[Coronary artery disease in Russia: todays reality evidenced by the international CLARIFY registry].

This paper presents the specific features of clinical manifestation and treatment of coronary heart disease (CHD) in the Russian Federation and compares them to the data from other countries participating in the international CLARIFY (ProspeCtive observational LongitudinAl RegIstry oF patients with stable coronary arterY disease) Registry. In accordance with the exclusion and inclusion criteria, 2249 patients from 43 Russian regions were included in the Registry. Russian patients were younger and had a higher prevalence of risk factors and comorbidities, compared to patients from other countries. In particular, the former more often had cardiovascular disease in family history, smoked (20.9% vs 11.8%; p<0.0001), and had dyslipidemia (77.8% vs 74.6%; p<0.0001) or hypertension (79.6% vs 70.3%; p<0.0001).They also had a higher heart rate (p<0.0001). ). While the incidence of myocardial infarction, based on medical history, was significantly higher than in patients from other countries (78.3% vs 58.4%; p<0.0001), percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) was performed 2.5 times less often. Particularly striking differences were observed for the prevalence of stable angina and heart failure, which was, respectively, 4.0 and 7.8 times higher in Russian patients, despite the fact that the prescription frequency was similar in the Russian Federation and other countries. These findings should focus Russian doctors attention on the potential ways to solve the problem of "national features" in the treatment of stable CHD.

Atherothrombosis and the role of antiplatelet therapy.

Atherothrombosis remains a major global public health problem. Chronic atherosclerotic disease is often clinically silent and coexists across vascular beds, but when complicated by thrombosis can result in acute coronary syndrome, stroke, transient ischaemic attack and critical limb ischaemia. Platelets play a role in the development of chronic atherosclerotic disease and are a key mediator of clinical events in atherothrombosis. Numerous trials have examined the role of antiplatelet agents in primary and secondary prevention and several new antiplatelet drugs are under development. In secondary prevention, there is evidence of clear benefit of single and in some cases dual antiplatelet therapy in the prevention of recurrent cerebro-vascular complications. Dual antiplatelet therapy has emerged as the standard of care in acute coronary syndromes, with aspirin typically being used in combination with clopidogrel or one of the newer more potent antiplatelet agents. Conversely, in chronic stable coronary disease, no benefit has yet been convincingly demonstrated from dual antiplatelet therapy. In cerebro-vascular disease, aspirin monotherapy remains the cornerstone of prevention of recurrent events, with clopidogrel or the combination of aspirin and dipyridamole being only modestly more efficacious. In primary prevention, the evidence for the routine use of aspirin or any other antiplatelet agent is mixed and suggests this should only be considered on an individual basis in high-risk groups where the thrombotic risk outweighs the risk of major bleeding complications.

The Global Registry of Acute Coronary Events, 1999 to 2009--GRACE.

The aim of GRACE was to provide a large multinational registry of the full spectrum of patients with acute coronary syndromes (ACS) in order to define patient characteristics and outcomes and derive predictive risk scores. The study was designed and administered by an independent steering committee; data analyses were performed under the guidance of the steering committee at the Center for Outcomes Research of the University of Massachusetts. Regular feedback regarding local, regional and international guideline and performance measures was provided to individual hospitals and clusters of hospitals. Regional and international benchmark data were available to all sites. Main GRACE involved 123 hospitals in 14 countries in North and South America, Europe, Australia and New Zealand. GRACE2 (Expanded GRACE) comprised 154 hospitals in Europe, North and South America, Asia, Australasia and China. Continuous recruitment and follow-up took place between 1999 and 2009. The first 10 -20 patients per site (depending on hospital size) were enrolled each month, resulting in the recruitment of 102 341 patients, who were categorized as having ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction, non-ST-elevation myocardial infarction or unstable angina. Standardized case report forms (datafax or electronic) were completed by trained study coordinators, and included fields relating to demographic factors, comorbid conditions, treatments and in-hospital and post-discharge (6-month) events. Blood sampling, genetic analyses and longer-term follow-up were undertaken in GRACE substudies. Prospective individual patient follow-up was carried out. All sites were audited locally; 10% of individual patient records were audited in a 2-year cycle. Less than 1% of 20 key baseline fields, and less than 1% of discharge diagnosis and discharge status data, were missing. Six-month follow-up was 85% complete. Publications and risk scores are available at http://www.outcome.org/grace. Proposals for specific analyses were considered, in competition, by an independent publications committee.

Prognosis of atrial fibrillation in patients with symptomatic peripheral arterial disease: data from the REduction of Atherothrombosis for Continued Health (REACH) Registry.

