Increased Cerebral Small Vessel Disease Burden With Renal Dysfunction and Albuminuria in Patients Taking Antithrombotic Agents: The Bleeding With Antithrombotic Therapy 2

Serum albumin and white matter hyperintensities

People living with HIV and those diagnosed with alcohol use disorders (AUD) relative to healthy individuals commonly have low levels of serum albumin, substantiated as an independent predictor of cardiovascular events. White matter hyperintensities (WMH)-a neuroimaging feature of cerebral small vessel disease-are also related to cardiovascular disease. Despite consensus regarding associations between high levels of urine albumin and WMH prevalence, and low serum albumin levels and impaired cognitive functioning, relations between serum albumin and WMH burdens have rarely been evaluated. Here, a sample including 160 individuals with AUD, 142 living with HIV, and 102 healthy controls was used to test the hypothesis that serum albumin would be inversely related to WMH volumes and directly related to cognitive performance in the two diagnostic groups. Although serum albumin and periventricular WMH volumes showed an inverse relationship in both AUD and HIV groups, this relationship persisted only in the HIV group after consideration of traditional cardiovascular (i.e., age, sex, body mass index (BMI), nicotine use, hypertension, diabetes), study-relevant (i.e., race, socioeconomic status, hepatitis C virus status), and disease-specific (i.e., CD4 nadir, HIV viral load, HIV duration) factors. Further, serum albumin contributed more significantly than periventricular WMH volume to variance in performance on a verbal learning and memory composite score in the HIV group only. Relations in both HIV and AUD groups between albumin and hematological red blood cell markers (e.g., hemoglobin, hematocrit) suggest that in this sample, serum albumin reflects hematological abnormalities. Albumin, a simple serum biomarker available in most clinical settings, may therefore help identify periventricular WMH burden and performance levels in specific cognitive domains in people living with HIV. Whether serum albumin contributes mechanistically to periventricular WMH in HIV will require additional investigation.

Cerebral Small Vessel Disease Burden for Bleeding Risk during Antithrombotic Therapy: Bleeding with Antithrombotic Therapy 2 Study

OBJECTIVE

This study was undertaken to determine the excess risk of antithrombotic-related bleeding due to cerebral small vessel disease (SVD) burden.

METHODS

In this observational, prospective cohort study, patients with cerebrovascular or cardiovascular diseases taking oral antithrombotic agents were enrolled from 52 hospitals across Japan between 2016 and 2019. Baseline multimodal magnetic resonance imaging acquired under prespecified conditions was assessed by a central diagnostic radiology committee to calculate total SVD score. The primary outcome was major bleeding. Secondary outcomes included bleeding at each site and ischemic events.

RESULTS

Of the analyzed 5,250 patients (1,736 women; median age = 73 years, 9,933 patient-years of follow-up), antiplatelets and anticoagulants were administered at baseline in 3,948 and 1,565, respectively. Median SVD score was 2 (interquartile range = 1-3). Incidence rate of major bleeding was 0.39 (per 100 patinet-years) in score 0, 0.56 in score 1, 0.91 in score 2, 1.35 in score 3, and 2.24 in score 4 (adjusted hazard ratio [aHR] for score 4 vs 0 = 5.47, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 2.26-13.23), that of intracranial hemorrhage was 0.11, 0.33, 0.58, 0.99, and 1.06, respectively (aHR = 9.29, 95% CI = 1.99-43.35), and that of ischemic event was 1.82, 2.27, 3.04, 3.91, and 4.07, respectively (aHR = 1.76, 95% CI = 1.08-2.86). In addition, extracranial major bleeding (aHR = 3.43, 95% CI = 1.13-10.38) and gastrointestinal bleeding (aHR = 2.54, 95% CI = 1.02-6.35) significantly increased in SVD score 4 compared to score 0.

INTERPRETATION

Total SVD score was predictive for intracranial hemorrhage and probably for extracranial bleeding, suggesting the broader clinical relevance of cerebral SVD as a marker for safe implementation of antithrombotic therapy. ANN NEUROL 2024;95:774-787.

Polyvascular atherosclerosis and renal dysfunction increase the odds of cognitive impairment in vascular disease: findings of the LipidCardio study

INTRODUCTION

Growing evidence suggests a causal role for atherosclerotic vascular disease in cognitive impairment and dementia. Atherosclerosis may present as monovascular disease (monoVD) or as widespread polyvascular atherosclerotic disease (polyVD). Evidence on the relationship between monoVD or polyVD and cognitive impairment is limited.

METHODS

We conducted a cross-sectional analysis of baseline data from the LipidCardio Study. The main outcome measure was the presence of cognitive impairment, defined as a Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) score < 26.

RESULTS

The mean age was 71.5 years, 30.3% were female, 17.3% had no evidence of large-vessel atherosclerosis, 71.1% had monoVD, and 11.7% had polyVD, defined as the presence of atherosclerosis in ≥ 2 vascular territories (coronary, cerebral, aortic, or lower extremity). A total of 21.6% had cognitive impairment according to the prespecified cutoff (MMSE < 26). Overall, the odds of cognitive impairment increased for each additional vascular territory affected by atherosclerosis [adjusted odds ratio 1.76, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.21-2.57, p = 0.003]. Furthermore, there was evidence for an interaction between vascular disease and chronic kidney disease (CKD). The odds of cognitive impairment were not greater in the monoVD subgroup compared to those without any atherosclerosis, if CKD was absent (OR 0.98, 95% CI 0.48-2.10; p = 0.095), while the odds ratio (OR) of cognitive impairment with polyVD compared to no atherosclerosis was 2.71 (95% CI 1.10-6.92; p = 0.031). In contrast, in patients with CKD, both monoVD and polyVD were associated with significantly higher odds of cognitive impairment than no atherosclerosis.

