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1.
Coronary artery calcium: A technical argument for a new scoring method.
Willemink, MJ, van der Werf, NR, Nieman, K, Greuter, MJW, Koweek, LM, Fleischmann, D
Journal of cardiovascular computed tomography. 2019;(6):347-352
Abstract
Coronary artery calcium (CAC) is a strong predictor for future cardiovascular events. Traditionally CAC has been quantified using the Agatston score, which was developed in the late 1980s for electron beam tomography (EBT). While EBT has been completely replaced by modern multiple-detector row CT technology, the traditional CAC scoring method by Agatston remains in use, although the literature indicates suboptimal reproducibility and subjects being incorrectly classified. The traditional Agatston scoring method counteracts the technical advances of CT technology, and prevents the use of thinner sections, obtained at lower tube voltage and overall decreased radiation exposure that has become available to other CT applications. Moreover, recent studies have shown that not only the total amount of CAC, but also its density and distribution in the coronary arterial tree may be of prognostic value. Acquisition and reconstruction techniques thus need to be adapted for modern CT technology and optimized for CAC quantification. In this review we describe the technical limitations of the Agatston score followed by our suggestions for developing a new and more robust CAC quantification method.
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2.
Prophylactic atorvastatin prior to intra-arterial administration of iodinated contrast media for prevention of contrast-induced acute kidney injury: A meta-analysis of randomized trial data
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Sun, YY, Liu, LY, Sun, T, Wu, MY, Ma, FZ
Clinical nephrology. 2019;(3):123-130
Abstract
BACKGROUND The efficacy of high-dose atorvastatin pretreatment in reducing the incidence of contrast-induced nephropathy in patients undergoing coronary angiography (CAG) or percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) has been examined in some randomized studies. However, the results across the trials remain controversial. OBJECTIVE This study sought to perform a meta-analysis to evaluate the effect of high-dose atorvastatin in the prevention of contrast-induced nephropathy (CIN) while undergoing CAG or PCI. MATERIALS AND METHODS Comprehensive literature searches for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) comparing high-dose atorvastatin vs. low-dose statin or placebo pretreatment for prevention of contrast-induced acute kidney injury in patients undergoing CAG were performed using PubMed, Embase, and the Cochrane library updated to June 2017. The primary outcome was the incidence of CIN. RESULTS A total of 11 RCTs were included in this analysis. The high-dose atorvastatin treatment can significantly reduce the incidence of CIN (OR 0.46, 95% CI 0.35 - 0.62, p < 0.00001). The benefit was consistent in comparison with the low-dose group (OR 0.41, 95% CI 0.25 - 0.66, p = 0.0003) and the placebo group (OR 0.50, 95% CI 0.26 - 0.98, p = 0.04). CONCLUSION Our study demonstrates that high-dose statin pretreatment shows a benefit specifically in reducing the incidence of contrast-induced acute kidney injury in patients undergoing CAG, especially compared with low-dose statin pretreatment.
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3.
Meta-analysis on allopurinol preventive intervention on contrast-induced acute kidney injury with random controlled trials: PRISMA.
