Impact of calcification on percutaneous coronary intervention: MACE-Trial 1-year results.

OBJECTIVES: The Multi-center Prospective Study to Evaluate Outcomes of Moderate to Severely Calcified Coronary Lesions (MACE-Trial) was designed to provide further insight on the impact of calcification on procedural and long-term percutaneous coronary intervention outcomes. BACKGROUND: Prior studies evaluating the impact of lesion calcification on percutaneous coronary intervention outcomes are limited by: retrospective nature, pooled data from multiple studies, or lack of specificity around calcification with only operator assessment and without core lab evaluation. METHODS: The MACE-Trial was a prospective, multicenter, observational clinical study that enrolled 350 subjects at 33 sites from September 2013 to September 2015. Core lab assessed subject stratification by lesion calcification (none/mild [N = 133], moderate [N = 99], and severe [N = 114]). Endpoints were lesion success, procedural success, and 1-year major adverse cardiac events (MACEs). RESULTS: Presence of severe calcification had significant impact on lesion success ([83.3%] versus none/mild calcification [94.7%, P = 0.006]) and procedural success ([86.8%] versus moderate [95.0%, P = 0.028], and none/mild [97.7%, P = 0.001]). 1-year MACE rates were associated with presence of calcification in subjects with none/mild (4.7%), moderate (8.7%), and severe (24.4%) (P < 0.001) calcification; however, no difference was noted between none/mild and moderate (P = 0.237). The risk adjusted multivariable model identified severe calcification and decreasing eGFR as predictors of 30-day and 1-year MACE. CONCLUSIONS: In this prospective study, patients with severe calcification had significantly worse outcomes compared to those without; however, unlike previous retrospective studies, moderate calcium resulted in similar outcomes as none/mild calcium. CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION: URL: https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT01930214. Unique Identifier: NCT01930214.

Small-vessel PCI outcomes in men, women, and minorities following platinum chromium everolimus-eluting stents: Insights from the pooled PLATINUM Diversity and PROMUS Element Plus Post-Approval studies.

OBJECTIVE: We evaluated 1-year outcomes after platinum chromium everolimus-eluting stents (PtCr-EES) in small versus non-small coronary arteries within a large, diverse sample of men, women, and minorities. BACKGROUND: There exists limited outcomes data on the use of second-generation drug-eluting stent to treat small diameter coronary arteries. METHODS: We pooled patients from the PLATINUM Diversity and PROMUS Element Plus stent registries. Small-vessel percutaneous coronary intervention (SV-PCI) was defined as ≥1 target lesion with reference vessel diameter (RVD) ≤2.5 mm. Endpoints included major adverse cardiac event (MACE; death, myocardial infarction [MI] or target vessel revascularization [TVR]), target vessel failure (TVF; death related to the target vessel, target vessel MI or TVR) and definite/probable stent thrombosis (ST). Multivariable Cox regression was used to risk-adjust outcomes. RESULTS: We included 4,155/4,182 (99%) patients with available RVD, of which 1,607 (39%) underwent small-vessel PCI. SV-PCI was not associated with increased MACE (adjHR 1.02; 95%CI 0.81-1.30) or TVF (adjHR 1.07; 95%CI 0.82-1.39). MI risk was lower in white men compared to women and minorities, both in the setting of SV-PCI (adjHR 0.41; 95%CI 0.23-0.74 and adjHR 0.39; 95%CI 0.20-0.75, respectively) and for non-SV-PCI (adjHR 0.61; 95%CI 0.38-0.99 and adjHR 0.45; 95%CI 0.27-0.74, respectively). There was no significant interaction between RVD and sex or minority status for any endpoint. CONCLUSION: In a large diverse contemporary PCI outcomes database, SV-PCI with PtCr-EES was not associated with increased MACE or TVR and did not account for the increased MI risk noted in women and minorities compared to white men.

Comparison of antithrombotic agents during urgent percutaneous coronary intervention following thrombolytic therapy: A retrospective cohort study.

