Number Of Diseased Coronary Vessels Research Articles

Correlation between Glycated Hemoglobin, Extra cranial Carotid Artery Disease, Peripheral Arterial Disease in Type ll Diabetic Patients with Coronary Artery Disease

Abstract Background Diabetes mellitus (DM) is the most common endocrine disorder where the body does not either produce enough insulin or has a resistance to the circulating insulin, and is characterized by high blood sugar levels over prolonged periods. DM is a growing global health issue. In 2000, DM affected an estimated 171 million people in the whole world increased on 2011 to more than 366 million people and expected to be more than 552 million by 2030. Aim of the Work to correlate between HBA1C, carotid, peripheral and coronary artery disease in type II DM patients. Patients and Methods This is an observational study conducted at the coronary care unit & coronary catheterization lab unit of National Institute of Diabetes and Endocrinology, Egypt. Its aim was to correlate between HBA1C, carotid, peripheral and coronary artery disease in type II DM patients. 122 patients with eligible criteria were recruited to the study after signing consent. A full history was taken from every patient, a full clinical examination, 12 lead-ECG, Echocardiography, Carotid duplex, ABI measurement, HbA1C and Invasive non emergent coronary angiography were done. Results Data was collected, tabulated, and analyzed, which revealed that carotid IMT in patients with HbA1C >7% was significantly higher than those with HbA1C<7, HbA1C had a significant positive correlation with carotid IMT, ABI was significantly lower in patients with HbA1C>7% compared to those with HbA1C<7%, ABI had a significant negative correlation with carotid IMT, Number of diseased coronary vessels was significantly higher in patients with higher HbA1C >7% compared to those with HbA1C>7%, ABI had a significant negative correlation with number of diseased coronary vessels and IMT had a significant positive correlation with number of diseased coronary vessels in patients with higher HbA1C >7% with no significant correlation in those with HbA1C<7%, HbA1C can significantly predict peripheral artery disease and carotid atherosclerosis. Conclusion HbA1C correlates significantly with Carotid atherosclerosis, PAD and CAD severity based on number of diseased coronary vessels in uncontrolled TIIDM patients. Also, PAD and carotid atherosclerosis correlate significantly with CAD severity based on number of diseased coronary vessels in uncontrolled TIIDM patients. Also, PAD correlates significantly with carotid atherosclerosis in uncontrolled TIIDM patients. HbA1C can significantly predict carotid artery disease and PAD.

The correlation between speckle-tracking echocardiography and coronary angiography in suspected coronary artery disease with normal left ventricular function.

Introduction: Our study objects to determine the diagnostic accuracy of two-dimensional speckle tracking echocardiography (2DSTE) in predicting presence and severity of coronary artery disease (CAD). Methods: Patients with stable angina pectoris with normal left ventricular function (>50%) undergoing coronary angiography were enrolled and subjected to speckle tracking echocardiography. Global longitudinal peak systolic strain was measured and correlated to the results of coronary angiography for each patient. Results: Number of male (P=0.001), diabetes (P=0.01) and smoking (P=0.01) patients were significantly higher in the CAD group compared to non-CAD patients. Global longitudinal peak systolic strain (GLPSS) was significantly (P=0.0001) lower in CAD patients in comparison to non- CAD patients. GLPSS showed significantly lower in patients with Syntax score (SS)≥22 in comparison to SS<22. Cut-off value -19 for GLPSS could be used to predict the presence of significant CAD with 80.6% sensitivity and 76.5% specificity (area under curve (AUC) -0.83, P=0.0001). The mean GLPSS value decreased as the number of diseased coronary vessels increased (P=0.0001). The optimal cut-off value of -16 GLPSS with a sensitivity of 76.7% and specificity of 83.3% [AUC 0.84, P<0.0001] was found significant to predict CAD severity. Multivariate regression of GLPSS and another risk factor for predicting significant CAD, GLPSS showed OR=1.55 (CI-1.36-1.76) P=0.0001 for predicting the presence of CAD. Conclusion: 2DSTE can be used as a non-invasive screening test in predicting presence, extent and severity of significant CAD patients with suspected stable angina pectoris.

Lipoprotein(a) and the risk of recurrent events in patients with acute myocardial infarction treated by percutaneous coronary intervention.

