Prevalence and cumulative incidence of cancer, and mortality in patients with Takotsubo syndrome with focus on the index event.

BACKGROUND: It has been suggested that Takotsubo syndrome (TS) is associated with cancer but previous studies have limitations. AIM: To make a comprehensive analysis of prevalence and cumulative incidence of cancer, and mortality among TS patients with focus on the index event. DESIGN: A register-based case-control study. METHODS: The first new cancer occurrences (International Classification of Diseases C00-C75, C81-C96) were compared between 505 patients with TS without obstructive coronary artery disease (CAD) and four age- and gender-matched controls comprising patients with acute coronary syndrome with obstructive CAD (CAD controls), respectively, with chest-pain without obstructive CAD at coronary angiography (controls without CAD). RESULTS: The prevalence of cancer before the index event was non-significantly (P = 0.052) higher in TS patients (15.8%) than in CAD controls (11.5%), respectively, higher (P = 0.028) than in controls without CAD (11.1%). There were no differences between the groups in cumulative incidence of cancer after the index event but a higher mortality in TS patients who developed cancer when compared with controls without CAD that developed cancer after the index event (P = 0.018). CONCLUSIONS: There is an increased prevalence of first diagnosed cancer in TS patients before the index event but no increased cumulative incidence of cancer after the index event. The results does not support investigation for the possibility of a malignancy specifically in TS patients but in the event of cancer this patient group might need special care. However, if there is lack of a clear stressor it could be of importance to investigate the possibility of a malignancy.

The value of a new cardiac magnetic resonance imaging protocol in Myocardial Infarction with Non-obstructive Coronary Arteries (MINOCA) - a case-control study using historical controls from a previous study with similar inclusion criteria.

BACKGROUND: Myocardial Infarction with Non-Obstructive Coronary Arteries (MINOCA) is common with a prevalence of 6% of all patients fulfilling the diagnosis of myocardial infarction. MINOCA should be considered a working diagnosis. Cardiac Magnetic Resonance (CMR) imaging has recently been suggested to be of great value to determine the cause behind MINOCA. The objectives of this paper are to describe the rationale behind the second Stockholm Myocardial Infarction with Normal Coronaries (SMINC-2) study and to discuss the protocol for investigation of MINOCA patients in the light of the recently published position paper from the European Society of Cardiology. METHODS: The SMINC-2 study is an open non-randomised study using historical controls for comparison. The primary aim is to prove that MINOCA patients investigated with the latest CMR imaging technique can achieve a diagnosis in 70% of all cases entirely by imaging. By including 150 patients we will have >80% chance to prove that the diagnostic accuracy can be improved by 20 absolute % with a p-value of less than 0.05 when compared with CMR imaging in the SMINC-1 study. Furthermore, in addition to invasive coronary angiography, coronary arteries are evaluated by computed tomography angiography to investigate coronary causes and questionnaires are used to describe Quality-of-Life (QoL). By January 1st 2017, 75 patients have been included. DISCUSSION: Whether CMR imaging can provide a diagnosis to an adequate proportion of MINOCA patients is unknown. Well-defined inclusion and exclusion criteria will be used to compare a MINOCA cohort from the population with an appropriate control group. Positive results are likely to influence future guidelines of the management of MINOCA. Furthermore, the study will give mechanistic insights into MINOCA in particular in patients with "true" myocardial infarction and describe QoL in this vulnerable group of patients. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Clinical Trials NCT02318498 .

Myocarditis or "true" infarction by cardiac magnetic resonance in patients with a clinical diagnosis of myocardial infarction without obstructive coronary disease: A meta-analysis of individual patient data.

