BACKGROUND

Dual-antiplatelet therapy (DAPT) with aspirin and a P2Y12 inhibitor is the standard for the prevention of thrombotic events in patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). Type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM) patients are a subgroup with a higher risk of bleeding and thrombotic events after PCI.

OBJECTIVES

This meta-analysis aimed to determine whether ticagrelor monotherapy after an initial short-course DAPT is an effective and safe option in preventing thrombotic events among DM patients undergoing PC.

METHODS

A systematic review and meta-analysis was done on randomized controlled trials (RCT) comparing ticagrelor monotherapy following short-course DAPT versus conventional DAPT in T2DM patients who underwent PCI. Outcome measures for major bleeding, myocardial infarction, and all-cause mortality were extracted and analyzed using a random-effects model via RevMan version 5.3.

RESULTS

A total of three RCTs, with 7482 patients, were analyzed. There were no significant differences in major bleeding (P = 0.26) and myocardial infarction (P = 0.66) events between the ticagrelor and DAPT groups. However, there was a higher rate of all-cause mortality in the DAPT group, which was statistically significant (risk ratio, 0.76; 95% confidence interval, 0.59–0.98; P = 0.03).

CONCLUSION

Ticagrelor monotherapy following short course DAPT and conventional DAPT have similar rates of major bleeding and myocardial infarction among DM patients undergoing PCI with DES. However, conventional DAPT has a higher incidence of all-cause mortality, which suggests that ticagrelor monotherapy after short-course DAPT may be a preferable antiplatelet strategy in DM patients undergoing PCI.

Bleeding ; Hemorrhage ; Diabetes Mellitus ; Percutaneous Coronary Intervention ; Thrombosis ; Ticagrelor

BACKGROUND

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has been associated with acute liver injury presenting as increased liver enzymes, specifically alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST). There is limited data in the prevalence of liver injury in COVID 19. We aim to determine the prevalence of acute liver injury among COVID-19 patients admitted in a tertiary hospital in the Philippines.

METHODS

The study is a single center, retrospective cohort of all COVID-19 patients with baseline AST and ALT admitted at St. Luke’s Medical Center - Quezon City from January 2020 to December 2021. The population was divided into those with normal liver enzymes, mild (AST and/or ALT 1-3 times ULN), and severe (AST and/or ALT >3x ULN) acute liver injury. Association of liver injury to clinical outcome, COVID 19 disease severity, and length of hospital stay were determined. Among those with elevated AST/ALT, comparison of the levels before and after treatment with hepatoprotective agents were evaluated.

RESULTS

Among the 669 patients included in the analysis, 448 (67%) developed liver injury of which 50 (7.5%) had severe liver injury and 398 (59.5%) developed mild liver injury. Chi squared analysis showed that acute liver injury (OR:2.64,CI:1.90-3.69, p < 0.01) was associated with COVID-19 severity. However, acute liver injury was not associated with clinical outcome (p = 0.347) and length of hospital stay (p = 0.317). There was no association between the use of hepatoprotective agents and changes in level of transaminases (p=0.087).

CONCLUSION

This study revealed that mild liver injury is commonly found in patients with COVID-19 infection. Severity of liver injury is significantly associated with COVID-19 severity, but not with clinical outcome and length of hospital stay. In this study, treatment with hepatoprotective agents did not lead to a decrease in liver enzymes. Further evaluation is needed to recognize those patients at higher risk of complications and identify effective therapies in providing better clinical outcomes.

Human ; Covid-19

INTRODUCTION

Exercise intolerance in patients with heart failure (HF) leads to a lower quality of life. An increasing number of studies suggest that early initiation of guided-directed medical therapy (GDMT) leads to better outcomes. Sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 (SGLT-2) inhibitor is one of the cornerstones in HF treatment, but its effectiveness in improving quality of life remains uncertain.

METHODS

A comprehensive search of randomized controlled trials (RCT) was conducted. Outcome measures for cardiovascular death and HF symptoms using the Kansas City Cardiomyopathy Questionnaire - Total Symptom Score (KCCQ-TSS) in the early phase of treatment and at 8 months were analyzed using the Review Manager V5.4. The KCCQ-TSS ranges from 0 to 100, with higher scores indicating fewer symptoms and physical limitations associated with HF. The treatment effect was shown as a win ratio, in which a value greater than 1 indicates superiority.

RESULTS

Five RCTs were included in the meta-analysis. There was improvement in HF symptoms based on the KCCQ-TSS (HR 3.39 [95%CI: 2.95-3.89]I2 = 68%, pCONCLUSION

The meta-analysis showed that initiation of SGLT-2 inhibitors resulted in improvement of HF symptoms which may lead to improvement of patients’ quality of life. Therefore, SGLT-2 inhibitors in all types of HF are effective in promoting better quality of life.

Heart Failure ; Quality Of Life