Optimal antithrombotic strategy in patients with atrial fibrillation beyond 1 year after drug-eluting stent implantation: Design and rationale of the randomized ADAPT AF-DES trial.

BACKGROUND: Both anticoagulation and antiplatelet therapies are recommended after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF). Although contemporary guidelines recommend discontinuation of antiplatelet therapy 1 year after drug-eluting stent (DES) implantation due to excessive bleeding risk, supporting randomized trials are still lacking. METHODS: The ADAPT AF-DES trial is a multicenter, prospective, open-label, randomized, non-inferiority trial, enrolling 960 patients with AF with a CHA2DS2-VASc score > 1, who underwent PCI with DES implantation at least 12 months before enrollment. Eligible patients are randomly assigned to receive either non-vitamin K antagonist oral anticoagulant (NOAC) monotherapy or NOAC plus clopidogrel combination therapy. The primary outcome is net adverse clinical event (NACE) at 1 year after randomization, defined as a composite of all-cause death, myocardial infarction, stent thrombosis, stroke, systemic embolism, and major or clinically relevant non-major bleeding, as defined by the International Society on Thrombosis and Hemostasis criteria. We hypothesize that NOAC monotherapy would be non-inferior to NOAC plus clopidogrel combination therapy for NACE in patients with AF beyond 12 months after DES implantation. CONCLUSIONS: The ADAPT AF-DES trial will evaluate the efficacy and safety of NOAC monotherapy versus NOAC plus clopidogrel combination therapy in patients with AF beyond 12 months after PCI with DES implantation. The ADAPT AF-DES trial will provide robust evidence for an optimal antithrombotic strategy in patients with AF after DES implantation. CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION: https://www. CLINICALTRIALS: gov. Unique identifier: NCT04250116.

Prognostic Implication of Platelet Reactivity According to Left Ventricular Systolic Dysfunction Status in Patients Treated With Drug-Eluting Stent Implantation: Analysis of the PTRG-DES Consortium.

BACKGROUND: Coronary artery disease patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) often exhibit reduced left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF). However, the impact of LV dysfunction status in conjunction with platelet reactivity on clinical outcomes has not been previously investigated. METHODS: From the multicenter PTRG-DES (Platelet function and genoType-Related long-term prognosis in DES-treated patients) consortium, the patients were classified as preserved-EF (PEF: LVEF ≥ 50%) and reduced-EF (REF: LVEF< 5 0%) group by echocardiography. Platelet reactivity was measured using VerifyNow P2Y12 assay and high platelet reactivity (HPR) was defined as PRU ≥ 252. The major adverse cardiac and cerebrovascular events (MACCEs) were a composite of death, myocardial infarction, stent thrombosis and stroke at 5 years after PCI. Major bleeding was defined as Bleeding Academic Research Consortium bleeding types 3-5. RESULTS: A total of 13,160 patients from PTRG-DES, 9,319 (79.6%) patients with the results of both PRU and LVEF were analyzed. The incidence of MACCE and major bleeding was higher in REF group as compared with PEF group (MACCEs: hazard ratio [HR] 2.17, P < 0.001, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.85-2.55; major bleeding: HR 1.78, P < 0.001, 95% CI 1.39-2.78). The highest rate of MACCEs was found in patients with REF and HPR, and the difference between the groups was statistically significant (HR 3.14 in REF(+)/HPR(+) vs. PEF(+)/HPR(-) group, P < 0.01, 95% CI 2.51-3.91). The frequency of major bleeding was not associated with the HPR in either group. CONCLUSION: LV dysfunction was associated with an increased incidence of MACCEs and major bleeding in patients who underwent PCI. The HPR status further exhibited significant increase of MACCEs in patients with LV dysfunction in a large, real-world registry. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT04734028.

Efficacy and safety of cilostazol-based triple antiplatelet therapy compared with clopidogrel-based dual antiplatelet therapy in patients with acute ST-elevation myocardial infarction undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention: A multicenter, randomized, open-label, phase 4 trial.

BACKGROUND: Previous studies reported that compared to conventional dual antiplatelet therapy (DAT; aspirin + clopidogrel), triple antiplatelet therapy (TAT), involving the addition of cilostazol to DAT, had better clinical outcomes in patients with ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI). However, the optimal duration of TAT is yet to be determined. METHODS: In total, 985 patients with STEMI who underwent primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) with drug-eluting stents (DESs) were prospectively enrolled in 15 PCI centers in South Korea and China. We randomly assigned patients into 3 groups: DAT (aspirin and clopidogrel for 12 months), TAT 1M (aspirin, clopidogrel, and cilostazol for 1 month), and TAT 6M (aspirin, clopidogrel, and cilostazol for 6 months). The primary endpoint was 1-year major adverse cardiovascular events (MACEs), defined as a composite of all-cause death, recurrent myocardial infarction, stroke, or repeat revascularization. RESULTS: The primary endpoint did not differ among the 3 groups (8.8% in DAT, 11.0% in TAT 1M, and 11.6% in TAT 6M; hazard ratio for TAT 1M vs DAT, 1.302; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.792-2.141; P = .297; hazard ratio for TAT 6M vs DAT, 1.358; 95% CI, 0.829-2.225; P = .225). With respect to in-hospital outcomes, more bleeding events occurred in the TAT group than in the DAT group (1.3% vs 4.7% vs 2.6%, P = .029), with no significant differences in major bleeding events. Additionally, the TAT group had a higher incidence of headaches (0% vs 1.6% vs 2.6%, P = .020). CONCLUSIONS: The addition of cilostazol to DAT did not reduce the incidence of 1-year MACEs compared with DAT alone. Instead, it may be associated with an increased risk of drug intolerance and side effects, including in-hospital bleeding and headaches.

