Pathophysiological role of right ventricular function and interventricular functional mismatch in the development of pulmonary edema in acute heart failure.

BACKGROUND: Parameters of cardiac function related to the development of pulmonary edema (PE) in acute heart failure (AHF), including right ventricular (RV) function and a mismatch of interventricular function, are not fully elucidated. The aim of this study was to verify the hypothesis that a relatively preserved RV function compared with left ventricular function may be associated with the development of PE by using two-dimensional speckle tracking echocardiography (2DSTE). METHODS: Hospitalized patients with AHF at 11 institutions were enrolled. PE was defined as lung congestion on chest X-ray with hypoxemia. Patients with systolic blood pressure ≥140 mmHg on admission were defined to have hypertensive AHF. Echocardiographic analyses, including 2DSTE, were performed prior to discharge. The index of mismatch between RV and left ventricular systolic function was assessed by interventricular longitudinal strain difference (IVLSD) which was defined as RV free wall longitudinal strain and left ventricular global longitudinal strain. RESULTS: Of 610 patients with AHF, 422 (69.2%) had PE. In patients with PE, IVLSD (p = 0.007) and RV fractional area change ratio (p<0.001) was significantly higher than those in patients without PE. In patients with non-hypertensive AHF, RV fractional area change ratio, age, ischemic etiology, and serum brain natriuretic peptide (BNP) levels were independent predictors of PE. In patients with hypertensive AHF, IVLSD, age, and serum BNP levels were independent predictors of PE. CONCLUSIONS: Preserved RV function might be one of the underlying mechanisms of the development of PE in AHF. Furthermore, interventricular functional mismatch might be related to the development of PE in hypertensive AHF.

Comparison of Soluble ST2, Pentraxin-3, Galectin-3, and High-Sensitivity Troponin T of Cardiovascular Outcomes in Patients With Acute Decompensated Heart Failure.

BACKGROUND: Data regarding a direct comparison of soluble suppression of tumorigenesis-2 (sST2), pentraxin 3 (PTX3), galectin-3 (Gal-3), and high-sensitivity troponin T of cardiovascular outcome in patients with heart failure (HF) are lacking. METHODS AND RESULTS: A total of 616 hospitalized patients with HF were evaluated prospectively. Biomarker data were obtained in the stable predischarge condition. sST2 levels were associated with age, sex, body mass index, inferior vena cava diameter, B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP), PTX3, C-reactive protein, and Gal-3 levels. During follow-up, 174 (28.4%) primary composite end points occurred, including 58 cardiovascular deaths and 116 HF rehospitalizations. sST2 predicted the end point after adjustment for 13 clinical variables (hazard ratio 1.422; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.064 to 1.895, P = .018). The association between sST2 and the end point was no longer statistically significant after adjustment for BNP (P = .227), except in the subgroup of patients with preserved ejection fraction (hazard ratio 1.925, 95% CI 1.102-3.378, P = .021). Gal-3 and high-sensitivity troponin T predicted the risk for the end point after adjustment for age and sex, but were not significant after adjustment for clinical variables. The prognostic value of PTX3 was not observed (age and sex adjusted, P = .066). CONCLUSIONS: This study did not show significant additional value of biomarkers to BNP for risk stratification, except sST2 in patients with preserved ejection fraction.

The Usefulness and Limitations of Impedance Cardiography for Cardiac Resynchronization Therapy Device Optimization.

Identifying the optimal atrioventricular (AV) or interventricular (VV) delay is beneficial for patients using cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) devices. Ultrasonic echocardiography (UCG) has been the most commonly used method; however, it requires high technical knowledge. Impedance cardiography (ICG) can calculate stroke volume by measuring changes in transthoracic electric impedance. This study sought to assess the clinical utility of ICG in comparison with that of UCG for the optimization of CRT devices.Patients who underwent CRT device implantation were retrospectively analyzed. One week after implantation, optimization of AV delay (AVD) was performed in every patient with ICG (AVD-ICG) and UCG (AVD-UCG). VV delay (VVD) was then determined according to the optimal AVD using these two methods.Forty-two patients were enrolled. Average AVD-ICG was significantly shorter than AVD-UCG (128 ± 49 versus 146 ± 41 milliseconds, P = 0.018). Five patients (12%) had the same optimized AVD with two methods, and the difference between AVD-ICG and AVD-UCG was ≤ 20 milliseconds in 19 patients (45%). In the multivariate analysis, the presence of postoperative mitral regurgitation (MR) was an independent predictor of AVD-ICG/AVD-UCG mismatch, defined as a difference over 20 milliseconds (odds ratio = 10.71; 95% confidence interval = 1.72 to 66.72; P = 0.018). The results of optimized VVD were similar using both methods.ICG might be a promising tool for the rapid optimization of CRT devices. However, in patients with moderate-to-severe MR, ICG may not be able to optimize AVD.

