2011;96(5) – ABC CARDIOL

Case 3/2011 – 17-year-old male adolescent with accentuated pulmonary insufficiency as a residual lesion by prior correction of tetralogy of Fallot performed 14 years ago

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Artigo Original

Relationship between cardiac adrenergic image and exercise testing in heart failure

Leandro Rocha Messias et al. Maria Ângela M. de Queiroz Carreira Sandra Marina Ribeiro de Miranda Jader Cunha de Azevedo … Isabela Ambrósio Gava Ronaldo Campos Rodrigues Elizabeth Maróstica Antônio Claudio Lucas da Nóbrega Claudio Tinoco Mesquita

BACKGROUND: The exercise treadmill test can be used in ventricular dysfunction patients for functional capacity or predicting prognosis. The cardiac image with 123I MIBG shows cardiac sympathetic activation. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the relationship between exercise treadmill test variables and cardiac image changes in 123I MIBG. METHODS: 23 patients with LVEF < 45% performed scintigraphy cardiac with 123I MIBG and divided into two groups. G1: Washout rate 27%. Systolic blood pressure (SBP), heart rate (HR) and functional capacity were evaluated. It was performed Student t test or Mann-Whitney U test, Spearman coefficient and linear regression. RESULTS: SBP at exercise peak (G1: 181.00 ± 28.01; G2: 153.27 ± 27.71 mmHg, p = 0.027), SBP variation [G1: 64(47.5-80.5); G2: 36(25-47) mmHg, p = 0.015], the HR at exercise peak (G1: 136.91 ± 19.66; G2: 118.45 ± 13.98 bpm, p = 0.018) and chronotropic response (G1: 70.42 ± 17.94; G2: 49.47 ± 14.89%, p = 0.006), and functional capacity [G1: 8.37(6.47-10.27); G2: 4.42(2.46-6.38) METs, p = 0.003] were smaller in G2 group. There was negative correlation between Washout rate and SBP at exercise peak (r = -0.505, p = 0.014), variation in SBP (r = -0.493, p = 0.017) and functional capacity (r = -0.646, p = 0.001). Nevertheless, SBP at exercise peak (r = -0.422, p = 0.016) and functional capacity (r = -0.804, p = 0.004) were the only variables associated with Washout rate, after linear regression. CONCLUSION: In heart failure patients, the SBP at exercise peak and functional capacity were the variables associated with Washout rate.

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Impact of chronic kidney disease on the efficacy of drug-eluting stents: long-term follow-up study

Vitor Osório Gomes et al. Patrícia Blaya Ricardo Lasevitch Denise Oliveira … Patrícia Hickmann Luís Smidt Carisi Polanczyk Paulo Caramori

BACKGROUND: Patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) submitted to coronary angioplasty have higher rates of target lesion revascularization (TLR) and mortality. Drug-eluting stents (DES) are associated with a lower rate of restenosis, compared to bare metal stents (BMS), although data on DES efficacy and safety is limited in patients with CKD. OBJECTIVE: We sought to evaluate the safety and efficacy of DES in patients with significant CKD as compared to patients without normal renal function in a real world registry. METHODS: 504 patients who underwent percutaneous coronary intervention with DES in two centers were included. Outcomes were stratified based on the presence of CKD, defined as a baseline glomerular filtration rate (GFR) < 60 ml/min/1.73 m². RESULTS: The mean follow-up was 22.7 months. CKD was present in 165 patients (32.7%). Patients with CKD were older, had a higher incidence of hypertension and diabetes. CKD patients presented an increased incidence of death (12.3% vs 2.4%, p < 0.001) and myocardial infarction (MI) (7.4% vs 3.3%, p = 0.04) compared to patients without CKD. TLR rates were similar between groups (4.8% vs 5.6%, p = 0.7, CKD and no CKD patients, respectively). Independent predictors of death were CKD (HR 6.93; 2.4 – 19.5, p < 0.001), current smoking (HR 3.66; 1.20 – 11.10, p = 0.02) and diabetes (HR 2.66; 1.03 – 6.60, p = 0.045). CONCLUSION: In this registry, coronary intervention with DES in patients with CKD was associated with similar TLR compared to patients without CKD, demonstrating the efficacy of DES in preventing in-stent restenosis in this patient population. CKD was related to significantly increased MI and mortality rates.

