The impact of myocardial revascularization after acute coronary syndromes on one-year cardiovascular mortality

The aim of this observational study was to evaluate the impact of myocardial revascularization performed after acute coronary syndromes on one-year cardiovascular mortality.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

The study population comprised 1226 consecutive patients who were admitted to the Clinic of Cardiology in 2005 because of acute coronary syndromes with significant (≥70%) coronary artery stenoses. The relationship between myocardial revascularization and one-year cardiovascular mortality was evaluated by applying multivariable logistic regression. Cardiovascular mortality was evaluated using the Kaplan-Meier method.

RESULTS

Of all the patients included into the study, 540 had Q-wave myocardial infarction, 339 patients had non-Q-wave myocardial infarction, and 347 patients were treated for unstable angina pectoris. During hospitalization, 496 patients underwent percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty, 373 patients underwent coronary artery bypass grafting within 60 days following acute coronary syndromes, and 357 patients received pharmacological treatment alone. During one-year follow-up, 105 cases of cardiovascular death were registered. The one-year cardiovascular mortality was significantly lower in patients who underwent percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty or coronary artery bypass grafting comparing with those patients who received only pharmacotherapy (5.4% and 7.8% vs. 14.3%, P<0.05). Multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that myocardial revascularization independently reduced one-year cardiovascular mortality (adjusted odds ratio for percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty, 0.304; 95% CI, 0.18 to 0.53; P<0.001, and coronary artery bypass grafting, 0.540; 95% CI, 0.32 to 0.90; P=0.018) in patients who were admitted because of acute coronary syndromes.

CONCLUSIONS

Myocardial revascularization performed after acute coronary syndromes was significantly associated with the reduction of cardiovascular mortality within one-year period independently of clinical variables.

Image quality of 16-slice computed tomography coronary angiography in patients with complete left bundle branch block

OBJECTIVE

Noninvasive diagnosis of coronary artery disease in patients with left bundle branch block is challenging. Multislice computed tomography can be useful in this population; however, quality of images depends on the patterns of myocardial contractions. We investigated the influence of left bundle branch block on image quality of multislice computed tomography coronary angiography.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Multislice computed tomography coronary angiography was performed in 30 patients with left bundle branch block and 30 patients without conduction disturbances. Image quality of each coronary segment was visually assessed and rated on a five-point scale (1=highest quality).

RESULTS

Average image quality score in the best cardiac cycle phase did not differ significantly between groups (1.71+/-0.59 in the left bundle branch block group vs. 1.60+/-0.57 in the control group, P=0.46). In the left bundle branch block group, a significantly lower image quality score was observed in end-systolic cardiac phase (2.67+/-0.6 vs. 2.22+/-0.65 in the control group, P=0.007), whereas no difference was demonstrated in mid-diastolic phase (1.73+/-0.6 vs. 1.69+/-0.66 in the control group, P=0.81). After image assessment in multiple cardiac phases, an increase in image quality score was higher in the left bundle branch block than in the control group (0.2+/-0.17 vs. 0.11+/-0.14, P=0.003). A negative correlation was observed between image quality score and both the heart rate and heart rate variability in both groups (P<0.001).

CONCLUSION

A nonsignificantly lower overall image quality of multislice computed tomography coronary angiography was demonstrated in the left bundle branch block group. In the presence of left bundle branch block, image quality in the end-systolic phase was significantly lower. Image assessment in multiple phases increased overall image quality and is therefore advisable in patients with left bundle branch block. Increased heart rate and heart rate variability worsened image quality in both groups.

[Diagnostic value of multislice computed tomography coronary angiography in patients with left bundle branch block]

OBJECTIVE

The aim of present study was to evaluate the diagnostic value of multislice computed tomography coronary angiography in patients with left bundle branch block.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Twenty-four patients who underwent both multislice computed tomography coronary angiography and invasive coronary angiography were enrolled in the study. Findings of these imaging modalities were compared in order to determine the sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value of multislice computed tomography angiography in identifying hemodynamically significant stenoses (> or =50%). All segments > or =2 mm in diameter were visually assessed independently from their degree of calcification and image quality.

