Deceived by the Fick principle: blood flow distribution in heart failure.

AIMS: The Fick principle states that oxygen uptake (V̇O2) is cardiac output (Qc)*arterial-venous O2 content difference [ΔC(a-v)O2]. Blood flow distribution is hidden in Fick principle and its relevance during exercise in heart failure (HF) is undefined.To highlight the role of blood flow distribution, we evaluated peak-exercise V̇O2, Qc and ΔC(a-v)O2, before and after HF therapeutic interventions. METHODS: Symptoms-limited cardiopulmonary exercise tests with Qc measurement (inert-gas-rebreathing) was performed in 234 HF patients before and 6 months after successful exercise training, cardiac-resynchronization therapy or percutaneous-edge-to-edge mitral valve repair. RESULTS: Considering all tests (n=468) a direct correlation between peakV̇O2 and peakQc (R2=0.47) and workload (R2=0.70) were observed. Patients were grouped according to treatment efficacy in group 1 (peakV̇O2 increase >10%, n=93), group 2 (peakV̇O2 change between 0 and 10%, n=60) and group 3 (reduction in peakV̇O2, n=81). Post-treatment peakV̇O2 changes poorly correlated with peakQc and peakΔC(a-v)O2 changes. Differently, post-procedures peakQc vs. peakΔC(a-v)O2 changes showed a close negative correlation (R2=0.46), becoming stronger grouping patients according to peakV̇O2 improvement (R2=0.64, 0.79 and 0.58 in group 1, 2 and 3, respectively). In 76% of patients peakQc and ΔC(a-v)O2 changes diverged regardless of treatment. CONCLUSION: The bulk of these data suggests that blood flow distribution plays a pivotal role on peakV̇O2 determination regardless of HF treatment strategies. Accordingly, for assessing HF treatment efficacy on exercise performance the sole peakV̇O2 may be deceptive and the combination of V̇O2, Qc and ΔC(a-v)O2, must be considered.

This study aimed to understand how oxygen uptake during exercise is affected by heart failure therapeutic intervention. We evaluated 234 heart failure patients before and after treatments such as exercise training, cardiac resynchronization therapy, or mitral valve repair, finding that changes in oxygen uptake were poorly correlated with changes in cardiac output and oxygen content difference between arteries and veins. However, we observed a strong negative correlation between changes in cardiac output and oxygen content difference, especially in patients with significant improvement in oxygen uptake. This suggests that blood flow distribution is crucial for oxygen uptake during exercise, regardless of treatment. Therefore, relying solely on oxygen uptake may not accurately assess treatment effectiveness, and considering a combination of oxygen uptake, cardiac output, and oxygen content difference is important. Oxygen uptake during exercise was strongly related to cardiac output and workload.Changes in cardiac output and oxygen content difference were closely related after treatments, especially in patients with significant improvement in oxygen uptake.

Vitamin D and cardiovascular diseases.

Vitamin D has an established role in calcium homeostasis but its deficiency is emerging also as a new risk factor for cardiovascular disease (CVD). In particular, several epidemiological and clinical studies have reported a close association between low vitamin D levels and several cardiovascular risk factors and major CVDs, such as coronary artery disease, heart failure, and cardiac arrhythmias. In all these clinical settings, vitamin D deficiency seems to predispose to increased morbidity, mortality, and recurrent cardiovascular events. Despite this growing evidence, interventional trials with supplementation of vitamin D in patients at risk of or with established CVD are still controversial. In this chapter, we summarize the currently available evidence on the links between vitamin D deficiency and major cardiovascular risk factors and CVD, in terms of both clinical relevance and potential therapeutic implications.

Non-stenotic fibro-calcific aortic valve as a predictor of myocardial infarction recurrence.

