Non-acute Coronary Syndrome Research Articles

ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction mimics: The differential diagnosis of nonacute coronary syndrome causes of ST-segment/T-wave abnormalities in the chest pain patient

Abstract The evaluation of adult patients suspected of ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) includes a focused history and examination, 12-lead electrocardiogram (ECG), and cardiac serum marker analysis. The ECG plays a pivotal role in the early diagnosis and management of STEMI. A number of ECG entities in this patient population will present with ST-segment elevation and other electrocardiographic abnormalities which can mimic STEMI. In this article, we review the most frequent STEMI mimic patterns, highlight their ECG characteristics, and compare these individual ECG entities to the electrocardiographic abnormalities present with STEMI.

TCT-281 Interventional Strategies in Patients With Refractory Cardiogenic Shock Secondary to Non-Acute Coronary Syndrome Compared to Refractory Cardiogenic Shock Secondary to Acute Coronary Syndrome: A Systematic Review and Analysis

TCT-281 Interventional Strategies in Patients With Refractory Cardiogenic Shock Secondary to Non-Acute Coronary Syndrome Compared to Refractory Cardiogenic Shock Secondary to Acute Coronary Syndrome: A Systematic Review and Analysis

Clinical and Angiographic Pattern of Coronary Artery Disease in a Urban Sri Lankan Population

Clinical and Angiographic Pattern of Coronary Artery Disease In A Urban Sri Lankan Population. Introduction: Coronary artery disease (CAD) is a leading cause of mortality worldwide. Objectives: This study was conducted to describe the clinical and angiographic pattern of CAD in a urban Sri Lankan population. Methods: We studied consecutive patients of all ages who underwent coronary angiogram done by a single operator in a leading private hospital, Colombo. This study was a retrospective descriptive study conducted among the total number of 352 patients who underwent angiogram from May 2013 to December 2016. Results: The population with CAD is predominantly male and old (≥41 years). Non-Acute Coronary Syndrome (ACS) is the most common clinical presentation. Triple Vessel Disease (TVD) is most prevalent 136 (38.6%) with the multiplicity of synergistic risk factors. In Single Vessel Disease (SVD), the distribution of disease in LAD, RCA and LCX are 44%, 15% and 8% respectively. Higher rate of ectasia is found in RCA. Diabetes Mellitus (DM) is present in 49% of our patients, which is the second common risk factor next to dyslipidemia (DL) 55% and is significantly associated with TVD. Conclusion: ST-Elevation Myocardial Infarction (STEMI) is the commonest ACS type in the study group. TVD is more common in old age group whereas SVD is the common pattern in younger population. LAD is the predominantly and severely affected artery among both ACS and non – ACS groups. DL is the commonest risk factor. DM is commonly associated with TVD, which is related to multiple risk factors.

Relationship between high sensitivity troponin I and clinical outcomes in non–acute coronary syndrome (non-ACS) acute heart failure patients – a one-year follow-up study

ObjectiveThe primary objective of the study was to investigate the correlation between high-sensitivity troponin I (hsTropI) levels during hospitalization and the prognostic outcome in patients with non-acute coronary syndrome (non-ACS) acute heart failure, over a follow-up period of one year. The secondary objective was to assess and characterize acute heart failure during index hospitalization. MethodsHigh sensitivity troponin I value was noted both at the time of admission and discharge. The correlation of admission hsTropI along with other parameters and risk factors with in-hospital mortality was studied. Patients of index hospitalization after discharge were followed up for one year and the composite endpoint of cardiovascular death or re-hospitalization for heart failure was noted. The correlation between admission and discharge hsTropI values with the composite endpoint was then analyzed. ResultsOut of 350 patients, 38 (10.8 %) patients died during index hospitalization while 142 patients (46 %) developed composite outcomes during follow-up. Age, previous history of heart failure, atrial fibrillation, low left ventricular ejection fraction, systolic blood pressure, and high values of hsTropI above 99th percentiles were independent in-hospital mortality predictors. The value of hsTropI at the time of admission was not associated with poor composite outcome during follow-up. However, patients who showed an increasing trend of hsTropI value at the time of discharge were found to have a significant increase in the composite outcome. ConclusionHigh-sensitivity troponin I is a valuable biomarker that can predict in-hospital mortality and long-term follow-up outcomes in patients with acute heart failure. It plays a crucial role in developing improved strategies for heart failure surveillance and management in the community.

