bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Impact of left ventricular ejection fraction on 10-year mortality after percutaneous coronary intervention or coronary artery bypass grafting
Authors: Masuda S , Ninomiya K , Kageyama S , Kotoku N , Mack M J , Kappetein A P , Morice M C , Onuma Y , Serruys P W
Published: October 2022

Backgrounds

The impact on vital prognosis at very long-term of percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) and coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) in patients with reduced ejection fraction (EF) remains to be elucidated.

Objective

To investigate the impact of left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) on 10-year mortality after PCI and CABG in the SYNTAX trial.

Methods

In the SYNTAXES study, 1,800 randomized patients were categorized into three groups according to the current guidelines; (1) reduced EF (rEF; LVEF ≤40%), (2) mildly reduced EF (mrEF; LVEF 41–49%), (3) preserved EF (pEF; LVEF ≥50%). The primary endpoint was 10-year all-cause mortality. Event rate up to 10 years was estimated according to the Kaplan-Meier method, and the log-rank test was performed to examine the differences among LVEF subgroups. The SYNTAX score 2020 (SS-2020) was compared between the patients with reduced (LVEF <50%) and preserved EF (LVEF ≥50%) in order to better refine their respective personalized vital prognosis and assess in cross-validation the value of the risk score.

Results

The population was stratified as rEF (n=168), mrEF (n=179), and pEF (n=1453). Ten-year all-cause mortality were 44.0% vs. 31.8% vs. 22.6% (P<0.001), in patients with rEF, mrEF and pEF, respectively. The significant interaction was not identified between LVEF classification and treatment (P interaction = 0.183). In patients with rEF, there was a tendency toward higher mortality in PCI group than CABG (52.9% vs 39.6%, P=0.054), and no significant differences in patients with mrEF (36.0% vs. 28.6%, P=0.273) and pEF (23.9% vs. 22.2%, P=0.275). According to the SS-2020, PCI was a relatively safe modality of revascularization in 37.8% of the patients with reduced EF (LVEF <50%). In the population with preserved EF (LVEF ≥50%), the proportion of patients eligible to PCI with predicted equipoise in mortality with CABG was 57.5%.

Conclusion

LVEF could an important factor for determining the revascularization treatment in patients presenting with complex coronary artery disease. Calculation of individualized 10-year prognosis using the SS-2020 may be a viable option in decision-making.

Funding Acknowledgement

Type of funding sources: None.
Reperfusion strategy and late clinical outcomes of patients with ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) in the absence of standard modifiable risk factors (SMuRFs)
Authors: Jamal J , Idris H , Faour A , Yang W , McLean A , Burgess S , Shugman I , Oloughlin A , Leung D , Mussap C J , Juergens C P , Lo S , French J K
Published: October 2022

Introduction

There is growing evidence that patients presenting with STEMI in the absence of standard modifiable cardiovascular risk factors (SMuRFs; smoking, hypertension, hypercholesterolemia, diabetes) have poorer outcomes compared to those with atleast one SMuRF. It has been hypothesised that this may be in part due to decreased administration of pharmacotherapies in the post-infarct period due to perceived low risk. Long term outcomes of patients without SMuRFs based on reperfusion strategy received during the index admission have not been investigated.

Purpose

We sought to analyse late clinical outcomes of STEMI patients with and without SMuRFs based on reperfusion strategy received during the index admission.

Methods

All patients who underwent PCI between 2003 and 2014 were identified from a PCI centre STEMI database. Late clinical outcomes of patients with and without SMuRFs were analysed overall and based on reperfusion strategy [primary PCI (pPCI) vs pharmaco-invasive PCI (PI-PCI)]. Propensity matching was used to account for differences in baseline characteristics between the groups.

Results

Amongst 2,091 STEMI patients, 531 (25%) had no SMuRFs (51% pPCI, 49% PI-PCI) and 1560 (75%) had ≥1 SMuRF (52% pPCI, 48% PI-PCI). Unadjusted late mortality in SMuRF-less patients was 13.4% (18.8% pPCI, 7.7% PI-PCI) and for those with ≥1 SMuRF was 9.7% (11.0% pPCI, 8.4% PI-PCI). After propensity-matching clinical and angiographic characteristics, 5 year mortality rates were significantly higher for patients without SMuRFs compared to those with SMuRFs [HR 1.36, CI: 1.03–1.81, p=0.031]. This difference was attenuated for patients who underwent pPCI [HR 1.72, CI: 1.22–2.43, p=0.002]. Interestingly, this discrepancy was not observed amongst individuals who underwent pharmaco-invasive PCI [HR 1.13, CI: 0.53–1.48, p=0.638], as SMuRF-less patients had similar mortality rates to their counterparts. Long term rates of reinfarction, stent thrombosis and target vessel revascularisation were similar between the groups. Additionally, there was no significant difference in rates of stroke and major bleeding amongst all 4 subgroups.

Conclusion

Patients presenting with STEMI in the absence of SMuRFs have increased overall late mortality compared to those with at least one SMuRF. However, this difference was not observed in patients who underwent a pharmaco-invasive strategy, whereby patients without SMuRFs had similar outcomes to those with SMuRFs after adjusting for confounders. Our findings suggest the use of a pharmaco-invasive strategy in appropriate SMuRF-less patients presenting with STEMI.

