Incidence and impact of totally occluded culprit coronary artery in patients with non-ST segment elevation myocardial infarction acute coronary syndrome

Clinical decision-making in patients with non-ST-segment-elevation myocardial infarction: more than risk stratification

Objective

This study aims to explore the association between risk stratification and total occlusion (TO) of the culprit artery and multivessel disease (MVD) in patients with non-ST-segment-elevation myocardial infarction (NSTEMI) and to obtain more data on clinical decision-making in addition to risk stratification.

Methods

We retrospectively collected data from 835 patients with NSTEMI admitted to our hospital between 1 January 2016 and 1 August 2022. All patients underwent percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) within 72 h of admission. We excluded patients with a history of cardiac arrest, myocardial infarction, coronary artery bypass grafting, or PCI. Univariate and multivariate regression analyses were performed to determine the predictors of acute TO and MVD.

Results

A total of 349 (41.8%) patients presented with a TO culprit vessel, whereas 486 (58.2%) had a patent culprit vessel. Thrombolysis in myocardial infarction (TIMI) and Global Registry of Acute Coronary Events (GRACE) risk stratifications were similar between the two groups of patients (P = 0.712 and 0.991, respectively). The TO infarct vessel was more commonly observed in the left circumflex artery. Patients with TO were more likely to develop MVD (P = 0.004). Univariate and multivariate linear regression analyses were performed to evaluate the role of variables in the presence of TO and MVD in patients with NSTEMI. Regional wall motion abnormalities (RWMAs) [odds ratio (OR) = 4.022; confidence interval (CI): 2.782-5.813; P < 0.001] were significantly linked to TO after adjusting for potentially related variables. Furthermore, age (OR = 1.032; CI: 1.018-1.047; P < 0.001), hypertension (OR = 1.499; CI: 1.048-2.144; P = 0.027), and diabetes mellitus (OR = 3.007; CI: 1.764-5.125; P < 0.001) were independent predictors of MVD in patients with NSTEMI. TIMI and GRACE risk scores were related to MVD prevalence in the multivariate logistic regression model. Patients with a TO culprit vessel had a higher risk of out-of-hospital cardiac death after a 2-year follow-up compared with those without a TO culprit vessel (P = 0.022).

Conclusion

TIMI and GRACE risk scores were not associated with a TO of the culprit artery; however, they correlated with the prevalence of MVD in patients with NSTEMI. RWMA is an independent predictor of acute TO in patients with NSTEMI. Patients with a TO culprit vessel had worse clinical outcomes than those without a TO culprit vessel.

Relationship Between High Sensitivity C-reactive Protein to Albumin Ratio With Infarct-related Artery Patency in Patients With Non-ST-segment Elevation Myocardial Infarction

The C-reactive protein/albumin ratio (CAR) has recently emerged as a marker for poor prognosis or mortality in various patient groups. This study aimed to examine the relationship between serum CAR and infarct-related artery (IRA) patency in 700 consecutive non-ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (NSTEMI) patients prior to percutaneous coronary intervention. The study population was separated into 2 different groups according to preprocedural IRA patency as assessed by the degree of Thrombolysis in Myocardial Infarction (TIMI) flow. As a result, occluded IRA was defined as TIMI grade 0-1, while patent IRA was defined as TIMI grade 2-3. High CAR (Odds Ratio: 3.153 (1.249-8.022); P < .001) was found to be an independent predictor of occluded IRA. Additionally, CAR was positively correlated with the SYNTAX score, neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio, and platelet/lymphocyte ratio; CAR was negatively correlated with left ventricular ejection fraction. The highest cut-off value of CAR predicting occluded IRA was found to be .18 with 68.3% sensitivity and 67.9% specificity. The area under the curve for CAR was .744 (95% CI: .706-.781) after the receiver-operating characteristic curve assessment.

Prevalence and Predictors of Occlusive Myocardial Infarction in Patients Presenting With Non-ST-Elevation Acute Coronary Syndrome in Duhok, Iraq: A Cross-Sectional Study

Background and aim Myocardial infarction is a major global health issue and the leading cause of death. Non-ST segment elevation acute coronary syndrome (NSTE-ACS) could behave like ST-segment elevation ACS in terms of causing total or near total occlusion of the coronary artery and leading to occlusive myocardial infarction (OMI). This study aims to assess OMI prevalence and associated factors in NSTE-ACS patients in Duhok, Iraq, to improve diagnosis and treatment outcomes. Materials and methods This prospective cross-sectional study, conducted at Azadi Heart Center and Zakho Teaching Hospital from March 2023 to March 2024, included 189 NSTE-ACS patients undergoing coronary angiography. Data collection encompassed demographics, clinical profiles, electrocardiographic (ECG) patterns, cardiac biomarkers, and angiographic outcomes. Patients were categorized into those with and without occlusive myocardial infarction (OMI). Results A total of 189 NSTE-ACS patients with a mean age of 58.65 (±10.38 SD) years were enrolled in the study. The overall OMI rate was 29.63%. OMI patients were older and had a higher prevalence of hypertension, dyslipidemia, and a family history of ischemic heart disease (IHD). Significant ECG changes associated with OMI included biphasic T-wave inversion and ST depression in specific leads. Marked elevation in troponin levels was also noted in OMI patients. The left anterior descending (LAD) artery was the most common culprit artery. Conclusions About one-quarter of our study cohort exhibited OMI. The condition was linked to clinical, ECG, and elevated troponin levels. The study underscores the importance of promptly recognizing occlusive myocardial infarction (OMI) in NSTE-ACS patients for better outcomes. Regular audits are imperative to augment awareness among healthcare professionals at cardiac centers regarding updated protocols and guidelines.

