Restrictive or Liberal Transfusion Strategy in Myocardial Infarction and Anemia.

BACKGROUND: A strategy of administering a transfusion only when the hemoglobin level falls below 7 or 8 g per deciliter has been widely adopted. However, patients with acute myocardial infarction may benefit from a higher hemoglobin level. METHODS: In this phase 3, interventional trial, we randomly assigned patients with myocardial infarction and a hemoglobin level of less than 10 g per deciliter to a restrictive transfusion strategy (hemoglobin cutoff for transfusion, 7 or 8 g per deciliter) or a liberal transfusion strategy (hemoglobin cutoff, <10 g per deciliter). The primary outcome was a composite of myocardial infarction or death at 30 days. RESULTS: A total of 3504 patients were included in the primary analysis. The mean (±SD) number of red-cell units that were transfused was 0.7±1.6 in the restrictive-strategy group and 2.5±2.3 in the liberal-strategy group. The mean hemoglobin level was 1.3 to 1.6 g per deciliter lower in the restrictive-strategy group than in the liberal-strategy group on days 1 to 3 after randomization. A primary-outcome event occurred in 295 of 1749 patients (16.9%) in the restrictive-strategy group and in 255 of 1755 patients (14.5%) in the liberal-strategy group (risk ratio modeled with multiple imputation for incomplete follow-up, 1.15; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.99 to 1.34; P = 0.07). Death occurred in 9.9% of the patients with the restrictive strategy and in 8.3% of the patients with the liberal strategy (risk ratio, 1.19; 95% CI, 0.96 to 1.47); myocardial infarction occurred in 8.5% and 7.2% of the patients, respectively (risk ratio, 1.19; 95% CI, 0.94 to 1.49). CONCLUSIONS: In patients with acute myocardial infarction and anemia, a liberal transfusion strategy did not significantly reduce the risk of recurrent myocardial infarction or death at 30 days. However, potential harms of a restrictive transfusion strategy cannot be excluded. (Funded by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute and others; MINT ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT02981407.).

Restrictive Versus Liberal Transfusion in Patients with Type 1 or Type 2 Myocardial Infarction: A Prespecified Analysis of the Myocardial Ischemia and Transfusion (MINT) Trial.

BACKGROUND: The MINT trial raised concern for harm from a restrictive versus liberal transfusion strategy in patients with acute myocardial infarction (MI) and anemia. Type 1 and type 2 MI are distinct pathophysiological entities that may respond differently to blood transfusion. This analysis sought to determine if the effects of transfusion varied among patients with a type 1 or a type 2 MI and anemia. We hypothesized that the liberal transfusion strategy would be of greater benefit in type 2 than in type 1 MI. METHODS: We compared rates of death or MI at 30 days in patients with type 1 (n=1460) and type 2 (n=1955) MI and anemia who were randomly allocated to a restrictive (threshold of 7 to 8 g/dL) or a liberal (threshold of 10 g/dL) transfusion strategy. RESULTS: The primary outcome of death or MI was observed in 16% of type 1 MI and 15.4% of type 2 MI patients. The rate of death or MI was higher in patients with type 1 MI randomized to a restrictive (18.2%) versus liberal (13.2%) transfusion strategy (RR 1.32, 95% CI 1.04 - 1.67) with no difference observed between the restrictive (15.8% ) and liberal (15.1% ) transfusion strategies in patients with type 2 MI (RR 1.05 95% CI 0.85-1.29). The test for a differential effect of transfusion strategy by MI type was not statistically significant (P-interaction = 0.16). CONCLUSIONS: The concern for harm with a restrictive transfusion strategy in patients with acute MI and anemia raised in the MINT primary outcome manuscript may be more apparent in patients with type 1 than type 2 MI. CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT02981407.

Use of mechanical circulatory support in patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention: insights from the National Cardiovascular Data Registry.

