Higher body mass index and disease duration are associated with increased risk of left ventricular diastolic dysfunction in women with systemic lupus erythematosus.

BACKGROUND: Patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) have an increased cardiovascular (CV) risk. Insulin resistance (IR), which is higher in patients with SLE, adversely impacts left ventricular (LV) remodeling and function. The aims were to determine LV dysfunction and evaluate the influence of potential risk factors on subclinical LV dysfunction in women with SLE, including IR. METHODS: This cross-sectional study included adult women with SLE without diabetes mellitus (DM), hypertension or severe obesity. Diastolic dysfunction (DD) was verified according to current guidelines. Insulin resistance was estimated using the Quantose score. RESULTS: We included 77 women. The frequency of IR was 65%. All participants had a normal ejection fraction (EF), and 11 (15.7%) had abnormal LV global longitudinal strain (GLS). Twenty-three (32.8%) had DD. The GLS% and global circumferential strain (GCS)% did not differ in patients with and without IR (-20.8 ± 3.1 vs -20.5 ± 2.1; p = 0.61 and -27.9 ± 4.4 vs -27.4 ± 3.7; p = 0.57, respectively). The prevalence of DD was 38.1% in patients with IR versus 25% in those without (p = 0.30). E/e' and E/A ratios did not differ between groups (6.6 ± 1.9 vs 6.6 ± 1.5; p = 0.98 and 1.3 ± 0.3 vs 1.3 ± 0.2; p = 0.27). Higher BMI (OR: 1.2, 95% CI 1.1-1.5) and disease duration (OR: 1.2, 95% CI 1.1-1.4) were associated with DD. CONCLUSIONS: Patients with overweight/obesity may be at higher risk of LV dysfunction. Although IR was high in our patients with SLE was not associated with systolic dysfunction or DD. Body mass index and disease duration were associated with an increased risk of DD.

Temporal trends in patient referral for Transcatheter aortic valve replacement and reasons for exclusion at a high-volume Center in the United States.

BACKGROUND: Clinical indications for transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) and elements of the implantation procedure, including delivery system miniaturization and novel access options, have evolved over time. The reasons patients are excluded from TAVR also have changed. The impact of these changes on patient referral for and exclusion from TAVR is unknown. METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed patients referred to our center for TAVR from January 2010 to August 2016 to evaluate reasons for patient exclusion. Patients were divided into three groups based on initial screening date for trends in demographics and exclusion: Group 1, 2010-2012; Group 2, 2012-2014; Group 3, 2014 to August 1, 2016. Annual trends for patient exclusion from TAVR were assessed. RESULTS: One thousand nine hundred fifty-three patients were referred and underwent screening for TAVR. The rates at which patients were referred for TAVR were 23.8, 25.9, and 24.5 per month in groups 1, 2, and 3, respectively. Rate of patient exclusion from TAVR decreased from 68% in Group 1 to 38% in Group 3 (P < .001). The largest percentage of patients (29.4%) were initially excluded from TAVR for cardiac reasons, but this trend has decreased over time. Twenty-five percent are excluded for lack of procedural indication. Exclusion from TAVR for vascular access reasons decreased from 7.9% in 2010 to 1.0% in 2016 (P = .017). CONCLUSIONS: Referral numbers have been robust since TAVR became available. The percentage of patients excluded from TAVR has decreased over time. Patients are most commonly excluded from TAVR for concomitant coronary artery disease (CAD), asymptomatic severe AS, moderate AS, or non-cardiac critical illness. Patients with CAD and those with asymptomatic severe AS or moderate AS should be a focus for continued research in TAVR.

Comparison of treatment strategies for femoro-popliteal disease: A network meta-analysis.

