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Congestive heart failure (CHF) is a major source of morbidity, mortality, and health-care resource consumption. However, the incidence of symptomatic CHF after primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) for ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) has rarely been fully reported. We therefore examined the early and late incidence, predictors, and implications of CHF in the large-scale, prospective, randomized HORIZONS-AMI trial. New York Heart Association (NYHA) functional classification was prospectively collected from patient-level data at baseline, 30 days, 6 months, and at 1 and 2 years from 3,343 patients with STEMI undergoing PCI at 123 centers in 11 countries. The baseline incidence of CHF (before the index STEMI) was 2.6%, increasing to 4.6% 1 month after primary PCI ( P < .0001), 4.7% at 1 year, and 5.1% at 2 years. The incidence of NYHA class III/IV symptoms was 0.4% at baseline and 0.8% at 2 years ( P = .03). CHF at 1 year was associated with diabetes ( P < .0001), dyslipidemia ( P = .009), previous MI ( P < .0001), previous revascularization ( P = .01), anterior STEMI ( P = .02), and baseline TIMI grade 0 flow ( P = .01) but not procedural anticoagulation with bivalirudin versus heparin + GPIIb/IIIa inhibitors ( P = .93) or use of drug-eluting versus bare metal stents ( P = .66). Among patients in whom CHF was not present at baseline but developed after PCI, the rate of all-cause mortality was significantly higher during 2-year follow-up (7.3% vs 2.0%, P < .0001), as was cardiac mortality (2.4% vs 0.8%, P = .004), reinfarction (9.4% vs 5.2%, P = .0009), stent thrombosis (7.0% vs 3.8%, P = .007), and ischemic target vessel revascularization (19.4% vs 11.8%, P < .0001). In the HORIZONS-AMI trial, the development of new-onset CHF within 2 years after contemporary PCI, although infrequent, was associated with significantly increased rates of mortality and major adverse ischemic events.

A 73-year-old male was brought into hospital with chest pain and inferior ST elevation on ECG. The patient immediately proceeded to the catheter lab for primary percutaneous coronary intervention. Angiography did not identify any culprit lesions to account for the patient’s electrocardiographic changes and ongoing symptoms of chest pain. Bedside echocardiography revealed critical aortic stenosis. Intra-aortic balloon pump (IABP) was inserted, resulting in resolution of chest pain and ST-segment changes. The patient underwent successful aortic valve (AV) replacement without the need for coronary intervention. This is a rare presentation of critical aortic stenosis (AS) presenting as ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI). Learning points: Aortic stenosis (AS) affects 2–9% of population above 65 years old and increases with age. AS induces ischaemia via abnormal cardiac coronary coupling. Focused clinical examination in patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) is vital prior to cardiac catheterisation. Detection of murmurs should be followed on by an echocardiography examination. Other differentials of STEMI include acute aortopathy, endocarditis with embolus, myopericarditis and intracranial haemorrhage.

ObjectivesTo compare aortic size and stiffness parameters on MRI between bicuspid aortic valve (BAV) and tricuspid aortic valve (TAV) patients with aortic stenosis (AS).MethodsMRI was performed in 174 patients with asymptomatic moderate-severe AS (mean AVAI 0.57 ± 0.14 cm2/m2) and 23 controls on 3T scanners. Valve morphology was available/analysable in 169 patients: 63 BAV (41 type-I, 22 type-II) and 106 TAV. Aortic cross-sectional areas were measured at the level of the pulmonary artery bifurcation. The ascending and descending aorta (AA, DA) distensibility, and pulse wave velocity (PWV) around the aortic arch were calculated.ResultsThe AA and DA areas were lower in the controls, with no difference in DA distensibility or PWV, but slightly lower AA distensibility than in the patient group. With increasing age, there was a decrease in distensibility and an increase in PWV. After correcting for age, the AA maximum cross-sectional area was higher in bicuspid vs. tricuspid patients (12.97 [11.10, 15.59] vs. 10.06 [8.57, 12.04] cm2, p < 0.001), but there were no significant differences in AA distensibility (p = 0.099), DA distensibility (p = 0.498) or PWV (p = 0.235). Patients with BAV type-II valves demonstrated a significantly higher AA distensibility and lower PWV compared to type-I, despite a trend towards higher AA area.ConclusionsIn patients with significant AS, BAV patients do not have increased aortic stiffness compared to those with TAV despite increased ascending aortic dimensions. Those with type-II BAV have less aortic stiffness despite greater dimensions. These results demonstrate a dissociation between aortic dilatation and stiffness and suggest that altered flow patterns may play a role.Key Points• Both cellular abnormalities secondary to genetic differences and abnormal flow patterns have been implicated in the pathophysiology of aortic dilatation and increased vascular complications associated with bicuspid aortic valves (BAV).• We demonstrate an increased ascending aortic size in patients with BAV and moderate to severe AS compared to TAV and controls, but no difference in aortic stiffness parameters, therefore suggesting a dissociation between dilatation and stiffness.• Sub-group analysis showed greater aortic size but lower stiffness parameters in those with BAV type-II AS compared to BAV type-I.

