Body Mass Index and Major Adverse Events During Chronic Antiplatelet Monotherapy After Percutaneous Coronary Intervention With Drug-Eluting Stents　- Results From the HOST-EXAM Trial.

BACKGROUND: This study evaluated the association of body mass index (BMI) with adverse clinical outcomes during chronic maintenance antiplatelet monotherapy after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) with drug-eluting stents (DES).Methods and Results: Overall, 5,112 patients were stratified (in kg/m2) into underweight (BMI ≤18.4), normal weight (18.5-22.9), overweight (23.0-24.9), obesity (25.0-29.9) and severe obesity (≥30.0) categories with randomized antiplatelet monotherapy of aspirin 100 mg or clopidogrel 75 mg once daily for 24 months. The primary endpoint was the composite of all-cause death, non-fatal myocardial infarction, stroke, readmission due to acute coronary syndrome and major bleeding of Bleeding Academic Research Consortium type ≥3. Compared with normal weight, the risk of primary composite outcomes was higher in the underweight (hazard ratio [HR] 2.183 [1.199-3.974]), but lower in the obesity (HR 0.730 [0.558-0.954]) and severe obesity (HR 0.518 [0.278-0.966]) categories, which is partly driven by the difference in all-cause death. The risk of major bleeding was significantly higher in the underweight (HR 4.140 [1.704-10.059]) than in the normal weight category. A decrease in categorical BMI was independently associated with the increased risk of primary composite outcomes. CONCLUSIONS: Lower BMI is associated with a higher risk of primary composite outcomes, which is primarily related to the events of all-cause death or major bleeding during chronic maintenance antiplatelet monotherapy after PCI with DES.

Clinical Implication of 'Obesity Paradox' in Elderly Patients With Acute Myocardial Infarction.

BACKGROUND: The clinical impact of body mass index (BMI), especially in the elderly with acute myocardial infarction (AMI), has not been sufficiently evaluated. The purpose of this study was to elucidate the clinical impact of BMI in very old patients (≥80 years) with AMI. METHODS: The study analysed 2,489 AMI patients aged ≥80 years from the Korea Acute Myocardial Infarction Registry and the Korea Working Group on Myocardial Infarction (KAMIR/KorMI) registries between November 2005 and March 2012. The study population was categorised into four groups based on their BMI: underweight (n=301), normal weight (n=1,150), overweight (n=890), and obese (n=148). The primary endpoint was major adverse cardiovascular event (MACE), a composite of cardiac death, myocardial infarction, target lesion revascularisation, and target vessel revascularisation. RESULTS: Baseline characteristics among the four groups were similar, except for hypertension (45.1 vs 58.4 vs 66.2 vs 69.9%, respectively; p<0.001) and diabetes (16.6 vs 23.6 vs 30.7 vs 35.1%, respectively; p<0.001). Coronary care unit length of stay was significantly different among the four groups during hospitalisation (5.3±5.9 vs 4.8±6.8 vs 4.2±4.0 vs 3.5±2.1 days; p=0.007). MACE (16.9 vs 14.9 vs 13.7 vs 8.8%; p=0.115) and cardiac death (10.3 vs 8.4 vs 7.9 vs 4.1%; p=0.043) less frequently occurred in the obese group than in other groups during the 1-year follow-up. A multivariate regression model showed obese status (BMI ≥27.5 kg/m2) as an independent predictor of reduced MACE (hazard ratio [HR], 0.20; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.06-0.69; p=0.010) along with reduced left ventricular ejection fraction (≤40%) as a predictor of increased MACE (HR,1.87; 95% CI, 1.31-2.68; p=0.001). CONCLUSION: Body mass index in elderly patients with acute myocardial infarction was significantly associated with coronary care unit stay and clinical cardiovascular outcomes.

Effect of P2Y12 Inhibitor Monotherapy vs Dual Antiplatelet Therapy on Cardiovascular Events in Patients Undergoing Percutaneous Coronary Intervention: The SMART-CHOICE Randomized Clinical Trial.

