Coronary ischemic events after first atrial fibrillation: risk and survival

Purpose

We aimed to determine the long-term, gender-specific incidence and mortality risk of coronary ischemic events after first atrial fibrillation (AF).

Methods

In this longitudinal cohort study, adult residents of Olmsted County, Minnesota, with an electrocardiogram-confirmed AF first documented in 1980 to 2000 and without prior coronary heart disease, were followed to 2004. The primary outcome was first coronary events (angina with angiographic confirmation, unstable angina, nonfatal myocardial infarction, or coronary death). Sex-specific incidence of coronary ischemic events and survival after development of such events were assessed using Cox proportional hazards modeling. Kaplan-Meier estimates of risks for coronary ischemic events were compared with those predicted by the Framingham equation.

Results

Of the 2768 subjects (mean age 71 years, 48% were men), 463 (17%) had a first coronary event during a follow-up of 6.0 ± 5.2 years. The unadjusted incidence was 31 per 1000 person-years, and there was no difference between men and women. The incidence was higher in men (hazard ratio 1.32, P = .004) after adjusting for age. The 10-year event estimates were 22% and 19% in men and women, respectively, by our Kaplan-Meier analyses, and 21% and 11%, respectively, by Framingham risk equation. The mortality risk after coronary events was higher in women (hazard ratio 2.99 vs 2.33; P = .044), even after multiple adjustment.

Conclusions

First AF marks a high risk for new coronary ischemic events in both men and women. AF conferred additional risk for coronary events beyond conventional risk prediction in women only. The excess mortality risk associated with the development of coronary events was significantly greater in women.     

Coronary artery disease, coronary revascularization, and outcomes in chronic advanced systolic heart failure

Background

Associations between coronary artery disease (CAD) and outcomes in systolic heart failure (HF) and that between coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery and outcomes in patients with HF and CAD have not been examined using propensity-matched designs.

Methods

Of the 2707 patients with advanced chronic systolic HF in the Beta-Blocker Evaluation of Survival Trial (BEST), 1593 had a history of CAD, of whom 782 had prior CABG. Using propensity scores for CAD we assembled a cohort of 458 pairs of CAD and no-CAD patients. Propensity scores for prior CABG in those with CAD were used to assemble 500 pairs of patients with and without CABG. Matched patients were balanced on 68 baseline characteristics.

Results

All-cause mortality occurred in 33% and 24% of matched patients with and without CAD respectively, during 26 months of median follow-up (hazard ratio {HR} when CAD was compared with no-CAD, 1.41; 95% confidence interval {CI}, 1.11-1.81; P = 0.006). HR's (95% CIs) for CAD-associated cardiovascular mortality, HF mortality, and sudden cardiac death (SCD) were 1.53 (1.17-2.00; P = 0.002), 1.44 (0.92-2.25; P = 0.114) and 1.76 (1.21-2.57; P = 0.003) respectively. CAD had no association with hospitalization. Among matched patients with HF and CAD, all-cause mortality occurred in 32% and 39% of those with and without prior CABG respectively (HR for CABG, 0.77; 95% CI, 0.62-0.95; P = 0.015).

Conclusions

In patients with advanced chronic systolic HF, CAD is associated with increased mortality, and in those with CAD, prior CABG seems to be associated with reduced all-cause mortality but not SCD.     

In vitro effects of L-carnitine on coronary artery bypass grafts

BACKGROUND:

The gold standard treatment for multivessel coronary revascularization is coronary artery bypass grafting. The internal mammary artery and saphenous vein grafts are the conduits most frequently used for these operations. Spasm of arterial and venous grafts is a significant problem during the operation.

OBJECTIVES:

To evaluate the acute in vitro effects of L-carnitine on internal mammary artery and saphenous vein grafts using a tissue bath.

METHODS:

Ten consecutive patients who underwent elective coronary artery bypass grafting were enrolled in the present study (nine men, one woman; mean [± SD] age 62±9.1 years). Samples from left internal mammary artery and saphenous vein grafts were collected from each patient. Submaximal smooth muscle contraction was achieved by adding 1 μM phenylephrine, and L-carnitine was then added to the solution. The concentration-response curves of the vasodilation response were obtained.

