Prognostic value of coronary flow reserve in medically treated patients with left anterior descending coronary disease with stenosis 51% to 75% in diameter

Coronary microvascular dysfunction, arrythmias, and sudden cardiac death: A literature review

The coronary vascular system has a unique structure and function that is adaptive to myocardial demand. It is composed of a continuous network of vessels receding in size from epicardial arteries to the microvascular circulation. Failure to meet myocardial demand results in ischemia, angina, and adverse myocardial outcomes. It is evident that 50 % of patients with angina have a non-obstructive coronary disease and 66 % of these patients have coronary microvascular dysfunction (CMD). The impact of CMD on the atria and ventricles is exhibited through its association with atrial fibrillation and distortion of ventricular repolarization. Ultimately, this influence increases the risk of mortality, morbidity, and sudden cardiac arrest. CMD serves as an independent risk for atrial fibrillation, increases ventricular electrical inhomogeneity, and contributes to the progression of cardiac disease. The underlying pathogenesis may be attributed to oxidative stress evident through reactive oxygen species, impaired vasoactive function, and structural disorders such as fibrotic changes. Myocardial ischemia, brought about by a demand-supply mismatch in CMD, may create a milieu for ventricular arrythmia and sudden cardiac arrest through distortion of ventricular repolarization parameters such as QT dispersion and corrected QT dispersion.

Coronary microvascular dysfunction and myocardial infarction with non-obstructive coronary arteries: Where do we stand?

In the past decade, scientific and clinical research has provided a translational perspective on myocardial infarction (MI) with non-obstructive coronary arteries (MINOCA). MINOCA is characterized by clinical documentation of an acute MI but angiography shows no significant coronary artery obstruction (stenosis <50%). The prevalence of MINOCA is estimated to range from approximately 6 to 10% among MI patients, and those with this condition have a poor prognosis, experiencing high rates of mortality, rehospitalization, and socioeconomic burden. MINOCA represents a major unmet need in cardiovascular medicine, with uncertain clinical management. It is a complex condition that can be caused by various factors, including atherosclerosis, plaque rupture, coronary vasospasm, and microvascular dysfunction. Effective management of MINOCA depends on identifying the underlying mechanism of the infarction, thus a systematic diagnostic approach is recommended. Contemporary data shows that a significant number of patients exhibit structural and functional abnormalities in coronary microcirculation, which is referred to as coronary microvascular dysfunction (CMD). CMD plays a crucial role in patients with signs and symptoms of myocardial ischemia and non-obstructive coronary artery stenosis, including MINOCA. Furthermore, conducting a thorough evaluation of coronary function can have significant prognostic and therapeutic implications, since personalized patient management strategies based on this assessment have been shown to improve symptoms and prognosis. Therefore, an accurate and timely diagnosis of CMD is essential for effective patient management, which can be achieved through various invasive and non-invasive methods. This review will discuss the pathophysiological understanding, current diagnostic techniques, and management strategies of patients with MINOCA and CMD.

Echocardiographic assessment of primary microvascular angina and primary coronary microvascular dysfunction

There is an increasing interest in the role of echocardiography in the evaluation of primary microvascular angina, which is attributed to primary coronary microvascular dysfunction. Valid echocardiographic techniques are expected to facilitate the diagnosis and follow-up of these patients and would be valuable for research purposes and therapy evaluation. However, adequate echocardiographic data are lacking, and the interpretation of the limited available literature is hindered by the previous addition of microvascular angina under more inclusive entities, such as cardiac syndrome X. In experienced hands, the assessment of primary coronary microvascular dysfunction in patients with suspected primary microvascular angina, using multiple echocardiographic techniques is feasible, relatively inexpensive, and safe. Exclusion of obstructive epicardial coronary artery disease is, however, a prerequisite for diagnosis. Two-dimensional transthoracic echocardiography, routine stress echocardiography, and speckle-tracking echocardiography indirectly assess primary coronary microvascular dysfunction by evaluating potential impairment in myocardial function and lack diagnostic sensitivity and specificity. Conversely, certain echocardiographic techniques, including Doppler-derived coronary flow velocity reserve and myocardial contrast echocardiography, assess some coronary microvascular dysfunction parameters and have exhibited diagnostic and prognostic potentials. Doppler-derived coronary flow velocity reserve is the best studied and only guideline-approved echocardiographic technique for documenting coronary microvascular dysfunction in patients with suspected microvascular angina. Myocardial contrast echocardiography, by comparison, can detect heterogeneous and patchy myocardial involvement by coronary microvascular dysfunction, which is an advantage over the common practice of coronary flow velocity reserve assessment in a single vessel (commonly the left anterior descending artery) which only reflects regional microvascular function. However, there is no consensus regarding the diagnostic criteria, and expertise performing this technique is limited. Echocardiography remains underexplored and inadequately utilized in the setting of microvascular angina and coronary microvascular dysfunction. Appraisal of the current echocardiographic literature regarding coronary microvascular dysfunction and microvascular angina is important to stay current with the progress in its clinical recognition and create a basis for future research and technological advancements.

