Published papers

Background: Various treatment approaches for atrial fibrillation (AF) have demonstrated improved health status, yet the significance of these therapeutic interventions in individual patients remains unclear. Objective: This study aimed to evaluate health status changes in patients with early AF, focusing on those who experience clinically significant deterioration after treatment initiation. Methods: We analyzed data from a multicenter, prospective registry of newly diagnosed patients with AF. One-year changes in health status across different treatment strategies were assessed by the Atrial Fibrillation Effect on QualiTy-of-life Overall Summary (AFEQT-OS) score. Clinically relevant deterioration and improvement in health status were defined as ≥5-point decrease and increase in AFEQT-OS score, respectively; no change was −5 to 5 points. Results: Overall, 1960 patients with AF were evaluated. Mean AFEQT-OS scores at baseline and 1-year follow-up were 76.7 ± 17.7 and 85.4 ± 14.8, respectively. Although most patients (53.9%) experienced clinically important improvement, a considerable proportion had no change (28.7%) or deterioration (17.4%) in their health status. Proportions of patients with no change or deterioration varied by treatment strategy: 59.9%, 53.9%, and 32.0% in rate control, antiarrhythmic drug, and catheter ablation groups, respectively. The multivariable model identified older age, female sex, heart failure, coronary artery disease, and higher baseline AFEQT-OS score as independent predictors of worsening health status, regardless of treatment strategy. Conclusion: Many patients with early AF experience worsening or no change in health status irrespective of treatment strategy. Standardizing patients’ health status assessment, especially for patients with comorbidities, may aid in patients’ selection and their outcomes.

BACKGROUND: Catheter ablation (CA) for atrial fibrillation (AF) is preferred for paroxysmal AF (PAF) but selectively performed in patients with persistent AF (PersAF). This study aimed to investigate the prognostic differences and consequences of CA based on the AF type. METHODS AND RESULTS: Data from a multicenter AF cohort study were analyzed, categorizing patients as PAF or PersAF ac-cording to AF duration (≤7 or >7 days, respectively). A composite of all-cause death, heart failure hospitalization, stroke, and bleeding events during 2-year follow-up and changes in the Atrial Fibrillation Effect on Quality-of-life score were compared. Additionally, propensity score matching was performed to compare clinical outcomes of patients with and without CA in both AF types. Among 2788 patients, 51.6% and 48.4% had PAF and PersAF, respectively. Patients with PersAF had a higher incidence of the composite outcome (12.8% versus 7.2%; P<0.001) and smaller improvements in Atrial Fibrillation Effect on Quality-of-life scores than those with PAF. After adjusting for baseline characteristics, PersAF was an independent predictor of adverse outcomes (adjusted hazard ratio, 1.35 [95% CI, 1.30–1.78], P=0.031) and was associated with poor improvements in Atrial Fibrillation Effect on Quality-of-life scores. Propensity score matching analysis showed that the CA group had significantly fewer adverse events than the medication group among patients with PAF (odds ratio, 0.31 [95% CI, 0.18– 0.68]; P=0.002). Patients with PersAF showed a similar but nonsignificant trend. CONCLUSIONS: PersAF is a risk factor for worse clinical outcomes, including patients’ health status. CA is associated with fewer adverse events, although careful consideration is required based on the AF type.

Background: Recent randomized clinical trials have demonstrated that applying rhythm control during the early stage of atrial fibrillation (AF) may lead to improved clinical outcomes. However, the effects of this modality on health-related quality of life (HRQoL) have not been fully investigated. We aimed to assess the association between the AF stage, determined by the time between AF diagnosis and referral to the cardiology clinic, and HRQoL outcomes. Methods: Using an outpatients-based multicenter AF registry (n = 3,313), we analyzed 2,070 patients with AF diagnosed within 5 years. The patients were divided into 2 groups according to AF stage: early and late AF (AF duration ≤1 and >1 year, respectively). All patients had HRQoL information collected at baseline and 1 year after their initial treatment (assessed via the Atrial Fibrillation Effect on Quality-of-Life-overall summary [AFEQT-OS] score, with higher scores reflecting better HRQoL). The change in AFEQT-OS was adjusted for patient characteristics using a generalized linear mixed model. Results: The early AF group (n = 1,644) was older (early, 68.5 ± 11.1, late, 64.4 ± 10.6 years, P < .001) and had more heart failure (early, 19.9%, late, 12.7%, P < .001) than the late AF group (n = 426). At 1 year after treatment, the adjusted changes in AFEQT-OS were similar in patients with rhythm (adjusted difference [SE], early, 8.4 [1.2], late, 7.2 [1.4], P = .15) or rate (early, 4.0 [0.7], late, 2.3 [1.4], P = .16) control, regardless of AF stage. Furthermore, the improvement in HRQoL was similar between early and late AF in patients undergoing catheter ablation (early, 10.2 [2.1], late, 9.8 [2.4], P = .78), whereas a significant difference was observed in those receiving antiarrhythmic drug therapy alone (early, 10.2 [1.4], late, 3.5 [2.2], P < .001). Conclusions: Rhythm control therapy provided clinically meaningful improvements in HRQoL, regardless of AF stage. For patients with impaired HRQoL, AF duration should not be a deterrent to treatment, especially catheter ablation.