Drug-coated balloon-based versus drug-eluting stent-only revascularization in patients with diabetes and multivessel coronary artery disease.

BACKGROUND: Data on drug-coated balloon (DCB) treatment in the context of diabetes mellitus (DM) and multivessel coronary artery disease (CAD) are limited. We aimed to investigate the clinical impact of DCB-based revascularization on percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) in patients with DM and multivessel CAD. METHODS: A total of 254 patients with multivessel disease (104 patients with DM) successfully treated with DCB alone or combined with drug-eluting stent (DES) were retrospectively enrolled (DCB-based group) and compared with 254 propensity-matched patients treated with second-generation DES from the PTRG-DES registry (n = 13,160 patients) (DES-only group). Major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) comprised cardiac death, myocardial infarction, stroke, stent or target lesion thrombosis, target vessel revascularization, and major bleeding at 2 years. RESULTS: The DCB-based group was associated with a reduced risk of MACE in patients with DM (hazard ratio [HR] 0.19, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.05-0.68, p = 0.003], but not in those without DM (HR 0.52, 95% CI 0.20-1.38, p = 0.167) at the 2-year follow-up. In patients with DM, the risk of cardiac death was lower in the DCB-based group than the DES-only group, but not in those without DM. In both patients with or without DM, the burdens of DES and small DES (less than 2.5 mm) used were lower in the DCB-based group than in the DES-only group. CONCLUSIONS: In multivessel CAD, the clinical benefit of a DCB-based revascularization strategy appears to be more evident in patients with DM than in those without DM after 2 years of follow-up. (Impact of Drug-Coated Balloon Treatment in De Novo Coronary Lesion; NCT04619277).

Implication of diabetic status on platelet reactivity and clinical outcomes after drug-eluting stent implantation: results from the PTRG-DES consortium.

BACKGROUND: Diabetes mellitus (DM) is associated with thrombogenicity, clinically manifested with atherothrombotic events after percutaneous cutaneous intervention (PCI). This study aimed to investigate association between DM status and platelet reactivity, and their prognostic implication in PCI-treated patients. METHODS: The Platelet function and genoType-Related long-term Prognosis-Platelet Function Test (PTRG-PFT) cohort was established to determine the linkage of platelet function test (PFT) with long-term prognosis during dual antiplatelet therapy including clopidogrel in patients treated with drug-eluting stent (DES). We assessed platelet reactivity using VerifyNow and 'high platelet reactivity (HPR)' was defined as ≥ 252 P2Y12 reaction unit (PRU). Major adverse cardiac and cerebrovascular event (MACCE) was a composite of all-cause death, myocardial infarction, stent thrombosis or stroke. RESULTS: Between July 2003 and Aug 2018, DES-treated patients with available PFT were enrolled (n = 11,714). Diabetic patients demonstrated significant higher levels of platelet reactivity (DM vs. non-DM: 225.7 ± 77.5 vs. 213.6 ± 79.1 PRU, P < 0.001) and greater prevalence of HPR compared to non-diabetic patients (38.1% vs. 32.0%, P < 0.001). PRU level and prevalence of HPR were significantly associated with insulin requirement and HbA1c level, as well as diabetic status. DM status and HPR phenotype had a similar prognostic implication, which showed the synergistic clinical impact on MACCE. Association between PRU level and MACCE occurrence seemed higher in diabetic vs. non-diabetic patients. In non-DM patients, HPR phenotype did not significantly increase the risk of MACCE (adjusted hazard ratio [HRadj]: 1.073; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.869-1.325; P = 0.511), whereas HPR was an independent determinant for MACCE occurrence among diabetic patients (HRadj: 1.507; 95% CI: 1.193-1.902; P < 0.001). CONCLUSION: The levels of on-clopidogrel platelet reactivity are determined by diabetic status and the severity of DM. In addition, HPR phenotype significantly increases the risk of MACCE only in diabetic patients. CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION: URL: https://www. CLINICALTRIALS: gov . Unique identifier: NCT04734028.

