BACKGROUND: Valvular heart disease (VHD) has become increasingly common with the aging in China. This study aimed to evaluate regional differences in the clinical features, management strategies, and outcomes of patients with VHD across different regions in China. METHODS: Data were collected from the China-VHD Study. From April 2018 to June 2018, 12,347 patients who presented with moderate or severe native VHD with a median of 2 years of follow-up from 46 centers at certified tertiary hospitals across 31 provinces, autonomous regions, and municipalities in Chinese mainland were included in this study. According to the locations of the research centers, patients were divided into five regional groups: eastern, southern, western, northern, and central China. The clinical features of VHD patients were compared among the five geographical regions. The primary outcome was all-cause mortality or rehospitalization for heart failure. Kaplan-Meier survival analysis was used to compare the cumulative incidence rate. RESULTS: Among the enrolled patients (mean age, 61.96 years; 6877 [55.70%] male), multiple VHD was the most frequent type (4042, 32.74%), which was mainly found in eastern China, followed by isolated mitral regurgitation (3044, 24.65%), which was mainly found in northern China. The etiology of VHD varied significantly across different regions of China. The overall rate of valve interventions was 32.67% (4008/12,268), with the highest rate in southern China at 48.46% (205/423). In terms of procedure, the proportion of transcatheter valve intervention was relatively low compared to that of surgical treatment. Patients with VHD in western China had the highest incidence of all-cause mortality or rehospitalization for heart failure. Valve intervention significantly improved the outcome of patients with VHD in all five regions (all P  <0.05). CONCLUSIONS: This study revealed that patients with VHD in China are characterized by significant geographic disparities in clinical features, treatment, and clinical outcomes. Targeted efforts are needed to improve the management and prognosis of patients with VHD in China according to differences in geographical characteristics. REGISTRATION ClinicalTrials.gov , NCT03484806.
Aged ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; China/epidemiology* ; Heart Valve Diseases/therapy* ; Kaplan-Meier Estimate ; Tertiary Care Centers ; Treatment Outcome

OBJECTIVES: To create a mixed valvular heart disease (MVHD)-related age-adjusted comorbidity index (MVACI) model for predicting mortality risk of patients with MVHD. METHODS: A total of 4080 patients with moderate or severe MVHD in the China-VHD study were included. The primary endpoint was 2-year all-cause mortality. A MVACI model prediction model was constructed based on the mortality risk factors identified by univariate and multivariate Cox regression analysis. Restricted cubic splines were used to assess the relationship between MVACI scores and 2-year all-cause mortality. The optimal threshold, determined by the maximum Youden index from receiver operator characteristic (ROC) curve analysis, was used to stratify patients. Kaplan-Meier method was used to calculate 2-year all-cause mortality and compared using the Log-rank test. Univariate and multivariate Cox proportional hazards models were employed to calculate hazard ratios (HR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI), evaluating the association between MVACI scores and mortality. Paired ROC curves were used to compare the discriminative ability of MVACI scores with the European System for Cardiac Operative Risk Evaluation Ⅱ(EuroSCORE Ⅱ) or the age-adjusted Charlson comorbidity index (ACCI) in predicting 2-year clinical outcomes, while calibration curves assessed the calibration of these models. Internal validation was performed using the Bootstrap method. Subgroup analyses were conducted based on etiology, treatment strategies, and disease severity. RESULTS: Multivariate analysis identified the following variables independently associated with 2-year all-cause mortality in patients: pulmonary hypertension, myocardiopathy, heart failure, low body weight (body mass index <18.5 kg/m²), anaemia, hypoalbuminemia, renal insufficiency, cancer, New York Heart Association (NYHA) class and age. The score was independently associated with the risk of all-cause mortality, and exhibited good discrimination (AUC=0.777, 95%CI: 0.755-0.799) and calibration (Brier score 0.062), with significantly better predictive performance than EuroSCORE Ⅱ or ACCI (both adjusted P<0.01). The internal validation showed that the MVACI model's predicted probability of 2-year all-cause mortality was generally consistent with the actual probability. The AUCs for predicting all-cause mortality risk were all above 0.750, and those for predicting adverse events were all above 0.630. The prognostic value of the score remained consistent in patients regardless of their etiology, therapeutic option, and disease severity. CONCLUSIONS The MVACI was constructed in this study based on age and comorbidities, and can be used for mortality risk prediction and risk stratification of MVHD patients. It is a simple algorithmic index and easy to use.
Humans ; Prognosis ; Comorbidity ; Heart Valve Diseases/epidemiology* ; Female ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Aged ; Proportional Hazards Models ; Risk Factors ; China/epidemiology* ; Age Factors ; Risk Assessment ; Adult ; ROC Curve

