Hana Vaknin-Assa

Comparison of the Predictive Value of Four Different Risk Scores for Outcomes of Patients With ST-Elevation Acute Myocardial Infarction Undergoing Primary Percutaneous Coronary Intervention

Accurate risk stratification has an important role in the management of patients with acute coronary syndromes. Even in patients with ST-elevation acute myocardial infarction (STEMI), for whom early therapeutic options are well defined, risk stratification has an impact on early and late therapeutic decision making. We aimed to compare the prognostic value of 4 risk scores used to evaluate patients with STEMI. We conducted a prospective registry of all patients treated with primary percutaneous coronary intervention for STEMI from January 2001 to June 2006. Excluded were patients with cardiogenic shock. A total of 855 consecutive patients were included in the analysis (age 60.5 +/- 13 years, 19% women, 28% with diabetes, and 48% with anterior wall myocardial infarction). For each patient, the Thrombolysis In Myocardial Infarction (TIMI), Controlled Abciximab and Device Investigation to Lower Late Angioplasty complications (CADILLAC), Primary Angioplasty in Myocardial Infarction (PAMI), and Global Registry for Acute Coronary Events (GRACE) risk scores were calculated using specific clinical variables and angiographic characteristics. Thirty-day and 1-year clinical outcomes were assessed. The predictive accuracy of the 4 risk scores was evaluated using the area under the curve or C statistic method. The CADILLAC, TIMI, and PAMI risk scores all had relatively high predictive accuracy for 30-day and 1-year mortality (C statistic range 0.72 to 0.82), with slight superiority of the CADILLAC score. These 3 risk scores also performed well for prediction of reinfarction at 30 days (C statistic range 0.6 to 0.7). The GRACE score did not perform as well and had low predictive accuracy for mortality (C statistic 0.47). In conclusion, risk stratification of patients with STEMI undergoing primary percutaneous coronary intervention using the CADILLAC, TIMI, or PAMI risk scores provide important prognostic information and enables accurate identification of high-risk patients.

Major bleeding complicating contemporary primary percutaneous coronary interventions-incidence, predictors, and prognostic implications.

BACKGROUND Major bleeding is one of the most frequent procedural-related complications of primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) for ST-elevation myocardial infraction (STEMI). We investigated the incidence, predictors, and prognostic impact of peri-procedural bleeding in a cohort of unselected patients undergoing contemporary primary PCI. METHODS A total of 831 consecutive patients who underwent primary PCI between 1/2001 and 6/2005 were studied. Major bleeding was defined as hemorrhagic stroke, hemoglobin (Hb) drop of >5 g%, or 3-5 g% with a need for blood transfusion. Clinical outcomes were evaluated at 30 days and 6 months. RESULTS Major bleeding occurred in 27 patients (3.5%). Those who experienced major bleeding were older (66+/-15 vs. 61+/-13, P=.02), more frequently female gender (48% vs. 27%, P=.0001), presented more often with cardiogenic shock (37% vs. 8%, P=.0001), and had higher CADILLAC score (7.8+/-4.5 vs. 5.1+/-4.0, P=.002) and activated clotting time (ACT) levels (284+/-63 vs. 248+/-57 s, P=.007). In multivariate analysis, significant predictors of major bleeding were female gender (OR 5.1, 95% CI 1.7-15.2, P=.004), ACT levels >250 s (OR 3.6, 95% CI 1.1-12.1, P=.04), and use of intra-aortic balloon pump (IABP) (OR 3.5, 95% CI 1.0-12.1, P=.047). Major bleeding was associated with increased 6-month mortality rates (37% vs. 10%, P=.0001), which remained significant after adjustment for baseline CADILLAC score (37% vs. 19.4%, P=.05). CONCLUSIONS Major bleeding complicating primary PCI is associated with increased 6-month mortality. Women and those who need IABP support are at particularly high risk. Tight monitoring of anticoagulation may reduce the risk of bleeding.

