Recurrent Acute Coronary Syndrome Research Articles

Effect of six month's treatment with omega-3 acid ethyl esters on long-term outcomes after acute myocardial infarction: The OMEGA-REMODEL randomized clinical trial

BackgroundOmega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (O3-FA) have been shown to reduce inflammation and adverse cardiac remodeling after acute myocardial infarction (AMI). However, the impact of O3-FA on long-term clinical outcomes remains uncertain. AimsTo investigate the impact of O3-FA on adverse cardiac events in long-term follow up post AMI in a pilot-study. MethodsConsecutive patients with AMI were randomized 1:1 to receive 6 months of O3-FA (4 g/daily) or placebo in the prospective, multicenter OMEGA-REMODEL trial. Primary endpoint was a composite of major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) encompassing all-cause death, heart failure hospitalizations, recurrent acute coronary syndrome, and late coronary artery bypass graft (CABG). ResultsA total of 358 patients (62.8% male; 48.1 ± 16.1 years) were followed for a median of 6.6 (IQR: 5.0–9.1) years. Among those receiving O3-FA (n = 180), MACE occurred in 65 (36.1%) compared to 62 (34.8%) of 178 assigned to placebo. By intention-to-treat analysis, O3-FA treatment assignment did not reduce MACE (HR = 1.014; 95%CI = 0.716–1.436; p = 0.938), or its individual components. However, patients with a positive response to O3-FA treatment (n = 43), defined as an increase in the red blood cell omega-3 index (O3I) ≥5% after 6 months of treatment, had lower annualized MACE rates compared to those without (2.9% (95%CI = 1.2–5.1) vs 7.1% (95%CI = 5.7–8.9); p = 0.001). This treatment benefit persisted after adjustment for baseline characteristics (HRadjusted = 0.460; 95%CI = 0.218–0.970; p = 0.041). ConclusionIn long-term follow-up of the OMEGA-REMODEL randomized trial, O3-FA did not reduce MACE after AMI by intention to treat principle, however, patients who achieved a ≥ 5% increase of O3I subsequent to treatment had favorable outcomes.

Association of myocardial infarction with nonobstructive coronary arteries with long-term outcomes

Abstract Background Myocardial Infarction with Non-obstructive Coronary Arteries (MINOCA) is a disease classification that is not uncommonly encountered yet poorly characterized. The association of MINOCA with long-term cardiovascular (CV) outcomes has been inconsistently assessed with studies reporting conflicting results. The purpose of this meta-analysis is to evaluate the association of MINOCA with long-term cardiovascular outcomes. Methods A literature search was conducted for studies reporting on the association of MINOCA with clinical endpoints as compared to obstructive coronary artery disease (OCAD). The primary end-point was all-cause mortality. Secondary endpoints included CV mortality, need for revascularization, recurrence of acute coronary syndrome (ACS), CV rehospitalization, persistent angina after discharge, and major adverse cardiac events (MACE). Databases searched included Ovid MEDLINE, EMBASE, Web of Science, and Google Scholar. The search was not restricted to time or publication status. Results A total of 29 studies with 893134 patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI) (48425 with MINOCA, 844709 with OCAD) met inclusion criteria. Mean follow-up was 39 months, mean age was 62, 66% were male. MINOCA was associated with significantly lower risk of all-cause mortality compared to OCAD (OR 0.69, 95% CI 0.60-0.78; p<0.01). The overall effect size was large (z=5.72). MINOCA was associated with significantly lower risk of CV mortality, need for revascularization, recurrent ACS, and persistent angina after discharge (OR 0.49, 95% CI 0.36-0.67; p<0.01; OR 0.09, 95% CI 0.03-0.31; p<0.01; OR 0.57, 95% CI 0.37-0.89; p=0.01; OR 0.23, 95% CI 0.11-0.51; p<0.01). MINOCA was not associated with a significant difference in risk of CV rehospitalization (OR 0.74, 95% 0.46-1.19; p=0.21). Conclusions In patients with AMI, MINOCA is associated with lower risk of all-cause mortality, CV mortality, need for revascularization, recurrent ACS, and persistent angina on long-term follow-up compared to OCAD. However, MINOCA is associated with similar risk of rehospitalization for CV events. Further studies are needed to determine the association between different medical therapies and clinical outcomes in patients with MINOCA.

