Immediate versus staged complete revascularisation in patients presenting with acute coronary syndrome and multivessel coronary disease (BIOVASC): a prospective, open-label, non-inferiority, randomised trial.

BACKGROUND: In patients with acute coronary syndrome and multivessel coronary disease, complete revascularisation by percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) is associated with improved clinical outcomes. We aimed to investigate whether PCI for non-culprit lesions should be attempted during the index procedure or staged. METHODS: This prospective, open-label, non-inferiority, randomised trial was done at 29 hospitals across Belgium, Italy, the Netherlands, and Spain. We included patients aged 18-85 years presenting with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction or non-ST-segment elevation acute coronary syndrome and multivessel (ie, two or more coronary arteries with a diameter of 2·5 mm or more and ≥70% stenosis based on visual estimation or positive coronary physiology testing) coronary artery disease with a clearly identifiable culprit lesion. A web-based randomisation module was used to randomly assign patients (1:1), with a random block size of four to eight, stratified by study centre, to undergo immediate complete revascularisation (PCI of the culprit lesion first, followed by other non-culprit lesions deemed to be clinically significant by the operator during the index procedure) or staged complete revascularisation (PCI of only the culprit lesion during the index procedure and PCI of all non-culprit lesions deemed to be clinically significant by the operator within 6 weeks after the index procedure). The primary outcome was the composite of all-cause mortality, myocardial infarction, any unplanned ischaemia-driven revascularisation, or cerebrovascular events at 1 year after the index procedure. Secondary outcomes included all-cause mortality, myocardial infarction, and unplanned ischaemia-driven revascularisation at 1 year after the index procedure. Primary and secondary outcomes were assessed in all randomly assigned patients by intention to treat. Non-inferiority of immediate to staged complete revascularisation was considered to be met if the upper boundary of the 95% CI of the hazard ratio (HR) for the primary outcome did not exceed 1·39. This trial is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT03621501. FINDINGS: Between June 26, 2018, and Oct 21, 2021, 764 patients (median age 65·7 years [IQR 57·2-72·9] and 598 [78·3%] males) were randomly assigned to the immediate complete revascularisation group and 761 patients (median age 65·3 years [58·6-72·9] and 589 [77·4%] males) were randomly assigned to the staged complete revascularisation group, and were included in the intention-to-treat population. The primary outcome at 1 year occurred in 57 (7·6%) of 764 patients in the immediate complete revascularisation group and in 71 (9·4%) of 761 patients in the staged complete revascularisation group (HR 0·78, 95% CI 0·55-1·11, pnon-inferiority=0·0011). There was no difference in all-cause death between the immediate and staged complete revascularisation groups (14 [1·9%] vs nine [1·2%]; HR 1·56, 95% CI 0·68-3·61, p=0·30). Myocardial infarction occurred in 14 (1·9%) patients in the immediate complete revascularisation group and in 34 (4·5%) patients in the staged complete revascularisation group (HR 0·41, 95% CI 0·22-0·76, p=0·0045). More unplanned ischaemia-driven revascularisations were performed in the staged complete revascularisation group than in the immediate complete revascularisation group (50 [6·7%] patients vs 31 [4·2%] patients; HR 0·61, 95% CI 0·39-0·95, p=0·030). INTERPRETATION: In patients presenting with acute coronary syndrome and multivessel disease, immediate complete revascularisation was non-inferior to staged complete revascularisation for the primary composite outcome and was associated with a reduction in myocardial infarction and unplanned ischaemia-driven revascularisation. FUNDING: Erasmus University Medical Center and Biotronik.

Relationship between stent length and very long-term target lesion failure following percutaneous coronary intervention for ST-elevation myocardial infarction in the drug-eluting stents era: insights from the EXAMINATION-EXTEND study.