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.

Assessment of the functional significance of borderline stenosis by determining coronary flow reserve, after primary percutaneous infarct artery intervention by stent implantation

Introduction: Patients with myocardial infarction who are effectively treated with primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) may have significant coronary artery stenosis that is not responsible for current myocardial infarction. Non-infarction artery stenosis can cause serious adverse cardiac events, which can be avoided by performing PCI. Coronary flow reserve (CFR) is defined as the ratio of the hyperemic mean blood flow velocity to the resting blood flow velocity for a given coronary artery. Coronary flow reserve decreases with increasing severity of the lesion. Aim: Determination of CFR prognostic value in patients with residual intermediate stenosis on non-infarcted artery after PCI. Material and methods: The prospective study included 106 patients treated at the University Clinical Center of Serbia in the period from July 2007 to December 2014. Coronary flow reserve was performed on a non-infarcted coronary artery with intermediate stenosis (40-70%). Adenosine was administered intravenously for two minutes to induce hyperemia at a dose of 140 mcg/kg/min. It was calculated as the ratio of the maximum diastolic flow rate under hyperemia and the maximum flow rate under basal conditions. Patients were invited for follow-up at 6, 12, 18, and 24 months to determine the occurrence of composite adverse events, which included: cardiac death, stroke, myocardial infarction, and myocardial revascularization (non-infarction lesion). Results: In our group of patients, 18 adverse events were reported during follow-up. A statistically highly significant difference (p < 0.001) in CFR values was found in patients with adverse events compared to patients without adverse events. The CFR >2 value had a high negative predictive value (95%) for the absence of adverse events. Conclusion: In patients with CFR > 2, revascularization can be safely delayed with continued optimal drug therapy.

[The Clinical use of Stress Echocardiography in Ischemic Heart Disease Cardiovascular Ultrasound (2017)15:7. Translation authors: Arystan A.Zh., Fettser D.V.]

Stress echocardiography is an established technique for the assessment of extent and severity of coronary artery disease. The combination of echocardiography with a physical, pharmacological or electrical stress allows detecting myocardial ischemia with an excellent accuracy. A transient worsening of regional function during stress is the hallmark of inducible ischemia. Stress echocardiography provides similar diagnostic and prognostic accuracy as radionuclide stress perfusion imaging or magnetic resonance, but at a substantially lower cost, without environmental impact, and with no biohazards for the patient and the physician. The evidence on its clinical impact has been collected over 35 years, based on solid experimental, pathophysiological, technological and clinical foundations. There is the need to implement the combination of wall motion and coronary flow reserve, assessed in the left anterior descending artery, into a single test. The improvement of technology and in imaging quality will make this approach more and more feasible. The future issues in stress echo will be the possibility of obtaining quantitative information translating the current qualitative assessment of regional wall motion into a number. The next challenge for stress echocardiography is to overcome its main weaknesses: dependence on operator expertise, the lack of outcome data (a widespread problem in clinical imaging) to document the improvement of patient outcomes. This paper summarizes the main indications for the clinical applications of stress echocardiography to ischemic heart disease.

Coronary Microvascular Disease Pathogenic Mechanisms and Therapeutic Options: JACC State-of-the-Art Review

Coronary microvascular disease (CMD) refers to the subset of disorders affecting the structure and function of the coronary microcirculation, is prevalent in patients across a broad spectrum of cardiovascular risk factors, and is associated with an increased risk of adverse events. Contemporary evidence supports that most patients with CMD also have macrovessel atherosclerosis, which has important implications for their prognosis and management. In this state-of-the-art review, the authors summarize the pathophysiology of CMD, provide an update of diagnostic testing strategies, and classify CMD into phenotypes according to severity and coexistence with atherosclerosis. They examine emerging data highlighting the significance of CMD in specific populations, including obesity and insulin resistance, myocardial injury and heart failure with preserved ejection fraction, and nonobstructive and obstructive coronary artery disease. Finally, they discuss the role of CMD as a potential target for novel interventions beyond conventional approaches, representing a new frontier in cardiovascular disease reduction.

Women's health: making cardiovascular disease real

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

When patients are seen for persistent chest pain in the absence of obstructive coronary artery disease, the physician must decide if the symptoms are due to myocardial ischemia in order to guide treatment.

RECENT FINDINGS

Recent findings indicate that ischemia due to coronary microvascular dysfunction (CMD) is associated with subclinical coronary atherosclerosis and an adverse prognosis. Therapeutic probe trials suggest that antiatherosclerotic and anti-ischemic therapeutic strategies may be useful. A large randomized clinical trial of high-intensity statin, maximally tolerated angiotensin-converting-enzyme inhibitor or angiotensin receptor blocker and low-dose aspirin (WARRIOR NCT#03417388) is in progress.

