Periprocedural myocardial infarction and injury in elective coronary stenting.

Aims: To assess the incidence, risk factors and prognosis of periprocedural myocardial infarction (MI) and myocardial injury in patients undergoing elective percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). Methods and results: We included all consecutive patients who underwent elective PCI with a negative troponin level at admission from 1 January 2014 to 31 December 2015. The primary endpoint was defined as the composite of periprocedural MI (Type 4a MI), stent thrombosis (Type 4b MI), and myocardial injury according to the Third universal definition of MI. Multivariable analysis was performed to identify independent predictors of periprocedural MI and myocardial injury and its relation to 30-day and 1-year clinical outcome. Of the 1390 elective PCI patients, the primary endpoint occurred in 28.7% of patients, including 7.0% of Type 4a MI, 0.14% of Type 4b MI, and 21.6% of myocardial injury. Independent risk factors for the occurrence of the primary endpoint were left main PCI, total stent length >30 mm, multiple stenting, chronic kidney disease (estimated glomerular filtration rate <60 mL/min) and age >75 years. At 30 days, patients with periprocedural MI and myocardial injury had a higher rate of cardiovascular events [5.5% vs. 1.2%, adjusted hazard ratio (adjHR) = 3.8, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.9-6.9; P < 0.001] mainly driven by ischaemic events (3.2% vs. 0.6%, HR 5.9, 95% CI 2.9-20; P < 0.0001). At 1-year, the risk of ischemic events remained higher in the periprocedural MI and myocardial injury group (adjHR = 1.7, 95% CI 1.1-2.6; P = 0.004). Conclusions: Periprocedural MI and injury are frequent complications of elective PCI associated with an increased rate of cardiovascular events at 30 days and 1 year.

Stopping or continuing clopidogrel 12 months after drug-eluting stent placement: the OPTIDUAL randomized trial.

AIM: This open-label, randomized, and multicentre trial tested the hypothesis that, on a background of aspirin, continuing clopidogrel would be superior to stopping clopidogrel at 12 months following drug-eluting stent (DES) implantation. METHODS AND RESULTS: Patients (N = 1799) who had undergone placement of ≥1 DES for stable coronary artery disease or acute coronary syndrome were included in 58 French sites (January 2009-January 2013). Patients (N = 1385) free of major cardiovascular/cerebrovascular events or major bleeding and on aspirin and clopidogrel 12 months after stenting were eligible for randomization (1:1) between continuing clopidogrel 75 mg daily (extended-dual antiplatelet therapy, DAPT, group) or discontinuing clopidogrel (aspirin group). The primary outcome was net adverse clinical events defined as the composite of death, myocardial infarction, stroke, or major bleeding. Follow-up was planned from a minimum of 6 to a maximum of 36 months after randomization. Owing to slow recruitment, the study was stopped after enrolment of 1385 of a planned 1966 patients. Median follow-up after stenting was 33.4 months. The primary outcome occurred in 40 patients (5.8%) in the extended-DAPT group and 52 in the aspirin group (7.5%; hazard ratio 0.75, 95% confidence interval 0.50-1.28; P = 0.17). Rates of death were 2.3% in the extended-DAPT group and 3.5% in the aspirin group (HR 0.65, 95% CI 0.34-1.22; P = 0.18). Rates of major bleeding were identical (2.0%, P = 0.95). CONCLUSIONS: Extended DAPT did not achieve superiority in reducing net adverse clinical events compared to 12 months of DAPT after DES placement. The power of the OPTIDUAL trial was however low and reduced by premature termination of enrolment. CLINICALTRIALSGOV NUMBER: NCT00822536.

Beta-blocker prescription and outcomes in uncomplicated acute myocardial infarction: Insight from the ePARIS registry.