BACKGROUND: Little data exist on the relationship between total stent length (TSL) and cardiovascular outcomes at very-long follow-up in patients with ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) in the 2nd generation drug-eluting stents (DES) era. AIM: To analyze the relationship between TSL and 10-year target-lesion failure (TLF) in STEMI patients treated with percutaneous coronary intervention enrolled in the EXAMINATION-EXTEND. METHODS: The EXAMINATION-EXTEND was an extended-follow-up study of the EXAMINATION trial, which randomized 1:1 STEMI patients to receive DES or bare metal stent (BMS). The primary endpoint was TLF, defined as a composite of target lesion revascularization (TLR), target vessel myocardial infarction (TVMI), or definite/probable stent thrombosis (ST). Relationship between stent length and TLF was evaluated in the whole study group in a multiple-adjusted Cox regression model with TSL as a quantitative variable. Subgroup analysis was also performed according to stent type, diameter, and overlap. RESULTS: A total of 1,489 patients with a median TSL of 23 mm (Q1-Q318-35 mm) were included. TSL was associated with TLF at 10 years (adjusted HR per 5 mm increase of 1.07; 95% CI, 1.01-1.14; P = .02). This effect was mainly driven by TLR and was consistent regardless of stent type, diameter, or overlap. There was no significant relationship between TSL and TV-MI or ST. CONCLUSIONS: In STEMI patients, there is a direct relationship between TSL implanted in the culprit vessel and the risk of TLF at 10 years, mainly driven by TLR. The use of DES did not modify this association.

Intermittent levosimendan infusion in ambulatory patients with end-stage heart failure: a systematic review and meta-analysis of 984 patients.

We sought to synthesize the available evidence regarding safety and efficacy of intermittent levosimendan (LEVO) infusions in ambulatory patients with end-stage heart failure (HF). Safety and efficacy of ambulatory intermittent LEVO infusion in patients with end-stage HF are yet not established. We systematically searched MEDLINE, EMBASE, SCOPUS, Web of Science, and Cochrane databases, from inception to January 30, 2021 for studies reporting outcome of adult ambulatory patients with end-stage HF treated with intermittent LEVO infusion. Fifteen studies (8 randomized and 7 observational) comprised 984 patients (LEVO [N = 727] and controls [N = 257]) met the inclusion criteria. LEVO was associated with improved New York Heart Association (NYHA) functional class (weighted mean difference [WMD] -1.04, 95%CI: -1.70 to -0.38, p < 0.001, 5 studies, I2 = 93%), improved left ventricular (LV) ejection fraction (WMD 4.0%, 95%CI: 2.8% to 5.3%, p < 0.001, 6 studies, I2 = 9%), and reduced BNP levels (WMD -549 pg/mL, 95%CI -866 to -233, p < 0001, 3 studies, I2 = 66%). All-cause death was not different (RR 0.65, 95%CI: 0.38 to 1.093, p = 0.10, 6 studies, I2 = 0), but cardiovascular death was lower on LEVO (RR 0.34, 95%CI: 0.13 to 0.87, p = 0.02, 3 studies, I2 = 0) compared to controls. Furthermore, health-related quality of life (HRQoL) was improved alongside with reduced LV size following LEVO infusions. Major adverse events were not different between LEVO and placebo. In conclusion, intermittent LEVO infusions in ambulatory patients with end-stage HF is associated with less frequent cardiovascular death alongside with improved NYHA class, quality of life, BNP levels, and LV function. However, the current evidence is limited by heterogeneous and relatively small studies.

Invasive left ventricle pressure-volume analysis: overview and practical clinical implications.

Ventricular pressure-volume (PV) analysis is the reference method for the study of cardiac mechanics. Advances in calibration algorithms and measuring techniques brought new perspectives for its application in different research and clinical settings. Simultaneous PV measurement in the heart chambers offers unique insights into mechanical cardiac efficiency. Beat to beat invasive PV monitoring can be instrumental in the understanding and management of heart failure, valvular heart disease, and mechanical cardiac support. This review focuses on intra cardiac left ventricular PV analysis principles, interpretation of signals, and potential clinical applications.

Percutaneous complete revascularization strategies using sirolimus-eluting biodegradable polymer-coated stents in patients presenting with acute coronary syndrome and multivessel disease: Rationale and design of the BIOVASC trial.

BACKGROUND: Complete revascularization in patients with an acute coronary syndrome and multivessel disease is superior compared to culprit-only treatment. However, it is unknown whether direct complete or staged complete revascularization should be pursued. METHODS: The BIOVASC study is an investigator-initiated, prospective, multicenter, randomized, 2-arm, international, open-label, noninferiority trial. We will randomize 1,525 patients 1:1 to immediate complete revascularization (experimental arm) or culprit-only plus staged complete revascularization (control arm). Patients will be enrolled in approximately 30 sites in Belgium, Italy, the Netherlands, and Spain. The primary end point is a composite of all-cause mortality, nonfatal myocardial infarction, any unplanned ischemia-driven revascularization (excluding staged procedures in the control arm at the predetermined time), and cerebrovascular events (MACCE) at 1 year post index procedure. CONCLUSIONS: The BIOVASC study aims to further refine the treatment algorithm for acute coronary syndrome patients with multivessel disease in terms of optimal timing for complete revascularization (Clinicaltrials.gov NCT03621501).

