Prohormones in the Early Diagnosis of Cardiac Syncope

Performance of the American Heart Association/American College of Cardiology/Heart Rhythm Society versus European Society of Cardiology guideline criteria for hospital admission of patients with syncope

BACKGROUND

Current American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association/Heart Rhythm Society (ACC/AHA/HRS) and European Society of Cardiology (ESC) guidelines recommend different strategies to avoid low-yield admissions in patients with syncope.

OBJECTIVE

The purpose of this study was to directly compare the safety and efficacy of applying admission criteria of both guidelines to patients presenting with syncope to the emergency department in 2 multicenter studies.

METHODS

The international BASEL IX (BAsel Syncope EvaLuation) study (median age 71 years) and the U.S. SRS (Improving Syncope Risk Stratification in Older Adults) study (median age 72 years) were investigated. Primary endpoints were sensitivity/specificity for the adjudicated diagnosis of cardiac syncope (BASEL IX only) and 30-day major adverse cardiovascular events (30d-MACE).

RESULTS

Among 2560 patients in the BASEL IX and 2085 in SRS studies, ACC/AHA/HRS and ESC criteria recommended admission for a comparable number of patients in BASEL IX (27% vs 28%), but ACC/AHA/HRS criteria less often in SRS (19% vs 32%; P <.01). Recommendations were discordant in ∼25% of patients. In BASEL IX, sensitivity for cardiac syncope and 30d-MACE among patients without admission criteria was comparable for ACC/AHA/HRS and ESC criteria (64% vs 65%, P = .86; and 67% vs 71%, P = .15, respectively). In SRS, sensitivity for 30d-MACE was lower with ACC/AHA/HRS (54%) vs ESC criteria (88%; P <.001). Similarly, specificity for cardiac syncope and 30d-MACE in BASEL IX was comparable for both guidelines, but in SRS the ACC/AHA/HRS guidelines showed a higher specificity for 30d-MACE than the ESC guidelines.

CONCLUSION

ACC/AHA/HRS and ESC guidelines showed disagreement regarding admission for 1 in 4 patients and had only modest sensitivity, all indicating possible opportunities for improvements.

Risk stratification of syncope: Current syncope guidelines and beyond

Syncope is an alarming event carrying the possibility of serious outcomes, including sudden cardiac death (SCD). Therefore, immediate risk stratification should be applied whenever syncope occurs, especially in the Emergency Department, where most dramatic presentations occur. It has long been known that short- and long-term syncope prognosis is affected not only by its mechanism but also by presence of concomitant conditions, especially cardiovascular disease. Over the last two decades, several syncope prediction tools have been developed to refine patient stratification and triage patients who need expert in-hospital care from those who may receive nonurgent expert care in the community. However, despite promising results, prognostic tools for syncope remain challenging and often poorly effective. Current European Society of Cardiology syncope guidelines recommend an initial syncope workup based on detailed patient's history, physical examination supine and standing blood pressure, resting ECG, and laboratory tests, including cardiac biomarkers, where appropriate. Subsequent risk stratification based on screening of features aims to identify three groups: high-, intermediate- and low-risk. The first should immediately be hospitalized and appropriately investigated; intermediate group, with recurrent or medium-risk events, requires systematic evaluation by syncope experts; low-risk group, sporadic reflex syncope, merits education about its benign nature, and discharge. Thus, initial syncope risk stratification is crucial as it determines how and by whom syncope patients are managed. This review summarizes the crucial elements of syncope risk stratification, pros and cons of proposed risk evaluation scores, major challenges in initial syncope management, and how risk stratification impacts management of high-risk/recurrent syncope.

Recent Updates and Technological Developments in Evaluating Cardiac Syncope in the Emergency Department

Syncope is a commonly encountered problem in the emergency department (ED), accounting for approximately 3% of presenting complaints. Clinical assessment of syncope can be challenging due to the diverse range of conditions that can precipitate the symptom. Annual mortality for patients presenting with syncope ranges from 0-12%, and if the syncope is secondary to a cardiac cause, then this figure rises to 18-33%. In ED, it is paramount to accurately identify those presenting with syncope, especially patients with an underlying cardiac aetiology, initiate appropriate management, and refer them for further investigations. In 2018, the European Society of Cardiology (ESC) updated its guidelines with regard to diagnosing and managing patients with syncope. We highlight recent developments and considerations in various components of the workup, such as history, physical examination, investigations, risk stratification, and novel biomarkers, since the establishment of the 2018 ESC guidelines. We further discuss the emerging role of artificial intelligence in diagnosing cardiac syncope and postulate how wearable technology may transform evaluating cardiac syncope in ED.

