Coronary arteriography in acute transmural myocardial infarction

Coronary arteriography was performed 16 ± 3 days (range 7 to 21 days) in 106 patients with acute transmural myocardial infarction (61 posterior infarct, 45 anterior infarct). Coronary arteriography was performed without serious complications. Only 44 per cent of patients with anterior infarct had total occlusion of the left anterior descending artery while a significant stenosis of the vessel was observed in the others ?27 per cent had a single vessel disease, 49 per cent had two lesions and 22 per cent had three lesions; one patient had angiographically normal coronary arteries. Among the patients with posterior infarction, 21 per cent had one vessel disease and double or triple lesions accounted for 39 per cent of each.Sixty per cent of patients with anterior infarction and 45 per cent with posterior infarction had no collateral vessels. In the others patients collateral circulation had a protective effect only in anterior infarction. Age has no effect on the distribution and number of lesions nor on the development of a collateral circulation. The location and severity of the lesions were not different in patients who presented with arrythmias and those who did not.     

Significance of precordial ST-segment depression in acute transmural inferior infarction: Coronary angiographic findings

Coronary arteriographic findings in patients with acute transmural inferior infarction were studied from 57 patients (51 men and 6 women). Their ages ranged from 28 to 72 years with a mean of 50 years. Twenty-six patients (Group A) had minimal (less than 0.1 mV) or no precordial ST-segment depression. Thirty-one patients (Group B) had precordial ST-segment depression of 0.1 mV or more. The two groups showed consistent differences in frequency of the left anterior descending artery (LAD) stenosis, multivessel disease, mean peak plasma creatinine phosphokinase (CPK, IU/L), and mean ejection fraction. For Group A vs B, these differences were: LAD stenosis, 31% vs 68%, multivessel disease, 35% vs 81%, mean peak plasma CPK, 1283 versus 1904, and mean ejection fraction, 60.5% vs 45.3%. The incidence of abnormal anterolateral and posterobasal wall motion in Group B was more (p < 0.01 and p < 0.05 respectively) than in Group A. All patients in Group B who had precordial ST-segment depression of 0.3 mV or greater, had LAD stenosis. There was no relation between the duration of ST-segment depression and the presence of LAD stenosis. Also, there was no correlation between the presence of collateral circulation and the development of ST-segment depression. The Group B patients tended to have more complications in the acute phase and in the follow up period (p < 0.05) than did those in Group A. It is concluded that precordial ST-segment depression in acute inferior wall infarction is probably related to anterior injury due to LAD stenosis and these patients were shown to have more severe coronary artery disease, more depression of their ejection fractions, and more myocardial damage than patients without this finding. The earliest recorded ECG is most valuable in identifying the high risk patients. The presence of LAD stenosis in patients with inferior wall infarction who have precordial ST-segment depression of 0.3 mV or more are likely.     

Correlation of reciprocal ST-segment depression after acute myocardial infarction with coronary angiographic findings.

We studied 266 consecutive patients with acute myocardial infarction to assess the significance of electrocardiographic "mirror images". Ninety-four (group A) had anterior wall and 132 (group B) had inferior wall infarction. Thirty-one group A patients had stenosis of the right coronary artery greater than 85% in diameter (subgroup A1), and 63 either had a normal right coronary artery or less than 85% stenosis (subgroup A2). Of group B patients 62 had greater than 85% stenosis of the left anterior descending (subgroup B1) and 70 had a left anterior descending or less than 85% stenosis (subgroup B2). ST-segment depression was significantly greater in depth and duration in subgroup A1 than A2 (p = 0.02) and in subgroup B1 than B2 (p = 0.02, p = 0.01, respectively). Left ventricular ejection fraction was lower in subgroup A1 than A2 (p less than 0.001) and in B1 than B2 (p less than 0.001). There was a strongly positive correlation between depth and duration of ST-segment depression and the Gensini index (r = 0.78, 0.84) for anterior and inferior infarction, respectively. In conclusion, increased depth and duration of ST-segment depression opposite the infarct are indicative of ischemia, and are related to the extent of coronary artery disease, the degree of stenosis of the vessels supplying the opposite wall and of left ventricular dysfunction.     

