First-in-Human Multicenter Experience of the Newest Generation Supra-Annular Self-Expanding Evolut FX TAVR System.

BACKGROUND: The latest-generation Evolut FX TAVR system (Medtronic) offers several potential design improvements over its predecessors, but early reported experience has been limited. OBJECTIVES: This study sought to report our multicenter, limited market release, first-in-human experience of transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) with the Evolut FX system and compare it with a single-center PRO+ (Medtronic) experience. METHODS: From June 27 to September 16, 2022, 226 consecutive patients from 9 US centers underwent transfemoral TAVR with the Evolut FX system for native aortic stenosis (89.4%) or prosthetic valve degeneration (10.6%). Commissural alignment was defined as 0° to 30° between native and FX commissures. Patient, anatomical, and procedural characteristics were retrospectively reviewed, and 30-day clinical and echocardiographic outcomes per Valve Academic Research Consortium-3 definitions were reported. RESULTS: Of 226 patients, 34.1% were low risk, 4% had a bicuspid valve, and 11.5% had a horizontal root (≥60°). Direct Inline sheath (Medtronic) was used in 67.6% and Lunderquist stiff wire (Cook Medical) in 35.4% of cases. Optimal hat marker orientation during deployment was achieved in 98.4%, with commissural alignment in 96.5%. At 30 days, 14.3% mild, 0.9% moderate, and no severe paravalvular leak were observed. Compared with the Evolut PRO+ experience from 1 center, FX had a more symmetrical implantation with shallower depth at the left coronary cusp (P < 0.001), fewer device recaptures (26.1% vs 39.5%; P = 0.004), and improved commissural alignment (96.5% vs 80.2%; P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: The Evolut FX system demonstrated favorable 30-day outcomes with a significant improvement over PRO+ in achieving commissural alignment, fewer device recaptures, and more symmetrical implantation. These features may benefit younger patients undergoing TAVR with the supra-annular, self-expanding valve, where lifetime management would be important.

Enrollment of Older Patients, Women, and Racial and Ethnic Minority Individuals in Valvular Heart Disease Clinical Trials: A Systematic Review.

Importance: Inadequate representation of older patients, women, and racial minority individuals in cardiovascular clinical trials limits both the generalizability of trial findings and inclusivity in access to novel therapies and therapeutic strategies. Objective: To report on temporal trends in the representation of older patients, women, and racial and ethnic minority individuals in clinical trials studying treatments for valvular heart disease. Evidence Review: All published clinical trials enrolling more than 100 adults with any valvular heart disease published between 2005 and 2020 were included after searches with PubMed and ClinicalTrials.gov. Data on age, sex, race, and ethnicity reported in the included studies were collected. Trials were assigned to 4 time periods based on the publication date, and temporal trends were analyzed in the representation of older patients, women, and racial and ethnic minority individuals. Findings: A total of 139 clinical trials with 51 527 participants were identified. Of these trials, 103 (74%) investigated aortic valve disease and the remainder mitral valve disease. Overall, 63 trials (45.3%) enrolled patients only in Europe, 24 (17.3%) only in North America, and 19 (13.7%) in multiple geographical regions. The weighted mean (SD) age of enrolled patients was 68.4 (11.4) years, increasing nonsignificantly from 61.9 (5.9) years in 2005-2008 to 72.8 (9.6) years in 2017-2020 (P = .09 for trend). The overall proportion of women enrolled in valvular heart disease trials was 41.1%, with no significant changes over time. Data on race and ethnicity of trial participants were reported in 13 trials (9.4%), in which trial-level representation of American Indian/Alaska Native, Asian, Black/African American, Hispanic, and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander patients ranged from 0.27% to 43.9%. There were no significant temporal trends noted in the enrollment of racial and ethnic minority populations. The representation of women in clinical trials was positively associated with enrollment rates of older patients and underrepresented racial and ethnic groups. Conclusions and Relevance: This review found that over the past 2 decades, women and racial and ethnic minority individuals have remained underrepresented in North American valvular heart disease clinical trials. Further work is needed to improve the reporting of race and ethnicity data and address barriers to trial enrollment for older patients, women, and racial and ethnic minority individuals.

The Purkinje-myocardial junction is the anatomic origin of ventricular arrhythmia in CPVT.

