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1.
Eur Heart J Digit Health ; 5(2): 123-133, 2024 Mar.
Article En | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38505483

Aims: A majority of acute coronary syndromes (ACS) present without typical ST elevation. One-third of non-ST-elevation myocardial infarction (NSTEMI) patients have an acutely occluded culprit coronary artery [occlusion myocardial infarction (OMI)], leading to poor outcomes due to delayed identification and invasive management. In this study, we sought to develop a versatile artificial intelligence (AI) model detecting acute OMI on single-standard 12-lead electrocardiograms (ECGs) and compare its performance with existing state-of-the-art diagnostic criteria. Methods and results: An AI model was developed using 18 616 ECGs from 10 543 patients with suspected ACS from an international database with clinically validated outcomes. The model was evaluated in an international cohort and compared with STEMI criteria and ECG experts in detecting OMI. The primary outcome of OMI was an acutely occluded or flow-limiting culprit artery requiring emergent revascularization. In the overall test set of 3254 ECGs from 2222 patients (age 62 ± 14 years, 67% males, 21.6% OMI), the AI model achieved an area under the curve of 0.938 [95% confidence interval (CI): 0.924-0.951] in identifying the primary OMI outcome, with superior performance [accuracy 90.9% (95% CI: 89.7-92.0), sensitivity 80.6% (95% CI: 76.8-84.0), and specificity 93.7 (95% CI: 92.6-94.8)] compared with STEMI criteria [accuracy 83.6% (95% CI: 82.1-85.1), sensitivity 32.5% (95% CI: 28.4-36.6), and specificity 97.7% (95% CI: 97.0-98.3)] and with similar performance compared with ECG experts [accuracy 90.8% (95% CI: 89.5-91.9), sensitivity 73.0% (95% CI: 68.7-77.0), and specificity 95.7% (95% CI: 94.7-96.6)]. Conclusion: The present novel ECG AI model demonstrates superior accuracy to detect acute OMI when compared with STEMI criteria. This suggests its potential to improve ACS triage, ensuring appropriate and timely referral for immediate revascularization.

2.
J Cardiovasc Comput Tomogr ; 18(2): 154-161, 2024.
Article En | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38238196

BACKGROUND: To identify anatomical and morphological plaque features predictors of PCI and create a multiparametric score to increase the predictive yield. Moreover, we assessed the incremental predictive value of FFRCT (Fractional Flow Reserve derived from CCTA) trans-lesion gradient (ΔFFRCT) when integrated into the score. METHODS: Observational cohort study including patients undergoing CCTA for suspected coronary artery disease, with FFRCT available, referred to invasive coronary angiogram and assessment of fractional flow reserve. Plaque analysis was performed using validated semi-automated software. Logistic regression was performed to identify anatomical and morphological plaque features predictive of PCI. Optimal thresholds were defined by area under the receiver-operating characteristics curve (AUC) analysis. A scoring system was developed in a derivation cohort (70 â€‹% of the study population) and tested in a validation cohort (30 â€‹% of patients). RESULTS: The overall study population included 340 patients (455 vessels), among which 238 patients (320 vessels) were included in the derivation cohort. At multivariate logistic regression analysis, absence of left main disease, diameter stenosis (DS), non-calcified plaque (NCP) volume, and percent atheroma volume (PAV) were independent predictors of PCI. Optimal thresholds were: DS â€‹≥ â€‹50 â€‹%, volume of NCP>113 â€‹mm3 and PAV>17 â€‹%. A weighted score (CT-PCI Score) ranging from 0 to 11 was obtained. The AUC of the score was 0.80 (95%CI 0.74-0.86). The integration of ΔFFRCT in the CT-PCI score led to a mild albeit not significant increase in the AUC (0.82, 95%CI 0.77-0.87, p â€‹= â€‹0.328). CONCLUSIONS: Plaque anatomy and morphology derived from CCTA could aid in identifying patients amenable to PCI.