The clinical outcomes study of drug-coated balloon PCI in acute coronary syndrome vs. non-acute coronary syndrome

The clinical outcomes study of drug-coated balloon PCI in acute coronary syndrome vs. non-acute coronary syndrome

Abstract 15702: Leveraging Advanced AI Algorithms for Predicting Outcomes in Non-Acute Coronary Syndrome Chest Pain Patients

Introduction: Chest pain is often encountered in emergency rooms and the detection of acute coronary syndrome (ACS) is a major focus. However, a notable percentage of patients present with a diverse range of nonACS conditions. Accurately identifying the causes and outcomes of these cases can prevent unnecessary interventions, reduce healthcare costs, and optimize resource allocation. This study aims to explore how advanced AI algorithms can enhance risk assessment, refine classification, and predict outcomes in nonACS chest pain patients using conventional ECG analysis. Methods: We studied 3458 nonACS patients referred to the Emergency Room at Instituto Dante Pazzanese de Cardiologia with chest pain. A total of 185 features, including sex, height, ECG diagnostic statements, and measures, were used. The predicted outcome was defined as hospitalization within 14 days and/or death (1 or 0). We employed the AutoGluon framework for feature engineering and early model selection. XGBoost, a tree-based model, was chosen as the architecture. Training and k-fold stratified cross-validation were performed using an oversampled balanced dataset, and evaluation metrics such as AUROC, specificity, and sensitivity were measured using the original data. Results: In this study, 18.2% (630 patients) had a positive outcome. The sex distribution was comparable between outcome groups, with men accounting for 57-58% and women for 42-43%. Significant differences (p<0.01) were observed in ECG intervals (QRS, corrected QT, RR interval, PSP) between the groups. The AI model identified important diagnostic statements, including normal ECG (19.4), atrial fibrillation (7.4), left ventricular hypertrophy (7.1), Ischemic T-wave inversion in inferior leads (6.7), T-wave changes in inferior leads (5.9), and first-degree atrioventricular block (5.8). The AI model performed exceptionally well, with a sensitivity of 97.93%, specificity of 96.08%, and an AUROC of 0.97. Conclusions: The AI model demonstrated its ability to predict outcomes in patients with acute chest pain without ACS, making it an appealing tool for effective risk stratification. The early identification provided by the AI model presents an opportunity for timely intervention to mitigate adverse outcomes.

Design and deployment of ODISEA, an application for the myOcarDial infarction SafEtytrAnsfer of patients