Catecholaminergic polymorphic ventricular tachycardia (CPVT) is an arrhythmia syndrome caused by gene mutations that render RYR2 Ca release channels hyperactive, provoking spontaneous Ca release and delayed afterdepolarizations (DADs). What remains unknown is the cellular source of ventricular arrhythmia triggered by DADs: Purkinje cells in the conduction system or ventricular cardiomyocytes in the working myocardium. To answer this question, we used a genetic approach in mice to knock out cardiac calsequestrin either in Purkinje cells or in ventricular cardiomyocytes. Total loss of calsequestrin in the heart causes a severe CPVT phenotype in mice and humans. We found that loss of calsequestrin only in ventricular myocytes produced a full-blown CPVT phenotype, whereas mice with loss of calsequestrin only in Purkinje cells were comparable to WT mice. Subendocardial chemical ablation or restoration of calsequestrin expression in subendocardial cardiomyocytes neighboring Purkinje cells was sufficient to protect against catecholamine-induced arrhythmias. In silico modeling demonstrated that DADs in ventricular myocardium can trigger full action potentials in the Purkinje fiber, but not vice versa. Hence, ectopic beats in CPVT are likely generated at the Purkinje-myocardial junction via a heretofore unrecognized tissue mechanism, whereby DADs in the ventricular myocardium trigger full action potentials in adjacent Purkinje cells.

Epicardial Ablation Complications.

The percutaneous epicardial approach has become an adjunctive tool for electrophysiologists to treat disparate cardiac arrhythmias, including accessory pathways, atrial tachycardia, and particularly ventricular tachycardia. This novel technique prompted a strong impulse to perform epicardial access as an alternative strategy for pacing and defibrillation, left atrial appendage exclusion, heart failure with preserved ejection fraction, and genetically engineered tissue delivery. However, because of the incremental risk of major complications compared with stand-alone endocardial ablation, it is still practiced in a limited number of highly experienced centers across the world.

State of Fluoroless Procedures in Cardiac Electrophysiology Practice.

In the past decade, the use of interventional electrophysiological (EP) procedures for the diagnosis and treatment of cardiac arrhythmias has exponentially increased. These procedures usually require fluoroscopy to guide the advancement and frequent repositioning of intracardiac catheters, resulting in both the patient and the operator being subjected to a considerable degree of radiation exposure. Although shielding options such as lead gowns, glasses, and pull-down shields are useful for protecting the operator, they do not lessen the patient's level of exposure. Furthermore, the prolonged use of lead gowns can exponentiate the onset of orthopedic problems among operators. Recent advancements in three-dimensional cardiac mapping systems and the use of radiation-free imaging technologies such as magnetic resonance imaging and intracardiac ultrasound allow operators to perform EP procedures with minimal or even no fluoroscopy. In this review, we sought to describe the state of fluoroless procedures in EP practice.

Long-term Outcome of Pulmonary Vein Isolation Versus Amiodarone Therapy in Patients with Coexistent Persistent AF and Congestive Heart Failure.

Although pharmacological rhythm control of AF in patients with heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF) does not seem to provide any benefit over rate control, catheter ablation of AF has been shown to improve clinical outcomes. These results can be explained with higher success rates of catheter ablation in restoring and maintaining sinus rhythm compared with antiarrhythmic drugs. In addition, pharmacotherapy is not void of side-effects, which are thought to offset its potential antiarrhythmic benefits. Therefore, efforts should be made towards optimisation of ablation techniques for AF in patients with HFrEF.

Impact of insulin treated and non-insulin-treated diabetes compared to patients without diabetes on 1-year outcomes following contemporary PCI.

