[Posted 5/Jul/2024]

AUDIENCE: Cardiology, Endocrinology

KEY FINDINGS: Among asymptomatic patients with a CAC of >=1,000 without a prior index event, diabetes, and severe LM CAC define very high risk ASCVD, identifying individuals who may benefit from more intensive prevention therapies across several domains, including low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol lowering.

BACKGROUND: Although a coronary artery calcium (CAC) of >=1,000 is a subclinical atherosclerosis threshold to consider combination lipid-lowering therapy, differentiating very high from high atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) risk in this patient population is not well-defined. Among persons with a CAC of >=1,000, the authors sought to identify risk factors equating with very high-risk ASCVD mortality rates.

DETAILS: The authors studied 2,246 asymptomatic patients with a CAC of >=1,000 from the CAC Consortium without a prior ASCVD event. Cox proportional hazards regression modelling was performed for ASCVD mortality during a median follow-up of 11.3 years. Crude ASCVD mortality rates were compared with those reported for secondary prevention trial patients classified as very high risk, defined by >=2 major ASCVD events or 1 major event and >=2 high-risk conditions (1.4 per 100 person-years). The mean age was 66.6 years, 14% were female, and 10% were non-White. The median CAC score was 1,592 and 6% had severe left main (LM) CAC (vessel-specific CAC >=300). Diabetes (HR: 2.04 [95% CI: 1.47-2.83]) and severe LM CAC (HR: 2.32 [95% CI: 1.51-3.55]) were associated with ASCVD mortality. The ASCVD mortality per 100 person-years for all patients was 0.8 (95% CI: 0.7-0.9), although higher rates were observed for diabetes (1.4 [95% CI: 0.8-1.9]), severe LM CAC (1.3 [95% CI: 0.6-2.0]), and both diabetes and severe LM CAC (7.1 [95% CI: 3.4-10.8]).

Copyright © American College of Cardiology Foundation. All rights reserved.

Source: Razavi, A. C., Shaw, L. J., Berman, D. S., et al. (2024). Left Main Coronary Artery Calcium and Diabetes Confer Very-High-Risk Equivalence in Coronary Artery Calcium > 1,000. JACC: Cardiovascular Imaging. 2024; 17(7): 766-776. Published: July 1, 2024. DOI: 10.1016/j.jcmg.2023.12.006.

[Posted 3/Nov/2025]

AUDIENCE: Internal Medicine, Cardiology

KEY FINDINGS: HDL_Lox levels are highest in patients with ACS. Patients with stable CAD have higher levels than healthy controls. Correspondingly, the parameters of HDL function measured in this study, which all indicate a loss of HDL's atheroprotective function, correlate with these findings. Our study establishes a novel mechanistic pathway linking oxidized HDL to the presence of an ACS.

BACKGROUND: High-density lipoprotein (HDL) function, rather than its concentration, plays a crucial role in the development of coronary artery disease (CAD). Diminished HDL antioxidant properties, indicated by elevated oxidized HDL (nHDL_Lox) and diminished paraoxonase-1 (PON-1) activity, may contribute to vascular dysfunction and inflammation. Data on these associations in CAD patients, including acute coronary syndrome (ACS), remain limited. The aim of this study is to assess the association of oxidized HDL with PON-1 activity, oxidized low-density lipoprotein (LDL), vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (VCAM-1), IL-6 levels, and nitric oxide (NO) production as markers of vascular health.

DETAILS: Authors assessed HDL function in three groups: 90 CAD patients, 90 healthy controls, and 90 ACS patients. HDL antioxidant function was measured using a validated biochemical assay to quantify oxidized HDL (nHD_Lox). Plasma PON-1 activity, oxidized LDL, VCAM-1, IL-6, and NO production were also evaluated. ACS patients had nHDL_Lox levels 140% higher than healthy controls (p < 0.001). Higher nHDLox levels were significantly linked to vascular inflammation, reflected by elevated VCAM-1 levels. Additionally, a reduced PON-1 activity indicates an impaired antioxidant protection in ACS patients. Finally, oxidized LDL levels were elevated, and NO production was reduced, suggesting impaired vascular function.

