WITHDRAWN: Primary angioplasty versus intravenous thrombolysis for acute myocardial infarction.

BACKGROUND: Intravenous thrombolytic therapy is the standard care for patients with acute myocardial infarction, based upon its widespread availability and ability to reduce patient mortality well demonstrated in randomised trials. Despite its proven efficacy, thrombolytic therapy has limitations. Many patients are ineligible for treatment with thrombolytics. Of those given thrombolytic therapy, 10 to 15 percent have persistent occlusion or reocclusion of the infarct-related artery. Consequently, primary angioplasty (primary PTCA) has been advocated as a better treatment of myocardial infarction. OBJECTIVES: To determine whether primary coronary angioplasty is superior to thrombolytic therapy for the treatment of patients with acute myocardial infarction. SEARCH STRATEGY: Electronic search of The Cochrane Library (1998; Issue 2). MEDLINE (to January 1998); references from reviews, trials and previously published meta-analyses; and experts. Date of most recent searches January 1998. SELECTION CRITERIA: All unconfounded, randomised controlled trials comparing primary angioplasty against intravenous thrombolysis in patients with acute myocardial infarction DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS: At least two independent reviewers abstracted data on morbidity and mortality and trial characteristics. The following outcomes were assessed: total mortality at the end of the study, reinfarction, stroke of any type, composite endpoint of death and reinfarction, recurrent ischemia, severe bleeding and coronary artery bypass grafting. MAIN RESULTS: Ten trials including 2573 subjects were identified. Compared to thrombolytic therapy, primary angioplasty was associated with a significant reduction in short-term mortality at the end of the studies (relative reduction in risk RRR = 32% 95%CI = 5%;50%). Similar reductions were observed for the rate of reinfarction (RRR = 52%, 95%CI = 30%;67%), recurrent ischemia (RRR = 54%; 95%CI = 39%,66%) and for the combined criteria death or reinfarction (RRR = 46%; 95%CI=30%;58%). The frequency of strokes of any cause was significantly decreased by 66% (95%CI=28%;84%). No significant difference was observed for the incidence of major bleeding (relative risk RR =1.18, 95%CI = 0.73;1.90) but the confidence interval was large. The superiority of the primary angioplasty over thrombolysis in terms of the composite endpoint (mortality and reinfarction) was less with accelerated t-PA (RR=0.70, 95%CI=0.51;0.97) than with streptokinase (RR=0.30, 95%CI=0.17;0.53). The biggest and most recent trial, Gusto 2B (GUSTO-2B 97), which involved general as well as highly specialised centres, obtained less favorable results. AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS: This meta-analysis suggests that angioplasty provides a short-term clinical advantage over thrombolysis which may not be sustained. Primary angioplasty when available promptly at experienced centres, may be considered the preferred strategy for myocardial reperfusion. In most situations, however, optimal thrombolytic therapy should still be regarded as an excellent reperfusion strategy.

Primary angioplasty versus intravenous thrombolysis for acute myocardial infarction.

