Predictive value of echocardiography and its relation to Kt/V and anthropometric parameters in hemodialysis patients.

BACKGROUND: In order to evaluate the predictive value of echocardiograph parameters for mortality of hemodialysis patients and their relation to Kt/V and anthropometry, a prospective, single center study was analyzed post-hoc. METHODS: This analysis encompassed 106 patients on maintenance hemodialysis monitored for 108 months from 1996 to 2004. spKt/V was calculated using the Daugirdas formula. Anthropometric measurements included mid-arm muscle measurements (MAMC) and percentage of body fat (%fat). Echocardiography included the estimations of left ventricular wall thickness, dimensions and volumes (EDV, ESV), systolic LV function (ejection fraction - EFLV, fractional shortening - VCF, stroke volume - SV) and diastolic LV function (E/A, VTI-A wave of transmitral flow velocity), left atrial diameter, as well as assessment of clinical and biochemical parameters. The Cox proportional hazard model was used to estimate predictive values of echocardiograph parameters. RESULTS: Kt/V correlated significantly with left ventricular systolic and diastolic volumes and function, septal and posterior wall thickness and left atrium dimension. MAMC and %fat also correlated with many echocardiograph parameters. Multivariate Cox regression selected age [HR 1.07; CI (1.03-1.12); p < 0.01], albumin [HR 0.88; CI (0.79-0.97); p < 0.05] and left atrium dimension - binary [values > 4 cm were marked as "1" and others "0" - HR 3.76; CI (1.56-9.03); p < 0.01] as independent predictors of death. CONCLUSION: Left atrium dimension was the most important predictor of mortality among the echocardiograph parameters. Many of these parameters were related to Kt/V and anthropometric measurements and could be the combined consequence of hypervolemia and hypertension.

Mitral annular calcification predicts cardiovascular morbidity and mortality in middle-aged patients with atrial fibrillation: the Belgrade Atrial Fibrillation Study.

BACKGROUND: Mitral annular calcification (MAC) has been suggested as a reliable, time-averaged marker of atherosclerosis and is associated with coronary artery disease, heart failure, ischemic stroke, and increased mortality. Data on the relationship between MAC and cardiovascular morbidity and mortality in atrial fibrillation (AF) are sparse, with the exception of the relationship between MAC and stroke. We investigated the association of MAC with cardiovascular morbidity, stroke, cardiovascular mortality, and all-cause death in a cohort of middle-aged patients with AF with a mean 10-year follow-up. METHODS: This was an observational study of patients with nonvalvular AF between 1992 and 2007. RESULTS: Of 1,056 patients, 33 (3.1%) had MAC; they were more likely to be older and female and to have a dilated left atrium, reduced left ventricular ejection fraction, permanent AF, hypertension, and/or diabetes mellitus (all P < .05). Total follow-up was 10,418.5 years (mean, 9.9 ± 5.9 years), and the mean age was 52.7 ± 12.2 years. In univariate analysis, MAC was associated with all-cause death, cardiovascular death, stroke, new cardiac morbidity (all P < .05), and the composite end point of ischemic stroke, myocardial infarction (MI), and all-cause death (P < .001). In multivariate analyses, MAC was related to all-cause death (hazard ratio [HR], 4.3; 95% CI, 1.8-10.0; P < .001), cardiovascular death (HR, 3.5; 95% CI, 1.2-10.4; P = .025), the composite end point (HR, 2.1; 95% CI, 1.0-4.3; P = .048), and new cardiac morbidity (HR, 2.4; 95% CI, 1.3-4.5; P = .005). There was no significant relationship between MAC and stroke or MI in the multivariate analyses. CONCLUSIONS: MAC is associated with increased cardiovascular morbidity, cardiovascular mortality, and all-cause mortality of patients with AF. MAC should be acknowledged as a marker of increased cardiovascular risk in middle-aged patients with AF.

Coronary flow reserve in patients with aortic stenosis and nonobstructed coronary arteries.

