P5021Hypoperfusion markers identify patients with acute pulmonary embolism at highest risk for an adverse outcome

Background/Introduction

According to the European Society of Cardiology (ESC) 2014 guideline, systemic hypotension (HT) is the critical variable defining high-risk in patients with pulmonary embolism (PE). However, signs of organ hypoperfusion might more adequately identify PE patients with cardiogenic shock due to right ventricular (RV) failure.

Purpose

We investigated whether hypoperfusion markers provide superior prognostic information for identifying PE patients at highest risk of early adverse outcomes.

Methods

Consecutive PE patients enrolled in a prospective single-centre registry between 09/2008 and 03/2018 were included. We analysed the predictive value of symptoms and findings suggesting hypoperfusion for in-hospital adverse outcome (catecholamine treatment, resuscitation or PE-related death) and in-hospital all-cause mortality.

Results

We analysed 814 patients, including 83 (10.2%) ESC 2014 high-risk patients. Patients presenting with cardiac arrest (CA, 4.5%) were a priori defined as high risk. Markers suggesting hypoperfusion of the brain (altered metal status, odds ratio [OR] 8.2 [95% CI, 4.2–16.0]), lung (respiratory insufficiency, 25.0 [9.4–66.7]) and tissue (venous lactate ≥2.2 mmol/l, 6.4 [3.2–12.9]) as well as HT (13.5 [6.7–27.2]) predicted an adverse outcome. The risk for an adverse outcome increased with the number of positive markers (AUC 0.86 [0.80–0.93]). Patients with ≥3 positive hypoperfusion markers had an OR of 42.9 (11.0–167.3) and patients defined as high-risk by the ESC 2014 an OR of 17.2 (8.8–33.3) with regard to an adverse outcome (Figure 1; Table 1).

A new definition of high-risk (CA or ≥3 hypoperfusion markers) was associated with an OR of 73.2 (31.3–171.1) for an in-hospital adverse outcome and 26.2 (12.1–56.7) for in-hospital mortality.

Table 1. Prognostic performance of hypoperfusion markers Adverse outcome (if negative) Adverse outcome (if positive) Sensitivity Specificity LR+ OR (95% CI) ≥1 hypoperfusion marker 1.1% 21.0% 91.9% 68.2% 2.9 24.4 (7.3–80.8) ≥2 hypoperfusion markers 4.7% 50.0% 48.6% 95.5% 10.9 20.3 (9.1–45.1) ≥3 hypoperfusion markers 6.5% 75.0% 24.3% 99.3% 32.7 42.9 (11.0–167.3) ESC 2014 high-risk 5.7% 51.1% 35.0% 96.9% 11.4 17.2 (8.8–33.3) Cardiac arrest 8.4% 86.5% 33.0% 99.3% 47.3 70.1 (26.4–186.1) Abbreviations: LR+, positive likelihood ratio; OR, odds ratio; CI, confidence interval.

Figure 1. Frequency of adverse outcome

Conclusions

Markers of organ hypoperfusion have high predictive value for early adverse outcomes in acute PE. Risk increases with the number of positive markers and is critically elevated in patients presenting with CA or ≥3 markers.

Acknowledgement/Funding

This study was supported by the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF 01EO1503).

High-sensitivity troponin T and risk stratification in patients with atrial fibrillation during treatment with apixaban or warfarin

OBJECTIVES

The aim of this study was to evaluate the prognostic value of high-sensitivity troponin T (hs-TnT) in addition to clinical risk factors and the CHA2DS2VASc (congestive heart failure, hypertension, 75 years of age and older, diabetes mellitus, previous stroke or transient ischemic attack, vascular disease, 65 to 74 years of age, female) risk score in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF).

BACKGROUND

The level of troponin is a powerful predictor of cardiovascular events and mortality.