BACKGROUND: Systematic prescription of beta-blockers after myocardial infarction remains an open question in the era of revascularization, especially for patients with uncomplicated myocardial infarction. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate in a real-life registry the proportion of patients with uncomplicated myocardial infarction (preserved left ventricular ejection fraction and no cardiovascular event within the first 6 months), and to report their characteristics, outcomes and beta-blocker use. METHODS: We included 1887 consecutive patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction from the prospective ePARIS registry. Patients were divided into three groups: the "uncomplicated myocardial infarction" group (n=1060), defined by a left ventricular ejection fraction ≥ 40% and a 6-month period free from cardiovascular events; the "complicated myocardial infarction" group (n=366), defined by a left ventricular ejection fraction ≥ 40% and a recurrent cardiovascular event in the first 6 months; and the "left ventricular dysfunction" group (n=461), defined by a left ventricular ejection fraction<40%. RESULTS: During a median follow-up of 2.7 years (interquartile range 1.0-4.9 years), the "uncomplicated myocardial infarction" group was at low mortality risk compared with the "complicated myocardial infarction" group (hazard ratio 0.38, 95% confidence interval 0.25-0.58; P<0.01) and the "left ventricular dysfunction" group (hazard ratio 0.22, 95% confidence interval 0.15-0.32; P<0.01). Beta-blockers were prescribed at discharge predominantly in the "uncomplicated myocardial infarction" group (93%) compared with 87% in the "complicated myocardial infarction" group and 81% in the "left ventricular dysfunction" group. CONCLUSIONS: Beta-blockers are less prescribed in patients who may need them the most. The benefit of beta-blockers-largely prescribed in lower-risk patients-remains to be shown beyond the first 6 months for these patients with no left ventricular dysfunction and no recurrent events.

Implication of the new definition of pulmonary hypertension in patients evaluated for heart transplantation.

BACKGROUND: The 2018 World Symposium on Pulmonary Hypertension (WSPH) changed the definition of pulmonary hypertension (PH) with a new threshold of mean pulmonary artery pressure (mPAP) above 20 mmHg. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the profile and prognosis of patients with chronic heart failure (HF) considered for heart transplantation with the new definition of PH. METHODS: Patients with chronic HF considered for heart transplantation were classified as mPAP≤20mmHg, mPAP 20-25 mmHg, and mPAP≥25mmHg. Using a multivariate Cox model, we compared the mortality of patients with mPAP20-25mmHg, and mPAP≥25mmHg versus those with mPAP≤20mmHg. RESULTS: Of 693 patients with chronic HF considered for heart transplantation, 12.7%, 77.5% and 9.8% were classified as mPAP20-25mmHg, mPAP≥ 25mmHg and mPAP≤20mmHg. Patients of mPAP ≥ 25mmHg and mPAP 20-25 mmHg categories were older than mPAP ≤ 20 mmHg (56 versus 55 and 52 year-old, p = 0.02) with more frequent co-morbidities. Within 2.8 years, the mPAP20-25mmHg category displayed a higher risk of mortality compared with those of the mPAP≤20mmHg category (aHR 2.75, 95% CI 1.27-5.97, p = 0.01). Overall, the new PH definition using a threshold of mPAP >20 mmHg was associated with a higher risk of death (adj HR 2.71, 95% CI 1.26-5.80) than the previous definition (mPAP >25 mmHg, aHR: 1.35 95% CI 1.00-1.83, p = 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: One out of 8 patients with severe HF are reclassified as having PH following the 2018 WSPH. Patients with mPAP20-25 evaluated for heart transplantation displayed significant co-morbidities and high mortality rates.

Impact of anticoagulation on ionic and nonionic contrast media effect on thrombogenesis and fibrinolysis: The PEPCIT study.