BackgroundRapid primary angioplasty is the most effective reperfusion strategy for acute ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) patients. Since not all hospitals have a catheterization laboratory to perform this intervention, adequate coordination of all medical professionals involved in the management of STEMI patients from the emergency room to the hospital catheterization laboratory is necessary. ObjectivePresent the design and deployment of ODISEA (acronym of myOcarDial Infarction SafEtytrAnsfer), a web-based environment plus an application created to complement and support the transfer and management of STEMI patients from the first medical contact to the catheterization laboratory where the primary angioplasty will be carried out. MethodODISEA is an application that has been designed to improve the coordination of all health personnel involved in the management of STEMI patients, i.e., primary care hospitals, Emergency Medical Services [EMS] and cardiology departments. The application provides: (i) functionalities to register relevant information of the patients’ and the administered medications, (ii) a chat to coordinate all involved personnel; (iii) treatment recommendations for the first medical contact; and (iv) a GPS-SATELLITE monitoring system to know the exact position of the ambulance during patient transfer. These features improve the coordination in the catheterization laboratory, and optimize the equipment preparation time, and also the patient accommodation procedures after primary angioplasty. ODISEA registers all treated cases for a proper follow-up. The application has been tested from September 2021 to January 2022 in the context of a pilot study in Girona that involved 98 patients and 42 professionals (11 from hospital without Cath lab availability, 21 from EMS, and 10 from the main hospital). Professionals answered a questionnaire using a five-point Likert scale (satisfaction level from 1 to 5) to assess ODISEA regarding patient management, care quality, transfer coordination, transfer effectiveness, and usefulness. Collected data was analyzed using chi-square or Fisher's exact test. Statistical significance has been considered p < 0.05. To evaluate times of first angioplasty, relevant data from 98 patients was collected and compared with data of 129 STEMI patients not treated with ODISEA. ResultsFor all the questions>70 % of answers are in the 3 to 5 range and from these, almost all the questions have 50 % of answers in the 4 and 5 range. Regarding groups of professionals only in the question related to coordination significant difference has been found for EMS professionals with respect to hospital without Cath lab availability and catheterization hospital professionals. Comparing ODISEA with no ODISEA patients it was observed an improvement in the times of first angioplasty as well as a reduction in the erroneous infarction codes activation. Patients treated with the ODISEA APP were further away from the PCI-capable center. A non-significant tendency was seen towards shorter primary angioplasty times (diagnostic electrocardiogram-guidewire passage) in the ODISEA compared to the NON ODISEA group (112 min vs 122 min; P =.3), a non-significant reduction of cases with times > 120 min (26.2 % vs 35.7 %, respectively; P =.1), and a tendency towards fewer cases eventually diagnosed as non-acute coronary syndrome (7.1 % vs 13.2 %; P =.1). ConclusionODISEA is a very well-accepted application that improves the management of STEMI patients. The application is an appropriate complement to current infarction protocol.

Angiography‐derived versus invasively‐determined index of microcirculatory resistance in the assessment of coronary microcirculation: A systematic review and meta‐analysis

The index of microvascular resistance (IMR) is an established tool to assess the status of coronary microcirculation. However, the need for a pressure wire and hyperemic agents have limited its routine use and have led to the development of angiography-derived pressure-wire-free methods (angiography-derivedIMR [IMRAngio]). In this review and meta-analysis, we aim to assess the global diagnosis accuracy of IMRAngio versus IMR. A systematic review of the literature was performed. Studies directly evaluating IMRAngio versus IMR were considered eligible. Pooled values of diagnostic test and summary receiver operator curve were calculated. Seven studies directly comparing IMRAngio versus IMR were included (687 patients; 807 vessels). Pooled sensitivity, specificity, +likelihood ratio (LR), and -LR were 82%, 83%, 4.5, and 0.26 respectively. Pooled accuracy was 83% while pooled positive predictive valueand negative predictive value were 76% and 85%, respectively. Comparable results were obtained when analyzing by clinical scenario (acute and nonacute coronary syndromes). IMRAngio shows a good diagnostic performance for the prediction of abnormal IMR.

Prognosis is worse with elevated cardiac troponin in nonacute coronary syndrome compared with acute coronary syndrome.

