Effects of primary PCI and facilitated PCI on myocardial viability and ventricular systolic synchrony in acute myocardial infarction patients

Objective To evaluate short time effects of primary percutaneous coronary intervention (pPCI) and rtPA thrombolysis+PCI (rtPA+PCI) on myocardial viability and ventricular systolic synchrony in AMI patients.Methods Eighty seven patients with first AMI were divided into two groups: group A ( n =42), pPCI group, the patients underwent PCI within 6h after onset of AMI; group B ( n =45), rtPA+PCI group, the patients underwent PCI after thrombolysis within 6h after onset of AMI; Myocardial viability was measured by 99m Tc MIBI SPECT. While, the parameters of cardiac function LVEF and ventricular systolic synchrony LVPS were measured by 99m Tc gated cardiac blood pool image on the first and the fourth weekend. Results (1) The peak CK MB was significantly lower in group A than that in group B( P <0.01 ). (2) Myocardial infarction area (MIA) was decreased and radioactivity counts in MIA was significantly increased in group A and B on the 4th weekend compared with that on the first weekend ( P <0.01 ), but there were no significant difference between group A and group B. (3) LVEF, LVPS were no significant difference between group A and group B.Conclusions (1)pPCI in acute myocardial infartion can limit infarct area, maintain ventricular systolic synchrony and improve ventricular function; (2) but, in those hospitals that there were no any condition for PCI, they should transfer the patients to central hospital for PCI after thrombolysis at the first time. It is beneficial to improve myocardial viability and ventricular systolic synchrony of AMI patients in short time.

Beneficial Effects of Delayed Opening the Infarct - related Artery on Late Phase Left Ventricular Function in Acute Anterior Myocardial Infarction

Objectives To assess the effect of delayed opening the infarct - related artery (IRA) by percutanous coronary intervention (PCI) on the late phase left ventricular function after acute ante- rior myocardial infarction. Methods 64 patients with initial Q - wave anterior myocardial infarction and the infarct - related arteries were total occluded conformed by angiogram at 2 to 14 days after onset were divided into successful PCI group and control group ( not re- ceiving PCI or the IRA not re - opened). 2 - DE was performed at early phase ( about 3 weeks) , 2 and 6 months after onset of AMI respectively to detect the left ventricular function and left ventricular wall motion ab- normality (VWMA). The total congestive heart failure events were recorded during 6 months follow-up. Re- sults VWMA scores, left ventricular ejection frac- tion (LVEF) , left ventricular end - diastolic and end - systolic volume indices ( LVEDVI and LVDSVI) were similar in 2 groups at early phase and 2 months. There were no differences between early phase and 2 months in each group too. VWMA scores and LVEF did not changed at 6 months in each group compared with the early phase and 2 months ( P > 0. 05 ). But LVEDVI and LVESVI were significantly smaller in the successful PCI group than in the control group (P < 0.01, P < 0. 05). The congestive heart failure events were taken place in 19% of patients in control group com- pared with 2% in successful PCI group ( P > 0. 05 ). Conclusions Although the infarct size does not changed, delayed opening the IRA has beneficial effect to the late phase left ventricular dilatation after acuteanterior myocardial infarction.

Acute left ventricular failure after transcatheter closure of a secundum atrial septal defect in a patient with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy

We report a case of acute left ventricular failure at one hour after transcatheter closure of a secundum atrial septal defect （ASD） in a 28-year-old man with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. Afforded noninvasive mechanical ventilation and the administration of intravenous morphine and high doses of furosemide, the patient exhibited improvement of his clinical condition, redtion of pulmonary congestion at chest X-ray, and satisfactory blood gas analyses in twelve hours. Twentyfour hours later, the patient received oral administration of furosemide and metoprolol. After 7 days the patient was discharged in good clinical condition. At follow-up at 12 months, the patient had remained symptomatically improved from NYHA Class Ⅲ symptoms before the procedure to Class Ⅱ symptoms. There was no latent arrhythmia at the follow-up examination. Follow-up transthoracic echocardiography estimated an improvement of the left ventricular function. So,transcatheter closure of a secundum ASD in a patient with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy is feasible, and a thorough understanding of the hemodynamic condition of ASD and hypertrophic cardiomyopathy will reduce the complication of ASD closure.

Effect of Different Styles of Coronary Heart Disease and Its Risk Factors on Cardiac Remodeling and Dysfunction

Objectives To evaluate the effect of different styles of coronary heart disease （CHD）, different regions of acute myocardial infarction （AMI）, its risk factors and branches of coronary stenosis on left ventricular remodeling and dysfunction by applying echocardiography. Methods 251 patients with CHD and 96 patients without CHD （NoCHD） were verified by selective coronary angiography. CHD patients were divided into stable angina pectoris （SAP） 26, unstable angina pectoris（UAP） 53, acute myocardial infarction （AMI） 140 and old myocardial infarction （OMI） 30 based on clinical situation, cTnT, cardiac enzyme and ECG. AMI patients were further divided into subgroups including acute anterior myocardial infarct （Aa,n = 53）, acute inferior myocardial infarction （Ai, n=54） and Aa＋Ai （n=33） based on ECG. Cardiac parameters： end-diastolic interventricular septum thickness（IVSd）, end-diastolic left ventricular internal diameter （LVd）, left ventricular mass （LM）, end-diastolic left ventricular volume （EDV）, end-systolic left ventricular volume （ESV） and left ventricular ejection fraction（LVEF） were measured by ACUSON 128XP/10 echocardiography. Multiples linear regression analyses were performed to test statistical associations between LVEF and the involved branches of coronary stenosis, blood pressure, lipids, glucose and etc after onset of myocardial infarction. Results EDV and ESV were increased and LVEF decreased on patients with AMI,OMI and UAP （P〈0.05-0.0001）. LM was mainly increased in patients with OMI （P〈0.01） and LVd was mainly enlarged in patients with AMI. EF was significantly decreased and EDV, ESV, LM and LVd were remarkably increased in AMI patients with Aa and Aa＋Ai. With the multiple linear regression analyses by SPSS software, we found that LVEF was negatively correlated to the involved branches of coronary stenosis as well as to systolic blood pressure after onset of myocardial infarction while there was no significant correlation between LVEF and other factors. LVEF was significantly decreased, and LVd and LM increased in AMI patients with antecedent hypertension, compared to patients without hypertension （P〈0.001）. Conclusions Effects of different styles of CHD and different regions of AMI on left ventricular remodeling and cardiac function are different. Myocardial infarction, especially Aa and Aa＋Ai, is one of the most important causes of left ventricular remodeling and cardiac dysfunction. Multiple vessel stenosis and systolic blood pressure at the onset of myocardial infarction reduce LVEF in AMI patients. Antecedent hypertension may accelerate the effect of AMI on cardiac remodeling and dysfunction. Therefore primary and secondary preventions of CHD are critical for protecting heart from remodeling and dysfunction.