Publications by authors named "Jean P Empana"

Background The association between common carotid artery intima-media thickness (CCA-IMT) and incident carotid plaque has not been characterized fully. We therefore aimed to precisely quantify the relationship between CCA-IMT and carotid plaque development. Methods and Results We undertook an individual participant data meta-analysis of 20 prospective studies from the Proof-ATHERO (Prospective Studies of Atherosclerosis) consortium that recorded baseline CCA-IMT and incident carotid plaque involving 21 494 individuals without a history of cardiovascular disease and without preexisting carotid plaque at baseline.

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Aims: To investigate the impact of coronavirus disease 2019 lockdown on trajectories of arterial pulse-wave velocity in a large population of users of connected smart scales that provide reliable measurements of pulse-wave velocity.

Methods And Results: Pulse-wave velocity recordings obtained by Withings Heart Health & Body Composition Wi-Fi Smart Scale users before and during lockdown were analysed. We compared two demonstrative countries: France, where strict lockdown rules were enforced ( = 26 196) and Germany, where lockdown was partial ( = 26 847).

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Aims: To evaluate the association of basic life support with survival after sports-related sudden cardiac arrest (SR-SCA).

Methods And Results: In this systematic review and meta-analysis, a search of several databases from each database inception to 31 July 2021 without language restrictions was conducted. Studies were considered eligible if they evaluated one of three scenarios in patients with SR-SCA: (i) bystander presence, (ii) bystander cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), or (iii) bystander automated external defibrillator (AED) use and provided information on survival.

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Background: Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) faces the highest rate of hypertension worldwide. The high burden of elevated blood pressure (BP) in black people has been emphasized. Guidelines recommend two or more antihypertensive medications to achieve a BP control.

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Introduction: Several anthropometric measurements are variably recommended to assess adiposity in routine practice, with less agreement on their comparative performance. We assessed and compared the relationship of seven anthropometric measures of adiposity-waist circumference (WC), waist-to-height ratio (WHtR), Body Mass Index (BMI), Ponderal Index (PI), Conicity Index (C index), A Body Shape Index (ABSI), and Body Roundness Index (BRI)-with blood pressure (BP) levels and prevalent hypertension in adult Cameroonians.

Methods: Data were collected as Cameroon's contribution to the global May Measurement Month 2017(MMM17) survey.

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: Inflammation is a physiological response to aggression of pathogenic agents aimed at eliminating the aggressor agent and promoting healing. Excessive inflammation, however, may contribute to tissue damage and an alteration of arterial structure and function. Increased arterial stiffness is a well recognized cardiovascular risk factor independent of blood pressure levels and an intermediate endpoint for cardiovascular events.

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Atherosclerosis - the pathophysiological mechanism shared by most cardiovascular diseases - can be directly or indirectly assessed by a variety of clinical tests including measurement of carotid intima-media thickness, carotid plaque, -ankle-brachial index, pulse wave velocity, and coronary -artery calcium. The Prospective Studies of Atherosclerosis -(Proof-ATHERO) consortium (https://clinicalepi.i-med.

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Background: Sub-Saharan Africa is experiencing a rising burden of hypertension. Antihypertensive medications and diet are the cornerstone of effective hypertension control.

Aims: To assess adherence to medication and salt restriction in 12 sub-Saharan countries, and to study the relationship between adherence and blood pressure control in patients with hypertension.

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Aims: Averaged measurements, but not the progression based on multiple assessments of carotid intima-media thickness, (cIMT) are predictive of cardiovascular disease (CVD) events in individuals. Whether this is true for conventional risk factors is unclear.

Methods And Results: An individual participant meta-analysis was used to associate the annualised progression of systolic blood pressure, total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol with future cardiovascular disease risk in 13 prospective cohort studies of the PROG-IMT collaboration ( = 34,072).

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Introduction: Over the past few decades, the prevalence of hypertension has dramatically increased in Sub-Saharan Africa. Poor adherence has been identified as a major cause of failure to control hypertension. Scarce data are available in Africa.

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Importance: The association of positive airway pressure (PAP) with reduced mortality in patients with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) remains uncertain.

Objective: To investigate the association between PAP prescription and mortality.

Design, Setting, And Participants: This multicenter, population-based cohort study evaluated data from the Sleep Heart Health Study (SHHS), a long-term observational cohort study that included participants between 1995 and 1998, with a mean follow-up of 11.

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Aims: Carotid intima media thickness (CIMT) predicts cardiovascular (CVD) events, but the predictive value of CIMT change is debated. We assessed the relation between CIMT change and events in individuals at high cardiovascular risk.

Methods And Results: From 31 cohorts with two CIMT scans (total n = 89070) on average 3.

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Systemic hypertension is a rapidly growing epidemic in Africa. The role of socioeconomic status on blood pressure control has not been well studied in this part of the world. We, therefore, aimed to quantify the association of socioeconomic status both at the individual and at the country level with blood pressure control in Sub-Saharan Africa.

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Article Synopsis
  • A study was conducted to assess the quality of seven common cardiovascular medications across ten Sub-Saharan African countries, focusing on the risks of poor quality and counterfeit drugs.
  • The research involved collecting 3,468 samples from both licensed pharmacies and unlicensed street markets between 2012 and 2014, using advanced laboratory methods to analyze the active ingredients.
  • The findings revealed that 16.3% of tested samples were of poor quality, with significantly higher rates observed in certain drugs and those produced in Asia, particularly in street markets where the rate soared to 50%.
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Article Synopsis
  • Antibody-mediated rejection (AMR) is a significant factor in heart transplant failure, but understanding its mechanisms and improving detection methods is crucial for better outcomes.
  • A study involving 617 heart transplant recipients examined AMR through various techniques, including histopathology, immunostaining, and gene expression profiling, comparing patients with and without AMR.
  • Results indicated that AMR is characterized by specific immune responses and changes in gene expression related to endothelial activation and inflammation, with distinct gene sets that could effectively differentiate between AMR and non-AMR patients.
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Objective: Carotid intima-media thickness (CIMT) is a marker of subclinical organ damage and predicts cardiovascular disease (CVD) events in the general population. It has also been associated with vascular risk in people with diabetes. However, the association of CIMT change in repeated examinations with subsequent CVD events is uncertain, and its use as a surrogate end point in clinical trials is controversial.

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Aims: The aim of this study involves the early identification, among apparently healthy individuals, of those at high risk for sudden cardiac death. We tested the hypothesis that individuals who respond to mild mental stress in preparation for exercise test with the largest heart rate increases might be at highest risk.

Methods And Results: Data from 7746 civil servants participating in the Paris Prospective Study I, followed-up for 23 years, allowed to compare heart rate changes between rest and mild mental stress (preparation prior to an exercise test) between subjects who suffered sudden cardiac death (n = 81), non-sudden (n = 129) coronary death, or death from any cause (n = 1306).

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The prognostic implications of heart rate (HR) change over years have never been assessed. It was hypothesized that an increase in HR in apparently healthy persons observed over years could be associated with an increase in mortality risk and conversely. A total of 5,139 asymptomatic working men (aged 42 to 53 years) free of clinically detectable cardiovascular disease were recruited from 1967 to 1972 and had their HRs measured at rest in standardized conditions every year for 5 consecutive years.

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Aims: Radial artery spasm remains the major limitation of transradial approach for percutaneous coronary interventions. The aim of our study was to evaluate the efficacy of vasodilators in the prevention of radial artery spasm during percutaneous coronary interventions.

Methods And Results: 1,219 patients were consecutively randomized to receive placebo (n = 198), molsidomine 1 mg (n = 203), verapamil 2.

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