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Author's summary The characteristics of patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI) and its disease patterns in Korea have gradually changed, and revascularization practices have also improved dramatically. Several characteristics associated with revascularization in Korean patients differ from those in other countries. The sophisticated methods of AMI revascularization have led to the need for an expert consensus among interventional cardiologists in Korea. The Task Force on Expert Consensus Document of the Korean Society of Myocardial Infarction has comprehensively reviewed previous literature, and this comprehensive review led to the development of expert consensus., Acute myocardial infarction (AMI) is a fatal manifestation of ischemic heart disease and remains a major public health concern worldwide despite advances in its diagnosis and management. The characteristics of patients with AMI, as well as its disease patterns, have gradually changed over time in Korea, and the outcomes of revascularization have improved dramatically. Several characteristics associated with the revascularization of Korean patients differ from those of patients in other countries. The sophisticated state of AMI revascularization in Korea has led to the need for a Korean expert consensus. The Task Force on Expert Consensus Document of the Korean Society of Myocardial Infarction has comprehensively reviewed the outcomes of large clinical trials and current practical guidelines, as well as studies on Korean patients with AMI. Based on these comprehensive reviews, the members of the task force summarize the major guidelines and recent publications, and propose an expert consensus for revascularization in patients with AMI.

Background Immediate invasive approach for non-ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (NSTEMI) may permit treatment of the underlying plaque rupture as early as possible with subsequent reduction of death and myocardial infarction (MI). We sought to assess clinical impact of immediate percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) for NSTEMI. Methods A total of 6134 NSTEMI patients undergoing PCI from the Korea Acute Myocardial Infarction Registry were divided into group 1 (immediate PCI within 4h, n=1132) and group 2 (non-immediate PCI after 4h, n=5002). Propensity-matched 12-month clinical outcome was compared. Results In all patients and propensity-matched cohort (n=1131 in each group), group 1 had higher peak troponin level, higher rate of pre-PCI Thrombolysis In Myocardial Infarction (TIMI) grade 0 or 1, higher use of glycoprotein IIb/IIIa inhibitor, and lower use of unfractionated heparin and nitrates. In all patients, 12-month rates of MI and death/MI were higher in group 1. No differences were observed in 12-month death and major adverse cardiac events (MACE: composite of death, MI, target-vessel revascularization, and coronary artery bypass graft surgery). In propensity-matched cohort, no significant differences were observed in 12-month rates of death, MI, death/MI or MACE. However, group 1 had less major bleeding (0.8% vs. 3.0%, p=0.024) and shorter hospital stay. Conclusions Immediate PCI for patients with NSTEMI was associated with lower pre-PCI culprit vessel patency and not with improved 12-month clinical outcome.

Background Despite improved long-term safety of biodegradable polymer (BP) drug-eluting stents (DES) compared to first-generation durable polymer (DP) DES, data on the safety and efficacy of BP-DES compared with second-generation (2G) DP-DES in patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI) are limited. Hypothesis To evaluate the safety and efficacy of BP-DES compared with 2G-DP-DES in the higher stent thrombosis (ST) risk setting of AMI. Methods A total of 3359 AMI patients who received either BP-DES (n = 261) or 2G-DP-DES (n = 3098) were included from the Korea Acute Myocardial Infarction Registry (KAMIR). Differences in baseline clinical and angiographic characteristics were adjusted using a 1:5 propensity score matching analysis (n = 261 for BP-DES and n = 1305 for 2G-DP-DES). The primary outcome was the incidence of major adverse cardiac events (MACE) including all-cause death, recurrent myocardial infarction (re-MI), and target vessel revascularization (TVR). The rate of definite or probable ST was also investigated. Results In adjusted analysis, there was no significant difference between the 2 groups in baseline clinical and angiographic characteristics; 2-year MACE (10.7% and 9.9% in the BP-DES group and 2G-DP-DES group, respectively, P = 0.679); ST incidence (0.8% vs 0.9%, respectively, P = 1.0), and rates of all-cause death, re-MI, and TVR. By multivariate analysis, old age, diabetes mellitus, renal dysfunction, and left ventricular dysfunction were the independent predictors of MACE after BP-DES or 2G-DP-DES implantation. Conclusions BP-DES and 2G-DP-DES appear to have comparable 2-year safety and efficacy for the treatment of AMI. However, longer-term follow-up is needed.

Background The Korea Acute Myocardial Infarction Registry (KAMIR)-National Institutes of Health (NIH) registry has the aim of evaluating the clinical characteristics, management, and long-term outcomes of patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI) in Korea. Methods and results Patients hospitalized for AMI in 20 tertiary university hospitals in Korea have been enrolled since November 2011. The study is expected to complete the scheduled enrollment of approximately 13,000 patients in October 2015, and follow-up duration is up to 5 years for each patient. As of October 2015, an interim analysis of 13,623 subjects was performed to understand the baseline clinical profiles of the study population. The mean age was 64.1 years; 73.5% were male; and 48.2% were diagnosed with ST-segment elevation AMI. Hypertension is a leading cause of AMI in Korea (51.2%), followed by smoking (38.5%) and diabetes mellitus (28.6%). Percutaneous coronary intervention was performed in 87.4% and its success rate was very high (99.4%). In-hospital, 1-year, and 2-year mortality rates were 3.9%, 4.3%, and 8.6%, respectively. The rates of major adverse cardiac events at 1 and 2 years were 9.6% and 18.8%, respectively. Conclusions This analysis demonstrated the clinical characteristics of Korean AMI patients in comparison with those of other countries. It is necessary to develop guidelines for Asian populations to further improve their prognosis. (Circ J 2016; 80: 1427-1436).

Background/Aims: Angiotensin II type 1 receptor blockers (ARBs) have not been adequately evaluated in patients without left ventricular (LV) dysfunction or heart failure after acute myocardial infarction (AMI). Methods: Between November 2005 and January 2008, 6,781 patients who were not receiving angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors (ACEIs) or ARBs were selected from the Korean AMI Registry. The primary endpoints were 12-month major adverse cardiac events (MACEs) including death and recurrent AMI. Results: Seventy percent of the patients were Killip class 1 and had a LV ejection fraction ≥ 40%. The prescription rate of ARBs was 12.2%. For each patient, a propensity score, indicating the likelihood of using ARBs during hospitalization or at discharge, was calculated using a non-parsimonious multivariable logistic regression model, and was used to match the patients 1:4, yielding 715 ARB users versus 2,860 ACEI users. The effect of ARBs on in-hospital mortality and 12-month MACE occurrence was assessed using matched logistic and Cox regression models. Compared with ACEIs, ARBs significantly reduced in-hospital mortality(1.3% vs. 3.3%; hazard ratio [HR], 0.379; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.190 to0.756; p = 0.006) and 12-month MACE occurrence (4.6% vs. 6.9%; HR, 0.661; 95% CI, 0.457 to 0.956; p = 0.028). However, the benefit of ARBs on 12-month mortality compared with ACEIs was marginal (4.3% vs. 6.2%; HR, 0.684; 95% CI, 0.467 to 1.002; p = 0.051). Conclusions: Our results suggest that ARBs are not inferior to, and may actually be better than ACEIs in Korean patients with AMI.

