A Challenging Case of MitraClip on a Tricuspid Valve With a Redundant Eustachian Valve: Surfing Into the Right Atrium.

Transcatheter tricuspid valve intervention is gaining importance due to the development of percutaneous techniques addressing tricuspid regurgitation. The presence of a redundant eustachian valve can increase procedural complexity by restricting the manipulation of transcatheter devices. We present a case of torrential tricuspid regurgitation and a redundant eustachian valve hampering the manipulation of the delivery system. We were able to reach the tricuspid valve by looping 2 standard guidewires into the atrium. We performed a tricuspid-plasty by implanting 2 MitraClips with a satisfactory final result. This technique can be applied when the eustachian valve impairs navigation in the right atrium.

Transcatheter aortic valve implantation in bicuspid anatomy: procedural results with two different types of valves.

BACKGROUND: It is well known that bicuspid valve stenosis can be treated with transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) even if specific issues can cause problems: dilatation of ascending aorta, possible aorthopathy, eccentricity of the valve and calcium distribution in leaflets and in commissures. We classified Bicuspid aortic valve (BAV) in type 0 (2 cusps and no raphe), and type 1 (2 cusps and one or more raphes). The aim of the present study was to report the results of two types of valve (CoreValve from 2009 to 2016 and Lotus valve from 2014 to 2017) in a consecutive series of BAV patients treated in 2 Italian centers. METHODS: A total of 30 patients with BAV underwent TAVI from September 2009 to March 2017. RESULTS: Mean age was 78±8 years, 54.5% were males and 7.4% had peripheral vasculopathy, 6.5% previous stroke or TIA, 15.6% previous PCI and 9.4% previous coronary artery bypass grafting. Ten patients (30.3%) had a type 1; mean aortic valvular gradient was 57.7±17.7 mmHg; aortic valvular area was 0.7±0.2 mm2, left ventricular ejection fraction was 51.4±10.0% and ascending aorta was 41.0±5.6 mm. Among these 30 patients, 16 of them (group 1) undergone CoreValve implantation and 14 (group 2) undergone Lotus valve implantation. Patients in the first group had a higher Logistic Euroscore (P<0.001) and higher AVA (P=0.026) and valve area CT (P=0.003). Device size in group1 was more often bigger than in group 2 (P<0.001) and postdilatation was never used in the last group. Group 1 had a significant more frequent aortic regurgitation ≥2 assessed with angiography (28.6% vs. 0%; P=0.05). A non-statistically significant higher rate of second valve implantation (6.2% vs. 0%; P=1.00) was also observed. New permanent pacemaker implantation (40.0% vs. 35.7%; P=0.812) was equal in both valves. CONCLUSIONS: Postprocedural aortic regurgitation is still an issue in BAV undergone TAVI when: 1) the annulus is big; 2) when we are using self-expandable valves; and 3) in type 0 valves. Lotus valve, with a higher radial force put in a small annuls seems associated to better procedural outcomes in this subset of patients.

Outcomes of a novel thin-strut bioresorbable-polymer sirolimus-eluting stent in patients with chronic total occlusions: A multicenter registry.

BACKGROUND: We aimed to evaluate the mid-term outcomes of a novel thin-strut bioresorbable-polymer sirolimus-eluting stent (BP-SES) in chronic total occlusion (CTO) percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI), as compared with durable-polymer everolimus-eluting stents (EES). METHODS: We compiled a multicenter registry of patients undergoing CTO recanalization followed by BP-SES or EES implantation. The primary endpoint was the incidence of target-lesion failure (TLF, a composite of cardiac death, target-vessel myocardial infarction, and target-lesion revascularization) at one year. Propensity score matching (PSM) was used to adjust for case mix. RESULTS: Overall, 413 patients were included (BP-SES n = 242, EES n = 171). PSM resulted in 131 matched pairs, which represented the subject of the main analysis. Antegrade wire escalation was the most successful crossing technique (66% vs. 63%, p = 0.98) in both the BP-SES and EES groups, respectively. Procedural success rates were similar between groups (BP-SES 96% vs. EES 93%, p = 0.24). At one-year follow-up, there were no differences in the primary endpoint of TLF (5.7% vs. 8.3%, p = 0.44), and in cardiac death (0.9% vs. 2.8%, p = 0.32), target-vessel myocardial infarction (0.9% vs 1.9%, p = 0.57), target-lesion revascularization (3.7% vs 3.7%, p = 0.99), or stent thrombosis (0.9% vs. 1.9%, p = 0.57), in BP-SES vs. EES, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Patients undergoing CTO PCI with BP-SES suffer a low rate of TLF at one-year follow-up, which is similar to that of subjects treated with durable-polymer EES.

The role of Glycoprotein IIb/IIIa inhibitors in acute coronary syndromes and the interference with anemia.