BACKGROUND: Atrial fibrillation (AF) is a significant risk factor for cardiovascular (CV) mortality. This study aims to evaluate the prognostic implication of AF in patients with peripheral arterial disease (PAD). METHODS: The International Reduction of Atherothrombosis for Continued Health (REACH) Registry included 23,542 outpatients in Europe with established coronary artery disease, cerebrovascular disease (CVD), PAD and/or > or =3 risk factors. Of these, 3753 patients had symptomatic PAD. CV risk factors were determined at baseline. Study end point was a combination of cardiac death, non-fatal myocardial infarction (MI) and stroke (CV events) during 2 years of follow-up. Cox regression analysis adjusted for age, gender and other risk factors (i.e., congestive heart failure, coronary artery re-vascularisation, coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG), MI, hypertension, stroke, current smoking and diabetes) was used. RESULTS: Of 3753 PAD patients, 392 (10%) were known to have AF. Patients with AF were older and had a higher prevalence of CVD, diabetes and hypertension. Long-term CV mortality occurred in 5.6% of patients with AF and in 1.6% of those without AF (p<0.001). Multivariable analyses showed that AF was an independent predictor of late CV events (hazard ratio (HR): 1.5; 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.09-2.0). CONCLUSION: AF is common in European patients with symptomatic PAD and is independently associated with a worse 2-year CV outcome.

Economic implications of obesity among people with atherothrombotic disease.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to ascertain the impact of obesity on the cost of disease management in people with or at high risk of atherothrombotic disease from a governmental perspective using a bottom-up approach to cost estimation. In addition, the aim was also to explore the causes of any differences found. METHOD: The health-care costs of obesity were estimated from 2819 participants recruited into the nationwide Australian REACH Registry with established atherothrombotic disease or at least three risk factors for atherothrombosis. Enrollment was in 2004, through primary care general practices. Information was collected on the use of cardiovascular drugs, hospitalizations and ambulatory care services. 'Bottom-up' costing was undertaken by assigning unit costs to each health-care item, based on Australian Government-reimbursed figures 2006-2007. Linear-mixed models were used to estimate associations between direct medical costs and body mass index (BMI) categories. RESULTS: Annual pharmaceutical costs per person increased with increasing BMI category, even after adjusting for gender, age, living place, formal education, smoking status, hypertension and diabetes. Adjusted annual pharmaceutical costs of overweight and obese participants were higher ($7 (P=0.004) and $144 (<0.001), respectively) than those of the normal weight participants. This was due to participants in higher BMI categories receiving more pharmaceuticals than normal weight participants. There was no significant change across the BMI categories in annual ambulatory care costs and annual hospital costs. CONCLUSION: In these participants with or at high risk of atherothrombotic disease, annual pharmaceutical costs were greater in participants of higher BMI category, but there was not such a gradient in the annual hospital or ambulatory care costs. The greater cardiovascular pharmaceutical costs for participants of higher BMI categories remained even after adjusting for a range of demographic factors and comorbidities. Our results suggest that these costs are explained by the higher number of drugs used among people with atherothrombotic disease. Further investigation is needed to understand the reasons for this level of drug use.

In Germany diabetic patients with coronary artery disease are treated more intensively than diabetic patients with other manifestations of atherothrombosis--results from the REACH registry.

INTRODUCTION: Atherothrombosis can present as coronary artery disease (CAD) cerebrovascular disease (CVD) and peripheral arterial disease (PAD). It is unknown whether diabetics with CAD differ from those with other manifestations of atherothrombosis such as CVD or PAD regarding clinical characteristics, biochemical parameters, or medications. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The REACH (REduction of Atherothrombosis for Continued Health) registry evaluated 67 888 patients with established atherothrombosis or risk factors. Of 5 646 recruited German patients, 2 381 (42%) are diabetic. Of these 1 438 (60%) have CAD (either only CAD or in combination with CVD and/or PAD - CAD group) and 520 (22%) have other manifestations of atherothrombosis (either CVD or PAD or both - other manifestation group) and 18% have only risk factors. Differences between diabetics with CAD and diabetics with other manifestations of atherothrombosis were evaluated with multivariate models (79% male, 69+/-9 years, BMI 29+/-5 kg/m (2)) (SAS9.1). RESULTS: After correcting for age, sex and BMI, CAD patients receive (OR; 95% CI) more aspirin (1.5; 1.2-1.9; p=0.0002), statins (3.1; 2.6-3.7), beta-blockers (4.0; 3.8-4.8), diuretics (1.4; 1.2-1.6), ACE-inhibitors/ARBs (1.4; 1.2-1.7) and nitrates (8.8; 6.7-11.7) and significantly less often metformin (0.75; 0.61-0.93; p=0.01) with no differences concerning other antidiabetics. This resulted in significantly (p<0.05) lower blood-pressure (CAD 142/81 mmHg, other manifestations 145/82 mmHg) and LDL-cholesterol levels (CAD 108+/-37 mg/dl, other manifestations 123+/-37 mg/dl). Therefore more CAD patients reach LDL and blood-pressure-goals (CAD 47%/33%; other manifestations 30%/24%, respectively). Only few patients (CAD 7.1%, other manifestations 4.1%) reach all treatment goals. Furthermore, less CAD patients than patients with other manifestations of atherothrombosis are current smokers (11% vs. 22%). DISCUSSION: These data indicate considerable treatment differences between diabetics with CAD and those with other manifestations of atherothrombosis such as CVD or PAD. CAD patients are treated more intensively and therefore reach lower lipid and blood-pressure values.

