Ishod bolesti u bolesnika s akutnim infarktom miokarda sa ST-elevacijom i šećernom bolesti tipa 2 liječenih primarnom perkutanom koronarnom intervencijom i ishemijskim postkondicioniranjem

INTRODUCTION: Data from the World Health Organization (WHO) for 2005 indicates that 17.5 million people died of cardiovascular diseases in the world, of which 7.6 million died from coronary heart disease. Diseases of the heart and blood vessels are not only the leading cause of death and hospital treatment, but also rank second in terms of number of days of hospitalization and morbidity registered in the sectors of primary health care. Myocardial infarction is a common and dangerous complication of ischemic diseases. It consists of myocardial necrosis due to critical ischemia usually resulting from atherosclerotic narrowing of the blood vessels with the addition of a thrombus. Myocardial infarction is extremely significant due to high mortality (approximately a quarter of the total mortality in developed countries is caused by acute myocardial infarction) and disability. Patients usually die within the first hour of the occurrence of acute myocardial infarction (about 50% of the total mortality of acute myocardial infarction) due to cardiac arrhythmias. It is diagnosed by changes on the ECG, elevated troponin T and I, CK-MB, and invasive diagnostic method – cardiac catheterization. The goal of the treatment is to achieve rapid, complete and stable blood flow in the infarction affected coronary artery in order to limit infarct size, improvement of left ventricular function and reduction in mortality and disability. Primary PCI (primary percutaneous coronary intervention PPCI) is the golden standard in reperfusion treatment of acute myocardial infarction with ST–segment elevation (STEMI) one of the specific risk factors for myocardial infarction is diabetes. Several studies demonstrate that atherosclerotic changes in the coronary arteries of diabetics are severe, diffusely distributed, often in small blood vessels and are usually unsuitable for percutaneous coronary intervention procedure. Diabetic patients with coronary heart disease, when compared with patients without diabetes, tend to have double or triple vessel coronary disease. A quarter of patients with acute myocardial infarction suffer from type 2 diabetes. A significant feature of these patients is the presence of atypical symptoms of the disease and the development of heart failure, a common complication of acute myocardial infarction. Diabetic patients with acute myocardial infarction have two times higher mortality rate than patients without diabetes. Ischemic postconditioning is an intervention in which brief, intermittent periods of reocclusion at the onset of reperfusion protect myocardium from lethal reperfusion injury. It consists of four balloon occlusions, each lasting 30 seconds, followed by 30 seconds of reperfusion The mechanism of the cardio protective effects of ischemic postconditioning is 81 still not completely understood, however, it is perceived that ischemic postconditioning begins with specific cell-surface receptors responsible for activating a number of signalling pathways, many of which appear to converge at the mitochondrial level GOAL: The aim of this paper is to examine whether the use of ischemic postconditioning during primary percutaneous coronary intervention in patients with type 2 diabetes and acute myocardial infarction – STEMI results in reduction in the incidence of restenosis, the reduced area of the lesion of myocardial infarction, and improvement of the overall outcomes of cardiovascular disease, when compared to patients with type 2 diabetes and acute myocardial infarction – STEMI treated with primary percutaneous coronary intervention without the use of ischemic postconditioning. METHODS: The study included 100 patients with acute myocardial infarction – STEMI and type 2 diabetes who were divided into two groups: 50 patients with an average age of 60 treated with ischemic postconditioning during primary percutaneous coronary intervention and 50 patients with an average age of 60 years treated with primary percutaneous coronary intervention without the use of ischemic postconditioning. Study inclusion criteria for patients were as follows. Patients involved in the study had to be treated with insulin therapy for at least one year prior to study entry. The time elapsed from the onset of symptoms to the start of primary percutaneous coronary intervention in all patients included in the study had to be <120 min, as recommended by ACC / AHA. All patients had “drug-eluting stent” planted on the target lesion i.e. – drug-coated stent (Cypher stent). Study exclusion criteria for patients were: previously suffered myocardial infarction, coronary bypass grafting done, prior cardiac decompensation (i.e. patients with NYHA class III and IV) and those patients who, due to the severity of coronarography findings, had to have an immediate coronary artery bypass grafting – CABG. During the first hospitalization data analysis was carried out: anamnesis of the therapy before hospitalization, and TIMI risk score was used to assess the risk of cardiovascular events in both groups of patients. Coronary angiography was graded according to Syntax score. Recording the increase in the biohumoral enzymes (troponin, CK-MB), measuring the initial troponin and CK-MB, then measuring 24 h later and every other day up to 7th day of hospitalization. Echocardiography confirmed the EF (per Simpson) and WMSI, and they recorded cardiac incidents occurred during the hospitalization of the patient (arrhythmias – VF, VT, early stent restenosis, decompensation, ...). Follow up was undertaken after a year when the echocardiography found EF and WMSI. The anamnesis review determined the existence of what was up to that point potential previous cardiac incidents, hence the ergometry exercise test was carried out to objectify the existence of post-infarction angina pectoris. RESULTS: The values of troponin were measured from the date of occurrence of the myocardial infarction up to 7th day following the infarction. There was no statistically significant difference between the values of troponin between the two groups. The study noted a significant statistical difference in the values of troponin on the fourth day following the infarction. The subjects in the control group had higher values than those in the experimental group. The values of creatine kinase muscle fraction were presented, also from the occurrence of the myocardial infarction up to the 7th day following the infarction. There were, also, no differences between the control and experimental groups of subjects. The study has not proven the difference in the EF and WMSI between groups. The total number of complications up to seven day following the myocardial infarction did not differ between the patients in the control and experimental group. There was no difference in the frequency of arrhythmias within seven days of myocardial infarction between the groups of subjects; the incidence of stenosis within seven days of myocardial infarction in the examination group, as well as the difference in rates of heart decompensation within seven days of myocardial infarction did not defer from those in the control group. There were no fatal outcomes in the control group of patients, while two patients died in the experimental group. After a year, the follow-up examination did not show significant differences in ejection fraction and WMSI between the two groups of subjects. A statistically significant negative correlation between the sum of the TIMI risk and ejection fraction in myocardial infarction (rs = - 0.262; P = 0.009).The higher the TIMI risk score was the value of the ejection fraction was lower. A similar correlation has been demonstrated for Syntax sum and ejection fraction in myocardial infarction (rs = - 0.318; P = 0.001), and in the follow-up examination (rs = - 0.293; P = 0.004). Analysis of the complications in the follow-up examination revealed that there were no repeated myocardial infarctions (Table 16). The differences in the incidence of restenosis of blood vessels between the subjects in the examination and the control group were not demonstrated at follow-up examination, and there was no difference in the outcome of ergonomics at the follow up examination between patients in the examination and the control group

