Vascular Health and Risk Management最新文献

{"title":"Malondialdehyde-Superoxide Dismutase Redox Imbalance as an Early Biological Risk Indicator in Young Adult Smokers.","authors":"Kumboyono Kumboyono, Indah Nur Chomsy, Titin Andri Wihastuti","doi":"10.2147/VHRM.S612717","DOIUrl":"10.2147/VHRM.S612717","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Purpose: </strong>Young adult smokers represent a population in which smoking-related health risks may accumulate silently before the onset of clinically apparent disease. Although smoking-related changes in malondialdehyde (MDA) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) have been widely reported, less is known about their combined oxidant-antioxidant pattern in apparently healthy young adults during the early smoking trajectory. This study aimed to compare serum MDA and SOD levels between young adult smokers and non-smokers and to evaluate the MDA-SOD interplay as a marker of early redox imbalance.</p><p><strong>Patients and methods: </strong>A comparative cross-sectional study was conducted involving 190 participants aged 18-25 years, comprising 95 smokers and 95 non-smokers recruited from university communities. Smoking exposure was assessed using structured interviews and quantified by the Heaviness of Smoking Index and serum cotinine level. Serum MDA, SOD, and cotinine levels were measured using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay methods. Group comparisons were performed using appropriate parametric or non-parametric tests, and associations between oxidative stress biomarkers were analysed using Spearman and Pearson correlation.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Smokers exhibited significantly higher serum MDA concentrations than non-smokers [median 3.28 nmol/mL (range, 1.75-5.89) vs 2.27 nmol/mL (range, 0.99-5.83); p < 0.001] and significantly lower SOD activity (132.4 ± 26.7 vs 158.3 ± 29.1 U/L; p < 0.001). Across all participants, serum cotinine was positively associated with MDA (Spear man's <i>ρ</i> = 0.576, p < 0.001) and inversely associated with SOD (Pearson's r = -0.518, p < 0.001). MDA was also inversely associated with SOD (Spearman's <i>ρ</i> = -0.318, p < 0.001). These findings indicate a measurable oxidant-antioxidant imbalance associated with biochemical tobacco exposure in young adults.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Young adult smokers exhibit early oxidant-antioxidant imbalance indicative of subclinical biological vulnerability associated with smoking exposure. These findings highlight the relevance of the MDA-SOD redox interplay as a biologically coherent marker pair for assessing early smoking-related redox disturbance in young adults.</p>","PeriodicalId":23597,"journal":{"name":"Vascular Health and Risk Management","volume":"22 ","pages":"612717"},"PeriodicalIF":3.2,"publicationDate":"2026-08-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13454871/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148707875","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Lipidomic Profiling and Biological Aging in Patients with Coronary Microvascular Dysfunction.","authors":"Danbo Lu, Lixiang Deng, Zhe Wang, Yiqing Hu, Congcong Pan, Hao Lu, You Zhou","doi":"10.2147/VHRM.S606866","DOIUrl":"10.2147/VHRM.S606866","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Coronary microvascular dysfunction (CMD) was frequently encountered in patients with angina in the absence of epicardial coronary stenosis. CMD was associated with adverse outcomes while the etiology was unclear.</p><p><strong>Objective: </strong>In this study, we aimed to investigate the association between lipidomic abnormalities, biological aging and CMD.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>We consecutively enrolled 43 patients with angina exhibiting no epicardial coronary stenosis on angiography. CMD was defined by a coronary angiography-derived index of microvascular resistance (caIMR) >25. Targeted lipidomic profiling quantified 781 lipids. PhenoAge was calculated from clinical parameters. Using machine learning, lipidomic data and clinical characteristics were screened to identify candidate biomarkers.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>There were 25 patients having CMD with the mean caIMR of 34.0 (Interquartile range [IQR], 31.0-36.5), in contrast to 23.0 (IQR, 19.0-24.5) in the control group. Patients with CMD had substantially older PhenoAge (61 vs 52, p = 0.002). Forty-eight lipid species were dysregulated in patients with CMD, which predominantly belonged to triacylglycerol (TAG). PhenoAge, triglyceride glucose index, hypertension, TAG47:2-FA14:0, TAG48:4-FA18:1 and phosphatidylcholine (18:1/20:3) were independent risk factors of CMD. Incorporating dysregulated lipids significantly improved CMD prediction compared to traditional clinical factors alone (area under the curve, 0.94 vs 0.86, p < 0.05).