Funding Acknowledgement

Type of funding sources: None.
Heparin pre-treatment in patients with ST elevation myocardial infarction: a cohort study investigating the effects on coronary artery occlusion, mortality, and bleeding
Authors: Emilsson O L , Bergman S , Mohammad M , Rylance R , Olivecrona G , Gotberg M , Erlinge D , Koul S
Published: October 2022

Background

Unfractionated heparin (UFH) is often administered before arrival at the cath lab in patients with ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). However, large studies regarding the clinical impacts of UFH pre-treatment are scarce.

Purpose

To investigate if pre-treatment with heparin affects total coronary artery occlusion at angiography, mortality at 30 days, and major bleeding during hospitalization in patients with STEMI undergoing primary PCI.

Methods

The study population was extracted from the SCAAR (Swedish Coronary Angiography and Angioplasty Registry) and consisted of unique patients with a first STEMI event undergoing PCI during the study period 2008 to 2016. Patients receiving UFH pre-treatment were compared with patients not receiving UFH pre-treatment. To obtain relative risks of the outcomes adjusted Poisson regression models with robust standard errors were used. In the adjusted models, we included age, sex, smoking status, year, comorbidities (as specified under tables 1 and 2), and anti-thrombotic treatment (as specified under tables 1 and 2). To obtain absolute risk differences, analyses of propensity score (PS) matched groups were performed. PS was based on the same variables as in the adjusted Poisson regression, and a caliper of 0.02 was used.

Results

A total of 41,631 patients were included in the study population (median age: 67 years; 71% male), with 16,026 receiving pre-treatment with UFH and 25,605 not receiving UFH pre-treatment. The adjusted Poisson model revealed that UFH pre-treatment was associated with an 11% relative risk reduction of coronary artery occlusion (95% confidence interval (CI): 9%; 12%), and an 13% (95% CI: 2%; 23%) reduced relative risk of mortality. For bleeding, no statistically significant difference was found. In the PS-matched analysis (median age: 67 years, 71% male), the absolute risk differences were for coronary artery occlusion 8.3% (95% CI: 7.1%; 9.5%) in favour of UFH pre-treatment, and for mortality 0.5% (−0.1%; 1.2%), with a modest trend in favour of UFH pre-treatment. For bleeding, no statistically significant difference was found.

Conclusion

UFH pre-treatment was associated with a reduction in coronary artery occlusion at presentation at the cath lab in patients with STEMI, the number needed to treat being 13, without increasing the risk of bleeding. Regarding mortality, a reduced relative risk was found in the adjusted regression analysis, but the absolute risk difference was small and not statistically significant in the PS-matched analysis. Due to the retrospective study design, residual confounding cannot be excluded.

Funding Acknowledgement

Type of funding sources: None.
Robotic-assisted PCI – insights from a monocenter registry
Authors: Rilinger J , Heidt T , Bode C , Von Zur Muehlen C
Published: October 2022

Background

Robotics in interventional cardiology is a rapidly evolving technique, which is still in an early phase of development and clinical application. Beside the pivotal studies, there is limited real world data on success rates and safety of this new technology.

Purpose

To investigate the success rate as well as the safety profile of robotic-assisted percutaneous coronary intervention (R-PCI) and compare it with manual PCI (M-PCI).

Methods

We report preliminary data of our ongoing, prospective FRiK registry, started in mid 2021. This registry focuses on success rates and safety, radiation dose of patients and personnel, long-term outcome (after 6, 12 and 24 months), as well as on economic aspects and the learning curve of the interventionalists. Moreover, the R-PCI is compared with the M-PCI in these categories.

Results

So far, 51 patients (age 69 (62–80) years, BMI 28.4 (25.2–32) kg/m2, 74.5% male), received R-PCI. PCI success rate was 100%, with 15% requiring manual assistance (Figure 1). Rate of complications (myocardial infarction after PCI, dissection, stent thrombosis, pericardial effusion, target lesion revascularization and MACE (major adverse cardiovascular events) was 0%.

Compared with 41 M-PCI patients (Table 1), treated by the same interventionalists, there was a higher median procedural time (diagnostic and intervention) 106 (82–127) min vs. 71 (54–93) min (p<0.001) and fluoroscopy time 20.3 (14.8–28.5) min vs. 14.8 (10.4–22.4) min (p=0.012) in R-PCI patients. However, there was no significant difference between the dose-area product 4662.4 (3019.4–6399.2) cGy cm2 vs. 4193.9 (2759.9–6254.3) cGy cm2 (p=0.487) and contrast volume use 200 (150–280) ml vs. 180 (145–255) ml (p=0.587).

Conclusion

Preliminary results of R-PCI showed a high success rate, low rates for need of manual assistance, and a very high safety profile without any complications. The dose-area product and contrast volume use were comparable between R-PCI and M-PCI, whereas R-PCI showed a longer procedural and fluoroscopy time. Future steps will include a larger number of cases and definitions of patient cases with optimal eligibility for R-PCI.

Funding Acknowledgement

Type of funding sources: None.
Vascular access in complex high-risk but indicated percutaneous coronary interventions (CHiP) types, trends, and outcomes
Authors: Al Shamkhani W , Rashid M , Mamas M A
Published: October 2022

Background

Radial access improves the safety of PCI; however, its role in Complex, High-risk but indicated Percutaneous coronary interventions (CHiP) remains poorly studied.

Objectives

To examine CHiP types, clinical and procedural characteristics and clinical outcomes according to vascular access.

Methods

Data was obtained from the British Cardiovascular Intervention Society. We compared the baseline characteristics of 125,662 CHiP procedures performed electively between 2006 and 2017 stratified by access site. Multivariate regression analyses was used to investigate the access site specific odds for in-hospital death, bleeding, and major cardiovascular and cerebral events (MACCE).

