Three-vessel Disease Research Articles

Radial Versus Femoral Access in Percutaneous Coronary Intervention in Acute Coronary Syndrome

Background: Although it safeguards patients from hemorrhagic disorders during cardiac procedures, the radial route is technically more challenging than the femoral approach. Aim: To evaluate the hypothesis that radial approach is the preferred strategy in ACS patients, and identifying independent predictors of the choice to choose radial access. Methods: Between August 2021 and January 2022, this prospective study was conducted in the interventional cardiology unit of Hayatabad Medical Complex Peshawar. The study included all ACS (unstable angina or myocardial infarction) patients who had previously had invasive diagnostic or therapeutic cardiac procedures. Patients who opted out of the trial were excluded. Results: Those in group 1 had a lower mean GRACE score (112±31 versus 127±40; p<0,001), improved renal function according to cretanine level (0.9±0.3 versus 1.1±1.0; p < 0.001) and a reduced prevalence of indications of left ventricular failure (6% versus 21%, p 0.003) when compared to patients in group 2. There was no difference in the groups at the time of admission for the type of ACS heart rate (69±15 Vs 75±16), systolic arterial pressure (148±31 Vs 151±33), positive troponin 59(79.7%) Vs 51(68.9%), electrocardiographic ischemia 23(31%) Vs 19(25.7%), three-vessel disease (30, 40.5%) VS 25(33.8%) Practical implication: The variables that determined the preference for radial approach reflect the clinical status and severity of the patients, demonstrating that the convenience of the approach is more valued in extremely complex patients than its antihemorrhagic effectiveness. Conclusion: The trend for radial access to be preferred over femoral access during coronary intervention was not primarily influenced by the patient population's risk of bleeding. Keywords: Angioplasty, Coronary Artery Disease, Radial Artery, Femoral Artery.

Genetic Testing Enables the Diagnosis of Familial Hypercholesterolemia Underdiagnosed by Clinical Criteria: Analysis of Japanese Early-Onset Coronary Artery Disease Patients.

Definitive diagnosis of familial hypercholesterolemia (FH) is paramount for the risk management of patients and their relatives. The present study aimed to investigate the frequency of gene variants contributing to low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) metabolism and their clinical relevance in patients with early-onset coronary artery disease (EOCAD). Among 63 consecutive patients with EOCAD (men <55 years or women <65 years) who underwent percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) from 2013 to 2019 at Keio University Hospital, 52 consented to participate in this retrospective study. Targeted sequencing of LDLR, PCSK9, APOB, and LDLRAP1 was performed. Of the 52 patients enrolled (42 men; mean age: 50 ± 6 years), one (LDLR, c.1221_1222delCGinsT) harbored a pathogenic mutation, and one (APOB, c.10591A>G) harbored variants of uncertain significance. Both the patients harboring the variants were male, showing no history of diabetes mellitus or chronic kidney disease, no family history of EOCAD, and no physical findings of FH (i.e., tendon xanthomas or Achilles tendon thickening). Patients harboring the LDLR variant had three-vessel disease, were on a statin prescription at baseline, and had stable LDL-C levels; however, the case showed a poor response to the intensification of medication after PCI. Approximately 3.8% of patients with EOCAD harbored variants of gene related to LDL-C metabolism; there were no notable indicators in the patients' background or clinical course to diagnose FH. Given the difficulty in diagnosing FH based on clinical manifestations and family history, genetic testing could enable the identification of hidden risk factors and provide early warnings to their relatives.

What is the role of coronary revascularization to recover the contractility of the dysfunctional heart?

