Non-cardiac Etiology Research Articles

Definition, Classification, and Management of Primary Noncardiac Causes of Cardiogenic Shock.

Cardiogenic shock (CS) is a complex syndrome, presenting with a critical state of cardiac output insufficient to support end-organ perfusion requirements. Contemporary CS classification recognizes broad categories of primary cardiac etiologies of CS, such as acute myocardial infarction and heart failure. Primary noncardiac etiologies of CS, however, are poorly described in literature and have not been captured by any contemporary classification, leading to challenges in diagnosing and managing these cases. In this review, we propose that primary noncardiac causes of CS be recognized as its own category that builds on the original Shock Academic Research Consortium classification with its own additional modifiers. We present a detailed framework that groups each noncardiac cause by its underlying disease mechanism (vascular, infectious, inflammatory, traumatic, toxic, cancer related, endocrine, metabolic) and review available literature on their respective management strategies. We expect that the ability to classify primary noncardiac causes of CS will help with early identification and targeted management of the primary noncardiac insult, support patients through their shock state, and may lead to improvement of in-hospital CS mortality rates in clinical practice. Moreover, this new framework can further assist clinical trial classifications to properly phenotype CS for clinical research purposes.

ECMO in the Management of Noncardiogenic Pulmonary Edema with Increased Inflammatory Reaction After Cardiac Surgery: A Case Report and Literature Review.

Noncardiogenic pulmonary edema after cardiac surgery is a rare but severe complication. The etiology remains poorly understood; however, the issue may arise from multiple sources. Possible causes include a significant inflammatory response or an autoimmune process. Pulmonary edema resulting from noncardiac etiologies can necessitate extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) because most of the cases present a substantial volume of fluid expelled from the lungs and the medical team must manage the inability to achieve effective ventilation. A 64-year-old patient with known heart disease was admitted to our clinic with acute pulmonary edema. His medical history included Barlow's disease, severe mitral regurgitation (IIP2), moderate-severe tricuspid regurgitation, and moderate pulmonary hypertension. The patient had a coronary angiography performed in a prior hospitalization before the surgical intervention which indicated the absence of coronary lesions. Preoperative screening (nasal, pharyngeal exudate, inguinal pouch culture, and urine culture) was negative, with no active dental infections. The patient was stabilized, and 14 days post-admission, mitral and tricuspid valve repair was performed via a thoracoscopic approach. After being admitted to intensive care post-surgery, the patient quickly developed pulmonary edema, producing a large volume (4.5 L) of yellow secretions through the intubation tube followed by hemodynamic instability necessitating high doses of medications to support circulation but no cardiorespiratory arrest. Due to his worsening condition, the patient was urgently taken back to the operating room, where veno-venous extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (VV-ECMO) was initiated to support oxygenation and stabilize the patient.

Auto-Transfusion Tourniquet (A-TT) Reanimation of Cardiac Arrest Patients-A Retrospective Chart Review

Out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (CA) with CPR has poor outcomes. We report our experience with 17 patients admitted to the Eisenhower Emergency Department (ED) in Rancho Mirage, CA, who underwent treatment with a novel autotransfusion tourniquet (A-TT, Oneg HaKarmel, Israel). Methods: The Eisenhower IRB authorized this report. All patients were in terminal arrest after receiving CPR throughout the 22-56 minutes of transport to the ED. One or both legs received the A-TT upon arrival at the ED. This study is derived from a retrospective analysis of emergency department medical records. Results: Seven patients were removed because (a) the collapse was unwitnessed (two patients), (b) non-cardiac etiology (four patients), or (c) improper use of A-TT (one patient). The collapse of the remaining 10 patients was witnessed and attributed to cardiac causes. Seven of these 10 individuals had ROSC within 1-5 minutes following the A-TT application. Five ROSC patients were transferred to the ICU, and one was released neurologically intact. Discussion: As a “mechanical vasoconstrictor,” the A-TT sends blood from the legs to the core and prevents the blood from returning. This directs CPR cardiac output to the vital organs. The rate of return of spontaneous circulation (ROSC) in this small cohort is higher than expected, considering the significant time elapsed since the onset of cardiac arrest. Conclusion: Mechanical distal-to-proximal shifting of the legs’ blood by the A-TT has the potential to improve the rate of ROSC when applied together with standard CPR. Earlier use of A-TT may lead to a better outcome.

