Clinical implications of arterial hypertension in patients with spontaneous coronary artery dissection.

BACKGROUND: Spontaneous coronary artery dissection (SCAD) is a rare but increasingly recognized cause of acute coronary syndrome. Many patients with SCAD have associated coronary risk factors. However, the implications of arterial hypertension in SCAD patients remain unknown. OBJECTIVE: This study sought to assess the clinical implications of arterial hypertension in a nationwide cohort of patients with SCAD. METHODS: The Spanish SCAD registry (NCT03607981) prospectively enrolled 318 consecutive patients. All coronary angiograms were centrally analyzed to confirm the diagnosis of SCAD. Patients were classified according to the presence of arterial hypertension. RESULTS: One-hundred eighteen patients (37%) had a diagnosis of arterial hypertension. Hypertensive SCAD patients were older (60 ± 12 vs. 51 ± 9 years old) and had more frequently dyslipidemia (56 vs. 23%) and diabetes (9 vs. 3%) but were less frequently smokers (15 vs. 35%) than normotensive SCAD patients (all P < 0.05). Most patients in both groups were female (90 vs. 87%, NS) and female patients with hypertension were more frequently postmenopausal (70 vs. 47%, P < 0.05). Hypertensive SCAD patients had more severe lesions and more frequently multivessel involvement (15 vs. 7%, P < 0.05) and coronary ectasia (19 vs. 7%, P < 0.05) but showed a similar prevalence of coronary tortuosity (34 vs. 26%, NS). Revascularization requirement was similar in both groups (17 vs. 26%, NS) but procedural success was significantly lower (65 vs. 88%, P < 0.05) and procedural-related complications more frequent (65 vs. 41%, P < 0.05) in SCAD patients with hypertension. CONCLUSION: Patients with SCAD and hypertension are older, more frequently postmenopausal and have more coronary risk factors than normotensive SCAD patients. During revascularization SCAD patients with hypertension obtain poorer results and have a higher risk of procedural-related complications (NCT03607981).

Long-Term Outcomes Comparing Medical Therapy versus Revascularization for Spontaneous Coronary Artery Dissection.

The ideal management of spontaneous coronary artery dissection (SCAD) has yet to be clearly defined. We conducted a comprehensive search of Ovid MEDLINE, Ovid Embase, Ovid Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, Scopus, and Web of Science from database inception from 1966 through September 2020 for all original studies (randomized controlled trials and observational studies) that evaluated patients with SCAD. Study groups were defined by allocation to medical therapy (medical therapy) versus invasive therapy (invasive therapy) (ie, percutaneous coronary intervention or coronary artery bypass grafting). The risk of death (risk ratio [RR] = 0.753; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.21-2.73; I2 = 21.1%; P = 0.61), recurrence of SCAD (RR = 1.09; 95% CI: 0.61-1.93; I2 = 0.0%; P = 0.74), and repeat revascularization (RR = 0.64; 95% CI: 0.21-1.94; I2 = 57.6%; P = 0.38) were not statistically different between medical therapy and invasive therapy for a follow-up ranging from 4 months to 3 years. In conclusion, in this meta-analysis of observational studies, the long-term risk of death, recurrent SCAD, and repeat revascularization did not significantly differ among patients with SCAD treated with medical therapy compared with those treated with invasive therapy. These findings support the current expert consensus that patients should be treated with medical therapy when clinically stable and no high-risk features are present. Further large-scale studies including randomized controlled trials are needed to confirm these findings.

Value of preoperative echocardiography for the diagnosis of coronary artery patterns in neonates with transposition of the great arteries.

