The prognostic importance of left ventricular function in patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction: the HORIZONS-AMI trial

Predictors and Long-Term Clinical Impact of Heart Failure With Improved Ejection Fraction After Acute Myocardial Infarction

BACKGROUND

Little is known about the characteristics and long-term clinical outcomes of patients with heart failure with improved ejection fraction (HFimpEF) after acute myocardial infarction.

METHODS AND RESULTS

From a multicenter, consecutive cohort of patients with acute myocardial infarction undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention, patients with an initial echocardiogram with left ventricular ejection fraction ≤40% and at least 1 follow-up echocardiogram after 14 days and within 2 years of the initial event were considered for analyses. HFimpEF was defined as an initial left ventricular ejection fraction ≤40% and serial left ventricular ejection fraction >40% with an increase of ≥10% from baseline at follow-up. Independent factors predicting HFimpEF were identified, and clinical outcomes of patients with HFimpEF were compared with those without improvement. From an initial cohort of 10 719 patients with acute myocardial infarction, 191 patients with HFimpEF and 256 patients with non-HFimpEF who had initial and follow-up echocardiographic data were analyzed. The median follow-up duration was 4.5 (interquartile range, 2.9-5.0) years. The factors predicting HFimpEF were lower peak creatine kinase myocardial band, smaller left ventricular dimensions, lower ratio between early mitral inflow velocity and mitral annular early diastolic velocity ', and the use of β blockers or renin-angiotensin system blockers at discharge. HFimpEF was associated with a significantly decreased risk of all-cause death compared with non-HFimpEF (hazard ratio, 0.377 [95% CI, 0.234-0.609]; P<0.001). In 2-year landmark analysis, these findings were consistent not only before but also after the landmark point. Similar findings were true for cardiovascular death and admission for heart failure.

CONCLUSIONS

Patients with HFimpEF after acute myocardial infarction showed distinct clinical and echocardiographic characteristics and were associated with better long-term clinical outcomes.

REGISTRATION

URL: https://www.clinicaltrials.gov; Unique Identifier: NCT02806102.

Integration of two-dimensional echocardiography: A novel risk indicator for ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction

AIMS

We aim to integrate the parameters of two-dimensional (2D) echocardiography and identify the high-risk population for all-cause mortality in patients with acute ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI).

METHODS

The study involved a retrospective cohort population with STEMI who were admitted to Yongchuan Hospital of Chongqing Medical University between January 2016 and January 2019. Baseline data were collected, including 2D echocardiography parameters and left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF). The parameters of 2D echocardiography were subjected to cluster analysis. Logistic regression models were employed to assess univariate and multivariate adjusted odds ratios (ORs) of cluster information in relation to all-cause mortality. Four logistic regression models were generated, utilizing cluster information, clinical variables, clinical variables in conjunction with LVEF, and clinical variables in conjunction with LVEF and cluster information as predictive variables, respectively. The area under the curve (AUC) were utilized to evaluate the incremental risk stratification value of cluster information.

RESULTS

The study included 633 participants with 28.8% female, a mean age of 65.68 ± 11.98 years. Over the course of a 3-year follow-up period, 108 (17.1%) patients experienced all-cause mortality. Utilizing cluster analysis of 2D echocardiography parameters, the patients were categorized into two distinct clusters, with statistically significant differences observed in most clinical variables, echocardiography, and survival outcomes between the clusters. Multivariate regression analysis revealed that cluster information was independently associated with the risk of all-cause mortality with adjusted OR 7.33 (95% confidence interval [CI] 3.99-14.06, P < 0.001). The inclusion of LVEF enhanced the predictive capacity of the model utilized with clinical variables with AUC 0.848 (95% CI 0.809-0.888) versus AUC 0.872 (95% CI 0.836-0.908) (P < 0.001), and the addition of cluster information further improved its predictive performance with AUC 0.906 (95% CI 0.878-0.934, P < 0.001). This cluster analysis was translated into a free available online calculator (https://app-for-mortality-prediction-cluster.streamlit.app/).

CONCLUSIONS

The 2D echocardiographic diagnostic information based on cluster analysis had good prognostic value for STEMI population, which was helpful for risk stratification and individualized intervention.

Importance of reassessment to identify trajectories of chronic transition of clinical indicators in post-myocardial infarction management

Despite advances in multidisciplinary acute care for myocardial infarction (MI), the clinical need to manage heart failure and elevated mortality risks in the remote phase of MI remains unmet. Various prognostic models have been established using clinical indicators obtained during the acute phase of MI; however, most of these indicators also show chronic changes in the post-MI phase. Although relevant guidelines recommend follow-up assessments of some clinical indicators in the chronic phase, systematic reassessment has not yet been fully established and implemented in a real-world clinical setting. Therefore, clinical evidence of the impact of such chronic transitions on the post-MI prognosis is lacking. We speculate that post-MI reassessment of key clinical indicators and the impact of their chronic transition patterns on long-term prognoses can improve the quality of post-MI risk stratification and help identify residual risk factors. Several recent studies have investigated the impact of the chronic transition of some clinical indicators, such as serum albumin level, mitral regurgitation, and left-ventricular dysfunction, on post-MI prognosis. Interestingly, even in MI survivors with these indicators within their respective normal ranges in the acute phase of MI, chronic transition to an abnormal range was associated with worsening cardiovascular outcomes. On the basis of these recent insights, we discuss the clinical significance of post-MI reassessment to identify the trajectories of several clinical indicators and elucidate the potential residual risk factors affecting adverse outcomes in MI survivors.

Systemic immune- inflammation index predicts post-MI left ventricular remodeling

AIMS

Previous studies demonstrated that remodeling after successful percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) depends on the inflammatory response triggered by myocardial infarction (MI). The systemic immune-inflammation index (SII) is a novel inflammation index strongly associated with coronary artery disease. In our study, we sought to determine whether SII could predict Post-MI LV remodeling.

METHODS AND RESULTS

The study population included 528 patients (mean age 62.5 ± 10.2, 73% male) diagnosed with STEMI. Based on the increase in LVEDV within the first 12 months after STEMI, patients were divided into two groups. We categorized the ≥ 20% increase in LVEDV among remodelers (257 patients, 49%), and the other 271 patients (51%), as non-remodelers. To determine the relationship between laboratory parameters and LV remodeling, univariate and multivariate logistic regression models were used. In a univariate model, higher hs-CRP and SII values were associated with increased LVEDV. In a multivariate analysis, SII independently correlated with LV remodeling A cut-off value of 613.3 or higher for SII was significantly correlated with LV remodeling based on ROC analysis.

CONCLUSION

SII provides an easy-to-calculate and affordable biomarker for cardiovascular diseases. It may be used as a new biomarker to predict LV remodeling in patients with STEMI.

Heart rhythm complexity analysis in patients with inferior ST-elevation myocardial infarction

Heart rhythm complexity (HRC), a subtype of heart rate variability (HRV), is an important tool to investigate cardiovascular disease. In this study, we aimed to analyze serial changes in HRV and HRC metrics in patients with inferior ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) within 1 year postinfarct and explore the association between HRC and postinfarct left ventricular (LV) systolic impairment. We prospectively enrolled 33 inferior STEMI patients and 74 control subjects and analyzed traditional linear HRV and HRC metrics in both groups, including detrended fluctuation analysis (DFA) and multiscale entropy (MSE). We also analyzed follow-up postinfarct echocardiography for 1 year. The STEMI group had significantly lower standard deviation of RR interval (SDNN), and DFAα2 within 7 days postinfarct (acute stage) comparing to control subjects. LF power was consistently higher in STEMI group during follow up. The MSE scale 5 was higher at acute stage comparing to control subjects and had a trend of decrease during 1-year postinfarct. The MSE area under scale 1-5 showed persistently lower than control subjects and progressively decreased during 1-year postinfarct. To predict long-term postinfarct LV systolic impairment, the slope between MSE scale 1 to 5 (slope 1-5) had the best predictive value. MSE slope 1-5 also increased the predictive ability of the linear HRV metrics in both the net reclassification index and integrated discrimination index models. In conclusion, HRC and LV contractility decreased 1 year postinfarct in inferior STEMI patients, and MSE slope 1-5 was a good predictor of postinfarct LV systolic impairment.

Sustained beneficial effect of β-blockers on clinical outcomes after discontinuation in patients with ST elevation myocardial infarction

Our previous study demonstrated that beneficial effect of β-blockers on clinical outcomes in patients with ST elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI). In clinical practice, β-blocker treatment is occasionally discontinued due to their side effect. The purpose of this study is to assess the impact of discontinuation of β-blockers on long-term clinical outcomes in patients with STEMI. We analyzed the data and clinical outcomes of 901 patients (716 males, 58 ± 13-year-old) STEMI patients who underwent successful primary percutaneous coronary intervention. At discharge of index STEMI, 598 patients were treated with β-blockers (491 males, 56 ± 12-year-old). After more than 1-month β-blocker treatment, β-blockers were stopped in 188 patients for any reason. We classified patients into continuation of β-blockers (410 patients, 56 ± 12-year-old) and discontinuation of β-blockers groups (188 patients, 57 ± 11-year-old) according to discontinuation of β-blockers. Occurrence of major adverse cardiovascular events (MACEs; death, recurrent MI and target vessel revascularization) during up to 10 years of follow-up was evaluated. Mean follow-up month was 56 ± 28 month. In 132 patients (22%), MACEs were occurred. The MACE-free survival rates in the 2 groups were not statistically different (log-rank P = .461). Adjusted hazard ratio (HR) of discontinuation of β-blockers for MACEs was 1.006 (95% confidence interval (CI) 0.701-1.445, P = .973; all cause of death, HR = 0.942, 95% CI = 0.547-1.622, P = .828; recurrent MI, HR = 0.476, 95% CI = 0.179-1.262, P = .136; target vessel revascularization, HR = 1.417, 95% CI = 0.865-2.321, P = .166). The MACE-free survival and survival rates of the non β-blockers treatment group was significantly worse than the discontinuation of β-blockers group (log-rank P = .003 and < 0.001, respectively). This study demonstrated that discontinuation of β-blockers was not associated with adverse cardiovascular outcomes after STEMI. The beneficial effect of β-blockers on clinical outcomes may persist in patients with initial β-blockers treatment at index STEMI.