Results

Overall, 61,825 CHiP procedures (49.2%) were performed via transradial access (TRA) and 63,837 (50.8%) via trans-femoral access (TFA). TRA use increased over time (14.6% in 2006 to 78.4% in 2017). The patients who had PCI through TRA were older (Median age: TRA, 71.2 vs TFA, 70.2 years). Cardiovascular risks were more prevalent in the TRA than TFA (stroke: 5.3 vs 4.3%; hypertension: 67.4 vs 64.3%; peripheral vascular disease: 7.2 vs 6.7%; smoking: 9.6 vs 8.9% respectively; p<0.001 for all). TRA patients had higher rates of multi-vessel PCI than TFA (two or more vessel PCI: 27.2 vs 24.2% respectively; p<0.001) and longer lesions (median stent length: 24mm vs 23mm). TFA group had higher rates of diabetes (26.6 vs 25.8%), previous myocardial infarction (44.2 vs 40.2%), previous PCI (38.7 vs 37.1%), heart failure (10.3 vs 9.3%), respectively (p<0.001 for all) suggesting operators' tendency to choose TFA in patients with greater cardiometabolic burden. TRA adoption was more prevalent in most CHiP types (elderly (54%), chronic renal failure (55.7%), poor LV function (51.4%), left main PCI (51.2%), treatment for severe vascular calcifications (53.1%)). Following adjustment for differences in clinical and procedural characteristics, TFA was independently associated with increased odds for mortality (aOR: 1.4 (1.1–1.8), p=0.004), bleeding (aOR: 2.9 (2.4–3.5), p<0.001), and MACCE (aOR: 1.2 (1.1–1.3), p<0.001).

Conclusion

Over the 12 years, TRA has become the predominant access site used in CHiP PCI and is associated with significantly lower mortality, major bleeding and MACCE odds than TFA. Addressing the cardiometabolic burden-treatment paradox by preferentially selecting TRA as the baseline cardiovascular burden increases may potentially improve CHiP clinical outcomes.

Funding Acknowledgement

Type of funding sources: Private company. Main funding source(s): An unrestricted educational grant from Abbott supports Warkaa Shamkhani's salary. However, the company had no role in the study design, manuscript preparation, or access to the manuscript's contents before submission. The authors are solely responsible for this study design and conduct and all analysis, drafting, and editing of the manuscript and its final content.
Rotational atherectomy: assessment of the effectiveness and safety
Authors: Borges-Rosa J , Grine M , Oliveira-Santos M , Delgado-Silva J , Matos V , Costa M , Goncalves L
Published: October 2022

Background

Rotational atherectomy (RA) enables percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) for complex and calcified coronary lesions, despite limited data regarding long-term outcomes.

Purpose

We aimed to characterize success rate, safety, and long-term outcomes with this technique in a single-centre with over a decade of experience.

Methods

We retrospectively analysed all cases of RA performed in a single-centre between January 2009 and December 2020. Angiographic success was defined as the presence of less than 30% residual stenosis and grade 3 TIMI (thrombolysis in myocardial infarction) flow. Complications included coronary perforation or dissection, burr entrapment, wire fracture, slow flow/no-reflow, side branch occlusion, peri-procedural myocardial infarction (MI), or death. Long-term major adverse cardiovascular (CV) events (MACE) included CV and all-cause death, MI, and target vessel revascularization.

Results

Of the total of 14,527 PCI performed, 410 procedures (2.8%) included RA. Most patients were male (74.0%) with mean age of 72.3±9.3 years. There was high prevalence of hypertension (85.65%) and dyslipidaemia (74.2%) which increased significantly over time (p trend=0.008 and p trend<0.001, respectively). One-third presented with acute coronary syndrome, most patients had multivessel disease (38.4% two-vessel, 32.7% three-vessel), and 12.2% had significant left main disease. Over time there was an increase in disease complexity, reflected by the proportion of type B2/C lesions (p trend =0.003) and median SYNTAX score (p trend =0.003). The utilization of transradial access increased over time (p trend =0.003) and maximum burr size was ≤1.50 mm in most cases (88.0%), with smaller sizes over time. Overall angiographic success rate was 96.6% without significant variation over time while complications (9.0%) showed a temporal decline (p trend=0.029) (Figure 1). Most frequent complications were coronary dissection (n=17) and burr entrapment (n=6). After a median follow-up of 40 (16–76) months, MACE occurred in 27.7% of patients, mainly due to CV death. At one year of follow-up, MACE, all-cause mortality and target vessel revascularization occurred in 12.1%, 6.4%, and 5.6%, respectively, without variation over time.

Conclusions

RA is an effective and safe technique, with a declining rate of peri-procedural complications along with technical developments. The rate of long-term events is concordant with the CV risk profile and coronary lesion complexity.

Funding Acknowledgement

Type of funding sources: None.
Pathological analysis of struts coverage after second- and third-generation drug-eluting stents implantation for duration of dual anti-platelets therapy; an autopsy study
Authors: Aihara K , Torii S , Nakamura N , Nakazawa G , Ikari Y
Published: October 2022

Background

Strut coverage of drug-eluting stents (DES) is one of the important factors for the duration of dual anti-platelets therapy (DAPT) after percutaneous coronary intervention. Several studies have reported percent coverage of struts assessed by optical coherence tomography (OCT), however, the timing of endothelial coverage of the latest second- and third-generation DES has not been revealed histologically.

