Periprocedural Hemoglobin Drop and Contrast-Induced Nephropathy in Percutaneous Coronary Intervention Patients

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: The development of contrast-induced nephropathy (CIN) is associated with an increased risk of death and late cardiovascular events after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). The relationship between CIN and hemoglobin drop has been controversial. The aim of this study was to evaluate the clinical usefulness of periprocedural hemoglobin drop as a nontraditional risk factor for CIN. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: Five-hundred thirty-seven patients who underwent PCI were divided into 2 groups: Group I (486 patients: patients who did not develop CIN) and Group II (51 patients: patients who developed CIN). All patients were administered iodixanol as contrast media during coronary angiography. CIN is defined as a rise in serum creatinine of > or =25% or > or =0.5 mg/dL above the baseline value within 48 hours after contrast administration. RESULTS: Baseline clinical and cardiovascular risk factors were not significantly different between the two groups, except for low abdominal circumference (Group I : Group II=87.9+/-9.0 cm : 81.2+/-15.1 cm, p=0.024), body weight (Group I : Group II=63.5+/-10.6 kg : 59.7+/-9.2 kg, p=0.008), body mass index (BMI) (Group I : Group II=24.4+/-3.4 kg/m2 : 23.4+/-2.8 kg/m2, p=0.032), pre-PCI hemoglobin (Group I : Group II=13.2+/-2.0 g/dL : 12.3+/-2.0 g/dL, p=0.003), and post-PCI hemoglobin (Group I : Group II=12.4+/-1.9 g/dL : 11.5+/-1.8 g/dL, p=0.001). Multiple logistic regression analysis showed that a periprocedural drop in hemoglobin (>1 g/dL) was an independent predictor of CIN, like other known risk factors. CONCLUSION: A periprocedural drop in hemoglobin of more than 1 g/dL is another important independent predictor for CIN, even in patients administered the lowest nephrotoxic contrast agent, iodixanol, during PCI.

Simple Method of Counterclockwise Isthmus Conduction Block by Comparing Double Potentials and Flutter Cycle Length

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Local wide split double potentials are used as a parameter to determine complete conduction block during cavotricuspid isthmus ablation in patients with isthmus dependent atrial flutter. However, delayed slow conduction in that region can sometimes be very difficult to differentiate from complete block. Flutter cycle length (FCL) can be used to confirm isthmus conduction block, because FCL is a measure of conduction time around the tricuspid annulus (TA). This study was designed to determine which degree of splitting of the local electrograms is adequate to confirm complete isthmus block, using FCL as a reference. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: Cavotricuspid isthmus (CTI) ablation was performed in fifty consecutive patients. The interval between the pacing stimulus on the lateral side of the CTI and the first component of the double potentials on the block line (SD1) corresponded to the counterclockwise conduction time. The interval between the pacing stimulus and second component (SD2) represented the clockwise conduction time to the contralateral side of the ablation line. SD1 and SD2 were measured before and after complete isthmus block. RESULTS: An SD1+SD2 reaching 90% of the FCL identified the counterclockwise isthmus conduction block with 94% sensitivity and 100% specificity. CONCLUSION: If the sum of SD1 and SD2 following isthmus ablation was close to the FCL, complete conduction block was predicted with high diagnostic accuracy and positive predictive value for at least counterclockwise conduction.

Experience With Using a Safe Landmark the Fossa Ovalis in Transseptal Procedures

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Pressure monitoring and injection of contrast media after piercing the fossa ovalis are used to avoid life-threatening complications during transseptal procedures. However, when performing those maneuvers, the information provided can only be obtained after having pierced structures that may not have been the intended target. When we injected the contrast media through a Brockenbrough needle before piercing the fossa, the dye that had collected under the membranous septum tented by the transseptal equipment (tenting) was observed on the left anterior oblique (LAO) projection and this indicated the fossa ovalis. This study was performed to evaluate the usefulness and safety of tenting in order to identify the membranous septum during transseptal procedures. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: Contrast injections were performed on the fossa ovalis and the septal wall surrounding it during 64 transseptal procedures. The rates of dye staining and tenting in both the muscular and membranous septums were compared. RESULTS: No areas of the muscular septum exhibited any tenting. Various rates of dye staining of those areas were observed. However, the membrane of the fossa exhibited tenting without dye staining in all 64 cases. The sensitivity of the tenting without dye staining to identify the Fossa was 98%, and the specificity was 100%. CONCLUSION: Tenting without dye staining could differentiate the membranous septum from the muscular one with high diagnostic accuracy. This method could be used as a safe landmark for the fossa ovalis before piercing it during transseptal procedures.