Coronary Artery Disease , Coronary Stenosis , Fractional Flow Reserve, Myocardial , Percutaneous Coronary Intervention , Plaque, Atherosclerotic , Humans , Computed Tomography Angiography , Constriction, Pathologic/pathology , Coronary Angiography , Coronary Artery Disease/diagnostic imaging , Coronary Artery Disease/therapy , Coronary Artery Disease/pathology , Coronary Stenosis/diagnostic imaging , Coronary Stenosis/therapy , Coronary Stenosis/pathology , Coronary Vessels/diagnostic imaging , Coronary Vessels/pathology , Plaque, Atherosclerotic/pathology , Predictive Value of Tests , Syndrome
3.
Circ Heart Fail ; 17(1): e010805, 2024 01.
Article En | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38108151

BACKGROUND: Coronary microvascular dysfunction (CMD) is involved in heart failure (HF) onset and progression, independently of HF phenotype and obstructive coronary artery disease. Invasive assessment of CMD might provide insights into phenotyping and prognosis of patients with HF. We aimed to assess absolute coronary flow, absolute microvascular resistance, myocardial perfusion, coronary flow reserve, and microvascular resistance reserve in patients with HF with preserved ejection fraction and HF with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF). METHODS: Single-center, prospective study of 56 consecutive patients with de novo HF with nonobstructive coronary artery disease divided into HF with preserved ejection fraction (n=21) and HFrEF (n=35). CMD was invasively assessed by continuous intracoronary thermodilution and defined as coronary flow reserve <2.5. Left ventricular and left anterior descending artery-related myocardial mass was quantified by echocardiography and coronary computed tomography angiography. Myocardial perfusion (mL/min per g) was calculated as the ratio between absolute coronary flow and left anterior descending artery-related mass. RESULTS: Patients with HFrEF showed a higher left ventricular and left anterior descending artery-related myocardial mass compared with HF with preserved ejection fraction (P<0.010). Overall, 52% of the study population had CMD, with a similar prevalence between the 2 groups. In HFrEF, CMD was characterized by lower absolute microvascular resistance and higher absolute coronary flow at rest (functional CMD; P=0.002). CMD was an independent predictor of a lower rate of left ventricular reverse remodeling at follow-up. In patients with HF with preserved ejection fraction, CMD was mainly due to higher absolute microvascular resistance and lower absolute coronary flow during hyperemia (structural CMD; P≤0.030). CONCLUSIONS: Continuous intracoronary thermodilution allows the definition and characterization of patterns with distinct CMD in patients with HF and could identify patients with HFrEF with a higher rate of left ventricular reverse remodeling at follow-up.


Coronary Artery Disease , Heart Failure , Humans , Stroke Volume , Prospective Studies , Ventricular Function, Left
4.
JACC Cardiovasc Interv ; 16(22): 2767-2777, 2023 Nov 27.
Article En | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38030361

BACKGROUND: Coronary flow reserve (CFR) and microvascular resistance reserve (MRR) can, in principle, be derived by any method assessing coronary flow. OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to compare CFR and MRR as derived by continuous (CFRcont and MRRcont) and bolus thermodilution (CFRbolus and MRRbolus). METHODS: A total of 175 patients with chest pain and nonobstructive coronary artery disease were studied. Bolus and continuous thermodilution measurements were performed in the left anterior descending coronary artery. MRR was calculated as the ratio of CFR to fractional flow reserve and corrected for changes in systemic pressure. In 102 patients, bolus and continuous thermodilution measurements were performed in duplicate to assess test-retest reliability. RESULTS: Mean CFRbolus was higher than CFRcont (3.47 ± 1.42 and 2.67 ± 0.81 [P < 0.001], mean difference 0.80, upper limit of agreement 3.92, lower limit of agreement -2.32). Mean MRRbolus was also higher than MRRcont (4.40 ± 1.99 and 3.22 ± 1.02 [P < 0.001], mean difference 1.2, upper limit of agreement 5.08, lower limit of agreement -2.71). The correlation between CFR and MRR values obtained using both methods was significant but weak (CFR, r = 0.28 [95% CI: 0.14-0.41]; MRR, r = 0.26 [95% CI: 0.16-0.39]; P < 0.001 for both). The precision of both CFR and MRR was higher when assessed using continuous thermodilution compared with bolus thermodilution (repeatability coefficients of 0.89 and 2.79 for CFRcont and CFRbolus, respectively, and 1.01 and 3.05 for MRRcont and MRRbolus, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: Compared with bolus thermodilution, continuous thermodilution yields lower values of CFR and MRR accompanied by an almost 3-fold reduction of the variability in the measured results.


