Prolonged PR intervals are associated with epicardial adipose tissue and recurrence after catheter ablation in persistent atrial fibrillation.

Epicardial adipose tissue (EAT) has been reported to promote myocardial fibrosis and to affect intracardiac conduction. The PR interval reflects the conduction from the atria to the Purkinje fibers and may be associated with the EAT volume, especially in persistent atrial fibrillation (AF) patients. We aimed to investigate the relationship between the EAT and PR interval in patients with persistent AF. We enrolled 268 persistent AF patients who underwent catheter ablation (CA) and divided the patients into two groups: the normal PR interval group (PR interval less than 200 ms: Group N) and long PR interval group (PR interval 200 ms or more: Group L). We then analyzed the association between the total EAT volume around the heart and PR interval and calculated the ratio of the duration of the P wave (PWD) to the PR interval (PWD/PR interval). Moreover, we investigated whether a long PR interval was associated with the outcomes after ablation. The total EAT volume was significantly larger in Group L than Group N (Group N: 131.4 ± 51.8 ml vs. Group L: 151.3 ± 63.3 ml, p = 0.039). A positive correlation was also observed between the PWD/PR interval and EAT volume in Group L (r = 0.345, p = 0.039). A multivariate analysis also revealed that a long PR interval was independently associated with AF recurrence after CA (hazard ratio [HR] 2.071, p = 0.032). The total EAT volume was associated with a long PR interval, and a long PR interval was a significant risk factor for recurrence after ablation in persistent AF patients.

Ten-year clinical outcomes from a randomized trial comparing new-generation everolimus-eluting stent versus first-generation Sirolimus-eluting stent: Results from the RESET extended study.

BACKGROUND: New-generation drug-eluting stents (DES) achieved technological innovations and reported clinical advantages as compared with first-generation DES in clinical trials with 3-5 years follow-up. However, detailed clinical outcome data in very long-term follow-up is still scarce. OBJECTIVES: To evaluate 10-year clinical outcomes after first- and new-generation DES implantation. METHODS: In this extende follow-up study of the RESET, which is a largest randomized trial comparing everolimus-eluting stent (EES) with Sirolimus-eluting stent (SES), the study population consisted of 2892 patients from 84 centers. The primary efficacy and safety endpoints were target lesion revascularization (TLR) and a composite of death or myocardial infarction (MI), respectively. Complete 10-year follow-up was achieved in 87.9% of patients. RESULTS: Cumulative 10-year incidences of TLR and non-TLR were not significantly different between EES and SES (13.9% vs. 15.7%, Log-rank p = 0.20, and 33.4% vs. 31.3%, Log-rank p = 0.30). The cumulative 10-year incidence of death/MI was also not significantly different between the groups (32.5% vs. 34.4%, Log-rank p = 0.18). Cumulative 10-year incidence of definite stent thrombosis was numerically lower in EES than in SES (1.0% vs. 1.7%, Log-rank p = 0.16). The lower risk of EES relative to SES was significant for a composite endpoint of target lesion failure (TLF: 19.6% vs. 24.9%, Log-rank p = 0.001) and target vessel failure (TVF: 26.7% vs. 31.4%, Log-rank p = 0.006). CONCLUSION: During 10-year of follow-up, the risks for primary efficacy and safety endpoints were not significantly different between new-generation EES and first-generation SES, although EES compared with SES was associated with a lower risk for composite endpoints such as TLF and TVF.

Impact of Lipoprotein (a) on Long-Term Outcomes in Patients With Acute Myocardial Infarction.

BACKGROUND: Lipoprotein (a) (Lp(a)) is a complex circulating lipoprotein, and there is increasing evidence it is a risk factor for atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD). This study aimed to investigate the influence of Lp(a) serum levels on long-term outcomes after acute myocardial infarction (AMI).Methods and Results: Between January 2015 and January 2018, we enrolled 262 patients with AMI who underwent coronary angiography within 24 h of the onset of chest pain and had available Lp(a) data enabling subdivision into 2 groups: high Lp(a) (≥32 mg/dL: n=76) and low Lp(a) (<32 mg/dL: n=186). The primary endpoint was major adverse cardiac events (MACE), which was defined as a composite of cardiac death, nonfatal MI, and readmission for heart failure. Multivariate Cox regression analysis was performed to identify the predictors of MACE. The incidence of MACE was significantly higher in the high Lp(a) group than in the low Lp(a) group (32.8% vs. 19.6%, P=0.004). Multivariate analysis showed that Lp(a) ≥32 mg/dL was an independent predictor of MACE (hazard ratio 2.84, 95% confidence interval 1.25-6.60, P=0.013). CONCLUSIONS: High Lp(a) levels were associated with worse long-term outcomes after AMI, so Lp(a) may be useful for risk assessment.