Recurrence of acute coronary syndrome in the elderly: predictors and prognosis - insights from a multicentre national registry

Abstract The burden of cardiovascular (CV) disease remains at the top of society's health problems, with acute coronary syndromes (ACS) undoubtedly being one of the major causes. Patients with a known history of CVD are at increased risk of recurrent events. However, this recurrence's incidence rate and clinical impact vary between populations. Elderly patients represent a large proportion of patients admitted for a second ACS. The decision on its management lacks support in clinical guidelines, as studies generally exclude patients with significant comorbidities and tend to underrepresent this group. This study aimed to analyse the characteristics and outcomes of elderly patients admitted with ACS with a previous history of myocardial infarction (MI) versus those who did not. The authors performed a retrospective analysis of patients older than 75 years included in the Portuguese Registry on Acute Coronary Syndromes (ProACS) between 2010 and 2022. Comparison tests were performed. A COX proportional hazard regression method was applied to generate the proposed risk models. A p-value less than 0.05 was considered statistically significant. A total of 8658 patients older than 75 years admitted for ACS were analysed, 6630 (76.6%) without a history of MI (group 1) and 2028 (23.4%) with a previous MI. Table 1 shows the most important baseline characteristics and differences between groups. Table 2 demonstrates the group differences regarding admission diagnosis, complementary study results and treatment. Table 3 represents in-hospital complications. At discharge, 16.5% of group 1 and 21.2% of group 2 had a planned cardiac rehabilitation program (CRP) (p-value=0.01). At 1-year follow-up, 15,6% of patients with more than 75 years admitted for ACS died and 17.4% were re-hospitalized by a CV cause. COX-regression analysis identified the history of MI as a predictor factor of CV re-hospitalization (HR 1,43; 95%CI [1.10;1.86], p-value<0.01) and of the composite of mortality and CV re-hospitalization (HR 1,37; 95%CI [1.10;1.71], p-value<0.01). In conclusion, the elderly with a second episode of ACS tends to have more CV risk factors and comorbidities than those without a MI history. Furthermore, the recurrence of MI seems to be an independent predictor of 1-year re-hospitalization and the composite of mortality and CV re-hospitalization. Then, these results should increase the awareness of this group of patients.Table 1Table 2 (incomplete) and Table 3

Association of medical therapy with cardiovascular outcomes in patients with myocardial infarction with nonobstructive coronary arteries

Abstract Background Myocardial infarction with nonobstructive coronary arteries (MINOCA) is a disease that has been poorly characterized with unclear clinical and therapeutic outcomes. The association of medical therapy with cardiovascular outcomes in patients with MINOCA has been inadequately assessed. The purpose of this meta-analysis is to evaluate the association of medical therapy with cardiovascular outcomes in patients with MINOCA. Methods A literature search was conducted for studies reporting on the association of medical therapy with clinical endpoints in patients with MINOCA. Clinical endpoints include all-cause mortality, recurrence of acute coronary syndrome (ACS), and major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE). Databases searched included Ovid MEDLINE, EMBASE, Web of Science, and Google Scholar. Results A total of 9 studies with 27731 MINOCA patients (17816 on medical therapy, 9915 not on medical therapy) met inclusion criteria. Mean follow-up duration was 56 months, mean age was 63 years old, 52% were men. Medical therapy did not significantly reduce risk of MACE compared to no medical therapy (OR 0.99, 95% CI 0.91-1.07; p=0.73). Subgroup analysis demonstrated no significant reduction in risk of MACE regardless of ACE inhibitors/ARBs, antiplatelet therapy, or beta blocker therapy (OR 1.03, 95% CI 0.91-1.17; p=0.62; OR 1.00, 95% CI 0.87-1.14; p=0.98; OR 0.92, 95% CI 0.79-1.06; p=0.22). However, there is a trend toward lower risk of MACE in MINOCA patients on beta blocker therapy. Analysis of MINOCA patients by presence of vasospasm did not demonstrate any significant reduction in risk of MACE with antiplatelet use in either subgroups (OR 1.03, 95% CI 0.71-1.49; p=0.89 without vasospasm; OR 0.92, 95% CI 0.74-1.14; p=0.44 with vasospasm). Use of antiplatelet therapy in patients with vasospasm did not significantly reduce risk of mortality or recurrent ACS (OR 0.80, 95% CI 0.37-1.75; p=0.58; OR 1.21, 95% CI 0.89-1.64; p=0.22). Conclusions Standard medical therapy using antiplatelet agents, beta blockers, or ACE inhibitors/ARBs are not associated with lower risk of cardiovascular outcomes in patients with MINOCA regardless of presence of vasospasm. However, there is a paucity in literature evaluating agents other than antiplatelet therapies. Additional high-quality studies are required to evaluate the utility of specific medication classes for treatment of specific etiologies of MINOCA.

