Publications by authors named "Stale Nymo"

Objective: To examine the prevalence of advanced frailty, comorbidity, and age among sepsis-related deaths in an adult hospital population.

Methods: Retrospective chart reviews of deceased adults within a Norwegian hospital trust, with a diagnosis of infection, over 2 years (2018-2019). The likelihood of sepsis-related death was evaluated by clinicians as sepsis-related, possibly sepsis-related, or not sepsis-related.

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Background: There is consensus that low socioeconomic status (SES) is associated with an increased risk of acute myocardial infarction (AMI), but the extent to which traditional coronary risk factors and other characteristics of low SES mediate this effect remains uncertain. This study examined AMI patients residing in neighbouring city districts with the same local hospital despite having among the most considerable differences in mean SES in Norway. Our purpose was to assess low SES as a coronary risk factor and examine whether traditional coronary risk factors or ancestry mediate this effect.

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Background: Identification of novel biomarkers could provide prognostic information and improve risk stratification in patients with aortic stenosis (AS). YKL-40 (chitinase-3-like protein 1), a protein involved in atherogenesis, is upregulated in human calcific aortic valves. We hypothesized that circulating YKL-40 would be elevated and associated with the degree of AS severity and outcome in patients with symptomatic AS.

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Background: The optimal antiarrhythmic management of recent-onset atrial fibrillation (ROAF) or atrial flutter is controversial and there is a considerable variability in clinical treatment strategies. It is not known if potassium infusion has the potential to convert ROAF or atrial flutter to sinus rhythm (SR). Therefore, we aimed to investigate if patients with ROAF or atrial flutter and plasma-potassium levels ≤4.

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Background: Termination of acute inflammation is an active process orchestrated by lipid mediators (LM) derived from polyunsaturated fatty acids, referred to as specialized pro-resolving mediators (SPM). These mediators also provide novel therapeutic opportunities for treating inflammatory disease. However, the regulation of these molecules following acute myocardial infarction (MI) remains of interest.

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Aims: Obesity defined by body mass index (BMI) is characterized by better prognosis and lower plasma N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) in heart failure. We assessed whether another anthropometric measure, per cent body fat (PBF), reveals different associations with outcome and heart failure biomarkers (NT-proBNP, high-sensitivity troponin T (hs-TnT), soluble suppression of tumorigenesis-2 (sST2)).

Methods: In an individual patient dataset, BMI was calculated as weight (kg)/height (m) , and PBF through the Jackson-Pollock and Gallagher equations.

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Background: Although electrolyte imbalances (EIs) are common in the emergency department (ED), few studies have examined the occurrence of such conditions in an unselected population.

Objectives: To investigate the frequency of EI among adult patients who present to the ED, with regards to type and severity, and the association with age and sex of the patient, hospital length of stay (LOS), readmission, and mortality.

Methods: A retrospective cohort study.

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Background: Biomarkers may facilitate clinical decisions in order to guide antimicrobial treatment and prediction of prognosis in community-acquired pneumonia (CAP). We measured serum C-reactive protein, procalcitonin (PCT) and calprotectin levels, and plasma pentraxin 3 (PTX3) and presepsin levels, along with whole-blood white cell counts, at three time-points, and examined their association with microbial aetiology and adverse clinical outcomes in CAP.

Methods: Blood samples were obtained at hospital admission, clinical stabilisation and 6-week follow-up from 267 hospitalised adults with CAP.

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Background: In a recent individual patient data meta-analysis, high-sensitivity troponin T (hs-TnT) emerged as robust predictor of prognosis in stable chronic heart failure (HF). In the same population, we compared the relative predictive performances of hs-TnT, N-terminal fraction of pro-B-type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP), hs-C-reactive protein (hs-CRP), and estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) for prognosis.

Methods And Results: 9289 patients (66 ± 12 years, 77% men, 85% LVEF <40%, 60% ischemic HF) were evaluated over a 2.

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Background: Soluble suppression of tumorigenesis-2 (sST2) is a biomarker related to inflammation and fibrosis.

Objectives: This study assessed the independent prognostic value of sST2 in chronic heart failure (HF).

Methods: Individual patient data from studies that assessed sST2 for risk prediction in chronic HF, together with N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) and high-sensitivity troponin T (hs-TnT), were retrieved.

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Background: Circulating neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin (NGAL) concentration increases in cardiovascular disease, but the long-term prognostic value of NGAL concentration has not been evaluated in acute coronary syndrome (ACS). We examined the association between NGAL concentration and prognosis in patients with ACS after non-ST-elevation myocardial infarction (NSTEMI) or STEMI.

