Impact of cardiac rehabilitation on ventricular-arterial coupling and left ventricular function in patients with acute myocardial infarction.

To maintain efficient myocardial function, optimal coordination between ventricular contraction and the arterial system is required. Exercise-based cardiac rehabilitation (CR) has been demonstrated to improve left ventricular (LV) function. This study aimed to investigate the impact of CR on ventricular-arterial coupling (VAC) and its components, as well as their associations with changes in LV function in patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI) and preserved or mildly reduced ejection fraction (EF). Effective arterial elastance (EA) and index (EAI) were calculated from the stroke volume and brachial systolic blood pressure. Effective LV end-systolic elastance (ELV) and index (ELVI) were obtained using the single-beat method. The characteristic impedance (Zc) of the aortic root was calculated after Fourier transformation of both aortic pressure and flow waveforms. Pulse wave separation analysis was performed to obtain the reflection magnitude (RM). An exercise-based, outpatient cardiac rehabilitation (CR) program was administered for up to 6 months. Twenty-nine patients were studied. However, eight patients declined to participate in the CR program and were subsequently classified as the non-CR group. At baseline, E' velocity showed significant associations with EAI (beta -0.393; P = 0.027) and VAC (beta -0.375; P = 0.037). There were also significant associations of LV global longitudinal strain (LV GLS) with EAI (beta 0.467; P = 0.011). Follow-up studies after a minimum of 6 months demonstrated a significant increase in E' velocity (P = 0.035), improved EF (P = 0.010), and LV GLS (P = 0.001), and a decreased EAI (P = 0.025) only in the CR group. Changes in E' velocity were significantly associated with changes in EAI (beta -0.424; P = 0.033). Increased aortic afterload and VA mismatch were associated with a negative impact on both LV diastolic and systolic function. The outpatient CR program effectively decreased aortic afterload and improved LV diastolic and systolic dysfunction in patients with AMI and preserved or mildly reduced EF.

Clinical Outcome after Everolimus-Eluting Stent Implantation for Small Vessel Coronary Artery Disease: XIENCE Asia Small Vessel Study.

There are limited data on outcomes after implantation of everolimus-eluting stents (EES) in East Asian patients with small vessel coronary lesions. A total of 1,600 patients treated with XIENCE EES (Abbott Vascular, CA, USA) were divided into the small vessel group treated with one ≤2.5 mm stent (n=119) and the non-small vessel group treated with one ≥2.75 mm stent (n=933). The primary end point was a patient-oriented composite outcome (POCO), a composite of all-cause death, myocardial infarction (MI), and any repeat revascularization at 12 months. The key secondary end point was a device-oriented composite outcome (DOCO), a composite of cardiovascular death, target-vessel MI, and target lesion revascularization at 12 months. The small vessel group was more often female, hypertensive, less likely to present with ST-elevation MI, and more often treated for the left circumflex artery, whereas the non-small vessel group more often had type B2/C lesions, underwent intravascular ultrasound, and received unfractionated heparin. In the propensity matched cohort, the mean stent diameter was 2.5±0.0 mm and 3.1±0.4 mm in the small and non-small vessel groups, respectively. Propensity-adjusted POCO at 12 months was 6.0% in the small vessel group and 4.3% in the non-small vessel group (p=0.558). There was no significant difference in DOCO at 12 months (small vessel group: 4.3% and non-small vessel group: 1.7%, p=0.270). Outcomes of XIENCE EES for small vessel disease were comparable to those for non-small vessel disease at 12-month clinical follow-up in real-world Korean patients.

Beta-blocker therapy in patients with acute myocardial infarction: not all patients need it.

