Successful emergency surgical intervention in acute non-STsegment elevation myocardial infarction with rupture:A case report

BACKGROUND The incidence of acute myocardial infarction(AMI)is rising,with cardiac rupture accounting for approximately 2%of deaths in patients with acute ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction(STEMI).Ventricular free wall rupture(FWR)occurs in approximately 2%of AMI patients and is notably rare in patients with non-STEMI.Types of cardiac rupture include left ventricular FWR,ventricular septal rupture,and papillary muscle rupture.The FWR usually leads to acute cardiac tamponade or electromechanical dissociation,where standard resuscitation efforts may not be effective.Ventricular septal rupture and papillary muscle rupture often result in refractory heart failure,with mortality rates over 50%,even with surgical or percutaneous repair options.CASE SUMMARY We present a rare case of an acute non-STEMI patient who suffered sudden FWR causing cardiac tamponade and loss of consciousness immediate before undergoing coronary angiography.Prompt resuscitation and emergency open-heart repair along with coronary artery bypass grafting resulted in successful patient recovery.CONCLUSION This case emphasizes the risks of AMI complications,shares a successful treatment scenario,and discusses measures to prevent such complications.

Intracoronary thrombolysis combined with drug balloon angioplasty in a young ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction patient:A case report

BACKGROUND The combination of acute ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction(STEMI)and gastric ulcers poses a challenge to primary percutaneous coronary intervention(PPCI),particularly for young patients.The role of drug-coated balloons(DCBs)in the treatment of de novo coronary artery lesions in large vessels remains unclear,especially for patients with STEMI.Our strategy is to implement drug balloon angioplasty following the intracoronary administration of low-dose prourokinase and adequate pre-expansion.CASE SUMMARY A 54-year-old male patient presented to the emergency department due to chest pain on June 24,2019.Within the first 3 minutes of the initial assessment in the emergency room,the electrocardiogram(ECG)showed significant changes.There was atrial fibrillation with ST-segment elevation.Subsequently,atrial fibrillation terminated spontaneously and reverted to sinus rhythm.Soon after,the patient experienced syncope.The ECG revealed torsades de pointes ventricular tachycardia.A few seconds later,it returned to sinus rhythm.High-sensitivity tropon in I was normal.The diagnosis was acute STEMI.Emergency coronary angiography revealed subtotal occlusion with thrombus formation in the proximal segment of the left anterior descending artery.Considering the patient's age and history of peptic ulcer disease,after the intracoronary injection of prourokinase,percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty and cutting balloon angioplasty were conducted for thorough preconditioning,and paclitaxel drug-eluting balloon angioplasty was performed without any stents,achieving favorable outcomes.CONCLUSION A PPCI without stents may be a viable treatment strategy for select patients with STEMI,and further research is warranted.

Comprehensive analysis of the impact of primary percutaneous coronary intervention on patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction

This comprehensive analysis by Saeed and Faeq investigates the impact of primary percutaneous coronary intervention(pPCI)on mortality among patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction(STEMI)at the Erbil Cardiac Center.Analyzing data from 96 consecutive STEMI patients,the study identified significant predictors of in-hospital mortality,emphasizing the critical impact of time of hospital arrival post-symptom onset on overall prognosis.Findings indicate that factors such as atypical presentation,cardiogenic shock,chronic kidney disease,and specific coronary complications are associated with higher mortality rates.The study underscores the necessity of prompt medical intervention for improving survival outcomes in STEMI patients,especially in the high-risk subgroup.This research offers valuable insights into optimizing STEMI management and enhancing patient survival rates through effective and timely pPCI.

