Cagdas Ozdol

Coronary-Pulmonary Artery Fistula Associated with Right Heart Failure: Successful Closure of Fistula with a Graft Stent A Case Report

Coronary artery fistula constitutes a rare congenital anomaly. The reported incidence of this anomaly ranges from 0.1% to 0.2% of the population undergoing coronary angiography. Coronary-pulmonary artery fistula is an extremely rare congenital anomaly of the coronary artery. Its real incidence is unknown. The authors report a case of coronary-pulmonary artery fistula that caused right heart failure in a 77-year-old woman. The fistula, arising from a proximal portion of the circumflex artery to the pulmonary artery, was sealed successfully using a Jostent (polytetrafluoroethylene-covered graft stent).

Association between the dosage and duration of statin treatment with coronary collateral development.

BackgroundThe coronary collateral circulation is an alternative source of blood supply to myocardium in the presence of advanced coronary artery disease and the therapeutic promotion of collateral growth appears to be a valuable treatment strategy in these patients. Although it has been shown in in-vivo studies that 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A reductase inhibitors (statins) promote vasculogenesis and accelerate coronary collateral development in ischemic tissues, there are discordant results in clinical studies. Our aim was to investigate the effect of statin therapy, including dosage and duration of treatment, on coronary collateral growth in patients with advanced coronary artery disease. MethodsStudy population consisted of 400 (306 men, with the mean age of 62±10 years) consecutive patients who have undergone clinically indicated coronary angiography and had at least one major coronary artery stenosis of ≥95%. Coronary collaterals were graded from 0 to 3 according to the Cohen–Rentrop method and patients with grade 0–1 collateral development were regarded as having poor collateral and patients with grade 2–3 collateral development were regarded as having good collateral. ResultsAmong 400 patients, 196 (48%) were on statin therapy. Patients with good collateral score were more likely to have stable angina pectoris as clinical presentation (P<0.001), and were on statin therapy (P=0.001), and have multivessel disease (P=0.003). Statin therapy for less than 3 months had no effect on collateral development (P=0.19); however, patients who were on statin therapy for more than 3 months had significantly better collateral development (P=0.002). Statin therapy had no effect on coronary collateral development in patients having <10 mg atorvastatin-equivalent dose (P=0.13); however, patients having ≥10 mg atorvastatin-equivalent dose had better collateral development (P<0.001). Diabetes mellitus was the only negative predictor for coronary collateral formation (P=0.03). On multivariate analysis, stable angina pectoris [odds ratio 2.88, 95% confidence interval (1.8–4.7), P<0.001], statin therapy with ≥10 mg atorvastatin-equivalent dose [odds ratio 2.06, 95% confidence interval (1.3–2.6), P<0.001] and having multivessel disease [odds ratio 1.86, 95% confidence interval (1.16–3), P=0.01] were found to be associated with rich collateralization. ConclusionStatin therapy (≥10 mg atorvastatin-equivalent dose), stable angina pectoris and having multivessel disease are associated with enhanced coronary collateral development in patients with advanced coronary artery disease.

Two-Dimensional Longitudinal Strain and Strain Rate Imaging for Assessing the Right Ventricular Function in Patients with Mitral Stenosis

Background: Longitudinal two‐dimensional strain (L2DS) deformation is a novel technique that evaluates global and regional right ventricular (RV) function. The aim of the study was to investigate the systolic function of RV by using this method in patients with pure mitral stenosis (MS). Methods: Conventional echocardiography and L2DS analysis were performed in 45 MS patients and 21 healthy controls. For strain analysis apical four‐chamber views were obtained and by using a software system, peak systolic strain and strain rates were calculated off‐line in each segment. Results: The mean global longitudinal strain (GLS) of the whole RV (−20 ± 7 vs. −24 ± 6%, P= 0.02) and mean GLS of the septum (−19 ± 7 vs. −23 ± 5%, P = 0.03) were significantly reduced in the MS patients. Compared with the control group no significant change was determined in the mean GLS of the RV free wall (RVFW). While the mean global longitudinal strain rates (GLSR) of the entire RV and RVFW were similar between the groups, a significant difference in the mean GLSR of the septum (−1.2 ± 0.4 vs. −1.5 ± 0.3 s−1, P= 0.005) was determined in the patients with MS. A regional analysis demonstrated that MS patients had significantly reduced strain and strain rates in the basal and mid‐segments of the septum, whereas only lower strain values in the basal RVFW. Conclusions: RV systolic function evaluated by L2DS analysis in patients with MS has shown decreased global and segmental systolic functions. (ECHOCARDIOGRAPHY 2010;27:525‐533)

Facilitation of radial artery cannulation by periradial subcutaneous administration of nitroglycerin.

