Treatment and outcomes of patients with chronic lung disease and acute myocardial infarction: Insights from the nationwide AMIS plus registry.

BACKGROUND: Limited data are available on patients with chronic lung disease (CLD) presenting with acute myocardial infarction (AMI). We aimed to analyse baseline characteristics, treatment and outcome of those patients enrolled in the Swiss nationwide prospective AMIS Plus registry. METHODS: All AMI patients enrolled between January 2002 and December 2021 with data on CLD, as defined in the Charlson Comorbidity Index, were included. The primary endpoints were in-hospital mortality and major adverse cardiac and cerebrovascular events (MACCE), defined as all-cause death, reinfarction and cerebrovascular events. Baseline characteristics, in-hospital treatments and outcomes were analysed using descriptive statistics and logistic regression. RESULTS: Among 53,680 AMI patients enrolled during this time, 5.8% had CLD. Compared with patients without CLD, CLD patients presented more frequently with non-ST-elevation myocardial infarction (MI) and type 2 MI (12.8% vs. 6.5%, p < 0.001). With respect to treatment, CLD patients were less likely to receive P2Y12 inhibitors (p < 0.001) and less likely to undergo percutaneous coronary interventions (68.7% vs. 82.5%; p < 0.001). In-hospital mortality declined in AMI patients with CLD over time (from 12% in 2002 to 7.3% in 2021). Multivariable regression analysis showed that CLD was an independent predictor for MACCE (adjusted OR was 1.28 [95% CI 1.07-1.52], p = 0.006). CONCLUSION: Patients with CLD and AMI were less likely to receive evidence-based pharmacologic treatments, coronary revascularization and had a higher incidence of MACCE during their hospital stay compared to those without CLD. Over 20 years, in-hospital mortality was significantly reduced in AMI patients, especially in those with CLD.

[Role of percutaneous coronary intervention in diabetic patients]. / Rôle de la revascularisation coronarienne chez le patient diabétique avec maladie coronarienne stable.

Clinical outcomes after revascularization, both for surgery and percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI), is significantly worse in diabetic patients compared with non-diabetic patients. While in acute coronary syndrome, PCI is favored because of the increased risk of surgery performed during ongoing infarction, in stable patients assessment of clinical factors, such as coronary anatomy and comorbidities should guide decision of the revascularization modality (e.g., surgical, PCI, or conservative). Surgery should be favored in patients with multivessel coronary disease and acceptable surgical risk. Overall, the threshold for surgery compared to PCI should be lower in diabetic patients compared with non-diabetic ones.

[Transcatheter aortic valve implantations in 2011: the interventional cardiologist]. / Remplacement valvulaire aortique percutané en 2011: re point de vue du cardiologue interventionnel.

Since the first transcatheter aortic valve implantation 9 years ago, constant technological progress and simplification of the procedure have been observed. For two devices in particular (Edwards SAPIEN valve and CoreValve), considerable clinical experience has been gained, with over 17,000 implantations each. The safety and efficacy of this technique have recently been confirmed in the randomized trial Partner. Consequently, the end of 2010 saw the TAVI (Transcatheter aortic valve implantation) become the standard-of-care for selected patients deemed inoperable on the basis of age or co-morbidities and now is an acceptable alternative to surgery in selected high-risk operable patients. However, the selection of patients and the technique used (trans-arterial or trans-apical) require a multidisciplinary approach which remains essential for procedural success.

[Mechanical complications of myocardial infarction]. / Complications mécaniques de l'infarctus du myocarde.

Despite a marked reduction in mortality after myocardial infarction during the last decades thanks to heart monitoring and early reperfusion, there remains a significant rate of in-hospital mortality. This is a consequence of refractory ventricular dysfunction in most cases, or mechanical complications of myocardial infarction in the remaining cases. Mechanical complications include septal rupture with ventricular septal defect, tamponnade following rupture of the left ventricular free wall, and acute mitral regurgitation due to papillary muscle infarction and rupture. Although these complications are rare, their prognosis is very poor. An early detection of clinical signs of mechanical complications is crucial to urgently precise the diagnosis by echocardiography and subsequently plan the most appropriate medico-surgical management.

[Specificities of diabetes in acute coronary syndromes]. / Spécificités du diabète dans le syndrome coronarien aigu.

