Invasive Coronary Angiogram Research Articles

Sex-based analysis of NSTEMI processes of care and outcomes by hospital: a nationwide cohort study

Abstract Background Contemporary studies have demonstrated that in non-ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (NSTEMI), processes of care vary significantly according to biological sex. Little is known regarding variation in practice between geographical areas and individual centers. Methods & Results We identified 305,014 admissions with NSTEMI in the United Kingdom (UK) Myocardial Infarction National Audit Project (MINAP), 2010-2017, including female sex (n = 110,209). Females presented significantly older (77y vs. 69y, P<0.001), were more likely to be Caucasian (93% vs. 91%, P<0.001) and less likely to be current smokers (18% vs. 24%, P<0.001). Females were less frequently treated with GDMT after NSTEMI, less frequently managed with an invasive coronary angiogram (ICA) (58% vs. 75%, P<0.001) during index admission and less frequently underwent PCI (35% vs. 49%, P<0.001) or CABG surgery (5% vs. 9%, P<0.001) compared to males. Structural process of care differed between the sexes, with a lower proportion of females being treated on a dedicated cardiology ward (48% vs. 56%, P<0.001) or admitted under a attending cardiologist (44% vs. 52%, P<0.001). In our hospital-clustered analysis, we show a positive correlation between the risk-standardized mortality rates (RSMR) and increasing proportion of women treated for NSTEMI (R2=0.17, P<0.001). There was a clear negative correlation between the proportion of females who had an optimum opportunity-based quality indicator score (surrogate for optimum process of care) during their admission and RSMR (R2 =0.22, P<0.001), with a far weaker correlation in males (R2 =0.08, P<0.001). Conclusion There was a significant in variation of the management of patients with NSTEMI according to sex, with widespread geographical variation. Structural changes are likely required to enable successful change for female patients.

CT FFR in stable heart disease and Coronary Computed Tomographic Angiography helps improve patient care and societal costs

Abstract Background NHS England (NHSE) has advocated Coronary Computed Tomographic Angiography (CCTA) as the first line diagnostic test for suspected symptomatic coronary artery disease (CAD) since NICE Guidance in 2016 and CT Fractional Flow Reserve (CT FFR) as a second line test since 2017. In 2018 a national health technology programme funded CT FFR utilisation with the aim of improving patient pathways and reducing costs. Purpose To determine whether the introduction of a new technology (CT FFR) into the national health system improved patient care. Methods A multi-centre, observational analytic cohort study of all patients that underwent CCTA at 25 NHSE sites for the assessment of CAD over a 3-year period (April 2017- March 2020). Sites and patients were categorised as pre or post CT FFR health technology introduction. Clinical outcomes (all-cause death, myocardial infarction, cardiovascular death, revascularization) and resource utilization (downstream cardiac tests) were assessed at 2 years from NHS digital health records. Results 90,573 patients (Age 58.1±13.2, 51.9% male, 48.1% female), received 96,353 CCTA and 8,831 CT FFR as a second line test. Clinical characteristics were well matched between the 2 study groups (Figure 1). Results are presented as pre-CT FFR vs post-CT FFR with Odds Ratio (95% CI) for Post-CT FFR. No difference was observed for all-cause mortality (n=1135 (3.2%) vs 1627 (3.0%); OR 0.93 (0.86, 1.01), p=0.07) or Myocardial infarction events (n=348 (1.0%) vs 597 (1.1%); OR 1.12 (0.98, 1.28), p=0.10). Cardiovascular mortality was lower in the post CT FFR population (n=466 (1.3%) vs 628 (1.1%); OR 0.88 (0.78, 0.99), p=0.03) with higher rates of percutaneous intervention (PCI) (n=1866 (5.2%) vs 3069 (5.6%); OR 1.07 (1.01, 1.14), p=0.02 but not CABG (n=669 (1.9%) vs 993 (1.8%); OR 0.97 (0.87, 1.07), p=0.48). Figure 2. Fewer cardiac downstream tests were performed post CT-FFR (n=6356 (17.8%) vs 8073 (14.7%), p<0.001) including fewer invasive coronary angiograms (ICA) (n=4128 (11.6%) vs 5437 (9.9%); OR 0.84 (0.81, 0.88), p<0.001). Conclusion The introduction of CT FFR as a new technology on a national scale as part of a health intervention programme resulted in fewer cardiac downstream tests including fewer ICA. There was an associated increase in PCI but not CABG rates. All-cause mortality rates did not differ over time but CV mortality was significantly lower in the post-CT FFR population at 2 years.

