Impact of Clinical Presentation on Outcomes After Rotational Atherectomy in Patients Who Underwent Percutaneous Coronary Intervention.

Rotational atherectomy (RA) is widely used in the percutaneous treatment of heavily calcified coronary artery lesions in patients with chronic coronary syndromes (CCS). However, the safety and efficacy of RA in acute coronary syndrome (ACS) is not well established and is considered a relative contraindication. Therefore, we sought to evaluate the efficacy and safety of RA in patients presenting with non-ST-elevation myocardial infarction (NSTEMI), unstable angina (UA), and CCS. Consecutive patients who underwent percutaneous coronary intervention with RA between 2012 and 2019 at a tertiary single center were included. Patients presenting with ST-elevation myocardial infarction (MI) were excluded. The primary end points of interest were procedural success and procedural complications. The secondary end point was the risk of death or MI at 1 year. A total of 2,122 patients who underwent RA were included, of whom 1,271 presented with a CCS (59.9%), 632 presented with UA (29.8%), and 219 presented with NSTEMI (10.3%). Although an increased rate of slow-flow/no-reflow was noted in the UA population (p = 0.03), no significant difference in procedural success or procedural complications, including coronary dissection, perforation, or side-branch closure, was noted (p = NS). At 1 year, there were no significant differences in death or MI between CCS and non-ST-elevation ACS (NSTE-ACS: UA + NSTEMI; adjusted hazard ratio 1.39, 95% confidence interval 0.91 to 2.12); however, patients who presented with NSTEMI had a higher risk of death or MI than CCS (adjusted hazard ratio 1.79, 95% confidence interval 1.01 to 3.17). Use of RA in NSTE-ACS was associated with similar procedural success without an increased risk of procedural complications compared with patients with CCS. Although patients presenting with NSTEMI remained at higher risk of long-term adverse events, RA appears to be safe and feasible in patients with heavily calcified coronary lesions presenting with NSTE-ACS.

Ticagrelor vs Prasugrel in a Contemporary Real-World Cohort Undergoing Percutaneous Coronary Intervention.

BACKGROUND: Potent P2Y12 agents such as ticagrelor and prasugrel are increasingly utilized across the clinical spectrum of patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). There is a paucity of data supporting their use in a patient population inclusive of both acute coronary syndrome (ACS) and chronic coronary syndrome (CCS) patients. OBJECTIVES: The authors compared the efficacy and safety of ticagrelor and prasugrel in a real-world contemporary PCI cohort. METHODS: Consecutive patients undergoing PCI between 2014 and 2019 discharged on either prasugrel or ticagrelor were included from the prospectively collected institutional PCI registry. Primary endpoint was the composite of death and myocardial infarction (MI), with secondary outcomes including rates of bleeding, stroke, and target vessel revascularization at 1 year. RESULTS: Overall, 3,858 patients were included in the study (ticagrelor: n = 2,771; prasugrel: n = 1,087), and a majority (48.4%) underwent PCI in the context of CCS. Patients prescribed ticagrelor were more likely to be female, have a history of cerebrovascular disease, and have ACS presentation, while those receiving prasugrel were more likely to be White with a higher prevalence of prior revascularization. No difference in the risk of death or MI was noted across the groups (ticagrelor vs prasugrel: 3.3% vs 3.1%; HR: 0.88; 95% CI: 0.54-1.43; P = 0.59). Rates of target vessel revascularization were significantly lower in the ticagrelor cohort (9.3% vs 14.0%; adjusted HR: 0.71; 95% CI: 0.55-0.91; P = 0.007) with no differences in stroke or bleeding. The results were consistent in patients with CCS (HR: 0.84; 95% CI: 0.46-1.54) and ACS (HR: 1.18; 95% CI: 0.46-1.54), without evidence of interaction (P = 0.37), and confirmed across multivariable adjustment and propensity score stratification analysis. CONCLUSIONS: In this contemporary patient population undergoing PCI, prasugrel and ticagrelor were associated with similar 1-year efficacy and safety.