Bystander defibrillation for out-of-hospital cardiac arrest in Ireland

AimsTo describe and explore predictors of bystander defibrillation in Ireland during the period 2012 to 2020. To examine the relationship between bystander defibrillation and health system developments. MethodsNational level Out of Hospital Cardiac Arrest (OHCA) registry data were interrogated, focusing on patients who had defibrillation performed. Bystander defibrillation (as compared to EMS initiated defibrillation) was the key outcome of concern. Logistic regression models were built and refined by fitting predictors, performing stepwise variable selection and by adding pairwise interactions that improved fit. ResultsThe data included 5,751 cases of OHCA where defibrillation was performed. Increasing year over time (OR 1.17, 95% CI 1.13, 1.21) was associated with increased adjusted odds of bystander defibrillation. Non-cardiac aetiology was associated with reduced adjusted odds of bystander defibrillation (OR 0.30, 95% CI 0.21, 0.42), as were increasing age in years (OR 0.99, 95% CI 0.987, 0.996) and night-time occurrence of OHCA (OR 0.67, 95% CI 0.53, 0.83). Six further variables in the final model (sex, call response interval, incident location (home or other), who witnessed collapse (bystander or not witnessed), urban or rural location, and the COVID period) were involved in significant interactions. Bystander defibrillation was in general less likely in urban settings and at home locations. Whilst women were less likely to receive bystander defibrillation overall, in witnessed OHCAs, occurring outside the home, in urban areas and outside of the COVID-19 period women were more likely, to receive bystander defibrillation. ConclusionsDefibrillation by bystanders has increased incrementally over time in Ireland. Interventions to address sex and age-based disparities, alongside interventions to increase bystander defibrillation at night, in urban settings and at home locations are required.

Beyond Cardiology: A Rare Encounter With Small Bowel Obstruction Disguised as Inferior Wall ST-Elevation Myocardial Infarction

ABSTRACT ST segment elevations (STEs) on an electrocardiogram (EKG) gravitate immediate attention to the heart. However, these EKG changes can sometimes be the result of noncardiac pathologies. Here, we present an interesting case of small bowel obstruction (SBO) masquerading as an inferior wall myocardial infarction. A 77-year-old woman with a history of aortic stenosis status postsurgical aortic valve replacement presented with chest pain. Workup revealed elevated high-sensitivity troponins and STE in the inferior leads. She subsequently underwent a left heart catheterization, which showed no critical plaques or stenosis. Persistent abdominal pain prompted further evaluation with a computed tomography scan of the abdomen, which demonstrated evidence of SBO. Conservative treatment with bowel decompression resulted in symptom improvement and complete resolution of the STEs on a follow-up EKG. This case underscores the importance of considering noncardiac etiologies, such as SBO, in the differential diagnosis of STE on EKG for accurate diagnosis and management.

Chest pain in pediatric patients in the emergency department- Presentation, risk factors and outcomes-A systematic review and meta-analysis.