OBJECTIVE: We compared 1-year outcomes in insulin-treated diabetes mellitus (ITDM) and non-ITDM patients compared to nondiabetic (DM) patients following contemporary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). BACKGROUND: ITDM is associated with extensive atherosclerotic disease and worse cardiovascular prognosis compared to non-ITDM patients. METHODS: We evaluated PCI patients at a large tertiary center from 2010 to 2016, grouped according to diabetes and treatment status at baseline. One-year major adverse cardiac events (MACE) were defined as a composite of death, myocardial infarction (MI), or target vessel revascularization. Outcomes were adjusted using multivariable Cox regression methods. RESULTS: During the study period, 16,889 patients underwent PCI including 13.7% ITDM, 34.0% non-ITDM, and 52.3% non-DM patients. Patients with DM were younger, including more females and non-white patients, with higher body mass index and greater prevalence of prior revascularization and chronic kidney disease. Compared to others, ITDM patients more often presented with acute coronary syndrome, in-stent restenosis, or severe lesion calcification. There were no differences in discharge rates of dual antiplatelet therapy and statins, whereas beta-blockers were more commonly prescribed in DM patients. At 1-year, both ITDM and non-ITDM patients had greater risk of MACE compared with non-DM patients, and ITDM conferred greater adjusted risk than non-ITDM (ITDM = HR: 2.11, 95% CI [1.79,2.50]; non-ITDM = HR: 1.27, 95%CI [1.09,1.47]). CONCLUSIONS: The negative prognostic effect of DM following contemporary PCI is heightened in the presence of insulin treatment, compared to non-DM patients. Focus on secondary prevention, prescription of and adherence to optimal medical therapy is necessary for post-PCI risk reduction.

Comparison of Age (<75 Years Vs ≥75 Years) and Platelet Reactivity to the Risk of Thrombotic and Bleeding Events After Successful Percutaneous Coronary Intervention With Drug-Eluting Stents (from the ADAPT-DES Study).

Elderly patients may have increased platelet reactivity and adverse events after percutaneous coronary intervention. Whether age is an independent predictor of worse outcomes after accounting for platelet reactivity is unknown. We sought to determine the relation between age and platelet reactivity on 2-year outcomes after percutaneous coronary intervention with drug-eluting stents (DES). ADAPT-DES was a prospective observational registry comprising 8,582 DES-treated patients. Patients were categorized with an age cutoff of 75 years. On-clopidogrel platelet reactivity was evaluated with VerifyNow P2Y12 testing. Multivariable Cox proportional hazards regression models were used to describe the relation between increasing age and 2-year clinical outcomes. Patients ≥75 old were more likely to be women and had more cardiovascular risk factors and more extensive coronary artery disease than younger patients. Residual platelet reactivity on-clopidogrel increased slightly with age (adjusted r = 0.05, p <0.0001). Age ≥75 years was associated with greater all-cause mortality (adjusted HR 1.64, 95% CI 1.25 to 2.15, p <0.001), myocardial infarction (adjusted HR 1.33, 95% CI 1.01 to 1.74, p = 0.04) and clinically relevant bleeding (adjusted HR 1.33, 95% CI 1.10 to 1.61 p = 0.003). In contrast, the risk of stent thrombosis was independent of age (adjusted HR 0.83, 95% CI 0.46 to 1.52, and p = 0.55). Considered as a continuous variable, age was directly related to clinically relevant bleeding, cardiac and all-cause mortality, was inversely related to stent thrombosis, and was not related to myocardial infarction. There was no significant interaction between age and on-treatment platelet reactivity for the risk of 2-year clinical outcomes. In conclusion, increasing age had a stronger association with the risk of death and bleeding than of thrombotic events. Despite being associated with older age, higher residual platelet reactivity did not modify the adjusted relative risks of ischemic and bleeding events associated with age.

Edwards SAPIEN Versus Medtronic Aortic Bioprosthesis in Women Undergoing Transcatheter Aortic Valve Implantation (from the Win-TAVI Registry).

We sought to analyze outcomes of women receiving balloon-expandable valves (BEV) or self-expanding valves (SEV) in contemporary transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI). WIN TAVI (Women's INternational Transcatheter Aortic Valve Implantation) is the first all-female TAVI registry to study the safety and performance of TAVI in women. We compared women treated with BEV (n = 408, 46.9%) versus those treated with SEV (n = 461, 53.1%). The primary efficacy end point was the Valve Academic Research Consortium-2 (VARC-2) composite of 1-year all-cause death, stroke, myocardial infarction, hospitalization for valve-related symptoms or heart failure or valve-related dysfunction. Women receiving SEV had higher surgical risk scores, higher rate of previous stroke and pulmonary hypertension whereas women receiving BEV were more frequently denied surgical valve replacement due to frailty. BEV patients were less likely to require post-dilation and had significantly lower rates of residual aortic regurgitation grade ≥2 (9.8% vs 4.7%, p = 0.007). At 1 year, the crude incidence and adjusted risk of the primary VARC-2 efficacy end point was similar between groups (17.1% with SEV and 14.3% with BEV, p = 0.25; hazards ratio 1.09, 95% confidence interval 0.68 to 1.75). Conversely the crude rate and adjusted risk of new pacemaker implantation was higher with SEV than BEV (15% vs 8.6%, p = 0.001; hazards ratio 1.97, 95% confidence interval 1.13 to 3.43). A subanalysis on new generation valves showed no difference in the need for pacemaker implantation between the 2 devices (10.1% vs 8.0%, p = 0.56). In conclusion, in contemporary TAVI, SEV are used more frequently in women with greater co-morbidities. While there were no differences in unadjusted and adjusted risk of 1-year primary efficacy end point between the valve types, there was a greater need for permanent pacemakers after SEV implantation.

