Secondhand tobacco smoke and risk of atrial fibrillation: An observational epidemiologic and gene-environment interaction analysis.

Background: The relationship between secondhand tobacco smoke (SHS) and the risk of incident atrial fibrillation (AF) remains controversial.

Objective: To evaluate the long-term risk of AF associated with SHS exposure and assess potential gene-environment interactions using extensive population-based data.

Methods: We performed a nationwide population-based cohort study using the UK Biobank database.

On-treatment blood pressure and dose-dependent effects of ARNI in heart failure with reduced ejection fraction: Insights from a multicenter registry.

Background: Achieving target doses of angiotensin receptor-neprilysin inhibitor (ARNI) in heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF) is often challenging due to concerns related to hypotension. This study evaluated dose-dependent effects of ARNI considering on-treatment blood pressure (BP).

Methods: From a multicenter HF registry, 1,097 HFrEF patients receiving ARNI for ≥6 months were stratified into low-dose (<100 mg/day, n = 249) and intermediate-to-high-dose (≥100 mg/day, n = 848) groups.

Influence of lifestyle risk factors and genetic predisposition on metabolic syndrome risk in Korean adults.

Metabolic syndrome (MetS) is a major risk factor for cardiovascular and chronic diseases. This study evaluated how genetic predisposition and lifestyle factors contribute to MetS risk. We analysed data from 4,987 Koreans aged ≥ 40 years with at least one ASCVD risk factor (2014-2017).

The impact of renin-angiotensin system inhibitors on colorectal neoplasm development.

Background: Renin-angiotensin system (RAS) inhibitors have shown potential chemopreventive effects against colorectal cancer (CRC). However, little is known about the impact of RAS inhibitors on the risk of colorectal precancerous lesions.

Methods: Preclinically, we established mouse models of colitis-associated colon cancer and xenografts: vehicle, 1 mg/kg, 5 mg/kg enalapril groups.

Polygenic risk-based prediction of heart failure in young patients with atrial fibrillation: an analysis from UK Biobank.

Aims: Heart failure (HF) is the most concerning morbidity in atrial fibrillation (AF) through mutual influence on a poor prognosis. A polygenic risk score (PRS) has recently been proposed to improve the risk prediction for cardiovascular disease. The additive predictive role of PRS for incident HF in patients with AF who inherently carry a high risk of HF is unknown.

The Close Link Between Obesity and Cardiovascular Disease: Current Insights and Remaining Challenges.

Obesity is a global public health crisis, contributing to chronic disease development and poor prognosis. A large body of evidence consistently demonstrates that increased adiposity leads to many cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) and complications, such as coronary artery disease, heart failure, and arrhythmias, via direct and indirect mechanisms. Therefore, weight management is crucial to reduce and prevent cardiovascular risk.

Combination of Body Mass Index and Waist Circumference Burden Determines the Risk of Atrial Fibrillation.

Background: There is limited evidence regarding the significance of the combination or cumulative burden of waist circumference (WC) with body mass index (BMI) to predict future atrial fibrillation (AF) risks.

Objectives: The authors investigated the impact of the cumulative burden of BMI and WC and their combination on the incident AF risk.

Methods: We included subjects 20 years of age and older who underwent 4 consecutive national health check-ups annually (between 2009 and 2013), excluding those with previous AF.

Discrepancy Between Genetically Predicted and Observed BMI Predicts Incident Type 2 Diabetes.

Objective: Obesity is a key predictor of type 2 diabetes (T2D). However, metabolic complications are not solely due to increased BMI. We hypothesized that differences between genetically predicted BMI and observed BMI (BMI-diff) could reflect deviation from individual set point and may predict incident T2D.

Machine Learning-Based Discrimination of Cardiovascular Outcomes in Patients With Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy.

Background: Current risk stratification strategies for patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) are limited to traditional methodologies.

Objectives: The authors aimed to establish machine learning (ML)-based models to discriminate major cardiovascular events in patients with HCM.

Methods: We enrolled consecutive HCM patients from 2 tertiary referral centers and used 25 clinical and echocardiographic features to discriminate major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE), including all-cause death, admission for heart failure (HF-adm), and stroke.

Mildly Reduced Renal Function Is Associated With Increased Heart Failure Admissions in Patients With Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy.

Background: The association between renal dysfunction and cardiovascular outcomes has yet to be determined in patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM). We aimed to investigate whether mildly reduced renal function is associated with the prognosis in patients with HCM.