OBJECTIVES: We sought to compare treatment strategies in a Bayesian network meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. BACKGROUND: Peripheral artery disease (PAD) is a prevalent morbidity that is treated with various strategies. METHODS: We performed a MEDLINE search for randomized studies comparing at least 2 treatment strategies, including bypass surgery, percutaneous transluminal angioplasty (PTA) balloons, stents, covered stents, drug-eluting stents (DES), and drug-coated balloons (DCB), in patients with native femoro-popliteal disease. Mixed treatment comparison model generation was performed to directly and indirectly compare the strategies in terms of restenosis and target lesion revascularization (TLR) presented as odds ratios (OR, [95% credible intervals]). RESULTS: Twenty-nine studies with 4,820 patients were included in the present study. PTA was the largest group with 1,900 patients, followed by DCB (n = 1,343), bare metal stents (n = 941), covered stents (n = 304), DES (n = 236), and bypass (n = 92). Mean age was 68 ± 9 years, 64% were male, 37% diabetic, and 55% smokers. Mean lesion length was 77 ± 44 mm, and 39% were total occlusions. Bayesian hierarchical random-effects model demonstrated all treatments were significantly better than, or had a trend toward superiority over, PTA, with DCB ranking well in both restenosis (OR = 0.29, [0.17-0.47]) and TLR (OR = 0.31, [0.20-0.46]). Nonetheless, none of the therapies showed superiority in terms of survival or amputations. CONCLUSION: Treatment of femoro-popliteal disease has significantly evolved in recent years, with higher rates of patency and freedom from TLR. However, the utility of these treatment strategies in terms of reduction of amputations and overall survival remains in question.

Does direct stenting with drug-eluting stents improve outcome? A meta-analysis of 10,900 patients.

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study is to summarize the outcomes of patients undergoing direct stenting (DS) with drug-eluting stents (DES) compared to those who underwent balloon predilatation. BACKGROUND: DS has been associated with improved outcomes in the bare-metal stent era. Although DS with DES implantation has been increasingly adopted in clinical practice, its safety and effectiveness remain controversial. METHODS: The search criteria identified 546 studies in the Medline/PubMed, Cochrane, and EMBASE databases from 2001 to July 2014. From these, seven studies totaling 10,900 patients were selected. Summarized estimates [odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence intervals] were obtained using a random-effects model. The primary outcomes were a composite of major adverse cardiac events (MACE), including all-cause death, myocardial infarction (MI), and repeat revascularization. The secondary outcomes included a composite of death and MI and the rates of target lesion revascularization (TLR). RESULTS: Overall, 4101 (38%) and 6799 (62%) patients underwent DS with DES and balloon pre-dilatation, respectively. DS with DES reduced the likelihood of MACE (OR: 0.81 [0.71-0.93]). Additionally, DS with DES was associated with reduced rates of death/MI (OR: 0.76 [0.62-0.92]), and TLR (OR: 0.66 [0.44-0.98]). CONCLUSIONS: DS with DES is safe and may be associated with better outcomes in selected patients. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Comparison of transradial and transfemoral access in patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention for complex coronary lesions.

OBJECTIVE: Comparison of transradial versus transfemoral access for complex percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) with regard to both complications and long-term outcomes. BACKGROUND: Radial access has been shown to confer superior results in patients undergoing PCI, especially in patients with acute coronary syndromes. However, radial access has limitations of sheath and device size, which may increase procedure time and result in inferior outcomes. METHODS: Patients undergoing PCI for complex lesions, defined as type C according the ACC/AHA classification system, were included in this study. Propensity matching was performed to adjust for differences in baseline characteristics. Transradial patients were then compared to transfemoral patients in regard to procedural, in-hospital, and 6-month outcomes. RESULTS: Among 2142 patients with 2591 lesions treated, 1876 had femoral access and 267 had radial access. Radial access patients were more likely to be male (75% vs. 66%, P = 0.003) and less likely to present with acute myocardial infarction (27% vs. 42%, P < 0.001). Procedural characteristics demonstrated lower use of heparin in the femoral group (17% vs. 73%, P < 0.001) with similarly low use of glycoprotein inhibitors (5.6% vs. 3.4%, P = 0.14). Patients in the femoral group had higher rates of transfusions (3.7% vs. 0%, P = 0.004) and vascular complications (1.7% vs. 0%, P = 0.03). Following propensity matching, there was no difference in mid-term outcomes between radial and femoral groups. CONCLUSIONS: In patients with complex coronary lesions undergoing PCI, the radial approach demonstrates similar mid-term outcomes as the femoral approach with a potentially lower rate of complications. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

The impact of proprotein convertase subtilisin-kexin type 9 serine protease inhibitors on lipid levels and outcomes in patients with primary hypercholesterolaemia: a network meta-analysis.

