Biomedical subjects

Chiara Lazzeri

Publications and source records attributed to Chiara Lazzeri.

12 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed2006

Predictors of in-hospital mortality after percutaneous coronary intervention for cardiogenic shock.

OBJECTIVES: The mortality of patients with cardiogenic shock (CS) complicating ST elevation acute myocardial infarction (STEMI) remains high, despite early revascularization. Current knowledge of predictors of death is limited. BACKGROUND: The pathophysiologic understanding of CS after acute myocardial infarction has shifted from a mere hemodynamic disorder to a more complex approach including imbalance in metabolic functions. METHODS: In 45 consecutive patients (71.4+/-13 years) with CS complicating STEMI treated with primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) serum levels of lactate, glucose and uric acid on coronary care unit (CCU) admission were measured. The end-point was in-hospital death. RESULTS: The following parameters, on CCU admission, were univariate predictors of in-hospital mortality: serum glucose >200 mg/dl (OR=11.3, p=0.002), serum creatinine >1.5 mg/dl (OR=12.7, p=0.003), uric acid >6.5 mg/dl (OR=6.7, p=0.016), lactate >6.5 mmol/l (OR=54, p<0.0001), age > or =75 years (OR=8.5, p=0.002), history of hypertension (OR=8.3, p=0.003) and TIMI flow post PCI < or = 2 (OR=12.9, p=0.02). At multivariate analysis, after adjustment for sex, age, hypertension and diabetes, lactate >6.5 mmol/l and TIMI flow post PCI < or = 2 were still independent predictors of in-hospital mortality (OR=295, p=0.01; OR=19.5, p=0.04, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: Hyperlactatemia, hyperglycemia and increased levels of uric acid on CCU admission are univariate predictors of in-hospital death. Moreover, at multivariate analysis, hyperlactatemia (>6.5 mmol/l) is an independent indicator of in-hospital death in CS patients complicating STEMI.

Aged↗

PubMed2006

Timing, setting and incidence of cardiovascular complications in patients with acute myocardial infarction submitted to primary percutaneous coronary intervention.

BACKGROUND: At the Istituto di Clinica Medica Generale e Cardiologia (Florence, Italy), the widespread use of percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) has markedly changed the hospital course of patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI). These patients are typically transferred to the coronary care unit (CCU) only after primary PCI, whereas during the thrombolytic era, patients were first admitted to CCU before reperfusion. OBJECTIVES AND METHODS: The incidence, timing and setting of complications from symptom onset to hospital discharge in 689 consecutive AMI patients undergoing PCI were evaluated. RESULTS: Ventricular fibrillation occurred in 11% of patients, and most episodes (94.7%) occurred before or during PCI. Of all patients, 6.3% developed complete atrioventricular block (CAVB), and in 86.3% of these cases, the CAVB occurred before or during PCI; in 94.5%, a CAVB resolution occurred in the catheterization laboratory (CL). Thirty-one patients (4.5%) had impending shock on admission to the CL. Cardiogenic shock developed in 2 9 patients (4.2%), mostly in the prehospital phase or in the CL. Only four patients (less than 1%) developed cardiogenic shock later during their hospital course. Similarly, circulatory and ventilatory support, as well as temporary pacing and cardiac defibrillation, were used mostly in the prehospital phase or in the CL. During the CCU stay, 45 patients (6.5%) had hemorrhagic or vascular complications, and the incidence of post-PCI ischemia and early reocclusion of the culprit vessel were low (2.1% and 0.6%, respectively). Thus, cardiac complications usually associated with AMI were observed mainly before hospital admission or in the CL during the reopening of the target vessel. These complications were rarely observed after a successful PCI. CONCLUSIONS: For AMI patients, the CL is not only the site of PCI, it is also where most life-threatening cardiac complications are observed and treated.

Aged↗

PubMed2006

Contrast-induced nephropathy in urgent coronary interventions.

OBJECTIVES: Patients submitted to urgent percutaneous coronary interventions (PCIs) are quite often at high risk for contrast-induced nephropathy (CIN) since they exhibit several predisposing factors such as electrical and haemodynamic instability together with the lack of time to undergo adequate prophylaxis. This was a not blinded, non-randomized study whose aims were (i) to evaluate the incidence of CIN after urgent PCI in a high-volume cardiovascular referral practice (patients with acute myocardial infarction or with acute coronary syndromes enrolled in a single centre), and (ii) to assess the prognostic implications of CIN during hospitalization and at 1-month follow-up. METHODS: Between 1 October 2003 and 1 April 2004, 194 consecutive patients undergoing urgent coronary angiography and PCIs at our catheterization laboratory were enrolled in the study: 67 patients (34.5%) received the iso-osmolar contrast medium iodixanol (group A) and 127 patients (65.5%) received the hypo-osmolar contrast medium iopromid (group B). RESULTS: The overall incidence of CIN was 10.82%. Patients of group A showed a higher incidence of CIN than patients of group B (22.3 vs. 4.7%, P < 0.05). On univariate logistic analysis, age, pre-existing renal insufficiency, intra-aortic balloon pump (an indirect indicator of haemodynamic instability), dyslipidaemia, and postprocedural hypotension were risk indicators for the development of CIN after primary PCI. On multivariate logistic analysis, age and postprocedural hypotension remained significant independent correlates of CIN. CONCLUSIONS: In emergency PCIs, CIN is a frequent complication mainly related to haemodynamic instability and pre-existing renal dysfunction. Since CIN is associated with a high in-hospital mortality rate, our data stress the need for the development and validation of new preventive strategies for renal protection during emergency PCIs.

