Objective Cardiovascular risk estimation is an essential step to reduce the onset of adverse cardiovascular events. For this purpose, the Systematic Coronary Risk Evaluation (SCORE) risk chart method was used in Europe. In 2021, the SCORE2 algorithm was released, bringing changes in the calculation methodology. This study assessed and compared the level of cardiovascular risk in a population aged 40–65 years using the SCORE and SCORE2 methodologies. Methods This cross-sectional study included a total of 85 802 patients in Hungary. Cardiovascular risk levels were determined using the SCORE and SCORE2 risk estimation methods. Results Using SCORE, 97.7% of men aged 40–50 years were classified as low–moderate risk, which decreased to 32.4% using SCORE2. Using SCORE, 100% of women aged 40–50 years were classified as low–moderate risk, compared with 75.6% using SCORE2. Using SCORE, 36.8% of men aged 50–65 years were classified as high risk and 14.8% as very high risk, and 5.4% of women aged 50–65 years were classified as high risk and 0.5% as very high risk. In this age group, using SCORE2, 50% of men were classified as high risk and 25.8% as very high risk, and 38.8% of women were classified as high risk and 11.9% as very high risk. Conclusions When the SCORE2 method was used instead of SCORE 43.91% of the whole population were classified with a higher level of risk, which represents a radical increase in the number of patients with high or very high cardiovascular risk.

Background: The management of risk factors in patients with high cardiovascular risk and its effectiveness is of paramount importance. Over the last decade, several studies have examined the achievement of cardiovascular risk factors’ target levels in Europe. In the present Hungarian study, we assessed the cardiovascular risk level of participants aged 40–65 years and the success of achieving risk factors’ target levels in high- and very high-risk patients. We compared these results with the results of two similar European studies. Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional study involving 37,778 patients aged 40–65 years from Hungary between 2019 and 2020. Cardiovascular risk levels and target values were set according to the 2016 European Guideline. Target achievement was evaluated for body mass index, waist circumference, blood pressure, total, LDL, and HDL cholesterol, triglyceride, and HbA1c (in diabetics). Results: For 37,298 patients, all the data were available to determine their cardiovascular risk category. Of these, 23.1% had high and 31.4% had very high cardiovascular risk (men: 27.1 and 39.6%, women: 20.5 and 26.1%, respectively). Achievement of the LDL-C target of 1.8 mmol/l was only 8.0% among very high-risk patients, which was significantly lower than the European average (29%). Achievement of target blood pressure among high-risk patients was better than the European average (63.4% vs. 44.7%, respectively); however, achievement was slightly lower among very high-risk patients compared with the European average (49.4% vs. 58%, respectively). The proportion of patients with type 2 diabetes who achieved a HbA1c below 7% was 57.3% in the high-risk population and 53% in the very high-risk population, which was in line with the European average success rates (58.5 and 54%, respectively). Waist circumference (< 88 cm for women and < 102 cm for men) was achieved by 29.4% of patients in the very high-risk group in our survey, which was lower than the European average of 41%. Conclusions: The success rate of cardiovascular risk management in Hungary is lower than the European average in several parameters. Furthermore, our data highlight the poor effectiveness of obesity management in Hungary. General practice partnerships may be important sites for positive change.