Effects of delayed hospitalization on the 3-year clinical outcomes of patients with or without diabetes who had non-ST-segment-elevation myocardial infarction and underwent new-generation drug-eluting stent implantation.

Clinical outcomes after non-ST-segment-elevation myocardial infarction (NSTEMI) in patients with (symptom-to-door time [SDT] ≥ 24 h) or without (SDT < 24 h) delayed hospitalization among patients with or without diabetes were compared. From the Korea Acute Myocardial Infarction Registry-National Institute of Health, a total of 4517 patients with NSTEMI who underwent new-generation drug-eluting stents implantation were recruited and they were classified into the diabetes mellitus (DM) and non-DM groups. These two groups were subdivided into groups with and without delayed hospitalization. The primary clinical outcome was the occurrence of major adverse cardiac and cerebrovascular events (MACCE), defined as all-cause death, recurrent myocardial infarction, repeat coronary revascularization, and stroke. The secondary clinical outcome was the occurrence of individual components of MACCE and stent thrombosis. Although after multivariable and propensity score-adjusted analyses in the DM group, the primary and secondary clinical outcomes between the SDT < 24 h and SDT ≥ 24 h groups were similar; in the non-DM group, all-cause (p = 0.003 and p = 0.007, respectively) and cardiac (p = 0.001 and p = 0.008, respectively) death rates were significantly higher in the SDT ≥ 24 h group than in the SDT < 24 h group. Our results suggested that there was no significant difference in prognosis between diabetic patients with and without delayed SDT, but delayed SDT was associated with poor prognosis in nondiabetic patients.

Sex-Based Outcomes of P2Y12 Inhibitor Monotherapy After Three Months of Dual Antiplatelet Therapy in Patients Undergoing Percutaneous Coronary Intervention.

BACKGROUND: In patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) in the SMART-CHOICE trial, P2Y12 inhibitor monotherapy after three months of dual antiplatelet therapy (DAPT) achieved clinical outcomes comparable to those of 12 months of DAPT. Nonetheless, the effects of sex on these outcomes remain unknown. METHODS: This open-label, non-inferiority, randomized study, conducted in 33 hospitals in South Korea, included 2,993 patients undergoing PCI with drug-eluting stents. Patients were randomly assigned to receive DAPT (aspirin plus a P2Y12 inhibitor) for three months then P2Y12 inhibitor alone for nine months, or DAPT for the entire 12 months. The primary endpoints were major adverse cardiac and cerebrovascular events (a composite of all-cause death, myocardial infarction, or stroke) 12 months after the index procedure. The bleeding endpoints were Bleeding Academic Research Consortium (BARC) bleeding types 2 to 5. RESULTS: Of the patients, 795 (26.6%) were women, who were older and had a higher prevalence of hypertension, diabetes, and dyslipidemia than men. The sexes exhibited comparable primary endpoints (adjusted hazard ratio [HR], 0.93; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.55-1.55; P = 0.770) and bleeding endpoints (adjusted HR, 1.07; 95% CI, 0.63-1.81; P = 0.811). P2Y12 inhibitor monotherapy vs DAPT was associated with lower risk of BARC type 2 to 5 bleeding in women (adjusted HR, 0.40; 95% CI, 0.16-0.98; P = 0.045) but the difference was not statistically significant when using the Bonferroni correction. The primary endpoints were similar between treatment groups in both sexes. CONCLUSION: In both sexes undergoing PCI, P2Y12 inhibitor monotherapy after three months of DAPT achieved similar risks of the primary endpoints and the bleeding events compared with prolonged DAPT. Therefore, the benefits of early aspirin withdrawal with ongoing P2Y12 inhibitors may be comparable in women and men. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT02079194.

Two-year outcomes between ST-elevation and non-ST-elevation myocardial infarction in patients with chronic kidney disease undergoing newer-generation drug-eluting stent implantation.

BACKGROUND: We evaluated the 2-year clinical outcomes of ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) and non-STEMI (NSTEMI) in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) who received newer-generation drug-eluting stents (DES). METHODS: Overall, 18,875 acute myocardial infarction patients were divided into two groups: CKD (STEMI, n = 1707; NSTEMI, n = 1648) and non-CKD (STEMI, n = 8660; NSTEMI, n = 6860). The occurrence of major adverse cardiac events (MACE), defined as all-cause death, recurrent myocardial infarction (re-MI), any repeat coronary revascularization, and definite or probable stent thrombosis (ST), was evaluated. RESULTS: After multivariable-adjusted analysis, in the CKD group, the MACE (adjusted hazard ratio [aHR]: 1.365, p = 0.004), all-cause death (aHR: 1.503, p = 0.004), noncardiac death (non-CD; aHR: 1.960, p = 0.004), and all-cause death or MI rates (aHR: 1.458, p = 0.002) were significantly higher in the NSTEMI group than in the STEMI group. In the non-CKD group, the non-CD rate (aHR: 1.78, p = 0.006) was also higher in the NSTEMI group. The CD, re-MI, any repeat revascularization, and ST rates were similar between groups. In the CKD group, from 6 months to 2 years after the index procedure, all-cause death, non-CD, and all-cause death or MI rates were significantly higher in the NSTEMI group than in the STEMI group. These results may be related to the higher non-CD rate in the NSTEMI group. CONCLUSIONS: In the era of contemporary newer-generation DES, NSTEMI showed a relatively higher non-CD rate than STEMI in both CKD and non-CKD groups.