Cardiac troponin (cTn) can be elevated in many patients presenting to the emergency department (ED) with chest pain but without a diagnosis of acute coronary syndrome (ACS). We compared the prognostic significance of cTn in these different populations. We retrospectively analyzed the CHOPIN study, which enrolled patients who presented to the ED with chest pain. Patients were grouped as ACS, non-ACS cardiovascular disease, noncardiac chest pain and chest pain not otherwise specified (NOS). We examined the prognostic ability of cTnI for the clinical endpoints of mortality and major adverse cardiovascular event (MACE; a composite of acute myocardial infarction, unstable angina, revascularization, reinfarction, and congestive heart failure and stroke) at 180-day follow-up. Among 1982 patients analyzed, 14% had ACS, 21% had non-ACS cardiovascular disease, 31% had a noncardiac diagnosis and 34% had chest pain NOS. cTnI elevation above the 99th percentile was observed in 52, 18, 6 and 7% in these groups, respectively. cTnI elevation was associated with mortality and MACE, and their relationships were more prominent in noncardiac diagnosis and chest pain NOS than in ACS and non-ACS cardiovascular diagnoses for mortality, and in non-ACS patients than in ACS patients for MACE (hazard ratio for doubling of cTnI 1.85, 2.05, 8.26 and 4.14, respectively; P for interaction 0.011 for mortality; 1.04, 1.23, 1.54 and 1.42, respectively; P for interaction <0.001 for MACE). In patients presenting to the ED with chest pain, cTnI elevation was associated with a worse prognosis in non-ACS patients than in ACS patients.

Interpretation of Cardiac and Non-Cardiac Causes of Elevated Troponin T Levels in Non-Acute Coronary Syndrome Patients in the Emergency Department.

The definition of myocardial infarction was updated in 2000 to include an elevation of cardiac troponin T or I (cTnT or xTnI) alongside clinical evidence of myocardial infarction. The redefinition was jointly done by the American College of Cardiology Committee and the European Society of Cardiology. Since then, cardiac troponin T and I have assumed the position as the primary biochemical markers for diagnosing myocardial infarction. The high sensitivity of cardiac troponin for myocardial necrosis influenced the decision to include cardiac troponins (cTn) in the diagnostic pathway. An elevated cTn level indicates the presence of myocardial injury. However, it does not give the underlying reason for the damage. Apart from acute myocardial infarction (AMI), a range of potential diseases feature troponin release, including heart failure, acute pulmonary embolism, end-stage renal disease, and myocarditis. However, regardless of the mechanism that triggers the release from cardiac myocytes, elevated cTnI and cTnT typically implies a poor prognosis. This review attempts to explain both the cardiac and non-cardiac causes of increased cTnT in emergency department patients.

Abstract 11636: Association Between Troponin Elevation and Adverse Outcomes: Effects of Cardiac, Non-Cardiac, Acute Coronary Syndrome and Non-Acute Coronary Syndrome Causes

Introduction: The role of high sensitivity troponin (HsTn) is clear in patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS), however, its role in non-ACS positive HsTn is not. Accordingly, we studied the heterogeneity of outcomes as related to cardiac and non-cardiac causes of positive HsTn. Methods and Results: Retrospectively, 288 consecutive patients [60±17 years, 143 (49%) females, EF:59±14%] who had HsTn measured to exclude ACS were included and followed for a median of 4.9 months. Compared to negative HsTn, patients with positive HsTn were older (64±15 vs 57±16 year), with worse EF (55±16 vs 65±8%), left atrial volume index (43±15 vs 26±11 ml/m 2 , all p&lt;0.001), E/e’ ratio (11.6±5.5 vs 9.4±2.7, p=0.002) Tricuspid regurgitation velocity (TRV, 2.8±0.5 vs 2.6±0.4, p=0.015). and pro-BNP (4625±12657 vs 166±228 pg/ml, p=0.003). Survival curves (figure 1) showed that composite of mortality and rehospitalization were not different between both groups at follow-up (p=0.789). Patients with positive HsTn were classified according to the cause of HsTn rise non-cardiac, cardiac non-coronary, coronary non-ACS, and ACS, figure 1). Admission and follow-up HsTn were highest in the non-cardiac group and comparable to the ACS group. Furthermore, the worst EF and diastolic dysfunction were found in ACS and cardiac non-coronary groups, while. Survival curves suggested that the composite outcomes were worst in non-cardiac and cardiac non coronary groups, best in coronary non-ACS group and intermediate in the ACS groups (p=0.05). Conclusion: Stratifying causes of HsTn elevation differentiated phenotypes of cardiac function and risk. Patients with non-cardiac or cardiac non-coronary causes had worse outcomes than ACS, while patients with non-ACS coronary causes approach the negative HsTn in terms of outcomes which may explain the lack of significant difference in composite outcomes between positive and negative admission HsTn.