AIMS: We performed a network meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) in patients with primary hypercholesterolaemia to compare the impact of proprotein convertase subtilisin-kexin type 9 serine protease (PCSK9) inhibitors with placebo and ezetimibe on lipid levels and outcomes. METHODS AND RESULTS: MEDLINE/PubMed, Cochrane CENTRAL, and ClinicalTrials.gov were searched for RCTs assessing PCSK9 inhibitors vs. other therapies in patients with primary hypercholesterolaemia. Network meta-analysis with both a frequentist approach and a Bayesian framework was performed to directly and indirectly compare PCSK9 inhibition on lipid levels with ezetimibe and placebo. Odds ratios with 95% confidence intervals (OR [95% CIs]) were generated with random-effects models to compare outcomes. Our meta-analysis included 17 RCTs with 13 083 patients that were randomized to PCSK9 inhibitors (n = 8250), placebo (n = 3957), ezetimibe (n = 846), or PCSK9 inhibitors and ezetimibe (n = 30). The mean age was 59 ± 10, 52% were male, 34% had coronary artery disease, 51% had hypertension, 19% had diabetes mellitus, baseline LDL of 122 ± 36 mg/dL, total cholesterol of 199 ± 39 mg/dL, and HDL of 51 ± 14 mg/dL. inhibitors significantly reduced LDL cholesterol by 57% relative to placebo (P < 0.001) and 36.1% relative to ezetimibe (P < 0.001). Proprotein convertase subtilisin-kexin type 9 serine protease inhibitors reduced the incidence of all-cause mortality [OR 0.43 (95% CI 0.22-0.82), P = 0.01] but was associated with an increased incidence of neurocognitive adverse events [OR 2.34 (95% CI 1.11-4.93), I(2) = 4%, P = 0.02] when compared with placebo. CONCLUSION: Proprotein convertase subtilisin-kexin type 9 serine protease inhibition significantly improved lipid profiles and reduced the incidence of all-cause mortality compared with placebo but had a higher rate of neurocognitive adverse events. Thus, PCSK9 inhibitor therapy may serve as an alternative for patients with statin intolerance and for those who do not respond to other lipid reduction therapy.

Clinical profiles and correlates of mortality in nonagenarians with severe aortic stenosis undergoing transcatheter aortic valve replacement.

BACKGROUND: Transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) is the current standard for nonoperable and high-risk surgical patients with aortic stenosis, including those of advanced age. However, the clinical profiles, procedural characteristics, and outcomes of nonagenarians undergoing TAVR have not been thoroughly reported. METHODS: A total of 654 patients (n = 107 >90 years old and n = 547 <90 years) with severe aortic stenosis undergoing TAVR were included in this analysis. Baseline characteristics, procedural variables, and in-hospital outcomes and complications at 30 days and 12 months were analyzed. RESULTS: Overall, of the patients included, 46% were high risk and 53% inoperable. Although nonagenarians had a higher Society of Thoracic Surgeons score of 9.2 ± 4 (12.1 ± 4 vs 8.6 ± 4, P < .001), other factors were considerably lower in this group: diabetes (22% vs 36%, P = .008), hyperlipidemia (65% vs 83%, P < .001), prior coronary artery bypass (13% vs 39%, P < .001), and mean body mass index (24.5 ± 5 vs 28.1 ± 7 kg/m(2), P < .001). The correlates for 1-year mortality in nonagenarians were as follows: ≥moderate aortic insufficiency post-TAVR (hazard ratio [HR] 5.07, 95% CI 1.17-22, P = .03), pacemaker implantation after TAVR (HR 6.87, 95% CI 2.32-20.3, P = .001), and peripheral vascular disease (HR 2.35, 95% CI 1.03-5.38, P = .042). Mortality at 30 days (12.1% vs 7.1%, P = .07) and at 1 year (25% vs 21%, P = .35) was similar between groups. CONCLUSION: Nonagenarians undergoing TAVR had a healthier clinical profile compared with younger patients. Age alone should not be a discriminatory factor when screening elderly patients with aortic stenosis because even the nonagenarians are doing well when compared with the younger elderly population. Transcatheter aortic valve replacement remains a viable option for the treatment of severe symptomatic aortic stenosis for the elderly regardless of their age.