BACKGROUND: Abnormal coronary pattern may complicate coronary transfer during arterial switch operation. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the accuracy of echocardiography in assessing the anatomy of coronary arteries in neonates with transposition of the great arteries, and determine impact on outcomes. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective analysis of data in neonates with transposition of the great arteries. Preoperative echocardiographic coronary artery pattern and surgical intraoperative reports were compared. Mismatch between transthoracic echocardiography and surgical intraoperative reports and the impact on perioperative outcome were assessed. Coronary patterns were classified into four groups: type 1 (normal); type 2 (risk of coronary with intramural course); type 3 (coronary loop); and type 2+3. RESULTS: Overall, 108 neonates who underwent an arterial switch operation were included: 68 were classified as type 1; seven as type 2; 32 as type 3; and one as type 2+3. Overall, 10 adverse events occurred. Five patients died, three from coronary causes. Survival was 96% at 1 month. Transthoracic echocardiography and surgical intraoperative reports differed in 17.6% of cases. Mortality was 15.8% in case of inappropriate diagnosis and 2.2% for appropriate diagnosis (P=0.01). Mortality in type 2 was 66.7% in case of discordance versus 0% when concordant. Multivariable analysis found that inappropriate preoperative transthoracic echocardiography diagnosis of coronary pattern was the only significant risk factor for mortality (P=0.04). CONCLUSIONS: Echocardiography can assess coronary artery anatomy in neonates with transposition of the great arteries. Intramural coronary course is often misdiagnosed. Preoperative misdiagnosis of coronary artery anomaly may impact perioperative mortality. However, this assessment will have to be confirmed by further larger studies.

Spontaneous coronary artery dissection and Takotsubo syndrome: comparison of baseline clinical and angiographic characteristics and in-hospital outcomes.

BACKGROUND: Spontaneous coronary artery dissection (SCAD) and Takotsubo syndrome (TTS) constitute two relatively common nonatherosclerotic causes of acute coronary syndrome particularly frequent in women. METHODS: This study sought to compare the baseline clinical and angiographic characteristics and in-hospital outcomes of patients from two large prospective registries on SCAD and TTS (the prospective nation-wide Spanish SCAD Registry and a prospective single-center TTS registry). RESULTS: A total of 318 SCAD and 106 TTS consecutive patients were included. Most patients in both groups (88%) were women. Patients in the TTS group were older [74 (interquartile range, IQR 67-81) vs. 53 years-old (IQR 47-60), P < 0.001] and presented a higher prevalence of cardiovascular risk factors. Precipitating triggers were more frequent in TTS (56% vs. 42%, P = 0.009) but emotional stress was more common in the SCAD group (25% vs. 15%, P = 0.037). TTS patients showed a reduced release of cardiac biomarkers but had more severe left ventricular dysfunction (ejection fraction <50%: 73% vs. 12%, P < 0.001). In-hospital major adverse cardiovascular events occurred more frequently in TTS patients (12% vs. 4.7%, P < 0.001). Notably, TTS patients showed more frequently congestive heart failure (10% vs. 0.6%, P < 0.001), atrial fibrillation (11% vs. 1%, P < 0.001) and had a higher all-cause in-hospital mortality (5.7% vs. 1.3%, P = 0.032). CONCLUSION: TTS patients are older and present a higher prevalence of some cardiovascular risk factors than patients with SCAD. TTS is linked to a worse in-hospital prognosis with higher mortality.

Coronary Artery Anomalies Are Associated With Increased Mortality After Truncus Arteriosus Repair.

BACKGROUND: Truncus arteriosus is associated with coronary anomalies. We identified coronary artery lesions in patients undergoing repair of truncus arteriosus, defined the impact of lesions on mortality, and studied the effect of surgical intervention of coronary lesions. METHODS: A retrospective review identified 107 patients with truncus repair (1995-2019). Coronary lesions were categorized as ostial stenosis, intramural, juxtacommissural origin, and single coronary. Survival analysis characterized survival after truncus repair and studied the association of coronary lesions and mortality. RESULTS: Among 107 patients with truncus repair 34 patients had at least 1 coronary lesion. Median follow-up time was 7 years, with 85% 5-year survival. Coronary lesions including ostial stenosis, intramurality, and juxtacommissural origin were associated with increased mortality, whereas single coronaries did not impact survival. Eleven patients had 1 coronary lesion and 6 patients with 2 coronary lesions had similar (80% and 83%, respectively) 5-year survival. Eight patients with 3 coronary lesions had 24% 5-year survival (P = .0003). Among patients with 1 or 2 lesions, surgical intervention on the coronary lesions tended to be associated with longer 5-year survival (100% vs 62%, respectively; P = .06). All patients with 3 lesions underwent coronary artery intervention, with 24% 5-year survival. CONCLUSIONS: Impact of coronary lesions on mortality after truncus repair increases with the number of lesions. Coronary artery intervention may be associated with improved time-related survival among patients with 1 or 2 lesions. Patients with the most complex anomalies (3 lesions) have poor survival and warrant ongoing study of repair techniques.