Most of the evidences for beneficial effects of beta-blockers in patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI) were from the clinical studies published in the pre-reperfusion era when anti-platelet drugs, statins or inhibitors of renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system which are known to reduce cardiovascular mortality of patients with AMI were not introduced. In the reperfusion era, beta-blockers' benefit has not been clearly shown except in patients with reduced ejection fraction (EF; ≤40%). In the era of the early reperfusion therapy for AMI, a number of patients with mildly reduced EF (>40%, <50%) or preserved EF (≥50%) become increasing. However, because no randomized clinical trials are available until now, the benefit and the optimal duration of oral treatment with beta-blockers in patients with mildly reduced or preserved EF are questionable. Registry data have not showed the association of oral beta-blocker therapy with decreased mortality in survivors without heart failure or left ventricular systolic dysfunction after AMI. In the Korea Acute Myocardial Infarction Registry-National Institute of Health of in-hospital survivors after AMI, the benefit of beta-blocker therapy at discharge was shown in patients with reduced or mildly reduced EF, but not in those with preserved EF, which provides new information about beta-blocker therapy in patients without reduced EF. However, clinical practice can be changed when the results of appropriate randomized clinical trials are available. Ongoing clinical trials may help to answer the unresolved issues of beta-blocker therapy in patients with AMI.

Impact of angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors versus angiotensin receptor blockers on clinical outcomes in hypertensive patients with acute myocardial infarction.

There has been a concern that angiotensin receptor blockers (ARB) may increase myocardial infarction (MI) in hypertensive patients compared with other classes of anti-hypertensive drugs. Angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor (ACEI) is recommended as a first-line inhibitor of renin-angiotensin system (RASI) in patients with acute MI (AMI), but ARB is also frequently used to control blood pressure. This study investigated the association of ARB vs. ACEI with the long-term clinical outcomes in hypertensive patients with AMI. Among patients enrolled in the nationwide AMI database of South Korea, the KAMIR-NIH, 4,827 hypertensive patients, who survived the initial attack and were taking ARB or ACEI at discharge, were selected for this study. ARB therapy was associated with higher incidence of 2-year major adverse cardiac events, cardiac death, all-cause death, MI than ACEI therapy in entire cohort. After propensity score-matching, ARB therapy was still associated with higher incidence of 2-year cardiac death (hazard ratio [HR], 1.60; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.20-2.14; P = 0.001), all-cause death (HR, 1.81; 95% CI, 1.44-2.28; P < 0.001), and MI (HR, 1.76; 95% CI, 1.25-2.46; P = 0.001) than the ACEI therapy. It was concluded that ARB therapy at discharge in hypertensive patients with AMI was inferior to ACEI therapy with regard to the incidence of CD, all-cause death, and MI at 2-year. These data suggested that ACEI be a more appropriate RASI than ARB to control BP in hypertensive patients with AMI.

Association of the medical therapy with beta-blockers or inhibitors of renin-angiotensin system with clinical outcomes in patients with mildly reduced left ventricular ejection fraction after acute myocardial infarction.

In the era of the initial optimal interventional and medical therapy for acute myocardial infarction (AMI), a number of patients with mildly reduced left ventricular ejection fraction (EF) (41%-49%) have been increasing. This observational study aimed to investigate the association between the medical therapy with oral beta-blockers or inhibitors of renin-angiotensin system (RAS) and 2-year clinical outcomes in patients with mildly reduced EF after AMI. Among patients enrolled in the Korea Acute Myocardial Infarction Registry-National Institute of Health, propensity-score matched patients who survived the initial attack and had mildly reduced EF were selected according to beta-blocker or RAS inhibitor therapy at discharge. Beta-blocker therapy at discharge was associated with lower 2-year major adverse cardiac events which was a composite of cardiac death, myocardial infarction, revascularization and re-hospitalization due to heart failure (8.7 vs 12.8/100 patient-years; hazard ratio [HR] 0.68; 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.50-0.93; P = .015), and no significant interaction between EF ≤ 45% and > 45% was observed (Pinteraction = 0.354). This association was mainly driven by lower myocardial infarction in patients with beta-blockers (HR 0.50; 95% CI 0.26-0.95; P = .035). Inhibitors of RAS at discharge were associated with lower re-hospitalization due to heart failure (1.8 vs 3.5/100 patient-years; HR 0.53; 95% CI 0.33-0.86; P = .010) without a significant interaction between EF ≤ 45% and > 45% (Pinteraction = 0.333). In patients with mildly reduced EF after AMI, the medical therapy with beta-blockers or RAS inhibitors at discharge was associated with better 2-year clinical outcomes.

