Carlos José Oliveira de Matos

Low Prevalance of Major Events Adverse to Exercise Stress Echocardiography.

Background: Stress echocardiography is well validated for diagnosis and risk stratification of coronary artery disease. Exercise stress echocardiography (ESE) has been shown to be the most physiological among the modalities of stress, but its safety is not well established. Objective: To study the complications related to ESE and clinical and echocardiographic variables most commonly associated with their occurrence. Methods: Cross-sectional study consisting of 10250 patients submitted to ESE for convenience, from January 2000 to June 2014. Cardiac Arrhythmias (CA) were the most frequent complications observed during the examination. The volunteers were divided into two groups according to the occurrence of CA during ESE: G1 group, composed of patients who have CA, and G2 formed by individuals who did not show such complication. Results: Group G1, consisting of 2843 patients (27.7%), and Group G2 consisting of 7407 patients (72.3%). There was no death, acute myocardial infarction, ventricular fibrillation or asystole. Predominant CAs were: supraventricular extrasystoles (13.7%), and ventricular extrasystoles (11.5%). G1 group had a higher mean age, higher frequency of hypertension and smoking, larger aortic roots and left atrium (LA) and lower ejection fraction than G2. G1 group also had more ischemic changes (p < 0.001). The predictor variables were age (RR 1.04; [CI] 95% from 1.038 to 1.049) and LA (RR 1.64; [CI] 95% from 1.448 to 1.872). Conclusion: ESE proved to be a safe modality of stress, with non-fatal complications only. Advanced age and enlargement of the left atrium are predictive of cardiac arrhythmias.

Coronary lesions in patients with COPD (Global Initiative for Obstructive Lung Disease stages I–III) and suspected or confirmed coronary arterial disease

Background Systemic inflammation is the pathophysiological link between coronary artery disease (CAD) and COPD. However, the influence of subclinical COPD on patients with suspected or diagnosed CAD is largely unknown. Thus, this study was designed to evaluate the degree of coronary involvement in patients with COPD and suspected or confirmed CAD. Methods In this cross-sectional study, carried out between March 2015 and June 2017, 210 outpatients with suspected or confirmed CAD were examined by both spirometry and coronary angiography or multidetector computed tomography. These patients were divided into two groups: with and without COPD. Size, site, extent, and calcification of the coronary lesions, and the severity of COPD were analyzed. Results COPD patients (n = 101) presented with a higher frequency of obstructive coronary lesions ≥50% (n = 72, 71.3%), multivessels (n = 29, 28.7%), more lesions of the left coronary trunk (n = 18, 17.8%), and more calcified atherosclerotic plaques and higher Agatston coronary calcium score than the patients without COPD (P < 0.0001). The more severe the COPD in the Global Initiative for Obstructive Lung Disease stages, the more severe the CAD and the more calcified coronary plaques (P < 0.0001). However, there was no difference between the two groups with respect to the main risk factors for CAD. In the univariate analysis, COPD was an independent predictor of obstructive CAD (odds ratio [OR] 4.78; 95% confidence interval: 2.21–10.34; P < 0.001). Conclusion In patients with suspected CAD, comorbid COPD was associated with increased severity and extent of coronary lesions, calcific plaques, and elevated calcium score independent of the established risk factors for CAD. In addition, the more severe the COPD, the greater the severity of coronary lesions and calcification present.

Low to Moderate Alcohol Consumption and Myocardial Ischemia on Exercise Stress Echocardiography

Background: The impact of alcohol consumption on the development of myocardial ischemia remains uncertain. Studies diverge whether low to moderate alcohol consumption provides cardioprotection or whether it is a risk factor for myocardial ischemia. Objective: To study the relationship between low to moderate alcohol consumption and myocardial ischemia on exercise stress echocardiography (ESE). Methods: Cross-sectional study with 6632 patients with known or suspected coronary artery disease undergoing ESE between January/2000 and December/2015. The patients were divided into two groups: G1, composed of 2130 (32.1%) patients whose report showed maximal consumption of 1 drink per day on average for women or of 2 drinks per day for men; G2, composed of individuals denying any alcohol consumption. For comparing between the groups, Student t test was used for quantitative variables, and chi-square test or Fisher exact test, for categorical variables. The significance level adopted was p < 0.05. Logistic regression was also used to evaluate independent risk factors for myocardial ischemia. Results: G1 had a higher number of men (77.1%; p < 0.001), lower mean age (54.8 ± 10.3 years old; p < 0.001) and higher frequency of myocardial ischemia on ESE (p = 0.014). Age, male sex, dyslipidemia, systemic arterial hypertension, diabetes mellitus, smoking and family history were independently associated with myocardial ischemia on ESE. Independent association between low to moderate alcohol consumption and myocardial ischemia on ESE (OR 0.96; 95%CI: 0.83 to 1.11) was not observed. However, age, male sex, smoking and dyslipidemia were associated with alcohol consumption. Conclusion: Low to moderate alcohol consumption was not an independent predictor of myocardial ischemia on ESE. Nevertheless, we observed a predominance of the male sex, dyslipidemia and smoking habit, important predictors of myocardial ischemia, in the group of alcohol consumers. (Int J Cardiovasc Sci. 2018;31(3)235-243)

Atherosclerotic Plaque in Patients with Zero Calcium Score at Coronary Computed Tomography Angiography

Background In view of the high mortality for cardiovascular diseases, it has become necessary to stratify the main risk factors and to choose the correct diagnostic modality. Studies have demonstrated that a zero calcium score (CS) is characteristic of a low risk for cardiovascular events. However, the prevalence of individuals with coronary atherosclerotic plaques and zero CS is conflicting in the specialized literature. Objective To evaluate the frequency of patients with coronary atherosclerotic plaques, their degree of obstruction and associated factors in patients with zero CS and indication for coronary computed tomography angiography (CCTA). Methods This is a cross-sectional, prospective study with 367 volunteers with zero CS at CCTA in four diagnostic imaging centers in the period from 2011 to 2016. A significance level of 5% and 95% confidence interval were adopted. Results The frequency of atherosclerotic plaque in the coronary arteries in 367 patients with zero CS was 9.3% (34 individuals). In this subgroup, mean age was 52 ± 10 years, 18 (52.9%) were women and 16 (47%) had significant coronary obstructions (> 50%), with involvement of two or more segments in 4 (25%) patients. The frequency of non-obese individuals (90.6% vs 73.9%, p = 0.037) and alcohol drinkers (55.9% vs 34.8%, p = 0.015) was significantly higher in patients with atherosclerotic plaques, with an odds ratio of 3.4 for each of this variable. Conclusions The frequency of atherosclerotic plaque with zero CS was relatively high, indicating that the absence of calcification does not exclude the presence of plaques, many of which obstructive, especially in non-obese subjects and alcohol drinkers.

Predictors of Atherosclerotic Plaque in Individuals with Asymptomatic Ischemia on Physical Stress Echocardiography

Coronary artery disease (CAD) is currently the leading cause of mortality in Brazil and worldwide. Therefore, one of the most frequent challenges of everyday cardiology practice is the evaluation of patients with symptoms indicating myocardial ischemia.1 The greater the number or severity of independent risk factors (hypertension, diabetes mellitus [DM], dyslipidemia, family history of CAD, smoking, obesity, and sedentary lifestyle), the greater the chance of an individual presenting cardiovascular events or early death.2-11