SGK3 overexpression correlates with a poor prognosis in endoscopically resected superficial esophageal squamous cell neoplasia: A long-term study.

BACKGROUND: The expression status of serum and glucocorticoid-induced protein kinase 3 (SGK3) in superficial esophageal squamous cell neoplasia (ESCN) remains unknown. AIM: To evaluate the SGK3 overexpression rate in ESCN and its influence on the prognosis and outcomes of patients with endoscopic resection. METHODS: A total of 92 patients who had undergone endoscopic resection for ESCN with more than 8 years of follow-up were enrolled. Immunohistochemistry was used to evaluate SGK3 expression. RESULTS: SGK3 was overexpressed in 55 (59.8%) patients with ESCN. SGK3 overexpression showed a significant correlation with death (P = 0.031). Overall survival and disease-free survival rates were higher in the normal SGK3 expression group than in the SGK3 overexpression group (P = 0.013 and P = 0.004, respectively). Cox regression analysis models demonstrated that SGK3 overexpression was an independent predictor of poor prognosis in ESCN patients (hazard ratio 4.729; 95% confidence interval: 1.042-21.458). CONCLUSION: SGK3 overexpression was detected in the majority of patients with endoscopically resected ESCN and was significantly associated with shortened survival. Thus, it might be a new prognostic factor for ESCN.

The efficacy of Da Chaihu decoction combined with metformin tablets for type 2 diabetes mellitus: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the efficacy of Da Chaihu decoction combined with metformin tablets on patients with type 2 diabetes compared with metformin alone. METHODS: This systematic review and meta-analysis is written based on 2020 PRISMA Extension for Chinese Herbal Medicines 2020 (PRISMA-CHM 2020) reporting guidelines. We reviewed all the relevant studies from a search of the following databases from inception to February 2022 without any language restriction: Excerpta Medica Database (EMBASE), Google Scholar, PubMed, Cochrane Library, China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), VIP Information, Wanfang Data, and the Chinese Biomedical Literature Database(CBM). Data were extracted and the quality was independently evaluated by two reviewers, based on the inclusion and exclusion criteria. Data were analyzed using the Cochrane software RevMan 5.3. RESULTS: Six randomized controlled trials comprising 516 participants were included. The meta-analysis revealed the Da Chaihu decoction combined with metformin tablets group was significantly superior to the metformin tablets group in terms of fasting blood glucose(FPG) (-0.66 mmol/L; 95 % CI (confidence intervals) [- 1.28, - 0.04]), plasma glucose 2 h after meal (2-h PG) (-1.18 mmol/L; 95 % CI [-1.94, -0.42]) in six RCTs, body mass index (BMI) (-3.07 mmol/L; 95 % CI [-6.89, 0.75]) in three RCTs, glycosylated hemoglobin (HbAlc) (-0.36 mmol/L; 95 % CI [-1.04, 0.31]) in three RCTs, and triglycerides (TG) (-0.76 mmol/L; 95 % CI [-1.37, -0.15]) in two RCTs. In two RCTs, there were significant differences in terms of total cholesterol (TC) (-0.97 mmol/L; 95 % CI [-1.18, -0.76]). CONCLUSIONS: Very low-quality research shows that Da Chaihu decoction combined with metformin tablets exert a certain level of efficacy on patients with type 2 diabetes compared with metformin alone. However, random sequence generation methodology was reported in five studies leading to the low quality of the included studies. None of the six studies depicted the blinding method, allocation concealment, selective reporting, and assessed the purity and potency of the product. This observation requires verification through high-quality, multi-center, double-blinded randomized controlled trials, and assesses the purity and potency of the product.

Interventional radiology followed by endoscopic drainage for pancreatic fluid collections associated with high bleeding risk: Two case reports.