PURPOSE To determine whether subcutaneous administration of nitroglycerin mixed with local anesthetic agent results in effective vasodilation of the radial artery, and whether this technique improves access time and decreases complications. MATERIALS AND METHODS This prospective study consisted of two consecutive investigations. In the first (n = 30), only local anesthetic agent (prilocaine 2%) was injected into one arm, and local anesthetic agent plus 500 microg nitroglycerin was injected into the other arm. Radial artery diameters before and after injections were measured by ultrasonography. In the second, 33 patients received local anesthetic agent (prilocaine 2%) plus 500 microg nitroglycerin (group A) and 30 received only local anesthetic agent (group B) to determine whether the addition of nitroglycerin would improve radial artery access time, duration of angiography, perception of arterial pulse (ie, pulse score), number of punctures before successful cannulation, and complication rates. RESULTS In the first investigation, radial artery diameter increased significantly in the nitroglycerin-treated arm (2.3 mm +/- 0.4 vs 2.9 mm +/- 0.5; P = .05). In the second, there were no significant differences between groups with respect to age, sex, duration of angiography, and number of punctures before cannulation. However, the pulse score increased and radial artery access time improved significantly after addition of nitroglycerin (79% vs 10% [P < .001] and 75 sec +/- 47 vs 132 sec +/- 100 [P = .005], respectively). Radial artery spasm and thrombosis were less frequently observed in group A, albeit to an insignificant extent (P = .39 and P = .49, respectively). CONCLUSIONS Subcutaneous administration of nitroglycerin significantly increased radial artery diameter, which can lead to facilitation of catheterization of the radial artery for arteriography and interventions.

Total blush score: a new index for the assessment of microvascular perfusion in idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy.

BackgroundThe aim of this study was to evaluate tissue-level perfusion in patients with idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy (IDC), using the myocardial blush grade technique. MethodThe study population consisted of 26 prospectively enrolled IDC patients (15 women and 11 men; mean age, 59±8.8 years) and 26 control subjects (11 women and 15 men; mean age, 54.9±10.6 years), whose angiographic films were technically adequate for myocardial blush grade analysis. After grading, we measured total blush score (TBS) for both groups. TBS was determined as the sum of the blush grades of each coronary territory. ResultsA total of 156 coronary territories in both groups were assessed. Average of TBS was significantly lower in patients with IDC than in control group (7.6±1.2 vs. 8.8±0.4; P<0.0001). The TBS significantly and inversely correlated with New York Heart Association class, heart rate, left ventricular end-systolic dimension, and left ventricular end-diastolic pressure, and positively correlated with left ventricular ejection fraction (r=−0.76, P<0.001; r=−0.61, P=0.001; r=−0.77, P<0.0001; r=−0.68, P<0.0001; and r=0.67, P<0.0001, respectively). ConclusionIn IDC, decreased TBS might be assumed to be a surrogate marker for a diseased microvascular network in the catheterization laboratory. The relationship between reduced TBS and IDC severity suggests that this index might have prognostic significance.

Relationship Between Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme Gene Polymorphism and Severity of Aortic Valve Calcification

OBJECTIVE To investigate the role of angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) gene polymorphism in patients with degenerative aortic valve calcification (AVC). PATIENTS AND METHODS Our study consisted of 305 Turkish patients of European descent (139 male, 166 female; mean plus or minus age, 68 plus or minus 9 years) referred to our echocardiography laboratory for aortic valve evaluation between June 2, 2003, and April 29, 2005. The severity of AVC was graded from 1 to 6 by echocardiography. We used polymerase chain reaction to determine ACE gene polymorphism. RESULTS The ACE insertion/deletion genotype distributions for the study population were in Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium (chi square equals 3.5, P equals .18). The study population was divided into 3 groups based on the severity of AVC: those with grade 1 calcification were in group 1, those with grades 2 to 4 in group 2, and those with grades 5 to 6 in group 3. Group 1 patients were significantly younger, less likely to have hypertension and diabetes, and had higher high-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels. The genotype frequencies were significantly different among groups, with the insertion/insertion genotype being less prevalent in group 3 patients. In multivariate analysis, independent predictors of severe AVC were hypertension (odds ratio [OR], 5.6; 95% confidence interval [CI], 2.8 to 11.0; P less than .001), low high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (OR, 2.7; 95 percent CI, 1.5 to 4.9; P equals .001), and the deletion/deletion and insertion/deletion vs insertion/insertion genotype (OR, 3.2; 95 percent CI, 1.5 to 7.2; P equals .004). CONCLUSION These results suggest that ACE gene polymorphism may be associated with severe AVC.

Successful surgical resection of a muscular bridge in a patient with nonobstructive hypertrophic cardiomyopathy--a case report.

