[Coronary bypass grafting after failed percutaneous angioplasty (PTCA)]. / Pilne pomostowanie tetnic wiencowych po powiklanych angioplastykach wiencowych (PTCA).

Between January 1991 and September 1997, in the Cardiovascular Surgery Department of the Institute of Cardiology of Jagiellonian University Medical School, 23 patients underwent emergency CABG due to acute myocardial ischaemia in result of failed PTCA. Over the same period of time invasive cardiologists performed 1883 PTCAs out of which 23 (1.2%) were emergency cardiosurgical procedures, and in 38 patients, stents were implanted in the damaged coronary arteries. The patients' age ranged from 37 to 67 years (median 52.2). In all patients good left ventricular function was preserved, median ejection fraction being 64%. Two patients required IABP to support left ventricular function. 1-4 bypass grafts were implanted (median 1.9 per patient). In one patient, internal mammary artery was collected and then implanted into anterior interventricular branch. The most common complication was myocardial infarction which occurred in 12 patients (52%). In ten patients low output was observed postoperatively. One operated patient (a female died (4.3%). The mean time of hospitalization was 11 days. Emergency myocardial revascularisation procedures performed after failed PTCA, bring higher risk of mortality and dangerous postoperative complications.

Successful full-term pregnancy in a patient three and a half years after a heart transplant.

The patient is a 28 year old woman who received a heart transplant in 1992 secondary to hypertrophic cardiomyopathy with unremarkable post-operative course. In the period immediately post transplantation the patient was on a four-drug immunosuppressive regimen which was subsequently changed to standard three-agent therapy. This therapy was continued until the patient became pregnant. In the first trimester only Cyclosporine (CsA) was used, and thereafter, the patient was continued on the previous three agent regimen. Toward the end of pregnancy a rise in systolic pressure was observed, but the child was delivered by spontaneous vaginal delivery without complications in the 38th week of pregnancy. The newborn weighed 3320 g and was in good health. A sharp fall in the newborn CsA blood levels was observed post delivery reaching zero level on the third day of life. At the present time, both mother and baby are in good health, 6 weeks after delivery.

[Thrombolytic therapy of myocardial infarction. Prognostic value of early reduction of elevation of ST segment]. / Zawal serca leczony trombolitycznie. Znaczenie rokownicze wczesnej redukcji uniesienia odcinka ST.

In-hospital mortality, infarction mass (estimated enzymatically) and electrocardiographic indexes (total ST-segments elevation, number of leads with R-wave presence and total R-waves amplitude) were assessed in 532 patients with acute myocardial infarction, randomized to two treatment groups: 272 treated with streptokinase (SK) and 260 with heparin (H). Echocardiographic contractility indexes (contractility disturbances area index, contractility disturbances index, left ventricle diastolic diameter) and heart volume estimated from X-ray film were also assessed. There were no significant differences in mortality and infarction area between the two groups. In 175 patients total ST-segments elevation was reduced by at least 50%, in the rest 340 patients this reduction was less significant. In the group with early elevated ST-segment reduction there were less in-hospital deaths (p less than 0.01), smaller infarction mass (p less than 0.0001) and significantly less disturbed electrocardiographic contractility indexes. Results suggest that simple electrocardiographic index, namely reduction of ST-segment elevation by 50% after 2 hours of treatment may be a useful prognostic tool, independent on treatment options, as far as in-hospital mortality, necrosis mass and left ventricle contractility disturbances are concerned.

[Natural and postoperative course of coronary disease in late observations: prognostic value of clinical indicators and invasive and non-invasive studies]. / Przebieg naturalny i pooperacyjny choroby wiencowej w obserwacjach odleglych: ocena wartosci prognostycznej wskazników klinicznych, badan nieinwazyjnych i inwazyjnych.

