Relationship Between Statin Use and Outcomes in Patients Having Cardiac Arrest (from a Nationwide Cohort Study in Taiwan)

Statin Prescription Patterns Among Elderly Patients with Type 2 Diabetes: A Cross-Sectional Study in Lebanon

BACKGROUND

Even though statins have been proven to be effective in both primary and secondary prevention of cardiovascular disease among diabetic patients, a suboptimal use of the latter has been detected in real clinical practice, especially among older adults.

OBJECTIVE

This study aimed to evaluate the patterns and predictors of statin use among elderly patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) in Lebanon.

METHODS

This is a cross-sectional study that extended between April 2021 and February 2022. Our study involved elderly T2DM outpatients, aged 65-80 years, who presented to 40 community pharmacies for prescription filling. Diabetes status was ascertained via dispensed medication information, and patients were classified based on the American Diabetes Association preset risk scores for cardiovascular diseases in diabetics: low, moderate, or high risk. The questionnaire included patients' demographics, clinical information, and status of statin use.

RESULTS

A total of 420 diabetic geriatric patients were observed in this study; their mean age was 70 years (± 7), and there was a predominance of males, 270 (64.3%). Almost all patients were classified as being at high risk, 396 (94.3%), while the rest were at moderate risk; thus, all were recommended to receive statins; however, statin prescription was only reported among 197 (46.9%), with atorvastatin and rosuvastatin being the most used: 102 (51.8%) and 62 (31.5%), respectively. Of patients prescribed statins, 60 (14.3%) were taking them for primary prevention and 137 (32.6%) for secondary prevention. Patients having a higher Charlson Comorbidity Index score had lesser odds of being prescribed statins (odds ratio [OR] 0.15, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.02-0.8, p = 0.028); however, those presenting with a history of dyslipidemia and coronary artery disease had higher odds of statin prescription (OR 10.5, 95% CI 4.2-26.1, p < 0.001, and OR 5.0, 95% CI 2.4-10.5, p < 0.001, respectively).

CONCLUSION

Despite patients' eligibility to receive statins, statin undertreatment was evident among elderly outpatients with T2DM in Lebanon, which was modulated by several predictors.

Prior beta-blocker treatment improves outcomes in out-of-hospital cardiac arrest patients with non-shockable rhythms

The prognosis of out of cardiac arrest is poor and most cardiac arrest patients suffered from the non-shockable rhythm especially in patients without pre-existing cardiovascular diseases and medication prescription. Beta-blocker (ß-blocker) therapy has been shown to improve outcomes in cardiovascular diseases such as heart failure, ischemia related cardiac, and brain injuries. Therefore, we investigated whether prior ß-blockers use was associated with reduced mortality in patients with cardiac arrest and non-shockable rhythm. We conducted a population-based retrospective cohort study using multivariate propensity score-based regression to control for differences among patients with cardiac arrest. A total of 104,568 adult patients suffering a non-traumatic and non-shockable rhythm cardiac arrest between 2005 and 2011 were identified. ß-blocker prescription at least 30 days prior to the cardiac arrest event was defines as the ß-blockers group. We chose 12.5 mg carvedilol as the cut-off value and defined greater or equal to carvedilol 12.5 mg per day and its equivalent dose as high-dose group. After multivariate propensity score-based logistic regression analysis, patients with prior ß-blockers use were associated with better 1-year survival [adjusted odds ratio (OR), 1.15, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.01-1.30; P = 0.031]. Compared to non-ß-blocker use group and prior low-dose ß-blockers use group, prior high-dose ß-blockers use group was associated with higher mechanical ventilator wean success rate (adjusted OR 1.19, 95% CI 1.01-1.41, P = 0.042). In conclusion, prior high dose ß-blockers use was associated with a better 1-year survival and higher weaning rate in patients with non-shockable cardiac arrest.

Associations between Central Obesity and Outcomes of Adult In-hospital Cardiac Arrest: A Retrospective Cohort Study

To investigate the association between central obesity and outcomes following in-hospital cardiac arrest (IHCA). A single-centred retrospective study was conducted. Adult patients that experienced IHCA during 2006-2015 were screened. Body mass index (BMI) was calculated at hospital admission. Central obesity-related anthropometric parameters were measured by analysing computed tomography images. A total of 648 patients were included, with mean BMI of 23.0 kg/m2. The proportions of BMI-defined obesity in this cohort were underweight (13.1%), normal weight (41.4%), overweight (31.5%) and obesity (14.0%). The mean waist circumference was 85.9 cm with mean waist-to-height ratio (WHtR) of 0.53. The mean sagittal abdominal diameter was 21.2 cm with mean anterior and posterior abdominal subcutaneous adipose tissue (SAT) depths of 1.6 and 2.0 cm, respectively. Multivariate logistic regression analyses indicated BMI of 11.7-23.3 kg/m2 (odds ratio [OR]: 2.53, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.10-5.85; p-value = 0.03), WHtR of 0.49-0.59 (OR: 3.45, 95% CI: 1.56-7.65; p-value = 0.002) and anterior abdominal SAT depth <1.9 cm (OR: 2.84, 95% CI: 1.05-7.74; p-value = 0.04) were positively associated with the favourable neurological outcome. Central obesity was associated with poor IHCA outcomes, after adjusting for the effects of BMI.