Coronary artery disease is the predominant aetiology of heart failure and left ventricular dysfunction in industrialized countries. The pathophysiological substrate of hibernating myocardium constitutes the conceptual target of coronary revascularization by coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) or coronary angioplasty or percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). Studies, mainly observational, conducted in the past have demonstrated a prognostic benefit of CABG on survival. These findings were confirmed by the long-term follow-up of the STICH study in which, however, documentation of inducible ischaemia or myocardial viability was not predictive of a prognostic benefit of CABG. Revascularization via PCI in the recent REVIVED-BCIS2 study did not demonstrate a significant benefit in terms of death or heart failure hospitalization compared with optimal medical therapy. Pending the long-term follow-up of the REVIVED-BCIS2 study, optimized medical therapy, cardiac resynchronization therapy, and the implantable cardioverter defibrillator, where indicated, are the mainstay of treatment in patients with dilated ischaemic cardiomyopathy. The decision for coronary revascularization is made in the individual patient, possibly with a higher bias in patients with angina, three-vessel coronary artery disease, severe left ventricular dysfunction, and cardiac remodelling.

Predictive value of high sensitivity C-reactive protein in three-vessel disease patients with and without type 2 diabetes

BackgroundDiabetes mellitus (DM) and atherosclerosis are multifactorial conditions and share a common inflammatory basis. Three-vessel disease (TVD) represents a major challenge for coronary intervention. Nonetheless, the predictive value of high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) for TVD patients with or without type 2 DM remains unknown. Herein, we aimed to ascertain the long-term predictive value of hs-CRP in TVD patients according to type 2 DM status from a large cohort.MethodsA total of 2734 TVD patients with (n = 1040, 38%) and without (n = 1694, 62%) type 2 diabetes were stratified based on the hs-CRP (< 2 mg/L vs. ≥ 2 mg/L). Three multivariable analysis models were performed to evaluate the effect of potential confounders on the relationship between hs-CRP level and clinical outcomes. The Concordance index, net reclassification improvement (NRI), and integrated discrimination improvement (IDI) were calculated to assess the added effect of hs-CRP and the baseline model with established risk factors on the discrimination of clinical outcomes. The primary endpoint was major adverse cardiac and cerebrovascular events (MACCE).ResultsThe median follow-up duration was 2.4 years. Multivariate Cox regression analyses showed that the incidence of MACCE (adjusted hazard ratio [HR] 1.17, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.01–1.35, p = 0.031) and all-cause death (HR 1.82, 95% CI 1.07–3.11, p = 0.026) were significantly higher in the diabetic group compared to the non-diabetic group. In the diabetic group, the incidence of MACCE (adjusted HR 1.51, 95% CI 1.09–2.10, p = 0.013) was significantly higher in the high hs-CRP group than in the low hs-CRP group; no significant difference was found for all-cause death (HR 1.63; 95% CI 0.58–4.58, p = 0.349). In the non-diabetic group, the prevalence of MACCE (adjusted HR 0.93, 95% CI 0.71–1.22, p = 0.613) was comparable between the two groups. Finally, the NRI (0.2074, p = 0.001) and IDI (0.0086, p = 0.003) for MACCE were also significantly increased after hs-CRP was added to the baseline model in the diabetic group.ConclusionsElevated hs-CRP is an independent prognostic factor for long-term outcomes of MACCE in TVD patients with type 2 diabetes but not in those without type 2 diabetes. Compared to traditional risk factors, hs-CRP improved the risk prediction of adverse cardiovascular events in TVD patients with type 2 diabetes.

Non-reperfused ST-elevation myocardial infarction: notions from a low-to-middle-income country.

The objective of the study was to analyze the differences between survivors and non-survivors with non-reperfused ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) and to identify the predictors of in-hospital mortality. A retrospective cohort study included non-reperfused STEMI patients from October 2005 to August 2020. Patients were classified into survivors and non-survivors. We compared patient characteristics, treatments, and outcomes among the groups and identified factors associated with in-hospital mortality. We included 2442 patients with non-reperfused STEMI and we found a mortality of 12.7% versus 7.2% in reperfused STEMI. The main reason for non-reperfusion was delayed presentation (96.1%). Non-survivors were older, more often women, and had diabetes, hypertension, or atrial fibrillation. The left main coronary disease was more frequent in non-survivors as well as three-vessel disease. Non-survivors developed more in-hospital heart failure, reinfarction, atrioventricular block, bleeding, stroke, and death. The main predictors for in-hospital mortality were renal dysfunction (HR 3.41), systolic blood pressure < 100 mmHg (HR 2.26), and left ventricle ejection fraction < 40% (HR 1.97). Mortality and adverse outcomes occur more frequently in non-reperfused STEMI. Non-survivors tend to be older, with more comorbidities, and have more adverse in-hospital outcomes.

