Background: Polypharmacy was reported to be associated with major bleeding in various populations. However, there are no data on polypharmacy and its association with bleeding in patients undergoing ...percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI).Methods and Results: Among 12,291 patients in the CREDO-Kyoto PCI Registry Cohort-3, we evaluated the number of medications at discharge and compared major bleeding, defined as Bleeding Academic Research Consortium Type 3 or 5 bleeding, across tertiles (T1–3) of the number of medications. The median number of medications was 6, and 88.0% of patients were on ≥5 medications. The cumulative 5-year incidence of major bleeding increased incrementally with increasing number of medications (T1 ≤5 medications 12.5%, T2 6–7 16.5%, and T3 ≥8 20.4%; log-rank P<0.001). After adjusting for confounders, the risks for major bleeding of T2 (hazard ratio HR 1.21; 95% confidence interval CI 1.08–1.36; P=0.001) and T3 (HR 1.27; 95% CI 1.12–1.45; P<0.001) relative to T1 remained significant. The adjusted risks of T2 and T3 relative to T1 were not significant for a composite of myocardial infarction or ischemic stroke (HR 0.95 95% CI 0.83–1.09; P=0.47 and HR 1.06 95% CI 0.91–1.23; P=0.48, respectively).Conclusions: In a real-world population of patients undergoing PCI, approximately 90% were on ≥5 medications. Increasing number of medications was associated with a higher adjusted risk for major bleeding, but not ischemic events.
Although short-term mortality of acute myocardial infarction (AMI) has decreased dramatically in the past few decades, sudden cardiac arrest remains a serious complication. The aim of the study was ...to assess the clinical characteristics and predictors of prognosis in AMI patients who experienced out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA).
We retrospectively registered consecutive AMI patients who were treated with emergency percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) between 2004 and 2017. Clinical characteristics and outcomes were compared between patients with OHCA and those without OHCA.
Among 2101 AMI patients, 95 (4.7%) presented with OHCA. Younger age (odds ratio OR: 0.95; 95% confidence interval CI: 0.93-0.97; p < 0.0001), absence of diabetes mellitus (OR, 0.51; 95% CI, 0.30-0.85; p = 0.01) or dyslipidemia (OR, 0.56; 95% CI, 0.36-0.88; p = 0.01), left main trunk (LMT) or left anterior descending artery (LAD) as the culprit lesion (OR, 3.26; 95% CI, 1.99-5.33; p < 0.0001), and renal deficiency (OR, 3.64; 95% CI, 2.27-5.84; p < 0.0001) were significantly associated with incidence of OHCA. Thirty-day mortality was 32.6% in patients with OHCA and 4.5% in those without OHCA. Multivariate logistic analysis revealed LMT or LAD as the culprit lesion (OR, 12.18; 95% CI, 2.27-65.41; p = 0.004), glucose level (OR, 1.01; 95% CI, 1.00-1.01; p = 0.01), and renal deficiency (OR, 3.35; 95% CI, 1.07-10.53; p = 0.04) as independent predictors of 30-day mortality among AMI patients with OHCA.
In patients with AMI who underwent emergency PCI, 30-day mortality was six times greater in those having presented initially with OHCA compared with those without OHCA. Younger age, absence of diabetes mellitus or dyslipidemia, LMT or LAD as the culprit lesion, and renal deficiency were independent predictors of OHCA. OHCA patient with higher blood glucose level on admission, LMT or LAD as the culprit lesion, or renal deficiency showed worse clinical outcomes.