Methods and results

From CVHills stent autopsy registry of 171 stented lesions, a total of 56 lesions from 39 autopsy cases with less than 370 days after second- and/or third-generation DES implantation was evaluated histologically. The lesions were stratified by duration: 1–30 days (n=39), 31–60 days (n=4), 61–90 days (n=5), 91–180 days (n=2), and 181–370 days (n=6), and percent coverage of struts, which was defined as neointimal coverage overlying with endothelial cells, was evaluated for each lesion. In addition, difference of coverage within 90 days after implantation between second-generation DES with circumferentially coated polymer and third-generation DES with abluminally coated polymer was also evaluated.

Percent strut coverage increased with time [1–30 days vs. 31–60 days vs. 61–90 days vs. 91–180 days vs. 181–370 days: median (interquartile range) 0.0% (0.0–0.3), 6.3% (1.0–11.7), 16.7% (8.0–32.6), 64.2% (55.6–72.9), and 86.5% (63.5–92.5), respectively, p<0.0001]. When the coverage at the earlier time point was compared between second- and third-generation DES, prevalence of coverage with >25% per section was higher in third-generation DES and the difference was more obvious in 61–90 days after stent implantation (0.0 vs. 1.0%, p=0.15 in 1–30 days, 7.7 vs. 14.3%, p=0.65 in 31–60 days, and 10.0 vs. 36.3%, p=0.04 in 61–90 days).

Conclusions

The current pathological analysis has demonstrated that the process of endothelial strut coverage in second- and third-generation DES proceeds over time, however, the speed was slower than reported in the previous studies evaluated with OCT. Furthermore, endothelial strut coverage of third-generation DES was faster than that of second-generation DES, suggesting a positive roll of abluminal coating on healthy endothelial coverage and safety de-escalation of DAPT at earlier timepoint.

Funding Acknowledgement

Type of funding sources: None.
Microscopic evaluation of mechanical burr degradation mechanisms after rotational atherectomy
Authors: Zimoch W J , Gronostajski Z , Kaszuba M , Reczuch K
Published: October 2022

Background

Rotational atherectomy is a highly effective technique to facilitate percutaneous intervention on highly calcified coronary lesions. In some cases, despite numerous passages of the burr, successful crossing of the lesion is impossible. Empirical evidence shows that burr replacement is usually successful, therefore suggesting possible mechanical wear of the tool, however this hypothesis was never tested.

Aims

The aim of this study was to asses the possible mechanisms of mechanical burr degradation after rotational atherectomy in scanning electron microscope.

Methods

Burrs after the procedure were cleaned and examined in the scanning electron microscope. In order to facilitate the quantification of possible changes burrs were divided into 7 areas in which the analysis was carried out separately according to preestablished protocol. There were several methods applied to determine the degree of tool wear. The first one was to count the number of pull-outs of the diamond coating. Secondly we used image analysis to determine the dark phase share in the particular areas, which corresponds to the amount of the diamond phase. Finally we compared new burrs with used ones to asses weather any signs of mechanical wear of the tool were visible. Examples of burr division and applied methods are presented in Figure 1.

Results

We included 13 burrs into our analysis, 2 new ones and 11 that were used for various amount of time during the procedure (24 to 540 seconds, mean 132 seconds). Except for one area there were no differences between new and used burrs in regard of studied parameters. Results are presented in Table 1.

Conclusions

Our study showed no signs of mechanical wear of rotablation burrs during the procedure. Further studies are needed to evaluate other possible causes of burr's loss of grinding properties such as covering by biological particles etc.

Funding Acknowledgement

Type of funding sources: Public grant(s) – National budget only. Main funding source(s): Wrocław Medical University
Shockwave intravascular lithotripsy (IVL) for calcified coronary lesions; a real world multicentre European study with long term follow up
Authors: Raja W , Testa L , Popolo Rubbio A , Cortese B , Wassef N , Raju P , Sharma V , Choudhury A , Hailan A , Lelasi A , Mastrangelo A , Bartorelli A , Basavarajaiah S
Published: October 2022

Background

The presence of calcium in atherosclerotic plaques is a challenge for successful angioplasty and is an independent risk factor for restenosis and stent thrombosis. Despite conventional tools (non-compliant, scoring and cutting balloons and rotational atherectomy), cracking calcium can still be challenging and incomplete. Intra-vascular lithotripsy (IVL) has shown promising results, although long-term data on safety and efficacy from real-world is lacking.

Purpose

This study was undertaken to report long-term outcomes following use of IVL from a European multi-centre experience.

Methods

This was a multicentre, retrospective observational study in which we enrolled all patients treated with shockwave lithotripsy from November 2018 to June 2021. Procedural success, complications and in hospital events were evaluated. The clinical outcomes during follow-up included cardiac death, target vessel myocardial infarction (TVMI), target lesion revascularisation (TLR), and major adverse cardiac event (MACE) (composite of cardiac death, TVMI, and TVR).

Result

A total of 272 patients were treated with IVL, with a mean age of 72 9.1 years and 78.5% (n=216) were male. Forty percent (n=110) were diabetic while 16% (n=45) had chronic kidney disease. Acute coronary syndrome was the presentation in 36% (n=99) while 51% (n=141) had stable angina. De novo lesions accounted for 78% (n=215) of the cases and the remainder were in-stent restenosis (21%; n=58). The LAD was the commonest artery treated 50% (n=139) followed by RCA 24% (n=68). Intracoronary imaging was performed in 33% of cases. Upfront IVL strategy was adopted in 37% (n=101) while 63% (n=171) were bail out procedures due to inadequate pre dilatation. Adjuvant rotational atherectomy was used on 31 (11.4%) cases. Procedural success was achieved in 96% (260) cases with major complications in 8 cases (perforation requiring covered stent in 3 patients) but there was no in-hospital mortality. Clinical outcomes over the median follow up of 641 days are shown in the table.

