Remote intensive management to improve antiplatelet adherence in acute myocardial infarction: a secondary analysis of the randomized controlled IMMACULATE trial

This study aim to investigate if remote intensive coaching for the first 6 months post-AMI will improve adherence to the twice-a-day antiplatelet medication, ticagrelor. Between July 8, 2015, to March 29, 2019, AMI patients were randomly assigned to remote intensive management (RIM) or standard care (SC). RIM participants underwent 6 months of weekly then two-weekly consultations to review medication side effects and medication adherence coaching by a centralized nurse practitioner team, whereas SC participants received usual cardiologist face-to-face consultations. Adherence to ticagrelor were determined using pill counting and serial platelet reactivity measurements for 12 months. A total of 149 (49.5%) of participants were randomized to RIM and 152 (50.5%) to SC. Adherence to ticagrelor was similar between RIM and SC group at 1 month (94.4 ± 0.7% vs. 93.6±14.7%, p = 0.537), 6 months (91.0±14.6% vs. 90.6±14.8%, p = 0.832) and 12 months (87.4±17.0% vs. 89.8±12.5%, p = 0.688). There was also no significant difference in platelet reactivity between the RIM and SC groups at 1 month (251AU*min [212-328] vs. 267AU*min [208-351], p = 0.399), 6 months (239AU*min [165-308] vs. 235AU*min [171-346], p = 0.610) and 12 months (249AU*min [177-432] vs. 259AU*min [182-360], p = 0.678). Sensitivity analysis did not demonstrate any association of ticagrelor adherence with bleeding events and major adverse cardiovascular events. RIM, comprising 6 months of intensive coaching by nurse practitioners, did not improve adherence to the twice-a-day medication ticagrelor compared with SC among patients with AMI. A gradual decline in ticagrelor adherence over 12 months was observed despite 6 months of intensive coaching.

Association of body mass index, metabolic health status and clinical outcomes in acute myocardial infarction patients: a national registry-based study

Introduction

Obesity is an important risk factor for acute myocardial infarction (AMI), but the interplay between metabolic health and obesity on AMI mortality has been controversial. In this study, we aimed to elucidate the risk of short- and long-term all-cause mortality by obesity and metabolic health in AMI patients using data from a multi-ethnic national AMI registry.

Methods

A total of 73,382 AMI patients from the national Singapore Myocardial Infarction Registry (SMIR) were included. These patients were classified into four groups based on the presence or absence of metabolic diseases, diabetes mellitus, hyperlipidaemia, and hypertension, and obesity: (1) metabolically-healthy-normal-weight (MHN); (2) metabolically-healthy-obese (MHO); (3) metabolically-unhealthy-normal-weight (MUN); and (4) metabolically-unhealthy-obese (MUO).

Results

MHO patients had reduced unadjusted risk of all-cause in-hospital, 30-day, 1-year, 2-year, and 5-year mortality following the initial MI event. However, after adjusting for potential confounders, the protective effect from MHO on post-AMI mortality was lost. Furthermore, there was no reduced risk of recurrent MI or stroke within 1-year from onset of AMI by the MHO status. However, the risk of 1-year mortality was higher in female and Malay AMI patients with MHO compared to MHN even after adjusting for confounders.

Conclusion

In AMI patients with or without metabolic diseases, the presence of obesity did not affect mortality. The exception to this finding were female and Malay MHO who had worse long-term AMI mortality outcomes when compared to MHN suggesting that the presence of obesity in female and Malay patients may confer worsened outcomes.

Left Ventricular Ejection Fraction Association with Acute Ischemic Stroke Outcomes in Patients Undergoing Thrombolysis

