Prognostic impact of malnutrition in elderly patients with acute myocardial infarction.

We aimed to investigate the prevalence and the prognostic impact of malnutrition using the geriatric nutritional risk index (GNRI) in elderly patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI). We investigated 130 consecutive patients aged ≥ 75 years who were discharged following successful primary coronary intervention between March 2009 and December 2016. The mean age of the patients was 81.5 ± 5.0 years, and 55.4% of them were male. At discharge, the patients' nutritional statuses were evaluated using the GNRI, which were calculated as follows: 14.89 × serum albumin (g/dL) + 41.7 × body mass index/22. The patients were divided into two groups, a low GNRI group (GNRI < 92) with nutrition-related risk and a high GNRI group (GNRI ≥ 92) without nutrition-related risk. The mean GNRI score of all patients was 95.2 ± 11.0, and 46 patients (35.4%) had a low GNRI score. During the mean follow-up of 1030 ± 850 days, the all-cause mortality was significantly higher in the low GNRI group than in the high GNRI group (32.6% vs. 13.1%, p < 0.001), while the event rates of AMI recurrence and hospitalization due to heart failure did not differ significantly between the two groups. Multivariate Cox proportional analysis revealed that low GNRI was a modest but independent predictor of mortality (hazard ratio, 0.94; 95% confidence interval 0.90-0.98; p = 0.01). Among elderly patients with AMI, malnutrition assessed using the GNRI was often encountered and was an independent predictor of long-term mortality.

Use of oral hydromorphone in a patient with stage D heart failure.

Patients with advanced heart failure often experience dyspnea, fatigue, edema, and appetite loss. If these symptoms are refractory to treatment, palliative care via a team approach is necessary. We describe a patient with stage D heart failure whose dyspnea and overall condition improved with comprehensive medical treatments including conventional medications for heart failure, continuous infusions of catecholamine and diuretic, and oral hydromorphone. A 67-year-old man with a 12-year history of dilated cardiomyopathy was admitted to our hospital due to exacerbation of heart failure. Despite continuous infusion of catecholamine and diuretic, his dyspnea and liver and renal function continued to worsen. Oral hydromorphone was administered to relieve his refractory dyspnea, which also improved his conditions, continuous infusion of the catecholamine and diuretic could withdraw. Oral low-dose hydromorphone used in the present case might be a helpful agent for treating dyspnea in stage D heart failure patients with renal dysfunction.

Prognostic impact of malnutrition assessed using geriatric nutritional risk index in patients aged ⩾80 years with heart failure.

AIMS: Malnutrition in elderly patients is one of the important issues in an aging society. We aimed to investigate the prevalence and prognostic impact of malnutrition assessed using the geriatric nutritional risk index in very elderly patients hospitalized owing to heart failure. METHODS: We enrolled 213 consecutive patients aged ⩾80 years who were hospitalized with heart failure. The mean age was 87.2 ± 4.9 years, and 43.7% of them were male. The nutritional status on admission was evaluated using the geriatric nutritional risk index, which was calculated as follows: 14.89 × serum albumin (g/dL) + 41.7 × body mass index/22. The patients were divided into two groups, a low geriatric nutritional risk index group (<92) with malnutrition risk and a high geriatric nutritional risk index group (⩾92) without malnutrition risk. RESULTS: The mean geriatric nutritional risk index of all patients was 90.7 ± 10.6, and 108 patients (50.7%) had low geriatric nutritional risk index. During the 540-day follow-up, the all-cause mortality was significantly higher in the low geriatric nutritional risk index group than in the high geriatric nutritional risk index group (35.7% vs. 12.9%, p < 0.001). The Cox proportional-hazards regression analysis revealed that low geriatric nutritional risk index was an independent predictor of mortality (hazard ratio, 2.28; 95% confidence interval, 1.15-4.49; p = 0.02). CONCLUSIONS: Low geriatric nutritional risk index on admission was common and was associated with poor prognosis in patients aged ⩾80 years who were hospitalized owing to heart failure.

