Association of ectatic non-infarct-related artery with 1-month stent thrombosis in patients with ST elevation myocardial infarction.

BACKGROUND: Ectatic infarct-related artery (IRA) has been shown to be associated with higher thrombus burden, no-reflow, stent thrombosis (ST) and major adverse cardiovascular events in patients with ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI). The effect of ectatic non-IRA on ST without ectatic IRA is not known. We aimed to assess the effect of ectatic non-IRA presence on ST within 1 month after primary percutaneous intervention (pPCI) in patients with STEMI. METHODS: A total of 1541 patients with a diagnosis of STEMI and underwent pPCI between 2015 and 2020 were retrospectively included in the study. Patients with and without 1 month ST were compared. Penalised logistic regression method was used to assess the association between ST and candidate predictors due to the risk of overfitting. RESULTS: Median age of the study group was 56.5 (48.7 to 67.2) years. The Synergy between PCI with Taxus and Cardiac Surgery (SYNTAX) score, ectatic non-IRA presence and use of tirofiban were significantly higher in the ST group (18.2±9.9 vs 15.1±9.9, p=0.03; 25% vs 7.2%, p<0.001; 54.2% vs 30.5%, p<0.001; respectively). Significantly higher thrombus aspiration (14.3% vs 6.7%, p=0.03) and lower stent implantation (67.7% vs 84%, p<0.001) rates were observed in ectatic IRA group compared with ectatic non-IRA group. In multivariable analysis, ectatic non-IRA presence was independently associated with 1-month ST (OR 4.01, 95% CI 1.86 to 8.63, p=0.01). CONCLUSION: Ectatic non-IRA presence without ectatic IRA in patients with STEMI increases the risk of ST within the first month of pPCI.

Effects of RAAS blocker use on AKI in elderly hypertensive STEMI patients with propensity score weighed method.

Studies reported conflicting results on the effect of renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system (RAAS) blocker use on acute kidney injury (AKI) in patients undergoing elective coronary angiography but association in elderly patients with ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) is not known. Also, there are limited data on the effect of inflammatory markers on AKI. We aimed to investigate the effects of RAAS blocker pretreatment and inflammatory markers on AKI in this population. A total of 471 patients were compared according to presence of RAAS blocker pretreatment at admission. Conventional and inverse probability weighed conditional logistic regression were used to determine independent predictors of AKI. Mean age of the study group was 75.4 ± 7.1 years and 29.1% of the patients were female. AKI was observed in 17.2% of the study population. Weighted conditional multivariable logistic regression analysis revealed that AKI was associated with baseline creatinine levels and C-reactive protein/albumin ratio (CAR) (OR 2.08, 95% CI = 1.13-3.82, p = .02 and OR 1.19, 95% CI = 1.01-1.41, p = .04, respectively). No significant association was found between RAAS blocker pretreatment and AKI. CAR and elevated baseline creatinine levels were independent predictors of AKI in this patient group.

Evaluation of Low-density Lipoprotein Cholesterol Target Attainment Rates According to the 2016 and 2019 European Society of Cardiology/European Atherosclerosis Society Dyslipidemia Guidelines for Secondary Prevention in Patients with Acute Myocardial Infarction.

