Relative Effectiveness of High-Dose vs. Standard-Dose Quadrivalent Influenza Vaccine in Older Adults with Cardiovascular Disease: A Prespecified Analysis of the DANFLU-1 Randomized Clinical Trial.

Influenza vaccination reduces the risk of adverse outcomes in patients with cardiovascular disease (CVD). We sought to evaluate whether the presence of CVD modified the relative effectiveness of high-dose (QIV-HD) vs. standard-dose (QIV-SD) quadrivalent influenza vaccine in this prespecified analysis of the DANFLU-1 trial.

Myocardial work in chronic kidney disease: insights from the CPH-CKD ECHO Study.

Background: Myocardial work is a novel echocardiographic measure that offers detailed insights into cardiac mechanics. We sought to characterize cardiac function by myocardial work in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD).

Methods: We prospectively enrolled 757 patients with non-dialysis-dependent CKD and 174 age- and sex-matched controls.

The role of aetiology in cardiac manifestations of chronic kidney disease: the CPH-CKD ECHO study.

Purpose: We investigated the associations between cardiac parameters and aetiologies of CKD in an exploratory study.

Methods: The study population consisted of 883 participants, 174 controls and 709 patients with aetiologies of CKD including diabetic nephropathy/renovascular KD in diabetes mellitus, hypertensive/renovascular nephropathy, tubulointerstitial nephritis, glomerulonephritis/vasculitis, polycystic KD (PKD), and CKD of unknown origin. Echocardiographic measures included left ventricular (LV) ejection fraction, global longitudinal, area, and radial strain, E/e' ratio, and LV mass index.

Left Atrial Strain Predicts Subclinical Atrial Fibrillation Detected by Long-term Continuous Monitoring in Elderly High-Risk Individuals.

Background: Left atrial (LA) speckle tracking provides detailed information on atrial function. Its utility for predicting subclinical atrial fibrillation (SCAF) is unclear. Therefore, we sought to investigate whether LA strain measures could predict SCAF detected by long-term continuous rhythm monitoring.

A Pragmatic Randomized Feasibility Trial of Influenza Vaccines.

BACKGROUND: The relative vaccine effectiveness (rVE) of high-dose quadrivalent influenza vaccines (QIV-HD) versus standard-dose quadrivalent influenza vaccines (QIV-SD) against hospitalizations and mortality in the general older population has not been evaluated in an individually randomized trial. Because of the large sample size required, such a trial will need to incorporate innovative, pragmatic elements. METHODS: We conducted a pragmatic, open-label, active-controlled, randomized feasibility trial in Danish citizens aged 65 to 79 years during the 2021–2022 influenza season.

Effectiveness of high-dose versus standard-dose quadrivalent influenza vaccine against recurrent hospitalizations and mortality in relation to influenza circulation: A post-hoc analysis of the DANFLU-1 randomized clinical trial.

Objectives: To evaluate the relative effectiveness of high-dose quadrivalent influenza vaccine (QIV-HD) versus standard-dose quadrivalent influenza vaccine (QIV-SD) against recurrent hospitalizations and its potential variation in relation to influenza circulation.

Methods: We did a post-hoc analysis of a pragmatic, open-label, randomized trial of QIV-HD versus QIV-SD performed during the 2021-2022 influenza season among adults aged 65-79 years. Participants were enrolled in October 2021-November, 2021 and followed for outcomes from 14 days postvaccination until 31 May, 2022.

Plasma activin A rises with declining kidney function and is independently associated with mortality in patients with chronic kidney disease.

Background: Plasma (p-)activin A is elevated in chronic kidney disease-mineral and bone disorder (CKD-MBD). Activin A inhibition ameliorates CKD-MBD complications (vascular calcification and bone disease) in rodent CKD models. We examined whether p-activin A was associated with major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE), all-cause mortality and CKD-MBD complications in CKD patients.

Effects of Dapagliflozin on EChOcardiographic Measures of CarDiac StructurE and Function in Patients with Chronic Kidney Disease: The DECODE-CKD Trial.

Key Points: SGLT2 inhibitors (SGLT2i) exert cardioprotective effects in patients with CKD through unknown mechanisms. DECODE-CKD is the first randomized controlled trial (RCT) to evaluate the effects of SGLT2i on cardiac structure and function in patients with CKD.

