Safety of Digestive Endoscopy following Acute Coronary Syndrome: A Systematic Review

Outcomes of Hospitalized Patients With Fecal Occult Positive Stool Prior to Cardiac Catheterization in Acute Coronary Syndrome (ACS)

Introduction Cardiac catheterization is an essential component of patient care in Acute Coronary Syndrome (ACS). Fecal occult blood testing (FOBT) has been used in the inpatient setting to evaluate the risk of bleeding with dual anti-platelet therapy prior to cardiac catheterization although no guidelines exist for this indication and FOBT testing in the inpatient setting is not recommended for evaluation of GI blood loss. We sought to assess the outcomes of patients with fecal occult positive stool prior to cardiac catheterization compared to those that did not undergo FOBT during admission for non-ST-elevation myocardial infarction (NSTEMI). Methods We identified patients between 18 and 90 years old with admission for NSTEMI in the Trinetx Research Network from January 1, 2019 to December 31, 2020. Patients were then divided into those who had an FOBT prior to cardiac catheterization and those that did not have an FOBT. We compared all-cause mortality, bleeding, troponin levels, and length of stay between propensity-matched (PSM) pairs of patients. Results We identified 46,349 that met inclusion criteria, of which 1,728 had an FOBT (3.7%) and 44,621 (96.3%) had no FOBT prior to cardiac catheterization. Patients in the FOBT group were older and had a higher prevalence of hypertension, coronary artery disease, heart failure, diabetes, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and higher BMI. Two well-matched groups of n=1,728/1,728 were used for comparing outcomes. The FOBT group had similar 30-day mortality (4.45% vs 4.01, P=0.56) as well as similar bleeding events (0.98% vs 0.69%, P=0.35). Troponin levels in the FOBT group were on average lower (0.41 vs 0.95, P=0.04). The FOBT groups also had a similar average length of stay of (14.1 days vs 14.2 days, P=0.42). 233 patients who received FOBT underwent endoscopic evaluation with either upper endoscopy or colonoscopy (13.5%), and there was no significant difference in 30-day mortality (6.86% vs 4.7%, P=0.321). Among patients who underwent endoscopy, 72 had some form of endoscopic intervention (30.9%). There was no difference in 30-day mortality between patients undergoing endoscopy with intervention and without intervention (14.49%/14.49%) P=1.00. Readmission was similar between patients undergoing endoscopy with and without intervention. Conclusions In a large multi-center national database, we observed similar outcomes in patients who were admitted with NSTEMI and had FOBT and those not receiving FOBT in terms of all-cause mortality and bleeding events. In patients with positive FOBT, endoscopy with and without intervention we observed no significant difference in 30-day mortality. We conclude that there is no compelling evidence for FOBT testing in patients with NSTEMI.

The Impact of Cardiac Dysfunction Based on Killip Classification on Gastrointestinal Bleeding in Acute Myocardial Infarction

Background

Owing to limited data, the effect of cardiac dysfunction categorized according to the Killip classification on gastrointestinal bleeding (GIB) in patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI) is unclear. The present study aimed to investigate the impact of cardiac dysfunction on GIB in patients with AMI and to determine if patients in the higher Killip classes are more prone to it.

Methods

This retrospective study was comprised of patients with AMI who were admitted to the cardiac intensive care unit in the Heart Center of the Beijing Chaoyang Hospital between December 2010 and June 2019. The in-hospital clinical data of the patients were collected. Both GIB and cardiac function, according to the Killip classification system, were confirmed using the discharge diagnosis of the International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision coding system. Univariate and multivariate conditional logistic regression models were constructed to test the association between GIB and the four Killip cardiac function classes.

Results

In total, 6,458 patients with AMI were analyzed, and GIB was diagnosed in 131 patients (2.03%). The multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that the risk of GIB was significantly correlated with the cardiac dysfunction [compared with the Killip class 1, Killip class 2’s odds ratio (OR) = 1.15, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.73–1.08; Killip class 3’s OR = 2.63, 95% CI: 1.44–4.81; and Killip class 4’s OR = 4.33, 95% CI: 2.34–8.06].

Conclusion

This study demonstrates that the degree of cardiac dysfunction in patients with acute myocardial infarction is closely linked with GIB. The higher Killip classes are associated with an increased risk of developing GIB.

