Early versus late cardiac magnetic resonance in the diagnosis of MINOCA.

INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVES: Myocardial infarction with non-obstructive coronary arteries (MINOCA) is responsible for about 10% of all acute myocardial infarctions (AMI). Therapeutic strategies and prognosis depend on the underlying etiology, and a multimodal approach is essential. Characterize the group of patients diagnosed with MINOCA. Evaluate the diagnostic yield of cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR). METHODS: This was a retrospective, observational, and analytical study, including 516 patients admitted for a non-ST-elevation MI and with no significant coronary disease on coronary angiography between January 2016 and September 2021. RESULTS: After the inclusion criteria, 163 patients remained of the 516 admitted to the study. They were divided into four groups based on the CMR results: MINOCA (n=51), Takotsubo syndrome (n=37), myocarditis (n=33), and without diagnosis (n=42). Most patients diagnosed with MINOCA were female with a mean age of 61.06±13.83 years. CMR identified the diagnosis in 74.2% of patients admitted for suspected acute MI, in which coronary angiography showed the absence of significant obstructions. The median time between hospital admission and CMR was significantly shorter in the groups that had a diagnosis compared with the group with no diagnosis (p=0.038), with a significant increase in diagnostic profitability if CMR was performed up to 14 days after admission (p=0.022). There were no deaths of cardiovascular etiology during the follow-up period. CONCLUSIONS: CMR was fundamental as it identified the diagnosis in three out of four patients; it should be performed in the first 14 days.

Dissecção espontânea da artéria coronária, uma doença multifatorial: perspectivas da experiência de um centro / Spontaneous coronary artery dissection, a multifactorial disease: insights from a center experience

Introdução: Embora seja uma doença pouco conhecida, a dissecção espontânea da artéria coronária é uma causa importante e frequentemente subdiagnosticada da síndrome coronariana aguda não aterosclerótica, principalmente em mulheres. O objetivo deste estudo foi caracterizar uma amostra consecutiva de pacientes diagnosticados com dissecção espontânea da artéria coronária quanto a fatores predisponentes e desencadeadores; quadro clínico e angiográfico; abordagem terapêutica; ocorrência de eventos cardíacos adversos; recorrência e dissecção espontânea de artéria coronária de novo. Métodos: Estudo retrospectivo observacional longitudinal, unicêntrico, que incluiu pacientes diagnosticados com dissecção espontânea da artéria coronária (n=60) admitidos entre janeiro de 2010 e dezembro de 2020. Resultados: A mediana da idade foi de 55 anos, e 83% eram mulheres. A maioria dos pacientes (60%) não apresentava nenhum ou tinha apenas um fator de risco cardiovascular. O infarto agudo do miocárdio sem supradesnivelamento do segmento ST foi o quadro clínico em 67% dos casos. A artéria coronária mais frequentemente envolvida foi a descendente anterior (47%). A maioria das lesões (77%) aparecia na angiografia como dissecção espontânea da artéria coronária tipo 2. O tratamento conservador foi selecionado como abordagem inicial na maioria dos pacientes (72%). A incidência geral de dissecção espontânea da artéria coronária de novo não foi significativamente diferente entre os pacientes tratados primeiramente com revascularização, em comparação com os que receberam tratamento conservador (p=0,953). No entanto, a recidiva da dissecção espontânea da artéria coronária ocorreu no vaso originalmente envolvido em 3 dos 15 pacientes tratados com revascularização, em comparação com apenas um entre os 43 pacientes que foram tratados de forma conservadora (p<0,05). Conclusão: A dissecção espontânea da artéria coronária é mais frequente em mulheres jovens. O infarto agudo do miocárdio sem supradesnivelamento do segmento ST foi o quadro clínico mais observado, envolvendo principalmente a artéria descendente anterior. A revascularização não protegeu da recorrência.