Abstract 10435: A Plea for Inclusion of Surface Echocardiography for Acute Coronary Syndrome in the Advanced Cardiac Life Support Algorithm

Background: The AHA/ACC guidelines algorithm for Acute Coronary Syndrome (ACS) does not include echocardiographic evaluation in the assessment of chest pain. Such patients may be subjected to interventions based on ECG leading invasive procedures which may prove unnecessary. This study was performed to determine if a bedside echocardiography would help identify the conditions that do not need intervention and might possibly change the treatment pathway at the right time. Methods: In a prospective observational study design, adult patients presenting to acute emergency care with chest pain were included in the study. Patients exhibiting a significant ST change on a 12-lead ECG were subjected to bedside echocardiography, i.e. 2D transthoracic echocardiography (2D-TTE) The findings of echocardiography were correlated with ECG and coronary angiography for possible percutaneous coronary intervention. Results: Among the 385 patients in the study, 312 suffered acute coronary syndrome. In 18.7% patients presented to acute emergency care with chest pain, ST-T changes and were found to have causes other than ACS; and bedside echocardiography (2D-TTE) was able to identify 90.4% of those cases. From this study we conclude that bedside echocardiography had high specificity (90.4%) and sensitivity (97.43%) in identifying regional wall motion abnormality (RWMA) due to ACS and exclude non-ischemic causes of chest pain. Conclusion: Bedside echocardiography is recommended in patients with chest pain and ST-segment abnormality to avoid unnecessary delay in diagnosis and invasive interventions in non-acute coronary syndrome (ACS). Hence it is reasonable to include bedside echocardiography in either box 3 or 4 in the ACS algorithm.

Mortality Risk Factors for Inpatients with Ischemic Heart Disease Complicated with Gastrointestinal Bleeding

To investigate the risk factors of in-hospital mortality in patients with combined ischemic heart disease (IHD) and gastrointestinal bleeding (GIB). Patients who were hospitalized and received treatment for IHD combined with GIB at West China Hospital, Sichuan University between Jan. 2015 and Jan. 2018 were included in the study. Information concerning their baseline data, comorbidities, history of anticoagulant and antiplatelet medication, laboratory data on admission, and in-hospital treatments was collected. In-hospital death of all causes was taken as the primary endpoint event of the study, and multivariate logistic regression analysis was conducted to identify the independent risk factors of mortality during their hospital stay for this specific type of patients. Then, receiver operating characteristic ( ROC) curve was drawn and the area under curve ( AUC) was calculated accordingly. A total of 395 patients met the enrollment criteria and were included in the study. Among them, 342 patients were discharged after their condition improved, and 53 patients died during hospitalization. Analysis of the cause of death revealed that cardiogenic death was the leading cause of death (54.7%), which was followed by infection-caused death (24.5%). Logistic regression analysis revealed that patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) had a 2.527-fold risk of mortality compared with patients with non-acute coronary syndrome (odds ratio [ OR]=2.527, 95% confidence interval [ CI]: 1.152-8.277, P=0.043), and patients with comorbidity of chronic renal disease (CKD) had a 2.89-fold risk of mortality ( OR=2.89, 95% CI:1.187-7.037, P=0.019). It was also shown the higher level of WBC count ( OR=1.123, 95% CI: 1.057-1.193, P<0.001) and lower hemoglobin ( OR=1.014, 95% CI: 1.003-1.025, P=0.013) on admission were related to in-hospital mortality. On the other hand, endoscopy ( OR=0.305, 95% CI: 0.103-0.881, P=0.029) was identified as a protective factor in hospital treatment that decreased the risk of in-hospital mortality. ROC curve was drawn by combining the aforementioned variables to predict in-hospital mortality, which had an AUC of 0.79. The actual type of IHD being STEMI, the patient's condition being complicated with chronic kidney disease, and having high white blood cells and low hemoglobin levels upon admission were considered independent risk factors for in-hospital death outcome of IHD patients complicated with GIB, while undergoing endoscopy during hospitalization was considered as a protective factor.