Clinical impacts of changes of renal function during hospitalization depend on grades of renal dysfunction in acute decompensated heart failure.

Clinical impact of changes of renal function (RF) in heart failure (HF) hospitalization is controversial. This study aimed to clarify whether clinical impact of changes of RF during HF hospitalization depends on the intrinsic RF. In 786 hospitalized HF patients, RF were classified into 3 grades based on estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR, mL/min/1.73 m2) at discharge; ≥ 60 (n = 243), < 60 and ≥ 30 (n = 400), and < 30 (n = 143). Increase and decrease of serum creatinine over 0.3 mg/dL during HF hospitalization were defined as worsening renal function (WRF) and improved renal function (IRF), respectively, and remaining subjects were defined as stable RF. The primary endpoint was a composite of cardiovascular death and rehospitalization for HF. In all patients, WRF was not associated with clinical outcomes, although eGFR has a significant association with prognosis. Clinical outcomes did not differ between changes of RF patterns in both preserved and severely impaired RF groups. In contrast, IRF, not WRF, was an independent predictor of clinical outcomes in the moderately impaired RF group (HR 1.965, 95% CI 1.09-3.18, p = 0.01). Only in patients with moderately impaired RF, changes of RF were associated with clinical outcome, and IRF was an independent predictor of clinical outcomes.

Clinical significance of the presence of puff-chandelier ruptures detected by nonobstructive aortic angioscopy.

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to investigate the prevalence and prognostic significance of atherosclerotic aortic plaques (AAPs) or specific AAP types detected by nonobstructive angioscopy (NOA) in patients who underwent percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). BACKGROUND: Although recent studies have reported the presence of various patterns of AAPs, identified by NOA, the clinical significance of the presence of AAPs remains elusive. METHODS: In this retrospective, multicenter cohort study, a total of 167 patients who underwent PCI and intra-aortic scans with NOA were studied. The association between AAPs and the incidence of major adverse cardiac events (MACEs), including cardiac death, myocardial infarction, stroke, and clinically driven unplanned revascularizations, was assessed. RESULTS: AAPs were detected in 126 patients (75%) who underwent NOA. MACEs occurred in 28 (17%) patients during the follow-up (median 2.9 years [range 2.1-3.8]). Among all types of AAPs, only puff-chandelier rupture (PCR) showed a significant difference in frequency between patients with and those without MACEs: 21 (75%) and 49 (35%), respectively (p < .001). Multivariable Cox proportional hazard analysis revealed that PCR (hazard ratio [HR] 3.73, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.57-8.87, p = .004) and chronic kidney disease (HR 2.97, 95% CI 1.37-6.44, p = .010) were independent predictors of MACEs. Kaplan-Meier analysis revealed that PCR was significantly associated with more frequent MACEs. CONCLUSION: The detection of PCR in the aorta using NOA was significantly associated with an increased risk of subsequent adverse events after PCI.

Clinical utility of the 2016 ASE/EACVI recommendations for the evaluation of left ventricular diastolic function in the stratification of post-discharge prognosis in patients with acute heart failure.