BACKGROUND: Endoscopic ultrasound (EUS)-guided transluminal drainage is an advanced technique used to treat pancreatic fluid collections (PFCs). However, gastric varices and intervening vessels may be associated with a high risk of bleeding and are, therefore, listed as relative contraindications. Herein, we report two patients who underwent interventional embolization before EUS-guided drainage. CASE SUMMARY: Two 32-year-old males developed symptomatic PFCs after acute pancreatitis and came to our hospital for further treatment. One patient suffered from intermittent abdominal pain and vomiting, and computed tomography (CT) imaging showed an encapsulated cyst 7.93 cm × 6.13 cm in size. The other patient complained of a mass inside the abdomen, which gradually became enlarged. Gastric varices around the ideal puncture site were detected by EUS when we evaluated the possibility of endoscopic drainage in both patients. Interventional embolization was recommended as the first procedure to decrease the risk of bleeding. After that, EUS-guided transluminal drainage was successfully conducted, without vascular rupture. No postoperative complications occurred during hospitalization, and no recurrence was detected at the last follow-up CT scan performed at 1 mo. CONCLUSION: Interventional embolization is a safe, preoperative procedure that is performed before EUS-guided drainage in PFC patients with gastric varices or at high risk of bleeding.

Change of community structure of soil mites in the early stage of ecological restoration in moderate rocky desertification of Karst area, Guizhou Province, China.

The monitoring of soil mite community is an important part of ecological restoration monitoring. Changes of community structure in soil mites could reflect effects of ecological restoration in degraded environment. In different seasons of 2014, we investigated soil mites in the moderate rocky desertification ecological restoration area of Chaoying small watershed in Bijie City, Guizhou Pro-vince. We compared the community structure of soil mites in native Quercus variabilis forest and moderate rocky desertification area. The results showed that soil mites in ecological restoration area of moderate rocky desertification belonged to three orders, 35 families, and 58 genera, with Haploze-tes and Vilhenabates being the dominant genera. Higher number of genera, abundance, and indivi-dual densities were found in upper soil layer. The community structure of predatory Gamasina mites was mainly r-selected, and that of Oribatida mites was mainly Poronota (P-type). In the moderate rocky desertification ecological restoration area, both the abundance and individual density of soil mites were higher than that in moderate rocky desertification area and Q. variabilis forest, while the number of genera, diversity index and richness index were higher than that in moderate rocky desertification area, but lower than that in Q. variabilis forest. On the basis of the control area, 32 genera of mites were recovered and added, accounting for 55.2% of the total number of mite genera in the restoration area. In the whole study area, the number of mite genera were significantly correlated with soil available potassium, richness index, and organic carbon content. The number of indivi-duals, individual density, diversity index, richness index separately had significant correlations with the content of available potassium. The richness index had significant correlation with the content of organic matter. Our results suggested that the vegetation restoration of rocky desertification was beneficial to the restoration of mite community and improvement of soil environment, and that the dominant groups, new groups, and restoration groups of soil mites could indicate environment changes. However, the relationships between soil mite community structure and vegetation, soil physical and chemical factors in the restoration area remained to be further studied.

Body Composition and Mortality in Coronary Artery Disease With Mild Renal Insufficiency in Chinese Patients.

OBJECTIVE: Obesity is a risk factor for both coronary artery disease (CAD) and chronic renal insufficiency (RI); patients with CAD are prone to obesity and RI. In this study, we try to analyze the effect of body composition on death in CAD patients with mild RI. DESIGN: Retrospective cohort study. SUBJECTS: A total of 1,591 consecutive CAD patients confirmed by coronary angiography were enrolled and met the mild RI criteria by estimated glomerular filtration rate: 60-90 mL/min. MAIN OUTCOME MEASUREMENTS: The influence of body composition on mortality of CAD was detected in different body compositions, including body mass index (BMI), body fat (BF), and lean mass index (LMI). The end points were all-cause mortality. Cox models were used to evaluate the relationship of quintiles of body compositions with all-cause mortality. RESULTS: A survival curve showed that the risk of death was higher in the low BMI group than in the high BMI group (log-rank for overall P = .002); LMI was inversely correlated with risk of death, such that a lower LMI was associated with a higher risk of death (log-rank for overall P < .001). No significant correlation was observed between BF and risk of death. Multifactorial correction show that LMI was still inversely correlated with risk of death (quintile 1: reference; quintile 2: hazard ratio [HR]: 0.49, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.26-0.92; quintile 3: HR: 0.35, 95% CI: 0.17-0.70; quintile 4: HR: 0.41, 95% CI: 0.20-0.85; quintile 5: HR: 0.28, 95% CI: 0.12-0.67). CONCLUSION: For CAD patients with mild RI, BMI or BF was unrelated to risk of death, while LMI was inversely correlated with risk of death. A weak "obesity paradox" was observed in this study.

