Hypertrophy, Left Ventricular

FRIDAY, Dec. 13, 2024 -- Persistent smoking from age 10 through 24 years is associated with increased odds of premature cardiac and structural injury, according to a study published online Dec. 11 in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology . Andrew O. Agbaje, M.D., M.P.H., Ph.D., from the University of Eastern Finland in Kuopio, examined the longitudinal association of tobacco smoking with structural and functional cardiac injury. A total of 1,931 young adults with complete smoking and echocardiographic measures at age 24 were included. Agbaje found that at ages 10, 13, 15, 17, and 24 years, the prevalence of smoking was 0.3, 1.6, 13.6, 24, and 26.4 percent, respectively. From 17 to 24 years, there were increases in the prevalence of left ventricular (LV) hypertrophy (from 2.8 to 7.5 percent) and LV diastolic dysfunction (from 10.4 to 16.9 percent). After full adjustment for covariates, persistent smoking from 10 through 24 years was associated with increased LV mass indexed for height (LVMI). In both unadjusted and adjusted models, persistent smoking from childhood was associated with an increase in LVMI from ages 17 to 24 years. Higher odds of LV hypertrophy, high relative wall thickness, LV diastolic dysfunction, and high LV filling pressure at 24 years were seen in association with persistent smoking from childhood through young adulthood in a fully adjusted model (odds ratios, 1.52, 1.38, 1.33, and 1.35, respectively). "The current findings provide data for policymakers, clinicians, and public health practitioners on crucial timing for preventing smoking and its early consequences in youth," Agbaje writes.

THURSDAY, Dec. 12, 2024 -- Sneaking cigarettes might seem like a harmless pre-teen rite of passage, but it’s more dangerous than you think, a new study warns. Regular smoking at a young age doesn’t just lead to a higher chance of smoking later in life -- it can also cause serious harm to young hearts. Experts have understood that children who smoked earlier in life were more likely to continue the habit, and the risks that come with it, later into their lives. Now, the new study gives a better idea of the damage it does early on. “Teen smoking doesn’t just increase the risk of heart disease later in life -- it causes early and lasting damage to heart muscle and function,” said Dr. Emily Bucholz , an assistant professor of pediatrics at the University of Colorado School of Medicine. Until now, there wasn't a lot of data on cardiac structure and function in healthy children, since assessing the hearts of healthy young people is uncommon. Overall, persistent smoking from childhood to young adulthood was associated with an over 50% increased risk of premature heart damage, the study, published Dec. 11 in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology (JACC) , showed. The damage, such as an enlarged heart or increased pressure in blood flow to the heart, was evident by the age of 24. This analysis followed more than 1,900 young adults who filled out smoking questionnaires at ages 10, 13, 15, 17 and 24, and underwent tests to measure heart structure and function at ages 17 and 24. At baseline, 0.3% of children smoked cigarettes at age 10, which increased to 26% in young adults by their mid-20s. Results suggest that left ventricular hypertrophy (thickening of the heart wall) prevalence increased from almost 3% to nearly 5% at age 24. Smoking during this time of growth was associated with 33% to 52% odds of premature structural and functional cardiac injury. “The increase of cardiac mass structure in just a few years of smoking should convey how dangerous the consequences are for people who continue to smoke from a young age,” said lead author Andrew Agbaje , associate professor of clinical epidemiology and child health at the University of Eastern Finland. Research suggests that early smoking causes the same type of heart damage that's linked to ischemia (reduced blood flow), inflammation, trauma or chronic diseases. This study is the largest and longest to track active smoking and repeated heart scans. However, it had some limitations: most participants were white, so the findings might not apply to other racial groups. It also didn’t take into account social factors like the smoking habits of parents or friends. Regardless, the results should be a "wake-up call for prevention efforts to protect young hearts early,” Bucholz said in a journal news release. More Information Learn more about tobacco use among children and teens from the American Lung Association . SOURCE: American College of Cardiology , press release, Dec. 11, 2024 Whatever your topic of interest, subscribe to our newsletters to get the best of Drugs.com in your inbox.

An endomyocardial biopsy, a procedure to obtain a small sample of heart muscle, helped doctors reach a definite diagnosis of Fabry disease in a woman who was thought to have end-stage kidney disease, a complication of Fabry, due to high blood pressure.“Diagnosing Fabry disease can be challenging, as it may be confused with other medical conditions,” the researchers wrote. “Our case study showed how [a heart biopsy] played a role in diagnosing the disease and guiding proper treatment.”According to the team, “it’s essential to consider this condition [Fabry] as a diagnosis when patients … present with unexplained [heart problems].”The woman’s diagnosis was detailed in “A Rare Case of Fabry’s Disease-Induced Cardiomyopathy: A Case Report and Review of the Literature,” published in the journal Cureus.Fabry disease is caused by mutations in the gene coding for alpha-galactosidase A (alpha-Gal A), an enzyme needed to break down certain fats in the body. When this enzyme is missing or doesn’t work properly, fats build up to toxic levels within tissues and organs, causing a range of symptoms.In the heart, this buildup can lead to left ventricular hypertrophy, which is the thickening of the muscle wall of the heart’s left lower pumping chamber. A thickened muscle wall can make it harder for the heart to pump blood out to the rest of the body, causing it to fail.Now, researchers described the case of a 57-year-old woman who was being considered for a kidney transplant due to end-stage kidney disease — when the kidneys can no longer filter waste from the blood — that was thought to be caused by high blood pressure.The woman had a history of atrial fibrillation, or an irregular heartbeat, and a past transient ischemic attack, which is a temporary blockage of blood flow to the brain. She also had a family history of end-stage kidney disease, seen in both her parents and maternal grandmother.While being evaluated for the kidney transplant, the doctors found that the woman had severe left ventricular hypertrophy. Blood testing revealed low levels of the alpha-Gal A enzyme, raising the possibility of Fabry disease, which was confirmed by genetic testing and an endomyocardial biopsy.“In this case study, we share findings about cardiomyopathy [heart muscle disease] resulting from Fabry disease to explain how this condition impacts the heart and the importance of a biopsy in making a diagnosis,” the researchers wrote. When a small sample of heart muscle was examined under a microscope, muscle cells showed empty spaces, a sign that they may be damaged. Using a more powerful approach called electron microscopy, the doctors observed abnormal structures within cells called myeloid and curvilinear bodies, which are typical of Fabry disease.These findings helped to confirm a diagnosis of Fabry.According to the researchers, the woman’s treatment plan involves enzyme replacement therapy to provide the missing alpha-Gal A enzyme and prevent further organ damage. The researchers also will work with a genetics team to provide genetic counseling to the woman’s family, given the inherited nature of Fabry.The team noted that Fabry can be difficult to diagnose because its symptoms overlap with other diseases. Thus, “it’s crucial to distinguish [Fabry] disease from conditions that cause [other heart problems],” the researchers wrote.