Dynamics of electrocardiographic changes, brain-natriuretic peptide and cortisol levels in a patient with stress (takotsubo) cardiomyopathy--a case report.

INTRODUCTION: Takotsubo cardiomyopathy is a transient acute heart failure syndrome caused by stress that provokes left ventricular mid-apical akinesis and mimics acute coronary syndrome. CASE REPORT: A 66-year-old woman had chest pain and dispnoea a few hours before hospitalization. A sudden emotional stressful event preceded the symptoms. Electrocardiographic abnormalities--precordial ST elevation and modest increase of cardiac troponin mimiced acute myocardial infarction. However, echocardiographic examination showed apical ballooning with markedly diminished left ventricle ejection fraction and the obstruction in the outflow tract of the left ventricle. Coronary angiography at admission showed no coronary stenosis and slower blood flow through the left anterior descending artery. According to anamnesis, echocardiography and coronarography finding we established the diagnosis of stress cardiomyopathy--takotsubo cardiomyopathy. We described in details the slow but dynamic electrocardiographic changes, levels of brain natriuretic peptide, cortisol and echocardiography evolution of disease during a 4-month follow-up till the full recovery. CONCLUSION: Stress (takotsubo) cardiomyopathy--became an important differential diagnosis of acute anterior myocardial infarction and it should be reconsidered every time when emotionally stressed patients with transient-apical akinesis or dyskinesis of the LV are present.

Therapeutic approach in patients with a floating thrombus in the right heart.

BACKGROUND: The occurrence of a floating thrombus in the right heart, although rare, is a life-threatening condition requiring a specific approach. In most cases, these thrombi are a result of embolization from deep venous thrombosis, and have lodged temporarily in the right heart. The management of this condition is variable, depending on whether or not there is a thrombus entrapped within a foramen ovale (FO). OBJECTIVES: To present the management of 2 patients with a free-floating thrombus in the right heart, and a third patient with an entrapped thrombus in the FO. CASE REPORTS: Two patients with a free-floating thrombus in the right atrium who were treated with thrombolytic therapy had an immediate excellent outcome. The patient with a thrombus entrapped within the FO was scheduled for surgical removal of the thrombus due to an unacceptable risk of systemic embolization if treated with thrombolytic and anticoagulant therapy. Unfortunately, he developed an ischemic stroke on the fifth day of presentation, just a few hours before the scheduled surgery, despite meticulous monitoring of continuous heparin infusion with activated partial thromboplastin time. CONCLUSION: Thrombolytic therapy is recommended in patients with a free-floating thrombus in the right heart. However, in patients with a thrombus entrapped within an FO, delaying surgical removal of the thrombus may be deleterious due to unpredictable systemic embolization.

Increased inflammatory response in patients with the first myocardial infarction and nonsignificant stenosis of infarct-related artery.

INTRODUCTION/AIM: Atherosclerosis presents a serial of highly specific cellular and molecular responses, and could be described as inflammatory diseases. Accordingly, for development of acute myocardial infarction (AMI), structure and vulnerability of atherosclerotic plaque are more important than the extent of stenosis of infarct-related artery. Consequently, inflammation and atherosclerosis and its complications are in good correlation. C-reactive protein (CRP) as nonspecific inflammatory marker, has prognostic significance in coronary artery diseases. The aim of this study was to establish the correlation between inflammatory response expressed as levels of CRP and fibrinogen in serum and extent of coronary artery stenosis. METHODS: Study included 35 patients with acute myocardial infarction, as the first manifestation of coronary artery disease, which were treated with thrombolytic therapy according to the guidelines. All the patient had a reperfusion. The patients with acute or chronic inflammatory diseases, an increased value of sedimentation, fibrinogen, CK > or = 190 U/L, early and late complications of AMI were excluded. CRP was measured on admission, after 24, 48 and 72 hrs, and 21 days latter, while fibriogen only on admission. RESULTS: All the patients underwent coronary angiography, and were divided into two groups: the group 1 (23 patients), with significant stenosis of infarct-related artery (stenosis > or = 75%), and the group 2 (13 patients) without significant stenosis (< 75%). Mean value of CRP serum level on admission in the group 1 was 4.4 mg/L, and in the group 2 7.2 mg/L (p < 0.001). The mean value of fibrinogen on admission in the group 1 was 2.7 g/L, and in the group 2 3.0 g/L (p < 0.001). The mean CRP value after 48 hrs in the group 1 was 21.7 mg/L, and in the group 2 42.4 mg/L. (p < 0.001). After three weeks, the mean CRP value was 4 mg/L in the group 1 and 5.5 mg/L in the group 2 (p < 0.001). There was no significant difference between the groups 1 and 2 related to gender, age, localization of AMI, CK, EF value, and risk factors for coronary artery disease. CONCLUSION: The patients with nonsignificant stenosis of infarct-related artery had increased inflammtory responses according to the CRP value, as a result of inflammatory process in atherosclerotic plaque and/or enhanced individual reactivity.

