Subclinical Atherosclerosis in Patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis and Low Cardiovascular Risk: The Role of von Willebrand Factor Activity

<div><p>Background</p><p>To evaluate association between von Willebrand factor (vWF) activity, inflammation markers, disease activity, and subclinical atherosclerosis in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and low cardiovascular risk.</p><p>Methods</p><p>Above mentioned parameters were determined in blood samples of 74 non-diabetic, normotensive, female subjects, with no dyslipidemia(42 patients, 32 matched healthy controls, age 45.3±10.0 vs. 45.2±9.8 years). Intima-media thickness (IMT) was measured bilaterally, at common carotid, bifurcation, and internal carotid arteries. Subclinical atherosclerosis was defined as IMT>IMT_mean+2SD in controlsat each carotid level and atherosclerotic plaque as IMT>1.5 mm. Majority of RA patients were on methotrexate (83.3%), none on steroids >10 mg/day or biologic drugs. All findings were analysed in the entire study population and in RA group separately.</p><p>Results</p><p>RA patients with subclinical atherosclerosis had higher vWF activity than those without (133.5±69.3% vs. 95.3±36.8%, p<0.05). Predictive value of vWF activity for subclinical atherosclerosis was confirmed by logistic regression. vWF activity correlated significantly with erythrocyte sedimentation rate, fibrinogen, modified disease activity scores (mDAS28–ESR, mDAS28–CRP), modified Health Assessment Questionnaire (p<0.01 for all), duration of smoking, number of cigarettes/day, rheumatoid factor concentration (p<0.05 for all), and anti-CCP antibodies (p<0.01). In the entire study population, vWF activity was higher in participants with subclinical atherosclerosis (130±68% vs. 97±38%, p<0.05) or atherosclerotic plaques (123±57% vs. 99±45%, p<0.05) than in those without. Duration of smoking was significantly associated with vWF activity (β 0.026, p = 0.039).</p><p>Conclusions</p><p>We demonstrated association of vWF activity and subclinical atherosclerosis in low-risk RA patients as well as its correlation with inflammation markers, all parameters of disease activity, and seropositivity. Therefore, vWF might be a valuable marker of early atherosclerosis in RA patients.</p></div

The influence of respiratory pattern on heart rate variability analysis in heart failure

Introduction. Autonomic dysfunction is present early in the course of heart failure, and has a direct role on deterioration of cardiac function and prognosis. Heart rate variability (HRV) estimates sympathovagal control of heart frequency. The influence of respiratory pattern on HRV is clinically important. Breathing disorders are common in heart failure and highly affect HRV and autonomic evaluation. It was previously shown that slow and deep breathing increased parasympathetic tone, but effects of this respiratory pattern on HRV were not evaluated. Objective. The aim of the study was to estimate effects of slow and deep breathing (SDB) on HRV in heart failure patients. Method. In 55 patients with heart failure (78% male, mean age 57.18±10.8 yrs, mean EF=34.12±10.01%) and 14 healthy controls (57.1% male, mean age 53.1±8.2 yrs), short term HRV spectral analysis was performed (Cardiovit AT 60, Schiller). VLF, LF, HF and LF/HF were determined during spontaneous and deep and slow breathing at 0.1 Hz (SDB). Results. LF, HF and LF/HF significantly increased during SDB compared with spontaneous breathing both in controls (LF 50.71±61.55 vs. 551.14±698.01 ms2, p&lt;0.001; HF 31.42±29.98 vs.188.78±142.74 ms2, p&lt;0.001 and LF/HF 1.46±0.61 vs. 4.21±3.23, p=0.025) and heart failure patients (LF 27.37±36.04 vs. 94.50±96.13 ms2, p&lt;0.001; HF 12.13±19.75 vs. 41.58±64.02 ms2, p&lt;0.001 and LF/HF 3.77±3.79 vs. 6.38±5.98, p=0.031). Increments of LF and HF induced by SDB were significantly lower in patients than healthy controls. Heart failure patients had lower HRV compared to healthy controls both during spontaneous breathing and SDB. During spontaneous breathing, only HF was significantly lower between healthy controls and patients (p=0.002). During SDB VLF (p=0.022), LF (p&lt;0.001) and HF (p&lt;0.001) were significantly lower in heart failure patients compared to controls. Conclusion. These data suggest that SDB increases HRV both in healthy and heart failure patients; the highest increment is in LF range. Differences in spectral profile of HRV between healthy controls and heart failure patients become more profound during SDB. Controlled respiration during HRV analysis might increase sensitivity and reliability in detection of autonomic dysfunction in heart failure patients.

Correlation of haemostatic factors with clinical, laboratory features, and treatment in patients with rheumatoid arthritis.

<p>All values are Spearman's correlation coefficients.</p><p>*p<0.05;</p><p>** p<0.01;</p><p>*** p<0.001</p><p>vWF—von Willebrand factor, PAI—plasminogen activator inhibitor.</p><p>Correlation of haemostatic factors with clinical, laboratory features, and treatment in patients with rheumatoid arthritis.</p

Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analysis of association between traditional or RA related cardiovascular risk factors with the presence of subclinical atherosclerosis (mean IMT+2SD of the controls) or atherosclerotic plaque (IMT>1.5 mm) in the entire study group and patients with rheumatoid arthritis.

