@article {5852, title = {Racial differences in the incidence of and risk factors for atrial fibrillation in older adults: the cardiovascular health study.}, journal = {J Am Geriatr Soc}, volume = {61}, year = {2013}, month = {2013 Feb}, pages = {276-80}, abstract = {

This study examined whether different associations between risk factors and atrial fibrillation (AF) according to race could explain the lower incidence of AF in blacks. Baseline risk factor information was obtained from interviews, clinical examinations, and echocardiography in 4,774 white and 911 black Cardiovascular Health Study participants aged 65 and older without a history of AF at baseline in 1989/90 or 1992/93. Incident AF was determined according to hospital discharge diagnosis or annual study electrocardiogram. Cox regression was used to assess associations between risk factors and race and incident AF. During a mean 11.2 years of follow-up, 1,403 whites and 182 blacks had incident AF. Associations between all examined risk factors were similar in both races, except left ventricular posterior wall thickness, which was more strongly associated with AF in blacks (per 0.2 cm, blacks: hazard ratio (HR) = 1.72, 95\% confidence interval (CI) = 1.44-2.06; whites: HR = 1.30, 95\% CI = 1.18-1.43). Overall, the relative risk of AF was 25\% lower in blacks than whites after adjustment for age and sex (HR = 0.75, 95\% CI = 0.64-0.87) and 45\% lower after adjustment for all considered risk factors (HR = 0.55, 95\% CI = 0.35-0.88). Different associations of the considered risk factors and incident AF by race do not explain the lower incidence of AF in blacks.

}, keywords = {Aged, Atrial Fibrillation, Continental Population Groups, Female, Follow-Up Studies, Humans, Incidence, Male, Prevalence, Risk Assessment, Risk Factors, Stroke, United States}, issn = {1532-5415}, doi = {10.1111/jgs.12085}, author = {Jensen, Paul N and Thacker, Evan L and Dublin, Sascha and Psaty, Bruce M and Heckbert, Susan R} } @article {6543, title = {Association of sick sinus syndrome with incident cardiovascular disease and mortality: the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities study and Cardiovascular Health Study.}, journal = {PLoS One}, volume = {9}, year = {2014}, month = {2014}, pages = {e109662}, abstract = {

BACKGROUND: Sick sinus syndrome (SSS) is a common indication for pacemaker implantation. Limited information exists on the association of sick sinus syndrome (SSS) with mortality and cardiovascular disease (CVD) in the general population.

METHODS: We studied 19,893 men and women age 45 and older in the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities (ARIC) study and the Cardiovascular Health Study (CHS), two community-based cohorts, who were without a pacemaker or atrial fibrillation (AF) at baseline. Incident SSS cases were validated by review of medical charts. Incident CVD and mortality were ascertained using standardized protocols. Multivariable Cox models were used to estimate the association of incident SSS with selected outcomes.

RESULTS: During a mean follow-up of 17 years, 213 incident SSS events were identified and validated (incidence, 0.6 events per 1,000 person-years). After adjustment for confounders, SSS incidence was associated with increased mortality (hazard ratio [HR] 1.39, 95\% confidence interval [CI] 1.14-1.70), coronary heart disease (HR 1.72, 95\%CI 1.11-2.66), heart failure (HR 2.87, 95\%CI 2.17-3.80), stroke (HR 1.56, 95\%CI 0.99-2.46), AF (HR 5.75, 95\%CI 4.43-7.46), and pacemaker implantation (HR 53.7, 95\%CI 42.9-67.2). After additional adjustment for other incident CVD during follow-up, SSS was no longer associated with increased mortality, coronary heart disease, or stroke, but remained associated with higher risk of heart failure (HR 2.00, 95\%CI 1.51-2.66), AF (HR 4.25, 95\%CI 3.28-5.51), and pacemaker implantation (HR 25.2, 95\%CI 19.8-32.1).

CONCLUSION: Individuals who develop SSS are at increased risk of death and CVD. The mechanisms underlying these associations warrant further investigation.

