Clinical Impact of Dyspnea after Ticagrelor Treatment and the Effect of Switching to Clopidogrel in Patients with Myocardial Infarction

BACKGROUND

 Dyspnea is frequent during ticagrelor-based dual antiplatelet therapy (DAPT) for acute myocardial infarction (AMI). However, its clinical characteristics or management strategy remains uncertain.

METHODS

 The study assessed 2,617 AMI patients from the Ticagrelor versus Clopidogrel in Stabilized Patients with AMI (TALOS-AMI) trial. Dyspnea during 1-month ticagrelor-based DAPT and following DAPT strategies with continued ticagrelor or de-escalation to clopidogrel from 1 to 12 months were evaluated for drug adherence, subsequent dyspnea, major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE), and bleeding events.

RESULTS

 Dyspnea was reported by 538 patients (20.6%) during 1 month of ticagrelor-based DAPT. Adherence to allocated DAPT over the study period was lower in the continued ticagrelor arm than the de-escalation to clopidogrel, particularly among the dyspneic population (81.1% vs. 91.5%, p < 0.001). Among ticagrelor-treated patients with dyspnea, those switched to clopidogrel at 1 month had a lower frequency of dyspnea at 3 months (34.3% vs. 51.7%, p < 0.001) and 6 months (25.5% vs. 38.4%, p = 0.002) than those continued with ticagrelor. In patients with dyspnea in their 1-month ticagrelor-based DAPT, de-escalation was not associated with increased MACE (1.3% vs. 3.9%, hazard ratio [HR]: 0.31, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.08-1.11, p = 0.07) or clinically relevant bleeding (3.2% vs. 6.2%, HR: 0.51, 95% CI: 0.22-1.19, p = 0.12) at 1 year.

CONCLUSION

 Dyspnea is a common side effect among ticagrelor-based DAPTs in AMI patients. Switching from ticagrelor to clopidogrel after 1 month in AMI patients may provide a reasonable option to alleviate subsequent dyspnea in ticagrelor-relevant dyspneic patients, without increasing the risk of ischemic events (NCT02018055).

Optimal timing of percutaneous coronary intervention for non-ST elevated myocardial infarction with congestive heart failure

OBJECTIVES

This study investigated the optimal timing for percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) in patients with NSTEMI complicated by heart failure (HF).

METHODS

In total, 762 patients with NSTEMI and HF in a multicenter, prospective registry in South Korea were classified according to the Killip classification (Killip class 2, n = 414 and Killip class 3, n = 348) and underwent early (within 24 h) and delayed (after 24 h) PCI. The primary outcome was all-cause mortality which was further analyzed with landmark analysis with two months as a cut-off. Secondary outcomes were cardiovascular death, in-hospital cardiogenic shock (CS), readmission due to HF, and acute myocardial infarction during follow-up.

RESULTS

Delayed PCI was associated with lower rates of 2-month mortality (6.1 % vs. 15.8 %, p = 0.007) and in-hospital CS (4.3 % vs. 14.1 %, p = 0.003), along with lower risks of 2-month mortality (hazard ratio [HR] = 0.38, 95 % confidence interval [CI] = 0.18-0.83, p = 0.014), in-hospital CS (HR = 0.29, 95 % CI = 0.12-0.71, p = 0.006) in multivariate Cox models of Killip class 3 patients. There was no statistical difference of incidence and risk of all predefined outcomes according to varying timing of PCI in Killip 2 patients.

CONCLUSIONS

Based on these results, the timing of PCI in patients with NSTEMI complicated by HF should be determined based on HF severity. Delayed PCI should be considered in patients with NSTEMI and more severe HF.

Efficacy and Safety of Sirolimus-Eluting Stent with Biodegradable Polymer Ultimaster™ in Unselected Korean Population: A Multicenter, Prospective, Observational Study From Korean Multicenter Ultimaster Registry

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES

Ultimaster™, a third-generation sirolimus-eluting stent using biodegradable polymer, has been introduced to overcome long term adverse vascular events, such as restenosis or stent thrombosis. In the present study, we aimed to evaluate the 12-month clinical outcomes of Ultimaster™ stents in Korean patients with coronary artery disease.

METHODS

This study is a multicenter, prospective, observational registry across 12 hospitals. To reflect real-world clinical evidence, non-selective subtypes of patients and lesions were included in this study. The study end point was target lesion failure (TLF) (the composite of cardiac death, target vessel myocardial infarction [MI], and target lesion revascularization [TLR]) at 12-month clinical follow up.

RESULTS

A total of 576 patients were enrolled between November 2016 and May 2021. Most of the patients were male (76.5%), with a mean age of 66.0±11.2 years. Among the included patients, 40.1% had diabetes mellitus (DM) and 67.9% had acute coronary syndrome (ACS). At 12 months, the incidence of TLF was 4.1%. The incidence of cardiac death was 1.5%, MI was 1.0%, TLR was 2.7%, and stent thrombosis was 0.6%. In subgroup analysis based on the presence of ACS, DM, hypertension, dyslipidemia, or bifurcation, there were no major differences in the incidence of the primary endpoint.

CONCLUSIONS

The present registry shows that Ultimaster™ stent is safe and effective for routine real-world clinical practice in non-selective Korean patients, having a low rate of adverse events at least up to 12 months.

Effect of Renin-Angiotensin System Blockers in Acute Myocardial Infarction Patients with Acute Kidney Injury

INTRODUCTION

Renin-angiotensin system blockers (RASBs) are known to improve mortality after acute myocardial infarction (AMI). However, there remain uncertainties regarding treatment with RASBs after AMI in patients with renal dysfunction and especially in the setting of acute kidney injury (AKI).

METHODS

Patients from a multicenter AMI registry undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention in Korea were stratified and analyzed according to the presence of AKI, defined as an increase in serum creatinine levels of ≥0.3 mg/dL or ≥50% increase from baseline during admission, and RASB prescription at discharge. The primary outcome of interest was 5-year all-cause mortality.

RESULTS

In total 9,629 patients were selected for initial analysis, of which 2,405 had an episode of AKI. After adjustment using multivariable Cox regression, treatment with RASBs at discharge was associated with decreased all-cause mortality in the entire cohort (hazard ratio [HR] 0.849, confidence interval [CI] 0.753-0.956), but not for the patients with AKI (HR 0.988, CI 0.808-1.208). In subgroup analysis, RASBs reduced all-cause mortality in patients with stage I AKI (HR 0.760, CI 0.584-0.989) but not for stage II and III AKI (HR 1.200, CI 0.899-1.601, interaction p value 0.002). Similar heterogeneities between RASB use and AKI severity were also observed for other clinical outcomes of interest.

CONCLUSION

Treatment with RASBs in patients with AMI and concomitant AKI is associated with favorable outcomes in non-severe AKI, but not in severe AKI. Further studies to confirm these results and to develop strategies to minimize the occurrence of adverse effects arising from RASB treatment are needed.

Systemic reserve dysfunction and contrast-associated acute kidney injury following percutaneous coronary intervention

BACKGROUND

Developing contrast-associated acute kidney injury (CA-AKI) following percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) is closely related to patient-related risk factors as well as contrast administration. The diagnostic and prognostic roles of neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin (NGAL) in CA-AKI following PCI are not well established.

METHODS

Consecutive patients undergoing PCI were enrolled prospectively. CA-AKI was defined as an increase in the serum creatinine level ≥0.3 mg/dL within 48 hours or ≥1.5 times the baseline within 7 days after PCI. Serum NGAL concentrations were determined immediately before and 6 hours after PCI. The participants were classified into four NGAL groups according to the pre- and post-PCI NGAL values at 75th percentile.

RESULTS

CA-AKI occurred in 38 (6.4%) of 590 patients. With chronic kidney disease status (hazard ratio [HR] 1.63, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.06-2.52), NGAL groups defined by the combination of pre- and 6 h post-PCI values were independently associated with the occurrence of CA-AKI (HR 1.69, 95% CI: 1.16-2.45). All-cause mortality for 29-month follow-ups was different among NGAL groups (log-rank p<0.001). Pre-PCI NGAL levels significantly correlated with baseline cardiac, inflammatory, and renal markers. Although post-PCI NGAL levels increased in patients with larger contrast administration, contrast media made a relatively limited contribution to the development of CA-AKI.

CONCLUSION

In patients undergoing PCI, the combination of pre- and post-PCI NGAL values may be a useful adjunct to current risk-stratification of CA-AKI and long-term mortality. CA-AKI is likely caused by systemic reserve deficiency rather than contrast administration itself.

Balloon-Expandable Versus Self-Expandable Valve in Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement: A Nation-Wide Study

A few studies have reported comparative analysis of clinical outcomes between balloon-expandable valve (BEV) and self-expandable valve (SEV) after transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) in patients with severe aortic stenosis using newer-generation devices. However, those reports were mostly limited to short-term outcomes and Western populations. In the present study, data of patients with severe aortic stenosis who underwent TAVR between March 2016 and December 2018 were obtained from the National Health Insurance Service in Korea. The primary end point, defined as all-cause mortality, was compared in BEV (SAPIEN 3, Edwards Lifesciences, Irvine, California) and SEV (Evolut R, Medtronic, Minneapolis, MN) groups using a propensity-score matching analysis. Cumulative event rates of ischemic stroke, repeat procedures, and permanent pacemaker insertion (PPI) were evaluated as secondary outcomes. All events were followed up to a maximum of 3 years. A total of 1,172 patients underwent transfemoral TAVR, of whom 707 (60.3%) were treated with BEV and 452 (38.6%) with SEV. After 1:1 propensity-score matching, the BEV group showed lower all-cause mortality after a median follow-up of 12.0 months (mean: 13.1 ± 9.3 months) based on Cox proportional hazard model analysis (hazard ratio [HR] 0.67, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.45 to 0.99, p = 0.04). Cumulative incidence of ischemic stroke was not statistically different between the 2 groups (HR 0.68, 95% CI 0.29 to 1.59, p = 0.37). PPI occurred less frequently in the BEV group (HR 0.4, 95% CI 0.25 to 0.64, p < 0.01). Repeat procedures were rare (1 patient in BEV and 2 patients in SEV group). In conclusion, Korean nation-wide data analysis showed that BEV was associated with less all-cause death and incidence of PPI after TAVR than was SEV using a newer-generation device.