Importance: Data on P2Y12 inhibitor monotherapy after short-duration dual antiplatelet therapy (DAPT) in patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention are limited. Objective: To determine whether P2Y12 inhibitor monotherapy after 3 months of DAPT is noninferior to 12 months of DAPT in patients undergoing PCI. Design, Setting, and Participants: The SMART-CHOICE trial was an open-label, noninferiority, randomized study that was conducted in 33 hospitals in Korea and included 2993 patients undergoing PCI with drug-eluting stents. Enrollment began March 18, 2014, and follow-up was completed July 19, 2018. Interventions: Patients were randomly assigned to receive aspirin plus a P2Y12 inhibitor for 3 months and thereafter P2Y12 inhibitor alone (n = 1495) or DAPT for 12 months (n = 1498). Main Outcomes and Measures: The primary end point was major adverse cardiac and cerebrovascular events (a composite of all-cause death, myocardial infarction, or stroke) at 12 months after the index procedure. Secondary end points included the components of the primary end point and bleeding defined as Bleeding Academic Research Consortium type 2 to 5. The noninferiority margin was 1.8%. Results: Among 2993 patients who were randomized (mean age, 64 years; 795 women [26.6%]), 2912 (97.3%) completed the trial. Adherence to the study protocol was 79.3% of the P2Y12 inhibitor monotherapy group and 95.2% of the DAPT group. At 12 months, major adverse cardiac and cerebrovascular events occurred in 42 patients in the P2Y12 inhibitor monotherapy group and in 36 patients in the DAPT group (2.9% vs 2.5%; difference, 0.4% [1-sided 95% CI, -∞% to 1.3%]; P = .007 for noninferiority). There were no significant differences in all-cause death (21 [1.4%] vs 18 [1.2%]; hazard ratio [HR], 1.18; 95% CI, 0.63-2.21; P = .61), myocardial infarction (11 [0.8%] vs 17 [1.2%]; HR, 0.66; 95% CI, 0.31-1.40; P = .28), or stroke (11 [0.8%] vs 5 [0.3%]; HR, 2.23; 95% CI, 0.78-6.43; P = .14) between the 2 groups. The rate of bleeding was significantly lower in the P2Y12 inhibitor monotherapy group than in the DAPT group (2.0% vs 3.4%; HR, 0.58; 95% CI, 0.36-0.92; P = .02). Conclusions and Relevance: Among patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention, P2Y12 inhibitor monotherapy after 3 months of DAPT compared with prolonged DAPT resulted in noninferior rates of major adverse cardiac and cerebrovascular events. Because of limitations in the study population and adherence, further research is needed in other populations. Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT02079194.

Rationale and design of the comparison between a P2Y12 inhibitor monotherapy versus dual antiplatelet therapy in patients undergoing implantation of coronary drug-eluting stents (SMART-CHOICE): A prospective multicenter randomized trial.

BACKGROUND AND RATIONALE: Dual antiplatelet therapy (DAPT) with aspirin and a P2Y12 inhibitor reduces thrombotic events in patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI), but these benefits come at the expense of increased risk of bleeding when compared with aspirin monotherapy. It is unclear whether P2Y12 inhibitor monotherapy might maintain anti-ischemic efficacy while reducing the bleeding risk compared with DAPT after implantation of the current generation of drug-eluting stents (DES). STUDY DESIGN: The SMART-CHOICE trial is a prospective, open-label, multi-center, and randomized study designed to test the non-inferiority of P2Y12 inhibitor monotherapy compared with aspirin plus a P2Y12 inhibitor after mandatory 3-month DAPT in patients undergoing PCI with current-generation DES. A total of 3000 patients will be randomized to 1 of the 2 antiplatelet treatment strategy groups. Randomization will be stratified by stent type (cobalt-chromium everolimus-eluting stents, platinum-chromium everolimus-eluting stents, and sirolimus-eluting stents with bioresorbable polymer), P2Y12 inhibitors (clopidogrel, prasugrel, and ticagrelor), clinical presentation (acute coronary syndrome and stable ischemic heart disease), and investigational centers. The primary end point is a composite of all-cause death, myocardial infarction, and cerebrovascular events at 12 months after the index procedure. The key secondary end points are definite/probable stent thrombosis defined by the Academic Research Consortium, and bleeding defined by Bleeding Academic Research Consortium type 2-5. CONCLUSIONS: The SMART-CHOICE trial aims to examine the non-inferiority of monotherapy with one of any available oral P2Y12 inhibitors versus conventional DAPT of an identical P2Y12 inhibitor plus aspirin in a broad spectrum of patients receiving representative current-generation DES.

Comparison of Clinical Outcomes Between Ticagrelor and Prasugrel in Patients With ST-Segment Elevation Myocardial Infarction　- Results From the Korea Acute Myocardial Infarction Registry-National Institutes of Health.