New Minimally Invasive and Tailor-Made Strategy for Cryoballoon Ablation in Patients With Paroxysmal Atrial Fibrillation.

BACKGROUND: The optimal dosage for cryoballoon ablation (CBA) of atrial fibrillation (AF) is still unknown. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to evaluate the clinical implications of a reduction in the freezing duration to <180 seconds during CBA guided by the time to the target temperature. METHODS: This study enrolled 325 consecutive paroxysmal AF patients who underwent CBA. It was a retrospective observational study in a single centre. It compared 164 patients who underwent a tailor-made CBA procedure (group T) with 161 who had a standard CBA procedure (group S). In group T, the freezing duration was reduced to 150 seconds when the temperature reached ≤ -40 °C within 40 seconds. Furthermore, it was reduced to 120 seconds when it reached ≤ -50 °C within 60 seconds. In the other patients, the freezing duration was 180 seconds, except for excessive freezing of ≤ -60 °C and/or emergent situations while monitoring the oesophageal temperature, and for phrenic nerve injury, as in group S. RESULTS: In group T, 89 patients (83%) underwent CBA with a reduction in the freezing duration. The total freezing time for each pulmonary vein was significantly shorter in group T than group S, and the total procedure time in group T decreased by an average of 4 minutes compared with group S. The rate of requiring additional radio frequency ablation following the CBA was significantly lower in group T than group S. The AF-free survival rate during the follow-up period (median, 366 days) was similar between the two groups. CONCLUSION: The safety and efficacy of the new CBA strategy were non-inferior to the standard procedure.

Impact of Chronic Kidney Disease on In-Hospital and 3-Year Clinical Outcomes in Patients With Acute Myocardial Infarction Treated by Contemporary Percutaneous Coronary Intervention and Optimal Medical Therapy　- Insights From the J-MINUET Study.

BACKGROUND: The impact of chronic kidney disease (CKD) on long-term outcomes following acute myocardial infarction (AMI) in the era of modern primary PCI with optimal medical therapy is still in debate.Methods and Results:A total of 3,281 patients with AMI were enrolled in the J-MINUET registry, with primary PCI of 93.1% in STEMI. CKD stage on admission was classified into: no CKD (eGFR ≥60 mL/min/1.73 m2); moderate CKD (60>eGFR≥30 mL/min/1.73 m2); and severe CKD (eGFR <30 mL/min/1.73 m2). While the primary endpoint was all-cause mortality, the secondary endpoint was major adverse cardiac events (MACE), defined as a composite of all-cause death, cardiac failure, myocardial infarction (MI) and stroke. Of the 3,281 patients, 1,878 had no CKD, 1,073 had moderate CKD and 330 had severe CKD. Pre-person-days age- and sex-adjusted in-hospital mortality significantly increased from 0.014% in no CKD through 0.042% in moderate CKD to 0.084% in severe CKD (P<0.0001). Three-year mortality and MACE significantly deteriorated from 5.09% and 15.8% in no CKD through 16.3% and 38.2% in moderate CKD to 36.7% and 57.9% in severe CKD, respectively (P<0.0001). C-index significantly increased from the basic model of 0.815 (0.788-0.841) to 0.831 (0.806-0.857), as well as 0.731 (0.708-0.755) to 0.740 (0.717-0.764) when adding CKD stage to the basic model in predicting 3-year mortality (P=0.013; net reclassification improvement [NRI] 0.486, P<0.0001) and MACE (P=0.046; NRI 0.331, P<0.0001) respectively. CONCLUSIONS: CKD remains a useful predictor of in-hospital and 3-year mortality as well as MACE after AMI in the modern PCI and optimal medical therapy era.

Real-life experience of a stent-less revascularization strategy using a combination of excimer laser and drug-coated balloon for patients with acute coronary syndrome.