Incidence, determinants and consequences of delirium in older patients after transcatheter aortic valve implantation.

BACKGROUND: delirium is an event leading to negative health outcomes and increased mortality in patients. The aim of this study is to investigate the incidence, determinants and consequences of post-operative delirium (POD) in older patients undergoing transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI). METHODS: The TAVI Care and Cure program is a prospective, observational registry in patients referred for TAVI at Erasmus University Medical Centre. The presence of delirium was evaluated by daily clinical assessment by a geriatrician pre- and up to 3 days post-TAVI. Mortality data were obtained from the Dutch Civil Registry. RESULTS: A total of 543 patients underwent TAVI between January 2014 and December 2017. Overall, the incidence of POD was 14% (75/543 patients) but declined from 18% in 2014 to 7% in 2017 (P = 0.009). Patients who developed POD were older (81.9 ± 5.8 versus 78.6 ± 8.3 years, P < 0.001), had higher prevalence of renal dysfunction and prior stroke (54% versus 40%, P = 0.02; 31% versus 18%, P = 0.01) and were more often frail (32% versus 25%, P = 0.02). From a procedural perspective, general anesthesia (odds ratios (OR), 2.31; 95% CI, 1.40-3.83; P = 0.001), non-transfemoral access (OR, 2.37; 95% CI, 1.20-4.70; P = 0.01) and longer procedural time (OR, 1.01; 95% CI, 1.01-1.02; P < 0.001) were significantly associated with POD. One-year survival rate was 68% among patients who had suffered a POD and was 85% in patients without a POD (hazard ratio's 1.8 (95% CI 1.01-3.10), P = 0.045). CONCLUSION: POD frequently occurs after TAVI and is associated with increased mortality. It might be speculated that patient selection and the minimalistic approach of TAVI may reduce the frequency of delirium.

Impact of frailty on health-related quality of life 1 year after transcatheter aortic valve implantation.

BACKGROUND: Transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) brings symptom relief and improvement in health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in the majority of patients treated for symptomatic, severe aortic stenosis. However, there is a substantial group of patients that do not benefit from TAVI. The aim of this study is to investigate the impact of frailty on HRQoL 1 year after TAVI. METHODS: The TAVI Care & Cure Program is an ongoing, prospective, observational study including patients referred for TAVI to our institution. A comprehensive geriatric assessment was performed to evaluate existence of frailty using the Erasmus Frailty Score (EFS). HRQoL was assessed using the EQ-5D-5 L at baseline and 1 year after TAVI. RESULTS: 239 patients underwent TAVI and completed HRQoL assessment 1 year after TAVI. Seventy (29.3%) patients were classified as frail (EFS ≥ 3). In non-frail patients, the EQ-5D-5 L index did not change (0.71(± 0.22) to 0.68(± 0.33) points, P = 0.22); in frail patients, the EQ-5D-5 L index decreased from 0.55(±0.26) to 0.44 points (±0.33) (P = 0.022). Frailty was an independent predictor of deteriorated HRQoL 1 year after TAVI (OR 2.24, 95% CI 1.07-4.70, P = 0.003). In frail patients, the absence of peripheral artery disease (OR 0.17, 95% 0.05-0.50, P = 0.001) and renal dysfunction (OR 0.13, 95% CI 0.04-0.41, P = <0.001) at baseline was associated with improved HRQoL 1 year after TAVI. CONCLUSION: Frailty is associated with deterioration of HRQoL 1 year after TAVI. Notably, HRQoL did improve in frail patients with no peripheral arterial disease or renal impairment at baseline.

Fractional flow reserve guided percutaneous coronary intervention optimization directed by high-definition intravascular ultrasound versus standard of care: Rationale and study design of the prospective randomized FFR-REACT trial.