Rotational Atherectomy for the Management of Undilatable In-Stent Restenosis with Single or Multiple Stent Layers.

BACKGROUND: There is no consensus on the best treatment of undilatable coronary in-stent restenosis (ISR) regardless of the number of stent layers. We aimed to evaluate the procedural and clinical outcomes of rotational atherectomy (RA) to treat undilatable coronary ISR with single or multiple stent layers. METHODS: We retrospectively evaluated consecutive patients treated with RA for undilatable ISR with single or multiple stent layers in the Mount Sinai catheterization laboratory between January 2016 and September 2018. Procedural success was defined as angiographic success without in-hospital major adverse cardiac events (MACE): a composite of death, myocardial infarction (MI), and target lesion revascularization (TLR). Clinical outcomes were assessed at one-year post-procedure. RESULTS: A total of 26 patients were included in the study, in which 18 (69.2%) patients were with multiple stent layers. After RA, 9 (34.6%) were received a new drug-eluting stent, and 6 (23.1%) were treated with intravascular brachytherapy. Angiographic success was achieved in 24 (92.3%) patients, and procedural success was achieved in 22 (84.6%) patients. In-hospital MACE occurred in 4 (15.4%) patients, all due to periprocedural non-Q wave MI. Within one year, MACE occurred in 9 (34.6%) patients with 5 (19.2%) TLR. CONCLUSIONS: RA for undilatable ISR with single or multiple stent layers was performed with favorable procedural outcomes and a relatively high MACE rate driven by TLR within one year.

Meta-Analysis Comparing Same-Sitting and Staged Percutaneous Coronary Intervention of Non-Culprit Artery for ST-Elevation Myocardial Infarction with Multivessel Coronary Disease.

Recent trials and meta-analysis have indicated that complete revascularization (CR) of multivessel coronary disease is beneficial in patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) compared to culprit-only intervention. However, the optimal timing of CR remains unclear. We aimed to analyze the optimal timing of CR in patients with STEMI and multivessel disease by performing an updated network meta-analysis using the recent largest randomized controlled trial. PUBMED and EMBASE were searched through October 2020 to identify randomized controlled trials comparing CR and culprit-only revascularization. A random-effect network meta-analysis comparing three arms (same-sitting [during the index procedure] CR versus staged CR versus culprit-only) and 4 arms (same-sitting CR versus staged CR [in-hospital] versus staged CR [out-hospital] versus culprit-only) were performed. Eleven studies with a total of 7,015 patients were included in our analysis. There was no significant difference in major adverse cardiovascular event (MACE) (HR 0.82, 95% CI 0.64-1.05), cardiovascular death (HR 0.69, 95%CI 0.35-1.33), myocardial infarction (HR 0.66, 95%CI 0.37-1.16), and revascularization (HR 1.05, 95%CI 0.70-1.58) between same-sitting CR and staged CR. When staged CR was further divided into staged CR during the hospitalization and after discharge, there was no significant difference in these outcomes between staged CR (in-hospital) and staged CR (out-hospital). In conclusion, in patients with multivessel disease presenting with STEMI, complete revascularization at any timing, including same-sitting, staged in-hospital, and staged out-hospital, may have similar benefits.

Procedural and 1-year clinical outcomes of orbital atherectomy for treatment of coronary in-stent restenosis: A single-center, retrospective study.

OBJECTIVES: We evaluated the procedural and 1-year clinical outcomes of orbital atherectomy (OA) for treatment of coronary in-stent restenosis (ISR). BACKGROUND: The optimal treatment for ISR remains uncertain. While rotational and laser atherectomy have been used as neointimal debulking techniques for ISR, there have been few reports on OA for ISR. METHODS: This is a retrospective observational study of consecutive patients who underwent percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) for ISR with OA in Mount Sinai catheterization laboratory between November 2013 and January 2018. Procedural success was defined as angiographic success without in-hospital major adverse cardiac events (MACE; the composite of all-cause death, myocardial infarction [MI], or target vessel revascularization). Clinical outcomes were assessed at 1 month and 12 months postprocedure. RESULTS: A total of 87 patients were included in the study. All 87 patients were treated with OA, after which 49 (56.3%) patients also received new drug-eluting stents. Angiographic success was achieved in 87 (100%) patients and procedural success was achieved in 79 (90.8%) patients. In-hospital MACE occurred in 8 (9.2%) patients, all due to periprocedural non-Q-wave MI. Acute lumen gain was 1.19 ± 0.57 mm after OA plus balloon angioplasty and 1.75 ± 0.50 mm after stent placement. MACE within 1 year occurred in 17 (19.5%) patients. CONCLUSIONS: OA for ISR was performed with favorable procedural and 1-year clinical outcomes. Randomized trials are warranted to determine whether OA improves the poor prognosis of patients with ISR treated without debulking.