AIMS: Left ventricular diastolic dysfunction (LVDD) has prognostic significance in heart failure (HF). We aimed to assess the impact of LVDD grade stratified by the updated 2016 echocardiographic algorithm (DD2016) on post-discharge outcomes in patients admitted for acute HF and compare with the previous 2009 algorithm (DD2009). METHODS AND RESULTS: The study included 481 patients hospitalized for acute decompensated HF. Comprehensive echocardiography and LVDD evaluation were performed just before hospital discharge. The primary endpoint was a composite of cardiovascular death and readmission for HF. The concordance between DD2016 and DD2009 was moderate (κ = 0.44, P < 0.001); the reclassification rate was 39%. During the follow-up (median: 15 months), 127 (26%) patients experienced the primary endpoint. In the Kaplan-Meier analysis, Grade III in DD2016 showed a lower event-free survival rate than Grades I and II (log rank, P < 0.001 and P = 0.048, respectively) and was independently associated with a higher incidence of the primary endpoint than Grade I [hazard ratio 1.89; 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.17-3.04; P = 0.009]. Grade II or III in DD2016, reflecting elevation of left ventricular (LV) filling pressure, added an incremental predictive value of the primary endpoint to clinical variables irrespective of LV ejection fraction. DD2016 was comparable to DD2009 in predicting the endpoint (net reclassification improvement = 11%; 95% CI -7% to 30%, P = 0.23). CONCLUSION: Despite simplification of the algorithm for LVDD evaluation, the prognostic value of DD2016 for post-discharge cardiovascular events in HF patients was maintained and not compromised in comparison with DD2009.

Prognostic Value of Phase-Contrast Cine-Magnetic Resonance Imaging-Derived Global Coronary Flow Reserve in Patients With Non-ST-Segment Elevation Acute Coronary Syndrome Treated With Urgent Percutaneous Coronary Intervention.

BACKGROUND: Phase-contrast cine-magnetic resonance imaging (PC-CMR) of the coronary sinus (CS) is a promising approach for quantifying coronary sinus flow (CSF) and global coronary flow reserve (G-CFR). We evaluated the prognostic value of G-CFR using PC-CMR in patients with non-ST-segment elevation acute coronary syndrome (NSTE-ACS).Methods and Results:The study prospectively enrolled 116 NSTE-ACS patients who underwent uncomplicated urgent PCI within 48 h of symptom onset. Post-PCI (median, 20 days) PC-CMR images of the CS were acquired to assess absolute CSF at rest and during maximum hyperemia. The association of G-CFR with major adverse cardiac events (cardiac death, nonfatal myocardial infarction, late revascularization, or hospitalization for congestive heart failure) was investigated. Rest and maximal hyperemic CSF and corrected G-CFR were 1.27 [interquartile range, 0.79-1.73] mL/min/g, 2.95 [2.02-3.84] mL/min/g, and 2.42 [1.69-3.34], respectively. At a median follow-up of 17 months, cardiac event-free survival was significantly worse in patients with a corrected G-CFR <2.33 (log-rank χ2=19.5, P<0.001). Cox proportional-hazards analysis showed that corrected G-CFR (hazard ratio, 0.434, 95% CI, 0.270-0.699, P<0.001) and NT-pro BNP at admission (hazard ratio, 1.0001, 95% CI, 1.0000-1.0001, P=0.007) were independent predictors of adverse cardiac events during follow-up. CONCLUSIONS: In NSTE-ACS patients successfully revascularized within 48 h of onset, post-PCI PC-CMR-derived G-CFR provided significant prognostic information independent of infarct size and conventional risk scores.

Prognostic value of post-intervention fractional flow reserve after intravascular ultrasound-guided second-generation drug-eluting coronary stenting.

AIMS: The aim of this study was to investigate the prognostic value of fractional flow reserve (FFR) and a novel index (the D-index) of residual diffuse disease after intravascular ultrasound (IVUS)-guided second-generation drug-eluting stent (DES) implantation. METHODS AND RESULTS: We evaluated 201 patients (201 lesions) who underwent IVUS-guided second-generation DES implantation in the left anterior descending artery with pre- and post-intervention physiological evaluations. Post-intervention hyperaemic pullback pressure recording was used to quantify residual diffuse disease using the novel D-index, defined as the difference between the distal stent and the far distal FFR values divided by distance. Clinical outcomes were assessed by vessel-oriented composite endpoints (VOCE) and major adverse cardiac events (MACE). The incremental discriminant and reclassification abilities of far distal FFR or D-index for VOCE and MACE were compared. Post intervention, far distal FFR and D-indices were significantly lower in vessels with VOCE. The optimal far distal FFR and D-index cut-off values for VOCE and MACE were 0.86 and 0.017 cm, respectively. Although both indices remained significant predictors of VOCE, only the D-index proved to be a significant predictor of MACE and significantly improved the incremental reclassification ability for MACE. CONCLUSIONS: Residual diffuse disease assessed by the D-index after IVUS-guided second-generation DES implantation can help to predict both VOCE and MACE, while far distal FFR can help to predict VOCE specifically.

