Prognostic value of ΔSYNTAX% score in octogenarians undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention.

OBJECTIVES: To verify whether incomplete revascularisation (IR), quantified using the rSYNTAX (Synergy between Percutaneous Coronary Intervention with Taxus and Cardiac Surgery) score and ΔSYNTAX% score, could predict short- (in-hospital mortality) and long-term outcomes (12-month mortality) in octogenarians undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). METHODS & RESULTS: A retrospective analysis of 665 consecutive octogenarian patients presenting for PCI to a UK centre was performed. The baseline SYNTAX and rSYNTAX scores were assessed from angiographic images. ΔSYNTAX% score was calculated (ΔSYNTAX% = ((SYNTAX - rSYNTAX)/SYNTAX) × 100%)) to measure the relative completeness of revascularisation. Kaplan-Meier analysis assessed survival at 12 months by tertiles of rSYNTAX and ΔSYNTAX% scores. Increasing ΔSYNTAX% score was associated with reduced in-hospital mortality (P = 0.017), and improved survival benefit (log rank 14.8, P = 0.001) at 12 months. CONCLUSIONS: Enhancing the completeness of revascularisation in octogenarians selected to undergo PCI is associated with a lower in-hospital mortality and a survival benefit at 12 months.

Percutaneous coronary intervention in octogenarians: 10-year experience from a primary percutaneous coronary intervention centre with off-site cardiothoracic support.

OBJECTIVE: To examine the trends in patient characteristics and clinical outcomes over a ten-year period and to analyse the predictors of mortality in octogenarians undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) in our centre. METHODS: A total of 782 consecutive octogenarians (aged 80 and above) were identified from a prospectively collected PCI database within our non-surgical, medium volume centre between 1st January 2007 and 31st December 2016. This represented 10.9% of all PCI procedures performed in our centre during this period. We evaluated the demographic and procedural characteristics of the cohort with respect to clinical outcomes (all-cause in-hospital and 1-year mortality, in-hospital complication rates, duration of hospital admission, coronary disease angiographic complexity and major co-morbidities). The cohort was further stratified into three chronological tertiles (January 2007 to July 2012, 261 cases; August 2012 to May 2015, 261 cases; June 2015 to December 2016, 260 cases) to assess for differences over time. Predictors of mortality were identified through a multivariate regression analysis. RESULTS: The number of octogenarians undergoing PCI increased nearly ten-fold over the studied period. Despite this, there were no significant differences in clinical outcomes or patient characteristics, except for the increased use of trans-radial vascular access [11.9% in first tertile vs. 73.2% in third tertile (P < 0.0001)]. The all-cause in-hospital (5.8% vs. 4.6% vs. 3.8%, P = 0.578) and 1-year mortality (12.4% vs. 12.5% vs. 14.4%, P = 0.746) remained constant in all three tertiles respectively. Six independent predictors of mortality were identified - increasing age [HR = 1.12 (1.03-1.22), P = 0.008], cardiogenic shock [HR = 16.40 (4.04-66.65), P < 0.0001], severe left ventricular impairment [HR = 3.52 (1.69-7.33), P = 0.001], peripheral vascular disease [HR = 2.73 (1.22-6.13), P = 0.015], diabetes [HR = 2.59 (1.30-5.17), P = 0.007] and low creatinine clearance [HR = 0.98 (0.96-1.00), P = 0.031]. CONCLUSION: This contemporary observational study provides a useful insight into the real-world practice of PCI in octogenarians.

Should Percutaneous Coronary Intervention be the Standard Treatment Strategy for Significant Coronary Artery Disease in all Octogenarians?

Coronary artery disease (CAD) remains the leading cause of cardiovascular death in octogenarians. This group of patients represents nearly a fifth of all patients treated with percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) in real-world practice. Octogenarians have multiple risk factors for CAD and often greater myocardial ischemia than younger counterparts, with a potential of an increased benefit from myocardial revascularization. Despite this, octogenarians are routinely under- -treated and belittled in clinical trials. Age does make a difference to PCI outcomes in older people, but it is never the sole arbiter of any clinical decision, whether in relation to the heart or any other aspect of health. The decision when to perform revascularization in elderly patients and especially in octogenarians is complex and should consider the patient on an individual basis, with clarification of the goals of the therapy and the relative risks and benefits of performing the procedure. In ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (MI), there is no upper age limit regarding urgent reperfusion and primary PCI must be the standard of care. In non-ST-segment elevation acute coronary syndromes, a strict conservative strategy must be avoided; whereas the use of a routine invasive strategy may reduce the occurrence of MI and the need for revascularization at follow-up, with no established benefit in terms of mortality. In stable CAD patients, invasive therapy on top of optimal medical therapy seems better in symptom relief and quality of life. This review summarizes the available data on percutaneous revascularization in the elderly patients and particularly in octogenarians, including practical considerations on PCI risk secondary to ageing physiology. We also analyse technical difficulties met when considering PCI in this cohort and the ongoing need for further studies to ameliorate risk stratification and eventually outcomes in these challenging patients.

