scholarly journals The clinical implications of incidental coronary artery calcification in routine, non-triggered high-resolution thoracic computed tomography: a retrospective study

2020 ◽  
Vol 41 (Supplement_2) ◽  
Author(s):  
S Saluja ◽  
J Sobolewska ◽  
K Khan ◽  
H Contractor ◽  
L.J Mitchell ◽  
...  

Abstract Background Coronary artery calcium (CAC) is a marker of atherosclerosis and an independent risk factor for cardiac-related mortality. The measurement of this score has traditionally been based on using ECG triggered computed tomography (CT). However, CAC, identified on non-contrast high resolution chest computed tomography (HRCT), should be considered diagnostic for coronary artery disease (CAD). We aimed to evaluate the incidental prevalence and burden of CAC on non-gated HRCT thorax used for patients undergoing lung cancer screening or follow-up for interstitial lung disease. We also assessed how often Radiologists reported CAC as an incidental finding on these scans. Methods Computerised Radiology Information Service (CRIS) was manually searched to determine all HRCT scans performed in our Trust from 01/05/2018 to 01/05/2019. The reports issued by Radiologists and images of selected studies were reviewed. Results 2185 HRCT scans were performed over this period. Patients were divided into three groups of age <50 (Group 1); 50-<60 (Group 2) and 60 (Group 3). 100 scans were randomly selected from each group using a random number generator to give a total of 300 patients. The mean ages of patients in Group 1, 2 and 3 were 48.3±2.3, 54.8±2.4 and 65±3.2 respectively. There was, approximately, the same number of males as females in each group. CAC was noted in 15% of scans in Group 1, 82% of scans in Group 2 and 94% scans in Group 3. CAC was only noted in 1/15 (6.7%) of scan reports in Group 1, 41/82 (50%) in Group 2 and 37/94 (39.4%) in Group 3. Among the 79 patients with radiologist-reported incidental CAC, statin and aspirin prescriptions increased by approximately 7 percentage points each. A diagnosis of CAD was eventually made in 9 (11.4%) patients through functional imaging or coronary angiogram. Two authors independently calculated the Agatston scores of HRCT scans whose reports did not comment on the degree of calcification. We excluded 15/112 (13.4%) scans as they were uninterpretable due to motion artefacts. Of the remaining 97 scans analysed 58/97 (59.8%) had severe CAC with an Agatston score of >400 with the remaining showing moderate calcification (101–400). Cohen κ agreement between the two authors rating was 0.90 (95% confidence interval [CI] 0.87–0.96). Group 2 and 3 had significantly more patients with severe CAC then group 1 (p<0.001). Left anterior descending artery was most commonly affected. Conclusion This study shows that CAC is under reported on non-gated HRCT scans which represents a missed opportunity to implement strategies for primary and secondary prevention. Given that respiratory disease is an independent risk factor for developing cardiac disease, it is incumbent upon the interpreting clinician to report all findings and ensure that critical findings are highlighted. The images of calcified coronary arteries may also potentially have a role in convincing people to make correct lifestyle choices. Funding Acknowledgement Type of funding source: None

