Citations

Background— The clinical significance of incomplete coronary revascularization (ICR) after percutaneous coronary intervention in patients with acute coronary syndromes is unknown. Methods and Results— We performed quantitative angiography of the entire coronary tree in 2954 patients with acute coronary syndromes in the Acute Catheterization and Urgent Intervention Triage Strategy (ACUITY) trial. ICR was variably defined if any lesion with diameter stenosis (DS) cutoffs ranging from ≥30% to ≥70% with reference vessel diameter ≥2.0 mm remained after percutaneous coronary intervention. The primary outcome was 1-year composite rate of major adverse cardiac events (death, myocardial infarction, or ischemia-driven unplanned revascularization). With the use of DS cutoffs ≥30%, ≥40%, ≥50%, ≥60%, and ≥70%, the prevalence of ICR after percutaneous coronary intervention was 75%, 55%, 37%, 25%, and 17%, respectively. The 1-year major adverse cardiac event rate was increased among patients with ICR using all of the DS cutoffs. ICR (≥50% DS) was associated with higher 1-year rates of myocardial infarction (12.0% versus 8.2%; hazard ratio, 1.50; 95% confidence interval, 1.18–1.89; P =0.0007) and ischemia-driven unplanned revascularization (15.7% versus 10.2%; hazard ratio, 1.58; 95% confidence interval, 1.28–1.96; P <0.0001), with a trend toward increased mortality (3.1% versus 2.2%; hazard ratio, 1.43; 95% confidence interval, 0.90–2.27; P =0.13). By multivariable analysis, ICR (≥50% DS) was an independent predictor of 1-year major adverse cardiac events (hazard ratio, 1.36; 95% confidence interval, 1.12–1.64; P =0.002). The impact of ICR on major adverse cardiac events was similar regardless of chronic total occlusion presence, but it was more pronounced with a greater number of nonrevascularized lesions. Conclusions— Depending on the threshold of percent DS, ICR was present in 17% to 75% of patients with acute coronary syndromes after percutaneous coronary intervention. Regardless of the threshold, ICR was strongly associated with 1-year myocardial infarction, ischemia-driven unplanned revascularization, and major adverse cardiac events. Clinical Trial Registration— URL: http://www.clinicaltrials.gov . Unique identifier: NCT00093158.

SummaryBackgroundIt remains unclear whether a long‐acting preparation of octreotide (Sandostatin LAR) can be safely used for portal hypertension in patients with compensated cirrhosis.AimTo determine the safety and efficacy of LAR among patients with Child Pugh Class A or B cirrhosis and small oesophageal varices.MethodsA randomised, double‐blind, placebo‐controlled study was conducted in 39 patients with cirrhosis and small oesophageal varices. Safety was based on frequency and severity of adverse events. Efficacy was determined by hepatic vein pressure gradient (HVPG) measured at baseline and day 84 following administration of LAR 10 mg (n = 15), 30 mg (n = 10) or saline (n = 14). Fasting and postprandial portal blood flow (PBF), superior mesenteric artery pulsatility index (SMA‐PI), glucagon and octreotide levels were measured. An intention‐to‐treat analysis was performed.ResultsFour patients in the LAR 30 group (40%) withdrew from the study due to serious adverse events. No patient in the LAR 10 or control group had serious adverse events. There was no statistically significant decrease between HVPG at day 84 and baseline with LAR 30 mg (11.8 ± 2.3 mmHg vs. 14.1 ± 3.2), LAR 10 mg (15.3 ± 4.8 mmHg vs. 15.1 ± 3.8), or saline (13.3 ± 3.8 mmHg vs. 15.1 ± 4.3) (P = 0.26). Neither PBF, SMA‐PI nor plasma glucagon levels were significantly decreased from baseline (P = 0.56).ConclusionsThe absence of significant haemodynamic benefit, as well as the high frequency of severe adverse events associated with use of LAR, do not support the use of this agent in the treatment of portal hypertension.