OBJECTIVE: Myocardial Infarction with Non-Obstructed Coronary Arteries (MINOCA) is common, but the causes are to a large extent unknown. Thus, we aimed to study the prevalence of myocarditis and "true" myocardial infarction determined by cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) imaging in MINOCA patients, and risk markers for these two conditions in this population. METHODS: A search was made in the PubMed and Cochrane databases using the search terms "Myocardial infarction", "Coronary angiography", "Normal coronary arteries" and "MRI". All relevant abstracts were read and seven of the studies fulfilled the inclusion criteria; studies describing case series of patients fulfilling the diagnosis of acute myocardial infarction with normal or non-obstructive coronary arteries on coronary angiography that were investigated with CMR imaging. Data from five of these studies are presented. RESULTS: A total of 556 patients from 5 different sites were included. Fifty-one percent were men with a mean age of 52 ± 16 years. Thirty-three per cent of the patients had myocarditis (n = 183), whereas 21% of the patients had infarction on CMR (n = 115). Young age and a high CRP were associated with myocarditis whereas male sex, treated hyperlipidemia, high troponin ratio and low CRP were associated with "true" myocardial infarction. CONCLUSION AND RELEVANCE: The results of this meta-analysis of individual data showed that myocarditis and "true" myocardial infarction are common in MINOCA when determined by CMR imaging. This information emphasizes the importance of performing CMR imaging in MINOCA patients and can be used clinically to guide diagnostics and treatment of MINOCA patients.

Myocardial infarction with normal coronary arteries is common and associated with normal findings on cardiovascular magnetic resonance imaging: results from the Stockholm Myocardial Infarction with Normal Coronaries study.

OBJECTIVES: Myocardial infarction with angiographically normal coronary arteries (MINCA) is an important subtype of myocardial infarction; however, the prevalence, underlying pathophysiology, prognosis and optimal management of this condition are still largely unknown. Cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR) imaging has the potential to clarify the underlying pathology in patients with MINCA. The objective of this study was to investigate the diagnostic value of CMR imaging in this group of patients. DESIGN: The prospective, multicentre, observational Stockholm Myocardial Infarction with Normal Coronaries (SMINC) study. SETTING: Coronary care units in the Stockholm metropolitan area. SUBJECTS: Patients between 35 and 70 years of age with MINCA were consecutively included in the screening phase of the SMINC study. All patients had a typical clinical presentation, fulfilling the universal definition of myocardial infarction and had normal coronary angiography finding. Patients with known structural or coronary heart disease or other known causes of elevated troponin levels were excluded. RESULTS: In total, 176 patients with MINCA were screened from 2007 to 2011. Of these, 152 underwent CMR imaging. The investigation was performed a median of 12 (interquartile range 6-28) days after hospital admission; 67% of the findings were normal, whereas 19% of patients had signs of myocardial necrosis and 7% had signs of myocarditis. The remaining patients (7%) had either unrecognized hypertrophic cardiomyopathy or could not be classified. CONCLUSION: In this consecutive series of patients with MINCA, CMR imaging may help to differentiate between those with myocarditis, myocardial necrosis and normal myocardium. The incidence of MINCA was higher than previously reported. After excluding cases of myocarditis, MINCA consists of a large group of patients with normal CMR imaging results and a smaller group with myocardial necrosis. The aetiologies of these different imaging findings need to be explored.

Risk factors for myocardial infarction with normal coronary arteries and myocarditis compared with myocardial infarction with coronary artery stenosis.

The interest and awareness of myocardial infarction with normal coronary arteries (MINCA) have increased recently due to the frequent use of coronary angiography, the description of Takotsubo stress cardiomyopathy, and new sensitive troponin analyses. The prevalence of MINCA in all patients with myocardial infarction (MI) was registered during a 3-month period in the Stockholm metropolitan area in Sweden. The results showed that MINCA is more common than previously thought (7%) and affecting one third of every woman with MI. Patients with myocarditis were younger and more often presented with signs of inflammation such as elevated C-reactive protein and fever. Myocarditis constitutes an important differential diagnosis for coronary artery disease. There is a need for larger studies of MINCA, including investigation with cardiac magnetic resonance imaging, to establish prevalence and pathological process in this important subgroup of MI.