Intravascular Imaging-Guided or Angiography-Guided Complex PCI.

BACKGROUND: Data regarding clinical outcomes after intravascular imaging-guided percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) for complex coronary-artery lesions, as compared with outcomes after angiography-guided PCI, are limited. METHODS: In this prospective, multicenter, open-label trial in South Korea, we randomly assigned patients with complex coronary-artery lesions in a 2:1 ratio to undergo either intravascular imaging-guided PCI or angiography-guided PCI. In the intravascular imaging group, the choice between intravascular ultrasonography and optical coherence tomography was at the operators' discretion. The primary end point was a composite of death from cardiac causes, target-vessel-related myocardial infarction, or clinically driven target-vessel revascularization. Safety was also assessed. RESULTS: A total of 1639 patients underwent randomization, with 1092 assigned to undergo intravascular imaging-guided PCI and 547 assigned to undergo angiography-guided PCI. At a median follow-up of 2.1 years (interquartile range, 1.4 to 3.0), a primary end-point event had occurred in 76 patients (cumulative incidence, 7.7%) in the intravascular imaging group and in 60 patients (cumulative incidence, 12.3%) in the angiography group (hazard ratio, 0.64; 95% confidence interval, 0.45 to 0.89; P = 0.008). Death from cardiac causes occurred in 16 patients (cumulative incidence, 1.7%) in the intravascular imaging group and in 17 patients (cumulative incidence, 3.8%) in the angiography group; target-vessel-related myocardial infarction occurred in 38 (cumulative incidence, 3.7%) and 30 (cumulative incidence, 5.6%), respectively; and clinically driven target-vessel revascularization in 32 (cumulative incidence, 3.4%) and 25 (cumulative incidence, 5.5%), respectively. There were no apparent between-group differences in the incidence of procedure-related safety events. CONCLUSIONS: Among patients with complex coronary-artery lesions, intravascular imaging-guided PCI led to a lower risk of a composite of death from cardiac causes, target-vessel-related myocardial infarction, or clinically driven target-vessel revascularization than angiography-guided PCI. (Supported by Abbott Vascular and Boston Scientific; RENOVATE-COMPLEX-PCI ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT03381872).

Optical coherence tomography-guided versus angiography-guided percutaneous coronary intervention for patients with complex lesions (OCCUPI): an investigator-initiated, multicentre, randomised, open-label, superiority trial in South Korea.

BACKGROUND: Despite the detailed imaging information provided by optical coherence tomography (OCT) during percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI), clinical benefits of this imaging technique in this setting remain uncertain. The aim of the OCCUPI trial was to compare the clinical benefits of OCT-guided versus angiography-guided PCI for complex lesions, assessed as the rate of major adverse cardiac events at 1 year. METHODS: This investigator-initiated, multicentre, randomised, open-label, superiority trial conducted at 20 hospitals in South Korea enrolled patients aged 19-85 years for whom PCI with drug-eluting stents was clinically indicated. After diagnostic angiography, clinical and angiographic findings were assessed to identify patients who met the criterion of having one or more complex lesions. Patients were randomly assigned 1:1 to receive PCI with OCT guidance (OCT-guidance group) or angiography guidance without OCT (angiography-guidance group). Web-response permuted-block randomisation (mixed blocks of four or six) was used at each participating site to allocate patients. The allocation sequence was computer-generated by an external programmer who was not involved in the rest of the trial. Outcome assessors were masked to group assignment. Patients, follow-up health-care providers, and data analysers were not masked. PCI was done according to conventional standard methods with everolimus-eluting stents. The primary endpoint was major adverse cardiac events (a composite of cardiac death, myocardial infarction, stent thrombosis, or ischaemia-driven target-vessel revascularisation), 1 year after PCI. The primary analysis was done in the intention-to-treat population. The margin used to establish superiority was 1·0 as a hazard ratio. This trial is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT03625908) and is completed. FINDINGS: Between Jan 9, 2019, and Sept 22, 2022, 1604 patients requiring PCI with drug-eluting stents for complex lesions were randomly assigned to receive either OCT-guided PCI (n=803) or angiography-guided PCI (n=801). 1290 (80%) of 1604 patients were male and 314 (20%) were female. The median age of patients at randomisation was 64 years (IQR 57-70). 1588 (99%) patients completed 1-year follow-up. The primary endpoint occurred in 37 (5%) of 803 patients in the OCT-guided PCI group and 59 (7%) of 801 patients in the angiography-guided PCI group (absolute difference -2·8% [95% CI -5·1 to -0·4]; hazard ratio 0·62 [95% CI 0·41 to 0·93]; p=0·023). Rates of stroke, bleeding events, and contrast-induced nephropathy were not significantly different across the two groups. INTERPRETATION: Among patients who required drug-eluting stent implantation for complex lesions, OCT guidance resulted in a lower incidence of major adverse cardiac events at 1 year compared with angiography guidance. These findings indicate the existence of a therapeutic benefit of OCT as an intravascular imaging technique for PCI guidance in patients with complex coronary lesions. FUNDING: Abbott Vascular and Cardiovascular Research Center. TRANSLATION: For the Korean translation of the abstract see Supplementary Materials section.