RESULTS

In total, 328 segments were analyzed. The Spearman correlation coefficient between multislice computed tomography and invasive coronary angiography was 0.76 (P<0.0001). On a per-segment basis, sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value of multislice computed tomography angiography were 75%, 97.7%, 72%, and 98%, respectively; on a per-vessel basis, these values were 77.8%, 92.3%, 70%, and 94.7%, respectively; on a per-patient basis - 81.8%, 84.6%, 81.8%, and 84.6%, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

Multislice computed tomography coronary angiography provides a high diagnostic accuracy in detecting significant coronary artery stenoses in patients with left bundle branch block.

Implementation of international transtelephonic ECG platform for patients with ischemic heart disease

Ischemic heart disease in European countries over decades causes up to 55% of all cases of sudden death and also has a high rate of mortality, morbidity, and hospital admission. Patients with such chronic diseases also require intensive home care facilities from community nurses. The aim was to establish international multilingual platform for transtelephonic ECG system as an alternative solution for home care and assess its performance. METHODS. During this pilot study, the international toll-free line between Lithuania and Germany was established, and practical applicability of the tele-ECG device was tested. Transtelephonic ECG system was implemented between Telemedicine Center in Bad Segeberg (Bad Segeberg Clinic, Germany), the Call Center in Kaunas at the Hospital of Kaunas University of Medicine, and a patient residence. RESULTS. Over a 6-month follow-up period, 34 patients were recruited. Following the ECG transmission, 86 teleconsultations were done. During the study, a total of 329 ECGs were sent by the patients; out of them, 14 ECGs were with clinical changes. Technical problems due to insufficient patient training, telecommunication systems, acoustic data transmission, and device itself were reported. Up to 23% of ECGs sent by patients were unreadable and not applicable for further clinical analysis. CONCLUSIONS. Our study showed the potential of telemedicine facilities to overcome the problems of access that makes the technique so potentially useful, but for telemonitoring application at patient homes in a wider population, it needs to be improved in terms of technical performance, transmission and analysis automatization.

[Treatment strategy of unstable angina and non-ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction]

Treatment strategy of unstable angina and non-ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction according to American College of Cardiology / American Heart Association practice guidelines (2002) is described in this article.

[Prevalence of metabolic syndrome components in patients with acute coronary syndromes]

OBJECTIVE

Many studies report that the components of the metabolic syndrome--arterial hypertension, abdominal obesity, diabetes mellitus, and atherogenic dyslipidemia--are associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease. We investigated the prevalence of different components of the metabolic syndrome and frequency of their combinations and acute hyperglycemia among patients with acute coronary syndromes.

METHODS AND RESULTS

The study population consisted of 2756 patients (1670 men and 1086 women with a mean age of 63.3+/-11.3 years) with acute coronary syndromes: Q-wave myocardial infarction was present in 41.8% of patients; non-Q-wave MI, in 30.7%; and unstable angina pectoris, in 27.5%. The metabolic syndrome was found in 59.6% of the patients according to modified NCEP III guidelines. One component of the metabolic syndrome was found in 13.5% of patients; two, in 23.0%; and none, in 3.9%. Less than one-third (29.2%) of the patients had three components of the metabolic syndrome, and 30.4% of the patients had four or five components. Arterial hypertension and abdominal obesity were the most common components of the metabolic syndrome (82.2% and 65.8%, respectively). Nearly half of the patients had hypertriglyceridemia and decreased level of high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (55.0% and 51.1%, respectively), and 23.9% of patients had diabetes mellitus. Acute hyperglycemia (> or =6.1 mmol/L) without known diabetes mellitus was found in 38.1% of cases. The combination of arterial hypertension and abdominal obesity was reported in 57.8% of patients in the case of combinations of two-five metabolic syndrome components.

CONCLUSION

More than half of patients with acute coronary syndromes had three or more components of the metabolic syndrome, and arterial hypertension and abdominal obesity were the most prevalent components of the metabolic syndrome.

