The Inverse Correlation Between the Duration of Lifetime Occupational Radiation Exposure and the Prevalence of Atrial Arrhythmia.

Objective: Advancements in fluoroscopy-assisted procedures have increased radiation exposure among cardiologists. Radiation has been linked to cardiovascular complications but its effect on cardiac rhythm, specifically, is underexplored. Methods: Demographic, social, occupational, and medical history information was collected from board-certified cardiologists via an electronic survey. Bivariate and multivariable logistic regression analyses were performed to assess the risk of atrial arrhythmias (AA). Results: We received 1,478 responses (8.8% response rate) from cardiologists, of whom 85.4% were male, and 66.1% were ≤65 years of age. Approximately 36% were interventional cardiologists and 16% were electrophysiologists. Cardiologists > 50 years of age, with > 10,000 hours (h) of radiation exposure, had a significantly lower prevalence of AA vs. those with ≤10,000 h (11.1% vs. 16.7%, p = 0.019). A multivariable logistic regression was performed and among cardiologists > 50 years of age, exposure to > 10,000 radiation hours was significantly associated with a lower likelihood of AA, after adjusting for age, sex, diabetes mellitus, hypertension, and obstructive sleep apnea (adjusted OR 0.57; 95% CI 0.38-0.85, p = 0.007). The traditional risk factors for AA (age, sex, hypertension, diabetes mellitus, and obstructive sleep apnea) correlated positively with AA in our data set. Cataracts, a well-established complication of radiation exposure, were more prevalent in those exposed to > 10,000 h of radiation vs. those exposed to ≤10,000 h of radiation, validating the dependent (AA) and independent variables (radiation exposure), respectively. Conclusion: AA prevalence may be inversely associated with radiation exposure in Cardiologists based on self-reported data on diagnosis and radiation hours. Large-scale prospective studies are needed to validate these findings.

Coronary plaque vulnerability in statin-treated patients with elevated LDL-C and hs-CRP: optical coherence tomography study.

There have been no previous attempts to assess coronary plaque morphology in statin-treated patients with combined residual cholesterol and inflammatory risk. The aim of this study was to characterize the morphology using optical coherence tomography (OCT) and to investigate the underlying molecular mechanisms. Two hundred seventy statin-treated patients with stable coronary artery disease who underwent OCT imaging prior to elective percutaneous coronary intervention were included in this single-center retrospective analysis. Subjects were stratified into four groups based on low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) levels using 70 mg/dl and 2 mg/L as cut-offs, respectively. OCT images of the target lesions were assessed. For a subset of patients, peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) were isolated, and gene expression was characterized using microarray analysis. Patients with high LDL-C and high hs-CRP demonstrated a higher frequency of lipid-rich plaques (LRP) (91%, P = 0.03) by OCT. LRPs in these patients had a greater maximal lipid arc (186.6 ± 92.5°, P = 0.047). In addition, plaques from patients who did not achieve dual-target were less frequently calcified (P = 0.003). If calcification was present, it was characterized by a lower maximal arc (P = 0.016) and shorter length (P = 0.025). PBMC gene expression analysis demonstrated functional enrichment of toll-like receptors (TLRs) 1-9 to be associated with high LDL-C and hs-CRP. Obstructive coronary lesions in patients on statin therapy with combined residual cholesterol and inflammatory risk demonstrated a higher prevalence of LRP with greater maximal lipid arcs and more frequent spotty calcifications. PBMC from these patients revealed functional enrichment of TLR 1-9.

Side branch fractional flow reserve after provisional stenting of calcified bifurcation lesions: The ORBID-FFR study.

OBJECTIVES: We examined the incidence of side branch (SB) compromise after provisional stenting of calcified bifurcation lesions treated with rotational atherectomy (RA) or cutting balloon angioplasty (CBA) and the utility of optical coherence tomography (OCT) to detect functionally significant SB stenoses. BACKGROUND: The comparative impact of RA versus CBA on SB compromise and functional significance remains poorly characterized. METHODS: Seventy-one consecutive patients with 71 calcified bifurcation lesions with angiographically intermediate SB stenoses were randomized to RA (n = 35) or CBA (n = 36). The primary endpoint was SB compromise defined as SB diameter stenosis ≥70%, SB dissection or thrombolysis in myocardial infarction flow grade < 3 after provisional stenting. Secondary endpoints included SB FFR in noncompromised SBs and its correlation with SB ostium area (SBOA) assessed by three-dimensional OCT. RESULTS: SB compromise after provisional stenting was observed in 7 (20.0%) lesions that underwent RA and in 9 (25.0%) lesions treated with CBA (p = .62). Mean SB FFR was 0.83 ± 0.08 and was similar between the study arms. Functionally significant SB stenosis (FFR ≤ 0.80) was detected in 17(30.9%) angiographically noncompromised SBs. SBOA after stenting was an independent predictor of FFR ≤ 0.80 (OR 0.002, 95% CI: 0.00-0.15, p = .002). The optimal cutoff value for SBOA to predict functionally significant SB stenosis was 0.76 mm2 (sensitivity 82%, specificity 89% and area under the curve 0.92, 95% CI: 0.84-0.99). CONCLUSIONS: The rates of SB compromise and functionally significant stenosis after provisional stenting of calcified bifurcation lesions were similar between two lesion preparation strategies. OCT SBOA can detect SB branches with FFR ≤ 0.80 with high sensitivity and specificity.

