Association between Vascular Remodelling and Necrotic Core in Coronary Arteries: Analysis by Intracoronary Ultrasound with Virtual Histology®

ABSTRACTBackgroundAnatomopathological studies suggest an association of positive vascular remodeling and vulnerable coronary plaques. The objective of this study was to verify whether there is a correlation between positive vascular remodeling and necrotic core in atherosclerotic coronary lesions.MethodsWe studied 270 cross sections obtained by Virtual Histology® in 30 patients who had positive remodeling in coronary artery segments with lesions > 50%, identified by coronary angiography. Seven cross sections were assessed per segment of coronary artery, including the cross section with the highest remodeling index, denominated cross section of interest (cross section 4).ResultsMean age was 60.8±8.8 years, 80% were male and 30% were diabetic. Unstable angina was the most frequent clinical presentation (56.6%) and the left anterior descending artery was the most analyzed vessel (43%). The vessel reference area was 15.5±4.9mm2 and the remodeling index in cross section 4 was 1.2±0.1. Repeated measures analysis of variance showed a higher percentage of necrotic core in the cross section of interest (P < 0.001). We observed a positive correlation of coronary artery remodeling and necrotic core (r = 0.79; P < 0.001).ConclusionsPositive coronary artery remodeling is associated to the presence of necrotic core, which characterizes vulnerable atherosclerotic plaques. The search for positive arterial remodeling may be a useful strategy for detecting vulnerable plaques before rupture

ST elevation myocardial infarction with extensive coronary thrombus in a patient with sickle cell anemia myocardial infarction in patients with sickle cell

O infarto agudo do miocárdio em pacientes com anemia falciforme é, muitas vezes, subdiagnosticado em virtude de fatores de confusão (por exemplo, doença vaso-oclusiva, levando a crises dolorosas). Na maioria dos casos relatados na literatura, as artérias coronárias estavam pérvias e sem lesões. Neste relato de caso, descrevemos a presença de trombo coronariano extenso em paciente com anemia falciforme, apresentando-se sob a forma de infarto agudo do miocárdio com supradesnivelamento do segmento ST, manejado satisfatoriamente com a associação de anticoagulantes e antiplaquetários.Myocardial infarction in patients with sickle cell anemia is often underdiagnosed due to confounding factors (e.g., vaso-occlusive disease leading to painful crisis). In the majority of reported cases, the coronary arteries were pervious and without stenotic lesions. In this case report, we describe the presence of an extensive coronary thrombus in a patient with sickle cell anemia presenting with ST elevation myocardial infarction, managed satisfactorily with the association of anticoagulants and antiplatelet drugs

Elevated serum interleukin-6 is predictive of coronary artery disease in intermediate risk overweight patients referred for coronary angiography

Background: Interleukin-6 (IL-6) plays a central role in atherosclerosis and infammation. It may improve risk prediction in patients at intermediate cardiovascular risk. Objective: To analyze the impact of serum IL-6 in predicting early angiographic coronary artery disease in patients at intermediate cardiovascular risk with chest pain. Methods: In a cross-sectional study, patients referred for coronary angiography due to suspected coronary artery disease (CAD) were included. Coronary artery disease was defned as the presence of at least 30% stenosis in one or more coronary artery. Severity of CAD was classifed by the anatomic burden score. Performance of serum IL-6 assay was compared with ACC/AHA atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) risk score and hs-CRP through receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves. Results: We have included 48 patients with a mean 10-year ASCVD risk of 10.0 ± 6.8%. The prevalence of CAD was 72.9%. The presence of CAD was associated with higher mean levels of IL-6 (p = 0.025). Patients with CAD had signifcantly more overweight than subjects without CAD. In 27% of patients, IL-6 was >1.0 pg/mL and 100% of these patients had CAD, while only 64% in those with IL-6 1.0 pg/mL were further reclassifed into ASCVD high risk due to the presence of coronary lesions. Conclusion: In intermediate risk patients referred for coronary angiography, a serum IL-6 level above 1 pg/mL is predictive of signifcant CAD. IL-6 determination may be useful to reclassify ASCVD intermediate risk patients into higher risk categories

