Performance of the EDACS-ADP incorporating high-sensitivity troponin assay:Do components of major adverse cardiac events matter?

BACKGROUND:The accelerated diagnostic protocol(ADP)using the Emergency Department Assessment of Chest pain Score(EDACS-ADP),a tool to identify patients at low risk of a major adverse cardiac event(MACE)among patients presenting with chest pain to the emergency department,was developed using a contemporary troponin assay.This study was performed to validate and compare the performance of the EDACS-ADP incorporating high-sensitivity cardiac troponin I between patients who had a 30-day MACE with and without unstable angina(MACE I and II,respectively).METHODS:A single-center prospective observational study of adult patients presenting with chest pain suggestive of acute coronary syndrome was performed.The performance of EDACS-ADP in predicting MACE was assessed by calculating the sensitivity and negative predictive value.RESULTS:Of the 1,304 patients prospectively enrolled,399(30.6%;95%confidence interval[95%CI]:27.7%–33.8%)were considered low-risk using the EDACS-ADP.Among them,the rates of MACE I and II were 1.3%(5/399)and 1.0%(4/399),respectively.The EDACS-ADP showed sensitivities and negative predictive values of 98.8%(95%CI:97.2%–99.6%)and 98.7%(95%CI:97.0%–99.5%)for MACE I and 98.7%(95%CI:96.8%–99.7%)and 99.0%(95%CI:97.4%–99.6%)for MACE II,respectively.CONCLUSION:EDACS-ADP could help identify patients as safe for early discharge.However,when unstable angina was added to the outcome,the 30-day MACE rate among the designated lowrisk patients remained above the level acceptable for early discharge without further evaluation.

The Relationship between T-Wave Alternans and Adverse Cardiac Events in Patients with Congenital Long QT Syndrome:A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Background:T-wave alternans(TWA)is a risk factor of ventricular arrhythmias or sudden cardiac death(SCD)in patients with ischemic cardiomyopathy.Nevertheless,the relationship between TWA and adverse cardiac events(ACE)in patients with congenital long QT syndrome(LQT)remains controversial.Methods:A systematic electronic search of PubMed,Embase and the Cochrane Library was conducted from database inception dates to 28 April 2021 and assessed the relationship between TWA and ACE in patients with LQTS.Sub-group analysis evaluated the association between microvolt TWA(MTWA)and ACE in different monitoring models and ECGlead numbers.Results:A pooled analysis of seven studies of 625 patients with LQTS showed that TWA was significantly associated with ACE(OR 3.16,95%CI 1.86–5.37,P<0.001).Advanced analysis showed that macroscopic TWA was significantly related to ACE(OR 6.01,95%CI 2.96–12.21,P<0.001),while MTWA did not(OR 0.92,95%CI 0.37–2.30,P=0.85).Sub-group analysis showed that MTWA recorded in 24 h continuous ECG(OR 6.79,95%CI 0.80–57.75,P=0.08)might have a stronger association with ACE than recorded in stress ECG(OR 0.28,95%CI 0.07–1.10,P=0.07).No difference was observed between MTWA measured in multi-lead ECG and limited ECG leads(P=0.15).Conclusions:Macroscopic TWA was significantly related to ACE in patients with LQTS.In terms of MTWA,MTWA recorded in 24 h continuous ECG might have a stronger association with ACE than stress ECG,but still deserves further evaluation.

Clinical perspective on C-reactive protein in prognostication of major adverse cardiac events in the elderly with established coronary heart disease

The systemic response to tissue injury, regardless of cause is characterized by a cytokine-mediated alteration in the hepatic synthesis of a number of different plasma proteins,known collectively as 'acute phase reactants'. These proteins include C-reactive protein, serum amyloid A protein, alphal glycoprotein, ceruloplasmin, alpha macroglobulins, complement components (C1-C4, factor B, C9, C11), alpha1antitrypsin, alpha1 antichymotrypsin, fibrinogen, prothrombin,factor Ⅷ, plasminogen, haptoglobin, ferritin, immunoglobulins and lipoproteins. The initiation of the acute phase response is linked to the production of hormone-like polypeptide mediators now called cytokines, namedly, interleukin 1(IL-1),tumor necrosis factor, interferon gamma, interleukin 6 (IL-6),leukemia inhibitory factor, ciliary neurotropic factor, oncostatin M, and interleukin 11 (IL- 11).……

