Effectiveness of mailed outreach and patient navigation to promote HCC screening process completion: a multicentre pragmatic randomised clinical trial

Background
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is plagued by failures across the cancer care continuum, leading to frequent late-stage diagnoses and high mortality. We evaluated the effectiveness of mailed outreach invitations plus patient navigation to promote HCC screening process completion in patients with cirrhosis.

Methods
Between April 2018 and September 2021, we conducted a multicentre pragmatic randomised clinical trial comparing mailed outreach plus patient navigation for HCC screening (n=1436) versus usual care with visit-based screening (n=1436) among patients with cirrhosis at three US health systems. Our primary outcome was screening process completion over a 36-month period, and our secondary outcome was the proportion of time covered (PTC) by screening. All patients were included in intention-to-screen analyses.

Results
All 2872 participants (median age 61.3 years; 32.3% women) were included in intention-to-screen analyses. Screening process completion was observed in 6.6% (95% CI: 5.3% to 7.9%) of patients randomised to outreach and 3.3% (95% CI: 2.4% to 4.3%) of those randomised to usual care (OR 2.05, 95% CI: 1.44 to 2.92). The intervention increased HCC screening process completion across most subgroups including age, sex, race and ethnicity, Child-Turcotte-Pugh class and health system. PTC was also significantly higher in the outreach arm than usual care (mean 37.5% vs 28.2%; RR 1.33, 95% CI: 1.31 to 1.35). Despite screening underuse, most HCC in both arms were detected at an early stage.

Conclusion
Mailed outreach plus navigation significantly increased HCC screening process completion versus usual care in patients with cirrhosis, with a consistent effect across most examined subgroups. However, screening completion remained suboptimal in both arms, underscoring a need for more intensive interventions.

Trial registration number
NCT02582918.

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Novembre 2024

Is mailed outreach and patient navigation a perfect solution to improve HCC screening?

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a significant global health problem, and its incidence is expected to exceed 1 million new HCC annually by 2025.1 The reported 3-year survival rate for advanced-stage HCC is less than 17%, while 70% of patients diagnosed with early-stage HCC can achieve 5-year survival.2 Despite well-established guidelines and the clear benefits of early detection, the meta-analysis results (29 papers, 1 18 799 patients) showed that only 24% of individuals at risk for developing HCC were screened.3 Efforts to surmount barriers at patient, provider and healthcare levels have shown a minimal screening rate increase over time.3 4 One of the reasons for the disappointing results might be the fact that authors focused on individual barriers, rather than considering the screening failure the result of the interplay of different factors. Additionally, the published studies have the following limitations, detailed reasons for…

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Novembre 2024

Where are we with gastric cancer screening in Europe in 2024?

The absolute number of annual cases of gastric cancer in Europe is rising. The Council of the European Union has recommended implementation of gastric cancer screening for countries or regions with a high gastric cancer incidence and death rates. However, as of 2024 no organised gastric cancer screening programme has been launched in Europe.
There are several ways to decrease gastric cancer burden, but the screen and treat strategy for Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) seems to be the most appropriate for Europe. It has to be noted that increased use of antibiotics would be associated with this strategy.
Only organised population-based cancer screening is recommended in the European Union, therefore gastric cancer screening also is expected to fulfil the criteria of an organised screening programme. In this respect, several aspects of screening organisation need to be considered before full implementation of gastric cancer prevention in Europe; the age range of the target group, test types, H. pylori eradication regimens and surveillance strategies are among them. Currently, ongoing projects (GISTAR, EUROHELICAN, TOGAS and EUCanScreen) are expected to provide the missing evidence. Feedback from the decision-makers and the potential target groups, including vulnerable populations, will be important to planning the programme.
This paper provides an overview of the recent decisions of the European authorities, the progress towards gastric cancer implementation in Europe and expected challenges. Finally, a potential algorithm for gastric cancer screening in Europe is proposed.