Platelet-fibrin clot strength and platelet reactivity predicting cardiovascular events after percutaneous coronary interventions.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Platelet-fibrin clot strength (PFCS) is linked to major adverse cardiovascular event (MACE) risk. However, the association between PFCS and platelet reactivity and their prognostic implication remains uncertain in patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). METHODS: In PCI-treated patients (n = 2512) from registry data from January 2010 to November 2018 in South Korea, PFCS using thromboelastography and platelet reactivity using VerifyNow were measured. High PFCS (PFCSHigh) was defined as thromboelastography maximal amplitude ≥ 68 mm, and high platelet reactivity (HPR) was defined as >208 P2Y12 reaction units. Patients were stratified into four groups according to maximal amplitude and P2Y12 reaction unit levels: (i) normal platelet reactivity (NPR)-PFCSNormal (31.8%), (ii) HPR-PFCSNormal (29.0%), (iii) NPR-PFCSHigh (18.1%), and (iv) HPR-PFCSHigh (21.1%). Major adverse cardiovascular event (all-cause death, myocardial infarction, or stroke) and major bleeding were followed up to 4 years. RESULTS: High platelet reactivity and PFCSHigh showed an additive effect for clinical outcomes (log-rank test, P < .001). Individuals with NPR-PFCSNormal, NPR-PFCSHigh, HPR-PFCSNormal, and HPR-PFCSHigh demonstrated MACE incidences of 7.5%, 12.6%, 13.4%, and 19.3%, respectively. The HPR-PFCSHigh group showed significantly higher risks of MACE compared with the NPR-PFCSNormal group [adjusted hazard ratio (HRadj) 1.89; 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.23-2.91; P = .004] and the HPR-PFCSNormal group (HRadj 1.60; 95% CI 1.12-2.27; P = .009). Similar results were observed for all-cause death. Compared with HPR-PFCSNormal phenotype, NPR-PFCSNormal phenotype was associated with a higher risk of major bleeding (HRadj 3.12; 95% CI 1.30-7.69; P = .010). CONCLUSIONS: In PCI patients, PFCS and platelet reactivity demonstrated important relationships in predicting clinical prognosis. Their combined assessment may enhance post-PCI risk stratification for personalized antithrombotic therapy.

Prognostic impact of hypercoagulability and impaired fibrinolysis in acute myocardial infarction.

AIMS: Atherothrombotic events are influenced by systemic hypercoagulability and fibrinolytic activity. The present study evaluated thrombogenicity indices and their prognostic implications according to disease acuity. METHODS AND RESULTS: From the consecutive patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI), those with thrombogenicity indices (n = 2705) were grouped according to disease acuity [acute myocardial infarction (AMI) vs. non-AMI]. Thrombogenicity indices were measured by thromboelastography (TEG). Blood samples for TEG were obtained immediately after insertion of the PCI sheath, and TEG tracing was performed within 4 h post-sampling. Major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE, a composite of cardiovascular death, non-fatal myocardial infarction, and non-fatal stroke) were evaluated for up to 4 years. Compared with non-AMI patients, AMI patients had higher platelet-fibrin clot strength [maximal amplitude (MA): 66.5 ± 7.8 vs. 65.3 ± 7.2 mm, P < 0.001] and lower fibrinolytic activity [clot lysis at 30 min (LY30): 0.9 ± 1.8% vs. 1.1 ± 1.9%, P < 0.001]. Index AMI presentation was associated with MA [per one-mm increase: odds ratio (OR): 1.024; 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.013-1.036; P < 0.001] and LY30 (per one% increase: OR: 0.934; 95% CI: 0.893-0.978; P = 0.004). The presence of high platelet-fibrin clot strength (MA ≥68 mm) and low fibrinolytic activity (LY30 < 0.2%) was synergistically associated with MACE occurrence. In the multivariable analysis, the combined phenotype of 'MA ≥ 68 mm' and 'LY30 < 0.2%' was a major predictor of post-PCI MACE in the AMI group [adjusted hazard ratio (HR): 1.744; 95% CI: 1.135-2.679; P = 0.011], but not in the non-AMI group (adjusted HR: 1.031; 95% CI: 0.499-2.129; P = 0.935). CONCLUSION: AMI occurrence is significantly associated with hypercoagulability and impaired fibrinolysis. Their combined phenotype increases the risk of post-PCI atherothrombotic event only in AMI patients. These observations may support individualized therapy that targets thrombogenicity for better outcomes in patients with AMI. CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION: Gyeongsang National University Hospital (G-NUH) Registry, NCT04650529.