</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>PhenoAge acceleration and dysregulated lipidome were associated with CMD. Larger-scale studies and external validation are needed in the future.</p>","PeriodicalId":23597,"journal":{"name":"Vascular Health and Risk Management","volume":"22 ","pages":"606866"},"PeriodicalIF":3.2,"publicationDate":"2026-07-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13387183/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148550690","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Comparison of FINDRISC and the Framingham Model for Predicting CHD Risk: Results from the Kharameh Cohort Study.","authors":"Andishe Hamedi, Mozhgan Seif, Mohammad Hossein Sharifi, Abbas Rezaianzadeh, Hossein Lashkardoost, Fatemeh Baberi, Jafar Hassanzadeh","doi":"10.2147/VHRM.S619033","DOIUrl":"10.2147/VHRM.S619033","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Coronary heart disease is a leading cause of death worldwide, making early risk identification essential. This study compares the predictive performance of FINDRISC and the Framingham model in the Kharameh Cohort.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>This prospective cohort study included 9,469 participants aged 40-70 years from the Kharameh cohort (a branch of the PERSIAN study) who were free of CHD at baseline and were followed for 6 years to identify incident CHD events. Data on FINDRISC components, as well as laboratory and demographic variables, were collected at enrollment. Logistic regression models were developed using the total FINDRISC score and its individual items, and their predictive performance was compared with the Framingham non‑laboratory risk score using 10‑fold cross‑validation and metrics including AUC‑ROC, sensitivity, and specificity.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>During a six‑year follow‑up of 9,469 participants (mean age 51.6 years, 55.6% female), 540 incident CHD events (5.7%) were identified. The total FINDRISC score was significantly higher in individuals who developed CHD (11.35 vs. 9.59, P<0.001). However, the total FINDRISC score alone showed weak discriminatory power (AUC=58.6%, 95% CI: 55.9-61.3%). An item-based FINDRISC model demonstrated improved performance (AUC=71%, 95% CI: 68.9-73%), and further enhancement with gender, systolic blood pressure, and total cholesterol yielded the highest predictive accuracy (AUC=75.2%, 95% CI: 73%-77%). The non‑laboratory Framingham risk score (AUC=73.3%, 95% CI: 71.4-75.1%) showed similar discriminatory performance compared with the enhanced item‑based FINDRISC models.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>The enhanced item-based FINDRISC model, incorporating gender and systolic blood pressure showed comparable performance to the Framingham non-laboratory model, providing a simple, accessible screening tool for the Iranian population.</p>","PeriodicalId":23597,"journal":{"name":"Vascular Health and Risk Management","volume":"22 ","pages":"619033"},"PeriodicalIF":3.2,"publicationDate":"2026-07-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13380240/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148498028","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Explainable Machine Learning for Risk Prediction of Reduced Quality of Life in Hypertension.","authors":"Sri Andala, Muhammad Iqhrammullah, Agusri Agusri, Bryan Gervais De Liyis, Derren D C H Rampengan, Starry Homenta Rampengan, Farrah Fahdhienie, Muhammad Habiburrahman","doi":"10.2147/VHRM.S614061","DOIUrl":"10.2147/VHRM.S614061","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Individuals with hypertension are at risk to reduced quality of life (QoL). Explainable machine learning (ML) can be used for domain-specific risk stratification and prioritization of modifiable determinants of low QoL.</p><p><strong>Objective: </strong>To train ML classifier algorithms for QoL risk stratification in hypertension, where meaningful determinants were explored through Shapley additive explanations (SHAP).</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Data from hypertensive individuals (n = 534) completed WHOQOL BREF, Quick Physical Activity Rating, Morisky Medication Adherence Scale 8, and standardized questionnaires for acceptance and knowledge were analyzed utilizing Decision Tree, Gradient Boosting, XGBoost, AdaBoost, Random Forest, and Naive Bayes ML classifiers. The trained ML algorithms were evaluated using stratified 10-fold cross-validation, where the stability was examined using rank-based metrics. SHAP were applied to the gradient boosting, as the most stable model.