Regression of Q waves and clinical outcomes following primary PCI in anterior STEMI

BACKGROUND

Pathological Q waves are correlated with infarct size, and Q-wave regression is associated with left ventricular ejection fraction improvement. There are limited data regarding the association of Q-wave regression and clinical outcomes. Our main objective was to assess the association of pathological Q wave evolution after reperfusion with clinical outcomes after anterior STEMI.

METHODS

Standard 12-lead electrocardiograms (ECGs) were recorded in 780 anterior STEMI patients treated with primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) from the CIRCUS trial. ECGs were recorded before and 90 min following PCI, as well as at hospitalization discharge and 12 months of follow-up. The number of classic ECG criteria Q waves was scored for each ECG. Patients were classified in the Q wave regression group if they had regression of at least one Q wave between the post-PCI, the discharge and/or one year ECGs. Patients were classified in the Q wave persistent group if they had the same number or greater between the post-PCI, the discharge and/or 1 and one year ECGs. All-cause death and heart failure events were assessed for all patients at one year.

RESULTS

There were 323(43%) patients with persistent Q waves (PQ group), 378(49%) patients with Q wave regression (RQ group) and 60(8%) patients with non-Q wave MI (NQ group). Infarct size as measured by the peak creatine kinase was significantly greater in the PQ group compared to the RQ and NQ groups (4633 ± 2784 IU/l vs. 3814 ± 2595 IU/l vs. 1733 ± 1583 IU/l respectively, p < 0.0001). At one year, there were 22 deaths (7%) in the PQ-group, 15 (4%) in the RQ-group and none in the NQ-group (p = 0.04). There was a 4-fold increase in the risk of death or heart failure in the PQ compared to the NQ group (HR 4.7 [1.1; 19.3]; p = 0.03), but there was no significant difference between NQ and RQ groups (HR 3.3 [0.8; 13.8]; p = 0.09).

CONCLUSION

In a population of anterior STEMI patients, persistent Q waves defined according to the classic ECG criteria after reperfusion was associated with a 4-fold increase in the risk of heart failure or death compared to non-Q-wave MI, while Q-wave regression was associated with significantly lower risk of events.

Persistence with dual antiplatelet therapy after percutaneous coronary intervention for ST-segment elevation acute coronary syndrome: a population-based cohort study in Catalonia (Spain)

OBJECTIVES

Guidelines recommending 12-month dual antiplatelet therapy (DAPT) in patients with ST-elevation acute coronary syndrome (STEACS) undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) were published in year 2012. We aimed to describe the influence of guideline implementation on the trend in 12-month persistence with DAPT between 2010 and 2015 and to evaluate its relationship with DAPT duration regimens recommended at discharge from PCI hospitals.

DESIGN

Observational study based on region-wide registry data linked to pharmacy billing data for DAPT follow-up.

SETTING

All PCI hospitals (10) belonging to the acute myocardial infarction (AMI) code network in Catalonia (Spain).

PARTICIPANTS

10 711 STEACS patients undergoing PCI between 2010 and 2015 were followed up.

PRIMARY AND SECONDARY OUTCOME MEASURES

Primary outcome was 12-month persistence with DAPT. Calendar year quarter, publication of guidelines, DAPT duration regimen recommended in the hospital discharge report, baseline patient characteristics and significant interactions were included in mixed-effects logistic regression based interrupted time-series models.

RESULTS

The proportion of patients on-DAPT at 12 months increased from 58% (56-60) in 2010 to 73% (71-75) in 2015. The rate of 12-month persistence with DAPT significantly increased after the publication of clinical guidelines with a time lag of 1 year (OR=1.20; 95% CI 1.11 to 1.30). A higher risk profile, more extensive and complex coronary disease, use of drug-eluting stents (OR=1.90; 95% CI 1.50 to 2.40) and a 12-month DAPT regimen recommendation at discharge from the PCI hospital (OR=5.76; 95% CI 3.26 to 10.2) were associated with 12-month persistence.

CONCLUSION

Persistence with 12-month DAPT has increased since publication of clinical guidelines. Even though most patients were discharged on DAPT, only 73% with potential indication were on-DAPT 12 months after PCI. A guideline-based recommendation at PCI hospital discharge was highly associated with full persistence with DAPT. Establishing evidence-based, common prescribing criteria across hospitals in the AMI-network would favour adherence and reduce variability.

Hospital and 4-Year Mortality Predictors in Patients With Acute Pulmonary Edema With and Without Coronary Artery Disease

BACKGROUND

Long-term prognosis of acute pulmonary edema (APE) remains ill defined.

