Association of Monocyte Count on Admission with the Angiographic Thrombus Burden in Patients with ST-Segment Elevation Myocardial Infarction Undergoing Primary Percutaneous Coronary Intervention

Well-Developed Coronary Collateral Circulation Is Associated With Higher Thrombus Burden in the Setting of ST-Segment Elevation Myocardial Infarction

Background

This study investigated the relationship between coronary collateral circulation (CCC) and intracoronary thrombus burden in patients undergoing primary percutaneous coronary intervention for ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI). CCC and thrombus burden are predictive of clinical outcomes in patients with STEMI.

Methods

Patients with STEMI undergoing primary percutaneous coronary intervention were enrolled (n = 172). CCC was graded according to the Cohen–Rentrop classification. Patients were classified as insufficient (grade 0 or 1, n = 134) or well-developed (grade 2 or 3; n = 38) CCC. The Thrombolysis in Myocardial Infarction scale was used to evaluate intra-coronary thrombus burden. The low-thrombus-burden group comprised those with grades 0 to 2, and the high-thrombus-burden group comprised those with grades 3 or 4.

Results

Right coronary artery infarcts had a 13.830-fold higher chance of having well-developed CCC than did left anterior descending artery infarcts (P < .001). Circumflex artery infarcts had a 7.904-fold higher chance of well-developed CCC than did left anterior descending artery infarcts (P = .016). High thrombus burden was associated with a 4.393-fold higher chance for well-developed CCC than was low thrombus burden (P = .030). Low albumin levels were related to a greater chance of having well-developed CCC (P = .046).

Conclusion

Patients with well-developed CCC have higher thrombus burden than do those with insufficient CCC. Because well-developed CCC is an indicator of more severe underlying lesions, we speculate that patients with severe lesions are more prone to experience more complicated STEMI with high thrombus burden.

Incorporation of Laboratory Test Biomarkers Into Dual Antiplatelet Therapy Score Improves Prediction of Ischemic and Bleeding Events in Post-percutaneous Coronary Intervention Patients

This study aimed to examine the performance of the dual antiplatelet therapy (DAPT) score in two retrospective cohorts of post-percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) patients and to explore whether incorporating additional biomarkers could further improve the predictive power of the DAPT score. In a retrospective derivation cohort of 4,798 PCI patients, the validity of DAPT score for stratifying ischemic/bleeding risks was explored. Then, the association between the baseline status of 54 laboratory test biomarkers and ischemic/bleeding events was revealed while adjusting for the DAPT score. Combinations of individual laboratory test biomarkers that were significantly associated with ischemic/bleeding events were explored to identify the ones that improved discrimination of ischemic and bleeding events when incorporated into DAPT score. Finally, the impact of the combination of biomarkers with DAPT score was validated in an independent retrospective validation cohort of 1,916 PCI patients. Patients with a high DAPT score (DAPT score ≥ 2) had significantly higher risk of ischemic events and significantly lower risk of bleeding than patients with a low DAPT score (DAPT score < 2). Moreover, the addition of aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and red cell distribution width CV (RDW-CV) into the DAPT score further improved discrimination of ischemia and bleeding. Furthermore, the incremental predictive value of AST + RDW-CV maintained with measurements was updated at post-baseline time points. DAPT score successfully stratified the risks of ischemia/bleeding post PCI in the current cohorts. Incorporation of AST + RDW-CV into the DAPT score further improved prediction for both ischemic and bleeding events.

The outcomes in STEMI patients with high thrombus burden treated by deferred versus immediate stent implantation in primary percutaneous coronary intervention: a prospective cohort study

Background

No-/slow-reflow indicates worse outcomes in ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) patients with high thrombus burden. We examined whether deferred stenting (DS) strategy reduces no-/slow-reflow or major adverse cardiovascular events (MACEs) in primary percutaneous coronary intervention (pPCI) for patients with acute STEMI and high thrombus burden.

Methods

We performed an open-label, multi-center, prospective cohort study among eligible patients with acute STEMI and high thrombus burden who further received pPCI. All participants received PCI with DS (second procedure performed within 48-72 h) or immediate-stenting (IS) strategy. The primary outcome was the incidence of no-/slow-reflow. We evaluated MACEs and bleeding events during hospitalization and at 30- and 90-day follow-ups.