Incidence and predictors of recurrent acute coronary syndrome among adult patients with acute coronary syndrome in West Amhara, Ethiopia: a multicenter retrospective follow-up study.

Acute coronary syndrome (ACS) is the most common cause of morbidity and mortality in patients with coronary heart disease. Furthermore, the recurrence of this problem has significant adverse outcomes. However, there is insufficient information pertaining to this problem in Ethiopia; hence, this study aims to assess the incidence rate and identify the predictors of ACS recurrence in the West Amhara region. A retrospective follow-up study was conducted among 469 patients diagnosed with primary ACS. Data from the patient chart were collected using a pre-tested structured data extraction tool. The study employed the Weibull regression analysis model, and the effect size was measured using an adjusted hazard ratio (HR) with a 95% confidence interval (CI). The statistical significance of the findings was established based on a p-value <0.05. A total of 429 patients were included in the final analysis [average age, 60 ± 13.9 years; and 245 (57.1%) men]. A total of 53 patients (12.35%; 95% CI: 9.55%-15.83%) experienced recurrent ACS. The overall risk time was found to be 93,914 days (3,130.47 months), and the recurrence rate was 17/1,000 patients/month. The identified predictors were the typical symptoms of ACS such as syncope (HR: 3.54, p = 0.013), fatigue (HR: 5.23, p < 0.001), history of chronic kidney disease (HR: 8.22, p < 0.001), left ventricular ejection fraction of <40% (HR: 2.34, p = 0.009), not taking in-hospital treatments [aspirin (HR: 9.22, p < 0.001), clopidogrel (HR: 4.11, p = 0.001), statins (HR: 2.74, p = 0.012)], and medication at discharge [statins (HR: 4.56, p < 0.001)]. This study found a higher incidence rate of recurrent ACS. Hence, the implementation of guideline-recommended anti-ischemic treatment should be strengthened.

Predictive capacity of a genetic risk score for coronary artery disease in assessing recurrences and cardiovascular mortality among patients with myocardial infarction.

This study aimed to evaluate the capacity of a genetic risk score (GRS) for coronary artery disease (CAD) independent of classical cardiovascular risk factors to assess the risk of recurrence in patients with first myocardial infarction. The secondary aim was to determine the predictive value of this GRS. We performed a meta-analysis of individual data from three studies, namely, a prospective study including 75 patients aged <55 years, a prospective study including 184 patients with a mean age of 60.5 years, and a case-control study (77 cases and 160 controls) nested in a cohort of patients with first myocardial infarction. A GRS including 12 CAD genetic variants independent of classical cardiovascular risk factors was developed. The outcome was a composite of cardiovascular mortality and recurrent acute coronary syndrome. The GRS was associated with a higher risk of recurrence [hazard ratio = 1.24; 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.04-1.47]. The inclusion of the GRS in the clinical model did not increase the model's discriminative capacity (change in C-statistic/area under the curve: 0.009; 95% CI: -0.007 to 0.025) but improved its reclassification (continuous net reclassification index: 0.29; 95% CI: 0.08-0.51). The GRS for CAD, independent of classical cardiovascular risk factors, was associated with a higher risk of recurrence in patients with first myocardial infarction. The predictive capacity of this GRS identified a subgroup of high-risk patients who could benefit from intensive preventive strategies.

Prognostic importance of glycemic variability on left ventricular reverse remodeling after the first episode of ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction

BackgroundThis study aimed to investigate the effect of glycemic variability (GV), determined using a continuous glucose monitoring system (CGMS), on left ventricular reverse remodeling (LVRR) after ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI).MethodsA total of 201 consecutive patients with STEMI who underwent reperfusion therapy within 12 h of onset were enrolled. GV was measured using a CGMS and determined as the mean amplitude of glycemic excursion (MAGE). Left ventricular volumetric parameters were measured using cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (CMRI). LVRR was defined as an absolute decrease in the LV end-systolic volume index of > 10% from 1 week to 7 months after admission. Associations were also examined between GV and LVRR and between LVRR and the incidence of major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE; cardiovascular death, acute coronary syndrome recurrence, non-fatal stroke, and heart failure hospitalization).ResultsThe prevalence of LVRR was 28% (n = 57). The MAGE was independent predictor of LVRR (odds ratio [OR] 0.98, p = 0.002). Twenty patients experienced MACE during the follow-up period (median, 65 months). The incidence of MACE was lower in patients with LVRR than in those without (2% vs. 13%, p = 0.016).ConclusionLow GV, determined using a CGMS, was significantly associated with LVRR, which might lead to a good prognosis. Further studies are needed to validate the importance of GV in LVRR in patients with STEMI.