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>For physical QoL, Random Forest (AUC 0.850; sensitivity 0.835; specificity 0.738) and Gradient Boosting (AUC 0.850; sensitivity 0.801; specificity 0.764) showed good reduced QoL identification. For psychological domain, best classifications were obtained from Gradient Boosting performed best (AUC 0.833; sensitivity 0.818; specificity 0.651) and XGBoost (AUC 0.831; sensitivity 0.824; specificity 0.660), with the former observed as the most stable SHAP analysis identified acceptance and medication adherence as the dominant shared drivers of risk across both QoL domains. Physical QoL risk was further influenced by physical activity-related factors, whereas Psychological QoL risk showed additional contributions from age and educational attainment.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Ensemble tree-based classifiers, particularly Gradient Boosting, had the most optimal performance in discriminating reduced and good QoL. Acceptance and medication adherence are the most influential shared drivers of risk, while physical activity, age, and educational attainment contributed to domain-specific heterogeneity.</p>","PeriodicalId":23597,"journal":{"name":"Vascular Health and Risk Management","volume":"22 ","pages":"614061"},"PeriodicalIF":3.2,"publicationDate":"2026-07-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13380243/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148498097","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Elevated Hydrocarbon Exposure Escalates Coronary and Cerebrovascular Disease Risks: A Comprehensive Systematic Review.","authors":"Huma Sulthana, Manasa Kasoj, Shubham Kumar, Asif Jan, Daniel Dubwa","doi":"10.2147/VHRM.S607849","DOIUrl":"10.2147/VHRM.S607849","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Exposure to hydrocarbons, including polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and volatile organic compounds (VOCs), represents an escalating public health concern. These compounds induce systemic inflammation, oxidative stress, and endothelial dysfunction, driving cardiovascular disease (CVD) pathogenesis. This systematic review evaluates the association between hydrocarbon exposure and CVD risk, focusing on specific metabolite biomarkers. A comprehensive search of PubMed, Embase, and Web of Science was conducted up to June 10, 2025. Observational studies evaluating correlations between hydrocarbon exposure and CVD outcomes-including coronary heart disease (CHD), stroke, and myocardial infarction (MI)-were selected for narrative synthesis. Eleven studies met the inclusion criteria. Included studies were of moderate to high quality with a low overall risk of bias. The PAH metabolites 1-hydroxynaphthalene (6 studies), 2-hydroxynaphthalene (7 studies), 2-hydroxyfluorene (6 studies), 3-hydroxyfluorene (5 studies), and 1-hydroxypyrene (5 studies) were consistently associated with elevated risks of CHD, stroke, and MI. Similarly, exposure to BTEX components (benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, and xylene) evaluated in one study significantly correlated with heightened CVD incidence. These associations appeared more pronounced in highly exposed populations, particularly occupational cohorts, although effect sizes varied across studies because of study design differences and residual confounding factors such as smoking. Overall, the available evidence suggests an association between hydrocarbon exposure and increased CVD risk. Further prospective longitudinal studies are needed to confirm these findings and clarify the underlying toxicological mechanisms.</p>","PeriodicalId":23597,"journal":{"name":"Vascular Health and Risk Management","volume":"22 ","pages":"607849"},"PeriodicalIF":3.2,"publicationDate":"2026-07-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13367341/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148449709","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Five-Year Outcomes of Paclitaxel-Coated Balloons in Patients with Diabetes from the BIOLUX P-III Single-Arm Study.","authors":"James Dodd, Gabrielle Stratford, Marianne Brodmann, Matej Moscovic, John Chaw Chian Wang, Giovanni Nano, Thomas Zeller, Johnny Kent Christensen, Gunnar Tepe, Bibombe Patrice Mwipatayi","doi":"10.2147/VHRM.S595482","DOIUrl":"10.2147/VHRM.S595482","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Purpose: </strong>Long-term outcomes of paclitaxel-coated drug-coated balloons (DCBs) in patients with diabetes mellitus (DM) and infrainguinal peripheral arterial disease (PAD) are incompletely defined. In the current study, we evaluated 5-year outcomes in the diabetic cohort of BIOLUX P-III.