Allogeneic peripheral blood stem cell transplantation and accelerated atherosclerosis: An intriguing association needing targeted surveillance. Lessons from a rare case of acute anterior myocardial infarction.

We report the case of a 23-year-old man who developed an acute ST-elevation myocardial infarction secondary to acute thrombotic occlusion of the proximal left anterior descending coronary artery five years after undergoing chemotherapy, radiotherapy, haematopoietic stem cell transplantation for acute lymphoblastic leukaemia and bulky mediastinal mass involving the pleura and pericardium. His medical history also included Graft versus Host Disease developed 13 months after transplantation and acute myocarditis three months before the actual hospital admission. To the best of our knowledge, coronary artery disease as a complication of haematopoietic stem cell transplantation and low-dose mediastinal radiation therapy in young patients has been rarely reported in the medical literature. Clinicians should have a high degree of suspicion of coronary artery disease in patients treated with allogeneic haematopoietic stem cell transplantation, especially in patients previously treated with target mediastinal radiotherapy, as a group at risk of premature and significantly accelerated atherosclerosis, in order to make a timely and correct diagnosis.

[Paclitaxel-coated balloons for in-stent restenosis treatment: long-term clinical results and predictors of recurrent target lesion revascularization]. / Palloncini medicati a eluizione di paclitaxel nel trattamento delle ristenosi intrastent: risultati clinici a lungo termine e predittori di nuova rivascolarizzazione della lesione bersaglio.

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to report clinical outcomes in patients treated with paclitaxel-coated balloons (PCB) for in-stent restenosis (ISR) in both bare metal (BMS) and drug-eluting stent (DES). METHODS: Between May 2009 and December 2015, we treated 155 ISR in 140 patients. At recruitment, 35% of patients had diabetes. Among the lesions, 125 were first occurrence (55 within BMS and 70 within DES) and 30 recurrent; 24 ISR were multi-metal layered. Mean reference diameter was 2.79 ± 0.52 mm and mean lesion length 13.2 ± 7.1 mm. PCB use included 32 Dior I, 97 InPact Falcon, 18 Panthera Lux, and 8 Restore DEB. RESULTS: At a median follow-up of 442 days, we observed 18 target lesion revascularizations (TLR), one myocardial infarction, 3 cardiac deaths, and 5 non-cardiac deaths. TLR occurrence differed according to type of ISR (4% within BMS, 14% within DES, 28% within recurrent ISR; p<0.05). TLR was associated with PCB type (35% Dior I, 9% InPact Falcon, 0% Panthera Lux and Restore DEB; p<0.05). Multivariable analysis revealed that first-generation PCB without a carrier (hazard ratio [HR] 2.50, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.96-6.50; p=0.06) and recurrent ISR (HR 7.76, 95% CI 1.56-38.66; p=0.01) correlated with subsequent TLR. CONCLUSIONS: Our results confirm the safety and efficacy of PCB for ISR treatment both within BMS and DES. PCB type and recurrent ISR correlate with subsequent TLR.

Arterial Stiffness in Aortic Stenosis: Relationship with Severity and Echocardiographic Procedures Response.

INTRODUCTION: Aortic stenosis (AS) is more than only a degenerative disease, it could be also an atherosclerotic-like process involving the valve instead of the vessels. Little is known about the relation of arterial stiffness and AS. AIM: We sought to determine wether pulse wave velocity (PWV), is related to AS severity and to the procedures response, both as surgical aortic-valve-replacement (AVR) and trascatheter-aortic-valve-implantation (TAVI). METHODS: 30 patients with severe AS were treated (15 AVR, 15 TAVI). Before the procedures (t0) and after 1 week (t1) echocardiography and PWV were evaluated. RESULTS: On the whole population, subjects with higher PWV showed higher transvalvular pressure gradient at baseline (mean: 56.5 ± 15.1 vs 45.4 ± 9.5; peak: 93.3 ± 26.4 vs 73.3 ± 14.9, p = 0.02) and, a significantly greater response to the procedures (mean: -42.9 ± 17.2 vs -27.9 ± 10.1, peak: -68.7 ± 29.2 vs -42.8 ± 16.4, p = 0.02). When the two different procedures groups were separated, data were confirmed only in the TAVI subgroup. CONCLUSIONS: In patients undergoing procedures for AS, PWV is correlated with transvalvular gradient and, in TAVI subjects, is able to predict the echocardiographic response. Baseline evaluation of PWV in patients candidates to TAVI can help the selection of subjects, even if larger and longer studies are needed before definitive conclusion can be drawn.