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Novembre 2024

Abstract 4144566: Building CPR/AED Confidence through Community Volunteer Prevention Screening Sessions: The Impact of the Eric Paredes Save A Life Foundation

Circulation, Volume 150, Issue Suppl_1, Page A4144566-A4144566, November 12, 2024. Introduction:Sudden cardiac arrest (SCA) remains a leading cause of death among young individuals, often occurring without prior symptoms. Public confidence in recognizing SCA warning signs, understanding risk factors, and using cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and Automated External Defibrillators (AEDs) is generally low. The Eric Paredes Save A Life Foundation addresses this gap by offering free cardiac screenings and educational sessions. This abstract evaluates the foundation’s impact on participants’ confidence in these critical areas.Goals:The primary objectives were to enhance participants’ confidence in identifying SCA warning signs and risk factors, performing CPR, using AEDs during cardiac emergencies, and communicating youth heart health concerns to healthcare providers.Methods:Volunteer-led prevention screening sessions were conducted, incorporating educational components on SCA warning signs, risk factors, and hands-only CPR and AED training. Post-session surveys were administered to 1,123 participants to assess their confidence levels in these areas.Results:The screening sessions significantly increased participants’ confidence. Specifically, 96% of participants reported heightened confidence in recognizing SCA warning signs and understanding risk factors. Additionally, 94% felt more assured in discussing youth heart health with providers. Confidence in performing CPR during a cardiac emergency rose to 92%, while confidence in using an AED reached 89%. These results demonstrate the effectiveness of the sessions in empowering individuals with essential life-saving skills.Conclusions:The Eric Paredes Save A Life Foundation’s prevention screening sessions are highly effective in improving participants’ confidence in recognizing SCA warning signs, understanding risk factors, and using CPR and AEDs. The substantial increase in confidence levels underscores the importance of community-based education and training programs in reducing SCA-related fatalities among youth. These findings support the need for ongoing and expanded initiatives to further enhance public health outcomes and preparedness for cardiac emergencies.

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Novembre 2024

Abstract 4145826: Atrial Fibrillation Screening During Sinus Rhythm Periods by Interrelated Systems Dynamics Analysis

Circulation, Volume 150, Issue Suppl_1, Page A4145826-A4145826, November 12, 2024. Background:Previous studies have shown that AF screening in at-risk populations can reduce stroke incidence. However, non-targeted screening approaches often result in high false positive rates, placing an unnecessary burden on the healthcare system. In contrast, artificial intelligence-guided screening has been demonstrated to increase diagnostic yield in large prospective clinical trials. This approach, however, requires recording an ECG and a large-scale dataset for model training. Heart rate variability (HRV) analysis has proven effective in deciphering key heart dynamics. By analyzing HRV as interrelated dynamic systems, it may be possible to facilitate targeted AF screening using wearable devices that measure heart rate.The Koopman operator, used for data-driven modeling of interrelated dynamic systems, has been shown to accurately predict complex phenomena in chaotic systems such as climate forecasting and drug adverse reaction prediction. This is achieved by utilizing common characteristics of the systems for most model parameters, with only a small fraction of the parameters being specific to a certain system.Methods:Long ( >10 hour) records from 361 individuals (AFDB, LTAFDB) and healthy individuals’ datasets from PhysioNet and THEW were analyzed for inter-beat intervals. The unified dataset was then split into 94 training, 17 validation, and 250 test set patients. Recordings from the training set were used to train both the common and specific parts of the interrelated dynamic systems model for each patient, along with a shared small neural network classifying patients into low and high risk for AF based on the unique (not shared between patients) singular values of the dynamic system model. Patient-specific dynamic system models were then fitted for the validation and test sets to calculate the patient dynamic singular values, which were used to classify patients into low and high risk for AF groups.Results:Atrial fibrillation occurred in 48 of 202 (23%) patients classified as low risk and 35 of 48 (72.9%) patients classified as high risk (odds ratio 8.63, 95% CI 4.23-17.64), yielding 72.9% sensitivity with 76.2% specificity.Conclusion:In this retrospective analysis, classification of the dynamic system model singular values identified patients at high risk for atrial fibrillation from sinus rhythm period.