Early standardized clinical judgement for syncope diagnosis in the emergency department

BACKGROUND

The diagnosis of cardiac syncope remains a challenge in the emergency department (ED).

OBJECTIVE

Assessing the diagnostic accuracy of the early standardized clinical judgement (ESCJ) including a standardized syncope-specific case report form (CRF) in comparison with a recommended multivariable diagnostic score.

METHODS

In a prospective international observational multicentre study, diagnostic accuracy for cardiac syncope of ESCJ by the ED physician amongst patients ≥ 40 years presenting with syncope to the ED was directly compared with that of the Evaluation of Guidelines in Syncope Study (EGSYS) diagnostic score. Cardiac syncope was centrally adjudicated independently of the ESCJ or conducted workup by two ED specialists based on all information available up to 1-year follow-up. Secondary aims included direct comparison with high-sensitivity cardiac troponin I (hs-cTnI) and B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP) concentrations and a Lasso regression to identify variables contributing most to ESCJ.

RESULTS

Cardiac syncope was adjudicated in 252/1494 patients (15.2%). The diagnostic accuracy of ESCJ for cardiac syncope as quantified by the area under the curve (AUC) was 0.87 (95% CI: 0.84-0.89), and higher compared with the EGSYS diagnostic score (0.73 (95% CI: 0.70-0.76)), hs-cTnI (0.77 (95% CI: 0.73-0.80)) and BNP (0.77 (95% CI: 0.74-0.80)), all P < 0.001. Both biomarkers (alone or in combination) on top of the ESCJ significantly improved diagnostic accuracy.

CONCLUSION

ESCJ including a standardized syncope-specific CRF has very high diagnostic accuracy and outperforms the EGSYS score, hs-cTnI and BNP.

Impact of ED Organization with a Holding Area and a Dedicated Team on the Adherence to International Guidelines for Patients with Acute Pulmonary Embolism: Experience of an Emergency Department Organized in Areas of Intensity of Care

Background: Adherence to guidelines by physicians of an emergency department (ED) depends on many factors: guideline and environmental factors; patient and practitioner characteristics; the social-political context. We focused on the impact of the environmental influence and of the patients’ characteristics on adherence to the guidelines. It is our intention to demonstrate how environmental factors such as ED organization more affect adherence to guidelines than the patient’s clinical presentation, even in a clinically insidious disease such as pulmonary embolism (PE). Methods: A single-center observational study was carried out on all patients who were seen at our Department of Emergency and Acceptance from 1 January to 31 December 2017 for PE. For the assessment of adherence to guidelines, we used the European guidelines 2014 and analyzed adherence to the correct use of clinical decision rule (CDR as Wells, Geneva, and YEARS); the correct initiation of heparin therapy; and the management of patients at high risk for short-term mortality. The primary endpoint of our study was to determine whether adherence to the guidelines as a whole depends on patients’ management in a holding area. The secondary objective was to determine whether adherence to the guidelines depended on patient characteristics such as the presence of typical symptoms or severe clinical features (massive pulmonary embolism; organ damage). Results: There were significant differences between patients who passed through OBI and those who did not, in terms of both administration of heparin therapy alone (p = 0.007) and the composite endpoints of heparin therapy initiation and observation/monitoring (p = 0.004), as indicated by the guidelines. For the subgroups of patients with massive PE, organ damage, and typical symptoms, there was no greater adherence to the decision making, administration of heparin therapy alone, and the endpoints of heparin therapy initiation and guideline-based observation/monitoring. Conclusions: Patients managed in an ED holding area were managed more in accordance with the guidelines than those who were managed only in the visiting ED rooms and directly hospitalized from there.

B-Type Natriuretic Peptides and Cardiac Troponins for Diagnosis and Risk-Stratification of Syncope

BACKGROUND

The utility of BNP (B-type natriuretic peptide), NT-proBNP (N-terminal proBNP), and hs-cTn (high-sensitivity cardiac troponin) concentrations for diagnosis and risk-stratification of syncope is incompletely understood.