The role of lipoprotein(a) (Lp[a]) in risk stratification following an acute myocardial infarction (AMI) is still debated. We aimed to investigate whether elevated Lp(a) levels in patients with AMI treated by percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) are associated with worse outcomes. We designed a retrospective registry including patients with AMI undergoing PCI. The occurrence of major adverse cardiac and cerebrovascular events (MACCE), defined as death from cardiovascular causes, recurrent myocardial infarction, unplanned coronary revascularization and stroke, was assessed at follow-up and compared between patients with high (≥30 mg/dL) and low (<30 mg/dL) Lp(a) levels. Cox proportional hazard analysis was performed in order to assess independent predictors of MACCE. During a 3-year period (2018-2020) we identified 634 patients with AMI treated by PCI and known Lp(a) blood levels; follow-up visits were performed in 414 patients (median length 29 months [19-38]). Median Lp(a) level was 18 mg/dL [8-42]. The incidence of MACCE was significantly higher in high as compared to low Lp(a) group (log-rank P=0.018). The following independent predictors were identified at multivariate Cox regression: Lp(a) ≥30 mg/dL (HR 1.82 [95% CI 1.04-3.19], peripheral artery disease (HR 4.62 [95% CI 2.50-8.54]), number of diseased coronary vessels (HR 1.51 [95% 1.03-2.24] and presence of a coronary chronic total occlusion at coronary angiography (HR 3.46 [95% CI 1.77-6.76]). in this study, Lp(a) values ≥30 mg/dL were associated to worse outcomes in patients with AMI receiving PCI. Lp(a) could represent a useful tool to identify patients at high risk of recurrent events.

Associations of serum high-sensitivity C-reactive protein and prealbumin with coronary vessels stenosis determined by coronary angiography and heart failure in patients with myocardial infarction.

To explore the associations of serum high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) and prealbumin (PAB) with the number of diseased coronary vessels, degree of stenosis and heart failure in patients with myocardial infarction (MI). A total of 39 MI patients treated in the Cardiology were selected as the observation group, and another 41 patients with normal results of coronary angiography during the same period were selected as the control group. The general data of patients were recorded in detail, the content of serum hs-CRP and PAB in the peripheral blood was detected, and the number of diseased coronary vessels and the degree of stenosis were detected via coronary angiography. Compared with those in control group, the blood pressure and heart rate significantly rose, the content of indexes related to the severity of MI were significantly increased, the content of hs-CRP was significantly increased, and the content of PAB was significantly decreased in observation group. Hs-CRP was positively correlated with the number of diseased coronary vessels, degree of stenosis and heart failure in patients, but PAB was negatively correlated with the above factors. The survival rate of MI patients with high content of hs-CRP was obviously lower than that of patients with low content of hsCRP. Serum hs-CRP and PAB are closely associated with the number of diseased coronary vessels, degree of stenosis and heart failure in MI patients.

Coronary atherosclerotic burden and trimethylamine N-oxide in non-ST-segment myocardial infarction patients: SZ-NSTEMI cohort

Abstract Funding Acknowledgements Type of funding sources: None. Background Trimethylamine N-oxide (TMAO) is reported to accelerate atherosclerosis and adverse cardiac outcomes. Relationship between coronary atherosclerotic burden and TMAO has linked in stable coronary artery disease and ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction, but not in non-ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (NSTEMI). Objective We examined an association of TMAO with coronary atherosclerosis burden in NSTEMI. Methods In this prospective cohort, two groups including NSTEMI (n = 73) and age-sex matched Healthy (n = 35) individuals were enrolled between 2019 and 2020. The number of diseased coronary vessels and clinical risk scores including SYNTAX and GENSINI were used to stratify coronary atherosclerotic burden. Fasting plasma TMAO was measured by isotope dilution high-performance liquid chromatography. Results The median plasma TMAO levels (0.59 mM; [interquartile range [IQR]: 0.43-0.78) versus (0.42 mM; IQR: 0.33-0.64) were significantly higher in NSTEMI group versus Healthy group, respectively (P = 0.006). Among the patients with NSTEMI group, the plasma TMAO levels were significantly higher in the multivessel disease (MVD) versus single vessel disease (P = 0.002), and intermediate-high risk (score³23) versus low risk (score &amp;lt; 23) of SYNTAX (P = 0.003) and GENSINI (P = 0.005). TMAO levels remained independently associated with MVD (odds ratio [OR]: 5.94, P = 0.005), and intermediate-high risk SYNTAX (OR: 3.61, P = 0.013) and GENSINI scores (OR: 4.60, P = 0.008) following traditional risk factors adjustment. Area under receiver operating characteristic curves (AUC) for TMAO also predicted MVD (AUC: 0.73, 95% confidence interval [Cl]: 0.60-0.86, P = 0.002), and intermediate-high SYNTAX score (AUC: 0.70, 95%Cl: 0.58-0.82, P = 0.003) and GENSINI score (AUC: 0.70, 95%Cl: 0.57-0.83, P = 0.005). Conclusions TMAO levels are independently associated with high coronary atherosclerotic burden in NSTEMI. Abstract Figure. Abstract

Trimethylamine N-oxide is associated with coronary atherosclerotic burden in non-ST-segment myocardial infarction patients: SZ-NSTEMI prospective cohort study.