BACKGROUND: The optimal antithrombotic regimen for urgent percutaneous coronary interventions (PCI) following thrombolytic therapy for ST segment myocardial infarction (STEMI) is currently unknown. METHODS: We performed a retrospective analysis of all patients referred to our institution from January 2005 to July 2014 who underwent urgent PCI within 24 hr after receiving thrombolytic therapy. The patients were divided into three cohorts based on the anticoagulation strategy during PCI-bivalirudin, heparin alone or heparin plus Glycoprotein IIb/IIIa inhibitor (GPI). The primary end point of major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) was defined as a composite of inpatient death, myocardial infarction (MI) and stroke. Net adverse clinical events (NACE) were defined as a combination of MACE plus major bleeding complications. Univariable, multivariable and propensity-weighted modeling were used to compare MACE and NACE between the three treatment groups. RESULTS: A total of 695 patients met the inclusion criteria during the study period. In the univariable analysis, there was no significant difference treatment in MACE between the three groups (Bivalirudin: 1.2% vs. Heparin + GPI: 4.4%; Heparin alone: 2.7%, P = 0.11). In the reduced logistic regression model, compared to bivalirudin, the odds of NACE was significantly higher with heparin alone (OR: 3.58, 95% CI: 1.21, 10.54, P = 0.02) or with heparin plus GPI (OR: 9.0, 95% CI: 2.83, 28.64, P <0.001). CONCLUSION: In STEMI patients undergoing PCI within 24 hr after thrombolytic therapy, bivalirudin was associated with a strong trend toward reduced bleeding complications as compared to heparin alone or heparin plus GPI. The optimal antithrombotic regiment for urgent PCI following thrombolytic therapy is currently unknown. Our study demonstrated that use of bivalirudin during PCI following thrombolytic therapy is associated with a trend toward reduced bleeding complications compared to heparin alone or heparin plus GPI. Large randomized trials of adjunctive anticoagulation during PCI in this complex post-thrombolytic population are warranted. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

The impact of the distance from the interventional cardiologist's home to the hospital during off hours.

OBJECTIVES: The impact of the distance from the interventional cardiologist's home to the hospital and door to balloon time (DTBT) BACKGROUND: The importance of DTBT is highlighted by its inclusion as one of the core quality measures collected by the center for Medicare and Medicaid services and by the Joint commission on Accreditation of Healthcare organizations. We investigated the effect of time of day on the DTBT in patients having primary percutaneous coronary intervention (pPCI) and the impact of distance of the on call interventional cardiologist from the hospital on the DTBT and major adverse cardiac events (MACE) in patients undergoing pPCI during the off hours METHODS: Patients enrolled in the study presented with STEMI either in the field or to the emergency department (ED) and underwent pPCI from October 2007 to July 2009 RESULTS: Significant predictors of DTBT included a history of prior MI (P = 0.001), prior percutaneous coronary intervention (P = 0.021), prior coronary artery bypass grafting (P < 0.001), and history of diabetes mellitus (P = 0.004). The strongest predictor of DTBT was on versus off hours. Mean DTB was 18.5 min greater during off hours (72 min) compared to on-hours (53.5 min). The distance from the cardiologist's home to the hospital was not associated with DTBT on multivariable analysis (P = 0.20) CONCLUSION: When pPCI is performed in a highly organized STEMI center with broad staff support and expertise in cardiac care, the increase in the DTBT during off hours was not associated with increase MACE rates.

Impact of chronic thrombocytopenia on healthcare resource utilization, in-hospital outcomes, and costs following percutaneous coronary intervention of chronic total occlusion: a nationwide propensity weighted analysis.

BACKGROUND: Data on the impact of chronic thrombocytopenia (CT) on outcomes following chronic total occlusion (CTO) percutaneous coronary interventions (PCI) is limited. Most studies are case reports and focused on postprocedural thrombocytopenia. The purpose of this present study is to assess the impact of CT (> one year) on health resource utilization (HRU), in-hospital outcomes, and cost following CTO PCI. METHODS: We used discharge data from the 2016-2018 National Inpatient Sample and propensity score-weighted approach to examine the association between CT and HRU among patients undergoing CTO PCI. HRU was measured as a binary indicator defined as a length of stay greater than seven days and/or discharge to a non-home setting. The cost was measured as total charges standardized to 2018 dollars. Both outcomes were assessed using generalized linear models adjusted for survey year, and baseline characteristics. RESULTS: Relative to its absence, the presence of CT following CTO PCI was associated with a 4.8% increased probability of high HRU (Population Average Treatment Effect (PATE) estimate = 0.048; 95% Confidence Interval (CI) = 0.041-0.055; P<0.001) and approximately $18,000 more in total hospital charges (PATE estimate = +$18,297.98; 95% CI = $15,101.33-$21,494.63, P<0.001). CONCLUSION: Among chronic total occlusion patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention, those with chronic thrombocytopenia had higher resource use, including total hospital charges, and worse in-hospital outcomes when compared with those without chronic thrombocytopenia.

