Impact of a Cardiogenic Shock Program on Mortality in a Non-Transplant Hospital.

INTRODUCTION: Cardiogenic shock is associated with high in-hospital morbidity and mortality. Improvements in this care process could lead to better outcomes. METHODS: This retrospective study of patients with cardiogenic shock compared two periods: no specific program to address cardiogenic shock and implementation of a cardiogenic shock program. This program included the establishment of a multidisciplinary team (shock team), early alert to the transplant hospital, initiation of a ventricular assist extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) program, and extension of continuous care by acute cardiovascular care specialists. The primary objective was to analyse whether there were differences between in-hospital mortality and mortality during follow-up. Predictors of in-hospital mortality were examined as a secondary objective. RESULTS: A total of 139 patients were enrolled: 69 of them in the previous period and 70 in the cardiogenic shock program period. There was a significant reduction in in-hospital mortality (55.1% vs 37.1%; p=0.03) and mortality during follow-up (62.7% vs 44.6%; p=0.03) in the second period. Diabetes mellitus, ejection fraction, out-of-hospital cardiac arrest, and implementation of the cardiogenic shock program were independent predictors of in-hospital mortality. CONCLUSIONS: The implementation of a comprehensive cardiogenic shock program in a non-transplanting hospital improved in-hospital and follow-up mortality of patients in cardiogenic shock.

Comorbidity and low use of new antiplatelets in acute coronary syndrome.

INTRODUCTION: Despite the use of the new generation P2Y12 inhibitors (Ticagrelor and Prasugrel) with aspirin is the recommended therapy in acute NSTE-ACS patients, their current use in clinical practice remains quite low and might be related, among several variables, with increased comorbidity burden. We aimed to assess the prevalence of these treatments and whether their use could be associated with comorbidity. METHOD: A multicentric prospective registry was conducted at 8 Cardiac Intensive Care Units (October 2017-April 2018) in patients admitted with non ST elevation myocardial infarction. Antithrombotic treatment was recorded and the comorbidity risk was assessed using the Charlson Comorbidity Index. We created a multivariate model to identify the independent predictors of the use of new inhibitors of P2Y12. RESULTS: A total of 629 patients were included, median age 67 years, 23.2% women, 359 patients (57.1%) treated with clopidogrel and 40.6% with new P2Y12 inhibitors: ticagrelor (228 patients, 36.2%) and prasugrel (30 patients, 4.8%). Among the patients with very high comorbidity (Charlson Score > 6) clopidogrel was the drug of choice (82.6%), meanwhile in patients with low comorbility (Charlson Score 0-1) was the ticagrelor or prasugrel (63.6%). Independent predictors of the use of ticagrelor or prasugrel were a low Charlson Comorbidity Index, a low CRUSADE score and the absence of prior bleeding. CONCLUSION: Antiplatelet treatment with Ticagrelor or Pasugrel was low in patients admitted with NSTE-ACS. Comorbidity calculated with Charlson Comorbidity Index was a powerful predictor of the use of new generation P2Y12 inhibitors in this population.

Evaluation of the ODISEA APP for improving a STEMI regional network.

BACKGROUND: The use of technological innovations in ST elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) care networks has been shown to be effective in improving information flow and coordination, and thus reducing the time to reperfusion. We developed a smartphone application called ODISEA to improve our STEMI care network and evaluated the results of its use. METHOD: Quasi-experimental study that compared the outcomes of STEMI suspected patients with an alert and indication for transfer to a cath lab during a previous period and a period in which the ODISEA APP was used. The main objective was to examine differences in reperfusion time and the proportion of patients with a final diagnosis other than acute coronary syndrome. RESULTS: A total of 699 patients were included (415 before and 284 during the ODISEA-APP period). No differences were observed in patient characteristics, infarct type, or acute complications. We observed a reduction in the time from diagnostic ECG to wire crossing with the use of the ODISEA APP (117 vs 102 min, p < 0.001) and a reduction in the percentage of patients with a final diagnosis other than acute coronary syndrome (17.1% vs 9.5%, p = 0.004). CONCLUSIONS: The use of the ODISEA APP in the management of patients with suspected STEMI may be useful for reducing the time from diagnostic ECG to wire crossing and the percentage of patients with a final diagnosis other than acute coronary syndrome.

