Percutaneous coronary intervention in acute myocardial infarction with cardiogenic shock: immediate and late outcomes.

BACKGROUND: Acute myocardial infarction (AMI) with cardiogenic shock carries a high mortality rate. Early revascularization shows better results than conservative medical treatment. OBJECTIVE: To determine short and long term results of patients with cardiogenic shock from AMI who underwent percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). METHODS: Patients were identified from the PCI registry from 1993 to 1999. Follow-up data were collected from medical records and/or phone calls. RESULTS: From 1993 to 1999, there were 1211 PCI procedures performed at King Chulalongkorn Memorial Hospital. Seventeen of these cases (M9, F8) had cardiogenic shock. Mean age was 59 +/- 14 yrs. Fourteen patients had AMI. The other 3 cases developed shock more than 24 hours after AMI. Primary PCI was done in 11 cases. Thirteen patients (76.5%) needed intra-aortic balloon pump support. Average peak CPK and CK-MB were 5393 and 580 u/l, respectively. Five patients (29.4%) died in hospital, 3 of whom died on the first day due to pump failure. Twelve patients were followed for a mean duration of 412 days (range 12 - 1,464). One patient died 6 months after PTCA because of in-stent restenosis of the left main coronary artery. CONCLUSION: AMI with cardiogenic shock has a high mortality rate. However, in this group of patients who had early revascularization by PCI, mortality seemed to be lower than previously reported. If PCI is available, the procedure should be offered for this subset of AMI patients.

Initial outcomes of coronary angioplasty in diabetic patients.

Diabetes is one of the controllable risk factors of coronary artery disease. Many reports have shown that diabetes is a poor prognostic indicator for coronary events and revascularization among patients who undergo PTCA or coronary artery bypass surgery. The present work, the first prospective study in Thailand, was conducted to compare the demographic data and initial outcomes of diabetic patients (DM) with those of non-diabetic ones (non-DM) who underwent percutaneous coronary angioplasty (PTCA). Data between January 1993 and December 1998 were prospectively collected after each procedure and before discharge. During the 6-year period, 812 patients (DM-280, non-DM-532) were enrolled. The DM group had significantly more female patients (45.4 vs 21.1%, p < 0.0001), older age (62.5 +/- 8.2 vs 60.5 +/- 10.8 y, p < 0.007), less smoking (21.8 vs 43.2%, p < 0.0001), more dyslipidemia (56.8 vs 41.9%, p < 0.0001) and a higher incidence of hypertension (51.8 vs 42.5%, p = 0.01). The left ventricular ejection fraction, indication for PTCA, size of attempted vessel, and number of diseased vessels were similar in both groups. The case success rate was 93.9 per cent in the DM group and 92.3 per cent in the non-DM group (P=NS). Two patients (0.7%) in the DM and three cases (0.6%) in the non-DM group died during hospitalization. Overall major adverse cardiac events were not different between both groups (1.4 vs 1.9%, P =NS). In conclusion, there were some demographic differences in DM compared with non-DM patients who undergo PTCA; but initial outcomes, major adverse cardiac events, and mortality rates were not significantly different.

Effects of ACE-I on diabetic cardiovascular complications: anti-hypertensive and non-antihypertensive doses.

