Feelings of being disabled as a prognostic factor for mortality in the drug-eluting stent era

Objective

It remains unclear whether feelings of being disabled are a relevant psychological factor that determines outcome after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). Therefore, we evaluated “feelings of being disabled” as an independent risk factor for mortality 4 years post-PCI.

Methods

As part of the Taxus-Stent Evaluated At Rotterdam Cardiology Hospital (T-SEARCH) Registry, 658 consecutive patients (age 63 years, 75% male) completed the subscale “feelings of being disabled” of the Heart Patients Psychological Questionnaire (HPPQ), within the first month after PCI.

Results

At 4-year follow-up, 8% of the patients (n=55) had died, 2% (n=16) underwent a myocardial infarction (MI), 13% (n=90) had a target-vessel revascularization (TVR), and 21% (n=137) had one or more major adverse cardiac events (MACE). One-third of the patients (32%) had high scores on “feelings of being disabled” at baseline. After adjusting for baseline characteristics, including symptoms of anxiety and depression, patients with a high score on “feelings of being disabled” had an increased risk for all cause mortality (HR=2.9, 95% CI=1.5-5.6), the composite end point mortality/MI (HR=2.4, 95% CI=1.3-4.4), and the occurrence of MACE (HR=1.7, 95% CI=1.1-2.7).

Conclusion

Feelings of being disabled were an independent predictor of all-cause mortality, mortality/MI, and MACE 4 years post-PCI. These patients should be identified in clinical practice, as they warrant additional treatment, e.g., of a psychosocial nature, in addition to the standard medical treatment.     

Efficacy of peer support interventions for depression: a meta-analysis

Objective

To assess the efficacy of peer support for reducing symptoms of depression.

Methods

Medline, PsycINFO, CINAHL and CENTRAL databases were searched for clinical trials published as of April 2010 using Medical Subject Headings and free text terms related to depression and peer support. Two independent reviewers selected randomized controlled trials (RCTs) that compared a peer support intervention for depression to usual care or a psychotherapy control condition. Meta-analyses were conducted to generate pooled standardized mean differences (SMD) in the change in depressive symptoms between study conditions.

Results

Seven RCTs of peer support vs. usual care for depression involving 869 participants were identified. Peer support interventions were superior to usual care in reducing depressive symptoms, with a pooled SMD of −0.59 (95% CI, −0.98 to −0.21; P=.002). Seven RCTs with 301 total participants compared peer support to group cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT). There was no statistically significant difference between group CBT and peer interventions, with a pooled SMD of 0.10 (95% CI, −0.20 to 0.39, P=.53).

Conclusion

Based on the available evidence, peer support interventions help reduce symptoms of depression. Additional studies are needed to determine effectiveness in primary care and other settings with limited mental health resources.     

The body balance training effect on improvement of motor functions in paretic extremities in patients after stroke. A randomized, single blinded trial

Objective

Study evaluates movement selectivity improvement in hemiparetic post-stroke patients after balance training.

Methods

Study included 26 patients and 15 healthy subjects (control group C). Patients were divided into two groups with 20-day balance training (A) and without (B). Normal standing weight distribution was expressed in percentages, center of feet pressure (COP) sway velocities were evaluated in anterior-posterior and medio-lateral (Y, X) directions for normal standing with eyes open and closed (EO, EC) and for tandem. Brunnström scale assessed movement selectivity.

Results

Weight distribution dissymmetry (Δ10%) was found. It was reduced (Δ2%) after training in group A. COP were higher for X direction (±6 mm/s vs ±12 mm/s) in normal standing. Difference (±12 mm/s) was found for Y in tandem. Brunnström score increased in group A from 0.3 to 0.6. It was negatively correlated with average COP for EO and EC in Y and X and for tandem in X.

Conclusion

Training reduces weight-bearing dissymmetry and improves movement selectivity.     

Moderate exercise improves depression parameters in treatment-resistant patients with major depressive disorder

Background

Treatment-resistant major depressive disorder (MDD) is a complex condition, with very low remission rates. Physical exercise has been used, with some encouraging results, as an alternative therapy in other depressive disorders. This study assessed the impact on depression and functioning parameters of a moderate intensity exercise program, as an adjuvant to pharmacotherapy, in treatment-resistant MDD patients.

Methods

150 individuals with treatment-resistant MDD, defined as taking combined therapy in doses considered adequate for 9-15 months, without showing clinical remission, were initially screened. 33 were randomized to one of two groups: usual pharmacotherapy (N = 11) and usual pharmacotherapy plus aerobic exercise (N = 22). The exercise program consisted of home-based 30-45 min/day walks, 5 days/week, for 12 weeks, being 1 walk per week supervised.

