Incidence and Severity of Acute Myocardial Injury after Thoracic Surgery: Effects of Nicorandil

Aim. To study the perioperative dynamics of myocardial injury biomarkers high-sensitivity cardiac troponin I (hs-cTnI), ischemia-modified albumin (IMA) and soluble ST2 (sST2) when taking nicorandil in lung cancer patients with concomitant coronary heart disease (CHD) undergoing surgical lung resection.

Material and methods. The study included 54 patients (11 women and 43 men) with non-small cell lung cancer and concomitant stable CHD who underwent lung resection in the volume of lobectomy or pneumonectomy. Patients were randomly assigned to the nicorandil group (oral administration 10 mg BID for 7 days before and 3 days after surgery; n=27) and the control group (n=27). In the study groups, the perioperative dynamics of hscTnI, IMA and sST2, determined in the blood before and 24 and 48h after surgery, were compared. We calculated the incidence of acute myocardial injury in the groups, which was diagnosed in cases of postoperative hs-cTnI increase of more than one 99th percentile of the upper reference limit. The associations of nicorandil intake and acute myocardial injury were evaluated.

Results. The groups were comparable in gender, age, basic clinical characteristics, as well as baseline levels of myocardial injury biomarkers. After the intervention, both samples showed an increase in the hs-cTnI and sST2 levels and a decrease in IMA concentration (all p<0.02 for related group differences). In the nicorandil group, in comparison with the control one, 48h after surgery, we found lower mean levels of hs-cTnI [16.7 (11.9;39.7) vs 44.3 (15.0;130.7) ng/l; p<0.05) and sST2 [62.8 (43.6;70.1) vs 76.5 (50.2;87.1) ng/ml; p<0.05), concentration increase rates of hs-cTnI [14.8 (0.7;42.2) vs 32.5 (14.0;125.0) ng/l; p<0.01) and sST2 [24.4 (10.3;42.4) vs 47.4 (17.5;65.3) ng/ml; p<0.05), as well as highest concentrations for the entire postoperative period of hs-cTnI [30.7 (12.0;53.7) vs 79.0 (20.3;203.3) ng/L, p<0.01] and sST2 [99.8 (73.6;162.5) vs 147.8 (87.8;207.7) ng/mL; p<0.05]. The serum IMA decreased when taking nicorandil to a greater extent [-8.0 (-12.6; -2.0) vs -2.7 (-6.0; +5.5) ng/ ml; p<0.01] 24h after surgery. Acute myocardial injury was diagnosed in 7 people in the nicorandil group (25.9%) and in 15 in the control one (55.6%; pχ2=0.027). The adjusted odds ratio of acute myocardial injury when taking nicorandil was 0.35 (95% confidence interval 0.15-0.83, p=0.017).

Conclusion. Taking  nicorandil  in patients with lung cancer and concomitant CHD  who underwent  surgical  lung resection is associated  with a lower postoperative  increase in hs-cTnI  and sST2  and a reduced risk of acute myocardial  injury, which may indicate the cardioprotective effect of nicorandil under acute surgical stress conditions.

Novel approaches to the comprehensive assessment of the quality and adherence to pharmacotherapy and its use in cardiovascular patients

Aim. To assess quality and adherence to pharmacotherapy (PT) based on the developed integrated indicators in a cohort of outpatients with stable exertional angina.

Material and methods. Using the expert evaluation method for main parameters of quality and compliance to PT, formulas were developed for calculating integrated indicators — the quality factor of PT (QFPT) and the rational PT index (RPTI). QFPT and RPTI are measured as a percentage; if the value is less than 50%, the parameters determined by them are considered unsatisfactory. In a cohort of 590 patients with stable exertional angina (men, 55,8%; mean age, 65,1±9,6 years), QFPT and RPTI were calculated. To assess the quality parameters of PT, data from patient registration forms were used, while adherence was determined using a 4-question validated score. After 21-month follow-up, primary composite endpoint was assessed: all-cause death, cardiovascular evens; an analysis of adverse outcomes was performed depending on QFPT and RPTI values.

Results. In patients with exertional angina, QFPT of 0% was determined in 8 (1,4%) people, while every sixth patient (16,4%) received unsatisfactory PT (QFPT <50%). In the majority of patients (419 (82,4%) people), RPTI was less than 50%. In subgroups of patients with RPTI <50% and >50%, there was a significant difference in the Kaplan-Meier survival curves, according to the log-rank test (p=0,006). The hazard ratio (RR) in the Cox regression model showed a threefold significant increase in the risk of adverse outcomes with RPTI <50%: HR=3,0, 95% confidence interval (1,14; 7,92), p=0,026.

Conclusion. The developed QFPT and RPTI make it possible to assess the quality of PT and performing a comprehensive assessment of the quality and adherence to PT, respectively. A relationship between low RPTI and a threefold increase in the risk of adverse outcomes in patients with stable exertional angina was revealed.

