Differential Diagnosis, Clinical Characteristics, and Interventions of Braid-Like Coronary Artery: Case Series Analysis Based on Optical Coherence Tomography.

AIM: Based on optical coherence tomography (OCT), we aimed to determine the diagnosis, clinical characteristics, and interventions of braid-like coronary arteries, which are rare and tend to be diagnosed as a woven coronary artery (WCA) anomaly. METHODS AND RESULTS: We identified braid-like lesions on coronary angiography (CAG) in 7 patients (6 men; median age 47 years; age range 26 to 57 years). All patients were heavy smokers. Four patients were diagnosed with an old myocardial infarction and the other 3 with unstable angina. The braid-like lesions were located in the left anterior descending arteries in 2 patients and in the right coronary arteries in the other 5. TIMI grade 2 flow was observed in all involved vessels. OCT findings of all lesions were consistent with recanalization of organized thrombi, which consisted of septa that divided the lumen into multiple small cavities communicating with each other. No separate three-layered structure could be defined. Based on the significance of the stenosis and its related symptoms, drug-eluting stents were implanted in all of the lesions. All patients experienced symptomatic improvement after the intervention and were followed up event-free for 12 months. CONCLUSIONS: Braid-like coronary arteries are likely to undergo recanalization of organized thrombi rather than WCA according to our OCT findings. The majority of cases affect men who smoke heavily. Percutaneous stent implantation may be beneficial in selected patients when feasible.

Rationale and design of the DEAR-OLD trial: Randomized evaluation of routinely Deferred versus EARly invasive strategy in elderly patients of 75 years or OLDer with non-ST-elevation myocardial infarction.

BACKGROUND: Comparing with conservative strategy, early invasive approach has been shown to be beneficial for initially stabilized patients with non-ST-elevation myocardial infarction (NSTEMI). However, concerns of increased risk of bleeding and other complications associated with early revascularization in patients aged ≥75 years persist. A routinely deferred invasive strategy aiming to facilitate revascularization after stabilizing the culprit lesion predominates across China. AIM: The aim was to compare efficacy and safety of deferred invasive strategy versus guideline-recommended early invasive strategy in initially stabilized Chinese patients aged ≥75 years with NSTEMI. METHODS: Twenty qualified centers from 10 different provinces throughout mainland China will contribute to the study. Eligible patients will be central randomized to a routine deferred invasive approach or an early invasive approach (coronary angiography >72 hours or <24 hours of admission and appropriate revascularization). Patients meeting the inclusion criteria but not randomized for any reason will be registered. The primary end point of the present study is a composite of all-cause mortality, nonlethal (re) MI, ischemic stroke, and urgent revascularization at 1 year. Noninferiority design is used, and the inferiority margin was set to be 5%. The goal is to enroll 696 patients with expected primary end point rates of 30%, 2-tailed α of .05, power of 80%, and dropout rate of 5%. CONCLUSIONS: The DEAR-OLD trial is a prospective, nationwide, multicenter, noninferiority-designed, open-label randomized clinical trial evaluating efficacy and safety of routinely deferred invasive strategy compared with early invasive strategy in Chinese elderly patients with NSTEMI.

Early decrease in carotid plaque lipid content as assessed by magnetic resonance imaging during treatment of rosuvastatin.

BACKGROUND: Statin therapy has shown to deplete atherosclerotic plaque lipid content and induce plaque regression. However, how early the plaque lipid depletion can occur with low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) lowering in humans in vivo has not been fully described. METHODS: We enrolled 43 lipid treatment naïve subjects with asymptomatic carotid atherosclerosis and LDL-C ≥ 100 and ≤ 250 mg/dl. Rosuvastatin 5-20 mg/day was used to lower LDL-C levels to < 80 mg/dl. Lipid profile and carotid MRI scans were obtained at baseline, 3, 12, and 24 months. Carotid plaque lipid-rich necrotic core (LRNC) and plaque burden were measured and compared between baseline and during treatment. RESULTS: Among the 32 subjects who completed the study, at 3 months, an average dose of rosuvastatin of 11 mg/day lowered LDL-C levels by 47% (125.2 ± 24.4 mg/dl vs. 66.7 ± 17.3 mg/dl, p < 0.001). There were no statistically significant changes in total wall volume, percent wall volume or lumen volume. However, LRNC volume was significantly decreased by 7.9 mm3, a reduction of 7.3% (111.5 ± 104.2 mm3 vs. 103.6 ± 95.8 mm3, p = 0.044). Similarly, % LRNC was also significantly decreased from 18.9 ± 11.9% to 17.9 ± 11.5% (p = 0.02) at 3 months. Both LRNC volume and % LRNC continued to decrease moderately at 12 and 24 months, although this trend was not significant. CONCLUSIONS: Among a small number of lipid treatment naïve subjects, rosuvastatin therapy may induce a rapid and lasting decrease in carotid plaque lipid content as assessed by MRI. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.Gov numbers NCT00885872.

