Intracoronary Thrombus Research Articles

Safety and Efficacy of Aspiration Thrombectomy With Intracoronary Tirofiban in Patients Undergoing Primary Percutaneous Coronary Intervention: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis

BACKGROUND: Primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PPCI) may be complicated by heavy intracoronary thrombus burden leading to decrease in myocardial perfusion and increase in infarct size. The current meta-analysis aims to investigate the clinical outcomes of aspiration thrombectomy (AT) with intracoronary tirofiban during PPCI. METHODS: A systematic search for randomized controlled trials that evaluate the safety and efficacy of AT with intracoronary tirofiban in ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) patients who underwent PPCI was done using PubMed, MEDLINE, EMBASE, Cochrane, ClinicalTrials.gov., and Herdin PH. Studies included those published between 2010 and 2023 and involved human subjects. Search terms included “aspiration thrombectomy,” “intracoronary tirofiban,” “primary percutaneous coronary intervention,” and “STEMI patients.” RESULTS: Four randomized controlled trials (n = 490 participants) were included in this metaanalysis comparing AT with intracoronary tirofiban versus AT alone in STEMI patients undergoing PPCI. The results revealed no statistically significant difference in ST-segment resolution (risk ratio [RR], 1.02; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.97–1.08; P = 0.41, I2 = 0%), myocardial blush grade 2–3, (RR, 1.04; 95% CI, 0.97–1.12; P = 0.22, I2 = 62%), and Thrombolysis In Myocardial Infarction 3 flow (RR, <1.0; 95% CI, 0.95–1.04; P = 0.87). The occurrence of major adverse cardiovascular events did not significantly differ between the two groups (RR, 0.46; 95% CI, 0.19–1.09; P = 0.08, I2 = 0%). There was no statistically significant difference in terms of bleeding when combining intracoronary tirofiban to standard medical therapy (RR, 1.35; 95% CI, 0.64–2.84; P = 0.78, four trials [490 patients]). CONCLUSION: In PPCI, major adverse cardiovascular event outcomes of AT with intracoronary tirofiban were similar to those for AT alone in terms of improving myocardial perfusion in STEMI patients without increasing the risk for bleeding. Our meta-analysis suggests that AT alone may be the more acceptable standard during PPCI when encountering heavy thrombus burden. Future validated studies may help further investigate the strategy of adding tirofiban during AT.

Safety and efficacy of aspiration thrombectomy with intracoronary tirofiban VS aspiration thrombectomy alone in patients undergoing primary PCI: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Abstract Background Primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PPCI) may be complicated by intracoronary thrombus accumulation in ST elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) leading to decrease in myocardial perfusion and increase in infarct size. The utilization of aspiration thrombectomy and intracoronary tirofiban in STEMI patients undergoing PPCI hold clinical relevance by removal of thrombus burden, potentially reducing distal embolization and improving myocardial perfusion and by targeting platelet aggregation to mitigate thrombotic complications, respectively. Given the paramount importance of achieving rapid and effective reperfusion in STEMI, the evaluation of these interventions is warranted to assess overall impact on patient outcomes in terms of safety and efficacy. Purpose The current meta-analysis aims to investigate the clinical outcomes of aspiration thrombectomy (AT) with intracoronary tirofiban versus AT alone during PPCI. Methods A systematic search for randomized controlled trials that evaluate the safety and efficacy of aspiration thrombectomy with intracoronary tirofiban in STEMI patients who underwent PPCI was done using PubMed, MEDLINE, Embase, Cochrane, Clinicaltrials.gov. and Herdin PH. Studies included those between 2010 - 2023 and involved human subjects. Search terms included "Aspiration Thrombectomy", "Intracoronary Tirofiban", "Primary Percutaneous Coronary Intervention" and "STEMI patients". Results Four RCTs (n: 490 participants) were included in this meta-analysis comparing aspiration thrombectomy with intracoronary tirofiban versus aspiration thrombectomy alone in STEMI patients undergoing PPCI. The results revealed no statistically significant difference in ST segment resolution (RR 1.02, 95%, CI: 0.97 - 1.08, P = 0.41, I2 = 0%), myocardial blush grade 2-3, (risk ratio of 1.04, 95%, CI: 0.97 – 1.12, P = 0.22, I2 = 62%) and TIMI 3 flow (risk ratio of 1.0, 95% CI: 0.95 - 1.04, P = 0.87). The occurrence of major adverse cardiovascular events did not significantly differ between the two groups (RR 0.46, 95% CI: 0.19 – 1.09, P = 0.08, I2 = 0%). There was no statistically significant difference in terms of bleeding when combining intracoronary tirofiban to standard medical therapy (RR 1.35, 95% CI: 0.64 – 2.84, P= 0.78, 4 trials [490 patients]). Conclusion In primary percutaneous coronary intervention, MACE outcomes of aspiration thrombectomy with intracoronary tirofiban were similar to that for aspiration thrombectomy alone in terms of improving myocardial perfusion in STEMI patients without increasing the risk for bleeding. Our meta-analysis suggests that AT alone may be the more acceptable standard during PPCI when encountering heavy thrombus burden. Future validated studies may help further investigate the strategy of adding tirofiban during aspiration thrombectomy.1. Primary Outcomes2. Secondary Outcomes

