Successful use of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation support in severe septic shock with associated acute cardiomyopathy.

A 24-year-old female presented with sepsis and cardiogenic shock 4 days after vaginal delivery. Veno-arterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (VA ECMO) therapy was used for cardiovascular support as a bridge for recovery. The use of VA ECMO in patients with cardiogenic shock secondary to sepsis is reviewed.

Clinical outcomes in patients with acute left circumflex/obtuse marginal occlusion presenting with myocardial infarction.

BACKGROUND: Acute occlusion of left circumflex (LCx) or obtuse marginal (OM) arteries can present as ST elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) or non-ST elevation myocardial infarction (NSTEMI). NSTEMI patients (pts) with occlusions have worse outcomes than those without occlusions, but no studies specifically examine outcomes in acute myocardial infarction (AMI) pts with LCx/OM occlusion. This study aims to define the incidence of NSTEMI in pts presenting with LCx/OM occlusion and analyzes clinical characteristics and outcomes in those presenting with NSTEMI compared to STEMI. METHODS AND MATERIALS: A review of our catheterization and STEMI database was performed to identify AMI pts presenting with LCx or OM occlusion from 1/1/2007 to 7/31/2009 at the Medical College of Virginia. Patients were divided into STEMI and NSTEMI groups, and a chart review was performed. Primary end-points were in-hospital mortality (HM), cardiogenic shock (CS), and in-hospital CHF. Secondary end-points included peak CK-MB and time to catheterization, as well as combined end-points of 1-month mortality, and recurrent AMI and CHF. RESULTS: Fifty-six pts met inclusion criteria, 54% of whom presented with NSTEMI. STEMI pts were significantly more likely to meet the primary end-points, as well as the combined secondary end-points. They had shorter times to catheterization but larger infarct sizes. Patients with left or mixed coronary dominance were more likely to have STEMI. CONCLUSIONS: AMI pts with LCx/OM occlusion present with NSTEMI as often as STEMI. Those with NSTEMI have better outcomes, which may be related to right coronary dominance. SUMMARY: Patients with acute LCx or OM occlusion present with NSTEMI as often as STEMI, but those with STEMI have worse outcomes. The difference in presentation may be related to coronary dominance.

Beyond the platelet count: heparin antibodies as independent risk predictors.

A major potential side effect of heparin is immunogenicity, eliciting antibody development to a protein complex comprised of platelet factor 4 and heparin. Nevertheless, the clinical implications of heparin antibody positive patients remain broad, ranging from no apparent clinical consequences to life-threatening arterial and venous thromboemboli. The "Iceberg Model" has been proposed to depict this spectrum, with a relatively large population of antibody-positive patients forming the base of the iceberg, a smaller population of thrombocytopenic patients in the middle and a limited number of patients with thrombocytopenia and thrombosis comprising the apex. An underlying assumption of this model is that thrombosis occurs only in settings of relative or absolute thrombocytopenia. However, several recent studies suggest that antibody formation to platelet factor 4/heparin complexes, even in the absence of thrombocytopenia, may be associated with thrombotic events. In this review, we summarize these data, consider potential mechanisms for thrombosis, and suggest recommendations for testing and management of antibody-positive patients.

Left circumflex occlusion in acute myocardial infarction (from the National Cardiovascular Data Registry).

Compared to occlusions of other major coronary arteries, patients presenting with acute left circumflex (LCx) occlusion usually have ST-segment elevation on the electrocardiogram <50% of the time, potentially delaying treatment and resulting in worse outcomes. In contemporary practice, little is known about the clinical outcomes of patients with LCx territory occlusion without ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI). We identified patients with myocardial infarction from April 2004 to June 2009 in the CathPCI Registry treated with percutaneous coronary intervention for culprit LCx territory occlusion, excluding those with previous coronary artery bypass grafting. Logistic generalized estimating equation modeling was used to compare the outcomes, including in-hospital mortality between patients with STEMI and non-STEMI (NSTEMI) adjusting for differences in the baseline characteristics. Of the 27,711 patients with myocardial infarction and acute LCx territory occlusion, 18,548 (67%) presented with STEMI and 9,163 (33%) with NSTEMI. With the exception of a greater proportion of cardiac risk factors and cardiac history in the NSTEMI group, the demographic and baseline characteristics were clinically similar between the 2 groups, despite the statistical significance resulting from the large population. The patients with STEMI were more likely to have a proximal LCx culprit lesion (63% vs 27%, p <0.0001) and had greater risk-adjusted in-hospital mortality (odds ratio 1.36, 95% confidence interval 1.12 to 1.65, p = 0.002) compared to patients with NSTEMI. In conclusion, acute LCx territory occlusion often presents as NSTEMI, but patients with NSTEMI and occlusion have a lower mortality risk than those with STEMI, possibly because of factors such as the amount of myocardium involved, the lesion location along the vessel, and/or a dual blood supply.