Introdução: Estudos demonstram que o acesso via artéria radial diminui o risco de complicações vasculares e hemorrágicas associadas à intervenção coronária percutânea. Nosso objetivo foi avaliar os resultados hospitalares da utilização da via radial em pacientes idosos submetidos à intervenção coronária percutânea. Métodos: Registro prospectivo, que incluiu pacientes ≥ 70 anos, tendo sido comparados os desfechos de segurança e de eficácia entre os grupos tratados pelas vias radial e femoral. Resultados: Incluímos 225 pacientes, sendo 117 (52%) tratados por via radial e 108 por via femoral. À exceção da idade, as demais características clínicas não mostraram diferenças entre os grupos. Predominaram os pacientes do sexo masculino (60%), 36,7% eram diabéticos e mais de um terço foi tratado na vigência de quadro de síndrome coronária aguda. As variáveis angiográficas e do procedimento não mostraram diferenças entre os grupos. Na comparação das taxas de complicações vasculares, somente os hematomas < 5 cm (5,1% vs. 17,6%; p < 0,01) foram mais prevalentes no acesso femoral. Sangramentos maiores, pelo critério ACUITY (zero vs. 5,6%; p = 0,01), e menores, pelo critério TIMI (zero vs. 7,4%; p < 0,01), também foram mais frequentes no grupo femoral. Os desfechos clínicos hospitalares óbito (0,9% vs. 5,6%; p = 0,06) e infarto não fatal (zero vs. 3,7%; p = 0,05) incidiram mais frequentemente nos pacientes tratados por via femoral. Conclusões: Em uma população não selecionada de pacientes com idade ≥ 70 anos, a intervenção coronária percutânea por via radial esteve associada à menor incidência de desfechos clínicos hospitalares, em especial de eventos hemorrágicos relacionados à via de acesso vascular.

Background: Studies demonstrate that radial artery access reduces the risk of vascular and bleeding complications associated to percutaneous coronary intervention. Our objective was to evaluate in-hospital results of the transradial approach in elderly patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention. Methods: Prospective registry including patient's ≥ 70 years of age; safety and efficacy endpoints were compared for the radial and femoral artery access groups. Results: We included 255 patients, 117 (52%) treated using the radial approach and 108 using the femoral approach. Except for age, the remaining clinical characteristics did not show differences between groups. Male patients prevailed (60%), 36.7% were diabetic and over one third were diagnosed with acute coronary syndrome. Angiographic and procedure-related variables did not show differences between groups. When vascular complication rates were compared only hematomas < 5 cm (5.1% vs. 17.6%; p < 0.01) were more prevalent with the femoral access. Major bleedings, according to the ACUITY criteria (zero vs. 5.6%; p = 0.01) and minor bleedings, according to the TIMI criteria (zero vs. 7.4%; p < 0.01), were also more frequent in the femoral group. In-hospital clinical endpoints, death (0.9% vs. 5.6%; p = 0.06) and non-fatal infarction (zero vs. 3.7%; p = 0.05) were more frequent in patients treated by the femoral access. Conclusions: In a non-selected patient population ≥ 70 years of age, percutaneous coronary intervention by radial access was associated to a lower incidence of in-hospital clinical endpoints, especially of bleeding events related to the vascular access route.