The Safety of Nicorandil Therapy and the Relationship with Treatment Adherence in Patients with Stable Angina Pectoris (According to the NIKEA Observational Study)

The working group of the NIKEA study: Reznik I.I. (Ekaterinburg), Akulina E.N. (Ekaterinburg), Ezhov A.V. (Izhevsk), Shinkareva S.I. (Izhevsk), Grebnev S.A. (Izhevsk), Skibitsky V.V. (Krasnodar), Kudryashov E.A. (Krasnodar), Fendrikova A.V. (Krasnodar), Skibitsky A.V. (Krasnodar), Matyushin G.V. (Krasnoyarsk), Nemik D.B. (Krasnoyarsk), Pitaev R.R. (Krasnoyarsk), Altaev V.D. (Krasnoyarsk), Samokhvalov E.V. (Krasnoyarsk), Stolbikov Y.Y.. (Krasnoyarsk), Voronina V.P. (Moscow), Lerman O.V. (Moscow), Gaisenok O.V. (Moscow), Dmitrieva N.A. (Moscow), Zagrebelny A.V. (Moscow), Zakharova A.V. (Moscow), Balashov I.S. (Moscow), Leonov A.S. (Moscow), Sladkova T.A. (Moscow), Zelenova T.I. (Moscow), Shestakova G.N. (Moscow), Kolganova E.V. (Moscow), Maksimova M.A. (Moscow), Kuimov A.D. (Novosibirsk), Moskalenko I.V. (Novosibirsk), Shurkevich A.A. (Novosibirsk), Nechaeva G.I. (Omsk), Loginova E.N. (Omsk), Gudilin V.A. (Omsk), Mitroshina T.N. (Orel), Zhuravleva L.L. (Orel), Lobanova G.N. (Orel), Luneva M.M. (Orel), Libis R.A. (Orenburg), Kondratenko V.Yu. (Orenburg), Chesnikova A.I. (Rostov-on-Don), Kalacheva N.M. (Rostov-on-Don), Kolomatskaya O.O. (Rostov-on-Don), Dubishcheva N.F. (Rostov-on-Don), Romadina G.V. (Rostov-on-Don), Chugunova I.B. (Rostov-on-Don), Skarzhinskaya N.S. (Rostov-on-Don), Dobrynina N.V. (Ryazan), Yakushin S.S. (Ryazan), Bulanov A.V. (Ryazan), Trofimova Ya.M. (Ryazan), Nikolaeva A.S. (Ryazan), Sokolova L.A. (St. Petersburg), Savinova E.B. (St. Petersburg), Ievskaya E.V. (St. Petersburg), Vasilyeva L.B. (St. Petersburg), Gomova T.A. (Tula), Zubareva L.A. (Tula), Berberfish L.D. (Tula), Gorina G.I. (Tula), Nadezhkina K.N. (Tula), Yunusova K.N. (Tula), Nikitina V.F. (Tula), Dabizha V.G. (Tula), Renko I.E. (Tula), Soin I.A. (Tula)

Aim. To analyze the adverse events (AEs) of nicorandil therapy based on the results of an observational study of NIKEA, to assess the relationship between the occurrence of AEs treatment and adherence to it in patients with stable angina pectoris.

Material and methods. The study included 590 people who had nicorandil added to the basic therapy of coronary artery disease (CAD). The followup period averaged 21 months. There were two visits of 1 and 3 months of follow-up (V1 and V3), and after 21 months, by telephone contact (PhC21), it was possible to obtain information about 524 patients (89% response), 509 of whom were alive. Information about the treatment adherence and AEs of nicorandil was collected during V1, V3 and at PhC21.

Results. Out of 590 people, 402 (68.1%) patients started treatment with nicorandil. During 21 months of follow-up, 35 AEs were registered in 34 patients. There were no serious AEs associated with taking medications in the study. The most frequent AEs of treatment with nicorandil were hypotension and headache, which led to non-adherence to therapy in 94% and 42% of cases, respectively. The majority of AEs (24 out of 35) occurred during the first three months of nicorandil treatment. Both any AEs of drug therapy and AEs of nicorandil therapy, on average, increase the chance of non-adherence to the recommended treatment by 3 times (p=0.004).

Conclusion. The results of the NIKEA study confirmed the good safety of nicorandil in patients with stable angina pectoris, the absence of serious adverse events associated with taking this antianginal drug. The most frequent nicorandil AEs were hypotension and headache. Any AEs of therapy increase the chance of patients' non-adherence by 3 times.

Clinical Trials Evaluating Drug Therapy: Types, Reliability of Results, Place in Modern Evidence-Based Medicine

The article discusses the main methods of evidence in modern medicine. Special attention is paid to randomized controlled trials and observational studies. The advantages of randomized controlled trials over observational studies are considered. A comparison of the informative value of randomized controlled trials and observational studies in assessing the effect of therapeutic interventions is made. Attention is drawn to situations when conducting randomized controlled trials is not possible and when they become the main source of information. It is emphasized that in order to verify the results of randomized controlled trials in real clinical practice, it is necessary to conduct observational studies. The basic principles of conducting observational studies are considered.

Observational studies and registers. Their quality and role in modern evidence-based medicine

The article describes the basic rules for conducting observational studies, in particular, registers. The principles of the assessment of its quality and impact on the results are discussed. The potential for evaluating therapeutic effect and side effects in randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and observational studies is compared. Effects of one drug identified in RCTs and observational studies are compared.