The prevalence of the metabolic syndrome components and their combinations in men and women with acute ischemic syndromes

During the last decade, it has been shown that the metabolic syndrome and its different components--arterial hypertension (AH), abdominal obesity (AO), diabetes mellitus (DM), atherogenic hypertriglyceridemia (HTG), and/or low concentration of high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C))--increase the risk of cardiovascular diseases. There is increasing evidence that the incidence of the metabolic syndrome and the distribution of its components in combinations in the general male and female population differ. The aim of our study was to determine the incidence of the metabolic syndrome in men and women with acute ischemic syndromes and to evaluate the distribution of the metabolic syndrome component combinations in the presence of the metabolic syndrome. Contingent and methods. The study included 2756 patients (1670 males and 1086 females) with acute ischemic syndromes (1997 with myocardial infarction and 759 with unstable angina pectoris), in whom all five components of the metabolic syndrome were assessed. Women were significantly older than men (68.1+/-9.5 vs. 60.2+/-11.8 years, P<0.001). The metabolic syndrome was found (according to modified NCEP III) in 1641 (59.5%) patients (in 70.2% of females and in 52.6% of males, P<0.001). The most common components in both men and women were AH and AO (94.0% vs. 95.9% and 86.4% vs. 84.5%, respectively). HTG was significantly more common in men than in women (80.0% vs. 73.0%, P<0.001), while decreased HDL-C concentration was more common in women (82.8% and 59.2%, P<0.001). The DM component, detected in more than one-third of patients with acute ischemic syndromes, was significantly more common in women than in men (39.2% vs. 33.1%, P<0.05). Combinations of three components were significantly more common in men than in women, while combinations of four-five components were more common in women (55.6% vs. 41.4%, P<0.001; and 58.6% vs. 44.4%, P<0.01). The most common combination of three components in men was AH+AO+HTG and in women--AH+AO+low HDL-C; the most common combination of four components in both men and women was AH+AO+HTG+low HDL-C. CONCLUSION. In the metabolic syndrome, the differences between the components of atherogenic dyslipidemia in patients with acute ischemic syndromes were related to the patients' gender: men significantly more frequently had increased TG concentration and women--decreased HDL-C concentration; this is the problem to be addressed in further studies of dyslipidemia.

[Heart rate and systolic blood pressure response during the early exercise test and cardiovascular mortality after myocardial infarction]

Exercise cardiography still remains the cornerstone of noninvasive evaluation of functional status of cardiovascular system and is almost uniformly performed after myocardial infarction. The patients after myocardial infarction can be divided into relative high- and low-risk groups for subsequent cardiac events if all information available on the exercise test is used.

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this study was to evaluate the prognostic significance of the shape of heart rate and systolic blood pressure curves (their dynamic characteristics) during the early exercise testing and after it and to design the prognostic system capable to recognize patients with a high risk of coronary death during 2 years after myocardial infarction.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

The submaximal exercise testing within 3 weeks of acute myocardial infarction was performed on 894 patients. Cases of noncardiac deaths or patients subjected to coronary bypass surgery were excluded from the further analysis. At the end of 2 years after myocardial infarction, there were 426 survivors and 42 cases of cardiac death. At 2-year follow-up after infarction in the nonsurvivor group, there were only 42.2% of patients with exercise-induced ST segment depression. This shows that prognostic importance of ST depression is insufficient and demands research of more consistent signs.

RESULTS

The cardiovascular response to exercise was interpreted as transiting process of self-regulation of cardiovascular system, and the new predictive signs were found based on the curves of heart rate and systolic blood pressure during the exercise and after it. The prognostic value of these signs was established. The combined use of both the new predictive signs and usual data of early exercise test shows the high predictive possibility of test - the early cardiac death was predicted in 80% of cases.

CONCLUSION

The combined use of both, the widely accepted data of early exercise test after myocardial infarction and dynamic characteristics of heart rate and systolic blood pressure, increased the predictive power of the test.

[Hemodynamic studies for prediction of acute myocardial infarction outcomes]

Prediction of outcomes after acute myocardial infarction was initiated more than 40 years ago. Improvement of the management options significantly reduced mortality of patients with acute myocardial infarction. In the 1960s, the mortality rate of inpatients was around 25-30%, whereas in 2007, according to the guidelines for the diagnosis and treatment of non-ST-segment elevation acute coronary syndromes, issued by the European Society of Cardiology, hospital mortality in patients with ST-elevation acute myocardial infarction was 7%, while in patients with non-ST-elevation acute coronary syndrome just 5%, but at 6 months, mortality rates were very similar in both conditions (12% vs. 13%, respectively). There are different criteria for prediction of acute myocardial infarction: demographic, clinical, laboratory, instrumental, and epidemiological. Data of hemodynamic studies are ones of the possible criteria for prediction of outcomes after acute myocardial infarction. Methods and findings of hemodynamic studies used for prediction of the outcomes are presented in this article.

