Raise-up technique for the creation of left atrial roof lesion: A useful technique with cryoballoon for persistent atrial fibrillation.

INTRODUCTION: Recent studies have reported the efficacy of the cryoballoon (CB)-guided left atrial roof block line (LARB) creation in patients with persistent atrial fibrillation (AF). However, it can be technically challenging to attach the balloon to the left atrial (LA) roof due to its anatomical variations. We designed a new procedure called the "Raise-up Technique," which may facilitate the firm adhesion of the CB to the LA roof during freezing. This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of the Raise-up technique in LARB creation. METHODS AND RESULTS: In total, 100 consecutive patients with persistent AF who underwent CB-LARB creation were enrolled. Fifty-seven patients underwent LARB creation using the Raise-up technique (Raise-up group), and the remaining 43 did not use it (control group). The Raise-up technique was performed as follows: An Achieve catheter was inserted as deeply as possible into the upper branch of the right superior pulmonary vein to anchor the CB. The balloon was placed below the targeted site on the LA roof and frozen. When the temperature of the CB reached approximately -10°C and the CB was easier to attach to the LA tissue, the CB was raised and pressed against the LA roof immediately by sheath advancement. Then the balloon could be in firm contact with the target site on the roof. If necessary, additional sheath advancement after sufficient freezing (-20°C to -30°C) was allowed the CB to have more firm and broad contact with the target site. LARB creation without touch-up ablation was achieved in 54 of 57 patients (94.7%) in the Raise-up group and 33 of 43 patients (76.7%) in the control group (p < .05). The lesion size of the LARB in the Raise-up group was significantly larger than that in the control group (15.2 cm2 vs. 12.8 cm2, p < .05). Moreover, the width of the LARB lesion in the Raise-up group was wider than that in the control group (32.0 mm vs. 26.6 mm, p < .05). CONCLUSION: The Raise-up technique enabled the creation of seamless and thick LARB lesions with a single stroke. In addition, the CB-LARB lesions created using the Raise-up technique tended to be large, resulting in extensive debulking of the LA posterior wall arrhythmia substrates. In CB ablation for persistent AF, the Raise-up technique can be considered one of the key strategies for LARB creation.

Clinical Effect of Adaptive Servo-Ventilation on Left Atrial Pressure During Catheter Ablation in Sedated Patients With Atrial Fibrillation.

BACKGROUND: Sedation during pulmonary vein isolation (PVI) for atrial fibrillation often provokes a decline in left atrial (LA) pressure (LAP) under atmospheric pressure and increases the risk of systemic air embolisms. This study aimed to investigate the efficacy of adaptive servo-ventilation (ASV) on the LAP in sedated patients.Methods and Results:Fifty-one consecutive patients undergoing cryoballoon PVI were enrolled. All patients underwent sedation using propofol throughout the procedure. After the transseptal puncture and the insertion of a long sheath into the LA, the LAP was measured. Then, the ASV treatment was started, and the LAP was re-measured. The LAP before and after the ASV support was investigated. Before ASV, the LAP during the inspiratory phase was significantly smaller than that during the expiratory phase (4.9±5.4 mmHg vs. 14.0±5.2 mmHg, P<0.01). The lowest LAP was -2.2±5.1 mmHg and was under 0 mmHg in 37 (73%) patients. After the ASV, the LAP during the inspiratory phase significantly increased to 8.9±4.1 mmHg (P<0.01), and lowest LAP increased to 4.7±5.9 mmHg (P<0.01). The negative lowest LAP value became positive in 30/37 (81%) patients. There were no statistical differences regarding obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), obesity, gender, or other comorbidities between patients with and without a negative lowest LAP after ASV support. CONCLUSIONS: ASV is effective for increasing the LAP above 0 mmHg and might prevent air embolisms during PVI.

Realization and personalization by facing fatality: A grounded theory of developing the view of dying in people with heart failure.

