[Position statement for improvement in reperfusion of ST-elevation myocardial infarction in Latin America]. / Documento de posición para la mejora en la reperfusión del infarto agudo de miocardio con elevación del ST en Latinoamérica.

The treatment of ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction has barriers depending on the geographic region. Primary coronary angioplasty is the treatment of choice, if it is performed on time and by experienced operators. However, when it is not available, the administration of fibrinolysis and referral for rescue angioplasty, in case of negative reperfusion, is the best strategy. In the same way, coronary angioplasty, as part of a pharmacoinvasive strategy, is the best alternative when there is positive reperfusion. The development of infarct treatment networks increases the number of patients reperfused within the recommended times and improves outcomes. In Latin America, national myocardial infarction treatment programs should focus on improving outcomes, and long-term success depends on working toward defined goals and enhancing functionality, therefore programs should develop capacity to measure their performance. The following document discusses all of these alternatives and suggests opportunities for improvement.

El tratamiento del infarto agudo de miocardio con elevación del segmento ST tiene barreras dependiendo de la región geográfica. La angioplastia coronaria primaria es el tratamiento de elección, siempre y cuando sea realizada dentro de tiempo y por operadores experimentados. Sin embargo, cuando no está disponible, la administración de fibrinólisis y el envío para angioplastia de rescate, en caso de reperfusión negativa, es la mejor estrategia. De la misma manera, la angioplastia coronaria, como parte de una estrategia farmacoinvasiva, es la mejor alternativa cuando hay reperfusión positiva. El desarrollo de redes de tratamiento del infarto aumenta el número de pacientes reperfundidos dentro de los tiempos recomendados y mejora los desenlaces. En América Latina, los programas nacionales para el tratamiento del infarto deben centrarse en mejorar los resultados y el éxito a largo plazo depende de trabajar hacia objetivos definidos y obtener métricas de rendimiento, por lo tanto, estos deben desarrollar métricas para cuantificar su desempeño. El siguiente documento discute todas estas alternativas y sugiere oportunidades de mejora.

Optimización del tiempo puerta-balón mediante la implementación de un programa de mejora de procesos. Resultados a 5 años de funcionamiento / Optimization of Door-to-Balloon Time Implementing a Process Improvement Program. Results after 5 Years

RESUMEN Introducción : de estar disponible, la angioplastia primaria (ATCp), en tiempos adecuados y en centros con experiencia, es la mejor estrategia de reperfusión para el infarto agudo de miocardio con supradesnivel del segmento ST (IAMCEST). El tiempo puerta-balón (TPB) es una expresión de eficiencia operativa de la institución que realiza la ATCp, con impacto en la evolución del paciente. El objetivo de este trabajo fue analizar los resultados a largo plazo de un programa de mejora continua del proceso TPB. Material y métodos : se incluyeron en forma prospectiva y consecutiva pacientes con diagnóstico de IAMCEST sometidos a ATCp desde enero de 2015 a mayo de 2022. La población se dividió en dos períodos: período de implementación inmediata y período de seguimiento a largo plazo. Resultados : se ingresaron 671 pacientes en forma prospectiva y consecutiva. En el primer período, de implementación, (P1), se incluyeron 91 pacientes, y en el segundo período, de seguimiento del programa, (P2), 580 pacientes. La mediana (rango intercuartilo, RIC) de TPB fue de 46 min (29-59) en P1 vs 42 min(25-52) en el P2, p = 0,055. En el segundo período se evi denció una reducción de las preactivaciones (P1 54,1% vs P2 30%,p = 0,02) y los procedimientos on hours (42% en p1 vs 30% en P2, p = 0,029). Conclusión : el registro mostró el mantenimiento de los buenos resultados a largo plazo a pesar de una reducción de las preactivaciones y los procedimientos on hours.

ABSTRACT Background : If available, primary transluminal coronary angioplasty (PTCA), performed timely and in experienced sites, is the best reperfusion strategy for ST elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI). The door-to-balloon (DTB) time expresses operational efficiency of the site in charge of the PTCA, with an impact on patient's progress. The aim of this study was to analyze the long-term results of a continuous improvement program for the DTB time process. Methods : Patients diagnosed with STEMI who had undergone PTCA from January 2015 to May 2022 were prospectively and consecutively enrolled. The population was divided in two periods: an immediate implementation period and a long-term follow-up period. Results : 671 patients were prospectively and consecutively enrolled. During the implementation period (P1) 91 patients were enrolled, and 580 during the program follow-up (P2). The median (interquartile range, IQR) DTB time was 46 min (29-59) for P1 vs 42 min(25-52) for P2, p=0.055). The second period showed a reduction in pre-activations (P1 54,1% vs P2 30% p=0.02) and on-hour procedures (42% for P1 versus 30% for P2, p=0.029). Conclusion : The registry showed long-term maintenance of good results, despite reduced reactivations and on-hour procedures.

How to set up regional STEMI networks: a "Stent - Save a life!" initiative.

Clinical guidelines recommend the development of ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) networks at community, regional and/or national level to ideally offer primary coronary angioplasty, or at least the best available STEMI care to all patients. However, there is a discrepancy between this clinical recommendation and daily practice, with no coordinated care for STEMI patients in many regions of the world. While this can be a consequence of lack of resources, in reality it is more frequently a lack of organisational power. In this paper, the Stent - Save a Life! Initiative (www.stentsavealife.com) proposes a practical methodology to set up a STEMI network effectively in any region of the world with existing resources, and to develop the STEMI network continuously once it has been established.