ObjectiveThe use of psychotropic medications in Alzheimer's disease (AD) has been associated with both deleterious and potentially beneficial outcomes. We examined the longitudinal association of psychotropic medication use with cognitive, functional, and neuropsychiatric symptom (NPS) trajectories among community‐ascertained incident AD cases from the Cache County Dementia Progression Study.MethodsA total of 230 participants were followed for a mean of 3.7 years. Persistency index (PI) was calculated for all antidepressants, selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), antipsychotics (atypical and typical), and benzodiazepines as the proportion of observed time of medication exposure. Mixed‐effects models were used to examine the association between PI for each medication class and Mini‐Mental State Exam (MMSE), Clinical Dementia Rating Sum of Boxes (CDR‐Sum), and Neuropsychiatric Inventory – Total (NPI‐Total) trajectories, controlling for appropriate demographic and clinical covariates.ResultsAt baseline, psychotropic medication use was associated with greater severity of dementia and poorer medical status. Higher PI for all medication classes was associated with a more rapid decline in MMSE. For antidepressant, SSRI, benzodiazepine, and typical antipsychotic use, a higher PI was associated with a more rapid increase in CDR‐Sum. For SSRIs, antipsychotics, and typical antipsychotics, a higher PI was associated with more rapid increase in NPI‐Total.ConclusionsPsychotropic medication use was associated with more rapid cognitive and functional decline in AD, and not with improved NPS. Clinicians may tend to prescribe psychotropic medications to AD patients at risk of poorer outcomes, but one cannot rule out the possibility of poorer outcomes being caused by psychotropic medications. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Background Lynch syndrome is caused by germline mismatch repair (MMR) gene mutations. The PREMM 1,2,6 model predicts the likelihood of a MMR gene mutation based on personal and family cancer history. Objective To compare strategies using PREMM 1,2,6 and tumour testing (microsatellite instability (MSI) and/or immunohistochemistry (IHC) staining) to identify mutation carriers. Design Data from population-based or clinic-based patients with colorectal cancers enrolled through the Colon Cancer Family Registry were analysed. Evaluation included MSI, IHC and germline mutation analysis for MLH1 , MSH2 , MSH6 and PMS2 . Personal and family cancer histories were used to calculate PREMM 1,2,6 predictions. Discriminative ability to identify carriers from non-carriers using the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) was assessed. Predictions were based on logistic regression models for (1) cancer assessment using PREMM 1,2,6 , (2) MSI, (3) IHC for loss of any MMR protein expression, (4) MSI+IHC, (5) PREMM 1,2,6 +MSI, (6) PREMM 1,2,6 +IHC, (7) PREMM 1,2,6 +IHC+MSI. Results Among 1651 subjects, 239 (14%) had mutations (90 MLH1 , 125 MSH2 , 24 MSH6 ). PREMM 1,2,6 discriminated well with AUC 0.90 (95% CI 0.88 to 0.92). MSI alone, IHC alone, or MSI+IHC each had lower AUCs: 0.77, 0.82 and 0.82, respectively. The added value of IHC+PREMM 1,2,6 was slightly greater than PREMM 1,2,6 +MSI (AUC 0.94 vs 0.93). Adding MSI to PREMM 1,2,6 +IHC did not improve discrimination. Conclusion PREMM 1,2,6 and IHC showed excellent performance in distinguishing mutation carriers from non-carriers and performed best when combined. MSI may have a greater role in distinguishing Lynch syndrome from other familial colorectal cancer subtypes among cases with high PREMM 1,2,6 scores where genetic evaluation does not disclose a MMR mutation.

Object Rates of complications associated with the surgical treatment of cervical spondylotic myelopathy (CSM) are not clear. Appreciating these risks is important for patient counseling and quality improvement. The authors sought to assess the rates of and risk factors associated with perioperative and delayed complications associated with the surgical treatment of CSM. Methods Data from the AOSpine North America Cervical Spondylotic Myelopathy Study, a prospective, multicenter study, were analyzed. Outcomes data, including adverse events, were collected in a standardized manner and externally monitored. Rates of perioperative complications (within 30 days of surgery) and delayed complications (31 days to 2 years following surgery) were tabulated and stratified based on clinical factors. Results The study enrolled 302 patients (mean age 57 years, range 29–86) years. Of 332 reported adverse events, 73 were classified as perioperative complications (25 major and 48 minor) in 47 patients (overall perioperative complication rate of 15.6%). The most common perioperative complications included minor cardiopulmonary events (3.0%), dysphagia (3.0%), and superficial wound infection (2.3%). Perioperative worsening of myelopathy was reported in 4 patients (1.3%). Based on 275 patients who completed 2 years of follow-up, there were 14 delayed complications (8 minor, 6 major) in 12 patients, for an overall delayed complication rate of 4.4%. Of patients treated with anterior-only (n = 176), posterior-only (n = 107), and combined anterior-posterior (n = 19) procedures, 11%, 19%, and 37%, respectively, had 1 or more perioperative complications. Compared with anterior-only approaches, posterior-only approaches had a higher rate of wound infection (0.6% vs 4.7%, p = 0.030). Dysphagia was more common with combined anterior-posterior procedures (21.1%) compared with anterior-only procedures (2.3%) or posterior-only procedures (0.9%) (p < 0.001). The incidence of C-5 radiculopathy was not associated with the surgical approach (p = 0.8). The occurrence of perioperative complications was associated with increased age (p = 0.006), combined anterior-posterior procedures (p = 0.016), increased operative time (p = 0.009), and increased operative blood loss (p = 0.005), but it was not associated with comorbidity score, body mass index, modified Japanese Orthopaedic Association score, smoking status, anterior-only versus posterior-only approach, or specific procedures. Multivariate analysis of factors associated with minor or major complications identified age (OR 1.029, 95% CI 1.002–1.057, p = 0.035) and operative time (OR 1.005, 95% CI 1.002–1.008, p = 0.001). Multivariate analysis of factors associated with major complications identified age (OR 1.054, 95% CI 1.015–1.094, p = 0.006) and combined anterior-posterior procedures (OR 5.297, 95% CI 1.626–17.256, p = 0.006). Conclusions For the surgical treatment of CSM, the vast majority of complications were treatable and without long-term impact. Multivariate factors associated with an increased risk of complications include greater age, increased operative time, and use of combined anterior-posterior procedures.