</p><p><strong>Patients and methods: </strong>BIOLUX P-III was a prospective, international, multicenter, post-market, single-arm study evaluating the Passeo-18 Lux DCB in routine practice. Between October 2014 and January 2017, 877 patients with infrainguinal lesions were treated at 47 centers, of whom 418 (47.7%) had DM. The primary clinical endpoint was 6-month freedom from major adverse events (MAEs), defined as freedom from procedure- or device-related death through 30 days, major target-limb amputation, or clinically driven target-lesion revascularization (CD-TLR). The primary performance endpoint was 12-month freedom from CD-TLR. Time-to-event outcomes were analyzed using Kaplan-Meier methods and the Log rank test.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Among 877 treated patients, 418 had DM. Follow-up completion was 81.6%, 86.4%, 82.3%, and 31.3% at 6, 12, 24, and 60 months, respectively. At 5 years, freedom from MAE was lower in patients with DM than in those without DM (71.2% vs 74.7%; <i>P</i> = 0.0359), whereas freedom from CD-TLR was similar between groups (79.8% vs 79.6%; <i>P</i> = 0.535). Patients with DM also had lower overall survival (56.3% vs 73.8%; <i>P</i> < 0.0001), lower freedom from major target-limb amputation (92.4% vs 98.8%; <i>P</i> < 0.0001), and lower amputation-free survival (53.0% vs 73.6%; <i>P</i> < 0.0001).</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>In this real-world registry, the Passeo-18 Lux DCB was associated with durable freedom from reintervention through 5 years, with similar CD-TLR rates in patients with and without DM. Patients with DM had poorer long-term survival and limb outcomes. However, these findings should be interpreted in the context of baseline between-group differences and limited 60-month follow-up (ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT02276313).</p>","PeriodicalId":23597,"journal":{"name":"Vascular Health and Risk Management","volume":"22 ","pages":"595482"},"PeriodicalIF":3.2,"publicationDate":"2026-06-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13338468/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148406092","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Drug-Coated Balloon Angioplasty for de Novo Subclavian Artery Stenosis: Mid-Term Outcomes and Independent Risk Factors for Restenosis.","authors":"Xiaosong Zhang, Yusheng Wang, Hao Tang, Da Li","doi":"10.2147/VHRM.S611561","DOIUrl":"10.2147/VHRM.S611561","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Endovascular intervention is the first-line treatment for subclavian artery stenosis, but high-quality evidence for drug-coated balloon (DCB) angioplasty specifically in de novo lesions remains limited. This study aimed to evaluate the safety and efficacy of DCB for de novo subclavian artery stenosis and to identify independent risk factors for restenosis.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>This single-center retrospective cohort study enrolled 53 consecutive patients with de novo subclavian artery stenosis (≥70% confirmed by quantitative coronary angiography, QCA) treated with a paclitaxel-coated balloon (3.0 μg/mm²; Orchid^®, Acotec, Beijing, China) between January 2020 and September 2025. The primary endpoint was 24-month primary patency. Secondary endpoints included technical success, residual stenosis, clinically driven target lesion revascularization (CD-TLR), and major adverse cardiovascular and cerebrovascular events (MACCE). Bailout stenting was required in 35.8% (19/53) of patients due to flow-limiting dissection or significant elastic recoil. Kaplan-Meier survival analysis and Cox proportional hazards regression were performed, with formal assessment of the proportional hazards assumption.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Mean age was 62.7±8.5 years (62.3% male). Technical success rate was 100%, with mean residual stenosis of 11.5±4.9%. Median follow-up was 24 months (IQR 12-36 months, range 6-74 months). Primary patency rates at 12, 24, and 36 months were consistently 94.3% (95% CI 87.6-100%), with all 3 restenosis cases detected at the 12-month CTA follow-up; all were asymptomatic and no CD-TLR was performed. Overall MACCE incidence was 3.8%. Severe lesion calcification (Grade 3) was the only independent risk factor for restenosis on multivariate Cox regression (HR=7.89, 95% CI 1.45-42.96, P=0.017); however, given the small number of events (n=3), these results should be interpreted with caution.