Nuevo signo de la repolarización ventricular en el plano frontal para predecir disfunción sistólica ventricular izquierda / Novel sign of frontal plane ventricular repolarization to predict left ventricular systolic dysfunction

RESUMEN Objetivo: Distintas alteraciones del electrocardiograma (ECG) han sido asociadas a disfunción sistólica ventricular izquierda (DSVI), si bien la asociación con el infradesnivel del segmento ST (IST) del plano frontal del ECG estándar no se encuentra establecida. El objetivo del presente trabajo fue evaluar si el IST de la derivación DI (IST-1) permite predecir la presencia de DSVI. Material y métodos: Se incluyeron de forma prospectiva pacientes portadores factores de riesgo o cardiopatías crónicas estables, con ECG basal y ecocardiograma que aportara evaluación de la fracción de eyección (FEVI), motilidad ventricular izquierda y evaluación dicotómica sobre la presencia de hipertrofia ventricular izquierda (HVI). Evaluamos la morfología del segmento ST en derivaciones DI y V6, definiéndose como anormal (IST-1; IST-6) al ST infradesnivelado (≥1mm a 80mseg del punto J) o descendente. Resultados: Se analizaron en forma prospectiva 691 pacientes, edad media 69,8 ± 12 años, 61,6% hombres. Se identificó IST-1 e IST-6 en 250 (36,2%) y 199 (28,8%) casos, respectivamente. La presencia de IST-1 e IST-6 se asoció a una FEVI significativamente menor comparado con la ausencia de dicho hallazgo: 44,8 ± 13,9% vs. 55,6 ± 8,9%, (p <0,0001) y 45,8 ± 14,1% vs. 54,1 ± 10,4% (p <0,0001) respectivamente. Ambos se asociaron a la presencia de DSVI, definida como FEVI <50%, aunque el IST-1 mostró mejor rendimiento diagnóstico que el IST-6 [área bajo la curva 0,72 (IC 95% 0,69-0,76) vs. 0,64 (IC 95% 0,610,68), p = 0,0001]. Conclusiones: Este estudio mostró que la depresión del segmento ST de la derivación DI permite predecir la presencia de DSVI mejor que IST-6. La potencial relevancia de dichos hallazgos debería situarse en el contexto actual de la emergente utilización de dispositivos wearables que analizan la información electrocardiográfica mediante una única derivación.

ABSTRACT Background: Different electrocardiographic abnormalities have been associated with left ventricular systolic dysfunction (LVSD), although the association with standard electrocardiographic frontal plane ST-segment depression (STD) has not been established. Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate whether lead I STD (STD-I) allows predicting the presence of LVSD. Methods: Patients with risk factors or stable chronic heart disease, and baseline electrocardiogram (ECG) and echocardiogram that provided evaluation of left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF), left ventricular wall motility, and dichotomous evaluation of left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH), were prospectively included in the study. ST-segment morphology in leads I and V6 was evaluated, defining horizontal (≥1mm at 80 ms from the J point) or downsloping STD as abnormal STD-I and STD-6. Results: A total of 691 patients; with mean age of 69.8 ± 12 years and 61.6% men, were prospectively analyzed. STD-I and STD-6 were identified in 250 (36.2%) and 199 (28.8%) cases, respectively. Presence of STD-I and STD-6 was associated with a significantly lower LVEF compared with the absence of this finding: 44.8 ± 13.9% vs. 55.6 ± 8.9% (p <0.0001) and 45.8 ± 14.1% vs. 54.1±10.4% (p <0.0001), respectively. Both were associated with the presence of LVSD, defined as LVEF <50%, although STD-I showed better diagnostic performance than STD-6 [area under the ROC curve 0.72 (95% CI 0.69-0.76) vs. 0.64 (95% CI 0.61-0.68), p = 0.0001]. Conclusions: This study showed that STD-I predicts the presence of LVSD better than STD-6. The potential relevance of these findings should be placed in the current context of the emerging use of wearable devices that analyze electrocardiographic information through a single lead.

COVID-19 Outbreak: Infection Control and Management Protocol for Vascular and Interventional Radiology Departments-Consensus Document.

