Clinical characteristics and mid-term outcomes of acute myocardial infarction patients with prior cerebrovascular disease in an Asian population: Lessons from the Korea Acute Myocardial Infarction Registry

Does Prior Stroke Predict Long-Term Recurrent Stroke After Percutaneous Coronary Intervention? Five-Year Results From a Large Cohort Study

Background: We found a positive correlation between the prior stroke history and recurrent stroke in patients who underwent percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) in our previous study, which indicated the close interaction of stroke and cardiovascular diseases. However, it is unclear whether prior stroke is still associated with worse prognosis at a longer follow-up period. Methods: A total of 10,724 coronary heart disease (CHD) patients who received PCI from January to December 2013 were prospectively enrolled and were subsequently divided into the prior stroke (n = 1,150) and non-prior stroke (n = 9,574) groups according to their history. Baseline characteristics and 5-year outcomes were recorded. Results: Patients with prior stroke had more clinical risk factors, as well as more extensive coronary artery lesions. Although in-hospital outcomes were similar between patients from the two groups, the 5-year follow-up result revealed that patients with prior stroke experienced higher incidence of stroke, major adverse cardiac and cerebrovascular events (MACCEs), all-cause death, and cardiac death (7.0 vs. 3.0%, p < 0.001; 25.9 vs. 20.3%, p < 0.001; 5.3 vs. 3.5%, p = 0.002; 3.1 vs. 2.1%, p = 0.032, respectively). After the propensity score matching, the 5-year stroke rate was still higher in the prior stroke group (6.8 vs. 3.4%, p = 0.001). The multivariable regression analysis also identified the prior stroke as a risk predictor of the 5-year stroke (HR = 2.011, 95% CI: 1.322-3.059, p = 0.001). Conclusions: Coronary heart disease patients with prior stroke who received PCI had a higher incidence of 5-year long-term adverse cardiovascular and cerebrovascular events, especially recurrent stroke. Prior stroke was a strong risk predictor of future stroke events.

Novel insights into clinical characteristics and in-hospital outcomes of patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention in Vietnam

BACKGROUND

Little is known about percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) practices and outcomes in low-and middle-income nations, despite its rapid uptake across Asia. For the first time, we report on clinical characteristics and in-hospital outcomes for patients undergoing PCI at a leading cardiac centre in Vietnam.

METHODS

Information on characteristics, treatments, and outcomes of patients undergoing PCI was collected into the first PCI registry through direct interviews using a standardised form, medical record abstraction, and reading PCI imaging data on secured disks. Subgroup analysis was also conducted to explore gender differences.

RESULTS

Between September 2017 and May 2018, 1022 patients undergoing PCI were recruited from a total of 1041 procedures. The mean age was 68.3 years and two thirds were male. While 54.4% of patients presented with acute coronary syndromes, the rate of ST-elevation myocardial infarction was 14.5%. The majority of lesions were classified as type B2 and C and the radial artery was the most common access location for PCI (79.2%). The use of drug-eluting stents was universal and the angiographic success rate was 99.4%. Cardiac complications following PCI were rare with the exception of major bleeding (2.0%). Female patients were older with relatively more comorbidities and a higher incidence of major bleeding than males (p < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

Findings of this study provide an opportunity to benchmark current PCI practices in Vietnam, identify possible care gaps and potentially inform the adoption of treatment guidelines as well as use of prevention strategies.

Outcomes After Percutaneous Coronary Intervention in Patients With a History of Cerebrovascular Disease: Insights From the Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan Cardiovascular Consortium

BACKGROUND

Because of shared risk factors between coronary artery disease and cerebrovascular disease, patients with a history of transient ischemic attack (TIA) or stroke are at greater risk of developing coronary artery disease, which may require percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). However, there remains a paucity of research examining outcomes after PCI in these patients.