Összefoglaló. Bevezetés: A szívinfarktust megelőző revascularisatiós beavatkozások prognosztikai jelentőségével kapcsolatban kevés elemzés ismeretes, hazai adatokat eddig nem közöltek. Célkitűzés: A szerzők a Nemzeti Szívinfarktus Regiszter adatait felhasználva elemezték a koszorúér-revascularisatiós szívműtétet (CABG) túlélt betegek prognózisát heveny szívinfarktusban. Módszer: Az adatbázisban 2014. 01. 01. és 2017. 12. 31. között 55 599 beteg klinikai és kezelési adatait rögzítették: 23 437 betegnél (42,2%) ST-elevációval járó infarktus (STEMI), 32 162 betegnél (57,8%) ST-elevációval nem járó infarktus (NSTEMI) miatt került sor a kórházi kezelésre. Vizsgáltuk a CABG után fellépő infarktus miatt kezelt betegek klinikai adatait és prognózisát, amelyeket azon betegek adataival hasonlítottunk össze, akiknél nem szerepelt szívműtét a kórelőzményben (kontrollcsoport). Eredmények: A betegek többsége mindkét infarktustípusban férfi volt (62%, illetve 59%). Az indexinfarktust megelőzően a betegek 5,33%-ánál (n = 2965) történt CABG, amely az NSTEMI-betegeknél volt gyakoribb (n = 2357; 7,3%). A CABG-csoportba tartozó betegek idősebbek voltak, esetükben több társbetegséget (magas vérnyomás, diabetes mellitus, perifériás érbetegség) rögzítettek. Az indexinfarktus esetén a katéteres koszorúér-intervenció a kontrollcsoport STEMI-betegeiben gyakoribb volt a CABG-csoporthoz viszonyítva (84% vs. 71%). Az utánkövetés 12 hónapja során a betegek 4,7–12,2%-ában újabb infarktus, 13,7–17,3%-ában újabb katéteres koszorúér-intervenció történt. Az utánkövetés alatt a CABG-csoportban magasabbnak találtuk a halálozást. A halálozást befolyásoló tényezők hatásának korrigálására Cox-féle regressziós analízist, illetve ’propensity score matching’ módszert alkalmaztunk. Mindkét módszerrel történt elemzés azt mutatta, hogy a kórelőzményben szereplő koszorúér-revascularisatiós műtét nem befolyásolta a túlélést. Amennyiben a beteg kórelőzményében szerepelt a koszorúérműtét, az indexinfarktus nagyobb eséllyel volt NSTEMI, mint STEMI (HR: 1,612; CI 1,464–1,774; p<0,001). Következtetés: A kórelőzményben szereplő koszorúér-revascularisatiós műtét nem befolyásolta a szívinfarktus miatt kezelt betegek életkilátásait. Orv Hetil. 2021; 162(5): 177–184. Summary. Introduction: Little analysis is known about the prognostic significance of revascularization interventions before myocardial infarction; no domestic data have been reported so far. Method: The authors use data from the Hungarian Myocardial Infarction Registry to analyze the prognosis of patients with acute myocardial infarction who had previous coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG). Between 01. 01. 2014. and 31. 12. 2017, 55 599 patients were recorded in the Registry: 23 437 patients (42.2%) had ST-elevation infarction (STEMI) and 31 162 patients (57.8%) had non-ST-elevation infarction (NSTEMI). The clinical data and prognosis of patients treated for infarction after CABG were compared with those of patients without a CABG history. Results: The majority of patients were male (59% and 60%, respectively). Prior to index infarction, CABG occurred in 5.33% of patients (n = 2965), which was more common in NSTEMI (n = 2357; 7.3%). The CABG patients were older and had more comorbidities (hypertension, diabetes mellitus, peripheral vascular disease). For index infarction, percutaneous coronary intervention was more common in STEMI patients in the control group compared to CABG (84% vs. 71%). At 12 months of follow-up, 4.7–12.2% of patients had reinfarction, and 13.7–17.3% had another percutaneous coronary intervention. During the full follow-up, the CABG group had higher mortality. Cox regression analysis and propensity score matching were used to correct for the effect of other factors influencing mortality. Both analyses showed CABG did not affect survival. In the CABG group, the index infarction was more likely to be NSTEMI than STEMI (HR: 1.612; CI 1.464–1.774; p<0.001). Conclusion: The history of CABG does not affect the life expectancy of patients treated for an acute myocardial infarction. Orv Hetil. 2021; 162(5): 177–184.

Aims: Atrial fibrillation is the most common sustained cardiac arrhythmia, associated with considerable morbidity and mortality. Early detection is essential for optimal management. While wearable smart devices have shown promise, smartphone applications using photoplethysmography have also emerged as potential screening tools, but their diagnostic accuracy has not been adequately validated. This study aimed to compare the diagnostic performance of two commercially available photoplethysmography-based smartphone applications. Methods and results: In this prospective multicentre study, consecutive patients from three cardiology centres underwent simultaneous recordings with the FibriCheck® and Preventicus Heartbeats® applications and a 12-lead electrocardiogram during hospital admission or outpatient evaluation. Electrocardiograms were independently interpreted by blinded cardiologists. Diagnostic accuracy, rate of inconclusive recordings, technical performance, features, and pricing were compared between the two applications. A total of 206 patients (median age 69.5 years, 64.1% male) with 216 electrocardiograms were analysed; atrial fibrillation was present in 43.1%. Successful photoplethysmography recordings were obtained in 97.7% of FibriCheck (mean attempts 1.2 ± 0.7) and 87.5% of Preventicus Heartbeats (1.6 ± 1.3) measurements. Sensitivity and specificity were 89.0% and 100.0% for FibriCheck, and 86.4% and 99.0% for Preventicus Heartbeats. Inconclusive reading rates (where the algorithm indicated a suspicion of mild arrhythmia) were 8.5% and 11.1%, respectively. Conclusion: Both smartphone applications demonstrated high and comparable diagnostic accuracy for atrial fibrillation detection in a real-world population. These tools represent a viable, non-invasive option for early rhythm screening and follow-up, potentially improving patient outcomes, although further refinement is needed to reduce inconclusive recordings.

