Impact of Neointimal Condition and Platelet Reactivity on Intrastent Thrombus at Long-Term Follow-up After 2nd- and 3rd-Generation Drug-Eluting Stent Implantation　- Insights From a Coronary Angioscopy and Pharmacodynamic Study.

BACKGROUND: Although the incidence of very late stent failure (VLSF) is reduced with newer generation drug-eluting stent (DES), the mechanism of VLSF has not been fully explored.Methods and Results:This study evaluated both local vascular healing using coronary angioscopy and systemic factors determined by platelet reactivity at long-term follow-up after 2nd- and 3rd-generation DES implantation in patients with acute coronary syndrome. Coronary angioscopy was performed to assess neointimal coverage (NIC), yellow color (YC) grade and presence of thrombus. The obtained findings were compared with 2nd- and 3rd-DES. Platelet aggregation was assessed by light transmittance aggregometry. 100 consecutive patients were prospectively enrolled: 2nd- (n=50) and 3rd-DES (n=50). 3rd-DES patients had significantly higher NIC grade and lower YC grade compared with 2nd-DES. The presence of thrombus was tended to be lower with 3rd-DES than with 2nd-DES (8% vs. 18%, P=0.11). Patients with thrombus had significantly higher maximum platelet aggregation and higher prevalence of high on-treatment platelet reactivity (HPR) than those without thrombus. Multivariable analysis showed stent strut exposure and HPR as independent predictors of thrombus. CONCLUSIONS: Newer generation DES contribute to better vascular healing depending on the degree of neointimal coverage. In addition to local factors at the stented lesion, systemic factors such as degree of platelet reactivity might also contribute to VLSF.

Importance of sympathetic nervous system activity during left ventricular functional recovery and its association with in-hospital complications in Takotsubo syndrome.

The relationship between activation of the sympathetic nervous system (SNS) and improvement of left ventricular (LV) function and how this correlates with clinical outcomes are not fully explored in Takotsubo syndrome (TS). The purpose of this study is to evaluate the relationship between activation of the SNS and LV function improvement and how this correlates with clinical outcomes in TS. Patients with TS were retrospectively identified. Patients were divided into two groups according to the timing of LV function improvement: < 1 month (S group) and ≥ 1 month (L group). Activation of the SNS was assessed by plasma catecholamine measurement and Iodine-123 meta-iodobenzylguanidine (I123-MIBG) scintigraphy. In-hospital complications included heart failure, cardiogenic shock, the use of invasive or noninvasive ventilation, life-threatening arrhythmia, cerebrovascular event and all-cause death. A total of 90 patients with TS were enrolled. Of these, 39 patients were in the S group and 51 in the L group. There were no significant differences between the two groups in clinical demographics. The L group was characterized by enhanced SNS activation, including higher levels of catecholamines and lower late heart-mediastinum ratio followed by higher washout rate in I123-MIBG scintigraphy, compared with the S group. In-hospital complications were increased in the L group (56% vs. 33.3%, p = 0.03), including higher rates of heart failure (45% vs. 23%, p = 0.03) and in-hospital death (8.0% vs. 0%, p = 0.03). In patients with TS, high activity of the SNS was observed in patients with delayed LV function recovery, which was associated with in-hospital adverse outcomes.

Retrograde-angioscopy guided wiring technique in chronic total occlusion lead to successful revascularization.

Endovascular therapy (EVT) was performed in two cases with chronic total occlusion (CTO) of superficial femoral artery. In these cases, angioscopy was deployed in the backyard of the CTO lesion from popliteal artery retrogradely, then the guidewire was advanced from antegrade. When the wire crossed the distal of the CTO lesion, the wire penetration was clearly visualized by the retrograde-angioscopy. Therefore, wire crossing of CTO into the distal true lumen was certainly confirmed, and EVT was successful. .