Psychological factors of suspect coronary microvascular dysfunction in patients undergoing SPECT imaging

Do the Gender and the Number of Comorbidities and the Use of Tertiary Prevention Play a Role in the Severity of Anxiety and Depression in Patients with Coronary Artery Disease? A POLASPIRE II Study

Background/Objectives: The need to conduct research on anxiety and depression in patients with coronary artery disease in connection with factors such as gender or implemented tertiary prevention is very important for drawing practical conclusions and, consequently, implementing new recommendations and procedures. The aim of the study was to attempt to answer the question whether gender and the number of comorbidities, as well as the application of tertiary prevention principles, play a role in the severity of anxiety and depression in the studied group of patients with coronary artery disease. Material: The study involved 765 patients from 11 Polish cardiology centers. The presented material is part of the multicenter POLASPIRE II study. Methods: All patients completed The Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) questionnaire, and a medical interview was conducted with them. Conclusions: Although the intensity of anxiety and depression in the studied group of patients was low, gender differentiated them, which, however, did not influence undertaking tertiary prevention activities. In the study group of patients, the number of comorbidities and cardiac incidents/procedures after the event qualifying for the study, as well as preventive actions undertaken, were not associated with the severity of anxiety and depression. In the studied group of patients with coronary heart disease, there was still a large group of people who did not take preventive measures. Therefore, there is a need for systematic education regarding the benefits of implementing them to prevent the progression of the disease and premature death.

Computed tomography myocardial perfusion imaging to detect myocardial ischemia in patients with anxiety and obstructive coronary heart disease post-exposure to mental stressors

This study aims to measure myocardial blood flow (MBF) using dynamic CT- myocardial perfusion imaging (CT-MPI) combined with mental stressors in patients with obstructive coronary artery disease (OCAD) and in patients with anxiety and no obstructive coronary artery disease (ANOCAD). A total of 30 patients with OCAD with 30 patients with ANOCAD were included in this analysis. Using the 17-segment model, the rest and stress phase MBF of major coronary arteries in participants were recorded respectively. Compared with ANOCAD patients, OCAD patients were more likely to have localized reduction of MBF (p < 0.05). For patients with ANOCAD, both global MBF and MBF of the main coronary arteries in the stress phase were lower than those in the rest phase (all p < 0.05), but there was no significant difference in MBF among the main coronary arteries in the rest or stress phase (p = 0.25, p = 0.15). For patients with OCAD, the MBF of the target area was lower than that of the non-target area in both the rest and stress phase, and the MBF of the target area in the stress phase was lower than that in the rest phase (all p < 0.05). However, there was no significant difference in MBF between the rest or stress phase in the non-target area (p = 0.73). Under mental stress, the decrease in MBF in ANOCAD patients was diffuse, while the decrease in MBF in OCAD patients was localized. Dynamic CT-MPI combined with mental stressors can be used to detect MBF changes in anxiety patients.

Dynamic myocardial perfusion computed tomography with mental stress test to detect changes in myocardial microcirculation in patients with anxiety and no obstructive coronary artery disease

OBJECTIVE

Mental stress can induce myocardial ischemia in patients with anxiety and other psychological disorders. Computed tomography myocardial perfusion imaging (CT-MPI) has the potential to quantitatively diagnose myocardial ischemia. The aim of this study was to measure changes in myocardial microcirculation perfusion (MMP) in patients with anxiety who have angina symptoms/ischemia but no obstructive coronary artery disease (INOCA) using dynamic CT-MPI in combination with a mental stress test.

METHODS

Patients with INOCA were divided into five subgroups (none, minimal, mild, moderate, and severe) according to the generalized anxiety disorder scale. Patients underwent dynamic CT-MPI with mental stress testing using a series of the standardized color word/arithmetic stressors. Myocardial blood flow (MBF) during resting and stress phases of CT-MPI was recorded.

RESULTS

Fifty-eight patients with 986 segments were included for final analysis. Compared to patients with none, minimal, mild, and moderate anxiety, those with severe anxiety had the largest rate of MBF decrease and the largest MBF decrease value. At the same time, those with no anxiety had the largest rate of MBF increase, the largest MBF increase value (all p < 0.05). As anxiety intensified, the rate of MBF increased and the MBF value increased (r = -0.24, r = -0.27, p < 0.05). Concomitantly, the rate of MBF decreased and the MBF value decreased (r = 0.63, r = 0.43, p < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

Dynamic CT-MPI with a mental stress test can be used to evaluate MMP in patients with anxiety and INOCA. Mental stress resulted in significant differences in changes in the rate and value of MBF among patients with different anxiety degrees.

KEY POINTS

• Dynamic CT-MPI with mental stress test worked well to quantitatively evaluate myocardial microcirculation perfusion in patients with anxiety and INOCA. • The rates of MBF decrease and MBF decrease value were positively correlated with anxiety degree of anxiety patients with INOCA. • MBF change derived from CT-MPI with mental stress test had a good performance to predicting anxiety degree of patients with anxiety and INOCA.

