Citations

Background The causes of obesity are multifactorial, with genetic, environmental, behavioural and societal contributions. These factors also affect adherence to diet and exercise after bariatric surgery. The objective of this study was to evaluate changes in perceived obesity-related stigma, exercise and dietary adherence perioperatively as well as what demographic factors most influence the magnitude of these changes. Methods Validated questionnaires regarding perception of stigma and adherence to diet and exercise regimens were administered to 104 bariatric surgery patients preoperatively and postoperatively at three, six and 12 months. Scoring was compared for improvement, and concomitant factors were analysed for effect on magnitude of improvement. Results Our study found overall improvement in perception of stigma as well as adherence to diet and exercise regimens. Those with a family history of obesity had less robust improvement compared to those without a family history of obesity. Those who were Caucasian also did not have as robust of an improvement in their scores. Conclusions Patient perception of obesity-related stigma and adherence to diet and exercise regimens improve after bariatric surgery. However, a patient with a family history of obesity and/or a Caucasian ethnicity may have a less robust improvement in these facets.

Background: Patients with chronic kidney disease are at increased risk for cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. We assessed the association between albuminuria and death or cardiovascular events among patients with stable coronary disease. Methods: We studied patients enrolled in the Prevention of Events with an ACE Inhibitor (PEACE) trial, in which patients with chronic stable coronary disease and preserved systolic function were randomized to trandolapril or placebo and followed for a median of 4.8 years. The urinary albumin to creatinine ratio (ACR) assessed in a core laboratory in 2977 patients at baseline and in 1339 patients at follow-up (mean 34 months) was related to estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) and outcomes. Results: The majority of patients (73%) had a baseline albumin/creatinine ratio within the normal range. Independent of the eGFR and other baseline covariates, a higher albumin/creatinine ratio even within the normal range was associated with increased risks for all-cause mortality (p < 0.001) and cardiovascular death (p = 0.01). The effect of trandolapril therapy on outcomes was not significantly modified by the level of albuminuria. Nevertheless, trandolapril therapy was associated with a significantly lower mean follow-up ACR (12.5 ug/mg vs 14.6 ug/mg, p = 0.0002), after adjusting for baseline ACR, time between collections and other covariates. An increase in ACR over time was associated with increased risk of cardiovascular death (HR per log ACR 1.74, 95% confidence intervals 1.08–2.82). Conclusions: Albuminuria, even in low levels within the normal range, is an independent predictor of cardiovascular and all-cause mortality.

Introduction: Obstructive hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (oHCM) is characterized by dynamic LV outflow tract (LVOT) obstruction resulting from ventricular hypertrophy and mitral valve systolic anterior motion (SAM), and by elevated left ventricular (LV) filling pressures, all of which result in a significant morbidity despite medical therapy. Mavacamten (Mava) is a novel inhibitor of cardiac myosin that significantly reduces LVOT gradients in oHCM, noted initially in the phase 2 PIONEER and more recently in the phase 3 EXPLORER-HCM studies. Additional echocardiographic analyses were performed to investigate the effect of Mava on focused measures of cardiac structure and function in oHCM. Methods: EXPLORER-HCM (NCT03470545) was a multicenter, double-blind, placebo-controlled, phase 3 study that randomized symptomatic oHCM patients (LV ejection fraction ≥55% and resting and/or provoked LVOT gradient ≥50 mmHg) 1:1 to Mava vs placebo for 30 weeks. Echocardiograms were performed serially every 2-4 weeks over 30 weeks. Results: In total, 251 patients with oHCM were enrolled and 244 patients completed the study (mean age 58.5; 40.6% female). Compared to placebo, 30-week treatment with Mava led to significant reductions in LA volume index (-7.5 ml/m 2 , p<0.0001), lateral E/e’ (-3.8, p<0.0001), septal E/e’ (-3.4, p<0.0001), and LV mass index (-15.5 g/m 2 , p<0.0001) ( Table ). Significantly more Mava-treated patients achieved resolution of mitral valve SAM compared to placebo (80.9% vs 34.0% of patients; difference of 46.8%; p<0.0001) and mitral regurgitation (MR) (9.0% vs 0.0% of patients; difference of 9.0%; p=0.0006). Conclusions: Treatment with Mava for 30 weeks led to improvement in LV hypertrophy and markers of left-sided filling pressures (LA volume and E/e’). Furthermore, Mava treatment was associated with reduction of SAM and MR. These findings suggest that Mava has beneficial effects on several adverse pathophysiologic processes that are hallmarks of oHCM.

