2014 AHA/ACC guideline for the management of patients with non-ST-elevation acute coronary syndromes: a report of the American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association Task Force on Practice Guidelines

Determinants of In-Hospital Mortality After Percutaneous Coronary Intervention: A Machine Learning Approach

Background

The ability to accurately predict the occurrence of in‐hospital death after percutaneous coronary intervention is important for clinical decision‐making. We sought to utilize the New York Percutaneous Coronary Intervention Reporting System in order to elucidate the determinants of in‐hospital mortality in patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention across New York State.

Methods and Results

We examined 479 804 patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention between 2004 and 2012, utilizing traditional and advanced machine learning algorithms to determine the most significant predictors of in‐hospital mortality. The entire data were randomly split into a training (80%) and a testing set (20%). Tuned hyperparameters were used to generate a trained model while the performance of the model was independently evaluated on the testing set after plotting a receiver‐operator characteristic curve and using the output measure of the area under the curve (AUC) and the associated 95% CIs. Mean age was 65.2±11.9 years and 68.5% were women. There were 2549 in‐hospital deaths within the patient population. A boosted ensemble algorithm (AdaBoost) had optimal discrimination with AUC of 0.927 (95% CI 0.923–0.929) compared with AUC of 0.913 for XGBoost (95% CI 0.906–0.919, P=0.02), AUC of 0.892 for Random Forest (95% CI 0.889–0.896, P<0.01), and AUC of 0.908 for logistic regression (95% CI 0.907–0.910, P<0.01). The 2 most significant predictors were age and ejection fraction.

Conclusions

A big data approach that utilizes advanced machine learning algorithms identifies new associations among risk factors and provides high accuracy for the prediction of in‐hospital mortality in patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention.

See Editorial by Garratt and Schneider

Rivaroxaban for the prevention of major adverse cardiovascular events in patients with coronary or peripheral artery disease

In the COMPASS trial, the combination of rivaroxaban 2.5 mg twice daily and low-dose aspirin 75-100 mg daily produced a net clinical benefit of 20% in patients with chronic atherosclerotic vascular disease because it reduced major adverse events by 24% and overall mortality by 18% despite an initial increase in major bleeding. In this paper, we examine the rationale for targeting coagulation factor Xa in patients with atherosclerosis, summarize the pharmacology of the 2.5-mg dose, review the trials that led to the approval of the combination of rivaroxaban and aspirin for the long-term management of patients with chronic coronary artery disease or peripheral artery disease and discuss who would benefit the most. We also address the unresolved issues and challenges in the implementation of this therapy.

[Troponin elevation in acute ischemic stroke-unspecific or acute myocardial infarction? : Diagnostics and clinical implications]

Routine determination of troponin levels is recommended for all patients with acute ischemic stroke. In 20-55% of these patients the troponin levels are elevated, which may be caused by ischemic as well as non-ischemic myocardial damage and particularly neurocardiogenic myocardial damage. In patients with acute ischemic stroke, the prevalence of previously unknown coronary heart disease is reported to be up to 27% and is prognostically relevant for these patients; however, relevant coronary stenoses are less frequently detected in stroke patients with troponin elevation compared to patients with non-ST elevation myocardial infarction. The risk of secondary intracerebral hemorrhage due to the necessity for dual platelet aggregation inhibition illustrates the challenging indication for invasive coronary diagnostics and revascularization. Therefore, a diagnostic work-up and interdisciplinary risk evaluation appropriate to the urgency are necessary in order to be able to determine a reasonable treatment approach with timing of the intervention, type and duration of blood thinning. In addition to conventional examination methods, multimodal cardiac imaging is increasingly used for this purpose. This review article aims to provide a pragmatic and clinically oriented approach to diagnostic and therapeutic procedures, taking into account the available evidence.

Relationship between the Severity of Coronary Artery Disease and Catheter-Associated Urethral Stricture in Patients with Acute Coronary Syndrome

Background: Different arterial segments throughout the vascular system develop similar grades of atherosclerosis concomitantly. Urethral ischemia has been proposed as a cause of urethral stricture. Therefore, we aimed to investigate the relationship between coronary artery disease severity using a SYNTAX score and urethral stricture occurrence after urethral catheterization in patients with non-ST-segment-elevation acute coronary syndrome (ACS). Methods: This retrospective study consisted of 306 men with urethral catheters that were diagnosed with ACS and underwent coronary angiography between January 2016 and January 2018 in Kars Kafkas University and Osmaniye Government Hospital, Turkey. Hospital records were reviewed to collect the follow-up data of the patients regarding the occurrence of urethral stricture after urethral catheterization. The study population was divided into 2 groups according to urethral stricture development, and both groups were compared statistically. Results: SYNTAX scores were significantly higher in patients with urethral stricture than in those without urethral stricture (14.86±7.11 vs. 29.25±9.79; P<0.001). The SYNTAX score (OR=1.27; 95% CI: 1.16-1.39; P<0.001), diabetes, and serum albumin were found to be the independent predictors of urethral stricture. The receiver operating characteristic curve analysis showed that the cutoff value of the SYNTAX score for urethral stricture prediction was greater than 22.5, with 76.7% sensitivity and 85.1% specificity (AUC=0.88, 95% CI: 0.84-0.91; P<0.001). Conclusion: Coronary artery disease severity graded according to the SYNTAX score is an independent predictor of urethral stricture occurrence in ACS patients with a urethral catheter inserted.

Percutaneous coronary intervention in the very elderly with NSTE-ACS: the randomized 80+ study

Objective: The treatment strategy in the very elderly with NSTE-ACS is debated, as they are often under-represented in clinical trials. The aim of this multicenter randomized controlled trial was to compare invasive and conservative strategies in the very elderly with NSTE-ACS.Methods: We randomly assigned patients ≥ 80 years of age with NSTE-ACS to an invasive strategy with coronary angiography and optimal medical treatment or a conservative strategy with only optimal medical treatment. The primary outcome was the combined endpoint of major adverse cardiac and cerebrovascular events (MACCE). Sample size was powered for a 50% reduction of event rate in MACCE with an invasive strategy. We used intention-to-treat analysis.Results: Altogether, 186 patients were included between 2009 and 2017. The study was terminated prematurely due to slow enrollment. At 12-month follow-up, the primary outcome occurred in 31 (33.3%) of the invasive treatment group and 34 (36.6%) of the conservative treatment group, with a hazard ratio (HR) of 0.90 (95% CI 0.55‒1.46; p = 0.66) for the invasive group relative to the conservative group. The corresponding HR value for urgent revascularization was 0.29 (95% CI 0.10‒0.85; p = 0.02), 0.56 (95% CI 0.27‒1.18; p = 0.13) for myocardial infarction, 0.70 (95% CI 0.31‒1.58; p = 0.40) for all-cause mortality, 1.35 (95% CI 0.23‒7.98; p = 0.74) for stroke, and 1.62 (95% CI 0.67‒3.90; p = 0.28) for recurrent hospitalization for cardiac reasons.Conclusion: In the very elderly with NSTE-ACS, we did not find any significant difference in MACCE between invasive and conservative treatment groups at 12-month follow-up, possibly due to small sample size. ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT02126202.

Diagnostic Angiograms and Percutaneous Coronary Interventions in Pregnancy

Cardiovascular disease is the leading indirect cause of maternal mortality in the UK. Pregnancy increases the risk of acute MI (AMI) by three- to fourfold secondary to the profound physiological changes that place an extra burden on the cardiovascular system. AMI is not always recognised in pregnancy and there is concern among both clinicians and patients regarding catheter-based interventions due to fears of foetal irradiation and risks to the foetus. This article evaluates the current state of knowledge on AMI in pregnancy with particular emphasis on pregnancy-associated spontaneous coronary artery dissection and percutaneous coronary intervention as the revascularisation procedure for AMI. Special considerations that must be made in patients requiring percutaneous coronary intervention for pregnancy-associated spontaneous coronary artery dissection and the current recommendations on arterial access, methods of minimising radiation and stent selection are discussed.

