Impact of frailty on outcomes of elderly patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention: A systematic review and metaanalysis

BACKGROUND Frailty is a common condition in elderly patients who receive percutaneous coronary intervention(PCI).However,how frailty affects clinical outcomes in this group is unclear.AIM To assess the link between frailty and the outcomes,such as in-hospital complic-ations,post-procedural complications,and mortality,in elderly patients post-PCI.METHODS The PubMed/MEDLINE,EMBASE,Cochrane Library,and Web of Science databases were screened for publications up to August 2023.The primary outcomes assessed were in-hospital and all-cause mortality,major adverse cardiovascular events(MACEs),and major bleeding.The Newcastle-Ottawa Scale was used for quality assessment.RESULTS Twenty-one studies with 739693 elderly patients undergoing PCI were included.Frailty was consistently associated with adverse outcomes.Frail patients had significantly higher risks of in-hospital mortality[risk ratio:3.45,95%confidence interval(95%CI):1.90-6.25],all-cause mortality[hazard ratio(HR):2.08,95%CI:1.78-2.43],MACEs(HR:2.92,95%CI:1.85-4.60),and major bleeding(HR:4.60,95%CI:2.89-7.32)compared to non-frail patients.CONCLUSION Frailty is a pivotal determinant in the prediction of risk of mortality,development of MACEs,and major bleeding in elderly individuals undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention.

Unloading and successful treatment with bioresorbable stents during percutaneous coronary intervention:A case report

BACKGROUND With the development of percutaneous coronary intervention(PCI),the number of interventional procedures without implantation,such as bioresorbable stents(BRS)and drug-coated balloons,has increased annually.Metal drug-eluting stent unloading is one of the most common clinical complications.Comparatively,BRS detachment is more concealed and harmful,but has yet to be reported in clinical research.In this study,we report a case of BRS unloading and successful rescue.This is a case of a 59-year-old male with the following medical history:“Type 2 diabetes mellitus”for 2 years,maintained with metformin extended-release tablets,1 g PO BID;“hypertension”for 20 years,with long-term use of metoprolol sustained-release tablets,47.5 mg PO QD;“hyperlipidemia”for 20 years,without regular medication.He was admitted to the emergency department of our hospital due to intermittent chest pain lasting 18 hours,on February 20,2022 at 15:35.Electrocardiogram results showed sinus rhythm,ST-segment elevation in leads I and avL,and poor R-wave progression in leads V1–3.High-sensitivity troponin I level was 4.59 ng/mL,indicating an acute high lateral wall myocardial infarction.The patient’s family requested treatment with BRS,without implanta-tion.During PCI,the BRS became unloaded but was successfully rescued.The patient was followed up for 2 years;he had no episodes of angina pectoris and was in generally good condition.CONCLUSION We describe a case of a 59-year-old male experienced BRS unloading and successful rescue.By analyzing images,the causes of BRS unloading and the treatment plan are discussed to provide insights for BRS release operations.We discuss preventive measures for BRS unloading.

Bioresorbable stent unloading during percutaneous coronary intervention:Early detection and management

In this letter,we comment on a recent case report by Sun et al in the World Journal of Cardiology.The report describes the successful management of a rare complication:The unloading or detachment of a bioresorbable stent(BRS)during percutaneous coronary intervention(PCI)in a male patient.The unloading of BRS was detected via angiography and intravascular ultrasound(IVUS)imaging of the left coronary artery and left anterior descending artery.Although this case is interesting,the authors’report lacked crucial details.Specifically,insufficient information about the type of BRS used,potential causes of BRS unloading,or whether optical coherence tomography(OCT)imaging for coronary arteries was performed before,during,or after PCI.The OCT imaging of coronary arteries before PCI can potentially prevent BRS unloading due to its higher resolution compared to IVUS.In addition,despite detecting myocardial bridging during the PCI,the authors did not provide any details regarding this variation.Here we discuss the various types of BRS,the importance of OCT in PCI,and the clinical relevance of myocardial bridging.

Fragile hearts:Unveiling the crucial layers of frailty in elderly patients undergoing percutaneous coronary interventions

Wang and Liu's systematic review of frailty among elderly patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention(PCI)revealed that patients with frailty have significantly higher risks of all-cause and in-hospital death,major undesirable cardiovascular events,and major haemorrhage.Frailty is associated with adverse events,prolonged hospital stays,increased complications,and elevated mortality risk due to diminished physiological reserves.Integrating frailty into risk assessment tools is crucial,and gait speed has emerged as a key predictor of frailty.Recognizing the impact of frailty leads to personalized and informed decisionmaking,and frailty assessments should be performed.This holistic approach can inform tailored interventions,thereby optimizing outcomes for this vulnerable population undergoing PCI.

