Introduction: In inferior wall acute myocardial infarction (IWMI), ST-segment elevation in leads V5-6 (STE V5-6) is often observed, but its prognostic impact is unclear. Methods: We examined admission ECGs in 361 patients with a first IWMI who had TIMI 3 flow of the right coronary artery (RCA) or left circumflex artery (LCX) by reperfusion therapy within 6 hours after symptom onset. Patients were divided according to the presence (n=77) or absence (n=284) of STE V5-6 >2 mm, and the former was subdivided into the 2 groups according to the degree of STE in leads III and V6: STE:III>V6 (n=53) and STE:III≤V6 (n=24). The perfusion territory of the culprit artery was assessed by angiographic distribution score, and mega-artery was defined as a score ≥0.7. Results: Age, sex, time to admission, reperfusion therapy, or time to reperfusion was similar in the 3 groups. STE V5-6 was associated with mega-artery occlusion, larger infarction, and in-hospital adverse events (death, reinfarction, or heart failure). RCA occlusion was most common in STE V5-6 with STE:III>V6, whereas LCX occlusion, especially proximal LCX occlusion, was most common in STE V5-6 with STE:III≤V6. In multivariate analysis, STE V5-6 with STE:III>V6 (OR 2.90, 95%CI 1.10-7.02, p<0.01) and that with STE:III≤V6 (OR 3.63, 95%CI 1.58-8.96, p<0.01) were independent predictors of in-hospital adverse events. Conclusions: In reperfused IWMI, ST-segment elevation in leads V5-6 on admission ECG strongly predicts in-hospital adverse outcomes; furthermore, comparing the degree of ST-segment elevation in leads III and V6 is useful for predicting the culprit artery (i.e., RCA or LCX).
Background: Temporary inferior vena cava filters (t-IVCF) may be effective for the prevention of recurrent acute pulmonary embolism (APE). However there is no consensus regarding how long we should...
Abstract Aims Changes in echocardiographic parameters and biomarkers of cardiac and venous pressures or estimated plasma volume during hospitalization associated with decongestive treatments in acute heart failure (AHF) patients with either preserved left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) (HFPEF) or reduced LVEF (HFREF) are poorly assessed. Methods and results From the metabolic road to diastolic heart failure: diastolic heart failure (MEDIA‐DHF) study, 111 patients were included in this substudy: 77 AHF (43 HFPEF and 34 HFREF) and 34 non‐cardiac dyspnea patients. Echocardiographic measurements and blood samples were obtained within 4 h of presentation at the emergency department and before hospital discharge. In AHF patients, echocardiographic indices of cardiac and venous pressures, including inferior vena cava diameter [from 22 (16–24) mm to 13 (11–18) mm, P = 0.009], its respiratory variability [from 32 (8–44) % to 43 (29–70) %, P = 0.04], medial E/e' [from 21.1 (15.8–29.6) to 16.6 (11.7–24.3), P = 0.004], and E wave deceleration time [from 129 (105–156) ms to 166 (128–203) ms, P = 0.003], improved during hospitalization, similarly in HFPEF and HFREF patients. By contrast, no changes were seen in non‐cardiac dyspnea patients. In AHF patients, all plasma biomarkers of cardiac and venous pressures, namely B‐type natriuretic peptide [from 935 (514–2037) pg/mL to 308 (183–609) pg/mL, P < 0.001], mid‐regional pro‐atrial natriuretic peptide [from 449 (274–653) pmol/L to 366 (242–549) pmol/L, P < 0.001], and soluble CD‐146 levels [from 528 (406–654) ng/mL to 450 (374–529) ng/mL, P = 0.003], significantly decreased during hospitalization, similarly in HFPEF and HFREF patients. Echocardiographic parameters of cardiac chamber dimensions [left ventricular end‐diastolic volume: from 120 (76–140) mL to 118 (95–176) mL, P = 0.23] and cardiac index [from 2.1 (1.6–2.6) mL/min/m 2 to 1.9 (1.4–2.4) mL/min/m 2 , P = 0.55] were unchanged in AHF patients, except tricuspid annular plane systolic excursion (TAPSE) that improved during hospitalization [from 16 (15–19) mm to 19 (17–21) mm, P = 0.04]. Estimated plasma volume increased in both AHF [from 4.8 (4.2–5.6) to 5.1 (4.4–5.8), P = 0.03] and non‐cardiac dyspnea patients ( P = 0.01). Serum creatinine [from 1.18 (0.90–1.53) to 1.19 (0.86–1.70) mg/dL, P = 0.89] and creatinine‐based estimated glomerular filtration rate [from 59 (40–75) mL/min/1.73m 2 to 56 (38–73) mL/min/1.73m 2 , P = 0.09] were similar, while plasma cystatin C [from 1.50 (1.20–2.27) mg/L to 1.78 (1.33–2.59) mg/L, P < 0.001] and neutrophil gelatinase associated lipocalin (NGAL) [from 127 (95–260) ng/mL to 167 (104–263) ng/mL, P = 0.004] increased during hospitalization in AHF. Conclusions Echocardiographic parameters and plasma biomarkers of cardiac and venous pressures improved during AHF hospitalization in both acute HFPEF and HFREF patients, while cardiac chamber dimensions, cardiac output, and estimated plasma volume showed minimal changes.