Percutaneous coronary intervention of anomalous left circumflex coronary artery - A case series.

We report a case series of 14 cases (mean age 54.14 ± 14.75 years) of successful percutaneous coronary intervention of anomalous left circumflex artery. While the intermediate-term follow-up (mean 36.0 ± 20.58 months) was uneventful in 12 patients, one died of a non-cardiac cause, while other lost to follow-up.

Incidence, Clinical Presentation, and Causes of 30-Day Readmission Following Hospitalization With Spontaneous Coronary Artery Dissection.

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to investigate the impact of spontaneous coronary artery dissection (SCAD) on 30-day readmission rates following hospitalization with acute myocardial infarction (AMI) using a national database. BACKGROUND: AMI in the setting of SCAD represents an uncommon type of myocardial infarction with limited data on short-term outcomes. METHODS: All hospitalizations with primary or index diagnoses of AMI from 2010 to 2015 in the Nationwide Readmissions Database were queried. The primary outcome was overall 30-day readmission rates in both SCAD and non-SCAD cohorts. Propensity score matching (1:2) was conducted. RESULTS: A total of 2,654,087 patients with AMI were included in the final analysis, of whom 1,386 (0.052%) were diagnosed with SCAD. SCAD was associated with a higher readmission rate in the SCAD cohort (12.3% vs. 9.9%; p = 0.022). The main causes of readmissions in the SCAD cohort were cardiac causes (80.6%), and AMI was the most common cardiac cause (44.8%), followed by chest pain (20.1%) and arrhythmia (12.7%). Among the SCAD readmissions, 50.6% patients were readmitted in the first week post-discharge, with 54.5% of AMI readmissions occurring in the first 2 days post-discharge. CONCLUSIONS: The incidence of 30-day readmission following AMI and SCAD is nontrivial and occurs early post-discharge. Most readmissions are due to cardiac causes, especially AMI. Targeted management approaches are needed to diminish the high rates of readmission and early recurrent AMI.

The influence of coronary artery anatomy on mortality after the arterial switch operation.

OBJECTIVE: We sought to determine the influence of coronary artery anatomy on mortality in more than 1000 children undergoing the arterial switch operation. METHODS: All patients who underwent an arterial switch operation were identified from 2 hospital databases and reviewed retrospectively. Coronary anatomy was recorded from operative reports using the Leiden classification. RESULTS: An arterial switch operation was performed in 1033 children between 1983 and 2013. Coronary anatomy was normal in 697 patients (67%). The most common type of anomalous coronary anatomy was the circumflex coronary artery arising from sinus 2 (in 152 patients [15%]). Forty-seven patients (4.5%) had all coronary arteries arising from a single sinus. Of these 47 patients, 34 patients (3.3%) had a true single coronary artery. Fifty-two patients (5.0%) had an intramural coronary artery. Overall early mortality was 3.3% (34 out of 1033 patients) over the 30-year period. Early mortality was 3.0% (21 out of 697) for patients with normal coronary anatomy and 3.9% (13 out of 336) for any type of anomalous coronary anatomy. Early mortality was 3.3% (5 out of 152) for patients with the circumflex coronary artery arising from sinus 2, 6.4% (3 out of 47) for patients with all coronary arteries arising from a single sinus, and 5.9% (2 out of 34) for patients with a true single coronary artery. Early mortality for patients with intramural coronaries was 1.9% (1 out of 52). No coronary pattern was found to be a risk factor for mortality. CONCLUSIONS: Patients with anomalous coronary artery anatomy had higher rates of early mortality after the arterial switch operation but this was not statistically significant. Coronary artery reoperations were rare.

Four Coronary Arteries Separately Originating from the Right Sinus of Valsalva.

