Multi-imaging investigation to evaluate the relationship between serum cystatin c and features of atherosclerosis in Non-ST-Segment elevation acute coronary syndrome

Objectives: High cystatin C(CysC) levels are associated with impaired cardiovascular outcome. Whether CysC levels are independently related to the atherosclerosis burden is still controversial. Methods: We enrolled 31 non-ST-segment elevation acute coronary syndrome patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention. Patients were divided into 2 groups on the basis of median value of serum CysC. Using the high CysC group as a dependent variable, univariable and multivariable analyses were used to evaluate the association between CysC and three different features of atherosclerosis: 1) coronary plaque vulnerability as assessed by optical coherence tomography (OCT), 2) coronary artery calcium (CAC) by means of computed tomography scan, and 3) aortic wall metabolic activity, as assessed using 18 F-Fluorodeoxyglucose-positron emission tomography ( 18 F-FDG-PET). Results: After univariable and multivariable analyses, 18 F-FDG uptake in the descending aorta (DA) was independently associated with a low level of CysC [(Odds Ratio = 0.02; 95%CI 0.0004-0.89; p = 0.044; 18 F-FDG uptake measured as averaged maximum target to blood ratio); (Odds Ratio = 0.89; 95%CI 0.82-0.98, p = 0.025; 18 F-FDG uptake measured as number of active slices)]. No trend was found for the association between CysC and characteristics of OCT-assessed coronary plaque vulnerability or CAC score. Conclusions: In patients with non-ST-segment elevation acute coronary syndrome (NSTE-ACS), 18 F-FDG uptake in the DA was associated with a low level of serum CysC. There was no relation between CysC levels and OCT-assessed coronary plaque vulnerability or CAC score. These findings suggest that high levels of CysC may not be considered as independent markers of atherosclerosis

Secondary prevention medical therapy and outcomes in patients with myocardial infarction with non-obstructive coronary artery disease

Background: Myocardial infarction with non-obstructive coronary arteries (MINOCA) is a heterogeneous entity with relevant long-term major cardiovascular events. Several trials have demonstrated that dual antiplatelet therapy (DAPT), b-blocker, renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system (RAAS) inhibitor and statin therapy improve the prognosis in patients with obstructive myocardial infarction (ob-MI). However, evidence on the best medical therapy for secondary prevention in MINOCA patients is lacking. Purpose: To investigate the effects of secondary prevention treatments at discharge on mid-term outcomes in MINOCA. Methods: Patients with acute myocardial infarction (MI) undergoing early coronary angiography between 2016 and 2018 were extracted from a clinical database. The diagnosis of MINOCA was made according to 2016 ESC MINOCA Position Paper criteria. Second-level diagnostic work-up including cardiac magnetic resonance was performed to exclude non-ischemic troponin elevation cause. The relationship between treatments and outcomes was evaluated by using Kaplan-Meier survival analysis and Cox regression models. All confirmed MINOCA were followed in our outpatient clinics. The primary endpoints were all-cause mortality, re-hospitalization for MI and a composite outcome including all-cause mortality, hospitalization for MI and ischemic stroke (MACE). Results: Out of 1,141 AMI who underwent coronary angiography, 134 were initially diagnosed as MINOCA. Patients with MINOCA were less likely to receive secondary prevention treatments than patients with obstructive coronary artery disease (CAD) MI (respectively, 42.1% vs 81.8% for DAPT; 75.5% vs 89.6% for b-blockers; 64.7% vs 80.3% for RAAS inhibitor and 63.9% vs 83% for statins). Based on the diagnostic work-up completed during the first month after discharge, a final sample of 88 patients had confirmed MINOCA. During an average follow-up of 19.35 \ub1 10.65 months, all-cause mortality occurred in 11 (12.5%) patients, recurrence of MI in 4 (4.5%), and MACE in 15 (17.0%) patients. Patients treated with RAAS inhibitors and statins had a significantly longer survival. On the contrary, no increase in survival was found in patients treated with b-blockers or DAPT. Cox multivariable analysis, including all secondary prevention drugs, showed that only RAAS inhibitors were associated with reduced all cause-mortality and MACE. Conclusion: This prospective study suggests that RAAS inhibitor therapy provides midterm beneficial effects on outcomes in MINOCA patients; in contrast, dual antiplatelet, b-blocker and statin therapy had no effects on mortality and MACE. These results should be considered preliminary and warrant confirmation from larger studies

Secondary prevention medical therapy and outcomes in patients with myocardial infarction with non-obstructive coronary artery disease