Optimal blood pressure target in the elderly: rationale and design of the HOW to Optimize eLDerly systolic Blood Pressure (HOWOLD-BP) trial.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: The optimal systolic blood pressure (SBP) goal for elderly patients with hypertension, especially to reduce cardiovascular disease (CVD) incidence and improve outcome, is unclear. This study aimed to evaluate the beneficial effects of intensive treatment for hypertension on the incidence of CVD in elderly Korean patients. METHODS: The HOW to Optimize eLDerly systolic Blood Pressure (HOWOLD-BP) trial is a multicenter, parallel-design, open-label, randomized controlled trial designed to evaluate whether intensive treatment (SBP ≤ 130 mmHg) will provide more benefits in lowering the incidence and mortality associated with CVD than standard treatment (SBP ≤ 140 mmHg) in elderly patients with hypertension aged ≥ 65 years. For this study, eleven university hospitals in Korea will enroll approximately 3,176 elderly patients with hypertension between 2019 and 2022. Patients will be requested to visit the clinic every 4 months for the first year and every 6 months thereafter for 36 months. Parameters, including clinic and home blood pressure, anthropometric and laboratory findings, and frailty assessments, will be collected according to the standardized protocol. The primary outcome is a composite of CVD (acute coronary syndrome, stroke, and heart failure) incidence and cardiovascular deaths. RESULTS: As of December 2021, 1,655 participants had been enrolled in the study, including 831 patients in the standard group and 824 patients in the intensive group. CONCLUSION: The HOWOLD-BP trial is the first study performed in Korea to evaluate the beneficial effects of intensive blood pressure treatment on CVD in elderly patients with hypertension. The results of this study will help clarify the appropriate target SBP for this population.

Effect of a fixed-dose combination of Telmisartan/S-amlodipine on circadian blood pressure compared with Telmisartan monotherapy: TENUVA-BP study.

BACKGROUND: This study evaluated the circadian efficacy of a telmisartan 40 mg/S-amlodipine 2.5 mg fixed-dose combination (Telmisartan40/S-Amlodipine2.5) compared to telmisartan 80 mg (Telmisartan80) in patients with essential hypertension who did not respond to 2-4 weeks' treatment with telmisartan 40 mg. METHODS: Eligible patients with essential hypertension (clinic mean sitting systolic blood pressure [MSSBP] ≥140 mmHg, or ≥ 130 mmHg in those with diabetes mellitus or chronic kidney disease) were randomly assigned to Telmisartan40/S-Amlodipine2.5 or Telmisartan80 for 8 weeks. All patients underwent ambulatory BP monitoring (ABPM) at baseline and 8 weeks later. Primary endpoints were changes in mean 24-h SBP and DBP on 24-h ABPM from baseline after 8 weeks. Secondary endpoints were changes in daytime, nighttime, and morning SBP and DBP, and clinic MSSBP and MSDBP. RESULTS: A total of 316 Korean patients were enrolled, 217 patients were randomized to treatment, and 192 patients completed the study. Compared to Telmisartan80, Telmisartan40/S-Amlodipine2.5 showed significantly better reductions in 24-h mean SBP and DBP after 8 weeks. Telmisartan40/S-Amlodipine2.5 also significantly reduced secondary endpoints compared to Telmisartan80. Among 15 adverse events (7 [Telmisartan40/S-Amlodipine2.5] and 8 [Telmisartan80]), there were five adverse drug reactions; 14 events were mild, and none were identified with significant between-group differences. CONCLUSIONS: Telmisartan40/S-Amlodipine2.5 was tolerable and more effective than Telmisartan80 in lowering 24-h mean ambulatory BP in patients with essential hypertension not responding adequately to Telmisartan40. Our findings support the fact that the combination of S-amlodipine with telmisartan is more appropriate than increasing the dose of telmisartan monotherapy. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov , NCT02231788 . Registered 4 September 2014.