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Novembre 2024

Abstract 4144583: Beyond Acute Rejection Screening Following Pediatric Heart Transplant: In Patients Negative for Rejection, Elevated Donor-Derived Cell-Free DNA is Associated with Cardiac Allograft Vasculopathy (CAV) and Donor Specific Antibodies (DSA)

Circulation, Volume 150, Issue Suppl_1, Page A4144583-A4144583, November 12, 2024. Donor-derived cell-free DNA (dd-cfDNA) has been increasingly used to detect acute rejection (AR). We aimed to compare our institutional dd-cfDNA results to previously published adult and pediatric dd-cfDNA AR cutoffs. We also hypothesized that in the absence of AR, elevated dd-cfDNA would be associated with CAV and positive DSA.Patients (pt) < 18 years at transplant with >1 dd-cfDNA between 2021-2023 were included. Using dd-cfDNA levels from this cohort, sensitivity, specificity, NPV, and PPV were calculated. False positives and false negatives (FN) were determined using published dd-cfDNA thresholds. AR was defined as decision-to-treat with increased immunosuppression, which was independent of dd-cfDNA in our cohort. In pt without AR,t-test was used to compare the means of dd-cfDNA levels in pt with and without DSA. χ2testing was then performed to evaluate the association between dd-cfDNA levels above and below 0.2% and the presence/absence of DSA and CAV. DSA was defined as allele-specific DSA identified by single antigen bead with mean fluorescence intensity >1000, and CAV as any disease by angiography.There were 379 samples among 163 pt, a median of 2 samples per pt, and 32 samples obtained at time of AR. Performance of dd-cfDNA in our cohort vs published dd-cfDNA thresholds is shown in Table 1. The FN rate ranged from 16 to 37% as the dd-cfDNA threshold increased. Mean dd-cfDNA was higher in patients with positive DSA versus those without (0.83% vs 0.19%, p0.2% were associated with a higher prevalence of positive DSA (n=66) (48% vs 13%, p

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Novembre 2024

Abstract 4139194: Predicting Cholesterol Screening Behavior After Age 50 Using Machine Learning: Insights from the Health and Retirement Study

Circulation, Volume 150, Issue Suppl_1, Page A4139194-A4139194, November 12, 2024. Background:In the U.S., about 8% of adults never received cholesterol screening. Although machine learning (ML) has been used to develop decision tools for Atherosclerotic Cardiovascular Disease (ASCVD) risk prediction, its application in behavioral forecasting has not yet been explored in the context of cholesterol screening behaviors. This study aimed to examine the performance and accuracy of ML algorithms in forecasting cholesterol screening behaviors in adults after age 50.Methods:This analysis used deidentified data from the Health and Retirement Study (HRS) 2004-2018. HRS is a longitudinal survey among 23,000 households in the U.S. Participants were excluded from the current analysis if they passed away by 2019, ever had ASCVD or stroke, were under age 50 at baseline, or had missing data in self-reported cholesterol screening. In total, 7176 participants (mean age [SD]=62 [8]) met the inclusion criteria; participants were randomly split into a training set (80%) and a testing set (20%). The synthetic minority oversampling technique was used to solve the imbalance distribution of the rare event. Five ML algorithms were used: random forest, gradient boosting machine (GBM), XGBoost, Support Vector Machine (SVM), and logistic regression. Accuracy, AUROC, and positive predictive value (PPV) were used to compare model performance. The average gain was evaluated for feature importance in the demographic and health domains.Results:In total, 232 (3.2%) respondents did not receive any cholesterol screening from 2008 to 2018. Experiments with five ML algorithms suggested that XGBoost with deeper trees and learning rate performed better in classifying those who did not screen for cholesterol levels over 10 years. Adding prior cholesterol screening history (2004-2006) into the model significantly improved model performance. Hypertension, self-rated health, and smoking were the major health features, while insurance, poverty, and work status were the major demographic features in the predictive model (accuracy=0.97; AUROC=0.88; PPV=0.42).Conclusion:Findings underscore the potential utility of ML models in predicting cholesterol screening behaviors after age 50. This could be the basis for developing decision tools for clinicians to identify those with a lower chance of cholesterol screening or make reminders accordingly. The low-cost predictive model might improve the uptake of preventive screening behaviors in middle-aged and older adults.

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Novembre 2024

Abstract 4138955: Artificial intelligence-guided screening of rheumatic heart disease from single-view two-dimensional echocardiography

Circulation, Volume 150, Issue Suppl_1, Page A4138955-A4138955, November 12, 2024. Introduction:Rheumatic heart disease (RHD) is the most common acquired heart disorder in children and adolescents worldwide. We developed and validated an automated artificial intelligence (AI)-guided RHD screening algorithm adapted for point-of-care ultrasonography (POCUS) in school-aged children.Methods:We employed a cross-domain transfer learning approach, in which a 3D convolutional neural network (CNN) was first trained to detect structural RHD deformation of the mitral or aortic valves in 244,523 videos, representing all views from 5,614 adult transthoracic echocardiograms (1:5 age and sex-matched cases and controls; median age 69 [58-80] years, 76.4% female) in a large US health system. The model was fine-tuned for stage ≥B (“definite”) RHD in 21,472 POCUS videos (2D parasternal and apical acquisitions) from 5,525 studies (75% training, 25% validation) in a pediatric screening program (median age 11 [IQR 10-13] years, 54.6% female) in Brazilian low-income schools. Testing was performed in a held-out set of 1,966 parasternal long-axis (PLAX) videos from 1,138 studies in Brazil (14 [1.2%] with stage ≥B RHD) as well as in an external pediatric screening set in Uganda consisting of 249 videos from 96 studies (34 [35.4%] with stage ≥B RHD) (Fig. 1).Results:Our model (Fig. 2) achieved a study-level AUROC (area under the receiver operating characteristic curve) of 0.88 across the held-out/external testing sets for identifying stage ≥B RHD from cardiac POCUS (Fig. 3A). On a video-level the model learned a continuous spectrum of phenotypes on PLAX acquisitions spanning stage ≥B (“definite”) and stage A (“borderline”) cases, ranging from a median video-level AI probability of 0.13 [0.01-0.73] for stage ≥B to 0.00 [0.00-0.01] for non-RHD POCUS (Fig. 3B). At the threshold that maximized Youden’s J in the held-out Brazil set, our algorithm’s performance in the set from Uganda showed 97% recall (sensitivity), a positive predictive value (precision) of 46%, and a negative predictive value of 95%.Conclusions:A transfer learning approach that employs multi-view learning achieves excellent performance for RHD on single-view two-dimensional cardiac POCUS without Doppler. Our study suggests a scalable approach to AI-enabled RHD detection with images that can be acquired by individuals with modest training.

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Novembre 2024

Abstract 4138647: Opportunistic Screening for Cardiovascular Risk Using Chest X-Rays and Deep Learning: Associations with Coronary Artery Disease in the Project Baseline Health Study and Mass General Brigham Biobank

Circulation, Volume 150, Issue Suppl_1, Page A4138647-A4138647, November 12, 2024. Introduction/Background:We previously demonstrated that an open-source deep learning model (CXR-CVD Risk) can predict 10-year major adverse cardiovascular events (myocardial infarction&stroke), based on a chest radiograph image (CXR). As deep learning models are black boxes, establishing the biological processes the model captures to predict risk may help build understanding and trust in the model.Research Questions/Hypothesis:To test associations between deep-learning derived CXR-CVD Risk and markers of cardiovascular disease including coronary artery calcium (CAC) and stenosis ≥50% on CT, systolic blood pressure (SBP), ankle brachial index (ABI), and prevalent myocardial infarction and stroke.Methods/Approach:We conducted external validation of CXR-CVD-Risk in two cohorts: 1) 2,097 volunteers in the Project Baseline Health Study (PBHS) and 2) 1,644 Mass General Brigham Biobank (MGBB) patients. The CXR-CVD-Risk model estimated 10-year cardiovascular event risk (probability between 0 and 1) from a CXR image. We calculated linear associations with SBP, ABI, and the logarithm of coronary artery calcium and odds ratios for prevalent hypertension, myocardial infarction, stroke, and, in the MGBB, coronary artery stenosis ≥50%. Analyses were adjusted for age, BMI, sex, smoking status, and enrolling site.Results/Data:CXR-CVD-Risk was associated with CAC in both populations (PBHS: 1.11-fold increase, 95% CI: [1.07-1.16]; MGBB: 1.03-fold increase [1.01-1.05] in CAC per 1% increase in CXR-CV-Risk). CXR-CVD-Risk was also associated with SBP (0.59 mmHg increase [0.24-0.93] in SBP per 1% increase in CXR-CV-Risk), history of hypertension, history of myocardial infarction, and stroke. There was an inverse association with ABI (0.010 decrease [0.005-0.014] in ABI) in the PBHS. In the MGBB, CXR-CVD-Risk was associated with coronary artery stenosis ≥50% (OR = 1.004 [1.002-1.007]). All estimates are after covariate adjustment.Conclusion:This deep learning CXR risk score was associated with coronary artery disease (calcium score and stenosis ≥50%), CVD risk factors, and prevalent CVD. Opportunistic screening using CXRs in the electronic record can identify patients at high risk of CVD who may benefit from prevention.

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Novembre 2024

Abstract 4131439: Routine Social Isolation Screening Among Adults with Cardiovascular Disease: A Survival Analysis

Circulation, Volume 150, Issue Suppl_1, Page A4131439-A4131439, November 12, 2024. Background:Evidence linking social isolation to cardiovascular disease morbidity and mortality has grown in recent years. Still, information on how this may manifest in real world settings and its implications for screening practices is limited. In 2019, our large national integrated health care system implemented screening for social isolation as part of a broader universal social risk assessment. This repository of screening data was joined to administrative claims to test these associations in real world data and explore differences by demographic and medical factors.Methods:Social isolation responses recorded from 2019-2022 were included for a cohort of adult health plan members with documented atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD). We selected a single random assessment for each member and retained any other responses for sensitivity analyses. Cohort members had at least 10 months of enrollment surrounding assessment date for use as the baseline period and were followed for 365 days. We used cox proportional hazards regression with right censoring for coverage gaps to estimate the risk of all-cause mortality conferred by social isolation. We used Poisson regression to model the rate of inpatient stays.Results:There were 881 deaths among 7,484 members (18% of those with social isolation; 11% of those without). The isolated group skewed less male (54% vs. 65%, p

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Novembre 2024

Abstract 4138273: Acceptability and Gain of Knowledge of Community Educational Tools About Rheumatic Heart Disease Integrated With Screening In Low-Income Settings

Circulation, Volume 150, Issue Suppl_1, Page A4138273-A4138273, November 12, 2024. Background:Rheumatic heart disease (RHD) causes 305,000 premature annual deaths, and education is one of the strategies to diminish disease burden. International RHD foundations aim do provide preventive and control efforts for RHD. We aimed to assess the acceptability and gain of knowledge of a series of education flipcharts presented during screening programs in high-burden areas of Brazil.Methods:Four flipcharts (“Introduction to rheumatic fever (RF) and RHD”, “RHD and pregnancy”, “RHD and surgery” and “RHD community awareness”) were developed over 3 years and taught during 36 months to patients, community, health and education professionals in Minas Gerais state. Training included in-person interactions and virtual workshops. Pre and post-training questionnaires were applied through an online and printed surveys in 2021 and 2022, and post-education evaluations were conducted from January 2023 to April, 2024.Results:Flipchart training was successfully delivered to 112 education professionals, 574 health providers and 598 community members (N=1284): 899 (70%) were enrolled in primary care, and 1109 (86%) responded the surveys. Among respondents of the survey for health and education professionals (N=589), 240 (41%) had been educated about RHD in the previous year. 569 (96%) learned any new information; the content was all new for 21 (4%). Nearly all professionals reported that flipcharts could improve patients’ lives (571, 97%) and felt confident to use the tool with someone with no knowledge about RHD (533, 91%); 86% of the teachers said they would use flipcharts as educational tools. In the survey for community / schoolchildren (N=520) only 128 (25%) respondents had previous education on RHD, 510 (98%) reported that learned new information, and content was completely new for 242 (47%). A total of 430 (83%) individuals reported that they will discuss RHD with families and community. All qualitative written reports were positive. In 2021/2022, 218/485 (45%) health and education professionals responded the pre/post questionnaire. Knowledge about RHD increased after training: RF as the cause of RHD (56% vs 86%), use of Benzathine Penicillin G (50% vs 97%), frequency of antibiotic prophylaxis (32% vs 90%) and overall moderate or expert understanding of RF or RHD (30% vs 82%).Conclusion:Flipchart educational sessions about RHD had a very positive acceptability in high-risk Brazilian populations, with remarkable gain of knowledge for health professionals.