Cardiovascular Considerations in Caring for Pregnant Patients: A Scientific Statement From the American Heart Association

Cardio-obstetrics has emerged as an important multidisciplinary field that requires a team approach to the management of cardiovascular disease during pregnancy. Cardiac conditions during pregnancy include hypertensive disorders, hypercholesterolemia, myocardial infarction, cardiomyopathies, arrhythmias, valvular disease, thromboembolic disease, aortic disease, and cerebrovascular diseases. Cardiovascular disease is the primary cause of pregnancy-related mortality in the United States. Advancing maternal age and preexisting comorbid conditions have contributed to the increased rates of maternal mortality. Preconception counseling by the multidisciplinary cardio-obstetrics team is essential for women with preexistent cardiac conditions or history of preeclampsia. Early involvement of the cardio-obstetrics team is critical to prevent maternal morbidity and mortality during the length of the pregnancy and 1 year postpartum. A general understanding of cardiovascular disease during pregnancy should be a core knowledge area for all cardiovascular and primary care clinicians. This scientific statement provides an overview of the diagnosis and management of cardiovascular disease during pregnancy.

Exploring the complex interactions of baseline patient factors to improve nursing triage of acute coronary syndrome

Emergency department (ED) nurses need to identify patients with potential acute coronary syndrome (ACS) rapidly because treatment delay could impact patient outcomes. Aims of this secondary analysis were to identify key patient factors that could be available at initial ED nurse triage that predict ACS. Consecutive patients with chest pain who called 9-1-1, received a 12-lead electrocardiogram in the prehospital setting, and were transported via emergency medical service were included in the study. A total of 750 patients were recruited. The sample had an average age of 59 years old, was 57% male, and 40% Black. One hundred and fifteen patients were diagnosed with ACS. Older age, non-Caucasian race, and faster respiratory rate were independent predictors of ACS. There was an interaction between heart rate by Type II diabetes receiving insulin in the context of ACS. Type II diabetics requiring insulin for better glycemic control manifested a faster heart rate. By identifying patient factors at ED nurse triage that could be predictive of ACS, accuracy rates of triage may improve, thus impacting patient outcomes.

Acute Coronary Syndromes and Covid-19: Exploring the Uncertainties

Since an association between myocardial infarction (MI) and respiratory infections has been described for influenza viruses and other respiratory viral agents, understanding possible physiopathological links between severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) and acute coronary syndromes (ACS) is of the greatest importance. The initial data suggest an underestimation of ACS cases all over the world, but acute MI still represents a major cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide and should not be overshadowed during the coronavirus disease (Covid-19) pandemic. No common consensus regarding the most adequate healthcare management policy for ACS is currently available. Indeed, important differences have been reported between the measures employed to treat ACS in China during the first disease outbreak and what currently represents clinical practice across Europe and the USA. This review aims to discuss the pathophysiological links between MI, respiratory infections, and Covid-19; epidemiological data related to ACS at the time of the Covid-19 pandemic; and learnings that have emerged so far from several catheterization labs and coronary care units all over the world, in order to shed some light on the current strategies for optimal management of ACS patients with confirmed or suspected SARS-CoV-2 infection.

Rationale and design of the REgistry of Fast Myocardial Perfusion Imaging with NExt generation SPECT (REFINE SPECT)

BACKGROUND

We aim to establish a multicenter registry collecting clinical, imaging, and follow-up data for patients who undergo myocardial perfusion imaging (MPI) with the latest generation SPECT scanners.

METHODS

REFINE SPECT (REgistry of Fast Myocardial Perfusion Imaging with NExt generation SPECT) uses a collaborative design with multicenter contribution of clinical data and images into a comprehensive clinical-imaging database. All images are processed by quantitative software. Over 290 individual imaging variables are automatically extracted from each image dataset and merged with clinical variables. In the prognostic cohort, patient follow-up is performed for major adverse cardiac events. In the diagnostic cohort (patients with correlating invasive angiography), angiography and revascularization results within 6 months are obtained.

RESULTS

To date, collected prognostic data include scans from 20,418 patients in 5 centers (57% male, 64.0 ± 12.1 years) who underwent exercise (48%) or pharmacologic stress (52%). Diagnostic data include 2079 patients in 9 centers (67% male, 64.7 ± 11.2 years) who underwent exercise (39%) or pharmacologic stress (61%).

CONCLUSION

The REFINE SPECT registry will provide a resource for collaborative projects related to the latest generation SPECT-MPI. It will aid in the development of new artificial intelligence tools for automated diagnosis and prediction of prognostic outcomes.

Clinical Characteristics and Management of Methamphetamine-Associated Cardiomyopathy: State-of-the-Art Review

Methamphetamine‐associated cardiomyopathy (MACM) is an increasingly recognized disease entity in the context of a rapidly spreading methamphetamine epidemic. MACM may afflict individuals with a wide range of ages and socioeconomic backgrounds. Presentations can vary greatly and may involve several complications unique to the disease. Given the public health significance of this disease, there is a relative dearth of consensus material to guide clinicians in understanding, diagnosing, and managing MACM. This review therefore aims to: (1) describe pathologic mechanisms of methamphetamine as they pertain to the development, progression, and prognosis of MACM, and the potential to recover cardiac function; (2) summarize existing data from epidemiologic studies and case series in an effort to improve recognition and diagnosis of the disease; (3) guide short‐ and long‐term management of MACM with special attention to expected or potential sequelae of the disease; and (4) highlight pivotal unanswered questions in need of urgent investigation from a public health perspective.

Increases in early discharge following acute coronary syndrome hospitalisations and associated clinical outcomes in New Zealand between 2006 and 2015: ANZACS-QI-43 study

BACKGROUND

International guidelines recommend early discharge for uncomplicated acute coronary syndrome (ACS) patients within 3 days; however, there is a paucity of contemporary literature regarding the safety of this strategy.

AIMS

To report the trends in the proportion of ACS hospitalisations discharged within 3 days and their outcomes in New Zealand.

METHODS

ACS hospitalisations 2006-2015 using national routinely collected data were categorised by length of stay (LOS) into ≤3, 4-5 and >5 days, excluding deaths during the index admission. Trend analysis of death, cardiovascular and bleeding events and their composites (net adverse clinical events) at 30-day and 1-year post-discharge were performed using generalised linear mixed regression models adjusting for covariates by LOS subgroups.

RESULTS

Among 130 037 ACS hospitalisations, LOS ≤ 3 days increased from 32% in 2006 to 44% in 2016. This trend was observed for all demographics, ACS subtypes and management strategies. Event rates at 30 days and 1 year were the lowest for the LOS ≤3 days subgroup (all-cause mortality 1.6% and 9.1% respectively). Thirty-day and 1-year all-cause mortality rates were unchanged over time for this subgroup (adjusted odds ratio (95% confidence interval) of 1.011 (0.985-1.038) and 0.991 (0.979-1.003)), while net adverse clinical event rates significantly decreased (0.962 (0.950-0.973) and 0.972 (0.964-0.980) respectively).

CONCLUSION

There was a substantial increase in early discharge post-ACS over 10 years. These patients were associated with reduction in adverse clinical events up to 1 year and no increase in all-cause mortality. These findings from a comprehensive national register suggest that guideline recommendations on early discharge after uncomplicated ACS are safe and appropriate.

Highly Sensitive Cardiac Troponins: The Evidence Behind Sex-Specific Cutoffs

Emergence of various highly sensitive cardiac troponin assays into clinical practice provides a new tool for clinicians diagnosing acute coronary syndrome. These assays also create a challenge for laboratories and clinicians who have yet to familiarize themselves with sex-specific cutoffs. Healthy men and women, studied across various age groups and geographic locations, have notable differences in baseline values of highly sensitive cardiac troponin I and T, leading to establishment of sex-specific upper reference limits and cutoffs. Several differences in cardiac physiology, size, and structure may account for baseline differences in highly sensitive cardiac troponins and outcomes between the sexes. The clinical utility of implementing sex-specific cutoffs for diagnosis and management of acute coronary syndrome remains unclear. Presently, the only prospective study failed to show improved outcomes for men or women with use of sex-specific cutoffs; however, a major limitation is the frequent lack of diagnostic, therapeutic, and preventive interventions prescribed to women with low-level troponin elevations. Based on the current literature, we posit that there may nonetheless be clinical value in the use of sex-specific cutoffs for evaluating suspected acute coronary syndrome, especially in select patient populations such as younger women who tend to have lower baseline values of highly sensitive cardiac troponins. Future studies should prospectively evaluate differences in diagnostic, pharmacologic, and interventional management in men and women using myocardial infarctions classified with sex-specific cutoffs of the highly sensitive cardiac troponin assays.