Percutaneous Coronary Intervention in Men, Women, and Minorities With a Previous Coronary Artery Bypass Graft Surgery (from the Pooled PLATINUM Diversity and PROMUS Element Plus Registries).

There is limited data on new-generation stent outcomes in patients with previous coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) and the associated risk of gender and race/ethnicity is unclear. We investigated 1-year outcomes after platinum chromium everolimus-eluting stent implantation in a diverse population of men, women, and minorities with previous CABG pooled from the PLATINUM Diversity (NCT02240810) and PROMUS Element Plus (NCT01589978) registries. Our primary outcome was major adverse cardiac events (MACE), a composite of all-cause death, myocardial infarction (MI), and target vessel revascularization (TVR) at 1-year post percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). Secondary end points included all-cause death, MI, TVR, target vessel failure, and stent thrombosis. A total of 4,175 patients were included in the analysis, including 1,858 women (44.5%), 1,057 minorities (25.3%), and 662 (15.9%) with previous CABG. Patients with previous CABG were older, included more men and White patients, and had more co-morbidities compared with patients without previous CABG. At 1 year, patients with previous CABG had a higher risk of MACE (12.6% vs 7.5%, hazard ratio 1.70, 95% confidence interval 1.32 to 2.19, p <0.001) and end points, including death/MI, TVR, and target vessel failure. After multivariate adjustment, no differences were observed in MACE (adjusted hazard ratio 1.11, 95% confidence interval 0.82 to 1.49, p = 0.506) or any secondary end points. No interaction was observed between previous CABG and gender or minority status. In conclusion, in a contemporary PCI population, patients with previous CABG remain at high risk for PCI because of their elevated risk profile. Previous CABG status was however not independently associated with worse outcomes after adjustment, nor was any interaction observed with gender or race/ethnicity.

Coronary subclavian steal syndrome causing myocardial Infarction.

Coronary subclavian steal syndrome (CSSS) is a rare complication of the internal mammary artery (IMA) grafting in coronary artery bypass surgery. The technical definition is myocardial ischemia due to the reduced flow of blood, or flow reversal in the IMA graft. This in most cases results from hemodynamically significant proximal subclavian artery stenosis. The clinical presentation is variable and ranges from unstable angina to myocardial infarction, and in some cases, sudden cardiac arrest. CSSS is an entity that is hard to diagnose if one is not actively looking for it. The clinical diagnosis is often complicated, and the prevalence of the disorder is frequently underestimated. In this case presentation, we report a case of myocardial infarction that resulted from significant proximal subclavian artery stenosis.

The Left Distal Transradial Artery Access for Coronary Angiography and Intervention: A US Experience.

BACKGROUND: The radial artery is the access of choice in many catheterization labs around the world due to its proven benefits over the femoral artery access. There has been growing interest in the left radial artery. We sought to evaluate the feasibility, safety and complication rates of the left distal radial artery (ldTRA) access for cardiac catheterization. METHODS: This is a single arm retrospective study evaluating the feasibility and safety of performing cardiac catheterization through ldTRA. The procedure was completed using standard diagnostic and guiding catheters. Hemostasis was achieved with a radial band. Feasibility was the ability to cannulate the distal left radial artery as well as completing the procedure without requiring an additional arterial access. The safety point included hematoma, bleeding or neuropathy. RESULTS: ldTRA was attempted in 61 patients. 59 patients had successful completion of the procedure through ldTRA. Conversion occurred in 1 patient (1.7%), requiring an additional arterial access to complete the procedure. 34 patients (55.7%) required percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). There was no access site bleeds post procedure, no hematomas, with 100% successful hemostasis with a radial hemostatic band. There were 2 cases requiring reaccess of the distal left radial artery access for repeat revascularization, with procedure success and good left radial artery patency. CONCLUSION: ldTRA is a safe and feasible arterial access in a radial experienced catheterization lab. ldTRA provides improved operator ergonomics and patient's comfort, in addition to the advantage of being able to cannulate the bypass grafts and with a very low risk of vascular complications.