Geographical Variations in Patterns of DAPT Cessation and Two-Year PCI Outcomes: Insights from the PARIS Registry.

BACKGROUND: Data on geographical variations in dual antiplatelet therapy (DAPT) cessation and the impact on outcomes after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) are limited. We sought to evaluate geographical patterns of DAPT cessation and associated outcomes in patients undergoing PCI in the United States versus Europe. METHODS: Analyzing data from the PARIS registry, we studied 3,660 U.S. patients (72.9%) and 1,358 European patients (27.1%) that underwent PCI with stent implantation. DAPT cessation was classified as physician-recommended discontinuation, interruption (< 14 days), or disruption due to bleeding or noncompliance. The primary endpoint was 2-year major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) defined as a composite of cardiac death, stent thrombosis, myocardial infarction, or target lesion revascularization. RESULTS: Cardiovascular risk factors were more common in the United States, whereas procedural complexity was greater in Europe. The incidence of 2-year DAPT discontinuation was significantly lower in U.S. versus European patients (30.7% vs. 65.6%; p < 0.001); however, rates of interruption (13.7% vs. 1.5%, p < 0.001) and disruption (17.7% vs. 5.1%, p < 0.001) were higher. DAPT discontinuation was associated with lower adjusted risk, whereas DAPT disruption was associated with greater risk for 2-year MACE, without interaction by region. After adjustment for baseline characteristics and DAPT cessation, 2-year MACE risk was not statistically different between regions (10.3% for Europe vs. 11.9% for U.S., adjusted hazard ratio 0.81, 95% confidence interval 0.65-1.01, p = 0.065). CONCLUSION: DAPT cessation patterns, along with clinical and angiographic risk, vary substantially between PCI patients in the U.S. versus Europe. Despite such differences, cardiovascular risk associated with DAPT cessation remains uniform.

Efficacy of Flecainide in Catecholaminergic Polymorphic Ventricular Tachycardia Is Mutation-Independent but Reduced by Calcium Overload.

BACKGROUND: The dual Na+ and cardiac Ca2+-release channel inhibitor, Flecainide (FLEC) is effective in patients with catecholaminergic polymorphic ventricular tachycardia (CPVT), a disease caused by mutations in cardiac Ca2+-release channels (RyR2), calsequestrin (Casq2), or calmodulin. FLEC suppresses spontaneous Ca2+ waves in Casq2-knockout (Casq2-/-) cardiomyocytes, a CPVT model. However, a report failed to find FLEC efficacy against Ca2+ waves in another CPVT model, RyR2-R4496C heterozygous mice (RyR2R4496C+/-), raising the possibility that FLEC efficacy may be mutation dependent. OBJECTIVE: To address this controversy, we compared FLEC in Casq2-/- and RyR2R4496C+/- cardiomyocytes and mice under identical conditions. METHODS: After 30 min exposure to FLEC (6 µM) or vehicle (VEH), spontaneous Ca2+ waves were quantified during a 40 s pause after 1 Hz pacing train in the presence of isoproterenol (ISO, 1 µM). FLEC efficacy was also tested in vivo using a low dose (LOW: 3 mg/kg ISO + 60 mg/kg caffeine) or a high dose catecholamine challenge (HIGH: 3 mg/kg ISO + 120 mg/kg caffeine). RESULTS: In cardiomyocytes, FLEC efficacy was dependent on extracellular [Ca2+]. At 2 mM [Ca2+], only Casq2-/- myocytes exhibited Ca2+ waves, which were strongly suppressed by FLEC. At 3 mM [Ca2+] both groups exhibited Ca2+ waves that were suppressed by FLEC. At 4 mM [Ca2+], FLEC no longer suppressed Ca2+ waves in both groups. Analogous to the results in myocytes, RyR2R4496C+/- mice (n = 12) had significantly lower arrhythmia scores than Casq2-/- mice (n = 9), but the pattern of FLEC efficacy was similar in both groups (i.e., reduced FLEC efficacy after HIGH dose catecholamine challenge). CONCLUSION: FLEC inhibits Ca2+ waves in RyR2R4496C+/- cardiomyocytes, indicating that RyR2 channel block by FLEC is not mutation-specific. However, FLEC efficacy is reduced by Ca2+ overload in vitro or by high dose catecholamine challenge in vivo, which could explain conflicting literature reports.