OBJECTIVES: We aimed to test a novel stent-less revascularization strategy using a combination of excimer laser coronary angioplasty (ELCA) and drug-coated balloon (DCB) for patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS). BACKGROUND: Percutaneous coronary intervention with drug eluting stents is a standard invasive treatment for ACS. Some unsolved issues however remain, such as stent thrombosis and bleeding risks associated with dual antiplatelet therapy. METHODS: Consecutive ACS patients were planned to receive either a DCB application following ELCA without a stent implantation or conventional revascularization with a coronary stent. The endpoints were (i) major cardiac adverse events (MACEs), defined as the composite of cardiac death, myocardial infarctions, and target lesion revascularization; (ii) target vessel revascularization (TVR); and (iii) angiographic outcome. RESULTS: Since a greater than expected number of patients allocated to the stent-less treatment arm eventually received a bailout stenting, the following 3 as-treated groups were compared; DCB with ELCA group (N = 60), Stent with ELCA group (N = 23), and Stent without ELCA group (N = 85). During a mean follow-up period of 420 ± 137 days, and with angiographic 6- and 12-month-follow-up rates of 96.7%, 87%, and 81.2%, and 50%, 65.2%, and 45.9%, respectively, the MACE rate did not differ across the groups (10%, 4.3%, and 3.5%; P = 0.22) while an incidence of TVR was more common (15%, 0, and 4.7%; P = 0.02) and the diameter stenosis at 6-months of follow-up was greater (25.7 ± 18.2, 14.9 ± 13.1 and 16.2 ± 15.4%; P = 0.002) in the DCB with ELCA group. CONCLUSIONS: The stent-less revascularization strategy with DCB and ELCA was associated with a higher occurrence of restenosis in ACS patients.

Assessment of Second- and Third-Generation Drug-Eluting Stents on Chronic Coronary Angioscopy　- Multicenter Study on Intra-Coronary AngioScopy After Stent (MICASA) Prospective Data Analysis.

BACKGROUND: The vascular response, in terms of quality and quantity, of the second- and third-generation drug-eluting stents (2G- and 3G-DES, respectively) was assessed prospectively on coronary angioscopy (CAS).Methods and Results:The Multicenter study on Intra-Coronary AngioScopy After Stent (MICASA) is a multicenter CAS registry. A total of 107 DES (71 2G- and 36 3G-DES) were prospectively observed on CAS 8.7±2.7 months after percutaneous coronary intervention. Neointimal coverage (NC) grade was evaluated using a 4-point grading scale, from 0 (no coverage) to 3 (complete coverage). Plaque yellow color (YC) was also assessed using a 4-point grading system, from 0 (white) to 3 (bright yellow). Max-NC (2G-DES vs. 3G-DES: 2.14±0.68 vs. 2.44±0.73, P=0.023); min-NC (1.07±0.48 vs. 1.39±0.60, P=0.002), and dominant-NC (1.57±0.69 vs. 2.08±0.84, P=0.002) were significantly higher and the YC grade (1.23±0.82 vs. 0.86±0.76, P=0.031) significantly lower in the 3G-DES group than in the 2G-DES group. There was no significant difference in the presence of thrombus (28.2% vs. 22.2%, P=0.51) between the 2G- and 3G-DES groups. CONCLUSIONS: The higher NC grade and lower YC grade in 3G-DES than in 2G-DES might be associated with better long-term clinical outcome, which remains to be determined in future studies.

Second-Generation vs. First-Generation Drug-Eluting Stents in Patients With Calcified Coronary Lesions　- Pooled Analysis From the RESET and NEXT Trials.

BACKGROUND: The comparative efficacy of second-generation (G2) vs. first-generation (G1) drug-eluting stents (DES) for calcified coronary lesions is unknown.Methods and Results:We compared the 3-year clinical outcomes of patients with G1- or G2-DES according to the presence or absence of calcified coronary lesions as assessed in an angiographic core laboratory using data from 2 large-scale prospective multicenter randomized trials, RESET and NEXT. G1-DES and G2-DES were implanted in 299 and 1,033 patients, respectively, in the Calc stratum (≥1 lesion with moderate/severe calcification), and 1,208 and 3,550 patients, respectively, in the Non-calc stratum (no/mild calcification). The patients in the Calc stratum had a significantly higher adjusted risk for the primary outcome measure (any target-lesion revascularization (TLR)) than those in the Non-calc stratum (HR: 1.38, 95% CI: 1.11-1.71, P=0.004). The cumulative 3-year incidence of any TLR was not significantly different between the G1-DES and G2-DES groups in both the Calc and Non-calc strata (12.1% vs. 9.7%, P=0.22, and 6.8% vs. 6.1%, P=0.44, respectively). After adjusting for confounders, the effect of G2DES relative to G1-DES for any TLR remained insignificant in both the Calc and Non-calc strata (HR: 0.78, 95% CI: 0.48-1.25, P=0.3, and HR: 0.84, 95% CI: 0.61-1.17, P=0.31, respectively, P interaction=0.55). CONCLUSIONS: The effect of G2-DES relative to G1-DES for TLR was not significantly different regardless of the presence or absence of lesion calcification.

