Acute pulmonary embolism: in hospital outcome from a prospective observational registry (M-PER) from a low-and middle-income country

Background

Acute Pulmonary embolism the third most common cause of cardiovascular death in the world. Despite the large burden of acute pulmonary embolism, there is a paucity of prospective data from low-and middle-income countries.

Purpose

To study the clinical characteristics, treatment strategies employed, in-hospital outcome, one-year follow up results, and the prognostic factors in patients with acute pulmonary embolism from a low-and middle-income country.

Methods

All consecutive patients diagnosed with and treated for acute pulmonary embolism at our institution from November 2016 to November 2021 were included in the registry. Pulmonary embolism was diagnosed using clinical features (Wells' criteria of ≥3) supported by either CT angiogram or echocardiogram. Detailed history, clinical examination, preliminary basic blood investigations, cardiac troponins along with coagulation workup, ECG and ECHO were done for all patients. Patients were classified as having massive or high risk, submassive or intermediate risk and low risk pulmonary embolism based hemodynamic status, sPESI score, echocardiogram and cardiac troponins. Treatment was at the discretion of treating physician. In general, all patients with massive pulmonary embolism were considered for thrombolysis. All patients received anticoagulation with unfractionated heparin. Outcomes included hospital lengths of stay, all-cause in-hospital mortality and one year mortality

Results

186 patients with acute pulmonary embolism were prospectively enrolled during period. 62% were male. Mean age was 42.38±13.4 years. The risk factors noticed include prior history of venous thromboembolism, active malignancy, recent surgery, trauma, immobilisation, diabetes, hypertension, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease in 18%, 5%, 10%, 8%, 14%, 17%, 10% and 3% of our patients respectively. Shortness of breath (98%), chest pain (37%), leg swelling (37%), cough (33%), shock (27%), syncope (15%) and haemoptysis (12%) were the reasons for presentation. Sinus tachycardia was the commonest finding (80%).

Right ventricular (RV) strain pattern was present in 68%, S1Q3T3 pattern in 56% and RBBB in 32%. RV dilatation was present in 93% and RV dysfunction in 75%. Thrombus was visualised in the pulmonary artery in 37% and right heart chambers in 12% (714). 26% were classified as high risk, 60% as intermediate risk and 13.4% as low risk acute pulmonary embolism. Overall 50% (92% of high-risk and 41% of intermediate risk) patients received fibrinolytic therapy.

In hospital mortality was 16% (29 patients) of which 72% were from high-risk group. In the high-risk group those who were fibrinolysed had a lower mortality compared to those not lysed. (75% vs 40%). This difference was not observed in the intermediate risk group.

Conclusion

Acute pulmonary embolism is a disease with high in-hospital mortality. Fibrinolytic therapy with streptokinase has a lifesaving potential in high risk patients.

Funding Acknowledgement

Type of funding sources: None.

Clinical profile and 90 day outcomes of 10 851 heart failure patients across India: National Heart Failure Registry

AIMS

Limited data on the uptake of guideline-directed medical therapies (GDMTs) and the mortality of acute decompensated HF (ADHF) patients are available from India. The National Heart Failure Registry (NHFR) aimed to assess clinical presentation, practice patterns, and the mortality of ADHF patients in India.

METHODS AND RESULTS

The NHFR is a facility-based, multi-centre clinical registry of consecutive ADHF patients with prospective follow-up. Fifty three tertiary care hospitals in 21 states in India participated in the NHFR. All consecutive ADHF patients who satisfied the European Society of Cardiology criteria were enrolled in the registry. All-cause mortality at 90 days was the main outcome measure. In total, 10 851 consecutive patients were recruited (mean age: 59.9 years, 31% women). Ischaemic heart disease was the predominant aetiology for HF (72%), followed by dilated cardiomyopathy (18%). Isolated right HF was noted in 62 (0.6%) participants. In eligible HF patients, 47.5% received GDMT. The 90 day mortality was 14.2% (14.9% and 13.9% in women and men, respectively) with a re-admission rate of 8.4%. An inverse relationship between educational class based on years of education and 90 day mortality (high mortality in the lowest educational class) was observed in the study population. Patients with HF with reduced ejection fraction and HF with mildly reduced ejection fraction who did not receive GDMT experienced higher mortality (log-rank P < 0.001) than those who received GDMT. Baseline educational class, body mass index, New York Heart Association functional class, ejection fraction, dependent oedema, serum creatinine, QRS > 120 ms, atrial fibrillation, mitral regurgitation, haemoglobin levels, serum sodium, and GDMT independently predicted 90 day mortality.