Background and objectivesThis study sought to compare clinical outcomes between bioresorbable scaffolds (BRS) and durable polymer everolimus-eluting metallic stents (DP-EES) in patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI) undergoing successful percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI).MethodsFrom March 2016 to October 2017, 952 patients with AMI without cardiogenic shock undergoing successful PCI with BRS (n = 136) or DP-EES (n = 816) were enrolled from a multicenter, observational Korea Acute Myocardial Infarction Registry.ResultsIn the crude population, there was no significant difference in the 1-year rate of device-oriented composite endpoint (DOCE) and device thrombosis between the BRS and DP-EES groups (2.2% vs. 4.8%, hazard ratio [HR] 0.43, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.13-1.41, p = 0.163; 0.7% vs. 0.5%, HR 1.49, 95% CI 0.16-13.4, p = 0.719, respectively). BRS implantation was opted in younger patients (53.7 vs. 62.6 years, p < 0.001) with low-risk profiles, and intravascular image-guided PCI was more preferred in the BRS group (60.3% vs. 27.2%, p < 0.001).ConclusionsAt 1-year follow-up, no differences in the rate of DOCE and device thrombosis were observed between patients with AMI treated with BRS and those treated with DP-EES. Our data suggest that imaging-guided BRS implantation in young patients with low risk profiles could be a reasonable strategy in the setting of AMI.

Objectives and designGuideline-directed medical therapy (GDMT) with renin–angiotensin system (RAS) inhibitors and beta-blockers has improved survival in patients with heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF). As clinical trials usually do not include very old patients, it is unknown whether the results from clinical trials are applicable to elderly patients with HF. This study was performed to investigate the clinical characteristics and treatment strategies for elderly patients with HFrEF in a large prospective cohort.SettingThe Korean Acute Heart Failure (KorAHF) registry consecutively enrolled 5625 patients hospitalised for acute HF from 10 tertiary university hospitals in Korea.ParticipantsIn this study, 2045 patients with HFrEF who were aged 65 years or older were included from the KorAHF registry.Primary outcome measurementAll-cause mortality data were obtained from medical records, national insurance data or national death records.ResultsBoth beta-blockers and RAS inhibitors were used in 892 (43.8%) patients (GDMT group), beta-blockers only in 228 (11.1%) patients, RAS inhibitors only in 642 (31.5%) patients and neither beta-blockers nor RAS inhibitors in 283 (13.6%) patients (no GDMT group). With increasing age, the GDMT rate decreased, which was mainly attributed to the decreased prescription of beta-blockers. In multivariate analysis, GDMT was associated with a 53% reduced risk of all-cause mortality (HR 0.47, 95% CI 0.39 to 0.57) compared with no GDMT. Use of beta-blockers only (HR 0.57, 95% CI 0.45 to 0.73) and RAS inhibitors only (HR 0.58, 95% CI 0.48 to 0.71) was also associated with reduced risk. In a subgroup of very elderly patients (aged ≥80 years), the GDMT group had the lowest mortality.ConclusionsGDMT was associated with reduced 3-year all-cause mortality in elderly and very elderly HFrEF patients.Trial registration numberNCT01389843.

Prolonged QRS duration is associated with poor outcomes in patients with chronic heart failure (HF). However, the prognostic value of QRS duration in patients with cardiogenic shock complicating acute HF remains unknown. We evaluated the hypothesis that prolonged QRS duration may be associated with short-term mortality among acute HF patients with cardiogenic shock (CS).From March 2011 through December 2013, a total of 5,625 acute HF patients were consecutively enrolled in ten tertiary university hospitals. Among them, we analyzed patients who presented with CS. Patients were divided into three groups by QRS duration cutoff values of 130 and 150 ms. The primary endpoint was 30-day in-hospital mortality.Two hundred eleven patients presented with CS at admission and those with available electrocardiograms were included in this analysis. There were 35 patients with QRS durations of 150 ms or above, 30 patients with QRS durations between 130 ms and 150 ms, and 146 patients with QRS durations below 130 ms. The 30-day all cause in-hospital mortality rates were 43.7%, 33.1%, and 24.9%, respectively. After multivariate adjustment, severe prolonged QRS duration was a significant prognostic factor for 30-day in-hospital mortality (hazard ratio, 1.909; 95% confidence interval, 1.024-3.558; p=0.042).Prolonged QRS duration was associated with a higher risk of 30-day in-hospital mortality among patients with acute HF who presented with CS.ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT01389843.

Background and objectives Although complete revascularization is known superior to incomplete revascularization in ST elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) patients with multi-vessel coronary artery disease (MVCD), there are no definite instructions on the optimal timing of non-culprit lesions percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). We compared 1-year clinical outcomes between 2 different complete multi-vessel revascularization strategies. Methods From the Korea Acute Myocardial Infarction Registry-National Institute of Health, 606 patients with STEMI and MVCD who underwent complete revascularization were enrolled from November 2011 to December 2015. The patients were assigned to multi-vessel single-staged PCI (SS PCI) group (n=254) or multi-vessel multi-staged PCI (MS PCI) group (n=352). Propensity score matched 1-year clinical outcomes were compared between the groups. Results At one year, MS PCI showed a significantly lower rate of all-cause mortality (hazard ratio [HR], 0.42; 95% confidential interval [CI], 0.19-0.92; p=0.030) compared with SS PCI. In subgroup analysis, all-cause mortality increased in SS PCI with cardiogenic shock (HR, 4.60; 95% CI, 1.54-13.77; p=0.006), age ≥65 years (HR, 4.00; 95% CI, 1.67-9.58, p=0.002), Killip class III/IV (HR, 7.32; 95% CI, 1.68-31.87; p=0.008), and creatinine clearance ≤60 mL/min (HR, 2.81; 95% CI, 1.10-7.18; p=0.031). After propensity score-matching, MS PCI showed a significantly lower risk of major adverse cardiovascular event than SS PCI. Conclusions SS PCI was associated with worse clinical outcomes compared with MS PCI. MS PCI for non-infarct-related artery could be a better option for patients with STEMI and MVCD, especially high-risk patients.

Background and objectives There is a paucity of data regarding the benefit of clopidogrel monotherapy after dual antiplatelet therapy (DAPT) in patients treated with drug-eluting stents (DES). This study compared outcome between clopidogrel versus aspirin as monotherapy after DES for acute myocardial infarction (MI). Methods From Korea Acute Myocardial Infarction Registry-National Institute of Health database, 1,819 patients treated with DES who were switched to monotherapy with clopidogrel (n=534) or aspirin (n=1,285) after uneventful 12-month DAPT were analyzed. The primary endpoint was net adverse clinical events (NACE), defined as a composite of death from any cause, MI, repeat percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI), stent thrombosis, ischemic stroke, or major bleeding during the period from 12 to 24 months. Results After adjustment using inverse probability of treatment weighting, patients who received clopidogrel, compared with those treated with aspirin, had a similar incidence of NACE (0.7% and 0.7%; hazard ratio, 1.06; 95% confidence interval, 0.31-3.60; p=0.923). The 2 groups had similar rates of death from any cause (0.1% in each group, p=0.789), MI (0.3% and 0.1%, respectively; p=0.226), repeat PCI (0.1% and 0.3%, respectively; p=0.548), stent thrombosis (0.1% and 0%, respectively; p=0.121), major bleeding (0.2% in each group, p=0.974), and major adverse cardiovascular and cerebrovascular events (0.5% in each group, p=0.924). Conclusions Monotherapy with clopidogrel, compared to aspirin, after DAPT showed similar clinical outcomes in patients with acute MI treated with DES.

