Silvio E. Papapietro

Enhancement of left ventricular function by glucose-insulin-potassium infusion in acute myocardial infarction

Abstract Twenty-eight patients admitted to the hospital with suspected acute myocardial infarction underwent baseline studies within 12 hours of onset of symptoms. Patients were then randomized to receive control infusion (0.45 percent sodium chloride at 20 ml/hour) (15 patients) or glucoseinsulin-potassium infusion (300 g glucose, 50 units regular insulin, 80 mEq KCl/liter water at 1.5 ml/kg per hour) (13 patients) for 48 hours. All patients received 0.45 percent sodium chloride for 2 more days. Coronary arteriograms and left ventriculograms were obtained in 26 (93 percent) of 28 patients 2 to 3 weeks after infarction. Radionuclide ejection fraction improved during glucose-insulin-potassium infusion (49 ± 4 to 55 ± 5 percent, p During experimental infusion pulmonary arterial end-diastolic pressure decreased in the glucose-insulin-potassium group (17 ± 2 to 12 ± 2 mm Hg, p These data suggest that glucose-insulin-potassium infusion after acute myocardial infarction in human beings (1) increases global ejection fraction, (2) Increases ejection fraction in the “infarcted zone” without changing ejection fraction in the “noninfarcted zone”, and (3) decreases pulmonary arterial end-diastolic pressure and end-diastolic and end-systolic volumes.

Impaired maximal rate of left ventricular relaxation in patients with coronary artery disease and left ventricular dysfunction.

It has been suggested that the rate of left ventricular (LV) relaxation is related to the inotropic state, end-systolic fiber length peak LV pressure, but little information is available regarding the rate of LV relaxation in patients with coronary artery disease (CAD) LV dysfunction. To assess the rate of LV relaxation, we obtained high-fidelity LV pressure measurements with manometer-tip catheters in 39 patients. The signal was analyzed by a digital computer to yield the maximal rate of pressure rise (pos dP/dt) the maximal rate of pressure fall (neg dP/dt). Selective coronary arteriography biplane LV angiography with determination of LV volumes, ejection fraction (EF) percent abnormally contracting segments (ACS), when present, were performed in all patients. In 10 patients with normal LV function (EF >0.50, no asynergy) mean neg dP/dt (2074+121 mm Hg/sec) was significantly (p ≤ 0.01) greater than in 29 patients with CAD LV dysfunction (1695 ± 66 mm Hg/sec). In nine patients with LV dysfunction EF < 0.35, mean neg dP/dt was reduced to 1405 ± 107 mm Hg/sec, significantly (p ≤ 0.01) lower than in patients with normal LV function. Neg dP/dt correlated well with pos dP/dt (r = 0.75), with EF (r = 0.74), with ACS (r = −0.74), less well with LV end-systolic volume (r = −0.67). There was very poor correlation between neg dP/dt peak LV pressure (r = 0.30). These data suggest that the rate of LV relaxation, as assessed by neg dP/dt, is impaired in patients with CAD LV dysfunction, the extent of impairment is related to the severity of the dysfunction as determined hemodynamically by pos dP/dt, angiographically by EF ACS. In these patients the maximal rate of LV relaxation is inversely related to LV end-systolic volume, is not related to peak LV pressure.

Clinical effects of glucose-insulin-potassium on left ventricular function in acute myocardial infarction: Results from a randomized clinical trial

Abstract The effects of glucose-insulin-potassium (GIK) on hemodynamics and left ventricular (LV) function in patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI) were investigated in a prospective randomized study. Patients who presented with suspected AMI were candidates for this study if prerandomization evaluation was completed within 12 hours from onset of chest pain. Patients over 75 years of age, insulin-dependent diabetics, patients with renal insufficlency, and comatose patients were excluded. Following completion of baseline hemodynamic measurements, patients were randomly allocated to 48-hour infusion of 300 gm G, 500 units I, and 80 mEq KCl per liter at rate of 1.5 ml/kg/hr or to conventional therapy. In addition to serial hemodynamic measurements, dextran LV function curves (LVFC) were constructed during the second and third days to assess extent of LV injury. Eighty-five of 118 patients who were initially randomized into this study had AMI documented by diagnostic rise and fall of CK-MB isoenzyme. Baseline characteristics and hemodynamics were similar for GIK and control patients with AMI. GIK patients who presented with their initial AMI had significant reduction in pulmonary arterial end-diastolic pressure from prerandomization value of 16 ± 1 to 10 ± 1 by day 3, compared to 18 ± 1 to 16 ± 1 mm Hg for control patients ( p 2 for control patients ( p p p