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>DCB angioplasty demonstrates favorable safety and mid-term patency for de novo subclavian artery stenosis in this single-center retrospective cohort. Severe calcification is associated with poorer patency outcomes, though this finding requires validation. These preliminary results suggest DCB as a potential endovascular option for non-severely calcified de novo subclavian lesions; however, the absence of a direct comparator group and the retrospective single-center design limit definitive efficacy conclusions, and prospective comparative studies are needed.</p>","PeriodicalId":23597,"journal":{"name":"Vascular Health and Risk Management","volume":"22 ","pages":"611561"},"PeriodicalIF":3.2,"publicationDate":"2026-06-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13330759/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148391623","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Association Between Apelin Gene -1860T>C (rs56204867) Polymorphism and Coronary Artery Disease in a Syrian Cohort.","authors":"Maisaa Hassan Abd-Alkareem, Hussam Eddin Mohammed Shibli, Faizeh Ali Alquobaili","doi":"10.2147/VHRM.S600632","DOIUrl":"10.2147/VHRM.S600632","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Purpose: </strong>Apelin is a secreted peptide hormone involved in vasodilation, fluid homeostasis, and angiogenesis, and is therefore considered an important regulator of cardiovascular physiology. The APLN T-1860C (rs56204867) polymorphism is a genetic variation in the promoter region of the apelin gene (APLN) that is associated with increased susceptibility to cardiovascular risk factors. This study aimed to elucidate the relationship between the apelin gene -1860T>C single-nucleotide polymorphism, plasma apelin levels, and the risk of coronary artery disease (CAD) in a Syrian population.</p><p><strong>Patients and methods: </strong>A case-control study was conducted, comprising 108 CAD patients and 114 healthy controls. Plasma apelin levels were quantified using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The apelin -1860T>C gene polymorphism was analyzed by polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP).</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Our findings reveal that mean plasma apelin levels were significantly lower in CAD patients (2737.81 ± 1205.01 pg/mL) compared to controls (4258.73 ± 2119.12 pg/mL; p < 0.001). Notably, these levels did not correlate with any of the other anthropometric parameters studied. In females, the frequencies of the TC genotype (30.5% vs 10.5%, p = 0.041, odds ratio [OR] = 3.75) and the mutant C allele (15.2% vs 5.2%, p = 0.043, OR = 3.256) were significantly higher in CAD patients than in controls. Whereas no significant differences were observed in male subjects. Although the plasma apelin level was lower in patients and controls with the TC genotype, this difference was not statistically significant (p > 0.05).</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Our findings indicate that the APLN -1860T>C polymorphism is associated with a higher risk of CAD in the Syrian population, particularly among females, suggesting a sex-specific genetic predisposition. Furthermore, reduced plasma apelin levels in patients suggest that apelin may play an independent role in the development of CAD, warranting further exploration.</p>","PeriodicalId":23597,"journal":{"name":"Vascular Health and Risk Management","volume":"22 ","pages":"600632"},"PeriodicalIF":3.2,"publicationDate":"2026-06-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13317774/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148362327","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Assessment of Blood Pressure Control Among Hypertensive Patients Attending Primary Healthcare Settings in Qatar: A Retrospective Chart Review.","authors":"Nada Abdelkader, Ahmed Awaisu, Hazem Elewa, Nadin Hany Kamel, Samya Ahmad Al Abdulla, Ziyad Mahfoud, Maguy Saffouh El Hajj","doi":"10.2147/VHRM.S573765","DOIUrl":"10.2147/VHRM.S573765","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Aim: </strong>Uncontrolled blood pressure (BP) poses a significant threat to public health, contributing to increased all-cause and cardiovascular disease (CVD) mortality.The study objectives were to assess BP control among hypertensive patients attending primary care centers in Qatar and to explore the association between patient-specific factors and BP control.