Short Duration vs Standard Duration of Dual-Antiplatelet Therapy After Percutaneous Coronary Intervention With Second-Generation Drug-Eluting Stents - A Systematic Review, Meta-Analysis, and Meta-Regression Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials.

BACKGROUND: Current guidelines recommend 12 months of dual-antiplatelet therapy (DAPT) after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) with drug-eluting stent (DES) implantation. Whether the duration of DAPT can be safely shortened with use of second-generation DESs is unclear. METHODS: We conducted a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials comparing short duration (SD) (3-6 months) with standard longer duration (LD) (≥12 months) DAPT in patients treated with primarily second-generation DES implantation. Meta-regression was performed to explore the relationship between acute coronary syndrome (ACS) and the effect of DAPT duration. RESULTS: Six studies were included, with 12,752/13,928 (91.5%) patients receiving second-generation DESs. A total of 5367 patients (39%) had PCI in the setting of ACS. There was no difference in all-cause mortality (1.1% vs 1.2%; odds ratio [OR], 0.86; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.63-1.18; P=.36) or cardiac mortality (0.9% vs 1.0%; OR, 0.92; 95% CI, 0.61-1.39; P=.69) with SD-DAPT vs LD-DAPT, respectively. Definite/probable stent thrombosis (0.5% vs 0.3%; OR, 1.33; 95% CI, 0.75-2.34; P=.51), myocardial infarction (1.5% vs 1.3%; OR, 1.17; 95% CI, 0.88-1.56; P=.29), and stroke (0.4% vs 0.4%; OR, 1.04; 95% CI, 0.60-1.81; P=.88) were similar between the groups. Compared with LD-DAPT, SD-DAPT was associated with lower clinically significant bleeding (0.9% vs 1.4%; OR, 0.64; 95% CI, 0.46-0.89; P=.01). Meta-regression analysis showed no significant association between the proportion of ACS patients in trials and duration of DAPT for the outcomes of mortality (P=.95), myocardial infarction (P=.98), or stent thrombosis (P=.89). CONCLUSION: In low-risk patients treated with contemporary second-generation DES implantation, SD-DAPT has similar rates of mortality, myocardial infarction, and stent thrombosis, with lower rates of bleeding compared with LD-DAPT.

Chronic obstructive airway disease among patients hospitalized with acute heart failure; clinical characteristics, precipitating factors, management and outcome: Observational report from the Middle East.

BACKGROUND: The purpose of this study was to report the prevalence, clinical characteristics, contributing factors, management and outcome of patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) among patients hospitalized with heart failure (HF). METHODS: Data were derived from Gulf Care (Gulf acute heart failure registry), a prospective multicenter study of 5005 consecutive patients hospitalized with acute heart failure during February to November 2012 in seven Middle Eastern countries. Data were described and compared for demographics, management and outcomes. RESULTS: The prevalence of COPD among HF patients was 10%. COPD patients were older, more likely to be female and to have diabetes, hypertension, chronic kidney disease and sleep apnea (P = 0.001 for all) when compared to non-COPD patients. Contributing factors for hospitalization were systemic infection and atrial arrhythmias in COPD patients compared to acute coronary syndrome, uncontrolled hypertension and anemia in the non-COPD patients. Left-ventricular ejection fraction was higher in COPD patients; while BNP levels were comparable between the two groups. Non-invasive ventilation was used more frequently among COPD patients compared to non-COPD patients (P = 0.001). On multivariate logistic regression analysis, COPD was not associated with increased risk in-hospital and one-year death among acute heart failure (AHF) population and ß blockers treatment appear to have neutral mortality effect in COPD patients with HF. CONCLUSION: COPD have distinct cardiovascular risk profile and precipitating factors for hospitalization with HF when compared to non-COPD patients. COPD history had no impact on the short-term and one-year mortality.

Clinical characteristics, precipitating factors, management and outcome of patients with prior stroke hospitalised with heart failure: an observational report from the Middle East.

OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study is to report the prevalence, clinical characteristics, precipitating factors, management and outcome of patients with prior stroke hospitalised with acute heart failure (HF). DESIGN: Retrospective analysis of prospectively collected data. SETTING: Data were derived from Gulf CARE (Gulf aCute heArt failuRe rEgistry), a prospective multicentre study of consecutive patients hospitalised with acute HF in 2012 in seven Middle Eastern countries and analysed according to the presence or absence of prior stroke; demographics, management and outcomes were compared. PARTICIPANTS: A total of 5005 patients with HF. OUTCOME MEASURES: In-hospital and 1-year outcome. RESULTS: The prevalence of prior stroke in patients with HF was 8.1%. Patients with stroke with HF were more likely to be admitted under the care of internists rather than cardiologists. When compared with patients without stroke, patients with stroke were more likely to be older and to have diabetes mellitus, hypertension, atrial fibrillation, hyperlipidaemia, chronic kidney disease, ischaemic heart disease, peripheral arterial disease and left ventricular dysfunction (p=0.001 for all). Patients with stroke were less likely to be smokers (0.003). There were no significant differences in terms of precipitating risk factors for HF hospitalisation between the two groups. Patients with stroke with HF had a longer hospital stay (mean±SD days; 11±14 vs 9±13, p=0.03), higher risk of recurrent strokes and 1-year mortality rates (32.7% vs 23.2%, p=0.001). Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that stroke is an independent predictor of in-hospital and 1-year mortality. CONCLUSIONS: This observational study reports high prevalence of prior stroke in patients hospitalised with HF. Internists rather than cardiologists were the predominant caregivers in this high-risk group. Patients with stroke had higher risk of in-hospital recurrent strokes and long-term mortality rates. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: NCT01467973.

Atypical presentation of acute and chronic coronary artery disease in diabetics.

In patients with diabetes mellitus, cardiovascular disease is the principal cause of mortality and chest pain is the most frequent symptom in patients with stable and acute coronary artery disease. However, there is little knowledge concerning the pervasiveness of uncommon presentations in diabetics. The symptomatology of acute coronary syndrome, which comprises both pain and non-pain symptoms, may be affected by traditional risk factors such as age, gender, smoking, hypertension, diabetes, and dyslipidemia. Such atypical symptoms may range from silent myocardial ischemia to a wide spectrum of non-chest pain symptoms. Worldwide, few studies have highlighted this under-investigated subject, and this aspect of ischemic heart disease has also been under-evaluated in the major clinical trials. The results of these studies are highly diverse which makes definitive conclusions regarding the spectrum of atypical presentation of acute and even stable chronic coronay artery disease difficult to confirm. This may have a significant impact on the morbidity and mortality of coronary artery disease in diabetics. In this up-to-date review we will try to analyze the most recent studies on the atypical presentations in both acute and chronic ischemic heart disease which may give some emphasis to this under-investigated topic.

Elevated serum leptin levels in patients with acute myocardial infarction; correlation with coronary angiographic and echocardiographic findings.

BACKGROUND: To assess the relationship between serial serum leptin levels in patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI) who received thrombolysis and the degree of coronary atherosclerosis, coronary reperfusion, echocardiographic findings, and clinical outcome. 51 consecutive patients presenting with AMI were studied. Clinical characteristics including age, sex, body mass index (BMI) and cardiovascular risk factors were recorded. Serial serum leptin levels at the time of admission and subsequently at 0, 6, 12, 24, 36, 60 hours afterwards were obtained. Coronary angiography was performed in 34 patients; the relation between serum leptin levels and evidence of coronary reperfusion as well as the extent of coronary atherosclerosis according to the coronary artery surgery study classification (CASS) were evaluated. Echocardiographic evaluation was performed in all patients. 36 matched patients were enrolled as control group who had serum leptin level 9.4 ± 6.5 ng/ml. RESULTS: The patients mean age was 50.5 ± 10.6 years. There were 47 males and 3 females. 37.1% were diabetics, 23.5% were hypertensive, 21.6% were dyslipidemic and 22.7% were obese (BMI ≥ 30). Leptin concentrations (ng/ml) increased and peaked at the 4th sample (36 hrs) after admission (mean ± SD) sample (1) =9.55 ± 7.4, sample (2) =12.9 ± 8.4, sample (3) =13.8 ± 10.4, sample (4) =18.9 ± 18.1, sample (5) =11.4 ± 6.5, sample (6) =10.8 ± 8.9 ng/ml. There was a significant correlation between serum leptin and BMI (r = 0.342; p = 0.03). Leptin levels correlated significantly to creatine kinase level on the second day (r = 0.43, p ≤ 0.01). Significant correlation of mean serum leptin with the ejection fraction (P < 0.05) was found. No difference in timing of peak serum leptin between patients who achieved coronary reperfusion vs. those who did not (p = 0.8). There was a trend for an increase in the mean serum leptin levels with increasing number of diseased vessels. There was no correlation between serum leptin levels and outcome neither during the hospitalization nor at 9 months follow up. CONCLUSION: Serum leptin levels increase after myocardial infarction. Serum leptin level may be a predictor of the left ventricular ejection fraction and the degree of atherosclerosis but not of coronary reperfusion.

