Elizabeth Gunn

Cognitive function and self-care management in older patients with heart failure

Aims: People with heart failure have difficulty with self-care management. We do not know if patients with heart failure have difficulty with self-care management due to underlying, mild cognitive impairment (MCI). The purpose of this study was to determine whether MCI, as identified on a simple screening tool, is significantly associated with self-care management in a sample of community dwelling older patients with heart failure. Methods and results: Using a cross-sectional design, heart failure patients (n=100, mean age 72 SD 10 years) attending an outpatient heart failure clinic completed the Montreal Cognitive Assessment tool (MoCA), Self-Care in Heart Failure Index (SCHFI) and Geriatric Depression Scale. The presence of MCI, as defined by a MoCA score <26, was present in 73% patients; 21% had an adequate self-care management SCHFI score; and 12% reported symptoms of depression. Participants with a MoCA score <26 vs. ≥ 26 scored significantly lower on the self-care management subscale of the SCHFI (48.1 SD 24 vs. 59.3 SD 22 respectively, p=0.035). Using backward regression, the final model was fitted to self-care management while controlling for age and sex and was significant, with (F= 7.04 df (3, 96), and p<0.001), accounting for 18% of the total variance in self-care management (R2 = 18.03%). The MoCA score was the only variable which remained in the model significantly with p= 0.001. Conclusion: Findings from this study highlight the difficulty older heart failure patients have with self-care management and the need to include formal screening for MCI when exploring variables contributing to self-care management in heart failure patients.

Cardiometabolic Health in Adults Born Premature With Extremely Low Birth Weight.

BACKGROUND: Young adults born with extreme prematurity have increased blood pressure and insulin resistance. This study documents their metabolic health as they enter their fourth decade of life. The study objective was to compare body composition, glycemia, lipid levels, and blood pressure in adults born with extremely low birth weight (ELBW) versus age- and sex- matched normal birth weight (NBW) control subjects and to examine related previous and current exposures. METHODS: The study examines one of the oldest regionally representative cohorts of ELBW subjects (birth weight <1 kg) and NBW individuals born between 1977 and 1982. The primary outcome was dysglycemia (type 2 diabetes or prediabetes) based on results of a 75-g oral glucose tolerance test. Secondary outcomes include body composition, insulin resistance, fasting lipid profile, and blood pressure. Potential predictive factors included birth weight, maternal antenatal corticosteroid exposure, retinopathy of prematurity, growth parameters, and smoking history. RESULTS: Adults (mean age, 31.8 years) born ELBW (n = 100) had a higher percent body fat (P = .004) and lower lean mass for height (P = .018) but similar waist circumference (P = .54) and BMI (P = .61) compared with NBW control subjects. ELBW adults had a 4.0-fold (95% confidence interval, 1.53–10.66) increased risk of developing dysglycemia. Adults born ELBW also had higher systolic (P = .004) and diastolic (P = .02) blood pressures compared with NBW control subjects, but there were no differences in lipid profile. CONCLUSIONS: By their fourth decade, these adults born extremely premature had increased body fat, lower lean mass, and a 4-fold increased risk of developing dysglycemia.

Self-efficacy and outcome expectations in cardiac rehabilitation: associations with women's physical activity.

OBJECTIVE Little is known regarding the social-cognitive correlates of physical activity (PA) during and after cardiac rehabilitation (CR) in a female sample. The objective of the current study was to identify distinct trajectories for task self-efficacy, barrier self-efficacy, and outcome expectations and examine their association with PA. METHOD A total of 203 women with cardiovascular disease completed a survey that included the self-efficacy, outcome-expectation, and PA measures at the beginning and end of CR, and 6 and 12 months after completing CR. RESULTS Latent class growth analyses showed that multiple trajectories existed for task self-efficacy, barrier self-efficacy, and outcome expectations. Dual trajectory analyses showed that women in less favorable task self-efficacy, barrier self-efficacy, and outcome-expectation trajectories had a greater probability of being in an inactive PA trajectory. CONCLUSION/IMPLICATIONS Women in trajectories with higher task and barrier self-efficacy and outcome expectations are more likely to be active, whereas the opposite is true for women with lower efficacy and outcome expectancies. As such, it is critical that health-care practitioners incorporate strategies into their CR programs or professional practice after CR to increase womens confidence in engaging in PA, overcome barriers to engage in PA, and promote positive outcomes related to PA to increase their PA levels.

Nonischemic Chest Pain Following Successful Percutaneous Coronary Intervention at a Regional Referral Centre in Southern Ontario

BACKGROUND The purpose of this study was to identify factors that predispose individuals to nonischemic chest pain following successful percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). METHODS We prospectively followed, for 6 months, a cohort of 110 patients who underwent PCI. We determined baseline factors associated with post PCI pain via nonlinear mixed model regression; a binomial distribution with logit link was used. RESULTS The mean age of participants (n = 110) was 64 (SD ± 11.19), 69% were male. The majority had 1 coronary vessel dilated (88%) and a single stent placement (67%). During follow-up, chest pain was prevalent in 54% (95% confidence interval [CI], 44.8-63.7) and 45% (95% CI, 36.0-54.8) of patients, at 3 and 6 months respectively. Less than half of those with chest pain were evaluated for ischemia. Of those evaluated, tests were negative for the majority; 74% and 61% at 3 and 6 months respectively. Higher baseline depression (odds ratio 1.50; 95% CI, 1.13-1.99) scores (Hospital Anxiety Depression Scale) were significantly associated with nonischemic chest pain during follow-up. CONCLUSION Higher baseline depression scores were found to be significant risk factors for chest pain of nonischemic origin following successful PCI. A larger study is needed to confirm the predictive value of this and other factors that may contribute to this elusive pain problem. Further research is also required to develop pain management strategies for patients whose chest pain persists in the absence of discernible ischemic causes.