Trimethylamine N-oxide (TMAO) is reported to accelerate atherosclerosis and the development of adverse cardiac outcomes. Relationship between coronary atherosclerotic burden and TMAO has been examined in stable coronary artery disease and ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction, but not in non-ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (NSTEMI). We examined the association between TMAO and coronary atherosclerotic burden in NSTEMI. In this prospective cohort study, two groups including NSTEMI (n = 73) and age-sex matched Healthy (n = 35) individuals were enrolled between 2019 and 2020. Coronary atherosclerotic burden was stratified based on the number of diseased coronary vessels and clinical risk scores including SYNTAX and GENSINI. Fasting plasma TMAO was measured by isotope dilution high-performance liquid chromatography. The median plasma TMAO levels were significantly higher in the NSTEMI group than in the Healthy group, respectively (0.59 µM; interquartile range [IQR]: 0.43-0.78 versus 0.42 µM; IQR: 0.33-0.64; P = 0.006). Within the NSTEMI group, higher TMAO levels were observed in the multivessel disease (MVD) versus single vessel disease (P = 0.002), and intermediate-high risk (score ≥ 23) versus low risk (score < 23) of SYNTAX (P = 0.003) and GENSINI (P = 0.005). TMAO level remained an independent predictor of MVD (odds ratio [OR]: 5.94, P = 0.005), intermediate-high risk SYNTAX (OR: 3.61, P = 0.013) and GENSINI scores (OR: 4.60, P = 0.008) following adjustment for traditional risk factors. Receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) analysis for TMAO predicted MVD (AUC: 0.73, 95% confidence interval [Cl]: 0.60-0.86, P = 0.002), intermediate-high SYNTAX score (AUC: 0.70, 95% Cl: 0.58-0.82, P = 0.003) and GENSINI score (AUC: 0.70, 95% Cl: 0.57-0.83, P = 0.005). In all, TMAO levels are independently associated with high coronary atherosclerotic burden in NSTEMI.

Relation of Atrial Fibrillation to Angiographic Characteristics and Coronary Artery Disease Severity in Patients Undergoing Percutaneous Coronary Intervention

Patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) have an increased risk of coronary artery disease (CAD) compared to patients without. Angiographic characteristics, clinical presentation and severity of CAD according to the presence of AF have been poorly described. We performed a retrospective study of 303 consecutive patients (mean age 69.6 ± 10.8 years; 23.1% women) with and without AF undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention. Data on (1) type of CAD presentation, (2) coronary involvement, and (3) number of diseased coronary vessels (≥70%/luminal narrowing) were collected. CHA2DS2-VASc and 2 major adverse cardiac event (MACE) scores were calculated. Presentation of CAD was ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) in 37.6% of patients, non-STEMI- unstable angina in 55.1%, and other in 7.3%. Non-STEMI-unstable angina was more common in AF (69.6% vs 46.6%, p <0.001), while STEMI was more in the non-AF (22.3% vs 46.6%, p <0.001) group. Left anterior descending artery (LAD) was the most common diseased vessel (70.6%) followed by right coronary artery (RCA, 56.4%) and obtuse marginal artery (36.6%). Patients with AF had a significantly lower RCA involvement (47.3% vs 61.8%, p = 0.016), with a trend for LAD (64.3% vs 74.3%, p = 0.069). At multivariable logistic regression analysis, AF remained inversely associated with RCA involvement (odds ratio [OR] 0.541, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.335 to 0.874, p = 0.012) and with ≥3 vessel CAD (OR 0.470, 95% CI 0.272 to 0.810, p = 0.007). The 2MACE score was associated with diseased LAD (OR 1.301, 95% CI 1.103 to 1.535, p = 0.002) and with ≥3 vessel CAD (OR 1.330, 95% CI 1.330 to 1.140, p <0.001). In conclusion, patients with AF show lower RCA involvement and generally less severe CAD compared to non-AF ones. The 2MACE score was higher in LAD obstruction and identified patients with severe CAD.

