CHA2DS2-VASc Score as an Independent Predictor of Suboptimal Reperfusion and Short-Term Mortality after Primary PCI in Patients with Acute ST Segment Elevation Myocardial Infarction

Prognostic Value of GRACE Risk Score Combined With Systemic Immune-Inflammation Index in Patients With ST-Segment Elevation Myocardial Infarction After Percutaneous Coronary Intervention

The Global Registry of Acute Coronary Events (GRACE) score and the systemic immune-inflammation index (SII) were used independently to predict adverse outcomes in patients with ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI). In this study, 1041 patients with STEMI were divided into 4 groups based on GRACE scores and optimal cutoff values for SII. SII was positively correlated with GRACE score (r = 0.164; P < .001). SII (HR, hazard ratio: 2.051; 95%CI: 1.249-3.368; P = .005) and GRACE score (HR: 7.625; 95%CI: 3.692-15.746; P < .001) were independent risk predictors of short-term major adverse cardiovascular events (MACEs). Taking the low SII+low GRACE group as the reference group, the short-term MACE HR of the high SII+high GRACE group was 40.470 (95%CI: 5.547-295.253). Comparing the area under the curve, the combined use of SII and GRACE scores can significantly improve the prediction efficiency of short-term MACE compared with the single use of SII and GRACE scores. In conclusion, SII may be positively correlated with GRACE score, and the combination of the two accurately predicted the occurrence of short-term MACE in STEMI patients after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI).

Predictive ability of serum osmolarity for contrast-induced nephropathy after elective percutaneous coronary intervention: Are we having a new target?

BACKGROUND

Contrast-induced nephropathy (CIN) remains a serious complication following percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI), often leading to poor outcomes. Although the overall incidence of CIN is low, the risk can be significantly higher in certain susceptible cohorts.

RESULTS

This prospective observational analytic study enrolled 174 consecutive eligible patients. The study selectively included diabetic patients with heart failure who are receiving regular diuretic therapy, being scheduled for elective coronary angiography (CAG) and/or PCI. CIN occurred in 24.7% of the study participants. CIN patients had significantly higher baseline osmolarity compared to those who did not develop CIN. After adjusting for other factors, pre-procedure osmolarity ≥ 302.3 mOsm/L, higher CHA2DS2VA score, and larger contrast volume proved to be independent predictors for CIN with an odds ratio and 95% confidence interval of 7.07 (2.47-20.26), 3.99 (2.02-7.9), and 1.01 (1.0-1.014), respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

In patients at high risk for CIN, serum osmolarity can serve as a practical stratification tool for CIN risk before elective CAG or PCI. Future studies should evaluate whether targeting a specific pre-procedural osmolarity threshold can reduce the risk of post-PCI CIN.

The Systemic Immune Inflammatory Index Predicts No-Reflow Phenomenon after Primary Percutaneous Coronary Intervention in Older Patients with STEMI

Purpose: Coronary no-reflow phenomenon (NRP), a common adverse complication in patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) treated by percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI), is associated with poor patient prognosis. In this study, the correlation between the systemic immune-inflammation index (SII) and NRP in older patients with STEMI was studied, to provide a basis for early identification of high-risk patients and improve their prognosis.

Materials and methods: Between January 2017 and June 2020, 578 older patients with acute STEMI admitted to the Department of Cardiology of Hebei General Hospital for direct PCI treatment were selected for this retrospective study. Patients were divided into an NRP group and normal-flow group according to whether NRP occurred during the operation. Clinical data and the examination indexes of the two groups were collected. Logistic regression was used to analyze the independent predictors of NRP, and the receiver operating characteristic curve was used to further analyze the ability of SII to predict NRP in older patients with STEMI.