Fractional flow reserve versus angiography-guided strategy in acute myocardial infarction with multivessel disease: a randomized trial.

AIMS: In patients with acute myocardial infarction (MI) and multivessel coronary artery disease, percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) of non-infarct-related artery reduces death or MI. However, whether selective PCI guided by fractional flow reserve (FFR) is superior to routine PCI guided by angiography alone is unclear. The current trial sought to compare FFR-guided PCI with angiography-guided PCI for non-infarct-related artery lesions among patients with acute MI and multivessel disease. METHODS AND RESULTS: Patients with acute MI and multivessel coronary artery disease who had undergone successful PCI of the infarct-related artery were randomly assigned to either FFR-guided PCI (FFR ≤0.80) or angiography-guided PCI (diameter stenosis of >50%) for non-infarct-related artery lesions. The primary end point was a composite of time to death, MI, or repeat revascularization. A total of 562 patients underwent randomization. Among them, 60.0% underwent immediate PCI for non-infarct-related artery lesions and 40.0% were treated by a staged procedure during the same hospitalization. PCI was performed for non-infarct-related artery in 64.1% in the FFR-guided PCI group and 97.1% in the angiography-guided PCI group, and resulted in significantly fewer stent used in the FFR-guided PCI group (2.2 ± 1.1 vs. 2.5 ± 0.9, P < 0.001). At a median follow-up of 3.5 years (interquartile range: 2.7-4.1 years), the primary end point occurred in 18 patients of 284 patients in the FFR-guided PCI group and in 40 of 278 patients in the angiography-guided PCI group (7.4% vs. 19.7%; hazard ratio, 0.43; 95% confidence interval, 0.25-0.75; P = 0.003). The death occurred in five patients (2.1%) in the FFR-guided PCI group and in 16 patients (8.5%) in the angiography-guided PCI group; MI in seven (2.5%) and 21 (8.9%), respectively; and unplanned revascularization in 10 (4.3%) and 16 (9.0%), respectively. CONCLUSION: In patients with acute MI and multivessel coronary artery disease, a strategy of selective PCI using FFR-guided decision-making was superior to a strategy of routine PCI based on angiographic diameter stenosis for treatment of non-infarct-related artery lesions regarding the risk of death, MI, or repeat revascularization.

LCN2 deficiency ameliorates doxorubicin-induced cardiomyopathy in mice.

Doxorubicin (DOX) is an effective anticancer drug with the side effect of irreparable cardiomyopathy. Lipocalin-2 (LCN2) has been identified as an important regulator of oxidative stress and inflammation in cardiovascular disease pathophysiology. Here, we demonstrate that LCN2 deletion increases autophagic flux in the DOX-treated hearts. Mice were injected intraperitoneally six times with 30 mg/kg DOX. Echocardiography showed that DOX-treated wild-type (WT) mice had markedly weaker cardiac function compared to saline-treated WT mice. In DOX-treated LCN2 knockout (KO) mice, cardiac function was partially restored. Histological analysis showed a reduction in cardiomyocyte diameter in DOX-treated WT mice that was ameliorated in DOX-treated LCN2KO mice. Cardiac levels of phosphorylated signal transducer and activator of transcription 3, LCN2, heme oxygenase-1, and NAD (P) H dehydrogenase were markedly greater in DOX-treated WT mice than in DOX-treated LCN2KO mice. Light chain 3B (LC3B)II expression was higher in DOX-treated WT mice, but lower in DOX-treated LCN2KO mice when compared to saline-treated WT mice. Less co-localization of LC3B and lysosomal-associated membrane protein 1 was observed in DOX-treated WT mice than in DOX-treated LCN2KO mice. LCN2 co-localized with LC3B-stained cells in the DOX-treated WT mouse heart, but not in the DOX-treated LCN2KO mouse heart. These findings indicate that the cardiotoxic effect of DOX is due to autophagosome accumulation mediated by LCN2 upregulation and that LCN2 may inhibit autophagic flux, leading to DOX-induced cardiomyopathy.

