Inducible myocardial ischaemia in asymptomatic Type 2 diabetic patients.

BACKGROUND: to define the prevalence of inducible myocardial ischaemia in asymptomatic Type 2 diabetic patients and its relation to urinary albumin excretion rate (AER). METHODS: 98 Type 2 diabetic patients aged 56+/-7 years, and 20 non-diabetic volunteers were recruited. Dypiridamole plus exercise thallium-201 myocardial single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) was performed in all participants. Exclusion criteria were: age <30 or >70 years, evidence of cardiovascular disease, anomalous ECG, autonomic neuropathy or serum creatinine level >177 micromol/l. RESULTS: 36 out of 98 diabetic patients (37%) showed abnormal thallium SPECT (considered as inducible myocardial ischaemia), versus one out of 20 (5%) in control group (odds ratio 7.3 (95% CI 1.1-50.5), P<0.005). Among diabetic patients, prevalence of inducible ischaemia was greater in those with higher urinary AER (AER <30:30-300:> 300 mg/24 h: 26: 53: 88%, and greater in the normoalbuminuric group compared to the control group (26 vs. 5%; P<0.05). An AER >30 mg/24 h was the only independent factor associated with inducible myocardial ischaemia in the multivariate analysis (P=0.009). CONCLUSIONS: raised urinary AER in asymptomatic diabetic patients is a risk factor for present myocardial ischaemia demonstrated by thallium dypiridamole tomography. The prevalence of inducible myocardial ischaemia in asymptomatic diabetic patients without known coronary disease is much higher than in non-diabetic population.

[Obtaining myo-cardial perfusion images synchronized with the ECG (gated-SPEC) after injecting MIBI during exertion: comparative study with echocardiography in 95 patients for the assessment of left ventricular function]. / Obtención de imágenes de perfusión miocárdica sincronizadas con el ECG (gated SPET) tras la inyección de MIBI en ensfuerzo: estudio comparativa con la ecocardiografía en 95 pacientes para la valoración de la función ventricular izquierda.

Technical innovation has recently resulted in the routine use of gated-SPECT in myocardial perfusion imaging. In the present work we compare estimates of left ventricular function (LV cavity) by gated-SPECT with those of conventional echocardiography in a group of 95 ischemic patients, 49 of whom had previous myocardial infarction. Kappa analysis showed correlation coefficients of 0.67 for global function in the whole group and of 0.68 in patients with MI, as well as of 0.56 in the anterior wall, and 0.55 in the inferior wall. With these data, we believe that the technique is useful and it adds to the conventional perfusion SPECT imaging. Also, it is conveniently validated against echocardiography in our hands.

[Basis for a hospital registry of acute myocardial infarction in Spain. The PRIAMO study. Project of a Hospital Registry of Acute Myocardial Infarction]. / Bases para un registro hospitalario de infartos agudos de miocardio en España. El estudio PRIAMHO. Proyecto de Registro de Infarto Agudo de Miocardio Hospitalario.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Information on the management of myocardial infarction in Spain in scarce. PRIAMHO (Proyecto de Registro de Infarto Agudo de Miocardio Hospitalario) study is aimed at developing standardized methods to allow the registration of characteristics and management of patients discharged with a diagnosis of myocardial infarction. Methods and results of the pilot study are presented. METHODS: In the present collaborative study with one-year follow-up, all patients diagnosed with myocardial infarction discharged from 33 Spanish hospitals are registered for one year including their demographic, clinical and outcome characteristics, as well as details on their management when admitted to a coronary care unit. Standardized definitions of diagnosis and measurements are used. Confidentiality of patients' identity and anonymous participation of each center are also warranted. RESULTS: The 33 participant coronary care units, covering some 10,000,000 people, admitted on average 83.9% of myocardial infarction patients of their hospital. In 16 participating centers there is a laboratory of hemodynamics and in 11 coronary surgery. During the pilot study, 606 patients were discharged from the participating coronary care units where the case-fatality, rate was 10.3%. While 19.8% of patients developed left heart failure, 44.1% received thrombolytic therapy. The delay between onset of symptoms and first monitoring was approximately 6 hours, and thereafter admission to the coronary unit about 3 hours. CONCLUSION: PRIAMHO study will allow to establish of the fundamentals for developing a nation-wide myocardial infarction register and will provide an accurate perspective of the characteristics and management of this disease in Spain.