Clinical Value of Single-Projection Angiography-Derived FFR in Noninfarct-Related Artery

BACKGROUND

The Murray law-based quantitative flow ratio (μFR) is an emerging technique that requires only 1 projection of coronary angiography with similar accuracy to quantitative flow ratio (QFR). However, it has not been validated for the evaluation of noninfarct-related artery (non-IRA) in acute myocardial infarction (AMI) settings. Therefore, our study aimed to evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of μFR and the safety of deferring non-IRA lesions with μFR >0.80 in the setting of AMI.

METHODS

μFR and QFR were analyzed for non-IRA lesions of patients with AMI enrolled in the FRAME-AMI trial (Fractional Flow Reserve Versus Angiography-Guided Strategy for Management of Non-Infarction Related Artery Stenosis in Patients With Acute Myocardial Infarction), consisting of fractional flow reserve (FFR)-guided percutaneous coronary intervention and angiography-guided percutaneous coronary intervention groups. The diagnostic accuracy of μFR was compared with QFR and FFR. Patients were classified by the non-IRA μFR value of 0.80 as a cutoff value. The primary outcome was a vessel-oriented composite outcome, a composite of cardiac death, non-IRA-related myocardial infarction, and non-IRA-related repeat revascularization.

RESULTS

μFR and QFR analyses were feasible in 443 patients (552 lesions). μFR showed acceptable correlation with FFR (R=0.777; P<0.001), comparable C-index with QFR to predict FFR ≤0.80 (μFR versus QFR: 0.926 versus 0.961, P=0.070), and shorter total analysis time (mean, 32.7 versus 186.9 s; P<0.001). Non-IRA with μFR >0.80 and deferred percutaneous coronary intervention had a significantly lower risk of vessel-oriented composite outcome than non-IRA with performed percutaneous coronary intervention (3.4% versus 10.5%; hazard ratio, 0.37 [95% CI, 0.14-0.99]; P=0.048).

CONCLUSIONS

In patients with multivessel AMI, μFR of non-IRA showed acceptable diagnostic accuracy comparable to that of QFR to predict FFR ≤0.80. Deferred non-IRA with μFR >0.80 showed a lower risk of vessel-oriented composite outcome than revascularized non-IRA.

REGISTRATION

URL: https://www.clinicaltrials.gov; Unique identifier: NCT02715518.

Intravascular imaging-guided percutaneous coronary intervention in patients with acute myocardial infarction and cardiogenic shock

INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVES

There are no clinical data on the efficacy of intravascular imaging-guided percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) compared with angiography-guided PCI in patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI) and cardiogenic shock. The current study sought to evaluate the impact of intravascular imaging-guided PCI in patients with AMI and cardiogenic shock.

METHODS

Among a total of 28 732 patients from the nationwide pooled registry of KAMIR-NIH (November, 2011 to December, 2015) and KAMIR-V (January, 2016 to June, 2020), we selected a total of 1833 patients (6.4%) with AMI and cardiogenic shock who underwent PCI of the culprit vessel. The primary endpoint was major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) at 1 year, a composite of cardiac death, myocardial infarction, repeat revascularization, and definite or probable stent thrombosis.

RESULTS

Among the study population, 375 patients (20.5%) underwent intravascular imaging-guided PCI and 1458 patients (79.5%) underwent angiography-guided PCI. Intravascular imaging-guided PCI was associated with a significantly lower risk of 1-year MACE than angiography-guided PCI (19.5% vs 28.2%; HR, 0.59; 95%CI, 0.45-0.77; P<.001), mainly driven by a lower risk of cardiac death (13.7% vs 24.0%; adjusted HR, 0.53; 95%CI, 0.39-0.72; P<.001). These results were consistent in propensity score matching (HR, 0.68; 95%CI, 0.46-0.99), inverse probability weighting (HR, 0.61; 95%CI, 0.45-0.83), and Bayesian analysis (Odds ratio, 0.66, 95% credible interval, 0.49-0.88).

CONCLUSIONS

In AMI patients with cardiogenic shock, intravascular imaging-guided PCI was associated with a lower risk of MACE at 1-year than angiography-guided PCI, mainly driven by the lower risk of cardiac death.

Association between arterial stiffness and autonomic dysfunction in participants underwent treadmill exercise testing: a cross-sectional analysis

Data on the impact of arterial stiffness on autonomic function are limited. We sought to investigate whether heart rate recovery (HRR), a predictor of autonomic function, is impaired in patients with increased arterial stiffness. A total of 475 participants (mean age 55.8 ± 11.1 years, 34.3% women) who underwent a treadmill exercise test (TET) for the evaluation of chest pain were retrospectively analyzed. All patients underwent brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity (baPWV) measurement on the same day. HRR was defined as the difference in heart rate from maximal exercise to 1 min of recovery. Participants with the lowest HRR tertile were older and had more cardiovascular risk factors than those with the highest HRR tertile. Simple correlation analysis showed that baPWV was negatively correlated with HRR (r =  - 0.327, P < 0.001). In multiple linear regression analysis, there was a significant association between baPWV and HRR, even after adjusting for potential confounders (β =  - 0.181, P < 0.001). In participants who underwent TET, baPWV was negatively correlated with HRR. The results of our study indicate a potential relationship between arterial stiffness and the autonomic nervous system.

