-
1.
Proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin 9 inhibitors in reducing cardiovascular outcomes: a systematic review and meta-analysis.
Du, H, Li, X, Su, N, Li, L, Hao, X, Gao, H, Kwong, JS, Vandvik, PO, Yang, X, Nemeth, I, et al
Heart (British Cardiac Society). 2019;(15):1149-1159
Abstract
BACKGROUND To evaluate the effects of proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin 9 (PCSK9) inhibitors on major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE). METHODS Our systematic review included randomised controlled trials if they studied PCSK9 inhibitors in patients for primary and/or secondary prevention of cardiovascular diseases or with hypercholesterolaemia/hyperlipidaemia. Dichotomous variables from individual studies were pooled by relative risks (RR) and their 95% CIs using the random-effect model. Risk difference (RD) in the 10-year frame was also estimated using the pooled RR and the estimated baseline risk using the control group. Grading of Recommendation Assessment, Development and Evaluation was used to assess the quality of evidence. RESULTS We included 54 trials with 97 910 patients in the analysis. Compared with controls, PCSK9 inhibitors significantly reduced the risk of MACE by 16% (RR, 0.84; 95% CI 0.79 to 0.89; RD: 47 fewer per 1000 vs 286 as the baseline risk; 95% CI 32 to 59 fewer), non-fatal myocardial infarction (MI) by 17% (RR, 0.83; 95% CI 0.74 to 0.93; RD, 35 fewer per 1000 vs 207 as the baseline; 95% CI 13 to 53 fewer) and any stroke by 25% (RR, 0.75; 95% CI 0.65 to 0.85; RD, 16 fewer per 1000 vs 61 as the baseline; 95% CI 9 to 21 fewer) with moderate quality evidence. No significant differences were found between PCSK9 inhibitors and control groups in all-cause mortality, cardiovascular death, heart failure or unstable angina with low-quality evidence. CONCLUSIONS This study demonstrated that PCSK9 inhibitors could significantly reduce the risk of MACE, non-fatal MI and stroke. TRIAL REGISTRATION PROSPERO; CRD42017073904.
-
2.
AGE-RELATED MACULAR DEGENERATION AND THE RISK OF ALL-CAUSE AND CARDIOVASCULAR MORTALITY: A Meta-Analysis of Cohort Studies.
Xin, X, Sun, Y, Li, S, Xu, H, Zhang, D
Retina (Philadelphia, Pa.). 2018;(3):497-507
Abstract
PURPOSE We evaluated the association between age-related macular degeneration (AMD) and the risk of all-cause and cardiovascular mortality by meta-analyses of data from prospective studies. METHODS A literature search was performed in PubMed, Web of Science, Embase, Cocharne Library, and China National Knowledge Infrastructure for relevant articles published up to December 2016. We estimated hazard ratios with 95% confidence intervals with fixed-effect models and conducted meta-regression to explore the potential sources of heterogeneity. Small-study effect was estimated by Egger's test and funnel plot. RESULTS We identified 13 population-based prospective cohort studies that examined the relationship between AMD and all-cause and cardiovascular mortality. Overall, the hazard ratios (95% confidence intervals) of all-cause mortality and cardiovascular mortality associated with any AMD were 1.15 (1.05-1.27) and 1.05 (95% confidence intervals: 0.87-1.26), respectively. The risk of all-cause mortality and cardiovascular mortality associated with early AMD were 1.08 (1.00-1.18) and 1.05 (0.89-1.24), and the associations with late AMD were 1.23 (1.11-1.36) and 1.28 (1.04-1.57), respectively. No evidence of small-study effect was found. CONCLUSION This meta-analysis indicated that AMD, especially late AMD, was associated with increased risk of all-cause mortality and cardiovascular mortality based on comparisons with people who did not have AMD and who were of similar age and sex.
-
3.
Analysis of Lipoprotein Subfractions in 920 Patients With and Without Type 2 Diabetes.
Zhao, X, Zhang, HW, Zhang, Y, Li, S, Xu, RX, Sun, J, Zhu, CG, Wu, NQ, Gao, Y, Guo, YL, et al
Heart, lung & circulation. 2017;(3):211-218
Abstract
BACKGROUND It has been demonstrated that diabetic dyslipidaemia is the chief bridge between diabetes and incremental risk of cardiovascular disease in patients with diabetes. However, the characteristics of lipoprotein subfractions distribution in patients with type 2 diabetes (T2D) have not been fully investigated. The aim of present study was to evaluate the distributions of lipoprotein subfractions in T2D patients. METHODS A total of 920 patients, who have not received lipid-lowering drug treatment previously, were consecutively enrolled in this study. Based on the evidence of diabetes, patients were divided into T2D group (n=204) and non-T2D group (n=716). Both low- and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL- and HDL-C) subfractions were analysed using the Quantimetrix Lipoprint System. The distributions of lipoprotein subfractions were evaluated in patients with and without T2D. RESULTS Compared with non-T2D individuals, the T2D group manifested significantly lower large HDL-C concentration/HDL subfraction percentage, smaller mean LDL particle size but higher small HDL-C and LDL-C concentrations as well as small HDL and LDL subfraction percentages. Moreover, the data indicated that the small HDL-C/ LDL-C concentrations, the small and large HDL subfraction percentages along with the mean LDL particle size were independently related to the existence of T2D (95% CI=1.009-1.067, p=0.009; 95% CI=0.938-0.983, p=0.001; 95% CI=1.023-1.135, p=0.005; 95% CI= 1.005-1.048, p=0.014; 95% CI=0.940-0.999, p=0.040; respectively) assessed by logistic regression analysis. CONCLUSIONS The present study indicated that the changes of lipid profile in patients with T2D are characterised by abnormal distributions of lipoprotein subfractions apart from clinically atherogenic dyslipidaemia.