METHODS

We evaluated the diagnostic and prognostic accuracy of BNP, NT-proBNP, hs-cTnT, and hs-cTnI concentrations, alone and against those of clinical assessments, in patients >45-years old presenting with syncope to the emergency department in a prospective diagnostic multicenter study. BNP, NT-proBNP, hs-cTnT and hs-cTnI concentrations were measured in a blinded fashion. Cardiac syncope, as adjudicated by 2 physicians based on all information available including cardiac work-up and 1-year follow-up, was the diagnostic end point. EGSYS (Evaluation of Guidelines in Syncope Study), a syncope-specific diagnostic score, served as the diagnostic comparator. Death and major adverse cardiac events at 30 and 720 days were the prognostic end points. Major adverse cardiac events were defined as death, cardiopulmonary resuscitation, life-threatening arrhythmia, implantation of pacemaker/implantable cardioverter defibrillator, acute myocardial infarction, pulmonary embolism, stroke/transient ischemic attack, intracranial bleeding, or valvular surgery. ROSE (Risk Stratification of Syncope in the Emergency Department), OESIL (Osservatorio Epidemiologico della Sincope nel Lazio), SFSR (San Fransisco Syncope Rule), and CSRS (Canadian Syncope Risk Score) served as the prognostic comparators.

RESULTS

Among 1538 patients eligible for diagnostic assessment, cardiac syncope was the adjudicated diagnosis in 234 patients (15.2%). BNP, NT-proBNP, hs-cTnT, and hs-cTnI were significantly higher in cardiac syncope versus other causes (P<0.01). The diagnostic accuracy for cardiac syncope, as quantified by the area under the curve, was 0.77 to 0.78 (95% CI, 0.74-0.81) for all 4 biomarkers, and superior to EGSYS (area under the curve, 0.68 [95%-CI 0.65-0.71], P<0.001). Combining BNP/NT-proBNP with hs-cTnT/hs-cTnI further improved diagnostic accuracy to an area under the curve of 0.81 (P<0.01). BNP, NT-proBNP, hs-cTnT, and hs-cTnI cut-offs, achieving predefined thresholds for sensitivity and specificity (95%), allowed for rule-in or rule-out of ≈30% of all patients. A total of 450 major adverse cardiac events occurred during follow-up. The prognostic accuracy of BNP, NT-proBNP, hs-cTnI, and hs-cTnT for major adverse cardiac events was moderate-to-good (area under the curve, 0.75-0.79), superior to ROSE, OESIL, and SFSR, and inferior to CSRS.

CONCLUSIONS

BNP, NT-proBNP, hs-cTnT, and hs-cTnI concentrations provide useful diagnostic and prognostic information in emergency department patients with syncope.

CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION

URL: https://www.

CLINICALTRIALS

gov. Unique identifier: NCT01548352.

Blood markers of cardiac stress after generalized convulsive seizures

OBJECTIVE

Generalized convulsive seizures (GCS) are associated with high demands on the cardiovascular system, thereby facilitating cardiac complications. To investigate occurrence, influencing factors, and extent of cardiac stress or injury, the alterations and time course of the latest generation of cardiac blood markers were investigated after documented GCS.

METHODS

Adult patients with refractory epilepsy who underwent video-electroencephalography (EEG) monitoring along with simultaneous one-lead electrocardiography (ECG) recordings were included. Cardiac biomarkers (cardiac troponin I [cTNI]; high-sensitive troponin T [hsTNT]; N-terminal prohormone of brain natriuretic peptide [NT-proBNP]; copeptin; suppression of tumorigenicity-2 [SST-2]; growth differentiation factor 15, [GDF-15]; soluble urokinase plasminogen activator receptor [suPAR]; and heart-type fatty acid binding protein [HFABP]) and catecholamines were measured at inclusion and at different time points after GCS. Periictal cardiac properties were assessed by analyzing heart rate (HR), HR variability (HRV), and corrected QT intervals(QTc).

RESULTS

Thirty-six GCS (6 generalized-onset tonic-clonic seizures and 30 focal to bilateral tonic-clonic seizures) were recorded in 30 patients without a history of cardiac or renal disease. Postictal catecholamine levels were elevated more than twofold. A concomitant increase in HR and QTc, as well as a decrease in HRV, was observed. Elevations of cTNI and hsTNT were found in 3 of 30 patients (10%) and 6 of 23 patients (26%), respectively, which were associated with higher dopamine levels. Copeptin was increased considerably after most GCS, whereas SST-2, HFABP, and GDF-15 displayed only subtle variations, and suPAR was unaltered in the postictal period. Cardiac symptoms did not occur in any patient.

