International journal of cardiology
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Multicenter Study
The relationship between coronary artery calcium score and the long-term mortality among patients with minimal or absent coronary artery risk factors.
Coronary artery calcium (CAC) is strongly predictive of all-cause mortality in intermediate-risk groups, but this relationship is not well defined in very low-risk individuals. We investigated the relationship between CAC scoring and the long-term all-cause mortality among patients with ≤ 1 cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factor. ⋯ During long-term follow-up, an increasing CAC was significantly associated with a higher risk of all-cause mortality among patients with a very low CVD risk factor profile. CAC scanning may be a potentially useful tool for risk stratification among low CVD risk individuals who are ≥ 45 years old.
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Multicenter Study
Mortality in takotsubo syndrome is similar to mortality in myocardial infarction - A report from the SWEDEHEART registry.
Takotsubo syndrome is an acute cardiovascular condition that predominantly affects women. In this study, we compared patients with takotsubo syndrome and those with acute myocardial infarction with respect to patient characteristics, angiographic findings, and short- and long-term mortality. ⋯ The proportion of acute coronary syndromes attributed to takotsubo syndrome in Western Sweden has increased over the last decade. The prognosis of takotsubo syndrome is poor, with similar early and late mortality as STEMI and NSTEMI.
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Multicenter Study
Accelerated diagnostic protocol using high-sensitivity cardiac troponin T in acute chest pain patients.
We aimed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of using high-sensitivity cardiac troponin T (hs-cTnT) within an accelerated diagnostic protocol (ADP) in patients presenting with symptoms suggestive of acute myocardial infarction (AMI) for rapid rule-out of AMI. ⋯ The ADP including hs-cTnT allows early identification 35 to 40% of patients to be at extremely low risk of MACE and therefore ideal candidates for outpatient management.
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Multicenter Study Observational Study
Palliative needs for heart failure or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: Results of a multicenter observational registry.
Heart failure (HF) and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) share a common organ failure trajectory marked by prognostic uncertainty, which is a barrier to appropriate provision of palliative care. We describe in a prospective cohort from specialist hospital services the epidemiology and late clinical course of these chronic diseases to trace criteria for transition to palliative care in the community. ⋯ Patients with advanced HF/COPD represent almost 10% of subjects hospitalized yearly with a primary diagnosis of HF or COPD, have similarly impaired functional status, disabling symptoms and reduced survival. Overall days spent in-hospital during the previous year, a "red flag" in the late clinical course of both diseases, might be used as a simple, reliable screening tool for appropriate transition to palliative care in the community.