Remote intensive management to improve antiplatelet adherence in acute myocardial infarction: a secondary analysis of the randomized controlled IMMACULATE trial.

This study aim to investigate if remote intensive coaching for the first 6 months post-AMI will improve adherence to the twice-a-day antiplatelet medication, ticagrelor. Between July 8, 2015, to March 29, 2019, AMI patients were randomly assigned to remote intensive management (RIM) or standard care (SC). RIM participants underwent 6 months of weekly then two-weekly consultations to review medication side effects and medication adherence coaching by a centralized nurse practitioner team, whereas SC participants received usual cardiologist face-to-face consultations. Adherence to ticagrelor were determined using pill counting and serial platelet reactivity measurements for 12 months. A total of 149 (49.5%) of participants were randomized to RIM and 152 (50.5%) to SC. Adherence to ticagrelor was similar between RIM and SC group at 1 month (94.4 ± 0.7% vs. 93.6±14.7%, p = 0.537), 6 months (91.0±14.6% vs. 90.6±14.8%, p = 0.832) and 12 months (87.4±17.0% vs. 89.8±12.5%, p = 0.688). There was also no significant difference in platelet reactivity between the RIM and SC groups at 1 month (251AU*min [212-328] vs. 267AU*min [208-351], p = 0.399), 6 months (239AU*min [165-308] vs. 235AU*min [171-346], p = 0.610) and 12 months (249AU*min [177-432] vs. 259AU*min [182-360], p = 0.678). Sensitivity analysis did not demonstrate any association of ticagrelor adherence with bleeding events and major adverse cardiovascular events. RIM, comprising 6 months of intensive coaching by nurse practitioners, did not improve adherence to the twice-a-day medication ticagrelor compared with SC among patients with AMI. A gradual decline in ticagrelor adherence over 12 months was observed despite 6 months of intensive coaching.

An Asian Perspective on Gender Differences in In-Hospital and Long-Term Outcome of Cardiac Mortality and Ischemic Stroke after Primary Percutaneous Coronary Intervention for ST-Segment Elevation Myocardial Infarction.

OBJECTIVES: Gender differences historically exist in cardiovascular disease, with women experiencing higher rates of major adverse cardiovascular events. We investigated these trends in a contemporary Asian cohort, examining the impact of gender differences on cardiac mortality and ischemic stroke after primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PPCI) for ST elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI). MATERIALS AND METHODS: We analysed 3971 consecutive patients who underwent primary PCI for STEMI retrospectively. The primary outcome was cardiac mortality and ischemic stroke in-hospital, at one year and on longer-term follow up (median follow up 3.62 years, interquartile range 1.03-6.03 years). RESULTS: There were 580 (14.6%) female patients and 3391 (85.4%) male patients. Female patients were older and had higher prevalence of hypertension, diabetes, previous strokes, and chronic kidney disease. Cardiac mortality was higher in female patients during in-hospital (15.5% vs. 6.2%), 1-year (17.4% vs. 7.0%) and longer term follow up (19.9% vs. 8.1%, log-rank test: p < 0.001). Similarly, females had higher incidence of ischemic stroke at in-hospital (2.6% vs. 1.0%), 1-year (3.6% vs. 1.4%) and in the longer-term (6.7% vs. 3.1%) as well (log-rank test: p < 0.001). Female gender remained an independent predictor of in-hospital cardiac mortality (HR 1.395, 95%CI 1.061-1.833, p=0.017) and on longer-term follow-up (HR 1.932 95%CI 1.212-3.080, p=0.006) even after adjusting for confounders. CONCLUSIONS: Females were at higher risk of in-hospital and long-term cardiac mortality and ischemic stroke after PPCI for STEMI. Future studies are warranted to investigate the role of aggressive management of cardiovascular risk factors and follow-up to improve outcomes in the females with STEMI.

Prioritizing Candidates of Post-Myocardial Infarction Heart Failure Using Plasma Proteomics and Single-Cell Transcriptomics.

