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We investigated if elevated cardiac troponin I (cTnI) serum levels before non-cardiac surgery were predictors of postoperative cardiac events in patients with end stage renal disease (ESRD) undergoing dialysis. In total, 703 consecutive patients with ESRD undergoing dialysis who underwent non-cardiac surgery were enrolled. Preoperative cTnI serum levels were measured at least once in all patients. The primary endpoint was defined as a composite of cardiac death, myocardial infarction (MI), and pulmonary edema during hospitalization or within 30 days after surgery in patients with a hospitalization longer than 30 days after surgery. Postoperative cardiac events occurred in 48 (6.8%) out of 703 patients (cardiac death 1, MI 18, and pulmonary edema 33). Diabetes mellitus (DM), previous ischemic heart disease, and congestive heart failure were more common in patients with postoperative cardiac events. Peak cTnI serum levels were higher in patients with postoperative cardiac event (180 ± 420 ng/L vs. 80 ± 190 ng/L, p = 0.008), and also elevated peak cTnI levels > 45 ng/L were more common in patients with postoperative cardiac events (66.8% vs. 30.5%, p < 0.001). Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that DM (odds ratio [OR] 2.509, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.178–5.345, p = 0.017) and serum peak cTnI levels ≥ 45 ng/L (OR 3.167, 95% CI 1.557–6.444, p = 0.001) were independent predictors for the primary outcome of cardiac death/MI/pulmonary edema. Moreover, cTnI levels ≥ 45 ng/L had an incremental prognostic value to the revised cardiac risk index (RCRI) (Chi-square = 23, p < 0.001), and to the combined RCRI and left ventricular ejection fraction (Chi-square = 12, p = 0.001). Elevated preoperative cTnI levels are predictors of postoperative cardiac events including cardiac death, MI, and pulmonary edema in patients with ESRD undergoing non-cardiac surgery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is insufficient information on the relationship between the N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) level and collateral circulation (CC) formation after primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) in patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction. We analyzed 857 patients who underwent primary PCI. The serum NT-proBNP levels were measured on the day of admission, and the CC was scored according to Rentrop's classification. Log-transformed NT-proBNP levels were significantly higher in patients with good CC compared to those with poor CC (6.13 ± 2.01 pg/mL versus 5.48 ± 1.97 pg/mL, p < 0.001). The optimum cutoff value of log NT-proBNP for predicting CC was 6.04 pg/mL. Log NT-proBNP ≥ 6.04 pg/mL (odds ratio 2.23; 95% confidence interval 1.51–3.30; p < 0.001) was an independent predictor of good CC. CC development was higher in patients with a pre-TIMI flow of 0 or 1 than those with a pre-TIMI flow of 2 or 3 (22.6% versus 8.8%, p = 0.001). The incidence of left ventricular (LV) dysfunction (< 50%) was greater in patients with a pre-TIMI flow of 0 or 1 (49.8% versus 35.5%, p < 0.001). The release of NT-proBNP was greater in patients with LV dysfunction (34.3% versus 15.6%, p < 0.001). The incidence of good CC was greater in patients with log NT-proBNP levels ≥ 6.04 pg/ml (16.8% versus 26.2%, p = 0.003). The association between NT-proBNP and collateral formation was not influenced by pre-TIMI flow and LV function. NT-proBNP appears to reflect the degree of collateral formation in the early phase of STEMI and might have a new role as a useful surrogate biomarker for collateral formation in patients undergoing primary PCI. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hyponatremia in the early phase of acute myocardial infarction (AMI) is a well-known predictor of poor prognosis. However, little is known about the clinical implication of sodium levels at discharge in hospital survivors after AMI. The study included 1290 consecutive patients (64 ± 12 years; 877 men) who survived the index hospitalization after AMI. We determined the 12-month mortality rates of these patients. Patients who died during the 12-month follow-up had lower sodium levels at discharge than those who had survived (137 ± 6 vs. 139 ± 4 mmol/L; P < 0.014). Hyponatremia at discharge, defined as a serum sodium level ≤135 mmol/L, was present in 210 patients (16.3 %). In the Cox-proportional hazard model, hyponatremia at discharge (hazard ratio, 2.264; 95 % confidence interval, 1.119-4.579; P = 0.023) was an independent predictor of 12-month mortality. Moreover, hyponatremia at discharge had an incremental prognostic value over conventional risk factors ( χ = 7, P = 0.007), and conventional risk factors and log N-terminal Pro-B-type natriuretic peptide combined ( χ = 5, P = 0.021). In the subgroup analysis, the 12-month mortality of patients with hyponatremia at discharge was significantly higher than in those without, irrespective of age, Killip class, left ventricular ejection fraction, percutaneous coronary intervention at index hospitalization, and prescription of diuretics at discharge. Hyponatremia at discharge is an independent predictor of 12-month mortality in hospital survivors after AMI. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There have been no studies that have assessed the possible correlation between conduction abnormality (CA) and systemic embolism, or the long-term outcomes of patients with infective endocarditis (IE). In this study, 82 consecutive patients with IE and interpretable electrocardiography (ECG) were admitted to Kyungpook National University Hospital from July 2002 to June 2008. ECGs obtained at the time of admission or during hospitalization were analyzed. Patients with CA, which was defined as atrioventricular or intraventricular block, of 'new' or 'of unknown duration' were considered as those with CA. Composite events were defined as the composite of death and embolic events. Twenty-three (28%) patients had CA classified as new ( n = 11) or of unknown duration ( n = 12). No significant differences were found between patients with and without CA in terms of age and gender. Mean follow-up duration was 21 ± 23 months. Patients with CA had more frequent embolic events ( p = 0.001) and composite events ( p = 0.002) during hospitalization, and had more frequent composite events ( p < 0.001) during follow-up than those without CA. Kaplan-Meier survival curves showed that patients with CA had a higher composite event rate during follow-up ( p = 0.003). However, there was no significant difference between the two groups regarding mortality rates during hospitalization and follow-up. In multivariate analysis, CA was an independent predictor of embolic event rates during hospitalization [odds ratio (OR) 5.198, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.086-24.867, p = 0.039] and of composite event rates during follow-up (OR 27.168, 95% CI 4.590-160.802, p < 0.001). CA is associated with increased frequency of embolic events during hospitalization and follow-up. Moreover, CA might be a useful predictor of embolic event occurrences during both hospitalization and follow-up. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]