Results

The exercise group showed improvement of all depression and functioning parameters, as indicated by lower HAMD17, BDI and CGI-S and higher GAF (p < 0.05) at last observation compared both to baseline values and to control group. At the end of the study none of the participants in the control group showed response or remission, whilst in the exercise group 21% of participants showed response and 26% remission, although these differences were not statistically significant.

Conclusion

A 12 week, home-based exercise program of 30-45 min/day walks, 5 days/week, improved depression and functioning parameters in treatment-resistant MDD patients, and contributed to remission of 26% of these patients. Moderate intensity exercise may be a helpful and effective adjuvant therapy for treatment-resistant MDD.     

Haemostatic and inflammatory markers are independently associated with myocardial infarction in men and women

Introduction

Previous studies have shown that plasma levels of haemostatic and inflammatory markers are associated with risk of coronary heart disease (CHD). As haemostatic markers are also acute-phase reactants, it is not clear if their association with CHD is independent of inflammatory markers and established cardiovascular risk factors.

Materials and Methods

We used a prospective incident case-control study design nested in two cohorts from Sweden. Baseline measurements of a panel of cardiovascular risk factors and eight established markers of haemostasis or inflammation were assessed in 469 first-ever myocardial infarction (MI) cases and 895 matched controls.

Results

After adjustment for baseline values of established risk factors, von Willebrand factor appeared to have the strongest association with MI among the haemostatic markers assayed, with an odds ratio of 2.52 (95% CI, 1.72-3.67) for a comparison of individuals in extreme thirds of baseline levels. For a similar comparison, after adjustment for established risk factors and haemostatic markers, odds ratios for IL-6 and CRP were 1.67 (95% CI, 1.08-2.60) and 1.58 (95% CI, 1.03-2.41), respectively. The relative predictive ability of the individual markers over and above established risk factors was modest according to comparisons of Area under the Receiver Operating Characteristic (AUROC) curves. However, when all eight markers were combined in a single model, the AUROC curve was significantly increased to 0.820 (95% CI, 0.795-0.846) compared to 0.762 (95% CI, 0.732-0.791) for established risk factors only.

Conclusions

These findings suggest that haemostasis and inflammation have at least partially separate roles in risk of myocardial infarction.     

Further development of an illness perception intervention for myocardial infarction patients: A randomized controlled trial

Objective

To further develop and trial a brief in-hospital illness perception intervention for myocardial infarction (MI) patients.

Methods

One hundred and three patients admitted with acute MI were randomized to receive either standard care or standard care plus an illness perception intervention, which consisted of three half-hour patient sessions and one half-hour patient-and-spouse session delivered in hospital. Patients were followed up to 6 months. The main outcome was the difference between groups in rate of return to work.

Results

The intervention group had a faster rate of return to work than the control group, and more patients in the intervention group had returned to full time work by 3 months than in the control group. At discharge, patients in the intervention group demonstrated changes in causal attributions regarding their MI and higher perceived understanding of their condition, which remained at the 6-month follow-up. They also reported a better understanding of the information given in hospital, higher intentions to attend cardiac rehabilitation classes, lower anxiety about returning to work, greater increases in exercise, and made fewer phone calls to their general practitioner about their heart condition at follow-up.

Conclusion

This study replicates the findings of an earlier trial that a brief in-hospital illness perception intervention can change perceptions and improve rates of return to work in MI patients. It increases the generalizability of the intervention to the current broader definition of MI and to patients who have had previous infarcts.     

ABO blood types: influence on infarct size, procedural characteristics and prognosis

Introduction

Patients with non-O blood groups have higher plasma von Willebrand factor (vWF) levels than those with type O. vWF mediates platelet adhesion, aggregation and thrombosis. These considerations likely explain the prior observations that non-O patients have higher rates of arterial and venous thromboembolic events. However, the effect of blood group status on size of MI, procedural findings and outcomes after PCI for MI have not been reported.

Methods

We analyzed 1198 patients who underwent percutaneous coronary intervention for acute myocardial infarction between 10/03 and 8/06, and who had ABO blood group status and clinical follow-up.

Results and conclusions

Patients with O blood type were slightly older (62 ± 13 vs. 60 ± 13years; p = 0.017) had a higher prevalence of hypercholesterolemia (67% vs. 58%; p = 0.002), and had a higher burden of atherosclerosis with more vascular disease (17% vs. 13%; p = 0.017) and higher prevalence of previous PCI (22% vs. 17%; p = 0.025). Non-O blood group patients had larger infarcts as measured by median peak troponin (33 vs. 24; p = 0.037), total CK (721 vs. 532; p = 0.012) and CK-MB (101 vs. 68; p = 0.010). At PCI, non-O patients had increased visible thrombus and reduced TIMI flow pre-procedure. However, there were no differences in procedural success, in-hospital blood transfusion or occurrence of MACE at 1year follow-up. Our data demonstrate that non-O compared to O blood groups patients have higher thrombus burden despite less extensive atherosclerosis. Nevertheless, outcomes at 1year were similar.     

