Ten-year clinical outcomes from a randomized trial comparing new-generation everolimus-eluting stent versus first-generation Sirolimus-eluting stent: Results from the RESET extended study.

BACKGROUND: New-generation drug-eluting stents (DES) achieved technological innovations and reported clinical advantages as compared with first-generation DES in clinical trials with 3-5 years follow-up. However, detailed clinical outcome data in very long-term follow-up is still scarce. OBJECTIVES: To evaluate 10-year clinical outcomes after first- and new-generation DES implantation. METHODS: In this extende follow-up study of the RESET, which is a largest randomized trial comparing everolimus-eluting stent (EES) with Sirolimus-eluting stent (SES), the study population consisted of 2892 patients from 84 centers. The primary efficacy and safety endpoints were target lesion revascularization (TLR) and a composite of death or myocardial infarction (MI), respectively. Complete 10-year follow-up was achieved in 87.9% of patients. RESULTS: Cumulative 10-year incidences of TLR and non-TLR were not significantly different between EES and SES (13.9% vs. 15.7%, Log-rank p = 0.20, and 33.4% vs. 31.3%, Log-rank p = 0.30). The cumulative 10-year incidence of death/MI was also not significantly different between the groups (32.5% vs. 34.4%, Log-rank p = 0.18). Cumulative 10-year incidence of definite stent thrombosis was numerically lower in EES than in SES (1.0% vs. 1.7%, Log-rank p = 0.16). The lower risk of EES relative to SES was significant for a composite endpoint of target lesion failure (TLF: 19.6% vs. 24.9%, Log-rank p = 0.001) and target vessel failure (TVF: 26.7% vs. 31.4%, Log-rank p = 0.006). CONCLUSION: During 10-year of follow-up, the risks for primary efficacy and safety endpoints were not significantly different between new-generation EES and first-generation SES, although EES compared with SES was associated with a lower risk for composite endpoints such as TLF and TVF.

Post-ablation left atrial function impacts long-term recurrence of atrial fibrillation after ablation.

Left atrial (LA) function can help predict various cardiovascular events. Catheter ablation for atrial fibrillation (AF) modifies baseline LA function through the maintenance of sinus rhythm and myocardial injury. We investigated the impact of post-ablation LA function on recurrence of AF after ablation and identified the predictors of reduced post-ablation LA function. A total of 616 patients who underwent AF ablation (paroxysmal, N = 310; non-paroxysmal, N = 306) were retrospectively examined with cardiac computed tomography at baseline and 3 months after the final ablation procedure. Post-ablation LA emptying fraction (LAEFpost) was calculated. We evaluated the association between LAEFpost and recurrence of AF after the final ablation procedure. Further, we assessed the predictors of reduced LAEFpost. The recurrence rate of AF was 72.7% after the final ablation procedure [median follow-up 48 months (48.0, 48.0), total number of ablation sessions: 1.4 ± 0.7]. Multivariate analysis revealed that LAEFpost was associated with the recurrence of AF (hazard ratio/10% increase: 0.62, 95% confidence interval: 0.51-0.75, P < 0.0001). LAEFpost had a mild predictive power for recurrence of AF (c-statistics: 0.670, optimal cutoff: 26.36%, P < 0.0001). The recurrence-free proportion among patients with reduced LAEFpost (< 26.36%, N = 100) and those with preserved LAEFpost (≥ 26.36%, N = 516) was 40% and 79%, respectively (P < 0.0001). The predictors of reduced LAEFpost were low pre-ablation LAEF, high pre-ablation LA volume, low body mass index (BMI), and female sex. Further, reduced LAEFpost was associated with the total number of ablation sessions and extra-pulmonary vein LA ablation. In conclusion, reduced LAEFpost was associated with recurrence of AF after ablation. Advanced LA remodeling, low BMI, and female sex could predict reduced LAEFpost. Although additional ablation was associated with reduced LAEFpost, it remains unclear whether reduced LAEFpost resulted from the additional ablation. Reduced LAEFpost might help stratify patients with ablation-refractory AF.

Decrease in red cell distribution width as a useful predictor of success after catheter ablation for atrial fibrillation: a retrospective multi-center study.

