Drug-coated balloons for treating de novo lesions in large coronary vessels:A case report

BACKGROUND Percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty,while an effective intervention,can frequently lead to acute occlusion with severe consequences.Although clinical trials have demonstrated the efficacy of drug-coated balloons(DCB)in treating acute coronary artery occlusion and in preventing restenosis,there has been limited exploration on the use of DCB in treating de novo lesions in large vessels.Currently,DCB are only recommended for patients with small vessel lesions and in-stent restenosis lesions,those at high risk of bleeding,and other special groups of patients.CASE SUMMARY This report presents a case of successful drug-coated balloon treatment of de novo lesions in large coronary vessels.Postoperatively,the patient demonstrated favorable recovery,with subsequent examination results revealing no significant differences from the previous examination.CONCLUSION The successful treatment of the patient in our case highlights the potential of DCB in the treatment of de novo lesions in large coronary vessels.

Correlation of neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio to severity of coronary artery disease and in-hospital clinical outcomes in patients with acute coronary syndrome: A prospective observational study

Objective:To explore correlation of neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio(NLR)to severity of coronary artery disease(CAD)and in-hospital clinical outcomes in patients with acute coronary syndrome(ACS).Methods:In this prospective and observational study,we recruited 500 patients with ACS.For all the eligible patients,demographic details were collected,and laboratory parameters were evaluated.The CAD severity was evaluated in terms of the number of involved vessels.The NLR was calculated based on neutrophils and lymphocytes and the correlation of various risk factors and severity and outcome of CAD was performed.Results:77.2%of Patients was male,and 52%of the patients aged between 55-70 years.Based on the type of ACS,396 out of 500 patients had ST-elevation myocardial infarction.An ascending trend in the white blood cell levels and NLR value was noted as the severity of the ACS increased and the highest white blood cell levels and NLR was noted among classⅣpatients.The mean NLR value among the non-survivors were higher compared to the survivors(9.52±5.72 vs.4.76±2.36;P<0.01).Receiver operating curve showed that the cut-off NLR value was 5.76 with a sensitivity of 75.0%and a specificity of 77.3%.Conclusions:The NLR can be used as an independent prognostic marker in ACS.An elevated NLR value serves as a reliable predictor for short-term complications,notably in-hospital mortality.

Challenging situation of coronary artery anomaly associated with ischemia and/or risk of sudden death

Coronary artery anomaly is known as one of the causes of angina pectoris and sudden death and is an important clinical entity that cannot be overlooked.The incidence of coronary artery anomalies is as low as 1%-2%of the general population,even when the various types are combined.Coronary anomalies are practically challenging when the left and right coronary ostium are not found around their normal positions during coronary angiography with a catheter.If there is atherosclerotic stenosis of the coronary artery with an anomaly and percutaneous coronary intervention(PCI)is required,the suitability of the guiding catheter at the entrance and the adequate back up force of the guiding catheter are issues.The level of PCI risk itself should also be considered on a caseby-case basis.In this case,emission computed tomography in the R-1 subtype single coronary artery proved that ischemia occurred in an area where the coronary artery was not visible to the naked eye.Meticulous follow-up would be crucial,because sudden death may occur in single coronary arteries.To prevent atherosclerosis with full efforts is also important,as the authors indicated admirably.

Evaluation of Clinical Outcomes of ses Stent in Patients with Coronary Artery Disease After Intracoronary Stenting in Small Vessels

Background:Limited data are available for sirolimus-eluting stent(SES,Cypher)implantation in patients with coronary artery disease in small vessels.The clinical longtermoutcomes of SES in patients with coronary artery disease after intracoronary stenting in small vessels has not been yet evaluated.

Relationship between plasma C-reactive protein concentration and the severity of coronary artery lesion

Objective: To explore the relationship between C-reactive protein(CRP) concentration and severity of coronary artery lesion. Methods: The plasma CRP concentration were tested in 166 cases who underwent coronary angiography(CAG),coronary heart disease(CHD) was presented in 86 patients and absent in 80 cases as normal control group, and results of the two groups and different numbers of diseased coronary vessels in CHD group were analyzed. Results: The plasma CRP concentration were 2293±198, 5126±508, 12969±1076 μg/L, respectively,for the normal control group, the stable angina group and the unstable angina group. The CRP concentration in the stable angina group and unstable angina group were significantly higher than those of the normal control group (P<0.05, P<0.01, respectively). In the CHD group, the plasma CRP concentration were 5131±513, 7024±689, 11970±2075 μg/L, respectively,for the 1-vessel-disease-group, the 2-vessel-disease-group and the 3-vessel-disease-group. The CRP concentration of the three groups were significantly higher than those of the normal control group (P<0.01). Conclusion: CRP concentration is closely associated with severity of coronary artery lesion.