BACKGROUND: Patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI) are at increased risk of recurrent cardiovascular events. Non-stenotic aortic valve fibro-calcific remodeling (AVSc), reflecting systemic damage, may serve as a new marker of risk. OBJECTIVES: To stratify subgroups of AMI patients with specific probabilities of recurrent AMI and to evaluate the importance of AVSc in this setting. METHODS: Consecutive AMI patients (n = 2530) were admitted at Centro Cardiologico Monzino (2010-2019) and followed up for 5 years. Patients were divided into study (n = 1070) and test (n = 966) cohorts. Topological data analysis (TDA) was used to stratify patient subgroups, while Kaplan-Meier and Cox regressions analyses were used to evaluate the significance of baseline characteristics. RESULTS: TDA identified 11 subgroups of AMI patients with specific baseline characteristics. Two subgroups showed the highest rate of reinfarction after 5 years from the indexed AMI with a combined hazard ratio (HR) of 3.8 (95%CI: 2.7-5.4) compared to the other subgroups. This was confirmed in the test cohort (HR = 3.1; 95%CI: 2.2-4.3). These two subgroups were mostly men, with hypertension and dyslipidemia, who exhibit higher prevalence of AVSc, higher levels of high-sensitive c-reactive protein and creatinine. In the year-by-year analysis, AVSc, adjusted for all confounders, showed an independent association with the increased risk of reinfarction (odds ratio of ∼2 at all time-points), in both the study and the test cohorts (all p < 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: AVSc is a crucial variable for identifying AMI patients at high risk of recurrent AMI and its presence should be considered when assessing the management of AMI patients. The inclusion of AVSc in risk stratification models may improve the accuracy of predicting the likelihood of recurrent AMI, leading to more personalized treatment decisions.

We wanted to understand the factors that make some acute myocardial infarction (AMI) patients more likely to experience recurrent infarction after leaving the hospital. Specifically, we asked whether a heart valve condition called non-stenotic aortic valve fibro-calcific remodeling (AVSc) could be a crucial factor. Our study used advanced data analysis techniques, including topological data analysis (TDA), to explore this question. We unveil that AVSc is indeed a significant predictor of recurrent infarction in AMI patients. Our findings suggest that the presence of aortic valve remodeling should be taken into account when assessing the risk of recurrent AMI and managing these patients.

Whole-Blood Transcriptome Unveils Altered Immune Response in Acute Myocardial Infarction Patients With Aortic Valve Sclerosis.

BACKGROUND: Aortic valve sclerosis (AVSc) presents similar pathogenetic mechanisms to coronary artery disease and is associated with short- and long-term mortality in patients with coronary artery disease. Evidence of AVSc-specific pathophysiological traits in acute myocardial infarction (AMI) is currently lacking. Thus, we aimed to identify a blood-based transcriptional signature that could differentiate AVSc from no-AVSc patients during AMI. METHODS: Whole-blood transcriptome of AVSc (n=44) and no-AVSc (n=66) patients with AMI was assessed by RNA sequencing on hospital admission. Feature selection, differential expression, and enrichment analyses were performed to identify gene expression patterns discriminating AVSc from no-AVSc and infer functional associations. Multivariable Cox regression analysis was used to estimate the hazard ratios of cardiovascular events in AVSc versus no-AVSc patients. RESULTS: This cross-sectional study identified a panel of 100 informative genes capable of distinguishing AVSc from no-AVSc patients with 94% accuracy. Further analysis revealed significant mean differences in 143 genes, of which 30 genes withstood correction for age and previous AMI or coronary interventions. Functional inference unveiled a significant association between AVSc and key biological processes, including acute inflammatory responses, type I IFN (interferon) response, platelet activation, and hemostasis. Notably, patients with AMI with AVSc exhibited a significantly higher incidence of adverse cardiovascular events during a 10-year follow-up period, with a full adjusted hazard ratio of 2.4 (95% CI, 1.3-4.5). CONCLUSIONS: Our findings shed light on the molecular mechanisms underlying AVSc and provide potential prognostic insights for patients with AMI with AVSc. During AMI, patients with AVSc showed increased type I IFN (interferon) response and earlier adverse cardiovascular outcomes. Novel pharmacological therapies aiming at limiting type I IFN response during or immediately after AMI might improve poor cardiovascular outcomes of patients with AMI with AVSc.

Circulating Small Extracellular Vesicles Reflect the Severity of Myocardial Damage in STEMI Patients.