Predictors of Readmission after the First Acute Coronary Syndrome and the Risk of Recurrent Cardiovascular Events-Seven Years of Patient Follow-Up.

Recurrent hospitalization after acute coronary syndromes (ACS) is common. Identifying risk factors associated with subsequent cardiovascular events and hospitalization is essential for the management of these patients. Our research consisted in observing the outcomes of subjects after they suffered an acute coronary event and identifying the factors that can predict rehospitalization in the first 12 months and the recurrence of another acute coronary episode. Data from 362 patients admitted with ACS during 2013 were studied. Recurrent hospitalizations were retrospectively reviewed from medical charts and electronic hospital archives over a period of seven years. The mean age of the studied population was 64.57 ± 11.79 years, 64.36% of them being males. The diagnosis of ACS without ST elevation was registered in 53.87% of the patients at index hospitalization. More than half had recurrent hospitalization in the first year after the first ACS episode. Patients with lower ejection fraction (39.20 ± 6.85 vs. 42.24 ± 6.26, p < 0.001), acute pulmonary edema during the first hospitalization (6.47% vs. 1.24%, p = 0.022), coexistent valvular heart disease (69.15% vs. 55.90%, p = 0.017), and three-vessel disease (18.90% vs. 7.45%, p = 0.002) were more frequently readmitted in the following twelve months after their first acute coronary event, while those with complete revascularization were less frequently admitted (24.87% vs. 34.78%, p = 0.005). In multiple regression, complete revascularization during the index event (HR = 0.58, 95% CI 0.35-0.95, p = 0.03) and a higher LVEF (left ventricular ejection fraction) (HR = 0.95, 95% CI 0.92-0.988, p = 0.009) remained independent predictors of fewer early readmissions. Complete revascularization of the coronary lesions at the time of the first event and a preserved LVEF were found to be the predictors of reduced hospitalizations in the first year after an acute coronary event.

Obstructive Coronary Artery Disease in Patients Undergoing Rheumatic Valvular Heart Surgery

Objectives: The presence of concomitant obstructive coronary artery disease (CAD) in patients with valvular heart disease (VHD) carries significant prognostic implications. Therefore, the objective of this study was to determine the frequency and severity of obstructive CAD in patients undergoing valvular heart surgery for rheumatic heart disease (RHD) at a tertiary care hospital in Karachi, Pakistan. Methodology: This descriptive study included patients of either gender, between 40 to 70 years of age, diagnosed with RHD on transthoracic echocardiography, and undergone valvular heart surgery. As a routine, pre-operative diagnostic coronary angiography was performed and the presence and severity of obstructive CAD were recorded. Results: Among 126 patients, 73% (92) were male, and the mean age was 48.3 ± 7.1 years. Smoking was the most common risk factor with a frequency of 22.2%, followed by hypertension (7.1%) and diabetes (4.8%). Obstructive CAD was observed in 24.6% with 19.4% single-vessel disease, 16.1% with two-vessel disease, and 64.5% with three-vessel disease. The presence of obstructive CAD was found to be positively associated with older age (p=0.040) and type of RHD (p=0.048). Conclusion: The obstructive concomitant CAD is prevalent in around 1/4th of patients, most of them with multi-vessel diseases, undergoing valvular heart surgery for rheumatic heart disease. It has been further observed that older age and the type of RHD are positively associated with the incidence of concomitant CAD in these patients.