BACKGROUND: Post percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) fractional flow reserve (FFR) is a significant predictor of major adverse cardiac events (MACE). The rationale for low post procedural FFR values often remains elusive based on angiographic findings alone, warranting further assessment using an FFR pullback or additional intravascular imaging. It is currently unknown if additional interventions intended to improve the PCI, decrease MACE rates. STUDY DESIGN: The FFR REACT trial is a prospective, single-center randomized controlled trial in which 290 patients with a post PCI FFR <0.90 will be randomized (1:1) to either standard of care (no additional intervention) or intravascular ultrasound (IVUS)-directed optimization of the FFR (treatment arm). Eligible patients are those treated with angiographically successful PCI for (un)stable angina or non-ST elevation myocardial infarction (MI). Assuming 45% of patients will have a post PCI FFR <0.90, approximately 640 patients undergoing PCI will need to be enrolled. Patients with a post PCI FFR ≥ 0.90 will be enrolled in a prospective registry. The primary end point is defined as a composite of cardiac death, target vessel MI and clinically driven target vessel revascularisation (target vessel failure) at 1 year. Secondary end points will consist of individual components of the primary end point, procedural success, stent thrombosis and correlations on clinical outcome, changes in post PCI Pd/Pa and FFR and IVUS derived dimensions. All patients will be followed for 3 years. CONCLUSION: The FFR-REACT trial is designed to explore the potential benefit of HD-IVUS-guided PCI optimization in patients with a post PCI FFR <0.90 (Dutch trial register: NTR6711).

Development and validation of a risk model for long-term mortality after percutaneous coronary intervention: The IDEA-BIO Study.

OBJECTIVES: We aimed to develop a model to predict long-term mortality after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI), to aid in selecting patients with sufficient life expectancy to benefit from bioabsorbable scaffolds. BACKGROUND: Clinical trials are currently designed to demonstrate superiority of bioabsorbable scaffolds over metal devices up to 5 years after implantation. METHODS: From 2000 to 2011, 19.532 consecutive patients underwent PCI in a tertiary referral hospital. Patients were randomly (2:1) divided into a training (N = 13,090) and validation (N = 6,442) set. Cox regression was used to identify determinants of long-term mortality in the training set and used to develop a risk model. Model performance was studied in the training and validation dataset. RESULTS: Median age was 63 years (IQR 54-72) and 72% were men. Median follow-up was 3.6 years (interquartile range [IQR] 2.4-6.8). The ratio elective vs. non-elective PCIs was 42/58. During 88,620 patient-years of follow-up, 3,156 deaths occurred, implying an incidence rate of 35.6 per 1,000. Estimated 5-year mortality was 12.9%.Regression analysis revealed age, body mass index, diabetes mellitus, renal insufficiency, prior myocardial infarction, PCI indication, lesion location, number of diseased vessels and cardiogenic shock at presentation as determinants of mortality. The long-term risk model showed good discrimination in the training and validation sets (c-indices 0.76 and 0.74), whereas calibration was appropriate. CONCLUSIONS: A simple risk model, containing 9 baseline clinical and angiographic variables effectively predicts long-term mortality after PCI and may possibly be used to select suitable patients for bioabsorbable scaffolds.

Expanded clinical use of everolimus eluting bioresorbable vascular scaffolds for treatment of coronary artery disease.

BACKGROUND: Limited data are currently available on the performance of everolimus eluting bioresorbable vascular scaffold (BVS) for treatment of complex coronary lesions representative of daily practice. METHODS: This is a prospective, mono-center, single-arm study, reporting data after BVS implantation in patients presenting with stable, unstable angina, or non-ST segment elevation myocardial infarction caused by de novo stenotic lesions in native coronary arteries. No restrictions were applied to lesion complexity. Procedural results and 12-month clinical outcomes were reported. RESULTS: A total of 180 patients have been evaluated in the present study, with 249 treated coronary lesions. Device Success per lesion was 99.2%. A total of 119 calcified lesions were treated. Comparable results were observed among severe, moderate and noncalcified lesions in term of %diameter stenosis (%DS) (20.3 ± 10.5%, 17.8 ± 7.7%, 16.8 ± 8.6%; P = 0.112) and acute gain (1.36 ± 0.41 mm, 1.48 ± 0.44 mm, 1.56 ± 0.54 mm; P = 0.109). In bifurcations (54 lesions), side-branch ballooning after main vessel treatment was often performed (33.3%) with low rate of side-branch impairment (9.3%). A total of 29 cases with coronary total occlusions were treated. After BVS implantation %DS was not different from other lesion types (17.2 ± 9.4%, vs. 17.7 ± 8.6%; P = 0.780). At one year, all-cause mortality was reported in three cases. The rate of target lesion revascularization and target vessel revascularization was 3.3%. The rate of definite scaffold thrombosis was 2.6%. CONCLUSIONS: The implantation of the everolimus eluting bioresorbable vascular scaffold in an expanded range of coronary lesion types and clinical presentations was observed to be feasible with promising angiographic results and mid-term clinical outcomes. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