Circulating small extracellular vesicles (sEVs) contribute to inflammation, coagulation and vascular injury, and have great potential as diagnostic markers of disease. The ability of sEVs to reflect myocardial damage assessed by Cardiac Magnetic Resonance (CMR) in ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) is unknown. To fill this gap, plasma sEVs were isolated from 42 STEMI patients treated by primary percutaneous coronary intervention (pPCI) and evaluated by CMR between days 3 and 6. Nanoparticle tracking analysis showed that sEVs were greater in patients with anterior STEMI (p = 0.0001), with the culprit lesion located in LAD (p = 0.045), and in those who underwent late revascularization (p = 0.038). A smaller sEV size was observed in patients with a low myocardial salvage index (MSI, p = 0.014). Patients with microvascular obstruction (MVO) had smaller sEVs (p < 0.002) and lower expression of the platelet marker CD41-CD61 (p = 0.039). sEV size and CD41-CD61 expression were independent predictors of MVO/MSI (OR [95% CI]: 0.93 [0.87-0.98] and 0.04 [0-0.61], respectively). In conclusion, we provide evidence that the CD41-CD61 expression in sEVs reflects the CMR-assessed ischemic damage after STEMI. This finding paves the way for the development of a new strategy for the timely identification of high-risk patients and their treatment optimization.

Fluid balance in heart failure.

Fluid retention is a major determinant of symptoms in patients with heart failure (HF), and it is closely associated with prognosis. Hence, congestion represents a critical therapeutic target in this clinical setting. The first therapeutic strategy in HF patients with fluid overload is optimization of diuretic intervention to maximize water and sodium excretion. When diuretic therapy fails to relieve congestion, renal replacement therapy represents the only alternative option for fluid removal, as well as a way to restore diuretic responsiveness. On this background, the pathophysiology of fluid balance in HF is complex, with heart, kidney, and lung being deeply involved in volume regulation and management. Therefore, the interplay between these organs should be appreciated and considered when fluid overload in HF patients is targeted.

Prognostic Impact of Percutaneous Coronary Intervention in Older Patients Hospitalized with Acute Myocardial Infarction: Real-World Findings from the Lombardy Health Database.

BACKGROUND: Older patients are less likely to receive percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) for acute myocardial infarction (AMI) compared to younger patients. We investigated the prognostic impact of PCI in a large population of patients hospitalized with AMI in the period 2003-2018 by using the administrative Lombardy Health Database (Italy). METHODS: We considered all patients aged ≥75 years hospitalized with AMI (either STEMI or NSTEMI) from 2003 to 2018 in Lombardy. Patients were grouped according to whether they were treated or not with PCI during the index hospitalization. The primary outcome was in-hospital mortality. The secondary endpoints were 1-year mortality and 1-year re-hospitalization for acute heart failure (AHF) or AMI. RESULTS: 116,063 patients aged ≥75 years (mean age 83 ± 6; 48% males; 46% STEMI) were hospitalized with a primary diagnosis of AMI. Thirty-seven percent of them (n = 42,912) underwent PCI. The in-hospital mortality rate was significantly lower in PCI-treated patients (6% vs. 15%; p < 0.0001). One-year mortality and 1-year re-hospitalization for AHF/AMI were less frequent in PCI-treated patients (16% vs. 41% and 15% vs. 21%, respectively; p < 0.0001). The adjusted risks of the study endpoints were lower in PCI-treated patients: OR 0.37 (95% CI 0.36-0.39) for in-hospital mortality; HR 0.37 (95% CI 0.36-0.38) for 1-year mortality; HR 0.74 (95% CI 0.71-0.77) for 1-year re-hospitalization for AHF/AMI. Similar results were found in STEMI and NSTEMI patients considered separately. CONCLUSIONS: Our real-world data showed that in patients with AMI ≥ 75 years of age, PCI use is associated with lower in-hospital and 1-year mortality.

Cell Surface Platelet Tissue Factor Expression: Regulation by P2Y12 and Link to Residual Platelet Reactivity.