(1) Background: Little is known about how left ventricular systolic dysfunction (LVSD) affects functional and clinical outcomes in acute ischemic stroke (AIS) patients undergoing thrombolysis; (2) Methods: A retrospective observational study conducted between 2006 and 2018 included 937 consecutive AIS patients undergoing thrombolysis. LVSD was defined as left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) < 50%. Univariate and multivariate binary logistic regression analysis was performed for demographic characteristics. Ordinal shift regression was used for functional modified Rankin Scale (mRS) outcome at 3 months. Survival analysis of mortality, heart failure (HF) admission, myocardial infarction (MI) and stroke/transient ischemic attack (TIA) was evaluated with a Cox-proportional hazards model; (3) Results: LVSD patients in comparison with LVEF ≥ 50% patients accounted for 190 and 747 patients, respectively. LVSD patients had more comorbidities including diabetes mellitus (100 (52.6%) vs. 280 (37.5%), p < 0.001), atrial fibrillation (69 (36.3%) vs. 212 (28.4%), p = 0.033), ischemic heart disease (130 (68.4%) vs. 145 (19.4%), p < 0.001) and HF (150 (78.9%) vs. 46 (6.2%), p < 0.001). LVSD was associated with worse functional mRS outcomes at 3 months (adjusted OR 1.41, 95% CI 1.03-1.92, p = 0.030). Survival analysis identified LVSD to significantly predict all-cause mortality (adjusted HR [aHR] 3.38, 95% CI 1.74-6.54, p < 0.001), subsequent HF admission (aHR 4.23, 95% CI 2.17-8.26, p < 0.001) and MI (aHR 2.49, 95% CI 1.44-4.32, p = 0.001). LVSD did not predict recurrent stroke/TIA (aHR 1.15, 95% CI 0.77-1.72, p = 0.496); (4) Conclusions: LVSD in AIS patients undergoing thrombolysis was associated with increased all-cause mortality, subsequent HF admission, subsequent MI and poorer functional outcomes, highlighting a need to optimize LVEF.

Effects of medical therapy, transcatheter intervention, and surgery on outcomes of patients with functional mitral regurgitation: a systematic review and network meta-analysis

Funding Acknowledgements

Type of funding sources: Public Institution(s). Main funding source(s): Ching-Hui Sia was supported by the National University of Singapore Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine's Junior Academic Fellowship Scheme.

Background

Functional mitral regurgitation (FMR) is the most common valvular heart disease worldwide. Despite recent major trials, the relative efficacy between medical therapy, transcatheter intervention, and surgery for the treatment of FMR remains poorly understood.

Purpose

We performed a systematic review and network meta-analysis of all published randomised controlled trials (RCTs) and observational studies to compare the efficacy between medical therapy, transcatheter intervention, and surgery on the clinical outcomes of patients with FMR.

Methods

Four electronic databases (PubMed, EMBASE, SCOPUS, and the Cochrane Library) were searched from inception to March 13, 2022, for studies reporting clinical outcomes in patients with FMR and comparing the efficacy between either medical therapy, transcatheter intervention, or surgery. Frequentist network meta-analysis models were utilised to summarise the studies. This study was registered in the International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews.

Results

10 articles were included in the analysis, comprising a combined cohort of 1,981 patients. Network meta-analysis demonstrated that compared to medical therapy, transcatheter intervention achieved a lower relative risk in the composites of all-cause mortality (risk ratio [RR]: 0.43; 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.22-0.82) and mitral regurgitation (MR) severity grade ≥3+ (RR: 0.06; 95% CI 0.01-0.42). Compared to surgery, transcatheter intervention achieved a lower relative risk in the composites of cardiovascular death (RR: 0.36; 95% CI 0.17-0.75) and MR severity grade ≥3+ (RR: 0.25; 95% CI 0.09-0.70) and higher relative risk in the composite of heart failure hospitalisation (RR: 2.94; 95% CI 1.26-6.82). Compared to medical therapy, surgery achieved a higher relative risk in the composite of cardiovascular death (RR: 2.54; 95% CI 1.18-5.47) and lower relative risks in the composites of all-cause mortality (RR: 0.56; 95% CI 0.34-0.91) and heart failure hospitalisation (RR: 0.28; 95% CI 0.13-0.61).

Conclusion

Medical therapy, transcatheter intervention, and surgery in patients with FMR displayed differing effects on the various clinical outcomes. Further head-to-head trials are required to better understand the optimal treatment modality in this population.

Association of left atrial ejection fraction and cardiovascular outcomes in Asian patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy

Funding Acknowledgements

Type of funding sources: Public Institution(s). Main funding source(s): National University of Singapore Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine's Junior Academic Fellowship Scheme

Background

The optimal method of risk stratification of hyp­ertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) patients, especially in the Asian population, is unknown. Left atrial ejection fraction (LAEF) is an emerging risk marker for cardiovascular outcomes. This study aimed to investigate whether LAEF was associated with cardiovascular outcomes in Asian patients with HCM.

