INTRODUCTION Heart failure, primarily in the elderly, is a growing epidemic in today's world. It leads to high rates of disability and mortality, as well as significant health care expenditures, making it important to assess possible predictors of adverse cardiac events. In Cuba, heart failure mortality is 19.1/100,000 population. OBJECTIVES Assess the value of stress-rest protocol gated-SPECT for identifying patients with symptomatic heart failure likely to suffer adverse cardiac events. METHODS A study was conducted of 52 patients (mean age 59 years, SD 9; 62% women) with functional capacity II/III (New York Heart Association scale) and left ventricular ejection fraction <40%. Patients were divided into two groups based on coronary heart disease diagnosis: those with coronary heart disease (41), labeled ischemic; and those without (11), labeled nonischemic. All underwent gated SPECT myocardial perfusion scintigraphy with technetium-99m-labeled methoxyisobutyl isonitrile, using a two-day stress–rest protocol, including evaluation of intraventricular synchrony by phase analysis. Patients were followed over 36 months for adverse cardiac effects. RESULTS No significant differences were observed between the two groups during the stress test with regard to exercise time, metabolic equivalents or percentage of maximal heart rate during maximal stress. Summed stress, rest and difference scores, however, were significantly different between the ischemic and nonischemic groups: 16.82 (SD 6.37) vs. 7.54 (SD 5.8), p <0.001; 14.43 (SD 6.28) vs. 6.45 (SD 3.77), p = 0.001; and 2.39 (SD 4.89) vs. 1.09 (SD 3.7), p = 0.034. No differences were found in ventricular function, although stress-minus-rest left ventricular ejection fraction was slightly lower in patients with ischemic heart disease (−1.29, SD 5.8) than in patients without ischemic heart disease (1.27, SD 4.31). Dyssynchrony was greater in patients with ischemic heart disease than in those without, primarily during stress (p <0.01). The only variable that showed a possible association with the occurrence of adverse events was <5 metabolic equivalents on the stress test (p = 0.03), while resting phase SD showed only a tendency toward association (p = 0.05). CONCLUSIONS Information on myocardial perfusion, functional capacity and intraventricular synchrony obtained from stress-rest gated SPECT may help identify patients with symptomatic heart failure who are likely to develop adverse cardiac events, enabling better management of higher-risk cases and improved allocation of resources.

Background: Ischemic heart disease is one of the main causes of death in women, both in Cuba and in the world. Objective: The objective of this study was to determine whether low cholesterol concentrations, associated with high density lipoproteins, represent a risk factor to consider in women with ischemic heart disease. Methods: An observational, transversal study was conducted in 727 women during the period from January 2010 to December 2012. The percent of women with or without ischemic heart disease (IHD) and different ranges of HDL - C levels (normal or pathological) was determined. Results: Women with IHD had a mean age and a waist-hip ratio within the range of cardiovascular risk. Triglycerides and VLDL-C levels were significantly higher (p <0.05 *), related to a significant decrease of HDL- C levels (p <0.05 *) in women with IHD (groups B and C) when compared with the control group. Also, a significant association (p<0, 05*) was found between the low levels of HDL- C levels, with presence of ischemic heart disease, hypertriglyceridemia and antecent of myocardial revascularization surgery. Conclusions: Low HDL-C levels are associated with the presence of ischemic heart disease and hypertriglyceridemia. Therefore, the control of HDL- C levels represents a therapeutic target which helps to reduce major cardiovascular events. Moreover, the presence of other risk factors such as age and overweight could influence the development of these events.

Introducción: La cardiopatía isquémica es una de las principales causas de muerte en la mujer, tanto en Cuba, como a nivel mundial. Objetivo: El objetivo del estudio fue determinar si las concentraciones bajas de colesterol asociado a las lipoproteínas de alta densidad, representan un factor de riesgo a considerar, en mujeres con cardiopatía isquémica. Métodos: Se realizó un estudio observacional, transversal en 727 mujeres, durante el período de enero 2010 a diciembre 2012. Se determinó el por ciento de mujeres sin o con cardiopatía isquémica (CI), con diferentes rangos de c-HDL (normal o patológico). Además se formaron un grupo control (A) y dos grupos con CI sin o con antecedentes de infarto agudo del miocardio (B y C), para comparar el perfil lipídico. Además, diferentes factores de riesgo para la CI se relacionaron con la variable c-HDL. Resultados: Las mujeres con CI presentaron un promedio de edad y un índice cintura-cadera, dentro del rango de riesgo cardiovascular. Los niveles de triglicéridos y VLDL-c fueron significativamente superiores (p< 0,05*), relacionados con una disminución significativa (p< 0,05*) del HDL-c, en las mujeres con CI (grupos B y C) al compararlos con el grupo control. Además, se encontró asociación significativa (p< 0,05*), entre las cifras bajas de HDL-c, con la presencia de cardiopatía isquémica, hipertrigliceridemia y el antecedente de cirugía de revascularización miocárdica. Conclusiones: Las concentraciones bajas de HDL-c están asociadas con la presencia de cardiopatía isquémica e hipertrigliceridemia. Por tanto, el control de los niveles de HDL-c representa un objetivo terapéutico que contribuye a reducir eventos cardiovasculares mayores. Además la presencia de otros factores de riesgo como la edad y el sobrepeso, pudiera influir en el desarrollo de estos eventos.

