Periprocedural Myocardial Infarction Research Articles

Excimer laser coronary atherectomy during complex PCI: An analysis of 1,471 laser cases from the British Cardiovascular Intervention Society database.

Excimer laser coronary atherectomy (ELCA) is a recognized adjunctive therapy utilized in the percutaneous management of complex coronary lesions. Studies examining its safety and utility have been limited by small sample sizes. Our study examines the determinants and outcomes of ELCA. Using the British Cardiac Intervention Society database, data were analyzed on all PCI procedures in the UK between 2006-2016. Descriptive statistics and multivariate logistic regressions were used to examine baseline, procedural and outcome associations with ELCA. We identified 1,471 (0.21%) ELCA cases out of 686,358 PCI procedures. Baseline covariates associated with ELCA use were age, BMI, number of lesions, CTO or restenosis attempted and history of prior MI, CABG or PCI. Procedural co-variates associated with ELCA were the use of glycoprotein inhibitors, intravascular imaging, rotational atherectomy, cutting balloons, microcatheters and intra-aortic balloon pumps. Adjusted rates of in-hospital major adverse cardiac/cerebrovascular events (MACCE) or its individual components (death, peri-procedural MI, stroke and major bleed) were not significantly altered by the use of ELCA. However, there were higher odds of dissection (OR 1.52, 95% CI 1.17-1.98), perforation (OR 2.18, 95% CI 1.44-3.30), slow flow (OR: 1.67, 95% CI 1.18-2.36), reintervention (OR: 2.12, 95% CI 1.14-3.93) and arterial complications (OR: 1.63, 95% CI 1.21-2.21). ELCA use during complex PCI is associated with higher risk baseline and procedural characteristics. Although increased rates of acute procedural complications were observed, ELCA does not increase likelihood of in-hospital MACCE or its individual components.

Impact of Bleeding and Myocardial Infarction on Mortality in All-Comer Patients Undergoing Percutaneous Coronary Intervention.

Bleeding and myocardial infarction (MI) after percutaneous coronary intervention are independent risk factors for mortality. This study aimed to investigate the association of all-cause mortality after percutaneous coronary intervention with site-reported bleeding and MI, when considered as individual, repeated, or combined events. We used the data from the GLOBAL LEADERS trial (GLOBAL LEADERS: A Clinical Study Comparing Two Forms of Anti-Platelet Therapy After Stent Implantation), an all-comers trial of 15 968 patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention. Bleeding was defined as Bleeding Academic Research Consortium (BARC) 2, 3, or 5, whereas MI included periprocedural and spontaneous MIs according to the Third Universal Definition. At 2-year follow-up, 1061 and 498 patients (6.64% and 3.12%) experienced bleeding and MI, respectively. Patients with a bleeding event had a 10.8% mortality (hazard ratio [HR], 5.97 [95% CI, 4.76-7.49]; P<0.001), and the mortality of patients with an MI was 10.4% (HR, 5.06 [95% CI, 3.72-6.90]; P<0.001), whereas the overall mortality was 2.99%. Albeit reduced over time, MI and even minor BARC 2 bleeding significantly influenced mortality beyond 1 year after adverse events (HR of MI, 2.32 [95% CI, 1.18-4.55]; P=0.014, and HR of BARC 2 bleeding, 1.79 [95% CI, 1.02-3.15]; P=0.044). The mortality rates in patients with repetitive bleeding, repetitive MI, and both bleeding and MI were 16.1%, 19.2%, and 19.0%, and their HRs for 2-year mortality were 8.58 (95% CI, 5.63-13.09; P<0.001), 5.57 (95% CI, 2.53-12.25; P<0.001), and 6.60 (95% CI, 3.44-12.65; P<0.001), respectively. De-escalation of antiplatelet therapy at the time of BARC 3 bleeding was associated with a lower subsequent bleeding or MI rate, compared with continuation of antiplatelet therapy (HR, 0.32 [95% CI, 0.11-0.92]; P=0.034). The fatal impact of bleeding and MI persisted beyond one year. Additional bleeding or MIs resulted in a poorer prognosis. De-escalation of antiplatelet therapy at the time of BARC 3 bleeding could have a major safety merit. These results emphasize the importance of considering the net clinical benefit including ischemic and bleeding events. Registration: URL: https://www.clinicaltrials.gov. Unique identifier: NCT01813435.