Methods And Results: NGAL concentration was measured in blood from 1121 consecutive ACS patients (30% women, mean age 65 years) on the first morning after admission.

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Background: Disease severity and outcome in community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) depend on the host and on the challenge of the causal microorganism(s). We measured levels of immunoglobulins (Igs) and complement in 257 hospitalized adults with CAP and examined the association of low levels of Igs or complement to microbial etiology, disease severity, and short-term and long-term outcome.

Methods: Serum Igs were analyzed in blood samples obtained at admission and at 6 weeks postdischarge if admission levels were low.

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Background: Most patients with chronic heart failure have detectable troponin concentrations when evaluated by high-sensitivity assays. The prognostic relevance of this finding has not been clearly established so far. We aimed to assess high-sensitivity troponin assay for risk stratification in chronic heart failure through a meta-analysis approach.

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Background: The inflammatory response to community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) is orchestrated through activation of cytokine networks and the complement system. We examined the association of multiple cytokines and the terminal complement complex (TCC) with microbial aetiology, disease severity and short-term outcome.

Materials And Methods: Plasma levels of 27 cytokines and TCC were analysed in blood samples obtained at hospital admission, clinical stabilization and 6-week follow-up from 247 hospitalized adults with CAP.

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Objectives: This study sought to evaluate whether a panel of biomarkers improved prognostication in patients with heart failure (HF) and reduced ejection fraction of ischemic origin using a systematized approach according to suggested requirements for validation of new biomarkers.

Background: Modeling combinations of multiple circulating markers could potentially identify patients with HF at particularly high risk and aid in the selection of individualized therapy.

Methods: From a panel of 20 inflammatory and extracellular matrix biomarkers, 2 different biomarker panels were created and added to the Seattle HF score and the prognostic model from the CORONA (Controlled Rosuvastatin Multinational Trial in Heart Failure) study (n = 1,497), which included conventional clinical characteristics and C-reactive protein and N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide.

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Context And Objective: To evaluate if YKL-40 can provide prognostic information in patients with ischemic heart failure (HF) and identify patients who may benefit from statin therapy.

Materials And Methods: The association between serum YKL-40 and predefined outcome was evaluated in 1344 HF patients assigned to rosuvastatin or placebo.

Results: YKL-40 was not associated with outcome in adjusted analysis.

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Background: The innate immune receptor NLRP3 recognizes tissue damage and initiates inflammatory processes through formation multiprotein complexes with the adaptor protein ASC and caspase-1, i.e. NLRP3 inflammasomes, which through cleavage of pro-IL-1β mediates release of bioactive IL-1β.

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Background: We have previously demonstrated an association between increased sFRP3 expression and adverse outcome in a population of HF irrespective of cause and left ventricular ejection fraction. In this study we evaluated the prognostic value of sFRP3 in older patients with chronic systolic HF of ischemic origin.

Methods: We evaluated sFRP3, by tertiles, as a risk factor for the primary endpoint (cardiovascular [CV] mortality, nonfatal myocardial infarction, nonfatal stroke), all-cause mortality, CV mortality, death from worsening HF (WHF), any coronary event, including sudden death, as well as hospitalizations for CV causes and WHF in 1444 patients from the CORONA population, randomly assigned to 10 mg rosuvastatin or placebo.

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Background: Adipose tissue has endocrine properties, secreting a wide range of mediators into the circulation, including factors involved in cardiovascular disease. However, little is known about the potential role of adipose tissue in heart failure (HF), and the aim of this study was to investigate epicardial (EAT) and subcutaneous (SAT) adipose tissue in HF patients.

Methods And Results: Thirty patients with systolic HF and 30 patients with normal systolic function undergoing thoracic surgery were included in the study.

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Background: The extracellular matrix (ECM) plays an important role in left ventricular remodeling and progression of heart failure (HF). Biglycan and mimecan are ECM proteins that are abundantly expressed in cardiac tissue but have not been evaluated as prognostic markers in HF. We investigated their interaction with statin treatment and association with adverse outcome in chronic HF.

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Objectives: Increased circulating endostatin levels have been demonstrated in progressive cardiovascular (CV) and renal disorders. We investigated the predictive value of endostatin in patients with chronic heart failure (HF) and the association between endostatin and renal function.

Methods: The interaction between serum endostatin, estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) and predefined endpoints, including the primary endpoint (CV death, nonfatal myocardial infarction, nonfatal stroke; n = 397), all-cause mortality (n = 410), CV death (n = 335) or the coronary endpoint (n = 317), was evaluated in 1,390 patients >60 years of age with ischemic systolic HF in the Controlled Rosuvastatin Multinational Trial in HF (CORONA) population, who were randomly assigned to 10 mg rosuvastatin or placebo.

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