Dual-Antiplatelet Therapy Cessation and Cardiovascular Risk in Relation to Age: Analysis From the PARIS Registry.

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to examine the association between dual-antiplatelet therapy (DAPT) cessation and cardiovascular risk after percutaneous coronary intervention in relation to age. BACKGROUND: Examination of outcomes by age after percutaneous coronary intervention is relevant given the aging population. METHODS: Two-year clinical outcomes, incidence, and effect of DAPT cessation on outcomes were compared by ages ≤55, 56 to 74, and ≥75 years from the PARIS (Patterns of Non-Adherence to Antiplatelet Regimens in Stented Patients) registry. DAPT cessation included physician-recommended discontinuation, interruption for surgery, and disruption (from noncompliance or bleeding). Clinical endpoints were major adverse cardiac events (MACE) (a composite of cardiac death, definite or probable stent thrombosis, spontaneous myocardial infarction, or clinically indicated target lesion revascularization), a secondary restrictive definition of MACE (MACE2) excluding target lesion revascularization, and bleeding. RESULTS: A total of 1,192 patients (24%) were ≤55 years, 2,869 (57%) were 56 to 74 years, and 957 (19%) were ≥75 years of age. Patients ≥75 years of age had higher DAPT cessation rates and increased risk for MACE2, death, cardiac death, and bleeding compared with younger patients. Discontinuation and interruption were not associated with increased cardiovascular risk across age groups, whereas disruption was associated with increased risk for MACE and MACE2 in younger patients but not in patients ≥75 years of age (p for trend <0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Nonadherence and outcomes vary by age, with patients ≥75 years having the highest DAPT cessation rates. We observed no association between outcomes and DAPT cessation in patients ≥75 years, whereas discontinuation was associated with lower MACE rates and disruption with increased MACE rates in patients <75 years.

Influence of Baseline Anemia on Dual Antiplatelet Therapy Cessation and Risk of Adverse Events After Percutaneous Coronary Intervention.

BACKGROUND: Anemia is a well-recognized risk factor for both bleeding and ischemic events after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). We sought to determine the impact of baseline anemia on dual antiplatelet therapy (DAPT) cessation patterns ≤2 years after PCI and the subsequent risk of clinical adverse events. METHODS AND RESULTS: PARIS (Patterns of Non-Adherence to Dual Anti-Platelet Regimen in Stented Patients) was a prospective multicenter observational registry of PCI-treated patients (n=5018). Anemia was defined as baseline Hb (hemoglobin) <12 g/dL for men and <11 g/dL for women. DAPT cessation modes included physician-recommended discontinuation, temporary interruption (≤14 days), and disruption due to bleeding or noncompliance. The primary end point was 2-year major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE), a composite of cardiac death, myocardial infarction, or target vessel revascularization. We identified 824 (18%) anemic and 4194 (82%) nonanemic patients. Anemic patients were older and had a higher rate of diabetes mellitus, hypertension, and prior PCI. DAPT interruption and disruption were significantly more common in anemic patients throughout 2 years after PCI, whereas physician-recommended discontinuation occurred more often in anemic patients during the first year after PCI and in nonanemic patients during the second year. The 2-year adjusted risks of MACE and Bleeding Academic Research Consortium 3 or 5 bleeding events were significantly higher in anemic patients. Compared with uninterrupted DAPT, disruption, but not interruption and physician-recommended discontinuation, was associated with a higher risk of myocardial infarction in nonanemic patients and a higher risk of both myocardial infarction and MACE in anemic patients. There was no significant interaction between anemia and risk of clinical outcomes associated with each DAPT cessation mode. CONCLUSIONS: Baseline anemia was associated with a significantly higher adjusted risk of MACE and major bleeding. Physicians more frequently recommend DAPT discontinuation to anemic patients during the first year, and to nonanemic patients during the second year after PCI. DAPT disruption was associated with a higher risk of MACE outcomes.