Percutaneous or surgical revascularization for left main stem disease: NOBLE ideas, but do they EXCEL?

Introduction: Although coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) has traditionally been the standard treatment for significant left main stem (LMS) disease, percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) using drug-eluting stents (DES) is now considered an acceptable alternative. Areas covered: This article aims to summarise the key findings of the landmark clinical trials on LMS revascularization and the recently published ESC/EACTS guidelines on myocardial revascularization related to LMS disease. Expert opinion: It is unlikely that there will be a further large randomized trial aimed at addressing the issue of the optimum method of revascularization for LMS disease. Both PCI and CABG are reasonable revascularization options for appropriately selected patients with LMS disease. 'Heart Team' approach is vital to guide the management of patients with LMS disease, when there is obvious clinical equipoise and a mandate for complete revascularization. With an aging and increasing co-morbid patient population, clinical equipoise may not always be obvious, making extrapolation of clinical trial results to the 'real world' difficult.

How Should We Treat Heavily Calcified Coronary Artery Disease in Contemporary Practice? From Atherectomy to Intravascular Lithotripsy.

Heavily calcified and densely fibrotic coronary lesions continue to represent a challenge for percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI), as they are difficult to dilate, and it is difficult to deliver and implant drug-eluting stents (DES) properly. Poor stent deployment is associated with high rates of periprocedural complications and suboptimal long-term clinical outcomes. Thanks to the introduction of several adjunctive PCI tools, like cutting and scoring balloons, atherectomy devices, and to the novel intravascular lithotripsy technology, the treatment of such lesions has become increasingly feasible, predictable and safe. A step-wise progression of strategies is described for coronary plaque modification, from well-recognised techniques to techniques that should only be considered when standard manoeuvres have proven unsuccessful. We highlight these techniques in the setting of clinical examples how best to apply them through better patient and lesion selection, with the main objective of optimising DES delivery and implantation, and subsequent improved outcomes.

Aspirin Hypersensitivity in Patients Undergoing Percutaneous Coronary Intervention. What Should We be Doing?

Aspirin plays a pivotal role in the management of patients with Coronary Artery Disease (CAD) with well-recognised benefits of reducing recurrent myocardial infarction and minimising the risk of stent thrombosis for those undergoing Percutaneous Coronary Intervention (PCI). Dual antiplatelet therapy is mandated for patients undergoing PCI and typically consists of aspirin and a P2Y12 receptor antagonist. Aspirin hypersensitivity poses a significant clinical dilemma, as the safety and efficacy of oral antiplatelet combinations that exclude aspirin have not been validated. Although, genuine hypersensitivity to aspirin is encountered infrequently, it can be challenging when managing patients with concomitant CAD given the paucity of safe and effective alternatives. Aspirin desensitization is a potential and safe option but may not always be practical. This review aims to highlight the challenges of aspirin hypersensitivity in patients undergoing PCI and propose a treatment algorithm to address this issue in clinical practice.

Technical Considerations in Transradial Unprotected Left Main Stem Rotational Atherectomy-Assisted and IVUS-Guided Percutaneous Coronary Intervention Using the 7.5F Eaucath Sheathless Guiding Catheter System.

Rotational atherectomy-assisted percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) on unprotected left main stem (LMS) bifurcation lesions is technically challenging. Intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) has become a standard part of the PCI procedure for the treatment of LMS disease. There is limited experience in performing these cases via a transradial approach using a sheathless guiding catheter (SGC) system. We report a case of a symptomatic octogenarian patient with restrictive angina and significant LMS bifurcation disease, who was successfully treated transradially with the use of the 7.5F Eaucath SGC system and we describe the technical challenges encountered with this strategy.

A Practical Approach to the Percutaneous Treatment of Iatrogenic Aorto-coronary Dissection.