METHODS AND RESULTS

We analyzed consecutive patients who underwent PCI between January 1, 2013, and March 31, 2016, at 47 Michigan hospitals and identified those with a history of TIA/stroke. We used propensity score matching to adjust for differences in baseline characteristics and compared in-hospital outcomes between patients with and without a history of TIA/stroke. We compared rates of 90-day readmission and long-term mortality in a subset of patients. Among 98 730 patients who underwent PCI, 10 915 had a history of TIA/stroke. After matching (n=10 618 per group), a history of TIA/stroke was associated with an increased risk of in-hospital stroke (adjusted odds ratio, 2.04; 95% confidence interval, 1.41-2.96; P<0.001). There were no differences in the risks of other in-hospital outcomes. In a subset of patients with postdischarge data, a history of TIA/stroke was associated with increased risks of 90-day readmission (adjusted odds ratio, 1.22; 95% confidence interval, 1.09-1.38; P<0.001) and long-term mortality (hazard ratio, 1.23; 95% confidence interval, 1.07-1.43; P=0.005).

CONCLUSIONS

A history of TIA/stroke was common in patients who underwent PCI and was associated with increased risks of in-hospital stroke, 90-day readmission, and long-term mortality. Given the devastating consequences of post-PCI stroke, patients with a history of TIA/stroke should be counseled on this increased risk before undergoing PCI.

Risk Scoring System for Prognosis Estimation of Multivessel Disease Among Patients with ST-Segment Elevation Myocardial Infarction

Multivessel disease (MVD) is an independent risk factor for poor prognosis in acute myocardial infarction patients. Although several global risk scoring systems (RSS) are in use in clinical practice, there is no dedicated RSS for MVD in ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI). The primary objective of this study is to develop a novel RSS to estimate the prognosis of patients with MVD in STEMI.We used the Korean Acute Myocardial Infarction Registry (KAMIR) to identify 2,030 STEMI patients with MVD who underwent appropriate percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). Their data were analyzed to develop a new RSS. The prognostic power of this RSS was validated with 2,556 STEMI patients with MVD in the Korean Working Group on Myocardial Infarction Registry (KORMI).Six prognostic factors related to all-cause death in STEMI patients with MVD were age, serum creatinine, Killip Class, lower body weight, decrease in left ventricular ejection fraction, and history of cerebrovascular disease. The RSS for all-cause death was constructed using these risk factors and their statistical weight. The RSS had appropriate performance (c-index: 0.72) in the KORMI validation cohort.We developed a novel RSS that estimates all-cause death in the year following discharge for patients with MVD in STEMI appropriately treated by PCI. This novel RSS was transformed into a simple linear risk score to yield a simplified estimate prognosis of MVD among STEMI patients.

Effect of prior stroke on long-term outcomes of percutaneous coronary interventions in Chinese patients: A large single-center study

OBJECTIVES

To evaluate the effect of prior stroke on long-term outcomes in patients undergoing percutaneous coronary interventions (PCI).

BACKGROUND

Patients with coronary heart disease (CHD) and prior stroke history have more serious clinical and angiographic conditions, which make the choice of treatment strategy complex.

METHODS

A total of 10,724 consecutive patients who underwent PCI from January 2013 to December 2013 were enrolled. 2-Year clinical outcomes between patients with prior stroke (n = 1150) and those with no prior stroke (n =9574) were compared.

RESULTS

The proportion of patients with prior stroke was 10.72%. These patients had higher clinical risks (age, sex, and cardiovascular risk factors) and more extensive coronary disease (higher pre-PCI and residual SYNTAX scores). During the 2-year follow-up, patients with prior stroke had a higher incidence of major adverse cardiac and cerebrovascular events (MACCE), all-cause death, stent thrombosis and stroke than those without prior stroke (14.3% vs. 11.8%, p = 0.02; 2.3% vs. 1.1%, p < 0.01; 1.6% vs. 0.8%, p < 0.01; 3.3% vs. 1.1%, p < 0.01, respectively). Multivariable regression analyses identified a positive association between prior stroke and risk of stroke (HR = 2.07, 95%CI: 1.35-3.19, p < 0.01). Propensity score matched analyses (962 pairs) indicated that the only primary end point that differed in incidence between the groups was stroke and prior stroke was the only independent predictor of stroke (HR = 2.31, 95%CI: 1.20-4.45, p = 0.01).