Full Metal Jackets (> or =60 mm) of Drug-Eluting Stents: Short- and Long-term Clinical and Angiographic Outcomes

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Drug-eluting stents (DES) are effective for the maintenance of patency in patients with various complex coronary artery diseases. We investigated the efficacy of full metal jackets (FMJs,> or =60 mm) using overlapping DES for very long coronary lesions. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: The medical records and angiographic data of ninety-nine patients, and 100 FMJs that were implanted at Chonbuk National University Hospital since March 2003, were analyzed. RESULTS: The mean age was 63+/-10 years and median follow-up period was 17.0 months. The mean lesion length was 57.7+/-10.8 mm, the mean number of implanted DES for FMJ was 2.2+/-0.5, and the mean length of the FMJ was 68.5+/-11.4 mm. Thirty percent of the lesions were the culprits of acute myocardial infarction and 22% were chronic total occlusive lesions. The procedural success rate was 98%. Triple antiplatelet agents were prescribed for 37.4% of the patients and the mean duration of clopidogrel use was 11.9+/-5.7 months. Overall major adverse cardiac events developed in 10% of patients. One patient died of probable stent thrombosis by the Academic Research Consortium definition. Follow-up coronary angiography was performed in 69% of cases. Binary restenosis was documented in 9 lesions (13.0%) and five FMJs (7.2%) were revascularized. Stent fractures were detected in four FMJs (5.8%). CONCLUSION: Although FMJs using DES may be regarded as a relatively safe and effective therapeutic approach for diffuse long coronary lesions, longer-term follow-up data with a larger population is needed to establish safety including special consideration for strategy of antiplatelet therapy.

A Case of Improved Menetrier's Disease after the Eradication of the Helicobacter pylori and Long Term Treatment with Proton Pump Inhibitor / 대한소화기내시경학회지

Menetrier's disease is a protein losing hypertrophic gastropathy characterized by hypoproteinemia, and often is associated with the development of gastric cancer. Though the cause of Menetrier's disease has been unknown, the association with Helicobacter pylori was reported. A 30-year-old man was hospitalized for the evaluation of progressive dyspepsia for 2 years, hypoproteinemia, and recently aggravated epigastric pain with weight loss. Gastroscopy revealed prominent folds and multiple variable sized polypoid eminence in the body and antrum with positive CLO test. Histological findings revealed gastritis with erosions and foveolar hyperplasia. Any other diseases causing protein losing enteropathy were excluded. After the eradication of the H. pylori and long term treatment with proton pump inhibitor, clinical, endoscopic, and biochemical resolution ensued. Thus, we suggest that H. pylori eradication should be tried in patients with Menetrier's disease before invase treatment modalities such as surgical resection.

Electrolyte Modulation in Renal Tubule of Patients with Chronic Renal Failure / 대한신장학회잡지

