INTRODUCTION: In elderly patients with acute myocardial infarction, very little is known about the role of surgical myocardial revascularization and percutaneous coronary intervention (invasive therapies - IT), especially in the context of long-term outcomes after hospital discharge. METHODS: We analyzed 1588 patients with MI who had been included prospectively in a databank and followed for up to 7.5 years. In this population, 548 patients were >70 years old (elderly group - EG), and 1040 were <70 years of age (younger group - YG); 1088 underwent IT during hospitalization, and the remaining 500 were treated medically (conservative therapy - CT). Patients were monitored either by visit or by phone at least once a year. A standard questionnaire was administered to all patients. The impact of IT was analyzed with both non-adjusted and adjusted models. RESULTS: By the end of the follow-up period, the survival rates for the IT and CT groups were, respectively, 71.9% versus 47.2% in the global population (hazard ratio=0.55, P<0.001), 81.5% versus 66.6% in the YG (hazard ratio=0.68, P=0.018) and 48.8% versus 20.3% in the EG (hazard ratio=0.58, P<0.001). In the adjusted models, the hazard ratios were 0.62 (P<0.001) in the global population, 0.74 in the YG (P=0.073) and 0.64 (P=0.001) in the EG. CONCLUSION: Long-term follow-up of patients with myocardial infarction revealed that IT during the in-hospital phase was at least as effective in elderly patients as in younger patients.

OBJETIVO: Estudar o efeito da reperfusão precoce da artéria relacionada ao infarto sobre a dispersão do intervalo QT(deltaQT), e seu valor como marcador de reperfusão coronária e de arritmias ventriculares. MÉTODOS: Foram avaliados 106 pacientes com reperfusão (CR) e 48 pacientes sem reperfusão (SR) que receberam terapia trombolítica na fase aguda do infarto. Foram analisados os eletrocardiogramas realizados na admissão e no 4º dia de evolução. A deltaQT, definido como a diferença entre o maior e o menor intervalo QT, foram medidos no ECG de 12 derivações. RESULTADOS: Na evolução do grupo com reperfusão, houve redução significativa da deltaQT de 89,66±20,47ms para 70,95±21,65ms (p<0,001). Por outro lado, no grupo sem reperfusão, houve aumento significativo da deltaQT de 81,27±20,52ms para 91,85±24,66ms (p<0,001). Análise de regressão logística demonstrou que a magnitude de redução entre a deltaQT pré e pós-trombólise foi o fator independente que identificou mais efetivamente a reperfusão coronária (OR 1,045, p<0,0001; IC 95%). Não houve diferença significativa das medidas de dispersão quando comparados os pacientes que apresentaram arritmias ventriculares nas primeiras 48 h com aqueles sem arritmias. CONCLUSÃO: Esse estudo mostra que a deltaQT reduz significativamente em pacientes com infarto agudo do miocárdio submetidos à trombólise com sucesso, aumentando nos pacientes que evoluem com a artéria fechada. A redução deltaQT entre a situação pré e pós-trombólise foi fator preditor de reperfusão coronária nesses pacientes, não apresentando correlação com arritmias ventriculares.

OBJECTIVE: To study the effect of early reperfusion of infarct-related artery on QT(deltaQT) dispersion interval, as well as how valuable it is as a marker for coronary reperfusion and ventricular arrhythmias. METHODS: One hundred and six patients with reperfusion (WR) and 48 without reperfusion (WtR) who have received thrombolytic therapy in the acute phase of infarction were studied. ECG carried out on admission as well as on day 4 of patient’s course were analyzed. deltaQT - defined as the difference between maximum and minimum QT interval - was measured by 12-lead ECG. RESULTS: The reperfusion group showed significant deltaQT reduction - from 89.66±20,47ms down to 70.95±21.65ms (p<0.001). On the other hand, the group without reperfusion showed deltaQT significant increase - from 81.27±20.52ms up to 91.85±24.66ms (p<0.001). Logistic regression analysis showed that reduction magnitude beween pre- and post-thrombolysis deltaQT was the independent factor to most effectively identify coronary reperfusion (OR 1.045, p<0.0001; CI 95%). No significant difference was found in dispersion measures when patients with ventricular arrhythmias were compared with those with no arryhthmias in the course of the first 48 hours. CONCLUSION: The study shows that deltaQT is significantly reduced in patients with acute myocardial infarction submitted to successful thrombolysis, and is increased in infarcted patients with closed artery. deltaQT reduction between the pre- and post-thrombolysis condition was a predictor for coronary reperfusion of those patients, and did not show correlation to ventricular arrhythmias.