CONCLUSIONS

Prior stroke history was the only predictor of risk of post-PCI stroke. The noncerebrovascular adverse events were not increased after adjusted analyses of baseline characteristics and propensity analyses.

Effect of coronary artery revascularization on in-hospital outcomes and long-term prognoses in acute myocardial infarction patients with prior ischemic stroke

Objective

To investigate whether coronary artery revascularization therapies (CART), including percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) and coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG), can improve the in-hospital and long-term outcomes for acute myocardial infarction (AMI) patients with prior ischemic stroke (IS).

Methods

A total of 387 AMI patients with prior IS were enrolled consecutively from January 15, 2005 to December 24, 2011 in this cohort study. All patients were categorized into the CART group (n = 204) or the conservative medications (CM) group (n = 183). In-hospital cardiocerebral events and long-term mortality of the two groups after an average follow-up of 36 months were recorded by Kaplan-Meier survival curves and compared by Logistic regression and the Cox regression model.

Results

The CART patients were younger (66.5 ± 9.7 years vs. 71.7 ± 9.7 years, P < 0.01), had less non-ST segment elevation myocardial infarction (11.8% vs. 20.8%, P = 0.016) and more multiple-vascular coronary lesions (50% vs. 69.4%, P = 0.031). The hospitalization incidence of cardiocerebral events in the CART group was 9.3% while 26.2% in the CM group (P < 0.01). CART significantly reduced the risk of in-hospital cardiocerebral events by 65% [adjusted odds ratio (OR) = 0.35, 95% CI: 0.13–0.92]. By the end of follow-up, 57 cases (41.6%) died in CM group (n = 137) and 24 cases (12.2%) died in CART group (n = 197). Cox regression indicated that CART decreased the long-term mortality by 72% [adjusted hazard ratio (HR) = 0.28, 95% CI: 0.06–0.46], while categorical analysis indicated no significant difference between PCI and CABG.

Conclusions

CART has a significant effect on improving the in-hospital and long-term prognoses for AMI patients with prior IS.

The scientific achievements of the decades in Korean Acute Myocardial Infarction Registry

The Korea Acute Myocardial Infarction Registry (KAMIR) was the first nationwide registry data collection designed to track outcomes of patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI). These studies reflect the current therapeutic approaches and management for AMI in Korea. The results of KAMIR could help clinicians to predict the prognosis of their patients and identify better diagnostic and treatment tools to improve the quality of care. The KAMIR score was proposed to be a predictor of the prognosis of AMI patients. Triple antiplatelet therapy, consisting of aspirin, clopidogrel and cilostazol, was effective at preventing major adverse clinical outcomes. Drug-eluting stents were effective and safe in AMI patients with no increased risk of stent thrombosis. Statin therapy was effective in Korean AMI patients, including those with very low levels of low density cholesterol. The present review summarizes the 10-year scientific achievements of KAMIR from admission to outpatient care during long-term clinical follow-up.

Preventive effects of exenatide on endothelial dysfunction induced by ischemia-reperfusion injury via KATP channels

OBJECTIVE

The purpose of this study was to evaluate whether exenatide administration can prevent impairment in endothelium-dependent vasodilatation induced by ischemia-reperfusion (IR) injury and whether this effect is mediated by K(ATP) channel opening.