OBJECTIVES: To analyze the association between biological aging markers (phenotypic age and phenotypic age acceleration) and valvular heart diseases. METHODS: Research subjects who met the inclusion and exclusion criteria were selected from the UK Biobank from 2006 to 2010. The phenotypic age and phenotypic age acceleration were calculated. Cox multivariate analysis was used to examine the relationship between the aging markers and valvular heart diseases. Sensitivity analysis was conducted by removing missing values and subgroup analysis. The predictive accuracy of phenotypic age and phenotypic age acceleration for valvular heart diseases was analyzed using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves, and a clinical decision curve was generated based on logistic regression. RESULTS: A total of 411 687 subjects were included in the study, among whom there were 14 258 patients with valvular heart diseases. The overall median follow-up time was 12.80 years, the median follow-up time for patients with non-rheumatic aortic valve diseases (n=5238), non-rheumatic mitral valve diseases (n=4558), and non-rheumatic tricuspid valve diseases (n=411) were 12.82 years, 12.83 years and 12.84 years, respectively. After adjusting for demographic factors (gender, race, education, Townsend deprivation index), anthropometric factors (body mass index), lifestyle factors (smoking, alcohol consumption, Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension score), hypertension and hyperlipidemia, Cox multivariate analysis showed phenotypic age and phenotypic age acceleration were independent risk factors for valvular heart diseases, including non-rheumatic aortic valve diseases, non-rheumatic mitral valve diseases, and non-rheumatic tricuspid valve diseases (phenotypic age: corrected HR=1.04, P<0.01; phenotypic age acceleration: corrected HR=1.03, P<0.01), which was also confirmed by sensitivity analysis. ROC curves and clinical decision curves demonstrated that compared with the phenotypic age acceleration, phenotypic age had higher accuracy (the areas and the curves were 0.721 and 0.599) and higher net benefit in predicting valvular heart diseases. Moreover, compared with a single indicator, the combination of the two indicators had higher accuracy (the area under the curve was 0.725) and higher net benefit. CONCLUSIONS Phenotypic age and phenotypic age acceleration,as markers of biological aging, are independent risk factors for valvular heart diseases. Compared with phenotypic age acceleration, phenotypic age has a greater advantage in predicting valvular heart diseases. Overall, the combination of the two indicators offers a more effective approach for predicting valvular heart diseases.
Humans ; Male ; Female ; Heart Valve Diseases/epidemiology* ; Middle Aged ; Aged ; Aging ; Adult ; Biomarkers ; Phenotype ; Risk Factors ; Aged, 80 and over

BACKGROUND: Hypertensive heart disease (HHD) poses a public health challenge, but data on its burden and trends among older adults are scarce. This study aimed to identify trends in the burden of HHD among older adults between 1990 and 2019 at the global, regional, and national levels. METHODS: Using the Global Burden of Diseases study 2019 data, we assessed HHD prevalence, death, and disability-adjusted life-year (DALY) rates for individuals aged 60-89 years at the global, regional, and national levels and estimated their average annual percentage changes (AAPCs) between 1990 and 2019 using joinpoint regression analysis. RESULTS: In 2019, there were 14.35 million HHD prevalent cases, 0.85 million deaths, and 14.56 million DALYs in older adults. Between 1990 and 2019, the prevalence of HHD increased globally {AAPC, 0.38 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.36, 0.41)} with decreases observed in mortality (AAPC, -0.83 [95% CI, -0.99, -0.66]) and the DALY rate (AAPC, -1.03 [95% CI, -1.19, -0.87]). This overall global trend pattern was essentially maintained for sex, age group, and sociodemographic index (SDI) quintile except for non-significant changes in the prevalence of HHD in those aged 70-74 years and in the middle SDI quintile. Notably, males had a higher HHD prevalence rate. However, HHD-related mortality and the DALY rate were higher in females. The middle SDI quintile experienced the largest decreases in mortality and the DALY rate, with a non-significant decline in prevalence between 1990 and 2019. There were significant discrepancies in the HHD burden and its trends across regions and countries. CONCLUSIONS In the past three decades, there has been an overall increasing trend in the prevalence of HHD among older adults worldwide despite decreasing trends in mortality and the DALY rate. Better management of hypertension, and prevention and control of HHD are needed in older adults.
Male ; Female ; Humans ; Aged ; Quality-Adjusted Life Years ; Global Burden of Disease ; Prevalence ; Hypertension/epidemiology* ; Heart Diseases ; Incidence