Blood ◽  
2008 ◽  
Vol 112 (11) ◽  
pp. 4045-4045
Author(s):  
Patricia Casais

Abstract Introduction: Our objectives were to investigate if aging is an independent risk factor for major bleeding during oral anticoagulant treatment (OAT) for atrial fibrillation (AF). Patients and Methods: An inception cohort study was designed to include patients (pts) referred to our Department to initiate OAT due to AF from July 2000 to July 2007. Inclusion criteria: no prior OAT, AF being the only reason to OAT, follow-up at our Institution, and signed informed consent. Exclusion criteria: concomitant reason for OAT, and pts refusal to participate. Pts were followed until OAT was stopped by the patient’s cardiologist or until July 2007. Patients who underwent a successful electric cardioversion and were followed up only for 4 weeks were not included unless they presented a bleeding episode. Epidemiological and clinical data were documented for all patients. Major bleeding episodes, age, time on OAT, and INR at the bleeding event were recorded. Deaths were registered and classified as “related” or “not related” to OAT. For the analysis, the inception cohort was divided into three groups according to the age of beginning and ending of OAT. Group 1 included patients younger than 77 at the end of OAT. Group 2 was constituted by the patients that initiated therapy before 80 and were followed after that age. Patients starting after 80 years of age were the group 3. Time in therapeutic range and INR variability were calculated. Incidence rate and relative risk (RR) of major hemorrhage (MH) was estimated. Results: During the study period, 2.971 patients were referred for initiation of OAT, 40% (1.172) had AF, and 671 met the exclusion criteria (138 patients had a prior OAT, 111 were not going to go on control OAT at the Institution, and 422 had a concomitant reason for OAT (mitral estenosis, heart valve prostheses, venous thrombosis, coronary artery by-pass, etc.) Five-hundred and one patients were included in the study, 68 (13.5%) were lost for follow-up after inclusion or had less than 4 weeks after initiation, and 433 had complete follow-up. Patients’ characteristics and MH are shown in Table 1. Time within therapeutic range was similar in all age-groups (65.0%, 62.8%, and 65.4% for group 1, 2 and 3, respectively). There were 28 MH in 23 pts during the study period. In group 3, the rate of MH was 3.39/100 patient-years while in group 1 it was 0.85/100 patient-years. The RR was 3.0 (1.2–7.6 95%CI) in group 3 compared to group 1(p= 0.02). Among patients in group 2, the RR of bleeding increased to 5.8 (2.27–14.95) after the age of 80. The likelihood ratio of MH with increasing age was 14.1 (p= 0.001). INR variability tended to be higher in Group 3 and in bleeding patients regardless their age. Aspirin, number of concomitant medications and CHADS2 score were not associated with the risk of MH. There were 10 deaths, all in pts older than 80. In 9/10 the cause of death was documented and was unrelated to OAT. One patient died after a non-characterized stroke, it was considered hemorrhagic. Rate of death related to bleeding after age of 80 (groups 2 and 3) was 0.54%. Conclusions: This long-term follow up cohort study shows that aging is an independent risk factor for MH; this observation might have clinical implications for the management of elderly pts. Table 1: Patients’ characteristics Group 1 Group 2 Group 3 N 249 55 129 * 8/9 events after the age of 80. Sex Female (%)
 Male (%) 55 (49.5)
 56 (50.0) 29 (54)
 25 (46) 69 (55)
 57 (45) Age at beginning OAT mean± SD 63.9±8.4 74.9 ± 2.0 82.8 ± 2.7 Age at ending OAT mean± SD 68.7±7.9 81.3 ± 1.4 85.7 ± 3.1 Follow-up (years) mean± SD 5.2±0.2 4.5 ±0.3 2.5 ± 0.1 Prior ischemic stroke N (%) 15 (13.5) 9 (17) 28 (22) Deaths N (%) 0 1 (2) 9 (7%) Major hemorrhages Events (pts) 8 (7) 9 (8)* 11 (8) Mean age (years) 68.4 ± 2.6 79.7 ± 0.5 83.0 ± 0.8 Mean Time on OAT (weeks± SE) 32.1±8 142.2 ± 28.6 77.8 ± 22.5 Mean INR ±SE at 3.9 ± 0.7 3.5 ± 1.0 3.6 ± 0.5 1st event (range) (2.6–8.2) (2.0–10.8) (1.6–6.0)


2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Arkadiusz Jundziłł ◽  
Piotr Kwieciński ◽  
Daria Balcerczyk ◽  
Tomasz Kloskowski ◽  
Dariusz Grzanka ◽  
...  

