Time delays in each step from symptom onset to treatment in acute myocardial infarction: Results from a nation-wide TURKMI registry.

OBJECTIVE: In this study, we aimed to analyze the TURKMI registry to identify the factors associated with delays from symptom onset to treatment that would be the focus of improvement efforts in patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI) in Turkey. METHODS: The TURKMI study is a nation-wide registry that was conducted in 50 centers capable of 24/7 primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). All consecutive patients (n=1930) with AMI admitted to coronary care units within 48 hours of symptom onset were prospectively enrolled during a predefined 2-week period between November 1, 2018, and November 16, 2018. All the patients were examined in detail with regard to the time elapsed at each step from symptom onset to initiation of treatment, including door-to-balloon time (D2B) and total ischemic time (TIT). RESULTS: After excluding patients who suffered an AMI within the hospital (2.6%), the analysis was conducted for 1879 patients. Most of the patients (49.5%) arrived by self-transport, 11.8% by emergency medical service (EMS) ambulance, and 38.6% were transferred from another EMS without PCI capability. The median time delay from symptom-onset to EMS call was 52.5 (15-180) min and from EMS call to EMS arrival 15 (10-20) min. In ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI), the median D2B time was 36.5 (25-63) min, and median TIT was 195 (115-330) min. TIT was significantly prolonged from 151 (90-285) min to 250 (165-372) min in patients transferred from non-PCI centers. The major significant factors associated with time delay were patient-related delay and the mode of hospital arrival, both in STEMI and non-STEMI. CONCLUSION: The baseline evaluation of the TURKMI study revealed that an important proportion of patients presenting with AMI within 48 hours of symptom onset reach the PCI treatment center later than the time proposed in the guidelines, and the use of EMS for admission to hospital is extremely low in Turkey. Patient-related factors and the mode of hospital admission were the major factors associated with the time delay to treatment.

Women leaders in Cardiology. Contemporary profile of the WHO European region.

Aims: Women's participation is steadily growing in medical schools, but they are still not sufficiently represented in cardiology, particularly in cardiology leadership positions. We present the contemporary distribution of women leaders in cardiology departments in the World Health Organization European region. Methods and results: Between August and December 2020, we applied purposive sampling to collect data and analyse gender distribution of heads of cardiology department in university/third level hospitals in 23 countries: Austria, Azerbaijan, Belgium, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Croatia, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, North Macedonia, Morocco, Poland, Portugal, Russia, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Switzerland, Tunisia, Turkey, Ukraine, and the UK. Age, cardiology subspecialty, and number of scientific publications were recorded for a subgroup of cardiology leaders for whom data were available. A total of 849 cardiology departments were analysed. Women leaders were only 30% (254/849) and were younger than their men counterpart (♀ 52.2 ± 7.7 years old vs. ♂ 58.1 ± 7.6 years old, P = 0.00001). Most women leaders were non-interventional experts (♀ 82% vs. ♂ 46%, P < 0.00001) and had significantly fewer scientific publications than men {♀ 16 [interquartile range (IQR) 2-41] publications vs. ♂ 44 (IQR 9-175) publications, P < 0.00001}. Conclusion: Across the World Health Organization European region, there is a significant gender disparity in cardiology leadership positions. Fostering a diverse and inclusive workplace is a priority to achieve the full potential and leverage the full talents of both women and men.

Can thrombectomy and catheters used increase angiographically visible distal embolization in ST elevation myocardial infarction?

INTRODUCTION: Primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PPCI) is the preferred treatment of ST segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI). Manual thrombectomy catheters developed to prevent distant embolization are theoretically attractive; however, their clinical efficacy remains controversial. The effects of manual thrombectomy catheters on angiographically visible distal embolisation (AVDE) have not been studied so far. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of manual thrombectomy during PPCI on AVDE and to investigate whether there are differences in the incidence of AVDE according to the catheters used. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Six hundred thirty-six consecutive patients undergoing primary PCI were included in the study between January 2010 and December 2012. Patients were divided into two groups: the PCI only group (465 patients) and the PCI plus manual thrombectomy group (171 patients). RESULTS: Thrombus aspiration was associated with higher AVDE (13.55% vs. 26.9%, p = 0.0001), lower thrombolysis in myocardial infarction frame rate (2.49 ±0.86 vs. 2.79 ±0.57, p = 0.0001), lower myocardial blush grade (2.31 ±0.87 vs. 2.47 ±0.7, p = 0.016), lower ejection fraction (EF) (49.9 ±8.5 vs. 46.1 ±9.6, p = 0.0001) and higher maximal troponin release (15.7 ±16 vs. 9.4 ±11, p = 0.0001). No difference was observed in terms of mortality between the groups in follow-up (5.2% vs. 9.03%, p = 0.12). Angiographically visible distal embolisation was observed more frequently with Invatec catheters (p = 0.0001). CONCLUSIONS: Angiographically visible distal embolisation during primary PCI occurs in a significant number of patients treated with manual thrombectomy. The results indicated that the incidence of AVDE may be different depending on the thrombectomy catheters used.

The role of insulin-like growth factor-1 in development of coronary no-reflow and severity of coronary artery disease in patients with acute myocardial infarction.

INTRODUCTION: Insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) has atheroprotective effects via reduction in oxidative stress, cellular apoptosis, pro-inflammatory signaling, and endothelial dysfunction. AIM: We hypothesized that low levels of IGF-1 may be associated with the severity and extent of coronary artery disease and development of the coronary no-reflow phenomenon in patients with acute ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) and investigated the role of the IGF-1 molecule in the coronary no-reflow phenomenon and severity of coronary artery disease (CAD) in patients with acute STEMI in a tertiary hospital. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The study was conducted among 113 patients undergoing primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PPCI) for STEMI, of whom 49 patients developed the no-reflow phenomenon. Coronary no-reflow was defined as Thrombolysis In Myocardial Infarction (TIMI) flow grade 2 or less after intervention. Insulin-like growth factor-1 levels were measured in both groups. The severity and extent of CAD were evaluated according to the Gensini and Syntax scores. RESULTS: Although IGF-1 levels were lower in the no-reflow group, there was not a statistically significant difference between the no-reflow group and the control group (116.65 ±51.72 vs. 130.82 ±48.76, p = 0.130). Gensini and Syntax scores were higher in the no-reflow group. There was no association between Gensini and Syntax scores and IGF-1 levels (r = -0.071, r = 0.479, r = -0.158, p = 0.113). CONCLUSIONS: In this study, IGF-1 levels were not statistically different between patients developing the no-reflow phenomenon and controls. There was no association between development of the no-reflow phenomenon and severity of CAD or IGF-1 levels. Nevertheless, large scale studies are needed to verify these results.