Impact of primary percutaneous coronary intervention on ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction patients:A comprehensive analysis

BACKGROUND Myocardial infarction,particularly ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction(STEMI),is a key global mortality cause.Our study investigated predictors of mortality in 96 STEMI patients undergoing primary percutaneous coronary intervention at Erbil Cardiac Center.Multiple factors were identified influencing in-hospital mortality.Significantly,time from symptom onset to hospital arrival emerged as a decisive factor.Consequently,our study hypothesis is:"Reducing time from symptom onset to hospital arrival significantly improves STEMI prognosis."AIM To determine the key factors influencing mortality rates in STEMI patients.METHODS We studied 96 consecutive STEMI patients undergoing primary percutaneous coronary intervention(PPCI)at the Erbil Cardiac Center.Their clinical histories were compiled,and coronary evaluations were performed via angiography on admission.Data included comorbid conditions,onset of cardiogenic shock,complications during PPCI,and more.Post-discharge,one-month follow-up assessments were completed.Statistical significance was set at P<0.05.RESULTS Our results unearthed several significant findings.The in-hospital and 30-d mortality rates among the 96 STEMI patients were 11.2%and 2.3%respectively.On the investigation of independent predictors of in-hospital mortality,we identified atypical presentation,onset of cardiogenic shock,presence of chronic kidney disease,Thrombolysis In Myocardial Infarction grades 0/1/2,triple vessel disease,ventricular tachycardia/ventricular fibrillation,coronary dissection,and the no-reflow phenomenon.Specifically,the recorded average time from symptom onset to hospital arrival amongst patients who did not survive was significantly longer(6.92±3.86 h)compared to those who survived(3.61±1.67 h),P<0.001.These findings underscore the critical role of timely intervention in improving the survival outcomes of STEMI patients.CONCLUSION Our results affirm that early hospital arrival after symptom onset significantly improves survival rates in STEMI patients,highlighting the critical need for prompt intervention.

Research Progress on the Depression Status and Nursing Intervention in Patients after Percutaneous Coronary Intervention

Percutaneous coronary intervention(PCI)is an effective treatment method for myocardial ischemic necrosis.Postoperative depression caused by PCI stress will adversely affect the prognosis of patients.This article reviews the current status and influencing factors of postoperative depression after PCI and summarizes the corresponding nursing interventions,to provide a literature reference to implement effective nursing interventions for depressed patients after clinical PCI.

Physical activity levels and predictors in patients following percutaneous coronary intervention: a cross-sectional study

Objective: To examine physical activity(PA) of post-percutaneous coronary intervention(PCI) patients and explore the demographic, clinical, and social psychological characteristics associated with PA levels. Methods: A total of 246 post-PCI patients from the Peking University Third Hospital in Beijing, China, were included in this crosssectional study through convenience sampling. Data were collected from a self-repor ted questionnaire. PA was categorized into low, moderate, or high levels. The ordinal multinomial logistic regression model was used to estimate the relationship among demographic, medical, and psychosocial characteristics. Results: The overall prevalence of low, moderate, and high PA was 20%, 70%, and 10%, respectively. For the domain-specific PA patterns, most par ticipants took par t in leisure-time PA(84.5%);walking was the most common PA. Increased motivation and selfefficacy, lower monthly income, and unemployment were predictors of high PA. Conclusions: PA levels in post-PCI patients was not optimal, and leisure-time PA had the highest par ticipation rate. Analyses of influencing factors can provide medical staff and health workers information to focus on high-risk groups and introduce more tailored interventions. Future studies can explore more regions, and ecological models can be introduced to study more influencing factors.