One-Year Outcomes of Transcatheter Aortic Valve Implantation Using the Direct Aortic Approach.

BACKGROUND: The direct aortic (DA) approach allows for transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) in patients with difficult peripheral vascular anatomy. The CoreValve ADVANCE Direct Aortic (ADVANCE DA) study was performed to assess the outcomes of DA TAVI with the CoreValve System (Medtronic, Minneapolis, MN) in routine practice. METHODS: Patients were selected for the DA approach by local cardiac surgical teams, and TAVI was performed with patients under general anesthesia. Safety events were adjudicated according to the Valve Academic Research Consortium-2 definitions by an independent clinical events committee. All imaging data, including that from multislice computed tomography and follow-up echocardiography, were analyzed by an independent core laboratory. RESULTS: From September 2012 to February 2014, 100 patients were enrolled (52.0% male, age 81.9 ± 5.9 years, The Society of Thoracic Surgeons Score 5.9 ± 3.2%) at 9 centers in Europe. Peripheral vascular disease was present in 51.0% of patients, and 38.0% had diabetes. Of the 100 patients enrolled, 92 underwent TAVI. At 30 days after TAVI, 98.1% were free of moderate or severe paravalvular leak. At 1 year, 16 patients had died (Kaplan-Meier rate 17.9%), 1 (1.1%) patient had had a stroke, classified as nondisabling, and 15 (17.0%) patients had received a permanent pacemaker. Most patients experienced improved quality of life as measured by the Kansas City Cardiomyopathy Questionnaire overall summary score (mean change from baseline to 1 year, 39.6 ± 26.3; p < 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: The DA approach provides a feasible alternative for patients with challenging anatomic features that may otherwise preclude use of the TAVI procedure.

The failing right heart: implications and evolution in high-risk patients undergoing transcatheter aortic valve implantation.

AIMS: Right ventricular dysfunction (RVdy) is negatively associated with survival after left heart valve surgery. It is unclear whether RVdy has the same impact in patients undergoing transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI). We sought to evaluate the prognostic impact of different grades of RVdy on TAVI, with and without concomitant left ventricular dysfunction (LVdy), and the possible impact of TAVI on RVdy. METHODS AND RESULTS: Among 870 consecutive patients with severe symptomatic aortic stenosis undergoing TAVI, 226 patients (26%) presented with a concomitant diagnosis of RVdy. Patients were divided into three groups, Group 1: normal RV systolic function, i.e., tricuspid annular plane systolic excursion (TAPSE) >16 mm (n=644, 74%); Group 2: mild-to-moderate RVdy, i.e., TAPSE 10-16 mm (n=180, 20.6%); Group 3: severe RVdy, i.e., TAPSE <10 mm (n=46, 5.2%). Patients in Groups 1 and 2 showed a similar overall mortality rate at one month (5% vs. 8%, OR 1.1 [0.7-1.55], p=0.2) and at one-year follow-up (15% vs. 19%, HR 1.5 [0.84-2.2], p=0.09), respectively. Compared to Groups 1 and 2, patients in Group 3 showed a significantly higher overall mortality at one month (22%, OR 3.3 [1.8-4.1], p<0.001, and OR 2.1 [1.7-3.1], p=0.02, respectively) as well as at one-year follow-up (45%, HR 2.6 [2.1-3.45], p<0.001, and HR 1.9 [1.5-2.7], p=0.02), respectively. Pulmonary hypertension >60 mmHg (HR 1.5 [1.1-2.2], p=0.03), AF (HR 1.6 [1.1-2.4], p=0.01), creatinine clearance <30 mL/min (HR 1.92 [1.3-2.5], p=0.003), LVEF <30% (HR 1.5 [1.1-2.9], p=0.03), severe RVdy (HR 2.9 [2.7-3.3], p=0.002), severe RV dilation (HR 1.7 [1.2-2.2], p=0.005) and severe biventricular dysfunction (HR 3.9 [2.7-4.1], p=0.002) were independent predictors of one-year mortality. Among survivors, the majority of patients in Groups 2 and 3 experienced a significant improvement in NYHA class. CONCLUSIONS: Severe RVdy limits the expected benefit of TAVI. In current risk scores right heart failure is not considered. The present study advocates the evaluation of this strong predictor in a more complete pre-procedural work-up.

