Long-Term Survival Following Multivessel Revascularization in Patients With Diabetes: The FREEDOM Follow-On Study.

BACKGROUND: The FREEDOM (Future Revascularization Evaluation in Patients with Diabetes Mellitus: Optimal Management of Multivessel Disease) trial demonstrated that for patients with diabetes mellitus (DM) and multivessel coronary disease (MVD), coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) is superior to percutaneous coronary intervention with drug-eluting stents (PCI-DES) in reducing the rate of major adverse cardiovascular and cerebrovascular events after a median follow-up of 3.8 years. It is not known, however, whether CABG confers a survival benefit after an extended follow-up period. OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the long-term survival of DM patients with MVD undergoing coronary revascularization in the FREEDOM trial. METHODS: The FREEDOM trial randomized 1,900 patients with DM and MVD to undergo either PCI with sirolimus-eluting or paclitaxel-eluting stents or CABG on a background of optimal medical therapy. After completion of the trial, enrolling centers and patients were invited to participate in the FREEDOM Follow-On study. Survival was evaluated using Kaplan-Meier analysis, and Cox proportional hazards models were used for subgroup and multivariate analyses. RESULTS: A total of 25 centers (of 140 original centers) agreed to participate in the FREEDOM Follow-On study and contributed a total of 943 patients (49.6% of the original cohort) with a median follow-up of 7.5 years (range 0 to 13.2 years). Of the 1,900 patients, there were 314 deaths during the entire follow-up period (204 deaths in the original trial and 110 deaths in the FREEDOM Follow-On). The all-cause mortality rate was significantly higher in the PCI-DES group than in the CABG group (24.3% [159 deaths] vs. 18.3% [112 deaths]; hazard ratio: 1.36; 95% confidence interval: 1.07 to 1.74; p = 0.01). Of the 943 patients with extended follow-up, the all-cause mortality rate was 23.7% (99 deaths) in the PCI-DES group and 18.7% (72 deaths) in the CABG group (hazard ratio: 1.32; 95% confidence interval: 0.97 to 1.78; p = 0.076). CONCLUSIONS: In patients with DM and MVD, coronary revascularization with CABG leads to lower all-cause mortality than with PCI-DES in long-term follow-up. (Comparison of Two Treatments for Multivessel Coronary Artery Disease in Individuals With Diabetes [FREEDOM]; NCT00086450).

Stroke Rates Following Surgical Versus Percutaneous Coronary Revascularization.

