| 1. |
- Alfonso, Fernando, et al.
(författare)
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Authorship : from credit to accountability. Reflections from the Editors' Network.
- 2019
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Ingår i: Clinical Research in Cardiology. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 1861-0684 .- 1861-0692. ; 108:7, s. 723-729
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The Editors' Network of the European Society of Cardiology provides a dynamic forum for editorial discussions and endorses the recommendations of the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE) to improve the scientific quality of biomedical journals. Authorship confers credit and important academic rewards. Recently, however, the ICMJE emphasized that authorship also requires responsibility and accountability. These issues are now covered by the new (fourth) criterion for authorship. Authors should agree to be accountable and ensure that questions regarding the accuracy and integrity of the entire work will be appropriately addressed. This review discusses the implications of this paradigm shift on authorship requirements with the aim of increasing awareness on good scientific and editorial practices.
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| 2. |
- Baron, Tomasz, et al.
(författare)
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Test-retest reliability of new and conventional echocardiographic parameters of left ventricular systolic function
- 2019
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Ingår i: Clinical Research in Cardiology. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 1861-0684 .- 1861-0692. ; 108:4, s. 355-365
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Background: Reliability of left ventricular function measurements depends on actual biological conditions, repeated registrations and their analyses.Objective: To investigate test–retest reliability of speckle-tracking-derived strain measurements and its determinants compared to the conventional parameters, such as ejection fraction (EF), LV volumes and mitral annular plane systolic excursion (MAPSE).Methods: In 30 patients with a wide range of left ventricular function (mean EF 46.4 ± 16.4%, range 14–73%), standard echo views were acquired independently in a blinded fashion by two different echocardiographers in immediate sequence and analyzed off-line by two independent readers, creating 4 data sets per patient. Test–retest reliability of studied parameters was calculated using the smallest detectable change (SDC) and a total, inter-acquisition and inter-reader intra-class correlation coefficient (ICC).Results: The smallest detectable change normalized to the mean absolute value of the measured parameter (SDCrel) was lowest for MAPSE (10.7%). SDCrel for EF was similar to GLS (14.2 and 14.7%, respectively), while SDCrel for CS was much higher (35.6%). The intra-class correlation coefficient was excellent (> 0.9) for all measures of the left ventricular function. Intra-patient inter-acquisition reliability (ICCacq) was significantly better than inter-reader reliability (ICCread) (0.984 vs. 0.950, p = 0.03) only for EF, while no significant difference was observed for any other LV function parameter. Mean intra-subject standard deviations were significantly correlated to the mean values for CS and LV volumes, but not for the other studied parameters.Conclusions: In a test–retest setting, both with normal and impaired left ventricular function, the smallest relative detectable change of EF, GLS and MAPSE was similar (11–15%), but was much higher for CS (35%). Surprisingly, reliability of GLS was not superior to that of EF. Acquisition and reader to a similar extent influenced the reliability of measurements of all left ventricular function measures except for ejection fraction, where the reliability was more dependent on the reader than on the acquisition.
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| 3. |
- Carlsson, Jörg, et al.
(författare)
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A two-peaked increase of serum myosin heavy chain-α after full distance triathlon demonstrates heart muscle cell death
- 2017
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Ingår i: Clinical Research in Cardiology. - : Springer. - 1861-0684 .- 1861-0692. ; 106:Suppl 1
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Background: There is an ongoing debate about the significance of cardiac troponin T (cTnT) elevation after strenuous exercise: heart muscle cell death versus physiologic mechanism of release through an intact cell membrane. While cTnT is a small molecule (37 kDa), cardiac specific myosin heavy chain-alpha (MHC-α) is much larger (224 kDa) and an increase after exercise could hardly be explained by passage through an intact cardiac cell membrane. PURPOSE: To measure MHC-α, and other biomarkers (C-reactive protein (CRP); cTnT, creatine kinase (CK), myoglobin (MG), creatinine (C), and N-terminal prohormone of brain natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) before and after a full distance Ironman in order to answer the question of heart muscle cell death versus physiologic changes. Methods: In 52 non-elite athletes (14 female, 38 male; age 41.1 ± 9.7, range 24-70 years; all completed the race) biomarkers were measured by standard laboratory methods 7 days before, directly after, and day 1, 4 and 6 after the race. MHC-α was measured with a commercially available ELISA with no cross reactivity with other myosins. Results: The course of MHC-α concentration [µg/L] was 1.33 ± 0.53 (before), 2.57 ± 0.78 (directly after), 1.51 ± 0.53 (day 1), 2.74 ± 0.55 (day 4) and 1.83 ± 0.76 (day 6). Other biomarkers showed a one-peaked increase with maximal values either directly after the race or at day 1: cTnT 76 ± 80 ng/L (12-440; reference <15), NT-proBNP 776 ± 684 ng/L (92-4700; ref. < 300), CK 68 ± 55 µkat/L (5-280; ref. < 1.9), MG 2088 ± 2350 µg/L (130-17000; ref.< 72), and creatinine 100 ± 20 µmol/L (74-161; ref. < 100), CRP 49 ± 23 mg/L (15-119; ref.< 5). There was a significant correlation between MHC-α and NT-proBNP (R=0.48; p<0.001) but neither between MHC-α and cTnT (R=0.13; p=0.36) nor MHC-α and myoglobin (R=0.18; p=0.2). Conclusion: An Ironman leads to remarkable disturbances in biomarkers as e.g. cTnT was in the range of myocardial infarction in 100% of women and 97% of men. This is to our best knowledge the first investigation of MHC-α after strenuous exercise and its two-peaked increase most likely represents first release from the cytosolic pool and later from cell necrosis including the contractile apparatus. However, many questions remain, not at least why MHC-α baseline levels are as high as 1.33 ± 0.53 µg/L.