Dual Antiplatelet Therapy De-Escalation in Stabilized Myocardial Infarction With High Ischemic Risk: Post Hoc Analysis of the TALOS-AMI Randomized Clinical Trial

Importance

In patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI) who have high ischemic risk, data on the efficacy and safety of the de-escalation strategy of switching from ticagrelor to clopidogrel are lacking.

Objective

To evaluate the outcomes of the de-escalation strategy compared with dual antiplatelet therapy (DAPT) with ticagrelor in stabilized patients with AMI and high ischemic risk following percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI).

Design, Setting, and Participants

This was a post hoc analysis of the Ticagrelor vs Clopidogrel in Stabilized Patients With Acute Myocardial Infarction (TALOS-AMI) trial, an open-label, assessor-blinded, multicenter, randomized clinical trial. Patients with AMI who had no event during 1 month of ticagrelor-based DAPT after PCI were included. High ischemic risk was defined as having a history of diabetes or chronic kidney disease, multivessel PCI, at least 3 lesions treated, total stent length greater than 60 mm, at least 3 stents implanted, left main PCI, or bifurcation PCI with at least 2 stents. Data were collected from February 14, 2014, to January 21, 2021, and analyzed from December 1, 2021, to June 30, 2022.

Intervention

Patients were randomly assigned to either de-escalation from ticagrelor to clopidogrel or ticagrelor-based DAPT.

Main Outcomes and Measures

Ischemic outcomes (composite of cardiovascular death, myocardial infarction, ischemic stroke, ischemia-driven revascularization, or stent thrombosis) and bleeding outcomes (Bleeding Academic Research Consortium type 2, 3, or 5 bleeding) were evaluated.

Results

Of 2697 patients with AMI (mean [SD] age, 60.0 [11.4] years; 454 [16.8%] female), 1371 (50.8%; 684 assigned to de-escalation and 687 assigned to ticagrelor-based DAPT) had high ischemic risk features and a significantly higher risk of ischemic outcomes than those without high ischemic risk (1326 patients [49.2%], including 665 assigned to de-escalation and 661 assigned to ticagrelor-based DAPT) (hazard ratio [HR], 1.74; 95% CI, 1.15-2.63; P = .01). De-escalation to clopidogrel, compared with ticagrelor-based DAPT, showed no significant difference in ischemic risk across the high ischemic risk group (HR, 0.88; 95% CI, 0.54-1.45; P = .62) and the non-high ischemic risk group (HR, 0.65; 95% CI, 0.33-1.28; P = .21), without heterogeneity (P for interaction = .47). The bleeding risk of the de-escalation group was consistent in both the high ischemic risk group (HR, 0.64; 95% CI, 0.37-1.11; P = .11) and the non-high ischemic risk group (HR, 0.42; 95% CI, 0.24-0.75; P = .003), without heterogeneity (P for interaction = .32).

Conclusions and Relevance

In stabilized patients with AMI, the ischemic and bleeding outcomes of an unguided de-escalation strategy with clopidogrel compared with a ticagrelor-based DAPT strategy were consistent without significant interaction, regardless of the presence of high ischemic risk.

Proton Single-Energy Bragg-Peak FLASH Using Clinical Systems Can Achieve IMPT-Equivalent Plan Quality for Breast and Prostate Cancers

PURPOSE/OBJECTIVE(S)

Most current proton FLASH-RT studies focus on transmission proton techniques. In this study, we propose a novel method for achieving FLASH dose rate in hypofractionated proton radiotherapy using the Bragg peak of a single-energy proton beam. The dosimetric characteristics using this novel technique for proton pencil beam scanning (PBS) stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) of prostate and breast cancers were first investigated based on the clinically available cyclotron beam parameters.

MATERIALS/METHODS

This novel approach uses the distal tracking technique that enables PBS Bragg-peak of the highest proton energy to adapt to the target distally. Positioning of the Bragg peak at different depths is achieved using a universal range shifter and range compensator. To investigate the feasibility of this approach, we developed an in-house treatment planning platform for intensity-modulated proton therapy (IMPT) delivery and performed dosimetric studies on prostate and breast SBRT cases previously treated with conventional proton PBS technique. FLASH plans were generated using a similar clinical beam arrangement to deliver 40 Gy (RBE) in 5 fractions. Dose metrics were compared between the clinical and FLASH plans. Dose-rate volume histograms (DRVH) were also calculated to investigate the 40 Gy/s coverage (V40 Gy/s) of organs-at-risk (OARs) for FLASH plans.

RESULTS

The distal tracking can precisely stop the Bragg peak at the target distal edge, and Bragg peak plans achieved tumor coverage and dose conformality equivalent to IMPT plans. The clinical IMPT plans yielded slightly superior target dose uniformity -CTV Dmax of FLASH plans was 10% higher for prostate and 2% higher for breast. There was no significant difference between the clinical and FLASH plans in dose metrics for major OARs, including rectum, large bowel, heart, and lung. Higher maximal doses to femoral heads (∼2 Gy) and urethra (∼6 Gy) were observed in prostate FLASH plans than in the clinical plans but were still within clinically accepted dose limits. The V40 Gy/s for OARs were >90% for prostate FLASH plans and >76.5% for breast FLASH plans.

CONCLUSION

The proposed single-energy Bragg-peak FLASH technique eliminates exit dose associated with transmission proton FLASH and can still yield comparable plan quality and OAR sparing while preserve sufficient FLASH dose rate coverage for prostate and breast proton SBRT. This study demonstrates the potential application of Bragg peaks for highly conformal FLASH-RT using clinical cyclotron systems to treat prostate and breast cancer patients, which moves towards clinical application.

Pencil Beam Scanning Proton Stereotactic Body Radiation Therapy (SBRT): A Robust Single Institution Experience

PURPOSE/OBJECTIVE(S)

To describe the feasibility of treating a complex and diverse group of patients using pencil beam scanning (PBS) proton stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT: 5 or fewer fractions, with a fraction size of at least 5 Gy).

MATERIALS/METHODS

Our center treats on average 105-120 PBS proton treatments daily, of which 9.5% of treatment courses are proton SBRT. Statistics of disease sites, treatment planning parameters (target volume, prescriptions, number of fields, SFO vs. MFO), and treatment efficiencies (scheduled time slots, actual treatment time) are presented for 305 consecutive SBRT patients receiving 1507 fractions in the past three years. Thermoplastic masks or Vacuum-lock bags are used to immobilize SBRT patients and index the patients' treatment position. Imaging guidance of orthogonal kV images and volumetric cone-beam CT is routinely used for patient setup.

RESULTS

SBRT patients are grouped based on the target locations: pelvis (31%), liver (17%), thoracic (13%), spine (8%), abdominal (8%), brain (7%), non-spine bone (7%), ocular (6%), and head and neck (2%). Only 112 patients (37%) were receiving their 1st RT course, whereas 113 (37%) had one prior in-field RT course, and 80 (26%) had multiple prior in-field RT courses. The median [IQR] target volume was 65.4 [29.3, 168] cc (range: 0.3-2475 cc). 72% of cases were planned with SFO and 28% with MFO. On average, 3.76 fields (range: 2 to 12) were planned for each treatment. 44% of the treatments were planned with three or fewer fields, and 10% received more than five fields, most of which involved repainting for moving targets. Over 97% of treatments were delivered in 5 fractions, with ∼3% delivered in 3 fractions. The median [IQR] prescription per treatment was 8 [7, 10] Gy (range: 5-18 Gy per treatment). 85% (84%) of the SBRT treatments were scheduled (delivered) in a 45-minute or shorter slot, and 6% (7%) of treatments were scheduled (delivered) in over a one-hour slot, most commonly for multiple isocenter treatments. 93% of treatments were delivered within 15 minutes of the planned treatment time or shorter. Deep-inspiration breath-hold (DIBH) was applied to 45% of liver SBRT cases, with the remaining 55% planned on 4D CT with (14%) or without (86%) abdominal compression. DIBH was applied in 13% of lung SBRT cases. The application of other motion mitigation approaches, such as volumetric repainting, was determined by the target motion amplitude and whether the patient could tolerate DIBH.

CONCLUSION

In the most diverse and largest proton SBRT experience delivered in the world over the past 3 years, over 300 patients were treated, demonstrating the feasibility and efficiency of delivering proton SBRT in a very busy center. The planning and treatment parameter statistics reported serve as a helpful reference for the proton community.

Practice Patterns and Disparities of Fractionation Schemes for Post-Mastectomy Comprehensive Nodal Irradiation

PURPOSE/OBJECTIVE(S)

Hypofractionated (HF) radiotherapy is the established standard of care for whole breast irradiation and is being investigated for comprehensive nodal irradiation, but appropriate patient selection for the latter is currently undefined. This study aims to report national practice patterns and patient selection for HF comprehensive nodal irradiation compared to conventional fractionation (CF). The hypothesis is that the rate of HF for comprehensive nodal irradiation in breast cancer has been increasing over time and is more likely to be offered to disparate demographic populations.

MATERIALS/METHODS

We queried the National Cancer Database and identified 128,693 patients who received comprehensive nodal irradiation between 2008-2016 in the United States. No patient who underwent lumpectomy received HF nodal irradiation; therefore, only post-mastectomy patients were included in this study. After the exclusion, 29,053 post-mastectomy patients with adjuvant comprehensive nodal irradiation remained. A multivariable binomial regression analysis between HF and CF patients was performed.