Pseudoaneurysm of the ascending aorta and superior vena cava syndrome after aortic valve replacement

Introduction: Ascending aortic pseudoaneurysm is a rare, sometimes fatal complication after aortic surgical procedures. Contrast computed tomographic scan is the investigation of choice. Transesophageal echocardiography is helpful before, during and after treatment of pseudoaneurysm. Surgical treatment of pseudoaneurysm is often considered like treatment of choice but is associated with high morbidity and mortality. Sometimes transcatheter closure may be an effective treatment in selected patients.1,2 We describe the successful management of a pseudoaneurysm of the ascending aorta which was united with fistula between superior vena cava and aortic pseudoaneurysm. Case report: 71-year-old male came to hospital with superior vena cava syndrome which manifested in facial swelling, neck distension, and enlarged veins of the upper chest, which developed two days before admission. One year ago, he had aortic valve replacement with biological valve, mitral valve repair, plastic of tricuspidal valve and implantation of the pacemaker. Chest computed tomography showed pseudoaneurysm dimension 85x57x65 mm on right lateral contour of the ascending aorta. The neck of pseudoaneurysm was 17 mm in diameter. In the area of dorsal contour of pseudoaneurysm sachets was communication with a vena cava superior in the sense of fistula. A transesophageal echocardiography exam shows pulsatile flow between aorta and pseudoaneurysm. After a heart time discussion, the percutaneous approach was undertaken. In the Hybrid operating room under transesophageal echocardiography and fluoroscopic guidance the Amplatzer duct occluder device was placed in the neck of pseudoaneurysm, but day after procedure control transesophageal echocardiography showed flow right next to device between pseudoaneurysm and aorta. The high velocity blood flow move Amplatzer device. Next day patients has open chest surgery with pseudoaneurysmectomy, reconstruction of ascending aorta and reparation defect of the superior vena cava. Several days after surgery the facial and neck swelling was disappeared, and patient felt better