Impact of heart failure severity and major bleeding events after percutaneous coronary intervention on subsequent major adverse cardiac events

Background

Heart failure (HF) is associated with a high bleeding risk after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). Additionally, major bleeding events increase the risk of subsequent major adverse cardiac events (MACE). However, whether brain natriuretic peptide (BNP) levels and major bleeding events following PCI are associated with MACE and all-cause death remains unknown. This study aimed to investigate the impact of HF severity or bleeding on subsequent MACE and all-cause death.

Methods

The Clinical Deep Data Accumulation System (CLIDAS), a multicenter database involving seven hospitals in Japan, was developed to collect data from electronic medical records. This retrospective analysis included 7160 patients who underwent PCI between April 2014 and March 2020 and completed a three-year follow-up. Patients were divided according to the presence of HF with high BNP (HFhBNP) (>100 pg/ml) and major bleeding events within 30 days post-PCI (30-day bleeding): HFhBNP with bleeding (n = 14), HFhBNP without bleeding (n = 370), non-HFhBNP with bleeding (n = 74), and non-HFhBNP without bleeding (n = 6702).

Results

In patients without 30-day bleeding, HFhBNP was a risk factor for MACE (hazard ratio, 2.19; 95% confidence interval, 1.56-3.07) and all-cause death (hazard ratio, 1.60; 95% confidence interval, 1.60-2.23). Among HFhBNP patients, MACE incidence was higher in patients with 30-day bleeding than in those without bleeding, but the difference was not significant (p = 0.075). The incidence of all-cause death was higher in patients with bleeding (p = 0.001).

Conclusions

HF with high BNP and bleeding events in the early stage after PCI might be associated with subsequent MACE and all-cause death.

Prognostic Impact of Non-Cardiac Comorbidities on Long-Term Prognosis in Patients with Reduced and Preserved Ejection Fraction following Acute Myocardial Infarction

BACKGROUND

We aimed to analyze the prevalence and long-term prognostic impact of non-cardiac comorbidities in patients with reduced and preserved left-ventricular ejection fraction (EF) following ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI).

METHOD

A total of 3033 STEMI patients undergoing primary percutaneous coronary intervention (pPCI) were divided in two groups: reduced EF < 50% and preserved EF ≥ 50%. The follow-up period was 8 years.

RESULTS

Preserved EF was present in 1726 (55.4%) patients and reduced EF was present in 1389 (44.5%) patients. Non-cardiac comorbidities were more frequent in patients with reduced EF compared with patients with preserved EF (38.9% vs. 27.4%, respectively, p < 0.001). Lethal outcome was registered in 240 (17.2%) patients with reduced EF and in 40 (2.3%) patients with preserved EF, p < 0.001. Diabetes and chronic kidney disease (CKD) were independent predictors for 8-year mortality in patients with preserved EF. In patients with reduced EF, CKD was independently associated with 8-year mortality.

CONCLUSION

In patients who had reduced EF, the prevalence of non-cardiac comorbidities was higher than in patients who had preserved EF after STEMI. Only diabetes mellitus and CKD were independently associated with 8-year mortality in analyzed patients.

The Effect and Possible Mechanism of Cardiac Rehabilitation in Partial Revascularization Performed on Multiple Coronary Artery Lesions

Purpose

To observe the effect of cardiac rehabilitation (CR) in patients with partial revascularization performed on multiple coronary artery lesions and explore its possible mechanism.

Patients and Methods

A total of 400 patients with multiple coronary artery lesions were enrolled and randomly divided into a complete revascularization group and a CR group, with 200 cases in each group. Target lesion revascularization was performed radically in the complete revascularization group, while it was partially completed in the CR group, and postoperative CR was performed. All the patients were put under conventional treatment. Left ventricular end diastolic dimension (LVEDD), left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF), 6-minute walking distance (6-MWD), quality-of-life scores, safety and levels of serum nitric oxide (NO), nitric oxide synthase (NOS), superoxide dismutase (SOD), and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) were evaluated and compared between two groups before and after training.

Results

There was no significant difference in LVEDD, LVEF, 6-MWD, quality-of-life scores, levels of serum NO, NOS, SOD, and VEGF between two groups before training (p>0.05). 1 year later, compared with the complete revascularization group, the occurrence of major adverse events in the CR group declined (p>0.05); the measurements of LVEDD decreased and LVEF increased (p>0.05), 6-MWD increased significantly (p<0.05), quality-of-life scores were higher (p<0.05), the levels of serum NO, NOS, and SOD increased noticeably, and the levels of serum VEGF decreased significantly in the CR group (p<0.05). There were significant differences within the same group, before and after training (p<0.05).

Conclusion

Cardiac rehabilitation training, not increase in the incidence of adverse events, is effective and safe after partial revascularization in patients with multiple coronary artery lesions, which has notable clinical advantages in promoting patients' exercise endurance and quality-of-life by improving the nitric oxide synthase system and antioxidant system and reducing the level of VEGF.

Trajectories and determinants of left ventricular ejection fraction after the first myocardial infarction in the current era of primary coronary interventions

BACKGROUND

Left ventricular ejection fraction (EF) is an independent predictor of adverse outcomes after myocardial infarction (MI). However, current data on trajectories and determinants of EF are scarce. The present study aimed to describe the epidemiology of EF after MI.

METHODS

Data from a single-center prospectively-designed registry of consecutive patients hospitalized at a large tertiary cardiology center were utilized.

RESULTS

Out of 1,593 patients in the registry, 1,065 were hospitalized for MI type I (65.4% STEMI) and had no previous history of heart failure or MI. At discharge, EF < 40% was present in 238 (22.3%), EF 40-50% in 326 (30.6%) and EF > 50% in 501 (47.0%). Patients with EF < 40% were often those who suffered subacute and anterior STEMI, had higher heart rate at admission and higher maximal troponin level, and had more often HF signs requiring intravenous diuretics. Among subjects with EF < 40%, the follow-up EF was available in 166 (80% of eligible). Systolic function recovered to EF > 50% in 39 (23.1%), slightly improved to EF 40-50% in 44 (26.0%) and remained below 40% in 86 (50.9%). Systolic function improvement to EF > 40% was predicted by lower severity of coronary atherosclerosis, lower leukocyte count, and the absence of atrial fibrillation.

CONCLUSIONS

Despite recent improvements in in-hospital MI care, one in five patients has systolic dysfunction at hospital discharge. Out of these, EF improves in 51%, and full recovery is observed in 23%. The severity of coronary atherosclerosis, inflammatory response to MI, and atrial fibrillation may affect EF recovery.

The Reduction of Left Ventricle Ejection Fraction after Multi-Vessel PCI during Acute Myocardial Infarction as a Predictor of Major Adverse Cardiac Events in Long-Term Follow-Up

BACKGROUND

Revascularisation strategy in patients with multi-vessel coronary disease and acute myocardial infarction (AMI) remains challenging. One of the potential treatment options is complete percutaneous revascularisation during index hospitalisation. This strategy could positively influence left ventricle ejection fraction (LVEF).

AIM

To investigate the long-term changes in LVEF and clinical outcome among patients with AMI after complete coronary revascularisation (CCR).

METHODS

Records of 171 patients with a diagnosis of AMI and multi-vessel coronary artery disease (CAD) on index angiography, in whom CCR was performed as a staged procedure during initial hospitalisation, were analysed. Clinical data were collected from in-hospital medical records and discharge letters. Cardiac ultrasound (CU), with particular assessment of LVEF, was performed one day before discharge. Follow-up (FU) CU was collected from the out-patient department at least six months ± one week after discharge. Follow-up data, including major adverse cardiac events (MACE), were collected during follow-up visits by telephone. Depending on the LVEF change during the follow-up period, patients were divided into two groups. Patients with a decrease in the LVEF (D-LVEF group) were compared with patients with no changes (preserved) or improvement regarding LVEF (P/I-LVEF).

RESULTS

The median duration of the follow-up was 19 months (14-24 months). The median change in LVEF during observation was -5.0p% (IQR (-7.0)-(-2.75p.%)) in the D-LVEF group and +4.0% (IQR 1.0-5.0p%) in the P/I-LVEF group. Among patients in the P/I-LVEF group, there was a sub-group of patients with no change in LVEF (28 patients), and one demonstrating improvement in LVEF (104 patients). In the subgroup of patients with improved LVEF, the median change in LVEF was 4.5p% (IQR 2-6.25p%). Among patients with decreasing LVEF, there was a significantly higher risk of MACE (15 vs. 2.3%, p = 0.031), especially non-fatal AMI (10 vs. 0%, p = 0.017). We found the following among predictors concerning increased risk of MACE occurrence: urgent PCI (p = 0.004), hospitalisations regardless of cause (p = 0.028), EF worsening (p = 0.025), fasting glucose serum concentration (p = 0.024) and fasting triglyceride serum concentration (p = 0.027).

CONCLUSIONS

Complete revascularisation (CR) at baseline (one stage) in patients with AMI and multi-vessel disease is associated with LVEF improvement and MACE rate reduction. Patients with worse LVEF have poor clinical outcome and a higher rate of MACE.