A 73-year-old male suddenly felt chest pain and nausea in his home. The fire department requested the dispatch of a physician-staffed helicopter. When the medical staff of the helicopter checked him, ...his 12-lead electrocardiogram showed ST elevation at the II, III, and aVF leads. After being fitted with pads for monitoring and defibrillation, he was transferred to the helicopter. Before landing at the base hospital a few minutes later, his electrocardiogram suddenly demonstrated ventricular fibrillation (VF). The patient received an electric shock. When the helicopter landed on the base hospital, he still showed VF. After being directly transferred to the catheter room, he received advanced cardiac life support with percutaneous cardiopulmonary support. A trans-arterial coronary angiogram revealed total occlusion of the right coronary artery. After recanalization of the occluded artery, he regained spontaneous circulation. He received intensive care, including targeted temperature management, and he regained consciousness and achieved social rehabilitation. We herein report the first case of VF safely treated with an electric shock during air evacuation by a rotary-wing aircraft in the English literature. Preparations in advance are necessary to perform electric shock safely during a flight aboard rotary-wing aircraft.
Epidemiological studies have demonstrated an association between low serum albumin levels and both coronary artery disease (CAD) and mortality. However, the long-term clinical impact of low serum ...albumin level in patients with CAD undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) has not yet been fully investigated. We studied 2860 all-comer patients with CAD who underwent their first PCI and had data available for pre-procedural serum albumin between 2000 and 2011. Patients were assigned to tertiles based on pre-procedural albumin levels. We evaluated the incidence of major adverse cardiac events (MACE), including all-cause death and nonfatal myocardial infarction. Mean albumin level was 4.0 ± 0.5 g/dL. Lower albumin levels were associated with older age, lower body mass index (BMI), and higher prevalences of female sex, ACS and chronic kidney disease (CKD). During the median follow-up period of 7.4 years, Kaplan–Meier curves showed ongoing divergence in rates of MACE among albumin tertiles (albumin <3.8 g/dl: 44.3% vs. 3.8–4.1 g/dl: 38.0% vs. >4.1 g/dl: 22.9%; log-rank
p
< 0.0001). After adjusting for established cardiovascular risk factors including age, acute coronary syndrome, BMI and CKD, serum albumin levels were significantly associated with incidence of MACE (HR 1.74 per 1-g/dl decrease, 95% CI 1.34–2.26,
p
< 0.0001) and all-cause mortality (HR 1.74, 95% CI 1.30–2.33,
p
= 0.0002). Pre-PCI low serum albumin level was associated with worse long-term outcomes, independent of traditional risk factors. Assessing albumin levels may allow risk stratification in patients with CAD undergoing PCI.
Cardiovascular events still occur despite statin-based lipid-lowering therapy in patients with coronary artery disease (CAD). LR11, a member of the low-density lipoprotein receptor family, is a novel ...marker for the proliferation of intimal smooth muscle cells, which are critical to atherosclerotic plaque formation. We evaluated the impact of LR11 on long-term clinical outcomes in CAD patients treated with statins after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI).This study included 223 consecutive CAD patients (age, 64.5 ± 9.6 years; male, 81.2%) treated with statin after first PCI between March 2003 and December 2004 at our institution. Patients were stratified to two groups according to LR11 levels (median). Composite cardiovascular disease (CVD) endpoints that included cardiovascular death, non-fatal acute coronary syndrome and non-fatal stroke were compared between groups.The rate of CVD endpoints was significantly higher in the high LR11 group (log-rank, P = 0.0029) during the median follow-up period of 2844 days. Multivariate Cox regression analysis showed that a higher LR11 level was significantly associated with adverse clinical outcomes (adjusted hazard ratio for composite CVD endpoints, 2.47; 95% confidence interval, 1.29-4.92; P = 0.006).Elevated levels of LR11 were significantly associated with long-term clinical outcomes among CAD patients treated with statins after first PCI.
