Prevalence and Prognostic Impact of Diabetes in Takotsubo Syndrome: Insights From the International, Multicenter GEIST Registry.

OBJECTIVE: In view of low prevalence rates, diabetes is discussed as a protective factor for the occurrence of Takotsubo syndrome (TTS). Furthermore, it was associated with improved outcome in a small single-center analysis. Therefore, this study assessed the prevalence and prognostic relevance of concomitant diabetes in TTS. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: A total of 826 patients with TTS were enrolled in an international, multicenter, registry-based study (eight centers in Italy and Germany). All-cause mortality was compared between patients with diabetes and patients without diabetes, and the independent predictive value of diabetes was evaluated in multivariate regression analysis. RESULTS: The prevalence of diabetes was 21.1% (n = 174). TTS patients with diabetes were older (P < 0.001), were more frequently male (P = 0.003), had a higher prevalence of hypertension (P < 0.001), physical triggers (P = 0.041), and typical apical ballooning (P = 0.010), had a lower left ventricular ejection fraction (P = 0.008), had a higher rate of pulmonary edema (P = 0.032), and had a longer hospital stay (P = 0.009). However, 28-day all-cause mortality did not differ between patients with diabetes and patients without diabetes (6.4% vs. 5.7%; hazard ratio [HR] 1.11 [95% CI 0.55-2.25]; P = 0.772). Longer-term follow-up after a median of 2.5 years revealed a significantly higher mortality among TTS patients with diabetes (31.4% vs. 16.5%; P < 0.001), and multivariate regression analysis identified diabetes as an independent predictor of adverse outcome (HR 1.66 [95% CI 1.16-2.39]; P = 0.006). CONCLUSIONS: Diabetes is not uncommon in patients with TTS, is associated with increased longer-term mortality rates, and is an independent predictor of adverse outcome irrespective of additional risk factors.

Hemodynamic Effects, Safety, and Feasibility of Intravenous Esmolol Infusion During Takotsubo Cardiomyopathy With Left Ventricular Outflow Tract Obstruction: Results From A Multicenter Registry.

BACKGROUND: Left ventricular outflow tract obstruction (LVOTO) may complicate an episode of Takotsubo cardiomyopathy (TTC), potentially leading to cardiogenic shock. Beta-blockers are considered the most suitable treatment for such complication. AIM OF THE STUDY: The objective of this study was to evaluate the hemodynamic effects, safety, and feasibility of a selective beta-blocker (ß1) with a short half-life, esmolol, in subjects with a TTC episode. METHODS: Ninety-six consecutive patients with TTC were enrolled in a multicenter registry. The hemodynamic and echocardiographic effects of esmolol (0.15-0.3 mg/kg/min) were analyzed in nine consecutive patients with LVOTO. Clinical course of patients, hemodynamics, days of hospitalization, LV function, and adverse events at follow-up were recorded. RESULTS: Left ventricular outflow tract obstruction was present in 10 (10.4%) of 96 patients. Patients with LVOTO were older and had higher values of troponin-I at admission. LV ejection fraction at admission (36.1 ± 8.4%) significantly improved at discharge (51.4 ± 6.9%, P = 0.001). Among patients treated with esmolol infusion, LVOT pressure gradient before treatment was 47.6 ± 16.6 mmHg and after 18.2 ± 2.3 mmHg (P = 0.0091). Systolic blood pressure decreased from 123.8 ± 29.1 to 112.6 ± 12.7 mmHg (P = 0.1537). Mean hospital stay was 9 ± 2 days. No adverse events were observed during hospitalization and at follow-up. CONCLUSIONS: Esmolol infusion was temporally associated with reduction in intraventricular gradient and systemic blood pressure in patients with TTC and LVOTO. Further controlled studies are warranted to confirm these preliminary findings.

Renal impairment and outcome in patients with takotsubo cardiomyopathy.