Objective: To describe the prevalence of alcohol consumption and the burden of hemorrhagic stroke and hypertensive heart disease attributed to alcohol consumption in adults aged ≥20 years in 31 provinces in China from 2005 to 2018. Methods: Data from several national representative surveys was used to estimate provincial alcohol exposure level of adults aged ≥20 years from 2005 to 2018 by using kriging interpolation and locally weighted regression methods. Global disease burden research method and data, and China's death cause surveillance data were used to calculate the population attributable fraction (PAF) of hemorrhagic stroke and hypertensive heart disease and the deaths due to alcohol consumption in men and women aged ≥20 years in 31 provinces in China. China census data of 2010 were used to calculate the attributable standardized mortality rate. Results: In 2005 and 2018, the prevalence of alcohol consumption was 58.7% (95%CI: 57.8%-59.5%) and 58.4% (95%CI: 57.6%-59.3%), respectively, in men and 17.0% (95%CI: 16.6%-17.4%) and 18.7% (95%CI:18.1%-19.3%), respectively, in women. The daily alcohol intake was 24.6 (95%CI: 23.8-25.3) g and 27.7 (95%CI: 26.8-28.7) g, respectively, in men and 6.3 (95%CI: 6.0-6.5) g and 5.3 (95%CI: 5.0-5.6) g, respectively, in women. Alcohol exposure level was higher in the provinces in central and eastern China than in western provinces. The lowest exposure level was found in northwestern provinces. From 2005 to 2018, the PAF of hemorrhagic stroke death due to alcohol consumption increased from 5.5% to 6.8%, the attributable deaths increased from 50 200 to 59 100, while the PAF of hypertensive heart disease death due to alcohol consumption increased from 7.0% to 7.7%, the attributable deaths increased from 15 200 to 29 300. The PAF of hypertensive heart disease and hemorrhagic stroke was higher in men than in women, and in central and eastern provinces than in western provinces. In 2018, the standardized mortality rates of hemorrhagic stroke and hypertensive heart disease attributed to alcohol consumption were 4.58/100 000 and 2.11/100 000, respectively. Conclusions: The prevalence of alcohol consumption in men and daily alcohol intake of drinkers were relatively high in China, especially in eastern provinces. Alcohol exposure level was lower in women than in men. Regional measures should be taken to reduce the alcohol intakes in men and current drinkers in order to reduce the health problems caused by alcohol consumption.
Adult ; Male ; Humans ; Female ; Hemorrhagic Stroke ; Hypertension/epidemiology* ; Alcohol Drinking/epidemiology* ; Heart Diseases/epidemiology* ; China/epidemiology*