Acute Kidney Injury↗

PubMed2005

The incidence and timing of major arrhythmias following successful primary angioplasty for acute myocardial infarction.

BACKGROUND: The potential benefits of direct percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty (PTCA) on malignant arrhythmias in the hospital phase of acute myocardial infarction have not yet been established. METHODS: We prospectively investigated the incidence and timing of major arrhythmias occurring during direct PTCA and within 24 hours of mechanical reperfusion in 90 consecutive patients with acute myocardial infarction undergoing successful direct PTCA within 12 hours of symptom onset. RESULTS: Ventricular fibrillation and complete atrioventricular block occurred exclusively during direct PTCA and both resolved in the catheterization laboratory. Holter monitoring showed that ventricular tachyarrhythmias, such as runs of more than 3 extrasystoles, were detectable only during the first 8 hours after direct PTCA. CONCLUSIONS: In our group of patients undergoing successful direct PTCA, no in-hospital life-threatening arrhythmias occurred after this procedure.

Analysis of Variance↗

PubMed2005

Multiparametric electrocardiographic evaluation of left ventricular hypertrophy in idiopathic and hypertensive cardiomyopathy.

BACKGROUND: Electrophysiological abnormalities underlying the increased arrhythmogenicity of left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) are still under investigation. The aim of this study was to assess non-invasively the electrophysiologic alterations in two different types of LVH, METHODS: Multiparametric non-invasive ECG analysis (R-R interval, QRS and QT intervals, QT dispersion, T-wave complexity, activation-recovery interval [ARI] dispersion, standard deviation of RR intervals [SDNN], filtered QRS duration [fQRS], root-mean-square voltage of the terminal 40 ms of the fQRS [RMS40] and low amplitude signal duration (< 40 microV) in the terminal portion of the fQRS [LAS]) was performed in 57 patients with hypertensive LVH and hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM), and in 105 healthy subjects. RESULTS: The R-R interval and SDNN were similar in hypertrophic patients and controls. QRS and QT intervals were longer in hypertrophic patients without any differences between hypertensive LVH and HCM. QT dispersion, T-wave complexity and fQRS were greater in hypertrophic patients; QT dispersion was the greatest in HCM. ARI dispersion was lesser in hypertrophic patients without any differences between subgroups of LVH. fQRS showed a trend toward higher values in hypertensive patients. LAS at 25 Hz had a trend toward lower values in HCM patients, while LAS at 40 Hz and RMS40 showed no difference between controls and hypertrophic patients. Left ventricular mass index was not correlated with any of the above-mentioned parameters. CONCLUSIONS: The QT interval and dispersion did not identify the type of hypertrophy. Similarly, ARI dispersion which explores local variations of repolarization duration, and T-wave complexity could not distinguish patients with hypertensive LVH from those with HCM indicating that multiparametric ECG data are affected more by the presence of LVH, than by its type.

Adult↗

PubMed2004

Beat-to-beat analysis of pressure wave morphology for pre-symptomatic detection of orthostatic intolerance during head-up tilt.

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to noninvasively define the hemodynamic profile characterizing the early response to tilting. BACKGROUND: The mechanisms causing orthostatic intolerance have not been fully elucidated. Usually, patients undergoing tilt test are studied in a time-consuming way. Moreover, the test can cause discomfort to the patient and even be potentially hazardous. METHODS: Nineteen orthostatic intolerant patients (OIP), compared with 22 healthy subjects (HS), performed head-up tilt test while their arterial pressure waveform was noninvasively recorded. We elaborated data using the Pressure Recording Analytical Method to obtain hemodynamic parameters, then analyzing the variables by discriminant analysis. RESULTS: Compared with HS, OIP showed lower stroke volume index (SVI) values even in baseline conditions associated with higher values of systemic vascular resistance (SVR) and heart rate (HR). From the third minute of the tilted position and until symptoms appeared, patients exhibited lower values of blood pressure (BP) and SVI and higher HR values but no difference in SVR. At termination, patients showed a further significant reduction in BP and SVI and a persistent increase in HR. CONCLUSIONS: This investigation underlines: 1) the possibility of beat-to-beat monitoring of hemodynamic changes during tilting; 2) the cardiovascular profile of OIP at rest, characterized by lower SVI and higher SVR and HR; 3) the maladaptive response to postural challenge of OIP mainly identifiable in impaired vascular regulation; and 4) the possibility of detecting parameters that enable prompt identification of the positive response to tiltingin these patients, thus guiding the duration of the test.