Fibrinogen is related to long-term mortality in Chinese patients with acute coronary syndrome but failed to enhance the prognostic value of the GRACE score.

Fibrinogen (Fib) is considered to be a potential risk factor for the prognosis of patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS), but it is unclear whether Fib level have synergistic effects to enhance the prognostic value of the GRACE score in patients with ACS. A retrospective analysis was conducted from a single registered database. 2253 consecutive patients with ACS confirmed by coronary angiography were enrolled and were grouped into 3 categories by the tertiles of admission plasma Fib levels. The end points were all-cause mortality and cardiac mortality. The mean follow-up time was 27.2 ± 13.1 months and death events occurred in 223 cases and cardiac death events occurred in 130 cases. Cumulative survival curves indicated that the risk of all-cause death increased with increasing Fib level (mortality rates for Tertile 1 vs. Tertile 2 vs. Tertile 3 = 6.6% vs. 10.8 %vs. 12.3%, p < 0.001). Cox multivariate regression analysis indicated that compared with other traditional risk factors, plasma Fib level is independently correlated with all-cause death (HR 1.33, 95% CI 1.04-1.70). However, incorporating elevated Fib level into the GRACE model did not significantly increase the predictive value of the GRACE score; for instance, AUC only increased from 0.703 to 0.713 (p = 0.765). In conclusion, Fib level at admission was independently associated with death risk among Chinese patients with ACS. However, the incorporation of Fib level at admission into the GRACE score did not improve this score's predictive value for death risk among these patients.

The influence of body composition on renal function in patients with coronary artery disease and its prognostic significance: a retrospective cohort study.

OBJECTIVE: We try to analyse the effect of renal functions on death in CAD patients with different body compositions. METHODS: A retrospective analysis was conducted in 2989 consecutive patients with CAD confirmed by coronary angiography were enrolled and were grouped into two categories: basically preserved renal function (PRF) (eGFR ≥60 ml/min) and obviously reduced renal function (RRF) (eGFR <60 ml/min). The influence of renal insufficiency on mortality of CAD was detected in every tertile of body composition, including body mass index (BMI), body fat (BF) and lean mass index (LMI). The end points were all-cause mortality. RESULTS: The mean follow-up time was 29.1 ± 12.5 months and death events occurred in 271 cases. The percentage of patients with RRF was positively correlated with BF and inversely correlated with the LMI, but no relationship to BMI. The survival curves showed that the risk of death was significantly higher in the RRF patients in all subgroups stratified using BMI, BF, or LMI (log rank test, all p < 0.001). The COX multivariate regression analysis showed that the risk of death was significantly higher in the RRF patients with high BF (HR 1.95, CI 1.25-3.05) and low LMI (HR 1.82, CI 1.19-2.79). Meanwhile, risk of death was significantly higher in RRF patients with a high BMI (HR 2.08, CI 1.22-3.55) or low BMI (HR 1.98, CI 1.28-3.08) but this risk was not significant in patients with a medium BMI (HR 1.12, 0.65-1.94). The subgroup analysis of patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS) showed similar results. CONCLUSIONS: For patients with CAD, renal insufficiency was positively correlated with BF, inversely correlated with LMI, and unrelated to BMI. The effect of renal insufficiency on the risk of death of CAD was related to body composition.

Understanding the controversy surrounding the correlation between fibrinogen level and prognosis of coronary artery disease-The role of the subtypes of coronary artery disease.

