Inter- and intra-observer variability in the echocardiographic evaluation of wall motion abnormality in patients with ST-elevation myocardial infarction or takotsubo syndrome - A novel approach.

INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVES: Using existing transthoracic echocardiographic indices to quantify left ventricular wall motion abnormalities (WMAs) can be difficult due to the variations in the location of the abnormalities within the left ventricle, the quality of examinations, and the inter-/intra-observer variability of available indices. This study aimed to evaluate a new approach for measuring the extent of WMA by calculating the percentage of abnormal wall motion and comparing it to the wall motion score index (WMSI). The study also sought to assess inter- and intra-observer variability. METHODS: The study included 140 echocardiograms from 54 patients presenting with ST-elevation myocardial infarction or Takotsubo syndrome. All patients underwent an echocardiographic examination according to a standard protocol and the images were used to measure the extent of akinesia (proportion akinesia, PrA), akinesia and hypokinesia (proportion akinesia/hypokinesia, PrAH), and WMSI. The inter-observer variability between the two operators was analyzed. The intra-observer analysis was performed by one observer using the same images at least 1 month after the first measurement. The agreement was analyzed using the Pearson correlation coefficient and Bland-Altman plots. RESULTS: Inter- and intra-observer variability for PrA and PrAH were low and comparable to those for WMSI. CONCLUSION: PrA and PrAH are reliable and reproducible echocardiographic methods for the evaluation of left ventricular wall motion.

[Considerations on treatment with SGLT2 inhibitor during acute illness]. / SGLT2-hämmare kan behöva sättas ut vid allvarliga sjukdomstillstånd.

During the last few years SGLT2 inhibitors have quickly become an important alternative in treating type 2 diabetes, heart failure and chronic kidney disease. The hallmark studies that resulted in inclusion of SGLT2 inhibitors in international treatment guidelines for these diseases excluded individuals with recent acute illness and thus the evidence on treatment in acute situations is scarce. Initiation of treatment is recommended in stable patients and not during acute illness that can increase insulin resistance and thus need for insulin. Insufficient insulin levels, due to relative or complete insulin deficiency, can lead to ketoacidosis in individuals with diabetes during treatment with SGLT2 inhibitors. Temporary discontinuation of SGLT2 inhibitors should be considered during periods of acute illness.

Temporal electrocardiographic changes in anterior ST elevation myocardial infarction versus the Takotsubo syndrome.

Background: Electrocardiography (ECG) on admission is similar in ST elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) and Takotsubo syndrome (TTS). ECG on admission has been extensively investigated and compared between STEMI and TTS, however, only a few studies have compared temporal ECG. Our aim was to compare ECG in anterior STEMI versus female TTS from admission to day 30. Methods: Adult patients with anterior STEMI or TTS treated at Sahlgrenska University Hospital (Gothenburg, Sweden) from December 2019 to June 2022 were prospectively enrolled. Baseline characteristics, clinical variables and ECGs from admission to day 30 were analyzed. Using a mixed effects model, we compared temporal ECG between female patients with anterior STEMI or TTS, as well as between female and male patients with anterior STEMI. Results: A total of 101 anterior STEMI patients (31 female, 70 male) and 34 TTS patients (29 female, 5 male) were included. The temporal pattern of T wave inversion was similar between female anterior STEMI and female TTS, as well as between female and male anterior STEMI. ST elevation was more common, whereas QT prolongation was less common, in anterior STEMI compared with TTS. Q wave pathology was more similar between female anterior STEMI and female TTS than between female and male anterior STEMI. Conclusions: The pattern of T wave inversion and Q wave pathology from admission to day 30 was similar in female patients with anterior STEMI and female patients with TTS. Temporal ECG in female patients with TTS may be interpreted as following a "transient ischemic" pattern.

Short- and Long-Term Clinical Outcomes for Patients With Takotsubo Syndrome and Patients With Myocardial Infarction: A Report From the Swedish Coronary Angiography and Angioplasty Registry.

