Geographical variation in the clinical presentation of endomyocardial fibrosis in India?

OBJECTIVES: To compare the clinical presentation, clinical profile and survival of two groups of endomyocardial fibrosis patients. METHODS: The study was a prospective cohort study, or a prospective case series, comparing all consecutive echocardiographically proven patients with endomyocardial fibrosis seen in Medical College Trivandrum with the patients seen in Medical College Hospital, Alappuzha(Alleppey) (or TD Medical College). In all patients the clinical details like age, sex, type of endomyocardial fibrosis, the presence of anaemia, eosinophilia, neutrophilia and type of rhythm(Sinus or atrial fibrillation) etc were compared by both simple X2 and by Kaplan Meier survival curves. RESULTS: The mean age and the sex distribution was same in both places Briefly the incidence of biventricular endomyocardial fibrosis was more from Trivandrum than Alleppey, 64.9% vs 14.3% (p<0.0.001), the incidence of atrial fibrillation was more in Trivandrum 44.2% vs 16.3%. (p<0.001)The overall survival of Trivandrum patients was poorer (p<0.0001). The six year survival was 61% in the Trivandrum population whereas it was 91.5% in the Alleppey population. CONCLUSIONS: These differences may have been due to the better nutrition of the Alleppey patients due to a higher exposure to fish compared to the Trivandrum population. Better nutrition would protect against Magnesium deficiency and prevent the absorption of Cerium in the patients from Alleppey, compared to those from Trivandrum.

Open-labeled randomized controlled trial to evaluate the 1-year clinical outcomes of polymer-free sirolimus-eluting coronary stents as compared with biodegradable polymer-based sirolimus-eluting coronary stents.

BACKGROUND: Head to head trials of clinical outcomes of sirolimus eluting polymer free vs. biodegradable polymer stents are lacking. METHODS: Single centre prospective open labeled randomised controlled clinical trial. Basis for sample size calculation was the rate of MACE from the ISAR TEST 3 trial in which the absolute difference was 10.25% with a standard deviation of 0.24. Assuming null hypothesis, 80% power and 5% alpha error, to detect a 10% difference, adjusting for 10% loss of follow up, sample size was 204. INCLUSION CRITERIA: Patients with stable coronary artery disease or recent acute coronary syndrome ( >1 week from the date of STEMI), being taken up for elective angioplasty. END POINTS: Primary end point was MACE at 1 year and secondary end points at the end of 1 year were cardiac death, urgent target lesion revascularization, acute coronary syndrome, stroke and in-stent re-stenosis. RESULTS: 204 patients were enrolled between January 2013 to July 2014, 91 in the polymer-free group and 113 in the biodegradable polymer group. Baseline characteristics were comparable between both groups. 21 patients (10.29%), were lost to follow up. MACE at 1 year were comparable in both the groups 3 of 85(3.52%) in the polymer-free group and 3 of 98(3.06%) in the biodegradable polymer group, p = 0.859. The secondary end points were also comparable between the two groups- Death- 1 of 85(1.17%) vs. 2 of 98(2.04%), p = 0.646, Stroke 0 of 85 vs. 2 of 98(2.04%), p = 0.185 and acute coronary syndrome - 2 of 85(2.35%) vs. 1 of 98(1.02%), p = 0.204. There were no instances of urgent target lesion re-vascularisation or definite stent thrombosis in either groups. In stent re-stenosis was found in 7 of 85(8.2%) in the polymer-free group vs. 6 of 98(6.12%) in the biodegradable polymer group. CONCLUSION: The 1 year MACE rates are comparable in patients who underwent elective coronary revascularization using sirolimus eluting polymer-free and biodegradable polymer stents.

Predictors of no- reflow during primary angioplasty for acute myocardial infarction, from Medical College Hospital, Trivandrum.

BACKGROUND: Primary angioplasty (PCI) for acute myocardial infarction is associated with no-reflow phenomenon, in about 5-25% of cases. Here we analysed the factors predicting no reflow . METHODS: This was a case control study of consecutive patients with acute myocardial infarction who underwent Primary PCI from August 2014 to February 2015. RESULTS: Of 181 patients who underwent primary PCI, 47 (25.9%) showed an angiographic no-reflow phenomenon. The mean age was 59.19±10.25years and females were 11%. Univariate predictors of no reflow were age >60years (OR=6.146, 95%CI 2.937-12.86, P=0<0.001), reperfusion time >6h (OR=21.94, 95%CI 9.402-51.2, P=<0.001), low initial TIMI flow (≤1) (OR=12.12, 95%CI 4.117-35.65, P<0.001), low initial TMPG flow (≤1) (OR=36.19, 95%CI 4.847-270.2, P<0.001) a high thrombus burden (OR=11.04,95%CI 5.124-23.8, P<0.001), a long target lesion (OR=8.54, 95%CI 3.794-19.23, P<0.001), Killip Class III/IV(OR=2.937,95%CI 1.112-7.756,P=0.025) and overlap stenting(OR=3.733,95%CI 1.186-11.75,P=0.017). Multiple stepwise logistic regression analysis predictors were: longer reperfusion time>6h (OR=13.844, 95%CI 3.214-59.636, P=<0.001), age >60 years (OR=8.886, 95%CI 2.145-36.80, P=0.003), a long target lesion (OR=8.637, 95%CI 1.975-37.768, P=0.004), low initial TIMI flow (≤1) (OR=20.861, 95%CI 1.739-250.290, P=0.017). CONCLUSIONS: It is important to minimize trauma to the vessel, avoid repetitive balloon dilatations use direct stenting and use the shortest stent if possible.