AIM: To explore how people with heart failure develop and change their views of dying and death. DESIGN: A Straussian grounded theory approach. METHODS: Purposive and theoretical sampling were used. Data collection and analysis were repeated until reaching data saturation using the constant comparative method. We conducted semi-structured interviews between January 2019 and July 2020 with 24 people with heart failure from a university and a community hospital in Japan. RESULTS: Initially, participants' views of dying and death were unrelated to their disease. After the first turning point, namely the confirmation of the deterioration and incurability of the disease, their views became related to their own disease, adding to the suffering caused by the exacerbated symptoms. After the second turning point, namely when participants became tormented by the inevitability of death, they added their struggles with physical, psychological, and spiritual pain owing to medical interventions to their views of dying and death. Only a few participants reached the last stage of this process as it was emotionally distressing; some chose not to proceed to the next stage. CONCLUSION: Participants develop their views of dying and death gradually and in stages while they experience two turning points. Healthcare providers need to address this process while keeping in mind that proceeding this process requires some turning points, and it can be painful. IMPACT: This study provides a theoretical framework on the development of the views regarding dying and death of people with heart failure; it showed that these people need some turning points and to pass through stages to develop/individualize their views, and that this process is inherently distressing. This theory provides a cornerstone for healthcare professionals to understand the disease-specific transition in views of dying and psychological readiness, and it may help establish a therapeutic relationship that includes advance care planning.

Impact of chronic kidney disease on long-term clinical outcomes of everolimus-eluting stent implantation: A subanalysis of the Tokyo-MD PCI registry.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of the study was to investigate the impact of chronic kidney disease (CKD) on the 5-year clinical outcomes of everolimus-eluting stent (EES) implantation. BACKGROUND: Recent studies have demonstrated the safety and efficacy of EES. However, limited information exists on the long-term clinical outcomes associated with CKD. METHODS: The Tokyo-MD PCI study is a multi-center observational study designed to describe the clinical outcomes of unselected patients after EES implantation. In this subanalysis, patients on maintenance hemodialysis were excluded, and patients with (n = 316) or without (n = 1,424) CKD were evaluated for their 5-year incidence rates of major adverse cardiac events (MACEs), defined as death, non-fatal myocardial infarction, ischemia driven target lesion revascularization (ID-TLR), and stent thrombosis (ST). RESULTS: The mean and median follow-up duration were 1,391 ± 557 days and 1,769 days (interquartile range, 1,012-1,800 days), respectively. Although the incidence of ID-TLR and ST was similar between patients with and without CKD (4.9% vs. 3.7%, P = 0.26, 0.5% vs. 1.0%, P = 0.20, respectively), cardiac death and MACE were significantly higher in patients with CKD than in those without CKD (6.5% vs. 2.9%, P = 0.007, 26.9% vs. 14.0%, P < 0.001, respectively). In multivariate analysis, CKD was an independent predictor of MACE (hazard ratio 1.22 [95% confidence interval 1.04-1.43], P = 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: Patients with CKD had similar ID-TLR and ST rates as those without CKD at 5 years after EES implantation. The risk of long-term MACEs appeared to be associated with CKD.

Long-Term Efficacy and Safety of Everolimus-Eluting Stent Implantation in Japanese Patients with Acute Coronary Syndrome: Five-Year Real-World Data from the Tokyo-MD PCI Study.

