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Background The concept of coupling mainly refers to the relationship between ventricular contractility and afterload. Together, strictly related parameters may provide a more accurate estimation of the RV performance status. Indexing RV function, assessed by CMR feature tracking analysis, with a pulmonary artery systolic pressure (PASP) obtained from right heart catheterization (RHC) allows estimation of ventricular-arterial coupling and could help in prognostic stratification of pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) patients. Aim To verify the prognostic value of multimodal approach to estimate RV ventricular-arterial coupling in PAH patients. Methods Twenty-six stable PAH patients (mean age 49.92±15.94 years) and twelve healthy subjects (control group, 44.75±13.51 years) were enrolled into the study. CMR feature tracking analysis of the RV was performed for generation of RV global longitudinal strain (RV GLS); RV ejection fraction was also obtained by CMR. Right heart catheterization was carried out only in the PAH group with a standard technique.RV- arterial coupling was evaluated by the ratio of RV GLS/PASP. Mean follow-up time of this study was 16.6±7.5 months and the clinical end-point (CEP) was defined as death or clinical deterioration. Results In study group, RV GLS significantly correlated with hemodynamic parameters from RHC – mean pulmonary artery pressure, mPAP (r=0.53, p=0.04) and pulmonary vascular resistance, PVR (r=0.57, p=0.002). Mean RV GLS/PASP ratio in PAH group was (−)0.24±0.15%/mmHg. Patients who reached CEP (n=15) had a significantly higher RV GLS and RV GLS/PASP ratio (−13.3±7.9% vs −20.4±6.2%, p=0.01 and −0.15±0.09%/mmHg vs −0.36±0.19%/mmHg, p=0.005, respectively). However, ROC analysis revealed higher area under curve (AUC) of RV GLS/PASP in predicting CEP than of RV GLS alone (0.82 (95% CI 0.64–1) vs 0.77 (95% CI 0.58–0.96), p Figure 1 Conclusions Combining CMR and hemodynamic measurements via catheterization offers the potential for more comprehensive assessment of pulmonary vascular load and right heart function, as required for evaluation of the hemodynamic state in patients with PAH. Acknowledgement/Funding This work was supported by National Center for Science in Poland [“Preludium” grant 2017/25/N/NZ5/02689 to R.K.]

Aims Our study aimed to compare two reperfusion strategies in patients with ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) admitted initially to a community hospital without catheterization facilities. Methods and results Four hundred and one patients with STEMI admitted to community hospital (13 hospitals, radius 20–150 km from cath-lab) were randomized to on-site thrombolysis or to transport with tirofiban (10 µg/kg bolus i.v. + i.v. infusion 0.1 µg/kg/min) for primary PCI in single invasive centre. Primary endpoints were total mortality, recurrent MI (re-AMI), and stroke during 1 year follow-up. Delay to reperfusion defined as interval between admission and start of fibrinolysis or primary PCI was 35 and 145 min ( P < 0.0001). Mean time of tirofiban administration to PCI in transfer group was: 122.3 ± 35.7 min. Mortality was not different during hospitalization and at 30th-day, with trend towards lower mortality at 1 year in transport group (12.5 vs. 7.0%, P = 0.061). There were no differences in the rate of re-AMI and stroke, with trend towards lower incidence of re-AMI in transfer group at 1 year (7.5 vs. 3.5%, P = 0.073). Composite of death/re-AMI/stroke was higher in on-site group during follow-up (15.5 vs. 8.0%, P = 0.019; 21.5 vs. 11.4%, P = 0.006, respectively, at 30th-day and 1 year). Conclusion Outcomes at 1 year follow-up suggest that transportation with adjunctive therapy with GP IIb/IIIa inhibitor tirofiban for primary PCI is superior to on-site thrombolysis for patient with STEMI presenting to hospital without catheterization facilities.

Purpose: To assess the value of the angiographically-derived SYNTAX score in predicting mortality and major adverse cardiac events (MACE) during a 3-year follow-up in dialysis patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) or coronary artery by-pass graft operation (CABG). We further wanted to compare the results with the well established clinical Khan index. Methods: In 87 of the 110 dialysis patients who underwent elective coronary angiography the SYNTAX score was calculated. Results: During 3 year follow-up 58% of the patients died, 74% had at least one MACE, and 57% had either a PCI or CABG. The mean SYNTAX score value was 12.8±14.5. 40% of the patients had a SYNTAX score >12.75. In a Kaplan–Meier survival analysis, the risk of all-cause mortality and MACE increased in parallel with the SYNTAX score value. The score of >12.75 was strongly associated with incident mortality and MACE (p