Results: Multivariate logistic analysis indicated that hypertension (OR=2.048, 95% CI:1.252–3.352, P=0.004), lymphocyte count (OR=0.571, 95% CI:0.368–0.885, P=0.012), platelet count (OR=1.009, 95% CI:1.005–1.013, P<0.001), hemoglobin (OR=1.015, 95% CI:1.003–1.028, P=0.018), multivessel disease (OR=2.237, 95% CI:1.407–3.558, P=0.001), and SII≥1814 (OR=3.799, 95% CI:2.190–6.593, P<0.001) were independent predictors of NRP after primary PCI in older patients with STEMI. Receiver operating characteristic curve analysis demonstrated that SII had a high predictive value for NRP (AUC=0.738; 95% CI:0.686–0.790), with the best cut-off value of 1814, a sensitivity of 52.85% and a specificity of 85.71%.

Conclusion: For older patients with STEMI undergoing primary PCI, SII is a valid predictor of NRP.

Understanding the role of Cripto-1 in cancer progression and therapeutic strategies

During the initial stages of gastrulation during embryonic differentiation and wound healing, Cripto-1 is a critical protein for human growth. The epithelial adhesion molecules' downregulation, the mesenchymal overexpression, and mobile proteins are important mechanisms by which Cripto-1 initiates epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT). As a result, the function of Cripto-1 for inducing EMT to increase cell migration is advantageous during embryogenesis; however, it is deleterious during the formation, growth, and malignant tumor metastasis. The majority of malignancies are reported to have elevated levels of Cripto-1. Cripto-1 can modify cancerous cells through its function in EMT, which enables these cells to migrate via the extracellular matrix, bloodstream, and lymphatic vessels, on their way for metastasizing to other organs. The goal of this review is to explain what role Cripto-1 plays in common cancers and to summarize how therapeutic strategies are used to interfere with this molecule to target cancers.

New R2-CHA2DS2-VASc score predicts no-reflow phenomenon and long-term prognosis in patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction after primary percutaneous coronary intervention

Aims

Evaluating the prognostic validity of new R₂-CHA₂DS₂-VASc score for no-reflow phenomena and long-term prognosis in patients following primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) with ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI).

Materials and methods

From January 2017 to December 2018, a total of 401 patients with STEMI were continuously enrolled. According to the cut-off value, the patients were separated into two groups: R₂-CHA₂DS₂-VASc < 3 group (n = 275) and R₂-CHA₂DS₂-VASc ≥ 3 group (n = 126).

Results

With a sensitivity of 52.6% and a specificity of 73.1%, the optimal cut-off value for predicting no-reflow is R₂-CHA₂DS₂-VASc ≥ 3. R₂-CHA₂DS₂-VASc ≥ 3 as the ideal cut-off value for predicting major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) with an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.781 [95% Confidence interval (CI): 0.738–0.801, P 0.001], a sensitivity of 50%, and a specificity of 91.1%. The incidence of MACE, death from all causes, and worsening heart failure was greater in the R₂-CHA₂DS₂-VASc ≥ 3 group, although there was no significant difference in the incidence of repeated revascularisation procedures following PCI between the two groups. R₂-CHA₂DS₂-VASc ≥ 3 was also an independent predictor of MACE (hazard ratio = 2.48, 95% confidence interval CI: 1.33–4.62, P = 0.04). Moreover, this score has a greater sensitivity (66.7%) and specificity (88.7%) for predicting the progression of heart failure.

Conclusion

R₂-CHA₂DS₂-VASc ≥ 3 was independently associated with no-reflow phenomenon and poor clinical outcomes for patients in STEMI after primary PCI.

Association of CHA2DS2-VASC Score with in-Hospital Cardiovascular Adverse Events in Patients with Acute ST-Segment Elevation Myocardial Infarction

Background

Acute ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) is a common clinical critical illness, and accurate, reliable, simple, and easy-to-remember tools are needed in clinical practice to quickly identify the risk of this condition in STEMI patients. This study investigates the predictive value of the admission CHA2DS2-VASc score for in-hospital MACE in STEMI patients.

Methods

A total of 210 STEMI patients who visited the Chest Pain Center of the Second People's Hospital of Hefei from December 2019 to December 2021 were retrospectively analyzed. They were divided into MACE and non-MACE groups. The receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC) was used to assess the predictive value of the CHA2DS2-VASc score for MACE events during hospitalization.