Abstract 17738: Cardiac MRI vs Coronary Angiography in Stable Coronary Artery Disease: A Head-to-Head Comparison

Introduction: Coronary angiography has been the gold standard invasive procedure for diagnosing and treating coronary artery disease (CAD). However, it poses risks and complications. In contrast, cardiac MRI offers non-invasive tools for early detection and diagnosis of CAD, presenting an alternative to angiography with fewer associated risks. Hypothesis: Our study aims to investigate if MRI can replace invasive procedures in stable CAD, reducing the need for such procedures while maintaining comparable diagnostic outcomes to coronary angiography. Methods: An extensive literature search was conducted, involving PubMed and Google Scholar databases up to February 2023. After careful evaluation, four clinical trials (CARMENTA, CE-MARC, MR INFORM, and MR Impact 2) comparing MRI and angiography in stable coronary artery disease were included in our study. Animal studies, expert opinions, literature reviews, and studies without reported MRI outcomes were excluded. Results: In the MR INFORM trial, among 221 patients with significant CMR-detected ischemia, 184 had confirmed angiographic lesions, while 35 did not. There were no significant differences in major adverse cardiovascular events or angina-free status at 1 year between the CMR and angiogram groups. The CE MARC 2 trial involving 752 patients reported a sensitivity of 86.5% and a specificity of 83.4% for multiparametric CMR, with a positive predictive value (PPV) of 77.2% and a negative predictive value (NPV) of 90.5%. The CARMENTA trial demonstrated a significant reduction in invasive coronary angiograms with CMR as the initial evaluation (87% vs. 100%), without significant differences in outcomes or the detection of obstructive coronary artery disease compared to computed tomography angiography. In the MR Impact 2 trial, CMR exhibited a sensitivity of 75% (±7%) and a specificity of 59% (±8%). The PPV, NPV, and accuracy for CMR were 70% (±5%), 65% (±5%), and 68% (±5%), respectively. Conclusions: CMR shows promise in diagnosing coronary artery disease, correlating well with angiography and reducing invasive procedures without significant outcome differences. Further research is needed to assess its clinical utility, highlighting its potential role in practice.

Abstract 18714: Myocardial Infarction With Non-Obstructive Coronary Artery Disease in a Young Woman - The Cardinal Role of Coronary Reactivity Testing in Unveiling the Underlying Etiology

43-year old female presented to the emergency department with substernal chest pain. She had similar symptoms years ago without obstructive CAD on coronary angiogram and was diagnosed with myocarditis. Presenting ECG revealed new anterolateral T wave inversions (Fig 1), and high-sensitivity troponins peaked at 322 ng/L consistent with NSTEMI. TTE was significant for global hypokinesis of the left ventricle with a reduced ejection fraction of 35 to 40%. Invasive coronary angiogram showed no obstructive CAD or spontaneous coronary artery dissection however there was reduced flow in the mid to distal LAD raising suspicion for endothelial and microvascular dysfunction. Contrast-enhanced cardiac MRI showed myocardial edema in the anterior and anteroseptal walls with elevated myocardial T1 and T2 values, and early enhancement post gadolinium administration showed an acute LAD territorial infarct (Fig 2). Findings were consistent with myocardial infarction with non-obstructive coronary artery disease (MINOCA). She was started on carvedilol for empiric treatment of coronary artery spasm and microvascular dysfunction, along with aspirin and atorvastatin. Losartan was added for heart failure management. Outpatient invasive coronary reactivity testing showed severe epicardial (70% vasoconstriction) and microvascular (80% decrease in coronary blood flow) endothelial dysfunction in response to acetylcholine (Fig 3 and Fig 4) as underlying etiology of recent MINOCA. CFR was normal. L-arginine (NO precursor) was added to the medical regimen. Patient has not had recurrence of chest pain or ACS at 1 year follow-up and LVEF normalized on repeat echocardiogram. This case shows the importance of cardiac MRI in confirming the diagnosis of MINOCA in patients with no obstructive CAD, and the crucial role of coronary reactivity testing in diagnosing and treating severe coronary endothelial dysfunction, which is aligned with the AHA/ACC MINOCA consensus document.