The current status and outcomes of in-hospital P2Y12 receptor inhibitor switching in Korean patients with acute myocardial infarction.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: While switching strategies of P2Y12 receptor inhibitors (RIs) have sometimes been used in acute myocardial infarction (AMI) patients, the current status of in-hospital P2Y12RI switching remains unknown. METHODS: Overall, 8,476 AMI patients who underwent successful revascularization from Korea Acute Myocardial Infarction Registry-National Institute of Health (KAMIR-NIH) were divided according to in-hospital P2Y12RI strategies, and net adverse cardiovascular events (NACEs), defined as a composite of cardiac death, non-fatal myocardial infarction (MI), stroke, or thrombolysis in myocardial infarction (TIMI) major bleeding during hospitalization were compared. RESULTS: Patients with in-hospital P2Y12RI switching accounted for 16.5%, of which 867 patients were switched from clopidogrel to potent P2Y12RI (C-P) and 532 patients from potent P2Y12RI to clopidogrel (P-C). There were no differences in NACEs among the unchanged clopidogrel, the unchanged potent P2Y12RIs, and the P2Y12RI switching groups. However, compared to the unchanged clopidogrel group, the C-P group had a higher incidence of non-fatal MI, and the P-C group had a higher incidence of TIMI major bleeding. In clinical events of in-hospital P2Y12RI switching, 90.9% of non-fatal MI occurred during pre-switching clopidogrel administration, 60.7% of TIMI major bleeding was related to pre-switching P2Y12RIs, and 71.4% of TIMI major bleeding was related to potent P2Y12RIs. Only 21.6% of the P2Y12RI switching group switched to P2Y12RIs after a loading dose (LD); however, there were no differences in clinical events between patients with and without LD. CONCLUSION: In-hospital P2Y12RI switching occurred occasionally, but had relatively similar clinical outcomes compared to unchanged P2Y12RIs in Korean AMI patients. Non-fatal MI and bleeding appeared to be mainly related to pre-switching P2Y12RIs.

Association of changes of pulse wave velocity and augmentation index after isometric handgrip exercise with coronary lesion extent and revascularization.

BACKGROUND: Arterial stiffness is associated with myocardial ischemia and incident coronary artery disease (CAD), and indexes of arterial stiffness are usually increased in patients with CAD. However, these indexes are often increased in elderly without CAD. Arterial stiffness in patients with CAD may become more evident after isometric handgrip exercise which increases systolic pressure and ventricular afterload. We investigated the association of the change of stiffness indexes after isometric handgrip exercise with the lesion extent of CAD and the necessity for coronary revascularization. METHODS: Patients who were scheduled a routine coronary angiography via a femoral artery were enrolled. Arterial waveforms were traced at aortic root and external iliac artery using coronary catheters at baseline and 3 min after handgrip exercise. Augmentation index (AIx) was measured on the recorded aortic pressure waveform, and pulse wave velocity (PWV) was calculated using the ECG-gated time difference of the upstroke of arterial waveforms and distance between aortic root and external iliac artery. RESULTS: Total 37 patients were evaluated. Both PWV and AIx increased after handgrip exercise. ΔPWV was significantly correlated with ΔAIx (r = 0.344, P = 0.037). Patients were divided into higher and lower ΔPWV or ΔAIx groups based on the median values of 0.4 m/sec and 3.3%, respectively. Patients with higher PWV had more 2- or 3-vessel CAD (69% vs. 27%, P = 0.034), and underwent percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) more frequently (84% vs. 50%, P = 0.038), but higher ΔAIx was not associated with either the lesion extent or PCI. Area under curve (AUC) of ΔPWV in association with PCI by C-statistics was 0.70 (95% confidence interval [CI] 0.51-0.88; P = 0.056). In multiple logistic regression analysis, ΔPWV was significantly associated with PCI (odds ratio 7.78; 95% CI 1.26-48.02; P = 0.027). CONCLUSIONS: Higher ΔPWV after isometric handgrip exercise was associated with the lesion extent of CAD and the necessity for coronary revascularization, but higher ΔAIx was not.

Significance of Cycle Ergometer as a Measure of Peak Aerobic Capacity in the Disabled.

