Hybrid coronary revascularization versus coronary artery bypass grafting in patients with multivessel coronary artery disease: A meta-analysis.

OBJECTIVES: This meta-analysis evaluated the effectiveness of hybrid coronary revascularization (HCR) compared to coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) for the treatment of multivessel coronary artery disease (MVCAD). BACKGROUND: HCR involves a combination of surgical and percutaneous techniques, which in selected patients may present an alternative to conventional CABG. METHODS: Databases were searched through June 30, 2016, and studies comparing HCR with CABG for treatment of MVCAD were selected. We calculated summary odds ratios (ORs) and 95% CIs with the random-effects model. The primary outcome of interest was the occurrence of major adverse cardiac and cerebrovascular events (MACCE), defined as a composite of all cause mortality, myocardial infarction, and stroke. RESULTS: The analysis included 2,245 patients from 8 studies (1 randomized controlled trial and 7 observational studies). The risk of MACCE with HCR and CABG were 3.6% and 5.4%, respectively (OR, 0.53; 95% CI, 0.24-1.16). Compared to CABG group, patients in HCR group had similar risk of all cause mortality (OR, 0.85; 95% CI, 0.38-1.88), myocardial infarction (OR, 0.72; 95% CI, 0.31-1.64), stroke (OR, 0.53; 95% CI, 0.23-1.20), and repeat revascularization (OR, 1.28; 95% CI, 0.58-2.83). The need for postoperative blood transfusions (OR, 0.29; 95% CI, 0.14-0.59) and hospital stay (weighted mean difference -1.20 days; 95% CI -1.52 to -0.88 days) was significantly lower in the HCR group. CONCLUSION: HCR appears to be safe, and has similar outcomes when compared with conventional CABG. HCR can be a suitable alternative to conventional CABG in select patients with MVCAD. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Now you see me, now you don't: The case of a vanishing outflow gradient in a patient with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy.

Cardiogenic shock is well described in hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) as acute hemodynamic collapse can develop in the setting of acute worsening of left ventricular outflow tract (LVOT) obstruction. We present the case of a 60-year-old man with drug refractory LVOT obstruction due to hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. On the evening prior to planned alcohol septal ablation, the patient presented in cardiogenic shock. Interestingly, his previously recorded LVOT gradients of 50 mm Hg at rest and 118 mm Hg at peak exercise were absent. With recovery of left ventricular function, significant left ventricular outflow obstruction returned. The patient then underwent successful septal reduction therapy. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

A provisional strategy for treating true bifurcation lesions employing a scoring balloon for the side branch: final results of the AGILITY trial.

BACKGROUND: The provisional approach for bifurcation stenting with side-branch balloon angioplasty is associated with dissections and suboptimal results requiring kissing balloon techniques or bailout stenting. We hypothesized that using a scoring balloon for the side branch and a drug-eluting stent for the main vessel might improve outcomes of true bifurcation lesions. METHODS AND RESULTS: A total of 93 patients with complex bifurcations were enrolled in a multicenter, single-arm, prospective clinical trial. A drug-eluting stent was deployed in the main vessel following dilatation of the side-branch stenosis with a scoring balloon. The overall angiographic success rate was 93.5%, and procedural success rate was 91.4%. The final diameter stenosis was 13.9% ± 7.2% for the main vessel and 33.3% ± 22.9% for the side branch. Crossover to stent deployment in the side branch was required in 10.8%. The postscoring balloon dissection rate was 8.2% and 6% (all ≤ class C) for the main vessel and side branch respectively, which was reduced to 1.1 and 2.1% poststenting. At 9-month follow-up, the composite MACE rate [cardiac death, myocardial infarction, or target lesion revascularization (TLR)] was 5.4%, including a TLR rate of 3.3% (1.1% from hospital discharge to 9 months). CONCLUSION: The 9-month results of the AGILITY trial support a simple provisional strategy for treating complex true bifurcation lesions with deployment of a drug-eluting stent in the main vessel after dilatation of the side-branch vessel with a scoring balloon. This strategy was associated with excellent and safe procedural results, a low rate of crossover to side-branch stenting, and favorable outcomes.