RESULTS

Of the patients identified, 1,910 received HF (6.57%), and 27,143 received CF (93.43%) radiotherapy. All patients had locally advanced breast cancer treated with mastectomy, lymph node dissection, adjuvant radiation, and +/- chemotherapy. The median dose in the HF group was 4,256 cGy in 16 fractions, and in the CF group was 6,040 cGy in 33 fractions. HF rate grew from 3.56% in 2004-2007, 5.29% in 2008-2011, 7.42% in 2012-2013, and 12.05% in 2014-2016. HF was favored in older patients (median age 66 vs. 51, OR = 1.16, 95% Cl 1.11-1.22) and those who lived in suburban or rural regions compared to urban or metropolitan regions (OR = 9.48, 95% CI 1.17-76.9). However, there was no correlation when distance from treatment site was evaluated as a continuous variable. A "boost" dose was used in only 10.58% of HF patients compared to 54.6% of CF patients (OR = 0.17, 95% Cl 0.14-0.21). Chemotherapy was delivered in 36.91% of HF patients compared to 78.14% of CF patients (OR = 0.77, 95% Cl 0.59-0.99). There were no statistically significant correlates of either fractionation scheme for breast laterality, stage, grade, or receptor status. Notably, other than population density and age, demographic factors including race, Hispanic origin, insurance type, median income, and education level demonstrated no correlation with radiation fractionation scheme.

CONCLUSION

HF for comprehensive nodal irradiation in breast cancer is still uncommon but growing in popularity. Currently, HF is more likely to be used in elderly patients and lower population density centers and less likely to be used in those determined to benefit from receipt of a boost or chemotherapy.

Treatment of Thymoma and Thymic Carcinoma with Proton Beam Therapy: Outcomes from the Proton Collaborative Group Prospective Registry

PURPOSE/OBJECTIVE(S)

Given the generally long natural history of thymic malignancies, proton beam therapy (PBT) is advocated to minimize the risk of long-term toxicities to mediastinal organs. Adverse events (AE) and long-term clinical outcomes for this population have not been well-characterized.

MATERIALS/METHODS

The Proton Collaborative Group registry (NCT01255748), a multi-institutional prospective database of academic and community proton centers in the US, was queried for patients with thymomas and thymic carcinomas treated with PBT. Patients with recurrent/metastatic disease, non-thymic histology, received either prior or palliative radiotherapy (dose < 40 Gy RBE) were excluded. Overall survival (OS) and local control (LC) were estimated using Kaplan-Meier methods.

RESULTS

A total of 97 patients were identified in the PCG registry. After applying relevant exclusion criteria, 70 patients from 12 proton centers treated from 2011-2021 were included for analysis. Median follow-up length was 16 months. Median age was 58.5 years (IQR 46-63), and 60% were female. 81.4% had a diagnosis of thymoma, and 18.6% thymic carcinoma. 59 patients underwent surgical resection. 11 were treated with definitive PBT, of which 5 received concurrent chemotherapy. Median dose was 54 Gy RBE (range 41.4 - 70 Gy RBE), median number of fractions was 30 (range 21 - 38). 73.4% received pencil beam scanning and 23% uniform scanning PBT. Treatment was overall well-tolerated: a single patient developed grade 4 pneumonitis. Grade 3 AEs were seen in 3 patients - dyspnea, anorexia, and heart failure. Highest grade toxicity experienced was grade 2 for 47.1% and grade 1 for 42.9% of patients. 3-year overall survival (OS) was 82.6% for the entire cohort. 3-year OS was 94% for resected/adjuvant cohort and 35.6% in the non-surgical/definitive cohort. 3-year local control (LC) was 91.7% for the entire cohort. By surgery/margin status, 3-year LC was 96.8% in patients with close or negative margins (a single failure in a patient with close margins), whereas 3-year LC was 55.1% for patients with positive margins/unresectable disease.

CONCLUSION

Thymic malignancies treated with PBT appear to have favorable outcomes, especially in the adjuvant setting, in this cohort representing the largest series of such patients.

Prospective Evaluation of Patient-Reported Outcomes of Invisible Ink Tattoos for the Delivery of External Beam Radiation Therapy: The PREFER Trial

PURPOSE/OBJECTIVE(S)

Invisible ink tattoos allow for setup accuracy while avoiding the cosmetic permanence of visible ink tattoos. The goal of this trial was to evaluate patient-reported preference for the use of invisible ink tattoos in a radiation oncology clinic.

MATERIALS/METHODS

In an IRB-approved, prospective, feasibility trial, patients at a single institution receiving pencil beam scanning proton therapy to the thorax, abdomen, or pelvis underwent invisible ink tattoo-based treatment setup. Patient preference surveys comparing visible and invisible ink tattoos were completed prior to simulation (17 questions), immediately following simulation (5 questions), and at the end of treatment (18 questions), with preference scored on a 5-point Likert scale from strongly disagree to strongly agree, and cosmesis scored on a 4-point Likert scale of excellent-good-fair-poor. Differences in distributions were examined using Wilcoxon rank-sum tests, Fisher's exact tests, or chi-square tests, where statistical significance was considered at p<0.05.

RESULTS

Of 107 patients screened, 102 were enrolled and 94 completed all surveys. Mean age was 55.0 years, and 58.5% were female. Most patients were white (79.1%) and non-Hispanic (92.6%). Patients most commonly had breast (34.0%), prostate (16.0%), and lung (9.6%) cancer. An average of 5 (range 3-8) invisible ink tattoos were placed per patient. Overall, 75.5% of patients reported that they would prefer to receive invisible tattoos vs. visible tattoos, and 88.3% rated the overall cosmetic outcome of invisible ink tattoo marks as excellent or good. Compared to males, females were more willing to travel farther from their home in order to avoid receiving visible tattoos (45.4% vs. 23.1%, p = 0.035) and would pay additional money to avoid receiving visible tattoos (34.5% vs. 5.1%, p = 0.002). Patients who had previously received any tattoo (cosmetic or visible RT tattoos) were more satisfied with the appearance of their invisible ink tattoos compared to those who had never previously received tattoos (82.9% vs. 61.5%, p = 0.022). Patients receiving definitive intent RT were more satisfied with the appearance of the tattoos compared to those receiving palliative intent RT (67.1% vs. 38.9%, p = 0.011). Patients with at least a college education were less satisfied with the appearance of tattoos compared to those without a college education (67.0% vs. 95.0% p = 0.018).

CONCLUSION

These findings demonstrate stronger avoidance of visible tattoos and patient preference for invisible tattoos. The standard incorporation of invisible ink tattoos for patient setup should be strongly considered.

A Dosimetric Assessment of Sexual Organ Sparing Proton Radiotherapy in Female Pelvic Cancer Patients

PURPOSE/OBJECTIVE(S)

Optimizing treatment techniques for female patients undergoing curative treatment for pelvic cancers requires incorporating the goals of maximizing cure while maintaining quality of life. Optimizing treatment to maintain sexual quality of life has received little attention in female patients despite the presence of and toxicity risks to functional anatomic organs and their associated neurovasculature, including the bulboclitoris, vagina, and ovaries. Recent dosimetric data without employing sexual organ sparing suggest that mean VMAT dose to the bulboclitoris in low rectal cancer is around 3300 cGy, and in anal cancer, mean dose is around 2000 cGy to the external genitalia and 4500-5000 cGy to the bulboclitoris, all of which would be expected to result in clinically significant toxicity. Therefore, investigation of the avoidance of these important organs is needed and we hypothesize that proton techniques may achieve greater sparing than photon techniques.

MATERIALS/METHODS

In this study, we dosimetrically compare proton- vs. photon-based techniques in sparing functional sexual organs. The cohort consisted of four consecutive female pelvic cancer cases that had received 5000 cGy or greater. All cases were re-planned with VMAT and protons while optimizing dose to functional sexual organs and maintaining target coverage. Sexual organ structures assessed include the genitalia, vagina, ovaries, bulboclitoris and internal pudendal arteries. Given the small number of patients included in this demonstration study, statistical tests were not performed.

RESULTS

MRI was required to appropriately delineate soft tissue. In all cases, dosimetric sparing of sexual organs was improved with proton therapy without compromising target coverage. Mean doses were marginally decreased for structures within the PTV, while structures such as the bulboclitoris were spared substantially. Mean dose to the external genitalia was low with sparing using both VMAT (Median [IQR] (cGy): 852 [811, 1090]) and Proton techniques (Median [IQR] (cGy): 39.4 [11.9, 78.5]). Similarly, mean dose with sparing to the external genitalia was lower than would be expected without sparing, using both VMAT and Proton techniques (Median (IQR) Dmean (cGy) VMAT 3100 [2890, 3580] vs. Proton 1530 [1100, 2090]), with protons demonstrating greater sparing. In one case of a sacral chordoma, ovaries were substantially spared to below ablative thresholds (Dmean (cGy) VMAT 3598.8 and 3548.0 vs Proton 34.1 and 103.3).

CONCLUSION

Magnetic resonance imaging at simulation combined with proton radiotherapy for female sexual organ sparing may provide a technically feasible route to more equitable sexual outcomes for female patients. These results will guide future studies to optimize proton treatment techniques for female sexual organ sparing for future trials.

Influence of early dose reduction of ticagrelor on clinical outcomes following percutaneous coronary intervention for complex lesions

Ticagrelor-based dual antiplatelet therapy (DAPT) provides potent antiplatelet inhibition but may increase the bleeding risk in Asian populations. We investigated the influence of early ticagrelor dose reduction (120 mg) on clinical outcomes in Korean patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). A multicenter prospective clinical cohort study was conducted with patients who received standard-dose ticagrelor-based DAPT (180 mg) after PCI for complex lesions. Major adverse cardiovascular event (MACE: a composite of cardiovascular death, myocardial infarction, stroke, and repeat revascularization), bleeding, and net adverse clinical events (NACE: a composite of MACE and bleeding) were assessed. Among the 772 patients on standard-dose ticagrelor-based DAPT, 115 (14.8%) switched to low-dose ticagrelor-based DAPT (120 mg) within 6 months. Common reasons for the regimen changes were switching as planned (38.8%), dyspnea (25.5%), and bleeding (23.6%). A multivariable Cox proportional hazard model (CPH) showed that the risks of MACE, bleeding, and NACE were not different between the low-dose and standard-dose groups throughout the entire follow-up period and the period beyond 6 months post-PCI. Time-varying multivariable CPH models of the ticagrelor dose reduction yielded similar results. A reduction of the ticagrelor dose within 6 months after PCI is feasible and safe even in patients with complex lesions harboring a high ischemic event risk.

Clinical efficacy of angiotensin receptor-neprilysin inhibitor in de novo heart failure with reduced ejection fraction

BACKGROUND/AIMS

We aimed to analyze the efficacy of angiotensin receptor-neprilysin inhibitor (ARNI) by the disease course of heart failure (HF).

