Krystyna Loboz-Grudzien

Lack of benefit from percutaneous intervention of persistently occluded infarct arteries after the acute phase of myocardial infarction is time independent: insights from Occluded Artery Trial

AIMSnThe Occluded Artery Trial (OAT) (n = 2201) showed no benefit for routine percutaneous intervention (PCI) (n = 1101) over medical therapy (MED) (n = 1100) on the combined endpoint of death, myocardial infarction (MI), and class IV heart failure (congestive heart failure) in stable post-MI patients with late occluded infarct-related arteries (IRAs). We evaluated the potential for selective benefit with PCI over MED for patients enrolled early in OAT.nnnMETHODS AND RESULTSnWe explored outcomes with PCI over MED in patients randomized to the </=3 calendar days and </=7 calendar days post-MI time windows. Earlier, times to randomization in OAT were associated with higher rates of the combined endpoint (adjusted HR 1.04/day: 99% CI 1.01-1.06; P < 0.001). The 48-month event rates for </=3 days, </=7 days post-MI enrolled patients were similar for PCI vs. MED for the combined and individual endpoints. There was no interaction between time to randomization defined as a continuous (P = 0.55) or categorical variable with a cut-point of 3 days (P = 0.98) or 7 days (P = 0.64) post-MI and treatment effect.nnnCONCLUSIONnConsistent with overall OAT findings, patients enrolled in the </=3 day and </=7 day post-MI time windows derived no benefit with PCI over MED with no interaction between time to randomization and treatment effect. Our findings do not support routine PCI of the occluded IRA in trial-eligible patients even in the earliest 24-72 h time window.

Influence of diabetes on health-related quality of life results in patients with acute coronary syndrome treated with coronary angioplasty

The objective of this study was to prospectively evaluate the impact of diabetes on HRQOL at baseline and 6-months following ACS treated by PCI and to determine which predictors: demographic, clinical, and other variables influence QOL results in physical component summary (PCS) and mental component summary (MCS) of SF-36 health survey. The 120 consecutive patients (mean age 62.5, SDxa0±xa09.8) with acute coronary syndrome ACS including non-ST-elevation myocardial infarction NSTEMI, nxa0=xa060 and ST-elevation myocardial infarction STEMI, nxa0=xa060 were entered into the study. Each patient was prospectively interviewed at baseline (at discharge) and 6-months following ACS. We relied on previously validated questionnaire to assess the patient’s overall health perception, namely the SF-36 health survey. Generally, the whole group demonstrated the better PCS score at 6-month follow-up: 54.7 versus 55.5; Pxa0<xa00.0001. With regard to PCS, an increase in life quality results was observed in both groups. However, it should be emphasize that the diabetic group demonstrated considerably lower life quality baseline. Also, the whole group demonstrated better MCS score at 6-month follow-up: 55.9 versus 56.5; Pxa0<xa00.0001. The influence of diabetes, multivessel disease, hypertension, and the high triglyceride level have negative impact on life quality evaluation, whereas male patients and patients with ACS–STEMI had better quality of life results. The influence of diabetes, multivessel disease, hypertension, and the high triglyceride level have negative impact on life quality evaluation, whereas male patients and patients with ACS–STEMI had better quality of life results. The influence of diabetes, the history of myocardial infarction, and the high triglyceride level have negative impact on life quality evaluation. Patients with ACS–STEMI had better quality of life results. The influence of diabetes, the history of myocardial infarction, and the high triglyceride level have negative impact on quality of life evaluation. Male patients had better quality of life results. (1) Diabetic patients obtain worse life quality results than non-diabetic patients, both at baseline and 6-months following PCI. (2) Positive predictors of patient’s life quality are the male sex and clinical manifestation of the disease (STEMI). (3) As regards PCS, negative predictors of patient’s life quality are diabetes, multivessel disease, high triglyceride level, and arterial hypertension. (4) As regards MCS, negative predictors are diabetes, the history of myocardial infarction, and high triglyceride level.

Cross-cultural adaptation and reliability testing of Polish adaptation of the European Heart Failure Self-care Behavior Scale (EHFScBS)

Background Development of simple instruments for determination of self-care levels in heart failure (HF) patients is a subject of ongoing research. One such instrument, gaining growing popularity worldwide, is the European Heart Failure Self-care Behavior Scale (EHFScBS). The aim of this study was to adapt and to test reliability of the Polish version of EHFScBS. Method A standard guideline was used for translation and cultural adaptation of the English version of EHFScBS into Polish. The study included 100 Polish HF patients aged between 24 and 91 years, among them 67 men and 33 women. Cronbach’s alpha was used for analysis of the internal consistency of EHFScBS. Results Mean total self-care score in the study group was 34.2±8.1 points. Good or satisfactory level of self-care were documented in four out of 12 analyzed EHFScBS domains. Cronbach’s alpha for the entire questionnaire was 0.64. The value of Cronbach’s alpha after deletion of specific items ranged from 0.55 to 0.65. Conclusion Polish HF patients present significant deficits of self-care, which are to a large extent associated with inefficacy of the public health care system. Apart from cultural characteristics, the socioeconomic context of the target population should be considered during language adaptation of EHFScBS, as well as during interpretation of data obtained with this instrument. A number of self-care–related behaviors may be optimized as a result of appropriate educational activities, also those offered by nursing personnel.

Relationship of female sex to outcomes after myocardial infarction with persistent total occlusion of the infarct artery: Analysis of the Occluded Artery Trial (OAT)

BACKGROUNDnLong-term follow-up (up to 9 years) from the OAT allows for the examination of sex differences in outcomes and the effect of percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) in a relatively homogeneous cohort of myocardial infarction (MI) survivors.nnnMETHODSnThe OAT randomized 484 (22%) women and 1717 men to PCI of the occluded infarct-related artery vs medical therapy alone >24 hours post-MI. There was no benefit of PCI on the composite of death, MI, and class IV heart failure. We analyzed outcomes by sex and investigated for sex-based trial selection bias using a concurrent registry.nnnRESULTSnWomen were older and more likely to have left anterior descending infarct-related artery, diabetes and hypertension, history of heart failure, and rales at randomization but were less likely to smoke. The proportion and characteristics of women enrolled in the trial and the registry were similar, including left ventricular ejection fraction and extent of disease. Women had higher rates of the primary composite (hazard ratio [HR] 1.48, P = .0002), death (HR 1.50, P = .001), and heart failure (HR 2.53, P < .0001) but not reinfarction (HR 1.12, P = .57). Female sex was not independently associated with the primary end point or death on multivariate analysis. There was a trend toward independent association of female sex with heart failure (HR 1.66, P = .02).nnnCONCLUSIONnWomen in OAT had a higher primary end point event rate than did men, mainly driven by heart failure. Female sex was not independently associated with death or MI in this well-defined cohort with comparable extent of coronary artery disease, similar medical therapy, and equivalent left ventricular ejection fraction by sex.

Left Ventricular Function Assessed by One-Point Carotid Wave Intensity in Newly Diagnosed Untreated Hypertensive Patients

To investigate whether newly diagnosed untreated hypertensive patients show higher left ventricular (LV) contractility, as assessed by traditional echocardiographic indices and carotid wave intensity (WI) parameters, including amplitude of the peak during early (W1) and late systole (W2).