BACKGROUND: Heart failure (HF) is the most common long-term complication of acute myocardial infarction (MI). Understanding plasma proteins associated with post-MI HF and their gene expression may identify new candidates for biomarker and drug target discovery. METHODS: We used aptamer-based affinity-capture plasma proteomics to measure 1305 plasma proteins at 1 month post-MI in a New Zealand cohort (CDCS [Coronary Disease Cohort Study]) including 181 patients post-MI who were subsequently hospitalized for HF in comparison with 250 patients post-MI who remained event free over a median follow-up of 4.9 years. We then correlated plasma proteins with left ventricular ejection fraction measured at 4 months post-MI and identified proteins potentially coregulated in post-MI HF using weighted gene co-expression network analysis. A Singapore cohort (IMMACULATE [Improving Outcomes in Myocardial Infarction through Reversal of Cardiac Remodelling]) of 223 patients post-MI, of which 33 patients were hospitalized for HF (median follow-up, 2.0 years), was used for further candidate enrichment of plasma proteins by using Fisher meta-analysis, resampling-based statistical testing, and machine learning. We then cross-referenced differentially expressed proteins with their differentially expressed genes from single-cell transcriptomes of nonmyocyte cardiac cells isolated from a murine MI model, and single-cell and single-nucleus transcriptomes of cardiac myocytes from murine HF models and human patients with HF. RESULTS: In the CDCS cohort, 212 differentially expressed plasma proteins were significantly associated with subsequent HF events. Of these, 96 correlated with left ventricular ejection fraction measured at 4 months post-MI. Weighted gene co-expression network analysis prioritized 63 of the 212 proteins that demonstrated significantly higher correlations among patients who developed post-MI HF in comparison with event-free controls (data set 1). Cross-cohort meta-analysis of the IMMACULATE cohort identified 36 plasma proteins associated with post-MI HF (data set 2), whereas single-cell transcriptomes identified 15 gene-protein candidates (data set 3). The majority of prioritized proteins were of matricellular origin. The 6 most highly enriched proteins that were common to all 3 data sets included well-established biomarkers of post-MI HF: N-terminal B-type natriuretic peptide and troponin T, and newly emergent biomarkers, angiopoietin-2, thrombospondin-2, latent transforming growth factor-ß binding protein-4, and follistatin-related protein-3, as well. CONCLUSIONS: Large-scale human plasma proteomics, cross-referenced to unbiased cardiac transcriptomics at single-cell resolution, prioritized protein candidates associated with post-MI HF for further mechanistic and clinical validation.

Incidence and predictors of target lesion failure in a multiethnic Asian population receiving the SYNERGY coronary stent: A prospective all-comers registry.

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the target lesion failure (TLF) rate of the SYNERGY stent in all-comers, multiethnic Asian population. BACKGROUND: Currently, most drug eluting stents deliver anti-proliferative drugs from a durable polymer which is associated with a risk of late stent thrombosis. The novel everolimus-eluting, platinum chromium SYNERGY stent is coated with a bioabsorbable abluminal polymer that resolves within 4 months. METHODS: This was a prospective, single center registry of consecutive patients treated with the SYNERGY stent between December 2012 and April 2015. The primary outcome was the incidence of TLF, defined as the combination of cardiac death, target vessel myocardial infarction, or clinically driven target lesion revascularization (TLR) at 1 year. RESULTS: A total of 807 patients received the SYNERGY stent during the study period. One-year clinical outcome data was available for 765 patients (94.8%) and were considered for statistical analysis. The mean age was 60.7 ± 10.8 years, and 83.4% were males. Patients with acute myocardial infarction consisted of 50.3% (ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction: 23.0%, Non-ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction: 27.3%) of the study population. The treated lesions were complex (ACC/AHA type B2/C: 72.7%). The primary end point of TLF at 1 year was 5.8%. Rates of cardiac mortality, target vessel myocardial infarction, and TLR were 4.2, 1.0, and 1.3%, respectively, at 1 year. Predictors of the incidence and time to early TLF were female gender, Malay ethnicity, diabetes mellitus, acute myocardial infarction at presentation, a prior history of coronary artery bypass surgery and the presence of lesion calcification. The incidence of definite stent thrombosis was 0.4% at 1 year. CONCLUSIONS: In this registry, the use of the SYNERGY stent was associated with low rates of TLF at 1 year.

Acquired thrombocytopenia after transcatheter aortic valve replacement: clinical correlates and association with outcomes.

