Anthracycline (ANT) chemotherapy is associated with cardiotoxicity. Prevention with β-blockers remains controversial.
This prospective, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study sought to ...evaluate the role of carvedilol in preventing ANT cardiotoxicity.
The authors randomized 200 patients with HER2-negative breast cancer tumor status and normal left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) referred for ANT (240 mg/m
) to receive carvedilol or placebo until chemotherapy completion. The primary endpoint was prevention of a ≥10% reduction in LVEF at 6 months. Secondary outcomes were effects of carvedilol on troponin I, B-type natriuretic peptide, and diastolic dysfunction.
Primary endpoint occurred in 14 patients (14.5%) in the carvedilol group and 13 patients (13.5%) in the placebo group (p = 1.0). No differences in changes of LVEF or B-type natriuretic peptide were noted between groups. A significant difference existed between groups in troponin I levels over time, with lower levels in the carvedilol group (p = 0.003). Additionally, a lower incidence of diastolic dysfunction was noted in the carvedilol group (p = 0.039). A nonsignificant trend toward a less-pronounced increase in LV end-diastolic diameter during the follow-up was noted in the carvedilol group (44.1 ± 3.64 mm to 45.2 ± 3.2 mm vs. 44.9 ± 3.6 mm to 46.4 ± 4.0 mm; p = 0.057).
In this largest clinical trial of β-blockers for prevention of cardiotoxicity under contemporary ANT dosage, the authors noted a 13.5% to 14.5% incidence of cardiotoxicity. In this scenario, carvedilol had no impact on the incidence of early onset of LVEF reduction. However, the use of carvedilol resulted in a significant reduction in troponin levels and diastolic dysfunction. (Carvedilol Effect in Preventing Chemotherapy-Induced Cardiotoxicity CECCY; NCT01724450).
...both aim to achieve health through the reduction of disease burden, only in different time points of the natural history of disease....this approach moves away from a fear-based strategy for risk ...reduction to a prepositive strategy based on positive targets for a healthier life.In the present volume of the American Heart Journal, a subanalysis of the MESA study by Al Rifai et al extended this prior knowledge to an older population with high levels of subclinical atherosclerosis (ie, coronary artery calcium score >100 but not overt cardiovascular disease).9 In this population, with a mean age of 69years, a favorable healthy profile was also associated with a lower incidence of death and cardiovascular events despite the overall higher risk and established subclinical disease.
Coronary computed tomographic angiography (CCTA) provides a wealth of clinically meaningful information beyond anatomic stenosis alone, including the presence or absence of nonobstructive ...atherosclerosis and high-risk plaque features as precursors for incident coronary events. There is, however, no uniform agreement on how to identify and quantify these features or their use in evidence-based clinical decision-making. This statement from the Society of Cardiovascular Computed Tomography and North American Society of Cardiovascular Imaging addresses this gap and provides a comprehensive review of the available evidence on imaging of coronary atherosclerosis. In this statement, we provide standardized definitions for high-risk plaque (HRP) features and distill the evidence on the effectiveness of risk stratification into usable practice points. This statement outlines how this information should be communicated to referring physicians and patients by identifying critical elements to include in a structured CCTA report - the presence and severity of atherosclerotic plaque (descriptive statements, CAD-RADS™ categories), the segment involvement score, HRP features (e.g., low attenuation plaque, positive remodeling), and the coronary artery calcium score (when performed). Rigorous documentation of atherosclerosis on CCTA provides a vital opportunity to make recommendations for preventive care and to initiate and guide an effective care strategy for at-risk patients.
The contribution of plaque extent to predict cardiovascular events among patients with nonobstructive and obstructive coronary artery disease (CAD) is not well defined. Our objective was to evaluate ...the prognostic value of plaque extent detected by coronary computed tomography angiography.
All consecutive patients without prior CAD referred for coronary computed tomography angiography to evaluate for CAD were included. Examination findings were classified as normal, nonobstructive (<50% stenosis), or obstructive (≥50%). Based on the number of segments with disease, extent of CAD was classified as nonextensive (≤4 segments) or extensive (>4 segments). The cohort included 3242 patients followed for the primary outcome of cardiovascular death or myocardial infarction for a median of 3.6 (2.1-5.0) years. In a multivariable analysis, the presence of extensive nonobstructive CAD (hazard ratio, 3.1; 95% confidence interval, 1.5-6.4), nonextensive obstructive (hazard ratio, 3.0; 95% confidence interval, 1.3-6.9), and extensive obstructive CAD (hazard ratio, 3.9; 95% confidence interval, 2.2-7.2) were associated with an increased rate of events, whereas nonextensive, nonobstructive CAD was not. The addition of plaque extent to a model that included clinical probability as well as the presence and severity of CAD improved risk prediction.
Among patients with nonobstructive CAD, those with extensive plaque experienced a higher rate of cardiovascular death or myocardial infarction, comparable with those who have nonextensive disease. Even among patients with obstructive CAD, greater extent of nonobstructive plaque was associated with higher event rate. Our findings suggest that regardless of whether obstructive or nonobstructive disease is present, the extent of plaque detected by coronary computed tomography angiography enhances risk assessment.
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