Comparison of clinical outcomes using stents versus no stents after percutaneous coronary intervention for proximal left anterior descending versus proximal right and left circumflex coronary arteries

Previous studies have demonstrated that proximal left anterior descending (LAD) stenoses have higher rates of restenosis after angioplasty than stenoses in other coronary segments. Stenting strategies may reduce this high rate of LAD restenosis. The study population included 1,289 patients with proximal coronary artery stenoses treated with percutaneous coronary interventions (PCI) with or without stents for single-vessel coronary disease between 1994 and 1999. Patients were divided into 4 groups: non-stent PCI in the proximal LAD artery (n = 168), non-stent PCI in proximal right/circumflex artery (n = 217), stent in the proximal LAD artery (n = 364), and stent to proximal right/circumflex artery (n = 540). Procedural success was higher in the stenting groups, but there were no significant differences in the major in-hospital events between the different lesion locations among the groups. At 1-year follow-up, there was no difference in mortality or myocardial infarction between the groups. There was no significant difference in the rate of target lesion revascularization (TLR) in the patients with proximal LAD stents compared with the patients with proximal right/circumflex coronary artery stents (10.1% vs 13.8%, p = 0.11). In the patients who did not receive stents with proximal narrowings, there was a significant increase in TLR in the LAD group compared with the right/circumflex group (21.1% vs 12.5%, p = 0.04). Thus, patients with proximal stenoses treated with non-stenting strategies have lower procedural success than those treated with stenting strategies; the patients with proximal LAD non-stent PCI have significantly higher rates of clinical restenosis than patients with proximal right and circumflex stenoses. A stenting strategy for proximal LAD stenoses appears to attenuate the differences of clinical restenosis noted after non-stent PCI.     

以晕厥为首发症状的急性心肌梗塞相关血管分析

目的:探讨以晕厥为首发症状的急性心肌梗塞(AMI)与梗塞相关血管之间的关系。方法:对200例急性ST段抬高型心肌梗塞(STEMI)并进行急诊经皮冠状动脉介入治疗(PCI)患者中15例以晕厥为首发症状的梗塞相关血管进行分析。结果:以晕厥为首发症状的患者在26例梗塞相关血管为左回旋支者中有5例(占19.2%);65例梗塞相关血管为右冠状动脉者中有7例(10.8%);109例梗塞相关血管为左前降支者有3例(2.8%),梗塞相关血管为左前降支者的晕厥为首发症状的发生率显著低于梗塞相关血管为右冠状动脉,及左回旋支者(P0.05)。结论:梗塞相关血管为左回旋支或右冠状动脉的AMI患者,晕厥的发生率显著高于梗塞相关血管为左前降支的AMI患者。     

Preponderance of acute proximal left anterior descending coronary arterial lesions in fatal myocardial infarction: A clinicopathologic study

To determine whether an acute lesion in a specific segment of the cororiary tree is more likely than other obstructions to cause fatal myocardial infarction, 77 autopsy patients Who died of acute myocardial infarction were studied. Multiple coronary stenoses were present in 92 percent of these patients, arid the proximal left anterior descending coronary artery before the first septal perforator accounted for only 23 percent of the critical narrowings (greater than 70 percent of luminal diameter). In contrast, acute thrombotic coronary events associated with fatal myocardial infarction occurred most often in the proximal left anterior descending artery, accounting for 61 percent of acute lesions; this rate compared with 8 percent of acute lesions occurring in the mid or distal left anterior descending artery, 18 percent of those in the right, 6 percent of those in the left circumflex and 7 percent of those in the left main coronary artery. Of the autopsy patients, 32 (40 percent) had 77 prior nonfatal myocardial infarcts of which only 17 (22 percent) were anteroseptal infarcts related to occlusion of the proximal left anterior descending coronary artery. The amount of infarcted myocardium in the hearts with acute proximal left anterior descending coronary arterial lesions was somewhat more extensive but not significantly different from that of hearts with other acute coronary lesions.

Fifty survivors of myocardial infarction who underwent cardiac catheterization were studied for comparison. In those patients, proximal left anterior descending coronary disease accounted for 17 percent of critical narrowings and only 22 percent of nonfatal infarcts. These findings suggest that an acute proximal left anterior descending coronary arterial lesion is more likely to result in fatal myocardial infarction than are critical obstructions elsewhere in the coronary arterial tree. Because the quantity of the infarct does not appear to be sufficient to explain these differences, qualitative differences in anteroseptal myocardium are suggested.     

