"Bringing on the light" in a complex clinical scenario: Optical coherence tomography-guided discontinuation of antiplatelet therapy in cancer patients with coronary artery disease (PROTECT-OCT registry).

BACKGROUND: Cancer patients with recently placed drug-eluting stents (DESs) often require premature dual antiplatelet therapy (DAPT) discontinuation for cancer-related procedures. Optical coherence tomography (OCT) can identify risk factors for stent thrombosis such as stent malapposition, incomplete strut coverage and in-stent restenosis and may help guide discontinuation of DAPT. METHODS: We conducted a single-center prospective study in cancer patients with recently placed (1-12 months) DES who required premature DAPT discontinuation. Patients were evaluated with diagnostic coronary angiogram and OCT. Individuals with appropriate stent strut coverage, expansion, apposition, and absence of in-stent restenosis or intraluminal masses were considered low risk and transiently discontinued DAPT to allow optimal cancer therapy. Patients who did not meet all these criteria were considered high risk and underwent further endovascular treatment when appropriate and bridging with low-molecular weight heparin. The incidence of adverse cardiovascular events was assessed after the procedure and at 12 months. RESULTS: A total of 40 patients were included. Twenty-seven patients (68%) were considered low risk by OCT criteria and DAPT was transiently discontinued. Thirteen patients (32%) were considered high risk with one or more OCT findings: uncovered stent struts (4 patients, 10%); stent underexpansion (3 patients, 8%); malapposition (8 patients, 20%); in-stent restenosis (2 patients, 5%). The high-risk patients with uncovered stent struts and malapposition underwent additional stent dilatation. There were no cardiovascular events in the low-risk group. One myocardial infarction occurred in the high-risk group. Fourteen non-cardiac deaths were registered before 12 months due to cancer progression or cancer therapy. CONCLUSION: OCT imaging allows identification of low-risk cancer patients with DES placed who may safely discontinue DAPT and proceed with cancer-related surgery or procedures.

Obesity in heart failure with preserved ejection fraction: Insights from the REDUCE LAP-HF II trial.

AIMS: Obesity is causally related to the development of heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) but complicates the diagnosis and treatment of this disorder. We aimed to determine the relationship between severity of obesity and clinical, echocardiographic and haemodynamic parameters in a large cohort of patients with documented HFpEF. METHODS AND RESULTS: The REDUCE LAP-HF II trial randomized 626 patients with ejection fraction ≥40% and exercise pulmonary capillary wedge pressure (PCWP) ≥25 mmHg to atrial shunt or sham procedure. We tested for associations between body mass index (BMI), clinical characteristics, cardiac structural and functional abnormalities, physical limitations, quality of life and outcomes with atrial shunt therapy. Overall, 60.9% of patients had BMI ≥30 kg/m2 . As the severity of obesity increased, symptoms (Kansas City Cardiomyopathy Questionnaire score) and 6-min walk distance worsened. More severe obesity was associated with lower natriuretic peptide levels despite more cardiac remodelling, higher cardiac filling pressures, and higher cardiac output. Lower cut points for E/e' were needed to identify elevated PCWP in more obese patients. Strain measurements in all four chambers were maintained as BMI increased. Pulmonary vascular resistance at rest and exercise decreased with higher BMI. Obesity was associated with more first and recurrent heart failure events. However, there was no significant interaction between obesity and treatment effects of the atrial shunt. CONCLUSIONS: Increasing severity of obesity was associated with greater cardiac remodelling, higher right and left ventricular filling pressures, higher cardiac output and increased subsequent heart failure events. Despite significant obesity, many HFpEF patients have preserved right heart and pulmonary vascular function and thus, may be appropriate candidates for atrial shunt therapy.

[Diabetic and nondiabetic patients respond differently to transendocardial injection of bone marrow mononuclear cells: findings from prospective clinical trials in "no-option" patients]. / El efecto de la inyección transendocárdica de células mononucleadas de médula ósea es diferente en pacientes diabéticos y en no diabéticos: hallazgos derivados de estudios clínicos prospectivos en pacientes "sin opción".