BACKGROUND: There is a controversy surrounding the correlation between fibrinogen (Fib) level and prognosis of coronary artery disease (CAD). We try to investigate the role of the subtypes of CAD in this controversy. METHODS: A retrospective analysis was conducted from a single center CAD registered database. 3020 consecutive patients with CAD confirmed by coronary angiography were enrolled. The end points were all-cause mortality. RESULTS: The mean follow-up time was 27.2±13.1months and death events occurred in 258 cases. Mortality rates for patients with CAD and those in the stable coronary artery disease (SCAD) and unstable angina pectoris (UAP) groups exhibited an overall rising trend as Fib levels increased (log rank test, all p<0.05). However, similar trends were not detected in patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI). The results of a Cox proportional-hazards regression analysis showed that Fib level was independently correlated with the risk of death in patients with CAD as well as those in the SCAD and UAP groups (CAD, HR 1.40, CI 1.16-1.68; SCAD, HR 1.86, CI 1.24-2.79; UAP, HR 1.42, CI 1.06-1.90). In the AMI group, however, no independent correlation was observed between Fib level and mortality. CONCLUSION: The different proportions of subtypes of CAD affected the correlation between Fib level and the clinical prognosis of patients with CAD. This is maybe a clue to explain the controversy.

Relation between admission plasma fibrinogen levels and mortality in Chinese patients with coronary artery disease.

Fibrinogen (Fib) was considered to be a potential risk factor for the prognosis of patients with coronary artery disease (CAD), but there was lack of the evidence from Chinese contemporary population. 3020 consecutive patients with CAD confirmed by coronary angiography were enrolled and were grouped into 2 categories by the optimal Fib cut-off value (3.17 g/L) for all-cause mortality prediction. The end points were all-cause mortality and cardiac mortality. Cumulative survival curves showed that the risk of all-cause mortality was significantly higher in patients with Fib ≥3.17 g/L compared to those with Fib <3.17 g/L (mortality rate, 11.5% vs. 5.7%, p < 0.001); and cardiovascular mortality obtained results similar to those mentioned above (cardiac mortality rate, 5.9% vs. 3.6%, p = 0.002). Subgroup analysis showed that elevated Fib levels were predictive for the risk of all-cause mortality in the subgroups according to age, medical history, and diagnosis. COX multivariate regression analysis showed that plasma Fib levels remained independently associated with all-cause mortality after adjustment for multiple cardiovascular risk factors (all-cause mortality, HR 2.01, CI 1.51-2.68, p < 0.001). This study has found that Fib levels were independently associated with the mortality risk in Chinese CAD patients.

The effect of activated clotting time values for patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Our aim was to illustrate the effect of higher activated clotting time (ACT) values versus lower ACT values on thrombotic or hemorrhagic events in coronary atherosclerotic heart disease (CHD) patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, and Cochrane Library were searched. Observational studies assessing ACT related major adverse cardiac event (MACE) and major bleeding were included. Studies were allocated into three groups. Group 1 included studies with low percentage of participants prescribed with glycoprotein IIb/IIIa inhibitors ([GPI] ≤30%), Group 2 with high percentage of participants prescribed with GPI (>30%), and Group 3 with routine direct thrombin inhibitors (DTI) prescription. The cutoff is designed as 300s (290-310s) for Group 1, and 250s (240-260s) for Group 2. With regard to MACE and major bleeding in Group 1, there was no significant difference between higher ACT values and lower ACT values (risk ratio [RR] for MACE, 1.16, 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.65-2.05, p=0.62, I(2)=94%, RR for major bleeding, 0.96, 95% CI, 0.66-1.40, p=0.83, I(2)=0%). Likewise, no significant difference was found in Group 2 between higher ACT values and lower ACT values (RR for MACE, 1.15, 95% CI, 0.97-1.35, p=0.10, I(2)=0%, RR for major bleeding, 0.85, 95% CI, 0.45-1.60, p=0.61, I(2)=83%). In conclusion, ACT may not have a substantial effect on thrombotic or hemorrhagic complications. Under current clinical practice, target ACT may be higher than what is necessary to prevent thrombotic events. We may achieve a relative low ACT level to preserve efficacy and enhance safety.

The influence of age on the clinical implications of N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide in acute coronary syndrome.

