The in-hospital mortality rate of acute myocardial infarction (AMI) is improving. In Japan, little information exists concerning the incidence and mortality of AMI. Therefore, our population-based analysis examined the incidence and mortality rate in AMI cases in individuals that lived in the Matsumoto region in 2002. We studied 169 AMI patients who were admitted within 14 days after a non-out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (non-OHCA group) and 63 patients with an AMI-related out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA group). The in-hospital mortality rate of the non-OHCA group was 9.5% (reperfusion therapy [+] 3.4%, [-] 22.7%, P < 0.0001). The rate of return of spontaneous circulation and the survival rate were 21% and 1.6%, respectively, in the OHCA group. The incidence of AMI in the non-OHCA and OHCA groups combined was 55.2 to 63.1 events/100,000 people annually and the mean age of AMI patients was 70 ± 13 years. The population-based mortality rate of AMI was 34% to 42%. The mortality rate of AMI remains high, and most deaths occur outside of the hospital. Prehospital care may lower the mortality rate of AMI.

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This study was designed to determine whether the treatment of patients with unstable angina pectoris or non-Q-wave myocardial infarction with a stent containing a protection net to prevent coronary microembolization affects the severity of biomarker release.
The MGuard stent (InspireMD, Tel Aviv, Israel) was designed as a plaque/thrombus-trapping device, using a conventional bare metal stent covered with an ultrathin, flexible mesh net. We hypothesized that this stent would partly eliminate distal embolization and decrease subsequent troponin I (TnI) release.
Forty-six acute coronary syndrome patients referred for percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) were included and randomized in this study. Serum concentrations of TnI were measured prior to, as well as 24 and 48 hours after, the PCI procedure.
Technical success was 95% and 100% in the MGuard group and non-MGuard group, respectively. A transient no-reflow phenomenon was observed in one interventional procedure in each group of patients (5% versus 4%; NS). Two patients (one in each group) died during the hospital stay. There was no statistically significant difference in median postprocedural TnI levels in either group.
The results suggest that coronary stenting with a stent system containing a protection net to prevent coronary microembolization (eg the MGuard stent) in patients with acute coronary syndromes does not decrease procedural myocardial injury, as measured by TnI release. It seems likely that stenting with the MGuard stent is feasible, however, its safety should be verified in larger studies.

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This study analyzed the corrected QT dispersion (cQTd) before and at 24 hours after successful primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) in 81 patients with single coronary artery disease and acute ST elevation myocardial in-farction. Major cardiovascular events (MACE) at 1 year were defined as death, nonfatal myocardial infarction, life-threatening arrhythmias, and heart failure hospitalization. The cQTd before primary PCI was significantly longer in patients without MACE than in patients with MACE (73.1 ± 29.3 versus 56.3 ± 25.2 msec, P = 0.026). The cQTd at 24 hours after primary PCI was significantly shorter in patients without MACE than in patients with MACE (38.4 ± 20.8 versus 50.8 ± 28.7 msec, P = 0.045). Thus, the absolute cQTd change was significantly higher in patients without MACE compared to patients with MACE (P = 0.001). By multivariate analysis, absolute cQTd change was an independent predictor for the development of MACE, with an odds ratio of 1.498 for each 10-msec decrement in absolute cQTd change (95 percent confidence interval, 1.157 to 1.939, P = 0.002). In conclusion, the absolute cQTd change after primary PCI was an independent predictor of the development of MACE in patients with single vessel disease and acute ST elevation myocardial infarction.

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There is little information available on factors affecting the long-term prevention of paroxysmal atrial fibrillation (AF) in the Japanese population. A total of 71 patients (49 men, mean age, 68 ± 8 years) with paroxysmal AF refractory to ≥ 2 class I antiarrhythmic drugs received oral amiodarone (50-200 mg/day). All patients were observed for more than 12 months (mean follow-up period, 47 ± 26 months) and were analyzed on the basis of patient profiles. The percentage of patients with AF recurrence despite amiodarone therapy was 54% in all patients. In multivariate logistic regression analysis adjusted for age and sex, the following factors were associated with preventive efficacy for AF recurrence: left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) (relative risk [RR] 0.933, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.877-0.993, P = 0.029), asymptomatic AF (RR 0.068, CI 0.005-0.870, P = 0.039), and AF occurring irrespective of circadian variation (RR 0.115, CI 0.013-0.988, P = 0.049). The percentage of patients with conversion to permanent AF despite amiodarone therapy was 31% in all patients. In multivariate logistic regression analysis adjusted for age and sex, asymptomatic AF (RR 0.085, CI 0.010-0.732, P = 0.025) was the only factor associated with preventive efficacy for conversion to permanent AF. Amiodarone appears to be effective in maintaining sinus rhythm, especially in patients with impaired left ventricular function. In contrast, amiodarone appears to be refractory in those with asymptomatic AF or AF occurring irrespective of circadian variation.