Methods: Patients with HCM were enrolled at two tertiary HCM centers.

Association between cumulative metabolic risk exposure and cardiovascular disease: a nationwide cohort of over 3.6 million young adults.

Aims: As lifetime accumulation of cardiovascular risk factors is gaining importance, early identification and management of risk factors are being emphasized. The global prevalence of metabolic syndrome (MetS), a constellation of these risk factors, is increasing, particularly among young adults. In this study, we aim to investigate the association between cumulative exposure to metabolic risk and cardiovascular disease (CVD) in young adults.

Accelerometer-derived physical activity and the risk of death, heart failure, and stroke in patients with atrial fibrillation: a prospective study from UK Biobank.

Objective: Data on cardiovascular outcomes according to objectively measured physical activity (PA) in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) are scarce. This study explored the associations between PA derived from wrist-worn accelerometers and the risk of death, incident heart failure (HF), and incident stroke in patients with AF.

Methods: From 37 990 patients with AF in UK Biobank, 2324 patients with accelerometer data were included.

Neuroticism and the Risk of Atrial Fibrillation: An Observational Epidemiologic and Mendelian Randomization Study.

Background: The association between neuroticism and atrial fibrillation (AF) remains unknown.

Objectives: This study aimed to assess the epidemiological and causal relationships between neuroticism and AF.

Methods: Individuals without AF history were selected From the UK Biobank nationwide prospective cohort study.

Differing Efficacy of Dapagliflozin Versus Empagliflozin on the Risk of Incident Atrial Fibrillation in Patients With Type 2 Diabetes: A Real-World Observation Using a Nationwide, Population-Based Cohort.

Background: Meta-analyses of large clinical trials investigating SGLT2 (sodium-glucose cotransporter-2) inhibitors have suggested their protective effects against atrial fibrillation in patients with type 2 diabetes. However, the results were predominantly driven from trials involving dapagliflozin.

Methods And Results: We used a nationwide, population-based cohort of patients with type 2 diabetes who initiated either dapagliflozin or empagliflozin between May 2016 and December 2018.

Sacubitril/valsartan and the risk of incident dementia in heart failure: a nationwide propensity-matched cohort study.

Background: Sacubitril acts to inhibit neprilysin and as neprilysin is involved in amyloid-beta degradation in the central nervous system, and there is concern that sacubitril/valsartan may increase the risk of dementia. We aimed to compare the risk of incident dementia associated with sacubitril/valsartan and angiotensin II receptor blockers (ARBs).

Methods: Patients with heart failure with reduced ejection fraction treated with either sacubitril/valsartan or ARB, identified from the Korean National Health Insurance Service database, were matched in a 1:2 ratio using propensity scores (6789 on sacubitril/valsartan and 13,578 on ARBs) and followed up for incident dementia.

Agreement of two vendor-independent strain analysis software platforms in assessing left ventricular global longitudinal strain.

Purpose: The new version of EchoPAC platform was recently developed by General Electronics (GE) to provide 'vendor-independent' full-myocardial-layer left ventricular (LV) global longitudinal strain (LV-GLS). The agreement of the LV-GLS by two vendor-independent software platforms was investigated under diverse clinical situations.

Methods: Two-dimensional speckle-tracking LV-GLS was separately measured by two software platforms.

Prognostic and Safety Implications of Renin-Angiotensin-Aldosterone System Inhibitors in Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy: A Real-World Observation Over 2,000 Patients.

Background And Objectives: The prognostic or safety implication of renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system inhibitors (RASi) in hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) are not well established, mainly due to concerns regarding left ventricular outflow tract (LVOT) obstruction aggravation. We investigated the implications of RASi in a sizable number of HCM patients.

Methods: We enrolled 2,104 consecutive patients diagnosed with HCM in 2 tertiary university hospitals and followed up for five years.

Neuroticism and sudden cardiac death: a prospective cohort study from UK biobank.

Objective: There is a paucity of evidence on the risk of sudden cardiac death (SCD) according to the degree of neuroticism. We sought to evaluate the association between neuroticism and the long-term risk of SCD.

Methods: From the UK Biobank nationwide prospective cohort, participants free from previous SCD, ventricular arrhythmias, implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD) insertion, depression, schizophrenia, and bipolar disorder were selected.