Impact of baseline mitral regurgitation on short- and long-term outcomes following transcatheter aortic valve replacement.

BACKGROUND: The prevalence of concomitant significant mitral regurgitation (MR) in patients with severe aortic stenosis (AS) undergoing transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) ranges from 2% to 33%. The impact of significant MR on post-TAVR outcomes remains controversial. METHODS: The data from a cohort of patients with symptomatic severe AS undergoing TAVR at out institution were retrospectively analyzed. The last transthoracic echocardiogram (TTE) before the index TAVR procedure was selected as the baseline assessment of the degree of MR. The total study cohort (N = 589) was divided into 2 groups: significant ≥moderate MR (n = 68) versus nonsignificant

Does the disparity in baseline characteristics of patients undergoing transcatheter aortic valve replacement with 23 mm vs. 26 mm valves impact clinical outcome?

OBJECTIVES: We sought to identify if baseline characteristic differences in patients who receive a 23 mm vs. 26 mm valve impact clinical outcomes. BACKGROUND: Transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) is currently an approved therapy for patients with severe aortic stenosis who are considered inoperable or are at high risk. METHODS: We retrospectively examined baseline characteristics and outcomes of patients receiving a 23 mm (n = 132) vs. 26 mm valve (n = 81) via the transfemoral approach. RESULTS: Gender (P < 0.01), previous coronary artery bypass surgery (P < 0.01), history of atrial fibrillation (P = 0.04), and mean Society of Thoracic Surgeons (STS) score (P < 0.01) were significantly different between groups. There were no significant differences in the rates of minor/major vascular complications (2.2 vs. 3.7%, P = 0.68 and 13.0 vs. 12.3%, P = 0.89, respectively). Bleeding complications were also comparable (major bleed 2.3 vs. 1%, P >0.99, minor bleed 19.0 vs. 22.0%, P = 0.67 and life threatening bleed 7.0 vs. 5.0%, P = 0.77). In-hospital death (6.0 vs. 5.0%, P >0.99), 30-day all-cause death (7.6 vs. 6.2%, P = 0.69), and all-cause death at 1 year (17.4 vs. 25.9%, P = 0.13) were also similar between groups. Gender, valve size, previous coronary bypass surgery and atrial fibrillation were not independently associated with mortality; however, on multivariate analysis STS score was (HR 1.11; 95% CI 1.02-1.19; P = 0.01). CONCLUSION: Patients undergoing TAVR with 23 and 26 mm valves have similar clinical outcomes despite significant differences in baseline characteristics. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Body mass index association with survival in severe aortic stenosis patients undergoing transcatheter aortic valve replacement.

BACKGROUND: Conflicting results have been reported regarding impact of body mass index (BMI) on outcome of transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) patients. This study evaluates the impact of BMI on 1 year mortality in patients undergoing TAVR via the transfemoral (TF) access. METHODS: Aortic stenosis (AS) patients undergoing TAVR via a TF access between May 2007 and December 2014 were categorized to 4 groups by BMI: low (<20), normal (20-24.9), overweight (25-30), and obese (>30). Baseline parameters were compared, and multivariate Cox proportional hazard regression models were generated to assess outcome differences. RESULTS: Among 491 severe AS TAVR patients, 43 had low BMI, 148 had normal BMI, 162 were overweight, and 138 were obese. Obese patients were younger with lower Society of Thoracic Surgeons scores and higher rates of preserved ejection fraction and diabetes. There was a higher rate of women in the BMI extremes. Aortic valve area was higher among obese patients; however, the indexed area was inversely correlated with BMI. Vascular complications and transfusions were more common in the low-BMI group, while acute kidney injury was more common in obese patients. All-cause mortality at 1 year was higher in the low-BMI group (log-rank p = 0.003) with no significant difference among normal and above-normal BMI patients. In a multivariate model, BMI <20 kg/m(2) was an independent predictor of mortality (HR = 2.45, p = 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: BMI <20 kg/m(2) should be considered a frailty marker during the screening process of severe AS TAVR patients as it is associated with higher mortality, while obesity confers similar mortality risk as normal weight. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Active Versus Passive Anchoring Vascular Closure Devices Following Percutaneous Coronary Intervention: A Safety and Efficacy Comparative Analysis.