BACKGROUND: High-intensity statin (HIS) therapy is widely recommended for secondary prevention after an acute myocardial infarction (AMI). The 2019 European Society of Cardiology (ESC)/European Atherosclerosis Society (EAS) dyslipidemia guidelines have lowered the target low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) level, which necessitates a more frequent use of nonstatin therapies. OBJECTIVES: The objectives of the study were to investigate the rate of LDL-C target attainment for secondary prevention in AMI patients. METHODS: This retrospective investigation included 1360 patients diagnosed with AMI in a tertiary heart center. Lipid parameters were collected within 24 h of admission and within 1 year after discharge. The medications used were retrieved from medical records, and the lowest LDL-C levels after statin treatment were used to assess the effectiveness of the therapy. LDL-C target attainment was defined according to the 2016 ESC/EAS dyslipidemia guidelines as an LDL-C level of < 70 mg/dL and a ≥ 50% reduction from baseline. In addition, the rate of LDL-C target attainment according to the 2019 fromESC/EAS guidelines was defined as an LDL-C level of < 55 mg/dL and a ≥ 50% reduction baseline. RESULTS: In total, 502 (36.9%) and 247 (18.2%) patients reached the LDL-C targets according to the 2016 and 2019 ESC/EAS guidelines, respectively. The admission LDL-C levels were significantly lower and HIS treatment was used more frequently in patients who subsequently attained the LDL-C goal. Remarkably, 461 (34%) patients failed to reach the LDL-C goals despite HIS treatment. Only 27 (1.9%) patients were prescribed ezetimibe. CONCLUSION: The rate of LDL-C goal attainment in AMI patients was low, which indicates the need for combination statin and non-statin lipid-lowering therapies.

Change in Frequency and Predictors of Erectile Dysfunction With Changes in the International Index of Erectile Function-Erectile Function Domain Score in Patients With ST-Elevation Myocardial Infarction: A Prospective, Longitudinal Study.

BACKGROUND: Erectile dysfunction (ED) has been proposed as an early indicator for future coronary and peripheral vascular disease. AIM: We aimed to investigate the longitudinal change in proportion and predictors for ED with changes in erectile function domain (EFD) of the International Index of Erectile Function-15 (IIEF-15) in patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) who underwent primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PPCI). METHODS: Between December 2018 and June 2019, 286 male patients aged between 40 and 70 years who were treated with PPCI for STEMI were included. The patients were asked to complete the IIEF-EFD form 3 days after the procedure for the evaluation of baseline erectile functions. During follow-up 3 months after the index procedure, the patients were asked to refill the IIEF-EFD form. Both baseline and third-month IIEF-EFD scores were calculated, and the patients were classified into ED severity groups as per the IIEF-EFD scores. A linear mixed model was used to identify predictors of ED at 3 months. OUTCOMES: This study identifies the prevalence and predictors of ED with STEMI who underwent PPCI. RESULTS: The median age was 54 (range 48-61) years. The median IIEF-EFD scores at 3 days and 3 months were 25.5 (range 20.0-27.0) and 22.00 (range 18.25-25.00), respectively. Half of the patients were found to have ED with varying severity as per baseline IIEF-EFD scores. This rate increased to 79% at the 3-month follow-up visit. The IIEF-EFD scores of the patients decreased over time (P < .001). Advanced age (ß = -0.603, se = 0.192, P = .002), presence of three-vessel coronary artery disease (ß = -3.828, se = 0.783, P < .001), and diabetes (ß = -2.934, se = 0.685, P < .001) were found to be inversely associated with the IIEF-EFD scores. CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS: Advanced age, presence of three-vessel disease, and diabetes mellitus are the indicators of sexual rehabilitation needs in patients after STEMI. STRENGTHS & LIMITATIONS: This is the first study investigating the predictor variables for the development of ED after coronary artery disease treatment. The limitations include the lack of evaluation of anxiety and depression and the measurements of testosterone levels. CONCLUSION: The prevalence of ED was high among patients with coronary artery disease, and the frequency of ED increased during 3-month follow-up. Advanced age, three-vessel disease, and diabetes were significant predictors of ED with changes in IIEF-EFD score in patients with STEMI who underwent PPCI. Karabay E, Karsiyakali N, Cinier G, et al. Change in Frequency and Predictors of Erectile Dysfunction With Changes in the International Index of Erectile Function-Erectile Function Domain Score in Patients With ST-Elevation Myocardial Infarction: A Prospective, Longitudinal Study. J Sex Med 2020;17:1101-1108.

Assessment of tenascin-C levels in ventricular noncompaction/hypertrabeculation patients: a cross-sectional study.

