Valerian Fernandes

Follow-up of alcohol septal ablation for symptomatic hypertrophic obstructive cardiomyopathy the Baylor and Medical University of South Carolina experience 1996 to 2007.

OBJECTIVES This study sought to determine the long-term outcome of alcohol septal ablation (ASA). BACKGROUND There are inadequate data on the long-term outcome of ASA for symptomatic hypertrophic obstructive cardiomyopathy (HOCM). METHODS Six hundred and twenty-nine patients were enrolled consecutively (1996 to 2007) and 98.4% (n = 619) underwent ASA with 92% follow-up in 2007. Evaluation included deaths, procedural complications, pacemaker requirement, repeat ASA, and myectomy/valve surgery. Follow-up parameters included angina (Canadian Cardiovascular Society score), dyspnea (New York Heart Association functional class), exercise time, and echocardiographic indices (septal thickness, ejection fraction, resting and provoked gradients). RESULTS Ethanol (2.6 +/- 1.0 ml) was injected into 1.3 +/- 0.5 septal arteries, inducing a septal infarct. Complications included death 1% (n = 6), permanent pacemaker requirement 8.2% (n = 52), coronary dissection 1.3% (n = 8), and worsening mitral regurgitation 0.3% (n = 2). The mean follow-up was 4.6 +/- 2.5 years (range: 3 months to 10.2 years). During follow-up, New York Heart Association functional class decreased from 2.8 +/- 0.6 to 1.2 +/- 0.5 (p < 0.001); Canadian Cardiovascular Society angina score decreased from 2.1 +/- 0.9 to 1.0 +/- 0 (p < 0.001); and exercise time increased from 4.8 +/- 3.3 to 8.2 +/- 1.0 (p < 0.001) min. The resting and provoked left ventricular outflow tract gradients decreased progressively (p < 0.001) and remained low during follow-up. The septal thickness decreased from 2.1 +/- 0.5 cm to 1.0 +/- 0.1 cm (p < 0.001) and the ejection fraction decreased from 68 +/- 9% to 62 +/- 3% (p < 0.001). The survival estimates at 1, 5, and 8 years were 97%, 92%, and 89%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS The initial benefits of ASA were maintained during follow-up.

Implantable Cardioverter-Defibrillator Therapy for Primary Prevention of Sudden Death After Alcohol Septal Ablation of Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy

OBJECTIVES The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of alcohol septal ablation (ASA) on ventricular arrhythmias among patients with obstructive hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM), as measured by appropriate implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD) discharges. BACKGROUND Alcohol septal ablation is an effective therapy for patients with symptomatic HCM. However, concern has been raised that ASA may be proarrhythmic secondary to the iatrogenic scar created during the procedure. The impact of ASA on ventricular arrhythmias has not been well described. METHODS This prospective study included 123 consecutive patients with obstructive HCM who underwent ASA and had an ICD implanted for primary prevention of sudden cardiac death (SCD). The ICDs were implanted based on commonly accepted risk factors for SCD in the HCM population. Data from ICD interrogations during routine follow-up were collected. RESULTS Nine appropriate ICD shocks were recorded over a mean follow-up of 2.9 years in the cohort, which had a mean of 1.5 +/- 0.9 risk factors for SCD. Using Kaplan-Meier survival analysis, the estimated annual event rate was 2.8% over 3-year follow-up. There were no significant differences in the incidence of risk factors between patients who did and did not receive appropriate shocks. CONCLUSIONS The annual rate of appropriate ICD discharges after ASA is low and less than that reported previously for primary prevention of SCD in HCM. This suggests that ASA is not proarrhythmic. Traditional SCD risk factors did not predict ICD shocks in this cohort.

Coronary CT Angiography versus Conventional Cardiac Angiography for Therapeutic Decision Making in Patients with High Likelihood of Coronary Artery Disease

PURPOSE To assess the efficacy of coronary computed tomographic (CT) angiography for therapeutic decision making in patients with high likelihood of coronary artery disease (CAD)-specifically the ability of coronary CT angiography to help differentiate patients without and patients with a need for revascularization and determine the appropriate revascularization procedure. MATERIALS AND METHODS The study protocol was approved by institutional review board, with written informed consent from all patients. The study was conducted in compliance with HIPAA. One hundred eighty-five consecutive symptomatic patients (121 men; mean age, 59.4 years±9.7) with a positive single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) myocardial perfusion study underwent coronary CT angiography and conventional cardiac angiography (hereafter, cardiac catheterization). The management strategy (conservative treatment vs revascularization) and revascularization procedure (percutaneous coronary intervention [PCI] vs coronary artery bypass graft surgery [CABG]) were prospectively selected on the basis of a combination of coronary CT angiography and SPECT. In addition, the authors calculated the accuracy, sensitivity, specificity, and negative and positive predictive values of coronary CT angiography in the detection of obstructive CAD and the selection of a revascularization strategy. Cardiac catheterization was used as the standard of reference. RESULTS Of the 185 patients, 113 (61%) did not undergo revascularization and 42 (23%) were free of CAD. In 178 patients (96%), the same therapeutic strategy (conservative treatment vs revascularization) was chosen on the basis of coronary CT angiography and catheterization. All patients in need of revascularization were identified with coronary CT angiography. When revascularization was indicated, the same procedure (PCI vs CABG) was chosen in 66 of 72 patients (92%). CONCLUSION In patients with high likelihood of CAD, the performance of coronary CT angiography in the differentiation of patients without and patients with a need for revascularization and the selection of a revascularization strategy was similar to that of cardiac catheterization; accordingly, coronary CT angiography has the potential to limit the number of patients without obstructive CAD who undergo cardiac catheterization and to inform decision making regarding revascularization.