METHODS

A total of 14,897 patients with AF were randomized to treatment with apixaban or warfarin in the ARISTOTLE (Apixaban for the Prevention of Stroke in Subjects With Atrial Fibrillation) trial. The associations between baseline hs-TnT levels and outcomes were evaluated using adjusted Cox regression models.

RESULTS

Levels of hs-TnT were measurable in 93.5% of patients; 75% had levels >7.5 ng/l, 50% had levels >11.0 ng/l, and 25% had levels >16.7 ng/l. During a median 1.9-year period, the annual rates of stroke or systemic embolism ranged from 0.87% in the lowest hs-TnT quartile to 2.13% in the highest hs-TnT quartile (adjusted hazard ratio [HR]: 1.94; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.35 to 2.78; p = 0.0010). The annual rates in the corresponding groups ranged from 0.46% to 4.24% (adjusted HR: 4.31; 95% CI: 2.91 to 6.37; p < 0.0001) for cardiac death and from 1.26% to 4.21% (adjusted HR: 1.91; 95% CI: 1.43 to 2.56; p = 0.0001) for major bleeding. Adding hs-TnT levels to the CHA2DS2VASc score improved the C statistic from 0.620 to 0.635 for stroke or systemic embolism (p = 0.0226), from 0.592 to 0.711 for cardiac death (p < 0.0001), and from 0.591 to 0.629 for major bleeding (p < 0.0001). Apixaban reduced rates of stroke, mortality, and bleeding regardless of the hs-TnT level.

CONCLUSIONS

Levels of hs-TnT are often elevated in patients with AF. The hs-TnT level is independently associated with an increased risk of stroke, cardiac death, and major bleeding and improves risk stratification beyond the CHA2DS2VASc risk score. The benefits of apixaban as compared with warfarin are consistent regardless of the hs-TnT level. (Apixaban for the Prevention of Stroke in Subjects With Atrial Fibrillation [ARISTOTLE]; NCT00412984).

Observations and warning signs prior to cardiac arrest. Should a medical emergency team intervene earlier?

BACKGROUND

The Medical Emergency Team (MET) has evolved in some hospitals as a means of delivering effective treatment early enough to prevent cardiac arrests. Our aim was to analyze the effectiveness of observation practice to detect abnormalities in vital signs prior to cardiac arrest and to determine the need for a MET system in Finnish hospitals.

METHODS

The charts of patients who suffered cardiac arrest during 18 months in four hospitals were reviewed. The vital signs, symptoms and interventions during 8 h prior to arrest were recorded and analyzed against trigger criteria of the MET.

RESULTS

During the study period, 110 patients suffered cardiac arrest in hospitals, and 56 (51%) of the arrests occurred on the wards. Of those patients, 30 (54%) had an abnormal vital sign fulfilling the MET criteria, documented on average 3.8 h prior to the arrest. During this period, 13 patients did not receive any intervention (e.g. supplemental oxygen or medication), eight received intervention within 1 h and nine received intervention after more than 1 h. Response to the first intervention was not attained in any patient; nevertheless re-interventions took place in one patient only.

CONCLUSION

Significant physiological deterioration seems to be common in the hours before a cardiac arrest on the wards of Finnish hospitals, suggesting that implementation of a MET-system may be worthwhile. However, the practice of vital sign observation by the nursing staff should be improved before maximal benefit of a MET can be achieved.

Efficacy and safety of intravenous levosimendan compared with dobutamine in severe low-output heart failure (the LIDO study): a randomised double-blind trial

BACKGROUND

Levosimendan, a novel calcium sensitiser, improves myocardial contractility without causing an increase in myocardial oxygen demand. We compared the effects of levosimendan and dobutamine on haemodynamic performance and clinical outcome in patients with low-output heart failure.