OBJECTIVES: The objectives were to ascertain the prevalence of renal impairment among patients with a takotsubo cardiomyopathy (TTC) episode and whether clinical outcomes are related to renal function. METHODS: A total of 108 consecutive subjects with TTC were enrolled in a multicenter registry and followed for a mean period of 429 days. Renal function was evaluated during hospitalization in terms of acute kidney injury/failure and estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR). Incidence of death, rehospitalization, and recurrence of TTC during follow-up was recorded. RESULTS: Raised creatinine levels can be found during hospitalizations for TTC episodes (analysis of variance P<.001). Incidence of acute kidney injury was 10%; that of acute kidney failure was 1%. Admission eGFR levels were proportional to the duration of hospitalization (r = -0.28, P<.01). Estimated GFR nadir values were related to adverse events at follow-up (log-rank P<.001). The hazard ratio of adverse events at follow-up in subjects with severe renal impairment (nadir eGFR <30 mL/[min 1.73 m(2)]) vs those with eGFR >60 mL/(min 1.73 m(2)) was 1.817 (95% confidence interval, 1.097-3.009; P<.05). CONCLUSIONS: Raised creatinine levels and impaired renal function may be found in patients with TTC. Lower eGFR values during hospitalization are associated with longer hospitalizations and higher rates of adverse events at follow-up. Renal function during a TTC episode should be carefully evaluated.

Serum uric acid as a prognostic marker in the setting of advanced vascular disease: a prospective study in the elderly.

BACKGROUND: Many epidemiological studies analyze the relationship between hyperuricemia and cardiovascular outcomes. This observational prospective study investigates the association of serum uric acid (SUA) levels with adverse cardiovascular events and deaths in an elderly population affected by advanced atherosclerosis. METHODS: Two hundred and seventy six elderly patients affected by advanced atherosclerosis (217 males and 59 females; aged 71.2 ± 7.8 years) were included. All patients were assessed for history of cardiovascular disease, cancer, obesity and traditional risk factors. Patients were followed for approximately 31 ± 11 months. Major events were recorded during follow-up, defined as myocardial infarction, cerebral ischemia, myocardial and/or peripheral revascularization and death. RESULTS: Mean SUA level was 5.47 ± 1.43 mg/dL; then we further divided the population in two groups, according to the median value (5.36 mg/dL). During a median follow up of 31 months (5 to 49 months), 66 cardiovascular events, 9 fatal cardiovascular events and 14 cancer-related deaths have occurred. The patients with increased SUA level presented a higher significant incidence of total cardiovascular events (HR: 1.867, P = 0.014, 95% CI: 1.134-3.074). The same patients showed a significant increased risk of cancer-related death (HR: 4.335, P = 0.025, 95% CI: 1.204-15.606). CONCLUSIONS: Increased SUA levels are independently and significantly associated with risk of cardiovascular events and cancer related death in a population of mainly elderly patients affected by peripheral vasculopathy.

Echocardiographic guidance of percutaneous patent foramen ovale closure: head-to-head comparison of transesophageal versus rotational intracardiac echocardiography.

BACKGROUND: Transesophageal (TEE) and intracardiac (ICE) echocardiography are commonly used to guide percutaneous patent foramen ovale (PFO) closure. The study aim was to perform a head-to-head comparison between TEE and rotational ICE echocardiography in the measurement of the fossa ovalis and device selection. METHODS: In 45 patients with cryptogenic stroke or peripheral embolism and PFO with large right-to-left shunt, fossa ovalis dimensions were assessed preoperatively by TEE and intraoperatively by rotational ICE. The Amplatzer devices, deployed on the basis of ICE, were compared with those that would have been selected by TEE. RESULTS: A good correlation between TEE and rotational ICE was observed for both longitudinal and transverse fossa ovalis dimensions (TEE four-chamber vs. ICE four-chamber: r = 0.75; TEE bicaval vs. ICE four-chamber: r = 0.77; TEE aorta vs. ICE aorta: r = 0.59; P < 0.001 for all). However, no such correlation was found in 13 patients with atrial septal aneurysm (ASA) (TEE four-chamber vs. ICE four-chamber: r = 0.33; TEE bicaval vs. ICE four-chamber: r = 0.49; TEE aorta vs. ICE aorta: r = 0.05; P = NS for all). At Bland-Altman analysis, slight systematic differences with wide limits of agreement for each comparison were observed, particularly in patients with ASA, suggesting that the two imaging modalities cannot be used interchangeably. As regards device selection, a moderate agreement was found between TEE- and ICE-guided device size (72%, κ = 0.53, P < 0.001), except in patients with ASA (36%, κ = 0.02, P = NS). CONCLUSIONS: Our study suggests a significant disagreement between TEE and rotational ICE in measuring fossa ovalis and selecting the device for PFO closure, particularly in patients with ASA.