BACKGROUND: ADP-induced platelet activation leads to cell surface expression of several proteins, including TF (tissue factor). The role of ADP receptors in platelet TF modulation is still unknown. We aimed to assess the (1) involvement of P2Y1 and P2Y12 receptors in ADP-induced TF exposure; (2) modulation of TFpos-platelets in anti-P2Y12-treated patients with coronary artery disease. Based on the obtained results, we revisited the intracellular localization of TF in platelets. METHODS: The effects of P2Y1 or P2Y12 antagonists on ADP-induced TF expression and activity were analyzed in vitro by flow cytometry and thrombin generation assay in blood from healthy subjects, P2Y12-/-, and patients with gray platelet syndrome. Ex vivo, P2Y12 inhibition of TF expression by clopidogrel/prasugrel/ticagrelor, assessed by VASP (vasodilator-stimulated phosphoprotein) platelet reactivity index, was investigated in coronary artery disease (n=238). Inhibition of open canalicular system externalization and electron microscopy (TEM) were used for TF localization. RESULTS: In blood from healthy subjects, stimulated in vitro by ADP, the percentage of TFpos-platelets (17.3±5.5%) was significantly reduced in a concentration-dependent manner by P2Y12 inhibition only (-81.7±9.5% with 100 nM AR-C69931MX). In coronary artery disease, inhibition of P2Y12 is paralleled by reduction of ADP-induced platelet TF expression (VASP platelet reactivity index: 17.9±11%, 20.9±11.3%, 40.3±13%; TFpos-platelets: 10.5±4.8%, 9.8±5.9%, 13.6±6.3%, in prasugrel/ticagrelor/clopidogrel-treated patients, respectively). Despite this, 15% of clopidogrel good responders had a level of TFpos-platelets similar to the poor-responder group. Indeed, a stronger P2Y12 inhibition (130-fold) is required to inhibit TF than VASP. Thus, a VASP platelet reactivity index <20% (as in prasugrel/ticagrelor-treated patients) identifies patients with TFpos-platelets <20% (92% sensitivity). Finally, colchicine impaired in vitro ADP-induced TF expression but not α-granule release, suggesting that TF is open canalicular system stored as confirmed by TEM and platelet analysis of patients with gray platelet syndrome. CONCLUSIONS: Data show that TF expression is regulated by P2Y12 and not P2Y1; P2Y12 antagonists downregulate the percentage of TFpos-platelets. In clopidogrel good-responder patients, assessment of TFpos-platelets highlights those with residual platelet reactivity. TF is stored in open canalicular system, and its membrane exposure upon activation is prevented by colchicine.

[The EASY-NET research programme: background, structure, and methodology]. / Il programma di rete EASY-NET: razionale, struttura e metodologie.

This is the first contribution of a series of interventions describing the EASY-NET research program (Bando Ricerca Finalizzata 2016, funds 2014-2015; NET-2016-02364191). Here, the objective is to illustrate the background and the research question, the structure and organization, the methodologies and the expected results of the programme. The main theme is audit&feedback (A&F), a proven and widespread technique for improving the quality of health care. EASY-NET, funded by the Italian Ministry of Health and by the governments of the participating Italian Regions, starts its research activities in 2019 with the aim of evaluating the effectiveness of A&F in improving care for different clinical conditions in various organizational and legislative contexts. The research network involves seven Italian Regions, each conducting specific research activities described by as many work packages (WP): Lazio (the leading Region, coordinator of the research activities), Friuli Venezia Giulia, Piedmont, Lombardy, Emilia-Romagna, Calabria, and Sicily. The involved clinical areas include the management of chronic diseases, emergency care for acute conditions, surgery in the oncological area, the treatment of heart disease, obstetrics, and the use of caesarean section and post-acute rehabilitation. The involved settings concern the community, the hospital, the emergency room, and the rehabilitation facilities. Different experimental or quasi-experimental study designs are applied in each WP to achieve specific objectives of the specific clinical and organizational context. In all WPs, the process and outcome indicators are calculated on the basis of the Health Information Systems (HIS) and, in some cases, they are integrated with measures obtained from ad hoc data collections. The programme aims to contribute to the scientific evidence on A&F also exploring the obstacles and favourable factors for its effectiveness and to promote its implementation in the health service, with the ultimate aim of improving the access to healthcare and the health outcomes for citizens.