}, keywords = {Age Distribution, Atherosclerosis, Cohort Studies, Continental Population Groups, Female, Humans, Incidence, Male, Middle Aged, Residence Characteristics, Risk, Sex Distribution, Sick Sinus Syndrome}, issn = {1932-6203}, doi = {10.1371/journal.pone.0109662}, author = {Alonso, Alvaro and Jensen, Paul N and Lopez, Faye L and Chen, Lin Y and Psaty, Bruce M and Folsom, Aaron R and Heckbert, Susan R} } @article {6572, title = {Incidence of and risk factors for sick sinus~syndrome in the general population.}, journal = {J Am Coll Cardiol}, volume = {64}, year = {2014}, month = {2014 Aug 12}, pages = {531-8}, abstract = {

BACKGROUND: Little is known about the incidence of and risk factors for sick sinus syndrome (SSS), a common indication for pacemaker implantation.

OBJECTIVES: This study sought to describe the epidemiology of SSS.

METHODS: This analysis included 20,572 participants (mean baseline age 59 years, 43\% male) in the ARIC (Atherosclerosis Risk In Communities) study and the CHS (Cardiovascular Health Study), who at baseline were free of prevalent atrial fibrillation and pacemaker therapy, had a heart rate of >= 50 beats/min unless using beta blockers, and were identified as of white or black race. Incident SSS cases were identified by hospital discharge International Classification of Disease-revision 9-Clinical Modification code 427.81 and validated by medical record review.

RESULTS: During an average 17 years of follow-up, 291 incident SSS cases were identified (unadjusted rate 0.8 per 1,000 person-years). Incidence increased with age (hazard ratio [HR]: 1.73; 95\% confidence interval [CI]: 1.47 to 2.05 per 5-year increment), and blacks had a 41\% lower risk of SSS than whites (HR: 0.59; 95\% CI: 0.37 to 0.98). Incident SSS was associated with greater baseline body mass index, height, N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide, and cystatin C, with longer QRS interval, with lower heart rate, and with prevalent hypertension, right bundle branch block, and cardiovascular disease. We project that the annual number of new SSS cases in the United States will increase from 78,000 in 2012 to 172,000 in 2060.

CONCLUSIONS: Blacks have a lower risk of SSS than whites, and several cardiovascular risk factors were associated with incident SSS. With the aging of the population, the number of Americans with SSS will increase dramatically over the next 50 years.

}, keywords = {African Continental Ancestry Group, Aged, Aged, 80 and over, Cohort Studies, European Continental Ancestry Group, Female, Follow-Up Studies, Humans, Incidence, Male, Middle Aged, Population Surveillance, Prospective Studies, Risk Factors, Sick Sinus Syndrome}, issn = {1558-3597}, doi = {10.1016/j.jacc.2014.03.056}, author = {Jensen, Paul N and Gronroos, Noelle N and Chen, Lin Y and Folsom, Aaron R and deFilippi, Chris and Heckbert, Susan R and Alonso, Alvaro} } @article {6950, title = {Association of Smoking, Alcohol, and Obesity with Cardiovascular Death and Ischemic Stroke in Atrial Fibrillation: The Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities (ARIC) Study and Cardiovascular Health Study (CHS).}, journal = {PLoS One}, volume = {11}, year = {2016}, month = {2016}, pages = {e0147065}, abstract = {

Atrial fibrillation (AF) is associated with an increased risk of ischemic stroke and cardiovascular (CV) death. Whether modifiable lifestyle risk factors are associated with these CV outcomes in AF is unknown. Among Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities (ARIC) study and Cardiovascular Health Study (CHS) participants with incident AF, we estimated the risk of composite endpoint of ischemic stroke or CV death associated with candidate modifiable risk factor (smoking, heavy alcohol consumption, or high body mass index [BMI]), and computed the C-statistic, net reclassification improvement (NRI), and integrated discrimination improvement (IDI) of incorporating each factor into the CHA2DS2-VASc. Among 1222 ARIC (mean age: 63.4) and 756 CHS (mean age: 79.1) participants with incident AF, during mean follow-up of 6.9 years and 5.7 years, there were 332 and 335 composite events respectively. Compared with never smokers, current smokers had a higher incidence of the composite endpoint in ARIC [HR: 1.65 (1.21-2.26)] but not in CHS [HR: 1.05 (0.69-1.61)]. In ARIC, the addition of current smoking did not improve risk prediction over and above the CHA2DS2-VASc. No significant associations were observed with alcohol consumption or BMI with CVD outcomes in AF patients from either cohort. Smoking is associated with an increased risk of ischemic stroke or CV death in ARIC, which comprised mostly middle-aged to young-old (65-74 years), but not in CHS, which comprised mostly middle-old or oldest-old (>=75 years) adults with AF. However, addition of smoking to the CHA2DS2-VASc score did not improve risk prediction of these outcomes.