To evaluate the effects of angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitor (ACE-I) on diabetic cardiovascular complications, a streptozotozin (STZ, i.p., 70 mg/kg BW) induced diabetes rat model was used. The animals were separated into four major groups including: control (NSS), STZ-treated rats, STZ-treated rats received daily oral feeding of cilazapril starting one day after STZ injection (STZ-C1), and STZ-treated rats received daily oral feeding of cilazapril eight weeks after the STZ injection (STZ-C8). Within the groups of STZ-C1 and STZ-C8, the animals were also divided into three subgroups of six rats that received different doses of cilazapril treatment, 0.01 mg/Kg BW, 1 mg/Kg BW, and 10 mg/Kg BW. By using the modified isolated heart model, the parameters of mean arterial pressure (MAP), heart rate (HR), left ventricular isotonic contraction (LVIC), aortic flow rate (AFR), coronary flow rate (CFR), and ratio of heart weight per body weight (R) were assessed for each groups 8 and 20 weeks after the STZ injections. Moreover, the changes of wall thickness of the left ventricular wall (LV), right ventricular wall (RV), and interventricular septal wall (IVS) were monitored from the scanning electron micrographs of each heart. The results indicated that in both STZ-C1 and STZ-C8, the diabetic hypertension could be prevented or treated by anti-hypertensive doses of cilazaprils. Besides, the values of AFR, CFR, and LVIC were significantly increased when comparing between the STZ and STZ-C1 or STZ-C8. The results of morphological examinations indicated that: (1) left ventricular walls of the three hearts of STZ-rats had increased significantly more than controls. (2) Right ventricular walls and interventricular septal walls were not significantly different among STZ-rats, cilazapril treated STZ-rats and age matched controls. Therefore, it is concluded that ACE-I could act either as a cardioprotective or therapeutic agent for diabetic hearts. Both major anti-hypertension and anti-trophic effects of ACE-I have already been elucidated.

Percutaneous transvenous mitral commissurotomy: hemodynamic and initial outcome differences between atrial fibrillation and sinus rhythm in rheumatic mitral stenosis patients.

BACKGROUND: Atrial fibrillation (AF) occurs frequently in severe rheumatic mitral stenosis (MS) and has been reported to be a predictor of poor outcome after percutaneous transvenous mitral commissurotomy (PTMC). Nevertheless, according to observations in our catheterization laboratory, patients with sinus rhythm (SR) seem to have a higher pulmonary artery pressure than AF. PURPOSE: To determine 1) the hemodynamic differences between MS patients with AF and SR before and after PTMC and 2) the success rate and difference in outcome between both groups. METHOD: A total of 145 patients who had undergone PTMC with the Inoue balloon technique in King Chulalongkorn Memorial Hospital between 1993 and 1997 were enrolled. The data were presented as mean +/- SD. Student t-test was used to compare the difference in hemodynamic and outcome between the AF and SR groups. RESULTS: Fifty-six patients (38.6%) were in the AF group. The AF patients were older (42.0 +/- 11.3 vs 32.4 +/- 8.7 yr., p < 0.0001), had a larger left atrium (49.2 +/- 6.1 vs 45.3 +/- 4.9 mm, p < 0.001) and a higher valvular calcification score (1.8 +/- 0.6 vs 1.5 +/- 0.6, p = 0.02) than the SR group. There was no significant difference between baseline heart rate and overall MV score index. The hemodynamic data showed that the SR group had higher systolic (59.9 +/- 26.0 vs 47.4 +/- 16.8 mmHg, p < 0.05), diastolic (28.1 +/- 12.8 vs 22.7 +/- 9.2 mmHg, p < 0.05) and mean (40.1 +/- 17.1 vs 32.7 +/- 11.8 mmHg, p < 0.05) pulmonary artery (PA) pressure than the AF group. After successful PTMC, the SR group exhibited a more favorable change in all PA pressures and the transmitral valvular gradient (10.0 +/- 6.5 vs 6.7 +/- 6.5 mmHg, p < 0.01) than the AF group. Procedural success rates were 98 per cent in the AF and 96 per cent in the SR group (p = ns). Transthoracic colour-flow echocardiographic imaging detected atrial septal defects in 18.2 per cent and 7.5 per cent (p = 0.08) of the AF and SR groups, respectively. There was no systemic embolization, peri-procedural death or emergency surgery in both groups. CONCLUSION: Patients with MS and AF were older, had a larger LA and lower pre-PTMC PA pressure than the patients who had MS and SR. In addition, patients with SR had a more favourable PA and LA pressure reduction than patients with AF.

Detection of restenosis after percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty using the exercise treadmill test and technetium 99m-sestamibi scintigraphy.