AbstractThe use of an ileal segment is a standard method for urinary diversion after radical cystectomy. Unfortunately, utilization of this method can lead to numerous surgical and metabolic complications. This study aimed to assess the tissue-engineered artificial conduit for urinary diversion in a porcine model. Tissue-engineered tubular polypropylene mesh scaffolds were used for the right ureter incontinent urostomy model. Eighteen male pigs were divided into three equal groups: Group 1 (control ureterocutaneostomy), Group 2 (the right ureter-artificial conduit-skin anastomoses), and Group 3 (4 weeks before urostomy reconstruction, the artificial conduit was implanted between abdomen muscles). Follow-up was 6 months. Computed tomography, ultrasound examination, and pyelogram were used to confirm the patency of created diversions. Morphological and histological analyses were used to evaluate the tissue-engineered urinary diversion. All animals survived the experimental procedures and follow-up. The longest average patency was observed in the 3rd Group (15.8 weeks) compared to the 2nd Group (10 weeks) and the 1st Group (5.8 weeks). The implant’s remnants created a retroperitoneal post-inflammation tunnel confirmed by computed tomography and histological evaluation, which constitutes urostomy. The simultaneous urinary diversion using a tissue-engineered scaffold connected directly with the skin is inappropriate for clinical application.


Angiology ◽  
2021 ◽  
pp. 000331972199141
Author(s):  
Arafat Yildirim ◽  
Mehmet Kucukosmanoglu ◽  
Fethi Yavuz ◽  
Nermin Yildiz Koyunsever ◽  
Yusuf Cekici ◽  
...  

Many parameters included in the Anticoagulation and Risk Factors in Atrial Fibrillation (ATRIA) and CHA2DS2-VASc (congestive heart failure, hypertension, age ≥75 years, diabetes mellitus, stroke, vascular disease, age 65-74 years, sex category) scores also predict coronary artery disease (CAD). We modified the ATRIA score (ATRIA-HSV) by adding hyperlipidemia, smoking, and vascular disease and also male sex instead of female. We evaluated whether the CHA2DS2-VASc, CHA2DS2-VASc-HS, ATRIA, and ATRIA-HSV scores predict severe CAD. Consecutive patients with coronary angiography were prospectively included. A ≥50% stenosis in ≥1epicardial coronary artery (CA) was defined as severe CAD. Patient with normal CA (n = 210) were defined as group 1, with <50% CA stenosis (n = 178) as group 2, and with ≥50% stenosis (n = 297) as group 3. The mean ATRIA, ATRIA-HSV, CHA2DS2-VASc, and CHA2DS2VASc-HS scores increased from group 1 to group 3. A correlation was found between the Synergy between PCI with Taxus and Cardiac Surgery score and ATRIA ( r = 0.570), ATRIA-HSV ( r = 0.614), CHA2DS2-VASc ( r = 0.428), and CHA2DS2-VASc-HS ( r = 0.500) scores ( Ps < .005). Pairwise comparisons of receiver operating characteristics curves showed that ATRIA-HSV (>3 area under curve [AUC]: 0.874) and ATRIA (>3, AUC: 0.854) have a better performance than CHA2DS2-VASc (>1, AUC: 0.746) and CHA2DS2-VASc-HS (>2, AUC: 0.769). In conclusion, the ATRIA and ATRIA-HSV scores are simple and may be useful to predict severe CAD.


2019 ◽  
Vol 91 (9) ◽  
pp. 26-31
Author(s):  
N Y Grigorieva ◽  
T P Ilyushina ◽  
E M Yashina