α-Glucosidase inhibitor miglitol attenuates glucose fluctuation, heart rate variability and sympathetic activity in patients with type 2 diabetes and acute coronary syndrome: a multicenter randomized controlled (MACS) study.

BACKGROUND: Little is known about clinical associations between glucose fluctuations including hypoglycemia, heart rate variability (HRV), and the activity of the sympathetic nervous system (SNS) in patients with acute phase of acute coronary syndrome (ACS). This pilot study aimed to evaluate the short-term effects of glucose fluctuations on HRV and SNS activity in type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) patients with recent ACS. We also examined the effect of suppressing glucose fluctuations with miglitol on these variables. METHODS: This prospective, randomized, open-label, blinded-endpoint, multicenter, parallel-group comparative study included 39 T2DM patients with recent ACS, who were randomly assigned to either a miglitol group (n = 19) or a control group (n = 20). After initial 24-h Holter electrocardiogram (ECG) (Day 1), miglitol was commenced and another 24-h Holter ECG (Day 2) was recorded. In addition, continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) was performed throughout the Holter ECG. RESULTS: Although frequent episodes of subclinical hypoglycemia (≤4.44 mmo/L) during CGM were observed on Day 1 in the both groups (35% of patients in the control group and 31% in the miglitol group), glucose fluctuations were decreased and the minimum glucose level was increased with substantial reduction in the episodes of subclinical hypoglycemia to 7.7% in the miglitol group on Day 2. Holter ECG showed that the mean and maximum heart rate and mean LF/HF were increased on Day 2 in the control group, and these increases were attenuated by miglitol. When divided 24-h time periods into day-time (0700-1800 h), night-time (1800-0000 h), and bed-time (0000-0700 h), we found increased SNS activity during day-time, increased maximum heart rate during night-time, and glucose fluctuations during bed-time, which were attenuated by miglitol treatment. CONCLUSIONS: In T2DM patients with recent ACS, glucose fluctuations with subclinical hypoglycemia were associated with alterations of HRV and SNS activity, which were mitigated by miglitol, suggesting that these pathological relationships may be a residual therapeutic target in such patients. Trial registration Unique Trial Number, UMIN000005874 ( https://upload.umin.ac.jp/cgi-open-bin/ctr_e/ctr_view.cgi?recptno=R000006929 ).

The Effect of Sitagliptin on Carotid Artery Atherosclerosis in Type 2 Diabetes: The PROLOGUE Randomized Controlled Trial.

BACKGROUND: Experimental studies have suggested that dipeptidyl peptidase-4 (DPP-4) inhibitors provide cardiovascular protective effects. We performed a randomized study to evaluate the effects of sitagliptin added on to the conventional therapy compared with conventional therapy alone (diet, exercise, and/or drugs, except for incretin-related agents) on the intima-media thickness (IMT) of the carotid artery, a surrogate marker for the evaluation of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease, in people with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). METHODS AND FINDINGS: We used a multicenter PROBE (prospective, randomized, open label, blinded endpoint) design. Individuals aged ≥30 y with T2DM (6.2% ≤ HbA1c < 9.4%) were randomly allocated to receive either sitagliptin (25 to 100 mg/d) or conventional therapy. Carotid ultrasound was performed at participating medical centers, and all parameters were measured in a core laboratory. Of the 463 enrolled participants with T2DM, 442 were included in the primary analysis (sitagliptin group, 222; conventional therapy group, 220). Estimated mean (± standard error) common carotid artery IMT at 24 mo of follow-up in the sitagliptin and conventional therapy groups was 0.827 ± 0.007 mm and 0.837 ± 0.007 mm, respectively, with a mean difference of -0.009 mm (97.2% CI -0.028 to 0.011, p = 0.309). HbA1c level at 24 mo was significantly lower with sitagliptin than with conventional therapy (6.56% ± 0.05% versus 6.72% ± 0.05%, p = 0.008; group mean difference -0.159, 95% CI -0.278 to -0.041). Episodes of serious hypoglycemia were recorded only in the conventional therapy group, and the rate of other adverse events was not different between the two groups. As it was not a placebo-controlled trial and carotid IMT was measured as a surrogate marker of atherosclerosis, there were some limitations of interpretation. CONCLUSIONS: In the PROLOGUE study, there was no evidence that treatment with sitagliptin had an additional effect on the progression of carotid IMT in participants with T2DM beyond that achieved with conventional treatment. TRIAL REGISTRATION: University Hospital Medical Information Network Clinical Trials Registry UMIN000004490.