Influence of Socioeconomic Status on the Presence of Obstructive Coronary Artery Disease and Cardiovascular Outcomes in Patients Undergoing Invasive Coronary Angiography

This retrospective study investigated the impact of socioeconomic status (SES) on patients at high risk of cardiovascular disease, focusing on obstructive coronary artery disease (CAD) presence and long-term cardiovascular outcomes in individuals undergoing invasive coronary angiography (ICA). Analyzing data from 9530 patients categorized by health insurance type (medical aid beneficiaries (MABs) as the low SES group; national health insurance beneficiaries (NHIBs) as the high SES group), this research explores the relationship between SES and outcomes. Despite a higher prevalence of cardiovascular risk factors, the MAB group exhibited similar rates of obstructive CAD compared to the NHIB group. However, over a median 3.5-year follow-up, the MAB group experienced a higher incidence of composite cardiovascular events, including cardiac death, acute myocardial infarction, coronary revascularization, and ischemic stroke, compared with the NHIB group (20.2% vs. 16.2%, p < 0.001). Multivariable Cox regression analysis, adjusting for potential confounders, revealed independently worse clinical outcomes for the MAB group (adjusted odds ratio 1.28; 95% confidence interval 1.07-1.54; p = 0.006). Despite comparable CAD rates, this study underscores the fact that individuals with low SES encounter an elevated risk of composite cardiovascular events, emphasizing the association between socioeconomic disadvantage and heightened susceptibility to cardiovascular disease, even among those already at high risk.

Angiographic Severity of the Nonculprit Lesion and the Efficacy of Fractional Flow Reserve-Guided Complete Revascularization in Patients With AMI: FRAME-AMI Substudy

BACKGROUND

The benefit of fractional flow reserve (FFR)-guided percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) for noninfarct-related artery (IRA) lesions with angiographically severe stenosis in patients with acute myocardial infarction is unclear.

METHODS

Among 562 patients from the FRAME-AMI trial (Fractional Flow Reserve Versus Angiography-Guided Strategy for Management of Non-Infraction Related Artery Stenosis in Patients With Acute Myocardial Infarction) who were randomly allocated into either FFR-guided or angiography-guided PCI for non-IRA lesions, the current study evaluated the relationship between non-IRA stenosis measured by quantitative coronary angiography (QCA) and the efficacy of FFR-guided PCI. The incidence of the primary end point (death, myocardial infarction, or repeat revascularization) was compared between FFR- and angiography-guided PCI according to non-IRA stenosis severity (QCA stenosis ≥70% or <70%).

RESULTS

A total of 562 patients were assigned to FFR-guided (n=284) versus angiography-guided PCI (n=278). At a median follow-up of 3.5 years, the primary end point occurred in 14 of 181 patients with FFR-guided PCI and 31 of 197 patients with angiography-guided PCI among patients with QCA stenosis ≥70% (8.5% versus 19.2%; hazard ratio, 0.41 [95% CI, 0.22-0.80]; P=0.008), while occurred in 4 of 103 patients with FFR-guided PCI and 9 of 81 patients with angiography-guided PCI among those with QCA stenosis <70% (3.9% versus 11.1%; P=0.315). There was no significant interaction between treatment strategy and non-IRA stenosis severity (P for interaction=0.636). FFR-guided PCI was associated with the reduction of death and myocardial infarction in both patients with QCA stenosis ≥70% (6.7% versus 15.1%; P=0.008) and those with QCA stenosis <70% (1.0% versus 9.6%; P=0.042) compared with angiography-guided PCI.

CONCLUSIONS

In patients with acute myocardial infarction and multivessel disease, FFR-guided PCI tended to have a lower risk of primary end point than angiography-guided PCI regardless of non-IRA stenosis severity without significant interaction.

REGISTRATION

URL: https://www.clinicaltrials.gov; Unique identifier: NCT02715518.

Prognostic Value of Brachial-Ankle Pulse Wave Velocity According to Subjects' Clinical Characteristics: Data From Analysis of 10,597 Subjects

BACKGROUND

To make good use of the prognostic value of arterial stiffness, it is important to identify the population with the greatest benefit. In this study, we compared the prognostic value of brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity (baPWV) according to various clinical characteristics.

METHODS

A total of 10,597 subjects who underwent baPWV measurement (mean age, 61.4 ± 9.5 years; female proportion, 42.5%) were retrospectively analyzed. Major adverse cardiovascular events (MACEs), defined as a composite of cardiac death, non-fatal myocardial infarction, coronary revascularization, and ischemic stroke were assessed during the clinical follow-up period.

RESULTS

In the multivariate analysis, clinical variables with more than 4,000 subjects were selected as grouping variables, which were sex (men and women), age (≥ 65 and < 65 years), body mass index (BMI) (≥ 25 and < 25 kg/m²), hypertension (presence and absence), estimated glomerular filtration rate (≥ 90 and < 90 mL/min/1.73 m²), and statin use (user and non-user). During the median clinical follow-up duration of 3.58 years (interquartile range, 1.43-5.38 years), there were 422 MACEs (4.0%). In total study subjects, baseline higher baPWV was associated with increased risk of MACE occurrence (hazard ratio for baPWV ≥ 1,800 cm/s compared to baPWV < 1,400 cm/s, 4.04; 95% confidence interval, 2.62-6.21; P < 0.001). The prognostic value of baPWV was statistically significant regardless of sex, age, BMI, hypertension, renal function, and statin use.

CONCLUSION

Our results suggest that baPWV is not only effective in specific clinical situations, but can be effectively applied to predict cardiovascular prognosis in various clinical situations.

