Nomograms to predict normal aortic root diameter for body surface area (BSA) in broad ranges of age have been widely used but are limited by lack of consideration of gender effects, jumps in upper ...limits of aortic diameter among age strata, and data from older teenagers. Sinus of Valsalva diameter was measured by American Society of Echocardiography convention in normal-weight, nonhypertensive, nondiabetic subjects ≥15 years old without aortic valve disease from clinical or population-based samples. Analyses of covariance and linear regression with assessment of residuals identified determinants and developed predictive models for normal aortic root diameter. In 1,207 apparently normal subjects ≥15 years old (54% women), aortic root diameter was 2.1 to 4.3 cm. Aortic root diameter was strongly related to BSA and height (r = 0.48 for the 2 comparisons), age (r = 0.36), and male gender (+2.7 mm adjusted for BSA and age, p <0.001 for all comparisons). Multivariable equations using age, gender, and BSA or height predicted aortic diameter strongly (R = 0.674 for the 2 comparisons, p <0.001) with minimal relation of residuals to age or body size: for BSA 2.423 + (age years × 0.009) + (BSA square meters × 0.461) − (gender 1 = man, 2 = woman × 0.267), SEE 0.261 cm; for height 1.519 + (age years × 0.010) + (height centimeters × 0.010) − (gender 1 = man, 2 = woman × 0.247), SEE 0.215 cm. In conclusion, aortic root diameter is larger in men and increases with body size and age. Regression models incorporating body size, age, and gender are applicable to adolescents and adults without limitations of previous nomograms.
Abstract Combining multiple genetic variants related to obesity into a genetic risk score (GRS) might improve identification of individuals at risk of developing obesity. Moreover, characterizing ...gene–diet interactions is a research challenge to establish dietary recommendations to individuals with higher predisposition to obesity. Our objective was to analyze the association between an obesity GRS and body mass index (BMI) in the Genetics of Lipid Lowering Drugs and Diet Network (GOLDN) population, focusing on gene–diet interactions with total fat and saturated fatty acid (SFA) intake, and to replicate findings in the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis (MESA) population. Cross-sectional analyses included 783 white US participants from GOLDN and 2,035 from MESA. Dietary intakes were estimated with validated food frequency questionnaires. Height and weight were measured. A weighted GRS was calculated on the basis of 63 obesity-associated variants. Multiple linear regression models adjusted by potential confounders were used to examine gene–diet interactions between dietary intake (total fat and SFA) and the obesity GRS in determining BMI. Significant interactions were found between total fat intake and the obesity GRS using these variables as continuous for BMI ( P for interaction=0.010, 0.046, and 0.002 in GOLDN, MESA, and meta-analysis, respectively). These association terms were stronger when assessing interactions between SFA intake and GRS for BMI ( P for interaction=0.005, 0.018, and <0.001 in GOLDN, MESA, and meta-analysis, respectively). SFA intake interacts with an obesity GRS in modulating BMI in two US populations. Although determining the causal direction requires further investigation, these findings suggest that potential dietary recommendations to reduce BMI effectively in populations with high obesity GRS would be to reduce total fat intake mainly by limiting SFAs.
Background The American Heart Association (AHA) established recommendations based on 7 ideal health behaviors and factors with the goal of improving cardiovascular health (CVH) and reducing both ...morbidity and mortality from cardiovascular disease by 20% by 2020. Few studies have investigated their association with subclinical coronary heart disease. We sought to examine whether the 7 AHA CVH metrics were associated with calcified atherosclerotic plaque in the coronary arteries. Methods In a cross-sectional design, we studied 1,731 predominantly white men and women from the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute Family Heart Study without prevalent coronary heart disease. Diet was assessed by a semiquantitative food frequency questionnaire. Coronary artery calcium (CAC) was measured by cardiac computed tomography. We defined prevalent CAC using an Agatston score of 100+ and fitted generalized estimating equations to calculate prevalence odds ratios of CAC. Results Mean age was 56.8 years, and 41% were male. The median number of ideal CVH metrics was 3, and no participant met all 7. There was a strong inverse relationship between number of ideal CVH metrics and prevalent CAC. Odds ratios (95% CI) for CAC of 100+ were 1.0 (reference), 0.37 (0.29-0.45), 0.35 (0.26-0.44), and 0.27 (0.20-0.36) among subjects with 0 to 1, 2, 3, and 4+ ideal CVH metrics, respectively ( P = .0001), adjusting for sex, age, field center, alcohol, income, education, and energy consumption. Conclusions These data demonstrate a strong and graded inverse relationship between AHA ideal CVH metrics and prevalent CAC in adult men and women.
