2011 ACCF/AHA/SCAI Guideline for Percutaneous Coronary Intervention: executive summary: a report of the American College of Cardiology Foundation/American Heart Association Task Force on Practice Guidelines and the Society for Cardiovascular Angiography and Interventions

Impella versus Non-Impella for Nonemergent High-Risk Percutaneous Coronary Intervention

The benefit of mechanical circulatory support (MCS) with Impella (Abiomed, Inc, Danvers, MA) for patients undergoing nonemergent, high-risk percutaneous coronary intervention (HR-PCI) is unclear and currently the subject of a large randomized clinical trial (RCT), PROTECT IV. While contemporary registry data from PROTECT III demonstrated improvement of outcomes with Impella when compared with historical data (PROTECT II), there is lack of direct comparison to the HR-PCI cohort that did not receive Impella support. We retrospectively identified patients from our institution meeting PROTECT III inclusion criteria (left ventricular ejection fraction [LVEF] <35% with unprotected left main or last remaining vessel or LVEF <30% undergoing multivessel PCI), and compared this group (NonIMP) to the published outcomes data from the PROTECT III registry (IMP). Baseline differences were balanced using inverse propensity weighting (IPW). The co-primary outcome was major adverse cardiac events (MACE) in-hospital and at 90 days. Secondary outcomes included in-hospital post-PCI complications. We identified 284 high-risk patients who did not receive Impella support; 200 patients had 90-day event ascertainment and were included in IPW analysis, with 504 patients in the IMP group. After calibration, few residual differences remained; patients in the NonIMP group were older (73.4 vs. 69.3, p <0.001) with higher prevalence of coronary artery bypass grafting (65.0% vs. 13.7%, p <0.001). Unprotected left main intervention was performed in 43% of patients in both groups. The primary outcome was not different in-hospital (3.0% vs. 4.8%, p = 0.403), but lower in the NonIMP group at 90 days (7.5% vs. 13.8%, p = 0.033). Peri-procedural vascular complications, bleeding, and transfusion rates were not different between groups. However, acute kidney injury occurred more frequently in the NonIMP group (10.5% vs. 5.4%, p = 0.023). Under identical HR-PCI inclusion criteria for Impella use in PROTECT III, an institutional non-Impella supported HR-PCI cohort demonstrated similar MACE in-hospital but lower MACE at 90 days. There was no signal for peri-procedural harm with Impella use. These results do not support routine usage of Impella for HR-PCI patients. Careful patient selection is critical until a large RCT demonstrates benefits in a broad HR-PCI population.

Gastrointestinal histological injury in pigs subjected to triple stent interposition in the thoracoabdominal aorta

PURPOSE

To evaluate gastrointestinal histological injury in pigs subjected to triple stent interposition versus a control group, hypothesizing no significant injury increase with triple stents.

METHODS

A prospective study with 15 pigs divided into a control group (G0, n = 5) undergoing arteriography only, and a triple stent group (G3, n = 10) undergoing arteriography and three stent implantations in the thoracoabdominal aorta. After an eight-day observation, arteriography, euthanasia, and en bloc gastrointestinal harvesting were performed. Lesions were graded using the Park/Chiu classification, and serum markers were analyzed pre- and post-procedure.

RESULTS

Arteriography confirmed mesenteric artery patency in all animals. Histological analysis showed ischemic lesions in 88.9% of G3, mainly in the colon (89%), compared to 60% in G0, primarily in the colon (60%) and stomach (40%). Most G3 lesions were grade 1, while G0 had higher-grade lesions. Serum markers showed no significant intergroup differences.

CONCLUSION

Triple stent interposition did not significantly increase gastrointestinal injury, indicating its safety for maintaining gastrointestinal perfusion in this model.

Effects of a physical therapist-driven individualized hybrid model of the exercise component of cardiac rehabilitation on patient outcomes: a prospective single group, time-series design

PURPOSE

The aim of this prospective single group, time-series study was to determine the feasibility, adherence, and effectiveness of an individualized physical therapist (PT)-driven hybrid model of the exercise component of cardiac rehabilitation (CR) that uses a novel intensity-recovery progression protocol (IRPP) and cardiac testing template (CTT) to assess achieved heart rate (HR) intensity, HR recovery, and intensity-recovery total to guide treatment.

METHODS

Assessment of a questionnaire, treadmill 6-min walk (6MW), 1-min sit-to-stand (1STS), 1-min step, and 1-min agility square tests were assessed on 100 participants. Compared to traditional CR the 36-visit 1:1 hybrid model was individualized using the IRPP program and CTT.

RESULTS

Adherence was 35% (timely) and 44% (overall) completion. The per-protocol analysis (PPA) and intent-to-treat (ITT) analysis suggest significant improvement in objective assessments baseline to visit 15 (PPA = 11 of 14) (ITT = 13 of 14), baseline to visit 30 (PPA = 12 of 14) (ITT = 12 of 14) and visit 15 to visit 30 (PPA = 9 of 14) (ITT = 10 of 14). Improvement beyond the minimal clinically important difference (MCID) was 94.3% in the 6MW and 91.4% in the 1STS.

CONCLUSIONS

The PT-driven IRPP program was feasible in terms of adherence and safety, showing significant improvement in a majority of assessments. Analysis of HR using the CTT may help clinical decision making for progression in CR.

Impella Versus Non-Impella for Nonemergent High-Risk Percutaneous Coronary Intervention

The benefit of mechanical circulatory support with Impella (Abiomed, Inc., Danvers, Massachusetts) for high-risk percutaneous coronary intervention (HR-PCI) is uncertain. PROTECT III registry data showed improved outcomes with Impella compared with historical data (PROTECT II) but lack a direct comparison with the HR-PCI cohort without Impella support. We retrospectively identified patients meeting the PROTECT III inclusion criteria for HR-PCI and compared this group (non-Impella cohort [NonIMP]) with the outcomes data from the PROTECT III registry (Impella cohort). Baseline differences were balanced using inverse propensity weighting. The coprimary outcome was major adverse cardiac events (MACE) in-hospital and at 90 days. A total of 283 patients at great risk did not receive Impella support; 200 patients had 90-day event ascertainment and were included in the inverse propensity weighting analysis and compared with 504 patients in the Impella cohort group. After calibration, few residual differences remained between groups. The primary outcome was not different in-hospital (3.0% vs 4.8%, p = 0.403) but less in NonIMP at 90 days (7.5% vs 13.8%, p = 0.033). Periprocedural vascular complications, bleeding, and transfusion rate did not differ between groups; however, acute kidney injury occurred more frequently in the NonIMP group (10.5% vs 5.4%, p = 0.023). In conclusion, under identical HR-PCI inclusion criteria for Impella use in PROTECT III, an institutional non-Impella-supported HR-PCI cohort showed similar MACE in-hospital but fewer MACE at 90 days, whereas there was no signal for periprocedural harm with Impella use. These results do not support routine usage of Impella for patients with HR-PCI.

Treatment strategies for patients with out-of-hospital cardiac arrest associated with traumatic brain injury: A case series

INTRODUCTION

Collapse after out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) can cause severe traumatic brain injury (TBI). We aimed to investigate the clinical characteristics and treatment strategies for patients with OHCA and TBI.

METHODS

We analyzed a consecutive cohort of patients with intrinsic OHCA retrospectively treated between January 2011 and December 2021 at a single critical care center, and presented a case series of seven patients. Patients with collapse-related TBI were examined for the causes and situations of cardiac arrest, laboratory data, radiological images, targeted temperature management (TTM), coronary angiography (CAG), percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI), and extracorporeal cardiopulmonary resuscitation (ECPR).

RESULTS

Of the 197 patients with intrinsic OHCA, 7 (3.6%) had TBI (age range: 49-70 years; 6 men). All seven patients presented with ventricular fibrillation in the initial electrocardiograms, with four refractory cases treated with ECPR. All patients underwent CAG under heparinization, and four underwent PCI with antiplatelet administration. Initial head computed tomography indicated an intracranial hemorrhage (ICH) in three patients. ICH appeared or was exacerbated in six patients after CAG with or without PCI, except in one who underwent delayed PCI. All patients displayed elevated plasma D-dimer levels, and four underwent neurosurgical procedures. Four patients survived (three with cerebral performance category [CPC] 2, one with CPC 3) and three died; two had hypoxic-ischemic brain injury and one had severe TBI.