Elevated serum interleukin-6 is predictive of coronary artery disease in intermediate risk overweight patients referred for coronary angiography

Background: Interleukin-6 (IL-6) plays a central role in atherosclerosis and infammation. It may improve risk prediction in patients at intermediate cardiovascular risk. Objective: To analyze the impact of serum IL-6 in predicting early angiographic coronary artery disease in patients at intermediate cardiovascular risk with chest pain. Methods: In a cross-sectional study, patients referred for coronary angiography due to suspected coronary artery disease (CAD) were included. Coronary artery disease was defned as the presence of at least 30% stenosis in one or more coronary artery. Severity of CAD was classifed by the anatomic burden score. Performance of serum IL-6 assay was compared with ACC/AHA atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) risk score and hs-CRP through receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves. Results: We have included 48 patients with a mean 10-year ASCVD risk of 10.0 ± 6.8%. The prevalence of CAD was 72.9%. The presence of CAD was associated with higher mean levels of IL-6 (p = 0.025). Patients with CAD had signifcantly more overweight than subjects without CAD. In 27% of patients, IL-6 was >1.0 pg/mL and 100% of these patients had CAD, while only 64% in those with IL-6 1.0 pg/mL were further reclassifed into ASCVD high risk due to the presence of coronary lesions. Conclusion: In intermediate risk patients referred for coronary angiography, a serum IL-6 level above 1 pg/mL is predictive of signifcant CAD. IL-6 determination may be useful to reclassify ASCVD intermediate risk patients into higher risk categories

ATLANTIC EPIPHYTES: a data set of vascular and non-vascular epiphyte plants and lichens from the Atlantic Forest

Epiphytes are hyper-diverse and one of the frequently undervalued life forms in plant surveys and biodiversity inventories. Epiphytes of the Atlantic Forest, one of the most endangered ecosystems in the world, have high endemism and radiated recently in the Pliocene. We aimed to (1) compile an extensive Atlantic Forest data set on vascular, non-vascular plants (including hemiepiphytes), and lichen epiphyte species occurrence and abundance; (2) describe the epiphyte distribution in the Atlantic Forest, in order to indicate future sampling efforts. Our work presents the first epiphyte data set with information on abundance and occurrence of epiphyte phorophyte species. All data compiled here come from three main sources provided by the authors: published sources (comprising peer-reviewed articles, books, and theses), unpublished data, and herbarium data. We compiled a data set composed of 2,095 species, from 89,270 holo/hemiepiphyte records, in the Atlantic Forest of Brazil, Argentina, Paraguay, and Uruguay, recorded from 1824 to early 2018. Most of the records were from qualitative data (occurrence only, 88%), well distributed throughout the Atlantic Forest. For quantitative records, the most common sampling method was individual trees (71%), followed by plot sampling (19%), and transect sampling (10%). Angiosperms (81%) were the most frequently registered group, and Bromeliaceae and Orchidaceae were the families with the greatest number of records (27,272 and 21,945, respectively). Ferns and Lycophytes presented fewer records than Angiosperms, and Polypodiaceae were the most recorded family, and more concentrated in the Southern and Southeastern regions. Data on non-vascular plants and lichens were scarce, with a few disjunct records concentrated in the Northeastern region of the Atlantic Forest. For all non-vascular plant records, Lejeuneaceae, a family of liverworts, was the most recorded family. We hope that our effort to organize scattered epiphyte data help advance the knowledge of epiphyte ecology, as well as our understanding of macroecological and biogeographical patterns in the Atlantic Forest. No copyright restrictions are associated with the data set. Please cite this Ecology Data Paper if the data are used in publication and teaching events. © 2019 The Authors. Ecology © 2019 The Ecological Society of Americ

Associação entre resistência à insulina e doença arterial coronariana em pacientes não diabéticos