First in human evaluation of a novel Sirolimus-eluting ultra-high molecular weight bioresorbable scaffold: 9-, 24-and 36-months imaging and clinical results from the multi-center RENASCENT study

BackgroundRENASCENT is a prospective, multi-center first-in-human clinical study to evaluate the clinical performance of the novel sirolimus-eluting 150-μm strut thickness FORTITUDE® BRS for percutaneous coronary intervention of single de novo coronary lesions. MethodsFORTITUDE® BRS was tested in a prospective study in Italy and Colombia. Study objectives were in-scaffold angiographic late lumen loss (LLL) measured by quantitative coronary angiography and target vessel failure (TVF) defined as the composite rate of cardiac death, target vessel myocardial infarction or ischemia driven target lesion revascularization (TLR) at 9- and 24-months with clinical results up to 36-months. ResultsA total of 63 patients were enrolled. All patients underwent lesion pre-dilatation and 22 patients (34.9%) underwent post-dilatation. Clinical device and procedural success was 98.4% (62/63 patients) and 96.8% (61/63 patients) respectively. At 9-months, TVF occurred in 3/61 (4.9%) of the patients including 2 peri-procedural MI and one ischemia-driven TLR. Between 9- to 24-months, ischemia-driven TLR occurred in 3 additional patients (4.9%) including 1 patient who presented with very late ST after stopping all medications. There were no further TVF between 24- and 36-months. ConclusionsIn this multi-center prospective study, the FORTITUDE® BRS was shown to be safe and effective in the treatment of single coronary lesions with low levels of TVF and LLL at 9- and 24-months. It was shown to be clinically safe upto 36-months follow-up.

Rotational Atherectomy Complicated by Coronary Perforation Is Associated With Poor Outcomes: Analysis of 10,980 Cases From the British Cardiovascular Intervention Society Database

BackgroundRotational atherectomy (RA) during PCI is linked to a higher likelihood coronary perforations (CP). However, the evidence base on incidence, predictors and outcomes of this complication in RA-PCI remains limited. MethodsUsing the British Cardiac Intervention Society database, data were analysed on all RA-PCI procedures in UK 2007–2014. Descriptive statistics and multivariate logistic regressions were used to examine baseline, procedural and outcome associations. ResultsDuring 10,980 RA-PCI procedures, 167 CPs were recorded (1.52%) with a stable annual incidence. Baseline and procedural covariates associated with higher rates of RA perforation were number of stents used, female gender, smoking, and left-main stenosis. CP was significantly associated with shock, DC cardioversion, heart block, transfusion, emergency surgery, periprocedural MI, in-hospital major bleed, acute kidney injury, dissection, side branch loss and in-hospital death. CP was also associated with higher rates of in-hospital MACCE (OR 12.22, 95% CI 7.67–19.47), 30-day mortality (OR 10.02, 95% CI 5.87–17.09) and 12-month mortality (OR 3.90, 95% CI 2.53–6.02). ConclusionsCP is more frequent in RA-PCI than all-comer PCI and is associated with a significant burden of morbidity and mortality. There are a limited number of baseline and procedural co-variates associated with CP in RA-PCI, making it difficult to predict.

Impact of Targeted Therapies for Coronary Microvascular Dysfunction as Assessed by the Index of Microcirculatory Resistance.

Coronary microvascular dysfunction (CMD) has emerged as an important therapeutic target in the contemporary management of ischemic heart disease. However, due to a lack of a reliable traditional "gold standard" test for CMD, optimal treatment remains undefined. The index of microcirculatory resistance (IMR) is an intra-coronary wire-based technique that provides a more reliable and quantitative assessment of CMD and has been increasingly used as a preferred endpoint for evaluating CMD treatment strategies in recent studies. IMR can help diagnose CMD in angina patients with non-obstructive epicardial coronary disease, predict peri-procedural myocardial infarction in stable patients undergoing coronary stenting, and predict long-term prognosis after acute myocardial infarction. Studies of IMR in the setting of non-ST-elevation acute coronary syndromes are still lacking. This review critically appraises the current published literature evaluating targeted therapies for CMD using IMR as the assessment tool and provides insights into evidence gaps in this important field. The index of microcirculatory resistance has rapidly evolved from a research tool to being the new "gold standard" test for evaluating coronary microvascular dysfunction.

