Colchicine in Patients with Chronic Coronary Disease

BACKGROUND

Evidence from a recent trial has shown that the antiinflammatory effects of colchicine reduce the risk of cardiovascular events in patients with recent myocardial infarction, but evidence of such a risk reduction in patients with chronic coronary disease is limited.

METHODS

In a randomized, controlled, double-blind trial, we assigned patients with chronic coronary disease to receive 0.5 mg of colchicine once daily or matching placebo. The primary end point was a composite of cardiovascular death, spontaneous (nonprocedural) myocardial infarction, ischemic stroke, or ischemia-driven coronary revascularization. The key secondary end point was a composite of cardiovascular death, spontaneous myocardial infarction, or ischemic stroke.

RESULTS

A total of 5522 patients underwent randomization; 2762 were assigned to the colchicine group and 2760 to the placebo group. The median duration of follow-up was 28.6 months. A primary end-point event occurred in 187 patients (6.8%) in the colchicine group and in 264 patients (9.6%) in the placebo group (incidence, 2.5 vs. 3.6 events per 100 person-years; hazard ratio, 0.69; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.57 to 0.83; P<0.001). A key secondary end-point event occurred in 115 patients (4.2%) in the colchicine group and in 157 patients (5.7%) in the placebo group (incidence, 1.5 vs. 2.1 events per 100 person-years; hazard ratio, 0.72; 95% CI, 0.57 to 0.92; P = 0.007). The incidence rates of spontaneous myocardial infarction or ischemia-driven coronary revascularization (composite end point), cardiovascular death or spontaneous myocardial infarction (composite end point), ischemia-driven coronary revascularization, and spontaneous myocardial infarction were also significantly lower with colchicine than with placebo. The incidence of death from noncardiovascular causes was higher in the colchicine group than in the placebo group (incidence, 0.7 vs. 0.5 events per 100 person-years; hazard ratio, 1.51; 95% CI, 0.99 to 2.31).

CONCLUSIONS

In a randomized trial involving patients with chronic coronary disease, the risk of cardiovascular events was significantly lower among those who received 0.5 mg of colchicine once daily than among those who received placebo. (Funded by the National Health Medical Research Council of Australia and others; LoDoCo2 Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry number, ACTRN12614000093684.).

Fat necrosis in surveillance biopsies of heart transplants

Fat necrosis was observed in surveillance biopsies of five patients following heart transplant. This reaction is poorly documented in the literature, but in personal communication, some pathologists working in the field have had experience with it. Four of the cases developed two to six days after transplantation, but in the fifth case, fat necrosis developed ten months after transplantation. Autopsy study of one case showed extensive severe fat necrosis involving both donor and recipient tissues. The cause is not known, and the changes are independent of rejection. However, the fat necrosis can be found within the interstitial tissues of the myocardium and subendocardium and may be mistaken for rejection if lymphocytes and polymorphs are part of the inflammatory response. The only clinical finding thought to be related to the fat necrosis was the development of transient complete heart block in a patient in whom the International Society for Heart and Lung Transplantation (ISHLT) standardised rejection grading was never greater than IA.

Transoesophageal echocardiographic examination of a patient with venacaval and pericardial tears after blunt chest trauma

A 58-yr-old male was admitted with blunt thoracic and abdominal trauma. Transoesophageal echocardiography (TEE) was performed acutely to determine the cause of intrathoracic haemorrhage. We found atrial septal haematoma and tear, which have not been described previously, and which may be useful indicators of major intrathoracic venous tears which are always difficult to diagnose. Although the outcome was not altered in this case, we feel that TEE is a useful adjunct in the diagnosis of acute thoracic trauma.

Placebo-controlled trial of enteric coated aspirin in coronary bypass graft patients. Effect on graft patency

OBJECTIVE

To determine whether slow-release enteric coated aspirin (100 mg daily), commenced before operation, improves the patency of saphenous vein (SV) coronary artery bypass grafts at six months.

DESIGN AND SETTING

Double-blind, randomised, placebo-controlled study at a teaching hospital.