Use of prasugrel and clinical outcomes in African-American patients treated with percutaneous coronary intervention for acute coronary syndromes.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the use of prasugrel after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) in African American (AA) patients presenting with acute coronary syndrome (ACS). BACKGROUND: AA patients are at higher risk for adverse cardiovascular outcomes after PCI and may derive greater benefit from the use of potent antiplatelet therapy. METHODS: Using the multicenter PROMETHEUS observational registry of ACS patients treated with PCI, we grouped patients by self-reported AA or other races. Clinical outcomes at 90-day and 1-year included non-fatal myocardial infarction (MI), major adverse cardiac events (composite of death, MI, stroke, or unplanned revascularization) and major bleeding. RESULTS: The study population included 2,125 (11%) AA and 17,707 (89%) non-AA patients. AA patients were younger, more often female (46% vs. 30%) with a higher prevalence of diabetes mellitus, chronic kidney disease, and prior coronary intervention than non-AA patients. Although AA patients more often presented with troponin (+) ACS, prasugrel use was much less common in AA vs. non-AA (11.9% vs. 21.4%, respectively, P = 0.001). In addition, the use of prasugrel increased with the severity of presentation in non-AA but not in AA patients. Multivariable logistic regression showed AA race was an independent predictor of reduced use of prasugrel (0.42 [0.37-0.49], P < 0.0001). AA race was independently associated with a significantly higher risk of MI at 90-days and 1 year after PCI. CONCLUSIONS: Despite higher risk clinical presentation and worse 1-year ischemic outcomes, AA race was an independent predictor of lower prasugrel prescription in a contemporary population of ACS patients undergoing PCI.

Use of prasugrel vs clopidogrel and outcomes in patients with and without diabetes mellitus presenting with acute coronary syndrome undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention.

BACKGROUND: Clinical trial data studies suggest superiority of prasugrel over clopidogrel in patients with diabetes. However, the use, safety and efficacy profile of prasugrel in unselected diabetic patients presenting with acute coronary syndromes (ACS) remain unclear. METHODS: PROMETHEUS was a prospective multicenter observational study of 19,919 ACS PCI patients enrolled between 2010 and 2013. The primary endpoint was 90-day major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE), comprising all-cause death, myocardial infarction, stroke or unplanned revascularization. The safety endpoint was bleeding requiring hospitalization. RESULTS: We identified 7580 (38%) subjects with and 12,329 (62%) without diabetes. Diabetic patients were older and had significantly higher rates of cardiovascular risk factors. However, they were less likely to receive prasugrel (18.2% vs. 21.7%). Use of prasugrel did not increase with the severity of clinical presentation in diabetics, whereas, among non-diabetics, prescription of prasugrel was higher in NSTEMI and STEMI compared to unstable angina. The 90-day and 1-year adjusted risk of MACE was greater in diabetics (at 1 year: 22.7% vs. 16.5%; HR 1.22 [1.14-1.33], p < 0.001). At 1 year, the risk of bleeding was also higher in diabetics (4.9% vs. 4.1%, HR 1.19 [1.01-1.39], p = 0.035). After multivariable adjustment, use of prasugrel was associated with a lower risk of death in diabetic patients both at 90 days and 1 year. CONCLUSIONS: Use of prasugrel in diabetic patients with PCI-treated ACS was lower than in non-diabetics despite their high-risk profile and the severity of their clinical presentation. In diabetics, prasugrel was associated with a lower adjusted risk of 90-day death compared with clopidogrel.

The prevalence, predictors and outcomes of guideline-directed medical therapy in patients with acute myocardial infarction undergoing PCI, an analysis from the PROMETHEUS registry.

