Background and aim The purpose of this study was to assess incidence, predictors and outcome of radial artery occlusion (RAO) after transradial catheterization (TRC) based on clinical and Doppler ultrasound study. Methods A total of 1,945 consecutive patients undergoing transradial catheterization for diagnostic evaluation or intervention were included. Radial artery examination was based on palpation and colour Doppler study on the day before, 1 day (D), 1 month (D) and 6 months (D) following the procedure. RAO was defined as absence of pulse on palpation and forward flow on Doppler study. Predictors of RAO were found by logistic regression analysis. Results Baseline demographic and procedural data were recorded. The mean radial arterial diameter was 2.56 ± 0.29 mm. On D, radial artery Doppler examination revealed RAO in 339 patients (17.4%) but pulse was still palpable in 115 (34%) of them. At D, these were 221 (11.4%) and 114 (52%), respectively, as no new RAO were noted. Interestingly, 118 (34.8%) patients had spontaneous recanalization of their radial artery as shown by catch-up in patency rate. At D, these were 99 (5.1%) and 68 (69%), respectively, meaning further new catch-up implying further recanalization. Patients with persistent RAO remained asymptomatic. On multivariate analysis, female sex, diabetes, lower BMI, radial artery diameter ≤2.2 mm and radial artery-to-sheath ratio (AS ratio) < 1 were predictors of RAO. Conclusion TRC for coronary angiography, ad hoc and staged angioplasty can be performed with similar efficacy and safety though RAO occurs more frequently in patients with prior radial artery cannulation and with larger sheath size. Persistent RAO remains asymptomatic.

BackgroundObesity is an important risk factor for atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD). Estimation of visceral adipose tissue is important and several methods are available as its surrogate. Although correlation of epicardial adipose tissue (EAT) with visceral adipose tissue as estimated by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and/or CT is excellent, it is costlier and cumbersome. EAT can be accurately measured by two-dimensional (2D) echocardiography. It tends to be higher in patients with acute coronary syndrome than in subjects without coronary artery disease (CAD) and in those with stable angina. It also carries advantage as index of high cardiometabolic risk as it is a direct measure of visceral fat rather than anthropometric measurements. The present study evaluated the relationship of EAT to the presence and severity of CAD in clinical setting.MethodsIn this prospective, single-center study conducted in the Department of Cardiology, LPS Institute of Cardiology, Kanpur, India, 549 consecutive patients with acute coronary syndrome or chronic stable angina were enrolled. Sensitivity, specificity, and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve were estimated to find cut-off value of EAT thickness for diagnosing CAD using coronary angiographic findings as gold standard.ResultsPatients were diagnosed as CAD group (n = 464, 60.30 ± 8.36 years) and non-CAD group (n = 85, 54.42 ± 11.93 years) after assessing coronary angiograms. The EAT was measured at end-systole from the PLAX views of three cardiac cycles on the free wall of the right ventricle. Lesion was significant if > 50% in left main and > 70% in other coronary arteries. The mean EAT thickness in CAD group was 5.10 ± 1.06 and in non-CAD group was 4.36 ± 1.01 which was significant (P = 0.003). Significant correlation was demonstrated between EAT thickness and presence of CAD (P < 0.003). Higher EAT was associated with severe CAD and presence of multivessel disease. By ROC analysis, EAT > 4.65 mm predicated the presence of significant coronary stenosis by 71.6% sensitivity and 73.1% specificity.ConclusionEAT thickness measured using transthoracic echocardiography (TTE) significantly correlates with the presence and severity of CAD. It is sensitive, easily available, and cost-effective and assists in the risk stratification and may be an additional marker on classical risk factors for CAD.

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BackgroundThrombolysis in acute submassive pulmonary embolism (PE) remains controversial. So we studied impact of thrombolytic therapy in acute submassive PE in terms of mortality, hemodynamic status, improvement in right ventricular function, and safety in terms of major and minor bleeding.MethodA single-center, prospective, randomized study of 86 patients was conducted at LPS Institute of Cardiology, G.S.V.M. Medical College, Kanpur, India. Patients received thrombolysis (single bolus of tenecteplase) with unfractionated heparin (UFH, group I) or placebo with UFH (group II).ResultMean age of patients was 54.35 ± 12.8 years with male dominance (M:F = 70%:30%). Smoking was the most common risk factor seen in 29% of all patients, followed by recent history of immobilization (25%), history of surgery or major trauma within past 1 month (15%), dyslipidemia (10%) and diabetes mellitus (10%). Dyspnea was the most common symptom in 80% of all patients, followed by chest pain in 55% and syncope in 6%. Primary efficacy outcome occurred significantly better in group I vs. group II (4.5% vs. 20%; P = 0.04), and significant difference was also found in hemodynamic decompensation (4.5% vs. 20%; P = 0.04), the fall in mean pulmonary artery systolic pressure (PASP) (28.8% vs. 22.5%; P = 0.03), improvement in right ventricular (RV) function (70% vs. 40%; P = 0.001) and mean hospital stay (8.1 ± 2.5 vs. 11.1 ± 2.14 days; P = 0.001). There was no difference in mortality and major bleeding as safety outcome but increased minor bleeding occurred in group I patients (16% vs. 12%; P = 0.04).ConclusionPatients with acute submassive PE do not derive overall mortality benefit, recurrent PE and rehospitalization with thrombolytic therapy but had improved clinical outcome in form of decrease in hemodynamic decompensation, mean hospital stay, PASP and improvement of RV function with similar risk of major bleed but at cost of increased minor bleeding.

Background and Aim. The aim of study was to evaluate safety, feasibility, and procedural variables of transradial approach compared with transfemoral approach in a standard population of patients undergoing coronary catheterization as one of the major criticisms of the transradial approach is that it takes longer overall procedure and fluoroscopy time, thereby causing more radiation exposure. Method. Between January 2015 and December 2015, a total of 1,997 patients in LPS Institute of Cardiology, GSVM Medical College, Kanpur, UP, India, undergoing coronary catheterization were randomly assigned to the transradial or transfemoral approach. Result. Successful catheterization was achieved in 1045 of 1076 patients (97.1%) in the transradial group and in 918 of 921 patients (99.7%) in the transfemoral group (p = 0.001). Comparing the transradial and transfemoral approaches, fluoroscopy time (2.46 ± 1.22 versus 2.83 ± 1.31 min; p = 0.32), procedure time (8.89 ± 2.72 versus 9.33 ± 2.82 min; p = 0.56), contrast volume (67.52 ± 22.54 versus 71.63 ± 25.41 mL; p = 0.32), radiation dose as dose area product (24.2 ± 4.21 versus 22.3 ± 3.46 Gycm2; p = 0.43), and postprocedural rise of serum creatinine (6 ± 4.5% versus 8 ± 2.6%; p = 0.41) were not significantly different while vascular access site complications were significantly lower in transradial group than transfemoral group (3.9% versus 7.6%; p = 0.04). Conclusion. The present study shows that transradial access for coronary angiography is safe among patients compared to transfemoral access with lower rate of local vascular complications.