Red cell distribution width (RDW) is reportedly associated with cardiovascular events, including atrial fibrillation (AF). We investigated whether the RDW values were associated with the outcomes of catheter ablation for AF. This retrospective multicenter study included 501 patients with AF (239 paroxysmal AF cases, 196 persistent AF cases, and 66 long-standing persistent AF cases) who underwent initial AF ablation between March 2017 and May 2018. The RDW values were evaluated before and at 1-3 months after the procedure. The patients were stratified based on the recurrence of AF within 1 year after the index procedure with a blanking period of 3 months into recurrence group (107 patients, 21.4%) and no-recurrence group (394 patients, 78.6%). There were no significant differences in preoperative RDW values between the groups (p = 0.37). The RDW value did not change significantly after the ablation in the recurrence group (13.55-13.60%, p = 0.37), although it decreased significantly in the no-recurrence group (13.64-13.37%, p < 0.001). Multivariate Cox proportional hazards regression analyses revealed that a postoperative change in RDW (ΔRDW) was independently associated with AF recurrence (hazard ratio 2.00, 95% confidence interval 1.42-2.76, p < 0.001). Receiver operating characteristic curve analysis revealed that a ΔRDW cut-off value of - 0.1% provided a c-statistic of 0.65 for predicting AF recurrence. Decrease in RDW during the blanking period after ablation independently predicted the 1-year success of AF ablation.

Home Sleep Apnea Test to Screen Patients With Atrial Fibrillation for Sleep Apnea Prior to Catheter Ablation.

BACKGROUND: Whether all atrial fibrillation (AF) patients should be evaluated for sleep apnea before catheter ablation (CA) remains controversial. Watch-type peripheral arterial tonometry (W-PAT) is a home sleep testing device and an easier tool for diagnosing sleep apnea than polysomnography. We investigated the prevalence and predictors of sleep apnea using W-PAT in unscreened sleep apnea patients with AF before CA.Methods and Results:The study was conducted under a retrospective, single-center, observational design. We included 776 consecutive patients who underwent both W-PAT and AF ablation. Sleep apnea assessments were successfully performed in 774 patients (99.7%; age 65±11 years, 73.3% male; body mass index [BMI] 24.1±3.5, 56.8% paroxysmal AF). The mean apnea-hypopnea index (AHI) was 20.1±15.6. Although 81.7% of the patients had normal Epworth sleepiness scores (mean 6.5), only 88 (11.4%) had a normal AHI (AHI <5) and 412 (53.2%) had moderate-severe sleep apnea (AHI ≥15). Obesity, male sex, nonparoxysmal AF, hypertension, and a left atrial diameter (LAd) ≥40 mm were predictors of moderate-severe sleep apnea. However, the prevalence of moderate-severe sleep apnea in patients without those predictors (i.e., non-obesity (44.2%), female sex (43.0%), paroxysmal AF (43.9%), no hypertension (45.5%)), and LAd <40 mm (41.0%) was considerably high. CONCLUSIONS: Almost all patients successfully underwent W-PAT to diagnose sleep apnea. Patients undergoing AF ablation had a high prevalence of sleep apnea, and screening for sleep apnea was important in those patients even if they did not have sleepiness or risk factors.

Impact of Chronic Kidney Disease on In-Hospital and 3-Year Clinical Outcomes in Patients With Acute Myocardial Infarction Treated by Contemporary Percutaneous Coronary Intervention and Optimal Medical Therapy　- Insights From the J-MINUET Study.