An 82-year-old woman was admitted to our hospital with heart failure. Coronary angiography revealed one anatomically normal right coronary artery and three left coronary arteries (LCA-1, LSA-2, and LSA-3) separately originating from the right sinus of Valsalva, comprising multiple atherosclerotic lesions. LCA-1 became the obtuse marginal branch after branching off into the septal branches. LCA-2 was the main circumflex artery with an obstructive lesion. LCA-3 corresponded to the distal part of the anterior descending branch. The patient died 14 days after hospitalization. We describe the rarity of quadriostial origin, the unusual course, and the unusual branching of the coronary arteries.

Technical success and long-term outcomes after anomalous right coronary artery stenting with cardiac computed tomography angiography correlation.

INTRODUCTION: Anomalous origin of coronary arteries has been observed in about 0.35-2.10% of the population. Patients with anomalous right coronary artery (ARCA) may present with significant symptoms, arrhythmias or ACS, and at times sudden death. Traditionally, surgical correction has been the recommended treatment. However, these may be technically challenging, and bypass grafting for such anomalies has the potential for graft failure because of competitive flow. We sought to determine the intermediate and long-term outcomes of drug-eluting stent placement for patients with symptomatic ARCA. We also looked at angiographic findings suggestive of interarterial course as confirmed by subsequent computed tomography (CT) findings. METHODS: Between January 2005 and December 2012, we enrolled 11 patients for elective percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) of ARCA in a single center, prospective, nonrandomized fashion. Patients were followed up in clinic at 1 week, 3 months, 6 months, and 1 year, and then annually or more frequently if needed. All patients underwent a cardiac CT, as well as functional stress testing when needed to assess for recurrence of disease. RESULTS: All 11 of our patients, who presented with significant symptomatic stenosis with an ARCA, were successfully treated with PCI. Mean follow-up duration was 8.5 years. The only two deaths during follow-up were related to noncardiac causes (sepsis), with a mortality rate of 18.2%. Two patients had a positive functional study and on subsequent coronary angiography, one of them had significant in-stent restenosis (target lesion revascularization of 9.1%) and one distal to the stent (target vessel revascularization 9.1%). We found the observation of a "slit-like lesion" on angiography to have a sensitivity of 100% and specificity of 86% for the diagnosis of interarterial course of the anomalous vessel seen on subsequent CT. CONCLUSIONS: Our study results suggest that PCI of ARCA is an effective and low-risk alternative to surgical correction, with good procedural success and long-term outcomes. It can provide symptomatic relief in such patients and may reduce the risk of sudden death in younger patients, without the inherent risks associated with surgical repair.

Spontaneous coronary artery dissection managed with a conservative or revascularization approach: a meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: The optimal treatment approach for spontaneous coronary artery dissection (SCAD) remains unclear. OBJECTIVES: The study aims to compare in-hospital and long-term clinical outcomes of SCAD patients initially managed with medical therapy (conservative approach) versus percutaneous coronary intervention or coronary artery bypass grafting (revascularization approach) based on published data. METHODS: We identified relevant studies by performing a systematic search in the Ovid MEDLINE and Embase databases. Studies with N at least 10 that report in-hospital outcomes [death, myocardial infarction (MI) and revascularization] or long-term outcomes (death, MI, revascularization, SCAD recurrence, and heart failure) were included. Risk difference between conservative and revascularization approach was estimated with the inverse variance-weighted method in a fixed-effect or random-effect model. RESULTS: A total of 22 nonrandomized, observational studies were analyzed (N = 1435). Compared with the initial revascularization approach, the conservative approach was associated with a comparable risk of in-hospital outcomes [risk difference: death, -0.61% (95% confidence interval, -2.13-0.91%), P = 0.43; MI, -0.99% (-4.65-2.67%), P = 0.60; revascularization, -3.02% (-8.79-2.75%), P = 0.31] and long-term outcomes [death, -0.06% (-2.33-2.20%), P = 0.96; MI, 0.96% (-2.35-4.27%), P = 0.57; revascularization, -3.31% (-7.63-1.02%), P = 0.13; SCAD recurrence, 3.75% (-2.05-9.55%), P = 0.21; heart failure, -0.01% (-3.13-3.11%), P = 0.99]. There was no significant heterogeneity across these studies. CONCLUSION: Pooled results suggest that SCAD patients initially managed with a conservative strategy may have similar in-hospital and long-term outcomes compared with those who received revascularization in the absence of ongoing ischemia or left main artery involvement. More data from prospective studies are warranted to validate these findings.

