Impact of video on the understanding and satisfaction of patients receiving informed consent before elective inpatient coronary angiography: A randomized trial.

BACKGROUND: Appropriate information about the benefits and risks of invasive procedures is crucial, but limited data is available in this field. The aim of this study was to evaluate the incremental value of a short video about coronary angiography compared with standard information, in terms of patient understanding, satisfaction and anxiety. METHODS: This prospective multicenter study included patients admitted for scheduled coronary angiography, who were randomized to receive either standard information or video information by watching a three-dimensional educational video. After information was delivered, patients were asked to complete a dedicated 16-point information questionnaire, as well as satisfaction and anxiety scales. RESULTS: From 21 September to 4 October 2015, 821 consecutive patients were randomized to receive either standard information (n=415) or standard information with an added educational video (n=406). The information score was higher in the video information group than in the standard group (11.8±2.8 vs 9.5±3.1; P<.001). This result was consistent across age and education level subgroups. Self-reported satisfaction was also higher in the video information group (8.4±1.9 vs. 7.7±2.3; P<.001), while anxiety level did not differ between groups. The variables associated with a higher information score were the use of the educational video, younger age, higher level of education, previous follow-up by a cardiologist, prior information about coronary angiography and previous coronary angiography. CONCLUSIONS: In comparison with standard information, viewing a dedicated educational video improved patients' understanding and satisfaction before scheduled coronary angiography. These results are in favor of widespread use of this incremental information tool.

Strain predicts left ventricular functional recovery after acute myocardial infarction with systolic dysfunction.

OBJECTIVE: Regional and global longitudinal strain (RLS-GLS) are considered reliable indexes of myocardial viability in chronic ischemic patients and prediction of left ventricular (LV) functional recovery after acute myocardial infarction (MI) with preserved left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF). We tested in the present study whether RLS and GLS could also identify transmural extent of myocardial scar and predict LV functional recovery and remodeling in patients with reduced LVEF after acute MI. METHODS: Echocardiography and late gadolinium enhancement cardiac magnetic resonance (LGE-CMR) were performed in 71 patients with reduced LVEF (≤45%) after acute MI treated with acute percutaneous coronary intervention. At 8-month follow-up, echocardiography was repeated to determine global LV functional recovery and remodeling. RESULTS: RLS was worse in transmural than in non-transmural infarcted segments (-6.6 ± 6.1% vs -10.3 ± 5.9%, p < 0.0001) and in non-transmural than in normal segments (-10.3 ± 5.9% vs -14.5 ± 6.4%, p < 0.0001). RLS > -12% had sensitivity of 78% and specificity of 69% to identify transmural infarcted segments (AUC = 0.79; 95% CI, 0.77-0.81, p < 0.0001). GLS > -11.3% had sensitivity of 53% and specificity of 100% to predict the absence of LV global functional improvement (AUC = 0.73, CI, 0.55-0.87, p = 0.01) at 8-month follow-up. GLS < -12.5% predicted the absence of adverse LV remodeling with sensitivity of 100% and specificity of 54% (AUC = 0.83; CI, 0.66-0.94, p < 0.0001). GLS > -11.5% was associated with a poor prognosis. CONCLUSIONS: In patients with reduced LVEF after acute MI, RLS and GLS allow: (1) identification of transmural extent of myocardial scar and (2) predict LV global functional recovery and remodeling at 8-month follow-up.

Severe liver failure rather than cirrhosis is associated with mortality in patients with infectious endocarditis: a retrospective case-control study.