TCTAP A-038 Mild Renal Function Impairment and Long-Term Outcomes in Patients With Three-Vessel Coronary Artery Disease: A Cohort Study

TCTAP A-038 Mild Renal Function Impairment and Long-Term Outcomes in Patients With Three-Vessel Coronary Artery Disease: A Cohort Study

QCard-NM: Developing a semiautomatic segmentation method for quantitative analysis of the right ventricle in non-gated myocardial perfusion SPECT imaging

BackgroundRecent studies have shown that the right ventricular (RV) quantitative analysis in myocardial perfusion imaging (MPI) SPECT can be beneficial in the diagnosis of many cardiopulmonary diseases. This study proposes a new algorithm for right ventricular 3D segmentation and quantification.MethodsThe proposed Quantitative Cardiac analysis in Nuclear Medicine imaging (QCard-NM) algorithm provides RV myocardial surface estimation and creates myocardial contour using an iterative 3D model fitting method. The founded contour is then used for quantitative RV analysis. The proposed method was assessed using various patient datasets and digital phantoms. First, the physician’s manually drawn contours were compared to the QCard-NM RV segmentation using the Dice similarity coefficient (DSC). Second, using repeated MPI scans, the QCard-NM’s repeatability was evaluated and compared with the QPS (quantitative perfusion SPECT) algorithm. Third, the bias of the calculated RV cavity volume was analyzed using 31 digital phantoms using the QCard-NM and QPS algorithms. Fourth, the ability of QCard-NM analysis to diagnose coronary artery diseases was assessed in 60 patients referred for both MPI and coronary angiography.ResultsThe average DSC value was 0.83 in the first dataset. In the second dataset, the coefficient of repeatability of the calculated RV volume between two repeated scans was 13.57 and 43.41 ml for the QCard-NM and QPS, respectively. In the phantom study, the mean absolute percentage errors for the calculated cavity volume were 22.6% and 42.2% for the QCard-NM and QPS, respectively. RV quantitative analysis using QCard-NM in detecting patients with severe left coronary system stenosis and/or three-vessel diseases achieved a fair performance with the area under the ROC curve of 0.77.ConclusionA novel model-based iterative method for RV segmentation task in non-gated MPI SPECT is proposed. The precision, accuracy, and consistency of the proposed method are demonstrated by various validation techniques. We believe this preliminary study could lead to developing a framework for improving the diagnosis of cardiopulmonary diseases using RV quantitative analysis in MPI SPECT.

Impact of periprocedural major adverse events on 10-year mortality after revascularisation.

The long-term prognostic impact of a composite of periprocedural major adverse events (PMAE) following revascularisation for patients with complex coronary artery disease (CAD) has not yet been established. This study aimed to assess the impact on 10-year mortality of non-fatal PMAE following percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) or coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG). Other objectives were to evaluate 1) whether PMAE affect mortality predicted by the SYNTAX score II 2020 (SSII-2020) and 2) whether optimal medical therapy (OMT) positively affects the prognosis of patients with non-fatal PMAE. The association between 10-year mortality and non-fatal PMAE occurring within 30 days of PCI or CABG in patients with three-vessel disease and/or left main disease enrolled in the SYNTAXES study was investigated. The main findings are that non-fatal PMAE occurred less frequently following PCI than CABG (11.2% vs 28.2%; p<0.001) and that non-fatal PMAE were an independent predictor of all-cause mortality in the first year post-procedure, but not at 5 or 10 years, in both treatment modalities. PMAE substantially alter the individual predictions of 10-year mortality by the SSII-2020. In patients with non-fatal PMAE, OMT may provide survival benefits during the first year post-procedure as well as in the long term. In patients with complex CAD, non-fatal PMAE were more common following CABG than PCI, but their prognostic impact was similar, being significant in the first year and then diminishing out to 10 years. Patients with non-fatal PMAE may therefore require more careful follow-up and additional preventive treatment in the first year post-procedure.

