OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to examine the trends in stroke mortality among young and middle-aged adults in China. METHODS: Data were obtained from the China national vital registration system. Significant changes in mortality were assessed by Joinpoint regression. Age-period-cohort analysis was used to explain the reasons for the changes. Future mortality and counts were predicted by the Bayesian age-period-cohort model. RESULTS: Between 2002 and 2019, a total of 6,253,951 stroke mortality in young and middle-aged adults were recorded. The age-adjusted mortality rates (AAMRs) of women showed a downward trend. The annual percent changes (APC) were -3.5% (-5.2%, -1.7%) for urban women and -2.8% (-3.7%, -1.9%) for rural women. By contrast, the AAMRs per 100,000 for rural men aged 25-44 years continued to rise from 9.40 to 15.46. The AAMRS for urban men aged 25-44 years and urban and rural men aged 45-64 years did not change significantly. Between 2020 and 2030, the projected stroke deaths are 1,423,584 in men and 401,712 in women. CONCLUSION Significant sex and age disparities in the trends of stroke mortality among young and middle-aged adults were identified in China. Targeted health policy measures are needed to address the burden of stroke in the young generation, especially for rural men, with a focus on the prevention and management of high risk factors.
Middle Aged ; Male ; Adult ; Humans ; Female ; Bayes Theorem ; Urban Population ; Stroke/epidemiology* ; Cohort Studies ; China/epidemiology* ; Mortality

Objective: To explore associations between lipoprotein-associated phospholipase A2 (Lp-PLA2) and the risk of cardiovascular events in a Chinese population, with a long-term follow-up. Methods: A random sample of 2,031 participants (73.6% males, mean age = 60.4 years) was derived from the Asymptomatic Polyvascular Abnormalities Community study (APAC) from 2010 to 2011. Serum Lp-PLA2 levels were determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The composite endpoint was a combination of first-ever stroke, myocardial infarction (MI) or all-cause death. Lp-PLA2 associations with outcomes were assessed using Cox models. Results: The median Lp-PLA2 level was 141.0 ng/mL. Over a median follow-up of 9.1 years, we identified 389 events (19.2%), including 137 stroke incidents, 43 MIs, and 244 all-cause deaths. Using multivariate Cox regression, when compared with the lowest Lp-PLA2 quartile, the hazard ratios with 95% confidence intervals for developing composite endpoints, stroke, major adverse cardiovascular events, and all-cause death were 1.77 (1.24-2.54), 1.92 (1.03-3.60), 1.69 (1.003-2.84), and 1.94 (1.18-3.18) in the highest quartile, respectively. Composite endpoints in 145 (28.6%) patients occurred in the highest quartile where Lp-PLA2 (159.0 ng/mL) was much lower than the American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists recommended cut-off point, 200 ng/mL. Conclusion Higher Lp-PLA2 levels were associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular event/death in a middle-aged Chinese population. The Lp-PLA2 cut-off point may be lower in the Chinese population when predicting cardiovascular events.
1-Alkyl-2-acetylglycerophosphocholine Esterase/blood* ; Asians ; Cardiovascular Diseases/diagnosis* ; China/epidemiology* ; Female ; Humans ; Longitudinal Studies ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Mortality ; Myocardial Infarction/blood* ; Predictive Value of Tests ; Risk Factors ; Stroke/blood*

BACKGROUND: Previous studies have suggested that exposure to air pollution may increase stroke risk, but the results remain inconsistent. Evidence of more recent studies is highly warranted, especially gas air pollutants. METHODS: We searched PubMed, Embase, and Web of Science to identify studies till February 2020 and conducted a meta-analysis on the association between air pollution (PM RESULTS: A total of 68 studies conducted from more than 23 million participants were included in our meta-analysis. Meta-analyses showed significant associations of all six air pollutants and stroke hospital admission (e.g., PM CONCLUSIONS Exposure to air pollution was positively associated with an increased risk of stroke hospital admission (PM
Air Pollutants/adverse effects* ; Air Pollution/adverse effects* ; Environmental Exposure/adverse effects* ; Hospitalization/statistics & numerical data* ; Humans ; Incidence ; Particle Size ; Particulate Matter/adverse effects* ; Stroke/mortality*