Results

The CHA2DS2-VASc score was higher in the MACE group than in the non-MACE group (P < 0.05), and multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that the CHA2DS2-VASc score was an independent risk factor for MACE events during hospitalization in STEMI patients (OR = 1.391, 95%CI 1.044-1.853, P=0.024); ROC curve analysis showed that the area under the curve (AUC) of the CHA2DS2-VASc score was 0.744, the sensitivity was 0.64, the specificity was 0.694, and the optimal cutoff value was 3.5 in predicting the risk of MACE events during hospitalization in STEMI patients. There were no significant differences between the GRACE score (0.744 VS.0.827) and TIMI score (0.744VS.0.745) (P > 0.05).

Conclusion

The CHA2DS2-VASc score can successfully predict the occurrence of in-hospital MACE events in STEMI patients.

Comparing Atrial-Fibrillation Validated Rapid Scoring Systems in the Long-Term Mortality Prediction in Patients Referred for Elective Coronary Angiography: A Subanalysis of the Białystok Coronary Project

Rapid scoring systems validated in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) may be useful beyond their original purpose. Our aim was to assess the utility of CHA2DS2-VASc, HAS−BLED, and 2MACE scores in predicting long-term mortality in the population of the Białystok Coronary Project, including AF patients. The initial study population consisted of 7409 consecutive patients admitted for elective coronary angiography between 2007 and 2016. The study endpoint was all-cause mortality, which occurred in 1244 (16.8%) patients during the follow-up, ranging from 1283 to 3059 days (median 2029 days). We noticed substantially increased all-cause mortality in patients with higher values of all compared scores. The accuracy of the scores in predicting all-cause mortality was also assessed using the receiver operator characteristic (ROC) curves. The greatest predictive value for mortality was recorded for the CHA2DS2-VASc score in the overall study population (area under curve [AUC] = 0.665; 95% confidence interval [95%CI] 0.645−0.681). We observed that the 2MACE score (AUC = 0.656; 95%CI 0.619−0.681), but not the HAS−BLED score, had similar predictive value to the CHA2DS2-VASc score for all-cause mortality in the overall study population. In AF patients, all scores did not differ in all-cause mortality prediction. Additionally, we found that study participants with CHA2DS2-VASc score ≥3 vs. <3 had a 3-fold increased risk of long-term all-cause mortality (odds ratio 3.05; 95%CI 2.6−3.6). Our study indicates that clinical scores initially validated in AF patients may be useful for predicting mortality in a broader population (e.g., in patients referred for elective coronary angiography). According to our findings, all compared scores have a moderate predictive value. However, in our study, the CHA2DS2-VASc and 2MACE scores outperformed the HAS−BLED score in terms of the long-term all-cause mortality prediction.

CHA2 DS2 -VASc score, a simple clinical tool for early prediction of no-reflow phenomenon in patients undergoing emergency percutaneous coronary revascularization

Introduction: Slow flow/no reflow (SF/NR) phenomenon during emergency percutaneous revascularization is a feared complication associated with increased risk of adverse outcomes. CHA₂ DS₂ -VASc score has been proposed for the risk stratification but a very limited evidences are available regarding the accuracy of this system. Therefore, we conducted this study to assess the predictive value of CHA₂ DS₂ -VASc score for predicting SF/NR phenomenon during primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI).

Methods: This analytical cross-sectional study included 596 consecutive patients undergoing PCI for STEMI at a tertiary care cardiac center of Karachi, Pakistan. Baseline -VASc sore was calculated and development of SF/NR phenomenon during primary PCI was recorded. Predictive value of the score was assessed through area under the curve (AUC) of receiver operating characteristic curve analysis and sensitivity and specificity were computed. Logistic regression analysis was performed to assess the predictive strength of the score.