BACKGROUND: To compare different physiological responses between treadmill and cycle ergometer in stroke patients in regard to community ambulation, and to determine strong predictors of equipment-dependent VO2peak and its related factors among physical fitness parameters and finally to establish the significance of cycle ergometer as a measure of VO2peak in the disabled according to gait function. METHODS: Sixty-three stroke survivors were enrolled in this study and were grouped according to the gait speed (32 non-community ambulators <0.8 m/s:31 community ambulators ≥0.8 m/s). All participants performed exercise stress test (EST) with treadmill and cycle ergometer and rehabilitation function tests. RESULTS: Community ambulators achieved higher VO2peak by treadmill, but non-community ambulators showed similar VO2peak between treadmill and cycle ergometer due to gait problems. The gait speed and endurance were strong predictors of difference of peak aerobic capacity between treadmill and cycle ergometer (multiple regression analysis, adjusted R2=0.458). CONCLUSION: Cycle ergometer might be more appropriate for non-community ambulatory stroke patients to assess the peak aerobic capacity. Gait speed and gait distance could affect equipment-dependent cardiopulmonary performance significantly in the disabled. Therefore, the careful consideration of comprehensive and objective physical function including gait endurance, and speed and prescription of appropriate exercise intensity and equipment depending on the severity should be needed to improve the cardiopulmonary fitness and physical function adequately in stroke rehabilitation.

Effect of beta-blocker therapy in patients with or without left ventricular systolic dysfunction after acute myocardial infarction.

AIMS: This observational study aimed to investigate the association between beta-blocker therapy and clinical outcomes in patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI), especially with mid-range or preserved left ventricular systolic function. METHODS AND RESULTS: Among 13 624 patients enrolled in the Korea Acute Myocardial Infarction Registry-National Institute of Health (KAMIR-NIH), 12 200 in-hospital survivors were selected. Patients with beta-blockers showed significantly lower 1-year major adverse cardiac events (MACE), which was a composite of cardiac death, MI, revascularization, and readmission due to heart failure [9.7 vs. 14.3/100 patient-year; hazard ratio (HR) 0.84, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.72-0.97; P = 0.022). However, this association had a significant interaction with left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF). Beta-blocker therapy at discharge was associated with lower 1-year MACE in patients with LVEF ≤40% (HR 0.63, 95% CI 0.48-0.81; P < 0.001), and 40%

A successfully treated case of primary purulent pericarditis complicated by cardiac tamponade and pneumopericardium.

Acute pericarditis is caused by various factors, but purulent pericarditis is rare. Primary purulent pericarditis in immunocompetent hosts is very rare in the modern antibiotics era. We report a successfully treated case of primary purulent pericarditis complicated with cardiac tamponade and pneumopericardium in an immunocompetent host. A 69-year-old female was referred from another hospital because of pleuritic chest pain with a large amount of pericardial effusion. She was diagnosed with acute pericarditis accompanied by cardiac tamponade. We performed emergency pericardiocentesis, with drainage of 360 ml of bloody pericardial fluid. The culture grew Streptococcus anginosus, confirming the diagnosis of acute purulent pericarditis. We performed pericardiostomy because cardiomegaly and pneumopericardium were aggravated after removal of the pericardial drainage catheter. The patient received antibiotics for a total of 23 days intravenously and was discharged with oral antibiotic therapy. Purulent pericarditis is one of the rare forms of pericarditis and is lifethreatening. A multimodality approach is required for proper diagnosis and treatment of this disease.

Dual antiplatelet therapy beyond 12 months versus for 12 months after drug-eluting stents for acute myocardial infarction.

BACKGROUND: The optimal duration of dual antiplatelet therapy (DAPT) after acute coronary syndrome remains uncertain. This study investigated the benefit of DAPT beyond 12 months after drug-eluting stents (DES) for acute myocardial infarction (MI). METHODS: From Korea Acute Myocardial Infarction Registry-National Institute of Health database, 6199 patients treated with DAPT for 12 months after DES (second-generation DES 98%) without ischemic or bleeding events were analyzed. The primary endpoint was major adverse cardiovascular and cerebrovascular events (MACCE), a composite of death from any cause, MI, or ischemic stroke during the period from 12 to 24 months. RESULTS: After adjustment using inverse probability of treatment weighting, patients who received DAPT beyond 12 months (n=4795), compared to patients treated with 12-month DAPT (n=1404), had a similar incidence of MACCE (1.3% vs. 1.0%, HR: 1.32, 95% CI: 0.71-2.45, p=0.378). The 2 groups did not differ significantly in the rates of death (0.1% vs. 0.1%), MI (0.8% vs.0.6%), stent thrombosis (0.1% vs. 0.2%), ischemic stroke (0.4% vs. 0.2%), and major bleeding (0.1% vs. 0.1%). The rate of net adverse clinical events was 1.4% with DAPT beyond 12 months and 1.1% with 12-month DAPT (p=0.466). CONCLUSIONS: DAPT beyond 12 months, as compared with 12-month DAPT, in real-world patients with acute MI treated predominantly with second-generation DES did not reduce the risk of MACCE. The rates of major bleeding and net adverse clinical events did not differ significantly between the 2 treatments.