Objective: To investigate the efficacy and safety of percutaneous closure of ventricular septal rupture (VSR) after acute myocardial infarction (AMI) and the risk factors of all-cause mortality at 30 days after operation. Methods: This is a retrospective case series study. A total of 69 patients with post-AMI VSR, underwent percutaneous closure of VSR from October 2013 to May 2020 in Department of Cardiology of Henan Provincial People's Hospital and Department of Cardiology of Central China Fuwai Hospital, were included. Patients were divided into survival group (53 cases) and non-survival group (16 cases) according to the status at 30 days after operation. Clinical data were collected and analyzed during hospitalization. Telephone follow-up was performed 30 days after operation. The primary safety endpoint was occlusion failure and all-cause mortality at 30 days post operation. The secondary safety endpoint was the operation related or non-operation related complications. Efficacy endpoint included NYHA classification of cardiac function, index measured by right heart catheterization and echocardiography. Multivariate logistic regression was performed to analyze the risk factors of all-cause mortality at 30 days after operation. Results: A total of 69 patients, aged 67 (64, 71) years, including 42 women (60.9%), were enrolled in this study. All-cause death occurred in 16 patients (23.2%), including 13 in-hospital death and 3 death during follow-up. There were 4 cases of closure failure (5.8%). Among the 65 patients with successful closure, 12 (18.5%) experienced operation-related complications, among which 8 (12.3%) experienced valve injury. The mortality was significantly higher in patients with operation-related complications than that in patients without operation-related complications (41.7% (5/12) vs. 13.2% (7/53), P = 0.022). One case received percutaneous closure of VSR and PCI, this patient experienced new-onset AMI immediately post procedure and died thereafter (1.5%). One case (1.5%) developed multiple organ failure and 2 cases (3.1%) developed gastrointestinal bleeding post operation. All of the 65 patients with successful occlusion completed postoperative echocardiography, 56 patients completed cardiac function assessment at discharge, and 53 patients who survived up to 30 days post discharge completed clinical follow up by telephone. The NYHA cardiac function at discharge and 30 days after operation were significantly improved as compared to that before operation (P<0.001), the ratio of NYHA Ⅰ and Ⅱ patients was significantly higher post operation at these two time points as compared to baseline level (76.8% (43/56) vs. 23.1% (15/65), P<0.001, 77.4% (41/53) vs. 23.1% (15/65), P<0.001). The pulmonary circulation/systemic circulation blood flow ratio (Qp/Qs), pulmonary artery systolic pressure (PASP) and left ventricular end-diastolic diameter (LVDd) were decreased, aortic systolic pressure (ASP) and left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) were increased post operation (P<0.05). Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that WBC>9.8×10⁹/L (OR=20.94, 95%CI 1.21-362.93, P=0.037) and NT-ProBNP>6 000 ng/L (OR=869.11, 95%CI 2.93-258 058.34, P=0.020) were the independent risk factors of mortality at 30 days. Conclusions: Percutaneous closure in VSR after AMI is safe and effective. The increase of WBC and NT-ProBNP are the independent risk factors of all-cause mortality at 30 days after operation.
Aftercare ; Female ; Hospital Mortality ; Humans ; Myocardial Infarction ; Patient Discharge ; Percutaneous Coronary Intervention ; Retrospective Studies ; Stroke Volume ; Ventricular Function, Left ; Ventricular Septal Rupture/surgery*

BACKGROUND

There is ambiguity on antiplatelet therapy for post-transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) patients for stroke prevention, but dual antiplatelet therapy (DAPT) is routinely started despite lack of data on effectiveness and bleeding safety of DAPT versus single antiplatelet therapy (SAPT). This study aims to determine the effectiveness of DAPT versus SAPT in stroke prevention and assess bleeding safety.

A systematic search was done for randomized clinical trials involving DAPT and SAPT in patients who underwent TAVR. The primary outcome was stroke after 1 year of either DAPT and SAPT and life-threatening bleeding. Secondary end points included all-cause mortality. Trials were identified through systematic searches on the following databases (November 2019): Cochrane, MEDLINE, and Google Scholar and ClinicalTrials.gov and World Health Organization International Clinical Trials Registry Platform. Risk ratio was used for dichotomous outcomes. Heterogeneity among the studies for the meta-analysis was detected using a χ2 test (0.01 level of significance). Risk-of-bias assessment was done.

There is a lower incidence of stroke in patients on DAPT, but with a higher incidence of life-threatening bleeding and major bleeding. There is also a lower incidence of all-cause mortality in SAPT. The statistical power of this meta-analysis is low due to small population size.