Currently, there are no studies addressing the influence of age on the prognostic information of N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) in Asian population with acute coronary syndrome (ACS). The purpose of this study was to investigate the prognostic performance of NT-proBNP in Chinese patients with ACS across different age groups. A total of 1512 ACS patients with venous blood NT-proBNP measured were enrolled. Patients were divided into tertiles based on their ages (<61, 61-71, ≥72 years). The median NT-proBNP concentrations in the three groups (T1-T3) were 406, 573, and 1288 pg/ml (p < 0.001), respectively. During a median follow-up of 23 months, 150 all-cause deaths occurred, and 88 (58.7 %) were attributed to cardiovascular cause. NT-proBNP levels are independently associated with mortality in each age group [1st group: HR 2.19 95 % CI (1.17-4.10); 2nd group: HR 1.82 95 % CI (1.04-3.20); 3rd group: HR 1.48 95 % CI (1.09-2.01), P interaction = 0.062]. NT-proBNP improves discrimination and reclassification for mortality beyond thrombolysis in myocardial infarction score in patients of all ages. The optimal NT-proBNP cutoff points for predicting mortality in three age groups are 1511, 2340, and 2883 pg/ml, respectively. In conclusion, NT-proBNP is a valuable biomarker in predicting long-term mortality and provides an improvement in discrimination and reclassification for prognosis in ACS patients of all ages.

The influence of body composition on the N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide level and its prognostic performance in patients with acute coronary syndrome: a cohort study.

BACKGROUND: Whether body composition is associated with the N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) level and its prognostic performance in acute coronary syndrome (ACS) remains unknown. We aimed to investigate the influence of body composition on the NT-proBNP level and its prognostic performance among ACS patients. METHODS: In total, 1623 ACS patients with NT-proBNP data were enrolled. Percent body fat and lean mass index were estimated using the Clínica Universidad de Navarra-Body Adiposity Estimator equation. Patients were divided into three groups according to the tertiles of sex-specific body mass index, percent body fat, or lean mass index. The endpoints were death from any cause and cardiovascular death. RESULTS: Body mass index was inversely correlated with NT-proBNP levels (ß = -0.036, P = 0.003). Lean mass index, but not percent body fat, was inversely associated with NT-proBNP levels (ß of lean mass index = -0.692, P = 0.002). During a median follow-up of 23 months, 161 all-cause deaths occurred, and of these, 93 (57.8 %) were attributed to cardiovascular causes. Multivariate Cox analysis showed that the NT-proBNP level independently predicted all-cause mortality or cardiovascular death in the lower body mass index, lean mass index, and percent body fat groups. However, the prognostic performance of NT-proBNP was attenuated in patients with high body mass index, lean mass index, and percent body fat. In the subgroup of patients with diabetes, inverse associations between NT-proBNP levels and body mass index or body composition were not observed. In addition, the negative influence of high body mass index and body composition on the prognostic performance of the NT-proBNP level appeared to be attenuated. CONCLUSIONS: Body mass index and lean mass index, but not percent body fat, are inversely associated with NT-proBNP levels. The prognostic performance of this biomarker may be compromised in patients with high body mass index, percent body fat, or lean mass index. Additionally, the influence of body composition on the NT-proBNP level and its prognostic performance might be attenuated in diabetic patients with ACS.

The Prognosis of Patients With Nonobstructive Coronary Artery Disease Versus Normal Arteries Determined by Invasive Coronary Angiography or Computed Tomography Coronary Angiography: A Systematic Review.

