Abrupt closure: The CAVEAT I experience

Objectives.This study sought to assess the incidence and consequences of abrupt closure in a series of patients undergoing directional coronary atherectomy versus percutaneous coronary angioplasty.Background.Abrupt closure with coronary angioplasty has been associated with adverse outcome. The results from the Coronary Angioplasty Versus Excisional Atherectomy Trial (CAVEAT) I, a randomized trial of coronary angioplasty versus directional coronary atherectomy, were analyzed.Method.This multicenter trial enrolled 1,012 patients from 1991 to 1992. All records from patients with abrupt closure, which was coded as a discrete complication, were reviewed.Results.Abrupt closure occurred in 60 patients (5.9%) and was associated with a significantly longer hospital stay (median 8 vs. 3 days). Severe proximal target vessel tortuosity was more common in patients with abrupt closure (20.3% vs. 11.6%, p = 0.046), as was preexistent coronary artery thrombus (30.5% vs. 18.3%, p = 0.02). Abrupt closure was associated with a marked increase in subsequent complications (myocardial infarction 46.7% vs. 2.1%, emergency bypass surgery 383% vs. 0.32%, death 33% vs. 0%) and occurred more frequently in the directional coronary atherectomy group (8.0% vs. 3.8%, p = 0.005). In the coronary angioplasty group, the occlusion usually occurred at the target lesion (91%), presumably related to the effects of barotrauma. In the directional coronary atherectomy group, the site of the occlusion was the target lesion in only 58% (p = 0.045). The remaining occlusions related to problems with the technique (guide catheter or nose cone trauma), reflecting the fact that directional coronary atherectomy is a more complex procedure.Conclusions.Abrupt closure remains the principal determinant of adverse outcome after percutaneous procedures for the treatment of coronary artery disease. Although abrupt closure is more common with directional atherectomy than angioplasty, the sequelae are similar

Comparison of front-loaded recombinant tissue-type plasminogen activator, anistreplase and combination thrombolytic therapy for acute myocardial infarction: Results of the thrombolysis in myocardial infarction (TIMI) 4 trial

AbstractObjectives. The aim of our study was to determine a superior tbrombolytic regimen from three: anistreplase (APSAC), frontloaded recombinant tissue-type plasminogen activator (rt-PA) or combination thrombolytic therapy.Background. Although thrombolytic therapy has been shown to reduce mortality and morbidity after acute myocardial infarction, it has not been clear whether more aggressive thrombolyticantithrombotic regimens could improve the outcome achieved with standard regimens.Methods. To address this issue, 382 patients with acute myocardial infection were randomized to receive in a double-blind fashion (along with intravenous heparin and aspirin) APSAC, front-loaded rt-PA or a combination of both agents. The primary end point “unsatisfactory outcome” was a composite clinical end point assessed through hospital discharge.Results. Patency of the infarct-related artery (Thrombolysis in Myocardial Infarction [TIMI] grade 2 or 3 flow) at 60 min after the start of thrombolysis was significantly higher in rt-PA-treated patients (77.8% vs. 59.5% for APSAC-treated patients and 59.3% for combination-treated patients [rt-PA vs. APSAC, p = 0.02; rt-PA vs. combination, p = 0.03]). At 90 min, the incidence of both infarct-related artery patency and TIMI grade 3 flow was significantly higher in rt-PA-treated patients (60.2% had TIMI grade 3 flow vs. 42.9% and 44.8% of APSAC- and combination-treated patients, respectively [rt-PA vs. APSAC, p < 0.01; rt-PA vs. combination, p = 0.02]). The incidence of unsatisfactory outcome was 41.3% for rt-PA compared with 49% for APSAC and 53.6% for the combination (rt-PA vs. APSAC, p = 0.19; rt-PA vs. combination, p = 0.06). The mortality rate at 6 weeks was lowest in the rt-PA-treated patients (2.2% vs. 8.8% for APSAC and 7.2% for combination thrombolytic therapy [rt-PA vs. APSAC, p = 0.02; rt-PA vs. combination, p = 0.06]).Conclusions. Front-loaded rt-PA achieved significantly higher rates of early reperfusion and was associated with trends toward better overall clinical benefit and survival than those achieved with a standard thrombolytic agent or combination thrombolytic therapy. These findings support the concept that more rapid reperfusion of the infarct-related artery is associated with improved clinical outcome