Conclusion

This is the largest multicentre registry with long term follow up. It has demonstrated that IVL appears to be safe with high success rates, low rates of complication and no in-hospital mortality. The long-term follow-up show promising results with low rates of hard-endpoints and revascularization rates.

Funding Acknowledgement

Type of funding sources: None.
CT-FFR in predicting future cardiovascular events
Authors: Smolka S , Fava A , Moshage M , Marwan M , Desai M Y , Achenbach S
Published: October 2022

Background

Computational fluid dynamics offer a non-invasive way for functional assessment of coronary stenosis in CT-FFR. Currently, minimal FFR thresholds used for determining ischemia were established in invasive coronary angiography. It remains unknown whether minimal absolute CT-FFR values are the most adequate tool for predicting future cardiovascular events.

Methods

This analysis enrolled 605 of 767 consecutive patients with suspected CAD undergoing CCTA from 2005 to 2007. Of the 161 (21%) patients excluded, image artifacts were the most common cause (97), followed by software error (43) and chronic total occlusion in (15). CT-FFR was measured using an on-site prototype (cFFR Version 3.0, Siemens Healthineers, Forchheim, Germany) by an experienced observer. CT-FFR values were measured at the proximal and distal end of each coronary segment and the maximum drop in CT-FFR (ΔFFR) over one segment recorded, respectively. Follow up data included major cardiovascular events (non-fatal stroke, non-fatal myocardial infarction, cardiovascular death) and revascularization (PCI or CABG).

Results

This study included 605 patients (60±11 years, 61.2% men) with minimal CT-FFR 0.81±0.14. Mean ΔFFR was 0.13±0.11. MACE occurred in 24 (4.0%) cases, revascularization in 66 (10.9%) during a median follow up of 2823 days (7–8 years). The area under the Receiver operator characteristic (ROC) curve was 0.887 for revascularization during follow up and 0.608 for MACE during follow up. AUC for the combined end point of MACE and revascularization was 0.806.

Conclusion

Maximum drop in CT-FFR (ΔFFR) is a good predictor for future revascularization but less useful in predicting MACE. This underlines the current use of CT-FFR in guiding treatment decisions.

Funding Acknowledgement

Type of funding sources: None.
Predictors of no-reflow in patients with myocardial infarction and ST-segment elevation treated with primary angioplasty
Authors: Cordero A , Escribano D , Monteagudo M , Zuazola P , Frutos A , Bertomeu-Gonzalez V
Published: October 2022

Introduction

The no-reflow phenomenon is a serious complication of coronary intervention, especially in primary angioplasty and effective preventive measures are unknown.

Methods

Retrospective study of all patients treated by primary angioplasty in a single center through 4 years. We define no-reflow as the absence of flow immediately after stent angioplasty. The variables associated with this phenomenon were analyzed using binary logistic regression. The delay to primary angioplasty was calculated as the sum of the time to the first medical contact, activation, transfer until arterial puncture.

Results

We included 1453 patients, mean age 64.1 years, 21% women, 16.1% Killip >1. The mean delay to primary angioplasty was 180 minutes (interquartile range 125–323). No-reflow was recorded in 81 (5.57%) patients and these patients had a higher mean age (69.37±12.51 vs. 63.76±13.52; p<0.001), higher delay to primary angioplasty (770.93±2056.91 vs. 348.80±749.73; p<0.001), presentation with Killip grade >1 (29.0% 15.36%; p=0.002), in addition to lower systolic blood pressure (121.18±28.63 vs. 113.37±28.22; p=0.021). Regarding coronary angiography, patients who developed no-reflow presented more frequently TIMI-0 (88.89% vs. 70.32%; p<0.001) and a tendency to being the left anterior descending the culprit vessel (46.91% vs. 36.88, p=0.07). In 59.3% of the patients who presented no-reflow, a final TIMI 3 was achieved, with the measurements carried out, compared to (94.9%) of the patients who did not have no-reflow (p<0.001).

Multivariate analysis identified the following variables associated with no-reflow: age (OR: 1.03 95% CI 1.01–1.05; p=0.008), delay to primary angioplasty >120 min (OR: 2.70, 95% CI 1.21–6.00; p=0.015), initial TIMI-0 (OR: 3.22, 95% CI 1.57–6.58; p=0.001). In fact, patients aged >40 had a very low incidence of no-reflow (1.72%), regardless of delay to primary angioplasty; however, in patients >70 years of age, the incidence was much higher (figure)

Hospital mortality was 9.25% (125 patients) and was almost 4 times higher in patients who presented no-reflow (23.68% vs. 8.39%; p<0.001). Adjusted for age, sex, delay to primary angioplasty diabetes and final TIMI flow, the no-reflow phenomenon was associated with higher hospital mortality (OR: 2.34 95% CI 1.02 4.25; p=0.030)

Conclusions

The no-reflow phenomenon has a low incidence but high mortality in patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction treated with primary angioplasty. Age, delay to primary angioplasty and initial TIMI 0 flow are the main predictors of no-reflow.