Beneficial 2-years results of drug-eluting stents in saphenous vein graft lesions.

AIMS There are limited data regarding clinical outcomes of drug-eluting stents (DES) in saphenous vein grafts (SVGs) compared to bare metal stents (BMS). Here we compared outcomes of DES in de novo SVG lesions versus BMS in contemporary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). METHODS AND RESULTS We compared in-hospital, 6-month, 1-year and two years outcomes in 68 patients (72 grafts) who underwent PCI of SVG lesions using DES and a control BMS group composed of 43 patients (46 grafts) who underwent angioplasty in de novo SVG lesions. Major adverse cardiac events (MACE) included death, myocardial infarction (MI), target lesion revascularisation (TLR), and target vessel revascularisation (TVR). The rates of TLR and TVR at the 1-year evaluation were lower in the DES group than the BMS group (TLR per patient, 7.4% vs. 21%, P=0.04; TVR per patient, 10.3% vs. 23.3%, P=0.1). MACE-free survival was 88.2% in the DES group and 69.8% in the BMS group (P=0.02). At two years clinical follow-up: death 2.9% vs. 4.7% (P=0.6); MI: 8.8% vs. 7% (P=0.6). The rates of TLR and TVR were significantly lower in the DES group compared to the BMS group (TLR per patient, 14.7% vs. 32.6%, P=0.03; TVR per patient, 10.3% vs. 27.9%, P=0.02). The rate of MACE-free survival was 79.4% in the DES group and 58.1% in the BMS group (P=0.02). Between one to two years after PCI, no cases of angiographic stent thrombosis were recorded in either group. CONCLUSIONS DES implantation in SVG lesions was safe and had favourable outcomes after two years without excess cardiac mortality.

Effect of Clopidogrel Pretreatment on Angiographic and Clinical Outcomes in Patients Undergoing Primary Percutaneous Coronary Intervention for ST-Elevation Acute Myocardial Infarction

Pretreatment with clopidogrel before elective primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) has been shown to reduce ischemic complications. There are limited data about the value of clopidogrel pretreatment in the setting of PCI for ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI). We aimed to examine the effect of clopidogrel preloading on angiographic and clinical outcomes in patients with STEMI who were treated with PCI. We conducted a prospective registry of all patients treated with primary PCI for STEMI from March 2003 to June 2006. Excluded were patients with cardiogenic shock. For the current analysis, patients (n = 292) were allocated into 2 groups. One group received clopidogrel loading dose before PCI (in the emergency department or coronary care unit, n = 165); the other,immediately after PCI (n = 127). TIMI myocardial perfusion (TMP) grade at the end of PCI and 30-day and 6-month clinical outcomes were assessed. Clinical characteristics were similar among the groups. However, patients pretreated with clopidogrel were more likely to receive aspirin and beta blockers before the current admission. TMP grade 3 occurred in a higher proportion of patients in the clopidogrel pretreatment group than in the no-pretreatment group (85% vs 71%, p = 0.01). Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that clopidogrel pretreatment was associated with an odds ratio of 2.2 for TMP grade 3 (1.2 to 3.9, p = 0.01). Furthermore, the incidence of reinfarction at 30 days was lower in the pretreatment group (0% vs 3.2%, respectively, p = 0.04). In conclusion, these findings support the early use of clopidogrel in patients with STEMI who are treated with primary PCI.

The risk of cardiac complications following noncardiac surgery in patients with drug eluting stents implanted at least six months before surgery.

