Early statin treatment prior to primary PCI for acute myocardial infarction: REPERATOR, a randomized placebo-controlled pilot trial

Preoperative statin therapy for adults undergoing cardiac surgery

BACKGROUND

Despite significant advances in surgical techniques and perioperative care, people undertaking cardiac surgery due to cardiovascular disease are more prone to the development of postoperative adverse events. Statins (5-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-co-enzyme A (HMG-CoA) reductase inhibitors) are well-known for their anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects and are established for primary and secondary prevention of coronary artery disease. In addition, statins are thought to have clinical benefits in perioperative outcomes in people undergoing cardiac surgery. This review is an update of a review that was first published in 2012 and updated in 2015.

OBJECTIVES

To evaluate the benefits and harms of preoperative statin therapy in adults undergoing cardiac surgery compared to standard of care or placebo.

SEARCH METHODS

We performed a search of the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL) (Issue 9, 2023), Ovid MEDLINE (1980 to 14 September 2023), and Ovid Embase (1980 to 2023 (week 36)). We applied no language restrictions.

SELECTION CRITERIA

We included all randomised controlled trials (RCTs) comparing any statin treatment before cardiac surgery, for any given duration and dose, versus no preoperative statin therapy (standard of care) or placebo. We excluded trials without a registered trial protocol and trials without approval by an institutional ethics committee.

DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS

We used standard Cochrane methodology. Primary outcomes were short-term mortality and major adverse cardiovascular events. Secondary outcomes were myocardial infarction, atrial fibrillation, stroke, renal failure, length of intensive care unit (ICU) stay, length of hospital stay and adverse effects related to statin therapy. We reported effect measures as risk ratios (RRs) or mean differences (MDs) with corresponding 95% confidence intervals (CIs). We used the RoB 1 tool to assess the risk of bias in included trials, and GRADE to assess the certainty of the evidence.

MAIN RESULTS

We identified eight RCTs (five new to this review) including 5592 participants. Pooled analysis showed that statin treatment before surgery may result in little to no difference in the risk of postoperative short-term mortality (RR 1.36, 95% CI 0.72 to 2.59; I2 = 0%; 6 RCTs, 5260 participants; low-certainty evidence; note 2 RCTs reported 0 events in both groups so RR calculated from 4 RCTs with 5143 participants). We are very uncertain about the effect of statins on major adverse cardiovascular events (RR 0.93, 95% CI 0.77 to 1.13; 1 RCT, 2406 participants; very low-certainty evidence). Statins probably result in little to no difference in myocardial infarction (RR 0.88, 95% CI 0.73 to 1.06; I2 = 0%; 5 RCTs, 4645 participants; moderate-certainty evidence), may result in little to no difference in atrial fibrillation (RR 0.87, 95% CI 0.72 to 1.05; I2 = 60%; 8 RCTs, 5592 participants; low-certainty evidence), and may result in little to no difference in stroke (RR 1.47, 95% CI 0.90 to 2.40; I2 = 0%; 4 RCTs, 5143 participants; low-certainty evidence). We are very uncertain about the effect of statins on renal failure (RR 1.04, 95% CI 0.80 to 1.34; I2 = 57%; 4 RCTs, 4728 participants; very low-certainty evidence). Additionally, statins probably result in little to no difference in length of ICU stay (MD 1.40 hours, 95% CI -1.62 to 4.41; I2 = 43%; 3 RCTs, 4528 participants; moderate-certainty evidence) and overall hospital stay (MD -0.31 days, 95% CI -0.64 to 0.03; I2 = 84%; 5 RCTs, 4788 participants; moderate-certainty evidence). No study had any individual risk of bias domain classified as high. However, two studies were at high risk of bias overall given the classification of unclear risk of bias in three domains.

AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS

In this updated Cochrane review, we found no evidence that statin use in the perioperative period of elective cardiac surgery was associated with any clinical benefit or worsening, when compared with placebo or standard of care. Compared with placebo or standard of care, statin use probably results in little to no difference in MIs, length of ICU stay and overall hospital stay; and may make little to no difference to mortality, atrial fibrillation and stroke. We are very uncertain about the effects of statins on major harmful cardiac events and renal failure. The certainty of the evidence validating this finding varied from moderate to very low, depending on the outcome. Future trials should focus on assessing the impact of statin therapy on mortality and major adverse cardiovascular events.

Efficacy of single high-dose statin prior to percutaneous coronary intervention in acute coronary syndrome: a systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

The impacts of single high-dose statin preloading in patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) have not been fully examined. This study aims to evaluate post-procedure impacts of single high-dose statin pretreatment with acute coronary syndrome (ACS).

METHODS

The meta-analysis reviewed Cochrane, PubMed, and Medline databases for studies comparing single high-dose atorvastatin or rosuvastatin to placebo in ACS patients undergoing PCI. The primary endpoints included major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE), myocardial infarction (MI), all-cause mortality, and target vessel revascularization (TVR) at three months. Secondary endpoints examined were the TIMI flow grade 3 and left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF).

RESULTS

Comprehensive analysis was conducted on fifteen RCTs, encompassing a total of 6,207 patients (3090 vs 3117 patients). The pooled results demonstrated that a single high-dose of statin administered prior to PCI led to a significant decrease in the incidence of MACE at three months post-PCI compared to the control group (OR 0.50, 95%CI 0.35-0.71, p = 0.0001). The occurrence of MI (OR 0.57, 95%CI 0.42-0.77, p = 0.0002), all-cause mortality (OR 0.56, 95%CI 0.39-0.81, p = 0.0002), and TVR (OR 0.56, 95%CI 0.35-0.92, p = 0.02) was significantly lower in the statin single high-dose group compared to the control group. No significant effects on TIMI flow grade 3 (OR 1.20, 95%CI 0.94-1.53, p = 0.14) or left ventricular ejection fraction (OR 2.19, 95%CI - 0.97 to 5.34, p = 0.17) were observed. Subgroup analysis demonstrated reduced incidence of MACE with a single dose of 80 mg atorvastatin (OR 0.66, 95%CI 0.54-0.81, p < 0.0001) and 40 mg rosuvastatin (OR 0.19, 95%CI 0.07-0.54, p = 0.002).

CONCLUSIONS

Single high-dose statin before PCI in patients with ACS significantly reduces MACE, MI, all-cause mortality, and TVR three months post-PCI.

Chinese expert consensus on the diagnosis and treatment of coronary microvascular diseases (2023 Edition)

Since the four working groups of the Chinese Society of Cardiology issued first expert consensus on coronary microvascular diseases (CMVD) in 2017, international consensus documents on CMVD have increased rapidly. Although some of these documents made preliminary recommendations for the diagnosis and treatment of CMVD, they did not provide classification of recommendations and levels of evidence. In order to summarize recent progress in the field of CMVD, standardize the methods and procedures of diagnosis and treatment, and identify the scientific questions for future research, the four working groups of the Chinese Society of Cardiology updated the 2017 version of the Chinese expert consensus on CMVD and adopted a series of measures to ensure the quality of this document. The current consensus has raised a new classification of CMVD, summarized new epidemiological findings for different types of CMVD, analyzed key pathological and molecular mechanisms, evaluated classical and novel diagnostic technologies, recommended diagnostic pathways and criteria, and therapeutic strategies and medications, for patients with CMVD. In view of the current progress and knowledge gaps of CMVD, future directions were proposed. It is hoped that this expert consensus will further expedite the research progress of CMVD in both basic and clinical scenarios.