Coronary CTA With AI-QCT Interpretation: Comparison With Myocardial Perfusion Imaging for Detection of Obstructive Stenosis Using Invasive Angiography as Reference Standard.

BACKGROUND. Deep learning frameworks have been applied to interpretation of coronary CTA performed for coronary artery disease (CAD) evaluation. OBJECTIVE. The purpose of our study was to compare the diagnostic performance of myocardial perfusion imaging (MPI) and coronary CTA with artificial intelligence quantitative CT (AI-QCT) interpretation for detection of obstructive CAD on invasive angiography and to assess the downstream impact of including coronary CTA with AI-QCT in diagnostic algorithms. METHODS. This study entailed a retrospective post hoc analysis of the derivation cohort of the prospective 23-center Computed Tomographic Evaluation of Atherosclerotic Determinants of Myocardial Ischemia (CREDENCE) trial. The study included 301 patients (88 women and 213 men; mean age, 64.4 ± 10.2 [SD] years) recruited from May 2014 to May 2017 with stable symptoms of myocardial ischemia referred for nonemergent invasive angiography. Patients underwent coronary CTA and MPI before angiography with quantitative coronary angiography (QCA) measurements and fractional flow reserve (FFR). CTA examinations were analyzed using an FDA-cleared cloud-based software platform that performs AI-QCT for stenosis determination. Diagnostic performance was evaluated. Diagnostic algorithms were compared. RESULTS. Among 102 patients with no ischemia on MPI, AI-QCT identified obstructive (≥ 50%) stenosis in 54% of patients, including severe (≥ 70%) stenosis in 20%. Among 199 patients with ischemia on MPI, AI-QCT identified nonobstructive (1-49%) stenosis in 23%. AI-QCT had significantly higher AUC (all p < .001) than MPI for predicting ≥ 50% stenosis by QCA (0.88 vs 0.66), ≥ 70% stenosis by QCA (0.92 vs 0.81), and FFR < 0.80 (0.90 vs 0.71). An AI-QCT result of ≥ 50% stenosis and ischemia on stress MPI had sensitivity of 95% versus 74% and specificity of 63% versus 43% for detecting ≥ 50% stenosis by QCA measurement. Compared with performing MPI in all patients and those showing ischemia undergoing invasive angiography, a scenario of performing coronary CTA with AIQCT in all patients and those showing ≥ 70% stenosis undergoing invasive angiography would reduce invasive angiography utilization by 39%; a scenario of performing MPI in all patients and those showing ischemia undergoing coronary CTA with AI-QCT and those with ≥ 70% stenosis on AI-QCT undergoing invasive angiography would reduce invasive angiography utilization by 49%. CONCLUSION. Coronary CTA with AI-QCT had higher diagnostic performance than MPI for detecting obstructive CAD. CLINICAL IMPACT. A diagnostic algorithm incorporating AI-QCT could substantially reduce unnecessary downstream invasive testing and costs. TRIAL REGISTRATION. Clinicaltrials.gov NCT02173275.

Comparison of Factors Associated With Direct Versus Transferred-in Admission to Government-Designated Regional Centers Between Acute Ischemic Stroke and Myocardial Infarction in Korea.

BACKGROUND: There has been no comparison of the determinants of admission route between acute ischemic stroke (AIS) and acute myocardial infarction (AMI). We examined whether factors associated with direct versus transferred-in admission to regional cardiocerebrovascular centers (RCVCs) differed between AIS and AMI. METHODS: Using a nationwide RCVC registry, we identified consecutive patients presenting with AMI and AIS between July 2016 and December 2018. We explored factors associated with direct admission to RCVCs in patients with AIS and AMI and examined whether those associations differed between AIS and AMI, including interaction terms between each factor and disease type in multivariable models. To explore the influence of emergency medical service (EMS) paramedics on hospital selection, stratified analyses according to use of EMS were also performed. RESULTS: Among the 17,897 and 8,927 AIS and AMI patients, 66.6% and 48.2% were directly admitted to RCVCs, respectively. Multivariable analysis showed that previous coronary heart disease, prehospital awareness, higher education level, and EMS use increased the odds of direct admission to RCVCs, but the odds ratio (OR) was different between AIS and AMI (for the first 3 factors, AMI > AIS; for EMS use, AMI < AIS). EMS use was the single most important factor for both AIS and AMI (OR, 4.72 vs. 3.90). Hypertension and hyperlipidemia increased, while living alone decreased the odds of direct admission only in AMI; additionally, age (65-74 years), previous stroke, and presentation during non-working hours increased the odds only in AIS. EMS use weakened the associations between direct admission and most factors in both AIS and AMI. CONCLUSIONS: Various patient factors were differentially associated with direct admission to RCVCs between AIS and AMI. Public education for symptom awareness and use of EMS is essential in optimizing the transportation and hospitalization of patients with AMI and AIS.