Method for quantitative analysis of regional left ventricular function with first pass and gated blood pool scintigraphy

Abstract The ability of radionuclide angiocardiography to quantitatively assess regional left ventricular function was studied in 33 patients undergoing biplane left ventricular cineangiography (45 ° right anterior oblique projection, and 60 ° left anterior oblique projection with 25 ° caudocranial angulation), and first pass (30 ° right anterior oblique projection) and multiple gated equilibrium (35 ° to 45 ° left anterior oblique projection with 20 ° to 25 ° caudocranial angulation) left ventricular scintigraphy within 48 hours. End-diastolic and end-systolic silhouettes of contrast angiograms were superimposed, and five segments were defined in each plane by radial lines originating from the end-diastolic center of mass. Segmental angiographic ejection fraction (end-diastolic area — end-systolic area/ end-diastolic area) was calculated for each segment by computerized planimetry. Similar segments were defined in the end-diastolic and end-systolic regions of interest of the first pass and gated left ventricular scintigrams, and the segmental scintigraphic ejection fraction (back-ground-corrected end-diastolic counts — background-corrected end-systolic counts/background-corrected end-diastolic counts) was obtained for each. A good correlation was observed between segmentai angiographic and scintigraphic ejection fraction in the segments corresponding to the anterobasal (r = 0.74), anterolateral (r = 0.70), apical (r = 0.77), diaphragmatic (r = 0.71), distal septal (r = 0.66), posterolateral (r = 0.71) and inferolateral (r = 0.60) left ventricular regions. The poor correlation in the posterobasal (r = 0.39), basal septal (r = −0.02) and superolateral (r = 0.05) segments was probably related to difficulty in defining the aortic valve, overlap of the left atrium and the left ventricle, and inability to visualize the high septum with these scintigraphic techniques. The reproducibility of scintigraphic segmental ejection fraction was studied in 13 patients in whom a second gated scintigram was performed 2 hours after the initial one. Excellent agreement (r = 0.93) was observed for scintigraphic segmental ejection fraction in the distal septal, posterolateral and inferolateral segments. Segmental scintigraphic ejection fraction enables accurate quantitative evaluation of the function of the anterobasal, anterolateral, apical, diaphragmatic, distal septal, posterolateral and inferolateral left ventricular regions with high reproducibility.

Cineangiography in the diagnosis of aortic dissection

To assess the ability of biplane cineangiography in the diagnostic evaluation of acute dissection of the aorta, 20 patients with acute dissection were studied within 24 hours of surgery or autopsy, or both. Biplane large film aortic angiography was performed in 11 patients (Group I) and biplane aortic cineangiography in 9 (Group II). The morphology of the aortic valve was defined precisely in 5 (50 percent) of 10 patients in Group I and in all 9 patients (100 percent) in Group II (p less than 0.02). Aortic regurgitation weas diagnosed in all patients in both groups in whom it was present (p = not significant). Intimal tears were localized in 5 (50 percent) of 10 patients in Group I and in 8 (89 percent) of 9 in Group II (p less than 0.07). Intimal flaps were not identified angiographically in three patients in Group I and were identified in four patients (100 percent) in Group II (p less than 0.01). The presence of retrograde dissection was established in three (38 percent) of eight patients in Group I and in four (100 percent) of four patients in Group II (p less than 0.05). There was no difference in the ability to identify a nonclotted false lumen between cine and large film angiography. It is concluded that in addition to improved diagnostic capabilities, technical advantages make cineangiography a good alternative to large film angiography in the diagnostic evaluation of patients with acute dissection of the aorta.

Advantage of the cranial-right anterior oblique view in diagnosing mid left anterior descending and distal right coronary artery disease

The value of the cranial-right anterior oblique view in uncovering or improving the arteriographic visualization of lesions in the mid left anterior descending coronary artery, the origin of its diagonal and septal branches and the distal branches of the right coronary artery was analyzed in 300 consecutive patients. The cranial-right anterior oblique view was compared with standard and other angled views. In the mid left anterior descending artery the view provided improved visualization over the other views in 80 percent of cases and uncovered lesions in 7 percent. In the septal arteries, the view improved visualization in more than 90 percent of cases and uncovered lesions in 26 percent. In the diagonal branches, the view improved visualization in nearly 75 percent of cases. In the distal right coronary artery there was improved visualization of the posterior descending and posterolateral branch arteries in more than 80 percent of cases. The cranial-right anterior oblique view was also the most advantageous view from a technical standpoint, yielding satisfactory exposure factors in obese and extremely heavy patients.