A systematic review and meta-analysis of the effect of high-intensity statin on coronary microvascular dysfunction

OBJECTIVE

The purpose of this meta-analysis is to evaluate the role of high-intensity statin pretreatment on coronary microvascular dysfunction in patients with coronary heart disease undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI).

METHODS

PubMed, Cochrane, and Embase were searched. This meta-analysis selection included randomized controlled trials (RCTs), involving high-intensity statin pretreatment as active treatment, and measurement of thrombolysis in myocardial infarction (TIMI), myocardial blush grade (MBG) or index of microvascular resistance (IMR) in coronary heart disease (CHD) patients undergoing PCI. I² test was used to evaluate heterogeneity. Pooled effects of continuous variables were reported as Standard mean difference (SMD) and 95% confidence intervals (CI). Pooled effects of discontinuous variables were reported as risk ratios (RR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI). Random-effect or fix-effect meta-analyses were performed. The Benefit was further examined based on clinical characteristics including diagnosis and statin type by using subgroup analyses. Publication bias was examined by quantitative Egger's test and funnel plot. We performed sensitivity analyses to examine the robustness of pooled effects.

RESULTS

Twenty RCTs were enrolled. The data on TIMI < 3 was reported in 18 studies. Comparing with non-high-intensity statin, high-intensity statin pretreatment significantly improved TIMI after PCI (RR = 0.62, 95%CI: 0.50 to 0.78, P < 0.0001). The data on MBG < 2 was reported in 3 studies. The rate of MBG < 2 was not different between groups (RR = 1.29, 95% CI: 0.87 to 1.93, P = 0.21). The data on IMR was reported in 2 studies. High-dose statin pretreatment significantly improved IMR after PCI comparing with non-high-dose statin (SMD = -0.94, 95% CI: -1.47 to -0.42, P = 0.0004). There were no significant between-subgroup differences in subgroups based on statin type and diagnosis. Publication bias was not indicated by using quantitative Egger's test (P = 0.97) and funnel plot. Sensitivity analyses confirmed the robustness of these findings.

CONCLUSIONS

Comparing with non-high-intensity statin, high-intensity statin pretreatment significantly improved TIMI and IMR after PCI. In the future, RCTs with high quality and large samples are needed to test these endpoints.

Tissue Engineering and Targeted Drug Delivery in Cardiovascular Disease: The Role of Polymer Nanocarrier for Statin Therapy

Atherosclerosis-related coronary artery disease (CAD) is the leading cause of mortality and morbidity worldwide. This requires effective primary and secondary prevention in reducing the complications related to CAD; the regression or stabilization of the pathology remains the mainstay of treatment. Statins have proved to be the most effective treatment in reducing adverse effects, but there are limitations related to the administration and achievement of effective doses as well as side effects due to the lack of target-related molecular specificity. The implemented technological steps are polymers and nanoparticles for the administration of statins, as it has been seen how the conjugation of drug delivery systems (DDSs) with statins increases bioavailability by circumventing the hepatic-renal filter and increases the related target specificity, enhancing their action and decreasing side effects. Reduction of endothelial dysfunction, reduced intimal hyperplasia, reduced ischemia-reperfusion injury, cardiac regeneration, positive remodeling in the extracellular matrix, reduced neointimal growth, and increased reendothelialization are all drug-related effects of statins enhanced by binding with DDSs. Recent preclinical studies demonstrate how the effect of statins stimulates the differentiation of endogenous cardiac stem cells. Poly-lactic-co-glycolic acid (PLGA) seems to be the most promising DDS as it succeeds more than the others in enhancing the effect of the bound drug. This review intends to summarize the current evidence on polymers and nanoparticles for statin delivery in the field of cardiovascular disease, trying to shed light on this topic and identify new avenues for future studies.

Impact of Prior Statin Therapy on In-Hospital Outcome of STEMI Patients Treated with Primary Percutaneous Coronary Intervention

Background: Prior statin therapy has a cardioprotective effect in patients undergoing elective or urgent percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). However, data on patients with ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) undergoing primary PCI are still controversial. We retrospectively evaluated the effect of prior statin therapy on in-hospital clinical outcomes in consecutive STEMI patients undergoing primary PCI. Methods: A total of 1790 patients (mean age 67 ± 11 years, 1354 men) were included. At admission, all patients were interrogated about prior (>6 months) statin therapy. The primary endpoint of the study was the composite of in-hospital mortality, acute pulmonary edema, and cardiogenic shock in patients with or without prior statin therapy. Results: A total of 427 patients (24%) were on prior statin therapy. The incidence of the primary endpoint was similar in patients with or without prior statin therapy (15% vs. 16%; p = 0.38). However, at multivariate analysis, prior statin therapy was associated with a lower risk of the primary endpoint, after adjustment for major prognostic predictors (odds ratio 0.61 [95% CI 0.39−0.96]; p = 0.03). Conclusions: This study demonstrated that prior statin therapy is associated with a better in-hospital clinical outcome in patients with STEMI undergoing primary PCI compared to those without prior statin therapy.

Do We Really Need Aspirin Loading for STEMI?

Aspirin loading (chewable or intravenous) as soon as possible after presentation is a class I recommendation by current ST elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) guidelines. Earlier achievement of therapeutic antiplatelet effects by aspirin loading has long been considered the standard of care. However, the effects of the loading dose of aspirin (alone or in addition to a chronic maintenance oral dose) have not been studied. A large proportion of myocardial cell death occurs upon and after reperfusion (reperfusion injury). Numerous agents and interventions have been shown to limit infarct size in animal models when administered before or immediately after reperfusion. However, these interventions have predominantly failed to show significant protection in clinical studies. In the current review, we raise the hypothesis that aspirin loading may be the culprit. Data obtained from animal models consistently show that statins, ticagrelor, opiates, and ischemic postconditioning limit myocardial infarct size. In most of these studies, aspirin was not administered. However, when aspirin was administered before reperfusion (as is the case in the majority of studies enrolling STEMI patients), the protective effects of statin, ticagrelor, morphine, and ischemic postconditioning were attenuated, which can be plausibly attributable to aspirin loading. We therefore suggest studying the effects of aspirin loading before reperfusion on the infarct size limiting effects of statins, ticagrelor, morphine, and/ or postconditioning in large animal models using long reperfusion periods (at least 24 h). If indeed aspirin attenuates the protective effects, clinical trials should be conducted comparing aspirin loading to alternative antiplatelet regimens without aspirin loading in patients with STEMI undergoing primary percutaneous coronary intervention.

Efficacy of high-dose atorvastatin or rosuvastatin loading in patients with acute coronary syndrome undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention: a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials with GRADE qualification of available evidence

PURPOSE

We aimed to summarize current evidence regarding the impact of a high-dose statin loading before percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) on short-term outcomes in patients presenting with the acute coronary syndrome (ACS).