This study aimed to assess and determine the presentation, risk factors, and outcomes of pediatric patients who were admitted for cardiac-related chest pain. Although chest pain is common in children, most cases are due to non-cardiac etiology. The risk of misdiagnosis and the pressure of potentially adverse outcomes can lead to unnecessary diagnostic testing and overall poorer patient experiences. Additionally, this can lead to a depletion of resources that could be better allocated towards patients who are truly suffering from cardiac-related pathology. This review was conducted per PRISMA guidelines. This systematic review used several databases including MEDLINE, Embase, Scopus, and Web of Science to obtain its articles for review. A total of 6,520 articles were identified, and 11 articles were included in the study. 2.5% of our study population was found to have cardiac-related chest pain (prevalence = 0.025, 95% CI [0.013, 0.038]). The most commonly reported location of pain was retrosternal chest pain. 97.5% of the study population had a non-cardiac cause of chest pain, with musculoskeletal pain being identified as the most common cause (prevalence = 0.357, 95% CI [0.202, 0.512]), followed by idiopathic (prevalence = 0.352, 95% CI [0.258, 0.446]) and then gastrointestinal causes (prevalence = 0.053, 95% CI [0.039, 0.067]). The overwhelming majority of pediatric chest pain cases stem from benign origins. This comprehensive analysis found musculoskeletal pain as the predominant culprit behind chest discomfort in children. Scrutinizing our study cohort revealed that retrosternal chest pain stands as the unequivocal epicenter of this affliction. Thorough evaluation of pediatric patients manifesting with chest pain is paramount for the delivery of unparalleled care, especially in the context of potential cardiac risks in the emergency department.

Association between early lactate-related variables and 6-month neurological outcome in out-of-hospital cardiac arrest patients

IntroductionThe role of lactate measurement in out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) survivors remains controversial. We assessed the association between early lactate-related variables, OHCA characteristics, and long-term neurological outcome. MethodsIn OHCA patients who received targeted temperature management, lactate levels were measured at 0, 12, and 24 h after the return of spontaneous circulation. We calculated lactate clearance and time-weighted cumulative lactate (TWCL), which represent the area under the time-lactate curve. The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) and the adjusted odds ratios (AORs) of lactate-related variables for predicting 6-month poor outcome (Cerebral Performance Category 3–5) were evaluated. Interactions between lactate variables and characteristics of OHCA were evaluated by a multivariable logistic model with interaction terms and subgroup analysis. ResultsA total of 347 OHCA patients were included. After adjustment, higher lactate levels at the three time points were associated with a poor outcome (AOR 1.10 [95% CI, 1.03–1.18], AOR 1.15 [95% CI, 1.02–1.29], and AOR 1.36 [95% CI, 1.15–1.60], respectively), while TWCL was the only lactate kinetics variable associated with a poor outcome (AOR 1.29 [95% CI, 1.12–1.49]). We identified several interactions between lactate-related variables and OHCA characteristics. In particular, the AUC of TWCL was excellent in cases of noncardiac etiology (AUC 0.92 [95% CI, 0.86–0.96] but only moderate in cardiac etiology (AUC 0.69 [95% CI, 0.62–0.75]). ConclusionsEarly lactate levels, especially at 24 h, and TWCL were independent predictors of neurologic outcome in these patients, whereas lactate clearance was not. The prognostic ability of lactate-related variables varied depending on the OHCA characteristics.

Clinical Interpretation of Serum Troponin in the Era of High-Sensitivity Testing.

Cardiac troponin (Tn) plays a central role in the evaluation of patients with angina presenting with acute coronary syndrome. The advent of high-sensitivity assays has improved the analytic sensitivity and precision of serum Tn measurement, but this advancement has come at the cost of poorer specificity. The role of clinical judgment is of heightened importance because, more so than ever, the interpretation of serum Tn elevation hinges on the careful integration of findings from electrocardiographic, echocardiographic, physical exam, interview, and other imaging and laboratory data to formulate a weighted differential diagnosis. A thorough understanding of the epidemiology, mechanisms, and prognostic implications of Tn elevations in each cardiac and non-cardiac etiology allows the clinician to better distinguish between presentations of myocardial ischemia and myocardial injury-an important discernment to make, as the treatment of acute coronary syndrome is vastly different from the workup and management of myocardial injury and should be directed at the underlying cause.

