Diabetic retinopathy as a predictor of late clinical events following percutaneous coronary intervention

Diabetic retinopathy has been shown to be associated with increased cardiovascular mortality in diabetes mellitus (DM) patients. However, it is not well known whether the presence of retinopathy is a predictor of adverse cardiovascular events in diabetic patients after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). We divided 365 non-insulin dependent DM patients who underwent PCI and fundoscopic examination into 2 groups: 115 patients with retinopathy and 250 patients without retinopathy. We assessed the relationship between the presence of retinopathy and the occurrence of major adverse cardiac and cerebrovascular events (MACCE) including death, myocardial infarction (MI), cerebrovascular event and target lesion revascularization (TLR). Patients with retinopathy had longer duration of DM and more insulin dependency. The 2-year cumulative survival rate was 96.3% and 99.6% for patients with retinopathy and without retinopathy, respectively (p = 0.02). The 2-year MACCE-free survival rates were similar between the 2 groups (67.7% and 73.8% in patients with retinopathy and without retinopathy, respectively, p = 0.17). In conclusion, the presence of retinopathy might be a predictor of mortality after PCI in DM patients; however, it might not be related to the development of other major cardiac and cerebrovascular events.     

Proliferative diabetic retinopathy is a predictor of coronary artery disease in Japanese patients with type 2 diabetes

A retrospective cohort study was performed to investigate the relationship between diabetic retinopathy and coronary artery disease in 371 Japanese adult patients with type 2 diabetes. We found that proliferative retinopathy was significantly associated with an increased risk of coronary artery disease, even after adjustment for classical coronary risk factors.     

Respiratory disturbance index: an independent predictor of mortality in coronary artery disease

Cardiovascular mortality was prospectively investigated in consecutive coronary artery disease (CAD) patients with versus without obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) during a follow-up period of 5 yr. An overnight sleep/ventilatory study was performed in patients requiring intensive care (n = 62, mean age 67.6 +/- 10.4 yr, range 44 to 86) during a stable condition (New York Heart Association [NYHA] functional class I-II) 4 to 21 mo after discharge from the hospital. OSA, defined as a respiratory disturbance index (RDI) of 10/h or more was found in 19 patients (mean RDI 17.5 +/- 8.3). Three OSA subjects who were successfully treated with continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) during the observation period were excluded from the final analysis. There was no statistically significant difference (Fisher two-tailed exact test) between the OSA and non-OSA patient groups in terms of number of elderly subjects (age >/= 65 yr), gender, obesity (body mass index [BMI] >/= 30 kg/m(2)), smoking history, presence of hypertension, diabetes mellitus, hypercholesterolemia, or history of myocardial infarction at the study start. During the follow-up period, cardiovascular death occurred in six of 16 OSA patients (37.5%) compared with 4 (9.3%) in the non-OSA group (p = 0.018). The univariate predictors of cardiovascular mortality were RDI (p = 0.007), OSA (p = 0.014), age at baseline (p = 0.028), hypertension at baseline (p = 0.036), history of never-smoking (p = 0.031), and digoxin treatment during the follow-up period (p = 0.013). In a Cox multiple conditional regression model, RDI remained as an independent predictor of cardiovascular mortality (exp beta = 1.13, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.05 to 1.21, two-sided p < 0.001). We conclude that untreated OSA is associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular mortality in patients with CAD. Furthermore, it appears appropriate that RDI is taken into consideration when evaluating secondary prevention models in CAD.     