Methods

This was a retrospective cohort study performed in a tertiary academic centre involving 291 consecutive patients diagnosed with HCM between 2010 and 2017. We collected the relevant clinical characteristics of these patients and retrospectively analysed the index transthoracic echocardiograms for novel left atrial indices including LAEF. We obtained the maximum (LAVmax) and minimum left atrial volumes (LAVmin) using the biplane method of disks in apical 4- and 2-chamber views. LAEF was derived by dividing the difference between LAVmax and LAVmin by LAVmax. We assessed the patients for outcomes of (1) heart failure requiring admission, and (2) a composite of adverse outcomes including all-cause mortality, ventricular tachycardia / ventricular fibrillation (VT/VF) events, appropriate device therapy if an implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) was implanted, stroke and heart failure hospitalization.

Results

The patients had a mean age of 59.0 ± 16.7 years-old at diagnosis and had a male preponderance (71.2%). The most common comorbidities were hypertension, diabetes mellitus and ischemic heart disease. On univariable logistic regression analysis, maximum and minimum left atrial volume index (LAVI) as well as LAEF showed a significant association with heart failure and the predefined composite outcome. On Cox regression analysis adjusting for variables of age, sex, left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF), left ventricular maximal wall thickness &gt;30mm, significant left ventricular outflow tract (LVOT) gradient of &gt; 30mmHg and more than moderate mitral regurgitation, maximum and minimum LAVI as well as LAEF retained an association with heart failure admission but only minimum LAVI and LAEF were associated with the composite outcome [(OR 0.019, 95% CI 0.02-0.230, p=0.002), (OR 0.226, 95% CI 0.053-0.960, p=0.044), (OR 1.030, 95% CI 1.016-1.045, p&lt;0.001), and (OR 1.016, 95% CI 1.005-1.026, p=0.004) respectively].

Conclusion

LAEF was an independently associated with congestive heart failure as well as a composite of adverse outcomes in Asian patients with HCM.

Natural history of functional mitral regurgitation: a systematic review and individual patient data meta-analysis

Funding Acknowledgements

Type of funding sources: Public Institution(s). Main funding source(s): Ching-Hui Sia was supported by the National University of Singapore Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine's Junior Academic Fellowship Scheme.

Background

Functional mitral regurgitation (FMR) precipitates a vicious cycle of left ventricular volume overload and remodelling, leading to perpetual worsening of FMR and left ventricular dysfunction, with a resultant poor prognosis. However, there is a lack of conclusive data on the natural progression of FMR in patients who do not undergo valvular intervention.

Purpose

We performed a one-stage meta-analysis on reconstructed individual patient data (IPD) to elucidate the natural history of FMR.

Methods

Four databases (PubMed, Embase, Scopus, Cochrane) were searched for randomised controlled trials or cohorts, published from inception to March 13, 2022, reporting clinical outcomes in patients with FMR not receiving valvular intervention. IPD meta-analysis, as the gold standard approach for evidence synthesis, was performed with reconstructed IPD obtained from the survival curves reported in the included studies. Pooled survival estimates were derived. Quality assessment of included studies was conducted using the Cochrane risk-of-bias tool and Newcastle Ottawa Scale. This study was registered on the International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews.

Results

A total of five studies were included, comprising a total cohort of 691 patients with FMR who did not undergo valvular intervention. The mean age of the cohort was 72.4 years (95% CI 67.6 to 77.1) and the proportion of males was 61.1% (95% CI 43.8 to 76.0). All-cause mortality was analysed over a follow-up duration of five years, while hospitalisation for heart failure, cardiovascular death, and the composite of all-cause mortality and hospitalisation for heart failure were analysed over a follow-up duration of three years. The probability of survival of patients with FMR without intervention was 79.4% (95% CI 76.2 to 82.3), 50.9% (95% CI 46.6 to 55.1), and 39.6% (95% CI 33.1 to 46.0) at one, three, and five years respectively. The probability of survival free from the composite of all-cause mortality and hospitalisation for heart failure was 51.3% (95% CI 46.8 to 55.6) and 12.0% (95% CI 8.9 to 15.7) at one year and three years respectively. The probability of survival free from hospitalisation for heart failure was 58.3% (95% CI 54.0 to 62.3) and 19.7% (95% CI 16.0 to 23.7) at one and three years respectively. The probability of survival free from cardiovascular death was 75.4% (95% CI 68.9 to 80.8) and 45.6% (95% CI 29.1 to 60.7) at one and three years respectively. All included studies were of low to moderate risk of bias.

Conclusion

FMR in the absence of valvular intervention is associated with poor survival and cardiovascular outcomes. Further research should focus on the role of interventions to mitigate its poor prognosis.

