Cardiac magnetic resonance for ventricular arrhythmias: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) allows comprehensive myocardial tissue characterisation, revealing areas of myocardial inflammation or fibrosis that may predispose to ventricular arrhythmias (VAs). With this study, we aimed to estimate the prevalence of structural heart disease (SHD) and decipher the prognostic implications of CMR in selected patients presenting with significant VAs. METHODS: Electronic databases were searched for studies enrolling adult patients that underwent CMR for diagnostic or prognostic purposes in the setting of significant VAs. A random effects model meta-analysis of proportions was performed to estimate the prevalence of SHD. HRs were pooled together in order to evaluate the prognostic value of CMR. RESULTS: The prevalence of SHD was reported in 18 studies. In all-comers with significant VAs, the pooled rate of SHD post-CMR evaluation was 39% (24% in the subgroup of premature ventricular contractions and/or non-sustained ventricular tachycardia vs 63% in the subgroup of more complex VAs). A change in diagnosis after use of CMR ranged from 21% to 66% with a pooled average of 35% (29%-41%). A non-ischaemic cardiomyopathy was the most frequently identified SHD (56%), followed by ischaemic heart disease (21%) and hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (5%). After pooling together data from six studies, we found that the presence of late gadolinium enhancement was associated with increased risk of major adverse outcomes in patients with significant VAs (pooled HR: 1.79; 95% CI 1.33 to 2.42). CONCLUSION: CMR is a valuable tool in the diagnostic and prognostic evaluation of patients with VAs. CMR should be considered early after initial evaluation in the diagnostic algorithm for VAs of unclear aetiology as this strategy may also define prognosis and improve risk stratification.

Predictors of cardiac death in patients with coronary chronic total occlusion not revascularized by PCI.

BACKGROUND: Limited data are available on clinical outcome of patients with previously failed or not attempted chronic total occlusion (CTO) recanalization by percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). The aim of the study is to determine prevalence and predictors of cardiac death in patients with CTO not revascularized by PCI. METHODS: Double-center study analyzing data of 1.345 consecutive patients with at least one CTO between 1998 and 2008. Of these, 847 patients were successfully revascularized (Revascularized group) and 498 patients were not revascularized (Not revascularized group) either due to failure of CTO-PCI (n=337) or because no attempt was made (n=161). RESULTS: At 4-year clinical follow-up, Not revascularized patients had a significantly higher rate of cardiac mortality (8.5% vs. 2.5%, p<0.0001) and sudden cardiac death (2.7% vs. 0.5%, p=0.001) compared to those Revascularized. The separate adjusted Cox-model analysis made for Not revascularized patients showed the most significant independent predictors of cardiac death were: chronic renal failure [HR (CI), 6.0 (2.66-13.80)], low-LVEF [5.7 (2.84-11.58)], insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM) 4.6 [(1.96-10.97)]. In the Revascularized group, the presence of 3-vessel disease was the only significant independent predictor of cardiac death [4.4 (1.40-13.70)]. CONCLUSIONS: CTO patients Not revascularized had a significant higher rate of cardiac mortality and sudden cardiac death compared to those Revascularized. Within Not revascularized patients, the presence of low-LVEF, or CRF or IDDM was associated with an incidence of cardiac death at least 4 times higher than those without the same risk factors.

Coronary chronic total occlusions: mid-term comparison of clinical outcome following the use of the guided-STAR technique and conventional anterograde approaches.

AIM: There are limited data on the mid-term safety following the use of the guided-subintimal tracking and re-entry (guided-STAR) technique for the treatment of chronic total occlusions (CTO) and concerns have arisen about a potential increased risk of stent thrombosis (ST). OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to evaluate the mid-term safety in terms of cardiac death and ST after recanalization using the contrast guided-STAR technique when compared to conventional anterograde CTO recanalization (CA-CTO). METHODS AND RESULTS: This retrospective study analyzed 355 consecutive patients with successful angiographic recanalization (residual stenosis <20% and TIMI flow grade ≥2) of CTO lesion. Seventy-four (20.8%) underwent guided-STAR and 281 (79.2%) had CA-CTO. Survival rates were estimated using the Kaplan-Meier method. Compared to CA-CTO patients, the rate of the following clinical, angiographic, and procedural characteristics were significantly higher in guided-STAR patients: hypercholesterolemia (84 vs. 67%, P = 0.004), previous CABG (41.3 vs. 15.7%, P < 0.0001), three-vessel disease, (62.7 vs. 47%, P = 0.019), right coronary artery CTO (62.7 vs. 41.6%, P = 0.002), stent length (68.15 vs. 54.05 mm, P < 0.0001). A drug-eluting stent was implanted in the majority of cases (89.2% guided-STAR vs. 93.5% CA-CTO). At a median follow-up of 779 days (IQR 495-1035), there were no significant differences in cardiac survival (97.2 vs. 97.5%, Log-rank P = 0.912) and cumulative ARC ST rates (2.8 vs. 1.8%, Log-rank P = 0.610) for guided-STAR and CA-CTO patients, respectively. The rate of restenosis was significantly higher in the guided-STAR group compared to the CA-CTO group (54 vs. 30%, Log-rank P < 0.0001). The adjusted Cox proportional-hazard analysis for procedural technique showed that the only significant independent predictor of restenosis was the stent length (HR, 1.017; 95% CI, 1.008-1.027; P < 0.0001). CONCLUSION: At mid-term follow-up, the guided-STAR was not inferior to CA-CTO in terms of safety. The only significant independent predictor of restenosis was the stent length.

Coronary ostial stenosis after aortic valve replacement: successful treatment of 2 patients with drug-eluting stents.

Coronary ostial stenosis is a rare but potentially serious sequela after aortic valve replacement. It occurs in the left main or right coronary artery after 1% to 5% of aortic valve replacement procedures. The clinical symptoms are usually severe and may appear from 1 to 6 months postoperatively. Although the typical treatment is coronary artery bypass grafting, patients have been successfully treated by means of percutaneous coronary intervention.Herein, we present the cases of 2 patients in whom coronary ostial stenosis developed after aortic valve replacement. In the 1st case, a 72-year-old man underwent aortic valve replacement and bypass grafting of the saphenous vein to the left anterior descending coronary artery. Six months later, he experienced a non-ST-segment-elevation myocardial infarction. Coronary angiography revealed a critical stenosis of the right coronary artery ostium. In the 2nd case, a 78-year-old woman underwent aortic valve replacement and grafting of the saphenous vein to an occluded right coronary artery. Four months later, she experienced unstable angina. Coronary angiography showed a critical left main coronary artery ostial stenosis and occlusion of the right coronary artery venous graft. In each patient, we performed percutaneous coronary intervention and deployed a drug-eluting stent. Both patients were asymptomatic on 6-to 12-month follow-up. We attribute the coronary ostial stenosis to the selective ostial administration of cardioplegic solution during surgery. We conclude that retrograde administration of cardioplegic solution through the coronary sinus may reduce the incidence of postoperative coronary ostial stenosis, and that stenting may be an efficient treatment option.