The France PCI registry: Design, methodology and key findings

Obstructive coronary artery disease is the main cause of death worldwide. By tracking events and gaining feedback on patient management, the most relevant information is provided to public health services to further improve prognosis. To create an inclusive and accurate registry of all percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) procedures performed in France, to assess and improve the quality of care and create research incentives. Also, to describe the methodology of this French national registry of interventional cardiology, and present early key findings. The France PCI registry is a multicentre observational registry that includes consecutive patients undergoing coronary angiography and/or PCI. The registry was set up to provide online data analysis and structured reports of PCI activity, including process of care measures and assessment of risk-adjusted outcomes in all French PCI centres that are willing to participate. More than 150 baseline data items, describing demographic status, PCI indications and techniques, and in-hospital and 1-year outcomes, are captured into local reporting software by medical doctors and local research technicians, with subsequent encryption and internet transfer to central data servers. Annual activity reports and scoring tools available on the France PCI website enable users to benchmark and improve clinical practices. External validation and consistency assessments are performed, with feedback of data completeness to centres. Between 01 January 2014 and 31 December 2022, participating centres increased from six to 47, and collected 364,770 invasive coronary angiograms and 176,030 PCIs, including 54,049 non-ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction cases and 31,631 ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction cases. Fifteen studies stemming from the France PCI registry have already been published. This fully electronic, daily updated, high-quality, low-cost, national registry is sustainable, and is now expanding. Merging with medicoeconomic databases and nested randomized scientific studies are ongoing steps to expand its scientific potential.

Association between contrast-enhanced adenosine-stress perfusion cardiac magnetic resonance imaging and invasive coronary angiogram for the detection of coronary artery disease: A retrospective analysis.

The objective of this study was to determine the diagnostic value of stress perfusion CMR for the detection of coronary artery disease. The was a retrospective cross sectional study in which 43 subjects were included from Cardiac MRI unit in the Hayatabad Medical Complex, Peshawar for study from 1st April 2020 to 30th November 2020. All the subjects who had been referred for stress perfusion CMR with suspected CAD were included in the study. Cardiac MRI both at rest and with adenosine stress perfusion was performed which was followed by invasive coronary angiography. A total of 43 patients were enrolled for the detection or exclusion CAD who underwent stress perfusion CMRI and invasive coronary artery angiography. The study revealed strong and statistically significant association between positive stress perfusion CMR and positive coronary angiogram vs negative stress perfusion CMR and negative coronary angiogram (p= value 0.0001). Stress perfusion CMRI can be considered as a first line, relatively safe, noninvasive test with significant accuracy to diagnose coronary artery disease in patients with suspected CAD without subjecting these patients to invasive coronary angiogram.

Photon-counting computed tomography of coronary and peripheral artery stents: a phantom study

Accurate small vessel stent visualization using CT remains challenging. Photon-counting CT (PCD-CT) may help to overcome this issue. We systematically investigate PCD-CT impact on small vessel stent assessment compared to energy-integrating-CT (EID). 12 water-contrast agent filled stents (3.0–8 mm) were scanned with patient-equivalent phantom using clinical PCD-CT and EID-CT. Images were reconstructed using dedicated vascular kernels. Subjective image quality was evaluated by 5 radiologists independently (5-point Likert-scale; 5 = excellent). Objective image quality was evaluated by calculating multi-row intensity profiles including edge rise slope (ERS) and coefficient-of-variation (CV). Highest overall reading scores were found for PCD-CT-Bv56 (3.6[3.3–4.3]). In pairwise comparison, differences were significant for PCD-CT-Bv56 vs. EID-CT-Bv40 (p ≤ 0.04), for sharpness and blooming respectively (all p < 0.05). Highest diagnostic confidence was found for PCD-CT-Bv56 (p ≤ 0.2). ANOVA revealed a significant effect of kernel strength on ERS (p < 0.001). CV decreased with stronger PCD-CT kernels, reaching its lowest in PCD-CT-Bv56 and highest in EID-CT reconstruction (p ≤ 0.05). We are the first study to verify, by phantom setup adapted to real patient settings, PCD-CT with a sharp vascular kernel provides the most favorable image quality for small vessel stent imaging. PCD-CT may reduce the number of invasive coronary angiograms, however, more studies needed to apply our results in clinical practice.