AIMS: This study aimed to evaluate incidence and correlates for low platelet count after transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) and to determine a possible association between acquired thrombocytopenia and clinical outcomes. METHODS AND RESULTS: Patients undergoing TAVR from two medical centres were included in the study. They were stratified according to nadir platelet count post procedure: no/mild thrombocytopenia, ≥100 × 10(9)/L; moderate, 50-99 × 10(9)/L; and severe, <50 × 10(9)/L. A total of 488 patients composed of the study population (age 84.7 ± 7.5 years). At a median time of 2 days after TAVR, 176 patients (36.1%) developed significant thrombocytopenia: 149 (30.5%) moderate; 27 patients (5.5%) severe. Upon discharge, the vast majority of patients (90.2%) had no/mild thrombocytopenia. Nadir platelet count <50 × 10(9)/L was highly specific (96.3%), and a count <150 × 10(9)/L highly sensitive (91.2%), for predicting 30-day death (C-statistic 0.76). Patients with severe acquired thrombocytopenia had a significantly higher mortality rate at 1 year (66.7% for severe vs. 16.0% for no/mild vs. 20.1% for moderate; P < 0.001). In multivariate logistic regression, severe thrombocytopenia was independently associated with 1-year mortality (hazard ratio 3.44, CI: 1.02-11.6; P = 0.046). CONCLUSIONS: Acquired thrombocytopenia was common after TAVR and was mostly resolved at patient discharge. The severity of thrombocytopenia after TAVR could be used as an excellent, easily obtainable, marker for worse short- and long-term outcomes after the procedure.

Prognostic value of the Index of Microcirculatory Resistance measured after primary percutaneous coronary intervention.

BACKGROUND: Most methods for assessing microvascular function are not readily available in the cardiac catheterization laboratory. The aim of this study is to determine whether the Index of Microcirculatory Resistance (IMR), measured at the time of primary percutaneous coronary intervention, is predictive of death and rehospitalization for heart failure. METHODS AND RESULTS: IMR was measured immediately after primary percutaneous coronary intervention in 253 patients from 3 institutions with the use of a pressure-temperature sensor wire. The primary end point was the rate of death or rehospitalization for heart failure. The prognostic value of IMR was compared with coronary flow reserve, TIMI myocardial perfusion grade, and clinical variables. The mean IMR was 40.3±32.5. Patients with an IMR >40 had a higher rate of the primary end point at 1 year than patients with an IMR ≤40 (17.1% versus 6.6%; P=0.027). During a median follow-up period of 2.8 years, 13.8% experienced the primary end point and 4.3% died. An IMR >40 was associated with an increased risk of death or rehospitalization for heart failure (hazard ratio [HR], 2.1; P=0.034) and of death alone (HR, 3.95; P=0.028). On multivariable analysis, independent predictors of death or rehospitalization for heart failure included IMR >40 (HR, 2.2; P=0.026), fractional flow reserve ≤0.8 (HR, 3.24; P=0.008), and diabetes mellitus (HR, 4.4; P<0.001). An IMR >40 was the only independent predictor of death alone (HR, 4.3; P=0.02). CONCLUSIONS: An elevated IMR at the time of primary percutaneous coronary intervention predicts poor long-term outcomes.

Incidence and correlates of major bleeding after percutaneous coronary intervention across different clinical presentations.

BACKGROUND: Bleeding after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) is identified as a strong predictor for adverse events, including mortality. This study aims to compare the incidence and correlates of post-PCI bleeding across different clinical presentations. METHODS: The study included 23,943 consecutive PCI patients categorized according to their clinical presentation: stable angina pectoris (n = 6,741), unstable angina pectoris (UAP) (n = 5,215), non-ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (NSTEMI) (n = 8,418), ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) (n = 2,721), and cardiogenic shock (CGS) (n = 848). RESULTS: Severity of clinical presentation was associated with a greater use of preprocedural anticoagulation, glycoprotein IIb/IIIa inhibitors, and intraaortic balloon pump (IABP). TIMI-defined major bleeding increased with increasing severity of clinical presentation: stable angina pectoris, 0.7%; UAP, 1.0%; NSTEMI, 1.6%; STEMI, 4.6%; and CGS, 13.5% (P < .001). On multivariable analysis, CGS (odds ratio [OR], 4.67; 95% CI [2.62-8.34]), STEMI (OR, 3.39; 95% CI [2.07-5.55]), and NSTEMI (OR, 2.00; 95% CI [1.29-3.10]) remained correlated with major bleeding even after adjusting for baseline and procedural differences, whereas UAP did not. The multivariable model also identified the use of IABP, female gender, congestive heart failure, no prior PCI, increased baseline hematocrit, and increased procedure time as correlates for major bleeding. CONCLUSIONS: In patients undergoing PCI, the worsening severity of clinical presentation corresponds to an increase in incidence of post-PCI major bleeding. The increased risk with CGS, STEMI, and NSTEMI persisted despite adjusting for more aggressive pharmacotherapy and use of IABP. Careful attention to antithrombotic pharmacotherapy is warranted in this high-risk population.

Does baseline hematocrit influence the assays of on-treatment platelet reactivity to clopidogrel?