联合踝臂指数和钙化积分判定老年冠脉3支病变的价值

目的 探讨联合应用踝臂指数（ankle-brachial index,ABI）和钙化积分(coronary artery calcium score,CACS)提高判定冠状动脉3支病变的价值。方法 选择连续96例行冠脉造影的老年患者,分别予ABI检测和64排CT检测CACS。结果 ABI<0.9、CACS>400判定冠脉3支病变敏感度分别为58％、64％,特异度分别为87％、86％,联合使用敏感度显著提高（85％）,特异度未明显降低（83％）。结论 ABI<0.9、CACS>400一定程度上能够判定老年人冠脉3支病变,联合使用判定价值更大。     

Diabetic retinopathy and coronary implantation of sirolimus-eluting stents

INTRODUCTION: The prognostic value of identifying the retinal status of diabetic patients undergoing coronary implantation of drug-eluting stents is unknown. METHODS: We evaluated the outcomes of 318 consecutive patients undergoing implantation of sirolimus-eluting stents for coronary artery disease. Patients were divided into 5 groups according to the diabetic and retinal status: diabetic patients without retinopathy (43 patients); diabetic patients with nonproliferative retinopathy (34); diabetic patients with proliferative retinopathy (37); diabetic patients with unknown retinal status (30); and nondiabetic patients (174). RESULTS: During a mean follow-up of 385 days, 64 patients had target-vessel failure (defined as a composite of death from cardiac causes, myocardial infarction, and target-vessel revascularization). At 1 year, Kaplan-Meier estimates of the rate of target-vessel failure were 15.3% for diabetic patients without retinopathy, 56.6% for those with nonproliferative retinopathy, 17.3% for those with proliferative retinopathy, 19.0% for those with unknown retinal status, and 16.0% for nondiabetic patients. After adjustment for the potential confounders and differences between groups, the relation of nonproliferative retinopathy to target-vessel failure remained significant. In an analysis in which diabetic patients without retinopathy were used as the reference group, the hazard ratios for target-vessel failure were 3.9 for those with nonproliferative retinopathy, 1.3 for those with proliferative retinopathy, 1.1 for those with unknown retinal status, and 1.4 for nondiabetic patients (P for trend = 0.015). CONCLUSIONS: As compared with diabetic patients without retinopathy, those with nonproliferative retinopathy have an increased risk for target-vessel failure after coronary implantation of sirolimus-eluting stents.     

Circulating Chlamydia pneumoniae DNA as a predictor of coronary artery disease.

OBJECTIVE: To determine whether current vascular Chlamydia pneumoniae (CPn) infection as diagnosed by circulating CPn DNA is more common in subjects with coronary artery disease (CAD). BACKGROUND: Serological, pathological and animal studies have associated CPn with CAD and preliminary trials suggest antibiotics may prevent adverse coronary events. C. pneumoniae is thought to disseminate systemically within macrophages. We therefore detected CPn DNA in blood to determine whether its presence was a predictor of CAD. METHODS: One thousand, two hundred and five subjects attending for diagnostic and interventional coronary arteriography were recruited. The mononuclear cell layer and platelets were separated from collected blood and the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was used to detect CPn DNA. RESULTS: Circulating CPn DNA was found in 8.8% of 669 men with CAD compared with 2.9% of 135 men with normal coronary arteries (odds ratio [OR] 3.2, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.1-8.9). In men with CAD, those with CPn DNA had higher mean platelet counts than those without CPn DNA. Monocyte counts and indirect fibrinogen levels were also raised but not significantly so. By contrast, no association of circulating CPn DNA and CAD was seen in women. CONCLUSIONS: Circulating CPn DNA is a predictor of CAD in men. Unlike serology, it is a specific indicator of current infection and is a means of identifying subjects who may potentially benefit from antichlamydial therapy.     