Association of B-Type Natriuretic Peptide Level with Clinical Outcome in Out-of-Hospital Cardiac Arrest in Emergency Department Patients.

B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP) is used for outcome assessment of various diseases. We designed this study to investigate whether BNP, which has been proven useful in the risk stratification of sudden cardiac arrest (SCA) of cardiac etiology, can also prove to be a valuable prognostic tool for SCA also included with non-cardiac etiology. In this study, we aim to investigate the relationship between measured BNP levels and clinical outcomes in SCA, regardless of the cause of SCA. This retrospective multicenter observational study was performed in two tertiary university hospitals and one general hospital between January 2015 and December 2020. The total number of SCA patients was 1625. The patients with out-of-hospital cardiac arrest over 19 years old and acquired laboratory data, including BNP at emergency department (ED) arrival, were included. BNP was measured during advanced Cardiovascular Life Support (ACLS). The exclusion criteria were age under 18 years, traumatic arrest, and without BNP. The median BNP was 171.8 (range; 5-5000) pg/mL in the return of Spontaneous Circulation (ROSC), higher than No-ROSC (p = 0.007). The median BNP concentration was 99.7 (range; 5-3040.68) pg/mL in the survival to discharge, which was significantly lower than the death group (p = 0.012). The odds ratio of survival to discharge decreased proportionally to the BNP level. The odds ratio of neurologic outcome was not correlated with the BNP level. In patients with SCA of all origins, low BNP concentration measured during ACLS correlated with an increased ratio of survival to discharge. However, BNP measured during ACLS was not found to be an independent factor.

Association between the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 and out-of-hospital cardiac arrest outcomes and bystander resuscitation efforts for working-age individuals in Japan: a nationwide observational and epidemiological analysis

BackgroundImproving out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) prognosis within the working-age population is important, but no studies have investigated the effects of COVID-19 pandemic specifically on the working-age population with OHCAs. We...

Associations between clinical characteristics of cardiac arrest and early CT head findings of hypoxic ischaemic brain injury following out-of-hospital cardiac arrest

Background/ObjectivePost-cardiac arrest patients are vulnerable to hypoxic-ischaemic brain injury (HIBI), but HIBI may not be identified until computed tomography (CT) scan of the brain is obtained post-resuscitation and stabilization. We aimed to evaluate the association of clinical arrest characteristics with early CT findings of HIBI to identify those at the highest risk for HIBI. MethodsThis is a retrospective analysis of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) patients who underwent whole-body imaging. Head CT reports were analyzed with an emphasis on findings suggestive of HIBI; HIBI was present if any of the following were noted on the neuroradiologist read: global cerebral oedema, sulcal effacement, blurred grey-white junction, and ventricular compression. The primary exposure was duration of cardiac arrest. Secondary exposures included age, cardiac vs noncardiac etiology, and witnessed vs unwitnessed arrest. The primary outcome was CT findings of HIBI. ResultsA total of 180 patients (average age 54 years, 32% female, 71% White, 53% witnessed arrest, 32% cardiac etiology of arrest, mean CPR duration of 15 ± 10 minutes) were included in this analysis. CT findings of HIBI were seen in 47 (48.3%) patients. Multivariate logistic regression demonstrated a significant association between CPR duration and HIBI (adjusted OR = 1.1, 95% CI 1.01–1.11, p < 0.01). ConclusionSigns of HIBI are commonly seen on CT head within 6 hours of OHCA, occurring in approximately half of patients, and are associated with CPR duration. Determining risk factors for abnormal CT findings can help clinically identify patients at higher risk for HIBI and target interventions appropriately.