Results: A total of 596 patients were included, mean age was 56.28±11.44 years, and 75.7%(451) were male. The slow/no reflow phenomenon during the procedure was observed in 36.6%(218) of the patients. CHA₂ DS₂ -VASc≥2 was observed in 50.2%(299) of the patients. The CHA₂ DS₂ -VASc score was significantly higher in SF/NR patients, 2.06±1.25 vs. 1.37±1.33; P<0.001. The AUC of CHA₂ DS₂ -VASc score was 0.652 [0.607-0.696], CHA₂ DS₂ -VASc≥2 had sensitivity and specificity of 65.6% [58.9% to 71.9%] and 58.3% [53.6% to 63.7%] respectively for predicting SF/NR. CHA₂ DS₂ -VASc≥2 was insignificant on multivariate with odds ratio of 1.48 [0.72 -3.04]; P=0.283.

Conclusion: CHA₂ DS₂ -VASc risk stratification system has moderate discriminating power for the stratification of SF/NR phenomenon during primary PCI.

Development and Validation of a Novel Risk Stratification Model for Slow-Flow/No-Reflow During Primary Percutaneous Coronary Intervention (the RK-SF/NR Score)

In this study, we developed and validated a novel risk stratification model to predict slow-flow/no-reflow (SF/NR) during the primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI), namely the RK-SF/NR score. A total of 1,711 consecutive patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) undergone primary PCI. A novel risk stratification model was developed in the development dataset and tested in the validation dataset. The overall incidence rate of SF/NR during the procedure was 28.8% (493/1,711). The final solution consisted of 9 variables: female gender (points = 2), total ischemic time ≥8 hours (points = 1), cardiac arrest at presentation (points = 2), left ventricular end-diastolic pressure ≥24 mm Hg (points = 3), left ventricular ejection fraction ≤30% (points = 2), culprit proximal left anterior descending artery (points = 3), thrombus grade ≥4 (points = 6), preprocedure thrombolysis in myocardial infarction (TIMI) 0 flow (points = 2), and lesion length ≥35 mm (points = 3). In the validation set, the area under the curve the RK-SF/NR score was 0.775 (0.722 to 0.829) and a score ≥10 has sensitivity of 77.9% (68.2% to 85.8%), negative predictive value of 87.3% (82.3% to 91.0%), specificity of 62.6% (56.0% to 68.9%), and positive predictive value of 46.3% (41.4% to 51.2%). In conclusion, RK-SF/NR score had shown good discriminating power for predicting SF/NR during primary PCI with good sensitivity and negative predictive value. Hence, the proposed model can have good clinical utility for screening patients at high risk of developing SF/NR during primary PCI.

Impact of Ticagrelor vs. Clopidogrel in Patients With Acute Coronary Syndrome Undergoing Percutaneous Coronary Intervention After Risk Stratification With the CHA2DS2-VASc Score

Backgrounds

The clinical benefit of ticagrelor vs. clopidogrel in unselected patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS) after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) remains controversial in the real world. This study was aimed to investigate the impact of ticagrelor vs. clopidogrel in subjects with ACS without atrial fibrillation or flutter (AF) after PCI based on risk stratification using the CHA₂DS₂-VASc score.

Methods

In 2016–2019, patients who underwent PCI with at least one stent implanted in the General Hospital of Northern Theater Command were classified as low- or high-risk groups according to the CHA₂DS₂-VASc score. Incidences of 12-month ischemia [cardiac death, myocardial infarction (MI), or stroke], all-cause death, Bleeding Academic Research Consortium (BARC) 2,3,5 bleeding, BARC 3,5 bleeding, and net adverse clinical events (NACEs) (all-cause death, MI, stroke, or BARC 3, 5 bleeding) with aspirin plus different P2Y₁₂ inhibitors (clopidogrel or ticagrelor) were appraised among different risk groups. Propensity score matching (PSM) and Cox multivariate analysis were used to balance the groups.