The prognostic significance of periprocedural infarction in the era of potent antithrombotic therapy. The PRAGUE–18 substudy

BackgroundThe prognostic significance of periprocedural myocardial infarction (MI) remains controversial. Methods and resultsThe study aims to investigate the incidence of periprocedural MI in the era of high sensitivity diagnostic markers and intense antithrombotics, and its impact on early outcomes of patients with acute MI treated with primary angioplasty (pPCI). Data from the PRAGUE-18 (prasugrel versus ticagrelor in pPCI) study were analyzed. The primary net-clinical endpoint (EP) included death, spontaneous MI, stroke, severe bleeding, and revascularization at day 7. The key secondary efficacy EP included cardiovascular death, spontaneous MI, and stroke within 30 days. The incidence of peri-pPCI MI was 2.3% (N = 28) in 1230 study patients. The net-clinical EP occurred in 10.7% of patients with, and in 3.6% of patients without, peri-pPCI MI (HR 2.92; 95% CI 0.91–9.38; P = 0.059). The key efficacy EP was 10.7% and 3.2%, respectively (HR 3.44; 95% CI 1.06–11.13; P = 0.028). Patients with periprocedural MI were at a higher risk of spontaneous MI (HR 6.19; 95% CI 1.41–27.24; P = 0.006) and stent thrombosis (HR 10.77; 95% CI 2.29–50.70; P = 0.003) within 30 days. Age, hyperlipidemia, multi-vessel disease, post-procedural TIMI <3, pPCI on circumflex coronary artery, and periprocedural GP IIb/IIIa inhibitor were independent predictors of peri-pPCI MI. ConclusionsIn the era of intense antithrombotic therapy, the occurrence of peri-pPCI MI is despite highly sensitive diagnostic markers a rare complication, and is associated with an increased risk of early reinfarction and stent thrombosis.

Procedural outcomes of chronic total occlusion percutaneous coronary intervention in patients with dissection and reentry versus wire escalation techniques: a meta-analysis.

The procedural safety of dissection and reentry (DR) techniques in chronic total occlusion (CTO) percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) remains controversial, when compared with conventional wire escalation (WE) techniques. The meta-analysis was performed to evaluate the impact of DR techniques vs. WE techniques on periprocedural outcomes in patients with CTO undergoing PCI. Studies were searched in electronic database from inception to December 2018. Results were pooled using random effects model and fixed effects model. The pooled analyses revealed that DR techniques increased risks of periprocedural complications in patients with CTO PCI, including higher coronary perforation rate [risk ratio (RR) = 2.10, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.24-3.55], periprocedural myocardial infarction (RR = 1.85, 95% CI 1.23-2.78), branch occlusion (RR = 2.69; 95% CI 1.92-3.77) and coronary hematoma (RR = 3.06; 95% CI 2.45-3.82) detected by intravascular ultrasound, when compared to those with WE techniques. However, DR techniques were more applied in patients with higher complexity CTO lesions, which was evidenced by higher J-CTO score [standard mean differences (SMD) = 0.71, 95% CI 0.51-0.91] and longer fluoroscopy time (SMD = 0.93, 95% CI 0.70-1.16), that may explain the higher complications rates in the DR techniques group as compared with WE techniques. The present meta-analysis suggests that the DR technique is relatively frequently used during contemporary CTO PCI, especially for challenging more complex CTO lesions. However, it is associated with higher, yet acceptable, rates of periprocedural adverse events as compared with a conventional WE strategy. Further refinement of DR techniques and evidence from large RCTs is needed to define the optimal role of DR in hybrid CTO PCI.

“Incidence, clinical and angiographic characteristics, management and outcomes of coronary artery perforation at a high volume cardiac care center during percutaneous coronary intervention”

AimsTo study the incidence, clinical and angiographic characteristics, management and outcomes of coronary artery perforation (CAP) during percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) at a high volume center in South-east Asia. MethodsData from patients who had CAP during PCI from January 2016 to December 2019 at our center were collected. Clinical features, angiographic and procedural characteristics, their management and outcomes were analyzed retrospectively. ResultsA total of 40,696 patients underwent PCI during the study period and the incidence of CAP was 0.13% (n = 51). Mean age was 60.0 ± 10.8 years and 69% were males. CAP cases involved complex type B2/C lesions in 73%, calcified lesions in 58%, and chronic total occlusions in 25%. Majority of patients presented as acute coronary syndrome (65%) and STEMI was the most frequent indication for PCI (33%). Most of the CAPs were Ellis type II (33%) and III (55%). CAP most frequently occurred during post dilation (n = 20) and wire manipulation (n = 17). Majority were treated by prolonged balloon inflation (53%) and covered stents (33%). Pericardiocentesis was required in 19 patients to alleviate tamponade. In one patient coil embolisation was done and two patients required bail-out emergency cardiac surgery. Periprocedural myocardial infarction occurred in 6% and in-hospital mortality was 10%. All-cause mortality accrued to 14% at 30 days and 16% at 6 months. ConclusionAlthough incidence of CAP in contemporary interventional practice remains low, the morbidity and mortality are considerable. Early recognition and management strategies tailored to the severity of perforation play a key role in achieving better outcomes.