急性心肌梗死患者不同冠状动脉病变对介入术后预后的影响

目的探讨急性心肌梗死经皮冠状动脉介入治疗患者不同冠状动脉病变对预后的影响。方法将117例接受急诊经皮冠状动脉介入治疗的急性心肌梗死患者根据罪犯血管不同分为左前降支组51例、左回旋支组27例、右冠状动脉组39例。比较3组患者术后ST段回落〉70％的梗死相关导联数、TIMI血流分级、住院期间及出院后1年内主要心脏不良事件发生率。结果与左回旋支组和右冠状动脉组比较,左前降支组术后ST段完全回落的梗死相关导联数和左室射血分数显著降低（P〈0．05）,心源性死亡率及总主要心脏不良事件率显著升高（P〈0．05）。结论左前降支病变者术后心电图ST段回落更缓慢、左心功能不全更严重、主要心脏不良事件发生率更高、预后更差。     

急性ST段抬高性前壁心肌梗死患者的右心室功能分析

目的:评价急性前壁ST段抬高性心肌梗死直接经皮冠状动脉成形术(PCI)患者的右心室收缩和舒张功能变化。方法:分析46例急性前壁ST段抬高性心肌梗死患者[前降支近端完全闭塞者24例(前降支近端闭塞组),前降支远端急性闭塞者22例(前降支远端闭塞组)]直接PCI和35例冠状动脉造影"正常"患者(对照组)的临床、冠状动脉造影和心电图资料。采用二维心脏超声分别测定入选患者的右心室舒张末期容积(RVEDV),右心室收缩末期容积(RVESV),右心室射血分数(RVEF),平均肺动脉压(MPAP),左心室舒张末期容积(LVEDV),左心室收缩末期容积(LVESV),左心室射血分数(LVEF)和心脏指数(CI)。结果:与对照组相比,前降支远端闭塞组的平均肺动脉压无显著性差异(P>0.05),而右心室舒张末期容积和收缩末期容积增大,右心室射血分数降低;左心室舒张末期容积和收缩末期容积增加,左心室射血分数、心脏指数减低(P均<0.01)。与前降支远端闭塞组比较,前降支近端闭塞组的左心室舒张末期容积和收缩末期容积增加(P<0.01),心脏指数和左心室射血分数减少(P<0.01),右心室舒张末期容积收缩末期容积和平均肺动脉压增加(P<0.05～0.01),右心室射血分数降低(P<0.01)。多元线性回归分析表明前降支近端闭塞与右心室射血分数降低(R2=0.38,P<0.01)、右心室舒张末期容积增加(R2=0.410,P<0.01)有较好的相关性。2周后,前降支近端和远端闭塞组的右心室舒张末期容积、右心室收缩末期容积、平均肺动脉压和右心室射血分数无明显差异,而前降支近端闭塞患者的左心室舒张末期容积和收缩末期容积增大,左心室射血分数和心脏指数较低(P均<0.01)。结论:提示前降支近端闭塞可能伴右心室前壁部分心肌梗死导致右心室收缩和舒张功能障碍。     

Evaluation of coronary lesions in biventricular inferoposterior infarction

Fifty-two patients with primary transmural infero-posterior infarcts underwent right heart catheterisation on admission to hospital and coronary angiography between the 7th day and 4th month after onset of symptoms. The patients were divided into two groups A (N = 34) with signs of right ventricular dysfunction on admission indicating biventricular infarction, and B (N = 18) without right ventricular dysfunction classified as isolated LV infarction. No significant differences were observed between the two groups with respect to: global and regional LV function; the incidence of single, double and triple vessel disease; the incidence and location of right coronary artery thrombosis; the incidence and location of lesions of the left coronary tree (LCA, LAD, Cx); the extent of coronary disease (Gensini score); the dominant artery (right coronary/circumflex), the frequency and quality of revascularisation of distal vessels. The only significant differences were the higher incidence of severe lesions (90 p. 100) of the right coronary and circumflex arteries and of stenosis of the first large septal branch of the LAD artery in Group A (p less than 0.05). These results show that the indications for coronary angiography in biventricular inferior infarction are no greater than those in mono LV inferior infarction. This supports experimental data on the physiopathology of RV infarction which demonstrates that except in cases of proximal thrombosis of the right coronary artery, the possibilities of revascularisation from the left coronary tree are limited.     

