Conventional whole-heart CAC quantification has been demonstrated to be insufficient in predicting coronary events, especially in accurately predicting near-term coronary events in high-risk adults. In this paper, we propose a lesion-specific CAC quantification framework to improve CAC's near-term predictive value in intermediate to high-risk populations with a novel multiple instance support v...

OBJECTIVES Our objectives were to assess the magnitude of the disparity in lumbar spine bone mineral density (LSBMD) Z-scores generated by different reference databases and to evaluate whether the relationship between LSBMD Z-scores and vertebral fractures (VF) varies by choice of database. PATIENTS AND DESIGN Children with leukemia underwent LSBMD by cross-calibrated dual-energy x-ray absorp...

The inclusion of a genetic risk score (GRS) can modify the prediction coronary artery disease (CAD), providing an advantage over use traditional models. predictive value information on recurrence major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) remains controversial. A total 33 variants previously associated with CAD were genotyped in 1587 patients from GENEMACOR study. Of these, 18 presented hazard ...

Biomarker studies for early detection of acute kidney injury (AKI) have been limited by nonselective testing and uncertainties in using small changes in serum creatinine as a reference standard. Here we examine the ability of urine L-type fatty acid-binding protein (L-FABP), neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin (NGAL), interleukin-18 (IL-18), and kidney injury molecule-1 (KIM-1) to predic...

BACKGROUND Left-ventricular dysfunction associated with COPD exacerbation is frequently underestimated. We tested whether finger plethysmography waveform change during the Valsalva maneuver could aid in the distinction between patients with COPD exacerbation with and without left-ventricular dysfunction. METHODS We included 102 subjects with COPD exacerbation and 51 subjects with acute heart ...

BACKGROUND The predictive value and improved risk classification of self-reported cardiorespiratory fitness (SRCF), when added to traditional risk factors on cardiovascular disease (CVD) and longevity, are unknown. METHODS AND RESULTS A total of 3843 males and 5093 females from the Copenhagen City Heart Study without CVD in 1991-1994 were analyzed using multivariate Cox hazards regression to ...

In nondialysis chronic kidney disease, ambulatory blood pressure (ABP) performs better than clinic BP in predicting outcome, but whether repeated assessment of ABP further refines prognosis remains ill-defined. We recruited 182 consecutive hypertensive patients with nondialysis chronic kidney disease who underwent 2 ABPs 12 months apart to evaluate the enhancement in risk stratification provide...

BACKGROUND Age, estimated glomerular renal function (eGFR), and ejection fraction are preprocedural predictors of contrast-induced acute kidney injury (CI-AKI) after primary percutaneous coronary intervention. The effect of renal function-adjusted contrast volume (CV) remains not totally explored, and a threshold has not yet been established. METHODS AND RESULTS Logistic regression and receiv...

OBJECTIVES We evaluated whether carotid intima-media thickness (CIMT) and the presence or absence of plaque improved coronary heart disease (CHD) risk prediction when added to traditional risk factors (TRF). BACKGROUND Traditional CHD risk prediction schemes need further improvement as the majority of the CHD events occur in the "low" and "intermediate" risk groups. On an ultrasound scan, CIM...

Background—Biomarkers of atherosclerosis may refine clinical decision making in individuals at risk of cardiovascular disease. The purpose of the study was to determine the prognostic significance of endothelial function and other vascular markers in apparently healthy men. Methods and Results—The cohort consisted of 1574 men (age, 49.4 years) free of vascular disease. Measurements included flo...