Aim: to compare the antianginal and pulse slowing effects, the impact on the ectopic myocardial activity as well as the safety of the treatment with beta - adrenoblocker bisoprolol, calcium antagonist verapamil and the combination of bisoprolol with amlodipine in patients with stable angina (SA) and bronchial asthma (BA). Materials and methods. The study included 90 patients with SA II-III functional class (FC) having concomitant persistent asthma of moderate severity, controlled, without exacerbation. The patients were divided into three groups with 30 individuals in each one depending on the main antianginal drug prescribed. Group 1 patients received a cardio - selective beta - adrenergic blocker bisoprolol (Concor) at the dose of 5 mg/day, patients of group 2 were treated by a calcium antagonist verapamil at the dose of 240 mg/day, patients of group 3 received combined therapy with bisoprolol at the dose of 5 mg/day and amlodipine at the dose of 5 mg/day given as a fixed combination (Concor AM 5/5). All the patients were investigated by the methods of daily ECG monitoring and respiratory function study (RFS) in addition to physical examination at baseline and after 4 weeks of treatment. Results. After 4 weeks of treatment, patients of group 1 and group 3 did not complain of angina attacks and did not use nitroglycerin unlike patients of group 2. The achieved heart rate (HR) in group 1 patients was 68.6±8.5 beats/min, in group 2 - 74.3±5.6 beats/min, in group 3 - 67.3±4.8 beats/min. A significant decrease in the number of supraventricular and ventricular extrasystoles occurred in patients of group 1 and group 3 only. Thus, the pulse slowing, antianginal, antiischemic and antiarrhythmic effect of the calcium antagonist verapamil, even at the dose of 240 mg/day, is not always sufficient for the patients with SA II-III FC and concomitant BA, unlike therapy with the inclusion of beta - blocker bisoprolol. During the study there was no registered deterioration in the indices of bronchial patency according to the RFS data in the patients of all three groups. Conclusion. In patients with coronary artery disease and concomitant asthma, all three types of pulse slowing therapy do not have any negative effects on bronchial patency. Therapy with the inclusion of beta - blockers (bisoprolol or its combination with amlodipine), in contrast to verapamil, reliably reduces heart rate and the number of supraventricular and ventricular extrasystoles in addition to a good antianginal effect.


2005 ◽  
Vol 13 (4) ◽  
pp. 302-306 ◽  
Author(s):  
Fevzi Toraman ◽  
Hasan Karabulut ◽  
Onur Goksel ◽  
Serdar Evrenkaya ◽  
Sumer Tarcan ◽  
...  

Hypertension following coronary artery bypass grafting is a common problem that may result in postoperative myocardial infraction or bleeding, Hemodynamic effects were compared in 45 hypertensive coronary bypass patients randomized to receive either diltiazem, nitroglycerin, or sodium nitroprusside. Diltiazem was administered as an intravenous bolus of 0.3 mg·kg−1 within 5 min, followed by infusion of 0.1–0.8 mg·kg−1·h−1 in group 1. Nitroglycerin was infused at a rate of 1–3 μg·kg·h−1 in group 2, and sodium nitroprusside was given at a rate of 1–3 μg·kg−1·min−1 in group 3. Hemodynamic measurements were carried out before infusion (T1) and at 30 min (T2), 2 h (T3), and 12 h (T4) after initiation of treatment in the intensive care unit. Mean arterial pressure decreased significantly in all groups. There were no differences among groups at T1 and T2. At T3, heart rate in group 2 was significantly higher than group 1. At T3 and T4, the double product was highest in group 3 (group 1 vs. 3, p < 0.001). These results suggest that the hemodynamic effects of the 3 drugs are similar within the first 30 min. However, after 30 min, diltiazem affords better myocardial performance and more effective control of hypertension.


Perfusion ◽  
2006 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
pp. 61-66 ◽  
Author(s):  
Edmundas Sirvinskas ◽  
Audrone Veikutiene ◽  
Pranas Grybauskas ◽  
Jurate Cimbolaityte ◽  
Ausra Mongirdiene ◽  
...  