Discordance between Invasive and Non-Invasive Coronary Angiography: An In-Depth Functional and Anatomical Analysis

A 79-year-old male with chronic coronary syndrome with complex coronary artery disease was included in the first-in-man trial of surgical revascularization guided solely by coronary computed tomography angiography (CCTA) and fractional flow reserve derived from CCTA (FFRCT). In CCTA analysis, the patient had calcified three-vessel disease, with a global anatomical SYNTAX score of 27. In contrast, in the initial FFRCT, only the ramus intermediate stenosis was physiologically significant, with no other vessels having an FFRCT ≤ 0.80 (functional SYNTAX score of 2). Discordance between the results of the CCTA and FFRCT necessitated an in-depth analysis by using both invasive and non-invasive coronary angiography. Angiography-derived fractional flow reserve (FFR) confirmed that the stenosis in the proximal left anterior descending artery (LAD) was physiologically significant, while it remained functionally negative in the second assessment of FFRCT. Extensive calcification is the most plausible explanation for the underestimation of the stenosis of proximal LAD in CCTA-derived FFR technology.

The effect of type 2 diabetes mellitus on multiple obstructive coronary artery disease.

Although type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) individuals easily develop three-vessel disease (3VD) coronary artery disease (CAD), there is very little information available about their left ventricle (LV) functions. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the LV function using two-dimensional speckle tracking echocardiography (2-D STE) in T2DM patients with 3VD. One hundred and three consecutive patients with confirmed 3VD CAD were enrolled and divided into two groups, while 53 patients with DM and 50 patients without. The control group was composed of 30 age- and sex-matched healthy individuals.All patients underwent 2-D STE and standard echocardiograms. The durations of DM and the level of HbA1c were also recorded. Between the 3VD-DM and 3VD-non-DM groups, normal echocardiography did not reveal any appreciable differences. However, patients with 3VD-DM had significantly lower global longitudinal strain (GLS) than those with 3VD-non-DM (15.87±2.51vs.17.56±2.72,p<.05) by 2-D STE strain measurement. Besides, patients whose duration of DM excess 5 years showed significant lower GLS than those with less than 5 years duration (14.25±2.31vs. 16.65±1.96,p=.007). However, there was no difference in GLS between the 3VD-DM patients with HbA1c≥7% and HbA1c<7%. Compared to patients with 3VD alone, those with 3VD-DM have a lower cardiac function. In 3VD-DM patients, the duration of DM is a significant factor that contributes to cardiac function deterioration, whereas, the glucose control state has limited influence.

Postoperative Atrial Fibrillation After Coronary Bypass Surgery In Patients Having Pre-Operative Hypoalbuminemia.

Hypoalbuminemia commonly occurs in cardiac patients, especially in elderly patients and those with chronic congestive heart failure, and it has been associated with adverse events such as atrial fibrillation. The study aimed to determine the incidence of postoperative atrial fibrillation (POAF) in patients undergoing coronary bypass surgery (CABG) with pre-operative hypoalbuminemia in a major cardiac surgery institute in Karachi, Pakistan. This descriptive cross-sectional study included patients of any gender, aged between 30-80 years, who underwent CABG surgery and had hypoalbuminemia at the time of pre-operative assessment. Hypoalbuminemia was defined as a serum albumin level less than 3.8 mg/dL (normal range: 3.8-4.5 mg/dL). We recorded routine daily 12-lead ECGs and monitored the occurrence of POAF within 72 hours of surgery. A total of 144 patients were included in the study, of which 77.8% (112) were male, and the mean age was 58.1±8.4 years. The average serum albumin levels before surgery were 3.5±0.2 mg/dL. The majority of patients, 71.5% (103), had three-vessel disease (3VD), and 20.8% (30) had 3VD with left main (LM) disease. Hypertension was observed in 70.1% (101) of the patients, diabetes in 52.1% (75), and prolonged CBP time in 61.8% (89). The frequency of POAF was 10.4% (15), and it was significantly higher in non-hypertensive and non-diabetic patients, with a crude odds ratio of 4.19 [1.39-12.65] and 8.47 [1.84-39.09], respectively. The study found that approximately one in every ten patients undergoing CABG experienced POAF. Surprisingly, the rate of POAF was higher among non-hypertensive and non-diabetic patients.

