BackgroundUrinary 11‐dehydro‐thromboxane (TX)B2 has been described as a potential predictive biomarker of major adverse cardiovascular events (MACEs) in high cardiac risk patients. This part of LTIMI (Leukotrienes and Thromboxane In Myocardial Infarction) study aimed to evaluate the relationship between 11‐dehydro‐TXB
2 and MACEs in patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI).Methods and Results
LTIMI was an observational, prospective study in 180 consecutive patients with AMI type 1 referred for primary percutaneous coronary intervention. On admission and at follow‐up visits (1 month, 1 year), 11‐dehydro‐TXB
2 was measured in urinary samples by using high‐performance liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry. The primary outcome was occurrence of composite MACEs during 1‐year after AMI. Left ventricular ejection fraction was assessed in echocardiography on admission and at 1‐year follow‐up. Analyses of 11‐dehydro‐TXB
2 (pg/mg creatinine) were performed on log‐transformed data and expressed as median with IQR (Q1–Q3). 11‐Dehydro‐TXB
2 level on admission was 7.39 (6.85–8.01) and decreased at 1 month (6.73, 6.27–7.12; P<0.001) and 1‐year follow‐up (6.37, 5.91–6.94; P<0.001). In univariate analysis, baseline 11‐dehydro‐TXB
2 was higher in patients with MACEs (n=60; 7.73, 7.07–8.60) compared with those without MACEs (n=119; 7.28, 6.68–7.79; P=0.002). In multivariate regression model, 11‐dehydro‐TXB
2 and 3 other variables (diabetes, multivessel disease, and left ventricular ejection fraction) were found to be best 1‐year cumulative MACE predictors with odds ratio for 11‐dehydro‐TXB
2 of 1.58 (95% CI 1.095–2.33; P=0.017) and area under the curve (in receiver operating characteristic analysis of 0.8). Baseline 11‐dehydro‐TXB
2 negatively correlated with both left ventricular ejection fraction on admission (R=−0.21; P=0.006) and after 1 year (R=−0.346; P<0.001).Conclusions11‐Dehydro‐TXB
2 predicts 1‐year cumulative MACEs in AMI patients and provides prognostic information on the left ventricular performance.
Increased risk of thrombotic events occurs in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Elevated fibrinogen and C-reactive protein (CRP), being common in COPD, are associated with formation of dense fibrin clots resistant to lysis. Statins have been found to display anti-inflammatory and antithrombotic effects. We investigated fibrin clot properties in COPD patients prior to and following statin therapy. Ex vivo plasma fibrin clot permeability, compaction, and fibrinolysis were assessed in 56 patients with stable COPD, aged 64.9 +/- 9.2 years (mean FEV(1), 54.7 +/- 15.9% predicted), versus 56 controls matched for age, sex and cardiovascular risk factors. Patients were then randomly assigned to receive simvastatin 40 mg/day (n = 28) or to remain without statins for three months (n = 28). Patients with COPD had lower clot permeability (6.1+/- 1.07 versus 9.2 +/- 0.9 10(-9) cm(2), p < 0.0001), decreased compaction (44.9 +/- 4.5 versus 63.9 +/- 6.1%, p < 0.0001), higher maximum D-dimer levels released from clots (4.23 +/- 0.55 versus 3.53 +/- 0.31 mg/l, p < 0.0001) with a decreased rate of this release (75.0 +/- 8.3 versus 80.9 +/- 8.0 microg/l/min, p = 0.03) and prolonged lysis time (9.84 +/- 1.33 versus 8.02 +/- 0.84 min, p < 0.0001) compared with controls. Scanning electron microscopy confirmed denser clot structure in COPD. Multiple linear regression analysis after adjustment for age and fibrinogen showed that in the COPD patients, CRP was the only independent predictor of permeability (R(2) = 0.47, p < 0.001) and lysis time (R(2) = 0.43, p < 0.001). Simvastatin improved clot properties (p < 0.05) despite unaltered CRP and irrespective of cholesterol reduction. Our study shows that fibrin clots in COPD patients are composed of much denser networks that are more resistant to lysis, and these properties can be improved by statin administration.
Transthoracic echocardiography allowed for accurate stenosis assessment of principal coronary arteries after successful PTCA. Feasibility of lesion site visualization was 100% for the LAD, 75% for the Cx and 43% for the RCA. Ultrasound contrast agent improved the quality of the RCA images.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.