OBJECTIVE: We evaluate the prevalence of complications and failure rates between the most commonly used "active" anchoring vascular closure device (VCD), AngioSeal™ and the "passive" anchoring VCD, Mynx™, in all-comers undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). METHODS: A total of 4,074 patients between 2008 and 2014, representing an era when both devices were available, were included. Thirty-two percent were acute coronary syndromes (37% STEMI). VCD choice was at the operator's discretion and included AngioSeal (n = 2,910) or Mynx (1,164). Cardiogenic shock or patients receiving intra-aortic balloon pumps were excluded. Safety was assessed by vascular complications defined as either vascular injury (perforation, dissection, acute limb ischemia, arteriovenous fistula, pseudoaneurysm with thrombin injection, or surgical repair) or access-site bleed (hemoglobin droP >3 g/dL requiring transfusion, retroperitoneal bleed, or hematoma >5 cm, or the composite of both. Efficacy was evaluated by device failure and defined as inability to achieve immediate hemostasis or use of additional hemostatic mechanisms. Outcomes at 30-days were evaluated. RESULTS: Groups (AngioSeal vs Mynx) were fairly balanced with regards to bleeding risk factors of gender (male, 65% vs 66%), body mass index (30 ± 6 vs 30 ± 7), heart failure class III/IV (5% vs 6%), chronic kidney disease (15% vs 17%), use of glycoprotein IIb/IIIa inhibitor (5% vs 4%), or bivalirudin (86% vs 88%), all P >0.5. The AngioSeal group was slightly younger (64 ± 12 vs 65 ± 12, P < 0.001) with less peripheral arterial disease (11.3% vs 13.9%, P = 0.03), and increased 7F sheath use compared with Mynx (59% vs 22%, P < 0.001). Safety and efficacy outcomes were similar between groups. CONCLUSIONS: AngioSeal and Mynx appear to be equally safe and efficacious VCDs following PCI. The passive anchoring system may prove desirable as no intra-arterial anchor remains upon device removal.

The choice of arterial access for percutaneous coronary intervention and its impact on outcome: An expert opinion perspective.

The prevention of major bleeding during percutaneous coronary intervention is one of the most widely discussed and often controversial topics within interventional cardiology. The choice of arterial access should be considered a mechanism for bleeding avoidance, and various strategies have been proposed to prevent or lower major bleeding and vascular complications with varying levels of strength. Herein, we review the current literature on arterial access as a bleeding avoidance strategy during percutaneous coronary intervention and its impact on outcome and provide a consensus opinion based on the strength of the evidence supporting various techniques.

Comparison of conventional and high-sensitivity troponin in patients with chest pain: a collaborative meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Multiple studies have evaluated the diagnostic and prognostic performance of conventional troponin (cTn) and high-sensitivity troponin (hs-cTn). We performed a collaborative meta-analysis comparing cTn and hs-cTn for diagnosis of acute myocardial infarction (AMI) and assessment of prognosis in patients with chest pain. METHODS: MEDLINE/PubMed, Cochrane CENTRAL, and EMBASE were searched for studies assessing both cTn and hs-cTn in patients with chest pain. Study authors were contacted and many provided previously unpublished data. RESULTS: From 17 included studies, there were 8,644 patients. Compared with baseline cTn, baseline hs-cTn had significantly greater sensitivity (0.884 vs 0.749, P < .001) and negative predictive value (NPV; 0.964 vs 0.935, P < .001), whereas specificity (0.816 vs 0.938, P < .001) and positive predictive value (0.558 vs 0.759, P < .001) were significantly reduced. Based on summary receiver operating characteristic curves, test performance for the diagnosis of AMI was not significantly different between baseline cTn and hs-cTn (0.90 [95% CI 0.85-0.95] vs 0.92 [95% CI 0.90-0.94]). In a subanalysis of 6 studies that alternatively defined AMI based on hs-cTn, cTn had lower sensitivity (0.666, P < .001) and NPV (0.906, P < .001). Elevation of baseline hs-cTn, but negative baseline cTn, was associated with increased risk of death or nonfatal myocardial infarction during follow-up (P < .001) compared with both negative. CONCLUSION: High-sensitivity troponin has significantly greater early sensitivity and NPV for the diagnosis of AMI at the cost of specificity and positive predictive value, which may enable early rule in/out of AMI in patients with chest pain. Baseline hs-cTn elevation in the setting of negative cTn is also associated with increased nonfatal myocardial infarction or death during follow-up.