The results of a prospective study in 301 patients (pts) with angiographically documented coronary artery disease are presented. The mean follow-up period was 30 +/- 14 months, the mean age of pts was 48 +/- 9 years. A prognostic significance of 37 indicators obtained from clinical, hemodynamical, angiographical and noninvasive studies was investigated. In the group of pts treated medically (n = 202) the natural history of disease was defined by the following indicators: history of myocardial infarction, congestive heart failure, NYHA functional class III and IV, frequent ventricular premature depolarizations (VPD), abnormal ecg at rest, QT greater than QS2 index, left ventricular (LV) ejection fraction less than 50%, elevation of LV end-diastolic pressure and LV end-diastolic volume index LV wall motion abnormalities in particular dyskinesia, left main coronary artery disease and three vessel coronary artery disease. In a multivariate Cox model analysis, the independent correlates of long-term survival were frequency of VPD (p less than 0.001), NYHA functional class III-IV (p less than 0.003), QT greater than QS2 index (p less than 0.01), LV ejection fraction (LVEF) less than 50% (p less than 0.02). The combination of two indicators: LVEF less than 50% and QT greater than QS2 identify pts with high mortality rate (31%) during a two year follow-up period as compared with only 1% in the group with LVEF greater than or equal to 50% and QT less than or equal to QS2. The different clinical and hemodynamical characteristics of both the groups of pts treated medically or surgically made a reliable comparison of those two methods of treatment impossible.

[Prognostic value of QT-QS2 index in the assessment of sudden coronary death]. / Wartosc prognostyczna wskaznika QT-QS2 w ocenie wystepowania naglych zgonów w chorobie wiencowej.

200 patients aged 49 +/- 8 with coronary artery disease underwent selective coronarography, left ventriculography as well as performed every year laboratory, polycardiography, ECG exercise test, 24-hour ECG Holter monitoring and X-ray chest examinations. Mean follow-up period was 34 +/- 10 months. For QT-QS2 index monitoring patients were divided into two groups: I--with abnormal index QT greater than QS2 (61-30%) and II--with the normal one QT less than QS2 (139-70%). Lown's classification was applied for ventricular premature beats assessment. Left ventricular contractility was estimated in hemodynamic examination. 28 patients died due to cardiac reasons during follow-up (14%). Among 19 suddenly died patients (9.5%) 7 had a normal and 12 an abnormal QT-QS2 index. Sudden mortality rate was 5% in the normal QT less than or equal to QS2 subgroup, and 20% in the abnormal QT greater than QS2 one. These differences are statistically significant.

[Effect of coronary disease risk factors on the progression of coronary arteriosclerosis]. / Wplyw czynników ryzyka choroby wiencowej na progresje miazdzycy tetnic wiencowych.

UNLABELLED: A group of 43 patients (pts) from a larger group 451 pts with coronary artery disease (CAD) confirmed by coronary angiography were recatheterized because of deterioration of symptoms. After the first angiography patients had no indications to coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) or gave no consent to surgery. The group comprised 3 women and 40 men aged 27 to 62 years (mean age 45 +/- 8 years). The mean interval between coronarography was 35 +/- 22 months. Four independent reviewers evaluated 15 segments of coronary arteries according to American Heart Association. The coronary lesions were scored on the basis of reduction in luminal diameter as follows: 0 point = 0-29%, 1 = 30-49%, 2 = 50-69%, 3 = 70-98%, 4 = 90-99%, 5 = 100% occlusion. The influence of the following risk factors on the progression was evaluated: age, sex, hypertension, diabetes, lipid disturbances, smoking, hyperuricaemia, family history. The patients were divided into 3 groups: group I--no or slight progression (0 to 4 points) in two successive coronary angiographies, group II--moderate progression (5 to 9 points) and group II--significant progression (10 points or more). The number of patients in these groups was 14, 12 and 17 respectively. In such isolated groups, the clinical events were compared: unstable angina, myocardial infarctions, need for CABG, cardiac deaths within follow-up period. The ejection fraction of the left ventricle was also evaluated. STATISTICAL ANALYSIS: was conducted by multiple regression model.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)