Late rejection is a predictor of transplant coronary artery disease in children

OBJECTIVE: The study objectives were to determine posttransplant coronary artery disease (TxCAD) incidence, predisposing factors and optimal timing for retransplantation (re-Tx) in pediatric heart transplantation (Tx) recipients. BACKGROUND: The TxCAD limits long-term survival following heart Tx, with re-Tx being the primary therapy. Information on risk factors and timing of listing for re-Tx is limited in children. METHODS: The records of children who survived >1 year post-Tx at Loma Linda University were reviewed. Nonimmune and immune risk factors were analyzed. RESULTS: TxCAD was documented in 24 of 210 children. Freedom from TxCAD was 92 +/- 2% and 75 +/- 5% at 5 and 10 years' post-Tx, respectively. The TxCAD diagnosis was established at autopsy in 10 asymptomatic patients who died suddenly within nine months following the most recent negative angiograms. The remaining 14 children had angiographic diagnoses of TxCAD and had symptoms and/or graft dysfunction (n = 10) or positive stress studies (n = 4). Three of 14 died within three months after the diagnosis was made. Eleven patients underwent re-Tx within seven months of diagnosis; nine survived. Univariate and multivariate analyses showed that only late rejection (>1 year posttransplant) frequency (p = 0.025) and severity (hemodynamically compromising) (p < 0.01) were independent predictors of TxCAD development. Freedom from TxCAD after severe late rejection was 78 +/- 8% one year postevent and 55 +/- 10% by two years. CONCLUSIONS: Late rejection is an independent predictor of TxCAD. Patients suffering severe late rejection develop angiographically apparent TxCAD rapidly and must be monitored aggressively. Both TxCAD mortality and morbidity occur early; therefore, we recommend immediate listing for re-Tx upon diagnosis.     

Carotid intima-media thickness as an independent predictor of coronary artery disease.

BACKGROUND: A noninvasive technique of measuring carotid artery intima-media thickness has recently generated considerable interest as a marker of atherosclerosis and in the prediction of clinical coronary events and coronary artery disease. The present study evaluated the association of carotid artery intima-media thickness in the prediction of coronary artery disease in a western Indian population. METHODS AND RESULTS: Carotid artery intima-media thickness was measured with a B-mode scan in an ongoing study of 266 patients, who were further subdivided into 4 subgroups: those with non-insulin dependent diabetes mellitus; hypertension; diabetes mellitus with hypertension; and those without diabetes or hypertension (labeled as controls). The maximal intima-media thickness greater than 0.8 mm at the far wall of the common carotid artery, excluding raised lesions and plaques, was selected as the highest value for comparison. The subgroups were further divided into those with and without apparent coronary artery disease. A statistically significant intima-media thickness greater than 0.8 mm was observed in 59.2% of the subjects with coronary artery disease as against 40.8% in those without the disease on univariate analysis. A higher incidence of intima-media thickness of more than 0.8 mm was observed in all subgroups with coronary artery disease as against those without the disease, which was most marked in the hypertensive group (22.2% v. 3.6%) and contributed to the increased arterial thickness in diabetics with concomitant hypertension. Multivariate regression analysis revealed carotid artery intima-media thickness to be associated with coronary artery disease with an odds ratio of 2.40. CONCLUSIONS: Carotid artery intima-media thickness is a simple, noninvasive and reproducible clinical tool to evaluate atherosclerosis and predict coronary artery disease in Indian subjects. Prospective studies in a larger number of subjects, particularly in those undergoing coronary angiography, will help in establishing the role of this technique.     

Hemoglobin A1C in non-diabetic patients: An independent predictor of coronary artery disease and its severity

Aims

To determine the association between glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) and angiographically proven coronary artery disease (CAD) and its severity in nondiabetic individuals.

Methods

We enrolled 299 consecutive individuals undergoing coronary angiography for suspected ischemia. Patients were included if they had no history of prior revascularization or diabetes mellitus and had fasting blood glucose < 126 mg/dl (7.0 mmol/l) and HbA1c < 6.5% (47 mmol/mol). The severity of the CAD was also evaluated using the Gensini score. Serum HbA1c (NGSP certified Method), highly sensitive C-reactive protein (hsCRP), lipid profile, insulin and APO lipoprotein A1 and B100 levels were measured.