Ma, G, Wang, G, Xiao, D, Teng, W, Hui, X, Ma, G
Medicine. 2019;(25):e15962
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Abstract
OBJECTIVES The objective of this meta-analysis on randomized controlled trials is to evaluate whether the administration of allopurinol with or without hydration will reduce contrast-induced acute kidney injury (CI-AKI) in patients undergoing contrast exposure. BACKGROUND The efficacy of allopurinol in the prevention of CI-AKI after cardiac catheterization and percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) is significantly related to the heterogeneous results. METHODS Two investigators independently searched MEDLINE, EMBASE, the Cochrane Controlled Trials Registry, the China Wanfang Data, the China Biological Medicine Database and the China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI) databases for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) comparing allopurinol with placebo or no allopurinol for the prevention of CI-AKI in patients from their inception to July 31, 2018. The primary outcome was the incidence of CI-AKI, and the secondary outcomes were the differences of serum creatinine (Scr), blood urea nitrogen (BUN), uric acid (UA), and estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) levels between groups after contrast media exposure. We used fixed-effects or random-effects models according to I statistics. The meta-analytic procedures were completed by Review Manager, version 5.3. ACHIEVEMENTS Eight random controlled trials with 1141 patients were included for this analysis. Compared with the control, allopurinol was associated with a reduced risk of CI-AKI (Relatives Risk (RR) 0.39, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.20,0.74, P = .004) and only a intend for decrease a post-procedure uric acid levels compared with the controlled ones at 48 hours (standardized mean difference (SMD) -0.72, 95% CI -1.44, 0.01, P = .05). But the difference of post-procedure uric acid levels was not statistically significant in allopurinol groups compared with controlled groups. There were lower post-procedure Scr and BUN levels in allopurinol groups than those in controlled groups (SMD -0.50, 95% CI -0.79,-0.21, P = .0009; SMD -0.40, 95% CI -0.60,-0.20, P < .0001;respectively). There were higher post-procedure eGFR levels in allopurinol groups than those in controlled groups (SMD 0.65, 95% CI 0.48, 0.83, P < .0001). CONCLUSION The main findings of this meta-analysis are focus on allopurinol may cause reduces in the incidence of CI-AKI in patients undergoing interventional coronary procedures. Further researches are still required for confirmation.
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Effect of Alprostadil on the Prevention of Contrast-Induced Nephropathy: A Meta-Analysis of 36 Randomized Controlled Trials.
Xie, J, Jiang, M, Lin, Y, Deng, H, Li, L
Angiology. 2019;(7):594-612
Abstract
Contrast-induced nephropathy (CIN) is the third leading cause of acquired acute renal injury in hospitalized patients. Alprostadil plays a role in the maintenance and redistribution of intrarenal blood flow and the excretion of electrolytes and water. However, the effectiveness of alprostadil in preventing CIN remains controversial. Thirty-six articles with a total of 5495 patients were included in this study. Both groups (experimental group and control group) received standard hydration therapy. In the experimental group, patients received different doses of alprostadil. Serum creatinine (SCr), blood urea nitrogen (BUN), estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR), cystatin C, creatinine clearance rate (CCr), and β2-microglobulin (β2-MG) were measured at 24, 48, and 72 hours after contrast media injection. The incidence of CIN in the experimental group was significantly lower than that in the control group (6.56% vs 16.74%). The level of SCr, cystatin C, BUN, and β2-MG in the experimental group was lower than those in the control group; CCr and eGFR in the experimental group were higher than those in the control group. This study demonstrated that alprostadil may reduce the incidence of CIN in patients undergoing coronary angiogram and/or percutaneous coronary intervention.
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Screening coronary angiography in patients with long-standing diabetes mellitus undergoing kidney transplant evaluation.
Puttarajappa, CM, Tevar, AD, Hariharan, S, Silver, SJ, Soman, P, Hendrick, S, Mour, G, Wu, CM
Clinical transplantation. 2019;(4):e13501
Abstract
BACKGROUND The utility of coronary angiography in patients with diabetes mellitus undergoing kidney transplant evaluation is unclear. Predictors of critical angiography lesions in these patients will aid in appropriate use of angiography. METHODS Single-center study of 80 patients with ≥15 years of diabetes mellitus who underwent a screening coronary angiography despite a negative cardiac stress test. Risk factors for needing coronary intervention (CI) (percutaneous or bypass grafting) were analyzed. RESULTS Eighteen patients (23%) had a ≥70% occlusion in one or more major coronary vessel(s), with right coronary artery being the most commonly involved (71%). Fifteen patients (19%) underwent coronary intervention: ten percutaneously and five with bypass surgery. Risk factors for needing CI were not being on statin (OR 3.54, P = 0.047) and history of stroke or peripheral vascular disease (PVD; OR 3.5, P = 0.034). A model that included statin use, stroke/PVD history, and glycosylated hemoglobin had a receiver operating characteristic curve area under the curve of 0.8 to predict CI. CONCLUSION Despite a negative stress test, the prevalence of critical coronary lesions was high among kidney transplant candidates with long-standing diabetes. Risk factors for needing coronary intervention were absence of statin use and a history of stroke or peripheral vascular disease.