Background The clinical characteristics and outcomes of acute heart failure (AHF) according to left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) have not been fully elucidated, especially for patients with mid-range LVEF. We performed a comprehensive comparison of the epidemiology, patterns of in-hospital management, and clinical outcomes in AHF patients with different LVEF categories. Methods and Results: The Korean Acute Heart Failure (KorAHF) registry is a prospective multicenter cohort of hospitalized AHF patients in Korea. A total of 5,374 patients enrolled in the KorAHF registry were classified according to LVEF based on the 2016 ESC guidelines. More than half of the HF patients (58%) had reduced EF (HFrEF), 16% had mid-range EF (HFmrEF), and 25% had preserved EF (HFpEF). The HFmrEF patients showed intermediate epidemiological profiles between HFrEF and HFpEF and had a propensity to present as de-novo HF with ischemic etiology. Patients with lower LVEF had worse short-term outcomes, and the all-cause in-hospital mortality, including urgent heart transplantation, of HFrEF, HFmrEF, and HFpEF was 7.1%, 3.6%, and 3.0%, respectively. Overall, discharged AHF patients showed poor 3-year all-cause death up to 38%, which was comparable between LVEF subgroups (P=0.623). Conclusions Each LVEF subgroup of AHF patients was a heterogeneous population with diverse characteristics, which have a significant effect on the clinical outcomes. This finding suggested that focused phenotyping of AHF patients could help identify the optimal management strategy and develop novel effective therapies.

Early experience with ultrasound guided distal trans-radial access in the anatomical snuffbox in coronary angiography and intervention. Objective: We aimed to demonstrate the feasibility and safety of the ultrasound guided distal trans-radial coronary angiography and intervention. Methods: Patients assigned to one operator program underwent diagnostic or procedural intervention through distal trans-radial approach in the anatomical snuffbox between January 2018 and May 2018. All of patients had palpable artery in their distal radial artery. The operator did the coronary procedure via distal radial access at anatomical snuffbox. When the pulse was weak or the target artery was very small, the operator punctured under ultrasound guidance (V-scan with dual probe, GE heathcare, USA) Results: 56 patients were enrolled. Mean age of patients was 65.1 years old and 68% were male. About 70% of patients were presented with stable angina feature. In diagnostic procedure, 4F (3, 5.6%) or 5F (29, 54.7%) sheath was used and we did coronary intervention via 6F (21, 39.6%) Sheath. Ultrasound guided puncture was done for 33 patients (58.9%). Overall Success rate of distal trans-radial angiography and intervention was 94.6% (3 failed cases). Success rate of ultrasound guided procedure was 97% (only 1 failed case). Left distal radial puncture was done for 18 patients (33.9%). 16% of patients had chronic kidney disease, especially end stage renal disease (11%) to preserve radial artery which was potential candidate of arteriovenous fistulae for dialysis. There was no BARC type 2-5 bleeding in hospital stay and follow up at out-patient clinic. Conclusion: Ultra sound guided distal radial approach is feasible and safe as a good alternative technique for coronary angiography and interventions.

Background Although current guidelines now define heart failure with midrange ejection fraction ( HF mr EF ) as HF with a left ventricular EF of 40% to 49%, there are limited data on response to guideline‐directed medical therapy in patients with HF mr EF . The current study aimed to evaluate the association between β‐blocker, renin‐angiotensin system blocker ( RASB ), or aldosterone antagonist ( AA ) treatment with clinical outcome in patients with HF mr EF . Methods and Results We performed a patient‐level pooled analysis on 1144 patients with HF mr EF who were hospitalized for acute HF from the Kor HF (Korean Heart Failure) and Kor AHF (Korean Acute Heart Failure) registries. The study population was divided between use of β‐blocker, RASB , or AA to evaluate the guideline‐directed medical therapy in patients with HF mr EF . Sensitivity analyses, including propensity score matching and inverse‐probability‐weighted methods, were performed. The use of β‐blocker in the discharge group showed significantly lower rates of all‐cause mortality compared with those who did not use a β‐blocker (β‐blocker versus no β‐blocker, 30.7% versus 38.2%; hazard ratio, 0.758; 95% confidence interval, 0.615–0.934; P =0.009). Similarly, the RASB use in the discharge group was associated with the lower risk of mortality compared with no use of RASB ( RASB versus no RASB , 31.9% versus 38.1%; hazard ratio, 0.76; 95% confidence interval, 0.618–0.946; P =0.013). However, there was no significant difference in all‐cause mortality between AA and no AA in the discharge group ( AA versus no AA , 34.2% versus 34.0%; hazard ratio, 1.063; 95% confidence interval, 0.858–1.317; P =0.578). Multiple sensitivity analyses showed similar trends. Conclusions For treatment of acute HFmrEF after hospitalization, β‐blocker and RASB therapies on discharge were associated with reduced risk of all‐cause mortality. Clinical Trial Registration URL : http://www.clinicaltrials.gov . Unique identifier: NCT 01389843.

Current guidelines recommend that inotropes should not be used in patients with normal systolic blood pressure (SBP). However, this is not supported with concrete evidence. We aimed to evaluate the effect of inotropes in acute heart failure (HF) patients from a nationwide HF registry. A total of 5625 patients from the Korean Acute Heart Failure (KorAHF) registry were analyzed. The primary outcomes were in-hospital adverse events and 1-month mortality. Among the total population, 1703 (31.1%) received inotropes during admission. Inotrope users had a higher event rate than non-users (in-hospital adverse events: 13.3% vs. 1.4%, p &lt, 0.001, 1-month mortality: 5.5% vs. 2.5%, p &lt, 0.001), while inotrope use was an independent predictor for clinical outcomes (in-hospital adverse events: ORadjusted 5.459, 95% CI 3.622&ndash, 8.227, p &lt, 1-month mortality: HRadjusted 1.839, 95% CI 1.227&ndash, 2.757, p = 0.003). Subgroup analysis showed that inotrope use was an independent predictor for detrimental outcomes only in patients with normal initial SBP (&ge, 90 mmHg) (in-hospital adverse events: ORadjusted 5.931, 95% CI 3.864&ndash, 9.104, p &lt, 1-month mortality: HRadjusted 3.584, 95% CI 1.280&ndash, 10.037, p = 0.015), and a propensity score-matched population showed consistent results. Clinicians should be cautious with the usage of inotropes in acute heart failure patients, especially in those with a normal SBP.

Background Identifying patients with acute heart failure (HF) at high risk for readmission or death after hospital discharge will enable the optimization of treatment and management. The objective of this study was to develop a risk score for 30-day HF-specific readmission or death in Korea. Methods We analyzed the data from the Korean Acute Heart Failure (KorAHF) registry to develop a risk score. The model was derived from a multiple logistic regression analysis using a stepwise variable selection method. We also proposed a point-based risk score to predict the risk of 30-day HF-specific readmission or death by simply summing the scores assigned to each risk variable. Model performance was assessed using an area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC), the Hosmer–Lemeshow goodness-of-fit test, the net reclassification improvement (NRI), and the integrated discrimination improvement (IDI) index to evaluate discrimination, calibration, and reclassification, respectively. Results Data from 4566 patients aged ≥40 years were included in the analysis. Among them, 446 (9.8%) had 30-day HF-specific readmission or death. The final model included 12 independent variables (age, New York Heart Association functional class, clinical history of hypertension, HF admission, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, etiology of cardiomyopathy, systolic blood pressure, left ventricular ejection fraction, serum sodium, brain natriuretic peptide, N-terminal prohormone of brain natriuretic peptide at discharge, and prescription of β-blockers and angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors or angiotensin II receptor antagonists at discharge). The point risk score showed moderate discrimination (AUC of 0.710; 95% confidence interval, 0.685–0.735) and good calibration (χ2 = 8.540, p = 0.3826). Conclusions The risk score for the prediction of the risk of 30-day HF-specific readmission or death after hospital discharge was developed using 12 predictors. It can be utilized to guide appropriate interventions or care strategies for patients with HF.