RESULTS:

In the internal mammary graft samples, the vasodilation response to L-carnitine was 64.3±11.1% at a concentration of 5 mM. In the saphenous vein graft samples, the vasodilation response to L-carnitine was 41.5±11.4% at a concentration of 5 mM. There was a statistically significant difference (P<0.001) between the response of the internal mammary artery and saphenous vein grafts in the in vitro tissue bath system.

CONCLUSIONS:

These results indicate that L-carnitine is a potential vasodilatory drug for internal mammary artery and saphenous vein grafts.     

Usefulness of the MOSAIC (measurement of stenosis by aliasing coronary flow) method using transthoracic color Doppler echocardiography in unstable angina patients

Background

The aim of this study was to investigate the significance of the MOSAIC (measurement of stenosis by aliasing coronary flow) method for the detection of proximal left coronary stenosis in patients with unstable angina (UA) using transthoracic Doppler echocardiography (TTDE).

Methods

Patients (n = 107) with UA were evaluated. Proximal left coronary flow was sought in the short axis (SAX) at the aortic root level using color Doppler guidance. When detected coronary flow showed color aliasing, the color velocity range was gradually increased until color aliasing nearly disappeared. Then, the color baseline was shifted until the color flow showed “isovelocity”.

Results

Proximal coronary flow was detected in 86 (80.4%) of 107 patients. In these 86 patients, an optimal cutoff value of isovelocity ≥ 47.5 cm/s predicted significant coronary stenosis (percent diameter stenosis ≥ 70%) of the proximal left anterior descending (AHA segment 6) or left main coronary artery with a sensitivity of 88%, specificity of 97%, positive predictive value of 98%, and negative predictive value of 86%. In all 107 patients, the same cutoff value predicted significant coronary stenosis with a sensitivity of 78%, specificity of 98%, positive predictive value of 98%, and negative predictive value of 81%.

Conclusions

The MOSAIC method may play a complementary role in expeditious risk stratification and decision making in patients with UA.     

Likelihood of obstructive coronary disease in metabolic syndrome patients with abnormal stress echocardiography

Background

Metabolic syndrome (MetSx) encompasses several risk factors for macrovascular coronary artery disease. An association between MetSx and coronary syndrome X has also been reported, suggesting that patients with MetSx are more likely to have endothelial dysfunction in the setting of angiographically normal coronary arteries. It remains unknown whether MetSx patients with abnormal stress echocardiography (SE) are more likely to have obstructive coronary disease (CAD) compared to patients without MetSx.

Methods

We identified symptomatic patients without known CAD and abnormal SE who underwent coronary angiography within 4 weeks after the SE. Patients were grouped according to their MetSx and impaired fasting glucose (IFG) status. We compared the proportion of patients with obstructive CAD in each subgroup using the x² test. Multivariate regression analysis was used to adjust for the pre-test probability of underlying coronary artery disease.

Results

Among 583 consecutive symptomatic patients who had an abnormal SE and were referred for angiography, 158 (36%) met the NCEP definition of MetSx. MetSx patients had a trend towards having more obstructive CAD than those without MetSx (OR 1.44, p = 0.07). After adjusting for pre-test probability of coronary disease, smoking and LDL-C, MetSx/IFG combination was an independent predictor of obstructive CAD (OR 2.06 [1.24-3.44], p < 0.001) but MetSx with normal fasting blood glucose was not (OR 0.91 [0.47-1.70], p 0.09).

Conclusion

Symptomatic patients with MetSx and IFG are more likely to have angiographically significant CAD after abnormal SE than patients without MetSx or those with normal fasting blood glucose.     

Exploration ultrasonographique des pontages mammaires internes gauches : intérêt et limites en réadaptation cardiaque

Objective

The aim of the study is to demonstrate the feasibility, interest and limits of ultrasound exploration of left internal mammary artery grafts in cardiac rehabilitation.

Methods

From January 2000 to December 2008, 1434 patients entered in cardiac rehabilitation underlying coronary artery bypass graft, were studied by transthoracic doppler echocardiography in left internal mammary artery graft, from supraclavicular fossa.

