BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE:There are limited studies on the morphologic characteristics of MCA atherosclerotic stenosis. Our aim was to quantitatively assess the remodeling pattern and plaque distribution of atherosclerotic MCAs with 3T high-resolution MR imaging.

Background: Many factors are associated with no-reflow (NRF) phenomenon in ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI), including plasma glucose, age, and pre-percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) thrombus score. Initial clinical assessment would benefit from accurate NRF prediction. This study aimed to develop a simple scoring system to predict the risk of NRF in patients undergoing primary PCI with STEMI. Methods: Baseline clinical and procedural variables were used for risk score development (the training dataset, n = 912) and validation (the test dataset, n = 864). Independent predictors of NRF from the multivariable model were assigned integer weights based on their coefficients and incorporated into a risk score. The discriminant ability of the score was tested by receiver operating characteristic analysis using the test dataset.Results: The final model included 7 significant variables, which were age, pain-to-PCI time, neutrophil count, admission plasma glucose level, pre-PCI thrombus score, collateral circulation, and Killip class. All these variables were then used to build a risk score in terms of the prediction of NRF. Receiver operating characteristic analysis demonstrated good risk prediction with a c statistic of 0.800 (95% confidence interval: 0.772-0.826) in the test dataset. Conclusions: In patients with STEMI treated by primary PCI, incidence of NRF phenomenon may be predicted with an acceptable accuracy based on a 7-item simplified risk score.

Objective:To discuss the feasibility and clinical value of high-resolution magnetic resonance vessel wall imaging (HRMR VWI) for intracranial arterial stenosis.Date Sources:We retrieved information from PubMed database up to December 2015, using various search terms including vessel wall imaging (VWI), high-resolution magnetic resonance imaging, intracranial arterial stenosis, black blood, and intracranial atherosclerosis.Study Selection:We reviewed peer-reviewed articles printed in English on imaging technique of VWI and characteristic findings of various intracranial vasculopathies on VWI. We organized this data to explain the value of VWI in clinical application.Results:VWI with black blood technique could provide high-quality images with submillimeter voxel size, and display both the vessel wall and lumen of intracranial artery simultaneously. Various intracranial vasculopathies (atherosclerotic or nonatherosclerotic) had differentiating features including pattern of wall thickening, enhancement, and vessel remodeling on VWI. This technique could be used for determining causes of stenosis, identification of stroke mechanism, risk-stratifying patients, and directing therapeutic management in clinical practice. In addition, a new morphological classification based on VWI could be established for predicting the efficacy of endovascular therapy.Conclusions:This review highlights the value of HRMR VWI for discrimination of different intracranial vasculopathies and directing therapeutic management.

Aims Elderly patients with heart failure (HF) are associated with frequent all-cause readmission or death. The present study sought to develop an accurate and easy-to-use model to predict all-cause readmission or death risk in Chinese elderly patients with HF. Methods and resultsThis was a prospective cohort study in patients with HF aged 65 or older. Demographic, comorbidity, laboratory, and medication data were collected. A Cox regression model was used to identify factors for the prediction of readmission or death at 30 days and 1 year. A nomogram was developed with bootstrap validation. Of the included 854 patients, the cumulative all-cause readmission and mortality rates were 10.5% and 11.6% at 30 days and 34.9% and 19.7% at 1 year, respectively. The independent risk factors associated with both 30 day and 1 year readmission or death were older age, stroke, diastolic blood pressure < 60 mmHg, body mass index ≤ 18.5 kg/m 2 , lower estimated glomerular filtration rate, and BNP > 400 pg/mL (all P < 0.05). Anaemia, abnormal neutrophils, and admission without angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors/angiotensin receptor blockers were the specific independent risk factors of 30 day all-cause readmission or death (all P < 0.05), whereas serum sodium ≤ 140 mmol/L and admission without beta-blockers were the specific independent risk factors of 1 year all-cause readmission or death (all P < 0.05). The Cindex of the 30 day and 1 year diagnosis prediction model was 0.778 [95% confidence interval (CI) 0.693-0.862] and 0.738 (95% CI 0.640-0.836), respectively. Conclusions We developed accurate and easy-to-use nomograms to predict all-cause readmission or death in Chinese elderly patients with HF. The nomograms will assist in reducing the all-cause readmission and mortality rates.

HRMRI of vascular occlusions can identify wall characteristics and characterize the course and caliber of the vasculature distal to the occluded segment. This information may be useful in determining preferred approaches for endovascular revascularization.