Early atrial fibrillation during evolving myocardial infarction: a consequence of impaired left atrial perfusion

Seven of 214 patients (3%) with acute myocardial infarction (120 inferior and 94 anterior) developed atrial fibrillation within 3 hr of the onset of chest pain. All seven patients had an inferior infarction and in all seven the left circumflex artery was occluded proximal to the origin of its left atrial circumflex branch. In five patients this occlusion was acute and was the cause of inferior infarction and in the remaining two patients the occlusion was old and the inferior infarction was due to an acute occlusion of the right coronary artery that also supplied extensive collaterals to the previously occluded left circumflex artery. All seven patients also had impaired perfusion to the atrioventricular nodal artery, as evidenced by total occlusion proximal to its origin or by stenosis proximal to its origin associated with second- or third-degree atrioventricular block. In contrast, early atrial fibrillation did not occur in any of the 18 patients with inferior myocardial infarction due to acute occlusion of the distal left circumflex artery or in any of the five patients with inferior infarction due to acute occlusion of the proximal left circumflex artery if perfusion to the atrioventricular nodal artery was not impaired. Early atrial fibrillation did not occur in any of the 90 patients with inferior infarction due to acute occlusion of the right coronary artery, including 12 patients with occlusion proximal to the sinus nodal artery, but without coexistent occlusion of the left circumflex artery.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

经皮冠状动脉内支架置入术治疗急性心肌梗死165例的效果

目的：探讨经皮冠状动脉内支架置入术（PCI）治疗急性ST段抬高型心肌梗死（STEMI）的临床疗效。方法：总结165例急性心肌梗死（AMI）患者的PCI临床资料。结果：入选的165例AMI患者中单支病变45例（27．3％）,双支病变49例（29．7％）,三支或三支以上病变71例（43．0％）。165例患者行PCI,成功率98．8％,共置入支架205枚。梗死相关血管为前降支（LAD）90例（54．5％）,置入支架112枚;左回旋支（LCX）21例（12．7％）,置入支架23枚;右冠脉（RCA）54例（32．7％）,置入支架70枚。PCI术前出现心源性休克者18例（10．9％）,2例于术后死亡。结论：急性心肌梗死行经皮冠状动脉内支架置入术疗效肯定。     

右冠状动脉与左回旋支病变致右室梗死32例临床对比分析

目的探讨右冠脉与左回旋支病变致右室梗死冠脉病变特点及临床特征。方法筛选我院2007年10月至2013年11月入院的32例右室心肌梗死患者,根据梗死相关动脉分为右冠组（25例）和左回旋支组（7例）。收集其临床资料及冠脉造影结果,进行分析总结。结果右冠组多为近段病变,左回旋支组多为中远段病变。右冠病变致右室梗死,其缓慢性心律失常发生率高于左回旋支病变（P〈0．05）。结论右室梗死多见于中青年患者,多为右冠脉近端病变所致。右冠脉病变恶性缓慢型心律失常发生率高于左回旋支病变,且预后差于左回旋支病变。     

Multiple coronary artery thrombosis in a 41-year-old male patient presenting with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction

Simultaneous occlusion of multiple epicardial coronary arteries is an uncommon finding in patients presenting with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI). We describe a 41- year-old male Asian patient who presented with inferior and anterior STEMI complicated by cardiogenic shock and frequent life-threatening ventricular arrhythmias. The patient was subsequently found to have acute occlusion of the proximal right coronary artery (RCA) and proximal left anterior descending coronary artery (LAD). The patient was treated with primary percutaneous coronary interventions for RCA and LAD, and intra-aortic balloon pump placement showed excellent results. Based on the available literature, early PCI for this very rare condition is paramount for patient survival.     