Endomyocardial fibrosis and calcification in an elderly patient.

Endomyocardial fibrosis (EMF) is a rare restrictive cardiomyopathy in developed countries. The prognosis of EMF depends on severity of heart failure, and it is generally poor as there is no proven specific effective therapy. We have experienced a rare case of EMF in an elderly Japanese man.

A Pitfall in the Diagnosis of Bilateral Deep Vein Thrombosis in a Young Man.

A 32-year-old man with a history of bronchial asthma was referred for low back pain and bilateral femur pain. Vascular sonography revealed bilateral deep vein thrombosis (DVT) from the femoral veins to the popliteal veins. Computed tomography revealed hypoplasia of the inferior vena cava (IVC) and dilated lumbar veins, ascending lumbar veins, and azygos vein as collaterals. There was no evidence of malignant neoplasm. The results of the thrombophilia tests were within normal limits. Hypoplasia of the IVC is a rare cause of DVT. This anomaly should be considered as a cause of bilateral and proximal DVT, in particular, in young patients without major risk factors.

The incidence of slow flow after rotational atherectomy of calcified coronary arteries: A randomized study of low speed versus high speed.

OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this randomized trial was to compare the incidence of slow flow between low-speed and high-speed rotational atherectomy (RA) of calcified coronary lesions. BACKGROUND: Preclinical studies suggest that slow flow is less frequently observed with low-speed than high-speed RA because of less platelet aggregation with low-speed RA. METHODS: This was a prospective, randomized, single center study. A total of 100 patients with calcified coronary lesions were enrolled and randomly assigned in a 1:1 ratio to low-speed (140,000 rpm) or high-speed (190,000 rpm) RA. The primary endpoint was the occurrence of slow flow following RA. Slow flow was defined as slow or absent distal runoff (Thrombolysis in Myocardial Infarction [TIMI] flow grade ≤ 2). RESULTS: The incidence of slow flow in the low-speed group (24%) was the same as that in the high-speed group (24%) (P = 1.00; odds ratio, 1.00; 95% confidence interval, 0.40-2.50). The frequencies of TIMI 3, TIMI 2, TIMI 1, and TIMI 0 flow grades were similar between the low-speed (TIMI 3, 76%; TIMI 2, 14%; TIMI 1, 8%; TIMI 0, 2%) and high-speed (TIMI 3, 76%; TIMI 2, 14%; TIMI 1, 10%; TIMI 0, 0%) groups (P = 0.77 for trend). The incidence of periprocedural myocardial infarction was the same between the low-speed (6%) and high-speed (6%) groups (P = 1.00). CONCLUSIONS: This randomized trial did not show a reduction in the incidence of slow flow following low-speed RA as compared with high-speed RA (UMIN ID: UMIN000015702). © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

GuideLiner Catheter Use for Percutaneous Intervention Involving Anomalous Origin of a Single Coronary Trunk Arising from the Ascending Aorta.

Cases in which an anomalous single coronary trunk arises from the ascending aorta are extremely rare. In percutaneous coronary intervention for the lesion of a coronary artery anomaly, several problems may occur, including selection of a guide catheter, insufficient backup force, and difficulties of stent delivery. The GuideLiner catheter, which is a coaxial guide extension having the advantage of rapid exchange, facilitates coronary intervention for complex lesions. We report a case of angina having a lesion in the left anterior descending artery of a single coronary trunk arising from the ascending aorta. We successfully performed revascularization by using the GuideLiner catheter.

How Should We Perform Rotational Atherectomy to an Angulated Calcified Lesion?