Very late vasomotor responses and gene expression with bioresorbable scaffolds and metallic drug-eluting stents.

OBJECTIVES: To investigate the long-term vasomotor response and inflammatory changes in Absorb bioresorbable vascular scaffold (BVS) and metallic drug-eluting stent (DES) implanted artery. BACKGROUND: Clinical evidence has demonstrated that compared to DES, BVS is associated with higher rates of target lesion failure. However, it is not known whether the higher event rates observed with BVS are related to endothelial dysfunction or inflammation associated with polymer degradation. METHODS: Ten Absorb BVS and six Xience V DES were randomly implanted in the main coronaries of six nonatherosclerotic swine. At 4-years, vasomotor response was evaluated in vivo by quantitative coronary angiography response to intracoronary infusion of Ach and ex vivo by the biomechanical response to prostaglandin F2-α (PGF2-α), substance P and bradykinin and gene expression analysis. RESULTS: Absorb BVS implanted arteries showed significantly restored vasoconstrictive responses after Ach compared to in-stent Xience V. The contractility of Absorb BVS treated segments induced by PGF2-α was significantly greater compared to Xience V treated segments and endothelial-dependent vasorelaxation was greater with Absorb BVS compared to Xience V. Gene expression analyses indicated the pro-inflammatory lymphotoxin-beta receptor (LTßR) signaling pathway was significantly upregulated in arteries treated with a metallic stent compared to Absorb BVS treated arterial segments. CONCLUSIONS: At 4 years, arteries treated with Absorb BVS compared with Xience V, demonstrate significantly greater restoration of vasomotor responses. Genetic analysis suggests mechanobiologic reparation of Absorb BVS treated arteries at 4 years as opposed to Xience V treated vessels.

Functional coronary angiography in symptomatic patients with no obstructive coronary artery disease.

BACKGROUND: Patients without obstructive coronary artery disease (CAD) may have epicardial or microvascular dysfunction. The purpose of this study was to characterize patterns of epicardial and microvascular dysfunction in men and women with stable and unstable angina undergoing functional coronary angiography to inform medical therapy. METHODS: 163 symptomatic patients with ≤50% diameter stenosis and fractional flow reserve (FFR) > 0.8 underwent endothelium-dependent epicardial and microvascular function after intracoronary acetylcholine (10-4  M, 81 mcg over 3 minutes). Endothelium-independent function was assessed using coronary flow reserve (CFR) and hyperemic microvascular resistance (HMR) after intravenous adenosine (140 ug/kg/min). Coronary microvascular dysfunction (CMD) was defined as CFR < 2.5, HMR ≥2, or ≤50% change in coronary blood flow with acetylcholine (CBFACH ). RESULTS: Seventy-two percent had endothelial-dependent epicardial dysfunction (response to ACH: % ∆ in coronary artery diameter and ∆%CBFACH ) and 92% had CMD. Among CMD patients, 65% had CFR < 2.5, 35% had HMR ≥2, and 60% had CBFACH change ≤50%. CFR modestly correlated with HMR (r = -0.38, p < .0001). Among patients with normal CFR, 26% had abnormal epicardial and 20% had abnormal microvascular endothelial dysfunction. Women had a lower CFR (p = .02), higher FFR (p = .03) compared to men. There were no differences in epicardial and microvascular function between patients with stable and unstable angina. CONCLUSION: In patients with no obstructive CAD: CMD is prevalent, abnormal CFR does not correlate with epicardial or microvascular endothelial dysfunction, women have lower CFR, higher FFR but similar endothelial function compared to men.

Viscoelastic properties of clot formation and their clinical impact in East Asian versus Caucasian patients with stable coronary artery disease: a COMPARE-RACE analysis.