Design and deployment of ODISEA, an application for the myOcarDial infarction SafEtytrAnsfer of patients.

BACKGROUND: Rapid primary angioplasty is the most effective reperfusion strategy for acute ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) patients. Since not all hospitals have a catheterization laboratory to perform this intervention, adequate coordination of all medical professionals involved in the management of STEMI patients from the emergency room to the hospital catheterization laboratory is necessary. OBJECTIVE: Present the design and deployment of ODISEA (acronym of myOcarDial Infarction SafEtytrAnsfer), a web-based environment plus an application created to complement and support the transfer and management of STEMI patients from the first medical contact to the catheterization laboratory where the primary angioplasty will be carried out. METHOD: ODISEA is an application that has been designed to improve the coordination of all health personnel involved in the management of STEMI patients, i.e., primary care hospitals, Emergency Medical Services [EMS] and cardiology departments. The application provides: (i) functionalities to register relevant information of the patients' and the administered medications, (ii) a chat to coordinate all involved personnel; (iii) treatment recommendations for the first medical contact; and (iv) a GPS-SATELLITE monitoring system to know the exact position of the ambulance during patient transfer. These features improve the coordination in the catheterization laboratory, and optimize the equipment preparation time, and also the patient accommodation procedures after primary angioplasty. ODISEA registers all treated cases for a proper follow-up. The application has been tested from September 2021 to January 2022 in the context of a pilot study in Girona that involved 98 patients and 42 professionals (11 from hospital without Cath lab availability, 21 from EMS, and 10 from the main hospital). Professionals answered a questionnaire using a five-point Likert scale (satisfaction level from 1 to 5) to assess ODISEA regarding patient management, care quality, transfer coordination, transfer effectiveness, and usefulness. Collected data was analyzed using chi-square or Fisher's exact test. Statistical significance has been considered p < 0.05. To evaluate times of first angioplasty, relevant data from 98 patients was collected and compared with data of 129 STEMI patients not treated with ODISEA. RESULTS: For all the questions>70 % of answers are in the 3 to 5 range and from these, almost all the questions have 50 % of answers in the 4 and 5 range. Regarding groups of professionals only in the question related to coordination significant difference has been found for EMS professionals with respect to hospital without Cath lab availability and catheterization hospital professionals. Comparing ODISEA with no ODISEA patients it was observed an improvement in the times of first angioplasty as well as a reduction in the erroneous infarction codes activation. Patients treated with the ODISEA APP were further away from the PCI-capable center. A non-significant tendency was seen towards shorter primary angioplasty times (diagnostic electrocardiogram-guidewire passage) in the ODISEA compared to the NON ODISEA group (112 min vs 122 min; P =.3), a non-significant reduction of cases with times > 120 min (26.2 % vs 35.7 %, respectively; P =.1), and a tendency towards fewer cases eventually diagnosed as non-acute coronary syndrome (7.1 % vs 13.2 %; P =.1). CONCLUSION: ODISEA is a very well-accepted application that improves the management of STEMI patients. The application is an appropriate complement to current infarction protocol.

Drug-induced Sudden Death: A Scoping Review.

BACKGROUND: The risk of sudden cardiac death (SCD) can be increased with the use of drugs. However, it has been described heterogeneously in the literature. OBJECTIVE: This study aims to systematically review epidemiological studies dealing with druginduced sudden death, describe their methodologies, and summarize the results found. METHODS: A scoping review has been carried out using Medline electronic database. The search was limited up to 2020. Epidemiological studies were included, and case reports or case series were excluded. RESULTS: Out of 3,114 potential articles, 74 were included. Most studies originated from North America (40.5%) or Europe (39.2%). Case-control (47.3%) or cohort (40.5%) studies were the most common designs. The data for outcomes and exposure were retrieved mainly from administrative databases (37.8%) or medical charts/hospital discharge reports (32.4%), but most studies used several sources of information. A composite variable of sudden death or SCD, mainly with ventricular arrhythmia, was the most frequently used endpoint. Only 18.9% of the studies included autopsy results to confirm the death. Psychotropic drugs were the most frequently studied. An increased risk of different outcomes for typical antipsychotics, tricyclic antidepressants, domperidone, and antiepileptics is suggested. CONCLUSION: The methodologies used were highly heterogeneous, and the results were, in general, not conclusive. An improvement of the methodologies is needed to achieve a conclusion regarding the risk of SCD associated with drug use.