Predictors of side branch compromise in calcified bifurcation lesions treated with orbital atherectomy.

OBJECTIVES: The aim of the study was to identify the predictors of side branch (SB) compromise in severely calcified bifurcation lesions treated with orbital atherectomy (OA). BACKGROUND: SB compromise remains a major complication of bifurcation lesion percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). Higher prevalence of lipid-rich plaques and spotty calcification by optical coherence tomography (OCT) and SB ostial stenosis by angiography have been previously suggested as predictors of SB occlusion after main vessel (MV) stenting. METHODS: Patients with chronic stable angina and severely calcified bifurcation lesions, in whom provisional stenting strategy was planned, were enrolled in the study. OA was used for lesion preparation in all cases. OCT imaging of the MV was performed before and after stenting. SB compromise was defined as a composite of SB occlusion (TIMI flow grade ≤ 2) and SB intervention after MV stenting. RESULTS: Thirty stable CAD patients with 30 severely calcified bifurcation lesions were included in the study. Twelve patients (40%) had a compromised SB after MV stenting. Compromised SB was characterized by a greater angiographic diameter stenosis (55.4 ± 8.1% vs. 35.0 ± 14.4%, P < 0.01) and a smaller minimal lumen diameters (0.79 ± 0.17 vs. 1.12 ± 0.30 mm, P = 0.002) before PCI compared to noncompromised SB. The prevalence of OCT lipid-rich plaques was low and did not differ between the groups (18 vs. 19%, P = 0.68). There was no difference in other OCT plaque characteristics including the presence of spotty calcification. CONCLUSION: The severity of SB ostial disease and not MV plaque morphology contributed to SB compromise in severely calcified bifurcation lesions.

Developing a Mobile Application for Global Cardiovascular Education.

Technological revolution in the field of medical education is here, and it is time to embrace it. Adoption of on-the-go learning style, portability of smartphones, and expression of concepts with interactive illustrations and their global reach have made application (app)-based learning an effective medium. An educational mobile app, BIFURCAID, was developed to simplify and teach complex coronary bifurcation intervention. This app has been downloaded worldwide. The survey results revealed its widespread acceptance and success. The authors believe that educational apps can have a significant impact on shaping the future of cardiovascular education in the 21st century. This experience with developing and testing the app could work as a template for other medical educators.

Intravascular Brachytherapy for the Management of Repeated Multimetal-Layered Drug-Eluting Coronary Stent Restenosis.

BACKGROUND: Because of the widespread acceptance of percutaneous coronary intervention with drug-eluting stents as an effective treatment strategy for in-stent restenosis, it is common to encounter multimetal layer stent restenosis in the recent years. This study aimed to evaluate the clinical outcomes of such patients treated with intravascular brachytherapy (IVBT) in comparison with other percutaneous options. METHODS AND RESULTS: We enrolled patients who underwent percutaneous coronary intervention during the period between 2011 and 2015 for recurrent drug-eluting stents in-stent restenosis with at least 2 layers of stents at the lesion site. This analysis compared patients who underwent treatment with IVBT and those who did not (non-IVBT group). The primary end point measured was major adverse cardiac events defined as a composite of target lesion revascularization, myocardial infarction, and all-cause mortality at 12 months. Adjusted associations were measured using propensity score matching. A total of 328 percutaneous coronary intervention patients met the eligibility criteria, of which 197 patients received IVBT, and 131 patients underwent routine percutaneous intervention. The primary end point was significantly lower in patients undergoing IVBT (13.2% and 28.2%; P=0.01). A propensity score matching for risk factors of in-stent restenosis identified 182 patients. The advantages of IVBT with regard to 1-year major adverse cardiac events were confirmed in this matched cohort (13.2% and 30.8%; adjusted hazard ratio [95% CI]: 0.37 [0.18-0.73]; P<0.01). CONCLUSIONS: In this analysis, IVBT led to significantly lower major adverse cardiac events in patients with multilayered drug-eluting stents restenosis when compared with other percutaneous options at 1-year follow-up.

Real-World Bioresorbable Vascular Scaffold Experience Compared With Second-Generation Metallic Drug-Eluting Stents in Complex Coronary Lesions.