Electrocardiographic, arteriographic and ventriculographic correlations in transmural myocardial infarction

To determine if significant interrelations exist between the electrocardiographic diagnosis of transmural myocardial infarction, sites of coronary arterial obstruction, and left ventricular asynergy, 235 patients with angiographically documented coronary artery disease were subdivided according to the electrocardiographic location of the myocardial infarction, the coronary arterial system involved and the site of ventricular asynergy. Of 82 instances of anterior myocardial infarction, the left anterior descending artery demonstrated significant disease in 79 (96 percent). Of 100 instances of inferior myocardial infarction, the right coronary artery was significantly diseased in 87 and the left circumflex in 55. When multiple infarctions were present, multivessel disease was found in 93 percent of patients. Left ventricular asynergy was present in 81 percent, including 84 percent of those with anterior infarction, 74 percent of those with inferior infarction, and 93 percent of those with multiple infarctions. The results of our study suggest that the electrocardiogram is often of value in indicating sites of coronary arterial obstruction and ventricular asynergy in patients with coronary artery disease and transmural myocardial infarction.     

急性心肌梗死合并心源性休克患者冠脉病变特点及再灌注疗法的效果

目的　探讨急性心肌梗死 (AMI)合并心源性休克患者的冠脉病变特点及再灌注疗法的效果。方法　以74例AMI患者为对象 ,按是否合并心源性休克分为休克组 16例 ,非休克组 5 8例 ,对比两组患者的临床资料 ,冠脉造影及再灌注疗法对预后的影响。结果　休克组院内病死率显著高于非休克组 (P <0 0 5 ) ;休克组各种并发症比例均显著高于非休克组 ,其中梗死延展休克组发生率为 38% ,非休克组为 5 % (P <0 0 1) ;冠脉造影显示 ,休克组 3支病变显著高于非休克组 (P <0 0 1) ,前者 99%以上的严重狭窄病变多、钙化严重及侧支循环发育不良。再灌注治疗后 ,梗死相关冠脉再通率休克组显著低于非休克组 (P <0 0 5 ) ,休克组院内病死率受梗死相关冠脉再通与否的影响 ,再通的 6例仅 1例死亡 ,而未再通的 5例 3例死亡。结论　AMI合并心源性休克患者 ,冠脉病变严重、复杂 ,病死率高 ,改善预后的关键是恢复再灌注及预防梗死延展。     

Early ventricular fibrillation in patients with acute myocardial infarction: correlation with coronary angiographic findings

To define coronary angiographic characteristics of patientsexperiencing early primary ventricular fibrillation (VF) inthe acute phase of myocardial infarction we studied 266 consecutivepatients without clinical evidence of heart failure. Twenty-sixpatients (group 1) experienced early (< 12 h from the onsetof symptoms of myocardial infarction) primary VF whereas 240patients (group 2) with the same clinical characteristics servedas an appropriately matched cohort. All patients were catheterizedbefore or soon after hospital discharge (1 to 8 weeks afterthe acute event). There was no significant difference in left ventricular ejectionfraction between the two groups of patients (39.6±6%vs 36.9±8%, P = ns). Patients with early VF had a significantlygreater number of diseased vessels than those without VF (3.38±1.05vs 2.03±1.25. P <0.001) and a higher coronary arteriographicGensini score (29.31±4.80 vs 20.16±4.14, P <0.001).The left anterior descending coronary artery was identifiedas the infarct-related vessel in 53.6% of group 1 vs 44.5% ofgroup 2 patients (P <0.05). The mean maximal serum creatinekinase values were not significantly different (1897±1062vs 1426 ±839 IU.l–1, P=ns) between the two groups. These data indicate that patients with early primary VF in thesetting of acute myocardial infarction may have more extensivecoronary artery disease than similar patients without VF. Aworse prognosis could be anticipated for these patients on thebasis of worse coronary anatomy. A more aggressive therapeuticapproach with routine coronary angiography before hospital dischargecould reasonably be justified for patients with early primaryVF complicating acute myocardial infarction.     