Evaluating the Impact and Financial Implications of Immediate versus Delayed Stenting Strategies in High Thrombus Burden Acute Myocardial Infarction: A Propensity Score-Matched Analysis.

The efficacy of delayed stenting strategies in the management of high thrombus burden acute myocardial infarction remains uncertain. We aimed to compare the therapeutic effects and financial implications of immediate and delayed stenting strategies in patients with acute myocardial infarction and high thrombus burden treated at our institution. This was a retrospective analysis of 158 patients who underwent intracoronary thrombus aspiration for acute ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) at the Second Affiliated Hospital of Shantou University Medical College between 2013 and 2023. Patients were divided into two groups: immediate stenting (immediate group; n = 101) and delayed stenting (delayed group; n = 57), based on the timing of the stenting procedure. Propensity score matching was performed to minimize confounding bias. Therapeutic effects and cost of treatment were compared between the two groups. After propensity score matching (n = 52 for each group), there were no significant differences in terms of baseline clinical characteristics, characteristics of vascular lesions (number of diseased vessels, culprit vessels, thrombolysis in myocardial infarction (TIMI) thrombus grade, proximal coronary artery lesion), the incidence of no-reflow/slow flow during the first surgery, or the use of antiplatelet drugs, intraprocedural anticoagulants, intracoronary drugs, and tirofiban. There were no significant between-group differences in terms of in-hospital all-cause mortality, in-hospital major adverse cardiovascular events, or hospitalization costs. However, peak creatine kinase-myocardial band (CK-MB) levels were significantly lower in the delayed group. For patients with STEMI undergoing emergency thrombus aspiration, a delayed stenting strategy appears to be non-inferior to immediate stenting strategy in terms of clinical efficacy and hospitalization costs, and may reduce the extent of myocardial injury. Delayed stenting strategy may allow for a more individualized surgical approach based on assessment of thrombus burden and lesion complexity.

Prognostic Value of Triglyceride Glucose Index in ST-Elevation Myocardial Infarction: A Key Predictor of Mortality and Thrombus Burden.

We aimed to investigate the association between the triglyceride glucose index (TGI) and mortality in patients with ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI). This retrospective study utilized data from the records of patients diagnosed with STEMI who underwent primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) at the Cardiology Department of Private Aktif International Hospital between 2020 and 2023. Demographic data, medical history, laboratory results, and treatment processes of the patients were obtained from retrospective records. Patients were divided into low (TGI ≤ 8.6)-, medium (TGI = 8.6-9.2)-, and high (TGI ≥ 9.2)-TGI groups according to their TGI levels. The average age of the patients was 62 ± 10 years, and 65% were men. The intracoronary thrombus burden of patients in the high-TGI group was found to be significantly higher compared to the low- and medium-TGI groups (p = 0.01). While the rate of patients with a thrombolysis in myocardial infarction (TIMI) thrombosis score of 3 or above was 45% in the high-TGI group, this rate was observed to be 20% in the low-TGI group. The short-term (30-day) mortality rate was found to be 15% in the high-TGI group, 8% in the medium-TGI group, and 5% in the low-TGI group (p = 0.02). Long-term (after 30 days) mortality rates were determined as 25% in the high-TGI group, 15% in the medium-TGI group, and 10% in the low-TGI group (p = 0.01). TGI was an independent risk factor for both short-term and long-term mortality. The hazard ratio (HR) of high TGI levels for short-term mortality was found to be 2.5 (95% CI: 1.5-4.1, p = 0.01), and the HR for long-term mortality was 2.0 (95% CI: 1.3-3.2, p < 0.02). Our results show that high TGI levels are associated with increased thrombus burden and high mortality rates in STEMI. TGI can be used not only in predicting STEMI but also in early risk stratification and treatment planning for STEMI patients.