SUMMARY

The diagnosis of CMD should be considered in patients with persistent angina, evidence of myocardial ischemia and normal coronary angiogram. Because of the associated adverse prognosis of CMD , conservative empiric treatment or further diagnostic evaluation of the coronary microvasculature can be performed. Diagnosis involves the measurement of coronary blood blow in response to a vasodilator agent invasively or noninvasively. Treatment of CMD can include the use of traditional antianginal and antiatherosclerotic medications. Clinical trials are needed to assess therapeutic strategies on the outcomes of cardiovascular disease and quality of life, in order to develop evidence-based guidelines.

Prognostic Value of Transthoracic Doppler Echocardiography Coronary Flow Velocity Reserve in Patients with Nonculprit Stenosis of Intermediate Severity Early after Primary Percutaneous Coronary Intervention

BACKGROUND

Treatment of nonculprit coronary stenosis during primary percutaneous coronary intervention in patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction may be beneficial, but the mode and timing of the intervention are still controversial. The aim of this study was to examine the significance and prognostic value of preserved coronary flow velocity reserve (CFVR) in patients with nonculprit intermediate stenosis early after primary percutaneous coronary intervention.

METHODS

Two hundred thirty patients with remaining intermediate (50%-70%) stenosis of non-infarct-related arteries, in whom CFVR was performed within 7 days after primary percutaneous coronary intervention, were prospectively enrolled. Twenty patients with reduced CFVR and positive results on stress echocardiography or impaired fractional flow reserve underwent revascularization and were not included in further analysis. The final study population of 210 patients (mean age, 58 ± 10 years; 162 men) was divided into two groups on the basis of CFVR: group 1, CFVR > 2 (n = 174), and group 2, CFVR ≤ 2 (n = 36). Cardiac death, nonfatal myocardial infarction, and revascularization of the evaluated vessel were considered adverse events.

RESULTS

Mean follow-up duration was 47 ± 16 months. Mean CFVR for the whole group was 2.36 ± 0.40. There were six adverse events (3.4%) related to the nonculprit coronary artery in group 1, including one cardiac death, one ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction, and four revascularizations. In group 2, there were 30 adverse events (83.3%, P < .001 vs group 1), including two cardiac deaths, two ST-segment elevation myocardial infarctions, and 26 revascularizations.

CONCLUSIONS

In patients with CFVR > 2 of the intermediate nonculprit coronary lesion, deferral of revascularization is safe and associated with excellent long-term clinical outcomes.

Why names matter for women: MINOCA/INOCA (myocardial infarction/ischemia and no obstructive coronary artery disease)

The syndromes of myocardial infarction/myocardial ischemia with No Obstructive Coronary Artery Disease (MINOCA/INOCA) are increasingly evident. A majority of these patients have coronary microvascular dysfunction. These patients have elevated risk for a cardiovascular event (including acute coronary syndrome, myocardial infarction, stroke, and repeated cardiovascular procedures) and appear to be at higher risk for development of heart failure with preserved ejection fraction. Terminology such as coronary artery disease or coronary heart disease is often synonymous with obstructive atherosclerosis in the clinician's mind, leaving one at a loss to recognize or explain the phenomenon of MINOCA and INOCA with elevated risk. We review the available literature regarding stable and unstable ischemic heart disease that suggests that use of the ischemic heart disease (IHD) terminology matters for women, and should facilitate recognition of risk to provide potential treatment targets and optimized health.

N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide is related with coronary flow velocity reserve and diastolic dysfunction in patients with asymmetric hypertrophic cardiomyopathy

BACKGROUND

The relations of elevated N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide (NT-pro-BNP) and cardiac ischemia in hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) patients is uncertain. Therefore we designed the study with the following aims: (1) to analyze plasma concentrations of NT-pro-BNP in various subsets of HCM patients; (2) to reveal the correlations of NT-pro-BNP, myocardial ischemia, and diastolic dysfunction; (3) to assess predictors of the elevated plasma levels of NT-pro-BNP.

METHODS AND RESULTS

In 61 patients (mean age 48.9±16.3 years; 26 male) with asymmetric HCM plasma levels of NT-pro-BNP were obtained. Standard transthoracic examination, tissue Doppler echocardiography with measurement of transthoracic coronary flow velocity reserve (CFVR) in left anterior descending artery (LAD) was done. Mean natural logarithm value of NT-pro-BNP was 7.11±0.95pg/ml [median value 1133 (interquartile range 561-2442)pg/ml]. NT-pro-BNP was significantly higher in patients with higher NYHA class, in obstructive HCM, more severe mitral regurgitation, increased left atrial volume index (LAVI), presence of calcified mitral annulus, elevated left ventricular (LV) filling pressure and in decreased CFVR. Levels of NT-pro-BNP significantly correlated with the ratio of E/e' (r=0.534, p<0.001), LV outflow tract gradient (r=0.503, p=0.024), LAVI (r=0.443, p<0.001), while inversely correlated with CFVR LAD (r=-0.569, p<0.001). When multivariate analysis was done only CFVR LAD and E/e' emerged as independent predictors of NT-pro-BNP.