Use of ticagrelor and the risks of pneumonia and pneumonia-specific death in patients with non-acute coronary syndrome conditions: a population-based cohort study

Previous studies have shown that ticagrelor reduced risk of pneumonia in patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS) compared to clopidogrel, however, its effect in patients with non-ACS cardiovascular diseases remains uncertain. The aim was to investigate the effect of ticagrelor on pneumonia and pneumonia-specific death compared to clopidogrel in non-ACS patients in Hong Kong. This was a population-based cohort study. We included consecutive patients using ticagrelor or clopidogrel admitted for non-ACS conditions in Hong Kong public hospitals from March 2012 to September 2019. Patients using both drugs were excluded. The outcomes of interest were incident pneumonia, all-cause death, and pneumonia-specific death. Multivariable survival analysis models were used to estimate the effects [hazard ratio (HR) and 95% confidence interval (CI)]. Propensity score matching, adjustment and weighting were performed as sensitivity analyses. In total, 90,154 patients were included (mean age 70.66 years, males 61.7%). The majority of them (97.2%) used clopidogrel. Ticagrelor was associated with a lower risk of incident pneumonia [0.59 (0.46–0.75)], all-cause death [0.83 (0.73–0.93)] and pneumonia-specific death [0.49 (0.36–0.67)]. Sensitivity analyses yielded similar results. Ticagrelor was associated with lower risk of all-cause death, pneumonia-specific death, and incident pneumonia in patients with non-ACS cardiovascular conditions, consistent with previous evidence in patients with ACS. This additional effect of anti-pneumonia should be considered when choosing a proper P2Y12 inhibitor for patients with high risk of pneumonia.

Stratification Analysis of Statin Effect on Major Adverse Cardiac Events After Percutaneous Coronary Intervention in Patients on Hemodialysis.

The statin use in patients on hemodialysis remains controversial, and no beneficial effects of statin on the reduction of adverse cardiovascular events have been reported in these patients. This study used stratification analysis to examine the clinical factors in patients on hemodialysis who could benefit from statin for secondary prevention. This prospective multicenter study included 234 consecutive patients on hemodialysis with coronary artery disease who underwent successful reperfusion therapy with percutaneous coronary intervention. The patients were followed up for up to 3 years or until the occurrence of major adverse cardiac events (MACEs; defined as a composite of all-cause death and nonfatal myocardial infarction). Inverse probability of treatment weighting adjustment was used to remove the selection bias. During the median follow-up period of 30 months, MACEs occurred in 55 patients. Patients with MACEs had significantly lower statin therapy (P < 0.001). Multivariable Cox proportional hazards analysis showed that the patients on statins had a significantly reduced rate of MACE occurrence [adjusted hazard ratio 0.30 (0.11-0.81), P = 0.02]. The stratification analysis of outcomes according to the presence of clinical factors showed that beneficial effects of statin were associated with man, elderly, lower body mass index, lower abdominal circumference, hypertension, diabetes, higher C-reactive protein, symptomatic heart failure, lower left ventricular function, nonacute coronary syndrome, and shorter stent length. Statin was effective for the prevention of MACEs in patients on hemodialysis who underwent percutaneous coronary intervention. We identified specific clinical factors affecting statin effectiveness for secondary prevention.

Trends in Coded Indications for Percutaneous Coronary Interventions in Medicare and the Veterans Affairs After Implementation of Hospital-Level Reporting of Appropriate Use Criteria.

