Utility of rotational atherectomy and outcomes over an eight-year period.

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate outcomes of patients undergoing rotational atherectomy (RA) in a multicenter percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) registry. BACKGROUND: RA remains an important technique for plaque modification in PCI, particularly with complex calcification. METHODS: The study population consisted of consecutive patients undergoing PCI in nine major Australian hospitals, who were treated over an 8-year period (June 2004 to June 2012). RESULTS: Of 16,577 PCI's, 1.0% of patients n = 167 (214 lesions) underwent RA. Patients undergoing RA were more likely to be older (71.0 ± 9.7 vs. 64.4 ±11.9 years, P < 0.01), with greater incidence of diabetes (37.7% vs. 23.8%, P < 0.01) and renal impairment. There was no significant difference in procedural success (94.6% vs. 95.5%, P = 0.57), dissection (6.1% vs. 4.8%, P = 0.39), transient no reflow (4.4% vs. 2.8%, P = 0.23), or persistent no reflow (0% RA vs. 0.7% non-RA, P = 0.23). Those undergoing RA had a low but increased risk of death at 12 months (6.6 vs. 3.6%, P = 0.04). There was no significant difference in 12 month major adverse cardiovascular outcomes (MACE) between groups following adjustment for univariate predictors (OR 1.00, 95%CI; 0.93-1.08). Additionally, there was no significant difference in 30-day MACE (6.0% vs. 5.1%, P = 0.62) or 30-day mortality (2.4% vs. 1.8%, P = 0.54) between groups. CONCLUSIONS: In this large multicenter registry, RA continues to be used to treat complex lesions with low procedural complications and MACE rates. It is essential for interventional cardiologists to maintain skills in RA to enable effective percutaneous treatment of certain complex lesions.

Aortic balloon valvuloplasty--review and case series.

Aortic balloon valvuloplasty (BAV) was initially devised in the 1980s as an alternative procedure to the surgical treatment of aortic stenosis, with the theory behind it being both minimally invasive as well as having a lower complication rate [Hara H, et al. Percutaneous balloon aortic valvuloplasty revisited: time for a renaissance? Circulation 2007 March;115(12):e334-8]. In practice however, the procedure was found to have a higher complication rate with only a modest haemodynamic improvement compared to the surgical approach. Most important of all it had an unacceptably high restenosis rate as a substitute for surgery [Otto CM, et al. 3-year outcome after balloon aortic balloon valvuloplasty: insights into prognosis of valvular aortic stenosis. Circulation 1994;89:642-50]. As a result, the procedure has fallen out of favour and has been abandoned at many health care facilities [Hara H, et al. Percutaneous balloon aortic valvuloplasty revisited: time for a renaissance? Circulation 2007 March;115(12):e334-8]. This article will review the management of patients with severe aortic stenosis that are unsuitable to undergo surgery.

Renal impairment is an independent predictor of adverse events post coronary intervention in patients with and without drug-eluting stents.

Renal impairment (RI) is known to be an independent risk factor for the progression of cardiovascular disease. Its impact, however, on the outcomes in patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) especially in the era of drug-eluting stents (DES) is not well known. We analysed data from patients undergoing PCI from April 1, 2004, to September 30, 2006, who were part of the Melbourne Interventional Group registry. RI was defined as an estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR), calculated using Cockcroft-Gault formula, of <60 ml/min. We compared outcomes at 30 days and 12 months in patients with and without RI. Four thousand one hundred ninety-five patients (3043 male) with an average age 65+/-12 years (mean+/-S.D.) underwent PCI. Twelve-month follow-up was available in 3963 (95%) patients, and these were included in the analysis. One thousand twelve patients (26%) had RI; of these, 608 (60%) presented with an acute coronary syndrome. Both 30-day major adverse cardiac events (MACE), 9.1% vs. 4.6% (P<.01), and all-cause mortality, 4.5% vs. 0.7% (P<.01), were significantly higher in those with RI compared to those without RI. Twelve-month mortality (8.8% vs. 1.7%, P<.01) and MACE (19.7% vs. 10.3%, P<.01) were also significantly higher in those with RI. In multiple regression analysis, RI was an independent predictor of 12-month MACE [OR 2.0 (CI 1.6-2.6), P<.01]. RI is an independent predictor of 30-day and 12-month MACE and death after PCI in patients with stable and unstable coronary syndromes, even with widespread use of DES. eGFR should be used to help risk-stratify patients undergoing PCI.