A Comparative Study of Risk Factors and Prognosis in Young and Elderly Patients with Acute ST-Segment Elevation Myocardial Infarction

Objective:To investigate the differences in risk factors and prognosis between young and elderly patients with acute ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction(STEMI)so as to provide a basis for the prevention of young patients with acute STEMI.Methods:Patients initially diagnosed with STEMI in the 920"Hospital of Joint Logistic Support Force of PLA from January 1,2018 to December 31,2022 were retrospectively enrolled in this study.A total of 235 STEMI patients aged≤45 years old and 532 STEMI patients aged≥65 years old were screened.The baseline characteristics,laboratory indicators,clinical characteristics,coronary angiography,SYNTAX score and major adverse cardiovascular events(MACE)during 1-year follow-up were analyzed and compared.Results:A total of 767 STEMI patients were enrolled,including 235 in the young group and 532 in the elderly group.Among the STEM patients in the young group,224 cases were male,and smoking and drinking were common.Compared with the elderly group,the young group had shorter hospital stays and more family history of ischemic heart disease(IHD).The level of low-density lipoprotein in the young group was higher than that in the old group,while the level of high-density lipoprotein in the young group was lower than that in the old group.The level of high uric acid and homocysteine in the young group was significantly higher than that in the old group.The main cause of STEMI in the young group was fatigue,and the most common symptom was angina pectoris.Coronary angiography showed that single vessel disease was more common in the young group than in the elderly group,and the lesion in the young group was the left anterior descending artery.The SYNTAX score was significantly lower in the young group than in the elderly group according to the anatomical characteristics of coronary artery disease.In the forest plot,diabetes mellitus and a family history of IHD showed a trend of major adverse cardiovascular events(MACE)in both groups.Conclusion:Males,smokers,alcohol drinkers and family history of ischemic heart disease are more common in young patients.Common risk factors include fatigue,hyperuricemia,hyperlipidemia and so on.In addition,age itself is an independent risk factor.Management of diabetes,hyperuricemia,and homocysteine levels is essential to reduce the incidence of cardiovascular events in young patients.By controlling these factors,the incidence of young patients with acute STEMI can be effectively prevented and the corresponding prevention and treatment basis can be provided.

Relationship of Microvascular Obstruction with Global and Regional Myocardial Function Determined by Cardiac Magnetic Resonance after ST-Segment Elevation Myocardial Infarction

Objective To investigate the impact of microvascular obstruction(MVO)on the global and regional myocardial function by cardiac magnetic resonance feature-tracking(CMR-FT)in ST-segment-elevation myocardial infarction(STEMI)patients after percutaneous coronary intervention.Methods Consecutive acute STEMI patients who underwent cardiac magnetic resonance imaging 1-7 days after successful reperfusion by percutaneous coronary intervention treatment were included in this retrospective study.Based on the presence or absence of MVO on late gadolinium enhancement images,patients were divided into groups with MVO and without MVO.The infarct zone,adjacent zone,and remote zone were determined based on a myocardial 16-segment model.The radial strain(RS),circumferential strain(CS),and longitudinal strain(LS)of the global left ventricle(LV)and the infarct,adjacent,and remote zones were measured by CMRFT from cine images and compared between patients with and without MVO using independent-samples t-test.Logistic regression analysis was used to assess the association of MVO with the impaired LV function.Results A total of 157 STEMI patients(mean age 56.66±11.38 years)were enrolled.MVO was detected in 37.58%(59/157)of STEMI patients,and the mean size of MVO was 3.00±3.76 mL.Compared with patients without MVO(n=98),the MVO group had significantly reduced LV global RS(t=-4.30,P<0.001),global CS(t=4.99,P<0.001),and global LS(t=3.51,P=0.001).The RS and CS of the infarct zone in patients with MVO were significantly reduced(t=-3.38,P=0.001;t=2.64,P=0.01;respectively)and the infarct size was significantly larger(t=8.37,P<0.001)than that of patients without MVO.The presence of LV MVO[OR=4.10,95%CI:2.05-8.19,P<0.001]and its size[OR=1.38,95%CI:1.10-1.72,P=0.01],along with the heart rate and LV infarct size were significantly associated with impaired LV global CS in univariable Logistic regression analysis,while only heart rate(OR=1.08,95%CI:1.03-1.13,P=0.001)and LV infarct size(OR=1.10,95%CI:1.03-1.16,P=0.003)were independent influencing factors for the impaired LV global CS in multivariable Logistic regression analysis.Conclusion The infarct size was larger in STEMI patients with MVO,and MVO deteriorates the global and regional LV myocardial function.