Aims: Given the anecdotal reports and case series suggesting that drug‐eluting coronary stents [DES] may be still vulnerable to coronary thrombosis after six months, we sought to assess this risk in patients undergoing non‐cardiac surgery six months after stenting. Methods and Results: Linking the Rabin Medical Centre interventional cardiology database with its non‐cardiac surgical database, we identified 78 patients who underwent DES placement and subsequently [after six months] had noncardiac surgery [15‐vascular, 37‐ abdominal and genitourinary and 26‐others, excluding ophthalmic surgery]. Outcome measures included 30‐day rate of postoperative myocardial infarction (MI), DES‐related thrombosis, and cardiac mortality. Major adverse cardiac events [death and non‐fatal MI] occurred in 6 (7.7%) patients including 2 cardiac deaths (2.6%), 4 (5.1%) non‐fatal myocardial infarctions (MIs). Two patients (2.6%) sustained stent thrombosis [one patient had ‘definite’ and one ‘probable’ stent thrombosis]. All MIs [including stent thrombosis] occurred in the vascular and abdominal surgery group. Two of the MIs events occurred while the patients were on dual antiplatelet agents. In conclusions: Perioperative cardiac events during non cardiac surgery after six months of DES deployment still occur. These cardiac complications [not entirely prevented by continued dual antiplatelet agents] remain a matter of diagnostic and therapeutic challenge and concern.

Results of percutaneous coronary interventions in patients ≥90 years of age

There are few data about percutaneous coronary interventions (PCI) in nonagenarians (patients aged ≥90 years). This study aimed to assess acute and intermediate term clinical outcomes among nonagenarian patients undergoing PCI.

The impact of circadian variation on outcomes in emergency acute anterior myocardial infarction percutaneous coronary intervention

Objectives: We investigated the impact of primary coronary angioplasty performed during night and compared to the impact of that performed during day‐time on outcomes of patients with acute ST elevation anterior wall myocardial infarction (AMI). Methods: We prospectively followed 273 consecutive patients of whom 160 (58.6%) were treated during day time (8:00 a.m. to 6 p.m.) and 113 (41.4%) were treated “off hours”/at night (6 p.m. to 8 a.m.). Baseline demographics, angiographic factors, and clinical outcomes (death, recurrent AMI, and need for repeat revascularization) were compared between the groups. Results: Baseline clinical characteristics were similar between the two groups. Unadjusted mortality at one‐month was significantly higher among patients who were treated during night compared with those treated at day‐time (9.7% vs. 3.1% P = 0.03), as was adverse cardiac event rate (15.9% vs. 6.9%; P = 0.02). Multiple logistic regression analysis adjusted for the CADILLAC risk score demonstrated that this score, which includes baseline LVEF, renal failure, Killip class, final TIMI flow, age>65 years, anemia, and the number of coronary vessel diseases, is a significant predictor of one‐month mortality, while the effect of time of treatment was borderline (night vs. day; odds ratio 2.7; 95% confidence interval, 0.8–9.4; P = 0.095). Conclusions: The results of this study indicate that patients with anterior myocardial infarction treated during night time have worse unadjusted short‐term clinical outcomes despite no delay from onset of symptoms to actual treatment. Larger studies are needed in order to identify potential contributors to this phenomenon.

The ACIST power injection system reduces the amount of contrast media delivered to the patient, as well as fluoroscopy time, during diagnostic and interventional cardiac procedures

The ACIST injection system is an automatic power injection device that allows for online control of injection rate and volume of contrast. Limited data is available whether this technology allows reducing use of contrast and fluoroscopy time. Accordingly, we compared the use of this system to manual injection among 450 consecutive patients who underwent diagnostic coronary angiography and/or angioplasty who were randomly assigned to either manual contrast injection (control; n = 198) or to the ACIST system (study group; n = 252). The amount of contrast, fluoroscopy and total procedural times were recorded for each patient. In the diagnostic group, the mean total amount of contrast (including wasted) was reduced by 63% when the ACIST was used compared to control (100±42 ml versus 163±56 ml; P<0.001, respectively). When only the net amount of contrast delivered to the patient was considered, the differences were smaller (20%, P = 0.004). During angioplasty, the amount of contrast was also lower in the ACIST group (206±65 versus 230±69, P = 0.008), whereas no difference were noted in net amount of contrast. Fluoroscopy time was significantly shorter in the ACIST group compared to control both during diagnostic catheterization (4.7±3.5 min versus 6.3±5.5 min, respectively; P = 0.014), and angioplasty (16.7±9.1 min versus 19.6±12.4 min, respectively; P = 0.05). Routine utilization of the ACIST system during diagnostic and interventional procedure significantly reduced the total amount of contrast media used and fluoroscopy time.