Association between invasively measured central aortic pulse pressure and diameter of ascending aorta

Data on the relationship between arterial pulsatile hemodynamics and aortic root geometry, using invasive hemodynamic measurement, has been scarce. Thus, this study aimed to assess the relationship between invasively measured aortic pulse pressure (aPP) and the diameter of ascending aorta (AoD). We analyzed 665 subjects (64.3 ± 11.0 years; 34.6% female) who underwent elective invasive coronary angiography (ICA) for the evaluation of coronary artery disease. Transthoracic echocardiography was performed on the same day, and AoD was measured at the level of 1 cm above the sinotubular junction at the end-diastole. Body surface area (BSA)-adjusted AoD (AoD/BSA) was used for the analysis. A pig-tail catheter was used to measure aortic pressures at a level approximately 3 cm above the aortic valve just before ICA. aPP was calculated as the difference between systolic and diastolic pressures of the aorta. In multiple linear regression analyses, aPP (β = 0.259; P < 0.001) was found to be significantly correlated with AoD/BSA even after controlling for potential confounders. This correlation power was stronger than aortic systolic pressure (β = 0.189; P < 0.001) and brachial pulse pressure (β = 0.091; P = 0.018) at the same multivariable analyses. In conclusion, our study demonstrated a significant association between invasively measured aPP and AoD/BSA, providing stronger evidence for the link between central aortic pulsatile hemodynamics and aortic root geometry.

The Prognostic Value of Arterial Stiffness According to Socioeconomic Status

BACKGROUND

Individuals of low socioeconomic status (SES) often exhibit increased cardiovascular risk factors and a worse prognosis. We conducted this study to ascertain whether brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity (baPWV), a straightforward and reliable measure of arterial stiffness, can hold prognostic value for people with low SES.

METHODS

We retrospectively analyzed a total of 1266 subjects (mean age 64.6 ± 11.6 years; 47.2% female) without documented cardiovascular disease who had undergone baPWV measurement. The subjects included 633 National Health Insurance Beneficiaries (NHIB) and 633 Medical Aid Beneficiaries (MAB), matched for major clinical features through a 1:1 propensity score matching method. Major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE), such as death, non-fatal myocardial infarction, non-fatal ischemic stroke, coronary revascularization, and heart failure necessitating admission, were assessed during the clinical follow-up.

RESULTS

During a median follow-up period of 4.2 years (interquartile range, 2.2-5.7 years), there were 77 MACE cases (6.1%). In multivariable Cox regression analyses, baPWV was identified as a significant predictor of MACE in both groups, regardless of the use of three different baPWV criteria (median value, Asian consensus recommendation, and cut-off value obtained by receiver operating characteristic [ROC] curve analysis). In both groups, the baPWV value obtained using ROC curve analysis emerged as the best predictor of MACE. This predictive value was stronger in the NHIB group (hazard ratio, 5.80; 95% confidence interval, 2.30-14.65; p < 0.001) than in the MAB group (hazard ratio, 3.30; 95% confidence interval, 1.57-6.92; p = 0.002).

CONCLUSIONS

baPWV was associated with future MACE incidence in both NHIB and MAB groups. Since baPWV is simple and cost-effective to measure, it could be efficiently used as a risk stratification tool for individuals with low SES.

Associations of Estimated Pulse Wave Velocity with Body Mass Index and Waist Circumference among General Korean Adults

The correlation between body fat parameters and arterial stiffness is still under debate. This study aimed to examine the associations of body mass index (BMI) and waist circumference (WC) with estimated pulse wave velocity (ePWV). We utilized data from 14,228 subjects (mean age 53.4 ± 16.8 years; 56.9% were female) from the Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. The ePWV was calculated using a formula based on age and blood pressure. Simple linear correlation analyses revealed significant associations between both BMI and ePWV (r = 0.098; p < 0.001) and WC and ePWV (r = 0.291; p < 0.001), with a stronger correlation observed between WC and ePWV. Multiple linear regression analysis demonstrated that WC remained significantly associated with ePWV after adjusting for potential confounders (β = 0.020; p = 0.001). However, a statistically significant association was not found between BMI and ePWV (β = 0.011; p = 0.076). Multiple binary logistic regression analysis further indicated that both higher BMI and WC were independently associated with higher ePWV, but the association was more pronounced between WC and ePWV than between BMI and ePWV. These findings underscore a stronger correlation between visceral obesity (as indicated by WC) and arterial stiffness (as indicated by ePWV) compared to overall obesity (as indicated by BMI). This highlights the potential significance of abdominal obesity in assessing cardiovascular risk.

QFR Assessment and Prognosis After Nonculprit PCI in Patients With Acute Myocardial Infarction

BACKGROUND

Complete revascularization using either angiography-guided or fractional flow reserve (FFR)-guided strategy can improve clinical outcomes in patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI) and multivessel disease. However, there is concern that angiography-guided percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) may result in un-necessary PCI of the non-infarct-related artery (non-IRA), and its long-term prognosis is still unclear.

OBJECTIVES

This study sought to evaluate clinical outcomes after non-IRA PCI according to the quantitative flow ratio (QFR).

METHODS

We performed post hoc QFR analysis of non-IRA lesions of AMI patients enrolled in the FRAME-AMI (FFR Versus Angiography-Guided Strategy for Management of AMI With Multivessel Disease) trial, which randomly allocated 562 patients into either FFR-guided PCI (FFR ≤0.80) or angiography-guided PCI (diameter stenosis >50%) for non-IRA lesions. Patients were classified by non-IRA QFR values into the QFR ≤0.80 and QFR >0.80 groups. The primary outcome was a major adverse cardiac event (MACE), a composite of cardiac death, myocardial infarction, and repeat revascularization.

RESULTS

A total of 443 patients (552 lesions) were eligible for QFR analysis. Of 209 patients in the angiography-guided PCI group, 30.0% (n = 60) underwent non-IRA PCI despite having QFR >0.80 in the non-IRA. Conversely, only 2.7% (n = 4) among 209 patients in the FFR-guided PCI group had QFR >0.80 in the non-IRA. At a median follow-up of 3.5 years, the rate of MACEs was significantly higher among patients with non-IRA PCI despite QFR >0.80 than in patients with deferred PCI for non-IRA lesions (12.9% vs 3.1%; HR: 4.13; 95% CI: 1.10-15.57; P = 0.036). Non-IRA PCI despite QFR >0.80 was associated with a higher risk of non-IRA MACEs than patients with deferred PCI for non-IRA lesions (12.9% vs 2.1%; HR: 5.44; 95% CI: 1.13-26.19; P = 0.035).

