The gender difference of utilization of cardiac implantable electronic device in China： data from Arrhythmia Interventional Therapy Data Registry

Background Cardiac implantable electronic devices （CIEDs） greatly improve survival and life quality of patients. However, there are gender differences regarding both the utilization and benefit of these devices. In this prospective CIED registry, we aim to appraise the gender differences in CIED utilization in China. Methods Twenty centers from 14 provinces in China were included in our registry study. All patients who underwent a CIED implantation in these twenty centers between Jan 2015 and Dec 2016 were included. Results A total of 8570 patients were enrolled in the baseline cohort, including 7203 pacemaker, 664 implantable cardiac defibrillators （ICD） implants and 703 cardiac resynchronization therapy device （CRT/D）. Totally, 4117 （48.0%） CIED patients were female, and more than 59% pacemaker patients were female, but women account only one third of ICD or CRT/D implantation in this registry. There were significant differences between genders at pacemaker and ICD indications. Female was more likely received a pacemaker due to sick sinus syndrome （SSS） （63.9% vs. 51.0%, P 〈 0.001）. Female patients receiving an ICD were more likely due to cardiac ion channel disease （29.2% vs. 4.2%, P 〈 0.001）. The percentage of utilization of dual-chamber pacemaker in female patients was significantly higher than male （85.3% vs. 81.1%, P 〈 0.001）. But male patients were more likely received a cardiac resynchronization therapy devices with defibrillator than female （56.5% vs. 41.9%, P = 0.001）. In pacemaker patient, male was more likely to have structure heart disease （31.3% vs. 28.0%, P = 0.002）. In ICD patient, male patients were more likely to have ischemic heart disease （48.2% vs. 29.2%, P 〈 0.001）. The mean age of women at the time of CRT/D implantation was older than men （P = 0.014）. Nonischemic cardiomyopathy （70.9%） was the most common etiology in the patients who underwent the treat？ment of CRT/D, no matter male or female. Conclusions In real-world setting, female do have different epidemiology, pathophysiology and clinical presentation of many cardiac rhythm disorders when compared with male, and all these factors may affect the utilization of CIED implantation. But it also possibility that cultural and socioeconomic features may play a role in this apparent discrimination.

Viable Myocardium Impact on Left Ventricular Function after Late Revascularization of Infarct-related Artery in Acute Myocardial Infarction

Objectives The long-term benefit of late reperfusion of infarct-related artery （IRA） after acute myocardial infarction （AMI） is controversial, and the benefit mechanisms remain uncertain. Low dose dobutamine stress echocardiography （LDSE） can identify viable myocardium and predict improvement of wall motion after revascularization. Methods Sixtynine patients with first AMI who did not received early reperfusion therapy were studied by LDSE at 5 to 10 days after AMI. Wall motion abnormality and left ventricular size were measured at the same time. Successful PCI were done in all patients at 10 to 21 days after AMI onset. Patients were divided in two groups based on the presence or absence of viable myocardium. Echocardiography was repeated six months later. Results There were 157 motion abnormality segments. 89 segments （57%） were viable during LDSE. 26 patients （38%） with viability and 43 （62%） without. In viable group, left ventricular ejection fraction （LVEF） was increased （P 〈 0.05）, and left ventricular end systolic volume index （LVESVI） and wall motion score （WMS） were decreased （P 〈 0.05 and P 〈 0.01） significantly at 6 months compared with baseline. But in patients without viability, LVEF was decreased （P 〈 0.01）, and LVESVI and left ventricular end diastolic volume index （LVEDVI） were increased （P 〈 0.05） significantly after 6 months, and the WMS did not changed （P 〉 0.05 ）. LVEF increased （P 〈 0.05 ） and WMS decreased （P 〈 0.05） on LDSE during acute phase in patients with viability, but they were not changed in the nonviable group. Conclusions Late revascularization of IRA in patients with presence of viable myocardium after AMI is associated with long-term preservation left ventricular function and less ventricular remodeling. Improvement of left ventricular systolic function on LDSE indicates late phase recovery of left ventricular function after late revascularization.

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

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

Transcatheter Aspiration of Coronary Thrombus in Patients with Acute Myocardial Infarction

Objectives We introduced a simple method of transcatheter aspiration of coronary thrombus during emergency PCI in acute myocardial infarction (AMI) patients. Methods AMI patients presenting proximal coronary lesions with intracoronary thrombus were selected. We used the common coronary wire (0. 014') across the lesion after 7F guiding catheter to the ostium of coronary arteries. Aspiration catheter (Export, PercuSurge) was directly advanced over the wire to the lesion and manually aspirated the thrombus with a 20 - ml syringe at the same time. After thrombus disappeared and occluded arteries reopened, stents were directly implanted. Results 12 cases of AMI received the treatment. After aspiration, the thrombus disappeared in 8 cases, and decreased in another 4 cases. The total occluded artery was directly re- opened and the antegrade flow improved markedly after aspiration in 7 out of 8 cases. 9 patients achieved TIMI 3 flow and TMP 3 grade perfusion flow after stenting, and the other 3 cases were TMP 2. No major cardiac events took place during hospitalization. The LVEF was 64.1 ± 9. 3% before discharge. Conclusions Transcatheter aspiration of thrombus is a simple and effective method to manage the intracoronary thrombus in AMI patients.