Outcome of emergency percutaneous coronary intervention for acute ST-elevation myocardial infarction complicated by cardiac arrest.

BackgroundThe poor prognosis of primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) in patients resuscitated from cardiac arrest complicating acute ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) may at least partly be explained by the common presence of cardiogenic shock. This study examined the impact of emergency primary PCI on outcome in patients with STEMI not complicated by cardiogenic shock who were resuscitated from cardiac arrest. Methods and resultsThe study group included 948 consecutive patients without cardiogenic shock who underwent emergency primary PCI from 2001 to 2006 for STEMI. Twenty-one of them were resuscitated from cardiac arrest before the intervention. Data on background, clinical characteristics, and outcome were prospectively collected. There were no differences between the resuscitated and nonresuscitated patients in age, sex, infarct location, or left ventricular function. The total one-month mortality rate was higher in the resuscitated patients (14.3 vs. 3.4%, P=0.033), but noncardiac mortality accounted for the entire difference (14.3 vs. 1.2%, P=0.001), whereas cardiac mortality was similarly low in the two groups (0 vs. 2.0%, P=NS). Predictors of poor outcome in the resuscitated patients were older age (r=0.47, P=0.032), unwitnessed sudden death (r=0.44, P=0.04), longer interval between onset of cardiac arrest and arrival of a mobile unit (r=0.67, P=0.001) or to spontaneous circulation (r=0.65, P=0.001), low glomerular filtration rate (r=−0.50, P=0.02), and the initial thrombolysis in myocardial infarction grade of flow (r=−0.51, P=0.017). ConclusionEmergency PCI for STEMI not associated with cardiogenic shock exerts a similar effect on cardiac mortality in patients who were resuscitated from cardiac arrest and in those without this complication. The higher all-cause mortality rate among resuscitated patients is explained by noncardiac complications.

A comparative analysis of major clinical outcomes with drug-eluting stents versus bare metal stents in male versus female patients.

AIMS To conduct a risk-adjusted gender-based analysis of clinical outcomes following drug-eluting stent (DES) versus bare metal stent (BMS) implantation in patients with coronary artery disease. METHODS AND RESULTS We compared risk-adjusted total mortality rate, myocardial infarction, and event-free survival (defined as freedom from death, myocardial infarction and/or repeat revascularisation) in a consecutive cohort of 7,662 patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention at our institution, including 1,835 (25.4%) women. Follow-up was six months to 6.2 years (mean: 3.5 years; median: 3.6 years). The women were older than men and more likely to suffer from diabetes, hypertension or congestive heart failure. Smokers were more often men, and men were more likely to have had prior coronary bypass surgery compared to women. A DES was used in 39.9% of males and 39.5% of females. Both genders derived a significant long-term clinical benefit from DES compared to BMS; advantages were observed for mortality (men: HR=0.78, 95% CI: 0.64-0.96, p=0.016; women: HR=0.62, 95% CI: 0.45-0.85, p=0.003) and major adverse cardiac events (men: HR=0.73, 95% CI: 0.63-0.84, p<0.001; women: HR=0.76, 95% CI: 0.52-0.84, p=0.001). Among BMS-treated patients, women had worse cumulative clinical outcomes than men. DES eliminated the gender differences in cardiac prognosis. CONCLUSIONS Our analysis indicated a profound prognostic advantage for DES versus BMS among both genders, though female patients appeared to derive the greatest benefit.