METHODS

We evaluated 227 patients with HF in a multi-center retrospective cohort that included those with left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) ≤ 40% undergoing ARNI treatment. The patients were divided into patients with newly diagnosed HF with ARNI treatment initiated within 6 months of diagnosis (de novo HF group) and those who were diagnosed or admitted for HF exacerbation for more than 6 months prior to initiation of ARNI treatment (prior HF group). The primary outcome was a composite of cardiovascular death and worsening HF, including hospitalization or an emergency visit for HF aggravation within 12 months.

RESULTS

No significant differences in baseline characteristics were reported between the de novo and prior HF groups. The prior HF group was significantly associated with a higher primary outcome (23.9 vs. 9.4%) than the de novo HF group (adjusted hazard ratio 2.52, 95% confidence interval 1.06-5.96, p = 0.036), although on a higher initial dose. The de novo HF group showed better LVEF improvement after 1 year (12.0% vs 7.4%, p = 0.010). Further, the discontinuation rate of diuretics after 1 year was numerically higher in the de novo group than the prior HF group (34.4 vs 18.5%, p = 0.064).

CONCLUSION

The de novo HF group had a lower risk of the primary composite outcome than the prior HF group in patients with reduced ejection fraction who were treated with ARNI.

Niclosamide Inhibits Aortic Valve Interstitial Cell Calcification by Interfering with the GSK-3β/β-Catenin Signaling Pathway

The most common heart valve disorder is calcific aortic valve stenosis (CAVS), which is characterized by a narrowing of the aortic valve. Treatment with the drug molecule, in addition to surgical and transcatheter valve replacement, is the primary focus of researchers in this field. The purpose of this study is to determine whether niclosamide can reduce calcification in aortic valve interstitial cells (VICs). To induce calcification, cells were treated with a pro-calcifying medium (PCM). Different concentrations of niclosamide were added to the PCM-treated cells, and the level of calcification, mRNA, and protein expression of calcification markers was measured. Niclosamide inhibited aortic valve calcification as observed from reduced alizarin red s staining in niclosamide treated VICs and also decreased the mRNA and protein expressions of calcification-specific markers: runt-related transcription factor 2 and osteopontin. Niclosamide also reduced the formation of reactive oxygen species, NADPH oxidase activity and the expression of Nox2 and p22phox. Furthermore, in calcified VICs, niclosamide inhibited the expression of β-catenin and phosphorylated glycogen synthase kinase (GSK-3β), as well as the phosphorylation of AKT and ERK. Taken together, our findings suggest that niclosamide may alleviate PCM-induced calcification, at least in part, by targeting oxidative stress mediated GSK-3β/β-catenin signaling pathway via inhibiting activation of AKT and ERK, and may be a potential treatment for CAVS.

Measurement of Direct-Photon Cross Section and Double-Helicity Asymmetry at sqrt[s]=510 GeV in p[over →]+p[over →] Collisions

We present measurements of the cross section and double-helicity asymmetry A_{LL} of direct-photon production in p[over →]+p[over →] collisions at sqrt[s]=510  GeV. The measurements have been performed at midrapidity (|η|<0.25) with the PHENIX detector at the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider. At relativistic energies, direct photons are dominantly produced from the initial quark-gluon hard scattering and do not interact via the strong force at leading order. Therefore, at sqrt[s]=510  GeV, where leading-order-effects dominate, these measurements provide clean and direct access to the gluon helicity in the polarized proton in the gluon-momentum-fraction range 0.02<x<0.08, with direct sensitivity to the sign of the gluon contribution.

Office-Visit Heart Rate and Long-Term Cardiovascular Events in Patients with Acute Myocardial Infarction

An elevated heart rate at admission or discharge is known to be associated with poor cardiovascular outcomes in patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI). The association between post-discharge average office-visit heart rate and cardiovascular outcomes in patients with AMI has rarely been studied. We analyzed data for 7840 patients from the COREA-AMI registry who had their heart rates measured at least three times after hospital discharge. The office-visit heart rates were averaged and categorized into four groups by quartiles (<68, 68-74, 74-80, and >80 beats per minute). The primary end point was a composite of cardiovascular death, myocardial infarction, and ischemic stroke. During a median of 5.7 years of follow-up, major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) affected 1357 (17.3%) patients. An average heart rate higher than 80 bpm was associated with an increased incidence of MACE compared to the reference average heart rate of 68-74 bpm. When dichotomized into <74 or ≥74 bpm, a lower average heart rate was not associated with MACE in patients with LV systolic dysfunction, in contrast to those without LV systolic dysfunction. An elevated average heart rate at office visits after AMI was associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular outcomes. Heart rate monitoring at office visits after discharge provides an important predictor related to cardiovascular events.

A Rabbit Aortic Valve Stenosis Model Induced by Direct Balloon Injury

Animal models are emerging as an important tool to understand the pathologic mechanisms underlying aortic valve stenosis (AVS) because of the lack of access to reliable sources of diseased human aortic valves. Among the various animal models, AVS rabbit models are one of the most commonly used in large animal studies. However, traditional AVS rabbit models require a long-term period of dietary supplementation and genetic manipulation to induce significant stenosis in the aortic valve, limiting their use in experimental studies. To address these limitations, a new AVS rabbit model is proposed, in which stenosis is induced by a direct balloon injury to the aortic valve. The present protocol describes a successful technique for inducing AVS in New Zealand white (NZW) rabbits, with step-by-step procedures for the preparation, the surgical procedure, and the post-operative care. This simple and reproducible model offers a promising approach for studying the initiation and progression of AVS and provides a valuable tool for investigating the underlying pathological mechanisms of the disease.

Impact of the risk of malnutrition on bleeding, mortality, and ischemic events in patients with acute myocardial infarction

BACKGROUND & AIMS

Data regarding the relationship between malnutrition and clinical outcomes of acute myocardial infarction (AMI) is limited. The study aims to evaluate the clinical impact of malnutrition in AMI patients after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI).

METHODS AND RESULTS

The COREA-AMI registries identified 10,161 AMI patients who underwent PCI from January 2004 to August 2014. Patients with geriatric nutritional risk index (GNRI) scores of <82, 82 to <92, 92 to <98, and ≥98 were categorized as having severe, moderate, mild malnutrition risk, and absence of risk, respectively. Associations of GNRI with Bleeding Academic Research Consortium (BARC) 3 or 5 bleeding, all-cause death, and major cardiovascular events (MACEs; a composite of cardiovascular death, myocardial infarction, or ischemic stroke) were evaluated. Over 50% of AMI patients were malnourished, with 25.0%, 22.7%, and 4.9% having mild, moderate, and severe malnutrition risks, respectively. Over a median 4.9-year follow-up, patients with malnutrition risk had higher risks of BARC 3 or 5 bleeding (adjusted hazard ratios [aHRs], 1.27, 1.55, and 2.02 for mild, moderate, and severe, respectively; p < 0.001), all-cause death (aHRs, 1.26, 1.46, and 1.85 for mild, moderate, and severe, respectively; p < 0.001), and MACEs (aHRs, 1.14, 1.32, and 1.67 for mild, moderate, and severe, respectively; p < 0.001) than patients without risk.

CONCLUSION

Elevated malnutrition risk was common among AMI patients undergoing PCI and was strongly associated with a higher risk of major bleeding, all-cause death, and major ischemic events.

Prognosis and the Effect of De-Escalation of Antiplatelet Therapy After Nuisance Bleeding in Patients With Myocardial Infarction

BACKGROUND

Data regarding prognosis and management after nuisance bleeding (NB) is limited. The purpose was to examine the prognostic significance of NB in patients receiving potent dual antiplatelet treatment (DAPT) after acute myocardial infarction and the impact of de-escalation of DAPT on clinical outcomes thereafter.

METHODS

From the TALOS-AMI trial (Ticagrelor Versus Clopidogrel in Stabilized Patients With Acute Myocardial Infarction)' 2583 patients were used to investigate the clinical impact of NB (defined as Bleeding Academic Research Consortium [BARC] 1 bleeding) during 1-month treatment with ticagrelor-based DAPT after acute myocardial infarction. We assessed the associations between NB within 1 month and BARC 2, 3, or 5 bleeding and major adverse cardiovascular event (a composite of cardiovascular death, myocardial infarction, stroke) from 1 to 12 months. We also evaluated the effect of de-escalation to clopidogrel in patients with or without NB.

RESULTS

NB occurred in 416 patients (16.7%) after 1 month of ticagrelor-based DAPT. At 1 year, NB was not associated with increase in BARC 2, 3, or 5 bleeding (hazard ratio [HR]' 1.29 [95% CI' 0.7-2.14]) and major adverse cardiovascular event (HR' 1.72 [95% CI' 0.87-3.39]). However, patients with NB had an increased risk of BARC 2, 3, or 5 bleeding at 6 months (HR, 1.94 [95% CI, 1.08-3.48]; P=0.026), which diminished over the next 6 months. De-escalation from ticagrelor to clopidogrel reduced the incidence of BARC 2, 3, or 5 bleeding compared with ticagrelor plus aspirin in NB (HR' 0.31 [95% CI' 0.10-0.92]) and non-NB patients (HR' 0.58 [95% CI' 0.37-0.90]) without heterogeneity (P interaction=0.291). There was no increase in major adverse cardiovascular event after DAPT de-escalation, irrespective of NB.

CONCLUSIONS

NB was frequent in patients with acute myocardial infarction on 1-month ticagrelor-based DAPT and was associated with an early increase of bleeding. DAPT de-escalation after NB may reduce bleeding without increasing ischemic events.

REGISTRATION

URL: https://www.

CLINICALTRIALS

gov; Unique identifier: NCT02018055.

Clinical benefit of long-term use of dual antiplatelet therapy for acute myocardial infarction patients with the PEGASUS-TIMI 54 criteria

Background

We evaluated the effectiveness of extended dual antiplatelet therapy (DAPT) usage after 2nd-generation drug elution stent implantation in acute myocardial infarction (AMI) survivors with high ischemic risk characteristics who had no major bleeding for 24 months under at least 1 year of DAPT maintenance.