Funding Acknowledgement

Type of funding sources: None.
Impact of body mass index on outcomes in patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention for in-stent restenosis
Authors: Jones D , Sartori S , Cao D , Nicolas J , Spirito A , Beerkens F , Edens M , Synder C , Dangas G , Mehran R
Published: October 2022

Background

Recent advances in drug eluting stents (DES) design have significantly decreased the rates of in-stent restenosis (ISR). Nonetheless, ISR remains a major problem, affecting 5–10% of patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). Furthermore, PCI for ISR is often a poor prognostic factor for outcomes after the procedure. Historically, obese patients tended to have better outcomes when undergoing PCI, however it is unclear if this trend continues for the same population undergoing PCI for ISR.

Purpose

Investigate the outcomes of patients undergoing PCI for ISR in the overweight and normal weight population.

Methods

All patients undergoing PCI with DES implantation at a tertiary care center from January 2012 to December 2019 were included. Normal weight was defined as a body mass index (BMI) greater than or equal to 18.5 kg/m2 and less than 25 kg/m2, while overweight was defined as a BMI greater than or equal to 25 kg/m2. Patients with BMI <18.5 kg/m2, underwent PCI for acute myocardial infarction (MI), or received a bare metal stent (BMS) were excluded. The primary outcome was major events (MACE), a composite of all-cause mortality, myocardial infarction (MI), and target vessel revascularization (TVR) up to one year after PCI. Secondary outcomes included individual components of the primary endpoint.

Results

Out of 16,234 patients with available data on BMI, 12,444 (76.7%) were overweight and 3,790 (23.3%) were normal weight. Among overweight patients, 2,879 (23.1%) underwent PCI for ISR versus 815 (21.5%) of normal weight patients. Regardless of BMI status, patients undergoing PCI for ISR had higher rates of co-morbidities such as hypertension, hyperlipidemia, and diabetes mellitus than non-ISR counterparts. At one year post PCI, both overweight and normal weight patients undergoing PCI for ISR had increased risk of MACE (overweight: 18.4% vs. 6.7%; HR 2.83; 95% CI 2.50–3.20; normal weight: 18.8% vs. 7.8%, HR 2.43, 95% CI 1.95–3.04) when compared to non-ISR counterparts, mostly driven by TVR (overweight: 16% vs. 4.6%; HR 3.58; 95% CI 3.11–4.13; normal weight: 15.2% vs. 4.1%; HR 3.69; 95% CI 2.80–4.86). However, only overweight patients undergoing PCI for ISR had higher risk of all cause mortality (2.2% vs. 1.5%; HR 1.42; 95% CI 1.03–1.95) and MI (3.0% vs. 1.3%, HR 2.22; 95% CI 1.64–2.99) when compared to non-ISR counterparts (Figure 1).

Conclusions

PCI for ISR was associated with increased risk of MACE, irrespective of body weight. The risks of all-cause mortality and MI in ISR vs non-ISR patients only reached statistical significance in overweight patients.

Funding Acknowledgement

Type of funding sources: None.
Peri-interventional ischemic stroke after coronary angiography: a large-scale nationwide cohort analysis from 2006 to 2020
Authors: Bay B , Gossling A , Remmel M , Koester L , Blaum C M , Becher P M , Zengin-Sahm E , Rimmele D L , Clemmensen P , Seiffert M , Blankenberg S , Brunner F J , Waldeyer C
Published: October 2022

Background

Ischemic stroke after coronary angiography is a life-threatening complication, leading to high mortality and long-term sequelae in surviving patients. Contemporary data from a European nationwide perspective are however lacking.

Purpose

We aimed to investigate the incidence, temporal trends, and outcome of ischemic stroke complicating coronary angiography in a German nationwide cohort.

Methods

A retrospective analysis of healthcare records from 2006–2020 based on ICD-10 and OPS codes obtained from the German Federal Statistical Office was carried out. Patients ≥18 years of age hospitalized for coronary angiography (both diagnostic and percutaneous interventions) were included in this analysis. Ischemic stroke events as well as co-morbidities were identified using ICD-10 and OPS codes. The outcome of interest was in-hospital mortality. Multivariable logistic regressions were computed for the association of ischemic stroke with in-hospital mortality adjusting for age, gender, hypertension, hyperlipoproteinemia, and diabetes mellitus.

Results

Overall 5,098,751 cases of patients undergoing coronary angiography (mean age 68.7±11.4 years; 28.0% female) between 2006 and 2020 were included. Ischemic stroke occurred in 3,808 (0.07%) patients. In comparison, individuals who suffered from peri-interventional ischemic stroke were older (70.8±11.1 vs. 68.7±11.4; p<0.001), more likely female (33.4% vs. 27.9%; p<0.001), and differed significantly according to their clinical characteristics (see Table 1). Patients with ischemic stroke had a significantly longer in-hospital stay (18.3±15.5 vs. 6.4±8.0 days; p<0.001), and higher rates of in-hospital mortality (18.0% vs. 3.2%; p<0.001) compared to patients without ischemic stroke. After multivariable adjustment, ischemic stroke remained independently associated with a higher risk of in-hospital mortality with an Odds ratio of 6.5 (95% Confidence Interval: 5.9, 7.1; p<0.001). Also, incidence of peri-interventional stroke increased gradually from 0.03% in 2006 to 0.12% in 2020 (see Figure 1).

Conclusion

In a contemporary nationwide cohort of patients hospitalized for coronary angiography spanning 15 years, the incidence of ischemic stroke remained low, although a gradual increase from 2006 to 2020 was documented. The occurrence of ischemic stroke was independently associated with a markedly increased risk of in-hospital mortality. These findings might be helpful in evaluating patients undergoing coronary angiography and to reduce the high mortality and morbidity associated with this complication in future.