METHODS

This meta-analysis was based on a search of the MEDLINE, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, Ovid Journals, and SCOPUS for randomized controlled trials that compared high-dose atorvastatin or rosuvastatin with no or low-dose statin administered before planned PCI in statin-naive patients with ACS. The primary endpoints were major adverse cardiovascular and cerebrovascular events (MACCE), myocardial infarction (MI), and all-cause mortality at 30 days. Prespecified subanalyses were performed with respect to statin and ACS type.

RESULTS

A total of eleven trials enrolling 6291 patients were included, of which 75.4% received PCI. High-dose statin loading was associated with an overall 43% relative risk (RR) reduction in MACCE at 30 days (RR 0.57, 95% CI 0.41-0.77) in whole ACS population. This effect was primarily driven by the 39% reduction in the occurrence of MI (RR 0.61, 95% CI 0.46-0.80). No significant effect on all-cause mortality reduction was observed (RR 0.92, 95% CI 0.67-1.26). In the setting of ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI), atorvastatin loading was associated with a 33% reduction in MACCE (RR 0.67, 95% CI 0.48-0.94), while in non-ST-elevation myocardial infarction ACS (NSTE-ACS), rosuvastatin loading was associated with 52% reduction in MACCE at 30 days (RR 0.48, 95% CI 0.34-0.66). The level of evidence as qualified with GRADE was low to high, depending on the outcome.

CONCLUSION

A high-dose loading of statins before PCI in patients with ACS reduces MACCE and reduces the risk of MI with no impact on mortality at 30 days. Atorvastatin reduces MACCE in STEMI while rosuvastatin reduces MACCE in NSTE-ACS at 30 days.

Pharmacologic Prevention of Myocardial Ischemia-Reperfusion Injury in Patients With Acute Coronary Syndrome Undergoing Percutaneous Coronary Intervention

ABSTRACT

Establishing efficient perfusion into the myocardium is the main purpose in patients with acute coronary syndrome, but the process of reperfusion is not without risk and can damage the myocardium paradoxically. Unfortunately, there is no effective treatment for reperfusion injury, and efforts to find an efficient preventive approach are still ongoing. In the past 3 decades, there have been many successful animal studies on how to prevent reperfusion injury; nonetheless, translation to the clinical setting has almost always proven disappointing. In this article, we review clinical studies on the prevention of reperfusion injury in patients with acute coronary syndrome undergoing primary percutaneous coronary intervention in a pharmacologic-based approach. We categorize all the agents that are evaluated for the prevention of myocardial reperfusion injury based on their mechanisms of action into 5 groups: drugs that can reduce oxidative stress, drugs that can affect cellular metabolism, rheological agents that target microvascular obstruction, anti-inflammatory agents, and agents with mixed mechanisms of action. Then, review all the clinical studies of these agents in the setting of primary percutaneous coronary intervention. Finally, we will discuss the possible reasons for the failure in translation of studies into practice and propose potential solutions to overcome this problem.

Polymers and Nanoparticles for Statin Delivery: Current Use and Future Perspectives in Cardiovascular Disease

Atherosclerosis-related coronary artery disease (CAD) is one of the leading sources of mortality and morbidity in the world. Primary and secondary prevention appear crucial to reduce CAD-related complications. In this scenario, statin treatment was shown to be clinically effective in the reduction of adverse events, but systemic administration provides suboptimal results. As an attempt to improve bioavailability and effectiveness, polymers and nanoparticles for statin delivery were recently investigated. Polymers and nanoparticles can help statin delivery and their effects by increasing oral bioavailability or enhancing target-specific interaction, leading to reduced vascular endothelial dysfunction, reduced intimal hyperplasia, reduced ischemia-reperfusion injury, increased cardiac regeneration, positive remodeling in the extracellular matrix, reduced neointimal growth and increased re-endothelization. Moreover, some innovative aspects described in other cardiovascular fields could be translated into the CAD scenario. Recent preclinical studies are underlining the effect of statins in the stimulation and differentiation of endogenous cardiac stem cells, as well as in targeting of local adverse conditions implicated in atherosclerosis, and statin delivery through poly-lactic-co-glycolic acid (PLGA) appears the most promising aspect of current research to enhance drug activity. The present review intends to summarize the current evidence about polymers and nanoparticles for statin delivery in the field of cardiovascular disease, trying to shed light on this topic and identify new avenues for future studies.

Acute myocardial infarction and cardiogenic shock: Should we unload the ventricle before percutaneous coronary intervention?

Despite early reperfusion and coordinated systems of care, cardiogenic shock (CS) remains the number one cause of morbidity and in-hospital mortality following acute myocardial infarction (AMI). CS is a complex clinical syndrome that begins with hemodynamic instability and can progress to multi-organ failure and profound hemo-metabolic compromise. To improve outcomes, a clear understanding of the treatment objectives in CS and developing time-sensitive management strategies aimed at stabilizing hemodynamics and restoring myocardial perfusion are critical. Left ventricular (LV) load has been identified as an independent predictor of heart failure and mortality following AMI. Decades of preclinical and clinical research have identified several effective LV unloading strategies. Recent initiatives from single and multi-center registries and more recently the Door to Unload (DTU)-STEMI pilot study have provided valuable insight to developing a standardized treatment approach to AMI, based on early invasive hemodynamics and tailored circulatory support to unload the LV. To follow is a review of the pathophysiology and prevalence of shock, limitations of current therapies, and the pre-clinical and translational basis for incorporating LV unloading into contemporary AMI and shock care.

Pathophysiology and diagnosis of coronary microvascular dysfunction in ST-elevation myocardial infarction

Early mechanical reperfusion of the epicardial coronary artery by primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) is the guideline-recommended treatment for ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI). Successful restoration of epicardial coronary blood flow can be achieved in over 95% of PCI procedures. However, despite angiographically complete epicardial coronary artery patency, in about half of the patients perfusion to the distal coronary microvasculature is not fully restored, which is associated with increased morbidity and mortality. The exact pathophysiological mechanism of post-ischaemic coronary microvascular dysfunction (CMD) is still debated. Therefore, the current review discusses invasive and non-invasive techniques for the diagnosis and quantification of CMD in STEMI in the clinical setting as well as results from experimental in vitro and in vivo models focusing on ischaemic-, reperfusion-, and inflammatory damage to the coronary microvascular endothelial cells. Finally, we discuss future opportunities to prevent or treat CMD in STEMI patients.

Effect of loading dose of atorvastatin therapy prior to percutaneous coronary intervention in patients with acute coronary syndrome: a meta-analysis of six randomized controlled trials

Purpose

The study sought to summarize the evidence of pre-procedural atorvastatin therapy to improve the prognosis of acute coronary syndrome (ACS) patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI).

Patients and methods

We searched PubMed and Embase from inception to July 2018 for randomized controlled trials that compared loading dose atorvastatin pretreatment with no or low dose for the prevention of cardiovascular events. The primary end points were all-cause mortality and myocardial infarction (MI) at 30 days. The secondary end point was 30-day major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE), a composite of all-cause mortality, MI, and revascularization.