Compared with Caucasian patients, East Asian patients with coronary artery disease (CAD) have demonstrated better clinical outcomes. We sought to compare the viscoelastic properties of clot formation and their impact on clinical outcomes in East Asian vs. Caucasian patients. We analyzed age- and sex-matched East Asian and Caucasian patients with stable CAD (n = 249 each). Viscoelastic properties of clot formation were assessed with thromboelastography (TEG), and 3-year clinical outcomes were recorded. Major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) were defined as a composite of cardiovascular death, myocardial infarction, or stroke. Compared with Caucasians, East Asians showed lower platelet-fibrin clot strength (PFCS) (maximum amplitude [MA]: 61.8 ± 7.9 vs. 65.4 ± 5.0 mm, p < 0.001). In a multivariate analysis, high PFCS (defined as MA ≥ 68 mm) was significantly associated with MACE occurrence (odds ratio 6.27, 95% CI 2.41 to 16.30, p < 0.001). East Asians vs. Caucasians had lower prevalence of high PFCS (odds ratio 0.50, 95% CI 0.27 to 0.93, p = 0.028). In conclusion, this is the first study to demonstrate different viscoelastic properties of clot between East Asian and Caucasian patients with stable CAD. The platelet-fibrin clot strength was significantly associated with MACE in these patients and was significantly lower in East Asians. Future studies are warranted to further explore the mechanistic explanation and clinical importance of these findings.

The Impact of platelet-fibrin clot strength on occurrence and clinical outcomes of peripheral artery disease in patients with significant coronary artery disease.

Patients with peripheral artery disease (PAD) have shown the increased risk of cardiovascular (CV) morbidity and mortality. This study sought to evaluate the impact of clot strength on prevalence and major adverse CV events (MACE) of PAD in high-risk patients. We enrolled patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) (n = 1667) with available platelet-fibrin clot strength [thrombin-induced maximal amplitude (MAthrombin) measured by thromboelastography] and inflammation [high sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP)]. PAD was defined with abnormal ankle-brachial index (≤ 0.9 or > 1.4). MACE was defined as a composite of CV death, myocardial infarction or stroke. PAD was observed in 201 patients (12.1%). In the multivariate analysis, high clot strength [MAthrombin ≥ 68 mm: odds ratio (OR) 1.70, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.20 to 2.41, p = 0.003] and enhanced inflammation (hs-CRP ≥ 3.0 mg/L: OR 2.30, 95% CI 1.56 to 3.41, p < 0.001) were associated with PAD occurrence. During the follow-up post-PCI (median, 25 months), MACE was more frequently occurred in patients with vs. without PAD (18.7% vs. 6.4% at 3 years; hazard ratio 1.72, 95% CI 1.03 to 2.87, p = 0.039). Furthermore, combined presence of PAD and high clot strength significantly increased the risk of MACE. In conclusion, this study is the first to show the impact of clot strength on prevalence and clinical outcomes of PAD in coronary artery disease patients undergoing PCI. Whether antithrombotic strategy according to level of this biomarker can improve clinical outcomes in PAD patients deserves the further study.

Influence of rabeprazole and famotidine on pharmacodynamic profile of dual antiplatelet therapy in clopidogrel-sensitive patients: The randomized, prospective, PROTECT trial.

Although acid suppressants are needed to attenuate gastrointestinal bleeding (GIB) after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI), pharmacodynamic interaction between clopidogrel and proton pump inhibitor (PPI) can increase the risk of high platelet reactivity (HPR). We sought to evaluate serial changes of platelet measures and influence of rabeprazole on platelet measures. After 600-mg clopidogrel loading for elective PCI, clopidogrel-sensitive patients were recruited and randomly assigned to add rabeprazole of daily 20 mg (n = 40) or famotidine of daily 40 mg (n = 40). Platelet measures were performed with light transmittance aggregometry and VASP-P assay. Primary endpoint was 5 µM ADP-induced platelet aggregation (PA) at 30-day follow-up. HPR was defined as 5 µM ADP-induced PA > 46%. Baseline platelet measures did not differ significantly between the groups. The 30-day level of 5 µM ADP-induced PA was similar between the famotidine vs. rabeprazole group (30.0 ± 16.4% vs. 30.2 ± 13.9%, P= .956). In addition, other platelet measures were comparable between the groups. At 30-day follow-up, the incidence of HPR was similar between the famotidine and rabeprazole groups (20.5% vs. 15.4%; P= .555). In conclusion, adjunctive use of rabeprazole showed the similar antiplatelet effect even in clopidogrel-sensitive patients compared with adjunctive famotidine, which may support the similar effect of rabeprazole and famotidine on the antiplatelet effect of dual antiplatelet therapy with clopidogrel plus aspirin.