Successful nonsurgical therapeutic management in a case of early mechanical aortic prosthetic thrombosis and coronary embolism after a modified Bentall procedure.

Prosthetic valve thrombosis, although rare, is a life-threatening complication of valve replacement surgery. The authors present an atypical case of a modified Bentall procedure with the CarboSeal Valsalva™ conduit complicated by an early mechanical prosthetic aortic valve thrombosis and coronary embolism. The patient was successfully treated with an emergency percutaneous coronary angioplasty and intracoronary thrombus aspiration of the left anterior descending artery, followed by a systemic 10mg bolus of tissue plasminogen activator followed by ultraslow (25 h) infusion of low-dose (25mg), while supported with venoarterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation.

Uric Acid to Albumin Ratio as a Predictive Marker for Intracoronary Thrombus Severity in ST-Segment Elevation Myocardial Infarction (STEMI) Patients Undergoing Primary Percutaneous Coronary Intervention (PCI).

BACKGROUND This study assessed the association between a novel inflammatory marker, uric acid (UA)-to-albumin ratio (UAR), and preprocedural intracoronary artery thrombus (ICAT) in ST elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI). MATERIAL AND METHODS A total of 171 STEMI patients treated by primary percutaneous coronary intervention between February and December 2023 were evaluated prospectively in this cross-sectional study. The patients were stratified into 2 groups as low (grades 1 to 3) and high-(ICAT) groups (grades 4 and 5). To determine the independent predictors of lower and higher ICAT, multivariate regression analysis was performed. RESULTS C-reactive protein (CRP), UA, and UAR were significantly higher in the high ICAT group (1.11 (0.3-2.8) vs 0.80 (0.10-2.8), P=0.037; 5.4 (3.5-7.2) vs 4.9 (3.4-5.6), P<0.001; 1.78 (0.82-3) vs 1.48 (0.77-2.57), P<0.001, respectively). However, albumin levels were similar between groups (3.1 (2.1-4.4) vs 3.3 (2.1-4.4), P=0.243). Higher UAR (OR: 3.95% CI: 1.23-12.7, P=0.021), lower left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) (OR=0.802; 95% CI 0.7537-0.872; P<0.001), longer pain-wire crossing time (OR=1; 95% CI: 1-1.02; P<0.001), and diabetes mellitus (OR=0.181; 95% CI 0.46-0.7; P<0.001) were independent predictors of ICAT. CONCLUSIONS UAR, a marker of inflammation, is an independent predictor of ICAT in patients with STEMI.

Large Intra-Coronary Thrombus Induced by Cocaine Use

Large Intra-Coronary Thrombus Induced by Cocaine Use

Impact of triglyceride-glucose index on intracoronary thrombus burden in ST-elevation myocardial infarction patients undergoing primary percutaneous coronary intervention