BACKGROUND: Coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) and percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) are used for coronary revascularization in patients with multivessel and left main coronary artery disease. Stroke is among the most feared complications of revascularization. Due to its infrequency, studies with large numbers of patients are required to detect differences in stroke rates between CABG and PCI. OBJECTIVES: This study sought to compare rates of stroke after CABG and PCI and the impact of procedural stroke on long-term mortality. METHODS: We performed a collaborative individual patient-data pooled analysis of 11 randomized clinical trials comparing CABG with PCI using stents; ERACI II (Argentine Randomized Study: Coronary Angioplasty With Stenting Versus Coronary Bypass Surgery in Patients With Multiple Vessel Disease) (n = 450), ARTS (Arterial Revascularization Therapy Study) (n = 1,205), MASS II (Medicine, Angioplasty, or Surgery Study) (n = 408), SoS (Stent or Surgery) trial (n = 988), SYNTAX (Synergy Between Percutaneous Coronary Intervention With Taxus and Cardiac Surgery) trial (n = 1,800), PRECOMBAT (Bypass Surgery Versus Angioplasty Using Sirolimus-Eluting Stent in Patients With Left Main Coronary Artery Disease) trial (n = 600), FREEDOM (Comparison of Two Treatments for Multivessel Coronary Artery Disease in Individuals With Diabetes) trial (n = 1,900), VA CARDS (Coronary Artery Revascularization in Diabetes) (n = 198), BEST (Bypass Surgery Versus Everolimus-Eluting Stent Implantation for Multivessel Coronary Artery Disease) (n = 880), NOBLE (Percutaneous Coronary Angioplasty Versus Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting in Treatment of Unprotected Left Main Stenosis) trial (n = 1,184), and EXCEL (Evaluation of Xience Versus Coronary Artery Bypass Surgery for Effectiveness of Left Main Revascularization) trial (n = 1,905). The 30-day and 5-year stroke rates were compared between CABG and PCI using a random effects Cox proportional hazards model, stratified by trial. The impact of stroke on 5-year mortality was explored. RESULTS: The analysis included 11,518 patients randomly assigned to PCI (n = 5,753) or CABG (n = 5,765) with a mean follow-up of 3.8 ± 1.4 years during which a total of 293 strokes occurred. At 30 days, the rate of stroke was 0.4% after PCI and 1.1% after CABG (hazard ratio [HR]: 0.33; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.20 to 0.53; p < 0.001). At 5-year follow-up, stroke remained significantly lower after PCI than after CABG (2.6% vs. 3.2%; HR: 0.77; 95% CI: 0.61 to 0.97; p = 0.027). Rates of stroke between 31 days and 5 years were comparable: 2.2% after PCI versus 2.1% after CABG (HR: 1.05; 95% CI: 0.80 to 1.38; p = 0.72). No significant interactions between treatment and baseline clinical or angiographic variables for the 5-year rate of stroke were present, except for diabetic patients (PCI: 2.6% vs. CABG: 4.9%) and nondiabetic patients (PCI: 2.6% vs. CABG: 2.4%) (p for interaction = 0.004). Patients who experienced a stroke within 30 days of the procedure had significantly higher 5-year mortality versus those without a stroke, both after PCI (45.7% vs. 11.1%, p < 0.001) and CABG (41.5% vs. 8.9%, p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: This individual patient-data pooled analysis demonstrates that 5-year stroke rates are significantly lower after PCI compared with CABG, driven by a reduced risk of stroke in the 30-day post-procedural period but a similar risk of stroke between 31 days and 5 years. The greater risk of stroke after CABG compared with PCI was confined to patients with multivessel disease and diabetes. Five-year mortality was markedly higher for patients experiencing a stroke within 30 days after revascularization.

Mortality after coronary artery bypass grafting versus percutaneous coronary intervention with stenting for coronary artery disease: a pooled analysis of individual patient data.

BACKGROUND: Numerous randomised trials have compared coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) with percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) for patients with coronary artery disease. However, no studies have been powered to detect a difference in mortality between the revascularisation strategies. METHODS: We did a systematic review up to July 19, 2017, to identify randomised clinical trials comparing CABG with PCI using stents. Eligible studies included patients with multivessel or left main coronary artery disease who did not present with acute myocardial infarction, did PCI with stents (bare-metal or drug-eluting), and had more than 1 year of follow-up for all-cause mortality. In a collaborative, pooled analysis of individual patient data from the identified trials, we estimated all-cause mortality up to 5 years using Kaplan-Meier analyses and compared PCI with CABG using a random-effects Cox proportional-hazards model stratified by trial. Consistency of treatment effect was explored in subgroup analyses, with subgroups defined according to baseline clinical and anatomical characteristics. FINDINGS: We included 11 randomised trials involving 11 518 patients selected by heart teams who were assigned to PCI (n=5753) or to CABG (n=5765). 976 patients died over a mean follow-up of 3·8 years (SD 1·4). Mean Synergy between PCI with Taxus and Cardiac Surgery (SYNTAX) score was 26·0 (SD 9·5), with 1798 (22·1%) of 8138 patients having a SYNTAX score of 33 or higher. 5 year all-cause mortality was 11·2% after PCI and 9·2% after CABG (hazard ratio [HR] 1·20, 95% CI 1·06-1·37; p=0·0038). 5 year all-cause mortality was significantly different between the interventions in patients with multivessel disease (11·5% after PCI vs 8·9% after CABG; HR 1·28, 95% CI 1·09-1·49; p=0·0019), including in those with diabetes (15·5% vs 10·0%; 1·48, 1·19-1·84; p=0·0004), but not in those without diabetes (8·7% vs 8·0%; 1·08, 0·86-1·36; p=0·49). SYNTAX score had a significant effect on the difference between the interventions in multivessel disease. 5 year all-cause mortality was similar between the interventions in patients with left main disease (10·7% after PCI vs 10·5% after CABG; 1·07, 0·87-1·33; p=0·52), regardless of diabetes status and SYNTAX score. INTERPRETATION: CABG had a mortality benefit over PCI in patients with multivessel disease, particularly those with diabetes and higher coronary complexity. No benefit for CABG over PCI was seen in patients with left main disease. Longer follow-up is needed to better define mortality differences between the revascularisation strategies. FUNDING: None.

