Paclitaxel-Eluting versus Everolimus-Eluting Coronary Stents in Diabetes.

BACKGROUND: The choice of drug-eluting stent in the treatment of patients with diabetes mellitus and coronary artery disease who are undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) has been debated. Previous studies comparing paclitaxel-eluting stents with stents eluting rapamycin (now called sirolimus) or its analogues (everolimus or zotarolimus) have produced contradictory results, ranging from equivalence between stent types to superiority of everolimus-eluting stents. METHODS: We randomly assigned 1830 patients with diabetes mellitus and coronary artery disease who were undergoing PCI to receive either a paclitaxel-eluting stent or an everolimus-eluting stent. We used a noninferiority trial design with a noninferiority margin of 4 percentage points for the upper boundary of the 95% confidence interval of the risk difference. The primary end point was target-vessel failure, which was defined as a composite of cardiac death, target-vessel myocardial infarction, or ischemia-driven target-vessel revascularization at the 1-year follow-up. RESULTS: At 1 year, paclitaxel-eluting stents did not meet the criterion for noninferiority to everolimus-eluting stents with respect to the primary end point (rate of target-vessel failure, 5.6% vs. 2.9%; risk difference, 2.7 percentage points [95% confidence interval, 0.8 to 4.5]; relative risk, 1.89 [95% confidence interval, 1.20 to 2.99]; P=0.38 for noninferiority). There was a significantly higher 1-year rate in the paclitaxel-eluting stent group than in the everolimus-eluting stent group of target-vessel failure (P=0.005), spontaneous myocardial infarction (3.2% vs. 1.2%, P=0.004), stent thrombosis (2.1% vs. 0.4%, P=0.002), target-vessel revascularization (3.4% vs. 1.2%, P=0.002), and target-lesion revascularization (3.4% vs. 1.2%, P=0.002). CONCLUSIONS: In patients with diabetes mellitus and coronary artery disease undergoing PCI, paclitaxel-eluting stents were not shown to be noninferior to everolimus-eluting stents, and they resulted in higher rates of target-vessel failure, myocardial infarction, stent thrombosis, and target-vessel revascularization at 1 year. (Funded by Boston Scientific; TUXEDO-India Clinical Trials Registry-India number, CTRI/2011/06/001830).

Impact of Medication Nonadherence in a Clinical Trial of Dual Antiplatelet Therapy.

BACKGROUND: Nonadherence to antiplatelet therapy after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) is common, even in clinical trials. OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to investigate the impact of nonadherence to study protocol regimens in the MASTER DAPT (Management of High Bleeding Risk Patients Post Bioresorbable Polymer Coated Stent Implantation With an Abbreviated Versus Prolonged DAPT Regimen) trial. METHODS: At 1-month after PCI, 4,579 high bleeding risk patients were randomized to single antiplatelet therapy (SAPT) for 11 months (or 5 months in patients on oral anticoagulation [OAC]) or dual antiplatelet therapy (DAPT) for ≥2 months followed by SAPT. Coprimary outcomes included net adverse clinical events (NACE), major adverse cardiac and cerebral events (MACE), and major or clinically relevant nonmajor bleeding (MCB) at 335 days. Inverse probability-of-censoring weights were used to correct for nonadherence Academic Research Consortium type 2 or 3. RESULTS: In total, 464 (20.2%) patients in the abbreviated-treatment and 214 (9.4%) in the standard-treatment groups incurred nonadherence Academic Research Consortium type 2 or 3. At inverse probability-of-censoring weights analyses, NACE (HR: 1.01; 95% CI: 0.88-1.27) or MACE (HR: 1.07; 95% CI: 0.83-1.40) did not differ, and MCB was lower with abbreviated compared with standard treatment (HR: 0.51; 95% CI: 0.60-0.73) consistently across OAC subgroups; among OAC patients, SAPT discontinuation 6 months after PCI was associated with similar MACE and lower MCB (HR: 0.47; 95% CI: 0.22-0.99) compared with SAPT continuation. CONCLUSIONS: In the MASTER DAPT adherent population, 1-month compared with ≥3-month DAPT was associated with similar NACE or MACE and lower MCB. Among OAC patients, SAPT discontinuation after 6 months was associated with similar MACE and lower MCB than SAPT continuation (Management of High Bleeding Risk Patients Post Bioresorbable Polymer Coated Stent Implantation With an Abbreviated Versus Prolonged DAPT Regimen [MASTER DAPT]; NCT03023020).

First-in-human evaluation of a novel balloon-expandable transcatheter heart valve in patients with severe symptomatic native aortic stenosis: the MyVal-1 study.