Mast cells and acute coronary syndromes: relationship between serum tryptase, clinical outcome and severity of coronary artery disease.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the relationship between serum tryptase and the occurrence of major cardiovascular and cerebrovascular events (MACCE) at 2-year follow-up in patients admitted with acute coronary syndrome (ACS). To compare serum tryptase to other validated prognostic markers (maximum high-sensitivity troponin (hs-Tn), C reactive protein (CRP) levels at admission, Synergy between percutaneous coronary intervention with Taxus and Cardiac Surgery (SYNTAX) score). METHODS: We measured serum tryptase at admission in 140 consecutive patients with ACS and in 50 healthy controls. The patients' follow-up was maintained for 2 years after discharge. The predictive accuracy of serum tryptase for 2-year MACCE was assessed and compared with hs-Tn, CRP and SYNTAX score. RESULTS: Serum tryptase levels at admission were significantly higher in patients with ACS compared with the control group (p=0.0351). 2 years after discharge, 28/140 patients (20%) experienced MACCE. Serum tryptase levels, maximum hs-Tn measurements and SYNTAX score were higher in patients who experienced MACCE compared with those without (p<0.0001). Conversely, we found no significant association between MACCE and CRP. The predictive accuracy of serum tryptase for MACCE was set at the cut-off point of 6.7 ng/mL (sensitivity 46%, specificity 84%). CONCLUSIONS: In patients with ACS, serum tryptase measured during index admission is significantly correlated to the development of MACCE up to 2 years, demonstrating a possible long-term prognostic role of this biomarker.

Impact of severe left ventricular dysfunction on mid-term mortality in elderly patients undergoing transcatheter aortic valve implantation.

BACKGROUND: Whether patients with reduced left ventricular function present worse outcome after transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) is controversial. The aim of this study was to assess the impact of baseline severe impairment of left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) on mortality after TAVI. METHODS: Six-hundred-forty-nine patients with aortic stenosis underwent TAVI with the CoreValve system (92.8%) or the Edwards SAPIEN valve system (7.2%). Baseline LVEF was measured by the echocardiographic Simpson method. The impact of LVEF ≤ 30% on mortality was assessed by Cox regression. RESULTS: Patients with LVEF ≤ 30% (n = 63), as compared to those with LVEF > 30% (n = 586), had a higher prevalence of NHYA class > 2 (P < 0.001) and presented with a higher Euroscore (P < 0.001). Procedural success was similar in both groups (98.4% vs. 97.2%, P = 1). After a median follow-up of 436 days (25(th)-75(th) percentile, 357-737 days), all-cause mortality [23.8% vs. 23.7%, P = 0.87, hazard ratios (HR): 0.96, 95% confidence intervals (CI): 0.56-1.63] and cardiac mortality (19.1% vs. 17.6%, P = 0.89, HR: 1.04, 95% CI: 0.57-1.90) were similar in patients with LVEF ≤ 30% as compared to those with LVEF > 30%. Thirty-day all-cause mortality was not significantly different between the two groups (11.1% vs. 6.3%, P = 0.14, HR: 1.81, 95% CI: 0.81-4.06). Patients with LVEF ≤ 30% had a trend toward higher risk of 30-day cardiac mortality (11.1% vs. 5.3%; P = 0.06, HR: 2.16, 95% CI: 0.95-4.90), which disappeared after multivariable adjustment (P = 0.22). CONCLUSIONS: Baseline severe impairment of LVEF is not a predictor of increased short-term and mid-term mortality after TAVI. Selected patients with severe impairment of left ventricular function should not be denied TAVI.

Persistence of Severe Pulmonary Hypertension After Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement: Incidence and Prognostic Impact.

