Yosuke Takamiya

Safety and efficacy of antihypertensive therapy with add-on angiotensin II type 1 receptor blocker after successful coronary stent implantation

This study was performed to evaluate the safety and efficacy of additional antihypertensive therapy with angiotensin II type 1 receptor blocker (ARB; olmesartan or valsartan) after successful stent implantation in patients with coronary artery disease (CAD). Fifty patients with CAD after successful stent implantation were included in this study. They were divided into an ARB group, which initially received olmesartan (n=20, 14±8 mg day−1) or valsartan (n=20, 60±23 mg day−1) immediately after stent implantation, and a non-ARB group (n=10) according to their blood pressure (BP). Follow-up coronary angiography, measurement of BP and blood sampling were performed before (at baseline) and 6–8 months after stent implantation (at follow-up). There were no significant differences in the baseline characteristics between the groups, except for BP. Although there were no changes in % diameter restenosis between the groups, the BP level in the ARB group at follow-up showed a significant reduction (125±12/69±9 mm Hg) and reached the target BP. There were no critical adverse effects in the ARB group throughout the study period. In addition, serum high-sensitive C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) and pentraxin 3 were significantly decreased in the ARB group but not in the non-ARB group. Although olmesartan and valsartan induced similar BP-lowering effects, olmesartan but not valsartan induced a significant decrease in hs-CRP, but did not increase serum uric acid. In conclusion, antihypertensive therapy with add-on low-dose ARB after stent implantation was safe and achieved the target BP. In particular, olmesartan had an anti-inflammatory effect.

Isolated pulmonary arterial stenosis caused by Takayasu's arteritis in an elderly male

Takayasus arteritis has often been difficult to diagnose because of a lack of typical symptoms and other specific makers. We report here a case of Takayasus arteritis in a 73-year-old man who was considered to exhibit isolated pulmonary artery involvement. Pulmonary hypertension and right heart failure and severe stenosis in the main trunk and left pulmonary artery were observed. There was nothing remarkable in his routine blood-sample tests other than increased CRP and ESR. There were neither infectious nor collagen diseases. Anti-cardiolipin antibody, Antiphospholipid Syndrome, PR3-ANCA and MPO-ANCA were negative. We diagnosed the patient as having Takayasus arteritis based on chronic inflammation and the morphologic features of pulmonary artery lesion. However, other large vessels and the aorta were not involved. Treatment was started with glucocorticoids. The symptoms gradually improved, and pulmonary artery pressure estimated by echocardiography decreased along with inflammatiory markers. There were no remarkable changes in the stenotic lesions in the pulmonary artery but the flow limit in the left pulmonary artery was improved.

Acute coronary syndrome associated with essential thrombocythemia.

Although essential thrombocythemia (ET) has been rarely reported to cause coronary thrombosis, its appropriate management is still undefined. We describe a case of acute coronary syndrome in a patient with ET. A 47-year-old woman with ET complained of severe acute chest pain. Primary coronary angiography showed severe stenosis with thrombus in the proximal left anterior descending coronary artery. The patient was treated with anti-platelet drugs and hydroxyurea to prevent in-stent thrombosis, and subsequently underwent successful coronary angioplasty using aspiration and a distal protection device without thrombotic coronary complications.

The impact of angulated lesions on angiographic late loss in patients with drug-eluting stent implantation

Angulated lesion was classified in moderate risk lesion subset in PTCA guidelines 2000, because angulated lesion has been associated with abrupt closure or myocardial injury. We compared angiographic late loss at 6-9 months in bending lesions to that in non-bending lesion. This study included 227 lesions (de nowo) who were implanted Cypher Sirolimus-eluting stent (SES). There were 52 bending lesions (22.9%) and 175 non-bending lesions (77.1%). There were no significant differences in age and complicated disease between the two groups except the higher prevalence of prior cerebral infarction in the bending lesion group. There were more eccentric lesions in the bending group than in the non-bending group (43.7% vs. 63.5%, p=0.01). Follow-up MLD (in stent) was not significantly different between the two groups (p=NS) and the angiographic restenosis rate was 23.6% in bending lesions and 17.8% in non-bending lesions (p=NS). In-stent and in-segment late loss were similar between the two groups (0.09+/-0.58 vs. 0.18+/-0.64, p=NS, 0.06+/-0.50 vs. 0.09+/-0.65, p=NS). No stent fracture was observed by angiography and IVUS in this study. Follow-up MLD (in stent) was not significantly different between the two groups (p=NS) and the angiographic restenosis rate was 23.6% in bending lesions and 17.8% in non-bending lesions (p=NS). Lesion bending is not associated with long-term angiographic late loss after DES implantation. DES may reduce clinical events in patients with bending lesion.