BACKGROUND: The impact of chronic kidney disease (CKD) on long-term outcomes following acute myocardial infarction (AMI) in the era of modern primary PCI with optimal medical therapy is still in debate.Methods and Results:A total of 3,281 patients with AMI were enrolled in the J-MINUET registry, with primary PCI of 93.1% in STEMI. CKD stage on admission was classified into: no CKD (eGFR ≥60 mL/min/1.73 m2); moderate CKD (60>eGFR≥30 mL/min/1.73 m2); and severe CKD (eGFR <30 mL/min/1.73 m2). While the primary endpoint was all-cause mortality, the secondary endpoint was major adverse cardiac events (MACE), defined as a composite of all-cause death, cardiac failure, myocardial infarction (MI) and stroke. Of the 3,281 patients, 1,878 had no CKD, 1,073 had moderate CKD and 330 had severe CKD. Pre-person-days age- and sex-adjusted in-hospital mortality significantly increased from 0.014% in no CKD through 0.042% in moderate CKD to 0.084% in severe CKD (P<0.0001). Three-year mortality and MACE significantly deteriorated from 5.09% and 15.8% in no CKD through 16.3% and 38.2% in moderate CKD to 36.7% and 57.9% in severe CKD, respectively (P<0.0001). C-index significantly increased from the basic model of 0.815 (0.788-0.841) to 0.831 (0.806-0.857), as well as 0.731 (0.708-0.755) to 0.740 (0.717-0.764) when adding CKD stage to the basic model in predicting 3-year mortality (P=0.013; net reclassification improvement [NRI] 0.486, P<0.0001) and MACE (P=0.046; NRI 0.331, P<0.0001) respectively. CONCLUSIONS: CKD remains a useful predictor of in-hospital and 3-year mortality as well as MACE after AMI in the modern PCI and optimal medical therapy era.

Validation of the atherothrombotic risk score for secondary prevention in patients with acute myocardial infarction: the J-MINUET study.

Thrombolysis in Myocardial Infarction Risk Score for Secondary Prevention (TRS2°P) is a contemporary risk scoring system for secondary prevention based on nine clinical factors. However, this scoring system has not been validated in other populations. The aim of this study was to validate the TRS2°P in patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI) treated with primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) in a nationwide registry cohort. Among 3283 consecutive patients with AMI enrolled in the Japanese registry of acute Myocardial INfarction diagnosed by Universal dEfiniTion (J-MINUET), a total of 2611 patients who underwent primary PCI were included in this study. The performance of the TRS2°P to predict major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) composed of all-cause death, non-fatal MI, and non-fatal stroke up to 3 years in the present cohort was evaluated. The TRS2°P had modest discriminative performance in this J-MINUET cohort with a c-statistic of 0.63, similar to that in the derived cohort (TRA2°P-TIMI50, c-statistic 0.67). A strong graded relationship between the TRS2°P and 3-year cardiovascular event rates was also observed in the J-MINUET cohort. Age ≥ 75 years, Killip ≥ 2, prior stroke, peripheral artery disease, anemia, and non-ST-elevation myocardial infarction were identified as independent factors for the incidence of MACE. The TRS2°P modestly predicted secondary cardiovascular events among patients with AMI treated by primary PCI in a nationwide cohort of Japan. Further studies are needed to develop a novel risk score better predicting secondary cardiovascular events.

Long-Term Clinical Impact of Cardiogenic Shock and Heart Failure on Admission for Acute Myocardial Infarction.

Long-term clinical outcomes among patients with cardiogenic shock (CS) and heart failure (HF) who survive the early phase of acute myocardial infarction (AMI) remain uncertain. We investigated 3283 consecutive patients with AMI, selected from a prospective, nation-wide multicenter registry (J-MINUET) database comprising 28 institutions in Japan between July 2012 and March 2014. The 3263 eligible patients were divided into the following three groups: CS-/HF- group (n = 2467, 75.6%); CS-/HF+ group (n = 479, 14.7%); and CS+ group (n = 317, 9.7%). The thirty-day mortality rate in CS+ patients was 32.8%, significantly higher than in CS- patients. Among CS+ patients, multivariate logistic regression analysis identified statin use before admission (Odds ratio (OR) 0.32, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.14-0.66, P = 0.002), renal deficiency (OR 8.72, 95%CI 2.81-38.67, P < 0.0001) and final thrombolysis in myocardial infarction flow grade (OR 0.42, 95%CI 0.18-0.99, P = 0.046) were associated with 30-day mortality. Landmark Kaplan-Meier analysis showed that mortality rates after 30 days were comparable between CS+ and CS-/HF+ groups but were lower in the CS-/HF- group. Multivariate Cox hazard analysis also showed that hazard risk of mortality after 30 days was comparable between the CS+ and CS-/HF+ groups (Hazard ratio (HR) 1.03, 95%CI 0.63-1.68, P = 0.90), and significantly lower in the CS-/HF- group (HR 0.44, 95%CI 0.32-059, P < 0.0001). In conclusion, AMI patients with CS who survived 30 days experienced worse long-term outcomes compared with those without CS up to 3 years. Attention is required for patients who show HF on admission without CS to improve long-term AMI outcomes.