RESULTS

One hundred and forty patients were randomly allocated to receive enteric coated aspirin or matching placebo. Similar groups of 50 (aspirin) and 52 (placebo) subjects completed the six months follow-up and had an angiogram to assess patency. Five patients treated with aspirin and nine who received placebo had at least one occluded SV graft; the distal ends of 6 of 128 SV grafts in aspirin-treated patients (4.7%) and 13 of 145 SV grafts in patients in the placebo group (9.0%) were occluded--the difference was not significant. An arterial graft was occluded in one other patient in each group (3% of arterial grafts). There was more postoperative blood loss, on average, in patients treated with aspirin, but the difference was not significant. Only one patient was withdrawn from long-term therapy because of possible gastrointestinal symptoms; most withdrawals from the trial were necessitated by commencement of aspirin or non-steroidal anti-inflammatory therapy for musculo-skeletal disorders.

CONCLUSIONS

The coronary bypass graft occlusion rate six months after surgery was low, and was lower on average in aspirin treated subjects but not significantly so. Long-term treatment with low-dose aspirin is recommended unless contraindicated.

Comparison of meglumine sodium diatrizoate, iopamidol, and iohexol for coronary angiography and ventriculography

Meglumine sodium diatrizoate (Urografin), iopamidol, and iohexol were compared in a double-blind, randomized study of 287 patients undergoing elective cardiac angiography. Ninety-six patients received Urografin, 98 received iopamidol, and 92 received iohexol. The groups were similar in all respects. Variables measured before and after contrast injection were left ventricular end-diastolic pressure (LVEDP), left ventricular systolic pressure (LVSP), systolic arterial pressure (SAP), RR, PR, and QTc intervals, QRS duration, ST segment change greater than 2 mm, arrhythmias, and symptoms. The adequacy of coronary and ventricular opacification was assessed by two experienced observers. Following left ventriculography, small rises in LVEDP occurred with iopamidol and iohexol (mean +/- SD: 18 +/- 7 to 21 +/- 7 mmHg) and a moderate fall in LVSP with Urografin (150 +/- 32 to 133 +/- 32 mmHg). Following coronary angiography there was a progressive fall in SAP (130 +/- 26 to 117 +/- 30 mmHg) and prolongation of RR intervals (900 +/- 138 to 1,266 +/- 692 msec) and QTc (440 +/- 61 to 471 +/- 73 msec) and QRS duration (87 +/- 25 to 100 +/- 27 msec) with Urografin. There was a small fall in SAP with iopamidol (138 +/- 25 to 128 +/- 27 mmHg) and prolongation of QRS duration with iohexol (85 +/- 29 to 90 +/- 24 msec). Other parameters were not significantly affected. Frequent bradyarrhythmias (sinus pause 14.5%, asystole 6%) and ST segment depression occurred following Urografin. Urografin was less well tolerated, with 10% of patients experiencing severe nausea or vomiting and 30% of patients experiencing extreme heat sensation. Differences between iohexol and iopamidol were minor.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Safety and convenience of a mechanical injector pump for coronary angiography

Coronary angiography and left ventriculography was performed in 5,887 consecutive patients over a 5-year period using a mechanical injector pump activated by a foot switch. Five coronary dissections occurred, four of the right coronary artery and one of the left internal mammary artery, which had been grafted to the left anterior descending artery. One patient had angina following an air embolus; there were no significant intramyocardial injections of contrast agent. The pressure generated in the catheter by hand injection of contrast agent was compared with that generated by the injector pump. Contrast agent was injected through a 7F Judkins Right 4 and an 8F Sones catheter by hand at slow, medium, and fast rates by hand and by the injector pump at 2,3, and 4 ml/sec; maximum pressure generated was recorded. Although the pressures generated through a Sones catheter were similar using both methods, pressures with hand injection were much more variable. The pressures generated with hand injection through a Judkins catheter were lower than those with pump injection, but again the pressures showed much greater variability with hand injection. The pump was found to be safe, reliable, predictable, and convenient when used for coronary angiography with Sones and Judkins catheters. It eliminates the need for a trained assistant during the procedure of coronary angiography.

