Sinais de Injúria Cardíaca em Pacientes Pediátricos com COVID-19 Gravemente Enfermos: Uma Experiência de Centro Único no Brasil

BackgroundSome patients with COVID-19 present myocardial injury.ObjectiveTo detect myocardial injury in critically ill paediatric patients, and to compare cardiac involvement between children with severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) and children with multisystemic inflammatory syndrome (MIS-C).MethodsAll COVID-19 children admitted to a referral intensive care unit were prospectively enrolled and had a two-dimensional echocardiogram (2D-TTE) and a cardiac troponin I (cTnI) assay within the first 72 hours. For statistical analysis, two-sided p < 0.05 was considered significant.ResultsThirty-three patients were included, of which 51.5% presented elevated cTnI and/or abnormal 2D-TTE and 36.4% needed cardiovascular support, which was more frequent in patients with both raised cTnI and 2D-TTE abnormalities than in patients with normal exams (83.3% and 33.3%, respectively; p 0.006, 95% CI = 0.15-0.73). The most common 2D-TTE findings were pericardial effusion (15.2%) and mitral/tricuspid regurgitation (15.2%). Signs of cardiac involvement were more common in MIS-C than in SARS. MIS-C patients also presented a higher rate of the need for cardiovascular support (66.7% vs 25%, p 0.03, 95% CI = -0.7 to -0.04) and a more frequent rate of raised cTnI (77.8% vs 20.8%; p 0.002, 95% CI = 0.19 to 0.79). The negative predictive values of cTnI for the detection of 2D-TTE abnormalities were 100% for MIS-C patients and 73.7% for SARS patients.Conclusionsigns of cardiac injury were common, mainly in MIS-C patients. 2D-TTE abnormalities were subtle. To perform a cTnI assay upon admission might help providers to discriminate those patients with a more urgent need for a 2D-TTE.     

Influência da Localização Geográfica no Acesso às Terapias de Reperfusão e Mortalidade de Pacientes com IAMcSST em Sergipe: Registro VICTIM

BackgroundThe concentration of high-complexity services in Aracaju, Sergipe can impose certain disparity in the quality of care for the patients with ST-segment elevation acute myocardial infarction (STEMI) (STEMI) who receive care from Brazil’s Unified Health System (SUS, acronym in Portuguese) and whose symptoms started in other health regions of the state.ObjectiveTo evaluate disparities in access to reperfusion therapies and 30-day mortality, among patients with STEMI, who were users of SUS, in each of the 7 health regions of Sergipe.MethodsA total of 844 patients with STEMI in the period from 2014 to 2018, assisted by the only hospital with the capacity to offer primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PPCI) to SUS users in the state of Sergipe, were evaluated. The patients were divided into 7 groups according to the location at the onset of symptoms, following the existing division of health regions in the state. For comparison between groups, a significant difference was considered when p < 0.05.ResultsOf the total of 844 patients suffering from STEMI who were transferred to the hospital with PPCI that serves SUS patients, 386 patients (45.8%) underwent primary angioplasty. The mean rate of fibrinolytic use was 2.6%, with no differences between the regions. The mean total time of arrival to the hospital with PPCI was 21 hours and 55 minutes, with a median of 10 hours and 22 minutes (6 hours and 30 minutes to 22 hours and 52 minutes). Total 30-day mortality was 12.8%, but without differences between the regions, even when adjusted for age and sex.ConclusionsThis study reveals that fibrinolytics are underused throughout the state and that there is a significant delay in access to the hospital with PPCI, in all health regions of Sergipe.     