BACKGROUND: Data on infectious endocarditis (IE) in patients with liver cirrhosis (LC) are sparse. We aimed to describe the characteristics and predictors of mortality from IE in patients with LC. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Overall, 101 patients with LC and 101 controls with IE matched for sex, age, date of IE, and diabetes were retrospectively selected in 23 liver units between 2000 and 2013. RESULTS: Mean age was 60.8±10.5 and 60.6±11.5 years in LC and controls, respectively. Causes of cirrhosis (Child-Pugh A/B/C: 10.4%/41.7%/47.9%, MELD score: 17±7.8) were excess alcohol intake (79.6%), viral hepatitis (17.3%), and metabolic syndrome (14.3%). Previous history of cardiopathy was found in 24.8% of LC (prosthetic valve 8.9%) and 37.6% of controls (P=0.07). The most frequent bacteria involved were gram-positive cocci. LC had significantly fewer aminoglycosides (P=0.0007), rifamycin (P=0.03), and valve surgery (P=0.02) than controls. The proportion of patients who died following cardiac surgery was similar between the two groups (9.7% for LC vs. 8.7% for controls, P=1). In-hospital mortality for Child-Pugh C patients was significantly higher than controls (61.4 vs. 23%, P<0.001), but not for Child-Pugh A (33.3%) or B patients (25.0%). A Child-Pugh score of above C10 was the best predictor of in-hospital mortality. In LC, Child-Pugh score (odds ratio=1.5; 95% confidence interval: 1.2-2.0; P=0.002) and history of decompensation (odds ratio=3.1; 95% confidence interval: 1.1-9.0; P=0.003) were independent predictive factors for in-hospital mortality. CONCLUSION: Severe liver failure but not cirrhosis is the strongest predictive factor of mortality related to IE in LC. Use of aminosides and rifamycin should be reassessed in LC, and cardiac surgery should be considered for selected patients.

[Prognostic value of echocardiographic parameters in chronic cardiac insufficiency]. / Valeur pronostique des parameters echographiques chez l'insuffisant cardiaque chronique.

This work was interested in 72 patients (81% males) with chronic heart insufficiency. Ail these patients had a sinusal rythme. The etiology was mainly idiopathic (36%) but also ischemic (64%). 15% of patients were at stage I of NYHA, 37.5% at NYHA II, 40.5% at NYHA III and 7% at NYHA IV. All patients had taken a medical treatment (in 85% of cases, this treatment was based on diuretics and IEC). Transthoracic echocardiography was performed in these patients to determine the telediastolic diameter (TDD = 69 mm), the telesystolic diameter (TSD = 57), the velocity of E wave (0.66 mis) and A wave (0.55 mis) and the E wave deceleration time (DT = 0.196 s), 11 from ali patients were dead after a period of observation 21 months. The factors of pejorative prognostic were: the stages III and IV of NYHA, the cardiothoracic ratio > 0.60 and the echocardiographic parameters: TDD, TSD and DT (p = 0.03, p = 0.02 and p = 0.0001 respectively). But the E and A velocity seems don't influence the prognostic.

Intracoronary thrombectomy with the export aspiration catheter before angioplasty in patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction.

OBJECTIVE: We aimed to assess the safety and feasibility of thrombectomy with the Export Aspiration Catheter (EAC) before angioplasty, and its ability to improve angiographic results in patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI). BACKGROUND: Distal embolization of atherothrombotic material often occurs during angioplasty in STEMI, compromising optimal myocardial reperfusion. METHODS: We performed a thrombus-aspiration with EAC prior to angioplasty in 64 consecutive patients with STEMI. Successful thrombectomy was defined as an improvement of TIMI flow grade >or=1. RESULTS: Successful thrombectomy (increase of TIMI flow >or=1) was achieved in 40 patients (62.5%). Mean TIMI flow grade increased from 0.7 +/- 1 to 1.9 +/- 1.2 (p < 0.0001) after thrombectomy. TIMI flow grade 3 was observed more frequently after EAC compared with guidewire alone (51.5% vs. 9%, p = 0.0062). Direct stenting was performed in most of the patients (n = 41, 64%). Distal embolization and no reflow/slow flow phenomenon occurred in 8 patients (12.5%). No vessel injury after EAC thrombectomy was reported. After treatment with balloon angioplasty and/or stenting, final TIMI flow grade 3 was achieved in 54 patients (84.5%). By multivariate analysis, ischemic time < 6 hours was a significant independent predictor of successful thrombectomy (p = 0.0437). CONCLUSIONS: Our series suggests that EAC thrombectomy prior to angioplasty in the setting of STEMI is safe and feasible. It might reduce the culprit coronary lesion's thrombus burden, leading to improved flow restoration and myocardial reperfusion. Further large randomized studies are warranted to confirm these preliminary results and to assess the impact of thrombus-aspiration on infarct size as well as on clinical outcomes.