Geriatric nutritional risk index predicts all-cause deaths in heart failure with preserved ejection fraction.

AIMS: The objective of the study was to evaluate whether the geriatric nutritional risk index (GNRI) at discharge may be helpful in predicting the long-term prognosis of patients hospitalized with heart failure (HF) with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF, left ventricular ejection fraction ≥50%), a common HF phenotype in the elderly. METHODS AND RESULTS: Overall, 110 elderly HFpEF patients (≥65 years) from the Ibaraki Cardiovascular Assessment Study-HF (n = 838) were enrolled. The mean age was 78.5 ± 7.2 years, and male patients accounted for 53.6% (n = 59). All-cause mortality was compared between the low GNRI (<92) with moderate or severe nutritional risk group and the high GNRI (≥92) with no or low nutritional risk group. Cox proportional hazard regression models were constructed to evaluate the influence of the GNRI on all-cause death with the following covariates using forward stepwise selection: age, sex, nutritional status based on the GNRI as a categorical variable, history of HF hospitalization, haemoglobin level, estimated glomerular filtration rate, log brain natriuretic peptide levels (logBNP), history of hypertension, log C-reactive protein levels, left ventricular ejection fraction, left ventricular mass index, and the New York Heart Association functional classification (I/II or III class). The prognostic value of the GNRI was compared with that of serum albumin using C-statistics. The GNRI was added to the logBNP, serum albumin or the body mass index was added to the logBNP, and the C-statistic was compared using DeLong's test. Cox regression analysis revealed that age and a low GNRI were independent predictors of all-cause death (P < 0.05, n = 103; hazard ratio = 1.095, 95% confidence interval = 1.031-1.163, for age, and hazard ratio = 3.075, 95% confidence interval = 1.244-7.600, for the GNRI). DeLong's test for the two correlated receiver operating characteristic curves [area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUROC) of serum albumin, 0.71; AUROC of the GNRI, 0.75] demonstrated significant differences between the groups (P = 0.038). Adding the GNRI to the logBNP increased the AUROC for all-cause death significantly (0.71 and 0.80, respectively; P = 0.040, n = 105). The addition of serum albumin or the body mass index to the logBNP did not significantly increase the AUROC for all-cause death (P = 0.082 and P = 0.29, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: Nutritional screening using the GNRI at discharge is helpful to predict the long-term prognosis of elderly HFpEF patients.

Different Impact of Changes in Left Ventricular Ejection Fraction Between Heart Failure Classifications in Patients With Acute Decompensated Heart Failure.

BACKGROUND: Left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) can dramatically change when the patient has acute decompensated heart failure (ADHF). We investigated the impact of LVEF and subsequent changes on prognosis in patients with ADHF through a prospective study.Methods and Results: A total of 516 hospitalized patients with ADHF were evaluated. Echocardiography was performed on admission, prior to discharge, and 1 year after discharge. The primary endpoint was a composite of cardiovascular death and hospitalization. In heart failure with reduced EF (HFrEF; LVEF <40%), LVEF did not significantly improve during hospitalization (P=0.348); however, it improved after discharge (P<0.001). In contrast, LVEF improved during hospitalization (P<0.001) in HF with preserved EF (HFpEF; LVEF ≥50%). In HF with mid-range EF (HFmrEF; LVEF 40-49%), LVEF consistently improved throughout the observation period (P<0.001). A multivariable Cox model showed that improved LVEF after discharge was associated with a better outcome in HFrEF (hazard ratio [HR]: 0.951; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.928-0.974; P<0.001), while improved LVEF during hospitalization was associated with a better outcome in HFpEF (HR: 0.969; 95% CI: 0.940-0.998; P=0.038). CONCLUSIONS: Improved LVEF after discharge in HFrEF and during hospitalization in HFpEF was associated with a better prognosis in patients with ADHF. Longitudinal improvements in LVEF had different prognostic impact, depending on the HF type by LVEF measurement.

High-sensitivity cardiac troponin decrease after percutaneous coronary intervention in patients with stable coronary artery disease.

