Noninvasive transthoracic doppler flow velocity and invasive thermodilution to assess coronary flow reserve.

Background: Coronary flow reserve (CFR) provides prognostication and coronary physiological information, including epicardial coronary stenosis and microvascular function. The relationship between stress transthoracic Doppler echocardiography (TDE)-derived coronary flow velocity reserve (CFRS-TDE) and thermodilution-derived coronary flow reserve (CFRthermo) before and after elective percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) remains unclear. Methods: This single-center prospective registry study evaluated patients who underwent fractional flow reserve (FFR)-guided elective PCI for left anterior descending artery (LAD) lesions with wire-based invasive physiological measurements and pre- and post-PCI stress TDE examinations. Results: A total of 174 LAD lesions from 174 patients were included in the final analysis. A modest correlation was detected between the pre-PCI CFRS-TDE and the pre-PCI CFRthermo (r=0.383, P<0.001). The frequently used CFRS-TDE threshold of 2.0 corresponded to a pre-PCI CFRthermo of 2.18. Pre-PCI CFRS-TDE underestimated pre-PCI CFRthermo [1.89 (1.44-2.31) vs. 2.05 (1.38-2.93), P<0.001]. Both CFRS-TDE and CFRthermo increased significantly post-PCI [pre-PCI CFRS-TDE 1.89 vs. post-PCI CFRS-TDE 2.33, P<0.001; pre-PCI CFRthermo 2.05 (1.38-2.93) vs. post-PCI CFRthermo 2.59 (1.63-3.55), P<0.001]. In contrast, there was no significant relationship between changes in CFRS-TDE and changes in CFRthermo after PCI (r=0.008, P=0.915) or between post-PCI CFRS-TDE and post-PCI CFRthermo (r=0.054, P=0.482). Conclusions: Pre-PCI CFRS-TDE and CFRthermo are modestly correlated, but post-PCI CFRS-TDE and CFRthermo have no correlation. CFRS-TDE and CFRthermo are not interchangeable, particularly post-PCI, suggesting that the two metrics represent different coronary physiologies after PCI.

Diagnostic value of computed tomography myocardial perfusion imaging to detect coexisting microvascular dysfunction in patients with obstructive epicardial coronary artery disease.

Background: Computed tomography myocardial perfusion (CT-MP) has reported usefulness in assessing hemodynamically significant epicardial coronary artery lesions. However, the diagnostic ability of the absolute coronary flow using CT-MP to detect coronary microvascular dysfunction (CMD) remains elusive. This prospective cohort study aimed to assess the diagnostic value of CT-MP in evaluating coexisting CMD in patients with functionally significant epicardial coronary stenosis and to analyze the predictive factors of lesions with CMD. Methods: Sixty-eight patients with chronic coronary syndrome (CCS) and de novo single functionally significant stenosis [fractional flow reserve (FFR) ≤0.80] were studied. CMD was defined as an index of microcirculatory resistance ≥25. We compare clinical background and CT-MP findings between patients with and without CMD (CMD, n=29; non-CMD, n=39). CT-MP, and quantitative and qualitative plaque assessments were included in computed tomography angiography assessment. Logistic regression analysis was performed to predict CMD. Results: FFR, invasive wire-derived coronary flow reserve (CFRwire) and index of microcirculatory resistance were 0.68 [interquartile range (IQR), 0.59-0.74], 1.71 (IQR, 1.24-2.88), and 22.6 (IQR, 15.1-34.5), respectively. The rest and hyperemic-myocardial blood flow (MBF) and CT-MP-derived CFR (CFRCT-MP) were 0.83 (0.64-1.03) mL/min/g, 2.14 (1.30-2.92) mL/min/g, and 2.19 (1.44-3.37), respectively. In the territories with CMD, hyperemic-MBF was significantly lower than in those without [1.68 (IQR, 0.84-2.44) vs. 2.31 (IQR, 1.67-3.34) mL/min/g, P=0.015] and the prevalence of CFRCT-MP <2.0 was higher in the lesions with CMD than in those without (62.1% vs. 28.2%, P=0.011), while FFR values were similar. Fibrofatty and necrotic core component volume was greater in the vessels with CMD than in those without [31.8 (IQR, 19.0-48.9) vs. 25.1 (IQR, 17.2-32.1) mm3, P=0.045]. Multivariable logistic regression analysis showed that hyperemic-MBF and fibrofatty and necrotic core component volume were independent predictors of CMD territories [odds ratio (OR) =0.583; 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.355-0.958; P=0.033 and OR =1.040; 95% CI: 1.010-1.070; P=0.011]. Conclusions: Quantitative assessment of absolute coronary flow using pre-percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) CT-MP, and comprehensive plaque analysis using computed tomography angiography may help detect coexisting subtended microvascular dysfunction in territories with functionally significant epicardial coronary lesions. Further studies are required to elucidate the clinical significance of coexisting CMD in patients with CCS undergoing PCI.