Coronary Circulation , Fractional Flow Reserve, Myocardial , Humans , Thermodilution/methods , Reproducibility of Results , Treatment Outcome , Coronary Vessels , Microcirculation
5.
Atherosclerosis ; 385: 117332, 2023 11.
Article En | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-37866008

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: The etiology and pathophysiology of Takotsubo syndrome (TTS) remain a matter of debate. In murine models of coronary microvascular dysfunction (CMD), abnormalities in myocardial perfusion led to the development of TTS. Importantly, TTS was reversible when normal perfusion was restored. However, in clinical practice, the assessment of coronary microcirculation in patients with TTS has primarily relied on non-invasive or indirect, angiography-derived methods. METHODS AND RESULTS: For the first time, we performed invasive microcirculatory assessment, by both validated techniques currently available in the catheterization laboratory, namely intracoronary bolus and continuous thermodilution, in patients with TTS, upon hospital admission and at short term follow-up. Our findings demonstrate that CMD was consistently present in all patients upon hospital admission, as assessed by both techniques. At a median follow-up of 3 months, after the recovery of left ventricular ejection fraction, two third of patients no longer exhibited CMD. CONCLUSIONS: These findings support the hypothesis that an acute and transient worsening in coronary microvascular function plays a pivotal role in the pathophysiology of TTS.


Takotsubo Cardiomyopathy , Humans , Animals , Mice , Microcirculation , Stroke Volume , Ventricular Function, Left , Heart
6.
Curr Probl Cardiol ; 48(12): 102023, 2023 Dec.
Article En | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-37553060

Acute decompensated heart failure (ADHF) is a major cause of hospitalizations in older adults, leading to high mortality, morbidity, and healthcare costs. To address the persistent poor outcomes in ADHF, novel device-based approaches targeting specific pathophysiological mechanisms are urgently needed. The recently introduced DRI2P2S classification categorizes these innovative therapies based on their mechanisms. Devices include dilators (increasing venous capacitance), removers (directly removing sodium and water), inotropes (enhancing left ventricular contractility), interstitials (accelerating lymph removal), pushers (increasing renal arterial pressure), pullers (decreasing renal venous pressure), and selective drippers (selective intrarenal drug infusion). Some are tailored for chronic HF, while others focus on the acute setting. Most devices are in early development, necessitating further research to understand mechanisms, assess clinical effectiveness, and ensure safety before routine use in ADHF management. Exploring these innovative device-based strategies may lead to improved outcomes and revolutionize HF treatment in the future.


Heart Failure , Humans , Aged , Kidney , Hospitalization , Treatment Outcome , Acute Disease
8.
Health Policy ; 132: 104826, 2023 Jun.
Article En | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-37087953

AIMS: To assess the effects on outcomes and hospital revenues (societal cost) of a by default strategy of same day discharge (SDD) in patients undergoing a cardiac catheterization procedure in a Belgian Hospital. METHODS AND RESULTS: Outcome and complete financial data were obtained in all consecutive patients with a cardiac catheterization performed in 2019 (n=5237) and in 2021 (n=5377). Patient-reported experience, patient satisfaction and Net promotor score were obtained prospectively for the SDD cohort in 2021. The proportion of patients receiving catheterization procedure in SDD increased from 28 to 44 % (p<0.001). This translates to the saving of 889 conventional hospitalizations in 2021. All-cause death and readmission rate remained unchanged (0,17% vs 0,15% (p=0,004); and 0,7% vs 1,8% (p>0,05)) in 2019 and 2021, respectively. Patients satisfaction top box score was 91% and the Net Promotor Score was 89,5. The by default SDD strategy was associated with reduction in in-hospital health care spending, on average 3206€ per procedure is saved. This means a 57% decrease in hospital revenues and translates into an important decrease in physician income. CONCLUSION: Implementing a by default SDD cardiac catheterization strategy results in a reduction of societal cost, excellent patient satisfaction and unchanged clinical outcome. Yet, in the given context this approach negatively impacts hospital and physician revenues precluding the sustainability of such protocol.