Baseline cardiac troponin is a strong predictor of major adverse cardiac events (MACE), and the high sensitive assay can provide risk stratification under the 99th percentile values. Currently, prognostic benefit of PCI has not been established in patients with stable coronary artery disease (CAD), and the influence on baseline troponin levels is unknown. This study aimed to investigate the impact of PCI on baseline high-sensitivity cardiac troponin-I (hs-cTnI) levels and the association with MACE incidence. For 401 patients with stable CAD who were indicated for PCI, baseline hs-cTnI levels were measured before PCI for two times (the average: pre-PCI hs-cTnI) and 10 months after PCI (post-PCI remote hs-cTnI). Hs-cTnI day-to-day variability was assessed based on the pre-PCI values and patients were divided into three groups (Increase/No change/Decrease group) according to the extent of hs-cTnI change (post-PCI remote hs-cTnI minus pre-PCI hs-cTnI) considering the day-to-day variability. A total of 77 patients were categorized into Decrease group. Although Decrease group had significantly higher pre-PCI hs-cTnI levels compared to the other groups, this group had lowest incidence of MACE (p < 0.001). Hs-cTnI changes were independently associated with MACE incidence after adjustment (HR 2.069, 95% CI 1.032-4.006, p = 0.041 for Increase group vs. No change group; HR 0.143, 95% CI 0.008-0.680, p = 0.009 for Decrease group vs. No change group). Hs-cTnI change following PCI was significantly predicted by pre-PCI hs-cTnI, hs-cTnI variability, the presence of dyslipidemia, multivessel disease, and lesions with chronic total occlusion or low quantitative flow ratio. In conclusion, PCI could lower hs-cTnI levels in a certain subset of patients, in whom prognostic benefit might be expected by the intervention.

Comparison of effects of aldosterone receptor antagonists spironolactone and eplerenone on cardiovascular outcomes and safety in patients with acute decompensated heart failure.

Differences in the clinical impacts of the aldosterone receptor antagonists spironolactone and eplerenone in patients with heart failure (HF) are unclear. Among 838 prospectively enrolled patients hospitalized for HF, 90 treated with eplerenone were compared with 90 treated with spironolactone. The primary endpoint was a composite of cardiovascular death and hospitalization. A serial evaluation of the clinical parameters was performed 1 year after discharge. The mean dose of spironolactone was 27 ± 8 mg and of eplerenone was 34 ± 15 mg. During follow-up (mean 594 ± 317 days), primary endpoints occurred in 27 patients in the eplerenone group (30.0%) and 25 patients in the spironolactone group (27.8%). There were no significant intergroup differences in the primary endpoint (log-rank, p = 0.956). Serial changes in left ventricular ejection fraction, serum brain natriuretic peptide, systolic blood pressure, and estimated glomerular filtration rate did not differ significantly between groups. Although gynecomastia in men was common in the spironolactone group (p = 0.018), the discontinuation rates due to adverse events were similar in the two groups (p = 0.135). Subgroup analyses suggested that eplerenone was associated with a lower hazard rate of the primary endpoint in female patients (interaction, p = 0.076). Among patients with HF, eplerenone and spironolactone have similar impacts on cardiovascular outcomes and safety.

Impact of regional functional ischemia on global coronary flow reserve in patients with stable coronary artery disease.

BACKGROUND: Global coronary flow reserve (g-CFR) provides powerful prognostic information. The relationship between g-CFR and the regional physiological indices of fractional flow reserve (FFR), coronary flow reserve (r-CFR), and the index of microcirculatory resistance remains undetermined. This study aimed to assess the relationship between regional and global physiological indices and determinants of cardiovascular magnetic resonance imaging (CMR)-derived g-CFR. METHODS: A total of 151 patients with single de novo intermediate to stenotic epicardial lesions referred for diagnostic invasive coronary angiography who underwent phase-contrast cine CMR of the coronary sinus (CS) were included. g-CFR was calculated as the ratio of hyperemic and resting CS flow (CSF). Regional and global physiological parameters were compared, and determinants of g-CFR were assessed. RESULTS: There was a weak linear relationship between FFR and g-CFR (R2=0.04, p=0.013), while r-CFR and g-CFR, or combinations of the other regional-global indices were not significantly correlated. When patients were divided into two groups by FFR of 0.80, there were also no significant differences in global physiological indices between the groups (FFR≤0.80 vs. FFR>0.80; g-CFR: 2.73 vs. 2.61, p=0.48; hyperemic CSF: 3.32 vs. 3.52ml/min/g, p=0.84). Higher high-sensitivity cardiac troponin-I (hs-cTnI) and higher resting CS flow were independently associated with impaired g-CFR, and the combination could efficiently identify patients with g-CFR<2.0. CONCLUSIONS: Given weak relationship among global and regional physiological indices, these indices may provide complementary efficacy for prognostication in patients with single-vessel stable coronary artery disease. Combination of hs-cTnI and resting CS flow could estimate g-CFR without pharmacological hyperemic induction.