Twelve-Month Outcomes of Patients With Myocardial Injury not Due to Type-1 Myocardial Infarction.

Diagnosis of acute myocardial infarction (AMI) requires a combination of elevated cardiac troponins, and clinical or echocardiographic evidence of coronary ischaemia. Identification of patients with a high likelihood of coronary plaque rupture (Type 1 myocardial infarction [MI]) is crucial as it is these patients for whom coronary intervention has been well-established to provide benefit and reduce subsequent coronary ischemic events. However, high-sensitivity cardiac troponin (hs-cTn) assays have increasingly identified patients with hs-cTn elevations not due to Type 1 MI where recommendations for ongoing care are currently limited. Understanding the profile and clinical outcomes for these patients may inform the development of an emerging evidence-base. Using two previously published studies (hs-cTnT study n=1,937, RAPID-TnT study n=3,270) and the Fourth Universal Definition of MI, index presentations of patients to South Australian emergency departments with suspected AMI, defined by high sensitivity cardiac troponin T (hs-cTnT) greater than the upper reference limit (14 ng/L) and without obvious corresponding ischaemia on electrocardiogram (ECG), were classified as either Type 1 MI (T1MI), Type 2 MI (T2MI), acute myocardial injury (AI), or chronic myocardial injury (CI). Patients with non-elevated hs-cTnT (defined as <14 ng/L) were excluded. Outcomes assessed included death, MI, unstable angina, and non-coronary cardiovascular events within 12 months. In total, 1,192 patients comprising 164 (13.8%) T1MI, 173 (14.5%) T2MI/AI, and 855 (71.7%) CI were included. The rate of death or recurrent acute coronary syndrome was greatest in patients with T1MI, but also occurred with moderate frequency in Type 2 MI/AI and CI (T1MI: 32/164 [19.5%]; T2MI/AI: 24/173 [13.1%]; CI:116/885 [13.6%]; p=0.008). Of all the deaths observed, 74% occurred among those with an initial index diagnostic classification of CI. After adjusting for age, gender and baseline comorbidities, the relative hazard ratios for non-coronary cardiovascular readmissions were similar across all groups: Type 2 MI/AI: 1.30 (95% confidence interval 0.99-1.72, p=0.062); CI: 1.10 (95% confidence interval 0.61-2.00, p=0.75). Non-T1MI accounted for the majority of patients presenting with elevated hs-cTnT without ischaemia on ECG. Patients with T1MI had the highest rates of death or recurrent AMI; however patients with T2MI/AI and CI experienced a substantial rate of non-coronary cardiovascular re-hospitalisations.

Correlation of Apo E Gene Polymorphism with Recurrent Acute Coronary Syndrome

Correlation of Apo E Gene Polymorphism with Recurrent Acute Coronary Syndrome

Mobile health technology integrated care in atrial fibrillation patients with diabetes mellitus in China: A subgroup analysis of the mAFA-II cluster randomized clinical trial.

The Mobile Health Technology for Improved Screening and Optimized Integrated Care in AF (mAFA-II) prospective randomized trial showed the efficacy of a mobile health (mHealth) implemented 'Atrial fibrillation Better Care' (ABC) pathway for the integrated care management of patients with atrial fibrillation (AF). In this ancillary analysis, we evaluated the effect of mAFA intervention according to the history of diabetes mellitus (DM). The mAFA-II trial enrolled 3324 AF patients across 40 centres in China, between June 2018 and August 2019. In this analysis, we assessed the interaction between history of DM and the effect of mAFA intervention on the risk of the primary composite outcome of stroke, thromboembolism, all-cause death and rehospitalizations. Results were expressed as adjusted hazard ratio (aHR) and 95% confidence intervals (95%CI). The effect of mAFA intervention on exploratory secondary outcomes was also assessed. Overall, 747 (22.5%) patients had DM (mean age: 72.7 ± 12.3, 39.6% females; 381 allocated to mAFA intervention). mAFA intervention was associated with a significant risk reduction for the primary composite outcome both in patients with and without DM (aHR [95%CI]: .36 [.18-.73] and .37 [.23-.61], respectively, p for interaction = .941). A significant interaction was found only for the composite of recurrent AF, heart failure and acute coronary syndromes (pint =.025), with lower effect of mAFA intervention in patients with DM. A mHealth-technology implemented ABC pathway showed a consistent effect in reducing the risk of the primary composite outcome in AF patients with and without DM. WHO International Clinical Trials Registry Platform (ICTRP) Registration number: ChiCTR-OOC-17014138.