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| 4. |
- Chau, Kénora, et al.
(författare)
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Obesity and metabolic features associated with long-term developing diastolic dysfunction in an initially healthy population-based cohort
- 2018
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Ingår i: Clinical Research in Cardiology. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 1861-0684 .- 1861-0692. ; 107:10, s. 887-896
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Background: Diastolic dysfunction (DD) is increasingly common. However, its metabolic determinants are poorly known. This study aims to determine which metabolic and inflammatory features predict DD in initially healthy adults. Methods: We prospectively analyzed the association between metabolic features and DD in 728 initially healthy adults aged 30–60 from Eastern France enrolled in the STANISLAS population-based cohort. Clinical and biological cardiovascular features were collected at baseline (1994–1995). DD was assessed twenty years later (2011–2016) by echocardiography using current international guidelines. For replication purposes, 1463 subjects from the Malmö Preventive Project cohort were analyzed. Results: In the STANISLAS cohort, 191 subjects (26.2%) developed DD. In age-sex-adjusted logistic models, significant predictors of DD were body mass index (BMI, odds ratio for 1-standard-deviation increase (OR) 1.28, 95% CI 1.08–1.52), waist circumference (WC, OR 1.48, 95% CI 1.18–1.84), waist-hip ratio (OR 1.53, 95% CI 1.16–2.02), systolic blood pressure (OR 1.19, 95% CI 1.00–1.43) and triglycerides (TG, OR 1.18, 95% CI 1.00–1.40). Subjects with elevated WC (> 80th percentile) and TG (> 50th percentile) had a twofold higher DD risk (age-sex-adjusted odds ratio 2.00, 95% CI 1.20–3.31, P = 0.008), whereas no such interplay was observed for BMI. In the Malmö cohort, BMI was similarly associated with DD; participants with both elevated BMI and TG were at higher DD risk (age-sex-adjusted odds ratio 1.61, 95% CI 1.18–2.20, P = 0.002). Conclusions: Subjects with elevated WC and TG may have a higher long-term DD risk. Prevention targeting visceral obesity may help reduce the incidence of DD.
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| 5. |
- Chen, Xiaojing, et al.
(författare)
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Age-dependent differences in clinical phenotype and prognosis in heart failure with mid-range ejection compared with heart failure with reduced or preserved ejection fraction
- 2019
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Ingår i: Clinical Research in Cardiology. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 1861-0684 .- 1861-0692. ; 108:12, s. 1394-1405
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Background: HFmrEF has been recently proposed as a distinct HF phenotype. How HFmrEF differs from HFrEF and HFpEF according to age remains poorly defined. We aimed to investigate age-dependent differences in heart failure with mid-range (HFmrEF) vs. preserved (HFpEF) and reduced (HFrEF) ejection fraction. Methods and results: 42,987 patients, 23% with HFpEF, 22% with HFmrEF and 55% with HFrEF, enrolled in the Swedish heart failure registry were studied. HFpEF prevalence strongly increased, whereas that of HFrEF strongly decreased with higher age. All cardiac comorbidities and most non-cardiac comorbidities increased with aging, regardless of the HF phenotype. Notably, HFmrEF resembled HFrEF for ischemic heart disease prevalence in all age groups, whereas regarding hypertension it was more similar to HFpEF in age ≥ 80years, to HFrEF in age < 65years and intermediate in age 65–80years. All-cause mortality risk was higher in HFrEF vs. HFmrEF for all age categories, whereas HFmrEF vs. HFpEF reported similar risk in ≥ 80years old patients and lower risk in < 65 and 65–80years old patients. Predictors of mortality were more likely cardiac comorbidities in HFrEF but more likely non-cardiac comorbidities in HFpEF and HFmrEF with < 65years. Differences among HF phenotypes for comorbidities were less pronounced in the other age categories. Conclusion: HFmrEF appeared as an intermediate phenotype between HFpEF and HFrEF, but for some characteristics such as ischemic heart disease more similar to HFrEF. With aging, HFmrEF resembled more HFpEF. Prognosis was similar in HFmrEF vs. HFpEF and better than in HFrEF. © 2019, Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.
