Effect of High Dose Rosuvastatin Loading before Percutaneous Coronary Intervention on Contrast-Induced Nephropathy

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Contrast-induced nephropathy (CIN) is associated with increased morbidity and mortality. This observational, non-randomized study evaluated the effect of rosuvastatin loading before percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) on the incidence of CIN in patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS). SUBJECTS AND METHODS: A total of 824 patients who underwent PCI for ACS were studied (408 patients in the statin group=40 mg rosuvastatin loading before PCI; 416 patients of control group=no statin pretreatment). Serum creatinine concentrations were measured before and 24 and 48 hours after PCI. The primary endpoint was development of CIN defined as an increase in serum creatinine concentration of > or =0.5 mg/dL or > or =25% above baseline within 72 hours after PCI. RESULTS: The incidence of CIN was significantly lower in the statin group than that in the control group (18.8% vs. 13.5%, p=0.040). The maximum percent changes in serum creatinine and estimated glomerular filtration rate in the statin group within 48 hours were significantly lower than those in the control group (5.84+/-22.59% vs. 2.43+/-24.49%, p=0.038; -11.44+/-14.00 vs. -9.51+/-13.89, p=0.048, respectively). The effect of rosuvastatin on preventing CIN was greater in the subgroups of patients with diabetes, high-dose contrast medium, multivessel stents, high baseline C-reactive protein, and myocardial infarction. A multivariate analysis revealed that rosuvastatin loading was independently associated with a decreased risk for CIN (odds ratio, 0.64; 95% confidence interval, 0.43-0.95, p=0.026). CONCLUSION: High-dose rosuvastatin loading before PCI was associated with a significantly lower incidence of CIN in patients with ACS.

Effect of High Dose Rosuvastatin Loading before Primary Percutaneous Coronary Intervention on Infarct Size in Patients with ST-Segment Elevation Myocardial Infarction

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: High dose rosuvastatin loading before percutaneous coronary interventions (PCI) reduces the myocardial damage and the incidence of adverse cardiac events in patients with stable angina and acute coronary syndrome. However, no studies are present yet about rosuvastatin loading in patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) in a primary PCI setting. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: A total of 475 patients who underwent primary PCI for STEMI were studied. The study population was divided into two groups with 208 patients in the statin group=40 mg rosuvastatin loading before primary PCI and 267 patients in the control group=no statin pretreatment. At median 3 days after PCI a single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) was performed with technetium 99m tetrofosmin For this study were compared infarct size, corrected Thrombolysis in Myocardial Infarction (TIMI) frame count and the myocardial blush grade (MBG) between the both groups. RESULTS: Baseline clinical and procedural characteristics were similar between the groups. Infarct size, as assessed by SPECT, was significantly smaller (19.0+/-15.9% vs. 22.9+/-16.5%, p=0.009) in the statin group than in the control group. Patients of the statin group showed a lower corrected TIMI frame count (28.2+/-19.3 vs. 32.6+/-21.4, p=0.020), and higher MBG (2.49+/-0.76 vs. 2.23+/-0.96, p=0.001) than the patients of the control group. The multivariate analysis revealed that rosuvastatin loading {odds ratio (OR) 0.61}, pain to balloon time (OR 2.05), anterior myocardial infarction (OR 3.89) and final the MBG (OR 2.93) were independent predictors of a large infarct size. CONCLUSION: A high dose rosuvastatin loading before the primary PCI reduced the infarct size by microvascular myocardial perfusion improvement.

Short-Term Effect of High Dose of Vitamin C on Coronary Flow Velocity and Coronary Flow Reserve in Healthy Young Non-Smoker Men

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Vitamin C, water-soluble antioxidant, has been reported to restore coronary microcirculatory responsiveness and impaired coronary flow reserve in smokers. However, the effect of high dose of vitamin C on coronary circulation is unclear in nonsmokers. METHODS: We used transthoracic echocardiography to measure the coronary flow reserve, an integrated measure of coronary flow in 20 male healthy nonsmokers (26+/-3 years) before and after administration of the high dose of vitamin C. RESULTS: The coronary peak diastolic velocity was increased by 14.8% after administration of antioxidant vitamin C, whereas the coronary flow reserve did not changed. CONCLUSION: High dose of vitamin C acutely increases the coronary flow velocity without restoration of coronary flow reserve in male healthy nonsmokers.