Comparison of angiographic findings in patients with acute anteroseptal versus anterior wall ST-elevation myocardial infarction

Anteroseptal ST elevation myocardial infarction (AS-STEMI), in which ST elevation is limited to leads V(1) to V(3), is considered confined to the basal and mid anterior and septal segments, sparing the apex. In contrast, extensive anterior STEMI (EA-STEMI), in which ST elevation extends to leads V(4) to V(6), is considered to involve more apical segments. However, it has been reported that AS-STEMI affects mainly the apex. Others have suggested that AS-STEMI may occur in patients with extensive anterior involvement if proximal occlusion of a wrapping left anterior descending coronary artery (LAD) results in cancelation of the basal-anterior and apical injury vectors. Therefore, the aim of this study was to identify, in 97 consecutive patients with STEMI, distinct coronary angiographic characteristics that could differentiate between cases of AS-STEMI (n = 39) and EA-STEMI (n = 58). Angiography was used to determine the length of the LAD, its site of occlusion, and whether there was an alternative blood supply to the apex. Patients with AS-STEMI were more likely than those with EA-STEMI to have ≥1 branches that reached the apex (p = 0.0015) and to have proximal LAD occlusion combined with either a short LAD or >1 large side branch (35.9% vs 12.1%, p = 0.011). However, patients with AS-STEMI were also more likely to have proximal occlusion before the first septal branch of a long LAD (35.9% vs 10.3%, p = 0.005). In conclusion, AS-STEMI can occur when only the basal and mid portions of the anterior wall are infarcted, but it can also arise when the infarction extensively involves the basal anterior and the distal inferior and apical segments.     

Coronary angiographic findings and in-hospital outcome of aggressive treatment in impending myocardial infarction.

The influence of coronary angiographic findings and treatment on clinical outcome was determined in 104 patients with impending myocardial infarction (unstable angina with prolonged chest pain and persistent electrocardiographic changes on admission). Coronary arteriography was performed on day one (aggressive strategy) in 50 patients and following medical treatment (conservative strategy) in 48 patients, of whom 40 were unstable. Six elderly patients were treated medically without angiography. A complex eccentric morphology of the coronary vessels was the most common finding in both groups, but the incidence of intracoronary thrombus was significantly higher in the aggressive strategy group (78%) and in unstable patients (77%) compared with patients controlled medically (24%). Severe multivessel disease was also common in refractory patients without thrombus. Percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty was less successful and produced more distal emboli in patients with thrombus. Emergency intervention was applied to 90% of the aggressive strategy group-it failed to improve the in-hospital outcome, but shortened hospitalization significantly. Elderly patients treated medically without angiography had the highest mortality. We concluded that intracoronary thrombus plays a major role in the pathogenesis of impending infarction, and that the majority of such patients cannot be stabilized medically. An aggressive strategy can be applied safely to impending infarction and will shorten hospitalization.     