Results

One thousand two hundred and fifty-nine grafts were recorded (87.8 %); the diameter was 2.6 ± 0.3 mm, the peak systolic velocity 46.3 ± 17.7 cm/s, the peak diastolic velocity 34.0 ± 13.4 cm/s, the diastolic/systolic (D/S) peak velocity ratio 0.77 ± 0.26 and the mean blood flow 64.3 ± 34.5 ml/min. The D/S peak ratio is lower in the presence of high blood pressure or diabetes, is higher in men, with sequential graft or when left ventricle ejection fraction is low. It tends to increase by sportsmen.

Conclusion

Transthoracic echo-doppler assessment of internal mammary artery grafts is easily useful and allows to establish a “functional identity card” of the graft in postoperative period, which will be used like a reference for the follow-up.     

Serum lipids in primary sclerosing cholangitis

Background

Limited data are available regarding the serum lipids in primary sclerosing cholangitis.

Aims

To determine the lipid levels in patients with primary sclerosing cholangitis.

Methods

We monitored the serum lipid levels annually for up to 6 years in 157 patients included in three previous trials of ursodeoxycholic acid.

Results

The baseline lipid values were: total cholesterol = 207 mg/dL (127-433); high-density lipoprotein = 56 mg/dL (26-132); low-density lipoprotein = 129 mg/dL (48-334); triglycerides = 102 mg/dL (41-698). Cirrhotic stage was associated with lower levels of total cholesterol (186 mg/dL vs. 217 mg/dL, p = .02). A significant correlation between the liver biochemistries and total and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels was observed. Ursodeoxycholic acid, as compared to placebo, significantly decreased total (−27 mg/dL vs. 22 mg/dL, p = .0004) and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (−24 mg/dL vs. 17 mg/dL, p = .0001). After extended follow-up, small changes in the lipid levels were noticed. The incidence of coronary artery disease was 4%.

Conclusions

Our findings suggest that the lipid levels in primary sclerosing cholangitis are often above levels where treatment with lipid-lowering agents is recommended. However, primary sclerosing cholangitis patients seem to have no elevated risk for cardiovascular events. The correlation of total and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol with liver biochemistries implies that mechanisms linked to cholestasis may regulate cholesterol metabolism.     

Extensive iatrogenic coronary dissection during coronary angioplasty: a series of 19 consecutive patients

Purpose of the study

Extensive coronary dissection is a rare complication of intraluminal angioplasty. We report a retrospective study of 19 patients who consulted in a general hospital without cardiac surgery.

Patients and methods

After consulting our coronarography and angioplasty database, we included the extensive coronary dissections (type D, E and F) in our study. The medical files of the selected patients were analysed.

Results

Between January 2003 and March 2010, 19 coronary angioplasty (total: 2542) were complicated with extensive dissections (incidence 0,75%). For 62,3% of the patients, the dissection was related to the guiding catheter. Eleven patients had type A and B1 lesions. The dissections affected the right coronary artery for 16 patients, the left anterior descending coronary artery for two patients and the left main coronary artery for one patient. After angioplasty, a final TIMI flow 3 was obtained for only 11 patients. In nine cases, we observed a limited extension to the aorta that did not need a chirurgical intervention and had no influence on the prognosis. The complications were common, such as death (n = 1), coronary bypass (n = 2), myocardial infarction (n = 8), cardiogenic shock (n = 2) and circulatory assistance (n = 2).

Conclusion

Extensive coronary dissection is a rare complication of angioplasty. The right coronary is the most frequent vessel concerned and an extension to aorta is usual. The treatment is usually based on sealing the entry with a coronary stent. The complications are common and serious and we did not find any predicting factors to extensive coronary dissections that are unpredictable.     

Pathophysiology of coronary blood flow in congenital heart disease

Objectives

The aim was to investigate the effects of volume and pressure overload and increased coronary perfusion pressure on coronary flow (CF) in congenital heart disease (CHD) patients.

Background

The effects of CHD on CF are poorly mapped.