Patient Discharge , Percutaneous Coronary Intervention , Humans , Belgium , Length of Stay , Value-Based Health Care , Treatment Outcome , Catheterization , Retrospective Studies
9.
EuroIntervention ; 19(2): e155-e166, 2023 Jun 05.
Article En | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-36809253

BACKGROUND: A bolus thermodilution-derived index of microcirculatory resistance (IMR) has emerged as the standard for assessing coronary microvascular dysfunction (CMD). Continuous thermodilution has recently been introduced as a tool to quantify absolute coronary flow and microvascular resistance directly. Microvascular resistance reserve (MRR) derived from continuous thermodilution has been proposed as a novel metric of microvascular function, which is independent of epicardial stenoses and myocardial mass. AIMS: We aimed to assess the reproducibility of bolus and continuous thermodilution in assessing coronary microvascular function. METHODS: Patients with angina and non-obstructive coronary artery disease (ANOCA) at angiography were prospectively enrolled. Bolus and continuous intracoronary thermodilution measurements were obtained in duplicate in the left anterior descending artery (LAD). Patients were randomly assigned in a 1:1 ratio to undergo either bolus thermodilution first or continuous thermodilution first. RESULTS: A total of 102 patients were enrolled. The mean fractional flow reserve (FFR) was 0.86±0.06. Coronary flow reserve (CFR) calculated with continuous thermodilution (CFRcont) was significantly lower than bolus thermodilution-derived CFR (CFRbolus; 2.63±0.65 vs 3.29±1.17; p<0.001). CFRcont showed a higher reproducibility than CFRbolus (variability: 12.7±10.4% continuous vs 31.26±24.85% bolus; p<0.001). MRR showed a higher reproducibility than IMR (variability 12.4±10.1% continuous vs 24.2±19.3% bolus; p<0.001). No correlation was found between MRR and IMR (r=0.1, 95% confidence interval: -0.09 to 0.29; p=0.305). CONCLUSIONS: In the assessment of coronary microvascular function, continuous thermodilution demonstrated significantly less variability on repeated measurements than bolus thermodilution.


Coronary Circulation , Fractional Flow Reserve, Myocardial , Humans , Thermodilution , Microcirculation , Reproducibility of Results , Vascular Resistance , Cardiac Catheterization , Coronary Vessels , Coronary Angiography
10.
Interv Cardiol ; 18: e30, 2023.
Article En | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38213745

Since the first robotic-assisted percutaneous coronary intervention procedure (R-PCI) was performed in 2004, there has been a steady evolution in robotic technology, combined with a growth in the number of robotic installations worldwide and operator experience. This review summarises the latest developments in R-PCI with a focus on developments in robotic technology, procedural complexity, tele-stenting and training methods, which have all contributed to the global expansion in R-PCI.

11.
JACC Heart Fail ; 10(12): 963-973, 2022 12.
Article En | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-36456070

BACKGROUND: Endomyocardial biopsy (EMB) facilitates a histopathologic diagnosis with unique prognostic and therapeutic implications in both native and donor hearts. It is a relatively safe procedure, with an overall complication rate ranging from <1% to 6% depending on the experience of the operator, the clinical status of the patient, the presence or absence of left bundle branch block, the access site, and the site of procurement (right ventricular [RV] vs left ventricular [LV] approach). OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to assess the incidence of procedure-related complications in a real-world population. EMBs were performed either for surveillance of rejection episodes after heart transplantation or for diagnosis of etiology of cardiomyopathy. METHODS: The authors retrospectively analyzed 1,368 biopsies obtained in 561 consecutive patients between May 2011 and May 2021. Patients were stratified according to the underlying heart disease, sex, age, access site, body mass index, and RV vs LV approach. RESULTS: The analysis revealed an overall complication rate of 4.1%. Serious life-threatening cardiac complications occurred in <1% of EMBs, with tamponade necessitating pericardiocentesis in 0.2% and urgent cardiac surgery in 0.1% of the procedures. Minor complications occurred in 3.3% of the overall population and were more often encountered during LV EMBs (3.9%) and when the native heart was sampled (5.3%). CONCLUSIONS: In experienced hands, LV and RV EMB for heart transplantation rejection surveillance and cardiomyopathy diagnosis is a safe procedure with low risk of complications. Older, female patients and those undergoing native heart EMB were more prone to complications following EMB.