Critical values of monitoring indexes for perioperative major adverse cardiac events in elderly patients with biliary diseases

BACKGROUND Major adverse cardiac events(MACE) in elderly patients with biliary diseases are the main cause of perioperative accidental death, but no widely recognized quantitative monitoring index of perioperative cardiac function so far.AIM To investigate the critical values of monitoring indexes for perioperative MACE in elderly patients with biliary diseases.METHODS The clinical data of 208 elderly patients with biliary diseases in our hospital from May 2016 to April 2021 were retrospectively analysed. According to whether MACE occurred during the perioperative period, they were divided into the MACE group and the non-MACE group.RESULTS In the MACE compared with the non-MACE group, postoperative complications, mortality, hospital stay, high sensitivity troponin-Ⅰ(Hs-TnI), creatine kinase isoenzyme(CK-MB), myoglobin(MYO), B-type natriuretic peptide(BNP), and Ddimer(D-D) levels were significantly increased(P < 0.05). Multivariate logistic regression showed that postoperative BNP and D-D were independent risk factors for perioperative MACE, and their cut-off values in the receiver operating characteristic(ROC) curve were 382.65 pg/mL and 0.965 mg/L, respectively.CONCLUSION The postoperative BNP and D-D were independent risk factors for perioperative MACE, with the critical values of 382.65 pg/mL and 0.965 mg/L respectively. Consequently, timely monitoring and effective maintenance of perioperative cardiac function stability are of great clinical significance to further improve the perioperative safety of elderly patients with biliary diseases.

Anti-inflammatory Therapy Progress in Major Adverse Cardiac Events after PCI:Chinese and Western Medicine

Acute coronary syndrome(ACS)is one of the leading causes of death in cardiovascular disease.Percutaneous coronary intervention(PCI)is an important method for the treatment of coronary heart disease(CHD),and it has greatly reduced the mortality of ACS patients since its application.However,a series of new problems may occur after PCI,such as in-stent restenosis,no-reflow phenomenon,in-stent neoatherosclerosis,late stent thrombosis,myocardial ischemia-reperfusion injury,and malignant ventricular arrhythmias,which result in the occurrence of major adverse cardiac events(MACE)that seriously reduce the postoperative benefit for patients.The inflammatory response is a key mechanism of MACE after PCI.Therefore,examining effective anti-inflammatory therapies after PCI in patients with ACS is a current research focus to reduce the incidence of MACE.The pharmacological mechanism and clinical efficacy of routine Western medicine treatment for the anti-inflammatory treatment of CHD have been verified.Many Chinese medicine(CM)preparations have been widely used in the treatment of CHD.Basic and clinical studies showed that effectiveness of the combination of CM and Western medicine treatments in reducing incidence of MACE after PCI was better than Western medicine treatment alone.The current paper reviewed the potential mechanism of the inflammatory response and occurrence of MACE after PCI in patients with ACS and the research progress of combined Chinese and Western medicine treatments in reducing incidence of MACE.The results provide a theoretical basis for further research and clinical treatment.

Predicting major adverse cardiovascular events after orthotopic liver transplantation using a supervised machine learning model:A cohort study