BACKGROUND: High on-treatment platelet reactivity (HTPR) has been shown to be associated with adverse cardiac events in patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention, but the effect of baseline hematologic parameters upon platelet reactivity remains controversial. OBJECTIVE: The present study aims to evaluate the impact of hematocrit on 2 different assay methods used to assess on-treatment platelet reactivity to clopidogrel. METHODS: We tested clopidogrel on-treatment platelet reactivity in 466 consecutive patients using VerifyNow P2Y12 (VN) and light transmission aggregometry (LTA) with adenosine diphosphate (ADP) 5 and 20 µM assays 6 to 24 hours after percutaneous coronary intervention. Patients were categorized into 4 groups according to baseline hematocrit. One-year major adverse cardiac events, including death, nonfatal myocardial infarction, and definite stent thrombosis, were collected. RESULTS: Lower hematocrit was associated with higher P2Y12 reaction unit (PRU) and a higher rate of HTPR (P < .001) as measured by VN assay. No differences were seen among the 4 groups in platelet reactivity measured by LTA using ADP 5 µM (P = .23) and ADP 20 µM (P = .21). In a multivariable logistic regression model, baseline hematocrit was independently associated with PRU ≥208 (odds ratio [OR] 0.92, 95% CI 0.86-0.97, P = .005) but had no correlation with LTA ADP 5 µM ≥46% (OR 1.0, 95% CI 0.95-1.06, P = .88) or LTA ADP 20 µM ≥59% (OR 1.03, 95% CI 0.97-1.09, P = .39). In a logistic regression model, the addition of VN assay results, hematocrit, and interaction between the hematocrit and assay results had shown a significant influence on the area under curve for prediction of 1-year major adverse cardiac events compared with baseline clinical variables only for PRU (0.63 vs 0.76, P = .006) but not with LTA (0.64 vs 0.74, P = .13). CONCLUSION: Baseline hematocrit has a differential influence on results of the ex vivo platelet functional assays. Lower baseline hematocrit was independently associated with HTPR by VN but not LTA. This may affect the interpretation of platelet function testing in patients with significant anemia.

Management of a large atrial septal occluder embolized to the left ventricular outflow tract without the use of cardiac surgery.

Transcatheter closure of secundum-type atrial septal defects (ASDs) using the AMPLATZER™ Septal Occluder (ASO) has been in use for more than a decade since its US Food and Drug Administration approval in 2001. Device embolization remains an uncommon complication, which can sometimes occur after the initial deployment. Previous reports of ASO devices embolized to the left ventricle have primarily been managed by open-heart surgical retrieval. We present a case of an ASO device embolized to the left ventricular outflow tract (LVOT) 18 hr after initial implantation, which was successfully retrieved percutaneously, followed by successful closure of the ASD using a larger device.

In vivo evaluation of axial integrity of coronary stents using intravascular ultrasound: Insights on longitudinal stent deformation.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the axial integrity of different coronary stents using intravascular ultrasound (IVUS). BACKGROUND: Longitudinal stent deformation was recently reported. METHODS: Consecutive patients who underwent IVUS analysis after drug-eluting stent (DES) implantation for de novo coronary lesions were evaluated. Stent length was compared with label length for calculation of absolute change and relative difference (absolute change divided by label length). RESULTS: A total of 233 DES utilizing five different platforms were included. The median absolute change in stent length was 0.90 mm (interquartile range [IQR] 0.48-1.39) and the relative difference was 5.24% (IQR 2.55-8.29). There was no significant difference among the groups in median absolute or relative change: Cypher 0.89 mm/3.89%, Taxus 0.88 mm/5.39%, Endeavor 1.16 mm/6.77%, Xience V 0.86 mm/5.80%, and PROMUS Element 0.79 mm/5.34% (P = 0.085, P = 0.072, respectively). Multivariate logistic regression revealed that the Cypher stent was independently correlated with a lower change in length, whereas stent label length and deployment pressure were correlated with higher absolute change. CONCLUSION: The axial integrity of DES platforms examined in vivo was high, with only mild changes in stent length after implantation. While there are differences between first- and second-generation DES, axial integrity among second-generation DES was similar.

Long-term safety and efficacy of second-generation everolimus-eluting stents compared to other limus-eluting stents and bare metal stents in patients with acute coronary syndrome.

OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to investigate the long-term safety and efficacy of everolimus-eluting stents (EES) compared with other limus-eluting stents and bare metal stents (BMS) in ACS patients. BACKGROUND: There have been concerns about the long-term safety of drug-eluting stents in the setting of acute coronary syndrome. METHODS: The study cohort included 1,612 patients presenting with acute coronary syndrome who underwent BMS, SES, E-ZES, or EES implantation. End points included probable or definite stent thrombosis and major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE), defined as a composite of all-cause death, Q-wave myocardial infarction, and target lesion revascularization up to 3 years. RESULTS: The overall MACE rates were significantly higher for both BMS and SES, but not E-ZES, when compared with EES (EES vs. BMS: HR 2.68, 95% CI 1.91-3.78, P <0.001; EES vs. SES: HR 1.75, 95% CI 1.24-2.47, P = 0.001 and EES vs. E-ZES: HR 1.08, 95% CI 0.65-1.77, P = 0.72). Stent thrombosis rates were similar for EES, E-ZES, and BMS but higher for SES throughout the 3-year follow-up (EES vs. BMS: HR 1.02, 95% CI: 0.31-3.35, P = 0.973; EES vs. SES: HR 4.90, 95% CI: 1.75-13.69, P = 0.002 and EES vs. E-ZES: HR 1.63, 95% CI 0.37-7.31, P = 0.449). CONCLUSIONS: There was an improvement in the long-term outcome for MACE with EES when compared to earlier-generation stents, but this was comparable with the 2nd-generation E-ZES. There was no additional risk of early or late stent thrombosis in EES when compared with BMS.

Intravascular ultrasound analysis to determine the relationship between high-density lipoprotein cholesterol and lesion characteristics in patients with coronary artery disease.

OBJECTIVES: This study utilized grayscale intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) to explore the relationship between high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) levels and culprit lesion characteristics in patients with coronary artery disease. BACKGROUND: Low HDL-C is associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular events. Previous IVUS studies have suggested a significant association between lesion characteristics and cardiovascular events. METHODS: According to HDL-C levels, 120 patients who underwent IVUS for native, de novo coronary lesions before any intervention were divided into a low HDL-C group (<40 mg/dL, n = 60) and a high HDL-C group (≥40 mg/dL, n = 60). Quantitative and qualitative IVUS analyses were performed to compare lesion characteristics. RESULTS: Quantitative IVUS measurements showed no significant differences between the 2 groups. HDL-C level was not significantly correlated with remodeling index (r = 0.03, P = 0.78). However, attenuated plaque was more frequent in the low HDL-C group (48.3% vs. 28.3%, P = 0.02) and a greater percentage of attenuated plaque was found in this group (32.5 ± 21.3% vs. 21.0 ± 11.0%, P = 0.02). Moreover, when categorized into 4 groups according to HDL-C levels, the proportion of attenuated plaque (64.7% in group with <30 mg/dL, 41.9% in group with 30-39 mg/dL, 36.4% in group with 40-59 mg/dL, and 6.3% in group with ≥60 mg/dL; P = 0.001 for trend) was significantly different among groups. On multivariate analysis, only HDL-C and male gender were independently associated with the presence of attenuated plaque at the culprit lesions. CONCLUSIONS: Patients with low levels of HDL-C may be at increased risk of having a higher incidence of attenuated plaques.

The impact of diabetes mellitus on long-term clinical outcomes after percutaneous coronary saphenous vein graft interventions in the drug-eluting stent era.

OBJECTIVES: We aimed to compare early and late clinical outcomes in diabetic and nondiabetic patients who underwent saphenous vein graft (SVG) percutaneous coronary interventions (PCI) with the use of drug-eluting stents (DES). BACKGROUND: Patients with diabetes mellitus are shown to have less favorable outcomes after SVG intervention with the use of bare metal stents. In the DES era, the impact of diabetes mellitus on restenosis and clinical outcomes post-SVG intervention is not clearly defined. METHODS: From our institutional PCI registry database, we retrospectively analyzed 477 consecutive patients with prior coronary artery bypass graft surgery undergoing SVG PCI with the implantation of DES stratified by the presence or absence of diabetes mellitus. The primary end-point was 1-year major adverse cardiac event (MACE) rate, defined as death, Q wave myocardial infarction, and target lesion revascularization. RESULTS: Baseline clinical characteristics, including mean graft age (120 ± 77 vs. 131 ± 86 months, P = 0.14), were similar between groups, save for a higher prevalence of systemic hypertension and chronic renal insufficiency, and higher body mass index in the diabetic group. Among the 604 SVG lesions treated with DES, the angiographic and procedural characteristics were well matched between groups except for the higher rate of distal protection device use (32% vs. 29%, P = 0.007) in the diabetic group. The rates of 1-year MACE (21% vs. 15%, P = 0.12) and all-cause mortality (7.6% vs. 6.7%, P = 0.86) were similar between groups. After adjustment for the relevant clinical co-variables, diabetic status was not associated with the composite end-point. CONCLUSION: In conclusion, DES, when used for the treatment of vein graft lesions, equate the short- and long-term outcomes between diabetic and nondiabetic patients, suggesting that DES should be considered the default stent in diabetic populations undergoing PCI for the treatment of SVG lesions.