In 2009, the American College of Cardiology and American Heart Association published Appropriate Use Criteria for Coronary Revascularization (AUC) to aid patient selection for percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). The subsequent decline in inappropriate PCIs was interpreted as a success of AUC. However, there are concerns clinicians reclassify nonacute PCIs to acute indications to fulfill AUC. A longitudinal, observational difference-in-differences analysis was performed using administrative claims from US Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) beneficiaries coenrolled in Medicare and from a national random sample of Medicare beneficiaries, undergoing PCI from September 30, 2009, to December 31, 2013. Non-VA hospitals participating in the American College of Cardiology CathPCI registry began receiving AUC reports in 2011, while VA hospitals did not receive reports, serving as quasiexperimental and control cohorts, respectively. We measured the proportion of PCIs coded for acute myocardial infarction, unstable angina, and nonacute coronary syndrome indications by quarter. There were 87 464 and 30 251 PCIs performed in the Medicare and VA cohorts, respectively. In Medicare, proportion of PCIs coded for acute myocardial infarction and unstable angina changed from 31.9% and 12.6% in quarter 4 2009 to 41.0% and 10.5% in quarter 4 2013, an associated 2.00% (95% CI, 1.56%-2.44%; P<0.001) increase per year in PCIs coded for acute coronary syndrome indications. In the VA, proportion of PCIs coded for acute myocardial infarction and unstable angina changed from 26.5% and 15.7% in quarter 4 2009 to 34.3% and 12.3% in quarter 4 2013, an associated 1.20% (95% CI, 0.56%-1.88%; P=0.001) increase per year in PCIs coded for acute coronary syndrome indications. Difference-in-differences modeling found no statistically significant change in PCI coded for acute indications between Medicare and VA, pre- and post-AUC reporting. After introduction of AUC assessments and reporting, we observed comparable increases in coding for acute myocardial infarction and corresponding decreases in coding for unstable angina and nonacute coronary syndrome indications among national cohorts of Medicare and VA enrollees. The provision of appropriate use reporting did not appear to have a substantial impact on the proportion of PCIs coded for acute indications during this study period.

Predictive and prognostic value of v-set and transmembrane domain-containing 1 expression in monocytes for coronary artery disease.

The aim of this study was to investigate the correlation between v-set and transmembrane domain-containing 1 (VSTM1) expression and incidence of major adverse cardiac events (MACE) in patients with coronary heart disease (CHD). A total of 310 patients were divided into a non-acute coronary syndrome (non-ACS) group (containing the stable angina group, and the asymptomatic coronary artery diseaseand other patients group) and an ACS group (containing unstable angina and acute myocardial infarction patients). Monocytic VSTM1 expression levels (assessed via average fluorescence intensity derived from antibody binding to VSTM1) in each group were detected and analyzed. The cut-off value of monocytic VSTM1 expression to predict the onset of ACS and MACE was confirmed. VSTM1 expression in monocytes from the ACS group was lower than that of the non-ACS group. The incidence of MACEs in the high VSTM1-expression group was much less than that of those in the low VSTM1 expression group at the 1 year follow-up stage. VSTM1 expression had an independent-inversed association with increased incidence of MACE and ACS. VSTM1 expression in monocytes may help to predict the occurrence of ACS in patients with CHD, and moreover it may provide the means to evaluate MACE prognosis during CHD patient follow-up.

The relationship between plasma vitamin D level and heart valves calcification in acute coronary syndrome and non acute coronary syndrome patients.