Loading doses of ticagrelor versus clopidogrel in preventing periprocedural myocardial infarction in Asian patients with acute coronary syndrome.

Periprocedural myocardial infarction is a common complication following percutaneous coronary intervention. The present study was conducted with an aim to compare the safety and efficacy of loading doses of ticagrelor versus clopidogrel in preventing periprocedural myocardial infarction in Asian patients with acute coronary syndrome undergoing elective percutaneous coronary intervention. A total of 114 patients with acute coronary syndrome undergoing elective percutaneous coronary intervention were assigned to clopidogrel group (n = 57, the loading and maintenance doses were 300 and 75 mg qd for clopidogrel, and 300 and 100 mg qd for aspirin), or ticagrelor group (n = 57, the loading and maintenance doses were 180 and 90 mg bid for ticagrelor, and 300 and 100 mg qd for aspirin). Cardiac biomarkers were measured before, 8 hours, and 24 hours after percutaneous coronary intervention. The percutaneous coronary intervention-related periprocedural myocardial infarction was defined according to the fourth universal definition of myocardial infarction (2018). The overall incidence of percutaneous coronary intervention-related periprocedural myocardial infarction was 21.1%. The ticagrelor group showed a significantly lower incidence of periprocedural myocardial infarction (12.3% vs 29.8%, p = 0.022) and numerically lower bleeding events (3.5% vs 8.8%, p = 0.242) as compared with clopidogrel group. No patient had major adverse cardiovascular events during the 1-month follow-up. The levels of high-sensitivity C-reactive protein did not differ significantly between the two groups (p > 0.05), indicating that the benefits of ticagrelor were not from its anti-inflammatory effects. Multivariable analysis showed that the use of ticagrelor (odds ratio: 0.50; 95% confidence interval: 0.29-0.87; p = 0.014) and number of stents (odds ratio: 2.75; 95% confidence interval: 1.25-6.06; p = 0.012) were independent predictors of periprocedural myocardial infarction. Pretreatment with a loading dose of ticagrelor seems to be superior in reducing the incidence of percutaneous coronary intervention-related periprocedural myocardial infarction in Asian patients with acute coronary syndrome as compared with clopidogrel.

IntravaScular Lithotripsy for the Management of UndILatable Coronary StEnt: The SMILE Registry

BackgroundIntravascular lithotripsy (IVL) showed to be effective in dilating heavily calcified de novo coronary lesions but little is known about its performance in under-expanded stents management. Aim of this study was to assess the feasibility, effectiveness and safety of IVL for the treatment of stent underexpansion refractory to balloon dilatation. MethodsA multicentre, retrospective cohort analysis was performed in patients undergoing IVL to treat under-expanded stents following non-compliant balloon expansion failure. Primary endpoint was successful IVL dilatation defined as IVL balloon delivery and application at the target site followed by an increase of at least 1 mm2 in minimal stent cross-sectional area (MSA) on intracoronary imaging or an increase of at least 20% in minimal stent diameter (MSD) by quantitative coronary analysis (QCA). ResultsThirty-nine under-expanded stents (34 patients) were included. Two cases (5.1%) of multiple stent layers and one (2.5%) acutely under-expanded stent were treated. The median IVL balloon diameter was 3.1 mm (IQR: 2.5–3.5 mm) while the number of pulses emitted was 56.7 (IQR: 30–80). IVL was successful in 34 cases (87.1%), with significant improvement in MSD (post: 3.23 mm [IQR: 3–3.5 mm] vs. pre: 0.81 mm [IQR: 0.35–1.2], p < 0.00001) and MSA (post: 7.61mm2 [IQR: 6.43–7.79mm2] vs. pre: 3.35 [IQR: 2.8–4 mm2], p < 0.00001). Non-fatal peri-procedural ST-elevation myocardial infarction occurred in one case (2.5%) due to IVL balloon rupture. No cardiac death, target lesion revascularization and stent thrombosis occurred in-hospital and at 30-day follow-up. ConclusionsBailout IVL was feasible, efficacious and safe to improve refractory stent under-expansion.

POST PCI MYOCARDIAL INFARCTION A SILENT KILLER FACT OR FICTION. DOES IT REALLY EXIST? WHERE DO WE STAND?