Soluble ST2 and brain natriuretic peptide predict different mode of death in patients with heart failure and preserved ejection fraction.

BACKGROUND: Soluble ST2 (sST2) is a marker of inflammation and fibrosis, which is a significant predictor of prognosis of heart failure (HF), independent of brain natriuretic peptide (BNP). This study aimed to clarify how sST2 associates with clinical outcome through investigations of clinical correlates and mode of death in patients with heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF). METHODS: A total 191 patients with acute decompensated HF and EF ≥50% were prospectively enrolled. Echocardiographic and laboratory data including sST2 were obtained in pre-discharge stable condition. RESULTS: Serum sST2 level showed significant positive correlations with C-reactive protein and pentraxin3 levels, and negative correlations with body mass index, albumin, and hemoglobin. Serum sST2 level was significantly higher in patients with all-cause death and non-cardiovascular (CV) death compared to those without events, whereas there was no significant difference in sST2 level between patients with and without CV death. On the other hand, BNP level was significantly higher in patients with all-cause death and CV death compared to those without events. Cox regression analyses adjusted for age and sex revealed that sST2 was a significant predictor of non-CV death, whereas BNP was a significant predictor of CV death. CONCLUSIONS: Serum sST2 level was associated with non-CV death showing significant correlations with systemic factors including malnutrition and inflammation, while BNP was associated with CV death.

Incremental Prognostic Value of Right Ventricular Strain in Patients With Acute Decompensated Heart Failure.

BACKGROUND: Although 2-dimensional strain analyses based on speckle tracking echocardiography have been used to detect myocardial deformation, the prognostic impact of 2-dimensional strain is unclear in patients with acute decompensated heart failure (HF). We investigated whether left ventricular and right ventricular (RV) strain parameters assessed by speckle tracking echocardiography provide incremental prognostic information in hospitalized patients because of acute decompensated HF. METHODS AND RESULTS: Six hundred eighteen patients (age, 72±13 years; 38% women; ejection fraction, 46±16%) hospitalized for acute decompensated HF underwent clinical and echocardiographic evaluation just before discharge. We performed strain analyses of left ventricular global longitudinal strain and left ventricular global circumferential strain. We also analyzed RV longitudinal strain only from the free wall (RV-fwLS) and from all segments of the RV global longitudinal strain wall by using Tomtec software. The primary composite end point was cardiovascular death and readmission for HF. There were 34.8% cardiac events during a median follow-up of 427 days. In multivariate Cox models, among echocardiographic parameters, only impaired RV-fwLS (≥-13.1%; hazard ratio, 1.51; 95% CI, 1.12-2.04; P=0.01) was independently associated with cardiac events. Adding RV-fwLS to clinical risk evaluation (age, New York Heart Association class III/IV, blood urea nitrogen, and brain natriuretic peptide) markedly improved prognostic utility and consequently increased net reclassification improvement by 0.30 ( P=0.01). CONCLUSIONS: RV-fwLS is an independent predictor of cardiac events in acute decompensated HF and provides greater prognostic power than standard echocardiographic parameters.

Impact of Elective Percutaneous Coronary Intervention on Global Absolute Coronary Flow and Flow Reserve Evaluated by Phase-Contrast Cine-Magnetic Resonance Imaging in Relation to Regional Invasive Physiological Indices.