Results

We recruited 245 patients to this study, including 51 with DS and 194 with IS. Baseline clinical characters were comparable between the 2 strategies. Incidence of no-/slow-reflow defined by thrombolysis in myocardial infarction (TIMI) flow grade was not significantly different between the 2 strategies [DS: 5 (9.8%), IS: 33 (17.0%), P=0.21]. No-/slow-reflow by TIMI myocardial perfusion grade (TMPG) was less prevalent in DS [20 (39.2%) vs. 107 (55.2%), P=0.04]. No significant differences were found in recurrence of myocardial infarction (P=0.56), cardiac death (P=0.37), all-cause mortality (P=0.37), heart failure-induced readmission (P=0.35), or bleeding (P=0.61) between the 2 strategies in-hospital, and at 30- and 90-day follow-up.

Conclusions

In STEMI patients with high thrombus burden who underwent pPCI, DS strategy reduced no-/slow-reflow of microcirculation. However, DS strategy did not reduce incidence of MACEs or bleeding.

A Correlation Between Monocyte to Lymphocyte Ratio and Long-Term Prognosis in Patients With Coronary Artery Disease After PCI

Monocyte to lymphocyte ratio (MLR) has been confirmed as a novel marker of poor prognosis in patients with coronary heart disease (CAD). However, the prognosis value of MLR for patients with CAD after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) needs further studies. In present study, we aimed to investigate the correlation between MLR and long-term prognosis in patients with CAD after PCI. A total of 3,461 patients with CAD after PCI at the First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University were included in the analysis. According to the cutoff value of MLR, all of the patients were divided into 2 groups: the low-MLR group (<0.34, n = 2338) and the high-MLR group (≥0.34, n = 1123). Kaplan–Meier curve was performed to compare the long-term outcome. Multivariate COX regression analysis was used to assess the independent predictors for all-cause mortality, cardiac mortality and MACCEs. Multivariate COX regression analysis showed that the high MLR group had significantly increased all-cause mortality (ACM) [hazard ratio (HR) = 1.366, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.366-3.650, p = 0.001] and cardiac mortality (CM) (HR = 2.379, 95%CI: 1.611-3,511, p < 0.001) compared to the low MLR group. And high MLR was also found to be highly associated with major adverse cardiovascular and cerebrovascular events (MACCEs) (HR = 1.227, 95%CI: 1.003-1.500, p = 0.047) in patients with CAD undergoing PCI. MLR was an independent predictor of ACM, CM and MACCEs in CAD patients who underwent PCI.

Correlates of Residual Thrombus Burden in Successfully Thrombolysed Patients of ST-Elevation Myocardial Infarction Receiving Dual Anti-Platelet Therapy

Background

Variable residual thrombus ranging from minimal to a large thrombus is seen in the culprit vessel after successful thrombolysis in ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI). Factors associated with residual thrombus in thrombolysed patients are poorly understood. The objective of our study was to determine the correlates of residual thrombus burden in successfully thrombolysed STEMI patients receiving dual antiplatelet therapy.

Methods

In this prospective observational study of 60 successfully thrombolysed STEMI patients receiving dual antiplatelet therapy, various clinical and coronary angiographic features like residual thrombus burden, residual stenosis, and thrombolysis in myocardial infarction (TIMI) flow grade in the infarct-related artery were evaluated.

Results

Out of 60 patients, 49 and 11 patients, respectively, had low and high thrombus burden. Thirty-seven (75.5%) patients amongst low-grade thrombus had TIMI 3 flow, whereas seven (63.6%) amongst high thrombus burden had TIMI 2 flow indicating an association between residual thrombus burden and TIMI flow grade, which was statistically significant (p=0.009). Further, amongst the 39 patients who were 45 years old, a statistically significant association of age and residual stenosis (p = 0.039) was observed.

Conclusion

In successfully thrombolysed STEMI patients receiving dual antiplatelet therapy, there is an inverse correlation between residual thrombus burden and TIMI flow grade with high-grade residual thrombus associated with more frequent low TIMI flow. Further, significant residual stenosis is more common in patients older than 45 years of age, underscoring the necessity for invasive evaluation after successful thrombolysis.