OBJECTIVE: Patients with moderate and severe aortic stenosis (AS) and without obstructive epicardial coronary disease have been shown to have an impairment of coronary flow velocity reserve (CFVR). Recently, it has been shown that CFVR is an independent predictor for future cardiovascular events in AS patients. We investigated parameters representing left ventricular (LV) mass and wall thickness, diastolic dysfunction, LV workload and haemodynamic indexes of AS severity to determine which contributes the most to impaired CFVR in patients with AS and a nonobstructed coronary angiogram. METHOD AND RESULTS: A total of 77 patients with moderate or severe AS, mean age 65.66 +/- 11.02 y (57.14% males), were enrolled in this prospective study. All patients had standard Doppler-echo study, coronary angiography and adenosine-stress transthoracic Doppler-echo for CFVR measurement. We took 2.5 as a cut-off value for impaired CFVR. Univariate analysis showed that aortic valve area (AVA), maximal velocity (Vmax), mean pressure gradient (Pmean), energy loss index (ELI), aortic valve resistance (AVR) and stroke work loss (SWL) were associated (P = 0.05) with impaired CFVR. Multivariate analysis showed that AVR was the best predictor of impaired CFVR (RR 0.900, Cl: 0.983-0.997, P = 0.007). Using ROC analysis, the AVR value of 211.22 dynes x s x cm(-5) had the highest accuracy in predicting the impaired CFVR (AUC-0.681, P=0.007, sensitivity 72%, specificity 52%, CI: 0.561-0.800). CONCLUSION: Haemodynamic indices of AS severity, together with LV workload parameters, are the main determinants of CFVR. Among all parameters, AVR is the strongest predictor of CFVR in patients with moderate or severe AS and a nonobstructed coronary angiogram.

The long-term risk of stroke in patients with acute myocardial infarction complicated with new-onset atrial fibrillation.

BACKGROUND: The long-term risk of stroke after acute myocardial infarction (AMI) complicated with new-onset atrial fibrillation (AF) remains unclear. The aim of this study was to determine the long-term risk of AF and stroke in patients with AMI complicated with new-onset AF. METHODS: Patients with AMI complicated with new-onset AF (n = 260) and those without new-onset AF (n = 292) were followed for a mean of 7 years. All patients had sinus rhythm at hospital discharge. RESULTS: During the follow-up, AMI patients with new-onset AF had more frequent AF than those without new-onset AF (10.4% vs 2.7%, respectively; P < 0.0001). New-onset AF during AMI was a significant predictor of subsequent AF occurrence (the time elapsing between 2 consecutive R waves [RR] = 3.15, P = 0.004); but AF recurrence in follow-up (RR = 5.08, P = 0.001) and non-anticoagulation at discharge (RR = 0.29, P = 0.008) were independent predictors of stroke (Cox regression analysis). A period of 3.5 hours of AF within the first 48 hours of AMI was the high sensitivity cut-off level for the prediction of low long-term risk of stroke obtained by receiver operating characteristic analysis. Among patients who did not receive anticoagulants at discharge, the patients with short AF did not experience stroke and AF recurrence during follow-up, while those in the other group developed it (10.8%, P = 0.038 and 13.5%, P = 0.019, respectively). CONCLUSION: New-onset AF during AMI identifies the patients at long-term risk for stroke who may potentially benefit from anticoagulant therapy. Atrial fibrillation recurrence in follow-up was independently related to the development of stroke. However, for low-risk patients with AF (those with short AF occurring early in AMI) long-term anticoagulants might not be required.

Perioperative myocardial ischemia in coronary artery disease patients undergoing abdominal nonvascular surgery.