Relation of Post-Coronary Artery Bypass Graft Creatine Kinase-MB Elevations and New Q Waves With Long-Term Cardiovascular Death in Patients With Diabetes Mellitus and Multivessel Coronary Artery Disease.

Associations of early creatine phosphokinase-MB (CK-MB) elevation and new Q waves and their association with cardiovascular death (CVD) after coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) have been reported, but this association has not been studied in a large population of patients with diabetes mellitus. In this study, we examine the association of periprocedural CK-MB elevations and new Q waves with CVD in the Future Revascularization Evaluation in Patients with Diabetes Mellitus: Optimal Management of Multivessel Disease trial. Cox proportional hazards regression was used to assess the relation of CK-MB elevations and new Q waves in the first 24 hours after procedure and their relation to CVD; logistic regression was used to assess odds ratios of these variables. Hazard ratios, 95% confidence intervals, and p values associated with Wald chi-square test are reported. CK-MB elevation in first 24 hours after procedure was independently associated with CVD. CVD hazard increased by 6% (p <0.001) with each multiple of CK-MB above the upper reference limit (URL); odds of new post-CABG Q waves increased by a factor of 1.08 (p <0.001); at 7× CK-MB URL, HR was >2. CK-MB URL multiples of 7, 12, and 15 were associated with new Q-wave odds ratios of 9, 16, and 27 times, respectively (p ≤0.001, C-statistic >0.70). New Q waves were independently associated with survival in the multivariate model only when CK-MB was excluded (p = 0.01). In conclusion, independent associations included (1) CVD and early post-CABG CK-MB elevation; (2) new Q waves with early post-CABG CK-MB elevation; (3) CVD with new Q waves only when CK-MB elevation is excluded from analysis.

Predictors of stroke associated with coronary artery bypass grafting in patients with diabetes mellitus and multivessel coronary artery disease.

This study assesses demographic and clinical variables associated with perioperative and late stroke in diabetes mellitus patients after multivessel coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG). Future Revascularization Evaluation in Patients with Diabetes Mellitus: Optimal Management of Multivessel Disease (FREEDOM) is the largest randomized trial of diabetic patients undergoing multivessel CABG. FREEDOM patients had improved survival free of death, myocardial infarction, or stroke and increased overall survival after CABG compared to percutaneous intervention. However, the stroke rate was greater following CABG than percutaneous intervention. We studied predictors of stroke in CABG-treated patients analyzing separately overall, perioperative (≤30 days after surgery), and late (>30 days after surgery) stroke. For long-term outcomes (overall stroke and late stroke), Cox proportional hazards regression was used, accounting for time to event, and logistic regression was used for perioperative stroke. Independent perioperative stroke predictors were previous stroke (odds ratio [OR] 6.96, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.43 to 33.96; p = 0.02), warfarin use (OR 10.26, 95% CI 1.10 to 96.03; p = 0.02), and surgery outside the United States or Canada (OR 9.81, 95% CI 1.28 to 75.40; p = 0.03). Independent late stroke predictors: renal insufficiency (hazard ratio [HR] 3.57, 95% CI 1.01 to 12.64; p = 0.048), baseline low-density lipoprotein ≥105 mg/dl (HR 3.28, 95% CI 1.19 to 9.02; p = 0.02), and baseline diastolic blood pressure (each 1 mm Hg increase reduces stroke hazard by 5%; HR 0.95, 95% CI 0.91 to 0.99; p = 0.03). There was no overlap between predictors of perioperative versus late stroke. In conclusion, late post-CABG strokes were associated with well-described risk factors. Nearly half of the strokes were perioperative. Independent risk factors for perioperative stroke: previous stroke, previous warfarin use, and CABG performed outside the United States or Canada.