Age-related changes in the coronary microcirculation influencing the diagnostic performance of invasive pressure-based indices and long-term patient prognosis.

OBJECTIVES: Investigate age-related changes in coronary microvascular function, its effect on hyperemic and non-hyperemic indices of stenosis relevance, and its prognostic implications. BACKGROUND: Evidence assessing the effect of age on fractional flow reserve (FFR), resting mean distal intracoronary pressure/mean aortic pressure (Pd/Pa), and microcirculatory function remains scarce. METHODS: This is a post hoc study of a large prospective international registry (NCT03690713) including 1134 patients (1326 vessels) with coronary stenoses interrogated with pressure and flow guidewires. Age-dependent correlations with functional indices were analyzed. Prevalences of FFR, resting Pd/Pa, and coronary flow reserve (CFR) classification agreement were assessed. At 5 years follow-up, the relation between resting Pd/Pa, CFR, and their age-dependent implications on FFR-guided percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) deferral (deferred if FFR > 0.80) were investigated using vessel-oriented composite outcomes (VOCO) composed of death, myocardial infarction, and repeated revascularization. RESULTS: Age correlated positively with FFR (r = 0.08, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.03 to 0.13, p = 0.005), but not with resting Pd/Pa (r = -0.03, 95% CI:-0.09 to 0.02, p = 0.242). CFR correlated negatively with age (r = -0.15, 95% CI: -0.21 to -0.10, p < 0.001) due to a significant decrease in maximal hyperemic flow in older patients. Patients over 60 years of age with FFR-guided deferred-PCI abnormal resting Pd/Pa or abnormal CFR had increased risk of VOCO (hazard ratio [HR]: 2.10, 95% CI: 1.15 to 4.36, p = 0.048; HR: 2.46, 95% CI:1.23 to 4.96, p = 0.011; respectively). CONLUSIONS: Aging is associated with decrease in microcirculatory vasodilation, as assessed with adenosine-based methods like CFR. In patients older than 60 years in whom PCI is deferred according to FFR > 0.80, CFR and resting Pd/Pa have an incremental value in predicting future vessel-oriented patient outcomes.

Sex Differences in Culprit Plaque Characteristics Among Different Age Groups in Patients With Acute Coronary Syndromes.

BACKGROUND: Despite the significant decline in cardiovascular mortality in women over the past several decades, sex differences in the underlying pathology of acute coronary syndromes remain poorly understood. Previous postmortem studies have demonstrated sex differences in coronary plaque morphology with a higher prevalence of plaque erosion in young women and more plaque rupture in older women after menopause, whereas men showed no increase in prevalence of plaque rupture with age. However, in vivo data are limited. METHODS: This study included patients who presented with acute coronary syndrome and underwent preintervention optical coherence tomography imaging of the culprit lesion. The culprit plaque was categorized as plaque rupture, plaque erosion or culprit plaque with calcification, and stratified by age. Features of plaque vulnerability at culprit lesion were also analyzed. RESULTS: In 1368 patients (women=286), women and men had a similar distribution of culprit plaque morphology (plaque rupture versus plaque erosion). However, significant sex differences were found in the underlying mechanisms of acute coronary syndrome among different age groups: women showed a significant ascending trend with age in plaque rupture (P<0.001) and the features of plaque vulnerability such as lipid plaque (P<0.001), thin-cap fibroatheroma (P=0.005), and microstructures including macrophages, cholesterol crystals, and calcification (P=0.026). No trend was observed in men. CONCLUSIONS: Age related sex differences in culprit plaque morphology and vulnerability were identified in patients with acute coronary syndrome: prevalence of plaque rupture and vulnerability increased with age in women but not in men. REGISTRATION: URL: https://www. CLINICALTRIALS: gov; Unique identifier: NCT01110538 and NCT03479723.