CONCLUSIONS

In AMI patients with multivessel disease, 30.0% of angiography-guided PCI resulted in un-necessary PCI for the non-IRA with QFR >0.80, which was significantly associated with an increased risk of MACEs than in those with deferred PCI for non-IRA lesions. (FFR Versus Angiography-Guided Strategy for Management of AMI With Multivessel Disease [FRAME-AMI] ClinicalTrials.gov number; NCT02715518).

Estimated Pulse Wave Velocity in the Prediction of Clinical Outcomes in Patients Undergoing Drug-Eluting Stent Implantation

Background The prognostic value of estimated pulse wave velocity (ePWV) has been infrequently explored in high-risk patient groups. Our study aimed to evaluate the prognostic significance of ePWV among patients undergoing a percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) with a drug-eluting stent (DES). Methods A total of 4119 consecutive subjects who underwent a PCI with a DES (mean age, 67.1 ± 11.6 years and 33.1% were female) were retrospectively analyzed. ePWV was calculated based on the patient's age and mean blood pressure. Major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE), including cardiac death, non-fatal myocardial infarction, coronary revascularization, and ischemic stroke, were evaluated. Results During a median follow-up duration of 3.51 years (interquartile range, 1.35-6.37 years), there were 746 MACEs (18.1%). A multivariable analysis showed that a higher ePWV was associated with a higher MACE incidence (middle tertile vs. the lowest tertile: hazard ratio [HR], 2.49; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.81-3.42; p < 0.001; the highest tertile vs. the lowest tertile: HR, 6.18; 95% CI, 4.33-8.80; p < 0.001) The inclusion of ePWV data significantly increased the global chi-square values when added to the clinical information (from 96 to 128; p < 0.001). Conclusion ePWV demonstrated a significant association with MACEs in patients who underwent DES implantation. Given its relative simplicity to calculate, ePWV could potentially serve as a valuable instrument for stratifying cardiovascular risks within this high-risk patient population.

Discriminative Role of Invasive Left Heart Catheterization in Patients Suspected of Heart Failure With Preserved Ejection Fraction

Background Recently, diastolic stress testing and invasive hemodynamic measurements have been emphasized for diagnosis of heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) because when determined using noninvasive parameters it can fall into a nondiagnostic intermediate range. The current study evaluated the discriminative and prognostic roles of invasive measured left ventricular end-diastolic pressure in the population with suspected HFpEF, particularly for patients with intermediate Heart Failure Association Pre-test Assessment, Echocardiography & Natriuretic Peptide, Functional Testing, Final Etiology (HFA-PEFF) score. Methods and Results A total of 404 patients with symptoms or signs of HF and preserved left ventricular systolic function were enrolled. All subjects underwent left heart catheterization with left ventricular end-diastolic pressure measurement for confirmation of HFpEF (≥16 mm Hg). The primary outcome was all-cause death or readmission due to HF within 10 years. Among the study population, 324 patients (80.2%) were diagnosed as invasively confirmed HFpEF, and 80 patients (19.8%) were as noncardiac dyspnea. The patients with HFpEF showed a significantly higher HFA-PEFF score than the patients with noncardiac dyspnea (3.8±1.8 versus 2.6±1.5, P<0.001). The discriminative ability of the HFA-PEFF score for diagnosing HFpEF was modest (area under the curve, 0.70 [95% CI, 0.64-0.75], P<0.001). The HFA-PEFF score was associated with a significantly higher 10-year risk of death or HF readmission (per-1 increase, hazard ratio [HR], 1.603 [95% CI, 1.376-1.868], P<0.001). Among the 226 patients with an intermediate HFA-PEFF score (2-4), those with invasively confirmed HFpEF had a significantly higher risk of death or HF readmission within 10 years than the patients with noncardiac dyspnea (24.0% versus 6.9%, HR, 3.327 [95% CI, 1.109-16.280], P=0.030). Conclusions The HFA-PEFF score is a moderately useful tool for predicting future adverse events in suspected HFpEF, and invasively measured left ventricular end-diastolic pressure can provide additional information to discriminate patient prognosis, particularly in those with intermediate HFA-PEFF scores. Registration URL: https://www.clinicaltrials.gov; Unique identifier: NCT04505449.

Arterial stiffness and its associations with left ventricular diastolic function according to heart failure types

BACKGROUND

Little is known about the characteristics of arterial stiffness in heart failure (HF). This study was performed to compare the degree of arterial stiffness and its association with left ventricular (LV) diastolic function among three groups: control subjects, patients with HF with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF), and patients with HF with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF).

METHODS

A total of 83 patients with HFrEF, 68 patients with HFpEF, and 84 control subjects were analyzed. All HF patients had a history of hospitalization for HF treatment. Brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity (baPWV) measurement and transthoracic echocardiography were performed at the same day in a stable condition.

RESULTS

The baPWV was significantly higher in patients with both HFrEF and HFpEF compared to control subjects (1,661 ± 390, 1,909 ± 466, and 1,477 ± 296 cm/sec, respectively; P < 0.05 for each). After adjustment of age, baPWV values were similar between patients with HFrEF and HFpEF (P = 0.948). In the multiple linear regression analysis, baPWV was significantly associated with both septal e' velocity (β = -0.360, P = 0.001) and E/e' (β = 0.344, P = 0.001). However, baPWV was not associated with either of the diastolic indices in HFrEF group. The baPWV was associated only with septal e' velocity (β = -0.429, P = 0.002) but not with E/e' in the HFpEF group in the same multivariable analysis.

CONCLUSIONS

Although arterial stiffness was increased, its association with LV diastolic function was attenuated in HF patients compared to control subjects. The degree of arterial stiffening was similar between HFrEF and HFpEF.

