Risk stratifier for sudden cardiac death beyond the left ventricular ejection fraction in Chagas cardiomyopathy.

BACKGROUND: Sudden cardiac death (SCD) risk markers are needed in Chagas cardiomyopathy (CC). Action potential duration restitution (APDR) dynamics is capable of extracting information on cardiac regional heterogeneity. This study intends to develop a patient-specific variables-based algorithm to predict SCD in the low-intermediate subgroups of the Rassi risk score. METHODS: Cross-sectional study of patients who underwent 24-h Holter for research purposes between January 1992 and February 2017. From 4-h ECG segment, RR series were generated and APDR dynamics metrics were calculated. Classification tree and sensitivity analysis were applied. As outcomes, SCD, SCD-free and non-cardiovascular death and 34 variables were included. RESULTS: Two hundred twenty-one (129 in the group SCD-free, 80 in the SCD group and 12 non-cardiovascular death group) were analyzed. In the groups with and without SCD (209 patients), the median age was 66 years, 52% were female, the cardiac involvement was mild to moderate in 72% with a Rassi point median of 8 (IQ: 3 to 11). The SCD group had more ventricular remodeling and more ventricular electrical instability. The occurrence of a %beats QTend/TendQ ratio > 1 (AUC, 0.96 (95% CI 0.89-0.98) present in more than 56.7% of the 4-h ECG segments was sufficient to identify patients of the SCD subgroup. Variables representing different stages of CC were also relevant in the model. CONCLUSION: It is possible to use APDR dynamics as an adjuvant in the SCD risk assessment in a subgroup of patients with a high risk of SCD and a very low risk of non-CV death with high power of discrimination.

Exercise through a cardiac rehabilitation program attenuates oxidative stress in patients submitted to coronary artery bypass grafting.

BACKGROUND: Cardiovascular disease is the main cause of morbidity and mortality in the world and oxidative stress has been implicated in the pathogenesis. Cardiac rehabilitation in patients with coronary artery disease submitted to coronary artery bypass grafting may prevent cardiovascular events probably through the attenuation of oxidative stress. The aim of this study was to evaluate the benefits of a cardiac rehabilitation program in the control of the systemic oxidative stress. METHODS: The studied population consisted of 40 patients, with chronic stable coronary artery disease submitted to coronary artery bypass grafting, who attended a cardiac rehabilitation program. Biomarkers of oxidative stress were evaluated in the blood of these patients at different moments. RESULTS: After the onset of cardiac rehabilitation, there was a significant and progressive decrease in thiobarbituric acid reactive substances levels and protein carbonyls, an initial increase and subsequent decrease in superoxide dismutase, catalase and glutathione peroxidase activities. Also, a progressive increase of uric acid, while ferric reducing antioxidant power levels increased only at the end of the cardiac rehabilitation and a tendency to increase of glutathione contents. CONCLUSIONS: The results suggest that regular exercise through a cardiac rehabilitation program can attenuate oxidative stress in chronic coronary artery disease patients submitted to coronary artery bypass grafting.

Is poststroke depression a major depression?

BACKGROUND: Poststroke depression (PSD) is the most common neuropsychiatric consequence of stroke. A large number of studies have focused on the pathogenesis of PSD, but only a few aimed to characterize its psychopathology; these studies yielded results that are difficult to compare because of the different methods utilized. The current study aimed to characterize the symptom profile of PSD in an attempt to better understand the disease and allow a more accurate diagnosis. METHODS: The study sample comprised 64 patients divided into three groups: stroke patients without diagnosis of depression (n = 33), stroke patients diagnosed with PSD (PSD group, n = 14) and patients diagnosed with major depression (MD) but with no clinical comorbidity (MD group, n = 17). All patients were diagnosed using the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV Axis I Disorders (SCID-I). The initial diagnostic interview was complemented by the Mini Mental State Examination (MMSE), the Rankin Scale, and four scales for the assessment of the intensity of symptoms of anxiety and depression: the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), the Hospital Anxiety and Depression General Scale (HADS), the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HAM-D) and the Hamilton Rating Scale for Anxiety (HAM-A). The Star Plot, a graphical method of data visualization, was used to analyze the results. The t test was used for independent samples (two-tailed analysis). RESULTS: As measured by the BDI, HAM-D and HAM-A scales and HADS depression subscale, the average total scores of symptoms for the sample of patients diagnosed with MD without clinical comorbidity was significantly higher than that of the PSD patients (p < 0.05). Similar results were obtained by plotting the BDI data on Star Plot. The PSD patients showed mild typical depressive symptoms such as less depressed mood, anhedonia, disinterest, guilt, negative thoughts, depreciation, suicidal ideation and anxiety, when evaluated by the HAM-A scale. Moreover, the somatic symptoms of depression did not lead to increased diagnosis of major depression in stroke patients. CONCLUSIONS: The results indicate that the PSD clinical picture comprised, in general, symptoms of mild/moderate intensity, especially those considered as pillars for the diagnosis of depression: depressed mood, loss of pleasure and lack of interest. Given the imprecision of boundaries that separate the clinical forms of depression from subclinical and nonpathological forms, or even from the concepts of demoralization and adjustment disorders, we situate PSD in a complex biopsychosocial context in which a better understanding of its psychopathological profile could provide diagnostic and therapeutic alternatives best suited to the difficult reality experienced by stroke patients.