Contemporary Administrative Codes to Identify Pulmonary Vein Isolation Procedures for Atrial Fibrillation.

Background: Use of pulmonary vein isolation (PVI) to treat atrial fibrillation continues to increase. Despite great interest in leveraging administrative data for real-world analyses, contemporary procedural codes for identifying PVI have not been evaluated.

Methods And Results: In this observational retrospective cohort study, inpatient PVIs were identified among US Medicare fee-for-service beneficiaries using Current Procedural Terminology (CPT) code 93656 in Carrier Line Files.

Heterogeneity in Cardiovascular Disease Risk Factors Among Latino Immigrant Subgroups: Evidence From the 2010 to 2018 National Health Interview Survey.

Background The Latino population is a growing and diverse share of the US population. Previous studies have examined Latino immigrants as a homogenous group. The authors hypothesized that there would be heterogeneity in cardiovascular disease risk factors among Latino immigrant subgroups (from Mexico, Puerto Rico, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Central America, or South America) compared with non-Latino White adults.

Enriching the American Heart Association COVID-19 Cardiovascular Disease Registry Through Linkage With External Data Sources: Rationale and Design.

Background The AHA Registry (American Heart Association COVID-19 Cardiovascular Disease Registry) captures detailed information on hospitalized patients with COVID-19. The registry, however, does not capture information on social determinants of health or long-term outcomes. Here we describe the linkage of the AHA Registry with external data sources, including fee-for-service (FFS) Medicare claims, to fill these gaps and assess the representativeness of linked registry patients to the broader Medicare FFS population hospitalized with COVID-19.

Plasma Levels of Advanced Glycation Endproducts and Risk of Cardiovascular Events: Findings From 2 Prospective Cohorts.

Background Advanced glycation endproducts (AGEs) have been linked to cardiovascular disease (CVD) in cohorts with and without diabetes. Data are lacking on prospective associations of various α-dicarbonyl-derived AGEs and incident CVD in the general population. We tested the hypothesis that major plasma AGEs are associated with new-onset CVD in 2 population-based cohorts of differing age and comorbidities.

Relations of Metabolic Health and Obesity to Brain Aging in Young to Middle-Aged Adults.

Background We aimed to evaluate the association between metabolic health and obesity and brain health measured via magnetic resonance imaging and neurocognitive testing in community dwelling adults. Methods and Results Framingham Heart Study Third Generation Cohort members (n=2170, 46±9 years of age, 54% women) without prevalent diabetes, stroke, dementia, or other neurologic conditions were grouped by metabolic unhealthiness (≥2 criteria for metabolic syndrome) and obesity (body mass index ≥30 kg/m): metabolically healthy (MH) nonobese, MH obese, metabolically unhealthy (MU) nonobese, and MU obese. We evaluated the relationships of these groups with brain structure (magnetic resonance imaging) and function (neurocognitive tests).

Clinical Associations of Vascular Stiffness, Microvascular Dysfunction, and Prevalent Cardiovascular Disease in a Black Cohort: The Jackson Heart Study.

Background Measures of vascular dysfunction are related to adverse cardiovascular disease (CVD) outcomes in non-Hispanic, White populations; however, data from Black individuals are limited. We aimed to investigate the associations between novel hemodynamic measures and prevalent CVD in a sample of Black individuals. Methods and Results Among older Black participants of the Jackson Heart Study, we assessed noninvasive vascular hemodynamic measures using arterial tonometry and Doppler ultrasound.

Incremental Value of Left Atrial Geometric Remodeling in Predicting Late Atrial Fibrillation Recurrence After Pulmonary Vein Isolation: A Cardiovascular Magnetic Resonance Study.

Background Left atrial ( LA ) enlargement is a marker for increased risk of atrial fibrillation ( AF ). However, LA remodeling is a complex process that is poorly understood, and LA geometric remodeling may also be associated with the development of AF . We sought to determine whether LA spherical remodeling or its temporal change predict late AF recurrence after pulmonary vein isolation ( PVI ).

Relations of Microvascular Function, Cardiovascular Disease Risk Factors, and Aortic Stiffness in Blacks: The Jackson Heart Study.

Background Blacks have more severe endothelial dysfunction and aortic stiffening as compared with whites. We aimed to investigate the association between aortic stiffness and microvascular function in the black community. Methods and Results We assessed the association between forearm vascular reactive hyperemia (an indicator of microvascular function) and aortic stiffness in 1458 black participants (N=965 [66% women]; mean age: 66±11 years) in the Jackson Heart Study.