| 1. |
|
|
| 2. |
- Andersson, Jonas, 1977-
(författare)
-
Inflammation and lifestyle in cardiovascular medicine
- 2010
-
Doktorsavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- Despite major advances in the treatment and prevention of atherosclerosis the last several decades, cardiovascular disease still accounts for the majority of deaths in Sweden. With the population getting older, more obese and with rising numbers of diabetics, the cardiovascular disease burden may increase further in the future. The focus in cardiovascular disease has shifted with time from calcification and narrowing of arteries to the biological processes within the atherosclerotic plaque. C-reactive protein (CRP) has emerged as one of many proteins that reflect a low grade systemic inflammation and is suitable for analysis as it is more stable and easily measured than most other inflammatory markers. Several large prospective studies have shown that CRP is not only an inflammatory marker, but even a predictive marker for cardiovascular disease. C-reactive protein is associated with several other risk factors for cardiovascular disease including obesity and the metabolic syndrome. Our study of twenty healthy men during a two week endurance cross country skiing tour demonstrated a decline in already low baseline CRP levels immediately after the tour and six weeks later. In a study of 200 obese individuals with impaired glucose tolerance randomised to a counselling session at their health care centre or a one month stay at a wellness centre, we found decreased levels of CRP in subjects admitted to the wellness centre. The effect remained at one, but not after three years of follow-up. In a prospective, nested, case-referent study with 308 ischemic strokes, 61 intracerebral haemorrhages and 735 matched referents, CRP was associated with ischemic stroke in both uni- and multivariate analyses. No association was found with intracerebral haemorrhages. When classifying ischemic stroke according to TOAST criteria, CRP was associated with small vessel disease. The CRP 1444 (CC/CT vs. TT) polymorphism was associated with plasma levels of CRP, but neither with ischemic stroke nor with intracerebral haemorrhage. A study on 129 patients with atrial fibrillation was used to evaluate whether inflammation sensitive fibrinolytic variables adjusted for CRP could predict recurrence of atrial fibrillation after electrical cardioversion. In multivariate iv models, lower PAI-1 mass was associated with sinus rhythm even after adjusting for CRP and markers of the metabolic syndrome. In conclusion, lifestyle intervention can be used to reduce CRP levels, but it remains a challenge to maintain this effect. CRP is a marker of ischemic stroke, but there are no significant associations between the CRP1444 polymorphism and any stroke subtype, suggesting that the CRP relationship with ischemic stroke is not causal. The fibrinolytic variable, PAI-1, is associated with the risk of recurrence of atrial fibrillation after electrical cardioversion after adjustment for CRP. Our findings suggest a pathophysiological link between atrial fibrillation and PAI-1, but the relation to inflammation remains unclear.
|
|
| 3. |
|
|
| 4. |
- Borg, Sabina, 1982-
(författare)
-
Exercise-Based Cardiac Rehabilitation in Patients with Coronary Artery Disease : Attendance, Adherence and the Added Value of a Behavioural Medicine Intervention
- 2021
-
Doktorsavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- Background: Coronary artery disease (CAD) is the leading global cause of death. After an index event related to CAD, exercise-based cardiac rehabilitation (exCR) is strongly recommended as part of the secondary prevention. Despite the well-established beneficial effects of exCR in patients with CAD, attendance at and adherence to the programme are low, and remain a matter of major concern. One strategy that may increase adherence and rehabilitation outcomes in patients with CAD is to add a behavioural medicine intervention to routine exCR care. The added value of such interventions needs to be further explored. Although several factors associated with non-attendance at exCR appear to be similar between different countries, patterns of attendance may differ due to differences in contextual aspects. The factors that affect attendance at exCR in a Swedish context remain to be explored.Overall aim: To investigate barriers for exCR attendance and to evaluate the added value of a behavioural medicine intervention in physiotherapy on exercise adherence and rehabilitation outcomes in patients with CAD.Methods: The three papers in this thesis are based on two studies of patients with CAD, one registrybased cohort study of 31,297 patients included from the SWEDEHEART registry (Paper I), and one randomised controlled trial of 170 patients included at a Swedish university hospital (Papers II and III). In the first paper, several individual and structural variables were compared for attenders and nonattenders, using multivariable analysis in a logistic regression model. In Papers II and III, patients were randomised 1:1 either to a behavioural medicine intervention in physiotherapy in addition to routine exCR care or to routine exCR care alone for four months. The behaviour change techniques used in the behavioural medicine intervention – specific goal-setting, re-evaluation of the goals, and selfmonitoring and feedback – were based on control theory. Outcome assessment took place at baseline, four and 12 months, and included physical fitness, psychological outcomes and health-related quality of life. Exercise adherence was evaluated at the end of the four-month intervention. An intention-to-treat and a per-protocol analysis were performed.Results: Individual and structural factors associated with non-attendance at exCR in a Swedish context were identified as having a distance greater than 16 km to the hospital, belonging to a county hospital, having a higher burden of comorbidities, being male, and being retired. Exercise adherence was higher for patients who received the behavioural medicine intervention in physiotherapy together with routine exCR (31%) than it was for those who received routine exCR care alone (19%). Rehabilitation outcomes did not differ significantly between the two groups, either between baseline and four months or between four and 12 months. Both groups improved significantly in all measures of physical fitness, and in several measures of health-related quality of life and anxiety at the four-month follow-up. Sufficient enablement remained for patients in both groups at the 12-months follow-up.Conclusions: Distance to the hospital was the strongest predictor for non-attendance at exCR in a Swedish context. The individual factors associated with non-attendance at exCR identified in this thesis confirm previous results, with the exception that female gender was associated with a higher attendance at exCR. The results of this thesis confirm what others have pointed out: it is challenging to achieve behavioural change in patients with the aim to improve rehabilitation outcomes. Even though adherence was higher when a behavioural medicine intervention was added, it was low in both groups. The current behavioural medicine intervention in physiotherapy did not give any improvements over routine exCR care alone in physical fitness, psychological outcomes or health-related quality of life. As such, there is still room for further development and evaluation of behavioural medicine interventions within the context of exCR. A greater tailoring of these interventions to individual needs in a broader population of patients with CAD is suggested.