Comparison between type-2 and type-1 myocardial infarction：clinical features, treatment strategies and outcomes

Objective To assess the differences in incidence, clinical features, current treatment strategies and outcome in patients with type-2vs. type-1 acute myocardial infarction （AMI）.Methods We included 824 consecutive patients with a diagnosis of type-1 or type-2 AMI. Dur-ing index hospitalization, clinical features and treatment strategies were collected in detail. At 1-year follow-up, mortality, stroke, non-fatal myocardial infarction and major bleeding were recorded.ResultsType-1 AMI was present in 707 （86%） of the cases while 117 （14%） were classified as type-2. Patients with type-2 AMI were more frequently female and had higher co-morbidities such as diabetes, previous non-ST segment elevation acute coronary syndromes, impaired renal function, anaemia, atrial fibrillation and malignancy. However, preserved left ventricular ejection fraction and normal coronary arteries were more frequently seen, an invasive treatment was less common, and anti-platelet medications, statins and beta-blockers were less prescribed in patients with type-2 AMI. At 1-year follow-up, type-2 AMI was associated with a higher crude mortality risk （HR： 1.75, 95% CI： 1.14-2.68;P = 0.001）, but this association did not remain significant after multivariable adjustment （P = 0.785）. Furthermore, we did not find type-2 AMI to be associated with other clinical outcomes.Conclusions In this real-life population, compared with type-1, type-2 AMI were predominantly women and had more co-morbidities. Invasive treatment strategies and cardioprotective medications were less used in type-2, while the 1-year clinical outcomes were similar.

Fast interactive volume rendering method for adjustable vessel segmentation visualization

Medical diagnosis software and computer-assisted surgical systems often use segmented image data to help clinicians make decisions. The segmentation extracts the region of interest from the background, which makes the visualization clearer. However, no segmentation method can guarantee accurate results under all circumstances. As a result, the clinicians need a solution that enables them to check and validate the segmentation accuracy as well as displaying the segmented area without ambiguities. With the method presented in this paper, the real CT or MR image is displayed within the segmented region and the segmented boundaries can be expanded or contracted interactively. By this way, the clinicians are able to check and validate the segmentation visually and make more reliable decisions. After experiments with real data from a hospital, the presented method is proved to be suitable for efficiently detecting segmentation errors. The new algorithm uses new graphic processing uint （GPU） shading functions recently introduced in graphic cards and is fast enough to interact oil the segmented area, which was not possible with previous methods.

EFFECTS OF ELECTRO ACUPUNCTURE AT NEIGUAN ON MYOCARDIAL MICROCIRCULATION IN RABBITS WITH ACUTE MYOCARDIAL ISCHEMIA

This paper reports the effects of electroacupuncture (EA) at Neiguan (P 6) on myocardial microcirculation and electrical activity observed in rabbits with acute myocardial ischemia (AMI) by employing the vascular casting method and taking monophasic action potential (MAP) as an index. It was found that in the ischemic border zone of the heart, the electrical excitability was strengthened, the shortening of the phase repolarization inhibited, and the number of the micrangia increased in some degree following EA. This suggests that EA can relieve arteriolospasm, inhibit extreme dilatation of blood capillaries, modulate imbalance of micro-vasomotion of the coronary artery, improve myocardial blood-supply, and promote normalization of electrical activities of the ischemia myocardium. This fact not only elucidates the recovery mechanism of the ischemic myocardium promoted by EA at Neiguan (P 6), but also provides morphological basis for the theory of relationship between Neiguan of the Pericardium Meridian and the heart.