BACKGROUND Liver transplant(LT)patients have become older and sicker.The rate of post-LT major adverse cardiovascular events(MACE)has increased,and this in turn raises 30-d post-LT mortality.Noninvasive cardiac stress testing loses accuracy when applied to pre-LT cirrhotic patients.AIM To assess the feasibility and accuracy of a machine learning model used to predict post-LT MACE in a regional cohort.METHODS This retrospective cohort study involved 575 LT patients from a Southern Brazilian academic center.We developed a predictive model for post-LT MACE(defined as a composite outcome of stroke,new-onset heart failure,severe arrhythmia,and myocardial infarction)using the extreme gradient boosting(XGBoost)machine learning model.We addressed missing data(below 20%)for relevant variables using the k-nearest neighbor imputation method,calculating the mean from the ten nearest neighbors for each case.The modeling dataset included 83 features,encompassing patient and laboratory data,cirrhosis complications,and pre-LT cardiac assessments.Model performance was assessed using the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve(AUROC).We also employed Shapley additive explanations(SHAP)to interpret feature impacts.The dataset was split into training(75%)and testing(25%)sets.Calibration was evaluated using the Brier score.We followed Transparent Reporting of a Multivariable Prediction Model for Individual Prognosis or Diagnosis guidelines for reporting.Scikit-learn and SHAP in Python 3 were used for all analyses.The supplementary material includes code for model development and a user-friendly online MACE prediction calculator.RESULTS Of the 537 included patients,23(4.46%)developed in-hospital MACE,with a mean age at transplantation of 52.9 years.The majority,66.1%,were male.The XGBoost model achieved an impressive AUROC of 0.89 during the training stage.This model exhibited accuracy,precision,recall,and F1-score values of 0.84,0.85,0.80,and 0.79,respectively.Calibration,as assessed by the Brier score,indicated excellent model calibration with a score of 0.07.Furthermore,SHAP values highlighted the significance of certain variables in predicting postoperative MACE,with negative noninvasive cardiac stress testing,use of nonselective beta-blockers,direct bilirubin levels,blood type O,and dynamic alterations on myocardial perfusion scintigraphy being the most influential factors at the cohort-wide level.These results highlight the predictive capability of our XGBoost model in assessing the risk of post-LT MACE,making it a valuable tool for clinical practice.CONCLUSION Our study successfully assessed the feasibility and accuracy of the XGBoost machine learning model in predicting post-LT MACE,using both cardiovascular and hepatic variables.The model demonstrated impressive performance,aligning with literature findings,and exhibited excellent calibration.Notably,our cautious approach to prevent overfitting and data leakage suggests the stability of results when applied to prospective data,reinforcing the model’s value as a reliable tool for predicting post-LT MACE in clinical practice.

Elevated cardiovascular risk and acute events in hospitalized colon cancer survivors:A decade-apart study of two nationwide cohorts

BACKGROUND Over the years,strides in colon cancer detection and treatment have boosted survival rates;yet,post-colon cancer survival entails cardiovascular disease(CVD)risks.Research on CVD risks and acute cardiovascular events in colorectal cancer survivors has been limited.AIM To compare the CVD risk and adverse cardiovascular outcomes in current colon cancer survivors compared to a decade ago.METHODS We analyzed 2007 and 2017 hospitalization data from the National Inpatient Sample,studying two colon cancer survivor groups for CVD risk factors,mortality rates,and major adverse events like pulmonary embolism,arrhythmia,cardiac arrest,and stroke,adjusting for confounders via multivariable regression analysis.RESULTS Of total colon cancer survivors hospitalized in 2007(n=177542)and 2017(n=178325),the 2017 cohort often consisted of younger(76 vs 77 years),male,African-American,and Hispanic patients admitted non-electively vs the 2007 cohort.Furthermore,the 2017 cohort had higher rates of smoking,alcohol abuse,drug abuse,coagulopathy,liver disease,weight loss,and renal failure.Patients in the 2017 cohort also had higher rates of cardiovascular comorbidities,including hypertension,hyperlipidemia,diabetes,obesity,peripheral vascular disease,congestive heart failure,and at least one traditional CVD(P<0.001)vs the 2007 cohort.On adjusted multivariable analysis,the 2017 cohort had a significantly higher risk of pulmonary embolism(PE)(OR:1.47,95%CI:1.37-1.48),arrhythmia(OR:1.41,95%CI:1.38-1.43),atrial fibrillation/flutter(OR:1.61,95%CI:1.58-1.64),cardiac arrest including ventricular tachyarrhythmia(OR:1.63,95%CI:1.46-1.82),and stroke(OR:1.28,95%CI:1.22-1.34)with comparable all-cause mortality and fewer routine discharges(48.4%vs 55.0%)(P<0.001)vs the 2007 cohort.CONCLUSION Colon cancer survivors hospitalized 10 years apart in the United States showed an increased CVD risk with an increased risk of acute cardiovascular events(stroke 28%,PE 47%,arrhythmia 41%,and cardiac arrest 63%).It is vital to regularly screen colon cancer survivors with concomitant CVD risk factors to curtail long-term cardiovascular complications.