BACKGROUND Acute myocardial infarction (AMI) caused by total occlusion of the left circumflex artery (LCX) can present as non-ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (NSTEMI). We evaluate whether door-to-balloon time (DBT) is associated with cardiac mortality in patients with total occlusion of the LCX. PATIENTS AND METHODS From the Korea Acute Myocardial Infarction Registry, patients with AMI who had total occlusion with a Thrombolysis In Myocardial Infarction flow grade of 0 were included. We determined the factors for delay in primary percutaneous coronary intervention (DBT>90 min) and evaluated cardiac mortality for a median period of 14 months. RESULTS Mean DBT was 68 min (interquartile range=50-156 min), and the achievement rate of DBT less than or equal to 90 min was 66.9% in the entire study population. More than half of patients with total occlusion of LCX were presented as NSTEMI (57.7%). Among patients with total occlusion of the LCX, the mean DBT was 136 min (interquartile range=60-484 min), and the achievement rate of DBT less than or equal to 90 min was 42.8%. On multivariate analysis, LCX occlusion was an important factor for DBT more than 90 min (odds ratio: 1.766, P

Background Worsening renal function ( WRF ) is associated with adverse outcomes in patients with heart failure. We investigated the predictors and prognostic value of WRF during admission, in patients with preserved ejection fraction ( HF p EF ) versus those with reduced ejection fraction ( HF r EF ). Methods and Results A total of 5625 patients were enrolled in the KorAHF (Korean Acute Heart Failure) registry. WRF was defined as an absolute increase in creatinine of ≥0.3 mg/ dL . Transient WRF was defined as recovery of creatinine at discharge, whereas persistent WRF was indicated by a nonrecovered creatinine level. HF p EF and HF r EF were defined as a left ventricle ejection fraction ≥50% and ≤40%, respectively. Among the total population, WRF occurred in 3101 patients (55.1%). By heart failure subgroup, WRF occurred more frequently in HF r EF (57.0% versus 51.3%; P HF r EF and HF p EF ). Prevalence of WRF increased as creatinine clearance decreased in both heart failure subgroups. Among various predictors of WRF , chronic renal failure was the strongest predictor. WRF was an independent predictor of adverse in‐hospital outcomes ( HF r EF : odds ratio; 2.75; 95% confidence interval, 1.50–5.02; P =0.001; HF p EF : odds ratio, 9.48; 95% confidence interval, 1.19–75.89; P =0.034) and 1‐year mortality ( HF r EF : hazard ratio, 1.41; 95% confidence interval , 1.12–1.78; P =0.004 versus HF p EF : hazard ratio, 1.72; 95% confidence interval, 1.23–2.42; P =0.002). Transient WRF was a risk factor for 1‐year mortality, whereas persistent WRF had no additive risk compared to transient WRF . Conclusions In patients with acute heart failure patients, WRF is an independent predictor of adverse in‐hospital and follow‐up outcomes in both HF r EF and HF p EF , though with a different effect size. Clinical Trial Registration URL : https://www.clinicaltrials.gov . Unique identifier: NCT 01389843.

Third-generation P2Y12 inhibitors (prasugrel, ticagrelor) are recommended in acute myocardial infarction (AMI). We aimed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of third-generation P2Y12 inhibitors in East Asian AMI patients. From the Korean AMI Registry, 9,355 patients who received dual antiplatelet agent (aspirin with clopidogrel [AC], 6,444 [70.5%] patients; aspirin with prasugrel [AP], 1,100 [11.8%] patients; or aspirin with ticagrelor [AT], 1,811 [19.4%] patients) were analysed. In-hospital endpoints were all-cause mortality or bleeding events during admission and 1-year endpoints were major adverse cardiac and cerebrovascular events (MACCE) and major bleeding events. Regarding in-hospital events, AP and AT showed similar all-cause mortality rates but higher bleeding event rates compared with AC. This trend was extended to 1-year endpoints; Cox regression analysis showed that third-generation P2Y12 inhibitors had significantly higher bleeding risk (AP vs. AC: hazard ratio [HR], 2.14; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.53–2.99; p

BACKGROUND There has been debate regarding the added benefit of high-intensity statins compared with low-moderate-intensity statins, especially in patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI).Methods and Results:The Korea Acute Myocardial Infarction Registry-National Institutes of Health consecutively enrolled 13,104 AMI patients. Of these, a total of 12,182 patients, who completed 1-year follow-up, were included in this study, and all patients were classified into 3 groups (no statin; low-moderate-intensity statin; and high-intensity statin). The primary outcome was major adverse cardiac event (MACE) including cardiac death, non-fatal MI, and repeat revascularization at 1 year. Both low-moderate-intensity and high-intensity statin significantly reduced low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C; all P

Background Dual antiplatelet therapy (DAPT) is recommended in patients receiving drug-eluting stents (DES). However, bleeding risk should be weighed against ischemic risk. Utility of GRACE risk score and ACUITY-HORIZONS bleeding risk score was assessed in patients with acute myocardial infarction (MI) according to use of P2Y12 blocker. Methods From the Korea Acute Myocardial Infarction Registry-National Institute of Health database, 7791 patients with acute MI receiving DES were divided into ticagrelor (n = 1554) and clopidogrel (n = 6237) groups. Propensity-matched 12-month mortality and bleeding event rates were compared according to GRACE and ACUITY-HORIZONS scores. Patients who received thrombolysis, prasugrel or anticoagulants, or who discontinued or switched DAPT were excluded. Results In all patients, high-risk patients more often received clopidogrel. After propensity score matching (n = 1553 in each group), 12-month mortality was not different, but TIMI major bleeding rate was higher with ticagrelor (2.8% vs. 1.4%, p = 0.007). On subgroup analysis, 12-month mortality was lower with ticagrelor in patients with high (>140) compared to low-to-moderate risk GRACE score (5.1% vs. 7.9%, p = 0.04). When combined with ACUITY-HORIZONS bleeding score, 12-month mortality was lower with ticagrelor in patients with high GRACE score but without very high (≥20) ACUITY-HORIZONS score (2.4% vs. 5.3%, p = 0.03). Conclusions In patients with acute MI receiving DES, GRACE and ACUITY-HORIZONS scores may help guide DAPT. In patients with high GRACE score, a more potent P2Y12 blocker may be considered, particularly in the subset not at very high risk of bleeding.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES The prognostic impact of left axis deviation (LAD) on clinical outcomes in acute heart failure syndrome (AHFS) with left bundle branch block (LBBB) is unknown. The aim of this study was to determine the prognostic significance of axis deviation in acute heart failure patients with LBBB. METHODS Between March 2011 and February 2014, 292 consecutive AHFS patients with LBBB were recruited from 10 tertiary university hospitals. They were divided into groups with no LAD (n=189) or with LAD (n=103) groups according to QRS axis

Korea hypertension fact sheet 2018 - Extended English version. (PDF 1648 kb)

Korea hypertension fact sheet 2018 - Extended Korean version. (PDF 1208 kb)

