No post-conditioning in the human heart with thrombolysis in myocardial infarction flow 2-3 on admission.

AIMS: Proof-of-concept evidence suggests that mechanical ischaemic post-conditioning (PostC) reduces infarct size when applied immediately after culprit coronary artery re-opening in ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) patients with thrombolysis in myocardial infarction 0-1 (TIMI 0-1) flow grade at admission. Whether PostC might also be protective in patients with a TIMI 2-3 flow grade on admission (corresponding to a delayed application of the post-conditioning algorithm) remains undetermined. METHODS AND RESULTS: In this multi-centre, randomized, single-blinded, controlled study, STEMI patients with a 2-3 TIMI coronary flow grade at admission underwent direct stenting of the culprit lesion, followed (PostC group) or not (control group) by four cycles of (1 min inflation/1 min deflation) of the angioplasty balloon to trigger post-conditioning. Infarct size was assessed both by cardiac magnetic resonance at Day 5 (primary endpoint) and cardiac enzymes release (secondary endpoint). Ninety-nine patients were prospectively enrolled. Baseline characteristics were comparable between control and PostC groups. Despite comparable size of area at risk (AAR) (38 ± 12 vs. 38 ± 13% of the LV circumference, respectively, P = 0.89) and similar time from onset to intervention (249 ± 148 vs. 263 ± 209 min, respectively, P = 0.93) in the two groups, PostC did not significantly reduce cardiac magnetic resonance infarct size (23 ± 17 and 21 ± 18 g in the treated vs. control group, respectively, P = 0.64). Similar results were found when using creatine kinase and troponin I release, even after adjustment for the size of the AAR. CONCLUSION: This study shows that infarct size reduction by mechanical ischaemic PostC is lost when applied to patients with a TIMI 2-3 flow grade at admission. This indicates that the timing of the protective intervention with respect to the onset of reperfusion is a key factor for preventing lethal reperfusion injury in STEMI patients. CLINICAL TRIAL NUMBER: NCT01483755.

[Prehospital treatment with bivalirudin in acute myocardial infarction referred for primary angioplasty. About 152 consecutive patients study]. / Traitement préhospitalier par bivalirudine de l'infarctus aigu du myocarde orienté vers une angioplastie primaire. À propos d'une série consécutive de 152 cas.

OBJECTIVE OF THE STUDY: Bivalirudin, a direct thrombin inhibitor, demonstrated an improvement in the prognosis of acute coronary syndromes by a decrease in major bleeding complications. This observational study evaluated inhospital outcome of patients with acute myocardial infarction treated by prehospital bivalirudin before primary angioplasty. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We included, from June 2010 to June 2012, all patients with acute myocardial infarction receiving prehospital bivalirudin with bolus of 0.75mg/kg followed by an infusion of 1.75mg/kg per hour until the arrival in the catheterization laboratory. Bivalirudin was possibly continued after primary angioplasty. RESULTS: We included 152 patients aged 57.6±11.6 years. A prehospital 60mg loading dose of prasugrel was given in 77% of patients. Coronary angiography with radial access (77.6%) was performed before a successful angioplasty in 97.3% of cases. The bivalirudin infusion was continued after the procedure in 81.6% of patients. Inhospital outcome showed two deaths (1.3%) and two re-infarctions (1.3%) of which one was related to the single acute stent thrombosis (0.6%). Major bleeding complications were limited irrespective of the Gusto (0.6%), Timi (0.6%) or Horizons-MI (4.6%) classification. Bleeding complications rate was similar when bivalirudin was followed or not after primary angioplasty. CONCLUSION: The use of bivalirudin in the prehospital setting for primary angioplasty seems to be effective and safe about ischemic and bleeding complications during the inhospital outcome.

[Non ST elevation acute coronary syndromes and normal coronary angiography: is it truly good news?]. / Coronarographie normale au cours des syndromes coronariens aigus non ST+: une fausse bonne nouvelle?

Among 10% of all patients presenting with non ST elevation acute coronary syndromes (ACS), coronary angiography do not show non lesions at all (50%) or mild atheromatous stenosis (50%). ACS without angiographic stenosis are more prevalent in female sex and young patients but can be seen in older ones and in men. Pathogenic mechanisms include acute evolution of vulnerable non-significant plaques and endothelial dysfunction. In hospital and mean term prognosis is not as benign as expected. Six months deaths and myocardial infarction incidence is around 6%. Numerous rehospitalizations due to ischemic recurrences are also very often seen. Therefore, such surprising coronary angiograms do not preclude a fair follow-up. These patients need a careful therapeutic strategy.