Routine aspiration thrombectomy improves the diagnosis and management of embolic myocardial infarction.

OBJECTIVES: Assess the effect of aspiration thrombectomy on diagnosis and management of embolic acute myocardial infarction. BACKGROUND: Discrimination of embolic acute myocardial infarction from atherosclerotic plaque rupture/erosion prompts oral anticoagulation treatment of source of embolus, as well as avoiding unnecessary stenting and dual antiplatelet therapy. However, detection is difficult without aspiration. METHODS: We compared rates of diagnosis of embolic infarction for 2.5 years prior to (pre-RAT) and 2.5 years post routine aspiration thrombectomy (post-RAT). Baseline demographics, outcomes, and treatment strategies were also compared between the embolic infarction and atherosclerotic infarction. RESULTS: Diagnosed embolic infarction rose from 1.2% in the pre-RAT era to 2.8% in the post-RAT period (P < 0.05). In addition, more successful removal of thrombus by aspiration led to less stenting (20% vs. 55% P < 0.05) in the post-RAT period thus avoiding the hazards of "triple therapy." Embolic infarction was more frequently associated with atrial fibrillation (55% vs. 8%), had higher mortality (17% vs. 4%), and had higher rates of embolic stroke (13% vs. 0.3%) when compared with atherosclerotic MI (all P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Routine aspiration thrombectomy more readily identifies embolic infarction allowing more specific therapy and avoidance of stenting and triple anticoagulant therapy.

Comparison of pinhole and SPECT 99mTc-MIBI imaging in primary hyperparathyroidism.

OBJECTIVE: This study aims to compare dual tracer, dual phase pinhole technetium-99m labelled 2-methoxyisobutylisonitrile (Tc-MIBI) imaging (including oblique imaging), with single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) and dual phase planar Tc-MIBI images, and combined SPECT, dual phase planar Tc-MIBI images and anterior pinhole thyroid images for the localization of parathyroid adenomas in the neck in primary hyperparathyroidism. METHODS: Sixty-two patients underwent Tc-MIBI dual phase, anterior and anterior oblique pinhole images of the neck, anterior planar images of the neck and chest and early phase neck/chest SPECT followed by [Tc] pertechnetate anterior and anterior oblique pinhole thyroid images. Images were reviewed by consensus in three combinations - dual phase anterior and anterior oblique pinhole Tc-MIBI images and pinhole thyroid images; SPECT and dual phase planar Tc-MIBI images and combined SPECT, dual phase planar Tc-MIBI images and anterior pinhole thyroid images. RESULTS: For 52 parathyroid adenomas in 50 patients, the sensitivity of dual phase anterior and anterior oblique pinhole Tc-images and pinhole thyroid images was 81%. Significantly lower sensitivities were observed with SPECT and dual phase planar Tc-MIBI images (54%, P=0.0005) and combined SPECT, dual phase planar Tc-MIBI images and anterior pinhole thyroid images (65%, P=0.0209). The positive predictive value for all imaging combinations was 88-92%. CONCLUSION: Dual phase anterior and anterior oblique pinhole Tc-MIBI images and pinhole thyroid images are significantly more sensitive than imaging combinations that included SPECT and remains the optimal imaging protocol for the localization of parathyroid adenomas in the neck in primary hyperparathyroidism.

Spontaneous coronary artery dissection treated with bioresorbable vascular scaffolds guided by optical coherence tomography.

Spontaneous coronary artery dissection (SCAD) is an uncommon cause of acute coronary syndromes. We report the first case, to our knowledge, of SCAD in an active fit man. We treated this patient with novel bioresorbable vascular scaffold, guided by optical coherence tomography.

No association of G-protein-coupled receptor kinase 5 or ß-adrenergic receptor polymorphisms with Takotsubo cardiomyopathy in a large Australian cohort.

AIMS: Takotsubo cardiomyopathy (TC) is an increasingly recognized syndrome in which patients present with chest pain and ST changes, and are observed to have reversible LV apical ballooning in the absence of angiographically significant coronary artery stenosis. Although the pathophysiology remains unclear, the syndrome occurs almost exclusively in women, and is often triggered by stress. Recent small studies have reported association of TC with functional variants in the G-protein-coupled receptor kinase 5 (GRK5) gene, as well as in the ß1-adrenergic receptor (ß1AR) and ß2AR. METHODS AND RESULTS: We tested these associations in a larger cohort of 92 TC patients. In addition we examined for the association of polymorphisms in the oestrogen receptor α (ERα) and catechol-O-methyl transferase (COMT) with the occurrence of TC, by comparing the allele frequency of these variants in the TC cohort with that in previously genotyped large Caucasian cohorts. Ninety-two patients with TC were recruited from four Australian centres; they had an age range of 41-90 years (mean ± SD = 66.3 ± 9) and 89/92 were female. There were no significant differences in allelic frequency in the TC group vs. the historic control database for any of the loci. CONCLUSION: In the largest genotyped TC cohort in the literature, we have found no association of genetic variants in the ERα, ß1AR, ß2AR, or COMT genes, or with the previously implicated GRK5, with occurrence of the syndrome.

Reversed internal jugular vein flow as a sign of brachiocephalic vein obstruction.

The value of colour Doppler sonography is well known in the assessment of venous disease, including obstruction/occlusion from thrombosis. Central venous disease, however, can be more difficult to directly assess than disease in peripheral veins. Accordingly, there is significant value not only in the direct signs of venous disease, but also in the indirect signs. We report a case of reversed internal jugular vein flow in a patient with left arm swelling as a sign of brachiocephalic vein obstruction.