V. Dev

Fish oil supplements for prevention of restenosis after coronary angioplasty

We have evaluated the effect of fish oil supplementation in the prevention of restenosis after percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty by a randomised trial conducted in 107 patients. The treatment group (n = 58, 96 significant coronary narrowings) received 10 capsules of fish oil (1.8 g eicosapentaenoic acid, 1.2 g docosahexaenoic acid) besides aspirin and calcium blockers, beginning 4.3 (SD 2.9) days before coronary angioplasty. The conventional medical treatment group (n = 49, 81 significant coronary narrowings) received only aspirin and calcium blockers. Enrollment required the presence of angina pectoris and successful dilatation of all significant coronary narrowings. All patients were followed-up for at least 6 months. Restenosis was identified by symptoms and exercise testing and confirmed by angiography. The incidence of angiographic restenosis was 32% in the fish oil group and 27% in the conventional treatment group. Biochemical investigations showed a greater decrease in serum triglyceride levels in fish oil group as compared to the conventional treatment group. There was no significant difference in the cholesterol levels over the treatment period. Administration of fish oil in a dose of 3 g per day did not reduce the incidence of early restenosis after coronary angioplasty.

Initial experience with percutaneous transluminal angioplasty in the management of Takayasu's arteritis

We have performed percutaneous transluminal angioplasty (PTA) for 15 arterial stenoses in 11 patients with Takayasus arteritis. The lesions included tight, proximally located renal artery stenosis (12 stenoses; nine patients), localized abdominal aortic stenosis (two patients) and occluded left common iliac artery (one patient). Clinically successful dilatation was achieved in seven patients (10 stenoses) with renal artery stenosis, in both the patients with abdominal aortic stenosis and in the only patient with an occluded left common iliac artery. No complications related to the procedure were encountered. The follow-up period (n = 7) ranged between 1 and 16 months, mean follow-up period after renal angioplasty was 5 months and after abdominal aortic angioplasty was 12.5 months. Initial success has been maintained in both the patients with abdominal aortic stenoses and in four out of five patients with renal artery stenosis. Percutaneous transluminal angioplasty offers an attractive alternative for the management of stenosing lesions in Takayasus arteritis with good short term results.

Persistent Atrial Standstill—Clinical, Electrophysiological, and Morphological Study

Persistent atrial standstill (PAS) is a rare disorder characterized by absence of atrial activity on the surface and intracavity electrograms, absence of atrial mechanical activity, and inability to electrically stimulate the atria. Four patients (ages 18–60 years) with PAS were evaluated. One of these (no. 3) only had right atrial (RA) standstill, whereas left atrium (LA) showed spontaneous activity and could be stimulated electrically. As RA biopsy is not possible, right ventricular (RV) endomyocardial biopsy (EMB) was obtained to identify possible atrial pathology that revealed inflammatory myocarditis, 2; amyloidosis, 1; and myocardial hypertrophy with fibrosis, 1. Three patients were given permanent pacemakers. One of these with amyloidosis died suddenly. One is lost to follow‐up. The others cases are persisting with PAS.

Evaluation of patients with bundle branch block and "unexplained" syncope: a study based on comprehensive electrophysiologic testing and ajmaline stress.

Thirty‐five patients with bundle branch block (BBB) and unexplained syncope underwent electrophysiologic study (EPS) including programmed ventricular stimulation and ajmaline administration (1 mg/kg, IV) to induce inra‐His block. A prolonged HV interval (>55 ms) was present in 16 of the 35 patients. Ajmaline‐induced HV block occurred in 12 patients (complete HV block in 10, and 2:1 HV block in two). Monomorphic ventricular tachycardia (VTJ was inducible in nine (25.7%) and polymorphic VT in two patients (5.7%). Left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEFJ was less than 40% in five patients (45.5%) with inducible VT. Two patients had an unexpected co‐existence o/inducible HV block and VT. The remaining 14 patients (40%) had no detectable abnormality. The incidence of inducible VT was higher (45% vs 13.3%), and the presence of negative studies was lower (30% vs 53.3%) in patients with structural heart disease (n = 20), when compared to those with no significant heart disease (n = 15) (differences not significant [NS]). During a mean follow‐up period of 16.5 ± 9.2 months, all the patients with inducible HV block have been asymptomatic after having received permanent pacemakers. Patients with inducible monomorphic VT (except one with poor left ventricular function who died suddenly) have also been asymptomatic on antiarrhythmic drugs. Of the remaining patients, seven with normal EPS, two with prolonged HV intervals but no inducible HV block (despite being given permanent pacemakers) and one patient with polymorphic VT on antiarrhythmic drugs continue to have recurrent syncope. Approximately 60% of patients with BBB and unexplained syncope have clinically significant electrophysiologic abnormalities. VT accounts for symptoms in a significant number of patients. Ajmaline stress is a useful adjunct to unmask infra‐His block, and some patients have more than one abnormality. Long‐term management guided by detailed EPS is generally successful in preventing recurrent syncope in patients with inducible arrhythmias such as HV block and monomorphic VT.

