Objective: To examine whether the influence of hypertension (HTN) status on longitudinal changes in brain glucose metabolism was modified by the apolipoprotein 4 (APOE4) status among older people with normal cognition. Methods: In this study, we included 217 older individuals with normal cognition from the Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative (ADNI) study. Participants were divided into the HTN and no HTN groups based on self-reported medical history. Brain glucose metabolism was assessed by 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose-positron emission tomography (FDG-PET). Linear mixed model was fitted to examine the association between the HTN × APOE4 interaction and longitudinal changes in brain glucose metabolism after controlling for several covariates. Results: In the present study, we found that the association between HTN status and longitudinal changes in brain glucose metabolism varied as a function of the APOE4 status, such that the HTN/APOE4+ group showed a steeper decline in FDG SUVR than all other groups (No HTN/APOE4-, HTN/APOE4-, and No HTN/APOE4+). Nevertheless, there was no significant difference in the rate of decline in FDG SUVR among other groups (No HTN/APOE4-, HTN/APOE4-, and No HTN/APOE4+). Conclusion: The APOE4 genotype interacted with hypertension status to affect longitudinal changes in brain glucose metabolism among older individual with normal cognition, such that the HTN/APOE4+ group showed a steeper decline in FDG SUVR than other groups.

Objective to evaluate the clinical efficacy and safety of sacubitril valsartan in the treatment of heart failure (HF) with midrange ejection fraction after acute myocardial infarction (AMI) in diabetic patients. From January 2015 to July 2020, HF patients with diabetes mellitus complicated with AMI were retrospectively analyzed. According to the medication, they were divided into 2 groups, that is, sacubitril valsartan group (84 cases) and valsartan group (86 cases). Valsartan group took valsartan capsule (80 mg/capsule, Beijing Novartis Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd) 80 mg, qd, on the basis of routine treatment. On the basis of routine treatment, the sacubitril valsartan group took sacubitril valsartan sodium tablets (50 mg/tablet, Beijing Novartis Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd), the initial dose was 25 mg, bid, and gradually increased to the target dose according to the patient's blood pressure. After 12 months of treatment, the independent sample t test showed that the left ventricular end diastolic dimension in the sacubitril valsartan group was lower than that in the valsartan group [(47.26 ± 4.71) mm vs (50.05 ± 5.62) mm, P < .001]. The left ventricular ejection fraction in the sacubitril valsartan group was higher than that in the valsartan group [(54.76 ± 4.24)% vs (49.28 ± 3.74)%, P < .001]. x 2 inspection showed that the readmission rate in the sacubitril valsartan group was lower than that in the valsartan group (7.14% vs 18.60%, P < .05). Sacubitril valsartan has good safety and tolerability in patients with diabetes mellitus complicated with AMI who have HF with midrange ejection fraction. Compared with valsartan, sacubitril valsartan can improve the left ventricular function better and reduce the readmission rate due to HF in these patients.Abbreviations: AMI = acute myocardial infarction, HF = heart failure, DM = diabetes mellitus, HFmrEF = heart failure with midrange ejection fraction, LVDD = left ventricular end diastolic dimension, LVEF = left ventricular ejection fraction, RAAS = renin angiotensin aldosterone system.

Left atrial (LA) remodeling has been identified to predict atrial fibrillation (AF) and heart failure. However, the role of LA diameter (LAD) in patients with heart failure (HF) with preserved (HFpEF), mid-range (HFmrEF), and reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF) remains poorly understood. A total of 142 patients including 71 subjects with AF (21 of HFpEF, 22 of HFmrEF, and 28 of HFrEF) and 71 ejection fraction (EF)-matched subjects with sinus rhythm (SR) were included in the study. Baseline characteristics and echocardiographic parameters including LAD were compared between both groups as well as among HFpEF, HFmrEF, and HFrEF. In receiver-operating characteristic (ROC) analyses, LAD predicted AF in HFpEF, HFmrEF, and HFrEF [area under the curve (AUC): 0.646; P = .03]. LAD was negatively association with left ventricular ejection fraction while positively with Nt-proNP and left ventricular end-diastolic diameter (regression coefficient: −0.239, P = .004; regression coefficient: 0.191, P = .023; regression coefficient: 0.357, P < .001). In ROC analyses, LAD predicted HFrEF among the 3 categories (AUC: 0.629, P = .01). In the setting of HF, LAD was higher in AF than in and SR, and predicted AF. Furthermore, LAD was associated with severity of HF in HFpEF, HFmrEF, and HFrEF, and also predicted HFrEF.

Background: The six-minute walking test (6MWT) is a tool that is widely used to evaluate exercise capacity in clinical practice and research. However, to date, there are no standard reference equations for the six-minute walking distance (6MWD) for people aged 60-85 years in China. The purpose of this study was to 1) measure the 6MWD of healthy Chinese people aged 60-85 years, 2) establish prediction reference equations for the 6MWD, and 3) compare our reference equations with those reported in previously published studies.Methods: We obtained verbal informed consent from all subjects prior to the trial and the Ethics Committee of Wenzhou People's Hospital approved the design of the study. The demographic and anthropometric data and the 6MWT results of healthy Chinese subjects aged 60-85 years were measured by a standardized protocol. The subjects completed two 6MWTs monitored by the same operator. The second 6MWT was completed in 2 hours and the longer 6MWD was used for further analysis. Results: A total of 266 subjects (128 male and 138 female) completed the 6MWTs, and the mean 6MWD for all subjects was 502.0±72.86 m. Males achieved a longer 6MWD than females (518.0±72.3 m vs. 487.2±70.44 m; p<0.0001), and physically active subjects achieved a longer 6MWD than sedentary subjects (512.2±76.33 m vs. 484.5±63.11 m; p<0.0001). Univariate linear regression analysis showed that variables (i.e., age, height, body mass index (BMI), post-test heart rate, blood pressure, post-exercise heart rate changes, etc.) were significantly associated with the 6MWD. Age, height, and BMI were identified as independent factors that influenced the 6MWD and could explain approximately 33% of the walking variance. The reference equations from Caucasian and South Americans tended to overestimate the 6MWD of our subjects, while the equations from Asians and Africans often underestimated the 6MWD of our subjects.Conclusions: In this study, the 6MWD of healthy people aged 60-85 years in China was described for the first time, and prediction reference equations for the 6MWD were proposed. This will help to improve the diagnosis and treatment of elderly Chinese patients with diseases that affect exercise capacity.

Rationale: BMPR2 mutation is the most common cause of heritable pulmonary arterial hypertension (HPAH), but rare in hereditary hemorrhagic telangiectasia (HHT). ACVRL1 , ENG and SMAD4 are the most common gene mutations reported in HPAH with HHT. Patient concerns: We report a 11-year-old boy with a definite diagnosis of pulmonary hypertension and suspected HHT with recurrent epistaxis. The results of gene detection showed that there was a nosense mutation in BMPR2 . The results of gene detection of ACVRL1, ENG and SMAD4 were normal. Diagnoses: Heritable pulmonary arterial hypertension with suspected hereditary hemorrhagic telangiectasia. Interventions: Patient was treated with ambrisentan 2.5 mg qd. About a month later, the patient developed massive gastrointestinal bleeding and sudden convulsions. The patient's vital signs were stable after symptomatic treatment. Outcomes: After discharging from hospital, the patients continued to take ambrisentan. No epistaxis or gastrointestinal bleeding was found in one month of follow-up, but the symptoms of chest tightness were not significantly alleviated. Lessons: BMPR2 with a nonsense mutation is more likely to cause HPAH with HHT and are more likely to be life-threatening.