Sex differences in atrial fibrillation ablation outcomes: insights from a large-scale multicentre registry.

AIM: The impact of sex differences on the clinical outcomes of radiofrequency catheter ablation (RFCA) of atrial fibrillation (AF) is controversial. We investigated the sex differences regarding the efficacy and clinical outcomes of RFCA of AF. METHODS AND RESULTS: We conducted a large-scale, prospective, multicentre, observational study (Kansai Plus Atrial Fibrillation Registry). We enrolled 5010 consecutive patients who underwent an initial RFCA of AF at 26 centres (64 ± 10 years; non-paroxysmal AF, 35.7%). The median follow-up duration was 2.9 years. Female patients (n = 1369, 27.3%) were older (female vs. male, 68 ± 9 vs. 63 ± 11 years, P < 0.0001) with a lower prevalence of non-paroxysmal AF (27.1% vs. 38.9%, P < 0.0001). Fewer females experienced time-dependent pulmonary vein (PV) reconnections and more females received a non-PV foci ablation than males in the index RFCA. The 3-year cumulative incidence of AF recurrences in the multivariate analysis after single procedures was significantly higher in females than males (43.3% vs. 39.0%, log rank P = 0.0046). Females remained an independent predictor of AF recurrence (hazard ratio 1.24; 95% confidence interval 1.12-1.38, P < 0.0001). The AF recurrence rates after multiple procedures were also higher in females, but fewer females experienced PV reconnections during second sessions. More females experienced de novo pacemaker implantations during the long-term follow-up. Females were associated with a higher risk of heart failure hospitalizations and major bleeding after RFCA in the multivariate analysis. CONCLUSIONS: Females experienced more frequent AF recurrences probably due to non-PV arrhythmogenicity and de novo pacemaker implantations than males during the long-term follow-up after RFCA of AF.

Burden and Long Firing of Premature Atrial Contraction Early After Catheter Ablation Predict Late Recurrence of Atrial Fibrillation.

BACKGROUND: Associations between characteristics of premature atrial contraction (PAC) 6 months after catheter ablation (CA) and later recurrence are not known. We investigated the effects of PAC characteristics on long-term outcomes of initially successful atrial fibrillation (AF) ablation.Methods and Results:In all, 378 patients (mean age 61 years, 21% female, 67% paroxysmal AF) who underwent initial radiofrequency CA for AF without recurrence up to 24-h Holter monitoring 6 months after the procedure were reviewed retrospectively. The calculated number of PAC/24 h and the length of the longest PAC run during Holter recording were analyzed. After 4.3±1.2 years (mean±SD) follow-up, 123 (32.5%) patients experienced late recurrence. Patients with recurrence had significantly more PAC/24 h (median [interquartile range] 110 [33-228] vs. 42 [16-210]; P<0.01) and a longer longest PAC run (5 [2-8] vs. 3 [1-5]; P<0.01) than those without. Receiver operating characteristic curve analysis indicated 58 PAC/24 h and a longest PAC run of 5 were optimal cut-off values for predicting recurrence. After adjusting for previously reported predictors of late recurrence, frequent PAC (≥58/24 h) and longest PAC run ≥5 were found to be independent predictors of late recurrence (hazard ratios [95% confidence intervals] 1.93 [1.24-3.02; P<0.01] and 1.81 [1.20-2.76; P<0.01], respectively). CONCLUSIONS: Six months after successful AF ablation, both frequent PAC and long PAC run are independent predictors of late recurrence.

Admission During Off-Hours Does Not Affect Long-Term Clinical Outcomes of Japanese Patients with Acute Myocardial Infarction.