Adult↗

PubMed2004

Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy: electrical abnormalities detected by the extended-length ECG and their relation to syncope.

BACKGROUND: Ventricular repolarization abnormalities can represent a trigger for lethal arrhythmias in hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM). We sought to assess whether multiparametric computerized surface ECG analysis identifies repolarization abnormalities in HCM patients, and whether this approach allows identification of patients with syncope. METHODS: In 28 HCM patients and 102 healthy subjects (14 and 51 males, mean age 44 +/- 15 and 41 +/- 14 years, respectively), 8-lead ECG (I, II, V1-V6) was recorded for 5 min, acquired in digital format and analyzed. Heart-rate corrected QT (QTc) and T wave complexity index (TWCc), QT dispersion, activation-recovery interval (ARI) and its dispersion, signal duration in the terminal portion of the filtered QRS at 25 Hz (LAS(25 Hz)) were analyzed among other parameters. RESULTS: Compared to healthy subjects, HCM patients exhibited longer QRS, filtered QRS, QTc and QTd, greater TWCc, minor ARId and LA(25 Hz). QRS duration and maximal septum thickness were linearly correlated (r=0.231 p<0.001). ARId shortening depended on ARI shortening in lead V1 (241 +/- 51 vs. 287 +/- 45, HCM vs. healthy subjects, p<0.0001) and lengthening in V6 (257 +/- 42 vs. 209 +/- 34, HCM vs. healthy subjects, p<0.0001). Significant factors for syncope at Wilks' stepwise discriminant analysis were TWCc, QRSd and LAS(25 Hz) (F=14.394, 10.098 and 9.226, respectively) with 92.3% positive predictive accuracy. CONCLUSIONS: In HCM, longer QRS and QT intervals are consequences of increased left ventricular mass, while ARI seems to reflect myocardial activation rather than inhomogeneity of recovery. The simultaneous evaluation of TWC, QRSd and LAS(25 Hz), unable by itself to hold a predictive value, yielded high accuracy in predicting cardiogenic syncope.

Adult↗

PubMed2004

Eluting stents: an effective, promising solution?

Recent studies with eluting stents showed encouraging results in preventing in-stent restenosis. We report a case of a patient in whom the implantation of carbon-coated and eluting stents in two different vessels was associated with different angiographic results. A diabetic hypertensive 67-year-old woman with an acute inferior myocardial infarction underwent direct coronary angioplasty on the right coronary artery with the implantation of two carbon-coated stents. In view of the severity of an additional lesion of the left anterior descending coronary artery and diabetes, coronary angioplasty and stenting with an eluting stent was performed in this vessel. Five months later the patient presented with acute pulmonary edema and an increase in troponin I levels. A new coronary angiography showed a long subtotal in-stent restenosis of the right coronary artery, whereas the left anterior descending coronary artery was normal. Our case report suggests that eluting stents should be considered a precious and effective tool in preventing in-stent restenosis.

Aged↗

PubMed2004

Early outcome after paclitaxel-eluting stents in patients with acute and subacute myocardial infarction. A clinical study.

BACKGROUND: Paclitaxel-eluting stents (PES) have been proven to prevent in-stent restenosis in patients submitted to elective percutaneous coronary intervention. No data are so far available about the safety and efficacy of PES in acute and subacute myocardial infarction. The aim of the present investigation was to evaluate the occurrence of in-hospital adverse events in patients with acute and subacute myocardial infarction submitted to PES implantation. METHODS: From June 1 to July 31, 2003, we implanted 53 PES in 43 consecutive patients with acute (34 patients) and subacute (9 patients) myocardial infarction. RESULTS: In 65.1% of the patients the culprit lesion was located in the left anterior descending artery. Direct stenting was performed in 27.9% and glycoprotein IIb/IIIa inhibitors were used in 74.4%. Before the procedure a TIMI flow 0-1 was present in 46.5% while post-procedural TIMI flow 3 was achieved in all patients. A pre-procedural TIMI thrombus grade 2 to 5 was present in 67.8%. No death, reinfarction, early post-infarction angina or any other episode referable to in-stent thrombosis were observed during hospitalization. No patient was submitted to target lesion revascularization. At short-term follow-up with a mean duration of 118 +/- 75 days from discharge no cardiac or noncardiac death, reinfarction or any other major adverse coronary events were reported in the study population and no target lesion revascularization was performed. CONCLUSIONS: In this study, PES implant in patients with acute and subacute myocardial infarction was safe, with an early outcome comparable to conventional standard stents and no adverse events related to acute or subacute thrombosis.