BACKGROUND: Epidemiological evidence has shown that serum N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) concentrations, a diagnostic biomarker for heart failure, are positively associated with cardiovascular risk. Since NT-proBNP in serum is excreted in urine, it is hypothesized that urinary NT-proBNP concentrations are correlated with serum concentrations and linked with cardiovascular risk in the general population. METHODS: A total of 3060 community-dwelling residents aged ≥ 40 years without history of cardiovascular disease (CVD) were followed up for a median of 8.3 years (2007-2015). Serum and urinary concentrations of NT-proBNP at baseline were compared. The hazard ratios (HRs) and their 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for the association between NT-proBNP concentrations and the risk of developing CVD were computed using the Cox proportional hazards model. RESULTS: The median values (interquartile ranges) of serum and urinary NT-proBNP concentrations at baseline were 56 (32-104) pg/mL and 20 (18-25) pg/mL, respectively. There was a strong quadratic correlation between the serum and urinary concentrations of NT-proBNP (coefficient of determination [R CONCLUSIONS The present study demonstrated that urinary NT-proBNP concentrations were well-correlated with serum concentrations and were positively associated with cardiovascular risk. Given that urine sampling is noninvasive and does not require specially trained personnel, urinary NT-proBNP concentrations have the potential to be an easy and useful biomarker for detecting people at higher cardiovascular risk.
Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Biomarkers/urine* ; Cardiovascular Diseases/urine* ; Female ; Heart Failure/diagnosis* ; Humans ; Incidence ; Japan/epidemiology* ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Natriuretic Peptide, Brain/urine* ; Peptide Fragments/urine* ; Prospective Studies ; Risk Assessment

COVID-19 ; Heart Diseases ; Humans ; Incidence ; SARS-CoV-2 ; Singapore/epidemiology*

INTRODUCTION: The aims of this study were to establish weight change, incidence of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and cardiovascular risk factors (CvRF) in liver transplant recipients (LTRs). METHODS: Eighty-three patients whose mean (standard deviation [SD]) age was 55.6 (8.4) years (median follow-up 73 months) and who underwent their first liver transplantation (LT) at Singapore General Hospital between February 2006 and March 2017 were included in the study. Anthropometric, clinical and demographic data were collected retrospectively from patients' medical records. Diabetes mellitus (DM), hyperlipidaemia and hypertension were regarded as CvRF. RESULTS: Compared to baseline, mean (SD) body weight decreased significantly at 1 month post-LT (60.8kg [11.9] versus 64.3kg [13.7], CONCLUSION CvRF increased significantly post-LT, and NAFLD occurred in 25.3% of LTRs. Body weight dropped drastically within the first month post-LT, which then returned to baseline level just before the end of first year. This novel finding suggests that nutritional intervention needs to be tailored and individualised, based on events and time from transplant. Although long-term obesity is a significant problem, aggressive oral or enteral nutritional supplements take precedence in the early and immediate post-LT period, while interventions targeted at metabolic syndrome become necessary after the first year.
Cardiovascular Diseases/etiology* ; Heart Disease Risk Factors ; Humans ; Liver Transplantation ; Middle Aged ; Retrospective Studies ; Risk Factors ; Singapore/epidemiology*

Heart Diseases/epidemiology* ; Humans ; Parkinson Disease/drug therapy* ; Propolis

BACKGROUND: Cardiovascular (CV) disease is the leading cause of morbidity and mortality in adults with type 2 diabetes (T2D). The aim of this study was to determine the CV risk in Chinese patients with T2D based on the 2019 European Society of Cardiology (ESC) and the European Association for the Study of Diabetes (EASD) guidelines on diabetes, pre-diabetes, and CV diseases. METHODS: A total of 25,411 patients with T2D, who participated in the study of China Cardiometabolic Registries 3B study, were included in our analysis. We assessed the proportions of patients in each CV risk category according to 2019 ESC/EASD guidelines. RESULTS: Based on the 2019 ESC/EASD guidelines, 16,663 (65.6%), 1895 (7.5%), and 152 (0.6%) of patients were included in "very high risk," "high risk," and "moderate risk" categories, respectively. The proportions of patients in each category varied based on age, sex, body mass index, and duration. While 58.7% (9786/16,663) of elderly patients were classified to "very high risk" group, 89.6% (3732/4165) of patients with obesity were divided into "very high risk" group. Almost all patients with a duration of diabetes >10 years had "very high risk" or "high risk." However, 6701 (26.4%) of Chinese T2D patients, who had shorter duration, and one or two risk factors, could not be included in any category (the "unclear risk" category). CONCLUSIONS In China, most patients with T2D have "very high" or "high" CV risk based on 2019 ESC/EASD guidelines. However, the risk of patients in "unclear risk" group needs to be further classified.
Adult ; Aged ; Cardiovascular Diseases/epidemiology* ; Cross-Sectional Studies ; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 ; Heart Disease Risk Factors ; Humans ; Risk Factors