Long-term outcome of PCI versus CABG in insulin and non-insulin-treated diabetic patients: results from the FREEDOM trial.

BACKGROUND: The prospective, randomized FREEDOM (Comparison of Two Treatments for Multivessel Coronary Artery Disease in Individuals With Diabetes) trial found coronary artery bypass graft surgery (CABG) was associated with better clinical outcomes than percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) in patients with diabetes and multivessel disease, managed with or without insulin. OBJECTIVES: In this subgroup analysis of the FREEDOM trial, we examined the association of long-term clinical outcomes after revascularization in patients with insulin-treated diabetes mellitus (ITDM) compared with patients not treated with insulin. METHODS: A total of 1,850 FREEDOM subjects had an index revascularization procedure performed: 956 underwent PCI with drug-eluting stents (DES), and 894 underwent CABG. A total of 602 patients (32.5%) had ITDM (PCI/DES n = 325, 34%; CABG n = 277, 31%). Subjects were classified according to ITDM versus non-ITDM, with comparison of PCI/DES versus CABG for each group. Interaction analyses were performed for treatment by diabetes mellitus (DM) status alone and for treatment by DM status by coronary lesion complexity. Analyses were performed for the primary outcome composite of death/stroke/myocardial infarction (MI) using all available follow-up data. RESULTS: The overall 5-year event rate of death/stroke/MI was significantly higher in ITDM versus non-ITDM patients (28.7% vs. 19.5%, p < 0.001), which persisted even after adjustment for multiple baseline factors, angiographic complexity, and revascularization treatment group (death/stroke/MI hazard ratio [HR]: 1.35, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.06 to 1.73, p = 0.014). With respect to the primary composite endpoint, CABG was superior to PCI/DES in both DM types and the magnitude of treatment effect was similar (interaction p = 0.40) for ITDM (PCI vs. CABG HR: 1.21; 95% CI: 0.87 to 1.69) and non-ITDM patients (PCI vs. CABG HR: 1.46; 95% CI 1.10 to 1.94), even after adjusting for the angiographic SYNTAX score level. Based on 5-year event rates, the number needed to treat with CABG versus PCI to prevent 1 event is 12.7 in ITDM and 13.2 in non-ITDM. CONCLUSIONS: In patients with diabetes and multivessel coronary artery disease, the rate of major adverse cardiovascular events (death, MI, or stroke) is higher in patients treated with insulin than in those not treated with insulin. Furthermore, we did not detect a significant difference in the magnitude of PCI versus CABG treatment effect for patients treated with insulin and those not treated with insulin. (Comparison of Two Treatments for Multivessel Coronary Artery Disease in Individuals With Diabetes [FREEDOM]; NCT00086450).

Risk factor control for coronary artery disease secondary prevention in large randomized trials.