Coronary angiography in patients without ST-segment elevation following out-of-hospital cardiac arrest. COUPE clinical trial.

INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVES: The role of emergency coronary angiography (CAG) and percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) following out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) in patients without ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) remains unclear. We aimed to assess whether emergency CAG and PCI would improve survival with good neurological outcome in this population. METHODS: In this multicenter, randomized, open-label, investigator-initiated clinical trial, we randomly assigned 69 survivors of OHCA without STEMI to undergo immediate CAG or deferred CAG. The primary efficacy endpoint was a composite of in-hospital survival free of severe dependence. The safety endpoint was a composite of major adverse cardiac events including death, reinfarction, bleeding, and ventricular arrhythmias. RESULTS: A total of 66 patients were included in the primary analysis (95.7%). In-hospital survival was 62.5% in the immediate CAG group and 58.8% in the delayed CAG group (HR, 0.96; 95%CI, 0.45-2.09; P=.93). In-hospital survival free of severe dependence was 59.4% in the immediate CAG group and 52.9% in the delayed CAG group (HR, 1.29; 95%CI, 0.60-2.73; P=.4986). No differences were found in the secondary endpoints except for the incidence of acute kidney failure, which was more frequent in the immediate CAG group (15.6% vs 0%, P=.002) and infections, which were higher in the delayed CAG group (46.9% vs 73.5%, P=.003). CONCLUSIONS: In this underpowered randomized trial involving patients resuscitated after OHCA without STEMI, immediate CAG provided no benefit in terms of survival without neurological impairment compared with delayed CAG. CLINICALTRIALS: gov Identifier: NCT02641626.

Usefulness of high-sensitivity troponin T for the evaluation of patients with acute chest pain and no or minimal myocardial damage.

BACKGROUND: Although high-sensitivity troponins allow early diagnosis of acute myocardial infarction, their role for identification of acute coronary syndrome in patients with normal conventional troponin remains unclear. METHODS AND RESULTS: A total of 446 patients presenting to the emergency department with chest pain and normal troponin (common practice assays) in 2 serial samples were included. Both samples were also centrally analyzed for high-sensitivity troponin T (hs-TnT) (Roche Diagnostics, Basel, Switzerland). Detection (>3 ng/L) and 99th percentile (≥ 14 ng/L) cutoffs of the maximum hs-TnT levels (hs-TnTmax) were considered. The end points were acute coronary syndrome diagnosis and the composite of in-hospital revascularization or 30-day cardiac events. RESULTS: Acute coronary syndrome was adjudicated to 84 patients (19%), and 62 (14%) had the composite end point. In univariate setting, hs-TnTmax >3 ng/L exhibited high sensitivity (87% and 92%, respectively) and negative predictive value (93% and 97%) for both end points, whereas hs-TnTmax ≥ 14 ng/L provided high specificity (90% and 89%), although low positive predictive values (40% and 33%). After adjusting for clinical (pain characteristics and risk factors) and electrocardiographic data, there was a stepped increase of risk across hs-TnTmax categories (≤ 3, >3 but <14, and ≥ 14 ng/L) for both end points; however, the discriminative capacity added was marginal (integrated discrimination improvement of 2.6% and 3.5%, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: Clinical and electrocardiographic data remain the most important tools for the evaluation of patients with chest pain and with no or minimal myocardial damage. The main contribution of hs-TnT is the high negative predictive value of undetectable levels (≤ 3 ng/L).

"Impact of age on management and prognosis of resuscitated sudden cardiac death patients".