Influence of the Right Ventricular Lead Location on Ventricular Arrhythmias in Cardiac Resynchronization Therapy

Background： The influence of different right ventricular lead locations on ventricular arrhythmias （VTA） in patients with a cardiac resynchronization therapy （CRT） is not clear. This study aimed to evaluate the influence on VTA in patients with a CRT when right ventricular lead was positioned at the right ventricular middle septum （RVMS） and the right ventricular apical （RVA）. Methods： A total of 352 patients implanted with a CRT-defibrillator （CRT-D） between May 2012 and July 2016 in the Department of Cardiology of Anhui Provincial Hospital were included. Two-year clinical and pacemaker follow-up data were collected to evaluate the influence of the right ventricular lead location on VTA. Patients were divided into the RVMS group （n = 155） and the RVA group （n = 197） based on the right ventricular lead position. The VTA were compared between these two groups using a Kaplan-Meier curve and Cox multivariate analysis. Results： When the left ventricular lead location was not considered, RVMS and RVA locations did not affect VTA. However, the subgroup analysis results showed that when the left ventricular lead was positioned at the anterolateral cardiac vein （ALCV）, the RVMS group had an increased risk ofventricular arrhythmias and appropriate defibrillation （hazard ratio [HR] - 3.29, P = 0.01 and HR = 4.33, P 〈 0.01, respectively）; when the left ventricular lead was at the posterolateral cardiac vein （PLCV）, these risks in the RVMS group decreased （HR = 0.45, P = 0.02 and HR = 0.33, P 〈 0.01, respectively）, and when the lett ventricular lead was at the lateral cardiac vein, there was no difference between the two groups. In regard to inappropriate defibrillation, there was no significant difference among all these groups. Conclusions： When the left ventricular lead was positioned at ALCV or PLCV, the right ventricular lead location was associated with VTA and appropriate defibrillation after CRT. Greater distances between leads not only improved cardiac function but also may reduce the risk of VTA.

Effects of Late Reperfusion on Left Ventricular Function and Its Relationship With Viable Myocardium After Acute Myocardial Infarction in Patients With or Without Diabetes

Objectives To compare the different effects of late successful reperfusion with PCI on left ventricular function and its relationship with viable myocardium after acute anterior wall myocardial infarction in patients with or without diabetes. Methods A total of 125 consecutive subjects with acute anterior wall myocardial infarction were selected, and divided into diabetes mellitus （DM） group （ n = 43） and Non-DM group （ n = 82） according to WHO diabetes diagnosis criteria. All patients received successful PCI at 12 ± 8 days from onset. Ischemic viable myocardium was detected with low-dose dobutamine echocardiography, and left ventricular function and wall motion abnormality were also assessed with echocardiography before PCI. The data of clinical manifestations and angiograms before and after PCI were analyzed. Levels of creatinine kinase-MB （CK-MB）, and troponin T （TnT） before PCI, 6 hours and 24 hours after PCI were assessed. All patients received clinic and echocardiography follow-up for 6 months. Results Higher rate of TIMI 2 flow, and lower rate of TIMI 3 flow in DM group were demonstrated immediately after PCI, and the rate of serum CK-MB and/or TnT levels were higher in DM group, compared with Non-DM group（P 〈 0.05）. 63% of DM patients and 56% of non-DM patients had viable myocardium before PCI（ P 〉 0. 05）. There were no significant differences of left ventricular ejection fraction （LVEF）, left ventricular end diastolic volume index （LVEDVI）, left ventricular end systolic volume index （LVESVI）, and wall motion score （WMS） between two groups at baseline before PCI（P 〉 0.05）. After six months, WMS was decreased and LVEF was increased in Non-DM group, but the WMS and the LVEF did not changed, and the LVEDVI was increased in DM group compared with baseline; the LVEDVI, LVESVI, LVEF, and WMS were significantly different between two groups （P 〈 0.05 or P 〈 0. 01 ）. Conclusions Compared with non-diabetics, delayed successful revascularization with PCI in diabetics patient with acute myocardial infarction has less benefitial effect on the improvement of late phase left ventricular function, and it may be because the insufficient reperfusion or reperfusion injury to myocardium but not the viable myocardium contributing to the poor result. （S Chin J Cardiol 2009; 10（4） ： 196 -203）