Limited data exist regarding the outcomes of patients with nonobstructive coronary artery disease (CAD) detected by computed tomography coronary angiography (CTCA) or invasive coronary angiography (ICA). Our aim was to compare the prognosis of patients with nonobstructive coronary artery plaques with that of patients with entirely normal arteries. The MEDLINE, Cochrane Library, and Embase databases were searched. Studies comparing the prognosis of individuals with nonobstructive CAD versus normal coronary arteries detected by CTCA or ICA were included. The primary outcome was major adverse cardiac events (MACE) including cardiac death, nonfatal myocardial infarction, hospitalization due to unstable angina or revascularization. A fixed effects model was chosen to pool the estimates of odds ratios (ORs). Forty-eight studies with 64,905 individuals met the inclusion criteria. Patients in the nonobstructive CAD arm had a significantly higher risk of MACE compared to their counterparts in the normal artery arm (pooled OR, 3.17, 95% confidence interval, 2.77-3.63). When excluding revascularization as an endpoint, hard cardiac composite outcomes were also more frequent among patients with nonobstructive CAD (pooled OR, 2.10; 95%CI, 1.79-2.45). All subgroups (age, sex, follow-up duration, different outcomes, diagnostic modality, and CAD risk factor) consistently showed a poorer prognosis with nonobstructive CAD than with normal arteries. When dividing the studies into a CTCA and ICA group for further analysis based on the indications for diagnostic tests, we also found nonobstructive CAD to be associated with a higher risk of MACE in both stable and acute chest pain. Patients with nonobstructive CAD had a poorer prognosis compared with their counterparts with normal arteries.

Gender Disparity in the Safety and Efficacy of Radial and Femoral Access for Coronary Intervention: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Our aim was to investigate the gender disparity in the safety and efficacy of transradial percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI; TRI) and transfemoral PCI (TFI) by a meta-analysis. MEDLINE, Embase, and CENTRAL were searched to identify studies on vascular access with sex-specific events available or studies on sex difference with the events reported by vascular access. Fifteen studies involving 3 921 848 participants were included. Transradial PCI significantly reduced the risk of bleeding complications in both sexes (TRI-versus-TFI odds ratio [OR]: 0.37 in females vs 0.47 in males) and major adverse cardiac events (MACE) in females (OR: 0.70, P < .001) but not in males (OR: 0.83, P = .15) compared to TFI. Transradial PCI diminished the sex difference in the incidence of bleeding complications (female-versus-male OR: 1.82 with TRI vs 2.39 with TFI; interaction P = .01) and MACE (female-versus-male OR: 1.21 with TRI vs 1.41 with TFI; interaction P = .003) compared to TFI. Females were associated with higher crossover rate in the TRI subgroup but not in the TFI subgroup (interaction P = .05). In conclusion, TRI may improve the safety and efficacy of outcomes in both sexes and be an effective means to cut down the gender difference in prognosis.

The efficacy and safety of prehospital therapeutic hypothermia in patients with out-of-hospital cardiac arrest: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: The benefit of therapeutic hypothermia (TH) to patients suffering out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) has been well established. However, the effect of prehospital cooling remains unclear. We aimed to investigate the efficacy and safety of prehospital TH for OHCA patients by conducting a systematic review of randomised controlled trials (RCTs). METHODS: The MEDLINE, EMbase and CENTRAL databases were searched for publications from inception to April 2015. RCTs that compared cooling with no cooling in a prehospital setting among adults with OHCA were eligible for inclusion. Random- and fixed-effect models were used depending on inter-study heterogeneity. RESULTS: Eight trials that recruited 2379 participants met the inclusion criteria. Prehospital TH was significantly associated with a lower temperature at admission (mean difference (MD) -0.94; 95% confidence interval (CI) -1.06 to -0.82). However, survival upon admission (Risk ratio (RR) 1.01, 95%CI 0.98-1.04), survival at discharge (RR 1.02, 95%CI 0.91-1.14), in-hospital survival (RR 1.05, 95%CI 0.92-1.19) and good neurological function recovery (RR 1.06, 95% CI 0.91-1.23) did not differ between the TH-treated and non-treated groups. Prehospital cooling increased the incidence of recurrent arrest (RR 1.23, 95%CI 1.02-1.48) and decreased the PH at admission (MD -0.04, 95%CI -0.07 to -0.02). Pulmonary oedema did not differ between the arms (RR 1.02, 95%CI 0.67-1.57). None of the potentially controversial issues (cooling methods, time of inducing TH, the proportion of continuing cooling in hospital, actual prehospital infusion volume and primary cardiac rhythms) affected the efficacy. CONCLUSION: Evidence does not support the administration of prehospital TH to patients with OHCA.

