Bilateral subconjunctival hemorrhage secondary to abciximab use: case report

ABSTRACT CONTEXT: There are no reports on cases of subconjunctival hemorrhage due to use of glycoprotein IIb/IIIa inhibitors. In this report, we present the case of a patient with bilateral subconjunctival hemorrhage after receiving abciximab. CASE REPORT: A 40-year-old male patient underwent coronary angiography after acute anterior myocardial infarction and a coronary stent was placed. Abciximab was added to the therapy because of stent thrombosis. Bilateral subconjunctival hemorrhage was observed after the administration of the abciximab treatment. We treated our patient by stopping abciximab and administering artificial tears. CONCLUSİON: For the first time in the literature, we presented the case of a patient with bilateral subconjunctival hemorrhage after receiving abciximab, which was managed conservatively.

Culprit artery characteristics and severity of angiographic thrombus burden in primary percutaneous coronary intervention in patients presenting with ST elevation myocardial infarction

The purpose of study was to characterize culprit artery characteristics in terms of presence of thrombus burden in patients with acute myocardial infarction using prevalent parameters of thrombus estimation. Descriptive study. Adult cardiology departments of Armed Forces Institute of Cardiology / National Institute of Heart Diseases [AFIC/NIHD] from 1[st] October 2011 to 31[st] September 2012. We studied 119 patients treated with primary percutaneous coronary intervention for ST- segment myocardial infarction. Bare metal stents were used in all patients as per hospital protocol. Thrombus burden [TB] was graded [G] as GO = no thrombus, G1= possible thrombus, G2 = small [greatest dimension <, 1/2 vessel diameter [VD]], G3 = moderate [>1/2 but <2 VD], G4 large [>2 VD], G5 = unable to assess TB due to vessel occlusion. Patients with G5 were reassessed after passage of guide wire or small balloon for thrombus burden. Frequency of major adverse cardiac events [MACE]-defined as death, myocardial infarction and infarct- related artery revascularization was recorded for the pen-procedural period which was defined in our study up to 72 hours. Overall, in hospital MACE was 8.4%. Large thrombus burden is a significant predictor for mortality and MACE

Prevención de eventos tromboembólicos con aspirina exclusiva post reemplazo valvular aórtico con bioprótesis / Prevention of thrombo-embolic events with aspirin alone after aortic valve replacement with a biologic prosthesis

Introducción: La principal ventaja de las bioprótesis es no requerir tratamiento anticoagulante. Sin embargo, algunas guías de manejo clínico recomiendan este tratamiento los primeros meses post cirugía. En los últimos años varios autores han demostrado la seguridad del uso exclusivo de aspirina en los primeros 3 meses después del reemplazo valvular aórtico con bioprótesis. Objetivo: Evaluar la morbimortalidad y complicaciones trombo embólicas y hemorrágicas en pacientes sometidos a reemplazo valvular aórtico (RVA) con bioprótesis tratados exclusivamente con aspirina (100 mg) los primeros tres meses post cirugía. Métodos: Estudio retrospectivo de 229 pacientes (137 hombres. edad 65,3 +/- 11,76 años) operados de RVA con bioprótesis entre junio 2006 y diciembre 2011. Hubo 178 cirugías aisladas y 51 combinadas y 20 pacientes tenían endocarditis. Se estudió la morbimortalidad, complicaciones trombo embólicas y sangrado a 30 y 90 días y en el seguimento alejado hasta el 30 de junio de 2012. Resultados: A 30 días hubo 4 accidentes cerebrovasculares, 3 accidentes isquémicos transitorios y una isquemia mesentérica. Fallecieron 8 pacientes (3,5 por ciento). A los 90 días hubo 2 hemorragias (1 hemorragia digestiva, 1 hemotórax), no hubo nuevos eventos trombo embólicos ni otros fallecidos. El seguimiento promedio fue 27.8+/-17,7 meses (rango 6 - 72 meses). Durante el seguimiento fallecieron 17 pacientes y no se registraron eventos trombo embólicos ni hemorrágicos. Conclusión: En pacientes operados de reemplazo valvular aórtico con bioprótesis el uso exclusivo de aspirina fue seguro para prevenir complicaciones trombo embólicas.

Background: The abscense of a need for anticoagulant therapy is a significant advantage of biologic valve prosthesis. However, according to some clinical guidelines conventional anti-coagulant therapy is recommended for the initial 3 months following aortic valve replacement. Aim: The aim of this study was to evaluate morbi-mortality and thrombo-embolic events in patients undergoing aortic valve replacement with a bioprosthesis receiving aspirin during the first 3 months after surgery. Methods: Data on 229 patients (137 males), aged 65.3+/-11.8 years who received biologic aortic valve prosthesis between June 2006 and December 2011 was retrospectively analyzed. 51 patients underwent combined (coronary and/or mitral valve surgery) and 20 patients had infectious endocarditis. Morbidity, mortality, thrombo-embolic and hemorrhagic events were tabulated up to June 30, 2012. Results: During the first 30 days after surgery there were 4 cerebro-vascular events and 1 episode of mesenteric ischemia. Operative (30 day) mortality was 3.5 percent (8 patients). At 90 days, 2 patients had a hemorrhagic event (GI bleeding and hemotho-rax, respectively), but no further embolic events or deaths occurred. Patients were followed for a mean of 27.8 +/-17,7 months (range 6 to 72 months). 17 patients died but no cases of embolism or bleeding were observed. Conclusion: Aspirin was safe and effective for prevention of thrombo-embolic complications following aortic valve replacement with a biologic prosthesis.