Results

Six trials with 4,991 individuals were included in our meta-analysis. High-dose atorvastatin preloading before PCI was associated with a 27% relative reduction in MI (OR: 0.73, 95% CI, 0.56–0.94, P=0.015). All-cause mortality was nonsignificantly reduced by early treatment with high-potency atorvastatin (OR: 0.94, 95% CI, 0.69–1.30, P=0.725). There was a 20% reduction in MACE in the group of patients treated with statin loading prior to PCI (OR: 0.80, 95% CI, 0.66–0.97, P=0.026). When stratified according to the diagnosis of ACS, the results of MACE were only significant for those ST-elevation myocardial infarction patients undergoing PCI (OR: 0.67, 95% CI, 0.48–0.94, P=0.022) and were not noted in the group of non-ST elevation ACS patients (OR: 0.65, 95% CI, 0.35–1.22, P=0.179).

Conclusion

High-dose atorvastatin pretreatment leads to a significant reduction in MI and MACE at 30 days in ACS patients undergoing PCI, especially in ST-segment elevation MI.

Plasma LDL-Cholesterol Level at Admission is Independently Associated with Infarct Size in Patients with ST-Segment Elevation Myocardial Infarction Treated with Primary Percutaneous Coronary Intervention

Introduction

Hypercholesterolemia is a well-known risk factor for developing atherosclerosis and subsequently for the risk of a myocardial infarction (MI). Moreover, it might also be related to the extent of damaged myocardium in the event of a MI. The aim of this study was to evaluate the association of baseline low density lipoprotein-cholesterol (LDL-c) level with infarct size in patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) after primary percutaneously coronary intervention (pPCI).

Methods

Baseline blood samples were obtained from all patients admitted between 2004 and 2014 with STEMI who underwent pPCI. Patients were excluded in case of out of hospital cardiac arrest, treatment delay of at least 10 h or no complete reperfusion after pPCI in the culprit vessel. Peak creatine kinase (CK) level was used for infarct size estimation, defined as the maximal value during admission.

Results

A total of 2248 patients were included in this study (mean age 61.8 ± 12.2 years; 25.0% female). Mean LDL-c level was 3.6 ± 1.1 mmol/L and median peak CK level was 1275 U/L (IQR 564–2590 U/L). Baseline LDL-c level [β = 0.041; (95% CI 0.019–0.062); p < 0.001] was independently associated with peak CK level. Furthermore, left anterior descending artery as culprit vessel, initial TIMI 0–1 flow in the culprit vessel, male gender, and treatment delay were also correlated with high peak CK level (p < 0.05). Prior aspirin therapy was associated with lower peak CK level [β = − 0.073 (95% CI − 0.146 to 0.000), p = 0.050].

Conclusion

This study demonstrates that besides the more established predictors of infarct size, elevated LDL-c is associated with augmented infarct size in patients with STEMI treated with pPCI.

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (10.1007/s40119-019-0126-5) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Efficacy Evaluation of High-Dose Atorvastatin Pretreatment in Patients with Acute Coronary Syndrome: A Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials

Background

It is unclear whether high-dose atorvastatin pretreatment benefits acute coronary syndrome (ACS) patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). To clarify this issue, we performed a meta-analysis of the published literature.

Material/Methods

Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) assessing high-dose atorvastatin pretreatment in ACS patients undergoing PCI were enrolled. Short-term major adverse cardiac events (MACEs), changes in serum high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP), peak creatine kinase-myocardial band (CK-MB) level, and thrombolysis in myocardial infarction (TIMI) grade 3 flow after PCI were studied as clinical outcomes.

Results

Seventeen RCTs including 10 072 patients were retrieved. High-dose atorvastatin showed greater benefits in reducing the incidence of short-term MACEs (OR 0.72; 95% CI: 0.56 to 0.94; P=0.01) and hs-CRP level (SMD −1.59; 95% CI: −2.38 to −0.80; P<0.0001) among ACS patients after PCI. No significant difference was found between the 2 groups in terms of peak CK-MB (SMD −0.34; 95% CI: −0.79 to 0.10; P=0.13) or final TIMI flow grade 3 (OR 1.31; 95% CI: 0.73 to 2.36; P=0.36) after PCI. High-dose atorvastatin therapy also was not associated with alanine aminotransferase (ALT) elevation (OR 1.95; 95% CI: 0.95 to 4.03; P=0.07).

Conclusions

The results of this meta-analysis suggest that high-dose atorvastatin pretreatment reduces the incidence of short-term MACEs and hs-CRP level without increasing drug-induced hepatotoxicity in ACS patients after PCI.

Pravastatin improves risk factors but not ischaemic tolerance in obese rats

Statins are effective in management of dyslipidaemia, and a cornerstone of CVD prevention strategies. However, the impacts of their pleiotropic effects on other cardiovascular risk factors and myocardial responses to infarction are not well characterised. We hypothesised that pravastatin treatment in obesity improves lipid profiles, insulin-resistance and myocardial resistance to ischaemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury. Wistar rats were fed a control (C) chow or high carbohydrate and fat diet (HCFD) for 16 weeks with vehicle or pravastatin (prava 7.5 mg/kg/day) treatment for 8 weeks. At 16 weeks HOMAs were performed, blood samples collected and hearts excised for Langendorff perfusions/biochemical analyses. Anti-oxidant activity and proteins regulating mitochondrial fission/fusion and apoptosis were assessed. The HCFD increased body weight (736±15 vs. 655±12 g for C; P<0.001), serum triglycerides (2.91±0.52 vs. 1.64±0.26 mmol/L for C; P<0.001) and insulin-resistance (HOMA- 6.9±0.8 vs. 4.2±0.5 for C; P<0.05) while prava prevented diet induced changes and paradoxically increased lipid peroxidation. The HCFD increased infarct size (34.1±3.1% vs. 18.8±3.0% of AAR for C; P<0.05), which was unchanged by prava in C and HCFD animals. The HCFD decreased cardiac TxR activity and mitochondrial MFN-1 and increased mitochondrial DRP-1 (reducing MFN-1:DRP-1 ratio) and Bax expression, with the latter changes prevented by prava. While unaltered by diet, cytosolic levels of Bax and caspase-3 were reduced by prava in C and HCFD hearts (without changes in cleaved caspase-3). We conclude that obesity, hyper-triglyceridemia and impaired glycemic control in HCFD rats are countered by prava. Despite improved risk factors, prava did not reduce myocardial infarct size, potentially reflecting its complex pleiotropic impacts on cardiac GPX activity and MFN-1, DRP-1, caspase-3 and Bcl-2 proteins.