Hybrid coronary revascularization for the treatment of left main coronary stenosis: a feasibility study.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the feasibility of a hybrid coronary revascularization (HCR) approach for the treatment of left main (LM) coronary artery stenosis. BACKGROUND: The recommended therapy for significant LM stenosis is coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG). Percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) of unprotected LM lesions is reserved for patients at high risk for complications with CABG. HCR in LM disease has not been studied. METHODS: Twenty-two consecutive patients with LM stenosis >70% underwent staged HCR. Following a robotic or thoracoscopic-assisted minimally invasive left internal mammary artery (LIMA) to left anterior descending artery (LAD) coronary bypass, PCI of the LM, and non-LAD targets was performed after angiographic confirmation of LIMA patency. Intravascular ultrasound confirmed optimal stent deployment. Thirty-day adverse outcomes and long term follow up was obtained. RESULTS: In the 22 patients with LM lesions, 6 were ostial, 5 mid, and 11 distal. LIMA patency was FitzGibbon A in all cases. LM stenting was successful in all patients with drug-eluting stents (DES) placed in 21 of 22 cases. Three patients underwent stent implantation in the right coronary artery. There were no 30-day major adverse cardiac or cerebrovascular events. At a mean of 38.8 ± 22 months postprocedure, 21 patients were alive without reintervention; one death occurred at 454 days. CONCLUSIONS: HCR for LM coronary disease is a feasible alternative to CABG and unprotected LM PCI. This approach combines the long-term durability of a LIMA-LAD bypass with the less invasive option of PCI in non-LAD targets with DES.

Geographic variation and temporal trends in management and outcomes of cardiac arrest complicating acute myocardial infarction in the United States.

BACKGROUND: Limited studies have evaluated regional disparities in the care of acute myocardial infarction (AMI) patients with cardiac arrest (CA). This study sought to evaluate 18-year national trends, resource utilization, and geographical variation in outcomes in AMI-CA admissions. METHODS AND RESULTS: Using the National Inpatient Sample (2000-2017), we identified adults with AMI and concomitant CA admitted to the United States census regions of Northeast, Midwest, South, and West. Clinical outcomes of interest included in-hospital mortality, use of coronary angiography, percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI), mechanical circulatory support (MCS), hospitalization costs and length of stay. Of 9,680,257 admissions for AMI, 494,083 (5.1%) had concomitant CA. The West (6.0%) had higher prevalence compared to the Northeast (4.4%), Midwest (5.0%), and South (5.1%), p < 0.001. Admissions in the West had higher rates of STEMI, cardiogenic shock, multiorgan failure, mechanical ventilation, and hemodialysis. Northeast admissions had lower use of coronary angiography (52.0% vs. 67.9% vs. 60.9% vs. 61.5%), PCI (38.7% vs. 51.9% vs. 44.8% vs. 46.7%), and MCS (18.4% vs. 21.8% vs. 18.1%, vs. 20.0%) compared to the Midwest, West and South (all p < 0.001). Compared with the Northeast, adjusted in-hospital mortality was higher in the Midwest (odds ratio [OR] 1.06 [95% confidence interval {CI} 1.03-1.08]), South (OR 1.11 [95% CI 1.09-1.13]) and highest in the West (OR 1.16 [95% CI 1.13-1.18]), all p < 0.001. Temporal trends showed a decline in in-hospital mortality except in the West, which showed a slight increase. CONCLUSIONS: There remain significant regional disparities in the management and outcomes of AMI-CA.

Current state of the roles of alcohol septal ablation and surgical myectomy in the treatment of hypertrophic obstructive cardiomyopathy.

Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy is a genetically determined disorder resulting in left ventricular hypertrophy. In a majority of the estimated 20 million people affected worldwide, left ventricular outflow obstruction is present at rest or with provocation. The presence and degree of obstruction influence the symptomatic presentation, treatment strategies and prognosis of affected individuals. Pharmacologic therapy with beta-adrenergic blocking drugs and calcium channel blockers is the principal treatment strategy in symptomatic patients with left ventricular outflow obstruction but is ineffective in many patients. When symptoms of exertional shortness of breath, chest pain and/or syncope prove refractory to medical therapy and there is persisting left ventricular outflow obstruction, or when there is drug intolerance, septal reduction strategies (surgical myectomy and alcohol septal ablation) are quite effective. Selection of the optimal septal reduction strategy for a given patient has become controversial and is determined largely by the medical system providing treatment strategies for the patient. Regretably, there are no randomized trials comparing myectomy and ablation and none are anticipated. The comprehensive Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy Guideline Statements published in 2011 and 2014 differ significantly with the earlier statement favoring surgical myectomy and the more recent statement giving equal class I status to the two septal reduction strategies in adult patients with drug-refractory symptoms. Recently published studies of long-term follow-up of patients after alcohol septal ablation in Europe, where surgical myectomy is rarely performed, confirm long-term safety and effectiveness with survival free of cardiac events exceeding 96% at 15 years. The lesser degree of discomfort and more rapid recovery associated with the minimally invasive catheter-based alcohol ablation procedure coupled with the recently published long-term safety data favor an increased use of this strategy in symptomatic adult patients with hypertrophic obstructive cardiomyopathy (HOCM).

The Left Internal Mammary Artery Graft: Durable and Self-Reparative.

After an unsuccessful left internal mammary artery (LIMA) to left anterior descending percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) in an outside hospital, a patient presented with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction. The patient was found to have LIMA occlusion and underwent a second PCI. However, there was a residual disruption of LIMA, subsequently, the patient was found to have complete LIMA recanalization, which emphasized the self-reparative nature of LIMA. (Level of Difficulty: Intermediate.).

Alcohol Ablation of Extracardiac Thoracic Tumor.

This case illustrates a novel percutaneous treatment of a highly vascular thoracic tumor impinging on the left atrium and right pulmonary artery by delivery of coils and alcohol ablation via a circumflex coronary artery feeder branch. (Level of Difficulty: Advanced.).

Coronary Artery Straightening Causing Acute Severe Mitral Regurgitation.

A 79-year-old woman had an atretic LIMA to LAD but without significant LAD stenosis, patent SVG to OM1, patent SVG to RCA, and severe tandem lesions in a very tortuous LCX for which she underwent PCI. Placement of a BMW coronary guidewire into the LCX resulted in the straightening of the vessel.

Performance of J-CTO and PROGRESS CTO Scores in Predicting Angiographic Success and Long-term Outcomes of Percutaneous Coronary Interventions for Chronic Total Occlusions.

Patient selection for and predicting clinical outcomes of chronic total occlusion (CTO) percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) remain challenging. We hypothesized that both J-CTO (Multicenter Chronic Total Occlusion Registry of Japan) and PROGRESS CTO (Prospective Global Registry for the Study of Chronic Total Occlusion Intervention) scores will predict not only angiographic success but also long-term clinical outcomes of the patients who underwent PCI of CTO. Of 325 CTO PCIs performed at 2 Emory University hospitals from January 2012 to August 2015, 249 patients with complete baseline clinical, angiographic and follow-up data, were included in this analysis. Major adverse cardiovascular events (MACEs) consisted of a composite of death, myocardial infarction, and target vessel revascularization. Mean age was 63 ± 11 years old and mean follow-up was 19.8 ± 13.1 months. Angiographic success rates increased from 74.5% in 2012 to 85.7% in 2015. Greater J-CTO and PROGRESS CTO scores were not only associated with lower likelihood of angiographic success but also higher rates of long-term MACE. Compared with the scores of 0 to 2, J-CTO and PROGRESS CTO scores of ≥3 were associated with higher MACE. Multivariable analysis demonstrated that PROGRESS CTO scores of ≥3, male sex, and peripheral vascular disease were independent predictors of MACE. In conclusion, J-CTO and PROGRESS CTO scores are useful in predicting procedural success. In addition, the PROGRESS CTO score, and to a lesser degree J-CTO score, have predictive value for long-term outcomes in patients who underwent CTO PCI.

