A Case of Acute Coronary Syndrome Secondary to Recurrent Left Ventricular Outlet Tract Aneurysm after Aortic Valve Endocarditis

Background: Left Ventricular Outflow Tract Pseudoaneurysm (LVOT PSA) is one of the rare but potentially life-threatening complications of Aortic valve endocarditis (AVE

Racial Variation in the Complexity of Coronary Artery Disease in Patients with Acute ST-Segment Elevation Myocardial Infarction

BACKGROUND: Racial variations in presentation of patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) have been suggested. METHODS: This was a retrospective analysis of a tertiary center from 2012 to 2016. We included patients presenting with acute STEMI who received primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). The main outcome was racial variation in the complexity of coronary artery disease assessed by SYNTAX score. We also reported predictors of higher SYNTAX scores in the study population. RESULTS: Our final analysis included 260 patients: 201 Whites (77.3%), 24 African Americans-AA (9.2%), 19 Hispanics (7.3%) and 15 were of other ethnicities (5.8%). The mean SYNTAX score was 13.8 ± 7.7. There was no significant difference between Whites, AA, Hispanics and other races in the SYNTAX score (13.8 ± 7.7, 13.4 ± 7.9, 14.5 ± 9 and 13.5 ± 6.6, p = 0.965). Logistic regression analysis identified chronic kidney disease as the only significant predictor of higher SYNTAX score (Coefficient = 3.5, 95%CI:0.41-6.60, p = 0.026), while no significant association was identified between different races and higher SYNTAX score. CONCLUSION: The current study did not identify racial variations in the complexity of coronary artery disease for STEMI patients. Further studies are needed at a larger scale to identify racial variations in STEMI patients

Meta-analysis of randomized trials on percutaneous patent foramen ovale closure for prevention of migraine

BACKGROUND: The role of percutaneous patent foramen ovale (PFO) closure for prevention of migraine is controversial. METHODS: We performed a computerised search of MEDLINE, EMBASE and COCHRANE databases through December 2017 for randomised trials evaluating PFO closure versus control in patients with migraine headaches (with or without aura). The main study outcome was the reduction in monthly migraine attacks after PFO closure compared with the control group. RESULTS: The final analysis included three randomised trials with a total of 484 patients. Reduction in monthly migraine attacks was higher in PFO closure compared with the control group (standardised mean difference-SMD = 0.25; 95% CI: 0.06-0.43; p = .01). There was higher reduction of monthly migraine days in PFO closure group compared with control group (SMD = 0.30; 95% CI: 0.08-0.53; p = .01). There was no statistically significant difference in complete resolution of migraine attacks (OR: 3.67; 95% CI: 0.66-20.41; p = .14) and in responders\u27 rate (OR: 1.92; 95% CI: 0.76-4.85; p = .17) between PFO closure and control groups. In patients whose majority of migraine attacks are with aura, there was an observed reduction in migraine attacks in PFO closure compared with control groups (SMD = 0.86; 95% CI: 0.07-1.65; p = .03). CONCLUSION: PFO closure might be beneficial in migraine patients by reducing migraine attacks and migraine days, especially in patients whose majority of migraine attacks are with aura. However, those benefits were not associated with an improvement in responders\u27 rate or complete resolution of migraine; raising concerns on the magnitude of clinical benefit of PFO closure in migraine prevention

Outcomes of Surgical Ablation in Patients With Atrial Fibrillation Undergoing Cardiac Surgeries

BACKGROUND: Surgical ablation procedure is commonly performed in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) undergoing cardiac surgeries; however, the evidence regarding its impact on in-hospital cardiovascular outcomes is controversial. METHODS: We queried the Nationwide Inpatient Sample Database for patients with AF who underwent cardiac surgeries from 1998 to 2013. We performed a propensity-score matching including 21 various baseline characteristics to compare those who underwent surgical ablation with those who had not. RESULTS: A total of 47,964 hospitalizations were included in our final analysis. On propensity matching, 23,975 were in the surgical ablation group and 23,990 in the control group. The primary outcome of in-hospital mortality was lower in the surgical ablation group compared with the control group (3.6% versus 4.2%, p \u3c 0.001). The surgical ablation group was associated with lower in-hospital cerebrovascular accident (2.0% versus 2.8%, p \u3c 0.001), cardiogenic shock (2.6% versus 3.6%, p \u3c 0.001), use of intraaortic balloon pump (5.1% versus 5.8%, p = 0.001), and shorter length of hospital stay (12.3 ± 10.1 versus 12.5 ± 10.3 days, p = 0.008). There was no difference between the surgical ablation and control groups in the incidence of cardiac tamponade (0.4% versus 0.3%, p = 0.296). The surgical ablation group was associated with a higher rate of complete heart block (5.2% versus 4.3%, p \u3c 0.001) and permanent pacemaker insertion (8.6% versus 8.0%, p = 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: In this large analysis of almost 50,000 patients with AF undergoing cardiac surgery, surgical ablation appears to be safe in the short term. Future studies should focus on evaluating the long-term effectiveness of this procedure

