Myocardial protection during PCI in STEMI : strategy reperfusion effects in acute MI patients (stream study)

Background: Numerous strategies have been proposed to preserve cardiac muscle during myocardial infarction. Intracoronary adenosine and post conditioning has been reported to reduce infarct size in patients with acute MI. Our purpose is to compare these two strategies. Methods: Consecutive patients undergoing primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) for STEMI within 6 hours after symptom onset were randomly assigned to the postconditioning, adenosine or controls group. Exclusion criteria were: previous MI, revascularization, controindication to PCI or cardiogenic shock. Adenosine was administrated in 2 mg bolus with over the wire cathether; postconditioning included 4 sequencies of 1 minute balloon inflation/one minute reperfusion. Primary end point include: wall motion score index (1-6 months), ST resolution 30 minute after the procedure, cardiac markers (peak values) and infarct related end diastolic wall tickness. 2-way ANOVA is used to identify interaction between the treatment modality. A P<0.05 will be considered statistically significant. Results: 46 patients were enrolled. The 3 groups were similar for age, sex, and infarct location. There was no difference between adenosine administration and postconditioning in terms of primary endpoint. There were statistical significative results among treatments (adenosine +postconditioning) vs controls. Wall motion score index at 6 months was improved in treated patients (adenosine group 1.15 WMSI mean, postconditioning group 1.15, controls group 1.89- p<0.05) Treated patients showed reduction in wall tickness (calculate as the percentage reduction in tickness of the ischemic wall between discharge and six months follow up) (adenosine group 13.0%, postconditioning group 19.2%, controls group 5.1% p<0.05). Complete ST-segment resolution occurred in 56 % of patients in the adenosine group and in 68 % of patients in postconditioning group and 27% of patients in the conventional PCI group (P<0.05). Conclusion: Myocardial protection is feasible and well tolerated and adjunt to primary PCI ameliorat

Coronary occlusion: cause or consequence of acute myocardial infarction?

A 45-year-old man with unstable angina developed persistent ECG changes of myocardial ischemia during coronary angiography. Occlusion of the left anterior descending branch (LAD) was documented 20 minutes after these changes. Intracoronary nitrate, Ca antagonist, urokinase, removal by percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty (PTCA) of atherosclerotic obstructions, and emergency bypass surgery failed to restore myocardial perfusion. Only short periods of reflow were obtained by urokinase and PTCA. The repeated coronary injections demonstrated a progressive disappearance of the left anterior descending artery (LAD) starting from the distal portion and progressing retrogradely up to the origin of the vessel. The patient developed a transmural anterolateral myocardial infarction and 12 months later underwent cardiac transplantation for untractable failure. His heart was examined and the infarct confirmed. Analysis of this case suggests that coronary occlusion in acute myocardial infarction can be an event secondary to increased intramyocardial resistance rather than the cause of reduced coronary blood flow in subepicardial coronary arteries

Why the term MINOCA does not provide conceptual clarity for actionable decision-making in patients with myocardial infarction with no obstructive coronary artery disease

When acute myocardial injury is found in a clinical setting suggestive of myocardial ischemia, the event is labeled as acute myocardial infarction (MI), and the absence of ≥50% coronary stenosis at angiography or greater leads to the working diagnosis of myocardial infarction with non-obstructed coronary arteries (MINOCA). Determining the mechanism of MINOCA and excluding other possible causes for cardiac troponin elevation has notable implications for tailoring secondary prevention measures aimed at improving the overall prognosis of acute MI. The aim of this review is to increase the awareness that establishing the underlying cause of a MINOCA is possible in the vast majority of cases, and that the proper classification of any MI should be pursued. The initial diagnosis of MINOCA can be confirmed or ruled out based on the results of subsequent investigations. Indeed, a comprehensive clinical evaluation at the time of presentation, followed by a dedicated diagnostic work-up, might lead to the identification of the pathophysiologic abnormality leading to MI in almost all cases initially labeled as MINOCA. When a specific cause of acute MI is identified, cardiologists are urged to transition from the "all-inclusive" term "MINOCA" to the proper classification of any MI, as evidence now exists that MINOCA does not provide conceptual clarity for actionable decision-making in MI with angiographically normal coronary arteries