METHODS

Patients were recruited into a multicentre, randomised, double-blind, double-dummy, parallel-group trial. Under continuous haemodynamic monitoring, an initial loading dose of levosimendan of 24 microg/kg was infused over 10 min, followed by a continuous infusion of 0.1 microg kg(-1) min(-1) for 24 h. Dobutamine was infused for 24 h at an initial dose of 5 microg kg(-1) min(-1) without a loading dose. The infusion rate was doubled if the response was inadequate at 2h. The primary endpoint was the proportion of patients with haemodynamic improvement (defined as an increase of 30% or more in cardiac output and a decrease of 25% or more in pulmonary-capillary wedge pressure) at 24 h. Analyses were by intention to treat.

FINDINGS

103 patients were assigned levosimendan and 100 dobutamine. The primary haemodynamic endpoint was achieved in 29 (28%) levosimendan-group patients and 15 (15%) in the dobutamine group (hazard ratio 1.9 [95% CI 1.1-3.3]; p=0.022). At 180 days, 27 (26%) levosimendan-group patients had died, compared with 38 (38%) in the dobutamine group (0.57 [0.34-0.95]; p=0.029).

INTERPRETATION

In patients with severe, low-output heart failure, levosimendan improved haemodynamic performance more effectively than dobutamine. This benefit was accompanied by lower mortality in the levosimendan group than in the dobutamine group for up to 180 days.

The effect of androgen status on skeletal muscle myosin heavy chain mRNA and protein levels in rats recovering from immobilization

Immobilization rapidly alters skeletal muscle. The aim of the present study was to determine whether testosterone administration or, in contrast, hypogonadism affects the recovery of muscle mass and myosin heavy chain (MHC) profile at both the mRNA and protein level, after 1 week of immobilization. Male rats were assigned to one of five groups: control (C), hindlimb-immobilized (IMM), and recovery (REC; where animals were allowed 2 weeks of free cage-activity after immobilization). The recovery group was further divided to eugonadal (REC-C), castrated (REC-GDX), and a testosterone-treated (REC-T). In all groups except REC-T, the body masses after immobilization were smaller than in C, although after immobilization the body mass in REC-T recovered at a slower rate than in the other two REC groups. The gastrocnemius mass and the amount of type IIa MHC mRNA decreased during immobilization, but the control levels were regained after recovery. The amount of type IIb mRNA was reduced in REC-GDX compared to C and IMM. The changes in the relative distribution of MHC mRNA were in line with these results. After recovery, the proportion of type IIx MHC protein increased and type IIb protein decreased, although in REC-T the changes were not statistically significant. The proportion of type IIa MHC protein increased only in REC-GDX. In summary, during recovery from immobilization it seems that muscle mass increases and the MHC mRNA and protein profile tend to change toward a slower phenotype, primarily as a result of the decrease in type IIb MHC. However, these changes occur rather independently of the testosterone status.

Myosin heavy chain mRNA transform to faster isoforms in immobilized skeletal muscle: a quantitative PCR study

A quantitative polymerase chain reaction (PCR) method was used to measure the quantities of type I, IIa, IIx, and IIb myosin heavy chain (MHC) mRNA in total RNA preparations of the soleus, gastrocnemius, and plantaris muscles of normal and hindlimb-immobilized rats. Type IIx and even type IIb MHC mRNA were demonstrated at extremely low levels in normal soleus, 2.1 +/- 0.4 x 10(5) and 5.0 +/- 0.2 x 10(5) molecules of mRNA per microgram total RNA, respectively. Immobilization for 1 wk significantly altered the gene expression of MHC isoforms. In soleus, both type IIx and IIb MHC genes became significantly upregulated, 24-fold (P < 0.005) and 2.6-fold (P < 0.05), respectively. In gastrocnemius, the level of type IIa MHC mRNA decreased by 51% (P < 0.01) and the level of type IIx MHC mRNA increased by 140% (P < 0.05). In plantaris, the level of type IIa MHC mRNA decreased by 58% (P < 0.005). In conclusion, immobilization changed the MHC mRNA profile in three different types of skeletal muscle toward faster isoforms. The quantitative results permit reliable evaluation of changes in mRNA levels.

