Coronary artery complications after left bundle branch area pacing: An increasingly reported issue in the era of physiologic pacing.

Coronary artery lesions related to pacemaker implantation are rare complications. With the increasing adoption of the technique of permanent transseptal pacing of the left bundle branch area pacing (LBBAP), an increase in the incidence of these complications may be expected. We report two cases of coronary lesions after permanent transeptal pacing of the LBBAP: the first with a small coronary artery fistula, and the second with an extrinsic coronary compression. Both complications occurred with stylet-driven pacing leads with extendable helix. In the first case, since the shunt volume was small and no major complications were reported, the patient was treated conservatively with good outcome. The second case required lead repositioning due to acute decompensated heart failure.

Impact of stent diameter on clinical outcomes following percutaneous coronary intervention with thirdgeneration drug-eluting stents: results from inspirion and latitude trials

INTRODUCTION: In patients treated with bare metal stents and earlygeneration drug-eluting stents (DES) smaller stent diameter (SD) has been associated with worse long-term outcomes after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). Data on the impact of small SD on outcomes after PCI with third generation DES is scarce. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of SD on clinical outcomes, using a third generation sirolimus-eluting coronary stent with thin struts and abluminal biodegradable polymer. METHODS: Consecutive patients treated with Inspiron® (Scitech, Brazil) in native coronary arteries lesions between June 2017 and January 2022 were included, in a total of 25 Brazilian centers. Patients were grouped according to SD: 3.50mm. One-year event rates were estimated using the Kaplan-Meier method and adjusted hazard ratios were generated using Cox regression analysis. The primary endpoint was a composite of major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) defined by the composite of cardiovascular death, myocardial infarction (MI) or target-lesion revascularization (TLR) at 12 months. RESULTS: Of the 2,803 patients who underwent PCI with Inspiron®, 24,5% (n = 688) had SD ≤2.50 mm, 45.0% (n = 1,263) had SD 2.75-3.00mm and 30,4% (n = 852) had SD >3.50 mm. At 1 year, MACE rates were 3.1%, 2.1% and 1.3%, respectively, with increasing SD (p = 0.054). Death due to CV causes at 12 months rates decreased with increasing SD (2.9%, 1.8% and 0.8%, respectively [p < 0.009]) whereas rates of MI related study device at 12 months across SD groups were comparable (0.0%, 0.5%, and 0.1%, respectively [p = 0.086]). After multivariate stepwise Cox regression, smaller SD remained associated with higher rates of MACE (HR 0.46, 95%CI of 0.241-0.890; p=0.022). As seen in Figure 1, the risk of MACE is significantly increased in the first 30 days and remain higher up to 12 months among individuals with mean vessel diameter <2.50mm. CONCLUSIONS: In a large cohort of patients undergoing PCI with third generation DES MACE rates were low, but still higher among patients with smaller SD, mainly drive by higher CV deaths at 12 months. Further research into the optimal treatment strategy of small coronary arteries is still warranted.

Bioresorbable polymer Sirolimus-Eluting stent in native coronary artery stenosis: results of the prospective, multicenter inspirion and latitude trials

INTRODUCTION: Inspiron® (Scitech, Brazil) is a 3rd generation drug eluting stent designed to create a fast and homogeneous endothelialization, possibly improving clinical outcomes. OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to evaluate the safety and efficacy of a sirolimus-eluting coronary stent, composed of a metallic chromium-cobalt platform with thin struts (75 µm), which releases sirolimus from a bioresorbable polymer applied only to the abluminal surface, in a real-world scenario, as a post-marketing clinical follow-up evaluation. METHODS: We pooled patient-level databases derived from the INSPIRION and LATITUDE prospective trials. Between June 2017 and January 2022, a total of 25 Brazilian centers included 2,803 patients that underwent percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) in native coronary arteries lesions with Inspiron® (Scitech, Brazil) stent implantation. Exclusion criteria included target lesion located in saphenous vein or arterial graft, and use of coronary stent other than Inspiron® in the index procedure. The primary endpoint was a composite outcome of major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) defined by the composite of cardiovascular death, myocardial infarction (MI) or target-lesion revascularization (TLR) at 12 months. The secondary outcomes included all-cause death, cardiovascular death, any MI, TLR, target-vessel revascularization (TVR), and probable and definite stent thrombosis at 12 months. RESULTS: The mean age was 62.0 ± 10.8 years, 36.5% had diabetes (12.7% on insulin), 17.6% had previous PCI and 54.9% presented with an acute coronary syndrome (ACS). At a median follow-up of 410 days, MACE occurred in 58 (2.1%) patients, all-cause death in 102 (3.6%), MI in 14 (0.5%), and target vessel revascularization in 2 (0.1%) patients. Definite or probable stent thrombosis occurred in 20 (0.7%) patients. CONCLUSIONS: The 1-year MACE rate, as well as the individual endpoint components, were low and consistent with previous results available for 3rd generation drug eluting stent. The result of this study demonstrates the safety and efficacy of this stent in a real-world population.