A comparative study on transradial vs transfemoral artery access for primary percutaneous coronary intervention in patients with acute myocardial infarction

Objective Comparative study on the feasibility,safety and outcome of transradial artery and transfemoral artery access for primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) in patients with acute myocardial infarction(AMI).Methods Two hundred and eight patients with AMI episoded within 12 hours, male 159, female 49, age 58.9 ±11.9 (34～88)years, were randomly divided into transradial artery access for primary PCI (TRA pPCI) group of 106 cases and transfemoral artery access for PCI (TFA pPCI) group of 102 cases during Sept, 2000 to Aug, 2002. The protocols of the manipulation duration and the effect for TRA pPCI and TFA pPCI procedures were respectively compared, including the time of transradial artery puncture and the rate of puncture success at first time ; the time of guiding catheter engaging into target coronary ostium; the rate of patence in infarct related artery (IRA); total duration of manipulation and the successful rate.The incidence of complications such as bleeding, vessel injury,thrombi and embolism as well as the average stay of hospitalization between two groups was compared. The status and the incidance of vessel spasm were observed and the effect of medicine administration to prevent from and relieve the vascular spasm was evaluated. The time of Allen’s test before and after TRA pPCI , the inner diameter and the peak of blood velocity of the right and left radial artery were investigated with color Doppler vessel echography as well as the complications of radial artery were followed up 1 month after TRA pPCI procedure. Results Two cases in every TRA pPCI and TFA pPCI groups were crossed over each other because procedure of the transradial or transfemoral access was failure. One handred and six vessels (48 vessels in LAD,22 vessels in LCX and 36 vessels in RCA) associated with 28 vessels of total occlusion in TRA pPCI group and 102 vessels (51 vessels in LAD,18 veesles in LCX and 33 vessels in RCA) with 24 vessels in total occlusion in TFA pPCI group were angioplasticized . The successful rates of the first time puncture in access artery, the re patence IRA and pPCI were similar in TRA pPCI and TFA pPCI groups ( 93.4% vs 96.1% ;100% vs 100%; 96.2% vs 97.1% , P >0.05 ). There were no significant diffierence in the average time of puncture time of access artery ,engaging in target vessels of guiding catheters and the total procedure of PCI between the two groups ( 1.3 ±0.3s vs 1.2 ±0.3s ; 6.0 ±1.6min vs 5.8 ±0.9min ; 49.2 ±24.1min vs 46.5 ± 26.4min , P >0.05 ). The access artery complications such as bleeding ,hematoma and embolism as well the veneous thrombosis in TFA pPCI group were much more than those in TRA pPCI group(p< 0.01 ). Although slight artery spasm of 4.7% cases in TRA pPCI group was happened during the procedure of PCI , the procedure had being continued after administration of medicine to release the spasm. The time of Allen’s test ,diameter and the systolic velocity of blood in daul radial arteries were no significant change before and after pPCI.Conclusions The duration and effect by TRA pPCI for AMI with stable hemodynamics was similar to TFA pPCI. The complications such as of bleeding,vessel injury, thrombi and embolism by TRA pPCI were few, and it was unnecessary to discontinue the anticoagulation medicine. TRA pPCI might be selected as a access vessel for pPCI in AMI patients with stable hemodynamics.

A randomized trail comparing primary percutaneous coronary intervention with a strategy of short-acting thrombolysis and immediate planned primary percutaneous coronary intervention in acute myocardial infarction

Objective This study was to evaluate the efficacy and safety of a short acting reduced dose fibrinolytic regimen to promote early infarct related artery (IRA) patency for acyute myocardial infarction (AMI) patients referred for percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI).Methods Following aspirin and heparin, 166 patients were randomized to a 50 mg bolus of recombinant tissue type plasminogen activator(rt PA) or to a same volume sodium chloride injection followed by immediate primary PCI. The end points included patency rates on catheterization laboratory (cath lab) arrival, revascularization results when PCI was performed, complication rates, left ventricular function and restored patency rate following PCI. Results Patency on cath lab arrival was 64% with rt PA (34% TIMI 3,30% TIMI 2), while 31% of placebo (13% TIMI 3, 18% TIMI 2). There was no difference in the restored TIMI 3 rates of IRA between the two groups (85% vs 87%). No difference were observed in stroke or major bleeding. Left ventricular function was similar in both groups (52±9% vs 50±8%), but left ventricular ejection fraction fraction (LVEF) was higher with patent IRA (TIMI 3) on cath lab arrival than that of others (56±12% vs 48±10%).Conclusions Strategy thrombolytic regimens were compatible with subsequent PCI lead to more frequenc early recanalization (before cath lab arrival), which facilitates greater left ventricular function preservation with no augmentation of adverse events.

