Contemporary practice pattern of revascularization in a large tertiary care referral center in non-ST elevation myocardial infarction: A propensity-matched 10-year experience.

OBJECTIVES: We sought to compare the effects of early versus delayed percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) on the outcomes at 1 year in patients presenting with non-ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (NSTEMI). BACKGROUND: Prompt reperfusion in NSTEMI remains controversial. Randomized studies have shown conflicting results regarding the benefits of early intervention versus delayed intervention (defined as intervention performed within 24 hr vs. 24-72 hr of presentation, respectively). This study was conducted to determine the clinical outcomes post PCI in a large tertiary care center. METHODS: A propensity-matched group of 1,640 NSTEMI patients [62.4% males (n = 1,023), median age 65 years] was studied for a composite of death, myocardial infarction (MI), stroke, and heart failure in 1 year as a primary endpoint after PCI. Patients were divided into an early intervention group (EIG) and delayed intervention group (DIG). Timing of PCI was determined by the treating interventional cardiologist. RESULTS: The primary outcome was significantly lower in the EIG than DIG (20.4% vs. 24.9%, P = 0.029), which was mainly derived from mortality benefit in the EIG. There was no difference in occurrence of death, MI, stroke, or heart failure between the groups at 30 days. CONCLUSIONS: An earlier PCI in patients with NSTEMI is associated with a significant reduction in the composite outcome of death, MI, heart failure, or stroke at 1 year compared with delayed PCI. Based on this large cohort of patients from a real-world referral center, contemporary reperfusion practices in NSTEMI may need to be re-examined with a bias toward early intervention.

Anticoagulation Bridging in Patients With Left Ventricular Assist Device: A Regional Analysis of HeartMate 3 Recipients.

Advances in left ventricular assist device technologies have led to an improvement in pump hemocompatibility and outcomes. Because of concerns of thromboembolic complications in prior generations of left ventricular assist devices, bridging with parenteral anticoagulants was routinely. Management strategies of subtherapeutic INRs and their effects on the current generation of devices deserve review. We performed analysis of the MOMENTUM 3 trial including 6 centers in the mid-America region. Patients with subtherapeutic INRs (INR < 2) occurring after the index admission underwent chart review to determine the management strategies taken by clinicians. Strategies were divided into two groups, bridging or nonbridging. Of the 225 patients included in the analysis, 130 (58%) patients had a total of 235 subtherapeutic international normalized ratio (INR) events. Most (n = 179, 76.2%) of these INRs were not bridged (n = 100 warfarin dose adjustment, n = 79 no change in warfarin dose). Among those INRs (n = 56, 23.8%) treated with bridging, approximately half (n = 30, 53.6%) were treated with subcutaneous agents and other half (n = 26, 46.4%) were treated with intravenous agents. There was no difference in individual outcomes or composite endpoints of death, rehospitalization, CVA, or bleeding events between the groups.

Influence of Differential Calcification in the Descending Thoracic Aorta on Aortic Pulse Pressure.

PURPOSE: Multiple studies have shown pulse pressure (PP) to be a strong predictor of aortic calcification. However, no studies are available that correlate PP with aortic calcification at the segmental level. METHODS: We identified 37 patients with aortic PP measured during cardiac catheterization. Their noncontrast chest computed tomography scans were evaluated for the presence of calcium in different segments (ascending aorta, arch of aorta [arch], descending aorta) and quantified. Patients with calcification (Calcified Group A) were compared against patients without calcification (Noncalcified Group B) in terms of PP, calcification and compliance. RESULTS: The mean of the total calcium score was higher in the descending aorta than the arch or ascending aorta (691 vs 571 vs 131, respectively, P<0.0001). PP had the strongest correlation with calcification in the descending aorta (r=0.47, P=0.004). Calcified Group A had a much higher PP than Noncalcified Group B, with the greatest difference in the descending aorta (20 mmHg, P<0.0001), lesser in the ascending aorta (10 mmHg, P=0.12) and the least in the arch (5 mmHg, P=0.38). Calcified Group A patients also had much lower compliance than Noncalcified Group B patients, with the greatest difference among groups seen in the descending aorta (0.7 mL/mmHg, P=0.002), followed by the ascending aorta, then arch. CONCLUSIONS: These are the first data to evaluate the relative impact of aortic segments in PP. Finding the greatest amount of calcification along with greatest change in PP and compliance in the descending aorta makes a case that the descending aorta plays a major role in PP as compared to other segments of the thoracic aorta.

Multivariate Criteria Most Accurately Distinguish Cardiac from Noncardiac Causes of Dyspnea.

Cardiopulmonary exercise testing provides oxygen pulse as a continuous measure of stroke volume, which is superior to other stress-testing methods in which systolic function is measured at baseline and at peak stress. However, the optimal peak oxygen pulse criterion for distinguishing cardiac from noncardiac causes of exercise limitation is unknown. In comparing several peak oxygen pulse criteria against the clinical standard of cardiopulmonary exercise testing, we retrospectively studied 54 consecutive patients referred for cardiopulmonary exercise testing. These exercise tests included measurement of oxygen consumption, carbon dioxide production, breathing reserve, arterial blood gases at baseline and at peak stress, exercise electrocardiogram, heart rate, and blood pressure response. Results were blindly interpreted and patients were categorized as members either of our Cardiac Group (abnormal result secondary to cardiac causes of exercise limitation) or of our Noncardiac Group (normal or abnormal result secondary to any noncardiac cause of exercise limitation). The accuracy of the peak oxygen pulse criteria ranged from 50% for univariate criterion (≤15 mL/beat), to 61% for oxygen pulse curve pattern, to 63% for bivariate criterion (≤15 mL/beat for men, ≤10 mL/beat for women), to as high as 81% for a multivariate criterion. All multivariate criteria outperformed oxygen pulse curve pattern, univariate, and bivariate criteria. This is the first study to evaluate the optimal peak oxygen pulse criterion for differentiating cardiac from noncardiac causes of exercise limitation. Multivariate criteria (especially a criterion incorporating age, sex, height, and weight) should be used preferentially, as opposed to the commonly used univariate and bivariate criteria.