OBJECTIVES: The effect of ionic low osmolar contrast media (ICM) and nonionic iso-osmolar CM (NICM) on acute thrombotic complications of percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) is subject to controversies possibly related to a potential interaction with anticoagulation regimens. We sought to compare physical and morphological properties of fibrin clots made in the presence of ioxaglate (ICM), iodixanol (NICM) versus control and to evaluate the effect of four anticoagulants used in PCI. METHODS AND RESULTS: Maximum platelet aggregation (MPA%), maximum elastic modulus (EM, dyne/cm(2) ) fiber density (n/10(-5) /µm(2) ), and lysis front velocity (nm/sec) of fibrin rich clot (FRC) were measured simultaneously using peripheral blood from 12 patients undergoing elective PCI. We compared the effects of adding iodixanol or ioxaglate or saline (control) to blood with enoxaparin, unfractionated heparin, fondaparinux, and bivalirudin. Iodixanol and ioxaglate led to nonsignificant reduction in MPA compared to control (33.6% ± 16.9%, 28.2% ± 18.9%, and 40.7% ± 13.9%, respectively, P = ns). Fibrin formed with iodixanol was stiffer (42.7 ± 41.9, 18.7 ± 3.7, and 15.9 ± 9 dyne/cm(2) , P < 0.01) and displayed more fibrin fibers (1089 ± 175, 260 ± 108, and 456 ± 131 n/10(-5) /µm(2) , respectively, P < 0.01) than with ioxaglate or control. This resulted in a profound reduction in the lysis front velocity (191 ± 95, 261 ± 112, and 360 ± 153 nm/sec). None of the four anticoagulants displayed any significant interaction on the effect of contrast media. CONCLUSIONS: The prothrombogenic effect of iodixanol is related primarily to an increase in fibrin stiffness with subsequent delayed fibrinolysis, something not seen with ioxaglate. Anticoagulation does not appear to have any impact on this fibrin clot abnormalities.

Percutaneous coronary intervention in anticoagulated patients via radial artery access.

OBJECTIVES: To assess safety and feasibility of using radial artery access for percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) in patients on oral anticoagulation without interrupting therapy. BACKGROUND: The radial artery approach for PCI is intuitively attractive for patients receiving chronic oral anticoagulation with vitamin K antagonists (VKAs) but little data exist concerning feasibility or safety of this approach in this population. The main advantage of this strategy would be to avoid bridging therapy with heparin that increases risk of thrombotic and bleeding events. METHODS: In this prospective observational study, 50 consecutive patients referred for coronary angiography underwent PCI without interrupting oral anticoagulant therapy. The main outcome measures were bleeding and thrombotic complications. RESULTS: The indications for permanent oral anticoagulation were as follows: atrial fibrillation in 62%, mechanical prosthesis in 24%, and venous thromboembolism in 14%. Seventy-two percent were elective cases and 28% presented with acute coronary syndromes. PCI was performed with an INR range of 1.4-3.4 with mean of 2.2 +/- 0.6. Seventy-six percent of the patients were on dual antiplatelet therapy before the procedure. No thrombotic events or excess bleeding were observed at 1 month. Only one patient had a minor hemorrhage 8 days after procedure. CONCLUSIONS: This series suggests that for patients treated with VKAs, the use of radial artery access is feasible and safe for PCI on dual antiplatelet therapy without interrupting oral anticoagulant treatment.

On- Versus Off-Hours Presentation and Mortality of ST-Segment Elevation Myocardial Infarction Patients Treated With Primary Percutaneous Coronary Intervention.

OBJECTIVES: The authors sought to assess the association between admission time with patient's care, procedure characteristics, and clinical outcomes within a contemporary ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) network of patients referred for primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). BACKGROUND: The effect of admission time on STEMI patient's outcomes remains controversial when primary PCI is the preferred reperfusion strategy. METHODS: Characteristics and clinical outcomes of 2,167 consecutive STEMI patients admitted in a tertiary PCI-capable center were collected. On-hours were defined as admission from Monday through Friday between 8 am and 6 pm and off-hours as admission during night shift, weekend, and nonworking holidays. In-hospital and 1-year all-cause mortality were assessed as well as key time delays. RESULTS: A total of 1,048 patients (48.3%) were admitted during on-hours, and 1,119 patients (51.7%) during off-hours. Characteristics were well-balanced between the 2 groups, including rates of cardiac arrest (7.9% vs. 8.8%; p = 0.55) and cardiogenic shock (12.3% vs. 14.7%; p = 0.16). Median symptom-to-first medical contact time and median first medical contact-to-sheath insertion time did not differ according to on- versus off-hours admission (120 min vs. 126 min; p = 0.25 and 90 min vs. 93 min; p = 0.58, respectively), as well as the rate of radial access for catheterization (85.6% vs. 87.5%; p = 0.27). There was no association between on- versus off-hours groups and in-hospital (8.1% vs. 7.0%; p = 0.49) or 1-year mortality (11.0% vs. 11.1%; p = 0.89), respectively. CONCLUSIONS: In a contemporary organized STEMI network, patients admitted in a high-volume tertiary primary PCI center during on-hours or off-hours had similar management and 1-year outcomes.