PCV1 Cardiac Rehabilitation Program in a Tertiary Hospital in Peninsular Malaysia: Outcome and Associations

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the leading cause of mortality in Malaysia. Outpatient cardiac rehabilitation program(CRP) is a supervised six sessions program offered to patients with coronary heart disease in Hospital Serdang since 2007. It aims to restore patient’s function to normalcy of life. Exercise based CRP is a cost-effective secondary prevention for cardiac mortality and rehospitalisation. This study assess effectiveness of CRP in improving physical functional capacity by 6-minute walk test distance(6MWD). Association of erectile dysfunction severity and number of diseased vessels was evaluated. A retrospective cohort study conducted in the rehabilitation department of Hospital Serdang among 139 CRP graduates from January 2014 to December 2019. Student’s t-tests was done to compare pre and post CRP 6MWD. Logistic regression was done to check for association. This study involved 139 participants (112 male, 27 female). The mean± SD of age and BMI were 52.93 ± 10.52 and 28.10 ± 4.98, respectively. Cardiology referral attributed to 77.7% of participants, and 61.9% participants had underwent percutaneous intervention. Family history of early CVD (70.5%) and dyslipidemia (76.3%) were main risk factors in this cohort. There is a positive correlation between pre and post CRP 6MWD{r(137)=0.661,p=0.000}, with improvement of mean 6MWD by 7% (394.29m to 421.95m). After completion of CRP, 50.4% showed an improvement of more than 30m in the 6MWT. 33.8% showed change of exercise habit post CRP. From 2017 to 2019, 56.5% (n=26) of the men answered the SHIM questionnaire. Erectile dysfunction, indicated by SHIM score did not show significant association with number of diseased coronary vessels (AOR 0.38, 95% CI 0.001-1.45, p=0.078). Although the mean improvement in physical functional capacity was not marked, 50.4% showed meaningful improvement, indicating room for optimization of the program. Erectile dysfunction is still a screening predictor of CVD; despite weak association with number of diseased coronary vessels.

Abstract 42: Development And Validation Of The B 2 AND 2 SV 2 ASc Score For Prediction Of Stroke One Year After Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement

Introduction: Stroke after transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) increases the risk of 1-year mortality three-fold. It is also associated with a higher risk of disability and increased health care costs. A validated tool for predicting 1-year stroke after TAVR is lacking and is needed for pre-procedural risk stratification to guide clinical management and research. The purpose of this study was to develop and internally validate a new risk prediction score for predicting stroke within one year of TAVR. Methods: This was a retrospective cohort study using data from the TAVR program of a midwestern academic medical center. Patients who underwent TAVR from 2012 to the first quarter of 2018 who had one-year follow-up data were included in the study. The association between candidate variables and stroke was estimated using the Firth multivariable logistic regression method. Integer points for variables that were included in the score were calculated based on the model βcoefficients, using a commonly used method described by Sullivan et al. Internal validation was performed using the bootstrapping method. The model discrimination and calibration were assessed using the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (c-statistic) and the Hosmer-Lemeshow test respectively. Results: Stroke occurred in 3.4% of the 664 patients included in the study. Eight variables were included in the score, forming the acronym B 2 AND 2 SV 2 ASc. The number of points for each variable in the score is shown in parentheses as follows; B icuspid/unicuspid valve (2), A ortic valve area of &lt;0.5 cm 2 (1), N umber of diseased coronary vessels ≥2 (1), D iabetes mellitus (2), prior S troke/transient ischemic attack (1), peripheral V ascular disease (2), body surface A rea ≤1.75 m 2 (1), and S ex c ategory [female] (1). The score had a c-statistic of 0.709 (0.640 on internal validation) and a Hosmer-Lemeshow χ 2 p-value of 0.146. Conclusion: The B 2 AND 2 SV 2 ASc score had a good discrimination and calibration for the prediction of stroke within one year of TAVR.

Role of serum β2m in predicting severity of Coronary artery disease

Background: Coronary artery disease is the principal cause of disability and mortality worldwide. Its prevalence is increasing around world. It is about 75% of deaths occurring in developing countries like Bangladesh. It is very important to know about the inflammatory risk factors of coronary artery disease for early assessment of coronary artery disease. Serumβ2-microglobulin (²2m) is a newly identified biomarker that has been found to increase in patients with coronary artery disease. Aims: To determine the role of â2m in predicting the severity of coronary artery disease.&#x0D; Methods: This cross-sectional study was carried out in Department of Cardiology and Laboratory Medicine, BSMMU, Shahbag, Dhaka during March 2017 to February 2018. Total seventy four patients who underwent coronary angiography as per criteria where included in this study. Serum β2-microglobulin (²2m)was done before angiography procedure by indirect ELISA method and severity of coronary artery disease was assessed by extent of diseased coronary vessels and SYNTAX score.&#x0D; Results: β2-microglobulin level was found higher (≥3/ml) in coronary artery disease patients which was statistically significant (p&lt;0.001).β2-microglobulin was also correlated with number of diseased coronary vessels (r=0.562, p&lt;0.001). Mean â2m level was found 4.48±0.95 μg/ml with range from 3-6.1 μg/ml and the mean SYNTAX score was found 16.27±08.99 with the range from 1 to 44. Pearson’s correlation coefficient was done between â2m level and SYNTAX score. Then the result is r=0.547 and p&lt;0.001. Therefore, there was a positive correlation between â2m level and SYNTAX score. The area under the receiver-operator characteristic (ROC) curves ²2m cut off value of 3.6 with 81.4% sensitivity and 86.7% specificity as the value for identifying the coronary artery disease.&#x0D; Conclusion: Our study revealed that β2-microglobulin effectively correlates with the severity of coronary artery disease. So it may be used as a reliable marker for assessment of coronary artery disease severity.&#x0D; University Heart Journal Vol. 16, No. 1, Jan 2020; 22-27