Machine learning improves mortality prediction in three-vessel disease

Background and aimsRisk stratification for three-vessel coronary artery disease (3VD) remains an important clinical challenge. In this study, we utilized machine learning (ML), which can address the limitations of traditional regression-based models, to develop a novel model to assess mortality risk in patients with 3VD. MethodsThis study was based on a prospective cohort of 8943 participants with 3VD consecutively enrolled between 2004 and 2011. An ML-derived random forest model was trained and tested to predict 4-year mortality. The predictability of the model was compared with that of an established model, the Synergy Between Percutaneous Coronary Intervention With Taxus and Cardiac Surgery score II (SSII), among 3VD patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI), coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG), and medical therapy (MT) alone. ResultsThe all-cause mortality was 7.5% (667 patients) over the 4-year follow-up period. The correlation-based feature selection algorithm selected 18 of the 94 features to develop the ML model. In the testing dataset, the ML-derived model achieved an area under the curve of 0.81 for 4-year mortality prediction. Its predictability was significantly better than that of the SSII among patients undergoing PCI (0.80 vs. 0.70, p < 0.001) or CABG (0.80 vs. 0.67, p < 0.001). The model also outperformed the SSII in patients receiving MT alone (ML: 0.75 vs. SSII for PCI: 0.70 or SSII for CABG: 0.66, p < 0.001). ConclusionsThis ML-based approach exhibited better performance in risk stratification for 3VD compared with the conventional method. Further validation studies are needed to confirm these findings.

Black aortic valve and coronary arteries in liver transplantation patient: case report

BackgroundBlack pigmentation of the aortic valve and coronary arteries has been reported to be caused by alkaptonuria or minocycline. In patients with liver transplantation it has been described only once, after exposure to minocycline. We report a second case of such pigmentation in a liver transplantation patient, for whom none of the known causes are an adequate explanation for this pigmentation.Case presentationOur 56-year-old male patient showed a complex history of two liver transplantations and sleeve gastrectomy, and had neither alkaptonuria nor a history of minocycline intake. He underwent an urgent coronary bypass grafting and aortic valve replacement because of an acute coronary syndrome based on three-vessel disease and progressive aortic valve stenosis. During this procedure, the aortic valve and coronary arteries had black pigmentation.ConclusionsThere are causes – other than alkaptonuria and minocycline – that can induce a black pigmentation of the aortic valve and coronary arteries. In patients with a history of liver transplantation, alteration in (dys)functional liver parenchyma or administration of substances related to the procedure of liver transplantation are possible causes. Identifying these is important because they are potentially harmful as they may induce degenerative changes and functional impairment of the aortic valve and coronary arteries. Further research is needed, but proves to be difficult due to the rare nature of this condition.

Hyperuricemia predicts increased cardiovascular events in patients with chronic coronary syndrome after percutaneous coronary intervention: A nationwide cohort study from Japan.

