Zohra Dridi

Eighteen-year experience with echinococcosus of the heart: clinical and echocardiographic features in 14 patients

We present a retrospective analysis of clinical symptoms and echocardiographic features in 14 patients having cardiac hydatic cysts and screened during the 18 last years, with surgical correlations in 13. The heart was the sole location of the cyst in six patients. The revealing symptoms were precordial pain (six patients), dyspnea (two patients). A systolic murmur of false pulmonic stenosis was present in three patients. In 13 patients, two-dimensional echocardiographic images of hydatic cysts were those of masses of liquid content with a well-contrasted capsule, which was single in eight patients and multiple in five, one of which had a honeycomb appearance. The mass was solid and calcified in one patient. The outlines of the cysts were particularly sharp on transesophageal echocardiograms (six patients). The cyst size ranged from 1.8 to 11 cm in diameter. Cysts were located in the intramyocardium in 10 patients (left ventricle in four patients, interventricular septum in four patients, right ventricle in two patients), the pericardium in three and the mediatinum in one. There were a Doppler pulmonary valve gradient in three patients. Computed tomography (eight patients) and coronary arteriography (seven patients) have no additional diagnosis value than echocardiography. Nuclear magnetic resonance imaging (three patients) was helpful in determining extracardiac extension of the cysts. Transthoracic and transesophageal two-dimensional echocardiography have a central role in diagnosing cardiac hydatic cysts.

Balloon mitral commissurotomy in juvenile rheumatic mitral stenosis: a ten-year clinical and echocardiographic actuarial results

AIMS To evaluate the safety, efficacy and long-term actuarial results of balloon mitral commissurotomy in young patients with severe rheumatic mitral stenosis. METHODS AND RESULTS Event-free survival and freedom from restenosis were analyzed in 110 patients 20 years old or younger (group 1) and compared with those of 554 adults (group 2). Young patients were less frequently in atrial fibrillation (6% vs 35%, P<0.001) and had less mitral valve deformities (echo score 5.9+/-2.1 vs 7.5+/-3.0, P<0.0001). Mitral valve area index by 2D-echo was of 0.66+/-0.1cm(2)/m(2)in group 1 and 0.67+/-0.1cm(2)/m(2)in group 2 (P=ns) and was larger in group 1 (1.5 vs 1.3 cm(2)/m(2)) after the procedure (P<0.0001). There were more complications in group 2 (8.4% vs 0%, P=0.01). Procedural success was obtained in 110 (100%) patients of group 1 vs 501 (92%) patients of group 2 (P<0.0001). At follow-up mitral valve area index was 1.34 cm(2)/m(2)in group 1 and 1.16 cm(2)/m(2)in group 2 (P<0.0001). At 10 years, freedom from restenosis was 61% in group 1 vs 71% in group 2 (P=0.35) and event-free survival was 74% and 69% respectively (P=0.15 CONCLUSION Balloon mitral commissurotomy is safe and effective in young with rheumatic mitral stenosis and provides better immediate results than in adults. However long-term outcome was similar between the 2 groups: 2/3 of patients were alive and free from clinical events at 10 years.

Accuracy of Two Scores in the Diagnosis of Stroke Subtype in a Multicenter Cohort Study

STUDY OBJECTIVE The distinction between hemorrhagic and ischemic stroke has critical implications for management. For that purpose, clinical scores have been proposed to be used in areas with limited health care resources where brain computed tomographic (CT) scan is not readily available. We conducted this study to evaluate the predictive value of the Allen and Siriraj scores in the differential diagnosis of stroke subtypes. METHODS We prospectively collected data for 4 years on the clinical characteristics of patients with stroke in a multicenter study. For all patients, we calculated the Allen and the Siriraj scores and we assessed their accuracy in predicting stroke subtypes with receiver operating characteristics (ROC) curves. RESULTS We assessed 1,023 patients. Of these, 82.7% (n=846) had ischemic stroke. The area under the ROC curve was higher for Siriraj score compared with the Allen score (0.780 versus 0.702; P=.04). Using the original cutoff points, Siriraj score has a sensitivity for the diagnosis of hemorrhage of 60% and a specificity of 95%; the corresponding values for the Allen score are 55% and 70%, respectively. The negative predictive value was higher for Siriraj score compared to the Allen score (90% versus 80%). The diagnosis of stroke subtype was best predicted at Siriraj score less than -4. CONCLUSION Siriraj score is a valid and useful tool for predicting stroke subtype in a clinical setting in which financial constraints make systematic brain CT scan unfeasible.