Materials and methods

The primary ischemic and bleeding endpoints were the risk of mortality and the risk of BARC 3 or 5 (major) bleeding. We investigated the event rates for 2–5 years after the index procedure.

Results

Of 3382 post-AMI survivors who met the PEGASUS-TIMI 54 (PEGASUS) criteria and without major bleeding until 2 years, 2281 (67.4%) maintained DAPT over 24 months, and 1101 (32.5%) switched DAPT to a single antiplatelet agent. The &gt;24 M DAPT group showed a lower risk of mortality than the 12–24 M DAPT group (7.2 vs. 9.2%; adjusted hazard ratio: 0.648; 95% confidence interval: 0.595–0.976; p &lt; 0.001). The mortality risk was significantly greater as the number of PEGASUS criteria increased (p &lt; 0.001). DAPT &gt; 24 months was not significantly associated with a decreased risk for major bleeding in the population meeting the PEGASUS criteria (2.0 vs. 1.1%; p = 0.093). The results were consistent after propensity-score matching and inverse probability weighting to adjust for baseline differences.

Conclusion

Extended DAPT over 24 months was associated with a lower risk of mortality without increasing the risk of major bleeding among 2 years survivors after AMI who met the PEGASUS criteria and had no major bleeding events before 24 months.

Association Between Bleeding and New Cancer Detection and the Prognosis in Patients With Myocardial Infarction

Background

Antithrombotic agents to treat patients with acute myocardial infarction can cause bleeding, which may reveal undiagnosed cancer. However, the relationship between bleeding and new cancer diagnosis and the prognostic impact is still unclear.

Methods and Results

We analyzed the new cancer diagnosis, Bleeding Academic Research Consortium 2, 3, or 5 bleeding, and all‐cause death of 10 364 patients with acute myocardial infarction without a history of previous cancer in a multicenter acute myocardial infarction registry. During a median of 4.9 years, 1109 patients (10.7%) experienced Bleeding Academic Research Consortium 2, 3, or 5 bleeding, and 338 patients (3.3%) were newly diagnosed with cancer. Bleeding Academic Research Consortium 2, 3, or 5 bleeding was associated with an increased risk of new cancer diagnosis (subdistribution hazard ratio [sHR] 3.29 [95% CI, 2.50–4.32]). In particular, there were robust associations between gastrointestinal bleeding and new gastrointestinal cancer diagnosis (sHR, 19.96 [95% CI, 11.30–29.94]) and between genitourinary bleeding and new genitourinary cancer diagnosis (sHR, 28.95 [95% CI, 14.69–57.07]). The risk of all‐cause death was not lower in patients diagnosed with new gastrointestinal cancer after gastrointestinal bleeding (hazard ratio [HR], 4.05 [95% CI, 2.04–8.02]) and diagnosed with new genitourinary cancer after genitourinary bleeding (HR, 2.79 [95% CI, 0.81–9.56]) than in patients newly diagnosed with cancer without previous bleeding.

Conclusions

Clinically significant bleeding, especially gastrointestinal and genitourinary bleeding, in patients with AMI was associated with an increased risk of new cancer diagnoses. However, the bleeding preceding new cancer detection was not associated with better survival.

Registration

URL: https://www.clinicaltrials.gov ; Unique identifier: NCT02385682 and NCT02806102.

Heart failure with improved ejection fraction (HFimpEF) in patients treated with sacubitril/valsartan (SV)

Introduction

Several studies demonstrated that patients with improvement of left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) and symptoms had good prognosis in heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF). Based on these results, new classification of HF according to LVEF was currently proposed. Sacubitril/valsartan (SV) is recommended as one of the first-line therapy of HFrEF patients. SV reduced hospitalization for HF and cardiovascular mortality compared to enalapril in PARADIGM-HF trial. However, it is unclear that patients with improvement of LVEF also have better prognosis compared to patients without LVEF improvement among patients treated with SV.

Purpose

We aimed to evaluate the clinical characteristics and outcomes of heart failure with improved ejection fraction (HFimpEF) in heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF) patients treated with SV.

Methods

We analyzed 230 patients with HFrEF taking SV in a multicenter retrospective cohort (RECORD-SV registry) from 2017 to 2019. Enrolled 230 patients were performed baseline and 1-year follow-up echocardiography. Based on 2 echocardiographic results, we defined “HFimpEF” as HF with a baseline LVEF ≤40%, ≥10% increase from baseline LVEF and a follow-up measurement of LVEF &gt;40%. Others were defined as “Persistent HFrEF”. We analyzed and compared clinical characteristics and outcomes between two groups. Primary endpoint was a composite outcome of all-cause death and hospitalization for HF (HHF).

Results

From 230 patients, 65 patients with HFimpEF and 165 patients with Persistent HFrEF were analyzed. The median follow-up duration was 557 days (interquartile range 364 to 727 days). Patients with HFimpEF had a higher prevalence of female gender (50.8% vs. 30.3%) and de novo HF (44.6% vs. 21.2%). There were no significant differences for age, etiology (ischemic vs. non-ischemic), diabetes, atrial fibrillation, hypertension, and HF medications including SV dose between two groups. Patients with HFimpEF showed lower rate of all-cause death or HHF as a primary endpoint compared to patients with persistent HFrEF (6.2% vs. 22.4%; IPTW adjusted HR 0.24; 95% CI 0.13–0.46; p&lt;0.001) (Table 1). It was also shown that HFimpEF patients had a reduced risk of primary endpoint in the Kaplan-Meier curves compared with persistent HFrEF (Log-rank p=0.045) (Figure 1). We demonstrated that Non-prior MI (adjusted OR 7.29; 95% CI 1.50–35.36; p=0.014) and de novo HF (adjusted OR 4.33; 95% CI 1.70–11.04; p=0.002) were independent prognostic factors of HFimpEF in HFrEF patients treated with SV.

Conclusions

HFimpEF patients had better clinical outcomes compared to those with persistent HFrEF in HFrEF patients treated with SV. Non-prior MI and de novo HF were independent predictors of HFimpEF in patients treated with SV.

Funding Acknowledgement

Type of funding sources: None.

Impact of diabetes mellitus on periprocedural and 18-month clinical outcomes in Korean patients requiring rotational atherectomy: results from the ROCK Registry

BACKGROUND

Diabetes mellitus (diabetes) increases the risk of severe coronary artery calcification, which increases the complexity of percutaneous coronary intervention requiring rotational atherectomy (RA) by interfering with lesion preparation, and limiting final stent expansion.

OBJECTIVE

Investigate 30-day and 18-month clinical outcomes in patients with and without diabetes treated with percutaneous coronary intervention requiring RA.

DESIGN

Medical record review SETTING: Multicenter registry in South Korea PATIENTS AND METHODS: The ROtational atherectomy in Calcified lesions in Korea (ROCK) registry was a large, retrospective, multicenter study to assess RA treatment of severe coronary artery calcification.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

The primary endpoint was target-vessel failure including cardiac death, target-vessel myocardial infarction, and target-vessel revascularization.

SAMPLE SIZE

540 patients followed for a median of 16.1 months.

RESULTS

Of the 540 patients, 305 had diabetes (56.5%). The diabetes group had a significantly higher frequency of multivessel disease; comorbidities such as hypertension, dyslipidemia, and chronic kidney disease; and lower ejection fraction of the left ventricle compared to the non-diabetes group (n=235). There were no significant differences in procedure success and complications observed between the two groups. Target vessel failure at 30 days between the diabetes and non-diabetes groups was not statistically significant in a multivariate Cox regression analysis (1.6% vs. 2.6%, adjusted hazard ratio [HR] 0.595, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.154-2.300, P=.451). During an 18-month follow-up, the risk of target vessel failure was higher (12.5% vs. 8.9%) but the difference was not statistically significant (adjusted HR 1.393, 95% CI 0.782-2.482, P=.260).

CONCLUSIONS

Patients with diabetes have a risk of complications comparable to patients without diabetes, and 30-day and 18-month clinical outcomes are similar in severe coronary artery calcification requiring RA, despite having more comorbidities.

LIMITATIONS

Retrospective design. Sample size not based on power calculation.

CONFLICT OF INTEREST

None.

Impact of Low Baseline Low-Density Lipoprotein Cholesterol on Long-Term Postdischarge Cardiovascular Outcomes in Patients With Acute Myocardial Infarction

Background

Real‐world data on low baseline low‐density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL‐C) levels and long‐term postdischarge cardiovascular outcomes in patients with acute coronary syndrome are limited.

Methods and Results

Of the 10 719 patients enrolled in the Korean registry of acute myocardial infarction between January 2004 and August 2014, we identified 5532 patients who were event free from death, recurrent myocardial infarction, or stroke during the in‐hospital period after successful percutaneous coronary intervention. The co–primary outcomes were 3‐point major adverse cardiovascular events (a composite of nonfatal stroke, nonfatal myocardial infarction, and cardiovascular death) and cardiovascular death at 5 years. Of 5532 patients with acute myocardial infarction (mean age, 62.1±12.8 years; 75.0% men), 446 cardiovascular deaths (8.1%) and 695 three‐point major adverse cardiovascular events (12.6%) occurred at 5 years. In the continuous analysis of LDL‐C, the risk of cardiovascular events increased steeply as LDL‐C levels decreased from 100 mg/dL. For categorical analysis of LDL‐C (<70, 70–99, and ≥100 mg/dL), as LDL‐C levels decreased, clinical outcomes worsened (237/3759 [6.3%] in LDL‐C ≥100 mg/dL versus 123/1291 [9.5%] in LDL‐C 70–99 mg/dL versus 86/482 [17.8%] in LDL‐C <70 mg/dL for cardiovascular death; P‐trend<0.001; and 417/3759 [11.1%] in LDL‐C ≥100 mg/dL versus 172/1291 [13.3%] in LDL‐C 70–99 mg/dL versus 106/482 [22.2%] in LDL‐C <70 mg/dL for 3‐point major adverse cardiovascular event; P‐trend<0.001). In a Cox time‐to‐event multivariable model with LDL‐C levels ≥100 mg/dL as the reference, the baseline LDL‐C level <70 mg/dL was independently associated with an increased incidence of cardiovascular death (adjusted hazard ratio, 1.68 [95% CI, 1.30–2.17]) and 3‐point major adverse cardiovascular event (adjusted hazard ratio, 1.37 [95% CI, 1.10–1.71]).