Comparative effect of statin intensity between prediabetes and type 2 diabetes mellitus after implanting newer-generation drug-eluting stents in Korean acute myocardial infarction patients: a retrospective observational study.

BACKGROUND: Comparative studies regarding the long-term clinical outcomes of statin intensity between acute myocardial infarction (AMI) patients with prediabetes and those with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), after successful implantation of newer-generation drug-eluting stents (DES) with statin treatment, are limited. We compared the 2-year clinical outcomes between these patients. METHODS: A total of 11,612 AMI patients were classified as statin users (n = 9893) and non-users (n = 1719). Thereafter, statin users were further divided into high-intensity (n = 2984) or low-moderate-intensity statin (n = 6909) treatment groups. Those in these two groups were further classified into patients with normoglycemia, prediabetes, and T2DM. The major outcomes were the occurrence of major adverse cardiac events (MACE), defined as all-cause death, recurrent myocardial infarction (Re-MI), or any repeat coronary revascularization. RESULTS: After adjusting for both high-intensity and low-moderate-intensity statin users, the cumulative incidences of MACE (p = 0.737, p = 0.062, respectively), all-cause death, Re-MI, and any repeat revascularization were similar between the prediabetes and T2DM groups. In the total study population, both high-intensity and low-moderate-intensity statin treatments showed comparable results. However, in the patients who enrolled after October 2012, the cumulative incidences of MACE (aHR 1.533; 95% CI 1.144-2.053; p = 0.004) and any repeat revascularization (aHR, 1.587; 95% CI 1.026-2.456; p = 0.038) were significantly lower in high-intensity statin users than in low-moderate intensity statin users. The beneficial effects of high-intensity compared to low-moderate-intensity statin therapy were more apparent in the normoglycemia group than hyperglycemia group, as it reduced the cumulative incidences of MACE (aHR 1.903; 95% CI 1.203-3.010; p = 0.006) and any repeat revascularization (aHR 3.248; 95% CI 1.539-6.854; p = 0.002). CONCLUSIONS: In this retrospective registry study, prediabetes and T2DM groups showed comparable clinical outcomes, after administering both high-intensity and low-moderate-intensity statin treatments. However, these results are likely to be clearly proved by further studies, especially in patients with AMI who are being treated in contemporary practice. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Retrospectively registered.

Outcomes between prediabetes and type 2 diabetes mellitus in older adults with acute myocardial infarction in the era of newer-generation drug-eluting stents: a retrospective observational study.

BACKGROUND: The comparative clinical outcomes between prediabetes and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) in older adults with AMI in the era of newer-generation drug-eluting stents (DES) are limited. We investigated the 2-year clinical outcomes of these patients. METHODS: A total of 5492 AMI patients aged ≥65 years were classified into three groups according to their glycemic status: normoglycemia (group A: 1193), prediabetes (group B: 1696), and T2DM (group C: 2603). The primary outcome was the occurrence of major adverse cardiac events (MACE), defined as all-cause death, recurrent myocardial infarction (Re-MI), and any repeat revascularization. The secondary outcome was stent thrombosis (ST). RESULTS: The primary and secondary outcomes cumulative incidences were similar between the prediabetes and T2DM groups. In both the prediabetes and T2DM groups, the cumulative incidences of MACE (adjusted hazard ratio [aHR]: 1.373; p = 0.020 and aHR: 1.479; p = 0.002, respectively) and all-cause death or MI (aHR: 1.436; p = 0.022 and aHR: 1.647; p = 0.001, respectively) were significantly higher than those in the normoglycemia group. Additionally, the cumulative incidence of all-cause death in the T2DM group was significantly higher than that in the normoglycemia group (aHR, 1.666; p = 0.003). CONCLUSIONS: In this retrospective study, despite the 2-year clinical outcomes of the patients with prediabetes and T2DM in the older adults were worse than those in the normoglycemia group; they were similar between the prediabetes and T2DM groups. Hence, comparable treatment strategies should be strengthened between prediabetes and T2DM in older adults with AMI. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Retrospectively registered.

A Clinical Risk Score to Predict In-hospital Mortality from COVID-19 in South Korea.