Results

A total of consecutive 17,037 patients with ACS were enrolled. The optimal cut-off value of the CHA₂DS₂-VASc score for ischemic events by the Youden test was 3 points. Among patients with high risk (CHA₂DS₂-VASc ≥ 3, n = 6,151), ticagrelor was associated with slightly lower risks of ischemic events (2.29% vs. 3.54%, P = 0.02) and stroke (0.39% vs. 1.08%, P = 0.01) without excessive risk of BARC 3, 5 bleeding events (2.16% vs. 2.11%, P = 0.92) compared to clopidogrel within 12 months after PCI. For patients with low risk (CHA₂DS₂-VASc < 3, n = 10,886), a statistically significant difference was seen in the incidence of overall 12-month BARC 2, 3, 5 bleeding events by P2Y₁₂ receptor inhibitor (4.00% vs. 3.26%) with a similar incidence of the ischemic events (1.40% vs. 1.52%). Results in the PSM cohort and the adjustment with Cox multivariate analysis were consistent with the main outcomes.

Conclusion

Higher CHA₂DS₂-VASc scores were associated with a higher incidence of 1-year ischemic events for the patients with ACS after PCI. Compared with clopidogrel, ticagrelor was associated with lower ischemic events within 12 months after PCI without excessive risk of bleeding in high-risk patients but shows poor safety with excess bleeding in low-risk patients.

CHA2DS2 VASc score and brachial artery flow-mediated dilation as predictors for no-reflow phenomenon in patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction undergoing primary percutaneous coronary intervention

Background

Following primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI), no-reflow is associated with a high rate of long-term unfavorable clinical outcomes. Despite the importance of early no-reflow prediction in cardiovascular medicine, noninvasive assessment is lacking. This study aimed to evaluate the preprocedural CHA2DS2 VASc score and the brachial artery flow-mediated dilation percentage (FMD%) as predictors of the no-reflow phenomenon in patients with acute ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) undergoing primary PCI.

Results

This study included 150 patients who presented with acute STEMI, underwent primary PCI, and were divided into two groups according to the flow result, reflow group and a no-reflow group. The CHA2DS2 VASc score was calculated and evaluation of endothelial function by measuring the brachial artery FDM% was done for each patient before the procedure. There were 39 (26%) patients in the no-reflow group and 111 (74%) in the reflow group. The no-reflow patients were older and had significantly higher body mass index (BMI), higher frequency of diabetes mellitus, hypertension, history of heart failure, dyslipidemia, Killip class IV on admission, thrombus grade V, multiple affected vessels, conventional stenting, and multiple stents placement, longer ischemic times, higher CHA2DS VASc score, and lower brachial artery FMD% (p-values of < 0.05 for all). Moreover, there was a significant negative correlation between CHA2DS VAS score and preprocedural FMD%, with the higher the score indicating lower FMD among cases (p-value = 0.000).

Conclusions

Preprocedural CHA2DS2 VASc score and the brachial artery FMD can be used as predictors for the no-reflow phenomenon in patients with STEMI, undergoing primary PCI.

Presence of Microvascular Dysfunction and CHA2DS2-VASc Score in Patients with ST-Segment Myocardial Infarction after Primary Percutaneous Coronary Intervention

Objective

We aimed to investigate the relation between CHA₂DS₂-VASc score and microvascular dysfunction (MVD) assessed by the index of microvascular resistance (IMR) immediately after primary percutaneous intervention (PPCI) for patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI).

Subjects and Methods

The study included 115 consecutive patients with STEMI who underwent successful PPCI. Angiographic results of reperfusion were inspected to evaluate the association of high CHA₂DS₂-VASc score and IMR. Also, we assessed echocardiographic changes with respect to CHA₂DS₂-VASc score.