Exercise Trajectories of Women from Entry to a 6-Month Cardiac Rehabilitation Program to One Year after Discharge

Background. Physical activity is associated with reduced mortality and morbidity. Cardiac rehabilitation (CR) is an effective intervention for patients with cardiovascular disease (CVD). Unfortunately, women are less likely to engage in, or sustain, regular physical activity. Objectives were to (1) describe womens guidelines-based levels of physical activity during and after CR and (2) determine the physical activity trajectories of women from entry to CR to one year after CR. Methods and Results. A prospective, longitudinal study of 203 women with CVD enrolled in a 6-month CR program. Physical activity was measured using the Godin Leisure Time Exercise Questionnaire (LSI), focusing on moderate-strenuous activity. Data were analyzed using latent class growth analysis (LCGA) and logistic regression. Mean scores on the LSI showed women to be “active” at all follow-up points. LCGA revealed a two-class model, respectively, called “inactive relapsers” and “moderately active relapsers.” Predictors of the “moderately active relapsers” class were employment status and diagnosis of myocardial infarction. Conclusions. Women achieved the recommended physical activity levels by the end of CR and sustained them until one year after CR. LCGA allowed us to determine the class trajectories associated with moderate-strenuous activity and, from these, to identify implications for targeted intervention.

Stroke prevention care delivery: Predictors of risk factor management outcomes

BACKGROUND Internationally, the development and implementation of stroke care guidelines have resulted in the evolution of stroke prevention outpatient clinics designed to accelerate patient access to treatment and behavioral risk reduction following transient ischemic attack or stroke. OBJECTIVES To examine the extent to which selected demographic, social-psychological, physiological, and adherence characteristics predicted achievement of blood pressure and glucose targets in a group of patients referred to a Canadian stroke prevention clinic with confirmed transient ischemic attack (TIA) or stroke and hypertension and/or diabetes. PARTICIPANTS A total of 313, English speaking, adult patients who were referred from family or emergency department physicians to a stroke prevention clinic provided demographic data and received social-psychological screening testing at intake. Of these, 93 participants who met criteria of confirmed TIA or stroke plus hypertension and/or diabetes were identified as the study group. Seventy-seven of study group participants completed a 6-month follow-up. METHODS Admission screening tests included the Modified and Mini-Mental State Examinations, Trail Making Test, Clock Drawing Test, a medication self-efficacy scale, the Lubben Social Network Scale and the Geriatric Depression Scale. Family physician follow-up was ascertained 4-8 weeks after intake. At approximately 6 months after the initial screening measures, 77 study group participants completed additional measures of adherence, blood pressure and/or glycated hemoglobin. RESULTS Transient ischemic attack was confirmed in 58% and stroke in 42% of the study group. Mean age was 69 years (SD=11); 53% were male; 97% had hypertension; and 25% were diabetic; some had both. Twenty-three percent were not followed-up by family practitioners. At 6-month follow-up, 97% reported ≥80% adherence to medication; only 57% met treatment targets. A logistic regression analysis identified three independent predictors of achieving blood pressure and/or glucose targets: self-efficacy expectations (OR, 1.61; 95% CI, 1.03-2.54; p=0.04), Mini-Mental State (OR, 1.28; 95% CI, 1.06-1.54; p=0.009); and self-reported adherence (OR, 1.14; 95% CI, 1.01-1.29; p=0.03). CONCLUSIONS Three simple screening measures identified patients at increased risk of not achieving clinical risk factor management targets.

Optimizing the methodology for measuring supraclavicular skin temperature using infrared thermography; implications for measuring brown adipose tissue activity in humans

The discovery of brown adipose tissue (BAT) in adults has sparked interest in its role as a therapeutic target in metabolic disorders. Infrared thermography is a promising way to quantify BAT; however, a standardized methodology has not been established. This study aims to establish a standardized and reproducible protocol to measure thermal response to cold in the supraclavicular area using thermographic imaging. In Phase 1, we compared the thermal response to 12 °C cold after acclimation at either 32 °C or room temperature using thermographic imaging. Repeatability of the 32 °C acclimation trial was studied in a second group in Phase 2. Phase 1 included 28 men (mean age 23.9 ± 5.9 y; mean BMI 25.2 ± 3.9 kg/m2) and Phase 2 included 14 men (mean age 20.9 ± 2.4 y; mean BMI 23.6 ± 3.1 kg/m2). The thermal response was greater after 32 °C than after room temperature acclimation (0.22 ± 0.19 vs 0.13 ± 0.17 °C, p = 0.05), was not related to outdoor temperature (r = −0.35, p = 0.07), did not correlate with supraclavicular fat (r = −0.26, p = 0.21) measured with dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry and was repeatable [ICC 0.69 (0.14–0.72)]. Acclimation at 32 °C followed by cold generates a reproducible change in supraclavicular skin temperature measurable by thermal imaging that may be indicative of BAT metabolic activity.