High-dose atorvastatin does not negatively influence clinical outcomes among clopidogrel treated acute coronary syndrome patients--a Pravastatin or Atorvastatin Evaluation and Infection Therapy-Thrombolysis in Myocardial Infarction 22 (PROVE IT-TIMI 22) analysis.

BACKGROUND: Clopidogrel is inactive in vitro and is metabolized by hepatic cytochrome P-450-3A4 to produce active metabolites. Unlike pravastatin, atorvastatin is a statin that is subject to metabolism by cytochrome P-450-3A4, and drug-drug interactions with other potent inhibitors of this cytochrome system have been demonstrated. However, the clinical impact of this interaction has created debate. METHODS: In the PROVE IT-TIMI 22 study, 4162 patients with an acute coronary syndrome within the preceding 10 days were randomly assigned in a 1:1 fashion to pravastatin 40 mg or atorvastatin 80 mg daily. The primary efficacy outcome measure was the time from randomization until the first occurrence of a component of the primary end point: death from any cause, myocardial infarction, documented unstable angina requiring rehospitalization, revascularization with either percutaneous coronary intervention or coronary artery bypass grafting, or stroke. RESULTS: At 30 days, there was a trend for less occurrence of the primary end point in patients randomized to atorvastatin compared with pravastatin, irrespective of whether they were taking clopidogrel. This becomes significant at 2-year follow-up in clopidogrel-treated patients (21.66 % vs 26.18% P = .0091). There was no evidence of interaction in the clopidogrel/no clopidogrel subgroup for the primary end point (interaction P = .65) or the components of the composite. CONCLUSION: In conclusion, the beneficial affects of atorvastatin 80 mg in reducing the primary end point at 2 years is independent of coadministration with clopidogrel.

Cardiovascular Outcomes in Patients on Hemodialysis following Drug-Eluting versus Bare-Metal Coronary Stents.

AIM: This study sought to compare short- and long-term outcomes of drug-eluting stents (DESs) versus bare-metal stents (BMSs) implantation in patients with end-stage renal disease on hemodialysis (ESRD-HD) undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). METHODS: Adult patients with ESRD-HD who underwent PCI at all nonfederal hospitals in Massachusetts between July 1, 2003, and September 30, 2007, were stratified based on the stent type placed at index hospitalization: DES or BMS. The primary outcome compared was a composite of all-cause death, myocardial infarction (MI), congestive heart failure (CHF), target vessel revascularization (TVR), and stroke at 30 days and one year. RESULTS: HD patients had a high mortality (31%) and were more likely to receive a DES than a BMS (77% versus 23%). Propensity score analysis of 2 : 1 matched DES (268) versus BMS (134) patients demonstrated the DES group to more likely have proximal LAD disease and a history of prior PCI. Conditional logistic regression analysis demonstrated no significant difference in the composite cardiovascular endpoint measured at 30 days (hazard ratio (HR) 1.09; 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.61-1.94) and one year (HR 1.03; 95% CI 0.68-1.57). CONCLUSIONS: There were no significant differences in 30-day or 1-year major cardiovascular outcomes in HD patients undergoing PCI using the DES compared to the BMS in this high-mortality patient cohort.

Friedreich's ataxia as a cause of premature coronary artery disease.

Friedreich's ataxia is the most common hereditary neurodegenerative disorder, and more than half of all patients show echocardiographic evidence of cardiomyopathy. Although angina has been reported in these patients, the role of coronary artery disease has previously been dismissed and is therefore underestimated. Premature obstructive coronary disease has rarely been angiographically demonstrated in patients with Friedreich's ataxia. We present an unusual case of a 35-year-old woman with Friedreich's ataxia who presented with intermittent chest pressure associated with dyspnea and diaphoresis. Cardiac catheterization revealed a chronically occluded left circumflex coronary artery and a high-grade stenosis of the left anterior descending coronary artery. A Cypher stent, placed within the left anterior descending artery, left no residual stenosis. This case illustrates the importance of fully investigating anginal symptoms in patients with Friedreich's ataxia, because coronary artery disease is likely underdiagnosed in this population. Early diagnosis may permit aggressive management and may delay the progression to end-stage cardiomyopathy.

Outcomes in Women and Minorities Compared With White Men 1 Year After Everolimus-Eluting Stent Implantation: Insights and Results From the PLATINUM Diversity and PROMUS Element Plus Post-Approval Study Pooled Analysis.