Results

Subjects were stratified into 2 groups based on IMR </≥ 40 U; 72 patients (62.6) with IMR <40 U and 43 patients (37.4) with IMR ≥40 U. Patients with IMR ≥40 U had higher CHA₂DS₂-VASc score (p < 0.001). CHA₂DS₂-VASc score was significantly correlated with increased left atrial volume index, diastolic dysfunction, wall motion score index, and inversely correlated left ventricular ejection. Moreover, CHA₂DS₂-VASc score was strongly correlated with IMR (p < 0.001). At multivariate analysis, low systolic blood pressure, stent diameter, and CHA₂DS₂-VASc score were associated with MVD. Besides, CHA₂DS₂-VASc score ≥4 was the optimal value in predicting MVD (IMR ≥40) in STEMI patients.

Conclusions

The data of the current study point out that increased CHA₂DS₂-VASc score, lower systolic blood pressure <90 mm Hg, and stent diameter are associated with increased incidence of MVD (increased IMR) after PPCI of STEMI. We suggest that the CHA₂DS₂-VASc score may be a simple, inexpensive useful risk score for the prediction of MVD risk after PPCI for STEMI patients.

Predictive Value of CHA2DS2 -VASc-HSF Score for Severity of Acute Coronary Syndrome

CHADS₂ and CHA₂DS₂-VASc scores have been used to assess the prognostic risk of thromboembolism in non-valvular atrial fibrillation patients. Recent studies have shown the utility of CHADS₂ and CHA₂DS₂-VASc scores for evaluating the severity of coronary artery disease (CAD). The newly defined CHA₂DS₂-VASc-HSF score evaluates atherosclerosis and is associated with CAD severity. This study investigated the association between the CHA₂DS₂-VASc-HSF score and acute coronary syndrome (ACS) severity as assessed by the Gensini score and the number of vessels. Furthermore, this study also compared the diagnostic value of the CHADS₂, CHA2 DS2-VASc, and CHA₂DS₂-VASc-HSF score for ACS. A total of 2367 eligible inpatients (ACS group [n = 2030]; non-CAD group [n = 337]) were consecutively enrolled in this study. Receiver operating characteristic curve diagnostic tests and logistic regression models were used to analyze the risk factors for ACS. The CHADS₂, CHA₂DS₂-VASc, and CHA₂DS₂-VASc-HSF scores were significantly higher in the ACS group than those in the control group. After adjusting for numerous traditional CAD risk factors, an increased CHA₂DS₂-VASc-HSF score was found to be an independent risk factor for patients with ACS (odds ratio 1.401, 95% confidence interval 1.044, −1.879; P < 0.05). A newly diagnosed CHA₂DS₂-VASc-HSF score predicts the severity of ACS.

Association of CHA2DS2-VASc score with thrombus burden in patients with acute myocardial infarction undergoing SVG-PCI

BACKGROUND

The rate of saphenous vein graft (SVG) occlusion within the first year of bypass graft surgery is 15%. The CHA₂DS₂-VASc score is used to predict the risk of thromboembolic events in patients with nonvalvular atrial fibrillation. We aimed to evaluate the predictive role of the CHA₂DS₂-VASc score in the estimation of intracoronary thrombus burden in patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI) who underwent SVG-PCI.

METHODS

We retrospectively evaluated 221 patients who were admitted with AMI and underwent PCI of SVGs at the Department of Cardiology in the Turkiye Yuksek Ihtisas Education and Research Hospital between 2012 and 2018. The study population was divided into two groups according to their Thrombolysis in Myocardial Infarction (TIMI) thrombus grade: low thrombus burden (LTB; TIMI 0-3) and high thrombus burden (HTB; TIMI 4 and 5).

RESULTS

The study included 221 patients with a mean age of 63.3 ± 6.7 years. The patients with HTB had significantly higher CHA₂DS₂-VASc scores (p < 0.001) compared with LTB patients. Univariate and multivariate regression analysis demonstrated that both CHA₂DS₂-VASc score (OR: 1.573, 95% CI: 1.153-2.147, p = 0.004) as a continuous variable and a binary cut-off level of the CHA₂DS₂-VASc score > 3 (OR: 3.876, 95% CI: 1.705-8.808, p = 0.001) were significantly associated with HTB. The ability of the CHA₂DS₂-VASc score to predict HTB burden was evaluated by receiver-operating characteristics analysis curve analysis. The optimum cut-off value of the CHA₂DS₂-VASc score for predicting HTB was 3 (with a sensitivity of 67.9% and a specificity of 69.3%) according to the Youden index.