BACKGROUND: The long-term safety of first-generation drug-eluting stent (DES) in acute coronary syndrome (ACS) was controversial. PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to establish 5-year real-world data regarding the long-term efficacy and safety of second-generation DES in Japanese patients with ACS. METHODS: The Tokyo-MD PCI study is a multicenter, observational cohort study enrolling consecutive patients who underwent everolimus-eluting stent (EES) implantation. The 5-year clinical events were compared between the ACS group (n = 644) and the stable coronary artery disease (SCAD) group (n = 1255). The primary efficacy endpoint was ischemia-driven target lesion revascularization (TLR), and the primary safety endpoint was the composite of all-cause death or myocardial infarction (MI). RESULTS: The median follow-up duration was 5.4 years. The cumulative incidence of ischemia-driven TLR was similar between ACS and SCAD (1 year: 3.0% versus 2.7%; P=0.682, 1-5 years: 2.7% versus 2.9%; P=0.864). The cumulative incidence of all-cause death or MI within 1 year was significantly higher in ACS than in SCAD (7.4% versus 3.8%; P < 0.001); however, ACS did not increase the risk of all-cause death or MI after adjusting confounders (adjusted hazard ratio, 1.260; 95% confidence interval, 0.774-2.053; P=0.352). From 1 to 5 years, the cumulative incidence of all-cause death or MI was not significantly different between ACS and SCAD (11.6% versus 11.4%; P=0.706). The cumulative incidence of very late stent thrombosis was low and similar between ACS and SCAD (0.2% versus 0.2%; P=0.942). CONCLUSION: This real-world registry suggested that EES has comparable long-term efficacy and safety in patients with ACS and SCAD.

A Novel Rotablator Technique (Low-Speed following High-Speed Rotational Atherectomy) Can Achieve Larger Lumen Gain: Evaluation Using Optimal Frequency Domain Imaging.

BACKGROUND: While the evaluation of burr speed was discussed regarding platelet aggregation, the association between platform speed and acute lumen gain of rotational atherectomy remains unknown. METHODS: Through the evaluation of the potential of low-speed rotational atherectomy (LSRA) in in-vitro experiments, minimum lumen diameter (MLD) and minimum lumen area (MLA) after conventional high-speed rotational atherectomy (HSRA group) and those after LSRA following HSRA (LSRA+HSRA group) treated by 1.5 mm burrs were measured by optical frequency domain imaging (OFDI) in 30 consecutive human lesions. RESULTS: The in-vitro experiments demonstrated that MLD and MLA after LSRA+HSRA were significantly larger (MLD: LSRA+HSRA=1.50 ±0.05 mm, HSRA= 1.43 ±0.05 mm, p=0.015; MLA: LSRA+HSRA= 1.90 ±0.17 mm2, HSRA= 1.71±0.11 mm2, and p= 0.037), requiring more crossing attempts (LSRA= 134 ±20 times, HSRA= 72 ±11 times, and p< 0.001). In human studies, there was no significance in reference vessel diameter and lesion length before the procedure between two groups. MLDs after LSRA+HSRA were significantly larger than those in HSRA (LSRA+HSRA= 1.22 ±0.16 mm, HSRA= 1.07 ±0.14 mm, and p= 0.0078), while MLAs after LSRA+HSRA tended to be larger (LSRA+HSRA= 1.79 ±0.51 mm2, HSRA= 1.55 ±0.47 mm2, and p= 0.19). There was no significance in the occurrence of in-hospital complication, including slow flow or no reflow, major dissection, and procedural myocardial infarction, between LSRA+HSRA and HSRA. CONCLUSIONS: LSRA can achieve larger lumen gain compared, whereas HSRA can pass calcified lesions easily. Combination of LSRA and HSRA is a safe and feasible strategy for severely calcified lesions in clinical practice.

Periodontal condition in Japanese coronary heart disease patients: A comparison between coronary and non-coronary heart diseases.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this clinical trial was to assess the relationship between periodontal bacterial burden and coronary heart disease (CHD) in Japanese population. BACKGROUND: Many epidemiological reports suggest that periodontitis is a risk factor for CHD; however, the influence of each periodontal bacterium and periodontal condition in Japanese CHD patients is unclear. METHODS: We studied 897 patients with cardiovascular diseases in Tokyo Medical and Dental University Hospital from May 2012 to August 2015. The subjects were divided into six groups according to age and the existence of CHD (46-60 years with CHD (n = 56): Group YC, 61-70 years with CHD (n = 106): Group MC, over 70 years with CHD (n = 177): Group EC, 46-60 years without CHD (n = 152): Group YN, 61-70 years without CHD (n = 216): Group MN, and over 70 years without CHD (n = 190): Group EN). RESULTS: We found that the patients in Groups MC and EC had deeper periodontal pocket compared to the patients in Group YN (P < 0.05), although there was no statistical difference of pocket depth between Group YC and Groups MC and EC. Many subjects in Group EC had high anti-Porphyromonas gingivalis and anti-Prevotella intermedia antibodies in comparison to Group EN (P < 0.05). The CHD patients generally had worse oral condition than the non-CHD patients. Elderly with CHD had a higher level of serum anti-Porphyromonas gingivalis antibody and anti-Prevotella intermedia antibody than those without CHD. CONCLUSION: Increased periodontal infection was found in Japanese CHD patients compared to non-CHD patients.

