Cardiopulmonary Exercise Testing Is Effective for Assessing Cardiac Amyloidosis

Using multivariate Cox analysis, investigators for this paper found that peak VO₂ ≤13 mL/kg/min, circulatory power ≤1,730 mmHg/mL/min, and NT-proBNP ≥1,800 ng/L were associated with death or heart failure hospitalization. No cardiac events occurred in patients with both peak VO₂ >13 mL/kg/min and NT-proBNP <1,800 ng/L, while the association of VO₂ ≤13 mL/kg/min with NT-proBNP ≥1,800 ng/L was identified as a very high-risk subgroup. “In cardiac amylodosis, cardiopulmonary exercise testing is helpful in assessing functional capacity, circulatory and chronotropic responses, and the prognosis of patients along with cardiac biomarkers,” the researchers concluded.

https://www.docwirenews.com/cardiology/cardiopulmonary-exercise-testing-is-effective-for-assessing-cardiac-amyloidosis/

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PAD with Acute Decompensated Heart Failure Means Greater Readmission Risk

“Patients with acute decompensated heart failure and concomitant peripheral artery disease have a greater cardiovascular comorbidity burden and higher likelihood of acute decompensated heart failure readmission,” the researchers for this paper in the Journal of the American Heart Association said of the results. “The association is stronger among patients with heart failure with reduced ejection fraction, who may represent a high‐risk group suitable for targeted intervention.”

https://www.docwirenews.com/cardiology/pad-peripheral-artery-disease-heart-failure-readmission-risk-cv/

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New Culprit for Blood Clots from COVID-19 Identified?

This research team, publishing in Science Translational Medicine, measured eight types of autoantibodies targeting phospholipids and phospholipid-binding proteins (aPL antibodies) in 172 patients hospitalized with COVID-19. In serum samples, the authors detected aPS/PT in 24% of the samples, anticardiolipin IgM in 23% of samples, and aPS/PT IgM in 18% of samples. They also reported that antiphospholipid autoantibodies were detected and present in 52% using a manufacturer’s threshold and 30% using a more strict cutoff. Higher concentration of the aPL antibodies was linked with other problems such as higher platelet counts, more severe respiratory disease, and lower clinical eGFR rate. In  a mouse model, the researchers also reported that injecting IgG from COVID-19 patient serum was associated with an acceleration in venous thromboembolism.

https://www.docwirenews.com/docwire-pick/cardiology-picks/researchers-id-new-cause-of-blood-clots-from-covid-19/

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Nighttime BP, Circadian Rhythm of BP May Affect Cardiovascular Risk

Researchers from Jichi Medical University School of Medicine in Shimotsuke, Japan, and colleagues conducted this nationwide prospective, observational study involving 6,359 patients with at least one cardiovascular risk factor and free of symptomatic cardiovascular disease at baseline. Patients were followed annually for primary cardiovascular end points (atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease and heart failure).

https://www.docwirenews.com/docwire-pick/nighttime-bp-circadian-rhythm-of-bp-may-affect-cardiovascular-risk/

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