Background: Although it is a poorly known disease, spontaneous coronary artery dissection is an important and frequently underdiagnosed cause of non-atherosclerotic acute coronary syndrome, particularly in women. The objective of this study was to characterize a consecutive sample of patients diagnosed with spontaneous coronary artery dissection with respect to predisposing and precipitating factors; clinical and angiographic presentation; management; occurrence of adverse cardiac events; recurrence; and de novo spontaneous coronary artery dissection. Methods: Longitudinal, observational, retrospective, single-centre study, including patients diagnosed with spontaneous coronary artery dissection (n=60) admitted between January 2010 and December 2020. Results: Median age was 55 years, and 83% were women. Most patients (60%) presented without any or just one cardiovascular risk factor. Non-ST-segment elevation acute myocardial infarction accounted for 67% of clinical presentations. The most frequently affected coronary artery was the left anterior descending (47%). Most lesions (77%) appeared on angiography as type 2 spontaneous coronary artery dissection. Conservative management was chosen as the initial approach in most patients (72%). The overall incidence of de novo spontaneous coronary artery dissection was not significantly different among patients initially managed with revascularization as compared to conservative treatment (p=0.953). However, spontaneous coronary artery dissection recurrence occurred in the originally involved vessel in 3 of 15 patients initially managed with revascularization, as compared to only one among 43 patients treated conservatively (p<0.05). Conclusion: Spontaneous coronary artery dissection occurs more often in young women. Non- ST-segment elevation acute myocardial infarction was the most frequent clinical presentation involving mainly the left anterior descending artery. Revascularization did not protect from recurrence.

Ultrassonografia intravascular para guiar a intervenção coronária percutânea: resultados do registro nacional português / Intravascular ultrasound in percutaneous coronary intervention guidance: results from Portuguese registry

Introdução: As diretrizes atuais recomendam o uso da ultrassonografia intravascular de coronárias como ferramenta adjuvante em situações difíceis. Objetivo: Caracterizar a utilização da ultrassonografia intravascular em Portugal e comparar os desfechos após intervenção coronária percutânea no tronco da coronária esquerda, guiada ou não por ultrassonografia intravascular. Métodos: Estudo observacional retrospectivo multicêntrico, que analisou pacientes submetidos à intervenção coronária percutânea entre janeiro de 2012 e dezembro de 2018, incluídos no Portuguese Registry on Interventional Cardiology da Sociedade Portuguesa de Cardiologia. Valor de p bicaudal <0,05 foi considerado estatisticamente significativo. Resultados: Este estudo demonstrou variação significativa na utilização da ultrassonografia intravascular em Portugal (valor de p qui-quadrado para tendência <0,001). O ano com maior utilização foi 2016 (2,4%). Houve aumento progressivo, nos últimos 7 anos, na utilização da ultrassonografia intravascular na intervenção coronária percutânea do tronco da coronária esquerda (valor de p qui-quadrado para tendência <0,001), com importantes diferenças regionais. A população submetida à intervenção coronária percutânea do tronco da coronária esquerda guiada por ultrassonografia intravascular era mais jovem, mas tinha maior prevalência de fatores de risco cardiovascular, disfunção sistólica ventricular e lesões coronárias complexas. Além disso, esse grupo de pacientes teve menor prevalência do desfecho primário intra-hospitalar (1,4% versus 3,9%; p=0,024). Porém, após análise multivariada ajustada para fatores de confusão, este estudo não demonstrou impacto significativo da utilização da ultrassonografia intravascular no desfecho intra-hospitalar. Conclusão: A utilização da ultrassonografia intravascular na intervenção coronária percutânea do tronco da coronária esquerda vem aumentando lentamente nos últimos 7 anos em Portugal. Neste estudo, a utilização desse método não teve impacto estatístico nos desfechos intra-hospitalares.

Background: Current guidelines recommend the use of coronary intravascular ultrasound as an adjunctive tool in challenging situations. Objective: To characterize the use of intravascular ultrasound in Portugal and compare outcomes after left main percutaneous coronary intervention, with or without intravascular ultrasound. Methods: A retrospective multicentric observational study analyzed patients who underwent percutaneous coronary intervention between January 2012 and December 2018 and were included in the Portuguese Registry on Interventional Cardiology of the Sociedade Portuguesa de Cardiologia. A two-sided p-value<0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results: This study revealed significant variation of intravascular ultrasound usage in Portugal over time (p-value Chi-squared for trend <0.001). The year with maximum use was 2016 (2.4%). Regarding left main percutaneous coronary intervention, there was a progressive increase in use of intravascular ultrasound (p-value Chi-squared for trend<0.001) in the last 7 years, with important regional differences. The population submitted to left main percutaneous coronary intervention with intravascular ultrasound was younger, but had a higher prevalence of some cardiovascular risk factors, ventricular systolic dysfunction, and complex coronary lesions. Moreover, this group of patients had lower prevalence of intrahospital primary endpoint (1.4% versus 3.9%; p=0.024). However, after multivariate analysis adjusted to confounding factors, this study did not demonstrate a significant impact of intravascular ultrasound on intrahospital endpoint. Conclusion: The overall use of intravascular ultrasound in left main percutaneous coronary intervention has been slowly increasing in the last seven years, in Portugal. In this study, the use of this method had no statistical impact in intrahospital endpoints.

