The American journal of cardiology
-
Randomized Controlled Trial Multicenter Study Comparative Study
Contemporary features, risk factors, and prognosis of the post-pericardiotomy syndrome.
Contemporary series of postpericardiotomy syndrome (PPS) are lacking. The aim of this study was to evaluate the incidence, time course, features at presentation, risk factors, and prognosis of PPS. The study population consisted of 360 consecutive candidates to cardiac surgery enrolled in a prospective cohort study. ⋯ In conclusion, despite advances in cardiac surgery techniques, PPS is a common postoperative complication, generally occurring in the first 3 months after surgery. Severe complications are rare, but the syndrome is responsible for hospital stay prolongation and readmissions. Female gender and pleura incision are risk factors for PPS.
-
Randomized Controlled Trial Multicenter Study Comparative Study
Cardiac arrhythmias in obstructive sleep apnea (from the Akershus Sleep Apnea Project).
Increased prevalence of cardiac arrhythmias has been reported in patients with severe obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), but this may not be generalizable to patients from the general population with a milder form of the condition. The aim of this study was to assess the association between cardiac arrhythmias and OSA of mainly mild and moderate severity. In total, 486 subjects (mean age 49 years, 55% men) recruited from a population-based study in Norway underwent polysomnography for OSA assessment and Holter recordings for arrhythmia assessment. ⋯ Ventricular premature complexes (≥5/hour) were more prevalent in subjects with OSA compared to subjects without OSA (median AHI 1.4, quartiles 1 to 3 0.5 to 3.0) during the night (12.2% vs 4.7%, p = 0.005) and day (14% vs 5.1%, p = 0.002). In multivariate analysis after adjusting for relevant confounders, AHI was independently associated with an increased prevalence of ventricular premature complexes at night (odds ratio per 1-U increase of log-transformed AHI 1.5, 95% confidence interval 1.1 to 2.0, p = 0.008) and during the day (odds ratio 1.37, 95% confidence interval 1.0 to 1.8, p = 0.035). In conclusion, the prevalence of ventricular premature complexes is increased in middle-aged patients with mainly mild or moderate OSA, suggesting an association between OSA and ventricular arrhythmias even in mild OSA.
-
Randomized Controlled Trial Multicenter Study
Diagnosing acute myocardial infarction in patients with left bundle branch block.
We compared the clinical features, laboratory and coronary angiographic findings, treatments, and outcomes among patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (MI) with and without left bundle branch block (LBBB). We examined 5,742 patients with ST-segment elevation MI with and without LBBB treated with primary percutaneous coronary intervention in the Assessment of Pexelizumab in Acute Myocardial Infarction trial. The main outcome measures were obstructive coronary disease, MI, positive cardiac biomarkers, angiographic Thrombolysis In Myocardial Infarction flow, and death, MI, or congestive heart failure at 90 days. ⋯ Documented MI (elevated biomarkers) with an initially occluded infarct artery was more common in patients with LBBB with concordant ST-segment elevation (71.4%) than in patients without (44.1%; p = 0.027). The use of ST-segment elevation concordance criteria in the presence of LBBB was more often associated with documented MI with an identifiable culprit vessel with an initially occluded infarct-related artery. In conclusion, because a substantial proportion of patients with LBBB have acute MI with a culprit lesion and positive biomarkers, these data support immediate catheterization with the intent for primary percutaneous coronary intervention for all patients presenting with suspected ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction, ischemic symptoms, and presumed new LBBB, particularly if concordant ST-segment elevation is present.
-
Randomized Controlled Trial
System delay and timing of intervention in acute myocardial infarction (from the Danish Acute Myocardial Infarction-2 [DANAMI-2] trial).
The interval from the first alert of the healthcare system to the initiation of reperfusion therapy (system delay) is associated with mortality in patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction treated with primary percutaneous coronary intervention (pPCI). The importance of system delay in patients treated with fibrinolysis versus pPCI has not been assessed. We obtained data on system delay from the Danish Acute Myocardial Infarction-2 study, which randomized 1,572 patients to fibrinolysis or pPCI. ⋯ The short system delays were associated with reduced absolute mortality in both the fibrinolysis group (<1 hour, 5.6%; 1 to 2 hours, 6.9%; 2 to 3 hours, 9.5%; and >3 hours, 11.5%; test for trend, p = 0.08) and pPCI group (<1 hour, not assessed; 1 to 2 hours, 2.6%; 2 to 3 hours, 7.5%; >3 hours, 7.7%; test for trend, p = 0.02). The lowest 30-day mortality was obtained with pPCI and a system delay of 1 to 2 hours (vs fibrinolysis within <1 hour, adjusted hazard ratio 0.33; 95% confidence interval 0.10 to 1.10; p = 0.07; vs fibrinolysis within 1 to 2 hours, adjusted hazard ratio 0.37; 95% confidence interval 0.14 to 0.95; p = 0.04). pPCI and system delay >3 hours was associated with a similar 30-day and 8-year mortality as fibrinolysis within 1 to 2 hours. In conclusion, short system delays are associated with reduced mortality in patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction treated with fibrinolysis as well as pPCI. pPCI performed with a system delay of <2 hours is associated with lower mortality than fibrinolysis performed with a faster or similar system delay.
-
Randomized Controlled Trial Multicenter Study
Systemic hypothermia to prevent radiocontrast nephropathy (from the COOL-RCN Randomized Trial).
Radiocontrast nephropathy (RCN) develops in a substantial proportion of patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) after invasive cardiology procedures and is strongly associated with subsequent mortality and adverse outcomes. We sought to determine whether systemic hypothermia is effective in preventing RCN in patients with CKD. Patients at risk for RCN (baseline estimated creatinine clearance 20 to 50 ml/min) undergoing cardiac catheterization with iodinated contrast ≥50 ml were randomized 1:1 to hydration (control arm) versus hydration plus establishment of systemic hypothermia (33°C to 34°C) before first contrast injection and for 3 hours after the procedure. ⋯ RCN developed in 18.6% of normothermic patients and in 22.4% of hypothermic patients (odds ratio 1.27, 95% confidence interval 0.53 to 3.00, p = 0.59). The primary 30-day safety end point occurred in 37.1% versus 37.9% of normothermic and hypothermic patients, respectively (odds ratio 0.97, 95% confidence interval 0.47 to 1.98, p = 0.93). In conclusion, in patients with CKD undergoing invasive cardiology procedures, systemic hypothermia is safe but is unlikely to prevent RCN.