Randomized controlled trial of early endoscopy for upper gastrointestinal bleeding in acute coronary syndrome patients

Acute upper gastrointestinal bleeding (UGIB) in acute coronary syndrome (ACS) patients are not uncommon, particularly under dual antiplatelet therapy (DAPT). The efficiency and safety of early endoscopy (EE) for UGIB in these patients needs to be elucidated. This multicenter randomized controlled trial randomized recent ACS patients presenting acute UGIB to non-EE and EE groups. All eligible patients received intravenous proton pump inhibitor therapy. Those in EE group underwent therapeutic endoscopy within 24 h after bleeding. The data regarding efficacy and safety of EE were analyzed. It was early terminated because the UGIB rate was lower than expected and interim analysis was done. In total, 43 patients were randomized to non-EE (21 patients) and EE (22 patients) groups. The failure rate of control hemorrhage (intention-to-treat [ITT] 4.55% vs. 23.81%, p < 0.001; per-protocol [PP] 0% vs. 4.55%, p = 0.058) and 3-day rebleeding rate (ITT 4.55% vs. 28.57%, p = 0.033; PP 0% vs. 21.05%, p = 0.027) were lower in EE than non-EE group. The mortality, minor and major complication rates were not different between two groups. Male patients were at higher risk of minor and major complications after EE with OR (95% CI) of 3.50 (1.15–10.63) and 4.25 (1.43–12.63), respectively. In multivariate analysis, EE was associated with lower needs for blood transfusion (HR 0.13, 95% CI 0.02–0.98). Among patients who discontinued DAPT during acute UGIB, a higher risk (OR 5.25, 95% CI 1.21–22.74) of coronary artery stent re-thrombosis within 6 months was noticed. EE for acute UGIB in recent ACS patients has higher rate of bleeding control, lower 3-day rebleeding rate and lower needs for blood transfusion, but more complications in male patients. Further enrollment is mandatory to avoid bias from small sample size (ClinicalTrial.gov Number NCT02618980, registration date 02/12/2015).

Cardiorespiratory complications of digestive endoscopy not related to sedation

Although digestive endoscopy is considered to be a safe procedure, both the growing complexity of the techniques and the underlying diseases of patients increase the risk of adverse events during the procedure. Cardiorespiratory events are the most frequent complications, and can occur in patients with or without sedation, although they appear more often when the patient is sedated. The body's physiological response to stress is what causes these adverse events, which are generally mild and transient, although they can be serious. They are more frequent in patients with cardiopulmonary diseases, which logically increase risk. The autonomic nervous system, through its sympathetic and parasympathetic branches, is primarily responsible for these alterations. Patients with asthma or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease have a higher risk of hypoxemia, bronchospasm, and arrhythmia during the endoscopic procedure. Patients with arrhythmia and ischemic heart disease have a higher risk of myocardial ischemia and heart rhythm disturbances. The risk of adverse events during the procedure can be reduced by reviewing the patient's medical history along with a basic clinical examination before endoscopy. A brief interrogation about symptom control can also help the safety of endoscopy.

Endoscopic Retrograde Cholangiopancreatography in Patients With Versus Without Prior Myocardial Infarction or Coronary Revascularization: A Nationwide Cohort Study

Background

Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) can be associated with complications, including precipitation of peri-procedural myocardial ischemia. However, data regarding the trends and impact of previous myocardial infarction (MI) and/or percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) or coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) on ERCP outcomes remains unknown.

Methods

Using the National Inpatient Sample (2007-2014) and relevant ICD-9-CM codes, we identified adults who underwent ERCP with (Group 1) and without (Group 2) prior history of MI/PCI/CABG, and compared their demographics, comorbidities, and inpatient outcomes. Primary endpoints were inpatient mortality and post-ERCP complications. The secondary endpoints were discharge disposition, the mean length of stay, and total hospital charges.

Results

Of 1,374,773 ERCP procedures performed, 120,418 (8.8%) were performed in adult patients with a prior history of MI/PCI/CABG with an increasing trend from 2007-2014 (7.5% to 9.5%, p_trend=0.022). Group 1 consisted of older, white, males compared to Group 2. Group 1 demonstrated a higher prevalence of all-cause mortality (1.7% vs. 1.5%, p<0.001), other cardiovascular comorbidities, post-ERCP cardiopulmonary complications (5.6% vs. 3.8%, p<0.001), sepsis (10.2% vs. 8.2%, p<0.001) and hemorrhage (1.5% vs.1.2%, p<0.001) as compared to Group 2. However, post-ERCP pancreatitis (14.1% vs. 15.4%, p<0.001) was lower in Group 1 without any difference in frequency of cholecystitis (0.4% vs. 0.4%, p=0.180). The mean length of stay was marginally higher in Group 1, without any difference in the hospitalization charges between the groups.

Conclusions

This nationwide study revealed higher inpatient mortality, sepsis, and hemorrhage in adult patients who underwent ERCP with a prior history of MI/PCI/CABG.