A-081:The utility of ankle-brachial index (ABI) in risk stratifying patients undergoing evaluation for coronary artery disease (CAD)

BACKGROUND: Despite its efficacy at identifying patients with CAD, stress tests still have a high incidence of inconclusive results. PAD is associated with CAD and poor outcomes. Abnormal ABI results are associated with an elevated CV risk. Research in the utility of ABI test- ing to further risk stratify patients undergoing stress tests is limited. In such patients who have undergone coronary angiograms, we studied the relationship of ABIs with the severity of CAD, as measured by the SYNTAX score, and whether an abnormal ABI can further risk stratify indeterminate stress echocardiograms. METHODS: Patients who underwent an ABI and stress echocardiogra- phy followed by a coronary angiogram between January 2010 and De- cember 2014 at Loyola University were reviewed. Among these patients, only those with diagnostic studies performed within a six year timespan were included. A retrospective analysis was conducted. Analysis included demographics, stress test parameters, ABIs and SYNTAX scores. The Student’s t-test and Fischer exact test were used with signifi- cance at p RESULTS: A total of 199 patients were studied (41% females, mean age 63). Group A (95 patients) included patients with abnormal and bor- derline ABIs (ABI ¼ 1.00 and \u3c 1.30). Baseline characteristics were sim- ilar between groups A and B, except for higher incidence of smoking and diabetes in group A. SYNTAX score was significantly higher in Group A (mean 24.3 þ/5.3) vs B (mean 11.1 þ/4.2), p CONCLUSION: PAD, as demonstrated by ABIs, is associated with an increased severity and complexity of CAD, as demonstrated by the SYNTAX score. ABIs, when combined with a stress echocardiogram, can help further risk stratify patients being evaluated for CAD. Additional study of the association of PAD with CAD to help guide di- agnosis and management of CV disease is warranted

Alcohol septal ablation for the treatment of hypertrophic obstructive cardiomyopathy: A multicenter north american registry

Objectives: The purpose of the study is to identify the predictors of clinical outcome (mortality and survival without repeat septal reduction procedures) of alcohol septal ablation for the treatment of patients with hypertrophic obstructive cardiomyopathy. Background: Alcohol septal ablation is used for treatment of medically refractory hypertrophic obstructive cardiomyopathy patients with severe outflow tract obstruction. The existing literature is limited to single-center results, and predictors of clinical outcome after ablation have not been determined. Registry results can add important data. Methods: Hypertrophic obstructive cardiomyopathy patients (N = 874) who underwent alcohol septal ablation were enrolled. The majority (64%) had severe obstruction at rest, and the remaining had provocable obstruction. Before ablation, patients had severe dyspnea (New York Heart Association [NYHA] functional class III or IV: 78%) and/or severe angina (Canadian Cardiovascular Society angina class III or IV: 43%). Results: Significant improvement (p \u3c 0.01) occurred after ablation (∼5% in NYHA functional classes III and IV, and 8 patients in Canadian Cardiovascular Society angina class III). There were 81 deaths, and survival estimates at 1, 5, and 9 years were 97%, 86%, and 74%, respectively. Left anterior descending artery dissections occurred in 8 patients and arrhythmias in 133 patients. A lower ejection fraction at baseline, a smaller number of septal arteries injected with ethanol, a larger number of ablation procedures per patient, a higher septal thickness post-ablation, and the use beta-blockers post-ablation predicted mortality. Conclusions: Variables that predict mortality after ablation, include baseline ejection fraction and NYHA functional class, the number of septal arteries injected with ethanol, post-ablation septal thickness, beta-blocker use, and the number of ablation procedures. © 2011 American College of Cardiology Foundation