Introduction: The role of fractional flow reserve (FFR) measured directly after drug eluting stent (DES) implantation (post-PCI FFR) is not clear in predicting major adverse cardiac events (MACE), and it is not known which clinical parameters affect post-PCI FFR. Aim: We aimed to clarify the relationship between post-PCI FFR and clinical parameters, post-PCI FFR and long-term MACE and determine the best post-PCI FFR cut-off in MACE prediction. Method: Patients who underwent post-PCI (DES) FFR measurement at our center between March 2009 and January 2021 were included. We examined the relationship between post-PCI FFR and gender, age, hypertension, diabetes mellitus, hyperlipidemia, indication (acute (ACS) vs. chronic coronary syndrome (CCS)), stent diameter, in-stent restenosis vs de novo lesion category, proximal vs. non-proximal lesion location, LAD (vs. non-LAD) location, and pre-PCI FFR. We sought to determine the correlation between post-PCI FFR and target vessel-related MACE (cardiovascular death (CVD), non-fatal myocardial infarction (MI), recurrent revascularization (TVR)). Optimal cut-off was determined by ROC curves. Results: Post-PCI FFR measurement was performed in 500 coronary arteries of 434 patients. LAD location (0.86 vs. non-LAD 0.91, p<0.001), male gender (0.87 vs. 0.89, p=0.001), younger age (p=0.0215), smaller stent diameter (p=0.0028) and lower pre-PCI FFR (p=0.0006) proved to be independent predictors of lower post-PCI FFR, no other parameter showed a significant correlation with post-PCI FFR. During a median follow-up of 37 months, 24 CVD, 15 MI and 47 TVR occurred. Follow-up was complete in 96.2% of patients. There was a significant inverse correlation between post-PCI FFR and MACE (p<0.001). Diabetes mellitus (p=0.0024) and in-stent restenosis (0.0356) were also independent predictors of MACE. The best post-PCI FFR cut-off for the total patient population, LAD and non-LAD lesions were 0.83 (p<0.0001), 0.83 (p<0.0001), and 0.88 (p=0.0091), respectively. Conclusion: LAD location, male gender, younger age, smaller stent diameter and lower pre-PCI FFR value result in lower post-PCI FFR. There is no significant difference between post-PCI FFR measured in ACS vs. CCS. FFR measured after PCI, diabetes mellitus and in-stent restenosis are significant predictors of MACE-free long-term survival. The best post-PCI FFR cut-off to predict MACE was 0.83 for the whole patient population and for LAD and 0.88 for non-LAD lesions. Funding Acknowledgement: Type of funding sources: None.

Background: Despite recent preventive strategies and advances in antimicrobial and surgical treatment the incidence and mortality rate of infective endocarditis (IE) remains high in adult Congenital Heart Disease (ACHD) patients. Purpose: The aim of our retrospective study was to assess the clinical and microbiological characteristics, inhospital and one year mortality rates of ACHD patients admitted with IE in our tertiary referral hospital between 2010 and 2020. Methods: Definitive diagnosis of IE were in agreement with modified Duke's criteria. Inhospital baseline data and up to one year follow-up data were collected from the hospital records. ACHD patients were classified based on their lesion severity (ESC guideline classification). Survival data and mortality predictors were analysed by Kaplan-Meier estimator and by uni- and multivariate model. Results: 60 cases had been treated with IE. Mean age was 37±11.3 years (18–69), and most of them (76.6%, n=46) were men. ACHD complexity was as following: simple 66.7% (n=40), moderate 20% (n=12) and severe 13.3% (n=8). The most common pre-existing congenital cardiac abnormality was bicuspidal aortic valve seen in 52% (n=31) of cases. Sixty four percent (n=37) of patients had previous heart surgery (n=16, artificial heart valve surgery). Majority of patients had a left sided valve endocarditis (85%, n=51). IE related hospital stay was mean 28±9 days. Infection route was presumed in 30% of patients (n=18), they had an invasive procedure within 6 months preceding the IE diagnosis. Besides common bacterinemia caused by Staphylococcus (33%, n=20) and Streptococcus (25%, n=15), 18% (n=11) of patients had a negative blood culture. IE affected 36 patients with a native valve, and all 16 with an artificial valve. Seventy seven percent of patients required surgical intervention, immediate or urgent surgery in 22 and elective in 24 patients. Overall inhospital mortality was 13%, the majority 5 out of 8 patients having an immediate/emergent surgical intervention. IE was complicated by acute heart failure in 17 (28%) and by stroke in 4 (6.7%) patients. During one year follow-up 21 patients (38%) remained with chronic heart failure, and 3 more died. There was no significant difference in mortality between ACHD complexity groups, and no significant predictors of mortality were found. Conclusion: The most common ACHD lesion affected by IE was bicuspid aortic valve. Two-third of patients required surgical intervention, those with immediate/emergent surgery having a 22% early mortality rate. ACHD complexity was not related to early or late outcome in this population. Funding Acknowledgement: Type of funding sources: None.