The clinical implication of the coronary artery calcium score (CS) is well demonstrated. However, little is known about the association between lower extremity arterial calcification and clinical outcomes. Eighty-two patients with symptomatic peripheral artery disease (age 61.0±12.4 years) were followed for 21±11 months. CSs, ranging from the common iliac artery bifurcation to the ankle area, were analyzed through noncontrast multidetector computed tomography images retrospectively. The primary endpoints of this study were amputation and mortality. Old age, diabetes, hyperlipidemia, and end-stage renal disease were associated with higher CSs. Patients with more advanced Fontaine stages also tended to have significantly higher CSs (p = 0.03). During the follow-up period (21±11 months), 29 (35%) patients underwent amputation, and 24 (29%) patients died. Among the patients who underwent amputation, there were no significant differences in CSs between the amputated legs and the non-amputated legs. In the Cox proportional hazard model with CS divided into quartiles, patients with CS in the highest quartile had a 2.88-fold (95% confidence interval [CI] 1.18–12.72, p = 0.03) and a 5.16-fold (95% CI 1.13–21.61, p = 0.04) higher risk for amputation and all-cause mortality, respectively, than those with CS in the lowest quartile. These predictive effects remained after conventional risk factor adjustment. Lower extremity arterial CSs are associated with disease severity and outcomes, including amputation and all-cause mortality, in patients with symptomatic peripheral artery disease. However, the independent predictive value needs further investigation in large scale, prospective studies.

Ventricular septal rupture (VSR) is an uncommon but well-recognized mechanical complication of acute myocardial infarction (AMI). The outcome of VSR remains poor even in the era of reperfusion therapy. We reviewed our experience with surgical repair of post-infarction VSR and analyzed outcomes in an attempt to identify prognostic factors. From October 1995 to December 2013, data from 47 consecutive patients (mean age, 68 ± 9.5 years) with post-infarction VSR who underwent surgical repair at our institute were retrospectively reviewed. The preoperative conditions, morbidity and surgical mortality were analyzed. Multivariate analysis was subsequently carried out by constructing a logistic regression model in order to identify independent predictors of postoperative mortality. Long term survival function were estimated using the Kaplan-Meier method and compared using the log-rank test. Percutaneous coronary intervention was performed in 17 (36.2%) patients, intra-aortic balloon pump (IABP) was used in 34 (72.3%), and six (12.8%) were supported with extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) preoperatively. Forty-one (87.2%) patients received emergent surgical treatment. Concomitant coronary artery bypass grafting was performed in 27 (57.4%) patients. Operative mortality was 36.2% (17 of 47). The survival rate was 59.3% with concomitant CABG and 70% without concomitant CABG (p = 14). Multivariate analysis revealed that the survivors had higher preoperative left ventricular ejection fractions (LVEFs) compared with those who died (51 ± 13.7% vs. 36.6 ± 6.4% , respectively; p < 0.001) and lower European system for cardiac operative risk evaluation II (EuroSCORE II) (22.9 ± 14.9 vs. 38.3 ± 13.9, respectively; p < 0.001). The patients receiving total revascularization has long term survival benefit (p = 0.028). Post-infarction VSR remains a serious and challenging complication of AMI in the modern surgical era. The EuroSCORE II can be used for an approximate prediction of operative mortality. Preserved LVEF was associated with better prognosis, while the need for postoperative RRT was associated with higher early and late mortality. Besides, the strategy of total revascularization should be applied to ensure long-term survival benefit.