Este trabalho relata nossa experiência com a utilização de enxerto composto em cirurgia de revascularização do miocárdio minimamente invasiva (CRMMI). Uma alternativa para a CRMMI é o uso de enxertos compostos, nos casos em que se pretende revascularizar vários ramos coronarianos, quando a artéria torácica interna se apresenta curta ou ramifica-se precocemente. Foi operada paciente do sexo feminino, 54 anos, portadora de lesão de 90% em artéria interventricular anterior em seu terço proximal e que foi submetida à CRMMI por minitoracotomia esquerda. A artéria torácica interna esquerda (ATIE) foi amplamente dissecada utilizando-se bisturi longo, auxílio de ótica de videotoracoscopia e clipe para ligadura dos ramos intercostais. Após a secção da ATIE houve ausência de fluxo sangüíneo e evidência de hematoma e dissecção da sua luz no terço distai. Este segmento comprometido foi desprezado e a ATIE foi prolongada por interposição de segmento de veia safena autógena, tornando possível a anastomose com o ramo interventricular anterior. A operação teve duração de 3 horas. A paciente foi extubada após 4 horas de pós-operatório e o dreno pleural esquerdo foi retirado no 3º dia; a paciente evoluiu bem, não apresentando intercorrências clínicas pós-operatórias, tendo recebido alta hospitalar 5 dias após a operação. A cineangiocoronariografia pós-operatória comprovou anastomose patente. O estudo com ecodoppler realizado no 4º mês de pós-operatbrio mostrou derivação pérvia e fluxo de alta resistência. Em conclusão, o uso de enxerto composto para CRMMI mostrou ser uma alternativa eficaz para ampliar a extensão da ATIE, possibilitando a anastomose, quando a mesma é curta ou apresenta problemas de fluxo ou, ainda, se se pretende tratar mais de uma coronária

This paper reports our experience with the use of compound grafts in minimally invasive coronary artery bypass graft (MICABG). An alternative for MICABG is the use of compound grafts in cases where several coronary branches are to be revascularized, when internal mammary artery is demonstrated to be short, or branches off early. One female patient, 54 years old, with a lesion of 90% in the third proximal part of the left descending artery (LAD), was operated upon, submitted to MICABG by left rainithoracotomy. The left internal mammary artery (LIMA) was amply dissected by the use of a long electrocautery, with the help of a videothoracoscope, and a clip for ligation of the intercostal branches. Following the sectioning of the LIMA, there was absence of blood flow and technical problems at the distal third. This compromised segment was disposed off and the LIMA was lengthened using the interpositioning of a saphenous vein segment, making possible the anastomosis with the LAD. Surgery was three hours long and the patient extubated fours hours postoperatively; the left pleural drainage tube was removed on the third day. Patient follow-up was satisfactory, without clinical problems; patient left the hospital in the fifth postoperative day. Postoperative cineangiocoronariography showed anastomosis patency; echodopplercardiogram performed on the fourth postoperative month showed patency and high resistence flow. In conclusion, the use of compound grafts for MICABG showed to be an efficient alternative to amplify the extension of the LIMA, enabling anastomosis when this artery is short or presents flow problems, or even if there is intention of treating more than one coronary artery.