Results

Mean age was 58.8 ± 10.4 year; 60.9% men. One hundred forty seven patients had significant CAD (≥50% stenosis in any major vessel). With increasing HbA1c levels, there was a significant increase in the prevalence of CAD and number of vessels involved. In multivariate analysis, HbA1c emerged as an independent predictor of significant CAD (OR: 2.8, 95% CI: 1.3–6.2, p = 0.009). Adjusted ORs for the occurrence of CAD were highest in subjects with both hsCRP and HbA1c in the upper 2 quartiles (OR: 4.183; 95% CI: 1.883–9.290, p < 0.0001). There was a significant association between Gensini score and increasing HbA1c tertiles (p = 0.038). The ideal cut-off value of HbA1c for prediction of the occurrence of CAD was 5.6% 38 mmol/mol) (sensitivity: 60.5%, specificity: 52%).

Conclusions

In non-diabetic subjects, HbA1c could be utilized for risk stratification of CAD and its severity, independent of traditional cardiovascular risk factors, insulin resistance and inflammatory markers.     

Heart rate: a strong predictor of mortality in subjects with coronary artery disease.

This editorial refers to ‘Long-term prognostic value ofresting heart rate in patients with suspected or proven coronaryartery disease’ by A. Diaz et al., on page 967 Risk stratification is important for determining the prognosisof subjects at moderate to high cardiovascular risk and variousattempts have been made to integrate several clinical variablesinto a user-friendly risk model. Recently, the ESC has developeda model called SCORE which incorporates age, gender, smoking,systolic blood pressure, and total cholesterol (or total cholesterol/HDL-cholesterolratio).¹ This model does not take into account several otherrisk factors for cardiovascular disease, which may be relevantfor modulating the disease risk, on the grounds that their impacton risk estimation is still uncertain. In the SCORE projectarticle, resting heart rate was not even included in the     

Left atrial deformation analysis as a predictor of severity of coronary artery disease

Background

Two-dimensional (2D) speckle-tracking strain imaging is a novel method for assessment of regional myocardial deformation that uses tracking of acoustic speckles or kernels rather than Doppler myocardial velocities. It has been suggested that Left atrial (LA) strain as measured by 2D speckle tracking can be used to evaluate dynamic LA function.

Epicardial adipose tissue as a predictor of coronary artery disease in asymptomatic subjects

This study sought to elucidate the relation between epicardial adipose tissue (EAT) thickness measured by multidetector computed tomography and presence of coronary artery atherosclerosis. Recent studies have suggested that fat disposition in visceral organs and epicardial tissue could serve as a predictor of coronary artery disease (CAD). The sample included 190 asymptomatic subjects with ≥ 1 cardiovascular risk factor who were referred for cardiac computed tomographic angiography. Body mass index, blood pressure, fasting glucose level, and lipid profile were measured. Multidetector computed tomographic results were analyzed for atherosclerosis burden, calcium Agatston score, and EAT thickness: mean EAT values were 3.54 ± 1.59 mm in patients with atherosclerosis and 1.85 ± 1.28 mm in patients without atherosclerosis (p <0.001). On receiver operating characteristic analysis, an EAT value ≥ 2.4 mm predicted the presence of significant (>50% diameter) coronary artery stenosis. There was a significant difference in EAT values between patients with and without metabolic syndrome (2.58 ± 1.63 vs 2.04 ± 1.46 mm, p <0.05) and between patients with a calcium score >400 and <400 (3.38 ± 1.58 vs 2.02 ± 1.42 mm, p <0.0001). In conclusion, asymptomatic patients with CAD have significantly more EAT than patients without CAD. An EAT thickness of 2.4 mm is the optimal cutoff for prediction of presence of significant CAD.     