Impact of chronic GLP-1 RA and SGLT-2I therapy on in-hospital outcome of diabetic patients with acute myocardial infarction.

BACKGROUND: Glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1 RA) and sodium glucose cotransporter-2 inhibitors (SGLT-2i) demonstrated cardiovascular and renal protection. Whether their benefits occur also during hospitalization for acute myocardial infarction (AMI) in patients with diabetes mellitus (DM) is not known. We evaluated in-hospital outcomes of patients hospitalized with AMI according to their chronic use of GLP-1 RA and/or SGLT-2i. METHODS: Using the health administrative databases of Lombardy, patients hospitalized with AMI from 2010 to 2019 were included. They were stratified according to DM status, then grouped into three cohorts using a propensity score matching: non-DM patients; DM patients treated with GLP-1 RA and/or SGLT-2i; DM patients not treated with GLP-1 RA/SGLT-2i. The primary endpoint of the study was the composite of in-hospital mortality, acute heart failure, and acute kidney injury requiring renal replacement therapy. RESULTS: We identified 146,798 patients hospitalized with AMI (mean age 71 ± 13 years, 34% females, 47% STEMI; 26% with DM). After matching, 3,090 AMI patients (1030 in each group) were included in the analysis. Overall, the primary endpoint rate was 16% (n = 502) and progressively increased from non-DM patients to DM patients treated with and without GLP-1 RA/SGLT-2i (13%, 16%, and 20%, respectively; P < 0.0001). Compared with non-DM patients, DM patients with GLP-1 RA/SGLT-2i had a 30% higher risk of the primary endpoint, while those not treated with GLP-1 RA/SGLT-2i had a 60% higher risk (P < 0.0001). CONCLUSION: Chronic therapy with GLP-1 RA and/or SGLT-2i has a favorable impact on the clinical outcome of DM patients hospitalized with AMI.

Prognostic Impact of Percutaneous Coronary Intervention in Chronic Dialysis Patients with Acute Myocardial Infarction: Findings from the Lombardy Health Database.

Background: Patients on chronic dialysis are less likely to be treated with percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) for acute myocardial infarction (AMI). This is due to the lack of evidence from randomized trials, concerns about possible PCI-related side effects, and multimorbidity. Therefore, routine use of PCI for treatment of dialysis patients with AMI remains an unresolved issue. Methods: We analyzed data of patients on chronic dialysis hospitalized with AMI from 2003 to 2018, by using the administrative Lombardy Health Database (Italy). Patients were grouped according to whether they underwent or not PCI during index hospitalization. The primary outcome was in-hospital mortality, 1-year mortality was the secondary endpoint. Results: During the study period, 265,048 patients were hospitalized with AMI. Of them, 3206 (1.2%) were on chronic dialysis (age 71 ± 11; 72% males). Among dialysis patients, 44% underwent PCI, while 54% underwent PCI among non-dialysis patients (p < 0.0001). Dialysis was an independent predictor of treatment with medical therapy only (OR 0.75 [95% CI 0.70-0.81]). In-hospital mortality in the dialysis cohort was 15%, significantly lower in patients treated with PCI than in those not treated with PCI (11% vs. 19%; p < 0.0001). One-year mortality was 47% and it was lower in PCI-treated patients (33% vs. 52%; p < 0.0001). The adjusted risk of the study endpoints was significantly lower in dialysis patients undergoing PCI: OR 0.62 (95% CI 0.50-0.76) for in-hospital mortality; HR 0.63 (95% CI 0.56-0.71) for 1-year mortality. Conclusions: This study showed that in AMI patients on chronic dialysis, PCI is associated with a significant in-hospital and 1-year survival benefit. Yet, they underwent PCI less frequently than patients with preserved renal function.

[How to optimize Audit&Feedback: experience from the EASY-NET programme]. / Come rendere più efficace l'Audit&Feedback: riflessioni dal programma di rete EASY-NET.