Catheter-induced aortic dissection during coronary angiography and Percutaneous Coronary Intervention (PCI) is a relatively infrequent, but potentially life-threatening complication. Patients who suffer this complication may require emergency aortic surgery. More recently, reports of treating the ostium of the dissected coronary artery have emerged as an alternative therapeutic option. In this article we describe two cases of extensive guide catheter induced dissection and their successful treatment using PCI and provide a concise overview of the available literature.

Assessing the left main stem in the cardiac catheterization laboratory. What is "significant"? Function, imaging or both?

Revascularization of significant Left Main Stem (LMS) disease improves clinical outcomes. This can be achieved through either Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting or Percutaneous coronary intervention. Defining a significant stenosis of the LMS can be challenging and debatable, as most data have been derived using angiographic assessment alone, with a threshold of 50% luminal stenosis used as a marker of functional significance. The use of adjunctive technologies like Intravascular Ultrasound and Fractional Flow Reserve has improved our ability to accurately assess the anatomical severity and physiological significance of coronary artery stenoses, much more so, than can be achieved through conventional angiography alone. An improved assessment of LMS disease through these adjunctive techniques offers procedural and clinical benefits. Rather than focus on the preferred methods of revascularisation, this article aims to highlight the common pitfalls and misconceptions in the assessment of LMS stenoses. We also propose a simple algorithm for the assessment of LMS disease to help guide revascularisation decisions.

GuideLiner extension catheter-facilitated side strut stenting technique for the treatment of right coronary artery ostial in-stent restenosis.

Percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) for the treatment of right coronary artery (RCA) ostial in-stent restenosis (ISR) can be challenging. The technical difficulties are compounded by excessive stent protrusion into the aorta, preventing coaxial engagement of the guiding catheter and wiring through the central stent lumen. Through this review, we aim to highlight the practical challenges encountered during the treatment of ostial RCA ISR through PCI and evaluate the various interventional techniques that have been used. We describe the first reported case of a GuideLiner extension catheter-facilitated side-strut stenting for the treatment of ostial RCA ISR and demonstrate the safety and feasibility of this novel technique.

Reconsidering the back door approach by targeting the coronary sinus in ischaemic heart disease.

Coronary sinus interventions (CSI) are a class of invasive techniques (surgical and percutaneous) originally proposed in the first half of the 20th century, aiming to treat ischaemic heart disease by acting on the venous coronary system. Three main classes of CSI have been proposed and tested: (1) retroperfusion technique, (2) retroinfusion technique and (3) coronary sinus occlusion techniques. They all share the principle that a controlled increased pressure within the coronary sinus may promote a retrograde perfusion of the ischaemic myocardium with consequent cardioprotection. Development of arterial treatments including coronary aortic bypass grafting and then percutaneous coronary intervention deflected interest from interventions on the coronary venous system. However, CSI may still have a possible niche role today in specific and selected clinical contexts in which existing therapies are insufficient. In this review paper, we aim to revise the rationale for CSI, describing the details and the evidence collected so far about these techniques and to provide insights about the main clinical scenarios in which these strategies may find a contemporary application in combination or as an alternative to existing approaches.

Coronary stents seeded with human trophoblastic endovascular progenitor cells show accelerated strut coverage without excessive neointimal proliferation in a porcine model.

AIMS: The success of percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) has been limited by restenosis and stent thrombosis. Delayed or incomplete endothelial regeneration is believed to be a key factor responsible for these events. Developing a stent with an accelerated healing profile may be of benefit. We aimed to evaluate the feasibility and safety of seeding a bare metal stent (BMS) with human trophoblastic endovascular progenitor cells (hTEC) derived from human embryonic stem cells. A porcine coronary artery model was used to compare the rate and extent of endothelial regeneration and the degree of neointimal proliferation. Characterisation of hTEC confirmed a mixed progenitor and endothelial cell phenotype. The biodistribution and fate of hTEC were studied using radiolabelled 111Indium oxine and fluorescent in situ hybridisation. Scanning electron microscopy showed earlier endothelial coverage in hTEC-seeded stents as compared to similar BMS. hTEC-seeded BMS achieved complete stent coverage in three days. Quantitative coronary angiography, intravascular ultrasound assessment and histomorphometry showed no difference in neointimal hyperplasia between hTEC-seeded and control BMS. hTEC seeding of coronary stents is a novel and safe approach to accelerate endothelial regeneration without increasing neointimal proliferation.

Residual SYNTAX score after PCI for triple vessel coronary artery disease: quantifying the adverse effect of incomplete revascularisation.