Effects of Intensive Statin Therapy on Left Ventricular Function in Patients with Myocardial Infarction and Abnormal Glucose Tolerance

Objectives: Abnormal glucose tolerance in patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI) is associated with greater mortality and adverse cardiovascular effects. As statins possess a range of beneficial pleiotropic effects on the cardiovascular system, we sought to assess the cardioprotective effects of statins on left ventricular function in patients with AMI in relation to glycometabolic state. Methods: In a prospective, randomized trial, 140 patients with AMI were randomized to intensive statin therapy receiving statin loading with 80 mg of rosuvastatin followed by 40 mg daily or standard statin therapy. Patients were assessed with an oral glucose tolerance test and their left ventricular (LV) function was assessed with speckle-tracking echocardiography measuring regional longitudinal systolic strain (RLSS) in the infarct area. Results: Overall RLSS in the infarct area improved by a mean (±SD) of -4.22% (±5.19) in the intensive-care group and -2.48% (±4.01) in the usual-care group after 1 month (p = 0.047). In patients with abnormal glucose tolerance, RLSS improved by -5.01% (±5.28) in the intensive-care group and -2.15% (±4.22) in the usual-care group (p = 0.01). Conclusions: Early high-dose statin treatment improved RLSS in the infarct area in patients with AMI, and a trend of greater improvement was seen in patients with abnormal glucose tolerance.

Myocardial stress and autophagy: mechanisms and potential therapies

Autophagy is a ubiquitous cellular catabolic process responsive to energy stress. Research over the past decade has revealed that cardiomyocyte autophagy is a prominent homeostatic pathway, important in adaptation to altered myocardial metabolic demand. The cellular machinery of autophagy involves targeted direction of macromolecules and organelles for lysosomal degradation. Activation of autophagy has been identified as cardioprotective in some settings (that is, ischaemia and ischaemic preconditioning). In other situations, sustained autophagy has been linked with cardiopathology (for example, sustained pressure overload and heart failure). Perturbation of autophagy in diabetic cardiomyopathy has also been observed and is associated with both adaptive and maladaptive responses to stress. Emerging research findings indicate that various forms of selective autophagy operate in parallel to manage various types of catabolic cellular cargo including mitochondria, large proteins, glycogen, and stored lipids. In this Review, induction of autophagy associated with cardiac benefit or detriment is considered. The various static and dynamic approaches used to measure autophagy are critiqued, and current inconsistencies in the understanding of autophagy regulation in the heart are highlighted. The prospects for pharmacological intervention to achieve therapeutic manipulation of autophagic processes are also discussed.

Statin-Induced Cardioprotection Against Ischemia-Reperfusion Injury: Potential Drug-Drug Interactions. Lesson to be Learnt by Translating Results from Animal Models to the Clinical Settings

Numerous interventions have been shown to limit myocardial infarct size in animal models; however, most of these interventions have failed to have a significant effect in clinical trials. One potential explanation for the lack of efficacy in the clinical setting is that in bench models, a single intervention is studied without the background of other interventions or modalities. This is in contrast to the clinical setting in which new medications are added to the "standard of care" treatment that by now includes a growing number of medications. Drug-drug interaction may lead to alteration, dampening, augmenting or masking the effects of the intended intervention. We use the well described model of statin-induced myocardial protection to demonstrate potential interactions with agents which are commonly concomitantly used in patients with stable coronary artery disease and/or acute coronary syndromes. These interactions could potentially explain the reduced efficacy of statins in the clinical trials compared to the animal models. In particular, caffeine and aspirin could attenuate the infarct size limiting effects of statins; morphine could delay the onset of protection or mask the protective effect in patients with ST elevation myocardial infarction, whereas other anti-platelet agents (dipyridamole, cilostazol and ticagrelor) may augment (or mask) the effect due to their favorable effects on adenosine cell reuptake and intracellular cAMP levels. We recommend that after characterizing the effects of new modalities in single intervention bench research, studies should be repeated in the background of standard-of-care medications to assure that the magnitude of the effect is not altered before proceeding with clinical trials.

WITHDRAWN: Preoperative statin therapy for patients undergoing cardiac surgery

This review has been withdrawn as authors are unable to complete the updating process.

The editorial group responsible for this previously published document have withdrawn it from publication.

Myocardial Infarct Size in Patients on Long-Term Statin Therapy Undergoing Primary Percutaneous Coronary Intervention for ST-Elevation Myocardial Infarction

Statin pretreatment has been reported to have a cardioprotective effect in patients undergoing elective or urgent percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). However, data on patients with ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) undergoing primary PCI are still controversial. We prospectively evaluated the effect of long-term statin therapy on infarct size (IS), myocardial salvage index (MSI), and microvascular obstruction (MVO) in consecutive patients with STEMI who underwent primary PCI. Two-hundred thirty patients with STEMI (mean age 61 ± 11 years, 183 men) who underwent primary PCI were evaluated with cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) imaging during hospitalization (median 4 days after primary PCI). In all patients, we measured peak troponin I level, whereas IS, MSI, and MVO were determined by CMR. Fifty patients (22%) were on long-term statin therapy and showed a significantly lower troponin I peak value compared to patients without previous statins (54 ± 47 vs 88 ± 106 ng/ml; p = 0.02). At CMR evaluation, IS related to the index event was significantly smaller (12.5 ± 11.5 vs 18.5 ± 18.5 g, p = 0.05), and MSI was higher (0.68 ± 0.25 vs 0.52 ± 0.30; p <0.01) in patients with previous statin therapy. MVO was also less frequent (10% vs 20%; p = 0.14) in this group. At multivariate analysis, previous statin therapy remained significantly associated with IS and MSI (p = 0.05 and 0.02, respectively). In conclusion, this study suggests that long-term statin therapy before primary PCI in patients with STEMI is associated with smaller IS and higher MSI. Future studies are warranted to confirm these findings and to investigate potential clinical implications.

Preoperative statin therapy for patients undergoing cardiac surgery

BACKGROUND

Patients referred to cardiac surgery for cardiovascular disease are at significant risk for the development of major postoperative adverse events despite significant advances in surgical techniques and perioperative care. Statins (5-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-co-enzyme A (HMG-CoA) reductase inhibitors) have gained a pivotal role in the primary and secondary prevention of coronary artery disease and are thought to improve perioperative outcomes in patients undergoing cardiac surgery. This review is an updated version of a review that was first published in 2012.

OBJECTIVES

To determine the effectiveness of preoperative statin therapy in patients undergoing cardiac surgery.

SEARCH METHODS

We searched the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL) (2013, Issue 11), MEDLINE (1950 to November 2013 Week 3), EMBASE (1980 to 3 December 2013 (Week 48)) and the metaRegister of Controlled Trials. Additionally, we searched ongoing trials through the National Research Register, the ClinicalTrials.gov registry and grey literature. We screened online conference indices from relevant scientific meetings (2006 to 2014) to look for eligible trials. We applied no language restrictions.

SELECTION CRITERIA

All randomised controlled trials comparing any statin treatment before cardiac surgery, for any given duration and dose, versus no preoperative statin therapy (standard of care) or placebo.

DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS

Two review authors evaluated trial quality and extracted data from titles and abstracts identified by electronic database searches according to predefined criteria. Accordingly, we retrieved full-text articles of potentially relevant studies that met the inclusion criteria to assess definitive eligibility for inclusion. We reported effect measures as odds ratios (ORs) or weighted mean differences (WMDs) with 95% confidence intervals (95% CIs).