A resistência insulínica (RI) é um importante componente da síndrome metabólica e do diabetes melito (DM). Apesar de importante nos pacientes diabéticos, a sua relevância como preditor de doença arterial coronariana (DAC) em pacientes normoglicêmicos ainda não é conhecida. Neste estudo avaliamos a resistência insulínica pelo teste de HOMA-IR e por testes baseados no Teste Oral de Tolerância à Glicose (TOTG) como preditores de doença coronariana significativa em pacientes não obesos, sem diabetes melito e com glicemia perto do normal encaminhados para coronariografia. Com essa finalidade, realizamos um estudo de casos e controles com 55 pacientes não diabéticos, normoglicêmicos encaminhados para coronariografia por suspeita clínica de doença arterial coronariana. DAC foi classificada pela presença ou não de estenose de 50% ou mais em algum vaso epicárdico. O TOTG foi realizado com dosagem de glicemia e insulinemia nos tempos 0, 30, 60, 90 e 120 minutos após 75g de glicose com intuito de calcular os testes de resistência insulínica (HOMA-IR e os índices de Stumvoll-ISI, Matsuda e OGIS) Resultados: pacientes com DAC tiveram uma prevalência significativamente maior de HOMA-IR acima do percentil 75 (valor>4.21) quando comparados aos pacientes sem DAC (PR:1.78; 95%CI:1.079-2.95; p=0.024). Os índices de sensibilidade insulínica não obtiveram relação significativa com a presença da DAC. Em conclusão, a resistência insulínica avaliada pelo HOMA-IR é um preditor significativo de DAC e deveria ser avaliado em estudos longitudinais como potencial estratificador de risco coronariano

Associação entre resistência à insulina e doença arterial coronariana em pacientes não diabéticos

A resistência insulínica (RI) é um importante componente da síndrome metabólica e do diabetes melito (DM). Apesar de importante nos pacientes diabéticos, a sua relevância como preditor de doença arterial coronariana (DAC) em pacientes normoglicêmicos ainda não é conhecida. Neste estudo avaliamos a resistência insulínica pelo teste de HOMA-IR e por testes baseados no Teste Oral de Tolerância à Glicose (TOTG) como preditores de doença coronariana significativa em pacientes não obesos, sem diabetes melito e com glicemia perto do normal encaminhados para coronariografia. Com essa finalidade, realizamos um estudo de casos e controles com 55 pacientes não diabéticos, normoglicêmicos encaminhados para coronariografia por suspeita clínica de doença arterial coronariana. DAC foi classificada pela presença ou não de estenose de 50% ou mais em algum vaso epicárdico. O TOTG foi realizado com dosagem de glicemia e insulinemia nos tempos 0, 30, 60, 90 e 120 minutos após 75g de glicose com intuito de calcular os testes de resistência insulínica (HOMA-IR e os índices de Stumvoll-ISI, Matsuda e OGIS) Resultados: pacientes com DAC tiveram uma prevalência significativamente maior de HOMA-IR acima do percentil 75 (valor>4.21) quando comparados aos pacientes sem DAC (PR:1.78; 95%CI:1.079-2.95; p=0.024). Os índices de sensibilidade insulínica não obtiveram relação significativa com a presença da DAC. Em conclusão, a resistência insulínica avaliada pelo HOMA-IR é um preditor significativo de DAC e deveria ser avaliado em estudos longitudinais como potencial estratificador de risco coronariano

Mid-ventricular hypertrophic obstructive cardiomyopathy

A cardiomiopatia hipertrófica obstrutiva médio-ventricular é uma variante rara (1%) da cardiomiopatia hipertrófica obstrutiva. Neste relato de caso, apresentamos uma paciente encaminhada para realização de cateterismo cardíaco eletivo por angina e dispneia aos moderados esforços, sem obstrução coronariana significativa e com ventriculografia esquerda, demostrando cardiomiopatia hipertrófica obstrutiva médio-ventricular com um gradiente pressórico intraventricular de 130 mmHg.Mid-ventricular hypertrophic obstructive cardiomyopathy is a rare variant form (1%) of hypertrophic obstructive cardiomyopathy. In this case report we present a patient referred for elective cardiac catheterization due to angina and dyspnea on moderate exertion, with no significant coronary obstruction and left ventriculography indicating the presence of mid-ventricular hypertrophic obstructive cardiomyopathy with an intraventricular pressure gradient of 130 mmHg