The REAL-CAD trial, reported in 2017, demonstrated a significant reduction in cardiovascular events with high-intensity statins in patients with chronic coronary syndrome. However, data are scarce on ...the use of high-intensity statins in Japanese patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS).Methods and Results: In STOPDAPT-2 ACS, which exclusively enrolled ACS patients between March 2018 and June 2020, 1,321 (44.2%) patients received high-intensity statins at discharge, whereas of the remaining 1,667 patients, 96.0% were treated with low-dose statins. High-intensity statins were defined as the maximum approved doses of strong statins in Japan. The incidence of the cardiovascular composite endpoint (cardiovascular death, myocardial infarction, definite stent thrombosis, stroke) was significantly lower in patients with than without high-intensity statins (1.44% vs. 2.69% log-rank P=0.025; adjusted hazard ratio aHR 0.48, 95% confidence interval CI 0.24-0.94, P=0.03) and the effect was evident beyond 60 days after the index percutaneous coronary intervention (log-rank P=0.01; aHR 0.38, 95% CI 0.17-0.86, P=0.02). As for the bleeding endpoint, there was no significant difference between the 2 groups (0.99% vs. 0.73% log-rank P=0.43; aHR 0.96, 95% CI 0.35-2.60, P=0.93).
The prevalence of high-intensity statins has increased substantially in Japan. The use of the higher doses of statins in ACS patients recommended in the guidelines was associated with a significantly lower risk of the primary cardiovascular composite endpoint compared with lower-dose statins.
Cardiogenic shock frequently leads to death even with intensive treatment. Although the leading cause of cardiogenic shock is acute coronary syndrome (ACS), the clinical characteristics and the ...prognosis of ACS with cardiogenic shock in the present era still remain to be elucidated. We analyzed clinical characteristics and predictors of 30-day mortality in ACS with cardiogenic shock in Japan. The Japanese Circulation Society Cardiovascular Shock registry was a prospective, observational, multicenter, cohort study. Between May 2012 and June 2014, 495 ACS patients with cardiogenic shock were analyzed. The primary endpoint was 30-day all-cause mortality. The median interquartile range; IQR age was 71.0 63.0, 80.0 years. The median IQR value of systolic blood pressure (SBP) and heart rate were 75.0 50.0, 86.5 mm Hg and 65.0 38.0, 98.0 bpm, respectively. Multivariable analysis showed an odds ratio (OR) of 4.76 (confidence intervals; CI 1.97–11.5,
p
< 0.001) in the lowest SBP category (< 50 mm Hg) for SBP ≥ 90 mm Hg. Moreover, age per 10 years increase (OR 1.38, CI 1.18–1.61,
p
= 0.002), deep coma (OR 3.49, CI 1.94–6.34,
p
< 0.001), congestive heart failure (OR 3.81, CI 2.04–7.59,
p
< 0.001) and left main trunk disease (LMTD) (OR 2.81, CI 1.55–5.10,
p
< 0.001) were independent predictors. Severe hypotension, older age, deep coma, congestive heart failure, and LMTD were independent unfavorable factors in ACS complicated by cardiogenic shock in Japan. A prompt assessment of high-risk patients referring to those predictors in emergency room could lead to appropriate treatment without delay.
Background: There is a scarcity of data evaluating contemporary real-world dual antiplatelet therapy (DAPT) strategies after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI).Methods and Results: In the ...OPTIVUS-Complex PCI study multivessel cohort enrolling 982 patients undergoing multivessel PCI, including left anterior descending coronary artery using intravascular ultrasound (IVUS), we conducted 90-day landmark analyses to compare shorter and longer DAPT. DAPT discontinuation was defined as withdrawal of P2Y12inhibitors or aspirin for at least 2 months. The prevalence of acute coronary syndrome and high bleeding risk by the Bleeding Academic Research Consortium were 14.2% and 52.5%, respectively. The cumulative incidence of DAPT discontinuation was 22.6% at 90 days, and 68.8% at 1 year. In the 90-day landmark analyses, there were no differences in the incidences of a composite of death, myocardial infarction, stroke, or any coronary revascularization (5.9% vs. 9.2%, log-rank P=0.12; adjusted hazard ratio, 0.59; 95% confidence interval, 0.32–1.08; P=0.09) and BARC type 3 or 5 bleeding (1.4% vs. 1.9%, log-rank P=0.62) between the off- and on-DAPT groups at 90 days.Conclusions: The adoption of short DAPT duration was still low in this trial conducted after the release of the STOPDAPT-2 trial results. The 1-year incidence of cardiovascular events was not different between the shorter and longer DAPT groups, suggesting no apparent benefit of prolonged DAPT in reducing cardiovascular events even in patients who undergo multivessel PCI.