MAIN RESULTS

We identified 17 randomised controlled studies including a total of 2138 participants undergoing on-pump or off-pump cardiac surgical procedures, and added to this review six studies with 1154 additional participants. Pooled analysis showed that statin treatment before surgery reduced the incidence of postoperative atrial fibrillation (AF) (OR 0.54, 95% CI 0.43 to 0.67; P value < 0.01; 12 studies, 1765 participants) but failed to influence short-term mortality (OR 1.80, 95% CI 0.38 to 8.54; P value = 0.46; two studies, 300 participants) or postoperative stroke (OR 0.70, 95% CI 0.14 to 3.63; P value = 0.67; two studies, 264 participants). In addition, statin therapy was associated with a shorter stay for patients on the intensive care unit (ICU) (WMD -3.19 hours, 95% CI -5.41 to -0.98; nine studies, 721 participants) and in the hospital (WMD -0.48 days, 95% CI -0.78 to -0.19; 11 studies, 1137 participants) when significant heterogeneity was observed. Results showed no reduction in myocardial infarction (OR 0.48, 95% CI 0.21 to 1.13; seven studies, 901 participants) or renal failure (OR 0.57, 95% CI 0.30 to 1.10; five studies, 467 participants) and were not affected by subgroup analysis. Trials investigating this safety endpoint reported no major or minor perioperative side effects of statins.

AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS

Preoperative statin therapy reduces the odds of postoperative atrial fibrillation (AF) and shortens the patient's stay on the ICU and in the hospital. Statin pretreatment had no influence on perioperative mortality, stroke, myocardial infarction or renal failure, but only two of all included studies assessed mortality. As analysed studies included mainly individuals undergoing myocardial revascularisation, results cannot be extrapolated to patients undergoing other cardiac procedures such as heart valve or aortic surgery.

A New Therapeutic Modality for Acute Myocardial Infarction: Nanoparticle-Mediated Delivery of Pitavastatin Induces Cardioprotection from Ischemia-Reperfusion Injury via Activation of PI3K/Akt Pathway and Anti-Inflammation in a Rat Model

Aim

There is an unmet need to develop an innovative cardioprotective modality for acute myocardial infarction (AMI), for which the effectiveness of interventional reperfusion therapy is hampered by myocardial ischemia-reperfusion (IR) injury. Pretreatment with statins before ischemia is shown to reduce MI size in animals. However, no benefit was found in animals and patients with AMI when administered at the time of reperfusion, suggesting insufficient drug targeting into the IR myocardium. Here we tested the hypothesis that nanoparticle-mediated targeting of pitavastatin protects the heart from IR injury.

Methods and Results

In a rat IR model, poly(lactic acid/glycolic acid) (PLGA) nanoparticle incorporating FITC accumulated in the IR myocardium through enhanced vascular permeability, and in CD11b-positive leukocytes in the IR myocardium and peripheral blood after intravenous treatment. Intravenous treatment with PLGA nanoparticle containing pitavastatin (Pitavastatin-NP, 1 mg/kg) at reperfusion reduced MI size after 24 hours and ameliorated left ventricular dysfunction 4-week after reperfusion; by contrast, pitavastatin alone (as high as 10 mg/kg) showed no therapeutic effects. The therapeutic effects of Pitavastatin-NP were blunted by a PI3K inhibitor wortmannin, but not by a mitochondrial permeability transition pore inhibitor cyclosporine A. Pitavastatin-NP induced phosphorylation of Akt and GSK3β, and inhibited inflammation and cardiomyocyte apoptosis in the IR myocardium.

Conclusions

Nanoparticle-mediated targeting of pitavastatin induced cardioprotection from IR injury by activation of PI3K/Akt pathway and inhibition of inflammation and cardiomyocyte death in this model. This strategy can be developed as an innovative cardioprotective modality that may advance currently unsatisfactory reperfusion therapy for AMI.

Effects of high-dose atorvastatin pretreatment in patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction undergoing primary percutaneous coronary intervention: a cardiac magnetic resonance study

It is uncertain that atorvastatin pretreatment can reduce myocardial damage in patients undergoing primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) for ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI). The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of atorvastatin pretreatment on infarct size measured by contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (CE-MRI) in STEMI patients. Patients undergoing primary PCI for STEMI within 12 hr after symptom onset were randomized to an atorvastatin group (n=30, 80 mg before PCI and for 5 days after PCI) or a control group (n=37, 10 mg daily after PCI). The primary end point was infarct size evaluated as the volume of delayed hyperenhancement by CE-MRI within 14 days after the index event. The median infarct size was 19% (IQR 11.1%-31.4%) in the atorvastatin group vs. 16.3% (7.2%-27.2%) in the control group (P=0.27). The myocardial salvage index (37.1% [26.9%-58.7%] vs. 46.9% [39.9-52.4], P=0.46) and area of microvascular obstruction (1.1% [0%-2.0%] vs. 0.7% [0%-1.8%], P=0.37) did not differ significantly between the groups. Frequency of the hemorrhagic and transmural infarctions was not significantly different in the 2 groups. Pretreatment with a high-dose atorvastatin followed by further treatment for 5 days in STEMI patients undergoing primary PCI failed to reduce the extent of myocardial damage or improve myocardial salvage.

Remote conditioning the heart overview: translatability and mechanism

Conditioning the heart to resist predictable and unpredictable ischaemia-reperfusion (IR) injury is one of the fastest growing areas of bench to bedside research within cardiology. Basic science has provided important insights into signalling pathways and protective mechanisms in the heart, and a growing number of clinical studies have, with important exceptions, shown the potential applicability and beneficial effect of various mechanical conditioning strategies achieved by intermittent short-lasting-induced ischaemia of the heart itself or a remote tissue. Remote ischaemic conditioning (RIC) in particular has been utilized in a number of clinical settings with promising results. However, while many novel 'downstream' mechanisms of RIC have been discovered, translation to pharmacological conditioning has not yet been convincingly demonstrated in clinical studies. One explanation for this apparent failure may be that most pharmacological approaches mimic a single instrument in a complex orchestra activated by mechanical conditioning. Recent studies, however, provide important insights into upstream events occurring in RIC, which may allow for development of drugs activating more complex systems of biological organ protection. With this review, we will systematically examine the first generation of pharmacological cardioprotection studies and then provide a summary of the recent discoveries in basic science that could illuminate the path towards more advanced approaches in the next generation of pharmacological agents that may work by reproducing the diverse effects of RIC, thereby providing protection against IR injury.

Effect of a hydrophilic and a hydrophobic statin on cardiac salvage after ST-elevated acute myocardial infarction - a pilot study

OBJECTIVE

Early statin therapy after acute coronary syndrome reduces atherothrombotic vascular events. This study aimed to compare the effects of hydrophilic and hydrophobic statins on myocardial salvage and left ventricular (LV) function in patients with ST-elevated myocardial infarction (STEMI).

METHODS

Seventy-five STEMI patients who had received emergency reperfusion therapy were enrolled and randomized into the hydrophilic statin group (rosuvastatin; 5 mg/day, n = 38) and hydrophobic statin group (atorvastatin; 10 mg/day, n = 37) for 6 months. LV ejection fraction (LVEF), and B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP) and co-enzyme Q10 (CoQ10) levels were measured at baseline and the end of treatment. The myocardial salvage index was assessed by single photon emission computed tomography with (123-)I-β-methyl-iodophenylpentadecanoic acid (ischemic area-at-risk at onset of STEMI: AAR) and (201-)thallium scintigraphy (area-at-infarction at 6 months: AAI) [myocardial salvage index = (AAR-AAI) × 100/AAR (%)].