Contemporary nationwide trends in major adverse cardiovascular events in young cannabis users without concomitant tobacco,alcohol,cocaine use

BACKGROUND Cannabis use has increased among young individuals in recent years.Although dependent cannabis use disorder(CUD)has been associated with various cardiac events,its effects on young adults without concurrent substance use remain understudied.AIM To examine trends in hospitalizations for major adverse cardiac and cerebrovascular events(MACCE)in this cohort.METHODSWe used the National Inpatient Sample(2016-2019)to identify hospitalized young individuals(18-44 years),excluding those with concurrent substance usage(tobacco,alcohol,and cocaine).They were divided into CUD+and CUD-.Using International Classification of Diseases-10 codes,we examined the trends in MACCE hospitalizations,including all-cause mortality(ACM),acute myocardial infarction(AMI),cardiac arrest(CA),and acuteischemic stroke(AIS).RESULTSOf 27.4 million hospitalizations among young adults without concurrent substance abuse,4.2%(1.1 million)hadco-existent CUD.In CUD+group,hospitalization rates for MACCE(1.71%vs 1.35%),AMI(0.86%vs 0.54%),CA(0.27%vs 0.24%),and AIS(0.49%vs 0.35%)were higher than in CUD-group(P<0.001).However,rate of ACMhospitalizations was lower in CUD+group(0.30%vs 0.44%).From 2016 to 2019,CUD+group experienced arelative rise of 5%in MACCE and 20%in AMI hospitalizations,compared to 22%and 36%increases in CUDgroup(P<0.05).The CUD+group had a 13%relative decrease in ACM hospitalizations,compared to a 10%relative rise in CUD-group(P<0.05).However,when adjusted for confounders,MACCE odds among CUD+cohort remain comparable between 2016 and 2019.CONCLUSIONThe CUD+group had higher rates of MACCE,but the rising trends were more apparent in the CUD-group overtime.Interestingly,the CUD+group had lower ACM rates than the CUD-group.

Risk factors for perioperative major cardiac events in Chinese elderly patients with coronary heart disease undergoing noncardiac surgery

Background Few studies have investigated perioperative major adverse cardiac events （MACEs） in elderly Chinese patients with coronary heart disease （CHD） undergoing noncardiac surgery. This study examined the incidence and risk factors for perioperative MACE in elderly patients who underwent noncardiac surgery, and established a risk stratification system. Methods This retrospective observational clinical study included 482 patients aged -〉60 years with CHD who underwent elective major noncardiac surgery at the Peking Union Medical College Hospital. The primary outcome was MACE within 30 days after surgery. Risk factors were evaluated using multivariate Logistic regression analysis. Results Perioperative MACE occurred in 61（12.66%） of the study patients. Five independent risk factors for perioperative MACE were identified： history of heart failure, preoperative arrhythmia, preoperative diastolic blood pressure 〈75 mmHg, American Society of Anesthesiologists grade 3 or higher, and intraoperative blood transfusion. The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve for the risk-index score was 0.710＋0.037. Analysis of the risk stratification system showed that the incidence of perioperative MACE increased significantly with increasing levels of risk. Conclusions Elderly Chinese patients with CHD who undergo noncardiac surgery have a high risk of perioperative MACE. Five independent risk factors for perioperative MACE were identified. Our risk stratification system may be useful for assessing perioperative cardiac risk in elderly patients undergoing noncardiac surgery.

Relation between pre-procedural glucose levels and incidence of major adverse cardiac events in chronic kidney disease patients without established diabetes undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention

Background It is well known that there was a significant link between preprocedural blood glucose levels and short-term and long-term adverse outcomes in patients undergoing elective PCI. However, the role of preprocedural blood glucose levels as a predictor of adverse events in CKD patients who underwent PCI out of established diabetes has acute were coronary syndrome yet to be （ACS） identified. Methods In our study, we conducted a prospective study of 331 patients with CKD who underwent PCI out of established diabetes. Patients divided into two groups based on pre-procedural glucose levels （hypoglycemia 〈 7.0 mmol/L; hyperglycemia ≥ 7.0 mmol/L）. All patients were followed up prospectively for major adverse cardiovascular events （MACEs） and mortality for 6 months. Results In our cohort, hyperglycemia patients reported a higher incidence of inhospital mortality than hypoglycemia patients （7.5% vs. 0%, P 〈 0.001）. Hyperglycemia patients reported a significantly higher rate of 6-month MACEs （10% vs. 2.4%, P = 0.007）, all cause mortality （7.5% vs. 1.6%, P = 0.015）, and cardiovascular mortality （6.2%vs 1.6%, P = 0.041） compared with hypoglycemia patients with pre-procedural glucose levels 〈 7.0 mmol/L. Multivariate analysis disclosed that a pre-procedural glucose level ≥7.0 mmol/L was a significant independent predictor of MACEs （OR = 2.53, 95% CI 1.68-17.15, P = 0.004）, all cause mortality（OR = 4.6, 95% CI 1.10-18.84, P = 0.036）, and cardiovascular mortality（OR = 6.2, 95% CI 1.53-24.94, P = 0.011） at 6 months in patients after PCI. Conclusion The study suggested that pre-procedural glucose levels are associated with short-term cardiovascular outcome CKD patients who underwent PCI without established diabetes in the setting of ACS.

Long-term outcomes of titanium-nitride-oxide coated stents and drug-eluting stents in acute coronary syndrome:A systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND In severe cases of coronary artery disease,percutaneous coronary intervention provide promising results.The stent used could be a drug-eluting stent(DES)or a titanium-nitride-oxide coated stent(TiNOS).AIM To compare the 5-year effectiveness and safety of the two stent types.METHODS The following systematic review and meta-analysis was conducted in accordance with the preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analysis guidelines,and PubMed/MEDLINE,Scopus,and Cochrane Central were searched from inception till August 2023.Primary outcomes were major adverse cardiac events(MACE),cardiac death,myocardial infarction(MI),cardiac death or MI,and ischemia-driven total lesion revascularization(ID-TLR).RESULTS Four randomized controlled trials(RCT),which analyzed a sum total of 3045 patients with acute coronary syndrome(ACS)after a median follow-up time of 5 years were included.Though statistically insignificant,an increase in the ID-TLR was observed in patients receiving TiNOSs vs DESs.In addition,MI,cardiac death and MI,and definite stent thrombosis(DST)were significantly decreased in the TiNOS arm.Baseline analysis revealed no significant results with meta-regression presenting non-ST elevated MI(NSTEMI)as a statistically significant covariate in the outcome of MACE.CONCLUSION TiNOS was found to be superior to DES in terms of MI,cardiac death or MI,and DST outcomes,however,the effect of the two stent types on ID-TLR and MACE was not significant.A greater number of studies are required to establish an accurate comparison of patient outcomes in TiNOS and DES.

Initial decrease in the lipoprotein(a)level is a novel prognostic biomarker in patients with acute coronary syndrome

BACKGROUND Lipoprotein(a)[Lp(a)]is a causal risk factor for atherosclerotic cardiovascular diseases;however,its role in acute coronary syndrome(ACS)remains unclear.AIM To investigate the hypothesis that the Lp(a)levels are altered by various conditions during the acute phase of ACS,resulting in subsequent cardiovascular events.METHODS From September 2009 to May 2016,377 patients with ACS who underwent emergent coronary angiography,and 249 who completed≥1000 d of follow-up were enrolled.Lp(a)levels were measured using an isoform-independent assay at each time point from before percutaneous coronary intervention(PCI)to 48 h after PCI.The primary endpoint was the occurrence of major adverse cardiac events(MACE;cardiac death,other vascular death,ACS,and non-cardiac vascular events).RESULTS The mean circulating Lp(a)level decreased significantly from pre-PCI(0 h)to 12 h after(19.0 mg/dL to 17.8 mg/dL,P<0.001),and then increased significantly up to 48 h after(19.3 mg/dL,P<0.001).The changes from 0 to 12 h[Lp(a)Δ0-12]significantly correlated with the basal levels of creatinine[Spearman’s rank correlation coefficient(SRCC):-0.181,P<0.01]and Lp(a)(SRCC:-0.306,P<0.05).Among the tertiles classified according to Lp(a)Δ0-12,MACE was significantly more frequent in the lowest Lp(a)Δ0-12 group than in the remaining two tertile groups(66.2%vs 53.6%,P=0.034).A multivariate analysis revealed that Lp(a)Δ0-12[hazard ratio(HR):0.96,95%confidence interval(95%CI):0.92-0.99]and basal creatinine(HR:1.13,95%CI:1.05-1.22)were independent determinants of subsequent MACE.CONCLUSION Circulating Lp(a)levels in patients with ACS decreased significantly after emergent PCI,and a greater decrease was independently associated with a worse prognosis.