CONCLUSION

Plasma levels of NT-pro-BNP were significantly higher in HCM patients with more advanced disease. Elevated NT-pro-BNP not only reflects the diastolic impairment of the LV, but it might also be the result of cardiac ischemia in patients with HCM.

The clinical use of stress echocardiography in ischemic heart disease

Stress echocardiography is an established technique for the assessment of extent and severity of coronary artery disease. The combination of echocardiography with a physical, pharmacological or electrical stress allows to detect myocardial ischemia with an excellent accuracy. A transient worsening of regional function during stress is the hallmark of inducible ischemia. Stress echocardiography provides similar diagnostic and prognostic accuracy as radionuclide stress perfusion imaging or magnetic resonance, but at a substantially lower cost, without environmental impact, and with no biohazards for the patient and the physician.

The evidence on its clinical impact has been collected over 35 years, based on solid experimental, pathophysiological, technological and clinical foundations. There is the need to implement the combination of wall motion and coronary flow reserve, assessed in the left anterior descending artery, into a single test. The improvement of technology and in imaging quality will make this approach more and more feasible. The future issues in stress echo will be the possibility of obtaining quantitative information translating the current qualitative assessment of regional wall motion into a number. The next challenge for stress echocardiography is to overcome its main weaknesses: dependance on operator expertise, the lack of outcome data (a widesperad problem in clinical imaging) to document the improvement of patient outcomes. This paper summarizes the main indications for the clinical applications of stress echocardiography to ischemic heart disease.

Ischemia and No Obstructive Coronary Artery Disease (INOCA): Developing Evidence-Based Therapies and Research Agenda for the Next Decade

The Cardiovascular Disease in Women Committee of the American College of Cardiology, in conjunction with interested parties (from the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, American Heart Association, and European Society of Cardiology), convened a working group to develop a consensus on the syndrome of myocardial ischemia with no obstructive coronary arteries. In general, these patients have elevated risk for a cardiovascular event (including acute coronary syndrome, heart failure hospitalization, stroke, and repeat cardiovascular procedures) compared with reference subjects and appear to be at higher risk for development of heart failure with preserved ejection fraction. A subgroup of these patients also has coronary microvascular dysfunction and evidence of inflammation. This document provides a summary of findings and recommendations for the development of an integrated approach for identifying and managing patients with ischemia with no obstructive coronary arteries and outlines knowledge gaps in the area. Working group members critically reviewed available literature and current practices for risk assessment and state-of-the-science techniques in multiple areas, with a focus on next steps needed to develop evidence-based therapies. This report presents highlights of this working group review and a summary of suggested research directions to advance this field in the next decade.

Association of arterial stiffness with coronary flow reserve in revascularized coronary artery disease patients

AIM: To investigate the association of arterial wave reflection with coronary flow reserve (CFR) in coronary artery disease (CAD) patients after successful revascularization.

METHODS: We assessed 70 patients with angiographically documented CAD who had undergone recent successful revascularization. We measured (1) reactive hyperemia index (RHI) using fingertip peripheral arterial tonometry (RH-PAT Endo-PAT); (2) carotid to femoral pulse wave velocity (PWVc-Complior); (3) augmentation index (AIx), the diastolic area (DAI%) and diastolic reflection area (DRA) of the central aortic pulse wave (Arteriograph); (4) CFR using Doppler echocardiography; and (5) blood levels of lipoprotein-phospholipase A₂ (Lp-PLA₂).

RESULTS: After adjustment for age, sex, blood pressure parameter, lipidemic, diabetic and smoking status, we found that coronary flow reserve was independently related to AIx (b = -0.38, r = 0.009), DAI (b = 0.36, P = 0.014), DRA (b = 0.39, P = 0.005) and RT (b = -0.29, P = 0.026). Additionally, patients with CFR < 2.5 had higher PWVc (11.6 ± 2.3 vs 10.2 ± 1.4 m/s, P = 0.019), SBPc (139.1 ± 17.8 vs 125.2 ± 19.1 mmHg, P = 0.026), AIx (38.2% ± 14.8% vs 29.4% ± 15.1%, P = 0.011) and lower RHI (1.26 ± 0.28 vs 1.50 ± 0.46, P = 0.012), DAI (44.3% ± 7.9% vs 53.9% ± 6.7%, P = 0.008), DRA (42.2 ± 9.6 vs 51.6 ± 11.4, P = 0.012) and LpPLA2 (268.1 ± 91.9 vs 199.5 ± 78.4 ng/mL, P = 0.002) compared with those with CFR ≥ 2.5. Elevated LpPLA2 was related with reduced CFR (r = -0.33, P = 0.001), RHI (r = -0.37, P < 0.001) and DRA (r = -0.35, P = 0.001) as well as increased PWVc (r = 0.34, P = 0.012) and AIx (r = 0.34, P = 0.001).