The authors report a case of myocardial bridging associated with nonobstructive hypertrophic cardiomyopathy and severe intractable chest pain that was relieved by surgical resection of the muscular bridge. Surgical resection of a myocardial bridge may be considered in patients with refractory symptoms that can clearly be attributed to muscular bridge.

Predictive value of mitral annular calcification for the diagnosis of coronary artery disease in patients with dilated cardiomyopathy.

Mitral annulus calcification (MAC) is an independent predictor of coronary artery disease (CAD). The present study was designed to determine whether an association exists between MAC and CAD in patients with dilated cardiomyopathy. Among the 286 patients with MAC on echocardiographic examination who underwent coronary angiography, 55 patients with echocardiographic findings of dilated cardiomyopathy (group I) were compared to 60 age- matched controls without MAC and an echocardiographic diagnosis of dilated cardiomyopathy (group II) who underwent coronary angiography during the same time. There were no differ ences in echocardiographic findings between two groups. The prevalence of CAD was higher in group I when compared to group II (74% vs 28%, p<0.001). With regard to severity of CAD, two-vessel, three-vessel, and left main coronary artery disease were found to be significantly frequent in group I (p<0.001). Multivariate analysis revealed that MAC (p = 0.001 ), diabetes mellitus (p = 0.048), and history of anginal chest pain (p = 0.009) are the independent predictors for the presence of CAD in patients with dilated cardiomyopathy. In conclusion, MAC may be a marker for the presence of coronary artery disease in patients with dilated cardiomyopathy.

Effect of Direct Stent Implantation on QTc Dispersion

The aim of this study was to evaluate whether direct stenting is superior to conventional stent implantation technique with respect to QTc dispersion in prospectively selected patients with simple lesion morphology and class II stable angina undergoing elective coronary stenting. One hundred thirty-four consecutive patients were divided into 2 groups based on the stenting technique used: the direct stenting without predilation group, group I (n=64), and the stenting with predilation group, group II (n=70). All patients had single-vessel disease. The primary end point of the study was the QTc dispersion at the 24th hour and at the first month after the procedure and the secondary end point of the study was the major clinical events (MCEs) rate in the hospital period and up to 1 month. Baseline maximum QTc, minimum QTc, and QTc dispersion were not different between the 2 groups. QTc dispersion decreased from 47 ±8 msec before stent implantation to 41 ±11 msec at 24 hours and 37 ±7 msec 1 month after angioplasty in group I (p<0.006 and p<0.01, respectively), whereas QTc dispersion decreased from 49 ±9 msec before stent implantation to 46 ±8 msec at 24 hours and 42 ±10 msec 1 month after angioplasty in group II (p<0.03 and p<0.01, respectively). Compared with group II, the decrease in QTc dispersion was significantly greater at the 24th hour and at the first month after the procedure in group I (p<0.003 and p<0.001, respectively). There was a decreased trend toward MCE rate in group I in relation to that of group II, but the statistical difference was not significant. Direct stenting is a feasible and safe technique. It is superior to conventional stenting technique in decreasing the QTc dispersion at the 24th hour and at the first month after the procedure, whereas it is equivalent to single-vessel conventional stent implantation technique with respect to MCEs rate in the short-term period.

Effect of hypertension on coronary remodeling patterns in angiographically normal or minimally atherosclerotic coronary arteries: an intravascular ultrasound study.

Whether there is any particular role of hypertension in remodeling process has not been completely understood yet. The aim of this study was to assess the association between hypertension and remodeling patterns in normal or minimally atherosclerotic coronary arteries. Seventy-nine patients who were free of significant coronary atherosclerosis were divided into two groups according to the absence (n = 39) or presence (n = 40) of hypertension; and standard intravascular ultrasound examination was performed in 145 segments. To determine the remodeling pattern in early atherosclerotic process, patients were also analyzed according to the level of plaque burden at the lesion site after the analysis of remodeling patterns. Positive remodeling was more prevalent in the hypertensive group (52.5% vs. 12.8%; P < .001) whereas negative remodeling was more common in diabetic patients (53.6% vs. 27.4%; P = .03). Mean remodeling index was 1.04 for hypertensives and 0.96 for normotensives (P = .03). There were no correlations between remodeling patterns and other risk factors such as age, family history, and hypercholesterolemia. Early atherosclerotic lesions (<30%) exhibited more negative remodeling characteristics while intermediate pattern was observed more frequently in patients with high plaque burden (P = .006 and .02, respectively). Positive remodeling showed no association in this context (P = .07). This study demonstrated that minimal atherosclerotic lesions in hypertensives had a tendency for compensatory arterial enlargement. Positive remodeling may result from local adaptive processes within vessel wall or hemodynamic effects of blood pressure itself.