Background: Myocardial infarction with non-obstructive coronary arteries (MINOCA) is a heterogeneous entity with relevant long-term major cardiovascular events. Several trials have demonstrated that dual antiplatelet therapy (DAPT), b-blocker, renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system (RAAS) inhibitor and statin therapy improve the prognosis in patients with obstructive myocardial infarction (ob-MI). However, evidence on the best medical therapy for secondary prevention in MINOCA patients is lacking. Purpose: To investigate the effects of secondary prevention treatments at discharge on mid-term outcomes in MINOCA. Methods: Patients with acute myocardial infarction (MI) undergoing early coronary angiography between 2016 and 2018 were extracted from a clinical database. The diagnosis of MINOCA was made according to 2016 ESC MINOCA Position Paper criteria. Second-level diagnostic work-up including cardiac magnetic resonance was performed to exclude non-ischemic troponin elevation cause. The relationship between treatments and outcomes was evaluated by using Kaplan-Meier survival analysis and Cox regression models. All confirmed MINOCA were followed in our outpatient clinics. The primary endpoints were all-cause mortality, re-hospitalization for MI and a composite outcome including all-cause mortality, hospitalization for MI and ischemic stroke (MACE). Results: Out of 1,141 AMI who underwent coronary angiography, 134 were initially diagnosed as MINOCA. Patients with MINOCA were less likely to receive secondary prevention treatments than patients with obstructive coronary artery disease (CAD) MI (respectively, 42.1% vs 81.8% for DAPT; 75.5% vs 89.6% for b-blockers; 64.7% vs 80.3% for RAAS inhibitor and 63.9% vs 83% for statins). Based on the diagnostic work-up completed during the first month after discharge, a final sample of 88 patients had confirmed MINOCA. During an average follow-up of 19.35 ± 10.65 months, all-cause mortality occurred in 11 (12.5%) patients, recurrence of MI in 4 (4.5%), and MACE in 15 (17.0%) patients. Patients treated with RAAS inhibitors and statins had a significantly longer survival. On the contrary, no increase in survival was found in patients treated with b-blockers or DAPT. Cox multivariable analysis, including all secondary prevention drugs, showed that only RAAS inhibitors were associated with reduced all cause-mortality and MACE. Conclusion: This prospective study suggests that RAAS inhibitor therapy provides midterm beneficial effects on outcomes in MINOCA patients; in contrast, dual antiplatelet, b-blocker and statin therapy had no effects on mortality and MACE. These results should be considered preliminary and warrant confirmation from larger studies

Circulating miR-184 is a potential predictive biomarker of cardiac damage in Anderson–Fabry disease

open21noFunding: This work was supported by the Italian Ministry of Health (PE-2013-02356818) to GCEnzyme replacement therapy (ERT) is a mainstay of treatment for Anderson–Fabry disease (AFD), a pathology with negative effects on the heart and kidneys. However, no reliable biomarkers are available to monitor its efficacy. Therefore, we tested a panel of four microRNAs linked with cardiac and renal damage in order to identify a novel biomarker associated with AFD and modulated by ERT. To this end, 60 patients with a definite diagnosis of AFD and on chronic ERT, and 29 age- and sex-matched healthy individuals, were enrolled by two Italian university hospitals. Only miR-184 met both conditions: its level discriminated untreated AFD patients from healthy individuals (c-statistic = 0.7522), and it was upregulated upon ERT (P < 0.001). On multivariable analysis, miR-184 was independently and inversely associated with a higher risk of cardiac damage (odds ratio = 0.86; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.76–0.98; P = 0.026). Adding miR-184 to a comprehensive clinical model improved the prediction of cardiac damage in terms of global model fit, calibration, discrimination, and classification accuracy (continuous net reclassification improvement = 0.917, P < 0.001; integrated discrimination improvement [IDI] = 0.105, P = 0.017; relative IDI = 0.221, 95% CI = 0.002–0.356). Thus, miR-184 is a circulating biomarker of AFD that changes after ERT. Assessment of its level in plasma could be clinically valuable in improving the prediction of cardiac damage in AFD patients.openSalamon I.; Biagini E.; Kunderfranco P.; Roncarati R.; Ferracin M.; Taglieri N.; Nardi E.; Laprovitera N.; Tomasi L.; Santostefano M.; Ditaranto R.; Vitale G.; Cavarretta E.; Pisani A.; Riccio E.; Aiello V.; Capelli I.; La Manna G.; Galie N.; Spinelli L.; Condorelli G.Salamon I.; Biagini E.; Kunderfranco P.; Roncarati R.; Ferracin M.; Taglieri N.; Nardi E.; Laprovitera N.; Tomasi L.; Santostefano M.; Ditaranto R.; Vitale G.; Cavarretta E.; Pisani A.; Riccio E.; Aiello V.; Capelli I.; La Manna G.; Galie N.; Spinelli L.; Condorelli G

New Materials and Technologies for Durability and Conservation of Building Heritage

The increase in concrete structures’ durability is a milestone to improve the sustainability of buildings and infrastructures. In order to ensure a prolonged service life, it is necessary to detect the deterioration of materials by means of monitoring systems aimed at evaluating not only the penetration of aggressive substances into concrete but also the corrosion of carbon-steel reinforcement. Therefore, proper data collection makes it possible to plan suitable restoration works which can be carried out with traditional or innovative techniques and materials. This work focuses on building heritage and it highlights the most recent findings for the conservation and restoration of reinforced concrete structures and masonry buildings

Acute hand ischemia after radial intervention in patient with CREST-associated pulmonary hypertension: successful treatment with manual thromboaspiration.