Atrial fibrillation and prediabetes:A liaison that merits attention!

Atrial fibrillation(AF)and prediabetes share common pathophysiological mechanisms with endothelial dysfunction and inflammation playing a key role.The resultant vicious cycle which sets in culminates in a higher atherogenicity and thermogenicity of the vascular system resulting in increased major adverse cardiac or cerebrovascular event(MACCE)events.However,the same has not convincingly been verified in real-world settings.In the recent retrospective study by Desai et al amongst AF patients being admitted to hospitals following MACCE,prediabetes emerged as an independent risk factor for MACCE after adjusting for all confounding variables.However,certain questions like the role of metformin,quantifying the risk for MACCE amongst prediabetes compared to diabetes,the positive impact of reversion to normoglycemia remain unanswered.We provide our insights and give future directions for dedicated research in this area to clarify the exact relationship between the two.

In-hospital outcomes in COVID-19 patients with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease by severity of obesity:Insights from national inpatient sample 2020

BACKGROUND Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease(NAFLD)increases the risk of cardiovascular diseases independently of other risk factors.However,data on its effect on cardiovascular outcomes in coronavirus disease 2019(COVID-19)hospitalizations with varied obesity levels is scarce.Clinical management and patient care depend on understanding COVID-19 admission results in NAFLD patients with varying obesity levels.AIM To study the in-hospital outcomes in COVID-19 patients with NAFLD by severity of obesity.METHODS COVID-19 hospitalizations with NAFLD were identified using International Classification of Disease-10 CM codes in the 2020 National Inpatient Sample database.Overweight and Obesity Classes Ⅰ,Ⅱ,and Ⅲ(body mass index 30-40)were compared.Major adverse cardiac and cerebrovascular events(MACCE)(all-cause mortality,acute myocardial infarction,cardiac arrest,and stroke)were compared between groups.Multivariable regression analyses adjusted for sociodemographic,hospitalization features,and comorbidities.RESULTS Our analysis comprised 13260 hospitalizations,7.3% of which were overweight,24.3% Class Ⅰ,24.1% Class Ⅱ,and 44.3% Class Ⅲ.Class Ⅲ obesity includes younger patients,blacks,females,diabetics,and hypertensive patients.On multivariable logistic analysis,Class Ⅲ obese patients had higher risks of MACCE,inpatient mortality,and respiratory failure than Class Ⅰ obese patients.Class Ⅱ obesity showed increased risks of MACCE,inpatient mortality,and respiratory failure than Class I,but not significantly.All obesity classes had non-significant risks of MACCE,inpatient mortality,and respiratory failure compared to the overweight group.CONCLUSION Class Ⅲ obese NAFLD COVID-19 patients had a greater risk of adverse outcomes than class Ⅰ.Using the overweight group as the reference,unfavorable outcomes were not significantly different.Morbid obesity had a greater risk of MACCE regardless of the referent group(overweight or Class Ⅰ obese)compared to overweight NAFLD patients admitted with COVID-19.

Obesity paradox among elderly patients with coronary artery disease undergoing non-cardiac surgery