Transradial Versus Transfemoral Approach for Percutaneous Coronary Intervention in Elderly Patients in China： A Retrospective Analysis

Objective To compare hospital costs and clinical outcomes between transradial intervention （TRI） and transfemoral intervention （TFI） in elderly patients aged over 65 years. Methods We identified 1229 patients aged over 65 years who underwent percutaneous coronary intervention （PCI） in Fuwai Hospital, Beijing, China, between January 1 and December 31, 2010. Total hospital costs and in-hospital outcomes were compared between TRI and TFI. An inverse probability weighting （IPW） model was introduced to control potential biases. Results Patients who underwent TRI were younger, less often female, more likely to receive PCI for single-vessel lesions, and less likely to undergo the procedure for ostial lesions. TRI was associated with a cost saving of CNY7495 （95%CI： CNY4419-10 420）. Such differences were mainly driven by lower PCI-related costs. TRI patients had shorter length of stay （1.9 days, 95%CI： 1.1-2.7 days）, shorter post-procedural stay （0.7 days, 95%CI： 0.3-1.1 days）, and fewer major adverse cardiac events （adjusted odds ratio = 0.47, 95%CI： 0.31-0.73）. There was no statistical significance in the incidence of post-PCI bleeding between TRI and TFI （P〉0.05）. Such differences remained consistent in clinically relevant subgroups of acute myocardial infarction, acute coronary syndrome, and stable angina. Conclusion The use of TRI in patients aged over 65 years was associated with significantly reduced hospital costs and more favorable clinical outcomes.

Homocysteine is associated with the progression of non-culprit coronary lesions in elderly acute coronary syndrome patients after percutaneous coronary intervention

Background The influence of homocysteine （Hcy） on the migration and proliferation of vascular smooth muscle cells has been well established. However, the impact of Hcy levels on the progression of non-culprit coronary lesions （NCCLs） is controversial. This study aims to evaluate whether the plasma level of Hcy is related to the progression of NCCLs after percutaneous coronary stent implantation in elderly patients with acute coronary syndrome （ACS）. Methods A total of 223 elderly patients （〉 65 years old） with ACS undergoing stent im- plantation and follow-up coronary angiography were enrolled. Laboratory determination comprised of blood sample evaluation for Hcy was carried out before baseline coronary intervention. The patients were classified into two groups according to the blood Hcy tertiles （〉 15 mmol/L or 〈 15 mmol/L）. Patients were followed up for 12.2 months. NCCL progression was assessed by three-dimensional quantitative coronary angiography. Results A significantly higher ratio of NCCL progression was observed in the group with baseline Hcy concentrations above 15 mmol/L compared to the group with concentrations below 15 mmol/L （41/127, 32.3% vs. 14/96, 14.6%, P = 0.002）. Multivariate Cox regression analysis showed that Hcy and diabetes mellitus were independent risk factors for NCCL progression. The crude haz- ard ratio （HR） of NCCL progression for Hcy level was 1.056 （95% CI： 1.01-1.104, P = 0.015）. The adjusted HR of NCCL progression for Hcy level was 1.024 （95% CI： 1.007-1.042, P = 0.007）. The adjusted HR of NCCL progression for diabetes mellitus was 1.992 （95% CI： 1.15-3.44, P = 0.013）. Conclusions Hcy is an independent risk factor for NCCL progression after 12 months of follow-up in elderly patients with ACS who has undergone percutaneous coronary stenting.

Diagnostic and prognostic value of minor elevated cardiac troponin levels for percutaneous coronary intervention-related myocardial injury:a prospective,single-center and double-blind study

Cardiac troponin-I （cTnI） and -T （cTnT） are sensitive and specific markers of myocardial injury. However, the role of increased cTnI and cTnT in percutaneous coronary intervention （PCI）-related myocardial injury remains controversial. In this prospective, single-center and double-blind study, we aimed to determine the diagnostic and prognostic value of cTnI as well as cTnT （cTns） in PCI-related myocardial injury in a Chinese population. A total of 1,008 patients with stable angina pectoris and non-ST-segment elevation acute coronary syndrome were recruited. The levels of cTnI and cTnT were examined before and after PCI. All patients were followed up for 26± 9 months to observe the incidence of major adverse cardiac events （MACEs）. Our results showed that post- PCI cTnI and/or cTnT levels were increased to more than the 99^th percentile upper reference limit （URL） in 133 （13.2%） patients, among which 22 （2.2%） were more than 5 × 99^th percentile URL. By univariate analysis, an elevation in cTns after PCI was not an independent predictor of increased MACEs, HR 1.35 （P = 0.33, 95% CI： 0.74-2.46）. In conclusion, our data demonstrate that the incidence of PCI-related myocardial injury is not common in a Chinese population and minor elevated cTns levels may not be a sensitive prognostic marker for MACEs.