BACKGROUND: Early identification of patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) who are at high risk of mortality is of vital importance for appropriate clinical decision making and delivering optimal treatment. We aimed to develop and validate a clinical risk score for predicting mortality at the time of admission of patients hospitalized with COVID-19. METHODS: Collaborating with the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC), we established a prospective consecutive cohort of 5,628 patients with confirmed COVID-19 infection who were admitted to 120 hospitals in Korea between January 20, 2020, and April 30, 2020. The cohort was randomly divided using a 7:3 ratio into a development (n = 3,940) and validation (n = 1,688) set. Clinical information and complete blood count (CBC) detected at admission were investigated using Least Absolute Shrinkage and Selection Operator (LASSO) and logistic regression to construct a predictive risk score (COVID-Mortality Score). The discriminative power of the risk model was assessed by calculating the area under the curve (AUC) of the receiver operating characteristic curves. RESULTS: The incidence of mortality was 4.3% in both the development and validation set. A COVID-Mortality Score consisting of age, sex, body mass index, combined comorbidity, clinical symptoms, and CBC was developed. AUCs of the scoring system were 0.96 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.85-0.91) and 0.97 (95% CI, 0.84-0.93) in the development and validation set, respectively. If the model was optimized for > 90% sensitivity, accuracies were 81.0% and 80.2% with sensitivities of 91.7% and 86.1% in the development and validation set, respectively. The optimized scoring system has been applied to the public online risk calculator (https://www.diseaseriskscore.com). CONCLUSION: This clinically developed and validated COVID-Mortality Score, using clinical data available at the time of admission, will aid clinicians in predicting in-hospital mortality.

Impact of stent generation on 2-year clinical outcomes in ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction patients with multivessel disease who underwent culprit-only or multivessel percutaneous coronary intervention.

BACKGROUND: Data concerning the impact of stent generation on long-term outcomes in ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) patients with multivessel disease (MVD) who underwent primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) with culprit-only PCI (C-PCI) or multivessel PCI (M-PCI) are limited. METHODS: A total of 7,266 patients were separated into the two groups, a C-PCI (n = 4,901) or M-PCI group (n = 2,365). The primary endpoint was the occurrence of major adverse cardiac events (MACE) defined as all-cause death, recurrent myocardial infarction, and any repeat revascularization. The secondary endpoint was the cumulative incidence of stent thrombosis (ST) at 2 years. RESULTS: The cumulative incidence of MACE was significantly higher in the bare-metal stents (BMS) group than the first-generation (1G)-drug-eluting stents (DES) (C-PCI: adjusted hazard ratio [aHR], 1.940; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.389-2.709; p < .001; M-PCI: aHR, 1.544; 95% CI, 1.099-2.074; p = .038), and the second-generation (2G)-DES group (C-PCI: aHR, 2.271; 95% CI, 1.657-3.114; p < .001; M-PCI: aHR, 2.999; 95% CI, 1.899-4.704; p < .001). In the M-PCI group, 1G-DES showed a higher incidence of MACE compared with 2G-DES (aHR, 1.639; 95% CI, 1.028-2.614; p = .004). The cumulative incidences of ST in the both groups were similar. CONCLUSION: The cumulative incidence of MACE was the lowest for 2G-DES, the highest for BMS, and intermediate for 1G-DES in the STEMI patients with MVD after C-PCI or M-PCI. However, cumulative incidence of ST in the two different reperfusion strategy groups was similar regardless of stent generation.

Comparison of First- and Second-Generation Drug-Eluting Stents in Patients with Acute Myocardial Infarction and Prediabetes Based on the Hemoglobin A1c Level.

OBJECTIVE: To compare major clinical outcomes after successful percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) with first-generation (1G) drug-eluting stents (DES) and second-generation (2G) DES in patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI) and prediabetes. BACKGROUND: Patients with prediabetes are associated with an increased incidence of coronary artery disease. The relative superiority of 1G- and 2G-DES in these patients is not well established. METHODS: A total of 4997 patients with AMI and prediabetes were divided into two groups: the 1D-DES group (n = 726) and the 2G-DES group (n = 4271). The primary outcomes were the patient-oriented composite outcomes (POCOs) defined as all-cause death, recurrent myocardial infarction (Re-MI), and any disease revascularization at 2-year follow-up. The secondary outcome was probable or definite stent thrombosis (ST). RESULTS: After propensity score-matching (PSM) analysis, two PSM groups (698 pairs, n = 1396, C-statistics = 0.725) were generated. The cumulative incidence rates of POCOs (hazard ratio (HR): 1.467; 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.068-2.015; p = 0.018), any disease revascularization (HR: 2.259; 95% CI: 1.397-3.654; p = 0.001), and ST (HR: 4.361; 95% CI: 1.243-15.30; p = 0.021) in the 1G-DES group were significantly higher than those in the 2G-DES group. However, the cumulative incidence rates of all-cause death, cardiac death, and Re-MI were similar between the two groups. CONCLUSIONS: In patients with AMI and prediabetes, 2G-DES implantation was more efficacious than 1G-DES implantation over a 2-year follow-up period. However, further studies are needed to confirm these results.

Effect of Ticagrelor Monotherapy vs Ticagrelor With Aspirin on Major Bleeding and Cardiovascular Events in Patients With Acute Coronary Syndrome: The TICO Randomized Clinical Trial.

