Chun-Tai Mao

Sitagliptin After Ischemic Stroke in Type 2 Diabetic Patients: A Nationwide Cohort Study.

AbstractThe cerebrovascular safety and efficacy of sitagliptin, a dipeptidyl peptidase-4 inhibitor, in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) with ischemic stroke remains uncertain. The aim of this study was to assess the efficacy and safety of sitagliptin in patients with T2DM with recent ischemic stroke.We analyzed data from the Taiwan National Health Insurance Research Database between March 1, 2009, and December 31, 2011. Ischemic stroke patients were identified from individuals with T2DM. Patients who received sitagliptin were compared with those who did not to evaluate the cardiovascular safety and efficacy of sitagliptin. The primary outcome was a composite of ischemic stroke, myocardial infarction, or cardiovascular death.A total of 5145 type 2 diabetic patients with ischemic stroke met our inclusion criteria and were followed for up to 2.83 years (mean, 1.17 years). Overall, 1715 patients (33.3%) received sitagliptin and 3430 patients (66.7%) did not. The primary composite outcome occurred in 190 patients in the sitagliptin group (11.1%) and in 370 patients in the comparison group (10.8%) (hazard ratio [HR] = 1.02; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.85–1.21). Patients treated with sitagliptin had a similar risk of ischemic stroke, hemorrhagic stroke, and all-cause mortality with an HR of 0.95 (95% CI, 0.78–1.16, P = 0.612), 1.07 (95% CI, 0.55–2.11, P = 0.834), and 1.00 (95% CI, 0.82–1.22, P = 0.989), respectively, compared with patients not treated with sitagliptin.Treatment with sitagliptin in type 2 diabetic patients with recent ischemic stroke was not associated with increased or decreased risks of adverse cerebrovascular outcomes.

Clinical outcomes of drug-eluting stents versus bare-metal stents in patients with cardiogenic shock complicating acute myocardial infarction

BACKGROUND To investigate the cardiovascular (CV) outcomes of drug-eluting stents (DESs) versus bare-metal stents (BMSs) in patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI) complicated by cardiogenic shock (CS). METHODS Data from the Taiwan National Health Insurance Research Database was analyzed between January 1, 2007 and December 31, 2011. A total of 3051 AMI patients in CS were selected as the study cohort. Their clinical outcomes were evaluated by comparing 1017 subjects who used DESs to 2034 matched subjects who used BMSs. RESULTS The risk of the primary composite outcome (i.e., death, myocardial infarction, stroke, and coronary revascularization) was significantly lower in the DES group compared with the BMS group [56.1% vs. 66.2%, hazard ratio (HR), 0.74; 95% CI, 0.67-0.81] with a mean follow-up of 1.35years. The patients who received DESs had a lower risk of coronary revascularization (HR, 0.78; 95% CI, 0.67-0.91) and death (HR, 0.70; 95% CI, 0.62-0.79) than those who used BMSs. However, the risks of myocardial infarction (HR, 0.89; 95% CI, 0.66-1.18), ischemic stroke (HR, 1.02; 95% CI, 0.67-1.53) and major bleeding (HR, 0.80; 95% CI, 0.56-1.14) were similar between the two groups. CONCLUSIONS Among patients with CS complicating AMI, DES implantation significantly reduced the risk of percutaneous coronary revascularization and death compared to BMS implantation.

Clinical Outcomes of Drug-Eluting Stents vs. Bare-Metal Stents in Acute Myocardial Infarction Patients Under Dialysis – A Nationwide Cohort Study –

BACKGROUND Data on the cardiovascular (CV) outcomes of drug-eluting stents (DES) vs. bare-metal stents (BMS) in patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI) under dialysis are limited. METHODSANDRESULTS We analyzed the data from 42,592 AMI patients in the Taiwan National Health Insurance Research Database between 1 January 2007 and 31 December 2011. A total of 984 AMI patients under dialysis were selected as the study cohort. We evaluated the clinical outcomes by comparing 492 subjects who had DES to 492 matched subjects who had BMS. The primary composite outcomes, which included recurrent MI, coronary revascularization and CV death, were significantly lower in the DES group than in the BMS group (41.7% vs. 47.6%, hazard ratio (HR), 0.77; 95% confidence interval (CI), 0.63-0.92, P=0.005) after mean 1.2 years. The patients who received DES had a lower risk of recurrent MI (HR, 0.63; 95% CI, 0.45-0.90), CV death (HR, 0.74; 95% CI, 0.56-0.98) and all-cause mortality (HR, 0.74; 95% CI, 0.61-0.89) than those who used BMS, but a similar risk of major bleeding (HR, 0.99; 95% CI, 0.69-1.42, P=0.952) and ischemic stroke (HR, 1.15; 95% CI, 0.66-2.01, P=0.631). CONCLUSIONS Among AMI patients on dialysis undergoing percutaneous coronary interventions, DES implantation significantly reduced the risk of recurrent MI, CV death and all-cause mortality compared with BMS implantation.