<p>β—regression coefficient in the univariate analysis, NA—not applicable, vWF—Von Willebrand factor, RF—rheumatoid factor.</p><p>^a Also significant in multiple regression analysis, which included parameters showing significant difference in the univariate analysis (p<0.01 for all, except for smoking habits and subclinical atherosclerosis, where p<0.05)</p><p>Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analysis of association between traditional or RA related cardiovascular risk factors with the presence of subclinical atherosclerosis (mean IMT+2SD of the controls) or atherosclerotic plaque (IMT>1.5 mm) in the entire study group and patients with rheumatoid arthritis.</p

Surgical revascularisation of the heart in patients with chronic ischaemic cardiomyopathy and left ventricular ejection fraction of less than 30%

INTRODUCTION Patients suffering from chronic ischaemic cardiomyopathy and left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) lower than 30% represent a difficult and controversial population for surgical treatment. OBJECTIVE The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of surgical treatment on the early and long-term outcome of these patients. METHOD The patient population comprised SO patients with LVEF&lt; 30% (78% male, mean age: 583 years, range; 42-75 years) who underwent surgical myocardial revascuiarisation during the period 1995-2000. Patients with left ventricular aneurysms or mitral valve insufficiency were excluded from the study. The following echocardiography parameters were evaluated as possible prognostic indicators; LVEF, fraction of shortening (FS), left ventricular systolic and diastolic diameters (LVEDD, LVESD) and volumes (LVEDV, LVESV), as well as their indexed values (LVESVI). RESULTS Fifteen patients (30%) died during the follow-up, 2/50 intraoperatively (4%). The presence of diabetes mellitus, previous myocardial infarction, main left coronary artery disease, and three-vessel disease, correlated significantly with the surgical outcomes. The patient's age, family history, smoking habits, hypertension, hyperlipidaemia, history of stroke, peripheral vascular disease, and renal failure, did not correlate with the mortality rate. A comparison of preoperative echocardiography parameters between survivors and non-survivors revealed significantly divergent LVEF, LVEDD, LVESD, LVEDV, LVESV, and LVESVI values. Preoperative LVESVi offered the highest predictive value (R=0.595). CONCLUSION Diabetes mellitus, history of myocardial infarction, stenosis of the main branch, and three-vessel disease, significantly affected the peci opera five and long-term outcome of surgical revascuiarisation in patients with ischaemic cardiomyopathy and LVEF&lt;30%. in survivors, LVEF, FS, and systolic and diastolic echocardiography parameters, as well as their indexed values, significantly improved after surgical revascuiarisation. LVESVI provided the highest predictive value for mortality

Asymptomatic cardiovascular manifestations in diabetes mellitus: Left ventricular diastolic dysfunction and silent myocardial ischemia

Introduction. Several cardiovascular manifestations in patients with diabetes may be asymptomatic. Left ventricular diastolic dysfunction (LVDD) is considered to be the earliest metabolic myocardial lesion in these patients, and can be diagnosed with tissue Doppler echocardiography. Silent myocardial ischemia (SMI) is a characteristic and frequently described form of ischemic heart disease in patients with diabetes. Objective. The aim of the study was to assess the prevalence of LVDD and SMI in patients with type 2 diabetes, as well as to compare demographic, clinical, and metabolic data among defined groups (patients with LVDD, patients with SMI and patients with type 2 diabetes, without LVDD and SMI). Methods. We investigated 104 type 2 diabetic patients (mean age 55.4±9.1 years, 64.4% males) with normal blood pressure, prehypertension and arterial hypertension stage I. Study design included basic laboratory assessment and cardiological workup (transthoracic echocardiography and tissue Doppler, as well as the exercise stress echocardiography). Results. LVDD was diagnosed in twelve patients (11.5%), while SMI was revealed in six patients (5.8%). Less patients with LVDD were using metformin, in comparison to other two groups (χ2 =12.152; p=0.002). Values of HDL cholesterol (F=4.515; p=0.013) and apolipoprotein A1 (F=5.128; p= 0.008) were significantly higher in patients with LVDD. Conclusion. The study confirmed asymptomatic cardiovascular complications in 17.3% patients with type 2 diabetes

Depression, anxiety, and quality of life as predictors of rehospitalization in patients with chronic heart failure

Abstract Background Chronic heart failure (CHF) is a severe condition, often co-occurring with depression and anxiety, that strongly affects the quality of life (QoL) in some patients. Conversely, depressive and anxiety symptoms are associated with a 2–3 fold increase in mortality risk and were shown to act independently of typical risk factors in CHF progression. The aim of this study was to examine the impact of depression, anxiety, and QoL on the occurrence of rehospitalization within one year after discharge in CHF patients. Methods 148 CHF patients were enrolled in a 10-center, prospective, observational study. All patients completed two questionnaires, the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) and the Questionnaire Short Form Health Survey 36 (SF-36) at discharge timepoint. Results It was found that demographic and clinical characteristics are not associated with rehospitalization. Still, the levels of depression correlated with gender (p ≤ 0.027) and marital status (p ≤ 0.001), while the anxiety values ​​were dependent on the occurrence of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). However, levels of depression (HADS-Depression) and anxiety (HADS-Anxiety) did not correlate with the risk of rehospitalization. Univariate logistic regression analysis results showed that rehospitalized patients had significantly lower levels of Bodily pain (BP, p = 0.014), Vitality (VT, p = 0.005), Social Functioning (SF, p = 0.007), and General Health (GH, p = 0.002). In the multivariate model, poor GH (OR 0.966, p = 0.005) remained a significant risk factor for rehospitalization, and poor General Health is singled out as the most reliable prognostic parameter for rehospitalization (AUC = 0.665, P = 0.002). Conclusion Taken together, our results suggest that QoL assessment complements clinical prognostic markers to identify CHF patients at high risk for adverse events. Clinical Trial Registration: The study is registered under http://clinicaltrials.gov (NCT01501981, first posted on 30/12/2011), sponsored by Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin