Heart Health Worsened in Pts With Chronic Hypoparathyroidism
METHODOLOGY:
Researchers conducted this study by merging data from population-based registries in Sweden to assess the risk for cardiovascular diseases in patients with chronic hypoparathyroidism.
They included 1982 patients with chronic hypoparathyroidism (mean age, 54.7 years; 76.7% women) and matched them to 19,494 control individuals without the condition.
The median follow-up time was 9.09 years for patients with chronic hypoparathyroidism and 8.91 years for control individuals.
The outcome was the presence of at least one cardiovascular event such as acute myocardial infarction, atrial fibrillation/flutter, heart failure, valvular heart disease, peripheral artery disease, or stroke or transient ischaemic attack; fatal cardiovascular disease was defined as death from any cardiovascular causes.
TAKEAWAY:
Patients with chronic hypoparathyroidism showed higher risks for valvular heart disease (hazard ratio [HR], 2.08; 95% CI, 1.67-2.60), peripheral artery disease (HR, 1.78; 95% CI, 1.41-2.26), heart failure (HR, 1.66; 95% CI, 1.44-1.90), atrial fibrillation/flutter (HR, 1.58; 95% CI, 1.38-1.81), and acute myocardial infarction (HR, 1.31; 95% CI, 1.05-1.64) than control individuals.
The risk for fatal cardiovascular disease was 59% higher in patients with chronic hypoparathyroidism than in control individuals (HR, 1.59; 95% CI, 1.40-1.80).
Women with chronic hypoparathyroidism showed significantly higher risks for valvular heart disease, peripheral artery disease, heart failure, atrial fibrillation, myocardial infarction, and fatal cardiovascular disease than their matched control individuals; however, no significant differences in any cardiovascular outcomes were observed between men with chronic hypoparathyroidism and their matched control individuals.
The increased risk for cardiovascular diseases in patients with chronic hypoparathyroidism remained consistent, regardless of the surgical or non-surgical aetiology of chronic hypoparathyroidism.
IN PRACTICE:
"[The study] findings highlight the need for close monitoring and preventive management of cardiovascular risk factors, particularly in women," the authors wrote.
SOURCE:
This study was led by Sigridur Björnsdottir, MD, PhD, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden. It was published online on April 28, 2025, in The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism .
LIMITATIONS:
This study lacked data on biochemical measures, physical activity, height, body weight, and blood pressure and relied on chronic obstructive pulmonary disease as a proxy variable for heavy smoking. Information about dosages of active vitamin D, calcium, and levothyroxine was not available in the registries.
DISCLOSURES:
This study was supported by a research grant from the Swedish Research Council, Knut and Alice Wallenberg Foundation, Novo Nordisk Foundation, Torsten and Ragnar Söderberg's Foundations, and Kristian Gerhard Jebsen Foundation. Several authors reported serving as research investigators, members of the advisory board and steering committees, and consultants and receiving research grants, consultancy fees, and personal fees from various pharmaceutical companies.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Medscape
2 hours ago
- Medscape
Frequent Walking Tied to Lower CVD Risk in Seniors Above 80
TOPLINE: In older adults initially free of cardiovascular disease (CVD), each additional 10 moderate-to-vigorous physical activity walking events was associated with a reduced risk for CVD. In those aged 80 years or older, frequent light physical activity walking bouts also provided significant protection. METHODOLOGY: Moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (three or more metabolic equivalents) has been known to reduce the risk for CVD in older adults; however, the influence of different activity patterns and age-related differences remain unclear. Researchers analysed data from a Swedish cohort study and included 423 participants aged either 66 years or 80 years or older (67.4% women) without any CVD. Thigh-worn accelerometers were used to measure physical activity such as steps per day, sit-to-stand transitions, daily time in light and moderate-to-vigorous physical activity, and walking events. Walking events were identified as continuous walking bouts (excluding standing), with less than 100 steps per minute being classified as light and 100 or more steps per minute being classified as moderate-to-vigorous physical activity. The primary outcome was the incidence of both fatal and non-fatal CVD events, tracked over a mean follow-up duration of 5.6 years. TAKEAWAY: The participants took an average of 9276 steps per day and engaged in 35.5 minutes of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity per day; 30% of participants experienced at least one CVD event during the follow-up period. Overall, each additional 10 moderate-to-vigorous physical activity walking events was associated with a 10% reduced risk for CVD (adjusted hazard ratio, 0.90; P = .019). Among participants aged 80 years or older, the risk for CVD reduced by 39% for each additional 100 light physical activity walking events and by 13% for each additional 10 moderate-to-vigorous physical activity walking events (P < .05 for both). No clear associations between physical activity patterns and the risk for CVD were observed among younger-old adults (66 years). IN PRACTICE: "Our findings suggest that the daily frequency of PA [physical activity] events, alongside adherence to international MVPA [moderate-to-vigorous PA] recommendations (≥ 150-300 minutes per week), may offer added benefits in mitigating CVD risk," the authors wrote. SOURCE: This study was led by Caroline Lager, PhD student, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden. It was published online on July 12, 2025, in the European Journal of Preventive Cardiology. LIMITATIONS: Accelerometers may not have provided accurate measures of activities such as cycling, resistance training, or water-based exercises. Intensity levels of activities may have been misclassified. Data on physical activity may have been incomplete as the accelerometers were worn only during waking hours. DISCLOSURES: This study received support from the Swedish Research Council, the Swedish Ministry of Health and Social Affairs, and participating county councils and municipalities. Additional support was provided by The Mälardalen area doctoral school in health care science and the Strategic Research Area Health Care Science at Karolinska Institutet. The authors declared having no conflicts of interest. This article was created using several editorial tools, including AI, as part of the process. Human editors reviewed this content before publication.
Medscape
4 hours ago
- Medscape
What Drives ETI Use After CF Lung Transplant in the US?
TOPLINE: In the US, nearly one third of eligible lung transplant recipients with cystic fibrosis (CF) received new elexacaftor-tezacaftor-ivacaftor (ETI) prescriptions post-transplant. The presence of sinus disease and low BMI was positively associated with ETI prescription; however, these prescribing patterns varied significantly among center types. METHODOLOGY: Researchers conducted a retrospective study to examine the prescription patterns and factors associated with triple-modulator ETI prescription after lung transplantation in patients with CF in the US. Data were gathered through December 2022 from a registry of patients at 157 centers who had an ETI-eligible genotype and were not on ETI before lung transplant. The study population included 1666 lung transplant recipients (mean age, 39 years; 50% women). Based upon the proportion of lung transplant recipients with CF initiating ETI, centers were classified as — low-prescribing (0-1 patient), middle-prescribing (> 1 but < 50% of patients), and high-prescribing centers (≥ 50% of patients). Centers with less than 10 transplant recipients were labeled 'small center.' TAKEAWAY: Overall, 29.3% of recipients received new ETI prescriptions after transplant. The presence of sinus disease (odds ratio [OR], 2.12; 95% CI, 1.51-2.99) and a BMI < 18.5 (OR, 1.52; 95% CI, 1.13-2.04) was positively associated with ETI prescription after transplant. Receiving care at middle-prescribing (OR, 0.19; 95% CI, 0.14-0.26) or low-prescribing centers (OR, 0.02; 95% CI, 0.01-0.04) significantly reduced likelihood of ETI prescription compared with that of high-prescribing centers. When stratified by center, low BMI was a strong predictor of post-transplant ETI use only at small and low-prescribing centers, whereas sinus disease predicted ETI use only at middle- and high-prescribing centers. IN PRACTICE: 'We hypothesize low BMI was more important for low-prescribing and small centers because low BMI is probably the most concerning extrapulmonary manifestation of CF to providers and may tip the scale to prescribe if there is reluctance,' the authors of the study wrote. SOURCE: This study was led by Nora C. Burdis, Department of Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle. It was published online on July 1, 2025, in the Journal of Cystic Fibrosis. LIMITATIONS: This study was limited by difficulty in tracking long-term medication adherence. Variable follow-up practices at CF centers affected data completeness. Additionally, the registry lacked information on symptom severity, limiting the assessment of the relationship between ETI prescription and symptom severity. DISCLOSURES: No specific financial support was mentioned in the study; however, the authors reported receiving support from multiple organizations, including the National Institutes of Health, the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, and the University of Washington. Some authors also declared having financial relationships with multiple pharmaceutical companies. This article was created using several editorial tools, including AI, as part of the process. Human editors reviewed this content before publication.