CONCLUSION

Delayed ICH occurred frequently. Individualized management is required based on the extent of brain and cardiac damage, including optimal TTM, PCI procedures, and antiplatelet medications. Early detection of ICH and emergency treatment are critical for multi-disciplinary collaboration.

Radiation-induced coronary artery disease during immune checkpoint inhibitor therapy: a case report

Radiation-induced coronary artery disease (RICAD) poses a serious concern for cancer patients post radiotherapy, typically emerging after over a decade. Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs), known for cardiotoxicity, are increasingly recognized for causing cardiovascular complications. Here we report the case of a 63-year-old man with metastatic lung cancer who developed coronary artery disease during his third-line therapy with an ICI (nivolumab) and an antiangiogenic agent (bevacizumab), 3 years post chest radiotherapy. Angiography revealed relatively isolated stenosis in the left main coronary artery ostium, consistent with the radiotherapy site, with no other risk factors, suggesting RICAD. The potential for ICIs to accelerate RICAD development should be considered and necessitates careful surveillance in patients receiving both radiotherapy and ICIs.

The first reported case of intravascular ultrasound-guided reverse overlapping stenting of a long calcified lesion using ultra-low contrast and metallic roadmaps: case report

Background

Percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) of a long calcified coronary lesion in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) is challenging and can lead to stent under-expansion and contrast-induced acute kidney injury (CI-AKI). We described the first case of intravascular ultrasound (IVUS)-guided reverse overlapping stenting of long calcified left anterior descending (LAD) coronary lesion using ultra-low contrast and the metallic roadmaps to prevent CI-AKI after PCI.

Case summary

A 77-year-old man with a history of hypertension, type 2 diabetes, and CKD was admitted with angina class 4 and ruled in for non-ST-elevation myocardial infarction. His ejection fraction was 40%. He was referred for cardiac catheterization and PCI. Coronary angiography showed a long calcified stenosis of the LAD. IVUS catheter was advanced at least 10 mm distal to the lesion or stent edge. IVUS images were obtained with automated pullback (1 mm/s) using a commercially available IVUS system with a 60-MHz mechanical transducer (Boston Scientific, Natick, Massachusetts). IVUS showed calcified plaque fractures after balloon angioplasty and intracoronary lithotripsy. The first stent was deployed proximally using the guidewire in the diagonal branch as a metallic roadmap, and the second stent was deployed distally overlapping at the distal edge of the first stent as a roadmap with no contrast injection. Percutaneous coronary intervention was completed successfully using only 12 mL contrast. Glomerular filtration rate remained stable after PCI. Glomerular filtration rate and ejection fraction improved at 12-month follow-up.

Discussion

We described the first case of the reverse overlapping stenting technique guided by IVUS with no contrast in a patient with CKD and a long calcified LAD lesion. Conventionally, in long lesions, the first stent is deployed distally and the second stent proximally, which requires contrast injection for stent deployment. We demonstrated that the above technique resulted in preventing CI-AKI and improving creatinine as well as ejection fraction at follow-up.

Diagnostic Performance of Machine Learning-Derived Radiomics Signature of Pericoronary Adipose Tissue in Coronary Computed Tomography Angiography for Coronary Artery In-Stent Restenosis

RATIONALE AND OBJECTIVES

Coronary inflammation can alter the perivascular fat phenotype. Hence, we aimed to assess the diagnostic performance of radiomics features of pericoronary adipose tissue (PCAT) in coronary computed tomography angiography (CCTA) for in-stent restenosis (ISR) after percutaneous coronary intervention.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

In this study, 165 patients with 214 eligible vessels were included, and ISR was found in 79 vessels. After evaluating clinical and stent characteristics, peri-stent fat attenuation index, and PCAT volume, 1688 radiomics features were extracted from each peri-stent PCAT segmentation. The eligible vessels were randomly categorized into training and validation groups in a ratio of 7:3. After performing feature selection using Pearson's correlation, F test, and least absolute shrinkage and selection operator analysis, radiomics models and integrated models that combined selected clinical features and Radscore were established using five different machine learning algorithms (logistic regression, support vector machine, random forest, stochastic gradient descent, and XGBoost). Subgroup analysis was performed using the same method for patients with stent diameters of ≤ 3 mm.

RESULTS

Nine significant radiomics features were selected, and the areas under the curves (AUCs) for the radiomics model and the integrated model were 0.69 and 0.79, respectively, for the validation group. The AUCs of the subgroup radiomics model based on 15 selected radiomics features and the subgroup integrated model were 0.82 and 0.85, respectively, for the validation group, which showed better diagnostic performance.

CONCLUSION

CCTA-based radiomics signature of PCAT has the potential to identify coronary artery ISR without additional costs or radiation exposure.

Early experience of intravascular lithotripsy in unprotected calcified left main coronary artery disease

BACKGROUND

Treatment of unprotected severely calcified left main coronary artery (LMCA) disease is a complex interventional procedure. Intravascular lithotripsy (IVL) and rotational atherectomy (RA) are safe and effective methods of treating coronary calcification in the non-LMCA setting. This retrospective analysis assessed the feasibility of IVL versus RA in unprotected LMCA disease.

METHODS

We analyzed IVL and RA procedures performed at a large tertiary hospital in the Northeast of England from January 1, 2019 to April 31, 2022. Major safety and efficacy endpoints were procedural and angiographic success, defined by stent delivery with <50 % residual stenosis and without clinical or angiographic complications, respectively. Another important clinical endpoint was the composite of major adverse cardiac events (MACE) at 1 year.

RESULTS

From 242 patients, 44 had LMCA IVL, 81 had LMCA RA and 117 had non-LMCA IVL. Patients with LMCA disease were older and more likely to have aortic stenosis. IVL was a second-line or bailout technique in 86.4 % LMCA and 92.2 % non-LMCA cases. Procedural and angiographic success rates were ≥ 84 % across all groups (p > 0.05). In 3 LMCA IVL and 3 LMCA RA cases arrhythmias and cardiac tamponade complicated the procedures respectively. At 1 year, MACE occurred in 10/44 (22.7 %) LMCA IVL, 16/81 (19.8 %) LMCA RA and 25/117 (21.4 %) cases (p > 0.05).

CONCLUSION

In our single center retrospective analysis, IVL is feasible in unprotected calcified LMCA as a second-line and third-line adjuvant calcium modification technique. Its use in unprotected calcified LMCA disease should be formalized with the undertaking of large randomized controlled trials.

Association between admission-blood-glucose-to-albumin ratio and clinical outcomes in patients with ST-elevation myocardial infarction undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention

Introduction

It is unclear whether admission-blood-glucose-to-albumin ratio (AAR) predicts adverse clinical outcomes in patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) who are treated with percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). Here, we performed a observational study to explore the predictive value of AAR on clinical outcomes.

Methods

Patients diagnosed with STEMI who underwent PCI between January 2010 and February 2020 were enrolled in the study. The patients were classified into three groups according to AAR tertile. The primary outcome was in-hospital all-cause mortality, and the secondary outcomes were in-hospital major adverse cardiac events (MACEs), as well as all-cause mortality and MACEs during follow-up. Logistic regression, Kaplan-Meier analysis, and Cox proportional hazard regression were the primary analyses used to estimate outcomes.

Results

Among the 3,224 enrolled patients, there were 130 cases of in-hospital all-cause mortality (3.9%) and 181 patients (5.4%) experienced MACEs. After adjustment for covariates, multivariate analysis demonstrated that an increase in AAR was associated with an increased risk of in-hospital all-cause mortality [adjusted odds ratio (OR): 2.72, 95% CI: 1.47-5.03, P = 0.001] and MACEs (adjusted OR: 1.91, 95% CI: 1.18-3.10, P = 0.009), as well as long-term all-cause mortality [adjusted hazard ratio (HR): 1.64, 95% CI: 1.19-2.28, P = 0.003] and MACEs (adjusted HR: 1.58, 95% CI: 1.16-2.14, P = 0.003). Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis indicated that AAR was an accurate predictor of in-hospital all-cause mortality (AUC = 0.718, 95% CI: 0.675-0.761) and MACEs (AUC = 0.672, 95% CI: 0.631-0.712).

Discussion

AAR is a novel and convenient independent predictor of all-cause mortality and MACEs, both in-hospital and long-term, for STEMI patients receiving PCI.