Long-term effect of sitagliptin on endothelial function in type 2 diabetes: a sub-analysis of the PROLOGUE study.

BACKGROUND: As a sub-analysis of the PROLOGUE study, we evaluated the long-term effect of sitagliptin, a dipeptidyl peptidase 4 inhibitor, on endothelial function in the conduit brachial artery in patients with type 2 diabetes. METHODS: In the PROLOGUE study, patients were randomly assigned to either add-on sitagliptin treatment (sitagliptin group) or continued conventional antihyperglycemic treatment (conventional group). Among the 463 participants in the PROLOGUE study, FMD was measured in 17 patients in the sitagliptin group and 18 patients in the conventional group at the beginning and after 12 and 24 months of treatment. RESULTS: HbA1c levels were significantly decreased after 12 and 24 months of treatment compared to baseline values in both groups (7.0 ± 0.4 vs. 6.6 ± 0.3 and 6.6 ± 0.4 % in the sitagliptin group; 7.0 ± 0.6 vs. 6.6 ± 0.7 and 6.6 ± 0.7 % in the conventional group; P < 0.05, respectively). There was no significant difference between FMD values at baseline and after 12 and 24 months in the sitagliptin group (4.3 ± 2.6 vs. 4.4 ± 2.1 and 4.4 ± 2.3 %, P = 1.0, respectively). Although FMD had a tendency to increase from 4.3 ± 2.4 % at baseline to 5.2 ± 1.9 % after 12 months and 5.1 ± 2.2 % after 24 months in the conventional group, there was no significant difference between FMD values at baseline and after 12 and 24 months (P = 0.36 and 0.33, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: Add-on sitagliptin to conventional antihyperglycemic drugs in patients with type 2 diabetes did not alter endothelial function in the conduit brachial artery measured by FMD during a 2-year study period. Sitagliptin may be used without concern for an adverse effect on endothelial function in patients with type 2 diabetes. TRIAL REGISTRATION: University hospital Medical Information Network (UMIN) Center: ID UMIN000004490.

Comparison of Chronic Angioscopic Findings of Bare Metal Stents, 1st-Generation Drug-Eluting Stents and 2nd-Generation Drug-Eluting Stents　- Multicenter Study of Intra-Coronary Angioscopy After Stent (MICASA).

BACKGROUND: No previous study has reported a comprehensive comparison of the chronic angioscopic findings after bare metal stent (BMS), and 1st- and 2nd-generation drug-eluting stents (DES). METHODS AND RESULTS: The Multicenter Study on Intra-Coronary Angioscopy after Stent (MICASA) is a multicenter registry of coronary angioscopy. A total of 264 stents were observed by coronary angioscopy 1 year after PCI. There were 15 BMS, 90 1st-generation DES, and 159 2nd-generation DES. Neointimal coverage (NC) of the stent was classified into 4 grades from 0 (no coverage) to 3 (complete coverage). Yellow color (YC) of plaque at the stented segment was graded from 0 (white) to 3 (bright yellow). Minimum (Min-) and Maximum (Max-) NC grade were significantly lower with 1st- and 2nd-generation DES than with BMS. Although the Max-NC grade was similar, the Min-NC grade was significantly higher for 2nd-generation DES than for 1st-generation DES. Both the YC grade and the incidence of thrombus with 2nd-generation DES were lower than with the 1st-generation DES and were comparable to BMS. Multivariate analysis showed that low-density lipoprotein, 1st-generation DES, and acute coronary syndrome were independent factors for yellow plaque (YG2 or 3), and that hypertension and 1st-generation DES were independent factors for the incidence of thrombus. CONCLUSIONS: Coronary angioscopy revealed more homogeneous coverage with white neointima and less thrombus after 2nd-generation DES as compared with 1st-generation DES. These findings may explain the favorable clinical outcomes observed for patients treated with 2nd-generation DES. (Circ J 2016; 80: 1916-1921).