Comparison of Mortality Outcomes in Acute Myocardial Infarction Patients With or Without Standard Modifiable Cardiovascular Risk Factors

Background

Acute myocardial infarction (AMI) cases have decreased in part due to the advent of targeted therapies for standard modifiable cardiovascular disease risk factors (SMuRF). Recent studies have reported that ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) patients without SMuRF (termed “SMuRF-less”) may be increasing in prevalence and have worse outcomes than “SMuRF-positive” patients. As these studies have been limited to STEMI and comprised mainly Caucasian cohorts, we investigated the changes in the prevalence and mortality of both SMuRF-less STEMI and non-STEMI (NSTEMI) patients in a multiethnic Asian population.

Methods

We evaluated 23,922 STEMI and 62,631 NSTEMI patients from a national multiethnic registry. Short-term cardiovascular and all-cause mortalities in SMuRF-less patients were compared to SMuRF-positive patients.

Results

The proportions of SMuRF-less STEMI but not of NSTEMI have increased over the years. In hospitals, all-cause and cardiovascular mortality and 1-year cardiovascular mortality were significantly higher in SMuRF-less STEMI after adjustment for age, creatinine, and hemoglobin. However, this difference did not remain after adjusting for anterior infarction, cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), and Killip class. There were no differences in mortality in SMuRF-less NSTEMI. In contrast to Chinese and Malay patients, SMuRF-less patients of South Asian descent had a two-fold higher risk of in-hospital all-cause mortality even after adjusting for features of increased disease severity.

Conclusion

SMuRF-less patients had an increased risk of mortality with STEMI, suggesting that there may be unidentified nonstandard risk factors predisposing SMuRF-less patients to a worse prognosis. This group of patients may benefit from more intensive secondary prevention strategies to improve clinical outcomes.

Novel predictive role for mid-regional proadrenomedullin in moderate to severe aortic stenosis

OBJECTIVE

We investigated the prognostic significance of selected known and novel circulating biomarkers in aortic stenosis (AS).

METHODS

N-terminal pro-BNP (NT-proBNP), high-sensitivity troponin-T (hsTnT), growth differentiation factor-15 (GDF-15), suppression of tumorigenicity-2 (ST2), mid-regional proadrenomedullin (MR-proADM) and mid-regional proatrial natriuretic peptide (MR-proANP) were measured in patients with moderate to severe AS, New York Heart Association (NYHA) class I-II and left ventricular ejection fraction ≥50%, recruited consecutively across five centres from 2011 to 2018. Their ability to predict both primary (all-cause mortality, heart failure hospitalisation or progression to NYHA class III-IV) and secondary (additionally incorporating syncope and acute coronary syndrome) outcomes was determined by competing risk analyses.

RESULTS

Among 173 patients with AS (age 69±11 years, 55% male, peak transaortic velocity (Vmax) 4.0±0.8 m/s), the primary and secondary outcomes occurred in 59 (34%) and 66 (38%), respectively. With aortic valve replacement as a competing risk, the primary outcome was determined consistently by the comorbidity index and each selected biomarker except ST2 (p<0.05), independent of NYHA class, Vmax, LV-global longitudinal strain and serum creatinine. MR-proADM had the highest discriminative value for both primary (subdistribution HR (SHR) 11.3, 95% CI 3.9 to 32.7) and secondary outcomes (SHR 12.6, 95% CI 4.7 to 33.5). Prognostic assessment of dual-biomarker combinations identified MR-proADM plus either hsTnT or NT-proBNP as the best predictive model for both clinical outcomes. Paired biomarker models were not superior to those including MR-proADM as the sole circulating biomarker.

CONCLUSION

MR-proADM most powerfully portended worse prognosis and should be further assessed as possibly the biomarker of choice for risk stratification in AS.

Remote Postdischarge Treatment of Patients With Acute Myocardial Infarction by Allied Health Care Practitioners vs Standard Care: The IMMACULATE Randomized Clinical Trial

Question

Is remote postdischarge treatment of low-risk patients with acute myocardial infarction by a centralized nurse clinician team under physician supervision feasible and safe?

Findings

In this multicenter randomized clinical trial of 301 participants, there were no significant differences in safety events, medication adjustment, or left ventricular reverse remodeling outcomes in low-risk patients with acute myocardial infarction treated for 6 months after discharge by a centralized nurse practitioner–led telehealth program compared with standard in-person care by a cardiologist.

Meaning

Remote telehealth-enabled allied health care practitioner–led postdischarge management of low-risk patients with acute myocardial infarction is feasible and should be studied in higher-risk acute myocardial infarction cohorts.