Obesity paradox in the era of percutaneous coronary intervention with 2nd-generation drug-eluting stents: an analysis of a multicenter PCI registry.

Being overweight has been identified as independent risk factors for coronary artery disease. However, overweight patients have been reported frequently to have better mortality outcomes, and there is little data showing they are at a disadvantage regarding secondary prevention of cardiovascular events. We analyzed the influence of being overweight (defined as body mass index > 25 kg/m2) on adverse events in patients who underwent everolimus-eluting stent (EES) implantation using a multicenter registry with a maximum follow-up of 3 years. Propensity score matching was done for adjusting baseline characteristics. We defined primary end points as major adverse cardiac and cerebrovascular events (MACCE: a composite of mortality from all causes, nonfatal myocardial infarction, and nonfatal stroke) and "MACCE excluding non-cardiac mortality". Other adverse events were analyzed as key secondary end points. Out of 1918 patients, 450 pairs were obtained through propensity score matching. Overweight patients were superior to non-overweight patients regarding MACCE (event rates: 8.2 vs. 13.8% in overweight vs. non-overweight, respectively; log-rank p = 0.009) and "MACCE excluding non-cardiac mortality" (5.9 vs. 10.1%, p = 0.03). On secondary end points, not only did overweight patients have significantly fewer major bleeding events (2.2 vs. 4.8%, p = 0.02), but they also had smaller adverse event rates for almost all such events; the differences were not statistically significant. Overweight patients had better outcomes for MACCE, even on excluding non-cardiac mortalities. No result was supportive of an evident advantage to non-overweight EES-implanted patients in terms of secondary prevention of cardiovascular events.

Incidence and predictors of early and late target lesion revascularization after everolimus-eluting stent implantation in unselected patients in japan.

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to clarify the incidence and predictors of early and late target lesion revascularization (TLR) after everolimus-eluting stent (EES) implantation in actual clinical practice. BACKGROUND: Several clinical studies have reported the incidence and predictors of TLR after EES implantation. However, detailed features of early and late TLR are unknown. METHODS: We analyzed the clinical data of patients who underwent EES implantation between January 2010 and December 2011 at 22 institutions in Japan (Tokyo-MD PCI study). Patients who underwent ischemia-driven TLR (ID-TLR) were grouped according to the number of years elapsed since stent placement, and incidence and correlations between clinical factors were analyzed. RESULTS: Statistical analysis was performed for 1,899 patients and 2,305 lesions. The mean age was 70.0 ± 9.9 years, and the median follow-up period was 1,281 days (IQR: 762-1,440 days). The incidence of ID-TLR was 2.7% at 1 year and 5.4% at 4 years. After 2 years, the ID-TLR rates plateaued. The independent predictors of ID-TLR occurring within 2 years were hemodialysis, triple vessel disease, restenotic lesion, and ostial lesions. The independent predictors of ID-TLR between 2 and 4 years were diabetes mellitus and peripheral artery disease. CONCLUSION: The ID-TLR rates leveled off after 2 years. Furthermore, the predictors of ID-TLR that occurred within 2 years of EES implantation differed from those that occurred later than 2 years. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Treatment of in-stent restenosis with excimer laser coronary angioplasty: benefits over scoring balloon angioplasty alone.