Thrombus in the left atrial septal pouch mimicking myxoma.

A 15 × 13 mm mobile ovoid mass attached via a 15 × 5 mm stalk to the interatrial septum in the left atrium was detected on transesophageal echocardiography and was diagnosed as a myxoma in a 70-year-old woman with chronic atrial fibrillation. She was prescribed anticoagulant therapy with warfarin before elective cardiac surgery and demonstrated no thromboembolic event during a 2.5-month period. Preoperative transesophageal echocardiography showed the disappearance of the intracardiac mass and the presence of a left atrial septal pouch, suggesting that the initial image was a thrombus originating from the left atrial septal pouch.

Clinical impact of beta-blockers at discharge on long-term clinical outcomes in patients with non-reduced ejection fraction after acute myocardial infarction.

BACKGROUND: Beta-blockers are associated with several clinical benefits in patients with reduced left ventricular ejection fraction (REF) after acute myocardial infarction (AMI), such as lower rates of mortality, recurrence of myocardial infarction, and heart failure. However, the long-term prognosis of beta-blockers has rarely been investigated in patients with non-REF after AMI. This study aimed to investigate the clinical benefits of beta-blockers in these patients. METHODS: A total of 3281 consecutive patients who were hospitalized within 48 h after AMI were registered in the J-MINUET study. Patients who underwent primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) and had a left ventricular ejection fraction ≥40 % were enrolled, and patients who died during admission were excluded. Included patients were divided into two groups according to the prescription of beta-blockers at discharge. Their characteristics and clinical outcomes were compared. RESULTS: The number of AMI patients treated with beta-blockers was 1353 (70.4 %). Patients who received beta-blockers were younger and had a higher incidence of hypertension, dyslipidemia, and ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction than those who did not receive beta-blockers. The peak creatine kinase level after primary PCI was significantly higher in patients who received beta-blockers. These patients also had a lower incidence of a composite of all-cause death, myocardial infarction, and stroke compared to those that did not receive beta-blockers (7.3 % vs. 11.9 %, p = 0.001). Multivariate analysis showed that beta-blocker use was an independent factor for better clinical outcomes. CONCLUSIONS: The J-MINUET study revealed the clinical benefit of beta-blockers in AMI patients with non-REF after primary PCI.

Shorter door-to-balloon time, better long-term clinical outcomes in ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction patients: J-MINUET substudy.

BACKGROUND: The impact of shorter door-to-balloon (DTB time on long-term outcomes in ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI treated with primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PPCI has not been fully elucidated. METHODS: We investigated 3283 consecutive patients with acute myocardial infarction selected from a prospective, nationwide, multicenter registry (J-MINUET database comprising 28 institutions in Japan between July 2012 and March 2014. Among the study population, we analyzed 1639 STEMI patients who had PPCI within 12 h of onset. Patients were stratified into four groups (DTB time < 45 min, 45-60 min, 61-90 min, >90 min. The primary endpoint was a composite of all-cause death, non-fatal MI, non-fatal stroke, cardiac failure, and urgent revascularization for unstable angina up to 3 years. We performed landmark analysis for incidence of the primary endpoint from 31 days to 3 years among the four groups. RESULTS: The primary endpoint rate from 31 days to 3 years increased significantly and time-dependently with DTB time (10.2 % vs. 15.3 % vs. 16.2 % vs. 19.3 %, respectively; log-rank p = 0.0129. Higher logarithm-transformed DTB time was associated with greater risk of a primary endpoint from 31 days to 3 years, and the increased number of adverse long-term clinical outcomes persisted even after adjusting for other independent variables. CONCLUSION: Shorter DTB time was associated with better long-term clinical outcomes in STEMI patients treated with PPCI in contemporary clinical practice. Further efforts to shorten DTB time are recommended to improve long-term clinical outcomes in STEMI patients. TRIAL REGISTRATION: UMIN Unique trial Number: UMIN000010037.

Three-year follow-up of sirolimus-eluting stents vs. bare metal stents for acute myocardial infarction.