Low Coronary Wall Shear Stress Is Associated With Severe Endothelial Dysfunction in Patients With Nonobstructive Coronary Artery Disease.

OBJECTIVES: This study investigated the relationship between low wall shear stress (WSS) and severe endothelial dysfunction (EDFx). BACKGROUND: Local hemodynamic forces such as WSS play an important role in atherogenesis through their effect on endothelial cells. The study hypothesized that low WSS independently predicts severe EDFx in patients with coronary artery disease (CAD). METHODS: Forty-four patients with CAD underwent coronary angiography, fractional flow reserve, and endothelial function testing. Segments with >10% vasoconstriction after acetylcholine (Ach) infusion were defined as having severe EDFx. WSS, calculated using 3-dimensional angiography, velocity measurements, and computational fluid dynamics, was defined as low (<1 Pa), intermediate (1 to 2.5 Pa), or high (>2.5 Pa). RESULTS: Median age was 52 years, 73% were women. Mean fractional flow reserve was 0.94 ± 0.06. In 4,510 coronary segments, median WSS was 3.67 Pa. A total of 24% had severe EDFx. A higher proportion of segments with low WSS had severe EDFx (71%) compared with intermediate WSS (22%) or high WSS (23%) (p < 0.001). Segments with low WSS demonstrated greater vasoconstriction in response to Ach than did intermediate or high WSS segments (-10.7% vs. -2.5% vs. +1.3%, respectively; p < 0.001). In a multivariable logistic regression analysis, female sex (odds ratio [OR]: 2.44; p = 0.04), diabetes (OR: 5.01; p = 0.007), and low WSS (OR: 9.14; p < 0.001) were independent predictors of severe EDFx. CONCLUSIONS: In patients with nonobstructive CAD, segments with low WSS demonstrated more vasoconstriction in response to Ach than did intermediate or high WSS segments. Low WSS was independently associated with severe EDFx.

Pharmacologic approaches to restenosis prevention.

Despite significant advances in technology and technique, coronary restenosis remains the primary limitation of percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty (PTCA). Among patients undergoing PTCA, between 20% and 50% of patients who do not receive a stent and 10%-30% of those who do receive a stent develop restenosis within 6 months of the procedure. Drug-eluting stents, which release high local concentrations of antiproliferative or immunosuppressive agents directly into the vessel wall at the site of the lesion, have dramatically reduced the incidence of restenosis in patients undergoing PTCA. However, even with drug-eluting stents, a significant percentage of higher-risk patients develop in-stent restenosis. These data suggest that a role remains for effective, well-tolerated systemic pharmacologic therapies to further reduce the rate of restenosis. To date, the majority of systemic agents tested for restenosis prevention have failed to show significant benefit. Only 2 agents, probucol and cilostazol, have consistently demonstrated efficacy in preventing restenosis. In addition, the investigational agent AGI-1067 has demonstrated promising efficacy in early clinical trials. Together with drug-eluting stents, these therapies may for the first time reduce the rate of restenosis to near zero, even in high-risk patients, such as individuals with diabetes mellitus.

Coronary stent restenosis in patients treated with cilostazol.