Preditores de Mortalidade Hospitalar nos Pacientes Tratados por Angioplastia Primária: Um Estudo de Caso-Controle Multicêntrico

BackgroundIdentification of high-risk patients undergoing primary angioplasty (PCI) is essential.ObjectiveIdentify factors related to the causes of death in PCI patients.MethodsThis work consisted of a multicenter case-control study using a Brazilian registry of cardiovascular interventions as the data source. The association between each variable and death was assessed using a binary logistic regression model, p <0.05 was considered significant.ResultsA total of 26,990 records were analyzed, of which 18,834 (69.8%) were male patients, with a median age of 61 (±17) years. In the multivariate analysis, the main variables related to the causes of death with their respective odds ratios and 95%confidence intervals (CI) were advanced age, 70-79 years (2.46; 1.64-3.79) and ≥ 80 years (3.69; 2.38-5.81), p<0.001; the classification of Killip II (2.71; 1.92-3.83), Killip III (8.14; 5.67-11.64), and Killip IV (19.83; 14.85-26.69), p<0.001; accentuated global dysfunction (3.63; 2,39-5.68), p<0.001; and the occurrence of infarction after intervention (5.01; 2.57-9.46), p<0.001. The main protective factor was the post-intervention thrombolysis in myocardial infarction (TIMI) III flow (0.18; 0.13-0.24), p<0.001, followed by TIMI II (0.59; 0.41 -0.86), p=0.005, and male (0.79; 0.64-0.98), p = 0.032; dyslipidemia (0.69; 0.59-0.85), p<0.001; and number of lesions treated (0.86; 0.9-0.94), p<0.001.ConclusionThe predictors of mortality in patients undergoing PCI were Killip’s classification, reinfarction, advanced age, severe left ventricular dysfunction, female gender, and post-intervention TIMI 0 / I flow.     

Associação entre Terapia com Estatinas e Menor Incidência de Hiperglicemia em Pacientes Internados com Síndromes Coronarianas Agudas

Background Increased risk of new-onset diabetes with statins challenges the long-term safety of this drug class. However, few reports have analyzed this issue during acute coronary syndromes (ACS).Objective To explore the association between early initiation of statin therapy and blood glucose levels in patients admitted with ACS.Methods This was a retrospective analysis of patients hospitalized with ACS. Statin-naïve patients were included and divided according to their use or not of statins within the first 24 hours of hospitalization. The primary endpoint was incidence of in-hospital hyperglycemia (defined as peak blood glucose > 200 mg/dL). Multivariable linear and logistic regression models were used to adjust for confounders, and a propensity-score matching model was developed to further compare both groups of interest. A p-value of less than 0.05 was considered statistically significant.Results A total of 2,357 patients were included, 1,704 of them allocated in the statin group and 653 in the non-statin group. After adjustments, statin use in the first 24 hours was associated with a lower incidence of in-hospital hyperglycemia (adjusted OR=0.61, 95% CI 0.46-0.80; p < 0.001) and lower need for insulin therapy (adjusted OR = 0.56, 95% CI 0.41-0.76; p < 0.001). These associations remained similar in the propensity-score matching models, as well as after several sensitivity analyses, such as after excluding patients who developed cardiogenic shock, severe infection or who died during index-hospitalization.Conclusions Among statin-naïve patients admitted with ACS, early statin therapy was independently associated with lower incidence of in-hospital hyperglycemia. (Arq Bras Cardiol. 2021; 116(2):285-294)     

Níveis mais Baixos de Fetuína-A Sérica estão Associados a um Maior Risco de Mortalidade em Dez Anos em Pacientes com Infarto do Miocárdio por Supradesnivelamento do Segmento ST

BackgroundFetuin-A is an anti-inflammatory and anti-calcification factor involved in the course of coronary artery disease (CAD). In line with these functions, fetuin-A has been investigated as a cardiovascular risk marker in many studies. However, the association between fetuin-A and the prognosis of CAD patients is still controversial.ObjectivesThe present study was conducted to identify the association between serum fetuin-A level and long-term cardiovascular disease (CVD) and all-cause mortality of ST-elevation acute myocardial infarction (STEMI).MethodsOne hundred eigthy consecutive patients with STEMI were enrolled in the study. The study population was divided into subgroups (lower, ≤288 µg/ml; and higher, >288 µg/ml) according to the median fetuin-A level. Clinical follow-up data was obtained by annual contact with the patients or family members by telephone. The causes of death were also confirmed by the national health database. Two-sided p-values<0.05 were considered statistically significant.ResultsDuring a median follow-up of 10 years, 71 deaths were recorded , 62 of whom died from CVD. Both CVD and all-cause mortality were found to be significantly higher in the lower fetuin-A group than the higher fetuin-A group (44% vs 24%, p= 0.005; 48% vs 31%, p= 0.022, respectively). In Cox regression proportional hazard analyses, fetuin-A was found to be an independent predictor of CVD and all-cause mortality.ConclusionsLow fetuin-A concentration is associated with a poor long-term prognosis after STEMI, regardless of the traditional cardiovascular risk factors. Our findings have strengthened previous studies that consistently demonstrate the determining role of anti-inflammatory mediators in acute coronary syndromes.     