[Impact of heart myxoma localization upon its clinical course and outcome].

INTRODUCTION: Primary heart tumors are very rare. They can be benign and malignant. Benign ones make about two thirds of all heart tumors. However, they are benign only by their biologic characteristics, but potentially malignant by their localization. About three forths of benign tumors are myxomas. Their growth is usually slow and they can be for a long time silent, particularly if they do not compromise vital functional parts of the heart. Myxomas grow in the atria, mostly in the left one and very rarely in the ventricles. CASE REPORT: We presented two patients with myxomas in the left, and, in the right atrium which are representative samples of the most common localization of heart myxoma considering previous knowledge of these tumors. Analysis of the clinical course in the two presented patients with characteristic localizations showed general characteristics of the clinical course of heart myxoma. The patients did not have characteristic symptoms for a rather long period of time and the findings obtained by standard examinations did not raise suspicion of heart tumor. Pulmonary symptomatology in one patient and cardial in the other, when tumor had already occupied almost the entire atrium, suggested necessity of cardiologic examination. Indication for operation was in both patients confirmed after performed echocardiography, computed tomography of the thorax and angiography with ventriculography. The size of the removed atrial tumors and their localization explained some of the patients' troubles, but it was also amazing that they had not caused more serious problems. Operation as the only method of treatment was successful in both female patients and its effect was permanent. At annual controls neither recurrence of the tumor nor troubles possibly associated with it were observed. CONCLUSION: Patients with heart myxoma usually pass through asymptomatic or oligosymptomatic phase, but when troubles become manifested, they do not much differ from those due to other causes. For this reason this tumor can be diagnosed just when complications caused by its localization and growth develop. Modern cardiologic diagnostics, primarily preventive non-invasive echocardiography, enables timely diagnosis and removal of the tumor because only then it may take a name benign tumor.

[Diagnosis and results of treatment of heart myxoma].

BACKGROUND/AIM: Myxoma is the most common benign primary cardiac neoplasm, and usually originates from the left atrial septum. Early diagnosis of cardiac myxomas depends on a high index of a clinical suspicion. Surgical management must be done as soon as possible after diagnosis. The aim of this retrospective study was to present diagnostics and treatment outcome data of 61 patients with cardiac myxoma treated in the Military Medical Academy, Belgrade during a 49-years period. METHODS: Intra-hospital diagnosis was established in all the patients by the cardiologist. Diagnostic methods were various, in dependence on the examination period and suspected diagnosis. RESULTS: Within a 49-years period (1961-2009) heart myxoma was diagnozed and treated in 61 patients in the Military Medical Academy, Belgrade. Most of the operated patients were females (38 or 62.3%). The operated patients were 19-68 years old. Average age of all the patients was 47.9%. The great majority of them (98.4%) had atrial, and only one operated patient had ventricular myxoma. In 13 (21.3%) of the patients heart myxoma was found out accidentally due to no previous cardiologic symptomatology. In most patients (27.44%) symptomatology was presented as thromboembolic disease. Because of the suspected ventricular myxoma in one patient, the patient was operated on, but Hodgkin's lymphoma was found out which, according to the subsequent course of the disease, could be justifiably recognized as primary heart lymphoma. This study presented brief descriptions of the course of the disease in 4 patients with myxomas in each of the cardiac cavities. CONCLUSION: The only diagnostic difficulty in cardiac myxoma is due to its asymptomatic and oligosymptomatic presence within the longer period of time, namely, its growth period. Echocardiography should be the standard method of cardiologic examination of these patients, which could considerably contribute to early diagnosis and treatment of heart myxoma. Surgical extirpation of myxoma is the only and very successful therapeutic method.

