Management of ST-segment-elevation myocardial infarction during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak: Iranian"247" National Committee's position paper on primary percutaneous coronary intervention.

World Health Organization has designated coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) as a pandemic. During the past several weeks, a considerable burden has been imposed on the Iranian's healthcare system. The present document reviewed the latest evidence and expert opinion regarding the management of ST-segment-elevation myocardial infarction during the outbreak of COVID-19 and outlines a practical algorithm for it.

Two-dimensional echocardiographic right ventricle measurements adjusted to body mass index and surface area in a normal population.

BACKGROUND: To determine reference echocardiographic values in a normal population and assess their correlation with body mass index (BMI) and body surface area. METHODS: An expert cardiologist performed two-dimensional echocardiography with triplicate right ventricle (RV) size measurements in 80 subjects with normal heart condition. Results were correlated with anthropometric data. RESULTS: Base-to-apex length in four-chamber view (RVD3) and above-pulmonic valve in short-axis view in males, as well as mid-RV diameter in standard four-chamber view (RVD), basal RV diameter, and mid RV diameter in RV-focused four-chamber view in females, were significantly correlated with BMI. All RV variables were significantly correlated with BMI in 20-30-year-old subjects. All RV variables except RVD3 and above-aortic valve in short-axis view (proximal) were significantly correlated with BMI in 35-55-year-old subjects. All RV parameters were significantly correlated with body surface area, except for RVD and in 20-35-year-old subjects. CONCLUSIONS: RV echocardiographic values must be adjusted to anthropometric characteristics for proper diagnosis and management of cardiac disorders. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Clin Ultrasound 45:204-210, 2017.

Acceleration rate of mitral inflow E wave: a novel transmitral doppler index for assessing diastolic function.

BACKGROUND: We performed comprehensive transmitral and pulmonary venous Doppler echocardiographic studies to devise a novel index of diastolic function. This is the first study to assess the utility of the acceleration rate (AR) of the E wave of mitral inflow as a primary diagnostic modality for assessing diastolic function. METHODS: Study group consisted of 84 patients (53 + 11 years) with left ventricle (LV) diastolic dysfunction and 34 healthy people (35 ± 9 years) as control group, who were referred for clinically indicated two-dimensional transthoracic echocardiogram (TTE) during 2012 and 2013 to Imam Hospital. Normal controls were defined as patients without clinical evidence of cardiac disease and had normal TTE. LV diastolic function was determined according to standardized protocol of American Society of Echocardiography (ASE). As our new parameter, AR of E wave of mitral inflow was also measured in all patients. It was represented by the slope of the line between onset of E wave and peak of it. Correlation between AR of E wave and LV diastolic function grade was measured using the Spearman correlation coefficient. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was used to determine the sensitivity and specificity of AR of E wave in diagnosing LV diastolic dysfunction in randomly selected two-thirds of population then its derived cutoff was evaluated in rest of the population. The institutional review board of the hospital approved the study protocol. All participants gave written informed consent. This investigation was in accordance with the Declaration of Helsinki. RESULTS: The mean value of AR was 1010 ± 420 cm/s(2) in patients whereas the mean value for the normal controls was 701 ± 210 cm/s(2). There was a strong and graded relation between AR of E wave of mitral inflow and LV diastolic function grade (Spearman P ≤0.0001, rs =0.69). ROC curve analysis revealed that AR of E wave of mitral inflow =750 cm/s(2) predicted moderate or severe LV diastolic dysfunction with 89 % sensitivity and 89 % specificity (area under curve [AUC] = 0.903, P <0.0001). Application of this cutoff on test group showed 96 % sensitivity and 77 % specificity with AUC = 0.932 and P <0.0001. CONCLUSION: AR of E wave of mitral inflow could be used for assessment of diastolic function, especially moderate or severe diastolic dysfunction. However, before its clinical application, external validation should be considered.

Myocardial infarction with non-obstructive coronary artery in a middle-aged woman with COVID-19.

Cardiovascular involvement is commonly described in coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), where myocardial injury can be caused by exacerbation of the underlying disease and de novo cardiovascular involvement, including myocarditis, stress cardiomyopathy and myocardial infarction. There was a drop in acute coronary syndrome admission rates worldwide as collateral damage of the COVID-19 pandemic as patients were reluctant to seek appropriate care. We presented a 47-year-old woman with acute heart failure and COVID-19 pneumonia. She had a history of typical prolonged chest pain 2 weeks before but no coronary risk factors. The electrocardiogram was consistent with late presentation myocardial infarction. Focused echocardiography showed severe left ventricle systolic dysfunction. She was medically treated for both pneumonia and heart failure. Coronary angiography showed no flow-limiting lesion. Cardiac magnetic resonance in the recovery phase revealed subendocardial late gadolinium enhancement in the left anterior descending territory compatible with myocardial infarction.