Relationship between high shear stress and OCT-verified thin-cap fibroatheroma in patients with coronary artery disease.

High-risk coronary plaques have been considered predictive of adverse cardiac events. Both wall shear stress (WSS) in patients with hemodynamically significant lesions and optical coherence tomography (OCT) -verified thin-cap fibroatheroma (TCFA) are associated with plaque rupture, the most common underlying mechanism of acute coronary syndrome. The aim of the study was to test the hypothesis that invasive coronary angiography-based high WSS is associated with the presence of TCFA detected by OCT in obstructive lesions. From a prospective study of patients who underwent OCT examination for angiographically obstructive lesions (Yellow II), we selected patients who had two angiographic projections to create a 3-dimensional reconstruction model to allow assessment of WSS. The patients were divided into 2 groups according to the presence and absence of TCFA. Mean WSS was assessed in the whole lesion and in the proximal, middle and distal segments. Of 70 patients, TCFA was observed in 13 (19%) patients. WSS in the proximal segment (WSSproximal) (10.20 [5.01, 16.93Pa]) and the whole lesion (WSSlesion) (12.37 [6.36, 14.55Pa]) were significantly higher in lesions with TCFA compared to WSSproximal (5.84 [3.74, 8.29Pa], p = 0.02) and WSSlesion (6.95 [4.41, 11.60], p = 0.04) in lesions without TCFA. After multivariate analysis, WSSproximal was independently associated with the presence of TCFA (Odds ratio 1.105; 95%CI 1.007-1.213, p = 0.04). The optimal cutoff value of WSSproximal to predict TCFA was 6.79 Pa (AUC: 0.71; sensitivity: 0.77; specificity: 0.63 p = 0.02). Our results demonstrate that high WSS in the proximal segments of obstructive lesions is an independent predictor of OCT-verified TCFA.

The current role and future prospects of D-dimer biomarker.

D-dimers have been discovered as by-products of fibrinolysis. In situations where the fundamental pathology is associated with increased thrombolytic activity, D-dimer assays could serve an integral role in the clinical workup, and have an already established role in the diagnosis of clinical disorders of venous thromboembolism, and disseminated intravascular coagulation. However, there is growing literature suggesting that this is not the only clinical scenario where D-dimers may be of significance. They may also become an important biomarker in coronary and carotid artery atherosclerosis and aortic diseases. Being a non-invasive and quick means of diagnosis, D-dimers are a cost-effective tool used for diagnosing diseases. With the future being steered in the direction of preventive cardiology, it is imperative for clinicians to understand how to effectively utilize biomarkers in order to diagnose disorders. In this context, we review D-dimer's origin, current clinical utility, and potential future applications.

Open versus endovascular stent graft repair of abdominal aortic aneurysms: a meta-analysis of randomized trials.