Effectiveness of Oral Hydration in Preventing Contrast-Induced Nephropathy in Individuals Undergoing Elective Coronary Interventions

BACKGROUND

Contrast-induced nephropathy (CIN) is defined as worsening renal function, represented by an increase in serum creatinine of ≥ 25% or ≥ 0.5 mg/dL up to 72 h after exposure to iodinated contrast medium (ICM). The most effective preventive measure to date is intravenous hydration (IVH). Little is known about the effectiveness of outpatient oral hydration (OH).

OBJETIVE

To investigate whether outpatient OH with water is as effective as IVH with 0.9% saline solution in preventing CIN in elective coronary procedures.

METHODS

In this retrospective observational study, we analyzed the medical records and laboratory data of individuals undergoing percutaneous coronary procedures with ICM. Data collected between 2012 and 2015 refer to individuals who underwent IVH and those collected between 2016 and 2020 (after implementation of an OH protocol) correspond to individuals who underwent OH at home before and after coronary procedures as instructed by the nursing team. Statistical significance was established at α = 0.05.

RESULTS

In total, 116 patients were included in this study: 58 in the IVH group and 58 in the OH group. An incidence of CIN of 15% (9/58) was observed in the group that received IVH and an incidence of 12% (7/58) was seen in the group that received OH (p = 0.68).

CONCLUSION

The OH protocol, performed by the patient, appears to be as effective as the in-hospital IVH protocol for the renal protection of individuals susceptible to CIN in elective coronary interventions. These findings should be put to test in larger trials.

Predictive Value of N-Terminal Pro B-Type Natriuretic Peptide for Contrast-Induced Nephropathy Non-Recovery and Poor Outcomes Among Patients Undergoing Percutaneous Coronary Intervention

BACKGROUND

Contrast-induced nephropathy (CIN) is a frequent complication in patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). The degree of recovery of renal function from CIN may affect long-term prognosis. N-terminal pro B-type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) is a simple but useful biomarker for predicting CIN. However, the predictive value of preprocedural NT-proBNP for CIN non-recovery and long-term outcomes in patients undergoing PCI remains unclear.

METHODS AND RESULTS

This study prospectively enrolled 550 patients with CIN after PCI between January 2012 and December 2018. CIN non-recovery was defined as persistent serum creatinine >25% or 0.5 mg/dL over baseline from 1 week to 12 months after PCI in patients who developed CIN. CIN non-recovery was observed in 40 (7.3%) patients. Receiver operating characteristic analysis indicated that the best NT-proBNP cut-off value for detecting CIN non-recovery was 876.1 pg/mL (area under the curve 0.768; 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.731-0.803). After adjusting for potential confounders, multivariable analysis indicated that NT-proBNP >876.1 pg/mL was an independent predictor of CIN non-recovery (odds ratio 1.94; 95% CI 1.03-3.75; P=0.0042). Kaplan-Meier curves showed higher rates of long-term mortality among patients with CIN non-recovery than those with CIN recovery (Chi-squared=14.183, log-rank P=0.0002).

CONCLUSIONS

Preprocedural NT-proBNP was associated with CIN non-recovery among patients undergoing PCI. The optimal cut-off value for NT-proBNP to predict CIN non-recovery was 876.1 pg/mL.

Pharmacokinetic and Pharmacodynamic Modeling and Simulation Analysis of Prasugrel in Healthy Male Volunteers

This study evaluated the pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of the antiplatelet agent prasugrel, and explored its optimal dose regimens via modeling and simulation using NONMEM. We measured platelet aggregation and the serial plasma concentrations of the inactive (R-95913) and active metabolites (R-138727) of prasugrel after a single oral dose of 10-60 mg in 20 healthy adult male volunteers. A pharmacokinetic model for R-95913 and R-138727, and a pharmacodynamic model between the concentration of R-138727 and maximal platelet aggregation measured by light transmittance were constructed. The predictability of the model for platelet aggregation was evaluated by comparing the model prediction values with the observed ones not used in the construction of the model. Pharmacokinetic data were best described by a 3-compartment models for R-95913, a 1-compartment model for R-138727 with transit compartment model for absorption delay, and first-pass metabolic conversion of R-95913 into R-138727 during absorption. The association-dissociation model between R-138727 and its receptor in platelets was applied for the inhibitory effect of prasugrel on platelet aggregation. Prasugrel rapidly inhibited platelet aggregation after oral administration, with a prolonged duration of action; however, the concentration of the active metabolite decreased rapidly, which may have been due to the slow dissociation rate of R-138727 from its target receptor in platelets. The external validation suggests that our model could be used to individualize prasugrel treatment in various clinical situations. Simulation showed rapid onset of inhibitory effect with great magnitude and consistent inhibition after therapeutic dose of prasugrel.

Guided vs. conventional anti-platelet therapy for patients with acute coronary syndrome: A meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials

Background

Whether guided antiplatelet therapy in patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS) is effective in improving net clinical benefits compared with conventional antiplatelet therapy remains controversial. Therefore, we assessed the safety and efficacy of guided antiplatelet therapy in patients with ACS and undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention.

Method

We searched PubMed, EMBASE, and Cochrane Library databases to select the relevant randomized controlled trials comparing the guided and conventional antiplatelet therapy in patients with ACS. The primary and safety outcomes are major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) and major bleeding, respectively. The efficacy outcomes included myocardial infarction, stent thrombosis, all-cause death, and cardiovascular death. We selected the relative risk (RR) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) as effect size and calculated it using the Review Manager software. In addition, we evaluated the final results by trial sequential analysis (registered by PROSPERO, CRD 42020210912).

Results

We selected seven randomized controlled trials and included 8,451 patients in this meta-analysis. Guided antiplatelet therapy can significantly reduce the risk of MACE (RR 0.64, 95% CI 0.54-0.76, P < 0.00001), myocardial infarction (RR 0.62, 95% CI 0.49-0.79, P = 0.0001), all-cause death (RR 0.61, 95% CI 0.44-0.85, P = 0.003), and cardiovascular death (RR 0.66, 0.49-0.90, P = 0.009). In addition, there is no significant difference between the two groups in stent thrombosis (RR 0.67, 95% CI 0.44-1.03, P = 0.07) and major bleeding (RR 0.86, 95% CI 0.65-1.13, P = 0.27). The subgroup analysis showed that the guided group based on genotype tests could bring benefits in MACE and myocardial infarction.

Conclusions

The guided antiplatelet therapy is not only associated with a comparable risk of bleeding but also with a lower risk of MACE, myocardial infarction, all-cause death, cardiovascular death, and stent thrombosis than the conventional strategy in patients with ACS.

Design and Rationale of the National Tunisian Registry of Percutaneous Coronary Intervention: Protocol for a Prospective Multicenter Observational Study

Background

Coronary artery diseases remain the leading cause of death in the world. The management of this condition has improved remarkably in the recent years owing to the development of new technical tools and multicentric registries.

Objective

The aim of this study is to investigate the in-hospital and 1-year clinical outcomes of patients treated with percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) in Tunisia.

Methods

We will conduct a prospective multicentric observational study with patients older than 18 years who underwent PCI between January 31, 2020 and June 30, 2020. The primary end point is the occurrence of a major adverse cardiovascular event, defined as cardiovascular death, myocardial infarction, cerebrovascular accident, or target vessel revascularization with either repeat PCI or coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG). The secondary end points are procedural success rate, stent thrombosis, and the rate of redo PCI/CABG for in-stent restenosis.

Results

In this study, the demographic profile and the general risk profile of Tunisian patients who underwent PCI and their end points will be analyzed. The complexity level of the procedures and the left main occlusion, bifurcation occlusion, and chronic total occlusion PCI will be analyzed, and immediate as well as long-term results will be determined. The National Tunisian Registry of PCI (NATURE-PCI) will be the first national multicentric registry of angioplasty in Africa. For this study, the institutional ethical committee approval was obtained (0223/2020). This trial consists of 97 cardiologists and 2498 patients who have undergone PCI with a 1-year follow-up period. Twenty-eight catheterization laboratories from both public (15 laboratories) and private (13 laboratories) sectors will enroll patients after receiving informed consent. Of the 2498 patients, 1897 (75.9%) are managed in the public sector and 601 (24.1%) are managed in the private sector. The COVID-19 pandemic started in Tunisia in March 2020; 719 patients (31.9%) were included before the COVID-19 pandemic and 1779 (60.1%) during the pandemic. The inclusion of patients has been finished, and we expect to publish the results by the end of 2022.

