[Myocardial Infarction with no obstructive coronary arteries: Imaging plays a central role]. / Infarctus du myocarde sans artères coronaires obstructives : rôle central de l'imagerie.

Myocardial infarction with non-obstructive coronary lesion (MINOCA) represents a non-negligible percentage of the proportion of myocardial infarctions (≈6%). Moreover, the long-term prognosis is poor, with an annual mortality rate of 2%. This high mortality rate may be explained by the fact that MINOCA represents a heterogeneous group, and the diagnosis of pathology is poorly understood. It is essential to be aware of this clinical presentation, and to follow the different diagnostic strategies, in order to identify the etiological mechanism, and thus set up a suitable treatment. Many tools are available to support diagnosis, notably in the fields of imaging, the principal contributors being coronary angiography, coronary physiology and pharmacological testing, as well as endo-coronary imaging and cardiac MRI. This review will provide an update on the definition, epidemiology, diagnostic strategies and treatment options for patients with MINOCA.

Incidence and prevention of infective endocarditis and bacteraemia after transcatheter aortic valve implantation in a French university hospital: a retrospective study.

Infective endocarditis (IE) after transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) is a rare but severe complication. Among 326 patients who underwent TAVI at Grenoble Alpes University Hospital, six (1.8%) cases of IE and 11 (3.4%) cases of bacteraemia were identified. No cases of IE were linked to the intervention; one was due to Staphylococcus aureus despite a screening and targeted decolonization strategy. This underscores the need for randomized studies to evaluate the benefit and cost-effectiveness of this policy.

[Coronary disease in women: The role of sexual hormones]. / Coronaropathie de la femme : rôle des hormones sexuelles.

During their lives, women go through three different phases during which sex hormones play a fundamental role in contributing to specific cardiovascular and coronary risks. To evaluate this risk, we must take into account these various phases with their associated cardiovascular risk factors, and this during three key steps: contraception, pregnancy and menopause. Arterial risk linked to estrogen combined with progestin contraception, depends on the dosage of estrogen. The main cardiovascular risk factor responsible for increasing the risk of myocardial infarction is tobacco, especially after 35 years of age, contraindicating estrogen combined with progestin contraception at the benefit of progestin. Spontaneous dissections and coronary emboli are the most common coronary lesions linked with oestroprogestative contraception. Acute myocardial infarction during pregnancy occurs mostly in the peripartum or postpartum period; and is often caused by spontaneous coronary dissection lesions. Fertility treatment is not associated with an increased risk of developing cardiovascular disease later in life. Hormone therapy during menopause does not increase coronary risk in the first 10 years after menopause and may even have a protective effect, by sustaining arterial integrity. The transdermal route is to be preferred for its metabolic effect. Hormonal treatment during menopause is nonetheless contraindicated in the case of proven coronary disease and uncontrolled cardiovascular risk factors.

[Cardiac magnetic resonance imaging and cardiac computed tomography in clinical practice]. / Apport de l'IRM et du scanner cardiaque en pratique clinique courante.

Technological advances have enabled the rapid development of cardiovascular imaging techniques. Cardiac computed tomography (CT) and cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) have become diagnostic and prognostic tools for the management of patients in routine clinical practice. This review gives the main indications and describes the performance of both techniques.

Metabolic disturbances after acute vascular events: a comparative study of acute coronary syndrome and ischaemic atherothrombotic stroke.

OBJECTIVE: This pilot study aimed to compare metabolic disturbances, particularly insulin resistance (IR) and cardiovascular risk factors (CRFs), following two types of acute vascular atherothrombotic disease events: ischaemic atherothrombotic stroke (AS); and acute coronary syndrome (ACS). DESIGN AND METHODS: A total of 110 non-diabetic patients presenting with either AS (n=55) or ACS (n=55) were included in our prospective comparative study, and matched for age and gender. IR was determined using the homoeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) method, and each patient's personal and family history were also recorded. RESULTS: IR was significantly higher in the ACS vs AS group (HOMA-IR index 2.17±1.90 vs 1.50±0.81, respectively; P=0.03). The AS group had a significantly higher prevalence of personal history of hypertension (51% vs 31%; P=0.03), while current smoking was more prevalent in the ACS group (30% vs 18%; P=0.04). There were no significant differences between the two groups as regards any other CRFs. CONCLUSION: The distribution of CRFs varied depending on the vascular event, and metabolic disturbances differed according to the atherothrombotic disease. IR was greater after ACS than AS.

[Aortic dissection spread to the renal arteries: role of renal volumetry after angioplasty]. / Dissection aortique étendue aux artères rénales : intérêt de la volumétrie rénale après angioplastie.