OBJECTIVES: This study sought to evaluate the short-, intermediate-, and longer-term outcomes after endovascular versus open repair of abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAA), including both AAA-related and all-cause mortality. BACKGROUND: Endovascular stent graft placement for AAA has gained broad acceptance as an alternative to open surgical repair due to a lower perioperative morbidity and mortality. The intermediate- and long-term all-cause and aneurysm-related mortality vary among studies. Thus, we sought to perform a meta-analysis of open versus endovascular repair for treating AAA. METHODS: Electronic databases were queried for identification of prospective, randomized trials of open surgery versus endovascular stent graft repair of AAA. A total of 10 published papers reporting on 6 studies at different follow-up intervals were identified; they involved 2,899 patients with AAA repair procedures, of whom, 1,470 underwent endovascular stent graft AAA exclusion and 1,429 were treated by open AAA repair. RESULTS: At 30 days, the pooled relative risk of all-cause mortality was lower in the endovascular group (relative risk [RR]: 0.35, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.19 to 0.64) than in the open surgery group. At intermediate follow-up, the all-cause mortality had a nonsignificant difference (RR: 0.78, 95% CI: 0.57 to 1.08), the AAA-related mortality was significantly lower (RR: 0.46, 95% CI: 0.28 to 0.74) and reintervention rates were higher (RR: 1.48, 95% CI: 1.06 to 2.08) in the endovascular group than in the open surgery group. At long-term follow-up, there was no significant difference in all-cause mortality (RR: 0.99, 95% CI: 0.85 to 1.15) or AAA-related mortality (RR: 1.58, 95% CI: 0.20 to 12.74), whereas the significant difference in the rate of reinterventions persisted (RR: 2.54, 95% CI: 1.58 to 4.08). CONCLUSIONS: In patients randomized to open or endovascular AAA repair, all-cause perioperative mortality, as well as AAA-related mortality at short- and intermediate-term follow-up are lower in patients undergoing endovascular stent graft placement. This was associated with greater reintervention in the endovascular group noted at intermediate follow-up. Long-term survival appears to converge between the 2 groups.

Safety of temporary and permanent suspension of antiplatelet therapy after drug eluting stent implantation in contemporary "real-world" practice.

OBJECTIVES: To define the incidence of stent thrombosis (ST) and/or AMI (ST/AMI) associated with temporary or permanent suspension of dual antiplatelet therapy (DAPT) after coronary drug-eluting stent (DES) implantation in "real-world" patients, and additional factors influencing these events. BACKGROUND: Adherence to DAPT is critical for avoiding ST following DES implantation. However, the outcomes of patients undergoing antiplatelet therapy withdrawal following DES implantation remain to be clearly described. METHODS: Patients receiving DES from 05/01/2003 to 05/01/2008 were identified from a single-center registry. Complete follow-up data were available for 5,681 patients (67% male, age 66 ± 11 years, duration 1,108 ± 446 days) who were included in this analysis. RESULTS: Uninterrupted DAPT was maintained in 4,070/5,681 (71.6%) patients, with an annual ST/AMI rate of 0.43%. Antiplatelet therapy was commonly ceased for gastrointestinal-related issues, dental procedures or noncardiac/nongastrointestinal surgery. Temporary DAPT suspension occurred in 593/5,681 (10.4%) patients for 17.6 ± 74.1 days, with 6/593 (1.0%) experiencing ST/AMI during this period. Of patients permanently ceasing aspirin (n = 187, mean 338 ± 411 days poststenting), clopidogrel (n = 713, mean 614 ± 375 days) or both agents (n = 118, mean 459 ± 408 days), ST/AMI was uncommon with an annual rate of 0.1-0.2%. Overall, independent predictors of ST/AMI were unstable initial presentation, uninterrupted DAPT and lower left ventricular ejection fraction. Factors predicting uninterrupted DAPT included diabetes, unstable presentation, prior MI, left main coronary PCI, and multivessel coronary disease. CONCLUSIONS: In real-world practice, rates of ST/AMI following DES implantation are low, but not insignificant, following aspirin and/or clopidogrel cessation. Use of uninterrupted DAPT appears more common in high-risk patients.

Female gender and mortality after percutaneous coronary intervention: results from a large registry.