P873Plasma PCSK9 levels and atherosclerosis burden in the coronary arteries of patients undergoing coronary angiography

Abstract Background Plasma PCSK9 levels, a novel and effective therapeutic target for CVD prevention, have been associated with CVD events irrespective of traditional risk factors. Whether PCSK9 levels predict coronary artery disease (CAD) burden and severity is a matter of dispute. Purpose To investigate the association between plasma PCSK9 levels and CAD characteristics, including number of major diseased vessels, severity of coronary stenosis, and the burden of coronary calcifications. Methods One hundred and one patients undergoing coronary angiography were recruited for this cross-sectional study. The number of major coronary diseased vessels was defined as the presence of ≥1 stenoses ≥50% in diameter of at least one major coronary artery. CAD severity was defined as either the absence of coronary stenosis (no-CAD), CAD&lt;50% or CAD≥50% in one or more coronary arteries. The burden of coronary calcifications was estimated by angiography visual inspection and classified as absent, mild, moderate or severe. Results Coronary angiography showed single, double and triple vessel disease in 26 (25.7%), 23 (22.8%) and 21 (20.8%) patients, respectively; 20 (19.8%) and 11 (10.9%) pts had either minimal CAD (&lt;50%) or normal angiographic findings. Also, calcifications were absent in 65 patients (64.4%), and mild, moderate and severe in 23 (22.8%), 11 (10.9%) and 2 (2%) patients, respectively. Plasma PCSK9 levels were significantly associated with age (rho=0.22, p=0.025) and SBP (rho=0.21, p=0.034), and were almost doubled in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) as compared to those without CKD [164.6 ng/mL (104.6–187.0) vs 94.8 ng/mL (86.8–114.9), p=0.006]. Among patients without CKD, those with CAD≥50% had higher plasma PCSK9 levels than those without [97.1 ng/mL (87.8–143.0) vs 83.2 ng/mL (73.4–102.6), p=0.04]. In the overall population, higher plasma PCSK9 levels were found in pts with triple vessel disease [165.7 ng/mL (121.3–180.5)] than in those with double/single vessel involvement [97.9 ng/mL (87.6–99.8) and 88.4 ng/mL (87.3–97.4), p&lt;0.001 for both comparisons] or without CAD [87.5 ng/mL (74.3–114.9), p&lt;0.001]. Also, a trend toward an increase of plasma PCSK9 levels was found with higher CAD severity [no-CAD: 87.5 ng/mL (74.3–114.9), CAD&lt;50%: 89.1 ng/mL (78.9–105.3), CAD≥50%: 97.6 ng/mL (87.9–155.3), p=0.051], which turned significant after exclusion of CKD patients (p=0.042). Adjustment for age, sex, plasma LDL-cholesterol levels, statin use and CKD abolished the association between PCSK9 and CAD severity but not with the number of significantly diseased vessels and the burden of coronary calcifications. Conclusions Circulating PCSK9, whose plasma levels are significantly influenced by the presence of CKD, discriminates patients with significant coronary artery stenosis from those without CAD. In addition, both the number of diseased coronary vessels and total coronary calcifications are independently predicted by an elevated plasma PCSK9 level. Acknowledgement/Funding None

Age-dependent association of pulse wave velocity with coronary artery disease and myocardial aging in high-risk patients.