Background:Impaired glucose metabolism plays an important role in patients with acute myocardial infarction, but the clinical significance of glycemic variability (GV) early after the onset of ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) remains to be fully elucidated.Methods and Results:We prospectively investigated the clinical impact of GV, as determined by a continuous glucose monitoring system (CGMS), on left ventricular remodeling (LVR) assessed by cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (CMR) in 69 patients (63±13 years, 59 men) with a first reperfused STEMI within 12 h of onset. All patients were equipped with a CGMS when in a stable phase after admission and underwent repeat CMR at baseline and 7 months follow-up. Patients were divided into 2 groups according to the mean amplitude of glycemic excursions (MAGE). Patients in the upper tertile of MAGE were categorized as group High (H) and the other two-thirds as group Low (L). LVR was defined as an absolute increase in left ventricular end-diastolic volume index of ≥20%. LVR more frequently occurred in group H than in group L (56% vs. 11%, P<0.001). Multivariate analysis showed the higher MAGE group was an independent predictor of LVR in the chronic phase (odds ratio, 13.999; 95% confidence interval, 3.059 to 64.056; P=0.001).Conclusions:MAGE early after the onset of STEMI identified patients with LVR in the chronic phase. (Circ J 2015; 79: 1092–1099)
Background: Landiolol is a newly developed, ultrashort-acting beta blocker (β-blocker). This study explored the clinical usefulness of landiolol treatment for rapid atrial fibrillation (AF) in pati...
Blood glucose variability is receiving considerable attention as a new risk factor for coronary artery disease. This study aimed to investigate the association between blood glucose variability and coronary plaque tissue characteristics.In 57 patients with acute coronary syndrome, integrated backscatter intravascular ultrasound (IB-IVUS) and gray-scale IVUS were performed before balloon dilatation or stent implantation in the culprit vessels. Standard IVUS indices were evaluated for volume index (volume/length), and plaque components were measured by IB-IVUS for percent tissue volume. In addition to conventional glucose indicators, blood glucose variability in a stable state was determined by calculating the mean amplitude of glycemic excursions (MAGE) using a continuous glucose monitoring system.Higher MAGE values were significantly correlated with larger percent plaque volumes (r = 0.32, p = 0.015), and increased lipid (r = 0.44, p = 0.0006) and decreased fibrous (r = -0.45, p = 0.0005) plaque components. In contrast, HbA1c or fasting plasma glucose values were not significantly correlated with plaque volumes and percent plaque components. Homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance values were positively correlated with vessel (r = 0.35, p = 0.007) and plaque (r = 0.27, p = 0.046) volumes, but not with percent plaque components. In multiple regression analysis, higher MAGE values were independently associated with increased lipid (β = 0.80, p = 0.0035) and decreased fibrous (β = -0.79, p = 0.0034) contents in coronary plaques.Among all glucose indicators studied, only higher blood glucose variability was an independent determinant of increased lipid and decreased fibrous contents with larger plaque burden, suggesting blood glucose variability as one of the important factors related to coronary plaque vulnerability.