Prognostic Value of Coronary Sinus Flow Quantification by Cardiac Magnetic Resonance Imaging in Patients With Acute Myocardial Infarction.

Background This study aimed to evaluate the prognostic value of hyperemic coronary sinus flow (h-CSF) and global coronary flow reserve (g-CFR) obtained by phase-contrast cine-magnetic resonance imaging in patients with acute myocardial infarction (MI). Methods and Results This retrospective study analyzed patients with acute MI (n=523) who underwent primary (ST-segment-elevation MI) or urgent (non-ST-segment-elevation MI) percutaneous coronary intervention. Absolute coronary sinus blood flow (CSF) at rest and during vasodilator stress hyperemia was quantified at 30 days (24-36 days) after the index infarct-related lesion percutaneous coronary intervention and revascularization of functionally significant non-infarct-related lesions. We used Cox proportional hazards regression modeling to examine the association between h-CSF, g-CFR, and major adverse cardiac events defined as all-cause death, nonfatal MI, hospitalization for congestive heart failure, and stroke. Finally, 325 patients with ST-segment-elevation MI (62.1%) and 198 patients with non-ST-segment-elevation MI (37.9%) were studied over a median follow-up of 2.5 years. The rest CSF, h-CSF, and g-CFR were 0.94 (0.68-1.26) mL/min per g, 2.05 (1.42-2.73) mL/min per g, and 2.17 (1.54-3.03), respectively. Major adverse cardiac events occurred in 62 patients, and Cox proportional hazards analysis showed that h-CSF and g-CFR were independent predictors of major adverse cardiac events (h-CSF: hazard ratio [HR], 0.64; 95% CI, 0.47-0.88; P=0.005; g-CFR: HR, 0.62; 95% CI, 0.47-0.82; P=0.001). When stratified by h-CSF and g-CFR, cardiac event-free survival was the worst in patients with concordantly impaired h-CSF (<1.6 mL/min per g) and g-CFR (<1.7) (P<0.001). Conclusions Global coronary sinus flow quantification using phase-contrast cine-magnetic resonance imaging provided significant prognostic information independent of infarction size and conventional risk factors in patients with acute MI undergoing revascularization.

Effect of percutaneous coronary intervention on global hemodynamics and the prevalence of residual microvascular dysfunction.

OBJECTIVES: We aimed to examine the changes in hyperemic coronary sinus flow (CSF) and global coronary flow reserve (g-CFR) after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) and investigate the predictors to improve these metrics and the prevalence of residual coronary microvascular dysfunction (CMD). METHODS: This prospective, single-center study included 118 patients with stable coronary artery disease undergoing PCI for a single proximal lesion. Phase-contrast cine-cardiac magnetic resonance (PC-CMR) was used to assess hyperemic CSF (HCSF) and g-CFR, before and after PCI. Residual CMD was defined as concordantly impaired post-PCI HCSF (<2.3 ml/min/g) and g-CFR (<2.0). RESULTS: HCSF significantly increased, although 38 (32.2%) patients showed a decrease. There was no significant change in g-CFR despite fractional flow reserve (FFR) improvement in all target territories. Concordantly increased HCSF and g-CFR were effectively discriminated by adding PC-CMR-derived information to pre-PCI FFR. Residual CMD was observed in 30 (25.4%) patients and was associated with pre-PCI renal dysfunction and lower pre-PCI rest and hyperemic CSF, but not with pre-PCI regional physiological indices. CONCLUSIONS: FFR-guided PCI was associated with increased HCSF, but not with increased g-CFR. After uncomplicated PCI, one-quarter of patients showed residual CMD. Our approach may help identify patients who may benefit from increased coronary perfusion or show residual CMD.

