High-risk inferior myocardial infarction: Can speckle tracking predict proximal right coronary lesions?

BACKGROUND: It is important to diagnose right ventricular (RV) infarction in the setting of acute inferior myocardial infarction (MI). We aimed to improve the diagnostic accuracy of RV infarction and identify a high-risk subset of inferior MI patients with proximal RCA lesions. HYPOTHESIS: We tried to find the link between speckle tracking and coronaries in high risk inferior infarction METHODS: This study included 68 patients within 24 hours of first acute inferior MI. Group 1 (n = 49) isolated inferior MI; group 2 (n = 19) inferior and RV MI. echocardiography for RV free wall longitudinal strain (FWLS), RV fractional area change (FAC), tricuspid annular plane systolic excursion (TAPSE), RV myocardial performance index (MPI) and peak systolic velocity (S'). RESULTS: Group 2 had higher MPI by tissue Doppler and 2D-RV average FWLS, whereas RV FAC, S', and TAPSE were lower (P < 0.001). In group 1, 14.4% had a significant proximal RCA lesion with impaired RV function. RV average FWLS at a cutoff value ≥ - 19.7% can predict proximal RCA culprit lesion with 91.7% sensitivity and 70.5% specificity, which was detected as an independent predictor in multivariate logistic regression (odds ratio: 37.75, P = 0.036). CONCLUSIONS: 2D RV average FWLS at a cutoff of ≥ - 19.7% is a useful added tool for diagnosis of RV involvement and an independent predictor to rule in proximal RCA culprit lesion in inferior-wall MI patients in the emergency department.

Skin aging parameters: A window to heart block.

BACKGROUND: Skin acts as a mirror to the internal state of the body. HYPOTHESIS: We tried to find the relation between skin aging parameters and the incidence of degenerative AV block. METHODS: This study included 97 patients divided into 2 groups; group D comprised 49 patients with advanced-degree AV block, and group C comprised the 48 matched control group. All were subjected to full history taking, thorough clinical examination, calculation of intrinsic skin aging score, and resting 12-lead surface electrocardiography (ECG). ECG for all patients assessed left ventricular end-systolic diameter, left ventricular end-diastolic diameter, ejection fraction, left atrium (LA) diameter, aortic root diameter, mitral annular calcification, aortic sclerosis. Coronary angiography was also performed when indicated for patients in group D. RESULTS: Patients in group D had a higher percentages of uneven pigmentation, fine skin wrinkles, lax appearance, seborrheic keratosis, total score > 7 (38 [77.55%] vs 10 [20.83%]), mitral annular calcification score of 33 (67.34%) vs 5 (10.41%), aortic sclerosis score of 21 (42.85%) vs 4 (8.33%), and mean LA diameter of 39.98 ± 5.52 vs 36.21 ± 3 mm (P < 0.001). Total score > 6 is the best cutoff value to predict advanced-degree heart block with 89.79% sensitivity and 64.58% specificity. Seborrheic keratosis was the strongest independent predictor. CONCLUSIONS: Any population with a total intrinsic skin aging score of >6 is at high risk for developing advanced-degree AV block and should undergo periodic ECG follow-up for early detection of any conduction disturbance in the early asymptomatic stages to minimize sudden cardiac death.