AIMS: There is some evidence to suggest that incompleteness of coronary artery revascularisation after PCI is associated with inferior outcomes. The SYNTAX score was developed as a tool to quantify the extent of coronary artery disease in the SYNTAX study. We aimed to use this score to quantify the completeness of revascularisation after PCI (the "residual SYNTAX score") and to determine its impact upon mortality. METHODS AND RESULTS: We studied 240 consecutive patients with native three-vessel disease who underwent PCI between 2003 and 2008. SYNTAX scores prior to, and after, PCI were calculated, the difference (ΔSYNTAX) being a measure of the relative completeness of revascularisation. Median follow-up was 2.6 (1.2-3.2) years; 21% of patients were surgical turndowns, and 38% were non-elective. A residual (rSYNTAX) score of zero (full revascularisation) was achieved in 40% and median rSYNTAX was 3.5 (0-10.9). At final follow-up reduced mortality was found in patients with rSYNTAX 0 vs. others (2.5 vs. 12%, respectively, p=0.003) and for those with rSYNTAXmedian (3 vs. 11%, p=0.003). rSYNTAX was an independent predictor of mortality in a multivariate analysis, whereas baseline SYNTAX score was not. CONCLUSIONS: The residual SYNTAX score is a useful method to quantify incomplete revascularisation in patients undergoing PCI for 3VD. Complete revascularisation (rSYNTAX=0) is achieved in only a minority and, for them, the mortality rate is low.

Impact of incomplete revascularization in patients undergoing PCI for unprotected left main stem stenosis.

INTRODUCTION: Percutaneous revascularization of patients with multivessel and left main stem (LMS) disease may be incomplete and the impact of this is not well reported and may influence outcome. In this study we assessed the role of completeness of revascularization upon outcome after PCI for unprotected left main stem (uLMS) PCI in the "real world." MATERIALS AND METHOD: Consecutive patients (n = 353) with uLMS disease were treated by PCI by a single operator with a policy of maximal feasible revascularization between 2000 and 2011. The SYNTAX score was calculated before and after PCI (residual SYNTAX score) to gauge the completeness of revascularization. The endpoints were mortality and repeat revascularization. RESULTS: Mean age was 69 ± 11 years, baseline SYNTAX score was 33.4 ± 15, 53% were nonelective, 10% were in cardiogenic shock, and 45% were not surgical candidates. LMS bifurcation was involved in 74% and 2.0 ± 0.9 other vessels were diseased. Complete revascularization was achieved in 49% and was associated with reduced mortality compared with incomplete, at 30 days [5(2.9%) v 23(13%)], 1 year [9(5%) v 34(19%)], and 3 years [14(8%) v 46(26%)]; all P < 0.0001). Median rSYNTAX score was 1(0-11), 1-year survival for the lowest, middle and highest tertiles of rSYNTAX were 1.7%, 3.1% and 7.3% (P < 0.0001), respectively. In multivariate analysis postprocedure rSYNTAX score independently predicted outcome but preprocedural SYNTAX score did not. CONCLUSIONS: For unselected patients with uLMS treated by PCI, completeness of revascularization is associated with superior survival. The rSYNTAX score, a novel index of completeness of revascularization, independently predicts survival. Baseline SYNTAX score does not.

Simultaneous kissing drug-eluting stents to treat unprotected left main stem bifurcation disease: medium term outcome in 150 consecutive patients.

AIMS: Percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) is increasingly being used to treat left main stem (LMS) coronary artery disease. Disease at the LMS bifurcation is technically challenging to treat, and there is no consensus as to the best method. We previously described experimental and initial clinical results with the simultaneous kissing stents (SKS) technique in a small series using drug-eluting stents (DES). We now report our results in a larger cohort with long-term follow-up. METHODS AND RESULTS: We treated 150 consecutive, unselected patients with unprotected bifurcation LMS with SKS using DES. The patients' mean age was 67 years, 70% were male, 45% were non-elective and 35% were not surgical candidates. The New York Risk Score estimate of in-hospital mortality was (median) 0.7% (IQR 0.3-3.9%), logistic EuroSCORE 3.3% (1.3-11.9%) and angiographic SYNTAX score 20 (15-27). SKS were deployed in 99.3% of cases, and DES in 97%. There was no emergency CABG. The mortality rate at one year was 11.3% and at two years 12.7%. The (ischaemia-driven) target lesion revascularisation rate was 4.3% at one year and 6.2% at two years. CONCLUSIONS: The SKS technique for treating ULMS bifurcation disease is simple, feasible, effective and durable in treating "all-comers" with LMS bifurcation disease. It is a two-stent technique worthy of consideration at the LMS bifurcation.