Safety of gastrointestinal endoscopy in patients with acute coronary syndrome and concomitant gastrointestinal bleeding

BACKGROUND

Gastrointestinal bleeding (GIB) is a major concern in patients hospitalized with acute coronary syndrome (ACS) due to the common use of both antiplatelet medications and anticoagulants. Studies evaluating the safety of gastrointestinal endoscopy (GIE) in ACS patients with GIB are limited by their relatively small size, and the focus has generally been on upper GIB and esophago-gastroduod-enoscopy (EGD) only.

AIM

To evaluate the safety profile and the hospitalization outcomes of undergoing GIE in patients with ACS and concomitant GIB using the national database for hospitalized patients in the United States.

METHODS

The Nationwide Inpatient Sample database was queried to identify patients hospitalized with ACS and GIB during the same admission between 2005 and 2014. The International Classification of Diseases Code, 9^th Revision Clinical Modification was utilized for patient identification. Patients were further classified into two groups based on undergoing endoscopic procedures (EGD, small intestinal endoscopy, colonoscopy, or flexible sigmoidoscopy). Both groups were compared regarding demographic information, outcomes, and comorbi-dities. Multivariate analysis was conducted to identify factors associated with mortality and prolonged length of stay. Chi-square test was used to compare categorical variables, while Student’s t-test was used to compare continuous variables. All analyses were performed using SAS 9.4 (Cary, NC, United States).

RESULTS

A total of 35612318 patients with ACS were identified between January 2005 and December 2014. 269483 (0.75%) of the patients diagnosed with ACS developed concomitant GIB during the same admission. At least one endoscopic procedure was performed in 68% of the patients admitted with both ACS and GIB. Patients who underwent GIE during the index hospitalization with ACS and GIB had lower mortality (3.8%) compared to the group not undergoing endoscopy (8.6 %, P < 0.001). A shorter length of stay (LOS) was observed in patients who underwent GIE (mean 6.59 ± 7.81 d) compared to the group not undergoing endoscopy (mean 7.84 ± 9.73 d, P < 0.001). Multivariate analysis showed that performing GIE was associated with lower mortality (odds ratio: 0.58, P < 0.001) and shorter LOS (-0.36 factor, P < 0.001).

CONCLUSION

Performing GIE during the index hospitalization of patients with ACS and GIB was correlated with a better mortality rate and a shorter LOS. Approximately two-thirds of patients with both ACS and GIB undergo GIE during the same hospitalization.

Coronary artery perforation into the upper gastrointestinal cavity due to gastric ulceration

An 82-year-old man who had previously undergone a proximal gastrectomy with jejunal interposition surgery for stomach cancer was transferred to our hospital for massive hematemesis and hypotension. His electrocardiogram showed ST-segment elevation in lead ΙΙ, ΙΙΙ, aVF, which confirmed inferior myocardial infarction. Due to active hematemesis, upper endoscopy was performed initially. A visible vessel of gastric ulceration was discovered, and hemostasis was achieved using hemoclips. Subsequently, coronary angiography was performed since the right coronary artery (RCA) segment 4 atrioventricular (AV) was occluded. After thrombectomy and intravascular ultrasound (IVUS), 2.0 mm balloon angioplasty was done, and coronary perforation occurred. During coronary angiography, extravasation of the contrast material into the gastrointestinal cavity was noted. A covered stent was placed across segment 3 to segment 4 descending posteriorly (PD) to stop the blood supply to the perforation site of segment 4 AV. After stenting, adequate re-hemostasis was achieved. The patient was discharged after 28 days. This is the first report of a coronary artery perforation into the gastrointestinal cavity.

Safety of Endoscopy for Hospitalized Patients With Acute Myocardial Infarction: A National Analysis

INTRODUCTION

Patients hospitalized with myocardial infarction (MI) are at risk of gastrointestinal bleeding because of the need for antiplatelet agents and/or anticoagulation. The data regarding the safety of endoscopy after MI are limited. This study sought to assess mortality rates of patients hospitalized with acute MI who require esophagogastroduodenoscopy or colonoscopy using the National Inpatient Sample (NIS) database.

METHODS

A retrospective cohort analysis of all adult inpatients in the NIS from 2016 admitted for ST-elevation infarction myocardial infarction (STEMI), non-STEMI, or type II non-STEMI was conducted. Data were collected including patient demographics and indication for endoscopy per ICD-10 coding. HCUPnet was used to query NIS to obtain all inpatient mortality. The primary methods included adjusted χ for categorical outcomes, adjusted linear regression for continuous outcomes, and adjusted logistic regression for multivariable analysis.