Value of lead V4R for recognition of the infarct coronary artery in acute inferior myocardial infarction

In 84 patients with an acute inferior wall myocardial infarction (MI) admitted within 10 hours after the onset of chest pain, a right precordial lead V4R electrocardiogram was recorded in addition to the standard 12-lead electrocardiogram. The presence or absence of ST-segment elevation in lead V4R was correlated with results of coronary angiography performed 2 to 26 weeks (mean 10) after MI. Patients were classified into 3 groups: (1) those with a critical stenosis or occlusion proximal to the first right ventricular (RV) branch (27 patients); (2) those with stenosis distal to the right ventricular branch of the right coronary artery (36 patients); and (3) those with stenosis in the left circumflex coronary artery (21 patients). The presence of ST-segment elevation greater than or equal to 1 mm in lead V4R has a sensitivity of 100% and a specificity of 87% for occlusion of the right coronary artery above the first RV branch; the predictive accuracy is 92%. Seven of 36 patients with a distal occlusion of the right coronary artery showed ST-segment elevation of 1 mm or more in lead V4R . The absence of ST-segment elevation greater than or equal to 1 mm in lead V4R excluded proximal occlusion of the right coronary artery. ST-segment elevation in lead V4R was not seen either in 29 of 36 patients with a distal occlusion of the right coronary artery or in all patients with an occlusion of the left circumflex artery. Recording of lead V4R within 10 hours after onset of acute inferior wall MI can give information rapidly about the vessel responsible for MI.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Clinical and arteriographic variables predictive of survival in coronary artery disease

Survival, subsequent myocardial infarction and current anginal status were determined for 90 nearly consecutive patients who underwent coronary arteriography at the Johns Hopkins Hospital between 1960 and 1967. All patients had at least one coronary arterial narrowing equal to or greater than 70 percent; 78 of 90 patients would be candidates for coronary bypass surgery by present criteria. Twenty-nine of the 78 surgically “suitable” patients died of cardiac causes; 7 of 49 survivors sustained an acute myocardial infarction (mean follow-up period 9.9 years). Patients with a 70 percent or greater narrowing proximal to the first septal branch of the left anterior descending coronary artery had a significantly greater mortality compared with patients with equivalent narrowing distal to the first septal branch or with patients without 70 percent or greater narrowing of the left anterior descending artery. The patients with a 70 percent or greater narrowing of the left anterior descending artery who died were those with a significant narrowing in at least one other major coronary artery. Multivariate stepwise discriminate function analysis of all clinical, electrocardiographic (except stress electrocardiographic) and arteriographic variables identified three independent predictors of mortality: (1) the simultaneous occurrence of a narrowing in left anterior descending and right coronary arteries, (2) prior myocardial infarction; and (3) 70 percent or greater narrowing proximal to the first anterior descending septal branch. When stress electrocardiographic findings were included, a “positive” stress electrocardiographic test was also an independent predictor of mortality.     

Treatment strategies in the left main coronary artery disease associated with acute coronary syndromes

Significant left main coronary artery (LMCA) stenosis is not rare and reported 3 to 10% of patients undergoing coronary angiography. Unprotected LMCA intervention is a still clinical challenge and surgery is still going to be a traditional management method in many cardiac centers. With a presentation of drug eluting stent (DES), extensive use of IVUS and skilled operators, number of such interventions increased rapidly which lead to change in recommendation in the guidelines regarding LMCA procedures in the stable angina (Class 2a recommendation for ostial and shaft lesion and class 2b recommendation for distal bifurcation lesion). However, there was not clear consensus about the management of unprotected LMCA lesion associated with acute myocardial infarction (MI) with a LMCA culprit lesion itself or distinct culprit lesion of other major coronary arteries. Surgery could be preferred as an obligatory management strategy even in the high risk patients. With this review, we aimed to demonstrate treatment strategies of LMCA disease associated with acute coronary syndrome, particularly acute myocardial infarction (MI). In addition, we presented a short case series with LMCA lesion and ST elevated acute MI in which culprit lesion placed either in the left anterior descending artery or circumflex artery. We reviewed the current medical literature and propose simple algorithm for management.Abbreviations: CABG, coronary artery bypass graft; CX, circumflex artery; DES, drug-eluting stent; IVUS, intravascular ultrasonography; LAD, left anterior descending artery; LMCA, left main coronary artery; MI, myocardial infarction; PCI, percutaneous coronary interventions; RCA, right coronary artery; SYNTAX, synergy between percutaneous coronary intervention with TAXUS and cardiac surgery; TIMI, thrombolysis in myocardial infarction     

