Differential Prognostic Implications of Pre- and Post-Stent Fractional Flow Reserve in Patients Undergoing Percutaneous Coronary Intervention

Background and Objectives@#The influence of pre-intervention coronary physiologic status on outcomes post percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) is not well known. We sought to investigate the prognostic implications of pre-PCI fractional flow reserve (FFR) combined with post-PCI FFR. @*Methods@#A total of 1,479 PCI patients with pre-and post-PCI FFR data were analyzed. The patients were classified according to the median values of pre-PCI FFR (0.71) and post-PCI FFR (0.88). The primary outcome was target vessel failure (TVF) at 2 years. @*Results@#The risk of TVF was higher in the low pre-PCI FFR group than in the high pre-PCI FFR group (hazard ratio, 1.82; 95% confidence interval, 1.15–2.87; p=0.011). In 4 group comparisons, the cumulative incidences of TVF at 2 years were 3.8%, 4.1%, 4.8%, and 10.2% in the high pre-/high post-, low pre-/high post-, high pre-/low post-, and low pre-/low post-PCI FFR groups, respectively. The risk of TVF was the highest in the low pre-/low post-PCI FFR group among the groups (p values for comparisons 0.05). When the prognostic value of the post-PCI FFR was evaluated according to the pre-PCI FFR, the risk of TVF significantly decreased with an increase in postPCI FFR in the low pre-PCI FFR group, but not in the high pre-PCI FFR group. @*Conclusions@#Pre-PCI FFR was associated with clinical outcomes after PCI, and the prognostic value of post-PCI FFR differed according to the pre-PCI FFR.

Prevalence and characteristics of isolated nocturnal hypertension in the general population

Background/Aims@#Ascertaining the prevalence of isolated nocturnal hypertension (INHT) in the general population and identifying the characteristics of patients with INHT may be important to determine patients who should receive 24- hour ambulatory blood pressure (BP) measurements. This study aimed to evaluate the prevalence and characteristics of INHT in the general population. @*Methods@#Of 1,128 participants (aged 20 to 70 years), we analyzed 823 who had valid 24-hour ambulatory BP measurements and were not on antihypertensive drug treatment. @*Results@#The prevalence of INHT in the study was 22.8%. Individuals with INHT had a higher office, 24-hour, and daytime and nighttime ambulatory systolic and diastolic BPs compared to individuals with sustained day-night normotension. INHT was more prevalent in individuals with masked hypertension (MH) than in those with sustained hypertension (59.8% vs. 15.6%, p < 0.001). Among individuals with INHT, 92.6% had MH. Among individuals with office BP-based prehypertension, 34.5% had both INHT and MH. The prevalence of INHT was highest in individuals with office BP-based prehypertension. INHT was an independent determinant of MH after adjustment for age, sex, body mass index, diabetes, low-density-lipoprotein cholesterol, 24-hour systolic and diastolic BP, systolic and diastolic BP dipping, and systolic and diastolic BP non-dipping. @*Conclusions@#The present study showed that INHT is not uncommon and is a major determinant of MH. Our findings strongly suggest the use of 24-hour ambulatory BP measurement for individuals within the prehypertension range of office BP owing to the high prevalence of INHT and MH in this population.

Prevalence and characteristics of isolated nocturnal hypertension in the general population

Background/Aims@#Ascertaining the prevalence of isolated nocturnal hypertension (INHT) in the general population and identifying the characteristics of patients with INHT may be important to determine patients who should receive 24- hour ambulatory blood pressure (BP) measurements. This study aimed to evaluate the prevalence and characteristics of INHT in the general population. @*Methods@#Of 1,128 participants (aged 20 to 70 years), we analyzed 823 who had valid 24-hour ambulatory BP measurements and were not on antihypertensive drug treatment. @*Results@#The prevalence of INHT in the study was 22.8%. Individuals with INHT had a higher office, 24-hour, and daytime and nighttime ambulatory systolic and diastolic BPs compared to individuals with sustained day-night normotension. INHT was more prevalent in individuals with masked hypertension (MH) than in those with sustained hypertension (59.8% vs. 15.6%, p < 0.001). Among individuals with INHT, 92.6% had MH. Among individuals with office BP-based prehypertension, 34.5% had both INHT and MH. The prevalence of INHT was highest in individuals with office BP-based prehypertension. INHT was an independent determinant of MH after adjustment for age, sex, body mass index, diabetes, low-density-lipoprotein cholesterol, 24-hour systolic and diastolic BP, systolic and diastolic BP dipping, and systolic and diastolic BP non-dipping. @*Conclusions@#The present study showed that INHT is not uncommon and is a major determinant of MH. Our findings strongly suggest the use of 24-hour ambulatory BP measurement for individuals within the prehypertension range of office BP owing to the high prevalence of INHT and MH in this population.

A Case of Polycythemia Vera Presenting as an ST-Elevation Myocardial Infarction / 대한내과학회지

Traditional risk factors for acute myocardial infarction are hypertension, diabetes, dyslipidemia, smoking, and a family history of coronary heart disease. Most acute myocardial infarction patients have at least one of these risk factors. Polycythemia vera is a rare etiological factor for acute myocardial infarction. Polycythemia vera leads to hyperviscous milieu of the blood and increased platelet activity, which increases the chance of thrombotic occlusion of coronary arteries. In this article we report a rare case of polycythemia vera presenting as an ST-elevation myocardial infarction without any traditional risk factors for cardiovascular disease.

A Case of Prosthetic Valve Endocarditis with Pseudoaneurysm Formation Caused by Haemophilus parainfluenzae / 대한내과학회지

Prosthetic valve endocarditis (PVE) caused by Haemophilus parainfluenzae (H. parainfluenzae) is very rare. Here, we report a case of H. parainfluenzae PVE that developed following the Bentall procedure complicated by a pseudoaneurysm and cerebral emboli. A diagnosis was delayed in this case because of the slow-growing nature of the organism and the unusual clinical presentation.

A Case of Prosthetic Valve Endocarditis with Pseudoaneurysm Formation Caused by Haemophilus parainfluenzae / 대한내과학회지

Prosthetic valve endocarditis (PVE) caused by Haemophilus parainfluenzae (H. parainfluenzae) is very rare. Here, we report a case of H. parainfluenzae PVE that developed following the Bentall procedure complicated by a pseudoaneurysm and cerebral emboli. A diagnosis was delayed in this case because of the slow-growing nature of the organism and the unusual clinical presentation.

Nonbacterial Thrombotic Endocarditis in a Patient with Bowel Infarction due to Mesenteric Vein Thrombosis

Ante mortem cases of venous thrombosis in patients with nonbacterial thrombotic endocarditis (NBTE) have not yet been reported. We describe a rare case of NBTE in a patient with mesenteric vein thrombosis. A healthy 37-year-old man with abdominal pain and fever underwent emergency small bowel resection due to bowel ischemia resulting from mesenteric vein thrombosis. Transthoracic echocardiography revealed multiple mobile masses attached to the anterior leaflet of the mitral valves and their chordae tendineae. On suspicion of infective endocarditis, the cardiac masses were excised through open-heart surgery. However, pathologic reviews were compatible with NBTE. The patient was stable after the cardiac surgery and was treated with warfarin. Laboratory and imaging findings regarding his hypercoagulable condition were all negative.

Infective Endocarditis Associated with Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement: Potential Importance of Local Trauma for a Deadly Nidus

Recently, transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) has emerged as an alternative for the treatment of severe symptomatic aortic stenosis patients. Although experience with TAVR is increasing exponentially, few cases of post-TAVR endocarditis are reported. We present a case of 76-year-old man with infective endocarditis after TAVR who was definitely diagnosed by echocardiography.

Relation of Inappropriate Left Ventricular Hypertrophy on Framingham Risk Score and Vascular Stiffness in Hypertensive Women

BACKGROUND: Although left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) is a compensatory process to pressure overload, there are gender differences in left ventricular function and vascular stiffness in hypertension. We evaluated that inappropriate LVH was related with Framingham risk score (FRS) and vascular stiffness in hypertensive women. METHODS: Total 226 hypertensive women consecutively underwent carotid ultrasound and echocardiography, from which LV mass (LVM), carotid intima-media thickness (IMT) and beta-stiffness were measured. Inappropriate LVH was calculated by the ratio of observed LVM to the value predicted for sex, height and stroke work at rest and defined as > 128% of predicted. FRS was obtained using by National Cholesterol Education Program Adult Treatment Panel III. RESULTS: Of 226 subjects, 59 subjects (26%) had inappropriate LVH. As compared with appropriate LVH, subject with inappropriate LVH showed older age, higher FRS, and IMT. Although LV ejection fraction was not different, diastolic parameters of E/A ratio and left atrial volume were significantly worse in inappropriate LVH group. CONCLUSIONS: The presence of inappropriate LVH in hypertensive women was strongly associated with higher FRS, decreased diastolic function and increased IMT, which might influence future cardiovascular events.