Ernesto Oqueli

Percutaneous Coronary Intervention in Very Elderly Patients. In-hospital Mortality and Clinical Outcome

BACKGROUND There are very few data about percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) in very elderly patients. This study was aimed at assessing the demographic, clinical and angiographic features, procedural characteristics and in-hospital results of very elderly patients (VEP), aged ≥85 years undergoing PCI and comparing their results with those of a control group (CG) of patients younger than 85 years undergoing PCI throughout the same period of time. METHODS AND RESULTS Between November 2004 and January 2007, 1699 consecutive PCI procedures were evaluated, 102 (6%) PCI procedures were performed in VEP and 1597 (94%) in patients <85 years. The mean age in the VEP group was 87.4 ± 2.4 years vs. 66.7 ± 11.2 years in the CG (p<0.0001). There were more females in the VEP group 49% vs. 22% than in the CG p<0.0001. Acute coronary syndromes (ACS) were a more frequent indication for PCI in VEP than in the CG: ST segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) 14.7% vs. 8.3%, p = 0.025 and non-ST segment elevation acute coronary syndromes 54.9% vs. 43.5%, p = 0.024. The proportion of drug-eluting stents used, although high in both groups, was lower in VEP than in the CG (86.5% vs. 92.9%, p = 0.005). Angiographic lesion success rates were similar in both groups (95.9%). Global unadjusted in-hospital mortality was higher in the VEP group in comparison with the CG 3.9% vs. 0.68%, p = 0.01. The difference in mortality was due only to PCI in patients presenting with STEMI (26.6% in VEP group vs. 3.7% in the CG p = 0.007). There were no in-hospital deaths in VEP presenting with stable coronary syndromes or other ACS. There were no differences in unadjusted in-hospital myocardial infarction, new revascularisation or stroke between both groups. CONCLUSIONS In patients ≥85 years old, PCI seems effective and carries an acceptable in-hospital mortality rate. The presence of STEMI substantially increases the risk of in-hospital death.

Aorto-left atrial fistula post-percutaneous device ASD closure.

Use of percutaneous devices for closure of atrial septal defects (ASD) continues to increase owing to relative safety and ease of implementation compared with traditional surgical repair. Complications such as perforation and displacement requiring surgical intervention have been reported. We describe a case of perforation with intracardiac fistula formation, with an underlying mechanism likely to be similar to the few cases previously described, occurring during medium term follow up after ASD device closure. Appropriate case selection can reduce the incidence of this complication with caution taken in ASD cases with deficient aortic and superior rims.

Percutaneous Coronary Intervention in Women: In-Hospital Clinical Outcome: Experience from a Single Private Institution in Melbourne

BACKGROUND Differences in outcome between women and men treated with percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) have decreased. This study was aimed at assessing the demographic, clinical, and angiographic features, procedural characteristics and in-hospital results of women undergoing PCI and comparing their results with those of a group of men undergoing PCI throughout the same period of time. METHODS AND RESULTS All consecutive PCI procedures performed at Epworth Hospital from November 2004 to January 2007 were analysed. Women and men were compared according to baseline clinical, angiographic and procedural characteristics, angiographic success rates and in-hospital outcomes. A total of 1699 consecutive PCI procedures were performed; of these, 405 PCI (23.8%) were performed in women. Women were older (73.9+/-10 years versus 66.1+/-11.9 years, p<0.0001), had a higher prevalence of hypertension (78% versus 63%, p<0.0001), had lower prevalence of prior myocardial infarction (21% versus 27%, p=0.026), and had less history of prior coronary artery by-pass surgery (13% versus 18%, p=0.023) than men. A greater proportion of women presented with acute coronary syndromes (ACS) to PCI than men (63.7% versus 52.9%, p<0.0001). Women had more complex lesions B2/C (78% versus 74%, p=0.049), a higher proportion of ostial lesions (10.5% versus 5.5%, p<0.0001) and less multivessel disease (48% versus 54% p=0.028) than men. Angiographic lesion success rates were similar in both groups. Total unadjusted in-hospital mortality was higher in women than in men (1.97% versus 0.54%, respectively, p=0.013). This difference in mortality was only at the expense of a higher unadjusted mortality in women presenting with ST segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) than men (17.5% versus 1.87%, p=0.002). No women with a stable coronary syndrome or non-ST-segment elevation acute coronary syndrome (NSTE-ACS) died in hospital. There were no differences in in-hospital myocardial infarction, new revascularisation or stroke between both groups. CONCLUSIONS PCI in women has good results but carries an increased unadjusted mortality than in men. This mortality difference between genders in our study, however, was solely at the expense of a higher unadjusted mortality in women than in men undergoing PCI for STEMI.

Very Late Drug-Eluting Stent Thrombosis Post Exercise Stress Echocardiogram

Stent thrombosis, although a rare event, has been the object of considerable interest because of its attendant morbidity and mortality and has come into focus with the advent of drug-eluting stents. We report a case of very late drug-eluting stent thrombosis occurring immediately after an exercise stress echocardiogram, in a patient who, 2 years earlier, had undergone primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) for ST segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI). Similar cases reported in the literature and the possible mechanisms of stent thrombosis associated with exercise testing are reviewed.