BACKGROUND: Little is known about the contemporary use of intra-aortic balloon pump (IABP) and other mechanical circulatory support (O-MCS) devices in patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) in the setting of cardiogenic shock. METHODS AND RESULTS: We identified 76 474 patients who underwent PCI in the setting of cardiogenic shock at one of 1429 National Cardiovascular Data Registry CathPCI participating hospitals from 2009 to 2013. Temporal trends and hospital-level variation in the use of IABP and O-MCS were evaluated. No mechanical circulatory support was used in 41 286 (54%) patients, 29 730 (39%) received IABP only, 2711 (3.5%) received O-MCS only, and 2747 (3.6%) received both IABP and O-MCS. At the start of the study period, 45% of patients undergoing PCI in the setting of cardiogenic shock received an IABP and 6.7% received O-MCS. The proportion of patients receiving IABP declined at an average rate of 0.3% per quarter, whereas the rate of O-MCS use was unchanged over the study period. The predicted probability of IABP use varied significantly by site (hospital median 42%, interquartile range 33% to 51%, range 8% to 85%). The probability of O-MCS use was <5% for half of hospitals and >20% in less than one-tenth of hospitals. CONCLUSIONS: In this large national registry, the use of IABP in the setting of PCI for cardiogenic shock decreased over time without a concurrent increase in O-MCS use. The probability of IABP and O-MCS use varied across hospitals, and the use of O-MCS was clustered at a small number of hospitals.

Coronary Computed Tomography Angiography Versus Radionuclide Myocardial Perfusion Imaging in Patients With Chest Pain Admitted to Telemetry: A Randomized Trial.

BACKGROUND: The role of coronary computed tomography angiography (CCTA) in the management of symptomatic patients suspected of having coronary artery disease is expanding. However, prospective intermediate-term outcomes are lacking. OBJECTIVE: To compare CCTA with conventional noninvasive testing. DESIGN: Randomized, controlled comparative effectiveness trial. (ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT00705458). SETTING: Telemetry-monitored wards of an inner-city medical center. PATIENTS: 400 patients with acute chest pain (mean age, 57 years); 63% women; 54% Hispanic and 37% African-American; and low socioeconomic status. INTERVENTION: CCTA or radionuclide stress myocardial perfusion imaging (MPI). MEASUREMENTS: The primary outcome was cardiac catheterization not leading to revascularization within 1 year. Secondary outcomes included length of stay, resource utilization, and patient experience. Safety outcomes included death, major cardiovascular events, and radiation exposure. RESULTS: Thirty (15%) patients who had CCTA and 32 (16%) who had MPI underwent cardiac catheterization within 1 year. Fifteen (7.5%) and 20 (10%) of these patients, respectively, did not undergo revascularization (difference, -2.5 percentage points [95% CI, -8.6 to 3.5 percentage points]; hazard ratio, 0.77 [CI, 0.40 to 1.49]; P = 0.44). Median length of stay was 28.9 hours for the CCTA group and 30.4 hours for the MPI group (P = 0.057). Median follow-up was 40.4 months. For the CCTA and MPI groups, the incidence of death (0.5% versus 3%; P = 0.12), nonfatal cardiovascular events (4.5% versus 4.5%), rehospitalization (43% versus 49%), emergency department visit (63% versus 58%), and outpatient cardiology visit (23% versus 21%) did not differ. Long-term, all-cause radiation exposure was lower for the CCTA group (24 versus 29 mSv; P < 0.001). More patients in the CCTA group graded their experience favorably (P = 0.001) and would undergo the examination again (P = 0.003). LIMITATION: This was a single-site study, and the primary outcome depended on clinical management decisions. CONCLUSION: The CCTA and MPI groups did not significantly differ in outcomes or resource utilization over 40 months. Compared with MPI, CCTA was associated with less radiation exposure and with a more positive patient experience. PRIMARY FUNDING SOURCE: American Heart Association.

Rationale and design of a randomized trial comparing initial stress echocardiography versus coronary CT angiography in low-to-intermediate risk emergency department patients with chest pain.

