Ten-Year Clinical Observation of Immunoglobulin G4-Related Coronary Periarteritis with Aneurysms.

Coronary periarteritis with aneurysms has been reported as a cardiovascular manifestation of immunoglobulin G4 (IgG4) -related disease. We report a 10-year clinical observation of a patient with IgG4-related coronary periarteritis (IgG4-rCP) characterized by multiple thickening of periarterial tissue and coronary artery aneurysms (CAAs).A 60-year-old man with a history of IgG4-related autoimmune pancreatitis had an incidental detection of a total of 5 tumor-like lesions surrounding the right and left coronary arteries on coronary computed tomography angiography (CCTA) in 2012. Among them, 3 lesions were located at the middle to the distal portions of the right coronary artery (RCA) and the most proximal lesion was accompanied by a CAA. Although corticosteroid therapy was continued, 4-year follow-up of CCTA in 2016 showed the most proximal lesion gradually increased from 33 to 45 mm and the CAA enlarged from 9 to 22 mm. In order to avoid aneurysmal rupture, the patient underwent resection of the most proximal lesion with an enlarged aneurysm concomitant with coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG). Histopathological findings were coincident with IgG4-rCP. CCTA in 2018, however, showed the remaining distal tumor-like lesion of RCA had slightly enlarged and a new CAA developed despite the corticosteroid therapy. Follow-up CCTA in 2022 revealed the CAA increased to 13 mm, which showed rapid enlargement by 4 mm/year. A second operation through a re-median sternotomy was planned. The residual lesions with the CAA were resected followed by CABG. The other lesions at the left coronary artery remained stable without aneurysmal change, but careful follow-up has been continued.

Impact of ABO blood type on the risk of atrial fibrillation recurrence after catheter ablation.

Background: Blood types are classified based on the specific antigenic characteristics they possess. Despite documented associations between antigens and inflammation, a scarcity of data exists concerning the impact of antigens on atrial fibrillation (AF). Methods: OSHOH-rhythm study is a multi-center, prospective observational study of 601 patients who underwent catheter ablation for AF. We examined the correlation between blood type groups and both the incidence and recurrence of AF. Additionally, we analyzed the recurrence of AF across antigenic profiles. Results: The frequencies of individual blood types were 239 (39.8 %), 190 (31.6 %), 122 (20.3 %), and 50 (8.3 %) for A, O, B, and AB, respectively, aligning closely with the prevalent blood type distribution among the Japanese populace. During follow-up period (18.8 months, median), AF recurrence occurred in 96 patients (22.4 %) lacking the B antigen (A and O), and 26 patients (15.1 %) possessing B antigen (B and AB), respectively (Log-rank test: P = 0.034). A multivariate analysis demonstrated that blood types lacking the B antigen (hazard ratio [HR], 1.55; 95 % CI, 1.01 to 2.42; P = 0.037), hypertension (HR, 1.51; 95 % CI, 1.05 to 2.17; P = 0.026) and non-paroxysmal AF (HR, 1.70; 95 % CI, 1.17 to 2.47; P = 0.005) were independently associated with the recurrence of AF. Conclusions: This study elucidates that, despite the absence of direct correlation between blood types and the occurrence of AF, blood types devoid of the B antigen exhibit an enhanced predisposition to AF recurrence. Nonetheless, the intricate mechanism linking blood type to recurrence remains elusive, warranting further comprehensive foundational research on blood types.

Long-term efficacy of SGLT2 inhibitors for elderly patients with acute decompensated heart failure: The OASIS-HF study.

AIMS: Sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 inhibitors (SGLT2i) have been widely demonstrated to reduce the risk of cardiovascular death and heart failure (HF) hospitalization, regardless of left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF). However, data on the extent to which rehospitalization is suppressed following HF hospitalization are limited. This study investigated the effects of SGLT2i on rehospitalization and cardiovascular death. METHODS AND RESULTS: The OASIS-HF study, a multicentre, prospective observational cohort study, enrolled 361 patients aged ≥75 years hospitalized for acute decompensated HF. The impact on composite events of HF rehospitalization or cardiovascular death and the number of annual rehospitalizations were evaluated between the conventional medical therapy and SGLT2i groups. The change in eGFR slope at the 1-year mark after the initiation of treatment in both groups was also assessed. Over an average follow-up period of 24.9 months, composite events occurred in 70 (35.4%) of the conventional therapy group and 36 (22.1%) of the SGLT2i group (log-rank: P = 0.016). The average number of rehospitalizations for HF per year was 0.22 ± 0.13 vs. 0.14 ± 0.08, respectively (P = 0.019). The change in eGFR over 1 year was significantly slower in the SGLT2i group compared with the conventional group (-3.55 ± 8.46 vs. -1.42 ± 7.28 mL/min/1.73 m2, P = 0.025). CONCLUSIONS: The SGLT2i are not only associated with the reduction of the composite events of HF rehospitalization or cardiovascular death and protect against worsening renal function but also with a decrease in long-term repeated HF rehospitalizations.

