Randomized trial of contrast media utilization in high-risk PTCA: the COURT trial.

BACKGROUND: Previous in vitro and in vivo studies have suggested an association between thrombus-related events and type of contrast media. Low osmolar contrast agents appear to improve the safety of diagnostic and coronary artery interventional procedures. However, no data are available on PTCA outcomes with an isosmolar contrast agent. METHODS AND RESULTS: A multicenter prospective randomized double-blind trial was performed in 856 high-risk patients undergoing coronary artery intervention. The objective was to compare the isosmolar nonionic dimer iodixanol (n=405) with the low osmolar ionic agent ioxaglate (n=410). A composite variable of in-hospital major adverse clinical events (MACE) was the primary end point. A secondary objective was to evaluate major angiographic and procedural events during and after PTCA. The composite in-hospital primary end point was less frequent in those receiving iodixanol compared with those receiving ioxaglate (5.4% versus 9.5%, respectively; P=0.027). Core laboratory defined angiographic success was more frequent in patients receiving iodixanol (92.2% versus 85. 9% for ioxaglate, P=0.004). There was a trend toward lower total clinical events at 30 days in patients randomized to iodixanol (9.1% versus 13.2% for ioxaglate, P=0.07). Multivariate predictors of in-hospital MACE were use of ioxaglate (P=0.01) and treatment of a de novo lesion (P=0.03). CONCLUSIONS: In this contemporary prospective multicenter trial of PTCA in the setting of acute coronary syndromes, there was a low incidence of in-hospital clinical events for both treatment groups. The cohort receiving the nonionic dimer iodixanol experienced a 45% reduction in in-hospital MACE when compared with the cohort receiving ioxaglate.

Changes in QTc interval induced with Renografin-76 and Hypaque-76 during coronary arteriography.

Renografin-76 and Hypaque-76 are both recommended for coronary arteriography. Both have the same osmolality and iodine concentration, but differ in their calcium binding properties. After selective right or left coronary arteriography in patients, Renografin-76 caused significantly more prolongation of the QTc interval than did Hypaque-76. Less calcium binding in the Hypaque formulation is probably responsible for its lesser effect on the QTc interval. This study suggests, but does not prove, that Hypaque-76 is safer than Renografin-76 for coronary arteriography.

Matching of myocardial oxygen consumption to mechanical load in human left ventricular hypertrophy and dysfunction.

The coupling of myocardial oxygen consumption (MVO2) with its determinants in left ventricular hypertrophy in human beings is poorly understood. Therefore, thermodilution-derived coronary blood flow, MVO2 and left ventricular wall stress, obtained from simultaneous left ventricular M-mode echogram and pressure, were compared in 32 patients with various degrees of left ventricular hypertrophy. Patients were studied at rest and after mechanical load alteration with nitroglycerin or phenylephrine. Decreases in MVO2 (-5.7 +/- 0.8 ml/min; p less than 0.001) and the time integral of meridional ejection stress or shortening load (-1,297 +/- 152 X 10(3) dynes X s/cm2; p less than 0.001) were observed after nitroglycerin administration while increases in MVO2 (+5.5 +/- 0.7 ml/min; p less than 0.001) and shortening load (+1,412 +/- 137 X 10(3) dynes X s/cm2; p less than 0.001) were noted after phenylephrine. An index relating the change in MVO2 to the corresponding change in shortening load (SL), % delta MVO2/% delta SL, was significantly different in patients without (Group 1) and with (Group 2) clinical left ventricular failure. Left ventricular mass was similar in both groups. The mean % delta MVO2/% delta SL with phenylephrine in Group 1 (79.6 +/- 9.6) was greater than the index for Group 2 (35.5 +/- 6.1; p less than 0.005). With nitroglycerin, Group 2 patients exhibited a greater reduction in % delta MVO2/% delta SL (110.5 +/- 17.8) than Group 1 (54.0 +/- 9.4; p less than 0.01). In conclusion, in patients with left ventricular hypertrophy and dysfunction there appears to be a state of diminished coronary flow response to load augmentation. However, load reduction in patients with clinical left ventricular failure results in a more balanced relation between oxygen uptake and ejection stress.