Impact of elevated systolic arterial pulmonary pressure on the total mortality rate after acute myocardial infarction in the elderly

Reduced left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) is associated with increased mortality after acute myocardial infarction (AMI). However, the prognostic impact of elevated systolic pulmonary artery pressure (sPAP) in the very elderly patients after AMI is lacking. We aimed to study the impact of elevated sPAP on one- and five-year all-cause mortality after AMI in very elderly patients, 80 years of age and older. Of a total number of 353 patients (≥ 80 years) who were hospitalized with acute coronary syndrome, 162 patients presenting with AMI and with available data of sPAP on echocardiography were included and followed-up for 5 years. The survival analyses were performed using Cox-Regression models adjusted for conventional risk factors including LVEF. Altogether 66 of 162 patients (41%) had ST-segment elevation MI, and 121 (75%) of patients were treated with percutaneous coronary intervention in the acute phase. Echocardiography during the admission revealed that 78 patients (48%) had a LVEF ≤ 45% and 66 patients (41%) had a sPAP ≥ 40 mmHg. After one and five years of follow-up, 23% (n = 33) and 53% (n = 86) of patients died, respectively. A multivariable Cox-Regression analysis showed that the elevated sPAP (≥ 40 mmHg) was an independent predictor of increased mortality in both one and five years after AMI; HR of 2.63 (95%, CI 1.19-5.84, P 0.017) and HR of 2.08 (95%, CI 1.25-3.44, P 0.005) respectively, whereas LVEF ≤ 45% did not show any statistically significant impact, neither on one- nor on five-year mortality (HR 1.3, 95% CI 0.6-2.9, p = 0.469) and (HR 1.4, 95% CI 0.8-2.4, p = 0.158), respectively. Elevated sPAP was an independent risk factor for one- and five-year all-cause mortality after AMI in very elderly patients and sPAP seems to be a better prognostic predictor for all-cause mortality than LVEF. The risk of all-cause mortality after AMI increased with increasing sPAP.

Impact of Patient Unawareness and Socioeconomic Factors on Patient Presentation to Primary Percutaneous Coronary Intervention

Fundamento:

O desconhecimento do paciente sobre o infarto agudo do miocárdio, suas complicações e os benefícios da revascularização precoce é um ponto crucial na determinação dos desfechos. Além disso, a relação entre fatores socioeconômicos e apresentação do paciente à intervenção coronária percutânea primária (ICPP) não foi totalmente estudada.

Objetivos:

Nosso objetivo foi investigar se o desconhecimento do paciente e outros fatores socioeconômicos impactam na apresentação do paciente à ICPP.

Métodos:

O estudo compreendeu 570 pacientes com infarto agudo do miocárdio com supradesnivelamento do segmento ST (IAMCSST) revascularizados por ICPP. Os pacientes foram classificados em dois grupos de acordo com o tempo total de isquemia (tempo desde o início dos sintomas do IAMCSST até a dilatação com balão); grupo I: Pacientes com apresentação precoce (1-12 horas). Grupo II: Pacientes com apresentação tardia (>12-24 horas). Fatores socioeconômicos, desfechos clínicos incluindo mortalidade e eventos cardíacos adversos maiores (ECAM) foram avaliados em cada grupo. O valor de p < 0,05 foi considerado estatisticamente significante.

Resultados:

Existem diferentes fatores socioeconômicos que afetam a apresentação do paciente à ICPP. A análise de regressão multivariada identificou os preditores socioeconômicos independentes da seguinte forma: baixa escolaridade - OR 4,357 (IC95% 1,087–17,47, p=0,038), isolamento social - OR 4,390 (IC95% 1,158–16,64, p=0,030) e desconhecimento sobre os benefícios da revascularização precoce - OR 4,396 (IC95% 1,652–11,69, p =0,003). A mortalidade e ECAM foram mais altas no grupo II.

Conclusão:

O desconhecimento do paciente e o baixo nível socioeconômico foram associados à apresentação tardia para a ICPP, com desfechos mais adversos.

Myocardial dysfunction after cardiac arrest: tips and pitfalls

Postcardiac arrest shock (PCAS) is defined by hemodynamic instability occurring in the first hours after cardiac arrest (CA) and is a major cause of mortality among patients hospitalized after CA. It includes vasoplegia and myocardial dysfunction. This postcardiac arrest myocardial dysfunction is supposed to recover within the 3 days. However, there are many unknowns regarding its definition, its prognosis value and its management. In this review dedicated to emergency physicians, we choose to address tips and pitfalls they should know regarding this prevalent syndrome.

Evaluation of Non-infarct-Related Arteries Using C-11 Acetate PET in STEMI With Multivessel Disease

BACKGROUND

We analyzed whether C-11 acetate positron emission tomography (PET) can be used for the evaluation of non-infarct-related artery (NIRA) in patients with ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) and multivessel disease.

METHODS

We prospectively enrolled 31 patients with STEMI and at least one NIRA stenosis (diameter stenosis [DS] ≥ 50%). C-11 acetate PET was performed after successful revascularization for the infarct-related artery (IRA). Myocardial blood flow (MBF) and oxidative metabolism (k_mono) were measured and compared between NIRA vs. IRA, stenotic (DS ≥ 50%) vs. non-stenotic (DS < 50%) NIRAs, and NIRAs with significant stenosis (DS ≥ 70% or fractional flow reserve [FFR] ≤ 0.80) vs. those without (neither DS ≥ 70% nor FFR ≤ 0.80). The correlations between PET and angiographic parameters were also analyzed.

RESULTS

MBF and k_mono were significantly higher in NIRAs than those in IRAs. Stenotic NIRAs showed significantly reduced stress MBF, myocardial flow reserve (MFR), relative flow reserve (RFR) (0.72 ± 0.12 vs. 0.82 ± 0.14; p = 0.001), and stress k_mono, as compared to those in non-stenotic NIRAs. NIRAs with significant stenosis had significantly lower stress MBF, MFR, and RFR (0.70 ± 0.10 vs. 0.80 ± 0.14; p = 0.001). RFR showed the best, but modest linear correlation with DS of NIRA stenosis (r = −0.429, p = 0.001). RFR > 0.81 could effectively exclude the presence of significant NIRA stenosis.

CONCLUSIONS

C-11 acetate PET could be a feasible alternative noninvasive modality in patients with STEMI and multivessel disease, by excluding the presence of significant NIRA stenosis.

Electrocardiographic Predictors of Primary Ventricular Fibrillation and 30-Day Mortality in Patients Presenting with ST-Segment Elevation Myocardial Infarction

Primary ventricular fibrillation (PVF) may occur in the early phase of ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) prior to primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). Multiple electrocardiographic STEMI patterns are associated with PVF and short-term mortality including the tombstone, Lambda, and triangular QRS-ST-T waveform (TW). We aimed to compare the predictive value of different electrocardiographic STEMI patterns for PVF and 30-day mortality. We included a consecutive cohort of 407 STEMI patients (75% males, median age 66 years) presenting within 12 h of symptoms onset. At first medical contact, 14 (3%) showed the TW or Lambda ECG patterns, which were combined in a single group (TW-Lambda pattern) characterized by giant R-wave and downsloping ST-segment. PVF prior to primary PCI occurred in 39 (10%) patients, significantly more often in patients with the TW-Lambda pattern than those without (50% vs. 8%, p < 0.001). For the multivariable analysis, Killip class ≥3 (OR 6.19, 95% CI 2.37–16.1, p < 0.001) and TW-Lambda pattern (OR 9.64, 95% CI 2.99–31.0, p < 0.001) remained as independent predictors of PVF. Thirty-day mortality was also higher in patients with the TW-Lambda pattern than in those without (43% vs. 6%, p < 0.001). However, only LVEF (OR 0.86, 95% CI 0.82–0.90, p < 0.001) and PVF (OR 4.61, 95% CI 1.49–14.3, p = 0.042) remained independent predictors of mortality. A mediation analysis showed that the effect of TW-Lambda pattern on mortality was mediated mainly via the reduced LVEF. In conclusion, among patients presenting with STEMI, the electrocardiographic TW-Lambda pattern was associated with both PVF before PCI and 30-day mortality. Therefore, this ECG pattern may be useful for early risk stratification of STEMI.

Risk factors for major adverse cardiovascular events after the first acute coronary syndrome

AIMS

To evaluate risk factors for major adverse cardiac event (MACE) after the first acute coronary syndrome (ACS) and to examine the prevalence of risk factors in post-ACS patients.

METHODS

We used Finnish population-based myocardial infarction register, FINAMI, data from years 1993-2011 to identify survivors of first ACS (n = 12686), who were then followed up for recurrent events and all-cause mortality for three years. Finnish FINRISK risk factor surveys were used to determine the prevalence of risk factors (smoking, hyperlipidaemia, diabetes and blood pressure) in post-ACS patients (n = 199).

RESULTS

Of the first ACS survivors, 48.4% had MACE within three years of their primary event, 17.0% were fatal. Diabetes (p = 4.4 × 10-7), heart failure (HF) during the first ACS attack hospitalization (p = 6.8 × 10-15), higher Charlson index (p = 1.56 × 10-19) and older age (p = .026) were associated with elevated risk for MACE in the three-year follow-up, and revascularization (p = .0036) was associated with reduced risk. Risk factor analyses showed that 23% of ACS survivors continued smoking and cholesterol levels were still high (>5mmol/l) in 24% although 86% of the patients were taking lipid lowering medication.

CONCLUSION

Diabetes, higher Charlson index and HF are the most important risk factors of MACE after the first ACS. Cardiovascular risk factor levels were still high among survivors of first ACS.

Cardiac magnetic resonance imaging improves prognostic stratification of patients with ST-elevation myocardial infarction and preserved ejection fraction

Aims

To evaluate the prognostic validity of clinical risk factors as well as infarct characterization and myocardial deformation by cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) in ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) patients with preserved left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) following primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI).

Methods and results

This multicentre, individual patient-data analysis from two large CMR trials included 1247 STEMI patients. Cardiac magnetic resonance examinations were conducted 3 [interquartile range (IQR) 2–4] days after PCI. LVEF, infarct size, microvascular obstruction (MVO), and myocardial strain values were measured. Primary endpoint was defined as composite of major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) including death, re-infarction, and congestive heart failure. A preserved LVEF (defined as LVEF ≥50%) was observed in 724 patients (=58%). In the overall cohort, 97 patients experienced a MACE event [follow-up time 12 (IQR 12–13) months], and 34 MACE events occurred in the group with preserved LVEF (5% vs. 12% incidence rate in patients with LVEF < 50%). TIMI risk score [hazard ratio (HR) 1.28, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.02–1.59; P = 0.03] and female gender (HR 2.24, 95% CI 1.10–4.57; P = 0.03) emerged as independent clinical determinants of MACE in the patient group with preserved LVEF. Among CMR parameters, the presence of MVO (HR 2.39, 95% CI 1.05–5.46; P = 0.04) and reduced global longitudinal strain (GLS; HR 1.12, 95% CI 1.02–1.23; P = 0.02) independently predicted MACE in the LVEF-preserved population. The addition of MVO and GLS to the clinical prognostic markers (TIMI risk score, female gender) increased (P = 0.02) the prognostic validity [AUC 0.76 (95% CI 0.73–0.79)] compared to the clinical markers alone [AUC 0.65 (0.62–0.69)].