Coronary Artery Disease Risk Prediction in Patients With Severe Aortic Stenosis: Development and Validation of the Aortic Stenosis-Coronary Artery Disease (AS-CAD) Score

Patients at a low risk of coronary artery disease (CAD) could be triaged to noninvasive coronary computed tomography angiogram instead of invasive coronary angiography, reducing health care costs and patient morbidity. Therefore, we aimed to develop a CAD risk prediction score to identify those who underwent transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) at a low risk of CAD. We enrolled 1,782 patients who underwent TAVI and randomized the patients to the derivation or validation cohort 2:1. The aortic stenosis-CAD (AS-CAD) score was developed using logistic regression, followed by separation into low- (score 0 to 5), intermediate- (6 to 10), or high-risk (>11) categories. The AS-CAD was validated initially through the k-fold cross-validation, followed by a separately held validation cohort. The average age of the cohort was 82 ± 7years, and 41% (730 of 1,782) were female; 35% (630) had CAD. The male sex, previous percutaneous coronary intervention, stroke, peripheral arterial disease, diabetes, smoking status, left ventricular ejection fraction <50%, and right ventricular systolic pressure >35mm Hg were all associated with an increased risk of CAD and were included in the final AS-CAD model (all p <0.03). Within the validation cohort, the AS-CAD score stratified those into low, intermediate, and high risk of CAD (p <0.001). Discrimination was good within the internal validation cohort, with a c-statistic of 0.79 (95% confidence interval 0.74 to 0.84), with similar power obtained using k-fold cross-validation (c-statistic 0.74 [95% confidence interval 0.70 to 0.77]). In conclusion, The AS-CAD score robustly identified those at a low risk of CAD in patients with severe AS. The use of AS-CAD in practice could avoid potential complications of invasive coronary angiogram by triaging low-risk patients to noninvasive coronary assessment using existing computed tomography data.

Invasive Management and Outcomes in Acute Coronary Syndromes and Chronic Kidney Disease (ANZACS-QI 70).

Guidelines recommend management with an invasive coronary angiogram in acute coronary syndromes (ACS), but most studies excluded patients with advanced chronic kidney disease (CKD). Our aims were to describe, in a comprehensive ACS cohort, the incidence of CKD, coronary angiography utilisation and outcomes, according to CKD stage. National datasets were used to identify hospitalised ACS patients (2013 to 2018) in the Northern region of New Zealand. CKD stage was obtained from a linked laboratory dataset. Outcomes included all-cause and cause-specific mortality, and non-fatal myocardial infarction, heart failure and stroke. Thirty-eight percent (38%) of the 23,432 ACS patients had CKD stage 3 or higher: 2,403 (10%) had stages 4/5 CKD. Overall 61% received coronary angiography. Compared with normal renal function the adjusted rate of coronary angiography was lower in CKD stage 3b (RR 0.75, 95% confidence intervals [CIs] 0.69, 0.82) and stages 4/5 without dialysis (RR 0.41, 95% CIs 0.36, 0.46), but similar for those on dialysis (RR 0.89, 95% CIs 0.77, 1.02). All-cause mortality (mean follow-up 3.2 years) increased with CKD stage from 8% (normal kidney function) to 69% (stages 4/5 CKD without dialysis). Compared with coronary angiography, the adjusted all-cause and CVD mortality risks were higher in those without coronary angiography, except for those on dialysis, where these risks converged. Invasive management fell below an eGFR of 45 mL/min (≤ stage 3b), and nearly half of all deaths occurred in these patients. Clinical trials are needed to assess the role of invasive management in ACS and advanced CKD.

AGMN: Association graph-based graph matching network for coronary artery semantic labeling on invasive coronary angiograms

Semantic labeling of coronary arterial segments in invasive coronary angiography (ICA) is important for automated assessment and report generation of coronary artery stenosis in computer-aided coronary artery disease (CAD) diagnosis. However, separating and identifying individual coronary arterial segments is challenging because morphological similarities of different branches on the coronary arterial tree and human-to-human variabilities exist. Inspired by the training procedure of interventional cardiologists for interpreting the structure of coronary arteries, we propose an association graph-based graph matching network (AGMN) for coronary arterial semantic labeling. We first extract the vascular tree from invasive coronary angiography (ICA) and convert it into multiple individual graphs. Then, an association graph is constructed from two individual graphs where each vertex represents the relationship between two arterial segments. Thus, we convert the arterial segment labeling task into a vertex classification task; ultimately, the semantic artery labeling becomes equivalent to identifying the artery-to-artery correspondence on graphs. More specifically, the AGMN extracts the vertex features by the embedding module using the association graph, aggregates the features from adjacent vertices and edges by graph convolution network, and decodes the features to generate the semantic mappings between arteries. By learning the mapping of arterial branches between two individual graphs, the unlabeled arterial segments are classified by the labeled segments to achieve semantic labeling. A dataset containing 263 ICAs was employed to train and validate the proposed model, and a five-fold cross-validation scheme was performed. Our AGMN model achieved an average accuracy of 0.8264, an average precision of 0.8276, an average recall of 0.8264, and an average F1-score of 0.8262, which significantly outperformed existing coronary artery semantic labeling methods. In conclusion, we have developed and validated a new algorithm with high accuracy, interpretability, and robustness for coronary artery semantic labeling on ICAs.