First-Line Support by Intra-Aortic Balloon Pump in Non-Ischaemic Cardiogenic Shock in the Era of Modern Ventricular Assist Devices.

OBJECTIVES: Little is known about circulatory support in cardiogenic shock (CS) from other causes than the acute coronary syndrome or after cardiotomy. We evaluated the effects of first-line intra-aortic balloon pump (IABP) support in this subpopulation of CS patients. METHODS: A retrospective study was performed in 27 patients with CS from end-stage cardiomyopathy supported firstly by IABP in the years 2011-2016. RESULTS: At 24 h, lactate decreased from 3.2 (2.1-6.8) to 1.8 (1.2-2.2) mmol/L (p < 0.001). Eighteen patients (67%) defined as IABP responders were successfully bridged to either recovery (n = 7), left ventricular assist device (n = 5), or heart transplantation (n = 6). IABP failed in 9 patients (non-responders, 33%) who either died (n = 7) or needed support by extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (n = 2). At 24 h of IABP support, urinary output was higher (2,660 [1,835-4,440] vs. 1,200 [649-2,385] mL; p = 0.02) and fluid balance more negative (-1,564 [-2,673 to -1,086] vs. -500 [-930 to +240] mL; p < 0.001) in responders than non-responders. Overall survival at 1 year was 63%. CONCLUSION: In most patients, first-line support by IABP in end-stage cardiomyopathy is associated with improvement in organ perfusion and clinical stabilisation for at least 24 h allowing time for decision making on next therapies.

Determinants of high cardiovascular risk in relation to plaque-composition of a non-culprit coronary segment visualized by near-infrared spectroscopy in patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention.

AIM: The aim of this study was to determine the relationship between clinical and blood characteristics of a vascular inflammatory milieu and coronary plaque composition visualized by near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) in percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) patients. METHODS AND RESULTS: Between April 2009 and January 2011, we performed NIRS in 208 patients who underwent PCI or invasive diagnostic coronary exploration for various indications. Imaging was performed of one non-intervened coronary segment after the initial procedure. Univariate and multivariate linear regression analyses were applied to evaluate the relationship between the acquired NIRS-derived lipid core burden index (LCBI) and clinical and blood (lipids and hs-C-reactive protein) characteristics. Patients with a history of hypercholesterolaemia [median 48 (inter-quartile range 21-101) vs. 38 (13-70), P = 0.043] and multi-vessel disease [55 (24-104) vs. 32 (12-71), P = 0.012] had higher LCBI levels. Men had higher LCBI than women [48 (21-95) vs. 27 (9-59), P = 0.003]. Hypercholesterolaemia and gender remained significant in multivariate regression analysis, whereas also a history of non-cardiac vascular disease and beta-blockers were positively associated with LCBI. Altogether 23.2% of the variability in LCBI could be explained by clinical and blood characteristics. CONCLUSION: Clinical characteristics reflecting patients with a high cardiovascular risk profile explained 23.2% of the variability in LCBI, whereas blood biomarkers added little. Further research is warranted to evaluate whether NIRS has the potential to provide additional prognostic information about patients' cardiovascular risk.

Everolimus-eluting bioresorbable vascular scaffolds for treatment of patients presenting with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction: BVS STEMI first study.