BACKGROUND: There is little information regarding comparison of ticagrelor and prasugrel in patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI). We sought to compare clinical outcomes between ticagrelor and prasugrel in STEMI.Methods and Results:A total of 1,440 patients with STEMI who underwent successful primary percutaneous coronary intervention were analyzed; the data were obtained from the Korea Acute Myocardial Infarction Registry-National Institutes of Health. Of the patients, 963 received ticagrelor, and 477 received prasugrel. The primary study endpoint was 12-month major adverse cardiac events (MACE), including cardiac death, myocardial infarction (MI), and target vessel revascularization (TVR). MACE occurred in 91 patients (6.3%) over the 1-year follow-up, and there were no differences in the incidence of MACE (hazard ratio [HR] 1.20, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.76-1.91, P=0.438) between the 2 groups. Analysis by propensity score matching (429 pairs) did not significantly affect the results. The incidence of in-hospital major bleeding events was still comparable between the 2 groups (2.4% vs. 2.5%, odds ratio 0.75, 95% CI 0.30-1.86, P=0.532), and there was no significant difference in the incidence of MACE (5.4% vs. 5.8%, HR 0.98, 95% CI 0.56-1.74, P=0.951) after matching. CONCLUSIONS: Ticagrelor and prasugrel showed similar efficacy and safety profiles for treating STEMI in this Korean multicenter registry.

A randomized clinical trial comparing long-term clopidogrel vs aspirin monotherapy beyond dual antiplatelet therapy after drug-eluting coronary stent implantation: Design and rationale of the Harmonizing Optimal Strategy for Treatment of coronary artery stenosis-Extended Antiplatelet Monotherapy (HOST-EXAM) trial.

Percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) has been developed by drug-eluting stent (DES), but stent implantation has brought the issue of stent thrombosis and optimal antiplatelet therapy. Guidelines recommend at least 6- to 12 months of dual antiplatelet therapy (DAPT) with aspirin and a P2Y12 receptor inhibitor such as clopidogrel. Beyond DAPT after PCI with DES, however, there has been still a debate for antiplatelet regimen. Therefore, we report on the upcoming HOST-EXAM trial (NCT02044250), which will evaluate the efficacy and safety of aspirin and clopidogrel monotherapies beyond DAPT after DES implantation. TRIAL DESIGN: The HOST-EXAM is a prospective, randomized, open-label, multicenter, comparative effectiveness trial, to compare between clopidogrel (75 mg once daily) and aspirin (100 mg once daily) as long-term antiplatelet agents. A total of 5,530 patients with no clinical events during combined antiplatelet therapy for 12±6 months after index PCI will be screened, enrolled, and randomized to either group (1:1 ratio) receiving antiplatelet monotherapy for 2 years. The primary endpoint will be the rate of clinical events defined as a composite of all-cause death, nonfatal myocardial infarction, stroke, readmission due to acute coronary syndrome, or major bleeding at 24 months after randomization. CONCLUSIONS: The HOST-EXAM will be the first large-scale randomized controlled study to directly compare the efficacy and safety of long-term antiplatelet monotherapy beyond DAPT after DES implantation. This study will provide clinical evidence to establish optimal regimen for long-term antiplatelet therapy after DES implantation.

Impact of low high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol level on 2-year clinical outcomes after acute myocardial infarction in patients with diabetes mellitus.

BACKGROUND: It is still unclear whether low high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) affects cardiovascular outcomes after acute myocardial infarction (AMI), especially in patients with diabetes mellitus. METHODS: A total of 984 AMI patients with diabetes mellitus from the DIabetic Acute Myocardial InfarctiON Disease (DIAMOND) Korean multicenter registry were divided into two groups based on HDL-C level on admission: normal HDL-C group (HDL-C ≥ 40 mg/dL, n = 519) and low HDL-C group (HDL-C < 40 mg/dL, n = 465). The primary endpoint was 2-year major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE), defined as a composite of cardiac death, non-fatal myocardial infarction (MI), and target vessel revascularization (TVR). RESULTS: The median follow-up duration was 730 days. The 2-year MACE rates were significantly higher in the low HDL-C group than in the normal HDL-C group (MACE, 7.44% vs. 3.49%, p = 0.006; cardiac death, 3.72% vs. 0.97%, p = 0.004; non-fatal MI, 1.75% vs. 1.55%, p = 0.806; TVR, 3.50% vs. 0.97%, p = 0.007). Kaplan-Meier analysis revealed that the low HDL-C group had a significantly higher incidence of MACE compared to the normal HDL-C group (log-rank p = 0.013). After adjusting for conventional risk factors, Cox proportional hazards analysis suggested that low HDL-C was an independent risk predictor for MACE (hazard ratio [HR] 3.075, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.034-9.144, p = 0.043). CONCLUSIONS: In patients with diabetes mellitus, low HDL-C remained an independent risk predictor for MACE after adjusting for multiple risk factors during 2-year follow-up of AMI. TRIAL REGISTRATION: This study was the sub-analysis of the prospective multi-center registry of DIAMOND (Diabetic acute myocardial infarction Disease) in Korea. This is the observational study supported by Bayer HealthCare, Korea. Study number is 15614. First patient first visit was 02 April 2010 and last patient last visit was 09 December 2013.