CONCLUSION: Abnormal arterial wave reflections are related with impaired coronary flow reserve despite successful revascularization in CAD patients. There is a common inflammatory link between impaired aortic wall properties, endothelial dysfunction and coronary flow impairment in CAD.

Ivabradine and Bisoprolol on Doppler-derived Coronary Flow Velocity Reserve in Patients with Stable Coronary Artery Disease: Beyond the Heart Rate

Introduction

Coronary flow velocity reserve (CFVR) is an important prognostic marker in patients with stable coronary artery disease (CAD). Beta-blockers and ivabradine have been shown to improve CFVR in patients with stable CAD, but their effects were never compared. The aim of the current study was to compare the effects of bisoprolol and ivabradine on CFVR in patients with stable CAD.

Methods

Patients in sinus rhythm with stable CAD were enrolled in this prospective, randomized, double-blind trial. Patients had to be in a stable condition for at least 15 days before enrollment, on their usual therapy. Patients who were receiving beta-blockers or ivabradine entered a 2-week washout period from these drugs before randomization. Transthoracic Doppler-derived CFVR was assessed in left anterior descending coronary artery, and was calculated as the ratio of hyperemic to baseline diastolic coronary flow velocity (CFV). Hyperemic CFV was obtained using dipyridamole administration using standard protocols. After CFVR assessment, patients were randomized to ivabradine or bisoprolol and entered an up-titration phase, and CFVR was assessed again 1 month after the end of the up-titration phase.

Results

Fifty-nine patients (38 male, 21 female; mean age 69 ± 9 years) were enrolled. Transthoracic Doppler-derived assessment of CFV and CFVR was successfully performed in all patients. Baseline characteristics were similar between the bisoprolol and ivabradine groups. No patient dropped out during the study. At baseline, rest and hyperemic peak CFV as well as CFVR was not significantly different in the ivabradine and bisoprolol groups. After the therapy, resting peak CFV significantly decreased in both the ivabradine and bisoprolol groups, but there was no significant difference between the groups (ivabradine group 20.7 ± 4.6 vs. 22.8 ± 5.2, P < 0.001; bisoprolol group 20.1 ± 4.1 vs. 22.1 ± 4.3, P < 0.001). However, hyperemic peak CFV significantly increased in both groups, but to a greater extent in patients treated with ivabradine (ivabradine: 70.7 ± 9.4 vs. 58.8 ± 9.2, P < 0.001; bisoprolol: 65 ± 8.3 vs. 58.7 ± 8.2, P < 0.001). Accordingly, CFVR significantly increased in both groups (ivabradine 3.52 ± 0.64 vs. 2.67 ± 0.55, P < 0.001; bisoprolol 3.35 ± 0.70 vs. 2.72 ± 0.55, P < 0.001), but it was significantly higher in ivabradine group, despite a similar decrease in heart rate (63 ± 7 vs. 61 ± 6; P not significant).

Conclusion

Ivabradine improves hyperemic peak CFV and CFVR to a greater extent than bisoprolol in patients with stable CAD, despite a similar decrease in heart rate. These data demonstrate that the benefits from ivabradine therapy go beyond the heart rate. This could be due to a different mechanism such as diastolic perfusion time, isovolumic ventricular relaxation, end-diastolic pressure, and collaterals.

Funding

Servier.

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (doi:10.1007/s12325-015-0237-x) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Dual imaging stress echocardiography versus computed tomography coronary angiography for risk stratification of patients with chest pain of unknown origin

Background

Dual imaging stress echocardiography, combining the evaluation of wall motion and coronary flow reserve (CFR) on the left anterior descending artery (LAD), and computed tomography coronary angiography (CTCA) are established techniques for assessing prognosis in chest pain patients. In this study we compared the prognostic value of the two methods in a cohort of patients with chest pain having suspected coronary artery disease (CAD).

Methods

A total of 131 patients (76 men; age 68 ± 9 years) with chest pain of unknown origin underwent dipyridamole (up to 0.84 mg/kg over 6 min) stress echo with CFR assessment of LAD by Doppler and CTCA. A CFR ≤ 1.9 was considered abnormal, while > 50% lumen diameter reduction was the criterion for significant CAD at CTCA.