OBJECTIVES: To investigate the prevalence, predictors and associations between guideline-directed medical therapy (GDMT) and clinical outcomes in acute myocardial infarction (AMI) patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) from eight academic centers in the United States. BACKGROUND: Evidence for GDMT in patients with AMI comes from randomized controlled trials. The use of GDMT in clinical practice is unknown in this setting. METHODS: PROMETHEUS is a multicenter observational registry comprising 19,914 patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS) undergoing PCI. Patients with AMI were divided into two groups based on the prescription of GDMT or not (non-GDMT) at discharge. GDMT was defined according to American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association (ACC/AHA) class I recommendations, specifically, dual antiplatelet therapy, statin and beta-blocker for all AMI patients, and additional ACEI/ARB in patients with left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) less than 40%, hypertension, diabetes mellitus (DM) or chronic kidney disease (CKD). The primary endpoint was major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) defined as a composite of all-cause death, MI, stroke or unplanned target vessel revascularization (TVR) at 1 year. RESULTS: Out of 4,834 patients with AMI, 3,356 (69.4%) patients were discharged on GDMT. Patients receiving GDMT were more often younger and male. Compared with non-GDMT patients, GDMT patients had a significantly lower frequency of comorbidities. Predictors of greater GDMT prescription at discharge were ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI), and increased body mass index (BMI), whereas hypertension, prior PCI, anemia and CKD were associated with less GDMT prescription. At 1 year, the use of GDMT was associated with a significantly lower incidence of MACE (13.7% vs. 22.5%; adjusted HR 0.68; 95%CI 0.58-0.80; P < 0.001), death (3.7% vs. 9.4%; adjusted HR 0.61; 95%CI 0.46-0.80; P < 0.001), and unplanned TVR (8.4% vs. 11.3%; adjusted HR 0.76; 95%CI 0.61-0.96; P = 0.020). However, there were no significant differences in the incidence of MI (4.3% vs. 7.0%; adjusted HR 0.75; 95%CI 0.56-1.01; P = 0.056), stroke (1.5% vs. 2.0%; adjusted HR 0.79; 95%CI 0.47-1.34; P = 0.384) between the two groups. CONCLUSION: In a contemporary practice setting in the United States, GDMT was utilized in just over two-thirds of AMI patients undergoing PCI. Predictors of GDMT prescription at discharge included STEMI, BMI and absence of hypertension, CKD, anemia or prior PCI. Use of GDMT was associated with significantly lower risk of 1-year MACE and mortality.

Temporal trends, determinants, and impact of high-intensity statin prescriptions after percutaneous coronary intervention: Results from a large single-center prospective registry.

BACKGROUND: High-intensity statins (HIS) are recommended for secondary prevention following percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). We aimed to describe temporal trends and determinants of HIS prescriptions after PCI in a usual-care setting. METHODS: All patients with age ≤75 years undergoing PCI between January 2011 and May 2016 at an urban, tertiary care center and discharged with available statin dosage data were included. HIS were defined as atorvastatin 40 or 80 mg, rosuvastatin 20 or 40 mg, and simvastatin 80 mg. RESULTS: A total of 10,495 consecutive patients were included. Prevalence of HIS prescriptions nearly doubled from 36.6% in 2011 to 60.9% in 2016 (P < .001), with a stepwise increase each year after 2013. Predictors of HIS prescriptions included ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction/non-ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (odds ratio [OR] 4.60, 95% CI 3.98-5.32, P < .001) and unstable angina (OR 1.31, 95% CI 1.19-1.45, P < .001) as index event, prior myocardial infarction (OR 1.48, 95% CI 1.34-1.65, P < .001), and co-prescription of ß-blocker (OR 1.26, 95% CI 1.12-1.43, P < .001). Conversely, statin treatment at baseline (OR 0.86, 95% CI 0.77-0.96, P = .006), Asian races (OR 0.73, 95% CI 0.65-0.83, P < .001), and older age (OR 0.90, 95% CI 0.88-0.92, P < .001) were associated with reduced HIS prescriptions. There was no significant association between HIS prescriptions and 1-year rates of death, myocardial infarction, or target-vessel revascularization (adjusted hazard ratio 0.98, 95% CI 0.84-1.15, P = .84), although there was a trend toward reduced mortality (adjusted hazard ratio 0.71, 95% CI 0.50-1.00, P = .05). CONCLUSION: Although the rate of HIS prescriptions after PCI has increased in recent years, important heterogeneity remains and should be addressed to improve practices in patients undergoing PCI.