Objective: To determine the frequency of peri-pocedural myocardial infarction in patients with stable coronary artery disease undergoing elective percutaneous coronary angioplasty. Methodology: This was a descriptive study conducted in the cardiac cath lab of the National Institute of Cardiovascular Diseases Karachi, Pakistan. Patients with stable obstructive coronary artery disease undergoing elective coronary angioplasty were included in this study. PMI was defined as a rise in troponin I above five times the upper limit of the normal range (the third universal definition of MI). Collected data were entered and analyzed using SPSS 19. Results: Among the total of 107 patients male predominance, 82.2% (88), was observed and mean ± SD age of the patients was 52.02 ± 9.10 years with a majority, 92(86.0%), of patients between 41 to 80 years of age. Peri-procedural myocardial infarction (PMI) was found in 16(15.0%) of the patients and PMI was observed to be independent of baseline risk profile and angiographic characteristics of the patients. While, based on criteria of troponin I above three times the upper limit of the normal range, PMI was observed in 22(20.6%) of the patients. Conclusion: High incidence of the post-procedural rise of troponin in our study population is alarming. Further studies are required to identify the cause and hence identifying measures to prevent PMI. Universal single definition is required worldwide in order to get uniform results. Keywords: Post PCI Myocardial Infarction, Coronary angioplasty, Third universal definition

Utility of Intravascular Ultrasound in Peripheral Vascular Interventions: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

We sought to compare outcomes between intravascular ultrasound- (IVUS) versus angiography (AO)-guided peripheral vascular interventions (PVIs). Introduction: Intravascular ultrasound facilitates plaque visualization and angioplasty during PVIs for peripheral arterial disease. It is unclear whether IVUS may improve the durability of PVIs and lead to improved clinical outcomes. This is a study-level meta-analysis of observational studies. The primary end points of this study were rates of primary patency and reintervention. Secondary end points included rates of vascular complications, periprocedural adverse events, amputations, technical success, all-cause mortality, and myocardial infarction. Eight observational studies were included in this analysis with 93 551 patients. Mean follow-up was 24.2 ± 15 months. Intravascular ultrasound-guided PVIs had similar patency rates when compared with AO-guided PVIs (relative risk [RR]: 1.30, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.99-1.71, P = .062). There was no difference in rates of reintervention in IVUS-guided PVIs when compared to non-IVUS-guided PVIs (RR: 0.41, 95% CI: 0.15-1.13, P = .085). There is a lower risk of periprocedural adverse events (RR: 0.81, 95% CI: 0.70-0.94, P = .006) and vascular complications (RR: 0.81, 95% CI: 0.68-0.96, P = .013) in the IVUS group. All-cause mortality (RR: 0.76, 95% CI: 0.56-1.04, P = .084), amputation rates (RR 0.83, 95% CI: 0.32-2.15, P = .705), myocardial infarctions (RR: 1.19, 95% CI: 0.58-2.41, P = .637), and technical success (RR: 1.01, 95% CI: 0.86-1.19, P = .886) were similar between the groups. Conclusions: Intravascular ultrasound-guided PVIs had similar primary patency and reintervention when compared with AO-guided PVIs with significantly lower rates of periprocedural adverse events and vascular complications in the IVUS-guided group.

Outcomes of Impella-supported high-risk nonemergent percutaneous coronary intervention in a large single-center registry.

We aimed to evaluate the early and one-year outcomes of Impella-supported high-risk nonemergent percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). The evidence for the use of mechanical circulatory support (MCS) devices in high-risk nonemergent PCI is limited and nonconclusive. We performed a single-center retrospective study including all patients who underwent high-risk nonemergent PCI supported by Impella 2.5/CP at our institution between January 2009 and June 2018. This patient population was propensity score matched with subjects undergoing PCI with no MCS. The primary endpoint was major adverse cardiac events (MACE: all-cause death, myocardial infarction [MI], and target lesion revascularization) at one-year follow-up. Two-hundred fifty patients undergoing Impella-supported nonemergent PCI were matched to 250 controls. The two groups were well balanced in terms of clinical and angiographic characteristics. Left main PCI was performed more frequently among Impella-supported patients (26% vs. 11%, p < .001), who also had numerically higher prevalence of rotational atherectomy use (44% vs. 37%, p = .10) and a higher number of vessels treated (1.8 ± 0.8 vs. 1.3 ± 0.6, p < .001), compared with controls. Impella-supported patients suffered a higher incidence of periprocedural MI (14.0% vs. 6.4%, p = .005), major bleeding (6.8% vs. 2.8%, p = .04), and need for blood transfusions (11.2% vs. 4.8%, p = .008). However, at one-year follow-up there were no differences in the rates of MACE (31.2% vs. 27.4%, p = .78) or any of its individual components between Impella-supported patients and controls. Although Impella-supported patients suffer a higher incidence of periprocedural adverse events (partially linked to more aggressive PCI), the incidence of one-year MACE was similar between the Impella and control group.