Association Between Secondary Prevention Medication Use and Outcomes in Frail Older Adults After Acute Myocardial Infarction

Background Secondary prevention medications are often not prescribed to frail, older adults following acute myocardial infarction, potentially because of the absence of data to support use, perceived lack of benefit, and concern over possible harms. We examined the effect of using more guideline-recommended medications after myocardial infarction on mortality, rehospitalization, and functional decline in the frailest and oldest segment of the US population-long-stay nursing home residents. Methods and Results We conducted a retrospective cohort study of nursing home residents aged ≥65 years using 2007 to 2010 national US Minimum Data Set clinical assessment data and Medicare claims. Exposure was the number of secondary prevention medications (antiplatelets, β-blockers, statins, and renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system inhibitors) initiated after myocardial infarction. Outcomes were 90-day death, rehospitalization, and functional decline. We compared outcomes for new users of 2 versus 1 and 3 or 4 versus 1 medications using the inverse probability of treatment-weighted odds ratios with 95% CI. The cohort comprised 4787 residents, with a total of 509 death, 820 functional decline, and 1226 rehospitalization events. Compared with individuals who initiated 1 medication, mortality odds ratios were 0.98 (95% CI, 0.79-1.22) and 0.74 (95% CI, 0.57-0.97) for users of 2 and 3 or 4 medications, respectively. Rehospitalization odds ratios were 1.00 (95% CI, 0.85-1.17) for 2 and 0.97 (95% CI, 0.8-1.17) for 3 or 4 medications. Functional decline odds ratios were 1.04 (95% CI, 0.85-1.28) for 2 and 1.12 (95% CI, 0.89-1.40) for 3 or 4 medications. In a stability analysis excluding antiplatelet drugs from the exposure definition, more medication use was associated with functional decline. Conclusions Use of more guideline-recommended medications after myocardial infarction was associated with decreased mortality in older, predominantly frail adults, but no difference in rehospitalization. Results for functional decline from the main and stability analyses were discordant and did not rule out an increased risk associated with more medication use.

Impact of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak on outcome of myocardial infarction in Hong Kong, China

Objective

To determine whether COVID‐19 may adversely affect outcome of myocardial infarction (MI) patients in Hong Kong, China.

Background

The COVID‐19 pandemic has infected thousands of people and placed enormous stress on healthcare system. Apart from being an infectious disease, it may affect human behavior and healthcare resource allocation which potentially cause treatment delay in MI.

Methods

This was a single center cross‐sectional observational study. From November 1, 2019 to March 31, 2020, we compared outcome of patients admitted for acute ST‐elevation MI (STEMI) and non‐ST elevation MI (NSTEMI) before (group 1) and after (group 2) January 25, 2020 which was the date when Hong Kong hospitals launched emergency response measures to combat COVID‐19.

Results

There was a reduction in daily emergency room attendance since January 25, 2020 (group 1,327/day vs. group 2,231/day) and 149 patients with diagnosis of MI were included into analysis (group 1 N = 85 vs. group 2 N = 64). For STEMI, patients in group 2 tended to have longer symptom‐to‐first medical contact time and more presented out of revascularization window (group 1 27.8 vs. group 2 33%). The primary composite outcome of in‐hospital death, cardiogenic shock, sustained ventricular tachycardia or fibrillation (VT/VF) and use of mechanical circulatory support (MCS) was significantly worse in group 2 (14.1 vs. 29.7%, p = .02).

Conclusions

More MI patients during COVID‐19 outbreak had complicated in‐hospital course and worse outcomes. Besides direct infectious complications, cardiology community has to acknowledge the indirect effect of communicable disease on our patients and system of care.

Poor adherence to beta-blockers is associated with increased long-term mortality even beyond the first year after an acute coronary syndrome event

Background: Acute coronary syndrome (ACS) patients are widely treated with long-term beta-blocker therapy after cardiac event. Especially for low-risk patients, the benefits of beta-blockers on survival and the optimal therapy duration remain unclear. We investigated the effect of adherence to beta-blockers on long-term survival of ACS patients.Methods and results: A total of 1855 consecutive ACS patients who underwent angiography and survived 30 days after were followed for a median of 8.6 years. During follow-up, 30.1% (n = 558) of patients died. Adherence was assessed as yearly periods covered by medication purchases and investigated as a dynamic time-dependent variable in Cox proportional hazards models. In a univariable model, non-adherence to beta-blockers was associated with higher all-cause mortality (Hazard ratio [HR] 2.99, 95% confidence interval [CI] 2.50-3.57; p < .001). Results were similar in multivariable models on both overall survival (HR 1.84, 95% CI 1.51-2.24; p < .001) and on 1-year landmark survival (HR 1.74, 95% CI 1.41-2.14; p < .001). In subgroup analyses, the increase in all-cause mortality was consistent among low-risk patients (HR 1.60, 95% CI 1.16-2.21; p = .004).Conclusion: Poor adherence to beta-blockers is associated with increased long-term mortality among ACS patients. Even low-risk patients seem to benefit from long-term beta-blocker therapy.Key messagesAdherence to secondary prevention medications diminishes drastically over the years after an ACS event.Non-adherence to β-blockers is associated with increased long-term mortality of ACS patients, and the effect on survival extends beyond the first year after an ACS event.Our follow-up was exceptionally lengthy with median follow-up period of 8.6 years.

Impact of a Copayment Reduction Intervention on Medication Persistence and Cardiovascular Events in Hospitals With and Without Prior Medication Financial Assistance Programs

Background

Hospitals commonly provide a short‐term supply of free P2Y₁₂ inhibitors at discharge after myocardial infarction, but it is unclear if these programs improve medication persistence and outcomes. The ARTEMIS (Affordability and Real‐World Antiplatelet Treatment Effectiveness After Myocardial Infarction Study) trial randomized hospitals to usual care versus waived P2Y₁₂ inhibitor copayment costs for 1‐year post‐myocardial infarction. Whether the impact of this intervention differed between hospitals with and without pre‐existing medication assistance programs is unknown.

Methods and Results

In this post hoc analysis of the ARTEMIS trial, we examined the associations of pre‐study free medication programs and the randomized copayment voucher intervention with P2Y₁₂ inhibitor persistence (measured by pharmacy fills and patient report) and major adverse cardiovascular events using logistic regression models including a propensity score. Among 262 hospitals, 129 (49%) offered pre‐study free medication assistance. One‐year P2Y₁₂ inhibitor persistence and major adverse cardiovascular events risks were similar between patients treated at hospitals with and without free medication programs (adjusted odds ratio 0.93, 95% CI, 0.82–1.05 and hazard ratio 0.92, 95% CI, 0.80–1.07, respectively). The randomized copayment voucher intervention improved persistence, assessed by pharmacy fills, in both hospitals with (53.6% versus 44.0%, adjusted odds ratio 1.45, 95% CI, 1.20–1.75) and without (59.0% versus 48.3%, adjusted odds ratio 1.46, 95% CI, 1.25–1.70) free medication programs (P_interaction=0.71). Differences in patient‐reported persistence were not significant after adjustment.

Conclusions

While hospitals commonly report the ability to provide free short‐term P2Y₁₂ inhibitors, we did not find association of this with medication persistence or major adverse cardiovascular events among patients with insurance coverage for prescription medication enrolled in the ARTEMIS trial. An intervention that provided copayment assistance vouchers for 1 year was successful in improving medication persistence in hospitals with and without pre‐existing short‐term medication programs.

Registration

URL: https://www.clini​caltr​ials.gov/. Unique identifier: NCT02406677.

A Review of the Evidence for Treatment of Myocardial Infarction With Nonobstructive Coronary Arteries

Myocardial infarction (MI) with non-obstructive coronary arteries (MINOCA) is reported in 6% of patients with acute MI referred for catheterization. Because of the complex etiology and a limited amount of evidence, the treatment of MINOCA remains elusive. The etiology of MINOCA manifests from several causes including plaque disruption or erosion, epicardial coronary artery vasospasm, and coronary microvascular dysfunction. In addition, spontaneous coronary artery dissection, takotsubo, and myocarditis have been identified as contributing to the diagnosis of MINOCA. Patients with MINOCA are frequently young, non-white females with fewer traditional risk factors compared with those with an MI caused by obstructive coronary disease. Moreover, women who suffered an MI are 5 times more likely to be diagnosed with MINOCA with a trend for worse outcomes compared with men. The increased recognition/diagnosis of MINOCA has highlighted a gap in our understanding of the treatment of MINOCA. This review identified that there is a paucity of evidence on treatment strategies for patients clinically diagnosed with MINOCA, but more importantly that MINOCA should be viewed as a "syndrome" with many different pathologic causes. This suggests that a standard protocol may not be useful for patients with MINOCA. Given the ongoing debate over the complexity of MINOCA, the main focus in the management of MINOCA should be to identify the underlying mechanism for targeted therapies that may optimize outcomes.