Cutting balloon angioplasty for treatment of coronary in-stent restenosis: immediate results and 6-month outcomes

OBJECTIVE: To determine the mid-term effects of cutting balloon angioplasty (CBA) on in-stent restenosis. METHODS: A total of 69 patients with in-stent restenosis were divided into 2 groups randomly: cutting balloon angioplasty and plain old balloon angioplasty. The mechanisms of restenosis and dilation results were determined by quantitative coronary angiography and intravascular ultrasound. Follow-up was performed. RESULTS: The procedural success rate was 100% without death and acute closure. One patient experienced dissection at the distal end of the stent and needed another stent. The mean follow-up period was 6.7 +/- 2.3 months. The final re-restenosis rate was 15% and 18% at 3 months and 6 months respectively, markedly lower than after plain old balloon angioplasty (38% and 43%). Acute gain by intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) was 1.72 +/- 0.52 mm after cutting balloon angioplasty, higher than 1.15 +/- 0.54 mm after plain old balloon angioplasty. The lumen diameter late loss in the cutting balloon group was 0.26 +/- 0.05 mm and 0.38 +/- 0.06 mm at 3 months and 6 months respectively, significantly lower than for those in conventional balloon group (0.78 +/- 0.19 mm and 0.89 +/- 0.16 mm, respectively, P

Characteristics of coronary microvascular lesions in autopsied elderly with hypertensive left ventricular hypertrophy

OBJECTIVE: To observe the characteristics of coronary microvascular lesions (CML) in the autopsied elderly cases with hypertensive left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) and the difference of CML among the groups of essential hypertension (EHT), coronary heart disease (CHD) and diabetes (NIDDM) also with LVH. METHODS: A retrospective study was performed in 206 cases > or = 60 years old of EHT, CHD and NIDDM with LVH and 30 normal cases as control, out of 3195 consecutive autopsied cases from 1954 to 1996 in our hospital. Arterioles with diameters of 10 - 60 microm and capillaries in the muscular layer were shown by the methods of HE, Elastic fiber + VG staining and immunohistochemistry of CD31. Quantitative measurements on the arteriole density (AD), the ratio of arteriolar wall and cavity (RWC), capillary density (CD) and the area of endothelial cell (AEC) were performed with light microscope observation and image analysis by computer. According to the thickness of the left ventricle free wall, the severity of LVH was divided into four degrees from 0 to III. LVH of degree 0-III was observed in EHT group, while only LVH of degree I was found in CHD, EHT + CHD, and NIDDM groups. SAS system was used for statistical analysis. RESULTS: AD and RWC increased while CD and AEC decreased significantly with the progression of LVH in EHT groups (P

Follow-up of coronary artery lesions caused by Kawasaki disease and the value of coronary angiography

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the course of coronary artery lesions caused by Kawasaki disease, and the value of coronary angiography (CAG) and two-dimensional echocardiography (2-D Echo) in the evaluation and follow-up of coronary artery lesions. METHODS: Eighty seven patients with coronary artery lesions caused by Kawasaki disease from 1979 to 1997 were retrospectively analyzed. One hundred and sixty-seven CAGs were performed in 87 patients during follow-up. CAG was repeated every 1-3 years in each patient until complete regression was confirmed. 2-D Echo was performed before CAG each time. The longest period of follow-up was 16 years and 6 months. Patients were treated with aspirin or aspirin and warfarin. RESULTS: During follow-up, the coronary artery lesions regressed in 48/87 (55%) patients, however, they developed into severe coronary artery lesions in 6/87 (7%) patients in whom coronary artery bypass surgery was performed. The coronary artery aneurysm regressed in some patients, while stenotic lesions remained or developed. The ratio of coronary artery stenotic lesions to aneurysms increased progressively. This study showed that Echo diagnosis of coronary artery lesions has 'false positives' and 'false negatives'. Only 76% of coronary aneurysms and 18% of stenotic lesions could be found by 2-D Echo. No stenotic lesion could be found in distal segments of the coronary artery. CONCLUSIONS: Long term follow up revealed spontaneous regression occurred in 55% of patients and development into severe coronary artery stenosis in 7%. It is necessary to perform long-term follow-up in patients with coronary artery lesions caused by Kawasaki disease. 2-D Echo can not completely replace CAG during follow-up of coronary artery lesions caused by Kawasaki disease.

