Timing of invasive strategy in diabetic and non-diabetic patients with non-ST-segment elevation acute coronary syndrome.

INTRODUCTION: Patients with acute coronary syndrome without ST segment elevation are a heterogeneous group with respect to the risk of having a major adverse cardiac event (MACE). A history of diabetes mellitus (DM) is no doubt one of the factors that define a patient as being at a higher risk of having the syndrome. AIM: To compare early invasive strategy with selective invasive strategy indicated for patients with and without DM. PATIENTS AND METHODS: The study enrolled 178 patients with unstable angina or non-ST elevation myocardial infarction (UA/NSTEMI), and of these 52 (29.2%) had DM. Patients were randomly assigned to an early invasive strategy (these were scheduled to undergo coronary arteriography and percutaneous coronary intervention within 24 hours after admission) or to a selective invasive strategy (at first these were medically stabilized, with coronary arteriography required only in case of angina recurrence and/or evidence of inducible myocardial ischemia). The patients were followed up for a mean period of 22.8 +/- 14 months. RESULTS: In the follow up the diabetics allocated to an early invasive strategy were found to have a significantly lower angina recurrence incidence (p = 0.005), rehospitalization rate (p = 0.001), fewer arteriographies (p = 0.001) and coronary interventions (p = 0.001) and low cumulative incidence of MACE (p = 0.008) in comparison with the diabetics assigned to selective invasive strategy. We also found, using the Kaplan-Meier curves survival analysis, that the time to MACE in patients assigned to an early invasive strategy was significantly longer than that in the group of selective invasive strategy. In the follow-up of non-diabetics we found no significant difference in MACE rate between the patients allocated to early invasive strategy and those assigned to selective invasive strategy. In the selective invasive strategy group, however, the cardiovascular adverse events tended to occur earlier than in the early invasive strategy group. CONCLUSIONS: Early invasive strategy in diabetic patients with non-ST-segment elevation acute coronary syndrome is associated with a reduced MACE rate compared with the selective invasive strategy used in these patients. Early invasive strategy applied in diabetic patients is also associated with a significantly longer time to MACE. In non-diabetics the advantages of early over selective invasive strategy are not so clearly differentiated.

NGAL as Biomarker of Clinical and Subclinical Damage of Kidney Function after Coronary Angiography.

Contrast-induced acute kidney injury (CI-AKI) is a serious complication after angiographic examinations in cardiology. Diagnosis may be delayed based on standard serum creatinine, and subclinical forms of kidney damage may not be detected at all. In our study, we investigate the clinical use in these directions of a "damage"-type biomarker-neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin (NGAL). Among patients with a high-risk profile undergoing scheduled coronary angiography and/or angioplasty, plasma NGAL was determined at baseline and at 4th and 24th h after contrast administration. In the CI-AKI group, NGAL increased significantly at the 4th hour (Me 109.3 (IQR 92.1-148.7) ng/mL versus 97.6 (IQR 69.4-127.0) ng/mL, p = 0.006) and at the 24th hour (Me 131.0 (IQR 81.1-240.8) ng/mL, p = 0.008). In patients with subclinical CI-AKI, NGAL also increased significantly at the 4th hour (Me 94.0 (IQR 75.5-148.2) ng/mL, p = 0.002) and reached levels close to those in patients with CI-AKI. Unlike the new biomarker, however, serum creatinine did not change significantly in this group. The diagnostic power of NGAL is extremely good-AUC 0.847 (95% CI: 0.677-1.000; p = 0.001) in CI-AKI and AUC 0.731 (95% CI: 0.539-0.924; p = 0.024) in subclinical CI-AKI. NGAL may be a reliable biomarker for the early diagnosis of clinical and subclinical forms of renal injury after contrast angiographic studies.

Stenting below-the-knee bifurcations with dedicated bifurcation stent BiOSS Lim - first in man case report.

The best treatment strategy for below the knee bifurcation disease is not known. We present first two cases with successful implantation of dedicated coronary bifurcation sirolimus eluting stent BiOSS Lim (Balton, Poland) in complex bifurcation and trifurcation lesions of tibioperoneal trunk. Both implantations were uncomplicated with sustained short-term result at 30-day control Duplex ultrasound and remarkable clinical improvement. Our report demonstrates feasibility and short-term effectiveness of implantation of dedicated coronary bifurcation stent in below-the-knee bi- and tri-furcations.

Clinical evaluation of a mobile heart rhythm telemonitoring system.