The Role of Fractional Flow Reserve and Instantaneous Wave-Free Ratio Measurements in Patients with Acute Coronary Syndrome.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: The role of fractional flow reserve to guide revascularization in patients with stable angina is well established. The instantaneous wave-free ratio (iFR) is an emerging adenosine-free resting index that is non-inferior to FFR and has potential to streamline the functional evaluation of coronary artery disease. The feasibility and utility of intracoronary physiology in patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS) is unclear. This review will discuss the physiological principles and validity of using FFR and iFR in patients presenting with ACS. We will also provide an overview of the available evidence for their role in guiding revascularization in this patient group. RECENT FINDINGS: The use of intracoronary physiology in culprit lesions of patients presenting with STEMI is not recommended and its accuracy is uncertain in patients with NSTEMI. In contrast, the physiological assessment of non-culprit vessels with FFR and IFR is a reliable measure of lesion-specific ischemia. Recent studies have demonstrated that FFR-guided revascularization of non-culprit lesions improves clinical outcomes although the role of iFR in this patient cohort is unknown. Physiology-guided revascularization of non-culprit ACS lesions improves clinical outcomes. Future studies investigating the complementary role of plaque morphology, biomechanics, and systemic inflammation may provide clinicians with a more comprehensive framework to guide treatment decisions.

Pharmacodynamic effects of a new fixed-dose clopidogrel-aspirin combination compared with separate administration of clopidogrel and aspirin in patients treated with coronary stents: The ACCEL-COMBO trial.

Dual antiplatelet therapy (DAPT) with clopidogrel and aspirin is a widely prescribed regimen to prevent ischemic events in patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). A fixed-dose combination (FDC) capsule (HCP0911) has been developed to provide dosing convenience and improve adherence. We compared the antiplatelet effects of single daily dose HCP0911 with separate treatment with daily 75 mg clopidogrel plus 100 mg aspirin. This was a randomized, open-label, two-period, crossover, non-inferiority study conducted in stented patients who had been treated for at least 6 months with clopidogrel and aspirin. Thirty patients were randomly assigned to receive either daily 75 mg clopidogrel plus 100 mg aspirin treatment or HCP0911 for 2 weeks and then were crossed over to the other treatment for 2 weeks. Pharmacodynamic effects were measured with VerifyNow, light transmittance aggregometry (LTA), and thromboelastography (TEG®). The primary endpoint was P2Y12 Reaction Units (PRU) measured by VerifyNow. PRUs during treatment with HCP0911 were not inferior to those during separate treatment (202 ± 52 vs. 207 ± 60 PRU; mean difference, -5 PRU; 90% confidence interval of difference, -23 to 13 PRU; P for non-inferiority = 0.015 for predetermined limit). "BASE" and Aspirin Reaction Units by VerifyNow did not differ between the two treatments. During each treatment, there were no differences in maximal and final platelet aggregations by LTA (all P values ≥0.822) and TEG® measurements. In conclusion, in stented patients, the antiplatelet effect of a fixed-dose clopidogrel-aspirin combination, HCP0911, was not inferior to separate administration of clopidogrel and aspirin.

Long-acting cilostazol versus isosorbide mononitrate for patients with vasospastic angina: a randomized controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: Cilostazol has a vasodilatory function that may be beneficial for patients with vasospastic angina (VSA). We conducted a randomized, open-label, controlled trial to compare the efficacy and safety of long-acting cilostazol and isosorbide mononitrate (ISMN) for VSA. METHODS: The study included patients with confirmed VSA between September 2019 and May 2021. Participants were randomly assigned to receive long-acting cilostazol (test group, 200 mg once daily) or conventional ISMN therapy (control group, 20 mg twice daily) for 4 weeks. The clinical efficacy and safety were evaluated using weekly questionnaires. RESULTS: Forty patients were enrolled in the study (long-acting cilostazol, n  = 20; ISMN, n  = 20). Baseline characteristics were balanced between the two groups. Long acting cilostazol showed better angina symptom control within the first week compared to ISMN [reduction of pain intensity score, 6.0 (4.0-8.0) vs. 4.0 (1.0-5.0), P  = 0.005; frequency of angina symptom, 0 (0-2.0) vs. 2.0 (0-3.0), P  = 0.027, respectively]. The rate of neurological adverse reactions was lower in the cilostazol group than in the ISMN group (headache or dizziness, 40 vs. 85%, P  = 0.009; headache, 30 vs. 70%, P  = 0.027). CONCLUSION: Long-acting cilostazol provided comparable control of angina and fewer adverse neurologic reactions within 4 weeks compared to ISMN. Long-acting cilostazol provides more intensive control of angina within 1 week, suggesting that it may be an initial choice for the treatment of VSA.

Inflammation and platelet reactivity during adjunctive colchicine versus aspirin in patients with acute coronary syndrome treated with potent P2Y12 inhibitor.

