Could We Predict POAF With a Simple Ambulatory Oscillometry Evaluating Aortic Stiffness?

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the relationship between aortic stiffness and postoperative atrial fibrillation (POAF) in patients undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG). METHODS: This study included 110 patients undergoing elective isolated CABG. Aortic stiffness was measured using a noninvasive oscillometric sphygmomanometer before surgery. Characteristics of patients with and without POAF were compared. RESULTS: POAF developed in 32 (29.1%) patients. Patients with POAF were older (63.7±8.6 vs. 58.3±8.4; P=0.014). Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) was more common in patients with POAF (11.5% vs. 37.5%; P=0.024), whereas the frequency of hypertension, diabetes mellitus, smoking, and previous coronary artery disease did not differ. C-reactive protein and cholesterol levels were similar between patients with and without POAF. Left atrial diameter was greater in patients with POAF (35.9±1.6 vs. 36.7±1.7; P<0.039). Peripheral (p) and central (c) systolic and diastolic blood pressures were also similar between the groups, whereas both p and c pulse pressures (PP) were greater in patients with POAF (pPP: 44.3±11.9 vs. 50.3±11.6; P=0.018, cPP: 31.4±8.1 vs. 36.2±8.9; P=0.008). Pulse wave velocity (PWV) was significantly higher in POAF (8.6+1.3 vs. 9.4+1.3; P=0.006). PWV, pPR and COPD were independent predictors of POAF in multivariate regression analysis. In receiver operating characteristic analysis, PWV and pPP have similar accuracy for predicting POAF (PWV, area under the curve [AUC]: 0.661, 95% confidence interval [CI] [0.547-0.775], P=0.009) (pPP, AUC: 0.656, 95% CI [0.542-0.769], P=0.012). CONCLUSION: COPD, PWV, and PP are predictors of POAF. PP and PWV, easily measured in office conditions, might be useful for detecting patients with a higher risk of POAF.

Could We Predict POAF With a Simple Ambulatory Oscillometry Evaluating Aortic Stiffness?

ABSTRACT Objective: To investigate the relationship between aortic stiffness and postoperative atrial fibrillation (POAF) in patients undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG). Methods: This study included 110 patients undergoing elective isolated CABG. Aortic stiffness was measured using a noninvasive oscillometric sphygmomanometer before surgery. Characteristics of patients with and without POAF were compared. Results: POAF developed in 32 (29.1%) patients. Patients with POAF were older (63.7±8.6 vs. 58.3±8.4; P=0.014). Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) was more common in patients with POAF (11.5% vs. 37.5%; P=0.024), whereas the frequency of hypertension, diabetes mellitus, smoking, and previous coronary artery disease did not differ. C-reactive protein and cholesterol levels were similar between patients with and without POAF. Left atrial diameter was greater in patients with POAF (35.9±1.6 vs. 36.7±1.7; P<0.039). Peripheral (p) and central (c) systolic and diastolic blood pressures were also similar between the groups, whereas both p and c pulse pressures (PP) were greater in patients with POAF (pPP: 44.3±11.9 vs. 50.3±11.6; P=0.018, cPP: 31.4±8.1 vs. 36.2±8.9; P=0.008). Pulse wave velocity (PWV) was significantly higher in POAF (8.6+1.3 vs. 9.4+1.3; P=0.006). PWV, pPR and COPD were independent predictors of POAF in multivariate regression analysis. In receiver operating characteristic analysis, PWV and pPP have similar accuracy for predicting POAF (PWV, area under the curve [AUC]: 0.661, 95% confidence interval [CI] [0.547-0.775], P=0.009) (pPP, AUC: 0.656, 95% CI [0.542-0.769], P=0.012). Conclusion: COPD, PWV, and PP are predictors of POAF. PP and PWV, easily measured in office conditions, might be useful for detecting patients with a higher risk of POAF.

Off-Hour Primary Percutaneous Coronary Angioplasty Does Not Affect Contrast-Induced Nephropathy in Patients With ST-Segment Elevation Myocardial Infarction.

We evaluated whether primary percutaneous coronary intervention (pPCI) during off-hours is related to an increased incidence of contrast-induced nephropathy (CIN). We retrospectively analyzed the incidence of CIN mortality among 2552 patients with consecutive ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction treated with pPCI during regular hours (weekdays 8:00 am to 5:00 pm) and off-hours (weekdays 5:01 pm to 7:59 am, weekends and holidays). Patients in the off-hour group were more frequently admitted with acute heart failure symptoms (16.4% vs 7.8%, P < .001) and more contrast was injected during the procedure (235.2 ± 82.3 vs 248.9 ± 87.1 mL, P = .002). The frequency of CIN between on-hour and off-hour groups was similar (7.1% vs 6.2%, P = .453), but there was a trend toward higher in-hospital mortality when pPCI was performed during off-hours (1.9% vs 0.7%, P = .081). Off-hour pPCI was not associated with an increased risk of CIN (odds ratio: 1.051, P = .833). The incidence of CIN did not increase during off-hours, and off-hour pPCI is not a risk factor for CIN, despite an apparent increase in contrast media use during off-hour pPCI.

Giant calcific pericardial cyst: certainly unexpected during primary percutaneous coronary intervention.

Pericardial cyst is a rare congenital anomaly that is usually diagnosed during evaluation for right-sided heart failure. We report a 50-year-old man with a primary diagnosis of ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction at admission, whose emergent angiography revealed a calcific mass close to right coronary artery. Further analysis of the mass with computed tomography and three-dimensional echocardiography revealed a giant pericardial cyst causing partial obstruction of superior vena cava. Unlike previous cases reported, the patient had no symptoms compatible with right-sided heart failure.