Validation of algorithms to identify elective percutaneous coronary interventions in administrative databases

BACKGROUND

Elective percutaneous coronary interventions (PCI) are difficult to discriminate from non-elective PCI in administrative data due to non-specific encounter codes, limiting the ability to track outcomes, ensure appropriate medical management, and/or perform research on patients who undergo elective PCI. The objective of this study was to assess the abilities of several algorithms to identify elective PCI procedures using administrative data containing diagnostic, utilization, and/or procedural codes.

METHODS AND RESULTS

For this retrospective study, administrative databases in an integrated healthcare delivery system were queried between 1/1/2015 and 6/31/2016 to identify patients who had an encounter for a PCI. Using clinical criteria, each encounter was classified via chart review as a valid PCI, then as elective or non-elective. Cases were tested against nine pre-determined algorithms. Performance statistics (sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value) and associated 95% confidence intervals (CI) were calculated. Of 521 PCI encounters reviewed, 497 were valid PCI, 93 of which were elective. An algorithm that excluded emergency room visit events had the highest sensitivity (97.9%, 95%CI 92.5%-99.7%) while an algorithm that included events occurring within 90 days of a cardiologist visit and coronary angiogram or stress test had the highest positive predictive value (62.2%, 95%CI 50.8%-72.7%).

CONCLUSIONS

Without an encounter code specific for elective PCI, an algorithm excluding procedures associated with an emergency room visit had the highest sensitivity to identify elective PCI. This offers a reasonable approach to identify elective PCI from administrative data.

Altered coagulation profile in peripheral artery disease patients

OBJECTIVE

Peripheral artery disease patients have been shown to be more susceptible to thrombotic events compared to non-peripheral artery disease patients. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate the coagulation profile in peripheral artery disease patients with chronic limb threatening ischemia, moderate peripheral artery disease patients with claudication, and non-peripheral artery disease controls.

METHODS

Chronic limb threatening ischemia patients were matched to peripheral artery disease patients with claudication and non-peripheral artery disease controls in a 1:1:1 ratio. Each patient had their cytokines, markers of thrombin generation, coagulation factors, natural anti-coagulants, fibrinolysis, and endothelial injury markers assessed.

RESULTS

Markers of thrombin activation, thrombin Fragments F1 + 2 (Frag 1 + 2), and thrombin-anti-thrombin complex were found to be significantly elevated in all peripheral artery disease and chronic limb threatening ischemia patients relative to non-peripheral artery disease controls. Similarly, relative to non-peripheral artery disease controls, inflammatory markers including C-reactive protein, soluble platelet factor 4, and neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin were also found to be significantly upregulated in chronic limb threatening ischemia patients, but not in peripheral artery disease patients with claudication. Furthermore, our data demonstrated significant increases in markers of endothelial injury in chronic limb threatening ischemia patients relative to non-peripheral artery disease controls. Finally, decreases in natural anti-coagulants (protein C and protein S) and coagulation factors FIX, FXI, and FXII were also observed in chronic limb threatening ischemia patients when compared with non-peripheral artery disease controls.

CONCLUSIONS

Our data suggest that in relation to non-peripheral artery disease controls, chronic limb threatening ischemia patients are more hypercoagulable. However, peripheral artery disease patients with claudication appear to have similar levels of circulating procoagulant markers as non-peripheral artery disease patients. This may explain the increased risk of thrombotic events observed in chronic limb threatening ischemia patients.

Effects of Statins for Secondary Prevention on Functioning and Other Outcomes Among Nursing Home Residents

OBJECTIVES

Studies examining the effects of statins after acute myocardial infarction (AMI) excluded frail older adults, especially nursing home (NH) residents, and few examined functional outcomes. Older NH residents may benefit less from statins and be particularly susceptible to adverse drug events like myopathy-related functional decline. We evaluated the effects of statins on 1-year functional decline, rehospitalization, and death in NH residents.

DESIGN

We conducted a retrospective cohort study using 2007-2010 linked national data from Minimum Data Set (MDS) assessments, Medicare claims, and Online Survey Certification and Reporting System records.

SETTING AND PARTICIPANTS

We included US NH residents 65 years and older who were statin nonusers, were hospitalized for AMI between May 2007 and March 2010, and returned to the NH.

MEASURES

Outcomes were functional decline, death, and rehospitalization in the first year after post-AMI NH admission. New statin users were 1:1 propensity-score matched to nonusers to adjust for 92 characteristics. We estimated hazard ratios (HRs) and restricted mean survival time differences with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) comparing individuals who did vs did not initiate statin therapy after AMI hospitalization.

RESULTS

Propensity-score matching yielded a cohort of 5440 residents. Mean age was 83 years and 69% were female. Statin use was associated with a reduction in mortality (HR 0.80, 95% CI 0.73-0.87), corresponding to a mean of 15.9 (95% CI 9.9-22.0) days of extended life expectancy. No overall differences in rehospitalization (HR 1.06, 95% CI 0.98-1.14) or functional decline (HR 1.00, 95% CI 0.88-1.14) were observed.

CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS

Statins may reduce 1-year mortality by 20% without affecting function among older NH residents who wish to live longer after AMI. During shared decision making with these patients or their representatives, clinicians should consider communicating that the average benefit of statins is 16 days of additional survival over 1 year.

Association of a Novel Protocol for Rapid Exclusion of Myocardial Infarction With Resource Use in a US Safety Net Hospital

IMPORTANCE

High-sensitivity cardiac troponin T (hs-cTnT) protocols for the evaluation of chest pain in the emergency department (ED) may reduce unnecessary resource use and overcrowding.

OBJECTIVE

To determine whether the implementation of a novel hs-cTnT protocol, which incorporated troponin values drawn at 0, 1, and 3 hours after ED presentation and the modified HEART score (history, electrocardiogram, age, risk factors), was associated with improvements in resource use while maintaining safety.

DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS

This retrospective cohort study from Parkland Health and Hospital System, a large safety net hospital in Dallas, Texas, included data on 31 543 unique ED encounters in which patients underwent electrocardiographic and troponin testing from January 1, 2017, to October 16, 2018. The hs-cTnT protocol was implemented in December 2017.

MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES

Resource use outcomes included trends in ED dwell time, troponin to disposition decision time (the difference between the first troponin draw time and the time an order was placed for inpatient admission, admission to observation, or discharge), and final patient disposition. Safety outcomes included readmission for myocardial infarction and death.

RESULTS

In 31 543 encounters, mean (SD) patient age was 54 (14.4) years and 14 675 patients (48%) were female. Department dwell time decreased by a mean of -1.09 (95% CI, -2.81 to 0.64) minutes per month in the preintervention period. The decline was steeper after the intervention (-4.69 [95% CI, -9.05 to -0.33] minutes per month) (P for interaction = .007). The troponin to disposition time was increasing in the preintervention period by 1.72 (95% CI, 1.08 to 2.36) minutes per month; postintervention, the mean difference increased more slowly (0.37 [95% CI, -1.25 to 1.99 minutes per month; P value for interaction = .007]). The proportion of patients discharged from the ED increased after the intervention (48% vs 54%, P < .001). Thirty-day major adverse cardiac event rates were low and did not differ before and after the intervention.

CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE

Implementation of a novel protocol incorporating serial hs-cTnT measurements over 3 hours with the Modified HEART Score was associated with reduction in ED dwell times and attenuation of temporal increases in time from troponin measurement to disposition. This or similar protocols to rule out myocardial infarction have the potential to reduce ED overcrowding and improve health care quality while maintaining safety.

Optimal Timing of Invasive Coronary Angiography following NSTEMI

Objective

To obtain a real-world perspective of the optimal timing of angiography performed within 24 hours of admission with non-ST elevation myocardial infarction (NSTEMI).

Background

Current guidelines recommend angiography within 24 hours of hospitalisation with NSTEMI. The recent VERDICT trial found that angiography within 12 hours of admission with NSTEMI was associated with improved cardiovascular outcomes among high-risk patients. We compared the outcomes of real-world NSTEMI patients undergoing angiography within 12 hours of admission with those of patients undergoing angiography 12 to 24 hours after admission.