Background: Sudden cardiac death (SCD) has a great impact on healthcare due to cardiologic and neurological complications. Admissions of elderly people in Cardiology Intensive Care Units have increased. We assessed the impact of age in presentation, therapeutic management and in vital and neurological prognosis of SCD patients. Methods: We carried out a retrospective, observational, multicenter registry of patients who were admitted with a SCD in 5 tertiary hospitals from January 2013 to December 2020. We divided our cohort into two groups (patients < 80 years and ≥ 80 years). Clinical, analytical and hemodynamic variables as well as in-hospital management were registered and compared between groups. The degree of neurological dysfunction, vital status at discharge and the influence of age on them were also reviewed. Results: We reviewed 1160 patients admitted with a SCD. 11.3% were ≥ 80 years. Use of new antiplatelet agents, performance of a coronary angiography, use of pulmonary artery catheter and temperature control were less carried out in the elderly. Age, non-shockable rhythm, Killip class > 1 at admission, time to CPR initiation > 5 min, time to ROSC > 20 min and lactate > 2 mmol/L were independent predictors for in-hospital mortality. Non-shockable rhythm, Killip class > 1 at admission, time to CPR initiation > 5 min and time to ROSC > 20 min but not age were independent predictors for poor neurological outcomes. Conclusions: Age determined a less aggressive management and it was associated with a worse vital prognosis in patients admitted with a SCD. Nevertheless, age was not associated with worse neurological outcomes.

Shoshin beriberi mimicking a high-risk non-ST-segment elevation acute coronary syndrome with cardiogenic shock: when the arteries are not guilty.

BACKGROUND: Cardiac acute beriberi (Shoshin syndrome) is a rare disease that may lead to a fatal outcome if not treated specifically. OBJECTIVES: We report a case of Shoshin syndrome with an unusual presentation of cardiogenic shock and an electrocardiographic pattern of severe myocardial ischemia suggesting left main coronary artery obstruction. CASE REPORT: A 35-year-old man presented with chest discomfort, diffuse ST-segment depression in the 12-lead electrocardiogram (ECG) with ST-segment elevation in aVR, and rapidly evolving congestive heart failure leading to cardiogenic shock. Intensive support was required, including mechanical ventilation, high doses of inotropics and vasopressors, intra-aortic balloon counterpulsation, and continuous renal replacement therapy. An emergency coronary angiogram was performed that showed normal coronary arteries. Right heart catheterization showed a high-output state with elevated filling pressures suggesting high-output heart failure. The echocardiography confirmed normal left and right ventricular contraction. Thiamine deficiency was suspected as the cause of the high-output heart failure. After a single dose of intravenous thiamine (100 mg), the patient's hemodynamic status improved dramatically within minutes, allowing a rapid discontinuation of hemodynamic support. Subsequent ECGs showed complete resolution of ST-segment abnormalities. Serial lactate measurements, red blood cell transketolase activity, and the thiamine pyrophosphate response test were concordant with a thiamine deficiency state. CONCLUSION: Shoshin syndrome may present as cardiogenic shock with an ECG mimicking severe myocardial ischemia, and if suspected, can be rapidly and effectively treated.

Time from electrocardiographic diagnosis of ST-elevation myocardial infarction to guidewire crossing in patients transferred to a hospital for primary angioplasty: factors associated with delay. / Factores asociados a retrasos de tiempo desde el electrocardiograma diagnóstico hasta el paso de guía en el infarto agudo de miocardio con elevación del segmento ST transferido para angioplastia primaria

