Initial Intravascular Ultrasound Without a Routine Early Baseline Study in the Evaluation of Cardiac Transplant Vasculopathy has Prognostic Valve.

BACKGROUND: Abnormal minimal intimal thickening (MIT) on intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) defined as difference of ≥0.5 mm between baseline and one-year post-transplantation has been shown to have prognostic value. The goal of this retrospective cohort study was to evaluate whether abnormal MIT found on routine IVUS studies in cardiac transplant patients after 6 months without an early baseline study (modified MIT or MMIT), has any prognostic value. Furthermore, we evaluated the prognostic effect of serial IVUS performed beyond one year. METHODS: A cohort of 149 cardiac transplant patients who underwent IVUS examination > 6 months post-transplant were evaluated retrospectively. Of these 149 patients, 109 patients underwent a subsequent IVUS study approximately 1 year following the initial study. MMIT values of ≥0.5 mm without an early baseline study were correlated with major adverse cardiac event (MACE). RESULTS: The all-cause mortality was 4.7% (5/107) in patients with MMIT of <0.5 mm vs. 14.6% (6/41) in patients with MMIT of ≥0.5 mm [hazards ratio (HR): 3.2; 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.002-12.17; p = 0.039]. The overall MACE rate was 8.4% (9/107) in patients with MMIT of <0.5 mm vs. 24.4% (10/41) in patients with MMIT of ≥0.5 mm [HR: 6.7; 95% CI: 1.30-9.42; p = 0.009]. After adjusting for age, abnormal MMIT remained a significant independent predictor of MACE (HR: 3.93; CI 1.21-12.81; p = 0.023). CONCLUSIONS: The presence of abnormal MMIT noted on IVUS performed after 6 months post-transplantation without a routine baseline IVUS carries important prognostic value.

Low-dose unfractionated heparin administration during intravascular ultrasound studies is safe even shortly after endomyocardial biopsy in cardiac transplant patients.

BACKGROUND: Full therapeutic heparin doses ranging from 5000-10,000 units or weight based (70-100 units/kg) have been recommended during percutaneous coronary interventions. However, there are currently no data available in regards to the appropriate dosing of unfractionated heparin during intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) studies without therapeutic coronary interventions. The goal of this study was to evaluate the safety of low dose unfractionated heparin during IVUS studies, shortly after endomyocardial biopsy in cardiac transplant patients. METHODS: At the University of Arizona Medical Center, transplant patients routinely undergo diagnostic IVUS studies for the detection of early cardiac allograft vasculopathy (CAV) shortly after endomyocardial biopsy. A low-dose heparin (2000 to 3000 Units) is given before coronary wire and IVUS catheter advancement without checking activated clotting time. We evaluated the occurrence of any thromboembolic event or any other adverse outcomes in this population. RESULTS: A total of 108 cardiac transplant patients, who had underwent routine IVUS studies between 2004-2008 were identified retrospectively. The average heparin dose used was 2528 ± 501 units. The left anterior descending artery was studied in 93% of cases. There was no thromboembolic event. Only one catheter-induced coronary dissection occurred treated with percutaneous coronary intervention. An endomyocardial biopsy was performed 10-15 minutes before the administration of low-dose heparin. There were no other major adverse cardiac events in this population during the procedure. CONCLUSION: This is the first study showing the safety of low-dose heparin use during diagnostic IVUS studies in cardiac transplant patients, even shortly after endomyocardial biopsy.

Celivarone for maintenance of sinus rhythm and conversion of atrial fibrillation/flutter.

INTRODUCTION: Celivarone, a new noniodinated benzofuran derivative pharmacologically related to dronedarone and amiodarone, has been shown to have antiarrhythmic properties at a molecular level. The purpose of the 2 trials presented here (MAIA and CORYFEE) was to assess celivarone efficacy in the maintenance of sinus rhythm postcardioversion and for the conversion of atrial fibrillation (AF)/atrial flutter (AFL). METHODS AND RESULTS: In the MAIA trial, 673 patients with AF/AFL recently converted to sinus rhythm were randomly assigned to receive 50, 100, 200, or 300 mg once-daily dosing of celivarone; 200 mg daily of amiodarone preceded by a loading dose of 600 mg for 10 days; or placebo. At 3 months' follow up, no significant difference was observed in time to AF/AFL relapse among the various celivarone groups and placebo. However, fewer symptomatic AF/AFL recurrences were observed in the lower-dose celivarone groups (26.6% for celivarone 50 mg [P = 0.022] and 25.2% for celivarone 100 mg [P = 0.018] vs 40.5% for placebo at 90 days). Fewer adverse events were observed with the use of celivarone and placebo than amiodarone. In the CORYFEE study, 150 patients with AF/AFL were randomly assigned to once-daily celivarone dosing of 300 or 600 mg, or placebo, for a 2-day treatment period. There was no significant difference in the rate of spontaneous conversion to sinus rhythm between the treatment and control groups. CONCLUSIONS: In these studies, celivarone does not appear to be efficacious in the maintenance of sinus rhythm in AF/AFL patients or for the conversion of AF/AFL patients.

Coronary stenting in patients with medically resistant vasospasm.

Formally described by Prinzmetal and colleagues in 1959, variant angina represents a syndrome of resting angina that results from severe coronary artery vasospasm associated with ST elevation. The majority of patients respond to nitrates or calcium channel blockers. However, medical treatment-resistant vasospasm can occur in up to 20% of cases, thus requiring further interventions. We present a rare instance of coronary vasospasm associated with complete heart block resistant to medical therapy that was successfully treated with stenting. This case example is followed by a detailed review of the literature with regard to percutaneous or surgical coronary revascularization of patients with medically resistant vasospasm.