BACKGROUND: Comparative effectiveness research (CER) has become a major focus of cardiovascular disease investigation to optimize diagnosis and treatment paradigms and decrease healthcare expenditures. Acute chest pain is a highly prevalent reason for evaluation in the Emergency Department (ED) that results in hospital admission for many patients and excess expense. Improvement in noninvasive diagnostic algorithms can potentially reduce unnecessary admissions. OBJECTIVE: To compare the performance of treadmill stress echocardiography (SE) and coronary computed tomography angiography (CTA) in ED chest pain patients with low-to-intermediate risk of significant coronary artery disease. DESIGN: This is a single-center, randomized controlled trial (RCT) comparing SE and CTA head-to-head as the initial noninvasive imaging modality. The primary outcome measured is the incidence of hospitalization. The study is powered to detect a reduction in admissions from 28% to 15% with a sample size of 400. Secondary outcomes include length of stay in the ED/hospital and estimated cost of care. Safety outcomes include subsequent visits to the ED and hospitalizations, as well as major adverse cardiovascular events at 30 days and 1 year. Patients who do not meet study criteria or do not consent for randomization are offered entry into an observational registry. CONCLUSIONS: This RCT will add to our understanding of the roles of different imaging modalities in triaging patients with suspected angina. It will increase the CER evidence base comparing SE and CTA and provide insight into potential benefits and limitations of appropriate use of treadmill SE in the ED.

Boerhaave syndrome: an unusual myocardial infarction mimic-a case report.

Background: A rare complication of oesophageal rupture or Boerhaave syndrome is myopericarditis due to leakage of oesophageal contents. This presentation can mimic a myocardial infarction, making diagnosis and management challenging. Case summary: We present the case of a middle-aged man presenting with chest pain, who was diagnosed with Boerhaave syndrome complicated by myopericarditis, although the presentation was concerning for acute coronary syndrome. Discussion: Through this case, we aim to highlight an unusual alternative aetiology of findings classically seen in myocardial infarction.

Liberal versus restrictive transfusion thresholds for patients with symptomatic coronary artery disease.

BACKGROUND: Prior trials suggest it is safe to defer transfusion at hemoglobin levels above 7 to 8 g/dL in most patients. Patients with acute coronary syndrome may benefit from higher hemoglobin levels. METHODS: We performed a pilot trial in 110 patients with acute coronary syndrome or stable angina undergoing cardiac catheterization and a hemoglobin <10 g/dL. Patients in the liberal transfusion strategy received one or more units of blood to raise the hemoglobin level ≥10 g/dL. Patients in the restrictive transfusion strategy were permitted to receive blood for symptoms from anemia or for a hemoglobin <8 g/dL. The predefined primary outcome was the composite of death, myocardial infarction, or unscheduled revascularization 30 days post randomization. RESULTS: Baseline characteristics were similar between groups except age (liberal, 67.3; restrictive, 74.3). The mean number of units transfused was 1.6 in the liberal group and 0.6 in the restrictive group. The primary outcome occurred in 6 patients (10.9%) in the liberal group and 14 (25.5%) in the restrictive group (risk difference = 15.0%; 95% confidence interval of difference 0.7% to 29.3%; P = .054 and adjusted for age P = .076). Death at 30 days was less frequent in liberal group (n = 1, 1.8%) compared to restrictive group (n = 7, 13.0%; P = .032). CONCLUSIONS: The liberal transfusion strategy was associated with a trend for fewer major cardiac events and deaths than a more restrictive strategy. These results support the feasibility of and the need for a definitive trial.

Obstructive sleep apnea and acute myocardial infarction severity: ischemic preconditioning?