BACKGROUND: Restenosis after implantation of coronary artery stents remains a significant clinical problem. We undertook a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial to determine whether cilostazol, a drug that suppresses intimal proliferation, would reduce renarrowing in patients after stent implantation in native coronary arteries. METHODS AND RESULTS: We assigned 705 patients who had successful coronary stent implantation to receive, in addition to aspirin, cilostazol 100 mg BID or placebo for 6 months; clopidogrel 75 mg daily was administered to all patients for 30 days. Restenosis was determined by quantitative coronary angiography at 6 months. The minimal luminal diameter at 6 months for cilostazol-treated patients was 1.77 mm for the analysis segment (stent plus 5-mm borders) compared with 1.62 mm in the placebo group (P=0.01). Restenosis, defined as > or =50% narrowing, occurred in 22.0% of patients in the cilostazol group and in 34.5% of the placebo group (P=0.002), a 36% relative risk reduction. Restenosis was significantly lower in cilostazol-treated diabetics (17.7% versus 37.7%, P=0.01) and in those with small vessels (23.6% versus 35.2%, P=0.02), long lesions (29.9% versus 46.6%, P=0.04), and left anterior descending coronary artery site (19.3% versus 39.8%, P=0.001). There was no difference in bleeding, rehospitalization, target-vessel revascularization, myocardial infarction, or death. CONCLUSIONS: Treatment with the drug cilostazol resulted in a significantly larger minimal luminal diameter and a significantly lower binary restenosis rate compared with placebo-treated patients. These favorable effects were apparent in patients at high risk for restenosis.

Reduced 6-month resource use and costs associated with cilostazol in patients after successful coronary stent implantation: results from the Cilostazol for RESTenosis (CREST) trial.

BACKGROUND: The CREST trial demonstrated that after successful coronary stent implantation, the 6-month rate of target vessel revascularization (TVR) was similar (15.4% vs 16%, P = .90) for the 2 treatment groups, but restenosis rate was lower (22.0% vs 34.5%, P = .002) in cilostazol-treated patients. We sought to evaluate resource use, cost, and cost-effectiveness of cilostazol in CREST. METHODS: A total of 705 patients were randomized to cilostazol 100 mg twice daily (n = 354) versus placebo (n = 351) for 6 months. Resources included rehospitalizations, medications, and outpatient services. Costs were determined from the Medicare fee schedule. Cilostazol was priced at 1.64 dollars a day. Base-case cost and cost-effectiveness analysis was performed for the entire population using TVR as a measure of effectiveness. Sensitivity analysis was conducted among 526 patients because restenosis data were available only for this patient population. A bootstrap resample approach (5000 samples) was used to obtain confidence intervals for cost differences. RESULTS: For the entire population, costs of rehospitalizations, concomitant medications, outpatient tests, and physician or emergency department visits were lower during follow-up for cilostazol-treated patients. Overall, total 6-month follow-up costs remained 447 dollars lower for cilostazol (4178 dollars vs 4625 dollars), although this difference did not reach significance (95% CI -1458 dollars to 515 dollars). Cilostazol is likely a cost-saving strategy (similar rate of TVR and lower costs). Sensitivity analysis showed that cilostazol is likely a dominant strategy (lower restenosis rate and costs, 85% dominant, 88.9% <1000 dollars per restenosis averted). CONCLUSIONS: Treatment with cilostazol is likely a cost-saving or dominant strategy in patients with successful coronary bare metal stent implantation. Cilostazol may offer a low-cost alternative to restenosis prevention in patients who do not receive drug-eluting stents.

Outcomes of repeat revascularization in diabetic patients with prior coronary surgery.