Performing diagnostic coronary angiography to evaluate high-risk cardiac donors: A French nationwide cohort study.

BACKGROUND: Allograft shortage might be overcome by the use of hearts from expanded-criteria donors (ECD) but their estimated high-risk of coronary artery disease (CAD) results in a limited utilization of these hearts for transplantation. We aimed to determine if performing coronary angiography (CA) in ECD enhances cardiac procurement and to develop a predictive model estimating their probability of absence of CAD. METHODS: We retrospectively used the French National Transplant Registry CRISTAL and considered all donors aged 45 to 70 with ≥ 1 organ harvested between March 2012 and June 2014 to derive a high-risk donor population. Of 515 donors with ≥ 1 CAD risk factor and no obvious contraindication for cardiac procurement, 230 underwent CA. Coefficients estimated by multivariate logistic regression models were used to evaluate the impact of CA on procurement and build the predictive model. RESULTS: Among CA donors, 133 had CAD, 53 (23%) with at least one stenosis ≥ 50%. Predictors of cardiac graft offer were female gender, age below 60, no cardiac arrest, no intravenous adrenaline/dobutamine requirement and no treated hypercholesterolemia. CA increased the probability of procurement by 9% (p = 0.028). Female gender, non-vascular cause of death, absence of diabetes and BMI ≥ 25 kg/m2 (p < 0.05) were associated with a normal CA and used for the prediction model. The area under the ROC curve of the model was 0.70. Specificity for the highest quartile was 82%. CONCLUSION: Performing CA in ECD enhances cardiac procurement. When CA is not feasible, we defined a clinical score allowing accurate estimation of normal CA probability.

Contrast-induced acute kidney injury and mortality in ST elevation myocardial infarction treated with primary percutaneous coronary intervention.

OBJECTIVES: Contrast-induced acute kidney injury (CI-AKI) is a common and potentially severe complication in patients with ST elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) treated with primary percutaneous coronary intervention (pPCI). There is no consensus on the best definition of CI-AKI to identify patients at risk of haemodialysis or death. The objective of this study was to assess the association of CI-AKI, using four definitions, on inhospital mortality, mortality or haemodialysis requirement over 1-year follow-up, in patients with STEMI treated with pPCI. METHODS: In this prospective, observational study, all patients with STEMI referred for pPCI were included. We identified independent variables associated with CI-AKI and mortality. RESULTS: We included 1114 consecutive patients with STEMI treated by pPCI. CI-AKI occurred in 18.3%, 12.2%, 15.6% and 10.5% of patients according to the CIN, Acute Kidney Injury Network (AKIN), Risk, Injury, Failure, Loss of kidney function, and End-stage kidney disease (RIFLE) Modification of Diet in Renal Disease (MDRD) and RIFLE Chronic Kidney Disease - Epidemiology Collaboration (CKD-EPI) definitions, respectively. The RIFLE (CKD-EPI) definition was the most discriminant definition to identify patients at higher risk of inhospital mortality (27.1% vs 4.0%; adjusted OR 2.7 (95% CI 1.4 to 5.1), p=0.003), 1-year mortality (27.4% vs 6.6%; adjusted OR 2.8 (95% CI 1.5 to 5.3), p=0.002) and haemodialysis requirement at 1-year follow-up (15.6% vs 2.7%; adjusted OR 6.7 (95% CI 3.3 to 13.6), p=0.001). Haemodynamic instability, cardiac arrest, preexisting renal failure, elderly age and a high contrast media volume were independently associated with 1-year mortality. Of interest, contrast-media volume was not correlated to increase of creatininaemia (r=0.06) or decrease in estimated glomerular filtration rate (r=0.05) after percutaneous coronary intervention in our population. CONCLUSIONS: CI-AKI is a frequent and serious complication of STEMI treated by pPCI. The RIFLE definition is the most accurate definition to identify patients with CI-AKI at high risk of mortality or haemodialysis.