Methods

A total of 65 patients with acyanotic CHD and 49 age-matched healthy controls were examined by transthoracic Doppler echocardiography. Posterior descending artery flow was measured in patients with pulmonary valve stenosis (PS) and atrial septal defects (ASDs) i.e. in lesions with right ventricular pressure or volume overload, and left anterior descending artery flow in patients with coarctation of the aorta (CoA) and ventricular septal defect (VSD), in lesions with left ventricular pressure or volume overload. The CF data in each patient group were expressed as the percent of the median for healthy controls from the same age group.

Results

The CF values were in VSD 172%, ASD 185%, PS 233%, and CoA 773% patients. In CoA patients body surface area (r = 0.90, p < 0.0001), systolic blood pressure (r = 0.72, p < 0.0001), diastolic blood pressure (r = 0.77, p < 0.0001), systolic wall tension (r = −0.77, p = 0.004), and signs of inflammation (log CRP, r = −0.75, p = 0.007) correlated with CF.

Conclusions

The increase in CF and velocity was most significant in patients with CoA. In newborns, increased coronary perfusion pressure seems to be the most important factor for increased CF, even if the pressure is not assumed to cause a significant increase in flow over the auto-regulatory range of 70-130 mm Hg. We also showed that inflammation decreases CF.     

Activation of matrix metalloproteinase-9 is associated with mobilization of bone marrow-derived cells after coronary stent implantation

Background

After stent-related vascular injury, an inflammatory response triggers the mobilization of bone marrow-derived stem cells, including both endothelial and smooth muscle progenitors, leading to re-endothelialization as well as restenosis. It has been postulated that neutrophil-released matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9) induces stem cell mobilization.

Aim

To elucidate the mechanistic link between inflammation and stem cell mobilization after coronary stenting.

Methods

In 31 patients undergoing coronary stenting, we serially measured activated Mac-1 on the surface of neutrophils and active MMP-9 levels in the coronary sinus blood plasma, and the number of circulating CD34-positive cells in the peripheral blood.

Results

After bare-metal stent implantation (n = 21), significant increases in the numbers of CD34-positive cells (maximum on post-procedure day 7, P < 0.001), activated Mac-1 (at 48 h, P < 0.001), and active MMP-9 levels (at 24 h, P < 0.001) were observed. However, these changes were absent after sirolimus-eluting stent implantation (n = 10). In overall patients, the numbers of CD34-positive cells on day 7 (R = 0.58, P < 0.01) and activated Mac-1 at 48 h (R = 0.58, P < 0.01) were both correlated with active MMP-9 levels at 24 h. Stimulation of activated Mac-1 on the surface of isolated human neutrophils produced active MMP-9 release in vitro.

Conclusions

These results suggest that stent-induced activation of Mac-1 on the surface of neutrophils might trigger their MMP-9 release, possibly leading to the mobilization of bone marrow-derived stem cells. These reactions were substantially inhibited by sirolimus-eluting stents.     

Obesity paradox in patients with hypertension and coronary artery disease

Purpose

An obesity paradox, a “paradoxical” decrease in morbidity and mortality with increasing body mass index (BMI), has been shown in patients with heart failure and those undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention. However, whether this phenomenon exists in patients with hypertension and coronary artery disease is not known.

Methods

A total of 22,576 hypertensive patients with coronary artery disease (follow-up 61,835 patient years, mean age 66 ± 9.8 years) were randomized to a verapamil-SR or atenolol strategy. Dose titration and additional drugs (trandolapril and/or hydrochlorothiazide) were added to achieve target blood pressure control according to the Sixth Joint National Committee on Prevention, Detection, Evaluation, and Treatment of High Blood Pressure targets. Patients were classified into 5 groups according to baseline BMI: less than 20 kg/m² (thin), 20 to 25 kg/m² (normal weight), 25 to 30 kg/m² (overweight), 30 to 35 kg/m² (class I obesity), and 35 kg/m² or more (class II-III obesity). The primary outcome was first occurrence of death, nonfatal myocardial infarction, or nonfatal stroke.