Funding Acknowledgement

Type of funding sources: None.
Direct stenting versus stenting after predilatation in STEMI patients with high thrombus burden: a subanalysis from the randomized COMPARE CRUSH trial
Authors: Vogel R F , Delewi R , Wilschut J M , Lemmert M E , Diletti R , Nuis R J , Paradies V , Alexopoulos D , Zijlstra F , Montalescot G , Angiolillo D J , Krucoff M W , Van Mieghem N M , Smits P C , Vlachojannis G J
Published: October 2022

Background/Introduction

Direct stenting has been proposed to reduce vessel wall damage and distal embolization in patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) undergoing primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). However, studies comparing direct stenting with stenting after predilatation have shown mixed results so far. Patients presenting with high thrombus burden in the culprit lesion represent a subgroup of STEMI patients that may particularly benefit from direct stenting, as high thrombus burden is associated with suboptimal reperfusion and poor clinical outcomes.

Purpose

We sought to determine the efficacy of direct stenting compared with stenting after predilatation in STEMI patients presenting with high thrombus burden.

Methods

The randomized COMPARE CRUSH trial assessed the efficacy of pre-hospital administration of crushed versus integral prasugrel tablets in patients presenting with STEMI planned for primary PCI. We assessed Thrombolysis In Myocardial Infarction (TIMI) flow, corrected TIMI frame count (cTFC) and myocardial blush grade at the end of primary PCI, as well as the occurrence of complete (≥70%) ST-segment resolution 1 hour post-PCI in STEMI patients presenting with high thrombus burden in the culprit lesion (defined as a TIMI thrombus grade ≥3).

Results

A total of 417 STEMI patients were included in the current analysis of which 336 (81%) presented with high thrombus burden on initial angiography with 144 patients (43%) being treated with direct stenting. Patients undergoing direct stenting exhibited significantly lower cTFC post-PCI compared with stenting after predilatation (16 [12–24] vs. 20 [13–29], p=0.02). Moreover, direct stenting patients more frequently exhibited complete ST-segment resolution 1 hour post-PCI compared with stenting after predilatation (72% vs. 59%, OR 1.82 [95% CI, 1.11–2.99], p=0.02). In contrast, we found no differences in the occurrence of TIMI 3 flow (DS 92% vs. 92%, OR 1.02 [0.47–2.22], p=0.97) or myocardial blush grade 3 (DS 63% vs. 54%, OR 1.45 [95% CI, 0.83–2.52], p=0.19) post-PCI between groups.

Conclusion

STEMI patients presenting with high thrombus burden treated with direct stenting showed improved markers of early myocardial reperfusion compared with patients treated with stenting after predilatation, indicating that a direct stenting strategy may benefit the subgroup of STEMI patients that present with high thrombus burden. Randomized trials are warranted to further investigate whether the potential benefits of direct stenting outweigh potential hazards over the long-term.

Funding Acknowledgement

Type of funding sources: Other. Main funding source(s): Daiichi-Sankyo and Shanghai MicroPort Medical
Artificial intelligence-enabled comprehensive coronary phenotyping in patients with suspected CAD
Authors: Viegas J M , Reis J F , Teixeira B , Grazina A , Mendonca T , Ramos R , Marques H , Figueiredo L , Earls J P , Ferreira R C
Published: October 2022

Introduction

The capabilities of artificial intelligence (AI) are rapidly progressing and the research community is getting increasingly interested in its possibilities. AI algorithms are able to work continuously and at high speed, reducing human workload and saving time that physicians can spend on more complex data or rarer cases. However, many clinical AI applications are currently only used in a research setting and lack proper testing and validation.

Objectives

This study aimed to determine the accuracy and performance of a novel AI-based software tool for CCTA analysis compared to conventional expert evaluation.

Methods

We evaluated 100 CCTA exams from a cohort of symptomatic patients with mild-to-moderately abnormal non-invasive ischemia test. Stenosis severity assessed by AI-based analysis (automatic evaluation, AEv) was compared with a level III expert CCTA interpretation (manual evaluation, MEv). AI-based analysis reported exact % stenosis and obstructive CAD was considered if maximal stenosis was ≥50%. Plaque phenotype was also estimated using AI algorithms.

Results

The study cohort was as follows: 52% male, mean age 68±10 years. The prevalence of hypertension, dyslipidemia and diabetes was 77%, 81% and 23%, respectively, and 10-year cardiovascular risk was 19±10% as predicted by Framingham risk score. Typical angina was present in 33%, of which 67% had a Canadian Cardiovascular Society angina grade ≥2.

Overall prevalence of obstructive CAD determined by MEv and AEv was 25% and 21%, respectively, with a significant association between both assessments (p<0.001). When compared to MEv as reference, AEv method performed with a sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive values of 0.56, 0.91, 0.58 and 0.86, respectively. Area under the curve was 0.871 (p<0.001) demonstrating high accuracy.

AEv atherosclerosis quantification revealed significant differences between patients with and without obstructive CAD according to MEv: median total plaque volume (569 vs 115 mm3, p<0.001), calcified plaque volume (297 vs 19 mm3, p<0.001), non-calcified plaque volume (235 vs 71 mm, p<0.001), low-density non-calcified plaque volume (2.8 vs 1.0 mm3, p=0.023) and percent atheroma volume (16.1 vs 3.8 mm3, p<0.001).

Conclusion

In patients with suspected CAD and mild-to-moderately abnormal ischemia tests, a diagnostic strategy using AEv as a gatekeeper is effective, providing a quantitative stenosis evaluation with similar diagnostic performance for obstructive CAD when compared to MEv. AI-enabled approach additionally allows a fully automated quantification of coronary plaque volumes and composition, which would further enhance risk stratification.