CONCLUSION

The CHA₂DS₂-VASc score can be used as an easy practical tool to predict HTB in AMI patients undergoing SVG-PCI.

CHA2DS2-VASc score predicts the slow flow/no-reflow phenomenon in ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction patients with multivessel disease undergoing primary percutaneous coronary intervention

ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) patients with multivessel disease (MVD) have a higher incidence of slow-flow/no-reflow (SF-NR) phenomenon during primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PPCI) than those with single vessel disease. Currently, no effective tools exist to predict the risk of SF-NR in this population. The present study aimed to evaluate whether CHA2DS2-VASc score can be used as a simple tool to predict this risk.This study consecutively included STEMI patients hospitalized in Beijing Anzhen Hospital from January 2005 to January 2015. Among these patients, 1032 patients with MVD were finally enrolled. Patients were divided into SF-NR (+) group and SF-NR (-) group according to whether SF-NR occurred during PPCI. SF-NR was defined as the thrombolysis in myocardial infarction (TIMI) grade ≤2.There were 134 patients (13%) in the SF-NR (+) group. Compared with the SF-NR (-) group, patients in the SF-NR (+) group are elder, with lower left ventricular ejection fraction and higher CHA2DS2-VASc score. Multiple logistic regression analysis indicated that CHA2DS2-VASc score ≥3 (odds ratio [OR], 2.148; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.389-3.320; P = .001), current smoking (OR, 1.814; 95% CI, 1.19-2.764; P = .006), atrial fibrillation (OR, 2.892; 95% CI, 1.138-7.350; P = .03), complete revascularization (OR, 2.307; 95% CI, 1.202-4.429; P = .01), and total length of stents ≥40 mm (OR, 1.482; 95% CI, 1.011-2.172; P = .04) were independent risk factors of SF-NR. The incidence of SF-NR in patients with CHA2DS2-VASc score ≥3 was 1.7 times higher than that in patients with CHA2DS2-VASc score <3. Additionally, patients with CHA2DS2-VASc score ≥3 plus ≥2 risk factors have 3 times higher incidence of SF-NR than those with CHA2DS2-VASc score ≥3 plus 0 to 1 risk factor.CHA2DS2-VASc score ≥3 can be used as a simple and sensitive indicator to predict SF-NR phenomenon and guide the PPCI strategy in STEMI patients with MVD.

One-Year Outcome of Patients with Coronary Artery Ectasia Undergoing Percutaneous Coronary Intervention: Clinical Implications and Question Marks

Background: Coronary artery ectasia (CAE) is a rare condition with unclear pathophysiology, optimal treatment, and prognosis. We aimed to determine the prognostic implications of CAE following coronary angioplasty.

Methods: We conducted a retrospective cohort study on 385 patients, including 87 subjects with CAE, who underwent percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). Major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) were considered to consist of mortality, nonfatal myocardial infarction (MI), repeated revascularization, and stroke.

Results: The mean age of the participants was 57.31±6.70 years. Multivariate regression analysis revealed that patients with diabetes, ST-segment–elevation MI at presentation, and high thrombus grades were more likely to have suboptimal post-PCI thrombolysis in myocardial infarction (TIMI) flow. However, CAE was not a predictor of a decreased TIMI flow (OR: 1.46, 95% CI: 0.78–8.32; P=0.391). The Cox-regression model showed that CAE, the body mass index, and a family history of MI were risk factors for MACE, while short lesion lengths (<20 vs >20 mm) had an inverse relationship. The adjusted hazard ratio (HR) for the prediction of MACE in the presence of CAE was 1.65 (95% CI: 1.08–4.78; P=0.391). All-cause mortality (HR: 1.69, 95% CI: 0.12–3.81; P=0.830) and nonfatal MI (HR: 1.03, 95% CI: 0.72–4.21; P=0.341) occurred similarly in the CAE and non-CAE groups. Conversely, CAE increased urgent repeat revascularization (HR: 2.40; 95% CI: 1.13–5.86; P=0.013).