Methods

NSTEMI patients without life-threatening features who received angiography within 24 hours of admission were obtained from the SPUM-ACS registry, a cohort of consecutive patients admitted with acute coronary syndromes to four university hospitals in Switzerland. Cox models assessed for an association between door-to-catheter time and one-year major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE: cardiovascular mortality, myocardial infarction, and stroke).

Results

Of 2672 NSTEMI patients, 1832 met the inclusion criteria. Among them, 1464 patients underwent angiography within 12 hours (12 h group) compared with 368 patients between 12 and 24 hours (12-24 h group). Multiple logistic regression identified out-of-hours admission as the only factor associated with delayed angiography. After 2 : 1 propensity score matching, 736 patients from the 12 h group and 368 patients from the 12-24 h group demonstrated no significant difference in rates of one-year MACE (7.7% vs. 7.3%, HR: 1.050, 95% CI 0.637-1.733, p=0.847). Stratification by GRACE score (>140 vs. ≤140) found no significant reduction in MACE among high-risk patients in the 12 h group (p=0.847). Stratification by GRACE score (>140 vs. ≤140) found no significant reduction in MACE among high-risk patients in the 12 h group (.

Conclusions

In an unselected real-world cohort of NSTEMI patients, angiography within 12 hours of admission was not associated with improved one-year cardiovascular outcomes when compared with angiography 12 and 24 hours after admission, even among high-risk patients.

Adherence to prophylactic dual antiplatelet therapy in patients with acute coronary syndrome - A study conducted at a Saudi university hospital

Objectives

The aim of this study was to evaluate patients’ self-reported adherence to dual antiplatelet therapy (DAPT) and determine the factors associated with premature discontinuation of DAPT.

Methods

The cross-sectional interview-based study was conducted among adult outpatients who visited the outpatient department of King Khalid University Hospital, Cardiac Center in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, over a period of 3 months from May to July of 2016. Medication adherence was assessed using the Self-efficacy for Appropriate Medication Use Scale (SEAMS), which is composed of 13 items with a 3-point Likert scale.

Results

A total of 192 patients participated in the study. The majority of the participants were male (82.1%), and the mean age was 55.66 ± 10.80 years. More than 84% (84.4%) of the patients reported that they were “confident” in taking several medications each day. The minimum and maximum SEAMS scores were 22 and 39, respectively, with the mean score being 30.8 ± 3.5. Almost all patients had moderate scores and adherence; only one patient got a score of 39. Among sociodemographic characteristics, only health insurance and income were significantly associated with the medication adherence score (p < 0.05).

Conclusions

Study results concluded that patients had a moderate level of adherence towards DAPT in Saudi Arabia, however Patient education on DAPT is essential to improve adherence to medication treatment. More effective intentions and education methods should be developed to improve long-term DAPT adherence.

A systematic review and meta-analysis on the effectiveness of an invasive strategy compared to a conservative approach in patients > 65 years old with non-ST elevation acute coronary syndrome

Background

Patients 65 years old and older largely represent (>50%) hospital-admitted patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS). Data are conflicting comparing efficacy of early routine invasive (within 48–72 hours of initial evaluation) versus conservative management of ACS in this population.

Objective

We aimed to determine the effectiveness of routine early invasive strategy compared to conservative treatment in reducing major adverse cardiovascular events in patients 65 years old and older with non-ST elevation (NSTE) ACS.

Data sources

We conducted a systematic review of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) through PubMed, Cochrane, and Google Scholar database.

Study selection

The studies included were RCTs that evaluated the effectiveness of invasive strategy compared to conservative treatment among patients ≥ 65 years old diagnosed with NSTEACS. Studies were included if they assessed any of the following outcomes of death, cardiovascular mortality, myocardial infarction (MI), stroke, recurrent angina, and need for revascularization. Six articles were subsequently included in the meta-analysis.

Data extraction

Three independent reviewers extracted the data of interest from the articles using a standardized data collection form that included study quality indicators. Disparity in assessment was adjudicated by another reviewer.

Data synthesis

All pooled analyses were initially done using Fixed Effects model. For pooled analyses with significant heterogeneity (I²≥ 50%), the Random Effects model was used. A total of 3,768 patients were included, 1,986 in the invasive strategy group, and 1,782 in the conservative treatment group.

Results

Meta-analysis showed less incidence of revascularization in the invasive (2%) over conservative treatment groups (8%), with overall risk ratio of 0.29 (95% CI 0.14 to 0.59). Across all pooled studies, no significant effect of invasive strategy on all-cause mortality, cardiovascular mortality, stroke, and MI was observed. Only one study assessed the outcome of recurrent angina.

Conclusion

There was a significantly lower rate of revascularization in the invasive strategy group compared to the conservative treatment group. In the reduction of all-cause mortality, cardiovascular mortality, MI, and stroke there was no significant effect of invasive strategy versus conservative treatment. This finding does not support the bias against early routine invasive intervention in patients ≥ 65 years old with NSTEACS. Further studies focusing on these patients with larger population sizes are still needed.

Roles and Mechanisms of Hawthorn and Its Extracts on Atherosclerosis: A Review

Cardiovascular disease (CVD), especially atherosclerosis, is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality globally; it causes a considerable burden on families and caregivers and results in significant financial costs being incurred. Hawthorn has an extensive history of medical use in many countries. In China, the use of hawthorn for the treatment of CVD dates to 659 AD. In addition, according to the theory of traditional Chinese medicine, it acts on tonifying the spleen to promote digestion and activate blood circulation to dissipate blood stasis. This review revealed that the hawthorn extracts possess serum lipid-lowering, anti-oxidative, and cardiovascular protective properties, thus gaining popularity, especially for its anti-atherosclerotic effects. We summarize the four principal mechanisms, including blood lipid-lowering, anti-oxidative, anti-inflammatory, and vascular endothelial protection, thus providing a theoretical basis for further utilization of hawthorn.

Optimal management of coronary artery disease in cancer patients

Owing to early diagnosis and rapid development of treatments for cancers, the five-year survival rate of all cancer types has markedly improved worldwide. Over time, however, there has been an increase in the number of cancer patients who develop coronary artery disease (CAD) due to different causes. First, many risk factors are shared between cancer and CAD. Second, inflammation and oxidative stress are common underlying pathogeneses in both disorders. Lastly, cancer therapy can result in endothelial injury, coronary artery spasm, and coagulation, thereby increasing the risk of CAD. As more cancer patients are being diagnosed with CAD, specialized cardiac care should be established to minimize the cardiovascular mortality of cancer survivors.

Sleep for Stroke Management and Recovery Trial (Sleep SMART): Rationale and methods

RATIONALE

Obstructive sleep apnea is common among patients with acute ischemic stroke and is associated with reduced functional recovery and an increased risk for recurrent vascular events.

AIMS AND/OR HYPOTHESIS

The Sleep for Stroke Management and Recovery Trial (Sleep SMART) aims to determine whether automatically adjusting continuous positive airway pressure (aCPAP) treatment for obstructive sleep apnea improves clinical outcomes after acute ischemic stroke or high-risk transient ischemic attack.

SAMPLE SIZE ESTIMATE

A total of 3062 randomized subjects for the prevention of recurrent serious vascular events, and among these, 1362 stroke survivors for the recovery outcome.

METHODS AND DESIGN

Sleep SMART is a phase III, multicenter, prospective randomized, open, blinded outcome event assessed controlled trial. Adults with recent acute ischemic stroke/transient ischemic attack and no contraindication to aCPAP are screened for obstructive sleep apnea with a portable sleep apnea test. Subjects with confirmed obstructive sleep apnea but without predominant central sleep apnea proceed to a run-in night of aCPAP. Subjects with use (≥4 h) of aCPAP and without development of significant central apneas are randomized to aCPAP plus usual care or care-as-usual for six months. Telemedicine is used to monitor and facilitate aCPAP adherence remotely.

STUDY OUTCOMES

Two separate primary outcomes: (1) the composite of recurrent acute ischemic stroke, acute coronary syndrome, and all-cause mortality (prevention) and (2) the modified Rankin scale scores (recovery) at six- and three-month post-randomization, respectively.

DISCUSSION

Sleep SMART represents the first large trial to test whether aCPAP for obstructive sleep apnea after stroke/transient ischemic attack reduces recurrent vascular events or death, and improves functional recovery.