Clopidogrel versus Aspirin after Dual Antiplatelet Therapy in Acute Myocardial Infarction Patients Undergoing Drug-Eluting Stenting.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: There is a paucity of data regarding the benefit of clopidogrel monotherapy after dual antiplatelet therapy (DAPT) in patients treated with drug-eluting stents (DES). This study compared outcome between clopidogrel versus aspirin as monotherapy after DES for acute myocardial infarction (MI). METHODS: From Korea Acute Myocardial Infarction Registry-National Institute of Health database, 1,819 patients treated with DES who were switched to monotherapy with clopidogrel (n=534) or aspirin (n=1,285) after uneventful 12-month DAPT were analyzed. The primary endpoint was net adverse clinical events (NACE), defined as a composite of death from any cause, MI, repeat percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI), stent thrombosis, ischemic stroke, or major bleeding during the period from 12 to 24 months. RESULTS: After adjustment using inverse probability of treatment weighting, patients who received clopidogrel, compared with those treated with aspirin, had a similar incidence of NACE (0.7% and 0.7%; hazard ratio, 1.06; 95% confidence interval, 0.31-3.60; p=0.923). The 2 groups had similar rates of death from any cause (0.1% in each group, p=0.789), MI (0.3% and 0.1%, respectively; p=0.226), repeat PCI (0.1% and 0.3%, respectively; p=0.548), stent thrombosis (0.1% and 0%, respectively; p=0.121), major bleeding (0.2% in each group, p=0.974), and major adverse cardiovascular and cerebrovascular events (0.5% in each group, p=0.924). CONCLUSIONS: Monotherapy with clopidogrel, compared to aspirin, after DAPT showed similar clinical outcomes in patients with acute MI treated with DES.

Pre-hospital delay and emergency medical services in acute myocardial infarction.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Minimising total ischemic time (TIT) is important for improving clinical outcomes in patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction who have undergone percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). TIT has not shown a significant improvement due to persistent pre-hospital delay. This study aimed to investigate the risk factors associated with pre-hospital delay. METHODS: Individuals enrolled in the Korea Acute Myocardial Infarction Registry-National Institutes of Health between 2011 and 2015 were included in this study. The study population was analyzed according to the symptom-to-door time (STDT; within 60 or > 60 minutes), and according to the type of hospital visit (emergency medical services [EMS], non-PCI center, or PCI center). RESULTS: A total of 4,874 patients were included in the analysis, of whom 28.4% arrived at the hospital within 60 minutes of symptom-onset. Old age (> 65 years), female gender, and renewed ischemia were independent predictors of delayed STDT. Utilising EMS was the only factor shown to reduce STDT within 60 minutes, even when cardiogenic shock was evident. The overall frequency of EMS utilisation was low (21.7%). Female gender was associated with not utilising EMS, whereas cardiogenic shock, previous myocardial infarction, familial history of ischemic heart disease, and off-hour visits were associated with utilising EMS. CONCLUSION: Factors associated with delayed STDT and not utilising EMS could be targets for preventive intervention to improve STDT and TIT.

Comparison of Two-Year Outcomes of Acute Myocardial Infarction Caused by Coronary Artery Spasm Versus that Caused by Coronary Atherosclerosis.