Copyright © John Wiley & Sons, Inc. All rights reserved

Source: Sasko, B., Pagonas, N., Christ, M., et al. Oxidized High-Density Lipoprotein Associates with Cardiometabolic Dysfunction in Coronary Artery Disease and Acute Coronary Syndrome. Journal of Internal Medicine. 2025; 298(5): 464-477. Published: November, 2025. DOI: 10.1111/joim.70019.

[Posted 27/Oct/2025]

AUDIENCE: Infectious Disease, Microbiologists

KEY FINDINGS: Enhanced antibiotic performance observed in preclinical mouse models. Potential to improve treatment outcomes for multiple intracellular bacterial infections. Ongoing efforts include mechanism elucidation and patent development.

BACKGROUND: Antibiotic resistance has severely limited the effectiveness of conventional treatments against persistent bacterial infections. Some pathogens, such as Staphylococcus aureus, Mycobacterium tuberculosis, and Salmonella enterica, can survive inside immune cells, remaining dormant and shielded from antibiotic action. The increasing prevalence of such infections underscores an urgent need for alternative approaches that do not rely solely on developing stronger antibiotics.

DETAILS: Researchers at the University of North Carolina (UNC) School of Medicine, led by Dr. Brian Conlon and Dr. Kuan-Yi Lu, identified a novel small molecule that modifies immune cell behavior to enhance antibiotic performance. Instead of directly targeting bacteria, the molecule reprograms the host's immune cells to activate dormant pathogens, rendering them more susceptible to antibiotic killing.

The team screened approximately 5,000 small molecules through the UNC Small Molecule Screening Core. They used luminescent reporter strains of S. aureus to identify compounds that triggered bacterial activation. The most promising compound was subsequently tested in mouse models, where it significantly improved antibiotic efficacy when administered alongside standard treatments.

In animal models, the selected molecule substantially improved pathogen clearance for S. aureus, M. tuberculosis, and S. enterica when used in combination with existing antibiotics. This finding supports a new therapeutic concept: targeting the host cell environment can potentiate antibiotic activity and overcome intracellular bacterial persistence. The discovery presents an innovative direction for combating infections that evade standard therapy.

Copyright © UNC School of Medicine. All rights reserved.

Source: Conlon, B. and Kuan-Yi, L. UNC Researchers Discover Method to Combat Antibiotic Treatment Failure. UNC Health Newsroom. 2025; Published: October 14, 2025.

A Cohort Study Investigating Adherence of Dose and Duration to UK Clinical Guidelines

[Posted 14/Oct/2025]

AUDIENCE: Psychiatry, Family Medicine

KEY FINDINGS: This study highlights how antipsychotic prescribing in dementia is discordant with current NICE guidelines on both duration and dose. More than half of those who discontinued their treatment then restarted treatment. These findings emphasise a persistent gap between clinical guidelines and real-world prescribing, underscoring the need for interventions that prioritise safety and person-centred dementia care.

BACKGROUND: In the UK, it is recommended by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) that if antipsychotics are initiated in people living with dementia, treatment should be at the lowest dose for the shortest time possible (1-3 months). In this study, authors aimed to investigate how dose and duration of antipsychotic medication adhere to UK clinical guidelines and explore treatment restart details in those who stop treatment.