Possible complication of bee stings and a review of the cardiac effects of bee stings.

We report the case of a patient who, ∼3 weeks after multiple bee stings, developed a prolonged heart block, syncope and cardiac arrest. This required a temporary pacemaker to be implanted, which was later replaced with a permanent pacemaker. An ECG taken following surgery for a fractured humerus 6 years earlier was reportedly normal. The patient had been a rubber tapper who walked ∼1.5 km/day, but after the bee attack he was no longer able to walk or get up from the bed without experiencing syncope. We presume that the bee venom caused these signs, as well as the resulting heart block, which persisted long after the bee sting had subsided. Since his coronary angiogram was normal we believe he had a Kounis type involvement of the cardiovascular system, namely profound coronary spasm that caused complete heart block that did not recover. Another probable reason for the complete heart block could have been that the bees had consumed the pollen of a rhododendron flower, causing 'grayanotoxin' poisoning and severe heart block. The other effects of bee sting are discussed briefly.

A prominent 'A' notch in the pulmonary valve M mode-one more cause of the same.

The M mode echocardiogram is not the main priority, during routine echocardiographic evaluation now-a-days. However, there are still a few classical conditions where this remains instructive and educative. One such situation is the presence of an 'a' wave in the pulmonary valve M mode tracing in normals and it's absence in pulmonary hypertension. In valvular pulmonary stenosis we expect a deeper 'a' wave. We describe one more cause of a prominent 'a' wave in the pulmonary valve M mode. We describe this in a common tropical disease, endemic to Kerala.

Yet more knots in the radial artery, unravelling purely by counter clockwise rotation.

We describe here two more radial knots that could be unravelled by counter-clockwise rotation alone. We and others have previously described radial knots that occur when trying to engage the right coronary artery (RCA). Here, we show two knots that were unravelled purely by counter-clockwise rotation. One occurred during RCA catheterisation and the other occurred during left coronary angiography via the radial route. In one of the patients, severe pain occurred in the right shoulder. This occurred even though the artery was not in spasm. We were able to move the catheter. Therefore it is possible that pain combined with the ability to move the catheter may be a marker of an intravascular knot.

Femoral artery pseudoaneurysm as a complication of angioplasty. How can it be prevented?

Femoral pseudoaneurysm is a common complication of repeated femoral puncture during cardiac catheterisation. We describe here the development of femoral pseudoaneurysms in a patient with Takayasu's arteritis, which healed in response to conservative treatment, and review the literature on the prevention and treatment of femoral pseudoaneurysm.

Hydroxyurea induced perimalleolar ulcers.

Hydroxyurea (HU) is an antineoplastic drug commonly used to treat chronic myeloproliferative disorders. Common dermatological side effects include hyperpigmentation, scaling, erythema, alopecia, desquamation of face and hands. Leg ulceration following HU therapy is less common and very few cases have been reported so far. Objective of this paper is to increase the awareness of hydroxyurea induced leg ulcers which will aid in the early diagnosis and appropriate treatment. The first case was a chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) patient on HU 1.5 g/day for 5 yr, who had bilateral painful perimalleolar ulcers for 6 months. The second case was a CML patient on HU 1.5 g/day for 3 yr who developed bilateral lateral malleolar ulcers. Third case was a polycythemia vera (PV) patient on HU 1 g/day for 5 yr who presented with painful medial malleolar ulcer of 2 months. The last case of our report was an elderly PV patient on HU 1.5 g/day for 2 yr and presented with lateral malleolar ulcer which persisted on reducing the dose of HU. In all the 4 cases the ulcers healed on stopping HU. Our report confirms the association of chronic hydroxyurea therapy and perimalleolar ulcers which respond promptly after discontinuation of the drug. The heightened awareness among the physicians will promote early diagnosis and prompt relief from the agonizing ulcers.