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Cheyne-Stokes respiration (CSR) is often observed in patients with chronic heart failure (CHF). Although adaptive servo ventilation (ASV) is effective for CSR, it remains unclear whether ASV improves the cardiac function and prognosis of patients with CHF and CSR.
Sixty patients with CHF and CSR (mean left ventricular ejection fraction 38.7%, mean apnea hypopnea index 36.8 times/hour, mean central apnea index 19.1 times/hour) were enrolled in this study. Patients were divided into two groups: 23 patients treated with ASV (ASV group) and 37 patients treated without ASV (Non-ASV group). Measurement of plasma B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP) levels and echocardiography were performed before, 3 and 6 months after treatments in each group. Patients were followed-up for cardiac events (cardiac death and re-hospitalization) after discharge. In the ASV group, NYHA functional class, BNP levels, cardiac systolic and diastolic function were significantly improved with ASV treatment for 6 months. In contrast, none of these parameters changed in the Non-ASV group. Importantly, Kaplan-Meier analysis clearly demonstrated that the event-free rate was significantly higher in the ASV group than in the Non-ASV group.
Adaptive servo ventilation improves cardiac function and prognosis in patients with chronic heart failure and Cheyne-Stokes respiration.

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Heart failure after acute myocardial infarction (AMI) is an important factor in determining clinical outcome. We examined whether the plasma homocysteine level was a predictor of heart failure in patients with AMI. A series of 96 patients without renal failure who were admitted to our hospital because of AMI between January 2003 and December 2005 were assigned to two groups; a group with a high homocysteine level (group H: n = 48) and a group with a low homocysteine level (group L: n = 48) based on a median homocysteine level. Congestive heart failure was defined as Killip Class II or higher at the time of admission or the development of congestive heart failure after hospitalization. The mean brain natriuretic peptide (BNP) level at the time of admission in group H was higher than that of group L (175.3 pg/mL versus 89.9 pg/mL; P = 0.068). The incidence of heart failure in group H was significantly higher than that in group L (43.7% versus 12.5%; P < 0.001, log-rank test; hazard ratio: 2.92). Multivariate Cox regression analysis indicated that a high plasma homocysteine level of 10.8 μmol/L or higher was a risk factor for the development of heart failure (HR: 7.175, P < 0.01). The plasma homocysteine level in patients with AMI may be related to the development of heart failure.

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Cabrol aortic root replacement is rarely performed in recent years because of potential coronary complications. The purpose of this study was to investigate its early and late results, including coronary complications, by evaluating our experience thus far. A retrospective lookup of patients who underwent Cabrol aortic root replacement between 1988 and 2001 found a total of 36 patients (24 men and 12 women) with a mean age of 45 years. Annuloaortic ectasia was the most frequent cause (n = 22), followed by chronic dissection (n = 5), acute dissection (n = 5), and aneurysm with prior aortic operation (n = 4). Early mortality occurred in one patient (2.8%). The mean follow-up period was 104 months. There were 7 late deaths, 4 of which were disease-related. The actuarial survival was 83.3% at 5 years and 72.9% at 10 years, and the freedom from reoperation was 87.9% at 5 years and 76.6% at 10 years. There were no reoperations on the ascending aorta. Coronary ostia were examined by angiography or 64-row multidetector computed tomography in 18 patients 43 to 189 months after the operation. Two patients developed stenosis or occlusion of the right coronary ostium. The early and late results of the Cabrol operation were favorable with the exception of coronary complications. The importance of careful follow-up for late coronary complications cannot be overemphasized.