Comparison of 2-year mortality according to obesity in stabilized patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus after acute myocardial infarction: results from the DIAMOND prospective cohort registry.

BACKGROUND: After acute myocardial infarction (AMI), the replicated phenomenon of obesity paradox, i.e., obesity appearing to be associated with increased survival, has not been evaluated in stabilized (i.e., without clinical events within 1 month post AMI) Asian patients with diabetes mellitus (DM). METHODS: Among 1192 patients in the DIabetic Acute Myocardial InfarctiON Disease (DIAMOND) Korean multicenter registry between April 2010 and June 2012, 2-year cardiac and all-cause death were compared according to obesity (body mass index ≥25 kg/m(2)) in 1125 stabilized DM patients. RESULTS: Compared with non-obese DM patients (62% of AMI patients), obese DM patients had: higher incidence of dyslipidemia (31 vs. 24%, P < 0.01); lower incidence of chronic kidney disease (26 vs. 33%) (P < 0.01); higher left ventricular ejection fraction after AMI (53 ± 11 vs. 50 ± 12%, P < 0.001); and lower 2-year cardiac and all-cause death occurrence (0.7 vs. 3.6% and 1.9 vs. 5.2%, both P < 0.01) and cumulative incidence in Kaplan-Meier analysis (P < 0.005, respectively). Likewise, both univariate and multivariate Cox hazard regression analyses adjusted for the respective confounders showed that obesity was associated with decreased risk of both cardiac [HR, 0.18 (95% CI 0.06-0.60), P = 0.005; and 0.24 (0.07-0.78), P = 0.018, respectively] and all-cause death [0.34 (0.16-0.73), P = 0.005; and 0.44 (0.20-0.95), P = 0.038]. CONCLUSIONS: In a Korean population of stabilized DM patients after AMI, non-obese patients appear to have higher cardiac and all-cause mortality compared with obese patients after adjusting for confounding factors.

Effect of statin treatment in patients with acute myocardial infarction and left ventricular systolic dysfunction according to the level of high-sensitivity C-reactive protein.

The effects of statins on the prognosis of patients with left ventricular (LV) systolic dysfunction remain controversial. The aim of this study was to assess the effect of statin treatment on clinical outcomes in acute myocardial infarction (AMI) patients with LV systolic dysfunction. A total of 5,119 AMI patients with LV ejection fraction less than 50% on the initial echocardiogram were analyzed in the Korean Acute Myocardial Infarction Registry. The study population was divided into 4 groups according to the level of high sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) and statin treatment: low hs-CRP (hs-CRP ≤ 2.0 mg/L) and high hs-CRP (hs-CRP > 2 mg/L) with or without statin therapy. We evaluated the incidence of major adverse cardiac events (MACEs) including cardiac death, reinfarction, target lesion revascularization, and coronary artery bypass grafting during a 12-month period in each group. Statin therapy did not significantly prevent the MACEs in the low hs-CRP groups (with statin: 10.1% versus without statin: 12.0%, P = 0.249). In the high hs-CRP groups, however, the incidence of MACEs was significantly decreased with statin treatment (with statin: 11.3%, without statin: 20.8%, P < 0.001). These findings were consistently observed in all subgroups of the high-hs CRP group, including the subgroup with an LV ejection fraction less than 40%. In a multivariable logistic regression analysis of the high hs-CRP group, lack of statin therapy was a significant predictor of MACE incidence (odds ratio: 1.573, 95% confidence interval: 1.079-2.293, P = 0.018). The statin treatment was associated with better outcome in AMI and LV dysfunction patients with hs-CRP ≥ 2 mg/dL.