Silent myocardial ischemia screening in patients with diabetes mellitus.

The prevalence of diabetes mellitus is fairly increasing, especially in the developing countries. Diabetes is a major cardiovascular risk factor; it often leads to severe cardiovascular complications, and coronary artery disease (CAD) is the main cause of death in diabetic patients. Silent myocardial ischemia (SMI) is more frequent in diabetic patients. The progress made in detection and treatment of CAD allows reconsidering the screening of SMI, in the hope that early CAD diagnosis leads to a more effective therapy and the decrease of cardiovascular complications and mortality. However, the benefit of systematic SMI screening remains discussed. Current guidelines recommend screening SMI in asymptomatic diabetic patients selected for high cardiovascular risk (i.e. with two or more other cardiovascular risk factors, or peripheral or carotid arterial disease, or proteinuria). ECG stress test can be recommended in first intention if maximal heart rate can be achieved. For patient with inconclusive ECG stress test, myocardial scintigraphy seems more accurate than stress echocardiography. Coronary angiogram should be performed in case of positive stress test. Further evaluations of systematic screening have to be conducted on broad randomized trial.

Low level exercise echocardiography helps diagnose early stage heart failure with preserved ejection fraction: a study of echocardiography versus catheterization.

BACKGROUND: Increased left ventricular end-diastolic pressure (LVEDP) with exercise is an early sign of heart failure with preserved left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF). The abnormal exercise increase in LVEDP is nonlinear, with most change occurring at low-level exercise. Data on non-invasive approach of this condition are scarce. Our objective was assessing E/e' to estimate low level exercise LVEDP using a direct invasive measurement as the reference method. METHODS AND RESULTS: Sixty patients with LVEF >50 % prospectively underwent both exercise cardiac catheterization and echocardiography. E/e' was measured at rest and during low-level exercise. Abnormal LVEDP was defined as >16 mmHg. Patients with a history of coronary artery disease and/or abnormal LV morphology were classified as having apparent cardiac disease (CD). Thirty-four (57 %) patients had elevated LVEDP only during exercise. Most of the change in LVEDP occurred since the first exercise level (25 W). There was a correlation between LVEDP and septal E/e' at rest and during exercise. Lateral E/e' and E/average e' ratio had worse correlations with LVEDP. In the whole population, exercise septal E/e' at 25 W had the best accuracy for abnormal exercise LVEDP, area under curve (AUC) = 0.79. However, while low-level exercise septal E/e' had a high accuracy in CD patients (n = 26, AUC = 0.96), E/e' was not linked to LVEDP in patients without CD (n = 34). CONCLUSION: Low-level exercise septal E/e' is valuable for predicting abnormal exercise LVEDP in patients with preserved LVEF and apparent CD. However, this new diagnosis approach appears not reliable in patients with normal LV morphology and without coronary artery disease. CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION: https://clinicaltrials.gov . Unique identifier: NCT01714752.

Effect of intracoronary administration of AAV1/SERCA2a on ventricular remodelling in patients with advanced systolic heart failure: results from the AGENT-HF randomized phase 2 trial.