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Quantification of left ventricular dilatation in myocardial perfusion scintigraphy

Mauren B. Azambuja Gonzalez et al. Roberto Alves Azambuja Luiz Carlos Bodanese

BACKGROUND: The rate of transient dilatation can be determined by exercise testing or pharmacological stress test. It is unknown whether the type of stress has an impact on average transient dilatation index values. OBJECTIVE: To compare average transient dilation index values in 99mTc-sestamibi scintigraphy in patients undergoing treadmill stress test, versus dipyridamole stress test. The secondary purpose was to evaluate the impact on the average index value by demographic characteristics, risk factors for coronary artery disease and severity of ischemia. METHODS: The cross-sectional study included 200 patients between 40 and 70 years old, with or without risk factors for ischemic heart disease, with or without a previous diagnosis of ischemic heart disease. The separation between groups was sequential. The software 4D-MSPECT calculated the transient dilatation index and provided a scoring system for perfusion analysis. RESULTS: The average transient dilation index value of the group undergoing exercise stress test was 1.06 (±0.23). For the group undergoing the dipyridamole stress test, it was 1.10 (±0.22); (p = 0.200). There was no association between the type of stress and the average transient dilatation index values. An association was found between the average index values and age only for those patients from the exercise test group (p = 0.009). CONCLUSION: The results of our study demonstrate that the transient dilation index does not differ when patients undergo exercise stress test on a treadmill or pharmacological stress by dipyridamole.

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Review Article

Pathophysiological characteristics of the post-myocardial infarction heart failure model in rats

Paulo J. F Tucci

REVIEW ARTICLE

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New prognostic score for stable coronary disease evaluation

Fernanda Coutinho Storti et al. Paulo Jorge Moffa Augusto H. Uchida Whady Armindo Hueb … Luiz Antônio Machado César Beatriz Moreira Ayub Ferreira Paulo Augusto de Camargo Jr William Azem Chalela

BACKGROUND: The need to improve the exercise testing accuracy, pushed the development of scores, whose applicability was already broadly recognized. OBJECTIVE: Prognostic evaluation of stable coronary disease through a new simplified score. METHODS: A new score was applied in 372 multivessel coronary patients with preserved ventricular function, 71.8% male, age: 59.5 (± 9.07) years old, randomized to medical treatment, surgery (CABG) or angioplasty (PTCA), with 5 years of follow-up. Cardiovascular death was considered the primary endpoint. Non-fatal myocardial infarction, death and re-intervention were considered for a combined secondary endpoint. The score was based on an equation previously validated, resulting from a sum of one point for: male gender, infarction history, angina, diabetes, insulin use and one point for each decade of life after 40 years old. Positive exercise testing summed one additional point. RESULTS: Thirty six deaths was observed (10 in group PTCA, 15 in CABG and 11 in the clinical group), p = 0.61. We observed 93 combined events: 37 in PTCA group, 23 in CABG and 33 in the clinical group (p = 0.058). 247 patients presented clinical score > 5 points and 216 > 6 points. The cutoff point > 5 or > 6 points identified higher risk, p = 0.015 and p = 0.012, respectively. The survival curve showed a different death incidence after the randomization when score reached 06 points or more (p = 0.07), and a distinct incidence of combined events between the patients with score 6 points (p = 0.02). CONCLUSION: The new score was consistent for multiarterial stable coronary disease risk stratification.

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Reference curve of the fetal ventricular septum area by the STIC method: preliminary study

Liliam Cristine Rolo et al. Luciano Marcondes Machado Nardozza Edward Araujo Júnior Christiane Simioni … Marina Maccagnano Zamith Antonio Fernandes Moron

BACKGROUND: Early detection of septal changes such as septal hypertrophy commonly present in fetuses of diabetic mothers would help reduce the high rates of infant mortality. OBJECTIVE: Determine reference ranges for the fetal ventricular septal area through three-dimensional ultrasound (US3D) using the STIC method (Spatio-Temporal Image Correlation). METHODS: We conducted a cross-sectional study with 69 pregnant women between the 18th and 33rd weeks of pregnancy. We used as a reference the four-chamber plane with the ROI (Region of Interest) positioned from the ventricles; the septum area were manually marked. To assess the correlation of the interventricular septum area with gestational age (GA), we constructed scatter plots and calculated Pearson’s correlation coefficient (r), and the adjustment was performed by the coefficient of determination (R²). We calculated averages, medians, standard deviations (sd), as well as maximum and minimum values. To calculate the intraobserver reproducibility, we used the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC). The interventricular septum thickness was measured and it was correlated with gestational age and the septal area rendered in 52 patients using the ICC. RESULTS: The interventricular septum area was highly correlated with gestational age (r = 0.81), and the average increased from 0.47 cm² in the 18th week to 2.42 cm² in the 33rd of gestation. The intraobserver reproducibility was excellent with ICC = 0.994. No significant correlation was observed between the interventricular septum measurement and the GA (R² = 0.200), as well as there was no correlation with the septal area rendered with ICC = 0.150. CONCLUSION: Reference intervals for the interventricular septum area between the 18th and the 33rd pregnancy week were determined to be highly reproducible.