Importance: There exist limited outcomes data for women and minorities after contemporary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). Objective: To examine 1-year outcomes in women and minorities vs white men after PCI with everolimus-eluting stents. Design, Settings, and Participants: The PLATINUM Diversity study was a single-arm study enrolling women and minorities. Patient-level pooling with the PROMUS Element Plus Post-Approval Study was prespecified. Data on social determinants of health and language were collected in the PLATINUM Diversity cohort, which included 1501 patients at 52 US sites. The PROMUS Element Plus Post-Approval study enrolled 2681 patients at 52 US sites with some site overlap and included an "all-comers" population. All patients were enrolled beginning in October 2014 and were followed for 12 months. Analyses began in August 2016. Interventions: Patients received 1 or more everolimus-eluting stent implantation. Main Outcomes and Measures: The primary end point was 1-year major adverse cardiac events (MACE), which included death/myocardial infarction (MI)/target vessel revascularization. Secondary ischemic end points were also evaluated. Results: The pooled study consisted of 4182 patients: 1635 white men (39.1%), 1863 women (white and minority) (44.5%), and 1059 minority patients (women and men) (25.3%). Women and minorities had a higher prevalence of diabetes, prior stroke, hypertension, renal disease, and congestive heart failure than white men but lower rates of multivessel disease, prior coronary artery bypass graft surgery, prior MI, and smoking. Unadjusted 1-year MACE rates (white men, 7.6%; women, 8.6%; minorities, 9.6%) were similar between groups with no significant differences after risk adjustment. The adjusted risk of death/MI was higher among women (odds ratio, 1.6; 95% CI, 1.1-2.4) and minorities (odds ratio, 1.9; 95% CI, 1.2-2.8) compared with white men and the adjusted risk of MI was higher in minorities (odds ratio, 2.6; 95% CI, 1.4-4.8). These differences were driven primarily by nonstent-related MIs. Within the PLATINUM Diversity cohort, the independent predictors of MACE were cardiogenic shock, renal disease, history of peripheral vascular disease, multivessel disease, widowhood, and lack of private insurance. Conclusions and Relevance: After contemporary everolimus-eluting stent implantation, women and minorities experience a similar risk of 1-year MACE but a higher adjusted risk of recurrent ischemic events primarily because of nonstent-related MIs. Both clinical and angiographic factors and social determinants of health, including widowhood and insurance status, contribute to 1-year MACE among women and minorities.

Determinants of 30-day adverse events following saphenous vein graft intervention with and without a distal occlusion embolic protection device.

Distal balloon occlusion was approved as a means of embolic protection during saphenous vein graft intervention based on its ability to decrease major adverse clinical events (MACEs) by 42% in the 801-patient Saphenous Vein Graft Angioplasty Free of Emboli Randomized (SAFER) trial. However, the cost and technical complexity of this device have limited its widespread use and prompted some to avoid its use in cases that appear at "low risk" for complications. If predictors of MACEs and their potential decrease by distal balloon occlusion could be identified, this would have important clinical implications in this challenging population. We therefore used standard demographic and angiographic variables and 2 new angiographic markers (extent of graft degeneration and estimated volume of plaque in the target lesion) to construct multivariable logistic regression models of 30-day of MACEs in the SAFER trial. Independent correlates of increased 30-day MACEs were more extensive vein graft degeneration (p = 0.0001) and bulkier lesions (larger estimated plaque volume, p = 0.0005). Use of a distal balloon occlusion device was independently predictive of lower 30-day rates of MACE (p = 0.01), with uniform benefit across risk strata (no significant interaction between device use and independent angiographic risk factors). Thus, the risk of 30-day MACEs after percutaneous intervention in aortocoronary saphenous vein grafts is increased in more diffusely diseased grafts and in bulkier lesions, but a significant benefit of the GuardWire was seen across all levels of MACE risk rather than just those perceived to be at highest risk.

The heavy LEGACY: Should weight management be part of every atrial fibrillation clinic?