Hemodynamic changes induced by cardiac angiography with ioxaglate: comparison with diatrizoate.

The hemodynamic and electrocardiographic changes induced by left ventriculography and coronary arteriography with ioxaglate (a new low osmolality angiographic contrast agent) were characterized and compared with the changes induced by a commercial formulation of the commonly used angiographic contrast agent, diatrizoate (Renografin-76). Left ventriculography and coronary arteriography were performed in 25 patients utilizing ioxaglate and in another 25 patients utilizing diatrizoate. Both agents increased left ventricular end-diastolic pressure and decreased arteriovenous oxygen difference after left ventriculography, but the magnitude of the increase caused by ioxaglate was significantly less than that caused by diatrizoate (changes in left ventricular end-diastolic pressure was 5.3 +/- 1.3 mm Hg with ioxaglate and 9.5 +/- 1.5 mm Hg with diatrizoate [p less than 0.02] ). Change in arteriovenous oxygen difference was -0.33 +/- 0.19 ml/100 ml with ioxaglate and -0.85 +/- 0.13 ml/100 ml with diatrizoate (p less than 0.05). Both agents were well tolerated when used for coronary arteriography with no adverse events occurring in either group. Ioxaglate is a well tolerated cardiac angiographic contrast agent that produces less hemodynamic disturbance than diatrizoate. Accordingly, it may be particularly well suited to use in patients with impaired left ventricular function.

Effect of atrial pacing on intracoronary thromboxane production in coronary artery disease.

The effect of atrial pacing on intracoronary thromboxane production was investigated in 35 patients with stable (n = 19) or unstable (n = 16) angina. Arterial and coronary sinus thromboxane B2, the stable metabolite of thromboxane A2, myocardial lactate extraction and thermodilution coronary sinus flow were measured before, during and immediately after atrial pacing until the onset of angina. Pacing did not significantly increase coronary sinus thromboxane B2 (rest, 233 +/- 107 pg/ml; pacing, 249 +/- 154 pg/ml; postpacing, 330 +/- 309 pg/ml) (mean +/- standard deviation) despite a moderate increase in arterial thromboxane B2 (rest, 270 +/- 170 pg/ml; pacing, 387 +/- 364 pg/ml; postpacing, 446 +/- 420 pg/ml) (all changes probability [p] less than 0.05). A positive transmyocardial thromboxane B2 gradient, suggesting intracoronary thromboxane A2 production, occurred in only five patients at rest (gradient = 60 +/- 35 pg/ml). During pacing, a transmyocardial thromboxane B2 gradient was not observed despite myocardial lactate production in 18 patients. A postpacing gradient was observed in eight patients (gradient = 284 +/- 349 pg/ml). These gradients were significantly more frequent in patients who produced lactate during pacing (7 of 18) than in patients without lactate production (1 of 17) (p less than 0.05). In patients with and without a postpacing gradient, coronary vascular resistance decreased with pacing and returned to rest levels immediately after pacing, suggesting that a postpacing thromboxane gradient does not significantly alter coronary tone. These data suggest that: 1) pacing-induced angina is usually not associated with substantial intracoronary thromboxane A2 production; 2) in a minority of patients who develop intracoronary thromboxane A2 production, the amount is small and does not produce significant coronary vasoconstriction.

Effect of high dose aspirin on coronary hemodynamics during pacing-induced myocardial ischemia.