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Predictors of global left ventricular function in metabolic syndrome

Branislava Aleksa Ivanovic et al. Marijana Vaso Tadic Dragan Vojislav Simic

BACKGROUND: The metabolic syndrome (MS) represents a cluster of cardiovascular risk factors that act synergistically. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to determine which parameters were independently associated with the global left ventricular (LV) function in subjects with MS estimated with the Tei index. METHODS: The study included 234 subjects with MS and 96 controls adjusted by age. MS was defined by the presence of three or more of ATP- NCEP III criteria. All subjects underwent laboratory blood tests and two-dimensional, pulsed and tissue Doppler echocardiography. Appropriate tissue Doppler time intervals for the estimation of the Tei index were also assessed. RESULTS: The Tei index was increased in subjects with MS (0.35 ± 0.05 vs 0.49 ± 0.10, p < 0.001). Multiple regression analysis of the clinical parameters showed that systolic blood pressure (β= 0.289, p < 0.001), fasting glucose (β= 0.205, p = 0.009), LV mass index (β= 0.301, p < 0.001), E/e'septal (β= 0.267, p < 0.001), and e'septal (β= -0.176, p = 0.011) were independently associated with the global left ventricular function estimated by Tei index. CONCLUSION: MS has a significant impact on LV global function. Systolic blood pressure, fasting glucose, LV mass index, E/e'septal, and e'septal were independently associated with the LV global function.

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Abdominal circumference as a predictor of 30-day outcome in acute coronary syndrome

Priscilla Azambuja Lopes de Souza et al. Ana Paula Trussardi Fayh Vera Lúcia Portal

BACKGROUND: Abdominal circumference (WC) is the measure that correlates most closely with the risk factors and death from cardiovascular disease. However, the impact of obesity on the prognosis of patients with cardiovascular disease remains controversial and requires further clarification. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate WA as a predictor of 30-day outcome in patients who were hospitalized with acute coronary syndrome (ACS), in a referral hospital for the treatment of cardiovascular diseases. METHODS: Contemporary cohort 267 patients who were hospitalized for ACS and who were followed for 30 days after discharge, taking into account the major cardiovascular events – MACE – (death, reinfarction, rehospitalization for coronary artery bypass grafting procedures). In the first 24 hours of admission, patients answered a questionnaire and were subsequently measured for WC. The statistical analysis was performed with SPSS 17.0, using the chi-square test for categorical variables and Student t test for numerical variables, with significance level of p < 0.05. The variables that had p < 0.10 in the bivariate analysis were included in a logistic regression model to evaluate the WC role as an independent predictor of MACE. RESULTS: After multivariate analysis, only the female gender (OR = 8.86; 95% CI: 4.55-17. 10, p < 0.00), hypertension (OR = 2.06; 95% CI: 1.10-3.87; p = 0.02) and family history of ischemic heart disease (OR = 2.10; 95% CI: 1.17-3.74; p = 0.01) remained associated with the MACE. CONCLUSION: In our study, the modified AC was not associated with increased incidence of MACE over the 30 days of follow-up.

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Accuracy of the Omron HEM-705 CP for blood pressure measurement in large epidemiologic studies

Lina M. Vera-Cala et al. Myriam Orostegui Laura I. Valencia-Angel Nahyr López Leonelo E. Bautista

BACKGROUND: Accurate measurement of blood pressure is of utmost importance in hypertension research. In the context of epidemiologic and clinical studies, oscillometric devices offer important advantages to overcome some of the limitations of the auscultatory method. Even though their accuracy has been evaluated in multiple studies in the clinical setting, there is little evidence of their performance in large epidemiologic studies. OBJECTIVE: We evaluated the accuracy of the Omron HEM-705-CP, an automatic device for blood pressure (BP) measurement, as compared to the standard auscultatory method with a mercury sphygmomanometer in a large cohort study. METHODS: We made three auscultatory measurements, followed by two measurements with the Omron device in 1,084 subjects. Bias was estimated as the average of the two Omron minus the average of the last two auscultatory measurements, with its corresponding 95% limits of agreement (LA). RESULTS: The Omron overestimated systolic blood pressure (SBP) by 1.8 mmHg (LA:-10.1, 13.7) and underestimated diastolic blood pressure (DBP) by 1.6 mmHg (LA:-12.3, 9.2). Bias was significantly larger in men. Bias in SBP increased with age and decreased with BP level, while bias in DBP decreased with age and increased with BP level. The sensitivity and specificity of the Omron to detect hypertension were 88.2% and 98.6%, respectively. Minimum bias in the estimates of the effects of several factors resulted from the use of Omron measurements. CONCLUSION: Our results showed that the Omron HEM-705-CP could be used for measuring BP in large epidemiology studies without compromising study validity or precision.