The GPIIIa PlA polymorphism and the platelet hyperactivity in Tunisian patients with stable coronary artery disease treated with aspirin

BACKGROUND Various genetic polymorphisms have been proposed to explain the persistent platelet hyperactivity (HPR) under aspirin treatment. PlA polymorphism of platelet GPIIIa receptor has been largely studied. However, its influence on platelet sensitivity to aspirin remains controversial. OBJECTIVES The aim of this prospective study is to investigate whether this PlA polymorphism is associated with a greater prevalence of HPR in stable coronary artery disease patients Material and Methods: 188 stable coronary artery disease patients were included. Platelet aspirin inhibitory effect was determined with PFA-100 using Collagen/Epinephrine closure time (CEPI-CT). A CEPI-CT<160sec was defining the HPR status. GPIIIa PlA polymorphism was established using polymerase chain reaction and classical restriction fragments length polymorphism. RESULTS The observed frequencies of different genotypes were not different from those predicted by the Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium: PlA1/lA1 (55.3%), PlA1/PlA2 (39.4%) and PlA2/PlA2 (5.3%). HPR patients with inadequate aspirin inhibition were significantly more often homozygous PlA1/A1 (65.4% vs. 47.7%, p=0.015). After multivariate analysis, PlA1/A1 genotype was the only independent risk factor for persistent HPR (OR: 2.07; 95% CI [1.14 to 3.76; p=0.016). CONCLUSION In CAD patients receiving daily low dose of aspirin, there is a significant and independent association between the expression of GPIIIa PlA1 allele and the occurrence of persistent HPR detected with PFA-100.

Platelet glycoprotein IIIa (platelet antigen 1/platelet antigen 2) polymorphism and 1-year outcome in patients with stable coronary artery disease.

Platelet glycoprotein IIb/IIIa is a membrane receptor which plays a key role in coronary artery disease and thrombotic events. However, there is a considerable controversy regarding the clinical impact of glycoprotein IIIa platelet antigen 1 (PlA1)/platelet antigen 2 (PlA2) polymorphism as a risk factor for myocardial infarction. To evaluate the association between glycoprotein IIIa PlA1/PlA2 polymorphism and 1-year cardiovascular events occurrence in aspirin-treated patients with stable coronary artery disease. We prospectively included 188 postacute coronary syndrome patients (183 men) aged 59 ± 10 years and receiving aspirin (250 mg/day). The clinical outcome at 1 year was the composite end point of nonfatal myocardial infarction, stroke, recurrent unstable angina or cardiac death. Genotyping for PlA1/PlA2 polymorphism was conducted using PCR and restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis. The genotype distribution of glycoprotein IIIa PlA1/PlA2 polymorphism was PlA1/PlA1, 55.3%; PlA1/PlA2, 39.3% and PlA2/PlA2, 4%. Incidence of composite end point in homozygous PlA1/PlA1 carriers was significantly higher than in PlA2/PlA2 and PlA1/PlA2 patients [14.4 vs. 3.6% odds ratio 4.5 (1.2–16.6, 95% confidence interval); P = 0.012]. Multivariate analysis identified three strong predictive factors of cardiac death: age more than 65 years [odds ratio = 6.8, (1.4–34, 95% confidence interval); P = 0.018], ventricular ejection fraction less than 50% [odds ratio = 8.6, (1.7–42.6, 95% confidence interval); P = 0.008] and homozygous PlA1/PlA1 genotype [odds ratio = 8.8, (1.0–78.6, 95% confidence interval); P = 0.014]. Our results demonstrated that glycoprotein IIIa PlA1/PlA1 genotype carriers have a significantly increased risks of acute vascular ischemic events associated with a poor prognosis at 1 year. These postacute coronary syndrome patients might require an optimized secondary antithrombotic prophylaxis strategy.