One Case of Primary Thrombocythemia with Concealed Hypokalemia Complicated by Acute Myocardial Infarction

Medical history summary: Male, 47 years old, was admitted to the hospital due to “dizziness accompanied by chest tightness and pain for more than 8 days”. One week ago, the patient experienced chest tightness, chest pain accompanied by profuse sweating for 3 hours and underwent emergency percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) at a local hospital. The procedure revealed left main stem occlusion with subsequent left main stem to left anterior descending artery percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty (PTCA). After the procedure, the patient experienced hemodynamic instability, recurrent ventricular fibrillation, and critical condition, thus transferred to our hospital for further treatment. Symptoms and signs: The patient is in a comatose state, unresponsive to stimuli, with bilateral dilated pupils measuring 2.0 mm, exhibiting reduced sensitivity to light reflex, and recurrent fever. Coarse breath sounds can be heard in both lungs, with audible moist rales. Irregular breathing pattern is observed, and heart sounds vary in intensity. No pathological murmurs are auscultated in any valve auscultation area. Diagnostic methods: Coronary angiography results at the local hospital showed complete occlusion of the left main stem, and left main stem to left anterior descending artery percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty (PTCA) was performed. However, the distal guidewire did not pass through. After admission, blood tests showed a Troponin T level of 1.44 ng/ml and a Myoglobin level of 312 ng/ml. The platelet count was 1390 × 109/L. Von Willebrand factor (vWF) activity was measured at 201.9%. Bone marrow aspiration biopsy showed active bone marrow proliferation and platelet clustering. The peripheral blood smear also showed platelet clustering. JAK-2 gene testing was positive, confirming the diagnosis of primary thrombocytosis. Treatment methods: The patient is assisted with mechanical ventilation and intra-aortic balloon counterpulsation to improve coronary blood flow. Electrolyte levels are closely monitored, especially maintaining plasma potassium levels between 4.0 and 4.5 mmol/l. Hydroxyurea 500 mg is administered for platelet reduction. Anticoagulants and antiplatelet agents are used rationally to prevent further infarction or bleeding. Antiarrhythmic, lipid-lowering, gastroprotective, hepatoprotective, and heart failure treatment are also provided. Clinical outcome: The family members chose to withdraw treatment and signed for discharge due to a combination of reasons, including economic constraints and uncertainty about the prognosis due to the long disease course. Acute myocardial infarction has gradually become one of the leading causes of death in our country. As a “green channel” disease, corresponding diagnostic and treatment protocols have been established in China, and significant progress has been made in emergency care. There are strict regulations for the time taken from the catheterization lab to the cardiac intensive care unit, and standardized treatments are provided to patients once they enter the intensive care unit. Research results show that the incidence of acute myocardial infarction in patients with primary thrombocythemia within 10 years is 9.4%. This type of disease is rare and difficult to cure, posing significant challenges to medical and nursing professionals. In order to benefit future patients, we have documented individual cases of treatment and nursing care for these patients. The research results show that these patients exhibit resistance to traditional oral anticoagulant drugs and require alternative anticoagulants. Additionally, there are significant differences in serum and plasma potassium levels among patients. Therefore, when making clinical diagnoses, it is necessary to carefully distinguish between the two. Particularly, nursing personnel should possess dialectical thinking when supplementing potassium levels in patients in order to reduce the incidence of malignant arrhythmias and mortality rates.

Effect of reperfusion strategy on QT dispersion in patients with acute myocardial infarction:Impact on in-hospital arrhythmia