AIMS: Restoration of sarco/endoplasmic reticulum Ca2+ ATPase (SERCA2a) activity through gene transfer improved cardiac function in experimental and pilot studies in humans with heart failure. The AGENT-HF (NCT01966887) trial investigated the impact of adeno-associated virus (AAV1)/SERCA2a on ventricular remodelling using multimodality non-invasive cardiac imaging. METHODS AND RESULTS: AGENT-HF was a single centre, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial in adult patients with NYHA class III-IV ischaemic or non-ischaemic heart failure and left ventricular ejection fraction ≤35%. Eligible patients were randomized to receive a single intracoronary infusion of either 1 × 1013 DNase-resistant particles of AAV1/SERCA2a or placebo. The primary endpoint was change in left ventricular end-systolic volume (LVESV), measured by cardiac computed tomography at 6 month follow-up. We planned to include 40 patients but the trial was terminated prematurely as the sponsor suspended further enrolment following neutral results of the CUPID-2 outcome trial. At the time of termination, nine patients were randomized with five patients infused with AAV1/SERCA2a and four with placebo. At 6 months, LVESV was increased in both groups compared with baseline: median (interquartile range) in AAV1/SERCA2a vs. placebo: 13 (13;14) mL vs. 3.5 (-36;36) mL, P = 0.74, with a mean difference between groups of 11.4 mL in favour of placebo. No safety issues were noted. CONCLUSION: AGENT-HF failed to demonstrate any improvement in ventricular remodelling in response to AAV1/SERCA2a at the dose studied. However, because of premature termination, the study was underpowered to demonstrate an effect of AAV1/SERCA2a and these data should be interpreted with caution.

Predictive factors of cardiac events after implantation of sirolimus-eluting stents for treatment of in-stent restenosis.

BACKGROUND: The factors associated with recurrent restenosis after SES implantation for in-stent restenosis are unknown. This study aimed to assess the clinical outcome and to analyse predictive factors of cardiac events in patients with in-stent restenosis treated with Sirolimus-eluting stent (SES). METHODS: In 3 centers, consecutive patients (n = 100) with elective indication to percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) for in-stent restenosis (n = 110) were treated with SES: 28 lesions were focal, 40 diffuse, 17 proliferative, and 15 showed total occlusion. RESULTS: SES implantation was successful in all patients, without complication during the first hospital stay. The mean follow-up was 15 (10-24) months. A cardiac event related to the target vessel occurred in 24 (24%) patients, and was associated with dialysis status (p < 0.05), lower ejection fraction (p < 0.05) and revascularization without SES in another site (p < 0.0001). A cardiac event related to the SES occurred in 11 (11%) patients, secondary to an acute or sub-acute thrombosis of the SES (2%), to a late occlusion of the target vessel (4%) or to a non-occlusive restenosis of the SES (5%), and was associated with unstable angina (p < 0.01), multivessel disease (p < 0.03) and revascularization without SES in another site (p < 0.03). No cardiac event related to the SES occurred in patients with direct stenting. Target lesion revascularization for in-SES restenosis or occlusion of the target vessel was performed in 7 (7%) patients, and was associated with unstable angina (p < 0.01) and revascularization without SES in another site (p < 0.01). Target vessel revascularization was needed in 20 patients (20%), related to dialysis status (p < 0.01) and a revascularization without SES in another site (p < .0001). CONCLUSIONS: SESs are effective in the treatment of high risk patients with complex in-stent restenosis. Most of cardiac events during follow-up are related to a revascularization without SES in another site.

Primary percutaneous coronary intervention for ST elevation myocardial infarction in nonagenarians.

OBJECTIVE: To assess outcomes following primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) for ST-segment elevation acute myocardial infarction (STEMI) in nonagenarian patients. METHODS: We conducted a multicentre retrospective study between 2006 and 2013 in five international high-volume centres and included consecutive all-comer nonagenarians treated with primary PCI for STEMI. There were no exclusion criteria. We enrolled 145 patients and collected demographic, clinical and procedural data. Severe clinical events and mortality at 6 months and 1 year were assessed. RESULTS: Cardiogenic shock was present at admission in 21%. Median (IQR) delay between symptom onset and balloon was 3.7 (2.4-5.6) hours and 60% of procedures were performed through the transradial approach. Successful revascularisation of the culprit vessel was obtained in 86% of the cases (thrombolysis in myocardial infarction flow of 2 or 3). Major or clinically relevant bleeding was observed in 4% of patients. Median left ventricular ejection fraction post PCI was 41.5% (32.0-50.0). The in-hospital mortality was 24%, with 6 months and 1-year survival rates of 61% and 53%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: In our study, primary PCI in nonagenarians with STEMI was achieved and feasible through a transradial approach. It is associated with a high rate of reperfusion of the infarct-related artery and 53% survival at 1 year. These results suggest that primary PCI may be offered in selected nonagenarians with acute myocardial infarction.

