Premranjan P Singh

Congestive heart failure and cardiovascular death in patients with prediabetes and type 2 diabetes given thiazolidinediones: a meta-analysis of randomised clinical trials

BACKGROUND The overall clinical benefit of thiazolidinediones (TZDs) as a treatment for hyperglycaemia can be difficult to assess because of the risk of congestive heart failure due to TZD-related fluid retention. Since prediabetic and diabetic patients are at high cardiovascular risk, the outcome and natural history of such risks need to be better understood. We aimed to examine the risk of congestive heart failure and of cardiac death in patients given TZDs. METHODS We used a search strategy to identify 3048 studies. 3041 were excluded, and we did a systematic review and meta-analysis of the seven remaining randomised double-blind clinical trials of drug-related congestive heart failure in patients given TZDs (either rosiglitazone or pioglitazone). We calculated pooled random-effects estimates of the risk ratios for development of congestive heart failure in patients given TZDs compared with controls. The main outcome measures were development of congestive heart failure and the risk of cardiovascular death. FINDINGS 360 of 20 191 patients who had either prediabetes or type 2 diabetes had congestive heart failure events (214 with TZDs and 146 with comparators). Results showed no heterogeneity of effects across studies (I2=22.8%; p for interaction=0.26), which indicated a class effect for TZDs. Compared with controls, patients given TZDs had increased risk for development of congestive heart failure across a wide background of cardiac risk (relative risk [RR] 1.72, 95% CI 1.21-2.42, p=0.002). By contrast, the risk of cardiovascular death was not increased with either of the two TZDs (0.93, 0.67-1.29, p=0.68). INTERPRETATION Congestive heart failure in patients given TZDs might not carry the risk that is usually associated with congestive heart failure which is caused by progressive systolic or diastolic dysfunction of the left ventricle. Longer follow-up and better characterisation of such patients is needed to determine the effect of TZDs on overall cardiovascular outcome.

Clinical Characteristics of Tako-Tsubo Cardiomyopathy

Tako-tsubo cardiomyopathy (TTC) is increasingly diagnosed in the United States, especially in the Caucasian population. To evaluate the clinical features and outcome of patients with TTC, we evaluated 34 patients (32 women and 2 men) 22 to 88 years of age (mean 66 +/- 14) who fulfilled the following criteria: (1) akinesia or dyskinesia of the apical and/or midventricular segments of the left ventricle with regional wall motion abnormalities that extended beyond the distribution of a single epicardial vessel and (2) absence of obstructive coronary artery disease. Twenty-five patients (74%) presented with chest pain, 20 patients (59%) presented with dyspnea, and 8 patients (24%) presented with cardiogenic shock. Twenty-two patients (65%) had ST-segment elevation and 14 patients (41%) had T-wave inversion on presentation. Twenty-five patients (74%) reported a preceding stressful event. Cardiac biomarkers were often mildly increased, with a mean troponin I (peak) of 13.9 +/- 24. Mean +/- SD left ventricular ejection fractions were 28 +/- 10% at time of presentation and 51 +/- 14 at time of follow-up (p <0.0001). Two patients (6%) died during the hospital stay. Average duration of hospital stay was 6.6 +/- 6.2 days. In conclusion, TTC is common in postmenopausal women with preceding physical or emotional stress. It predominantly involves the apical portion of the left ventricle and patients with this condition have a favorable outcome with appropriate medical management. The precise cause remains unclear.

The prevalence and predictors of an abnormal ankle-brachial index in the Bypass Angioplasty Revascularization Investigation 2 Diabetes (BARI 2D) trial.

OBJECTIVE To examine ankle-brachial index (ABI) abnormalities in patients with type 2 diabetes and coronary artery disease (CAD). RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS An ABI was obtained in 2,240 patients in the Bypass Angioplasty Revascularization Investigation 2 Diabetes (BARI 2D) Trial. ABIs were classified as: normal, 0.91–1.3; low, ≤0.9; high, >1.3; or noncompressible artery (NC). Baseline characteristics were examined according to ABI and by multivariate analysis. RESULTS ABI was normal in 66%, low in 19%, and high in 8% of patients, and 6% of patients had NC. Of the low ABI patients, 68% were asymptomatic. Using normal ABI as referent, low ABI was independently associated with smoking, female sex, black race, hypertension, age, C-reactive protein, diabetes duration, and lower BMI. High ABI was associated with male sex, nonblack race, and higher BMI; and NC artery was associated with diabetes duration, higher BMI, and hypertension. CONCLUSIONS ABI abnormalities are common and often asymptomatic in patients with type 2 diabetes and CAD.

Ankle-brachial index and cardiovascular outcomes in the Bypass Angioplasty Revascularization Investigation 2 Diabetes trial

BACKGROUND Peripheral arterial disease increases cardiovascular risk in many patient populations. The risks associated with an abnormal ankle-brachial index (ABI) in patients with type 2 diabetes and stable coronary artery disease have not been well described with respect to thresholds and types of cardiovascular events. METHODS We examined 2,368 patients in the BARI 2D trial who underwent ABI assessment at baseline. Death and major cardiovascular events (death, myocardial infarction and stroke) during follow-up (average 4.3 years) were assessed across the ABI spectrum and by categorized ABI: low (≤0.90), normal (0.91-1.3), high (>1.3), or noncompressible. RESULTS A total of 12,568 person-years were available for mortality analysis. During follow-up, 316 patients died, and 549 had major cardiovascular events. After adjustment for potential confounders, with normal ABI as the referent group, a low ABI conferred an increased risk of death (relative risk [RR] 1.6, CI 1.2-2.2, P = .0005) and major cardiovascular events (RR 1.4, CI 1.1-1.7, P = .004). Patients with a high ABI had similar outcomes as patients with a normal ABI, but risk again increased in patients with a noncompressible ABI with a risk of death (RR 1.9, CI 1.3-2.8, P = .001) and major cardiovascular event (RR 1.5, CI 1.1-2.1, P = .01). CONCLUSIONS In patients with coronary artery disease and type 2 diabetes, ABI screening and identification of ABI abnormalities including a low ABI (<1.0) or noncompressible artery provide incremental prognostic information.

Tako-tsubo syndrome following a difficult urinary catheterization

Tako-tsubo syndrome is a cardiac syndrome triggered by emotional or physical stress and characterized by acute extensive but reversible akinesia of the apex and mid part of the left ventricle (LV) in the absence of obstructive coronary artery disease. It typically presents with chest pain and/or dyspnea and may mimic an acute coronary syndrome (ACS) with ischemic changes in the electrocardiogram and elevated cardiac biomarkers. The precise etiology remains unknown, but prognosis is generally excellent. This is the first reported case of Tako-tsubo syndrome following a difficult outpatient cystoscopic procedure for urinary retention.

Do nondiabetic patients with acute coronary syndromes and hyperglycemia benefit from insulin therapy

Do nondiabetic patients with acute coronary syndromes and hyperglycemia benefit from insulin therapy?