Fast photovoltaic effects tuned by vicinal interface microstructure in manganite-based all-perovskite-oxide heterojunctions.

Interfacial microstructure tunable photovoltaic effects have been reported in heterojunctions of La(1-x)Ca(x)MnO(3) thin films and tilted or exact cut Nb-doped SrTiO(3) single crystal substrates under irradiation of UV pulsed laser. The photoresponse times of vicinal junctions and films were obviously faster than those of exact cut samples. The behaviors can be explained by the slope of the built-in electric field in the 10° tilted heterojunction and the interfacial terrace microstructure of La(1-x)Ca(x)MnO(3) films.

Impact of the shift to a fibrinolysis-first strategy on care and outcomes of patients with ST-segment-elevation myocardial infarction during the COVID-19 pandemic-The experience from the largest cardiovascular-specific centre in China.

BACKGROUND: The impact of fibrinolysis-first strategy on outcomes of patients with ST-segment-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) during the COVID-19 pandemic was unknown. METHODS: Data from STEMI patients presenting to Fuwai Hospital from January 23 to April 30, 2020 were compared with those during the equivalent period in 2019. The primary end-point was net adverse clinical events (NACE; a composite of death, non-fatal myocardial reinfarction, stroke, emergency revascularization, and bleeding over BARC type 3). The secondary outcome was a composite of recurrent ischaemia, cardiogenic shock, and exacerbated heart failure. RESULTS: The final analysis included 164 acute STEMI patients from 2020 and 240 from 2019. Eighteen patients (20.2% of those with indications) received fibrinolysis therapy in 2020 with a median door-to-needle time of 60.0 (43.5, 92.0) minutes. Patients in 2020 underwent primary PCI less frequently than their counterparts (14 [14.2%] vs. 144 [86.8%] in 2019, P < 0.001), and had a longer median door-to-balloon time (175 [121,213] minutes vs. 115 [83, 160] minutes in 2019, P = 0.009). Patients were more likely to undergo elective PCI (86 [52.4%] vs. 28 [11.6%] in 2019, P < 0.001). The in-hospital NACE was similar between 2020 and 2019 (14 [8.5%] vs. 25 [10.4%], P = 0.530), while more patients developed a secondary outcome in 2020 (20 [12.2%] vs. 12 [5.0%] in 2019, P = 0.009). CONCLUSIONS: The fibrinolysis-first strategy during the COVID-19 pandemic was associated with a lower rate of timely coronary reperfusion and increased rates of recurrent ischaemia, cardiogenic shock, and exacerbated heart failure. However, the in-hospital NACE remained similar to that in 2019.

Correlations between indices of dynamic components of ambulatory blood pressure and renal damage in elderly Chinese male with essential hypertension.

OBJECTIVE: Twenty-four-hour ambulatory blood pressure monitoring (ABPM) is an accurate method to document changes in blood pressure (BP) and is more predictive than office and home BP monitoring for cardiovascular outcomes in elderly people. We aimed to determine the relationship between ABPM indices and renal damage in elderly Chinese male patients with essential hypertension. METHODS: We investigated 998 Chinese men (mean age of 78.44 ± 12.02 years) with essential hypertension. Renal function, laboratory testing, and ABPM, including ABP, BP variability, and BP circadian rhythms were investigated. Data were shown according to BP controlling status. The relationships between ABPM indices and renal damage [expressed by urine protein, urine albumin/creatinine ratio (uACR), estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR), blood urea nitrogen (BUN)] were assessed using multiple regression analysis. RESULTS: After adjustments for age, common cardiovascular risk factors, and medications, uACR level was positively associated with 24-h mean systolic blood pressure (SBP), 24-h mean pulse pressure (PP), and 24-h SBP percent time of elevation. eGFR level was negatively associated with the 24-h mean SBP and 24-h mean PP. BUN level was positively correlated with the 24-h mean SBP, 24-h mean PP, and 24-h SBP percent time of elevation, whereas the BUN level was negatively associated with the 24-h DBP SD. CONCLUSION: The ABPM indices associated with renal damage may be regarded as an early predictive marker for renal function impairment in Chinese elderly male patients with hypertension.