The effects of aspirin on coronary hemodynamics and transcardiac concentrations of thromboxane B2 (the stable metabolite of thromboxane A2) were determined at rest and during pacing-induced myocardial ischemia in 11 patients with coronary disease. Control coronary sinus pacing increased both arterial thromboxane B2 (331 +/- 70 to 623 +/- 132 pg/ml, p less than 0.02) and coronary sinus thromboxane B2 (184 +/- 3 to 403 +/- 156 pg/ml, p less than 0.05), but positive transmyocardial gradients developed in only three patients. After 650 mg of oral aspirin, more than 90% inhibition of in vitro thromboxane B2 production was demonstrated and circulating thromboxane B2 was undetectable at rest and during pacing in all patients. Despite these changes in thromboxane B2 concentrations, coronary blood flow was unchanged by aspirin at rest (107 +/- 14 versus 112 +/- 13 ml/min, p = NS) and during pacing (189 +/- 29 versus 181 +/- 25 ml/min, p = NS). Myocardial lactate extraction was also unchanged at rest (24 +/- 7 versus 19 +/- 5%, p = NS) and during pacing (5 +/- 6 versus 9 +/- 5%, p = NS). No change occurred in the anginal threshold. Thus, aspirin does not have the vasoconstrictive properties that have been reported with another cyclo-oxygenase inhibitor, indomethacin. These findings also suggest that thromboxane A2 production does not play a major role in the pathogenesis of stress-induced ischemia. Nonetheless, intracoronary thromboxane A2 production in some patients may potentiate platelet activation and coronary thrombosis. Such patients may benefit from long-term aspirin therapy and can be treated with aspirin without risk of adverse coronary hemodynamic effects.

Myocardial energetics and clinical response to the cardiotonic agent MDL 17043 in advanced heart failure.

Cardiotonic agents may prove useful in the long-term treatment of chronic heart failure provided myocardial efficiency is enhanced and clinical status is improved. Accordingly, the short-term hemodynamic and clinical response to the phosphodiesterase inhibitor, MDL 17043, was evaluated. Intravenous increments of 0.05 mg/kg (maximal total 3 mg/kg) were given to a peak cardiac output response in 13 patients with New York Heart Association functional class IV heart failure secondary to ischemic or myopathic disease. Significant (p less than 0.05) responses at peak effect (1.7 mg/kg) included an increase in cardiac output (3.5 to 4.6 liters/min) and heart rate (86 to 90 beats/min) and a decrease in pulmonary capillary wedge (25 to 17 mm Hg), mean arterial (85 to 78 mm Hg) and right atrial (10 to 7 mm Hg) pressures. Coronary sinus flow (measured in nine patients) increased (122 to 144 ml/min, p less than 0.01) as did myocardial oxygen uptake (14.1 to 15.1 ml/min, p less than 0.01), whereas myocardial extraction of oxygen (78 to 72%, p less than 0.01) and lactate (24 to 9%, p less than 0.01) decreased with three patients producing lactate at the time of their peak cardiac output response. Nine of the 12 patients given long-term oral therapy improved at least one functional class at 2 weeks. This improvement was sustained at 20 weeks in five patients. Thus, MDL 17043 acutely improves the function of the failing heart. However, the decrease in oxygen extraction occurring with increased myocardial oxygen uptake suggests that intracoronary shunting may occur along with an increase in oxygen demand and contribute to myocardial anaerobiosis in some patients.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Restenosis after coronary angioplasty: a multivariate statistical model to relate lesion and procedure variables to restenosis. The M-HEART Investigators.