CONCLUSIONS

PolyVD is associated with increased odds of cognitive impairment. MonoVD is associated with cognitive impairment only in the presence of CKD.

Serum albumin and white matter hyperintensities

Urine albumin, high in kidney disease, predicts cardiovascular incidents and CNS white matter hyperintensity (WMH) burdens. Serum albumin - a more general biomarker which can be low in several disorders - including kidney and liver disease, malnutrition, and inflammation - also predicts cardiovascular events and is associated with cognitive impairment in several clinical populations; relations between serum albumin and WMH prevalence, however, have rarely been evaluated. In a sample of 160 individuals with alcohol use disorder (AUD), 142 infected with HIV, and 102 healthy controls, the hypothesis was tested that lower serum albumin levels would predict larger WMH volumes and worse cognitive performance irrespective of diagnosis. After considering traditional cardiovascular risk factors (e.g., age, sex, body mass index (BMI), nicotine use, hypertension, diabetes) and study-relevant variables (i.e., primary diagnoses, race, socioeconomic status, hepatitis C virus status), serum albumin survived false discovery rate (FDR)-correction in contributing variance to larger periventricular but not deep WMH volumes. This relationship was salient in the AUD and HIV groups, but not the control group. In secondary analyses, serum albumin and periventricular WMH along with age, sex, diagnoses, BMI, and hypertension were considered for hierarchical contribution to variance in performance in 4 cognitive domains. Albumin survived FDR-correction for significantly contributing to visual and verbal learning and memory performance after accounting for diagnosis. Relations between albumin and markers of liver integrity [e.g., aspartate transaminase (AST)] and blood status (e.g., hemoglobin, red blood cell count, red cell distribution width) suggest that in this sample, albumin reflects both liver dysfunction and hematological abnormalities. The current results suggest that albumin, a simple serum biomarker available in most clinical settings, can predict variance in periventricular WMH volumes and performance in visual and verbal learning and memory cognitive domains. Whether serum albumin contributes mechanistically to periventricular WMH prevalence will require additional investigation.

[Albuminuria as a marker of atherosclerosis burden and a possible predictor of adverse events in patients with polyvascular disease]

BACKGROUND

The role of albuminuria as a marker of the atherosclerosis burden and a predictor of prognosis in patients with polyvascular disease (PD) has been little studied.

AIM

To evaluate the prevalence, association with atherosclerosis burden, and prognostic value of albuminuria in relation to cardiovascular and bleeding complications in patients with PD.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The data was obtained from the prospective registry REGATA-1 (NCT04347200). Seventy four patients (75.7% males, median age 67 [61-69] years) with PD (CAD and peripheral arterial disease) were enrolled. All patients received aspirin and rivaroxaban 2.5 mg. The albumin-creatinine ratio in a single morning urine sample, estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR), and von Willebrand factor levels were determined.

RESULTS

Mild albuminuria (10-29 mg/g) was detected in 45.9% of patients, moderate and severe (≥30 mg/g) - in 29.7%; eGFR<60 ml/min - in 21.7%, chronic kidney disease (CKD) according to the full KDIGO criteria (eGFR and/or albuminuria ≥30 mg/g) - twice as often (39.2%). The frequency of nephroprotective therapy prescription was insufficient. The level of albuminuria did not correlate with von Willebrand factor (endothelial dysfunction marker), but was associated with affecting of 4-5 vascular beds (ROC AUC 0.775; p=0.011). During the follow-up (12 [8-18] months) 3 patients developed MACE, 11 - BARC 2-3 bleedings. Neither albuminuria nor eGFR were predictors of MACE, bleeding, or net clinical benefit. CKD (KDIGO) was also not associated with bleedings. CKD (KDIGO) was independent predictor of MACE (in significant multiple regression model beta - coefficient for CKD was 0.097; p=0.042), however, the small number of end points allows us to speak only of a hypothesis-generating trend. The implementation of CKD (KDIGO) has increased the predictive value of the REACH score.

CONCLUSION

Albuminuria is highly prevalent in patients with PD. It is a marker of atherosclerosis burden. CKD, diagnosed taking into account the level of albuminuria, can be used in a comprehensive assessment of cardiovascular risk in this category of patients.

From Kidney Protection to Stroke Prevention: The Potential Role of Sodium Glucose Cotransporter-2 Inhibitors

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is an independent risk factor for stroke and covert cerebrovascular disease, and up to 40% of stroke patients have concomitant CKD. However, the so-called "cerebrorenal interaction" attracted less attention compared to its cardiorenal counterpart. Diabetes is the leading cause of CKD. The sodium-glucose cotransporter (SGLT) 2 inhibitor is a relatively new class of oral anti-diabetic drugs and has cardiorenal benefits in addition to glucose-lowering effects. In the present perspective, we would like to review the current status and future potential of the SGLT2 inhibitor in cerebro-renal interactions and strokes regardless of the status of diabetes. We propose the potential roles of baseline renal functions and SGLT1/2 dual inhibition in stroke prevention, as well as the additional benefits of reducing atrial fibrillation and hemorrhagic stroke for SGLT2 inhibitors. Further clinical trials are anticipated to test whether SGLT2 inhibitors can fulfill the long-standing unmet clinical need and stop such a vicious cycle of cerebro-renal interaction.