Factors Associated With Major Adverse Cardiovascular Events After Liver Transplantation Among a National Sample.

Assessment of major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) after liver transplantation (LT) has been limited by the lack of a multicenter study with detailed clinical information. An integrated database linking information from the University HealthSystem Consortium and the Organ Procurement and Transplant Network was analyzed using multivariate Poisson regression to assess factors associated with 30- and 90-day MACE after LT (February 2002 to December 2012). MACE was defined as myocardial infarction (MI), heart failure (HF), atrial fibrillation (AF), cardiac arrest, pulmonary embolism, and/or stroke.

Community walking speed, sedentary or lying down time, and mortality in peripheral artery disease.

We studied whether slower community walking speed and whether greater time spent lying down or sleeping were associated with higher mortality in people with lower extremity peripheral artery disease (PAD). Participants with an ankle-brachial index (ABI) < 0.90 were identified from Chicago medical centers.

Discordance Between Apolipoprotein B and LDL-Cholesterol in Young Adults Predicts Coronary Artery Calcification: The CARDIA Study.

Background: High levels of apolipoprotein B (apoB) have been shown to predict atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (CVD) in adults even in the context of low levels of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) or non-high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (non-HDL-C).

Objectives: This study aimed to quantify the associations between apoB and the discordance between apoB and LDL-C or non-HDL-C in young adults and measured coronary artery calcium (CAC) in midlife.

Methods: Data were derived from a multicenter cohort study of young adults recruited at ages 18 to 30 years.

Blood Pressure Reactivity to Psychological Stress in Young Adults and Cognition in Midlife: The Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults (CARDIA) Study.

Background: The classic view of blood pressure (BP) reactivity to psychological stress in relation to cardiovascular risks assumes that excess reactivity is worse and lower reactivity is better. Evidence addressing how stress-induced BP reactivity in young adults is associated with midlife cognitive function is sparse.

Methods And Results: We assessed BP reactivity during a star tracing task and a video game in adults aged 20 to 32 years.

Automated Assessment of Left Ventricular Function and Mass Using Heart Deformation Analysis: Initial Experience in 160 Older Adults.

Rationale And Objectives: To assess the performance of automated quantification of left ventricular function and mass based on heart deformation analysis (HDA) in asymptomatic older adults.

Materials And Methods: This study complied with Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act regulations. Following the approval of the institutional review board, 160 asymptomatic older participants were recruited for cardiac magnetic resonance imaging including two-dimensional cine images covering the entire left ventricle in short-axis view.

Changes in D-dimer and inflammatory biomarkers before ischemic events in patients with peripheral artery disease: The BRAVO Study.

Whether circulating biomarker levels increase shortly before an ischemic heart disease (IHD) event is unknown. We studied whether levels of D-dimer, C-reactive protein (CRP), and serum amyloid A (SAA) are higher within 2 months of an IHD event compared to time periods more than 2 months before the IHD event. We assembled 595 participants with peripheral artery disease (PAD) and followed them for up to 3 years.

Patterns of Cardiovascular Mortality for HIV-Infected Adults in the United States: 1999 to 2013.

With widespread availability and the use of antiretroviral therapy, patients with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) in the United States are living long enough to experience non-AIDS-defining illnesses. HIV is associated with an increased risk for cardiovascular disease (CVD) because of traditional CVD risk factors, residual virally mediated inflammation despite HIV treatment, and side effects of antiretroviral therapy. No United States population-wide studies have evaluated patterns of CVD mortality for HIV-infected subjects.

Lifetime Risk of Venous Thromboembolism in Two Cohort Studies.

Background: Greater public awareness of venous thromboembolism may be an important next step for optimizing venous thromboembolism prevention and treatment. "Lifetime risk" is an easily interpretable way of presenting risk information. Therefore, we sought to calculate the lifetime risk of venous thromboembolism (deep vein thrombosis or pulmonary embolism) using data from 2 large, prospective cohort studies: the Cardiovascular Health Study (CHS) and the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities (ARIC) study.

The Association between the PR Interval and Left Ventricular Measurements in the Multiethnic Study of Atherosclerosis.

Introduction. Few studies have examined the association between the PR interval (PRi) and subclinical cardiovascular disease measures. Methods and Results.

Individualized Risk Communication and Outreach for Primary Cardiovascular Disease Prevention in Community Health Centers: Randomized Trial.

Background: Many eligible primary cardiovascular disease prevention candidates are not treated with statins. Electronic health record data can identify patients with increased cardiovascular disease risk.

Methods And Results: We performed a pragmatic randomized controlled trial at community health centers in 2 states.

Optimal Lifestyle Components in Young Adulthood Are Associated With Maintaining the Ideal Cardiovascular Health Profile Into Middle Age.