Objectives This study sought to examine the impact of door-to-diuretic (D2D) time on mortality in patients with acute heart failure (AHF) who were presenting to an emergency department (ED). Background Most patients with AHF present with congestion. Early decongestion with diuretic agents could improve their clinical outcomes. Methods The Korea Acute Heart Failure registry enrolled 5,625 consecutive patients hospitalized for AHF. For this analysis, the study included patients who received intravenous diuretic agents within 24 h after ED arrival. Early and delayed groups were defined as D2D time ≤60 min and D2D time >60 min, respectively. The primary outcomes were in-hospital death and post-discharge death at 1 month and 1 year on the basis of D2D time. Results A total of 2,761 patients met the inclusion criteria. The median D2D time was 128 min (interquartile range: 63 to 243 min), and 663 (24%) patients belonged to the early group. The baseline characteristics were similar between the groups. The rate of in-hospital death did not differ between the groups (5.0% vs. 5.1%; p > 0.999), nor did the post-discharge 1-month (4.0% vs. 3.0%; log-rank p = 0.246) and 1-year (20.6% vs. 19.3%; log-rank p = 0.458) mortality rates. Get With the Guidelines-Heart Failure risk score was calculated for each patient. In multivariate analyses with adjustment for Get With the Guidelines-Heart Failure risk score and other significant clinical covariates and propensity-matched analyses, D2D time was not associated with clinical outcomes. Conclusions The D2D time was not associated with clinical outcomes in a large prospective cohort of patients with AHF who were presenting to an ED. (Registry [Prospective Cohort] for Heart Failure in Korea [KorAHF]; NCT01389843)

Background The prognostic values of the left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) and end-diastolic dimension (LVEDD) have primarily been shown among patients with chronic heart failure (HF), with little representation of patients with acute HF (AHF). Therefore, we investigated the value of these echocardiographic parameters in predicting clinical outcomes among patients in the Korean Heart Failure (KorHF) Registry. Methods The KorHF Registry consists of 3,200 patients who were hospitalized with AHF from 2005 to 2009. The Kaplan-Meier method was used to estimate survival and readmission, and differences were assessed using the log-rank test. Predictors of survival were identified using univariate and multivariate Cox proportional hazards regression analyses. Results Echocardiograms from 2,910 of the 3,200 patients (90.9%) were evaluated. The median LVEF and LVEDD (37% and 56 mm, respectively) were used as cut-offs for the binary transformation of each parameter. The cumulative death-free survival rates for all patients did not significantly differ based on LVEF or LVEDD quartiles; however, an LVEF greater than the median was associated with a better prognosis in ischemic HF patients (log-rank test; p = 0.039). Among ischemic HF patients, LVEF (dichotomized) was a significant predictor of death in a Cox model after adjusting for a history of HF, age, systolic blood pressure (SBP), serum sodium, sex, diabetes mellitus (DM), chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), chronic kidney disease (CKD), acute myocardial infarction (AMI), atrial fibrillation (Af) and anemia (hazard ratio (HR) 1.475, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.099–1.979, p = 0.010). The cumulative readmission-free survival rates significantly differed among ischemic HF patients only when based on LVEDD quartiles (log-rank test; p = 0.001). In multivariate Cox proportional hazards regression analyses, LVEDD (dichotomized) remained a significant variable only among patients with ischemic HF after adjusting for sex, age, AMI, DM, COPD, serum sodium, SBP, blood urea nitrogen (BUN) and anemia (HR 1.401, 95% CI 1.067–1.841, p = 0.015). Conclusions Among ischemic AHF patients in the KorHF Registry, LVEF is associated with mortality, whereas LVEDD is only associated with readmission in a binary transformed form.

OBJECTIVE Recent studies have shown continuous control of diabetes is important for favorable outcomes in patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI). This study aimed to evaluate the clinical influence of postprocedural glycosylated hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) levels on major adverse cardiac events (MACE) in diabetic patients with STEMI after coronary reperfusion. PATIENTS AND METHODS A total of 303 patients with diabetes and STEMI undergoing a primary percutaneous coronary intervention were enrolled in this study. All eligible patients were divided into the following three groups on the basis of follow-up HbA1c (FU-HbA1c) levels, which were measured at a median of 85 days after the procedure: optimal, FU-HbA1c

Background Despite common use of second-generation drug-eluting stents in treating patients with coronary artery disease, there is lack of data comparing these stents exclusively in patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI), especially with metabolic syndrome (MetS), which is highly prevalent in AMI and potential to worsen clinical outcomes. The aim of this study was to compare clinical outcomes of everolimus-eluting stent (EES) and Resolute-zotarolimus-eluting stent (R-ZES) in AMI patients with MetS, in terms of stent-related and patient-related outcomes. Methods A total of 3942 AMI patients in the KAMIR (Korea Acute Myocardial Infarction Registry) were grouped according to the presence of MetS and stent type: EES (N=1582) and R-ZES (N=255) in MetS (1837). Target lesion failure (TLF) and patient-oriented composite events (POCE) at 1 year were evaluated. Results In MetS patients, TLF (3.7% vs. 2.7%, p=0.592) and POCE (7.9% vs. 6.7%, p=0.764) were similar between EES and R-ZES. Also in Non-MetS patients, TLF (3.9% vs. 3.1%, p=0.307) and POCE (6.4% vs. 7.3%, p=0.866) were similar between 2 groups. TLF was similar between MetS and Non-MetS patients (3.6% vs. 3.8%), while POCEs (7.7% vs. 6.6%) were higher in MetS. Propensity-score matching analysis showed similar results between stent groups in MetS and Non-MetS. In multivariate analysis, left ventricular ejection fraction and symptom-to-door time were independent predictors of TLF and POCE in MetS patients with AMI. Conclusions In MetS patients with AMI, EES and R-ZES showed excellent performance and safety. However, patient-oriented composite events were relatively high, suggesting more efforts to improve them.

Background/Aims: Data regarding the outcomes of primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) for ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) in nonagenarians are very limited. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the temporal trends and in-hospital outcomes of primary PCI in nonagenarian STEMI patients. Methods: We retrospectively reviewed data from the Korea Acute Myocardial Infarction Registry (KAMIR) from November 2005 to January 2008, and from the Korea Working Group on Myocardial Infarction (KorMI) from February 2008 to May 2010. Results: During this period, the proportion of nonagenarians among STEMI patients more than doubled (0.59% in KAMIR vs. 1.35% in KorMI), and the rate of use of primary PCI also increased (from 62.5% in KAMIR to 81.0% in KorMI). We identified 84 eligible study patients for which the overall in-hospital mortality rate was 21.4% (25.0% in KAMIR vs. 20.3% in KorMI, p = 0.919). Multivariate analysis identified two independent predictors of in-hospital mortality, namely a final Thrombolysis in Myocardial Infarction (TIMI) flow < 3 (odds ratio [OR], 13.7; 95% confidence interval [CI], 3.2 to 59.0; p < 0.001) and cardiogenic shock during hospitalization (OR, 6.7; 95% CI, 1.5 to 30.3; p = 0.013). Conclusions: The number of nonagenarian STEMI patients who have undergone primary PCI has increased. Although a final TIMI flow < 3 and cardiogenic shock are independent predictors of in-hospital mortality, primary PCI can be performed with a high success rate and an acceptable in-hospital mortality rate.

The hospitalized heart failure (HF) population is becoming a significant economic burden to Asian countries because of the growing elderly population, increased prevalence of HF, and recurrent rehospitalization. A targeted treatment strategy is needed with prognostic factors that can reduce mortality or rehospitalization after discharge. The accepted prognostic factors include age, low systolic blood pressure, ischemic heart disease, reduced left ventricular function, hyponatremia, and renal dysfunction. Prognostic factors for clinical outcomes in hospitalized patients with HF may be different in Asian people. Further research leading to better understanding of the characteristics of Asian patients hospitalized with HF is warranted.