CONCLUSION

One of seven ADHF patients in the NHFR died during the first 90 days of follow-up. One of two patients received GDMT. Adherence to GDMT improved survival in HF patients with reduced and mildly reduced ejection fractions. Our findings call for innovative quality improvement initiatives to improve the uptake of GDMT among HF patients in India.

Electrocardiographic Changes in Ostium Secundum Atrial Septal Defect- Before and After Shunt Closure- A Retrospective Cohort Analysis

INTRODUCTION

Atrial Septal Defect by virtue of its left to right shunt induces geometric and electrical remodeling of the right sided chambers of the heart which produces prototypical changes in the Electrocardiogram. Various patterns produced by ASD in the ECG can give a clue in diagnosing the defect. Reversal of remodeling after the shunt closure and its accompanying changes in ECG are also helpful in follow up of these patients Methodology: This is a retrospective cohort analysis, wherein, ECG of the patients who have undergone ASD closure by percutaneous device closure or surgical closure during the study period,were obtained from hospital records and they were followed up. After screening, 60 patients met the inclusion criteria and were included in the study. ECG of the patients before closure of ASD and on immediate post procedure day, 2 weeks, 1month, 3 months, 6 months and 1year were obtained and analyzed.

RESULTS

Mean age of the study population was 28.4 ± 09 years. In analysis of ECG after closure of ASD, the mean QRS axis reduced from 108 ± 10 to 70 ±12 degrees (P = 0.016), mean QRS duration reduced from 123 ± 30 ms to 80 ± 27 ms (P= 0.28). Mean PR interval reduced from 188 ± 30 ms to 123 ± 24 ms (P value= 0.09). The Crochetage Sign disappeared in the 2 patients who had it before closure of the defect. The amplitude of R' wave in rSR' in right precordial leads reduced over 2 years. rR' and qR pattern in right precordial leads reverted to rSr' pattern in 10 out of 12 patients. The other 2 patients who did not show reversal had residual shunt. No clinically significant complete heart block was observed in any patient.

CONCLUSION

ECG forms as an easily available tool for diagnosis of ASD as well as in assessing the success of closure in the follow up after the closure of ASD by surgical or percutaneous device therapy. Failure of reversal of electrocardiographic signs of ASD after the closure should prompt search for residual shunt or pulmonary complications.

Impact of COVID-19 pandemic on a developing STEMI care system from a low-middle income country- a prospective observational study

Background

COVID-19 pandemic has produced a great impact in the STEMI (ST Elevation Myocardial Infarction) care systems across the world. Patient hesitancy to seek medical attention for suspected STEMI, necessity of the health care systems to prioritize COVID-19 care, safety concerns of health care workers etc., have brought in unprecedented times for both patients and health care workers. The impact of COVID-19 pandemic on the establishment of a STEMI care system is less known

Purpose

To identify the impact of COVID-19 pandemic on a developing public STEMI care system in a low-middle income country in Asia, with reference to the type of reperfusion offered and outcome.