[Intimomedial thickness of the vertebral arteries complex: a new useful parameter for the assessment of atheroclerotic process?].

BACKGROUND/AIM: An integral part of Doppler ultrasound examination of cervical blood vessels is determination of intimomedial thicknes (IMT) of the common carotid. The aim of the study was to estimate the relations between IMT of the common carotid and vertebral arteries in order to determine if the value of IMT obtained on the vertebral artery could be applied in clinical practice. METHODS: We measured IMT in a randomized, prospective and cross-sectional study, performed on 50 persons both sexes (29 men and 21 women), at the age from 18 to 79 years (mean age 52.4 +/- 17.63 years). All the persons were healthy, what was confirmed with clinical examination and laboratory analyses. Measurements were perfomed from January 2006 until September 2008. Intimomedial thickness was recorded by two dimensional ultrasonography in B-mode on both common carotid arteries: one value was obtained as average of three successeful measurements (measurements were perform on different places). We measured IMT on the first segment of both vertebral arteries, 1.5 cm proximal from the connection of the first and second segments (we got results of the measurement of IMT on the vertebral arteries in the same way: mean value from the three records). RESULTS: The measured value of IMT on the common carotid arteries (IMT = 0.782 +/- 0.248 mm), obtained from 50 healthy persons, was higher than that measured on the vertabral artery on the first segment (IMT = 0.585 +/- 0.134 mm). The values of IMT after measurement on two different places were statistically highly different (t = 7.03, SD = 0.028, p < 0.01). Coefficient of variability of IMT values in carotid circulation (CV = 34.4%) was higher than that in vertebral circulation (22.9%). Values of IMT on vertebral arteries were in statistically significant correlation with those in carotid circulation (r = 0.24 and t- = 2.48; p < 0.02). There were no statistically significant difference between IMT measurement on the right and the left side so they were analysed as the same set. CONCLUSION: Values of IMT on the vertebral arteries are one more undependent parameter of Doppler-sonographic examination of cervical vessels, which significantly correlates with IMT values on common carotid artery. Variability of this parameter is lower, and absolute values lower than the same in the common carotid artery. Therefore, this parameter is probably not so sensitive. On the other hand, lower variability of IMT values on the vertebral artery might be of higher specificity for prediction of atherosclerotic progress by the increased values of this parameter than based on IMT values obtained on the common carotid arteries.

Severe propranolol and ethanol overdose with wide complex tachycardia treated with intravenous lipid emulsion: a case report.

BACKGROUND: Propranolol is a highly lipid-soluble beta-blocker. We describe a case of severe propranolol overdose, with atypical dysrhythmia--wide complex tachycardia--which was successfully treated with lipid emulsion. CASE REPORT: A 31-year-old woman ingested approximately 3.6 g of propranolol along with ethanol. Clinical manifestations of poisoning included coma, seizures, respiratory failure, hypoglycaemia, circulatory shock, and dysrhythmias. An ECG revealed nonspecific intraventricular conduction delay, followed by wide complex supraventricular tachycardia. Toxicological analysis of blood showed ethanol 2.42 g/L and propranolol 4.21 mg/L. The patient responded poorly to conventional therapy, so intravenous lipid emulsion was used. Apart from IV dopamine, the only treatment after the onset of wide complex tachycardia was 20% Intralipid. Transient improvement was noticed after the initial dose of 500 mL; during the infusion of further Intralipid, blood pressure returned to normal and sinus rhythm was re-established. CONCLUSION: We believe that lipid emulsion had a beneficial effect in the treatment of propranolol toxicity.

[Urgent percutaneous coronary intervention leads to a decrease in serum concentrations of soluble CD40 ligand].

