Abstract INTRODUCTION In Cuba, 29,939 deaths from ischemic heart disease were recorded in 2020. Myocardial revascularization surgery and percutaneous coronary intervention are well-established methods of treating patients with multivessel coronary artery disease. These methods can reduce overall deaths, but choosing the optimal strategy for treating left main coronary ischemia is a source of debate among specialists. OBJECTIVE Estimate survival and major cardiac and cerebrovascular events in patients treated with percutaneous coronary intervention versus myocardial revascularization surgery and their relationships with pre-existing patients’ clinical and angiographic characteristics. METHODS We conducted a retrospective cohort study in 41 patients; 35 men and 6 women aged 40–85 years who had been diagnosed with multivessel coronary artery disease and treated with percutaneous coronary intervention (n = 17) or myocardial revascularization surgery (n = 24) at the Medical–Surgical Research Center in Havana, Cuba, in 2016. The main variable under consideration was the occurrence of major adverse cardiovascular events over a four-year period following these interventions. We collected clinical and angiographic characteristics, and used the Kaplan–Meier test to calculate survival curves. Survival probabilities were compared using the log-rank test. A value of p <0.05 was considered statistically significant. The Cox proportional hazards model was used to estimate the hazard ratio, with 95% confidence intervals used for both procedures. RESULTS There were a total of 20 major adverse cardiovascular events, 75% (15/20) of which occurred in patients who underwent percutaneous coronary intervention and 5% in patients who had myocardial revascularization surgery. The probability of survival was 70.6% in surgery and 37.5% in interventionism; p = 0.043; hazard ratio 1.58 (95% confidence interval 0.987–2.530), p = 0.047. The need to repeat a revascularization procedure was the only major cardiovascular event that showed significant differences between methods (log-rank p = 0.015), and was more frequent in percutaneous intervention. CONCLUSIONS Myocardial revascularization surgery offers a better chance of survival than percutaneous coronary intervention. Major adverse cardiovascular events are more frequent in patients with coronary interventionism, due to the need to repeat revascularization.

ABSTRACT Introduction: The restenosis of the paclitaxel-eluting stents used in Cuba has not been studied. Objective: To evaluate the restenosis of paclitaxel-eluting stents and conventional stents. Methods: 64 patients with stent restenosis were included, from a previous prospective study; in 318 patients followed up for 3 years after percutaneous coronary intervention; 25 with a paclitaxel-eluting stent and 39 conventional metal stent. Restenosis was considered as a new lesion ≥ 50 % of the vessel lumen with proven ischemia. The time to onset, angiographic pattern and alternative revascularization were described. Results: Restenosis in the group with paclitaxel-eluting stents was 15.7 % with a mean survival time without restenosis of 32.4 months vs. 24.5 % in conventional stents, with restenosis-free survival of 29.8 months, (p = 0.047). In the group with paclitaxel-eluting stents, the IB pattern predominated (30.3 %) and the conventional stent III (28.3 %). In 28.0 % of the paclitaxel-eluting stent group, revascularization surgery was used vs. 5.1 % in the conventional stent group. Conclusions: The paclitaxel-eluting stent achieves a superior and more durable restenosis-free survival than the conventional stent. Restenosis in paclitaxel-eluting stents is focal, with a higher frequency of revascularization by surgery, and in conventional stents it is mostly diffuse.

RESUMEN Introducción: La reestenosis de los stents liberadores de paclitaxel utilizados en Cuba no ha sido estudiada. Objetivo: Evaluar la reestenosis de los stents liberadores de paclitaxel y los convencionales. Métodos: Se incluyeron 64 pacientes con reestenosis de stent, de un estudio prospectivo previo; en 318 pacientes seguidos por 3 años luego de intervención coronaria percutánea; 25 con stent liberador de paclitaxel y 39 stent metálico convencional. Se consideró reestenosis como nueva lesión ≥ 50 % de la luz del vaso con isquemia demostrada. Se describió el tiempo de aparición, patrón angiográfico y alternativa de revascularización. Resultados: La reestenosis en el grupo de stents liberadores de paclitaxel fue 15,7 % con tiempo medio de supervivencia sin reestenosis de 32,4 meses vs. 24,5 % en stents convencionales, con supervivencia sin reestenosis de 29,8 meses, (p= 0,047). En el grupo de stents liberadores de paclitaxel predominó el patrón IB, (30,3 %) y stent convencional el III (28,3 %). En el 28,0 % del grupo de stents liberadores de paclitaxel, se recurrió a la cirugía de revascularización vs. 5,1 % en el grupo de stent convencional. Conclusiones: El stent liberador de paclitaxel logra una supervivencia libre de reestenosis superior y más perdurable que el stent convencional. La reestenosis en los de stents liberadores de paclitaxel es focal, con mayor frecuencia de nueva revascularización por cirugía y en los stents convencionales es mayormente difusa.

