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Objective: The present study was an investigation of the relationship between fragmented QRS (fQRS) and left ventricular apical thrombus (LVAT) in patients presenting with first acute anterior myocardial infarction (MI)., Methods: Consecutive 148 patients (mean age: 60.1±10.1 years; male: 75.6%) with first acute anterior MI who underwent primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) were included. Study population was divided into 2 groups based on presence of LVAT. fQRS was defined as presence of various RSR' patterns, which included additional R wave or notching of R wave or S wave, and presence of more than 1 R in 2 contiguous leads corresponding to major coronary artery territory on 12-lead electrocardiogram. Patients with bundle branch block were excluded from the study., Results: Of these, 32 (21.6%) had LVAT. Patients with LVAT had higher prevalence of fQRS (53.1% vs. 22.4%; p<0.001) and lower rate of successful PCI (75% vs. 94%; p=0.002) compared with patients without LVAT. More patients in LVAT group had left ventricular ejection fraction of <30% (87.5% vs 65.5%; p=0.010). Groups were similar with respect to other baseline characteristics (p>0.05 for all). Presence of fQRS was independent predictor of LVAT (odds ratio [OR], 2.795; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.058-7.396) in multivariable logistic regression analysis., Conclusion: Presence of fQRS in leads V4-V6 is independently associated with LVAT in patients presenting with first acute anterior MI.

Red cell distribution width (RDW) and the neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio (NLR) are predictors of cardiovascular risk that have been shown to correlate with impaired reperfusion and increased morbidity and mortality in patients with an ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI). We hypothesized that RDW and the NLR would be associated with failed thrombolysis. One hundred and two STEMI patients were included in the study; 32 had failed thrombolysis while the other 70 fulfilled the criteria for successful thrombolysis. Thrombolysis failure was defined as a need for rescue percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI), in-hospital mortality, unplanned PCI during hospitalization or complete occlusion of the culprit coronary artery on follow-up angiography. RDWs were compared between patients with failed or successful thrombolysis. There were no significant differences in the demographic or clinical baseline characteristics of the two groups. The mean RDW was significantly higher in the failed thrombolysis group than in the successful thrombolysis group (P = 0.028). The cutoff RDW value for failed thrombolysis was more than 14.3 fl with a sensitivity of 90.6% and a specificity of 61.4% (area under the curve, 0.774; 95% confidence interval, 0.680-0.851; P < 0.001) on receiver operating characteristics curve analysis. In addition, the prevalence of failed thrombolysis was significantly higher in patients with an RDW more than 14.3 fl than in those with an RDW of 14.3 fl or less (51.8 and 6.5%, respectively, P < 0.001 by multivariate analysis). The NLR was significantly higher in patients with an RDW more than 14.3 fl than in those with an RDW 14.3 fl or less (4 ± 2.5 and 2.8 ± 1.5, respectively, P = 0.007). RDW and the NLR may be used as adjunctive readily available factors for assessment of thrombolysis outcome upon admission.

We investigated 2 hypotheses: (1) a relationship between platelet indices and stable coronary artery disease (CAD) and acute ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) and (2) a relationship between platelet indices on admission and thrombolysis outcomes in patients with STEMI. A total of 260 patients were enrolled. The white blood cell (WBC) and platelet distribution width (PDW) were found to be increased in patients with STEMI (P for both < .001). White blood cell and PDW were independent predictors of acute STEMI. Mean platelet volume (MPV) and PDW were significantly higher in the thrombolysis failure group than in the thrombolysis success group (9.9 ± 1.8 vs 9.2 ± 1.5 fL, P = .021 and 17.7 ± 1.0 vs 16.4 ± 2.1 fL, P < .001, respectively). Mean platelet volume and PDW were independent predictors of thrombolysis failure. Patients with acute STEMI had higher PDW than did patients with stable CAD. In addition, higher PDW and MPV seem to correlate with thrombolysis failure in patients with STEMI., (© The Author(s) 2013.)