Age Distribution↗

PubMed2003

Baroreflex function in vasodepressive syncope: detection of early impairment.

BACKGROUND: Defective baroreflex function has been suggested as a potential mechanism accounting for the development of syncopal episodes. The present study was therefore aimed at assessing the non-invasive, indirect hemodynamic profile and baroreflex function by means of tilting, which is a natural stimulation crucial to physiological baroreflex activity, in syncopal patients and healthy controls. MATERIAL/METHODS: Seventeen consecutive patients with a positive response to head-up tilting and fourteen healthy subjects as controls underwent continuous and non-invasive beat-to-beat heart rate and arterial pressure measurements in order to evaluate systolic, diastolic, and dicrotic pressures, as well as heart rate. Baroreflex function was calculated as the slope of the linear regression line relating systolic arterial pressure to RR interval changes during upward and downward phases of tilting, respectively. RESULTS: When compared to healthy subjects, vasodepressive patients showed a significantly weaker correlation between systolic pressure and RR interval changes both in upward tilting, (r = 0.68 vs r = 0.91, p<0.05) and downward tilting (r = 0.48 vs r = 0.93, p<0.01). CONCLUSIONS: Our results show that an impairment in baroreflex-mediated adjustment to postural challenge can be detected in syncopal patients also during upward tilting, that is, in the early phase of the test. Moreover, our investigation emphases the utility of a noninvasive, complete hemodynamic evaluation of the early phase of tilting in order to detect peculiar behaviours of pulse wave contour and related parameters.

Adult↗

PubMed2002

Simultaneous assessment of electrocardiographic parameters for risk stratification: validation in healthy subjects.

BACKGROUND: Sudden cardiac death represents a major public health problem, but in the general population the identification of those subjects at very high risk remains poor. Simultaneous multiparametric ECG analysis can improve the identification of high-risk patients. METHODS: Five-min ECG recordings at a 5 MHz sampling rate (extended length-XL-ECG, Mortara Instruments, Milwaukee, WI, USA) were acquired in 105 healthy subjects (age range 21 to 80 years), equally distributed for age decades and sex, and three additional recordings, 30 min apart, were repeated in 30 subjects on the second day. The following parameters were recorded and analyzed: the RR interval, QRS duration, QT interval corrected according to the Bazett and Fridericia formulae, QT dispersion, T wave complexity, activation-recovery interval dispersion, standard deviation of the RR intervals, filtered QRS duration, the square root of the mean voltage of the last 40 ms of the filtered QRS, and the length of time that the terminal vector magnitude complex remains < 40 microV. RESULTS: QRS duration, activation-recovery interval dispersion, and filtered QRS differed in the two sexes. The standard deviation of the RR intervals, T wave complexity and QT dispersion were significantly correlated with age. The reproducibility was good for each parameter. CONCLUSIONS: The XL-ECG allows the simultaneous calculation of eight adequately reproducible different parameters the values of which are in agreement with those of the literature. Thus, XL-ECG is a reliable time- and cost-saving tool.

Adult↗

PubMed2002

Continuous recording of dicrotic and pulse pressures during head-up tilting test: the vasodepressive profile. Preliminary data.

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to assess whether a non-invasive automatic evaluation of the pulse wave characteristics could provide clinical clues when monitoring the hemodynamic adjustments to head-up tilting. METHODS: A continuous assessment of the peripheral pulse wave characteristics (systolic, diastolic, dicrotic and pulse pressures) in 8 control subjects with a negative response to head-up tilting (60 degrees for 45 min) compared to 13 syncopal patients with a vasodepressive one was performed. RESULTS: Controls exhibited, when up-tilted, an increase in blood pressure as well as in the dicrotic and pulse pressures and no changes in heart rate. On the contrary, syncopal patients showed a progressive increase in heart rate associated with a progressive decrease in dicrotic pressure and a trend towards lower values of pulse pressure, but no changes in systolic pressure. Thereafter and until the pre-syncopal symptoms supervened, the systolic, diastolic and dicrotic pressures progressively declined. A decrease in dicrotic pressure mainly characterized the early vasodepressive response while its increase identified the negative one. CONCLUSIONS: Our data, even though preliminary, strongly suggest that automatic hemodynamic evaluation is to be used in the clinical setting as a monitor of the sudden changes in blood pressure induced by head-up tilting. Furthermore, the dicrotic and pulse pressures, even those measured during the early phases of the test, should be considered as non-invasive parameters characterizing the vasodepressive response to head-up tilting.

Adult↗