Background:The high mortality of acute myocardial infarction (AMI) with cardiogenic shock (i.e., Killip class IV AMI) remains a challenge in emergency cardiovascular care. This study aimed to examine ...institutional factors, including the number of JCS board-certified members, that are independently associated with the prognosis of Killip class IV AMI patients.Methods and Results:In the Japanese registry of all cardiac and vascular diseases-diagnosis procedure combination (JROAD-DPC) database (years 2012–2016), the 30-day mortality of Killip class IV AMI patients (n=21,823) was 42.3%. Multivariate analysis identified age, female sex, admission by ambulance, deep coma, and cardiac arrest as patient factors that were independently associated with higher 30-day mortality, and the numbers of JCS board-certified members and of intra-aortic balloon pumping (IABP) cases per year as institutional factors that were independently associated with lower mortality in Killip class IV patients, although IABP was associated with higher mortality in Killip classes I–III patients. Among hospitals with the highest quartile (≥9 JCS board-certified members), the 30-day mortality of Killip class IV patients was 37.4%.Conclusions:A higher numbers of JCS board-certified members was associated with better survival of Killip class IV AMI patients. This finding may provide a clue to optimizing local emergency medical services for better management of AMI patients in Japan.
The overactivation of mineralocorticoid receptor (MR) plays a key pathological role in the progression of cardiovascular and renal diseases by promoting pro-inflammatory and pro-fibrotic signaling. ...Recently, it has been found that finerenone, a novel nonsteroidal selective MR antagonist, can robustly improve cardiorenal outcomes in patients with type 2 diabetes (T2D) and a wide spectrum of chronic kidney disease (CKD). However, the mechanisms underlying the cardiorenal benefits of finerenone are poorly understood. Further, whether the clinical benefits are mediated by an improvement in vascular stiffness is not confirmed. Therefore, the current study aims to evaluate the effects of finerenone on vascular stiffness as assessed using cardio ankle vascular index (CAVI) and relevant cardiorenal biomarkers in patients with T2D and CKD.
The Effects of Finerenone on Vascular Stiffness and Cardiorenal Biomarkers in Type 2 Diabetes and Chronic Kidney Disease (FIVE-STAR) is an ongoing, investigator-initiated, multicenter, prospective, placebo-controlled, double-blind, randomized clinical trial in Japan. Its target sample size is 100 subjects. Recruitment will be performed from September 2023 to July 2024. After obtaining informed consent, eligible participants with T2D and CKD (25 mL/min/1.73 m
≤ estimated glomerular filtration ratio eGFR < 90 mL/min/1.73 m
and 30 mg/g Cr ≤ urinary albumin-to-creatinine ratio UACR < 3500 mg/g Cr) will be equally randomized to receive 24-week treatment with either finerenone (starting dose at 10 mg once daily in participants with a baseline eGFR < 60 mL/min/1.73 m
or at 20 mg once daily in those with a baseline eGFR ≥ 60 mL/min/1.73 m
) or dose-matched placebo. The primary endpoint is the change from baseline in CAVI at 24 weeks. The secondary endpoints are changes from baseline in UACR at 12 and 24 weeks and relevant serum and urinary biomarkers at 24 weeks. As an exploratory endpoint, proteomic analysis using the Olink® Target 96 panels will be also performed.
FIVE-STAR is the first trial evaluating the therapeutic impact of finerenone on vascular stiffness and relevant cardiorenal biomarkers in patients with T2D and CKD. This study will provide mechanistic insights on the clinical benefits of finerenone based on recent cardiovascular and renal outcome trials. Trial registration Unique Trial Number, NCT05887817 ( https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT05887817 ) and jRCTs021230011 ( https://jrct.niph.go.jp/latest-detail/jRCTs021230011 ).