Impact of defibrillation with automated external defibrillator by bystander before defibrillation by emergency medical system personnel on neurological outcome of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest with non-cardiac etiology

Aim of the studyAlthough defibrillation using automated external defibrillator (AED) by bystander prior to emergency medical system (EMS) arrival was associated with favorable outcomes in out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) of cardiac cause, whether it improves outcomes of OHCA due to non-cardiac cause is not clear. We aimed to investigate the impact of defibrillation with AED by bystander before defibrillation by EMS personnel on the outcomes of OHCA of presumed non-cardiac cause. MethodsThis was a retrospective cohort study using the All-Japan Utstein registry (reference period: 2013 to 2017). We included adult patients with OHCA of presumed non-cardiac cause, who had initial shockable rhythm, and who received witnessed arrest bystander cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR). Exposure variable was defibrillation with AED by bystander in comparison with initial defibrillation by EMS. Logistic regression analyses were conducted to assess the association between bystander AED shock and favorable neurological outcome (Cerebral Performance Category scale 1 or 2) at one month. ResultsAmong the 1,053 patients included for analysis, 57 (5.4%) received bystander AED shock. There was no statistically significant difference in the rate of favorable neurological outcome at one month between groups [9 (15.8%) vs 109 (10.9%), p = 0.26]. Logistic regression analysis adjusted for characteristics, intervention, and time course of CPR showed no association between bystander AED shock and favorable neurological outcome [OR (95% CI): 1.63 (0.70–3.77), p = 0.25]. ConclusionIn this study, defibrillation with AED by bystander before defibrillation by EMS personnel was not associated with the favorable outcomes of OHCA of presumed non-cardiac cause.

Current situation, efficacy, and safety of extracorporeal cardiopulmonary resuscitation in China

Current situation, efficacy, and safety of extracorporeal cardiopulmonary resuscitation in China

Abstract 13629: Unique Age- and Sex-Specific Patterns Identified for Prodromal Symptoms of Sudden Cardiac Arrest

Introduction: The majority of individuals who suffer sudden cardiac arrest (SCA) display prodromal symptoms in the preceding hours, days and weeks. These could potentially improve risk assessment for SCA, making it important to explore the influence of age and sex on symptom manifestation. Hypothesis: Prodromal symptoms of SCA are different based on age and sex. Methods: We included cases of witnessed SCA (ages 35-85) attended by emergency medical services following 911 calls made in Ventura County, CA (2015-2021). SCA was defined as a sudden, unexpected pulseless condition of likely cardiac origin; non-cardiac etiology were excluded. All cases were required to have at least one inclusion symptom recorded in the EMS narrative at the time of the 911 call. These were acute coronary syndrome (ACS) or SCA symptoms reported in the published literature. We constructed mutually exclusive symptom groups in hierarchical order: chest pain, dyspnea, syncope/palpitations, and other. We compared symptoms in middle age (35-64y) and older (65-85y) cases using chi-square tests. Results: Of 404 SCA cases that met analysis criteria, 122 (30%) were female. Women comprised 22% of the middle-age group and 37% of the older group. In the middle-age group, chest pain was the most common symptom among men (48%) but was half as common in women (24%, p&lt;0.01, Figure). Among middle-aged women, dyspnea was the most common symptom (39%) and significantly higher compared to men (22%, p &lt;0.05). Chest pain prevalence was lower in both sexes in the older group (31% in men vs 20% in women). We observed no significant differences in dyspnea by sex in the older group, nor differences in syncope/palpitations or other symptoms in either group by sex. Conclusions: We observed unique pre-SCA prodromal symptom patterns after stratifying by age and sex, most notable in middle age. These findings suggest the importance of considering age and sex while developing SCA prediction algorithms that include prodromal symptoms.