Treatment of in-stent restenosis (ISR) is associated with a high incidence of recurrence. This study evaluated the clinical safety and 6-month efficacy of excimer laser coronary angioplasty (ELCA) before scoring balloon dilatation for the treatment of ISR. Twenty-three patients with ISR were included and treatment strategy of ISR was dependent on each operator. Twelve patients among those were treated with ELCA before scoring balloon dilatation (ELCA group) and 11 patients were treated with scoring balloon alone (non-ELCA group). Acute procedural results were evaluated by quantitative coronary angiography (QCA) and frequency domain optical coherence tomography (FD-OCT). Follow-up angiography was performed in all patients and the incidence of recurrent ISR and target lesion revascularization (TLR) was determined at 6 months after initial ISR treatment. Procedural success was achieved in all patients. Baseline clinical and angiographic characteristics were similar between groups. Maximum dilatation pressure of scoring balloon was significantly lower in the ELCA group than in the non-ELCA group (9.0 ± 3.1 vs. 14.9 ± 4.3 atm, p = 0.001). In follow-up angiography, the occurrence of TLR was similar between groups (16.7 vs. 45.5 %, p = 0.09), but the late luminal loss was significantly lower in the ELCA group (0.7 ± 0.6 vs. 1.3 ± 0.7 mm, p = 0.03). ELCA is a safe and feasible technique for the treatment of ISR and associated with a relatively low recurrent restenosis in comparison with scoring balloon dilatation alone.

Clinical characteristics of definite or suspected isolated cardiac sarcoidosis: application of cardiac magnetic resonance imaging and 18F-Fluoro-2-deoxyglucose positron-emission tomography/computerized tomography.

BACKGROUND: Isolated cardiac sarcoidosis (iCS) is difficult to diagnose in patients without histologic evidence of sarcoidosis. We aimed to clarify the clinical characteristics of iCS, including imaging features on cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and (18)F-fluoro-2-deoxyglucose positron-emission tomography/computerized tomography (FDG-PET/CT) scans. We also reviewed the therapeutic effect of corticosteroids and determined the long-term prognosis. METHODS AND RESULTS: We retrospectively reviewed 83 consecutive patients with suspicious CS from 1997 to 2013. Systemic sarcoidosis with CS (sCS, n = 30) and iCS (n = 11) were diagnosed according to clinical criteria. In iCS cases, sarcoidosis was not detected in any other organs. The clinical features did not significantly differ between sCS and iCS cases, except for ejection fraction, which was lower in iCS (P = .025). Nine sCS and 4 iCS cases showed late gadolinium enhancement, and the lesions tended to be on the epicardial side (76.9% P = .011) and septal wall (52.9% P < .001). The coefficient of variance for the myocardial standardized uptake value of FDG-PET/CT was higher in sCS (0.32 ± 0.13; n = 19) and iCS (0.32 ± 0.09; n = 7) than in control cases (n = 31; P < .001). B-Type natriuretic peptide level was improved after prednisolone treatment in both groups. Kaplan-Meier curve indicated that prognosis was not different between sCS and iCS cases. CONCLUSIONS: The clinical cardiac characteristics of iCS cases were similar to those of sCS. Cardiac MRI and FDG-PET, noninvasive imaging modalities, could be useful modalities to detect myocardial involvement in the cases with definite or suspected iCS.

The effectiveness of excimer laser coronary atherectomy with contrast medium for underexpanded stent: The findings of optical frequency domain imaging.

Stent underexpansion is a risk factor for in-stent restenosis (ISR) and stent thrombosis. Although excimer laser coronary atherectomy (ELCA) with contrast medium was shown to be effective to improve stent underexpansion in undilatable lesions, precise mechanism of this technique was not well understood. We report a case of ISR with stent underoptimal implantation within a circumferential-calcified atherosclerotic plaque beneath the stent strut that could not be dilated by repeated high-pressure balloon inflations. After rotational atherectomy, the mechanism of the underexpanded lesion could be obtained by optical frequency domain imaging (OFDI). High-pressure balloon could not dilate the underexpanded stent. Since ELCA with saline flush only gave intimal erosions and minor dissections, additional high-pressure balloon was also ineffective. Finally, ELCA with contrast medium could disrupt the calcific lesion beneath the underexpanded stent. The angiographic and OFDI findings confirmed the full stent expansion could be accomplished by further balloon dilatation with an ordinary pressure. ELCA with contrast medium is feasible to improve stent underexpansion by disrupting the calcified plaque behind the stent strut.

