In-hospital complications after invasive strategy for the management of Non STEMI: women fare as well as men

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>To analyze the in-hospital complication rate in women suffering from non-ST elevation myocardial infarction treated with percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) compared to men.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>The files of 479 consecutive patients (133 women and 346 men) suffering from a Non STEMI (Non ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction) between the January 1^st2006 and March 21^st2009 were retrospectively analyzed with special attention to every single complication occurring during hospital stay. Data were analyzed using nonparametric tests and are reported as median unless otherwise specified. A p value < .05 was considered significant.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>As compared to men, women were significantly older (75.8 <it>vs</it>. 65.2 years; p < .005). All cardiovascular risk factors but tobacco and hypertension were similar between the groups: men were noticeably more often smoker (p < .0001) and women more hypertensive (p < .005). No difference was noticed for pre-hospital cardiovascular drug treatment. However women were slightly more severe at entry (more Killip class IV; p = .0023; higher GRACE score for in-hospital death - p = .008 and CRUSADE score for bleeding - p < .0001). All the patients underwent PCI of the infarct-related artery after 24 or 48 hrs post admission without sex-related difference either for timing of PCI or primary success rate. During hospitalization, 130 complications were recorded. Though the event rate was slightly higher in women (30% <it>vs</it>. 26% - p = NS), no single event was significantly gender related. The logistic regression identified age and CRP concentration as the only predictive variables in the whole group. After splitting for genders, these parameters were still predictive of events in men. In women however, CRP was the only one with a borderline p value.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Our study does not support any gender difference for in-hospital adverse events in patients treated invasively for an acute coronary syndrome without ST-segment elevation and elevated troponin.</p

Double blind randomized placebo-controlled trial on the effects of testosterone supplementation in elderly men with moderate to low testosterone levels: design and baseline characteristics [ISRCTN23688581]

In ageing men testosterone levels decline, while cognitive function, muscle and bone mass, sexual hair growth, libido and sexual activity decline and the risk of cardiovascular diseases increase. We set up a double-blind, randomized placebo-controlled trial to investigate the effects of testosterone supplementation on functional mobility, quality of life, body composition, cognitive function, vascular function and risk factors, and bone mineral density in older hypogonadal men. We recruited 237 men with serum testosterone levels below 13.7 nmol/L and ages 60–80 years. They were randomized to either four capsules of 40 mg testosterone undecanoate (TU) or placebo daily for 26 weeks. Primary endpoints are functional mobility and quality of life. Secondary endpoints are body composition, cognitive function, aortic stiffness and cardiovascular risk factors and bone mineral density. Effects on prostate, liver and hematological parameters will be studied with respect to safety. Measure of effect will be the difference in change from baseline visit to final visit between TU and placebo. We will study whether the effect of TU differs across subgroups of baseline waist girth (< 100 cm vs. ≥ 100 cm; testosterone level (<12 versus ≥ 12 nmol/L), age (< median versus ≥ median), and level of outcome under study (< median versus ≥ median). At baseline, mean age, BMI and testosterone levels were 67 years, 27 kg/m(2 )and 10.72 nmol/L, respectively

C-reactive protein and aortic stiffness and wave reflection in middle-aged and elderly men from the community

High plasma C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) levels and arterial stiffness are risk factors for cardiovascular diseases. Pulse wave velocity (PWV) and augmentation index (AIx) have been found to be elevated in patients with vascular inflammation, diabetes mellitus, hypertension, hypercholesterolemia and in smokers. We investigated the relation of high-sensitivity CRP (hs-CRP) with aortic stiffness in 362 men. The levels of hs-CRP were measured using a nephelometric method. Aortic PWV and AIx were assessed from carotid-femoral segment and radial artery waveforms with the use of the SphygmoCor device. In the crude model, aortic PWV increased significantly with increasing serum hs-CRP levels; PWV increased by 2.48 m/s (95% CI 1.58; 3.38) in the fifth compared to the first quintile of hs-CRP. In the adjusted model, the PWV increased by 0.84 m/s (95% CI 0.13; 1.55) in the fifth quintile compared to the first quintile (P-value was 0.02). In the crude model, AIx increased significantly with increasing serum hs-CRP levels; AIx increased by 7.17% (95% CI 3.72; 10.62) in the fifth versus the first quintile. Adjusted for confounders, AIx remained 4.57% (95% CI 1.32; 7.82) higher in the fifth compared to the first quintile (P-value for trend was < 0.01). More adjustment for subclinical atherosclerosis attenuated the β-coefficient for PWV (difference 0.71 m/s (95% CI 0.01; 1.41), but not for AIx (4.60% (95% CI 1.34; 7.85)). In summary, low-grade inflammation seems to be independently related to increase of aortic artery stiffness over and above traditional risk factors and atherosclerosis