Purpose. To evaluate the clinical applicability of a telemonitoring system: telemetric system for collection and distant surveillance of medical information (TEMEO). Methods. We evaluated 60 patients, applying simultaneously standard Holter ECG and telemonitoring. Two different comparisons were performed: (1) TEMEO ECG with standard 12-lead ECG; (2) TEMEO Holter with standard ECG Holter. Results. We found a very high coincidence rate (99.3%) between TEMEO derived ECGs and standard ECGs. Intraclass correlation coefficient analysis revealed high and significant correlation coefficients regarding average, maximal, and minimal heart rate, % of time in tachycardia, single supraventricular ectopic beats (SVEB), and single and couplets of ventricular ectopic beats (VEB) between Holter ECG and TEMEO derived parameters. Couplets of SVEB were recorded as different by the two monitoring systems, however, with a borderline statistical significance. Conclusions. TEMEO derived ECGs have a very high coincidence rate with standard ECGs. TEMEO patient monitoring provides results that are similar to those derived from a standard Holter ECG.

Early or Selective Invasive Strategy in Patients with Non-ST-segment Elevation Acute Coronary Syndrome According to the Risk Factors at Presentation? An Outcome Study.

Aims: Patients with acute coronary syndrome without ST segment elevation are a heterogeneous group with respect to the risk of having a major adverse cardiac event (MACE). History of diabetes mellitus (DM), chronic kidney disease (CKD) and elevated GRACE risk score are all factors defining a higher risk of MACE. We aimed to compare the outcome of patients with early vs selective invasive strategy according to the risk factors at presentation. Methodology: We enrolled 178 patients with unstable angina or non-ST elevation myocardial infarction (UA/NSTEMI), 52 (29.2%) had DM, 32 (19.7%)-CKD, defined when MDRD measured glomerular filtration rate (GFR) was <60ml/min/1.73m2 and 28 (15.7%) had GRACE≥140. The study had two arms: an early invasive strategy one (coronary arteriography and percutaneous coronary intervention within 24 hours after admission), and a selective invasive strategy arm (medical stabilization, with coronary arteriography required only in case of angina recurrence and/or evidence of inducible myocardial ischemia). Follow-up was 22.8±14 months. Results: For the whole group MACE occurred less often and the event free period was longer in the early invasive strategy group compared to selective invasive one (p=0.001). Early invasive strategy in diabetic patients, those with CKD and with GRACE ≥140 was associated with a reduced MACE rate (p=0.008, 0.016 and 0.006, respectively) and longer time to MACE occurrence compared with the selective invasive strategy. When we evaluated separately non-diabetics, patients with normal renal function and those with GRACE <140 we found no significant difference in MACE rate between the patients allocated to early invasive strategy and those assigned to selective invasive strategy. Early invasive strategy, however, showed some advantage over the selective one also in the subgroup analysis-the time to occurrence of MACE was prolonged in patients with lower risk at presentation. Conclusions: Early invasive strategy in UA/NSTEMI is associated with a reduced MACE rate and longer event-free period compared with selective invasive strategy. This benefit is clearly evident in higher risk subsets (patients with DM, CKD and GRACE ≥140).

Telemonitoring Boosts Atrial Fibrillation Detection in Cryptogenic Stroke Patients – Preliminary Findings.

Background: Approximately 25% of strokes are cryptogenic in origin and identifying atrial fibrillation (AF) as an etiologic factor in this situation has major therapeutic implication. Standard Holter ECG has a low sensitivity for AF detection in this patient group. Aim: To assess the diagnostic yield of prolonged ambulatory noninvasive ECG telemonitoring for AF detection in cryptogenic stroke or transitory ischemic attack (TIA) patients. Methods and Results: We prospectively included 36 patients (mean age 53 ± 15 years, 17% women) with cryptogenic stroke or TIA in the previous 3 months and without previously documented episodes of AF. We employed a validated ECG telemonitoring system (TEMEO). The median monitoring period was 22 days, ranging from 13 to 36 days. AF was detected in 10 patients (27%): in 7 patients (70%) AF episodes lasted <30 sec and in the other 3 episodes of absolute arrhythmia were longer. AF runs were asymptomatic in 6 of the patients with arrhythmia detection (60%). The mean time from initiation of telemonitoring to AF detection was 10 days, ranging from 2 to 29 days. Anticoagulation therapy for secondary prevention of stroke and systemic embolism was initiated in all of the patients with AF detected during telemonitoring. Conclusion: ECG telemonitoring after cryptogenic stroke or TIA results in AF detection in at least one in every four patients. Considering the important therapeutic implication of this finding we believe that prolonged ECG monitoring should become the standard of care in this patient group.