Circulatory soluble LOX-1 is a novel predictor for coronary artery disease patients.

This study investigated the biomarker effect of soluble lectin-like oxidised low-density lipoprotein (sLOX-1) levels for the evaluation of stable and unstable coronary heart disease, correlating it with aging. This case-control study was conducted at the Cardiology Department of Xiangya Hospital between June 2015 and September 2018. Stable coronary artery disease (CAD) patients were confirmed by an invasive coronary angiogram, and American College of Cardiology as well as European Cardiology Society clinical protocols were used for the diagnosis of unstable CAD subjects. Plasma sLOX-1 levels were determined from 226 stable CAD patients, 138 unstable CAD subjects and 75 healthy participants by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Plasma sLOX-1 expressions were significantly elevated in stable CAD patients (4.5-fold) and unstable CAD patients (5.8-fold) above that of volunteer healthy participants. Moreover, between the stable and unstable patient groups, sLOX-1 concentrations were also statistically significantly different (p < 0.001). Levels of plasma sLOX-1 in the healthy female (30-60 years), and stable and unstable CAD female subjects (61-84 years) were markedly elevated compared with healthy male (30-60 years), as well as stable and unstable CAD male patients (61-84 years) (p < 0.001). Besides, in the female unstable CAD (61-84 years) subjects, circulatory sLOX-1 expressions were much higher than in the younger female unstable CAD (30-60 years) patients (p < 0.001). The stable CAD patients were clearly differentiated from healthy subjects with a high sensitivity of the area under the curve (AUC = 0.895). Unstable CAD patients and healthy subjects were also markedly different with a high sensitivity, as shown by AUC (0.902). Stable and unstable CAD subjects were differentiated with an AUC of 0.867. Elevated plasma sLOX-1 levels could be regarded as a novel biomarker for detecting CAD patients and there was a significant association with gender and aging.

Quantification of myocardial blood flow using stress cardiac magnetic resonance for the detection of coronary artery disease

Abstract Funding Acknowledgements Type of funding sources: Private company. Main funding source(s): GE Healthcare. Background Myocardial blood flow (MBF) analysis using stress cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) has been shown to detect obstructive coronary artery disease (CAD); however, evaluation of its diagnostic performance has primarily been limited to single-center studies. AQUA-MBF (Assessment of QUAntitative MBF using stress CMR) is an international study with the goal of assessing the diagnostic performance of stress MBF for the detection of CAD. In this study, we aim to determine how stress MBF assessment compared against visual analysis (VA) of stress CMR images for the detection of CAD. Methods. 144 individuals (89 (62%) men, age 62±16 years, 97 (68%) hypertension, 54 (38%) diabetes, 92 (64%) hyperlipidemia) from 9 centers who underwent dual sequence stress CMR (1.5T or 3.0T GE Healthcare) and also had either a coronary computed tomography angiography (CTA, n=31), invasive coronary angiogram (ICA, n=95), or low pre-test probability for CAD (n=18) were included. CAD was defined as the presence of: (1) a stenosis ≥50% in the left main coronary artery or ≥70% in the 1 major vessel based on ICA or CTA or (2) an invasive fractional flow reserve (FFR) ≤ 0.8. Absence of obstructive coronary disease (NOCAD) was defined as a no history of myocardial infarction and stenosis &amp;lt;50% by ICA or CTA, 50–70% stenosis with FFR&amp;gt;0.8, or a young individual with no cardiac risk factors. Myocardial perfusion imaging was performed during first pass perfusion of a gadolinium-based contrast agent following the administration of adenosine or regadenoson with a low-resolution image acquired to assess the arterial input function and 2–3 short axis slices acquired to assess myocardial perfusion. VA was performed by 2 experienced cardiologists who assigned a grade of 1–5 based on the probability a study was abnormal. Stress MBF values were determined for each of the 16 myocardial segments using Fermi deconvolution (CircleCVI). The global stress MBF was calculated as the average value of two segments with the lowest values from each of the three coronary artery territories. Unpaired t-test was used to compare stress MBF values between CAD vs NOCAD. Receiver-operating characteristics curves were used to determine diagnostic performance. Results. 60 patients had CAD (20: 1-vessel, 26: 2-vessel, and 14: 3-vessel) (Figure 1A) while 84 had NOCAD (Figure 1B). The global stress MBF in CAD was lower than in NOCAD (1.63±0.52ml/g/min vs 2.41±0.68ml/g/min, p&amp;lt;0.0001) (Figure 2A). Stress MBF had a higher AUC than VA (reader 1 – 0.83 vs 0.73, p = 0.07: reader 2–0.83 vs 0.71, p = 0.02). The optimal stress MBF cut-off value for detecting CAD was 2.05ml/g/min (Figure 2B). Conclusions. In this multicenter study, we show that global stress MBF reported as a single value can identify patients with CAD at least as accurately as VA performed by physicians experienced in the interpretation of stress CMR images.