Effect of the Balloon-Anulus Ratio on the Intermediate and Follow-Up Results of Pulmonary Balloon Valvuloplasty

Pulmonary balloon valvuloplasty (PBV) is an effective method to treat congenital valvular pulmonic stenosis, but the ideal balloon-anulus ratio (BAR) for this procedure remains unclear. We studied 71 procedures where BARs of 1.0-1.5 were used, since it has been shown that a ratio of < 1.0 is less effective and that of > 1.5 may produce more complications. A curvilinear relation was found between BAR and the fractional fall in haemodynamic parameters reflecting stenosis severity, both immediately after dilatation and at follow-up. Best results were observed with a BAR of 1.25, with progressive worsening on either side of this ratio. The relationship remained significant in multiple regression analysis involving age, sex and baseline haemodynamic variables. The data show that a BAR of 1.25 is probably the ideal ratio for PBV.

The morphology of coronary arterial dissection occurring subsequent to angioplasty and its influence on acute complications

We reviewed the records of 402 patients undergoing percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty to identify factors predicting an ischemic event with arterial disruption during an otherwise uncomplicated angioplasty. Major dissection of the coronary arteries without immediate occlusion was found in 25 patients, who exhibited 28 dissected lesions. Dissections were classified into 2 types: those producing a continuous extraluminal and parallel filling tract, and those with a continuous parallel filling tract extending into and compromising the lumen. Ischemic complications (defined as myocardial infarction, the need for repeat angioplasty, or coronary arterial bypass surgery) occurred in 6 patients (24%) within 24 hours of the completion of the procedure. The remaining 19 patients had an uncomplicated hospital course. Acute ischemic complications following dissection correlated with the percentage of luminal compromise 50 +/- 0% in those with complications as opposed to 17 +/- 21% in those without: P less than 0.001) and the development of dissection producing a filling tract which compromised at least half the lumen (100% in those with complications versus 9.1% in those without: P less than 0.001). There was a trend towards an increase in ischemic complications in patients with proximal and eccentric lesions. We conclude that patients who develop dissections which produce significant luminal compromise after an otherwise uncomplicated angioplasty are at a high risk of developing an acute ischemic complication within 24 hours of the procedure.

PERCUTANEOUS BALLOON MITRAL VALVULOPLASTY IN JUVENILE RHEUMATIC MITRAL STENOSIS

Abstract We report here results and follow-up data of 34 patients 1 who underwent percutaneous balloon mitral valvuloplasty at our medical center.

Aortic dissection following transluminal angioplasty of the thoracic aorta in nonspecific aortoarteritis

We performed transluminal angioplasty for an eccentric, calcific stenosis of the thoracic aorta in a patient with nonspecific aortoarteritis and encountered an iatrogenic aortic dissection. Follow-up by intravenous digital subtraction angiography at 12 hours and at one week showed no change in the picture. He is asymptomatic at 6 months except for residual hypertension. Eccentric, localized thoracic stenosis may constitute an unfavourable angiographic morphology for angioplasty.

Immunosuppressive therapy in inflammatory myocarditis: long-term follow-up

Sixteen patients (12 male and 4 female, age 2-46 years) with endomyocardial biopsy-proven myocarditis were prospectively evaluated with immunosuppressive therapy including azathioprine and prednisolone in addition to other standard measures. Patients were either in NYHA class IV (n = 12) or class III (n = 4). Twelve patients showed improvement and the remaining 4 continued to deteriorate: 2 died at 1 and 2 months after therapy and the other 2 were lost to follow-up after 4-6 weeks of therapy. Three of the 12 patients who showed significant improvement, after sudden omission of therapy (at 8 weeks, 6 and 8 months) worsened and died. One patient who showed significant improvement died suddenly after 9 months of therapy while playing football. The remaining patients have shown significant clinical and haemodynamic improvement with normalization of myocardial morphology. Serial haemodynamic studies revealed a significant fall in cardiothoracic ratio (before: 62.3 +/- 4.7%; 3 months: 55.1 +/- 3.1%, P less than 0.0001; 6-12 months: 50.6 +/- 1.5%, P less than 0.0001), mean pulmonary artery pressure (before: 34.3 +/- 13.05 mm; 3 months: 20.4 +/- 8.71 mm, P less than 0.01; 6-12 months: 20.0 +/- 2.75 mm, P less than 0.01) and mean pulmonary artery wedge pressure (before: 26.0 +/- 9.07 mm; 3 months 14.0 +/- 5.63 mm, P less than 0.001; 6-12 months: 13.2 +/- 4.57 mm, P less than 0.001). The left ventricular ejection fraction improved from 24.3 +/- 8.36% to 35.8 +/- 9.72% (P less than 0.001) at 3 months and 49.8 +/- 18.2% (P less than 0.0001) at 6-12 months of therapy. Two patients have been subsequently lost to follow-up whereas the remaining 6 patients are on follow-up for 1-4 years after therapy and are doing fine. Our uncontrolled observations suggest that immunosuppressive therapy may be useful in patients with inflammatory myocarditis.

Diagnosis of pulmonary venous obstruction by Doppler echocardiography

A 1 1/2-year-old female patient with atrial and ventricular septal defects and severe pulmonary arterial hypertension was found to have discrete stenosis of left upper and middle lobe pulmonary veins. The diagnosis was made by cross-sectional and Doppler echocardiography. The findings were confirmed at cardiac catheterization and operation. Pressure gradients across the pulmonary vein stenosis as obtained by Doppler echocardiography correlated well with those measured at cardiac catheterization.