Background High body mass index （BMI） is a risk factor for chronic cardiac disease. However, mounting evidence supports that high BMI is associated with less risk of cardiac morbidity and mortality compared with normal BMI, also known as the obesity paradox. There- fore, we sought to determine the existence of the obesity paradox in regard to perioperative 30-day cardiac events among elderly Chinese patients with known coronary artery disease undergoing non-cardiac surgery. Methods A post-hoc analysis of a prospective, multi-institutional cohort study was performed. Patients aged 〉 60 years with a history of coronary artery disease and undergoing non-cardiac surgery were grouped according to BMI： underweight （〈 18.5 kg/m2）, normal weight （18.5-24.9 kg/m2）, overweight （25-29.9 kg/m2） and obese （≥ 30 kg/m2）. Demographic information, perioperative clinical variables and incidence of 30-day postoperative cardiac adverse event were retrieved from a research database. Results We identified 1202 eligible patients （BMI： 24.3 ± 3.8 kg/m2）. Across BMI groups, a U-shaped distribution pattern of incidence of 30-day postoperative major cardiac events was observed, with the lowest risk in the overweight group. When using the normal-weight group as a reference, no difference was found in either the obesity or overweight groups in terms of a major cardiac adverse event （MACE）. However, risk of a 30-day postoperative MACE was significantly higher in the underweight group （odds ratio [OR] 2.916, 95% confidence interval [CI]： 1.072-7.931, P = 0.036）. Conclusion Although not statistically significant, the U-shaped relation between BMI and cardiac complications indicates the obesity paradox possibly exists.

Clinical Signifi cance of Angiographically Detectable Neovascularity in Patients with Cardiac Myxoma

Background:Myxomas are the most common primary cardiac tumors.Angiographically detectable neovascularity(ADN)of myxoma is increasingly being reported as a result of the use of coronary angiography(CAG)to detect coronary artery disease.However,the clinical signifi cance of these fi ndings is not fully understood.Methods:We enrolled 59 patients with cardiac myxoma who also underwent CAG between January 2013 and October 2018.Patients were followed up for a mean of 28.9 months(range 1-69 months).The clinical features,echocardiography measurements,pathological examination fi ndings,CAG results,and outcomes during follow-up were compared between patients with ADN and patients without ADN.Results:ADN was found in 25 patients(42.4%).The arteries feeding the ADN included the right coronary artery(n=15),the left circumfl ex coronary artery(n=7),and both arteries(n=3).The patients with ADN had a higher proportion of eosinophils(3.2%vs.2.2%,P=0.03)and higher low-density lipoprotein cholesterol level(2.7 mmol/L vs.2.2 mmol/L,P=0.02).Myxoma pedicles were more likely to be located in the interatrial septum in patients with ADN(96%vs.73.5%,P=0.02).No signifi cant correlation was observed between the groups in clinical manifestations,atrial arrhythmia,myxoma size,cardiac chamber size,left ventricular ejection fraction,and the prevalence of complication with coronary artery disease[16%in the ADN group(n=4)vs.20.6%in the non-ADN group(n=7),P=0.66].However,patients with ADN tended to have a lower incidence of major adverse cardiac and cerebrovascular events on long-term follow-up(0%vs.14.7%,P=0.07).Conclusion:CAG-detected ADN in patients with cardiac myxoma is associated with a borderline lower rate of major adverse cardiac and cerebrovascular events.

Assessment of C-Reactive Protein/Serum Albumin Ratio in Relation to Acute Presentation and Early Outcome of Patients with Acute Coronary Syndrome

Background: Acute coronary syndrome (ACS) is the leading cardiovascular (CV) cause of mortality. C reactive protein (CRP) has linked with long-term risk of recurrent cardiovascular events or death. Albumin, in contrast to CRP known as a negative acute-phase protein. Thus a newly introduced marker assessed relation of CRP to albumin ratio (CAR), which may provide better results than the use of either marker alone. The aim of the study is to assess the association of C-reactive protein to albumin ratio (CAR) with in-hospital short-term major adverse cardiac events (MACEs) in acute coronary syndrome (ACS) patients. Patients & Methods: A multi-centers prospective cohort study was conducted at coronary intensive care units (CICU) in Baghdad during the period from March to October 2021 that included a total of 132 patients who were diagnosed as a case of ACS. They were assessed for major adverse cardiac events (MACEs) like cardiogenic shock, arrhythmias, post-MI angina, and acute heart failure while inside the ward, in addition to need for early interventional therapeutic approach in relation to (CAR) immediately at time of admission to hospital. Results: High values of CAR, whether using hs-CRP or CRP, were identified as an independent predictor for in-hospital MACEs (P value Conclusion: The CAR was independently correlated with in-hospital short-term MACEs and can be used for risk stratification in patients with ACS.