QT dispersion and heart rate variability in sudden death risk stratification in patients with ischemic heart disease

The aim of the article is to review the literature data about the significance and problems of the QT dispersion and heart rate variability in sudden death risk stratification in patients with coronary heart disease. QT dispersion is defined as the difference between the longest and the shortest QT intervals as measured in the 12-lead electrocardiogram. A direct relationship between the prolongation of QT dispersion and myocardial ischemia has been reported by several authors. Our previous study showed that QT dispersion assessed immediately after bicycle exercise test was significantly higher in patients with coronary stenoses of > 50% as compared to the patients without coronary artery disease. Despite some controversial data, several studies showed that QT dispersion is a significant predictor of cardiovascular mortality. Heart rate variability representing a relationship between the autonomic nervous system and cardiovascular mortality, including sudden cardiac death, is one of the most promising markers. The predictive value of heart rate variability is independent of other factors established for postinfarction risk stratification, such as depressed left ventricular ejection fraction, increased ventricular ectopic activity, and presence of late potentials. For prediction of all-cause mortality, the value of heart rate variability is similar to that of left ventricular ejection fraction, but heart rate variability is superior to left ventricular ejection fraction in predicting arrhythmic events (sudden cardiac death and ventricular tachycardia).

Effects of amlodipine and lacidipine on heart rate variability in hypertensive patients with stable angina pectoris and isolated left ventricular diastolic dysfunction

OBJECTIVE

To estimate the influence of therapy with amlodipine (A) or lacidipine (L) on heart rate variability (HRV) time and frequency domain parameters in hypertensive patients with stable angina pectoris and isolated left ventricular diastolic dysfunction.

METHODS

After a 1-week washout period, the patients were randomized to receive amlodipine 10 mg (30 patients) or lacidipine 6 mg (30 patients) once-daily for 4 weeks. HRV parameters were determined over a period of 24 h, echocardiography and exercise test were performed before and after treatment.

RESULTS

All HRV time domain parameters after applying amlodipine did not change significantly. A reliable decrease only of the root mean square of differences between adjacent normal-to-normal intervals (RMSSD)-32.9 +/- 13 vs. 27.5 +/- 9-was noticed after treatment with lacidipine. In the lacidipine group, the change of RMSSD negatively correlated with the extent of ST segment depression during exercise testing (R = -0.43; P < 0.05). Both drugs reduced total power (A, 2234 +/- 1270 vs. 1813 +/- 889; L, 2205 +/- 1151 vs. 1825 +/- 896; P < 0.01), very low (A, 1451 +/- 733 vs. 1143 +/- 534; L, 1413 +/- 759 vs. 1213 +/- 616; P < 0.05), and low frequency power (A, 610 +/- 459 vs. 447 +/- 321; L, 569 +/- 323 vs. 442 +/- 241; P < 0.01). After amlodipine, high frequency power remained unchanged, whereas low-high frequency ratio decreased (4.54 +/- 1.72 vs. 3.77+/-1.73; P < 0.05). After lacidipine, high frequency power decreased (178.8 +/- 153.2 vs. 132.1 +/- 79.3; P < 0.05), whereas the ratio of low frequency to high frequency did not change.

CONCLUSIONS

Amlodipine and lacidipine reduce the influence of humoral control and sympathetic autonomic nervous system activity. The autonomic balance becomes shifted toward the increased vagal activity only by amlodipine.

[Cardiac events and 5-year survival after acute coronary syndromes]

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the incidence of cardiac events and survival in patients with first acute coronary syndromes during 5-year period.