OBJECTIVES: This study evaluated data from 3 federally funded trials that focused on optimal medical therapy to determine if formalized attempts at risk factor control within clinical trials are effective in achieving guideline-driven treatment goals for diabetic patients with coronary artery disease (CAD). BACKGROUND: Despite clear evidence of benefit for CAD secondary prevention, the level of risk factor control in clinical practice has been disappointing. METHODS: We obtained data from the COURAGE (Clinical Outcomes Utilizing Revascularization and Aggressive Drug Evaluation) diabetes subgroup, (n = 766 of 2,287), the BARI 2D (Bypass Angioplasty Revascularization Investigation 2 Diabetes) trial (n = 2,368), and the FREEDOM (Comparison of Two Treatments for Multivessel Coronary Artery Disease in Individuals With Diabetes) trial (n = 1,900) to evaluate the proportion of patients achieving guideline-based, protocol-driven treatment targets for systolic blood pressure, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, smoking cessation, and hemoglobin A1c. The primary outcome measure was the proportion of diabetic CAD patients meeting all 4 pre-specified targets at 1 year after enrollment. RESULTS: The pooled data include 5,034 diabetic patients. The percentages of patients achieving the 1-year low-density lipoprotein cholesterol targets compared with baseline increased from 55% to 77% in COURAGE, from 59% to 75% in BARI 2D, and from 34% to 42% in FREEDOM. Although similar improved trends were seen for systolic blood pressure, glycemic control, and smoking cessation, only 18% of the COURAGE diabetes subgroup, 23% of BARI 2D patients, and 8% of FREEDOM patients met all 4 pre-specified treatment targets at 1 year of follow-up. CONCLUSIONS: A significant proportion of diabetic CAD patients fail to achieve pre-specified targets for 4 major modifiable cardiovascular risk factors in clinical trials. We conclude that fundamentally new thinking is needed to explore approaches to achieve optimal secondary prevention treatment goals. (Clinical Outcomes Utilizing Revascularization and Aggressive Drug Evaluation; NCT00007657) (Bypass Angioplasty Revascularization Investigation 2 Diabetes [BARI 2D]; NCT00006305) (Comparison of Two Treatments for Multivessel Coronary Artery Disease in Individuals With Diabetes [FREEDOM]; NCT00086450).

Strategies for multivessel revascularization in patients with diabetes.

BACKGROUND: In some randomized trials comparing revascularization strategies for patients with diabetes, coronary-artery bypass grafting (CABG) has had a better outcome than percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). We sought to discover whether aggressive medical therapy and the use of drug-eluting stents could alter the revascularization approach for patients with diabetes and multivessel coronary artery disease. METHODS: In this randomized trial, we assigned patients with diabetes and multivessel coronary artery disease to undergo either PCI with drug-eluting stents or CABG. The patients were followed for a minimum of 2 years (median among survivors, 3.8 years). All patients were prescribed currently recommended medical therapies for the control of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, systolic blood pressure, and glycated hemoglobin. The primary outcome measure was a composite of death from any cause, nonfatal myocardial infarction, or nonfatal stroke. RESULTS: From 2005 through 2010, we enrolled 1900 patients at 140 international centers. The patients' mean age was 63.1±9.1 years, 29% were women, and 83% had three-vessel disease. The primary outcome occurred more frequently in the PCI group (P=0.005), with 5-year rates of 26.6% in the PCI group and 18.7% in the CABG group. The benefit of CABG was driven by differences in rates of both myocardial infarction (P<0.001) and death from any cause (P=0.049). Stroke was more frequent in the CABG group, with 5-year rates of 2.4% in the PCI group and 5.2% in the CABG group (P=0.03). CONCLUSIONS: For patients with diabetes and advanced coronary artery disease, CABG was superior to PCI in that it significantly reduced rates of death and myocardial infarction, with a higher rate of stroke. (Funded by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute and others; FREEDOM ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT00086450.).

The Future REvascularization Evaluation in patients with Diabetes mellitus: optimal management of Multivessel disease (FREEDOM) trial: clinical and angiographic profile at study entry.

BACKGROUND: The optimal revascularization strategy for diabetic patients with multivessel coronary artery disease (MVD) remains uncertain for lack of an adequately powered, randomized trial. The FREEDOM trial was designed to compare contemporary coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) to percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) with drug-eluting stents in diabetic patients with MVD against a background of optimal medical therapy. METHODS: A total of 1,900 diabetic participants with MVD were randomized to PCI or CABG worldwide from April 2005 to March 2010. FREEDOM is a superiority trial with a mean follow-up of 4.37 years (minimum 2 years) and 80% power to detect a 27.0% relative reduction. We present the baseline characteristics of patients screened and randomized, and provide a comparison with other MVD trials involving diabetic patients. RESULTS: The randomized cohort was 63.1 ± 9.1 years old and 29% female, with a median diabetes duration of 10.2 ± 8.9 years. Most (83%) had 3-vessel disease and on average took 5.5 ± 1.7 vascular medications, with 32% on insulin therapy. Nearly all had hypertension and/or dyslipidemia, and 26% had a prior myocardial infarction. Mean hemoglobin A1c was 7.8 ± 1.7 mg/dL, 29% had low-density lipoprotein <70 mg/dL, and mean systolic blood pressure was 134 ± 20 mm Hg. The mean SYNTAX score was 26.2 with a symmetric distribution. FREEDOM trial participants have baseline characteristics similar to those of contemporary multivessel and diabetes trial cohorts. CONCLUSIONS: The FREEDOM trial has successfully recruited a high-risk diabetic MVD cohort. Follow-up efforts include aggressive monitoring to optimize background risk factor control. FREEDOM will contribute significantly to the PCI versus CABG debate in diabetic patients with MVD.