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The chronic use of bosentan has been reported to reduce the plasma concentration of sildenafil. However, it remains unclear how sildenafil exerts the effect at reduced concentrations in pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) patients chronically treated with bosentan.
We examined the hemodynamic effects of sildenafil (50 mg) in 8 Japanese patients with PAH, and simultaneously measured the plasma concentration of sildenafil ([Sil]) and its major metabolite, desmethylsildenafil ([Des]).
The overall effects of sildenafil were 12.4% decrease in mean pulmonary arterial pressure, 19.9% increase in cardiac index (CI), and 25% reduction in derived pulmonary vascular resistance (PVR). When the patients were divided into two groups, a group with bosentan pretreatment [BOS (+), n = 4] and a group without bosentan pretreatment [BOS (-), n = 4], both [Sil] and [Des] were lower at the peak concentration (C_max) and the area under the plasma concentration versus time curve (AUC_0-6h), and the time to reach C_max was longer in BOS (+), although only the difference in AUC_0-6h of [Des] reached statistical significance (P = 0.02). In spite of lower concentration, the effect of sildenafil on CI was maintained in the BOS (+) group, while the decrease in PVR was less marked.
Sildenafil acutely dilated the pulmonary artery and increased CI in the PAH patients. These effects were still observed or maintained in the PAH patients chronically treated with bosentan, even when [Sil] was reduced.

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Procedure-related coronary dissection is associated with an increased risk of major adverse cardiovascular events after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). In most patients with such an iatrogenic complication, further PCI or bypass surgery aimed at complete revascularization is performed. Moreover, conventional coronary angiography has been used as a standard modality in the follow-up of such patients. The present report describes a 70 year old female patient who was complicated by catheter-related extensive coronary dissection in the right coronary artery (RCA) when treated for an acute myocardial infarction. Although RCA flow was insufficient, we decided against revascularization and followed her medically without additional revascularization procedures. Her clinical course had been uneventful for 4 years. However, symptoms of effort angina developed and re-examinations were performed at approximately 5 years after the myocardial infarction. Although conventional coronary angiography failed to show the culprit lesion responsible for the angina symptoms, the superior spatial resolution of the coronary CT angiography clearly identified significant progression of the stenotic lesion in the true lumen of the dissected RCA. Thus, coronary CT angiography might be considered as a possible first-line follow-up modality in patients with procedure-related coronary dissection.

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Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) in patients with portal hypertension is also referred to as portopulmonary hypertension (PPHTN). Here, we report a case of PPHTN caused by alcoholic liver cirrhosis in a 43-year-old male who experienced repetitive syncope on exertion. The continuous monitoring of pulmonary artery pressure and radial artery pressure revealed that his PAH was aggravated with a drop in systemic arterial pressure during an exercise test. Bosentan, an endothelin A/B receptor antagonist, improved the patient’s hemodynamic parameters and abolished his syncope without adverse effects. This is the first report that bosentan may be effective and safe for PPHTN associated with syncope.

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A 15-year-old male with acute decompensated heart failure was referred to our hospital for left ventricular assist device (LVAD) implantation as a bridge to recovery. Despite optimal medication, repetitive LVAD off-pump test findings suggested that his cardiac function had not improved enough to perform LVAD removal. However, his cardiac function significantly improved with cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT). He underwent LVAD explantation and was successfully discharged from the hospital. We describe the case of an end-stage heart failure patient who underwent successful LVAD removal with CRT. The effect of CRT was definitively evaluated with right heart catheterization during LVAD off-pump test.

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A 73-year-old woman with severe congestive heart failure was treated by implantation with a sirolimus-eluting stent (SES; Cypher Bx Velocity^®) in the left main coronary artery (LMCA) using the staged T-stent, kissing balloon, and hugging balloon techniques. Follow-up coronary multislice computed tomography after 10 months revealed that SES was completely fractured in 2 directions; the fractured stent appeared in the shape of the letter “L” and had migrated into the aorta. An SES fragment was surgically removed and subsequent electron microscopy revealed striations (striped patterns in fractured sections) on the fracture plane, indicating continuous shear stress after SES implantation in the LMCA. This case provides direct evidence of continuous shear stress on the SES and indicates the necessity of improving the structure of the stent such that it can withstand shear stress.

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