METHODS AND RESULTS

Data on 732 patients admitted with first acute coronary syndrome were collected in a database. During hospitalization period 45.4% of the patients received reperfusion therapy. During follow-up period (4.49+/-2.1 years) 215 (29.4%) patients had cardiac events: 15.3%--myocardial revascularization, 8.1%--repeated myocardial infarction, 11.5%--cardiovascular deaths. The highest (5%) mortality rate was during first year, whereas during the following four years--1.5% annually. Kaplan-Meier analysis for survival free of cardiovascular death revealed that mortality rates were higher among patients who were > or =65 years old (long-rank test, p=0.02); had heart failure at admission (p=0.003), left ventricular ejection fraction <40% (p=0.04), significance diastolic dysfunction (p=0.035), III-IV degrees mitral regurgitation (p=0.00006); did not received reperfusion therapy (p=0.007).

CONCLUSION

The analysis of this long-term follow-up data shows that the patients with acute coronary syndromes carry a high risk of death and need better treatment strategies to reduce risk.

[Relationship between the metabolic syndrome, endothelial function and intima-media thickness in asymptomatic middle-aged individuals]

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the relation between cardiovascular risk factors, metabolic syndrome, endothelial function and carotid intima-media thickness in asymptomatic middle-aged individuals.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A total of 180 subjects (86 men and 94 women, mean age 38.8+/-0.3 years) have been investigated. Anthropometric, blood pressure measurements have been performed and lipid as well as high sensitivity C-reactive protein blood levels have been tested. The endothelial function was assessed by measuring the vasodilatation of the brachial artery. The carotid intima-media thickness was measured with high resolution B-mode ultrasound imaging. Metabolic syndrome was diagnosed using International Diabetes Federation definition criteria (2005).

RESULTS

The metabolic syndrome has been diagnosed in 48 (26.7%) individuals: 28 (32.6%) males and 20 (21.3%) females. Significantly reduced endothelial function has been established in asymptomatic men when compared to women. However, statistically significant decrease (4.84%) in endothelial function in metabolic individuals was detected only among males. In the metabolic patients intima-media of common carotid artery, carotid bulb and internal carotid artery was thicker than in those without metabolic syndrome (0.006, 0.007 and 0.007 cm, respectively) (alpha=0.000, beta=0.01). Endothelial dysfunction and intima-media thickening correlated with increased blood pressure, abdominal circumference and body mass index as well as with elevated blood triglyceride and glucose levels. Intima-media thickness was greater in individuals with impaired endothelial function in all carotid segments tested. No relationship has been observed between total or low-density lipoprotein cholesterol concentrations and endothelial function, intima-media thickening or high sensitivity C-reactive protein levels.

CONCLUSIONS

These observations suggest that the metabolic syndrome and/or its components may influence the different initial mechanisms of atherosclerosis--disorder of endothelial function and intima-media thickening. It is presumable that the lipid disorders as well as inflammation may play more significant role in the presence of impaired endothelial function.

[The prevalence of metabolic syndrome in middle-aged in Kaunas population]

AIM

To assess the prevalence of the metabolic syndrome among middle-aged Kaunas population.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

A total of 433 (192 males and 241 females, mean age 38.8+/-0.3 years) asymptomatic individuals have been investigated. Metabolic syndrome was diagnosed using International Diabetes Federation definition criteria - central obesity (the waist circumference > or =94 cm for men and > or =80 cm for women) plus any two of the following four factors: elevated triglycerides (Tg) (> or =1.7 mmol/L), low high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) levels (<1.0 mmol/L for men and <1.3 mmol/L for women), blood pressure (BP) of 130/85 or higher (systolic pressure >130 mmHg or a diastolic pressure >85 mmHg) or hyperglycemia (> or =5.6 mmol/L).

RESULTS

The metabolic syndrome was present in 21.7% (28.1% among males and 16.6% among females) of individuals. Furthermore, 41.1% had an increased waist circumference, 56.4% had elevated BP (130/85 or higher), 31.2% had elevated plasma glucose concentration, 19.9% had low HDL-C cholesterol values and 14.1% had increased Tg values. Significantly higher concentration (1.16 mg/L, alpha<0,001, beta<0.001) of high-sensitivity C-reactive protein has been established in individuals with the metabolic syndrome. An increased concentration (>3 mg/L) of high-sensitivity C-reactive protein was more prevalent (17.3%) in the cohort with metabolic syndrome. Concentration of high-sensitivity C-reactive protein directly correlated with the waist and hips circumference, body mass index, concentration of Tg, glucose and BP.