Causa rara de parada cardíaca: um caso de extensa dissecção espontânea da artéria coronária esquerda / A rare cause of cardiac arrest: a case of an extensive left coronary artery spontaneous dissection

Um homem de 28 anos com história pregressa de abuso de drogas foi encaminhado para coronariografia de emergência após parada cardíaca. O eletrocardiograma pós-ressuscitação mostrou elevação do segmento ST em V1-V4. A angiografia mostrou dissecção espontânea da artéria coronária, multiarterial e em diversos segmentos. Devido à instabilidade clínica, o paciente foi submetido à intervenção coronária percutânea da artéria descendente anterior. A prevalência da dissecção espontânea da artéria coronária como causa de síndrome coronariana aguda em homens é infrequente. No entanto, nos casos suspeitos, ela deve ser excluída. A parada cardiorrespiratória é um quadro incomum na dissecção espontânea da artéria coronária, e a intervenção coronária percutânea como modalidade terapêutica ainda é uma questão em debate.

A 28-year-old male with a previous history of drug abuse was sent to an emergent coronary angiography, after a cardiac arrest, with a post-resuscitation eletrocardiogram showing ST- segment elevation from V1-V4. Angiography showed multivessel and multisegment spontaneous coronary artery dissection. Due to clinical instability, patient underwent left anterior descending artery percutaneous coronary intervention. Prevalence of spontaneous coronary artery dissection as the cause of acute coronary syndrome is anecdotal in men. Yet, in the right scenarios as in this case, it must be ruled out. Cardiorespiratory arrest is an uncommon presentation of spontaneous coronary artery dissection and percutaneous coronary intervention in spontaneous coronary artery dissection is still a matter of debate.

Impacto da intervenção coronária percutânea versus cirurgia de revascularização do miocárdio na doença do tronco da coronária esquerda ­ experiência de um único centro / The impact of percutaneous coronary intervention versus coronary artery bypass grafting surgery in left main coronary artery disease ­ a single center experience

Introdução: Embora a cirurgia de revascularização do miocárdio seja o tratamento padrão-ouro para a doença estável do tronco da coronária esquerda, a intervenção coronária percutânea mostrou bons resultados, tornando-se alternativa à técnica cirúrgica. Este estudo teve como objetivo avaliar e comparar uma população do mundo real com doença estável de tronco de coronária esquerda submetida à cirurgia de revascularização do miocárdio ou à intervenção coronária percutânea, quanto às suas características e aos seus desfechos. Métodos: Duas amostras de pacientes com doença estável do tronco da coronária esquerda, submetidas à cirurgia de revascularização do miocárdio ou à intervenção coronária percutânea entre janeiro de 2015 e novembro de 2018, foram avaliadas, e seus resultados clínicos foram comparados. As taxas de eventos cumulativos foram baseadas na curva de Kaplan-Meier e comparadas com estatísticas de teste de log-rank. Os valores de p, razão de risco e IC95% foram obtidos por meio de regressões de Cox univariadas. Resultados: Não foram encontradas diferenças significativas entre os grupos submetidos à intervenção coronária percutânea e à cirurgia de revascularização do miocárdio na composição total de riscos de eventos cardíacos e cerebrovasculares adversos maiores (razão de risco do grupo submetido à intervenção coronária percutânea de 2,066; IC95% 0,876-4,869; p=0,097) ou no risco de morte por causa cardiovascular (razão de risco de 1,117 no grupo submetido à intervenção coronária percutânea; IC95% 0,204-6,109; p=0,898). Entretanto, o grupo classificado como tendo doença coronariana de alta complexidade anatômica apresentou piores resultados quanto às taxas de eventos cardíacos e cerebrovasculares adversos maiores quando submetidos à intervenção coronária percutânea (razão de risco de 2,699; IC95% 1,002-7,266; p=0,049). Conclusão: Ambos os tratamentos são opções válidas para a doença estável do tronco da coronária esquerda, exceto em pacientes com alta complexidade anatômica coronariana, nos quais a cirurgia de revascularização do miocárdio deve permanecer como tratamento de escolha.

