Impact of heart rate on myocardial salvage in timely reperfused patients with STSegment elevation myocardial infarction. new insights from cardiovascular magnetic resonance

BACKGROUND: Previous studies evaluating the progression of the necrotic wave in relation to heart rate were carried out only in animal models of ST-elevated myocardial infarction (STEMI). Aim of the study was to investigate changes of myocardial salvage in relation to different heart rates at hospital admission in timely reperfused patients with STEMI by using cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR). METHODS: One hundred-eighty-seven patients with STEMI successfully and timely treated with primary coronary angioplasty underwent CMR five days after hospital admission. According to the heart rate at presentation, patients were subcategorized into 5 quintiles: <55 bpm (group I, n = 44), 55-64 bpm (group II, n = 35), 65-74 bpm (group III, n = 35), 75-84 bpm (group IV, n = 37), ≥85 bpm (group V, n = 36). Area at risk, infarct size, microvascular obstruction (MVO) and myocardium salvaged index (MSI) were assessed by CMR using standard sequences. RESULTS: Lower heart rates at presentation were associated with a bigger amount of myocardial salvage after reperfusion. MSI progressively decreased as the heart rates increased (0.54 group I, 0.46 group II, 0.38 group III, 0.34 group IV, 0.32 group V, p<0.001). Stepwise multivariable analysis showed heart rate, peak troponin and the presence of MVO were independent predictor of myocardial salvage. No changes related to heart rate were observed in relation to area at risk and infarct size. CONCLUSIONS: High heart rates registered before performing coronary angioplasty in timely reperfused patients with STEMI are associated with a reduction in salvaged myocardium. In particular, salvaged myocardium significantly reduced when heart rate at presentation is ≥85 bpm

Stratificazione del rischio negli infarti senza onde-Q: ruolo dell'ecocardiografia a riposo e da sforzo

To assess the relation between the extent of myocardial necrosis and the presence of myocardium at risk in myocardial infarction without Q waves (NQMI) we studied by echocardiography the prevalence of jeopardized myocardium in a group of NQMI stratified on the basis of left ventricular wall motion (akinesis, hypokinesis, normal kinesis). We have studied 60 consecutive patients with non-Q myocardial infarction. Patients were examined by 2D echo at rest (V-VI day from the acute episode) and during symptoms limited bicycle ergometric test (ExT) (XX-XXX day). Regional left ventricular wall motion was evaluated as normal or asynergic (severe hypokinetic, akinetic) and the ExT was considered positive in case of new asynergic areas or ECG criteria. 2D echo at rest was technically satisfactory in 56 patients, 19 showed almost an akinetic segment (Aci) 17 had hypokinetic areas (Ipo) and 20 had normal left ventricle kinesis (Norc). Wall motion abnormalities were localized more frequently in the apex and lateral areas. During exercise 2D echo was performed in 46 patients (82%) with 23 positive tests (50%). Stratifying the population on the basis of left ventricle wall motion we observed a major number of positive tests in the group of patients with normal wall motion in comparison with those with asynergic areas at rest (Norc 66.6%, Ipo 35.7%, Aci 42.6% p less than 0.05 Nore vs Ipo and Nore vs Aci) despite the same CAD extension. These data show the heterogeneity of the NQMI that likely includes patients with transmural (asynergy group) and subendocardial MI (normal kinesis group), the latter with a higher degree of myocardium at risk

Glofitamab, a Novel, Bivalent CD20-Targeting T-Cell–Engaging Bispecific Antibody, Induces Durable Complete Remissions in Relapsed or Refractory B-Cell Lymphoma: A Phase I Trial

Glofitamab; B-Cell Lymphoma; RelapsedGlofitamab; Linfoma de células B; RecaídaGlofitamab; Limfoma de cèl·lules B; RecaigudaPURPOSE Glofitamab is a T-cell–engaging bispecific antibody possessing a novel 2:1 structure with bivalency for CD20 on B cells and monovalency for CD3 on T cells. This phase I study evaluated glofitamab in relapsed or refractory (R/R) B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma (B-NHL). Data for single-agent glofitamab, with obinutuzumab pretreatment (Gpt) to reduce toxicity, are presented. METHODS Seven days before the first dose of glofitamab (0.005-30 mg), all patients received 1,000 mg Gpt. Dose-escalation steps were determined using a Bayesian continuous reassessment method with overdose control. Primary end points were safety, pharmacokinetics, and the maximum tolerated dose of glofitamab. RESULTS Following initial single-patient cohorts, 171 patients were treated within conventional multipatient cohorts and received at least one dose of glofitamab. This trial included heavily pretreated patients with R/R B-NHL; most were refractory to prior therapy (155; 90.6%) and had received a median of three prior therapies. One hundred and twenty-seven patients (74.3%) had diffuse large B-cell lymphoma, transformed follicular lymphoma, or other aggressive histology, and the remainder had indolent lymphoma subtypes. Five (2.9%) patients withdrew from treatment because of adverse events. Cytokine release syndrome occurred in 86 of 171 (50.3%) patients (grade 3 or 4: 3.5%); two (1.2%) patients experienced grade 3, transient immune effector cell–associated neurotoxicity syndrome-like symptoms. The overall response rate was 53.8% (complete response [CR], 36.8%) among all doses and 65.7% (CR, 57.1%) in those dosed at the recommended phase II dose. Of 63 patients with CR, 53 (84.1%) have ongoing CR with a maximum of 27.4 months observation. CONCLUSION In patients with predominantly refractory, aggressive B-NHL, glofitamab showed favorable activity with frequent and durable CRs and a predictable and manageable safety profile

