The prognostic impact of inflammation in patients with decompensated acute heart failure, as assessed using the pan-immune inflammation value (PIV)

There is increasing evidence that composite scores based on blood counts, which are reflectors of uncontrolled inflammation in the development and progression of heart failure, can be used as prognostic biomarkers in heart failure patients. The prognostic effects of pan-immune inflammation (PIV) as an independent predictor of in-hospital mortality in patients with acute heart failure (AHF) were evaluated based on this evidence. The data of 640 consecutive patients hospitalized for New York Heart Association (NYHA) class 2-3-4 AHF with reduced ejection fraction were analyzed and 565 patients were included after exclusion. The primary outcome was in hospital all-cause death. Secondary outcomes were defined as the following in-hospital events: Acute kidney injury (AKI), malignant arrhythmias, acute renal failure (ARF) and stroke. The PIV was computed using hemogram parameters such as lymphocytes, neutrophils, monocytes and platelets. Patients were categorized as low or high PIV group according to the median value, which was 382.8. A total of 81 (14.3%) in-hospital deaths, 31 (5.4%) AKI, 34 (6%) malignant arrhythmias, 60 (10.6%) ARF and 11 (2%) strokes were reported. Patients with high PIV had a higher in-hospital mortality rate than patients with low PIV (OR: 1.51, 95% CI, 1.26-1.80, p < 0.001). Incorporating PIV into the full model significantly improved model performance (odds ratio X2, p < 0.001) compared to the baseline model constructed with other inflammatory markers. PIV is a potent predictor of prognosis with better performance than other well-known inflammatory markers for patients with AHF.

The Triglyceride-Glucose Index Might Be a Better Indicator for Predicting Poor Cardiovascular Outcomes in Chronic Coronary Syndrome

This study aimed to explore the potential association between the triglyceride-glucose index (TyG) and the atherogenic index of plasma (AIP)-both considered surrogate markers for atherosclerosis-and major adverse cardiovascular events (MACEs) in patients diagnosed with chronic coronary syndrome (CCS). We conducted a retrospective analysis, encompassing 715 consecutive patients with intermediate CCS risk, who presented at the outpatient clinic between June 2020 and August 2022. MACEs included non-fatal myocardial infarction, hospitalization for heart failure, cerebrovascular events, non-cardiac mortality, and cardiac mortality. The primary outcome was the composite occurrence of MACEs during the follow-up period. For time-to-event analysis of the primary outcome, we employed Kaplan-Meier plots and Cox proportional hazard models. The median age of the overall study population was 55 years, with a median follow-up duration of 17 months. Multivariate Cox regression analysis identified age, hypertension, Coronary Artery Disease-Reporting and Data System score, and TyG index as independent predictors of the primary outcome. Notably, individuals with high TyG levels exhibited a significantly higher primary outcome rate compared to those with low TyG levels (18.7% vs. 3.8%, p < 0.001). Similarly, patients with elevated TyG values demonstrated statistically higher rates of cerebrovascular events, hospitalizations for heart failure, non-fatal myocardial infarctions, non-cardiac mortality, and cardiac mortality. These findings suggest that TyG may serve as a predictive marker for adverse cardiovascular outcomes in patients with CCS.

Outcomes of survivors of ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction complicated by out-of-hospital cardiac arrest: a single-center surveillance study

OBJECTIVE

The aim of the present study was to evaluate in-hospital and long-term outcomes of ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) survivors who experienced out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) and underwent primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) at a high-volume center within the STEMI network.

METHODS

The records of 2681 consecutive STEMI patients who underwent primary PCI between January 2009 and December 2014 at a single center in the STEMI network were retrospectively analyzed. Patients with STEMI complicated by OHCA were compared with a reference group of STEMI patients who did not experience OHCA.