Contrary to the decline in the prevalence of several risk factors such as hypertension, hypercholesterolemia and smoking, diabetes is an expanding health burden in the western world. Because of the proatherosclerotic, proinflammatory, and prothrombotic states associated with diabetes, diabetic patients with acute coronary syndromes (ACS) are at high risk of subsequent cardiovascular events. However, they derive greater benefit from aggressive platelet inhibition and an early invasive strategy than non-diabetic individuals. Despite the documented efficacy, diabetic patients with ACS receive evidence-based treatments less frequently than non-diabetic individuals.

Diabetes and acute coronary syndrome.

Contrary to the decline in the prevalence of several risk factors such as hypertension, hypercholesterolemia and smoking, diabetes is an expanding health burden in the Western world. Because of the proatherosclerotic, proinflammatory, and prothrombotic states associated with diabetes, diabetic patients with acute coronary syndromes (ACS) are at high risk of subsequent cardiovascular events. However, they derive at the same time greater benefit from evidence-based therapy than the non-diabetic individuals. The two mainstays of acute ACS therapy for diabetic patients are an aggressive platelet inhibition and an early invasive strategy. Aspirin should be administered in all patients and prasugrel is to be considered superior to clopidogrel in this setting. While the use of glycoprotein IIb/IIIa receptor inhibitors in the diabetic ACS population has been associated with a mortality reduction, the role of these agents in the prasugrel era remains to be elucidated. Importantly, the aggressiveness of anti-thrombotic therapy should be balanced in each individual patient with the risk of bleeding. The benefit of early coronary angiography and, if needed, revascularization, in the setting of non-ST-segment elevation ACS is more pronounced in diabetic than in non-diabetic individuals. All patients, diabetics and non-diabetics, qualify for primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) as the therapy of choice for ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction. In order to reduce hemorrhagic complications related to vascular access for PCI, the radial approach should be favored. Additional important secondary preventive measures include high-dose statin therapy, ACE-Inhibition/angiotensin II receptor blockade, and adequate glucose metabolism control. Despite the documented efficacy, diabetic patients with ACS receive evidence-based treatments less frequently than non-diabetic individuals.

[Paravalvular leak following surgical valve replacement: is there a role for percutaneous paravalvular leak reduction?]. / Fuite paravalvulaire après chirurgie cardiaque: quelle place pour l'approche percutanée?

After valve replacement, significant paravalvular leaks (PVL) may develop in up to 12.5% of the cases. Signs and symptoms include congestive heart failure and/or haemolysis and therefore may require reintervention. Redo valve surgery is considered the therapy of choice for symptomatic patients, either by valve replacement or leak repair. Considering the risk of morbidity and mortality associated with a surgical reintervention and the high post-surgical recurrence of PVL, the endovascular treatment represents an attractive alternative to surgery for high risk patients. The percutaneous approach aims at PVL reduction by implantation of certain occluder devices. The procedure is technically feasible in 60 to 90% of the cases according to different series. Technical success is associated with clinical improvement in 50 to 80% of the cases.

[Acute coronary syndrome: guidelines and geriatrics specificity]. / Syndrome coronarien aigu: guidelines et spécificité gériatrique.

Acute coronary syndrome (ACS) includes unstable angina pectoris, myocardial infarction without ST elevation and myocardial infarction with ST elevation. ACS is more frequent in the elderly than in the general population and is associated with very high morbidity and mortality. As older individuals are often excluded from clinical trials, the geriatrician needs to take care of these subjects without specific guidelines. Although older subjects (or very old subjects) represent a group at high risk of complications, they would benefit most of an aggressive coronary revascularisation procedure. Given the current state of knowledge, biological age itself should not be the only limiting criteria when considering an invasive coronary procedure, but the existing quality of life and physical conditions of the individual should also be taken into account in the global management strategy.

[Carotid stenting: an alternative to surgery?]. / Stenting de la carotide: une alternative à la chirurgie?

A stenosis of the internal carotid artery may cause 10-20% of all ischemic strokes. In symptomatic patients, carotid revascularization is indicated in the presence of a stenosis 50%. in asymptomatic patients, the indication for revascularization based on randomized trials is given at > or = 60% stenosis, as long as the estimated perioperative death or stroke risk is < 3%. In clinical practice however, asymptomatic stenoses are usually treated only if luminal narrowing exceeds 70-80%. The choice of the revascularization strategy (endarterectomy versus stenting) should be based on the surgical risk profile of the patient and on the locally available expertise. Carotid artery stenting is particularly beneficial in patients at high risk for surgery.