}, keywords = {Aged, Alcohol Drinking, Atrial Fibrillation, Cardiovascular Diseases, Female, Humans, Male, Middle Aged, Obesity, Smoking, Stroke}, issn = {1932-6203}, doi = {10.1371/journal.pone.0147065}, author = {Kwon, Younghoon and Norby, Faye L and Jensen, Paul N and Agarwal, Sunil K and Soliman, Elsayed Z and Lip, Gregory Y H and Longstreth, W T and Alonso, Alvaro and Heckbert, Susan R and Chen, Lin Y} } @article {9171, title = {Plasma epoxyeicosatrienoic acids and diabetes-related cardiovascular disease: The cardiovascular health study.}, journal = {EBioMedicine}, volume = {83}, year = {2022}, month = {2022 Sep}, pages = {104189}, abstract = {

BACKGROUND: Epoxyeicosatrienoic acids (EETs) are metabolites of arachidonic acid that may impact atherosclerosis, and animal experimental studies suggest EETs protect cardiac function. Plasma EETs are mostly esterified to phospholipids and part of an active pool. To address the limited information about EETs and CVD in humans, we conducted a prospective study of total plasma EETs (free~+~esterified) and diabetes-related CVD in the Cardiovascular Health Study (CHS).

METHODS: We measured 4 EET species and their metabolites, dihydroxyepoxyeicosatrienoic acids (DHETs), in plasma samples from 892 CHS participants with type 2 diabetes. We determined the association of EETs and DHETs with incident myocardial infarction (MI) and ischemic stroke using Cox regression.

FINDINGS: During follow-up (median 7.5 years), we identified 150 MI and 134 ischemic strokes. In primary, multivariable analyses, elevated levels of each EET species were associated with non-significant lower risk of incident MI (for example, hazard ratio for 1 SD higher 14,15-EET: 0.86, 95\% CI: 0.72-1.02; p=0.08). The EETs-MI associations became significant in analyses further adjusted for DHETs (hazard ratio for 1 SD higher 14,15-EET adjusted for 14,15-DHET: 0.76, 95\% CI: 0.63-0.91; p=0.004). Elevated EET levels were associated with higher risk of ischemic stroke in primary but not secondary analyses. Three DHET species were associated with higher risk of ischemic stroke in all analyses.

INTERPRETATION: Findings from this prospective study complement the extensive studies in animal models showing EETs protect cardiac function and provide new information in humans. Replication is needed to confirm the associations.

FUNDING: US National Institutes of Health.

}, keywords = {Animals, Arachidonic Acids, Cardiovascular Diseases, Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2, Eicosanoids, Humans, Ischemic Stroke, Prospective Studies}, issn = {2352-3964}, doi = {10.1016/j.ebiom.2022.104189}, author = {Lemaitre, Rozenn N and Jensen, Paul N and Zeigler, Maxwell and Fretts, Amanda M and Umans, Jason G and Howard, Barbara V and Sitlani, Colleen M and McKnight, Barbara and Gharib, Sina A and King, Irena B and Siscovick, David S and Psaty, Bruce M and Sotoodehnia, Nona and Totah, Rheem A} } @article {9533, title = {Plasma Ceramides and Sphingomyelins and Sudden Cardiac Death in the Cardiovascular Health Study.}, journal = {JAMA Netw Open}, volume = {6}, year = {2023}, month = {2023 Nov 01}, pages = {e2343854}, abstract = {

IMPORTANCE: Sphingolipids, including ceramides and sphingomyelins, may influence the pathophysiology and risk of sudden cardiac death (SCD) through multiple biological activities. Whether the length of the fatty acid acylated to plasma sphingolipid species is associated with SCD risk is not known.

OBJECTIVE: To determine whether the saturated fatty acid length of plasma ceramides and sphingomyelins influences the association with SCD risk.

DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS: In this cohort study, multivariable Cox proportional hazards regression models were used to examine the association of sphingolipid species with SCD risk. The study population included 4612 participants in the Cardiovascular Health Study followed up prospectively for a median of 10.2 (IQR, 5.5-11.6) years. Baseline data were collected from January 1992 to December 1995 during annual examinations. Data were analyzed from February 11, 2020, to September 9, 2023.

EXPOSURES: Eight plasma sphingolipid species (4 ceramides and 4 sphingomyelins) with saturated fatty acids of 16, 20, 22, and 24 carbons.

MAIN OUTCOME AND MEASURE: Association of plasma ceramides and sphingomyelins with saturated fatty acids of different lengths with SCD risk.

RESULTS: Among the 4612 CHS participants included in the analysis (mean [SD] age, 77 [5] years; 2724 [59.1\%] women; 6 [0.1\%] American Indian; 4 [0.1\%] Asian; 718 [15.6\%] Black; 3869 [83.9\%] White, and 15 [0.3\%] Other), 215 SCD cases were identified. In adjusted Cox proportional hazards regression analyses, plasma ceramides and sphingomyelins with palmitic acid (Cer-16 and SM-16) were associated with higher SCD risk per higher SD of log sphingolipid levels (hazard ratio [HR] for Cer-16, 1.34 [95\% CI, 1.12-1.59]; HR for SM-16, 1.37 [95\% CI, 1.12-1.67]). Associations did not differ by baseline age, sex, race, or body mass index. No significant association of SCD with sphingolipids with very-long-chain saturated fatty acids was observed after correction for multiple testing (HR for ceramide with arachidic acid, 1.06 [95\% CI, 0.90-1.24]; HR for ceramide with behenic acid, 0.92 [95\% CI, 0.77-1.10]; HR for ceramide with lignoceric acid, 0.92 [95\% CI, 0.77-1.09]; HR for sphingomyelin with arachidic acid, 0.83 [95\% CI, 0.71-0.98]; HR for sphingomyelin with behenic acid, 0.84 [95\% CI, 0.70-1.00]; HR for sphingomyelin with lignoceric acid, 0.86 [95\% CI, 0.72-1.03]).

CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE: The findings of this large, population-based cohort study of SCD identified that higher plasma levels of Cer-16 and SM-16 were associated with higher risk of SCD. Future studies are needed to examine the underlying mechanism of these associations.

}, keywords = {Aged, Ceramides, Cohort Studies, Death, Sudden, Cardiac, Eicosanoic Acids, Fatty Acids, Female, Humans, Male, Sphingolipids, Sphingomyelins}, issn = {2574-3805}, doi = {10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2023.43854}, author = {Bockus, Lee B and Jensen, Paul N and Fretts, Amanda M and Hoofnagle, Andrew N and McKnight, Barbara and Sitlani, Colleen M and Siscovick, David S and King, Irena B and Psaty, Bruce M and Sotoodehnia, Nona and Lemaitre, Rozenn N} } @article {9451, title = {Plasma Trimethylamine--Oxide and Incident Ischemic Stroke: The Cardiovascular Health Study and the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis.}, journal = {J Am Heart Assoc}, volume = {12}, year = {2023}, month = {2023 Aug 15}, pages = {e8711}, abstract = {

Background The association of circulating trimethylamine--oxide (TMAO) with stroke has received limited attention. To address this gap, we examined the associations of serial measures of plasma TMAO with incident ischemic stroke. Methods and Results We used a prospective cohort design with data pooled from 2 cohorts. The settings were the CHS (Cardiovascular Health Study), a cohort of older adults, and the MESA (Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis), both in the United States. We measured plasma concentrations of TMAO at baseline and again during the follow-up using high-performance liquid chromatography and mass spectrometry. We assessed the association of plasma TMAO with incident ischemic stroke using proportional hazards regression adjusted for risk factors. The combined cohorts included 11 785 participants without a history of stroke, on average 73 (CHS) and 62 (MESA) years old at baseline, including 60\% (CHS) and 53\% (MESA) women. We identified 1031 total incident ischemic strokes during a median 15-year follow-up in the combined cohorts. In multivariable analyses, TMAO was significantly associated with incident ischemic stroke risk (hazard ratios comparing a doubling of TMAO: 1.11 [1.03-1.18], =0.004). The association was linear over the range of TMAO concentrations and appeared restricted to those without diagnosed coronary heart disease. An association with hemorrhagic stroke was not found. Conclusions Plasma TMAO levels are associated with incident ischemic stroke in a diverse population. Registration URL: https://www.clinicaltrials.gov. Unique identifier: NCT00005133.