Prediction of longitudinal clinical outcomes after acute myocardial infarction using a dynamic machine learning algorithm.

Several regression-based models for predicting outcomes after acute myocardial infarction (AMI) have been developed. However, prediction models that encompass diverse patient-related factors over time are limited. This study aimed to develop a machine learning-based model to predict longitudinal outcomes after AMI. This study was based on a nationwide prospective registry of AMI in Korea (n = 13,104). Seventy-seven predictor candidates from prehospitalization to 1 year of follow-up were included, and six machine learning approaches were analyzed. Primary outcome was defined as 1-year all-cause death. Secondary outcomes included all-cause deaths, cardiovascular deaths, and major adverse cardiovascular event (MACE) at the 1-year and 3-year follow-ups. Random forest resulted best performance in predicting the primary outcome, exhibiting a 99.6% accuracy along with an area under the receiver-operating characteristic curve of 0.874. Top 10 predictors for the primary outcome included peak troponin-I (variable importance value = 0.048), in-hospital duration (0.047), total cholesterol (0.047), maintenance of antiplatelet at 1 year (0.045), coronary lesion classification (0.043), N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide levels (0.039), body mass index (BMI) (0.037), door-to-balloon time (0.035), vascular approach (0.033), and use of glycoprotein IIb/IIIa inhibitor (0.032). Notably, BMI was identified as one of the most important predictors of major outcomes after AMI. BMI revealed distinct effects on each outcome, highlighting a U-shaped influence on 1-year and 3-year MACE and 3-year all-cause death. Diverse time-dependent variables from prehospitalization to the postdischarge period influenced the major outcomes after AMI. Understanding the complexity and dynamic associations of risk factors may facilitate clinical interventions in patients with AMI.

Association between body mass index and three-year outcome of acute myocardial infarction.

Body mass index (BMI), as an important risk factor related to metabolic disease. However, in some studies higher BMI was emphasized as a beneficial factor in the clinical course of patients after acute myocardial infarction (AMI) in a concept known as the "BMI paradox." The purpose of this study was to investigate how clinical outcomes of patients treated for AMI differed according to BMI levels. A total of 10,566 patients in the Korea Acute Myocardial Infarction Registry-National Institutes of Health (KAMIR-NIH) from May 2010 to June 2015 were divided into three BMI groups (group 1: BMI < 22 kg/m2, group 2: ≥ 22 and < 26 kg/m2, and group 3: ≥ 26 kg/m2). The primary outcome was major adverse cardiac and cerebrovascular event (MACCE) at 3 years of follow-up. At 1 year of follow-up, the incidence of MACCE in group 1 was 10.1% of that in group 3, with a hazard ratio (HR) of 2.27, and 6.5% in group 2, with an HR of 1.415. This tendency continued up to 3 years of follow-up. The study demonstrated that lower incidence of MACCE in the high BMI group of Asians during the 3-year follow-up period compared to the low BMI group. The results implied higher BMI could exert a positive effect on the long-term clinical outcomes of patients with AMI undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI).

Optimal timing of revascularization for patients with non-ST segment elevation myocardial infarction and severe left ventricular dysfunction.

Optimal timing of revascularization for patients who presented with non-ST segment elevation myocardial infarction (NSTEMI) and severe left ventricular (LV) dysfunction is unclear. A total of 386 NSTEMI patients with severe LV dysfunction from the nationwide, multicenter, and prospective Korea Acute Myocardial Infarction Registry V (KAMIR-V) were enrolled. Severe LV dysfunction was defined as LV ejection fraction ≤ 35%. Patients with cardiogenic shock were excluded. Patients were stratified into two groups: PCI within 24 hours (early invasive group) and PCI over 24 hours (selective invasive group). Primary endpoint was major adverse cardiac and cerebrovascular events (MACCE) including all-cause death, non-fatal MI, repeat revascularization, and stroke at 12 months after index procedure. Early invasive group showed higher incidence of in-hospital death (9.4% vs 3.3%, P = .036) and cardiogenic shock (11.5% vs 4.6%, P = .030) after PCI. Early invasive group also showed higher maximum troponin I level during admission (27.7 ±â€…44.8 ng/mL vs 14.9 ±â€…24.6 ng/mL, P = .001), compared with the selective invasive group. Early invasive group had an increased risk of 12-month MACCE, compared with selective invasive group (25.6% vs 17.1%; adjusted HR = 2.10, 95% CI 1.17-3.77, P = .006). Among NSTEMI patients with severe LV dysfunction, the early invasive strategy did not improve the clinical outcomes. This data supports that an individualized approach may benefit high-risk NSTEMI patients rather than a routine invasive approach.