Conclusion

In contemporary treated STEMI patients showing preserved LVEF, a CMR-based risk prediction approach assessing MVO and GLS provided strong prognostic value that was incremental to clinical outcome parameters.

Association of C-Reactive Protein Velocity with Early Left Ventricular Dysfunction in Patients with First ST-Elevation Myocardial Infarction

C-reactive protein velocity (CRPv) has been proposed as a very early and sensitive risk predictor in patients with ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI). However, the association of CRPv with early left ventricular (LV) dysfunction after STEMI is unknown. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between CRPv and early LV dysfunction, either before or at hospital discharge, in patients with first STEMI. This analysis evaluated 432 STEMI patients that were included in the prospective MARINA-STEMI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging In Acute ST-elevation Myocardial Infarction. ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT04113356) cohort study. The difference of CRP 24 ± 8 h and CRP at hospital admission divided by the time (in h) that elapsed during the two examinations was defined as CRPv. Cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) imaging was conducted at a median of 3 (IQR 2-4) days after primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) for the determination of LV function and myocardial infarct characteristics. The association of CRPv with the CMR-derived LV ejection fraction (LVEF) was investigated. The median CRPv was 0.42 (IQR 0.21-0.76) mg/l/h and was correlated with LVEF (rS = -0.397, p < 0.001). In multivariable linear as well as binary logistic regression analysis (adjustment for biomarkers and clinical and angiographical parameters), CRPv was independently associated with LVEF (β: 0.161, p = 0.004) and LVEF ≤ 40% (OR: 1.71, 95% CI: 1.19-2.45; p = 0.004), respectively. The combined predictive value of peak cardiac troponin T (cTnT) and CRPv for LVEF ≤ 40% (AUC: 0.81, 95% CI 0.77-0.85, p < 0.001) was higher than it was for peak cTnT alone (AUC difference: 0.04, p = 0.009). CRPv was independently associated with early LV dysfunction, as measured by the CMR-determined LVEF, revealing an additive predictive value over cTnT after acute STEMI treated with primary PCI.

Relation of a novel fibrosis marker and post-myocardial infarction left ventricular ejection fraction in revascularized patients

Aim: To investigate the relationship between post-myocardial infarction (MI) left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) and fibrosis marker HE-4 in primarily revascularized patients with ST-segment elevation MI (STEMI). Patients & methods: In 94 consecutive STEMI patients (median age 57 [IQR: 50-69] years; 77.7% male), HE-4 values were measured at hospital admission and 4 days after STEMI. Transthoracic echocardiography was performed 4 days after STEMI (median 5 days [interquartile range: 4-6]). Results: HE-4 levels 4 days after STEMI were significantly higher in the low ejection fraction group (30.1 [26.0-46.5] pmol/l vs 48.5 [32.5-85.9] pmol/l, p = 0.004). In the multivariable analysis, HE-4 values (odds ratio: 1.029, 95% CI: 1.012-1.046, p = 0.001), troponin I levels, anterior MI and diabetes mellitus were independent predictors of low LVEF after STEMI. A negative correlation existed between ΔHE-4 levels and LVEF (r: -0.337, p = 0.001). Receiver operating characteristic analysis indicated 34.01 pmol/l HE-4 at 4 days after STEMI identified patients with low LVEF (AUC = 0.707; 95% CI: 0.601-0.813; p = 0.001). Conclusion: In revascularized STEMI patients, high HE-4 levels are associated with decreased LVEF. HE-4 may represent a diagnostic marker and treatment target for patients with heart failure or left ventricular systolic dysfunction after STEMI.

Global longitudinal strain improves risk assessment after ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction: a comparative prognostic evaluation of left ventricular functional parameters

AIM

We aimed to investigate the comparative prognostic value of left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF), mitral annular plane systolic excursion (MAPSE), fast manual long-axis strain (LAS) and global longitudinal strain (GLS) determined by cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) in patients after ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI).

METHODS AND RESULTS

This observational cohort study included 445 acute STEMI patients treated with primary percutaneous coronary intervention (pPCI). Comprehensive CMR examinations were performed 3 [interquartile range (IQR): 2-4] days after pPCI for the determination of left ventricular (LV) functional parameters and infarct characteristics. Primary endpoint was the occurrence of major adverse cardiac events (MACE) defined as composite of death, re-infarction and congestive heart failure. During a follow-up of 16 [IQR: 12-49] months, 48 (11%) patients experienced a MACE. LVEF (p = 0.023), MAPSE (p < 0.001), LAS (p < 0.001) and GLS (p < 0.001) were significantly related to MACE. According to receiver operating characteristic analyses, only the area under the curve (AUC) of GLS was significantly higher compared to LVEF (0.69, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.64-0.73; p < 0.001 vs. 0.60, 95% CI 0.55-0.65; p = 0.031. AUC difference: 0.09, p = 0.020). After multivariable analysis, GLS emerged as independent predictor of MACE even after adjustment for LV function, infarct size and microvascular obstruction (hazard ratio (HR): 1.13, 95% CI 1.01-1.27; p = 0.030), as well as angiographical (HR: 1.13, 95% CI 1.01-1.28; p = 0.037) and clinical parameters (HR: 1.16, 95% CI 1.05-1.29; p = 0.003).

CONCLUSION

GLS emerged as independent predictor of MACE after adjustment for parameters of LV function and myocardial damage as well as angiographical and clinical characteristics with superior prognostic validity compared to LVEF.

Prognostic impact of left ventricular ejection fraction recovery in patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction undergoing primary percutaneous coronary intervention: analysis of an 11-year all-comers registry

AIMS

Left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) recovery after an ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) identifies a group of patients with a better prognosis. However, the association between long-term outcomes and LVEF recovery among patients with STEMI undergoing primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) has not yet been well investigated. Our study aims to detect differences in long-term all-cause and cardiovascular mortality between patients who recover LVEF at 1-year post-PCI and those who do not, and search for predictors of LVEF recovery.

METHODS AND RESULTS

This is a retrospective, single-centre study of 2170 consecutive patients admitted for STEMI in which primary PCI is performed. LVEF was determined at admission and at 1-year follow-up. The primary outcomes were long-term all-cause and cardiovascular mortality. Among the 2168 patients with baseline LVEF data, 822 (38%) had a LVEF < 50% and 1346 (62%) ≥ 50%. Among those with LVEF < 50%, LVEF data at 1-year were available in 554, and 299 (54.0%) presented with complete recovery (LVEF ≥ 50%). LVEF recovery was associated with a reduction in long-term all-cause and cardiovascular mortality (P < 0.0001). Female sex, treatment with ACEIs, lower creatinine levels, infarct-related artery different from the left main or left anterior descendent artery, and absence of prior ischaemic heart disease were independently associated with LVEF recovery.

CONCLUSIONS

Nearly 40% of patients with STEMI undergoing primary PCI presented with LVEF depression at hospital admission. Among them, LVEF recovery at 1-year occurred in more than 50% and was independently associated with a significant decrease in long-term all-cause and cardiovascular mortality.

Magnetic Resonance Assessment of Left Ventricular Ejection Fraction at Any Time Post-Infarction for Prediction of Subsequent Events in a Large Multicenter STEMI Registry

BACKGROUND

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is the most accurate imaging technique for left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) quantification, but as yet the prognostic value of LVEF assessment at any time after ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) for subsequent major adverse cardiac event (MACE) prediction is uncertain.

PURPOSE

To explore the prognostic impact of MRI-derived LVEF at any time post-STEMI to predict subsequent MACE (cardiovascular death or re-admission for acute heart failure).

STUDY TYPE

Prospective.

POPULATION

One thousand thirteen STEMI patients were included in a multicenter registry.

FIELD STRENGTH/SEQUENCE

1.5-T. Balanced steady-state free precession (cine imaging) and segmented inversion recovery steady-state free precession (late gadolinium enhancement) sequences.

ASSESSMENT

Post-infarction MRI-derived LVEF (reduced [r]: <40%; mid-range [mr]: 40%-49%; preserved [p]: ≥50%) was sequentially quantified at 1 week and after >3 months of follow-up.

STATISTICAL TESTS

Multi-state Markov model to determine the prognostic value of each LVEF state (r-, mr- or p-) at any time point assessed to predict subsequent MACE. A P-value <0.05 was considered to be statistically significant.

RESULTS

During a 6.2-year median follow-up, 105 MACE (10%) were registered. Transitions toward improved LVEF predominated and only r-LVEF (at any time assessed) was significantly related to a higher incidence of subsequent MACE. The observed transitions from r-LVEF, mr-LVEF, and p-LVEF states to MACE were: 15.3%, 6%, and 6.7%, respectively. Regarding the adjusted transition intensity ratios, patients in r-LVEF state were 4.52-fold more likely than those in mr-LVEF state and 5.01-fold more likely than those in p-LVEF state to move to MACE state. Nevertheless, no significant differences were found in transitions from mr-LVEF and p-LVEF states to MACE state (P-value = 0.6).

DATA CONCLUSION

LVEF is an important MRI index for simple and dynamic post-STEMI risk stratification. Detection of r-LVEF by MRI at any time during follow-up identifies a subset of patients at high risk of subsequent events.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

2 TECHNICAL EFFICACY STAGE: 2.

Left ventricular function recovery after ST-elevation myocardial infarction: correlates and outcomes

BACKGROUND

Contemporary data on left ventricular function (LVF) recovery in patients with left ventricular dysfunction after ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) are scarce and to date, no comparison has been made with patients with a baseline normal LVF. This study examined predictors of LVF recovery and its relation to outcomes in STEMI.