Platelet glycoprotein IIb/IIIa inhibitors reduce mortality in diabetic patients with non-ST-segment-elevation acute coronary syndromes.

BACKGROUND: Diabetes mellitus is a major risk factor for adverse outcomes after acute coronary syndromes (ACS). Because this disease may be associated with increased platelet aggregation, we investigated whether diabetic patients with ACS derive particular benefit from platelet glycoprotein (GP) IIb/IIIa receptor inhibition. METHODS AND RESULTS: We performed a meta-analysis of the diabetic populations enrolled in the 6 large-scale platelet GP IIb/IIIa inhibitor ACS trials: PRISM, PRISM-PLUS, PARAGON A, PARAGON B, PURSUIT, and GUSTO IV. Among 6458 diabetic patients, platelet GP IIb/IIIa inhibition was associated with a significant mortality reduction at 30 days, from 6.2% to 4.6% (OR 0.74; 95% CI 0.59 to 0.92; P=0.007). Conversely, 23 072 nondiabetic patients had no survival benefit (3.0% versus 3.0%). The interaction between platelet GP IIb/IIIa inhibition and diabetic status was statistically significant (P=0.036). Among 1279 diabetic patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) during index hospitalization, the use of these agents was associated with a mortality reduction at 30 days from 4.0% to 1.2% (OR 0.30; 95% CI 0.14 to 0.69; P=0.002). CONCLUSIONS: This meta-analysis, including the entire large-scale trial experience of intravenous platelet GP IIb/IIIa inhibitors for the medical management of non-ST-segment-elevation ACS, shows that these agents may significantly reduce mortality at 30 days in diabetic patients. Although not based on a randomized assessment, the survival benefit appears to be of greater magnitude in patients undergoing PCI. Therefore, the use of platelet GP IIb/IIIa inhibitors should be strongly considered in diabetic patients with ACS.

Thyrotoxicosis and the cardiovascular system.

Thyrotoxicosis is associated with increased cardiovascular morbidity and mortality, primarily due to heart failure and thromboembolism. Palpitations, caused by sinus tachycardia and occasionally by atrial fibrillation, are the most frequent cardiovascular symptom. As atrial fibrillation may be the only manifestation of thyrotoxicosis, thyroid hormone excess should routinely be excluded in patients with this rhythm disturbance. Heart failure occurs mostly in the presence of underlying heart disease or tachycardia-induced cardiomyopathy in patients with long-standing atrial fibrillation. On occasion, long-standing hyperthyroidism may lead to heart failure even in the absence of concomitant cardiac conditions. Beta-blockers offer symptomatic relief and at the same time slow the ventricular response in patients with atrial fibrillation. Amiodarone, and occasionally iodinated contrast agents, may cause iodine-induced thyrotoxicosis. Clinical suspicion is essential in the diagnosis of amiodarone-induced thyrotoxicosis (AIT), because the antiadrenergic effect of the drug may conceal symptoms. AIT should be considered in any patient on amiodarone in the presence of new-onset or recurrent atrial arrhythmias or unexplained weight loss. Beyond discontinuation of amiodarone, treatment options include propylthiouracil or methimazole, potassium perchlorate, steroids, lithium and, if pharmacological treatment fails, surgery. Amiodarone may potentially be used less frequently in the future since recent studies have shown that this drug is inferior to implantable cardioverter defibrillators in prevention of sudden cardiac death in patients with severe heart failure. In addition, non-iodinated amiodarone analogues are currently in advanced phase of clinical testing.

Congenitally corrected transposition of the great arteries in an 80 year old woman.

Congenitally corrected transposition of the great arteries (CCTGA) is a rare form of congenital heart disease characterised by atrioventricular as well as ventriculoarterial discordance. It is usually associated with a variety of severe intracardiac defects. Few patients with this abnormality survive past 50 years. An 80 year old woman was admitted to the hospital because of mild congestive heart failure. Cardiac examination revealed a 4/6 holosystolic and a 2/6 decrescendo diastolic murmur at the left sternal border. Radiography, echocardiography, and computed tomography confirmed newly diagnosed CCTGA without associated intracardiac defects.