BACKGROUND Myocardial ischemia and ST-elevation myocardial infarction(STEMI)increase QT dispersion(QTD)and corrected QT dispersion(QTcD),and are also associated with ventricular arrhythmia.AIM To evaluate the effects of reperfusion strategy[primary percutaneous coronary intervention(PPCI)or fibrinolytic therapy]on QTD and QTcD in STEMI patients and assess the impact of the chosen strategy on the occurrence of in-hospital arrhythmia.METHODS This prospective,observational,multicenter study included 240 patients admitted with STEMI who were treated with either PPCI(group I)or fibrinolytic therapy(group II).QTD and QTcD were measured on admission and 24 hr after reperfusion,and patients were observed to detect in-hospital arrhythmia.RESULTS There were significant reductions in QTD and QTcD from admission to 24 hr in both group I and group II patients.QTD and QTcD were found to be shorter in group I patients at 24 hr than those in group II(53±19 msec vs 60±18 msec,P=0.005 and 60±21 msec vs 69+22 msec,P=0.003,respectively).The occurrence of in-hospital arrhythmia was significantly more frequent in group II than in group I(25 patients,20.8%vs 8 patients,6.7%,P=0.001).Furthermore,QTD and QTcD were higher in patients with in-hospital arrhythmia than those without(P=0.001 and P=0.02,respectively).CONCLUSION In STEMI patients,PPCI and fibrinolytic therapy effectively reduced QTD and QTcD,with a higher observed reduction using PPCI.PPCI was associated with a lower incidence of in-hospital arrhythmia than fibrinolytic therapy.In addition,QTD and QTcD were shorter in patients not experiencing in-hospital arrhythmia than those with arrhythmia.

Intracoronary arterial retrograde thrombolysis with percutaneous coronary intervention: a novel use of thrombolytic to treat acute ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction

Background Clearance of coronary arterial thrombosis is necessary in patients with acute ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) undergoing urgent percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). There is currently no highly-recommended method of thrombus removal during interventional procedures. We describe a new method for opening culprit vessels to treat STEMI: intracoronary arterial retrograde thrombolysis (ICART) with PCI. Methods & Results Eight patients underwent ICART. The guidewire was advanced to the distal coronary artery through the occlusion lesion. Then, we inserted a microcatheter into the distal end of the occluded coronary artery over the guidewire. Urokinase (5–10 wu) mixed with contrast agents was slowly injected into the occluded section of the coronary artery through the microcatheter. The intracoronary thrombus gradually dissolved in 3–17 min, and the effect of thrombolysis was visible in real time. Stents were then implanted according to the characteristics of the recanalized culprit lesion to achieve full revascularization. One patient experienced premature ventricular contraction during vascular revascularization, and no malignant arrhythmias were seen in any patient. No reflow or slow flow was not observed post PCI. Thrombolysis in myocardial infarction flow grade and myocardial blush grade post-primary PCI was 3 in all eight patients. No patients experienced bleeding or stroke. Conclusions ICART was accurate and effective for treating intracoronary thrombi in patients with STEMI in this preliminary study. ICART was an effective, feasible, and simple approach to the management of STEMI, and no intraprocedural complications occurred in any of the patients. ICART may be a breakthrough in the treatment of acute STEMI.

Invasive versus conservative strategy in consecutive patients aged 80 years or older with non-ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction: a retrospective study in China

Objective To investigate whether the very elderly patients with non-ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (NSTEMI) will benefit from an invasive strategy versus a conservative strategy. Methods 190 consecutive patients aged 80 years or older with NSTEMI were included in the retrospective study from September 2014 to August 2017, of which 69 patients received conservative strategy and 121 patients received invasive strategy. The primary outcome was death. Multivariate Cox regression models were used to assess the statistical association between strategies and mortality. The survival probability was further analyzed. Results The primary outcome occurred in 17.4% patients in the invasive group and in 42.0% patients in the conservative group (P = 0.0002). The readmission rate in the invasive group (14.9%) was higher than that in the conservative group (7.2%). Creatinine level (OR = 1.01, 95% CI: 0.10–1.03, P = 0.05) and use of diuretic (OR = 3.65, 95% CI: 1.56–8.53, P = 0.003) were independent influential factors for invasive strategy. HRs for multivariate Cox regression models were 3.45 (95% CI: 1.77–6.75, P = 0.0003), 3.02 (95% CI: 1.52–6.01, P = 0.0017), 2.93 (95% CI: 1. 46–5.86, P = 0.0024) and 2.47 (95% CI: 1.20–5.07, P = 0.0137). Compared with the patients received invasive strategy, the conservative group had remarkably reduced survival probability with time since treatment (P < 0.001). Conclusions An invasive strategy is superior to a conservative strategy in reducing mortality of patients aged 80 years or older with NSTEMI. Our results suggest that an invasive strategy is more suitable for the very elderly patients with NSTEMI in China.