BACKGROUND/AIM: Inflammation as a consequence of vascular injury after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) is a pathological substrate of restenosis and of its complications. The aim of the study was to examine perprocedural inflammatory response expressed by soluble CD40 ligand (sCD40L) and C-reactive protein (CRP) in patients treated with PCI and dual antiplatelet therapy. METHODS: The experimental group included 52 patients (80.8% men, age 60 +/- 9 years) with angina pectoris treated by PCI (22 urgent PCI) with stent implantation, and dual antiplatelet therapy (tienopiridins and aspirin), according to the current recommendations for the execution of the intervention. The control group consisted of 8 patients (70.5% men, age 59 +/- 7 years) with angina pectoris, who had undergone coronarography taking aspirin 3 days prior to it. In all the patients 24 hours before and after the PCI concentrations of CRP and sCD40L in the blood were determined. RESULTS: In the experimental group, the concentration of sCD40L was lower as compared to the control (p < 0.02). In 34 (65%) patients postprocedural decrease in sCD40L was recorded, in 18 (34.6%) of them increase, while in 50 (96%) patients there was a rise in CRP. The patients with postprocedural fall in sCD40L hod greater preprocedural concentration of sCD40L (p < 0.001), and less postprocedural concentration of sCD40L (p < 0.001), compared to the group with an increase in sCD40L after the PCI, while CRP levels between these groups were not statistically different. Patients treated with emergency PCI compared to elective patients had a postprocedural decrease in sCD40L (p = 0.02). Increase in the level of CRP was higher in the group with emergency PCI in relation to elective PCI (p < 0.01). CONCLUSION: Emergency PCI procedures in the treatment of patients with unstable angina pectoris lead to a postprocedural fall in the serum concentration of sCD40L. Dual antiplate therapy with tienopiridins and aspirin inhibits the release of sCD40L. Regardless a clinical presentation of coronary disease PCI leads to an postprocedural increase in concentrations of CRP in the serum.

Changes in platelets and anticoagulant protein activity during adenosine-exercise single-photon emission computed tomography stress test.

INTRODUCTION: Activation of haemostasis during physical stress or during myocardial ischemia could be an important mechanism to trigger coronary and stent thrombosis. We examined changes in haemostatic parameters and its association with myocardial ischemia during adenosine-exercise-SPECT (adeno-EX) stress test in coronary patients at least 4 months after coronary stenting. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to examine relationship between changes in haemostatic parameters and stress induced myocardial ischemia quantified by perfusion scintigraphy in stented coronary patients. METHODS: Thirty-seven patients on dual antiplatelet therapy (26 on clopidogrel plus aspirin and 11 on aspirin only) 4-8 months after successful intracoronary stent implantation were enrolled in the study. We determined the levels of platelet aggregability (PA) on ADP (PA-ADP) and epinephrine (PA-EPI), beta-thromboglobulin, platelet factor-4, protein C (PC) and antithrombin (AT) before and 15 minutes after intravenous injection of 150 micro/kg adenosine for4 minutes concomitant with supine ergo-bicycle exercise test for 50 W. The size of stress perfusion defect was measured 15 minutes after stress and in rest 4 hours later by 99mTc-tetrofosmin single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) within 17 myocardial segments. RESULTS: There were no differences between haemostatic parameters before and after stress. A significant myocardial ischemia after exercise was registered in 12 patients on combined antiaggregation therapy and in 5 patients on aspirin. In this preliminary report, because of a small number of patients in the aspirin group we did not analyse difference in the levels of haemostatic markers and their correlations with the size of perfusion defect. The only significant difference between measured haemostatic parameters in the patients with stress induced ischemia compared to the patients without it, was a lower level of AT activity after stress (81.0% vs. 87.5%; p = 0.027). Antithrombin activity before stress had significant negative correlation with the size of perfusion defect in rest (R2 = 0.219; p = 0.016) and PC activity before stress had significant linear correlation with stress perfusion defect (R2 = 0.248; p = 0.010). CONCLUSION: Baseline activities of natural anticoagulant proteins AT and PC are associated with the size of myocardial perfusion defect during adeno-EX-SPECT test. Patients with significant stress-induced ischemia had lower levels of AT activity after stress.

[Study of efficacy and safety of pharmacological stress tests in nuclear cardiology].