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Coronary atherosclerosis imaging by CT to improve clinical outcomes.
Williams, MC, Newby, DE, Nicol, ED
Journal of cardiovascular computed tomography. 2019;(5):281-287
Abstract
Coronary artery disease remains an important cause of morbidity and mortality world-wide. Coronary Computed Tomography Angiography (CCTA) has excellent diagnostic accuracy and the identification and stratification of coronary artery disease is associated with improved prognosis in multiple studies. Recent randomized controlled trials have shown that in patients with stable coronary artery disease, CCTA is associated with improved diagnosis, changes in investigations, changes in medical treatment and appropriate selection for revascularization. Importantly this diagnostic approach reduces the long-term risk of fatal and non-fatal myocardial infarction. The identification of adverse plaques on CCTA is known to be associated with an increased risk of acute coronary syndrome, but does not appear to be predictive of long-term outcomes independent of coronary artery calcium burden. Future research will involve the assessment of outcomes after CCTA in patients with acute chest pain and asymptomatic patients. In addition, more advanced quantification of plaque subtypes, vascular inflammation and coronary flow dynamics may identify further patients at increased risk.
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Coronary CT Angiography Using Low Iodine Delivery Rate and Tube Voltage Determined by Body Mass Index: Superiority in Clinical Practice.
Yuan, W, Qu, TT, Wang, HJ, Wang, MY, Qu, Y, Niu, G, Yang, J
Current medical science. 2019;(5):825-830
Abstract
To explore the feasibility and superiority of iodine delivery rate (IDR) and tube voltage determined by patients' body mass index (BMI) in coronary CT angiography (CCTA), a total of 1567 patients undertaking CCTA during Feb. and Dec. 2016 were enrolled and divided into two groups. In the control group, the IDR and tube voltage were fixed, while in the experimental group, the IDR and tube voltage were determined by patients' BMI. The volume of iodinated contrast media (ICM), extravasation rate, extravasation volume, extravasation recovery interval, incidence rate of adverse reactions, effective dose (ED) and image quality of the two groups were compared. The experiments demonstrated that the ICM volume, extravasation rate, extravasation volume, extravasation recovery interval, incidence of adverse reactions and ED were lower or shorter in the experimental group than in the control group, and the differences were statistically significant (all P<0.05). However, there were no significant differences in the mean CT value, image noise, signal to noise ratio and contrast to noise ratio between the two groups (all P<0.05), which were consistent with the diagnosticians' subjective evaluation outcomes. Our findings suggested that in CCTA, it is feasible to determine the IDR and tube voltage based on patients' BMI; low tube voltage and IDR are superior to the fixed tube voltage and IDR and are worthy of clinical promotion.
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Improving Access to Guideline-Based Coronary Artery Calcium Testing for Cardiovascular Disease Prevention.
Berman, AN, Blankstein, R
JAMA cardiology. 2019;(10):965-966
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The Predictive Value of Coronary Artery Calcium Scoring for Major Adverse Cardiac Events According to Renal Function (from the Coronary Computed Tomography Angiography Evaluation for Clinical Outcomes: An International Multicenter [CONFIRM] Registry).