Time-effectiveness, observer-dependence, and accuracy of measurements of left ventricular ejection fraction using 4-channel MDCT.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the time-effectiveness, inter-observer variance, and accuracy of left ventricular ejection fraction (EF) measurements using retrospectively ECG-gated four-channel multi-detector row CT (MDCT) angiography in comparison with biplane cine-ventriculography. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Twenty consecutive patients underwent retrospectively ECG-gated MDCT angiography and conventional coronary angiography with biplane ventriculography. Raw MDCT data were reconstructed at 0 % - 90 % of the cardiac cycle in increments of 10 %. Ten geometrically identical multiplanar reformations parallel to the short axis of the heart were reconstructed in each patient. Three blinded readers segmented the left ventricle in the end-systolic and end-diastolic phase using standardized window settings in order to determine the EF. The EF was measured with biplane cine-ventriculography by two blinded readers and was compared with MDCT. The time needed for post-processing was recorded and the inter-observer agreement for both imaging techniques was assessed. RESULTS: Mean post-processing time was 63 +/- 3 min per patient for MDCT and 5.5 +/- 1.2 min for ventriculography. MDCT and ventriculography showed a good correlation (r = 0.83, p < 0.0001) for measurement of the EF. Mean errors of EF measurements for the three MDCT readers compared with the mean of the ventriculography were - 6.3 +/- 6.6 %, - 4.7 +/- 7.1 % and - 4.6 +/- 5.7 %, respectively. The mean differences between the three readers assessing MDCT were - 1.6 +/- 3.2 % (reader 1 versus 2, r = 0.96), - 1.6 +/- 5.6 % (1 versus 3, r = 0.95) and - 0.011 +/- 2.9 % (2 versus 3, r = 0.97, p < 0.0001). The mean differences between the two readers assessing ventriculography was 0.32 +/- 5.1 % (r = 0.88, p < 0.0001). CONCLUSIONS: MDCT correlates well with biplane cine-ventriculography but has the tendency to underestimate the left ventricular EF. Measurements using MDCT have a high inter-observer agreement, however, the time needed for additional MDCT data post-processing is still unacceptably long.

Percutaneous coronary intervention of the left main trunk in congenitally anomalous single coronary artery.

Anomalous origin of the coronary arteries is infrequent and a single coronary artery is seen even less frequently. Accordingly, few reports have described percutaneous coronary interventions in this anomaly. We report successful balloon angioplasty and stenting of a left main trunk originating from the right coronary artery.

Adventitial hematoma triggering coronary spasm during percutaneous coronary intervention.

During percutaneous coronary intervention of the left anterior descending coronary artery, a lumen narrowing was observed proximal to the stent just deployed. Intravascular ultrasound showed a hematoma localized outside the trilaminar wall structure in absence of a dissection flap or evidence of compression of the lumen. The luminal narrowing resolved after intracoronary administration of vasodilators. This finding is compatible with a coronary spasm triggered by an adventitial hematoma following stent deployment.

Self-expanding stents for carotid interventions: comparison of nitinol versus stainless-steel stents.

BACKGROUND: Angioplasty and stenting are becoming increasingly accepted techniques for the treatment of carotid stenosis. However, the optimal stent for carotid intervention is not known. METHODS: We compared the short- and intermediate-term results of carotid stenting using either nitinol or stainless-steel self-expanding stents in 178 high surgical risk patients undergoing carotid stenting at our institution. Of these 178 patients, eighty-nine received stainless-steel stents and 89 received nitinol stents. The groups were similar with respect to age, gender, diabetes, hypertension, left ventricular function, and symptom status. There were more patients with contralateral carotid occlusion in the nitinol stent group. Independent neurological evaluation was performed in all patients pre- and post-carotid stenting. RESULTS: At 6 months, there was a similar incidence of stroke (3.3% versus 2.2%) in the stainless-steel group and nitinol stent group, respectively. There was higher 6-month mortality noted in the stainless-steel stent group, but there were no neurological deaths in either group. CONCLUSIONS: In a single-center patient cohort with similar baseline characteristics, patients receiving nitinol stents and stainless-steel stents had similar neurological outcomes.