Biomarcadores de Lesão Miocárdica e Complicações Cardíacas Associadas à Mortalidade em Pacientes com COVID-19

BackgroundSARS-CoV-2 is an emerging RNA virus associated with a severe acute respiratory disease known as COVID-19. Although COVID-19 is predominantly a pulmonary disease, some patients have severe cardiovascular damage. We performed a quantitative evidence synthesis of clinical data, myocardial injury biomarkers, and cardiac complications associated with in-hospital death in patients with COVID-19.MethodsWe searched the databases PubMed, Embase, and Google Scholar to identify studies comparing clinical data, myocardial injury biomarkers, and cardiac complications between non-survivors and survivors of COVID-19. Effect sizes were reported as mean difference or standardized mean difference for continuous variables and risk ratio for dichotomous variables with 95% confidence intervals. A random effects model was used to pool the results.ResultsSix retrospective studies reporting data from 1,141 patients (832 survivors and 309 non-survivors) were included. We found that underlying cardiovascular conditions; elevation of high-sensitivity cardiac troponin I, N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide, and creatine kinase-MB; and cardiac complications were associated with increased risk of death for patients with SARS-CoV-2 infection.ConclusionsThe confirmation that underlying cardiovascular conditions, elevation of myocardial injury biomarkers during COVID-19 infection, and acute cardiovascular decompensation are predictors for mortality in SARS-CoV-2 infection must encourage new research to clarify potential mechanisms and test appropriate treatments. (Arq Bras Cardiol. 2020; 115(2):273-277)     

Associação da Hipertensão com a Gravidade e a Mortalidade de Pacientes Hospitalizados com COVID-19 em Wuhan,China: Estudo Unicêntrico e Retrospectivo

BackgroundCoronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), has spread worldwide.ObjectiveTo investigate the association between hypertension and severity/mortality in hospitalized patients with COVID-19 in Wuhan, China.MethodsA total of 337 patients diagnosed with COVID-19 at the Seventh Hospital of Wuhan City, from January 20 to February 25, 2020, were enrolled and analyzed in a retrospective, single-center case study. The significance level adopted in the statistical analysis was 0.05.ResultsOf the 337 patients with confirmed diagnosis of COVID-19, 297 (87.8%) were discharged from the hospital and 40 patients (22.9%) died. The median age was 58 years (range, 18-91 years). There were 112 (33.2%) patients diagnosed with hypertension at admission (median age, 65.0 years [range, 38-91 years]; 67 [59.8%, 95%CI: 50.6%-69.0%] men, p=0.0209). Patients with hypertension presented a significantly higher portion of severe cases (69 [61.6%, 95%CI:52.5%-70.8%] vs. 117 [52.0%, 95%CI: 45.4%-58.6%] in severe patients and 23 [19.3%, 95%CI:12.9%-28.1%] vs. 27 [12.0%, 95%CI: 7.7%-16.3%] in critical patients, p=0.0014) and higher mortality rates (20 [17.9%, 95%CI: 10.7%-25.1%] vs. 20 [8.9%, 95%CI: 5.1%-12.6%, p=0.0202). Moreover, hypertensive patients presented abnormal levels of multiple indicators, such as lymphopenia, inflammation, heart, liver, kidney, and lung function at admission. The hypertension group still displayed higher levels of TnT and creatinine at approaching discharge.ConclusionHypertension is strongly associated with severity or mortality of COVID-19. Aggressive treatment may be considered for COVID-19 patients with hypertension, especially regarding cardiac and kidney injury.     