Right coronary artery stenosis: An independent predictor of atrial fibrillation after coronary artery bypass surgery

Objectives. This study attempted to determine the importance of severe proximal right coronary artery disease as a predictor of atrial fibrillation in patients after coronary artery bypass surgery.Background. Studies in patients undergoing noncardiac surgery have suggested that ischemia in the right coronary artery distribution is associated with a high incidence of atrial fibrillation. However, the importance of right coronary artery disease as a predictor of atrial fibrillation after bypass surgery is unknown.Methods. The occurrence of sustained postoperative atrial fibrillation was studied prospectively in 168 consecutive patients undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting. Patients were followed up postoperatively until discharge. Severe right coronary artery stenosis was defined as ≥70% lumen narrowing.Results. Of 104 patients with proximal or mid right coronary artery stenosis, 45 (43%) had atrial fibrillation postoperatively compared with 12 (19%) of the 64 patients without significant right coronary disease (p = 0.001). Univariate predictors of atrial fibrillation included right coronary artery stenosis (p = 0.001), advancing age (p = 0.0001) and lack of beta-adrenergic blocking agent therapy after bypass surgery (p = 0.0004). Multivariate adjusted risk of developing atrial fibrillation after bypass surgery increased with the presence of severe right coronary artery disease (odds ratio 3.69, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.61 to 8.48), advancing age (odds ratio 2.24/10 years, CI 1.48 to 3.41) and male gender (odds ratio 2.36, CI 1.01 to 5.49). The use of beta-blockers postoperatively was associated with a protective effect (odds ratio 0.4, CI 0.17 to 0.80).Conclusions. The presence of severe right coronary artery stenosis is an independent and powerful predictor of atrial fibrillation after coronary artery bypass surgery. In association with age, gender and postoperative beta-blocker therapy, these variables can be used to identify patients at increased risk for developing this arrhythmia.     

Intima-media thickness of the common carotid artery is the significant predictor of angiographically proven coronary artery disease

BACKGROUND: Previous studies have shown a relationship between intima-media thickness (IMT) of the common carotid artery and coronary artery disease (CAD). The role of IMT in the prediction of significant CAD has not been established. OBJECTIVES: To investigate the diagnostic accuracy of IMT measurement and the detection of carotid plaques in relation to cardiovascular risk factors in the prediction of significant CAD. PATIENTS AND METHODS: One hundred and seventy patients (121 men and 49 women; average age 58 +/- 11 years) undergoing selective coronary angiography were examined by carotid ultrasound. IMT was measured. Plasma lipid concentrations and other risk factors were determined. RESULTS: Angiographically proven significant CAD was found in 138 (81%) of all patients. Carotid plaques were detected in 98 (58%) of all patients. Presence of carotid plaques in common carotid artery (P<0.001) and male sex (P<0.005) were found to be categorical risk factors for significant CAD but in multiple regression analysis only age (P=0.15), IMT (P<0.01), high density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol (P=0.02) and, less significantly, total cholesterol (P=0.09) were found to be independent parameters for the prediction of significant CAD. IMT of 0.75 mm was determined as a cut-off point for the detection of significant CAD (sensitivity 78%, specificity 79%, positive predictive value 95%, negative predictive value 41%, odds ratio 12.9, 95% CI 3.5 to 47.6). CONCLUSION: The increase in IMT is the significant positive predictor of angiographically proven CAD; other predictors are high age, low HDL cholesterol and, less significantly, high total cholesterol. Presence of carotid plaques and male sex do not add any new information for the prediction of CAD once the predictors are considered.     

Chest pain as a predictor of coronary artery disease in patients with obstructive aortic valve disease

To clarify the association between chest pain and significant coronary artery disease in patients who have aortic valve disease, 76 consecutive candidates for aortic valve replacement were evaluated prospectively with use of a historical questionnaire and coronary arteriography. Of the 76 patients, 19 (25 percent) had no chest pain, 21 (28 percent) had chest pain that was not-typical of angina pectoris and 36 (47 percent) had chest pain typical of angina pectoris. In 18 of 19 patients the absence of chest pain correlated with the absence of coronary artery disease. The single patient without chest pain who had coronary artery disease had evidence of an inferior myocardial infarction in the electrocardiogram. Thus, absence of chest pain and the absence of electrocardiographic evidence of infarction predicted the absence of coronary disease in all cases.