Discordant results have been reported on outcomes of acute myocardial infarction (AMI) patients who present during off-hours.We investigated 3283 consecutive patients with AMI who were selected from the prospective, nationwide, multicenter registry (J-MINUET) database comprising 28 institutions in Japan between July 2012 and March 2014 to determine the current impact of off-hours presentation (defined as weekends, holidays, and weekdays from 8:01 PM to 7:59 AM) at hospitals on long-term clinical outcomes. The primary endpoint was a composite of all-cause death, non-fatal MI, non-fatal stroke, cardiac failure, and urgent revascularization for unstable angina for up to 3 years from the index event.During off-hours, 52% of patients presented. Primary percutaneous coronary intervention was performed in 85% of patients, and the door-to-balloon time was comparable between off-hours and regular hours (74, interquartile range [IQR] 52 to 113 versus 75, IQR 52 to 126 minutes, P = 0.34). Rate of overall primary endpoint overall did not overall significantly differ (25.3% versus 23.5%, log-rank P = 0.26), in patients with ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) (log-rank P = 0.93) and in patients with non-ST-elevation myocardial infarction (NSTEMI) (log-rank P = 0.14). Multivariate Cox regression analysis showed that off-hours presentation was not significantly associated with long-term clinical events in all cohorts.The impact of presentation during off-hours or regular hours on the long-term clinical outcomes of Japanese patients with AMI is comparable in contemporary practice.

Prognostic Impact of B-Type Natriuretic Peptide on Long-Term Clinical Outcomes in Patients with Non-ST-Segment Elevation Acute Myocardial Infarction Without Creatine Kinase Elevation.

Although B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP) has gradually gained recognition as an indicator in risk stratification for patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI), the prognostic impact on long-term clinical outcomes in patients with non-ST-segment elevation acute myocardial infarction (NSTEMI) without creatine kinase (CK) elevation remains unclear.This prospective multicenter study assessed 3,283 consecutive patients with AMI admitted to 28 institutions in Japan between 2012 and 2014. We analyzed 218 patients with NSTEMI without CK elevation (NSTEMI-CK) for whom BNP was available. In the NSTEMI-CK group, patients were assigned to high- and low-BNP groups according to BNP values (cut-off BNP, 100 pg/mL). The primary endpoint was defined as a composite of all-cause death, non-fatal myocardial infarction, non-fatal stroke, cardiac failure, and urgent revascularization for unstable angina up to 3 years. Primary endpoints were observed in 60 (33.3%) events among patients with NSTEMI-CK. Kaplan-Meier analysis revealed a significantly higher event rate for primary endpoints among patients with high BNP (log-rank P < 0.001). After adjusting for covariates, a higher BNP level was significantly associated with long-term clinical outcomes in NSTEMI-CK (adjusted hazard ratio, 4.86; 95% confidence interval, 2.18-12.44; P < 0.001).The BNP concentration is associated with adverse long-term clinical outcomes among patients with NSTEMI-CK who are considered low risk. Careful clinical management may be warranted for secondary prevention in patients with NSTEMI-CK with high BNP levels.

Comparison of the Safety and Efficacy of Automated Annotation-Guided Radiofrequency Ablation and 2nd-Generation Cryoballoon Ablation in Paroxysmal Atrial Fibrillation.

BACKGROUND: Automated ablation lesion annotation with optimal settings for parameters including contact force (CF) and catheter stability may be effective for achieving durable pulmonary vein isolation. Methods and Results: We retrospectively examined 131 consecutive patients who underwent initial catheter ablation (CA) for paroxysmal atrial fibrillation (PAF) by automatic annotation system (VISITAG module)-guided radiofrequency CA (RFCA) (n=61) and 2nd-generation cryoballoon ablation (CBA) (n=70) in terms of safety and long-term efficacy. The automatic annotation criteria for the RFCA group were as follows: catheter stability range of motion ≤1.5 mm, duration ≥5 s, and CF ≥5 g. We ablated for >20 s with a force-time integral >150 gs at each site, before moving to the next site. Each interlesion distance was <6 mm. Procedural complications were more frequent in the CBA group (1.6% vs. 10.0%, P=0.034). Across a median follow-up of 2.98 years, 88.5% and 70.0% of patients in the RFCA and CBA groups, respectively, were free from recurrence (log-rank test, P=0.0039). There was also a significant difference in favor of RFCA with respect to repeat ablations (3.3% vs. 24.3%, log-rank test, P=0.0003). CONCLUSIONS: RF ablation guided by an automated algorithm that includes CF and catheter stability parameters showed better long-term outcomes than CBA in the treatment of patients with PAF without increasing complications.

