Serial Echocardiographic Assessment of Left Ventricular Filling Pressure and Remodeling among ST-Segment Elevation Myocardial Infarction Patients Treated by Primary Percutaneous Intervention

Incremental prognostic value of speckle tracking echocardiography and early follow-up echo assessment in predicting left ventricular recovery after reperfusion for ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI)

PURPOSE

Up to 50% of patients do not achieve significant left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) recovery after primary percutaneous intervention (PPCI) for STEMI. We aimed to identify the echocardiographic predictors for LVEF recovery and assess the value of early follow-up echocardiography (Echo) in risk assessment of post-myocardial infarction (MI) patients.

METHODS

One hundred one STEMI patients undergoing PPCI were enrolled provided EF below 50%. Baseline echocardiography assessed LVEF, volumes, wall motion score index (WMSI), global longitudinal strain (GLS), global circumferential strain (GCS), and E/e'. Follow-up echocardiography after 6 weeks reassessed left ventricular volumes, LVEF and GLS.GCS was not assessed at follow up. Patients were classified into recovery and non-recovery groups. Predictors of LVEF recovery and major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) at 6 months were analysed.

RESULTS

The mean change of EF was 8.04 ± 3.32% in group I versus -.39 ± 5.09 % in group II (p < .001). Recovered patients had better baseline GLS, baseline GCS, E/e', and follow-up GLS. Multivariate regression analysis revealed E/e', GCS, and follow-up GLS after 6 weeks to be strong independent predictors for LVEF recovery. Composite MACE was considerably higher in group II (32.7% vs. 4.1%, p < .001) mainly driven by higher heart failure hospitalisation Multivariate regression analysis revealed baseline GLS, E/e', and ejection fraction (EF) percentage recovery as strong independent predictors for MACE.

CONCLUSIONS

Multiparametric echocardiographic approach incorporating LVEF, strain parameters, and diastolic function could allow early optimal risk stratification after STEMI treated with PPCI. Follow-up GLS and LVEF percentage change are the strongest predictors for early LV recovery and long term clinical outcome, respectively.

Influence of the cardio-ankle vascular index on chronic-phase left ventricular dysfunction after ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction

OBJECTIVE

This study aimed to investigate the possible influence of arterial stiffness assessed by the cardio-ankle vascular index (CAVI) on chronic-phase left ventricular dysfunction in patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI).

METHODS

A total of 208 consecutive patients with first STEMI (age, 64 ± 11 years; 86% men) who underwent reperfusion therapy within 12 h of onset were enrolled. We analysed arterial stiffness by measuring CAVI in a stable phase after admission and performed two-dimensional echocardiography at baseline and 7 months' follow-up. Subsequently, we assessed left ventricular global longitudinal strain (LV-GLS) to evaluate left ventricular function. A total of 158 (75.9%) patients underwent baseline cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR). We estimated left ventricular infarct size by measuring peak levels of creatine kinase-myocardial band (CK-MB), and CMR-late gadolinium enhancement (LGE).

RESULTS

On the basis of the median CAVI value, the patients were allocated into high CAVI (CAVI ≥ 8.575) and low CAVI (CAVI < 8.575) groups. The groups showed no statistically significant differences in LV-GLS at baseline (-13.5% ± 3.1 vs. -13.9% ± 2.7%, P  = 0.324). However, LV-GLS was significantly worse in the high CAVI group than in the low-CAVI group at 7 months (-14.0% ± 2.9 vs. -15.6% ± 3.0%, P  < 0.001). Stratified by CAVI and peak CK-MB or LGE, the four groups showed significant differences in LV-GLS at 7 months after STEMI (both P  < 0.001). Multivariate linear regression analysis with the forced inclusion model showed that CAVI was an independent predictor of LV-GLS at 7 months ( P  = 0.015).

CONCLUSION

CAVI early after STEMI onset was significantly associated with chronic-phase LV-GLS. In addition, combining CAVI with CK-MB or LGE improves its predictive ability for evaluation of chronic-phase LV-GLS. Thus, the arterial stiffness assessment by CAVI was an important factor related to chronic-phase left ventricular dysfunction after the first STEMI.

Clinical and echocardiographic predictors of left ventricular remodeling following anterior acute myocardial infarction

OBJECTIVES

Coronary artery disease is the primary cause of death and is responsible for a high number of hospitalizations worldwide. Ventricular remodeling is associated with worse prognosis following ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) and is a risk factor for ventricular dysfunction and heart failure. This study aimed to identify the predictors of ventricular remodeling following STEMI. Additionally, we evaluated the clinical, laboratory, and echocardiographic characteristics of patients with anterior wall STEMI who underwent primary percutaneous intervention in the acute phase and at 6 months after the infarction.

METHODS

This prospective, observational, and longitudinal study included 50 patients with anterior wall STEMI who were admitted to the coronary care unit (CCU) of a tertiary hospital in Brazil between July 2017 and August 2018. During the CCU stay, patients were evaluated daily and underwent echocardiogram within the first three days following STEMI. After six months, the patients underwent clinical evaluation and echocardiogram according to the local protocol.

RESULTS

Differences were noted between those who developed ventricular remodeling and those who did not in the mean±standard deviation levels of creatine phosphokinase MB isoenzyme (CKMB) peak (no remodeling group: 323.7±228.2 U/L; remodeling group: 522.4±201.6 U/L; p=0.008) and the median and interquartile range of E/E' ratio (no remodeling group: 9.20 [8.50-11.25] and remodeling group: 12.60 [10.74-14.40]; p=0.004). This difference was also observed in multivariate logistic regression.

CONCLUSIONS

Diastolic dysfunction and CKMB peak in the acute phase of STEMI can be predictors of ventricular remodeling following STEMI.

Estimation of Mean Left Atrial Pressure in Patients with Acute Coronary Syndromes: A Doppler Echocardiographic and Cardiac Catheterization Study

BACKGROUND

Doppler echocardiography, including the ratio of transmitral E to tissue Doppler e' velocities (E/e'), is widely used to estimate mean left atrial pressure (mLAP). This method, however, has not been validated in patients with acute coronary syndromes.

METHODS

Fifty-seven patients with acute coronary syndromes who underwent left heart catheterization and transthoracic echocardiography within 8 hours of each other were retrospectively analyzed. Forty-two of the patients (74%) were men, with a mean age of 65 ± 11 years. Patients with known cardiomyopathy, atrial fibrillation, or left-sided valvular disease were excluded. Doppler mLAP was estimated using Nagueh's formula (1.24 × [E/e'] + 1.9). Invasive mLAP was estimated using the formula of Yamamoto et al. (1.20 × mean left ventricular diastolic pressure - 0.82), wherein we averaged left ventricular diastolic pressure starting from the isovolumic relaxation phase to the post-A inflection point. Subanalyses were performed in groups with reduced or normal left ventricular ejection fraction (EF).

RESULTS

There was stronger agreement between the two techniques to estimate mLAP in the reduced EF group (r = 0.73, r² = 0.53, P < .001) compared with the normal EF group (r = 0.33, r² = 0.11, P = .08). The κ statistic for agreement was 0.34 for the overall study cohort, suggesting fair agreement according to partition values of mean mLAP: <8, 8 to 15, and >15 mm Hg. Left atrial volume index did not correlate with invasively estimated mLAP in this cohort.

CONCLUSIONS

In patients with acute coronary syndromes, Doppler- and catheter-derived estimates of mLAP correlate well in patients with reduced EFs. In the acute setting, echocardiographic evaluation is a reliable adjunct to clinical examination in assessment of heart failure in this subgroup of patients.