-
4.
Fruits for Prevention and Treatment of Cardiovascular Diseases.
Zhao, CN, Meng, X, Li, Y, Li, S, Liu, Q, Tang, GY, Li, HB
Nutrients. 2017;(6)
Abstract
Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) are leading global health problems. Accumulating epidemiological studies have indicated that consuming fruits was inversely related to the risk of CVDs. Moreover, substantial experimental studies have supported the protective role of fruits against CVDs, and several fruits (grape, blueberry, pomegranate, apple, hawthorn, and avocado) have been widely studied and have shown potent cardiovascular protective action. Fruits can prevent CVDs or facilitate the restoration of morphology and functions of heart and vessels after injury. The involved mechanisms included protecting vascular endothelial function, regulating lipids metabolism, modulating blood pressure, inhibiting platelets function, alleviating ischemia/reperfusion injury, suppressing thrombosis, reducing oxidative stress, and attenuating inflammation. The present review summarizes recent discoveries about the effects of fruits on CVDs and discusses potential mechanisms of actions based on evidence from epidemiological, experimental, and clinical studies.
-
5.
Nut consumption in relation to cardiovascular disease risk and type 2 diabetes: a systematic review and meta-analysis of prospective studies.
Zhou, D, Yu, H, He, F, Reilly, KH, Zhang, J, Li, S, Zhang, T, Wang, B, Ding, Y, Xi, B
The American journal of clinical nutrition. 2014;(1):270-7
-
-
Free full text
-
Abstract
BACKGROUND Many prospective cohort studies have investigated the association between nut consumption and risk of coronary artery disease (CAD), stroke, hypertension, and type 2 diabetes (T2D). However, results have been inconsistent. OBJECTIVE We aimed to investigate the association between nut consumption and risk of CAD, stroke, hypertension, and T2D. DESIGN PubMed and EMBASE databases were searched up to October 2013. All prospective cohort studies of nut consumption and risk of CAD, stroke, hypertension, and T2D were included. Summary RRs with 95% CIs were estimated by using a fixed- or random-effects model. RESULTS A total of 23 prospective studies (9 studies for CAD, 4 studies for stroke, 4 studies for hypertension, and 6 studies for T2D) from 19 publications were included in the meta-analysis. There were 179,885 participants and 7236 CAD cases, 182,730 participants and 5669 stroke cases, 40,102 participants and 12,814 hypertension cases, and 342,213 participants and 14,400 T2D cases. The consumption of each 1 serving of nuts/d was significantly associated with incident CAD (RR: 0.81; 95% CI: 0.72, 0.91; P < 0.001) and hypertension (RR: 0.66; 95% CI: 0.44, 1.00; P = 0.049). However, there was no association between the consumption of each 1 serving of nuts/d and risk of stroke (RR: 0.90; 95% CI: 0.71, 1.14) or T2D (RR: 0.80; 95% CI: 0.57, 1.14). CONCLUSIONS A higher consumption of nuts was associated with reduced risk of CAD and hypertension but not stroke or T2D. Large randomized controlled trials are warranted to confirm the observed associations.
-
6.
Effects of cigarette reduction on cardiovascular risk factors and subjective measures.
Hatsukami, DK, Kotlyar, M, Allen, S, Jensen, J, Li, S, Le, C, Murphy, S
Chest. 2005;(4):2528-37
Abstract
STUDY OBJECTIVES To assess the effect of continued smoking and smoking reduction on cardiovascular biomarkers (eg, WBC count, cholesterol concentrations, BP, heart rate). DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS This study, conducted at the University of Minnesota, randomized smokers interested in significantly reducing cigarette use but not quitting to either start 12 weeks of smoking reduction immediately (n = 102), assisted by nicotine replacement therapy, or to a 6-week wait list (n = 49). Those starting smoking reduction were required to reduce smoking by 25% for 2 weeks, 50% for 2 weeks, and 75% during the final 2 weeks. After 6 weeks, the subjects were asked to maintain a 50% reduction or quit. Nicotine gum and, if necessary, nicotine patch were used to achieve reduction goals. The wait list group (n = 49) smoked ad libitum for 6 weeks and then reduced smoking as previously described. MEASUREMENTS AND RESULTS Cardiovascular biomarkers (eg, WBC count, cholesterol concentrations, BP, heart rate) were assessed at several time points after enrollment. During ad libitum smoking, cardiovascular biomarkers remained relatively stable with correlation coefficients across the various time measurements, ranging from 0.44 to 1.00 (p < 0.01 for all measures). Among successful nonabstinent reducers (64 of 151 subjects), significant improvements were found in many biomarkers (eg, hemoglobin, hematocrit, RBC and WBC counts, lipids, BP, heart rate, respiratory symptoms, all p < 0.0167). CONCLUSIONS These results show the availability of reliable and dose-sensitive biomarkers and that reduction in smoking can lead to significant but only modest changes in cardiovascular risk factors in healthy smokers. It is not known whether the reductions in cardiovascular risk factors observed after smoking reduction are also associated with reduced disease risk. Additional research is necessary to address this issue.