Background: Although coronary artery bypass grafting has been considered the gold-standard treatment for stable ischemic left main coronary artery disease, percutaneous coronary intervention has shown good results, and is an alternative to surgery. This study aimed to evaluate and compare a real-world population with stable left main coronary artery disease submitted to coronary artery bypass grafting or percutaneous coronary intervention, regarding their characteristics and outcomes. Methods: Two samples of patients with stable ischemic left main coronary artery disease, who underwent coronary artery bypass grafting or percutaneous coronary intervention between January 2015 and November 2018, were evaluated and their clinical outcomes compared. The cumulative event rates were based on the Kaplan-Meier curve and compared with log-rank statistics. Hazard ratio and 95%CI and p-values, were obtained through univariate Cox regressions. Results: No significant differences were found between the percutaneous coronary intervention and coronary artery bypass grafting groups in the total composition of risks for major cardiac and cerebrovascular events (hazard ratio of the percutaneous coronary intervention group of 2.066; 95%CI 0.876-4.869; p=0.097) or in the risk of death from cardiovascular cause (hazard ratio for the percutaneous coronary intervention group of 1,117; 95%CI 0.204- 6,109; p=0.898). However, the group classified as high coronary artery disease anatomical complexity had worse results regarding major cardiac and cerebrovascular events rates when submitted to percutaneous coronary intervention (hazard ratio of 2.699; 95%CI 1.002-7.266; p=0.049). Conclusion: The results obtained suggest that both treatments are valid options for the treatment of stable ischemic left main coronary artery disease, except in patients with high coronary anatomic complexity, in whom coronary artery bypass grafting should remain the treatment of choice.

Prognostic impact of iron deficiency in acute coronary syndromes.

BACKGROUND: Iron deficiency (IDef) is a prevalent condition in patients with heart disease and in those with heart failure (HF). Evidence has shown that this deficit is associated with worse prognosis. Data in literature are scarce on the prognostic impact of IDef in acute coronary syndromes (ACS), which is the main objective of this study. METHODS: Observational, retrospective study which included 817 patients admitted for ACS. Two groups were defined according to the presence (n=298) or absence of IDef (n=519) on admission. The clinical event under study was the occurrence of death or severe HF in the long term. Independent predictors of prognosis were determined with logistic regression analysis. RESULTS: Thirty-six percent of patients had IDef. There was higher mortality (p=0.004), higher incidence of HF (p=0.011) during follow-up and a higher rate of hospital readmissions (p=0.048) in this group. IDef was an independent predictor of death or severe HF in follow-up, along with anemia, left ventricular dysfunction, renal dysfunction and the absence of revascularization. IDef also enabled us to further stratify the prognosis of patients without anemia based on the occurrence of death or severe HF and those with lower Killip classes (≤2) based on the occurrence of death. CONCLUSION: IDef was an independent predictor of death or severe HF in patients admitted with ACS and enabled additional stratification for those without anemia on admission and in those with Killip classes ≤2.

Impact on mortality of direct admission versus interhospital transfer in patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction undergoing primary percutaneous coronary intervention. / Impacto na mortalidade da admissão direta versus transferência inter­hospitalar nos doentes com enfarte agudo do miocárdio com elevação do segmento ST submetidos a intervenção coronária percutânea primária.

INTRODUCTION: In a primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) program, interhospital transfer of patients with ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) can increase ischemic time, compared to patients who are admitted directly to a catheterization laboratory. OBJECTIVES: To assess the impact of interhospital transfer in patients with STEMI undergoing primary PCI, in terms of time to reperfusion and one-year mortality. METHODS: This was an observational, retrospective, longitudinal study of patients with STEMI admitted to Hospital de Braga between June 2011 and May 2016, who were treated successfully within 12 hours of symptom onset. A total of 1222 patients were included and divided into two groups according to admission to Hospital de Braga: direct or interhospital transfer. RESULTS: In this study, 37.0% (n=452) of the population were admitted directly to Hospital de Braga and 63.0% (n=770) were transferred from other hospitals. Although timings (in min) until reperfusion were longer in interhospital transfer patients (symptom onset-first medical contact (median 76.5, IQR 40.3-150 vs. 91.0, IQR 50-180, p=0.002), first medical contact-reperfusion (median 87.5, IQR 69.0-114 vs. 145, IQR 115-199, p<0.001) and symptom onset-reperfusion (median 177, IQR 125-265 vs. 265, IQR 188-400, p<0.001)), one-year mortality did not differ significantly between the groups (53 [11.7%] vs. 71 [9.2%], p=0.193). In multivariate analysis, age, symptom onset-reperfusion time and especially Killip class IV at admission (HR 11.2, 95% CI 6.35-19.8, p<0.001) were the main independent predictors of one-year mortality. CONCLUSION: Interhospital transfer of patients with STEMI increased the time before PCI. No differences were detected between groups in one-year mortality. This may be related to the fact that the direct admission group had twice as many patients in Killip class IV as the interhospital transfer group.

Prognostic impact of residual SYNTAX score in patients with ST-elevation myocardial infarction and multivessel disease: Analysis of an 8-year all-comers registry.