Intensive LOwering of BlOod pressure and low-density lipoprotein ChOlesterol with statin theraPy (LOBOCOP) may improve neointimal formation after coronary stenting in patients with coronary artery disease.

ObjectiveThis prospective study was carried out to evaluate the benefits of intensive lowering of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) with statin and intensive blood pressure (BP)-lowering therapy as aggressive medical interventions after stent implantation. MethodsFifty-four patients with coronary artery disease initially received statin immediately after successful stent implantation. They were divided into intensive therapy (IT group, n = 27; therapeutic target levels of LDL-C and BP were 60 mg/dl and <120/80 mmHg at follow-up coronary angiography, respectively, 6–8 months after stent implantation) and conventional therapy groups (CT group, n = 27; target levels of LDL-C and BP were 100 mg/dl and <130/85 mmHg, respectively). Additional antihypertensive therapy with angiotensin II type 1 receptor blockers was begun according to the BP levels. ResultsThere were significant differences in the levels of LDL-C at follow-up between the IT and CT groups [average, 68±10 (cut-off value,≥83.4) mg/dl and 102±14 (<83.4) mg/dl, respectively]. Percentage diameter stenosis (P = 0.039) and diastolic BP (P = 0.005) in the IT group were significantly decreased compared with those in the CT group at follow-up. In addition, percentage diameter stenosis was most significantly related to the level of LDL-C (P = 0.03) among other metabolic factors (BP, body mass index, triglyceride, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, hemoglobin A1c, and adiponectin) at follow-up as assessed by a stepwise multivariable regression analysis. ConclusionThese results suggest that intensive lowering of LDL-C by statin decreased the neointimal formation after stent implantation, and an LDL-C level of at least 83.4 mg/dl was the most acceptable clinical therapeutic target at follow-up.

Results of provisional stenting with a Sirolimus-eluting stent for bifurcation lesion: Multicenter study in Japan

BACKGROUND Treatment of bifurcation lesion with a drug-eluting stent (DES) remains problematic. The purpose of this study was to investigate an appropriate treatment strategy for bifurcation lesion with a Sirolimus-eluting stent (SES). METHOD One-hundred-forty-one patients with 169 bifurcation lesions were treated at three centers in Japan using a Sirolimus-eluting stent. Forty-six lesions (39 patients) were treated on side branches, and provisional stenting was performed in these cases. We evaluated the angiographic results and clinical outcomes with this strategy. Patients with acute myocardial infarction were excluded. RESULT After a follow-up period of 184 +/- 65 days, there were no deaths or myocardial infarction (MI), and only one (2.0%) target lesion revascularization (TLR). The strategies used for side-branch treatment were balloon only (83.7%) and T or Modified T stent (16.3%). The final kissing balloon technique was performed on 53.4% overall. In patients with a 6-month follow-up angiogram who had 25 bifurcation lesions (including 5 LMT bifurcation Lesions, 6 LCX-OM Lesions, 13 LAD-Dx lesions, and 1 RCA lesion) that were treated with balloon only, the percent diameter stenosis (%DS) of the side branch at follow-up was similar to that after the procedure (47.2 +/- 34.4% vs. 46.4 +/- 24.1%). CONCLUSIONS In the treatment of bifurcation lesions using a SES, the results of provisional stenting for the side branch are acceptable. Percent DS of the side branch remained unchanged over time after PCI.

Purulent pericarditis with Salmonella enteritidis in a patient with CD4/CD8 depression

A 65-year-old man was admitted for high-grade fever with a shaking chill and general fatigue. Chest X-ray showed cardiomegaly, and echocardiography revealed a large amount of pericardial effusion. Emergency pericardiocentesis was performed, and Salmonella enteritidis was found in pericardial fluids. We diagnosed purulent pericarditis with S. enteritidis, and administered antibiotics. While high-grade fever resolved 10 days after beginning of treatment, effusive-constrictive pericarditis (ECP) without definite symptoms persisted for 2 months. Because of the improvement of his hemodynamic states on cardiac catheterization after 1 year, an operative procedure was not required. He was diagnosed as having CD4/CD8 depression without apparent diseases. There are few reports of pericarditis with S. enteritidis, and we believe this case might be only the second recorded case of ECP with S. enteritidis.