BACKGROUND/AIM: Treadmill test combined with myocardial perfusion scintigraphy (MPS) is a commonly used technique in the assessment of coronary artery disease. Many patients who cannot adequately perform exercise stress testing may nevertheless undergo pharmacological tests, most commonly with the vasodilator agents (adenosine and dipyridamole), as well as the positive inotropic agent dobutamine. Patients undergoing vasodilators stress testing with either dipyridamole or adenosine also perform simultaneous low-intensity exercise. The aim of this study was to compare various pharmacological stress tests alone or in combination with low intensity exercise as preparation for MPS in regard to incidence of adverse effects, quality of diagnostic image and the acquisition initial time. METHODS: A total of 2 205 patients underwent pharmacological stress tests. Pharmacological stress test with adenosine was applied in 493 patients. In 405 of them we performed concomitant low level exercise (50 W) by bicycle ergometar (AdenoEX). In 88 of them we performed adenosine abbreviated protocol (AdenoSCAN). In 1 526 patients we performed pharmacological stress test with dipyridamole. In 871 of them we performed concomitant low level exercise (50 W) by bicycle ergometar (DipyEX), and in 775 we used only dipyridamole protocol (DipySCAN). In 186 patients we used pharmacological stress test with dobutamine. We followed side effects of adenosine, dipyiridamole and dobutamine, compared results between protocols with concomitant low level exercise and vasodilatators only. We also compared image quality, and suggested time of acquisition after stress test. RESULTS: We found numerous side effects especially with adenosine, but these effects were short-lived and not required active interventions. Benefit with concomitant exercise in booth AdenoEX and DipyEX included decreased side effects (AdenoEX vs AdenoSCAN 620% vs 87%, respectively, and DipyEX vs DipySCAN 37% vs 59%, respectively) improved safety and patients tolerance, improved target-to-background ratios because of less subdiaphragmal activity, and earlier acquisition time. Because of producing a lot of arrhythmias (in 49% of patients) dobutamin was considered a last choice for pharmacological stress testing. CONCLUSION: Safety and efficacy of vasodilatators (adenosine, dipyridamole) pharmacological stress tests are good, but with concomitant exercise even better. The safety and efficacy of adenosin are better than those of dipyridamole. AdenoEX protocol provides good safety and patients tolerancy. In light of these benefits we recommend AdenoEX whenever possible. Dobutamine is the last pharmacological toll for MPS.

Elevations in soluble CD40 ligand in patients with high platelet aggregability undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention.

High aggregatory responses despite antiplatelet treatment is associated with an increased risk of thrombotic complications following percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). In the present study, we investigated the relationship between platelet aggregatory responses to ADP and the release of CD40L (sCD40L): an immunomodulatory compound involved in atherothrombosis - in patients undergoing PCI. ADP-induced platelet aggregation, sCD40L and soluble P-selectin (sP-selectin) were determined before and 24 h after PCI, in samples from 52 patients receiving aspirin and thienopyridines. Platelet aggregation to ADP above the median was defined as 'high aggregation', and aggregation below the median as 'low aggregation'. Data below are medians and interquartile ranges. Patients with 'high platelet aggregability' had a significantly higher increase in both sCD40L (Delta-values: 0.78 (-0.19-3.18) vs. -0.65 (-2.10-0.00) ng/ml, P = 0.002) and sP-selectin (Delta-values: 8.0 (-2.00-16.00) vs. 4.50 (-13.00-0.50) ng/ml, P = 0.001) compared with patients with 'low platelet aggregability'. In a multivariate linear regression analysis adjusted for clinical characteristics and type of preintervention therapy, the only independent predictors of sCD40L and sP-selectin were platelet aggregation to ADP before PCI (P < 0.001) and the combination of platelet aggregation to ADP before PCI and urgency of PCI (P < 0.001). Circulating CD40L is more markedly increased after PCI in patients with high ADP-induced platelet aggregation.

Influence of intracoronary injections of bone-marrow-derived mononuclear cells on large myocardial infarction outcome: quantum of initial necrosis is the key.