ABSTRACT Introduction: Two-dimensional speckle-tracking echocardiography has emerged as a novel method for the quantitative evaluation of myocardial function and it has been correlated with the presence of coronary artery disease. Objective: To determine the prognostic value of myocardial strain by two-dimensional speckle-tracking echocardiography in the evolution of patients with suspected ischemic heart disease. Method: An analytical prospective longitudinal study was carried out with 51 patients, who underwent global longitudinal strain assessment by two-dimensional speckle-tracking echocardiography, and coronary angiography at CIMEQ between 2016 and 2018. Major cardiac adverse events (myocardial infarction, cardiac and non-cardiac cause of death, cerebrovascular disease, and need for new revascularization) were followed. Results: The 70.6% of patients were male, the 81.4% were older than 50 years old, and the 81.4% were smokers. The 65.0% of patients had significant coronary artery disease and the 55.0% underwent myocardial revascularization. There were four deaths (7.8%) and one non-fatal myocardial infarction (2.0%). Patients with global longitudinal strain ≤ -15% (in absolute or modular values) had a higher frequency of major adverse cardiovascular events (p=0.02). Conclusions: Global longitudinal strain by two-dimensional speckle-tracking echocardiography could not predict the presence of coronary artery disease, but it did predict major adverse cardiovascular events in patients with significant coronary artery disease.

RESUMEN Introducción: El estudio ecocardiográfico mediante speckle-tracking ha emergido como un novedoso método para la evaluación cuantitativa de la función miocárdica y se ha correlacionado con la presencia de enfermedad coronaria. Objetivo: Determinar el valor pronóstico de la deformación miocárdica (strain) por speckle-tracking bidimensional en la evolución de pacientes con sospecha de cardiopatía isquémica. Método: Estudio longitudinal prospectivo analítico con 51 pacientes a los que se realizó ecocardiograma con evaluación de la deformación (strain) longitudinal global por speckle-tracking bidimensional y coronariografía en el CIMEQ entre 2016 y 2018. Se siguieron los eventos cardíacos graves (infarto de miocardio, muerte cardíaca y por otras causas, enfermedad cerebrovascular y necesidad de nueva revascularización). Resultados: El 70,6% de los enfermos resultaron ser del sexo masculino, el 81,4% mayores de 50 años y 81,4%, fumadores. El 65,0% tenía enfermedad coronaria significativa y 55,0% de los casos fueron revascularizados. Se registraron 4 muertes (7,8%) y un infarto no fatal (2,0%). Los pacientes con deformación longitudinal global ≤ -15% (en valores absolutos) tuvieron mayor frecuencia de eventos cardíacos graves (p=0,02). Conclusiones: La deformación longitudinal global medida por speckle-tracking bidimensional no pudo predecir la presencia de enfermedad coronaria, pero sí los eventos cardiovasculares graves en los enfermos con enfermedad coronaria significativa.

ABSTRACT The number of coronary procedures in patients, who have suffered myocardial revascularization, increases as time passes by as a result a higher life expectancy. Repeating a myocardial revascularization procedure, either as a surgery or as an intervention is noticeably different. The high risk profile, added to the technical complexity demanded and the complex coronary structure and graft degeneration makes the procedure a challenge. A case of a 60 year old woman is presented with antecedent of hypertension and a type 2 diabetes mellitus of a 25 and 10 years progress respectively who underwent a coronary revascularization with early and late failure of graft.

RESUMEN El número de procedimientos coronarios en los pacientes que han sufrido anteriormente de revascularización miocárdica, aumentan con el paso de tiempo a consecuencia de un incremento de la esperanza de vida. Repetir un procedimiento de revascularización miocárdica, ya sea quirúrgico o intervencionista, es notablemente diferente. El perfil de alto riesgo, la complejidad técnica exigida unido a la comorbilidades, además de la compleja anatomía coronaria y degeneración de injertos, hacen del procedimiento todo un reto. Se presenta el caso de una mujer de 60 años de edad, con antecedentes de hipertensión arterial de 25 años y diabetes mellitus tipo 2 de 10 años de evolución respectivamente, sometida a cirugía de revascularización coronaria con fallo precoz y tardío de los injertos.

Introduction: a considerable number of patients undergoing coronary arteriography do not present any atherosclerotic lesions in their coronary tree. The subgroup with chest pain and a positive ergometric test was included in the diagnosis of microvascular angina. Objective: determine the prevalence of microvascular angina in patients undergoing coronary arteriography. Methods: descriptive cross-sectional study of patients examined at the Hemodynamic Laboratory of the Center for Medical Surgical Research from 2010 to 2011, initially diagnosed with effort angina and with a positive ergometric test. The study universe was 1 452 patients undergoing coronary arteriography in the period. The sample consisted of the 452 patients who did not show any coronary atherosclerotic lesions. Results: 31.1 % of the patients undergoing coronary arteriography had microvascular angina, with a predominance of the female sex. Arterial hypertension was the main risk factor throughout the two years' evaluation. Conclusions: microvascular angina, a common condition in Cuba, is related to the presence of cardiovascular risk factors.