Histopathology of renal failure after heart transplantation: a diverse spectrum.

BACKGROUND: Chronic kidney disease occurs frequently after heart transplantation and is associated with significant morbidity and mortality. Herein we describe the histopathology associated with renal failure in a cohort of heart transplant recipients. METHODS: Over a 4-year period all patients with an estimated GFR <30 ml/min/1.73 m(2) or significant proteinuria were referred to the kidney transplant clinic for clinical evaluation. A percutaneous renal biopsy was performed as part of a standardized evaluation. RESULTS: Eighteen patients underwent renal biopsy 5.8 ± 4.1 years after transplantation. Hypertension (88.9%), Type 2 diabetes (55.6%) and allograft vasculopathy (38.9%) were prevalent. All patients were receiving calcineurin inhibitors. Mean creatinine was 2.9 ± 1.2 mg/dl with an estimated GFR 27.9 ± 9.1 ml/min/1.73 m(2). Eight patients (44%) had proteinuria >1 g per 24 hours. The major histologic findings were nephrosclerosis plus diabetic glomerulopathy (50%), nephrosclerosis and focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (22.2%) and nephrosclerosis alone (22.2%). One patient had direct CNI toxicity consisting of nodular sub-adventitial hyalinosis. Eleven patients (61.1%) had glomerular disease and 11 patients (61.1%) had moderate or severe tubular atrophy. During follow-up, 5 patients (27.8%) started hemodialysis, 4 (22.2%) died, and 2 (11.1%) received a renal transplant. CONCLUSIONS: We observed diverse histologic patterns in this series of renal biopsies suggesting that chronic kidney disease after heart transplantation has a complex and varied pathologic basis. Further defining the renal injuries that precede heart transplantation and predispose to the progression of kidney disease after transplant may assist in treating this population.

Association of myocardial enzyme elevation and survival following coronary artery bypass graft surgery.

