Performance of the pooled cohort equation in South Asians: insights from a large integrated healthcare delivery system.

South Asian ethnicity is associated with increased atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) risk and has been identified as a "risk enhancer" in the 2018 American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association Guidelines. Risk estimation and statin eligibility in South Asians is not well understood; we studied the accuracy of 10-years ASCVD risk prediction by the pooled cohort equation (PCE), based on statin use, in a South Asian cohort. This is a retrospective cohort study of Kaiser Permanente Northern California South Asian members without existing ASCVD, age range 30-70, and 10-years follow up. ASCVD events were defined as myocardial infarction, ischemic stroke, and cardiovascular death. The cohort was stratified by statin use during the study period: never; at baseline and during follow-up; and only during follow-up. Predicted probability of ASCVD, using the PCE was calculated and compared to observed ASCVD events for low < 5.0%, borderline 5.0 to < 7.5%, intermediate 7.5 to < 20.0%, and high ≥ 20.0% risk groups. A total of 1835 South Asian members were included: 773 never on statin, 374 on statins at baseline and follow-up, and 688 on statins during follow-up only. ASCVD risk was underestimated by the PCE in low-risk groups: entire cohort: 1.8 versus 4.9%, p < 0.0001; on statin at baseline and follow-up: 2.58 versus 8.43%, p < 0.0001; on statin during follow-up only: 2.18 versus 7.77%, p < 0.0001; and never on statin: 1.37 versus 2.09%, p = 0.12. In this South Asian cohort, the PCE underestimated risk in South Asians, regardless of statin use, in the low risk ASCVD risk category.

Left ventricular end-systolic volume response post-stress echocardiography: Dilation as a marker of multi-vessel coronary artery disease.

BACKGROUND: Transient ischemic dilation of the left ventricle (LV) during stress echocardiography indicates extensive myocardial ischemia. It remains unclear whether the change of LV end-systolic volume (ESV) or end-diastolic volume (EDV) better correlated with significant coronary artery disease (CAD). Meanwhile, the clinical significance of the extent of the volumetric change post-stress has not been investigated. METHODS: One hundred and five individuals (62 ± 12 years and 75% men) who underwent coronary angiography following exercise treadmill echocardiography were enrolled retrospectively. An additional 30 age- and sex-matched healthy subjects were included for comparison. LV dilation was defined as any increase in LV volume from rest to peak exercise. Patients who had at least two coronary arteries with significant stenosis were considered as having multi-vessel CAD. RESULTS: Thirty-four patients had ESV dilation during exercise echocardiography. On the contrary, ESV decreased at peak exercise in all healthy subjects. Forty-one patients had multi-vessel CAD, and its prevalence was higher in patients with ESV dilation (65% vs 27%, p = 0.001). The extent of ESV increase correlated with CAD severity. ESV dilation is associated with multi-vessel CAD (Odds ratio [OR] 5.02, 95% confidence interval [CI] 2.09 - 12.07, p < 0.001). After adjustment for EDV increase, clinical, electrocardiographic, and echocardiographic variables, the association remained significant (adjusted OR 5.57, 95% CI 1.37-22.64; p = 0.02). CONCLUSIONS: ESV dilation independently correlated with multi-vessel CAD, whereas EDV dilation did not. The amount of ESV increase correlated with the severity of CAD. Our findings provide a rationale for incorporating volume measurements into stress echocardiography practice.

Combined use of preoperative methylene blue dye and microcoil localization facilitates thoracoscopic wedge resection of indeterminate pulmonary nodules in children.

The ability to biopsy indeterminate pulmonary lesions in children has evolved with advances in minimal access surgery. Recent advances in preoperative localization including image-guided dye injection or wire implantation have expanded the types of lesions that are accessible via minimal access surgery. We present a case of a 13-year-old boy who underwent preoperative localization using both methylene blue dye and microcoil labeling, and a subsequent thoracoscopic pulmonary wedge resection under the same anesthesia. The combined use of both dye and microcoil localization provides the advantage of superior intraoperative visualization of the lesion and the ability to use fluoroscopy to confirm the presence of the nodule in the surgical specimen. We recommend this technique for the biopsy of indeterminate pulmonary lesions that would not otherwise be accessible via a minimally invasive approach.

Localized persistent interstitial pulmonary emphysema presenting as a spontaneous tension pneumothorax in a full term infant.

Persistent interstitial pulmonary emphysema (PIPE) is a syndrome characterized by air-leakage in the perivascular tissues of the lung, primarily affecting mechanically ventilated neonates. Reports in the literature of infants developing PIPE with no history of respiratory distress syndrome (RDS) or mechanical ventilation are scarce. Here, we present a case of a 3-month-old former full term male infant with no history of RDS or mechanical ventilation who presented with focal cystic lung disease associated with spontaneous tension pneumothorax. He was ultimately found to have PIPE based on pathologic evaluation of the resected cystic region. We believe that focal PIPE should be included in the differential diagnosis of cystic lung disease in a full term, unventilated infant, even when spontaneous pneumothorax is the presenting entity.