Racial disparity with on-treatment platelet reactivity in patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention.

BACKGROUND: On-treatment platelet reactivity to clopidogrel is variable and in part genetic dependent. In African American (AA) patients, the relation between on-treatment platelet reactivity to clopidogrel and the factors that influence this interaction is unknown. The present study aims to evaluate on-treatment platelet reactivity to clopidogrel in AA patients and its interaction to race and CYP2C19*2 loss of function mutation. METHODS: The study cohort included 289 consecutive patients presenting for percutaneous coronary intervention who were entered into a prospective observational registry. High on-treatment platelet reactivity (HTPR) was defined as P2Y12 reaction units (PRU) ≥208 with VerifyNow P2Y12 assay and >50% by vasodilator-stimulated phosphoprotein phosphorylation assay platelet reactivity index (VASP PRI) measured 6 to 24 hours postprocedure. CYP2C19*2 (rs4244285) genotype was analyzed by real-time polymerase chain reaction. RESULTS: The prevalence of HTPR by both PRU (56% vs 35%, P = .003) and VASP PRI (67% vs 45%, P = .002) is more common in AAs compared with whites, respectively. African American patients had higher on-treatment mean PRU (207 ± 110 vs 160 ± 102, P = .002) and VASP PRI (49 ± 26 vs 38 ± 26, P = .004). African Americans also had a higher prevalence of CYP2C19*2 allele carrier status compared with whites (43% vs 29%, P = .04). African American race (P = .008) and CYP2C19*2 allele status (P = .02) independently had significant effects on PRU and VASP. Multivariable logistic regression analysis has shown that both CYP2C19*2 allele carrier status and AA race were independent correlates of HTPR for PRU ≥208. CONCLUSIONS: African American patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention not only have a higher prevalence of HTPR to clopidogrel but also have higher CYP2C19*2 allele carrier status compared with whites. Careful selection of antiplatelet agents should be considered in an AA population at higher risk for ischemic complications.

Optimal revascularization strategies for percutaneous coronary intervention of distal anastomotic lesions after coronary artery bypass surgery.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the best revascularization strategy when treating distal anastomotic lesions. BACKGROUND: Distal anastomotic lesions are the most common reason for venous graft failure especially early after bypass surgery. However, the best percutaneous method for treating these lesions is still controversial. METHODS: All patients from 2/2000 to 1/2011 who underwent percutaneous coronary intervention of bypass graft distal anastomotic lesions were retrospectively enrolled. Among the 139 patients included, 26 (18.7%) were treated with plain old balloon angioplasty (POBA), 68 (48.9%) with bare metal stents (BMS), and 45 (32.4%) with drug-eluting stents (DES). RESULTS: Baseline characteristics were generally comparable among the 3 groups. At 6 months' follow-up, the highest rate of target lesion revascularization-major adverse cardiac events (TLR-MACE) was seen in the BMS group compared to the DES and POBA groups (16.2 vs. 2.2 vs. 3.8%, respectively, P=0.03), which was driven mainly by the highest rates of death and TLR in the BMS group (11.8 and 4.7%, respectively). At 1-year follow-up, a higher rate of TLR-MACE was seen in the BMS group compared to the DES and POBA groups (20.6 vs. 11.1 vs. 7.7%, respectively, P=0.19). After adjustment, on Cox regression analysis for hazard ratios, no significant differences were found among the 3 groups at 1-year follow-up of TLR-MACE. CONCLUSIONS: When selecting the treatment modality for saphenous vein graft distal anastomotic lesions, BMS implantation should be discouraged while POBA and DES implantation can be performed with favorable long-term outcomes. The optimal treatment approach should be evaluated in large, randomized clinical trials.

Second-generation everolimus-eluting stents compared to first-generation drug-eluting stents in patients treated for multivessel disease.

