OBJECTIVES To determine whether plasma klotho, a recently discovered hormone that has been implicated in atherosclerosis, is related to prevalent cardiovascular disease in adults. DESIGN Cross-sectional. SETTING Population-based sample of adults residing in Tuscany, Italy. PARTICIPANTS One thousand and twenty-three men and women, aged 24–102, participating in the Invecchiare in Chianti (InCHIANTI) study. MEASUREMENTS Anthropometric measures, plasma klotho, fasting plasma total, high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol, triglycerides, glucose, creatinine, C-reactive protein. Clinical measures: medical assessment, diabetes mellitus, hypertension, coronary heart disease, heart failure, stroke, peripheral artery disease, cancer, chronic kidney disease. Logistic regression models were used to examine the relationship between plasma klotho and prevalent cardiovascular disease. RESULTS Of 1023 participants, 259 (25.3%) had cardiovascular disease. Median (25th, 75th percentile) plasma klotho concentrations were 676 (530, 819) pg/mL. Plasma klotho was correlated with age (r = −0.14, P <0.0001), HDL cholesterol (r = 0.11, P = 0.0004), C-reactive protein (r = −0.10, P = 0.0008), but not systolic blood pressure, fasting plasma glucose, or renal function. Plasma klotho age-adjusted geometric means (95% Confidence Interval [C.I.]) were 626 (601, 658) in participants with cardiovascular disease and 671 (652, 692) pg/mL in those without cardiovascular disease (P = 0.0001). Adjusting for traditional cardiovascular risk factors (age, sex, smoking, total cholesterol, HDL cholesterol, systolic blood pressure, and diabetes), log plasma klotho was associated with prevalent cardiovascular disease (Odds Ratio per 1 standard deviation increase = 0.85, 95% C.I. 0.72, 0.99). CONCLUSION In community-dwelling adults, higher plasma klotho concentrations are independently associated with a lower likelihood of having cardiovascular disease.

Complication rates from AF ablation remain significant, despite improved techniques and increased awareness of procedural risks. Both advanced age and female gender predict major adverse events, suggesting careful consideration of the risk/benefit profile in these patients prior to ablation.

Despite oral anticoagulation treatment, there is a small but significant incidence of LA thrombus by TEE prior to AF ablation. A CHADS(2) score >or= 2 and larger LA diameter are independent predictors of LA thrombus in this patient population, while type of AF or rhythm at the time of TEE is not. The risk of LA thrombus is low in patients with a CHADS(2) score of 0 and in patients with an LA diameter < 4.5 cm.