The study compared the 2-year outcomes of patients diagnosed with acute myocardial infarction (AMI) triggered by coronary artery atherosclerosis and AMI caused by coronary artery spasm. A total of 36,797 patients in the Korea AMI Registry were grouped into 2 categories-(1) AMI due to coronary artery spasm without stenotic lesion (CAS-AMI, n = 484); and (2) AMI induced by coronary artery atherosclerosis (CAA-AMI, n = 36,313). The major clinical outcomes of the 2 groups were compared over a 2-year clinical follow-up period. Major adverse cardiac events (MACE) were defined as the composite of total death, nonfatal myocardial infarction, and repeat revascularization. The incidence of MACE (7.1% vs 11.1%; p = 0.007) and repeat revascularization (0.4% vs 4.2%; p <0.001) in the CAS-AMI group were significantly lower than in the CAA-AMI group at 2 years. However, the incidence of total death and nonfatal myocardial infarction was similar in both the groups. Aborted cardiac arrest was strongly associated with 2-year mortality in the CAS-AMI group (hazard ratios 13.5, 95% confidence interval 5.34 to 34.15, p <0.001) The incidence of MACE in CAS-AMI patients was significantly lower than in the CAA-AMI group of patients up to 2 years due to the relatively lower rate of repeat revascularization in CAS-AMI patients. However, the incidence of total death or nonfatal myocardial infarction in CAS-AMI patients was not different from that of patients with CAA-AMI.

Presence of tophi is a predictive factor of arterial stiffness in patients with gout.

The objective of this study is to determine whether the presence of tophi could predict an increase in arterial stiffness. Between June 2017 and June 2018, the augmentation index (AI) was measured using SphygmoCor® for patients with gout who visited the Jeju National University Hospital in South Korea. Patients were divided into the following groups: group with tophi and group without tophi. Medical records, laboratory data, and AI were retrospectively analyzed. One hundred and twenty patients with gout or participated in the study, with most (96.7%) of the patients being male. The mean duration of the disease was 7.0 years. At the time of the examination, 99 patients (82.5%) were treated with a uric acid-lowering agent. Of the total patients, 24 (19.7%) had tophi. Patients with tophi were significantly older (60.2 ± 11.6 years vs. 53.8 ± 13.0 years, p = 0.031), had longer disease duration (13.0 ± 6.5 years vs 5.5 ± 5.4 years, p < 0.001), and higher AI@75 (28.7 ± 7.8 vs 20.9 ± 10.0, p = 0.001) than those without tophi. In the multiple linear regression analysis, tophi was shown to be a significant predictor of high AI (p = 0.040). The presence of tophi is a predictor of increased arterial stiffness in patients with gout. Therefore, more strict control of cardiovascular disease risk factors is needed in the treatment of patients with tophi.

Fimasartan reduces clinic and home pulse pressure in elderly hypertensive patients: A K-MetS study.

BACKGROUND: Angiotensin II receptor blockers (ARBs) are recommended for treating patients with hypertension. However, comparative safety and efficacy of ARB use in elderly patients have not been well established. This study was designed to determine the efficacy of fimasartan, an ARB, in hypertensive elderly patients by measuring clinic and home blood pressures (BPs) and evaluating safety compared to nonelderly patients. METHOD: In the K-MetS study, a nationwide prospective observational study of hypertensive patients on fimasartan, elderly patients (60 years and older) who were treated for 1 year with fimasartan were recruited. BP was evaluated in clinic and at home. RESULTS: Of the 6 399 enrolled patients, 2 363 were elderly (46.9% males, mean age 67.3 ± 5.7 years). Fimasartan reduced systolic and diastolic BP (SBP and DBP) in clinic from 144.1 ± 17.3 to 127.7 ± 12.9 mmHg and from 85.1 ± 10.4 to 76.8 ± 8.4 mmHg, respectively, (all p<0.0001) in 1 year. Similar results were found in home BPs. These BP changes were consistent with those in nonelderly patients. However, pulse pressure, a better predictor of cardiovascular events in the elderly, decreased more in elderly than in nonelderly patients by -8.2 ± 0.3 in elderly and -7.0 ± 0.2 mmHg (p<0.0001), respectively, after adjustment for confounding factors. Adverse events were reported in 1.6% of elderly hypertensives, independent of dose, which was consistent with results in nonelderly patients. CONCLUSIONS: Fimasartan resulted in better pulse pressure reduction with similar BP reduction efficacy and safety in hypertensive elderly patients compared with nonelderly patients.