Additional file 1: of Proarrhythmic risk and determinants of cardiac autonomic dysfunction in collagen-induced arthritis rats

The self-made platform for ECG recording. (JPG 230 kb

Patient flow diagram.

<p>Patient flow diagram.</p

Primary prevention of myocardial infarction with angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors and angiotensin receptor blockers in hypertensive patients with rheumatoid arthritis—A nationwide cohort study

<div><p>Background</p><p>Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is regarded as a high risk factor for myocardial infarction. Hypertension is a major modifiable risk factor contributing to increased risk of myocardial infarction (MI). Dual blood pressure (BP)-lowering and anti-inflammatory effect of renin-angiotensin-system (RAS) inhibitors may possess protective effect from MI in RA population. However, treatment of hypertension with RAS inhibitors and MI in RA population remains unclear.</p><p>Methods</p><p>We investigated whether RAS blockade could decrease risk of incident MI in hypertensive patients with RA. We identified patients with RA and hypertension from the Registry for Catastrophic Illness, a nation-wide database encompassing almost all of the RA patients in Taiwan from 1995 to 2008. The primary endpoint was MI and the median duration of follow up was 2,986 days. Propensity score weighting and Cox proportional hazards regression models were used to estimate hazard ratios for MI.</p><p>Results</p><p>Among 27,335 subjects, 9.9% received angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors (ACEIs), 25.9% received angiotensin II receptor blockers (ARBs) and 20.0% received ACEIs or ARBs alternatively. The incidence of MI significantly decreased in patients treated with ACEIs (hazard ratio 0.707; 95% confidence interval 0.595–0.840), ARBs (0.641; 0.550–0.747) and ACEIs/ARBs (0.631; 0.539–0.739). The protective effect of ACEI or ARB therapy was significantly better in patients taking longer duration. The effect remained robust in subgroup analyses.</p><p>Conclusions</p><p>Therapy of ACEIs or ARBs is associated with a lower risk of MI among patients with RA. Hence, hypertension in patients with RA could comprise a compelling indication for RAS inhibitors.</p></div

Incidence of acute coronary syndrome by prescriptions.

<p>Incidence of acute coronary syndrome by prescriptions.</p

Subgroup analyses.

<p><b>A</b>. Hazard ratios of myocardial infarction (MI) in specific subgroups of sulfonylureas treated patients by using insulin as reference group. <b>B</b>. Hazard ratios of MI in specific subgroups of meglitinides treated patients by using insulin as reference group. <b>C</b>. Hazard ratios of MI in specific subgroups of TZD treated patients by using insulin as reference group. Abbreviations: CI, confidence interval; CVD, cardiovascular disease (combination of coronary artery disease, ischemic stroke, hemorrhagic stroke, peripheral artery disease); CHF, congestive heart failure; HTN, hypertension; HR, hazard ratio; TZD, thiazolidinedione.</p

Demographic and clinical characteristics of study subjects.

<p>Demographic and clinical characteristics of study subjects.</p

Additional file 1: of Single and dual antiplatelet therapy in elderly patients of medically managed myocardial infarction

eTable 1. The care facilities of study subjects during the index acute myocardial infarction. eTable 2. Relative risks of various clinical outcomes in patients receiving different antiplatelet therapies using shared frailty model controlling for 174 individual hospitals. eTable 3. Relative risks of various clinical outcomes in patients receiving different antiplatelet therapies using shared frailty model controlling for 11 different levels of hospitals. (DOCX 20 kb

Adjusted hazard ratios (95% CI) of developing myocardial infarction in patients receiving sulfonylurea, meglitinides or TZD with insulin treatment as the reference and subgroup analyses.

<p>Adjusted hazard ratios (95% CI) of developing myocardial infarction in patients receiving sulfonylurea, meglitinides or TZD with insulin treatment as the reference and subgroup analyses.</p

Kaplan–Meier curves showing the development of myocardial infarction (MI) among patients with Insulin (black), sulfonylureas (red), meglitinides (green) and TZD (blue).

<p>The log-rank analysis showed significant different (P < 0.001). Abbreviation: TZD, thiazolidinedione.</p

Kaplan–Meier curves showing the incidence of myocardial infarction among patients with ACEI (blue), ARB (green) or ACEI/ARB (red) treatment and controls (black).

<p>The log-rank analysis showed significant different (P < 0.001).</p