Effect of ECG-gating Retinal Photographs on Retinal Vessel Caliber Measurements in Subjects with and without Type 2 Diabetes.

Purpose/Aim of this study: Retinal vessel caliber is an independent risk marker of cardiovascular disease risk. However, variable mechanical delays in capturing retinal photographs and cardiac cycle-induced retinal vascular changes have been shown to reduce the accuracy of retinal vessel caliber measurements, but this has only ever been investigated in healthy subjects. This cross-sectional study is the first study to investigate this issue in type 2 diabetes. The aim of this study was to determine whether ECG-gating retinal photographs reduce the variability in retinal arteriolar and venular caliber measurements in controls and type 2 diabetes.Materials and Methods: Fifteen controls and 15 patients with type 2 diabetes were arbitrarily recruited from Westmead Hospital, Sydney, Australia. A mydriatic fundoscope connected to our novel ECG synchronization unit captured 10 ECG-gated (at the QRS) and 10 ungated digital retinal photographs of the left eye in a randomized fashion, blinded to study participants. Two independent reviewers used an in-house semi-automated software to grade single cross-sectional vessel diameters across photographs, between 900 and 1800 microns from the optic disc edge. The coefficient of variation compared caliber variability between retinal arterioles and venules.Results: Our ECG synchronization unit reported the smallest time delay (33.1 ± 48.4 ms) in image capture known in the literature. All 30 participants demonstrated a higher reduction in retinal arteriolar (ungated: 1.02, 95%CI 0.88-1.17% vs ECG-gated: 0.39, 95%CI 0.29-0.49%, p < .0001) than venular (ungated 0.62, 95%CI 0.53-0.73% vs ECG-gated: 0.26, 95%CI 0.19-0.35%, p < .0001) coefficient of variation by ECG-gating photographs. Intra-observer repeatability and inter-observer reproducibility analysis reported high interclass correlation coefficients ranging from 0.80 to 0.86 and 0.80 to 0.93 respectively.Conclusion: ECG-gating photographs at the QRS are recommended for retinal vessel caliber analysis in controls and patients with type 2 diabetes as they refine measurements.

Type-II myocardial infarction and chronic myocardial injury rates, invasive management, and 4-year mortality among consecutive patients undergoing high-sensitivity troponin T testing in the emergency department.

AIMS: As assessment of patients with suspected acute coronary syndromes (ACS) in emergency departments (EDs) represents a major workload because high-sensitivity troponin (HsTn) T and I levels are frequently measured, and a minority of patients have final diagnosis of myocardial infarction (MI). We determined the relative frequencies of three patients groups: Type-I MI, Type-II MI (including acute myocardial injury). METHODS AND RESULTS: Among 2738 consecutive patients with suspected ACS presenting to ED at Liverpool Hospital, Australia, between March and June 2014. We studied the use of invasive and pharmacological therapies, and 4-year outcomes. Adjudication of MI was according to the 4th universal definition as follows: (i) Type-I MI; (ii) Type-II MI (including acute myocardial injury), and (iii) chronic myocardial injury. Of 995 patients (36%) [median age 76 years (interquartile range 65-83)] with ≥2 HsTnT measurements and one >14 ng/L, 727 (73%) had chronic myocardial injury, 171 (17%) had Type-II MI, and 97 (9.7%) had Type-I MI; respective late mortality rates to 48 months were 33%, 43%, and 14% (P < 0.001). In-hospital angiography rates were 95% for patients with Type-I MI, [62% had percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI)] 24% (7% PCI) for those with Type-II MI, and 3.4% for chronic myocardial injury. On Cox modelling for mortality relative to Type 1 MI, adjusted hazard ratios were 1.94 [95% confidence intervals (CIs) 1.06-3.57]; P = 0.032 for Type 2 MI, and for chronic myocardial injury 1.14 (95% CIs 0.64-2.02); P = 0.66. CONCLUSION: Among unselected patients undergoing HsTnT testing in EDs, Type-II MI including acute myocardial injury was more common than Type-I MI. Chronic myocardial injury, which occurred in three of four patients. Whereas patients with Type-II MI had higher late mortality than those with Type-I MI, after multivariable analyses mortality rates were marginally different.

Real-world use of ticagrelor versus clopidogrel in percutaneous coronary intervention-treated ST-elevation myocardial infarction patients: A single-center registry study.

OBJECTIVES: The primary aim was to investigate the efficacy and safety of dual antiplatelet therapy (DAPT) using ticagrelor (T-DAPT) versus clopidogrel (C-DAPT) in a real-world ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) population. METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed 655 consecutive patients having primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) for STEMI at Liverpool Hospital, Sydney, Australia (from January 2013 to April 2016). Medical and procedural therapies were at clinician discretion. Patient data were retrieved from hospital records and primary clinicians. RESULTS: T-DAPT (65%) was used more frequently, and in patients with lower mean CRUSADE (Can Rapid Risk Stratification of Unstable Angina Patients Suppress Adverse Outcomes with Early Implementation of the American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association Guidelines) score, than C-DAPT (24.6 vs. 32.2; p < 0.0001, respectively). All-cause mortality was 9.0% at 2.7 years follow-up, with fewer deaths for T-DAPT (4.5% vs. 17.2%; p < 0.0001). T-DAPT incurred less BARC (Bleeding Academic Research Consortium) 3-5 major bleeding (5.0% vs. 12.4%; p < 0.0001). Multivariate regression showed that C-DAPT, GRACE (Global Registry of Acute Cardiac Events) score, and renal insufficiency were independently associated with mortality. Intra-aortic balloon pump (IABP) and GRACE score independently predicted BARC 3-5 bleeding. Early DAPT discontinuation (1.7%) and ticagrelor intolerance (7.6%) was rare. Switching DAPT regimen was infrequent (21.7%) and mostly attributed to clinician preference (73.2%). Independent determinants of C-DAPT selection were older age, diabetes, prior PCI, IABP, and higher CRUSADE score. CONCLUSION: Ticagrelor was preferred in low bleeding risk patients, which may have contributed to less BARC 3-5 bleeding and lower mortality for T-DAPT. Thus, bleeding mitigation is a clinical priority when selecting DAPT for PCI-treated STEMI patients. Continuation of initial DAPT regimen was typical, but early switching from clopidogrel to ticagrelor shows willingness to optimize DAPT. Patients with very low CRUSADE scores (<21.5) may be appropriate for switching to a potent P2Y12 inhibitor.