Meta-Analysis of Randomized Trials of Intracoronary Versus Intravenous Glycoprotein IIb/IIIa Inhibitors in Patients With ST-Elevation Myocardial Infarction Undergoing Primary Percutaneous Coronary Intervention

The efficacy and safety of glycoprotein IIb/IIIa inhibitors via intracoronary (IC) route versus the intravenous (IV) route are not well known. We conducted this meta-analysis of randomized trials evaluating the role of IC versus IV glycoprotein IIb/IIIa in patients undergoing primary percutaneous coronary intervention. The analysis included 14 trials with a total of 3,754 patients. The primary outcome of major adverse cardiac events (MACE) had no statistically significant difference between the IC and the IV groups (relative risk [RR] 0.74, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.51 to 1.10). Subgroup analysis showed that short-term MACE (i.e., ≤3 months) was reduced in the IC compared with the IV group; however, long-term MACE (\u3e 3 months) was not. IC group was superior in achievement of post-procedural Thrombolysis In Myocardial Infarction 3 flow (RR 1.06, 95% CI 1.01 to 1.11), myocardial blush grade II to III (RR 1.15, 95% CI 1.08 to 1.23), ST-segment resolution rates (RR 1.15, 95% CI 1.03 to 1.29; p = 0.01), and improvement of left ventricular ejection fraction (standardized mean difference = 4.32, 95% CI 0.91 to 7.74). There was a trend for lower stent thrombosis with IC route (RR 0.50, 95% CI 0.24 to 1.03). There was no significant difference between the 2 groups in all-cause mortality, re-infarction, and major bleeding. In conclusion, despite lack of significant difference in overall MACE outcome, IC glycoprotein IIb/IIIa inhibitors may improve short -term MACE, Thrombolysis In Myocardial Infarction 3 flow, myocardial blush grade II- to III rates, ST-segment resolution, and left ventricular ejection fraction compared with the IV route

Impact of Left Atrial Appendage Exclusion on Cardiovascular Outcomes in Patients With Atrial Fibrillation Undergoing Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting (From the National Inpatient Sample Database)

Left atrial appendage (LAA) exclusion is performed by some surgeons in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) who undergo coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG). However, the available evidence regarding the efficacy and safety of this procedure remains mixed. We queried the Nationwide Inpatient Survey Database for the 10-year period from 2004 to 2013. Using International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Edition, Clinical Modification diagnosis codes, we identified patients who had a diagnosis of AF and underwent a primary procedure of CABG with or without LAA exclusion. We then performed a 1:5 matching based on the CHADSVASc score between patients who got LAA exclusion and those who did not (control group). The primary outcome was the incidence of in-hospital cerebrovascular events, whereas the secondary outcomes included in-hospital bleeding events, pericardial effusion, cardiac tamponade, postoperative shock, and mortality. Our analysis included a total of 15,114 patients. Patients who underwent LAA exclusion had significantly less incidence of cerebrovascular events (2.0% vs 3.1%, p = 0.002). However, LAA exclusion group had higher incidences of bleeding events (36.4% vs 21.3%, p \u3c 0.001), pericardial effusion (2.7% vs 1.2%, p \u3c 0.001), cardiac tamponade (0.6% vs 0.2%, p \u3c 0.001), and postoperative shock (1.2% vs 0.4%, p \u3c 0.001). LAA exclusion was associated with higher in-hospital mortality (1.6% vs 0.3%, p \u3c 0.001). Multivariate regression analysis showed that LAA exclusion was significantly associated with lower cerebrovascular accident events and higher in-hospital mortality. In conclusion, LAA exclusion in patients with AF undergoing CABG might be associated with a lower incidence of in-hospital cerebrovascular events. This benefit is offset by a higher incidence of higher bleeding events, pericardial effusion, cardiac tamponade, postoperative shock, and in-hospital mortality