Results

Of 131 patients, 34 (26%) had ischemia at stress echo (new wall motion abnormalities), and 56 (43%) had reduced CFR on LAD. Significant coronary stenosis at CTCA was found in 69 (53%) patients. Forty-six patients (84%) with abnormal CFR on LAD showed significant CAD at CTCA (p < 0.001). Calcium score was higher in patients with reduced than in those with normal CFR (265 ± 404 vs 131 ± 336, p = 0.04). During a median follow-up of 7 months (1st to 3rd quartile: 5–13 months), there were 45 major cardiac events (4 deaths, 11 nonfatal myocardial infarctions, and 30 late [≥6 months] coronary revascularizations). At Cox analysis, independent prognostic indicators were calcium score > 100 (HR 2.84, 95% CI 1.33-6.07, p = 0.007), significant CAD at CTCA (HR 2.68, 95% CI 1.23-5.82, p = 0.013), and inducible ischemia or CFR <1.9R on LAD on dual imaging stress echo (HR 2.25, 95% CI 1.05-4.84, p = 0.038).

Conclusions

Functional and anatomical evaluation using, respectively, dual imaging stress echocardiography and CTCA are both effective modalities to risk stratify patients with chest pain of unknown origin, yielding independent and comparable prognostic value. Compared to CTCA, however, stress echocardiography has the advantage of lower cost and of being free of radiations.

Feasibility of 3D4D echocardiography for the detection of colour-coded flow in the left anterior descending artery

The aim of this study was to test the feasibility of the visualisation of 3D4D coronary flow in detectable segments of coronary arteries. Regarding the feasibility of this new approach, the hypothesis was proposed that the flow signals of the course of detectable coronary arteries can be better visualised by 3D4D echocardiography than by the conventional 2D approach. A total of 30 consecutive patients with sinus rhythm, in whom the distal left anterior descending artery (LAD) was visualised by 2D colour-coded Doppler echocardiography, were selected for 3D4D scanning procedures. All measurements were performed using a Vivid 7 or E9. All segments visualised by 2D colour-coded Doppler echocardiography were also examined by 3D4D echocardiography. Using defined settings, the width of the colour-coded flow signal differs significantly between 2D- and 3D4D echocardiography. The length of larger segments of the visualised colour-coded flow signal of the coronary flow could be better detected with 2D imaging. Small segments of coronary artery flow (<11 mm), however, could be significantly better visualised by 3D4D echocardiography. The main advantage of 3D4D echocardiography of the coronary artery flow is the visualisation of the proportions of vessels with complex morphology. 3D4D echocardiography of LAD flow by colour-coded Doppler echocardiography raises new possibilities for the direct flow visualisation of the detectable segments of coronaries. With its sufficiently high spatial and temporal resolution, this new method has the potential to be implemented in clinical scenarios. The possible application to the quantification of stenoses by the flow visualisation has to be evaluated in further studies.

Prediction of long-term ischemic events by noninvasively assessed coronary flow reserve

BACKGROUND

Coronary flow reserve (CFR) by adenosine echocardiography in left anterior descending (LAD) or posterior descending coronary arteries may predict clinical outcome.

METHODS

We used models accounting (Cox's model) or not (logistic regression and neural network) for time to event and either considered (forced models) or not (stepwise logistic regression and neural network models) all among 21 covariates to predict 1-year composite events after LAD CFR.

RESULTS

There were 553 consecutive patients with coronary artery disease (CAD): 89 patients had also posterior descending CFR. During 1-year follow-up 328 patients were event-free, 35 had composite ischemic events and 190 underwent short-term revascularization. LAD and posterior descending CFR (respectively, 1.53 ± 0.83, N = 225 and 1.84 ± 0.80, N = 42) were significantly (P < 0.0001) lower in patients with events (or with revascularization following CFR measurement) than in those without (respectively, 3.13 ± 0.84, N = 328, and 2.53 ± 0.72, N = 47). Using LAD CFR as a continuous covariate, by both forced Cox's and logistic regression, coefficients (t values, respectively, -14.11 and -10.19) were significant (both P < 0.00001) to predict outcome. Global predictive accuracies by neural network, adopting a receiver operating characteristic areas under the curve (ROC) assessment, were excellent (>0.91) and the role of LAD CFR among predictors was overwhelming. Other indices of myocardial ischemia and the presence of coronary stenoses or previous infarction did not modify the multivariable predictive role of LAD CFR. When patients with revascularization were discounted, the LAD CFR predictive role was the same.

CONCLUSIONS

Thus, adenosine echocardiography-based LAD CFR predicts 1-year composite ischemic events in patients with CAD, independent of the multivariable model adopted. Posterior descending CFR also has a role.

[Interest of coronary flow reserve of the LAD during dobutamine stress echocardiography]

AIM OF THE STUDY

To assess the value of the coronary flow reserve (CFR) in the left anterior descending artery (LAD) during dobutamine stress echocardiography in the diagnosis of significant LAD stenosis (more than 70%).

METHOD

Retrospective study of 81 patients with a positive stress echocardiography who underwent a coronarography.