COVID-19 (SARS-CoV-2 virus) pandemic was recently declared by the WHO as a global health emergency. A group of interventional radiology senior experts developed a consensus document for infection control and management of patients with COVID-19 in interventional radiology (IR) departments. This consensus statement has been brought together at short notice with the help of different protocols developed by governmental entities and scientific societies to be adapted to the current reality and needs of IR Departments. Recommendations are the specific strategies to follow in IR departments, preventive measures and regulations, step by step for donning and doffing personal protective equipment, specific IR procedures which can not be delayed, and aerosol-generating procedures in IR with COVID-19 patients. It is advisable with this document to be adapted to local workplace policies.

Infective endocarditis in patients with cancer: a consequence of invasive procedures or a harbinger of neoplasm?: A prospective, multicenter cohort.

The aim of the study was to draw a comparison between the characteristics of infective endocarditis (IE) in patients with cancer and those of IE in noncancer patients.Patients with IE, according to the modified Duke criteria, were prospectively included in the GAMES registry between January 2008 and February 2014 in 30 hospitals. Patients with active cancer were compared with noncancer patients.During the study period, 161 episodes of IE fulfilled the inclusion criteria. We studied 2 populations: patients whose cancer was diagnosed before IE (73.9%) and those whose cancer and IE were diagnosed simultaneously (26.1%). The latter more frequently had community-acquired IE (67.5% vs 26.4%, P < .01), severe sepsis (28.6% vs 11.1%, P = .013), and IE caused by gastrointestinal streptococci (42.9% vs 16.8%, P < .01). However, catheter source (7.1% vs 29.4%, P = .003), invasive procedures (26.2% vs 44.5%, P = .044), and immunosuppressants (9.5% vs 35.6%, P = .002) were less frequent.When compared with noncancer patients, patients with cancer were more often male (75.2% vs 67.7%, P = .049), with a higher comorbidity index (7 vs 4). In addition, IE was more often nosocomial (48.7% vs 29%) and originated in catheters (23.6% vs 6.2%) (all P < .01). Prosthetic endocarditis (21.7% vs 30.3%, P = .022) and surgery when indicated (24.2% vs 46.5%, P < .01) were less common. In-hospital mortality (34.8% vs 25.8%, P = .012) and 1-year mortality (47.8% vs 30.9%, P < .01) were higher in cancer patients, although 30-day mortality was not (24.8% vs 19.3%, P = .087).A significant proportion of cases of IE (5.6%) were recorded in cancer patients, mainly as a consequence of medical interventions. IE may be a harbinger of occult cancer, particularly that of gastrointestinal or urinary origin.

Utilidad de la presencia y el tipo de placa carotídea en la predicción de eventos cardiovasculares en pacientes de riesgo alto / Usefulnes of the Presence and Type of Carotid Plaque to Predict Cardiovascular Events in High-Risk Patients