We describe the case of a 60-year-old woman with CREST (calcinosis, Raynaud phenomenon, esophageal dysmotility, sclerodactyly, and telangiectasia) associated pulmonary hypertension undergoing transradial coronary angiography. The day after the procedure, the patient complained of severe symptoms and signs of acute hand ischemia. Urgent right upper extremity angiography showed the lack of ulnar palmar arch and a severe narrowed radial artery with endoluminal filling defect. The patient was successfully treated with manual thromboaspiration leading to a complete flow restoration and symptom relief. This case shows that radial occlusion, one of the most common and usually asymptomatic complications following transradial cardiac catheterization, may cause severe hand ischemia in patients with small-vessel inflammatory disease

Percutaneous coronary intervention following thrombolysis: for whom and when?

rimary percutaneous coronary intervention (PPCI) is the treatment of choice for patients with ST segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI). In the attempt to reduce the unfavourable effects of time delays before PPCI, the administration of thrombolysis has been advocated (facilitated-PCI), but this treatment was shown to be ineffective and harmful, and should be avoided in patients who can receive PPCI promptly. Fibrinolysis is still indicated when PPCI is not available within 90120 min but 1/3 of STEMI patients undergoing fibrinolysis does not show signs of reperfusion and even when reperfusion is achieved they have a considerable risk of death and recurrent MI. Thus invasive management with early PCI could be complementary to fibrinolysis both to obtain coronary reperfusion in those patients with failed thrombolysis (rescue-PCI) and to decrease the risk of further ischaemic events in patients with successful thrombolysis. In this article we show that this synergy has been supported by modern randomized control trials and meta-analysis. It is advisable that organization model of territorial network for the treatment of STEMI patients should be expanded to provide a timely access to hospital with interventional facilities also to patients treated with fibrinolysis that need rescue-PPCI or an urgent/early invasive managemen

Cistatina C and rischio cardiovascolare

Patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) are at high risk for developing cardiovascular disease (CVD) and cardiovascular events. Cystatin C, a protease inhibitor synthesized in all nucleated cells, has been proposed as a replacement for serum creatinine for the assessment of renal function, particularly to detect small reductions in glomerular filtration rate. This report presents a review of the role of cystatin C as a predictor of cardiovascular risk. Patients with higher circulating cystatin C concentrations appear to have an increased cardiovascular risk profile, i.e., they are older and have a higher prevalence of systemic hypertension, dyslipidemia, documented CVD, increased body mass index, and increased concentrations of C-reactive protein. Prospective studies have shown, in various clinical scenarios, that patients with increased cystatin C are at a higher risk of developing both CVD and CKD. Importantly, cystatin C appears to be a useful marker for identifying individuals at a higher risk for cardiovascular events among patients belonging to a relatively low-risk category as assessed by both creatinine and estimated glomerular filtration rate values. Of interest, elastolytic proteases and their inhibitors, in particular cystatin C, have been shown to be directly involved in the atherosclerotic process. Increased concentrations of cystatin C appear to be indicative of preclinical kidney disease associated with adverse outcomes. Clinical studies involving direct glomerular filtration rate measurements are required to ascertain both the true role of this promising marker in renal disease and whether atherogenic factors like inflammation can account for increases in cystatin C concentrations, thus explaining its predictive value in CV

[Cystatin C and cardiovascular risk.

Patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) are at high risk for developing cardiovascular disease (CVD) and cardiovascular events. Cystatin C, a protease inhibitor synthesized in all nucleated ceils, has been proposed as a replacement for serum creatinine for the assessment of renal function, particularly to detect small reductions in glomerular filtration rate. This report presents a review of the role of cystatin C as a predictor of cardiovascularis. Patients with higher circulating cystatin C concentrations appear to have an increased cardiovascular risk profile, i.e., they are older and have a higher prevalence of systemic hypertension, dyslipidemia, documented CVD, increased body mass index, and increased concentrations of C-reactive protein. Prospective studies have shown, in various clinical scenarios, that patients with increased cystatin C are at a higher risk of developing both CVD and CKI). Importantly, cystatin C appears to be a useful marker or identifying individuals at a higher risk of cardiovascular events among patients belonging ot a reltively lox-risk category as assessed by both creatinine and estimated glomerular filtration rate values. Of interest, elastolytic proteases and their inhibitors, in particular cystatin C, have been shown to be directly involved in the atherosclerotic process. Increases concentrations of cystatin C appear to be indicative of preclinical kidney disease associated with adverse outcomes. Clinical studies involving direct glomerular filtration rate measurements are required to ascertain both the true role of this promising marker in renal disease and whether atherogenic factors like inflammation can account for increases in cystatin C concentrations, thus explaing its predictive value in CVD