Circulating homocysteine and large arterial stiffness and thickness in a population-based sample of middle-aged and elderly men

Elevated plasma homocysteine (tHcy) is considered as a risk factor for cardiovascular events, and has been associated with arterial stiffness and subclinical atherosclerosis in subjects with classical cardiovascular risk factors. The aim of this study is to investigate the association of plasma tHcy with functional and structural changes in the large arteries by measuring aortic pulse-wave velocity (PWV) and carotid artery intima-media thickness (CIMT). In a population-based sample of 376 middle-aged and elderly men, tHcy levels were measured by using fluorescence polarization immunoassay. Aortic stiffness was assessed non-invasively by measuring carotid-femoral PWV with the use of applanation tonometry. CIMT was measured by ultrasonography. We used multivariate linear regression analysis with the log-transformed value of tHcy as the determinant, and aortic PWV and CIMT as outcomes. In the univariate model, PWV increased with increasing tHcy concentration; PWV increased by 2.64 m/s (95% confidence interval (CI) 1.74; 3.54) per unit change in log tHcy. After adjustment for confounders, no statistically significant association remained; PWV increased by 0.42 m/s (95% CI -0.27; 1.11) per unit change in log tHcy. Furthermore, in the univariate model, CIMT increased significantly with increasing tHcy concentration; CIMT increased by 0.19 mm (95% CI 0.11; 0.26) per unit increase log tHcy. This association was attenuated and did not remain significant after additional adjustment for age and cardiovascular confounders (β = 0.06 (95%CI -0.01; 0.13)). The results of this study do not support the presence of an independent relationship between circulating tHcy levels and large artery stiffness and thickness

Effect of testosterone supplementation on functional mobility, cognition, and other parameters in older men - A randomized controlled trial

Context Serum testosterone levels decline significantly with aging. Testosterone supplementation to older men might beneficially affect the aging processes. Objective To investigate the effect of testosterone supplementation on functional mobility, cognitive function, bone mineral density, body composition, plasma lipids, quality of life, and safety parameters in older men with low normal testosterone levels. Design, Setting, and Participants Double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial of 237 healthy men between the ages of 60 and 80 years with a testosterone level lower than 13.7 nmol/L conducted from January 2004 to April 2005 at a university medical center in the Netherlands. Intervention Participants were randomly assigned to receive 80 mg of testosterone undecenoate or a matching placebo twice daily for 6 months. Main Outcome Measures Functional mobility (Stanford Health Assessment questionnaire, timed get up and go test, isometric handgrip strength, isometric leg extensor strength), cognitive function (8 different cognitive instruments), bone mineral density of the hip and lumbar spine (dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry scanning), body composition (total body dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry and abdominal ultrasound of fat mass), metabolic risk factors (fasting plasma lipids, glucose, and insulin), quality of life (Short-Form Health 36 Survey and the Questions on Life Satisfaction Modules), and safety parameters (serum prostate-specific antigen level, ultrasonographic prostate volume, International Prostate Symptom score, serum levels of creatinine, aspartate aminotransferase, alanine aminotransferase, gamma-glutamyltransferase, hemoglobin, and hematocrit). Results A total of 207 men completed the study. During the study, lean body mass increased and fat mass decreased in the testosterone group compared with the placebo group but these factors were not accompanied by an increase of functional mobility or muscle strength. Cognitive function and bone mineral density did not change. Insulin sensitivity improved but high-density lipoprotein cholesterol decreased; by the end of the study, 47.8% in the testosterone group vs 35.5% in the placebo group had the metabolic syndrome (P=.07). Quality-of -life measures were no different except for one hormone-related quality-of-life measure that improved. No negative effects on prostate safety were detected. Conclusion Testosterone supplementation during 6 months to older men with a low normal testosterone concentration did not affect functional status or cognition but increased lean body mass and had mixed metabolic effects. Trial Registration isrctn.org Identifier: ISRCTN23688581