Pharmacodynamic assessment of a novel P2Y12 receptor antagonist in Japanese patients with coronary artery disease undergoing elective percutaneous coronary intervention

Introduction

Numerous reports have shown that prasugrel shows a rapid and consistent antiplatelet effect among European and US patients. Previous studies suggest that prasugrel might be expected to achieve an adequate antiplatelet effect in healthy Asian subjects, even at lower doses than those assessed in the TRITON-TIMI 38 study. In this study, the antiplatelet effect of prasugrel was evaluated in Japanese coronary artery disease (CAD) patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI).

Methods and results

Eighty-four patients were randomized into four treatment groups: prasugrel 10/2.5 mg (loading dose [LD]/maintenance dose [MD]), 15/3.75 mg or 20/5 mg, and clopidogrel 300/75 mg. The LD of each regimen was administered the day before PCI, followed by 28-day MD on aspirin background therapy (81-100 mg). Antiplatelet effects were evaluated by light transmission aggregometry and VASP assay.The mean inhibition of platelet aggregation (IPA) induced by 20 μM of adenosine diphosphate at 4 hours after LD was higher among the prasugrel 10/2.5 mg, 15/3.75 mg and 20/5 mg groups compared with the clopidogrel group (12.3%, 20.9%, 29.8% vs. 8.4%, respectively). The proportion of subjects with an IPA of < 10% on Day 28 was lower among the prasugrel 15/3.75 mg, and 20/5 mg groups than in the clopidogrel group (0%, 6.3% vs. 15.8%, respectively). No “major” or “clinically relevant non-major” bleeding was observed.

Conclusions

Prasugrel 15 mg LD/3.75 mg MD or higher doses was well tolerated and achieved a more rapid, higher and consistent antiplatelet effect than clopidogrel in Japanese CAD patients undergoing PCI.     

Efficacy and bleeding risk of antithrombin supplementation in septic disseminated intravascular coagulation: A prospective multicenter survey

Introduction

Although supplementation with antithrombin (AT) concentrates has been widely accepted for the treatment of disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC) in Japan, the effects and adverse effects have not been investigated.

Materials and Methods

We conducted a nonrandomized multi-institutional survey. A total of 729 septic DIC patients with AT activity levels of 70% or lower, who had undergone AT substitution at either 1500 IU/day or 3000 IU/day for consecutive 3 days were analyzed. Of these, 650 and 79 patients had received 1500 IU/day (AT1500 group) and 3000 IU/day (AT3000 group), respectively.

Results

Bleeding events were observed in 6.52% of patients (severe bleeding, 1.71%). A significant decrease in initial AT level (below 50%) was observed in 69.6% of patients in AT3000 group and 48.2% in AT1500 group, and this difference was significant (P < 0.01). A logistic-regression analysis conducted using age, gender, body weight, initial AT activity, and supplemented AT dose, revealed that higher initial AT activity (odds ratio (OR), 1.032; P < 0.001), AT dose of 3000 IU/day (OR, 1.912; P = 0.026), and age (OR, 0.985; P = 0.023) were significant factors for improved survival.

Conclusion

The risk of severe bleeding is less than 2%, and concomitant administration of heparin did not increase the risk. The survival in AT1500 group was 65.2%, while that in AT3000 group was 74.7%.     

Can an illness perception intervention reduce illness anxiety in spouses of myocardial infarction patients? A randomized controlled trial

Objective

To investigate whether a brief in-hospital illness perception intervention for myocardial infarction (MI) patients and their spouses could change spouses' illness perceptions and reduce spouses' anxiety about the illness.

Methods

Fifty-seven spouses participated in a randomized controlled trial of an illness perception intervention for MI patients. Spouses of patients randomized to the intervention attended one half-hour patient-and-spouse session with a psychologist in addition to standard care. Spouses completed measures of illness perceptions, expectations, and illness anxiety at admission and at 1 week following discharge, and spouses' illness worry was rated by the patients at 3 months. The main outcome for spouses was differences in anxiety between intervention and control groups.

Results

One week following discharge, spouses in the intervention group had higher illness understanding, lower concern, stronger causal attributions to hereditary factors, and fewer questions about their partner's heart condition compared to the control group. Intervention group spouses reported more positive expectations about the ability of the patient's heart to recover, and lower perceived likelihood of another MI. They had lower anxiety about the patient doing physical activity and about the patient's medications, and lower distress about the patient's symptoms. Spouses in the intervention group were rated as less worried about the illness at 3 months.

Conclusion

Spouses of patients represent a new target for illness perception interventions and these results demonstrate that a brief illness perception intervention can change illness perceptions and reduce anxiety about the illness in spouses of MI patients.