CONCLUSIONS

The prevalence of the metabolic syndrome among middle-aged Kaunas residents was 22%. Metabolic syndrome and central obesity correlated with elevated concentration of high-sensitivity C-reactive protein. Moderately (1-3 mg/L) and severely (>3 mg/L) elevated high-sensitivity C-reactive protein levels increase the chance of metabolic syndrome by 4.15 and 7.39 times, respectively (p=0,000). An innovative approach towards cardiovascular risk assessment integrating traditional cardiovascular risk factors, metabolic syndrome and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein values could improve the risk stratification in asymptomatic middle-aged population.

[Treatment of patients with ischemic heart disease and diabetes]

Around one third of patients with myocardial infarction are diabetic. More vigorous control of hyperglycemia, hyperlipidemia, and hypertension is likely to be of crucial importance for risk reduction. Although the effect of intensive glycemic control appears to be only minor in terms of prevention of cardiac events in diabetic patients, it has a major beneficial impact during acute myocardial infarction and after percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty. Lipid-lowering treatment is as effective in diabetic patients with coronary artery disease as in nondiabetic patients. In patients with coronary artery disease, there is strong evidence in favor of the use of b-blockers soon after myocardial infarction as well as in the long term. The metabolic treatment may also be considered as a rational approach for patients with stable angina. The long-term angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitor trials in patients with left ventricle dysfunction soon after myocardial infarction demonstrated a substantial benefit in the subgroup of diabetic patients. Current evidence leads us to recommend revascularization surgery as the first choice in diabetic patients. The management of risk factors should be more intensive in diabetic patients. In diabetic patients with coronary artery disease, most of the medical strategies are as effective as in nondiabetic patients.

Lethal outcomes in patients with symptomatic heart failure developed after Q-wave myocardial infarction

The article analyses clinical characteristics and mortality of patients with symptomatic chronic heart failure following Q-wave myocardial infarction. During the study 224 patients (mean age 64.1+/-9.7) with symptomatic chronic heart failure and left ventricular ejection fraction <40% were followed-up for 1-5 years (on the average, 2.6+/-2.0 years). The majority of the studied patients had had anterior or anterior-lower Q-wave myocardial infarction (61.6% and 25.9%, respectively) and an identified Canadian function class II-IV angina pectoris (74.6%), and one-fifth of the patients (19.6%) had unstable angina pectoris. All patients were diagnosed with chronic heart failure New York Heart Association function class II-IV, the majority of patients had disturbances in cardiac rhythm and conduction, almost a half of them (46.0%) had left ventricular aneurysm, 92.8% of patients were diagnosed with marked changes in left ventricular geometry, 84.4% of patients had II-IV degrees mitral regurgitation, a half of the patients had significant left ventricular diastolic dysfunction, and 6.3% of patients had previously experienced thromboembolic complications. During the follow-up period 132 patients died. The comparison of the characteristics of patients who survived with those of patients who died showed that the deceased patients were statistically significantly older compared to survivors; in addition to that, marked stenoses of three coronary arteries, severe chronic heart failure, ejection fraction < or =20%, ventricular extrasystoles, and sinal tachycardia were more common in the former group, and patients who died less frequently were overweight and less frequently used beta adrenoblockers. The evaluation of Kaplan-Meier curves showed that total mortality resulting from the development of chronic heart failure symptoms and indications of chronic heart failure during the 1st year was 21.0%, during the 2nd year -40%, during the 3rd year -55.0%, during the 4th year -61.0%, and during the 5th year -65.0% the highest mortality was observed when left ventricular ejection fraction < or =20%, and age >75. The development of severe chronic heart failure resulted, on the average, after 1.5+/-1.1 years. It is obvious that symptomatic chronic heart failure caused by ischemic cardiomyopathy and marked left ventricular systolic dysfunction following Q-wave myocardial infarction is a rapidly progressing process conditioning high risk of lethal outcome within the period of several years.