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| 6. |
- Chin, K. L., et al.
(författare)
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Impact of eplerenone on major cardiovascular outcomes in patients with systolic heart failure according to baseline heart rate
- 2019
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Ingår i: Clinical Research in Cardiology. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 1861-0684 .- 1861-0692. ; 108:7, s. 806-814
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- BackgroundIncreased resting heart rate is a risk factor for cardiovascular mortality and morbidity. Mineralocorticoid receptor antagonists (MRAs) have been shown to improve cardiac sympathetic nerve activity, reduce heart rate and attenuate left ventricular remodelling. Whether or not the beneficial effects of MRA are affected by heart rate in heart failure patients with reduced ejection fraction (HFREF) is unclear.MethodsWe undertook a secondary analysis of data from the Eplerenone in Mild Patients Hospitalization and Survival Study in Heart Failure study to assess if clinical outcomes, as well as the efficacy of eplerenone, varied according to heart rate at baseline.ResultsHigh resting heart rate of 80bpm and above predisposed patients to greater risk of all outcomes in the trial, regardless of treatment allocation. The beneficial effects of eplerenone were observed across all categories of heart rate. Eplerenone reduced the risk of primary endpoint, the composite of cardiovascular death and hospitalisation for heart failure, by 30% (aHR 0.70; 95% CI 0.54-0.91) in subjects with heart rate80bpm, and by 48% (aHR 0.52; 95% CI 0.33-0.81) in subjects with heart rate60bpm. Eplerenone also reduced the risks of hospitalisation for heart failure, cardiovascular deaths and all-cause deaths independently of baseline heart rate.ConclusionsBaseline heart rate appears to be an important predictor of major clinical outcome events in patients with HFREF, as has been previously reported. The benefits of eplerenone were preserved across all categories of baseline heart rate, without observed heterogeneity in the responses.
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| 7. |
- Ek, Amanda, 1981-, et al.
(författare)
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Physical inactivity and smoking after myocardial infarction as predictors for readmission and survival : results from the SWEDEHEART-registry.
- 2019
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Ingår i: Clinical Research in Cardiology. - : Springer. - 1861-0684 .- 1861-0692. ; 108:3, s. 324-332
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- BACKGROUND: Physical activity (PA) and smoking cessation are included in the secondary prevention guidelines after myocardial infarction (MI), but they are still underutilised. This study aims to explore how PA level and smoking status (6-10 weeks post-MI) were associated with 1-year readmission and mortality during full follow-up time, and with the cumulative 5-year mortality.METHODS: A population-based cohort of all hospitals providing MI-care in Sweden (SWEDEHEART-registry) in 2004-2014. PA was expressed as the number of exercise sessions of ≥ 30 min in the last 7 days: 0-1 (low), 2-4 (medium) and 5-7 (high) sessions/week. Individuals were categorised as smokers, former smokers or never-smokers. The associations were analysed by unadjusted and adjusted logistic and Cox regressions.RESULTS: During follow-up (M = 3.58 years), a total of 1702 deaths occurred among 30 644 individuals (14.1 cases per 1000 person-years). For medium and high PA, the hazard ratios (HRs) for mortality were 0.39 and 0.36, respectively, compared with low PA. For never-smokers, the HR was 0.45 and former smokers 0.56 compared with smokers. Compared with low PA, the odds ratios (ORs) for readmission in medium PA were 0.65 and 0.59 for CVD and non-CVD causes, respectively. For high PA, the corresponding ORs were 0.63 and 0.55. The association remained in adjusted models. There were no associations between smoking status and readmission.CONCLUSIONS: The PA level and smoking status are strong predictors of mortality post-MI and the PA level also predicts readmission, highlighting the importance of adherence to the secondary prevention guidelines.
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| 8. |
- Ergatoudes, Constantinos, et al.