BACKGROUND: Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is characterized by intermittent hypoxia (IH). In animal models, IH has been shown to protect the myocardium during periods of ischemia by reducing infarct size. However, this phenomenon of "ischemic preconditioning" has not been investigated among OSA patients with acute myocardial infarction (MI). This study investigates the role of OSA on MI severity as measured by cardiac enzymes, specifically troponin-T, among patients with an acute MI. METHODS: This is an observational cohort study of patients ≥18 years of age who were hospitalized with an acute MI. Each participant underwent portable sleep monitoring (Apnea Link Plus); OSA was defined as an apnea-hypopnea index ≥5/h. Multivariable regression analysis was conducted to assess the relationship between OSA and highly sensitive troponin-T levels. RESULTS: In our entire cohort of acute MI patients (n = 136), 77 % of the sample had evidence of sleep disordered breathing, with 35 % of the sample having OSA (i.e., an AHI >5). Higher AHI was associated with lower peak troponin-T levels in partially adjusted models (ß = -0.0320, p = 0.0074, adjusted for age, gender, and race) and fully adjusted models (ß = -0.0322, p = 0.0085) (additionally adjusted for smoking, hypertension, hyperlipidemia, body mass index, history of prior cardiovascular or cerebrovascular disease, diabetes and baseline admission creatinine levels). The mean value of the log-transformed peak troponin-T variable was used to dichotomize the outcome variable. In both partially (OR 0.949, CI 0.905-0.995, p = 0.03) and fully adjusted (OR 0.918, CI 0.856-0.984, p = 0.0151) logistic regression models, the OR for AHI suggests a protective effect on high troponin-T level. CONCLUSIONS: Our study demonstrates that patients with OSA have less severe cardiac injury during an acute non-fatal MI when compared to patients without OSA. This may suggest a cardioprotective role of sleep apnea during acute MI via ischemic preconditioning.

Complementary Utility of Intravascular Lithotripsy With Atherectomy for Severely Calcified Coronary Stenoses in Contemporary Practice.

BACKGROUND: The effectiveness and safety of a contemporary combined approach that incorporates the novel intravascular lithotripsy (IVL) technology into conventional tools including atherectomy have yet to be studied. METHODS: We retrospectively included consecutive patients who underwent percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) with IVL from March 2021 to February 2022. Effectiveness (residual stenosis of <30%) and safety outcomes (procedural complications and major adverse cardiovascular event [MACE] defined as a composite of all-cause death, myocardial infarction, or target vessel revascularization) were compared between patients undergoing IVL with and without atherectomy. RESULTS: A total of 109 patients underwent IVL, of whom 33 patients (30.3%) were treated with both IVL and atherectomy and had higher risk features including reduced cardiac function and more frequent use of mechanical circulatory support. Angiographic success for calcified de novo lesions was achieved in 85.7% and 90.6% of the combined and non-atherectomy groups, respectively (P=.49). Each group had one case of coronary perforation (P=.52) while major dissection occurred in 2 cases of calcific stent underexpansion in the combined group (6.1% vs 0%; P=.09). Thirty-day MACE occurred in 4.8% of patients including 3 deaths in the atherectomy group and 1 cardiac death and 1 myocardial infarction in the non-atherectomy group (P=.16). CONCLUSION: Procedural success and complications were similar in patients undergoing IVL with and without atherectomy when treating calcified de novo lesions. Those who required a combined approach represented a high-risk population with high mortality, suggesting that a multidisciplinary approach is needed to optimize case selection and care beyond PCI.

Contemporary technologies to modify calcified plaque in coronary artery disease.

With aging society, one of the more challenging obstacles in percutaneous coronary interventions are calcified coronary lesions. Calcified lesions may impede stent delivery, limit balloon and stent expansion, cause uneven drug distribution, and hinder wire advancement. Even in the setting of acceptable procedural success, vessel calcification is independently associated with increased target lesion revascularization rates at follow-up and lower survival rates. In order to effectively manage such lesions, dedicated technologies have been developed. Atherectomy aims at excising tissue and debulking plaques, as well as compressing and reshaping the atheroma, generally referred to as lesion preparation that enables further balloon and/or stent expansion in contemporary clinical practice. In the current review, we will discuss the available methods for atherectomy, including rotational, orbital, and excimer laser coronary atherectomy, as well as intravascular lithotripsy. In addition, we will review the role of imaging in calcified lesions.

Surge-in-Place: Conversion of a Cardiac Catheterization Laboratory Into a COVID-19 Intensive Care Unit and Back Again.