Carcinoid heart disease: current understanding and future directions.

Carcinoid tumors are rare and aggressive malignancies. A multitude of vasoactive agents are central to the systemic effects of these tumors. The additional burden of cardiac dysfunction heralds a steep decline in quality of life and survival. Unfortunately, by the time carcinoid syndrome surfaces clinically, the likelihood of cardiac involvement is 50%. Although medical therapies such as somatostatin analogues may provide some symptom relief, they offer no mortality benefit. On the other hand, referral to surgery following early detection has shown increased survival. The prompt recognition of this disease is therefore of the utmost importance.

Clinical utility of central venous saturation for the calculation of cardiac index in cardiac patients.

BACKGROUND: Mixed venous saturation (MVS) obtained from the distal pulmonary artery (PA) during Swan-Ganz catheterization is the criterion standard for calculating cardiac output (CO) and cardiac index (CI) with the use of the Fick method. We think that calculating CI with the use of central venous saturation (CVS) instead of PA-MVS is both feasible and accurate. Earlier studies were small, enrolled heterogeneous patient populations, and resulted in inconsistent findings. METHODS: All patients undergoing right heart catheterization from January 2011 to January 2012 in our catheterization lab with simultaneous measurements of MVS obtained from the distal PA and CVS obtained from the superior vena cava (SVC) or right atrium (RA) were included. Out of the 902 patients enrolled, we excluded patients (n = 50) who had known cardiac shunt or dialysis fistula, had duplicate medical records, or were septic. We calculated the CI with the use of the assumed Fick method using both MVS (criterion standard) and CVS (SVC or RA saturations) in the remaining 852 patients. We measured the correlation and the agreement between the 2 methods with the use of the Pearson correlation coefficient and Bland-Altman analysis. RESULTS: Totals of 112 patients with simultaneous PA and RA saturation measurements (group I) and 740 patients with simultaneous PA and SVC saturation measurements (group II) were included. We found an excellent linear correlation between SVC and PA saturation (r = 0.928) and between RA and PA saturation (r = 0.95). There was also an excellent correlation between CI calculated with the use of PA saturation and CI calculated with the use of SVC (r = 0.87) or RA (r = 0.93) saturation. The mean bias of CVS-derived CI compared with MVS-derived CI (criterion standard) was -0.1 (95% limits of agreement [LOA] -1 to +0.77) in the SVC group and -0.006 (LOA -0.68 to +0.69) in the RA group. Patients with low CI had stronger correlation and smaller bias between the 2 methods compared with those with normal or high CI. The presence of baseline hypoxemia, valvular heart disease, or acute coronary syndrome had no significant effect on the correlation or the bias between the 2 methods. CONCLUSIONS: In cardiac patients, CVS can be used as a surrogate to true MVS in the calculation of CI. This method is readily available in patients who have central venous access, and may aid in early goal-directed treatment when cardiogenic shock is suspected.

Circumflex to Left Atrial Appendage Fistula Associated With Watchman FLX Closure Device.

An 82-year-old man who had undergone Watchman FLX (Boston Scientific) device implantation presented with dyspnea. Multimodality evaluation demonstrated a small fistula from the proximal circumflex artery to the left atrial appendage. Anatomically, the left circumflex artery is close to the atrial appendage; therefore, it is plausible that fistula formation could be a late complication of implantation of the device.

Non-invasive imaging in antiphospholipid syndrome to assess subclinical coronary artery disease.

Antiphospholipid antibody syndrome (usually named antiphospholipid syndrome, APS) is an autoimmune disorder seen mainly in young people. Clinically, APS is described by pregnancy complications and/or a hypercoagulable state, including the venous or arterial vasculature, and strongly related to antiphospholipid antibodies. Although several cardiac manifestations have been involved with APS, and accelerated atherosclerosis is present in this condition, little is known about cardiovascular (CV) risk and the relation between APS. Several studies have used imaging markers to associate them with the main clinical features of patients with APS and the probability of having subclinical atherosclerosis. However, it has not yet been established which markers are most related to the risk of developing CV diseases (CVD) in these patients. In this narrative review, we focus on non-invasive imaging markers that can predict CVD, including carotid intima-media thickness and carotid plaques assessed by carotid ultrasonography or coronary artery calcium score, which usually by computed tomography. We also examine the evidence about vascular function markers used in APS, such as arterial flow-mediated brachial dilation and artery stiffness measured by the velocity of the pulse wave. We present the current status of non-invasive imaging markers, which suggest the existence of subclinical atherosclerosis in patients with APS. However, new prospective research is required to identify the predictive value of these findings and their modification by current treatments for APS.