Out-of-hospital ventricular fibrillation in patients with acute myocardial infarction: coronary angiographic determinants

OBJECTIVES: The study intended to compare the acute coronary anatomy of patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI) complicated by out-of-hospital ventricular fibrillation (VF) versus patients with AMI without this complication. BACKGROUND: More than half of the deaths associated with AMI occur out of the hospital and within 1 h of symptom onset. The angiographic determinants of out-of-hospital VF in patients with AMI have not been investigated in detail. METHODS: Acute coronary angiographic findings of 72 consecutive patients with AMI complicated by out-of-hospital VF were compared with findings from 144 matched patients with AMI without this complication. RESULTS: Patients with an acute occlusion of the left anterior descending coronary artery (LAD) or left circumflex coronary artery (LCx) had a higher risk for out-of-hospital VF compared with patients with an acute occlusion of the right coronary artery (RCA) (odds ratio and 95% confidence interval, respectively, 4.82 [2.35 to 9.92] and 4.92 [2.34 to 10.39]). With regard to extent of coronary artery disease (CAD), the location of the culprit lesion in the coronary arteries (proximal vs. mid or distal), the flow in the infarct related artery (IRA), the presence or absence of collaterals to the IRA and chronic occlusions, there were no differences between the two groups. CONCLUSIONS: Acute myocardial infarction due to occlusion in the left coronary artery (LCA) is associated with greater risk for out-of-hospital VF compared to the RCA. The location of occlusion within LCA (LAD, LCx, proximal or distal), amount of myocardium at risk for necrosis and extent of CAD are not related to out-of-hospital VF.     

Isolated stenosis of left anterior descending or right coronary artery: Relation between site of stenosis and ventricular dysfunction and therapeutic implications

Indications for coronary arterial bypass surgery in single vessel coronary artery disease are unresolved. To determine the extent of myocardium at risk with stenosis (70 percent or more) of a single coronary artery, left ventricular angiograms of 200 patients with stenosis confined to either the left anterior descending or right coronary artery and of 15 normal control subjects were assessed. Among patients without myocardial infarction, ejection fraction was unchanged (p > 0.05 versus normal values) in (1) those with stenosis of the proximal (above first septal branch, n = 19), mid (between septal and first diagonal branches, n = 14) and distal (within 2 cm distal to diagonal branch, n = 15) left anterior descending coronary artery, and (2) those with stenosis of the proximal (above acute marginal branch, n = 16) and distal (between acute marginal and posterior descending branches, n = 16) right coronary artery. In contrast, ejection fraction was depressed (p < 0.001 versus normal values) In left anterior descending arterial stenosis with anterior myocardial Infarction: proximal (38 ± 10 percent, n = 33), mid (46 ± 12 percent, n = 24; p < 0.01 versus proximal), and distal (56 ± 9 percent, n = 15; p < 0.01 versus mid). Ejection fraction was similar with proximal and distal stenosis of the right coronary artery and inferior Infarction: 54 ± 11 percent versus 55 ± 9 percent, p > 0.05; both p < 0.05 versus normal value. Shortening velocity was assessed in three anterior (I to III, base to apex) and three inferior (IV to VI, apex to base) equidistant hemichords perpendicular to the long axis, 30 ° right anterior oblique view. With anterior Infarction and left anterior descending stenosis, shortening of hemichords I to V, I to IV and II to III with proximal, mid and distal stenosis, respectively, was depressed (p < 0.05 versus normal value). Septal excursion and thickening on M mode echocardiography with proximal left anterior descending stenosis and infarction were depressed (p < 0.05 versus mid and distal stenosis with infarcts). Hemichordal shortening with Inferior infarction was similarly depressed (p > 0.05) with proximal and distal stenoses.In conclusion, stenosis of the left anterior descending coronary artery is a heterogenous disease, the extent of jeopardized myocardium is highly dependent on the site of stenosis, and the criteria for surgery cannot be applied uniformly. When the surgical goal is myocardial preservation, these data provide an objective rationale for bypass of stenosis of the proximal left anterior descending coronary artery. In stenosis confined to the right coronary artery, left ventricular preservation alone should not be considered an indication for coronary bypass grafting.     