RESULTS

Onset-to-balloon time and maximum creatine phosphokinase levels were comparable between the groups. After 6 months, rosuvastatin (-37.6% ± 17.2%) and atorvastatin (-32.4% ± 22.4%) equally reduced low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (LDL-C) levels (p = 0.28). However, rosuvastatin (+3.1% ± 5.9%, p < 0.05), but not atorvastatin (+1.6% ± 5.7%, p = 0.15), improved LVEF. Rosuvastatin reduced BNP levels compared with atorvastatin (-53.3% ± 48.8% versus -13.8% ± 82.9%, p < 0.05). The myocardial salvage index was significantly higher in the rosuvastatin group than the atorvastatin group (78.6% ± 29.1% versus 52.5% ± 38.0%, p < 0.05). CoQ10/LDL-C levels at 6 months were increased in the rosuvastatin group (+23.5%, p < 0.01) and percent changes in CoQ10/LDL-C were correlated with the myocardial salvage index (r = 0.56, p < 0.01).

CONCLUSION

Rosuvastatin shows better beneficial effects on myocardial salvage than atorvastatin in STEMI patients, including long-term cardiac function, associated with increasing CoQ10/LDL-C.

CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION

URL http://www.umin.ac.jp/ctr/index.htm Unique Identifier: UMIN000003893.

Statins for acute coronary syndrome

BACKGROUND

The early period following the onset of acute coronary syndrome (ACS) represents a critical stage of coronary heart disease, with a high risk of recurrent events and deaths. The short-term effects of early treatment with statins on patient-relevant outcomes in patients suffering from ACS are unclear. This is an update of a review previously published in 2011.

OBJECTIVES

To assess the effects, both harms and benefits, of early administered statins in patients with ACS, in terms of mortality and cardiovascular events.

SEARCH METHODS

We updated the searches of CENTRAL (2013, Issue 3), MEDLINE (Ovid) (1946 to April Week 1 2013), EMBASE (Ovid) (1947 to 2013 Week 14), and CINAHL (EBSCO) (1938 to 2013) on 12 April 2013. We applied no language restrictions. We supplemented the search by contacting experts in the field, by reviewing the reference lists of reviews and editorials on the topic, and by searching trial registries.

SELECTION CRITERIA

Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) comparing statins with placebo or usual care, with initiation of statin therapy within 14 days following the onset of ACS, follow-up of at least 30 days, and reporting at least one clinical outcome.

DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS

Two authors independently assessed risk of bias and extracted data. We calculated risk ratios (RRs) for all outcomes in the treatment and control groups and pooled data using random-effects models.

MAIN RESULTS

Eighteen studies (14,303 patients) compared early statin treatment versus placebo or no treatment in patients with ACS. The new search did not identify any new studies for inclusion. There were some concerns about risk of bias and imprecision of summary estimates. Based on moderate quality evidence, early statin therapy did not decrease the combined primary outcome of death, non-fatal myocardial infarction, and stroke at one month (risk ratio (RR) 0.93, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.80 to 1.08) or four months (RR 0.93, 95% CI 0.81 to 1.06) of follow-up when compared to placebo or no treatment. There were no statistically significant risk reductions from statins for total death, total myocardial infarction, total stroke, cardiovascular death, revascularization procedures, and acute heart failure at one month or at four months, although there were favorable trends related to statin use for each of these endpoints. Moderate quality evidence suggests that the incidence of unstable angina was significantly reduced at four months following ACS (RR 0.76, 95% CI 0.59 to 0.96). There were nine individuals with myopathy (elevated creatinine kinase levels more than 10 times the upper limit of normal) in statin-treated patients (0.13%) versus one (0.015%) in the control groups. Serious muscle toxicity was mostly limited to patients treated with simvastatin 80 mg.

AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS

Based on moderate quality evidence, due to concerns about risk of bias and imprecision, initiation of statin therapy within 14 days following ACS does not reduce death, myocardial infarction, or stroke up to four months, but reduces the occurrence of unstable angina at four months following ACS. Serious side effects were rare.

Efficacy of early intensive rosuvastatin therapy in patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction undergoing primary percutaneous coronary intervention (ROSEMARY Study)

The purpose of the study was to investigate whether early high-dose potent statin therapy in patients with ST elevation myocardial infarction undergoing primary percutaneous coronary intervention can reduce infarct size compared with conventional low-dose statin therapy. In a randomized placebo-controlled multicenter trial, 185 patients were assigned either to an early high-dose rosuvastatin group (n = 92, rosuvastatin 40 mg before treatment plus maintenance for 7 days) or to a conventional low-dose rosuvastatin group (n = 93, placebo before treatment plus rosuvastatin 10-mg maintenance for 7 days). Serial cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) was performed during the acute (3 to 7 days) and chronic (3 months) phases. The primary end point was relative infarct volume assessed by MRI at 3 months. Baseline characteristics were similar between the 2 groups, except hypertension, which was more prevalent in the high-dose group. Serial MRI data were available for 121 patients (high-dose group n = 54 and low-dose group n = 67). The relative infarct volumes in the acute (23.0 ± 9.5% vs 20.5 ± 11.7%, p = 0.208) and chronic (15.9 ± 8.3% vs 15.8 ± 9.7%, p = 0.943) phases were not different between the groups. No differences between groups were observed for periprocedural microvascular circulation evaluated by Thrombolysis In Myocardial Infarction flow grade, myocardial blush grade, ST-segment resolution, microvascular obstruction on cardiac MRI, or clinical outcomes. In conclusion, early high-dose rosuvastatin therapy in patients with ST elevation myocardial infarction undergoing primary percutaneous coronary intervention did not improve periprocedural myocardial perfusion or reduce infarct volume measured by MRI compared with the conventional low-dose rosuvastatin regimen.

Cardioprotective Effects of Atorvastatin plus Trimetazidine in Percutaneous Coronary Intervention

Objective: To explore the effects of preoperative administration of conventional doses of atorvastatin plus trimetazidine on the myocardial injury of patients during the perioperative period of percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI).

Methodology: 475 cases of acute coronary syndrome patients before PCI were randomly divided into the control group (238 cases) and experimental group (237 cases).The control group was treated with conventional doses of atorvastatin calcium (20 mg each time, once a night), and the experimental group was treated with conventional doses of atorvastatin calcium plus trimetazidine hydrochloride (20 mg each time, tid) for 3 d. After PCI, preoperative and postoperative 24 h concentrations of serum creatine kinase MB isoenzyme (CK-MB), cardiac troponin I (cTnI) and high sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) as well as activity of myeloperoxidase (MPO) were investigated. Left ventricular ejection fractions of the patients were then examined 4 weeks later.

Results: Postoperative 24 h cTnI concentration and elevated MPO activity of the experimental group were significantly lower than those of the control group (P <0 05). CK-MB activities and hs-CRP concentrations of the two groups did not differ significantly (P> 0 05).

