Publications by authors named "Kelley Branch"

Background: Adaptation of the right ventricle is a key determinant of outcomes in pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH). Despite a compelling rationale to develop targeted therapies for the right ventricle in PAH, no such treatments exist. H-receptor antagonism is a potential myocardial-focused paradigm in heart failure.

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Aims: The aim of this study was to describe the prognostic importance of left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) versus right ventricular (RV) dilatation and dysfunction in patients with heart failure (HF) from countries of different income levels.

Methods And Results: We enrolled 17 321 participants with HF from 40 countries. Participants were followed for a median (25th-75th percentile) of 2.

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Introduction: Lung injury and the acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) are common after out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA), but the imaging characteristics of lung parenchymal and pleural abnormalities in these patients have not been well-characterized. We aimed to describe the incidence of lung parenchymal and pleural findings among patients who had return of spontaneous circulation (ROSC) and who underwent computed tomography (CT) of the chest after OHCA.

Methods: This was a retrospective cohort study conducted at two academic hospitals from 2014 to 2019.

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Aims: To estimate the incidence of major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE), expanded MACE, and MACE or Death across Fibrosis- 4 score (FIB-4) categories in people with type 2 diabetes and to determine whether efpeglenatide's effect varies with increasing FIB-4 severity.

Materials And Methods: AMPLITUDE-O trial data were used to estimate the relationship of FIB-4 score categories to the hazard of MACE, expanded MACE, and MACE or death. Interactions on these outcomes between baseline FIB-4 score, and between FIB-4 score and efpeglenatide were also assessed.

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Article Synopsis
  • Rivaroxaban 2.5 mg twice daily combined with aspirin was more effective than aspirin alone for preventing serious cardiovascular events in patients with stable coronary artery disease (CAD) or peripheral artery disease (PAD).
  • A cost-analysis over a 23-month follow-up showed that while the total costs for the combination treatment were higher ($7,426), it provided an extra 1.17 quality-adjusted life years (QALYs), resulting in a favorable incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER) of $23,295/QALY.
  • The study concludes that using rivaroxaban with aspirin is a cost-effective strategy in the U.S., making it a valuable option for managing cardiovascular health in these patients.
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  • - This study aimed to assess how the levels of eGFR (estimated glomerular filtration rate) and UACR (urine albumin-to-creatinine ratio) correlate with major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) and kidney health in patients, particularly focusing on the drug efpeglenatide.
  • - Researchers analyzed data from the AMPLITUDE-O trial involving 3,983 participants, observing that lower eGFR and higher UACR increased the risk of MACE and kidney issues, while the risks associated with kidney disease classifications (KDIGO) also showed similar trends.
  • - The findings suggest that both eGFR and UACR independently predict cardiovascular and kidney outcomes for individuals with diabetes, and that the
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Causes for sudden circulatory arrest (SCA) can vary widely making early treatment and triage decisions challenging. Additionally, cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), while a life-saving link in the chain of survival, can be associated with traumatic injuries. Computed tomography (CT) can identify many causes of SCA as well as its sequelae.

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The Society of Cardiovascular Computed Tomography (SCCT) is an international community of physicians, scientists and technologists advocating for research, education, and clinical excellence in the use of cardiovascular computed tomography (CCT). SCCT members are committed to improving health outcomes through effective use of CCT. The SCCT routinely authors, endorses, and jointly collaborates on scientific documents that reflect the best available evidence and expert consensus supported in practice of CCT.

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Background/objective: Post-cardiac arrest patients are vulnerable to hypoxic-ischaemic brain injury (HIBI), but HIBI may not be identified until computed tomography (CT) scan of the brain is obtained post-resuscitation and stabilization. We aimed to evaluate the association of clinical arrest characteristics with early CT findings of HIBI to identify those at the highest risk for HIBI.

Methods: This is a retrospective analysis of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) patients who underwent whole-body imaging.

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  • Most heart failure (HF) studies have focused on high-income nations, leaving a gap in data from middle- and low-income countries regarding HF causes and management.
  • The study analyzed 23,341 participants across various economic levels over two years, finding ischemic heart disease as the leading cause of HF.
  • Results showed better treatment and lower mortality rates in high-income countries, with significant disparities in medication use and hospitalization rates compared to lower-income nations.
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Unlabelled: Pheochromocytomas are catecholamine-producing tumors and a rare cause of sudden cardiac death. We describe the case of a previously healthy 28-year-old man who presented after a ventricular fibrillation out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA). His clinical investigation, including a coronary evaluation, was unremarkable.