Aims In acute heart failure (AHF) patients, pulmonary oedema and low tissue perfusion may lead to changes in the acid–base balance, which may be associated with worse outcomes. Methods and results In this prospective nationwide cohort study from 24 academic hospitals, arterial blood gas (ABG) was measured in 1982 AHF patients at hospital admission. Acidosis was defined as pH 7.44. Mortality was stratified according to ABG results. Overall, 19% had acidosis, 37% had normal pH, and 44% had alkalosis. The most common type of acidosis was the mixed type (42%) followed by metabolic acidosis (40%), and the most common type of alkalosis was respiratory alkalosis (58%). At 12 months' follow-up 304 patients (15%) died. Patients with acidosis had higher mortality (acidosis 19.5%, neutral pH 13.7%, alkalosis 14.9%; P = 0.007). In the Cox proportional-hazards regression model, acidosis was a significant predictor of mortality (hazard ratio 1.93; 95% confidence intervals 1.27–2.93) along with N-terminal pro-brain type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP), among others. In contrast, alkalosis was not associated with increased mortality. pH had an incremental prognostic value over NT-proBNP (net reclassification improvement 30%; P < 0.001), and ABG analysis identified extra patients at increased risk for mortality among patients with an NT-proBNP level less than the median (12-month mortality 17.5% vs. 9.9%; P = 0.009). Conclusion In high-risk AHF patients, the most common acid–base imbalance is respiratory alkalosis. Acidosis is observed in every fifth patient and is a significant predictor of mortality. pH provides an additional prognostic value and may be used to optimize risk stratification in high-risk AHF patients.

Background Temporal trends of evidence-based optimal medical therapy (OMT) at discharge after acute myocardial infarction (AMI) have not been investigated in recent years. Hypothesis OMT should have been increased in AMI and gap between guidelines and practices in its use should have been narrowed. Methods We examined discharge medications of 17,578 post-MI patients who had no documented contraindications to antiplatelet agents, β-blockers, angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors, or statins across a 6-year period (divided into subperiods of November 2005 to December 2006 [period 1], 2007 [period 2], 2008 [period 3], 2009 [period 4], 2010 [period 5], and January to June 2011 [period 6]) in the Korean AMI Registry. OMT was defined as use of all 4 indicated medications. Results Marked increases in OMT (48.6% to 63.2%) were seen irrespective of age and sex, mainly attributed to marked increases in the use of β-blockers (70.3% to 83.7%) and statins (76.9% to 82.6%) from period 1 to period 6. The gap in use of OMT between men and women narrowed over time between the first and second 3 periods, but not between the young and the elderly. Advanced age (odds ratio [OR]: 0.88, P = 0.04) was independently associated with underuse of OMT. Adjusted ORs for OMT from period 1 to period 6 were as follows: 1, 1.14 (P = 0.024), 1.21 (P = 0.001), 1.40 (P < 0.001), 1.47 (P < 0.001), and 1.69 (P < 0.001), respectively. Conclusions Despite gradual increase in OMT over time, the gap between guidelines and practices in use of OMT continues to exist.

Introduction: Recent studies showed that patients with chronic heart failure with recovered ejection fraction (HFrecEF) have better clinical outcomes than those with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF). However, there is lack of data about HF prognosis according to EF change in acute heart failure (AHF). Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate the prognosis of HFrecEF compared to HFpEF in patients with AHF. Methods: A total of 5,625 cohort patients with AHF enrolled in Korean AHF registry (KorAHF). Of them, 2,632 patients underwent follow-up echocardiography with measurement of EF. They were divided into three groups according to EF change: HF with reduced EF (HFrEF) (n=1,522, 68.6±14.5 years, 818 males), HFpEF (n=281, 72.6±13.5 years, 115 males), and HFrecEF (n=829, 67.6±14.2 years, 341 males). HFrEF was defined as AHF patients with EF =50%, and HFrecEF as EF>=50% with previous EF Results: Patients were older (72.6±13.5 vs. 67.6±14.2 vs. 68.6±14.5 years, p Conclusions: AHF patients in HFrecEF group had higher mortality than those in HFpEF group. Recovery from acute depressed LV function may not always warrant favorable clinical outcomes in long-term follow-up.

It is not clear if anti-restonotic effect of cilostazol is consistent for different types of drug-eluting stents (DES).The purpose of this study was to compare the anti-proliferative effect of cilostazol between DAT and TAT with consideration of confounding influences of DES type.Nine hundred and fifteen patients were randomized to either dual antiplatelet therapy (DAT; aspirin and clopidogrel) or triple antiplatelet therapy (TAT; aspirin, clopidogrel, and cilostazol) in the previous CILON-T trial. After excluding 70 patients who received both or neither stents, we analyzed 845 patients who received exclusively PES or ZES, and compared in-stent late loss at 6 months between both antiplatelet regimens (DAT versus TAT).Baseline angiographic and clinical characteristics were similar between the DAT (656 lesions in 425 patients) and the TAT group (600 lesions in 420 patients). The 6-month follow-up angiography was completed in 745 patients (88.2%). Quantitative coronary angiography showed that TAT significantly reduced in-stent late loss (DAT 0.62 ± 0.62 mm versus TAT 0.54 ± 0.49 mm, P = 0.015). Stent type, diabetes or lesion length did not interact with difference of late loss. However, reduction of late loss by cilostazol did not lead to a significant reduction in the rate of target lesion revascularization (TLR) (DAT 7.8% versus TAT 6.9%, P = 0.69) due to a nonlinear relationship found between late loss and TLR.The TAT group showed less in-stent late loss as compared to the DAT group. This was consistently observed regardless of DES type, lesion length, or diabetic status. However, reduction of late loss by cilostazol did not lead to a significant reduction in TLR.

Background Although current guidelines recommend β‐blocker after acute myocardial infarction ( MI ), the role of β‐blocker has not been well investigated in the modern reperfusion era. In particular, the benefit of vasodilating β‐blocker over conventional β‐blocker is still unexplored. Methods and Results Using nation‐wide multicenter Korean Acute Myocardial Infarction Registry data, we analyzed clinical outcomes of 7127 patients with acute MI who underwent successful percutaneous coronary intervention with stents and took β‐blockers: vasodilating β‐blocker (n=3482), and conventional β‐blocker (n=3645). In the whole population, incidence of cardiac death at 1 year was significantly lower in the vasodilating β‐blocker group (vasodilating β‐blockers versus conventional β‐blockers, 1.0% versus 1.9%; P= 0.003). In 2882 pairs of propensity score–matched population, the incidence of cardiac death was significantly lower in the vasodilating β‐blocker group (1.1% versus 1.8%; P= 0.028). Although incidences of MI (1.1% versus 1.5%; P= 0.277), any revascularization (2.8% versus 3.0%; P= 0.791), and hospitalization for heart failure (1.4% versus 1.9%; P= 0.210) were not different between the 2 groups, incidences of cardiac death or MI (2.0% versus 3.1%; P= 0.010), cardiac death, MI , or hospitalization for heart failure (3.0% versus 4.5%; P= 0.003), cardiac death, MI , or any revascularization (3.9% versus 5.3%; P= 0.026), and cardiac death, MI , any revascularization, or hospitalization for heart failure (4.8% versus 6.5%; P= 0.011) were significantly lower in the vasodilating β‐blocker group. Conclusions Vasodilating β‐blocker therapy resulted in better clinical outcomes than conventional β‐blocker therapy did in patients with acute MI in the modern reperfusion era. Vasodilating β‐blockers could be recommended preferentially to conventional ones for acute MI patients.

