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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Comparison of clinical outcomes of Chinese men and women after coronary stenting for coronary artery disease:a multi-center retrospective analysis of 4,334 patients

The outcome differences between Chinese male and female patients within one-year follow-up after percutaneous coronary intervention（PCI） with stent remain unclear.The present study was aimed to compare clinical outcomes in such two populations.From May 1999 to December 2009,4,334 patients with acute myocardial infarction（MI）,unstable angina,stable angina,or silent ischemia,who underwent PCI,were registered at our centers.Among these,3,089 were men and 1,245 were women.We compared these groups with respect to the primary outcomes of MI and secondary outcomes including a composite of major adverse cardiac events（MACE） including cardiac death,MI,target lesion revascularization,target vessel revascularization（TVR）,stent thrombosis（ST）,definite ST and probable ST at one-year follow-up.Chinese male patients had a higher MACE rate（13%vs.10.7%,P =0.039）,mainly led by TVR（9.09%vs.6.98%,P=0.024） at one year,which was significantly different than female patients.Chinese male and female patients showed a significant difference on MACEs.However,there was no significant difference with respect to MI between these groups.

Challenges in managing ST elevation myocardial infarction during the COVID-19 pandemic

BACKGROUND Coronavirus disease 2019(COVID-19)may contribute to delayed presentations of acute myocardial infarction.Delayed presentation with late reperfusion is often associated with an increased risk of mechanical complications and adverse outcomes.Inherent delays are possible as every patient who is acutely sick is being considered a potential case or a career of COVID-19.Also,standardized personal protective equipment precautions are established for all members of the team,regardless of pending COVID-19 testing which might further add to delays.AIM To compare performance measures and clinical outcomes of all patients who presented to our facility with ST elevation myocardial infarction(STEMI)during the COVID-19 pandemic to same time cohort from 2019.METHODS All patients who presented to our facility with STEMI during the pandemic were compared to a matched cohort during the same time period in 2019.STEMI with unknown time of symptom onset and inpatient STEMI patients were excluded.Primary outcome was major adverse cardiac events(MACE)in-hospital and up to 14 d after STEMI,including death,myocardial infarction,cardiac arrest,or stroke.Significant differences among groups for continuous variables were tested through ANOVA,using SYSTAT,version 13.Chi-square tests of association were used to compare patient characteristics among groups using SYSTAT.Relative risk scores and associated tests for significance were calculated for discrete variables using MedCalc(MedCalc Software,Ostend,Belgium).RESULTS There was a significantly longer time interval from symptom onset to first medical contact(FMC)in the COVID-19 group(P<0.02).Time to first electrocardiogram,door-to-balloon time,and FMC to balloon time were not significantly affected.The right coronary artery was the most common culprit for STEMI in both the cohorts.Over 60%of patients had one or more obstructive(>50%)lesion(s)remote from the culprit site.In-hospital and 14 d MACE were more prevalent in the COVID-19 group(P<0.01 and P<0.001).CONCLUSION This single academic center study in the United States suggests that there is a delay in patients with STEMI seeking medical attention during the COVID-19 pandemic which could be translating into worse clinical outcomes.

Day-to-day blood pressure variability predicts poor outcomes following percutaneous coronary intervention:A retrospective study

BACKGROUND For patients with cardiovascular disease,blood pressure variability(BPV),distinct from hypertension,is an important determinant of adverse cardiac events.Whether pre-operative BPV adversely affects outcomes after percutaneous coronary intervention(PCI)is to this point unclear.AIM To investigate the relationship between blood pressure variability and outcomes for patients post-PCI.METHODS Patients undergoing PCI in a single state in 2017 were studied(n=647).Systolic and diastolic BPV,defined as both the largest change and standard deviation for the 3-60 mo prior to PCI was calculated and patients with more than ten blood pressure measurements in that time were included for analysis(n=471).Adverse outcomes were identified up to a year following the procedure,including major adverse cardiac events(MACE),myocardial infarction,cerebrovascular accident,death,and all-cause hospitalization.RESULTS Visit-to-visit systolic BPV,as measured by both standard deviation and largest change,was higher in patients who had myocardial infarction,were readmitted,or died within one year following PCI.Systolic BPV,as measured by largest change or standard deviation,was higher in patients who had MACE,or readmissions(P<0.05).Diastolic BPV,as measured by largest change,was higher in patients with MACE and readmissions(P<0.05).CONCLUSION As BPV is easily measured and captured in the electronic medical record,these findings describe a novel method of identifying at-risk patients who undergo PCI.Aggressive risk modification for patients with elevated BPV and known coronary artery disease is indicated.