Background and aimsWe aimed to investigate the relationship between triglyceride glucose (TyG) index and intracoronary thrombus burden in patients with ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) who underwent primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). Methods and resultsA total of 468 consecutive patients who were admitted with STEMI and underwent primary PCI were included in the study. TyG index was calculated as ln [fasting triglycerides (mg/dL) × fasting plasma glucose (mg/dL)/2]. According to the angiographic reclassified thrombolysis in myocardial infarction (TIMI) thrombus grade, patients were divided into two groups as small thrombus burden (STB) with TIMI thrombus grade 0–3, and large thrombus burden (LTB) with TIMI thrombus grade 4–5. TyG index was significantly higher in the LTB group than in the STB group (9.11 ± 0.86 vs 8.89 ± 0.62; p = 0.002). In multivariate analysis, TyG index was found to be an independent predictor of LTB in STEMI patients who underwent primary PCI [OR (95 % CI): 1.470 (1.090–1.982), p = 0.012]. The area under the curve (AUC) of TyG index predicting LTB was 0.568 (95 % CI 0.506–0.631; p = 0.023), with the best cut-off value of 8.87. In the classification according to TyG index cut-off value, the frequency of LTB was found to be significantly higher in the high TyG index group than in the low TyG index group (33.6 % vs 21.2 %; p = 0.003). ConclusionTyG index, a valid surrogate marker of insulin resistance, is an independent predictor of LTB in STEMI patients who underwent primary PCI and can be used as an indicator of increased intracoronary thrombus burden.

Fibrinogen and Intracoronary Thrombus as Predictors of Major Adverse Cardiovascular Events In-Hospital in St-Elevation Myocardial Infarction (STEMI) Patients Undergoing Primary Percutaneous Coronary Intervention

Background: Fibrinogen is an acute phase reactant involved in inflammation and coagulation in STEMI. Rupture of atherosclerotic plaque can cause the formation of intracoronary thrombus. Despite undergoing primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI), patients are at risk of experiencing major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE). Method: The research design used a prospective cohort. The independent variables are fibrinogen and intracoronary thrombus. Fibrinogen levels are examined when the patient arrives at the cardiac emergency unit. Intracoronary thrombus examination is carried out when the patient undergoes primary PCI. The outcomes studied were MACE during treatment in the form of cardiovascular death, cardiogenic shock, acute heart failure, malignant arrhythmias and persistent chest pain. Results: A total of 62 samples were involved in this research. There were 29 patients (46.7%) with high fibrinogen and 38 patients (61.3%) with large intracoronary thrombus. During follow-up during treatment, 26 patients (41.9%) experienced MACE. The cut-off fibrinogen value was 341.6 mg dl (AUC 0.809; 95% CI 0.696-0.923; p&lt;0.001). Cox regression analysis using the backward log rank method showed that high fibrinogen (adjusted HR 3.45; 95% CI 1.29-9.23; p=0.13) and large intracoronary thrombus (adjusted HR 4.30; 95% CI 1.24-14.90; p=0.021) were independent predictors of MACE during hospitalization. Combined analysis of high fibrinogen and large intracoronary thrombus showed that 81.0% of patients experienced MACE during hospitalization (adjusted RR 2.87; 95% CI 1.12-7.35; Cohran and Mantel-Haenzel p=0.002). Conclusion: High fibrinogen and large intracoronary thrombus are independent predictors of MACE during hospitalization and can be applied as additional data for risk stratification in STEMI patients undergoing primary PCI.

High CRP-albumin ratio is associated high thrombus burden in patients with newly diagnosed STEMI.

In patients undergoing primary percutaneous coronary intervention (pPCI) due to ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI), an increased intracoronary thrombus burden is a strong predictive factor for adverse cardiovascular events. The C-reactive protein (CRP)-serum albumin (SA) ratio (CAR), used as an inflammatory marker, is closely associated with thrombogenicity. In this study, we investigated the relationship between coronary thrombus burden and CAR in patients undergoing pPCI due to newly diagnosed STEMI. A total of 216 patients who underwent pPCI due to STEMI were retrospectively included for the study. Angiographic thrombus burden was assessed according to thrombolysis in myocardial infarction (TIMI) grading, and those with grade 1, 2, 3 were classified as low thrombus burden (n = 120) and those with grade 4, 5 were classified as high thrombus burden (HTB) (n = 96). CAR was calculated as the ratio of CRP to SA. The average age of the patients was 60 ± 9.8, and the male ratio was 61.1. Compared to the LTB group, the HTB group had higher CAR, age, SYNTAX score, baseline cTnT, peak cTnT, CRP, glucose, WBC, and NLR while the LVEF and SA levels were lower (P < .05). Spearman's correlation analysis revealed a significant correlation between thrombus burden and CAR. The multivariable logistic regression analysis revealed that CAR (odds ratio: 10.206; 95% confidence interval: 2.987-34.872, P < .001) was a independent risk factor for HTB. According to the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis, when the cutoff value for CAR was taken as ≥1.105 CAR could predict HTB with a sensitivity of 70.8% and specificity of 67.7%. Our data indicate that CAR an independent risk factor for thrombus burden.