PURPOSE: In chronic renal failure (CRF), extracellular fluid (ECF) volume is maintained close to normal, often until end-stage renal disease is imminent. This remarkable feat is accomplished by an increase in fractional excretion of sodium (FENa) in inverse proportion to the decline in glomerular filtration rate (GFR). Many researchers have carried out to try to indentify in animal study but human study was not done in Korea. METHODS: The study is an investigation of the changes of plamsa and urine electrolytes and FENa and fractional excretion of potassium (FEK) in 19 patients (13 men and 6 women) with chronic renal failure. Ages of 19 patients were average 54.6 year-old (range, 29-74 years). Underlying renal disease of the CRF was 42.1% in diabetic nephropathy, 31.6% in chronic glomerulonephritis, 10.5% in hydronephrosis with ureter reflux, and 5.3% in IgA nephropathy. RESULTS: In CRF, plasma Na+ is decreased significantly from normal control 141 +/- 2.1 mEq/L to 139.9 +/- 3.2 mEq/L and GFR from 75.9 +/- 42.9 mL/min to 9.7 +/- 6.3 mL/min, but plasma K+ is increased significantly from 4.2 +/- 0.4 mEq/L to 4.7 +/- 0.8 mEq/L. In CRF however, urine Na+ is decreased significantly from normal control 175.4 +/- 68.5 mEq/L to 89.9 +/- 31.6 mEq/L and osmolality from 610.6 +/- 210.9 mOsm/kg to 397.7 +/- 119.1 mOsm/kg, but urine K+ is decreased tendency from control 32.1 +/- 22.7 mEq/L to 24.3 +/- 14.8 mEq/L. FENa, FEK, and transtubular potassium gradient (TTKG) on CRF were 3.4 +/- 5.4%, 15.4 +/- 20.8% 7.1 +/- 6.9% each and 0.6 +/- 0.6%, 2.2 +/- 2.3% 3.2 +/- 2.8% on normal persons. The difference between CRF and normal control in FENa, FEK, TTKG and osmolar clearance were statistically significant. CONCLUSION: These results suggest that renal tubular cells of CRF were responsible for the decreased Na+ and K+ reabsorption and enhance K+ secretion.

Incidence of Osteoporosis in Patients with COPD According to Different Methods of Glucocorticoid Administration / 결핵

BACKGROUND: There are many risk factors for osteoporosis in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease(COPD). These include smoking, a low body mass index, insufficient exercise, and the use of glucocortcoids. However, there is lack of data on the incidence of osteoporosis according to the different glucocorticoid administration methods in patients with COPD. This study compared the incidence of osteoporosis according to the different administration methods of glucocorticoid. METHODS: A matched case-controlled study (gender, age, cumulative steroid dose and pack-years of smoking) was conducted. Forty-five patients with documented COPD for at least a 3 year duration and a cumulative glucocorticoid dose above 1,000 mg were enrolled in study. The patients were classified into the following three groups. First, fifteen patients received continuous inhaled glucocorticoid with intermittent oral steroids but had no admission history due to an acute exacerbation(Group I). Secondly, fifteen patients received a multiple course of oral steroids with additional inhaled glucocorticoid but had no admission history due to their acute exacerbation(Group II). Lastly, fifteen patients received intermittent oral or inhaled glucocorticoids and had an admission history due to the acute exacerbation with intravenous steroid treatment for at least 2 weeks per year(Group III). The enrolled patients had apulmonary function test and bone densitometry performed at the lumbar spine and femoral neck. RESULTS: The patients from Group III had significantly high incidence of osteoporosis in the lumbar and femoral neck compared to Group I and Group II (p<0.01). CONCLUSION: The incidence of osteoporosis in patients with COPD appears to be strongly affected by the method of steroid administration. This result suggests that intravenous steroid administration is strongly associated with the risk of osteoporosis.

A Case of Mesangial IgM Nephropathy without Proteinuria / 대한신장학회잡지

An 51-year-old woman presented with microscopic hematuria without protenuria for long time. Laboratory studies demonstrated the presence of red blood cells in urine, a normal serum IgM level, the absence of antinuclear antibodies, and a normal complement level. Renal biopsy revealed that some glomeruli are enlarged with endocapillary cell proliferation and a few glomeruli exhibit prominent vascular pole of the tufts and segmental increase in mesangial cell and matrix. Immunofluorescence studies demonstrated segmental granular deposits for IgM. Electron microscopy showed well-preserved foot process associated with focal effacement. Biopsy findings were consistent with IgM nephropathy. We present this case to promote understanding of the pathogenesis of IgM nephropathy.