Remote ischemic preconditioning for prevention of contrast induced nephropathy—Insights from an Indian study

Objectives To study if four cycles of remote ischemic preconditioning (RIPC) could offer protection against contrast induced nephropathy (CIN) and post procedural renal dysfunction in high risk patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). Methods This was a prospective single blind randomized sham controlled trial where patients undergoing coronary angioplasty with stage III chronic kidney disease were randomized into sham preconditioning and remote ischemic preconditioning. The primary outcome was the reduction in the incidence of CIN. The secondary outcomes were the maximum improvement in eGFR, maximum reduction in serum creatinine and composite of requirement of hemodialysis, death and rehospitalization for heart failure up to 6 weeks after PCI. Results Eleven out of fifty patients in the study group developed CIN (22%) compared to eighteen out of the fifty control patients (36%) (p = 0.123). There was a statistically significant improvement in the post procedure creatinine values at 24 h (p = 0.013), 48 h (p = 0.015), 2 weeks (p = 0.003), 6 weeks (p = 0.003) and post procedure glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) values at 24 h (p = 0.026), 48 h (p = 0.044), 2 weeks (p = 0.015) and 6 weeks (p = 0.011) in study group compared to control group. The secondary outcome composite of requirement of hemodialysis, death and rehospitalization for heart failure was not statistically significant (p: 0.646). Conclusion RIPC does not result in significant reduction of CIN. However RIPC helps in the prevention of post procedural worsening in eGFR and serum creatinine even up to 6 weeks.

Coronary angioplasty in spontaneous coronary artery dissection—Strategy and outcomes

Objective To study the clinical, angiographic and technical characteristics of patients with spontaneous coronary artery dissection (SCAD) undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). Methods This was a retrospective single center study where patients with angiographically confirmed SCAD undergoing PCI over a period of 4 years (2013–2017) were analyzed. We also sought to identify the clinical and angiographic predictors of procedural failure during PCI. Results There were a total of 42 patients with angiographically confirmed SCAD during the study period of which 16 patients (38.1%) underwent PCI. 14 out of the 16 patients (87.5%) taken up for PCI had technical success. In all patients the lesion was initially attempted to cross with a floppy wire and if unsuccessful it was escalated to a hydrophilic wire and finally to a stiff wire The SCAD lesion was crossed with a floppy wire in 71.4% of patients, with a hydrophilic wire in 14.2% and a stiff wire in 7.1% of patients. Wire escalation was required in 5 patients (31.3%) and in 60% of cases there was a technical success after wire escalation. Presence of diabetes mellitus, hypertension, dyslipidemia, smoking, coexisting atherosclerosis, diffuse nature of the lesion, and baseline Thrombolysis in Myocardial Infarction (TIMI) ≤ 2 flow did not predict procedural failure during PCI. Conclusion PCI in SCAD is associated with a fair rate of technical success in our population. Choosing an initial floppy wire and then escalating to a hydrophilic wire followed by a stiff wire is an optimal revascularization strategy.

Predictors of contrast induced nephropathy and the applicability of the Mehran risk score in high risk patients undergoing coronary angioplasty—A study from a tertiary care center in South India

Objective To study the incidence and predictors of Contrast induced nephropathy (CIN) in high risk patients undergoing coronary angioplasty. To study the applicability of the Mehran Risk Score (MRS) in the prediction of CIN in our population. Methods This was a prospective observational study where patients with an estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) between 30 and 60 ml/mt undergoing elective percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) over a period of 15 months were evaluated prospectively for the development of CIN. The patients who developed CIN were then analysed for the presence of specific risk factors. The patients were categorized into the 4 risk groups based on the MRS. Results 100 high risk patients underwent PCI during the study period. The incidence of CIN was 29%. On multivariate analysis, the presence of anemia (p = 0.007), increased contrast volume usage (as defined by >5* B.Wt/S.cr) (p = 0.012) and usage of loop diuretics (p = 0.033) were independently found to confer a significant risk of CIN. In patients belonging to the high Mehran risk group (MRS10- 15) and very high risk group (MRS >15) the risk of CIN was 3 fold (OR: 3.055, 95% CI: 1.18–7.94, p = 0.022) and 24 fold (OR: 24, 95% CI: 2.53–228.28, p = 0.006) higher respectively when compared to intermediate and low risk patients (MRS <10). Conclusion The incidence of CIN in high risk patients undergoing PCI is substantially higher in our population compared to similar studies in the west. The MRS risk prediction is pertinent even in an Indian population.

Angiographic predictors of success in antegrade approach of Chronic Total Occlusion interventions in a South Indian population in the contemporary era

Chronic Total Occlusion (CTO) intervention is a challenging area in interventional cardiology. Presently about 70% of CTO interventions are successful. Materials and methods This was a single center prospective study of a cohort of all patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) as elective or adhoc procedure for CTO from August 2014 to June 2015. Only antegrade CTO interventions were included. In all patients the following data were recorded. Results A total of 210 (8.9% of total PCI (2353) during the study period) CTO patients were followed up. The mean age was 56.54 ± 8.9. In the study sixty nine patients (32.9%) presented with chronic stable angina and rest of the patients had history of acute coronary syndrome of which 22.9% (n = 48) had unstable angina (UA) or non ST elevation myocardial infarction (NSTEMI) and 44.2% (n = 93) had ST Elevation Myocardial Infarction (STEMI). In those with history of ACS, 64.78% (n = 92) had ACS during the previous year and remaining 35.22% (n = 49) had ACS prior to that. Single vessel CTO was seen in 89.5% (n = 188) and two vessel CTO in 10.5% (n = 22). LAD was involved in 36.7% (n = 77), RCA in 48.1% (n = 101), and LCX in 15.2% (n = 32). Procedural success in the first attempt was 68.1% (n = 143), which increased to 71.42% (n = 150) after the second attempt. CTO interventions were more frequently successful when the calcium was absent or minimal (p-0.05), CTO length was <10 mm (p < 0.01) and good distal reformation (p < 0.01).

Geographical variation in the clinical presentation of endomyocardial fibrosis in India?

Objectives To compare the clinical presentation, clinical profile and survival of two groups of endomyocardial fibrosis patients. Methods The study was a prospective cohort study, or a prospective case series, comparing all consecutive echocardiographically proven patients with endomyocardial fibrosis seen in Medical College Trivandrum with the patients seen in Medical College Hospital, Alappuzha(Alleppey) (or TD Medical College). In all patients the clinical details like age, sex, type of endomyocardial fibrosis, the presence of anaemia, eosinophilia, neutrophilia and type of rhythm(Sinus or atrial fibrillation) etc were compared by both simple X2 and by Kaplan Meier survival curves. Results The mean age and the sex distribution was same in both places Briefly the incidence of biventricular endomyocardial fibrosis was more from Trivandrum than Alleppey, 64.9% vs 14.3% (p < 0.0.001), the incidence of atrial fibrillation was more in Trivandrum 44.2% vs 16.3%. (p < 0.001)The overall survival of Trivandrum patients was poorer (p < 0.0001). The six year survival was 61% in the Trivandrum population whereas it was 91.5% in the Alleppey population. Conclusions These differences may have been due to the better nutrition of the Alleppey patients due to a higher exposure to fish compared to the Trivandrum population. Better nutrition would protect against Magnesium deficiency and prevent the absorption of Cerium in the patients from Alleppey, compared to those from Trivandrum.