Background: Population based study demonstrated that obesity (defined as increased body mass index, BMI) is important predictor for developing hypertension and diabetes mellitus (DM), which have been well known major cardiovascular (CV) risk factors. Increased waist circumference (WC) representative of central obesity is focused as main factor for developing CV disease and its major risks. This study was to evaluate obesity as a predictor for new onset of hypertension and DM within 1-year in previously normotensives or normoglycemic subjects. Methods: The Korean National Health Insurance Service - National Sample Cohort (NHIS-NSC) established data about BMI and WC with medical, social and familial histories in 2009 and have been followed up for 1 years. Among total 349257 subjects with age more than 20 year-old, 95124 (normotensive group: 75.2% of population were 25-55 year-old, 54121(56.9%) male) of normotensives for evaluate new hypertension and 120501 (normoglycemic group: 83.6% of population were 25-65 year-old, 67183 (55.8%) male) normoglycemic subjects for evaluate new DM were analyzed. Results: During 1-year follow-up period, 3773 (3.97%) new hypertension in normotensive group and 1594 (1.32%) new DM in normoglycemic group were developed. Binary logistic regression analysis revealed that BMI was the predictor (Exp(B)=1.18, Sig Conclusion: Increase of BMI is independent predictor for new onset hypertension and increase of WC is independent predictor for new onset DM within 1-year. Obesity type might affects development of different major CV risks and hence, obesity itself is the important risk factor for CV disease.

The prognostic significance of atrial fibrillation (AF) on mortality in ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) patients is not clearly understood. To elucidate the clinical significance of AF on mortality for 1 year in STEMI patients, we retrospectively analyzed the Korea Acute Myocardial Infarction Registry (KAMIR) database, which spans January 2008 to September 2010 and includes 14,329 patients with acute myocardial infarction. We selected 5,556 patients with marked ECG rhythm (NSR, normal sinus rhythm or AF) on emergency room arrival,12 hours of symptom onset, and who underwent primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) within 90 minutes of arriving at the hospital. Patients who had been followed-up for at least for 1 year were analyzed (2,636 of NSR, 119 of AF). At enrollment, AF patients were older (70.7 versus 65.5 years, P0.001) and had lower systolic blood pressure (120.6 versus 125.9 mmHg, P = 0.050), a higher heart rate (80.4 versus 75.6/minute, P = 0.009), and a higher rate of Killip III, IV (25.0 versus 14.2%, P = 0.002). Patients with AF showed clearly higher all-cause mortality (22.7 versus 9.5%, HR 2.51, 95%CI 1.68~3.76, P0.001) and cardiac death rate (17.7 versus 7.5%, HR 2.49, 95%CI 1.59~3.90, P0.001) at 1 year after admission compared patients with NSR. AF induced significantly higher all-cause mortality and cardiac mortality rate in STEMI patients who were appropriately revascularized with primary PCI compared to NSR at 1 year.

This study aimed to assess the relationship between on-treatment blood pressure (BP) and clinical outcomes of patients with heart failure (HF).Lower BP has been reported to be related to increased mortality in various cardiovascular diseases. The optimal BP level for patients already experiencing HF is contentious.The Korean Acute Heart Failure registry prospectively enrolled a total of 5,625 consecutive patients hospitalized for acute HF in 10 tertiary university hospitals in Korea between March 2011 and February 2014. Clinical profiles including BP were collected at admission, discharge, and during outpatient follow-up. Mean on-treatment BP was calculated from BP at discharge and at each follow-up visit. We evaluated the effects of mean on-treatment BP on the clinical outcomes of patients.Patients were followed up for a median 2.2 years. One-year mortality after discharge was 18.2%. The relationship between on-treatment BP and all-cause mortality followed a reversed J-curve relationship. A nonlinear, multivariable Cox proportional hazard model identified a nadir of systolic and diastolic BPs of 132.4/74.2 mm Hg in patients, for whom the mortality rate was lowest (p 0.0001). The relationship with increased mortality above and below the reference BP was more definitive for diastolic BP and for HF with a preserved ejection fraction.Systolic and diastolic BPs 130/70 mm Hg at discharge and during follow-up was associated with worse survival in HF patients. These data suggest that the lowest BP possible might not be an optimal target for HF patients. Further studies should establish a proper BP goal in HF patients. (Registry [Prospective Cohort] for Heart Failure in Korea [KorAHF]; NCT01389843).

After introduction of up-titration strategy, there are limited data on comparison between the effects of angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors (ACEI) and angiotensin receptor blocker (ARB) in patients with heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF). The study sought to investigate the association between treatment with ARB at discharge and clinical outcomes in patients with HFrEF compared with treatment with ACEI or no renin angiotensin system blocker (RASB).The KorAHF registry is a prospective multicenter cohort and included patients who were hospitalized for acute heart failure (AHF). We studied 3005 patients with HFrEF (40%), and divided into ARB (n=1190), ACEI (n=1090), and no RASB (n=725) groups. Propensity score matching was performed.All-cause death occurred in 346 patients (29.1%) in the ARB group, 315 patients (28.9%) in the ACEI group, and 305 (42.1%) in the no RASB group. After propensity score matching (ARB vs. ACEI, 827 pairs), there was no significant difference between the two groups in the rate of death (HR 0.91, 95% CI 0.76-1.09, p=0.32). All-cause death was significantly lower in the ARB group than in the no RASB group (ARB vs. no RASB, 538 pairs, HR 0.69, 95% CI 0.56-0.83, p0.001). The ARB group had a significantly lower discontinuation rate than the ACEI group (20.8% vs. 33.6%, p0.001).For treatment of AHF with reduced EF after hospitalization, ARB at discharge shows a mortality benefit comparable to that of ACEI. In addition, tolerability of medication was greater for ARB than for ACEI.

Background and Objectives β-arrestin2 (β-arr2) basically regulates multiple signaling pathways in mammalian cells by desensitization and internalization of G-protein coupled receptors (GPCRs). We investigated impacts of β-arr2 on survival, mobility, and tube formation of cardiac progenitor cells (CPCs) obtained from wild-type (WT) mouse (CPC-WT), and β-arr2 knock-out (KO) mouse (CPC-KO) cultured in presence or absence of serum and oxygen as non-canonical roles in GPCR system. Methods CPCs were cultured in Dulbecco's Modified Eagle Medium/Nutrient Mixture F-12 -based media containing fetal bovine serum and growth factors. Survival of 2 types of CPCs in hypoxia and/or serum deprivation was measured by fluorescence-activated cell sorting. Wound healing ability, and tube formation ability on Matrigel of 2 kinds of CPCs were compared in normoxic and hypoxic cultures. Protein expression related to survival and mobility were measured with the Western blot for each culture conditions. Results CPC-KO showed significantly worse mobility in the wound healing assay and in tube formation on Matrigel especially in hypoxic culture than did the CPC-WT. Also, CPC-KO showed significantly higher apoptosis fraction in both normoxic and hypoxic cultures than did the CPC-WT. Expression of proteins associated with cell survival and mobility, e.g., protein kinase B (Akt), β-catenin, and glycogen synthase kinase-3β (GSK-3β) was significantly worse in CPC-KO. Conclusions The CPC-KO had significantly worse cell mobility, tube formation ability, and survival than the CPC-WT, especially in the hypoxic cultures. Apparently, β-arr2 is important on CPC survival by means of mobility and tube formation in myocardial ischemia.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES The relationship between ejection fraction (EF), N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) levels and renal function is unknown as stratified by heart failure (HF) type. We investigated their relation and the prognostic value of renal function in heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) vs. reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF). MATERIALS AND METHODS NT-proBNP, glomerular filtration rate (GFR), and EF were obtained in 1,932 acute heart failure (AHF) patients. HFrEF was defined as EF

The prevalence of heart failure (HF) is skyrocketing worldwide, and is closely associated with serious morbidity and mortality. In particular, HF is one of the main causes for the hospitalization and mortality in elderly individuals. Korea also has these epidemiological problems, and HF is responsible for huge socioeconomic burden. However, there has been no clinical guideline for HF management in Korea. The present guideline provides the first set of practical guidelines for the management of HF in Korea and was developed using the guideline adaptation process while including as many data from Korean studies as possible. The scope of the present guideline includes the definition, diagnosis, and treatment of chronic HF with reduced/preserved ejection fraction of various etiologies.