Day case cardiac catheterisation--a safe and economic alternative

Cardiac catheterisation, as a day procedure, has been performed at the Royal Perth Hospital since November 1985. During the 23 month period from November 1985 to September 1987, there have been 1398 day procedures carried out. One hundred and twelve patients (8%) required overnight admission as a consequence of the procedure--39 patients for routine observation, 41 patients for minor hemorrhage from the brachial arteriotomy or femoral artery puncture site; 12 patients for severe angina: three patients with reversible ischemic neurological deficits; two patients with stroke; four patients with transient brachial artery occlusion; two patients with arrhythmias and eight patients for miscellaneous reasons. One patient discharged on the day of the procedure required subsequent re-admission for treatment of an acute myocardial infarction. There were no deaths. The financial cost saving to the hospital in real terms is estimated to be $41.50 per patient and to the community a further saving of $25 per patient due to a reduction in sick leave. The minimum total cost saving to the taxpayer for the 1,285 patients managed as day cases was $85,000. Cardiac catheterisation can be performed as a day procedure with low morbidity, low mortality and modest cost savings to a major hospital.

Effect of early anticoagulation on the frequency of left ventricular thrombi after anterior wall acute myocardial infarction

To determine the effect of early anticoagulation on the incidence of left ventricular thrombi complicating anterior acute myocardial infarction (AMI), 82 consecutive patients admitted within 12 hours of symptom onset and with electrocardiographic changes consistent with anterior AMI were randomly assigned to 1 of 2 treatment groups. Group 1 patients received high-dose intravenous heparin to maintain the whole blood clotting time between 15 and 20 minutes, and commenced warfarin therapy within 48 hours. Group 2 patients received low-dose subcutaneous heparin and warfarin therapy if the peak creatine kinase level was more than 1,000 U/liter. Eighteen group 2 patients received warfarin, but none had a therapeutic prothrombin ratio within 5 days. The presence and morphologic characteristics of thrombus were assessed by serial 2-dimensional echocardiography. Thirty patients were excluded because AMI was not confirmed or because of technically unsatisfactory echocardiograms, death, surgery or, in group 1 patients, inadequate anticoagulation. Thrombi were identified in 29 of 52 patients (56%): in 14 of 25 group 1 patients (56%) and 15 of 27 group 2 patients (56%). Twenty-three thrombi formed within 3 days. Thrombi were protruding rather than mural only in 3 group 2 patients. The groups did not differ in baseline characteristics or in incidence, time of appearance or morphologic characteristics of thrombus (p greater than 0.05, beta for more than 25% reduction in incidence with group 1 treatment less than 0.10). Systemic embolism occurred only in 1 group 2 patient with mural thrombus.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Venous thromboembolism to the heart. A case report and review of treatment

Venous thromboembolism to the heart is a rare and often fatal condition that is now being recognized more frequently owing to the widespread use of two-dimensional echocardiography. Death may be due to embolic obstruction of the tricuspid or the pulmonary valves, or to further migration of the embolus to the pulmonary arteries. The incidence of early recurrent pulmonary embolism is high. When used as primary treatment, medical treatment (anticoagulation or fibrinolytic therapy) failed in eight of 13 reported cases. Only one of eight patients died when surgical embolectomy was undertaken. We believe that an echocardiographic diagnosis of venous thromboembolism to the heart is sufficient evidence to warrant urgent surgical embolectomy. An undue delay in definitive treatment is often fatal.

Arterial response to venous occlusion in normotensive and hypertensive subjects

Plethysmographic blood flow records made shortly after venous occlusion of the forearm showed a biphasic response, first vasodilator then vasoconstrictor, in both normotensive and hypertensive subjects. The vasodilator component of this response was significantly lower in hypertensive than in normotensive subjects, whereas the vasoconstrictor component was identical. The decreased vasodilator capacity of the forearm resistance vessels in hypertension may indicate structural adaptation of these vessels, while the unaltered vasoconstrictor response is against any increased myogenic activity in the vascular smooth muscle in hypertensive subjects.

Echocardiographic diagnosis of cardiac embolus

We describe a case of thromboembolism to the right atrium, diagnosed echocardiographically. The thrombus subsequently embolised to the pulmonary arteries with survival of the patient.

A comparison of intravenous and intracoronary streptokinase in acute myocardial infarction

A randomised study of intravenous and intracoronary streptokinase therapy was carried out in 20 subjects with acute myocardial infarction and angiographically confirmed complete obstruction of the associated coronary artery. Two dose levels of therapy were used. Although more recanalisations occurred with intracoronary than intravenous therapy at the low dose levels, overall there was not a significant difference between the two groups; one million IU intravenously over 20 minutes recanalised four of five arteries. While seven of nine recanalisations with intracoronary therapy occurred within an hour, only two of five with intravenous therapy did so. Hence prolonged angiographic observation is necessary to document recanalisation with intravenous therapy adequately. Nevertheless, the time disadvantage of large dose intravenous therapy is not great and it may yet prove as effective as, and more practical than, intracoronary therapy.