Health Line
4 hours ago
- Health Line
What You Need to Know About Conjunctivitis
Key takeaways Conjunctivitis, commonly called pink eye, involves inflammation of the membrane that covers the eye, leading to redness, discomfort, and discharge in the affected eye. Pink eye can result from infections (bacterial or viral), allergies, or irritants. Contagious types can spread easily through contact. Treatment varies depending on the cause, ranging from rinsing for chemical irritations to antibiotics for bacterial infections, antihistamines for allergies, or supportive care for viral cases. When you have pink eye, blood vessels in your conjunctiva become inflamed. This gives your eye the red or pink color that's commonly associated with conjunctivitis. There are a few different types of pink eye that come with varying symptoms and treatments. Pink eye symptoms Different types of pink eye can come with slightly different symptoms, but in general, it's important to talk with a doctor if you start to experience: pink or red-toned eyes a gritty feeling in your eyes watery or thick discharge that builds up on your eyes at night itchiness in your eyes abnormal amount of tears Types and causes In general, there are three main categories of pink eye: infectious allergic chemical Infectious conjunctivitis Infectious pink eye comes in a few different types, including: bacterial viral Bacterial pink eye is caused by staphylococcal or streptococcal bacteria. It typically occurs due to things like touching your eyes with unclean hands, sharing makeup, or having physical contact with someone who may also have conjunctivitis. Viral pink eye is usually caused by common cold viruses. It can occur if someone with an upper respiratory infection coughs or sneezes close to you. It can also occur when you have a cold virus yourself and blow your nose too hard. This can push the infection from your respiratory system to your eyes. Allergic conjunctivitis Most people with allergic pink eye have seasonal allergies. They can get pink eye if they come in contact with a substance they're allergic to, like pollen. It's also possible to develop an allergic type of pink eye called giant papillary conjunctivitis if you wear hard contact lenses, or soft contact lenses that aren't replaced frequently enough. Chemical conjunctivitis You can get pink eye from irritants such as: How contagious is pink eye? Bacterial and viral pink eye are very contagious. Pink eye is very easily spread from person to person. For instance, if someone with viral pink eye touches their eye and then touches your hand, and you touch your eyes, there's a chance you could get pink eye as well. Pink eye is typically contagious for as long as the person is having symptoms. Images of pink eye How is pink eye diagnosed? It's typically not difficult for a healthcare professional to diagnose pink eye. They will usually be able to tell if you have pink eye simply by asking you a few questions and looking at your eyes. For example, a healthcare professional might ask you if your eyes are itchy and whether you have watery or thick discharge. They might also ask if you're experiencing symptoms of a common cold, hay fever, or asthma. They may also perform a few tests, including: a vision test to see whether your vision has been affected external eye tissue examination, including the conjunctiva, using bright light and magnification examination of the inner eye to make sure no other tissues have been affected conjunctival tissue smear, which is typically done when a person is dealing with chronic pink eye, or the condition is not improving with treatment Treatment for pink eye Treatment of conjunctivitis depends on what's causing it. Chemical conjunctivitis Rinsing your eye with saline is one way to help ease symptoms if you're dealing with chemical pink eye. Topical steroids may also be prescribed if the case is severe enough. Bacterial conjunctivitis For a bacterial infection, antibiotics are the most common method of treatment. Adults usually prefer eye drops. For children, ointment might be a better choice because it's easier to apply. With the use of antibiotic medication, your symptoms will probably start to disappear in just a few days — but it's important to finish your entire prescription to lessen the risk of pink eye coming back. Viral conjunctivitis Most of the time, viral conjunctivitis is caused by the same viruses that cause the common cold. These cold viruses don't currently have any treatments, but symptoms are usually mild and resolve on their own in 7 to 10 days. In rare cases, other viruses like the herpes simplex or varicella-zoster virus can be involved, which can cause more serious infections. These viruses do have antiviral treatments, but these treatments can only be used for these specific types of viral infections. In the meantime, using a warm compress, or a cloth moistened with warm water, can help soothe your symptoms. Allergic conjunctivitis To treat pink eye caused by an allergen, your healthcare professional will probably prescribe an antihistamine to stop the inflammation. Loratadine (Claritin) and diphenhydramine (Benadryl) are antihistamines that are available as over-the-counter medications. They may help clear your allergic symptoms, including allergic pink eye. Other treatments include antihistamine eye drops or anti-inflammatory eye drops. Home remedies In addition to using a warm compress, you can also purchase eye drops at your local drugstore that mimic your own tears. These may help relieve your pink eye symptoms. It's also a good idea to stop wearing contact lenses until your pink eye completely clears up. How can you prevent conjunctivitis? Practicing good hygiene is one of the best ways to avoid and stop the transmission of conjunctivitis: Avoid touching your eyes with unwashed hands whenever possible. Wash your hands often and thoroughly with soap and water. Only use clean tissues and towels to wipe your face and eyes. Try not to share cosmetics, especially eyeliner or mascara, with others. Wash pillowcases frequently. If your healthcare professional thinks your contact lenses are contributing to your pink eye, they may recommend switching to another type of contact lens or disinfectant solution. They may also suggest cleaning or replacing your contact lenses more frequently, or that you stop wearing contact lenses indefinitely (or at least until your eye heals). Avoiding poorly fitted contact lenses and decorative contact lenses may also decrease your risk for pink eye. Preventing the transmission of pink eye If you already have pink eye, you can help keep your friends and family safe by doing the following: Wash your hands regularly. Avoid sharing towels or washcloths. Change your towel and washcloth daily. Replace eye cosmetics after your infection clears. Follow your healthcare professional's advice on contact lens care. Take any medication your doctor has given you as prescribed.