The Pulmonary Component of the Second Sound in Right Ventricular Failure

Sound within the pulmonary artery was measured in 24 patients to determine if right ventricular failure modifies the amplitude of the pulmonary component of the second sound (P2). The amplitude of P2 in eight patients with right ventricular failure secondary to pulmonary hypertension (2610 ± 370 dynes/cm2) did not differ from P2 in eight patients with pulmonary hypertension not accompanied by right ventricular failure (3120 ± 710 dynes/cm2). In both groups, the amplitude of P2 exceeded control subjects (520 ± 70 dynes/cm2) (P \u3c .001 and P \u3c .01, respectively). The maximal rate of development of the pressure gradient across the closed pulmonary valve was higher in patients with right ventricular failure (580 ± 100 mm Hg/sec) than in control subjects (150 ± 30 mm Hg/sec) (P \u3c .001) and maximal negative dp/dt was also higher in patients with failure (750 ± 70 mm Hg/sec vs 190 ± 20 mm Hg/sec) (P \u3c .001). The maximal rate of change of the diastolic pressure gradient correlated linearly with maximal negative dp/dt (r=.89). These observations indicate that P2 is accentuated in patients with right ventricular failure secondary to pulmonary hypertension. The accentuation results from the augmented rate of development of the diastolic pressure gradient, which reflects an augmented right ventricular negative dp/dt. Therefore, an accentuated P2 remains valid as a clinical sign of pulmonary hypertension whether or not right ventricular failure occurs

Ischaemic heart disease in women: are there sex differences in pathophysiology and risk factors?: Position Paper from the Working Group on Coronary Pathophysiology and Microcirculation of the European Society of Cardiology

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the leading cause of death in women, and knowledge of the clinical consequences of atherosclerosis and CVD in women has grown tremendously over the past 20 years. Research efforts have increased and many reports on various aspects of ischaemic heart disease (IHD) in women have been published highlighting sex differences in pathophysiology, presentation, and treatment of IHD. Data, however, remain limited. A description of the state of the science, with recognition of the shortcomings of current data, is necessary to guide future research and move the field forward. In this report, we identify gaps in existing literature and make recommendations for future research. Women largely share similar cardiovascular risk factors for IHD with men; however, women with suspected or confirmed IHD have less coronary atherosclerosis than men, even though they are older and have more cardiovascular risk factors than men. Coronary endothelial dysfunction and microvascular disease have been proposed as important determinants in the aetiology and prognosis of IHD in women, but research is limited on whether sex differences in these mechanisms truly exist. Differences in the epidemiology of IHD between women and men remain largely unexplained, as we are still unable to explain why women are protected towards IHD until older age compared with men. Eventually, a better understanding of these processes and mechanisms may improve the prevention and the clinical management of IHD in wome

Determination of volatile organic compounds in exhaled breath of heart failure patients by needle trap micro-extraction coupled with gas chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry

The analytical performances of needle trap micro-extraction (NTME) coupled with gas chromatography tandem mass spectrometry were evaluated by analyzing a mixture of twenty-two representative breath VOCs belonging to different chemical classes (i.e. hydrocarbons, ketones, aldehydes, aromatics and sulfurs). NTME is an emerging technique that guarantees detection limits in pptv range by pre-concentrating low volumes of sample, and it is particularly suitable for breath analysis. For most VOCs, detection limits between 20 and 500 pptv were obtained by pre-concentrating 25 mL of a humidified standard gas mixture at a flow rate of 15 mL/min. For all compounds, inter- and intra-day precisions were always below 15%, confirming the reliability of the method. The procedure was successfully applied to the analysis of exhaled breath samples collected from forty heart failure patients during their stay in the University Hospital of Pisa. The majority of patients (about 80%) showed a significant decrease of breath acetone levels (a factor of 3 or higher) at discharge compared to admission (acute phase) in correspondence to the improved clinical conditions during hospitalization, thus making this compound eligible as a biomarker of heart failure exacerbation