Stenting versus non-stenting treatment of intermediate stenosis culprit lesion in acute ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction： a multicenter random- ized clinical trial

Background The benefit/risk ratio of stenting in acute ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction （STEMI） patients with single vessel intermediate stenosis culprit lesions merits further study, therefore the subject of the present study. Methods and results It was a pro- spective, multicenter, randomized controlled trial. Between April 2012 and July 2015, 399 acute STEMI patients with single vessel disease and intermediate （40%-70%） stenosis of the culprit lesion before or after aspiration thrombectomy and/or intracoronary tirofiban （15 pg/kg） were enrolled and were randomly assigned （h 1） to stenting group （n = 201） and non-stenting group （n = 198）. In stenting group, patients received pharmacologic therapy plus standard percutaneous coronary intervention （PCI） with stent implantation. In non-stenting group, pa- tients received pharmacologic therapy and PCI （thrombectomy）, but without dilatation or stenting. Primary endpoint was 12-month rate of major adverse cardiac and eerebrovascular events （MACCE）, a composite of cardiac death, non-fatal myocardial infarction （M1）, repeat re- vascularization and stroke. Secondary endpoints were 12-month rates of all cause death, ischemia driven admission and bleeding complica- tion. Median follow-up time was 12.4 ~ 3.1 months. At 12 months, MACCE occurred in 8.0% of the patients in stenting group, as compared with 15.2% in the non-stenting group （adjusted HR： 0.42, 95% Ch 0.19-0.89, P = 0.02）. The stenting group had lower non-fatal MI rate than non-stenting group, （1.5% vs. 5.5%, P = 0.03）. The two groups shared similar cardiac death, repeat revascularization, stroke, all cause death, ischemia driven readmission and bleeding rates at 12 months. Conclusions Stent implantation had better efficacy and safety in reducing MACCE risks among acute STEMI patients with single vessel intermediate stenosis culprit lesions.

ST-segment elevation: Distinguishing ST elevation myocardial infarction from ST elevation secondary to nonischemic etiologies

The benefits of early perfusion in ST elevation myocardial infarctions(STEMI) are established; howeverearly perfusion of non-ST elevation myocardial infarctions has not been shown to be beneficial. In additionST elevation(STE) caused by conditions other thanacute ischemia is common. Non-ischemic STE may beconfused as STEMI, but can also mask STEMI on electrocardiogram(ECG). As a result, activating the primarypercutaneous coronary intervention(pPCI) protocooften depends on determining which ST elevation patterns reflect transmural infarction due to acute coronary artery thrombosis. Coordination of interpreting theECG in its clinical context and appropriately activatingthe pPCI protocol has proved a difficult task in borderline cases. But its importance cannot be ignored, asreflected in the 2013 American College of CardiologyFoundation/American Heart Association guidelines concerning the treatment of ST elevation myocardial infarction. Multiples strategies have been tested and studiedand are currently being further perfected. No mattethe strategy, at the heart of delivering the best care lies rapid and accurate interpretation of the ECG. Here, we present the different patterns of non-ischemic STE and methods of distinguishing between them. In writing this paper, we hope for quicker and better stratification of patients with STE on ECG, which will lead to be bet-ter outcomes.

Risk stratification for ST segment elevation myocardial infarction in the era of primary percutaneous coronary intervention

