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Background Compared with patients without evidence of psychiatric symptoms, those with mental disorders experience reduced adherence with recommended healthcare and poorer clinical outcomes. This study aimed to evaluate whether the worse prognosis of patients with mental disorders after experiencing acute myocardial infarction could be fully or partially mediated by their reduced adherence to recommended healthcare. Methods In this retrospective cohort population-based study, 103 389 residents in the Italian Lombardy Region who experienced acute myocardial infarction in 2007–19 were identified. Among them, 1549 patients with severe mental illness (SMI) were matched with five cohort members without evidence of mental disorders (references). Recommended healthcare (cardiac medicaments and selected outpatient services) was evaluated in the year after the date of index hospital discharge. The first occurrences of cardiovascular (CV) hospital admissions and any-cause-death were considered as endpoints. Mediation analysis was performed to investigate whether post-discharge use of recommended healthcare may be considered a mediator of the relationship between healthcare exposure and endpoints occurrence. Results Compared with references, patients with SMI had lower adherence with recommended healthcare and adjusted risk excesses of 39% and 73% for CV hospitalizations and all-cause mortality. Mediation analysis showed that 4.1% and 11.3% of, respectively, CV hospitalizations and deaths occurred among psychiatric patients was mediated by their worse adherence to specific healthcare. Conclusion The reduced use of recommended outpatient healthcare by patients with SMI had only a marginal effect on their worse prognosis. Other key factors mediating the prognostic gap between patients with and without mental disorders should be investigated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Large intracoronary thrombus in patients presenting with ST elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) can cause distal embolization, the no-reflow phenomenon, and stent thrombosis. Approximately 10% of patients undergoing primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) have distal embolization of thrombus, causing coronary microvascular obstruction and reduced myocardial tissue perfusion. This can lead to ongoing ischemia, a larger infarct size, and a significant increase in 30-day mortality, regardless of successful PCI with normal epicardial vessel flow. Case Presentation: A 51-year-old Asian male presented with STEMI. Coronary angiography revealed a large thrombus totally occluding the proximal portion of the right coronary artery (RCA). Catheter-directed intracoronary thrombolysis with streptokinase was performed after multiple attempts at manual aspiration thrombectomy (MAT) and balloon angioplasty had failed to achieve coronary blood flow recovery. After successful stenting, a diffuse residual thrombus remained in the RCA. Evaluation angiography of the RCA performed four days later showed complete thrombus dissolution with thrombolysis in myocardial infarction (TIMI) grade 3 flow. Discussion: While there is no gold-standard therapy to deal with intracoronary thrombus, there are combinations of both pharmacological and mechanical therapies that can be utilized. MAT should not be used routinely in STEMI, but may be helpful in selected cases. Catheter-directed intracoronary thrombolysis can be a safe and effective alternative reperfusion strategy when MAT alone fails to achieve sufficient coronary blood flow in the thrombotic infarct-related artery (IRA). Conclusion: The management of intracoronary thrombus during PCI remains a therapeutic challenge, and an aggressive, case-by-case, tailored approach can lead to improved outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Goal: Patients engaged in self-care through information technology can potentially improve the quality of healthcare they receive. This study aimed to examine how electronic health record (EHR) system functionalities help hospitals mediate the impact of patient engagement on quality outcomes--notably, readmission rates. Methods: A pooled cross-sectional study design employed data containing 3,547 observations from general acute care hospitals (2014--2018). The breadth of patient engagement functionalities adopted by a hospital was used as the independent variable and the degree of EHR presence was used as the mediating variable. Mean time to readmission for acute myocardial infarction (AMI), pneumonia, and heart failure were the dependent variables. The Baron and Kenny method was used to test mediation. Principal Findings: Patient engagement was associated with reduced AMI readmission rates both directly and via EHR system presence. Mediation effects were present, in that a 1-unit increase in patient engagement through EHR system presence was associated with a 0.33% decrease in AMI readmission rates (p < .05). For other disease categories (heart failure and pneumonia), a significant effect was not found. Practical Applications: For hospitals with a comprehensive EHR system, patient engagement through information technology can potentially reduce readmission rates for some diseases. More research is needed to determine which specific clinical conditions are amenable to quality improvement through patient engagement. Synergies between patient engagement functionalities and an EHR system positively affect quality outcomes. Therefore, practitioners and hospital managers should leverage hospital investments made in their EHR system infrastructure and use it to engage patients in self-care. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigated the effects of amygdalin (AMY, a cyanogenic glycoside widely distributed in the fruits and seeds of Rosaceae plants) on cardiac performance and ventricular remodeling in a rat model of myocardial infarction (MI). We also investigated whether the combination of AMY with exercise training (ExT) has a beneficial synergistic effect in treating MI rats. MI was induced by the ligation of the left anterior descending coronary artery in male SD rats. ExT or AMY treatment was started 1 week after MI and continued for 1 week (short-term) or 8 weeks (long-term). Cardiac function was evaluated by echocardiographic and hemodynamic parameters. Heart tissues were harvested and subjected to 2,3,5-triphenyl-tetrazolium chloride, Masson's trichrome, hematoxylin-eosin, and immunohistochemical staining. Gene expression was determined by quantitative polymerase chain reaction. Western blot gave a qualitative assessment of protein levels. AMY or ExT improved cardiac function and reduced infarct size in MI rats. AMY or ExT also suppressed myocardial fibrosis and attenuated inflammation in the infarct border zone of hearts from MI rats, as evidenced by inhibition of collagen deposition, inflammatory cell infiltration, and pro-inflammatory markers (interleukin 1β, interleukin 6, tumor necrosis factor-α, and cyclooxygenase 2). Notably, the effects of AMY combined with ExT were superior to those of AMY alone or ExT alone. Mechanistically, these beneficial functions were correlated with the inhibition of MI-induced activation of the transforming growth factor-β/Smad pathway. Collectively, AMY and ExT exert a synergistic effect on improving cardiac performance and ameliorating cardiac inflammation and fibrosis after MI, and the effects of long-term intervention were better than short-term intervention. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Myocardial infarction is one of the leading causes of death in the world and accounts for 23% of mortalities. Self-care for senior patients with myocardial infarction can reduce complications, multiple hospitalizations, and financial costs. Methods: This clinical trial was performed on 128 older adults with myocardial infarction. Available sampling was done via block random sampling among patients at the Heart Clinic of Booali Hospital, Qazvin, Iran. Data were collected through interviews and demographic and self-care questionnaires regarding heart disease. Data analysis was conducted using R software, version 4.1.0, and via the mixed-effects model method and post hoc and contrast tests. Results: The mean age of the study population was 65.54±4.50 years. Before the intervention, self-care maintenance was not significantly different between the 2 groups. After the intervention, a statistically significant difference was observed between the groups (P=0.001). No statistically meaningful difference concerning self-care monitoring existed between the 2 groups at the beginning of the study (P=0.03); however, a significant difference emerged after the intervention (P=0.001). A difference existed between the groups regarding self-care confidence study commencement in that the self-care confidence level in the control group was higher (P=0.013), but no difference was observed following the intervention. Nonetheless, after 1 month, the groups were significantly statistically different (P=0.003) in that the self-care confidence level in the intervention group increased. Conclusion: Mobile health could improve self-care in older adults with myocardial infarction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Acute myocardial infarction (AMI) is associated with high morbidity and mortality worldwide. Although early reperfusion is the most effective strategy to salvage ischemic myocardium, reperfusion injury can develop with the restoration of blood flow. Therefore, it is important to identify protection mechanisms and strategies for the heart after myocardial infarction. Recent studies have shown that multiple intracellular molecules and signaling pathways are involved in cardioprotection. Meanwhile, device-based cardioprotective modalities such as cardiac left ventricular unloading, hypothermia, coronary sinus intervention, supersaturated oxygen (SSO2), and remote ischemic conditioning (RIC) have become important areas of research. Herein, we review the molecular mechanisms of cardioprotection and cardioprotective modalities after ischemia–reperfusion injury (IRI) to identify potential approaches to reduce mortality and improve prognosis in patients with AMI. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: (−)-Epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG), a bioactive polyphenol isolated from green tea, has recently garnered attention for its potential protective role against acute myocardial infarction (MI) via inhibiting inflammation. Herein, we tested whether EGCG participates in modulating cardiac ischemia reperfusion-induced injury and elucidate its potential mechanisms. Methods: To induce MI in mice, we employed coronary artery ligation, while cell models utilized oxygen glucose deprivation/re-oxygenation (OGD/R)-treated HL-1 cells. TTC, HE and Massion staining evaluated the pathological changes of heart tissues. Besides, RNA-pull down and RIP assays analyzed the interactions of MEG3/TAF15 and AIM2 mRNA/TAF15. FISH associated with immunofiuorescence (IF) double staining was conducted to measure the co-localization of MEG3 and TAF15. Results: In vitro and in vivo evidence supported that EGCG treatment improved cardiomyocytes viability while inhibiting the expressions of AIM2, C-caspase-1, ASC, GSDMD-N, IL-18 and IL-1β. Knockdown of MEG3 intensified EGCG's therapeutic effects both in vitro and in vivo. LncRNA MEG3 and AIM2 mRNA interacted with TAF15, and MEG3, in turn, promoted the stability of AIM2 mRNA through regulating TAF15. Overexpression of TAF15 reversed the promoting effect of EGCG and MEG3 knockdown on cell viability, and the inhibiting effect on cell pyroptosis. Conclusion: EGCG protected cardiomyocytes from pyroptosis by the MEG3/TAF15/AIM2 axis, indicating EGCG as a potential novel therapeutic strategy for managing MI. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The PI3K/Akt/mTOR signalling pathway plays a crucial role in several biological processes, including cell proliferation, survival, and apoptosis, as well as regulates numerous signalling pathways, including JNK, NF-κB, and ERK pathways. The recent proliferation of signal transduction studies in neurological and cardiovascular diseases/injuries sheds light on Akt-dependent pathogenesis. The downregulation of the Akt signalling pathway 24 hours post-injury prevents neurogenesis and promotes the progression of severe secondary injuries, including neuroinflammation, scar formation, and neuronal and glial necrosis, following traumatic brain and spinal cord injury, suggesting designing therapeutic approaches within a 24-hour window postinjury. Similarly, the downregulation of the Akt signalling pathway in myocardial infarction lowers cardiovascular protection, limits neurovascularization, and inhibits cell survival. Following myocarditis, the Akt signalling network is upregulated, leading to aggravated inflammation, and increased myocardial damage. Also, the upregulation of the PI3K/Akt/mTOR pathway in chordoma promotes tumor progression and invasion, leading to neuronal damage and impaired physiological functions. Future therapeutics that target the aberrant expression of key players in the PI3K/Akt/mTOR signalling pathway present a promising approach to treating several neurological and cardiovascular pathologies. This narrative reviewdiscusses the role of PI3K/Akt/mTOR signalling pathway in traumatic central nervous system injuries (brain and spinal cord), cardiac injury (myocardial infarction), inflammatory disease (myocarditis), and rare neurological cancer (chordoma) along with therapeutic targets that are known to prevent worsened outcomes and promote recovery following those conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Acute myocardial infarction (AMI) is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide and it is primarily caused by acute plaque disruption and coronary occlusion. Recent studies suggest that myocardial infarction with non-obstructive coronary arteries (MINOCA) also occurs but the underlying mechanisms have not been fully understood until recently. The evidence also suggests that the clinical outcomes of patients presenting with MINOCA are similar to AMI patients with obstructive coronary artery disease (MI-CAD), including all-cause mortality and major adverse cardiovascular events. The present narrative review considers the risk factors, pathological changes, and outcomes associated with MINOCA and compares them with MI-CAD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Cardiovascular diseases, specifically acute myocardial infarction (AMI), are the leading cause of death worldwide. In this review, we explain the characteristics of AMI in Iran. Methods: We searched PubMed, Google, and Google Scholar for articles containing myocardial infarction, STEMI, and MI+ Iran in English and Persian words. Results: The age-standardized incidence rate of MI was 73.3 per 100 000. The mean±SD age of patients was 61.20±13.40 years. In-hospital mortality of patients with AMI in the IMIR was 12.1%. Concerning AMI complications reported in the IMIR, 5.8% of patients experienced ventricular tachycardia, and 2.5% experienced ventricular fibrillation. The 1-year mortality rate in the IPACE2 study was 4.3%. Conclusion: Only a few national studies are available in Iran regarding patients with AMI. A federal surveillance program continuously monitoring and tracking coronary events is essential to improve the general population's health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: Despite great advances in the treatment of acute myocardial infarction (AMI), it is still the most common cause of death in the world. Therefore, predicting mortality in advance is clinically very important. In this study, we aimed to investigate the role of immature granulocyte (IG) and other hematological markers in predicting short- and long-term mortality in patients with AMI. Methods: Laboratory information system (LIS) data of a tertiary hospital were used in this study. Of the 298 patients who were admitted to the coronary intensive care unit with the diagnosis of myocardial infarction, 258 recovered after treatment and were discharged. 40 of them died. It was determined that 36 of these 258 patients, who were followed up retrospectively, died within 15 months after discharge. Results: The mean age of 298 people who participated in this retrospective study was 73.26 ± 8.6 years, and 53.3% were male. Moderate and high predictive property in receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis for short-term mortality, white blood cell (WBC) area under curve (AUC) = 0.802), neutrophil count (AUC = 0.817), IG count (AUC = 0.841), neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio (NLR) (AUC = 0.701), and C-reactive protein (CRP) (AUC = 0.758) tests detected. For long-term mortality, a moderate predictive feature was observed in the age (AUC = 0.712) parameter. Conclusions: IG is a marker that does not require extra cost, provides rapid results and has high predictive value in predicting death in the short term in patients with acute myocardial infarction. It is ineffective in predicting long-term mortality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to assess death anxiety and death depression levels among patients with acute myocardial infarction. This was a descriptive correlational study, which was conducted on patients who were treated on an outpatient clinic or cardiology clinics a training and research hospital in Istanbul, Turkey between January and August 2020. The sample of study included 300 patients, who met the inclusion criteria and agreed to participate in the study. The Sociodemographic Form, Death Anxiety Scale and Death Depression Scale served as data collection tools. The patients obtained a mean score of 12.260 ± 3.315 from Death Depression Scale and a mean score of 12.506 ± 2.915 from Death Anxiety Scale. The patients had a death-related depression mood and a severe death anxiety level. The correlation between the patients' Death Depression Scale and Death Anxiety Scale mean scores was statistically significant and moderate positive (r =.590; p = 0.000). As patients' death anxiety increased, their death-related depression levels also increased was determined. The death anxiety levels of the patients were mostly severe, to the point of panic. Their depression scores were also above average. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

European guidelines order management of patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) less than 12 hours. They encourage healthcare networks to rapid coronary reperfusion strategy depending on the distance of the patient from the PCI center. To determine impact of out-of-hospital presentation of patients with STEMI in remote areas within the framework of a care network, and to define the degree of compliance with local recommendations, and its prognostic impact. Over three years (2017–2019), from the RESURCOR prospective register, 310 patients with STEMI less than 12 hours were out-of hospital managed and transferred to Metrolpole Savoie Hospital in Chambéry. Depending on the "door in to PCI center" time, patients are divided into 2 groups: "Local area" for a time ≤ 60 min and "Remote area" for a time > 60 min. 51 patients were in the "Local area" group and 259 patients in the "Remote area" group with an average age of 63.36 years, without significant difference between the two groups. We noted more men, smokers and a higher heart rate in the "Local area" group (p = 0.015; p = 0.005 and p = 0.035 respectively). The median "call-EMS care" delay was similar at 24 min in each group. Seventy-five patients (29%) in the "Remote area" group had fibrinolysis versus only one patient in the "Local area" group (p < 0.001). Among them, 42 patients (56%) had rescue PCI, in 40% with 90 min of fibrinolytic administration. The presence of a primary care physicians "PCP" was reported in 39 cases of the "remote area" group. PCP intervention increased the rate of bolus of fibrinolytics within 10 min from STEMI diagnosis (69.2% vs 21.8%, p < 0.001), increased the rate of bolus treatment within 10 min from STEMI diagnosis within 10 min (60% vs 16% p < 0.001) and reduced the rate of rescue PCI (44.4% vs 62.5%, p = 0.035). Total ischemia time was significantly shorter in the "Local area" group (144 min vs 175 min, p = 0.005). No significant difference concerning the in-hospital outcomes was found between 2 groups. Concerning compliance with local recommendations in the "remote area" group, among those eligible for thrombolysis, 135 patients (64,2 %) had an inappropriate primary PCI (error in estimated time from STEMI diagnosis to PCI-mediated reperfusion (< 1 h)), which was associated with a higher rate of serious arrhythmias (11.1% vs 2.7% respectively, p = 0.035). Regardless of the group, if the strategy was primary PCI 22% of patients had angiography within 60 minutes after STEMI diagnosis. In this work, the temporal distance from the PCI room does not seem to be responsible for a more pejorative in-hospital outcomes, unlike the proportion of inappropriate primary PCI which increase serious arrhythmias. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article describes the case of a 55-year-old man who was admitted to the hospital after an episode of aphasia caused by transient ischemic attack and was found to have a left carotid artery near occlusion. A carotid endarterectomy was scheduled but he suffered from a heart attack causing arrhythmia and hypotension. He suffered an anoxic brain injury due to arrest and cardiopulmonary resuscitation and demonstrated brain edema. His family agreed to donate his kidneys following cardiac death.