Acute effects of moderate alcohol consumption on blood pressure and plasma catecholamines

This study examines the response of blood pressure, plasma catecholamines and cortisol to acute alcohol intake in young men with light to moderate drinking habits. Ingestion of alcohol was associated with a highly significant increase in systolic blood pressure and heart rate which occurred before blood alcohol reached its peak concentration of 16.9 +/- 1.1 mmol/l (80 mg/100 ml). After an initial non-specific rise, diastolic pressure fell below values observed after drinking water only. This predominant effect of alcohol on systolic blood pressure is also seen with chronic alcohol consumption. Drinking water and non-alcoholic cold liquids caused a marked fall in plasma adrenaline and a transient rise in noradrenaline concentration. In contrast, drinking alcohol resulted in a relative rise in adrenaline and a delayed increase in noradrenaline concentration. Blood glucose increased after alcohol, supporting a physiological effect of adrenaline on liver glycogenolysis. Plasma cortisol concentration was also significantly higher after drinking alcohol. It is proposed that the relative rise in adrenaline together with higher cortisol levels, repeated over a variable period in susceptible individuals, are implicated in the elevation of blood pressure associated with long term alcohol consumption. It concurs with observations in man and experimental animals of a slow pressor mechanism mediated by adrenaline.

Echocardiographic evaluation of cardiac size and function in dialysis patients

M-mode echocardiography was performed on 43 maintenance hemodialysis patients and 3 patients on continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD). Only seven patients had completely normal echocardiograms. Nine patients (20%) had pericardial effusions and 20 patients (44%) had left ventricular dilatation. Left ventricular hypertrophy was present in 26 patients (57%): in 18 patients this took the form of concentric hypertrophy and in 8 patients there was asymmetric septal hypertrophy. Left ventricular function was depressed in 12 patients (27%). Left ventricular dilatation was more common in patients with multiple vascular accesses, who also tended to have lower hematocrit values. Left ventricular hypertrophy tended to be more common in patients with prolonged hypertension and with excessive inter-dialytic weight gains. Younger patients and those who had been on dialysis for a longer period had less cardiac abnormalities, suggesting that chronic dialysis might reverse these changes. Echocardiography was more sensitive than chest X-ray and ECG in detecting clinically unsuspected abnormalities and provides useful information in the overall evaluation of maintenance dialysis patients.

Some aspects of the arterial response to venous occlusion in man

1. Plethysmographic blood flow records made after venous occlusion of the forearm showed a biphasic response which was first vasodilator and then vasoconstrictor. 2. The myogenic nature of the vascoconstrictor phase was confirmed in eight subjects after total autonomic blockade with atropine, propranolol, phentolamine and guanethidine. 3. Forearm venous blood demonstrated a rise in hydrogen ion concentration and a fall in oxygen tension during venous occlusion, which may contribute to the vasodilatation phase.

Assessment of left-ventricular mass and its response to antihypertensive treatment

50 patients with mild to moderate essential hypertension underwent M-mode echocardiography and continuous intra-arterial ambulatory monitoring of blood pressure. Indices of left-ventricular (LV) mass were derived from echocardiographic data by standard formulae. 43 of the patients were followed up for 12+/-7 months with repeat M-mode echocardiography, and casual blood-pressure measurements. 25 of these patients received antihypertensive therapy and 18 were untreated. Mean 24 h systolic blood pressure was significantly correlated with echocardiographic LV mass; mean 24 h diastolic blood pressure was also correlated, but the relation was weaker. In the treated group there was a significantly greater fall in blood pressure and LV mass index than in the untreated group, and there was a significant correlation between the fall in systolic blood pressure and the fall in LV mass index in the treated group. Systolic blood pressure appears to be an important factor in the pathogenesis of LV hypertrophy, and in hypertensive patients changes in LV mass assessed by echocardiography correlate with changes in blood pressure.