OBJECTIVES: To investigate if previously reported gender-based outcome disparities following percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) are applicable in a large and racially-diverse cohort in the drug eluting stent (DES) era. BACKGROUND: It is generally believed that women suffer inferior outcomes compared to men after PCI. However, various strategies have evolved that may have mitigated this imbalance, including improved medical therapy, attention to risk-factors, and procedural advances of PCI including DES. METHODS: We identified 13,752 patients (4,761 female, 34.6%) with complete follow-up data who underwent de novo lesion PCI from 04/2003 to 04/2009. Relevant data were extracted from an IRB-approved registry. RESULTS: Compared to males, females were significantly older (69.0 vs. 64.8 years) and more frequently from a minority or non-Caucasian background. Females smoked less, but more were hypertensive and/or diabetic. Women had higher HDL, but also higher LDL cholesterol levels. More women presented with an unstable coronary syndrome and required left anterior descending artery PCI. While unadjusted post-PCI mortality rates were higher in females versus males (30 days, 1.3 vs. 0.8%, P = 0.009; 1 year, 6.1 vs. 4.8%, P = 0.001; 3 year, 10.4 vs. 8.4%, P < 0.0001), multivariable regression analyses failed to identify female gender as an independent predictor of mortality. Propensity-adjusted modeling confirmed that females were not at intrinsically higher risk for mortality after PCI. CONCLUSIONS: Females undergoing PCI exhibit more comorbidities and adverse prognostic factors than males. However, risk-adjusted analyses identified that gender is not an independent predictor of mortality after PCI in the DES era.

Impact of the everolimus-eluting stent on stent thrombosis: a meta-analysis of 13 randomized trials.

OBJECTIVES: We evaluated the impact of the everolimus-eluting stent (EES) on the frequency of stent thrombosis (ST), target vessel revascularization (TVR), myocardial infarction (MI), and cardiac death in randomized controlled trials comparing the EES to non-everolimus-eluting drug-eluting stents (EE-DES). BACKGROUND: Whether or not the unique properties of the EES translate into reductions in ST remains unknown. METHODS: We searched MEDLINE, Scopus, the Cochrane Library, and Internet sources for articles comparing outcomes between EES and non-EE-DES without language or date restriction. Randomized controlled trials reporting the frequency of ST were included. Variables relating to patient and study characteristics and clinical endpoints were extracted. RESULTS: We identified 13 randomized trials (n = 17,101) with a weighted mean follow-up of 21.7 months. Compared with non-EE-DES, the EES significantly reduced ST (relative risk [RR]: 0.55; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.38 to 0.78; p = 0.001), TVR (RR: 0.77; 95% CI: 0.64 to 0.92; p = 0.004), and MI (RR: 0.78; 95% CI: 0.64 to 0.96; p = 0.02). There was no difference in cardiac mortality between the groups (RR: 0.92; 95% CI: 0.74 to 1.16; p = 0.38). The treatment effect was consistent by different follow-up times and duration of clopidogrel use. The treatment effects increased with higher baseline risks of the respective control groups with the strongest correlation observed for ST (R(2) = 0.89, p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Intracoronary implantation of the EES is associated with highly significant reductions in ST with concordant reductions in TVR and MI compared to non-EE-DES. Whether these effects apply to different patient subgroups and DES types merits further investigation.

Serum creatinine ratio: a novel predictor of mortality after percutaneous coronary intervention in patients with normal and abnormal renal function.

UNLABELLED: The occurrence of contrast induced nephropathy (CIN) is associated with increased mortality after percutaneous revascularization procedures. However, the exact correlation between various levels of creatinine elevation relative to the baseline and subsequent mortality in patients with chronic renal insufficiency (CRI) is not well established. In addition, the relationship between elevated postprocedural creatinine and ensuing mortality in patients with normal baseline renal function needs to be investigated. METHODS: All percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) patients (n = 12,997) were analyzed for any rise in serum creatinine (SCr): CRI group (BSC > or = 1.5 mg/dl) (n = 1,853) and normal baseline renal function (NBR BSC < 1.5 mg/dl) group (n = 11,144). Patients in each group were analyzed for any elevation in SCr postprocedure and subdivided based on the SCr ratio [peak SCr/Baseline creatinine (BSC)] of <1.25, 1.25-1.5, and >1.5. The overall incidence of CIN (defined as an increment of 25% over baseline creatinine) was 5.9%: 11.3% in the CRI group versus 5.1% in normal BSC group (P < 0.01). Recursive partitioning and Cox hazard modeling were used to assess significant variables associated with mortality within 1 year. Only serum creatinine ratio (SCrR) > 1.5 correlated with increased mortality in both CRI group as well as normal BSC group. CONCLUSIONS: SCrR > 1.5 predicts mortality at 1 year after PCI. The association between SCrR > 1.5 and increased mortality at follow-up is observed in patients with CRI as well as normal baseline renal function. SCrR may thus serve as a useful clinical tool for risk stratification and prognostication of patients after PCI.