One-month changes in blood pressure-adjusted pulse wave velocity for predicting long-term cardiovascular outcomes in patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention

OBJECTIVE

The prognostic value of changes in arterial stiffness has not been well evaluated. This study was conducted to investigate whether the change in arterial stiffness one month after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) affects the long-term cardiovascular prognosis.

METHODS

A total of 405 patients (mean age, 62.0 ± 11.0 years; female sex, 27.7%) who underwent PCI with drug-eluting stent (DES) implantation was prospectively enrolled. The measurement of brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity (baPWV) was taken in all the study patient at the time of admission for index PCI. Major adverse cardiovascular event (MACE), a composite of cardiac death, nonfatal myocardial infarction, coronary revascularization and ischemic stroke, was assessed during clinical follow-up after index PCI.

RESULTS

During the median follow-up duration of 5.3 years (interquartile range. 2.9-7.9 years), there was 65 MACE (16.0%). There was no significant difference in clinical characteristics between patients with and without MACE except for higher prevalence of triple vessel disease in those with MACE. The baPWV value decreased at one month after index PCI (1560 ± 305 to 1530 ± 318 cm, P  < 0.001). In multivariable cox regression analysis, the change of baPWV at one month was not associated with MACE occurrence ( P  > 0.05). However, the change in systolic blood pressure (SBP)-adjusted baPWV (baPWV/SBP) at one month (increased vs . decreased) was significantly associated with MACE occurrence even after controlling for potential confounders (hazard ratio, 2.25; 95% confidence interval, 1.37-3.69; P  = 0.001).

CONCLUSION

The baPWV/SBP change at one month was associated with long-term MACE in patients undergoing DES implantation. The results of this study suggest that baPWV/SBP changes at one month may be helpful in risk stratification of patients at a high coronary risk.

Prognostic Impact of Coronary Microvascular Dysfunction According to Different Patterns by Invasive Physiologic Indexes in Symptomatic Patients With Intermediate Coronary Stenosis

BACKGROUND

Coronary microvascular dysfunction is a clinically significant component of ischemic heart disease. There can be heterogenous patterns of coronary microvascular dysfunction defined by invasive physiologic indexes such as coronary flow reserve (CFR) and index of microcirculatory resistance (IMR). We sought to compare the prognosis of coronary microvascular dysfunction according to different patterns of CFR and IMR.

METHODS

The current study included 375 consecutive patients undergoing invasive physiologic assessment for suspected stable ischemic heart disease and intermediate but functionally nonsignificant epicardial stenosis (fractional flow reserve, >0.80). According to cutoff values of invasive physiologic indexes reflecting microcirculatory function (CFR, <2.5; IMR, ≥25), patients were classified into 4 groups: (1) preserved CFR and low IMR (group 1), (2) preserved CFR and elevated IMR (group 2), (3) depressed CFR and low IMR (group 3), and (4) depressed CFR and elevated IMR (group 4). Primary outcome was a composite of cardiovascular death or admission for heart failure during the follow-up time.

RESULTS

Cumulative incidence of the primary outcome was significantly different among the 4 groups (group 1, 20.1%; group 2, 18.8%; group 3, 33.9%; and group 4, 45.0%; overall P<0.001). Depressed CFR had significantly higher risk of primary outcome than preserved CFR in both low (hazard ratio [HR], 1.894 [95% CI, 1.112-3.225]; P=0.019) and elevated IMR subgroups (HR, 3.307 [95% CI, 1.519-7.202]; P=0.003). Conversely, the risk of primary outcome was not significantly different between elevated and low IMR in preserved CFR subgroups (HR, 0.926 [95% CI, 0.428-2.005]; P=0.846). Furthermore, as continuous variables, IMR-adjusted CFR (adjusted HR, 0.644 [95% CI, 0.537-0.772]; P<0.001) was significantly associated with the risk of primary outcome but CFR-adjusted IMR (adjusted HR, 1.004 [95% CI, 0.992-1.016]; P=0.515) was not.

CONCLUSIONS

Among patients with suspected stable ischemic heart disease who were found to have an intermediate but functionally nonsignificant epicardial stenosis, depressed CFR was associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular death and admission for heart failure. However, elevated IMR alone with preserved CFR showed limited prognostic value in this population.

REGISTRATION

URL: https://www.

CLINICALTRIALS

gov; Unique identifier: NCT05058833.

Fractional flow reserve versus angiography-guided strategy in acute myocardial infarction with multivessel disease: a randomized trial

AIMS

In patients with acute myocardial infarction (MI) and multivessel coronary artery disease, percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) of non-infarct-related artery reduces death or MI. However, whether selective PCI guided by fractional flow reserve (FFR) is superior to routine PCI guided by angiography alone is unclear. The current trial sought to compare FFR-guided PCI with angiography-guided PCI for non-infarct-related artery lesions among patients with acute MI and multivessel disease.

METHODS AND RESULTS

Patients with acute MI and multivessel coronary artery disease who had undergone successful PCI of the infarct-related artery were randomly assigned to either FFR-guided PCI (FFR ≤0.80) or angiography-guided PCI (diameter stenosis of >50%) for non-infarct-related artery lesions. The primary end point was a composite of time to death, MI, or repeat revascularization. A total of 562 patients underwent randomization. Among them, 60.0% underwent immediate PCI for non-infarct-related artery lesions and 40.0% were treated by a staged procedure during the same hospitalization. PCI was performed for non-infarct-related artery in 64.1% in the FFR-guided PCI group and 97.1% in the angiography-guided PCI group, and resulted in significantly fewer stent used in the FFR-guided PCI group (2.2 ± 1.1 vs. 2.5 ± 0.9, P < 0.001). At a median follow-up of 3.5 years (interquartile range: 2.7-4.1 years), the primary end point occurred in 18 patients of 284 patients in the FFR-guided PCI group and in 40 of 278 patients in the angiography-guided PCI group (7.4% vs. 19.7%; hazard ratio, 0.43; 95% confidence interval, 0.25-0.75; P = 0.003). The death occurred in five patients (2.1%) in the FFR-guided PCI group and in 16 patients (8.5%) in the angiography-guided PCI group; MI in seven (2.5%) and 21 (8.9%), respectively; and unplanned revascularization in 10 (4.3%) and 16 (9.0%), respectively.