Relationships of elevated systemic pentraxin-3 levels with high-risk coronary plaque components and impaired myocardial perfusion after percutaneous coronary intervention in patients with ST-elevation acute myocardial infarction.

BACKGROUND: We aimed to assess the relationships of pentraxin-3 (PTX3) with coronary plaque components and myocardial perfusion after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) in order to clarify the mechanisms underlying the prognostic function of PTX3 in ST-elevation acute myocardial infarction (STEMI) patients. METHODS AND RESULTS: We enrolled 75 STEMI patients who underwent pre-PCI virtual histology (VH)-intravascular ultrasound. Relationships of the systemic pre-PCI PTX3 level with coronary plaque components and post-PCI myocardial blush grade (MBG) were evaluated. Lesions with elevated pre-PCI PTX3 (median ≥3.79ng/ml) had higher frequencies of VH-derived thin-cap fibroatheroma (65.8% vs. 24.3%, P<0.0001), plaque rupture (63.2% vs. 24.3%, P=0.001), and post-PCI MBG (0-1) (65.8% vs. 40.5%, P=0.03) than those with PTX3 <3.79ng/ml. In multivariate analysis, pre-PCI PTX3 level was independently related to post-PCI MBG (0-1) (odds ratio, 11.385; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.346-96.289; P=0.026). At 9-month follow-up, cardiac event-free survival was poorer for patients with post-PCI MBG (0-1) (log-rank test χ(2)=8.6; P=0.003). Cox proportional-hazards analysis showed post-PCI MBG (0-1) (hazard ratio, 4.109; 95% CI, 1.372-12.309; P=0.012) and Killip class >2 on admission (hazard ratio, 5.356; 95% CI, 1.409-20.359; P=0.014) as independent predictors of adverse cardiac events during follow-up. CONCLUSIONS: Systemic pre-PCI PTX3 was associated with high-risk plaque components and impaired post-PCI myocardial perfusion. Thus, PTX3 may be a reliable predictor of outcome in STEMI patients.

Progression of hyponatremia is associated with increased cardiac mortality in patients hospitalized for acute decompensated heart failure.

BACKGROUND: Although hyponatremia during hospitalization for acute decompensated heart failure (ADHF) has been reported to correlate with poor prognosis, few studies have examined the effect of progression of hyponatremia on cardiac prognosis in ADHF patients who were normonatremic at admission. METHODS AND RESULTS: Consecutive ADHF patients (n = 662) categorized as New York Heart Association Class III or IV were investigated retrospectively. Of these patients, 634 who survived to discharge were examined and 531 were normonatremic (serum sodium concentration [Na] ≥ 135 and ≤ 145 mmol/L) at admission. The 531 patients were divided into 2 groups: the non-developed group, who remained normonatremic at discharge (n = 455), and the developed group, who had progressed to hyponatremia (Na < 135 mmol/L) at discharge (n = 76). The cardiac event-free rate after 12 months was significantly lower in the developed group than in the non-developed group (22% vs. 71%; P < .0001). Although their baseline levels of brain natriuretic peptide and left ventricular ejection fraction were similar before discharge, the patients in the developed group exhibited higher fractional excretion of sodium and received higher doses of diuretics than did those in the non-developed group. CONCLUSION: Our data suggest that progression to hyponatremia during hospitalization is a robust predictor of poor cardiac prognosis in ADHF patients who were normonatremic at admission.

ß-Blockers Reduced the Target Lesion Revascularization After Percutaneous Coronary Intervention Using an Everolimus-eluting Stent.