Safety and performance of the EverProTM everolimus-eluting coronary stent system with biodegradable polymer in a real-world scenario

BACKGROUND The EverProTM(Sahajanand Laser Technology Ltd.,India)everolimus-eluting coronary stent system(EES)is a second-generation drug-eluting stent with a biodegradable polymer.AIM To determine the safety and performance of the EverProTM EES in patients with coronary artery disease(CAD)during a 1-year clinical follow-up.METHODS This observational,retrospective,single-center study enrolled patients who had been implanted with the EverProTM stent between June 1,2018 and January 31,2019,and had completed a 1-year follow-up period after the index procedure.The primary clinical endpoint was major adverse cardiac events(MACE)at 6 mo defined as the composite of cardiac death,myocardial infarction(MI),and target lesion revascularization(TLR).Secondary endpoints were the incidence of TLR at 1,6 and 12 mo follow-up,MACE at 1 and 12 mo follow-up,and stent thrombosis up to 1 year after the index procedure.RESULTS The study population comprised 77 patients(98 lesions).A total of 37(48.1%)patients had comorbid hypertension.In total,26(33.8%)patients presented with ST segment elevation MI and 10.4%patients with non-ST segment elevation MI.Treated lesions were located mainly in the left anterior descending artery(49%)followed by the right coronary artery(29.6%),left circumflex(12.2%)and obtuse marginal(9.2%)arteries.The majority of patients were with single-vessel disease(79%),22.2%of lesions had a mild to severe thrombus load,and 94.9%were American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association type B or C.De novo stenting was performed in 96.9%of patients and 3%were treated for in-stent restenosis.Procedural success was attained in all patients.In-hospital or followup MACE and stent thrombosis were not reported during the 1-year follow-up period.CONCLUSION These findings suggest that the EverProTM EES is a safe and effective treatment option with no MACE or stent thrombosis reported during the 1-year study period in patients with CAD.

The incidence of adverse clinical outcome in acute coronary syndrome patients with subclinical hypothyroidism

Background Subclinical hypothyroidism is associated with adverse cardiovascular outcomes.But less is known about its prognostic role in patients with acute coronary syndrome(ACS).Methods 538 ACS patients with normal serum concentrations of T3 and T4 underwent coronary angiography in our hospital from January 2015 to January 2019 were retrospectively enrolled.They were divided into normal thyroid stimulating hormone(TSH)group(0.27-4.2 uIU/mL)(n=385)and high TSH group(>4.2 uIU/mL)(n=135).The study endpoints were the major adverse cardiovascular events(MACEs).The univariate and multivariate regression analysis including significant covariables were performed to test for the association between subclinical hypothyroidism and MACEs.Results The mean concentration of TSH were 8.72(6.37-11.02)uIU/mL in the high TSH group and 1.94(1.34-2.45)uIU/mL in the normal TSH group.Multivariate logistic regression analysis found that subclinical hypothyroidism[Odds ratio(OR):1.94,95%confidence interval(CI):1.23-2.65,P=0.030]was associated independently with MACE rate in ACS patients.The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve showed that the subclinical hypothyroidism had good predictable value for MACEs in patients with ACS(area under the curve:0.713,95%CI:0.668-0.802,P<0.001).Conclusions Subclinical hypothyroidism is associated with worse clinical prognosis in ACS patients.Clinicians need to pay more attention to subclinical hypothyroidism in ACS patients.[S Chin J Cardiol 2021;22(1):1-6]

Impact of psychotherapy on acute coronary syndrome patients with mental disorder

Background In acute coronary syndrome(ACS),mental disorder is associated with poorer clinical outcomes,but there are still few data.Methods This study consecutively enrolled ACS patients with anxiety/depression at our center from January 2018 to July 2020.Patients were divided into a control group(n=271)and an experiment group(n=361)based on whether they underwent psychotherapy.Patients were followed up at 12 months.The primary endpoint event was adverse cardiovascular events(MACE),including death,myocardial infarction,re-angina and the target vessel revascularization.Results There were no statistical differences in admission Hamilton anxiety scale(HAMA)and Hamilton depression scale(HAMD)between the two groups.The HAMA score(9.18±2.2vs.21.26±3.9;P<0.001)and HAMD score(23.15±3.8 vs.13.28±2.7;P<0.001)were lower in the experimental group than in the control group at discharge.Multiple logistic regression analysis showed that psychological status at discharge[OR 0.20,95%CI(0.011-0.421),P=0.020]and treatment for psychological disorders[OR 0.2095%CI(0.011-0.421),P=0.020]were independent predictors of 1-year MACE.Conclusions Anxiety and depressive status at discharge were independent associated with adverse events.psychotherapy significantly reduced MACEs in ACS,particularly recurrent angina,but not myocardial infarction,revascularization or all-cause mortality.