Impact of Chronic Kidney Disease on the Associations of Cardiovascular Biomarkers With Adverse Outcomes in Patients With Suspected or Known Coronary Artery Disease: The EXCEED-J Study.

Background The impact of chronic kidney disease (CKD) on the prognostic utility of cardiovascular biomarkers in high-risk patients remains unclear. Methods and Results We performed a multicenter, prospective cohort study of 3255 patients with suspected or known coronary artery disease (CAD) to investigate whether CKD modifies the prognostic utility of cardiovascular biomarkers. Serum levels of cardiovascular and renal biomarkers, including soluble fms-like tyrosine kinase-1 (sFlt-1), N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP), high-sensitivity cardiac troponin-I (hs-cTnI), cystatin C, and placental growth factor, were measured in 1301 CKD and 1954 patients without CKD.

Predictive Value of the Cardio-Ankle Vascular Index for Cardiovascular Events in Patients at Cardiovascular Risk.

Background Arterial stiffness is an important predictor of cardiovascular events; however, indexes for measuring arterial stiffness have not been widely incorporated into routine clinical practice. This study aimed to determine whether the cardio-ankle vascular index (CAVI), based on the blood pressure-independent stiffness parameter β and reflecting arterial stiffness from the origin of the ascending aorta, is a good predictor of cardiovascular events in patients with cardiovascular disease risk factors in a large prospective cohort. Methods and Results This multicenter prospective cohort study, commencing in May 2013, with a 5-year follow-up period, included patients (aged 40‒74 years) with cardiovascular disease risks.

VEGF-C and Mortality in Patients With Suspected or Known Coronary Artery Disease.

Background The lymphatic system has been suggested to play an important role in cholesterol metabolism and cardiovascular disease. However, the relationships of vascular endothelial growth factor-C ( VEGF -C), a central player in lymphangiogenesis, with mortality and cardiovascular events in patients with suspected or known coronary artery disease are unknown. Methods and Results We performed a multicenter, prospective cohort study of 2418 patients with suspected or known coronary artery disease undergoing elective coronary angiography.