Influence of residual perfusion within the infarct zone on the natural history of left ventricular dysfunction after acute myocardial infarction.

This study used myocardial contrast echocardiography to investigate the extent of residual perfusion within the infarct zone in a select group of patients with recently reperfused myocardial infarction and evaluated its influence on the ultimate infarct size. BACKGROUND: Limited information is available on the status of myocardial perfusion within postischemic dysfunctional segments at predischarge and on its influence on late regional and global functional recovery. METHODS: Twenty patients with acute myocardial infarction were selected for the study. Patients met the following inclusion criteria: 1) single-vessel coronary artery disease; 2) patency of infarct-related artery with persistent postischemic dysfunctional segments at predischarge; 3) stable clinical condition up to 6 months after hospital discharge. All selected patients underwent coronary angiography and myocardial contrast echocardiography before hospital discharge and repeated the echocardiographic examination 6 months later. Patients were grouped according to the pattern of contrast enhancement in predischarge dysfunctional segments. RESULTS: In nine patients (group I), the length of segments showing abnormal contraction coincided with that of the contrast defect segments. In the remaining 11 patients (group II), postischemic dysfunctional segments were partly or completely reperfused. There was no difference between the two groups in asynergic segment length at predischarge (7.3 +/- 2.5 vs. 7.2 +/- 4.3 cm, p = NS). At follow-up study, asynergic segment length was significantly reduced in group II patients, whereas no changes were observed in group I patients (from 7.2 +/- 4.3 to 4.7 +/- 3.7 cm, p < 0.005; and from 7.3 +/- 2.5 to 7.5 +/- 2.9 cm, p = NS, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: Among patients with a predischarge patent infarct-related artery, further improvement in regional and global function may be expected during follow-up when residual perfusion in the infarct zone is present

Nuovi "devices" nel trattamento invasivo dell' infarto miocardico acuto.

Primary angioplasty has been demonstrated to be the best reperfusion therapy in patients with acute myocardial infarction. Anyway, its efficacy is reduced by the distal embolization, above all in the setting of acute myocardial infarction. In the last years, many devices have been designed in order to limit this complication which may lead to a poor prognosis. This review will focus on the different devices of thrombectomy and distal protection, until now available in a cath lab

Acute hemodynamic effects of inhaled nitric oxide, dobutamine and a combination of the two in patients with mild to moderate secondary pulmonary hypertension

INTRODUCTION: The use of low-dose dobutamine to maintain hemodynamic stability in pulmonary hypertension may have a detrimental effect on gas exchange. The aim of this study was to investigate whether inhaled nitric oxide (INO), dobutamine and a combination of the two have beneficial effects in patients with end-stage airway lung disease and pulmonary hypertension. METHOD: Hemodynamic evaluation was assessed 10 min after the administration of each drug and of their combination, in 28 candidates for lung transplantation. RESULTS: Administration of INO caused a reduction in mean pulmonary arterial pressure (MPAP), an increase in PaO(2) with a significant reduction in venous admixture effect (Q(s)/Q(t)).Dobutamine administration caused an increase in cardiac index and MPAP, with a decrease in PaO(2) as a result of a higher Q(s)/Q(t). Administration of a combination of the two drugs caused an increase in the cardiac index without MPAP modification and an increase in PaO(2) and Q(s)/Q(t). CONCLUSION: Dobutamine and INO have complementary effects on pulmonary circulation. Their association may be beneficial in the treatment of patients with mild to moderate pulmonary hypertension

Effects of abciximab and preprocedural glycemic control in diabetic patients undergoing elective coronary stenting