(författare)
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Non-cardiac comorbidities and mortality in patients with heart failure with reduced vs. preserved ejection fraction: a study using the Swedish Heart Failure Registry
- 2019
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Ingår i: Clinical Research in Cardiology. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 1861-0684 .- 1861-0692. ; 108, s. 1025-33
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Background: Heart failure (HF) and non-cardiac comorbidities often coexist and are known to have an adverse effect on outcome. However, the prevalence and prognostic impact of non-cardiac comorbidities in patients with HF with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF) vs. those with preserved (HFpEF) remain inadequately studied. Methods and results: We used data from the Swedish Heart Failure Registry from 2000 to 2012. HFrEF was defined as EF < 50% and HFpEF as EF ≥ 50%. Of 31 344 patients available for analysis, 79.3% (n = 24 856) had HFrEF and 20.7% (n = 6 488) HFpEF. The outcome was all-cause mortality. We examined the association between ten non-cardiac comorbidities and mortality and its interaction with EF using adjusted hazard ratio (HR). Stroke, anemia, gout and cancer had a similar impact on mortality in both phenotypes, whereas diabetes (HR 1.57, 95% confidence interval [CI] [1.50–1.65] vs. HR 1.39 95% CI [1.27–1.51], p = 0.0002), renal failure (HR 1.65, 95% CI [1.57–1.73] vs. HR 1.44, 95% CI [1.32–1.57], p = 0.003) and liver disease (HR 2.13, 95% CI [1.83–2.47] vs. HR 1.42, 95% CI [1.09–1.85] p = 0.02) had a higher impact in the HFrEF patients. Moreover, pulmonary disease (HR 1.46, 95% CI [1.40–1.53] vs. HR 1.66 95% CI [1.54–1.80], p = 0.007) was more prominent in the HFpEF patients. Sleep apnea was not associated with worse prognosis in either group. No significant variation was found in the impact over the 12-year study period. Conclusions: Non-cardiac comorbidities contribute significantly but differently to mortality, both in HFrEF and HFpEF. No significant variation was found in the impact over the 12-year study period. These results emphasize the importance of including the management of comorbidities as a part of a standardized heart failure care in both HF phenotypes. © 2019, The Author(s).
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| 9. |
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| 10. |
- Fu, Michael, 1963, et al.
(författare)
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Adherence to optimal heart rate control in heart failure with reduced ejection fraction : insight from a survey of heart rate in heart failure in Sweden (HR-HF study)
- 2017
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Ingår i: Clinical Research in Cardiology. - : SPRINGER HEIDELBERG. - 1861-0684 .- 1861-0692. ; 106:12, s. 960-973
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Despite that heart rate (HR) control is one of the guideline-recommended treatment goals for heart failure (HF) patients, implementation has been painstakingly slow. Therefore, it would be important to identify patients who have not yet achieved their target heart rates and assess possible underlying reasons as to why the target rates are not met. The survey of HR in patients with HF in Sweden (HR-HF survey) is an investigator-initiated, prospective, multicenter, observational longitudinal study designed to investigate the state of the art in the control of HR in HF and to explore potential underlying mechanisms for suboptimal HR control with focus on awareness of and adherence to guidelines for HR control among physicians who focus on the contributing role of beta-blockers (BBs). In 734 HF patients the mean HR was 68 +/- 12 beats per minute (bpm) (37.2% of the patients had a HR > 70 bpm). Patients with HF with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF) (n = 425) had the highest HR (70 +/- 13 bpm, with 42% > 70 bpm), followed by HF with preserved ejection fraction and HF with mid-range ejection fraction. Atrial fibrillation, irrespective of HF type, had higher HR than sinus rhythm. A similar pattern was observed with BB treatment. Moreover, non-achievement of the recommended target HR (< 70 bpm) in HFrEF and sinus rhythm was unrelated to age, sex, cardiovascular risk factors, cardiovascular diseases, and comorbidities, but was related to EF and the clinical decision of the physician. Approximately 50% of the physicians considered a HR of > 70 bpm optimal and an equal number considered a HR of > 70 bpm too high, but without recommending further action. Furthermore, suboptimal HR control cannot be attributed to the use of BBs because there was neither a difference in use of BBs nor an interaction with BBs for HR > 70 bpm compared with HR < 70 bpm. Suboptimal control of HR was noted in HFrEF with sinus rhythm, which appeared to be attributable to physician decision making rather than to the use of BBs. Therefore, our results underline the need for greater attention to HR control in patients with HFrEF and sinus rhythm and thus a potential for improved HF care.
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