Predicting Heart Failure Patient Events by Exploiting Saliva and Breath Biomarkers Information

The aim of this work is to present a machine learning based method for the prediction of adverse events (mortality and relapses) in patients with heart failure (HF) by exploiting, for the first time, measurements of breath and saliva biomarkers (Tumor Necrosis Factor Alpha, Cortisol and Acetone). Data from 27 patients are used in the study and the prediction of adverse events is achieved with high accuracy (77%) using the Rotation Forest algorithm. As in the near future, biomarkers can be measured at home, together with other physiological data, the accurate prediction of adverse events on the basis of home based measurements can revolutionize HF management

Ischemia with no obstructive coronary artery disease (INOCA): A patient self-report quality of life survey from INOCA international

Background: There is limited information available regarding evidence of ischemia with no obstructive coronary arteries (INOCA) and quality of life. Purpose: To determine associations between INOCA and self-reported physical, social, and mental health. Methods: We conducted a survey of all members (n = 1579) of the INOCA International patient support group. Current self-reported diagnosis and health measures were collected. Functional capacity was retrospectively estimated using the Duke Activity Status Index (DASI), assessing levels of activities performed prior and after symptom onset. Results: A total of 297 (20.8% response rate, 91% women) reported symptoms of chest pain, pressure, or discomfort in 92.9%. Overall, 34.4% were living with symptoms for ≥3 years before an INOCA diagnosis, and 77.8% were told their symptoms were not cardiac. Estimated functional capacity was higher prior to compared to after symptom onset (8.6 ± 1.8 METs vs 5.6 ± 1.8 METs; P &lt; 0.0001). Most respondents reported an adverse impact of symptoms on their home life (80.5%), social life (80.1%), mental health (70.4%), outlook on life (69.7%), sex life (55.9%), and their partner/spouse relationship (53.9%), while approximately three-quarters reduced their work hours or stopped work completely, 47.5% retired early, and 38.4% applied for disability. Conclusions: INOCA symptoms are associated with adverse physical, mental and social health quality of life. Increased patient awareness, physician recognition and diagnosis, and clinical trials are needed to develop evidence-based guidelines for this increasingly recognized cardiovascular disorder

Sex differences in Quality of Life in Patients with Ischemia with No Obstructive Coronary Artery Disease (INOCA): A Patient Self-Report Retrospective Survey from INOCA International

Women with obstructive coronary artery disease (CAD) have a relatively lower quality of life (QoL) compared to men, but our understanding of sex differences in QoL in ischemia with no obstructive coronary artery disease (INOCA) is limited. We conducted a survey of patient members of INOCA International with an assessment of self-reported health measures. Functional capacity was retrospectively estimated using the Duke Activity Status Index (DASI), assessing levels of activities performed before and after INOCA symptom onset. Of the 1579 patient members, the overall survey completion rate was 21%. Women represented 91% of the respondents. Estimated functional capacity, expressed as metabolic equivalents (METs), was higher before compared to after INOCA diagnosis comparably for both women and men. For every one MET decline in functional capacity, there was a significantly greater decline in QoL for men compared with women in physical health (4.0 ± 1.1 vs. 2.9 ± 0.3 days/month, p &lt; 0.001), mental health (2.4 ± 1.2 vs. 1.8 ± 0.3 days/month, p = 0.001), and social health/recreational activities (4.1 ± 1.0 vs. 2.9 ± 0.3 days/month, p = 0.0001), respectively. In an international survey of patients living with INOCA, despite similar diagnoses, clinical comorbidities, and symptoms, INOCA-related functional capacity declines are associated with a greater adverse impact on QoL in men compared to women