Importance: Discontinuing aspirin after short-term dual antiplatelet therapy (DAPT) was evaluated as a bleeding reduction strategy. However, the strategy of ticagrelor monotherapy has not been exclusively evaluated in patients with acute coronary syndromes (ACS). Objective: To determine whether switching to ticagrelor monotherapy after 3 months of DAPT reduces net adverse clinical events compared with ticagrelor-based 12-month DAPT in patients with ACS treated with drug-eluting stents. Design, Setting, and Participants: A randomized multicenter trial was conducted in 3056 patients with ACS treated with drug-eluting stents between August 2015 and October 2018 at 38 centers in South Korea. Follow-up was completed in October 2019. Interventions: Patients were randomized to receive ticagrelor monotherapy (90 mg twice daily) after 3-month DAPT (n = 1527) or ticagrelor-based 12-month DAPT (n = 1529). Main Outcomes and Measures: The primary outcome was a 1-year net adverse clinical event, defined as a composite of major bleeding and adverse cardiac and cerebrovascular events (death, myocardial infarction, stent thrombosis, stroke, or target-vessel revascularization). Prespecified secondary outcomes included major bleeding and major adverse cardiac and cerebrovascular events. Results: Among 3056 patients who were randomized (mean age, 61 years; 628 women [20%]; 36% ST-elevation myocardial infarction), 2978 patients (97.4%) completed the trial. The primary outcome occurred in 59 patients (3.9%) receiving ticagrelor monotherapy after 3-month DAPT and in 89 patients (5.9%) receiving ticagrelor-based 12-month DAPT (absolute difference, -1.98% [95% CI, -3.50% to -0.45%]; hazard ratio [HR], 0.66 [95% CI, 0.48 to 0.92]; P = .01). Of 10 prespecified secondary outcomes, 8 showed no significant difference. Major bleeding occurred in 1.7% of patients with ticagrelor monotherapy after 3-month DAPT and in 3.0% of patients with ticagrelor-based 12-month DAPT (HR, 0.56 [95% CI, 0.34 to 0.91]; P = .02). The incidence of major adverse cardiac and cerebrovascular events was not significantly different between the ticagrelor monotherapy after 3-month DAPT group (2.3%) vs the ticagrelor-based 12-month DAPT group (3.4%) (HR, 0.69 [95% CI, 0.45 to 1.06]; P = .09). Conclusions and Relevance: Among patients with acute coronary syndromes treated with drug-eluting stents, ticagrelor monotherapy after 3 months of dual antiplatelet therapy, compared with ticagrelor-based 12-month dual antiplatelet therapy, resulted in a modest but statistically significant reduction in a composite outcome of major bleeding and cardiovascular events at 1 year. The study population and lower than expected event rates should be considered in interpreting the trial. Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT02494895.

Comparison of Durable-Polymer- and Biodegradable-Polymer-Based Newer-Generation Drug-Eluting Stents in Patients with Acute Myocardial Infarction and Prediabetes After Successful Percutaneous Coronary Intervention.

Hyperglycemia is an important risk factor for poor clinical outcomes in patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI). The relative superiority of the long-term clinical outcomes of durable-polymer (DP) -based and biodegradable-polymer (BP) -based newer-generation drug-eluting stents (DESs) after successful percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) in patients with AMI and prediabetes is not well established. We compared the clinical outcomes in such patients between DP-based and BP-based newer-generation DESs.A total of 4,377 patients with AMI and prediabetes were divided into the following two groups: the DP-DES group (n = 3,775; zotarolimus-eluting stents [ZES; n = 1,546] and everolimus-eluting stents [EES; n = 2,229]) and the BP-DES group (n = 602; biolimus-eluting stents [BES]). The primary endpoint was the occurrence of major adverse cardiac events (MACEs), defined as all-cause death, recurrent myocardial infarction (re-MI), or any repeat revascularization. The secondary endpoint was the occurrence of stent thrombosis (ST).The 2-year adjusted hazard ratio (aHR) of MACEs for ZES versus EES, ZES versus BES, EES versus BES, and ZES/EES versus BES (aHR: 1.125; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.834-1.518; P = 0.440) were similar. The cumulative incidence of ST was also comparable between the DP-DES and BP-DES groups (aHR: 1.407; 95% CI, 0.476-4.158; P = 0.537). Moreover, the 2-year aHRs of all-cause death, CD, re-MI, target lesion revascularization (TLR), target vessel revascularization (TVR), and non-TVR were similar.Patients with AMI and prediabetes who received DP-DES or BP-DES during PCI showed comparable safety and efficacy during the 2-year follow-up period.

Two-year outcomes of statin therapy in patients with acute myocardial infarction with or without dyslipidemia after percutaneous coronary intervention in the era of new-generation drug-eluting stents within Korean population: Data from the Korea Acute Myocardial Infarction Registry.