BACKGROUND/AIM: Autologous bone-marrow-derived intra= coronary injection of mononuclear cells (MNC) modestly improved left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) in the selected patients after acute ST elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI). Major determinants of stem cell therapy outcome in the subacute phase of STEMI still remain unknown. Therefore, the aim of this study was to determine modifying factors for the outcome of stem cell therapy after STEMI. METHODS: Eighteen patients in the stem cell therapy group and 24 patients in the control group with the successfully reperfused first large STEMI (LVEF < or = 40%) were enrolled in the study. The stem cell group was submitted to autologous bone-marrow-derived MNC injection between 7-12 days after MI. Left ventricular ejection fraction and infarction size at baseline and after 4 months were determined by echocardiography and scintigraphy examination. Age, pain onset to reperfusion time, admission glycemia, maximum lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) activity and C-reactive protein level, baseline LVEF and infarction size, and the number of MNC injected were compared between patients with and without significant improvement of LVEF and decrease of myocardial infarct size after 4 months. RESULTS: In the stem cell group, patients with the improvement of LVEF for more than 5.1% had significantly lower levels of LDH than patients without such improvement (1689 +/- 139 vs 2133 +/- 215 IU/L, p < 0.001) and lower baseline infarction size on scintigraphy (26.7 +/- 5.2 vs 34.9 +/- 3.7%, p < 0.001). Such dependence was not found in the control group. CONCLUSION: In the patients with first large STEMI intracoronary injection of autologous bone-marrow-derived MNC leads to the significant decrease of myocardial infarction size but not the significant improvement of LVEF after four months. Higher serum LDH levels after STEMI and very large baseline infarction size are predictors of failure of stem cell therapy in our group of STEMI patients.

[Diagnostic significance of myocardial perfusion scintigraphy in identification and localisation of culprit lesions in patients undergoing elective PTCA].

BACKGROUND/AIM: The coronary angiography provides information on the anatomical state of the coronary tree, while myocardial perfusion scintigraphy (MPI) facilitates the evaluation of the grade of ischaemia that a particular stenosis produces. The purpose of MPI is to detect the coronary stenosis that provokes the ischaemia and is termed the "culprit lesion". The aim of this study was to evaluate the accuracy of 1-day DypEX 99mTc-tetrofosmin tomography in the identification and localization of culprit lesion in the patients with known coronary artery disease (CAD). METHODS: Ninety-one (91) patients with known CAD were studied. In all of them significant coronary narowing (> 75% luminal stenosis) was angiographically detected. All the patients were submitted to 2 i.v. injections of 99mTc-tetrofosmin, one in a peak of pharmacologic dipyridamole stress protocol with concomitant low level bicycle exercise 50W (DypEX) and the other 3 h after exercise. Quantification of regional tetrofosmin uptake was performed using short-axis myocardial tomogram that was divided on 17 segments for each study. Reversibility score (RS) > or =3 determinated culprit lesion. Two of segments with scor 5 (index of reversibility scor--IRS) in the territory of coronary artery stenoses determinated culprit lesion. RESULTS: A total of 273 vascular territories (4641 segments) were analyzed before percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). Overall sensivity, specificit, and accuracy using RS > or =3 and IRS were 90.1%, 87.1%, 89.4%, with positive predictive value 95.8%, and 94.1%, 93.3%, 94%, with positive predictive value 98%, respectively. CONCLUSION: RS and IRS significantly improve sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy for determination of culprit lesion in patients undergoing PCI.

[Adenosine stress protocols for myocardial perfusion imaging].

BACKGROUND/AIM: Treadmill test combined with myocardial perfusion scintigraphy (MPS) is a commonly used technique in the assessment of coronary artery disease. There are many patients, however, who may not be able to undergo treadmill test. Such patients would benefit from pharmacological stress procedures combined with MPS. The most commonly used pharmacological agents for cardiac stress are coronary vasodilatators (adenosine, dipyridamol) and catecholamines. Concomitant low-level treadmill exercise with adenosine pharma cologic stress (AdenoEX) during MPS has become commonly used in recent years. A number of studies have demonstrated a beneficial impact of AdenoEX protocol. The aim of the study was, besides introducing into practice the two types of protocols of pharmatological stress test with adenosine, as a preparation for MPS, to compare and monitor the frequency of their side effects to quality, acquisition, as well as to standardize the onset time of acquisition (diagnostic imaging) for both protocols. METHODS: A total of 130 patients underwent pharmacological stress test with adenosine (vasodilatator). In 108 of the patients we performed concomitant exercise (AdenoEX) of low level (50W) by a bicycle ergometar. In 28 of the patients we performed Adenosine ab breviated protocol (AdenoSCAN). Side effects of adenosine were followed and compared between the two kinds of protocols AdenoEX and AdenoSCAN. Also compared were image quality and suggested time of acquisition after the stress test. RESULTS: Numerous side effects were found, but being short lived they did not require any active interventions. The benefit of AdenoEX versus AdenoSCAN included decreased side effects (62% vs 87%), improved safety and patients tolerance, improved target-to-background ratios because of less subdiaphragmatic activity, earlier acquisition, and improved sensitivity. CONCLUSION: The safety and efficacy of adenosine pharmacological stress is even better with concomitant exercise. In the light of these benefits we recommend AdenoEX whenever possible.