Matrix metalloproteinase-3 and coronary remodelling: implications for unstable coronary disease.

OBJECTIVES: Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) are plausible candidates for prediction of unstable coronary syndromes. We hypothesised that the MMP-3 polymorphism (- 1171, 5A/6A) would relate to coronary plaque characteristics and unstable clinical presentation. METHODS AND RESULTS: Forty patients with de novo presentation of coronary artery disease (CAD) were classified into unstable coronary syndrome (n=19) or stable angina pectoris (n=21). On coronary intravascular ultrasound, patients with unstable disease had a greater plaque burden, more positive (outward) coronary remodelling, and all but one were MMP-3 6A allele carriers (p=0.027 compared with stable). The relationship between the 6A allele and unstable presentation was substantiated in a validation cohort of 161 CAD patients (58 stable and 103 unstable) and in the total population of 201 CAD patients (79 stable and 122 unstable, p=0.007), and was independent of conventional risk factors. Furthermore, 6A allele carriers had a higher plasma MMP-3 concentration (15.8+/-12.5 versus 11.7+/-7.2 ng/mL, p=0.01), maximum coronary stenosis on angiography (89+/-15% versus 80+/-23%, p=0.02), plaque area (12.0+/-5.2 versus 7.5+/-3.6 mm(2), p=0.03), percentage plaque burden (82+/-7 versus 71+/-13%, p=0.003), and remodelling ratio (1.03+/-0.23 versus 0.83+/-0.12, p=0.003). CONCLUSIONS: The MMP-3 6A allele promotes positive coronary remodelling, greater plaque burden, and increased susceptibility to unstable coronary syndromes in humans.

Determinants of coronary artery compliance in subjects with and without angiographic coronary artery disease.

OBJECTIVES: The goal of this study was to determine factors contributing to the biomechanical properties of coronary arteries in people with and without angiographic coronary artery disease (CAD). BACKGROUND: The stiffness of the aorta is known to increase with increasing age and in the presence of CAD. However, little is known about the mechanics of coronary arteries, which may have important clinical consequences. METHODS: Intravascular ultrasound was used to determine the mechanical properties of coronary arteries and plaque behavior in subjects with CAD (n = 38), those with chest pain but angiographically normal coronary arteries (N) (n = 9) and those early (<2 weeks) after cardiac transplant (T) (n = 14). RESULTS: Coronary arteries dilated during systole in all groups, but cross-sectional compliance and distensibility were lowest in the proximal left anterior descending artery (LAD) in the subjects with CAD compared with the N and T groups (compliance: 1.2 +/- 0.2 vs. 1.7 +/- 0.5 and 2.7 +/- 0.6 x 10(-2) mm(2) mm Hg(-1) [mean +/- SEM] respectively, p < 0.02 CAD vs. T; distensibility: 0.8 +/- 0.2 vs. 1.7 +/- 0.5 and 1.7 +/- 0.3 x 10(-3) mm Hg(-1), p < 0.05 CAD vs. T). There was extensive plaque in the CAD group, and plaque was also present in the N group, but minimal atheroma was present in the T group. Plaque cross-sectional area diminished significantly during systole in both the LAD and circumflex arteries. Absolute changes were: 0.50 +/- 0.30, 0.33 +/- 0.11 and 0.68 +/- 0.13 mm(2) in the proximal LAD, distal LAD and proximal circumflex arteries, respectively. In subjects with atheroma, there was a significant correlation between cross-sectional compliance and plaque compression at all sites, and plaque compression was a significant determinant of cross-sectional compliance at both proximal sites in multiple regression analyses with age, mean arterial pressure and extent of plaque as the other independent variables. CONCLUSIONS: A major determinant of the systolic increase in coronary luminal area in patients with atheroma is a reduction in plaque cross-sectional area during systole.