The sky is the limit to the number of stents

We present the case of a 65-year-old man with type 2 diabetes mellitus, arterial hypertension, hypercholesterolemia, salicylate allergy and diagnosed with ischemic heart disease since 2000. The patient, despite intensive pharmacotherapy according to European Society of Cardiology guidelines and the insertion of as many as 11 stents into the coronary arteries, had persistent recurrent acute coronary syndromes, including 4 myocardial infarctions (twice ST-elevation myocardial infarction, twice non-ST-elevation myocardial infarction) between 2000 and 2021. Eventually, the patient underwent left coronary artery bypass surgery. Some potential options for the pharmacological treatment of recurrent acute coronary syndromes are presented in the discussion.

Long-term follow-up of survivors of a first acute coronary syndrome: Results from the French MONICA registries from 2009 to 2017

AimThe objectives of the study were to characterize the long-term risk of first recurrence of acute coronary syndrome (ACS) among survivors of an incident ACS, as a function of the STEMI/NSTEMI/UA diagnosis. MethodsMen and women (aged 35–74) hospitalized between 2009 and 2016 for an incident ACS in the French MONICA registries and still alive on discharge were followed-up until December 2017. Recurrent events were defined as the first (non-fatal or fatal) ACS occurring after hospital discharge from the incident event. ResultsThe study comprised 15,739 incident ACSs with 63,777 patient-years of follow-up. The cumulative probability [95% confidence interval] of recurrent ACS was 6.7% [6.3–7.1%] at 1 year and 18.4% [17.4–19.5%] at 9 years. The cumulative probability of fatal recurrent ACS was 1.4% [1.2–1.5%] at 1 year and 4.3% [3.6–4.9%] at 9 years. The risk of recurrence did not depend on the type of the incident ACS after adjustment for confounding factors. The most frequent forms of recurrence were NSTEMI and UA. The presence of a major complication (OR = 1.59) and an impaired left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) (OR > 1.26) increased the risk of recurrence. The annual 1-year recurrence rates decreased from 7.4% in 2009 to 4.0% in 2016 (p < 0.001). ConclusionThe recurrence rate after an incident ACS remained high in France, and the risk of recurrence did not depend on the etiology of the first event. Our results emphasize the importance of targeting patients with a major complication and/or an impaired LVEF who are at a higher risk of recurrence.

Nonobstructive coronary atherosclerosis is associated with adverse prognosis among patients diagnosed with myocardial infarction without obstructive coronary arteries

Background and aimsThe prognostic impact of nonobstructive coronary artery disease (CAD), as opposed to normal coronary arteries, on long-term outcomes of patients with myocardial infarction with no obstructive coronary arteries (MINOCA) is unclear. We aimed to address the association between nonobstructive-CAD and major adverse events (MAE) following MINOCA. MethodsWe conducted a retrospective cohort study of consecutive MINOCA patients admitted to a large referral medical center between 2005 and 2018. Patients were classified according to coronary angiography as having either normal-coronaries or nonobstructive-CAD. The primary outcome was MAE, defined as the composite of all-cause mortality and recurrent acute coronary syndrome (ACS). ResultsOf the 1544 MINOCA patients, 651 (42%) had normal coronaries, and 893 (58%) had CAD. The mean age was 61.2 ± 12.6 years, and 710 (46%) were females. Nonobstructive-CAD patients were older and less likely to be females, with higher rates of diabetes, hypertension, dyslipidemia, atrial fibrillation, and chronic renal-failure (p < 0.05). At a median follow-up of 7 years, MAE occurred in 203 (23%) patients and 67 (10%) patients in the nonobstructive-CAD and normal-coronaries groups, respectively (p < 0.01). In multivariable models, nonobstructive -CAD was significantly associated with long-term MAE [adjusted-hazard-ratio (aHR):1.67, 95% confidence-interval (95%CI):1.25–2.23; p < 0.001]. Other factors associated with a higher MAE-risk were older-age (aHR:1.05,95%CI:1.03–1.06; p < 0.001) and left ventricular ejection-fraction<40% (aHR:3.04,95%CI:2.03–4.57; p < 0.001), while female-sex (aHR:0.72, 95%CI: 0.56–0.94; p=0.014) and sinus rhythm at presentation (aHR:0.66, 95%CI: 0.44–0.98; p=0.041) were associated with lower MAE-risk. ConclusionsIn MINOCA, nonobstructive-CAD is independently associated with a higher MAE-risk than normal-coronaries. This finding may promote risk-stratification of patients with nonobstructive-CAD-MINOCA who require tighter medical follow-up and treatment optimization.