[Myocardial damage size assessment in the zone of infarction for indicating rescue percutaneous coronary intervention].

BACKGROUND: The most important predictors of subsequent patients outcome after acute myocardial infarction (AIM) are infarct size, left ventricular ejection fraction, left ventricular volumes and presence and extent of residual myocardial ischemia. All of these variables can be directly determined through scintigraphic approaches. The presence and extent of myocardial ischemia are strong pre dictors for fatal and nonfatal cardiac events and improve risk statification beyound the information gleaned from clinical variables. CASE REPORT: We presented a case of 66-years-old male with myocardial infarction of anteroseptal localization. Myocardial perfusion imaging (MPI) detected a large zone of residual ischemia (culprit lesion) within infarction zone. It has an important role in risk stratification after myocardial infarction, and indicates subsequent therapeutic decision making, in this case rescue percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). After PCI we followed the therapy effect by MPI, and we found practically normal perfusion with minimal zone of defect perfusion in the apex. CONCLUSION: Myocardial perfusion imaging has an important role in the initial evaluation and risk stratification of patients surviving myocardial infarction. It also plays a major role in guiding subsequent therapeutic decision making, and in monitoring the benefits of these therapeutic measures.

The cardioprotective role of preinfarction angina as shown in outcomes of patients after first myocardial infarction.

This prospective study evaluated the relationship between preinfarction angina (2 months before a 1st acute myocardial infarction) and the extent of postinfarction myocardial injury, myocardial perfusion, contractile function, and late recovery of global left ventricular contractile function. We enrolled 46 patients who had been admitted for a 1st, single-vessel-disease, acute myocardial infarction. Low-dose dobutamine echocardiography and technetium-99m-tetrofosmin scintigraphy were performed on all patients 7 to 10 days after acute myocardial infarction; and resting echocardiography was performed 7 to 12 months later. Twenty-seven of 46 (58.7%) patients had experienced angina before acute myocardial infarction, and 19 of 46 (41.3%) had not. There was no difference between the 2 groups in acute basal left ventricular ejection fraction (P=0.17) or in basal wall motion score index (P=0.521). The maximal creatine kinase-MB level was lower in the preinfarction-angina group (P=0.039). Patients with preinfarction angina had significantly more myocardial segments with preserved regional contractile function (P <0.0001) and significantly fewer segments with less than 50% perfusion (P=0.008). Stepwise regression analysis identified preinfarction angina (r2=0.317, P=0.032) as a significant predictor of the percentage of left ventricular ejection fraction recovery after the follow-up period. In our study, preinfarction angina was associated with decreased infarct size and with better protection of global and regional left ventricular contractility and improved preservation of the microvasculature. A history of preinfarction angina should be of value in predicting the late clinical outcomes of patients after a 1st acute myocardial infarction.

[Identification of residual ischemia in the occluded coronary artery irrigation area using myocardial perfusion scintigraphy].