The causal relationship between hyperuricemia and cardiovascular diseases is still unknown. We hypothesized that hyperuricemic patients after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) had a higher risk of major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE). This was a large-scale multicenter cohort study. We enrolled patients with chronic coronary syndrome (CCS) after PCI between April 2013 and March 2019 using the database from the Clinical Deep Data Accumulation System (CLIDAS), and compared the incidence of MACE, defined as a composite of cardiovascular death, myocardial infarction, and hospitalization for heart failure, between hyperuricemia and non-hyperuricemia groups. In total, 9,936 patients underwent PCI during the study period. Of these, 5,138 patients with CCS after PCI were divided into two group (1,724 and 3,414 in the hyperuricemia and non-hyperuricemia groups, respectively). The hyperuricemia group had a higher prevalence of hypertension, atrial fibrillation, history of previous hospitalization for heart failure, and baseline creatinine, and a lower prevalence of diabetes than the non-hyperuricemia group, but the proportion of men and age were similar between the two groups. The incidence of MACE in the hyperuricemia group was significantly higher than that in the non-hyperuricemia group (13.1 vs. 6.4%, log-rank P < 0.001). Multivariable Cox regression analyses revealed that hyperuricemia was significantly associated with increased MACE [hazard ratio (HR), 1.52; 95% confidential interval (CI), 1.23-1.86] after multiple adjustments for age, sex, body mass index, estimated glomerular filtration rate, left main disease or three-vessel disease, hypertension, diabetes mellitus, dyslipidemia, history of myocardial infarction, and history of hospitalization for heart failure. Moreover, hyperuricemia was independently associated with increased hospitalization for heart failure (HR, 2.19; 95% CI, 1.69-2.83), but not cardiovascular death or myocardial infarction after multiple adjustments. Sensitive analyses by sex and diuretic use, B-type natriuretic peptide level, and left ventricular ejection fraction showed similar results. CLIDAS revealed that hyperuricemia was associated with increased MACE in patients with CCS after PCI. Further clinical trials are needed whether treating hyperuricemia could reduce cardiovascular events or not.

Association of lipoprotein(a) with coronary severity in patients with new-onset acute myocardial infarction: A large cross-sectional study

BackgroundAlthough current evidence suggests a causal association between lipoprotein(a) [Lp(a)] and cardiovascular disease, there is still no consensus on its association with coronary severity in new-onset acute myocardial infarction (AMI). We explored the association of Lp(a) with coronary severity. MethodsIn this large cross-sectional study, we enrolled 2,740 patients with new-onset AMI from the Zhongda Hospital affiliated to Southeast University. Lp(a) was considered as an exposure variable. Gensini score, left main disease and three-vessel disease were used to assess coronary severity. Multivariate logistic regression, restricted cubic spline (RCS) models and threshold effects were used to analyze the association of Lp(a) with coronary severity. ResultsMultivariate adjusted models showed that Lp(a) was independently associated with Gensini score (≥100), left main disease and three-vessel disease [Q4 vs Q1, OR (95 % CI), P value: 2.301 (1.770, 2.992), P < 0.001; 1.743 (1.174, 2.587), P = 0.006; 1.431 (1.128, 1.816), P = 0.003; respectively], and the associations persisted in sensitivity analyses and most subgroups (P < 0.05). Additionally, the RCS showed that Lp(a) was nonlinearly associated with Gensini score (continuous variable), Gensini score (≥100) and three-vessel disease (P for nonlinearity < 0.05). Threshold effects analysis showed that Lp(a) above the inflection point was positively associated with Gensini score (continuous variable) as well as the risk of Gensini score (≥100) and three-vessel disease. ConclusionLp(a) was closely associated with coronary severity represented by Gensini score, left main disease and three-vessel disease in patients with new-onset AMI.

Mild Renal Function Impairment and Long-Term Outcomes in Patients with Three-Vessel Coronary Artery Disease: A Cohort Study

Introduction: Limited data are available on the long-term impact of mild renal dysfunction (estimated glomerular filtration rate [eGFR] 60–89 mL/min/1.73 m2) in patients with three-vessel coronary disease (3VD). Methods: A total of 5,272 patients with 3VD undergoing revascularization were included and were categorized into 3 groups: normal renal function (eGFR ≥90 mL/min/1.73 m2, n = 2,352), mild renal dysfunction (eGFR 60–89, n = 2,501), and moderate renal dysfunction (eGFR 30–59, n = 419). Primary endpoint was all-cause death. Secondary endpoints included cardiac death and major adverse cardiac and cerebrovascular events (MACCE), a composite of death, myocardial infarction, and stroke. Results: During the median 7.6-year follow-up period, 555 (10.5%) deaths occurred. After multivariable adjustment, patients with mild and moderate renal dysfunction had significantly higher risks of all-cause death (adjusted hazard ratio [HR]: 1.36, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.07–1.70; adjusted HR: 2.06, 95% CI: 1.53–2.78, respectively) compared with patients with normal renal function. Patients after coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) had a lower rate of all-cause death and MACCE than those undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) in the normal and mild renal dysfunction group but not in the moderate renal dysfunction group. Results were similar after propensity score matching. Conclusions: In patients with 3VD, even mild renal impairment was significantly associated with a higher risk of all-cause death. The superiority of CABG over PCI diminished in those with moderate renal dysfunction. Our study alerts clinicians to the early screening of mild renal impairment in patients with 3VD and provides real-world evidence on the optimal revascularization strategy in patients with renal impairment.