Conclusion: The administration of conventional doses of atorvastatin plus trimetazidine three days before PCI is able to protect the perioperative patients from myocardial injury.

Efficacy of short-term high-dose atorvastatin pretreatment in patients with acute coronary syndrome undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention: a meta-analysis of nine randomized controlled trials

BACKGROUND

The efficacy of short-term high-dose atorvastatin pretreatment in patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS) undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) remains unclear. This meta-analysis was undertaken to assess the efficacy of short-term high-dose atorvastatin pretreatment in patients with ACS undergoing PCI.

HYPOTHESIS

Short-term high-dose atorvastatin pretreatment may be beneficial in reducing major adverse cardiac events (MACEs) and improving myocardial blood flow in patients with ACS undergoing PCI.

METHODS

MEDLINE, EMBASE, and the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials were systematically reviewed for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) published up to March 2013, in which short-term high-dose atorvastatin pretreatment was compared with control for patients with ACS undergoing PCI. The primary outcome measure was the incidence of MACEs at 30 days. The meta-analysis was performed with the fixed effect model or random-effects model according to the heterogeneity. Meta-analysis was performed by RevMan 5.0 software (Cochrane Collaboration, Copenhagen, Denmark).

RESULTS

Nine RCTs incorporating 952 patients met the inclusion criteria and were included in this meta-analysis. Short-term high-dose atorvastatin pretreatment significantly reduced the incidence of MACEs at 30-day follow-up (risk ratio [RR] 0.39, 95% confidence interval [Cl]: 0.25 to 0.61, P < 0.001) and improved the final Thrombolysis in Myocardial Infarction (TIMI) flow grade (RR 1.08, 95% Cl: 1.02 to 1.14, P = 0.01) compared with controls. There were no significant differences in peak creatine kinase-myocardial band and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein level post-PCI between the 2 groups, though there were favorable trends related to statin use. As to the safety end points, no significant difference was observed in elevated liver aminotransferase level between short-term high-dose atorvastatin pretreatment and control groups (RR 1.36, 95% Cl: 0.67 to 2.74).

CONCLUSIONS

The use of short-term high-dose atorvastatin pretreatment is safe and significantly improves the final TIMI flow grade as well as reduces the 30-day MACEs in ACS patients post-PCI. This finding encourages the use of short-term high-dose atorvastatin pretreatment as an alternative for ACS patients undergoing PCI, but more high-quality randomized clinical trials are still needed to confirm the long-term efficacy and safety.

Effect of statin pretreatment on myocardial perfusion in patients undergoing primary percutaneous coronary intervention: a systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

To achieve sufficient myocardial perfusion in ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) patients receiving primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PPCI), many adjunctive therapies have been proposed. Previous trials have reported variances in myocardial perfusion improvement for statin pretreatment, which made it inconvincible to confirm the beneficial effects of statins. Therefore, we performed a systematic review and meta-analysis to determine whether statin pretreatment was effective in improving myocardial perfusion.

HYPOTHESIS

Statin pretreatment could improve myocardial perfusion in STEMI patients undergoing PPCI.

METHODS

We searched the PubMed, Web of Knowledge, and the Cochrane Library databases for studies evaluating the impact of statin pretreatment on myocardial perfusion in STEMI patients receiving PPCI.

RESULTS

Twelve trials were finally included in our meta-analysis. There were no significant differences in patients' baseline characteristics between the statin pretreatment and control groups. Overall pooled analysis showed that patients in the statin pretreatment groups had significantly better epicardial coronary blood flow (measured by Thrombosis in Myocardial Infarction [TIMI] grade, odds ratio [OR]: 0.49, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.28 to 0.84; measured by corrected TIMI frame count, mean difference: -5.63; 95% CI: -9.66 to -1.6). A trend toward myocardial tissue level perfusion improvement was seen in the statin pretreatment arm rather than the control arm (measured by myocardial blush grade, OR: 0.74; 95% CI: 0.50 to 1.09).

CONCLUSIONS

This present meta-analysis suggests that statin pretreatment might be effective in improving myocardial perfusion in STEMI patients.

Statin treatment before percutaneous cononary intervention

Treatment with 3-hydroxy-3-methyl glutaryl coenzyme A (HMG-CoA) reductase inhibitors (statins) improves short-and-long term prognosis in high-risk patients with stable coronary artery disease and in those with acute coronary syndrome and their use is strongly recommended for secondary prevention. Moreover, recent data suggest that statin pre-treatment is associated with a better short- and long-term outcome in patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention. Current guidelines for coronary revascularization recommend the use of high-dose of statins before percutaneous coronary intervention to reduce the risk of periprocedural myocardial infarction in statin naïve patients (class IIa A) and in those on chronic statin therapy (class IIa B). However, the beneficial clinical effects elicited by statins in patients undergoing coronary angioplasty may arise not only from a cardiac protection against periprocedural myocardial injury but also from a renal protection against acute kidney injury caused by iodinated contrast media. Actually, statins exert multiple non-lipid lowering (pleiotropic) effects, including improved endothelial function, reduced inflammatory and immuno-modulatory processes, oxidative stress and platelet adhesion, that may contribute to both cardio- and nephro-protection even in the short-term.

Translating cardioprotection for patient benefit: position paper from the Working Group of Cellular Biology of the Heart of the European Society of Cardiology

Coronary heart disease (CHD) is the leading cause of death and disability worldwide. Despite current therapy, the morbidity and mortality for patients with CHD remains significant. The most important manifestations of CHD arise from acute myocardial ischaemia-reperfusion injury (IRI) in terms of cardiomyocyte death and its long-term consequences. As such, new therapeutic interventions are required to protect the heart against the detrimental effects of acute IRI and improve clinical outcomes. Although a large number of cardioprotective therapies discovered in pre-clinical studies have been investigated in CHD patients, few have been translated into the clinical setting, and a significant number of these have failed to show any benefit in terms of reduced myocardial infarction and improved clinical outcomes. Because of this, there is currently no effective therapy for protecting the heart against the detrimental effects of acute IRI in patients with CHD. One major factor for this lack of success in translating cardioprotective therapies into the clinical setting can be attributed to problems with the clinical study design. Many of these clinical studies have not taken into consideration the important data provided from previously published pre-clinical and clinical studies. The overall aim of this ESC Working Group Cellular Biology of the Heart Position Paper is to provide recommendations for optimizing the design of clinical cardioprotection studies, which should hopefully result in new and effective therapeutic interventions for the future benefit of CHD patients.

Myocardial ischemia-reperfusion injury: a neglected therapeutic target

Acute myocardial infarction (MI) is a major cause of death and disability worldwide. In patients with MI, the treatment of choice for reducing acute myocardial ischemic injury and limiting MI size is timely and effective myocardial reperfusion using either thombolytic therapy or primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PPCI). However, the process of reperfusion can itself induce cardiomyocyte death, known as myocardial reperfusion injury, for which there is still no effective therapy. A number of new therapeutic strategies currently under investigation for preventing myocardial reperfusion injury have the potential to improve clinical outcomes in patients with acute MI treated with PPCI.