Prospective multicenter randomized trial comparing physician versus patient transfer for primary percutaneous coronary intervention in acute ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction / 中华医学杂志(英文版)

<p><b>BACKGROUND</b>Primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) has been identified as the first therapeutic option for patients with acute ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI). The strategy of transferring patient to a PCI center was recently recommended for those with acute STEMI who were present to PCI incapable hospitals, which include lack of facilities or experienced operators. In China, some local hospitals have been equipped with PCI facilities, but they have no interventional physicians qualified for performing primary PCI. This study was conducted to assess the feasibility, safety and efficacy of the strategy of transferring physician to a PCI-equipped hospital to perform primary PCI for patients with acute STEMI.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Three hundred and thirty-four consecutive STEMI patients with symptom presentation = 12 hours in five local hospitals from November 2005 to November 2007 were randomized to receive primary PCI by either physician transfer (physician transfer group, n=165) or patient transfer (patient transfer group, n=169) strategy. Door-to-balloon time, in-hospital and 30-day major adverse cardiac events (MACE, including death, non-fatal re-infarction, and target vessel revascularization) were compared between the two groups.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Baseline characteristics between the two groups were comparable. Thrombolysis in myocardial infarction (TIMI) 3 flow was revealed in more patients in the physician transfer group at initial angiography (17.6% vs 10.1%, P<0.05). The success rate of primary PCI (96.3% vs 95.4%, P>0.05) and length of hospital stay were similar between the two groups ((15+/-4) days vs (14+/-3) days, P>0.05). In the physician transfer group, door-to-balloon time was significantly shortened ((95+/-20) minutes vs (147+/-29) minutes, P<0.0001) and more patients received primary PCI with door-to-balloon time less than 90 minutes (21.2% vs 7.7%, P<0.001). During hospitalization, MACE occurred in 6.7% and 11.2% of patients in the physician and patient transfer groups, respectively (P=0.14). At 30-day clinical follow-up, the occurrence rates of death, non-fatal re-infarction, and target vessel revascularization (TVR) were 3.6% vs 5.9%, 4.2% vs 8.9%, and 1.2% vs 2.4% in the physician and patient transfer groups, respectively (all P>0.05). The cumulative composite of MACE was significantly reduced (8.9% vs 17.2%, P=0.03) and MACE free survival (91.0% vs 82.9%, P<0.05) was significantly improved in the physician transfer group at 30 days.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The strategy of transferring physician to local hospital to perform primary PCI for patients with acute STEMI is feasible, safe and efficient in reducing the door-to-balloon time and 30-day MACE rate.</p>

Impact of admission creatinine level on clinical outcomes of patients with acute ST-elevation myocardial infarction undergoing primary percutaneous coronary intervention with drug-eluting stent implantation / 中华医学杂志(英文版)

<p><b>BACKGROUND</b>Prognosis of patients with acute ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) and renal dysfunction (RD) who received primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) has not been fully investigated in the drug-eluting stent (DES) era. This study aimed to evaluate the impact of admission serum creatinine level on short-term outcomes in patients with acute STEMI undergoing DES-based primary PCI.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Primary PCI with DES implantation was attempted in 619 consecutive STEMI patients within 12 hours of symptom onset. Among them, 86 patients had a serum creatinine level > or = 115 micromol/L on admission (RD group), and the remaining 533 patients had normal renal function (non-RD group). The primary endpoint was 30-day major adverse cardiac events (MACE, including death, non-fatal reinfarction, and target vessel revascularization), and the secondary endpoint was subacute stent thrombosis.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Patients in the RD group were older than those in the non-RD group. There are more female patients in the RD group and they had a history of hypertension, myocardial infarction and revascularization. The occurrence rates of Killip class > or = 2 (29.1% vs 18.6%, P = 0.02) and multi-vessel (62.8% vs 44.5%, P = 0.001) and triple vessel disease (32.6% vs 18.2%, P = 0.002), in-hospital mortality (9.3% vs 3.8%, P = 0.03), and MACE rate during hospitalization (17.4% vs 7.7%, P = 0.006) were higher in the RD group than those in the non-RD group. At a 30-day clinical follow-up, the MACE-free survival rate was significantly reduced in the RD group (76.7% vs 89.9%, P = 0.0003). Angiographic stent thrombosis occurred in 3 (3.5%) and 7 (1.3%) of patients in the RD group and non-RD group, respectively (P = 0.15). Multivariate analysis revealed that the serum creatinine level > or = 115 micromol/L on admission was an independent predictor for MACE rate at a 30-day follow-up (Hazard ratio (HR) 3.31, 95% CI 1.19 - 9.18, P < 0.001).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Despite similar prevalence of stent thrombosis at a 30-day clinical follow-up, the short-term prognosis of STEMI patients with elevated serum creatinine on admission undergoing DES-based primary PCI remains unfavorable.</p>

Elevation of tumor necrosis factor-alpha, interleukin-1beta and interleukin-6 levels in aortic intima of Chinese Guizhou minipigs with streptozotocin-induced diabetes / 中华医学杂志(英文版)

<p><b>BACKGROUND</b>Large animal models with toxin-mediated pancreatic damage have been used extensively in researches with respect to diabetes mellitus and cardiovascular diabetic complications. The present study aimed to establish Chinese Guizhou minipig models with streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetes and characterize the animal models by analyzing inflammatory cytokine levels in aortic wall, such as tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha, interleukin-1beta (IL-1beta) and interleukin-6 (IL-6).</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Twenty-two male Chinese Guizhou minipigs (age, 4 to 6 months; weight, 20 kg to 30 kg) were divided into STZ-induced diabetic group (n = 12) and control group (n = 10). STZ (125 mg/kg) was administrated to induce hyperglycemia and afterwards insulin was used to control fasting blood glucose levels below 10 mmol/L. Oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) was performed before and one month after STZ administration and serum concentrations of alanine transaminase, asparagine transaminase, albumin, blood urea nitrogen, creatinine, lipids and white blood cell count were measured before and six months later. Animals in both groups were euthanized after six months and pancreas was examined immunohistochemically for islet beta cells. Aortic intima of diabetic minipigs and controls was analyzed for TNF-alpha level in tissue conditioned medium by Western blot. TNF-alpha, IL-1beta and IL-6 mRNA levels in aortic intima were assayed by reverse transcription and polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR).</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Significant elevation in serum glucose levels was observed one month and six months after STZ induction (P < 0.001) and markedly increased OGTT values were noted, compared with baseline data. The normal pancreas had many irregular sized islets and small clusters of islet beta cells, while in pancreas of diabetic minipigs islet beta cells almost disappeared. No statistical difference was notified in serum concentrations of biochemical examinations before and six months after STZ induction. Western blot demonstrated dramatically increased TNF-alpha level in aotic intima conditioned medium, and significant elevation of TNF-alpha, IL-1beta and IL-6 mRNA levels was revealed by RT-PCR.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>The present study has established Chinese Guizhou minipig models with STZ-induced diabetes. Inflammatory cytokines (TNF-alpha, IL-1beta and IL-6) significantly elevated in aortic intima of diabetic minipigs.</p>