Objectives Aortic stenosis (AS) is characterised by a long and variable asymptomatic course. Our objective was to use cardiovascular magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to assess progression of adverse remodeling in asymptomatic AS. Methods Participants from the PRIMID-AS study, a prospective, multi-centre observational study of asymptomatic patients with moderate to severe AS, who remained asymptomatic at 12 months, were invited to undergo a repeat cardiac MRI. Results Forty-three participants with moderate-severe AS (mean age 64.4 ± 14.8 years, 83.4% male, aortic valve area index 0.54 ± 0.15 cm 2 /m 2 ) were included. There was small but significant increase in indexed left ventricular (LV) (90.7 ± 22.0 to 94.5 ± 23.1 ml/m 2 , p  = 0.007) and left atrial volumes (52.9 ± 11.3 to 58.6 ± 13.6 ml/m 2 , p  < 0.001), with a decrease in systolic (LV ejection fraction 57.9 ± 4.6 to 55.6 ± 4.1%, p  = 0.001) and diastolic (longitudinal diastolic strain rate 1.06 ± 0.2 to 0.99 ± 0.2 1/s, p  = 0.026) function, but no overall change in LV mass or mass/volume. Late gadolinium enhancement increased (2.02 to 4.26 g, p  < 0.001) but markers of diffuse interstitial fibrosis did not change significantly (extracellular volume index 12.9 [11.4, 17.0] ml/m 2 to 13.3 [11.1, 15.1] ml/m 2 , p  = 0.689). There was also a significant increase in the levels of NT-proBNP (43.6 [13.45, 137.08] pg/ml to 53.4 [19.14, 202.20] pg/ml, p  = 0.001). Conclusions There is progression in cardiac remodeling with increasing scar burden even in asymptomatic AS. Given the lack of reversibility of LGE post-AVR and its association with long-term mortality post-AVR, this suggests the potential need for earlier intervention, before the accumulation of LGE, to improve the long-term outcomes in AS. Key Points • Current guidelines recommend waiting until symptom onset before valve replacement in severe AS. • MRI showed clear progression in cardiac remodeling over 12 months in asymptomatic patients with AS, with near doubling in LGE. • This highlights the need for potentially earlier intervention or better risk stratification in AS.

The CvLPRIT study showed a trend for improved clinical outcomes in the complete revascularisation (CR) group in those treated with an immediate, as opposed to staged in-hospital approach in patients with multivessel coronary disease undergoing primary percutaneous intervention (PPCI). We aimed to assess infarct size and left ventricular function in patients undergoing immediate compared with staged CR for multivessel disease at PPCI. The Cardiovascular Magnetic Resonance (CMR) substudy of CvLPRIT was a multicentre, prospective, randomized, open label, blinded endpoint trial in PPCI patients with multivessel disease. These data refer to a post-hoc analysis in 93 patients randomized to the CR arm (63 immediate, 30 staged) who completed a pre-discharge CMR scan (median 2 and 4 days respectively) after PPCI. The decision to stage non-IRA revascularization was at the discretion of the treating interventional cardiologist. Patients treated with a staged approach had more visible thrombus (26/30 vs. 31/62, p = 0.001), higher SYNTAX score in the IRA (9.5, 8–16 vs. 8.0, 5.5–11, p = 0.04) and a greater incidence of no-reflow (23.3 % vs. 1.6 % p < 0.001) than those treated with immediate CR. After adjustment for confounders, staged patients had larger infarct size (19.7 % [11.7–37.6] vs. 11.6 % [6.8–18.2] of LV Mass, p = 0.012) and lower ejection fraction (42.2 ± 10 % vs. 47.4 ± 9 %, p = 0.019) compared with immediate CR. Of patients randomized to CR in the CMR substudy of CvLPRIT, those in whom the operator chose to stage revascularization had larger infarct size and lower ejection fraction, which persisted after adjusting for important covariates than those who underwent immediate CR. Prospective randomized trials are needed to assess whether immediate CR results in better clinical outcomes than staged CR. ISRCTN70913605, Registered 24th February 2011.

Reports a case of acute coronary syndrome involving an unstable lesion in the left main coronary artery (LMCA). Emphasises the importance of recognising clinical and electrocardiographic features suggestive of impending LMCA occlusion to ensure prompt triage and management. Source: National Library of New Zealand Te Puna Matauranga o Aotearoa, licensed by the Department of Internal Affairs for re-use under the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 New Zealand Licence.

Use of radial artery access for percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) has increased greatly in recent years although uptake varies widely throughout the world. While an increasing body of evidence supports use of the radial artery as a safe access route for PCI, a ‘radial learning curve’ remains an obstacle to uptake, especially for established femoral operators seeking to increase the proportion of radial procedures. Untreated radial artery spasm is not only painful, but may result in patient harm if alternate arterial access (e.g. the femoral artery) is unavailable. An understanding of simple procedural modifications can be the difference between procedural success and failure.

Few coronary complications are as unpredictable as coronary air embolism (CAE). Sequelae range from asymptomatic transient slow-flow to devastating cardiovascular collapse and death. Unlike many PCI complications, CAE is almost always avoidable; as such a sound knowledge of both prevention and management are mandatory for every operator.