}, keywords = {Aged, Atherosclerosis, Female, Humans, Ischemic Stroke, Methylamines, Oxides, Prospective Studies, Risk Factors, Stroke, United States}, issn = {2047-9980}, doi = {10.1161/JAHA.122.029230}, author = {Lemaitre, Rozenn N and Jensen, Paul N and Wang, Zeneng and Fretts, Amanda M and Sitlani, Colleen M and Nemet, Ina and Sotoodehnia, Nona and de Oliveira Otto, Marcia C and Zhu, Weifei and Budoff, Matt and Longstreth, W T and Psaty, Bruce M and Siscovick, David S and Hazen, Stanley L and Mozaffarian, Dariush} } @article {9747, title = {Trimethylamine -Oxide and Related Gut Microbe-Derived Metabolites and Incident Heart Failure Development in Community-Based Populations.}, journal = {Circ Heart Fail}, volume = {17}, year = {2024}, month = {2024 Aug}, pages = {e011569}, abstract = {

BACKGROUND: Growing evidence indicates that trimethylamine -oxide, a gut microbial metabolite of dietary choline and carnitine, promotes both cardiovascular disease and chronic kidney disease risk. It remains unclear how circulating concentrations of trimethylamine -oxide and its related dietary and gut microbe-derived metabolites (choline, betaine, carnitine, γ-butyrobetaine, and crotonobetaine) affect incident heart failure (HF).

METHODS: We evaluated 11 768 participants from the Cardiovascular Health Study and the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis with serial measures of metabolites. Cox proportional hazard models were used to examine the associations between metabolites and incident HF, adjusted for cardiovascular disease risk factors.

RESULTS: In all, 2102 cases of HF occurred over a median follow-up of 15.9 years. After adjusting for traditional risk factors, higher concentrations of trimethylamine -oxide (hazard ratio, 1.15 [95\% CI, 1.09-1.20]; <0.001), choline (hazard ratio, 1.44 [95\% CI, 1.26-1.64]; <0.001), and crotonobetaine (hazard ratio, 1.24 [95\% CI, 1.16-1.32]; <0.001) were associated with increased risk for incident HF. After further adjustment for renal function (potential confounder or mediator), these associations did not reach Bonferroni-corrected statistical significance (=0.01, 0.049, and 0.006, respectively). Betaine and carnitine were nominally associated with a higher incidence of HF (<0.05). In exploratory analyses, results were similar for subtypes of HF based on left ventricular ejection fraction, and associations appeared generally stronger among Black and Hispanic/Latino versus White adults, although there were no interactions for any metabolites with race.

CONCLUSIONS: In this pooled analysis of 2 well-phenotyped, diverse, community-based cohorts, circulating concentrations of gut microbe-derived metabolites such as trimethylamine -oxide, choline, and crotonobetaine were independently associated with a higher risk of developing HF.

REGISTRATION: URL: https://www.clinicaltrials.gov/; Unique identifiers: NCT00005133 and NCT00005487.

}, keywords = {Aged, Aged, 80 and over, Betaine, Biomarkers, Carnitine, Choline, Female, Gastrointestinal Microbiome, Heart Failure, Humans, Incidence, Male, Methylamines, Middle Aged, Risk Factors, United States}, issn = {1941-3297}, doi = {10.1161/CIRCHEARTFAILURE.124.011569}, author = {Tang, W H Wilson and Lemaitre, Rozenn N and Jensen, Paul N and Wang, Meng and Wang, Zeneng and Li, Xinmin S and Nemet, Ina and Lee, Yujin and Lai, Heidi T M and de Oliveira Otto, Marcia C and Fretts, Amanda M and Sotoodehnia, Nona and DiDonato, Joseph A and B{\"a}ckhed, Fredrik and Psaty, Bruce M and Siscovick, David S and Budoff, Matthew J and Mozaffarian, Dariush and Hazen, Stanley L} }