Intravascular Imaging to Guide Lithotripsy in Concentric and Eccentric Calcific Coronary Lesions

BackgroundCalcified coronary lesions still represent a challenge for coronary angioplasty, with sub-optimal acute PCI results causing more frequent late stent failure. PurposeThe study aimed at the evaluation of the immediate procedural outcome in a real-world consecutive population of a selective use of lithotripsy based on the intravascular imaging assessment with IVUS or OCT. Methods and resultsThirty-one calcified stenoses (28 patients) out of a total of 455 lesions (370 patients) treated between November 2018 and May 2019 received IVL under intravascular imaging guidance. The majority of the IVL lesions had angiographically severe calcifications and were selected after intravascular imaging. A smaller group was identified by poor expansion after high-pressure balloon dilatation, in one case despite preliminary small burr Rotablation. After IVL, when OCT was performed calcium fractures were observed in 71% of cases. After OCT/IVUS guided stent optimization a satisfactory lumen enlargement (minimal stent area 7.09 ± 2.77 mm2) was observed with good stent expansion (residual area stenosis<20% in 29 lesions, 93.5%) Peri-procedural complications were limited to one dissection at the distal edge requiring an additional stent and 3 peri-procedural myocardial infarctions. There were no periprocedural coronary perforations or pericardial effusions, and no in-hospital or 30 days stent thrombosis.When patients were divided into two subgroups according to a calcium arc ≤180° (Group A: 10 lesions, calcium arc 140 ± 24°; Group B: 21 lesions, calcium arc 289 ± 53°), at OCT Group B presented also a higher number of calcium fractures post IVL than group A (group A: 38% vs group B: 92%, p = 0.03). The in-stent minimum lumen diameter (MSD), the in stent minimal lumen area (MSA) and the acute gain, however, were similar between the two groups (acute gain group A: 1.22 ± 0.29 mm; group B: 1.31 ± 0.52 mm, p = 0.63). ConclusionsA standardized algorithm applying intravascular imaging guidance of IVL facilitated second generation DES expansion delivers excellent immediate lumen expansion and patient outcome, both in concentric and eccentric calcifications.

Percutaneous coronary intervention versus coronary artery bypass graft for left main coronary artery disease: A meta-analysis

BackgroundThe optimal revascularization strategy for patients with left main coronary artery disease is still controversial. This is systematic review and meta-analysis aims to evaluate the outcomes of percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) with drug-eluting stents compared with coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) for LM disease. MethodsOnline electronic databases were systematically reviewed until January 2020 for randomized trials comparing PCI with drug-eluting stents and CABG. Primary outcomes were: all-cause mortality, myocardial infarction (MI), stroke, and repeated revascularization. Secondary outcomes included periprocedural and nonperiprocedural MI. The period of follow-up included 30 days, 1 year, and 5 years. Odds ratio and 95% confidence interval were calculated with a fixed-effects model. ResultsA total of 4595 patients (5 randomized trials) with left main coronary artery disease were included. At 30 days and 1 year, PCI was associated with lower incidence of stroke, higher repeated revascularization, and similar odds of mortality and MI compared with CABG. At 5 years, PCI was associated with higher rates of MI (odds ratio, 1.43; 95% confidence interval, 1.13-1.79; P = .003) and repeat revascularization (odds ratio, 1.89; 95% CI, 1.58-2.26; P < .001) than CABG. PCI was associated with lower periprocedural MI at 30 days, whereas at 5 years PCI was associated with higher nonperiprocedural MI (odds ratio, 2.32; 95% confidence interval, 1.62-3.31; P < .001). Mortality and stroke rate did not differ at 5-year follow-up. ConclusionsPatients with left main coronary artery disease treated with either PCI or CABG do not show significant difference in early or 5-year mortality. Although CABG was associated with higher stroke rates at 30 days and 1 year, PCI was associated with an increase in MI and need for repeat revascularization at 5 years.