Clinical Outcome after Everolimus-Eluting Stent Implantation for Small Vessel Coronary Artery Disease: XIENCE Asia Small Vessel Study.

There are limited data on outcomes after implantation of everolimus-eluting stents (EES) in East Asian patients with small vessel coronary lesions. A total of 1,600 patients treated with XIENCE EES (Abbott Vascular, CA, USA) were divided into the small vessel group treated with one ≤2.5 mm stent (n=119) and the non-small vessel group treated with one ≥2.75 mm stent (n=933). The primary end point was a patient-oriented composite outcome (POCO), a composite of all-cause death, myocardial infarction (MI), and any repeat revascularization at 12 months. The key secondary end point was a device-oriented composite outcome (DOCO), a composite of cardiovascular death, target-vessel MI, and target lesion revascularization at 12 months. The small vessel group was more often female, hypertensive, less likely to present with ST-elevation MI, and more often treated for the left circumflex artery, whereas the non-small vessel group more often had type B2/C lesions, underwent intravascular ultrasound, and received unfractionated heparin. In the propensity matched cohort, the mean stent diameter was 2.5±0.0 mm and 3.1±0.4 mm in the small and non-small vessel groups, respectively. Propensity-adjusted POCO at 12 months was 6.0% in the small vessel group and 4.3% in the non-small vessel group (p=0.558). There was no significant difference in DOCO at 12 months (small vessel group: 4.3% and non-small vessel group: 1.7%, p=0.270). Outcomes of XIENCE EES for small vessel disease were comparable to those for non-small vessel disease at 12-month clinical follow-up in real-world Korean patients.

Clinical implication of ticagrelor monotherapy in patients with small vessel coronary artery disease: results from the TICO randomized trial.

Background: The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy and safety of ticagrelor monotherapy in patients with small vessel disease compared with ticagrelor-based DAPT within the Ticagrelor Monotherapy after 3 Months in the Patients Treated with New Generation Sirolimus Eluting Stent for Acute Coronary Syndrome (TICO) trial population. Methods: Reference vessel diameter ≤2.5 mm was considered as small vessel disease. We conducted a comparison of the incidence of target lesion failure (TLF) and Bleeding Academic Research Consortium (BARC) type 3 or 5 bleeding. TLF was defined as a composite of cardiac death, target lesion myocardial infarction, stent thrombosis, and target lesion revascularization. Results: 652 patients among 3,056 TICO population (21.3%) had small vessel disease. Patients with small vessel disease showed a higher rate of TLF compared to those without small vessel disease (2.9% vs. 1.0%, log-rank p < 0.001). The presence of small vessel disease emerged as an independent predictor for 1-year TLF (HR 2.84, 95% CI 1.54-5.25), while it did not show a significant association with bleeding complications. The 12-month TLF rate was 1.6% for ticagrelor monotherapy after 3-month DAPT, and 4.2% for ticagrelor-based 12-month DAPT (p = 0.059) in patients with small vessel disease (HR 0.38, 95% CI 0.14-1.04, p for interaction = 0.261). The incidence of BARC type 3 or 5 bleeding rate 2.5% for ticagrelor monotherapy after 3-month DAPT, and 5.6% for ticagrelor-based 12-month DAPT (p = 0.052) in patients with small vessel disease (HR 0.44, 95% CI 0.19-1.01, p for interaction = 0.322). In the 3-month landmark analysis, ticagrelor monotherapy significantly reduced BARC type 3 or 5 bleeding in patients with small vessel disease (HR 0.09, 95% CI 0.01-0.69, log-rank p = 0.005) while demonstrating a similar incidence of TLF compared to ticagrelor based 12-month DAPT during the 3-12 months period. Conclusions: There are no significant interactions between the antiplatelet strategy regarding the 12-month incidence of ischemic and bleeding complications. Ticagrelor monotherapy demonstrated a reduction in bleeding complications after a 3-month period of DAPT without increasing the rate of TLF, when compared to ticagrelor-based 12-month DAPT, specifically in patients with small vessel disease. Clinical Trial Registration: www.ClinicalTrials.gov, identifier, NCT02494895.