Brief recommendations for participation in leisure time or competitive sports in athletes-patients with coronary artery disease: Summary of a Position Statement from the Sports Cardiology Section of the European Association of Preventive Cardiology (EAPC).

This paper presents a brief summary of the recommendations from the Sports Cardiology section of the European Association of Preventive Cardiology (EAPC) on sports-participation in patients with coronary artery disease, coronary artery anomalies or spontaneous dissection of the coronary arteries, all entities being associated with myocardial ischaemia.1 Given the wealth of evidence supporting the benefits of exercise for primary and secondary prevention of coronary artery disease, individuals should be restricted from competitive sport only when a substantial risk of adverse event or disease progression is present. These recommendations aim to encourage regular physical activity including participation in sports and, with reasonable precaution, ensure a high level of safety for all individuals with coronary artery disease. The present document is based on available current evidence, but in most instances because of lack of evidence, also on clinical experience and expert opinion.

Sex differences in coronary artery lesions and in-hospital outcomes for patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction under the age of 45.

OBJECTIVE: We aimed to compare baseline characteristics, coronary angiogram findings, and in-hospital outcomes between female and male patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) under the age of 45 years. BACKGROUND: Although sex differences in risk factor profile have been documented for young patients with STEMI, limited data exist on the prevalence of spontaneous coronary artery dissection in these patients. METHODS: As part of an ongoing hospital-based registry of suspected STEMI, we analyzed the original data for 51 women under the age of 45 years matched with 93 men of similar age who underwent coronary angiography at two percutaneous coronary intervention centers, between January 2003 and December 2012. Two interventional cardiologists independently reviewed coronary angiograms for all patients. RESULTS: The mean age for all patients was 39 years (range, 24-44) and the overall prevalence of cigarette smoking, dyslipidemia, hypertension, and diabetes mellitus were 70, 32, 13, and 4%, respectively. Young women were more likely to present with spontaneous coronary artery dissection (22 vs. 3%, p = .003) and more of them experienced reinfarction during the hospital course (15 vs. 1%, p = .01). The in-hospital mortality rate was 2% for both sexes. CONCLUSIONS: Spontaneous coronary artery dissection is an important cause of myocardial infarction in young female adults, accounting for 22% (95% confidence interval, 11-35%) of women with STEMI under the age of 45 years. The true prevalence of spontaneous coronary artery dissection might even be underestimated, because of the limited availability of advanced imaging techniques at the time of our study.

Diagnosis and treatment of abnormal left coronary artery originating from the pulmonary artery: A single-center experience.

OBJECTIVE: We aimed to review symptoms, findings, surgical treatment options, short- and mid-term outcomes, and reoperation rate of patients diagnosed with of left coronary artery from the pulmonary artery (ALCAPA) of an anomalous origin in our institution. METHODS: From May 2000 to March 2018, 33 patients who had left coronary artery originating from the pulmonary artery were retrospectively examined. The clinical features of patients, diagnostic tools and their efficacy, outcomes of surgical repair, and problems during follow-up were evaluated. RESULTS: Thirty-three patients (22 females, 11 males) were included in the study. At the time of surgery, the median age and weight of patients were 6 months (minimum/maximum, 1-166 months) and 6.5 kg (minimum/maximum, 3-38.5 kg), respectively. The mean follow-up was 5±3.5 years (range, 1-16 years). Dyspnea, tachypnea, diaphoresis, prolonged feeding time, and developmental delay were common presenting signs and symptoms. It was determined that all the patients who were diagnosed at another center reached our center for surgical treatment within 1 month. Twenty-three (69.7%) patients had pathologic Q wave with anterior and/or anterolateral myocardial infarction signs on an electrocardiogram (ECG), whereas 22 (66.6%) patients had ST-T segment changes. Twenty-one (63.6%) patients had cardiomegaly on the telecardiogram. A reimplantation surgery was performed to 22 patients and 10 patients underwent the Takeuchi procedure. In addition to ALCAPA repair, 5 patients needed mitral valve plasty. Atrial septal defect (ASD) and ventricular septal defect (VSD) were closed in one patient, and Tetralogy of Fallot was totally corrected in another. At discharge, there was a significant improvement in left ventricular (LV) systolic functions. At the last visit, all patients had normal LV systolic functions except four who had mild dysfunction. The mean follow-up of the four patients was 2.8 years. In the early postoperative period, complications were seen in 10 patients. Five patients died in the early postoperative period, while one patient died 9 months after the ALCAPA surgery because of low cardiac output syndrome that developed after mitral repair. CONCLUSION: Patients with ALCAPA commonly present with congestive heart failure symptoms. When the diagnosis is confirmed in these patients, surgical treatment should not be delayed. The availability of surgical center and surgery outcomes for ALCAPA diagnosed patients are comparable with other countries, but the delay in the diagnosis of disease is still a problem in our country.