Assessment of US Paramedic Professionalism: A Psychometric Appraisal

INTRODUCTION

Professionalism is an essential behavior for paramedic students to demonstrate. In the United States, paramedic accreditation standards require educators to evaluate and document summative affective evaluation on each paramedic student before graduation. The 2009 Emergency Medical Services Education Standards identified the affective behaviors as one of the three learning domains and published a grading tool to help educators recognize professional behaviors. However, little attention was given to the validity or reliability of this tool. Therefore, the aim of this study was to evaluate the psychometric properties of the 5-point Paramedic Affective Domain Tool.

METHODS

This was a retrospective study with educators that completed evaluations on paramedic students from May 2013 to January 2017. A total of 707 cases met inclusion criteria and 131 unique evaluators from 27 different paramedic programs. A Rasch Partial Credit Model was used to analyze the data.

RESULTS

Almost 97% of the paramedic students received passing scores and 28.1% (n=199) received perfect scores. Only 3.5% (n=25) failed the evaluation. Scores ranged from 11 to 55 (M = 46, SD = 9.02) and α = 0.97. Evidence suggests that the tool is not valid and the clustering of scores suggests minimal information can be gleaned from the results.

CONCLUSION

Serious consideration should be made in the continued use of this tool and future research should focus on developing a new tool that is both valid and reliable.

Prolonged dual antiplatelet therapy in patients with non-ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction: 2-year findings from EPICOR Asia

Background

Patients with non‐ST‐segment elevation myocardial infarction (NSTEMI) have a generally poor prognosis and antithrombotic management patterns (AMPs) used post‐acute coronary syndrome (ACS) remain unclear. Duration of dual antiplatelet therapy (DAPT) and patient characteristics was evaluated in NSTEMI patients enrolled in EPICOR Asia.

Hypothesis

Patients stopping DAPT early may benefit from more intensive monitoring.

Methods

EPICOR Asia was a prospective, real‐world, primary data collection, cohort study in adults with an ACS, conducted in eight countries/regions in Asia, with 2 year follow‐up. Eligible patients were hospitalized within 48 hours of symptom onset and survived to discharge. We describe AMPs and baseline characteristics in NSTEMI patients surviving ≥12 months with DAPT duration ≤12 and > 12 months post‐discharge. Clinical outcomes (composite of death, myocardial infarction, and stroke; and bleeding) were also explored.

Results

At discharge, 90.8% of patients were on DAPT (including clopidogrel, 99%). At 1‐ and 2‐year follow‐up, this was 79.2% and 60.0%. Patients who stopped DAPT ≤12 months post‐discharge tended to be older, female, less obese, have prior cardiovascular disease, and have renal dysfunction. While causality cannot be inferred, the incidence of the composite endpoint over the subsequent 12 months was 10.6% and 3.1% with shorter vs longer use of DAPT, and mortality risk over the same period was 8.4% and 1.6%.

Conclusions

Over 90% of NSTEMI patients were discharged on DAPT, with 60% on DAPT at 2 years. Patients stopping DAPT early were more likely to have higher baseline risk and may therefore benefit from more intensive monitoring during long‐term follow‐up.

Potential Utility of Non-gated Enhanced Computed Tomography for an Early Diagnosis of Myocardial Infarctions

The diagnosis of acute myocardial infarctions (MIs) is challenging when no significant ischemic ST-segment changes are noted on a 12-lead electrocardiogram (ECG). We herein report two patients suffering from chest pain in whom non-gated enhanced computed tomography (CT) images were used to rule out aortic dissection and pulmonary embolism, aiding in the early diagnosis of an acute MI. Subsequently, urgent revascularization was successfully performed in these patients. In non-gated enhanced CT imaging, the infarcted myocardium is initially visible as a focal myocardial perfusion defect.

Prognostic impact over time of ischaemic heart disease vs. non-ischaemic heart disease in heart failure

Aims

The aim of this study is to investigate the prognostic impact of ischaemic heart disease (IHD) in heart failure (HF) and its association to age, sex, left ventricular ejection fraction (EF), and HF duration, and furthermore, to evaluate if the impact of IHD has changed over time, in light of improved therapy.

Methods and results

We studied 30 946 patients with non‐valvular HF, by accessing the Swedish Heart Failure Registry, from years 2000 to 2012. The mortality in 17 778 patients with clinical IHD was compared with 13 168 patients without IHD (non‐IHD). There was a significantly worse outcome in IHD, with the crude mortality of 41.1% and the event rate per 100 person‐years [95% confidence interval (CI)] of 14.8 (14.4–15.1), compared with 28.2% and 9.7 (9.4–10.0) in non‐IHD. After multivariable adjustment, the hazard ratio (HR) (95% CI) for mortality, IHD vs. non‐IHD, was 1.16 (1.11–1.22; P < 0.0001). Subgroup analyses showed significantly increased mortality in IHD, in all age subgroups, in all subgroups with EF < 50%, in both men and women, and regardless of heart failure duration more or less than 6 months. Analyses for the combination of age and EF showed the highest HR for time to death in the youngest with the lowest EF, HR (95% CI) 2.05 (1.59–2.64) for patients <60 years of age with EF < 30%. Although a numerical reduction of the HR for mortality was seen over time, the risk for mortality in IHD, compared with the non‐IHD group, was greater throughout the study period.

Conclusions

In non‐valvular heart failure, IHD was associated with significantly increased mortality, compared with non‐IHD, in groups of EF below 50%, in all age groups, and regardless of sex or HF duration. The risk increase associated with EF reduction diminished with increasing age. The mortality in IHD, compared with non‐IHD, remained significantly higher throughout the 13 year study period.

Clinical Impact of Beta Blockers in Patients with Myocardial Infarction from the Korean National Health Insurance Database

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES

Whether beta blockers favorably impact the clinical outcome in patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI) remains in debate. We investigated the impact of beta blocker on major clinical outcomes during 2 years after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) in patients with AMI.

METHODS

All patients with the first AMI treated with PCI for the period of 2005 to 2014 from the Korean National Health Insurance Service claims database were enrolled. We defined the regular user as medication possession ratio (MPR) ≥80% and non-user as MPR=0%. We compared the occurrence of all cause death, myocardial infarction (MI) and stroke according to adherence of beta-blockers. A 1:1 propensity score-matching was conducted to adjust for between-group differences.

RESULTS

We identified a total 81,752 patients with met eligible criteria. At discharge, 63,885 (78%) patients were prescribed beta blockers. For 2 years follow up period, regular users were 53,991 (66%) patients, non-users were 10,991 (13%). In the propensity score matched population, regular use of beta blocker was associated with a 36% reduced risk of composite adverse events (all death, MI or stroke) (hazard ratio [HR], 0.636; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.555-0.728; p<0.001). Compared to no use of beta blocker, regular use significantly reduced all death (HR, 0.736; 95% CI, 0.668-0.812; p<0.001), MI (HR, 0.729; 95% CI, 0.611-0.803; p<0.001) and stroke (HR, 0.717; 95% CI, 0.650-0.791; p<0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

Prescription of beta blocker in patients with AMI after PCI was sequentially increased. Continuous regular use of beta blocker for 2 years after AMI reduced major adverse events compared to no use of beta blocker.

Intravenous antiplatelet therapies (glycoprotein IIb/IIIa receptor inhibitors and cangrelor) in percutaneous coronary intervention: from pharmacology to indications for clinical use

Oral antiplatelet drugs are crucially important for patients with acute coronary syndrome or stable coronary artery disease undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). In recent decades, several clinical trials have focused on reducing periprocedural ischemic events in patients undergoing PCI by means of more rapid platelet inhibition with the use of intravenous antiplatelet drugs. Glycoprotein IIb/IIIa receptor inhibitors (GPIs) block the final common pathway of platelet aggregation and enable potent inhibition in the peri-PCI period. In recent years, however, the use of GPIs has decreased due to bleeding concerns and the availability of more potent oral P2Y₁₂ inhibitors. Cangrelor is an intravenous P2Y₁₂ receptor antagonist. In a large-scale regulatory trial, cangrelor administration during PCI allowed for rapid, potent and rapidly reversible inhibition of platelet aggregation, with an anti-ischemic benefit and no increase in major bleeding. This article aims to provide an overview of general pharmacology, supporting evidence and current status of intravenous antiplatelet therapies (GPIs and cangrelor), with a focus on contemporary indications for their clinical use.