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>A retrospective chart review from 2017 to 2020 was conducted across Qatar primary care centers. A sample size of 400 patients per year was chosen to be able to estimate the yearly proportion of patients achieving BP control (the primary outcome) to within a margin of error of at most 5% using 95% confidence interval. Univariable and multivariable logistic regression models were used to assess the relationship between patient variables and BP control.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Among the 2,185 selected patients, over 60% of general hypertensive patients achieved BP control, (n=1226/1859, 66% in 2018), (n=1398/2038, 69% in 2019), and (n=1229/1897, 65% in 2020). More than 60% of diabetics or patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) reached target BP levels (n=882/1309, 67.4% in 2018), (n=1002/1402, 71.5% in 2019), and (n=878/1314, 66.8% in 2020). Gender, nationality (Qatari vs. non-Qatari), and presence of comorbidities like dyslipidemia, congestive heart failure, peripheral vascular disease, atrial fibrillation and CKD were found to significantly impact BP levels.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>This study suggests that over half of hypertensive patients in Qatar's primary care setting achieved controlled BP. Key predictors of BP control included Qatari nationality, dyslipidemia, and CHF. However, due to the inherent limitations of retrospective chart review methodology, these results should be interpreted judiciously. Future prospective studies are crucial to corroborate these predictors and inform the development of tailored strategies to overcome barriers for achieving optimal BP control.</p>","PeriodicalId":23597,"journal":{"name":"Vascular Health and Risk Management","volume":"22 ","pages":"573765"},"PeriodicalIF":3.2,"publicationDate":"2026-06-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13282953/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148296017","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Post-Stroke Aspiration Pneumonia in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia: A Retrospective Cohort Study.","authors":"Naser Alotaibi, Mohammed A Aldriweesh, Latifah Aldohayan, Malak Almutairi, Shadin Mansour Aldhalaan, Badr Hamed Bin Khashman, Jerayed Khalid AlJerayed, Zaid Fahad Alsaaran, Nouran Y Taher, Ali Alaklabi, Salih A Bin Salih","doi":"10.2147/VHRM.S600102","DOIUrl":"10.2147/VHRM.S600102","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Purpose: </strong>Stroke is a leading cause of morbidity among patients with neurological disorders. Post-stroke aspiration pneumonia (AP) represents a serious complication associated with high mortality. This study investigated the incidence and outcomes of AP at a tertiary care center.</p><p><strong>Patients and methods: </strong>Retrospectively, among 5921 adult patients admitted with ischemic or hemorrhagic stroke between February 2016 and January 2024, 118 who developed post-stroke aspiration pneumonia within the same admission or at a 90-day period were identified and analyzed. Univariate and multivariate analyses were done.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Among 5921 stroke patients, 118 developed post-stroke AP. The mean age was 69.5 ± 12.5 years, and 71 (60.2%) were male. Hypertension (72.9%) and diabetes mellitus (63.6%) were the most prevalent comorbidities. Ischemic stroke accounted for 79.7%, and the median NIHSS was 9 (IQR 4-15). The median pre-morbid mRS was 2 (IQR 0-5). Dysphagia was diagnosed in 54.2%, and a swallowing assessment was performed and documented in 73.5%. Common presenting features included fever (55.9%), altered consciousness (47.5%), and cough (43.2%). Median time from stroke to AP was 6 days (IQR 2-22). ICU admission was required in 46.6%, mechanical ventilation in 24.1%, and 58.5% were bedridden. In-hospital mortality was 22.0%. On multivariate logistic regression, lower GCS score was the only independent predictor of mortality (OR 0.777, 95% CI 0.629-0.959, p = 0.019).</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Post-stroke AP remains a significant complication, with a notable mortality rate. A lower GCS score independently predicted mortality, whereas ICU admission was significant only in the univariate analysis. The overall incidence of AP in our study was lower than rates reported in other populations, possibly reflecting differences in clinical practices, patient characteristics, or variability in diagnostic ascertainment rather than a true reduction in incidence.</p>","PeriodicalId":23597,"journal":{"name":"Vascular Health and Risk Management","volume":"22 ","pages":"600102"},"PeriodicalIF":3.2,"publicationDate":"2026-06-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13271105/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148273170","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}