Lactate is a product of anaerobic metabolism and increases in states of tissue hypoxia. Furthermore, it is demonstrated that lactate level is correlated with the extent of infarct area and short term (30-day) mortality rates in patients with acute coronary syndrome with ST segment elevation (STE-ACS). Therefore, we aimed to test the prognostic value of this easily obtainable parameter on outcomes in patients presenting with STE-ACS. All adult patients who admitted with STE-ACS between 2019 and 2020 were screened. The cases with admission lactate levels were included. Patients were separated into two groups as low (<2mmol/l) and high (>2mmol/l) lactate groups. A total of 70 patients were enrolled. The mean age of the study population was 62.3 ± 15.0 years and 53 (75.7%) of them were male. The most common infarct related artery was the left anterior descending (LAD) artery. The median lactate level was 2.5 (0.80-15.3) mmol/L. Malignant arrhythmia, contrast induced nephropathy (CIN), and in-hospital mortality rates were not different between the high and low lactate groups. However, all-cause mortality was significantly higher in the high lactate group during the follow-up (p=0.005). Among all included parameters; lactate level [OR:1.76, (CI: 1.28-2.42); p<0.001] and age [OR:1.10, (CI: 1.03-1.17); p=0.004] were predictors for all-cause mortality. Admission lactate level can predict all-cause mortality in patients with STE-ACS. In addition, high admission lactate levels could help to raise more attention even if the patients have been discharged from the hospital. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Acute kidney injury (AKI), which is prevalent in ST-segment elevated myocardial infarction (STEMI) patients who have undergone primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI), is associated with poor cardiovascular outcomes. As high pulse pressure (PP) is associated with adverse cardiovascular events, the present study's aim was to evaluate the relationship between fractional PP (PPf) and AKI in patients with STEMI who underwent primary PCI.Subjects and Methods: All laboratory findings as well as echocardiographic and angiographic data of 1,170 consecutive STEMI patients were retrospectively screened. PPf was calculated from the pressures invasively measured after sheath insertion and before performing coronary angiography.Results: From 1,170 eligible STEMI patients (mean age 56 years, 18.2% female), AKI developed in 143 (12.2%) patients. The PPf and pulsatility index were significantly higher in patients with AKI than those without (0.53 ± 0.10 vs. 0.61 ± 0.10, p < 0.001, and 0.80 ± 0.03 vs. 0.82 ± 0.03, p < 0.001, respectively). PPf was also found to be associated with AKI in univariable (OR 2.183, 95% CI 1.823-2.614, p< 0.001) and multivariable (OR 1.874, 95% CI 1.513-2.322, p < 0.001) analysis. In-hospital mortality was higher in patients with AKI than those without.Conclusion: Invasively measured PPf, which can be easily measured and has no additional cost in STEMI patients undergoing coronary intervention, is an independent predictor of AKI. In addition, PPf is superior to other blood pressure values and derivatives in AKI prediction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Multi-vessel coronary artery disease (CAD) is associated with worse outcome in non-ST segment elevation myocardial infarction (NSTEMI) patients. Depending on the severity of CAD, there may be prolongation of atrial depolarization time as a result of left ventricular dysfunction and atrial ischemia. Therefore, we aimed to study whether the severity of CAD can be predicted with the P wave peak time (PWPT) in the electrocardiography (ECG) obtained during the diagnosis in NSTEMI patients.Method: A total of 162 patients were included. The coronary angiography records of all patients were analyzed and SYNTAX scores were calculated. Patients were divided into two groups, according to CAD severity. In addition to well-known P wave parameters, PWPT, defined as the time from the beginning of the P wave to its peak, was measured in the leads DII and V1.Results: The PWPTs in the leads DII and V1 were significantly longer in the group with severe CAD (71 ± 13 vs. 61 ± 12, p < 0.001, 63 ± 24 vs. 53 ± 18, p = 0.024, respectively). PWPT was found to be an independent predictor of severe CAD and the best cut-off value of PWPT in the lead DII was 69.6 ms with sensitivity of 58.3% and specificity of 78.9%.Conclusion: Our findings show that prolonged PWPT, which is a parameter easily obtainable from the ECG, is associated with severe CAD. Recognition of NSTEMI patients with severe CAD at the time of diagnosis before performing coronary angiography may be important for the planning of treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background/aim: The number of patients with heart transplantation has dramatically increased in the last decade. Considerable studies have suggested that the interval from the peak to the end of the electrocardiographic T wave (Tp-e) may correspond to the transmural dispersion of repolarization and increased Tp-e interval and Tp-e/QT ratio are