Prognostic Assessment of Fractional Flow Reserve in Different Strata in Patients with Coronary Artery Disease. / Avaliação Prognóstica da Reserva de Fluxo Fracionada em Diferentes Estratos nos Pacientes com Doença Arterial Coronariana.

BACKGROUND: There are limited real-world data on the clinical course of untreated coronary lesions according to their functional severity. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the 5-year clinical outcomes of patients with revascularized lesions with fractional flow reserve (FFR) ≤ 0.8 and patients with non-revascularized lesions with FFR > 0.8. METHODS: The FFR assessment was performed in 218 patients followed for up to 5 years. Participants were classified based on FFR into ischemia group (≤ 0.8, intervention group, n = 55), low-normal FFR group (> 0.8-0.9, n = 91), and high-normal FFR group (> 0.9, n = 72). The primary endpoint was major adverse cardiac events (MACEs), a composite of death, myocardial infarction, and need for repeat revascularization. The significance level was set at 0.05; therefore, results with a p-value < 0.05 were considered statistically significant. RESULTS: Most patients were male (62.8%) with a mean age of 64.1 years. Diabetes was present in 27%. On coronary angiography, the severity of stenosis was 62% in the ischemia group, 56.4% in the low-normal FFR group, and 54.3% in the high-normal FFR group (p<0.05). Mean follow-up was 3.5 years. The incidence of MACEs was 25.5%, 13.2%, and 11.1%, respectively (p=0.037). MACE incidence did not differ significantly between the low-normal and high-normal FFR groups. CONCLUSION: Patients with FFR indicative of ischemia had poorer outcomes than those in non-ischemia groups. There was no difference in the incidence of events between the low-normal and high-normal FFR groups. Long-term studies with a large sample size are needed to better assess cardiovascular outcomes in patients with moderate coronary stenosis with FFR values between 0.8 and 1.0.

FUNDAMENTO: Existem dados limitados sobre a evolução clínica de lesões coronarianas não tratadas de acordo com sua gravidade funcional no mundo real. OBJETIVO: Este estudo teve como objetivo avaliar os resultados clínicos de até 5 anos em pacientes com lesões revascularizadas com reserva de fluxo fracionada (FFR) ≤ 0,8 e em pacientes com lesões não revascularizadas com FFR > 0,8. MÉTODOS: A avaliação pelo FFR foi realizada em 218 pacientes seguidos por até 5 anos. Os participantes foram classificados com base na FFR no grupo isquêmico (≤ 0,8, grupo intervenção, n = 55), no grupo FFR normal-baixa (> 0,8-0,9, n = 91) e no grupo FFR normal-alta (> 0,9, n = 72). O desfecho primário foram eventos cardíacos adversos maiores (ECAMs), um composto de morte, infarto do miocárdio e necessidade de nova revascularização. O nível de significância adotado neste estudo foi alfa = 0,05; deste modo, resultados com valores de p < 0,05 foram considerados estatisticamente significativos. RESULTADOS: A maioria dos participantes era do sexo masculino (62,8%) com média de idade de 64,1 anos. Diabetes estava presente em 27%. À angiografia coronariana, a gravidade da estenose avaliada foi de 62%, 56,4% e 54,3% nos grupos isquêmico, FFR normal-baixa e FFR normal-alta, respectivamente (p < 0,05). O período médio de acompanhamento foi de 3,5 anos. A incidência ECAM foi de 25,5%, 13,2% e 11,1%, respectivamente (p = 0,037). Não houve diferença na incidência de ECAM entre os grupos FFR normal-baixa e FFR normal-alta (p = NS). CONCLUSÃO: Pacientes com FFR indicativa de isquemia apresentaram piores desfechos quando comparados aos dos grupos não isquêmicos. Entre os grupos que apresentaram valores de FFR considerados normal-baixo e normal-alto, não houve diferença na incidência de eventos. Há necessidade de estudos de longo prazo e com grande número de pacientes para melhor avaliar os desfechos cardiovasculares em pacientes portadores de estenose coronariana moderada com valores de FFR entre 0,8 e 1,0.