Conclusions

In this Korean acute myocardial infarction registry, the baseline LDL‐C level <70 mg/dL was significantly associated with an increased incidence of long‐term cardiovascular events after discharge. (COREA [Cardiovascular Risk and Identification of Potential High‐Risk Population]‐Acute Myocardial Infarction Registry; NCT02806102).

Registration

URL: https://www.clinicaltrials.gov/; Unique identifier: NCT02806102.

Independent Clinical Impacts of Procedural Complexity on Ischemic and Bleeding Events in Patients with Acute Myocardial Infarction: Long-Term Clinical Study

This study aimed to investigate the relationship between a complex percutaneous coronary intervention (C-PCI) and long-term clinical outcomes in the AMI cohort. A total of 10,329 patients were categorized into the C-PCI and non-C-PCI groups. The primary ischemic endpoint was a composite of major adverse cardiac events (MACEs, cardiac death, myocardial infarction, stent thrombosis and revascularization). The primary bleeding endpoint was the risk of overt bleeding (BARC 2, 3 or 5). The median follow-up duration was 4.9 (2.97, 7.16) years. The risks of MACEs and bleeding were significantly higher in the C-PCI group (hazard ratio (HR): 1.72; 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.60 to 1.85; p < 0.001; and HR: 1.32; 95% CI: 1.17 to 1.50; p < 0.001, respectively). After propensity score matching, compared to the non-C-PCI group, the adjusted MACE rate in C-PCI remained significantly higher (p < 0.001), but no significant interaction (p = 0.273) was observed for bleeding. Significant differences in overt bleeding were observed only within the first three months (p = 0.024). The MACEs were consistently higher in the C-PCI group with or without severe comorbid conditions (p < 0.001 for both). Patients with AMI who undergo C-PCI experience worse long-term ischemic outcomes after successful PCI, regardless of the presence of severe comorbidities.

Prognostic Impact of the HFA-PEFF Score in Patients with Acute Myocardial Infarction and an Intermediate to High HFA-PEFF Score

This study aimed to investigate the efficacy of the HFA-PEFF score in predicting the long-term risks in patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI) and an HFA-PEFF score ≥ 2. The subjects were divided according to their HFA-PEFF score into intermediate (2−3 points) and high (4−6 points) score groups. The primary outcome was all-cause mortality. Of 1018 patients with AMI and an HFA-PEFF score of ≥2, 712 (69.9%) and 306 (30.1%) were classified into the intermediate and high score groups, respectively. Over a median follow-up of 4.8 (3.2, 6.5) years, 114 (16.0%) and 87 (28.4%) patients died in each group. Multivariate Cox regression identified a high HFA-PEFF score as an independent predictor of all-cause mortality [hazard ratio (HR): 1.53, 95% CI: 1.15−2.04, p = 0.004]. The predictive accuracies for the discrimination and reclassification were significantly improved (C-index 0.750 [95% CI 0.712−0.789]; p = 0.049 and NRI 0.330 [95% CI 0.180−0.479]; p < 0.001) upon the addition of a high HFA-PEFF score to clinical risk factors. The model was better at predicting combined events of all-cause mortality and heart failure readmission (C-index 0.754 [95% CI 0.716−0.791]; p = 0.033, NRI 0.372 [95% CI 0.227−0.518]; p < 0.001). In the AMI cohort, the HFA-PEFF score can effectively predict the prognosis of patients with an HFA-PEFF score of ≥2.

Effects of polystyrene nanoplastics on endothelium senescence and its underlying mechanism

Global plastic use has increased rapidly, and environmental pollution associated with nanoplastics (NPs) has been a growing concern recently. However, the impact and biological mechanism of NPs on the cardiovascular system are not well characterized. This study aimed to assess the possibility that NPs exposure promotes premature endothelial cell (EC) senescence in porcine coronary artery ECs and, if so, to elucidate the underlying mechanism. Treatment of ECs with NPs promoted the acquisition of senescence markers, senescence-associated β-galactosidase activity, and p53, p21, and p16 protein expression, resulting in the inhibition of proliferation. In addition, NPs impaired endothelium-dependent vasorelaxation associated with decreased endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) expression. NPs enhanced reactive oxygen species formation in ECs, and increased oxidative stress levels were associated with the induction of NADPH oxidases expression, followed by the subsequent downregulation of Sirt1 expression. The characteristics of EC senescence and dysfunction caused by NPs are prevented by an antioxidant (N-acetylcysteine), an NADPH oxidase inhibitor (apocynin), and a Sirt1 activator (resveratrol). These findings indicate that NPs induced premature EC senescence, at least in part, through the redox-sensitive eNOS/Sirt1 signaling pathway. This study suggested the effects and underlying mechanism of NPs on the cardiovascular system, which may provide pharmacological targets to prevent NPs-associated cardiovascular diseases.

Temporal Trends of Major Bleeding and Its Prediction by the Academic Research Consortium-High Bleeding Risk Criteria in Acute Myocardial Infarction

Limited data exist on the temporal trend of major bleeding and its prediction by the Academic Research Consortium-High Bleeding Risk (ARC-HBR) criteria in acute myocardial infarction (AMI) patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). We investigated 10-year trends of major bleeding and predictive ability of the ARC-HBR criteria in AMI patients. In a multicenter registry of 10,291 AMI patients undergoing PCI between 2004 and 2014 the incidence of Bleeding Academic Research Consortium (BARC) 3 and 5 bleeding was assessed, and, outcomes in ARC-defined HBR patients with AMI were compared with those in non-HBR. The primary outcome was BARC 3 and 5 bleeding at 1 year. Secondary outcomes included all-cause mortality and composite of cardiovascular death, myocardial infarction, or ischemic stroke. The annual incidence of BARC 3 and 5 bleeding in the AMI population has increased over the years (1.8% to 5.8%; p < 0.001). At 1 year, ARC-defined HBR (n = 3371, 32.8%) had significantly higher incidence of BARC 3 and 5 bleeding (9.8% vs. 2.9%; p < 0.001), all-cause mortality (22.8% vs. 4.3%; p < 0.001) and composite of ischemic events (22.6% vs. 5.8%; p < 0.001) compared to non-HBR. During the past decade, the incidence of major bleeding in the AMI population has increased. The ARC-HBR criteria provided reliable predictions for major bleeding, mortality, and ischemic events in AMI patients.

J-curve relationship between long term glycemic control and mortality in diabetic patients with acute myocardial infarction undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention

BACKGROUND

Intensive glycemic control is generally recommended for diabetic patients to reduce complications. However, the role of glycemic control in the mortality in diabetic patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI) remained unclear.

METHODS

We selected diabetic patients who measured HbA1c more than 3 times after AMI among 10,719 patients enrolled in the multicenter AMI registry. Patients (n = 1384) were categorized into five groups: according to mean HbA1c level: ≤ 6.5%, > 6.5 to ≤ 7.0%, > 7.0 to ≤ 7.5%, > 7.5 to ≤ 8.0% and > 8.0%. The primary endpoint was all-cause mortality.

RESULTS

During a median follow-up of 6.2 years, the patients with a mean HbA1c of 6.5 to 7.0% had the lowest all-cause mortality. Compared to patients with mean HbA1c of 6.5 to 7.0%, the risk of all-cause mortality increased in subjects with mean HbA1c ≤ 6.5% (adjusted hazard ratio [HR] 2.00, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.02-3.95) and in those with mean HbA1c > 8.0% (adjusted HR 3.35, 95% CI 1.78-6.29). In the subgroup analysis by age, the J-curve relationship between mean HbA1c and all-cause mortality was accentuated in elderly patients (age ≥ 65 years), while there was no difference in all-cause mortality across the HbA1c groups in younger patients (age < 65 years).

CONCLUSIONS

The less strict glycemic control in diabetic patients with AMI would be optimal for preventing mortality, especially in elderly patients.

Impact of Intravascular Ultrasound on Long-Term Clinical Outcomes in Patients With Acute Myocardial Infarction

OBJECTIVES

The aim of this study was to examine the impact of intravascular ultrasound (IVUS)-guided percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) on long-term clinical outcomes in patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI).

BACKGROUND

IVUS-guided PCI has been associated with improved cardiovascular outcomes. However, the beneficial effect of IVUS-guided PCI in patients with AMI in the drug-eluting stent era remains unclear.

METHODS

Patients who underwent PCI with drug-eluting stents were selected from 10,719 patients enrolled in a multicenter AMI registry. The included patients were classified into 2 groups according to the use or nonuse of IVUS. The primary outcome was a composite of major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE), including cardiovascular death, myocardial infarction, and target lesion revascularization, during long-term follow-up.

RESULTS

A total of 9,846 patients were treated with IVUS-guided PCI (n = 2,032) or angiography-guided PCI (n = 7,814). IVUS-guided PCI was associated with reduced MACE (HR: 0.779; 95% CI: 0.689-0.880; P < 0.001). The results were consistent after multivariable regression and propensity score matching. One-year landmark analysis showed a lower risk for MACE within 1 year (HR: 0.766; 95% CI: 0650-0.903; P = 0.002) and beyond 1 year (HR: 0.796; 95% CI: 0663-0.956; P = 0.014) after index PCI.

CONCLUSIONS

The use of IVUS was associated with better long-term cardiovascular outcomes. The clinical benefit of IVUS was maintained both within and beyond 1 year after index PCI. The use of IVUS in PCI should be considered for patients with AMI.

Probing Gluon Spin-Momentum Correlations in Transversely Polarized Protons through Midrapidity Isolated Direct Photons in p^{↑}+p Collisions at sqrt[s]=200 GeV

Studying spin-momentum correlations in hadronic collisions offers a glimpse into a three-dimensional picture of proton structure. The transverse single-spin asymmetry for midrapidity isolated direct photons in p^{↑}+p collisions at sqrt[s]=200  GeV is measured with the PHENIX detector at the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider (RHIC). Because direct photons in particular are produced from the hard scattering and do not interact via the strong force, this measurement is a clean probe of initial-state spin-momentum correlations inside the proton and is in particular sensitive to gluon interference effects within the proton. This is the first time direct photons have been used as a probe of spin-momentum correlations at RHIC. The uncertainties on the results are a 50-fold improvement with respect to those of the one prior measurement for the same observable, from the Fermilab E704 experiment. These results constrain gluon spin-momentum correlations in transversely polarized protons.