CONCLUSION

In patients with acute MI and multivessel coronary artery disease, a strategy of selective PCI using FFR-guided decision-making was superior to a strategy of routine PCI based on angiographic diameter stenosis for treatment of non-infarct-related artery lesions regarding the risk of death, MI, or repeat revascularization.

Safety and Efficacy of Everolimus-Eluting Bioresorbable Vascular Scaffold Versus Second-Generation Drug-Eluting Stents in Real-World Practice

BACKGROUND

The risk of device thrombosis and device-oriented clinical outcomes with bioresorbable vascular scaffold (BVS) was reported to be significantly higher than with contemporary drug-eluting stents (DESs). However, optimal device implantation may improve clinical outcomes in patients receiving BVS. The current study evaluated mid-term safety and efficacy of Absorb BVS with meticulous device optimization under intravascular imaging guidance.

METHODS

The SMART-REWARD and PERSPECTIVE-PCI registries in Korea prospectively enrolled 390 patients with BVS and 675 patients with DES, respectively. The primary endpoint was target vessel failure (TVF) at 2 years and the secondary major endpoint was patient-oriented composite outcome (POCO) at 2 years.

RESULTS

Patient-level pooled analysis evaluated 1,003 patients (377 patients with BVS and 626 patients with DES). Mean scaffold diameter per lesion was 3.24 ± 0.30 mm in BVS group. Most BVSs were implanted with pre-dilatation (90.9%), intravascular imaging guidance (74.9%), and post-dilatation (73.1%) at proximal to mid segment (81.9%) in target vessel. Patients treated with BVS showed comparable risks of 2-year TVF (2.9% vs. 3.7%, adjusted hazard ratio [HR], 1.283, 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.487-3.378, P = 0.615) and 2-year POCO (4.5% vs. 5.9%, adjusted HR, 1.413, 95% CI, 0.663-3.012, P = 0.370) than those with DES. The rate of 2-year definite or probable device thrombosis (0.3% vs. 0.5%, P = 0.424) was also similar. The sensitivity analyses consistently showed comparable risk of TVF and POCO between the 2 groups.

CONCLUSION

With meticulous device optimization under imaging guidance and avoidance of implantation in small vessels, BVS showed comparable risks of 2-year TVF and device thrombosis with DES.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT02601404, NCT04265443.

Prognostic Impact of Cardiac Diastolic Function and Coronary Microvascular Function on Cardiovascular Death

Background Coronary microvascular dysfunction (CMD) has been considered as a possible cause of cardiac diastolic dysfunction. The current study evaluated the association between cardiac diastolic dysfunction and CMD, and their prognostic implications in patients without significant left ventricular systolic dysfunction and epicardial coronary stenosis. Methods and Results A total of 330 patients without left ventricular systolic dysfunction (ejection fraction ≥50%) and significant epicardial coronary stenosis (fractional flow reserve >0.80) were analyzed. Cardiac diastolic dysfunction was defined by echocardiographic parameters (early diastolic transmitral flow velocity/early diastolic mitral annular velocity, e' velocity, tricuspid regurgitation velocity, and left atrial volume index). Overt CMD was defined as coronary flow reserve <2.0 and index of microcirculatory resistance ≥25 U. The primary end point was cardiovascular death or admission for heart failure during 5 years of follow-up. In patients without left ventricular systolic dysfunction and significant epicardial coronary stenosis, prevalence of cardiac diastolic dysfunction and overt CMD was 25.5% and 11.2%, respectively. Overt CMD was independently associated with cardiac diastolic dysfunction (adjusted odds ratio, 3.440 [95% CI, 1.599-7.401]; P=0.002). Patients with cardiac diastolic dysfunction showed significantly higher risk of the primary outcome than those without (adjusted hazard ratio [HR], 2.996 [95% CI, 1.888-4.755]; P<0.001). Patients with overt CMD also showed significantly higher risk of the primary outcome than those without (adjusted HR, 2.939 [95% CI, 1.642-5.261]; P<0.001). Presence of overt CMD was associated with significantly increased risk of cardiovascular death among the patients with cardiac diastolic dysfunction (43.8% versus 14.5%; P=0.006) but not in patients without cardiac diastolic dysfunction (interaction P<0.001). Inclusion of overt CMD into the model with cardiac diastolic dysfunction significantly improved predictive ability for cardiovascular death or heart failure admission (conconrdance index, 0.719 versus 0.737; P for comparison=0.034). Conclusions There was significant association between the presence of cardiac diastolic dysfunction and overt CMD. Both cardiac diastolic dysfunction and overt CMD were associated with increased risk of cardiovascular death or admission for heart failure. Integration of overt CMD into cardiac diastolic dysfunction showed improvement of the risk stratification in patients without significant left ventricular systolic dysfunction and epicardial coronary stenosis. Registration DIAST-CMD (Prognostic Impact of Cardiac Diastolic Function and Coronary Microvascular Function) registry; Unique identifier: NCT05058833.

Brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity as a predictor of long-term cardiovascular events in 2174 subjects with type 2 diabetes mellitus: A retrospective cohort study

The prognostic value of arterial stiffness in patients with diabetes mellitus (DM) remains unclear. The aim of this study was to investigate the association between brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity (baPWV) and the occurrence of cardiovascular events in people with DM. A total of 2714 subjects (mean age, 63.6 years; males, 59.3%) with type 2 DM and without documented cardiovascular disease and stroke were analyzed. The primary end-point of this study was composite cardiovascular events of cardiac death, non-fatal myocardial infarction, coronary revascularization and stroke. There were 118 composite events (4.3%) during a median follow-up period of 3.84 years (interquartile range, 1.60-5.52 years). In multivariable Cox regression analysis, higher baPWV (≥1672 cm/s) was associated with composite events even after controlling for potential confounders (hazard ratio [HR], 2.00; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.31-3.07; P = .001). Compared to the lowest baPWV tertile, both middle (HR, 1.84; 95% CI, 1.03-3.27; P = .037) and the highest (HR, 2.97; 95% CI, 1.69-5.22; P < .001) tertile of baPWV were associated with increased risk of cardiovascular events in the same multivariable model. In conclusion, the baPWV was associated with cardiovascular events in people with type 2 DM. Considering the simplicity and convenience of baPWV measurement, baPWV may be useful for risk stratification of people with type 2 DM.

Prognostic Impact of Coronary Flow Reserve in Patients With CKD

Introduction

Both coronary flow reserve (CFR) and chronic kidney disease (CKD) are known to be associated with adverse cardiac events. However, it is unclear how these prognostic factors are interrelated. This study evaluated the association between intracoronary physiologic indexes and CKD and their prognostic implications.

Methods

A total of 351 patients without left ventricular systolic dysfunction (ejection fraction ≥ 40%) and not on dialysis whose revascularization was deferred based on fractional flow reserve (FFR) > 0.80 were analyzed. Depressed CFR was defined as CFR ≤ 2.0. The primary outcome was a composite of cardiac death or hospitalization for heart failure at 3 years.

Results

Patients with CKD showed lower CFR than the non-CKD population (3.28 ± 1.77 vs. 2.60 ± 1.09, P < 0.001), mainly driven by increased resting coronary flow. There was no significant difference in hyperemic coronary flow, FFR, and index of microvascular resistance between the 2 groups. CFR was significantly associated with estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) (P = 0.045), and the proportion of depressed CFR was significantly increased with higher CKD stages (P = 0.011). The risk of cardiac death or hospitalization for heart failure was the lowest in the non-CKD and preserved CFR group (11.9%) and the highest in the CKD and depressed CFR group (60.0%, overall log rank P < 0.001). Both CKD (adjusted hazard ratio [HR_adj] 2.614, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.505-4.539, P < 0.001) and depressed CFR (HR_adj 3.237, 95% CI 2.015-5.199, P < 0.001) were independently associated with the risk of the primary outcome.

Conclusion

There was a significant association between severity of CKD and CFR. Both CKD and depressed CFR showed independent association with higher risk of cardiac death or hospitalization for heart failure.

Functional angiography-derived index of microcirculatory resistance validated with microvascular obstruction in cardiac magnetic resonance after STEMI

INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVES

The index of microcirculatory resistance (IMR) measured after primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) for ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) is associated with microvascular obstruction (MVO) and adverse clinical events. To evaluate MVO after successful primary PCI for STEMI without pressure wires or hyperemic agents, we investigated the feasibility and usefulness of functional angiography-derived IMR (angio-IMR).

METHODS

The current study included a total of 285 STEMI patients who underwent primary PCI and cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR). Angio-IMR of the culprit vessel after successful primary PCI was calculated using commercial software. MVO, infarct size, and myocardial salvage index were assessed using CMR, which was obtained a median of 3.0 days [interquartile range, 3.0-5.0] after primary PCI.

RESULTS

Among the total population, 154 patients (54.0%) showed elevated angio-IMR (> 40 U) in the culprit vessel. MVO was significantly more prevalent in patients with angio-IMR> 40 U than in those with angio-IMR ≤ 40 U (88.3% vs 32.1%, P <.001). Infarct size, extent of MVO, and area at risk were significantly larger in patients with angio-IMR> 40 U than in those with angio-IMR ≤ 40 U (P <.001 for all). Angio-IMR showed a significantly higher discriminatory ability for the presence of MVO than thrombolysis in myocardial infarction flow grade or myocardial blush grade (area under the curve: 0.821, 0.504, and 0.496, respectively, P <.001).

CONCLUSIONS

Angio-IMR was significantly associated with CMR-derived infarct size, extent of MVO, and area at risk. An elevated angio-IMR (> 40 U) after primary PCI for STEMI was highly predictive of the presence of MVO in CMR. This trial was registered at ClnicalTrialsgov (Identifier: NCT04828681).

Prognostic Impact of Coronary Flow Reserve in Patients With Reduced Left Ventricular Ejection Fraction

Background

Intracoronary physiologic indexes such as coronary flow reserve (CFR) and left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) have been regarded as prognostic indicators in patients with coronary artery disease. The current study evaluated the association between intracoronary physiologic indexes and LVEF and their differential prognostic implications in patients with coronary artery disease.

Methods and Results

A total of 1889 patients with 2492 vessels with available CFR and LVEF were selected from an international multicenter prospective registry. Baseline physiologic indexes were measured by thermodilution or Doppler methods and LVEF was recorded at the index procedure. The primary outcome was target vessel failure, which was a composite of cardiac death, target vessel myocardial infarction, or clinically driven target vessel revascularization over 5 years of follow‐up. Patients with reduced LVEF <50% (162 patients [8.6%], 202 vessels [8.1%]) showed a similar degree of epicardial coronary artery disease but lower CFR values than those with preserved LVEF (2.4±1.2 versus 2.7±1.2, P<0.001), mainly driven by the increased resting coronary flow. Conversely, hyperemic coronary flow, fractional flow reserve, and the degree of microvascular dysfunction were similar between the 2 groups. Reduced CFR (≤2.0) was seen in 613 patients (32.5%) with 771 vessels (30.9%). Reduced CFR was an independent predictor for target vessel failure (hazard ratio, 2.081 [95% CI, 1.385–3.126], P<0.001), regardless of LVEF.