In Spring 2020, the United States epicenter of COVID-19 was New York City, in which the borough of the Bronx was particularly affected. This Fall, there has been a resurgence of COVID-19 in Europe and the Midwestern United States. We describe our experience transforming our cardiac catheterization laboratories to accommodate an influx of COVID-19 patients so as to provide other hospitals with a potential blueprint. We transformed our pre/postprocedural patient care areas into COVID-19 intensive care and step-down units and maintained emergent invasive care for ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction using existing space and personnel.

Comparison of Incidence and Outcomes of Cardiogenic Shock Complicating Posterior (Inferior) Versus Anterior ST-Elevation Myocardial Infarction.

Cardiogenic shock (CS) is a catastrophic consequence of ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI). CS has been reported to be associated less often with inferior wall (IWMI) than anterior wall STEMI (AWMI). We queried the National Inpatient Sample databases from January 2010 to September 2015 to identify all patients aged ≥18 years admitted with AWMI or IWMI. Patients with a concomitant diagnosis of CS were then identified. Complex samples multivariable logistic regression models were used to compare the incidence, management, and in-hospital mortality of CS complicating IWMI versus AWMI. The incidence of CS was lower in IWMI (9.5%) versus AWMI (14.1%), adjusted OR (aOR) 0.84 (95% confidence interval [CI] 0.81 to 0.87). Revascularization rates with either percutaneous coronary intervention or coronary artery bypass grafting were similar in CS complicating IWMI versus AWMI (80.9% vs 80.3%; aOR 1.05; 95% CI 0.97 to 1.14). The reported use of percutaneous mechanical circulatory support devices was lower in patients with CS-IWMI versus CS-AWMI (44.7% vs 61.0%; aOR 0.55; 95% CI 0.52 to 0.59). In-hospital mortality was modestly lower in patients with CS complicating IWMI versus AWMI (30.3% vs 31.9%; aOR, 0.80; 95% CI 0.75 to 0.86). Use of percutaneous mechanical circulatory support was not associated with lower in-hospital mortality in either CS-AWMI (30.0% vs 34.7; aOR 1.04; 95% CI 0.94 to 1.14) or CS-IWMI (31.0% vs 29.8%; aOR 1.20; 95% CI 1.08 to 1.33). In conclusion, the incidence of CS in the contemporary era is lower in patients with IWMI compared with those with AWMI. CS complicating STEMI is associated with higher in-hospital mortality in AWMI versus IWMI, and outcomes were not different with or without percutaneous circulatory support.

Coronary Artery Ectasia: An Insight into Intraprocedural and Postprocedural Management Strategies.

Coronary artery ectasia (CAE) can present as an acute coronary syndrome (ACS) with a high clot burden in ectatic coronary arteries. Thrombectomy with intracoronary thrombolysis often does not ensure immediate blood flow. Also, there have not been clear guidelines regarding long-term management in such cases. A 40-year-old male presented with anginal chest discomfort and a working diagnosis of non-ST elevation myocardial infarction (NSTEMI) was made. The initial angiography showed thrombotic occlusion of several large and ectatic coronary arteries with visibly swirling blood flow. The culprit lesions were treated with balloon angioplasty and multiple rounds of thrombectomy yielding red thrombi. Interestingly, the post-intervention antegrade flow decreased in both vessels (Thrombolysis in Myocardial Infarction (TIMI) score: 0), possibly because of the distal migration of the clots. Peri-procedure, the patient received two boluses of eptifibatide, 180 mcg/kg each, followed by a continuous infusion of 2 mcg/kg/minute for 18 hours. Afterward, the patient was started on ticagrelor and continued on daily aspirin, high-intensity statin, beta blocker, and Coumadin® with heparin bridge. During the one year follow-up period, the Coumadin was switched to rivaroxaban, ticagrelor was stopped after six months, and the patient was continued on guideline-directed medical therapy (GDMT) for coronary artery disease (CAD) with favorable outcomes. The presented case gives us an insight into not only the intra-procedural but also the post-procedural management of ACS in the setting of CAE, and that is thrombectomy alone followed by longer duration oral anticoagulation in addition to GDMT for CAD. However, it will be interesting to see future studies aimed toward defining the duration as well as the choice of anticoagulation, i.e., dual antiplatelet therapy (DAPT) alone or in combination with warfarin/novel oral anticoagulants (NOACs).