Value of Coronary Artery Calcium Scoring in Iranian Patients Suspected to Coronary Artery Disease.

UNLABELLED: Coronary artery calcium scoring (CACS) is a reasonable test for patients with the possibility of atherosclerosis. It can also be used for reclassifying the coronary artery disease (CAD) to the high-risk status by higher CACS and subsequently modifying the management of the patients.The purpose of this study was to investigate the association of CACS to the severity of coronary artery disease in the patients who were scheduled to perform coronary artery angiography (CAG) by tradition. CACS could be a simple, relatively cost-benefit, and noninvasive method for early screening of patients with obstructive coronary artery disease. METHOD: In the present study, CAC scoring was evaluated by non-enhanced Multi-Detector Computed Tomography (MDCT) in a total 239 patient suffering from coronary artery disease. Of them, 223 patients were planned to undergo CAG based on clinical examination or other noninvasive diagnostic methods (such as MPI, ETT, EKG or Echo). RESULTS: Our results showed that 11 of 67 patients with a negative CACS (zero) had obstructive coronary artery disease derived from the results of CAG. We also found a significant correlation between high CACS (more than 400) and extensive obstructive CAD, except for the two patients who had only mild CAD. There was a linear correlation between CACS and the severity of CAD on the basis of Gensini score and the number of involved arteries (CC=0.507, PV<0.001). Despite fairly high sensitivity (86.6) of zero CAC among patients with a negative score (86%), zero CACS cannot rule out the existence of obstructive coronary artery disease. As we found, increased level of CACS (>400) might be a significant indicative of CAD in referring patients.

Mutation in ST6GALNAC5 identified in family with coronary artery disease.

We aimed to identify the genetic cause of coronary artery disease (CAD) in an Iranian pedigree. Genetic linkage analysis identified three loci with an LOD score of 2.2. Twelve sequence variations identified by exome sequencing were tested for segregation with disease. A p.Val99Met causing mutation in ST6GALNAC5 was considered the likely cause of CAD. ST6GALNAC5 encodes sialyltransferase 7e. The variation affects a highly conserved amino acid, was absent in 800 controls, and was predicted to damage protein function. ST6GALNAC5 is positioned within loci previously linked to CAD-associated parameters. While hypercholesterolemia was a prominent feature in the family, clinical and genetic data suggest that this condition is not caused by the mutation in ST6GALNAC5. Sequencing of ST6GALNAC5 in 160 Iranian patients revealed a candidate causative stop-loss mutation in two other patients. The p.Val99Met and stop-loss mutations both caused increased sialyltransferase activity. Sequence data from combined Iranian and US controls and CAD affected individuals provided evidence consistent with potential role of ST6GALNAC5 in CAD. We conclude that ST6GALNAC5 mutations can cause CAD. There is substantial literature suggesting a relation between sialyltransferase and sialic acid levels and coronary disease. Our findings provide strong evidence for the existence of this relation.

Right bundle branch block is not a predictor of coronary artery disease.

Right bundle branch block (RBBB) is considered as an important predictor of poor outcome in patients with acute myocardial infarction, but the prognostic implication of RBBB in patients with suspected coronary artery disease (CAD) is unclear. Furthermore, the association between RBBB and incidence of CAD also its influence on the severity of stenosis in coronary arteries has not been established. This study was designed to assess the relationship between RBBB and the presence and the severity of CAD in patients with suspected CAD. The study population consisted of 172 patients with RBBB and 174 patients with normal resting electrocardiography (ECG). Severity of CAD was defined as estimated Gensini score according to the degree, quantity and distribution of lesions in angiographic study. According to our study based on angiographic investigations, in patients with RBBB the prevalence of CAD was 77.3 percent versus 70.1 percent in patients with normal resting ECG (P=0.13). Also, there was no significant association between the presence of RBBB and magnitude of Gensini score (OR=0.87, P=0.62). However, male gender and history of diabetes mellitus were associated with higher Gensini score (OR=3.41; 95% CI: 1.96-5.93, P<0.0001 and OR=3.22; 95% CI: 1.77-5.87, P<0.0001 respectively). This study suggests that although RBBB was associated with more severity of stenosis in left coronary system (LAD&LCX), but as a whole there was no association between RBBB and the presence and severity of CAD.