Intravascular Ultrasound Guided Intervention in Calcified Coronary Lesions Showed Good Clinical Outcomes during One Year Follow-Up.

BACKGROUND: Calcified coronary lesions can cause stent under-expansion, malapposition, and polymer degradation, hence increasing the risk of adverse clinical outcomes. Percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) guided by intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) has been used regularly to improve outcomes. Our primary aim was to evaluate the clinical efficacy of IVUS-guided PCI in calcified coronary lesions. METHODS: From August 2018 to December 2021, we prospectively included 300 patients in the CAPIRO study (CAlcified plaque in patients receiving Resolute Onyx®) at three educational hospitals in Jeonbuk Province. We studied 243 patients (265 lesions) who were followed up for over a year. Based on coronary calcification by IVUS analysis, the patient population was categorized into two groups (Group I: non/mild calcification; Group II: moderate/severe calcification (maximum calcium arc >180° and calcium length > 5 mm)). One-to-one Propensity Score Matching was used to match the baseline characteristics. The stent expansion rate was analyzed by recent criteria. The primary clinical outcome was Major Adverse Cardiac Events (MACE), which included Cardiac death, Myocardial Infarction (MI), and Target Lesion Revascularization (TLR). RESULTS: After follow-up time, the MACE rate in Group I was 1.99%, comparable to Group II's 1.09% (p = 0.594). The components of MACE did not significantly differ between the two groups. Based on absolute MSA or MSA/MVA at MSA site criteria, the stent expansion rate in Group II was lower than that of Group I. Nevertheless, based on recent relative criteria, the stent expansion rate in both groups was comparable. CONCLUSIONS: After more than a year of follow-up, IVUS-guided PCI in moderate/severe calcification lesions was associated with good clinical outcomes, which was comparable with non/mild calcification lesions. Future studies with a larger sample size and a more extended follow-up period are required to clarify our findings.

Incidence, Relevant Patient Factors, and Clinical Outcomes of the Misdiagnosis of ST-Segment-Elevation Myocardial Infarction: Results From the Korea Acute Myocardial Infarction Registry.

Background Data on the incidence, relevant patient factors, and clinical outcomes of the misdiagnosis of ST-segment-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) in the modern era of percutaneous coronary intervention are limited. Methods and Results Data from KAMIR (Korea Acute Myocardial Infarction Registry) between November 2011 and June 2020 were analyzed. Out of 28 470 patients with acute myocardial infarction, 11 796 were eventually diagnosed with STEMI following a coronary angiogram. They were classified into 2 groups: patients with an initial working diagnosis of STEMI before starting the initial treatment and patients with an initial working diagnosis of non-STEMI (misdiagnosed group). Out of 11 796 patients with a final diagnosis of STEMI, 165 (1.4%) were misdiagnosed. The door-to-angiography time in the misdiagnosed group was 5 times longer than that in the timely diagnosed group (median 220 [interquartile range {IQR}, 66-1177] versus 43 [IQR, 31-58] minutes; P<0.001). In a multivariable adjustments model, patients with a history of heart failure, atypical chest pain, anemia, or symptom-to-door time ≥4 hours had significantly higher odds, whereas those with systolic blood pressure <100 mm Hg or anterior ST elevation or left bundle-branch block on ECG had lower odds of STEMI misdiagnosis. For patients with culprit lesions in the left anterior descending artery (n=5838), the adjusted 1-year mortality risk for STEMI misdiagnosis was 1.84 (95% CI, 1.01-3.38). Conclusions Misdiagnosis of STEMI is not rare and is associated with a significant delay in coronary angiography, resulting in increased 1-year mortality for patients with culprit lesions in the left anterior descending artery.

Early Invasive Strategy Based on the Time of Symptom Onset of Non-ST-Segment Elevation Myocardial Infarction.