CONTEXT: Several small studies have suggested that cardiac enzyme elevation in the 24 hours following coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery is associated with worse prognosis, but a definitive study is not available. Also, the long-term prognostic impact of small increases of perioperative enzyme has not been reported. OBJECTIVE: To quantify the relationship between peak post-CABG elevation of biomarkers of myocardial damage and early, intermediate-, and long-term mortality, including determining whether there is a threshold below which elevations lack prognostic significance. DATA SOURCES: Studies (randomized clinical trials or registries) of patients undergoing CABG surgery in which postprocedural biomarker and mortality data were collected and included. A search of the PubMed database was performed in July 2008 using the search terms coronary artery bypass, troponin, CK-MB, and mortality. STUDY SELECTION: Studies evaluating mortality and creatine kinase (CK-MB), troponin, or both were included. One study investigator declined to participate and 3 had insufficient data. DATA EXTRACTION: Two independent reviewers determined study eligibility. The principal investigator from each eligible study was contacted to request his/her participation. Once institutional review board approval for the use of these data for this purpose was obtained, we requested patient-level data from each source. Data were examined to ensure that cardiac markers had been measured within 24 hours after CABG surgery, key baseline covariates, and mortality were available. RESULTS: A total of 18,908 patients from 7 studies were included. Follow-up varied from 3 months to 5 years. Mortality was found to be a monotonically increasing function of the CK-MB ratio. The 30-day mortality rates by categories of CK-MB ratio were 0.63% (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.36%-1.02%) for 0 to <1, 0.86% (95% CI, 0.49%-1.40%) for 1 to <2, 0.95% (95% CI, 0.72%-1.22%) for 2 to <5, 2.09% (95% CI, 1.69%-2.57%) for 5 to <10, 2.78% (95% CI, 2.12%-3.58%) for 10 to <20, and 7.06% (95% CI, 5.46%-8.96%) for 20 to ≥40. Of the variables considered, the CK-MB ratio was the strongest independent predictor of death to 30 days and remained significant even after adjusting for a wide range of baseline risk factors (χ(2) = 143, P < .001; hazard ratio [HR] for each 5 point-increment above the upper limits of normal [ULN] = 1.12; 95% CI, 1.10-1.14). This result was strongest at 30 days, but the adjusted association persisted from 30 days to 1 year (χ(2) = 24; P < .001; HR for each 5-point increment above ULN = 1.17; 95% CI, 1.10-1.24) and a trend was present from 1 year to 5 years (χ(2) = 2.8; P = .10; HR for each 5-point increment above ULN = 1.05; 95% CI, 0.99-1.11). Similar analyses using troponin as the marker of necrosis led to the same conclusions (χ(2) = 142 for 0-30 days and χ(2) = 40 for 30 days to 6 months, both P < .001; HR for each 50 points above the ULN = 1.28; 95% CI, 1.23-1.33 and 1.15; 95% CI, 1.10-1.21, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: Among patients who had undergone CABG surgery, elevation of CK-MB or troponin levels within the first 24 hours was independently associated with increased intermediate- and long-term risk of mortality.

Pleiotropic effect of lovastatin, with and without cholestyramine, in the post coronary artery bypass graft (Post CABG) trial.

This study evaluated patients in the Post Coronary Artery Bypass Graft (Post CABG) trial for evidence of statin pleiotropic effects in preventing atherosclerotic progression in saphenous vein grafts (SVGs). We studied 1,116 of the 1,351 patients in the Post CABG trial who were randomized to aggressive (low-density lipoprotein [LDL] cholesterol target <85 mg/dl) or moderate (target LDL cholesterol <140 mg/dl) lovastatin treatment and who had sufficient data available. The generalized estimating equation models, adjusting for important covariates, were applied to estimate the odds ratios (ORs) and probability of substantial atherosclerotic SVG progression (decrease in lumen diameter >or=0.6 mm) and the difference in minimum lumen diameter change between treatment groups. Aggressive lovastatin treatment compared with moderate treatment was associated with a significant decrease in risk of significant SVG atherosclerotic progression after adjustment for baseline cholesterol level, LDL cholesterol on treatment, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, and triglyceride changes on treatment and other independent predictors (OR 0.68, 95% confidence interval 0.49 to 0.94, p = 0.019). Results were similar when the change or percent change from baseline of LDL cholesterol level on treatment was adjusted for rather than on-treatment LDL cholesterol and in the subset achieving a year-1 LDL cholesterol level from 90 to 135 mg/dl (OR 0.64, 95% confidence interval 0.42 to 0.98, p = 0.042). Mean decrease in minimum lumen diameter was also significantly smaller in the aggressive than the moderate treatment arm (-0.256 vs -0.343 mm, p = 0.042). In conclusion, aggressive versus moderate lovastatin treatment appeared therapeutic in slowing the atherosclerotic process in SVGs from Post CABG patients, independent of its greater LDL cholesterol-lowering effect.

Design of the Future REvascularization Evaluation in patients with Diabetes mellitus: Optimal management of Multivessel disease (FREEDOM) Trial.