|
|
| 5. |
|
|
| 6. |
- De Backer, Guy, et al.
(författare)
-
A short history of the European Association of Preventive Cardiology (EAPC)
- 2022
-
Ingår i: European Journal of Preventive Cardiology. - : Oxford University Press. - 2047-4873 .- 2047-4881. ; 29:9, s. 1301-1308
-
Tidskriftsartikel (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- The EAPC is now fit to address future challenges with a unified organization and strong multidisciplinary leadership together with the EJPC, the annual ESC Preventive Cardiology Congress, strong representation of preventive cardiology in the annual ESC Congresses, the ESC Textbook and Handbook of Preventive Cardiology, postgraduate educational activities, position papers and involvement in guidelines related to all aspects of preventive cardiology together with accreditations and a core curriculum for preventive cardiology as major assets under a common brand addressing primordial, primary, and secondary prevention of CVD.
|
|
| 7. |
|
|
| 8. |
|
|
| 9. |
- Ek, Amanda, 1981-
(författare)
-
Physical activity among patients with cardiovascular disease : a predictor of hospital care utilisation and mortality in clinical work
- 2020
-
Doktorsavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- Guidelines highlight the importance of physical activity (PA) in secondary prevention of cardiovascular disease (CVD) within the healthcare sector. Previous studies have mainly focused on the effects of PA at moderate-vigorous intensity performed within exercise-based cardiac rehabilitation (CR). However, only a minority of patients with CVD participate in exercise-based CR, and it is not known to what extent the guidelines for PA are implemented in clinical work. This leads to a knowledge gap in PA levels among patients with CVD, and the potential association of PA with hospital care utilisation and all-cause mortality. The overall aim of this thesis was to investigate PA and its importance for patients with CVD, and to what extent it is promoted during clinical work. The associations between self-rated PA level, changes in self-rated PA level, and sedentary time (SED) with hospital care utilisation and all-cause mortality were explored in three cohort studies (Studies I-III). Data were collected via questionnaires, medical records and national registers. Study I explored everyday PA, physical exercise and SED among patients with CVD (n=1148) prior to admittance to a cardiac ward at two of the hospitals in Stockholm. Studies II and III explored PA (of at least moderate intensity) post hospitalisation, and included 30 644 and 22 227 patients with myocardial infarction (MI), respectively, from the national SWEDHEART registry. Finally, in Study IV, healthcare professionals’ (n=251) stated importance and clinical work to promote healthy lifestyle habits (alcohol consumption, eating habits, physical activity, and smoking) were explored in a cross-sectional study. All healthcare professionals working on cardiac departments in two hospitals in Stockholm were included.The main findings were:• PA level (everyday PA, physical exercise, total PA level) and SED pre and post hospitalisation for cardiac events were found to be significant predictors of hospital care duration, readmission and mortality. The effects of high PA level and low SED did not differ between CVD diagnosis, sex, age, or comorbid states such as individuals with and without diabetes mellitus type II, kidney dysfunction, hypertension or dyslipidaemia.• There were no differences between individuals reporting a moderate or high level of PA or a medium or low level of SED, illustrating that “a little activity is better than nothing” and that the greatest health benefits would be achieved by increasing PA among the most inactive patients with CVD.• Changes in PA level during the first year post MI are important. Increased PA lowered the risk of mortality, and decreased PA increased the risk of mortality in patients post MI.• Healthcare professionals considered it important to promote lifestyle habits among patients within the healthcare sector in general, as well as in their own clinical work. However, there was a difference between stated importance and clinical practice as only a minority of healthcare professionals asked or provided counselling on healthy lifestyle habits. Our results indicated a relationship between promoting patients’ lifestyle habits in clinical work, and if they perceived clear organisational routines and objectives.In conclusion, the results of this thesis have a clinical impact. Firstly, asking patients on a cardiac department about their PA level and SED may identify individuals in need of behavioural changes. By identifying and supporting individuals who need to increase their PA level, clinicians may potentially decrease the utilisation of inpatient care and also lower the risk of all-cause mortality among individuals with a CVD diagnosis. Secondly, this information is of great predictive value, and PA can be seen as an additional marker of disease severity.
|
|
| 10. |
|
|