There is conflicting data regarding the association between low levels of plasma vitamin D and ischemic heart disease. We aimed to investigate the relationship between plasma vitamin D levels and heart valve calcification in hospitalized patients with ischemic heart disease versus non-ischemic heart disease controls. A prospective case-control study comprising two age and gender-matched groups. The study group included consecutive patients hospitalized due to acute coronary syndrome; the control group included consecutive non-ischemic heart disease patients hospitalized for noncardiac causes. Blood samples for 25-hydroxyvitamin D level were drawn. An echocardiogram was performed during the first 3 days of hospitalization and reviewed for presence and degree of valvular calcification. Forty patients with acute coronary syndrome and 40 controls (age 58 ± 11 years, 64% male in both groups) were included. Mean plasma 25-hydroxyvitamin D vitamin level in the entire cohort was 24.5 ± 8 ng/ml. Valve calcification rates were similar in acute coronary syndrome versus non-acute coronary syndrome group (28 vs. 21 had valvular calcification; 18 vs. 12 had aortic valve calcification; 21 vs. 14 had mitral valve calcification, respectively; P = NS for all). We found no significant relationship between vitamin D level and valvular calcification, aortic valve calcification, or mitral valve calcification rate or degree in the entire cohort and in each group alone (P = NS for all). There was a negative correlation between 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels and age in the acute coronary syndrome group (r = -0.399, P = 0.012). We did not find a significant relationship between plasma vitamin D levels and the rate or degree of calcification of either aortic/mitral/both valves in hospitalized patients with or without ischemic heart disease.

The impact of cardiac troponin in elderly patients in the absence of acute coronary syndrome: A systematic review.

Comorbidities are common risk factors for rising cardiac troponin in non-acute coronary syndromes conditions. Furthermore, the risk for all-cause mortality appears to be correlated to the troponin levels. Consequently, measurement of cardiac troponin in hospital admission may contribute to predict the mortality risk in elderly patients. Among geriatric patients without acute coronary syndrome, with concomitant diseases, the correct interpretation of elevated cardiac troponin, particularly in emergency conditions poses a diagnostic dilemma. Although in several studies it is suggested that at the presence of comorbidity, there is an increase in cardiac troponin values, the elderly patients have not been included conclusively. In order to assess the diagnostic and prognostic role of cardiac troponin elevation in geriatric patients suffering from chronic diseases, a systematic review was performed. The study included the elderly patients free of acute coronary syndrome admitted to the hospital with concomitant disease, with a report of at least one cardiac troponin measurement. We found that elevated cardiac troponin is an independent prognostic factor, predicting all-cause morbidity and mortality burden in geriatric patients without acute coronary syndromes.

External validation and comparison of the CardShock and IABP-SHOCK II risk scores in real-world cardiogenic shock patients.

Mortality from cardiogenic shock remains high and early recognition and risk stratification are mandatory for optimal patient allocation and to guide treatment strategy. The CardShock and the Intra-Aortic Balloon Counterpulsation in Acute Myocardial Infarction Complicated by Cardiogenic Shock (IABP-SHOCK II) risk scores have shown good results in predicting short-term mortality in cardiogenic shock. However, to date, they have not been compared in a large cohort of ischaemic and non-ischaemic real-world cardiogenic shock patients. The Red-Shock is a multicentre cohort of non-selected cardiogenic shock patients. We calculated the CardShock and IABP-SHOCK II risk scores in each patient and assessed discrimination and calibration. We included 696 patients. The main cause of cardiogenic shock was acute coronary syndrome, occurring in 62% of the patients. Compared with acute coronary syndrome patients, non-acute coronary syndrome patients were younger and had a lower proportion of risk factors but higher rates of renal insufficiency; intra-aortic balloon pump was also less frequently used (31% vs 56%). In contrast, non-acute coronary syndrome patients were more often treated with mechanical circulatory support devices (11% vs 3%, p<0.001 for both). Both risk scores were good predictors of in-hospital mortality in acute coronary syndrome patients and had similar areas under the receiver-operating characteristic curve (area under the curve: 0.742 for the CardShock vs 0.752 for IABP-SHOCK II, p=0.65). Their discrimination performance was only modest when applied to non-acute coronary syndrome patients (0.648 vs 0.619, respectively, p=0.31). Calibration was acceptable for both scores (Hosmer-Lemeshow p=0.22 for the CardShock and 0.68 for IABP-SHOCK II). In our cohort, both the CardShock and the IABP-SHOCK II risk scores were good predictors of in-hospital mortality in acute coronary syndrome-related cardiogenic shock.