Metabolic equivalent of exercise stress test explained by six-minute walk test in post coronary artery bypass graft and post percutaneous coronary intervention patients.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the relationship among metabolic equivalents of an exercise stress test (METs of EST), demographic parameters (age, body weight, height, BMI), peak oxygen consumption (VO(2) peak), and six-minute walk distances (6MWD) determined from a six-minute walk test (6MWT). MATERIAL AND METHOD: Exercise capacity was estimated by a 6MWT and EST at the sixth week post operation in post coronary artery bypass graft (post CABG n = 17) and post percutaneous coronary intervention (post PCI, n = 13)patients. RESULTS: METs of EST showed: high correlation (p

A comparison of outcomes between percutaneous coronary intervention versus coronary artery bypass surgery in octogenarian patients.

BACKGROUND: Percutaneous Coronary Intervention (PCI) is emerging as new revascularization procedure for coronary artery disease patients. The octogenarians are the most fragile and vulnerable age group for any type of revascularization therapy and usually discarded from any randomized trials. There is no consensus in the choice of treatment among octogenarians including PCI and coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG). OBJECTIVE: To compare PCI and CABG among Thai octogenarians (> or = 80 years old) with coronary artery disease for immediate and 24-month clinical outcomes. MATERIAL AND METHOD: Retrospective cohort study was conducted at Siriraj Hospital from January 2005 to December 2007 to obtain a complete 24-month follow-up period after revascularization. From CALYSTO database, a list of all octogenarians was retrieved (n = 333); after cleaning of the data, 265 patients (PCIn = 202, CABG n = 63) were enrolled for the present study. The primary endpoint is defined as a 30-day major adverse cardiac and cerebral event (MACCE). Secondary endpoint is a 24-month major adverse event (MACE). RESULTS: The 30-day MACCE were 11.4% in PCI group vs. 44.4% in CABG group (p < 0.001), all cause-mortality was 2.5% in PCI group vs. 8.3% in CABG group (p = 0.05), cardiovascular mortality was 1% vs. 5% (p = 0.046), mortality from sepsis was 1.5% vs. 1.5% (p = 1.0). Recurrent MI was 5.4% vs. 4.8% (p = 0.74). Cerebrovascular event occurred in 0.5% vs. 1.6% (p = 0.10). There was a crossover treatment as 0.5% vs. 0% (p = 1.0). There was no repeat target revascularization at 30-day in both groups. Major vascular complication due to bleeding requiring > or = 5 of pack-red cell transfusion was more common in CABG group (1.5% vs. 31.8%, p < 0.001). At 24-month follow-up, MACE were 35.2% in PCI group vs. 27.9% in CABG group (p = 0.36), all cause-mortality was 11.3% vs. 27.9% (p = 0.002), cardiovascular mortality was 1.5% vs. 11.5% (p < 0.001). Sepsis mortality was 2.5% vs. 11.1% (p = 0.05). MI occurred in 7.4% vs. 6.3% (p = 1.0). Repeat target revascularization was higher in PCI group (20.3% vs. 0%, p < 0.001). However, hospital stay was longer in CABG group (4.7 +/- 9 vs. 16.8 +/- 17.4 days, p = 0.01). CONCLUSION: The current revascularization strategy was evaluated. These results reflect our physician selection, patient willingness to undergo the treatment option. Lesser 30-day and 24-month all-caused mortality, cardiovascular mortality, hospital stay was observed in PCI treated octogenarians with a trade off of more frequent repeat target revascularization.

Transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI): first case in Thailand.

Aortic valve replacement (AVR) is the standard treatment for patients with symptomatic severe aortic stenosis (AS). However many patients are not offered surgery due to high surgical risk for open AVR. Transcatheter aortic valve implantation has been an alternative to open heart surgery in patients with symptomatic severe aortic stenosis (AS) who are not suitable for open surgery. The first transcatheter aortic valve implantation in Thailand via the transapical route is described. An 87-year-old woman with symptomatic severe AS, calcified aorta and peripheral arterial disease, who was at high surgical risk, was successfully treated, and had good functional and haemodynamic results at six-months follow-up.

Validation of EuroSCORE for coronary artery bypass grafting at Siriraj Hospital.

OBJECTIVE: To access the performance of the EuroSCORE when applied to CABG patients at Siriraj hospital. MATERIAL AND METHOD: One thousand five hundred forty nine patients diagnosed with coronary artery disease (CAD) who underwent isolated CABG between January 2007 and December 2009 was prospectively studied. RESULTS: The patients included 1,102 men and 447 women and had a mean age of 67 years old. The mean additive score in expired and survived groups were 9.65 +/- 5.14 and 3.87 +/- 3.06. In logistic, score were 25.43 +/- 26.31 and 4.88 +/- 7.88 respectively (p < 0.001). The best cut-off value of EuroSCORE for prediction of a death rate was 6 for additive score and 10 for logistic score. Area under the curve was 0.831 for the additive score and 0.823 for the logistic score. The observed overall mortality rate was 2.0% while the predict mortality was 5.27%. The difference between observed and predicted deaths was significant with additive score and logistic score (p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: Our results suggest that EuroSCORE is not valid for CABG in Thai patient due to over prediction.