As the global burden of atrial fibrillation (AF) and its attendant economic impact on the healthcare system surges, there is increasing interest in the secondary prevention of AF with various therapies. Of the several identified risk factors for AF, obesity is an important contributor that may be managed with intensive lifestyle modification. Prior studies have demonstrated the short-term and long-term benefits of weight loss in reduction of AF symptoms. In the LEGACY study [Long-Term Effect of Goal-Directed Weight Management in an Atrial Fibrillation Cohort: A Long-Term Follow-Up Study], the investigators evaluated the long-term effects of a weight management program on AF symptoms. Of the 355 patients included in this cohort, outcomes such as AF symptom burden, arrhythmia-free survival, inflammatory markers and structural cardiac changes all appear to have improved in the intense weight loss group as compared to the 2 other groups. Further, the benefits of weight loss appear to be lost when > 5% weight fluctuation (WF) occurred over the 5-year follow-up period. In this review, we discuss the design of the weight management clinic and its impact on the management of AF in the LEGACY study. Given that weight management appears to be an effective intervention that will not have the marketing and financial push that pharmaceutical and device based therapies enjoy, it behooves administrators of AF clinics to develop innovative funding strategies to incorporate weight management programs in order to improve patient-centered outcomes.

Plasma ProBNP Is Not a Specific Marker for Transient Myocardial Ischemia.

BACKGROUND: Plasma proBNP levels are increased in patients with acute myocardial infarction. Previous studies have shown conflicting data on the effect of transient myocardial ischemia on plasma BNP levels. We designed the current study to examine plasma proBNP levels in patients with transient myocardial ischemia during a percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). This study was to study plasma proBNP as a marker of transient myocardial ischemia. METHODS: We enrolled 49 consecutive patients with a history of angina or abnormal stress test who presented for cardiac catheterization. We obtained plasma proBNP levels in all patients at 1) arterial access (proBNP-1), 2) the end of the procedure (proBNP-2) and 3) 4 hours after procedure (proBNP-3). Hotelling's T-squared test was used to evaluate the equality of means. Log transforms of proBNP were used to impart data normality. RESULTS: Twenty-two patients underwent diagnostic catheterization (DCA group) and 27 underwent PCI (PCI group). Both groups had normal left ventricular function and a baseline creatinine < 2 mg/dL. Baseline log (proBNP) was 4.7 + 0.99 (units) and rose significantly at 4 hours in both groups (P < 0.02), with no difference in rate of change. CONCLUSIONS: Plasma proBNP was increased in both DCA and PCI groups which limits its utility to identify transient myocardial ischemia. The etiology of increase in proBNP in both groups is speculative and may be related to injection of radiographic contrast media into the coronary artery which leads to microcirculatory impairment resulting in myocardial tissue hypoxia and transient increase in left ventricular pressure; however, further evaluation is required.

Meta-analysis of corticosteroid treatment in acute myocardial infarction.

Acute and chronic inflammation play a central role in the pathophysiology of atherosclerosis. Corticosteroids are the gold standard anti-inflammatory agent and may have a role in treating acute myocardial infarction. However, concern exists regarding the potential for impaired wound healing and wall thinning. The MEDLINE and PreMEDLINE databases were searched for articles from 1966 through May 2002. A total of 186 articles and 16 English-language publications were identified. A meta-analysis of mortality in controlled trials was performed. Sensitivity analyses and 2 tests for publication bias were used to test the robustness of the results. Sixteen studies involving 3,793 patients were reviewed. Most studies were small (<100 patients) and revealed conflicting efficacy using surrogate outcome measures, such as infarct size. No clear association with myocardial rupture was observed. Meta-analysis of 11 controlled trials (2,646 patients) revealed a 26% decrease in mortality with corticosteroids (odds ratio 0.74, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.59 to 0.94; p = 0.015). Sensitivity analyses limited to large studies and randomized controlled trials revealed odds ratios of 0.76 (95% CI 0.53 to 1.09) and 0.95 (95% CI 0.72 to 1.26), respectively. Two tests revealed no evidence for publication bias. Thus, the review of available clinical studies demonstrated no harm and a possible mortality benefit of corticosteroids in acute myocardial infarction.

Does knowledge of the cost of cardiovascular tests influence physician ordering patterns?