Background: Recent studies have found that adropin is associated with coronary artery disease (CAD). This meta-analysis sought to assess the relationship between serum adropin level and CAD. Methods: Online databases including the Cochrane Library, PubMed, EMbase, Ovid, CBM, CNKI, VIP and WanFang Data were electronically searched for the clinical study concerning the relationship between serum adropin levels and CAD, including acute myocardial infarction (AMI), unstable angina pectoris (UAP), and stable angina pectoris (SAP). Two reviewers independently screened literature, extracted data and assessed methodological quality of included studies. Standard mean difference (SMD) with its 95% confidence interval (CI) was used as the effect size in this study. Then meta-analysis was performed using RevMan 5.2 software. Results: A total of seven articles involved 945 participants were included. The results indicated that serum adropin level in CAD group was lower than healthy control group (SMD =−2.44, P=0.0008). In the subgroup analysis, the levels of serum adropin in AMI group (SMD =−2.96, P<0.00001), UAP group (SMD =−2.09, P=0.0001) and SAP group (SMD =−1.23, P=0.007) were also lower than that of healthy control. Conclusions: Serum adropin level in patients with CAD was lower than healthy individuals, indicating that the decrease of adropin concentration might play an important role in the development of CAD.

BackgroundIt is usually difficult to identify stroke pathogenesis for single lenticulostriate infarction with nonstenotic middle cerebral artery (MCA). Our aim is to differentiate the two pathogeneses, non-branch atheromatous small vessel disease and branch atheromatous disease (BAD) by high-resolution magnetic resonance imaging (HR-MRI).MethodsThirty-two single lenticulostriate infarction patients with nonstenotic MCA admitted to the China-Japan Friendship Hospital from December 2014 to August 2017 were enrolled for retrospective analysis. National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS), modified Rankin Scale (mRS), atherosclerotic risk factors, imaging features, and the characteristic of MCA vessel wall in HR-MRI were evaluated.ResultsMCA plaques were detected in 15(46.9%) patients which implied BAD and 8 of 15 (53.3%) patients had plaques location in upper dorsal side of the vessel wall. Patients with HR-MRI identified plaques had a significantly larger infarction lesion length (1.95 ± 0.86 cm versus 1.38 ± 0.55 cm; P = 0.031) and larger lesion volume (2.95 ± 3.94 cm3 versus 0.90 ± 0.94 cm3; P = 0.027) than patients without plaques. Patients with HR-MRI identified plaques had a significant higher percentage of proximal lesions than patients without plaques (P = 0.055). However, according to the location of MCA plaques, there were no significant differences in terms of imaging features, NIHSS and mRS.ConclusionWe demonstrated high frequency of MCA atheromatous plaques visualized in single lenticulostriate infarction patients with nonstenotic MCA by using HR-MRI. Patients with HR-MRI identified plaque presented larger infarction lesions and more proximal lesions than patients without plaque, which were consistent with imaging features of BAD. HR-MRI is an important and effective tool for identifying stroke etiology in patients with nonstenotic MCA.

Background:There are few studies for evaluating wall characteristics of intracranial vertebral artery hypoplasia (VAH). The aim of this study was to determine wall characteristics of VAH with three-dimensional volumetric isotropic turbo spin echo acquisition (3D VISTA) images and differentiate between acquired atherosclerotic stenosis and VAH.Methods:Thirty patients with suspicious VAH by luminograms were retrospectively enrolled between January 2014 and February 2015. The patients were classified as “acquired atherosclerotic stenosis” or “VAH” based on 3D VISTA images. The wall characteristics of VAH were assessed to determine the presence of atherosclerotic lesions, and the patients were classified into two subgroups (VAH with atherosclerosis and VAH with normal wall). Wall characteristics of basilar arteries and vertebral arteries were also assessed. The clinical and wall characteristics were compared between the two groups.Results:Five of 30 patients with suspicious VAH were finally diagnosed as acquired atherosclerotic stenosis by 3D VISTA images. 25 patients were finally diagnosed as VAH including 16 (64.00%) patients with atherosclerosis and 9 (36.00%) patients with normal wall. In the 16 patients with atherosclerosis, plaque was found in 9 patients, slight wall thickening in 6 patients, and thrombus and wall thickening in 1 patient. Compared with VAH patients with normal wall, VAH patients with atherosclerosis showed atherosclerotic basilar arteries and dominant vertebral arteries more frequently (P = 0.000).Conclusions:Three-dimensional VISTA images enable differentiation between the acquired atherosclerotic stenosis and VAH. VAH was also prone to atherosclerotic processes.