Rotational atherectomy to an angulated calcified lesion is always challenging. The risk of catastrophic complications such as a burr becoming stuck or vessel perforation is greater when the calcified lesion is angulated. We describe the case of an 83-year-old female suffering from unstable angina. Diagnostic coronary angiography revealed an angulated calcified lesion in the proximal segment of the right coronary artery. We performed rotational atherectomy to the lesion, but intentionally did not advance the rotational atherectomy burr beyond the top of the angulation. We controlled the rotational atherectomy burr and stopped it just before the top of the angulation to avoid complications. Following rotational atherectomy, balloon dilatation with a non-compliant balloon was performed, and drug-eluting stents were successfully deployed. In this manuscript, we provide a review of the literature on this topic, and discuss how rotational atherectomy to an angulated calcified lesion should be performed.

Implications of pentraxin 3 levels in patients with acute aortic dissection.

Acute aortic dissection (AAD) causes transient inflammation with occasional pleural fluid (PF) accumulation. Although pentraxin 3 (PTX3) is a vascular inflammation-related biomarker, little is known about PTX3 levels in patients with AAD. We explored the serial changes in plasma PTX3 levels and the association of peak levels with the amount of PF accumulation. Consecutive patients (n = 41) with Stanford type B AAD were enrolled, and blood samples for the measurements of serum albumin, plasma PTX3 and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (CRP) were collected daily until 7 days after symptom onset. PF accumulation on computed tomography imaging on the third hospital day was divided into 3 grades (I: none or slight, II: mild in the uni- or bilateral pleural cavity, III: moderate or more). PTX3 and CRP levels were analyzed after logarithmic transformation because of their skewed distributions. Peak PTX3 and CRP levels were observed at 4.3 ± 2.1 and 4.7 ± 2.0 days after symptom onset, and their values were 12.2 [interquartile range (IQR), 8.2-20.9] ng/mL and 12.0 (IQR, 8.6-15.2) mg/dL, respectively. On univariate analysis, the peak level of PTX3 had a negative correlation with the minimum level of serum albumin, and a positive correlation with PF grade and duration of intensive care unit stay. On multivariate analysis, the peak level of PTX3 was correlated with PF grade (P = 0.037). In conclusion, the peak level of PTX3 in patients with AAD was associated with the amount of transient PF accumulation, which may be associated with inflammatory vascular permeability.

Transient retinopathy in acute aortic dissection.

PURPOSE: To explore the occurrence of transient retinopathy and its prognostic importance in patients with acute aortic dissection (AAD). DESIGN: Prospective, observational study. PARTICIPANTS: Sixty-four patients with Stanford type B AAD were treated with conservative medical therapy. METHODS: Retinopathy findings, such as cotton-wool spots and hemorrhage, were examined. Fundus photography was performed on hospital days 9 to 14 and after 2 or 3 months. The association between the appearance of retinopathy and the subsequent cardio-cerebrovascular events was investigated. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The primary outcomes included the incidence of retinopathy and subsequent adverse cardio-cerebrovascular events. RESULTS: Retinopathy was detected in 55% (35 of 64) of patients (cotton-wool spots alone, n = 31; dot hemorrhage alone, n = 1; and both, n = 3). These findings disappeared in all 12 patients who underwent follow-up fundus examinations. In the multivariate analysis, a history of hypertension and higher peak C-reactive protein level were independently associated with retinopathy. At a median follow-up of 911 days, adverse cardio-cerebrovascular events were reported in 11 patients, of whom those with retinopathy experienced adverse events significantly more frequently than those without retinopathy (P = 0.045). CONCLUSIONS: Retinopathy occurred frequently in patients with AAD. This retinopathy was associated with a history of hypertension and higher peak C-reactive protein levels and was an important predictive factor for adverse cardio-cerebrovascular outcomes.

Internal mammary arteriovenous fistula treated with transcatheter embolization.

We report an adult case of internal mammary arteriovenous fistula which was found to have a continuous murmur. The fistula was clearly demonstrated by multi-detector row computed tomography and selective digital subtraction angiography, and was successfully occluded by transcatheter embolization.