Conclusions

This study would add data and provide a valuable opportunity for real-world clinical epidemiology and practice in the field of interventional cardiology in Tunisia with insights into the uptake of PCI in this limited-income region.

Trial Registration

Clinicaltrials.gov NCT04219761; https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT04219761

International Registered Report Identifier (IRRID)

RR1-10.2196/24595

TIPE2 protects cardiomyocytes from ischemia‑reperfusion‑induced apoptosis by decreasing cell autophagy via the mTORC1 signaling pathway

In cardiac ischemia-reperfusion (I/R), autophagy of hyperactivated cardiomyocytes degrades normal proteins and organelles, destroys cells and causes irreversible cell death. The present study aimed to determine the molecular mechanism through which TNF-α-induced protein 8-like protein 2 (TIPE2) regulates cardiomyocyte apoptosis via autophagy in I/R. The results revealed that the number of apoptotic cells and the protein expression levels of TIPE2 in the heart tissue of I/R model mice were significantly increased. In vitro, the overexpression of TIPE2 decreased oxygen glucose deprivation (OGD)-induced autophagy, apoptosis and activation of the mTOR complex 1 (mTORC1) signaling pathway in H9c2 cells. Treatment with the mTORC1 inhibitor not only inhibited the TIPE2-activated mTORC1 signaling pathway, but also increased OGD-induced autophagy and apoptosis of H9c2 cells. In conclusion, the results of the present study revealed that TIPE2 may protect cardiomyocytes from I/R-induced apoptosis by decreasing cell autophagy via the mTORC1 signaling pathway.

Association of Neutrophil to Lymphocyte Ratio With Plaque Rupture in Acute Coronary Syndrome Patients With Only Intermediate Coronary Artery Lesions Assessed by Optical Coherence Tomography

Objectives

Plaque vulnerability and rupture rather than plaque size are the major cause of clinical events in patients with intermediate coronary lesions. Therefore, the present study was aimed to explore potential markers associated with plaque rupture in acute coronary syndrome (ACS) patients with intermediate coronary lesions.

Methods

A total of 82 ACS patients presenting with only intermediate coronary lesions (40–70% stenosis demonstrated by quantitative coronary angiography) and no severe stenosis in other main coronary arteries [median age 63 years, 53 male and 29 female] were enrolled. Plaque morphology were assessed by optical coherence tomography (OCT). Hematological indices were assayed by automated hematological analyzer.

Results

Plaque rupture was identified in 14 patients by OCT. Neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio (NLR) in patients with plaque rupture (n = 14) was significantly higher than that in patients with non-plaque rupture (n = 68) [3.85 (3.28, 4.77) vs. 2.13 (1.40, 2.81), p < 0.001]. Multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that NLR was one of the independent risk factors for plaque rupture in intermediate coronary artery lesions (odds ratio 1.64, 95% confidence intervals 1.18–2.29, p = 0.003). ROC curve analysis found a cutoff point of NLR > 2.94 for plaque rupture with 93.8% sensitivity and 77.9% specificity.

Conclusion

NLR, an inflammatory biomarker, is closely associated with plaque rupture in intermediate coronary artery lesions. Monitoring NLR may be useful in risk stratification and management for intermediate coronary artery lesions.

Albumin to Globulin Ratio was associated with in-stent restenosis and revascularization events after percutaneous coronary intervention

In-stent restenosis is a common complication after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) for coronary heart disease requiring revascularization. We performed a retrospective analysis to assess the value of inflammatory biomarker Albumin to Globulin Ratio (AGR) in clinical prognosis of percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). In total, 992 coronary heart disease (CHD) patients who underwent the first drug-eluting stent implantation and reexamination angiography in our hospital were enrolled in this study. Albumin to Globulin Ratio was measured. At mean follow-up of 11.2 ± 4 months, the in-stent restenosis (ISR) and revascularization events (including target lesion revascularization, target vessel revascularization, and revascularization of de novo lesions) occurred in 127 and 284 patients respectively. Compared with the non-ISR or non-event group, AGR was significantly lower in the ISR group and events group. Beyond that, albumin was significantly lower, while urea nitrogen, glucose and gensini score, as well as the proportions of a history of diabetes and peripheral vascular diseases, were significantly higher in the ISR group and events group. Age, heart rate, white blood cell, neutrophils, lymphocyte, monocyte and incidence of ischemic stroke were significantly higher in the events group. Multivariate cox regression analysis showed that AGR was independently associated with ISR (P = 0.032) and events (P = 0.024). Besides, Kaplan-Meier analysis indicated that the higher quartile of AGR had a lower rate of ISR (P = 0.038) and events (p ≤ 0.001). Finally, the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve for AGR in diagnosing ISR and events indicated that the area under the curve (AUC) were 0.56 and 0.57 respectively. Therefore, AGR is one of the most important factors that independently associate with the ISR and revascularization events after PCI.

Relation of Pain-to-Balloon Time and Mortality in Patients With ST-Segment Elevation Myocardial Infarction Undergoing Primary Percutaneous Coronary Intervention

Limited and inconsistent data are present regarding the importance of the time delay between symptom onset and balloon inflation in ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) patients. We aimed to investigate the possible influence of prolonging pain-to-balloon times (PBT) on in-hospital outcomes and mortality in a large cohort of patients with STEMI undergoing primary percutaneous coronary intervention. We retrospectively studied 2,345 STEMI patients (age 61 ± 13 years, 82% men) who underwent primary percutaneous coronary intervention. Patients were stratified according to PBT into 3 groups: ≤120 minutes, 121 to 360 minutes, and >360 minutes. Patients' records were assessed for the occurrence of in-hospital complications, 30-day, and 1-year mortality. Of the 2,345 study patients, 36% had PBT time ≤120 minutes, 40% had PBT of 121 to 360 minutes and 24% had PBT time >360 minutes. The major part of the total PBT (average 358 minutes) was caused by the time interval from symptom onset to hospital arrival, namely, pain-to-door time (average 312 minutes) in all 3 groups. Longer PBT was associated with a lower left ventricular ejection fraction, higher incidence of in-hospital complications, and higher 30-day mortality. In 2 multivariate cox regression models, a per-hour increase in PBT (hazard ratio 1.03 [95% confidence interval 1.00 to 1.06], p = 0.039) as well as PBT >360 minutes (hazard ratio 1.6 [95% confidence interval 1.1 to 2.5], p = 0.04) were both independently associated with an increased risk for 1-year mortality. In conclusion, PBT may be an accurate and independent marker for adverse events, pointing to the importance of coronary reperfusion as early as possible based on the onset of pain.

Effects of Metoprolol on Periprocedural Myocardial Infarction After Percutaneous Coronary Intervention (Type 4a MI): An Inverse Probability of Treatment Weighting Analysis

Background: Metoprolol is the most used cardiac selective β-blocker and has been recommended as a mainstay drug in the management of acute myocardial infarction (AMI). However, the evidence supporting this regimen in periprocedural myocardial infarction (PMI) is limited.

Methods: This study identified 860 individuals who suffered PMI following percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) procedure and median followed up for 3.2 years. Subjects were dichotomized according to whether they received chronic oral sustained-release metoprolol succinate following PMI. After inverse probability of treatment weighting (IPTW) adjustment, logistic regression analysis, Kaplan-Meier curve, and Cox regression analysis were performed to estimate the effects of metoprolol on major adverse cardiovascular events (MACEs) which composed of cardiac death, myocardial infarction (MI), stroke, and revascularization. Moreover, an exploratory analysis was performed according to hypertension, cardiac troponin I (cTnI) elevation, and cardiac function. A double robust adjustment was used for sensitivity analysis.

Results: Among enrolled PMI subjects, 456 (53%) patients received metoprolol treatment and 404 (47%) patients received observation. After IPTW adjustment, receiving metoprolol was found to reduce the subsequent 3-year risk of MACEs by nearly 7.1% [15 vs. 22.1%, absolute risk difference (ARD) = 0.07, number needed to treat (NNT) = 14, relative risk (RR) = 0.682]. In IPTW-adjusted Cox regression analyses, receiving metoprolol was related to a reduced risk of MACEs (hazard ratio [HR] = 0.588, 95%CI [0.385–0.898], P = 0.014) and revascularization (HR = 0.538, 95%CI [0.326–0.89], P = 0.016). Additionally, IPTW-adjusted logistic regression analysis showed that receiving metoprolol reduced the risk of MI at the third year (odds ratio [OR] = 0.972, 95% CI [0.948–997], P = 0.029). Exploratory analysis showed that the protective effect of metoprolol was more pronounced in subgroups of hypertension and cTnI elevation ≥1,000%, and was remained in patients without cardiac dysfunction. The benefits above were consistent when double robust adjustments were performed.