The aim of the study was to assess the effect of aspirin or heparin pretreatment on platelet function and bleeding in the early postoperative period after coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) surgery. Seventy-five male patients with coronary artery disease who underwent CABG with cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) were studied. The patients were divided into three groups: Group 1 ( n = 25) included patients receiving aspirin pretreatment, Group 2 ( n = 22) received heparin pretreatment, and Group 3 ( n = 28) included patients who received no antiplatelet or anticoagulant pretreatment. Twenty-four hours after surgery, all patients were administered aspirin therapy that was continued throughout their hospitalization period. We assessed the following preoperative blood coagulation indices: activated partial thromboplastin time (aPTT), international normalized ratio (INR), and fibrinogen. We compared platelet count and platelet aggregation induced by adenosinediphosphate (ADP) before surgery, 1 h after surgery, 20 h after surgery and on the seventh postoperative day. We assessed drained blood loss within 20 postoperative hours. Preoperative blood coagulation indices did not differ among the groups. Platelet count was also similar. One hour after surgery, platelet count significantly decreased in all groups ( p <0.001), after 20 postoperative hours it did not undergo any marked changes, and on the seventh postoperative day, it significantly increased in all groups ( p <0.001). Before surgery, the lowest index of ADP-induced platelet aggregation was found in Group 1 ( p <0.05). One hour after surgery, platelet aggregation significantly decreased in all groups, most markedly in Group 3 ( p <0.001), yet after 20 h, its restitution tendency and a significant increase in all groups was noted. On the seventh day, a further increase in the statistical mean platelet aggregation value was noted in Groups 2 and 3. Comparison of platelet aggregation after 20 postoperative hours and on the seventh day after surgery revealed a significantly higher than 10% increase of the index in 32% of patients in Group 1 ( p <0.05), 27.3% of patients in Group 2 ( p <0.05) and in 35.7% of patients in Group 3 ( p <0.001). The lowest statistically significant value of postoperative blood loss was noted in Group 2 ( p <0.01). Our study has shown that aspirin or heparin pretreatment had no impact on the dynamics of platelet function in the early postoperative period after CABG. The lowest postoperative blood loss was noted in patients pretreated with heparin.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Baotao Huang ◽  
Lu Yang ◽  
Bosen Yang ◽  
Fangyang Huang ◽  
Qianfeng Xiao ◽  
...  

Abstract Background and aimsLeft ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) is prevalent in obese individuals. Besides, both of LVH and obesity is associated with subclinical LV dysfunction. However, little is known about the interplay between body fat and LVH in relation to all-cause death in patients with coronary artery disease (CAD).MethodsIn this retrospective cohort study, a total of 2243 patients with angiographically proven CAD were included. Body fat and LV mass were calculated using formulas. Higher body fat was defined as the percentage of body fat was greater than 75th percentile. LVH was defined according to guidelines’ definition. Patients were divided into four groups: group 1, lower body fat and no LVH; group 2, lower body fat and LVH; group 3, higher body fat and no LVH; group 4, higher body fat and LVH. Cox-proportional hazard models were used to observe the interaction effect of body fat and LVH on all-cause death.ResultsOver 2.2 years, there were 120 deaths. Patients with higher body fat and no LVH (group 3) had similar risk of death (adjusted HR 1.83, 95%CI 1.00-3.38, P = 0.054) compared to the reference group (group 1), while patients with lower body fat and LVH (group 2) had the highest risk (adjusted HR 2.15, 95%CI 1.26–3.64, P = 0.005) of death. The results were robust after different degree of adjustment.ConclusionCertain amount of BF was not associated with increased risk of all-cause death in patients with CAD, even seems protective in those concomitant with LVH.


2019 ◽  
Vol 40 (Supplement_1) ◽  
Author(s):  
L Di Serafino ◽  
H Gamra ◽  
P Cirillo ◽  
M Zimarino ◽  
I J Amat-Santos ◽  
...  