Results

With patients of normal weight (BMI 20 to <25 kg/m²) as the reference group, the risk of primary outcome was lower in the overweight patients (adjusted hazard ratio [HR] 0.77, 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.70-0.86, P <.001), class I obese patients (adjusted HR 0.68, 95% CI, 0.59-0.78, P <.001), and class II to III obese patients (adjusted HR 0.76, 95% CI, 0.65-0.88, P <.001). Class I obese patients had the lowest rate of primary outcome and death despite having smaller blood pressure reduction compared with patients of normal weight at 24 months (−17.5 ± 21.9 mm Hg/−9.8 ± 12.4 mm Hg vs −20.7 ± 23.1 mm Hg /−10.6 ± 12.5 mm Hg, P <.001).

Conclusion

In a population with hypertension and coronary artery disease, overweight and obese patients had a decreased risk of primary outcome compared with patients of normal weight, which was driven primarily by a decreased risk of all-cause mortality. Our results further suggest a protective effect of obesity in patients with known cardiovascular disease in concordance with data in patients with heart failure and those undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention.     

Assessment of internal mammary artery and saphenous vein graft patency and flow reserve using transthoracic Doppler echocardiography

OBJECTIVE—To investigate transthoracic Doppler echocardiography in the identification of coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) flow for assessing graft patency.
DESIGN—The initial study group comprised 45 consecutive patients with previous CABG undergoing elective cardiac catheterisation for recurrent ischaemia. The Doppler variables best correlated with angiographic graft patency were then tested prospectively in a further 84 patients (test group).
SETTING—Three tertiary referral centres.
INTERVENTIONS—Flow velocities in grafts were recorded at rest and during hyperaemia induced by dipyridamole (0.56 mg/kg/4 min), under the guidance of transthoracic colour Doppler flow mapping. Findings on transthoracic Doppler were compared with angiography.
MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES—Feasibility of identifying open grafts by Doppler and diagnostic accuracy for Doppler detection of significant ( 70%) graft stenosis.
RESULTS—In the test group the identification rate for mammary artery grafts was 100%, for saphenous vein grafts to left anterior descending coronary artery 91%, for vein grafts to right coronary artery 96%, and for vein grafts to circumflex artery 90%. Coronary flow reserve (the ratio between peak diastolic velocity under hyperaemia and at baseline) of < 1.9 (95% confidence interval 1.83 to 2.08) had 100% sensitivity, 98% specificity, 87.5% positive predictive value, and 100% negative predictive value for mammary artery graft stenosis. Coronary flow reserve of < 1.6 (95% CI 1.51 to 1.73) had 91% sensitivity, 87% specificity, 85.4% positive predictive value, and 92.3% negative predictive value for significant vein graft stenosis.
CONCLUSIONS—Transthoracic Doppler can provide non-invasive assessment of CABG patency.


Keywords: blood flow; coronary artery disease; coronary artery bypass graft; echocardiography     

The older patient with syncope: practicalities and controversies

Introduction

Corticosteroid administration in Kawasaki disease (KD) is controversial but accepted as treatment for patients who do not respond to initial treatment. The impact of corticosteroids on evolving coronary artery aneurysms (CAA) and future vascular remodelling is unknown.

Methods and results

The clinical history of 80 patients (73% male; median age at diagnosis 2.2 years) seen from 1990 to 2008 with CAAs after KD were reviewed, 19 (24%) of whom received systemic corticosteroids in the acute phase (14 for ≤ 3 days, 5 for 4+ days). CAA z-scores were assessed at baseline, 2-3 months, and 1 year after the acute phase. Linear regression models adjusted for repeated measures were used to determine the association between change in CAA z-score over time and corticosteroid use, adjusting for patient age at diagnosis, gender, intravenous immunoglobulin use, total days of fever, albumin level, hemoglobin level and platelet count.

Results

The corticosteroid treated group had longer duration of fever in the acute phase (median 17 vs. 11 days, p = 0.04). Adjusted CAA z-scores at diagnosis, 2-3 months and 1 year follow-up for CAA in the left anterior descending decreased (from + 5.5 to + 3.5 to + 1.9) in those not treated with corticosteroids, but progressed for those treated with corticosteroids (from + 7.4 to + 17.5 to + 15.8), regardless of duration of corticosteroid treatment. Similar results were noted for CAA of the right coronary artery and the left main coronary artery.