BACKGROUND: Intravenous thrombolytic therapy is the standard care for patients with acute myocardial infarction, based upon its widespread availability and ability to reduce patient mortality well demonstrated in randomised trials. Despite its proven efficacy, thrombolytic therapy has limitations. Many patients are ineligible for treatment with thrombolytics. Of those given thrombolytic therapy, 10 to 15 percent have persistent occlusion or reocclusion of the infarct-related artery. Consequently, primary angioplasty (primary PTCA) has been advocated as a better treatment of myocardial infarction. OBJECTIVES: To determine whether primary coronary angioplasty is superior to thrombolytic therapy for the treatment of patients with acute myocardial infarction. SEARCH STRATEGY: Electronic search of The Cochrane Library (1998; Issue 2). MEDLINE (to January 1998); references from reviews, trials and previously published meta-analyses; and experts. Date of most recent searches January 1998. SELECTION CRITERIA: All unconfounded, randomised controlled trials comparing primary angioplasty against intravenous thrombolysis in patients with acute myocardial infarction DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS: At least two independent reviewers abstracted data on morbidity and mortality and trial characteristics. The following outcomes were assessed: total mortality at the end of the study, reinfarction, stroke of any type, composite endpoint of death and reinfarction, recurrent ischemia, severe bleeding and coronary artery bypass grafting. MAIN RESULTS: Ten trials including 2573 subjects were identified. Compared to thrombolytic therapy, primary angioplasty was associated with a significant reduction in short-term mortality at the end of the studies (relative reduction in risk RRR = 32% 95%CI = 5%;50%). Similar reductions were observed for the rate of reinfarction (RRR = 52%, 95%CI = 30%;67%), recurrent ischemia (RRR = 54%; 95%CI = 39%,66%) and for the combined criteria death or reinfarction (RRR = 46%; 95%CI=30%;58%). The frequency of strokes of any cause was significantly decreased by 66% (95%CI=28%;84%). No significant difference was observed for the incidence of major bleeding (relative risk RR =1.18, 95%CI = 0.73;1.90) but the confidence interval was large. The superiority of the primary angioplasty over thrombolysis in terms of the composite endpoint (mortality and reinfarction) was less with accelerated t-PA (RR=0.70, 95%CI=0.51;0.97) than with streptokinase (RR=0.30, 95%CI=0.17;0.53). The biggest and most recent trial, Gusto 2B (GUSTO-2B 97), which involved general as well as highly specialised centres, obtained less favorable results. REVIEWER'S CONCLUSIONS: This meta-analysis suggests that angioplasty provides a short-term clinical advantage over thrombolysis which may not be sustained. Primary angioplasty when available promptly at experienced centres, may be considered the preferred strategy for myocardial reperfusion. In most situations, however, optimal thrombolytic therapy should still be regarded as an excellent reperfusion strategy.

Primary angioplasty versus intravenous thrombolysis for acute myocardial infarction.

BACKGROUND: Intravenous thrombolytic therapy is the standard care for patients with acute myocardial infarction, based upon its widespread availability and ability to reduce patient mortality well demonstrated in randomised trials. Despite its proven efficacy, thrombolytic therapy has limitations. Many patients are ineligible for treatment with thrombolytics. Of those given thrombolytic therapy, 10 to 15 percent have persistent occlusion or reocclusion of the infarct-related artery. Consequently, primary angioplasty (primary PTCA) has been advocated as a better treatment of myocardial infarction. OBJECTIVES: To determine whether primary coronary angioplasty is superior to thrombolytic therapy for the treatment of patients with acute myocardial infarction. SEARCH STRATEGY: Electronic search of The Cochrane Library (1998; Issue 2). MEDLINE (to January 1998); references from reviews, trials and previously published meta-analyses; and experts. Date of most recent searches January 1998. SELECTION CRITERIA: All unconfounded, randomised controlled trials comparing primary angioplasty against intravenous thrombolysis in patients with acute myocardial infarction DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS: At least two independent reviewers abstracted data on morbidity and mortality and trial characteristics. The following outcomes were assessed: total mortality at the end of the study, reinfarction, stroke of any type, composite endpoint of death and reinfarction, recurrent ischemia, severe bleeding and coronary artery bypass grafting. MAIN RESULTS: Ten trials including 2573 subjects were identified. Compared to thrombolytic therapy, primary angioplasty was associated with a significant reduction in short-term mortality at the end of the studies (relative reduction in risk RRR = 32% 95%CI = 5%;50%). Similar reductions were observed for the rate of reinfarction (RRR = 52%, 95%CI = 30%;67%), recurrent ischemia (RRR = 54%; 95%CI = 39%, 66%) and for the combined criteria death or reinfarction (RRR = 46%; 95%CI=30%;58%). The frequency of strokes of any cause was significantly decreased by 66% (95%CI=28%;84%). No significant difference was observed for the incidence of major bleeding (relative risk RR =1.18, 95%CI = 0.73;1.90) but the confidence interval was large. The superiority of the primary angioplasty over thrombolysis in terms of the composite endpoint (mortality and reinfarction) was less with accelerated t-PA (RR=0.70, 95%CI=0.51;0. 97) than with streptokinase (RR=0.30, 95%CI=0.17;0.53). The biggest and most recent trial, Gusto 2B ( approximately approximately GUSTO-2B 97 approximately approximately ), which involved general as well as higly specialised centres, obtained less favorable results. REVIEWER'S CONCLUSIONS: This meta-analysis suggests that angioplasty provides a short-term clinical advantage over thrombolysis which may not be sustained. Primary angioplasty when available promptly at experienced centres, may be considered the preferred strategy for myocardial reperfusion. In most situations, however, optimal thrombolytic therapy should still be regarded as an excellent reperfusion strategy.