Predicting freedom from clinical events in non-ST-elevation acute coronary syndromes: the Global Registry of Acute Coronary Events.

OBJECTIVE: To identify patients with non-ST-elevation acute coronary syndrome (NSTE-ACS) with a low likelihood of any adverse in-hospital event. DESIGN, SETTING AND PATIENTS: Data were analysed from 24 097 patients with NSTEMI or unstable angina included in the Global Registry of Acute Coronary Events (January 2001 to September 2007). MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: In-hospital events were myocardial infarction, arrhythmia, congestive heart failure or shock, major bleeding, stroke or death. Two-thirds of the patients were randomly chosen for model development and the remainder for model validation. Multiple logistic regression identified predictors of freedom from an in-hospital event, and a Freedom-from-Event score was developed. RESULTS: Of the 16 127 patients in the model development group, 19.1% experienced an in-hospital adverse event. Fifteen factors independently predicted freedom from an adverse event: younger age; lower Killip class; unstable angina presentation; no hypotension; no ST deviation; no cardiac arrest at presentation; normal creatinine; decreased pulse rate; no hospital transfer; no history of diabetes, heart failure, peripheral arterial disease, or atrial fibrillation; prehospital use of statins, and no chronic warfarin. In the validation group, 18.6% experienced an adverse event. The model discriminated well between patients experiencing an in-hospital event and those who did not in both derivation and validation groups (c-statistic = 0.77 in both). Patients in the three lowest risk deciles had a very low in-hospital mortality (<0.5%) and an uncomplicated clinical course (>93% event-free in hospital). The model also predicted freedom from postdischarge events (death, myocardial infarction, stroke; c-statistic = 0.77). CONCLUSIONS: The GRACE Freedom-from-Event score can predict the in-hospital course of NSTE-ACS, and identifies up to 30% of the admitted population at low risk of death or any adverse in-hospital event.

Predictors of infarct artery patency after prehospital thrombolysis: the multicentre, prospective, observational OPTIMAL study.

OBJECTIVE: To identify predictors of early TIMI 3 flow patency of the infarct-related artery after prehospital thrombolysis in patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) using data from a "real-world" population, and to develop a nomogram for triaging patients to emergency angiography. DESIGN: Multicentre, observational, prospective, cohort study. SETTING: 79 Hospitals in France with a prehospital mobile intensive care unit and a coronary care unit with 24 h access to coronary angiography. PATIENTS: 997 Patients with STEMI. INTERVENTIONS: All patients received prehospital thrombolysis within 6 h of symptom onset and angiography was performed within 6 h of thrombolysis. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Coronary patency (TIMI flow). RESULTS: The median age of the population was 59 years and the sample comprised 18% women. After multivariable logistic regression analysis, predictors of TIMI 3 flow in the infarct-related artery were current/previous smoking (odds ratio (OR) = 1.60, 95% confidence interval 1.15 to 2.22), < or =5 leads with ST-segment elevation before thrombolysis (OR = 1.59, 1.12 to 2.25), Killip class I (OR = 1.96, 1.05 to 3.67), chest pain relief (OR = 1.62, 1.17 to 2.25) and ST-segment resolution > or =70% (OR = 1.76, 1.29 to 2.38). A nomogram was developed to assess the probability of TIMI 3 flow, according to smoking status, number of leads with ST elevation before thrombolysis, Killip class, chest pain relief and ST-segment resolution. CONCLUSIONS: This study provides quantitative data for predicting success of prehospital thrombolysis. The nomogram is a simple tool for predicting likelihood of coronary patency, based on clinical and electrocardiographic data. It may help to identify patients who require emergency angiography and rescue percutaneous coronary intervention.

[Anticoagulation strategy in coronary angioplasty]. / Stratégie d'anticoagulation au cours de l'angioplastie coronaire.

The explosion in the number of angioplasties rapidly imposed a necessary compromise between effective anticoagulation during the procedure to prevent thrombotic phenomena, related mainly to the use of foreign intravascular materials, and the limitation of haemorrhagic complications, the corollary to this type of treatment. Modern universally accepted protocols, the fruit of over 20 years' experience, are described by the authors. However, the constant progress in the management of acute coronary syndromes and the increasing use of new anticoagulant and antiaggregant molecules imply an obligatory adaptation of the use of heparin in all its forms, which should be based on irrefutable scientific evidence: the preliminary results are then discussed. Finally, future trends will be outlined with the development of new, better targeted sites of anticoagulation which may provide optimal safety in the medium term.