Abstract Background The role of renin-angiotensin inhibition in older patients with systolic heart failure with chronic kidney disease remains unclear. Methods Of the 1665 patients (aged ≥ 65 years) ...with systolic heart failure (ejection fraction < 45%) and chronic kidney disease (estimated glomerular filtration rate < 60 mL/min/1.73 m2 ), 1046 received angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors or angiotensin receptor blockers. Propensity scores for the receipt of these drugs, estimated for each of the 1665 patients, were used to assemble a matched cohort of 444 pairs of patients receiving and not receiving these drugs who were balanced on 56 baseline characteristics. Results During more than 8 years of follow-up, all-cause mortality occurred in 75% and 79% of matched patients with chronic kidney disease receiving and not receiving angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors or angiotensin receptor blockers, respectively (hazard ratio HR, 0.86; 95% confidence interval CI, 0.74-0.996; P =. 045). There was no significant association with heart failure hospitalization (HR, 0.86; 95% CI, 0.72-1.03; P =. 094). Similar mortality reduction (HR, 0.83; 95% CI, 0.70-1.00; P =. 046) occurred in a subgroup of matched patients with estimated glomerular filtration rate less than 45 mL/min/1.73 m2 . Among 171 pairs of propensity-matched patients without chronic kidney disease, the use of these drugs was associated with a significant reduction in all-cause mortality (HR, 0.72; 95% CI, 0.55-0.94; P =. 015) and heart failure hospitalization (HR, 0.71; 95% CI, 0.52-0.95; P =. 023). Conclusion Discharge prescription of angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors or angiotensin receptor blockers was associated with a significant modest reduction in all-cause mortality in older patients with systolic heart failure with chronic kidney disease, including those with more advanced chronic kidney disease.
Making use of electronic medical records, this study included data from patients 30 to 90 years of age without diabetes; exclusion criteria included prevalent renal disease, peripheral vascular ...disease, heart failure, cerebrovascular disease, ischemic heart disease, and type 1 or type 2 diabetes. Hazard ratios for measured BP (adjusted for age, sex, and body mass index BMI, smoking status within 2 years of baseline, and baseline antihypertensive and lipid-lowering drug use) were multiplied by regression dilution ratios of 2.1 and 2.5 for systolic BP (SBP) and diastolic BP (DBP), respectively, to estimate incident diabetes associations with "usual" BP.
Despite continued advances in health care, the cardiovascular disease (CVD) mortality rate has plateaued in recent years and appears to be trending upward. Poor diet is a leading cause of obesity and ...type 2 diabetes mellitus, which are leading contributors to CVD morbidity and mortality. Although dietary modification is a cornerstone of CVD prevention, implementation in clinical practice is limited by inadequate formal training in nutrition science. In this report, we review the individual components of a heart-healthy diet, evidence-based dietary recommendations, and the impact of diet on CVD risk factor prevention and management. Furthermore, we examine the unique difficulties of dietary counseling in low-socioeconomic-status environments and provide an evidence-based approach to better serve these populations. We utilized PubMed searches in adults with no date restriction with the following search terms: “carbohydrate,” “fat,” protein,” “DASH,” “Mediterranean,” “plant-based,” “vegetarian,” “cardiovascular disease,” “obesity,” “weight loss,” “diabetes,” “socioeconomic status,” and “race.” In this review, we demonstrate that patients should focus on implementing a general diet plan that is high in fruits, whole grains, legumes, and nonstarchy vegetables while low in trans-fats, saturated fats, sodium, red meat, refined carbohydrates, and sugar-sweetened beverages. The Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension, Mediterranean, and vegetarian diets have the most evidence for CVD prevention. Clinicians should understand the barriers that patients may face in terms of access to healthy dietary choices. Further research is needed to determine the dietary changes that are most economically, socioculturally, and logistically feasible to reduce these barriers. Improvement in diet is a public health priority that can lead to a significant population-level reduction in CVD morbidity and mortality. It is imperative that clinicians understand current dietary practice guidelines and implement evidence-based dietary counseling in those at high risk for CVD.
Background Recent work has demonstrated a link between retinopathy, a marker of microvascular disease, and the development of heart failure, a finding particularly relevant in individuals with ...diabetes. Our objective was to assess the relationship between retinopathy and cardiac structure and function in a cohort of individuals with type 2 diabetes mellitus. Methods Stereoscopic fundus photography of 7 standard fields was obtained in 531 Mexican American adults with type 2 diabetes mellitus recruited as sibships from Starr County, Texas. Retinopathy was centrally scored and classified as no retinopathy, early nonproliferative diabetic retinopathy, moderate to severe nonproliferative diabetic retinopathy, or proliferative diabetic retinopathy. Echocardiography was used to assess cardiac structure and function. Multilevel mixed models were used to assess associations of clinical and echocardiographic variables with retinopathy while accounting for correlations among siblings. Results More severe diabetic retinopathy was associated with the presence of hypertension, previous cardiovascular disease, longer duration of diabetes, elevated glycosylated hemoglobin, and greater albuminuria. With worsening severity of diabetic retinopathy, left ventricular (LV) mass and left atrial dimension increased, and LV ejection fraction and LV fractional shortening decreased, independent of potential confounding variables. Conclusions More severe diabetic retinopathy was associated with worse cardiac structure and function by echocardiography independent of potential confounding variables. These data suggest a possible microvascular contribution to the development of diabetes-associated cardiac enlargement and dysfunction. Alternatively, common pathways may be leading to both disorders.