Conclusion: In the real-world setting, receiving metoprolol treatment following PCI-related PMI has decreased the subsequent risk of MACEs, particularly the risk of recurrent MI and revascularization.

Simplifying the ISCHEMIA trial algorithm for clinical practice: Identifying left main coronary artery disease using coronary artery calcium scans

BACKGROUND

Several recent trials have evaluated invasive versus medical therapy for stable ischemic heart disease. Importantly, patients with significant left main coronary stenosis (LMCS) were excluded from these trials. In the ISCHEMIA trial, these patients were identified by a coronary CT angiogram (CCTA), which adds time, expense, and contrast exposure. We tested whether a coronary artery calcium scan (CACS), a simpler, less expensive test, could replace CCTA to exclude significant LMCS.

METHODS

We hypothesized that patients with ≥50% LMCS would have a LM CACS score > 0. As a corollary, we postulated that a LM CACS = 0 would exclude patients with LMCS. To test this, we searched Intermountain Healthcare's electronic medical records database for all adult patients who had undergone non-contrast cardiac CT for quantitative CACS scoring prior to invasive coronary angiography (ICA). Patients aged <50 and those with a heart transplant were excluded. Cases with incomplete (qualitative) angiographic reports for LMCS and those with incomplete or discrepant LM CACS results were reviewed and reassessed blinded to CACS or ICA findings, respectively.

RESULTS

Among 669 candidate patients with CACS followed by ICA, 36 qualifying patients were identified who had a quantitative CACS score and LMCS ≥ 50%. Their age averaged 71.8 years, and 81% were men. Angiographic LMCS averaged 72% (range 50%-99%). Median time between CACS and ICA was 6 days. Total CACS score averaged 2,383 Agatston Units (AU), range 571-6,636. LM CACS score averaged 197 AU, range 31-610. Importantly, no LMCS patient had a LM CACS score of 0 vs 57% (362/633) of non-LMCS controls (P < .00001).

CONCLUSIONS

Our results support the hypothesis that an easily administered, inexpensive, low radiation CACS can identify a large subset of patients with a very low risk of LMCS who would not have the need for routine CCTA. Using CACS to exclude LMCS may efficiently allow for safe implementation of an initial medical therapy strategy of patients with stable ischemic heart disease in clinical practice. These promising results deserve validation in larger data sets.

Development and Validation of a Risk Nomogram Model for Predicting Revascularization After Percutaneous Coronary Intervention in Patients with Acute Coronary Syndrome

Objective

Percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) is one of the most effective treatments for acute coronary syndrome (ACS). However, the need for postoperative revascularization remains a major problem in PCI. This study was to develop and validate a nomogram for prediction of revascularization after PCI in patients with ACS.

Methods

A retrospective observational study was conducted using data from 1083 patients who underwent PCI (≥6 months) at a single center from June 2013 to December 2019. They were divided into training (70%; n = 758) and validation (30%; n = 325) sets. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to establish a predictive model represented by a nomogram. The nomogram was developed and evaluated based on discrimination, calibration, and clinical efficacy using the concordance statistic (C-statistic), calibration plot and decision curve analysis (DCA), respectively.

Results

The nomogram was comprised of ten variables: follow-up time (odds ratio (OR): 1.01; 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.00-1.03), history of diabetes mellitus (OR: 1.83; 95% CI: 1.25-2.69), serum creatinine level on admission (OR: 0.99; 95% CI: 0.98-1.00), serum uric acid level on admission (OR: 1.005; 95% CI: 1.002-1.007), lipoprotein-a level on admission (OR: 1.0021; 95% CI: 1.0013-1.0029), low density lipoprotein cholesterol level on re-admission (OR: 1.33; 95% CI: 0.10-0.47), the presence of chronic total occlusion (OR: 3.30; 95% CI: 1.93-5.80), the presence of multivessel disease (OR: 4.48; 95% CI: 2.85-7.28), the presence of calcified lesions (OR: 1.63; 95% CI: 1.11-2.39), and the presence of bifurcation lesions (OR: 1.82; 95% CI: 1.20-2.77). The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve values for the training and validation sets were 0.765 (95% CI: 0.732-0.799) and 0.791 (95% CI: 0.742-0.830), respectively. The calibration plots showed good agreement between prediction and observation in both the training and validation sets. DCA also demonstrated that the nomogram was clinically useful.

Conclusion

We developed an easy-to-use nomogram model to predict the risk of revascularization after PCI in patients with ACS. The nomogram may provide useful assessment of risk for subsequent treatment of ACS patients undergoing PCI.

Radiation Reduction and Protection for Radiosensitive Organs (Lens, Thyroid, and Genital Organs) of Patients Receiving Percutaneous Coronary Intervention-Real-World Measurement of Radiation Dose in a Single Center

Backgrounds: Reducing radiation exposure is the basic principle for performing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). Many studies have confirmed the effect of radiation protection for medical staff, but studies about the effectiveness of protection for patients and real measurement of radiation dose in patients’ specific organs are lacking. Aim: To measure the radiation doses absorbed by patients’ radiosensitive organs during PCI and the effectiveness of radiation protection. Methods: A total of 120 patients were included and allocated into three groups as the ratio of 1:1:2. A total of 30 patients received PCI at 15 frames rate per second (fps), 30 patients at 7.5 fps, and 60 patients wore radiation protective hat and glasses during PCI at 7.5 fps. The radiation doses were measured at right eyebrow (lens), neck (thyroid), back (skin), and inguinal area (genital organs) by using thermoluminescent dosimeters (TLDs). Results: Dose-area product (DAP) reduced by 58.8% (from 534,454 ± 344,660 to 220,352 ± 164,101 mGy·cm², p < 0.001) after reducing the frame rate, without affecting successful rate of PCI. Radiation doses measured on skin, lens, genital organs, and thyroid decreased by 73.3%, 40.0%, 40.0%, and 35.3%, respectively (from 192.58 ± 349.45 to 51.10 ± 59.21; 5.29 ± 4.27 to 3.16 ± 2.73; 0.25 ± 0.15 to 0.15 ± 0.15; and 17.42 ± 12.11 to 11.27 ± 8.52 μSv, p < 0.05). By providing radiation protective equipment, radiation doses at lens and thyroid decreased further by 71.8% and 65.9% (from 3.16 ± 2.73 to 0.89 ± 0.79; 11.27 ± 8.52 to 3.84 ± 3.49 μSv, p < 0.05). Conclusions: By lowering the frame rate and providing protective equipment, radiation exposure in radiosensitive organs can be effectively reduced in patients.

Prognostic value of serum soluble ST2 in stable coronary artery disease: a prospective observational study

The role of ST2 in stable coronary artery disease (CAD) has not yet been well defined. This study was performed to investigate baseline serum soluble ST2 (sST2) level can predict clinical outcomes in patients with stable CAD. A total of 388 consecutive patients with suspected CAD (65 years and 63.7% male) in stable condition referred for elective invasive coronary angiography (ICA) was prospectively recruited. Major adverse cardiovascular event (MACE), including cardiac death, non-fatal myocardial infarction, coronary revascularization (90 days after ICA), and ischemic stroke during clinical follow-up was assessed. Most of the patients (88.0%) had significant CAD (stenosis ≥ 50%). During median follow-up of 834 days, there was 29 case of MACE (7.5%). The serum sST2 level was significantly higher in patients with MACE than those without (47.3 versus 30.6 ng/ml, P < 0.001). In multiple Cox regression model, higher sST2 level (≥ 26.8 ng/ml) was an independent predictor of MACE even after controlling potential confounders (hazard ratio, 13.7; 95% confidence interval 1.80–104.60; P = 0.011). The elevated level of baseline sST2 is associated with an increased risk of adverse clinical events in stable CAD patients. Studies with larger sample size are needed to confirm our findings.

Is coronary artery tortuosity a predisposing factor for drug-eluting stent restenosis?

BACKGROUND

Coronary artery tortuosity (CAT) is a relatively common finding on coronary angiography and may be associated with impaired left ventricular relaxation and coronary ischemia However, the significance of CAT remains unknown. This study aimed to investigate whether the severity of tortuosity in the targeted coronary segment is a predictor of stent restenosis.