Admission Heart Rate Is a Determinant of Effectiveness of Beta-Blockers in Acute Myocardial Infarction Patients.

BACKGROUND: Beta-blockers are standard therapy for acute myocardial infarction (AMI). However, despite current advances in the management of AMI, it remains unclear whether all AMI patients benefit from ß-blockers. We investigated whether admission heart rate (HR) is a determinant of the effectiveness of ß-blockers for AMI patients. Methods and Results: We enrolled 3,283 consecutive AMI patients who were admitted to 28 participating institutions in the Japanese Registry of Acute Myocardial Infarction Diagnosed by Universal Definition (J-MINUET) study. According to admission HR, we divided patients into 3 groups: bradycardia (HR <60 beats/min, n=444), normocardia (HR 60 to ≤100 beats/min, n=2,013), and tachycardia (HR >100 beats/min, n=342). The primary endpoint was major adverse cardiac events (MACE), including all-cause death, non-fatal MI, non-fatal stroke, heart failure (HF), and urgent revascularization for unstable angina, at 3-year follow-up. Beta-blocker at discharge was significantly associated with a lower risk of MACE in the tachycardia group (23.6% vs. 33.0%; P=0.033), but it did not affect rates of MACE in the normocardia group (17.8% vs. 18.4%; P=0.681). In the bradycardia group, ß-blocker use at discharge was significantly associated with a higher risk of MACE (21.6% vs. 12.7%; P=0.026). Results were consistent for multivariable regression and stepwise multivariable regression. CONCLUSIONS: Admission HR might determine the efficacy of ß-blockers for current AMI patients.

Frequency and prognostic impact of intravascular imaging-guided urgent percutaneous coronary intervention in patients with acute myocardial infarction: results from J-MINUET.

Previous studies have demonstrated that use of intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) during percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) was associated with lower incidence of death, myocardial infarction, and target vessel revascularization. Recently, optical coherence tomography (OCT) has emerged as an alternative intravascular imaging device with better resolution. The aim of this study was to investigate frequency and prognostic impact of IVUS or OCT-guided PCI during urgent revascularization for acute myocardial infarction diagnosed by the universal definition. A total of 2788 patients who underwent urgent PCI were selected from a multicenter, Japanese registry of acute myocardial infarction diagnosed by universal definition (J-MINUET). Frequency, clinical characteristics and prognostic impact of the IVUS-, or OCT- guided PCI were investigated. Clinical endpoint was in-hospital death. Angiography-, IVUS-, and OCT-guided urgent PCI were performed in 689 (24.7%), 1947 (69.8%), and 152 (5.5%) patients. In-hospital death in each group was 10.4%, 5.1%, and 3.3%, respectively (P < 0.01). By univariate and multivariate logistic regression analysis, IVUS-guided PCI (vs. angiography-guided PCI, OR 0.49, 95% CI 0.30-0.81, P = 0.006) was a significant independent predictor of in-hospital death. Intravascular imaging guided-PCI was frequently adopted during urgent PCI for acute myocardial infarction diagnosed by universal definition and was associated with better in-hospital survival.

Association of onset-season with characteristics and long-term outcomes in acute myocardial infarction patients: results from the Japanese registry of acute myocardial infarction diagnosed by universal definition (J-MINUET) substudy.

It is known that incidence and short-term mortality rate of acute myocardial infarction (AMI) tend to be higher in the cold season. The aim of our study was to investigate the association of onset-season with patient characteristics and long-term prognosis of AMI. This was a prospective, multicenter, Japanese investigation of 3,283 patients with AMI who were hospitalized within 48 h of symptom onset between July 2012 and March 2014. Patients were divided into 3 seasonal groups according to admission date: cold season group (December-March), hot season group (June-September), and moderate season group (April, May, October, and November). We identified 1356 patients (41.3%) admitted during the cold season, 901 (27.4%) during the hot season, and 1026 (31.3%) during the moderate season. We investigated the seasonal effect on patient characteristics and clinical outcomes. Baseline characteristics of each seasonal group were comparable, with the exception of age, Killip class, and conduction disturbances. The rates of higher Killip class and complete atrioventricular block were significantly higher in the cold season group. The 3-year cumulative survival free from major adverse cardiac events (MACE) rate was the lowest in the cold season (67.1%), showing a significant difference, followed by the moderate (70.0%) and hot seasons (72.9%) (p < 0.01). Initial severity and long-term prognoses were worse in patients admitted during the cold season. Our findings highlight the importance of optimal prevention and follow-up of AMI patients with cold season onset.