OBJECTIVES: The aim of the study was to compare the acute outcomes of Absorb bioresorbable vascular scaffolds (BVS) and second-generation drug-eluting stent (DES) implantation in routine clinical practice. There is a paucity of data regarding BVS use in a real-world patient population. METHODS: The study population comprised 40 consecutive patients who underwent percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) with BVS implantation at a tertiary-care center in New York, New York between July and December of 2016. An optimal implantation technique including adequate lesion preparation, mandatory postdilation, and optical coherence tomography (OCT) imaging was used in all cases. De novo lesions treated with BVS were compared to lesions treated with DES matched by OCT calcium arc, scaffold/stent size, use of atherectomy device, and lesion postdilation. Acute lumen gain, minimal device area, malapposition, eccentricity, and symmetry index were assessed using OCT. RESULTS: We analyzed OCT images of 40 BVS cases and 40 matching DES cases from 35 and 40 patients, respectively. Compared to the DES group, the BVS group demonstrated similar acute lumen gain, minimal scaffold/stent area, eccentricity index, and symmetry index after PCI. There were fewer malapposed struts detected after BVS implantation; however, malapposition distance and length were not different between the groups. CONCLUSION: BVS implantation in a real-world patient population with optimal implantation technique resulted in similar stent expansion and better strut apposition compared to DES implantation.

Prognostic Relation Between Severity of Diabetes Mellitus (On or Off Insulin) ± Chronic Kidney Disease with Cardiovascular Risk After Percutaneous Coronary Intervention.

The presence of either diabetes mellitus (DM) or chronic kidney disease (CKD) is associated with a worse prognosis after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). It is also known that outcomes in patients treated with insulin (insulin requiring type 2 diabetes mellitus [ITDM]) are worse than those who are not on insulin (non-insulin type 2 diabetes mellitus [NITDM]). We sought to compare long-term outcomes in patients who underwent PCI with varying severity of DM with and without CKD. We retrospectively studied 17,898 patients who underwent PCI from January 2009 to December 2014 in the Mount Sinai Cath Lab. Patients were categorized into groups by the presence or the absence of CKD and by the DM status (none, NITDM, or ITDM). In the absence of CKD, adjusted hazard ratios (95% confidence interval [CI]) for death or myocardial infarction associated with NITDM and ITDM were 1.65 (95% CI 1.02 to 2.67) and 3.78 (95% CI 2.23 to 6.40), respectively. Analogous risks in the presence of CKD were 3.34 (95% CI 1.99 to 5.61) and 6.26 (95% CI 3.84 to 10.2). This study shows that irrespective of renal status, the need for insulin in the setting of DM identifies a group with substantial risk of death or myocardial infarction at 1 year.

Intracoronary Imaging, Cholesterol Efflux, and Transcriptomics after Intensive Statin Treatment in Diabetes.

Residual atherothrombotic risk remains higher in patients with versus without diabetes mellitus (DM) despite statin therapy. The underlying mechanisms are unclear. This is a retrospective post-hoc analysis of the YELLOW II trial, comparing patients with and without DM (non-DM) who received rosuvastatin 40 mg for 8-12 weeks and underwent intracoronary multimodality imaging of an obstructive nonculprit lesion, before and after therapy. In addition, blood samples were drawn to assess cholesterol efflux capacity (CEC) and changes in gene expression in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC). There was a significant reduction in low density lipoprotein-cholesterol (LDL-C), an increase in CEC and beneficial changes in plaque morphology including increase in fibrous cap thickness and decrease in the prevalence of thin cap fibro-atheroma by optical coherence tomography in DM and non-DM patients. While differential gene expression analysis did not demonstrate differences in PBMC transcriptome between the two groups on the single-gene level, weighted gene coexpression network analysis revealed two modules of coexpressed genes associated with DM, Collagen Module and Platelet Module, related to collagen catabolism and platelet function respectively. Bayesian network analysis revealed key driver genes within these modules. These transcriptomic findings might provide potential mechanisms responsible for the higher cardiovascular risk in DM patients.

Digoxin Use to Control Ventricular Rate in Patients with Atrial Fibrillation and Heart Failure Is Not Associated with Increased Mortality.

Introduction. Digoxin is used to control ventricular rate in atrial fibrillation (AF). There is conflicting evidence regarding safety of digoxin. We aimed to evaluate the risk of mortality with digoxin use in patients with AF using meta-analyses. Methods. PubMed was searched for studies comparing outcomes of patients with AF taking digoxin versus no digoxin, with or without heart failure (HF). Studies were excluded if they reported only a point estimate of mortality, duplicated patient populations, and/or did not report adjusted hazard ratios (HR). The primary endpoint was all-cause mortality. Adjusted HRs were combined using generic inverse variance and log hazard ratios. A multivariate metaregression model was used to explore heterogeneity in studies. Results. Twelve studies with 321,944 patients were included in the meta-analysis. In all AF patients, irrespective of heart failure status, digoxin is associated with increased all-cause mortality (HR [1.23], 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.16-1.31). However, digoxin is not associated with increased mortality in patients with AF and HF (HR [1.08], 95% CI 0.99-1.18). In AF patients without HF digoxin is associated with increased all-cause mortality (HR [1.38], 95% CI 1.12-1.71). Conclusion. In patients with AF and HF, digoxin use is not associated with an increased risk of all-cause mortality when used for rate control.