[Fractal analysis and arterial hypertension]. / Analyse fractale et hypertension artérielle.

Fractal analysis is a new tool allowing to study the complexity of cardiovascular variability. This approach may be useful for investigating regulatory mechanisms. In fractal terms, homeostasis required an optimal organisation of complexity (beta coefficient close to 1): conversely, some pathological situations have proven to be associated with an altered organisation of fractals (beta coefficient different from 1). Our study aimed at determining if hypertension was associated with an alteration of the fractal component of blood pressure (BP) or heart rate (HR) variability. Eighty-eight subjects referred for high BP entered the study. BP was measured in ambulatory conditions by an automatic device during 24 hours (ABP). BP and HR were then recorded beat-to-beat by a Finapres and an ECG during 30 minutes at rest. The beta coefficient was obtained by coarse-graining spectral analysis from the BP and RR interval time series. This method has proven its interest for breaking down cardiovascular variability into an harmonic component and a non harmonic one, this latter containing fractal elements. Spontaneous baroreflex sensitivity was assessed by the method of sequences. The percentage of fractals contained in BP and RR signals remained relatively stable despite the increasing severity of hypertension. A significant but loose correlation was found between the beta coefficient of RR and ABP (r = 0.23, p = 0.053 with systolic ABP; r = 0.25, p = 0.03 with diastolic ABP). No correlation could be disclosed between ABP and the beta coefficient of BP. The beta coefficient of RR was significantly correlated with the spontaneous baroreflex sensitivity (-0.59, p < 0.0001). It is concluded that it is rather the complexity of HR signal than that of BP which is altered during hypertension. This may suggest that some regulatory processes are lost or less efficient. The correlation reported between the baroreflex gain and the beta coefficient of RR interval may reflect, in fact, an alteration of the parasympathetic drive. Globally, these results emphasise the importance of HR and probably cardiac output in the pathophysiology of high BP.

[Propionibacterium acnes infectious endocarditis]. / Endocardites infectieuses à Propionibacterium acnes.

BACKGROUND: Propionibacterium acnes, a Gram positive microaerophilic bacteria is considered to have a low level of virulence. Nevertheless, it can be associated with infective endocarditis. We report 2 cases and a review of the literature. CASE REPORTS: The first man developed an acute prosthetic valve infective endocarditis and died. The second case was also a prosthetic valve infective endocarditis in a patient who developed infectious spondylitis. DISCUSSION: P. acnes is an uncommon causal agent in infective endocarditis and appears to have a predilectio for prosthetic valves. A prior history of skin infection is rare. P. acnes grow quite slowly, often requiring 7 to 14 days for identification. All isolates of P. acnes from blood or valve do not necessarily mean contamination.

Double postinfarction cardiac rupture of left ventricular free wall and papillary muscle documented by transthoracic echocardiography.

A 70-year-old man presented with a posteroinferolateral acute myocardial infarction complicated by rupture of the left ventricular inferior wall and partial rupture of the posteromedial papillary muscle. Transthoracic echocardiography documented both of these complications and led to prompt and successful surgical repair.

[Late discovery of inferior vena cava draining into the left atrium after surgical closure of atrial septal defect]. / Découverte tardive d'une dérivation de la veine cave inférieure dans l'oreillette gauche après fermeture chirurgicale d'une communication interauriculaire.

Drainage of the inferior vena cava into the left atrium during surgery for closure of an atrial septal defect is a rare complication. More common in low situated defects, it was more frequent when this type of surgery was performed without cardiopulmonary bypass. This diagnosis was made in a 45 year old woman with cyanosis operated 28 years previously. The right-to-left shunt was demonstrated by the hyperoxia test and confirmed by perfusion pulmonary scintigraphy and contrast echocardiography but only when the contrast was injected in the inferior vena cava territory, and by angiography. The surgeon confirmed the abnormality, closed the interatrial septum and reconnected the inferior vena cava to the right atrium.