Heart failure after myocardial infarction in the era of primary percutaneous coronary intervention:Mechanisms,incidence and identification of patients at risk

Myocardial infarction(MI) remains the most common cause of heart failure(HF) worldwide. For almost 50 years HF has been recognised as a determinant ofadverse prognosis after MI, but efforts to promote myocardial repair have failed to translate into clinical therapies. Primary percutaneous coronary intervention(PPCI) has driven improved early survival after MI, but its impact on the incidence of downstream HF is debated. The effects of PPCI are confounded by the changing epidemiology of MI and HF, with an ageing patient demographic, an increasing proportion of non-STelevation myocardial infarction, and the recognition of HF with preserved ejection fraction. Herein we review the mechanisms of HF after MI and discuss contemporary data on its incidence and outcomes. We review current and emerging strategies for early detection of patients at risk of HF after MI, with a view to identification of patient cohorts for novel therapeutic agents.

Optimal timing of staged percutaneous coronary intervention in ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction patients with multivessel disease

Background Studies have shown that staged percutaneous coronary intervention （PCI） for non-culprit lesions is beneficial for prog- nosis of ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction （STEMI） patients with multivessel disease. However, the optimal timing of staged re- vascularization is still controversial. This study aimed to find the optimal timing of staged revascularization. Methods A total of 428 STEMI patients with multivessel disease who underwent primary PCI and staged PCI were included. According to the time interval between primary and staged PCI, patients were divided into three groups （〈 1 week, 1- weeks, and 2-12 weeks after primary PCI）. The primary endpoint was major adverse cardiovascular events （MACE）, a composite of all-cause death, non-fatal re-infarction, repeat revascularization, and stroke. Cox regression model was used to assess the association between staged PCI timing and risk of MACE. Results During the follow-up, 119 participants had MACEs. There was statistical difference in MACE incidence among the three groups （〈 1 week： 23.0%; 1-2 weeks： 33.0%; 2-12 weeks： 40.0%; P = 0.001）. In the multivariable adjustment model, the timing interval of staged PCI ≤ 1 week and l-2 weeks were both significantly associated with a lower risk of MACE [hazard ratio （HR）： 0.40, 95% confidence intervals （CI）： 0.24-4）.65; HR： 0.54, 95% CI： 0.3 lq3.93, respectively], mainly attributed to a lower risk of repeat revascularization （HR： 0.41, 95% CI： 0.24-0.70; HR： 0.36, 95% CI： 0.18-0.7）, compared with a strategy of 2-12 weeks later of primary PCI. Conclusions The optimal timing of staged PCI for non-culprit vessels should be within two weeks after primary PCI for STEMI patients.

Additional manual thrombus aspiration for ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction during percutaneous coronary intervention： an updated meta- analysis

Background The clinical efficacy and safety of adjunctive thrombus aspiration （TA） in patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction （STEMI） during percutaneous coronary intervention （PCI） remain controversial. Methods Twenty five eligible randomized controlled trials were included to compare the use of thrombus aspiration （TA） with PCI and PCI-only for STEMI. The primary endpoint was all-cause mortality and death. The secondary endpoints were major adverse cardiac events （MACE）, recurrent infarction （RI）, target vessel revascularization （TVR）, stent thrombosis （ST）, perfusion surrogate markers and stroke. Results TIMI flow grade 3 and MBG 2-3 were significantly increased in the TA plus PCI arm compared with the PCI-only arm [relative risk （RR）： 1.05, 95% confidence intervals （CI）： 1.02-1.09, P = 0.004] and （RR： 1.68, 95% CI： 1.40-2.00, P 〈 0.001）, respectively. There were no significant differences in all-cause mortal- ity, MACEs, TVR and ST rates between the two groups. The RI rate was lower in the TA plus PCI arm than that in the PCI-only arm with short-term follow-up duration （RR： 0.60, 95% CI： 0.38-0.96, P = 0.03）, but there was no significant difference in RI incidence over the me- diumor long-term follow-up periods （RR： 1.00, 95% CI： 0.77-1.29, P = 0.98）, and （RR： 0.96, 95% CI： 0.81-1.15, P = 0.69）, respectively. There were statistically significant differences in the rates of crude stroke and stroke over the medium- or long-term follow-up periods and the crude stroke rate in the TA plus PCI （RR： 1.60, 95% CI： 1.08-2.38, P = 0.02） and （RR： 1.43, 95% CI： 1.03-1.98, P = 0.03）, respectively; this was not observed between the two arms during the short-term follow-up period （RR： 1.47, 95% CI： 0.97-2.21, P = 0.07）. Conclusions Routine TA-assisted PCI in STEMI patients can improve myocardial reperfusion and get limited benefits related to the clinical endpoints, which may be associated with stroke risk.