AIMP3 induces laminopathy and senescence of vascular smooth muscle cells by reducing lamin A expression and leads to vascular aging in vivo

Aminoacyl-tRNA synthetase-interacting multifunctional protein 3 (AIMP3), a tumor suppressor, mediates a progeroid phenotype in mice by downregulating lamin A. We investigated whether AIMP3 induces laminopathy and senescence of human aortic smooth muscle cells (HASMCs) and is associated with vascular aging in mice and humans in line with decreased lamin A expression. Cellular senescence was evaluated after transfecting HASMCs with AIMP3. Molecular analyses of genes encoding AIMP3, lamin A, chemokine (C-C motif) ligand 2 (CCL2), and C-C chemokine receptor type 2 (CCR2) and histological comparisons of aortas were performed with mice at various ages (7 weeks, 5 months, 12 months, 24 months, and 32 months), AIMP3-transgenic mice, and human femoral arteries of cadavers. AIMP3-transfected HASMCs exhibited increased AIMP3 and senescence marker p16 protein expression and decreased lamin A protein expression in accordance with their disrupted nuclear morphology in histological analyses. AIMP3-transgenic mice displayed increased AIMP3 protein expression and decreased lamin A protein expression in aortas together with typical aging pathologies. Similar changes were observed in wild-type aging (24-month-old) mice but not in wild-type young (7-week-old) mice. In humans, AIMP3 and lamin A protein expression was higher and lower, respectively, in femoral arteries of elderly individuals than in those of their younger counterparts. This study found that AIMP3 overexpression in vitro decreased lamin A expression and induced nuclear laminopathy and cellular senescence. Similar findings were made in the vasculature of aging mice and elderly humans.

Effect of smoking on clinical outcomes in patients receiving rotational atherectomy in calcified coronary lesions: from the ROCK Registry, South Korea

BACKGROUND

Tobacco smoking and its harmful health effects also increase economic burdens globally. Surprisingly, despite the detrimental health consequences of smoking, some studies have shown better survival among smokers compared with non-smokers, a phenomenon called "smoker's paradox". However, the impact of smoking status on clinical outcomes in severe calcified coronary artery disease (CAD) patients has yet to be reported.

OBJECTIVES

Investigate the impact of smoking on clinical outcomes in calcified CAD receiving rotational atherectomy (RA).

DESIGN

Retrospective review of medical records.

SETTING

Multicenter registry in South Korea.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

This multicenter registry included consecutive patients with calcified CAD who underwent RA at nine tertiary centers in Korea between January 2010 and October 2019.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

Target-vessel failure (TVF) which included the composite of cardiac death, target-vessel myocardial infarction (TVMI), and target-vessel revascularization (TVR).

SAMPLE SIZE

583 lesions in 540 patients followed for a median of 16.1 months.

RESULTS

Lesions were divided into two groups: non-smokers (n=472, 81.0%) and smokers (n=111, 19.0%). TVF in the smoker group was significantly more frequent than in non-smoker group (log rank P=.016). The inverse probability of treatment weighting analysis also showed that smoking was significantly associated with a higher incidence of the primary outcome (HR: 1.617; 95% CI: 1.127-2.320; P=.009), cardiac death (HR 1.912; 95% CI: 1.105-3.311; P=.021), myocardial infarction (HR: 3.914; 95% CI: 1.884-8.132; P<.001), TVMI (HR: 3.234; 95% CI: 1.130-9.258; P=.029), and TVR (HR: 1.661; 95% CI: 1.043-2.643; P=.032). However, any bleeding was significantly observed less in the smokers.

CONCLUSION

Smoking is significantly associated with adverse clinical outcomes in CAD patients requiring RA.

LIMITATIONS

Retrospective design.

CONFLICTS OF INTEREST

None.

Effects of Smoking on Long-Term Clinical Outcomes and Lung Cancer in Patients with Acute Myocardial Infarction

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES

Smoking is well-established as a risk factor for coronary artery disease. However, recent studies demonstrated favorable results, including reduced mortality, among smokers, which are referred to as the "smoker's paradox". This study examined the impact of smoking on clinical outcomes in patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI) undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI).

METHODS

Patients with AMI undergoing PCI between 2004 and 2014 were enrolled and classified according to smoking status. The primary endpoint was a composite of major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) including cardiac death, myocardial infarction, stroke, and revascularization.

RESULTS

Among the 10,683 patients, 4,352 (40.7%) were current smokers. Smokers were 10.7 years younger and less likely to have comorbidities such as hypertension, diabetes mellitus, chronic kidney disease, stroke, and prior PCI. Smokers had less MACE (hazard ratio [HR], 0.644; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.594-0.698; p<0.001) and cardiac death (HR, 0.494; 95% CI, 0.443-0.551; p<0.001) compared to nonsmokers during the 5 years in an unadjusted model. However, after propensity-score matching, smokers showed higher risk of MACE (HR, 1.125; 95% CI, 1.009-1.254; p=0.034) and cardiac death (HR, 1.190; 95% CI, 1.026-1.381; p=0.022). Smoking was a strong independent predictor of lung cancer (propensity-score matched HR, 2.749; 95% CI, 1.416-5.338; p=0.003).

CONCLUSIONS

In contrast to the unadjusted model, smoking is associated with worse cardiovascular outcome and higher incidence of lung cancer after adjustment of various confounding factors. This result can be explained by the characteristics of smokers, which were young and had fewer comorbidities.

An unusual anatomical variant of the left phrenic nerve encircling the transverse cervical artery

During educational dissection of cadavers, we encountered anatomical variability of the left phrenic nerve (PN). In this cadaver, nerve fibres from C3 and C4 descended and crossed behind the transverse cervical artery (TCA), a branch of the thyrocervical trunk, at the level of the anterior scalene muscle. On the other hand, nerve fibres from C5 descended obliquely above the TCA and then joined the fibres from C3-C4 on the medial side of the anterior scalene muscle to form the PN. To our knowledge, the encircling of the TCA by the left PN in the neck has not yet been reported and may pose a potential risk for nerve compression during movement of the neck. We discuss several types of anatomical variants of the PN and the associated risk during thorax and neck dissection procedures.

Ischemic and Bleeding Events Associated with Thrombocytopenia and Thrombocytosis after Percutaneous Coronary Intervention in Patients with Acute Myocardial Infarction

The early and late ischemic and bleeding clinical outcomes according to baseline platelet count after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) in patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI) remain unclear. Overall, 10,667 patients from the Cardiovascular Risk and identification of potential high-risk population in AMI (COREA-AMI) I and II registries were classified according to the following universal criteria on baseline platelet counts: (1) moderate to severe thrombocytopenia (platelet < 100 K/μL, n = 101), (2) mild thrombocytopenia (platelet = 100~149 K/μL, n = 631), (3) normal reference (platelet = 150~450 K/μL, n = 9832), and (4) thrombocytosis (platelet > 450 K/μL, n = 103). The primary endpoint was the occurrence of major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE). The secondary outcome was Bleeding Academic Research Consortium (BARC) 2, 3, and 5 bleeding. After adjusting for confounders, the moderate to severe thrombocytopenia (HR, 2.03; 95% CI, 1.49–2.78); p < 0.001), mild thrombocytopenia (HR, 1.15; 95% CI, 1.01–1.34; p = 0.045), and thrombocytosis groups (HR, 1.47; 95% CI, 1.07–2.03; p = 0.019) showed higher 5-year MACE rates than the normal reference. In BARC 2, 3, and 5 bleeding outcomes, the bleedings rates were higher than the normal range in the moderate to severe thrombocytopenia (HR, 2.18; 95% CI, 1.36–3.49; p = 0.001) and mild thrombocytopenia (HR, 1.41; 95% CI, 1.12–1.78; p = 0.004) groups. Patients with AMI had higher 5-year MACE rates after PCI if they had lower- or higher-than-normal platelet counts. Thrombocytopenia revealed higher early and late bleeding rates whereas thrombocytosis showed long-term bleeding trends, although these trends were not statistically significant.

Relation of Proprotein Convertase Subtilisin/Kexin Type 9 to Cardiovascular Outcomes in Patients Undergoing Percutaneous Coronary Intervention

The pharmacological inhibition of proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 (PCSK9) has been shown to drastically affect low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels and associated cardiovascular diseases. However, the potential effectiveness of PCSK9 serum levels as a biomarker for cardiovascular risk remains unclear. Serum PCSK9 levels in patients who underwent percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) may predict long-term outcomes. PCSK9 levels were measured in 749 consecutive patients with coronary artery disease undergoing PCI. These patients were classified into 2 groups according to their serum levels of PCSK9. The primary end point was a composite of the major adverse cardiac events (MACE), including cardiac death, myocardial infarction, stroke, and any revascularization. The median PCSK9 level was 302.82 ng/ml. During a median follow-up of 28.4 months, a total of 38 (5.1%) MACE was recorded, and 50 (6.7%) patients died from any cause. Multivariate Cox regression analysis showed that compared with a lower serum PCSK9 level, a higher serum PCSK9 level was independently associated with a higher rate of MACE (adjusted hazard ratio 2.290, 95% confidence interval 1.040 to 5.045, p = 0.040) and all-cause death (adjusted hazard ratio 2.511, 95% confidence interval 1.220 to 5.167, p = 0.026). Results were consistent after propensity-score matching (MACE, adjusted HR 2.236, 95% CI 1.011-5.350, p = 0.047; all-cause death, adjusted HR 2.826, 95% CI 1.258-6.349, p = 0.012). Baseline serum PCSK9 levels were associated with long-term cardiovascular clinical outcomes and mortality during the long-term follow-up after PCI in patients with coronary artery disease.