This is the second of a series of papers dedicated to the EASY-NET research programme (NET-2016-02364191). The rationale, structure and methodologies are described in the previous contribution. Scientific literature demonstrated that Audit & Feedback (A&F) is an effective strategy for continuous quality improvement and its effectiveness varies considerably according to factors that are currently little known. Some recent publication pointed out, with the contribution of an international group of experts, 15 suggestions to optimize A&F and developed a tool to evaluate their application. This tool, called REFLECT-52, includes 52 items related to the 15 suggestions and organized into four categories relating to the "Nature of the desired action", to the "Nature of the data available for feedback", to the "Feedback Display" and to the "Intervention delivery". Then, the aim of this work was to evaluate the level of adherence of A&F interventions tested in EASY-NET to suggestions from the literature by using a slightly adapted version of the REFLECT-52 tool, in its original language. In EASY-NET, 14 A&F interventions with different characteristics and in different clinical and organizational contexts were tested in seven Italian regions, each of these was evaluated by the respective research groups. Overall, the level of adherence was high in three of the four categories analysed, with some difficulties reported regarding the nature of the data available for feedback. In fact, contrary to what the literature suggests, it was not possible to send repeated feedback for some interventions and, in some cases, the data available for feedback presented a delay longer than one year. In summary, this analysis has confirmed a high level of compliance of the interventions tested with the suggestions from the literature, but it has also allowed researchers to identify critical aspects that need to be addressed for the future development of these strategies.

Diabetes mellitus duration and mortality in patients hospitalized with acute myocardial infarction.

BACKGROUND: Diabetes mellitus (DM) is associated with an increased mortality risk in patients hospitalized with acute myocardial infarction (AMI); however, no studies have investigated the impact of the duration of DM on in-hospital mortality. In this study, we evaluated in-hospital mortality in AMI patients according to DM status and its duration. METHODS: Using health administrative databases of Lombardy, DM patients≥50 years hospitalized with AMI from 2010 to 2019 were included in the analysis and were stratified according to the duration of DM: <5, 5-10, and > 10 years. The primary endpoint was mortality during AMI hospitalization and the secondary endpoint was 1-year mortality in comparison with No-DM patients. Logistic and Cox regressions analyses were used to estimate odds ratios (ORs, CI 95%) and hazard ratios (HRs, CI 95%) for the outcomes, according to DM status and duration and AMI type (STEMI and NSTEMI). RESULTS: Our study cohort comprised 29,566 and 109,247 DM and No-DM patients, respectively. Adjusted ORs and HRs showed a significantly higher risk of in-hospital mortality (OR 1.50, 95% CI 1.43-1.58) and 1-year mortality (HR 1.51, 95% CI 1.46-1.55) in DM patients in comparison with those without. These risks increased progressively with the duration of DM, with the highest risk observed in patients with DM duration ≥ 10 years (OR 1.59, 95% CI 1.50-1.69 for in-hospital mortality and HR 1.59, 95% CI 1.53-1.64 for 1-year mortality). These findings were similar in STEMI and in NSTEMI patients. CONCLUSIONS: Our study demonstrates that the duration of DM parallels mortality risk in patients hospitalized with AMI, highlighting that DM duration should be considered as an important early prognostic risk factor in patients with AMI.

Outcomes and mechanical complications of acute myocardial infarction during the second wave pandemic in a Milan HUB center for cardiac emergencies.

Aims: COVID-19 has dramatically impacted the healthcare system. Evidence from previous studies suggests a decline in in-hospital admissions for acute myocardial infarction (AMI) during the pandemic. However, the effect of the pandemic on mechanical complications (MC) in acute ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) has not been comprehensively investigated. Therefore, we evaluated the impact of the pandemic on MC and in-hospital outcomes in STEMI during the second wave, in which there was a huge SARS-CoV-2 diffusion in Italy. Methods and results: Based on a single center cohort of AMI patients admitted with STEMI between February 1, 2019, and February 28, 2021, we compared the characteristics and outcomes of STEMI patients treated during the pandemic vs. those treated before the pandemic. In total, 479 STEMI patients were included, of which 64.5% were during the pandemic. Relative to before the pandemic, primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) declined (87.7 vs. 94.7%, p = 0.014) during the pandemic. Compared to those admitted before the pandemic (10/2019 to 2/2020), STEMI patients admitted during the second wave (10/2020 to 2/2021) presented with a symptom onset-to-door time greater than 24 h (26.1 vs. 10.3%, p = 0.009) and a reduction of primary PCI (85.2 vs. 97.1%, p = 0.009). MC occurred more often in patients admitted during the second wave of the pandemic than in those admitted before the pandemic (7.0 vs. 0.0%, p = 0.032). In-hospital mortality increased during the second wave (10.6 vs. 2.9%, p = 0.058). Conclusion: Although the experience gained during the first wave and a more advanced hub-and-spoke system for cardiovascular emergencies persists, late hospitalizations and a high incidence of mechanical complications in STEMI were observed even in the second wave.