Efficacy and Safety of Figure-of-Eight Suture for Hemostasis After Radiofrequency Catheter Ablation for Atrial Fibrillation.

BACKGROUND: This study evaluated the safety and efficacy of venous figure-of-eight (FoE) suture to achieve femoral venous hemostasis after radiofrequency (RF) catheter ablation (CA) for atrial fibrillation (AF).Methods and Results:We retrospectively examined 517 consecutive patients undergoing RFCA for AF. The control group (n=247) underwent manual compression for femoral venous hemostasis after sheath removal with 6 h of bed rest. The FoE group (n=270) underwent FoE suture technique with 4 h of bed rest. All patients achieved successful hemostasis within 24 h after CA. Although the incidence of hematoma was similar between the groups, the incidence of rebleeding was lower in the FoE group than in the control group (FoE vs. control, 3.7% vs. 18.6%, P<0.001). The post-procedural use of analgesic and/or anti-emetic agents was less frequent in the FoE group (19.3% vs. 32.0%, P<0.001). On multiple logistic regression analysis after adjustment for age and sex, the use of a vitamin K antagonist (OR, 2.42; 95% CI: 1.18-4.99, P=0.02) and the FoE suture technique (OR, 0.17; 95% CI: 0.08-0.35, P<0.001) were independent predictors of rebleeding after CA. CONCLUSIONS: FoE suture technique effectively achieved femoral venous hemostasis after RFCA for AF. It reduced the risk of rebleeding, shortened bed rest duration, and relieved patient discomfort.

A lower eicosapentaenoic acid/arachidonic acid ratio is associated with in-hospital fatal arrhythmic events in patients with acute myocardial infarction: a J-MINUET substudy.

The ratio of serum eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) to arachidonic acid (AA) is significantly associated with long-term clinical outcomes in patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI). However, it has not been conclusively demonstrated that higher serum EPA/AA ratio fares better clinical outcomes in the early phase of AMI. The Japanese registry of acute Myocardial INfarction diagnosed by Universal dEfiniTion (J-MINUET) is a prospective multicenter registry conducted in 28 Japanese medical institutions between July 2012 and March 2014. We enrolled 3,283 consecutive AMI patients who were admitted to participating institutions within 48 h of symptom onset. A serum EPA/AA ratio was available for 629 of these patients. The endpoints were in-hospital mortality and major adverse cardiac events (MACE), defined as a composite of all cause death, cardiac failure, ventricular tachycardia (VT) and/or ventricular fibrillation (VF) and bleeding during hospitalization. Although similar rates of in-hospital mortality, cardiac failure, bleeding, and MACE were found in the lower serum EPA/AA group and higher serum EPA/AA group, the incidence of VT/VF during hospitalization was significantly higher in the low ratio group (p = 0.008). Receiver operating characteristic curve analysis showed that an EPA/AA ratio < 0.35 could predict the incidence of VT/VF with 100% sensitivity and 64.0% specificity. A lower serum EPA/AA ratio was associated with a higher frequency of fatal arrhythmic events in the early phase of AMI.

A High Level of Blood Urea Nitrogen Is a Significant Predictor for In-hospital Mortality in Patients with Acute Myocardial Infarction.