A case series of left main coronary artery ostial atresia and a review of the literature.

Left main coronary artery ostial atresia (LMCAOA) is a rare congenital anomaly of the coronary arteries. The published literature regarding the current diagnostic and management recommendations are limited. We present three case series of LMCAOA from our institution, including one with a unique association with anomalous origin of left coronary artery (LCA) from pulmonary artery. In addition, this report includes a review of 50 pediatric and 43 adult cases from literature. The majority of the patients were symptomatic. Sudden cardiac death occurred in 10% of pediatric patients and 7% of adult patients. Almost half of pediatric patients had additional cardiac lesions. At the time of diagnosis, 82% of patients had abnormal exercise stress test and 73% had abnormal myocardial perfusion imaging (MPI). The diagnosis of LMCAOA was suspected by echocardiography in 47% of pediatric patients, while 26% were initially misdiagnosed as anomalous origin of LCA from pulmonary artery. Coronary angiography confirmed the diagnosis in most cases and 70.5% of pediatric patients had small collaterals, while 80.5% of adult patients had large collaterals. Nine pediatric patients had no revascularization surgery with five deaths. Revascularization surgery was performed in 39 pediatric patients with four deaths. After 2005, there is a gradual shift toward performing coronary osteoplasty rather than coronary artery bypass grafting. Eighteen adult patients had revascularization surgery and all survived. Fifteen adult patients had no revascularization surgery, of which there were five deaths. In patients with LMCAOA, revascularization surgery is currently recommended in the presence of symptoms, ischemic changes on electrocardiogram or exercise stress test, myocardial perfusion defect on MPI, global left ventricular systolic dysfunction on echocardiogram, severe mitral regurgitation, or small-sized collaterals in coronary angiography. Short-term and mid-term outcomes are encouraging.

Factors Associated With Adverse Outcomes After Repair of Anomalous Coronary From Pulmonary Artery.

BACKGROUND: Successful repair of anomalous origin of coronary artery from the pulmonary artery (ACAPA) is generally associated with a good prognosis. However, risk factors for poor postoperative outcomes have not been well characterized. This study used a multicenter data set to determine predictors of mortality after ACAPA repair. METHODS: A retrospective analysis was performed using The Society of Thoracic Surgeons Congenital Heart Surgery Database's Participant User File. After identification of all patients with ACAPA who underwent repair from 2007 to 2016, demographics, preoperative and intraoperative variables, and postoperative complications were compared between survivors and nonsurvivors. The primary outcomes included (1) in-hospital mortality and (2) the need for postoperative extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) support. Multivariable logistic regression was used to determine preoperative and intraoperative risk factors for these outcomes. RESULTS: Of the 703 patients who underwent ACAPA repair, 20 (2.8%) died during the same hospitalization. The odds of mortality were increased if preoperative shock was present (odds ratio [OR], 4.6; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.4 to 15.1; P = .01) and if postoperative ECMO was required (OR, 11.8; 95% CI, 3.6 to 38.4; P < .001). The odds of postoperative ECMO use were increased if preoperative shock was present (OR, 3.6; 95% CI, 1.6 to 7.6; P = .001). Lower weight was also a risk factor for both mortality and postoperative ECMO. CONCLUSIONS: Lower weight, preoperative shock, and postoperative ECMO use were identified as risk factors for in-hospital mortality in patients undergoing ACAPA repair. These important perioperative factors likely reflect the clinical severity of presentation and suggest a role for early consideration of postoperative mechanical circulatory support to improve outcomes.