Efeitos Terapêuticos da Tripla Antiagregação Plaquetária em Pacientes Femininas Idosas com Diabetes e Infarto Agudo do Miocárdio

BackgroundDual antiplatelet therapy (DAPT) is the cornerstone treatment of acute myocardial infarction (AMI).ObjectiveThe present study aimed to investigate the efficacy and safety of triple antiplatelet therapy (TAPT) in elderly female patients with diabetes and ST segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI), who had undergone percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI).MethodsWe designed a randomized, single-blind study. Control group A (97 elderly male patients with diabetes and STEMI, whose CRUSADE scores were < 30) received aspirin, ticagrelor, and tirofiban. A total of 162 elderly female patients with diabetes and STEMI were randomly divided into two groups according to CRUSADE score. Group B (69 patients with CRUSADE score > 31) received aspirin and ticagrelor. Group C (93 patients with CRUSADE score < 30) received aspirin, ticagrelor and tirofiban. P values < 0.05 were considered statistically significant.ResultsCompared to the findings in group A, post-PCI Thrombolysis in Myocardial Infarction (TIMI) grade 3 blood flow and TIMI myocardial perfusion grade 3 were significantly less prevalent in group B (p < 0.05). When compared to groups A and C, the incidence of major adverse complications was significantly higher in group B (p < 0.05).ConclusionTAPT could effectively reduce the incidence of major complications in elderly female patients with diabetes and STEMI. However, close attention should be paid to hemorrhage in patients receiving TAPT. (Arq Bras Cardiol. 2020; [online].ahead print, PP.0-0)     

Avaliação do Impacto da Implantação de um Sistema de Ambulância Pré-Hospitalar sobre Mortalidade por Infarto Agudo do Miocárdio em um País em Desenvolvimento

BackgroundThe effective management of patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI) is time-dependent.ObjectivesTo assess the impacts of the implementation of prehospital care on admission rates and mortality associated with AMI.MethodsRetrospective, ecological study, which assessed data from the Brazilian Universal Health System, from all 853 municipalities of Minas Gerais, from 2008 to 2016. Excessive skewness of general and in-hospital mortality rates was smoothed using the empirical Bayes method. This study assessed the relationship between Mobile Emergency Care Service (SAMU) in each municipality and the following 3 outcomes: mortality rate due to AMI, AMI in-hospital mortality, and AMI hospitalization rate, using the Poisson hierarchical model. Rates were corrected by age structure and detrended by seasonality and temporal influences. A confidence interval of 95% was adopted.ResultsAMI mortality rates decreased throughout the study, on average 2% per year, with seasonal variation. AMI in-hospital mortality also showed a decreasing trend, from 13.81% in 2008 to 11.43% in 2016. SAMU implementation was associated with decreased AMI mortality (odds ratio [OR] = 0.967, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.936 to 0.998) and AMI in-hospital mortality (OR = 0.914, 95% CI 0.845 to 0.986), with no relation with hospitalizations (OR = 1.003, 95% CI 0.927 to 1.083).ConclusionSAMU implementation was associated with a modest but significant decrease in AMI in-hospital mortality. This finding reinforces the key role of prehospital care in AMI care and the need for investments on this service to improve clinical outcomes in low- and middle-income countries.     

Competência Prognóstica Distinta entre Modelo Clínico e Anatômico em Síndromes Coronarianas Agudas: Comparação por Tipo de Desfecho

BackgroundRecurrent ischemic events are mediated by atherosclerotic plaque instability, whereas death after an ischemic event results from gravity of insult and ability of the organism to adapt. The distinct nature of those types of events may respond for different prediction properties of clinical and anatomical information regarding type of outcome.ObjectiveTo identify prognostic properties of clinical and anatomical data in respect of fatal and non-fatal outcomes of patients hospitalized with acute coronary syndromes (ACS).MethodsPatients consecutively admitted with ACS who underwent coronary angiography were recruited. The SYNTAX score was utilized as an anatomic model and the GRACE score as a clinical model. The predictive capacity of those scores was separately evaluated for prediction of non-fatal ischemic outcomes (infarction and refractory angina) and cardiovascular death during hospitalization. It was considered as significant a p-value <0,05.ResultsEAmong 365 people, cardiovascular death was observed in 4,4% and incidence of non-fatal ischemic outcomes in 11%. For cardiovascular death, SYNTAX and GRACE score presented similar C-statistic of 0,80 (95% IC: 0,70 – 0,92) and 0,89 (95% IC 0,81 – 0,96), respectively – p = 0,19. As for non-fatal ischemic outcomes, the SYNTAX score presented a moderate predictive value (C-statistic = 0,64; 95%IC 0,55 – 0,73), whereas the GRACE score did not presented association with this type of outcome (C-statistic = 0,50; 95%IC 0,40-0,61) – p = 0,027.ConclusionClinical and anatomic models similarly predict cardiovascular death in ACS. However, recurrence of coronary instability is better predicted by anatomic variables than clinical data. (Arq Bras Cardiol. 2020; [online].ahead print, PP.0-0)     