BACKGROUND/AIM: The effect of ß-adrenergic blockers on everolimus-eluting stent (EES) implantation is unknown. We aimed to investigate how ß-blockers affect the outcomes of EES by using the Tokyo-MD PCI registry data and analyse real-world data in this drug-eluting stent era in Japan. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We selected 1,899 patients who underwent EES implantation. We compared patients with ß-blocker administration versus those without, at follow-up regarding the incidence rate of ischemia-driven target lesion revascularization (ID-TLR), all-cause death, cardiac death, acute myocardial infarction (AMI), and stent thrombosis (ST). RESULTS: Patients in the ß-blocker group had higher coronary risks than those in the non-ß-blocker group. Although no significant difference was observed in the five-year incidence of all-cause death, cardiac death, AMI, and ST between the two groups, the incidence of ID-TLR was significantly lower in the ß-blocker group (4.5% vs. 6.6%; p=0.04). ß-Blocker administration (hazard ratio=0.61; p=0.016) was negatively associated with ID-TLR via multivariate analysis. CONCLUSION: ß-Blocker administration reduced ID-TLR after percutaneous coronary intervention using an EES despite the greater comorbid risks and more severe disease lesions.

Additive effects of ß-blockers on renin-angiotensin system inhibitors for patients after acute myocardial infarction treated with primary coronary revascularization.

BACKGROUND: Although some ß-blockers are effective for patients after acute myocardial infarction (AMI), few studies have compared their additive effects on renin-angiotensin system inhibitors (RAS-Is). METHODS AND RESULTS: The 251 consecutive AMI patients administered angiotensin-converting-enzyme inhibitors (ACE-Is) or angiotensin-II receptor blockers (ARBs) were retrospectively investigated and divided into 2 groups: treated without ß-blockers (no-ß-blocker group, n=80) or treated with ß-blockers before discharge (ß-blocker group, n=171; carvedilol [n=91] or bisoprolol [n=80]). The doses of RAS-Is used for patients in the no-ß-blocker group were at least double those used in the ß-blocker group. No significant differences between the 2 groups were observed with regard to baseline characteristics. After a 12-month follow-up, the survival and cardiac event-free rates in the ß-blocker group were significantly higher than those in the no-ß-blocker group. The percent change in blood pressure did not significantly differ between the 2 groups, but the levels of brain natriuretic peptide, metalloproteinase-2, and metalloproteinase-9 and the left ventricular ejection fraction improved significantly in the ß-blocker group compared with the no-ß-blocker group. Regarding the 2 ß-blockers, carvedilol treatment produced more favorable outcomes than bisoprolol. CONCLUSIONS: The data suggest that treatment with RAS-I in combination with ß-blocker is more effective for patients after AMI than treatment with RAS-I alone.

Comparison of biomarkers for predicting disease severity and long-term respiratory prognosis in patients with acute pulmonary embolism.

Biomarkers are needed for early risk stratification and improved inpatient management to obtain better outcomes in acute pulmonary embolism (PE) patients. The aim of the present study was to evaluate biomarkers of right ventricular dysfunction (RVD) in order to predict a complicated clinical course and long-term respiratory complications in acute PE.We retrospectively enrolled 50 consecutive patients hospitalized for acute PE. Plasma brain natriuretic peptide (BNP), troponin-I, fibrin degradation products, D-dimer, C-reactive protein, and arterial pH were measured to assess their prognostic significance. RVD was evaluated by echocardiography at admission, the clinical course during hospitalization was monitored for the development of complications (death, cardiopulmonary resuscitation, mechanical ventilation or circulatory shock), and the need for home oxygen therapy (HOT) was assessed at/after discharge.Thirty-two patients (64%) had RVD at admission, 6 (12%) developed a complicated clinical course, and 7 (14%) required HOT. Plasma BNP was significantly higher in patients with RVD (median value, 319.3 versus 50.5 pg/mL, P = 0.001). Plasma BNP was also significantly higher (median value, 1307.9 versus 102.6 pg/mL, P = 0.02) and arterial pH significantly lower (acidic) (median value, 7.371 versus 7.438, P = 0.008) in patients who developed a complicated clinical course. In addition, plasma BNP was also significantly higher in patients who required HOT (median value, 505.1 versus 91.1 pg/mL, P = 0.02). Plasma BNP at admission is not only a reliable marker of RVD and predictor of short-term prognosis, but also a predictor of long-term respiratory prognosis in acute PE patients.