RESULTS

Compared with STEMI survivors without OHCA (n=2587, 96.5%), the frequency of anterior myocardial infarction, duration of hospitalization, rate of in-hospital major adverse cardiovascular and cerebrovascular events, and the incidence of ischemic cerebrovascular disease and major bleeding during in-hospital follow-up were significantly greater in those with OHCA (n=94, 3.5%). The distribution of age and gender was similar between the 2 groups. The primary PCI success rate was high and was similar in both groups. In-hospital mortality was significantly higher (18.1% vs. 1.5%; p<0.001) and survival at the 12th and 60th months was lower (74.5% vs. 96.5%; p<0.001 and 71.3% vs. 93.7%; p<0.001) in STEMI survivors with OHCA. OHCA was an independent predictor for in-hospital mortality (Odds ratio [OR]: 3.413; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.534-7.597; p=0.003) and all-cause mortality at 60 months (OR: 3.285; 95% CI: 2.020-5.340; p<0.001).

CONCLUSION

Mortality was high in patients with STEMI complicated by OHCA, even though PCI was performed with the same success rate seen in patients without OHCA.

Interatrial block as a predictor of atrial fibrillation in patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction

INTRODUCTION

Interatrial block (IAB) is strongly associated with recurrence of atrial fibrillation (AF) in different clinical scenarios. Atrial fibrosis is considered the responsible mechanism underlying the pathogenesis of IAB. The aim of this study was to investigate whether IAB predicted AF at 12 months follow-up in a population of patients with ST segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI).

HYPOTHESIS

We aimed to investigate whether IAB predicted AF at 12 months follow up in a population of patients with STEMI.

METHODS

Prospective, single center, observational study of patients presenting with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) and referred to primary percutaneous coronary intervention (P-PCI). Surface electrocardiograms (ECG) were recorded on admission and at 6th hour post P-PCI. Patients were screened for the occurrence of AF at a 12-months visit.

RESULTS

A total of 198 patients were included between September 2015 and September 2016. IAB (partial and advanced) was detected in 102 (51.5%) patients on admission. Remodeling of the P-wave and subsequent normalization reduced the prevalence of IAB to 47 (23.7%) patients at 6th hour. AF was detected in 17.7% of study patients at 12 months. Partial IAB (p-IAB) on admission (OR 5.10; 95% CI, 1.46-17.8; P = 0.011) and on 6th hour (OR 4.15; 95% CI, 1.29-13.4; P = 0.017), presence of a lesion in more than one coronary artery (OR 3.29; 95% CI, 1.32-8.16; P = 0.010) found to be independent predictors of AF at 12 months.

CONCLUSION

IAB is common in patients with STEMI and along with the presence of diffuse coronary artery disease is associated with new onset of AF.

The effects of weight loss after sleeve gastrectomy on left ventricular systolic function in men versus women

PURPOSE

To evaluate and compare the effects of weight lost after sleeve gastrectomy on left ventricular (LV) systolic function using both two-dimensional speckle tracking (2D-STE) and three-dimensional echocardiography (3DE) in men versus women.

METHODS

In 53 obese patients referred for sleeve gastrectomy, 2D-STE and 3DE were performed prior to and 6 months after surgery.

RESULTS

The study included 53 obese patients (62.3% female; mean age 36.8 ± 10.7 years). Six months after surgery, all patients demonstrated a significant decrease in body mass index, body weight, blood pressure, heart rate, LV end-diastolic dimension, myocardial wall thickness, LV mass, LV mass index, LV mass/height(2.7) , LV end-diastolic volume, LV end-systolic volume, and stroke volume as well as an increase in SV index and ejection fraction. There was no significant difference in measured variables between men and women at baseline or postsurgery, except for baseline LV end-diastolic dimension, and baseline and after surgery LV mass, LV mass index, and LV mass/height(2.7) , which were all significantly higher in men.

CONCLUSIONS

Sleeve gastrectomy improves LV systolic function and contributes to reverse LV remodeling in both genders. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Clin Ultrasound 44:492-499, 2016.