Coronary vasodilator reserve: a clue to the explanation of (201)Tl redistribution patterns early after successful primary stenting for acute myocardial infarction.

OBJECTIVES: We sought to assess the mechanism and significance of different (201)Tl redistribution patterns after successful primary stenting following acute myocardial infarction (AMI). BACKGROUND: The mechanism of (201)Tl reverse redistribution and the impact of different redistribution patterns on the recovery of contractility after successful reperfusion therapy for AMI remain unclear. METHODS: We studied 41 consecutive patients with successful primary stenting for a first AMI. Patients underwent predischarge and six-month follow-up dipyridamole stress-reinjection single photon emission tomography (SPECT), coronary and left ventricular angiography. Intracoronary Doppler assessment of coronary flow reserve (CFR) was performed before discharge. RESULTS: Four patient groups were identified according to predischarge SPECT: patients with I: nonreversible defects (n = 8), II: redistribution (n = 7), III: reverse redistribution (n = 21), IV: no defect (n = 5). At follow-up contractility recovery increased in a stepwise fashion from groups I to IV (19 +/- 41%, 40 +/- 53%, 70 +/- 28%, 78 +/- 33%, p = 0.01). Compared with patients with redistribution, those with reverse redistribution had lower infarct-related artery (IRA) CFR (2.2 +/- 0.5 vs. 2.8 +/- 0.9, p = 0.03) but higher contractility recovery. CONCLUSIONS: Variable (201)Tl redistribution patterns, early after successful stenting for AMI, may predict different degrees of late contractility recovery. The lower IRA CFR and the higher contractility recovery in areas with reverse redistribution suggest more severe microvascular dysfunction and less severe myocardial injury in such areas compared with those with redistribution.

Impact of renal failure on all-cause mortality and other outcomes in patients treated by percutaneous coronary intervention.

BACKGROUND: Patients with renal failure (RF) have been systematically excluded from clinical trials; consequently their outcomes have not been well studied in the setting of percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). AIMS: To compare cardiovascular outcomes after contemporary PCI in patients with versus without RF, according to clinical presentation (ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction [STEMI], acute coronary syndrome [ACS] or stable coronary artery disease [sCAD]). METHODS: Consecutive patients undergoing PCI with stent were prospectively included from 2007 to 2012. RF was defined as creatinine clearance<60mL/min. The primary endpoint was all-cause mortality; secondary endpoints were major adverse cardiovascular and cerebrovascular events (MACCE: composite of cardiovascular death, myocardial infarction, stroke and target lesion revascularization [TLR]), TLR and Academic Research Consortium definite/probable stent thrombosis (ST) at 1 year. RESULTS: Among 5337 patients, 23% had PCI for STEMI, 34% for ACS and 43% for sCAD, while 27% had RF. RF patients had a higher unadjusted death rate than those with preserved renal function (nRF) in all PCI indication groups (STEMI, 41% vs. 7.5%; ACS, 19% vs. 6%; sCAD, 10% vs. 3%; P<0.0001 for all). The rate of MACCE was also higher in RF patients whatever the PCI indication (STEMI, 45% vs. 15%; ACS, 23% vs. 14%; sCAD, 14% vs. 9%; P<0.05 for all). Rates of TLR (5.5-7.4%) and ST (<2.5%) were similar (P>0.05 for both). sCAD-RF and STEMI-nRF patients had similar rates of mortality (P=0.209) and MACCE (P=0.658). RF was independently associated with mortality, with a doubled relative risk in STEMI versus ACS and sCAD groups (odds ratio 5.3, 95% confidence interval 3.627-7.821 vs. 2.1, 1.465-3.140 and 2.3, 1.507-3.469, respectively; P<0.0001). CONCLUSION: RF is a stronger independent predictor of death after PCI in STEMI than in ACS or sCAD patients. sCAD-RF and STEMI-nRF patients had similar prognoses.