Background: SGLT2 inhibitors, originally developed as glucose-lowering agents for treatment of type 2 diabetes, have been shown to have cardio- and kidney-protective effects among CKD patients with and without diabetes.

Associations Between Albuminuria, Estimated GFR and Cardiac Phenotype in a Cohort with Chronic Kidney Disease: The CPH-CKD ECHO Study.

Objective: Echocardiographic findings in chronic kidney disease (CKD) vary. We sought to estimate the prevalence of abnormal cardiac structure and function in patients with CKD and their association to estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) and urine albumin/creatinine ratio (UACR).

Methods: We prospectively enrolled 825 outpatients with non-dialysis-dependent CKD, mean age 58± 13 yrs, and 175 matched healthy controls, mean age 60±12 yrs.

Potential role of conventional and speckle-tracking echocardiography in the screening of structural and functional cardiac abnormalities in elderly individuals: Baseline echocardiographic findings from the LOOP study.

Background: Elderly individuals occupy an increasing part of the general population. Conventional and speckle-tracking transthoracic echocardiography may help guide risk stratification in these individuals. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the potential utility of conventional and speckle-tracking echocardiography in the screening of cardiac abnormalities in the elderly population.

The metabolic signature of cardiovascular disease and arterial calcification in patients with chronic kidney disease.

Background And Aims: The relationship between chronic kidney disease (CKD) and cardiovascular events is well-established. Clinically recognised risk factors of cardiovascular disease cannot fully explain this association. The objective of the present cross-sectional study was to investigate associations between serum metabolites and prevalent cardiovascular disease, as well as subclinical cardiovascular disease measured as coronary artery calcium score (CACS) in patients with CKD.

Accuracy, analysis time, and reproducibility of dedicated 4D echocardiographic left atrial volume quantification software.

Four-dimensional (4D) echocardiography may provide more accurate estimations of left atrial (LA) volumes than 2-dimensional (2D) measures. We sought to compare the concordance of a novel 4D LA quantification software versus 2D echocardiography against cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR). This was a multimodality imaging substudy of a randomized clinical trial (the LOOP study).

Left ventricular structure and function in patients with chronic kidney disease assessed by 3D echocardiography: the CPH-CKD ECHO study.

Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of mortality amongst patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD). This is the first study using 3-dimensional echocardiography (3DE) to investigate associations between adverse changes of the left ventricle, and different stages of CKD. Participants were recruited from the Copenhagen CKD cohort study and the Herlev-Gentofte CKD cohort study.

Carotid plaque thickness is increased in chronic kidney disease and associated with carotid and coronary calcification.

Background: Chronic kidney disease accelerates both atherosclerosis and arterial calcification. The aim of the present study was to explore whether maximal carotid plaque thickness (cPTmax) was increased in patients with chronic kidney disease compared to controls and associated with cardiovascular disease and severity of calcification in the carotid and coronary arteries.

Methods: The study group consisted of 200 patients with chronic kidney disease stage 3 from the Copenhagen Chronic Kidney Disease Cohort and 121 age- and sex-matched controls.

Kidney function and the prognostic value of myocardial performance index.

A decreased glomerular filtration rate (GFR) is a risk factor for cardiovascular disease even after adjustment for conventional risk factors. The myocardial performance index (MPI) is defined as (isovolumetric relaxation time (IVRT) + isovolumetric contraction time (IVCT))/ejection time (ET). It has been shown to be an independent predictor of cardiovascular events.

Prognostic Value of Echocardiography in Hypertensive Versus Nonhypertensive Participants From the General Population.

Hypertension may be the most significant cardiovascular risk factor. Few studies have assessed the prognostic value of echocardiography in hypertensive individuals. This study examines the incremental prognostic value of adding echocardiographic parameters to established risk factors in individuals from the general population with and without hypertension.

Pain relief that matters to patients: systematic review of empirical studies assessing the minimum clinically important difference in acute pain.

Background: The minimum clinically important difference (MCID) is used to interpret the clinical relevance of results reported by trials and meta-analyses as well as to plan sample sizes in new studies. However, there is a lack of consensus about the size of MCID in acute pain, which is a core symptom affecting patients across many clinical conditions.

Methods: We identified and systematically reviewed empirical studies of MCID in acute pain.