Avaliação Prognóstica da Reserva de Fluxo Fracionada em Diferentes Estratos nos Pacientes com Doença Arterial Coronariana / Prognostic Assessment of Fractional Flow Reserve in Different Strata in Patients with Coronary Artery Disease

Resumo Fundamento Existem dados limitados sobre a evolução clínica de lesões coronarianas não tratadas de acordo com sua gravidade funcional no mundo real. Objetivo Este estudo teve como objetivo avaliar os resultados clínicos de até 5 anos em pacientes com lesões revascularizadas com reserva de fluxo fracionada (FFR) ≤ 0,8 e em pacientes com lesões não revascularizadas com FFR > 0,8. Métodos A avaliação pelo FFR foi realizada em 218 pacientes seguidos por até 5 anos. Os participantes foram classificados com base na FFR no grupo isquêmico (≤ 0,8, grupo intervenção, n = 55), no grupo FFR normal-baixa (> 0,8-0,9, n = 91) e no grupo FFR normal-alta (> 0,9, n = 72). O desfecho primário foram eventos cardíacos adversos maiores (ECAMs), um composto de morte, infarto do miocárdio e necessidade de nova revascularização. O nível de significância adotado neste estudo foi alfa = 0,05; deste modo, resultados com valores de p < 0,05 foram considerados estatisticamente significativos. Resultados A maioria dos participantes era do sexo masculino (62,8%) com média de idade de 64,1 anos. Diabetes estava presente em 27%. À angiografia coronariana, a gravidade da estenose avaliada foi de 62%, 56,4% e 54,3% nos grupos isquêmico, FFR normal-baixa e FFR normal-alta, respectivamente (p < 0,05). O período médio de acompanhamento foi de 3,5 anos. A incidência ECAM foi de 25,5%, 13,2% e 11,1%, respectivamente (p = 0,037). Não houve diferença na incidência de ECAM entre os grupos FFR normal-baixa e FFR normal-alta (p = NS). Conclusão Pacientes com FFR indicativa de isquemia apresentaram piores desfechos quando comparados aos dos grupos não isquêmicos. Entre os grupos que apresentaram valores de FFR considerados normal-baixo e normal-alto, não houve diferença na incidência de eventos. Há necessidade de estudos de longo prazo e com grande número de pacientes para melhor avaliar os desfechos cardiovasculares em pacientes portadores de estenose coronariana moderada com valores de FFR entre 0,8 e 1,0.

Abstract Background There are limited real-world data on the clinical course of untreated coronary lesions according to their functional severity. Objective To evaluate the 5-year clinical outcomes of patients with revascularized lesions with fractional flow reserve (FFR) ≤ 0.8 and patients with non-revascularized lesions with FFR > 0.8. Methods The FFR assessment was performed in 218 patients followed for up to 5 years. Participants were classified based on FFR into ischemia group (≤ 0.8, intervention group, n = 55), low-normal FFR group (> 0.8-0.9, n = 91), and high-normal FFR group (> 0.9, n = 72). The primary endpoint was major adverse cardiac events (MACEs), a composite of death, myocardial infarction, and need for repeat revascularization. The significance level was set at 0.05; therefore, results with a p-value < 0.05 were considered statistically significant. Results Most patients were male (62.8%) with a mean age of 64.1 years. Diabetes was present in 27%. On coronary angiography, the severity of stenosis was 62% in the ischemia group, 56.4% in the low-normal FFR group, and 54.3% in the high-normal FFR group (p<0.05). Mean follow-up was 3.5 years. The incidence of MACEs was 25.5%, 13.2%, and 11.1%, respectively (p=0.037). MACE incidence did not differ significantly between the low-normal and high-normal FFR groups. Conclusion Patients with FFR indicative of ischemia had poorer outcomes than those in non-ischemia groups. There was no difference in the incidence of events between the low-normal and high-normal FFR groups. Long-term studies with a large sample size are needed to better assess cardiovascular outcomes in patients with moderate coronary stenosis with FFR values between 0.8 and 1.0.

Emergency Percutaneous Treatment of Saphenous Vein Graft Perforation After Cardiac Surgery.

Immediately post coronary artery bypass graft surgery, a 58-year-old woman developed excessive bleeding through the chest drains and hemodynamic instability, followed by total atrioventricular block requiring use of temporary pacemaker, which precluded electrocardiographic interpretation. She was referred for urgent diagnostic coronary angiography, which demonstrated important contrast leakage from the distal body of the saphenous vein graft to the first marginal branch. Acute saphenous vein graft perforation following coronary artery bypass graft surgery is rare. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first case report of acute saphenous vein graft perforation after coronary artery bypass graft surgery treated with a stent-graft.