Dual antiplatelet therapy with clopidogrel and aspirin after carotid artery stenting.

BACKGROUND: Carotid artery stenting is being used as an alternative to carotid endarterectomy, both within the context of clinical trials and in non-surgical candidates. Though stenting is known to activate platelets, the role of antithrombotic therapy in carotid stenting has not been fully characterized. METHODS AND RESULTS: Consecutive patients (n = 162) were followed in a single-center carotid stent registry. The cumulative rate of 30-day death, stroke, transient ischemic attack and myocardial infarction in those patients receiving a thienopyridine was determined, as were rates of stent thrombosis and intracranial hemorrhage. The mean age of the patients was 70.3 years and there was an extremely high prevalence of cardiovascular comorbidities, including 40% with unstable angina. The carotid lesion was symptomatic in 59% of patients. The average pre-treatment stenosis was 83%. The cumulative 30-day rate of death, stroke, transient ischemic attack and myocardial infarction was 5.6%. Specifically, in the patients who received ticlopidine (n = 23), the rate was 13%, versus 4.3% in the patients who received clopidogrel (n = 139) (p = 0.01). In this series, there were no cases of stent thrombosis and 1 intracranial hemorrhage. CONCLUSION: Dual antiplatelet therapy with clopidogrel plus aspirin in patients receiving carotid artery stents is associated with a low rate of ischemic events. Furthermore, clopidogrel appears superior to ticlopidine. Thus, our findings lend support to the dual antiplatelet strategy of clopidogrel plus aspirin for patients undergoing carotid artery stenting.

Percutaneous intervention for symptomatic vertebral artery stenosis using coronary stents.

BACKGROUND: There is very limited experience with percutaneous treatment of symptomatic vertebral artery disease. Angioplasty and stenting for vertebral artery stenosis are still evolving and have generally been performed for asymptomatic disease. We performed vertebral artery stenting in 12 patients with vertebrobasilar transient ischemic attacks and present our short- and intermediate-term results. METHODS: A total of 12 lesions affecting the vertebral artery were treated by coronary stent placement. The mean age was 72 +/- 8 years and 83% were males (10 males, 2 females). Baseline characteristics included hypertension (11/12); hypercholesterolemia (8/12); coronary artery disease (8/12); and diabetes (5/12). Mean lesion length was 8.6 +/- 2.7 mm, mean calipered stenosis was 78 +/- 8%, and mean arterial diameter was 4.1 +/- 0.3 mm. All patients were symptomatic, fulfilling our criteria for vertebral artery angioplasty. All patients were followed for at least 6 months after treatment. RESULTS: All 12 lesions were successfully stented, with a mean residual stenosis of 11 +/- 6%. Clinical follow-up showed resolution or improvement of symptoms in all patients. One patient had symptomatic restenosis seven months after the initial procedure requiring repeat angioplasty. CONCLUSIONS: Stent placement for symptomatic stenosis involving the vertebral artery is safe and effective for alleviating symptoms of vertebrobasilar ischemia. Coronary stents appear to be well suited to treat atherosclerotic lesions of the vertebral artery.

[Approach methods to the central venous system]. / Modalità di aggressione del sistema venoso centrale (S.V.C.).

Personal experience in the aggression of the CNS for various purposes is considered. It is thought that the internal trans-jugular route is the easiest approach and procedures the fewest complications with appropriate techniques.

History of carotid artery stenting.

The history of carotid artery stenting (CAS) was made by brave men and women who believed in a less invasive treatment modality than carotid endarterectomy (CEA) to treat carotid stenosis despite the risk--which was obviously present also with surgery--to cause a stroke, the very event that the procedure aimed to prevent. The bulky equipment, the lack of knowledge about the appropriate antithrombotic regimen, and the impossibility at early stage to influence distal embolization added to the pressure on the investigators. At times, the confrontation with the surgical community has been hard. The technique evolved with the inputs of multiple disciplines on both sides of the Atlantic including radiology, cardiology, neuroradiology and vascular surgery. Major breakthrough included the use of dual antiplatelet therapy, of self-expanding stents and of emboli protection devices. Unfortunately, randomized investigations against surgery started too early, in a phase in which the cas technique was not yet mature and the investigators lacked the necessary experience in terms of catheter skills and appropriate patient selection.