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Clinical outcomes by geographic region for patients implanted with the zotarolimus-eluting stent

Chaim Lotan et al. Ian T. Meredith Ajay Jain Fausto Feres … A. Firszt A. Frutos Garcia Martin T. Rothman

BACKGROUND: Differences between geographic regions in patient characteristics and outcomes, particularly for acute coronary syndromes, have been demonstrated in clinical trials. Clinical outcomes after percutaneous coronary interventions with the Zotarolimus-eluting stent in a real-world population were assessed over time. OBJECTIVE: The influence of geographic location on clinical outcomes with the Zotarolimus-eluting stent was assessed in 3 regions: Asia Pacific, Europe, and Latin America. METHODS: A total of 8,314 patients (6,572 Europe, 1,522 Asia Pacific, and 220 Latin America) were followed for 1 year; 2,116 of these (1,613, 316, and 187, respectively) were followed for 2 years. Patient and lesion characteristics, dual antiplatelet therapy, and clinical outcomes were compared between Latin America and the other regions. RESULTS: Patients in Latin America had the highest proportions of risk factors and prior myocardial infarction. Dual antiplatelet therapy usage rapidly declined in Latin America, from 44.9% at 6 months to 22.5% at 1 year and 7.8% at 2 years (Europe: 87.4%, 61.5%, 19.7%; Asia Pacific: 82.4%, 67.0%, 45.7%). There were no significant differences between Latin America and Europe or Asia Pacific for any outcome at either time point. The incidence of Academic Research Consortium definite and probable stent thrombosis was low (<1.2%) among all patients at 1 year and 2 years. CONCLUSION: Clinical outcomes were comparable between patients in Latin America and Europe, and Latin America and Asia Pacific, despite less favorable clinical subsets in Latin America, a higher risk profile, and markedly lower use of dual antiplatelet therapy over time.

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Association of ankle-arm index with inflammation and mineral bone disorder in hemodialysis patients

Jair B. Miguel et al. Jorge P. Strogoff de Matos Frederico Ruzany Claudia S. Miguel … Sebastião J. S. Miguel Luiz T. Naveiro Jocemir R. Lugon

BACKGROUND: Reduced ankle-arm index (AAI), inflammation and mineral bone disorder (MBD) are all associated with increased risk of death and cardiovascular complications in patients on hemodialysis (HD), but the association between them deserves clarification. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the association between abnormal AAI with MBD and inflammation in patients on HD. METHODS: This was a cross-sectional analysis of 478 patients on hemodialysis for at least one year. The AAI was evaluated using a portable Doppler and mercury column manometer. Patients were divided into 3 groups, according to AAI (low: 1.3). C-reactive protein measurement was used as an inflammatory marker, whereas MBD was evaluated by calcium, phosphorus and intact parathyroid hormone levels. RESULTS: Participants were 54 (18 to 75) years old, 56% males, 17% diabetics, and had been on hemodialysis for a mean of 5 (1 to 35) years. The prevalence of low, normal and high AAI was 26.8%, 64.6% and 8.6%, respectively. Using a backward conditional logistic regression model, age (p6 mg/L (p= 0.006) were associated with the presence of low AAI, whereas male gender (p<0.001), diabetes (p= 0.001) and elevated calcium x phosphorus product (p= 0.026) were associated with high AAI. CONCLUSION: In patients on hemodialysis, the presence of diabetes was associated with both low and high AAI. The risk of having low AAI seems to be increased by aging and inflammation, whereas BMD was associated with high AAI.

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Atualização

A review on post-exercise hypotension in hypertensive individuals

Paulo Gomes Anunciação et al. Marcos Doederlein Polito

Post-exercise hypotension (PEH) may follow a session of physical exercises. This effect has high clinical relevance for hypertensive individuals. Although there are several studies on the subject, an analysis is still lacking on a state-of-art approach considering different types of exercises. Using a review of literature, the aim of this paper was to verify the relationship between aerobic exercise and resistance exercise in PEH in hypertensive people. For the purpose of this study, Scielo and Medlinedatabases were surveyed, and the main inclusion criteria were studies on the subject in English language and a sample of hypertensive adults. One hundred and twenty-six studies were found. However, only 32 papers, 5 of which on resistance exercise and 27 on aerobic exercise were used for this study. Although the studies surveyed used different prescription models for resistance exercise, PEH was observed mainly in the laboratory setting. After aerobic exercise, it was noted that PEH occurred for longer periods. However, there are differences of opinion as to the best intensity and duration of the exercise to be prescribed. Therefore, in hypertensive individuals declines in arterial pressure following aerobic exercise are apparently greater than those observed with resistance exercise. Nevertheless, in order to achieve sounder conclusions, further studies on ambulatory blood pressure monitoring should be conducted.

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