Os stents farmacológicos são seguros e eficazes em longo prazo? / Are drug-eluting stents safe and effective in the long term? / ¿Los stents farmacológicos son seguros y eficaces a largo plazo?

A introdução de stents farmacológicos em 2002 revolucionou a cardiologia invasiva através da redução de reestenoses. No final de 2006 surgiram relatos de aumento da incidência de trombose tardia de stent com esses stents em comparação com os de metal sem revestimento, provavelmente em decorrência do atraso de endotelização. No entanto, esses estudos continham sérias falhas metodológicas. Meta-análises posteriores mostraram de forma clara um risco apenas discretamente aumentado de trombose tardia de stent entre todos os grupos de pacientes. Um achado importante foi o de que os stents farmacológicos proporcionaram benefício significativo e mantido devido à redução de reestenose e, portanto, de revascularização de repetição. Vários registros obtidos na prática clínica confirmaram esses resultados e sugeriram que o uso de stents farmacológicos em situações mais complexas não está associado a resultados desfavoráveis. A trombose de stent é um problema multifatorial no qual o stent é apenas um dos elementos. Novos estudos serão necessários para determinar a técnica para o procedimento e o esquema antiplaquetário ideais. Os stents farmacológicos são seguros e eficazes em longo prazo, embora estudos intensivos continuem sendo realizados com o propósito de reduzir o risco de trombose de stent na próxima geração.

The introduction of drug-eluting stents in 2002 revolutionized interventional cardiology by minimizing restenosis. Reports of increased late stent thrombosis with these stents compared with bare metal stents, probably due to delayed endothelialization, emerged late in 2006. These studies contained serious methodological flaws, however. Subsequent meta-analyses clearly showed only a small incremental risk of late stent thrombosis across all patient groups. Importantly, a significant and sustained benefit of drug-eluting stents due to reduced restenosis and thus repeat revascularization was also shown. Several 'real-world' registries have confirmed these results and suggested that the use of these stents in more complex situations is not associated with adverse outcomes. Stent thrombosis is a multifactorial problem, in which the stent is only one element. Further research is required to determine optimal procedural technique and antiplatelet regimens. Drug-eluting stents are safe and effective in the long-term, though intensive research continues into ways to reduce the risk of stent thrombosis in the next generation.

La introducción de stents farmacológicos en 2002 revolucionó la cardiología invasiva a través de la reducción de reestenosis. En el final de 2006 surgieron relatos de aumento de la incidencia de trombosis tardía de stent con esos stents en comparación con los de metal sin revestimientos, probablemente en consecuencia del atraso de endotelización. Mientras tanto, esos estudios contenían serias fallas metodológicas. Metanálisis posteriores mostraron de forma clara un riesgo apenas discretamente aumentado de trombosis tardía de stent entre todos los grupos de pacientes. Un hallazgo importante fue el de que los stents farmacológicos proporcionaron beneficio significativo y mantenido debido a la reducción de reestenosis y, por lo tanto, de revascularización de repetición. Varios registros obtenidos en la práctica clínica confirmaron esos resultados y sugirieron que el uso de stents farmacológicos en situaciones más complejas no está asociado a resultados desfavorables. La trombosis de stent es un problema multifactorial en el cual el stent es apenas uno de los elementos. Nuevos estudios serán necesarios para determinar la técnica para el procedimiento y el esquema antiplaquetario ideales. Los stents farmacológicos son seguros y eficaces a largo plazo, aunque estudios intensivos continúen siendo realizados con el propósito de reducir el riesgo de trombosis de stent en la próxima generación.

Angiographic follow-up of genous bioengineered stent in acute myocardial infarction (GENAMI)-a pilot study.

OBJECTIVE: GENAMI, an angiographic follow-up study was undertaken to evaluate the safety and efficacy of a new generation endothelial progenitor cell (EPC) capture stent, GENOUS during primary angioplasty for ST-elevation myocardial infarction (MI). METHODS: Eleven consecutive patients with acute ST-elevation MI underwent primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) using a bio-engineered GENOUS EPC stent. RESULTS: Procedural success was 100%. Ten patients who survived underwent a follow-up angiography at 8 months. There was no instance of stent thrombosis during the follow-up period up to 12 months. The quantitative angiographic (quantitative coronary analysis [QCA]) follow-up data showed a late loss at 8 months of 0.97 +/- 0.94 mm and the late loss index was 44.35 +/- 40.47% with angiographic restenosis seen in 5 of 10 patients (50%). One of these patients with provocable ischemia underwent repeat PCI. CONCLUSIONS: The QCA data of this study shows a high late loss with frequent angiographic restenosis during follow-up with this stent during primary PCI for acute STEMI. This observation, with important clinical implications, needs to be confirmed in larger studies.

