ABSTRACT
Introduction: Global warming is claimed to be an important cardiovascular disease risk factor. The air pollution and ambient temperatures are believed to have a significant influence on increased morbidity and premature deaths. Aim: To point out possible causative factors for coronary angiography progression in patients presenting with chronic coronary syndrome. Material and methods: There were 66 patients (41 [62%] men and 25 [38%] women) with a median age of 71.5 (62-76) years, who underwent repeated coronary angiographies due to chronic coronary syndrome within a median time interval of 145 (96-296) days. In 18 (27%) patients coronary artery lesion progression was observed despite optimal pharmacotherapy. The demographical, clinical, and personalised epidemiological factors including air pollution particles and ambient temperature exposure were taken into account in the analysis. Results: In the multivariate logistic regression model with backward stepwise elimination method, tropical nights (p = 0.047) and mean daily temperatures (p = 0.043) were revealed as predictors of coronary lesion progression > 30%. The analysis of seasonal temperature changes showed significant differences related to minimal winter temperatures between both groups (p = 0.018). Conclusions: Coronary artery lesion progression can be related to either high values of daily temperatures or to low ambient temperature. The dichotomous characteristics of temperature exposure to atherosclerosis progression suggest a detrimental role of environmental extremities on human health.
ABSTRACT
Introduction: The role of immune system activation in development and progression of atherosclerotic plaques has been postulated. Previous studies on inflammation have focused on the severity of coronary disease, the risk of acute coronary syndrome, and the prediction of outcomes based on hematological indices obtained from whole blood count analysis. Aim: To analyze simple data of the whole blood count in relation to the location of calcified atherosclerotic lesions in patients treated with coronary rotational atherectomy (RA). Material and methods: Eighty-one patients (57 (70%) males, mean (SD) age of 70.4 ±8 years) who underwent RA were enrolled in the study. The study group was divided into two subgroups depending on the proximal (group 1) and non-proximal (group 2) location of the culprit lesions in coronary arteries. The angiographic results were compared with demographic and clinical data and whole blood count analysis. Results: The multivariable analysis revealed the predictive value of low neutrophil (OR = 0.75, 95% CI: 0.58-0.97, p = 0.030) and lymphocyte counts (OR = 0.27, 95% CI: 0.11-0.68, p = 0.005) for the proximal location of the culprit lesions. In the ROC analysis, combined neutrophil and lymphocyte counts showed the best prediction of proximal location, with the area under the curve of 0.747 (p < 0.001), yielding a sensitivity of 79.07% and specificity of 73.68%. Conclusions: The lower neutrophil and lymphocyte counts in peripheral blood count analysis may be more representative of proximal calcified coronary lesions. The relationship between neutrophil and lymphocyte blood count and calcific atherosclerotic plaque location can indicate the inflammatory background of epicardial atheroma formation and distribution.
ABSTRACT
Bioresorbable scaffolds (BRS) have been introduced to clinical practice to avoid some limitations associated with the presence of permanent metal prostheses in coronary arteries. Due to elimination of the natural vasomotion of the vessel and flow disturbance, stents impair endothelial function, increasing the risk of adverse events such as late and very late thrombosis or accelerated neoatherosclerosis. Additionally, the presence of metallic stents hinders non-invasive imaging of coronaries and may exclude the possibility of bypass graft anastomosis within the stented segment. The use of fully bioresorbable scaffolds would allow for an effective treatment of coronary lesions while overcoming the limitations related to the prolonged presence of metal prostheses in coronary vessels. After early positive clinical results of BRS implanted in simple lesions in small number of patients, large randomised trials revealed numerous limitations of this technology, with unacceptably high incidence of scaffold thrombosis and myocardial infarction. Nevertheless, the negative results of the studies render the learning curve of interventional cardiologists introducing into clinical practice this novel technology. Optimal stenting technique combined with extensive use of intravascular imaging may contribute to obtaining promising results also in patients with complex stenosis, like thrombotic lesions, bifurcations, chronic total occlusions, long and calcified lesions.
Subject(s)
Absorbable Implants , Coronary Disease/surgery , Percutaneous Coronary Intervention/methods , Tissue Scaffolds , Coronary Disease/pathology , Humans , Prosthesis Design , StentsABSTRACT
AIMS: Data concerning the use of bioresorbable vascular scaffolds (BVS) for chronic total occlusion (CTO) lesions are limited. The aim of this study was to evaluate the early and midterm clinical outcomes of CTO stenting with BVS. METHODS AND RESULTS: Forty consecutive patients (male 78%, mean age 59.9±8.3 years, diabetics 30%) with CTO treated with BVS were enrolled. Patients with a reference vessel diameter >4 mm, metallic stents, excessive calcium and tortuosity were excluded. Mean J-CTO score was 1.6. A total of 63 BVS were implanted with an average number of 1.6 per patient, and an average scaffold length of 42.4±21.5 mm. Procedural success was achieved in all patients with no device-related complications. At follow-up (median time 556 days), there were no deaths, one patient experienced subacute and late scaffold thrombosis (ST), and another one developed symptomatic in-scaffold focal restenosis treated with repeat PCI. At control angiography, performed at a median time of 329 days in 27 patients (68%), no more restenosis or vessel reocclusion was found. CONCLUSIONS: CTO stenting with BVS is feasible with good acute performance, and good early and midterm clinical outcomes.