Cardiomyopathies , Heart Diseases , Heart Failure , Heart Transplantation , Humans , Female , Retrospective Studies , Tissue Donors , Biopsy/adverse effects
12.
JACC Case Rep ; 4(23): 101669, 2022 Dec 07.
Article En | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-36507297

To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of robotic-assisted renal denervation. Robotic-assisted renal denervation represents a new frontier in robotic-assisted percutaneous interventions. Robotic assistance provides increased procedural and technical accuracy while minimizing radiation exposure for both the operators and the patients. (Level of Difficulty: Advanced.).

13.
Heart ; 109(1): 47-54, 2022 12 13.
Article En | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-35977812

BACKGROUND: Development of left ventricle (LV) hypertrophy in aortic stenosis (AS) is accompanied by adaptive coronary flow regulation. We aimed to assess absolute coronary flow, microvascular resistance, coronary flow reverse (CFR) and microvascular resistance reserve (MRR) in patients with and without AS. METHODS: Absolute coronary flow and microvascular resistance were measured by continuous thermodilution in 29 patients with AS and 29 controls, without AS, matched for age, gender, diabetes and functional severity of epicardial coronary lesions. Myocardial work, total myocardial mass and left anterior descending artery (LAD)-specific mass were quantified by echocardiography and cardiac-CT. RESULTS: Patients with AS presented a significantly positive LV remodelling with lower global longitudinal strain and global work efficacy compared with controls. Total LV myocardial mass and LAD-specific myocardial mass were significantly higher in patients with AS (p=0.001). Compared with matched controls, absolute resting flow in the LAD was significantly higher in the AS cohort (p=0.009), resulting into lower CFR and MRR in the AS cohort compared with controls (p<0.005 for both). No differences were found in hyperaemic flow and resting and hyperaemic resistances. Hyperaemic myocardial perfusion (calculated as the ratio between the absolute coronary flow subtended to the LAD, expressed in mL/min/g), but not resting, was significantly lower in the AS group (p=0.035). CONCLUSIONS: In patients with severe AS and non-obstructive coronary artery disease, with the progression of LV hypertrophy, the compensatory mechanism of increased resting flow maintains adequate perfusion at rest, but not during hyperaemia. As a consequence, both CFR and MRR are significantly impaired.


Aortic Valve Stenosis , Coronary Stenosis , Humans , Coronary Circulation/physiology , Coronary Vessels/diagnostic imaging , Echocardiography/methods , Aortic Valve Stenosis/diagnostic imaging , Aortic Valve Stenosis/complications , Hypertrophy, Left Ventricular/diagnostic imaging , Hypertrophy, Left Ventricular/etiology , Blood Flow Velocity/physiology
14.
J Card Surg ; 37(9): 2907-2911, 2022 Sep.
Article En | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-35690894

A 62-year-old man presents to the Cardiology Department with a history of angina on exertion. Invasive coronary angiography revealed a severe three vessels coronary artery disease. The "Hybrid Heart Team" successfully performed a fully robotically assisted hybrid revascularization combining robotically enhanced-minimally invasive direct coronary artery bypass on the left anterior descending (LAD) and robotically assisted percutaneous coronary intervention on non-LAD lesions.