PURPOSE: Ventricular noncompaction/hypertrabeculation (NC/HT) is a rare form of congenital cardiomyopathy. We aimed to investigate the presence of serum tenascin-C (TN-C) in adult patients with NC/HT and evaluate its value. METHODS AND RESULTS: Serum TN-C levels were measured by ELISA in 50 NC/HT patients both with/without systolic dysfunction and in 23 normal controls. Systolic dysfunction was defined as ejection fraction (EF) ≤ 40. Mann-Whitney U-test and ROC curve analysis were done. Of 49 NC/HT patients, 24 (49%) patients had systolic dysfunction (mean age 36 ± 15) and 25 patients (51%) had normal systolic function (mean age 36 ± 17). The ages between groups were not different. The mean levels of serum TN-C in patients with or without systolic dysfunction were 26 ± 10 ng/mL and 26 ± 8 ng/mL respectively, compared to normal controls, 7 ± 2 ng/mL (P < 0.001). No significance was observed between 2 groups of NC/HT patients regarding TN-C levels (P = 0.8). The ROC curve analysis revealed that a TN-C value of 11.7 ng/mL identified patients with NC/HT with 100% sensitivity and specifity. CONCLUSION: High serum TN-C levels are present in adult NC/HT cardiomyopathy even when left ventricular systolic function remains normal. Also, serum TN-C levels could be regarded as a candidate biomarker in the diagnosis of NC/HT which needs to be tested in larger prospective studies.

Endoscopic Thoracic Sympathectomy in the Treatment of Vasospastic Angina Resistant to Medical Therapy.

BACKGROUND: In this study, we aimed to investigate the clinical follow-up results of endoscopic thoracic sympathectomy (ETS) in the treatment of vasospastic angina (VSA) resistant to maximal medical therapy. METHODS: A total of 80 patients with VSA who presented to our hospital between 2010 and 2022 were included in our study. Among them, 6 patients who did not respond to medical therapy underwent ETS. In-hospital and long-term clinical outcomes of patients who underwent ETS were recorded. RESULTS: The median age of the patients with VSA was 57 [48-66] years, and 70% of the group were males. In the ETS group, compared to the non-ETS group, higher numbers of hospital admissions and coronary angiographies were observed before ETS (median 6 [5-6] versus 2 [1-3], P <.001; median 5 [3-6] versus 2 [1-3], P =.004, respectively). Additionally, while 2 patients (33.3%) in the ETS group had implantable cardioverter defib-rillator (ICD), only 2 patients (2.7%) in the non-ETS group had ICD (P =.027). Out of the 6 patients who underwent ETS, 2 were females, with a median age of 56 [45-63] years. Four patients underwent successful bilateral ETS, while 2 patients underwent unilateral ETS. During the follow-up period after ETS, only 3 patients experienced sporadic attacks (once in 28 months, twice in 41 months, and once in 9 years, respectively), while no attacks were observed in 3 patients during their median follow-up of 7 years. CONCLUSION: It appears that ETS is effective in preventing VSA attacks without any major complications.

Relationship Between CHA2DS2-VASc Score on Admission and In-Hospital Major Adverse Cardiovascular Events in Patients Diagnosed With ST-Elevation Myocardial Infarction.

The CHA2DS2-VASc (congestive heart failure, hypertension, age, diabetes mellitus, stroke, vascular disease, sex) scoring system, which includes conventional risk factors of coronary artery disease, was originally created to quantify the risk of thromboembolism in patients with atrial fibrillation. This study evaluated the usefulness of this score to predict adverse outcomes in STEMI (ST-elevation myocardial infarction) patients without atrial fibrillation. Primary end points were identified as MACE (major adverse cardiovascular events) which included in-hospital death or cerebrovascular accident. MACE rate was 10% (193 patients). The CHA2DS2-VASc score was an independent predictor of MACE (95% CI, 2.31 [1.37-3.9]; P = .0016). Other independent predictors of MACE included heart rate (95% CI, 1.56 [0.97-2.50]; P = .0242), admission Killip class (95% CI, 24.19 [10.74-54.46]; P < .0001), admission creatinine level (95% CI, 1.54 [1.10-2.16]; P = .0024), peak CK-MB level (95% CI, 1.63 [0.98-2.70]; P = .0001), and no-reflow (95% CI, 2.45 [1.25-4.80]; P = .0085). A nomogram was developed to estimate the risk of in-hospital adverse outcomes for STEMI patients. The CHA2DS2-VASc score was an independent predictor of MACE in STEMI patients. Linear analysis of CHA2DS2-VASc score without dichotomization was the main difference of this study from others.

