Long-Term Association of Dipyridamole Stress Myocardial Contrast Echocardiography versus Single-Photon Emission Computed Tomography with Clinical Outcomes in Patients with Known or Suspected Coronary Artery Disease.

BACKGROUND: Single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) is a well-established method to evaluate patients with coronary artery disease. Myocardial contrast echocardiography (MCE) is an imaging technique that allows the assessment of myocardial perfusion in real time. Previous research has shown that vasodilator MCE is superior to SPECT for the prediction of hard events. The aim of this study was to investigate the long-term association of SPECT and MCE with clinical outcomes in patients with known or suspected coronary artery disease. METHODS: Accordingly, 258 patients who underwent MCE and SPECT as part of multicenter studies performed prospectively were followed up for hard events (all-cause mortality and nonfatal myocardial infarction). The mean age was 63.4 ± 5.5 years, 186 (72.1%) were men, and 32 (12.4%) had left ventricular systolic dysfunction. We calculated the ratio of the number of abnormal segments (at rest and/or stress) to the total number of segments expressed as MCE and SPECT indices. RESULTS: Over a mean follow-up period of 80.4 ± 6.1 months, 46 patients had hard events. MCE and SPECT indices were associated with all-cause mortality on univariate analysis (P = .008 and P = .035, respectively) but only MCE index was independently associated with hard events (hazard ratio, 4.24; 95% CI, 1.27-14.15; P = .019), beyond clinical data and left ventricular function, and independently associated with hard cardiac events (hazard ratio, 4.78; 95% CI, 1.06-21.59; P = .042). CONCLUSIONS: MCE but not SPECT showed a long-term association with outcome. These results thus favor the routine use of MCE in the long-term assessment of patients with known or suspected coronary artery disease.

The clinical efficacy and long-term prognostic value of stress echocardiography in octogenarians.

INTRODUCTION: Although stress echocardiography (SE) is invaluable in younger populations, its prognostic value may be attenuated in the elderly due to shorter life expectancy and the frequent presence of severe comorbidities. This study sought to evaluate the clinical effectiveness of SE in octogenarians, particularly its prognostic value over clinical variables, in predicting hard events. METHODS: A total of 374 consecutive octogenarians who underwent SE for evaluation of coronary artery disease (CAD) were assessed for feasibility, diagnostic accuracy and safety of the test, and followed up for hard outcomes (all-cause mortality, cardiovascular (CV) deaths and non-fatal myocardial infarction (NFMI)). Cox regression analysis was performed to identify predictors of outcome. RESULTS: Of the 374 tests, 360 (96.3%) were diagnostic. Of the 50 patients with inducible ischaemia, 33 patients (66%) proceeded to angiography of which 27 (82%) patients had significant CAD. During long-term follow-up of 4.0±2.0 years, there were 127 deaths and 36 NFMIs. The annualised mortality, NFMI and combined mortality /NFMI rates were 8.1%, 1.8% and 9.4% for patients with a normal SE and 12.1%, 5.5% and 14.1% for those with an abnormal SE, respectively. Predictors of NFMI on multivariate analysis were prior CAD (HR 2.89, CI 1.03 to 8.15, p=0.045), peripheral vascular disease (HR 3.33, CI 1.18 to 9.45, p=0.02), and inducible ischaemia (HR 3.97, CI 1.49 to 10.55, p=0.006). In patients without prior history of CAD, inducible ischaemia was the only independent predictor of NFMI (HR 8.72, CI 1.46 to 52.2, p=0.018). The larger the extent of ischaemia, the greater the incidence of NFMI. The independent predictors of CV events (NFMI or CV mortality) were PAD (HR 2.81, CI 1.21 to 6.52, p=0.016) and peak wall motion score index (HR 5.71, CI 1.67 to 19.6, p=0.006). Although inducible ischaemia predicted all-cause mortality on unadjusted analysis, it did not on multivariate analysis. CONCLUSIONS: In octogenarians, SE demonstrated excellent feasibility, safety and diagnostic accuracy. SE parameters were independent predictors of NFMI and CV events, and the presence of inducible ischaemia was associated with a 50% increase in all-cause mortality.

The clinical impact of contemporary stress echocardiography in morbid obesity for the assessment of coronary artery disease.