METHODS

The study included a total of 637 patients undergoing drug-eluting stent implantation due to stable or unstable angina and who had no native coronary artery stenosis on their last coronary angiogram. The patients were separated into two groups: 312 patients with in-stent restenosis and 325 patients without in-stent restenosis. All patients underwent computed tomography (CT) coronary angiography after invasive angiography and CAT was calculated using the computer software.

RESULTS

Patients with in-stent restenosis had higher CAT than those without restenosis (1.25 ± 0.11 vs. 1.11 + 0.07, p < 0.001). Multivariate Cox regression analysis showed that the tortuosity index (hazard ratio [HR]: 1.246 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.127-1.376 p < 0.001) and the circumflex lesion (HR: 1.437 95% CI: 1.062-1.942 p = 0.019) were independently associated with in-stent restenosis. With the threshold value of severe tortuosity set at 1.15, the prediction of could be made with 81% sensitivity and 80% specificity.

CONCLUSION

The severity of tortuosity is proportional to coronary in-stent stenosis in patients with stable and unstable angina pectoris undergoing drug-eluting stent implantation for a severe single coronary artery.

Complications and failure modes of coronary embolic protection devices: Insights from the MAUDE database

BACKGROUND

There is limited data on complications associated with the use of coronary embolic protection devices (EPDs).

METHODS

We queried the Manufacturer and User Facility Device Experience database between November 2010 and November 2020 for reports on coronary EPDs: Spider FX (Medtronic, Minneapolis, MN) and Filterwire EZ (Boston Scientific, Natick, MA).

RESULTS

We retrieved 119 reports on coronary EPD failure (Spider FX n = 33 and Filterwire EZ n = 86), most of which (78.2%) occurred during saphenous vein graft interventions. The most common failure mode was inability to retrieve the EPD (49.6%), with the filter trapped against stent struts in 76.2% of the cases. Other device complications included filter fracture (28.6%), failure to cross (7.6%), failure to deploy (7.6%), and failure to recapture the filter (3.4%). Filter fracture (54.5 vs. 29.1%) and failure to recapture (9.1 vs. 2.1%) were more commonly reported, while failure to deploy the filter (0 vs. 10.5%) was less commonly reported with the Spider-FX.

CONCLUSIONS

The most common modes of failure of coronary EPDs are the failure of retrieval (49.6%), followed by the filter fracture (28.6%). When using EPDs, careful attention to the technique is essential to avoid failures and subsequent complications.

Frequency of Three-Vessel Disease Among Patients With Non-ST Segment Elevation Myocardial Infarction

Background: Though the presence of three-vessel disease (3VD) among patients with non-ST Segment Elevation Myocardial Infarction (NSTEMI) is relatively common, very limited data is available regarding its clinical significance. The current study aimed to determine the frequency of 3VD among NSTEMI patients presenting at the tertiary care hospital of Karachi, Pakistan.

Methodology: This cross-sectional study was conducted at the National Institute of Cardiovascular Diseases, Karachi from August 15 2015 to February 15 2016 over a sample of 139 NSTEMI patients. Data regarding patients' baseline characteristics were recorded in a proforma. Coronary angiography was performed to determine the presence of 3VD. The frequency of occluded arteries and 3VD was also recorded and the collected data was then analyzed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 20.0 (IBM Corp., Armonk, NY, USA).

Results: A total of 139 NSTEMI patients were enrolled in the study with a mean age of 50.47 ± 12.47 years. The majority of them were males (70.5%), mostly ≥ 40 years of age (67.6%). Among the comorbidities, 50.4% of patients had diabetes mellitus (DM), 61.9% were hypertensive and 30.9% had dyslipidemia. The overall frequency of 3VD among the enrolled NSTEMI patients was 30.2%. Three major arteries were found to be occluded; 68.3% NSTEMI patients had occlusion in the left anterior descending (LAD) artery, followed by right coronary artery (RCA) among 49.6%, 40.3% had left circumflex (LCX) artery occlusion, and 50.4% had diagonal and obtuse marginal (OM) artery occlusion respectively. Among the effect modifiers, no significant impact of age, gender, and smoking habits was observed on the frequency of 3VD among NSTEMI patients (p > 0.05). Among the reported comorbidities, DM was significant among NSTEMI patients with 3VD (p < 0.05).

Conclusion: Our study results indicated that a significant proportion of NSTEMI patients had 3VD, independent of the effect of age and gender. 

Current Treatment Modalities for Calcified Coronary Artery Disease: A Review Article Comparing Novel Intravascular Lithotripsy and Traditional Rotational Atherectomy

The coronary artery calcium score is considered the most useful marker for predicting coronary events. The high score reflects heavy calcification in the vessel, which is more challenging to treat with the percutaneous intervention (PCI). To prepare this type of heavily calcified lesion intravascular lithotripsy (IVL) technology can be used prior to PCI, which is based on the concept of converting electrical energy into mechanical energy. It harmlessly and selectively disrupts both the shallow and deep deposits of calcium. The balloon-based catheters of this system emit sonic waves that transfer to the adjacent tissue resulting in improvement in vessel compliance with the slightest soft tissue loss. Therefore, making the treatment of calcified lesions more feasible, effective, and also simplify complex lesions. The lesions considered for lithotripsy-enhanced balloon dilation include calcified coronary lesions and peripheral vasculature lesions. This article reviews the use of IVL in calcified coronary artery disease, its advantages, and disadvantages while comparing it with other techniques like high-pressure balloons and rotational atherectomy devices. A thorough search of databases like PubMed and Google Scholar was performed, which uncovered 35 peer review articles. Keywords utilized in the data search were calcified coronary artery disease, coronary lithotripsy, calcification, and calcified atherosclerotic plaque. According to rotational atherectomy and intravascular lithotripsy trials, the latter was safer, mainly by decreasing atheromatous embolization risk. Deciphering these studies, it seems like IVL is better at parameters like procedural and clinical success rate, acute lumen gain, and less residual stenosis except in-hospital major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE), which was better in rotational atherectomy (RA). However, when lesion crossings are present, the atherectomy technique is still considered as first-line therapy. In clinical practice, despite these encouraging data for treating calcified lesions, IVL is grossly underutilized because of substantial costs and perceived significant procedural risk effects on the cardiac rhythm like causing 'shock topics' and asynchronous cardiac pacing. More longer-term clinical data and extensive researches are required to validate its safety and efficiency.

Intravascular ultrasound guidance in the evaluation and treatment of left main coronary artery disease

Percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) of left main coronary artery (LMCA) disease has become an acceptable revascularization strategy. Evaluating the extent and characteristics of obstructive disease of the LMCA by angiography is challenging and limited in its accuracy. In contrast, intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) provides accurate imaging of the coronary lumen as well as quantitative measurements and quantitative assessment of the vessel wall components. IVUS for LMCA PCI should be performed before, during, and after intervention; IVUS enhances every step in the procedure and is associated with a mortality advantage in comparison with angiographic guidance alone. In this review, we provide an update on LMCA PCI and the role of IVUS for lesion assessment and stent optimization. In addition, the latest clinical evidence of the benefits of IVUS-guided LMCA PCI as compared to angiography is reviewed.

Quality of Life Changes in Acute Coronary Syndromes Patients: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

There is little up-to-date evidence about changes in quality of life following treatment for acute coronary syndrome (ACS) patients. The main aim of this review was to assess the changes in QoL in ACS patients after treatment. We undertook a systematic review and meta-analysis of quantitative studies. The search included studies that described the change of QoL of ACS patients after receiving treatment options such as percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI), coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) and medical therapy (MT). We synthesized findings using content analysis and pooled the estimates using meta-analysis. We used the PRISMA guidelines to select and appraise the studies and report the findings. Twenty-nine (29) articles were included in the review. We found a significant improvement of QoL in ACS patients after receiving treatment. Particularly, the meta-analytic association found that the mean QoL of patients diagnosed with ACS was higher after receiving treatment compared to baseline (overall pooled mean difference = 31.88; 95% CI = 31.64–52.11, I² = 98) with patients on PCI having slightly lower QoL gains (pooled mean difference = 30.22; 95% CI = 29.9–30.53, I² = 0%) compared to those on CABG (pooled mean difference = 34.01; 95% CI = 33.66–34.37, I² = 0%). The review confirmed that QoL of ACS patients improved after receiving treatment therapies although varied by the treatment options and patients’ preferences. This suggests the need to perform further study on the QoL, patient preferences and physicians’ decision to prescription of treatment options.