RESULTS

A total of 1,281,749 patients were admitted for acute coronary syndrome in 2016, and 55,035 of these patients underwent endoscopy In the multivariable regression analysis, those who underwent a GI procedure (odds ratio [OR] 0.80, P value < 0.002) and angiogram (OR 0.48, P value < 0.001) had lower in-hospital mortality, after adjusting for age, Elixhauser index, need for angiogram, sex, race, and hospital type. Endoscopy postcatheterization was not associated with a difference in mortality compared with preangiogram (OR = 0.84, 95% confidence interval 0.60-1.19).

DISCUSSION

Patients who underwent endoscopy are sicker and have higher mortality rates than those who do not undergo endoscopy, but after adjusting for comorbidities, mortality is actually lower. This suggests that endoscopy is safe and should be performed when clinically indicated despite recent cardiac ischemia.

Incidence, Predictors, and Outcomes of Gastrointestinal Bleeding in Patients Admitted With ST-Elevation Myocardial Infarction

Gastrointestinal bleeding (GIB) complicating ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) poses significant management challenges and may be associated with poor outcomes. We sought to evaluate the incidence and outcomes of GIB in STEMI patients using a nationwide database. We identified adults admitted with STEMI between in the National Inpatient Sample (2003 to 2016), and compared the morbidity, mortality, resource utilization, and cost in patients with and without GIB. We assessed rates of endoscopy referral and its associated with mortality. Among 1,450,696 weighted STEMI hospitalizations, 32,624 (2.2%) were complicated with GIB. Patients with GIB were older, and had distinctive characteristics compared to those without GIB. Older age, cardiogenic shock; history of peptic ulcer disease, cirrhosis, anemia, or alcohol use disorder were the strongest predictors of GIB during STEMI hospitalizations. In-hospital mortality was higher in the GIB group (28.2% vs 11.1%, p <0.001). The excess mortality associated with GIB persisted after propensity-score matching, and in sensitivity analyses excluding patients who underwent coronary intervention >24-hours after admission, and those transferred to another hospital. Post-STEMI GIB was associated with more strokes and acute kidney injury, longer hospitalizations, and higher cost. In a logistic regression analysis, GIB was independently associated with mortality (odds ratios [OR] 1.91, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.85 to 1.97, p <0.001). There was a correlation between undergoing endoscopy and lower in-hospital mortality (unadjusted OR 0.27; 95% CI, 0.24 to 0.29; adjusted-OR 0.30; 95% CI, 0.27 to 0.33; p <0.001). In conclusion, GIB complicating STEMI is uncommon but is associated with excess morbidity, mortality, resource utilization and cost. Referral to endoscopy in this cohort may be associated with reduced in-hospital mortality.

Colonoscopy in Patients With Postmyocardial Infarction Gastrointestinal Bleeding: A Nationwide Analysis

GOALS

The goal of this study was to evaluate outcomes of colonoscopy in the setting of post myocardial infarction (MI) gastrointestinal bleeding (GIB) in a large population-based data set.

BACKGROUND

The literature to substantiate the proposed safety of colonoscopy following an acute MI is limited.

STUDY

The Nationwide Inpatient Sample (2007 to 2013) was utilized to identify all adult patients (age, 18 y or above) hospitalized with a primary diagnosis of ST-elevation MI and receiving left heart catheterization (STEMI-C). The outcomes of patients with concomitant diagnosis of GIB receiving endoscopic intervention with esophagogastroduodenoscopy (EGD) or colonoscopy postcatheterization were compared with those who did not. Primary outcomes including mortality, length of stay, and hospital costs were evaluated with univariate and multivariate analysis.

RESULTS

There were 131,752 patients with post-STEMI-C GIB (5.35% of all STEMI-C patients) and same admission colonoscopy was performed in 1599 patients (1.21%). Although the prevalence of post-STEMI-C GIB increased from 4.27% in 2007 to 5.87% in 2013 (P<0.001), patients receiving colonoscopy decreased from 1.42% to 1.09% (P<0.001) over the course of the study period. Multivariate analysis revealed that patients receiving no endoscopic intervention [odds ratio, 3.61; 95% confidence interval: 1.57, 8.31] or EGD alone (OR, 2.70; 95% confidence interval: 1.12, 6.49) have higher mortality compared with those receiving colonoscopy.

CONCLUSIONS

Same admission colonoscopy performed for post-STEMI-C GIB was associated with lower mortality. However, despite increased incidence of GIB in these patients during the study period, a lower percentage of patients received colonoscopy. These results suggest that colonoscopy is safe but underutilized in this setting.