[Relation of heart-type fatty acid-binding protein with the degree and extent of atherosclerosis in patients with non-ST elevation acute coronary syndrome]. / ST segment yükselmesiz akut koroner sendromlu hastalarda kalp tipi yag asidi baglayici proteinin koroner arter hastaliginin yayginlik ve ciddiyeti ile iliskisi.

OBJECTIVES: The relationship between markers of myocardial ischemia and severity of coronary artery disease (CAD) has been investigated in several studies. In this study, we examined the relationship between severity of CAD and heart-type fatty acid-binding protein (H-FABP), a new marker of ischemia in patients with non-ST-segment elevation acute coronary syndrome (ACS). STUDY DESIGN: This prospective study comprised 49 patients who were referred to the emergency room with a diagnosis of non-ST elevation myocardial infarction. Troponins, creatine kinase-MB, lactate dehydrogenase, and aspartate aminotransferase levels were measured quantitatively, while blood H-FABP levels were measured qualitatively in the 4th-8th hour from the onset of symptoms. All patients underwent coronary angiography within 72 hours after admission. Clinical and coronary angiographic characteristics of patients with positive and negative values of H-FABP were compared. Gensini and SYNTAX scores were used to determine the severity of CAD. RESULTS: There were no statistically significant differences in mean age, gender distribution, risk factors for CAD, ischemic changes on ECG, or Gensini and SYNTAX scores between the H-FABP-negative and -positive groups (p>0.05). The duration of chest pain in the H-FABP-positive group was significantly longer than in the negative group (p<0.001). Troponin, CK-MB, and AST levels as well as thrombolysis in myocardial infarction (TIMI) risk scores were found to be significantly higher in the H-FABP-positive group (p<0.05). CONCLUSION: H-FABP is a useful marker for the diagnosis and risk evaluation of patients with non-ST elevation ACS. However, it is insufficient in evaluating the severity of CAD.

The Effect of Anesthesia Type Applied in Transcatheter Aortic Valve Implantation.

OBJECTIVE: Different results have been obtained in studies on the effect of anesthesia type applied during transcatheter aortic valve implantation on in-hospital outcomes. In this study, we aimed to investigate the association of the type of anesthesia with the lenght of stay in the intensive care unit and the need for inotropes in patients undergoing transcatheter aortic valve implantation. METHODS: A total of 140 patients who underwent transcatheter aortic valve implantation between January 2016 and January 2022 were retrospectively analyzed. The patients were divided into 2 groups as deep sedation and general anesthesia according to the type of anesthesia. RESULTS: The mean age of all patients was 78.5 ± 8.6 years, and 69 of the patients (49.3%) were female. Length of stay in intensive care unit, midazolam dosage, use of inotropic agents, and procedural hypotension were significantly lower in the deep sedation group than in the general anesthesia group [(1[1-2] vs. 1[1-2.5] days, P = 0.03), (2.1 ± 0.4 mg/kg vs. 2.3 ± 05, P = 0.02), (39 (37.9%) vs. 22 (59.5%), P = 0.02), (41 (39.8%) vs. 25 (67.6%), P = 0.004)]. General anesthesia was associated with increased use of inotropic agents during transcatheter aortic valve implantation compared to deep sedation (odds ratio = 2.93 95% CI = 1.18-7.30, P = 0.02). CONCLUSION: The use of inotropes is less in transcatheter aortic valve implantation procedures performed under deep sedation and length of stay in intensive care unit is shorter.