Katsutaka Hashiba

Association between gait speed as a measure of frailty and risk of cardiovascular events after myocardial infarction.

OBJECTIVES This study sought to determine the additional clinical value of gait speed to Framingham risk score (FRS), cardiac function, and comorbid conditions in predicting cardiovascular events in patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction. BACKGROUND There is growing evidence that gait speed is inversely associated with all-cause mortality, particularly cardiovascular mortality, among the elderly. METHODS We undertook a single-center prospective observational study of gait speed in 472 patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction in Japan, between 2001 and 2008. Gait speeds were measured using a 200-m course before discharge in all patients, and we followed up cardiovascular events, which consist of cardiovascular deaths, nonfatal myocardial infarctions, and nonfatal ischemic strokes. RESULTS During the 2,596 person-years of follow-up, 83 patients (17.6%) experienced cardiovascular events. Cardiovascular events increased across decreasing tertiles of gait speed (fastest tertile: n = 5, 3.2%; middle tertile: n = 20, 12.6%; slowest tertile, n = 58, 36.7%). By multiple adjusted Cox proportional hazards analysis, gait speed was a significant and independent predictor of cardiovascular events (hazard ratio for increasing 0.1 m/s of gait speed: 0.71, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.63 to 0.81, p < 0.001). The addition of gait speed to the model incorporating FRS, B-type natriuretic peptide levels, and comorbidity index improved reclassification (net reclassification index: 32.8%, 95% CI: 17.4 to 48.3, p < 0.001) and the C-statistics with a reasonable global fit and calibration (C-statistics: from 0.703 [95% CI: 0.636 to 0.763] to 0.786 [95% CI: 0.738 to 0.829]). CONCLUSIONS Among patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction, slow gait speed was significantly associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular events. (Gait Speed for Predicting Cardiovascular Events After Myocardial Infarction; NCT01484158).

Percutaneous cardiopulmonary support in pulmonary embolism with cardiac arrest

OBJECTIVE To assess the role of percutaneous cardiopulmonary support (PCPS) for the resuscitation of patients with massive pulmonary embolism (PE) with circulatory collapse. We also compared outcomes for PCPS between patients with massive PE with circulatory collapse and patients with AMI with cardiogenic shock. BACKGROUND The effectiveness of PCPS for acute myocardial infarction (AMI) complicated with cardiogenic shock has been reported, but there are few reports on the use of PCPS for massive PE with circulatory collapse. METHOD We studied 12 consecutive patients with massive PE and 16 patients with AMI, who required PCPS for resuscitation either during cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) or after successful CPR. RESULTS Twelve patients with PE and 16 patients with AMI were identified. There were no differences in age, the Acute Physiology, Age and Chronic Health Evaluation II (APACHE II) score at admission, rate of cardiac arrest on arrival, and time from first circulatory collapse to PCPS between the two groups. However, the proportion of men with PE (33%) was smaller than those with AMI (87%, p<0.05). The duration of PCPS was shorter in PE (38 h) compared with AMI (83 h, p=0.051) patients. The proportion of patients successfully weaned from PCPS (100% vs. 37.5%, p<0.01), survival rate at discharge (83.3% vs. 12.5%, p<0.001) and good neurological outcome (58.3% vs. 6.3%, p=0.004) was significantly higher for PE compared to AMI patients. CONCLUSION In our small case series, percutaneous cardiopulmonary support (PCPS) had a life saving role in patients with massive PE and cardiac arrest. PCPS was also more effective in patients with massive PE with cardiac arrest than in patients with AMI and cardiac arrest.

Value of serial C-reactive protein measurements in non ST-segment elevation acute coronary syndromes.

Elevated C‐reactive protein (CRP) levels at admission are associated with adverse outcomes in patients with non ST‐segment elevation acute coronary syndromes (NSTE‐ACS).