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Novembre 2024

Abstract 4115235: Disparities in Youth Cardiac Screening by Childhood Opportunity Index: Insights from the Heartbytes Database

Circulation, Volume 150, Issue Suppl_1, Page A4115235-A4115235, November 12, 2024. Intro:The AHA endorses screening youth athletes to identify risk for sudden cardiac arrest (SCA). Rates of SCA can be predicted by social determinants of health (SDOH) such as education level and proportion of Black residents in ZIP Code. The Child Opportunity Index (COI) quantifies neighborhood factors that influence health and development. The link between COI and youth cardiac screening findings and outcomes remains unclear.Hypothesis:Cardiac screening data will differ significantly by COI.Aims:To identify differences in cardiac screening data in children of varying COI.Methods:The HeartBytes Database, including sports exams, self-reported physical activity (PA), and zip codes from Simon’s Heart screenings was augmented with COI index zip code data. Chi-squared and logistic regression were used to analyze demographics, cardiac risk factors, and screening results.Data:Screening data of 11,431 youth athletes (median age 14.3 (IQR = 3), BMI 20.6 (4.8), 53.7% male, 70.6% White) was analyzed. The majority of children had very high overall COI (Figure 1). Hypertension, hyperlipidemia, Kawasaki disease, and heart infection were similar across COI levels (p > 0.05). Levels of physical activity varied significantly across levels of overall COI, with the highest levels reported in the lowest COI group (50.4% with >10 hours PA/week) (Chi-Squared; p = 0.007). Positive screening rates varied significantly by level of COI (p = 0.013) (Figure 2). The overall level of education, health environment, and socioeconomic COI did not predict positive screening outcomes in logistic regression analysis (all p >0.05).Conclusion:Prevalence of cardiac risk factors did not vary significantly across COI levels, however, positive screening rates were highest in moderate and very low COI levels. Simon’s Heart engaged communities across the COI spectrum; however, a majority of children had high or very high COI. Further efforts are needed to expand access to underserved populations of lower COI.

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Novembre 2024

Abstract 4145119: Implementation and Evaluation of a Life’s Essential 8 Risk Factor Screening Tool in a Public HIV Clinic in Tanzania