Association between pericoronary adipose tissue attenuation and outcome after second-generation cryoballoon ablation for atrial fibrillation.

OBJECTIVES: Previous studies reported the association between inflammation and atrial fibrillation (AF). Pericoronary adipose tissue (PCAT) attenuation, PCATA, on cardiac CT angiography (CTA) reflects pericoronary inflammation. We hypothesized that the PCATA predicts AF recurrence after cryoballoon ablation (CBA) for paroxysmal and persistent AF. METHODS: We studied 364 patients (median age, 65 years) with persistent (n = 41) and paroxysmal (n = 323) AF undergoing successful first-session second-generation CBA with pre-ablation cardiac CTA. Three-vessel (3V)-PCATA was defined as the mean CT attenuation value of PCAT of all three major coronary arteries. Predictors of AF recurrence during follow-up were evaluated. RESULTS: AF recurrence after the 3-month blanking period was detected in 90 patients (24.7%) during the median follow-up of 26 (interquartile range, 19-42) months. AF recurrence was associated with prior stroke and statin use, NT-proBNP and high-sensitivity cardiac troponin-I levels, left ventricular dimension, left atrial volume index (LAVI), 3V-PCATA, and early AF recurrence during the blanking period. On multivariable Cox proportional hazard analysis, prior stroke (hazard ratio [HR], 2.208, 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.166-4.180, p = 0.015), LAVI (HR, 1.030, 95% CI, 1.010-1.051, p = 0.003), 3V-PCATA (HR, 1.034, 95% CI, 1.001-1.069, p = 0.046), and early AF recurrence (HR, 2.858, 95% CI, 1.855-4.405, p < 0.001) remained statistically significant. CONCLUSION: Pre-ablation CTA-derived 3V-PCATA, representing pericoronary inflammation, was an independent predictor of recurrence after first-session AF ablation using a second-generation cryoballoon. ADVANCES IN KNOWLEDGE: Assessment of 3V-PCATA may identify patients at high risk of AF recurrence after CBA for AF.

Effect of contrast medium versus low-molecular-weight dextran for intracoronary optical coherence tomography in renal insufficiency.

Low-molecular-weight dextran (LMWD) is considered a safe alternative to contrast media to displace blood during optical coherence tomography (OCT) imaging, but concerns remain. The purpose of this study was to investigate whether using LMWD for OCT protects against kidney injury in patients with renal insufficiency compared with contrast media. We retrospectively identified 474 patients with renal insufficiency (estimated glomerular filtration rate < 60 ml/min/1.73 m2) who underwent OCT during coronary angiography or percutaneous coronary intervention; 110 patients with LMWD plus contrast medium (LMWD group) and 364 patients with contrast medium exclusively (Contrast group). We evaluated differences between the two groups and performed propensity score-matched subgroup comparisons. Compared with the Contrast group, the LMWD group had worse baseline renal function, higher prevalence of diabetes mellitus and percutaneous coronary intervention history, higher C-reactive protein and N-terminal pro B-type natriuretic peptide levels, lower hemoglobin levels, and lower left ventricular ejection fraction. The median total volume of contrast medium in the Contrast group was 230.0 ml vs. 61.8 ml of LMWD in addition to 164.0 ml of contrast medium in the LMWD group. Renal function was consistently impaired in the LMWD group within 5 days, at 1-month, and 1-year follow-up (P < 0.001). Two propensity score-matched analyses adjusted for either total volume used or contrast media volume consistently indicated a trend toward worsening renal function in the LMWD group at the 1-year follow-up. No protective benefit for renal function from using LMWD instead of contrast media for OCT was observed in patients with renal insufficiency.

Neisseria macacae bacteremia: report of two cases with a literature review.