Potential impact of specific therapy on pregnant women with pulmonary arterial hypertension without cardiac shunt:a descriptive study in northern China

Background:Pregnancy in women with pulmonary arterial hypertension(PAH)is a fatal condition,despite the effectiveness of PAH-specific therapies.The coverage status and effect of specific therapies in pregnant patients with PAH without cardiac shunts in China remain unclear.To investigate this issue,we conducted a multicenter retrospective study in northern China.Methods:The study included 85 patients who were admitted to 4 clinical centers in Shandong Province between October 2010 and August 2020.Maternal endpoint events included(1)maternal death and/or(2)major adverse cardiac events,both occurring during pregnancy or within 6 weeks postpartum.Results:Although the overall mortality rate was encouraging(11.8%),the number of patients receiving PAH-specific therapies was extremely low(28.2%).Moreover,only 15.3%of patients received adequate duration of PAH-specific therapy(≥4 weeks)before delivery,and this subgroup showed the lowest major adverse cardiac events rate(7.7%)compared with that in the untreated(19.7%)and short-time treated groups(<4 weeks;54.5%).Conclusion:Pregnant patients with PAH without cardiac shunts face significantly increased mortality risks.Short-term PAH-specific therapy does not guarantee favorable maternal outcomes.Prepregnancy screening,early identification,and timely intervention are expected to improve maternal outcomes in pregnant women with PAH.

Impact of admission blood glucose levels on prognosis of elderly patients with ST elevation myocardial infarction treated by primary percutaneous coronary intervention

OBJECTIVE:Admission hyperglycemia in acute myocardial infarction (MI) is related with increased in-hospital and long term mortality and major cardiac adverse events。 We aimed to investigate how admission hyperglycemia affects the short and long term outcomes in elderly patients >65 years) after primary percutaneous coronary intervention for ST elevation myocardial infarction。 METHODS:We retrospectively analyzed 677 consecutive elderly patients (mean age 72.2 ±5.4)。 Patients were divided into two groups according to admission blood glucose levels。 Group : low glucose group (LLG), glucose < 168 mg/dL; and Group 2: high glucose group (HGG), glucose >168 mg/dL。 RESULTS:In-hospital, long term mortality and in-hospital major adverse cardiac events were higher in the high admission blood glucose group (P <0.001)。 Multivariate regression analysis showed: Killip > 1, post-thrombolysis in MI <3 and admission blood glucose levels were independent predictors of in-hospital adverse cardiac events (P <0.001)。 CONCLUSIONS:Admission hyperglycemia in elderly patients presented with ST elevation myocardial infarction is an independent predictor of in-hospital major adverse cardiac events and is associated with in-hospital and long term mortality。

Therapeutic effect of interventional therapy for unprotected left main coronary artery lesions in aged patients

Objective To assesse the therapeutic effect of interventional therapy in aged patients with unprotected left main coronary artery （UPLM） lesions. Methods A total of 61 patients who were over 60 years and accepted interventional therapy of UPLM from January 2012 to November 2013 in our hospital were followed up for average 14.6 months by telephone call or outpatient visits. We analyzed the clinical features data of the interventional therapy and assessed the factors that likely influenced the clinical prognosis. Results The average age of the 61 patients was 73.9 years. The average left ventricular ejection fraction （LVEF） was 47.7%. The median of the estimated glomerular filtration rate （eGFR） was 52 mL/min per 1.73 mmz. The average SYNTAX score was 27.4 and the median of stent length was 36 mm. The cumulative incidence of cardiac death at 30 days and major adverse cardiac events （MACE） after one year was 6.6% and 32.5% estimated by Kaplan-Meier plots respectively. No severe hemorrhagic complications were observed during follow-up period. On multivariate regression analysis with a COX proportional hazards model, LVEF was an independent predictor of cardiac death at 30 days [Hazard ratio （HR）： 0.7, P = 0.01]. As for MACE after one year, LVEF and eGFR were both independent predictors （HR： 0.91, P = 0.06 for LVEF, HR： 0.03, P = 0.097 for eGFR）. Conclusions The interventional therapy for UPLM was effective and safe in aged patients. LVEF was the only predictor of cardiac death at 30 days, while LVEF and eGFR were both independent predictors of MACE after one year.