[Ischemic heart disease in women: prognostic value of ventricular repolarization variables]

The aim of the study was to evaluate changes of ventricular repolarization variables during the exercise test in women with coronary heart disease, to determine variables, which can best predict significant coronary artery stenoses, and to improve noninvasive diagnostics of coronary heart disease. Ninety women with unstable angina pectoris undergone coronary artery angiography and exercise test on 4th-6th day of hospitalization at Kaunas University of Medicine Hospital. There was no difference in ventricular repolarization variables (JT interval, JT dispersion, JT and ST product) in women without coronary artery stenoses and those with one or two coronary artery stenoses. Sensitivity (87%), specificity (60%), positive predictive (43%), negative predictive (93%) and diagnostic value (67%) of stress test variable, which had no correlation with heart rate -ST and JT product- was greater comparing with ST depression greater than 0.1 mV (values respectively 61%, 49%, 29%, 79%, 52%). JT dispersion at the peak of exercise greater than 33 ms had the best diagnostic value (77%). The most accurate predictors of three-vessel disease are JT dispersion, ST and JT product at the peak of exercise and the fact of previous MI: JT dispersion at the peak of exercise more than 33 ms significantly increases three-vessel disease odds ratio 7.95 times. ST and JT product greater than 22,38 mV x ms significantly increases three-vessel disease odds ratio 13.9 times. The fact of previous MI significantly increases three-vessel disease odds ratio 6.85 times.

[Ischemic heart disease mortality risk in patients with diabetes mellitus]

AIM

The significance of clinical characteristics during acute phase of coronary syndrome for hospital prognosis is well established. However their prognostic ability and impact on defining risk of lethal outcome during one-year period after acute coronary syndrome in pts with diabetes mellitus is not clarified.

METHODS

In a prospective one-year study 699 pts with first acute coronary syndrome were studied: 61 with diabetes mellitus and 638 without diabetes mellitus. We have analyzed their demographic characteristics, risk factors of ischemic heart disease, clinical, echocardiographic, angiographic data. During one year follow up period there were 61 cases of cardiac death.

RESULTS

Univariate analysis showed, that pts with diabetes mellitus vs pts without diabetes mellitus more often were female, aged >65 years, had arterial hypertension, obesity and sinusal tachycardia, severe acute left ventricular failure, three - vessel coronary disease, episodes of paroxysmal atrial flutter during acute phase of acute coronary syndrome (p<0.05). Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that these variables remained independent predictors for lethal outcome and had OR from 1.6 to 9.5 in pts without diabetes mellitus. The presence of diabetes mellitus increased the value of OR of these variables 1.5-2.5 fold and this followed to the further stratification of pts. The value > and =14 of general risk score in multivariate model indicated the high risk for lethal outcome during one-year period. Almost half of pts (48.3%) with diabetes mellitus had the high risk, a 36.5 percent of them died during follow up. The sensitivity of risk score in predicting mortality was 37.3 percent in high risk group and 58.8 percent in low risk group, specificity--96.7 percent and 82.7 percent respectively.

CONCLUSION

These results imply that the presence of diabetes mellitus in pts with acute coronary syndrome increases risk for lethal outcome two-fold during one-year period after acute coronary syndrome.

[Cocaine-induced myocardial infarction (clinical case report)]

Cocaine abuse has been associated with various cardiovascular complications, including angina pectoris, myocardial infarction, and sudden cardiac death. The first report of myocardial infarction temporally related to the recreational use of cocaine appeared in 1982. This article discusses the possible pathological mechanisms underlying the pathogenesis of myocardial ischemia and infarction secondary to cocaine abuse, and current ideas on the management of cocaine-induced myocardial infarction. We report a case of acute myocardial ischemia in a young healthy male patient and his 5-year follow-up.

[Low density lipoprotein apheresis]

Increased blood cholesterol concentration is one of the main factors in ischemic heart disease, development of which is determined by atherosclerotic changes in coronary vessels. Diet and treatment with 3-hydroxi-3-metilglutaril coenzyme A (HMG-CoA) reductase inhibitors helps to reduce low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-Ch) blood concentration up to recommended level of 3.0 mmol/l in most patients but in some patients particularly with familial dyslipidemias cholesterol concentration remains increased even after treatment with maximal doses of lipid-regulating agents or their combinations. The most frequently used mechanical methods of cholesterol removal from blood include the procedures of extracorporeal apheresis. Low density lipoprotein (LDL) apheresis not only significantly reduces the blood concentrations of total cholesterol (TCh), and LDL-Ch, lipoprotein (a) (Lp(a) and fibrinogen but also stops the progression of atherosclerosis in coronary vessels.