The Multi-Hospital Eastern Atlantic Restenosis Trial group obtained follow-up angiography in 510 patients with 598 successfully dilated coronary lesions who were enrolled in a controlled trial of the effects of a single dose of 1 g of methylprednisolone on restenosis after coronary angioplasty. The overall restenosis rate was 39.6%. The strongest univariate relations to the restenosis rate were found for lesion location (saphenous vein graft, 68%; left anterior descending artery, 45%; left circumflex artery and right coronary artery, 32%; p = 0.002); lesion length (less than or equal to 4.6 mm, 33%; greater than 4.6 mm, 45%; p = 0.001); percent stenosis before angioplasty (less than or equal to 73%, 25%; greater than 73%, 43%; p = 0.005), percent stenosis after angioplasty (less than or equal to 21%, 33%; greater than 21%, 46%; p = 0.017) and arterial diameter (less than 2.9 mm, 44%; greater than or equal to 2.9 mm, 34%; p = 0.036). Two multivariate models to predict restenosis probability were developed with use of stepwise logistic regression. The preprocedural model, which included only variables whose values were known before angioplasty, entered lesion length, vein graft location, left anterior descending artery location, percent stenosis before angioplasty, eccentric lesion and arterial diameter. The postprocedural model, which also included variables whose values were known after angioplasty was performed, was similar to the preangioplasty model except that it also entered postangioplasty percent stenosis and "optimal" balloon sizing but did not enter eccentric lesion. These data indicate that the probability of restenosis after angioplasty is determined predominantly by the characteristics of the lesion being dilated. They are consistent with the known intimal proliferative mechanism of restenosis, offer a means of identifying lesions at unusually high or low risk of restenosis, and of predicting the likelihood that a particular lesion will restenose after angioplasty and provide a rationale for stratification by restenosis probability in the design of future studies of restenosis.

Clinical and angiographic determinants of primary coronary angioplasty success. M-HEART Investigators.

Clinical and anatomic determinants of the initial success of percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty were prospectively evaluated in 826 patients enrolled in the Multi-Hospital Eastern Atlantic Restenosis Trial (M-HEART). The 639 men and 187 women ranged in age from 31 to 85 years. Successful angioplasty (residual stenosis less than 50% and no major complications) was achieved in 886 (88.6%) of 1,000 lesions. Success rates were uniform among the eight individual centers. Outcome was not influenced by gender, age or other clinical features, including severity and duration of angina, prior myocardial infarction, rest pain, transient ST segment elevation, history of smoking or diabetes. In contrast, procedural outcome was significantly associated with lesion-specific angiographic factors. Stenoses 60% to 74%, 75% to 89%, 90% to 99% and 100% were associated with success rates of 96%, 90%, 84% and 69%, respectively (p less than 0.001). Angioplasty was less successful in calcified than in noncalcified lesions (82% versus 90%, p less than 0.01), in thrombotic than in nonthrombotic lesions (82% versus 90%, p less than 0.05) and in lesions in the right coronary artery than in other vessels (84% versus 90%, p less than 0.01). Outcome was not related to other anatomic variables, including lesion location (proximal versus distal), vessel size, eccentricity, stenosis length or translesional gradient. By multivariate logistic regression, preangioplasty percent stenosis, right coronary artery location and lesion calcification were demonstrated to be significant independent predictors of angioplasty success. Alternative clinical and angiographic variables did not contribute to this regression model.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

American College of Cardiology/European Society of Cardiology International Study of Angiographic Data Compression Phase I: The effect of lossy data compression on recognition of diagnostic features in digital coronary angiography.

OBJECTIVES: This study intended to determine the effect of varying degrees of lossy Joint Photographic Experts Group (JPEG) compression on detection of coronary angiographic features. BACKGROUND: Compression of digital coronary angiograms facilitates playback of images and decreases cost. There are little data on the effect of compression on the accuracy of coronary angiography. METHODS: At six centers, 71 angiographers each reviewed a set of 100 angiographic sequences. The 100 sequences were divided into four, 25-sequence subsets. Each subset of 25 was displayed either as original images or at one of three compression ratios (CRs) (6:1, 10:1 or 16:1). The effect of lossy compression on the sensitivity and specificity for detection of diagnostic features was determined. The effect of compression on subjective measures of image quality graded by the angiographers was also examined. RESULTS: Lossy compression at a ratio of 16:1 decreased the sensitivity for the detection of diagnostic features (76% vs. 80% p = 0.004). The largest effect was in the detection of calcification (52% vs. 63% at 16:1 compression vs. original images, p < 0.001). Subjective indicators of image quality indicated a reduction in confidence in interpretation at CRs of 10:1 and 16:1. CONCLUSIONS: With increased ratios of lossy compression, a degradation of digital coronary angiograms occurs that results in decreased diagnostic accuracy. The sensitivity for detection of common diagnostic features was decreased, and subjective assessment of image quality was impaired. Caution is warranted in the interpretation of coronary angiograms that have been subjected to lossy JPEG compression beyond a ratio of 6:1.