BackgroundChronic kidney disease (CKD) is associated with poor outcomes after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). The aim of the study was to compare zotarolimus- and everolimus-eluting stents used during primary PCI in patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI) and CKD.MethodsWe selected 854 consecutive ST-elevation MI patients with CKD (estimated glomerular filtration rate

Background and purpose There were limited data about comparison of zotarolimus-eluting stents (ZES) and everolimus-eluting stents (EES) in patients with small coronary artery disease (CAD), especially in patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI). The objective of this study was to compare the clinical outcomes of ZES and EES in patients with AMI for small CAD. Methods and subjects A total 1565 AMI patients treated with Endeavor-ZES (n = 651) (Medtronic CardioVascular, Santa Rosa, CA, USA) or Xience V/Promus-EES (n = 914) (Abbott Vascular, Temecula, CA/Boston Scientific, Natick, MA, USA) for small CAD (stent diameter ≤2.75 mm) in KAMIR (Korea Acute Myocardial Infarction Registry) were enrolled. After propensity score matching to adjust for baseline clinical and angiographic characteristics, we compared a total 1302 patients (651 ZES and 651 EES) about major adverse cardiac events (MACE) at 1-year. Subgroup analysis about 1-year clinical outcomes was undertaken in patients who were discharged alive. Results Baseline clinical and angiographic characteristics were similar between the two groups after propensity score matching. Total MACE did not differ between the two groups before (9.8% vs. 8.2%, p = 0.265) and after (9.8% vs. 9.4%, p = 0.778) propensity score matching. The EES group showed lower rate of 1-year cardiac death (5.4% vs. 3.3%, p = 0.041), target lesion failure (TLF; 6.9% vs. 4.3%, p = 0.022), and stent thrombosis (1.4% vs. 0.4%, p = 0.042) compared with the ZES group. However, there were no differences in 1-year cardiac death, TLF, and stent thrombosis in propensity score matched populations. Other various 1-year clinical outcomes showed no difference between the two groups. Subgroup analysis in patients who were discharged alive showed similar outcomes between the two groups at 1-year follow-up. Conclusion In-this propensity score matched analysis, EES and ZES showed no significant difference in clinical outcomes at 1-year follow-up in patients with AMI for small CAD.

Aims The Korean Acute Heart Failure registry (KorAHF) aims to evaluate the clinical characteristics, management, hospital course, and long-term outcomes of patients hospitalized for acute heart failure syndrome (AHFS) in Korea. Methods and results This is a prospective observational multicentre cohort study funded by the Korea National Institute of Health. Patients hospitalized for AHFS in 10 tertiary university hospitals across the country have been consecutively enrolled since March 2011. The study is expected to complete the scheduled enrolment of 5000 patients some time in 2014, and follow-up is planned through 2016. As of April 2012, the interim analysis of 2066 consecutive subjects was performed to understand the baseline characteristics of the population. The mean age was 69 ± 14 years; 55% were male; and 50% were de novo heart failure. The mean left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) was 40 ± 18%. Ischaemia was both the leading cause (38%) and the most frequent aggravating factor (26%) of AHFS. ACE inhibitors/ARBs and beta-blockers were prescribed at discharge in 65% and 51% of the patients, respectively. In-hospital mortality was 5.2%, and 0.9% of patients received urgent heart transplantation. Low blood pressure and azotaemia were the most important predictors of in-hospital mortality. The post-discharge 30-day and 180-day all-cause mortality were 1.2% and 9.2%, respectively. Conclusions Our analysis reveals that the prognosis of AHFS in Korea is poor and that there are specific features, including lower blood pressures at admission and lower rates of heart failure related to hypertension, compared with other registries. Adherence to current guidelines should be improved.

Aims We elucidated the therapeutic potential of human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) for ameliorating progressive heart failure in a myocardial infarction (MI) rat model. Main methods MI was induced by ligation of left anterior descending artery, and HUVEC was transplanted 1 week after MI. Cardiac function was evaluated by echocardiography, and histological analyses were performed. Key findings Phosphate-buffered saline (MI-V, n = 5) or HUVEC (MI-HV, n = 5) were injected into the border zone and infarcted area 7 days after ligation of the left coronary artery in rats. The MI-HV group showed attenuation of left ventricular (LV) remodeling compared with the MI-V group. In the infarcted myocardium, a few of injected HUVEC was retained up to 28 days. The ratios of matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-2 or MMP-9 to tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase (TIMP)-1 or TIMP-3 were decreased in the MI-HV group compared with the MI-V group. In vivo zymography analysis showed that HUVEC transplantation decreased the activities of MMP-2 and MMP-9. In immunohistochemistry, decreased MMP-2 and increased TIMP-1 and TIMP-3 expression were observed at 48 h after HUVEC transplantation. These effects on MMP/TIMP balance were inhibited by L-NAME administration (an eNOS inhibitor, 10 mg/kg). NOS inhibition decreased the protein expressions of TIMP-1 and TIMP-3 but did not change the protein expressions of MMP-2 and MMP-9. Significance Our data suggest that altered balance between MMP and TIMP by HUVEC transplantation contributed to attenuation of ventricular remodeling after MI via eNOS.

Heart failure (HF) complicating acute myocardial infarction (AMI) is common and is associated with poor clinical outcome. Limited data exist regarding the incidence and in-hospital mortality of AMI with HF (AMI-HF). We retrospectively analyzed 1,427 consecutive patients with AMI in the five major university hospitals in Korea at two time points, 1998 (n = 608) and 2008 (n = 819). Two hundred twenty eight patients (37.5%) in 1998 and 324 patients (39.5%) in 2008 of AMI patients complicated with HF (P = 0.429). AMI-HF patients in 2008 were older, had more hypertension, previous AMI, and lower systolic blood pressure than those in 1998. Regarding treatments, AMI-HF patients in 2008 received more revascularization procedures, more evidence based medical treatment and adjuvant therapy, such as mechanical ventilators, intra-aortic balloon pulsation compared to those in 1998. However, overall in-hospital mortality rates (6.4% vs 11.1%, P = 0.071) of AMI-HF patients were unchanged and still high even after propensity score matching analysis, irrespective of types of AMI and revascularization methods. In conclusion, more evidence-based medical and advanced procedural managements were applied for patients with AMI-HF in 2008 than in 1998. However the incidence and in-hospital mortality of AMI-HF patients were not significantly changed between the two time points.

We compared clinical characteristics, management, and clinical outcomes of nonagenarian acute myocardial infarction (AMI) patients (n=270, 92.3±2.3 yr old) with octogenarian AMI patients (n=2,145, 83.5±2.7 yr old) enrolled in Korean AMI Registry (KAMIR). Nonagenarians were less likely to have hypertension, diabetes and less likely to be prescribed with beta-blockers, statins, and glycoprotein IIb/IIIa inhibitors compared with octogenarians. Although percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) was preferred in octogenarians than nonagenarians, the success rate of PCI between the two groups was comparable. In-hospital mortality, the composite of in-hospital adverse outcomes and one year mortality were higher in nonagenarians than in octogenarians. However, the composite of the one year major adverse cardiac events (MACEs) was comparable between the two groups without differences in MI or re-PCI rate. PCI improved 1-yr mortality (adjusted hazard ratio [HR], 0.50; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.36-0.69, P