Impact of Prior Statin Therapy on In-Hospital Outcome of STEMI Patients Treated with Primary Percutaneous Coronary Intervention.

Background: Prior statin therapy has a cardioprotective effect in patients undergoing elective or urgent percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). However, data on patients with ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) undergoing primary PCI are still controversial. We retrospectively evaluated the effect of prior statin therapy on in-hospital clinical outcomes in consecutive STEMI patients undergoing primary PCI. Methods: A total of 1790 patients (mean age 67 ± 11 years, 1354 men) were included. At admission, all patients were interrogated about prior (>6 months) statin therapy. The primary endpoint of the study was the composite of in-hospital mortality, acute pulmonary edema, and cardiogenic shock in patients with or without prior statin therapy. Results: A total of 427 patients (24%) were on prior statin therapy. The incidence of the primary endpoint was similar in patients with or without prior statin therapy (15% vs. 16%; p = 0.38). However, at multivariate analysis, prior statin therapy was associated with a lower risk of the primary endpoint, after adjustment for major prognostic predictors (odds ratio 0.61 [95% CI 0.39−0.96]; p = 0.03). Conclusions: This study demonstrated that prior statin therapy is associated with a better in-hospital clinical outcome in patients with STEMI undergoing primary PCI compared to those without prior statin therapy.

Role of continuous glucose monitoring in diabetic patients at high cardiovascular risk: an expert-based multidisciplinary Delphi consensus.

BACKGROUND: Continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) shows in more detail the glycaemic pattern of diabetic subjects and provides several new parameters ("glucometrics") to assess patients' glycaemia and consensually guide treatment. A better control of glucose levels might result in improvement of clinical outcome and reduce disease complications. This study aimed to gather an expert consensus on the clinical and prognostic use of CGM in diabetic patients at high cardiovascular risk or with heart disease. METHODS: A list of 22 statements concerning type of patients who can benefit from CGM, prognostic impact of CGM in diabetic patients with heart disease, CGM use during acute cardiovascular events and educational issues of CGM were developed. Using a two-round Delphi methodology, the survey was distributed online to 42 Italian experts (21 diabetologists and 21 cardiologists) who rated their level of agreement with each statement on a 5-point Likert scale. Consensus was predefined as more than 66% of the panel agreeing/disagreeing with any given statement. RESULTS: Forty experts (95%) answered the survey. Every statement achieved a positive consensus. In particular, the panel expressed the feeling that CGM can be prognostically relevant for every diabetic patient (70%) and that is clinically useful also in the management of those with type 2 diabetes not treated with insulin (87.5%). The assessment of time in range (TIR), glycaemic variability (GV) and hypoglycaemic/hyperglycaemic episodes were considered relevant in the management of diabetic patients with heart disease (92.5% for TIR, 95% for GV, 97.5% for time spent in hypoglycaemia) and can improve the prognosis of those with ischaemic heart disease (100% for hypoglycaemia, 90% for hyperglycaemia) or with heart failure (87.5% for hypoglycaemia, 85% for TIR, 87.5% for GV). The experts retained that CGM can be used and can impact the short- and long-term prognosis during an acute cardiovascular event. Lastly, CGM has a recognized educational role for diabetic subjects. CONCLUSIONS: According to this Delphi consensus, the clinical and prognostic use of CGM in diabetic patients at high cardiovascular risk is promising and deserves dedicated studies to confirm the experts' feelings.