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to compare the safety and efficacy of everolimus-eluting stents (EES) to first-generation drug-eluting stents (DES) in multivessel disease (MVD). BACKGROUND: Second-generation EES have demonstrated superiority over first-generation DES for single-vessel disease, although the merits of EES in MVD are less established. METHODS: A cohort of 1,285 patients (3,124 lesions) with ≥ 2 diseased vessels were treated with either first-generation DES (n = 1,002) or EES (n = 283). The rates of death, myocardial infarction, target lesion revascularization, target vessel revascularization, definite stent thrombosis, and major adverse cardiac events (MACE), defined as the combined incidence of target vessel revascularization, death, and non-fatal myocardial infarction, were compared at 1 year. RESULTS: Baseline characteristics were similar except for a lower left ventricular ejection fraction and a lower incidence of stable angina pectoris in the first-generation DES group (P = 0.001 and 0.013, respectively). At 1 year, the MACE rate was lower in the EES group (9.5P% vs. 15.7%; P = 0.01). Multivariable analysis demonstrated that EES use predicted a higher chance of freedom from MACE at 1 year (hazard ratio 0.58 [0.38-0.87]; P = 0.009; 95% confidence interval). CONCLUSIONS: The use of EES in patients with MVD is safe with signals for improved effectiveness compared to first-generation DES. Randomized trials comparing new-generation DES to coronary artery bypass grafting surgery are warranted.

Long-Term Clinical Outcomes of Biodegradable-Polymer Drug-Eluting Stents Versus Second-Generation Durable-Polymer Drug-Eluting Stents for ST-Segment Elevation Myocardial Infarction.

BACKGROUND: Biodegradable polymer drug eluting stents (BP-DES) may offer the advantage of vascular healing in ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI). Long-term outcome data comparing BP-DES and second-generation durable polymer drug eluting stents (DP-DES) in STEMI is lacking. This study aims to compare the long-term clinical outcomes of BP-DES versus second-generation DP-DES in STEMI. METHODS: This is an observational study of consecutive patients with STEMI who received either BP-DES (n = 854) or DP-DES (n = 708) during primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) from 1st February 2007 to 31st December 2016. The primary outcome was target lesion failure (TLF), a composite of cardiac death, target vessel myocardial infarction (MI), and target lesion revascularization with follow up till 30th November 2019. RESULTS: The baseline demographics, lesion and procedural characteristic were similar between the two groups except for more prior MI and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease in the BP-DES group. At a median follow up of 4.2 years (interquartile range: 2.6-6.2 years), the incidence of TLF was similar between BP-DES and DP-DES (adjusted hazard ratio [HR] 0.94, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.70-1.26). Likewise, incidence of major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE: all-cause death, any MI or target vessel revascularization) and definite stent thrombosis were similar in both groups (MACE: adjusted HR 1.04, 95% CI 0.82-1.32; definite stent thrombosis: adjusted HR 1.06, 95% CI 0.31-3.64). CONCLUSION: Among patients with STEMI who underwent primary PCI, BP-DES and DP-DES implantation was associated with similar long-term clinical outcomes.

Optimal vortex formation time index in mitral valve stenosis.

Left ventricular vortex formation time (VFT) is a novel dimensionless index of flow propagation during left ventricular diastole, which has been demonstrated to be useful in heart failure and cardiomyopathy. In mitral stenosis (MS), flow propagation in the LV may be suboptimal. We studied VFT in varying degrees of MS. Echocardiography was performed on 20 healthy controls and 50 cases of rheumatic MS. Patients with atrial fibrillation, LV ejection fraction < 50% and other valvular heart diseases were excluded. VFT was obtained using the length-to-diameter ratio (L/D), where L is the continuous-wave Doppler velocity time integral stroke distance, divided by D, the mitral leaflet separation index. This was correlated against varying degrees of MS severity, left atrial (LA) volume and function. In controls, VFT was 3.92 ± 2.00 (optimal range) and was higher (suboptimal) with increasing severity of mitral stenosis (4.98 ± 2.43 in mild MS; 7.22 ± 2.98 in moderate MS; 11.55 ± 2.67 in severe MS, p < 0.001). VFT negatively correlated with mitral valve area (R2 = 0.463, p < 0.001) and total LA emptying fraction (R2 = 0.348, p < 0.001), and positively correlated with LA volume index (R2 = 0.440, p < 0.001) and mean transmitral pressure gradient (R2 = 0.336, p < 0.001). More severe MS correlated with suboptimal (higher) VFT. The restricted mitral valve opening may disrupt vortex formation and optimal fluid propagation in the LV. Despite the compensatory increase in LA size with increasingly severe MS, reduced LA function also contributed to the suboptimal LV vortex formation.