Single antiplatelet therapy is comparable to DAPT in preventing stroke with the added benefit of a lower incidence of life-threatening and major bleeding and a lower incidence of all-cause mortality.

mortality was significantly higher in patients with severe LV systolic dysfunction (hazard ratio [HR], 1.97; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.04–3.75; P = 0.039) and in patients with diffuse pattern of LV wall motion impairment (HR, 2.28; 95% CI, 1.19–4.36; P = 0.013) than in those with a normal LV systolic function.CONCLUSION: Severe LV systolic dysfunction and diffuse pattern of LV wall motion impairment significantly affected in-hospital mortality in patients with septic shock. Conventional echocardiographic evaluation provides adequate information on the development of myocardial damage and accurately predicts the prognosis of patients with septic shock.]]>
Adult ; Coronary Artery Disease ; Diagnosis ; Echocardiography ; Heart Diseases ; Hemodynamics ; Hospital Mortality ; Humans ; Intensive Care Units ; Mortality ; Prognosis ; Retrospective Studies ; Sepsis ; Shock, Septic ; Stroke Volume

stroke in octogenarians. This study aimed to investigate predictors of catastrophic outcome in elderly patients after an endovascular thrombectomy with an acute anterior circulation large vessel occlusion (LVO).MATERIALS AND METHODS: Data from 82 patients aged ≥ 80 years, who were treated with thrombectomy for acute anterior circulation LVO, were analyzed. The association between clinical/imaging variables and catastrophic outcomes was assessed. A catastrophic outcome was defined as a modified Rankin Scale score of 4–6 at 90 days.RESULTS: Successful reperfusion was achieved in 61 patients (74.4%), while 47 patients (57.3%) had a catastrophic outcome. The 90-day mortality rate of the treated patients was 15.9% (13/82). The catastrophic outcome group had a significantly lower baseline diffusion-weighted imaging-Alberta stroke program early CT score (DWI-ASPECTS) (7 vs. 8, p = 0.014) and a longer procedure time (42 minutes vs. 29 minutes, p = 0.031) compared to the non-catastrophic outcome group. Successful reperfusion was significantly less frequent in the catastrophic outcome group (63.8% vs. 88.6%, p = 0.011) compared to the non-catastrophic outcome group. In a binary logistic regression analysis, DWI-ASPECTS (odds ratio [OR], 0.709; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.524–0.960; p = 0.026) and successful reperfusion (OR, 0.242; 95% CI, 0.071–0.822; p = 0.023) were independent predictors of a catastrophic outcome.CONCLUSION: Baseline infarct size and reperfusion status were independently associated with a catastrophic outcome after endovascular thrombectomy in elderly patients aged ≥ 80 years with acute anterior circulation LVO.]]>
Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Humans ; Logistic Models ; Mortality ; Reperfusion ; Stroke ; Thrombectomy

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: 2018 ESC/ESH Hypertension guideline recommends 2-drug combination as initial anti-hypertensive therapy. However, real-world evidence for effectiveness of recommended regimens remains limited. We aimed to compare the effectiveness of first-line anti-hypertensive treatment combining 2 out of the following classes: angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors/angiotensin-receptor blocker (A), calcium channel blocker (C), and thiazide-type diuretics (D).METHODS: Treatment-naïve hypertensive adults without cardiovascular disease (CVD) who initiated dual anti-hypertensive medications were identified in 5 databases from US and Korea. The patients were matched for each comparison set by large-scale propensity score matching. Primary endpoint was all-cause mortality. Myocardial infarction, heart failure, stroke, and major adverse cardiac and cerebrovascular events as a composite outcome comprised the secondary measure.RESULTS: A total of 987,983 patients met the eligibility criteria. After matching, 222,686, 32,344, and 38,513 patients were allocated to A+C vs. A+D, C+D vs. A+C, and C+D vs. A+D comparison, respectively. There was no significant difference in the mortality during total of 1,806,077 person-years: A+C vs. A+D (hazard ratio [HR], 1.08; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.97−1.20; p=0.127), C+D vs. A+C (HR, 0.93; 95% CI, 0.87−1.01; p=0.067), and C+D vs. A+D (HR, 1.18; 95% CI, 0.95−1.47; p=0.104). A+C was associated with a slightly higher risk of heart failure (HR, 1.09; 95% CI, 1.01−1.18; p=0.040) and stroke (HR, 1.08; 95% CI, 1.01−1.17; p=0.040) than A+D.CONCLUSIONS: There was no significant difference in mortality among A+C, A+D, and C+D combination treatment in patients without previous CVD. This finding was consistent across multi-national heterogeneous cohorts in real-world practice.
Adult ; Angiotensin Receptor Antagonists ; Antihypertensive Agents ; Calcium Channel Blockers ; Calcium Channels ; Cardiovascular Diseases ; Cohort Studies ; Diuretics ; Heart Failure ; Humans ; Hypertension ; Korea ; Mortality ; Myocardial Infarction ; Propensity Score ; Stroke