Association between fractional flow reserve and CMR-derived exercise capacity

Abstract Funding Acknowledgements Type of funding sources: Public grant(s) – National budget only. Main funding source(s): NMRC Open-Fund Young Individual Research Grant, Singapore. NMRC Open-Fund Individual Research Grant, Singapore. Background In-scanner exercise stress cardiac magnetic resonance (ExCMR) imaging using supine cycling ergometer offers assessment of perfusion defects, inducible regional wall motion abnormalities, viability and exercise capacity in a single examination (EMPIRE Trial). Aim We aim to investigate the role of CMR-derived exercise capacity to assess the physiological stenosis severity, measured by invasive fractional flow reserve (FFR). Methods 107 patients (60±8 years, 80 males) with suspected coronary artery disease (CAD) underwent ExCMR (Siemens 1.5T) and invasive coronary angiogram with FFR measurement (PressureWireTMX Guidewire – Abbott Laboratories) followed previously published trial protocol [1]. Exercise capacity was derived as age- and sex-specific percentile of peak cardiac index, according to the reference range previously established [2]. Results Exercise capacity remains the only predictor of FFR values (beta 0.005, P&amp;lt;0.001) with backward multivariate regression of clinical variables (age, sex, BMI, presence of hyperlipidema, blood pressure, presence of diabetes mellitus) and quantitative CMR parameters (LV mass, extracellular volume, LV stroke volume at rest and exercise capacity). Patients with haemodynamically significant CAD (FFR&amp;lt;0.8) had significantly lower exercise capacity (median 14 [IQR 4–20] vs 5 [IQR 1–10] age- and sex-specific percentile of peak cardiac index, P&amp;lt;0.001) Conclusion In addition to perfusion defects, regional wall motion abnormalities and viability assessment to detect coronary artery disease, exercise capacity predicts the physiological stenosis severity.

Stress Cardiomyopathy and Spontaneous Coronary Artery Dissection: Linked or Overlooked?

This case series aimed to explore the association between spontaneous coronary artery dissection (SCAD) and stress cardiomyopathy (SCM), which are conditions that share similar features and can present as acute coronary syndrome. Both can be precipitated by emotional and/or physical stressors. Diagnosis is with coronary angiogram for SCAD, and echocardiogram for SCM. It is less common for people to have features of both. The overlap syndrome becomes evident if the territory of the involved coronary artery is incongruent with the left ventricular (LV) regional wall motion abnormality (RWMA). This single-centre case series identified cases with possible overlap of stress cardiomyopathy and SCAD. Patients were searched for individually, using an electronic health database (Health Connect South) through discharge summaries over a 2-year period. Cases with a likely diagnosis of both stress cardiomyopathy and SCAD were identified. The echocardiographic abnormalities included LV apical hypo/akinesis in all cases. In most cases, SCAD was confined to the mid and/or distal left anterior descending (LAD) artery. Two cases involved SCAD in multiple coronary arteries. This case series was able to clearly see the coexistence of an overlap syndrome in some cases. However, the association between the two conditions is under-recognised. It is proposed that an invasive coronary angiogram or computerised tomography coronary angiogram be actively reviewed to diagnose SCAD in patients with SCM, and early and repeat imaging in patients with SCAD is essential to identify SCM.

Revascularization Options for Left Main Disease: What Clinicians Need to Know.