METHODS AND RESULTS

We evaluated demographic, echocardiographic, and angiographic data of 806 consecutive patients with APE with (CAD) and without coronary artery disease (non-CAD) admitted from 2000 to 2010. Differences between hospital and long-term mortality and its predictors were also assessed. CAD patients (n=638) were older and had higher incidence of diabetes and peripheral vascular disease than non-CAD (n=168), and lower ejection fraction. Hospital mortality was similar in both groups (26.5% vs 31.5%; P=0.169) but APE recurrence was higher in CAD patients (17.3% vs 6.5%; P<0.001). Age, admission systolic blood pressure, recurrence of APE, and need for inotropics or endotracheal intubation were the main independent predictors of hospital mortality. In contrast, overall mortality (70.0% vs 57.1%; P=0.002) and readmission for nonfatal heart failure after a 45-month follow-up (10-140; 17.3% vs 7.6%; P=0.009) were higher in CAD than in non-CAD patients. Age, peripheral vascular disease, and peak creatine kinase MB during index hospitalization, but not ejection fraction, were the main independent predictors of overall mortality, whereas coronary revascularization or valvular surgery were protective. These interventions were mostly performed during hospitalization index (294 of 307; 96%) and not intervened patients showed a higher risk profile.

CONCLUSIONS

Long-term mortality in APE is high and higher in CAD than in non-CAD patients. Considering the different in-hospital and long-term mortality predictors herein described, which do not necessarily involve systolic function, it is conceivable that a more aggressive interventional program might improve survival in high-risk patients.

Predictors of moderate-to-severe pericardial effusion, cardiac tamponade, and electromechanical dissociation in patients with ST-elevation myocardial infarction

Occurrence of moderate-to-severe pericardial effusion (PE; ≥10 mm), cardiac tamponade (CT), and sudden electromechanical dissociation (EMD) was investigated in 4,361 patients with ST-elevation myocardial infarction from 1993 to 2011 in 3 different periods: 1993 to 2000 (n: 1,488); 2001 to 2008 (n: 1,844); and 2009 to 2011 (n: 1,014). Their predictors, including the use of no reperfusion therapy (n: 1,186), thrombolysis (n: 1,607), or primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PPCI, n: 1,562), were also evaluated. Incidence of PE (8.7%, 6.8%, and 5.0%), CT (5.0%, 2.9%, and 1.9%), and EMD (3.7%, 1.7%, and 1.0%), declined over the 3 periods as did mortality (12.0% 8.2%, and 5.9%) with different rates of thrombolytic therapy (52%, 37%, and 14%) and PPCI (7%, 38%, and 76%; all p<0.001). In patients treated without reperfusion therapy, thrombolysis, and PPCI, incidence of PE (12.0%, 5.7%, and 4.3%), CT (6.0%, 3.0%, and 2.2%), and EMD (4.1%, 2.2%, and 0.8%) was different as was mortality (14.4%, 8.3%, and 5.9%; all p<0.001). Independent predictors of PE were lateral infarction (odds ratio [OR] 4.09, 95% confidence interval [CI] 2.57 to 6.49), increasing age (OR 1.05, 95% CI 1.04 to 1.07), number of electrocardiographic leads involved (OR 1.34, 95% CI 1.23 to 1.45), and admission delay (OR 1.01, 95% CI 1.01 to 1.02). Increasing ejection fraction (OR 0.97, 95% CI 0.96 to 0.98), thrombolysis (OR 0.53, 95% CI 0.37 to 0.75), and PPCI (OR 0.35, 95% CI 0.25 to 0.50), however, were protectors (all p<0.001). Lateral infarction, age, number of leads involved, ejection fraction, thrombolytic therapy, and PPCI were also predictors/protectors of CT and EMD. In conclusion, PE, CT, and EMD rates in patients with ST-elevation myocardial infarction have objectively fallen in the last 2 decades, and their predictors are lateral site, increasing age, number of leads involved, and lack of reperfusion therapy. Late hospital admission is also a relevant predictor of PE.

A novel strategy for global analysis of the dynamic thiol redox proteome

Nitroxidative stress in cells occurs mainly through the action of reactive nitrogen and oxygen species (RNOS) on protein thiol groups. Reactive nitrogen and oxygen species-mediated protein modifications are associated with pathophysiological states, but can also convey physiological signals. Identification of Cys residues that are modified by oxidative stimuli still poses technical challenges and these changes have never been statistically analyzed from a proteome-wide perspective. Here we show that GELSILOX, a method that combines a robust proteomics protocol with a new computational approach that analyzes variance at the peptide level, allows a simultaneous analysis of dynamic alterations in the redox state of Cys sites and of protein abundance. GELSILOX permits the characterization of the major endothelial redox targets of hydrogen peroxide in endothelial cells and reveals that hypoxia induces a significant increase in the status of oxidized thiols. GELSILOX also detected thiols that are redox-modified by ischemia-reperfusion in heart mitochondria and demonstrated that these alterations are abolished in ischemia-preconditioned animals.

Comparison of plasma serotonin levels in patients with variant angina pectoris versus healed myocardial infarction

Patients with variant angina pectoris showed greater serotonin plasma levels than did control subjects and patients with healed myocardial infarction. The levels also tended to be greater in those with >1 episode/month than in those with fewer episodes. Moreover, patients with variant angina pectoris also had greater levels of nitrite and nitrate plasma levels than did control subjects or patients with healed myocardial infarction, partly, perhaps, as a compensatory mechanism.