Effect of statins on coronary blood flow after percutaneous coronary intervention in patients with stable coronary artery disease

Association between statin therapy and long-term clinical outcomes in patients with stable coronary disease undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention

This longitudinal cohort study examined the long-term effect of statin therapy on clinical outcomes in patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). A total of 1760 patients with stable coronary artery disease (CAD) were divided by receipt of statin therapy or not after index PCI. Baseline clinical characteristics, risk factors, angiographic findings, and medications after interventional procedure were assessed to compare long-term clinical outcomes between groups. Predictors for all-cause death and major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE), including myocardial infarction (MI), cardiovascular death, and repeated PCI procedures, were also analyzed. The statin therapy group had higher average serum cholesterol and more elevated low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) than the non-statin therapy group (189.0 ± 47.9 vs 169.3 ± 37.00 mg/dl, 117.2 ± 42.6 vs 98.7 ± 31.8 mg/dl, respectively, both P < 0.001). The non-statin group had higher rates of all-cause death and cardiovascular death compared to statin group (both P < 0.001). After adjustment for age, diabetes, and chronic kidney disease, Cox proportion hazard analysis revealed statin use significantly reduced all-cause death and repeated PCI procedure (hazard ratio: 0.53 and 0.69, respectively). Statin use seemed not reduce the hazard of cardiovascular death or MI in patients with stable CAD after PCI; however, statin therapy still was associated with reduced rates of all-cause death and repeat PCI procedure.

Alprostadil vs. isosorbide dinitrate in ameliorating angina episodes in patients with coronary slow flow phenomenon: A randomized controlled trial

Background

The optimum therapy for coronary slow flow phenomenon (CSFP) stays debatable. This study compared the effectiveness of alprostadil with isosorbide dinitrate in alleviating angina episodes in CSFP patients.

Methods

In this prospective, randomized controlled study, 102 patients with CSFP without severe coronary artery stenosis that exhibited stable angina were allocated randomly in a ratio of 1:1 to either the alprostadil group (40 μg, three times per day, n = 51) or the isosorbide dinitrate group (5 mg, three times per day, n = 51). Frequency of angina events, intensity of suffering, and the Canadian Cardiovascular Society (CCS) grading of angina pectoris were evaluated at baseline and one month after. Additionally, the Seattle Angina Questionnaire (SAQ) was assessed.

Results

Baseline characteristics were comparable between the two groups. At 1-month follow-up, patients administered with alprostadil experienced fewer angina episodes [episodes per week, 1 (2) vs. 2 (2), P < 0.001] and less pain intensity [self-evaluated pain score, 2 (3) vs. 3 (4), P < 0.001] than those with isosorbide dinitrate. In the alprostadil group, 78.4% of patients were classified as CCS class I, significantly higher than the 47.1% seen in the isosorbide dinitrate group (P = 0.001). Furthermore, treatment of alprostadil led to a significant improvement in the SAQ score (7.09 U, 95% CI: 4.22–9.96, P < 0.001) compared to isosorbide dinitrate. Additionally, fewer patients suffered headaches when receiving alprostadil (7.8% vs. 19.6%, P = 0.084).

Conclusion

Alprostadil was more effective in ameliorating angina symptoms in CSFP patients than isosorbide dinitrate.

Clinical trial registration

[www.chictr.org.cn], identifier [ChiCTR2000033233].

Coronary flow reserve and cardiovascular outcomes: a systematic review and meta-analysis

AIMS

This meta-analysis aims to quantify the association of reduced coronary flow with all-cause mortality and major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) across a broad range of patient groups and pathologies.

METHODS AND RESULTS

We systematically identified all studies between 1 January 2000 and 1 August 2020, where coronary flow was measured and clinical outcomes were reported. The endpoints were all-cause mortality and MACE. Estimates of effect were calculated from published hazard ratios (HRs) using a random-effects model. Seventy-nine studies with a total of 59 740 subjects were included. Abnormal coronary flow reserve (CFR) was associated with a higher incidence of all-cause mortality [HR: 3.78, 95% confidence interval (CI): 2.39-5.97] and a higher incidence of MACE (HR 3.42, 95% CI: 2.92-3.99). Each 0.1 unit reduction in CFR was associated with a proportional increase in mortality (per 0.1 CFR unit HR: 1.16, 95% CI: 1.04-1.29) and MACE (per 0.1 CFR unit HR: 1.08, 95% CI: 1.04-1.11). In patients with isolated coronary microvascular dysfunction, an abnormal CFR was associated with a higher incidence of mortality (HR: 5.44, 95% CI: 3.78-7.83) and MACE (HR: 3.56, 95% CI: 2.14-5.90). Abnormal CFR was also associated with a higher incidence of MACE in patients with acute coronary syndromes (HR: 3.76, 95% CI: 2.35-6.00), heart failure (HR: 6.38, 95% CI: 1.95-20.90), heart transplant (HR: 3.32, 95% CI: 2.34-4.71), and diabetes mellitus (HR: 7.47, 95% CI: 3.37-16.55).

CONCLUSION

Reduced coronary flow is strongly associated with increased risk of all-cause mortality and MACE across a wide range of pathological processes. This finding supports recent recommendations that coronary flow should be measured more routinely in clinical practice, to target aggressive vascular risk modification for individuals at higher risk.

Therapeutic Effects of Lipid Lowering Medications on Myocardial Blood Flow, Inflammation, and Sympathetic Nerve Activity Using Nuclear Techniques

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

Statins are routinely applied in patients with coronary artery disease, as they allow significantly to reduce blood cholesterol levels. Although those drugs are endorsed by current guidelines and prescribed routinely, a substantial portion of patients are still statin-intolerant and image-piloted strategies may then be helpful to identify patients that need further intensified treatment, e.g., to initiate treatment with proprotein convertase subtilisin / kexin type 9 inhibitors (PCSK9i). In addition, it has also been advocated that statins exhibit nonlipid, cardio-protective effects including improved cardiac nerve integrity, blood flow, and anti-inflammatory effects in congestive heart failure (HF) patients.

RECENT FINDINGS

In subjects after myocardial infarction treated with statins, ^123II-metaiodobenzylguanidine (MIBG) scintigraphy has already revealed enhanced cardiac nerve function relative to patients without statins. In addition, all of those aforementioned statin-targeted pathways in HF can be visualized and monitored using dedicated cardiac radiotracers, e.g., ¹²³I-MIBG or ¹⁸F-AF78 (for cardiac nerve function), ¹⁸F-flurpiridaz (to determine coronary flow) or ⁶⁸Ga-PentixaFor (to detect inflammation). Statins exhibit various cardio-beneficial effects, including improvement of cardiac nerve function, blood flow, and reduction of inflammation, which can all be imaged using dedicated nuclear cardiac radiotracers. This may allow for in vivo monitoring of statin-induced cardioprotection beyond lipid profiling in HF patients.