Target lesion calcification and risk of adverse outcomes in patients with drug-eluting stents. A meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Studies focusing on the relationship between calcified lesions and adverse outcomes in the drug-eluting stent (DES) era have presented inconsistent conclusions. The aim of this study was to assess the association between target lesion calcification and adverse outcomes in patients undergoing DES implantation. METHODS: A systematic search was conducted on Medline (Ovid SP, 1946 to 28 February 2014), Embase (Ovid SP, 1974 to 28 February 2014), and the Chinese Biomedical Literature Database (CBM, 1978 to 28 February 2014). Abstracts from the 2012 and 2013 scientific meetings of the American College of Cardiology and American Heart Association were manually searched. Hazard ratios (HRs) were pooled using a fixed or random effects model in the context of heterogeneity. RESULTS: A total of 13 studies comprising 66,361 patients were included. Target lesion calcification was associated with an increased risk of all-cause mortality (HR = 1.41; 95 % CI = 1.27-1.56), cardiac death (HR = 1.97; 95 % CI = 1.68-2.31), myocardial infarction (HR = 1.33; 95 % CI = 1.13-1.57), target lesion revascularization (TLR; HR 1.47, 95 % CI 1.18-1.83), stent thrombosis (HR 1.63, 95 % CI 1.36-1.96), and major cardiovascular events (HR 1.37, 95 % CI 1.19-1.58). The results proved robust in subgroup analyses for TLR and stent thrombosis. CONCLUSION: Calcified target lesions are risk factors for adverse outcomes in the DES era. Further studies focusing on comprehensive therapy in patients with coronary calcification are urgently needed.

Meta-Analysis of Relation Between Oral ß-Blocker Therapy and Outcomes in Patients With Acute Myocardial Infarction Who Underwent Percutaneous Coronary Intervention.

The aim of the present review was to investigate the association between the use of oral ß-blockers and prognosis in patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI) who underwent percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) treatment. A systematic literature search was conducted in Pubmed (from inception to September 27, 2014) and Embase (Ovid SP, from 1974 to September 29, 2014) to identify studies that compared the outcome of patients with AMI taking oral ß-blockers with that of patients not taking after PCI. Systematic review and meta-analysis were performed with random-effects model or fixed-effects model. Ten observational studies with a total of 40,873 patients were included. Use of ß-blockers was associated with a reduced risk of all-cause death (unadjusted relative risk 0.58, 95% confidential interval 0.48 to 0.71; adjusted hazard ratio 0.76, 95% confidential interval 0.62 to 0.94). The potential benefit of ß-blockers in preventing all-cause death was not similar in all population but was restricted to those with reduced ejection fraction, with low use proportion of other secondary prevention drugs or with non-ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction. The association between the use of ß-blockers and improved survival rate was significant in ≤1-year follow-up duration. Rates of cardiac death, myocardial infarction, and heart failure readmission in patients using ß-blockers were not significantly different from those in patients without ß-blocker therapy. In conclusion, there is lack of evidence to support routine use of ß-blockers in all patients with AMI who underwent PCI. Further trials are urgently needed to address the issue.

Heparin is Not Inferior to Bivalirudin in Percutaneous Coronary Intervention-Focusing on the Effect of Glycoprotein IIb/IIIa Inhibitor Use: A Meta-Analysis.

Our aim was to compare the efficacy and safety of bivalirudin (Biv) versus heparin (Hep) with or without similar usage rate of glycoprotein IIb/IIIa inhibitors (GPIs) during percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). The PubMed and EMbase were searched. Randomized trials comparing Biv versus Hep were eligible for inclusion. With imbalanced GPI use, Biv had significantly lower major bleeding (pooled risk ratio [RR], 0.67; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.54-0.83) without difference in mortality (pooled RR, 0.95; 95% CI, 0.80-1.14). With comparable GPI use, no significant difference was observed in major bleeding (pooled RR, 0.95; 95% CI, 0.82-1.10) and mortality (pooled RR, 1.13; 95% CI, 0.85-1.50). With no GPI use, Biv was associated with numerically higher mortality (pooled RR, 1.17; 95% CI, 0.83-1.65) without significant difference in major bleeding (pooled RR, 0.81; 95% CI, 0.64-1.02). In conclusion, when comparing different anticoagulants during PCI, the effect of GPIs should not be underestimated. Heparin as such was found noninferior to Biv.