Prosthetic heart valve thrombosis

Prosthetic heart valve thrombosis is one of the most dreaded complications of mechanical heart valves. Suboptimal anticoagulation is the major risk for developing prosthetic heart valve thrombosis. Prosthetic heart valve thrombosis usually presents with dyspnea or embolic events1. We present patient with prosthetic heart valve thrombosis without any symptoms, diagnosed via transthoracic echocardiography twenty days after mitral valve replacement during regular echocardiograph follow-up. In the medical history we obtained the information that the patient didn’t take anticoagulation drugs for five days after hospital discharge. Transthoracic echocardiography control revealed reduced leaflet mobility and high transvalvular gradients: MV maxPG 22mmHg, MV meanPG 12mmHg (Figure 1). Transesophageal echocardiography showed the presence of thrombus on prosthetic valve measuring 11x7 mm. Patient was readmitted to the hospital and treated with thrombolytic drug alteplase. According to the American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association Guidelines fibrinolysis can be considered in a thrombosed left-sided prosthetic heart valve, which is of recent onset (<14 days) with class I-II symptoms and a small thrombus on transesophageal echocardiography. Control echocardiography after treatment (Figure 2) showed MV meanPG 3.9mmHg and normal mobility of mitral valve. Successful thrombolytic therapy was followed by warfarin and intravenous unfractionated heparin until the INR is 3-4. Current American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association Guidelines assign Class I recommendation to transthoracic echocardiography or transesophageal echocardiography imaging in patient with prosthetic valve only in the presence of clinical symptoms or sings of valve dysfunction. Pathological studies and observational registries indicate that the risk of valve thrombosis highest in the first 3 month after surgical implantation of prosthetic valve, suggesting that anticoagulant thromboprophylaxis in this time frame may be beneficial.2 Early follow up after surgical implantation is important because early detection and treatment of thrombus formation may lead to shortterm reduction in the risk of TE events and long-term prevention of prosthetic valve degeneration

Craniofacial characteristics of Croatian and Syrian populations

Craniofacial area is apart of the human body which undergoes the greatest changes during development and is characterized by uneven growth. External and internal factors affect the growth and development of craniofacial structures. They are responsible for the occurrence of specific craniofacial characteristics in different races or populations within the same race. The present study investigates the possible differences of the basic head and face shapes between the Croatian and Syrian populations. The sample included 400 subjects of both sexes aged 18-24 years and was divided into a Croatian and a Syrian group with 200 subjects each. Six variables defined according to Martin and Saller were measured by standard anthropometric instruments. The results of the study demonstrated statistically significant differences between our subjects in all variables except face width. The dolichocephalic head type and the mesoprosopic face type were predominant in the Croatian population, while the brachycephalic head type and the euryprosopic face type dominated in the Syrian population

Craniofacial Characteristics of Croatian and Syrian Populations

Craniofacial area is a part of the human body which undergoes the greatest changes during development and is characterized by uneven growth. External and internal factors affect the growth and development of craniofacial structures. They are responsible for the occurrence of specific craniofacial characteristics in different races or populations within the same race. The present study investigates the possible differences of the basic head and face shapes between the Croatian and Syrian populations. The sample included 400 subjects of both sexes aged 18–24 years and was divided into a Croatian and a Syrian group with 200 subjects each. Six variables defined according to Martin and Saller were measured by standard anthropometric instruments19. The results of the study demonstrated statistically significant differences between our subjects in all variables except face width. The dolichocephalic head type and the mesoprosopic face type were predominant in the Croatian population, while the brachycephalic head type and the euryprosopic face type dominated in the Syrian population

Type A aortic dissection during delivery

Synopsis This brief communication describes a rare case of type A aortic dissection successfully managed with aortic replacement following cesarean section