METHODS

Patients presenting with STEMI between January 2010 and December 2016 were categorized in three groups after 3 months according to left ventricular ejection fraction (EF): (i) baseline normal LVF (EF ≥ 50% at baseline); (ii) recovered LVF (EF < 50% at baseline and ≥ 50% after 3 months); and (iii) reduced LVF (EF < 50% at baseline and after 3 months). Heart failure hospitalization, all-cause mortality and cardiovascular mortality were compared between the three groups.

RESULTS

Of 577 patients, 341 (59%) patients had a baseline normal LVF, 112 (19%) had a recovered LVF and 124 (22%) had a reduced LVF. Independent correlates of LVF recovery were higher baseline EF, lower peak troponin and cardiac arrest. After median 5.8 years, there was no difference in outcomes between patients with LVF recovery and baseline normal LVF. In contrast, even after multivariate adjustment, patients with persistently reduced LVF had a higher risk for heart failure hospitalization (HR 5.00; 95% CI 2.17-11.46) and all-cause mortality (HR 1.87; 95% CI 1.11-3.16).

CONCLUSION

In contemporary treated STEMI patients, prognosis is significantly worse in those with a persistently reduced LVF after 3 months, compared with patients with a baseline normal LVF and those with LVF recovery.

Development and validation of a risk prediction model for in-hospital major cardiovascular events in patients hospitalised for acute myocardial infarction

OBJECTIVES

Patients admitted to hospital with acute myocardial infarction (AMI) have considerable variability in in-hospital risks, resulting in higher demands on healthcare resources. Simple risk-assessment tools are important for the identification of patients with higher risk to inform clinical decisions. However, few risk assessment tools have been built that are suitable for populations with AMI in China. We aim to develop and validate a risk prediction model, and further build a risk scoring system.

DESIGN

Data from a nationally representative retrospective study was used to develop the model. Patients from a prospective study and another nationally representative retrospective study were both used for external validation.

SETTING

161 nationally representative hospitals, and 53 and 157 other hospitals were involved in the above three studies, respectively.

PARTICIPANTS

8010 patients hospitalised for AMI were included as development sample, and 4485 and 11 223 other patients were included as validation samples in their corresponding studies.

PRIMARY AND SECONDARY OUTCOME MEASURES

The in-hospital major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) was defined as death from any cause, recurrent AMI, or ischaemic stroke.

RESULTS

The proportion of in-hospital MACE was 11.7%, 8.8% and 11.4% among the development sample and two external-validation samples, respectively. Nine predictors (ie, age, sex, left ventricular ejection fraction, Killip class, systolic blood pressure, creatinine, white blood cell count, heart rate and blood glucose) were independently associated with in-hospital MACE. The model performed well on both discrimination and calibration capability, with areas under the Receiver Operating Characteristic Curve (ROC) curve of 0.85, 0.74 and 0.80, and calibration slopes of 0.98, 0.84 and 0.97 in the development sample and two external validation samples, respectively. A point-based risk scoring system was built with good discrimination and reclassification ability.

CONCLUSIONS

A prediction model using readily available clinical parameters was developed and externally validated to estimate risks of in-hospital MACE among patients with AMI, thereby better informing decision-making in improving clinical care.

Revascularization Strategies in Patients with Acute Myocardial Infarction and Cardiogenic Shock: Results from the Portuguese Registry on Acute Coronary Syndromes

Fundamento:

Em doentes com infarto agudo do miocárdio (IAM), choque cardiogênico (CC) e doença multivaso (DMV) persistem dúvidas sobre a intervenção nas artérias não responsáveis.

Objetivos:

1) caracterizar a amostra de doentes com IAM, CC e DMV incluídos no Registo Nacional Português de Síndromes Coronárias Agudas (RNSCA); 2) comparar os eventos associados a diferentes estratégias de revascularização; e 3) identificar preditores de mortalidade intra-hospitalar nesta amostra.

Métodos:

Estudo observacional retrospetivo de doentes com IAM, CC e DMV incluídos no RNSCA entre 2010 e 2018. Compararam-se duas estratégias de revascularização: completa durante o procedimento índice (grupo 1); e completa diferida ou incompleta durante o internamento (grupo 2-3). O endpoint primário foi a ocorrência de reinfarto ou morte intra-hospitalar. A significância estatística foi definida por um valor p < 0,05.

Resultados:

Identificaram-se 127 doentes com IAM, CC e DMV (18,1% no grupo 1 e 81,9% no grupo 2-3), com idade média de 70 ± 12 anos e 92,9% com IAM com supradesnivelamento do segmento ST. O endpoint primário ocorreu em 47,8% dos doentes do grupo 1 e em 37,5% do grupo 2-3 (p = 0,359). As taxas de mortalidade intra-hospitalar, reinfarto, acidente vascular cerebral e hemorragia major foram também semelhantes nos dois grupos. Os preditores de mortalidade intra-hospitalar nesta amostra foram a presença na admissão de disfunção ventricular esquerda (OR 16,8), bloqueio completo de ramo direito (OR 7,6) e anemia (OR 5,2), (p ≤ 0,02).

Conclusões:

Entre os doentes com IAM, CC e DMV, incluídos no RNSCA, não se verificou diferença significativa entre revascularização completa no evento índex e completa diferida ou incompleta durante o internamento, relativamente à ocorrência de morte intra-hospitalar ou reinfarto. (Arq Bras Cardiol. 2021; 116(5):867-876)

The effect of intracoronary infusion of bone marrow-derived mononuclear cells on all-cause mortality in acute myocardial infarction: the BAMI trial

Aims 

Bone marrow-derived mononuclear cell (BM-MNC) therapy may improve myocardial recovery in patients following acute myocardial infarction (AMI), though existing trial results are inconsistent.

Methods and results 

Originally an open-label, multicentre Phase III trial, BAMI was designed to demonstrate the safety and efficacy of intracoronary infusion of BM-MNCs in reducing the time to all-cause mortality in patients with reduced left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF, ≤45%) after primary angioplasty (PPCI) for ST-elevation AMI. Unexpectedly low recruitment means the trial no longer qualifies as a hypothesis-testing trial, but is instead an observational study with no definitive conclusions possible from statistical analysis. In total, 375 patients were recruited: 185 patients were randomized to the treatment arm (intracoronary infusion of BM-MNCs 2–8 days after PPCI) and 190 patients to the control arm (optimal medical therapy). All-cause mortality at 2 years was 3.26% [6 deaths; 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.48–7.12%] in the BM-MNC group and 3.82% (7 deaths; 95% CI: 1.84–7.84%) in the control group. Five patients (2.7%, 95% CI: 1.0–5.9%) in the BM-MNC group and 15 patients (8.1%, CI : 4.7–12.5%) in the control group were hospitalized for heart failure during 2 years of follow-up. Neither adverse events nor serious adverse events differed between the two groups. There were no patients hospitalized for stroke in the control group and 4 (2.2%) patients hospitalized for stroke in the BM-MNC group.

Conclusions 

Although BAMI is the largest trial of autologous cell-based therapy in the treatment of AMI, unexpectedly low recruitment and event rates preclude any meaningful group comparisons and interpretation of the observed results.

Not-high before-treatment platelet reactivity in patients with STEMI: prevalence, clinical characteristics, response to therapy and outcomes

Platelet reactivity (PR) has been indicated as a pathophysiological key element for ST-Elevation Myocardial Infarction (STEMI) development. Patients with not-high before-treatment platelet reactivity (NHPR) have been poorly studied so far. The aim of this study is to investigate the prevalence, clinical characteristics, response to therapy and outcomes of baseline prior to treatment NHPR among patients with STEMI undergoing primary PCI.We analyzed the data from 358 STEMI patients with assessment of PR by VerifyNow before P2Y₁₂ inhibitor loading dose (LD). Blood samples were obtained at baseline, and after 1 hour, 2 hours, 4-6 hours and 8-12 hours after LD. High platelet reactivity (HPR) was defined as Platelet Reactivity Unit values ≥208, while patients with values <208 at baseline were defined as having NHPR.Overall, 20% patients had NHPR. Age and male gender both resulted independent predictors of NHPR, even after propensity score adjustment. The percentage of inhibition of PR after ticagrelor or prasugrel LD was similar between HPR and NHPR patients at each time point. However, patients with HPR showed worse in-hospital clinical outcomes, and the composite adverse outcome endpoint of death, reinfarction, stroke, acute kidney injury or heart failure was significantly higher (10.0% vs 1.4%; p = .017) as compared with the NHPR group.In conclusion, a significant proportion of patients presenting with STEMI has a baseline NHPR that is associated with better in-hospital outcomes as compared with patients with HPR. Further studies are needed to better elucidate the potential therapeutic implications of NHPR in terms of secondary prevention.

Unraveling the thread of uncontrolled immune response in COVID-19 and STEMI: an emerging need for knowledge sharing

The outbreak of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 that first emerged in Wuhan in December 2019 has resulted in the devastating pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019, creating an emerging need for knowledge sharing. Meanwhile, myocardial infarction is and will probably remain the foremost cause of death in the Western world throughout the coming decades. Severe deregulation of the immune system can unnecessarily expand the inflammatory response and participate in target and multiple organ failure, in infection but also in critical illness. Indeed, the course and fate of inflammatory cells observed in severe ST-elevation myocardial infarction (neutrophilia, monocytosis, and lymphopenia) almost perfectly mirror those recently reported in severe coronavirus disease 2019. A pleiotropic proinflammatory imbalance hampers adaptive immunity in favor of uncontrolled innate immunity and is associated with poorer structural and clinical outcomes. The goal of the present review is to gain greater insight into the cellular and molecular mechanisms underlying this canonical activation and downregulation of the two arms of the immune response in both entities, to better understand their pathophysiology and to open the door to innovative therapeutic options. Knowledge sharing can pave the way for therapies with the potential to significantly reduce mortality in both infectious and noninfectious scenarios.

Effect of left ventricular ejection fraction on the prognostic impact of chronic total occlusion in a non-infarct-related artery in patients with acute myocardial infarction

BACKGROUND

Chronic total occlusion (CTO) in a non-infarct-related artery (IRA) in patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS) is associated with a poor prognosis. However, whether the prognostic impact of non-IRA CTO differs according to left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) is unclear.