BACKGROUND: The long-term safety and efficacy of drug-eluting stents for patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI) remain controversial. METHODS AND RESULTS: A total of 143 consecutive patients who presented between August 2004 and July 2006 with AMI and who underwent primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) using sirolimus-eluting stents (SES), were compared with a historical control cohort of 129 consecutive patients who presented between August 2002 and July 2004 and who underwent primary PCI using bare metal stents (BMS). The rate of major adverse cardiovascular events at 3 years was significantly lower in the SES group than in the BMS group (20.3% vs. 33.1%, respectively; P=0.01). This reduction was mainly driven by a decrease in the rate of target vessel revascularization (12.3% vs. 22.4%, respectively; P=0.02). There was no significant difference in the rate of cardiovascular death (4.5% vs. 5.7%, respectively; P=0.67), non-fatal myocardial infarction (4.5% vs. 9.2%, respectively; P=0.16), coronary artery bypass grafting (2.3% vs. 2.5%, respectively; P=0.93), stroke (2.4% vs. 0.8%, respectively; P=0.35), and stent thrombosis (2.9% vs. 2.3%, respectively; P=0.80) between the 2 groups. CONCLUSIONS: SES can be used safely and effectively in patients with AMI.

Comparison between cryoballoon and hot balloon ablation in patients with paroxysmal atrial fibrillation.

PURPOSE: Pulmonary vein (PV) isolation using balloon ablation was developed as a technique for patients with paroxysmal atrial fibrillation (PAF). While most studies examined cryoballoon ablation (CBA), there have also been many reports on hot balloon ablation (HBA). We aimed to evaluate the clinical characteristics and outcomes between HBA and CBA. METHODS: In a total of 103 consecutive patients with PAF who underwent catheter ablation, 60 propensity score-matched (30 CBA and 30 HBA) patients were enrolled. The procedural differences and clinical outcomes between the two groups were analyzed. RESULTS: The requirement for additional touch-up ablation was more frequent in the left superior pulmonary vein (LSP) in the HBA group than in the CBA group. Pre-procedural computed tomography (CT) images showed that a thicker left pulmonary vein ridge and larger cross-sectional area of the LSPV were significantly associated with residual PV potentials after HBA. However, post-procedural CT images showed that PV stenosis (> 25%) was higher in the HBA group (33%) than in the CBA group (0%). PV stenosis after HBA was observed most frequently in the right superior PV (50%). The atrial fibrillation/atrial tachycardia-free survival rate during follow-up (365 ± 102 days) was similar between the two groups (CBA vs. HBA, 83% vs. 90%). CONCLUSIONS: Although both balloon modalities can relieve atrial arrhythmia after the procedure, careful attention is required during HBA procedures, especially for the right superior PV, to avoid PV stenosis.

Aortic plaque burden predicts vascular events in patients with cardiovascular disease: The EAST-NOGA study.

BACKGROUND: Non-obstructive general angioscopy (NOGA) can be used to diagnose aortic atherosclerotic plaques. We examine the association between the number of aortic plaques detected by NOGA and the risk of subsequent cardiovascular events. METHODS: The Evaluation of AtheroScleroTic and rupture events by Non-Obstructive General Angioscopy (EAST-NOGA) was a prospective cohort study of patients with suspected coronary artery disease who underwent NOGA. RESULTS: Of the 577 patients who underwent NOGA, 532 (92%) completed the follow-up (median follow-up: 13 months, interquartile range: 12-16). The median number of plaques per person was 6 (interquartile range: 3-12), and 567 (98%) had at least one aortic plaque. During the 13-month follow-up, 38 (7.1%) patients had a primary composite endpoint [including cardiovascular death, myocardial infarction, stroke, peripheral artery disease (PAD), or worsening renal function], which was significantly associated with chronic kidney disease, a history of PAD, a lower hemoglobin level, and large numbers of aortic plaques [11 (5-17) vs. 6 (2-11), p = 0.003]. A receiver operating characteristic curve analysis for the number of aortic plaques predicting composite endpoints revealed that the cut-off value of aortic plaques was 12. After multivariate adjustment, the presence of ≥12 aortic plaques remained a significant predictor for composite endpoint events (hazard ratio 2.53, 95% confidence interval 1.26-5.04, p = 0.010). CONCLUSIONS: The number of aortic plaques detected by NOGA may predict subsequent clinical events.