BACKGROUND: Inspite the indisputable significance of coronarography, the implications of a revealed stenosis--and how close it is to occlusion could vary in regard to its physiological importance. Myocardial perfusion scintigraphy (MPS) possiblity to prove and objectivise the presence of ischemia and myocardial viability within an occlusion found coronarographically is especially significant since it makes possible to the clinitian to choose an adequate therapy. CASE REPORT: We reported a 43-year-old male patient who had been hospitalized to another institution due to acute myocardial infarction (AMI) of posterolateral localisation. Following the acute AMI stage the ergometric test per Bruce protocole was performed, negative to ischemic heart disease, while multislice computed tomography showed no significant changes on the coronary arteries. The performed one-day-protocole MPS showed a massive area of residual ischemia within myocardial infarction (MI) type culprit lesion of the posterolateral zone starting from the subapical level to the basal cross-section. According to the MPS findings coronarography was indicated due to a revascularisation assessment. The performed coronarography revealed an occlusion of the circumflex coronary artery (CCA) right after the division of obtuse branch (OB) that presented discretely in the distal parts from the homo- and heterocolaterals. The distal portion of CCA presented discretely out off the right coronary artery (RCA). Echocardiography confirmed an ejection fraction of 50% with hypokinesia of inferior and posterior walls, as well as the septum, showing a mild reduction of the general contractility. Flows through confluences were well. A month after MI a percutane coronary intervention (PCI) was performed with the implantation of a drug-releasing stent (Taxus). Early after PCI (within two weeks) a control MPS was done to evaluate the effects of the therapy giving the normal findings of myocardial perfusion. CONCLUSION: Determination and identificantion of vivid but ischemic myocard of culprit lesion type in the occluded artery irrigation zone enable making choice of the best therapy for a patient.

[Assessment of tissue viability for improvement of the left ventricular function after revascularization].

INTRODUCTION: Treatment of patients with heart failure following myocardial infarction is still a clinical challenge. Drug therapy in these patients is limited, and invasive revascularization is not always successful and does not guarantee desired results. The aim of this study was to compare the effectiveness of invasive revascularization procedures (coronary artery bypass grafting - CABG or percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty - PTCA) with conventional drug therapy in patients with heart failure after acute myocardial infarction in whom significant portion of viable myocardial tissue was detected during low dose dobutamine stress echocardiography. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Using a prospective analysis, we investigated 66 patients with heart failure following myocardial infarction and reduced left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF <35%). 34 patients underwent revascularization procedures including CABG or PTCA. The other 32 patients received only conventional drug therapy. The patients were followed during 12 months examing LVEF, left ventricular wall motion score index (WMSI), NYHA functional class, and cardiac death. RESULTS: After 12 months, patients undergoing revascularization procedures presented with significantly better functional improvement of LVEF (37.84% vs. 33.14%, p<0.05), better clinical status and significantly less cardiac deaths (8.82% vs. 21.87%, p<0.01) in comparison to patients who stayed on drug therapy. After 12 months WMSI was significantly better in patients who underwent interventional therapy (1.69 +/- 07 vs. 1.82 +/- 04, p<0.01). CONCLUSION: After a 12-month follow up period, patients with presence of viable myocardial tissue after myocardial infarction and undergoing revasculkatization procedures presented with better functional recovery and less cardiac events, including cardiac death, in comparison with patients who received only drug therapy.

Apolipoprotein(a) gene polymorphisms (TTTTA)n and G/A-914 affect Lp(a) levels in ischemic heart disease patients from Serbia.

OBJECTIVES: Lipoprotein(a) (Lp(a)) concentration is determined primarily by the apolipoprotein(a) (apo(a)) gene. The pentanucleotide (TTTTA)n repeat and G/A-914 polymorphisms are in the 5' promoter region of the apo(a) gene. To elucidate whether these polymorphisms affect Lp(a) levels, a total of 211 Serbian adults were investigated. DESIGN: One hundred and eleven patients with ischemic heart disease and 100 healthy controls were genotyped and Lp(a) levels determined. RESULTS: Lp(a) concentrations differed according to the (TTTTA)n genotypes: among those having at least one allele 8, patients had significantly higher Lp(a) values than controls. A decreasing trend of Lp(a) values was associated with the -914A allele in controls but the opposite was true in patients. Patients with genotype TTTTA allele 8/AA-914 had significantly higher Lp(a) values than those without allele 8/AA (p < 0.05). The >8>8/GG genotype was not detected. Significant linkage disequilibrium between (TTTTA)n and G/A-914 polymorphism (p < 0.001) was found. In multivariate regression analysis, the G/A-914 polymorphism significantly (p < 0.05) affected Lp(a) levels in patients, after taking into account the (TTTTA)n polymorphism. CONCLUSION: These results indicate that (TTTTA)n and G/A-914 polymorphisms affect Lp(a) levels in ischemic heart disease as a consequence of the linkage disequlibrium.