OBJECTIVES: To identify predictors of primary angioplasty delay in patients with ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) transported from out-of-hospital sites or from hospitals without percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) suites. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Retrospective cohort study of cases between 2008 and 2018 in a university hospital receiving patients diagnosed with STEMI who required a PCI. We performed linear and multivariate regression analyses to identify factors that predicted delay in interpreting a diagnostic electrocardiogram (ECG) until the guidewire passed the lesion (diagnosis-guidewire-crossing time). RESULTS: A total of 1039 cases were studied; 296 patients (28.4%) had delays of more than 120 minutes between STEMI diagnosis and guidewire crossing. Factors associated with PCI delay were advanced age (odds ratio [OR] = 1.02; 95% CI, 1.01-1.04]), severe heart failure on admission (OR = 2.28; 95% CI, 1.23-4.22), history of cardiac bypass surgery (OR = 10.01; 95% CI, 2.60-41.81), out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OR = 4.34; 95% CI, 1.84-10.32), lateral ischemia (OR, 1.64; 95% CI, 1.06-2.51), first medical attention in a hospital without a PCI suite (OR = 1.52; 95% CI, 1.05-2.21), first medical attention outside regular working hours (OR = 1.46; 95% CI, 1.06-2.02), and distance in kilometers to a PCI suite (OR = 1.04; 95% CI, 1.03-1.05). CONCLUSION: Patients with STEMI who required transport to a hospital with a PCI suite experienced primary angioplasty delays. Delays were related to logistical and clinical factors as well as to infarction characteristics.

OBJETIVO: Identificar variables predictoras del retraso hasta la angioplastia primaria, en los pacientes con infarto agudo de miocardio con elevación del ST (IAMEST) trasladados desde el medio extrahospitalario o desde hospitales sin hemodinámica. METODO: Estudio de cohortes, retrospectivo, realizado entre 2008 y 2018 en un hospital universitario receptor de pacientes con diagnóstico de IAMEST y que requirieron angioplastia primaria. Se realizó un análisis multivariable de regresión logística y lineal para identificar variables predictoras de demora de tiempo de electrocardiograma (ECG) diagnóstico hasta el paso de guía. RESULTADOS: Se incluyeron 1.039 pacientes en el estudio. Doscientos noventa y seis pacientes (28,4%) presentaban tiempos ECG diagnóstico-paso de guía > 120 minutos. Las variables asociadas a tiempos prolongados de angioplastia primaria fueron la edad avanzada [odds ratio (OR) = 1,02; IC 95%: 1,01-1,04] la insuficiencia cardiaca grave al ingreso (OR = 2,28; IC 95%: 1,23-4,22), la cirugía cardiaca previa de bypass (OR = 10,01; IC 95%: 2,60-41,81), la muerte súbita extrahospitalaria recuperada (OR = 4,34; IC 95%: 1,84-10,32), la localización lateral del infarto (OR = 1,64; IC 95%: 1,06-2,51), el primer contacto con hospital sin disponibilidad de hemodinámica (OR = 1,52; IC 95%: 1,05- 2,21), la atención fuera de horas (OR = 1,46; IC 95%: 1,06-2,02) y finalmente la distancia en kilómetros al centro con hemodinámica (OR = 1,04; IC 95%: 1,03-1,05). CONCLUSIONES: En los pacientes con IAMEST que requirieron traslado a un centro con hemodinámica, la demora en la realización de la angioplastia primaria se relacionó con factores clínicos, con características del infarto y logísticas.

Characterization of electrocardiographic findings in young students.

INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVES: The resting 12-lead electrocardiogram (ECG) has been used in the evaluation of young asymptomatic individuals to detect pre-existing heart disease, but systematic ECG use is controversial and there are no data on this population in our environment. We aimed to determine the prevalence and spectrum of electrocardiographic findings in a population of secondary school students. METHODS: We conducted an observational, cross-sectional study of resting ECG findings in all 13 to 14-year-old secondary school students in a region of the province of Gerona between 2009 and 2017. ECG findings were classified into 3 groups according to the modified criteria of Corrado et al.: normal ECG findings, ECG findings suggestive of adaptive changes, and pathologic findings. Students with pathologic ECG findings were referred to a tertiary hospital, and complementary tests were performed according to a pre-established protocol. RESULTS: A total of 1911 ECGs were obtained, with a participation rate of 79% of all high school students. In all, 1321 students (69%) had a normal ECG, 554 (29%) showed ECG findings suggestive of adaptive changes, and 36 (2%) had pathologic ECG findings. Among the group with pathologic findings, 5 (14%) had cardiovascular disease. The prevalence of heart disease in this group of asymptomatic secondary school students was 0.3%. CONCLUSIONS: One third of the students had ECG findings that were mostly suggestive of physiological adaptation. One seventh of the students with pathologic ECG findings had pre-existing heart disease, although the overall prevalence of pre-existing heart disease was low.