Development of a clinical decision rule for the early prediction of Shock-Refractory Out-of-Hospital cardiac arrest

BackgroundNearly half of ventricular fibrillation or ventricular tachycardia (VF/VT) out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) patients receive three or more shocks, often referred to as refractory VF/VT. Our objective was to derive a clinical decision rule (CDR) for the early stratification of patients into risk categories for refractory VF/VT. MethodsWe included adults with non-traumatic OHCA in the Resuscitation Outcomes Consortium Epistry (2011–2015) with ≥ 1 EMS shock. We used Classification and Regression Tree analysis for CDR building using variables known at initial EMS rhythm analysis including age, sex, witness, location, bystander interventions, initial EMS rhythm, obvious non-cardiac etiology, and dispatch to arrival times. The outcome was refractory VF/VT (≥3 shocks). We calculated sensitivity, specificity, area under the receiver operating curve (AUROC), and odds ratios (OR). The rule was validated using the Portland Cardiac Arrest Epidemiologic Registry (2018–2020). ResultsThere were 17,140 eligible patients and 8,146 (47.5%) had refractory VF/VT. The optimal CDR (AUROC = 0.671) defined three groups: high-risk were any patients requiring an EMS shock after a bystander AED shock; moderate-risk were any non-EMS witnessed arrests with shockable initial EMS rhythms; and the remainder were low-risk. Refractory VF/VT increased across the low (30.7%), moderate (58.5%) and high-risk (84.8%) groups. Compared to low-risk, being moderate-risk or higher (OR [95% CI]:3.37 [3.16–3.59]; sensitivity 72.7%; specificity 55.9%) or high-risk (OR:12.63 [9.89–16.13]; sensitivity 5.4%; specificity 99.1%) had higher odds of refractory VF/VT. Results was similar in the validation cohort (n = 765, AUROC = 0.672). ConclusionsPatients at higher risk for refractory VF/VT can be identified early in EMS care.

Lower stress perfusion in patients with myocardial infarction with non-obstructive coronary arteries compared to controls in long-term follow-up with quantitative perfusion mapping

Abstract Introduction Myocardial infarction with non-obstructive coronary arteries (MINOCA) constitutes a heterogenous condition with different coronary, cardiac and non-cardiac etiologies. Cardiovascular magnetic resonance imaging (CMR) has emerged as an important diagnostic tool in recent years and is now recommended in patients with MINOCA as a working diagnosis. However, despite early CMR following admission for MINOCA, no cause can be found in around 25% of all patients. A pathophysiological mechanism may be diffuse global coronary microvascular dysfunction (CMD) which has emerged as an important cause of myocardial ischemia. Quantitative adenosine stress CMR perfusion mapping allows for absolute quantification of myocardial perfusion, reflecting CMD in the absence of obstructive coronary disease in MINOCA patients. Purpose To study the presence of CMD in MINOCA patients with an initial normal CMR scan compared to healthy controls. Methods Patients from the multicenter myocardial infarction in our city with normal Coronaries 2 (SMINC-2) study, with a normal CMR scan 2–4 days after hospitalization, and healthy age- and sex-matched controls underwent stress perfusion at 1.5T (MAGNETOM Aera). Native rest T1 and T2 short-axis maps were acquired. Quantitative perfusion maps were acquired during adenosine stress (140 micrograms/kg/min) and at rest following an intravenous contrast bolus (0.05 mmol/kg of gadoteric acid, Gd-DOTA). Post contrast T1 maps were acquired after intravenous contrast (total dose 0.2 mmol/kg) rendering extracellular volume (ECV) maps. Global native T1, T2, ECV and rest and stress perfusion values were acquired by averaging segmental values per patient. Myocardial perfusion reserve (MPR) was calculated as perfusion in stress divided by rest. Values were presented as mean±standard deviation and compared with the independent t-test in normally distributed data, and with the Mann-Whitney U test in non-normally distributed data. Clinical data regarding cardiovascular risk factors, smoking and medications were presented as numbers (percentages) and compared with Fisher's exact test. Rate pressure product (RPP) was calculated as systolic blood pressure multiplied by heart rate in rest and stress. Results In total, 15 patients (59±16 years old, 60% female), and 15 healthy age- and sex-matched controls, were included. There was a trend towards higher incidence of hypertension in patients compared to controls, however no difference in other risk factors (Table 1). Compared to controls, MINOCA patients had lower perfusion in stress (Figure 1). There was no difference in global native T1, T2, ECV, rest perfusion, MPR or hemodynamic parameters between the MINOCA patients and the controls (p&amp;gt;0.05 for all, Table 1). Conclusions Myocardial stress perfusion is lower in MINOCA patients with a normal initial CMR scan compared to age- and sex-matched controls suggesting CMD as a possible pathophysiological mechanism in MINOCA. Funding Acknowledgement Type of funding sources: Foundation. Main funding source(s): Swedish Heart and Lung Foundation