Liver parameters as part of a non-invasive model for prediction of all-cause mortality after myocardial infarction

INTRODUCTION

Liver parameters are associated with cardiovascular disease risk and severity of stenosis. It is unclear whether liver parameters could predict the long-term outcome of patients after acute myocardial infarction (AMI). We performed an unbiased analysis of the predictive value of serum parameters for long-term prognosis after AMI.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

In a retrospective, observational, single-center, cohort study, 569 patients after AMI were enrolled and followed up until 6 years for major adverse cardiovascular events, including cardiac death. Patients were classified into non-survivors (n = 156) and survivors (n = 413). Demographic and laboratory data were analyzed using ensemble feature selection (EFS) and logistic regression. Correlations were performed for serum parameters.

RESULTS

Age (73; 64; p < 0.01), alanine aminotransferase (ALT; 93 U/l; 40 U/l; p < 0.01), aspartate aminotransferase (AST; 162 U/l; 66 U/l; p < 0.01), C-reactive protein (CRP; 4.7 U/l; 1.6 U/l; p < 0.01), creatinine (1.6; 1.3; p < 0.01), γ-glutamyltransferase (GGT; 71 U/l; 46 U/l; p < 0.01), urea (29.5; 20.5; p < 0.01), estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR; 49.6; 61.4; p < 0.01), troponin (13.3; 7.6; p < 0.01), myoglobin (639; 302; p < 0.01), and cardiovascular risk factors (hypercholesterolemia p < 0.02, family history p < 0.01, and smoking p < 0.01) differed significantly between non-survivors and survivors. Age, AST, CRP, eGFR, myoglobin, sodium, urea, creatinine, and troponin correlated significantly with death (r = -0.29; 0.14; 0.31; -0.27; 0.20; -0.13; 0.33; 0.24; 0.12). A prediction model was built including age, CRP, eGFR, myoglobin, and urea, achieving an AUROC of 77.6% to predict long-term survival after AMI.

CONCLUSIONS

Non-invasive parameters, including liver and renal markers, can predict long-term outcome of patients after AMI.

Circulating MicroRNA Expression Profiles in Patients with Stable and Unstable Angina

OBJECTIVES

High incidence and case fatality of unstable angina (UA) is, to a large extent, a consequence of the lack of highly sensitive and specific non-invasive markers. Circulating microRNAs (miRNAs) have been widely recommended as potential biomarkers for numerous diseases. In the present study, we characterized distinctive miRNA expression profiles in patients with stable angina (SA), UA, and normal coronary arteries (NCA), and identified promising candidates for UA diagnosis.

METHODS

Serum was collected from patients with SA, UA, and NCA who visited the Department of Cardiovascular Diseases of the Meizhou People's Hospital. Small RNA sequencing was carried out on an Illumina HiSeq 2500 platform. miRNA expression in different groups of patients was profiled and then confirmed based on that in an independent set of patients. Functions of differentially expressed miRNAs were predicted using gene ontology classification and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes pathway analysis.

RESULTS

Our results indicated that circulating miRNA expression profiles differed between SA, UA, and NCA patients. A total of 36 and 161 miRNAs were dysregulated in SA and UA patients, respectively. miRNA expression was validated by reverse transcription quantitative polymerase chain reaction.

CONCLUSION

The results suggest that circulating miRNAs are potential biomarkers of UA.

Comparison of usual care and the HEART score for effectively and safely discharging patients with low-risk chest pain in the emergency department: would the score always help?

Background

Triage decisions for chest pain patients receiving usual care are based on a dynamic and comprehensive strategy performed in the physician's mind. It remains controversial whether simple, structured risk tools can surpass real, complex judgments.

Hypothesis

The potentially used History, Electrocardiogram, Age, Risk factors, Troponin (HEART) score would help identify low‐risk patients for discharge.

Methods

Patients with acute, non‐traumatic chest pain managed according to usual care were consecutively enrolled in a tertiary university hospital in China from August 24, 2015 to September 30, 2017. Major adverse cardiac events (MACE) included death, acute myocardial infarction, revascularization, and significant coronary stenosis (>50%) within 30 days. We compared the efficacy and safety of usual care and the potentially used HEART score in this population.

Results

Of 2185 patients analyzed, 926 (42.4%) patients were directly discharged by usual care, whereas HEART≤3 would have identified 524 (24.0%) patients as low‐risk (P < .001). The MACE rate in discharged patients was 2.2% (20/926) and would have been 5.2% (27/524) in those with HEART≤3 (P = .002). For discharged patients, the MACE rates in HEART≤3 vs HEART>3 groups were not significantly different (1.5% vs 2.7%, P = .225). Negative predictive value (NPV) was higher with usual care than with the HEART score (P = .003), but sensitivity was similar. For 340 patients with serial troponins, usual care was superior to the potentially used HEART score in regard to efficacy.

Conclusions

At this institution, usual care identified many more patients for discharge than the HEART score would have without apparently different outcomes in discharged patients with lower vs higher HEART scores. The HEART score would not appear to provide helpful risk stratification.

Racial and insurance disparities among patients presenting with chest pain in the US: 2009-2015

BACKGROUND

Nationally representative studies have shown significant racial and socioeconomic disparities in the triage and diagnostic evaluation of patients presenting to the emergency department (ED) with chest pain. However, these studies were conducted over a decade ago and have not been updated amidst growing awareness of healthcare disparities.

OBJECTIVE

We aimed to reevaluate the effect of race and insurance type on triage acuity and diagnostic testing to assess if these disparities persist.

METHODS

We identified ED visits for adults presenting with chest pain in the 2009-2015 National Hospital Ambulatory Health Care Surveys. Using weighted logistic regression, we examined associations between race and payment type with triage acuity and likelihood of ordering electrocardiography (ECG) or cardiac enzymes.

RESULTS

A total of 10,441 patients met inclusion criteria, corresponding to an estimated 51.4 million patients nationwide. When compared with white patients, black patients presenting with chest pain were less likely to have an ECG ordered (adjusted odds ratio [OR] = 0.82, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.69-0.99). Patients with Medicare, Medicaid, and no insurance were also less likely to have an ECG ordered compared to patients with private insurance (Medicare: OR = 0.79, CI = 0.63-0.99; Medicaid: OR = 0.67, CI = 0.53-0.84; no insurance: OR = 0.68, CI = 0.55-0.84). Those with Medicare and Medicaid were less likely to be triaged emergently (Medicare: OR = 0.84, CI = 0.71-0.99; Medicaid: OR = 0.76, CI = 0.64-0.91) and those with Medicare were less likely to have cardiac enzymes ordered (OR = 0.84, CI = 0.72-0.98).

CONCLUSIONS

Persistent racial and insurance disparities exist in the evaluation of chest pain in the ED. Compared to earlier studies, disparities in triage acuity and cardiac enzymes appear to have diminished, but disparities in ECG ordering have not. Given current Class I recommendations for ECGs on all patients presenting with chest pain emergently, our findings highlight the need for improvement in this area.

The Asia-Pacific Society of Cardiology (APSC) Expert Committee Consensus Recommendations for Assessment of Suspected Acute Coronary Syndrome Using High-Sensitivity Cardiac Troponin T in the Emergency Department

The Asia-Pacific Society of Cardiology (APSC) high-sensitivity troponin T (hs-TnT) consensus recommendations and rapid algorithm were developed to provide guidance for healthcare professionals in the Asia-Pacific region on assessing patients with suspected acute coronary syndrome (ACS) using a hs-TnT assay. Experts from Asia-Pacific convened in 2 meetings to develop evidence-based consensus recommendations and an algorithm for appropriate use of the hs-TnT assay. The Expert Committee defined a cardiac troponin assay as a high-sensitivity assay if the total imprecision is ≤10% at the 99th percentile of the upper reference limit and measurable concentrations below the 99th percentile are attainable with an assay at a concentration value above the assay's limit of detection for at least 50% of healthy individuals. Recommendations for single-measurement rule-out/rule-in cutoff values, as well as for serial measurements, were also developed. The Expert Committee also adopted similar hs-TnT cutoff values for men and women, recommended serial hs-TnT measurements for special populations, and provided guidance on the use of point-of-care troponin T devices in individuals suspected of ACS. These recommendations should be used in conjunction with all available clinical evidence when making the diagnosis of ACS.

Exposure to guideline-recommended drugs after a first acute myocardial infarction in older adults: does deprivation matter?

BACKGROUND

Inequities between guideline-recommended drugs (GRD) exposure and socioeconomic status might exist. The objective was to assess the association between a material and a social deprivation index and GRD exposure following a first acute myocardial infarction (AMI) in older adults in the province of Quebec.