Brazilian Registry of Interventional Cardiology during the COVID-19 Pandemic (RBCI-COVID19).

At the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, patients with myocardial infarction (MI) took longer to present to hospitals because of fear of contamination and health care access difficulties. To assess interventional cardiology procedures performed during the COVID-19 pandemic and its implications for MI approach. Prospective registry of 24 cardiac catheterization laboratories in Brazil, with adult patients undergoing interventional cardiology procedures between May 26 and November 30, 2020. The outcomes were cardiovascular (CV) and non-CV complications, death, and MI. Concomitant COVID-19 was confirmed using RT-PCR. Machine learning techniques were used with nonparametric Classification Trees models, and Simple Correspondence Analysis, with R statistical software package. Significance level adopted of 5%. This study included 1282 patients, 435 of whom (33.9%) had MI as follows: ST-segment elevation MI (STEMI), 239 (54.9%); and non-ST-segment elevation MI (NSTEMI), 196 (45.1%). Of the 1282 patients, 29 had CV complications, 47 had non-CV complications, and 31 died. The diagnosis of COVID-19 was confirmed in 77 patients (6%), with 15.58% mortality and non-CV complications in 6.49%. Most patients had significant coronary artery disease (63%), and an intracoronary thrombus was more often found in the presence of STEMI (3.4%) and COVID-19 (4%). A door-to-table time longer than 12 hours in NSTEMI was associated with 30.8% of complications, 25% in COVID-19 patients. All deaths were preceded by CV or non-CV complications. The presence of COVID-19 was associated with death and non-fatal complications of patients undergoing interventional cardiology procedures during the pandemic.

Relation of Monocyte Count to Thrombus Burden in ST-Segment Elevation Myocardial Infarction Patients Undergoing Primary Percutaneous Coronary Intervention

Objective: To determine the association of monocyte count to thrombus burden in ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) patients undergoing primary percutaneous coronary intervention (P-PCI). Method: This analytical, cross-sectional study was done in the Angiography Department of Rawalpindi Institute of Cardiology, Rawalpindi from October 30, 2020 to April 30, 2021. After taking ethical approval, 180 STEMI patients undergoing P-PCI who presented within 24 hours of symptoms were included using nonprobability convenient sampling. Informed written consent of the patients was obtained. Primary PCI with stenting was done and the thrombolysis in myocardial infarction (TIMI) scale was applied to determine intracoronary thrombus burden. The blood samples of patients were taken to estimate monocyte count. The data was analyzed through the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) version 25. Results: The frequency of thrombus burden was high in 71(39.4%) patients and low in 109(60.6%) patients. The monocyte count showed a significant difference in patients with high thrombus versus low thrombus burden. In low thrombus burden patients, the mean monocyte count was 0.49±0.50 and in high thrombus burden patients, the mean monocyte count was 0.64±0.48. The results of stratification of thrombus burden with age group showed significant p-value and with others showed non-significant p-value. Conclusion: The monocyte count is a reliable, inexpensive and simple-to-measure predictor of high thrombus burden in coronary arteries in STEMI patients undergoing primary PCI

Thrombus architecture is influenced by the antiplatelet loading treatment in patients with acute myocardial infarction