BACKGROUND: Few studies have documented changes in global absolute coronary blood flow and global coronary flow reserve after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) in relation to regional physiological measures. Phase-contrast cine-magnetic resonance of the coronary sinus is a promising approach to quantify global absolute coronary blood flow. We aimed to assess the impact of elective PCI on global absolute coronary blood flow and global coronary flow reserve by quantifying coronary sinus flow (CSF) using phase-contrast cine-magnetic resonance in relation to regional physiological indices. METHODS AND RESULTS: We prospectively studied 54 patients with stable angina undergoing elective PCI for a single proximal lesion. Phase-contrast cine-magnetic resonance was used to assess CSF and CSF reserve at rest and during maximum hyperemia, before and after PCI. Regional physiological indices were obtained during PCI. A complete data set was obtained in 50 patients. Hyperemic CSF increased significantly after PCI (pre-PCI, 230.2 [167.4-282.8] mL/min; post-PCI, 267.4 [224.1-346.2] mL/min; P<0.01), although 12 patients (24.0%) showed a decrease, despite successful PCI and improved fractional flow reserve. CSF reserve numerically, albeit not statistically significant (P=0.19), increased from 2.65 (1.95-3.96) to 2.98 (2.13-4.32). Patients with decreased CSF after PCI were associated with significantly greater pre-PCI hyperemic CSF, lower global coronary vascular resistance, lower regional microcirculatory resistance, and higher fractional flow reserve (all P<0.01). CONCLUSIONS: Fractional flow reserve-guided PCI in patients with single de novo lesions was associated with increased absolute hyperemic CSF, although 24% of patients showed decreased hyperemic CSF, despite successful and uncomplicated PCI. The present approach combining regional and global physiological assessments may provide a novel insight into the dynamic behavior of the coronary hemodynamics and microvascular function after PCI.

Absolute Myocardial Blood Flow After Elective Percutaneous Coronary Intervention Evaluated on Phase-Contrast Cine Cardiovascular Magnetic Resonance Imaging.

BACKGROUND: Few studies have documented changes in myocardial blood flow (MBF) after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). Phase-contrast cine cardiovascular MRI (PC-CCMR) of the coronary sinus (CS) is a promising approach to quantify MBF. The aim of this study was to quantify CS flow (CSF) on PC-CCMR as a measure of volumetric MBF before and after elective PCI.Methods and Results:We prospectively studied 34 patients with stable angina undergoing elective PCI for a single de novo lesion. Breath-hold PC-CCMR of CS was acquired to assess CSF and coronary flow reserve (CFR) at rest and during maximum hyperemia both before and after PCI (median, 3 days before PCI and 10 days after PCI, respectively). In total, hyperemic CSF increased significantly after PCI (before PCI, median, 2.3 mL/min/g [IQR, 1.5-3.2 mL/min/g] after PCI, 3.0 [1.8-3.7] mL/min/g), although 13 patients (38.2%) had a decrease despite successful PCI and fractional flow reserve (FFR) improvement. Global CFR also significantly increased from a median of 2.5 (IQR, 1.5-3.5) to 3.4 (IQR, 2.1-4.2), whereas 12 patients had decreased CFR after PCI. Pre-PCI hyperemic CSF was the only independent factor of change in CSF following PCI. CONCLUSIONS: Serial PC-CCMR of CS as a measure of change in absolute MBF is feasible. Uncomplicated PCI does not necessarily increase hyperemic global MBF, despite regional FFR improvement.

Utility of Nutritional Screening in Predicting Short-Term Prognosis of Heart Failure Patients.

Controlling nutritional status (CONUT) uses 2 biochemical parameters (serum albumin and cholesterol level), and 1 immune parameter (total lymphocyte count) to assess nutritional status. This study examined if CONUT could predict the short-term prognosis of heart failure (HF) patients.A total of 482 (57.5%) HF patients from the Ibaraki Cardiovascular Assessment Study-HF (n = 838) were enrolled (298 men, 71.7 ± 13.6 years). Blood samples were collected at admission, and nutritional status was assessed using CONUT. CONUT scores were defined as follows: 0-1, normal; 2-4, light; 5-8, moderate; and 9-12, severe degree of undernutrition. Accordingly, 352 (73%) patients had light-to-severe nutritional disturbances. The logarithmically transformed plasma brain natriuretic peptide (log BNP) concentration was significantly higher in the moderate-severe nutritional disturbance group (2.92 ± 0.42) compared to the normal group (2.72 ± 0.45, P < 0.01). CONUT scores were significantly higher in the in-hospital death patients [4 (3-8), n = 14] compared with patients who were discharged following symptom alleviation [3 (1-5), n = 446, P < 0.05]. With the exception of transferred HF patients (n = 22), logistic regression analysis that incorporated the CONUT score and the log BNP, showed that a higher CONUT score (P = 0.019) and higher log BNP (P = 0.009) were predictors of in-hospital death, and the median duration of hospital stay was 20 days.Our results demonstrate the usefulness of CONUT scores as predictors of short-term prognosis in hospitalized HF patients.