Angiographic Findings in Unstable Angina and Prediction of 1-Year Risk of Recurrent Acute Coronary Syndrome or Death: A Nationwide Machine Learning Study

Background: We studied whether machine learning could predict survival, risk of future acute coronary syndrome (ACS) and coronary angiographic (CAG) findings in patients with unstable angina (UA). We also studied whether high-sensitivity troponin levels within normal range can predict the presence of obstructive coronary lesions, risk of future ACS and death. Methods: We used the SWEDEHEART registry to include patients admitted to the coronary care unit due to chest pain, with normal highsensitivity cardiac troponin T or I (hs-cTnI, hs-cTnT), who underwent CAG and did not receive a final diagnosis of acute myocardial infarction (AMI). We studied CAG findings on segmental level, developed machine learning models predicting the risk of ACS or death within 1-year, and angiographic findings. The latter model predicted CAG resulting in interventions (any) or eliciting further assessments after CAG. Models for ACS and death included 130 candidate predictors and models for angiographic findings included 110 predictors. Results: We included 9’314 patients; 1-year rate of death was 0.9% (n=78) and ACS was 2.7% (n=251). A total of 5455 (61.5%) of CAG resulted in no intervention and no further assessment afterwards, with 40% without significant stenosis. There was a strong association between hscTnI (within normal range) and severity of coronary atherosclerosis; e.g 32.4% in patients with hs-cTnI 26-35 ng/L had >50% stenosis in segment 6, as compared with 12.6% in those with hs-cTnI 0-5 ng/L. All segments displayed similar associations with troponin levels. Among 17 predictors for atherosclerosis, hs-cTnI was the strongest predictor of having >50% stenosis in the left anterior descending artery (LAD). Mortality increased at hs-cTnI levels above 10 ng/L for men, but not women. Age and sex adjusted hazard ratio for hs-cTnI 25-35 vs hs-TnI 0-5 was 5.73 (2.14- 15.35) for 1-year mortality. No association was noted for hs-cTnT. The strongest predictors of 1-year mortality were C-reactive protein, body mass index, estimated glomerular filtration rate. Conclusion: Troponin levels within normal range exhibit a strong association with obstructive CAD and survival.

Acute Psychological Stress, Coronary Artery Spasm, Iatrogenic Coronary Dissection, In-stent Restenosis, and Atherosclerosis: A Rare Association of Multiple Etiologies for Recurrent Acute Coronary Syndrome

Abstract Nonobstructive coronary artery lesions are seen in two-thirds of patients with angina and verified ischemia using a stress test who undergo coronary angiography. Ischaemia with no obstructed coronary artery disease (INOCA) is becoming more well recognized as a significant medical illness due to its relationship to decreased quality of life and an increased risk of cardiac events. This association between acute coronary syndrome (ACS) and high levels of psychological stress has been thoroughly investigated, and it has been found to be substantial. The microvascular function of the coronary arteries is endothelium-dependent, and this plays a role in how the heart reacts to psychological stress. Although coronary artery spasm (CAS) is likely to play a role in the etiology of INOCA, it is frequently misdiagnosed and underreported. In this article, we discuss a case of a young woman who came with recurrent ACS related to CAS, which was exacerbated by iatrogenic coronary dissection due to the presence of arteria lusoria, an atherosclerotic coronary artery disease leading to in-stent restenosis of the previous stent.

Étude de l’impact d’un entretien pharmaceutique post-syndrome coronarien aigu à l’hôpital

Post-acute coronary syndrome pharmaceutical interviews were set up in our establishment. The objective of this study was to assess their impact on patient knowledge and their benefit at one year on medication compliance, cardiovascular risk factors (smoking, overweight, dyslipidemia) and the recurrence rate. Two groups were formed, an experimental group of patients who had benefited from pharmaceutical interviews and a control group of patients who had not benefited from them. The knowledge of the patients was measured using a quizz carried out before the interview and one month after for the experimental group, then one year after hospitalization for the two groups. A one-year follow-up of medication compliance assessed, control of cardiovascular risk factors and the rate of recurrence of acute coronary syndrome was carried out in both groups. A significant increase in knowledge (P<0.001) after the pharmaceutical interview and its maintenance over time were observed in the experimental group. One year after hospitalization, in the experimental group, the average score on the knowledge quizz (9.2/10) was significantly higher (P<0.005) than that of the control group (6.6/10); medication compliance was significantly better (P<0.05) and greater smoking cessation was observed. These encouraging results should be highlighted in order to perpetuate and develop such approaches around patient care.