Abstract Background Duration of Dual Antiplatelet Therapy (DAPT) following Acute Coronary Syndromes (ACS) or Stable Coronary Artery Disease (SCAD) treated with coronary stenting is still debated. Although current guidelines consider several “clinical” criteria to decide for short DAPT (<6 months), standard DAPT (12 months) and prolonged DAPT (>12 months), the relationship between DAPT duration, treatment of bifurcations and its impact on clinical outcome has been poorly investigated in real world registries. Purpose We evaluated the impact of DAPT duration on clinical outcomes in consecutive all-comers patients treated with stenting of coronary artery bifurcation lesions included in the Euro Bifurcation Club -P2BiTO - registry. Methods Data on 5036 consecutive patients who underwent PCI on coronary bifurcation at 17 major coronary intervention centres between January 2012 and December 2014 were collected. The primary endpoint of the study was the cumulative occurrence of Major Adverse Cardiac Events (MACCE), defined as a composite of overall-death death, non-fatal myocardial infarction (MI), target vessel revascularization (TVR) and stroke during the follow-up; the secondary endpoints were the single occurrence of any of the above mentioned events. Results Data on DAPT duration was available for 3992 patients (79%). Patients were divided into 3 groups: Group 1) DAPT <6-months (n=720); Group 2) DAPT >6-months but <12-month (n=1602); Group 3) DAPT >12-months (n=1670). Follow up was completed in 3935 (98%) patients with a median of 20 months (C.I.=12–28). At 24 months after the index procedure, MACCE occurred more frequently in the DAPT <6-month group (Group 1) as compared with both Group 2 and 3 (respectively, 102 (14%) versus 154 (10%) and 164 (10%), HR: 0.72 (0.64–0.82), p<0.001). This difference remains after adjustment for clinical and angiographic characteristics (HR: 0.66 (0.58–0.77), p<0.001). On the contrary, no significant difference was found between Group 2 and Group 3 patients. At the Kaplan-Meier analysis (Figure 1), freedom from MACCE survival was significantly lower in patients receiving DAPT for less than 6 months (Log-Rank: 29.5, p<0.001). Figure 1. Kaplan-Meier curves Conclusions In the P2BiTO registry, short DAPT duration of less than 6 months was associated with a significantly higher risk of MACCE compared to longer DAPT in a real-world registry of patients treated for coronary artery bifurcation stenosis.


Medicina ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 56 (12) ◽  
pp. 714
Author(s):  
Almas Tolegenuly ◽  
Rasa Ordiene ◽  
Arslan Mamedov ◽  
Ramunas Unikas ◽  
Rimantas Benetis

Background and Objectives: To assess the correlation between the degree of target coronary artery stenosis measured by instantaneous wave-free ratio (iFR) and the intraoperative transit time flow measurement (TTFM) of attached grafts as well as evaluate flow competition between the native coronary artery and the attached graft according to the severity of stenosis. Materials and Methods: In total, 89 grafts were subjected to intraoperative transit time flow measurement after coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) in 25 patients with multivessel coronary artery disease (CAD). The iFR was evaluated for all coronary arteries with grafts. The coronary artery stenoses were divided into three groups based on the iFR value: iFR < 0.86 (group 1); iFR 0.86–0.90 (group 2); and iFR > 0.90 (group 3). Results: The mean graft flow (MGF) was 46.9 ± 18.4 mL/min for group 1, 45.3 ± 20.9 mL/min for group 2, and 31.3 ± 18.5 mL/min for group 3. A statistically significant difference was confirmed between groups 1 and 3 (p = 0.002) and between groups 2 and 3 (p = 0.025). The pulsatility index (PI) was 2.49 ± 1.20 for group 1, 2.66 ± 2.13 for group 2, and 4.70 ± 3.66 for group 3. A statistically significant difference was found between groups 1 and 3 (p = 0.006) and between groups 2 and 3 (p = 0.032). Backward flow was detected in 7.5% of grafts for group 1, in 16.6% of grafts for group 2, and in 16% of grafts for group 3. A statistically significant difference was found between groups 1 and 2 (p = 0.025) and between groups 1 and 3 (p = 0.029). Conclusions: The iFR is a useful tool for predicting the impact of competitive flow observed between a native artery and an attached graft. The effect of competitive flow significantly increases when the graft is attached to a vessel with mild coronary stenosis. In a coronary artery where the iFR was not hemodynamically significant, the MGF was lower, the PI was higher, and a larger proportion of grafts with backward flow (BF) was detected compared to when there was significant stenosis (iFR < 0.86).


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