Background Takotsubo syndrome (TS) is a potentially life-threatening acute cardiac syndrome with a clinical presentation similar to myocardial infarction and for which the natural history, management, and outcome remain incompletely understood. Our aim was to assess the relative short-term mortality risk of TS, ST-segment-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI), and non-STEMI (NSTEMI) and to identify predictors of in-hospital complications and poor prognosis in patients with TS. Methods and Results This is an observational cohort study based on the data from the SCAAR (Swedish Coronary Angiography and Angioplasty Registry). We included all patients (n=117 720) who underwent coronary angiography in Sweden attributed to TS (N=2898 [2.5%]), STEMI (N=48 493 [41.2%]), or NSTEMI (N=66 329 [56.3%]) between January 2009 and February 2018. We compared patients with TS to those with NSTEMI or STEMI. The primary end point was all-cause mortality at 30 days. Secondary outcomes were acute heart failure (Killip Class ≥2) and cardiogenic shock (Killip Class 4) at the time of angiography. Patients with TS were more often women compared with patients with STEMI or NSTEMI. TS was associated with unadjusted and adjusted 30-day mortality risks lower than STEMI (adjusted hazard ratio [adjHR], 0.60; 95% CI, 0.48-0.76; P<0.001), but higher than NSTEMI (adjHR, 2.70; 95% CI, 2.14-3.41; P<0.001). Compared with STEMI, TS was associated with a similar risk of acute heart failure (adjHR, 1.26; 95% CI, 0.91-1.76; P=0.16) but a lower risk of cardiogenic shock (adjHR, 0.55; 95% CI, 0.34-0.89; P=0.02). The relative 30-day mortality risk for TS versus STEMI and NSTEMI was higher for smokers than nonsmokers (adjusted P interaction STEMI=0.01 and P interaction NSTEMI=0.01). Conclusions The 30-day mortality rate in TS was higher than in NSTEMI but lower than STEMI despite a similar risk of acute heart failure in TS and STEMI. Among patients with TS, smoking was an independent predictor of mortality.

Hypertension, systemic inflammation and body weight in relation to lung function impairment-an epidemiological study.

Recent reports on the simultaneous occurrence of systemic inflammation and airflow obstruction are usually based on a highly selective patient population, but their importance warrants further evaluation in the general population. The objectives were to study the interrelationship between airflow obstruction, smoking, hypertension, obesity and CRP as a marker of systemic inflammation in a randomly selected sample of the general Icelandic population (n = 939). This study comprised 758 randomly selected men and women 40 years and older living in Reykjavik, Iceland, and who were participating in the Burden of Obstructive Lung Disease (BOLD) study (81% response rate). In addition to the BOLD protocol, which included post-bronchodilator spirometry, they answered questions about general health and medication. Serum samples were taken for measurement of C-reactive protein (CRP). In the sample-245 individuals (33%) reported having hypertension. Subjects with hypertension were older, had a higher BMI and higher CRP levels. Subjects with hypertension had lower values of FEV(1) than predicted (89.9 +/- 18.5 vs. 94.5 +/- 14.4%) (p < 0.001) and FVC (92.2 +/- 15.1 vs. 95.3 +/- 12.3%) (p = 0.002). These differences remained significant after adjusting for age, BMI, CRP and smoking. Hypertension and CRP levels above the median were both independently and additively associated with lower FEV(1) and FVC. In addition a lower FVC% was also associated with a higher BMI (> 30 mg/m2). Use of betablocking antihypertensives was not related to lung function. Hypertension, BMI and systemic inflammation affect lung function independently of each other. All three variables have a negative effect on FVC, while hypertension and high CRP were independently associated with impaired FEV(1).

Chronic airflow obstruction and markers of systemic inflammation: results from the BOLD study in Iceland.

BACKGROUND: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is characterized by an irreversible chronic airflow obstruction and by an accelerated decline in lung function. Elevated circulating levels of C-reactive protein (CRP) and interleukin-6 (IL-6), both markers of systemic inflammation, have been found in COPD. Their possible associations with chronic airflow obstruction have mostly been evaluated in highly selected patient samples. Our objective was to evaluate the association between postbronchodilator lung function CRP and IL-6 in a randomly selected sample of the Icelandic population, 40 years and older, while adjusting for gender, age, smoking, and body weight. METHODS: Serum CRP and IL-6 values were measured among participants in the Burden of Obstructive Lung Disease (BOLD) study. RESULTS: Of the 938 subjects invited a total of 403 men and 355 women participated (response rate 81%) in the study. Their mean age (+/-SD) was 57.7 (+/-12.7) years. Both CRP and IL-6 were independently related to lower FEV1 and FVC values. Individuals in the highest quartiles of CRP and IL-6 had a 7.5% and 3.9%, respectively, lower FEV1% than predicted after adjustment for smoking, age, and body weight. High CRP levels were more strongly related to lower FEV1 levels in men (-11.4%) than in women (-0.4%). CONCLUSIONS: In a random population-based sample both CRP and IL-6 were significantly related to lower spirometric values. The association with CRP was stronger in men than in women. This finding underscores the possible importance of systemic inflammation in irreversible airflow limitation.