Lee, JH, Rizvi, A, Hartaigh, BÓ, Han, D, Park, MW, Roudsari, HM, Stuijfzand, WJ, Gransar, H, Lu, Y, Callister, TQ, et al
The American journal of cardiology. 2019;(9):1435-1442
Abstract
The prognostic performance of coronary artery calcium score (CACS) for predicting adverse outcomes in patients with decreased renal function remains unclear. We aimed to examine whether CACS improves risk stratification by demonstrating incremental value beyond a traditional risk score according to renal function status. 9,563 individuals without known coronary artery disease were enrolled. Estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR, ml/min/1.73 m2) was ascertained using the modified Modification of Diet in Renal Disease formula, and was categorized as: ≥90, 60 to 89, and <60. CACS was categorized as 0, 1 to 100, 101 to 400, and >400. Multivariable Cox regression was used to estimate hazard ratios (HR) with 95% confidence intervals (95% CI) for major adverse cardiac events (MACE), comprising all-cause mortality, myocardial infarction, and late revascularization (>90 days). Mean age was 55.8 ± 11.5 years (52.8% male). In total, 261 (2.7%) patients experienced MACE over a median follow-up of 24.5 months (interquartile range: 16.9 to 41.1). Incident MACE increased with higher CACS across each eGFR category, with the highest rate observed among patients with CACS >400 and eGFR <60 (95.1 per 1,000 person-years). A CACS >400 increased MACE risk with HR 4.46 (95% CI 1.68 to 11.85), 6.63 (95% CI 4.03 to 10.92), and 6.14 (95% CI 2.85 to 13.21) for eGFR ≥90, 60 to 89, and <60, respectively, as compared with CACS 0. Further, CACS improved discrimination and reclassification beyond Framingham 10-year risk score (FRS) (AUC: 0.70 vs 0.64; category free-NRI: 0.51, all p <0.001) for predicting MACE in patients with impaired renal function (eGFR < 90). In conclusion, CACS improved risk stratification and provided incremental value beyond FRS for predicting MACE, irrespective of eGFR status.
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Impact of iodine concentration and iodine delivery rate on contrast enhancement in coronary CT angiography: a randomized multicenter trial (CT-CON).
Rengo, M, Dharampal, A, Lubbers, M, Kock, M, Wildberger, JE, Das, M, Niezen, A, van Tilborg, F, Kofflard, M, Laghi, A, et al
European radiology. 2019;(11):6109-6118
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To compare the effect of contrast medium iodine concentration on contrast enhancement, heart rate, and injection pressure when injected at a constant iodine delivery rate in coronary CT angiography (CTA). METHODS One thousand twenty-four patients scheduled for coronary CTA were prospectively randomized to receive one of four contrast media: iopromide 300 mg I/ml, iohexol 350 mg I/ml, iopromide 370 mg I/ml, or iomeprol 400 mg I/ml. Contrast media were delivered at an equivalent iodine delivery rate of 2.0 g I/s. Intracoronary attenuation was measured and compared (per vessel and per segment). Heart rate before and after contrast media injection was documented. Injection pressure was recorded (n = 403) during contrast medium injection and compared between groups. RESULTS Intracoronary attenuation values were similar for the different contrast groups. The mean attenuation over all segments ranged between 384 HU for 350 mg I/ml and 395 HU for 400 mg I/ml (p = 0.079). Dose-length product (p = 0.8424), signal-to-noise ratio (all p > 0.05), time to peak (p = 0.324), and changes in heart rate (p = 0.974) were comparable between groups. The peak pressures differed: 197.4 psi for 300 mg I/ml (viscosity 4.6 mPa s), 229.8 psi for 350 mg I/ml (10.4 mPa s), 216.1 psi for 370 mg I/ml (9.5 mPa s), and 243.7 psi for 400 mg I/ml (12.6 mPa s) (p < 0.0001). CONCLUSION Intravascular attenuation and changes in heart rate are independent of iodine concentration when contrast media are injected at the same iodine delivery rate. Differences in injection pressures are associated with the viscosity of the contrast media. KEY POINTS • The contrast enhancement in coronary CT angiography is independent of the iodine concentration when contrast media are injected at body temperature (37 °C) with the same iodine delivery rate. • Iodine concentration does not influence the change in heart rate when contrast media are injected at identical iodine delivery rates. • For a fixed iodine delivery rate and contrast temperature, the viscosity of the contrast medium affects the injection pressure.