An overview of modern embolic protection in percutaneous coronary intervention.

Coronary embolism due to atherosclerotic debris is a rather common cause of post-procedural complications. While evidence has shown that both arteriolar vasodilators and platelet glycoprotein inhibitors have proven ineffective against post- and peri-procedural embolism,5 mechanical interventional devices have been shown to improve (lower) 30-day MACE rates. These interventions include distal filtration, distal, and proximal occlusion balloons. The distal occlusion balloon was the first approach to embolic protection. The intervention involves placement of a low pressure (<2 atm) balloon distal to the lesion of interest. Antegrade flow is temporarily interrupted while the lesion is treated. Mounted on conventional 0.014-inch guidewire shafts, distal filtration systems follow a similar intervention method to distal occlusion. In this proceeding, a delivery/recovery sheath catheter deploys an expandable filter device approximating the lumen, which is later removed following PTCA or stent placement in retroversion. The variety of existing, rather novel filter designs typically feature a wire mounted umbrella-type filter consisting of laser-drilled micropores design varied, averaging approximately 100 microm. The primary benefit derived of distal filtration includes the trivial uninterruption of antegrade flow. Unlike distal occlusion, proximal devices allow for vessel protection before lesion crossing, a great advantage in cases involving thrombosis, vulnerable plaque, or primary unstable angina. Proximal occlusion follows a nearly identical implementation as distal occlusion. While substantial research is still needed, interventionalists are advised to always use embolic protection devices in SVG interventions.

Current perspectives on Kawasaki disease.

The etiology of Kawasaki disease (KD) remains unknown despite several years of dedicated research in this direction. Recently coronavirus infection and genetic polymorphisms have been implicated. Since first description of the disease there have been few changes in the diagnostic criteria except for newer recommendations of fever of at least 4 instead of 5 days duration. Recently, Echocardiography Criteria and Laboratory Criteria have been added to aid in the diagnosis of incomplete KD where all the historical diagnostic criteria are not present; this is now called the "incomplete form of KD" as opposed to "atypical form of KD". The word "atypical" is reserved for unusual presentations of KD such as those with hemophagocytic syndrome or nerve palsy. The treatment of KD includes infusion of high dose immunoglobulin. Patients non-responsive to immunoglobulin therapy are labeled as having "immunoglobulin resistant KD". The treatment of immunoglobulin resistant KD can be challenging and new therapies that have tried with some success. Late outcomes after 4 decades of treating these patients have recently been published. There has been some concern about increased risk for premature atherosclerosis in patients with childhood KD who had coronary artery abnormalities.

Aspirina, ticlopidina ou clopidogrel? / Aspirin, ticlopidine or clopidogrel?

Os quadros isquêmicos miocárdicos agudos iniciam-se a partir da formação do trombo sobre a placa aterosclerótica. Em circunstâncias em que ocorre lesão endotelial - ruptura da placa - , a adesão, a ativação e a agregação das plaquetas desencadeiam o processo de formação do trombo. O objetivo da terapêutica antiplaquetária nas síndromes isquêmicas agudas é modificar as funções da plaqueta no sentido de inibir a formação e o desenvolvimento do trombo arterial sem prejuízo da hemostasia. Entre as substâncias antiplaquetárias destaca-se a aspirina, que atua impedindo a formação da tromboxane A2, que é importante no processo de formação do trombo. A aspirina, comprovadamente, trouxe grande impacto na modificação da evolução clínica dos pacientes com angina instável ou infarto agudo do miocárdio. Os derivados tienopiridínicos, ticlopidina e clopidogrel, agem inibindo a ação do difosfato de adenosina e, portanto, impedindo a ativação plaquetária. Importantes estudos clínicos demonstraram que esses fármacos apresentam benefícios comparáveis aos da aspirina. São, portanto, recomendados na impossibilidade de se utilizar esta última. Os dados dos estudos que avaliam os efeitos da associação dos tienopiridínicos com a aspirina demonstram as vantagens de se atuar concomitantemente em mecanismos diferentes da ativação das plaquetas para a prevenção de eventos isquêmicos miocárdicos, tanto no contexto dos procedimentos invasivos como no tratamento clínico da angina instável.

Effect of variable low doses of aspirin on platelet functions.

The effect of chronic administration of variable low doses of Aspirin was studied on platelet adhesiveness, platelet count, bleeding time and clotting time to find out as to how low the dose of aspirin needs to be in order to have an effective antiplatelet effect in patients who require such therapy. A statistically significant reduction in the platelet adhesiveness was observed in all the groups, but the best effect was exhibited by 50 mgm of aspirin dose. Bleeding time was also increased in all the groups but statistically significant difference was observed with 50, 75 and 100 mgm doses. There was no change in platelet count and clotting time.