Methods

Data on number of STEMI admissions, type of reperfusion therapy and outcome are being collected from 12 teaching hospitals as a part of a developing public regional STEMI care system based on a hub and spoke model in a low middle-income country from August 2018. These 12 “thrombolysis only” hospitals were being upgraded as “primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PPCI) capable hub hospitals” in 2019. Though the hassles of COVID-19 pandemic affected this process significantly, daily data collection in our STEMI care system continued. The maximal COVID impacted period in 2020 was identified from the online database (1) as from April to December 2020. The number, type of reperfusion and outcome of the STEMI patients treated during this period were compared to the same data collected during April-December 2019.

Results

A total of 13,137 STEMI patients were treated in our system during the two time periods “April to December 2019” and “April to December 2020”. There was a 13.3% drop in the number of STEMI treated in 2020, compared to the number treated in 2019 (6101 vs 8925; P&lt;0.001). This drop was in proportion to the number of new cases of COVID-19 reported in our state (Fig. 1a)

We also noted a significant drop in the rate of PPCI and Pharmaco-invasive therapy (PIT) offered for STEMI in 2020 compared to 2019 in the same period (PPCI: 0.13% vs 5.9%-P&lt;0.001 and PIT 0.64% vs 11%- P&lt;0.001). This decrease in PPCI and PIT for STEMI also corresponded to the increase in number of new cases of COVID-19 reported (Fig. 1b). More patients received thrombolytic therapy for STEMI in 2020 compared to 2019 (73.6 vs 61.2% P&lt;0.001). There was no change in the mortality of STEMI during this period. (Fig. 2)

Conclusion

We found a significant drop in number of patients seeking medical care for STEMI during COVID-19 pandemic. There was significant drop in the rate of PPCI and PIT offered in our STEMI care system. Thrombolytic therapy remained the predominant mode of reperfusion as before, but with a significant increased rate of thrombolysis. There was no change in mortality rate in STEMI patients. Thrombolytic therapy is an acceptable mode of reperfusion, when the balance of a STEMI care system is disturbed by extraneous influences like the COVID-19 pandemic.

Funding Acknowledgement

Type of funding sources: Public hospital(s). Main funding source(s): Tamil Nadu Innovation Initiative- Department of Planning and development, Govt of Tamil NaduNational Health Mission, Government of India

Tenecteplase versus streptokinase thrombolytic therapy in patients with mitral prosthetic valve thrombosis

Objective

Prosthetic valve thrombosis (PVT) is a dreadful complication of mechanical prosthetic valves. Thrombolytic therapy (TT) for PVT is an alternative to surgery and currently making a leading role. This study compares TT with tenecteplase (TNK) and streptokinase (SK) head to head in patients with mitral PVT.

Methods

In this single center, observational study, patients with mitral PVT diagnosed by clinical data, transthoracic echocardiography, transesophageal echocardiography, and fluoroscopy were included. After excluding patients with contraindications for thrombolysis, they were randomly assigned to receive either SK or TNK regimen. Patients were monitored for success or failure of TT and for any complications.

Results

Among 52 episodes (47 patients with 5 recurrences) of mechanical mitral PVT, 40 patients were thrombolyzed with SK and 12 patients were thrombolyzed with TNK. Baseline characteristics including demographic profile, clinical and echocardiographic features, and valve types were not statistically significant between the groups. Complete success rate was 77.5% in SK group and 75% in TNK group (p = 0.88). Partial success rate, failure rate, and major complications were not statistically significant between the two groups. Within 12 h of therapy, TNK showed complete success in 33.3% of patients compared to 15% in SK group (p-value <0.02). Minor bleeding was more common in TNK group.

Conclusion

Slow infusion of TNK is equally efficacious but more effective than SK in the management of mitral mechanical PVT. 75% to 77.5% of PVT patients completely recovered from TT and it should be the first line therapy where the immediate surgical options were remote.

Anomalous twin circumflex artery in a 47-year-old Indian female

Anomalous origin of circumflex coronary is not an uncommon finding. However, dual origin of circumflex artery is a rare anomaly. An extensive literature search indicates that there have been only three such prior reports. We report the first such case from the Indian subcontinent. This was diagnosed by conventional angiography and CT angiography.