Long-term clinical outcomes in patients with non-ST-segment Elevation Acute Coronary Syndrome and ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction with thrombolysis in myocardial infarction 0 flow

Background

Thrombolysis in Myocardial Infarction (TIMI) 0 flow often characterizes ST-segment Elevation Myocardial Infarction (STEMI) patients, but may also feature in non-ST-segment Elevation Acute Coronary Syndrome (NSTE-ACS). Since recanalization usually occurs later in NSTE-ACS patients, the aim of this study was to assess whether patients presenting with NSTE-ACS and TIMI 0 flow have worse clinical outcomes as compared to patients presenting with STEMI and TIMI 0 flow.

Methods

A single-center retrospective cohort study was conducted with patients treated for NSTE-ACS and STEMI with TIMI 0 flow at diagnostic angiogram between January 2015 and December 2019. The two patient groups were 1:1 matched using a propensity score logistic regression model. The primary outcome was Major Adverse Cardiac Events (MACE), a composite of all-cause mortality, any myocardial infarction, coronary artery bypass graft, urgent target vessel revascularization or stroke during long term follow-up.

Results

The total population consisted of 1255 ACS patients, of which 249 NSTE-ACS and 1006 STEMI patients. After propensity score matching, 234 NSTE-ACS patients were matched with 234 STEMI patients. In this matched population, the mean age was 62.6 (±12.4) years and 75.2 % of the patients was male. The median follow-up time was 3.2 years. MACE rates during follow-up were similar between the two matched groups (HR = 0.84 [95 % CI 0.60 - 1.12] with p = 0.33) with cumulative event-free survival of 63.3 % in the NSTE-ACS group vs 59.3 % in the STEMI group at 6 year follow-up.

Conclusion

In this retrospective study, a culprit lesion with TIMI 0 flow has similar clinical outcome in NSTE-ACS and STEMI patients. Further research is warranted to determine optimal the timing of PCI in NSTE-ACS patients with TIMI 0 flow.

Clinical implication of totally occluded infarct-related coronary artery in non-ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction: the TOTAL-NSTEMI study

BACKGROUND

A subset ofpatients found to have total occlusion of the culprit artery (TOCA), present with non-ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (NSTEMI) and elevated biomarkers. The aim of this study is to assess the effect of the TOCA in patients presenting with NSTEMI.

METHODS

This multicenter observational study was retrospectively conducted between 2015 and 2019. Thrombolysis in myocardial infarction (TIMI) flow grades 0-1 was defined as the TOCA. The primary end point included a combination of all-cause death, myocardial infarction, target vessel revascularization, stent thrombosis, and stroke.

RESULTS

Of 3272 patients, TIMI 0-1 flow in the culprit artery was present in 488 (14.9%) patients. TOCA was more likely to be of thrombotic origin (54.1% vs. 10.3%; P < 0.001) and visible collaterals (22.5% vs. 4.4%; P < 0.001). The rates of 30-day (14.3% vs. 7.2%; P < 0.001) and 2-year (25% vs. 19.1%; P = 0.003) primary end points were significantly higher in TOCA patients. Fatal arrhythmias were remarkably higher at 30-day (8.6% vs. 4%; P < 0.001) and 2-year (9% vs. 5.2%; P = 0.001) follow-ups. Mechanical complications were also higher in patients with TOCA at 30 days (0.8% vs. 0.2%; P = 0.013). Moreover, TOCA (OR, 1.379; P = 0.001) was one of the independent predictors of MACCE in NSTEMI patients.

CONCLUSION

The current data suggest that patients with TOCA in the context of NSTEMI are at higher risk of MACCE, fatal arrhythmias, and mechanical complications.

From Q/Non-Q Myocardial Infarction to STEMI/NSTEMI: Why It's Time to Consider Another Simplified Dichotomy; a Narrative Literature Review

Acute coronary syndromes (ACSs) are classified as ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) and non-ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (NSTEMI) based on the presence of guideline-recommended ST-segment elevation (STE) criteria on the electrocardiogram (ECG). STEMI is associated with acute total coronary occlusion (ATO) and transmural myocardial necrosis and is managed with emergent reperfusion therapy, and NSTEMI is supposedly synonymous with subendocardial myocardial infarction without ATO. However, coronary angiograms reveal that a significant proportion of patients with NSTEMI have ATO. Here, we review articles that studied the frequency and cardiovascular outcomes of ATO in NSTEMI patients compared with those without ATO. We discuss ECG patterns of patients with suspected acute myocardial infarction that do not fulfill STEMI criteria but are associated with ATO. Under-recognition of these atypical patterns results in delays to reperfusion therapy. We also advocate revision of the current STEMI/NSTEMI paradigm because consideration of STE, by itself, out of context of other clinical and ECG features, leads to the ECG diagnosis of STEMI when the ECG actually represents a mimic ["Pseudo-STEMI"], and suggest renaming the ACSs classification as the Occlusion Myocardial Infarction (OMI)/Non-Occlusion Myocardial Infarction (NOMI) paradigm.