OBJECTIVE: Non-invasive cardiac imaging may suffer from poor image quality in morbidly obese individuals. This study aimed to determine the clinical value of contemporary stress echocardiography (SE) in morbidly obese patients referred for assessment of suspected coronary artery disease (CAD). METHODS: This prospective, multicentre observational study was conducted in two district hospitals and one tertiary centre in London, UK. Individuals with body mass index ≥35 kg/m(2) referred for SE were evaluated. The percentage of patients with obstructive CAD on coronary angiography, following abnormal SE, was assessed. Patient outcomes were determined with follow-up for the composite end-point of all-cause mortality, myocardial infarction and late revascularisation. RESULTS: Over a 13-month period, 209 morbidly obese patients underwent SE, and contrast agent was used in 96% of patients. A diagnostic result was obtained in 200/209 (96%) patients. Of 32 (15%) patients with inducible ischaemia, 25 underwent angiography, 22 (88%) had corresponding significant CAD and, of these, 16 (77%) underwent revascularisation. Conversely, only 2/157 patients (1.3%) with normal SE underwent angiography, and none underwent revascularisation. Over a mean follow-up period of 17.8±5.4 months, there were nine events. The annualised cardiac event rate after a normal SE was 0.95%. Events were more frequent in patients with inducible ischaemia versus those without ischaemia (5/32 (15.6%) vs 4/153 (2.6%); p=0.002). Ejection fraction <50% (HR 9.5; 95% CI 2.4 to 38.0; p=0.002) and inducible ischaemia (HR 9.4; 95% CI 2.5 to 35.8; p=0.001) were predictors of outcome on univariable Cox regression analysis. CONCLUSIONS: Contemporary SE has excellent feasibility and positive predictive value and resulted in appropriate risk stratification of symptomatic patients with significant obesity. A normal SE portends an excellent outcome over the short-intermediate term in this high-risk patient population.

Role of simultaneous carotid ultrasound in patients undergoing stress echocardiography for assessment of chest pain with no previous history of coronary artery disease.

BACKGROUND: We prospectively explored prevalence of carotid disease (CD), its independent association with coronary artery disease (CAD) and outcome as well as potential impact on management, in patients undergoing stress echocardiography (SE) for new onset chest pain without known CAD. METHODS: Accordingly, 591 consecutive patients referred for SE underwent carotid ultrasound. Carotid disease was defined as carotid intima-media thickness (C-IMT) >75th percentile for age and sex and/or presence of plaque. RESULTS: Myocardial ischemia was demonstrated in only a minority (11%), but there was a high prevalence of CD (70%). Incidence of CD was similar in patients with and without ischemia (76% versus 69%, P = .26). Carotid data led to reclassification of Framingham risk score categories in 65% of patients as well as more than a third of negative SE patients potentially benefitting from primary prevention therapy. Of the 83 patients undergoing coronary arteriography, 59 (71%) demonstrated coronary atherosclerosis (any atheroma) and 33 (40%) CAD. Positive predictive value of SE for CAD was 56%, but presence of carotid plaque improved it to 70%. Although both CD and plaque showed association with CAD and revascularization, after adjustment for conventional risk factors, only carotid plaque maintained significant association (P = .024 and P = .023, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: There is significantly higher prevalence of CD compared with myocardial ischemia in patients undergoing SE and carotid ultrasound for suspected CAD. This can lead to significant Framingham risk score reclassification with important primary prevention implications. Carotid plaque is superior to clinical assessment for the prediction of CAD and improves positive predictive value of SE for CAD in these patients.

The role of urgent transthoracic echocardiography in the evaluation of patients presenting with acute chest pain.

Chest pain is one of the most frequent reasons for presentation to the Emergency Department. The possible causes of chest pain are numerous and diverse, but importantly, several conditions, such as acute coronary syndrome, pulmonary embolism and aortic dissection, require urgent management and, in some cases, may be life-threatening. In such situations, a prompt and accurate diagnosis is vital. Two-dimensional echocardiography is a safe, painless and rapid test that can be performed in the Emergency Department and ensure a correct diagnosis as well as identify other complications and help institute appropriate management strategies swiftly. We review the current indications for urgent echocardiography in this article, with reference to international management guidelines where available, when managing patients with suspected acute coronary syndrome, acute pulmonary embolism, acute aortic dissection, acute pericarditis and trauma. We also discuss the differences between comprehensive and FOcussed Cardiac UltraSound (FOCUS) echocardiography studies, along with the associated quality control and medicolegal implications.

Spontaneous coronary artery dissection as a cause of sudden cardiac death in the peripartum period.

Spontaneous coronary artery dissection is a rare cause of acute coronary syndromes and can be potentially fatal. The authors describe a case of multi-vessel coronary artery dissection occurring in a young postpartum mother. The diagnosis was established by coronary artery angiography. However, the patient died following a cardiac arrest. The authors discuss the methods of investigation available and the different treatment options.