Although albuminuria has been associated with a larger left ventricular (LV) mass in hypertensive and diabetic populations, little is known about this association in normotensive adults. We ...hypothesized that albuminuria is positively associated with LV mass in normotensive and hypertensive subjects. We analyzed data from 3,445 participants of the Hypertension Genetic Epidemiology Network (HyperGEN) Study (mean age 48.6 ± 13.7 years, range 18 to 87, 57% women). LV parameters were obtained by echocardiography. Urinary albumin was estimated using standard methods. From the lowest to highest quartile of albuminuria, multivariable adjusted means of LV mass indexed to body surface area were 71.9, 73.3, 74.0, and 76.5 g/m2 , respectively (p for trend = 0.002) in normotensive participants. Corresponding values for hypertensive subjects were 87.4, 89.3, 92.3, and 94.9 g/m2 , respectively (p for trend <0.0001). Similar results were observed for LV mass indexed to height2.7 . In secondary analyses, we found similar associations for men and women and after exclusion of subjects with diabetes. Furthermore, positive associations were observed between albuminuria and LV wall thickness in hypertensive and normotensive subjects. Albuminuria was negatively related to ejection fraction only in hypertensive subjects. In conclusion, these results suggest that albuminuria is positively associated with LV mass in normotensive subjects as it is in hypertensive subjects.
Hospice Use in Alabama, 2002–2005 Jenkins, Todd M., PhD, MPH; Chapman, Kathryn L., DrPA; Ritchie, Christine S., MD ...
Journal of pain and symptom management,
02/2011, Letnik:
41, Številka:
2
Journal Article
Recenzirano
Odprti dostop
Abstract Context The literature predominately describes hospice utilization among Medicare recipients, with a limited number of reports describing use among all age groups. Objectives This study ...aimed to describe and compare patterns of hospice use among decedents of all ages in Alabama using a population-based approach. Methods We obtained death certificates for Alabama residents who died from January 1, 2002 to December 31, 2005 ( n = 178,420). To ascertain hospice use, we linked death certificates to the hospice administering care using state-mandated listings of deaths reported by hospices. Additionally, each decedent’s residence at death was geocoded and area-level socioeconomic status (SES) measures were added. Results From 2002 to 2005, a total of 43,638 Alabamians died while under hospice care, representing a quarter (24.5%) of all deaths in the state. During this four-year span, the rate of hospice use increased by nearly 15% (22.2%–25.6%). As expected, rates of hospice use increased with age at death. For the SES indicators for poverty, education, and income, rates of hospice use increased as SES improved. However, this pattern was found to vary by race and metro/nonmetro status. Conclusions In addition to revealing racial, geographic, and other disparities in hospice care across Alabama, our results indicate usage rates in Alabama trail behind those observed nationally. We also identified previously unreported interactions between race, urbanization level, and poverty classification. Future studies should explore whether such relationships exist elsewhere and the rationale for their occurrence.
Abstract In 2011, the United Nations set key targets to reach by 2025 to reduce the risk of premature noncommunicable disease death by 25% by 2025. With cardiovascular disease being the largest ...contributor to global mortality, accounting for nearly half of the 36 million annual noncommunicable disease deaths, achieving the 2025 goal requires that cardiovascular disease and its risk factors be aggressively addressed. The Global Cardiovascular Disease Taskforce, comprising the World Heart Federation, American Heart Association, American College of Cardiology Foundation, European Heart Network, and European Society of Cardiology, with expanded representation from Asia, Africa, and Latin America, along with global cardiovascular disease experts, disseminates information and approaches to reach the United Nations 2025 targets. The writing committee, which reflects Global Cardiovascular Disease Taskforce membership, engaged the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation, University of Washington, to develop region-specific estimates of premature cardiovascular mortality in 2025 based on various scenarios. Results show that >5 million premature CVD deaths among men and 2.8 million among women are projected worldwide by 2025, which can be reduced to 3.5 million and 2.2 million, respectively, if risk factor targets for blood pressure, tobacco use, diabetes mellitus, and obesity are achieved. However, global risk factor targets have various effects, depending on region. For most regions, United Nations targets for reducing systolic blood pressure and tobacco use have more substantial effects on future scenarios compared with maintaining current levels of body mass index and fasting plasma glucose. However, preventing increases in body mass index has the largest effect in some high-income countries. An approach achieving reductions in multiple risk factors has the largest impact for almost all regions. Achieving these goals can be accomplished only if countries set priorities, implement cost-effective population wide strategies, and collaborate in public-private partnerships across multiple sectors.
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