Importance

There are few data on remote postdischarge treatment of patients with acute myocardial infarction.

Objective

To compare the safety and efficacy of allied health care practitioner–led remote intensive management (RIM) with cardiologist-led standard care (SC).

Design, Setting, and Participants

This intention-to-treat feasibility trial randomized patients with acute myocardial infarction undergoing early revascularization and with N-terminal–pro-B-type natriuretic peptide concentration more than 300 pg/mL to RIM or SC across 3 hospitals in Singapore from July 8, 2015, to March 29, 2019. RIM participants underwent 6 months of remote consultations that included β-blocker and angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor/angiotensin receptor blocker (ACE-I/ARB) dose adjustment by a centralized nurse practitioner team while SC participants were treated face-to-face by their cardiologists.

Main Outcomes and Measures

The primary safety end point was a composite of hypotension, bradycardia, hyperkalemia, or acute kidney injury requiring hospitalization. To assess the efficacy of RIM in dose adjustment of β-blockers and ACE-I/ARBs compared with SC, dose intensity scores were derived by converting comparable doses of different β-blockers and ACE-I/ARBs to a scale from 0 to 5. The primary efficacy end point was the 6-month indexed left ventricular end-systolic volume (LVESV) adjusted for baseline LVESV.

Results

Of 301 participants, 149 (49.5%) were randomized to RIM and 152 (50.5%) to SC. RIM and SC participants had similar mean (SD) age (55.3 [8.5] vs 54.7 [9.1] years), median (interquartile range) N-terminal–pro-B-type natriuretic peptide concentration (807 [524-1360] vs 819 [485-1320] pg/mL), mean (SD) baseline left ventricular ejection fraction (57.4% [11.1%] vs 58.1% [10.3%]), and mean (SD) indexed LVESV (32.4 [14.1] vs 30.6 [11.7] mL/m²); 15 patients [5.9%] had a left ventricular ejection fraction <40%. The primary safety end point occurred in 0 RIM vs 2 SC participants (1.4%) (P = .50). The mean β-blocker and ACE-I/ARB dose intensity score at 6 months was 3.03 vs 2.91 (adjusted mean difference, 0.12 [95% CI, −0.02 to 0.26; P = .10]) and 2.96 vs 2.77 (adjusted mean difference, 0.19 [95% CI, −0.02 to 0.40; P = .07]), respectively. The 6-month indexed LVESV was 28.9 vs 29.7 mL/m² (adjusted mean difference, −0.80 mL/m² [95% CI, −3.20 to 1.60; P = .51]).

Conclusions and Relevance

Among low-risk patients with revascularization after myocardial infarction, RIM by allied health care professionals was feasible and safe. There were no differences in achieved medication doses or indices of left ventricular remodeling. Further studies of RIM in higher-risk cohorts are warranted.

Trial Registration

ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT02468349

Constrictive Pericarditis Following Correction of Partial Anomalous Pulmonary Venous Drainage

We report the case of a 23-year-old man who developed constrictive pericarditis within four months after pulmonary valve replacement and repair of partial anomalous pulmonary venous connection. He had previously undergone repair of tetralogy of Fallot in infancy. After an unsuccessful trial of medical management for persistent right heart failure, magnetic resonance imaging was done, which showed a thickened pericardium. He underwent a radical pericardiectomy with a good outcome. The case is presented to illustrate a less well-recognized cause of cardiac failure following congenital cardiac surgery, which may otherwise be attributed to the failure of surgery or residual complications.

Demographics of severe valvular aortic stenosis in Singapore

INTRODUCTION

The treatment of aortic valve stenosis (AS) is seeing renewed interest mainly due to the availability of transcatheter therapies. However, the number of epidemiological studies of this disease in Singapore is limited. We aimed to describe the aetiology and clinical presentation of AS in Singapore, as well as patients' attitudes toward it. Our findings may facilitate the future planning and utilisation of resources to better manage these patients.

METHODS

249 consecutive patients who underwent transthoracic echocardiography (from April 1999 to April 2008) and diagnosed with severe AS were assessed. Demographic and clinical data were collected, and patients' decisions on surgery were determined.