Am Heart J. 2005 Jun;149(6):1135. Effects of abciximab and preprocedural glycemic control in diabetic patients undergoing elective coronary stenting. De Luca L, De Persio G, Minati M, Iacoboni C, Fedele F. Source Department of Cardiovascular and Respiratory Sciences, La Sapienza University, Rome, Italy. [email protected] Abstract BACKGROUND: In diabetic patients, the combination of abciximab with stenting has been demonstrated to be the standard of care to reduce target vessel revascularization (TVR) and mortality. Moreover, a preprocedural hyperglycemia has been associated with a higher rate of TVR after an elective stent implantation. We sought to evaluate the effects of abciximab and/or preprocedural glycemic control on 30 and 180 days of TVR and on 1-year major adverse cardiac events (MACE-cardiac mortality, TVR, and myocardial infarction) in diabetic patients undergoing elective coronary stenting. METHODS: From January 2002 through May 2003, diabetic patients undergoing elective stenting of de novo coronary artery lesions were randomized to abciximab or placebo infusion. Preprocedural hyperglycemia was defined as fasting plasma glucose >or=126 mg/dL (7.0 mmol/L) immediately before the procedure. RESULTS: A total of 122 consecutive patients with diabetes (62.4 +/- 10.2 years, 80 men) were enrolled in the study. Sixty-nine (56.5%) were randomly assigned to receive abciximab (34 with and 35 without preprocedural hyperglycemia) and 53 (43.5%) to placebo (23 with and 30 without hyperglycemia). Target vessel revascularization was significantly lower in diabetic patients who received abciximab at 30 days (2.9% and 2.8% vs 8.7% and 6.6% in nonabciximab group with or without hyperglycemia, respectively, P < .01) but not at 6 months (31.4% and 26.5% vs 30% and 28.7%, P = NS). Conversely, the cumulative incidence of MACE was significantly higher among diabetic patients with preprocedural hyperglycemia (64.7% and 65.2%) versus diabetic patients with preprocedural glycemic control (37.1% and 40%), treated with or without abciximab, respectively (P < .05). CONCLUSIONS: A preprocedural hyperglycemia is associated with a higher rate of MACE, regardless of the use of abciximab, in diabetic patients undergoing elective coronary stenting. PMID: 15976799 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE

Degree of residual stenosis of the infarct-related artery. Another variable affecting recovery of regional function after thrombolysis.

AIMS: The aim of this study was to analyse the relationship between infarct-related artery residual stenosis, assessed by quantitative coronary angiography, and left ventricular function changes during the in-hospital period in patients with acute myocardial infarction undergoing thrombolytic treatment. METHODS AND RESULTS: The study population consisted of 90 patients with acute myocardial infarction treated with thrombolysis within 6 h of the onset of symptoms. Left ventricular function was serially assessed by an echocardiographic asynergy score (before thrombolysis and pre-discharge). Left ventricular end-diastolic and end-systolic volumes were also calculated. Coronary stenosis was evaluated by computer-assisted videodensitometric analysis at pre-discharge coronary angiography. Three subgroups were identified on the basis of left ventricular function changes: 25 patients (Group A) with regional myocardial improvement (echo score from 7.5 +/- 3.5 to 4.3 +/- 3.2), 51 (Group B) with no variation in echo score (4.8 +/- 2.7) and 14 (Group C) with myocardial regional worsening (echo score from 4.4 +/- 2.1 to 8.8 +/- 2.4). Group A patients exhibited a very high incidence of infarct-related artery patency (23/25 patients, 92%) vs 71% with unchanged (Group B) and 14% (Group C) with worsening regional left ventricular function (P < 0.001). Subdivision of the study population on the basis of residual stenosis severity showed that a significant improvement in left ventricular function was present only in the subgroup with residual stenosis < 75% (echo score from 5.2 +/- 3.4 to 3.6 +/- 2.9, P < 0.001). CONCLUSION: These results support the important role exerted by complete coronary patency after thrombolysis in inducing left ventricular function recovery, and the poor functional improvement in patients with incomplete coronary patency

Dipyridamole myocardial contrast echocardiography in patients with single vessel coronary artery disease: perfusion, anatomic and functional correlates

The aim of this study was to examine whether myocardial contrast echocardiography (MCE) may be used to study regional myocardial blood flow distribution during dipyridamole-induced hyperemia. MCE was performed before and after dipyridamole infusion in 11 patients with a proximal, significant left anterior descending (LAD) coronary artery stenosis. The relation between contrast-derived parameters and the degree of coronary narrowing and the occurrence of transient regional wall motion abnormalities was also investigated. In the territory supplied by left circumflex coronary artery, mean peak contrast intensity increased after dipyridamole from 50 +/- 18 to 76 +/- 27 IU (p or = 10 IU after dipyridamole administration separated normal regions from those supplied by a significant coronary artery lesion with a sensitivity of 91% and a specificity of 91%. Perfusion abnormalities were always detected by contrast echocardiography when septal motion abnormalities developed and, in five patients they were detected in the absence of clinical, electrocardiographic, and echocardiographic signs of ischemia. A weak correlation was found between both peak intensity and area under the curve and percent coronary diameter stenosis and cross-sectional area. In conclusion, dipyridamole MCE can be used during routine coronary angiography to assess myocardial blood flow distribution in patients with coronary artery diseas