METHODS AND RESULTS

A total of 2060 consecutive acute myocardial infarction (AMI) patients who underwent primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) were classified into 2 groups according to their LVEF (reduced EF: LVEF < 50%, preserved EF: LVEF ≥ 50%) and further subdivided according to the presence of concomitant non-IRA CTO. In the reduced EF group, patients with CTO had a higher 1-year all-cause death rate (20.3% vs. 34.3%, P = 0.001) and major adverse cardiac event rate (MACE: 19.6% vs. 39.6%, P < 0.001) compared to those without CTO, but they were similar between patients with and without CTO in the preserved EF group. Non-IRA CTO was an independent predictor of all-cause death (HR 1.58, 95% CI 1.06-2.33, P = 0.02) and MACE (HR 1.67, 95% CI 1.14-2.46, P = 0.009) only in the reduced EF group. In addition, the outcomes of successful CTO-PCI seemed to be similar to those without CTO in the reduced EF group.

CONCLUSIONS

CTO in a non-IRA may contribute to a poor prognosis only in AMI patients with reduced LVEF.

Prognostic implications of the rapid recruitment of coronary collaterals during ST elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI): a meta-analysis of over 14,000 patients

Acute coronary collateralisation of an infarct-related arterial (IRA) territory may be identified during angiography for ST elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI). Whether the presence or absence of these collaterals affects outcomes remains uncertain. A search of EMBASE, MEDLINE and Cochrane Library, using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA) guidelines was conducted to identify studies which reported on the association between coronary collaterals and in-hospital and longer term mortality, left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF), risk of repeat acute myocardial infarction (AMI) and repeat revascularisation. Patients with Rentrop grade 0 or 1 were defined as poor collaterals whilst those with Rentrop grade two or three were defined as those with robust collaterals. Studies were eligible if they included patients ≥ 18 years of age who had immediate coronary angiography for STEMI. Included studies were observational which recorded the degree of collateral blood flow to the IRA. Two investigators reviewed all citations using a predefined protocol with final consensus for all studies, the data from which was then independently entered to ensure fidelity of results. Inverse variance random effects model for the meta-analysis along with risk of bias assessment was performed. 20 studies with a total of 14,608 patients were identified and included in the analysis. Patients with robust collaterals had lower mortality (OR 0.55, 95% CI 0.48-0.64), both in-hospital (OR 0.47, 95% CI 0.35-0.63) and longer term (OR 0.58, 95% CI 0.46-0.75). Patients with robust collaterals also had a higher mean LVEF (SMD 0.23, 95% CI 0.10-0.37). There was no difference in the rates of AMI or repeat revascularisation between patients with robust or poor collaterals. The presence of robust collaterals during STEMI is associated with reduced in-hospital and longer term mortality and improved left ventricular function. These findings have implications for prognostication and identifying patients who require close monitoring following STEMI.

Evolution of left ventricular function among subjects with ST-elevation myocardial infarction after percutaneous coronary intervention

Background

Atrioventricular plane displacement (AVPD) reflects longitudinal left ventricular (LV) systolic function, and wall thickening (WT) regional radial LV function. The temporal evolution of these measures after STEMI with CMR has not been evaluated. We aimed to investigate how AVPD and WT are affected globally and regionally from the sub-acute to the chronic phase after ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI).

Methods

Healthy volunteers without cardiovascular disease and medication (controls, n = 20) and patients from the CHILL-MI study (NCT01379261) prospectively underwent magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) 2–6 days and 6 months after STEMI (n = 77). CHILL-MI randomized STEMI-patients to cooling therapy initiated before reperfusion or standard of care. AVPD was measured at six points in three long axis cine images and wall thickening in short axis cine images. Infarction was quantified using late gadolinium enhancement (LGE) and used to define infarct and remote segments.

Results

There were no difference in AVPD either at acute or chronic phase (p = 0.90 and p = 0.40) or WT (p = 0.85 and p = 0.99) between patients randomized to cooling therapy and standard of care. Therefore, the results are presented for the pooled cohort. Global AVPD was decreased in both the sub-acute (12 ± 2 mm, p < 0.001) and the chronic phase (13 ± 2 mm, p < 0.001) compared to controls (15 ± 2 mm) with a partial recovery of AVPD (p < 0.001) in the chronic phase. Patients with left anterior descending (LAD) and right coronary artery (RCA) infarcts had decreased AVPD in the chronic phase in both infarcted and remote segments. Mean WT was decreased in patients with LAD infarction both in the sub-acute and the chronic phase in both infarcted and remote segments. The decrease in WT in patients with RCA and left circumflex (LCx) infarcts was more affected in the infarcted segments, especially in the chronic phase.

Conclusion

AVPD was a global rather than regional marker of cardiac function in this STEMI study and this may explain the prognostic importance of local measurements of mitral annular plane systolic excursion (MAPSE). The decrease in WT in remote myocardium even in the chronic phase needs to be taken into consideration when combining functional measurements with infarct quantification for diagnosis of post-ischemic stunning and hibernation.

Recovery of Left Ventricular Systolic Function and Clinical Outcomes in Young Adults With Myocardial Infarction

BACKGROUND

Left ventricular ejection fraction (EF) recovery is associated with better long-term outcomes after myocardial infarction (MI). However, the association between long-term outcomes and EF recovery among young MI patients has not been investigated.

OBJECTIVES

This study sought to evaluate the prevalence of left ventricular systolic dysfunction among patients who experience their first MI at a young age and to compare outcomes between those who recovered their EF versus those who did not.

METHODS

The YOUNG-MI registry is a retrospective cohort study of patients who experienced an MI at ≤50 years of age. EF at the time of MI and within 180 days post-MI were determined from all available medical records. The primary outcomes were all-cause and cardiovascular mortality.

RESULTS

There were 1,724 patients with baseline EF data: 503 (29%) had EF <50%, whereas 1,221 (71%) had a normal baseline EF. Patients with lower EF were more likely to have experienced ST-segment elevation MI, have higher troponin values, and have more severe angiographic coronary artery disease. Among patients with abnormal baseline EF, information on follow-up EF was available for 216, of whom 90 (42%) recovered their EF to ≥50%. Patients who experienced EF recovery had less severe angiographic disease, lower alcohol use, and a lower burden of comorbidities. Over a median follow-up of 11.1 years, EF recovery was associated with an ∼8-fold reduction in all-cause mortality (adjusted hazard ratio: 0.12; p = 0.001) and a ∼10-fold reduction in cardiovascular mortality (adjusted hazard ratio: 0.10; p = 0.025).

CONCLUSIONS

Nearly one-third of young patients presented with left ventricular dysfunction post-MI. Among them, EF recovery occurred in more than 40% and was independently associated with a substantial decrease in all-cause and cardiovascular mortality.

Global longitudinal strain by feature tracking for optimized prediction of adverse remodeling after ST-elevation myocardial infarction

BACKGROUND

The role of left ventricular (LV) myocardial strain by cardiac magnetic resonance feature tracking (CMR-FT) for the prediction of adverse remodeling following ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI), as well as its prognostic validity compared to LV ejection fraction (LVEF) and CMR infarct severity parameters, is unclear. This study aimed to evaluate the independent and incremental value of LV strain by CMR-FT for the prediction of adverse LV remodeling post-STEMI.

METHODS

STEMI patients treated with primary percutaneous coronary intervention were enrolled in this prospective observational study. CMR core laboratory analysis was performed to assess LVEF, infarct pathology and LV myocardial strain. The primary endpoint was adverse remodeling, defined as ≥ 20% increase in LV end-diastolic volume from baseline to 4 months.

RESULTS

From the 232 patients included, 38 (16.4%) reached the primary endpoint. Global longitudinal strain (GLS), global radial strain, and global circumferential strain were all predictive of adverse remodeling (p < 0.01 for all), but only GLS was an independent predictor of adverse remodeling (odds ratio: 1.36[1.03-1.78]; p = 0.028) after adjustment for strain parameters, LVEF and CMR markers of infarct severity. A GLS > - 14% was associated with a fourfold increase in the risk for LV remodeling (odds ratio: 4.16[1.56-11.13]; p = 0.005). Addition of GLS to a baseline model comprising LVEF, infarct size and microvascular obstruction resulted in net reclassification improvement of 0.26 ([0.13-0.38]; p < 0.001) and integrated discrimination improvement of 0.02 ([0.01-0.03]; p = 0.006).

CONCLUSIONS

In STEMI survivors, determination of GLS using CMR-FT provides important prognostic information for the development of adverse remodeling that is incremental to LVEF and CMR markers of infarct severity.

CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION

NCT04113356.

Complete Revascularization of Multivessel Coronary Artery Disease Does Not Improve Clinical Outcome in ST-Segment Elevation Myocardial Infarction Patients with Reduced Left Ventricular Ejection Fraction

The benefit of complete revascularization (CR) in ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) patients with left ventricular (LV) dysfunction is uncertain. A total of 1314 STEMI patients with multivessel coronary artery disease were analyzed. CR was defined angiographically and by a residual Synergy between PCI with Taxus and Cardiac Surgery trial (SYNTAX) score (SS) <8. Patients with a left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) <40% were classified as the reduced LVEF group. The major study endpoints were patient-oriented composite outcome (POCO) and cardiac death during three-year follow-up. Overall, patients that received angiographic CR (579 patients, 44.1%) had significantly lower three-year clinical events compared with incomplete revascularization (iCR). CR reduced three-year POCO and cardiac death rates in the preserved LVEF group (POCO: 13.2% vs. 21.9%, p < 0.001, cardiac death: 1.8% vs. 6.5%, p < 0.001, respectively) but not in the reduced LVEF group (POCO: 26.0% vs. 33.1%, p = 0.275, cardiac death: 15.1% vs. 19.0%, p = 0.498, respectively). Multivariate analysis showed that CR significantly reduced three-year POCO (hazard ration (HR) 0.59, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.43–0.82) and cardiac death (HR 0.34, 95% CI 0.14–0.80), only in the preserved LVEF group. Additionally, the results were corroborated using the SS-based CR definition. In STEMI patients with multivessel disease, CR did not improve clinical outcomes in those with reduced LVEF.