Characteristics and Outcomes in Patients Presenting With COVID-19 and ST-Segment Elevation Myocardial Infarction

There is limited information regarding clinical characteristics and outcomes of patients with SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) disease presenting with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI). In this multicenter retrospective study, we reviewed charts of patients admitted with symptomatic COVID-19 infection and STEMI to a total of 4 hospitals spanning Italy, Lithuania, Spain and Iraq from February 1, 2020 to April 15, 2020. A total of 78 patients were included in this study, 49 (63%) of whom were men, with a median age of 65 [58, 71] years, and high comorbidity burden. During hospitalization, 8 (10%) developed acute respiratory distress syndrome, and 14 (18%) required mechanical ventilation. 19 (24%) patients were treated with primary Percutaneous Coronary Intervention (PCI) and 59 (76%) were treated with fibrinolytic therapy. 13 (17%) patients required cardiac resuscitation, and 9 (11%) died. For the 19 patients treated with primary PCI, 8 (42%) required intubation and 8 (42%) required cardiac resuscitation; stent thrombosis occurred in 4 patients (21%). A total of 5 patients (26%) died during hospitalization. 50 (85%) of the 59 patients initially treated with fibrinolytic therapy had successful fibrinolysis. The median time to reperfusion was 27 minutes [20, 34]. Hemorrhagic stroke occurred in 5 patients (9%). Six patients (10%) required invasive mechanical ventilation; 5 (9%) required cardiac resuscitation, and 4 (7%) died. In conclusion, this is the largest case series to-date of COVID-19 positive patients presenting with STEMI and spans 4 countries. We found a high rate of stent thrombosis, indicating a possible need to adapt STEMI management for COVID-19 patients.

Percutaneous Coronary Intervention Compared with Coronary Artery Bypass Graft Surgery for Patients With 3-vessel Disease: A Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses-compliant Systematic Review and Meta-analysis

OBJECTIVES

Previous investigations showed inconsistent results for comparison in clinical outcomes between patients with 3-vessel disease (3VD) treated with percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) and coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery. A systematic review and meta-analysis is essential to compare the clinical outcomes of PCI with CABG surgery for patients with 3VD.

METHODS

We systematically searched on PubMed and Web of Science for articles which compared PCI with CABG for patients with 3VD and published from January 1989 to January 2020. We computed the hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for individual clinical outcomes.

RESULTS

This study indicated that the PCI group was associated with a 1.51-fold higher risk of all-cause mortality compared with the CABG group in patients with 3VD (HR 1.51, 95% CI 1.38-1.65). In addition, the PCI group showed a 3.08-fold and 2.94-fold higher risk compared with the CABG group in risks of myocardial infarction (MI) and target-vessel revascularization (TVR), respectively (MI: HR 3.08, 95% CI 2.61-3.63; TVR: HR 2.94, 95% CI 1.94-4.46).

CONCLUSIONS

In conclusion, in patients with 3VD, PCI was consistently associated with higher rates of all-cause mortality, MI, and TVR, compared with CABG.

Random forest for prediction of contrast-induced nephropathy following coronary angiography

The majority of prediction models for contrast-induced nephropathy (CIN) have moderate performance. Therefore, we aimed to develop a better pre-procedural prediction tool for CIN following contemporary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) or coronary angiography (CAG). A total of 3469 patients undergoing PCI/CAG between January 2010 and December 2013 were randomly divided into a training (n = 2428, 70%) and validation data-sets (n = 1041, 30%). Random forest full models were developed using 40 pre-procedural variables, of which 13 variables were selected for a reduced CIN model. CIN developed in 78 (3.21%) and 37 of patients (3.54%) in the training and validation datasets, respectively. In the validation dataset, the full and reduced models demonstrated improved discrimination over classic Mehran, ACEF CIN risk scores (AUC 0.842 and 0.825 over 0.762 and 0.701, respectively, all P < 0.05) and common estimated glomerular filtration rate. Compared to that for the Mehran risk score model, the full and reduced models had significantly improved fit based on the net reclassification improvement (all P < 0.001) and integrated discrimination improvement (P = 0.001, 0.028, respectively). Using the above models, 2462 (66.7%), 661, and 346 patients were categorized into low (< 1%), moderate (1% to 7%), and high (> 7%) risk groups, respectively. Our pre-procedural CIN risk prediction algorithm (http://cincalc.com) demonstrated good discriminative ability and was well calibrated when validated. Two-thirds of the patients were at low CIN risk, probably needing less peri-procedural preventive strategy; however, the discriminative ability of CIN risk requires further external validation. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT01400295.

Transcatheter Aortic Valve Implantation Current Indications and Future Directions

Degenerative heart valve disease is associated with significant morbidity and mortality and healthcare expenditures. Transcatheter heart valve repair and replacement has introduced a fundamental change in the therapeutic management and transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) has gained substantial popularity. Favorable results from randomized trials and large real world registries lead to TAVR being considered a standard procedure with high rates of procedural success and low rates of peri-procedural complications. This article aims to review the past evolution, summarize the available evidence, discuss current indications and limitations and venture a glimpse into the future of percutaneous interventions for aortic valve disease.

Contemporary Approach to Heavily Calcified Coronary Lesions

Percutaneous treatment of heavily calcified coronary lesions still represents a challenge for interventional cardiology, with higher risk of immediate complications, late failure due to stent underexpansion and malapposition, and consequently poor clinical outcome. Good characterisation of calcium distribution with multimodal imaging is important to improve the successful treatment of these lesions. The use of traditional or new dedicated devices for the treatment of calcified lesions allows better lesion preparation; therefore, it is important that we know the different mechanisms and technical features of these devices.

Synchronous versus Staged Carotid Endarterectomy and Coronary Artery Bypass Graft for Patients with Concomitant Severe Coronary and Carotid Artery Stenosis: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

Due to the systemic nature of atherosclerosis, arteries at different sites are commonly simultaneously affected. As a result, severe coronary artery disease (CAD) requiring coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) frequently coexists with significant carotid stenosis that warrants revascularization. To compare simultaneous carotid endarterectomy (CEA) and CABG versus staged CEA and CABG for patients with concomitant CAD and carotid artery stenosis in terms of perioperative outcomes.

METHODS

This study was performed according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines. A meta-analysis was conducted with the use of a random effects model. The I² statistic was used to assess for heterogeneity.

RESULTS

Eleven studies comprising 44,895 patients were included in this meta-analysis (21,710 in the synchronous group and 23,185 patients in the staged group). The synchronous CEA and CABG group had a statistically significant lower risk for myocardial infarction (MI) (odds ratio [OR] 0.15, 95% CI 0.04-0.61, I² = 0%) and higher risk for stroke (OR 1.51, 95% CI 1.34-1.71, I² = 0%) and death (OR 1.33, 95% CI 1.01-1.75, I² = 47.8%). Transient ischemic attacks (TIAs) (OR 1.27, 95% CI 1.00-1.61, I² = 0.0%), postoperative bleeding (OR 0.82, 95% CI 0.22-3.05, I² = 0.0%), and pulmonary complications (OR 1.52, 95% CI 0.24-9.60, I² = 67.5%) were similar between the 2 groups.

CONCLUSIONS

Patients in the simultaneous CEA and CABG group had a significantly higher risk of 30-day mortality and stroke and lower risk for MI as compared to staged CEA and CABG group. The rates of TIA, postoperative bleeding, and pulmonary complications were similar between the 2 groups. Future randomized trials or prospective cohorts are needed to validate our results.

Effectiveness and safety of Chinese herbal medicine xuanbi antong granules for the treatment of borderline coronary lesions: study protocol for a randomised, double-blinded, placebo-controlled, multicentre clinical trial

INTRODUCTION

As the early stage of coronary heart disease (CHD), borderline coronary lesion (BCL) is defined as a 30%-70% diameter stenosis. Previous studies have demonstrated that BCL may progress to acute coronary syndrome easily. However, routine medications available for the treatments of BCL have some limitations. Xuanbi antong granule (XAG) has been used for the treatment of BCL in China for many years. Previous studies have shown that XAG has effectiveness in improving clinical symptoms and quality of life in patients with CHD. This study aims to evaluate the effectiveness and safety of XAG in patients with BCL.