High levels of blood urea nitrogen (BUN) have been demonstrated to significantly predict poor prognosis in patients with acute decompensated heart failure. However, this relationship has not been fully investigated in patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI). We investigated whether a high level of BUN is a significant predictor for in-hospital mortality and other clinical outcomes in patients with AMI. The Japanese registry of acute Myocardial INfarction diagnosed by Universal dEfiniTion (J-MINUET) is a prospective, observational, multicenter study conducted in 28 institutions, in which 3,283 consecutive AMI patients were enrolled. We excluded 98 patients in whom BUN levels were not recorded at admission and 190 patients who were undergoing hemodialysis. A total of 2,995 patients were retrospectively analyzed. BUN tertiles were 1.5-14.4 mg/dL (tertile 1), 14.5-19.4 mg/dL (tertile 2), and 19.5-240 mg/dL (tertile 3). Increasing tertiles of BUN were associated with stepwise increased risk of in-hospital mortality (2.5, 5.1, and 11%, respectively; P < 0.001). These relationships were also observed after adjusting for reduced estimated glomerular filtration rate (estimated GFR < 60 mL/minute/1.73 m2) or Killip classifications. In multivariable analysis, high levels of BUN significantly predicted in-hospital mortality, after adjusting for creatinine and other known predictors (BUN tertile 3 versus 1, adjusted odds ratio [OR]: 2.59, 95% confidence interval [95% CI]: 1.57-4.25, P < 0.001; BUN tertile 2 versus 1, adjusted OR: 1.60, 95% CI: 0.94-2.73, P = 0.081). A high level of BUN could be a useful predictor of in-hospital mortality in AMI patients.

Pre-Procedural Thrombolysis in Myocardial Infarction Flow in Patients with ST-Segment Elevation Myocardial Infarction.

It has been shown that the patency of an infarct-related artery (IRA) before primary percutaneous coronary intervention determines post-procedural success, better preservation of left ventricular function, and lower in-hospital mortality. However, the factors associated with pre-procedural Thrombolysis In Myocardial Infarction (TIMI) flow have not been fully investigated.The Japanese registry of acute Myocardial INfarction diagnosed by Universal dEfiniTion (J-MINUET) is a prospective multicenter registry conducted at 28 Japanese medical institutions between July 2012 and March 2014. We enrolled 3,283 consecutive patients with acute myocardial infarction who were admitted to a participating institution within 48 hours of symptom onset. There were 2,262 patients (68.9%) with ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI), among whom 2,182 patients underwent emergent or urgent coronary angiography.Pre-procedural TIMI flow grade 3 was related to post-procedural TIMI flow grade 3 (P < 0.001), lower enzymatic infarct size (P < 0.001), lower ventricular tachycardia and ventricular fibrillation (P = 0.049), and lower in-hospital mortality (P = 0.020). A history of antiplatelet drug use was associated with pre-procedural TIMI flow.Antiplatelet drug use on admission was associated with pre-procedural TIMI flow. The patency of the IRA in patients with STEMI was related to procedural success and decreased enzymatic infarct size, fatal arrhythmic events, and in-hospital mortality.

Independent predictors of retrograde failure in CTO-PCI after successful collateral channel crossing.

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate factors for predicting retrograde CTO-PCI failure after successful collateral channel crossing. BACKGROUND: Successful guidewire/catheter collateral channel crossing is important for the retrograde approach in percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) for chronic total occlusion (CTO). METHODS: A total of 5984 CTO-PCI procedures performed in 45 centers in Japan from 2009 to 2012 were studied. The retrograde approach was used in 1656 CTO-PCIs (27.7%). We investigated these retrograde procedures to evaluate factors for predicting retrograde CTO-PCI failure even after successful collateral channel crossing. RESULTS: Successful guidewire/catheter collateral crossing was achieved in 77.1% (n = 1,276) of 1656 retrograde CTO-PCI procedures. Retrograde procedural success after successful collateral crossing was achieved in 89.4% (n = 1,141). Univariate analysis showed that the predictors for retrograde CTO-PCI failure were in-stent occlusion (OR = 1.9829, 95%CI = 1.1783 - 3.3370 P = 0.0088), calcified lesions (OR = 1.9233, 95%CI = 1.2463 - 2.9679, P = 0.0027), and lesion tortuosity (OR = 1.5244, 95%CI = 1.0618 - 2.1883, P = 0.0216). On multivariate analysis, lesion calcification was an independent predictor of retrograde CTO-PCI failure after successful collateral channel crossing (OR = 1.3472, 95%CI = 1.0614 - 1.7169, P = 0.0141). CONCLUSIONS: The success rate of retrograde CTO-PCI following successful guidewire/catheter collateral channel crossing was high in this registry. Lesion calcification was an independent predictor of retrograde CTO-PCI failure after successful collateral channel crossing. Devices and techniques to overcome complex CTO lesion morphology, such as lesion calcification, are required to further improve the retrograde CTO-PCI success rate. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.