Introduction The current guidelines strongly recommend early initiation of multiple classes of cardioprotective drugs for patients with heart failure with reduced ejection fraction to improve prognosis and health status. However, evidence on the optimal sequencing of approved drugs is scarce, highlighting the importance of individualised treatment plans. Registry data indicate that only a portion of these patients can tolerate all four recommended classes, underscoring the need to establish the favoured sequence when using these drugs. Additionally, the choice between long-acting and short-acting loop diuretics in the present era remains uncertain. This is particularly relevant given the frequent use of angiotensin receptor-neprilysin inhibitor and sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 inhibitor, both of which potentiate natriuretic effects. Methods and analysis In a prospective, randomised, open-label, blinded endpoint method, LAQUA-HF (Long-acting vs short-acting diuretics and neurohormonal Agents on patients' QUAlity-of-life in Heart Failure patients) will be a 2×2 factorial design, with a total of 240 patients randomised to sacubitril/valsartan versus dapagliflozin and torsemide versus furosemide in a 1:1 ratio. Most enrolment sites have participated in an ongoing observational registry for consecutive patients hospitalised for heart failure involved dedicated study coordinators, and used the same framework to enrol patients. The primary endpoint is the change in patients' health status over 6 months, defined by the Kansas City Cardiomyopathy Questionnaire. Additionally, clinical benefit at 6 months defined as a hierarchical composite endpoint will be assessed by the win ratio as the secondary endpoint. Ethics and dissemination The medical ethics committee Keio University in Japan has approved this trial. All participants provide written informed consent prior to study entry. The results of this trial will be disseminated in one main paper and additional papers on secondary endpoints and subgroup analyses. Trial registration number UMIN000045229

Background: Measuring the quality of care has been central for improving the outcomes of patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). This study described the performance rates and regional variations in quality metrics for PCI using a representative national Japanese registry. Methods: Overall, 760,854 patients across 714 institutions (2016–2018) were analysed. Quality metrics included preprocedural antiplatelet therapy use, door-to-balloon time ≤90 min for ST-elevation myocardial infarction, transradial approach, and preprocedural noninvasive stress testing for elective cases in 47 Japanese prefectures. Coronary computed tomography angiography (CCTA) and fractional flow reserve (FFR) were also evaluated. Factors associated with preprocedural testing rates were evaluated using multivariable linear regression. Findings: Rates of preprocedural antiplatelet therapy use were high with low variations (96·4% [94·7–97·2%]), but there was still substantial room for improvement in the rates of door-to-balloon time (74·7% [71·2–78·9%]) and transradial approach use (70·9% [65·1–73·4%]). Rates of preprocedural noninvasive stress testing were low with substantial variation (36·6% [27·1–49·7%]). Additionally, we found substantial variations in CCTA (50·0% [39·5–55·1%]) and FFR measurement (15·7% [113·–18·3%]) rates. The number of scintigraphy scanners/ prefecture was associated with the performance of noninvasive stress testing (13·4% [95% CI, 2·45–24·4%] increase for every 1/100,000 population increase in scanners). Interpretations: We observed substantial regional variation in the use of preprocedural testing, and its performance was directly related to nuclear-scanner availability. These findings suggest the need for targeted efforts in improving testing rates, whether by optimising resource allocation or additional education or feedback mechanisms. Funding: This study was funded by the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (Grant Nos. 20H03915, 16H05215, 16KK0186, and 20K22883) and by the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare Grants-in-Aid for Scientific Research Program (Grant No. 21FA1015). The J-PCI registry is led and supported by the Japanese Association of Cardiovascular Intervention and Therapeutics.