Conclusions

The use of corticosteroids in the acute phase of KD for patients with evolving CAAs may be associated with worsening involvement and impaired vascular remodelling and warrants further study.     

Effect of statin therapy on contrast-induced nephropathy after coronary angiography: a meta-analysis

Background

Although the pleiotropic effects of statins are postulated to be renoprotective, clinical studies have demonstrated conflicting results. We undertook a meta-analysis of published trials to evaluate the impact of statin therapy on the incidence of contrast-induced nephropathy (CIN) in patients undergoing coronary angiography.

Methods

We searched MEDLINE and EMBASE databases through December 2010 for articles evaluating the effect of statins on the incidence of CIN in patients undergoing coronary angiography. Odds ratios (OR) with 95% confidence intervals (CI) were calculated using random effects modeling.

Results

Three randomized controlled trials involving 770 patients (330 in the statin group and 340 in the control group) and 7 non-randomized studies involving 31,959 patients (11,936 statin-pretreated and 20,023 statin-naïve). The definition of CIN varied somewhat among the studies. Based on the pooled estimate across the 3 randomized controlled trials, statin therapy did not significantly reduce the incidence of CIN compared to control (OR = 0.76, 95% CI: 0.41-1.41, p = 0.39). No significant heterogeneity was found in the randomized studies (I² = 0%, p = 0.48). The pooled analysis of the non-randomized studies showed a marginally significant benefit associated with statin therapy (OR = 0.60, 95% CI: 0.36-1.00, p = 0.05). There was significant heterogeneity among the non-randomized studies (I² = 88%, p < 0.00001).

Conclusions

Our meta-analysis suggests that statin therapy might be associated with a significant reduction in the incidence of CIN in patients undergoing coronary angiography. Further studies are warranted to clarify this issue.     

Pacemaker stress echocardiography predicts cardiac events in patients with permanent pacemaker

Purpose

Noninvasive pacemaker stress echocardiography is a newly introduced method for the diagnosis of coronary artery disease in patients with a permanent pacemaker. The prognostic value of pacemaker stress echocardiography has not been studied.

Subjects and methods

We studied 136 patients (mean age 64 ± 12 years) with a permanent pacemaker who underwent pacemaker stress echocardiography for evaluation of coronary artery disease. All patients underwent pacemaker stress echocardiography by external programming (pacing heart rate up to ischemia or target heart rate).

Results

Thirty-one patients (23%) had normal study results. Ischemia was detected in 75 patients (55%). During a mean follow-up of 3.5 ± 2.4 years, 35 deaths (26%) (20 the result of cardiac causes) and 2 nonfatal myocardial infarctions (1%) occurred. The annual cardiac death rate was 1.3% in patients without ischemia and 4.6% in patients with ischemia (P = .01). The annual all-cause mortality rate was 3.1% in patients without ischemia and 7% in patients with ischemia (P = .004). The presence of ischemia during pacemaker stress echocardiography was the strongest independent predictor of cardiac death (hazard ratio 4.1, confidence interval 1.2-14.5) and all-cause mortality (hazard ratio 2.7, confidence interval 1.2-6.0) in a multivariable model.

Conclusion

Myocardial ischemia during pacemaker stress echocardiography is an independent predictor of cardiac death and all-cause mortality in patients with a permanent pacemaker.     

Elevated Body Mass Index and Use of Coronary Revascularization after Cardiac Catheterization

Background

Obese persons suffer discrimination in society that may extend to health care use. We investigated whether overweight and obese patients are as likely to undergo coronary reperfusion or revascularization as patients of normal body weight.

Methods

Detailed clinical data were collected for an inception cohort of patients from Alberta, Canada, who underwent cardiac catheterization between April 2001 and March 2004. The patients' likelihood of receiving any revascularization, percutaneous coronary intervention, or coronary artery bypass graft surgery in the year after cardiac catheterization was examined on the basis of body mass index (BMI) grouping. Use of revascularization was examined separately for patients with high- and low-risk coronary disease.