BACKGROUND: Severe pulmonary hypertension (PH) is considered to negatively affect the outcome after transcatheter aortic valve replacement. However, a clear understanding of the pattern, evolution, and clinical impact of different grades of PH in this setting is lacking. METHODS AND RESULTS: A total of 990 consecutive patients were enrolled in 6 high-volume centers and analyzed as follows: group 1, systolic pulmonary artery pressure (sPAP) <40 mm Hg (346 patients; 35%); group 2, sPAP 40 to 60 mm Hg (426 patients; 43%); and group 3, sPAP >60 mm Hg (218 patients; 22%). At 1 month, mortality rate did not differ across the groups. When compared with groups 1 and 2, patients in group 3 had a higher-rate of New York Heart Association 3 to 4 (26% versus 12% and 10%), and a higher-rate of hospitalization for heart failure (7% versus 3% and 3%). At 1 year, when compared with patients in group 1, patients in group 2 and 3 had both a higher overall mortality (hazard ratio [HR], 1.5 [1.3-3.2]; P=0.01 and HR, 2.3 [1.8-2.8]; P=0.001) and a higher cardiac mortality (HR, 1.3 [1.1-2.1]; P=0.01 and HR, 1.7 [1.3-2.5]; P=0.002). After 1 month, the sPAP decreased ≥15 mm Hg in 32% and 35% of the patients in groups 2 and 3. Baseline sPAP >60 mm Hg (HR, 1.6 [1.1-2.3]; P=0.03) and, in a larger extent, a persistent severe PH after 1 month (HR, 2.4 [1.5-2.8]; P=0.004), independently predicted 1-year mortality, whereas the 1-month reduction of the sPAP did not. CONCLUSIONS: The persistence of severe PH after transcatheter aortic valve replacement is a stronger predictor of 1-year mortality than baseline severe PH. The early reduction of sPAP is not associated with a reduced mortality. The benefit of transcatheter aortic valve replacement in terms of quality of life is substantial in patients with and without a reduction of sPAP at early follow-up.

Direct Flow Implantation in a Patient With Mechanical Mitral Prostheses.

We describe a case of Direct Flow (Direct Flow Medical Inc, Santa Rosa, CA) transcatheter aortic valve implantation in a patient with a mechanical valve in a mitral position.

Prospective Multicenter Evaluation of the Direct Flow Medical Transcatheter Aortic Valve System: 12-Month Outcomes of the Evaluation of the Direct Flow Medical Percutaneous Aortic Valve 18F System for the Treatment of Patients With Severe Aortic Stenosis (DISCOVER) Study.

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to assess the 1-year outcome after transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) of the Direct Flow Medical (DFM) valve in patients with severe symptomatic aortic stenosis who were contraindicated or high risk for surgery. BACKGROUND: The DFM transcatheter heart valve is a new-generation, nonmetallic aortic valve with a pressurized support structure and conformable double-ring annular sealing delivered through an 18-F sheath. The device allows repositioning, retrieval, and assessment of valve performance before permanent implantation. METHODS: A prospective multicenter European registry was set up to determine the safety and performance of the valve in 100 consecutive patients (10 centers). Echocardiographic and angiographic data were evaluated by an independent core laboratory, and adverse events were adjudicated by a clinical events committee using Valve Academic Research Consortium criteria. RESULTS: Patients were 83.1 ± 5.9 years of age and had a logistic EuroSCORE of 22.5 ± 11.3% and a Society of Thoracic Surgeons score of 9.7 ± 8.7%. Correct valve positioning was obtained in 99% of cases with a combined 30-day safety endpoint at 10%, including major stroke in 5.0%, major vascular complications in 2.0%, and death in 1%. At 12 months, 95% of patients were in New York Heart Association functional class I or II. Freedom from any death was 90%, and freedom from any death or major stroke was 85%. Echocardiography demonstrated none/trace to mild aortic regurgitation in 100% of patients and an unchanged mean aortic gradient of 12.2 ± 6.6 mm Hg and effective orifice area of 1.6 ± 0.4 cm(2). CONCLUSIONS: At 1 year, the DFM transcatheter heart valve had durable hemodynamics. This study demonstrates that the low rate of early complications and the low risk of significant aortic regurgitation translated into midterm clinical benefit.

Bridge therapy or standard treatment for urgent surgery after coronary stent implantation: Analysis of 314 patients.