Background: The purpose of this study is to investigate the additive benefit of Syntax II to Syntax I score in assessment of infarct size in patients with STEMI managed with primary PCI. Methods: This is a cross sectional study; enrolled 150 patients with acute STEMI who did primary PCI from June 2018 till January 2020 in the Catheterization laboratory of Cardiology department, Zagazig university Hospitals and Nasr City Insurance Hospital. History, physical examination, laboratory investigation, ECG, and transthoracic echocardiography were made for all cases. Infarct size was estimated from ECG, peak CK, CK MB, troponin, systolic function, and wall motion score index. Coronary angiography has been done then Syntax II and Syntax I scores were calculated. Results: Syntax II and Syntax I scores were calculated, and infarct size was predicted then compared to each other's and compared to many variables including DM, HTN, smoking, COPD, smoking and peripheral arterial disease. There was positive relationship between infarct size and high Syntax I and high Syntax II score with p <0.001 with more sensitivity and specificity with Syntax II score, also there was positive relationship between infarct size and DM, HTN and peripheral vascular disease with significant p value. Conclusion: In patients with STEMI who did primary PCI, Syntax II score was more predictive than Syntax I for evaluation of infarct size. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Despite the recent progress in percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI), a proportion of patients develop epicardial coronary artery reperfusion but not myocardial reperfusion after primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PPCI), known as no-reflow (NR). This study is conducted to identify simple clinical factors, laboratory, angiographic findings, and procedural features that predict no-reflow phenomenon (NR) in patients with STEMI who undergo PCI. Methods: We investigated a total of 444 patients who underwent PCI for acute STEMI in a Specialized medical hospital, at Mansoura university between January 2015 to April 2020 as a retrospective and prospective comparative cross-sectional study. Results: Longer total ischemic time, pathologic Q waves, absence of STsegment resolution≥50, higher CKMB, higher platelet distribution width(PDW), higher CHA2DS2-VASC risk score, lower EF %, low initial TIMI flow grade, lower myocardial blush grade, high thrombus grade, higher SYNTAX score, higher culprit lesion length, large vessel diameter, complex occlusion, increased number of infarct-related artery stents, the higher maximal inflation pressure of stent, pre-balloon dilatation and postballoon dilatation and higher contrast were found as significant predictors for the development of NR. The previous independent risk factors can correctly predict NR by 88.2% Conclusions: The NR predictors in this study might be useful in targeting patients who could benefit from aggressive pharmaco-invasive therapy. Prevention of NR is always better than treatment as the development of NR is associated with high morbidity and mortality rates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective. The study aimed to investigate the incidence and influencing factors of heart failure after 5 years of percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) for first acute myocardial infarction. Methods. A total of 1235 patients, diagnosed as acute myocardial infarction and treated with PCI in Beijing Anzhen Hospital, Capital Medical University, from January 1, 2014, to December 31, 2014, were enrolled. Based on the exclusion criteria, 671 patients were followed up to obtain echocardiographic results 5 years after the onset of myocardial infarction (from January 1, 2019, to December 31, 2019). Of 671 patients, 62 were lost to follow-up. Finally, 609 patients were recruited in this study. According to the results of the echocardiographic examination, patients were divided into a heart failure group (n = 97) (LVEF < 50%) and a nonheart failure group (n = 512) (LVEF ≥ 50%). The clinical characteristics were compared between the two groups, and the influencing factors of heart failure after 5 years of PCI in patients with acute myocardial infarction were analyzed using logistic regression and receiver-operating characteristic (ROC) analyses. Results. Of 609 patients, 97 had heart failure within 5 years after PCI for first myocardial infarction, with an incidence of 15.9%. Multivariate regression analysis finally examined the predictors related to the occurrence of heart failure, including age (aOR, 1.008; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.054–1.123; P ≤ 0.001), peak troponin I level (aOR, 1.020; 95% CI, 1.006–1.034; P = 0.004), left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) (during admission) (aOR, 0.908; 95% CI, 0.862–0.956; P ≤ 0.001), and left ventricular end-diastolic dimension (LVEDD) (at admission) (aOR, 1.136; 95% CI, 1.016–1.271; P = 0.025). Conclusion. In this study, the incidence of heart failure (LVEF < 50%) in patients with acute myocardial infarction who underwent PCI was 15.9% at a five-year follow up. Age, peak troponin I level, and LVEDD (at admission) were risk factors for heart failure, while LVEF (at admission) of patients during hospitalization was a protective factor for heart failure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: While management guidelines clearly indicate treatment algorithms for ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction, evidence behind treatment of other forms of acute coronary syndrome among diabetic patients has been inconclusive. This study examines diabetic patients with non ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (NSTEMI) who were subsequently treated conservatively or with an invasive approach.Methods: Diabetic patients admitted to our health network with NSTEMI between January 2013-2018 were identified. Data collected included demographics, treatment, survival, recurrence of myocardial infarction (MI), stroke and additional revascularization procedures. Historical data including comorbid factors present at time of NSTEMI and history of revascularization procedures were also collected.Results: A total of 357 patients met exclusion criteria. 172 were treated medically and 185 with PCI. A total of 78 deaths occurred over the five year observation period. 48 patients who were treated medically died while 30 patients treated with PCI died. After initial medical management, nine patients went on to require PCI while 19 patients treated with PCI required additional PCI. Recurrence of MI occurred in 19.8 % in medically managed patients and 18.6 % in patients who underwent PCI. Multivariable analysis was completed with the Kaplan-Meier method to estimate the survival function and Cox proportional-hazard models to investigate association between the variables and survival time.Conclusions: In this single center study, diabetic patients treated with PCI had lower rates of all-cause mortality over the five-year study period compared to medical management. There was no difference in stroke events, recurrent MI, or revascularization between the two groups although patients from the PCI group showed a trend towards higher risk for repeat interventions. Treatment selection bias remains the major limitation of this study and thus, the results of the comparison of therapeutic choices should be viewed as hypothesis generating. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We aimed to determine whether newly diagnosed atrial fibrillation (AF) predicted cardiovascular events and death after myocardial infarction (AMI) in a large nationwide cohort of patients. All Medicare beneficiaries aged >65 years who were discharged alive after a diagnosis of AMI between January 1, 2007 and December 31, 2008 were identified. Main exposure was a diagnosis of AF during admission or within 90 days after discharge. Primary outcome was a composite of recurrent AMI, stroke and all-cause mortality. Secondary outcomes were each of recurrent AMI, stroke and all-cause mortality. We used Cox proportional hazards regression to assess the relationship between AF and time-to-event outcomes with follow up ending at 3 years. Of 184,980 patients, 9.1 % had AF; 40.6 % were male; 82.8 % were non-Hispanic whites. Mean age was 79.1 ± 8.1 years. Overall, 15.7 % had subsequent AMI, 5.7 % had stroke and 43.9 % died during a mean follow up of 26.4 months. AF was associated with a significantly increased risk of the primary outcome (Hazard ratio (HR) = 1.10; 95 % confidence interval (CI): 1.07-1.12). AF was also separately associated with significantly increased risk of recurrent AMI (HR = 1.09; 95 % CI: 1.04-1.14), stroke (HR = 1.29; 95 % CI: 1.21-1.37), and death (HR = 1.09; 95 % CI: 1.06-1.12). Neither age, race nor sex modified the effects of AF on primary or secondary outcomes. In conclusion, AF is a significant predictor of adverse cardiovascular outcomes and mortality after AMI. Further studies are needed to understand mechanisms by which AF alters outcomes in survivors of AMI. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: There is limited data on the impact of chronic total occlusions (CTOs) on the outcomes of patients presenting with acute myocardial infarction (AMI) undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) in the contemporary era.Methods: We queried the National Inpatient Sample between October 2015 and December 2017 using the International Classification of Diseases, Tenth revision codes to identify hospitalized AMI patients undergoing PCI. A 1:1 propensity-score matched analysis was performed to compare in-hospital outcomes of patients with and without CTOs.Results: Among 576,760 admissions identified during the study period, 51,225(8.8 %) had CTO and 525,535 (91.1 %) did not. After 1:1 propensity-score matching, each matched group contained 51,210 admissions. In-hospital mortality was significantly higher in the CTO group compared with the non-CTO group (4.7 % vs 3 %, p < 0.0001). In the CTO group, hospital length of stay was longer (median 3 vs 2 days, p = 0.001) and lower percentage of patients were discharged to home (78.8 % vs 81.1 %, p < 0.0001), compared with the non-CTO group. Median cost of hospital stay was also higher in the CTO group compared with the non-CTO group ($20,921 vs $19,856, p < 0.0001).Conclusions: In this propensity-score matched analysis of a large US inpatient database, the presence of CTOs in AMI patients undergoing PCI identified a higher risk cohort with in higher in-hospital mortality, longer hospital length of stay and higher hospitalization cost. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: No-reflow (NR) phenomenon is one of the most feared complications after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) in the treatment of ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) due to its high morbidity and mortality. Objective: To describe the predictive factors for NR phenomenon in a group of subjects with STEMI treated with PCI. Method: One hundred and three cases of STEMI who underwent PCI. The subjects were divided according to the presence of NR phenomenon. In a multivariate analysis: age, gender, comorbidities, weight, and other clinical and laboratory parameters were studied as predictors of NR phenomenon were studied. Results: In this study, logistic regression analysis identified as independent factors for the development of NR phenomenon: baseline TIMI flow ≤ 2 (OR: 6.03; 95% CI, 0.9 to 11.8; p = 0.04), ER KDIGO ≥ 3 (OR: 3.49; 95%CI, 1.2 to 2.6; p = 0.02) and glucose level ≥ 180 mg/dL (OR:2.61; 95% CI, 1.0 to 2.4; p = 0.04). Conclusions: NR phenomenon continues to be a challenge for short and long-term morbidity and mortality in STEMI. The identified factors can be used for the stratification of cases with STEMI and risk of NR phenomenon prior to PCI. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hope is the most important source of coping in patients who have experienced acute cardiac events, and despair is considered an important cause of discontinued treatment and a threat to patients' mental health. This study aimed to determine the effectiveness of spiritual counseling on hope in patients with myocardial infarction over a two-month period. Fifty-six Iranian Muslim patients with myocardial infarction participated; participants were randomly allocated to either the intervention group (n = 28) or the control group (n = 28). The experiment group received three sessions of group spiritual counseling. The patients' hope was measured before intervention and immediately, one month, and two months after the intervention. The results indicated that no significant difference in hope was present between the intervention and control groups at baseline (Z = − 2.56, effect size = 0.75, P = 0.1). Significance between-group differences favoring the intervention group, however, were noted immediately post-intervention (Z = − 2.72, effect size = 0.91, P = 0.007), one month afterward (Z = − 6.22, effect size = 3.14, P < 0.001), and two months afterward (Z = − 6.10, effect size = 2.65, P < 0.001). Hope significantly improved in the intervention group during the study. Utilizing spiritual counseling as an effective non-aggressive form of treatment can improve hope among patients with myocardial infarction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Left ventricular thrombosis (LVT) is a common complication of acute ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI). This study attempted to synthesize the available evidence to understand the incidence and risk factors of LVT in acute STEMI patients undergoing primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI).Methods: We searched PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, and Web of Science for studies published from January 2001 to January 2022. The random-effects and fixed-effects model meta-analysis estimated pooled incidence, mean difference (MD), odds ratio (OR), and 95% confidence interval (CI). The Review Manager 5.4 software was used for meta-analysis performance.Results: The results of meta-analysis showed that the incidence of LVT in acute STEMI treated by primary PCI was 4% (95% CI [0.03, 0.05]), and the overall pooled incidence in patients with anterior STEMI was 10.0% (95% CI [0.07, 0.12]). Anterior STEMI (OR = 11.93, 95% CI [6.25, 22.78], p = 0.0003), left anterior descending-related infarct (OR = 6.85, 95% CI [3.70, 12.66], p < 0.00001), left ventricular wall motion abnormalities (OR = 7.53, 95% CI [3.18, 17.82], p < 0.00001), and lower post-PCI LVEF (MD = 13.78, 95% CI [12.15, 15.41], p < 0.00001) were risk factors for post-PCI LVT.Conclusion: The incidence of LVT after acute STEMI in the PCI era remains high. This study provides a preliminary overview of STEMI patients at risk for post-PCI LVT and will help the design of prospective randomized controlled trials for the management and prevention of LVT. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Magnesium Reabsorbable Scaffold (MRS), is the newest reabsorbable technology with low thrombogenicity, short scaffolding time and almost complete resorption at 12-months (95%). Preliminary 12-months data in selected patients has shown that safety and efficacy are comparable with second generation Drug Eluting Stent (DES). Magmaris Multicenter registry showed 1-and 2-years clinical outcome on the first patients suitable for MRS enrolled in 4 Italian centers.Methods: We evaluated 12- and 24-months clinical results in "real world" experience with Magnesium Reabosrbable Scaffold in terms of Target Lesion Failure (TLF) and scaffold thrombosis (ST). TLF is the primary endpoint and was defined as composite of cardiac mortality, target vessel myocardial infarction (MI), and ischemia-driven target lesion revascularization (ID-TLR). 4P's strategy (Patient/lesion selection, Pre-dilatation, Proper scaffold sizing and Post-dilatation) was strongly recommended. Dual Antiplatelet Therapy (DAPT) has been recommended for 12 months.Results: Data from 207 patients, including initial experience, have been collected. Patients were 83% male, 20% diabetic and Acute Coronary Syndrome (ACS) in 23%. Lesion type were A-B1 in 54% and B2C in 46%. 4P's strategy was respected in 94%. Procedural success was 98% (2% peri-procedural MI). Compliance at 12-months follow up was 97.6%, TLF rate was 5.4% (including 1 case of myocardial infarction with late scaffold thrombosis (ST), all patients were successfully treated with in-scaffold segment DES implantation). At 24-months compliance was 92.8% (192 patients) and TLF was 7.4%. In the period between 13 and 24 months only 4 patients had TLF (including 1 case of myocardial infarction, all patients were successfully treated with in-scaffold segment DES implantation). None of the patients died for a cardiac reason.Conclusion: Our 2-years results confirm safety and efficacy showed at 12-months, reinforcing long-term performance with only 2% rate of TLF increase and no ST after 1 year. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Despite promising results in clinical studies, the mechanism for the beneficial effects of allogenic cell-based therapies remains unclear. Macrophages are not only critical mediators of inflammation but also critical players in cardiac remodeling. We hypothesized that transplanted allogenic rat cardiac progenitor cells (rCPCs) augment T-regulatory cells which ultimately promote proliferation of M2 like macrophages by an as-yet undefined mechanism.Methods and Results: To test this hypothesis, we used crossover rat strains for exploring the mechanism of myocardial repair by allogenic CPCs. Human CPCs (hCPCs) were isolated from adult patients undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting, and rat CPCs (rCPCs) were isolated from male Wistar-Kyoto (WKY) rat hearts. Allogenic rCPCs suppressed the proliferation of T-cells observed in mixed lymphocyte reactions in vitro. Transplanted syngeneic or allogeneic rCPCs significantly increased cardiac function in a rat myocardial infarct (MI) model, whereas xenogeneic CPCs did not. Allogeneic rCPCs stimulated immunomodulatory responses by specifically increasing T-regulatory cells and M2 polarization, while maintaining their cardiac recovery potential and safety profile. Mechanistically, we confirmed the inactivation of NF-kB in Treg cells and increased M2 macrophages in the myocardium after MI by transplanted CPCs derived GDF15 and it's uptake by CD48 receptor on immune cells.Conclusion: Collectively, these findings strongly support the active immunomodulatory properties and robust therapeutic potential of allogenic CPCs in post-MI cardiac dysfunction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: The timing of sudden cardiac arrest (SCA) after myocardial infarction (MI) has been a subject of research because of the impact on preventive strategies. Currently, there is limited data on the risk of SCA in the immediate post revascularization period (≤48 h) in non-ST segment elevation myocardial infarction (NSTEMI).Methods: We retrospectively reviewed the electronic medical record system and identified patients who underwent revascularization for NSTEMI at Grady Memorial Hospital, Atlanta, Georgia between January 1st, 2014-December 31st, 2019. We selected patients who had SCA within 48 h of revascularization and evaluated their socio-demographic and inpatient characteristics and outcomes.Results: Sixteen (16) cases of SCA in the immediate post revascularization period (within 48 h) were identified and analyzed which corresponds to an incidence rate of 1.8% (n = 16/869). The mean age (SD) was 69 years (14.6) and 75% were males. On angiography, more than 80% of the patients had hemodynamically significant lesions in the left anterior descending arteries and its territories and 50% had multivessel disease. All 16 patients had at least one coronary artery with hemodynamically significant lesion and successfully underwent revascularization. Three-quarter of the patients had a shockable rhythm. The etiology of SCA was in-stent thrombosis in 25% of the patients, cardiogenic shock in 19%, acute respiratory failure in 13% and unknown in 44% of the cases. The 30-day mortality rate was 38%.Conclusion: The rate of SCA is high in the first 48 h after MI even with revascularization. Risk stratification for SCA during this critical period may improve outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The patient in case 1 was a 50-year-old man who presented to the emergency department of the local hospital with chest pain and syncope for 3 hours due to acute myocardial infarction. He underwent cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) followed by extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO), and intestinal perforation was detected on day 9. The patient in case 2 was a 58-year-old man who was admitted to the hospital with abdominal pain lasting for 3 days. He also required CPR and ECMO for cardiogenic shock, and intestinal perforation was identified on day 7 of ECMO. We believe that this case report will be important to alert clinicians to the possibility of this complication and to encourage early detection and intervention to improve prognosis. Conventionally, the gastrointestinal tract has received secondary attention in patients receiving ECMO support because the vital organs tend to be considered first. However, this case report illustrates the importance of monitoring gastrointestinal function in patients undergoing ECMO. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Guidelines recommend early coronary angiography (CA) in patients with non‐ST‐elevation myocardial infarction (NSTEMI) irrespective of age. However, elderly patients are less likely to be treated according to these guidelines due to their perceived high risk and medical comorbidities. Whether an invasive strategy is associated with improved survival in patients aged ≥85 years remains uncertain due to their exclusion from randomised trials. Aims: Patients were stratified based on whether they underwent invasive management with CA with a view to revascularisation versus conservative management. The primary outcome was long‐term mortality. Methods: Consecutive patients aged ≥85 years presenting to a tertiary centre with NSTEMI between 2008 and 2018 were included in this retrospective cohort study. Results: Of 7591 patients with NSTEMI, 1052 patients aged ≥85 years were included. Ninety‐nine (9.4%) patients underwent CA. Those undergoing CA were more likely to be younger, male, live independently, without mobility or cognitive issues (all P < 0.01). Overall, 495 (47%) patients died during a mean follow up of 1.3 ± 1 year. On Cox regression, after adjusting for age, pre‐morbid functional status, cognition and cardiovascular risk factors, invasive management was the strongest predictor for survival (hazard ratio 0.47; 95% confidence interval 0.26–0.85; P = 0.01). Invasive management was associated with a trend to increased risk of in‐hospital bleeding (6.1% vs 2.6%; P = 0.054) with no significant difference in stroke (2.0% vs 3.8%; P = 0.37). Conclusion: In patients aged ≥85 years who presented with NSTEMI, invasive management was associated with improved survival without significant differences in bleeding or stroke. A randomised controlled study assessing the efficacy and safety of invasive management in very elderly patients with NSTEMI is warranted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Acute myocardial infarction (AMI) following ischaemic heart disease (IHD) is associated with increased morbidity and mortality. The condition remains a management challenge in resource-constrained environments. This study analysed the management and outcomes of patients presenting with AMI at a district hospital in KwaZulu-Natal. Methods: A descriptive study that assessed hospital records of all patients diagnosed with AMI over a 2-year period (01 August 2016 to 31 July 2018). Data extracted recorded patient demographics, risk factors, timing of care, therapeutic interventions, follow up with cardiology and mortality of patients. Results: Of the 140 patients who were admitted with AMI, 96 hospital records were analysed. The mean (standard deviation [s.d.]) age of patients was 55.8 (±12.7) years. Smoking (73.5%) and hypertension (63.3%) were the most prevalent risk factors for patients with ST elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) in contrast to dyslipidaemia (70.2%) and hypertension (68.1%) in patients with non-ST elevation myocardial infarction (NSTEMI). Almost 49.5% of patients arrived at hospital more than 6 h after symptom onset. Three (12.5%) patients received thrombolytic therapy within the recommended 30-min time frame. The mean triage-to-needle time was 183 min -- range (3; 550). Median time to cardiology appointment was 93 days. The in-hospital mortality of 12 deaths considering 140 admissions was 8.6%. Conclusion: In a resource-constrained environment with multiple systemic challenges, in-hospital mortality is comparable to that in private sector conditions in South Africa. This entrenches the role of the family physician. There is need for more coordinated systems of care for AMI between district hospitals and tertiary referral centres. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Countries increasingly rely on competition among hospitals to improve health outcomes. However, there is limited empirical evidence on the effect of competition on health outcomes in Germany. We examined the effect of hospital competition on quality of care, which is assessed using health outcomes (risk-adjusted in-hospital and post-hospitalization mortality and cardiac-related readmissions), focusing on acute myocardial infarction (AMI) treatment. We obtained data on all hospital utilizations and mortality of 13.2% of the population from a large statutory health insurer and all AMI admission records from Diagnosis-Related Groups Statistic from 2015-19. We constructed the measures of hospital competition, which mitigates the possibility of endogeneity bias. The relationships between health outcomes and competition measures are estimated using linear probability models. Intense competition was associated with lower quality of care in terms of mortality and cardiac-related readmissions. Patients treated in hospitals facing high competition were 0.9 (1.2) percentage points more likely to die within 90 days (2 years) of admission, and 1.4 (1.6) percentage points more likely to be readmitted within 90 days (2 years) of discharge than patients treated in hospitals facing low competition. Our results indicate that hospital competition does not lead to better health outcomes for AMI patients in Germany. Therefore, additional measures are necessary to achieve quality improvement. • We examined the relationship between hospital competition and quality in Germany. • Health outcomes for acute myocardial infarction patients are examined. • We addressed the endogeneity in measuring hospital competition. • Hospital competition did not lead to better health outcomes. • Policies promoting hospital competition should be accompanied by additional measures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Shift work is associated with increased risk of acute myocardial infarction (AMI) and worsened prognosis. However, the mechanisms linking shift work and worsened prognosis in AMI remain unclear.Objectives: This study sought to investigate the impact of shift work on reperfusion injury, a major determinant of clinical outcomes in AMI.Methods: Study patient data were obtained from the database of the EARLY-MYO-CMR (Early Assessment of Myocardial Tissue Characteristics by CMR in STEMI) registry, which was a prospective, multicenter registry of patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) undergoing cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) imaging after reperfusion therapy. The primary endpoint was CMR-defined post-reperfusion infarct size. A secondary clinical endpoint was the composite of major adverse cardiac events (MACE) during follow-up. Potential mechanisms were explored with the use of preclinical animal AMI models.Results: Of 706 patients enrolled in the EARLY-MYO-CMR registry, 412 patients with STEMI were ultimately included. Shift work was associated with increased CMR-defined infarct size (β = 5.94%; 95% CI: 2.94-8.94; P < 0.0001). During a median follow-up of 5.0 years, shift work was associated with increased risks of MACE (adjusted HR: 1.92; 95% CI: 1.12-3.29; P = 0.017). Consistent with clinical findings, shift work simulation in mice and sheep significantly augmented reperfusion injury in AMI. Mechanism studies identified a novel nuclear receptor subfamily 1 group D member 1/cardiotrophin-like cytokine factor 1 axis in the heart that played a crucial role in mediating the detrimental effects of shift work on myocardial injury.Conclusions: The current study provided novel findings that shift work increases myocardial infarction reperfusion injury. It identified a novel nuclear receptor subfamily 1 group D member 1/cardiotrophin-like cytokine factor 1 axis in the heart that might play a crucial role in mediating this process. (Early Assessment of Myocardial Tissue Characteristics by CMR in STEMI [EARLY-MYO-CMR] registry; NCT03768453). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cardiovascular disease, especially coronary artery disease and stroke, kills around one-third of the world's population, and myocardial infarction, a primary symptom of coronary heart disease, is a major worldwide health problem. Cardiovascular disease research has historically focused on promoting angiogenesis following myocardial damage. Myocardial vascular repair is crucial for improving myocardial infarction prognosis. Endothelial cells, the largest population of nonmyocytes within myocardial tissue, play an important role in angiogenesis. In recent years, different types of programmed cell death such as apoptosis, necroptosis, pyroptosis, ferroptosis, and autophagy have been described and found to be linked with cardiovascular diseases such as myocardial infarction, heart failure, and myocarditis. This will have important implications for reforming the treatment strategy of cardiovascular diseases. Different types of cell death of endothelial cells in myocardial infarction have been proposed, the roles and mechanisms of endothelial cell death in myocardial infarction are summarized in this review, and endothelial cell death inhibition as a therapeutic technique for treating myocardial infarction might be advantageous to human health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although stem cell transplantation and single-gene therapy have been intensively discussed separately as treatments for myocardial infarction (MI) hearts and have exhibited ideal therapeutic efficiency in animal models, clinical trials turned out to be disappointing. Here, we deliver sarcoplasmic reticulum Ca2+-ATPase 2a (SERCA2a) and connexin 43 (Cx43) genes simultaneously via an ultrasound-targeted microbubble destruction (UTMD) approach to chronic MI hearts that have been pre-treated with bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) to amplify cardiac repair. First, biotinylated microbubbles (BMBs) were fabricated, and biotinylated recombinant adenoviruses carrying the SERCA2a or Cx43 gene were conjugated to the surface of self-assembled BMBs to form SERCA2a-BMBs, Cx43-BMBs or dual gene-loaded BMBs. Then, the general characteristics of these bubbles, including particle size, concentration, contrast signal and gene loading capacity, were examined. Second, a rat myocardial infarction model was created by ligating the left anterior descending coronary artery and injecting BMSCs into the infarct and border zones. Four weeks later, co-delivery of SERCA2a and Cx43 genes to the infarcted heart were delivered together to the infarcted heart using the UTMD approach. Cardiac mechano-electrical function was determined 4 wk after gene transfection, and the infarcted hearts were collected for myocardial infarct size measurement and detection of expression of SERCA2a, Cx43 and cardiac-specific markers. Finally, to validate the role of BMSC transplantation, MI rats transplanted or not with BMSCs were transfected with SERCA2a and Cx43, and the cardiac mechano-electrical function of these two groups of rats was recorded and compared. General characteristics of the self-assembled gene-loaded BMBs were qualified, and the gene loading rate was satisfactory. The self-assembled gene-loaded BMBs were in microscale and exhibit satisfactory dual-gene loading capacity. High transfection efficiency was achieved under ultrasound irradiation in vitro. In addition, rats in which SERCA2a and Cx43 were overexpressed simultaneously had the best contractile function and electrical stability among all experimental groups. Immunofluorescence assay revealed that the levels of SERCA2a and/or Cx43 proteins were significantly elevated, especially in the border zone. Moreover, compared with rats that did not receive BMSCs, rats pre-treated with BMSCs have better mechano-electrical function after transfection with SERCA2a and Cx43. Collectively, we report a promising cardiac repair strategy for post-MI hearts that exploits the providential advantages of stem cell therapy and UTMD-mediated localized co-delivery of specific genes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This historical note focuses on contributions to the concepts, design, methods, and conduct of clinical trials