Bidirectional loop-snare technique for adherent inferior vena cava filter retrieval.

Placement of a Günther Tulip Inferior Vena Cava (IVC) Filter™ (Cook, Bloomington, IN, USA) is an alternative treatment option to prevent pulmonary embolism in patients in whom anticoagulation therapy is contraindicated. Most patients require filter placement for only short periods, after which it can be retrieved. IVC filter retrieval becomes more difficult as the indwelling time increases. We developed a new method to retrieve the Günther Tulip IVC Filter™, namely, the bidirectional loop-snare technique (BLT). The key to the BLT procedure is to use 2 snares from both the jugular and femoral access routes. The jugular snare catches the filter hook and the femoral snare relieves the adhesion between the filter leg and IVC wall. Pulling from both the jugular and femoral ends increases the power to retrieve the IVC filter, and leads to successful filter retrieval. .

Airway Scope for emergency intubations: usefulness of a new video-laryngoscope.

The Airway Scope (AWS-S100, Pentax, Tokyo, Japan) is a new video-laryngoscope, which has a specially designed blade and a portable, battery-powered, 2.4-inch built-in liquid crystal device (LCD) full-color video screen at the top of the handle. In this study, we tested the usefulness of the AWS for tracheal intubation in acute, urgent situations. Patients admitted to the Advanced Emergency and Critical Care Center at Hiroshima University Hospital and who required orotracheal intubations were prospectively enrolled. Tracheal intubations were performed using the AWS by residents (the novice group) or staff physicians (the experienced group), who received a brief instruction in the AWS. We enrolled 38 patients (23 males, 15 females; age, 60 +/- 19 years). Intubations were attempted by 22 intubators (11 residents and 11 experienced personnel). The durations from inserting the blade via the oral cavity until observing the glottis (T1), inserting the tube into the trachea (T2), and confirming the chest rise (T3) were 22 +/- 15, 34 +/- 21 and 49 +/- 27 sec, respectively. When the results were classified into t experienced and novice groups, T1, T2 and T3 were 17 +/- 10 vs. 26 +/- 17, 32 +/- 23 vs. 36 +/- 20, and 45 +/- 25 vs. 53 +/- 27 sec, respectively (the experienced vs. the novice group, n.s.). These results suggested that the AWS may be a suitable device particularly for less experienced personnel, such as novice Advanced Life Support providers.

Worsening of coronary spasm during the perioperative period: A case report.

We present the case of a 65-year-old male with vasospastic angina (VSA) whose condition worsened during the perioperative period. He had been diagnosed with VSA 10 years prior. He was treated with two types of vasodilators and had not experienced any chest symptoms for 5 years. At this juncture, he underwent surgery for relapsed maxillary sublingual carcinoma. He had taken two vasodilators one day prior to surgery. Intravenous infusion of nitroglycerin (NTG) was initiated immediately before the surgery and continued the following day. Instead of stopping NTG, a dermal isosorbide dinitrate tape was applied on post-operative day 1. Two days later, a complete atrioventricular block with pulseless electrical activity appeared. After cardiopulmonary resuscitation, emergent coronary angiography showed severe coronary spasm in both the left and right coronary arteries. Intracoronary infusion of nitroglycerin and epinephrine with percutaneous cardiopulmonary support relieved the coronary spasm. During the perioperative period, several factors can trigger coronary vasospasm, including the discontinuation of vasodilators. Thus, surgeons, anesthetists, and cardiologists should watch for coronary vasospasm during this period and for worsening coronary spasm when discontinuing vasodilators in patients at risk for VSA.