A new score for the diagnosis of acute coronary syndrome in acute chest pain with non-diagnostic ECG and normal troponin

Background Acute coronary syndrome (ACS) represents a difficult diagnostic challenge in patients with undifferentiated chest pain. There is a need for a valid clinical score to improve diagnostic accuracy. Objectives To compare the performance of a model combining the Thrombolysis in Myocardial Infarction (TIMI) score and a score describing chest pain (ACS diagnostic score: ACSD score) with that of both scores alone in the diagnosis of ACS in ED patients with chest pain associated with a non-diagnostic ECG and normal troponin. Methods In this observational cohort study, we enrolled 809 patients admitted to a chest pain unit with normal ECG and normal troponin. They were prospectively evaluated in order to calculate TIMI score, chest pain characteristics score and ACSD score. Diagnosis of ACS was the primary outcome and defined on the basis of 2 cardiologists after reviewing the patient medical records and follow-up data. Mortality and major cardiovascular events were followed for 1 month for patients discharged directly from ED. Discriminative power of scores was evaluated by the area under the ROC curve. Results ACS was confirmed in 90 patients (11.1%). The area under the ROC curve for ACSD score was 0.85 (95% CI 0.80 to 0.90) compared with 0.74 (95% CI 0.67 to 0.81) for TIMI and 0.79 (95% CI 0.74 to 0.84) for chest pain characteristics score. A threshold value of 9 appeared to optimise sensitivity (92%) and negative predictive value (99%) without excessively compromising specificity (62%) and positive predictive value (23%). Conclusions The ACSD score showed a good discrimination performance and an excellent negative predictive value which allows safely ruling out ACS in ED patients with undifferentiated chest pain. Our findings should be validated in a larger multicentre study.

Inaccuracy of Thrombolysis in Myocardial Infarction and Global Registry in Acute Coronary Events scores in predicting outcome in ED patients with potential ischemic chest pain

PURPOSE The Thrombolysis in Myocardial Infarction (TIMI) and the Global Registry in Acute Coronary Events (GRACE) scores were largely evaluated and validated in stratifying risk of cardiovascular events in patients with chest pain and acute coronary syndrome. Our objective was to compare these 2 scores in predicting outcome in emergency department (ED) patients with undifferentiated chest pain. MATERIALS AND METHODS This was a prospective cohort study including patients presenting to 4 EDs with chest pain with nondiagnostic or normal ECG. For all included patients (n = 3125), TIMI and GRACE scores were calculated. Follow-up was conducted at 30-day and 1-year post-ED index admission to identify major adverse events. Main outcome included all cause mortality, acute coronary syndrome, and coronary non-ED planned revascularization. Prognostic performance of the scores was assessed by the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves. RESULTS We reported 285 (9.1%) major adverse events at 30 days and 436 (13.9%) at 1 year. In patients with low TIMI (≤2) and GRACE (<109) scores, a significant proportion had major adverse events at 30 days (5% and 7.5%, respectively) and 1 year (7.9% and 12.9%, respectively). Area under ROC curve at 30 days was 0.66 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.62-0.71) vs 0.57 (95% CI, 0.53-0.62), respectively, for TIMI and GRACE scores. At 1 year, the area under ROC was 0.67 (95% CI, 0.62-0.71) and 0.65 (95% CI, 0.60-0.70), respectively, for TIMI and GRACE scores. CONCLUSIONS The TIMI and GRACE scores are not valid in short- and long-term risk stratification in our chest pain patients.

Effects of Ramadan fasting on aspirin resistance in type 2 diabetic patients

Aims Ramadan fasting (RF) may affect aspirin resistance. We conducted this study in patients with cardiovascular risk (CVR) factors to assess the effect of RF on aspirin resistance and explore whether type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM) would influence this effect. Methods A total of 177 stable patients with ≥2 CVR factors were recruited. All patients observed RF and were taking aspirin. Physical exam and standard biological tests including glycaemia and serum lipids data were performed before Ramadan (Pre-R), at the last week of Ramadan (R) and four weeks after the end of Ramadan (Post-R). In the same visits caloric intake was calculated and platelet reactivity to aspirin was assessed using Verify Now point-of-care assay. Results In the overall population, there was no significant change in absolute aspirin reaction unit (ARU) values and in metabolic parameters. In DM patients (n = 127), ARU change from Pre-R values was+19.7 (p = 0.01) and +14.4 (p = 0.02) respectively at R and Post-R. During Ramadan, glycaemia, triglycerides, and cholesterol levels increased significantly and returned to Pre-R values thereafter. These changes were not observed in non-DM patients. Conclusions During RF aspirin resistance increased only in DM patients. This effect persisted one month after Ramadan. Simultaneous alteration of glycemic control and increase of serum lipids levels could potentially be a favorable factor. Study registration The protocol was registered at clinicaltrials.gov under: NCT02720133.