Sex-related differences after contemporary primary percutaneous coronary intervention for ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction.

BACKGROUND: Whether outcomes differ for women and men after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) for ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) remains controversial. AIM: To compare 1-year outcomes after primary PCI in women and men with STEMI, matched for age and diabetes. METHODS: Consecutive women with STEMI of<24 hours' duration referred (August 2007 to January 2011) for primary PCI were compared with men matched for age and diabetes. Rates of all-cause mortality, target vessel revascularization (TVR) and major cardiovascular and cerebrovascular events (MACCE) (death/myocardial infarction/stroke) were assessed at 1 year. RESULTS: Among 775 consecutive patients, 182 (23.5%) women were compared with 182 matched men. Mean age was 69±15 years, 18% had diabetes. Patient characteristics were similar, except for lower creatinine clearance (73±41 vs 82±38 µmol/L; P=0.041), more cardiogenic shock (14.8% vs 6.6%; P=0.017) and less radial PCI (81.3% vs 90.1%; P=0.024) in women. Rates of 1-year death (22.7% vs 18.1%), TVR (8.3% vs 6.0%) and MACCE (24.3% vs 20.9%) were not statistically different in women (P>0.05 for all). After exclusion of patients with shock (10.7%) and out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (6.6%), death rates were even more similar (11.3% vs 11.8%; P=0.10). Female sex was not independently associated with death (odds ratio 1.01, 95% confidence interval 0.55-1.87; P=0.97). CONCLUSION: In our consecutive unselected patient population, women had similar 1-year outcomes to men matched for age and diabetes, after contemporary primary PCI for STEMI, despite having a higher risk profile at baseline.

Comparison of short- and long-term outcomes of coronary angioplasty in patients with and without diabetes mellitus and with and without hemodialysis.

In-hospital and long-term outcomes after coronary angioplasty in 28 dialysis diabetic and 84 dialysis nondiabetic patients were compared with clinical outcomes after coronary angioplasty in 28 nondialysis diabetic and 84 nondialysis, nondiabetic patients matched according to clinical and angiographic characteristics. The rate of angiographic success in diabetic dialysis patients was high and similar in the 4 groups. The risk of 4-year cardiac death and nonfatal myocardial infarction was higher in dialysis diabetics than in dialysis nondiabetics (odds ratio [OR] 1.88, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.01 to 2.75, p <0.05), nondialysis diabetics (OR 4.27, 95% CI 2.87 to 5.67, p <0.008), and nondialysis nondiabetics (OR 5.2, 95% CI 4.17 to 6.23, p <0.0001).

[Cardiovascular effects of rosiglitazone]. / Effets cardiovasculaires de la rosiglitazone.

PROVEN EFFICACY: Since their launch on the French market in 2002, thiazolidinediones ("glitazones") prescribing conditions and therapeutic indications have progressively widened, although remaining strictly defined by the marketing licence. Clinical efficacy on glycemic control (HbA1c and glycemia), as well as beneficial metabolic effects (on lipids, insulinresistance and beta-cellular function) are now well established. Their side effects, generally minor or mild, are also well known. The problem of cardiovascular adverse events, although of a low incidence, should be known and recognized, notably fluid retention (and oedema) and risk of heart failure, more frequent in diabetic than in non diabetic patients. Clinicians must know and take into account the particular risk factors, clinical and diagnosis characteristics, possible pathophysiological mechanisms and their main preventive measures. POTENTIAL BENEFICIAL EFFECTS: On the other hand, numerous experimental and/or preliminary data in type 2 diabetic patients, including favourable effects on the various pathophysiological mechanisms involved in atherosclerosis and effects on cardiovascular risk factors or markers, justifies further large prospective long term clinical studies to assess glitazone effects on cardiovascular morbidity and mortality in type 2 diabetic patients at high cardiovascular risk. Several controlled studies are currently ongoing with rosiglitazone (ADOPT, BARI-2D, DREAM, RECORD, etc.), their results within the next coming Years will answer the questions on the anticipated benefits of rosiglitazone in terms of cardiovascular prevention and/or protection in type 2 diabetic patients.