The presence of chest pain did not predict the presence of coronary artery disease, but the more typical the pain of angina pectoris the more likely were patients to have significant coronary artery disease. Of the 21 patients with atypical chest pain, 6 (29 percent) had coronary artery disease, but of the 36 patients with typical angina pectoris 23 (64 percent) had significant coronary artery disease. In addition, when patients with chest pain not typical of angina pectoris also had coronary artery disease, the diseased vessels usually supplied smaller areas of the left ventricle than when the pain was typical of angina pectoris. In 21 of 23 patients (91 percent) with typical angina pectoris and significant coronary artery disease, lesions were present in the left coronary artery. There was no systolic pressure gradient across the aortic valve that excluded the presence of coronary artery disease, although all patients with a calculated aortic valve area of less than 0.4 cm² were free of coronary artery disease. Patients with severe left ventricular dysfunction were more likely to have normal coronary arteries.     

The usefulness of exercise-induced QRS axis shift as a predictor of coronary artery disease

The QRS axis of 101 patients with coronary artery disease (CAD) and 57 normal subjects without CAD who underwent coronary arteriograms were measured before and after exercise testing. There was no improvement in the sensitivity of positive axis shifts (15 degrees or greater) for CAD (18%) when compared to the value of positive ST depression (61%). However, the specificity of positive axis shifts for CAD was significantly increased (98%) when compared to the value of positive ST depression (77%). In addition, 39% of those patients with CAD (39 of 101) showed false negative ST depression, but 18% of these patients (7 of 39) showed a positive axis shift. In normal subjects 21% (12 of 57) showed false positive ST depression, but all of the 21% (12 of 12) showed negative axis shift. There was no significant difference in the increments of heart rate between positive ST depression, positive axis shift, and negative ST depression, negative axis shift. No statistical differences in the sensitivity of ST depression and an axis shift for one-, two- and three-vessel diseases were noted. The specificity of left-axis shift for the left anterior descending artery lesion was 98% and the specificity of right-axis shift for the right coronary artery and/or left circumflex artery lesion was 91%. Therefore, the axis shift response is no more sensitive for the detection of CAD than ST depression. However, when a positive axis shift is observed, one can predict two things: the CAD and the localization of the coronary stenosis.     

Increase of serum Cyclophilin C levels in the follow-up of coronary artery disease: A biomarker and possible clinical predictor

Objective:This study is aimed at investigating the changes in serum CypC levels and their relationship with cardiovascular events at 12 months of follow-up in coronary artery disease (CAD) patients.Methods:The study included a total of 125 subjects (40 patients with acute CAD, 40 patients with chronic CAD, and 45 control volunteers) and we analyzed plasma CypC levels from baseline to 6 and 12 months for a better understanding of its behavior in atherosclerosis.Results:Serum CypC levels were shown to be gradually increased in CAD patients (30.63 pg/mL ± 3.77 at baseline, 38.70 pg/mL ± 6.41 at 6 months [p = 0.25], and 47.27 pg/mL ± 5.65 at 12 months [p = 0.007]). In addition, serum CypC levels during the follow-up were a significant predictor of CAD (c-statistic 0.76 at 6 months and 0.89 at 12 months; p < 0.001). Despite it, there was no significant association between CypC and cardiovascular events, but serum CypC levels tended to be higher in patients suffering cardiovascular events during the follow-up (29.02 pg/mL ± 6.39 vs. 79.96 pg/mL ± 22.18; p = 0.029). In this regard, plasma levels of high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP) > 2.3 mg/L plus NT-proBNP > 300 pg/mL together were significant predictors of cardiovascular events during the follow-up in CAD patients with CypC levels >17.5 pg/mL (p = 0.048).Conclusions:Taken together, our results suggest that serum CypC levels increase during the follow-up in CAD patients and could be a novel biomarker with a possible prognostic value in combination with hsCRP and NT-proBNP.