BACKGROUND: A limitation of the current guidelines regarding the timing of invasive coronary angiography for patients with non-ST-segment elevation acute coronary syndrome is the randomization time. To date, no study has reported the clinical outcomes of invasive strategy timing on the basis of the time of symptom onset. OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of invasive strategy timing from the time of symptom onset on the 3-year clinical outcomes of patients with non-ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (NSTEMI). METHODS: Among 13,104 patients from the Korea Acute Myocardial Infarction Registry-National Institutes of Health, 5,856 patients with NSTE myocardial infarction were evaluated. The patients were categorized according to symptom-to-catheter (StC) time (<48 or ≥48 hours). The primary outcome was 3-year all-cause mortality. RESULTS: Overall, 3,919 patients (66.9%) were classified into the StC time <48 hours group. This group had lower all-cause mortality than the group with StC time ≥48 hours (7.3% vs 13.4%; P < 0.001). The lower risk for all-cause mortality in the group with StC time <48 hours group was consistent in all subgroups. Notably, emergency medical service use (HR: 0.31; 95% CI: 0.19-0.52) showed a lower risk for all-cause mortality than no emergency medical service use (HR: 0.54; 95% CI: 0.46-0.65; P value for interaction = 0.008). CONCLUSIONS: An early invasive strategy on the basis of StC time was associated with a decreased risk for all-cause mortality in patients with NSTEMI. Because the study was based on a prospective registry, the results should be considered hypothesis generating, highlighting the need for further research. (iCReaT Study No. C110016).

Combined Therapy of Low-Dose Angiotensin Receptor-Neprilysin Inhibitor and Sodium-Glucose Cotransporter-2 Inhibitor Prevents Doxorubicin-Induced Cardiac Dysfunction in Rodent Model with Minimal Adverse Effects.

Although cancer-therapy-related cardiac dysfunction (CTRCD) is a critical issue in clinical practice, there is a glaring lack of evidence regarding cardiotoxicity management. To determine an effective and suitable dosage of treatment using angiotensin receptor-neprilysin inhibitors (ARNI) with sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 inhibitors (SGLT2i), we adopted a clinically relevant rodent model with doxorubicin, which would mimic cardiac dysfunction in CTRCD patients. After the oral administration of drugs (vehicle, SGLT2i, ARNI, Low-ARNI/SGLT2i, ARNI/SGLT2i), several physiologic parameters, including hemodynamic change, cardiac function, and histopathology, were evaluated. Bulk RNA-sequencing was performed to obtain insights into the molecular basis of a mouse heart response to Low-ARNI/SGLT2i treatment. For the first time, we report that the addition of low-dose ARNI with SGLT2i resulted in greater benefits than ARNI, SGLT2i alone or ARNI/SGLT2i combination in survival rate, cardiac function, hemodynamic change, and kidney function against doxorubicin-induced cardiotoxicity through peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor signaling pathway. Low-dose ARNI with SGLT2i combination treatment would be practically beneficial for improving cardiac functions against doxorubicin-induced heart failure with minimal adverse effects. Our findings suggest the Low-ARNI/SGLT2i combination as a feasible novel strategy in managing CTRCD patients.

Optimal low-density lipoprotein cholesterol target level in Korean acute myocardial infarction patients (<70 mg/dL vs. <55 mg/dL): Based on Korea acute myocardial infarction registry-National Institute of Health.

BACKGROUND: Current treatment guidelines for acute myocardial infarction (AMI) recommend lowering low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C). However, previous clinical studies among East Asian AMI patients failed to prove its clinical efficacy of lipid lowering therapy based on Western target LDL-C level. Thus, the purpose of this study is directly to compare the clinical outcomes of target LDL-C < 70 mg/dL and < 55 mg/dL and identify optimal target LDL-C level and in Korean AMI patients. METHODS AND RESULTS: A total of 2198 AMI patients in Korea AMI Registry - National Institute of Health were enrolled. Patients were initially divided into LDL-C non-target group (n = 1115) and target group (n = 1083). Successful achievement of follow up target LDL-C was defined as <70 mg/dL and ≥ 50% reduction from baseline. Target group patients were additionally divided to <70 mg/dL group (n = 698) and <55 mg/dL group (n = 385). Propensity score matching analysis was done in non-target vs. target group and <70 mg/dL vs. <55 mg/dL group. In the matched population, the risk of 3 years major adverse cardiac event (MACE) (13.0% vs 9.8%, HR: 0.73; 95% CI: 0.56-0.96; p = 0.025) was higher in non-target group patients. However, the risk of MACE was similar in <70 mg/dL and < 55 mg/dL group patients (10.0% vs 8.1%, HR: 0.75, 95% CI: 0.46-1.22; p = 0.247). CONCLUSION: In the present study, target LDL-C level of <70 mg/dL and ≥ 50% reduction from baseline level was associated with better clinical outcomes in Korean AMI patients. However, further lowering target LDL-C level of <55 mg/dL showed no additional benefits.