Andrea Milde Øhrn1, Henrik Schirmer2, Therese von Hanno3, Ellisiv B Mathiesen4, Kjell Arne Arntzen5, Geir Bertelsen6, Inger Njølstad7, Maja-Lisa Løchen7, Tom Wilsgaard7, C Noel Bairey Merz8, Haakon Lindekleiv9. 1. Epidemiology of Chronic Diseases Research Group, Department of Community Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, UiT The Arctic University of Norway, Tromsø, Norway; Norwegian National Advisory Unit on Women's Health, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway. Electronic address: andrea.ohrn@uit.no. 2. Department of Cardiology, University Hospital of North Norway, Tromsø, Norway; Department of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, UiT The Arctic University of Norway, Tromsø, Norway. 3. Brain and Circulation Research Group, Department of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, UiT The Arctic University of Norway, Tromsø, Norway; Department of Ophthalmology, Nordland Hospital, Bodø, Norway. 4. Brain and Circulation Research Group, Department of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, UiT The Arctic University of Norway, Tromsø, Norway; Department of Neurology, University Hospital of North Norway, Tromsø, Norway. 5. Department of Neurology, University Hospital of North Norway, Tromsø, Norway. 6. Epidemiology of Chronic Diseases Research Group, Department of Community Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, UiT The Arctic University of Norway, Tromsø, Norway; Department of Ophthalmology, University Hospital of North Norway, Tromsø, Norway. 7. Epidemiology of Chronic Diseases Research Group, Department of Community Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, UiT The Arctic University of Norway, Tromsø, Norway. 8. NBM Barbra Streisand Women's Heart Center, Cedars-Sinai Heart Institute, Los Angeles, CA, United States. 9. Department of Cardiology, University Hospital of North Norway, Tromsø, Norway.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Unrecognized myocardial infarction (MI) is a frequent condition with unknown underlying reason. We hypothesized the lack of recognition of MI is related to pathophysiology, specifically differences in underlying small and large vessel disease. METHODS: 6128 participants were examined with retinal photography, ultrasound of the carotid artery and a 12‑lead electrocardiography (ECG). Small vessel disease was defined as narrower retinal arterioles and/or wider retinal venules measured on retinal photographs. Large vessel disease was defined as carotid artery pathology. We defined unrecognized MI as ECG-evidence of MI without a clinically recognized event. We analyzed the cross-sectional relationship between MI recognition and markers of small and large vessel disease, adjusted for age and sex. RESULTS: Unrecognized MI was present in 502 (8.2%) and recognized MI in 326 (5.3%) of the 6128 participants. Compared to recognized MI, unrecognized MI was associated with small vessel disease indicated by narrower retinal arterioles (OR 1.66, 95% CI 1.05-2.62, highest vs. lowest quartile). Unrecognized MI was less associated with wider retinal venules (OR 0.55, 95% CI 0.35-0.87, lowest vs. highest quartile). Compared to recognized MI, unrecognized MI was less associated with large vessel disease indicated by presence of plaque in the carotid artery (OR for presence of carotid artery plaque in unrecognized MI 0.51, 95% CI 0.37-0.69). No significant sex interaction was present. CONCLUSIONS: Unrecognized MI was more associated with small vessel disease and less associated with large vessel disease compared to recognized MI. These findings suggest that the pathophysiology behind unrecognized and recognized MI may differ.
BACKGROUND: Unrecognized myocardial infarction (MI) is a frequent condition with unknown underlying reason. We hypothesized the lack of recognition of MI is related to pathophysiology, specifically differences in underlying small and large vessel disease. METHODS: 6128 participants were examined with retinal photography, ultrasound of the carotid artery and a 12‑lead electrocardiography (ECG). Small vessel disease was defined as narrower retinal arterioles and/or wider retinal venules measured on retinal photographs. Large vessel disease was defined as carotid artery pathology. We defined unrecognized MI as ECG-evidence of MI without a clinically recognized event. We analyzed the cross-sectional relationship between MI recognition and markers of small and large vessel disease, adjusted for age and sex. RESULTS: Unrecognized MI was present in 502 (8.2%) and recognized MI in 326 (5.3%) of the 6128 participants. Compared to recognized MI, unrecognized MI was associated with small vessel disease indicated by narrower retinal arterioles (OR 1.66, 95% CI 1.05-2.62, highest vs. lowest quartile). Unrecognized MI was less associated with wider retinal venules (OR 0.55, 95% CI 0.35-0.87, lowest vs. highest quartile). Compared to recognized MI, unrecognized MI was less associated with large vessel disease indicated by presence of plaque in the carotid artery (OR for presence of carotid artery plaque in unrecognized MI 0.51, 95% CI 0.37-0.69). No significant sex interaction was present. CONCLUSIONS: Unrecognized MI was more associated with small vessel disease and less associated with large vessel disease compared to recognized MI. These findings suggest that the pathophysiology behind unrecognized and recognized MI may differ.
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Authors: Panagiotis Antiochos; Yin Ge; Kevin Steel; Scott Bingham; Shuaib Abdullah; J Ronald Mikolich; Andrew E Arai; W Patricia Bandettini; Amit R Patel; Afshin Farzaneh-Far; John F Heitner; Chetan Shenoy; Steve W Leung; Jorge A Gonzalez; Dipan J Shah; Subha V Raman; Victor A Ferrari; Jeanette Schulz-Menger; Matthias Stuber; Orlando P Simonetti; Raymond Y Kwong Journal: J Am Coll Cardiol Date: 2020-08-25 Impact factor: 24.094