The impact of diurnal fasting during Ramadan on the lipid profile, hs-CRP, and serum leptin in stable cardiac patients.

AIM: To study the effect of strict prolonged fasting on lipid profile, serum leptin, and high- sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) in patients with different stable cardiac illnesses and look for associated new cardiac events and any correlation between entire variables. METHODS: A total of 56 patients of different stable cardiac illnesses were followed in our cardiology outpatient for 3 months. Data concerning their ability to fast were collected: New York Heart Association class of congestive cardiac failure, angina class, previous myocardial infarction, previous coronary artery bypass graft, percutaneous coronary intervention, severity of valvular lesion, metallic prosthetic valve, and traditional risk factors (diabetes mellitus, insulin requirement, hypertension, hypercholesterolemia, smoking habit, and obesity). Detailed clinical examination and electrocardiography were performed in all patients in three consecutive visits before, during, and after Ramadan. Echocardiographic and angiographic findings and medication plans were collected from patient records. Lipid profile, serum leptin, and hs-CRP were assessed before, during, and after Ramadan. RESULTS: All patients fasted during Ramadan: 80.4% were male, 67.9% were aged >50 years, 71.4% had no change in their symptoms during fasting while 28.6% felt better. No patient has deteriorated. 91.1% of the patients were compliant with medicine during Ramadan, 73.2% after. 89.3% were compliant with diet during Ramadan with no significant change in body weight in the follow-up period. No cardiac or noncardiac morbidity or mortality was reported. High- density lipoprotein-cholesterol (HDL-C) decreased significantly during compared to before fasting (P = 0.012). Low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (LDL-C) significantly increased during compared to before fasting (P = 0.022). No statistically significant changes were observed in total cholesterol (TC), triglycerides (TG), serum leptin, or hs-CRP. Significant correlation was observed between TC and hs-CRP during fasting (P = 0.036), but not with TG, LDL-C, or HDL-C (P > 0.05). Neither of these correlated with serum leptin (P > 0.05), but significant correlation was observed between hs-CRP and serum leptin (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Ramadan fasting in stable cardiac patients has no effect on their clinical status, serum leptin, or hs-CRP, but results in decrease in HDL-C, increase in LDL-C, with significant correlation between TC and hs-CRP during Ramadan, but not with TG, LDL-C, or HDL-C, and with significant correlation between hs-CRP and serum leptin before, during, and after fasting.

Marital status and outcome of patients presenting with acute coronary syndrome: an observational report.

UNLABELLED: BACKGROUND & HYPOTHESIS: Data on the clinical characteristics and outcome of patients presenting with acute coronary syndrome (ACS) according to their marital status is not clear. METHODS: A total of 5334 patients presenting with ACS in 65 hospitals in 6 Middle East countries in the 2nd Gulf Registry of Acute Coronary Events (Gulf RACE-2) were studied according to their marital status (5024 married, 100 single, and 210 widowed patients). RESULT: When compared to married patients, widowed patients were older and more likely to be female. Widowed patients were more likely to have diabetes mellitus, hypertension, history of heart failure, and peripheral vascular disease and were less likely to be tobacco users when compared to the other groups. Widowed patients were also more likely to present with atypical symptoms and have advanced Killip class. Widowed patients were more likely to present with non-ST-elevation myocardial infarction (NSTEMI) when compared to the other 2 groups. Widowed patients were more likely to have heart failure (P = 0.001), cardiogenic shock (P = 0.001), and major bleeding (P = 0.002) when compared to the other groups. No statistically significant difference was observed in regard to duration of hospital stay, door to needle time in STEMI patients, or cardiac arrhythmias between the various groups. Widowed patients had higher in-hospital, 30-day, and 1-year mortality rates (P = 0.001). Marital status was an independent predictor for in-hospital mortality. CONCLUSION: Widowed marital status was associated with worse cardiovascular risk profile, and worse in-hospital and 1-year outcome. Future work should be focused on whether the provision of psychosocial support will result in improved outcomes among this high-risk group.