Previous studies have shown a relationship between uric acid concentration and progression of renal disease. Here we studied causality between the serum uric acid concentration and progression of diabetic nephropathy in 3895 individuals with type 1 diabetes in the FinnDiane Study. The renal status was assessed with the urinary albumin excretion rate and estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGF...

OBJECTIVE: Whether meniscal extrusion and bone marrow lesions (BMLs) are independently associated with the risk of knee osteoarthritis (OA) is unknown. METHODS: Data was extracted from the Osteoarthritis Initiative (OAI) cohort. Participants were grouped according to the absence (Kellgren-Lawrence (KL) grade ≤ 1, n = 2120) or presence (KL ≥ 2, n = 2249) of radiographic OA (ROA). Baseline...

OBJECTIVES: There is ongoing debate regarding the optimal serum concentrations of 25-hydroxy-vitamin D for musculoskeletal health, including osteoarthritis (OA). The aim of this prospective cohort study was to determine whether serum 25-hydroxy-vitamin D concentrations were associated with the risk of hip arthroplasty for OA. DESIGN: This study examined 9135 participants from the Australian ...

OBJECTIVES: The role of the microcirculation in the pathogenesis of osteoarthritis (OA) remains unclear. This prospective cohort study examined the association between retinal vascular calibre and incidence of knee replacement for OA. DESIGN: 1838 participants of the Australian Diabetes, Obesity and Lifestyle (AusDiab) Study had retinal vascular calibre measured using a nonmydriatic digital ...

BACKGROUND & AIMS: Advanced glycation end-products (AGEs) levels are high in western diets and contribute to tissue injury via activation of RAGE (receptor for AGEs) and generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS). Here, we determined if high dietary AGE intake worsens progression of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). METHODS: Male Sprague Dawley rats were fed a methionine choline de...

AIMS: Diet plays an important role in the management of type 1 diabetes. However, the association between dietary intake and health has not been extensively studied in this population. We studied the cross-sectional association between dietary factors, and selected vascular health markers and complications in type 1 diabetes. METHODS: Data from 874 individuals with type 1 diabetes partic...

PURPOSE: This study was designed to examine the long-term survival of patients who survived to be weaned from venoarterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (VA ECMO) and to determine which factors present at initiation and during ECMO predict long-term survival. We further sought to develop the preliminary long-term outcome after VA ECMO score that would predict patient outcome and to ass...

BACKGROUND: Vertebral endplate (Modic) lesions are gaining interest, with varied phenotypes recognised to have distinct clinical and histological correlates. Nevertheless, the natural history of these lesions is unclear. This study examined the natural history of Modic changes and their potential relationship to the intervertebral disc. METHODS: Seventy-two community-based adults not sel...

BACKGROUND: In the Determining the Efficacy and Tolerability of cholesteryl ester transfer protein (CETP) INhibition with AnacEtrapib (DEFINE) trial, anacetrapib added to statin produced robust low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C)-lowering and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C)-raising vs placebo in patients with coronary heart disease (CHD). Predictors of the degree of LDL-...

BACKGROUND: Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) may alter cardiac structure and function, but obesity, hypertension (HTN), or aging can induce similar abnormalities. OBJECTIVES: This study sought to link cardiac phenotypes in T2DM patients with clinical profiles and outcomes using cluster analysis. METHODS: Baseline echocardiography and a composite endpoint (cardiovascular mortality and ...

BACKGROUND: Clinical trials applying catheter-based radiofrequency renal denervation (RDN) demonstrated a favorable safety profile with minimal acute or procedural adverse events. Whether ablation of renal nerves adversely affects compensatory responses to hemodynamic challenge has not been extensively investigated. OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to examine the effect of RDN on me...

Alcohol is popular in Western culture, supported by a perception that modest intake is cardioprotective. However, excessive drinking has detrimental implications for cardiovascular disease. Atrial fibrillation (AF) following an alcohol binge or the "holiday heart syndrome" is well characterized. However, more modest levels of alcohol intake on a regular basis may also increase the risk of AF. T...

BACKGROUND: Impaired functional capacity is a hallmark of patients with heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF). Despite the association of HFpEF with reduced myocardial compliance attributed to fibrosis, spironolactone has not been shown to alter outcomes-perhaps reflecting the heterogeneity of underlying pathological mechanisms. OBJECTIVES: The authors sought to identify...

OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to use cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) imaging and invasive left ventricular (LV) pressure-volume (PV) measurements to explore the relationship between diffuse myocardial fibrosis and indexes of diastolic performance in a cohort of cardiac transplant recipients. BACKGROUND: The precise mechanism of LV diastolic dysfunction in the presence of myocard...

OBJECTIVES: This study sought to assess whether baseline and change in contemporary sensitive troponin I (TnI) levels predicts coronary heart disease (CHD) death and myocardial infarction (MI), and to determine the effects of pravastatin on TnI levels. BACKGROUND: The role of troponins in predicting long-term outcomes in patients with stable CHD is not clearly defined. METHODS: The LIPID (...

OBJECTIVES: We sought to assess the effect of atrial fibrillation (AF) on atrial thrombogenesis in humans by determining the impact of rate and rhythm. BACKGROUND: Although AF is known to increase the risk of thromboembolic stroke from the left atrium (LA), the exact mechanisms remain poorly understood. METHODS: We studied 55 patients with AF who underwent catheter ablation while in sinus...

OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to evaluate diffuse myocardial fibrosis of the left ventricle (LV) in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF). BACKGROUND: Diffuse myocardial fibrosis is a hallmark of cardiomyopathy. Unlike replacement fibrosis, it is not visualized on delayed-enhancement cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) imaging, but may be quantified with contrast-enhanced T(1) mapp...

OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to assess cost-effectiveness and long-term clinical benefits of renal denervation in resistant hypertensive patients. BACKGROUND: Resistant hypertension affects 12% of hypertensive persons. In the Symplicity HTN-2 randomized controlled trial, catheter-based renal denervation (RDN) lowered systolic blood pressure by 32 ± 23 mm Hg from 178 ± 18 mm Hg a...

OBJECTIVES: The goal of this study was to make a head-to-head comparison of 2 common forms of multidisciplinary chronic heart failure (CHF) management. BACKGROUND: Although direct patient contact appears to be best in delivering CHF management overall, the precise form to optimize health outcomes is less clear. METHODS: This prospective, multicenter randomized controlled trial with blinded...