BACKGROUND: Limited studies focused on long-term outcomes of statin therapy in patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI) with or without dyslipidemia after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) in the era of new-generation drug-eluting stents (DES). We thought to investigate 2-year clinical outcomes of statin therapy in these patients. METHODS: A total of 18,137 eligible AMI patients (from the Korea AMI Registry [KAMIR]) were finally enrolled and divided into four groups according to the presence or absence of dyslipidemia and statin therapy (dyslipidemia+/statin- [group A, 309 patients], dyslipidemia+/statin+ [group B, 2094 patients], dyslipidemia-/statin- [group C, 672 patients], dyslipidemia-/statin+ [group D, 15062 patients]). The primary outcome was major adverse cardiac event (MACE) defined as all-cause death, myocardial infarction (MI) and revascularization. RESULTS: During the 2-year follow-up period, the cumulative incidence of MACE in the group A was higher than the group B (adjusted hazard ratio [HR], 2.207; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.098-3.743; p = .024) and the group D (adjusted HR, 2.110; 95% CI, 1.240-3.593, p = .006). This significantly increased incidence of MACE caused by the higher cumulative incidences of all-cause death and cardiac death (CD) in the group A compared with groups B and D. However, the cumulative incidences of MI and revascularization were not significantly different among these four groups. CONCLUSION: Statin therapy demonstrated significantly reduced incidences of MACE, all-cause death and CD compared with non-users after PCI in AMI patients with or without dyslipidemia during 2-year follow-up period in the era of new-generation DES.

Comparison Between Beta-Blockers with Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme Inhibitors and Beta-Blockers with Angiotensin II Type I Receptor Blockers in ST-Segment Elevation Myocardial Infarction After Successful Percutaneous Coronary Intervention with Drug-Eluting Stents.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Limited comparative data concerning long-term clinical outcomes of combination therapy between beta-blockers (BB) with angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors (ACEI) or angiotensin receptor blockers (ARB) therapy in patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) are available. We thought to compare 2-year major clinical outcomes between BB with ACEI and BB with ARB therapy in patients with STEMI after successful percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) with drug-eluting stents (DES). METHODS: 13,873 STEMI patients who underwent successful PCI with DES were enrolled and divided into two groups as the BB with ACEI group (n = 10,393) and the BB with ARB group (n = 3480). The clinical endpoint was the occurrence of major adverse cardiac events (MACE) defined as all-cause death, cardiac death (CD), recurrent myocardial infarction (re-MI), total coronary revascularization (target lesion revascularization [TLR], target vessel revascularization [TVR], non-TVR) during the 2-year follow-up period. RESULTS: After propensity score-matched (PSM) analysis, two PSM groups (3296 pairs, n = 6592, C-statistic = 0.675) were generated. Although the incidences of re-MI, TLR, and TVR were similar, the incidences of MACE (8.3% vs. 6.8%, log-rank p = 0.038, hazard ratio [HR] 1.210, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.010-1.451, p = 0.039), all-cause death, CD, total revascularization, and non-TVR of the BB with ARB group were significantly higher than the BB with ACEI group after PSM. In addition, diabetes and multivessel disease were significant predictors for non-TVR. CONCLUSIONS: The combination BB with ACEI may be beneficial for reducing MACE in STEMI patients after successful PCI with DES than the BB with ARB.

Plaque modification and stabilization after paclitaxel-coated balloon treatment for de novo coronary lesions.

This study aimed to assess the healing response, as evidenced through temporal morphological and functional changes, following paclitaxel-coated balloon (PCB) treatment of de novo coronary lesions. This retrospective, observational study, included patients with significant de novo coronary lesions who were treated with PCB and had serial angiographic, intravascular ultrasound virtual histology (IVUS-VH), fractional flow reserve (FFR) measurements, and optical coherence tomography (OCT) performed before balloon angioplasty (BA), after BA, and at 9-month follow-up. A total of 20 patients (21 lesions) were included in this study. After PCB treatment, IVUS showed significant increases in the mean vessel area (12.0 ± 2.2 mm2 to 13.8 ± 2.5 mm2, p = 0.023), and mean lumen area (5.6 ± 1.2 mm2 to 7.0 ± 1.5 mm2, p = 0.003). Coronary flow was restored after BA with an FFR value of 0.87 ± 0.04 which was sustained at 9-month follow-up with no significant decrease (0.83 ± 0.08, p = 0.329). Serial OCT analysis showed that at 9-month follow-up dissections after BA sealed in 14 lesions (67%), whilst the macrophages decreased from 10 (50%) to 7 (35%) lesions, and the cap thickness of plaque increased from 0.12 ± 0.06 mm to 0.17 ± 0.09 mm (p = 0.007). PCB treatment for de novo coronary lesions showed persistent anatomical and functional patency at mid-term follow-up. Plaque modification, vascular remodeling, and plaque stabilization were also observed during follow-up.