Predischarge exercise electrocardiogram and stress echocardiography can predict long-term clinically driven revascularization following acute myocardial infarction

Stress echocardiography expert consensus statement: European Association of Echocardiography (EAE) (a registered branch of the ESC)

Stress echocardiography is the combination of 2D echocardiography with a physical, pharmacological or electrical stress. The diagnostic end point for the detection of myocardial ischemia is the induction of a transient worsening in regional function during stress. Stress echocardiography provides similar diagnostic and prognostic accuracy as radionuclide stress perfusion imaging, but at a substantially lower cost, without environmental impact, and with no biohazards for the patient and the physician. Among different stresses of comparable diagnostic and prognostic accuracy, semisupine exercise is the most used, dobutamine the best test for viability, and dipyridamole the safest and simplest pharmacological stress and the most suitable for combined wall motion coronary flow reserve assessment. The additional clinical benefit of myocardial perfusion contrast echocardiography and myocardial velocity imaging has been inconsistent to date, whereas the potential of adding - coronary flow reserve evaluation of left anterior descending coronary artery by transthoracic Doppler echocardiography adds another potentially important dimension to stress echocardiography. New emerging fields of application taking advantage from the versatility of the technique are Doppler stress echo in valvular heart disease and in dilated cardiomyopathy. In spite of its dependence upon operator's training, stress echocardiography is today the best (most cost-effective and risk-effective) possible imaging choice to achieve the still elusive target of sustainable cardiac imaging in the field of noninvasive diagnosis of coronary artery disease.

Predictors of Revascularization Among Emergency Department Patients who are Evaluated for Acute Coronary Syndrome

BACKGROUND

To determine, among patients who present to the emergency department with symptoms suggestive of acute coronary syndrome (ACS), predictors of short-term revascularization.

METHODS

A prospective descriptive trial was performed. Potential predictors for revascularization were measured by means of a questionnaire of providers, serum for cardiac biomarkers, and an initial ECG. The primary outcome of revascularization (coronary bypass graft or percutaneous intervention) was determined through a medical record review. Potential predictors of revascularization were entered into a family of logistic regressions.

RESULTS

341 eligible subjects were enrolled, of whom 14% underwent revascularization. The predictors of revascularization included ST elevation on initial ECG (odds ratio 12.0), and an elevation in troponin I (odds ratio 8.9), CKMB (odds ratio 6.8), or myoglobin (odds ratio 4.7) on admission. When all three biomarkers competed in the same model, troponin I appeared to be the strongest predictor of short-term revascularization.

CONCLUSION

In a single site study, among emergency department patients with symptoms suggestive of ACS, ST elevation on initial ECG and an elevation in troponin I, CK-MB, and myoglobin upon presentation all predicted short -term revascularization. Among the three biomarkers, elevation in troponin I was the strongest predictor. ABBREVIATED ABSTRACT: We conducted a prospective descriptive trial to identify predictors of short-term revascularization among 341 emergency department patients who presented with symptoms suggestive of ACS. Fourteen percent of the study population received revascularization. Predictors of revascularization included ST elevation on initial ECG (odds ratio 12.0.), and an elevation in troponin I (odds ratio 8.9), CKMB (odds ratio 6.8), or myoglobin (odds ratio 4.7) on admission. When all three biomarkers competed in the same model, troponin I appeared to be the strongest predictor of short-term revascularization.