METHODS AND RESULTS

In a double-blind, placebo-controlled, crossover design, 20 volunteers were randomly assigned to 2 groups: subcutaneous exenatide (10 μg) or placebo administration. At 30 minutes after the study drug administration, endothelium-dependent flow-mediated dilatation (FMD) of the radial artery was measured before and after IR (15 minutes of ischemia at the level of the brachial artery followed by 15 minutes of reperfusion) injury. Seven days later, both groups were crossed over and received the other treatment (ie, placebo or exenatide) and underwent the same protocol. Pre-IR radial artery diameter, FMD, and baseline radial artery diameter after IR injury were similar between 2 groups (P=no significant difference). After placebo administration, IR significantly blunted FMD (before IR: 12.0±6.23%; after IR: 4.6±3.57%, P=0.02). Exenatide prevented this impairment (FMD before IR: 15.0±7.14%; FMD after IR: 15.0±5.96%, P=no significant difference; P<0.001 compared with placebo). In a separate protocol, this protective effect was completely abolished by pretreatment with glibenclamide (glyburide, 5 mg), a blocker of K(ATP) channels (n=7; FMD before IR: 12.0±2.2%; after IR: 3.2±2.1%, P<0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

The present study demonstrates that subcutaneous exenatide protects IR-induced endothelial dysfunction through opening of K(ATP) channels in human IR injury model.

Low molecular weight heparin versus unfractionated heparin in patients with acute non-ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention with drug-eluting stents

BACKGROUND

Whether low molecular weight heparin (LMWH) enoxaparin is equivalent to unfractionated heparin (UFH) in patients with non-ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (NSTEMI) undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) with drug-eluting stents (DES) remains unclear.

METHODS

A total of 2397 NSTEMI patients who underwent PCI with DES received either LMWH [n=1178, subcutaneous enoxaparin 1 mg/kg, b.i.d., initiated after the patient's arrival and continued until 3-5 days after PCI plus reduced dose of UFH (50-70 U/kg) during PCI] or UFH (n=1219, 24,000U/day infusion, initiated after the patient's arrival and continued until at least 48 h after PCI). The bleeding events and clinical outcomes during in-hospital and at 8 months were compared.

RESULTS

Enoxaparin group had similar incidences of cardiac death, total death, and total major adverse cardiac events (MACE) at 8 months compared with UFH group. The incidences of major and minor bleeding events were also similar between the two groups. Multivariable Cox regression analysis showed that enoxaparin group had similar incidences of cardiac death [adjusted odds ratio (OR) 1.16, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.64-2.10, p=0.620], total death (adjusted OR 1.08, 95% CI 0.66-1.76, p=0.760), and total MACE (adjusted OR 0.94, 95% CI 0.69-1.28, p=0.692) at 8 months as compared with UFH group.

CONCLUSIONS

Enoxaparin with reduced dose of UFH only during PCI as an adjunctive antithrombotic therapy in NSTEMI patients undergoing PCI with DES was safe and showed comparable 8-month clinical outcomes as compared with UFH alone.

Time trend and age-period-cohort effects on acute myocardial infarction mortality in Korean adults from 1988 to 2007

We examined time trend and age-period-cohort effects on acute myocardial infarction (AMI) mortality in Korean adults from 1988 to 2007. Annual AMI mortality data and population statistics from 1988 to 2007 were obtained from the STATISTICS KOREA website. Age adjusted mortality for four 5-yr calendar periods (1988-1992 to 2003-2007) was calculated by direct standardization using the Year 2000 WHO world standard population. A log-linear Poisson regression model was used to estimate age, period, and cohort effects on AMI mortality. In both genders, age-adjusted AMI mortality increased from period one (1988-1992) to period three (1998-2002) but decreased in period four (2003-2007). An exponential age effect was noted in both genders. The rate ratio of the cohort effect increased up to the 1943 birth cohort and decreased gradually thereafter, and the rate ratio of the period effect increased up to period three (1998-2002) and decreased thereafter. Our results suggest that AMI mortality in Korean adults has decreased since the period 1998-2002 and age, period, and cohort effects have influenced on AMI mortality.