Plasticized Polystyrene by Addition of -Diene Based Molecules for Defect-Less CVD Graphene Transfer

Chemical vapor deposition of graphene on transition metals is the most favored method to get large scale homogenous graphene films to date. However, this method involves a very critical step of transferring as grown graphene to desired substrates. A sacrificial polymer film is used to provide mechanical and structural support to graphene, as it is detached from underlying metal substrate, but, the residue and cracks of the polymer film after the transfer process affects the properties of the graphene. Herein, a simple mixture of polystyrene and low weight plasticizing molecules is reported as a suitable candidate to be used as polymer support layer for transfer of graphene synthesized by chemical vapor deposition (CVD). This combination primarily improves the flexibility of the polystyrene to prevent cracking during the transfer process. In addition, the polymer removal solvent can easily penetrate between the softener molecules, so that the polymer film can be easily dissolved after transfer of graphene, thereby leaving no residue. This facile method can be used freely for the large-scale transfer of 2D materials.

Soluble neprilysin and long-term clinical outcomes in patients with coronary artery disease undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention: a retrospective cohort study

Background

Neprilysin has an essential role in regulating fluid balance and vascular resistance, and neprilysin inhibitors have shown beneficial effects in patients with heart failure. However, the potential predictive value of neprilysin levels as a biomarker for cardiovascular risk remains unclear. The aim of this study was to assess the prognostic value of soluble neprilysin (sNEP) levels in patients with ischemic heart disease.

Methods

Neprilysin levels were measured in 694 consecutive patients with coronary artery disease (CAD) undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). These patients were classified into two groups according to their serum levels of neprilysin and categorized into the lower neprilysin group (n = 348) and the higher neprilysin group (n = 346). The primary clinical endpoint was all-cause mortality, and the secondary endpoint was a composite of major adverse cardiac events (MACE).

Results

The median sNEP level was 76.0 pg/ml. The median sNEP levels were higher in patients with left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) ≥40% (77.6 pg/ml, interquartile range 46.6–141.3) than in those with LVEF < 40% (70.0 pg/ml, interquartile range 47.1–100.6; P = 0.032). Among all patients, each clinical outcome and MACE did not differ significantly according to the groups divided into median, tertile, or quartile of sNEP levels during a median follow-up of 28.4 months. We did not find a significant relationship between sNEP levels and clinical outcomes in multivariate Cox regression analysis. Among patients with LVEF < 40%, an increased sNEP level was associated with a higher rate of all-cause death (adjusted hazard ratio 2.630, 95% confidence interval 1.049–6.595, P = 0.039).

Conclusion

Serum sNEP levels are not associated with long-term mortality or cardiovascular outcomes after PCI in patients with CAD. In the LVEF < 40% group, increased sNEP levels may be associated with a higher risk of all-cause death.

Designed growth of porous 2D Nb2O5 with Ag nano-particles for differential detection of UV-A and UV-C

We demonstrate the differential detection of UV-A (ultra-violet 320-400 nm region) and UV-C (100-280 nm) using porous two-dimensional (2D) Nb₂O₅ and additional Ag nano-particle decoration. The 2D Nb₂O₅, which has band-absorption edge near the UV-A zone, was synthesized by thermodynamic conversion of 2D material NbSe₂ (Nb₂O₅ has lower Gibbs formation energy than NbSe₂). For the differential detection (to distinguish with UV-C absorption), we decorated the Ag nano-particles on the Nb₂O₅ surface. By coating Ag nano-particles, we can expect (i) a decrease in the area of light absorption by the Ag-coated area, and (ii) an increase of surface plasmon absorption by Ag nano-particles, especially the UV-A region, resulting in strong intensity ratio change UV-A/UV-C.

Erratum: Evolution of π^{0} Suppression in Au+Au Collisions from sqrt[s_{NN}]=39 to 200 GeV [Phys. Rev. Lett. 109, 152301 (2012)]

This corrects the article DOI: 10.1103/PhysRevLett.109.152301.

Angiotensin Receptor Blockers as an Alternative to Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme Inhibitors in Patients with Acute Myocardial Infarction Undergoing Percutaneous Coronary Intervention

BACKGROUND

Angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors (ACEIs) are the first choice for the treatment of acute myocardial infarction (AMI), and angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs) should be considered in patients intolerant to ACEIs. Although previous studies support the use of ARBs as an alternative to ACEIs, these studies showed inconsistent results. The objective of this study was to demonstrate the clinical impact of ARBs as an alternative to ACEIs in patients with AMI undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI).

METHODS

The CardiOvascular Risk and idEntificAtion of potential high-risk population in AMI (COREA-AMI) registry enrolled all consecutive patients with AMI undergoing PCI. The primary endpoint was the composite of cardiovascular death, myocardial infarction, stroke, or hospitalization due to heart failure.

RESULTS

Of the 3,328 eligible patients, ARBs replaced ACEIs in 816 patients, while 824 patients continued to use ACEIs and 826 patients continued to use ARBs. The remaining 862 patients did not receive ACEIs/ARBs. After the adjustment with inverse probability weighting, the primary endpoints in the first groups were similar (7.5% vs. 8.0%, hazard ratio [HR], 0.89; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.75-1.05; P = 0.164). Composite events were less frequent in the ACEI to ARB group than no ACEI/ARB group (7.5% vs. 11.8%, HR, 0.76; 95% CI, 0.64-0.90; P = 0.002).

CONCLUSION

The alternative use of ARBs following initial treatment with ACEIs demonstrates comparable clinical outcomes to those with continued use of ACEIs and is associated with an improved rate of composite events compared to no ACEI/ARB use in patients with AMI undergoing PCI.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT02385682.

Nuclear Dependence of the Transverse Single-Spin Asymmetry in the Production of Charged Hadrons at Forward Rapidity in Polarized p+p, p+Al, and p+Au Collisions at sqrt[s_{NN}]=200 GeV

We report on the nuclear dependence of transverse single-spin asymmetries (TSSAs) in the production of positively charged hadrons in polarized p^{↑}+p, p^{↑}+Al, and p^{↑}+Au collisions at sqrt[s_{NN}]=200  GeV. The measurements have been performed at forward rapidity (1.4<η<2.4) over the range of transverse momentum (1.8<p_{T}<7.0  GeV/c) and Feynman x (0.1<x_{F}<0.2). We observed positive asymmetries for positively charged hadrons in p^{↑}+p collisions, and significantly reduced asymmetries in p^{↑}+A collisions. These results reveal a nuclear dependence of TSSAs for charged-hadron production in a regime where perturbative techniques are applicable. These results provide new opportunities to use p^{↑}+A collisions as a tool to investigate the rich phenomena behind TSSAs in hadronic collisions and to use TSSAs as a new handle in studying small-system collisions.

Thickness-Dependence Electrical Characterization of the One-Dimensional van der Waals TaSe3 Crystal

Needle-like single crystalline wires of TaSe3 were massively synthesized using the chemical vapor transport method. Since the wedged-shaped single TaSe3 molecular chains were stacked along the b-axis by weak van der Waals interactions, a few layers of TaSe3 flakes could be easily isolated using a typical mechanical exfoliation method. The exfoliated TaSe3 flakes had an anisotropic planar structure, and the number of layers could be controlled by a repeated peeling process until a monolayer of TaSe3 nanoribbon was obtained. Through atomic force and scanning Kelvin probe microscope analyses, it was found that the variation in the work function with the thickness of the TaSe3 flakes was due to the interlayer screening effect. We believe that our results will not only help to add a novel quasi-1D block for nanoelectronics devices based on 2D van der Waals heterostructures, but also provide crucial information for designing proper contacts in device architecture.

Beam Energy and Centrality Dependence of Direct-Photon Emission from Ultrarelativistic Heavy-Ion Collisions

The PHENIX collaboration presents first measurements of low-momentum (0.4<p_{T}<3  GeV/c) direct-photon yields from Au+Au collisions at sqrt[s_{NN}]=39 and 62.4 GeV. For both beam energies the direct-photon yields are substantially enhanced with respect to expectations from prompt processes, similar to the yields observed in Au+Au collisions at sqrt[s_{NN}]=200. Analyzing the photon yield as a function of the experimental observable dN_{ch}/dη reveals that the low-momentum (>1  GeV/c) direct-photon yield dN_{γ}^{dir}/dη is a smooth function of dN_{ch}/dη and can be well described as proportional to (dN_{ch}/dη)^{α} with α≈1.25. This scaling behavior holds for a wide range of beam energies at the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider and the Large Hadron Collider, for centrality selected samples, as well as for different A+A collision systems. At a given beam energy, the scaling also holds for high p_{T} (>5  GeV/c), but when results from different collision energies are compared, an additional sqrt[s_{NN}]-dependent multiplicative factor is needed to describe the integrated-direct-photon yield.

Ticagrelor Does Not Improve Endothelial Dysfunction in Stable Survivors of Acute Coronary Syndrome

Background:

Ticagrelor is an intriguing antiplatelet agent with a potentially beneficial impact on endothelial dysfunction and confers a mortality benefit beyond 1 month after acute coronary syndrome (ACS). However, little data exist on whether ticagrelor improves endothelial dysfunction in stable patients who survive the acute period and receive guideline-directed medical therapy.

Methods and Results:

This study is a prospective, randomized, parallel, open-labeled study that enrolled 30-day survivors of non-ST-segment elevation ACS (NSTE-ACS). Forty patients with NSTE-ACS were randomly assigned to ticagrelor or clopidogrel groups. The primary end point was the change in the percentage brachial artery flow-mediated dilation (baFMD) from baseline. Baseline characteristics were not different between the 2 groups. The median time from the stent implantation to screening was 269 days. After 30 days of study medication administration, the change in the percentage baFMD value was similar between the ticagrelor and clopidogrel groups (−0.08 [1.42] vs 0.30 [1.69], P = .66). There was no difference in the change in high-sensitive C-reactive protein (−0.61 [1.48] vs −0.01 [0.57], P = .28); however, the change in platelet inhibition significantly differed (P2Y12 reaction units, −140.5 [49.5] vs −3.9 [51.4], P < .001).

Conclusions:

This dual time point baFMD study demonstrated that treatment with ticagrelor was not superior to clopidogrel for improving endothelial dysfunction in stabilized patients with NSTE-ACS.