Limitations of clinical history for evaluation of patients with acute chest pain, non-diagnostic electrocardiogram, and normal troponin.

Decision making and risk stratification for patients with acute chest pain, nondiagnostic electrocardiogram results, and normal troponin levels are challenging. The aim of this study was to optimize the clinical history for the evaluation of these patients. A total of 1,011 patients presenting to an emergency department were included. The following data were collected: clinical presentation (pain characteristics and number of pain episodes), coronary risk factors, previous ischemic heart disease, and extracardiac vascular disease (peripheral artery disease, stroke, or creatinine >1.4 mg/dl). Two different predictive models were calculated according to the end points: model 1 for 1-year major events (death or myocardial infarction) and model 2 for 30-day cardiac events (major events or revascularization). For 1-year major events, model 1 showed optimal discrimination capacity (C statistic = 0.80), which was significantly better than that of model 2 (C statistic = 0.77, p = 0.04). With respect to 30-day cardiac events, however, discrimination was lower in the 2 models, without differences between them (C statistic = 0.74 vs 0.75, p = NS). Using model 1, a large low-risk subgroup with <3 predictive variables could be defined, including 442 patients (44% of the total population) with a 1.4% rate of 1-year major events; however, the incidence of 30-day cardiac events (8%) was not negligible, mainly because of revascularizations. In conclusion, in patients with acute chest pain of uncertain coronary origin, clinical predictive models afford good risk stratification for long-term major events. Short-term outcomes, including revascularization, however, are not predicted as well. Therefore, ancillary tools, such as noninvasive stress tests, should be implemented for decision making at initial hospitalization or discharge.

The Girona Territori Cardioprotegit Project: Performance Evaluation of Public Defibrillators.

INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVES: In recent years, public access defibrillation programs have exponentially increased the availability of automatic external defibrillators (AED) in public spaces but there are no data on their performance in our setting. We conducted a descriptive analysis of the performance of AED since the launch of a public defibrillation program in our region. METHODS: A retrospective analysis was conducted of electrocardiographic tracings and the performance of AED in a public defibrillation program from June 2011 to June 2015 in the province of Girona, Spain. RESULTS: There were 231 AED activations. Full information was available on 188 activations, of which 82% corresponded to mobile devices and 18% to permanent devices. Asystole was the most prevalent rhythm (42%), while ventricular fibrillation accounted for 23%. The specificity of the device in identifying a shockable rhythm was 100%, but there were 8 false negatives (sensitivity 83%). There were 47 shockable rhythms, with a spontaneous circulation recovery rate of 49% (23 cases). There were no accidents related to the use of the device. CONCLUSIONS: Nearly half of the recorded rhythms were asystole. The AED analyzed showed excellent safety and specificity, with moderate sensitivity. Half the patients with a shockable rhythm were successfully treated by the AED.

A multicentre randomized pilot trial on the effectiveness of different levels of cooling in comatose survivors of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest: the FROST-I trial.

PURPOSE: To obtain initial data on the effect of different levels of targeted temperature management (TTM) in out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA). METHODS: We designed a multicentre pilot trial with 1:1:1 randomization to either 32 °C (n = 52), 33 °C (n = 49) or 34 °C (n = 49), via endovascular cooling devices during a 24-h period in comatose survivors of witnessed OHCA and initial shockable rhythm. The primary endpoint was the percentage of subjects surviving with good neurologic outcome defined by a modified Rankin Scale (mRS) score of ≤ 3, blindly assessed at 90 days. RESULTS: At baseline, different proportions of patients who had received defibrillation administered by a bystander were assigned to groups of 32 °C (13.5%), 33 °C (34.7%) and 34 °C (28.6%; p = 0.03). The percentage of patients with an mRS ≤ 3 at 90 days (primary endpoint) was 65.3, 65.9 and 65.9% in patients assigned to 32, 33 and 34 °C, respectively, non-significant (NS). The multivariate Cox proportional hazards model identified two variables significantly related to the primary outcome: male gender and defibrillation by a bystander. Among the 43 patients who died before 90 days, 28 died following withdrawal of life-sustaining therapy, as follows: 7/16 (43.8%), 10/13 (76.9%) and 11/14 (78.6%) of patients assigned to 32, 33 and 34 °C, respectively (trend test p = 0.04). All levels of cooling were well tolerated. CONCLUSIONS: There were no statistically significant differences in neurological outcomes among the different levels of TTM. However, future research should explore the efficacy of TTM at 32 °C. CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov unique identifier: NCT02035839 ( http://clinicaltrials.gov ).