A clinical study of beta-haemolytic groups A, B, C and G streptococcal bacteremia in adults over an 8-year period

All of the 88 episodes of beta-haemolytic streptococcal bacteremia (2.9% of all bacteremias) in adult patients during the years 1987-94 in a university hospital were reviewed. 38 bacteremias (43%) were caused by group A, 24 (27%) by group B, 3 (4%) by group C, and 23 (26%) by group G beta-haemolytic streptococcal. There was a statistically significant increase in group A and decrease in group C and G bacteremias (p < 0.02) compared to an earlier 8-year period in the same hospital, although the total number of streptococcal bacteremias remained the same. The most common T types of group A streptococcal strains were T11 (26%), T28 (14%), T6 and T1 (11% each), and T12 (8%). Cardiovascular disease, skin lesions, malignancy, and alcohol abuse were the most common underlying conditions. The most usual types of infection were skin (47%) and respiratory tract infections (23%). The overall mortality was 16%. It was highest in group A (24%) and lowest in group C (0%), 38% of patients with pneumonia died. All streptococcal strains were sensitive to penicillin, vancomycin, and cephalosporins. 11% of group A and 12% of all the strains had decreased sensitivity to erythromycin, 14 and 38% to tetracycline, and 0 and 2% to clindamycin, respectively.

Report of four cases of Yersinia pseudotuberculosis septicemia and a literature review

Yersinia pseudotuberculosis is a rare cause of disease in humans, the most common manifestation being mesenteric lymphadenitis accompanied by abdominal pain and fever. A septicemic form of Yersinia pseudotuberculosis infection has been reported only rarely. It is usually seen in patients with underlying disorders such as diabetes, hepatic cirrhosis or iron overload. Fifty-four cases of septicemic infection were found in the literature. The earlier published cases are reviewed, and four cases occurring in Finland during the period February to June 1992 are reported.

Association of Stomatococcus mucilaginosus with cholangitis

The first case of cholangitis in which Stomatococcus mucilaginosus was cultured from bile is reported. A 64-year-old male became icteric and was shown to have gallstones in the gallbladder and a common bile duct stone which was removed endoscopically. As the patient remained icteric for a month thereafter the gallbladder with stones was removed. No common bile duct stone was shown by cholangiography perioperatively. The liver biopsy revealed cholangitis and Stomatococcus mucilaginosus was grown from the bile. The patient was cured by cholecystectomy without any antimicrobial therapy.

The effect of catechol-O-methyl transferase inhibition by entacapone on the pharmacokinetics and metabolism of levodopa in healthy volunteers

We studied the effect of inhibiting the enzyme catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT) by a novel COMT inhibitor, entacapone, on the pharmacokinetics and metabolism of levodopa in 12 healthy male volunteers. Single increasing oral doses of entacapone (50-400 mg) were administered concomitantly with a single oral dose of levodopa/carbidopa (100/25 mg). The subjects were treated with carbidopa (100 mg t.i.d.) for 1 day prior to the administration of study drugs. Plasma concentrations of levodopa; its metabolites 3-O-methyldopa (3-OMD), 3,4-dihydroxyphenylacetic acid (DOPAC), and homovanillic acid (HVA); as well as carbidopa and entacapone were determined for pharmacokinetic calculations. Entacapone dose-dependently increased the area under the plasma concentration-time curve (AUC) of levodopa; the increase was 65% after the 400 mg dose of entacapone. Neither Cmax nor Tmax of levodopa was statistically significantly influenced by entacapone. Entacapone dose-dependently decreased the AUC of 3-OMD, maximally by 58%. The AUC of DOPAC was statistically significantly increased but no change in the AUC of HVA was observed after entacapone. No drug-related adverse events or hemodynamic effects were observed. The in vivo biochemical effects of entacapone indicate that it is an orally active COMT inhibitor and that it may improve the therapeutic efficacy of levodopa in Parkinson's disease.