Results

Of 27,460 patients who had BMI data recorded, 24% were of normal weight, 42% were overweight, and 35% were obese. Although overweight and obese patients were more likely to have percutaneous coronary intervention (adjusted hazard ratio [HR] = 1.07, 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.01-1.12 and HR 1.08, 95% CI, 1.01-1.13, respectively), obese patients (BMI > 30) were less likely to receive coronary artery bypass graft surgery (adjusted HR = 0.93, 95% CI, 0.87-1.00). This was primarily because of less use of coronary artery bypass graft surgery for the most obese patients (obesity class III) with low-risk coronary anatomy (adjusted HR = 0.61, 95% CI, 0.36-1.02).

Conclusion

The pattern of use of revascularization procedures after cardiac catheterization differs somewhat across BMI subgroups. These differences might be clinically appropriate, but they warrant further exploration.     

Coronary Heart Disease and Stroke Risk in Patients with Psoriasis: Retrospective Analysis

Background

Past studies suggest an association between psoriasis and the risk of developing coronary heart disease. The objectives of this study were to estimate the 10-year risks of coronary heart disease and stroke in patients with moderate to severe psoriasis, to compare risks between patients and the general population, and to determine whether risk profiles are affected by disease severity.

Methods

Data were pooled from patients with moderate to severe psoriasis (Psoriasis Area and Severity Index [PASI] score ≥ 10) who were enrolled in Phase II (M02-528) or Phase III trials (Comparative Study of HUMIRA vs Methotrexate vs Placebo In PsOriasis PatieNts[CHAMPION], Randomized Controlled EValuation of Adalimumab Every Other Week Dosing in Moderate to Severe Psoriasis TriAL[REVEAL]) evaluating adalimumab. Risks of coronary heart disease and stroke were estimated using the Framingham risk score algorithm and a stroke risk function based on the Framingham Heart Study cohorts. To compare risks between patients with psoriasis and the general population, average population risks were imputed on the basis of age and gender. Wilcoxon rank-sum tests evaluated risk differences between patients with psoriasis and the general population and between patients with moderate psoriasis and patients with severe psoriasis.

Results

A total of 1591 patients were identified, including 1082 patients with PASI scores ≥ 10 and ≤ 20 and 509 patients with PASI scores > 20. Patients with PASI scores from 10 to 20 and PASI scores > 20 had similar 10-year risks of coronary heart disease (12.3% and 12.2%; P = .49) and stroke (8.3% and 8.7%; P = .28). Compared with the general population, 10-year risks of patients with psoriasis were 28% greater for coronary heart disease (P < .001) and 11.8% greater for stroke (P = .02).

Conclusion

Patients with moderate to severe psoriasis had increased risks of coronary heart disease and stroke compared with the general population.     

Global longitudinal speckle-tracking strain is predictive of left ventricular remodeling after coronary angioplasty in patients with recent non-st elevation myocardial infarction

Aims

To test whether two-dimensional longitudinal strain (2DSE) performed after revascularization by percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) could predict left ventricular (LV) remodeling in patients with recent non-ST elevation myocardial infarction (NSTEMI).

Methods

In 70 patients (62.7 ± 8.7 years) with recent NSTEMI (between 72 hours and 14 days), undergoing coronary angiography for recurrent angina, myocardial deformation parameters were measured by 2DSE before and 24 hours after reperfusion therapy. Strain in all LV segments was averaged to obtain a global value (Global longitudinal Strain - GLS). Infarct size was estimated by clinical parameters and cardiac markers. After 6 months from intervention, LV negative remodeling was defined as lack of improvement of LV function, with increase in LV end-diastolic volume of greater than or equal than 15%.