Heart Rate and Mortality After Resuscitation in Patients With Out-of-Hospital Cardiac Arrest - Insights From the SOS-KANTO Registry.

Heart rate (HR) predicts outcomes in patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS), whereas the impact of HR on outcomes after out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) remains unclear. This study aimed to investigate the impact of HR after resuscitation on outcomes after OHCA and whether the impact differs with OHCA etiology. Of 16,452 patients suffering from OHCA, this study analyzed 741 adults for whom HR after resuscitation was recorded by 12-lead electrocardiogram upon hospital arrival. Etiology of OHCA was categorized into 3 groups: ACS, non-ACS, and non-cardiac. Patients in each etiology group were further divided into tachycardia (>100 beats/min) and non-tachycardia (≤100 beats/min). The impact of HR on outcomes was evaluated in each group. Among the 741 patients, the mean age was 67.6 years and 497 (67.1%) patients were male. The primary outcome - 3-month all-cause mortality - was observed in 55.8% of patients. Tachycardia after resuscitation in patients with ACS was significantly associated with higher all-cause mortality at 3 months (P=0.002), but there was no significant association between tachycardia and mortality in non-ACS and non-cardiac etiology patients. In a multivariate analysis model, the incidence of tachycardia after resuscitation independently predicted higher 3-month all-cause mortality in OHCA patients with ACS (hazard ratio: 2.17 [95% confidence interval: 1.05-4.48], P=0.04). Increased HR after resuscitation was associated with higher mortality only in patients with ACS.

Noncardiac Esophageal Chest Pain -A Comprehensive Review

Abstract Background and aim. Noncardiac chest pain (NCCP) is a medical condition described as acute, recurrent, or chronic chest pain, that is difficult to distinguish from ischemic heart pain, when the cardiac source has been excluded. Noncardiac chest pain represents a challenging clinical situation in gastroenterology practice, requiring sometimes a high amount of clinical investigation for a specific diagnostic. In some cases, the etiology is represented by esophageal diseases. This review aims to present the updated knowledge of the esophageal origin of NCCP. Methods. A search was performed in the main databases containing medical publications. The following search terms were used: noncardiac chest pain, esophageal chest pain (ECP), pathophysiology, noncardiac chest pain etiology, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), motility esophagus disorders, functional chest pain. Observational studies were included. Studies that described only cardiac chest pain were excluded. Results. Noncardiac chest pain requires precise recognition of signs, symptoms and diagnostic testing in clinical practice. Due to financial constraints on subsequent care, an accurate algorithm based on clinical noncardiac chest pain guidelines should be followed. Esophageal chest pain represents a challenging diagnosis. Conclusions. Noncardiac chest pain is a prevalent and alarming symptom. Esophageal chest pain etiology should be considered once a cardiac source has been excluded.

The safety and efficacy of periprocedural intravenous anticoagulants for acute ischemic stroke patients who underwent endovascular treatment: Sub-analysis of the RESCUE-Japan Registry 2