[Apical hypertrophic cardiomyopathy]. / Myocardiopathie hypertrophique apicale.

Apical hypertrophic cardiomyopathy was defined initially by three electrocardiographic and angiographic criteria: the presence of giant (over 10 mm) inverted T waves in leads V4 and V5 of the resting ECG; an "ace of spades" appearance of left ventricular angiography in end diastole in the right anterior oblique projection; the electrocardiographic sum RV5 + SV1 greater than 35 mm. There after, authentic cases of apical hypertrophy have been demonstrated by imaging techniques or observed anatomically without the presence of these three criteria. The authors review the epidemiological, clinical and paraclinical features of this particular form of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy.

[Left atrial free floating thrombus without mitral valve disease. Review of the literature apropos of a case]. / Thrombus libre intra-auriculaire gauche en l'absence de pathologie valvulaire mitrale. Revue de la littérature à propos d'un cas.

Free ball thrombi of the left atrium are usually observed with mitral valve disease. The authors report the unusual case of this condition without mitral valve disease. A number of classical echocardiographic criteria suggested the precise nature of this left atrial mass before surgical excision. The diagnosis of a free ball thrombus of the left atrium should lead to urgent surgery because of the high risk of haemodynamic and embolic complications.

[Prognostic study of single ventricle with respect of anatomical and clinical data]. / Etude pronostique du ventricule unique en fonction des données anatomiques et cliniques.

The authors analysed the anatomical and clinical prognostic factors of single or common ventricle. This retrospective study was based on a series of 185 patients hospitalised between 1/2/70 and 31/12/91 in the paediatric cardiological unit of the Cardiological Hospital of Lyon with this condition. A number of anatomical and clinical parameters were identified in this population. For each parameter, a given patient could only relate to single modality and a survival graph determined by Kaplan-Meier analysis was established for each modality. For each variable, the survival curve of the most frequently encountered modality served as a reference and the other modalities were compared with it using a logrank test. The different modalities potentially related to patient survival were then entered into a multivariable model using logistic regression. The results of this study of multivariable analysis using the Odds-Ratio (OR) independently suggest that four variables may influence negatively survival of patients with a single ventricle: pH < or = 7.3 on admission (OR = 3.55), a non-left ventricular morphology of the main ventricular chamber (OR = 3.11), the presence of an obstacle on the aortic outflow (OR = 5.58) and a total anomalous pulmonary venous drainage (OR = 26.88).

[Prognostic study of 3 main palliative surgical procedures in patients with single ventricle]. / Etude pronostique des trois principales interventions de chirurgie palliative en présence d'un ventricule unique.

In emergency cases of babies with a single ventricle and an obstruction to aortic outflow, low pulmonary flow or, on the contrary, high pulmonary flow, only palliative surgical procedures can be proposed. The authors set out to determine the prognosis of a population with this type of lesion having undergone one of the three following procedures: systemic pulmonary shunt, pulmonary artery banding, repair of the aortic arch (usually associated with pulmonary banding). One hundred and nineteen (63%) of the 185 patients hospitalised between 1/01/1970 and 31/12/1991 in the paediatric cardiology unit of the Cardiac Hospital of Lyon with a diagnosis of single ventricle, underwent one of these three procedures as a treatment of first intention. The survival of the 22 patients who underwent pulmonary artery banding (90 +/- 6%, 85 +/- 8%, 85 +/- 8% at 1.5 and 10 years respectively) was significantly better than that of the patients undergoing systemico-pulmonary shunt (63 +/- 6%, 53 +/- 6% and 49 +/- 6% at 1.5 and 10 years respectively). On the other hand, repair of an obstacle of the aortic arch was a precarious procedure as the survival was only 23 +/- 11%, 16 +/- 11% and 16 +/- 11% and 1.5 and 10 years respectively). These results suggest, with the reserve inherent to the methodology of retrospective studies of small populations, that it is not illogical to continue to propose pulmonary artery banding for babies with single ventricle associated with high pulmonary flow. This procedure should only be envisaged after strict selection of candidates and providing there are facilities for intensive postoperative care.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)