Acute coronary syndromes presenting with ST elevation are usually treated with emergency reperfusion/revascularisation therapy. In contrast current evidence and national guidelines recommend risk stratification for non ST segment elevation myocardial infarction(NSTEMI) with the decision on revascularisation dependent on perceived clinical risk. Risk stratification for STEMI has no recommendation. Statistical risk scoring techniques in NSTEMI have been demonstrated to improve outcomes however their uptake has been poor perhaps due to questions over their discrimination and concern for application to individuals who may not have been adequately represented in clinical trials. STEMI is perceived to carry sufficient risk to warrant emergency coronary intervention [by primary percutaneous coronary intervention(PPCI)] even if this results in a delay to reperfusion with immediate thrombolysis. Immediate thrombolysis may be as effective in patients presenting early, or at low risk, but physicians are poor at assessing clinical and procedural risks and currently are not required to consider this. Inadequate data on risk stratification in STEMI inhibits the option of immediate fibrinolysis, which may be cost-effective. Currently the mode of reperfusion for STEMI defaults to emergency angiography and percutaneous coronary intervention ignoring alternative strategies. This review article examines the current risk scores and evidence base for risk stratification for STEMI patients. The requirements for an ideal STEMI risk score are discussed.

Long-term outcomes of staged recanalization for concurrent chronic total occlusion in patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction after primary percutaneous coronary intervention

Background In patients with acute ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction(STEMI)who undergo primary percutaneous coronary intervention(PCI),approximately 10%are concomitant with a chronic total occlusion(CTO)in a non-culprit vessel.However,the impact of staged CTO recanalization on prognosis in this cohort remains disputable.This study aimed to compare the long-term outcomes of staged CTO recanalization versus medical therapy in patients with STEMI after primary PCI.Methods Between January 2005 and December 2016,a total of 287 patients were treated with staged CTO-PCI(n=91)or medical therapy(n=196)after primary PCI in our center.The primary endpoint was major adverse cardiovascular and cerebrovascular event(MACCE),defined as a composite of all-cause death,nonfatal myocardial infarction(MI),stroke or unplanned revascularization.After propensity-score matching,77 pairs of well-balanced patients were identified.Results The mean follow-up period was 6.06 years.Overall,the incidence of the primary endpoint of MACCE was significantly lower in staged CTO-PCI group than that in medical therapy group in both overall population(22.0%vs.46.9%;hazard ratio(HR)=0.48,95%CI:0.29-0.77)and propensity-matched cohorts(22.1%vs.42.9%;HR:0.48,95%CI:0.27-0.86).In addition,staged CTO-PCI was also associated with reduced risk of the composite of cardiac death,nonfatal MI or stroke compared with medical therapy in both overall population(9.9%vs.26.5%;hazard ratio(HR)=0.39,95%CI:0.19-0.79)and propensity-matched cohorts(9.1%vs.22.1%;HR:0.40,95%CI:0.16-0.96).After correction of the possible confounders,staged CTO-PCI was independently associated with reduced risks of MACCE(adjusted HR:0.46,95%CI:0.28-0.75),the composite of cardiac death,nonfatal MI or stroke(adjusted HR:0.45,95%CI:0.22-0.94)and all-cause mortality(adjusted HR:0.32,95%CI:0.13-0.83).Moreover,the results of sensitivity analysis were almost concordant with the overall analysis.Conclusions In patients with STEMI and a concurrent CTO who undergo primary PCI,successful staged recanalization of CTO in the non-culprit vessels is associated with better clinical outcomes during long-term follow-up.

Effects of nicorandil on myocardial infarct size in patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction undergoing primary percutaneous coronary intervention:study design and protocol for the randomized controlled trial

Previous studies have shown that nicorandil has a protective effect on cardiomyocytes.However,there is no study to investigate whether perioperative intravenous nicorandil can further reduce the myocardial infarct size in patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction(STEMI)compared to the current standard of percutaneous coronary intervention(PCI)regimen.The CHANGE(China-Administration of Nicorandil Group)study is a multicenter,prospective,randomized,double-blind and parallel-controlled clinical study of STEMI patients undergoing primary PCI in China,aiming to evaluate the efficacy and safety of intravenous nicorandil in ameliorating the myocardial infarct size in STEMI patients undergoing primary PCI and provide evidence-based support for myocardial protection strategies of STEMI patients.