The efficacy and safety of periprocedural anticoagulant therapy are still controversial. We investigated the effects of periprocedural anticoagulation on patients who underwent endovascular therapy (EVT) for acute ischemic stroke (AIS). The patients were dichotomized into two groups according to the use of intravenous anticoagulant during or within 24 h after EVT (AC or non-AC group). Primary outcome was defined as a modified Rankin Scale (mRS) score of 0–2 at 90 days. Safety outcomes were defined as any or symptomatic intracerebral hemorrhages (ICH). Among 1278 enrolled patients, 740 patients (57.9%) were in the AC group and the remaining 538 patients (42.1%) were in the non-AC group. The median dose of heparin was 5000 units intraoperatively, and 10,000 units /day postoperatively. In the AC group, hypercholesterolemia, higher pre-stroke modified Rankin Scale score, non-cardiac embolism etiology, higher rate of anticoagulant premedication, non-administration of t-PA (tissue plasminogen activator), later admission, and longer procedure time were observed. The rate of primary outcomes was not significantly different between the AC and non-AC groups (40.1% vs. 43.9%; adjusted odds ratio, 1.29; 95% CI, 0.96–1.73; p = 0.09). The incidence of any (26.2% vs. 25.7%; p = 0.80; adjusted odds ratio, 0.97; 95% CI, 0.72–1.22) and symptomatic (4.3% vs. 5.0%; p = 0.52; adjusted OR, 0.83; 95% CI, 0.46–1.51) intracranial hemorrhage within 72 h were not significantly different between the groups. Periprocedural anticoagulant therapy after acute revascularization did not relate to prognosis and intracranial hemorrhage after EVT.

Correlation between the warning symptoms and prognosis of cardiac arrest.

BACKGROUNDA low survival rate in patients with cardiac arrest is associated with failure to recognize the condition in its initial stage. Therefore, recognizing the warning symptoms of cardiac arrest in the early stage may play an important role in survival.AIMTo investigate the warning symptoms of cardiac arrest and to determine the correlation between the symptoms and outcomes.METHODSWe included all adult patients with all-cause cardiac arrest who visited Peking University Third Hospital or Beijing Friendship Hospital between January 2012 and December 2014. Data on population, symptoms, resuscitation parameters, and outcomes were analysed.RESULTSOf the 1021 patients in the study, 65.9% had symptoms that presented before cardiac arrest, 25.2% achieved restoration of spontaneous circulation (ROSC), and 7.2% survived to discharge. The patients with symptoms had higher rates of an initial shockable rhythm (12.2% vs 7.5%, P = 0.020), ROSC (29.1% vs 17.5%, P = 0.001) and survival (9.2% vs 2.6%, P = 0.001) than patients without symptoms. Compared with the out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) without symptoms subgroup, the OHCA with symptoms subgroup had a higher rate of calls before arrest (81.6% vs 0.0%, P < 0.001), health care provider-witnessed arrest (13.0% vs 1.4%, P = 0.001) and bystander cardiopulmonary resuscitation (15.5% vs 4.9%, P = 0.002); a shorter no flow time (11.7% vs 2.8%, P = 0.002); and a higher ROSC rate (23.8% vs 13.2%, P = 0.011). Compared to the in-hospital cardiac arrest (IHCA) without symptoms subgroup, the IHCA with symptoms subgroup had a higher mean age (66.2 ± 15.2 vs 62.5 ± 16.3 years, P = 0.005), ROSC (32.0% vs 20.6%, P = 0.003), and survival rates (10.6% vs 2.5%, P < 0.001). The top five warning symptoms were dyspnea (48.7%), chest pain (18.3%), unconsciousness (15.2%), paralysis (4.3%), and vomiting (4.0%). Chest pain (20.9% vs 12.7%, P = 0.011), cardiac etiology (44.3% vs 1.5%, P < 0.001) and survival (33.9% vs 16.7%, P = 0.001) were more common in males, whereas dyspnea (54.9% vs 45.9%, P = 0.029) and a non-cardiac etiology (53.3% vs 41.7%, P = 0.003) were more common in females.CONCLUSIONMost patients had warning symptoms before cardiac arrest. Dyspnea, chest pain, and unconsciousness were the most common symptoms. Immediately recognizing these symptoms and activating the emergency medical system prevents resuscitation delay and improves the survival rate of OHCA patients in China.