Characteristics and Clinical Outcomes of Patients With Spontaneous Coronary Artery Dissection.

Background The goal of this study is to report the characteristics and long-term clinical outcomes of patients with spontaneous coronary artery dissection (SCAD) and to identify factors associated with recurrent SCAD . Methods and Results This is a retrospective cohort study that included patients who underwent coronary angiography for evaluation of acute myocardial infarction between 2006 and 2016. Among 26 598 patients hospitalized with a principal diagnosis of acute myocardial infarction, 208 (0.78%) were diagnosed with SCAD . Patients with SCAD were younger (49.0±11.6 versus 65.6±12.2 years) and more likely to be women (88.9% versus 31.6%). Atherosclerotic risk factors, such as hypertension, hyperlipidemia, obesity, and diabetes mellitus, were less prevalent. Median follow-up was 4.7 years. Mortality was lower in patients with SCAD (1-year mortality: 2.4% versus 8.8%; P<0.001). After using propensity score matching to control for differences in age, sex, and comorbidities, the difference in mortality was no longer present, suggesting that lower mortality in patients with SCAD is attributed primarily to their baseline characteristics. Recurrent SCAD occurred in 22 patients (10.6%). Multivariate Cox regression modeling showed concomitant fibromuscular dysplasia (hazard ratio, 5.1; 95% CI , 1.6-15.8; P=0.005) and migraine headaches (hazard ratio, 3.4; 95% CI , 1.4-8.4; P=0.008) to be associated with increased risk of recurrent SCAD . Conclusions Among patients with acute myocardial infarction, patients with SCAD have a lower risk of mortality, which is attributed primarily to their younger age, female sex, and low prevalence of atherosclerotic risk factors. Risk of recurrent SCAD persists years after the initial presentation. Patients with fibromuscular dysplasia and migraine are at higher risk for recurrent SCAD .

Sudden cardiac death in a young adult man due to spontaneous coronary artery dissection.

Spontaneous coronary artery dissection is a rare event and commonly associated with pregnancy and female gender. This condition can reduce or completely obstruct the blood flow to the heart, causing a myocardial ischaemia, abnormalities in heart rhythm or sudden death. We present a case of a 28-year-old Indian male with no previous medical illness who complained sudden onset of chest pain prior to his death. Autopsy revealed a left anterior descending coronary artery dissection associated with plaque rupture. The anterior wall of left ventricle showed contraction band necrosis. There was also atheroma present in the right coronary artery which was insignificant. Histologically, dissection was associated with atherosclerosis. There was no evidence of vasculitis. The cause of death was given as coronary artery dissection due to coronary artery atherosclerosis.

Echocardiographic diagnosis of congenital coronary artery abnormalities in a continuous series of adolescent football players.

BACKGROUND: Sudden cardiac death (SCD) in children and adolescents is rare. Several studies have reported a higher risk of SCD during athletic competition. High risk congenital coronary artery abnormalities are the second leading cause of SCD in young athletes in the USA. Echocardiographic assessment of coronary arteries has not been routinely used in screening programmes for junior athletes so far. DESIGN: Prospective cohort study in 1045 consecutive adolescent elite football players. METHODS: All athletes underwent a standardized cardiovascular screening protocol with a medical history, a physical examination, 12-lead resting electrocardiogram and a complete transthoracic 2D-echocardiography. RESULTS: Two athletes (0.19%) showed a high-risk coronary artery abnormality (CAA) with a right coronary artery originating abnormal from the aorta and coursing inter-arterial. Low-risk CAAs were found in 16 athletes (1.53%). There was an ectasia of the left coronary artery (+3.9z and +4.3z) and a fistula from the left coronary artery in two cases (0.19%), respectively. In 1.05% ( n = 11) we found a high take-off (2.3-6.8 mm) and in one case (0.096%) there was a tangential take-off of the right main coronary artery. Variants of coronary arterial anatomy were identified in 335 of 1045 athletes (32.06%). CONCLUSION: Basic pre-participation screening tests including 12-lead or exercise electrocardiogram do not safely identify high-risk CAAs. In adolescent athletes an expert cardiologist is able to describe the origin and the proximal course of the coronary arteries and identify major abnormalities in most of the cases by transthoracic 2D-echocardiography.