associated with malignant ventricular arrhythmias. We analyzed the dispersion of myocardial repolarization using electrocardiographic Tp-e interval and Tp-e/QTc ratio in patients with heart transplantation. Materials and methods: This observational study included 38 patients (12 female and 26 male) with heart transplantation and 38 wellmatched controls. From electrocardiograms, Tp-e interval and Tp-e/QTc ratio were calculated and compared between the 2 groups. Results: Noninvasive arrhythmia indicators including Tp-e interval (84.63 ± 14.17 ms vs 71.82 ± 7.47 ms, P < 0.001), Tp-e/QTc ratio (0.19 ± 0.04 vs 0.16 ± 0.02, P < 0.001) and QTc interval except QT interval were significantly higher in transplanted hearts compared to normal hearts. Conclusion: Patients with heart transplantation have increased myocardial dispersion of repolarization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Background: Despite the advances in medical and interventional treatment modalities, some patients develop epicardial coronary artery reperfusion but not myocardial reperfusion after primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI), known as no-reflow. The goal of this study was to evaluate the safety and efficacy of intracoronary epinephrine in reversing refractory no-reflow during primary PCI. Methods: A total of 248 consecutive STEMI patients who had undergone primary PCI were retrospectively evaluated. Among those, 12 patients which received intracoronary epinephrine to treat a refractory no-reflow phenomenon were evaluated. Refractory no-reflow was defined as persistent TIMI flow grade (TFG) ⩽2 despite intracoronary administration of at least one other pharmacologic intervention. TFG, TIMI frame count (TFC), and TIMI myocardial perfusion grade (TMPG) were recorded before and after intracoronary epinephrine administration. Results: A mean of 333 ± 123 mcg of intracoronary epinephrine was administered. No-reflow was successfully reversed with complete restoration of TIMI 3 flow in 9 of 12 patients (75%). TFG improved from 1.33 ± 0.49 prior to epinephrine to 2.66 ± 0.65 after the treatment (p < 0.001). There was an improvement in coronary flow of at least one TFG in 11 (93%) patients, two TFG in 5 (42%) cases. TFC decreased from 56 ± 10 at the time of no-reflow to 19 ± 11 (p < 0.001). A reduction of TMPG from 0.83 ± 0.71 to 2.58 ± 0.66 was detected after epinephrine bolus (p < 0.001). Epinephrine administration was well tolerated without serious adverse hemodynamic or chronotropic effects. Intracoronary epinephrine resulted in significant but tolerable increase in heart rate (68 ± 13 to 95 ± 16 beats/min; p < 0.001) and systolic blood pressure (94 ± 18 to 140 ± 20; p < 0.001). Hypotension associated with no-reflow developed in 5 (42%) patients. During the procedure, intra-aortic balloon pump counterpulsation was required in two (17%) patients, transvenous pacing in 2 (17%) cases, and both intra-aortic balloon counterpulsation and transvenous pacing in one (8%) patients. One patient (8%) died despite all therapeutic measures. Conclusion: Intracoronary epinephrine may become an effective alternative in patients suffering refractory no-reflow following primary PCI. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study is to investigate the impact of ticagrelor as compared to clopidogrel based dual antiplatelet therapy (DAPT) during post-discharge management on the incidence of left ventricular (LV) thrombus in patients with first acute anterior ST elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI). 641 patients who met the inclusion criteria were divided into two groups based on the receipt of either ticagrelor or clopidogrel based DAPT. Left ventricular thrombus was detected in 73 (11.4%) patients at the first month echocardiographic examination. Ticagrelor based DAPT was associated with significantly less incidence of LV thrombus when compared to clopidogrel [20 (7.4%) vs 53 (14.0%) OR: 0.50 (0.29–0.86)]. Penalized maximum likelihood estimation (PMLE) logistic regression analyses were performed to fourteen candidate variables for identifying the independent predictors of LV thrombus, ticagrelor (compared with clopidogrel) [OR: 0.53 (0.28–0.96), p = 0.039], body mass index (BMI) [OR: 0.58 (0.44–0.77), p < 0.001], KILLIP class (I vs II–IV) [OR: 0.35 (0.14–0.83), p = 0.017], age [OR: 1.22 (1.08–1.40), p < 0.001], poor postprocedural myocardial blush grade (MBG) [OR: 3.35 (1.32–8.15), p = 0.012] and LVEF predischarge [OR: 0.79 (0.72–0.86), p < 0.001] were found to be associated with LV thrombus. Our study demonstrated that the incidence of LV trombus was significantly lower with ticagrelor than clopidogrel-based DAPT during postdischarge treatment for anterior STEMI patients. • Left ventricular thrombus is a potential source of systemic embolization after STEMI. • Prophylactic treatment in addition to DAPT is not recommended after discharge. • Ticagrelor has faster and achieves more consistent P2Y12 inhibition than clopidogrel. • The incidence of left ventricular thrombus is lower with ticagrelor than clopidogrel. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]