It has been suggested that autoimmunity plays a role in atherosclerosis. The aim of this paper was to determine wether a systemic autoimmune response, characterized by the presence of antinuclear antibodies (ANA), rheumatoid factor (RF) and alterations of serum immunglobulins (Igs), is associated with coronary atherosclerosis. The serum of 2 groups of patients was studied; 41 subjects with at least 50 % of stenosis in the 3 main coronary arteries (SCA) and 26 subjects with no evidence of coronary injuries (NECI) determined by coronary angiography. The antinuclear antibodies were determined by immunofluorescence in cryostatic sections of rat liver; the rheumatic factor by fixation in latex and the quantification of IgG, IgA and IgM by immunoturbidimetry. It was found that the frequency of autoantibodies detected in the SCA group proved to be similar to that of the NECAI group (ANA: 17 % vs. 15 %, p = 0,856; RF: 7 % vs. 4 %, p = 0,559). It was shown that the differences of the mean values of serum immunoglobulins between both groups of patients were not statistically significant (IgG: 12,4 g/L vs. 13,0 g/L; IgA: 3,6 g/L vs. 3,6 g/L; IgM: 1,2 g/L vs. 1,4 g/L; p = 0,328, p=0,946,p= 0.157, respectively). According to the results, it was concluded that the presence of ANA, RF and abnormal concentrations of serum Igs were not useful to identify individuals with advanced atherosclerosis.

Se ha sugerido la existencia de un papel de la autoinmunidad en la aterosclerosis. Se realizó este trabajo para determinar si una respuesta autoinmune sistémica, caracterizada por la presencia de anticuerpos antinucleares (ANA), factor reumatoideo (FR) y alteraciones de las inmunoglobulinas séricas (Igs) está asociada con la aterosclerosis coronaria. Se estudió el suero de 2 grupos de pacientes; 41 sujetos con al menos 50 % de estenosis en las 3 arterias coronarias principales (EAC) y 26 sujetos sin evidencia de lesiones coronarias (NEAC) determinada mediante angiografía coronaria. Se determinaron los ANA mediante inmunofluorescencia en secciones criostáticas de hígado de rata; el FR por fijación en látex y la cuantificación de IgG, IgA e IgM por inmunoturbidimetría. Se halló que la frecuencia de autoanticuerpos detectados en el grupo EAC resultó muy similar a la del grupo NEAC (ANA: 17 % vs. 15 %, p = 0,856; FR: 7 % vs. 4 %, p = 0,559). Se comprobó que las diferencias de los valores promedio de las inmunoglobulinas séricas entre ambos grupos de pacientes no fueron estadísticamente significativas (IgG: 12,4 g/L vs. 13,0 g/L; IgA: 3,6 g/L vs. 3,6 g/L; IgM: 1,2 g/L vs. 1,4 g/L; p = 0,328, p = 0,946, p = 0.157, respectivamente).Se concluyó que según los resultados, la presencia de ANA, FR y concentraciones anormales de Igs séricas carecen de utilidad para identificar sujetos con aterosclerosis avanzada.

In order to investigate the function of lipoprotein (a) as an independent risk factor in different cardiovascular processes, its values were determined in 50 subjects with no coronary arterial disease and in 92 ischemic patients. The concentrations of total cholesterol, HDL, LDL, triglycerides and VLDL were determined. Though the average concentrations of Lp(a) were higher in patients than in controls, significant differences were only obtained for the angina group (p=0.0368*). The aditional risk factors showing pathological values were total cholesterol, LDL, HDL and triglycerides with marked differences for the first two of p<0.05 and p<0.01. It was concluded that in our study lipoprotein(a) was a risk factor independent of cardiovascular disease. Therefore, its determination should be included in the clinical practices.

Con el objetivo de investigar la función que ejerce la lipoproteína (a) como factor de riesgo independiente en diferentes procesos cardiovasculares se determinaron los valores de la misma en 50 sujetos sin enfermedad arterial coronaria y en 92 pacientes isquémicos. Se determinaron las concentraciones de colesterol total, HDL, LDL, triglicéridos y VLDL. Aunque las concentraciones promedio de Lp(a) fueron superiores en los pacientes que en los controles, sólo se obtuvo diferencias significativas para el grupo angina (p=0,036*). Los factores de riesgo adicionales que mostraron valores patológicos fueron el colesterol total, las LDL, HDL y los triglicéridos con diferencias significativas para los 2 primeros de p < 0,05 y p < 0,01. Se concluyó que en nuestro estudio, la lipoproteína (a) constituyó un factor de riesgo independiente de enfermedad cardiovascular por lo que su determinación debe ser incluída en las prácticas clínicas.