A new echocardiographic system for assessment of epicardial and intramyocardial coronary flow in a swine model

OBJECTIVE: To visualize epicardial and intramyocardial coronary blood flow by using a noninvasive echocardiography system. METHODS: In five juvenile swines, coronary flow imaging was used to visualize the different segments of epicardial coronary and intramyocardial arteries. Pulsed-Doppler spectrums were recorded and analyzed. The left anterior descending artery (LAD) and intramyocardial coronary blood flow signals were recorded at baseline and during dipyridamole administration. RESULTS: Epicardial and intramyocardial coronary arteries could be visualized by coronary flow imaging. The systolic component of coronary flow in the right coronary artery (RCA) was greater than in the LAD. The intramyocardial blood flow was characterized by persistent retrograde blood flow velocity during systole. Vasodilation with dipyridamole produced exaggerated differences in the phasic pattern of coronary blood flow in epicardial and intramyocardial vessels. CONCLUSION: Color Doppler coronary flow imaging provides a noninvasive method to study the coronary blood flow.

Percutaneous extraction of leads from coronary sinus vein and branch by modified techniques

Background Cardiac resynchronization therapy （CRT） device and coronary sinus （CS） lead extraction are required due to the occurrence of systemic infection, malfunction, or upgrade. Relevant research of CS lead extraction is rare, especially in developing countries because of the high cost and lack of specialized tools. We aimed to evaluate percutaneous extraction of CS leads by modified conventional techniques. Methods Of 200 patients referred for lead extraction from January 2007 to June 2011, 24 （12.0%） involved CS leads （24 CS leads）. We prospectively analyzed clinical characteristics, optimized extraction techniques and feasibility of extraction. Results Complete procedural success was achieved in 23 patients （95.8%）, and the clinical success in 24 patients （100.0%）. The leading indication for CS lead extraction was infection （66.7%）. Mean implant duration was （29.5±20.2） months （range, 3-78 months）. Sixteen CS leads （66.6%） were removed with locking stylets plus manual traction by superior transvenous approach. Mechanical dilatation and counter-traction was required to free fibrotic adhesions and extract 4 CS leads （16.7%）, which had longer implant duration than other leads （（62.5±12.3） vs. （22.9±14.1） months, P〈0.05）. Another 4 CS （16.7%） leads were removed by modified and innovative snare techniques from femoral vein approach. Median extraction time was 11 minutes （range, 3-61 minutes） per CS lead, which had significant correlation with implant duration （r = 0.8, P 〈0.001）. Sixteen patients （66.6%） were reimplanted with new devices at a median of 7.5 days after extraction. Median followed-up was 23.5 months （range, 8-61 months）, three patients died due to sudden cardiac death （26 months）, heart failure （45 and 57 months, respectively）. Conclusion The modified procedure was proved to be practical for percutaneous extraction of CS leads, especially in developing countries lacking expensive powered sheaths.

Predictors of atrial fibrillation after coronary artery bypass graft surgery

OBJECTIVE: To identify the clinical predictors of atrial fibrillation (AF) after coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG). METHODS: 322 consecutive patients who had undergone isolated CABG were reviewed. Preoperative, intraoperative and postoperative data were collected. Patients were grouped according to whether AF appeared postoperatively. RESULTS: AF occurred in 75 patients (23.3%). Most cases of AF (85.6%) appeared on or before the third postoperative day. The mean age for patients with AF was 62.5 years compared with 56.7 years for patients without AF (P or = 65 years (OR 2.7; 95% CI 1.5 to 5.1), lesions in the right coronary artery (OR 2.5; 95% CI 1.4 to 4.5), and early postoperative withdrawal of beta blocker (OR 3.9; 95% CI 2.1 to 7.7). CONCLUSIONS: AF remains the most common complication after CABG. Age and lesions in the right coronary artery can influence the incidence of AF, and beta blocker and magnesium may be the most economical and effective prevention for AF early after CABG.

Congenital coronary artery fistulas： dual-source CT findings from consecutive 6624 patients with suspected or confirmed coronary artery disease