AIMS: We evaluated the feasibility and the acute performance of the everolimus-eluting bioresorbable vascular scaffolds (BVS) for the treatment of patients presenting with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI). METHODS AND RESULTS: The present investigation is a prospective, single-arm, single-centre study, reporting data after the BVS implantation in STEMI patients. Quantitative coronary angiography and optical coherence tomography (OCT) data were evaluated. Clinical outcomes are reported at the 30-day follow-up. The intent-to-treat population comprises a total of 49 patients. The procedural success was 97.9%. Pre-procedure TIMI-flow was 0 in 50.0% of the patients; after the BVS implantation, a TIMI-flow III was achieved in 91.7% of patients and the post-procedure percentage diameter stenosis was 14.7 ± 8.2%. No patients had angiographically visible residual thrombus at the end of the procedure. Optical coherence tomography analysis performed in 31 patients showed that the post-procedure mean lumen area was 8.02 ± 1.92 mm(2), minimum lumen area 5.95 ± 1.61 mm(2), mean incomplete scaffold apposition area 0.118 ± 0.162 mm(2), mean intraluminal defect area 0.013 ± 0.017 mm(2), and mean percentage malapposed struts per patient 2.80 ± 3.90%. Scaffolds with >5% malapposed struts were 7. At the 30-day follow-up, target-lesion failure rate was 0%. Non-target-vessel revascularization and target-vessel myocardial infarction (MI) were reported. A non-target-vessel non-Q-wave MI occurred. No cases of cardiac death or scaffold thrombosis were observed. CONCLUSION: In the present series, the BVS implantation in patients presenting with acute MI appeared feasible, with high rate of final TIMI-flow III and good scaffold apposition. Larger studies are currently needed to confirm these preliminary data.

Circulating chemokines in relation to coronary plaque characteristics on radiofrequency intravascular ultrasound and cardiovascular outcome.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate relations of several circulating chemokines with extent and phenotype of coronary atherosclerosis and with 1-year clinical outcome. METHODS: Intravascular ultrasound virtual histology (IVUS-VH) imaging of a coronary artery was performed in 581 patients. Monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1), macrophage inflammatory protein-1α (MIP-1α), MIP-1ß and regulated upon activation normal T cell expressed and secreted (RANTES) were measured in plasma. RESULTS: Higher MCP-1, MIP-1α and lower RANTES were associated with coronary plaque burden. Higher MCP-1, MIP-1α and lower RANTES were associated with the presence of IVUS-VH-derived thin-cap fibroatheroma lesions. RANTES was associated with major adverse cardiac events. CONCLUSIONS: RANTES is a promising biomarker that is inversely associated with coronary plaque burden and vulnerability, as well as with death and acute coronary syndrome.

Device infection in patients undergoing pacemaker or defibrillator surgery: risk stratification using the PADIT score.

BACKGROUND: The use of an antibacterial envelope is cost-effective for patients at high risk of developing cardiac implantable electronic device (CIED) infection. The identification of these high-risk patients may be facilitated using a clinical risk score. The aim of the current study is to evaluate the PADIT score for identifying high-risk patients in patients undergoing a CIED procedure in a tertiary academic center. METHODS: This was a retrospective single-center study of consecutive patients undergoing a CIED procedure between January 2016 and November 2021. Patients who received an antibacterial envelope were excluded from this study. The primary endpoint was hospitalization for a CIED infection in the first year after the procedure. RESULTS: A total of 2333 CIED procedures were performed in the study period (mean age 61.6 ± 16.3 years, male sex 64.5%, previous CIED infection 1.7%, immunocompromised 5.4%). The median PADIT score was 4 (interquartile range, 2-6). CIED infection occurred in 10 patients (0.43%). The PADIT score had good discrimination in predicting major CIED infection (C-statistic 0.70; 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.54 to 0.86, P = 0.03). Using an optimal PADIT score cut-off value of 7, the risk of CIED infection was higher in the patients with a PADIT score of ≥ 7 in comparison to those with a lower PADIT score (1.23% vs. 0.26%, P = 0.02; odds ratio 4.8, 95% CI 1.4 to 16.6, P = 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: The PADIT score is a clinically useful score for identifying patients at high risk of developing CIED infection. The use of an antibacterial envelope in these high-risk patients may be cost-effective.

Ten-year prognostic impact of target versus non-target vessel failure after STEMI. Insight from the EXAMINATION-EXTEND trial.

INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVES: After ST-segment myocardial infarction (STEMI), the impact of different adverse events on prognosis remains unknown. We aimed to assess very long-term predictors of patient-oriented composite endpoints (POCE) and investigate whether the occurrence of target vessel failure (TVF) vs a non-TVF event as the first event could potentially influence subsequent outcomes. METHODS: The EXAMINATION-EXTEND trial randomized STEMI patients to receive either an everolimus-eluting stent or a bare-metal stent. The follow-up period was 10 years. Predictors of POCE (a composite of all-cause death, any myocardial infarction, or any revascularization) were evaluated in the overall study population. The patients were stratified based on the type of first event (TVF-first vs non-TVF-first) and were compared in terms of subsequent POCE. TVF was defined as a composite of cardiac death, TV myocardial infarction, or TV revascularization. RESULTS: Out of the 1498 enrolled patients, 529 (35.3%) experienced a POCE during the 10-year follow-up. Independent predictors of POCE were age, diabetes mellitus, previous myocardial infarction, peripheral arterial disease, and multivessel coronary disease. The first event was a TVF in 296 patients and was a non-TVF in 233 patients. No significant differences were observed between TVF-first and non-TVF-first patients in terms of subsequent POCE (21.7% vs 39.3%, time ratio 1.79; 95%CI, 0.87-3.67;P=.12) or its individual components. CONCLUSIONS: At the 10-year follow-up, approximately one-third of STEMI patients had experienced at least 1 POCE. Independent predictors of these events were age, diabetes, and more extensive atherosclerotic disease. The occurrence of a TVF or a non-TVF as the first event did not seem to influence subsequent outcomes. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: NCT04462315.

Timing of Complete Multivessel Revascularization in Patients Presenting With Non-ST-Segment Elevation Acute Coronary Syndrome.

BACKGROUND: Complete revascularization of the culprit and all significant nonculprit lesions in patients with non-ST-segment elevation acute coronary syndrome (NSTE-ACS) and multivessel disease (MVD) reduces major adverse cardiac events, but optimal timing of revascularization remains unclear. OBJECTIVES: This study aims to compare immediate complete revascularization (ICR) and staged complete revascularization (SCR) in patients presenting with NSTE-ACS and MVD. METHODS: This prespecified substudy of the BIOVASC (Percutaneous Complete Revascularization Strategies Using Sirolimus Eluting Biodegradable Polymer Coated Stents in Patients Presenting With Acute Coronary Syndrome and Multivessel Disease) trial included patients with NSTE-ACS and MVD. Risk differences of the primary composite outcome of all-cause mortality, myocardial infarction (MI), unplanned ischemia-driven revascularization (UIDR), or cerebrovascular events and its individual components were compared between ICR and SCR at 1 year. RESULTS: The BIOVASC trial enrolled 1,525 patients; 917 patients presented with NSTE-ACS, of whom 459 were allocated to ICR and 458 to SCR. Incidences of the primary composite outcome were similar in the 2 groups (7.9% vs 10.1%; risk difference 2.2%; 95% CI: -1.5 to 6.0; P = 0.15). ICR was associated with a significant reduction of MIs (2.0% vs 5.3%; risk difference 3.3%; 95% CI: 0.9 to 5.7; P = 0.006), which was maintained after exclusion of procedure-related MIs occurring during the index or staged procedure (2.0% vs 4.4%; risk difference 2.4%; 95% CI: 0.1 to 4.7; P = 0.032). UIDRs were also reduced in the ICR group (4.2% vs 7.8%; risk difference 3.5%; 95% CI: 0.4 to 6.6; P = 0.018). CONCLUSIONS: ICR is safe in patients with NSTE-ACS and MVD and was associated with a reduction in MIs and UIDRs at 1 year.

Effects of menstruation on the onset of acute coronary syndrome in premenopausal women: A case series.

Background: The incidence of cardiovascular disease (CVD) among women is lower before the menopause, which may be due to the atheroprotective effects of female sex hormones, including estrogens. This study explored whether women experienced acute coronary syndrome (ACS) more often during menstruation, when the levels of female sex hormones are low. Methods: All premenopausal women referred to the local cardiac rehabilitation program after ACS between August 2010 and September 2018 were contacted by telephone to gather information about their menstrual cycle, contraceptive use and whether ACS occurred during menstruation. Information on cardiovascular risk factors was collected using the clinical electronic health record. Results: Of the 22 women fulfilling the inclusion criteria and having a regular menstrual cycle, 22.7% reported that they were diagnosed with ACS at the time of menstruation. Conclusions: The percentage of women who were menstruating whilst having their cardiovascular event is higher than the percentage expected if the event was unrelated to the menstrual cycle. To gain more insight into the effect of female sex hormones on ACS, it is suggested that information on the menstrual cycle is routinely collected from women admitted to hospital with the condition.