METHODS AND ANALYSIS

This is a multicentre, randomised, double-blinded, placebo-controlled clinical trial. A total of 300 participants will be randomly assigned to the intervention group and the placebo group. Based on routine medications, the intervention group will be treated with XAG and the placebo group will be treated with XAG placebo. All participants will receive a 6-month treatment and then be followed-up for another 6 months. The primary outcomes are the changes of target plaque characteristics (including target plaque volume, degree of stenosis, CT value and calcification score) measured by dual source CT angiography. The secondary outcomes include blood lipid indicators, efficacy of angina symptoms, Seattle Angina Questionnaire, high-sensitivity C-reactive protein and occurrence of major adverse cardiac events. All the data will be recorded in electronic case report forms and analysed by SPSS V.20.0.

ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION

This study has been approved by Research Ethics Committee of Guang'anmen Hospital, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences in Beijing, China (No. 2017-083-KY-01). Written informed consent will be obtained from all participants. The results of this study will be disseminated to the public through academic conferences and peer-reviewed journals.

TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER

ChiCTR-IOR-17013189; Pre-results.

Adverse events and modes of failure related to the FilterWire EZ Embolic Protection System: Lessons learned from an analytic review of the FDA MAUDE database

OBJECTIVES

To assess the commonly reported complications and failure modes for FilterWire EZ Embolic Protection Devices (EPD) by analyzing the postmarketing surveillance data from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Manufacturer and User Facility Device Experience (MAUDE) database.

BACKGROUND

EPDs prevent distal embolization of atheroembolic materials during percutaneous interventions resulting in reduced microvascular obstruction and improved microcirculation while maintaining tissue perfusion. The FilterWire EZ EPD (Boston Scientific, Natick, MA) is approved for use in interventions of de novo saphenous vein grafts (SVG) and carotid artery stenosis. Robust data on the commonly reported complications and failure modes associated with the FilterWire EZ device are limited.

METHODS

The MAUDE database was queried from September 1, 2008, through September 30, 2018, for FilterWire EZ system, yielding 474 reports. After exclusion of duplicate and incomplete reports, 464 device reports were included in the final analysis.

RESULTS

Device-related adverse events were most commonly reported for carotid (n = 281) and SVG (n = 101) interventions. The most commonly reported major complications were: ischemic stroke (n = 57), vessel perforation or dissection (n = 12), death (n = 8), and myocardial infarction (n = 5). Minor complications included: hypotension (n = 68), bradycardia (n = 41), and vasospasm (n = 27). The most commonly reported failure modes were: detachment and/or damage of the device components (n = 118), device entrapment (n = 90), and stent-related issues (n = 46).

CONCLUSIONS

Analysis of the MAUDE dataset is helpful in identifying the commonly reported adverse events and failure modes of FilterWire EZ devices. This platform serves as an important tool for both physicians and manufacturers to optimize device performance and clinical outcomes.

Relationship between maximum clot firmness in ROTEM® and postoperative bleeding after coronary artery bypass graft surgery in patients using clopidogrel

Background:

The aim of the present study was to investigate the relationship between maximum clot firmness (MCF) in rotational thromboelastometry (ROTEM^®) and postoperative bleeding in patients on clopidogrel after emergency coronary artery bypass graft surgery (CABG).

Methods:

This observational study recruited 60 patients posted for emergency CABG following unsuccessful primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) while on 600 mg of clopidogrel. The study population was divided into 2 groups on the basis of their MCF in the extrinsically activated thromboelastometric (EXTEM) component of the (preoperative) ROTEM^® test: patients with MCF <50 mm (n = 16) and those with MCF ≥50 mm (n = 44). Postoperative chest tube drainage amount, need for blood product transfusion, postoperative complications, and duration of mechanical ventilation after CABG were recorded.

Results:

No significant differences were observed between the two groups regarding duration of surgery, cardiopulmonary bypass, and aortic cross-clamp time. Chest tube drainage at 6, 12, and 24 h after Intensive Care Unit admission were significantly higher in the patients with MCF below 50 mm. The need for blood product transfusion was higher in the group with MCF <50 mm. In patients who experienced postoperative bleeding of 1000 mL or more, the ROTEM^® parameters of INTEM (Intrinsically activated thromboelastomery) α and MCF, EXTEM α and MCF, and HEPTEM (INTEM assay performed in the presence of heparinase) MCF (but not FIBTEM (Thromboelastometric assay for the fibrin part of the clot) values) were significantly lower than those with postoperative bleeding <1000 mL (P ≤ 0.05).

Conclusions:

When platelet aggregometry is not available, the ROTEM^® test could be useful for the prediction of increased risk bleeding after emergency CABG in patients who have received a loading dose of clopidogrel.

Maximum allowable contrast dose and prevention of acute kidney injury following cardiovascular procedures

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

Contrast-induced acute kidney injury (CI-AKI) is a serious complication. Although nonmodifiable and modifiable risk factors have been thoroughly characterized, the utility of the maximal allowable contrast dose (MACD) has not received adequate attention. The focus of this review is to provide a critical appraisal of this modifiable risk factor.

RECENT FINDINGS

Several retrospective and prospective cohort studies have demonstrated that the incidence of CI-AKI among patients receiving contrast media in volumes exceeding the MACD is consistently higher compared with those who do not exceed the MACD (an average of 24 vs. 6%). Furthermore, the MACD is independent predictor of CI-AKI and other adverse events. A two-step algorithm incorporating the determination of the MACD and the contrast volume to eGFR ratio prior to a planned cardiovascular procedure is a sound approach to minimize contrast volume and prevent CI-AKI.

SUMMARY

Prevention of CI-AKI must remain a clinical priority. Intraprocedural preventive measures should include a priori calculation of the MACD and contrast volume to eGFR ratio to limit contrast volume. Other measures may include the adoption of the transradial approach, the use of automated contrast injectors and small catheters to limit contrast volume, the use of low-osmolar contrast agents, and if necessary the use of staged procedures. We call for the system-wide implementation of evidence-based care bundles to prevent CI-AKI.

Mortality of patients with previous stroke undergoing drug-eluting stent implantation

OBJECTIVE

Patients with previous stroke are increasing among patients receiving percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) with drug-eluting stents (DES); however, data about the influence of previous stroke on patient outcomes are limited. We evaluated whether previous stroke is associated with increased risk for mortality in coronary artery disease.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

A total of 18 650 patients with coronary artery disease undergoing PCI with DES were enrolled. Databases from three real-world PCI registries were merged for a patient-level meta-analysis. The primary outcome was death from any cause. The secondary outcomes were death from a cardiac cause, myocardial infarction, stent thrombosis, stroke, or repeat revascularization.

RESULTS

Patients with previous stroke (n=1361), compared with those without previous stroke (n=17 289), were older and had a higher prevalence of risk factors or comorbidities. At a median follow-up of 47.0 months, patients with previous stroke had a higher risk for death from any cause [adjusted hazard ratio (HR)=1.623; 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.342-1.962; P<0.001], death from a cardiac cause (adjusted HR=1.686; 95% CI: 1.339-2.124; P<0.001), and stroke (adjusted HR=2.456; 95% CI: 1.853-3.255; P<0.001). There were no significant differences in the risks for myocardial infarction, stent thrombosis, or repeat revascularization.

CONCLUSION

Patients with previous stroke showed higher risks for all-cause death and stroke after PCI with DES than those without stroke. Previous stroke should be considered a risk factor for all-cause death and stroke in this patient population.

Projected impact of a multigene pharmacogenetic test to optimize medication prescribing in cardiovascular patients

AIM

To determine the projected impact of a multigene pharmacogenetic (PGx) test on medication prescribing.

MATERIALS & METHODS

A retrospective analysis was conducted with 122 cardiac catheterization laboratory patients undergoing angiography for eligibility of potential PGx-guided interventions that could have occurred if multigene PGx information was pre-emptively available at the time of the procedure. Medication data and presence of actionable at-risk genotypes were used to determine eligibility of a PGx intervention.

RESULTS

20% of the study population (n = 24) would have qualified for at least one PGx-based medication intervention per US FDA or Clinical Pharmacogenetics Implementation Consortium (CPIC) guidelines within 6 months of their cardiac catheterization procedure. Commonly encountered gene-drug pairs for these interventions included: CYP2C19 for clopidogrel and antidepressants, CYP2D6 for antidepressants and codeine, SLCO1B1 for simvastatin, and VKORC1/CYP2C9 for warfarin.

CONCLUSION

Pre-emptive use of a multigene PGx test in the cardiac catheterization laboratory offers potential to reduce adverse medication outcomes.