Background Coronary artery fistulas （CAFs） are rare congenital abnormality often unintentionally found in patients with coronary artery disease. Clinical diagnosis of CAFs is difficult due to symptomless or lack of specific symptoms. Dual-source computed tomography （DSCT） might be a useful diagnostic tool for CAFs. The study aimed to retrospectively summarize the imaging features of CAFs delineated at DSCT in 48 CAF patients detected from consecutive 6624 patients with suspected or confirmed coronary artery disease in our institution. Methods Forty-eight patients underwent DSCT angiography by using retrospective electrocardiographic （ECG） gating after infusion of 70 ml of intravenous contrast material during breath hold. Maximum intensity projection （MIP）, curved planar reconstruction （CPR）, and volume rendering technique （VR） were obtained. Anomalous termination of coronary artery in each subject was evaluated by two radiologists （with more than 10 years experience with cardiovascular imaging）, and disagreement between diagnosis readers was settled by a consensus reading. Ten of 48 patients also underwent traditional coronary angiography （CAG） simultaneously. Results In each CAF case, DSCT angiography clearly demonstrated the origin, the termination, the size of abnormal vessel and its course in relation to surrounding great vessels. CAF arising from right coronary artery was the most common type, left circumflex was the least one involved among three coronaries, and pulmonary artery was the most common drainage site. Aneurismal fistulous tract, coronary atherosclerosis, myocardial bridging and anomalous origin of coronary artery were also detected in this group. The demonstration of drainage sites in CAG was consistent with DSCT angiography in 9 patients, and judgment on one anomalous connection in CAG was inconsistent with that in DSCT angiography. Conclusions DSCT angiography could provide accurate delineation of anomalous communications, size and numbers of fistulas in patients with CAFs. It suggested that DSCT is a useful tool for the assessment of CAFs and may be considered as the first-choice imaging modality, especially for patients with coronary artery disease.

Sixty-four-multi-detector computed tomography diagnosis of coronary artery anomalies in 66 patients

Background The abnormalities of coronary arteries, though rare and sometimes benign, may first present clinically as myocardial infarction or sudden death. Multi-detector computed tomography （MDCT） is a non-invasive test that is highly suitable for detecting these anomalies. The study aimed to review the 64-MDCT appearance of the coronary artery anomalies in 66 patients and to discuss the clinical importance of these anomalies.Methods In 6014 consecutive patients examined over 12 months by 64-MDCT for the study of coronary artery disease, 66 were diagnosed for coronary artery anomalies. All patients were symptomatic for one or more of the following diseases： chest pain, dyspnoea, palpitations, arrhythmia and myocardial infarction. Nine patients had undergone a coronary angiography. All the CT images were evaluated by two radiologists and one cardiologist. The right coronary artery （RCA） and the conus branch arising separately, myocardial bridging and duplication of arteries were not analysed in our study.Results The incidence of coronary artery anomalies found in our study group was 1.097%. In the selected patients, seven different types of coronary anomalies were found by 64-MDCT examination. The high takeoff, origin of the coronary artery from the opposite or noncoronary sinus with an anomalous course, and coronary artery fistula were the three common forms of anomalies （n=16, 18 and 16, respectively）. Compared with the results of the coronary angiography, the number of the drainage sites of two coronary artery fistula was less in MDCT images （3 small sites in total）. In all cases, coronary artery computed tomography angiography （CTA） technique was able to recognize the origin of the coronary artery, its three-dimensional course and its spatial relationship with the adjacent structures. Conventional coronary angiography in two cases, however, was unable to provide sufficient information for correct and complete diagnosis.Conclusions In conclusion, the study showed that 64-MDCT, especially the volume rendering technique （VRT）, may be useful for the assessment of complex variations, even if the conventional angiography may not be sufficient. It may be considered as the first-choice imaging modality when an anomalous coronary artery is suspected.

Efficacy and safety of therapeutic angiogenesis from direct myocardial administration of an adenoviral vector expressing vascular endothelial growth factor 165

OBJECTIVE: To investigate whether direct administration of adenoviral vectors (Ad) containing the complementary deoxyribonucleic acid (cDNA) of vascular endothelial growth factor 165 (Ad-VEGF165) induces porcine coronary collateral vessel formation, improves regional myocardial perfusion and function and is safe. METHODS: Three weeks after miniature swine underwent left thoracotomy and placement of an Ameroid constrictor on the left circumflex coronary artery (LCX), Ad-VEGF165 (n = 6) or the control, Ad expressing beta-galactosidase cDNA (Ad-Gal, n = 6), was directly administered into the ischemic myocardium in the circumflex distribution. All animals were sacrificed 4 wk after the second surgery. Myocardial perfusion and function were assessed by electrocardiogram-gated single photon emission computed tomography (GSPECT) imaging. Ex vivo coronary angiography was performed to examine collateral vessels. Toxicity was assessed by blood analyses on the day just before (day 0) and on day 1, 3, 7, 28 after vector delivery and by vascular, myocardial and liver histology after sacrifice. RESULTS: GSPECT imaging 4 wk after administration of Ad-VEGF165 demonstrated significant reduction in ischemic area (P