The Usefulness of Color M-mode Doppler Echocardiographic Indices in the Assessment of Left Ventricular Diastolic Function

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Early color M-mode Doppler flow propagation (Vp) has been used to distinguish pseudonormal from normal diastolic filling patterns. However, the role of other indices, including the late diastolic propagation velocity (Ap) and time delay of mitral flow propagation (VpTD and ApTD), is not clear. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: Doppler echocardiographic examinations were performed in 89 patients (60.6+/-9.9 years, male 59.6%), with an ejection fraction > or =40%, who were admitted for diagnostic coronary angiography. The clinical diagnoses on admission were stable angina (41.6%), unstable angina (30.3%), old myocardial infarction (24.7%) and atypical chest pain (3.3%) The diastolic filling patterns, as confirmed by mitral inflow and pulmonary venous flow, were compared with the Ap, VpTD and ApTD indices using color M-mode Doppler echocardiography. RESULTS: The age, left ventricular ejection fraction, left ventricular end diastolic and end systolic dimensions, the left atrial size, and the E'and A'velocities of the mitral annulus tissue Doppler were significantly different between patients with normal and abnormal diastolic filling patterns. In patients with normal filling, impaired relaxation and pseudonormalized filling patterns, the VpTD were 63.1+/-14.9, 85.2+/-25.5 and 107.8+/-36.8 ms (p<0.001), the E/Vp were 1.3+/-0.4, 1.6+/-0.6 and 3.1+/-0.7 (p<0.001), and the E/VpTD were 1.2+/-0.5, 0.7+/-0.2 and 0.9+/-0.4 (p<0.001), respectively. The Ap and ApTD showed significant differences between patients with normal and pseudonormalized filling patterns (Ap 58.3+/-23.5 vs. 36.2+/-15.1, p=0.000; ApTD 47.1+/-19.5 vs. 66.7+/-22.2, p=0.001). The PVa duration, an index that depends on the left ventricular end-diastolic pressure, was the most important independent predictor for ApTD from a multiple regression analysis (R2=71.4%). CONCLUSION: The color M-mode Doppler indices, Ap, VpTD and ApTD, are new diagnostic parameters for diastolic dysfunction.

The Role of Doppler Time Index for Evaluation of Left Ventricular Diastolic Function by Patterns of Left Ventricular Hypertrophy in Hypertensive Patients

OBJECTIVE: Recent studies have shown that easily recordable, non-invasive Doppler time index correlates with left ventricular systolic and diastolic function. The aim of present study was to evaluate the significance of Doppler time index by patterns of left ventricular hypertrophy in hypertensives patients. SUBJECTS AND METHOD: This echocardiographic and Doppler study investigated the relationship between left ventricular geometric shape (normal, concentric remodelling, concentric hypertrophy and eccentric hypertrophy) and diastolic function in a 87 patients with essential hypertension and 55 normal subjects. Doppler time index was defined as the summation of isovolumetric contraction (ICT) and relaxation time (IRT) divided by ejection time (ET). RESULTS: Among left ventricular geometric patterns in hypertensive patients, high prevalence of eccentric hypertrophy (32%). Except IVRT in concentric hypertrophic group, no difference were found in Doppler determination of diastolic function between the geometric groups. The Doppler time index significantly correlated with IVRT and deceleration time (DT) of E wave. However, Doppler time index had 71% sensitivity and 89% specificity in assessment of diastolic dysfunction. CONCLUSION: The Doppler time index was significantly correlate with Doppler index of mitral flow. But, this index can be a lesser sensitive indicator of pure diastolic dysfunction.