One-Year Outcome of Intensive Insulin Therapy Combined to Glucose-Insulin-Potassium in Acute Coronary Syndrome: A Randomized Controlled Study.

Background A number of factors may offset the cardioprotective effects of glucose‐insulin‐potassium (GIK) on outcome of patients with acute coronary syndrome, such as hyperglycemia induced by this cocktail infusion. We performed a study to evaluate the effect of intensive insulin therapy in association with GIK on 1‐year outcome in patients hospitalized for acute coronary syndrome. Methods and Results In a randomized prospective controlled trial we included 772 patients with non–ST‐segment elevation acute coronary syndrome. Patients were randomized into 3 groups: GIKI2 group, who received GIK with intensive insulin therapy for 24 hours; GIK group, who received GIK with nonintensive insulin therapy; and control group, who received usual care. The primary outcome criteria were the rates of major cardiovascular events combining death, reinfarction, and stroke rate at 1 year. In addition, we measured platelet function assay‐100 and plasminogen activator inhibitor‐1 at admission and 24 hours later. Based on an intention‐to‐treat analysis, major cardiovascular events at 1 year was 12.8% in the GIKI2 group, 15.5% in the GIK group, and 20.5% in the placebo group; the difference was significant between the GIK2 and control groups (P=0.01). Platelet function assay‐100 at 24 hours decreased significantly from baseline in the control group but not in the GIKI2 group. Plasminogen activator inhibitor‐1 decreased significantly in the GIKI2 group but significantly increased in the control group. Minor hypoglycemic events were more frequent in the GIKI2 group compared with other groups. Conclusions GIKI2 led to improvement of 1‐year outcome rates in patients with non–ST‐segment elevation acute coronary syndrome. This beneficial effect was associated with a decrease in platelet reactivity and an increase on fibrinolysis tests. Clinical Trial Registration URL: https://www.clinicaltrials.gov. Unique identifier: NCT00965406.

Drug-Eluting vs. Bare-Metal Stents: Is it a Matter of Vessel Size?

Background: Although drug-eluting stents (DES) for percutaneous coronary intervention have dramatically reduced the incidence of in-stent restenosis, their deployment for large-size coronary lesions is still controversial because of problems such as prolonged dual antiplatelet therapy, late in-stent thrombosis and costs. Aim: This study sought to evaluate the safety and effectiveness of drug-eluting stents (DES) compared to baremetal stents (BMS) for patients with large coronary vessels ≥ 3.5 mm. Methods: This is a retrospective case-control comparative study conducted in the cardiology A department of the university hospital Fattouma Bourguiba in Monastir. A total of 77 consecutive patients (80 lesions) who underwent, between October 2003 and March 2014, successfully DES implantation were compared to 73 consecutive patients (84 lesions) who were treated with BMS in large coronary vessels ≥ 3.5 mm. Results: The average age in our population was 59.7 ± 11.3 years with a male majority without any significant difference between the two groups. The DES group contained significantly more patients with diabetes (67.5% vs. 38.1%; p<0.0001) and a history of coronary heart disease (40% vs. 16.7%; p=0.001). The BMS group had significantly more procedures in the aftermath of MI (18.8% vs. 40.5%; p=0.002) including more primary angioplasty (6.7% against 47.1%; p=0.006). About two-thirds of the study patients had multi-vessel disease with equal distribution in both groups. The average duration of dual antiplatelet therapy was significantly prolonged in the DES group: 13.01 ± 8.31 months vs. 7.59 ± 8.19 months; p<0.0001. A mean follow of 27.87 ± 14.82 months was obtained. At 12 months, DES led to a significant reduction in the combined rate of major cardiac events by about 70% (OR=0.32; 95% CI: 0.119 to 0.858; p=0.019) without allowing a significant reduction in the rates of in-stent restenosis, in-stent thrombosis, target vessel revascularization or non-combined major cardiac events. During longterm follow-up, the benefit of DES in terms of MACE was maintained by allowing a 60% reduction in the combined rate of major cardiac events (OR=0.406; 95% CI: 0.172 to 0.955; p=0.035). Multivariate analysis identified the BMS as an independent predictor of major cardiac events and death. However, the type of stent does not appear as a factor influencing the ISR and target lesion revascularization rates. Conclusion: The results of our study demonstrate a clear clinical benefit of drug-eluting stents during angioplasty of large coronary arteries in reducing major cardiac events and death without having any effect on in-stent restenosis, in-stent thrombosis nor target lesion revascularization.