Left main disease represents the highest-risk lesion subset of coronary artery disease and is associated with adverse cardiovascular events. Accordingly, we aim to understand how the significance of left main disease is assessed by different modalities, followed by a review of management options in current era. Invasive coronary angiogram remains the gold standard for assessment of left main disease, but intracoronary imaging or physiological testing is indicated for angiographically equivocal disease. Revascularization by either coronary artery bypass surgery or percutaneous coronary intervention is strongly recommended, which have been compared by six randomized trials, as well as recent meta-analyses. Surgical revascularization remains the preferred mode of revascularization, especially in patients with high lesion complexity and left ventricular dysfunction. Randomized studies are needed to understand if current-generation stents with the use of intracoronary imaging and improved medical therapy could match outcomes with surgical revascularization.

Computed tomography Coronary angiography in rural referral hospitals: A single-Centre experience.

To describe the first 9 months of a newly established computed tomography coronary angiogram (CTCA) over the period of the COVID-19 pandemic. A retrospective analysis of the first 9 months of a CT-CA program. Data were collected for the period of June 2020 to March 2021. Information reviewed included demographics, risk factors, renal function, technical factors and outcomes including Calcium Score and Coronary Artery Disease Reporting and Data System (CAD-RADS). A single Rural Referral Hospital in regional New South Wales. Ninety-six CTCAs were reviewed. Ages ranged from 29 to 81 years. 37 (39%) male, 59 (61%) female. 15 (15.6%) identified as Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander. CTCA is a viable alternative to invasive coronary angiogram in appropriate populations for regional areas. Eighty-eight (91.6%) were considered technically satisfactory. Mean heart rate was 57 beats per minute with a range of 108. Cardiovascular risk factors included hypertension, dyslipidemia, smoking status, family history and diabetes mellitus. Of patients with CAD-RADS scores 3 or 4 who underwent subsequent invasive coronary angiogram (ICA), 80% were determined to have operator-defined significant stenosis. Significant cardiac and non-cardiac findings were extensive. CTCA is a safe and efficacious imaging modality for low- to moderate-risk chest pain patients. There was acceptable diagnostic accuracy and the investigation was safe.

Initial single-center experience of a standardized protocol for invasive assessment of ischemia and non-obstructive coronary artery disease

IntroductionCoronary vasomotion disorders (CVDs), including microvascular angina (MVA) and vasospastic angina (VSA), account for significant morbidity among patients with non-obstructive coronary artery disease (NOCAD). However, protocols for CVD assessment in clinical practice are seldom standardized and may be difficult to implement. PurposeTo assess the safety and feasibility of a comprehensive coronary function test (CFT) protocol for assessment of CVD and the prevalence of different phenotypes of CVD in patients with angina and NOCAD (ANOCA). MethodsPatients with persistent angina referred for invasive coronary angiogram and found to have NOCAD were prospectively recruited and underwent a CFT. Functional parameters (fractional flow reserve, coronary flow reserve and index of myocardial resistance) and coronary vasoreactivity were assessed in all patients. ResultsOf the 20 patients included, the mean age was 63±13 years and 50% were females. Most patients had persistent typical angina and evidence of ischemia in noninvasive tests (75%). The CFT was successfully performed in all subjects without serious complications. Isolated MVA was found in 25%, isolated VSA in 40%, both MVA and VSA in 10% and noncardiac chest pain in 25% of patients. Antianginal therapy was modified after the results of CFT in 70% of patients. ConclusionA coronary function test was feasible and safe in a cohort of patients with ANOCA. CVD were prevalent in this selected group of patients, and some presented mixed CVD phenotypes. CFT may provide a definitive diagnosis in patients with persistent angina and prompt the stratification of pharmacological therapy.

Association of Hs-CRP Levels in Patients with Acute Coronary Syndromes and it’s Correlation with Angiographic Severity of Coronary Artery Stenosis

Objectives: Significant advances have been made toward the development of biomarkers for prognostication of patients with atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease. One such marker is high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP). It is a marker of inflammation mainly used to predict the risk of adverse cardiovascular (CV) events. Recent research also supports its role in atherogenesis. It is involved throughout the process of atheromatous plaque development. However, limited information is available about the relationship between levels of hs-CRP levels in patients presenting with acute coronary syndromes (ACS) and its association with outcomes. We conducted this study to assess the correlation between the levels of hs-CRP and the coronary angiographic findings in patients presenting with ACS and its correlation with outcomes. Materials and Methods: we carried an observational prospective study in patients presenting with ACS admitted to cardiology intensive coronary care unit in a tertiary care hospital. Patients underwent invasive coronary angiogram and serum Hs-CRP levels testing apart from other routine investigations. Correlation between severity of coronary stenosis, Hs-CRP levels and left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) at discharge was then assessed using statistical analysis. Results: Positive correlation was found between Hs-CRP levels and severity of coronary stenosis. Negative correlation was found between Hs-CRP levels and LVEF at discharge. Conclusion: We found that hs-CRP levels correlate well with angiographic severity. It was also observed that higher the hs-CRP levels more the number of vessels involved with patients with the left main + triple vessel disease (TVD) and TVD having maximum scores.