In-Hospital and 4-Year Clinical Outcomes Following Transcatheter Versus Surgical Closure for Secundum Atrial Septal Defect in Adults: A National Cohort Propensity Score Analysis.

AbstractAtrial septal defect (ASD) closure is major therapy for patients with secundum ASD. Although surgical closure (SC) and transcatheter closure (TC) are usually performed in such patients, data on the long-term outcomes comparing TC and SC in adults are limited.Data on the participants of this cohort study were retrieved from Taiwans National Health Insurance Research Database from 2004 to 2011. Secundum ASD patients > 18 years of age who underwent TC or SC were initially enrolled, and those with associated comorbidities were excluded. After propensity score matching, the clinical outcomes between the TC and SC groups were analyzed.There were 595 patients recruited in the TC group and 308 patients in the SC group. The SC group had a higher incidence of systemic thromboembolism (P < 0.001), ischemic stroke (P = 0.002), and all-cause mortality (P = 0.013) when compared with those of the TC group at the index hospitalization, and similar phenomena could also be seen in a around 4-year follow-up period after the procedures (systemic thromboembolism (P < 0.001, HR = 11.48, 95% CI: 3.29–40.05), ischemic stroke (P = 0.005, HR = 9.28, 95% CI: 1.94–44.39), and all-cause mortality (P = 0.035, HR = 2.28, 95% CI: 1.06–4.89). In addition, atrial fibrillation (P = 0.005) and atrial flutter (P = 0.049) more frequently developed in the SC group than in the TC group at the index hospitalization.The adult secundum ASD patients had lower incidence rates of systemic thromboembolism, ischemic stroke, and all-cause mortality after TC than those after SC in the 4-year follow-up after procedures. Transcatheter ASD closure should therefore be given priority

Differences of left ventricular systolic deformation in hypertensive patients with and without apical hypertrophic cardiomyopathy

BackgroundWe tested the hypothesis that the apical myocardial mechanics differ from those of other ventricular segments in hypertensive patients with and without apical hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (ApHCM).MethodsWe retrospectively studied hypertensive patients with and without ApHCM. Left ventricular longitudinal, circumferential, and radial strains were examined by two-dimensional speckle-tracking echocardiography at the basal, middle, and apical walls of the parasternal short-axis and apical 2-, 3- and 4-chamber views.ResultsFourteen consecutive patients with hypertension and ApHCM and 14 patients with hypertension without ApHCM were studied. Lower mitral annular peak systolic velocity and greater diastolic dysfunction were present in hypertensive patients with ApHCM than in hypertensive patients without ApHCM. Compared with hypertensive patients without ApHCM, hypertensive patients with ApHCM had significantly lower apical longitudinal (−13.9% vs −21.9%, p = 0.010) and radial strains (4.4% vs 11.5%, p = 0.017) without the base-to-apex gradient. The global longitudinal (−15.6% vs −18.8%, p = 0.027) and circumferential strains (−16.1% vs −19.2%, p = 0.019) were significantly lower in hypertensive patients with ApHCM than in hypertensive patients without ApHCM. Among systolic parameters, the global longitudinal strain was independently associated with hypertension with ApHCM (odds ratio, 1.457; 95% confidence interval, 1.002–2.119; p = 0.049).ConclusionsReduced apical longitudinal and radial strains without a base-to-apex gradient were present in hypertensive patients with ApHCM. The global longitudinal strain was independently associated with ApHCM in hypertensive patients.

Layer-specific quantification of myocardial deformation in sepsis-induced Takotsubo cardiomyopathy: Three case reports of a serial 2-dimensional speckle-tracking echocardiographic study.

Introduction:Little is known about the time-course changes in left ventricular myocardial deformation in patients with Takotsubo cardiomyopathy (TC) using layer-specific quantification of myocardial deformation assessed by 2-dimensional speckle tracking echocardiography (2DSTE). Case summary:In this retrospective 2DSTE follow-up study of 3 female patients with sepsis-induced TC, we examined changes in strain among the 3 myocardial layers, and examined the changes in left ventricular diastolic function and right ventricular systolic function. In all 3 patients, there was improvement of at least 15% in left ventricular ejection fractions, and improvement in left ventricular longitudinal and circumferential strains. The absolute differences in left ventricular global strains between the endocardium and epicardium, and between the first and the third 2DSTE studies reflect the following: a decrease in all 3 myocardial layers in patients with acute TC; and a slower improvement in mid-myocardial and epicardial function during recovery of TC. In addition, the right ventricular free wall strains were also impaired in the acute stage of TC with gradual improvement during recovery. Conclusions:Left ventricular strains did not fully recover even 1 month after acute TC. In addition, right ventricular free wall strains were also impaired in all 3 patients initially. In this case series, we found that layer-specific 2DSTE is a more sensitive method for myocardial function assessment than standard echocardiography.

Benefits of Intraaortic Balloon Support for Myocardial Infarction Patients in Severe Cardiogenic Shock Undergoing Coronary Revascularization.

