Intravascular ultrasound assessment of minimum lumen area and intimal hyperplasia in in-stent restenosis after drug-eluting or bare-metal stent implantation. The Nordic Intravascular Ultrasound Study (NIVUS).

INTRODUCTION: Drug-eluting stents (DES) reduce the risk of restenosis after percutaneous coronary intervention. The aim of the study was to evaluate, by intravascular ultrasound (IVUS), the minimum lumen area site in the stented segment and the distribution of intimal hyperplasia in patients presenting with a DES or bare-metal stent (BMS) in-stent restenosis. METHODS: The "Nordic Intravascular Ultrasound Study (NIVUS)" study was conducted in Nordic and Baltic countries as a prospective multicenter registry. Two hundred nine patients (DES n=121 and BMS n=88) with in-stent restenosis were enrolled. RESULTS: At the minimum lumen area site in the stented segment, the stent area (5.8±2.2mm2 vs. 7.6±2.4mm2, p<0.001) and intimal hyperplasia area (2.6±2.0mm2 vs. 5.0±2.2mm2, p<0.001) were significantly lower in patients treated with DES compared to BMS. The percentage of stents that did not have a minimum stent area of at least 5.0mm2 (under expansion) was higher in DES (58.7% vs. 37.7%, p=0.008) compared to BMS. Intimal hyperplasia covered 55.4±33.3% of the stent length in the DES compared to 90.7±17.4% in the BMS group, p<0.001. Focal in-stent restenosis was more often seen in DES treated patients compared to BMS treated patients (DES n=84 (59.9%) vs. BMS n=15 (17.0%), p<0.001). CONCLUSION: Stent underexpansion was more often seen in DES than BMS in-stent restenosis. DES more often had focal in-stent restenosis with less intimal hyperplasia.

Assessment of increasing intravenous adenosine dose in fractional flow reserve.

BACKGROUND: Effects of increased adenosine dose in the assessment of fractional flow reserve (FFR) were studied in relation to FFR results, hemodynamic effects and patient discomfort. FFR require maximal hyperemia mediated by adenosine. Standard dose is 140 µg/kg/min administrated intravenously. Higher doses are commonly used in clinical practice, but an extensive comparison between standard intravenous dose and a high dose (220 µg/kg/min) has previously not been performed. METHODS: Seventy-five patients undergoing FFR received standard dose adenosine, followed by high dose adenosine. FFR, mean arterial pressure (MAP) and heart rate (HR) were analyzed. Patient discomfort measured by Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) was assessed. RESULTS: No significant difference was found between the doses in FFR value (0.85 [0.79-0.90] vs 0.85 [0.79-0.89], p = 0.24). The two doses correlated well irrespective of lesion severity (r = 0.86, slope = 0.89, p = <0.001). There were no differences in MAP or HR. Patient discomfort was more pronounced using high dose adenosine (8.0 [5.0-9.0]) versus standard dose (5.0 [2.0-7.0]), p = <0.001. CONCLUSIONS: Increased dose adenosine does not improve hyperemia and is associated with increased patient discomfort. Our findings do not support the use of high dose adenosine. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Retrospective Trial registration: Current Controlled Trials ISRCTN14618196 . Registered 15 December 2016.

Safety, Feasibility, and Hemodynamic Effects of Mild Hypothermia in Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement: The TAVR-CHILL Trial.

The safety, feasibility, and hemodynamic effects of mild hypothermia (MH) induced by transnasal cooling were studied in transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR). MH is a common therapy following cardiac arrest and seems to have favorable effects in myocardial infarction and on hemodynamic stability. In TAVR, hemodynamic instability is common during rapid pacing. Twenty subjects undergoing TAVR were randomized 1:1 to hypothermia or normothermia. Hemodynamic endpoints were mean arterial blood pressure and required dosage of vasoactive and inotropic drugs. Patients were followed up at 6 months. All patients in the MH group (n=10) reached the target temperature of 34°C before first rapid pacing. Tympanic and urinary bladder temperature remained significantly lower in the MH group during the procedure. No adverse effects of cooling were observed. Mean arterial pressure was higher in the MH group (90±20 mm Hg) than in the control group (71±13 mm Hg) at the start of the procedure, at first rapid pacing (94±19 vs. 80±16 mm Hg), and at balloon aortic valvuloplasty (90±17 vs. 73±14 mm Hg). Less norepinephrine was administered to the hypothermia group. Transnasal cooling during TAVR was safe and well tolerated. We observed a more stable hemodynamic profile in the MH group, indicated by higher blood pressure and lower levels of vasoactive drugs required. A larger study of patients with severe ventricular dysfunction is required to more comprehensively investigate the hemodynamic effects of transnasal cooling in TAVR.

The 2011 outcome from the Swedish Health Care Registry on Heart Disease (SWEDEHEART).

OBJECTIVES: The Swedish Web-system for Enhancement and Development of Evidence-based care in Heart disease Evaluated According to Recommended Therapies (SWEDEHEART) collects data to support the improvement of care for heart disease. DESIGN: SWEDEHEART collects on-line data from consecutive patients treated at any coronary care unit n = (74), followed for secondary prevention, undergoing any coronary angiography, percutaneous coronary intervention, percutaneous valve or cardiac surgery. The registry is governed by an independent steering committee, the software is developed by Uppsala Clinical Research Center and it is funded by The Swedish national health care provider independent of industry support. Approximately 80,000 patients per year enter the database which consists of more than 3 million patients. RESULTS: Base-line, procedural, complications and discharge data consists of several hundred variables. The data quality is secured by monitoring. Outcomes are validated by linkage to other registries such as the National Cause of Death Register, the National Patient Registry, and the National Registry of Drug prescriptions. Thanks to the unique social security number provided to all citizens follow-up is complete. The 2011 outcomes with special emphasis on patients more than 80 years of age are presented. CONCLUSION: SWEDEHEART is a unique complete national registry for heart disease.