Funding Acknowledgement

Type of funding sources: None.
Intravascular ultrasound-guided optimization for chronic total occlusion-percutaneous coronary intervention with multiple drug-eluting stents
Authors: Seo S M , Kim S J , Kwon O , Brilakis E S , Yoon Y H , Lee K S , Kim T O , Lee P H , Kang S J , Kim Y H , Lee C W , Park S W , Lee S W
Published: October 2022

Background

Multiple stenting in the chronic total occlusion (CTO) lesions is frequently required, however associated with poorer clinical outcomes. It is demonstrated that intravascular ultrasound (IVUS)-guided CTO-percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) is related to a lower risk of adverse clinical events.

Purpose

We aimed to evaluate the clinical impact of stent optimization under IVUS guidance for multiple stenting, comparing with single stenting.

Methods

A total of 916 patients receiving drug-eluting stent (DES) under IVUS guidance were classified into two groups (stent optimization and non-optimization) according to optimization criteria (an absolute expansion criteria; minimal stent area ≥4.9 mm2 and a relative expansion criteria; 80% of mean reference lumen area). Of total population, 314 patients (34.3%) were treated with single stent and 575 patients (62.7%) were treated with multiple stents, respectively. Ischemic-driven target-lesion revascularization (TLR)/reocclusion was evaluated.

Results

Under IVUS guidance, 316 patients (34.5%) met IVUS criteria for stent optimization The achieving rates were 53% in the single stent group and 24% in the multiple stents group, respectively, (p<0.001). During a median of 4.7 years, the multiple stent group showed a significantly higher TLR/reocclusion rate, compared with the single stent group (12.8% vs. 5.2%, adjusted hazard ratio [HR] 2.51, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.20–5.25, p=0.01). (Figure 1) Meeting both the absolute and relative expansion criteria was associated with a significantly low rate of TLR/reocclusion rate (12.5% vs. 5.2%, adjusted HR 0.34, 95% CI: 0.15–0.79, p=0.01). Under IVUS-guidance, there was no significant difference between multiple stenting and single stenting in case of achieving the optimization criteria (6.5% vs. 4.2%, p=0.11), whereas non-optimization group in the patients with multiple stenting showed a significantly higher rate of TLR/reocclusion, compared with IVUS-optimization group in the patients with single stenting (14.5% vs. 4.2%, p=0.002). (Figure 2)

Conclusions

In CTO-PCI with DES, multiple stenting significantly increased the risk of TLR/reocclusion. IVUS-guided optimization for multiple stenting showed a comparable long-term risk of TLR/reocclusion to single stenting with IVUS optimization. Hence, achieving IVUS expansion criteria may help to reduce the risk of TLR/reocclusion in CTO-PCI with multiple DES overlapping.

Funding Acknowledgement

Type of funding sources: None.
Predicting success of the retrograde approach in percutaneous coronary intervention of chronic total coronary occlusions as guided by collateral grading systems
Authors: Somsen Y B O , De Winter R W , Giunta R , Schumacher S P , Van Diemen P A , Jukema R A , Stuijfzand W J A , Danad I , Lissenberg-Witte B , Verouden N J , Nap A , Galassi A R , Henriques J P , Knaapen P
Published: October 2022

Background

Retrograde chronic total coronary occlusion (CTO) percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) requires selection of appropriate interventional collaterals. At present, utilization of the Rentrop and Werner grading systems are encouraged to assess the collateral channels (CCs) prior to attempted guidewire (GW) crossing [1]. The J-Channel score was recently introduced to predict CC GW crossing difficulty, yet data on its applicability is lacking [2].

Purpose

To investigate the predictive ability of the J-Channel score for CC GW crossing success and technical CTO-PCI success compared to the Rentrop and Werner grading systems.

Methods

A total of 262 patients who underwent single-vessel retrograde CTO-PCI were prospectively recruited in a single-center registry. The J-Channel score, Rentrop and Werner grade were assessed by invasive coronary angiography. Crossing of CCs was considered successful if the GW reached the distal cap of the CTO body. Technical CTO-PCI success was defined as Thrombolysis in Myocardial Infarction flow grade 3 and residual stenosis <30%.

Results

Mean J-Channel score was found at 1.9±1.2. Median Rentrop and Werner grade were 3 [IQR 2–3] and 1 [IQR 1–2]. Technical CTO-PCI success was 90%. In 211 (81%) cases, CC GW crossing was successful. Receiver operating characteristics analysis showed comparable discriminatory capacity for Rentrop and Werner grade (AUC 0.67 and 0.65, p=0.611), whereas the predictive ability of the J-Channel score (AUC 0.74) was superior to the Werner grade (p<0.001). A high J-Channel score was inversely associated with CC GW crossing success (p<0.001). For technical CTO-PCI success, overall performance of all grading systems weakened, wherein Rentrop grade was numerically highest, followed by the J-Channel score and Werner grade (AUC 0.69, 0.67, and 0.58, respectively). Notably, a high Rentrop grade was associated with increased CC GW crossing and technical CTO-PCI success (p<0.001).

Conclusions

In retrograde CTO-PCI, there is limited incremental value of the J-Channel score, Rentrop classification and Werner grade in predicting technical CTO-PCI success. However, their application might aid in strategic collateral channel selection prior to attempted guidewire crossing.

Funding Acknowledgement

Type of funding sources: None.