DETAILS: Authors did a retrospective cohort study using longitudinal UK primary care data from the IQVIA Medical Research Database. Authors included people living with dementia aged 60-85 years who received their first antipsychotic prescription between Jan 1, 2000, and Dec 31, 2023. Individuals with any previous antipsychotic prescriptions in their records more than 1 year before a dementia diagnosis and those who had missing social deprivation information were excluded from the study. Duration of first and subsequent antipsychotic treatment episodes, medication dosage, and treatment discontinuation and reinitiation rates were investigated. Duration and discontinuation were defined by grouping consecutive prescriptions into treatment episodes using the waiting time distribution method (80% inter-arrival density, 59 days). Daily doses were derived from strength and frequency information and categorised as low or moderate or high based on established minimum effective dose equivalences. People with lived experience of dementia care contributed throughout this project, shaping the research question and advising on interpretation and dissemination strategies. In the dataset search, authors identified 108,910 people with a record indicating dementia at any time. In total, 99,091 cases were excluded (ie, individuals with no antipsychotic prescription between the ages of 60 and 85 years between 2000 and 2023, a previous history of antipsychotics, missing deprivation information, or only one eligible prescription). Authors included 9819 people living with dementia aged 60-85 years who received their first antipsychotic prescription between 2000 and 2023 in the study. 5310 (54.1%) were female and 4509 (45.9%) were male, with a mean age of 77.1 years (SD 5.6 years), and ethnicity data were not available. The first treatment episode lasted a median of 7 months (IQR 6.6-8.7), exceeding NICE guidelines of 1-3 months and 18.1% [95% CI 17.4-18.9]) were initiated on a prescription above the minimum effective dose (ie, low dose). Of the 1781 participants who started on a moderate or high dose, 519 (29.1%) had a moderate or high dose in all quarters of the first year of treatment. 1 year after treatment initiation, 5136 (78.3%) of 6559 eligible individuals remained on medication (48.9% [95% CI 47.7-50.1] on low dose, 14.8% [13.9-15.6] on moderate or high dose of haloperidol, olanzapine, quetiapine or risperidone; and 14.6% [13.8-15.5] on other antipsychotics). Of the 5547 individuals eligible to restart treatment after initial discontinuation, 3106 (56%) restarted with a median treatment duration of 2.6 months (IQR 0.0-9.9).

Copyright © Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Source: Smsith, H. C., Petersen, I., Hayes, J. F., et al. (2024). Antipsychotic Prescriptions in People With Dementia in Primary Care: A Cohort Study Investigating Adherence of Dose and Duration to UK Clinical Guidelines. The Lancet Psychiatry. 2025; 12(10): 758-767. Published: October, 2025. DOI: 10.1016/S2215-0366(25)00261-5.

[Posted 7/Oct/2025]

AUDIENCE: Cardiology, Emergency Medicine

KEY FINDINGS: Endovascular treatment for BTK PAD is more often performed in patients with CLTI compared with IC, where it is often combined with an inflow artery intervention or complex lesion crossings. Despite similar procedural success, 1-year MALE is significantly higher in CLTI, driven mainly by over a 2-fold increase in all-cause mortality and major amputations.

BACKGROUND: There are unresolved questions regarding indications and outcomes of endovascular below-the-knee (BTK) interventions in patients with symptomatic peripheral artery disease (PAD) in real-world clinical practice. We analyzed 884 patients from the multicenter XLPAD registry between 2006 and 2023 with nonstent BTK PAD interventions. Primary outcome: freedom from major adverse limb events (MALE) at 1 year, a composite of all-cause death, major amputation, or clinically driven revascularization.

DETAILS: Majority (62.8%) of the BTK interventions were performed for chronic limb threatening ischemia (CLTI), while remaining (37.2%) in patients with intermittent claudication (IC), performed together with an inflow femoropopliteal artery intervention in 58% or involving complex lesion crossings (11.8%). Nearly, 74% were men, mean age 68.0 ± 10.7 years. Mean Rutherford class was 4.65 in CLTI and 2.71 in IC groups. Moderate to severe calcification was present in 25% of cases. Significantly greater number of lesions were treated in the CLTI group (1.84 ± 1.52 vs 2.08 ± 1.61; p = 0.029). Lesion lengths (CLTI: 129.3 ± 85.1 mm vs IC: 115.5 ± 82.5; p = 0.075) were comparable. Nearly, 92% of lesions were treated with balloon angioplasty. Drug-coated balloon use was higher in IC (5% vs 15%, p <0.001), whereas atherectomy use was high in both groups (CLTI: 45.4% vs IC: 49.9%; p = 0.201). Procedural success was similar (CLTI: 92% vs IC: 88.8%; p = 0.098), however 1-year MALE was significantly higher in CLTI patients (30.5% vs 15.8% vs; p <0.0.001), driven by higher all-cause mortality (5.6% vs 2.1% vs; p = 0.014) and major amputations (14% vs 3.7%; p 0.001).