BACKGROUND: The detection of myocardial ischemia after percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty (PTCA) is important because 30-50 per cent of the patients will develop restenosis within 6 months. Symptoms of chest pain and exercise stress test (EST) have shown to be less sensitive for detection of ischemia than exercise Technetium-99m Sestamibi (Tc-99m MIBI). The purpose of this study was to compare the sensitivity and specificity of chest pain, EST and Tc-99m MIBI with coronary angiography (CAG). METHOD: Tc-99m MIBI with SPECT imaging was performed at months 1, 3 and 6 and CAG was repeated 6 months after successful PTCA. Earlier Tc-99m MIBI and CAG were performed in patients with recurrent angina pectoris or suspected restenosis. RESULTS: Forty six patients (M 29, F 17) who had undergone successful angioplasty were prospectively enrolled. Their mean age was 61 +/- 19 yrs. Eighty eight lesions (LAD63%, LCX34%, RCA19%) were performed. Lesion characteristics were type A in 9 per cent, type in B 30 per cent and type C in 61 per cent. Fifty four per cent of PTCA were performed for single vessel disease and 46 per cent for multivessel disease. The mean duration of time between PTCA and follow-up CAG was 6.1 +/- 2.7 months. We detected restenosis from CAG in 58 per cent of the cases. The Tc-99m MIBI had higher sensitivity to detect restenosis than anginal pain (85.0% vs 39.4% p < 0.005) or EST (85.0% vs 63.6% p < 0.05) when compared with CAG. The overall accuracy of Tc-99m MIBI for the detection of restenosis was 80 per cent. CONCLUSION: Tc-99m MIBI with SPECT imaging constitutes a better means than symptoms or exercise test to detect restenosis after successful coronary angioplasty.

Safety and acceptable initial outcomes of reused balloon catheters for percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty.

OBJECTIVES: This study was conducted to compare the safety and initial outcomes applying reused balloon (RB) catheters with those of attained new balloon (NB) catheters when performing percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty. BACKGROUND: Recently, PTCA procedures have been used increasingly for the treatment of patients with coronary heart disease. In the era of national economic constraint, reused balloon catheters will reduce the cost of expensive, imported coronary angioplasty devices. Hence, data concerning the safety and success rate of RB catheters compared with NB catheters are urgently required. METHODS: Prospective comparative study between reused and new balloon catheters for coronary angioplasty. Data forms were completed after each procedure and before the patient was discharged after an 18-month period. RESULTS: From July 1996 to December 1997, 221 cases (121-RB, 100-NB) were enrolled. Mean age, ejection fraction, diseased vessel and lesion characteristics were similar in both groups. The number of lesions was much higher performed in the RB than in the NB group (1.7 +/- 0.9 vs 1.4 +/- 0.8, p = 0.02). The RB group had more cases of acute myocardial infarction than the NB group (7.4% vs 1%, p = 0.003), however, the angiographic and case success rate were the same (99.5% vs 97.9% and 98.3% vs 97% respectively). Major adverse cardiac events in RB amounted to 1.7 per cent and for NB to 1.0 per cent (p = ns). The total amount of balloons used in RB was much higher than in the NB group (1.5 +/- 0.6 vs 1.1 +/- 0.3, p = <0.0001). There were neither infection nor positive blood cultures in either group. CONCLUSIONS: Reused balloon catheters can be safely used for percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty with a high success rate. The total cost of angioplasty can be reduced without a decline in efficacy.

Percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty in King Chulalongkorn Memorial Hospital: a four-year experience.