Repercussões da Pandemia de COVID-19 na Prática Assistencial de um Hospital Terciário

BackgroundWe still do not have information regarding the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on medical care activity in Brazil.ObjectiveTo describe the repercussions of the COVID-19 pandemic on the care routine of a tertiary hospital, which is a regional reference in cardiology and oncology.MethodsCross-sectional cohort study. We conducted a survey of medical visits from March 23, 2020 (when local commerce was closed) to April 23, 2020 (P20), in comparison with the same period in 2019 (P19).ResultsWe found decreases in the number of cardiology consultations, exercise tests, Holter, ambulatory blood pressure monitoring, electrocardiogram, and echocardiogram (90%, 84%, 94%, 92%, 94%, and 81%, respectively). In relation to cardiac surgery and cardiac catheterization, there were 48% and 60% decreases, respectively. There was an increase in the number of percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasties (33%) and definitive pacemaker implantations (29%). There were 97 admissions to the ICU during P19, in contrast with 78 during P20, a 20% decrease. Visits to the cardiac emergency room (45%) and admissions to the cardiology ward (36%) also decreased. The decrease in oncology consultations was 30%. Chemotherapy sessions decreased from 1,944 to 1,066 (45%), and radiotherapy sessions decreased by 19%.ConclusionCOVID-19 has led to a considerable decrease in the number of consultations in outpatient clinics for cardiology, oncology, and other specialties. There was a concerning decrease in the number of cardiac surgeries, chemotherapy sessions, and radiotherapy sessions during the initial weeks of the pandemic. The number of people seeking care in the cardiac emergency room and the number of admissions to the cardiology ward and ICU also decreased, generating concern regarding the evolution and prognosis of these patients with pathologies other than COVID-19 during this pandemic time. (Arq Bras Cardiol. 2020; [online].ahead print, PP.0-0)     

Influência do Consumo de Suco de Laranja (Citrus Sinensis) na Remodelação Cardíaca de Ratos Submetidos a Infarto do Miocárdio

BackgroundOrange juice (OJ) is rich in polyphenols with anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. After myocardial infarction (MI), complex changes occur in cardiac structure and function, which is known as cardiac remodeling (CR). Oxidative stress and inflammation can modulate this process. We hypothesized that the consumption of OJ attenuates the CR after MI.ObjectivesTo evaluate the influence of OJ on CR after MI by analysis of functional, morphological, oxidative stress, inflammation, and energy metabolism variables.MethodsA total of 242 male rats weighing 200-250 g were submitted to a surgical procedure (coronary artery ligation or simulated surgery). Seven days after surgery, survivors were assigned to one of the four groups 1) SM, sham animals with water and maltodextrin (n= 20); 2) SOJ, sham animals with OJ (n= 20); 3) IM, infarcted animals with water and maltodextrin (n= 40); and 4) IOJ, infarcted animals with OJ (n = 40). Statistical analysis was performed by the two-way ANOVA supplemented by Holm-Sidak. Results are presented as mean ± standard deviation, the level of significance adopted was 5%.ResultsAfter 3 months, MI led to left ventricular (LV) hypertrophy, with systolic and diastolic dysfunction, and increased oxidative stress and inflammatory mediators. OJ intake reduced LV cavity and improved systolic and diastolic function. The OJ animals presented lower activity of glutathione peroxidase and higher expression of heme-oxygenase-1 (HO-1).ConclusionOJ attenuated CR in infarcted rats and HO-1 may be play an important role in this process.