Heart and vessels
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Although cisplatin is indispensable for the chemotherapy treatment of many malignancies, cisplatin-associated thrombosis is attracting increasing attention. However, experience of primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) and intravascular ultrasound imaging (IVUS) for coronary thrombosis, possibly due to cisplatin-based chemotherapy, has been limited. Case 1 with postoperative gastric cancer developed acute myocardial infarction (AMI) on the sixth day of the second chemotherapy course with conventional doses of cisplatin and tegafur gimeracil oteracil potassium. ⋯ Emergency CAG delineated a total occlusion in the proximal right coronary artery. In both cases, thrombectomy using aspiration catheter alone obtained optimal angiographic results and subsequent IVUS revealed no definite atherosclerotic plaque, while slow flow still remained even after selective intra-coronary infusion of vasodilator in the case 1. These cases suggest that primary PCI using thrombus-aspiration catheter might be safe and effective for coronary thrombosis due to cisplatin-based chemotherapy.
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Midregional proadrenomedullin (MR-proADM) is elevated in patients with heart failure and myocardial infarction. The aim of this study was to evaluate the association of MR-proADM with the grade of coronary artery stenosis, presence of coronary artery soft plaques and coronary artery calcification score (CACS), determined by 64-multislice computed tomography (MSCT) in patients without known prior cardiovascular disease. This retrospective study included 107 patients undergoing MSCT for confirmation (or exclusion) of coronary artery disease. ⋯ In multivariate analysis, the MR-proADM level was a significant correlate of coronary artery stenoses [odds ratio (OR) = 0.93; 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.86-0.99; P = 0.026] and soft plaques (OR = 0.94; 95% CI 0.90-0.99; P = 0.015) but not of CACS (OR = 0.98; 95% CI 0.93-1.03; P = 0.36). A decreased MR-proADM level is an independent correlate of the presence of coronary artery disease and of soft atherosclerotic plaques. Patients with decreased MR-proADM levels may need invasive examinations to diagnose more severe forms of coronary artery disease.
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Retracted Publication
Transcatheter closure of perimembranous ventricular septal defects (VSD) with VSD occluder: early and mid-term results.
Results of perimembranous ventricular septal defects (pmVSD) transcatheter closure have been reported in the literature, mostly with the Amplatzer VSD device (muscular or eccentric) (AGA Medical Corp., Golden Valley, MN, USA). However, the data of percutaneous closure of pmVSD with VSD occluder (VSD-O) made in China are still limited. We sought to analyze the safety, efficacy, and follow-up results of percutaneous closure of pmVSD with VSD-O made in China. ⋯ Percutaneous pmVSD closure used VSD-O made in China is associated with excellent success and closure rates, no mortality, and low morbidity. Nowadays, pmVSD percutaneous closure is a valuable alternative to surgery. Longer follow-up data and improvements in device characteristics are needed to reduce the risk of cAVB.
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Severely decreased ejection-fraction is an established risk-factor for worse outcome after cardiac surgery. We compare outcomes of off-pump coronary artery bypass grafting (OPCAB) and on-pump CABG (ONCABG) in patients with severely compromised EF. From 2004 to 2009, 478 patients with a decreased EF ≤35% underwent myocardial-revascularization. ⋯ The rate of complete revascularization was similar (92.2 vs. 92.8%; PS-OR = 0.75; p = 0.50). OPCAB in patients with severely decreased EF is safe and feasible. It may even benefit these patients in regard to non-cardiac complications and does not come at cost of less complete revascularization.
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Vascular calcification is associated with cardiovascular disease in hemodialysis (HD) patients. Some reports have previously shown that simple assessment of aortic calcification using plain radiography is associated with cardiovascular (CV) events; however, these studies simply assessed whether aortic calcification was present or absent only, without considering its extent. Here, we evaluated the validity of grading aortic arch calcification (AoAC) to predict new CV events. ⋯ Multivariate Cox proportional hazards analyses showed the predictive values of AoAC grade were significant (hazard ratio 1.512; p = 0.0351). AoAC detectable on chest X-ray is a strong independent predictor of CV events in accordance with PWV. Risk stratification by assessment of AoAC may provide important information for management of atherosclerotic disease in HD patients.