From January 1993 to December 1996, 461 cases (743 lesions) of percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty (PTCA) were performed at King Chulalongkorn Memorial Hospital. Seventy eight per cent of the patients were male. Mean age was 61.1 +/- 9.6 yrs and mean ejection fraction was 0.59 +/- 0.18. The indications for PTCA were chronic stable angina (53%), post myocardial infarction (MI) angina (26.6%), unstable angina (17.4%) and acute MI (3%). Emergency PTCA was performed on 15 cases with 5 patients in cardiogenic shock. Fifty four per cent of the cases were performed in single vessel disease, 33 per cent in double vessel disease and 13 per cent in tripple vessel disease. The vessels dilated were the left anterior descending artery (44.2%), right coronary artery (27.8%), left circumflex artery (26.7%), left main (0.9%) and saphenous vein graft (0.4%). Mean balloon size was 2.48 mm. The overall success rate of PTCA, defined as residual diameter stenosis less than 50 per cent, was 91.5 per cent. In addition to PTCA, 123 stent implantations with mean stent size 2.98 mm and 15 rotational athrectomy were done in 114 cases. Complications of PTCA occurred in 32 cases (6.9%). Ten patients (2.2%) had abrupt closure, 1 of these needed emergency coronary bypass graft surgery (CABG). One patient (0.2%) had cerebral embolism with minor residual neurological deficit. One patient (0.2%) had toe gangrene which eventually needed amputation. One patient (0.2%) who presented with acute extensive anterior wall MI and failure of thrombolytic therapy died 8 hours after successful PTCA due to refractory cardiogenic shock. In the patients who also had stent implantation, there were 6 stent misplacements: 3 in the right femoral artery without any complication, 2 were misplacements in the coronary system and 1 dislodged in LM necessitating emergency CABG. CONCLUSION: PTCA is the coronary interventional procedure that can be performed with a high success rate and minimal complications.

The first 100 cases of intracoronary stent implantation in cardiac center, King Chulalongkorn Memorial Hospital.

At King Chulalongkorn Memorial Hospital from July 1994 to December 1996, 123 stents were implanted in 75 males and 25 females. Average age of the patients was 61.3 +/- 9.6 years. Fifty-five per cent of the cases were performed in stable angina, 26 per cent in post myocardial infarction angina. 17 per cent in unstable angina and 2 per cent in acute myocardial infarction. Seventy stents were implanted in the left anterior descending artery, 25 in the left circumflex artery, 27 in the right coronary artery and one stent in the left main. The indications for stent implantation were abrupt closure in thirteen sites, mild dissection in 58, suboptimal dilatation in 19, restenosis in 23 and de novo in 10. Mean size of the stents was 2.99 +/- 0.49 mm and mean inflation pressure was 11.9 atmosphere. Palmaz-Schatz stent was the most commonly used (53.6%) followed by AVE Microstent II (42.3%). There were 3 stents loss in the right femoral artery without any complications. Two stents were misplaced, one stent dislodged in the left main and needed emergency coronary bypass graft surgery. Two patients developed acute stent thrombosis and were successfully reopened with intracoronary urokinase. No patient had major bleeding complication, subacute thrombosis, acute myocardial infarction or death. CONCLUSION: Stent implantation can be performed rather safely with a high success rate and minimal complications.

Causes of upper gastrointestinal bleeding in Thai patients: review of 5,000 upper gastrointestinal endoscopy.

Upper gastrointestinal endoscopies were performed in 5,000 patients who presented with upper gastrointestinal hemorrhage during a period of 20 years (between January 1973 and December 1992). The causes of bleeding were: peptic ulcer (G.U. & D.U.) in 51.24 per cent; acute mucosal lesion in 31.61 per cent; variceal bleeding in 8.20 per cent; Mallory-Weiss tears in 4.54 per cent; cancerous bleeding in 1.66 per cent; gastric polyps in 0.28 per cent and normal endoscopy in 2.46 per cent. The patients ages ranged from 12 to 91 years old and male to female ratio was 3.3: 1. The lesions found were 61.28 per cent in the stomach, 20.78 per cent in the duodenum and 15.48 per cent in the esophagus. The causes of bleeding could be detected in 97.54 per cent by endoscopy. No significant complications were encountered in the examinations. It was concluded that panendoscopy is a safe and useful procedure and should be done routinely as the primary diagnostic approach in the diagnosis of upper gastrointestinal bleeding.