Three-year clinical follow-up after Palmaz-Schatz stenting.

OBJECTIVES: Our goals were to examine late clinical outcome in a cohort of patients who electively received Palmaz-Schatz intracoronary stents, to identify specific predictors of outcome and to determine the time course of the development of ischemic cardiac events after stenting. BACKGROUND: Short-term results of Palmaz-Schatz intracoronary stenting have been promising, with a reduction in both angiographic restenosis and clinical cardiac events up to 1 year after stenting. METHODS: We analyzed the clinical outcomes in 65 consecutive patients who underwent stenting at least 3 years before analysis. Demographic, clinical and procedural predictors of survival and event-free survival, defined as freedom from myocardial infarction, stent-site percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty, coronary artery bypass graft surgery or death, were analyzed at a mean follow-up of 39 +/- 17 months. RESULTS: Absolute survival and event-free survival at 3 years were 88% and 56%, respectively. Three-year freedom from stent-site revascularization was 66%. Predictors of decreased long-term survival (p < 0.05) included diabetes and a high angina score (Canadian Cardiovascular Society class III/IV) at 6 and 12 months after stenting. Predictors of decreased event-free survival (p < 0.05) included a high angina score at 3, 6 and 12 months after stenting, smaller stent deployment balloon size and greater number of stents implanted. Freedom from adverse events by 6 months after stenting also correlated with long-term event-free survival. Eighty-five percent of stent-site revascularizations occurred within 1 year. During late follow-up (>24 months), no patients had stent-site stenoses requiring revascularization, whereas 11% of patients required revascularization in nonstented coronary segments. CONCLUSIONS: Clinical predictors of worse long-term outcome included diabetes mellitus, higher angina score at follow-up, smaller stent deployment balloon size and greater number of stents at implantation. During follow-up, the majority of adverse events and stent-site revascularizations occurred early after stenting, and disease progression in nonstented vessels accounted for the majority of late revascularization events.

Fate of lesion-related side branches after coronary artery stenting.

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to assess the immediate and long-term patency of lesion-associated side branches after coronary artery stenting. BACKGROUND: The possible adverse effects related to implantation of coronary stents are not completely known. An important potential complication of stenting is side branch occlusion due to mechanical obstruction or thrombosis. METHODS: Serial coronary angiography was performed in 153 patients (167 lesions) at baseline, after conventional balloon angioplasty, immediately after Palmaz-Schatz stent placement and at 6 months. The patency of side branches, where present, was analyzed at each of these points. RESULTS: Of 167 lesions stented, 57 stent placements spanned 66 side branches with a diameter > or = 1 mm. Twenty-seven (41%) of these side branches had > or = 50% ostial stenosis before standard balloon angioplasty. Six side branches became occluded after standard balloon angioplasty and remained occluded after stenting. Of the 60 side branches patent after conventional angioplasty, 57 (95%) remained patent immediately after stenting. All three side branches that became occluded after stenting had > or = 50% ostial stenosis at baseline. All 60 side branches, including the 3 initially occluded after stenting, were patent at 6-month follow-up. CONCLUSIONS: These findings demonstrate that 1) acute side branch occlusion due to coronary stenting occurs infrequently; 2) when side branch occlusion occurs, it is associated with intrinsic ostial disease; and 3) the patency of side branch ostia is well maintained at long-term follow-up.

Effect of intracoronary stenting on intimal dissection after balloon angioplasty: results of quantitative and qualitative coronary analysis.

The effect of the Palmaz-Schatz stent on the angiographic appearance and residual luminal stenosis in patients with intimal dissection after balloon angioplasty was evaluated in 84 consecutive patients (90 lesions). Coronary angiography was performed before angioplasty, after conventional angioplasty and after stent implantation. The degree of intimal disruption was assessed as follows: grade 0, no dissection; grade 1, simple dissection (intraluminal linear defect or extraluminal cap extravasation); or grade 2, complex dissection (nonlinear spiral defect or luminal defect with multiple irregular borders). Quantitative coronary analysis of digitized cineangiograms was performed with use of a computerized automatic edge detection algorithm. After balloon angioplasty, 31 (34%) of 90 lesions demonstrated intimal dissection (18 simple, 13 complex). After stent implantation, intimal dissection improved by greater than or equal to 1 grade in 29 (94%) of the 31 lesions with 27 (87%) reduced to grade 0 (that is, no dissection). Dissection grade improved after stenting in 16 (89%) of 18 simple dissections and in all 13 complex dissections. Mean diameter stenosis was 77 +/- 17% before angioplasty, 47 +/- 17% after angioplasty and 14 +/- 10% after stenting (before angioplasty vs. after angioplasty and after angioplasty vs. after stenting, p less than 0.0001). In conclusion, intracoronary stenting is effective in reducing the residual luminal stenosis and in improving the angiographic appearance of intimal dissections after conventional balloon angioplasty.

Long-term angiographic and clinical outcome after implantation of a balloon-expandable stent in the native coronary circulation. Palmaz-Schatz Stent Study Group.

OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to examine the long-term clinical and angiographic outcome after coronary stent implantation. BACKGROUND: Previous reports have shown a discordance between the excellent initial angiographic results and subsequent adverse clinical events after coronary artery stenting. METHODS: Single Palmaz-Schatz stents were electively implanted in the native coronary arteries of 300 consecutive patients. Angiograms were obtained at baseline, after balloon angioplasty, after stent implantation and at 6 months after implantation. Films were analyzed by a panel of angiographers utilizing an automated edge detection program. Clinical events, including death, myocardial infarction, coronary bypass surgery and repeat angioplasty, were recorded for 1 year. RESULTS: Although there were no acute in laboratory vessel closures, stent thrombosis occurred in 14 patients (4.7%) at a mean +/- SD of 5 +/- 3 days after implantation. Two hundred fifty-eight (90%) of 286 eligible patients had follow-up angiography at 6.1 +/- 2.2 months after stent implantation. Minimal lumen diameter increased from 0.80 +/- 0.39 mm at baseline to 1.65 +/- 0.51 mm after angioplasty and further increased to 2.55 +/- 0.49 mm after stent placement (p = 0.0001). At follow-up there was a 0.85-mm late loss in lumen diameter, with a final minimal lumen diameter at 6 months of 1.70 +/- 0.71 mm. Restenosis, defined as > or = 50% diameter stenosis at follow-up, occurred in 14% of patients with previously untreated lesions and in 39% of patients with previous angioplasty (p < 0.001). Clinical events after 1 year for the entire group of 300 patients included death in 0.7%, myocardial infarction in 3.7%, bypass grafting in 8% and repeat angioplasty in 13%. Freedom from any adverse clinical event was 80% for all treated patients and 87% for those with previously untreated lesions. CONCLUSIONS: Elective use of this balloon-expandable stent in the native coronary circulation is associated with a low restenosis rate by quantitative angiography in previously untreated lesions and a favorable clinical outcome with an excellent event-free survival rate at 1 year.

Cardiovascular effects of iodinated contrast agents.

The ideal intravascular contrast agent would be biologically inert and have no pharmacologic actions. Pharmacologic actions of currently used radiographic contrast agents are determined principally by 3 physicochemical properties of the iodine-bearing molecule and its formulation: osmolality, sodium concentration and calcium-binding properties. Within this framework, the calcium-binding 1.5 ratio agents have the most marked effects, and the 3.0 ratio nonionic agents the least, with the noncalcium-binding formulations of 1.5 ratio agents and ioxaglate (the only 3.0 ratio ionic agent) in between. Differences in hemodynamic effects are predominantly related to osmolality with the 3.0 agents causing less hemodynamic disturbance. The magnitude of difference is small enough that the 3.0 ratio agents have no important clinical advantage when used in patients with good or moderately impaired left ventricular function. However, the difference may be important in patients with severely impaired circulatory performance. The principal electrophysiologic differences are between the calcium-binding 1.5 ratio agents (which are associated with a clear-cut greater frequency of ventricular fibrillation during coronary injection than the noncalcium-binding 1.5 ratio agents) and the 3.0 ratio agents. There is no justification for the use of calcium-binding 1.5 ratio agents, since noncalcium-binding formulations of the same molecule are available at the same price. The circulatory reserve of most patients makes the differences between 3.0 ratio agents and noncalcium-binding 1.5 ratio agents clinically unimportant. In view of the substantial price disparity between 1.5 ratio and 3.0 ratio agents, noncalcium-binding 1.5 ratio agents are appropriate for patients with good circulatory performance and 3.0 ratio agents are best reserved for patients with impaired circulatory performance.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Safety of cardiac angiography with conventional ionic contrast agents. The Philadelphia Area Contrast Agent Study.

To characterize the frequency of adverse reactions to conventional ionic contrast agents, data describing the frequency of such reactions were gathered from 4,630 diagnostic cardiac angiographic procedures. The patient population had a large prevalence of severe or unstable cardiac disease (56% had New York Heart Association class III, IV or V, 12.6% had left ventricular end-diastolic pressure greater than 25 mm Hg and 34% had 3-vessel or left main coronary artery disease). The overall minor adverse reaction rate was 14.2%. Major adverse reactions (requiring treatment) occurred in 61 (1.3%) of procedures. All adverse reactions were managed successfully and there were no deaths. Adverse reactions were more frequent in patients with higher New York Heart Association classes and with elevated left ventricular end-diastolic pressure. The adverse reaction rate was not increased in patients with more extensive coronary artery disease, reduced left ventricular ejection fraction or reduced cardiac index. The overall adverse reaction rate was probably influenced by physician behavior. Smaller volumes of contrast agent were administered to patients with more severe cardiac disease. Six percent of procedures were abbreviated either because of an adverse reaction or of concern that a reaction might occur if the procedure were continued. As a result, the diagnostic data obtained were judged to be inadequate in 0.8% of procedures. These data demonstrate that appropriate operator caution within the highly monitored environment of the cardiac catheterization laboratory allows cardiac angiography to be performed safely with conventional ionic contrast agents in most patients.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Sources of subjective variability in the assessment of left ventricular regional wall motion from contrast ventriculograms.

Intraobserver and interobserver variability in the subjective interpretation of angiographic regional wall motion was quantitated in 135 contrast left ventriculograms showing a wide range of normal and abnormal cardiac function, and the effects of rating-scale complexity and myocardial regional differences were examined. Three experienced observers separately graded endocardial motion on a 6-point scale (0 = normal to 5 = dyskinesia) in each of 5 regions. Scores were also tabulated on a 3-point scale and as normal or abnormal. Average intraobserver agreement (2 evaluations per observer) was 68% using the 6-point scale, 86% using the 3-point scale and 90% for normal/abnormal. Interobserver agreement (3 observers) was 47% for exact agreement using the 6-point scale, 75% using the 3-point scale and 80% for normal/abnormal. Interobserver agreement was 84% within a range of 1 wall motion grade on the 6-point scale. Subjectively normal wall motion was most frequent in the 2 basal segments and least frequent in the apical and anterolateral segments. Disagreements were most frequent in the latter 2 segments, but when normal segments were excluded, these interregional differences disappeared. Thus, intraobserver and interobserver agreement is higher than previously reported, and may exceed 80%. Variability depends on whether regional wall motion is normal, but is also affected by the complexity of the rating scale. The distinctions implied by a 6-point subjective rating scale are probably not reliable, but variability is greatly reduced by use of a simplified scoring system.

Effects of exercise and nitroprusside on left ventricular ejection dynamics in idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy.

To characterize the abnormal pattern of instantaneous left ventricular (LV) ejection in heart failure, proximal aortic pressure, flow, acceleration, power and dW/dt were measured at rest and during supine bicycle exercise using high-fidelity, catheter-mounted pressure and velocity sensors in 16 patients with idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy (IDC) and 11 normal control subjects. In patients with IDC, peak flow was lower than normal both at rest (454 +/- 155 vs 649 +/- 168 ml/s, p less than 0.01) and during exercise (569 +/- 213 vs 916 +/- 329 ml/s, p less than 0.01). Peak acceleration, power and dW/dt were also significantly reduced in patients with IDC at rest and during exercise. Time to peak flow (as a fraction of LV ejection time) was consistently prolonged in patients with IDC (rest, 0.40 +/- 0.08 vs 0.29 +/- 0.04; exercise, 0.36 +/- 0.06 vs 0.28 +/- 0.04, both p less than 0.01). Exercise-induced increments in peak flow, power and dW/dt were significantly blunted in patients with IDC. Studies during pacing tachycardia and nitroprusside administration failed to reproduce the abnormalities during exercise in patients with IDC. Thus, the instantaneous flow pulse in heart failure is both diminished in magnitude (decreased stroke volume and peak flow) and abnormal in shape (decrease peak acceleration and delayed time to peak flow). Exercise stress in IDC results in abnormalities of LV performance that can be detected using instantaneous ejection information. These abnormalities are unlikely to be explained by changes in heart rate or loading conditions.

Left ventricular mechanics in dilated cardiomyopathy.

The influence of altered chamber shape on the evaluation of left ventricular (LV) mechanics in idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy (IDC) is unknown. Nine patients with IDC and 7 subjects with normal LV function were studied with simultaneous LV pressure and M-mode echographic recordings in order to derive LV meridional wall stress. The major axis of the left ventricle, determined from the left ventriculogram at rest, allowed for derivation of circumferential wall stress. The IDC group was characterized by larger end-diastolic and end-systolic LV volumes, increased LV mass, depressed angiographic ejection fraction and more spherical LV chamber shape. Both end-systolic meridional (114 +/- 30 kdyne/cm2) and circumferential (251 +/- 73 kdyne/cm2) wall stresses were elevated in patients with IDC, although the ratio of these stresses was less than normal (2.2 +/- 0.1 vs 2.7 +/- 0.2, respectively). LV load alteration with phenylephrine or nitroglycerin allowed for construction of end-systolic stress-minor-axis dimension and end-systolic stress-minor-axis shortening relations. Similar mean slopes of the meridional end-systolic stress-dimension relation were noted in IDC and normal subjects, although the line was displaced to the right in IDC. The slope of the circumferential end-systolic stress-dimension relation was, however, decreased in patients with IDC. Moreover, the end-systolic stress-fractional minor-axis shortening relation in patients with IDC was displaced downward from the normal relation supporting depressed contractile function in these IDC patients.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Influence of heparin therapy on percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty outcome in patients with coronary arterial thrombus.

The clinical and angiographic outcome of 18 patients with coronary thrombus undergoing percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty without antecedent heparin therapy was compared to that of a group of 35 patients receiving pre-procedural heparin therapy. The former group had a significant reduction in angiographic success (61 vs 94%, p less than 0.05) and a significant increase in immediate postprocedural thrombotic arterial occlusion (33 vs 6%, p less than 0.05). This difference existed despite equivalent frequencies of antiplatelet therapy. Prolonged intravenous heparin therapy before angioplasty in the setting of coronary thrombus improves the overall success rate and lessens the likelihood of periprocedural coronary arterial thrombosis.