Background: In patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI), the use of anti-inflammatory therapy with colchicine is associated with a reduction of recurrent ischemic events. The mechanisms of such findings are not fully elucidated. Objectives: To investigate the effects of colchicine versus aspirin on inflammation and platelet reactivity in patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS) undergoing PCI. Methods: This observational study compared laboratory measurements in ACS patients receiving single antiplatelet therapy with ticagrelor or prasugrel plus colchicine (MACT) (n = 185) versus conventional dual-antiplatelet therapy (DAPT) with aspirin plus ticagrelor or prasugrel (n = 497). The primary outcome was the frequency of high residual inflammation, defined as high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) ≥2 mg/L at 1 month post-PCI. Multiple sensitivity analyses were performed for the primary outcome, including multivariable adjustment, propensity-score matching, and inverse-probability weighted methods. Results: One month after PCI, patients treated with MACT had significantly lower levels of hs-CRP compared to those treated with DAPT (0.6 [0.4-1.2] vs. 0.9 [0.6-2.3] mg/L, p < 0.001). The frequency of high residual inflammation was also lower in the MACT group (10.8% vs. 27.2%, p < 0.001) (odds ratio [95% confidence interval] = 0.33 [0.20-0.54], p < 0.001). This effect was consistent across sensitivity analyses. There was no difference in platelet reactivity between MACT and DAPT (49.6 ± 49.0 vs. 51.5 ± 66.4 P2Y12 reaction unit [PRU] measured by VerifyNow, p = 0.776). Conclusion: In ACS patients undergoing PCI, MACT was associated with a lower rate of high residual inflammation without increasing platelet reactivity compared to conventional DAPT. Clinical trial registration: NCT04949516 for MACT pilot trial and NCT04650529 for Gyeongsang National University Hospital registry.

Long-term prognostic implications of brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity in patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention.

Objective: The long-term clinical effect of arterial stiffness in high-risk disease entities remains unclear. The prognostic implications of brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity (baPWV) were assessed using a real-world registry that included patients who underwent percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). Methods: Arterial stiffness was measured using baPWV before discharge. The primary outcome was net adverse clinical events (NACE), defined as a composite of all-cause death, non-fatal myocardial infarction, non-fatal stroke, or major bleeding. Secondary outcomes included major adverse cardiac and cerebrovascular events (MACCE: a composite of all-cause death, non-fatal myocardial infarction, or non-fatal stroke), and major bleeding. The outcomes were assessed over a 4-year period. Results: Patients (n = 3,930) were stratified into high- and low-baPWV groups based on a baPWV cut-off of 1891 cm/s determined through time-dependent receiver operating characteristic curve analysis. baPWV was linearly correlated with 4-year post-PCI clinical events. The high baPWV group had a greater cumulative incidence of NACE, MACCE, and major bleeding. According to multivariable analysis, the high baPWV groups had a significantly greater risk of 4-year NACE (adjusted hazard ratio [HRadj]: 1.44; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.12-1.85; p = 0.004), MACCE (HRadj: 1.40; 95% CI: 1.07-1.83; p = 0.015), and major bleeding (HRadj: 1.94; 95% CI: 1.15-3.25; p = 0.012). Conclusion: In PCI-treated patients, baPWV was significantly associated with long-term clinical outcomes, including ischemic and bleeding events, indicating its value for identifying high-risk phenotypes.

Very early vs delayed invasive strategy in high-risk NSTEMI patients without hemodynamic instability: Insight from the KAMIR-NIH.

BACKGROUND: High-risk non-ST-elevation myocardial infarction (NSTEMI) patients' optimal timing for percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) is debated despite the recommendation for early invasive revascularization. This study aimed to compare outcomes of NSTEMI patients without hemodynamic instability undergoing very early invasive strategy (VEIS, ≤ 12 hours) versus delayed invasive strategy (DIS, >12 hours). METHODS: Excluding urgent indications for PCI including initial systolic blood pressure under 90 mmHg, ventricular arrhythmia, or Killip class IV, 4,733 NSTEMI patients were recruited from the Korea Acute Myocardial Infarction Registry-National Institutes of Health (KAMIR-NIH). Patients were divided into low and high- global registry of acute coronary events risk score risk score (GRS) groups based on 140. Both groups were then categorized into VEIS and DIS. Clinical outcomes, including all-cause death (ACD), cardiac death (CD), recurrent MI, and cerebrovascular accident at 12 months, were evaluated. RESULTS: Among 4,733 NSTEMI patients, 62% had low GRS, and 38% had high GRS. The proportions of VEIS and DIS were 43% vs. 57% in the low GRS group and 47% vs. 53% in the high GRS group. In the low GRS group, VEIS and DIS demonstrated similar outcomes; however, in the high GRS group, VEIS exhibited worse ACD outcomes compared to DIS (HR = 1.46, P = 0.003). The adverse effect of VEIS was consistent with propensity score matched analysis (HR = 1.34, P = 0.042). CONCLUSION: VEIS yielded worse outcomes than DIS in high-risk NSTEMI patients without hemodynamic instability in real-world practice.