The necessary conditions of chronic total occlusion of all three coronary vessels--the relationship between portions of coronary occlusion and collateral vessels

This study was performed to define the conditions present in chronic total occlusion of all three coronary vessels. Each left descending coronary artery (LAD), left circumflex branch (LCX) and right coronary artery (RCA) was totally occluded angiographically in 5 patients (mean age 64, male 3, female 2). Four of them had history of myocardial infarction. Anginal type was effort angina in all patients, and two cases showed unstable angina. Good collateral supply was found in the distal portions of occluded vessels from proximally located branches, such as Conus branch, Right ventricular branch, Septal branch and Left atrial circumflex branch. Almost all of the occlusions were located at mid portions (13/15: mid, 2/15: proximal). Ejection fractions (EF%) of the 5 patients were 70%, 69%, 60%, 28% and 22% respectively. EF was correlated with the degree of collateral supply and one of them (22%) ended in sudden death. These findings suggest that the mid portion occlusion, good collateral supply and a long history of angina pectoris are important factors involved in chronic total occlusion of the three coronary vessels.     

A case of type IV dual left anterior descending artery associated with anomalous origin of the left circumflex artery in the presence of coronary atherosclerosis

Double origin of the left anterior descending coronary artery (LAD) from the left and right coronary arteries (type IV dual LAD) is a rare coronary anomaly. We report an unusual case of type IV dual LAD associated with anomalous origin of the left circumflex artery from the right coronary artery in a patient with a recent history of myocardial infarction. The first diagonal branch originating from the short LAD demonstrated 70-80% stenosis and the posterior descending artery was totally occluded. We believe that this unusual variance of the coronary arteries in association with atherosclerosis has not been previously reported.     

国产雷帕霉素药物洗脱支架在冠状动脉分叉病变介入治疗中的应用

目的探讨国产雷帕霉素药物洗脱支架[DE(SFirebirdTM)]在冠状动脉分叉病变介入治疗中应用的安全性和有效性。方法对47例冠心病患者的53处冠状动脉分叉病变行介入治疗,共置入FirebirdTM68枚。结果46例介入治疗成功,失败1例。分叉病变部位:左主干远端前降支和回旋支分叉病变2处,前降支和对角支分叉病变23处,回旋支和钝缘支分叉病变17处,左心室后侧支和后降支11处。术中发生边支血管闭塞4例,边支血管狭窄加重6例,边支血管发生慢血流3例。住院期间发生急性非ST段抬高型心肌梗死3例,ST段抬高型心肌梗死1例,心绞痛5例,1例于术后2天死于心源性休克。随访6个月,7例复发心绞痛而再次住院治疗,无其余主要不良心脏事件发生。结论DE(SFirebirdTM)在冠状动脉分叉病变介入治疗中应用是可行、安全有效的。     

Primary percutaneous coronary intervention and intravascular ultrasound imaging for coronary thrombosis after cisplatin-based chemotherapy

Although cisplatin is indispensable for the chemotherapy treatment of many malignancies, cisplatin-associated thrombosis is attracting increasing attention. However, experience of primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) and intravascular ultrasound imaging (IVUS) for coronary thrombosis, possibly due to cisplatin-based chemotherapy, has been limited. Case 1 with postoperative gastric cancer developed acute myocardial infarction (AMI) on the sixth day of the second chemotherapy course with conventional doses of cisplatin and tegafur gimeracil oteracil potassium. Emergency coronary angiography (CAG) showed a filling defect in the proximal left anterior descending coronary artery (LAD) concomitant with no reflow in the distal LAD. Case 2 with advanced lung cancer and brain metastasis suffered AMI on the fifth day of the first chemotherapy course with conventional doses of cisplatin and gemcitabine. Emergency CAG delineated a total occlusion in the proximal right coronary artery. In both cases, thrombectomy using aspiration catheter alone obtained optimal angiographic results and subsequent IVUS revealed no definite atherosclerotic plaque, while slow flow still remained even after selective intra-coronary infusion of vasodilator in the case 1. These cases suggest that primary PCI using thrombus-aspiration catheter might be safe and effective for coronary thrombosis due to cisplatin-based chemotherapy.