BACKGROUND: The residual SYNTAX score (rSS) was designed and validated to quantify the burden of residual coronary artery disease after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). The aim of this study was to assess the prognostic impact of rSS in patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) and multivessel disease undergoing primary-PCI. METHODS: This retrospective cohort study included 1499 consecutive patients with STEMI who underwent primary-PCI between January 2008 and December 2015. After exclusion criteria, the multivessel disease cohort (n=535) was divided into three groups, according to rSS: complete revascularization (rSS=0; n=198), reasonable incomplete revascularization (0

Plasma cell leukaemia.

Plasma cell leukaemia (PCL) is a rare and aggressive disease. Diagnosis is made when there are >2000/#mL circulating plasma cells in peripheral blood or plasmacytosis >20% of total leukocyte count. We report a case of a 51-year old man with generalized bone pain and constitutional symptoms. Blood peripheral smear revealed leukocytosis with 39% plasma cells. Bone marrow biopsy showed plasma cell invasion, which confirmed the diagnosis of PCL. Additionally, the patient had markers of advanced disease. Chemotherapy with vincristine, adriamycin and dexamethasone was started. Despite an initial favourable response, the patient died 2 months later due to an infectious complication. PCL has no established treatment and has a dismal prognosis, requiring the achievement of better data to improve the disease course.

Impact of atrial fibrillation type during acute coronary syndromes: Clinical features and prognosis.

INTRODUCTION: Atrial fibrillation (AF) is widely recognized as an adverse prognostic factor during acute myocardial infarction, although the impact of AF type - new-onset (nAF) or pre-existing (pAF) - is still controversial. OBJECTIVES: To identify the clinical differences and prognosis of nAF and pAF during acute coronary syndromes (ACS). METHODS: We performed a retrospective observational cohort study including 1373 consecutive patients (mean age 64 years, 77.3% male) admitted to a single center over a three-year period, with a six-month follow-up. RESULTS: AF rhythm was identified in 14.5% patients, of whom 71.4% presented nAF and 28.6% pAF. When AF types were compared, patients with nAF more frequently presented with ST-elevation ACS (p=0.003). Patients with pAF, in turn, were older (p=0.032), had greater left atrial diameter (p=0.001) and were less likely to have significant coronary lesions (p=0.034). Regarding therapeutic strategy, nAF patients were more often treated by rhythm control during hospital stay (p<0.001) and were less often anticoagulated at discharge (p=0.001). Compared with the population without AF, nAF was a predictor of death during hospital stay in univariate (p<0.001) and multivariate analysis (OR 2.67, p=0.047), but pAF was not. During follow-up, pAF was associated with higher mortality (p=0.014), while nAF patients presented only a trend towards worse prognosis. CONCLUSIONS: AF during the acute phase of ACS appears to have a negative prognostic impact only in patients with nAF and not in those with pAF.

Atrial ectopic activity in cryptogenic ischemic stroke and TIA: a risk factor for recurrence.

BACKGROUND: To characterize atrial ectopic activity in patients with cryptogenic ischemic stroke (CIS) or transient ischemic attack (TIA) and determine its prognostic significance. METHODS: Retrospective cohort study, in which 184 patients with CIS or TIA who had performed 24-hour Holter electrocardiogram were included. The median follow-up was 27.5 months. Baseline clinical and imagiologic characteristics, etiologic investigation results, and ischemic stroke and TIA recurrences information were collected. Number of atrial premature complexes (APCs) per hour was categorized as less than 10 APCs/hour, 10-30 APCs/hour, and more than 30 APCs/hour. RESULTS: Most of the patients had less than 10 APCs/hour (82.6%), 8.2% had 10-30 APCs/hour, and 9.2% had more than 30 APCs/hour. Patients with more than 30 APCs/hour had a greater median left atrium diameter than patients with 30 APCs/hour or less (42 mm vs. 38 mm; 95% confidence interval [CI], .50-7.00; P = .003). Annual recurrence rate of CIS or TIA was 2.9% in patients with less than 10 APCs/hour, 11.0% in 10-30 APCs/hour, and 22.6% in more than 30 APCs/hour (P = .001). More than 30 APCs/hour were independently associated with recurrence risk in multivariate survival analysis (hazard ratio, 3.40; 95% CI, 1.12-10.32; P = .030). CONCLUSIONS: In patients with CIS or TIA, frequent atrial ectopic activity (>30 APCs/h) was independently associated with increased risk of stroke or TIA recurrence. Further studies need to validate frequent atrial ectopic activity as a risk factor for recurrence in cryptogenic stroke and confirm its role as a predictor of occult atrial fibrillation.