Clinical Impact of Self-Recognition of Recurrent Acute Myocardial Infarction: From KRMI-RCC.

Background/Objectives: Self-recognition of recurrent myocardial infarction (re-MI) may be essential for reducing prehospital time contrast to awareness of re-MI symptoms. However, data on the current status and clinical impact of self-recognition of re-MI are limited in the contemporary period. Thus, this study aimed to increase this body of knowledge. Methods: We enrolled 1018 patients with re-MI using data from the Korean Registry of Acute Myocardial Infarction for Regional Cardiocerebrovascular Centres. The patients were classified into self-recognised MI and unrecognised MI groups, and the differences between them were compared. Results: The rate of self-recognition among the patients with previous experience of MI was only 52.4%. Among the patients with re-MI, factors associated with self-recognition included recent first MI within 3 years, prior dyslipidaemia, two or more MI symptoms, and the male gender (p < 0.05). Factors associated with a lack of recognition were older age (≥70 years), prior stroke, and cancer history (p < 0.05). The proportion of symptoms-to-emergency room arrival time within 90 min among the patients with ST-elevation MI was significantly higher in the self-recognised group than in the unrecognised group (52.6% vs. 31.6%, p < 0.001). The self-recognised group showed a lower in-hospital mortality rate (1.5% vs. 6.2%, p < 0.001), and this benefit was maintained even after 1 year (hazard ratio: 0.53; p < 0.001). Conclusions: Only half of the patients who previously experienced a MI recognised a re-MI when it occurred. This recognition reduced prehospital delay and led to higher survival rates, which highlights the importance of patient education as well as objective monitoring devices, irrespective of individual recognition ability for immediate response.

Angiographic Severity of the Nonculprit Lesion and the Efficacy of Fractional Flow Reserve-Guided Complete Revascularization in Patients With AMI: FRAME-AMI Substudy.

BACKGROUND: The benefit of fractional flow reserve (FFR)-guided percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) for noninfarct-related artery (IRA) lesions with angiographically severe stenosis in patients with acute myocardial infarction is unclear. METHODS: Among 562 patients from the FRAME-AMI trial (Fractional Flow Reserve Versus Angiography-Guided Strategy for Management of Non-Infraction Related Artery Stenosis in Patients With Acute Myocardial Infarction) who were randomly allocated into either FFR-guided or angiography-guided PCI for non-IRA lesions, the current study evaluated the relationship between non-IRA stenosis measured by quantitative coronary angiography (QCA) and the efficacy of FFR-guided PCI. The incidence of the primary end point (death, myocardial infarction, or repeat revascularization) was compared between FFR- and angiography-guided PCI according to non-IRA stenosis severity (QCA stenosis ≥70% or <70%). RESULTS: A total of 562 patients were assigned to FFR-guided (n=284) versus angiography-guided PCI (n=278). At a median follow-up of 3.5 years, the primary end point occurred in 14 of 181 patients with FFR-guided PCI and 31 of 197 patients with angiography-guided PCI among patients with QCA stenosis ≥70% (8.5% versus 19.2%; hazard ratio, 0.41 [95% CI, 0.22-0.80]; P=0.008), while occurred in 4 of 103 patients with FFR-guided PCI and 9 of 81 patients with angiography-guided PCI among those with QCA stenosis <70% (3.9% versus 11.1%; P=0.315). There was no significant interaction between treatment strategy and non-IRA stenosis severity (P for interaction=0.636). FFR-guided PCI was associated with the reduction of death and myocardial infarction in both patients with QCA stenosis ≥70% (6.7% versus 15.1%; P=0.008) and those with QCA stenosis <70% (1.0% versus 9.6%; P=0.042) compared with angiography-guided PCI. CONCLUSIONS: In patients with acute myocardial infarction and multivessel disease, FFR-guided PCI tended to have a lower risk of primary end point than angiography-guided PCI regardless of non-IRA stenosis severity without significant interaction. REGISTRATION: URL: https://www.clinicaltrials.gov; Unique identifier: NCT02715518.