Clinical outcomes of opening coronary chronic total occlusion lesions with the assistance of BridgePoint devices

Objective: To investigate the safety, efficacy and prognosis of antegrade dissection re-entry (ADR) with the assistance of BridgePoint devices in opening coronary chronic total occlusion (CTO). Methods: A total of 87 consecutive patients, who underwent percutaneous coronary intervention using BridgePoint devices from April 2016 to December 2018 in Xijing Hospital, were included in this study. General information of the selected patients, features of CTO lesions and intraoperative parameters were recorded. Short-term outcomes including technical success rate (defined as achieving TIMI 3 blood flow with residual stenosis<30%), surgical success rate (defined as no major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) occured while hospitalized), complications, and MACE during hospitalization were observed. MACE included death, recurrent myocardial infarction, target vascular reconstruction (TVR) and cardiac tamponade. Patients were followed up by outpatient or telephone visits at 30 days and 6, 12, 24 and 36 months after discharge. Results: Eighty-seven patients, aged (61±10) years with J-CTO scores (2.49±0.52) were included, and 75(86%) were male. Six patients underwent direct ADR with BridgePoint system, and all were successful. Eighty-one patients underwent rescue ADR using BridgePoint devices, and 62 of them were successful. The success rate of ADR with BridgePoint devices was 78.2% (68/87). Nine out of the 19 failed cases succeeded after the application of rescue antegrade/retrograde technique. The technical success rate was 88.5% (77/87). Coronary perforation occurred in 2 cases (2.3%), one case was treated with covered stent and the other case with tamponade was treated with pericardiocentesis. One patient developed periprocedural myocardial infarction, and one patient suffered from sudden death, and one patient had cardiac tamponade. In-hospital MACE occurred in 3 (3.4%) patients. The surgical success rate was 85.1% (74/87).The procedure time was (175±72)minutes and the amount of contrast used was (449±155)ml. During a follow-up of 17(11, 26) months, the incidence of MACE within 30 days was 4.7% (4/86), while 10.5% (9/86) within 6 months, 17.4% (15/86) within 17 months. Conclusion: Opening CTO with the assistance of BridgePoint devices is feasible and safe, with high success rate and satisfactory outcome.

Comparison of post-stent optical coherence tomography findings among three subtypes of calcified culprit plaques in patients with acute coronary syndrome.

To compare the postprocedural optical coherence tomography (OCT) findings and in-hospital outcomes among the three subtypes of calcified plaques: eruptive calcified nodules, superficial calcific sheet, and calcified protrusion. Recently, three subtypes of calcified culprit plaques were reported in patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS). How these subtypes respond to stenting is unknown. ACS patients with calcified plaque at the culprit lesion were selected from our database. OCT findings at baseline and after stent implantation were compared. In the final analysis, 87 cases were included. Preprocedural OCT showed eruptive calcified nodules in 19 (21.8%) cases, superficial calcific sheet in 63 (72.4%), and calcified protrusion in 5 (5.7%). Stent edge dissection (SED) and incomplete stent apposition (ISA) were frequently observed in the eruptive calcified nodules group compared to superficial calcific sheet or calcified protrusion (SED; 47.4% vs. 17.5% vs. 20.0%; p = .032, ISA; 94.7% vs. 58.7% vs. 0.0%; p < .001). The superficial calcific sheet group had the smallest minimal stent area (MSA) among the three groups (eruptive calcified nodules vs. superficial calcific sheet vs. calcified protrusion: 6.29 ± 2.41 vs. 4.72 ± 1.37 vs. 6.56 ± 1.13; p = .007). The superficial calcific sheet group had a higher rate of periprocedural myocardial infarction compared to the eruptive calcified nodules group (60.3% vs. 31.6%; p = .028). This study demonstrated eruptive calcified nodules are associated with higher incidence of SED and ISA, whereas superficial calcific sheets are associated with small MSA and higher periprocedural myocardial infarction.

Antithrombotic regimens for percutaneous coronary intervention of the left main coronary artery: The EXCEL trial.