The relationship between ambulatory blood pressure and echocardiographically assessed left ventricular hypertrophy

1. Continuous intra-arterial ambulatory monitoring of blood pressure was recorded in 46 patients with mild to moderate hypertension under standardized conditions. M-mode echocardiography was performed after recording and left ventricular mass index calculated by standard formulae. 2. Systolic blood pressure from continuous recording was significantly correlated with left ventricular mass index (mean 24 h: r = 0.543, n = 45, P less than 0.001). Diastolic blood pressure exhibited a weaker but still significant correlation with left ventricular mass index (mean 24 h: r = 0.318, n = 45, P less than 0.05). Casual systolic blood pressure was significantly correlated with left ventricular mass index (r = 0.476, n = 46, P less than 0.001) but casual diastolic blood pressure did not correlate with left ventricular mass index (r = 0.245, n = 46). Awake blood pressure variability, age, resting plasma renin activity and resting plasma noradrenaline levels did not have a significant correlation with left ventricular mass index. 3. Nine patients were treated for 16 weeks with once-daily timolol and repeat ambulatory monitoring and M-mode echocardiography was performed with the same protocol. 4. Once-daily timolol provided good 24 h control of blood pressure and repeat echocardiography showed a reduction in left ventricular mass index in that group of patients (t = 2.59, P less than 0.05).

Hemodynamic effects of atrial pacing and prenalterol infusion in patients taking beta-adrenergic blocking drugs

Prenalterol, a beta-adrenergic agonist, was given to nine patients with angiographically proved coronary artery disease. Subjects were studied during chronic beta-adrenergic blockade. The adequacy of blockade was assessed by the exercise heart rate response and by plasma concentrations of blocking agents. After incremental doses of 2.5 mg, 5.0 mg and 7.5 mg of prenalterol, heart rate was increased by 20%, 24% and 38%, respectively, and left ventricular dP/dt max by 55%, 73% and 61%, respectively. Systolic and diastolic blood pressures did not change significantly; pulmonary artery wedge pressure fell from 10 +/- 0.5 mm Hg to 7.1 +/- 0.9 and 6.7 +/- 0.7 mm Hg after 2.5 mg and 5.0 mg, respectively (p less than 0.01 for both). The net inotropic response to prenalterol was assessed, independent of the chronotropic response, using incremental atrial pacing before and after drug infusion. At identical heart rates, left ventricular dP/dt max increased by 40%, 49% and 48% after 2.5 mg, 5.0 mg and 7.5 mg, respectively. Left ventricular cineangiography before and after infusion showed an increase in ejection fraction from 0.73 +/- 0.02 to 0.83 +/- 0.03 (p less than 0.001). Plasma prenalterol concentration estimations demonstrated a clear, dose-related inotropic response, the level of response in each patient being largely determined by the degree of beta-adrenergic blockade at the time of the study.

The effects of oral acebutolol and propranolol on forearm blood flow in hypertensive patients

1 Nine hypertensive patients received by mouth daily doses of 400 mg of acebutolol and then, after a 2 week washout period, 80 mg of propranolol for 2 week periods in an open study. 2 Both treatments caused equivalent cardiac blockade as assessed by reduction in exercise tachycardia. 3 Both treatments lowered blood pressure, although this effect on pressure was better maintained in the case of acebutolol. 4 Forearm blood flow, at rest, was significantly reduced at 2 h after dosing with propranolol, but not after acebutolol. 5 This difference between the two drugs is probably due to the cardioselectivity of orally administered acebutolol in man.

Mucopolysaccharidosis type IV as a cause of mitral stenosis in an adult

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Acute effects of haemodialysis on left heart dimensions and left ventricular function: an echocardiographic study

Carotid pulse tracings and M-mode echocardiography were recorded in 25 patients on maintenance haemodialysis pre- and post-dialysis. Myocardial function, as assessed by fractional shortening and velocity of circumferential fibre shortening, was depressed in 7 out of 25 patients pre-dialysis (28%). Acute Haemodialysis resulted in significant changes in body weight, mean arterial pressure, urea, creatinine and packed cell volumes in all patients. Left ventricular function, however, improved significantly only in that group of patients in which it was depressed prior to dialysis. Echocardiography provides a simple means for evaluating left ventricular function in patients on chronic haemodialysis and shows that cardiac performance improves with acute dialysis when it is depressed pre-dialysis.

Infective endocarditis from group C streptococci causing stenosis of both the aortic and mitral valves

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