BACKGROUND: Prior randomized trials suggested that revascularization of diabetic patients by coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) produced results superior to balloon angioplasty. The introduction of drug-eluting stents (DESs) calls into question the relevance of past studies to the current era. The FREEDOM Trial is designed to determine whether CABG or percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) is the superior approach for revascularization of diabetic patients. STUDY DESIGN: The FREEDOM Trial is a multicenter, open-label prospective randomized superiority trial of PCI versus CABG in at least 2000 diabetic patients in whom revascularization is indicated. Consenting diabetic patients with multivessel disease will be randomized on a 1:1 basis to either CABG or multivessel stenting using DESs and observed at 30 days, 1 year, and annually for up to 5 years. At the discretion of the primary physician or interventionalists, patients randomized to the PCI/DES arm will receive any approved DESs. The primary outcome measure is the composite of all-cause mortality, nonfatal myocardial infarction, or stroke. Patients will be observed for a mean of 4 years. IMPLICATIONS: At present, coronary revascularization with CABG surgery is the treatment of choice in diabetic patients with multivessel coronary artery disease. Drug-eluting stents have shown promising preliminary results in the diabetic population. The FREEDOM Trial is an international study designed to define the optimal revascularization strategy for the diabetic patient with multivessel coronary disease.

Effect of statin therapy on survival in patients with nonischemic dilated cardiomyopathy (from the Beta-blocker Evaluation of Survival Trial [BEST]).

To determine whether statin therapy improves survival in patients with heart failure (HF) secondary to nonischemic dilated cardiomyopathy (non-IDC), data from 1,024 patients with non-IDC (New York Heart Association functional class III and IV HF) and left ventricular ejection fraction < or =0.35 who were enrolled in the BEST were analyzed. The association of statin therapy at the initial screening visit with all-cause and cardiovascular mortality was evaluated using multivariate Cox proportional hazards models. After adjusting for age, gender, race, systolic blood pressure, total cholesterol, New York Heart Association functional class IV, estimated glomerular filtration rate, current cigarette smoking, left ventricular ejection fraction, angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor use, antiplatelet therapy, diabetes mellitus, treatment group (beta blocker or placebo), and hypertension, statin use was independently associated with decreased all-cause mortality (hazard ratio 0.38, confidence interval 0.18 to 0.82, p = 0.0134) and also with decreased cardiovascular death (hazard ratio 0.42, confidence interval 0.18 to 0.95, p = 0.037). In conclusion, in patients with moderate or severe HF due to non-IDC entered into BEST, statin therapy at entry was independently associated with a decrease in all-cause and cardiovascular mortality.

Prognostic significance of the Centers for Disease Control/American Heart Association high-sensitivity C-reactive protein cut points for cardiovascular and other outcomes in patients with stable coronary artery disease.

BACKGROUND: Data supporting the prognostic significance of high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) are derived largely from individuals with no overt coronary artery disease or from patients with acute coronary syndromes. In contrast, the ability of hs-CRP to predict outcomes in patients with stable coronary artery disease and the prognostic significance of the Centers for Disease Control/American Heart Association hs-CRP cut points in such a population remain relatively unexplored. METHODS AND RESULTS: We measured hs-CRP in 3771 patients with stable coronary artery disease from the Prevention of Events With Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme Inhibition (PEACE) trial, a randomized placebo-controlled trial of the angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor trandolapril. Patients were followed up for a median of 4.8 years for cardiovascular death, myocardial infarction, or stroke, as well as new heart failure and diabetes. After adjustment for baseline characteristics and treatments, higher hs-CRP levels, even >1 mg/L, were associated with a significantly greater risk of cardiovascular death, myocardial infarction, or stroke (hs-CRP 1 to 3 mg/L: adjusted hazard ratio, 1.39; 95% CI, 1.06 to 1.81; P=0.016; hs-CRP >3 mg/L: adjusted hazard ratio, 1.52; 95% CI, 1.15 to 2.02; P=0.003). Similarly, elevated hs-CRP levels were an independent predictor of new heart failure (adjusted P<0.001 for trend) and new diabetes (adjusted P<0.001 for trend). There were no significant interactions between hs-CRP levels and the effects of trandolapril on any of the above outcomes. CONCLUSIONS: In stable coronary artery disease, an elevated hs-CRP level, even >1 mg/L, is a significant predictor of adverse cardiovascular events independently of baseline characteristics and treatments. An elevated hs-CRP does not appear to identify patients with stable coronary artery disease and preserved ejection fraction who derive particular benefit from angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibition.