Effect of rosuvastatin versus atorvastatin on new-onset diabetes mellitus in patients treated with high-intensity statin therapy for coronary artery disease: a post-hoc analysis from the LODESTAR randomized clinical trial.

BACKGROUND: The impact of rosuvastatin versus atorvastatin on new-onset diabetes mellitus (NODM) among patients treated with high-intensity statin therapy for coronary artery disease (CAD) remains to be clarified. This study aimed to evaluate the risk of NODM in patients with CAD treated with rosuvastatin compared to atorvastatin in the randomized LODESTAR trial. METHODS: In the LODESTAR trial, patients with CAD were randomly assigned to receive either rosuvastatin or atorvastatin using a 2-by-2 factorial randomization. In this post-hoc analysis, the 3-year incidence of NODM was compared between rosuvastatin and atorvastatin treatment in the as-treated population with high-intensity statin therapy as the principal population of interest. RESULTS: Among 2932 patients without diabetes mellitus at baseline, 2377 were included in the as-treated population analysis. In the as-treated population with high-intensity statin therapy, the incidence of NODM was not significantly different between the rosuvastatin and atorvastatin groups (11.4% [106/948] versus 8.8% [73/856], hazard ratio [HR] = 1.32, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.98 to 1.77, P = 0.071). When the risk of NODM with rosuvastatin versus atorvastatin was assessed according to the achieved low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) level, the risk of NODM began to increase at a LDL-C level below 70 mg/dL. The incidence of NODM was significantly greater in the rosuvastatin group than it was in the atorvastatin group when the achieved LDL-C level was < 70 mg/dL (13.9% versus 8.0%; HR = 1.79, 95% CI 1.18 to 2.73, P = 0.007). CONCLUSIONS: Among CAD patients receiving high-intensity statin therapy, the incidence of NODM was not significantly different between rosuvastatin and atorvastatin. However, a drug effect of the statin type on NODM was observed when the achieved LDL-C level was < 70 mg/dL. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov, Identifier: NCT02579499.

Ticagrelor monotherapy in ST-elevation myocardial infarction: An individual patient-level meta-analysis from TICO and T-PASS trials.

BACKGROUND: Patients with ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) tend to be excluded or under-represented in randomized clinical trials evaluating the effects of potent P2Y12 inhibitor monotherapy after short-term dual antiplatelet therapy (DAPT). METHODS: Individual patient data were pooled from randomized clinical trials that included STEMI patients undergoing drug-eluting stent (DES) implantation and compared ticagrelor monotherapy after short-term (≤3 months) DAPT versus ticagrelor-based 12-month DAPT in terms of centrally adjudicated clinical outcomes. The co-primary outcomes were efficacy outcome (composite of all-cause death, myocardial infarction, or stroke) and safety outcome (Bleeding Academic Research Consortium type 3 or 5 bleeding) at 1 year. FINDINGS: The pooled cohort contained 2,253 patients with STEMI. The incidence of the primary efficacy outcome did not differ between the ticagrelor monotherapy group and the ticagrelor-based DAPT group (1.8% versus 2.0%; hazard ratio [HR] = 0.88; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.49-1.61; p = 0.684). There was no difference in cardiac death between the groups (0.6% versus 0.7%; HR = 0.89; 95% CI = 0.32-2.46; p = 0.822). The incidence of the primary safety outcome was significantly lower in the ticagrelor monotherapy group (2.3% versus 4.0%; HR = 0.56; 95% CI = 0.35-0.92; p = 0.020). No heterogeneity of treatment effects was observed for the primary outcomes across subgroups. CONCLUSIONS: In patients with STEMI treated with DES implantation, ticagrelor monotherapy after short-term DAPT was associated with lower major bleeding without an increase in the risk of ischemic events compared with ticagrelor-based 12-month DAPT. Further research is necessary to extend these findings to non-Asian patients. FUNDING: This study was funded by Biotronik (Bülach, Switzerland).

Development of Clinically Validated Artificial Intelligence Model for Detecting ST-segment Elevation Myocardial Infarction.

STUDY OBJECTIVE: Although the importance of primary percutaneous coronary intervention has been emphasized for ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI), the appropriateness of the cardiac catheterization laboratory activation remains suboptimal. This study aimed to develop a precise artificial intelligence (AI) model for the diagnosis of STEMI and accurate cardiac catheterization laboratory activation. METHODS: We used electrocardiography (ECG) waveform data from a prospective percutaneous coronary intervention registry in Korea in this study. Two independent board-certified cardiologists established a criterion standard (STEMI or Not STEMI) for each ECG based on corresponding coronary angiography data. We developed a deep ensemble model by combining 5 convolutional neural networks. In addition, we performed clinical validation based on a symptom-based ECG data set, comparisons with clinical physicians, and external validation. RESULTS: We used 18,697 ECGs for the model development data set, and 1,745 (9.3%) were STEMI. The AI model achieved an accuracy of 92.1%, sensitivity of 95.4%, and specificity of 91.8 %. The performances of the AI model were well balanced and outstanding in the clinical validation, comparison with clinical physicians, and the external validation. CONCLUSION: The deep ensemble AI model showed a well-balanced and outstanding performance. As visualized with gradient-weighted class activation mapping, the AI model has a reasonable explainability. Further studies with prospective validation regarding clinical benefit in a real-world setting should be warranted.

Intravascular ultrasound-guided drug-coated balloon angioplasty for femoropopliteal artery disease: a clinical trial.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Drug-coated balloons (DCBs) have demonstrated favourable outcomes following endovascular therapy for femoropopliteal artery (FPA) disease. However, uncertainty remains whether the use of intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) can improve the outcomes of DCBs. METHODS: This prospective, multicentre, randomized trial, conducted at seven centres in South Korea, compared the outcomes of IVUS-guided vs. angiography-guided angioplasty for treating FPA disease with DCBs. Patients were assigned to receive IVUS-guided (n = 119) or angiography-guided (n = 118) angioplasty using DCBs. The primary endpoint was 12-month primary patency. RESULTS: Between May 2016 and August 2022, 237 patients were enrolled and 204 (86.0%) completed the trial (median follow-up; 363 days). The IVUS guidance group showed significantly higher primary patency [83.8% vs. 70.1%; cumulative difference 19.6% (95% confidence interval 6.8 to 32.3); P = .01] and increased freedom from clinically driven target lesion revascularization [92.4% vs. 83.0%; difference 11.6% (95% confidence interval 3.1 to 20.1); P = .02], sustained clinical improvement (89.1% vs. 76.3%, P = .01), and haemodynamic improvement (82.4% vs. 66.9%, P = .01) at 12 months compared with the angiography guidance group. The IVUS group utilized larger balloon diameters and pressures for pre-dilation, more frequent post-dilation, and higher pressures for post-dilation, resulting in a greater post-procedural minimum lumen diameter (3.90 ± 0.59 vs. 3.71 ± 0.73 mm, P = .03). CONCLUSIONS: Intravascular ultrasound guidance significantly improved the outcomes of DCBs for FPA disease in terms of primary patency, freedom from clinically driven target lesion revascularization, and sustained clinical and haemodynamic improvement at 12 months. These benefits may be attributed to IVUS-guided optimization of the lesion before and after DCB treatment.

Treat-to-target or high-intensity statin treatment in older adults with coronary artery disease: a post hoc analysis of the LODESTAR trial.

BACKGROUND: The optimal statin treatment strategy that is balanced for both efficacy and safety has not been clearly determined in older adults with coronary artery disease (CAD). METHODS: In the post hoc analysis of the LODESTAR (low-density lipoprotein cholesterol-targeting statin therapy versus intensity-based statin therapy in patients with coronary artery disease) trial, the impact between a treat-to-target strategy versus a high-intensity statin therapy strategy was compared in older adults (aged 75 years or older). The goal of treat-to-target low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) level was 50-70 mg/dl. The primary endpoint comprised the three-year composite of all-cause death, myocardial infarction, stroke or coronary revascularisation. RESULTS: Among 4,400 patients with CAD enrolled in the LODESTAR trial, 822 (18.7%) were aged 75 years or older. Poor clinical outcomes and risk factors for atherosclerosis were more frequently observed in older adults than in younger population (<75 years old). Among these older adults with CAD, the prescription rate of high-intensity statin was significantly lower in the treat-to-target strategy group throughout the study period (P < 0.001). The mean LDL-C level for three years was 65 ± 16 mg/dl in the treat-to-target strategy group and 64 ± 18 mg/dl in the high-intensity statin group (P = 0.34). The incidence of primary endpoint occurrence was 10.9% in the treat-to-target strategy group and 12.0% in the high-intensity statin group (hazard ratio 0.92, 95% confidence interval 0.61-1.38, P = 0.69). CONCLUSIONS: High-intensity statin therapy is theoretically more necessary in older adults because of worse clinical outcomes and greater number of risk factors for atherosclerosis. However, the primary endpoint occurrence with a treat-to-target strategy with an LDL-C goal of 50-70 mg/dl was comparable to that of high-intensity statin therapy and reduced utilisation of a high-intensity statin. Taking efficacy as well as safety into account, adopting a tailored approach may be considered for this high-risk population. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT02579499.

The Direct Tendon Suture and Paratenon Repair Technique for Acute Tendinous Mallet Finger: A Case Series.

(1) Introduction: Tendinous mallet finger is a frequent deformity that occurs after an extensor tendon injury during sports or daily life activities. Despite the existence of numerous non-operative and operative techniques to address this deformity, there is a controversy on its optimal management. In this study, we aimed to present a direct tendon suture technique using the distal interphalangeal (DIP) joint open approach for treating tendinous mallet finger injury. (2) Methods: Between 2019 and 2021, 19 patients with closed non-fracture tendinous mallet fingers underwent the direct tendon and paratenon repair technique. After skin incision, we opened the paratenon with lazy S shape incision and found the ruptured proximal and distal tendon ends. We reapproximated the tendons using a simple interrupted suture with Prolene #6/0. After that, we meticulously performed paratenon repair using PDS #6/0 for preventing readherence. Temporary trans-articular Kirschner wire fixation was used for 4 weeks. (3) Results: All patients were followed-up for 3-8 months (mean: 4.8 months). The mean final extension lag was 6.5 degrees, and the overall rate of cases with excellent and good outcomes using Crawford's criteria was 85%. (4) Conclusions: In conclusion, this surgical approach could be a reliable alternative for the treatment of tendinous mallet finger injuries.

Unusual Dzyaloshinskii-Moriya Interaction in Graphene/Fe3GeTe2 Van der Waals Heterostructure.

Dzyaloshinskii-Moriya interaction (DMI) is shown to induce a topologically protected chiral spin texture in magnetic/nonmagnetic heterostructures. In the context of van der Waals spintronic devices, graphene emerges as an excellent candidate material. However, due to its negligible spin-orbit interaction, inducing DMI to stabilize topological spins when coupled to 3d-ferromagnets remains challenging. Here, it is demonstrated that, despite these challenges, a sizeable Rashba-type spin splitting followed by significant DMI is induced in graphene/Fe3GeTe2. This is made possible due to an interfacial electric field driven by charge asymmetry together with the broken inversion symmetry of the heterostructure. These findings reveal that the enhanced DMI energy parameter, resulting from a large effective electron mass in Fe3GeTe2, remarkably contributes to stabilizing non-collinear spins below the Curie temperature, overcoming the magnetic anisotropy energy. These results are supported by the topological Hall effect, which coexists with the non-trivial breakdown of Fermi liquid behavior, confirming the interplay between spins and non-trivial topology. This work paves the way toward the design and control of interface-driven skyrmion-based devices.

MAST4 regulates stem cell maintenance with DLX3 for epithelial development and amelogenesis.

The asymmetric division of stem cells permits the maintenance of the cell population and differentiation for harmonious progress. Developing mouse incisors allows inspection of the role of the stem cell niche to provide specific insights into essential developmental phases. Microtubule-associated serine/threonine kinase family member 4 (Mast4) knockout (KO) mice showed abnormal incisor development with low hardness, as the size of the apical bud was decreased and preameloblasts were shifted to the apical side, resulting in amelogenesis imperfecta. In addition, Mast4 KO incisors showed abnormal enamel maturation, and stem cell maintenance was inhibited as amelogenesis was accelerated with Wnt signal downregulation. Distal-Less Homeobox 3 (DLX3), a critical factor in tooth amelogenesis, is considered to be responsible for the development of amelogenesis imperfecta in humans. MAST4 directly binds to DLX3 and induces phosphorylation at three residues within the nuclear localization site (NLS) that promotes the nuclear translocation of DLX3. MAST4-mediated phosphorylation of DLX3 ultimately controls the transcription of DLX3 target genes, which are carbonic anhydrase and ion transporter genes involved in the pH regulation process during ameloblast maturation. Taken together, our data reveal a novel role for MAST4 as a critical regulator of the entire amelogenesis process through its control of Wnt signaling and DLX3 transcriptional activity.

Modulation of macrophage transcript and secretion profiles by Sargassum Serratifolium extract is associated with the suppression of muscle atrophy.

Recent research has emphasized the role of macrophage-secreted factors on skeletal muscle metabolism. We studied Sargassum Serratifolium ethanol extract (ESS) in countering lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced changes in the macrophage transcriptome and their impact on skeletal muscle. Macrophage-conditioned medium (MCM) from LPS-treated macrophages (LPS-MCM) and ESS-treated macrophages (ESS-MCM) affected C2C12 myotube cells. LPS-MCM upregulated muscle atrophy genes and reduced glucose uptake, while ESS-MCM reversed these effects. RNA sequencing revealed changes in the immune system and cytokine transport pathways in ESS-treated macrophages. Protein analysis in ESS-MCM showed reduced levels of key muscle atrophy-related proteins, TNF-α, IL-6, IL-1, and GDF-15. These proteins play crucial roles in muscle function. These findings highlight the intricate relationship between the macrophage transcriptome and their secreted factors in either impairing or enhancing skeletal muscle function. ESS treatment has the potential to reduce macrophage-derived cytokines, preserving skeletal muscle function.

Korean Multicenter Registry of ELUVIA Stent for Femoropopliteal Artery Disease: K-ELUVIA Registry.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: The K-ELUVIA study aimed to investigate the clinical effectiveness and safety of Eluvia™, a polymer-coated, paclitaxel-eluting stent, for femoropopliteal artery disease using data from a prospective Korean multicenter registry. METHODS: A total of 105 patients with femoropopliteal artery disease who received endovascular treatment (EVT) with Eluvia™ stents at 7 Korean sites were enrolled in a prospective cohort and followed for 2 years. The primary endpoint was the 2-year clinical patency. The secondary endpoint was 2-year freedom from clinically driven target lesion revascularization (TLR). RESULTS: Mean patient age was 68.2±10.4 years, and most patients (82.7%) were male. Mean lesion length was 168.3±117.6 mm. Chronic total occlusion was found in 57.7% of patients. Trans-Atlantic Inter-Society Consensus for the Management of Peripheral Arterial Disease (TASC II) type C or D lesions were present in 46.1% of patients. Procedural success was achieved in 99.0% of patients. The clinical patency rate was 84.4% at 1 year after EVT and 76.3% at 2 years post-EVT. The freedom from TLR rate was 89.1% at 1 year after EVT and 79.1% at 2 years post-EVT. Chronic total occlusion (hazard ratio [HR], 3.53; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.08-11.67; p=0.039) and smaller mean stent diameter (HR, 0.40; 95% CI, 0.16-0.98; p=0.044) were identified as independent predictors of loss of clinical patency at 2 years. CONCLUSIONS: The K-ELUVIA study demonstrated favorable 2-year clinical effectiveness and safety outcomes of Eluvia stent for femoropopliteal artery lesions in real-world practice.

Prognostic Impact of CYP2C19 Genotypes on Long-Term Clinical Outcomes in Older Patients After Percutaneous Coronary Intervention.

BACKGROUND: Carriers of CYP2C19 loss-of-function alleles have increased adverse events after percutaneous coronary intervention, but limited data are available for older patients. We aimed to evaluate the prognostic impact of CYP2C19 genotypes on clinical outcomes in older patients after percutaneous coronary intervention. METHODS AND RESULTS: The study included 1201 older patients (aged ≥75 years) who underwent percutaneous coronary intervention and received clopidogrel-based dual antiplatelet therapy in South Korea. Patients were grouped on the basis of CYP2C19 genotypes. The primary outcome was 3-year major adverse cardiac events, defined as a composite of cardiac death, myocardial infarction, and stent thrombosis. Older patients were grouped into 3 groups: normal metabolizer (36.6%), intermediate metabolizer (48.1%), and poor metabolizer (15.2%). The occurrence of the primary outcome was significantly different among the groups (3.1, 7.0, and 6.2% in the normal metabolizer, intermediate metabolizer, and poor metabolizer groups, respectively; P=0.02). The incidence rate of all-cause death at 3 years was greater in the intermediate metabolizer and poor metabolizer groups (8.1% and 9.2%, respectively) compared with that in the normal metabolizer group (3.5%, P=0.03) without significant differences in major bleeding. In the multivariable analysis, the intermediate metabolizer and poor metabolizer groups were independent predictors of 3-year clinical outcomes. CONCLUSIONS: In older patients, the presence of any CYP2C19 loss-of-function allele was found to be predictive of a higher incidence of major adverse cardiac events within 3 years following percutaneous coronary intervention. This finding suggests a need for further investigation into an optimal antiplatelet strategy for older patients. REGISTRATION: URL: https://clinicaltrials.gov. Identifier: NCT04734028.

Ticagrelor monotherapy for acute coronary syndrome: an individual patient data meta-analysis of TICO and T-PASS trials.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: In patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS), dual antiplatelet therapy (DAPT) with aspirin and a potent P2Y12 inhibitor is recommended for 12 months after drug-eluting stent (DES) implantation. Monotherapy with a potent P2Y12 inhibitor after short-term DAPT is an attractive option to better balance the risks of ischaemia and bleeding. Therefore, this study evaluated the efficacy and safety of ticagrelor monotherapy after short-term DAPT, especially in patients with ACS. METHODS: Electronic databases were searched from inception to 11 November 2023, and for the primary analysis, individual patient data were pooled from the relevant randomized clinical trials comparing ticagrelor monotherapy after short-term (≤3 months) DAPT with ticagrelor-based 12-month DAPT, exclusively in ACS patients undergoing DES implantation. The co-primary endpoints were ischaemic endpoint (composite of all-cause death, myocardial infarction, or stroke) and bleeding endpoint [Bleeding Academic Research Consortium (BARC) type 3 or 5 bleeding] at 1 year. RESULTS: Individual patient data from two randomized clinical trials including 5906 ACS patients were analysed. At 1 year, the primary ischaemic endpoint did not differ between the ticagrelor monotherapy and ticagrelor-based DAPT groups [1.9% vs. 2.5%; adjusted hazard ratio (HR) 0.79; 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.56-1.13; P = .194]. The incidence of the primary bleeding endpoint was lower in the ticagrelor monotherapy group (2.4% vs. 4.5%; adjusted HR 0.54; 95% CI 0.40-0.72; P < .001). The results were consistent in a secondary aggregate data meta-analysis including the ACS subgroup of additional randomized clinical trials which enrolled patients with ACS as well as chronic coronary syndrome. CONCLUSIONS: In ACS patients undergoing DES implantation, ticagrelor monotherapy after short-term DAPT was associated with less major bleeding without a concomitant increase in ischaemic events compared with ticagrelor-based 12-month DAPT. STUDY REGISTRATION: PROSPERO (ID: CRD42023476470).

Clinical Outcomes After Drug-Coated Balloon Treatment in Popliteal Artery Disease: K-POP Registry 12-Month Results.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: The popliteal artery is generally regarded as a "no-stent zone." Limited data are available on the outcomes of drug-coated balloons (DCBs) for popliteal artery disease. This study aimed to evaluate the 12-month clinical outcomes among patients who received DCB treatment for atherosclerotic popliteal artery disease. METHODS: This prospective, multicenter registry study enrolled 100 patients from 7 Korean endovascular centers who underwent endovascular therapy using IN.PACT DCB (Medtronic) for symptomatic atherosclerotic popliteal artery disease. The primary endpoint was 12-month clinical primary patency and the secondary endpoint was clinically driven target lesion revascularization (TLR)-free rate. RESULTS: The mean age of the study cohort was 65.7±10.8 years, and 77% of enrolled patients were men. The mean lesion length was 93.7±53.7 mm, and total occlusions were present in 45% of patients. Technical success was achieved in all patients. Combined atherectomy was performed in 17% and provisional stenting was required in 11%. Out of the enrolled patients, 91 patients completed the 12-month follow-up. Clinical primary patency and TLR-free survival rates at 12 months were 76.0% and 87.2%, respectively. A multivariate Cox regression analysis identified female and longer lesion length as the significant independent predictors of loss of patency. CONCLUSIONS: DCB treatment yielded favorable 12-month clinical primary patency and TLR-free survival outcomes in patients with popliteal artery disease. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT02698345.

Various Free Flap Reconstruction Techniques after Hand and Foot Melanonychia Ablation: A Case Series.

(1) Purpose: The management of melanonychia is highly controversial. With growing melanonychia, in case of doubt, the entire lesion should be examined. It may appear similar to nail melanoma or may turn into melanoma. Here, we present surgical cases of nail bed total removal and free flap reconstruction. (2) Methods: Between 1 January 2020 and 31 December 2022, eleven patients were operated on for growing melanonychia, involving the hand and foot. After complete resection of the nail root and plate, immediate reconstruction was performed using a fasciocutaneous free flap. The authors describe the procedures in detail with a few illustrations and clinical photographs depicting the techniques. (3) Results: All patients underwent complete nail unit removal around the anatomic boundaries of the nail. Histology showed a nevus and no malignancy in all cases. We used three onychocutaneous flaps, three hypothenar flaps and five venous flaps. All flaps survived, with one case of partial necrosis which spontaneously healed with secondary intention. In the follow-up periods, there was no recurrence or nail regrowth. (4) Conclusions: These free flap techniques are very useful for total nail bed defect reconstruction after melanonychia lesion total ablation.

Association of Age- and Body Mass Index-Stratified High On-Treatment Platelet Reactivity With Coronary Intervention Outcomes in East Asian Patients.

BACKGROUND: Although age and body mass index (BMI) significantly affect platelet reactivity units and clinical outcomes after percutaneous coronary intervention, there are limited data on the relationship between high on-treatment platelet reactivity (HPR) and clinical outcomes on age and BMI differences. Thus, we investigated the association of HPR with clinical outcomes according to age and BMI. METHODS AND RESULTS: The study analyzed 11 714 patients who underwent platelet function tests after percutaneous coronary intervention. The primary end point was the occurrence of major adverse cardiac and cerebrovascular events (MACCEs), whereas the secondary end point was major bleeding. HPR was defined as platelet reactivity units ≥252. Patients were categorized by age (<67 years of age or ≥67 years of age) and BMI (≤22.6 kg/m2 or >22.6 kg/m2). Patients <67 years of age with HPR had increases in both MACCEs (adjusted hazard ratio [HR], 1.436 [95% CI, 1.106-1.867]; P=0.007) and major bleeding (adjusted HR, 1.584 [95% CI, 1.095-2.290]; P=0.015) compared with the those with non-HPR, respectively. In patients ≥67 years of age with HPR, there were no differences in MACCEs, but there was a decrease in major bleeding (adjusted HR, 0.721 [95% CI, 0.542-0.959]; P=0.024). Meanwhile, patients with HPR with BMI >22.6 kg/m2 had increases in MACCEs (adjusted HR, 1.387 [95% CI, 1.140-1.688]; P=0.001). No differences were shown in major bleeding. CONCLUSIONS: HPR was linked to an increase in MACCEs or a decrease in major bleeding in patients after percutaneous coronary intervention, depending on age and BMI. This study is the first to observe that clinical outcomes in patients with HPR after percutaneous coronary intervention may vary based on age and BMI. Because the study is observational, the results should be viewed as hypothesis generating and emphasize the need for randomized clinical trials.

Prognostic impact of erythropoietin-stimulating agent use during front-line chemotherapy in patients with ovarian cancer: A Korean multicenter cohort study.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate whether treatment with erythropoiesis-stimulating agents (ESAs) for chemotherapy-induced anemia affects progression-free survival (PFS) in patients receiving front-line chemotherapy following surgery for ovarian cancer (OC). METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed all consecutive patients who received front-line chemotherapy after surgery between 2013 and 2019 at six institutions. The patients were divided according to the use of ESAs during front-line chemotherapy. The primary endpoint was PFS. The secondary endpoint was the occurrence of thromboembolism. Propensity score matching (PSM) analysis was used to compare survival between matched cohorts. RESULTS: Overall, 2147 patients (433 receiving ESA and 1714 for no-ESA) were identified, with a median follow-up of 44.0 months. The ESA group showed a significantly higher proportion of stage III/IV disease (81.8% vs 61.1%; P < 0.001) and postoperative gross residual disease (32.3% vs 21.2%; P < 0.001) than the no-ESA group. In the multivariable Cox regression analysis, the use of ESAs did not affect PFS (adjusted hazard ratio, 1.03; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.89-1.20; P = 0.661). The incidence of thromboembolism was 10.2% in the ESA group and 4.6% in the no-ESA group (adjusted odds ratio, 6.58; 95% CI: 3.26-13.28; P < 0.001). When comparing the well-matched cohorts after PSM, PFS did not differ between the ESA (median PFS 23.5 months) and no-ESA groups (median PFS 22.2 months) (P = 0.540, log-rank test). CONCLUSIONS: The use of ESAs during front-line chemotherapy did not negatively affect PFS in patients with OC after surgery but increased the risk of thromboembolism.

Predictive value of plaque characteristics for identification of lesions causing ischemia.

BACKGROUND: Functional assessment using fractional flow reserve (FFR) and anatomical assessment using optical coherence tomography (OCT) are used in clinical practice for patients with intermediate coronary stenosis. Moreover, coronary computed tomography angiography (CTA) is a common noninvasive imaging technique for evaluating suspected coronary artery disease before being referred for angiography. This study aimed to investigate the association between FFR and plaque characteristics assessed using coronary CTA and OCT for intermediate coronary stenosis. METHODS: Based on a prospective multicenter registry, 159 patients having 339 coronary lesions with intermediate stenosis were included. All patients underwent coronary CTA before being referred for coronary angiography, and both FFR measurements and OCT examinations were performed during angiography. A stenotic lesion identified with FFR ≤0.80 was deemed diagnostic of an ischemia-causing lesion. The predictive value of plaque characteristics assessed using coronary CTA and OCT for identifying lesions causing ischemia was analyzed. RESULTS: Stenosis severity and plaque characteristics on coronary CTA and OCT differed between lesions that caused ischemia and those that did not. In multivariate analysis, low attenuation plaque on coronary CTA (odds ratio [OR]=2.78; P=0.038), thrombus (OR=5.13; P=0.042), plaque rupture (OR=3.25; P=0.017), and intimal vasculature on OCT (OR=2.57; P=0.012) were independent predictors of ischemic lesions. Increasing the number of these plaque characteristics offered incremental improvement in predicting the lesions causing ischemia. CONCLUSIONS: Comprehensive anatomical evaluation of coronary stenosis may provide additional supportive information for predicting the lesions causing ischemia.

Multifunctional hydrogel dressing based on fish gelatin/oxidized hyaluronate for promoting diabetic wound healing.

Non-healing chronic diabetic wound treatment remains an unsolved healthcare challenge and still threatens patients' lives. Recently, hydrogel dressings based on natural biomaterials have been widely investigated to accelerate the healing of diabetic wounds. In this study, we introduce a bioactive hydrogel based on fish gelatin (FG) as a candidate for diabetic wound treatments, which is a recently emerged substitute for mammalian derived gelatin. The composite hydrogel simply fabricated with FG and oxidized hyaluronate (OHy) through Schiff base reaction could successfully accelerate wound healing due to their adequate mechanical stability and self-healing ability. In vitro studies showed that the fabricated hydrogels exhibited cytocompatibility and could reduce pro-inflammatory cytokine expression such as NO, IL-1ß, TNF-α, and PGE2 in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated RAW 264.7 macrophages. In addition, the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS), a key marker of free radicals producing oxidative stress, was also reduced by fabricated hydrogels. Furthermore, in vivo experiments demonstrated that the hydrogel could promote wound closure, re-epithelialization, collagen deposition, and protein expression of CD31, CD206, and Arg1 in diabetic mice models. Our study highlights the advanced potential of FG as a promising alternative material and indicates that FOHI can be successfully used for diabetic wound healing applications.

Optimal antithrombotic strategy in patients with atrial fibrillation beyond 1 year after drug-eluting stent implantation: Design and rationale of the randomized ADAPT AF-DES trial.

BACKGROUND: Both anticoagulation and antiplatelet therapies are recommended after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF). Although contemporary guidelines recommend discontinuation of antiplatelet therapy 1 year after drug-eluting stent (DES) implantation due to excessive bleeding risk, supporting randomized trials are still lacking. METHODS: The ADAPT AF-DES trial is a multicenter, prospective, open-label, randomized, non-inferiority trial, enrolling 960 patients with AF with a CHA2DS2-VASc score > 1, who underwent PCI with DES implantation at least 12 months before enrollment. Eligible patients are randomly assigned to receive either non-vitamin K antagonist oral anticoagulant (NOAC) monotherapy or NOAC plus clopidogrel combination therapy. The primary outcome is net adverse clinical event (NACE) at 1 year after randomization, defined as a composite of all-cause death, myocardial infarction, stent thrombosis, stroke, systemic embolism, and major or clinically relevant non-major bleeding, as defined by the International Society on Thrombosis and Hemostasis criteria. We hypothesize that NOAC monotherapy would be non-inferior to NOAC plus clopidogrel combination therapy for NACE in patients with AF beyond 12 months after DES implantation. CONCLUSIONS: The ADAPT AF-DES trial will evaluate the efficacy and safety of NOAC monotherapy versus NOAC plus clopidogrel combination therapy in patients with AF beyond 12 months after PCI with DES implantation. The ADAPT AF-DES trial will provide robust evidence for an optimal antithrombotic strategy in patients with AF after DES implantation. CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION: https://www. CLINICALTRIALS: gov. Unique identifier: NCT04250116.

Identification of acute myocardial infarction and stroke events using the National Health Insurance Service database in Korea.

OBJECTIVES: The escalating burden of cardiovascular disease (CVD) is a critical public health issue worldwide. CVD, especially acute myocardial infarction (AMI) and stroke, is the leading contributor to morbidity and mortality in Korea. We aimed to develop algorithms for identifying AMI and stroke events from the National Health Insurance Service (NHIS) database and validate these algorithms through medical record review. METHODS: We first established a concept and definition of "hospitalization episode," taking into account the unique features of health claims-based NHIS database. We then developed first and recurrent event identification algorithms, separately for AMI and stroke, to determine whether each hospitalization episode represents a true incident case of AMI or stroke. Finally, we assessed our algorithms' accuracy by calculating their positive predictive values (PPVs) based on medical records of algorithm- identified events. RESULTS: We developed identification algorithms for both AMI and stroke. To validate them, we conducted retrospective review of medical records for 3,140 algorithm-identified events (1,399 AMI and 1,741 stroke events) across 24 hospitals throughout Korea. The overall PPVs for the first and recurrent AMI events were around 92% and 78%, respectively, while those for the first and recurrent stroke events were around 88% and 81%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: We successfully developed algorithms for identifying AMI and stroke events. The algorithms demonstrated high accuracy, with PPVs of approximately 90% for first events and 80% for recurrent events. These findings indicate that our algorithms hold promise as an instrumental tool for the consistent and reliable production of national CVD statistics in Korea.