Prolonged Fever After ST‐Segment Elevation Myocardial Infarction and Long‐Term Cardiac Outcomes

Background The biphasic inflammation after ST‐segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) plays an important role in myocardial healing and progression of systemic atherosclerosis. The purpose of this study is to investigate the impact of fever during the first and second phases of post‐STEMI inflammation on long‐term cardiac outcomes. Methods and Results A total of 550 patients with STEMI were enrolled in this study. Axillary body temperature (BT) was measured and maximum BTs were determined for the first (within 3 days: max‐BT 1–3d) and second (from 4 to 10 days after admission: max‐BT 4–10d) phases, respectively. Patients were followed for cardiac events (cardiovascular death, acute coronary syndrome, and rehospitalization for heart failure) for a median 5.3 years. During the follow‐up period, 80 patients experienced cardiac events. A high max‐BT 4–10d was strongly associated with long‐term cardiac events (hazard ratio, 95% CI) for a 1°C increase in the max‐BT 4–10d: 2.834 (2.017–3.828), P<0.0001, whereas the max‐BT 1–3d was not associated with cardiac events (1.136 [0.731–1.742], P=0.57). Even after adjustment for coronary risk factors, estimated glomerular filtration rate, infarct size, pericardial effusion, and medications on discharge, fever during the second phase (max‐BT 4–10d ≥37.1°C) was significantly associated with future cardiac events (hazard ratio [95% CI] 2.900 [1.710–5.143], P<0.0001). Conclusions Fever during the second phase but not the first phase of post‐STEMI inflammation was a strong associated factor with worse long‐term cardiac outcomes in patients after STEMI, suggesting the need to consider the optimal timing for anti‐inflammatory strategies after STEMI.

ASSOCIATION BETWEEN PRESENTATION TIME AND SHORT-TERM MORTALITY IN PATIENTS WITH CARDIOGENIC SHOCK COMPLICATING ACUTE CORONARY SYNDROME: FROM JCS SHOCK REGISTRY

Introduction: Several studies have shown that patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS) presenting during off-hours have higher mortality, however, the impact of off-hour presentation on short-term mortality in patients with cardiogenic shock complicating ACS is uncertain. Hypothesis: Off-hour presentation may affect the short-term mortality in ACS patients with cardiogenic shock. Methods: We investigated consecutive 499 patients with cardiogenic shock complicating ACS from prospective and national-wide multicenter registry (JCS Shock Registry) database from March 2012 to April 2014. The primary outcomes of the present study were 30-day mortality among patients presenting either during regular-hours (defined as week-day from 8:00 AM to 8:00 PM) and off-hour (defined as weekdays from 8:01 PM to 7:59 AM, weekends and holidays). Results: Fifty-three percent of patients were presented in off-hour. Baseline characteristics were comparable including symptom onset to presentation time (off-hour; 65 min, interquartile range 39 to 180 vs. regular hour; 59 min, interquartile range 38 to 143, p = 0.22). Eighty percent of patients underwent urgent percutaneous coronary intervention and door to balloon time was also comparable between groups (off-hour; 86 min, interquartile range 60 to 110 vs. regular hour; 80 min, interquartile range 60 to 110, p = 0.74). The rate of 30-day mortality were comparable (off-hour; 35.1 % vs. regular hour 31.7 %, log-rank p = 0.48). In multivariate cox regression analysis, off-hours presentation did not affect the 30-day mortality (age- and gender-adjusted HR 1.12, 95% CI 0.82-1.52, p = 0.46). Conclusions: The clinical impact of either off-hours or regular-hours presentation is comparable in patients with cardiogenic shock complicating acute coronary syndrome (ACS) in Japan.

RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THICKNESS OF CALCIUM AND CRACK FORMATION AFTER BALLOON DILATATION IN CALCIFIED PLAQUE REQUIRING ROTATIONAL ATHERECTOMY: SERIAL OPTICAL COHERENCE TOMOGRAPHY STUDY

Target lesion calcification is known to influence the results of percutaneous coronary intervention. Rotational atherectomy (RA) plays an important role to facilitate the dilation or stenting of these lesions. The aim of this study was to assess the incidence of calcium crack after balloon