Aortic pulse wave velocity improves cardiovascular event prediction: an individual participant meta-analysis of prospective observational data from 17,635 subjects.

OBJECTIVES: The goal of this study was to determine whether aortic pulse wave velocity (aPWV) improves prediction of cardiovascular disease (CVD) events beyond conventional risk factors. BACKGROUND: Several studies have shown that aPWV may be a useful risk factor for predicting CVD, but they have been underpowered to examine whether this is true for different subgroups. METHODS: We undertook a systematic review and obtained individual participant data from 16 studies. Study-specific associations of aPWV with CVD outcomes were determined using Cox proportional hazard models and random effect models to estimate pooled effects. RESULTS: Of 17,635 participants, a total of 1,785 (10%) had a CVD event. The pooled age- and sex-adjusted hazard ratios (HRs) per 1-SD change in loge aPWV were 1.35 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.22 to 1.50; p < 0.001) for coronary heart disease, 1.54 (95% CI: 1.34 to 1.78; p < 0.001) for stroke, and 1.45 (95% CI: 1.30 to 1.61; p < 0.001) for CVD. Associations stratified according to sex, diabetes, and hypertension were similar but decreased with age (1.89, 1.77, 1.36, and 1.23 for age ≤50, 51 to 60, 61 to 70, and >70 years, respectively; pinteraction <0.001). After adjusting for conventional risk factors, aPWV remained a predictor of coronary heart disease (HR: 1.23 [95% CI: 1.11 to 1.35]; p < 0.001), stroke (HR: 1.28 [95% CI: 1.16 to 1.42]; p < 0.001), and CVD events (HR: 1.30 [95% CI: 1.18 to 1.43]; p < 0.001). Reclassification indices showed that the addition of aPWV improved risk prediction (13% for 10-year CVD risk for intermediate risk) for some subgroups. CONCLUSIONS: Consideration of aPWV improves model fit and reclassifies risk for future CVD events in models that include standard risk factors. aPWV may enable better identification of high-risk populations that might benefit from more aggressive CVD risk factor management.

Aortic pulse wave velocity predicts cardiovascular mortality in middle-aged and elderly Japanese men.

BACKGROUND: Aortic pulse wave velocity (PWV) is widely used as a noninvasive index of arterial stiffness and was used in the present study to investigate the relationship between PWV and cardiovascular mortality in the middle-aged and elderly Japanese population using a longitudinal study design. METHODS AND RESULTS: From 1988 to 2003, a total of 3,960 men (50-69 years old at baseline) who underwent medical check-ups and measurement of PWV, which was standardized for diastolic blood pressure, were recruited and divided into 4 groups according to the PWV values. The average follow-up period was 8.2 years. Mortality from all-causes and from cardiovascular disease significantly increased as PWV increased in the entire follow-up period. Multivariate-adjusted relative risks of all-cause and cardiovascular disease mortality for the highest quartile of PWV (>9.0 m/s) were 1.28 (95% confidence interval (CI) 0.97-1.68) and 1.83 (95%CI 1.02-3.29), respectively, compared with the lowest quartile (<7.5 m/s). CONCLUSIONS: An increased PWV can predict cardiovascular mortality in middle-aged and elderly Japanese men.

Characterization of noncalcified coronary plaques and identification of culprit lesions in patients with acute coronary syndrome by 64-slice computed tomography.