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

Prognostic Value of NT-proBNP in Stable Coronary Artery Disease in Chinese Patients after Percutaneous Coronary Intervention in the Drug-eluting Stent Era

Objective The predictive value of N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide(NT-proBNP) in patients with stable coronary artery disease(SCAD) in the drug-eluting stent era is not yet clear. We aimed to evaluate the prognostic value of NT-proBNP in SCAD patients after percutaneous coronary intervention(PCI). Methods We examined 4,293 consecutive SCAD patients who underwent PCI between January 2013 and December 2013 in Fuwai Hospital, China. The primary endpoint was all-cause death. NT-proBNP levels were measured before PCI using Elisa kits(Biomedica, Austria). The indication for PCI was based on the degree of coronary stenosis and evidence of ischemia. Results Among 3,187 SCAD patients with NT-proBNP data, after a 2-year follow-up, NT-proBNP levels were predictive for all-cause death in the SCAD population [area under the receiver operating characteristic curve, 0.768; 95% confidence interval(CI), 0.687-0.849; P < 0.001]. At the optimum cutoff point of 732 pg/mL, the sensitivity and specificity of death was 75.0% and 72.3%, respectively. In a multivariable Cox regression model, the death hazard ratio was 6.43(95% CI, 2.99-13.82; P < 0.001) for patients with NT-proBNP levels ≥ 732 pg/mL, compared with < 732 pg/mL. Conclusion NT-proBNP is a strong predictor of 2-year death with SCAD after PCI in the drug-eluting stent era.

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.

Relationship between red blood cell distribution width and intermediate-term mortality in elderly patients after percutaneous coronary intervention

Background Large-scale clinical research on the relationship between red blood cell distribution width （RDW） and intermediate-term prognosis in elderly patients with coronary artery disease （CAD） is lacking. Thus, this study investigated the effects of RDW on the intermediate-term mortality of elderly patients who underwent elective percutaneous coronary intervention （PCI）. Methods Data from 1891 patients 〉 65 years old underwent elective PCI from July 2009 to September 2011 were collected. Based on preoperative median RDW （12.3%）, the patients were divided into two groups. The low RDW group （RDW 〈 12.3%） had 899 cases; the high RDW group （RDW 〉 12.3%） had 992 cases. The all-cause mortality rates of the two groups were compared. Results Patients in the high RDW group were more likely to be female and accompanied with diabetes, had lower hemoglobin level. The mean follow-up period was 527 days. During follow-up, 61 patients died （3.2%）. The postoperative mortality of the high RDW group was significantly higher than that of the low RDW group （4.3% vs. 2.0%, P = 0.004）. After adjusting other factors, multivariate Cox regression analysis revealed that preoperative high RDW was significantly associated with postoperative all-cause mortality （hazard ratio： 2.301, 95% confidence interval： 1.106-4.785, P = 0.026）. Conclusions Increased RDW was an independent predictor of the increased intermediate-term all-cause mortality in elderly CAD patients after elective PCI.

Rehabilitation training improves exercise tolerance after percutaneous coronary intervention

The aim of this present study was to investigate the effects of training on exercise tolerance of patients with coronary heart disease after percutaneous coronary intervention.Fifty-seven cases of coronary heart disease after percutaneous coronary intervention were divided randomly into the rehabilitation training group（26 cases） and control group（31 cases）.Patients in the rehabilitation training group received rehabilitation training at different stages and exercise intensities 3 d after percutaneous coronary intervention for 3 months.The heart rate,blood pressure,ECG changes in treadmill exercise test,and the frequency of anginal episodes were observed.The results showed that NST and ΣST of ECG and the frequency of anginal episodes were significantly reduced in the rehabilitation training group.In addition,exercise tolerance was improved and the total exercise time was lengthened in these patients.Moreover,ST segment depression time and emergence time of angina with exercise were also lengthened compared with controls（P 〈 0.05,or 0.01）.However,the heart rate and blood pressure before and after exercise of the two groups were similar.The study indicated that rehabilitation training could significantly relieve angina,amend ischemic features of ECG,and improve exercise tolerance of coronary heart disease patients after percutaneous coronary intervention.