Left Main Percutaneous Coronary Revascularization.

Left main (LM) coronary artery disease accounts for approximately 4-6% of all percutaneous coronary interventions (PCIs). There has been mounting evidence indicating the non-inferiority of LM PCI as a revascularization option, particularly for those with a low SYNTAX score. The EXCEL and NOBEL trials have shaped current guidelines. The European Society of Cardiology assigned a class 2a (level of evidence B) for isolated LM disease involving the shaft and ostium and a class IIb (level of evidence B) for isolated LM disease involving the bifurcation or additional two- or three-vessel disease and a SYNTAX score <32. However, data on the use of a single stent or an upfront two-stent strategy for distal LM disease are conflicting, wherein the EBC Main trial reported similar outcomes with a stepwise provisional approach and the DKCRUSH-V trial reported better outcomes with an upfront two-stent strategy using the 'double-kissing' crush technique. Although several studies have noted better immediate results with image-guided PCI, there are few data on outcomes in LM disease specifically. In fact, the uptake of imaging in the aforementioned landmark trials was only 40%. More importantly, the role of mechanical circulatory support (MCS) has been less well studied in LM PCI. Indiscriminate use of MCS for LM PCI has been noted in clinical practice. Trials evaluating the benefit of MCS in high-risk PCI demonstrated no benefit. This review highlights contemporary trials as they apply to current practice in LM PCI.

Vein Patch Angioplasty with Internal Mammary Artery Grafting of the Left Anterior Descending Coronary Artery

Objective. To describe the treatment outcomes of patients who underwent coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) with vein patch angioplasty with internal mammary artery (IMA) grafting of the diffusely diseased left anterior descending (LAD) coronary artery. Methods. This is a retrospective observational study of 26 patients who have undergone vein patch angioplasty of the LAD coronary artery with IMA grafting in three centers by a single surgeon from January 2012 to August 2017. The demographic profile, intraoperative data, and postoperative outcome (including in-hospital mortality and morbidity, perioperative myocardial infarction, and NYHA functional classification) were recorded. Continuous variables were expressed as means with standard deviation and categorical variables summarized as frequencies and percentages. Student’s t-test was used to compare the preoperative versus postoperative mean NYHA functional class.Results. There were 22 (85%) males and 4 (15%) females with a mean age of 62 years (range: 34 to 82). Twentyfive patients (96%) had a three-vessel disease, and one (4%) had a two-vessel disease. Nine patients (35%) had a preoperative myocardial infarction. The mean cardiopulmonary bypass and aortic-cross clamp times were 156 and 118 minutes, respectively. The mean number of vessels grafted was 4.12. Multiple arterial grafting was used in seven patients (27%). There were two in-hospital mortalities (7.7%) and three morbidities (11.5%), including reoperation for bleeding, acute kidney injury, and leg wound infection. Six patients (23%) developed postoperative atrial fibrillation. No patient developed perioperative myocardial infarction. The mean ICU stay was three days, and the mean hospital stay was 10.27 days. The mean NYHA functional class improved from 2.85 preoperatively to 1.5 postoperatively (p&lt;0.00001). Among patients with improvement, postoperative NYHA improved by two functional classes in 38% and by one functional class in 62%.Conclusion. Vein patch angioplasty is a valuable technique for diffuse coronary stenosis of the LAD artery withacceptable early results.&nbsp; &nbsp