BACKGROUND: Neisseria macacae was discovered in the oral cavity of monkeys in 1983. In humans, it has been isolated from the upper respiratory tract of neutropenic patients. However, only two cases of N. macacae bacteremia have been reported in a 65-year-old man with infective endocarditis and a 5-month-old child with fever and petechiae. There are no reports of infections in cancer patients. Here, we present two cases of N. macacae bacteremia in cancer patients. CASE PRESENTATION: In the first case, a 42-year-old woman who underwent ovarian cancer surgery presented with duodenal invasion associated with multiple lymph node metastasis. N. macacae was isolated from her blood culture and identified using matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight (MALDI-TOF) mass spectrometry (MS). In the second case, a 69-year-old woman with a long-standing history of esophagogastric junction cancer presented with fever. She had stage IVB cancer with lung, bone, and multiple lymph node metastasis. The last chemotherapy was administered 5 weeks before N. macacae was detected using MALDI-TOF MS and nitrate test negative. In both cases, transthoracic echography showed no vegetation. Antibiotics were administered for 14 and 13 days in the first and second cases, respectively. In both cases, fever alleviated on day 4 of antibiotic administration. Both patients were discharged after their conditions improved. CONCLUSIONS: This, to our knowledge, is the first report of N. macacae bacteremia in cancer patients. Both patients, mucosal damage was observed in the upper gastrointestinal tract. Therefore, exclusion diagnosis suggested that bacteremia invasion was caused by mucosal rupture in both cases. Both cases responded well to treatment with ß-lactam antibiotics and improved after 2 weeks. Modifying the treatment based on the source of the infection may shorten the treatment period. Therefore, further research on N. macacae bacteremia is necessary. Immunocompromised patients such as those with cancer are susceptible to mucosal damage by unusual bacterial species such as N. macacae despite not having contact with monkeys.

Healed Plaques in Patients With Stable Angina Pectoris.

OBJECTIVE: Healed plaques, signs of previous plaque destabilization, are frequently found in the coronary arteries. Healed plaques can now be diagnosed in living patients. We investigated the prevalence, angiographic, and optical coherence tomography features of healed plaques in patients with stable angina pectoris. Approach and Results: Patients with stable angina pectoris who had undergone optical coherence tomography imaging were included. Healed plaques were defined as plaques with one or more signal-rich layers of different optical density. Patients were divided into 2 groups based on layered or nonlayered phenotype at the culprit lesion. Among 163 patients, 87 (53.4%) had layered culprit plaque. Patients with layered culprit plaque had more multivessel disease (62.1% versus 44.7%, P=0.027) and more angiographically complex culprit lesions (64.4% versus 35.5%, P<0.001). Layered culprit plaques had higher prevalence of lipid plaque (83.9% versus 64.5%, P=0.004), macrophage infiltration (58.6% versus 35.5%, P=0.003), calcifications (78.2% versus 63.2%, P=0.035), and thrombus (28.7% versus 14.5%, P=0.029). Lipid index (P=0.001) and percent area stenosis (P=0.015) were greater in the layered group. The number of nonculprit plaques, evaluated using coronary angiograms, tended to be greater in patients with layered culprit plaque (4.2±2.5 versus 3.5±2.1, P=0.053). Nonculprit plaques in patients with layered culprit lesion had higher prevalence of layered pattern (P=0.002) and lipid phenotype (P=0.005). Lipid index (P=0.013) and percent area stenosis (P=0.002) were also greater in this group. CONCLUSIONS: In patients with stable angina pectoris, healed culprit plaques are common and have more features of vulnerability and advanced atherosclerosis both at culprit and nonculprit lesions.

Clinical features of Clostridium bacteremia in cancer patients: A case series review.