OBJECTIVES: We sought to characterize noncalcified coronary atherosclerotic plaques in culprit and remote coronary atherosclerotic lesions in patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS) with 64-slice computed tomography (CT). BACKGROUND: Lower CT density, positive remodeling, and adjacent spotty coronary calcium are characteristic vessel changes in unstable coronary plaques. METHODS: Of 147 consecutive patients who underwent contrast-enhanced 64-slice CT examination for coronary artery visualization, 101 (ACS; n = 21, non-ACS; n = 80) having 228 noncalcified coronary atherosclerotic plaques (NCPs) were studied. Each NCP detected within the vessel wall was evaluated by determining minimum CT density, vascular remodeling index (RI), and morphology of adjacent calcium deposits. RESULTS: The CT visualized more NCPs in ACS patients (65 lesions, 3.1 +/- 1.2/patient) than in non-ACS patients (163 lesions, 2.0 +/- 1.1/patient). Minimum CT density (24 +/- 22 vs. 42 +/- 29 Hounsfield units [HU], p < 0.01), RI (1.14 +/- 0.18 vs. 1.08 +/- 0.19, p = 0.02), and frequency of adjacent spotty calcium of NCPs (60% vs. 38%, p < 0.01) were significantly different between ACS and non-ACS patients. Frequency of NCPs with minimum CT density <40 HU, RI >1.05, and adjacent spotty calcium was approximately 2-fold higher in the ACS group than in the non-ACS group (43% vs. 22%, p < 0.01). In the ACS group, only RI was significantly different between 21 culprit and 44 nonculprit lesions (1.26 +/- 0.16 vs. 1.09 +/- 0.17, p < 0.01), and a larger RI (> or = 1.23) was independently related to the culprit lesions (odds ratio: 12.3; 95% confidential interval: 2.9 to 68.7, p < 0.01), but there was a substantial overlap of the distribution of RI values in these 2 groups of lesions. CONCLUSIONS: Sixty-four-slice CT angiography demonstrates a higher prevalence of NCPs with vulnerable characteristics in patients with ACS as compared with stable clinical presentation.

Induction of heme oxygenase-1 inhibits monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 mRNA expression in U937 cells.

Heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) is a stress-inducible isoform of HO with potential cytoprotective effects. Monocyte activation/migration mediated by monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1) is one of the earliest and important events in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis. We examined the effect of HO-1 on the production of lysophosphatidylcholine (Lyso-PC)-induced MCP-1 in the human promonocytic cell line U937. Increased HO-1 induction by hemin resulted in a significant decrease in the Lyso-PC-mediated induction of MCP-1 mRNA expression. SnPP (IX), the specific inhibitor of HO-1 enzymatic activity, prevented the hemin-mediated attenuation of MCP-1 mRNA expression. These results suggest that HO-1 may work as an anti-atherogenic agent through the attenuation of MCP-1 production.

Pulse wave velocity predicts cardiovascular mortality: findings from the Hawaii-Los Angeles-Hiroshima study.

BACKGROUND: Arterial stiffness measurements, generally from pulse wave velocity (PWV), are widely used with little knowledge of their relationship to long-term cardiovascular mortality in general populations. METHODS AND RESULTS: We studied a cohort of 492 Japanese-Americans living in Hawaii (mean age: 63.7 +/-8.8 years) to assess the relationship between PWV and cardiovascular disease mortality and all-cause mortality. During the 10-year follow-up, 43 patients died (14 from cardiovascular events). The cohort was divided into 2 groups by the cut-off value of PWV (9.9 m/s) represented in the receiver operating characteristic curve. The risk ratio for PWV values >9.9 m/s to all-cause mortality was 1.28 [95% confidence interval (CI): 1.14-1.42], and adjusted for other risk factors this ratio was 1.42 (95% CI: 0.96-2.11). The corresponding risk ratios for cardiovascular mortality was 4.46 (95% CI: 1.61-12.32) and 4.24 (95% CI: 1.39-12.96), respectively. CONCLUSIONS: The present study demonstrated that an increased PWV value is associated with future cardiovascular disease death in Japanese-Americans living in Hawaii.

Ghrelin improves endothelial dysfunction through growth hormone-independent mechanisms in rats.

Ghrelin is a novel growth hormone (GH)-releasing peptide which was isolated from the stomach. We have reported that ghrelin causes vasorelaxation in rats through GH-independent mechanisms. We investigated whether ghrelin improves endothelial dysfunction. Ghrelin was subcutaneously administered to GH-deficient rats for three weeks. After isolation of the thoracic aorta, aortic ring tension was measured to evaluate vasorelaxation. Acetylcholine-induced vasorelaxation was impaired in GH-deficient rats given placebo compared to that in normal rats given placebo. GH-deficient rats treated with ghrelin, however, showed a significant increase in the maximal relaxation as compared with those given placebo. This improvement by ghrelin was inhibited by N(G)-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester, a nonselective nitric oxide synthase (NOS) inhibitor. Western blot analysis demonstrated that treatment with ghrelin increased endothelial NOS (eNOS) expression in the aorta of GH-deficient rats. These results suggest that administration of ghrelin improves endothelial dysfunction and increases eNOS expression in rats through GH-independent mechanisms.