BACKGROUND: The incidence of perioperative myocardial ischemia (PMI) is the highest in patients who have coronary artery disease, and it is the best predictor of intrahospital morbidity and mortality. OBJECTIVE: To identify predictors of PMI in patients who have coronary artery disease and are undergoing abdominal nonvascular surgery. METHODS: A prospective, observational, clinical study of 111 consecutive patients with angiographically verified coronary artery disease, scheduled for open abdominal nonvascular surgery, was conducted. Patients received general anesthesia and were monitored by continuous electrocardiogram during surgery and immediately postsurgery (72 h period) in the intensive care unit at the University Clinical Center (Belgrade, Serbia). All of the patients had 12-lead electrocardiography immediately after the surgery, on postoperative days 1, 2 and 7, and one day before discharge from hospital. The patients were monitored until the 30th postoperative day. RESULTS: A total of 24 predictors for PMI were analyzed. The Pearson's chi(2) test and a binomial logistic regression model were used for statistical analysis. A significant difference in the incidence of PMI was found in the coronary artery disease patients with an associated risk factor (14 of 24 risk factors) compared with those without the risk factor. In particular, a highly significant difference in the incidence of PMI was found in coronary artery disease patients with angina pectoris, compared with those without angina pectoris. CONCLUSION: Using the multivariate logistic regression analysis, angina pectoris was an independent predictor of PMI.

The effect of metoprolol on perioperative outcome in coronary patients undergoing nonvascular abdominal surgery.

STUDY OBJECTIVE: To analyze the clinical effectiveness of the beta-1-adrenergic blocker, metoprolol. DESIGN: Prospective, observational, clinical study. SETTING: Operating room and intensive care unit of a tertiary-care teaching hospital. PATIENTS: 111 ASA physical status II, III, and IV consecutive patients who were scheduled for open abdominal nonvascular surgery. INTERVENTIONS: Patients were divided into two stratification groups: 83 (74.8%) of 111 received metoprolol, and 28 (25.2%) of 111 were controls. Within 24 to 96 hours, the drug was used parenterally in a dose of 5, 10, and 15 mg per 24 hours. Metoprolol cardioprotection was applied during the whole perioperative period, in the form of tablets in a dose of 25, 50, and 100 mg per 24 hours until the 30th postoperative day. MEASUREMENTS: During surgery, and in the first 72 postoperative hours, patients were monitored by continuous ST-T segment monitoring. A 12-lead electrocardiogram was attached immediately after surgery; on postoperative days 1, 2, and 7; and one day before discharge from the hospital. Serum troponin-T level was controlled 6, 24, and 96 hours after surgery. MAIN RESULTS: Postoperative mortality of cardiac etiology after 30 days of surgery was 1.2% (1/83) in the metoprolol group versus 7.1% (2/28) in the nonmetoprolol group (P<0.05). The causes of death in these three patients were acute myocardial infarction, congestive heart failure, and malignant arrhythmias. CONCLUSIONS: Perioperative cardioprotection significantly reduced mortality until postoperative day 30 in patients having open abdominal nonvascular surgery with general anesthesia.

Coronary artery revascularization prior to abdominal nonvascular surgery.

BACKGROUND: Does preoperative revascularization of the myocardium reduce cardiac risk in noncardiac surgery? The aim of this study was to evaluate the clinical effectiveness of preoperative cardioprotection by coronary artery revascularization in abdominal nonvascular surgery under general anesthesia. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The observational clinical study included 111 consecutive patients with angiographically verified coronary artery disease. Two stratification groups of patients were compared, those with coronary artery revascularization (34 patients, 30.6%) and those without coronary artery revascularization (77 patients, 64.9%), in relation to frequency of perioperative cardiac complications. The patients were followed up until the 30th postoperative day. During operation and in the following 72 postoperative hours, the patients were monitored by continuous ST-T segment recording. Twelve-lead electrocardiography was performed immediately after surgery and on postoperative days 1, 2, and 7 as well as 1 day before discharge. Serum troponin T levels were controlled at 6, 24, and 96 h postoperatively. RESULTS: The number of patients with major cardiac complications was 0 (0.0%, n=34) in the revascularized myocardium group and 10 (12.9%, n=77) in the nonrevascularized myocardium group (P<.05). Three patients in the nonrevascularized myocardium group died of acute myocardial infarction, congestive heart failure, and malignant arrhythmias, respectively, with severe coronary artery stenosis verified angiographically. CONCLUSIONS: Preoperative cardioprotection by coronary artery revascularization significantly reduces morbidity and mortality in patients who have undergone abdominal nonvascular surgery. Patients with severe coronary artery stenosis and indication for coronary artery revascularization independently of noncardiac surgery should first undergo cardiosurgical intervention prior to elective abdominal nonvascular surgery.