Long-term clinical outcomes of permanent-polymer everolimus-eluting stent implantation following rotational atherectomy for severely calcified de novo coronary lesions: Results of a 22-center study (Tokyo-MD PCI Study).

BACKGROUND: Long-term clinical outcomes of permanent polymer everolimus-eluting stent (PP-EES) implantation after rotational atherectomy (RA) have not been fully evaluated. We sought to investigate the long-term clinical outcomes of PP-EES implantation after RA and assess the impact of hemodialysis on this treatment strategy. METHODS: Patients who underwent percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) with PP-EES at 22 institutions between January 2010 and December 2011 were enrolled in this multicenter, observational trial. From a total of 1918 registered patients, 113 patients with 115 de-novo lesions who underwent PCI with PP-EES following RA were retrospectively analyzed. The primary endpoint was a major adverse cardiac event (MACE) defined as the composite of cardiac death, non-fatal myocardial infarction (MI), and clinically driven target lesion revascularization (TLR). RESULTS: Long-term follow-up was available for 112 patients (99.1%). The median follow-up period was 2.9 (interquartile range 1.9-3.6) years. The mean age of the patients was 72.3 ±â€¯8.8 years and 64 patients (56.6%) had chronic kidney disease (≥stage 3, 42 on hemodialysis). The cumulative incidences of MACE, non-fatal MI, and TLR were 22.1%, 5.3%, and 10.6%, respectively. Cox's proportional hazards analysis showed that the independent predictors of TLR were hemodialysis and chronic total occlusion. (HR, 14.1; 95% CI, 1.74-155.5; p = 0.01, HR, 9.01; 95% CI, 1.34-62.5; p = 0.02). CONCLUSIONS: PP-EES implantation after lesion modification by RA is considered to be a feasible treatment strategy for heavily calcified lesions. Hemodialysis and chronic total occlusion appeared to be associated with TLR.

The Hypercholesterolemia Paradox in Percutaneous Coronary Intervention: An Analysis of a Multicenter PCI Registry.

Objective The aim of this study was to assess the relationship between hypercholesterolemia (HC) and clinical events through a percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) registry. HC is a well-known independent risk factor for long-term cardiovascular events after PCI. However, it has been reported to be associated with a lower risk of adverse events in patients with cancer or acute coronary syndrome. Methods We analyzed the relationship between HC and adverse events in patients treated with everolimus-eluting stents (EESs) through the Tokyo-MD PCI study (an all-comer, multicenter, observational registry). The propensity score method was applied to select two groups with similar baseline characteristics. Results The unadjusted population included 1,536 HC patients and 330 non-HC patients. Propensity score matching yielded 314 matched pairs. After baseline adjustment, the outcomes of HC patients were significantly better than those of the non-HC patients with respect to the primary endpoint, which was a combination of mortality from all causes, nonfatal myocardial infarction (MI), nonfatal neurological events, and major bleeding [hazard ratio (HR) 0.56, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.39-0.81; p=0.002], and the secondary endpoints, which included a combination of mortality from all causes, nonfatal MI, and nonfatal neurological events (HR 0.59, 95% CI 0.39-0.88; p=0.01), and major bleeding (HR 0.42, 95% CI 0.20-0.88; p=0.02). A subgroup analysis showed age as an interaction factor for the primary endpoint (interaction p=0.035). Conclusion HC was associated with better outcomes in patients who underwent EES implantation, even after baseline adjustment.