Multimodality Imaging for the Evaluation of an Undifferentiated Pleomorphic Sarcoma Presenting as Cardioembolic Stroke.

Background: Cancer and ischemic stroke are associated with significant morbidity and mortality. Hypercoagulability, disseminated intravascular coagulation, venous-to-arterial embolism, and non-bacterial thrombotic endocarditis are among recognized mechanisms. Emboli to the brain, or to other organs, are known to occur as a consequence of liberated thrombotic debris originating from the thrombogenic surface of intracardiac neoplastic entities. The most common primary malignancy of the heart is sarcoma; however, masses that occur in the heart are 20 to 40 times more likely as a consequence of metastasis from other sites. Case Report. A 67-year-old woman presented to the emergency room with two brief episodes of dizziness and diplopia for 2 minutes. She had a medical history of provoked upper extremity DVT after a fracture, hypothyroidism, hyperlipidemia, and soft tissue sarcoma. The sarcoma was initially diagnosed in, and subsequently resected from, the right triceps muscle. During posttreatment surveillance, a second lesion was discovered in the left upper pulmonary lobe, and this was also completely resected 9 months following initial diagnosis. We present a case of a woman with a tertiary (cardiac) site sarcoma that presented with embolic stroke. Conclusion: Our case highlights the benefits of multimodality imaging, heart-team approach with oncology support to define anatomy, thereby enable surgical treatment, of a complex intracardiac lesion.

Transradial percutaneous coronary intervention without on-site cardiac surgery for stable coronary disease and myocardial infarction: preliminary report and initial experience in 174 patients.

BACKGROUND: On-site cardiac surgery is not widely available in developing countries despite a high prevalence of coronary artery disease. OBJECTIVES: To analyze the safety, feasibility and cost-effectiveness of transradial percutaneous coronary intervention without on-site cardiac surgery in a community hospital in a developing country. METHODS: Of the 174 patients who underwent PCI for the first time in our center, we analyzed two groups: stable coronary disease and acute myocardial infarction. The primary endpoint was the rate of complications during the first 24 hours after PCI. We also analyzed the length of hospital stay and the rate of hospital readmission in the first week after PCI, and compared costs between the radial and femoral approaches. RESULTS: The study group comprised 131 patients with stable coronary disease and 43 with acute MI. Among the patients with stable coronary disease 8 (6.1%) had pulse loss, 12 (9.16%) had on-site hematoma, and 3 (2.29%) had bleeding at the site of the puncture. Among the patients with acute MI, 3 (6.98) had pulse loss and 5 (11.63%) had bleeding at the site of the puncture. There were no cases of atriovenous fistula or nerve damage. In the stable coronary disease group, 130 patients (99%) were discharged on the same day (2.4 +/- 2 hours). In the acute MI group, the length of stay was 6.6 +/- 2.5 days with at least 24 hours in the intensive care unit. There were no hospital readmissions in the first week after the procedure. The total cost, which includes equipment related to the specific approach and recovery room stay, was significantly lower with the radial approach compared to the femoral approach (US$ 500 saving per intervention). CONCLUSIONS: The transradial approach was safe and feasible in a community hospital in a developing country without on-site cardiac surgery backup. The radial artery approach is clearly more cost-effective than the femoral approach.

Infections and the antiphospholipid syndrome.

Currently, the origin of autoimmune diseases is considered to be multifactorial. Genetic predisposition, immune system malfunction or even backfire, hormonal regulation, and environmental factors, i.e. infections, all play important roles in the pathogenesis of autoimmune diseases such as the antiphospholipid syndrome (APS). New drugs and strategies aimed at preventing infections could further improve the outcome of APS and other autoimmune diseases.