Post-dilatation improves stent apposition in patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction receiving primary percutaneous intervention: A multicenter, randomized controlled trial using optical coherence tomography

BACKGROUND: Stent failure is more likely in the lipid rich and thrombus laden culprit lesions underlying ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction(STEMI).This study assessed the effectiveness of post-dilatation in primary percutaneous coronary intervention(pPCI) for acute STEMI.METHODS: The multi-center POST-STEMI trial enrolled 41 consecutive STEMI patients with symptom onset <12 hours undergoing manual thrombus aspiration and Promus Element stent implantation.Patients were randomly assigned to control group(n=20) or post-dilatation group(n=21) in which a non-compliant balloon was inflated to >16 atm pressure.Strut apposition and coverage were evaluated by optical coherence tomography(OCT) after intracoronary verapamil administration via thrombus aspiration catheter, post pPCI and at 7-month follow-up.The primary endpoint was rate of incomplete strut apposition(ISA) at 7 months after pPCI.RESULTS: There were similar baseline characteristics except for stent length(21.9 [SD 6.5] mm vs.26.0 [SD 5.8] mm, respectively, P=0.03).In post-dilatation vs.control group, ISA rate was lower(2.5% vs.4.5%, P=0.04) immediately after pPCI without affecting final TIMI flow 3 rate(95.2% vs.95.0%, P>0.05) or corrected TIMI frame counts(22.6±9.4 vs.22.0±9.7, P>0.05); and at 7-month follow-up(0.7% vs.1.8%, P<0.0001), the primary study endpoint, with similar strut coverage(98.5% vs.98.4%, P=0.63) and 1-year rate of major adverse cardiovascular events(MACE).CONCLUSION: In STEMI patients, post-dilatation after stent implantation and thrombus aspiration improved strut apposition up to 7 months without affecting coronary blood flow or 1-year MACE rate.Larger and longer term studies are warranted to further assess safety(Clinical Trials.gov identifier: NCT02121223).

Culprit vessel only versus ＂one-week＂ staged percutaneous coronary intervention for multivessel disease in patients presenting with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction

Objective To explore the impact of a ＂one-week＂ staged muhivessel percutaneous coronary intervention （PCI） versus culprit-only PCI on deaths and major adverse cardiac events （MACE）. Methods We retrospectively analyzed 447 patients with multivessel disease who experienced a ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction （STEMI） within 12 h before undergoing PCI between July 26, 2008 and Septem- ber 25, 201 l. After completion of PCI in the infarct artery, 201 patients still in the hospital agreed to undergo PCI in non-infarct arteries with more than 70% stenosis for a ＂one-week＂ staged multivessel PCI. A total of 246 patients only received intervention for the culprit vessel. Follow-up ended on September 9, 2014. This study examined the differences in deaths from any cause （i.e., cardiac and noncardiac） and MACE between the two treatment groups. Results Compared to a culprit-only PCI treatment approach, the ＂one-week＂ staged multivessel PCI was strongly associated with greater benefits for 55-month all cause death [41 （16.7%） vs. 13 （6.5%）, P = 0.004] and MACE [82 （33.3%） vs. 40 （19.9%）, P = 0.002] rates. In addition, there were significant differences in the number of myocardial infarctions [43 （17.5%） vs. 20 （10.0%）, P = 0.023], coronary-artery bypass grafting [CABG; 20 （8.1%） vs. 6 （3.0%）, P = 0.021], and PCI [31 （12.6%） vs. 12 （6.0%）, P - 0.018]. Patients undergoing culprit-only PCI compared to ＂one-week＂ PCI had the same number of stent thrombosis events [7 （2.8%） vs. 3 （1.5%）, P - 0.522]. Conclusions Compared to a culprit-only PCI treatment approach, ＂one-week＂ staged multi-vessel PCI was a safe and effective selection for STEMI and multi-vessel PCL

Does manual thrombus aspiration help optimize stent implantation in ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction?