Background: Middle-aged adults with ideal blood pressure, cholesterol, and glucose levels exhibit substantially lower cardiovascular mortality than those with unfavorable levels. Four healthy lifestyle components-optimal body weight, diet, physical activity, and not smoking-are recommended for cardiovascular health (CVH). This study quantified associations between combinations of healthy lifestyle components measured in young adulthood and loss of the ideal CVH profile into middle age.

Next Steps in Primary Prevention of Coronary Heart Disease: Rationale for and Design of the ECAD Trial.

Atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) events, including coronary heart disease and stroke, are the most frequent cause of death and major disability in the world. Current American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association primary prevention guidelines are mainly on the basis of randomized controlled trials of statin-based low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C)-lowering therapy for primary prevention of ASCVD events. Despite the clear demonstration of statin-based LDL-C lowering, substantial 10-year and lifetime risks of incident ASCVD continue.

The association between cardiovascular health and health-related quality of life and health status measures among U.S. adults: a cross-sectional study of the National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys, 2001-2010.

Background: This study was conducted to examine the association between ideal cardiovascular health (CVH) and health-related quality of life and health status indicators.

Methods: This cross-sectional study included adult NHANES participants from 2001 to 2010 without CVD (N = 7115). CVH was defined according to AHA definitions with poor, intermediate and ideal levels of the seven factors (diet, BMI, physical activity, smoking, blood pressure, glucose, and cholesterol) assigned scores of 0, 1, and 2, respectively.

Can Antihypertensive Treatment Restore the Risk of Cardiovascular Disease to Ideal Levels?: The Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults (CARDIA) Study and the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis (MESA).

Background: It is unclear whether antihypertensive treatment can restore cardiovascular disease risk to the risk level of persons with ideal blood pressure (BP) levels.

Methods And Results: Data from the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis (MESA) and the Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults (CARDIA) study were analyzed. Outcomes were compared among participants without or with antihypertensive treatment at 3 BP levels: <120/<80 mm Hg, systolic BP 120 to 139 mm Hg or diastolic BP 80 to 89 mm Hg (120 to 129/≤80 mm Hg for participants with diabetes), and systolic BP ≥140 or diastolic BP ≥90 mm Hg (systolic BP ≥130 or diastolic BP ≥80 mm Hg for participants with diabetes).

Identifying Individuals at Risk for Cardiovascular Events Across the Spectrum of Blood Pressure Levels.

Background: We determined the proportion of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) events that occur across the spectrum of systolic blood pressure (SBP) and assessed whether multivariable risk assessment can identify persons who experience ASCVD events at all levels of SBP, including those with goal levels.

Methods And Results: Participants aged 45 to 64 years from the Framingham Offspring and Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities studies were stratified based on treated and untreated SBP levels (<120, 120 to 129, 130 to 139, 140 to 149, 150 to 159, ≥160 mm Hg). We determined the number of excess ASCVD events in each SBP stratum by calculating the difference between observed and expected events (ASCVD event rate in untreated SBP <120 mm Hg was used as the reference).

Cardiovascular Health in Young Adulthood and Association with Left Ventricular Structure and Function Later in Life: The Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults Study.

Background: The aim of this study was to determine the association between cardiovascular health (CVH) in young adulthood and left ventricular (LV) structure and function later in life.

Methods: Participants from the Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults study, which recruited black and white participants aged 18 to 30 years at baseline, were included; echocardiography was performed at year 25. CVH at year 0 was defined on the basis of blood pressure, total cholesterol, fasting glucose, body mass index, smoking status, diet, and physical activity.

Association of 6-Minute Walk Performance and Physical Activity With Incident Ischemic Heart Disease Events and Stroke in Peripheral Artery Disease.

Background: We determined whether poorer 6-minute walk performance and lower physical activity levels are associated with higher rates of ischemic heart disease (IHD) events in people with lower extremity peripheral artery disease (PAD).

Methods And Results: Five hundred ten PAD participants were identified from Chicago-area medical centers and followed prospectively for 19.0±9.

Evaluating the Atrial Myopathy Underlying Atrial Fibrillation: Identifying the Arrhythmogenic and Thrombogenic Substrate.

Atrial disease or myopathy forms the substrate for atrial fibrillation (AF) and underlies the potential for atrial thrombus formation and subsequent stroke. Current diagnostic approaches in patients with AF focus on identifying clinical predictors with the evaluation of left atrial size by echocardiography serving as the sole measure specifically evaluating the atrium. Although the atrial substrate underlying AF is likely developing for years before the onset of AF, there is no current evaluation to identify the preclinical atrial myopathy.

Optimism and Cardiovascular Health: Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis (MESA).

Objectives: We examined the cross-sectional association between optimism and cardiovascular health (CVH).

Methods: We used data collected from adults aged 52-84 who participated in the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis (MESA) (n=5,134) during the first follow-up visit (2002-2004). Multinomial logistic regression was used to examine associations of optimism with ideal and intermediate CVH (with reference being poor CVH), after adjusting for socio-demographic factors and psychological ill-being.