RESULTS

The mean patient age was 71 (range 23-98) years. 50.2% of patients were male. The commonest presenting symptom was dyspnoea, and 40 (16.0%) patients had coexistent atrial fibrillation. The aetiology of AS was degenerative in 216 (86.7%), rheumatic in 11 (4.4%) and related to a bicuspid valve in 22 (8.9%) patients. The average peak velocity across the aortic valve was 4.2 ± 0.8 m/s and the mean aortic valve area was 0.76 ± 0.13 cm2. The overall mean logistic EuroSCORE was 10.7 ± 12.3. 105 (42.2%) patients who were offered surgery refused. 87 (35%) deaths were seen during the follow-up period (mean duration 14.5 months), which also saw 68 (27%) patients undergo surgery and 86 (34%) patients hospitalised for heart failure.

CONCLUSION

Degenerative AS was the commonest aetiology in this contemporary cohort of patients. Despite the known benefits of surgery, the refusal rate for surgery remained high.

Meeting regulatory requirements by the use of cell phone text message notification with autoescalation and loop closure for reporting of critical laboratory results

Critical laboratory results require timely and accurate transmission to the appropriate caregiver to provide intervention to prevent an adverse outcome. We report the use of text messages to notify critical laboratory results in a large teaching hospital to manage the documentation and audit requirements of critical result reporting by regulatory agencies. The text messaging system (critical reportable result health care messaging system [CRR-HMS]) allows a receiver to acknowledge or reject a critical result by short message service reply. Failure to obtain a confirmatory receipt within 10 minutes produces an automated escalation to an alternative physician according to a roster. The median time required for physician response decreased from 7.3 minutes to 2 minutes after implementation of the CRR-HMS. The CRR-HMS is a clinically useful tool to rapidly communicate critical results to targeted physicians to facilitate rapid and timely intervention. This feature seems to be an important laboratory process mediator, and recent Joint Commission reviews have placed this as a requirement.

Clinically compressed digital echocardiography: a patient-safe alternative to videotape review

INTRODUCTION

Digital storage of echocardiographic data offers logistical advantages over videotape archival. However, limited information is available on the accuracy of clinically compressed digitised examinations, an important consideration for patient safety.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Transthoracic echocardiograms of 520 consecutive patients were prospectively acquired digitally and on videotape. Two echocardiologists, in consensus, reported studies in both formats sequentially. Using the videotape as a reference, the significance of any reported differences was graded from both imaging and clinical standpoints, and the reasons for these differences identified.

RESULTS

From an imaging perspective, differences between digital and videotaped studies were absent or minor in 459 cases (88%), fairly significant in 55 (11%) and very significant in 6 (1%). The main reasons for the observed differences were inadequate acquisition of optimal views (59%), an insufficient number of acquired cardiac cycles (25%) and suboptimal image quality (9%). These differences were considered to be of possible or definite clinical importance in 21 (4%) and 8 (2%) cases, respectively. In multinominal logistic regression models, the only independent predictor of significant difference between digitised and videotaped images was study complexity. Regardless of case complexity, most diagnostic errors arising from digital review were attributable to technical failure rather than observer error.

CONCLUSIONS

The potential for important errors arising from exclusive reporting of clinically compressed digital echocardiograms is small. Digital echocardiography, as practiced in a routine clinical setting, offers a patient-safe alternative to videotape review.

ReoPro Observational Registry (RAPOR): insights from the multicentre use of abciximab in Asia

INTRODUCTION

The pattern of use of abciximab in real-life clinical patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) in 11 high-volume centres in Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Philippines, India, Pakistan and Korea was prospectively examined.

METHODS

These centres enrolled 224 consecutive patients over eight months to receive abciximab during PCI for the study. The cohort consisted of 82.1 percent males, with mean age of 55 (+/- 11) years and mean weight of 67 (+/- 17) kg.

RESULTS

The use of abciximab during PCI ranged between 6.2 percent and 21.6 percent. The indications for the use of abciximab were: acute coronary syndromes (34.3 percent), complex coronary lesions (17.9 percent) and multivessel PCI (17.7 percent). Based on a risk scoring system devised for this registry, majority (60.0 percent) of the patients was considered high risk when abciximab was used. Among the patients enrolled, 36.6 percent received abciximab as a "bail-out". The overall in-hospital ischaemic event rates were low at 4.0 percent. The complication rates included major bleeding 0.7 percent, thrombocytopenia 2.7 percent and need for blood transfusion 2.8 percent. There was a trend towards a higher incidence of in-hospital non-Q myocardial infarction in the "bail-out" group (2.1 percent versus 7.3 percent, p-value equals 0.07).

CONCLUSION

Abxicimab was uncommonly used among patients (9.4 percent) undergoing PCI in this Asian region, with the operators reserving it mainly for high-risk patients.