Left ventricular end-diastolic pressure affects measurement of fractional flow reserve

BACKGROUND Fractional flow reserve (FFR), the hyperemic ratio of distal (Pd) to proximal (Pa) coronary pressure, is used to identify the need for coronary revascularization. Changes in left ventricular end-diastolic pressure (LVEDP) might affect measurements of FFR. METHODS AND MATERIALS LVEDP was recorded simultaneously with Pd and Pa during conventional FFR measurement as well as during additional infusion of nitroprusside. The relationship between LVEDP, Pa, and FFR was assessed using linear mixed models. RESULTS Prospectively collected data for 528 cardiac cycles from 20 coronary arteries in 17 patients were analyzed. Baseline median Pa, Pd, FFR, and LVEDP were 73 mmHg, 49 mmHg, 0.69, and 18 mmHg, respectively. FFR<0.80 was present in 14 arteries (70%). With nitroprusside median Pa, Pd, FFR, and LVEDP were 61 mmHg, 42 mmHg, 0.68, and 12 mmHg, respectively. In a multivariable model for the entire population LVEDP was positively associated with FFR such that FFR increased by 0.008 for every 1-mmHg increase in LVEDP (beta=0.008; P<0.001), an association that was greater in obstructed arteries with FFR<0.80 (beta=0.01; P<0.001). Pa did not directly affect FFR in the multivariable model, but an interaction between LVEDP and Pa determined that LVEDPs effect on FFR is greater at lower Pa. CONCLUSIONS LVEDP was positively associated with FFR. The association was greater in obstructive disease (FFR<0.80) and at lower Pa. These findings have implications for the use of FFR to guide revascularization in patients with heart failure. SUMMARY FOR ANNOTATED TABLE OF CONTENTS The impact of left ventricular diastolic pressure on measurement of fractional flow reserve (FFR) is not well described. We present a hemodynamic study of the issue, concluding that increasing left ventricular diastolic pressure can increase measurements of FFR, particularly in patients with FFR<0.80 and lower blood pressure.

Alcohol septal ablation for obstructive hypertrophic cardiomyopathy: Outcomes in young, middle-aged, and elderly patients

We compared the efficacy and safety of alcohol septal ablation (ASA) for obstructive hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) in young, middle‐aged, and elderly patients.

Anomalous origin of the right coronary artery from the pulmonary artery with reversal of flow.

A 41-year-old woman underwent cardiac computed tomography for atypical chest pain. Three-dimensional volume rendering ( A , [Online Video 1][1]) and multiplanar computed tomographic reformations (B) demonstrated anomalous origin of the right coronary artery (RCA) from the main pulmonary artery. The

Diagnostic yield and accuracy of coronary CT angiography after abnormal nuclear myocardial perfusion imaging

We aimed to determine the diagnostic yield and accuracy of coronary CT angiography (CCTA) in patients referred for invasive coronary angiography (ICA) based on clinical concern for coronary artery disease (CAD) and an abnormal nuclear stress myocardial perfusion imaging (MPI) study. We enrolled 100 patients (84 male, mean age 59.6 ± 8.9 years) with an abnormal MPI study and subsequent referral for ICA. Each patient underwent CCTA prior to ICA. We analyzed the prevalence of potentially obstructive CAD (≥50% stenosis) on CCTA and calculated the diagnostic accuracy of ≥50% stenosis on CCTA for the detection of clinically significant CAD on ICA (defined as any ≥70% stenosis or ≥50% left main stenosis). On CCTA, 54 patients had at least one ≥50% stenosis. With ICA, 45 patients demonstrated clinically significant CAD. A positive CCTA had 100% sensitivity and 84% specificity with a 100% negative predictive value and 83% positive predictive value for clinically significant CAD on a per patient basis in MPI positive symptomatic patients. In conclusion, almost half (48%) of patients with suspected CAD and an abnormal MPI study demonstrate no obstructive CAD on CCTA.