Introducción La ateromatosis carotídea es una alteración temprana de la aterosclerosis subclínica que puede determinarse en forma rápida, económica, repetible y no invasiva. Su correlación anatómica y su asociación con los factores de riesgo y diferentes manifestaciones de aterosclerosis avanzada se han demostrado claramente. En la actualidad, la ateromatosis carotídea se utiliza con frecuencia creciente para caracterizar al paciente con factores de riesgo y para evaluar resultados terapéuticos mediante la determinación del grosor íntima-media carotídeo y de la presencia y el tipo de placas bulbares, ya que se ha demostrado su valor predictivo independiente para eventos isquémicos tanto coronarios como cerebrovasculares. Objetivos Determinar si la presencia y el tipo de placa carotídea (PC) agregan información para predecir futuros eventos cardiovasculares en pacientes de riesgo alto. Material y métodos Se estudiaron 502 pacientes de riesgo alto (múltiples factores de riesgo o antecedente de evento vascular) mediante la determinación del grosor íntima-media máximo (GIMmáx), la presencia (elevación localizada) y el tipo de PC según apariencia ecográfica (fibrocálcica o fibrolipídica), la reactividad humeral dependiente del endotelio (RDE, valor basal arteria humeral vs. a los 5 min de isquemia braquial). Se consideró anormalidad la presencia y el tipo de PC, el GIMmáx > 1,1 mm y la RDE < 5%. Los puntos finales incluyeron la ocurrencia de eventos vasculares o de muerte. Los marcadores de enfermedad vascular se analizaron junto con factores de riesgo (FR) clásicos (edad, diabetes, hipertensión, dislipidemia, tabaquismo y componentes del síndrome metabólico) por el método de riesgos proporcionales de Cox y curvas de Kaplan-Meier. Resultados Edad media 65,5 ± 8,8 años, 354 hombres, 43 eventos durante un seguimiento promedio de 21 meses. Fueron predictores de eventos la PC (RR 5,6; p < 0,001), la dislipidemia (RR 5,5; p < 0,005), el GIMmáx (RR 3,2; p < 0,005), la edad > 65 años (RR 2,7; p < 0,003), la hipertensión sistólica (RR 2,5; p < 0,025), el C-HDL < 50 mg/dl (RR 2,4; p < 0,01), el síndrome metabólico (RR 2,2; p < 0,02), la trigliceridemia > 130 mg/dl (RR 2,1; p < 0,02). Ajustado por los FR, el predictor más potente resultó la PC (RR 3,13; p < 0,05). Los individuos sin PC presentaron un 2,3% de eventos, con PC fibrolipídica un 8,8% y con PC fibrocálcica un 13,4% (p < 0,001). Conclusiones Marcadores de enfermedad vascular temprana, como la presencia y el tipo de PC y el GIMmáx, agregan información pronóstica independiente a los FR. La RDE no agregó información en este grupo. Una metodología simplificada de estudio no invasivo como la empleada puede ser de utilidad clínica en la evaluación del riesgo de eventos vasculares.

Background Carotid atheromatosis is an early manifestation of subclinical atherosclerosis that can be determined in a rapid, economic, repeatable and non-invasive fashion. The anatomic correlation and its association with risk factors and different manifestations of advanced atherosclerosis have been clearly demonstrated. The determination of the intima-media thickness and the presence and type of plaques in the carotid bulb are used to assess carotid atheromatosis in patients with risk factors and to evaluate response to treatment, as this method has an independent predictive value for ischemic coronary and cerebrovascular ischemic events. Objectives To determine whether the presence and type of carotid plaques (CPs) add any information to predict future cardiovascular events in high-risk patients. Material and Methods A total of 502 high-risk patients (with multiple risk factors or history of vascular event) underwent ultrasound evaluation of maximum intima-media thickness (IMTmax), presence (localized protrusion of the vessel wall) and type of (fibrocalcific plaque or fibrolipid plaque) CP, flow mediated dilation of the brachial artery (FMD, brachial artery diameter recorded at baseline and after 5 minutes of brachial ischemia). The following variables were considered abnormal: presence and type of CP, IMTmax >1.1 and FMD <5%. Endpoints included vascular events or mortality. Markers of vascular disease and traditional risk factors (RFs) (age, diabetes, hypertension, dyslipemia, smoking habits and components of the metabolic syndrome) were analyzed together using Cox proportional-hazards regression model and Kaplan-Meier curves. Results Mean age was 65.5±8.8 years and 354 were men; 43 events occurred during an average follow-up of 21 months. The presence of CP (RR 5,6; p <0.001), dyslipemia (RR 5.5; p <0.005), IMTmax (RR 3.2; p <0.005), age > 65 years (RR 2.7; p <0.003), systolic hypertension (RR 2.5; p <0.025), HDL-C <50 mg/dl (RR 2.4; p <0.01), metabolic syndrome (RR 2.2; p <0.02), and triglyceride levels >130 mg/dl (RR 2.1; p <0.02) were predictors of events. After adjusting for RFs, PC was the most powerful predictor (RR 3.13; p <0.05). The incidence of events was 2.3% in the absence of CP, 8.8% with fibrolipid plaque, and 13.4% with fibrocalcific plaque p <0.001). Conclusions The presence and type of CP anf IMTmax are markers of early vascular disease providing prognostic information independent of RFs. FMD did not provide additional information in this group. This simple, non-invasive method may be clinically useful in the evaluation of the risk of vascular events.