SIGNIFICANCE

The use of more sensitive biomarkers such as hsTNT suggests that signs of cardiac stress occur in about 25% of the patients with GCS without apparent clinical symptoms. SuPAR may indicate clinically relevant troponin elevations. Copeptin could help to diagnose GCS, but specificity needs to be tested.

Cardiovascular biomarkers predict fragility fractures in older adults

OBJECTIVE

To assess the role of four biomarkers of neuroendocrine activation and endothelial dysfunction in the longitudinal prediction of fragility fractures.

METHODS

We analysed a population-based prospective cohort of 5415 community-dwelling individuals (mean age, 68.9±6.2 years) enrolled in the Malmö Preventive Project followed during 8.1±2.9 years, and investigated the longitudinal association between C-terminal pro-arginine vasopressin (CT-proAVP), C-terminal endothelin-1 precursor fragment (CT-proET-1), the mid-regional fragments of pro-adrenomedullin (MR-proADM) and pro-atrial natriuretic peptide (MR-proANP), and incident vertebral, pelvic and extremity fractures.

RESULTS

Overall, 1030 (19.0%) individuals suffered vertebral, pelvic or extremity fracture. They were older (70.7±5.8 vs 68.4±6.3 years), more likely women (46.9% vs 26.3%), had lower body mass index and diastolic blood pressure, were more often on antihypertensive treatment (44.1% vs 38.4%) and had more frequently history of fracture (16.3% vs 8.1%). Higher levels of MR-proADM (adjusted HR (aHR) per 1 SD: 1.51, 95% CI 1.01 to 2.28, p<0.001) and MR-proANP (aHR: 1.23, 95% CI 1.05 to 1.45, p<0.001) were independently associated with increased risk of any fracture. The fracture risk increased linearly across MR-proANP quartiles. Individuals who were in the top quartile of all four biomarkers had a significant higher risk of fracture at any site (aHR: 2.32, 95% CI 1.86 to 2.91), vertebral fracture (aHR: 3.16, 95% CI 1.97 to 5.07) and femoral fracture (aHR: 2.35, 95% CI 1.64 to 3.36).

CONCLUSIONS

Elevated levels of MR-proADM and MR-proANP independently predict fragility fractures in older adults. In subjects with top quartile levels of all four biomarkers there is a twofold to threefold increase in risk of vertebral and femoral fractures.

Cardiovascular biomarkers and risk of low-energy fractures among middle-aged men and women-A population-based study

BACKGROUND

Low-energy fractures are a growing health challenge as their incidence increases with advancing age. As cardiovascular instability may be associated with higher likelihood of traumatic falls, we aimed to investigate the associations between four cardiovascular biomarkers and the risk of low-energy fractures in a middle-aged population.

METHODS

A total of 5291 individuals from the prospective Malmö Diet and Cancer (MDC) study (mean age, 57 years; 59% women) with data on baseline levels of four cardiovascular biomarkers: mid-regional-fragment of pro-adrenomedullin-peptide (MR-pro-ADM), mid-regional-fragment of pro-atrial-natriuretic-peptide (MR-proANP), N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide (NT-pro-BNP) and C-terminal-pro-arginine-vasopressin (CT-pro-AVP/Copeptin) were included. The associations between biomarker levels and first incident low-energy fracture were tested in Cox proportional-hazard models, taking potential interactions and traditional risk factors into account.

RESULTS

Participants were followed for a median time of 21.0 years, during which 1002 subjects (19%) experienced at least one low-energy fracture. Subjects with incident fracture were older, more likely to be women, had lower BMI and higher prevalence of previous fractures. Among biomarkers, there was a significant interaction between gender and MR-pro-ADM on the risk of fracture (p = 0.002). MR-pro-ADM predicted fractures in men only (hazard ratio, 1.23; 95% CI 1.09-1.40; p = 0.001), whereas there was no association among women. Levels of MR-pro-ANP, NT-pro-BNP and CT-pro-AVP did not predict fractures.

CONCLUSIONS

Higher circulating levels of MR-pro-ADM predict low-energy fractures among middle-aged-men, whereas levels of MR-pro-ANP, NT-pro-BNP and CT-pro-AVP are not associated with increased fracture risk. Further controlled studies should test the hypothesis whether MR-pro-ADM may improve prediction of bone fractures.