Clostridium bacteremia is a well-known cause of infection in patients with gastrointestinal lesions. However, the clinical characteristics of this infection in cancer patients are unclear. We retrospectively reviewed cases of blood cultures positive for Clostridium species between March 1, 2004 and May 30, 2018 at the Shizuoka Cancer Center Hospital. Medical records of 40 patients who met the study criteria were reviewed for age, gender, underlying disease, history of disease, blood culture results, laboratory test results, and radiographic data. The common sources of Clostridium species in these patients were hepatobiliary tract infection and liver abscess (13/40; 32.5%) and bacteremia/enteritis due to gastrointestinal tumor (13/40; 32.5%). All patients had malignancies, with the most common being colorectal cancer (n = 9) followed by pancreatic cancer (n = 8) and gastric cancer (n = 6). The most common species isolated was C. perfringens followed by C. ramnosum. Twenty-five patients (62.5%) had polymicrobial bacteremia with the following organisms isolated from concurrent blood cultures: Escherichia coli (n = 8) and Klebsiella spp. (n = 7). Of these bacteremia cases, 37 had digestive organ lesions such as gastrointestinal malignancy, peritoneal dissemination, or intestinal infiltration. Seventeen patients died, resulting in an overall mortality rate of 42.5% at 30 days. Common cases of Clostridium bacteremia were derived from gastrointestinal lesions, and because Clostridium bacteremia is observed regardless of species, it should be considered necessary to examine gastrointestinal lesions.

Clinical significance of the presence of puff-chandelier ruptures detected by nonobstructive aortic angioscopy.

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to investigate the prevalence and prognostic significance of atherosclerotic aortic plaques (AAPs) or specific AAP types detected by nonobstructive angioscopy (NOA) in patients who underwent percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). BACKGROUND: Although recent studies have reported the presence of various patterns of AAPs, identified by NOA, the clinical significance of the presence of AAPs remains elusive. METHODS: In this retrospective, multicenter cohort study, a total of 167 patients who underwent PCI and intra-aortic scans with NOA were studied. The association between AAPs and the incidence of major adverse cardiac events (MACEs), including cardiac death, myocardial infarction, stroke, and clinically driven unplanned revascularizations, was assessed. RESULTS: AAPs were detected in 126 patients (75%) who underwent NOA. MACEs occurred in 28 (17%) patients during the follow-up (median 2.9 years [range 2.1-3.8]). Among all types of AAPs, only puff-chandelier rupture (PCR) showed a significant difference in frequency between patients with and those without MACEs: 21 (75%) and 49 (35%), respectively (p < .001). Multivariable Cox proportional hazard analysis revealed that PCR (hazard ratio [HR] 3.73, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.57-8.87, p = .004) and chronic kidney disease (HR 2.97, 95% CI 1.37-6.44, p = .010) were independent predictors of MACEs. Kaplan-Meier analysis revealed that PCR was significantly associated with more frequent MACEs. CONCLUSION: The detection of PCR in the aorta using NOA was significantly associated with an increased risk of subsequent adverse events after PCI.

Aortic Plaque Distribution, and Association between Aortic Plaque and Atherosclerotic Risk Factors: An Aortic Angioscopy Study.

AIM: Knowledge of subclinical plaque morphology and plaque distribution in the aorta in vivo remains unclear. This study aimed to increase the body of knowledge in this area. METHODS: We enrolled 37 consecutive patients with stable angina pectoris patients who underwent non-obstructive angioscopy for both the coronary artery and aorta immediately after percutaneous coronary intervention. We evaluated the presence of aortic plaques and the distribution of plaque instability. Patients were allocated into two groups according to the number of vulnerable plaques in whole aorta (a low [0-11] and high [≥ 12] group). We evaluated the relationships between the two groups in terms of cardiovascular risk factors. RESULTS: Aortic plaques were identified using non-obstructive angioscopy in all patients, and the greatest number of plaques was found at the infrarenal abdominal aorta (IAA) (the aortic arch, the descending thoracic aorta, the suprarenal abdominal aorta, the IAA, and common iliac artery; 65%, 76%, 65%, 95%, and 49%, respectively; p＜0.001). The maximum yellow grade, and the number of intense yellow plaques, ruptured plaques, and thrombi were highest at the IAA (p＜0.001). The prevalence of diabetes mellitus and peripheral arterial disease was higher in the high vulnerable plaque group (83.3% vs. 40.0%, p=0.010, 50.0% vs. 8.0%, p=0.005, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: Aortic atherosclerosis was the most severe at the IAA, and aortic plaque vulnerability and distribution were associated with the prevalence of diabetes mellitus and peripheral artery disease in patients with stable angina pectoris. Non-obstructive angioscopy may identify patients at high risk of future aortic events.