Results

At follow-up, patients were subdivided into remodeled (n = 32) and non-remodeled (n = 38) groups. Patients with negative LV remodeling had significantly lower baseline LV ejection fraction (44.8 ± 6.9 vs. 48.7 ± 5.5 %; p < 0.05), higher peak troponin I (p < 0.001) and reduced GLS (- 10.6 ± 6.1 vs - 17.6 ± 6.7 % p < 0.001) than those without LV remodeling. GLS showed a close correlation with peak troponin I after PCI (r = 0.64, P < 0.0001) and LV WMSI (r = 0.42, p < 0.01). By multivariable analysis, diabetes mellitus (P < 0.005), peak of Troponin I after PCI (P < 0.0005), GLS at baseline (OR: 4.3; p < 0.0001), and lack of improvement of GLS soon after PCI (OR: 1.45, P < 0.01) were powerful independent predictors of negative LV remodelling at follow-up. In particular, a GLS ≤ 12 % showed a sensitivity and a specificity respectively of 84.8% and 87.8% to predict negative LV remodelling at follow-up.

Conclusions

in patients with recent NSTEMI, longitudinal LV global and regional speckle-tracking strain measurements are powerful independent predictors of LV remodeling after reperfusion therapy.     

Impact of coronary artery calcium on cardiovascular risk categorization and lipid-lowering drug eligibility in asymptomatic hypercholesterolemic men

Background

Application of coronary artery calcium (CAC) for stratifying coronary heart disease (CHD) risk may change the proportion of subjects eligible for risk reduction treatment and decrease cost-effectiveness of primary prevention. We therefore aimed to analyze the impact of CAC on CHD risk categorization.

Methods

We measured CAC with electron beam computed tomography in 500 asymptomatic untreated hypercholesterolemic men and re-calibrated 10-year Framingham CHD risk by adding CAC score information (post CAC test risk) via an algorithm integrating relative risk and expected distribution of CAC in the population tested. Proportions of low (< 10%), intermediate (10-20%) and high (> 20%) risk categories, and of eligibility for lipid-lowering treatment, were compared between Framingham risk and post CAC test risk.

Results

In the overall population, post CAC test risk calculation changed risk categorization defined by Framingham assessment alone, with 10% more low risk and 10% less intermediate risk (p < 0.01). Risk reclassifications were bidirectional since 30% of high and 30% of intermediate Framingham risk were downgraded to intermediate and low risk categories respectively, while 11% of low and 14% of intermediate Framingham risk were upgraded to intermediate and high-risk categories respectively. Post CAC test risk did not change the proportion of Framingham-based lipid-lowering treatment eligibility in the overall population but decreased it by 8% in intermediate Framingham risk subgroup (p < 0.05).

Conclusions

Addition of CAC to risk prediction resulted rather in downgrading than in upgrading risk and did not change treatment eligibility, except in intermediate risk subjects, less frequently eligible for treatment.     

Impact of Gender on Risk Stratification by Stress Echocardiography

Objective

To compare the prognostic value of stress echocardiography results in men and women with known and suspected coronary artery disease.

Methods

We analyzed the data of 8737 patients (5529 men and 3208 women) who underwent stress echocardiography (exercise in 523 patients, dipyridamole in 6227 patients, dobutamine in 1987) for evaluating known (n = 3857) or suspected (n = 4880) coronary artery disease. Patients were followed up for the occurrence of overall mortality or nonfatal myocardial infarction.

Results

During a median follow-up of 25 months, 1218 cardiac events (693 deaths and 525 infarctions) occurred. Moreover, 2263 patients (1731 men [31%] and 532 women [17%]; P < .0001) underwent coronary revascularization and were censored. Stress echocardiography results added prognostic information to that of clinical findings and resting wall motion score index in men and women with both known and suspected coronary artery disease. In patients with known coronary artery disease, women had a higher (P = .01) event rate than men in the presence of ischemia. The annual event rate was worse for nondiabetic women (P = .007) but not diabetic women; age had a neutral prognostic effect in the 2 sexes. In patients with suspected coronary artery disease, men without ischemia had a higher (P < .0001) event rate than women. The annual event rate was worse in men aged less than 65 years (P < .0001) or more than 65 years (P = .04), and those with (P = .03) or without (P < .0001) diabetes.

Conclusion

Prognosis is at least comparable in men and women with ischemia and in those with coronary artery disease and no ischemia at stress echocardiography. In these clinical settings, availability for major procedures should be similar for both genders.