinical trial participants in the US. These imbalances could potentially limit the applicability of trial results across the broader, diverse population. Efforts to enhance the diversity of clinical trial cohorts are essential to ensure more equitable health outcomes and the universal applicability of clinical research findings. Future strategies should focus on targeted recruitment and inclusive study designs to address these disparities.

Abstract Disclosure: E. Tama: None. R. Rivera: None. S. Fansa: None. D. Anazco: None. W. Ghusn: None. S. Faubion: None. A. Acosta: Consulting Fee; Self; Amgen Inc. Grant Recipient; Self; Vivus USA, Novo Nordisk. C. Shufelt: None. M.D. Hurtado: None. Introduction: Midlife women (ages 40 to 65) experience age-related weight gain (0.4-0.7 kg/year) due to physiologic and psychosocial changes. Evidence supports that age-related decrease in lean mass and its subsequent effect on energy expenditure are key physiologic factors. To date, the are no data describing if changes in the main regulators of energy intake (i.e., hunger, satiation, and satiety) across women’s lifespan play a role in weight gain during midlife. The aim of this study is to characterize measurements of satiation, satiety, and appetite sensations through early adulthood and midlife in women with obesity. Methods: This is a cross sectional study of women aged 19-65 with overweight or obesity who have undergone measurements of (i) body composition by DXA scan; (ii) resting energy expenditure (REE) by indirect calorimetry; (iii) satiation by calories consumed to satiation (CTS) during an ad libitum meal test; (iv) satiety by time needed to empty 50% of the stomach content (GEt1/2) in a gastric emptying study and plasma satiety hormone levels (PYY, GLP-1, and CCK); and (v) appetite sensations by visual analog scales (VAS) for hunger and fullness. We present data as mean ± standard deviation. We performed simple correlations between these variables and age. We performed multiple regression analyses to adjust for body composition and REE. Results: Our cohort included 552 mostly white (93%) women, with a mean age of 41±11 years and a mean BMI of 37±7 kg/m2. Increased age significantly correlated with higher waist circumference (r=0.1, p=0.006), waist/hip ratio (r=0.1, p=0.01), and total fat mass % (r=0.1, p=0.04); and with lower lean mass % (r=-0.1, p=0.04) and REE (r=-0.3, p<0.0001). Increased age was associated with decreased hunger sensation (i.e., lower preprandial VAShunger after an overnight fast, r=-0.1, p=0.04; and lower postprandial VAShunger 4hr after a standardized 320-kcal breakfast, r=-0.1, p=0.001), stronger satiation (i.e., lower CTS, r=-0.1, p=0.001), and more prolonged satiety (i.e., higher GEt1/2, r=0.1, p=0.02; higher postprandial GLP-1 levels, r=0.1, p=0.03; and higher postprandial VASfullness after and ad libitum meal, p=0.1, p=0.008). After adjusting for lean mass % and REE, the correlations between age and hunger sensations and satiation measurement, but not satiety measurements, were maintained. Conclusion: Our results show that older women have lower lean mass % and REE. After adjusting for these variables, older women experience decreased hunger sensation and achieve satiation with a lower number of calories. As these changes in theory would protect against midlife weight gain, the differences in body composition and REE remain the most likely culprit. Further research is necessary to investigate if there are other key factors that may contribute to weight gain such as the hedonic or emotional components of food intake. Presentation: 6/2/2024

Metabolic and bariatric surgery is widely recognized as the most effective and durable treatment for the disease of obesity and its associated comorbidities. In recent years, the field has seen significant advancements, introducing numerous innovative surgical options. This review aims to comprehensively examine these emerging surgical techniques, which have recently received endorsement from the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery (ASMBS). Additionally, we will explore new technologies and methodologies supported by the latest scientific evidence. Our analysis will include a critical evaluation of the efficacy, safety, and long-term outcomes of these novel approaches, providing a detailed update on the current state of metabolic and bariatric surgery, highlighting key developments and their potential implications for clinical practice.

Patients with inflammatory bowel diseases (IBDs) may require solid organ transplants (SOTs) for multiple reasons, making its prevalence slightly higher than the general population. Although immunosuppression used in SOT may help control IBD-related inflammation, many patients still require additional immunosuppressive medications. We aim to assess the effectiveness and safety of the combination of SOT-related immunosuppression and IBD medications in patients with liver, kidney, or heart transplantation. We conducted a clinical review using PubMed, Scopus, MEDLINE, Embase, and Google Scholar databases for our search. We included data from systematic reviews, meta-analyses, case series, and case reports to assess the safety, effectiveness, and side effect profile of immunomodulators, biologic therapies, and small molecules in patients with SOT. Our review encompassed 25 liver, 6 kidney, and 1 heart transplant studies involving patients with IBD. Common liver transplant immunosuppressants included tacrolimus, mycophenolate mofetil, cyclosporine, and steroids. Anti-TNF agents, widely used in all SOT types, showed no significant safety issues, though infections and malignancies were noted. Patients with liver transplant on tacrolimus responded well to anti-integrins and ustekinumab without major complications. For kidney transplants, cyclosporine and tacrolimus were prevalent, and their combination with anti-TNF or ustekinumab was generally safe, with rare reports of malignancy or infection. Hence, the use of anti-TNF, anti-integrin agents, and ustekinumab appears to be safe in patients with SOT, regardless of their transplant related immunosuppression. More studies are needed in patients with kidney and heart transplants and in patients treated with small molecules for their IBD.

Background Obesity is intricately associated with type-2 diabetes (T2D) and other cardiovascular conditions, increasing morbidity, mortality, and health care costs. Metabolic and bariatric surgeries (MBS) have shown promising results in significant weight loss and T2D remission, but existing predictive scores for post-MBS diabetes remission do not consider insulin dosage, potentially overlooking a critical factor. Methods A retrospective analysis of patients with T2D who underwent Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB) or sleeve gastrectomy (SG). The study focused on insulin dosage impact, divided into quartiles, on remission rates post-MBS. The effectiveness of RYGB vs SG was compared within insulin dose quartiles with up to 5 years of follow up. Results A total of 508 patients (64% female, 94.9% White, mean age 53.5 ± 10.5 years, BMI (46.0 ± 8.3 kg/m 2 ) were included in the analysis. This study demonstrates a profound association between insulin dosage quartiles and T2D remission after MBS. Patients with lower insulin requirements showed superior remission rates; those in the lowest quartile had remission rates of 73%, 70%, and 62% at 1, 3, and 5 years, respectively, compared to 34%, 37%, and 36% in the highest quartile ( P < 0.001 across all intervals). RYGB surgery showed a significantly better remission in the second and third insulin quartiles, suggesting its effectiveness over SG for patients with mid-range insulin requirements. Conclusion This study underscores the importance of considering insulin dosage when predicting T2D remission post-MBS. The findings advocate for a more nuanced selection of MBS procedures based on individual insulin profiles, potentially enhancing diabetes remission outcomes.