We compared the effect of bivalirudin or heparin and use or nonuse of glycoprotein IIb/IIIa inhibitors (GPI) on the outcome of left main coronary artery (LMCA) percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) in the randomized EXCEL trial. The optimal antithrombotic regimen to support PCI of the LMCA remains controversial because of low representation of this subset in clinical trials. The PCI cohort (n = 928) in EXCEL was divided according to bivalirudin versus heparin antithrombin treatment and compared for the primary composite endpoint of death, myocardial infarction (MI), or stroke at 30 days and 5 years. Bivalirudin was used in 319 patients (34.4%). The composite endpoint at 30 days occurred in 7.2% versus 3.8% bivalirudin and heparin patients, respectively, p = .02; at 5 years, the composite endpoint occurred in 26.3% versus 19.9% bivalirudin and heparin patients, respectively, p = .02. Major bleeding was more frequent in bivalirudin patients (4.1% versus 1.3%, p = .008). There were no differences in stent thrombosis between the groups. Bivalirudin use was an independent predictor of the 30-day composite endpoint (OR 2.88, 95% CI 1.28-6.48, p = .01) but not of the 5-year composite endpoint (OR 1.30, 95% CI 0.84-2.02, p = .23). GPI use was infrequent (n = 67, 7.2%) and was not associated with adverse outcomes. Among patients undergoing LMCA PCI in the EXCEL trial, procedural use of bivalirudin was associated with greater rates of periprocedural MI and the 30-day composite endpoint without reducing bleeding complications. Five-year outcomes were similar. GPIs were used infrequently and were not associated with clinical outcomes.

Impact of periprocedural biomarker elevation on mortality in stable angina pectoris patients undergoing elective coronary intervention: a systematic review and meta-analysis including 24 666 patients.

Uncertainty remains regarding the exact prognostic impact of biomarker elevation following percutaneous coronary intervention in patients with stable angina pectoris and the subsequent risk of death. We sought, therefore, to evaluate the effect of periprocedural myocardial infarction on the subsequent mortality risk following percutaneous coronary intervention in patients with stable angina pectoris and normal preprocedural cardiac biomarkers level. After a systematic literature search was done in PubMed and EMBASE, we performed a meta-analysis of studies with post-procedural cardiac biomarkers data. All-cause mortality and cardiac death were evaluated in subjects with stable angina pectoris who underwent an elective coronary intervention. Fourteen studies with 24 666 patients were included. The mean age was 64.2 years ± 9.8 with about 3-quarters (74.9%) of these patients being men. The mean duration of follow-up was 18.1 months ± 14.3. Periprocedural myocardial infarction, based on study-specific biomarker criteria, occurred in 14.3% of the patients. Periprocedural myocardial infarction conferred a statistically significant increase in the risk of all-cause mortality (odds ratio, 1.62; 95% confidence interval, 1.30-2.01; P < 0.0001; I = 0%); where reported separately, cardiac death was also significantly increase (odds ratio, 2.77; 95% confidence interval, 1.60-4.80; P = 0.0003; I = 0%). The occurrence of periprocedural myocardial infarction after an elective percutaneous coronary intervention in patients with stable angina pectoris is associated with a statistically significant increase in subsequent all-cause mortality and cardiac mortality.

2-Year Outcomes After Stenting of Lipid-Rich and Nonrich Coronary Plaques

BackgroundAutopsy studies suggest that implanting stents in lipid-rich plaque (LRP) may be associated with adverse outcomes. ObjectivesThe purpose of this study was to evaluate the association between LRP detected by near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) and clinical outcomes in patients with coronary artery disease treated with contemporary drug-eluting stents. MethodsIn this prospective, multicenter registry, NIRS was performed in patients undergoing coronary angiography and possible percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). Lipid core burden index (LCBI) was calculated as the fraction of pixels with the probability of LRP >0.6 within a region of interest. MaxLCBI4mm was defined as the maximum LCBI within any 4-mm-long segment. Major adverse cardiac events (MACE) included cardiac death, myocardial infarction, definite or probable stent thrombosis, or unplanned revascularization or rehospitalization for progressive angina or unstable angina. Events were subcategorized as culprit (treated) lesion–related, nonculprit (untreated) lesion–related, or indeterminate. ResultsAmong 1,999 patients who were enrolled in the COLOR (Chemometric Observations of Lipid Core Plaques of Interest in Native Coronary Arteries Registry), PCI was performed in 1,621 patients and MACE occurred in 18.0% of patients, of which 8.3% were culprit lesion–related, 10.7% were nonculprit lesion–related, and 3.1% were indeterminate during 2-year follow-up. Complications from NIRS imaging occurred in 9 patients (0.45%), which resulted in 1 peri-procedural myocardial infarction and 1 emergent coronary bypass. Pre-PCI NIRS imaging was obtained in 1,189 patients, and the 2-year rate of culprit lesion–related MACE was not significantly associated with maxLCBI4mm (hazard ratio of maxLCBI4mm per 100: 1.06; 95% confidence interval: 0.96 to 1.17; p = 0.28) after adjusting clinical and procedural factors. ConclusionsFollowing PCI with contemporary drug-eluting stents, stent implantation in NIRS-defined LRPs was not associated with increased periprocedural or late adverse outcomes compared with those without significant lipid.