AIM: To evaluate the impact of thrombus aspiration(TA) on procedural outcomes in a real-world ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction(STEMI) registry.METHODS: From May 2006 to August 2008, 542 consecutive STEMI patients referred for primary or rescue percutaneous coronary intervention were enrolled and the angiographic results and stent implantation characteristics were compared according to the performance of manual TA.RESULTS: A total of 456 patients were analyzable and categorized in TA group(156 patients; 34.2%) and non-TA(NTA) group(300 patients; 65.8%). Patientstreated with TA had less prevalence of multivessel disease(39.7% vs 54.7%, P = 0.003) and higher prevalence of initial thrombolysis in myocardial infarction flow 【 3(P 【 0.001) than NTA group. There was a higher rate of direct stenting(58.7% vs 45.5%, P = 0.009), with shorter(24.1 ± 11.8 mm vs 26.9 ± 15.7 mm, P = 0.038) and larger stents(3.17 ± 0.43 mm vs 2.93 ± 0.44 mm, P 【 0.001) in the TA group as compared to NTA group. The number of implanted stents(1.3 ± 0.67 vs 1.5 ± 0.84, P = 0.009) was also lower in TA group. CONCLUSION: In an “all-comers” STEMI population, the use of TA resulted in more efficient procedure leading to the implantation of less number of stents per lesion of shorter lengths and larger sizes.

Timely reperfusion for ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction:Effect of direct transfer to primary angioplasty on time delays and clinical outcomes

Primary percutaneous coronary intervention(PPCI) is the preferred reperfusion therapy for patients presenting with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction(STEMI) when it can be performed expeditiously and by experienced operators. In spite of excellent clinical results this technique is associated with longer delays than thrombolysis and this fact may nullify the benefit of selecting this therapeutic option. Several strategies have been proposed to decrease the temporal delays to deliver PPCI. Among them,prehospital diagnosis and direct transfer to the cath lab,by-passing the emergency department of hospitals,has emerged as anattractive way of diminishing delays. The purpose of this review is to address the effect of direct transfer on time delays and clinical events of patients with STEMI treated by PPCI.

The contribution of gender and age on early and late mortality following ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction： results from the Korean Acute Myocardial Infarction National Registry with Registries

Background Although previous studies using Korean data have already reported higher rates of mortality in women, it is less clear whether these gender differences in prognosis post ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction （STEMI）, are age dependent. The aim of this study is to examine the gender-age interaction with early and late mortality in patients with STEMI enrolled in the Korean nationwide regis-try. Methods This prospective study stratified outcomes according to gender and age from 17,021 STEMI patients. We compared in-hospital, early （30 days） and late （12 months） mortality between gender to examine the gender-age interaction in multivariable models. Results In younger women （〈 60 years）, in-hospital [5.8% vs. 2.5%, P 〈 0.001; unadjusted odds ratios （OR）： 2.41, 95% confidence inter-vals （CI）： 1.59-3.66], early （6.2% vs. 2.6%, P 〈 0.001; unadjusted OR： 2.4, 95% CI： 2.12-2.72） and late mortality （7.0% vs. 3.1%, P 〉 0.001; unadjusted OR： 2.33, 95% CI： 2.08-2.61） were significantly higher compared with men. However, after adjustment for patient characteristics, Killip class ≥ 3, symptom to balloon time and major bleeding, and in-hospital bleeding, overall early and late mortality were no longer re-lated to gender in any age groups. Conclusions Among a Korean population with STEMI, higher early and late mortality in younger women may be explained by poor patient characteristics, higher Killip class ≥3, longer symptom to balloon time and more frequent major bleeding. Therefore, based on gender-age differences, more precise and aggressive preventive strategies focused on risk factor reduction, education and more intensive management for yotmger women should be performed.

N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide as prognostic marker for patients of non ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction

In this work, we analyzed only the patients of the NSTEMI (non ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction) who arrived at the hospital within 12 h after symptoms started. Using NSTEMI follow-up data within, the characteristics of the clinical data, the risk factor, and the blood tested in the hospital visit were analyzed for MACE (major adverse cardiac events) patients. MACE includes cardiac death, MI (myocardial infarction), Re-PCI, and CABG (coronary artery bypass graft). As a result, from the NSTEMI patients which can be followed up for over 12 m, NT-ProBNP (p=0.014) and age (p=0.045) are found to be the independent risk factors related to MACE. Accordingly, they can be useful for the diagnosis and prognosis for NSTEMI patients as a biomarker.