Background Experimental and physiologic data mechanistically implicate wave reflections in the pathogenesis of left ventricular failure and cardiovascular disease, but their association with these outcomes in the general population is unclear. Objectives To assess the relationship between central pressure profiles and incident cardiovascular events. Methods Aortic pressure waveforms were derived from a generalized transfer function applied to the radial pressure waveform recorded non-invasively from 5,960 participants in the Multiethnic Study of Atherosclerosis (MESA). The central pressure waveform was separated into forward and reflected waves using a physiologic flow waveform. Reflection magnitude (RM=[reflected/forward wave amplitude] ×100), augmentation index (AIx=[second/first systolic peak] ×100) and pulse pressure amplification (PPA=[radial/aortic pulse pressure] ×100) were assessed as predictors of cardiovascular events (CVE) and congestive heart failure (CHF) during median 7.61 years of follow-up. Results After adjustment for established risk factors, aortic AIx independently predicted hard CVE (HR per 10%-increase=1.08; 95%CI=1.01-1.14; P=0.016), whereas PPA independently predicted all CVE (HR per 10%-increase=0.82; 95%CI=0.70-0.96; P=0.012). RM was independently predictive of all CVE (hazard ratio [HR] per 10%-increase=1.34; 95%CI=1.08-1.67; P=0.009), hard CVE (HR per 10%-increase=1.46; 95%CI=1.12-1.90; P=0.006) and strongly predictive of new-onset CHF (HR per 10%-increase=2.69; 95%CI=1.79-4.04; P<0.0001), comparing favorably to other risk factors for CHF as judged by various measures of model performance, reclassification and discrimination. In a fully-adjusted model, compared to non-hypertensive subjects with low RM, the HR for hypertensive subjects with low RM, non-hypertensive subjects with high RM and hypertensive subjects with high RM were 1.81 (95%CI=0.85-3.86), 2.16 (95%CI=1.07-5.01) and 3.98 (95%CI=1.96-8.05), respectively. Conclusions Arterial wave reflections represent a novel strong risk factor for CHF in the general population.

Rationale: The conducting of clinical trials in infants with cystic fibrosis (CF) has been hindered by lack of sensitive outcome measures. Objectives: To evaluate safety, feasibility, and ability to detect abnormalities in lung function of serial pulmonary function tests (PFTs) in infants with CF. Methods: Multicenter observational study using a commercial device, rigorous training, ongoing quality control, and over-reading of data by an independent panel. Raised volume rapid thoracoabdominal compression technique and plethysmography were performed at enrollment and at 6 and 12 months, with an additional 1-month reproducibility visit. Measurements and Main Results: A total of 342 procedures were performed in 100 infants with CF at 10 centers. FRC measurements were acceptable at a higher proportion of study visits (89%) than raised volume (72%) or fractional lung volume (68%) measurements. Average Z scores for many parameters differed significantly from historical control values. Mean (95% confidence interval) Z scores were: 20.52 (20.78 to 20.25) for forced expiratory flow at 75% (FEF 75 ) for FVC; 1.92 (1.39-2.45) for FRC; 1.22 (0.68-1.76) for residual volume; 0.87 (0.60-1.13) for FRC/total lung capacity; and 0.66 (0.27-1.06) for residual volume/total lung capacity. For future multicenter clinical trials using infant PFTs as primary endpoints, minimum detectable treatment effects are presented for several sample sizes. Conclusions: In this 10-center study, key PFT measures were significantly different in infants with CF than in historical control subjects. However, infant PFTs do not yet appear ready as primary efficacy endpoints for multicenter clinical trials, particularly at inexperienced sites, based on acceptability rates, variability, and potentially large sample sizes required to detect reasonable treatment effects.

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IMPORTANCE Patients with chronic illness frequently use Physician Orders for Life-Sustaining Treatment (POLST) to document treatment limitations.OBJECTIVES To evaluate the association between POLST order for medical interventions and intensive care unit (ICU) admission for patients hospitalized near the end of life. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTSRetrospective cohort study of patients with POLSTs and with chronic illness who died between January 1, 2010, and December 31, 2017, and were hospitalized 6 months or less before death in a 2-hospital academic health care system.EXPOSURES POLST order for medical interventions ("comfort measures only" vs "limited additional interventions" vs "full treatment"), age, race/ethnicity, education, days from POLST completion to admission, histories of cancer or dementia, and admission for traumatic injury. MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURESThe primary outcome was the association between POLST order and ICU admission during the last hospitalization of life; the secondary outcome was receipt of a composite of 4 life-sustaining treatments: mechanical ventilation, vasopressors, dialysis, and cardiopulmonary resuscitation. For evaluating factors associated with POLST-discordant care, the outcome was ICU admission contrary to POLST order for medical interventions during the last hospitalization of life. RESULTS Among 1818 decedents (mean age, 70.8 [SD, 14.7] years; 41% women), 401 (22%) had POLST orders for comfort measures only, 761 (42%) had orders for limited additional interventions, and 656 (36%) had orders for full treatment. ICU admissions occurred in 31% (95% CI, 26%-35%) of patients with comfort-only orders, 46% (95% CI, 42%-49%) with limited-interventions orders, and 62% (95% CI, 58%-66%) with full-treatment orders. One or more life-sustaining treatments were delivered to 14% (95% CI, 11%-17%) of patients with comfort-only orders and to 20% (95% CI, 17%-23%) of patients with limited-interventions orders. Compared with patients with full-treatment POLSTs, those with comfort-only and limited-interventions orders were significantly less likely to receive ICU admission (comfort only: 123/401 [31%] vs 406/656 [62%], aRR, 0.53 [95% CI, 0.45-0.62]; limited interventions: 349/761 [46%] vs 406/656 [62%], aRR, 0.79 [95% CI, 0.71-0.87]). Across patients with comfort-only and limited-interventions POLSTs, 38% (95% CI, 35%-40%) received POLST-discordant care. Patients with cancer were significantly less likely to receive POLST-discordant care than those without cancer (comfort only: 41/181 [23%] vs 80/220 [36%], aRR, 0.60 [95% CI, 0.43-0.85]; limited interventions: 100/321 [31%] vs 215/440 [49%], aRR, 0.63 [95% CI, 0.51-0.78]). Patients with dementia and comfort-only orders were significantly less likely to receive POLST-discordant care than those without dementia (23/111 [21%] vs 98/290 [34%], aRR, 0.44 [95% CI, 0.29-0.67]). Patients admitted for traumatic injury were significantly more likely to receive POLST-discordant care (comfort only: 29/64 [45%] vs 92/337 [27%], aRR, 1.52 [95% CI, 1.08...

MBW testing is feasible in an interventional study in infants and preschool children with CF. These pilot findings support the development of MBW and LCI as an objective outcome measure in interventional trials in young children with CF, and provide estimates for sample size calculations for future studies.