Progressive arterial stiffening, as a marker of arterial aging, may reach a plateau in elderly patients and may thus lose its clinical utility. This phenomenon may be more prominent in high-risk patients. We aimed to investigate if carotid-to-femoral pulse wave velocity (cf-PWV) is related to coronary artery disease (CAD) and diastolic dysfunction in elderly high-risk patients as compared to a control group of younger individuals. One-hundred and ninety-two high-risk stable patients who underwent coronary artery angiography and assessment of cf-PWV were consecutively recruited. Indices of diastolic dysfunction were also measured by echocardiography, including the volume of the left atrium and the ratio of early transmitral peak velocity (E) to the mitral annular early diastolic velocity (E'). Increased cf-PWV was associated with the presence of CAD [odds ratio (OR) 1.34, P = 0.02], number of diseased coronary vessels (OR 1.17, P = 0.029) and CAD severity (P = 0.023) as assessed by Gensini score, in patients less than 65 years old after adjustment for traditional risk factors. Moreover, cf-PWV correlated with E/E' (P = 0.019) and increased the odds by 16% (OR 1.16, P = 0.048) for more severe diastolic dysfunction in patients aged below 65 years old. None of these outcomes correlated with cf-PWV in the elderly. In high cardiovascular risk patients, an age-dependent association of cf-PWV with CAD and diastolic dysfunction was evinced. In contrast to younger patients, these results suggest that measuring arterial stiffness in elderly high-risk patients may lack clinical value.

Close association between carotid and coronary atherosclerosis analyzed through SYNTAX score

AIM: This study analyzed the association between carotid and coronary atherosclerosis, particularly in terms of the severity as well as the extension of the disease. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We have recruited a consecutive series of 478 patients (admitted to the Cardiology Unit of University Hospital Paolo Giaccone during 2004–2014). These patients underwent both carotid Doppler ultrasound and coronary angiography. Sex, age, and traditional cardiovascular risk factors were considered. The SYNTAX score was used to grade the complexity of coronary disease. RESULTS: The present study revealed a clear association between carotid atherosclerosis and coronary disease: 68.2% of the examined population showed atherosclerosis in both carotid and coronary arteries. The absence of carotid atherosclerosis was predominantly associated with angiographically normal coronary arteries (37.6%) rather than a single-vessel disease (22.8%), a two-vessel disease (21.8%), or a three-vessel disease (17.8%). When carotid atherosclerosis was present, a normal coronary angiography was uncommon (13.5%), while the detection of a single-vessel disease was more frequent (17.2%), a two-vessel disease was even more frequent (27.6%), and the highest rate described was related to a three-vessel coronary artery disease (CAD) (41.6%). The thickness of the carotid lesion was directly proportional to the number of diseased coronary vessels, and it was also related to the severity of coronary involvement measured by the SYNTAX score. CONCLUSIONS: This study has shown a strong correlation between carotid atherosclerosis and CAD, in terms of extension, and most importantly, severity. It is fundamental to consider a systemic approach to atherosclerosis to obtain an adequate stratification of patients with cardiovascular risk factors and an appropriate therapeutic management and reduce the incidence of adverse events, improving the quality of life and prolonging survival.

Bursts of reperfusion arrhythmias occur independently of area at risk size and are the first marker of reperfusion injury

BackgroundThe presence of reperfusion ventricular arrhythmias (VA) has been shown to correlate with larger infarct size (IS). However it is unclear whether the initial area at risk (AAR), also a determining factor for IS, is responsible for this correlation. We hypothesized that IS would be significantly larger in the presence of VA, while AAR would not differ. Methods68 STEMI patients from the MAST study with 24-hour, continuous, 12‑lead Holter monitoring initiated prior to primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) resulting in TIMI 3 flow post PCI were included. VA bursts were identified against subject-specific background VA rates using a previously validated statistical outlier method. IS, and infarct endocardial surface area (ESA) were obtained using CMR at mean 4.9 days after admission. Holter and CMR results were determined in core laboratories blinded to all other data. ResultsVA bursts were present in 69% (45/65) of patients. No significant differences were found for demographic characteristics, comorbidities, infarct location, number of diseased coronary vessels, or duration of ischemia between groups with and without VA burst. IS was significantly smaller in the group without VA bursts (median 9.3% vs 17.0%; p = 0.025). Infarct ESA did not significantly differ between the population with and without VA burst; median 24.3% vs 20.0%; p = 0.15. ConclusionVA bursts are a marker for larger IS independent of AAR, assessed by surrogate markers. These findings support the hypothesis that VA bursts are a marker of reperfusion damage occurring downstream at myocellular level.