Mobile health-technology integrated care in atrial fibrillation patients with heart failure: A report from the mAFA-II randomized clinical trial

BackgroundTo assess the effect of mobile health (mHealth) technology-implemented ‘Atrial fibrillation Better Care’ (ABC) pathway-approach (mAFA intervention) in AF patients with Heart Failure (HF). MethodsFrom the Mobile Health Technology for Improved Screening and Optimized Integrated Care in AF (mAFA-II) cluster randomized trial, we evaluated the effect of mAFA intervention on the risk of major outcomes in patients with HF using Inverse Probability of Treatment Weighting. Primary outcome was the composite outcome of stroke/thromboembolism, all-cause death, and rehospitalization. The effect of mAFA and the interaction with HF at baseline was assessed through Cox-regressions. ResultsAmong the 3,324 patients originally enrolled in the trial, 714 (21.5%; mean age: 72.7±13.1 years; 39.9% females) had HF. The effect of mAFA intervention on the primary outcome was consistent in patients with and without HF (Hazard Ratio, (HR): 0.59, 95% Confidence Interval (CI): 0.29-1.22 vs. HR: 0.40, 95%CI: 0.21-0.76, p for interaction=0.438); similar findings were found for rehospitalisations and bleeding events. A trend towards lower efficacy of mAFA in HF patients was observed for all-cause death, while the risk of the composite outcome of ‘recurrent AF, HF and acute coronary syndrome’ was higher among AF-HF patients allocated to mAFA (p for interaction: <0.001). ConclusionA mHealth-technology implemented ABC pathway provides consistent effects on the risks of primary outcome, rehospitalisation and bleeding, in AF patients both with and without HF. However, AF-HF patients may need tailored approaches to improve their overall prognosis, specifically to reduce the risk of recurrent AF, HF and acute coronary syndrome.

Predicting risk of future acute coronary syndromes, 1-year survival and the need for coronary angiography in unstable angina: a nationwide machine learning study

Abstract Background We developed machine learning models to predict the need for coronary angiography, recurrent acute coronary syndromes (ACS) and 1-year survival in patients with chest pain and normal high-sensitivity troponins. We also studied whether hs-troponin levels within the normal range convey predictive information on these outcomes. Purpose We studied whether machine learning could reliably predict survival, risk of future ACS and rule out unnecessary angiographies in patients with chest pain and normal hs-troponins. We aimed to deploy these models as open-sourced web applications, to provide clinicians with individualized predictions. We also studied whether normal hs-troponin levels may serve as predictors of these outcomes. Methods We used the SWEDEHEART registry to include patients admitted due to chest pain, with normal high-sensitivity troponin T or I (hs-TnI, hs-TnT), who underwent angiography and did not receive a final diagnosis of acute myocardial infarction. We studied angiographic findings on segmental level, developed machine learning models for future ACS and death (within 1-year, modelled separately) and unnecessary coronary angiography, which was defined as angiography that did not lead to any intervention. Models predicting future ACS and 1-year survival included 130 candidate predictors and models for unnecessary angiography included 110 predictors. We built approximately 50'000 models, using gradient boosting, extreme gradient boosting, random forest, artificial neural networks and logistic regression. Results We included 9'314 patients. The 1-year mortality rate was 0.9% (n=78), rate of future ACS was 2.7% (n=251), and rate of unnecessary angiography was 61.5% (n=5455). Up to 40% had normal angiography. There was a strong association between troponin levels (within normal range) and severity of coronary atherosclerosis; e.g 32.4% in patients with hs-TnI 26–35 ng/L had &amp;gt;50% stenosis in segment 6, as compared with 12.6% in those with hs-TnI 0–5 ng/L. All segments displayed similar associations with troponin levels. Mortality increased at hs-TnI levels above 10 ng/L for men, but not women. Age and sex adjusted hazard ratios for hs-TnI 25–35 vs hs-TnI 0–5 was 5.73 (2.14–15.35) for 1-year mortality. The strongest predictors of 1-year mortality were C-reactive protein, body mass index, estimated glomerular filtration rate, age, time from symptom onset to CCU admission, systolic blood pressure and hs-TnI. Extreme gradient boosting was the best performing model for all prediction tasks; AUC ROC in the test data sets were 0.77 for 1-year mortality, 0.77 for future ACS and 0.78 for unnecessary angiography, with excellent calibration. Conclusion Machine learning models can reliably predict 1-year risk of death or ACS, as well as predict unnecessary angiographies. Troponin levels within normal range constitute a strong predictor of all these outcomes, questioning the definition of normal troponin. Funding Acknowledgement Type of funding sources: Public hospital(s). Main funding source(s): Sahlgrenska University hospital