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: The relationship between operator volume and outcomes of percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) in patients with ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) has not been fully investigated. We aimed to investigate the relationship between operator PCI volume and in-hospital outcomes after primary PCI for STEMI.METHODS: Among the total of 44,967 consecutive cases of PCI enrolled in the Korean nationwide, retrospective registry (K-PCI registry), 8,282 patients treated with PCI for STEMI by 373 operators were analyzed. PCI volumes above the 75th percentile (>30 cases/year), between the 75th and 25th percentile (10–30 cases/year), and below the 25th percentile (<10 cases/year) were defined as high, moderate, and low-volume operators, respectively. In-hospital outcomes including mortality, non-fatal myocardial infarction (MI), stent thrombosis, stroke, and urgent repeat PCI were analyzed.RESULTS: The average number of primary PCI cases performed by 373 operators was 22.2 in a year. In-hospital mortality after PCI for STEMI was 571 cases (6.9%). In-hospital outcomes by operator volume showed no significant differences in the death rate, cardiac death, non-fatal MI, and stent thrombosis. However, the rate of urgent repeat PCI tended to be lower in the high-volume operator (0.6%) than in the moderate-(0.7%)/low-(1.5%) volume operator groups (p=0.095). The adjusted odds ratios for adverse in-hospital outcomes were similar in the 3 groups. Multivariate analysis also showed that operator volume was not a predictor for adverse in-hospital outcomes.CONCLUSIONS: In-hospital outcomes after primary PCI for STEMI were not associated with operator volume in the K-PCI registry.
Cohort Studies ; Death ; Hospital Mortality ; Humans ; Mortality ; Multivariate Analysis ; Myocardial Infarction ; Odds Ratio ; Percutaneous Coronary Intervention ; Retrospective Studies ; Stents ; Stroke ; Thrombosis ; Treatment Outcome

PURPOSE: To assess clinical and angiographic outcomes after endovascular treatment (EVT) in ischemic stroke patients according to anesthesia types (general anesthesia vs. conscious sedation). MATERIALS AND METHODS: A systematic literature review through an online data base between January 1990 and September 2017 was performed. A fixed effect model was used in cases of <50% heterogeneity. The primary outcomes were good clinical outcome at the 3-month follow-up and successful recanalization. A meta-regression analysis was done to estimate primary outcomes of log odds ratio (OR) on onset-to-puncture time (OTP) differences. Publication bias was determined using Begg’s funnel plot and additional the Trim and Fill method. RESULTS: Sixteen articles including 2,662 patients (general anesthesia, n=1,275; conscious sedation, n=1,387) were included. General anesthesia significantly decreased good outcomes than conscious sedation (OR, 0.564; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.354–0.899). However, outcomes did not differ significantly in randomized controlled trials (RCTs; OR, 1.101; 95% CI, 0.395–3.071). Anesthesia type was not associated with successful recanalization (OR, 0.985; 95% CI, 0.787–1.233). General anesthesia increased the risk of mortality (OR, 1.532; 95% CI, 1.187–1.976) and pneumonia (OR, 1.613; 95% CI, 1.172–2.221), but not symptomatic intracranial hemorrhage (OR, 1.125; 95% CI, 0.767–1.652). The meta-regression analysis showed no linear relationship between OTP differences and log OR of good outcome (coefficient, 0.0004; P=0.95) or successful recanalization (coefficient, 0.0005; P=0.94), respectively. CONCLUSION: General anesthesia seemed to be associated with adverse clinical outcome after EVT. However, its efficacy was not demonstrated in RCTs. Successful recanalization did not differ according to anesthesia type. Studies using individual patient data based on further RCTs are necessary to elucidate anesthesia effect on procedural and clinical outcomes.
Anesthesia ; Anesthesia, General ; Conscious Sedation ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Intracranial Hemorrhages ; Methods ; Mortality ; Odds Ratio ; Pneumonia ; Population Characteristics ; Publication Bias ; Stroke