Hemoglobin A1c is associated with severity of coronary artery stenosis but not with long term clinical outcomes in diabetic and nondiabetic patients with acute myocardial infarction undergoing primary angioplasty

BackgroundAcute myocardial infarction (AMI) patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus are known to present with multiple vessel lesions during coronary angiography. The underlying mechanism remains elusive and there is a shortage of serum prediction markers. In this study, we investigate the relationship between admission HbA1c and severity of coronary artery stenosis and subsequent prognosis in AMI patients with or without diabetes.Research design and methodsWe measured admission HbA1c, and vessel scores based on the number of diseased coronary vessels with significant stenosis in 628 patients diagnosed with AMI. Simple and multi-regression analysis were performed to investigate the correlation between HbA1c and the severity of coronary artery stenosis. Major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE), including new-onset myocardial infarction, acute heart failure and cardiac death, were documented during the follow-up. 272 non-DM participants and 137 DM participants were separated into two groups based on HbA1c levels for survival analysis during a 2-year follow up.Results448 non-DM patients and 180 DM patients were included in the initial observational analysis. 272 non-DM patients and 137 DM patients were included in the follow-up survival analysis. The admission HbA1c level was found to be significantly positively correlated to the number of affected vessels suffering from significant coronary artery stenosis both in DM (R square = 0.012; 95% CI 0.002 to 0.623, P = 0.049) and non DM patients (R square = 0.025; 95% CI 0.009 to 0.289, P = 0.037). Kaplan–Meier survival analysis revealed no significant difference with regard to different HbA1c levels either in DM or non-DM patients at the end of follow-up.ConclusionsIn patients with AMI, admission HbA1c is an important predictor for the severity of coronary artery stenosis in non-DM and DM patients. Further studies are needed to determine whether longer term follow-up could further identify the prognosis effect of HbA1c on MACE.

Rheumatoid arthritis complicates noninvasive whole blood gene expression testing for coronary artery disease

Our objective was to evaluate an age- and sex-specific gene expression score (ASGES) previously validated to detect obstructive coronary artery disease (CAD) in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). We evaluated 20 pairs of nondiabetic coronary patients with and without RA, selected by matching on age, sex, race, body mass index, tobacco use, and number of diseased coronary vessels. Peripheral blood gene expression levels of 23 CAD-associated genes were measured, and a previously validated CAD risk score including age, sex, and gene expression levels (Corus CAD) was computed. Linear regression was used to determine effects of both CAD and RA on the ASGES. Among patients with RA, the ASGES was not associated with CAD. The ASGES was elevated in patients with RA (P<.04) when compared with matched controls. The presence of RA was associated with significantly altered expression for 6 of the 23 genes (P<.05 for all, not adjusted for multiple comparisons): S100 calcium binding protein A12, interleukin-18 receptor accessory protein, caspase 5, S100 calcium binding protein A8, aquaporin 9, and cluster of differentiation 79b. Across a range of coronary artery disease severity, RA was associated with altered expression of CAD-associated genes. Notably, 2 of these genes, S100 calcium binding protein A8 and A12, are associated with neutrophil activation and are under investigation as therapeutic targets for both RA and CAD. These findings highlight common pathogenic mechanisms for RA and CAD and validate the prior exclusion of RA patients from ASGES-based evaluation of CAD likelihood.

Hepatitis C as a risk factor for coronary artery disease in silent myocardial ischemia

Objective The aim of the present study was to evaluate the relationship between seropositivity of hepatitis C virus (HCV) and the severity of coronary artery disease in silent myocardial ischemic patients. Background Silent myocardial ischemia is defined as an objective evidence of myocardial ischemia occurring in the absence of symptoms. HCV was found to have a positive association with carotid artery plaque. Patients and methods We investigated 50 patients with silent myocardial ischemia. Patients were divided into two groups (group A included 25 HCV-seropositive patients and group B included 25 HCV-seronegative patients). Patients were subjected to history taking, clinical examination, and investigations such as 24-h Holter monitoring, complete blood count, liver and renal function tests, and random blood glucose, lipid profile, viral marker tests. Abdominal ultrasonography, echocardiography, and coronary angiography were carried out for all patients. The SYNTAX score was calculated. Results Fifteen patients of group A had left anterior descending disease versus seven of group B (P = 0.013). Thirteen patients of group A had left circumflex disease versus six of group B (P = 0.013). Fourteen patients of group A had right coronary artery disease versus six of group B (P = 0.0023).The SYNTAX score of group A was 15.76 ± 6.75, whereas the score for group B was 11.36 ± 7.64 (P = 0.0.036). Conclusion There was a positive relationship between HCV and number of diseased coronary vessels, and there was a positive relationship between HCV seropositivity and complexity of coronary lesions in the light of SYNTAX score as well.