Review of cardiovascular imaging in the Journal of Nuclear Cardiology 2022: single photon emission computed tomography

In this review, we will summarize a selection of articles on single-photon emission computed tomography published in the Journal of Nuclear Cardiology in 2022. The aim of this review is to concisely recap major advancements in the field to provide the reader a glimpse of the research published in the journal over the last year. This review will place emphasis on myocardial perfusion imaging using single-photon emission computed tomography summarizing advances in the field including in prognosis, non-perfusion variables, attenuation compensation, machine learning and camera design. It will also review nuclear imaging advances in amyloidosis, left ventricular mechanical dyssynchrony, cardiac innervation, and lung perfusion. We encourage interested readers to go back to the original articles, and editorials, for a comprehensive read as necessary but hope that this yearly review will be helpful in reminding readers of articles they have seen and attracting their attentions to ones they have missed.

Clinical and psychological characteristics of patients with ischemia and non-obstructive coronary arteries (INOCA) and obstructive coronary artery disease

Study objective

Ischemia with non-obstructive coronary arteries (INOCA) is caused by vascular dysfunctions and predominantly seen in women. For better recognition and prevention more insight is needed on risk factors and well-being. We aimed to explore differences in psychological distress, quality of life, risk factors, and medication use between women with INOCA and obstructive coronary artery disease (CAD).

Methods

Patients from two separate studies (n = 373, 57 % women) completed a questionnaire assessing psychological and clinical factors. Analyses were performed for women only who were categorized into three groups: non-ischemic chest pain (n = 115), INOCA (n = 68), and obstructive CAD (n = 30). Secondary analyses were performed for men only, and sex differences within INOCA patients were explored.

Results and conclusion

Compared to obstructive CAD patients, INOCA patients reported better physical functioning (p = 0.041). Furthermore, INOCA patients had less often hypercholesterolemia (p < 0.001), were less often active smokers (p = 0.062), had a lower mean BMI (p = 0.022), and reported more often a familial history of CAD (p = 0.004). Patients with INOCA used antithrombotic, cholesterol lowering medications, and beta-blockers less often than patients with obstructive CAD. No differences between patients with INOCA and obstructive CAD were found for psychological distress, well-being, and for women-specific risk factors. The results suggest that women with INOCA experience similar levels of psychological distress and seem to have different risk factor profiles and are less optimally treated as compared to obstructive CAD patients. Further research on risk factors is needed for better prevention and treatment.

[Prediction of significant coronary lesions by SPECT myocardial perfusion. Results from a national reference hospital in Lima-Peru]

Objective

To determine the discriminative capacity of myocardial perfusion with single photon emission tomography (SPECT) to predict coronary obstructions by coronary angiography. To determine mortality and major cardiovascular events at follow-up.

Materials and methods

. Retrospective observational study with clinical follow-up in patients undergoing SPECT and then coronary angiography. We excluded patients with myocardial infarction and percutaneous and/or surgical revascularization in the previous 6 months.

Results

105 cases were included in the study. The most commonly used SPECT protocol was pharmacological (70%). Patients with perfusion defect ≥10% of total ventricular mass (TVM) had significant coronary lesions (SCL) in 88% of cases (sensitivity 87.5% and specificity 83%). On the other hand, having ischemia ≥10% of the TVM was associated with 80% SCL (sensitivity: 72%, specificity: 65%). Clinical follow-up at 48 months evidenced that a perfusion defect ≥ 10% was predictive of major cardiovascular events (MACE) in both univariate (HR=5.3; 95%CI 1.2 - 22.2; p=0.022) and multivariate (HR= 6.1; 95%CI 1.3 - 26.9; p= 0.017) analyses.

Conclusions

. Having a perfusion defect ≥10% of the MVT in the SPECT study predicted with high probability and sensitivity the existence of SCL (>80%); moreover, this group had higher MACE at follow-up.

The Role of Mental Stress in Ischaemia with No Obstructive Coronary Artery Disease and Coronary Vasomotor Disorders

Ischaemic heart disease has been estimated to affect 126.5 million people globally. Approximately 70% of patients with angina and suspected myocardial ischaemia show no signs of obstructed coronary arteries after coronary angiography, but may still demonstrate ischaemia. Ischaemia with no obstructive coronary artery disease (INOCA) is increasingly acknowledged as a serious condition because of its association with poor quality of life and elevated risk for cardiovascular events. The negative effects of psychological stress on INOCA are gaining more attention. Psychological stress is associated with adverse cardiovascular outcomes such as mental stress-induced myocardial ischaemia. Psychological stress includes anxiety, depression, anger and personality disturbances. Coronary microvascular dysfunction and coronary arterial spasm are phenotypes of coronary vasomotor disorders that are triggered by psychological distress and depression, thereby increasing cardiovascular disease risk. Coronary vasomotor disorders are often co-existent in INOCA patients and might be considered as a contributing factor to mental stress-associated adverse cardiovascular outcomes. Additionally, psychological stress induces endothelial dysfunction more often in (young) women with INOCA than in men. Overall, many studies demonstrate an association between mental stress, coronary microvascular dysfunction and coronary vasospasm in patients with INOCA - especially women. Future research on stress-reducing therapies that target coronary vasomotor disorders in patients with INOCA is needed. This is particularly the case in young adolescents, in whom this type of ischaemic heart disease is increasing.