Intravenous administration of a short acting glycoprotein IIb/IIIa inhibitor has been proposed as a bridge to surgery in patients on dual antiplatelet treatment, but data in comparison with other treatment options are not available. We conducted a retrospective analysis of consecutive patients who underwent un-deferrable, non-emergency surgery after coronary stenting. The bridge therapy was performed after discontinuation of the oral P2Y12 inhibitor by using i.v. tirofiban infusion. Net Adverse Clinical Events (NACE) was the primary outcome. We analyzed 314 consecutive patients: the bridge strategy was performed in 87 patients, whereas 227 were treated with other treatment options and represent the control group. Thirty-day NACE occurred in 8% of patients in the bridge group and in 22.5% in the control group (p < 0.01). Bridge therapy was associated with decreased 30-day NACE rate [Odds ratio (OR) 0.30; 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.13-0.39; p < 0.01], particularly when the time interval between stenting and surgery was ≤ 60 days (OR 0.09, 95% CI 0.01-0.72; p = 0.02). There were no cases of stent thrombosis in the bridge group and 3 (1.3%) in the control group. Bridge therapy was associated with decreased events rates as compared to both patients with and without P2Y12 inhibitors discontinuation in the control group. After adjustment for the most relevant covariates, the favorable effect of the bridge therapy was not materially modified. In conclusion, perioperative bridge therapy using tirofiban was associated with reduced 30-day NACE rate, particularly when surgery was performed within 60 days after stent implantation.

Everolimus-Eluting Bioresorbable Vascular Scaffold System in the Treatment of Cardiac Allograft Vasculopathy: the CART (Cardiac Allograft Reparative Therapy) Prospective Multicenter Pilot Study.

Cardiac allograft vasculopathy (CAV) is a form of accelerated atherosclerosis, which represents the leading cause of late morbidity and mortality after heart transplantation. The recent bioresorbable vascular scaffold (BVS) technology represents a potential novel therapeutic tool, in the context of CAV, by allowing transient scaffolding and concomitant vessel healing. Eligible subjects will be treated by using the Absorb Everolimus-Eluting BVS (Abbott Vascular, Santa Clara, CA, USA), and evaluated at pre-determined time points, up to 3 years since the index procedure. Both clinical and imaging data will be collected in dedicated case report forms (CRF). All imaging data will be analyzed in an independent core laboratory. The primary aim of the study is to evaluate the angiographic performance at 1 year of second-generation Absorb BVS, in heart transplant recipients affected by CAV.

Anaesthetic management of transcatheter aortic valve implantation: results from the Italian CoreValve registry.

AIMS: Transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) represents a valid therapeutic alternative for patients with severe aortic stenosis at high surgical risk. However, there is no general consensus regarding the role of anaesthesia in TAVI management. The goal of this clinical project was to assess the safety and non-inferiority of local anaesthesia (LA) versus general anaesthesia (GA) in a large cohort of patients undergoing TAVI. METHODS AND RESULTS: All 1,316 consecutive patients who underwent TAVI at seven high-volume Italian centres were enrolled. The anaesthetic regimen consisted of GA in 355 (26.9%) patients or LA in 961 (73.0%) patients. Baseline demographics were similar between the two groups except for a higher median logistic EuroSCORE (p=0.004) and peripheral artery disease (p<0.001) in the GA group. The two groups showed similar device success with no significant difference in terms of mortality, stroke and myocardial infarction. The overall procedural time was longer with the use of GA (p<0.001). The LA group showed a lower incidence of major access-site complications (p=0.01) and major (p=0.03) and life-threatening bleedings (p<0.001) with a lower occurrence of acute kidney injury stage 3 (p=0.002). Consistently, we observed a significantly shorter length of hospital stay in LA patients (8 days [7-13] vs. 7 days [6-10], GA vs. LA; p<0.001). As the GA patients were found to be at higher risk due to a higher prevalence of peripheral artery disease we carried out a propensity matching to obtain two comparable groups. This sub-analysis confirmed the same results previously observed in the overall population. As expected, in the GA group we observed longer procedural time, higher use of a surgical vascular access, higher incidence of acute kidney injury stage 3 and higher rate of bleeding and major vascular access-site complications. CONCLUSIONS: Our study indicates that, in experienced centres which have gone beyond their initial learning curve with TAVI, the use of local anaesthesia in a selected patient population can be associated with good clinical outcomes. Nevertheless, as severe procedural complications are possible, an anaesthesiologist should always be present as part of the team.

Direct Flow valve-in-valve implantation in a degenerated mitral bioprosthesis.