OBJECTIVE: Type A or B aortic dissection can extend to renal arteries, causing a renal ischemia which treatment is usually endovascular. The aim of our study is to show the interest of the renal volumetry in the follow-up of these patients. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Twenty-two patients (16 men, mean age 63.4±11.8years, BMI 25.2±3.4kg/m(2)) with a type A or B aortic dissection spread to one or to both renal arteries and followed at Grenoble university hospital were consecutively included. All patients underwent renal angiography with aorto-renal pressure gradients measurements and follow-up by renal volumetry (scanner Siemens(®)). A renal ischemia was defined by a decrease of 20% or more of the volumetry. RESULTS: Sixteen patients (73%) were hypertensive before the aortic dissection among which ten (62%) were treated. Eight patients (36%) have a significant renal pressure gradient among which five (62%) underwent renal endovascular therapy. The renal volumetry of these five patients remained unchanged while six of 17 patients (36%) without angioplasty have a decreasing volumetry. CONCLUSION: Renal volumetry appeared an effective and attractive option for the follow-up of the patients with aortic dissection spread to the renal arteries. These results should be taken into account to put the indication of an endovascular treatment.

Left ventricular diastolic dysfunction is linked to severity of obstructive sleep apnoea.

Obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) has been linked to increased cardiovascular risk. The present study examined the relationships between respiratory parameters and left ventricular abnormalities in OSA. 150 newly diagnosed OSA patients without any known cardiovascular disease were included in the study (mean ± sd age 49 ± 11 yrs, body mass index 27.1 ± 3.3 kg·m⁻², respiratory disturbance index 41 ± 18 h⁻¹). Haemodynamic, biological, respiratory, cardiac and arterial parameters were assessed at inclusion. 34 (22.7%) patients had a grade 1 left ventricular diastolic dysfunction. Patients with an abnormal diastole were older (p < 0.001) and 81% of them were hypertensive. The only respiratory parameter independently associated with the peak flow velocity in early diastole/peak flow velocity at atrial contraction ratio was mean nocturnal oxygen saturation. 17 (13%) patients had left ventricular hypertrophy. A multivariate analysis showed that clinic systolic blood pressure and mean nocturnal oxygen saturation were independently associated with left ventricular hypertrophy. In a logistic regression model, age ≥ 58 yrs (OR 3.29, 95% CI 1.78-5.64) and mean nocturnal oxygen saturation < 92% (OR 2.76, 95% CI 1.45-4.91) were associated with left ventricular diastolic dysfunction. Our findings demonstrate that left ventricular diastolic dysfunction frequently occurs in patients with OSA and that it is related to the severity of oxygen desaturation.

Hypertension and obstructive sleep apnoea syndrome: current perspectives.

Obstructive sleep apnoea syndrome (OSAS), due to the collapse of the upper airways, is a common but still underestimated condition. The 'dose-response' type relationship between OSAS and hypertension (HT) has now been clearly proven. There are multiple mechanisms explaining this relationship, the main one being an increase in sympathetic activity during the apnoeas. HT associated with OSAS has several characteristics: high prevalence, diastolic and nocturnal predominance, and frequent non-dipper status. Furthermore, as OSAS is found in the majority of subjects with refractory HT, it should be systematically investigated in this situation. HT associated with OSAS should be tested for by means of a clinical blood pressure (BP) measurement, to which 24-h ambulatory BP monitoring (ABPM) is often added due to the fact that BP anomalies are frequently present at night. HT during OSAS is frequently associated with metabolic anomalies (for example, obesity, dyslipidaemia and insulin resistance), therefore explaining the high prevalence of metabolic syndrome in this population. The reference treatment for OSAS-nasal continuous positive airway pressure (nCPAP)-seems to be able to lower the BP of hypertensive patients, especially if the HT is severe, untreated or refractory. Moreover, the BP response to nCPAP depends on the severity of the OSAS, in particular the scale of the nocturnal desaturations, and on patient tolerance of the treatment. Optimal treatment for HT associated with OSAS has not been evidenced. Antihypertensive drugs do not change the respiratory parameters during OSAS.

Resistance to platelet antiaggregants: an important cause of very late thrombosis of drug eluting stents? Observations from five cases.

BACKGROUND: Very late thrombosis of drug eluting stents is a rare complication that might be triggered by resistance to platelet antiaggregants (PAAs). AIM: Following an initial case where clinical data strongly suggested resistance to PAAs, we carried out a prospective systematic analysis of platelet aggregation in four subsequent cases of late thrombosis. METHODS: Resistance to aspirin was investigated with the PFA-100 test employing a collagen-epinephrine cartridge (Platelet Function Analyzer; Dade Behring). Resistance to clopidogrel was determined by flow cytometry of intraplatelet vasodilator-stimulated phosphoprotein (VASP) phosphorylation. RESULTS: All four cases showed resistance to either aspirin or clopidogrel, and two cases showed dual resistance to both of these PAAs. CONCLUSION: Analysis of platelet function in a patient with late stent thrombosis is useful and may allow adaptation of subsequent patient management. The value of monitoring platelet function after implantation of a drug eluting stent should be evaluated in prospective studies.