Surgical Risk Scoring in TAVR: Still Needed? A Metaregression Analysis.

Several randomized controlled trials evaluating the effectiveness of transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) against surgical aortic valve replacement have been published to date. The fact that higher risk populations were implemented first does not necessarily mean that they benefit more from a TAVR procedure. We performed meta-analysis of the 8 randomized clinical trials performing TAVR for both mortality and stroke outcomes. Meta-regression was used to evaluate the association between mean surgical risk using the Society of Thoracic Surgeons (STS) score and hazard ratio observed in each of the trials. Overall, TAVR was associated with a significant reduction of both mortality and stroke across the whole spectrum of patients enrolled, with no evidence of significant heterogeneity. Metaregression analysis does not suggest a statistically significant association between STS score and hazard ratio for both mortality and stroke. This observation suggests reconsidering the use of risk scores to prioritize TAVR utilization in higher risk patients, while more focus should be done on patient's life expectancy related to TAVR durability.

Five-year clinical outcomes of zotarolimus-eluting stents in coronary total occlusions.

AIMS: Reports of long-term outcomes of patients treated with drug-eluting stents in total coronary occlusions are limited. We analysed clinical outcomes of patients treated with the zotarolimus-eluting Resolute stent (R-ZES) implanted in coronary total occlusions versus non-occluded lesions. METHODS AND RESULTS: Patients treated with R-ZES and included in four trials (RESOLUTE All Comers, RESOLUTE International, RESOLUTE China RCT, and RESOLUTE China Registry) were pooled and divided into three groups - patients with chronic total occlusions (CTO), patients with total occlusions that had occurred recently (rec-TO), and patients without total occlusions (non-TO). Clinical outcomes at five years were analysed. Of 5,487 patients treated with R-ZES in these trials, 8.0% had CTOs, 8.5% rec-TOs and 83.5% non-TOs. Patients had a mean age of 62.8 years, approximately 25% were female and 30% were diabetics. TLF was similar in the three groups at five years (TLF was 13.2%, 12.5% and 13.3% in the CTO, rec-TO and non-TO groups, respectively, p=0.96). Stent thrombosis tended to occur more frequently for rec-TO compared to CTO and non-TO patients (2.6% vs 1.2% and 1.3%, respectively, p=0.11). CONCLUSIONS: In this large population of patients who had R-ZES implanted, five-year clinical outcomes were similar whether or not the stents were implanted in total occlusions.

TAVR prosthesis recoil: Unknowns and implications.

TAVR acute recoil has not been properly assessed with current generation balloon-expandable prosthesis. Acute recoil was greater during initial deployment than in postdilatation, in middle stent than inflow or outflow, and in antero-posterior than lateral axis. No predictors or clinical implications of acute valvular recoil were detected, calling for further research to better understand this phenomenon.

Infarto agudo de miocardio en pacientes convalecientes de neumonía por COVID-19 / Acute myocardial infarction in patients recovering from COVID-19 pneumonia

Resumen El compromiso coronario en la infección COVID-19 se presenta habitualmente como infarto agudo de miocardio (IAM) tipo 2, debido al aumento del consumo y reducción del aporte de oxígeno, y menos frecuentemente como IAM tipo 1, con supradesnivel del ST. Se cree que estos últimos pueden tener relación con la trombogenicidad de la infección. Se presentan dos casos de varones de mediana edad, con pocos o sin factores de riesgo cardiovasculares, que luego de 10 días de internación por neumonía debida a COVID-19 con buena evolución, presentaron IAM con supradesnivel del ST en fase de convalecencia, al día siguiente del alta hospitalaria y de la suspensión de enoxaparina profiláctica. Ambos fueron tratados mediante angioplastia directa con stent farmacológico. Se discute cuál debiera ser el tratamiento al alta del IAM, si agregar anticoagulación a la doble antiagregación plaquetaria y también considerar algún tratamiento antitrombótico profiláctico al alta de neumonía por COVID-19 en ciertos pacientes.

Abstract Coronary involvement in COVID-19 infection usually presents as type 2 acute myocardial infarction (AMI), due to increased 0 consumption and reduction of oxygen supply, and less frequently as type 1 (STEMI). In that cases, thrombogenicity of the infection may contribute to acute coronary occlusion. We present 2 cases of middle-aged men, with few or none cardiovascular risk factors, who were in hospital during 10 days because pneumonia due to COVID-19 with good evolution. In the convalescent phase, one day after hospital discharge, and enoxaparin suspension, they went back to hospital because STEMI. Both were treated by direct angioplasty using pharmacologic stent. Discussion is related to treatment of AMI at discharge, if anticoagulation should be added to double antiplatelet therapy, and if any prophylactic antithrombotic treatment should be considered at discharge from COVID-19 pneumonia in some patients.

Retrograde approach for chronic total occlusion angioplasty: At your own risk.

The retrograde approach is needed to increase procedural success in chronic total occlusion angioplasty. This systematic review of the literature demonstrated that retrograde approach is associated with more complex anatomy, worse in-hospital and long-term outcomes. Retrograde approach needs expertise, used judiciously, and major focus in patient safety when performed.