Background Prior studies have suggested intraaortic balloon pump (IABP) have a neutral effect on acute myocardial infarction (AMI) patients with cardiogenic shock (CS). However, the effects of IABP on patients with severe CS remain unclear. We therefore investigated the benefits of IABP in AMI patients with severe CS undergoing coronary revascularization. Methods and Results This study identified 14,088 adult patients with AMI and severe CS undergoing coronary revascularization from Taiwan’s National Health Insurance Research Database between January 1, 1997 and December 31, 2011, dividing them into the IABP group (n = 7044) and the Nonusers group (n = 7044) after propensity score matching to equalize confounding variables. The primary outcomes included myocardial infarction(MI), cerebrovascular accidents or cardiovascular death. In-hospital events including dialysis, stroke, pneumonia and sepsis were secondary outcomes. Primary outcomes were worse in the IABP group than in the Nonusers group in 1 month (Hazard ratio (HR) = 1.97, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.84–2.12). The MI rate was higher in the IABP group (HR = 1.44, 95% CI = 1.16–1.79), and the cardiovascular death was much higher in the IABP group (HR = 2.07, 95% CI = 1.92–2.23). The IABP users had lower incidence of dialysis (8.5% and 9.5%, P = 0.04), stroke (2.6% and 3.8%, P<0.001), pneumonia (13.9% and 16.5%, P<0.001) and sepsis (13.2% and 16%, P<0.001) during hospitalization than Nonusers. Conclusion The use of IABP in patients with myocardial infarction and severe cardiogenic shock undergoing coronary revascularization did not improve the outcomes of recurrent myocardial infarction and cardiovascular death. However, it did reduce the incidence of dialysis, stroke, pneumonia and sepsis during hospitalization.

Long-term Survival of A Patient with Asymptomatic Left Ventricular Pseudoaneurysm after Acute Myocardial Infarction

An 82 years old man developed a left ventricular pseudoaneurysm after acute myocardial infarction when he was 72 years old. Coronary angiography showed left main and triple-vessel coronary artery disease. On left ventriculography, a tubular-like pseudoaneurysm was demonstrated that originated from the basal inferoposterior wall of the left ventricle. He underwent coronary artery bypass surgery with no placation of the pseudoaneurysm because the surrounding tissues of pseudoaneurysm were all necrotic. The most recent follow-up transthoracic echocardiography revealed a hypokinetic basal inferior wall, impaired LV contraction with an ejection fraction of 44%, and an inferoposterior wall pseudoaneurysm. The patient was doing well more than 10 years after the myocardial infarction. The prognosis might be determined by the organized thrombi, aggressive pharmacologic treatment, and coronary artery bypass surgery. Although our patient has survived for more than 10 years with a nonsurgically treated post-infarction LV pseudoaneurysm, we could not provide an evidence to support that conservative therapy is enough for every patient with a post-infarction pseudoaneurysm.

Acute kidney injury in patients with pulmonary embolism: A population-based cohort study

Abstract Acute kidney injury (AKI) is overlooked in patients with pulmonary embolism (PE). Risk factors for and long-term outcomes of this complication remain unknown. This study evaluated the predictors and prognosis of AKI in patients with PE. This retrospective cohort study used Taiwans National Health Insurance Research Database. We enrolled a total of 7588 patients who were admitted to a hospital for PE from January1997 to December 2011 and administered anticoagulation or thrombolytic agents. All demographic data, risk factors, and outcomes were analyzed. AKI was diagnosed in 372 (4.9%) patients. Multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed pre-existing chronic kidney disease, hypertension, diabetes mellitus, massive PE, anemia, and sepsis as independent risk factors for AKI. In the long-term follow-up, the survival rate was similar in the AKI and non-AKI groups. Careful risk factor screening and intensive intervention in patients with AKI might yield outcomes similar to those in patients without AKI.

Impact of Chronic Kidney Disease on Short-Term Cardiac Implantable Electronic Device Related Infection: A Nationwide Population-Based Cohort Study.

Abstract Chronic kidney disease (CKD) increased the incident cardiac implantable electronic device (CIED) infection, but risk factors of CIED infection in CKD patients remain unclear. Patients who received new CIED implantation between January 1, 1997 and December 31, 2011 were selected from the Taiwan National Health Insurance Database and were divided into 3 groups: patients with normal renal function, CKD patients without dialysis, and CKD patient with dialysis. Two outcomes, CIED infection during index hospitalization and within 1 year after discharge, were evaluated. This study included 38,354 patients, 35,060 patients in normal renal function group, 1927 patients in CKD without dialysis group, and 1367 patients in CKD with dialysis group. CKD patients without dialysis (adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 2.14, 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.32-3.46) and CKD patients with dialysis (aOR, 3.78, 95% CI, 2.37-6.02) increased incident CIED infection during index hospitalization compared to patients with normal renal function. Use of steroid (aOR: 2.74, 95% CI, 1.08-6.98) increased the risk of CIED infection in CKD patients without dialysis while chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) (aOR: 2.76, 95% CI, 1.06-7.16) increased the risk of CIED infection in CKD patient with dialysis during index hospitalization. CKD is a risk of CIED infection during index hospitalization. Use of steroid and COPD are important risks factors for CIED infection in CKD patients.