Angiographic late lumen loss at the site of overlap of multiple Cypher™ sirolimus-eluting stents: ALSOCE study

OBJECTIVES It has been reported that the overlap of sirolimus-eluting stents (SESs) is associated with greater in-stent late lumen loss and more angiographic restenosis. The purpose of this study was to evaluate whether the site of such overlap shows increased or decreased late lumen loss as assessed by quantitative coronary angiogram. METHODS AND RESULTS We compared 7-month angiographic late lumen loss at the site of overlap in patients with multiple overlapping stents (overlap SES group, n=48) to that in patients with single stents (single SES group, n=144). With regard to baseline angiographic characteristics and procedural results, there were significant differences between the overlap SES group and the single SES group in lesion complexity, lesion length and reference diameter, minimal lumen diameter, and mean stent length. In-stent late lumen loss at the 7-month follow-up did not differ significantly between the two groups (overlap SES 0.25 ± 0.61 mm vs. single SES 0.10 ± 0.55 mm, p=0.11). Furthermore, the site of overlap in the overlap SES group did not show greater late lumen loss compared to the stented area in the single SES group (0.17 ± 0.55 mm vs. 0.10 ± 0.55 mm, p=0.43). The overlap SES group tended to be associated with an increase in binary restenosis compared with the single SES group (22.8% vs. 12.8%, p=0.08), while this value was 4.2% at the site of overlap. There were no significant differences in death, myocardial infarction, target lesion revascularization, or stent thrombosis between the two groups. In addition, stent length was the most independent factor of late lumen loss in the overlap SES group by multivariate logistic analysis, whereas it was not an independent factor of late lumen loss of the SES overlap segment. CONCLUSIONS The site of overlap of overlapping SES dose not associate with greater late lumen loss or a higher in-stent binary restenosis rate compared to single SES implantation. The overlapping of SES by itself did not increase in-stent late lumen loss.

602 INCREASED CHYMASE DEPENDENT ANGIOTENSIN II-FORMING ACTIVITY IN THE CIRCULATING MONONUCLEAR LEUKOCYTE ASSOCIATED WITH ATRIAL FIBRILLATION AND CARDIAC REMODELING

Background: Human chymase is an angiotensin II (AII) forming serine proteinase and its increased tissue activity is associated with various cardiovascular diseases. Several studies indicated that the activated renin-angiotensin system was related with cardiac remodeling and atrial fibrillation (AF). The purpose of this study was to investigate the chymase dependent angiotensin II-forming activity (dAIIFA) in the circulating mononuclear leukocyte (CML) in the patients with AF. Methods: Consecutive out-patients (n=512) were recruited and classified into AF (n=49, including paroxysmal AF) and normal sinus rhythm (NSR) (n=463) groups. Chymase dAIIFA in the CML was measured using the Nma/Dnp type fluorescence-quenching substrate of the modified angiotensin I in the presence or absence of a specific chymase inhibitor. The cardiac parameters obtained by echocardiography were compared with chymase dAIIFA in CML. Results: Logistic regression analysis revealed that independent contributors for existence of AF were age (P<0.0001) and chymase dAIIFA in CML (P=0.007). Chymase dAIIFA positively correlated with LV mass index (p<0.05), left atrial diameter (LAD, p<0.05) and the ratio of early transmitral flow velocity to early diastolic mitral annulus velocity (E/e’ ratio, p=0.008). The following multiple regression analysis adjusted for age, gender and BMI showed a significant positive correlation between E/e’ and chymase dAIIFA in CML. Conclusion: Elevated chymase activity in CML was associated with the presence of AF, in addition, with increased LAD or E/e’, indicated that the activated chymase appeared to be linked with cardiac diastolic dysfunction and consequent AF.

Significance of pigment epithelium-derived factor levels with angiotensin II type 1 receptor blockers in patients with successful coronary stent implantation.

Pigment epithelium-derived factor (PEDF) and pentosidine have received growing attention as sensitive biomarkers of the progression of atherosclerosis. The present study was performed to evaluate the utility of these biomarkers for assessing the effects of angiotensin II type 1 receptor blockers (ARBs). Sixty-three patients with coronary artery disease (CAD) following successful stent implantation were divided into an ARB group (n = 50), who initially received valsartan or olmesartan immediately following stent implantation, and a non-ARB group (n = 13) according to their blood pressure (BP) at baseline. Measurement of BP and blood sampling was performed prior to (at baseline) and 6—8 months following stent implantation (at follow-up). There were no significant differences in the baseline characteristics between the groups. Although there were no differences in the percentage of diameter re-stenosis between the groups, the BP level in the ARB group at follow-up showed a significant reduction and reached the target BP. The levels of plasma PEDF were significantly increased at follow-up in the ARB group, but not in the non-ARB group, while there were no differences in the levels of pentosidine between the groups. Changes in BP (ΔBP = BP at follow-up minus BP at baseline) were not associated with ΔPEDF. In conclusion, PEDF may be a useful biomarker for assessing the effects of ARBs independent of a reduction in BP.