INTRODUCTION: The United States spends a higher percentage of its gross domestic product on health care than any other country. Previous efforts to curtail health care spending have had minimal impact. We hypothesized that informing physicians of the cost of expensive cardiovascular diagnostic tests would change their ordering behavior. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Hospitalist physicians (n = 38) were randomly assigned to either seeing or not seeing the cost of diagnostic tests, via a computer pop-up screen, at the time of order entry. Patients were inpatients on a general medical service. Cost-aware physicians were shown the cost of the test they ordered as well as the cost of similar tests with different costs. There was a 4-month baseline period prior to randomization followed by a 4-month intervention period. The primary outcome measure was a change in the proportion of imaging stress tests in the study period. RESULTS: Of the total number of stress tests ordered (imaging and nonimaging), cost-aware physicians ordered 89% of their tests with imaging during both the baseline and study periods. Cost-unaware physicians ordered 91% imaging tests during the baseline period and 87% during the study period. There were no significant differences between the groups regarding change in ordering from baseline to study period. Both groups showed a slight increase (P < 0.03) in ordering the more expensive regadenoson nuclear stress tests (cost-aware: 30% baseline, 44% study period; cost-unaware: 36% baseline, 41% study period). DISCUSSION: Informing physicians of the cost of certain diagnostic tests is not a sufficient intervention to influence their ordering behavior.

Reversible myocardial dysfunction following intraocular bevacizumab administration.

Heart failure has been reported as a rare side effect of bevacizumab, a chemotherapeutic agent, used in the treatment of breast cancer. However, reversible left ventricular systolic dysfunction with a pattern similar to stress-induced cardiomyopathy has not been reported. The etiopathogenesis of stress-induced cardiomyopathy is poorly understood. Given this uncertainty, we should always look out for other potential offenders causing similar presentation, rather than label all of them as "stress-induced".

ST segment elevation myocardial infarction as a presenting feature of thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura.

Myocardial infarction with ST segment elevation (STE) on electrocardiography (ECG) is a common presentation in emergency rooms across the world. Myocardial injury and necrosis are infrequently the initial presentation in patients with thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (TTP). A 48-year-old woman presented with STE myocardial infarction from outside hospital for primary percutaneous coronary intervention. However, her clinical picture was not consistent. Rapid evaluation revealed symptoms associated with microangiopathic hemolytic anemia, thrombocytopenia, acute kidney injury with waxing and waning mental status. A diagnosis of TTP was made with low ADAMST-13 activity. Plasmapheresis was initiated along with intravenous steroid therapy. The patient had a full recovery and went home after full recovery of left ventricular ejection fraction and normal myocardial perfusion studies. Rapid evaluation is needed to identify infrequent causes of STE myocardial infarction. As swift protocols are activated in the emergency room and catheterization laboratories to ensure quality control, it is equally important to integrate all aspects of the patient's clinical and objective data to detect unusual disease entities.

A prospective multicenter registry of laser therapy for degenerated saphenous vein graft stenosis: the COronary graft Results following Atherectomy with Laser (CORAL) trial.

PURPOSE: The primary aim of this study was to prospectively evaluate the safety and efficacy of Excimer laser atherectomy as a primary treatment strategy in consecutively eligible patients presenting for percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) of degenerated saphenous vein graft (SVG) lesions using a multicenter registry. Prior single-center experience suggested that laser atherectomy may decrease acute procedural complications during treatment of degenerated SVGs, including lesions not amenable to distal protection devices (DPDs). METHODS AND MATERIALS: The COronary graft Results following Atherectomy with Laser investigators enrolled 98 patients at 18 centers between June 23, 2003, and October 4, 2004, with greater than 50% stenosis of an SVG who presented for PCI due to angina pectoris or objective evidence of myocardial ischemia in a concordant myocardial distribution. Laser atherectomy was planned. Patients were excluded if the operator planned to utilize a DPD. Inclusion and exclusion criteria were aligned to those in the Saphenous vein graft Angioplasty Free of Emboli Randomized (SAFER) trial. RESULTS: The primary end point [30-day major adverse cardiac events (MACE)] occurred in 18/98 (18.4%) patients driven primarily by non-q-wave myocardial infarction. Major procedural complications included no reflow (n=5) and major dissection (n=1). No perforations occurred. Univariate predictors of 30-day MACE included lesion length, vessel angulation, plaque burden, SVG degeneracy score, number of laser pulses used, and larger-sized laser catheters. CONCLUSIONS: This study demonstrated that Excimer laser atherectomy of diseased SVGs is feasible with results comparable to the 30-day MACE in the control population from the SAFER trial. Whether the addition of laser to embolic protection devices is of any clinical utility remains to be tested in future studies.