[Primary angioplasty versus fibrinolysis in patients at a distance from a hospital with a catheterization laboratory]. / Angioplastia primaria frente a fibrinolisis en pacientes alejados de un centro con hemodinámica.

OBJECTIVES: Long distance from a hospital with a catheterization laboratory is associated with a poorer prognosis in patients who undergo primary angioplasty for ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI). An invasive pharmacologic strategy could offer an alternative treatment for these patients. We aimed to establish whether prognosis was better with primary angioplasty or fibrinolysis for reperfusion in cases of STEMI occurring far from a catheterization laboratory. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Prospective registry study of patients with STEMI admitted to our cardiology critical care unit. Patients were included over a 5-year period if they received reperfusion therapy and had required transport of more than 50 km to reach a hospital with a catheterization laboratory. We recorded characteristics of the STEMI event, treatment times, and short- and long-term mortality. The data was used for survival analysis. RESULTS: We registered 584 patients; 194 were treated with primary angioplasty and 390 with fibrinolysis. The mean time between first physician contact and balloon insertion was 160 minutes. The mean time between first physician contact and needle insertion for fibrinolysis was 30 minutes. The 2-year mortality rate was higher in patients treated with angioplasty (12.2%) than with those who underwent fibrinolysis (7.0%) ) (P=.04). Survival analysis showed that risk for death was higher in the primary angioplasty group (hazard ratio, 1.97 (95% CI, 0.64-0.95; P=.001). CONCLUSION: When STEMI occurs more than 50 km from a catheterization laboratory, reperfusion by means of balloon angioplasty delays care considerably and is associated with a higher mortality rate than reperfusion by fibrinolysis.

OBJETIVO: En los pacientes con infarto agudo de miocardio con elevación del ST (IAMEST) sometidos a angioplastia primaria (AP), la distancia al centro de hemodinámica alarga los tiempos y empeora el pronóstico. En estos pacientes, la estrategia fármaco-invasiva podría ser una alternativa. Nuestro objetivo fue establecer si el pronóstico es diferente en función del tipo de tratamiento de reperfusión en los pacientes alejados de un laboratorio de hemodinámica. METODO: Registro prospectivo durante 5 años de los pacientes con IAMEST ingresados en la unidad de cuidados críticos cardiológicos. Se seleccionaron pacientes que recibieron terapias de reperfusión y estaban a más de 50 Km del centro con hemodinámica. Se recogieron las características del infarto, tiempos de tratamiento y la mortalidad a corto y largo plazo. Finalmente se realizó un modelo de supervivencia. RESULTADOS: Se registraron 584 pacientes; 194 recibieron AP y 390 fibrinolisis (FL). En los pacientes sometidos a AP, la mediana del tiempo desde el primer contacto médico (PCM)-balón fue 160 minutos. Los tratados con FL presentaron un PCM-aguja de 30 minutos. La mortalidad en el seguimiento a dos años fue superior en los pacientes tratados con AP (12,2%) frente a los que recibieron FL (7,0%) (p = 0,04). Existió un aumento del riesgo de mortalidad en el grupo tratado con AP con hazard ratio (HR) de 1,97 (IC 95%: 1,04-3,70; p = 0,035). CONCLUSIONES: En los pacientes que sufren un IAMEST a más de 50 Km de un centro con hemodinámica, la reperfusión mediante AP tiene importantes retrasos y se asocia con mayor mortalidad respecto a la FL.