The prognostic impact of coronary anatomy in myocardial infarction with nonobstructive coronary artery disease: a seven-year longitudinal follow-up

Abstract Background Myocardial infarction with nonobstructive coronary arteries (MINOCA) is a common condition associated with major adverse events (MAE) that may occur presence of normal or nonobstructive coronary artery anatomy (NCAA and NOCAA, respectively). The prognostic impact presence of NOCAA on long-term outcomes of MINOCA patients remains unclear. Methods This is a retrospective study among consecutive MINOCA patients in a large referral medical center in Israel between the years 2005–2018. Patients with probable alternative cause for myocardial injury, as stress-induced cardiomyopathy and myocarditis, were excluded. Patients were classified according to their coronary angiography diagnosis into NCAA and NOCAA. The primary outcome was MAE, defined as the composite of all-cause mortality and recurrent acute coronary syndrome (ACS). We performed survival analyses using multivariable Cox regression, controlling for potential cofounders. Results Among 36,501 admitted with AMI during the study period, 1,544 patients (4.2%) had MINOCA. Among MINOCA patients, 651 (42%) had NCAA, and 893 (58%) had NOCAA. The mean age was 61.2±12.6 years, and 710 (46.0%) were females. The NOCAA group had more females and were older with higher rates of diabetes, hypertension, dyslipidemia, atrial fibrillation, and chronic renal failure (p&amp;lt;0.05 for all). At a median follow-up of 7 years, MAE occurred in 203 (22.7%) patients and 67 (10.3%) patients in the NOCAA and NCAA groups, respectively (p&amp;lt;0.01). In fully-adjusted multivariable model, NOCAA remained a significant risk factor for long-term MAE [adjusted-hazard-ratio (aHR) 1.67, 95% confidence-interval (95% CI) 1.25–2.23; p&amp;lt;0.001; figure]. Other factors associated with MAE were older age (aHR 1.05, 95% CI 1.03–1.06; p&amp;lt;0.001), left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) &amp;lt;40% (aHR 3.04, 95% CI 2.03–4.57; p&amp;lt;0.001) Conclusion Among MINOCA patients, NOCAA was associated with a worse long-term prognosis than NCAA. Other risk factors for long-term MAE were older age and LVEF &amp;lt;40%, while female sex and sinus rhythm at presentation were associated with lower MAE risk. Funding Acknowledgement Type of funding sources: None.

Impact of renal failure and high-platelet reactivity on major cardiovascular ischemic events among patients with acute coronary syndrome receiving dual antiplatelet therapy with ticagrelor.

No study has so far evaluated the impact of chronic kidney disease (CKD) on high-on treatment platelet reactivity (HRPR) with ticagrelor and their prognostic consequences, that were therefore the aim of the present study. Patients on dual antiplatelet therapy with ASA+ticagrelor (90mg/twice a day) after percutaneous coronary revascularization for ACS were scheduled for platelet function assessment 30-90 days post-discharge. The primary study endpoint was defined as the occurrence of major cardiovascular events (a composite of cardiovascular death, recurrent acute coronary syndrome (MI), target vessel revascularization) at the longest available follow-up. We included 396 patients, that were divided according to CKD (eGFR <or≥ 60 mL/min). Mean platelet reactivity was comparable irrespective of renal function Prevalence of high platelet reactivity (HRPR) on Ticagrelor was similar among patients with or without CKD (9.7% vs. 11.8%, P=0.84). At a mean follow-up of 939±581.4 days, 21.2% of the patients experienced the primary composite endpoint, with a similar rate of events in patients CKD or normal renal function (22.2% vs. 21.2% HR [95%CI]= 0.92[0.52-1.61], P=0.77), and no difference in survival, ischemic and bleeding endpoints. After correction for baseline differences CKD did not emerge as an independent predictor of either HRPR (adjusted OR [95%CI]=0.47 [0.18;1.25], P=0.13) or MACE (adjusted HR [95%CI]=0.66 [0.34-1.29] P=0.18). In the present study we demonstrated that among ACS patients on DAPT with ASA and ticagrelor after PCI, renal failure is not associated with a higher rate of HRPR or to an increased risk of mortality or major ischemic and bleeding events.