Characteristics and outcomes of young patients with ST segment elevation myocardial infarction undergoing primary percutaneous coronary intervention: retrospective analysis in a multiethnic Asian population.

OBJECTIVE: ST segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) is associated with significant mortality leading to loss of productive life years, especially in younger patients. This study aims to compare the characteristics and outcomes of young versus older patients with STEMI undergoing primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PPCI) to help focus public health efforts in STEMI prevention. METHODS: Data from the Coronary Care Unit database of the National University Hospital, Singapore from July 2015 to June 2019 were reviewed. Patients were divided into young (<50 years old) or older (≥50 years old) groups. RESULTS: Of the 1818 consecutive patients with STEMI who underwent PPCI, 465 (25.6%) were <50 years old. Young compared with older patients were more likely to be male, current smokers, of Indian ethnicity, have family history of ischaemic heart disease (IHD) and had lower 1 year mortality (3.4% vs 10.4%, p<0.0001). Although diabetes, hypertension or dyslipidaemia was less common among young patients, the prevalence of having any one of these risk factors was high in the range of 28% to 38%. Age was an independent predictor of mortality in the older but not younger patients with STEMI, and diabetes showed a trend towards mortality in both groups. CONCLUSION: Young patients with STEMI are more often smokers, of Indian ethnicity and had family history of IHD, although cardiometabolic risk factors are also prevalent. Mortality is lower, but not negligible, among the young patients with STEMI. Public health efforts are needed to reduce the prevalence of these risk factors among the constitutionally susceptible population.

Remote Postdischarge Treatment of Patients With Acute Myocardial Infarction by Allied Health Care Practitioners vs Standard Care: The IMMACULATE Randomized Clinical Trial.

Importance: There are few data on remote postdischarge treatment of patients with acute myocardial infarction. Objective: To compare the safety and efficacy of allied health care practitioner-led remote intensive management (RIM) with cardiologist-led standard care (SC). Design, Setting, and Participants: This intention-to-treat feasibility trial randomized patients with acute myocardial infarction undergoing early revascularization and with N-terminal-pro-B-type natriuretic peptide concentration more than 300 pg/mL to RIM or SC across 3 hospitals in Singapore from July 8, 2015, to March 29, 2019. RIM participants underwent 6 months of remote consultations that included ß-blocker and angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor/angiotensin receptor blocker (ACE-I/ARB) dose adjustment by a centralized nurse practitioner team while SC participants were treated face-to-face by their cardiologists. Main Outcomes and Measures: The primary safety end point was a composite of hypotension, bradycardia, hyperkalemia, or acute kidney injury requiring hospitalization. To assess the efficacy of RIM in dose adjustment of ß-blockers and ACE-I/ARBs compared with SC, dose intensity scores were derived by converting comparable doses of different ß-blockers and ACE-I/ARBs to a scale from 0 to 5. The primary efficacy end point was the 6-month indexed left ventricular end-systolic volume (LVESV) adjusted for baseline LVESV. Results: Of 301 participants, 149 (49.5%) were randomized to RIM and 152 (50.5%) to SC. RIM and SC participants had similar mean (SD) age (55.3 [8.5] vs 54.7 [9.1] years), median (interquartile range) N-terminal-pro-B-type natriuretic peptide concentration (807 [524-1360] vs 819 [485-1320] pg/mL), mean (SD) baseline left ventricular ejection fraction (57.4% [11.1%] vs 58.1% [10.3%]), and mean (SD) indexed LVESV (32.4 [14.1] vs 30.6 [11.7] mL/m2); 15 patients [5.9%] had a left ventricular ejection fraction <40%. The primary safety end point occurred in 0 RIM vs 2 SC participants (1.4%) (P = .50). The mean ß-blocker and ACE-I/ARB dose intensity score at 6 months was 3.03 vs 2.91 (adjusted mean difference, 0.12 [95% CI, -0.02 to 0.26; P = .10]) and 2.96 vs 2.77 (adjusted mean difference, 0.19 [95% CI, -0.02 to 0.40; P = .07]), respectively. The 6-month indexed LVESV was 28.9 vs 29.7 mL/m2 (adjusted mean difference, -0.80 mL/m2 [95% CI, -3.20 to 1.60; P = .51]). Conclusions and Relevance: Among low-risk patients with revascularization after myocardial infarction, RIM by allied health care professionals was feasible and safe. There were no differences in achieved medication doses or indices of left ventricular remodeling. Further studies of RIM in higher-risk cohorts are warranted. Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT02468349.