Intra-Arrest Induction of Hypothermia via Large-Volume Ice-Cold Saline for Sudden Cardiac Arrest: The New York City Project Hypothermia Experience.

Therapeutic hypothermia, the standard for post-resuscitation care of out-of-hospital sudden cardiac arrest (SCA), is an area that the most recent resuscitation guidelines note "has not been studied adequately." We conducted a two-phase study examining the role of intra-arrest hypothermia for out-of-hospital SCA, first standardizing the resuscitation and transport of patients to resuscitation centers where post-resuscitation hypothermia was required and then initiating hypothermia during out-of-hospital resuscitation efforts. The primary end points were return of spontaneous circulation (ROSC), sustained ROSC, survival to hospital admission, and survival to discharge. Comparing the cohort of standard hospital-initiated hypothermia (Phase I) with the prehospital-initiated hypothermia via large-volume ice-cold saline (LVICS) infusion (Phase II), no difference was noted for any end point: ROSC (56.4% vs. 53.4%, p = 0.51; 95% confidence interval [CI]: -5.7 to 11.4), sustained ROSC (46.9% vs. 42.8%, p = 0.38; 95% CI: -4.7 to 12.4), hospital admission (44.7% vs. 37.7%, p = 0.13; 95% CI: -1.9 to 15.4), hospital discharge among those surviving to admission (40.0% vs. 28.0%, p = 0.08; 95% CI: -1.5 to 27.8), or neurological outcome among those surviving to discharge (76.0% vs. 71.4%, p = 0.73; 95% CI: -26.9 to 38.7). Patients presenting in ventricular fibrillation were more likely to survive to hospital discharge in both phases, although a trend toward worsened early outcomes (ROSC, sustained ROSC, and survival to admission) with intra-arrest hypothermia was noted in this subgroup. Multivariable regression analyses failed to demonstrate any survival benefit associated with the intra-arrest initiation of hypothermia via LVICS. Our study, the largest study of intra-arrest initiation of hypothermia published to date, failed to demonstrate any effect on survival for out-of-hospital SCA patients, confirming findings of previously published smaller studies. We therefore do not recommend the use of intra-arrest cooling via LVICS infusion as part of routine out-of-hospital SCA resuscitative efforts.

Impact of the New York State Cardiac Surgery and Percutaneous Coronary Intervention Reporting System on the management of patients with acute myocardial infarction complicated by cardiogenic shock.

BACKGROUND: Studies suggest that the New York State Cardiac Surgery and Percutaneous Coronary Intervention Reporting System, which makes public the operator-specific mortality for patients undergoing coronary artery bypass graft surgery (CABG) or percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI), may deter operators from providing revascularization to high-risk cardiac patients in New York compared to other states. METHODS: We performed a retrospective analysis of 545 US patients with acute myocardial infarction and cardiogenic shock due to predominant left ventricular failure enrolled in the SHOCK Registry. Adjusting for case mix using a propensity score method, we compared the use of coronary angiography, PCI, CABG, and outcomes between 220 patients in New York and 325 in other states. RESULTS: New York patients were older with similar or less severe baseline characteristics. After propensity score adjustment, New York patients were less likely than non-New York patients to undergo coronary angiography (odds ratio 0.46, 95% CI 0.31-0.68, P < .001) and PCI (odds ratio 0.51, 95% CI 0.33-0.77, P = .002). Coronary artery bypass graft rates were similarly low (14.1% vs 15.1%, P = not significant), but New York patients waited significantly longer after shock onset for surgery (101.2 vs 10.3 hours, P < .001) with only 32.3% of New York patients vs 75.5% of non-New York patients (P < .001) taken for CABG within 3 days of shock onset. CONCLUSIONS: In our propensity-adjusted retrospective analysis, New York patients with acute myocardial infarction and cardiogenic shock were less likely to undergo coronary angiography and PCI and waited significantly longer to receive CABG than their non-New York counterparts. These findings suggest that state-required reporting to the New York State Cardiac Surgery and Percutaneous Coronary Intervention Reporting System may result in the reluctance to revascularize the highest-risk cardiac patients.