Observation of an Asymptomatic Dissecting Aortic Aneurysm Using Non-Obstructive Angioscopy.

Non-obstructive angioscopy has become a novel method of evaluating atheromatous plaques of the aortic intimal wall. A 77-year-old man with coronary artery disease underwent percutaneous coronary intervention in the left descending artery. We subsequently used non-obstructive angioscopy to identify aortic atheromatous plaques and incidentally diagnosed an aortic dissecting aneurysm. Non-obstructive angioscopy demonstrated a great fissure in severe atheromatous plaques at the entry site of the aortic dissection identified by enhanced computed tomography. This is the first report to describe the aortic intimal findings of an aortic dissecting aneurysm in vivo by using trans-catheter angioscopy.

Intravascular Ultrasound and Angioscopy Assessment of Coronary Plaque Components in Chronic Totally Occluded Lesions.

BACKGROUND: The in vivo lesion morphologies and plaque components of coronary chronic total occlusion (CTO) lesions remain unclear.Methods and Results:We investigated 57 consecutive CTO lesions in 57 patients with stable angina pectoris undergoing elective percutaneous coronary intervention with intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) and coronary angioscopy (CAS) examination. All CTO lesions were classified according to the proximal angiographic lumen pattern; tapered-type (T-CTO) and abrupt-type (A-CTO). The differences in the intracoronary images of these lesion types were evaluated according to the location within the CTO segment. A total of 35 lesions (61.4%) were T-CTO. T-CTO lesions had higher frequencies of red thrombi (proximal 71.4%; middle 74.3%; distal 31.4%; P<0.001) and bright-yellow plaques (yellow-grade 2-3) (48.6%; 74.3%; 2.9%; P<0.001) at the proximal or middle than at the distal subsegment; A-CTO lesions showed no significant differences among the 3 sub-segments. At the middle subsegment, T-CTO lesions showed higher frequencies of positive remodeling (51.4% vs. 18.2%, P=0.01) and bright-yellow plaques (74.3% vs. 13.6%, P<0.001) compared with A-CTO lesions. Multivariate analysis identified bright-yellow plaque as an independent predictor (odds ratio, 7.25; 95% confidence interval, 1.25-42.04; P=0.03) of the occurrence of periprocedural myocardial necrosis. CONCLUSIONS: The combination of IVUS and CAS analysis may be useful for identifying lesion morphology and plaque components, which may help clarify the pathogenetic mechanism of CTO lesions.

EROSION Study (Effective Anti-Thrombotic Therapy Without Stenting: Intravascular Optical Coherence Tomography-Based Management in Plaque Erosion): A 1-Year Follow-Up Report.

BACKGROUND: The initial EROSION study (Effective Anti-Thrombotic Therapy Without Stenting: Intravascular Optical Coherence Tomography-Based Management in Plaque Erosion) demonstrated that patients with acute coronary syndrome caused by plaque erosion might be stabilized with aspirin and ticagrelor without stenting for ≤1 month. However, a long-term evaluation of outcomes is lacking. The aim of this study was to assess whether the initial benefit of noninterventional therapy for patients with acute coronary syndrome caused by plaque erosion is maintained for ≤1 year. METHODS AND RESULTS: Among 53 patients who completed clinical follow-up, 49 underwent repeat optical coherence tomography imaging at 1 year. Median residual thrombus volume decreased significantly from 1 month to 1 year (0.3 mm3 (0.0-2.0 mm3] versus 0.1 mm3 [0.0-2.0 mm3]; P=0.001). Almost half of the patients (46.9%) had no residual thrombus at 1 year. Minimal effective flow area remained unchanged (2.1 mm2 [1.5-3.8 mm2] versus 2.1 mm2 [1.6-4.0 mm2]; P=0.152). Among 53 patients, 49 (92.5%) remained free from major adverse cardiovascular event for ≤1 year: 3 (5.7%) patients required revascularization because of exertional angina and 1 (1.9%) patient had gastrointestinal bleeding. CONCLUSIONS: One-year follow-up optical coherence tomography demonstrated a further decrease in thrombus volume between 1-month and 1-year follow-up. A majority (92.5%) of patients with acute coronary syndrome caused by plaque erosion managed with aspirin and ticagrelor without stenting remained free of major adverse cardiovascular event for ≤1 year. CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION: URL: https://www.clinicaltrials.gov. Unique identifier: NCT02041650.