Background: Heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) is a global public health problem with important regional differences. We investigated these differences in the PARAGON-HF trial (Prospective Comparison of Angiotensin Receptor Neprilysin Inhibitor With Angiotensin Receptor Blocker Global Outcomes in HFpEF), the largest and most inclusive global HFpEF trial. Methods: We studied differences in clinical characteristics, outcomes, and treatment effects of sacubitril/valsartan in 4796 patients with HFpEF from the PARAGON-HF trial, grouped according to geographic region. Results: Regional differences in patient characteristics and comorbidities were observed: patients from Western Europe were oldest (mean 75±7 years) with the highest prevalence of atrial fibrillation/flutter (36%); Central/Eastern European patients were youngest (mean 71±8 years) with the highest prevalence of coronary artery disease (50%); North American patients had the highest prevalence of obesity (65%) and diabetes (49%); Latin American patients were younger (73±9 years) and had a high prevalence of obesity (53%); and Asia-Pacific patients had a high prevalence of diabetes (44%), despite a low prevalence of obesity (26%). Rates of the primary composite end point of total hospitalizations for HF and death from cardiovascular causes were lower in patients from Central Europe (9 per 100 patient-years) and highest in patients from North America (28 per 100 patient-years), which was primarily driven by a greater number of total hospitalizations for HF. The effect of treatment with sacubitril-valsartan was not modified by region (interaction P >0.05). Conclusions: Among patients with HFpEF recruited worldwide in PARAGON-HF, there were important regional differences in clinical characteristics and outcomes, which may have implications for the design of future clinical trials. Registration: URL: https://www.clinicaltrials.gov ; Unique identifier: NCT01920711.

PURPOSE Patients with the activated B-cell-like (ABC) subtype of diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) historically showed inferior survival with standard rituximab plus cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine, and prednisone (R-CHOP). Phase II studies demonstrated that adding the immunomodulatory agent lenalidomide to R-CHOP improved outcomes in ABC-type DLBCL. The goal of the global, phase III ROBUST study was to compare lenalidomide plus R-CHOP (R2-CHOP) with placebo/R-CHOP in previously untreated, ABC-type DLBCL. METHODS Histology and cell-of-origin type were prospectively analyzed by central pathology prior to random assignment and study treatment. Patients with ABC-DLBCL received lenalidomide oral 15 mg/d, days 1-14/21 plus standard R-CHOP21 versus placebo/R-CHOP21 for six cycles. The primary end point was progression-free survival (PFS) per independent central radiology review. RESULTS A total of 570 patients with ABC-DLBCL (n = 285 per arm) were stratified by International Prognostic Index score, age, and bulky disease, and randomly assigned to R2-CHOP or placebo/R-CHOP. Baseline demographics were similar between arms. Most patients completed six cycles of treatment: 74% R2-CHOP and 84% placebo/R-CHOP. The most common grade 3/4 adverse events for R2-CHOP versus placebo/R-CHOP were neutropenia (60% v 48%), anemia (22% v 14%), thrombocytopenia (17% v 11%), and leukopenia (14% v 15%). The primary end point of PFS was not met, with a hazard ratio of 0.85 (95% CI, 0.63 to 1.14) and P = .29; median PFS has not been reached for either arm. PFS trends favoring R2-CHOP over placebo/R-CHOP were seen in patients with higher-risk disease. CONCLUSION ROBUST is the first DLBCL phase III study to integrate biomarker-driven identification of eligible ABC patients. Although the ROBUST trial did not meet the primary end point of PFS in all patients, the safety profile of R2-CHOP was consistent with individual treatments with no new safety signals.

PURPOSE Lenalidomide combined with rituximab plus cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine, and prednisone (R-CHOP) (R2CHOP) in untreated diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) has shown promising activity, particularly in the activated B-cell–like (ABC) subtype. Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG)-ACRIN trial E1412 was a randomized phase II study comparing R2CHOP versus R-CHOP in untreated DLBCL. PATIENTS AND METHODS Patients with newly diagnosed DLBCL, stage II bulky-IV disease, International Prognostic Index (IPI) ≥ 2, and ECOG performance status ≤ 2 were eligible and randomly assigned 1:1 to R2CHOP versus R-CHOP for six cycles. Tumors were analyzed using the NanoString Lymph2Cx for cell of origin. The primary end point was progression-free survival (PFS) in all patients with the co-primary end point of PFS in ABC-DLBCL. Secondary end points included overall response rate (ORR), complete response (CR) rate, and overall survival (OS). RESULTS Three hundred forty-nine patients were enrolled; 280 patients (145 R2CHOP and 135 R-CHOP) were evaluable: 94 were ABC-DLBCL, 122 germinal center B-cell–like-DLBCL, 18 unclassifiable, and 46 unknowns. Baseline characteristics were well-balanced between arms, and the median age was 66 (range, 24-92); 70% of patients had stage IV disease; 34%, 43%, and 24% had IPI 2, 3, and 4 or 5, respectively. Myelosuppression was more common in the R2CHOP arm. The ORR and CR rate were 92% and 68% in R-CHOP and 97% ( P = .06) and 73% ( P = .43) in the R2CHOP arm, respectively. The median follow-up was 3.0 years; R2CHOP was associated with a 34% reduction in risk of progression or death versus R-CHOP (hazard ratio [HR], 0.66 95% CI, 0.43 to 1.01) and 3-year PFS of 73% versus 61%, one-sided P = .03, and an improvement in OS (83% and 75% at 3 years; HR, 0.67; one-sided P = .05). The PFS HR for R2CHOP was 0.67 for ABC-DLBCL, one-sided P = .1. CONCLUSION In this signal-seeking study, the addition of lenalidomide to R-CHOP (R2CHOP) improved outcomes in newly diagnosed DLBCL including patients with ABC-DLBCL.

Background Atrial fibrillation (AF) is a risk factor for cognitive decline, possibly from silent brain infarction. Left atrial changes in structure or function (atrial cardiopathy) can lead to AF but may impact cognition independently. It is unknown if AF or atrial cardiopathy also acts on Alzheimer disease–specific mechanisms, such as deposition of β‐amyloid. Methods and Results A total of 316 dementia‐free participants from the ARIC (Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities) study underwent florbetapir positron emission tomography, electrocardiography, and 2‐dimensional echocardiography. Atrial cardiopathy was defined as ≥1: (1) left atrial volume index >34 mL/m 2 ; (2) P‐wave terminal force >5000 µV×ms; and (3) serum NT‐proBNP (N‐terminal pro‐B‐type natriuretic peptide) >250 pg/mL. Cross‐sectional associations between global cortical β‐amyloid (>1.2 standardized uptake value ratio) and adjudicated history of AF and atrial cardiopathy, each, were evaluated using multivariable logistic regression. Participants (mean age, 76 years) were 56% women and 42% Black individuals. Odds of elevated florbetapir standardized uptake value ratio were significantly increased among those with atrial cardiopathy (odds ratio, 1.81; 95% CI, 1.02–3.22) and doubled for those with enlarged left atrial volume index after adjustment for demographics/risk factors (95% CI, 1.04–4.61). There was no association between P‐wave terminal force or NT‐proBNP and elevated florbetapir standardized uptake value ratio, nor between AF and elevated standardized uptake value ratio. Conclusions Among healthy, nondemented community‐dwelling older individuals, we report an association between atrial cardiopathy, left atrial volume index, and elevated brain amyloid, by positron emission tomography, without a similar association in individuals with AF. Potential limitations include reverse causation and survival bias. Ongoing work will help determine if changes in cardiac structure and function precede or occur simultaneously with amyloid deposition.