Oral antiplatelet therapy in diabetes mellitus and the role of prasugrel: an overview

Diabetics have a prothrombotic state that includes increased platelet reactivity. This contributes to the less favorable clinical outcomes observed in diabetics experiencing acute coronary syndromes as well as stable coronary artery disease. Many diabetics are relatively resistant to or have insufficient response to several antithrombotic agents. In the setting of percutaneous coronary intervention, hyporesponsiveness to clopidogrel is particularly common among diabetics. Several strategies have been examined to further enhance the benefits of oral antiplatelet therapy in diabetics. These include increasing the dose of clopidogrel, triple antiplatelet therapy with cilostazol, and new agents such as prasugrel. The large TRITON TIMI 38 randomized trial compared clopidogrel to prasugrel in the setting of percutaneous coronary intervention for acute coronary syndromes. The diabetic subgroup (n = 3146) experienced considerable incremental benefit with a 4.8% reduction in cardiovascular death, nonfatal myocardial infarction, and nonfatal stroke at 15-month follow-up with prasugrel treatment. Among diabetics on insulin this combined endpoint was reduced by 7.9% at 15 months. Major bleeding was not increased in the diabetic subgroup. This confirms the general hypothesis that more potent oral antiplatelet therapy can partially overcome the prothrombotic milieu and safely improve important clinical outcomes in diabetics.

Long-term effect of thrombolytic therapy on left ventricular ejection fraction after acute myocardial infarction☆

To assess the long-term effect of thrombolytic therapy on left ventricular (LV) systolic function, 222 patients with acute myocardial infarction treated with intravenous tissue plasminogen activator within 4 hours of symptom onset underwent assessment of LV ejection fraction (EF) by radionuclide equilibrium angiography at hospital discharge and 1 year later. Mean EF at hospital discharge (46 +/- 12) was similar to that at 1 year (45 +/- 13). Stepwise multivariate linear regression analysis identified EF at discharge and patency of the infarct-related artery before discharge as independent predictors of EF change at 1 year (p = 0.0002 and 0.003, respectively). Random assignments to invasive versus conservative treatment strategies or to early versus delayed beta-blocker therapy did not affect EF change during follow-up. No significant deterioration of EF was observed in patients with larger infarcts. However, EF decreased from 45 +/- 10 at hospital discharge to 39 +/- 12 (p = 0.005) at 1-year follow-up in a subgroup of patients with history of prior infarction. Thus, patients with acute myocardial infarction, treated with intravenous tissue plasminogen activator early after onset of symptoms, appear to have stable LV function between hospital discharge and 1 year follow-up. The change in EF between hospital discharge and 1 year can be predicted from the EF value at discharge, patency of the infarct-related artery before discharge and history of previous myocardial infarction.

Advantages of the caudocranial left anterior oblique left ventriculogram in adult heart disease

Biplane axial left cineventriculography represents the most accurate diagnostic technique for evaluating acquired and congenital heart disease. However, data have accumulated to indicate that without angled views of the left ventricle, the diagnosis will be incomplete and inaccurate in a significant number of patients. Left ventriculography is the acknowledged standard for left ventricular performance. However, comparison of the conventional or nonangled left anterior oblique left ventriculogram with the angled views of the left ventricle obtained with either two dimensional ultrasound or radionuclide left ventriculography may in many cases be invalid because dissimilar views are compared. The cranial-left anterior oblique view allows more accurate assessment of the precise degree and extent of asynergy, left ventricular aneurysms and ventricular septal defects. Left ventricular outflow tract abnormalities such as discrete subaortic stenosis and the obstructive form of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy can easily be distinguished. Lesions involving the mitral valve, especially mitral valve prolapse, are readily evaluated. Lastly, comparison with noninvasive tests of left ventricular performance can be more accurately performed.

Coronary Artery Fistula After Cardiac Transplantation

A 68-year-old man with ischemic cardiomyopathy underwent heart transplantation in 2007. A routine endomyocardial biopsy done 4 weeks after transplantation reported 2 arterial branches (Figure 1). Physical examination did not reveal a murmur. Echocardiogram did not show a pericardial effusion. Coronary arteriogram 4 months later showed a left anterior descending artery-to-right ventricle fistula (Figure 2 and Movie I in the online-only Data …