Whether stem cell treatment has the same effect in diabetics and nondiabetics is unknown. To compare outcomes in these two groups, we analyzed data from 26 consecutive patients with chronic ischemic cardiomyopathy who were taking part in two clinical trials. Revascularization was not an option for these patients and they were treated with bone marrow mononuclear cells (BMMNCs). Patients underwent NOGA electromechanical mapping to identify viable myocardium (i.e., with a unipolar voltage > or = 6.9 mV), after which they received a mean of 28.5+/-4.7 x 10(6) BMMNCs. Patients were followed up at 6 months. In nondiabetics, there was a significant decrease in endsystolic volume between baseline and 6-month follow-up. In addition, New York Heart Association (NYHA) functional class decreased significantly (P=.04) from 3.0 (1.75-3.0) to 1.0 (1.0-2.0), the Canadian Cardiovascular Society angina score (CCSAS) improved significantly (P=.04) from 3.0 (2.0-4.0) to 1.0 (1.0-1.5), and oxygen uptake increased significantly (P=.04) from 16.4 (13.1-21.5) to 24.5 (17.3-29.2) ml/kg/min. These changes were not observed in diabetic patients. This is the first clinical study to show that BMMNC injection could have a smaller effect in diabetics.

El efecto de la inyección transendocárdica de células mononucleadas de médula ósea es diferente en pacientes diabéticos y en no diabéticos: hallazgos derivados de estudios clínicos prospectivos en pacientes «sin opción» / Diabetic and Nondiabetic Patients Respond Differently to Transendocardial Injection of Bone Marrow Mononuclear Cells: Findings From Prospective Clinical Trials in “No-Option” Patients

Se desconoce si la administración de células madre tieneel mismo efecto en pacientes diabéticos y en no diabéticos. Para ello se estudió a 26 pacientes consecutivos, incluidos en dos estudios, tratados con células mononucleadas de médula ósea (CMNMO), con miocardiopatía isquémica crónica y sin opción a revascularización. Se les realizó un mapeo electromecánico con NOGA para identificar miocardio viable (voltaje unipolar ≥ 6,9 mV)y se les inyectó una media de 28,5 ± 4,7 millones deCMNMO. Se realizó un seguimiento a los 6 meses. Enlos pacientes no diabéticos, se observó una reducciónsignificativa del volumen telesistólico a los 6 meses encomparación con el basal, una disminución significativade la clase NYHA (de 3 [1,75-3] a 1 [1-2]; p = 0,04), de la puntuación de angina de la clasificación canadiense (de 3 [2-4] a 1 [1-1,5]; p = 0,04) y un aumento del consumo de oxígeno (de 16,4 [13,1-21,5] a 24,5 [17,3-29,2] ml/kg/min; p = 0,04). Estas diferencias no se observaron en los pacientes diabéticos. Éste es el primer estudio clínico que observa que la inyección de CMNMO podría tener un menor efecto en los diabéticos

Whether stem cell treatment has the same effect indiabetics and nondiabetics is unknown. To compareoutcomes in these two groups, we analyzed data from 26consecutive patients with chronic ischemic cardiomyopathywho were taking part in two clinical trials. Revascularization was not an option for these patients and they were treated with bone marrow mononuclear cells (BMMNCs). Patients underwent NOGA electromechanical mapping to identify viable myocardium (i.e., with a unipolar voltage . 6.9 mV), after which they received a mean of 28.5}4.7~106 BMMNCs. Patients were followed up at 6 months. In nondiabetics, there was a significant decrease in endsystolic volume between baseline and 6-month follow-up. In addition, New York Heart Association (NYHA) functional class decreased significantly (P=.04) from 3.0 (1.75-3.0) to 1.0 (1.0-2.0), the Canadian Cardiovascular Society angina score (CCSAS) improved significantly (P=.04) from 3.0 (2.0-4.0) to 1.0 (1.0-1.5), and oxygen uptake increased significantly (P=.04) from 16.4 (13.1-21.5) to 24.5 (17.3- 29.2) ml/kg/min. These changes were not observed in diabetic patients. This is the first clinical study to show that BMMNC injection could have a smaller effect in diabetics