RESULTS

Measurement of coronary flow reserve was able in half echocardiographic exams. Medium Pic diastolic velocity was 0.33 m/s (SD 0.20), medium maximal diastolic velocity during stress was 0.62 m/s (SD 0.20), medium CFR was 2.25 (SD 0.65). In 50 patients LAD was not seen; in five of them LAD was occluded. The predictive positive value (PPV) of a low coronary flow reserve to detect LAD stenosis is 66.7% and the negative predictive value (NPV) is 65.4%. An abnormal anterior contraction during stress echo with a low reserve has a PPV of 75% for the diagnosis of significant IVA stenosis and a normal contraction during stress with normal coronary flow reserve means a NPV of 65%. We did not show a significant correlation between low coronary flow and abnormal contraction during stress echocardiography (kappa 0.51).

CONCLUSION

Coronary flow reserve of LAD during stress echo is feasible but does not really improve exam performance to detect significant IVA stenosis. This measurement remains to be clear in coronary patients management.

Incremental value of contrast myocardial perfusion to detect intermediate versus severe coronary artery stenosis during stress-echocardiography

Background

We aimed to compare the incremental value of contrast myocardial perfusion imaging (MPI) for the detection of intermediate versus severe coronary artery stenosis during dipyridamole-atropine echocardiography (DASE).

Wall motion (WM) assessment during stress-echocardiography demonstrates suboptimal sensitivity to detect coronary artery disease (CAD), particularly in patients with isolated intermediate (50%-70%) coronary stenosis.

Methods

We performed DASE with MPI in 150 patients with a suspected chest pain syndrome who were given clinical indication to coronary angiography.

Results and discussion

When CAD was defined as the presence of a ≥50% stenosis, the addition of MPI increased sensitivity (+30%) and decreased specificity (-14%), with a final increase in total diagnostic accuracy (+16%, p < 0.001). The addition of MPI data substantially increased the sensitivity to detect patients with isolated intermediate stenosis from 37% to 98% (p < 0.001); the incremental sensitivity was much lower in patients with severe stenosis, from 85% to 96% (p < 0.05), at the expense of a higher decrease in specificity and a final decrease in total diagnostic accuracy (-18%, p < 0.001).

Conclusions

The addition of MPI on top of WM analysis during DASE increases the diagnostic sensitivity to detect obstructive CAD, whatever its definition (≥50% or > 70% stenosis), but it is mainly driven by the sensitivity increase in the intermediate group (50%-70% stenosis).

The total diagnostic accuracy increased only when defining CAD as ≥50% stenosis, since in patients with severe stenosis (> 70%) the decrease in specificity is not counterbalanced by the minor sensitivity increase.

Long-term prognostic value of coronary flow reserve in patients without significant left anterior descending coronary artery stenosis: results from the SZEGED Study

A coronariaáramlási rezerv (CFR) a bal coronaria leszálló szárában (LAD) szignifikáns szűkület hiánya esetén a microvascularis (disz)funkció jellemzésére használható hemodinamikai index. Célkitűzés: Jelen tanulmány célja a LAD-ban mért CFR prognosztikus értékének tisztázása lenne, amennyiben a koronarográfia során a LAD-ban szignifikáns szűkület nem volt igazolható. Módszerek: A jelen tanulmányban 166 olyan beteg eredményeit elemeztük, akiknél a CFR-vizsgálatok idején elvégzett koronarográfia a LAD-ban szignifikáns szűkületet (>50%) nem mutatott ki. Valamennyi esetben transthoracalis és terheléses transoesophagealis echokardiográfia (CFR-mérés), valamint koronarográfia történt. Eredmények: A továbbkövetés átlagos ideje 93±34 hónap volt, sikeressége 75%-osnak bizonyult (124/166). A továbbkövetés időszaka alatt 27 beteg hunyt el, 16 beteg esetén hirtelen szívhalál, 3 esetben akut szívelégtelenség, 2 esetben stroke volt a halál oka, míg 6 beteg pulmonalis, illetve gastrointestinalis tumoros folyamat miatt halt meg. A ROC-analízis során a CFR ≥ 2,13-t találtuk a legnagyobb pontosságú cut-off (határ-) értéknek a túlélés előrejelzésében (szenzitivitás 67%, specificitás 60%, görbe alatti terület 62%, p = 0,046). A 2,13-nál alacsonyabb CFR-rel bíró betegekben a továbbkövetés során szignifikánsan több esemény történt, mint az annál nagyobb értékkel bíróknál (32% vs. 13%, p < 0,05). A multivariáns logisztikus regressziós modell során a CFR [hazard ratio (HR) 2,43, p = 0,04] és a bal kamrai végszisztolés térfogatérték [HR 1,49, p = 0,03] bizonyult a túlélés független prediktorának. Következtetések: Hosszú távú továbbkövetéses vizsgálataink alapján megállapíthatjuk, hogy a CFR a túlélés független prediktora a LAD szignifikáns szűkületét nem mutató betegekben.