Introducción: un considerable número de pacientes que son sometidos a coronariografía, no tienen lesiones ateroscleróticas en su árbol coronario. El subgrupo con dolor anginoso y prueba ergométrica positiva se engloba en el diagnóstico de angina microvascular. Objetivo: determinar la prevalencia de angina microvascular en pacientes sometidos a coronariografía. Métodos: investigación trasversal descriptiva, en pacientes estudiados en el Laboratorio de Hemodinámica del Centro de Investigaciones Médico Quirúrgicas, en los años 2010 y 2011, que presentaban como diagnóstico inicial, angina de esfuerzo y prueba ergométrica positiva. El universo estuvo constituido por los 1 452 pacientes sometidos a coronariografía en este período. La muestra se conformó por los 452 en los que no se demostraron lesiones de aterosclerosis coronaria. Resultados: el 31,1 % de los pacientes sometidos a coronariografía presentaron angina microvascular con mayor predominio del sexo femenino. La hipertensión arterial fue el factor de riesgo que más prevaleció en los dos años de evaluación. Conclusiones: la angina microvascular es una entidad frecuente en Cuba que se relaciona con la presencia de factores de riesgo cardiovascular.

INTRODUCTION: With 333 million cases worldwide predicted for 2015, type 2 diabetes mellitus presents an important global health challenge. Its rising tide calls for health policies emphasizing prevention at the primary care level, including public education as well as early risk identification and intervention. OBJECTIVES: Estimate risk of developing type 2 diabetes in persons with no known glucose abnormalities, registered in a primary care setting in Pinar del Río city, Cuba, using FINDRISK. METHODS: A descriptive, cross-sectional study applied FINDRISK to 620 persons aged >18 years randomly selected from a universe of 1058 patients with no known glucose abnormalities, registered in family-doctor-and-nurse office No. 23 in the Turcios Lima Teaching Polyclinic health area, Pinar del Río city. RESULTS: The study population was predominantly aged <45 years (53.5%) and 80.2% was overweight or obese. At least moderate risk of diabetes was found in 74.4% of the sample, and 10.5% was at very high risk, meaning an estimated 120 patients in the sample could be expected to develop type 2 diabetes within the next 10 years. CONCLUSIONS: Type 2 diabetes prevalence can be expected to increase substantially in this population over the next decade. We recommend design and timely implementation of intensive lifestyle change programs to eliminate or slow development of type 2 diabetes in at-risk individuals. We propose following cohorts identified by FINDRISK to assess its prognostic value in the Cuban population.

Low-density lipoprotein (LDL) oxidation is an important event in atherosclerosis development. The relationship between oxidized LDL (oxLDL) autoantibodies and coronary artery disease (CAD) remains controversial. IgM and IgG autoantibodies to oxLDL were measured in twenty patients undergoing clinically indicated coronary angiography, and in ten young healthy volunteers from the Center of Molecular Immunology. The levels of IgM autoantibodies to oxLDL did not differ between no CAD patients and healthy subjects, but the levels of IgM autoantibodies to oxLDL of these two groups were higher compared with the one of CAD patient group. Our results, although preliminary, supports the hypothesis that this kind of Abs might be inversely associated with the presence of atherosclerosis.

La oxidación de las lipoproteínas de baja densidad (LDLox) es un evento importante en el desarrollo y progresión de la aterosclerosis y la respuesta inmune contra estas moléculas puede modular la aterogénesis. La relación entre los autoanticuerpos anti-LDLox y la cardiopatía isquémica (CI) es aún controversial. En el presente estudio se determinaron los valores de las IgM e IgG anti-LDLox, en 20 pacientes a quienes se les indicó una coronariografía por alguna razón en la consulta de cardiología. Se tomó como grupo control a 10 voluntarios jóvenes sanos trabajadores del Centro de Inmunología Molecular. Los niveles de anticuerpos de tipo IgM contra las LDLox no fueron diferentes entre los pacientes sin evidencia de CI y los sujetos jóvenes sanos. En cambio, los niveles de IgM anti-LDLox de estos grupos fueron estadísticamente superiores a los del grupo de pacientes con evidencia de CI. Nuestros resultados, aunque preliminares, sustentan la hipótesis de que este tipo de autoanticuerpos pudiera estar inversamente asociado con la presencia de aterosclerosis.