INTRODUÇÃO: A enxaqueca atinge aproximadamente 18% das mulheres e 6% dos homens. Cerca de 50% dos pacientes com enxaqueca com aura (MA+) e 30% dos sem aura (MA-) são portadores de forame oval patente (FOP), incidência maior que na população geral. Este estudo teve como objetivo avaliar a evolução clínica de pacientes com MA+ e MA- submetidos a oclusão percutânea. MÉTODO: Foram incluídos pacientes portadores de enxaqueca crônica refratária a tratamento clínico encaminhados ao Laboratório de Hemodinâmica do Hospital Ecoville, entre agosto de 2006 e maio de 2007, para oclusão do FOP. A cefaléia foi caracterizada clinicamente quanto a intensidade, freqüência, duração e presença de aura, bem como foram avaliados os fatores de co-morbidade. A avaliação complementar foi realizada por meio de ressonância magnética de crânio (RMC), ecocardiografia Doppler transesofágica (ETE) e Doppler transcraniano (DTC), os dois últimos métodos com injeção de microbolhas e manobra de Valsalva. Foram, então, realizados cateterismo cardíaco e oclusão do FOP com prótese. Os pacientes foram acompanhados com reavaliação dos mesmos critérios pré-operatórios. RESULTADOS: No total, foram avaliados sete pacientes (seis do sexo feminino), entre 18 e 65 anos de idade, cinco deles portadores de MA+ (enxaqueca clássica) e outros dois portadores de MA-. Em quatro pacientes foram observadas crises moderadas e em três, crises graves. Todos, exceto um, apresentavam alterações isquêmicas à RMC, quatro apresentavam associação com depressão e um, com doença de Behçet. Todos tinham resultados de ETE e DTC positivos, que foram negativados até três meses após a oclusão. Apenas um paciente não apresentou melhora após o tratamento. CONCLUSÃO: Apesar do número ainda pequeno de pacientes, a oclusão percutânea do FOP com prótese parece ser método promissor para o tratamento complementar da enxaqueca.

BACKGROUND: Migraine is present in 18% of women and 6% of men. 50% of the patients that suffer migraine with aura (MA+) and 30% that suffer migraine without aura (MA-) have Patent Oval Foramen (POF), a larger incidence compared to the general population. This study aimed to evaluate clinical evolution of patients MA+ and MA- that underwent POF closure. METHOD: The inclusion criterion was patients with chronic migraine without pharmacological therapy response that underwent POF closure between August 2006 and May 2007. Migraine severity was classified by its intensity, frequency, duration and presence of aura, and presence of associated diseases. Further investigation was done by cranial magnetic resonance (CMR), transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) and transcranial doppler (TCD), the last two done with microbubble-enhanced contrast and Valsalva maneuver. After percutaneous treatment, patients were followed-up with the same criteria as before closure. RESULTS: Of the seven patients who underwent POF closure, six were female. Ages ranged between 18 and 65 years of age. Five patients were MA+ and two were MA-. The migraine severity was classified as severe in four cases and moderated in three. All, except one patient, had CMR ischaemic abnormalities. Four patients also had depression and one had Behçet disease. All of them had positive TEE and TCD investigation, that turned out to be negative at the follow-up, three months later. Just one patient did not improve migraine crisis after POF closure. CONCLUSIONS: In spite of the low sample number, POF closure seems to be a good adjunct treatment of migraine.

OBJECTIVE: To study the in-hospital evolution of patients aged 65 years and older, with acute myocardial infarction, who were treated by direct coronary angioplasty with no fibrinolytic therapy. METHODS: We studied 885 patients divided into 2 groups as follows: group I (GI) - 293 (33.4%) patients aged ³ 65 years (72±5 years), and group II (GII) - 592 patients aged < 65 years (57±9 years). Multivessel disease was more frequent in GI (63.5% x 49.7%; p=0.001). A greater number of GII patients were class I or II of the clinical Killip-Kimball classification (K) (80.2% x 67.2%; p=0.00002), while a significant number of GI patients were KIII and KIV (24.3% x 12.8%; p=0.00003). RESULTS: Group I had a lower index of success (84.6% x 94%; p=0.0002) and a greater in-hospital mortality (12.2% x 4.7%; p=0.00007). The predictors of mortality in GI were as follows: previous infarction (20.5% x 6.3%; p=0.02), anterior location (13.4% x 6.4%; p=0.03), and male sex (10.4% x 4.4%; p=0.007). CONCLUSION: Elderly patients had more severe acute myocardial infarction and more extensive disease, a lower index of success, and greater in-hospital mortality. Previous infarction, anterior location and male sex were identified as predictors of mortality in the elderly group (GI).