Implication of the continuous prognostic spectrum of Doppler echocardiographic derived coronary flow reserve on left anterior descending artery

The additive prognostic value of coronary flow reserve (CFR) over regional wall motion has been established, but there is more than a binary (normal-abnormal) response in CFR, which can be continuously titrated. We assessed the prognostic value of quartiles of CFR, evaluated by transthoracic Doppler of the left anterior descending coronary artery (LAD), in patients with known or suspected coronary artery disease (CAD). One thousand six hundred twenty patients (1,006 men, 64 +/- 11 years of age) underwent dipyridamole (up to 0.84 mg/kg over 6 minutes) stress echocardiography with CFR evaluation of LAD by Doppler and coronary angiography. Patients were followed up for a median of 19 months. Mean CFR in the entire population was 2.25 +/- 0.65. Stress echocardiogram was positive for ischemia in 480 patients (30%). Obstructive (>or=70% vessel stenosis) CAD at angiography was present in 650 patients (40%). During follow-up, there were 298 events (42 deaths, 73 ST-elevation myocardial infarctions, and 183 non-ST-elevation myocardial infarctions). Patients (n = 399) undergoing revascularization were censored. With the Kaplan-Meier method, the first quartile of CFR (<or=1.80) was associated with a worse (p <0.0001) event rate than other quartiles in the entire population and in patients with no ischemia at stress echocardiography. Furthermore, the second quartile of CFR (1.81 to 2.16) was predictive of increased (p <0.0001) risk compared to the higher quartiles. In conclusion, Doppler echocardiographically derived CFR in LAD is a strong and independent prognostic predictor in patients with known or suspected CAD, but the spectrum of prognostic stratifications is expanded if the response is titrated according to a continuous scale rather than artificially dichotomized.

Long-term prognostic value of coronary flow velocity reserve in patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy: 9-year follow-up results from SZEGED study

Reduction in coronary flow velocity reserve (CFR) is a recognized feature in hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM). We sought to assess the long-term prognostic value of CFR by pulsed-wave Doppler transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) in HCM patients. The study comprised 20 patients with typical features of HCM. The patients were enrolled in 1999. All patients underwent a standard transthoracic echo-Doppler study to evaluate left ventricular function and a stress vasodilator TEE study to evaluate CFR. The success rate of follow-up was 18 out of 20 (90%). During a mean follow-up of 90 +/- 24 months, four patients suffered cardiovascular death (2 sudden cardiac deaths and 2 strokes). The other seven patients underwent invasive procedures (coronary angiography, implantable cardioverter defibrillator implantation, percutaneous transluminal septal myocardial ablation) or showed cerebrovascular events. Using receiver operator characteristic analysis, CFR < 2.35 was a significant predictor for cardiovascular event-free survival (sensitivity 91%, specificity 71%, area under the curve 74%, P = 0.05). Multivariable regression analysis showed that only CFR (hazard ratio (HR) 4.21, P < 0.05) was an independent predictor of cardiovascular event-free survival. Despite the relatively small number of patients involved in the study, results could suggest that CFR should be considered as an independent predictor for future cardiovascular events in HCM patients. However, further studies with larger HCM patient populations are warranted.

Detection of severe stenosis and total occlusion in the left anterior descending coronary artery with transthoracic Doppler echocardiography in the emergency room

BACKGROUND

The noninvasive measurement of coronary flow velocity in the left anterior descending artery (LAD) has recently been realized by using the transthoracic Doppler echocardiography (TTDE). A couple of investigations demonstrated that the diastolic-to-systolic peak velocity ratio (DSVR) by TTDE is a simple and noninvasive method for the detection of severe stenosis in the elective settings. However, the usefulness of DSVR by TTDE in the emergency settings has not been evaluated.

OBJECTIVE

The purpose of this study was to assess the clinical feasibility to document the LAD flow by TTDE in emergency patients who complained of chest pain.

METHODS

We studied 49 consecutive patients with acute coronary syndrome who were going to undergo emergency coronary angiography (CAG) for the anatomical diagnosis and the facilitated percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). Prior to CAG, we recorded the LAD flow by TTDE and measured the diastolic peak velocity (DVp), systolic peak velocity (SVp), and their ratio, DSVR (DVp/SVp) of LAD flow.

RESULTS

By CAG, the culprit lesions actually resided in the proximal LAD in 36 patients. Among the 36 patients, we detected the Doppler LAD flow in 29. Five out of 7 patients who were unable to detect the LAD flow revealed total occlusions by CAG. DSVR of the LAD is significantly lower in 17 patients who showed severe stenoses (>90%) than those in the rest of 12 patients who did not show such critical stenoses (1.44 +/- 0.16 vs 2.10 +/- 0.26, P < 0.0001).

CONCLUSION

In the emergency settings, a noninvasive assessment of the LAD flow by TTDE accurately estimates the critical stenotic lesions of the LAD.