Background: The clinical importance of contrast-associated acute kidney injury (CA-AKI), the most common complication after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI), is debated. Objectives: We aimed to assess the association between CA-AKI and long-term outcomes, overall and across the National Cardiovascular Data Registry (NCDR) AKI risk categories. Methods: We analyzed patients undergoing PCI between September 2008 and October 2021 from a Japanese registry aligned with the NCDR and categorized them by the NCDR AKI risk score tertiles (low-risk [<4.9%], intermediate-risk [4.9%-6.7%], and high-risk [≥6.7%]) groups. CA-AKI was defined as a 0.3 mg/dL increase or 50% increase in creatinine or the initiation of dialysis. Cox regression analyses assessed the association between CA-AKI and 2-year major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE; all-cause mortality, acute coronary syndrome, heart failure hospitalization, or stroke), and interactions were tested to examine whether preprocedural risk modified the association of CA-AKI with outcomes. Results: Of 7,916 patients, 723 (9.1%) developed CA-AKI; its incidence for low-risk, intermediate-risk, and high-risk groups was 2.3%, 7.3%, and 17.9%, respectively. CA-AKI was associated with an increased risk of MACE (adjusted HR [aHR]: 1.64; 95% CI: 1.37-1.97). The interaction between AKI risk profile and MACE was not significant (P interaction = 0.14), and a consistent association of CA-AKI and MACE across risk categories was observed (high-risk, aHR: 1.60; 95% CI: 1.30-1.98; intermediate, aHR: 1.64; 95% CI: 1.10-2.44; and low, aHR: 2.84; 95% CI: 1.43-5.65, respectively). Conclusions: CA-AKI was associated with long-term outcomes across all AKI risk profiles in PCI patients, underscoring the importance of interventions to reduce periprocedural CA-AKI.

BACKGROUND: Although they are fast-growing populations in the United States, little is known about survival outcomes of Hispanic and Asian patients after in-hospital cardiac arrest. METHODS AND RESULTS: In Get With The Guidelines–Resuscitation, we identified Asian, Hispanic, and White adults with in-hospital cardiac arrest during 2005 to 2023. Using multivariable models, we compared rates of survival to discharge separately for Asian and Hispanic patients versus White patients, as well as rates of sustained return of spontaneous circulation for ≥20 minutes and favorable neurologic survival as secondary outcomes. Of 189 557 in-hospital cardiac arrests, 167 640 (88.4%), 16 800 (8.9%), and 5117 (2.7%) patients were White, Hispanic, and Asian, respectively. Compared with the survival rate to discharge for White patients (22.0%), rates were lower for Hispanic (19.4%; adjusted odds ratio [OR], 0.93 [95% CI, 0.89–0.97]; P<0.001) and Asian patients (17.8%; adjusted OR, 0.90 [95% CI, 0.83–0.97]; P=0.008), and these differences were attenuated after accounting for the hospital at which patients received care (adjusted OR: Hispanic patients, 0.95 [95% CI, 0.91–1.00]; Asian patients, 0.91 [95% CI, 0.84–0.99]). Although there were no differences in rates of return of spontaneous circulation between White (68.7%), Hispanic (69.0%), and Asian patients (69.7%), both Asian and Hispanic patients were less likely to have favorable neurologic survival (White: 18.3%; Hispanic: 15.4%; adjusted OR, 0.88 [95% CI, 0.84–0.93]; Asian: 13.2%; adjusted OR, 0.80 [95% CI, 0.73–0.87]). These differences were also attenuated after accounting for hospital site. CONCLUSIONS: Compared with White patients, Hispanic and Asian patients with in-hospital cardiac arrest had lower rates of overall survival and favorable neurologic survival. Some of these differences were associated with the hospital at which patients received care.

Atrial fibrillation (AF) is known to aggregate within family and might be associated with a lower quality-of-life (QoL). We evaluated the association between a family history (FHx) of AF and patient-reported symptom burden and perception towards treatment. We performed a retrospective analysis in a cohort of 1285 newly diagnosed patients with AF. Patients completed the atrial fibrillation effect on quality of life (AFEQT) questionnaire at the time of registration and at the 1-year follow-up. Patients who had a first-degree relative with AF were classified into the FHx group. Baseline characteristics and AFEQT scores were compared between groups, and a multivariate analysis was used to evaluate the independent association between FHx and QoL. Overall, 15.9% of patients (n = 204) had a positive AF FHx. Compared to the non-FHx group, the FHx group had an earlier onset of AF (60.2 ± 12.0 years vs. 64.5 ± 12.1 years; P < 0.05) and lower AFEQT overall summary (AFEQT-OS) score at baseline (73.9 ± 17.8 vs. 77.0 ± 16.8; P < 0.05). After adjustment for clinical background, a positive FHx was independently associated with a worse QoL (changes in AFEQT-OS score = − 3.18; 95% confidence interval: − 5.67 to − 0.69; P = 0.012). No between-group difference in AFEQT-OS scores was noted at the 1-year follow-up. An FHx of AF was associated with a lower QoL, which could be improved by therapeutic intervention in patients with AF. Recognizing the presence of an FHx of AF is important to predict patient’s symptom load and treatment acceptance.