Transplantation efficacy of autologous bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells combined with atorvastatin for acute myocardial infarction (TEAM-AMI): rationale and design of a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, multi-center, Phase II TEAM-AMI trial.

Aim: To determine the efficacy and safety of intracoronary infusion of autologous bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (MSCINJ) in combination with intensive atorvastatin (ATV) treatment for patients with anterior ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction-elevation myocardial infarction. Patients & methods: The trial enrolls a total of 100 patients with anterior ST-elevation myocardial infarction. The subjects are randomly assigned (1:1:1:1) to receive routine ATV (20 mg/d) with placebo or MSCsINJ and intensive ATV (80 mg/d) with placebo or MSCsINJ. The primary end point is the absolute change of left ventricular ejection fraction within 12 months. The secondary end points include parameters in cardiac function, remodeling and regeneration, quality of life, biomarkers and clinical outcomes. Results & conclusion: The trial will implicate the essential of cardiac micro-environment improvement ('fertilizing') for cell-based therapy. Clinical Trial Registration: NCT03047772.

Chronic kidney disease--is it a true risk factor of reduced clopidogrel efficacy in elderly patients with stable coronary artery disease?

BACKGROUND: Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is an established predictor of recurrent ischemic events in patients with coronary artery disease (CAD). This association has been partially ascribed to high post-treatment platelet reactivity (HPPR) according to platelet function testing. However, the influencing factors of HPPR are assay-dependent, and the relevant data of elderly patients with stable CAD are absent. PATIENTS AND METHODS: 310 elderly patients (>80years of age) with stable CAD taking prolonged maintenance clopidogrel (75mg/day) were studied. Maximal platelet aggregation rate (MPA%) with light transmittance aggregometry and Platelet Reactive Units (PRU) with VerifyNow (VN) P2Y12 system were obtained. Markers of platelet activation, including PAC-1 and CD62P, were also determined. RESULTS: Patients on different stages of CKD presented similar MPA% and expression of PAC-1 and CD62P. Although severe CKD patients were more likely to present HPPR identified by VNP2Y12 (odds ratio: 1.85, p=0.038), multiple logistic regression diminished this effect (adjusted odds ratio: 1.19, p=0.642), and revealed anemia as a possible predictor of HPPR (adjusted odds ratio: 5.92, p=0.001). However, in a parallel way, hemoglobin correlated with baseline PRU values as well as with post-treatment values (r=-0.624 and r=-0.463, respectively, p<0.001). Association between hemoglobin and PRU inhibition rate was not found. Moreover, hemoglobin exerted no influence on MPA% at all. CONCLUSION: CKD is not necessarily associated with reduced antiplatelet effects of clopidogrel in elderly patients with stable CAD taking prolonged maintenance clopidogrel, and the seemingly influence of CKD on HPPR assessed by VNP2Y12 assay may be due to the artifactual effect of hemoglobin on VNP2Y12.

Comparison of ventricular structure and function in Chinese patients with heart failure and ejection fractions >55% versus 40% to 55% versus <40%.

Subjects with heart failure (HF) and a preserved ejection fraction (EF) are heterogenous and the EF used to define this syndrome varies considerably among studies. We sought to determine if physiologic differences exist between subjects with a normal EF (>55%) or mildly decreased EF (40% to 55%). 357 consecutive Chinese patients who were healthy (n = 93) or had HF (n = 264) underwent comprehensive echocardiography, Doppler analysis, and measurement of neurohormones. Subjects with HF were stratified by EF into those with normal EF (>55%, n = 128), mildly decreased EF (40% to 55%, n = 38), or moderate to severely decreased EF (<40%, n = 100). Employing noninvasive pressure-volume analysis, estimated end-systolic and end-diastolic pressure-volume relations were calculated. Subjects with HF and an EF 40% to 55% more often had a previous myocardial infarction and diabetes than those with HF and an EF >55%. Physiologically, the cohort with a mildly decreased EF had eccentrically enlarged ventricles with evidence of remodeling (rightward shifted end-diastolic pressure-volume relation) and decreased chamber contractility (downward shifted end-systolic pressure-volume relation) most comparable to subjects with overt systolic HF. In conclusion, in subjects with HF and a preserved EF, there are distinct physiologic differences between those with a normal (>55%) and a mildly decreased (40% to 55%) EF.