Conclusions

CFR was lower in patients with reduced LVEF because of increased resting coronary flow. Patients with reduced CFR showed a significantly higher risk of target vessel failure than did those with preserved CFR, regardless of LVEF.

Registration

URL: https://www.clinicaltrials.gov; Unique identifier: NCT04485234.

Functional Coronary Angiography-Derived Index of Microcirculatory Resistance in Patients With ST-Segment Elevation Myocardial Infarction

OBJECTIVES

The aim of this study was to evaluate the diagnostic accuracy and prognostic implications of angiography-derived index of microcirculatory resistance (angio-IMR) in patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI).

BACKGROUND

The index of microcirculatory resistance (IMR) is a reliable invasive measure of coronary microvascular dysfunction in patients with STEMI. A functional coronary angiography-derived method to estimate IMR is a wire- and hyperemic agent-free alternative to IMR.

METHODS

The study population consisted of 2 independent cohorts. The diagnostic cohort comprised patients with IMR from the culprit vessel immediately after successful primary percutaneous coronary intervention (n = 31). The prognostic cohort was patients with STEMI who were successfully treated with primary percutaneous coronary intervention and followed for 10 years from the index procedure (n = 309). Angio-IMR was calculated using computational flow and pressure simulation. The primary outcome was a composite of cardiac death and readmission for heart failure over 10 years of follow-up.

RESULTS

In the diagnostic cohort, angio-IMR correlated well with IMR (R = 0.778; P < 0.001). Sensitivity, specificity, accuracy, and area under the curve of angio-IMR to predict IMR >40 U were 75.0%, 84.2%, 80.6%, and 0.899 (95% confidence interval: 0.786-0.949), respectively. In the prognostic cohort, patients with angio-IMR >40 U showed significantly higher risk for cardiac death or readmission for heart failure than did those with angio-IMR ≤40 U (46.7% vs 16.6%; adjusted hazard ratio: 2.909; 95% CI: 1.670-5.067; P < 0.001). Angio-IMR >40 U was an independent predictor of cardiac death or readmission for heart failure (hazard ratio: 2.173; 95% CI: 1.157-4.079; P = 0.016) and showed incremental prognostic value compared with a model with clinical risk factors only (C index = 0.726 vs 0.666 [P < 0.001], net reclassification index = 0.704 [P < 0.001]).

CONCLUSIONS

Angio-IMR showed high correlation and diagnostic accuracy to predict IMR. Patients with STEMI with angio-IMR >40 U showed a significantly higher risk for cardiac death or readmission for heart failure than those with preserved angio-IMR values. (Prognostic Implication of Angiography-Derived IMR in STEMI Patients; NCT04628377).

Safety of mechanical lung vibrator and high-frequency chest wall oscillation in patients with cardiac implantable electronic device

BACKGROUND

Chest physiotherapy (CPT) is a non-pharmacological therapy to facilitate airway secretion removal. There have been concerns about potential electromagnetic interference (EMI) and lead integrity problems during the use of vibrating CPT devices in patients with cardiac implantable electronic devices (CIEDs).

HYPOTHESIS

Two CPT devices can be used safely in patients with CIED.

METHODS

Volunteer patients with CIED underwent device interrogation to check lead integrity and device function before and after application of CPT devices. Mechanical lung vibrator and high-frequency chest wall oscillation (HFCWO) vests were used while monitoring surface electrocardiograms and intra-cardiac electrograms.

RESULTS

We prospectively enrolled 46 patients with CIEDs (25 pacemakers, 15 implantable cardioverter-defibrillators, and six cardiac resynchronization therapy-defibrillators). There was no noise detection or EMI during CPT in any patient. None of the patients showed clinically significant changes in lead integrity parameters. HFCWO inappropriately accelerated the pacing rate up to the maximal programmed value in five patients with pacemakers and two with cardiac resynchronization therapy-defibrillators.

CONCLUSION

CPT may be safely applied to patients with CIED without compromising lead integrity or device function, except for unwanted increase in pacing rate caused by misdetection of chest wall vibration as patients' activity while using HFCWO. Deactivation of the accelerometer-based activity sensor may be needed when HFCWO is planned for CPT.

A case of ruptured hepatic angiomyolipoma in a young male

A 31-year-old male visited a local hospital due to sudden-onset severe abdominal pain. Abdominal computed tomography revealed a solid cystic mass with a size of approximately 12 cm and exhibiting both hemorrhage and fluid collection in the pelvic cavity. Emergency angiography and embolization were performed, and a large hepatic tumor was subsequently surgically resected. The tumor cells stained positive for human melanoma black-45 and smooth-muscle actin, and the pathologic diagnosis was hepatic angiomyolipoma. This case report also discusses the spontaneous rupture of a hepatic angiomyolipoma.

Cardiac Resynchronization Therapy Device Implantation in a Patient with Cardiogenic Shock under Percutaneous Mechanical Circulatory Support

65-year-old woman was admitted to our hospital with acute decompensated heart failure with reduced left ventricular ejection fraction and severe mitral regurgitation. Electrocardiography revealed a typical left bundle branch block and atrial fibrillation. Her condition deteriorated despite administering high-doses of inotropes and vasopressors. Pending a decision to therapy, venoarterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) was performed when the patient underwent a cardiogenic shock. Although the hemodynamic status stabilized with ECMO support, weaning the patient from ECMO was not possible. Thus, we decided to perform cardiac resynchronization with defibrillator implantation as a “rescue” therapy. Five days post-implantation, the patient was successfully weaned from ECMO.