AIMS: Mitral valve reoperations due to failing bioprostheses, in patients affected by multiple comorbidities, are associated with high morbidity and mortality. Transcatheter techniques may evolve as complementary approaches to surgery in these patients at high risk for surgery. METHODS AND RESULTS: We describe a case of Direct Flow 25 mm transcatheter valve implantation as valve-in-valve in a degenerated mitral bioprosthesis through a transapical approach in a 63-year-old man affected by dilated cardiomyopathy. The patient was affected by Carpentier-Edwards 29 mm severe regurgitation. The 25 mm Direct Flow bioprosthesis was advanced through the mitral bioprosthesis into the left atrium and then positioned using the three independent positioning wires. Transoesophageal echocardiography evidenced normal Direct Flow function with no paravalvular regurgitation and a low transmitral gradient of 4 mmHg. CONCLUSIONS: Our successful experience, characterised by a Heart Team approach and multidisciplinary patient care, demonstrated the technical feasibility and procedural safety of Direct Flow valve-in-valve mitral implantation.

Self-expandable CoreValve implantation without contrast media.

Transcatheter aortic valve implantation has been designed to treat high-risk surgical patients affected by severe aortic stenosis, many of whom are affected by chronic kidney disease. To perform transcatheter self-expandable valve implantation, multiple contrast injections are required to monitor the procedure, so these patients are at increased risk of acute kidney injury. We described self-expandable transcatheter aortic valve implantation without contrast media in an 80-year-old man affected by severe aortic stenosis and endstage chronic kidney disease.

Effects of Renal Sympathetic Denervation on Arterial Stiffness and Blood Pressure Control in Resistant Hypertensive Patients: A Single Centre Prospective Study.

Renal denervation (RD) is an intriguing treatment strategy for resistant hypertension. However, limited data are available about its long time efficacy as well as its effects on intermediate phenotypes like arterial stiffness and carotid IMT. 12 patients (9 males, mean 69 years) with resistant hypertension underwent bilateral RDN (Medtronic System) since April 2012 in Niguarda Ca' Granda Hospital (Milan). Patients were studied before intervention, and at 1, 3, 6 and 12 months after RD. Carotid intima media thickness (Esaote Mylab) and carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity (Complior, Alam medical) were assessed at each step. Compared to baseline, patients showed a marked reduction of office systolic blood pressure at each follow-up step (p < 0.05 versus baseline for all steps) as well as pulse wave velocity (p < 0.01 at 1 year versus baseline). Moreover, reduction in pulse wave velocity was higher than the expected value obtained only considering blood pressure drop. Conversely, no significant effect was observed on diastolic blood pressure as well as carotid intima-media thickness. In our study, renal denervation was a safe and effective procedure. The BP lowering effect was maintained during follow-up and a beneficial effect on arterial stiffness was observed, which implies that this effect can't passively originate from the BP fall but rather from an improvement of arterial mechanical properties, possibly related to a reduced sympathetic arterial drive.

[A novel standard protocol of long-term follow-up shared with general practitioners after percutaneous coronary intervention: appropriateness and economic impact]. / Il follow-up del paziente sottoposto a rivascolarizzazione coronarica percutanea: impatto potenziale dell'applicazione di un percorso clinico-gestionale strutturato sull'integrazione ospedale-territorio e modulato sul rischio clinico del paziente.

BACKGROUND: Follow-up modalities for patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) are not well defined and standard protocols have been not established. The purpose of this study was to assess: a) the frequency and patterns of cardiology visits, echocardiographic examinations and stress tests after PCI in clinical practice; b) the impact of a multidisciplinary protocol of long-term follow-up after PCI shared with general practitioners on the appropriateness and reduction in healthcare costs. METHODS: A total of 780 patients who underwent PCI in 2010 in two Italian hospitals were analyzed. The number of cardiological examinations (total, routine and clinically driven) performed during 2 years of follow-up were recorded and stratified according to the patient's risk profile. The latter was defined according to the multidisciplinary protocol. In addition, a simulation of the spread between provided and necessary tests (according to the multidisciplinary protocol) was carried out. RESULTS: The mean number of cardiological examinations per patient provided during follow-up was 5, of which 4.4 were routine tests in asymptomatic patients. Routine tests were performed more frequently in patients at low risk compared to those at higher risk. By applying the multidisciplinary protocol to the case mix and by merging clinical visit and stress test or echocardiographic examination, a reduction of 0.87 tests per patient/year would be expected. This reduction would result in a 39% decrease in follow-up examinations in this specific clinical setting. CONCLUSIONS: This observational study demonstrates that unnecessary cardiological clinical and functional tests are often performed in long-term follow-up of patients submitted to PCI. The application of a standard protocol of follow-up shared with general practitioners may help avoiding unnecessary consultations, thus reducing healthcare costs.