Impact of pre-existing conditions on peri-procedural coronary diameters

Background: Reperfusion therapy for acute myocardial infarction (AMI) by percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) with stent implantation is associated with a significant reduction in immediate mortality. A long-term critical complication of PCI is in-stent restenosis (ISR). However, the factors leading to restenosis remain unclear, albeit changes in coronary diameters post-PCI have been suggested to be important in stent restenosis. We hypothesize that pre-existing conditions such as hypertension, diabetes, dyslipidemia, and smoking can affect the coronary artery diameters after PCI and contribute to in-stent restenosis.Project Methods: We recruited 26 AMI patients (age: 50-70 years; male 22) who were revascularized with PCI and studied whether pre-existing hypertension (HTN; n=10), type II diabetes mellitus (DM; n=5), dyslipidemia (DLP; n=3), and smoking (n=8) had independent contribution to changes in coronary artery diameter pre- and post-PCI. We measured segment-wise end-diastolic luminal cross-sectional diameter of left main (LM), left anterior descending (LAD), left circumflex (LCx), and right coronary arteries (RCA) from invasive coronary angiograms before and after PCI.Results: We found that the LM showed insignificant change in cross-sectional diameter in HTN, DM, and smoking groups. However, DLP group of patients showed an increase in diameter post-PCI. Proximal segment of LAD in HTN patients and all LAD segments in DM group were significantly increased in diameter. Proximal LCx was reduced in diameter in DLP group. RCA distal and PDA segments in HTN group as well as PDA segment in DM group were reduced in diameter post PCI.Potential Impact: Although following PCI, proximal and mid segments increase in diameter by 5-20%; and distal segments by 20-30%, our early findings indicate that changes in cross-sectional diameter of the coronary segments can fall outside these ranges when pre-existing conditions are present. Follow-up studies are needed to evaluate the relation between changes in coronary diameters and in-stent restenosis.

Prioritization of invasive coronary angiogram for deserving patients with chronic coronary syndrome (CCS) using an Angiogram Eligibility Scoring (AES) system - A Clinical Audit

Abstract Funding Acknowledgements Type of funding sources: None. Introduction Many patients with CCS are usually referred for invasive treatment early on first come first serve basis. Proper clinical assessment of the severity of symptoms and optimization of the medical therapy lack before referral for invasive therapy due to increased workload and less man power. Patients with non-limiting symptoms are noticed to receive invasive therapy over medical therapy more. Recent ISCHAEMIA trial showed that invasive therapy is not associated with reduction in adverse ischaemic events compared to optimal medical therapy in CCS. Therefore, We implemented a scoring system to identify high risk CCS patients to receive invasive therapy Methods Angiogram eligibility scoring (AES) is given to patients according to age, gender, atherosclerotic risk factors, symptom profile, stress test findings and the history of myocardial infarction. Similar numbers of patients who underwent invasive angiography through first come first serve basis group and AES group over three consecutive months are compared. Patients in the AES group were called for invasive angiogram according to score in descending order. Each group of patients were analyzed for cardiometabolic risk factors, anginal symptoms, ejection fraction, angiography findings and revascularization plan. Results Patients came for invasive angiogram through AES had significant risk factors such as diabetes and dyslipidaemia (P&amp;lt;0.01). Limiting symptoms (Class 3-4 angina) and strongly positive stress test (P&amp;lt;0.01) are significantly high in AES group than first come first serve group. Ejection fraction is normal range in AES group (P&amp;lt;0.01). No significant difference found in the significant LMCA (&amp;gt;50%) plaque disease, severe (&amp;gt;70%) LAD and proximal LAD disease frequency, complexity in coronary artery disease and revascularization strategies between two groups (P&amp;gt;0.01). Conclusion AES system facilitated us to prioritize patients with limiting symptoms, strongly positive stress test and multiple atherosclerotic risk factors who would benefit from early invasive angiogram and revascularization over other patients with non-limiting symptoms and without non-invasive investigation before invasive angiography.