Copyright © Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Source: Rozol, Z. P., Sayfo, S., Fernandez-Vazquez, D., et al. (2025). Indications and Treatment Outcomes of Below-the-Knee Peripheral Artery Interventions in the XLPAD Registry. American Journal of Cardiology. 2025; 251: 38-45. Published: September 15, 2025. DOI: 10.1016/j.amjcard.2025.05.011 .

A Randomized Controlled Trial

[Posted 6/Oct/2025]

AUDIENCE: Nephrology, Cardiology, Internal Medicine

KEY FINDINGS:

• Physical exercise before hemodialysis is as cardioprotective as intradialytic exercise.
• Predialytic exercise potentially addresses several modality-specific barriers and challenges encountered by both health care providers and patients.
• These are likely mediated by mechanisms inherent to exercise itself, rather than by transient central and/or systemic hemodynamic alterations.

BACKGROUND: Hemodialysis induces left ventricular regional wall motion abnormalities (RWMAs) due to myocardial hypoperfusion. Although acute intradialytic exercise (IDE) has shown cardioprotective effects, its routine implementation faces feasibility challenges, and the potential of predialysis exercise as an alternative remains unexplored. This study aimed to compare the effect of predialysis exercise and IDE on hemodialysis-induced myocardial stunning.

DETAILS: In this open-label, randomized cross-over trial, 25 patients with ESKD underwent to each of three hemodialysis conditions, administrated in random order: standard hemodialysis (HD-_CONT), hemodialysis with IDE (HD-_PER), and hemodialysis preceded by exercise (HD-_PER). Two-dimensional echocardiography and whole blood viscosity (WBV) measurements were performed both immediately before hemodialysis onset (T₀) and at peak stress of hemodialysis (T_peak). Left ventricular longitudinal strain from an 18-segment model was used to assess the presence of RWMAs. Regular monitoring of cardiovascular hemodynamics was set up with measurements staggered every 30 minutes. Compared with HD-CONT, there was a significant reduction in RWMAs during both HD-_PER (estimated difference, 1.60 segments; 95% confidence interval, 0.09 to 3.10; P = 0.04) and HD-_PRE (estimated difference, 1.72 segments; 95% confidence interval, 0.21 to 3.22; P = 0.02). The magnitude of the exercise-induced reduction in myocardial stunning did not differ between HD-_PER and HD-_PRE (P = 0.86). Apart from the exercise period itself, kinetics of all hemodynamic variables were similar between HD-CONT and HD-_PER, whereas they were totally similar between HD-CONT and HD-_PRE. No associations of changes in RWMAs and hemodynamics variables between HD-CONT versus HD-_PRE or HD-_PER were found (P > 0.42). Comparing HD-CONT versus HD-_PER, WBV was preserved in HD-_PER and changes in RWMAs were associated with changes in WBV at high shear rates (225 s^-1: P = 0.006; 90 s^-1: P = 0.04).

Copyright © American Society of Nephrology. All rights reserved.

Source: Josse, M., Turc-Baron, C., Patrier, L., et al. (2025). Acute Exercise before Dialysis Is as Cardioprotective as during Dialysis: A Randomized Controlled Trial. Clinical Journal of the American Society of Nephrology. 2025; 20(9): 1236-1246. Published: September, 2025. DOI: 10.2215/CJN.0000000767.