Circulation, Volume 150, Issue Suppl_1, Page A4145119-A4145119, November 12, 2024. Background:The burden of cardiovascular disease (CVD) is increasing among people with HIV (PWH) in sub-Saharan Africa. Integrating CVD screening into routine HIV care represents an opportunity to diagnose CVD at an earlier stage in a potentially high-risk population.Research questionsIs integrating CVD risk factor screening feasible and sustainable in a public HIV clinic in Mwanza, Tanzania? What is the magnitude of CVD risk of the general adult PWH population? What is the unmet need for blood pressure (BP) and diabetes management?Methods:We adapted the AHA Life’s Essential 8 (LE8) into a rapid questionnaire that was administered to every PWH in a large public adult HIV clinic. Questions included demographics; LE8 risk factors (BMI, diet, physical activity, sleep, and smoking); and the hypertension and diabetes continuum of care. Every patient had their BP measured; BP was measured two additional times for those with an initial BP >140/90 mmHg. We administered random blood glucose screening to anyone with a high BP, obese BMI, current smoking, or history of diabetes. Implementation and effectiveness were evaluated using the RE-AIM framework.Results:In 3 months, 1072 PWH were screened at least once. Mean age was 50 years and 72% were female. On average, PWH had a nutritious diet and received adequate physical activity per AHA guidelines. The prevalence of hypertension was 34%; the continuum of care is shown in Figure 1. Of those screened, 21% had diabetes or pre-diabetes. Evaluation via the RE-AIM framework is shown in Table 1. Successes included the reach and effectiveness of screening in only 3 months. Adoption was the biggest challenge due to staffing and supply constraints. The intervention was feasible, implemented with fidelity, and is ongoing.Conclusions:Integrating CVD risk screening into routine HIV care in a busy Tanzanian clinic was feasible and demonstrated a high magnitude of undiagnosed and untreated hypertension among the general PWH population.

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Novembre 2024

Abstract 4112869: Development of a Sitosterolemia Risk Prediction Scale (SRPS): A Screening Tool

Circulation, Volume 150, Issue Suppl_1, Page A4112869-A4112869, November 12, 2024. Introduction:Sitosterolemia, a hereditary disorder marked by elevated plant sterol levels, presents diagnostic challenges due to its similarity to other lipid disorders. The development of the Sitosterolemia Risk Prediction Scale (SRPS) aims to address this by synthesising genetic, clinical, and dietary data into a coherent risk assessment model.Research Question:We propose that a structured risk scale, integrating diverse factors known to affect sitosterolemia, can significantly improve the accuracy of predicting the disorder. The SRPS is hypothesised to facilitate early detection and inform targeted interventions.Aim:The primary aim is to conceptualise and outline the SRPS, which categorises individuals into risk categories based on a point system reflecting genetic predispositions, clinical symptoms, dietary habits, and response to treatments. This scale seeks to enhance the clinical identification of sitosterolemia, promoting timely and personalised management strategies.Methods:A detailed table was generated to present the SRPS, categorising risk factors into genetic, clinical, dietary, and response to treatment. This innovative method allowed for the efficient synthesis and visualisation of complex data.Results:The SRPS table methodically organizes risk factors into low (0-2 points), moderate (3-5 points), and high (6+ points) categories. This stratification guides further diagnostic actions, ranging from exploring alternative causes of hyperlipidemia to necessitating comprehensive genetic and lipid analyses.Conclusion:The SRPS represents an innovative framework for assessing sitosterolemia risk, highlighting the potential benefits of integrating genetic, clinical, and dietary information. It further underscores the importance of a multifactorial approach in the early detection and management of sitosterolemia.

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Novembre 2024

Abstract 4147650: Right Ventricular Hemodynamics in Patients Screened for HFpEF with a Novel Artificial Intelligence Screening Tool