Conclusion: Although CAE had no substantial short-term prognostic effects on post-PCI TIMI flow, considerable concerns regarding adverse outcomes emerged during our extended follow-up. Stringent follow-ups of these patients should be underscored due to the high likelihood of urgent revascularization.

New CHA2DS2-VASc-HSF score predicts the no-reflow phenomenon after primary percutaneous coronary intervention in patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction

BACKGROUND

The no-reflow phenomenon (NRP) is a serious complication of primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PPCI) and is an independent predictor of poor prognosis. We aimed to find a simple but effective risk stratification method for the prediction of NRP.

METHODS

This retrospective single-center study included 454 consecutive patients diagnosed with acute ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) and treated by PPCI, who were admitted to our emergency department between January 2017 and March 2019. The patients were divided according to the post-PPCI thrombolysis in the myocardial infarction flow rate: the NRP group and the control group. The CHADS₂, CHA₂DS₂-VASc, and CHA₂DS₂-VASc-HSF scores were calculated for all the patients in this study, and multivariable regression and receiver operating characteristic curve analyses were conducted to determine the independent predictors of NRP and the predictive value of the three scores.

RESULTS

A total of 454 patients were analyzed in this study: 80 in the no-reflow group and 374 in the control group. The incidence of NRP was 17.6%. Creatine kinase-myocardial band, Killip class, stent length, and multivessel disease also independently predicted NRP. The CHA₂DS₂-VASc-HSF score had a higher predictive value than the other two scores, and a CHA₂DS₂-VASc-HSF score of ≥4 predicted NRP with a sensitivity of 72.5% and specificity of 66.5% (area under the curve: 0.755, 95% confidence interval [0.702-0.808]).

CONCLUSION

Although the CHADS₂, CHA₂DS₂-VASc, and CHA₂DS₂-VASc-HSF scores can all be used as simple tools to predict NRP, our findings show that the CHA₂DS₂-VASc-HSF score had the highest predictive value. Thus, the CHA₂DS₂-VASc-HSF score may be an optimal tool for predicting high-risk patients.

Association between the No-Reflow Phenomenon and Soluble CD40 Ligand Level in Patients with Acute ST-Segment Elevation Myocardial Infarction

Background and objectives: No-reflow (NR) phenomenon is defined as insufficient myocardial perfusion in coronary circulation in the absence of angiographic evidence of mechanical obstruction. The primary mechanisms of the NR occurrence are thought to be high platelet activity and thrombus burden. Soluble CD40 ligand (sCD40L), which is released into the plasma following platelet activation, accelerates the inflammatory process and causes further platelet activation. The aim of our study is to investigate the relationship between the NR phenomenon and sCD40L level in patients with ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI). Methods: A total of 81 acute STEMI patients undergoing primary percutaneous coronary intervention and 40 healthy participants were included in this study. Acute STEMI patients were classified into two groups: 41 patients with the NR phenomenon (NR group) and 40 patients without the NR phenomenon (non-NR group). The serum sCD40L level was measured for all groups. Results: The serum sCD40L level was significantly higher in the NR group than in non-NR and control groups (379 ± 20 pg/mL, 200 ± 15 pg/mL and 108 ± 6.53 pg/mL, respectively; p < 0.001). Univariate regression analysis demonstrated that male sex, age, Gensini score and sCD40L level were the possible factors affecting the occurrence of the NR phenomenon. In multivariate regression analysis, age (odds ratio [OR], 1.091; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.023–1.163; p < 0.008) and serum sCD40L (OR, 1.016; 95% CI, 1.008–1.024; p < 0.001) remained the independent predictor of the presence of NR. Conclusions: Our study showed that serum sCD40L level was an independent predictor of the NR phenomenon occurrence.