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  • The study aimed to determine if adding a head-to-pelvis CT scan improves the diagnosis and speed of identifying causes for out-of-hospital circulatory arrest (OHCA).
  • Results showed that using the CT scan improved the diagnostic yield from 75% to 92% and significantly reduced the time to diagnosis by about 78%.
  • The study concluded that early SDCT scanning is safe and enhances diagnostic efficiency for OHCA causes compared to the standard care approach, with similar patient survival rates.
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Introduction: The wearable cardioverter defibrillator (WCD) is used to protect patients at risk for sudden cardiac arrest. We examined defibrillation efficacy and safety of a biphasic truncated exponential waveform designed for use in a contemporary WCD in three animal studies and a human study.

Methods: Animal (swine) studies: #1: Efficacy comparison of a 170J BTE waveform (SHOCK A) to a 150J BTE waveform (SHOCK B) that approximates another commercially available waveform.

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Background: In the AMPLITUDE-O (Effect of Efpeglenatide on Cardiovascular Outcomes) cardiovascular outcomes trial, adding either 4 mg or 6 mg weekly of the glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonist efpeglenatide to usual care reduced major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) in people with type 2 diabetes at high cardiovascular risk. Whether these benefits are dose related remains uncertain.

Methods: Participants were randomly assigned in a 1:1:1 ratio to placebo, 4 mg or 6 mg of efpeglenatide.

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  • The study aimed to investigate the effectiveness of early echocardiography in identifying cardiac causes of sudden death and its potential impact on patient prognosis after resuscitation.
  • After reviewing 2877 articles, only 16 studies (involving 2035 patients) met the criteria, indicating a very limited pool of research in this area.
  • The findings revealed that while echocardiographic indicators like regional wall motion abnormalities were linked to cardiac issues, there was no consistent association between left ventricular function and survival outcomes, highlighting the need for more research to better utilize echocardiography in post-resuscitation care.
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Background: Low dose rivaroxaban with aspirin reduced major cardiovascular events (MACE) compared to aspirin alone in patients with cardiovascular disease although effects on total events are unknown.

Methods: The COMPASS clinical trial randomized 27,395 participants with chronic coronary and/or peripheral artery disease to rivaroxaban 2.5 mg twice daily plus aspirin 100 mg daily, rivaroxaban 5 mg twice daily alone, or aspirin 100 mg daily.

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Coronary computed tomography angiography (CTA) improves the quality of care for patients presenting with acute chest pain (ACP) to the emergency department (ED), particularly in patients with low to intermediate likelihood of acute coronary syndrome (ACS). The Society of Cardiovascular Computed Tomography Guidelines Committee was formed to develop recommendations for acquiring, interpreting, and reporting of coronary CTA to ensure appropriate, safe, and efficient use of this modality. Because of the increasing use of coronary CTA testing for the evaluation of ACP patients, the Committee has been charged with the development of the present document to assist physicians and technologists.

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Aims: People with diabetes are at high risk for cardiovascular events including heart failure (HF). We examined the effect of the glucagon-like peptide 1 agonist dulaglutide on incident HF events and other cardiovascular outcomes in those with or without prior HF in the randomized placebo-controlled Researching Cardiovascular Events with a Weekly Incretin in Diabetes (REWIND) trial.

Methods And Results: The REWIND major adverse cardiovascular event (MACE) outcome was the first occurrence of a composite endpoint of non-fatal myocardial infarction, non-fatal stroke, or death from cardiovascular causes (including unknown causes).

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Aims: The Cardiovascular Outcomes for People Using Anticoagulation Strategies (COMPASS) trial demonstrated that rivaroxaban 2.5 mg BID with aspirin 100 mg was more effective than aspirin 100 mg daily alone for the prevention of cardiovascular (CV) death, stroke, or myocardial infarction in patients with stable coronary artery disease (CAD) or peripheral artery disease (PAD). We aimed to examine the cost-effectiveness of rivaroxaban using patient-level data from the COMPASS trial.

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