AIMS: The aim of this study was to demonstrate the safety and efficacy of the next-generation balloon-expandable Myval transcatheter heart valve (THV) in an intermediate- or high-risk patient population with severe symptomatic native aortic stenosis. METHODS AND RESULTS: MyVal-1 was a first-in-human, prospective, multicentre, single-arm, open-label study. Between June 2017 and February 2018, a total of 30 patients were enrolled at 14 sites across India. Mean age was 75.5±6.7 years; 43.3% had coronary artery disease. The mean Society of Thoracic Surgeons score was 6.4±1.8% and 100% of the patients were in New York Heart Association (NYHA) functional Class II/III/IV pre-procedure. The six-minute walk test and Kansas City Cardiomyopathy Questionnaire (KCCQ) scores were recorded. After successful implantation of the Myval THV, 96.6% and 100% were in NYHA functional Class I/II at 30-day and 12-month follow-up, respectively. Outcomes of the six-minute walk test (148.0±87.4 vs 336.0±202.9 m) and KCCQ score (36.6±11.0 vs 65.9±11.4) improved from baseline to 12-month follow-up. The effective orifice area (0.6±0.2 vs 1.8±0.3 cm2, p<0.0001), mean aortic valve gradient (47.4±8.8 vs 12.0±3.3 mmHg, p<0.0001), peak aortic valve gradient (71.7±13.0 vs 20.3±5.9 mmHg, p<0.0001) and transaortic velocity (4.5±0.4 vs 2.2±0.4 m/s, p<0.0001) improved substantially from baseline to 12 months post procedure. Four all-cause mortality cases were reported up to 12 months. Moreover, there was no other moderate/severe paravalvular leak, aortic regurgitation or need for new permanent pacemaker (PPM) up to 12-month follow-up. CONCLUSIONS: The MyVal-1 study demonstrated the primary safety and efficacy of the Myval THV with no new PPM requirement up to 12-month follow-up. However, future trials with a larger number of patients and long-term follow-up are warranted to establish the safety and efficacy of the device.

Transradial access for coronary diagnostic and interventional procedures: Consensus statement and recommendations for India: Advancing Complex CoronariES Sciences through TransRADIAL intervention in India - ACCESS RADIAL™: Clinical consensus recommendations in collaboration with Cardiological Society of India (CSI).

Radial access for cardiac catheterization and intervention in India has been growing steadily over the last decade with favorable clinical outcomes. However, its usage by interventional cardiologists varies greatly among Indian operators and hospitals due to large geographic disparities in health care delivery systems and practice patterns. It also remains unclear whether the advantages, as well as limitations of transradial (TR) intervention (as reported in the western literature), are applicable to developing countries like India or not. An evidence-based review involving various facets of radial procedure for cardiac catheterization, including practical, patient-related and technical issues was conducted by an expert committee that formed a part of Advancing Complex CoronariES Sciences through TransRADIAL intervention (ACCESS RADIAL™) Advisory Board. Emerging challenges in redefining TR management based on evidence supporting practices were discussed to formulate these final recommendations through consensus.

Left ventricular pseudoaneurysm following balloon mitral valvuloplasty.

Balloon mitral valvotomy is a commonly performed procedure for mitral stenosis. This procedure can lead to complications such as left ventricular perforation with tamponade, mitral regurgitation and stroke. Here we report a case of left ventricular pseudoaneurysm following balloon mitral valvotomy. It was a consequence of adherent pericardium secondary to open mitral valvotomy performed earlier. It was surgically corrected by pseudoaneurysm repair and mitral valve replacement. We believe that this is the first such reported case.

Coronary angiography and angioplasty using the aberrant radial artery as an access site.

OBJECTIVE: To study the suitability of the aberrant radial artery (ARA) as an access site for coronary angiography and angioplasty. BACKGROUND: In certain situations, the radial artery operator finds that the right radial artery in its usual location is unsuitable for a transradial procedure (TRP). In such cases, the ARA should be considered as an alternate access site. METHODS: Between January 2002 and December 2004, all patients considered suitable for a TRP with a clinically absent radial artery, or a small radial artery and a palpable ARA, underwent a TRP using this vessel as an access site. We describe the technical aspects and the differences that this approach entails, in comparison to the standard radial artery approach to TRPs. RESULTS: Of the 3,610 patients considered suitable for a TRP, 22 patients underwent 29 procedures using the ARA as an access site [22 angiograms and 7 percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty procedures (PTCAs)]. The median age of the patients was 55 years, with 19 males and 3 females. All procedures using the aberrant radial artery were successful. None of the patients developed spasm or an access site complication. The mean fluoroscopy time for angiography in the right radial artery group was 4.6 minutes, and 4.8 minutes for the ARA group. The procedure timed were 24 minutes and 32 minutes, respectively. CONCLUSION: The aberrant radial artery can be used as a safe alternate access site for coronary angiography and angioplasty when the right radial artery at the usual site is not suitable.

Definitive percutaneous treatment of Lutembacher's syndrome.

Definitive percutaneous treatment of a patient with Lutembacher's syndrome was successfully accomplished using the Amplatzer septal occluder to close a secundum atrial septal defect and the Joseph mitral balloon catheter to dilate rheumatic mitral valve stenosis. Transcatheter therapy is an effective alternative to surgery in selected patients with Lutembacher's syndrome. Cathet. Cardiovasc. Intervent. 48:199-204, 1999.