BackgroundIntracoronary thrombus formation is a main cause of acute myocardial infarction triggered by platelet activation. However, there are no data on the impact of different treatment strategies with antiplatelet agents before percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) on histological characteristics of thrombus formation. ObjectiveIn this study, we investigate the impact of preinterventional administration of the P2Y12-inhibitors clopidogrel and prasugrel on thrombus composition, highlighting significant changes associated with the antiplatelet pre-treatment. MethodsWe prospectively enrolled 104 consecutive patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) undergoing immediate PCI and thrombus aspiration by immunohistochemical staining along with RNA-sequencing employing Nanostring analysis. Fifty-two patients were treated with either prasugrel loading (60 mg) or clopidogrel loading (600 mg) prior to PCI, respectively. ResultsIn Patients with STEMI, intracoronary thrombus architecture was significantly altered between patients pre-treated with prasugrel when compared to clopidogrel. Fibrin content of thrombi was significantly decreased (41.8 % versus 66.7 %, p = 0.009) after pre-treatment with prasugrel compared to clopidogrel. Furthermore, levels of MPO positive cells in intracoronary thrombi were significantly decreased in patients with prasugrel pre-treatment (90.5 versus 201.1, p = 0.014) indicating an association of antiplatelet pre-treatment and the inflammatory responses during thrombus formation. Most strikingly, we observed significant differences among both pre-treatment groups regarding altered RNA expression and signaling pathways of thrombo-inflammatory processes within the thrombotic material, which were independently associated with antiplatelet strategies. ConclusionsOur study elucidates the impact of antiplatelet pre-treatment on thrombus remodeling and architecture, thereby lowering the risk of recurrent adverse cardiovascular events in prasugrel-treated patients.

Trombosit Dağılım Genişliği Akut Koroner Sendrom Şiddeti ve Koroner Trombüs Yükü ile İlişkili mi?

Aim: Platelets play a pivotal role in the pathogenesis of acute coronary syndrome (ACS), and platelet distribution width (PDW) shows the activities of platelets in circulation. The purpose of this study was to determine the association of PDW with the ACS severity and angiographic intracoronary thrombus burden and Thrombolysis In Myocardial Infarction (TIMI) flow grade.&#x0D; Materials and Methods: One hundred forty-nine consecutive patients who were diagnosed as having ACS were retrospectively evaluated. Global Registry of Acute Coronary Events (GRACE) scores were calculated from the clinical and laboratory data for ACS severity. TIMI flow grades and thrombus grades of the culprit coronary arteries were calculated for each patient. Patients were grouped into two groups according to their PDW values: high PDW and low PDW. The SPSS 17.0 software was used for statistical analysis. &#x0D; Results: PDW was found to be correlated with GRACE scores (P

THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE MORPHOLOGICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF INTRACORONARY THROMBI AND THE PROBABILITY OF ACHIEVING ADEQUATE BLOOD FLOW IN THE INFARCTRELATED CORONARY ARTERY

Summary. Purpose. To study the relationship between the morphological characteristics of intracoronary thrombi and the probability of achieving adequate blood flow in the infarctrelated coronary artery in patients with ST-segment elevation acute myocardial infarction (STEMI) after primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI).&#x0D; Materials and methods. The analysis included 98 patients with STEMI who, in the first 12 hours from the onset of symptoms, underwent PCI and received thrombotic masses during manual thromboaspiration. The latter was analyzed macroand microscopically. Using the method of logistic regression with progressive selection, characteristics of thrombi affecting the probability of achieving adequate blood flow were identified.&#x0D; Results. From the set of factors investigated in the course of performing the work using the logistic regression method, 5 factors were separated that, when combined, have an impact on the probability of reaching TIMI 3 blood flow after PCI: old thrombi, layered structure, microchannels, inflammatory infiltrate on the periphery, and white thrombi&#x0D; Conclusions. The structure of the intracoronary thrombus has a significant connection with the probability of achieving adequate blood flow through the infarctrelated coronary artery.

Intentional Thromboatherectomy Using Directional Coronary Atherectomy for Massive Subacute Intracoronary Thrombus

Intentional Thromboatherectomy Using Directional Coronary Atherectomy for Massive Subacute Intracoronary Thrombus

Latest Concepts in Diagnosis and Management of Coronary Thrombus

Coronary thrombus is an integral part of unstable atherosclerotic plaque causing acute coronary syndrome. The thrombus results from a either a disrupted atherosclerotic plaque or plaque erosion. A vulnerable plaque initiates the formation of a thrombus which consists of platelets, red blood cells, vasoconstrictors, and procoagulant bound by fibrin fibers. intracoronary thrombi (ICT) can be red or white. Angiography is the gold standard for diagnosis of coronary thrombus. Thrombus burden inversely impacts myocardial perfusion, with high thrombus burden resulting in sub optimal primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) results and poor outcome. Management of ICT is a therapeutic challenge and involves a combination of pharmacological and mechanical therapies. Low thrombus burden is dealt with standard pharmacotherapy, balloon angioplasty, and stenting with occasional need to use aspiration catheter. High thrombus burden requires a targeted thrombus strategy.