Coronary Artery Disease , Percutaneous Coronary Intervention , Robotic Surgical Procedures , Coronary Artery Bypass , Coronary Artery Disease/surgery , Coronary Vessels/diagnostic imaging , Coronary Vessels/surgery , Humans , Male , Middle Aged , Minimally Invasive Surgical Procedures , Treatment Outcome
15.
Atherosclerosis ; 352: 46-52, 2022 07.
Article En | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-35667163

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Absolute coronary flow can be measured by intracoronary continuous thermodilution of saline through a dedicated infusion catheter (RayFlow®). A saline infusion rate at 15-20 mL/min induces an immediate, steady-state, maximal microvascular vasodilation. The mechanism of this hyperemic response remains unclear. We aimed to test whether local hemolysis is a potential mechanism of saline-induced coronary hyperemia. METHODS: Twelve patients undergoing left and right catheterization were included. The left coronary artery and the coronary sinus were selectively cannulated. Absolute resting and hyperemic coronary flow were measured by continuous intracoronary thermodilution. Arterial and venous samples were collected from the coronary artery and the coronary sinus in five phases: baseline (BL); resting flow measurement (Rest, saline infusion at 10 mL/min); hyperemia (Hyperemia, saline infusion at 20 mL/min); post-hyperemia (Post-Hyperemia, 2 min after the cessation of saline infusion); and control phase (Control, during infusion of saline through the guide catheter at 30 mL/min). RESULTS: Hemolysis was visually detected only in the centrifugated venous blood samples collected during the Hyperemia phase. As compared to Rest, during Hyperemia both LDH (131.50 ± 21.89 U/dL [Rest] and 258.33 ± 57.40 U/dL [Hyperemia], p < 0.001) and plasma free hemoglobin (PFHb, 4.92 ± 3.82 mg/dL [Rest] and 108.42 ± 46.58 mg/dL [Hyperemia], p < 0.001) significantly increased in the coronary sinus. The percentage of hemolysis was significantly higher during the Hyperemia phase (0.04 ± 0.02% [Rest] vs 0.89 ± 0.34% [Hyperemia], p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Saline-induced hyperemia through a dedicated intracoronary infusion catheter is associated with hemolysis. Vasodilatory compounds released locally, like ATP, are likely ultimately responsible for localized microvascular vasodilation.


Hyperemia , Coronary Circulation/physiology , Coronary Vessels , Hemolysis , Humans , Thermodilution
17.
J Cardiovasc Comput Tomogr ; 16(5): 404-411, 2022.
Article En | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-35337770

BACKGROUND: To investigate the learning curve and the minimum number of cases required for a cardiologist in training to acquire the skills to an accurate pre-TAVI cardiac CT (CCT) analysis using a semi-automatic software. METHODS: In this prospective, observational study, 40 CCTs of patients scheduled for TAVI were independently evaluated twice by 5 readers (80 readings each, 400 in total): a certified TAVI-CT specialist served as the reference reader (RR) and 4 cardiology fellows (2 interventional and 2 non-invasive cardiac imaging) as readers. The primary outcome was the minimum number of cases required to achieve an accuracy in imaging interpretation ≥80%, defined as the agreement between each reader and the RR in both balloon and self-expandable valve size choice. The secondary outcomes were the intra- and inter-observer variability. RESULTS: After 50 readings (25 cases repeated twice) cardiology fellows were able to select the appropriate valve size with ≥ 80% of accuracy compared to the RR, independently of valve calcification, image quality and slice thickness. Learning curves of both interventional and non-invasive cardiac imaging fellows showed a similar trend. Cardiology fellows achieved a very high intra- and inter-observer reliability for both perimeter and area assessment, with an intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) ranging from 0.96 to 0.99. CONCLUSIONS: Despite the individual differences, cardiology fellows required 50 readings (25 cases repeated twice) to get adequately skilled in the pre-TAVI CCT interpretation. These results provide valuable information for developing adequate training sessions and education protocols for both companies and cardiologists involved.


Aortic Valve Stenosis , Cardiologists , Heart Valve Prosthesis , Aortic Valve , Humans , Learning Curve , Predictive Value of Tests , Reproducibility of Results , Tomography, X-Ray Computed/methods
18.
High Blood Press Cardiovasc Prev ; 29(3): 207-219, 2022 May.
Article En | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-35147890