Staged Percutaneous Intervention for Concurrent Chronic Total Occlusions in Patients With ST-Segment-Elevation Myocardial Infarction: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

BACKGROUND: Studies have shown that chronic total occlusion (CTO) in a noninfarct-related artery in patients with ST-segment-elevation myocardial infarction is linked to increased mortality. It remains unclear whether staged revascularization of a noninfarct-related artery CTO in patients with ST-segment-elevation myocardial infarction translates to improved outcomes. We performed a meta-analysis to compare outcomes between patients presenting with ST-segment-elevation myocardial infarction with concurrent CTO who underwent percutaneous coronary intervention of noninfarct-related artery CTO versus those who did not. METHOD AND RESULTS: We conducted an electronic database search of all published data. The primary end point was major adverse cardiovascular events. Secondary end points were all-cause mortality, cardiovascular mortality, myocardial infarction, repeat revascularization with either percutaneous coronary intervention or coronary artery bypass grafting, stroke, and heart failure readmission. Odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were computed. Random effects model was used and heterogeneity was considered if I2 >25. Six studies (n=1253 patients) were included in the analysis. There was a significant difference in major adverse cardiovascular events (OR, 0.54; 95% CI, 0.32-0.91), cardiovascular mortality (OR, 0.43; 95% CI, 0.20-0.95), and heart failure readmissions (OR, 0.57; 95% CI, 0.36-0.89), favoring the patients in the CTO percutaneous coronary intervention group. No significant differences were observed between the 2 groups for all-cause mortality (OR, 0.47; 95% CI, 0.22-1.00), myocardial infarction (OR, 0.78; 95% CI, 0.41-1.46), repeat revascularization (OR, 1.13; 95% CI, 0.56-2.27), and stroke (OR, 0.51; 95% CI, 0.20-1.33). CONCLUSIONS: In this meta-analysis, CTO percutaneous coronary intervention of the noninfarct-related artery in patients presenting with ST-segment-elevation myocardial infarction was associated with a significant reduction in major adverse cardiovascular events, cardiovascular mortality, and heart failure readmissions.

Coronary Computed Tomography Angiography Versus Stress Echocardiography in Acute Chest Pain: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

OBJECTIVES: This study sought to compare early emergency department (ED) use of coronary computed tomography angiography (CTA) and stress echocardiography (SE) head-to-head. BACKGROUND: Coronary CTA has been promoted as the early ED chest pain triage imaging method of choice, whereas SE is often overlooked in this setting and involves no ionizing radiation. METHODS: The authors randomized 400 consecutive low- to intermediate-risk ED acute chest pain patients without known coronary artery disease and a negative initial serum troponin level to immediate coronary CTA (n = 201) or SE (n = 199). The primary endpoint was hospitalization rate. Secondary endpoints were ED and hospital length of stay. Safety endpoints included cardiovascular events and radiation exposure. RESULTS: Mean patient age was 55 years, with 43% women and predominantly ethnic minorities (46% Hispanics, 32% African Americans). Thirty-nine coronary CTA patients (19%) and 22 SE patients (11%) were hospitalized at presentation (difference 8%; 95% confidence interval: 1% to 15%; p = 0.026). Median ED length of stay for discharged patients was 5.4 h (interquartile range [IQR]: 4.2 to 6.4 h) for coronary CTA and 4.7 h (IQR: 3.5 to 6.0 h) for SE (p < 0.001). Median hospital length of stay was 58 h (IQR: 50 to 102 h) for coronary CTA and 34 h (IQR: 31 to 54 h) for SE (p = 0.002). There were 11 and 7 major adverse cardiovascular events for coronary CTA and SE, respectively (p = 0.47), over a median 24 months of follow-up. Median/mean complete initial work-up radiation exposure was 6.5/7.7 mSv for coronary CTA and 0/0.96 mSv for SE (p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: The use of SE resulted in the hospitalization of a smaller proportion of patients with a shorter length of stay than coronary CTA and was safe. SE should be considered an appropriate option for ED chest pain triage (Stress Echocardiography and Heart Computed Tomography [CT] Scan in Emergency Department Patients With Chest Pain; NCT01384448).