Inappropriate left ventricular mass and poor outcomes in patients with angina pectoris and normal ejection fraction.

OBJECTIVES: Although inappropriate left ventricular mass has been associated with clustered cardiac geometric and functional abnormalities, its predictive value in patients with coronary artery disease is still unknown. This study examined the association of inappropriate left ventricular mass with clinical outcomes in patients with angina pectoris and normal ejection fraction. PARTICIPANTS AND METHODS: Consecutive patients diagnosed with angina pectoris whose ejection fraction was normal were recruited from 2008 to 2012. Inappropriate left ventricular mass was determined when the ratio of actual left ventricular mass to the predicted one exceeded 150%. The primary endpoint was a composite of all-cause death, nonfatal myocardial infarction, and nonfatal stroke. Clinical outcomes between the inappropriate and appropriate left ventricular mass group were compared before and after propensity matching. RESULTS: Of the total of 1515 participants, 18.3% had inappropriate left ventricular mass. Patients with inappropriate left ventricular mass had a higher composite event rate compared with those with appropriate left ventricular mass (11.2 vs. 6.6%, P=0.010). Multivariate Cox regression analyses showed that inappropriate left ventricular mass was an independent risk factor for adverse events (adjusted hazard ratio, 1.59; 95% confidence interval, 1.03-2.45; P=0.035). The worse outcome in patients with inappropriate left ventricular mass was further validated in a propensity matching cohort and patients with the traditional definition of left ventricular hypertrophy. CONCLUSION: Inappropriate left ventricular mass was associated with an increased risk of adverse events in patients with angina pectoris and normal ejection fraction.

Subclassification of left ventricular hypertrophy based on dilation stratifies coronary artery disease patients with distinct risk.

BACKGROUND: A new 4-tired classification of left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) based on LV concentricity and dilation has been proposed; however, the association between the new categorization of LV geometry and outcomes in patients with coronary artery disease (CAD) is still unknown. METHODS: All the 2297 patients with CAD included underwent echocardiographic examination prior to discharge. Left ventricular mass (LVM) was calculated, and left ventricular end-diastolic volume (EDV) was indexed by body surface area (BSA). Study cohort was divided into five groups according to LV geometry: (i) eccentric nondilated LVH (normal LVM/EDV((2/3)) and EDV/BSA) (n = 129); (ii) eccentric dilated LVH (normal LVM/EDV((2/3)) with increased EDV/BSA) (n = 222); (iii) concentric nondilated LVH (increased LVM/EDV((2/3)) with normal EDV/BSA) (n = 441); (iv) concentric dilated LVH (increased LVM/EDV((2/3)) and EDV/BSA) (n = 118); and (v) normal LV mass (n = 1387). RESULTS: Dilated LVH was associated with a higher event rates of all-cause death (eccentric 13·1% vs. 3·1%; concentric 13·6% vs. 8·4%) and composite events (eccentric: 17·6% vs. 5·4%; concentric: 18·6% vs. 12·7%) compared with nondilated LVH. While eccentric nondilated LVH had comparable risk for adverse outcomes compared with normal LV mass (all-cause death: relative risk (RR) 0·68, 95% confidential interval (CI) 0·25-1·85; composite events: RR 0·75, 95% CI 0·36-1·58). Cox regression analyses showed that eccentric dilated LVH had the highest propensity to all-cause death (adjusted hazard ratio [aHR] 2·752 [95% CI 1·749-4·328], P < 0·001) and composite events (aHR 2·462 [95% CI 1·688-3·592], P < 0·001). CONCLUSION: In patients with CAD, dilated LVH and nondilated LVH provide distinct prognostic information. Eccentric nondilated LVH does not predict adverse outcomes.