METHODS

We conducted a retrospective cohort study using the Quebec Integrated Chronic Disease Surveillance System. Elderly ≥66 years, hospitalized for a first AMI between January 1, 2006, and December 31, 2011 and covered by the public drug plan were identified. Exposure to GRD (i.e. simultaneous use of 1) antiplatelet, 2) beta-blocker, 3) lipid-lowering and 4) angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor or angiotensin II receptor blocker drugs) was assessed 30 and 365 days following hospital discharge. Associations between deprivation index and GRD exposure were estimated with log-binomial regressions adjusting for potential confounders.

RESULTS

Exposure to GRD was 52.2% and 48.0%, 30 and 365 days after hospital discharge, respectively. No statistically significant association was observed in multivariate analysis for both time points. Thirty days post hospital discharge, adjusted prevalence ratio of non-exposure to GRD was 0.98 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.95-1.02) for most materially deprived vs. least deprived and 1.04 (95% CI: 0.99-1.08) for most socially deprived vs. least deprived. Similar results were observed for 365 days.

CONCLUSION

Exposure to GRD after a first urgent AMI among older adults insured by the public drug plan in the province of Quebec is relatively low. Reasons and risk groups for this low exposure should be studied to improve secondary prevention. However, results suggest equitable access to GRD, regardless of deprivation.

Effect of Pre-Procedural Beta-Blocker on Clinical Outcome after Percutaneous Coronary Intervention in Acute Coronary Syndrome

The efficacy of pre-procedural beta-blocker use in patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS) is not well established in the current percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) era. We investigate the effect of pre-procedural beta-blocker use on clinical outcomes in patients with ACS undergoing PCI. Among 44,967 consecutive cases of PCI enrolled in the nationwide, retrospective, multicenter registry (K-PCI registry), 31,040 patients with ACS were selected and analyzed. We classified patients into pre-procedural beta-blocker group (n = 8,678) and pre-procedural no-beta-blocker group (n = 22,362) according to the use of beta-blockers at least for two weeks before index PCI. Propensity score-matching analysis was performed and resulted in 7,445 pairs. The primary outcome was in-hospital cardiac death. In propensity score-matched populations, the pre-procedural beta-blocker group had a lower incidence of in-hospital cardiac death compared with the pre-procedural no-beta-blocker group (1.1% versus 2.0%, unadjusted odds ratio [OR]: 0.56, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.42-0.73, P < 0.01). In subgroup analysis, the pre-procedural beta-blocker group had a lower incidence of in-hospital cardiac death, compared with the pre-procedural no-beta-blocker group in ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction subpopulation (3.1% versus 6.1%, unadjusted OR: 0.49, 95% CI: 0.34-0.71, P < 0.01) and non-ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction subpopulation (1.5% versus 2.9%, unadjusted OR: 0.51, 95% CI: 0.33-0.79, P < 0.01). However, in unstable angina subpopulation, the in-hospital cardiac death rate was comparable between both groups. In conclusion, the use of pre-procedural beta-blocker was associated with a lower risk of in-hospital cardiac death in patients with ACS undergoing PCI. This result adds to the body of evidence that use of pre-procedural beta-blocker in patients with ACS might be reasonable.

High-Intensity Versus Non-High-Intensity Statins in Patients Achieving Low-Density Lipoprotein Cholesterol Goal After Percutaneous Coronary Intervention

Background Whether use of high-intensity statins is more important than achieving low-density lipoprotein cholesterol ( LDL -C) target remains controversial in patients with coronary artery disease. We sought to investigate the association between statin intensity and long-term clinical outcomes in patients achieving treatment target for LDL -C after percutaneous coronary intervention. Methods and Results Between February 2003 and December 2014, 1746 patients who underwent percutaneous coronary intervention and achieved treatment target for LDL -C (<70 mg/dL or >50% reduction from baseline level) were studied. We classified patients into 2 groups according to an intensity of statin prescribed after index percutaneous coronary intervention: high-intensity statin group (atorvastatin 40 or 80 mg, and rosuvastatin 20 mg, 372 patients) and non-high-intensity statin group (the other statin treatment, 1374 patients). The primary outcome was a composite of cardiac death, myocardial infarction, or stroke. Difference in time-averaged LDL -C during follow-up was significant, but small, between the high-intensity statin group and non-high-intensity statin group (59±13 versus 61±12 mg/dL; P=0.04). At 5 years, patients receiving high-intensity statins had a significantly lower incidence of the primary outcome than those treated with non-high-intensity statins (4.1% versus 9.9%; hazard ratio, 0.42; 95% confidence interval, 0.23-0.79; P<0.01). Results were consistent after propensity-score matching (4.2% versus 11.2%; hazard ratio, 0.36; 95% confidence interval, 0.19-0.69; P<0.01) and across various subgroups. Conclusions Among patients achieving treatment target for LDL -C after percutaneous coronary intervention, high-intensity statins were associated with a lower risk of major adverse cardiovascular events than non-high-intensity statins despite a small difference in achieved LDL -C level.

Angiotensin Receptor Blockers as an Alternative to Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme Inhibitors in Patients with Acute Myocardial Infarction Undergoing Percutaneous Coronary Intervention

BACKGROUND

Angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors (ACEIs) are the first choice for the treatment of acute myocardial infarction (AMI), and angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs) should be considered in patients intolerant to ACEIs. Although previous studies support the use of ARBs as an alternative to ACEIs, these studies showed inconsistent results. The objective of this study was to demonstrate the clinical impact of ARBs as an alternative to ACEIs in patients with AMI undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI).

METHODS

The CardiOvascular Risk and idEntificAtion of potential high-risk population in AMI (COREA-AMI) registry enrolled all consecutive patients with AMI undergoing PCI. The primary endpoint was the composite of cardiovascular death, myocardial infarction, stroke, or hospitalization due to heart failure.

RESULTS

Of the 3,328 eligible patients, ARBs replaced ACEIs in 816 patients, while 824 patients continued to use ACEIs and 826 patients continued to use ARBs. The remaining 862 patients did not receive ACEIs/ARBs. After the adjustment with inverse probability weighting, the primary endpoints in the first groups were similar (7.5% vs. 8.0%, hazard ratio [HR], 0.89; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.75-1.05; P = 0.164). Composite events were less frequent in the ACEI to ARB group than no ACEI/ARB group (7.5% vs. 11.8%, HR, 0.76; 95% CI, 0.64-0.90; P = 0.002).

CONCLUSION

The alternative use of ARBs following initial treatment with ACEIs demonstrates comparable clinical outcomes to those with continued use of ACEIs and is associated with an improved rate of composite events compared to no ACEI/ARB use in patients with AMI undergoing PCI.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT02385682.

Involvement of Oxidative Stress and the Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor in Diesel Exhaust Particle-Induced Expression of Inflammatory Mediators in Human Mononuclear Cells

Exposure to diesel exhaust particles (DEPs) has been associated with increased incidence of cardiopulmonary diseases. This study is aimed at examining the proinflammatory effects of DEP on primary human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) and the underlying mechanisms using a human mononuclear cell line, THP-1. DEPs were incubated with the PBMC and THP-1 cells for 24 h, respectively. The supernatants were collected and subjected to measurement of proinflammatory mediators including interleukin 8 (IL-8) or tumor necrosis factor α (TNFα) by ELISA. Levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS) were determined using flow cytometry. Phosphorylation of the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) was examined with immunoblotting. Exposure to DEP induced a concentration-dependent increase in the expression of IL-8 and TNFα in the PBMC and THP-1 cells. Further mechanistic studies with THP-1 cells indicated that DEP stimulation increased intracellular levels of ROS, an indicator of oxidative stress, and phosphorylation of the EGFR, indicative of EGFR activation. Pretreatment of THP-1 cells with the antioxidant N-acetyl-L-cysteine (NAC) markedly blunted DEP-induced EGFR phosphorylation, indicating that oxidative stress was involved in DEP-induced EGFR activation. Furthermore, the pretreatment of THP-1 cells with either NAC or a selective EGFR inhibitor significantly blocked DEP-induced IL-8 expression, implying that oxidative stress and subsequent EGFR activation mediated DEP-induced inflammatory response. In summary, DEP stimulation increases the expression of proinflammatory mediators in human mononuclear cells, which is regulated by oxidative stress-EGFR signaling pathway.