from the 1960s planning and findings of a feasibility study that was little reported and largely unrecognized: the Pilot Study of Prescribed Physical Activity for the Primary Prevention of Ischemic Heart Disease (1963–1968). In contrast, complementary findings from the 1960s National Diet-Heart Feasibility Study (1962–1968) were fully reported, widely recognized, and well-analyzed by historians in context of the rapid evolution in chronic disease epidemiology and clinical trials following World War II. The experience of these thoughtfully planned and rigorously conducted pilot studies changed the career paths of their planners and investigators and shaped the form and direction of subsequent research on the causes, treatment, and prevention of heart attack. The 2 studies were both fruit and seed of a consortium of experts that evolved in reaction to new questions and findings about the midcentury coronary disease epidemic. The contributions of each study, and of this broader academy of pioneer thinkers, are essential elements in the history of cardiovascular disease epidemiology, prevention research, and health policy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The regenerative capacity of the heart after myocardial infarction is limited. Our previous study showed that ectopic introduction of 4 cell cycle factors (4F; CDK1 [cyclin-dependent kinase 1], CDK4 [cyclin-dependent kinase 4], CCNB [cyclin B1], and CCND [cyclin D1]) promotes cardiomyocyte proliferation in 15% to 20% of infected cardiomyocytes in vitro and in vivo and improves cardiac function after myocardial infarction in mice.Methods: Using temporal single-cell RNA sequencing, we aimed to identify the necessary reprogramming stages during the forced cardiomyocyte proliferation with 4F on a single cell basis. Using rat and pig models of ischemic heart failure, we aimed to start the first preclinical testing to introduce 4F gene therapy as a candidate for the treatment of ischemia-induced heart failure.Results: Temporal bulk and single-cell RNA sequencing and further biochemical validations of mature human induced pluripotent stem cell-derived cardiomyocytes treated with either LacZ or 4F adenoviruses revealed full cell cycle reprogramming in 15% of the cardiomyocyte population at 48 hours after infection with 4F, which was associated mainly with sarcomere disassembly and metabolic reprogramming (n=3/time point/group). Transient overexpression of 4F, specifically in cardiomyocytes, was achieved using a polycistronic nonintegrating lentivirus (NIL) encoding 4F; each is driven by a TNNT2 (cardiac troponin T isoform 2) promoter (TNNT2-4Fpolycistronic-NIL). TNNT2-4Fpolycistronic-NIL or control virus was injected intramyocardially 1 week after myocardial infarction in rats (n=10/group) or pigs (n=6-7/group). Four weeks after injection, TNNT2-4Fpolycistronic-NIL-treated animals showed significant improvement in left ventricular ejection fraction and scar size compared with the control virus-treated animals. At 4 months after treatment, rats that received TNNT2-4Fpolycistronic-NIL still showed a sustained improvement in cardiac function and no obvious development of cardiac arrhythmias or systemic tumorigenesis (n=10/group).Conclusions: This study provides mechanistic insights into the process of forced cardiomyocyte proliferation and advances the clinical feasibility of this approach by minimizing the oncogenic potential of the cell cycle factors owing to the use of a novel transient and cardiomyocyte-specific viral construct. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background. Recurrent myocardial infarction is associated with increased mortality. Risk and predictive factors of recurrent myocardial infarction in elderly patients after coronary stenting are not well known. This research sought to investigate the effects of proinflammatory cytokines and toll-like receptor on recurrent myocardial infarction after coronary stenting in elderly patients. Methods. We measured the levels of toll-like receptor 2 (TLR2), toll-like receptor 3 (TLR3), toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), soluble tumor necrosis factor-α receptor-1 (sTNFR-1), soluble tumor necrosis factor-α receptor-2 (sTNFR-2), endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs), and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) in elderly patients with recurrent myocardial infarction and assessed the changes of proinflammatory cytokines and toll-like receptors in elderly patients with recurrent myocardial infarction after coronary stenting. Results. Levels of TLR2, TLR3, TLR4, TNF-α, sTNFR-1, and sTNFR-2 were remarkably increased (P < 0.001), and EPCs and VEGF were remarkably lowered (P < 0.001) in the elderly patients with recurrent myocardial infarction after coronary stent implantation. Increased expressions of proinflammatory cytokines and toll-like receptors induced recurrent myocardial infarction after coronary stenting. Elevated expressions of proinflammatory cytokines and toll-like receptors may be used to identify elderly patients who have an increased risk of developing recurrent myocardial infarction after coronary stenting. Conclusion. The increase levels of proinflammatory cytokines and toll-like receptors were associated with recurrent myocardial infarction after coronary stenting. Increased expressions of proinflammatory cytokines and toll-like receptors may be clinically useful biomarkers for predicting recurrent myocardial infarction in the elderly patients after coronary stent implantation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Type 2 myocardial infarction (MI) is characterised by a functional imbalance between myocardial oxygen supply and demand in the absence of a thrombotic process, leading to myocardial necrosis. This type of MI was relatively unknown among clinicians until the third universal definition of MI was published in 2017, differentiating Type 2 from Type 1 MI, which follows an acute atherothrombotic event. The pathogenesis, diagnostic and therapeutic aspects of Type 2 MI are described in the present review. Type 2 MI is a condition that is strongly linked to age because of vascular ageing concerning both epicardic vessels and microcirculation, age-related atherosclerosis and stress maladaptation. This condition predominantly affects multimorbid individuals with a history of cardiovascular disease. However, the conditions that lead to the functional imbalance between oxygen supply and demand are frequently extra-cardiac (e.g. pneumonia or anaemia). The great heterogeneity of the underlying etiological factors requires a comprehensive approach that is tailored to each case. In the absence of evidence for the benefit of invasive reperfusion strategies, the treatment of Type 2 MI remains to date essentially based on the restoration of the balance between oxygen supply and demand. For older co-morbid patients with Type 2 MI, geriatricians and cardiologists need to work together to optimise etiological investigations, treatment and prevention of predisposing conditions and precipitating factors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and aims: The activation of inflammatory reactions is essential immediately after the onset of myocardial infarction (MI). On the other hand, the path of inflammatory activators should be controlled to prevent the recurrence of MI. In this vein, the aim of this study was to examine the effect of eight weeks of interval training and quercetin nanoliposome consumption on nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB) and fibroblast growth factor 2 (FGF-2) gene expression in the heart tissue of MI rats. Methods: In this experimental study, 30 male rats, aged approximately 6-8 weeks, were randomly divided into five groups including MI + training, MI + supplement, MI + training + supplement, healthy control, and MI. The MI was induced by the subcutaneous injection of isoprenaline hydrochloride at a dose of 80 mg/kg. Quercetin was daily administered at a dose of 0.25 mg for 8 weeks, and interval training was performed 5 days a week. NF-κB and FGF-2 gene expressions were measured by the real-time polymerase chain reaction. Finally, data were analyzed using the one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) and Tukey’s post hoc tests (P<0.05). Results: Training significantly increased NF-κB gene expression in the MI+ training, MI + supplement, and MI + training + supplement groups (P=0.001) while significantly decreasing FGF-2 gene expression in the MI group (P=0.04). Conclusion: Interval training may prevent the negative effects of MI by reducing pro-inflammatory gene expression in the heart tissue, leading to improved cardiovascular function and the prevention of this disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: There have been limited large scale studies assessing sex disparities in the outcomes of cardiac arrest (CA) complicating acute myocardial infarction (AMI).Methods and Results: Using the National Inpatient Sample (2000-2017), we identified adult admissions (≥18 years) with AMI and CA. Outcomes of interest included sex disparities in coronary angiography (early [hospital day zero] and overall), time to angiography, percutaneous coronary angiography (PCI), mechanical circulatory support (MCS) use, in-hospital mortality, hospitalization costs, hospital length of stay and discharge disposition. In the period between January 1, 2000-December 31, 2017, 11,622,528 admissions for AMI were identified, of which 584,216 (5.0%) were complicated by CA. Men had a higher frequency of CA compared to women (5.4% vs. 4.4%; p < 0.001). Women were on average older (70.4 ± 13.6 vs 65.0 ± 13.1 years), of black race (12.6% vs 7.9%), with higher comorbidity, presenting with non-ST-segment-elevation AMI (36.4% vs 32.3%) and had a non-shockable rhythm (47.6% vs 33.3%); all p < 0.001. Women received less frequent coronary angiography (56.0% vs 66.2%), early coronary angiography (32.0% vs 40.2%), PCI (40.4% vs 49.7%), MCS (17.6% vs 22.0%), and CABG (8.3% vs 10.8%), with a longer median time to angiography (all p < 0.001). Women had higher in-hospital mortality (52.6% vs 40.6%, adjusted odds ratio 1.13 [95% confidence interval 1.11-1.14]; p < 0.001), shorter length of hospital stays, lower hospitalization costs and less frequent discharges to home.Conclusion: Despite no difference in guideline recommendations for men and women with AMI-CA, there appears to be a systematic difference in the use of evidence-based care that disadvantages women. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Biodegradable polymer drug eluting stents (BP-DES) may offer the advantage of vascular healing in ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI). Long-term outcome data comparing BP-DES and second-generation durable polymer drug eluting stents (DP-DES) in STEMI is lacking. This study aims to compare the long-term clinical outcomes of BP-DES versus second-generation DP-DES in STEMI.Methods: This is an observational study of consecutive patients with STEMI who received either BP-DES (n = 854) or DP-DES (n = 708) during primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) from 1st February 2007 to 31st December 2016. The primary outcome was target lesion failure (TLF), a composite of cardiac death, target vessel myocardial infarction (MI), and target lesion revascularization with follow up till 30th November 2019.Results: The baseline demographics, lesion and procedural characteristic were similar between the two groups except for more prior MI and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease in the BP-DES group. At a median follow up of 4.2 years (interquartile range: 2.6-6.2 years), the incidence of TLF was similar between BP-DES and DP-DES (adjusted hazard ratio [HR] 0.94, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.70-1.26). Likewise, incidence of major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE: all-cause death, any MI or target vessel revascularization) and definite stent thrombosis were similar in both groups (MACE: adjusted HR 1.04, 95% CI 0.82-1.32; definite stent thrombosis: adjusted HR 1.06, 95% CI 0.31-3.64).Conclusion: Among patients with STEMI who underwent primary PCI, BP-DES and DP-DES implantation was associated with similar long-term clinical outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: U.S. policy efforts have focused on reducing rural-urban health inequities. However, it is unclear whether gaps in care and outcomes remain among older adults with acute cardiovascular conditions.Objectives: This study aims to evaluate rural-urban differences in procedural care and mortality for acute myocardial infarction (AMI), heart failure (HF), and ischemic stroke.Methods: This is a retrospective cross-sectional study of Medicare fee-for-service beneficiaries aged ≥65 years with acute cardiovascular conditions from 2016 to 2018. Cox proportional hazards models with random hospital intercepts were fit to examine the association of presenting to a rural (vs urban) hospital and 30- and 90-day patient-level mortality.Results: There were 2,182,903 Medicare patients hospitalized with AMI, HF, or ischemic stroke from 2016 to 2018. Patients with AMI were less likely to undergo cardiac catherization (49.7% vs 63.6%, P < 0.001), percutaneous coronary intervention (42.1% vs 45.7%, P < 0.001) or coronary artery bypass graft (9.0% vs 10.2%, P < 0.001) within 30 days at rural versus urban hospitals. Thrombolysis rates (3.1% vs 10.1%, P < 0.001) and endovascular therapy (1.8% vs 3.6%, P < 0.001) for ischemic stroke were lower at rural hospitals. After adjustment for demographics and clinical comorbidities, the 30-day mortality HR was significantly higher among patients presenting to rural hospitals for AMI (HR: 1.10, 95% CI: 1.08 to 1.12), HF (HR: 1.15; 95% CI: 1.13 to 1.16), and ischemic stroke (HR: 1.20; 95% CI: 1.18 to 1.22), with similar patterns at 90 days. These differences were most pronounced for the subset of critical access hospitals that serve remote, rural areas.Conclusions: Clinical, public health, and policy efforts are needed to improve rural-urban gaps in care and outcomes for acute cardiovascular conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background & Aims: Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of one-third of all deaths worldwide, and by 2030 it will account for more than 30.5% of all deaths. Myocardial infarction (MI) is one of the most common causes of this disease. Different biomarkers are involved in these diseases, which lead to this complication by causing structural and molecular changes in heart cells and extracellular matrix. Numerous studies have shown an association between stress and cardiovascular disease. Stress increases the secretion of catecholamine’s and corticosteroids from the endocrine glands, and consequently high levels of these hormones potentially increase the risk of cardiovascular disease. MI necrosis stimulates the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis (HPA) and, as a stressor, increases cortisol (CORT) and catecholamine levels. High elevated CORT levels lead to higher mortality in MI patients. Stress reduces myocardial blood flow by increasing oxygen demand, increasing vascular resistance, and coronary artery contraction, and is a risk factor for cardiovascular patients. On the other hand, exercise has been an effective stimulant on the HPA axis and leads to increased secretion of adrenocorticotropin from the pituitary gland, which is the most important factor in the secretion of CORT. In sports activity studies, it significantly reduces CORT levels. Evidence also suggests that there is a direct relationship between CORT and cardiac troponin-I (cTnI) levels in patients with MI. Troponin is one of the most sensitive proteins in the diagnosis of MI damage. cTnI is more specific than the other two components due to the presence of 31 amino acids in its N-terminus and cTnI levels increase rapidly after the onset of myocardial injury, which can also occur in intense long-term and short-term continuous exercise. This has not been observed in some studies and exercise results in different responses in CORT and cTnI secretion. One of the non-clinical methods along with exercise is the use of electrical stimulation (ES) in the rehabilitation of cardiovascular patients. ES has also been shown to be used as a new and effective modality in the treatment of ischemia. Few studies have been performed on the effect of endurance training and electrical stimulation. On the one hand, little research has been done more on healthy people and so far the effect of endurance training and ES on changes in CORT and cTnI in infarction samples has not been investigated. Therefore, the present study aimed to determine changes in serum levels of troponin-I and CORT after a period of endurance training and electrical stimulation in infarcted rats as a problem can be proposed. The aim of this study was to determine the efficacy of troponin-I and CORT levels in rats induced myocardial infarction after a period of endurance training and acute electrical stimulation. Methods: In this experimental study, 50 Wistar rats (8 weeks old to weighing 130±30 g) purchased from Pasteur Institute were used with the control group. After adaptation to the standard research environment, the animals were randomly divided into 5 groups: healthy, infarction, infarction-endurance training, infarction-electrical stimulation and infarction-electrical stimulation-endurance training. Myocardial infarction was then induced in two infarct groups using two subcutaneous injections of Isoproterenol (150 mg/kg) 24 hours apart. Forty-eight hours after the last injection, several rats from each group were randomly selected and subjected to experimental conditions to ensure induction of infarction. Electrocardiographic changes and increased cardiac enzyme cTnI confirmed the complication of infarction. The intervention groups were exposed to electrical stimulation for one session (foot shock device for 0.5 mA for 20 minutes) and endurance training (treadmill at 20 m/min for 1 hour). Immediately after the protocol, they were anesthetized and killed with a combination of ketamine and xylazine, and blood samples were taken. Then, serum levels of CORT and cTnI of the samples were evaluated in the laboratory by ELISA method according to the instructions of the manufacturer of kits of Eastbiofarm China. After examining the normal distribution of data, one-way ANOVA and Tukey post hoc tests were used to analyze it at a significance level of P <0.05. Results: The results showed that serum CORT levels in rats had a statistically significant difference between the healthy group and all groups (P=0.0001 with F=15.1). Also, CORT levels showed statistically significant differences between MI and MI.EX (P=0.008 and F= 5.2), MI and MI.ES (P=0.032 and F = 4.4) and MI with MI.EX.ES (P=0.044 and F=4.4). In different circumstances, Tukey test did not show a statistically significant difference between MI.EX and MI.ES groups (P=0.980 and F=0.8) and MI.ES with MI.EX.ES (P=0.982 and F=0.1). The results showed that cTnI levels in healthy rats were significantly different from all groups (P=0.0001 with F=26.3). Also, cTnI levels were significantly different between MI and MI.EX groups (P=0.013 with F=4.9). On the other hand, the difference between MI groups with MI.ES (P=0.476 and F=2.3) and MI.EX.ES (P=0.094 and F=3.7) was not significant. Also, Tukey post hoc test did not show significant differences between MI.EX and MI.ES groups (P=0.390 and F=2.5), MI.ES with MI.ES (P=0.911 and F=1.2) and MI.ES with MI.EX.ES (P=0.833 and F=1.3). Conclusion: The results of the present study show that one endurance training session significantly reduces CORT and cTnI levels in infarct specimens. In this regard, Klapersky et al. Showed a significant reduction in serum CORT levels after endurance training. In contrast to the present study, Zhu et al. showed that acute aerobic exercise increases CORT levels in both males and females. The reason for the discrepancy between these studies and the present study was the difference in the intensity of physical activity. In the present study, the intensity of exercise was about 55% VO2max and was of moderate intensity. It has already been shown that moderate and low intensity physical activity does not cause significant changes in CORT, but high intensity physical activity stimulates the HPA axis. It may be followed by an increase in CORT. In this study, a significant decrease in cTnI levels was shown after one endurance training session in infarcted rats. Consistent with the results of the present study, Marefati et al. Showed that moderate-intensity interval training significantly reduced serum cTnI levels in ischemic rats, indicating a protective role of this type of exercise against ischemic injury. In contrast to this study, Nuano et al. showed that exercise significantly increased cTnI levels in rats with myocardial ischemia. The increase in cTnI secretion after intense and prolonged activity has not been accurately identified, but this increase may be due to oxidative stress, hypoxia, unstable secretion due to cytosolic leakage due to ischemia, changes in cell permeability and membrane permeability. Also, the difference in the measurement of cTnI level can be another reason for the contradiction of the mentioned studies with this research. The results of the present study showed that induction of ES in myocardial infarction rats significantly reduced CORT levels. In contrast to the present study, Digit et al. Investigated the acute and chronic effects of ES through death shock (0.8 mA and 20 min) on rats and showed that CORT levels increased significantly. The inconsistency may be due to differences in the intensity and duration of induced electrical stimulation in the study samples. The results of ES intervention on cTnI levels of infarcted rats did not show a significant difference. Other results of this study showed that the combined effect of endurance training with ES significantly reduced CORT values in all study groups compared to MI. But changes in cTnI in the endurance training group with ES were not significant compared to the MI group. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Limited studies have evaluated regional disparities in the care of acute myocardial infarction (AMI) patients with cardiac arrest (CA). This study sought to evaluate 18-year national trends, resource utilization, and geographical variation in outcomes in AMI-CA admissions.Methods and Results: Using the National Inpatient Sample (2000-2017), we identified adults with AMI and concomitant CA admitted to the United States census regions of Northeast, Midwest, South, and West. Clinical outcomes of interest included in-hospital mortality, use of coronary angiography, percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI), mechanical circulatory support (MCS), hospitalization costs and length of stay. Of 9,680,257 admissions for AMI, 494,083 (5.1%) had concomitant CA. The West (6.0%) had higher prevalence compared to the Northeast (4.4%), Midwest (5.0%), and South (5.1%), p < 0.001. Admissions in the West had higher rates of STEMI, cardiogenic shock, multiorgan failure, mechanical ventilation, and hemodialysis. Northeast admissions had lower use of coronary angiography (52.0% vs. 67.9% vs. 60.9% vs. 61.5%), PCI (38.7% vs. 51.9% vs. 44.8% vs. 46.7%), and MCS (18.4% vs. 21.8% vs. 18.1%, vs. 20.0%) compared to the Midwest, West and South (all p < 0.001). Compared with the Northeast, adjusted in-hospital mortality was higher in the Midwest (odds ratio [OR] 1.06 [95% confidence interval {CI} 1.03-1.08]), South (OR 1.11 [95% CI 1.09-1.13]) and highest in the West (OR 1.16 [95% CI 1.13-1.18]), all p < 0.001. Temporal trends showed a decline in in-hospital mortality except in the West, which showed a slight increase.Conclusions: There remain significant regional disparities in the management and outcomes of AMI-CA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Acute myocardial infarction complicated by cardiogenic shock (AMICS) is associated with high mortality rates. Data has shown that intra-aortic balloon pump (IABP) support does not provide a survival benefit over optimal medical therapy in AMICS. Despite lack of supportive evidence, IABP is still commonly used in these clinical situations. The Impella percutaneous ventricular assist device (PVAD) (Abiomed, Denver, MA) rapidly deploys superior mechanical circulatory support (MCS) in patients with AMICS. However, the safety and efficacy of Impella in AMICS is a matter of ongoing investigation, and its role in AMICS management is not yet fully established.Methods: The databases of Pubmed, EMBASE and Cochrane Central databases were searched from inception to March 2020. Relevant randomized trials and observational studies comparing Impella versus IABP in AMICS were identified and a meta-analysis was performed using the random effect model. The efficacy endpoint of interest was short-term mortality (defined as in-hospital or 30-day mortality). The safety endpoints of interest were major bleeding, limb complications, stroke and hemolysis.Results: A total of 2 randomized trials and 5 observational studies with 3921 patients were included. No difference in short-term mortality between the two groups [RR 1.08, 95% CI 0.87-1.33, P = 0.49] was found. For safety endpoints, Impella was associated with significantly higher incidence of major bleeding [RR: 2.03, 95% CI 1.56-2.64, P < 0.0001], limb complications [RR: 3.67, 95% CI 1.56-8.65, P = 0.003] as well as hemolysis [RR: 9.46, 95% CI 1.75-51.22, P = 0.009] compared with IABP. No significant difference was observed for the incidence of stroke [RR: 1.07 95% CI 0.34-3.31 P = 0.91].Conclusion: Impella support in AMICS patients was associated with a significantly increased risk of bleeding, limb complications and hemolysis without an improved short-term survival advantage compared with IABP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article focuses on recent updates in medical practices. Topics include a liberal transfusion strategy for acute myocardial infarction, risk stratification for colorectal cancer screening and postpolypectomy surveillance, and the association between adult-onset Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and dementia.

Background: Despite of restoring epicardial infarct‐related artery(IRA) patency after myocardial infarction, microvascular reperfusion were not achieved sometimes, and the deterioration of myocardial perfusion persists in a considerable number of patients. This phenomenon is known as microvascular obstruction (MVO). MVO is often observed in ST‐Segment Elevation Myocardial Infarction(STEMI) patients, even if percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) was successful. In addition, some evidence has indicated that the presence of MVO predicted poor clinical outcomes independent of myocardial infarct size. Noninvasive as well as invasive modes for assessing microvascular perfusion(MVP) are complex, time consuming, and expensive have, there is yet no simple method available at present to assess coronary microcirculation. In this research, we attempt to evaluate the usefulness of left ventricular myocardial work (LVMW), a new index of myocardial performance, for the assessment of MVP in STEMI patients after PCI. Methods: Forty‐seven patients with STEMI treated by PCI were enrolled and underwent a transthoracic doppler echocardiography (TTE) within 24–72 hours after PCI. IRA were left anterior descending (LAD) artery (29,62%), left circumflex (LCX) artery(9,19%), right coronary artery (RCA) (9,19%) respectively. Myocardial contrast echocardiography (MCE) was used to evaluate MVP after PCI, then perfusion score index (PSI) was calculated referring to whether the ultrasonic enhancing agents was replenishment or not. Patients were divided into normal MVP and impaired MVP group according to PSI. Left ventricular global longitudinal strain (GLS) was generated by speckle tracking echocardiography(STE) and pressure‐strain loops (PSLs) was used to generate global work index (GWI), global constructive work (GCW), global wasted work (GWW), and global work efficiency (GWE). GLS and the MW parameters (GWI, GCW, GWW, GWE) were compared between groups. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were calculated by plotting sensitivity versus (1‐specificity), allowing calculation of the area under the curve (AUC) and the identification of LVMW parameters and GLS cutoff thresholds that best identify STEMI patients with impaired MVP after PCI. Results: In this study, a statistically significant difference was observed in GWI (1163±405 mm Hg% vs 1617±363 mm Hg%), GCW (1296±430 mm Hg% vs 1789±406 mm Hg%), GWE (83±8.52% vs 90±5.58%) and GLS (11.56±3.29 vs 16.65±3.59) between impaired MVP group and normal MVP group. However, there is no statistical significance difference in left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF), and GWW. ROC analysis revealed that GCW (cut‐off value: 1326 mm Hg%, AUC:.80, sensitivity: 95% and specificity: 56%), GWI (cut‐off value: 1281 mm Hg%, AUC:.81, sensitivity: 90% and specificity: 70%), GWE (cut‐off value: 90%, AUC:.77, sensitivity: 65% and specificity: 78%) and GLS (cut‐off value: 12.5, AUC:.86, sensitivity: 90% and specificity: 67%) have appreciable AUC, sensitivity, and specificity to identify STEMI patients with impaired MVP after PCI. Conclusion: Measuring LVMW indices of STEMI patients after PCI may add adjuvant value for the assessment of MVP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background. The prognostic significance of the amino-terminal fragment of the prohormone brain-type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) in patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) has not been fully elucidated. Major adverse cardiovascular events (MACEs) are clinically viable indicators for the accurate, rapid, and safe evaluation of patients with STEMI. This study was designed to investigate the relationship between NT-proBNP levels and the occurrence of short-term MACEs in patients with STEMI who underwent emergency PCI. Methods. This prospective cohort study included 405 patients with STEMI aged 20–90 years who underwent emergency PCI at the First People's Hospital of Changde City from April 6, 2017, to May 31, 2019. Stent thrombosis, reinfarction, congestive heart failure, unstable angina, and cardiac death were considered as MACEs in this study. The target-independent and -dependent variables were NT-proBNP at baseline and MACE, respectively. Results. There were 28.25% of MACEs. Age, number of implanted stents, Killip class, infarction-related artery, applied intra-aortic balloon pump (IABP), creatine kinase (CK) peak value, CK-MB peak value, TnI peak value, and ST-segment resolution were independently associated with MACE (P < 0.05). In a multivariate model, after adjusting all potential covariates, Log2 NT-proBNP levels remained significantly associated with MACE, with an inflection point of 11.66. The effect sizes and confidence intervals of the left and right sides of the inflection point were 1.07 and 0.84–1.36 (P = 0.5730) and 3.47 and 2.06–5.85 (P < 0.0001), respectively. Conclusions. In patients with STEMI who underwent PCI, Log2 NT-proBNP was positively correlated with MACE within 1 month when the Log2 NT-proBNP was >11.66 (NT-proBNP >3.236 pg/mL). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Right ventricular involvement (RVMI) is a relatively frequent complication in patients developing ST-elevation acute myocardial infarction. The initial diagnosis is most often established using electrocardiography or echocardiography. The gold standard among imaging techniques is cardiac magnetic resonance, which allows to distinguish between reversible and irreversible myocardial damage. The key treatment strategy is emergent revascularization by primary percutaneous coronary intervention whereas patients with hypotension and cardiogenic shock due to the RVMI require fluid replacement and catecholamine therapy. In cases where the shock state progresses despite an adequate management, short- or, possibly, long-term mechanical assist device should be implanted either percutaneously or surgically. Despite appreciable advances in the diagnosis and management, RVMI remains an independent predictor of early as well as late complications (Fig. 6, Ref. 62). Text in PDF www.elis.sk [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Acute myocardial infarction caused by a bronchogenic cyst is a very rare pathology. It occurs as a result of external compression of the coronary artery by the cyst, leading to myocardial ischemia. The present case illustrates that a bronchogenic cyst, which is generally considered to be a chronic disease entity with gradual onset of symptoms, can manifest acutely as a life‐threatening condition. Timely invasive coronary intervention is critical in the acute management of this complication while multimodality imaging assessment is essential in the subsequent management of the underlying etiology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]