Left Ventricular Post-Infarct Remodeling: Implications for Systolic Function Improvement and Outcomes in the Modern Era

OBJECTIVES

This study sought to investigate the impact of post-infarct left ventricular (LV) remodeling on outcomes in the contemporary era.

BACKGROUND

LV remodeling after ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) is associated with heart failure and increased mortality. Pivotal studies have mostly been performed in the era of thrombolysis, whereas the long-term prognostic impact of LV remodeling has not been reinvestigated in the current era of primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) and optimal pharmacotherapy.

METHODS

Data were obtained from an ongoing registry of patients with STEMI (all treated with primary PCI). Baseline, 3-month, 6-month, and 12-month echocardiograms were analyzed. LV remodeling was defined as a ≥20% increase in LV end-diastolic volume at 3, 6, or 12 months post-infarct. The impact of LV remodeling on outcomes was analyzed.

RESULTS

A total of 1,995 patients with STEMI were studied (mean age 60 ± 12 years, 77% men), 953 (48%) of whom demonstrated remodeling in the first 12 months of follow-up. After a median follow-up of 94 (interquartile range: 69 to 119) months, 225 (11%) patients had died. There was no difference in survival between remodelers and nonremodelers (p = 0.144). However, LV remodelers were more likely to be admitted to hospital for heart failure than were nonremodelers (p < 0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

In the contemporary era, in which STEMI is treated with primary PCI and optimal pharmacotherapy, almost one-half of patients demonstrate LV post-infarct remodeling. However, there is no difference in long-term survival between LV remodelers and nonremodelers, and LV remodelers experience a higher rate of heart failure hospitalization, which indicates the need to intensify preventative strategies in these patients.

Prognostic Implications of Global Longitudinal Strain by Feature-Tracking Cardiac Magnetic Resonance in ST-Elevation Myocardial Infarction

Background:

The high accuracy of feature-tracking cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) imaging qualifies this novel modality as potential gold standard for myocardial strain analyses in ST-elevation myocardial infarction patients; however, the incremental prognostic validity of feature-tracking-CMR over left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) and myocardial damage remains unclear. This study therefore aimed to determine the value of myocardial strain measured by feature-tracking-CMR for the prediction of clinical outcome following ST-elevation myocardial infarction.

Methods:

This prospective observational study enrolled 451 revascularized ST-elevation myocardial infarction patients. Comprehensive CMR investigations were performed 3 (interquartile range, 2–4) days after infarction to determine LVEF, global longitudinal strain (GLS), global radial strain, and global circumferential strain as well as myocardial damage. Primary end point was a composite of death, re-infarction, and congestive heart failure (major adverse cardiac events [MACE]).

Results:

During a follow-up of 24 (interquartile range, 11–48) months, 46 patients (10%) experienced a MACE event. All 3 strain indices were impaired in patients with MACE (all P <0.001). However, GLS emerged as the strongest MACE prognosticator among strain parameters (area under the curve, 0.73 [95% CI, 0.69–0.77]) and was significantly better ( P =0.005) than LVEF (area under the curve, 0.64 [95% CI, 0.59–0.68]). The association between GLS and MACE remained significant ( P <0.001) after adjustment for global radial strain, global circumferential strain, and LVEF as well as for infarct size and microvascular obstruction. The addition of GLS to a risk model comprising LVEF, infarct size, and microvascular obstruction led to a net reclassification improvement (0.35 [95% CI, 0.14–0.55]; P <0.001).

Conclusions:

GLS by feature-tracking-CMR strongly and independently predicted the occurrence of medium-term MACE in contemporary revascularized ST-elevation myocardial infarction patients. Importantly, the prognostic value of GLS was superior and incremental to LVEF and CMR markers of infarct severity.

Myocardial infarction patients referred to the primary care physician after 1‑year treatment according to a guideline-based protocol have a good prognosis

Introduction

Identifying ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) patients who can be referred back to the general practitioner (GP) can improve patient-tailored care. However, the long-term prognosis of patients who are returned to the care of their GP is unknown. Therefore, the aim of this study was to assess the long-term prognosis of patients referred back to the GP after treatment in accordance with a 1-year institutional guideline-based protocol.

Methods

All consecutive patients treated between February 2004 up to May 2013 who completed the 1‑year institutional MISSION! Myocardial Infarction (MI) follow-up and who were referred to the GP were evaluated. After 1 year of protocolised monitoring, asymptomatic patients with a left ventricular ejection fraction >45% on echocardiography were referred to the GP. Long-term prognosis was assessed with Kaplan-Meier curves and Cox proportional hazards analysis was used to identify independent predictors for 5‑year all-cause mortality and major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE).

Results

In total, 922 STEMI patients were included in this study. Mean age was 61.6 ± 11.7 years and 74.4% were male. Median follow-up duration after the 1‑year MISSION! MI follow-up was 4.55 years (interquartile range [IQR] 2.28–5.00). The event-free survival was 93.2%. After multivariable analysis, age, not using an angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitor/angiotensin-II (AT2) antagonist and impaired left ventricular function remained statistically significant predictors for 5‑year all-cause mortality. Kaplan-Meier curves revealed that 80.3% remained event-free for MACE after 5 years. Multivariable predictors for MACE were current smoking and a mitral regurgitation grade ≥2.

Conclusion

STEMI patients who are referred back to their GP have an excellent prognosis after being treated according to the 1‑year institutional MISSION! MI protocol.

Reduced Cardio-Renal Function Accounts for Most of the In-Hospital Morbidity and Mortality Risk Among Patients With Type 2 Diabetes Undergoing Primary Percutaneous Coronary Intervention for ST-Segment Elevation Myocardial Infarction

OBJECTIVE

ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM) have higher in-hospital mortality than those without. Since cardiac and renal functions are the main variables associated with outcome in STEMI, we hypothesized that this prognostic disparity may depend on a higher rate of cardiac and renal dysfunction in DM patients.

RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS

We retrospectively analyzed 5,152 STEMI patients treated with primary angioplasty. Left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) and estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) were evaluated at hospital admission. The primary end point was in-hospital mortality. A composite of in-hospital mortality, cardiogenic shock, and acute kidney injury was the secondary end point.

RESULTS

There were 879 patients (17%) with DM. The incidence of LVEF ≤40% (30% vs. 22%), eGFR ≤60 mL/min/1.73 m² (27% vs. 18%), or both (12% vs. 6%) was higher (P < 0.001 for all comparisons) in DM patients. In-hospital mortality was higher in DM patients than in non-DM patients (6.1% vs. 3.5%; P = 0.002), with an unadjusted odds ratio (OR) of 1.81 (95% CI 1.31-2.49; P < 0.001). However, DM was no longer associated with an increased mortality risk after adjustment for cardiac and renal function (OR 1.03, 95% CI 0.68-1.56; P = 0.89). A similar behavior was observed for the secondary end point, with an unadjusted OR for DM of 1.52 (95% CI 1.25-1.85; P < 0.001) and an OR after adjustment for cardiac and renal function of 1.07 (95% CI 0.85-1.36; P = 0.53).

CONCLUSIONS

The study indicates that the increased in-hospital mortality and morbidity of DM patients with STEMI is mainly driven by their underlying cardio-renal dysfunction.

G-CSF for Extensive STEMI

RATIONALE

In the exploratory Phase II STEM-AMI (Stem Cells Mobilization in Acute Myocardial Infarction) trial, we reported that early administration of G-CSF (granulocyte colony-stimulating factor), in patients with anterior ST-segment-elevation myocardial infarction and left ventricular (LV) dysfunction after successful percutaneous coronary intervention, had the potential to significantly attenuate LV adverse remodeling in the long-term.

OBJECTIVE

The STEM-AMI OUTCOME CMR (Stem Cells Mobilization in Acute Myocardial Infarction Outcome Cardiac Magnetic Resonance) Substudy was adequately powered to evaluate, in a population showing LV ejection fraction ≤45% after percutaneous coronary intervention for extensive ST-segment-elevation myocardial infarction, the effects of early administration of G-CSF in terms of LV remodeling and function, infarct size assessed by late gadolinium enhancement, and myocardial strain.

METHODS AND RESULTS

Within the Italian, multicenter, prospective, randomized, Phase III STEM-AMI OUTCOME trial, 161 ST-segment-elevation myocardial infarction patients were enrolled in the CMR Substudy and assigned to standard of care (SOC) plus G-CSF or SOC alone. In 119 patients (61 G-CSF and 58 SOC, respectively), CMR was available at baseline and 6-month follow-up. Paired imaging data were independently analyzed by 2 blinded experts in a core CMR lab. The 2 groups were similar for clinical characteristics, cardiovascular risk factors, and pharmacological treatment, except for a trend towards a larger infarct size and longer symptom-to-balloon time in G-CSF patients. ANCOVA showed that the improvement of LV ejection fraction from baseline to 6 months was 5.1% higher in G-CSF patients versus SOC (P=0.01); concurrently, there was a significant between-group difference of 6.7 mL/m² in the change of indexed LV end-systolic volume in favor of G-CSF group (P=0.02). Indexed late gadolinium enhancement significantly decreased in G-CSF group only (P=0.04). Moreover, over time improvement of global longitudinal strain was 2.4% higher in G-CSF patients versus SOC (P=0.04). Global circumferential strain significantly improved in G-CSF group only (P=0.006).

CONCLUSIONS

Early administration of G-CSF exerted a beneficial effect on top of SOC in patients with LV dysfunction after extensive ST-segment-elevation myocardial infarction in terms of global systolic function, adverse remodeling, scar size, and myocardial strain.

CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION

URL: https://www.clinicaltrials.gov. Unique identifier: NCT01969890.

Systemic inflammatory activation in patients with acute coronary syndrome secondary to nonatherosclerotic spontaneous coronary artery dissection

OBJECTIVE

Pathological studies have suggested that local inflammation, particularly eosinophilic infiltration of the adventitia, could be related to nonatherosclerotic spontaneous coronary artery dissection (NA-SCAD). However, the role of systemic inflammation in the pathogenesis of NA-SCAD remains unknown. Our aim was to investigate systemic inflammatory activation in patients with an acute coronary syndrome (ACS) secondary to NA-SCAD.