OBJECTIVES: This study evaluated both short- and long-term outcomes of diabetic patients who underwent repeat coronary artery bypass graft surgery (CABG) or percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) after initial CABG. BACKGROUND: Although diabetic patients who have multivessel coronary disease and require initial revascularization may benefit from CABG as compared with PCI, the uncertainty concerning the choice of revascularization may be greater for diabetic patients who have had previous CABG. METHODS: Data were obtained over 15 years for diabetic patients undergoing PCI procedures or repeat CABG after previous coronary surgery. Baseline characteristics were compared between groups, and in-hospital, 5-year, and 10-year mortality rates were calculated. Multivariate correlates of in-hospital and long-term mortality were determined. RESULTS: Both PCI (n = 1,123) and CABG (n = 598) patients were similar in age, gender, years of diabetes, and insulin dependence, but they varied in presence of hypertension, prior myocardial infarction, angina severity, heart failure, ejection fraction, and left main disease. In-hospital mortality was greater for CABG, but differences in long-term mortality were not significant (10 year mortality, 68% PCI vs. 74% CABG, p = 0.14). Multivariate correlates of long-term mortality were older age, hypertension, low ejection fraction, and an interaction between heart failure and choice of PCI. The PCI itself did not correlate with mortality. CONCLUSIONS: The increased initial risk of redo CABG in diabetic patients and the comparable high long-term mortality regardless of type of intervention suggest that, except for patients with severe heart failure, PCI be strongly considered in all patients for whom there is a percutaneous alternative.

Role of adjunct pharmacologic therapy in the era of drug-eluting stents.

The success of percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) has historically been limited by a relatively high rate of restenosis, a response of the coronary artery to trauma induced during PCI. Bare-metal stents, by providing a supportive intravascular scaffolding, have significantly reduced the incidence of restenosis compared with traditional balloon PCI. However, significant loss of lumen within the bare-metal device (in-stent restenosis) occurs in 10-30% of patients within 6 months of the procedure. The recent introduction of drug-eluting stents, permitting local delivery of high concentrations of immunosuppressive or anti-proliferative agents, promises to prevent the processes underlying restenosis. Although these devices have been successful in providing an incremental reduction in rates of restenosis, they are expensive. To date, clinical trials of pharmacologic treatment have failed to demonstrate a clinically significant impact on restenosis. Recently, results of the Cilostazol for Restenosis (CREST) trial, a randomized, double-blind study, show that cilostazol reduces the risk of restenosis in patients who receive bare-metal stents, including high-risk patients. Effective adjunct pharmacologic therapy to prevent in-stent restenosis, therefore, remains desirable, particularly in patients receiving bare-metal stents, and potentially in patients receiving drug-eluting stents who are at high risk for restenosis (i.e., those with diabetes, long lesions, and small vessels).

Prognostic implication of creatine kinase release after elective percutaneous coronary intervention in the pre-IIb/IIIa antagonist era.

BACKGROUND: The significance of mild elevations in cardiac enzymes after an elective percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) still remains controversial. We evaluated the significance of creatine phosphokinase level (CPK) elevations in a large cohort of patients who had undergone an elective PCI before the IIb/IIIa receptor antagonist era. METHODS: All patients enrolled in the Emory databank from 1981 to 1996 who had an elective PCI were evaluated. We identified 15,637 patients who met our inclusion and exclusion criteria. Patients were divided into 4 groups on the basis of the magnitude of the CPK elevation noted in the post-PCI period: group I (CPK <250 mg/dL, n = 14,512); group II (CPK 250-500 mg/dL, n = 715); group III (CPK 500-750 mg/dL, n = 164); and group IV (CPK >750 mg/dL, n = 246). RESULTS: CPK elevations were associated with a significant increase in the periprocedure angiographic complications. Angiographic complication rates were 14.6%, 30.5%, 40.2%, and 43.5% in groups I, II, III, and IV, respectively (P <.001). Long-term survival also correlated inversely with the magnitude of CPK elevations. The 10-year survival rates were 73%, 71%, 69%, and 55% in groups I, II, III, and IV, respectively (P <.0001). After multivariate analysis to correct for clinical factors, a CPK elevation of at least 3-times normal (group IV) was found to be an independent predictor of diminished 30-day and long-term survival (hazard ratio 1.84, 95% CI 1.41-2.41, P <.0001). Elevations in CPK <3-times normal (groups II and III) were not independently predictive of poor long-term survival. CONCLUSION: A CPK level >3-times normal after an elective PCI is a strong independent predictor of poor long-term prognosis.