Circulation, Volume 150, Issue Suppl_1, Page A4147650-A4147650, November 12, 2024. Background:Invasive hemodynamics are the gold standard for diagnosis of heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF). A novel, FDA-approved artificial intelligence (AI) technology that uses a single, 4-chamber transthoracic echocardiogram (TTE) image to screen patients for HFpEF shows promise as a non-invasive tool to assist in diagnosis. Development of right ventricular (RV) dysfunction is a sign of a more advanced HFpEF. Advanced RV hemodynamic parameters, beyond pulmonary arterial pressures (PAP), have not been well studied in HFpEF. We sought to correlate advanced RV hemodynamic parameters in patients screened for HFpEF with this AI screening tool.Method:We retrospectively evaluated two cohorts of patients with suspected HFpEF that underwent TTE and RHC at our institution. The most recent TTE for each patient was screened using the AI-based analysis tool and was reported as either “suggestive” or “non-suggestive” of HFpEF – labeled as “positive” or “negative,” respectively. Mean PAP, pulmonary vascular resistance (PVR), pulmonary artery pulsatility index (PAPI), RV cardiac power output (RV-CPO), RV myocardial performance score (RV-MPS), and right atrial pressure to pulmonary capillary wedge pressure ratio (RA:PCWP) were calculated using invasive hemodynamic parameters at rest, and exercise when available. RV-CPO was calculated as [(mean PAP-RAP) x cardiac output] /451, and RV-MPS was calculated as (RV-CPO x PAP)x1.5. Median values were calculated. AI positive and negative groups were compared using Student’s t-test.Results:A total of 47 patients (82% women, 79% Black, average EF 62%) were included, with 23 undergoing subsequent exercise RHC. There were 18 (38%) that screened positive for HFpEF, and 29 (62%) screened negative by TTE AI software. Positive patients had a significantly higher mean PAP (median 31 vs 23 mmHg, p=0.01), PVR (2.1 vs 1.3 WU, p=0.02), and RV-CPO (0.26 vs. 0.17, p=0.04) than patients who were screened negative. There were no significant differences in PAPI, RV-MPS, and RA:PCWP at rest. There were no significant differences in mean PAP, PVR, PAPI RV-CPO, RV-MPS, or RA:PCWP with exercise.Conclusion:Patients screened positive for HFpEF by a novel AI TTE software had significantly higher PAP and RV-CPO at rest, but no differences in PAPI, RV-MPS, or RA:PCWP ratio. This tool may help identify more advanced HFpEF.

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Novembre 2024

Abstract 4139026: Prevalence of Familial Hypercholesteremia (FH) Among Participants in the ACCELERATE Trial: Implications for Opportunistic FH Screening and Prognostication

Circulation, Volume 150, Issue Suppl_1, Page A4139026-A4139026, November 12, 2024. Background:Familial hypercholesteremia (FH) leads to elevated low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) and atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD). Although treatable, FH is underdiagnosed. Lipid lowering therapy may mask diagnostic pretreatment LDL-C levels. Participants of ASCVD trials may be enriched for FH, so ASCVD trial enrollment may be a unique contact point to opportunistically diagnose FH.Hypothesis:The population of the ACCELERATE trial of evacetrapib and ASCVD outcomes is enriched for FH.Methods:ACCELERATE is a phase 3 cardiovascular outcomes trial which randomized 12,092 patients with high-risk vascular disease to receive evacetrapib or placebo. FH was not reported. Using participant-level data, we estimated pretreatment LDL-c using validated corrections based on type and dose of statin therapy. We defined severe hypercholesterolemia as pretreatment LDL-C ≥ 190 mg/dl and FH as severe hypercholesterolemia with total cholesterol > 290 mg/dL in a first or second degree relative, consistent with Simon Broome register criteria. We compared trial prevalence to general prevalence (severe hypercholesterolemia ~7%, FH ~0.4%). We evaluated the adjusted association of severe hypercholesterolemia with the primary trial endpoint of ASCVD events using multivariable Cox proportional hazards regression.Results:Data were available for 11,993 participants (99%). The prevalence of severe hypercholesteremia was 15% (1809/11993). The prevalence of FH was 2.1% (255/11993). Pretreatment LDL-C ≥ 190 mg/dL, as compared with pretreatment LDL-C < 190 mg/dL, was significantly associated with a higher incidence of the primary ASCVD trial endpoint (15% vs 13.5% respectively, adjusted hazard ratio 1.19; 95% CI 1.03-1.38, P=0.021;Figure).Conclusion:In a participant-level analysis of a rigorous, independently adjudicated ASCVD outcomes trial, severe hypercholesterolemia and FH were more prevalent in the trial population than the general population based on pretreatment LDL-C calculation. Severe hypercholesterolemia was significantly associated with higher ASCVD incidence. ASCVD trial enrollment may be a novel high-yield contact point for index FH case identification using simple pretreatment LDL-C calculation.

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Novembre 2024