METHODS

The institutional electronic medical database was reviewed, and 22 patients with NA-SCAD-ACS were identified after the review. Furthermore, 30 random patients with CAD-ACS and 30 random subjects without any history of CAD or ACS with demographic and clinical characteristics similar to those of NA-SCAD-ACS patients were identified from the institutional database to be included in the study.

RESULTS

Patients with NA-SCAD-ACS and those with CAD-ACS both had higher white blood cell and neutrophil counts than controls. Neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) and C-reactive protein (CRP) levels were only significantly higher in the NA-SCAD-ACS group [2.01 (1.54-6.17) for NLR and 0.70 (0.13-2.70) for CRP] than in the controls [1.55 (1.27-2.13), p=0.03 for NLR and 0.15 (0.10-0.43), p=0.049 for CRP]; however, there were no differences between the NA-SCAD-ACS and CAD-ACS groups [1.91 (1.41-2.78) for NLR and 0.41 (0.09-1.10) for CRP, p>0.05 for both comparisons] regarding all tested parameters.

CONCLUSION

The degree of inflammatory activation in NA-SCAD-ACS patients was similar to, or even greater than, that in CAD-ACS patients; thus, suggesting a role of inflammation in the pathophysiology of NA-SCAD-ACS.

Relation of Ratio of Left Ventricular Ejection Fraction to Left Ventricular End-Diastolic Pressure to Long-Term Prognosis After ST-Segment Elevation Acute Myocardial Infarction

Risk stratification of patients with ST-segment elevation acute myocardial infarction (STEMI) is suboptimal. We assessed the prognostic value of the left ventricular ejection fraction to left ventricular end-diastolic pressure (LVEF/LVEDP) ratio in patients with STEMI who underwent primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PPCI). The study included 1,283 patients with STEMI. LVEF and LVEDP were measured at the time of PPCI. The primary outcome was 8-year cardiac mortality. Patients were divided into 3 groups: a group with a LVEF/LVEDP ratio within the first tertile (LVEF/LVEDP ratio <2; n = 437 patients), a group with a LVEF/LVEDP ratio within the second tertile (LVEF/LVEDP ratio 2 to 3; n = 422 patients), and a group with a LVEF/LVEDP ratio within third tertile (LVEF/LVEDP ratio >3; n = 424 patients). There were 109 cardiac deaths during the follow-up: 55 (17.1%), 36 (10.9%), and 18 (6.5%) deaths occurring in patients of the first, second, and third LVEF/LVEDP ratio tertiles, respectively (adjusted hazard ratio = 0.80, 95% confidence interval 0.66 to 0.97, p = 0.022 for 1 unit increment in the LVEF/LVEDP ratio). LVEF/LVEDP ratio (p = 0.035) but not LVEF (p = 0.290) or LVEDP (p = 0.145) alone improved the risk prediction of the models for cardiac mortality (p values show the difference in C-statistics between the models without and with LVEF/LVEDP ratio, LVEF or LVEDP). In conclusion, in patients with STEMI who underwent PPCI, a lower LVEF/LVEDP ratio was independently associated with increased risk of cardiac mortality up to 8 years after PPCI. The LVEF/LVEDP ratio, but not LVEF or LVEDP alone improved predictivity of multivariable models with respect to long-term cardiac mortality.

Microvascular obstruction extent predicts major adverse cardiovascular events in patients with acute myocardial infarction and preserved ejection fraction

OBJECTIVES

To investigate the prognostic role of early post-infarction cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) on long-term risk stratification of ST segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) patients with preserved left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF).

METHODS

Seventy-seven STEMI patients treated by primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) and LVEF > 50% at CMR were included. The median time between STEMI and CMR was 5 days (IQR 2-8). LV volumes and function, area at risk (on T2 weighted images), infarcted myocardium (on late enhanced images), intramyocardial hemorrhage, and early and late microvascular obstruction (MVO) were detected and measured. CMR tissue determinants were correlated with the incidence of major adverse cardiovascular events (MACEs) over a 5-year follow-up.

RESULTS

During median follow-up of 4 years (range 3 to 5 years), eight (10%) patients experienced MACE, yielding an annualized event rate of 2.1%. All CMR tissue markers were not significantly different between MACE and no-MACE patients, except for the presence of late MVO (50% vs. 16%, respectively; p = 0.044) and its extent (2.30 ± 1.64 g vs. 0.18 ± 0.12 g, respectively; p = 0.000). From receiver-operating characteristic (ROC) curve (area under the curve 0.89; 95% confidence interval, 0.75-1.0; p = 0.000), late MVO extent > 0.385 g was a strong independent predictor of MACE at long-term follow-up (sensitivity = 87%, specificity = 90%; hazard ratio = 2.24; 95% confidence interval, 1.51-3.33; p = 0.000).

CONCLUSIONS

Late MVO extent after primary PCI on CMR seems to be a strong predictor of MACE at 5-year follow-up in patients with LVEF > 50%. Noticeably, late MVO extent > 0.385 g provided relevant prognostic insights leading to improved long-term risk stratification.

KEY POINTS

• Tissue markers provided by cardiac magnetic resonance aid in prognostic stratification after myocardial infarction • The occurrence of late microvascular obstruction after acute myocardial infarction increases risk of major adverse events at 5-year follow-up. • The greater microvascular obstruction extent on late gadolinium enhanced images is related to an increased risk of adverse events in patients with myocardial infarction and preserved left ventricular function.

Prognostic impact of renal dysfunction on long-term mortality in patients with preserved, moderately impaired, and severely impaired left ventricular systolic function following myocardial infarction

Objective:

The aim of this study was to investigate and compare the prognostic impact of renal dysfunction (RD) at admission in patients with preserved, moderately impaired and severely impaired left ventricular systolic function following ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI).

Methods:

We included 2436 patients with STEMI treated with primary percutaneous coronary intervention (pPCI). Patients presenting with cardiogenic shock and those on hemodyalisis were excluded. According to the left ventricular ejection fraction (EF), patients were divided in three groups: preserved left ventricular systolic function – EF >50%, moderately impaired – EF=40%-50% and severely impaired left ventricular systolic function-EF <40%. RD was defined as estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) <60 mL/min/1.73m² at admission. The follow-up period was 6 years.

Results:

Preserved, moderately impaired and severely impaired systolic function were found in 741 (30.5%), 1367 (56.1%) and 328 (13.4%) patients, respectively. RD was present in 105 (14.2%) patients with preserved systolic function, 247 (18.1%) patients with moderately impaired, and 120 (36.5%) patients with severely impaired systolic function.Regardless of the presence of RD, 6-year mortality rates in patients with preserved, moderately impaired, and severely impaired systolic function were 2.7%, 5.2% and 31.1% respectively. Within each LVEF group, patients with RD had a worse outcome, both in the short- and long-term. In the Mulivariate Cox Analysis, RD remained an independent predictor of 6-year mortality in patients with moderately (HR 2.52, 95% CI 1.54-3.78) and severely impaired systolic function (HR 2.84, 95% CI 1.68-5.34), but not in patients with preserved left ventricular systolic function (HR 0.59, 95% CI 0.14-1.41).

Conclusion:

Although patients with RD had higher 6-year mortallity following STEMI regardless of LVEF, RD at admission remained a strong independent predictor for 6-year mortality only in patients with moderately and severely impaired left ventricular systolic function.

Impact of dipeptidyl-peptidase 4 inhibitors on cardiovascular diseases

Dipeptidyl peptidase 4 (DPP-4) inhibitor is a novel group of medicine employed in type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM),which improves meal stimulated insulin secretion by protecting glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) and glucose dependent insulinotropic polypeptide (GIP) from enzymatic degradation. Cardiovascular diseases are serious complications and leading causes of mortality among individuals with diabetes mellitus. Glycemic control per se seems to fail in preventing the progression of diabetic cardiovascular complications. DPP-4 has the capability to inactivate not only incretins, but also a series of cytokines, chemokines, and neuropeptides involved in inflammation, immunity, and vascular function. Pre-clinical studies suggested that DPP-4 inhibitors may have potential cardiovascular protective effects in addition to their antidiabetic actions. In recent years, a number of clinical trials have been conducted to evaluate the effect of different DPP-4 inhibitors on the cardiovascular system. We herein review the available clinical studies in cardiovascular effects played by each DPP-4 inhibitor and discuss the prospective application of DPP-4 inhibitors on cardiovascular diseases.

Predictors of Left Ventricular Ejection Fraction Improvement After Primary Stenting in ST-Segment Elevation Myocardial Infarction (from the Harmonizing Outcomes With Revascularization and Stents in Acute Myocardial Infarction Trial)

The predictors of improvement in left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) after primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) in ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) are poorly understood. We sought to determine the prevalence and clinical and angiographic predictors of LVEF improvement after primary PCI in STEMI. In the Harmonizing Outcomes With Revascularization and Stents in Acute Myocardial Infarction trial, 3,602 patients presenting with STEMI were randomized to heparin + a glycoprotein IIb/IIIa inhibitor versus bivalirudin. Routine 13-month angiographic follow-up was performed in a prespecified substudy of 656 stented patients. The median [25%, 75%] change in LVEF from baseline to 13 months was +2.4% [-5.9%, 11.8%]; LVEF increased or remained unchanged in 379 patients (57.8%; median Δ +9.8% [4.3%, 16.4%]) and fell in 277 patients (42.2%; median Δ -7.0% [-11.8%, -3.6%]). Independent predictors of LVEF improvement were female gender (p = 0.002), lower baseline LVEF (p <0.0001), Thrombolysis in Myocardial Infarction 3 flow after PCI (p = 0.03), shorter lesion length (p = 0.04), and lower post-PCI peak MB isoenzyme of creatine kinase (p <0.0001). In conclusion, in the Harmonizing Outcomes With Revascularization and Stents in Acute Myocardial Infarction trial, although LVEF improved during follow-up after primary PCI in more than half of patients, left ventricular function worsened over time in a substantial proportion, the occurrence of which may be predicted by clinical, angiographic, and laboratory variables.