Coronary artery disease (CAD) continues to be the leading cause of mortality and morbidity in developed countries. Assessment of pre-test probability (PTP) based on patient's characteristics, gender and symptoms, help to identify more accurate patient's clinical likelihood of coronary artery disease. Consequently, non-invasive imaging tests are performed more appropriately to rule in or rule out CAD rather than invasive coronary angiography (ICA). Coronary computed tomography angiography (CCTA) is the first-line non-invasive imaging technique in patients with suspected CAD and could be used to plan and guide coronary intervention. Invasive coronary angiography remains the gold-standard method for the identification and characterization of coronary artery stenosis. However, it is recommended in patients where the imaging tests are non-conclusive, and the clinical likelihood is very high, remembering that in clinical practice, approximately 30 to 70% of patients with symptoms and/or signs of ischemia, referred to coronary angiography, have non obstructive coronary artery disease (INOCA). In this contest, physiology and imaging-guided revascularization represent the cornerstone of contemporary management of chronic coronary syndromes (CCS) patients allowing us to focus specifically on ischemia-inducing stenoses. Finally, we also discuss contemporary medical therapeutic approach for secondary prevention. The aim of this review is to provide an updated diagnostic and therapeutic approach for the management of patients with stable coronary artery disease.


Coronary Artery Disease , Coronary Stenosis , Fractional Flow Reserve, Myocardial , Computed Tomography Angiography/methods , Coronary Angiography/methods , Coronary Artery Disease/diagnostic imaging , Coronary Artery Disease/therapy , Coronary Stenosis/diagnostic imaging , Coronary Stenosis/therapy , Fractional Flow Reserve, Myocardial/physiology , Humans , Predictive Value of Tests
19.
Front Cardiovasc Med ; 8: 765071, 2021.
Article En | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-34738020

Background: Coronary microvascular dysfunction (CMD) is an early feature of diabetic cardiomyopathy, which usually precedes the onset of diastolic and systolic dysfunction. Continuous intracoronary thermodilution allows an accurate and reproducible assessment of absolute coronary blood flow and microvascular resistance thus allowing the evaluation of coronary flow reserve (CFR) and Microvascular Resistance Reserve (MRR), a novel index specific for microvascular function, which is independent from the myocardial mass. In the present study we compared absolute coronary flow and resistance, CFR and MRR assessed by continuous intracoronary thermodilution in diabetic vs. non-diabetic patients. Left atrial reservoir strain (LASr), an early marker of diastolic dysfunction was compared between the two groups. Methods: In this observational retrospective study, 108 patients with suspected angina and non-obstructive coronary artery disease (NOCAD) consecutively undergoing elective coronary angiography (CAG) from September 2018 to June 2021 were enrolled. The invasive functional assessment of microvascular function was performed in the left anterior descending artery (LAD) with intracoronary continuous thermodilution. Patients were classified according to the presence of DM. Absolute resting and hyperemic coronary blood flow (in mL/min) and resistance (in WU) were compared between the two cohorts. FFR was measured to assess coronary epicardial lesions, while CFR and MRR were calculated to assess microvascular function. LAS, assessed by speckle tracking echocardiography, was used to detect early myocardial structural changes potentially associated with microvascular dysfunction. Results: The median FFR value was 0.83 [0.79-0.87] without any significant difference between the two groups. Absolute resting and hyperemic flow in the left anterior descending coronary were similar between diabetic and non-diabetic patients. Similarly, resting and hyperemic resistances did not change significantly between the two groups. In the DM cohort the CFR and MRR were significantly lower compared to the control group (CFR = 2.38 ± 0.61 and 2.88 ± 0.82; MRR = 2.79 ± 0.87 and 3.48 ± 1.02 for diabetic and non-diabetic patients respectively, [p < 0.05 for both]). Likewise, diabetic patients had a significantly lower reservoir, contractile and conductive LAS (all p < 0.05). Conclusions: Compared with non-diabetic patients, CFR and MRR were lower in patients with DM and non-obstructive epicardial coronary arteries, while both resting and hyperemic coronary flow and resistance were similar. LASr was lower in diabetic patients, confirming the presence of a subclinical diastolic dysfunction associated to the microcirculatory impairment. Continuous intracoronary thermodilution-derived indexes provide a reliable and operator-independent assessment of coronary macro- and microvasculature and might potentially facilitate widespread clinical adoption of invasive physiologic assessment of suspected microvascular disease.

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