Close linkage between serum uric acid and cardiac dysfunction in patients with ischemic heart disease according to covariance structure analysis

High serum uric acid (UA) level has been assumed to be a risk factor for left ventricular (LV) dysfunction; however, the precise relationship between these conditions has not been fully examined because many confounding factors are associated with UA level. We herein examined the precise relationship by proposing structural equation models. The study population consisted of 1432 cases with ischemic heart disease who underwent cardiac catheterization. Multiple regression analyses and covariance structure analyses were performed to elucidate the cause-and-effect relationship between UA level and LV ejection fraction (LVEF). A path model exploring the factors contributing to LVEF showed that high UA was a significant cause of reduced LVEF (P = 0.004), independent of other significant factors. The degree of atherosclerosis, as estimated by the number of diseased coronary vessels, was significantly affected by high UA (P = 0.005); and the number of diseased coronary vessels subsequently led to reduced LVEF (P < 0.001). Another path model exploring the factors contributing to UA level showed that LVEF was a significant cause of high UA (P = 0.001), while other risk factors were also independent contributing factors. This study clearly demonstrated that there was a close link between high UA and LV dysfunction, which was represented by possible cause-and-effect relationship.

Socioeconomic Factors and Severity of Coronary Artery Disease in Patients Undergoing Coronary Angiography: A Multicentre Study of Arabian Gulf States.

Introduction:Coronary artery disease (CAD) is a leading cause of death worldwide. The association of socioeconomic status with CAD is supported by numerous epidemiological studies. Whether such factors also impact the number of diseased coronary vessels and its severity is not well established.Materials and Methods: We conducted a prospective multicentre, multi-ethnic, cross sectional observational study of consecutive patients undergoing coronary angiography (CAG) at 5 hospitals in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. Baseline demographics, socioeconomic, and clinical variables were collected for all patients. Significant CAD was defined as ≥70% luminal stenosis in a major epicardial vessel. Left main disease (LMD) was defined as ≥50% stenosis in the left main coronary artery. Multi-vessel disease (MVD) was defined as having >1 significant CAD.Results: Of 1,068 patients (age 59 ± 13, female 28%, diabetes 56%, hypertension 60%, history of CAD 43%), 792 (74%) were from urban and remainder (26%) from rural communities. Patients from rural centres were older (61 ± 12 vs 58 ± 13), and more likely to have a history of diabetes (63 vs 54%), hypertension (74 vs 55%), dyslipidaemia (78 vs 59%), CAD (50 vs 41%) and percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) (27 vs 21%). The two groups differed significantly in terms of income level, employment status and indication for angiography. After adjusting for baseline differences, patients living in a rural area were more likely to have significant CAD (adjusted OR 2.40 [1.47, 3.97]), MVD (adjusted OR 1.76 [1.18, 2.63]) and LMD (adjusted OR 1.71 [1.04, 2.82]). Higher income was also associated with a higher risk for significant CAD (adjusted OR 6.97 [2.30, 21.09]) and MVD (adjusted OR 2.49 [1.11, 5.56]), while unemployment was associated with a higher risk of significant CAD (adjusted OR 2.21, [1.27, 3.85]).Conclusion:Communal and socioeconomic factors are associated with higher odds of significant CAD and MVD in the group of patients referred for CAG. The underpinnings of these associations (e.g. pathophysiologic factors, access to care, and system-wide determinants of quality) require further study.

Characteristics of coronary artery disease among patients with atrial fibrillation compared to patients with sinus rhythm

BackgroundWith a high prevalence of coronary artery disease (CAD) among patients with atrial fibrillation (AF), CAD is one of the main risk factors for AF. However, little is known about the characteristics of CAD in AF patients, especially whether a specific anatomical distribution of coronary artery stenoses might predispose an individual to AF via atrial ischemia remains speculative. To address this issue, we evaluated the potential associations between angiographic characteristics of CAD and AF. MethodsIn this single-center retrospective analysis, 796 consecutive patients with confirmed CAD and AF (CAD-AF) and 785 patients with CAD and sinus rhythm (CAD-SR) were enrolled. Clinical characteristics and angiographic findings were compared between groups in stable CAD and during acute myocardial infarction (MI). ResultsMitral valve disease and chronic heart failure were significantly more common in CAD-AF than in CAD-SR. Clinical condition in CAD-AF was significantly more severe as indicated by New York Heart Association/World Health Organization functional class. Left ventricular ejection fraction was reduced in CAD-AF, reflecting the marked fraction of patients with ischemic cardiomyopathy. No association between anatomical characteristics of CAD and AF was found. However, CAD-AF seemed to be associated with a higher CAD severity (p = 0.06). Additionally, CAD-AF with MI showed a significantly higher number of diseased coronary vessels. ConclusionThe anatomical distribution of coronary artery stenoses does not contribute to AF in CAD patients. However, AF is linked to a higher CAD severity, which might predispose individuals to AF by driving ischemic heart disease and changes in left ventricular function.