Differences in coronary plaque characteristics between patients with and those without peripheral arterial disease.

INTRODUCTION: Cardiovascular mortality of patients with combined peripheral arterial disease (PAD) and coronary artery disease (CAD) is twice as high as that in those with either disease alone. It is known that patients with PAD undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention have a higher incidence of adverse cardiac events such as myocardial infarction or target vessel revascularization. OBJECTIVE: In this study, we compared the detailed characteristics of culprit and nonculprit plaques between patients with and those without PAD using optical coherence tomography. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We performed propensity score matching using the following variables: (i) age; (ii) sex; (iii) clinical presentation; (iv) diabetes mellitus; (v) hyperlipidemia; (vi) smoking; (vii) hypertension; (viii) BMI; and (ix) coronary lesion location. Finally, we matched 34 culprit lesions and 30 nonculprit lesions in patients with PAD to 68 culprit lesions and 60 nonculprit lesions in patients without PAD (1 : 2 ratio). RESULTS: In culprit lesions, PAD patients when compared with those without PAD had a higher prevalence of lipid-rich plaque (73.5 vs. 51.5%; P=0.033), higher lipid index (1744±1110 vs. 1246±656; P=0.043), calcification (79.4 vs. 58.8%; P=0.039), macrophage accumulation (70.6 vs. 48.5%; P=0.034), and cholesterol crystals (32.4 vs. 10.3%; P=0.006). In nonculprit lesions, PAD patients had a higher prevalence of calcification (76.7 vs. 55.0%; P=0.046), macrophage accumulation (63.3 vs. 38.3%; P=0.025), and cholesterol crystals (36.7 vs. 16.7%; P=0.034). CONCLUSION: Our study suggests greater coronary plaque vulnerability in both culprit and nonculprit lesions in patients with PAD. This observation underscores the need for more aggressive risk management in patients with combined PAD and coronary artery disease.

Occurrence of Focal Atrial Tachycardia During the Ablation Procedure Is Associated With Arrhythmia Recurrence After Termination of Persistent Atrial Fibrillation.

INTRODUCTION: Catheter ablation can terminate persistent atrial fibrillation (AF). However, atrial tachycardia (AT) often arises after termination of AF. METHODS AND RESULTS: Of 215 patients who underwent index stepwise ablation for persistent AF, 141 (66%) patients (64 ± 9 years) in whom AF terminated during the ablation procedure were studied. If AF converted into AT, ablation for AT was subsequently performed. ATs were categorized as focal or macroreentrant AT. We assessed whether type of AT occurring after conversion of AF during the ablation procedure was associated with freedom from atrial tachyarrhythmia (AF or AT) during follow-up. Sinus rhythm was directly restored from AF in 37 patients, while 34, 37, and 33 patients had focal AT alone, a mix of focal and macroreentrant AT, and macroreentrant AT alone after termination of AF, respectively. Arrhythmia-free survival rates at 1 year after the index procedure were 30%, 34%, 61%, and 59% in the patients with focal AT alone, a mix of focal AT and macroreentrant AT, macroreentrant AT alone, and direct restoration of sinus rhythm, respectively (P = 0.004). Type of AT occurring during the index procedure was associated with type of recurrent AT (P = 0.03), but the origin of focal AT occurring during the index ablation differed from that of the recurrent AT in 85% of patients. CONCLUSION: In patients who had AF termination by ablation, occurrence of focal AT during the ablation procedure was associated with worse clinical outcome than occurrence of macroreentrant AT, likely due to ATs arising from other foci during follow-up.