Contemporary Sex-Based Differences by Age in Presenting Characteristics, Use of an Early Invasive Strategy, and Inhospital Mortality in Patients With Non-ST-Segment-Elevation Myocardial Infarction in the United States.

BACKGROUND: Prior studies have reported higher inhospital mortality in women versus men with non-ST-segment-elevation myocardial infarction. Whether this is because of worse baseline risk profile compared with men or sex-based disparities in treatment is not completely understood. METHODS AND RESULTS: We queried the 2003 to 2014 National Inpatient Sample databases to identify all hospitalizations in patients aged ≥18 years with the principal diagnosis of non-ST-segment-elevation myocardial infarction. Complex samples multivariable logistic regression models were used to examine sex differences in use of an early invasive strategy and inhospital mortality. Of 4 765 739 patients with non-ST-segment-elevation myocardial infarction, 2 026 285 (42.5%) were women. Women were on average 6 years older than men and had a higher comorbidity burden. Women were less likely to be treated with an early invasive strategy (29.4% versus 39.2%; adjusted odds ratio, 0.92; 95% confidence interval, 0.91-0.94). Women had higher crude inhospital mortality than men (4.7% versus 3.9%; unadjusted odds ratio, 1.22; 95% confidence interval, 1.20-1.25). After adjustment for age (adjusted odds ratio, 0.96; 95% confidence interval, 0.94-0.98) and additionally for comorbidities, other demographics, and hospital characteristics, women had 10% lower odds of inhospital mortality (adjusted odds ratio, 0.90; 95% confidence interval, 0.89-0.92). Further adjustment for differences in the use of an early invasive strategy did not change the association between female sex and lower risk-adjusted inhospital mortality. CONCLUSIONS: Although women were less likely to be treated with an early invasive strategy compared with men, the lower use of an early invasive strategy was not responsible for the higher crude inhospital mortality in women, which could be entirely explained by older age and higher comorbidity burden.

Relationship of Hospital Teaching Status with In-Hospital Outcomes for ST-Segment Elevation Myocardial Infarction.

BACKGROUND: Prior analyses have largely shown a survival advantage with admission to a teaching hospital for acute myocardial infarction. However, most prior studies report data on patients hospitalized over a decade ago. It is important to re-examine the association of hospital teaching status with outcomes of acute myocardial infarction in the current era. METHODS: We queried the 2010 to 2014 National Inpatient Sample databases to identify all patients aged ≥18 years hospitalized with the principal diagnosis of ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI). Multivariable logistic regression models were constructed to compare rates of reperfusion and in-hospital outcomes between patients admitted to teaching vs nonteaching hospitals. RESULTS: Of 546,252 patients with STEMI, 273,990 (50.1%) were admitted to teaching hospitals. Compared with patients admitted to nonteaching hospitals, those at teaching hospitals were more likely to receive reperfusion therapy during the hospitalization (86.7% vs 81.5%; adjusted odds ratio [OR] 1.41; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.39-1.44; P < .001) and had lower risk-adjusted in-hospital mortality (4.9% vs 6.9%; adjusted OR 0.84; 95% CI, 0.82-0.86; P < .001). After further adjustment for differences in use of in-hospital reperfusion therapy, the association of teaching hospital status with lower risk-adjusted in-hospital mortality was significantly attenuated but remained statistically significant (adjusted OR 0.97; 95% CI, 0.94-0.99; P = .02). CONCLUSIONS: Patients admitted to teaching hospitals are more likely to receive reperfusion and have lower risk-adjusted in-hospital mortality after STEMI compared with those admitted to nonteaching hospitals. Our results suggest that hospital performance for STEMI continues to be better at teaching hospitals in the contemporary era.