How to effectively manage the refractory coronary thrombus? A systemic mini-review.

The main management principle for patients with coronary thrombus should be "more removal and less implantation". Routine thrombus aspiration (TA) is ineffective for intracoronary thrombus or high residual thrombus burden after TA and may result in a refractory coronary thrombus. It is unwise to implant a stent in the vessel with high residual thrombus, which is associated with no-reflow, impaired microvascular perfusion, and consequently worse clinical outcomes. Therefore, increasing the efficiency of TA during percutaneous coronary intervention procedures, especially under some conditions of refractory coronary thrombus, is very important to restore myocardial reperfusion and improve microvascular dysfunction early. In the present work, we aimed to demonstrate the factors that may affect TA efficiency and introduce several highly effective approaches to treat refractory coronary thrombus.

Modified Glasgow Prognostic Score Predicted High-Grade Intracoronary Thrombus in Acute Anterior Myocardial Infarction.

High-grade intracoronary thrombus (ICT) burden leads to greater myocardial injury following anterior myocardial infarction (MI). The modified Glasgow prohgnostic score (mGPS) is a novel immune-inflammatory index, calculated by using C-reactive protein (CRP) and albumin levels, was shown to have prognostic value in heart diseases. The present study investigated the role of mGPS in predicting high grade ICT in patients with acute anterior MI admitted between February 2017 and March 2020. Blood samples were obtained at admission and mGPS was calculated. The ICT burden was evaluated visually from angiographic images. Patients were divided into 2 groups according to the ICT burden as high and low. A total of 1132 patients were enrolled: a mean age 61 ± 12.4 years and 370 males (32.7%). Serum albumin was lower, whereas mGPS and CRP were higher in high grade ICT group. CRP (odds ratio (OR): 1.404 95% CI: 1.312-1.502; P < .001), albumin (OR: .486; 95% CI: .301-.782 P < .001), and mGPS (0 vs ≥ 1) (OR: 7.391; 95% CI: 3.910-13.972; P < .001) were independent predictors of high-grade ICT burden in the left anterior descending coronary artery. The mGPS is a novel predictor of high-grade ICT burden and may be useful for risk stratification in patients with acute anterior MI.

Intracoronary thrombus assessment with cardiac computed tomography angiography in a deferred stenting strategy: the MATURE prospective study (MSCT to Assess ThrombUs REsolution).

Cardiac computed tomography angiography (CCTA) is precise in noninvasive coronary atherosclerosis characterization but its value in the diagnosis of intracoronary thrombus remains unknown. Therefore, our aim was to evaluate CCTA for intracoronary thrombus and stenosis detection in patients with acute coronary syndromes with high thrombus burden selected for a deferred stenting strategy. We systematically performed a CCTA in consecutive patients following a deferred stenting strategy, 24 h before the scheduled repeated coronary angiography including optical coherence tomography (OCT) imaging. Intracoronary thrombus and residual stenosis were blindly and independently evaluated by both techniques. Agreement was determined per lesion using the weighted Kappa ( K ) coefficient and absolute intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC). A stratified analysis according to OCT-detected thrombus burden was also performed. Thirty lesions in 28 consecutive patients were analyzed. Concordance between CCTA and repeated coronary angiography in thrombus detection was good ( K = 0.554; P < 0.001), but both showed poor agreement with OCT. CCTA needed >11.5% thrombus burden on OCT to obtain adequate diagnostic accuracy. The lesions detected by angiography were more frequently classified as red thrombus (76.5 vs. 33.3%; P = 0.087) on OCT. CCTA showed an excellent concordance with coronary angiography in diameter measurement (ICC = 0.85; P < 0.001) and was able to identify all the patients with severe residual stenosis. Although CCTA showed just a good concordance with angiography in intracoronary thrombus detection, the agreement in residual stenosis was excellent. Thus, in patients with a high-thrombus burden selected for a deferred stenting strategy CCTA may substitute repeat angiography.