Bolus-only versus bolus + infusion of glycoprotein IIb/IIIa inhibitors during percutaneous coronary intervention.

BACKGROUND: The present study was done to analyze if glycoprotein IIb/IIIa inhibitors (GPI) bolus-only will reduce vascular/bleeding complications and cost with similar major adverse cardiac events (MACE) when compared with GPI bolus + infusion. Evidence-based therapy of GPI inhibitors during percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) incorporates intravenous bolus followed by 12 to 18 hours of infusion. However, GPI bolus + infusion may increase vascular/bleeding complications and may not reduce MACE when compared with GPI bolus-only. METHODS: From January 1, 2003, to December 31, 2004, 2,629 consecutive patients received GPI during PCI at a single center. Of these, 1,064 patients received GPI bolus + infusion in 2003 and were compared with 1,565 patients that received GPI bolus-only in 2004. Baseline characteristics were similar in both groups. RESULTS: Patients receiving GPI bolus-only had reduced vascular/bleeding complications when compared with bolus + infusion (4.9% vs 7%, P < .05, odds ratio 0.62, 95% confidence interval 0.45-0.89). Furthermore, ischemic complications were similar in both groups, including periprocedural creatine kinase-MB enzyme release (12.8% vs 15.3%, P = NS), MACE at 30 days (3.2% vs 3%, P = NS), and death and myocardial infarction at 1 year (7.1% vs 7.8%, P = NS). In addition, GPI bolus-only reduced cost in US dollars ($323 vs $706, P < .001) and increased ambulatory PCI (13.1% vs 3.2%, P < .01), with reduced length of stay (1.1 vs 1.6 days, P < .01), when compared with GPI bolus + infusion. CONCLUSIONS: Glycoprotein inhibitor bolus-only reduces vascular/bleeding complications with similar MACE and reduced cost when compared with GPI bolus + infusion. In addition, GPI bolus-only improved ambulatory PCI and reduced length of stay. These results are consistent with a safer and cost-effective strategy for bolus-only when GPI therapy is considered during PCI.

Effectiveness of the stent pull-back technique for nonaorto ostial coronary narrowings.

Coronary stenting of nonaorto ostial coronary lesions is challenging because of plaque shift into the main vessel, triggering the use of additional stents. Furthermore, inappropriate coverage of the ostium of the side branch increases the risk of restenosis and target vessel revascularization (TVR). To improve the treatment of nonaorto ostial coronary lesions with a novel interventional technique, we tested the hypothesis that inflating a balloon in the main vessel before stenting the side branch (stent pull-back technique) will limit plaque shifting and reduce the use of additional stents. In addition, proper coverage of the side branch ostium may also reduce 8-month TVR. A case-control design with 100 consecutive patients who underwent drug-eluting stent placement was performed; 55 patients were treated with the stent pull-back technique and 45 patients with a conventional stent technique. Procedural success was 100% for the 2 techniques. The use of additional stents was reduced in the stent pull-back group compared with the conventional stent group (2% vs 18%, p = 0.007). A tendency toward lower ostial miss was also observed in the stent pull-back group (4% vs 13%, p = 0.11). The incidence of in-hospital and 30-day cardiac events was similar between the 2 groups. TVR was lower in the stent pull-back group compared with the conventional group (5% vs 20%; p = 0.03). In conclusion, the stent pull-back technique improves the percutaneous treatment of nonaorto ostial coronary lesions. The technique is associated with a lower use of additional stents and improved clinical outcome, reducing TVR at 8 months of follow-up.