Comparison of cardiovascular magnetic resonance of late gadolinium enhancement and diastolic wall thickness to predict recovery of left ventricular function after coronary artery bypass surgery.

BACKGROUND: The objective was to compare the value of late gadolinium enhancement (LGE) and end-diastolic wall thickness (EDWT) assessed by cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR) in predicting recovery of left ventricular function after coronary artery bypass surgery (CABG). METHODS: We enrolled patients with coronary artery disease and left ventricular ejection fraction < 45% who were scheduled for CABG. Regional contractility was assessed by cine CMR at baseline and 4 months after CABG. EDWT and LGE were assessed at baseline. Predictors for improvement of regional contractility were analyzed. RESULTS: We studied 46 men and 4 women with an average age of 61 years. Baseline left ventricular ejection fraction was 37 +/- 13%. A total of 2,020 myocardial segments were analyzed. Abnormal wall motion and the LGE area were detected in 1,446 segments (71.6%) and 1,196 segments (59.2%) respectively. Wall motion improvement was demonstrated in 481 of 1,227 segments (39.2%) that initially had wall motion abnormalities at baseline. Logistic regression analysis showed that the LGE area, EDWT and resting wall motion grade predicted wall motion improvement. Comparison of Receiver-Operator-Characteristic (ROC) curves demonstrated that the LGE area was the most important predictor (p < 0.001). Adding information from LGE to the EDWT can decrease the number of false predictions by EDWT alone from 483 to 127 segments. CONCLUSION: LGE and EDWT are independent predictors for functional recovery after revascularization. However, LGE appears to be a more important factor and independent of EDWT.

Ruptured right aortic arch aneurysm.

A case of a ruptured right aortic arch aneurysm in a 74-year-old woman presenting with shock is reported. The diagnostic and operative findings are presented. We discuss the surgical approach and review the literature.

Spontaneous rupture of the left subclavian artery in neurofibromatosis.

Two patients with neurofibromatosis presented with expanding masses at the left supraclavicular region. Computed tomography (CT) scans revealed vascular masses. The patients underwent surgery and ruptures of the left subclavian artery were found. Both patients were treated by ligation of subclavian artery.

Pathology and etiology of 110 consecutively removed aortic valves.

OBJECTIVES: To study the pathology and determine the etiology and prevalence of aortic valve disease from surgically removed aortic valve specimens. MATERIAL AND METHOD: All the native surgically excised aortic valves (AV) received from June 1997 to March 1999 (22 months) were studied macroscopically including cuspal measurements and microscopically. By preoperative echocardiographic and macroscopic studies, they were classified into functional disorders of predominant aortic stenosis (AS), aortic stenosis with regurgitation (AS-AR) and predominant aortic regurgitation (AR). The patients' medical records were reviewed and the clinical information was extracted. The etiology was determined according to the macroscopic, microscopic and clinical findings. RESULTS: Among 110 AV (76 isolated AV and 34 with concomitant mitral valves from patients aged 15-96 years, mean age 47.54 years; male:female = 1.39:1) there were 25 AS (22.73%), 34 AS-AR (30.91%) and 51 AR (46.36%) cases. Eighty-four (76.36%) were tricuspid, 16 (14.54%) were bicuspid and 10 were undetermined. Cuspal measurements of each disease were provided and compared. All AS specimens were related to moderate to severe calcification and causes included postinflammatory disease (14 cases, 56%; age range 38-67 years, mean age 53.29 years, male:female = 0.56:1), degenerative calcific change (11 cases, 44%, age range 56-76 years, male:female = 1.2:1; mean age 69 years of 5 tricuspid AV and 60.83 years of 6 bicuspid AV). In AS-AR, 29 cases (85.29%; mean age 47.10 years; male:female = 1.23:1) were attributable to postinflammatory disease and 5 cases (mean age 70.20 years; male:female = 1.5:1) to degenerative calcific change. In pure AR, there were 21 cases (age range 15-65 years, mean age 29.76 years) of postinflammatory disease, 14 cases of infective endocarditis (IE) and postIE (age range 20-63 years, mean age 42.21 years; all 10 IE cases contained gram positive cocci), 1 case (age 55 years) of bicuspid calcific change, 8 cases of AV with dilated valve ring, 5 cases of miscellaneous causes and 2 cases of indeterminate etiology. Aschoff bodies were found in 3 AR cases. Four of 18 postinflammatory AS-AR and 4 of 14 postinflammatory disease AR cases had past history of rheumatic fever. One postinflammatory AS also had infective endocarditis from gram positive cocci without clinical sign. Severe degenerative calcific change had a higher incidence of underlying diabetes (3 of 15 cases, 20%), hypertension (8 of 14 cases, 57.14%) and dyslipoproteinemia (9 of 13 cases, 69.23%) in comparison with 3.37% (3/89) for diabetes, 9.09% (8/88) for hypertension and 30.99% (22/71) for dyslipoproteinemia in other AV diseases in combination. CONCLUSION: The three common causes of severe AV functional disorders were postinflammatory disease (58.18%), degenerative calcific change (15.45%) and IE-postIE (12.72%). Underlying diseases of severe degenerative calcific change included hypertension, dyslipoproteinemia and diabetes. Macroscopic and microscopic examinations together with clinical information, echocardiographic findings and operative details are important in evaluating the etiology of valvular diseases especially in severely calcified specimens.