冠状动脉正常的急性Q波性心肌梗死单中心回顾性分析

目的 回顾性分析冠状动脉正常的急性Q波性心肌梗死患者的临床特点.方法 选取中山大学孙逸仙纪念医院确诊为急性心肌梗死,合并心电图病理性Q波形成,并经冠状动脉造影证实冠状动脉正常的患者17例,分析其临床特点.结果 本研究中,4例患者有自发性冠状动脉痉挛,表现为冠状动脉造影时严重狭窄但冠状动脉内给予硝酸甘油后狭窄消失.1例女性患者既往有下肢动脉栓塞病史,经血液系统进一步检查证实为蛋白C缺乏症.1例患者为粒细胞增多症,3例患者为血小板增多症.另有1例患者有肺癌病史,考虑可能与肺癌相关的高凝状态有关.急性Q波性心肌梗死但罪犯冠状动脉正常的患者占同期急性心肌梗死患者比例为1.85％（17/918）.此类患者平均年龄为44.2岁,男性为主,占88.2％（15/17）,吸烟比例高达82.4％（14/17）,其中吸烟患者中男性达92.9％（13/14）,与非冠状动脉正常的急性Q波性心肌梗死患者比较,差异有统计学意义（P＜0.01）.急性Q波性心肌梗死但罪犯冠状动脉正常的患者左心室射血分数显著高于冠状动脉造影异常组（54.4％±9.6％ vs.45.8％±8.8％,P＜0.01）.另外,造影正常组所有患者住院期间均未发生主要心血管事件,而造影异常组主要心血管事件发生率为6.7％（60/901）.结论 急性心肌梗死但冠状动脉正常患者以男性为主,多有吸烟史,同时合并有血液系统疾病者较多见,但大部分心功能状态良好,住院期间未见严重主要心血管事件.     

Coronary collaterals and left ventricular function early after acute transmural myocardial infarction

The coronary collateral circulation and ventricular function,segmental wall motion and infarct size, were investigated fromhemodynamic and angiographic data in 126 patients with acutetransmural myocardial infarction and complete obstruction ofa major coronary vessel. The patients were divided into twogroups: 74 with obstruction of the right coronary artery and52 with obstruction of the left anterior descending artery.The collateral circulation was rated as absent, poor, fair oradequate: two weeks after infarction, collateral vessels wereobserved in only 27% (poor 15.4%, fair 5.8%, adequate 5.8%)of the patients with an anterior myocardial infarction and inonly 35% (poor 13.5%, fair 16.4%, adequate 4.5%) of the patientswith an inferior myocardial infarction. In both groups of patients, the presence of collateral vesselshad no significant influence on the following parameters: leftventricular performance (left ventricular end-diastolic pressure,left ventricular enddiastolic volume, ejection fraction andmean velocity of fiber shortening), extent of abnormally contractingsegment and segmental wall motion. After anterior myocardialinfarction, there was an insignificant trend to lesser myocardialdamage in patients with coronary collaterals. Thus, coronary collaterals are infrequent in patients with acutetransmural myocardial infarction and total obstruction of acoronary vessel; in these patients we conclude that the collateralshave no effect either on left ventricular function or on thesize of the infarction.     

Cine angiographic findings in young Iraqi men with first acute myocardial infarction

Among 100 consecutive Iraqi men aged 40 years or less with first acute myocardial infarction, coronary angiography performed 8-12 weeks later showed single-vessel coronary artery disease in 64, multivessel disease in 26, and normal coronary arteries in ten patients. Most patients (90%) had one or more coronary risk factors. The left anterior descending artery was involved in 66 patients, the right coronary artery in 38, and the circumflex artery in 29. Total occlusion was seen in 37 patients and severe (greater than or equal to 90%) stenosis in 14 patients. Severe wall motion abnormality (aneurysm formation) on left ventriculography was found in 33 patients. Thus, in developing countries as elsewhere, one-vessel coronary artery disease remains the most common angiographic finding in young men with first acute myocardial infarction.     

Myocarditis simulating acute transmural myocardial infarction

A patient with cardiogenic shock had typical electrocardiographic findings of acute anterior transmural myocardial infarction. Cardiac catheterization revealed normal coronary arteries and severe biventricular failure. Postmortem examination confirmed normal coronary arteries; acute myocarditis, but no evidence for infarction, was found. Electrocardiographic changes of myocarditis may be indistinguishable from acute transmural infarction. In suspected cases, cardiac catheterization should be considered prior to thrombolytic therapy.