The role played by glycoprotein (GP) IIb/IIIa inhibitors (GPI) has continuously evolved until the most recent Guidelines whereby they were stepped down from class I to class II recommendation for treating acute coronary syndromes (ACS). GPI compete with a wider use of ADP inhibitors and novel anticoagulant drugs although GPI use has greatly narrowed. However, GPI may still have a role. Several criteria were proposed to define post-PCI anemia which is strictly related to bleeding and transfusion. In ACS, it should be important to define anemia in comparative terms versus baseline levels: ≥ 15% of red blood cell decrease should be a practical cut-off value. If one wishes to concentrate on hemoglobin (Hb), a≥2g/dl Hb decrease from baseline should be considered. It is important to recognize post-PCI anemia in the setting of ACS. There are sub-populations exposed to short-term hemorrhagic and/or long-term ischemic risks. Ischemic and hemorrhagic risks need to be carefully evaluated along with thrombocytopenia and its prognostic significance in order to put all these blood and rheological parameters into a clinically oriented perspective on which therapeutical decisions should be based. Definition of high risk procedures (complexity, angiographic characteristics and patient's risk profile, regardless whether STEMI or NSTEMI) may help selecting GPI. There are positive elements in GPI use: efficacy, rapid onset and reversibility of action, absence of pharmacogenomic variability, pharmacoeconomic considerations and the possibility of intracoronary administration. All these elements should be evaluated when selecting these agents for therapeutics.

Reprint of "Decline in platelet count and long-term post-PCI ischemic events: implication of the intra-aortic balloon pump".

AIMS: Thrombocytopenia (TC) following a percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) has been associated not only with hemorrhagic, but also with ischemic outcomes. The purpose of this study was to re-examine the relationship of TC with ischemic events at a 1-year follow-up, and investigate the possible associations. METHODS AND RESULTS: We studied a real-world, unselected population of ischemic patients undergoing PCI, totaling 861 patients-year, and divided into two groups: with TC (delta platelet count ≥25% from baseline to post-PCI during the hospital admission) and without TC. Compared with patients without TC, patients with TC had a higher and earlier incidence of both hemorrhagic and ischemic events. In them, the use of intra-aortic balloon pump (IABP) was ten-fold higher. In Kaplan-Meier curves assessing the contribution of both TC and IABP to outcome, IABP was a univariate detrimental factor additive to the role of TC. In a forced Cox model, the relative decline (delta) in platelet count (p=0.05) and the use of IABP (p=0.0001) were both associated with ischemic outcomes. After excluding all patients with IABP, the delta platelet count was no longer significantly associated with ischemic outcomes (p=0.66). After excluding all patients with shock and all those who undergone thrombolysis, there was still a relationship (p=0.0042) between the delta platelet count and ischemic events. CONCLUSIONS: In this patient population the use of IABP, but not thrombocytopenia per se, is a possible primary cause of worse ischemic outcomes.

Decline in platelet count and long-term post-PCI ischemic events: implication of the intra-aortic balloon pump.

AIMS: Thrombocytopenia (TC) following a percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) has been associated not only with hemorrhagic, but also with ischemic outcomes. The purpose of this study was to re-examine the relationship of TC with ischemic events at a 1-year follow-up, and investigate the possible associations. METHODS AND RESULTS: We studied a real-world, unselected population of ischemic patients undergoing PCI, totaling 861 patients-year, and divided into two groups: with TC (delta platelet count ≥25% from baseline to post-PCI during the hospital admission) and without TC. Compared with patients without TC, patients with TC had a higher and earlier incidence of both hemorrhagic and ischemic events. In them, the use of intra-aortic balloon pump (IABP) was ten-fold higher. In Kaplan-Meier curves assessing the contribution of both TC and IABP to outcome, IABP was a univariate detrimental factor additive to the role of TC. In a forced Cox model, the relative decline (delta) in platelet count (p=0.05) and the use of IABP (p=0.0001) were both associated with ischemic outcomes. After excluding all patients with IABP, the delta platelet count was no longer significantly associated with ischemic outcomes (p=0.66). After excluding all patients with shock and all those who undergone thrombolysis, there was still a relationship (p=0.0042) between the delta platelet count and ischemic events. CONCLUSIONS: In this patient population the use of IABP, but not thrombocytopenia per se, is a possible primary cause of worse ischemic outcomes.

Pathophysiology and ECG patterns of isolated right ventricular infarction with nondominant right coronary artery.

The prevalence of isolated right ventricular infarction is 0.4-2.4% in autopsy series and may occur by at least three different mechanisms, of which occlusion of a nondominant right coronary artery is reviewed here. Although rare, as oxygen demand/supply of the right is lower than that of the left ventricle, due to the smaller muscular mass, and it has a good prognosis, sudden death and cardiac rupture have been reported. Differential diagnosis with anterior infarction is needed. ECG may help but specific criteria should be adopted: dome-like and decreasing ST segment elevation from V1 to V3 leads; rapid ST segment normalization and no Q wave evolution from V1 to V3 leads, either accompanied or not by modest ST segment elevation in DIII (but not aVF) evolving in no Q wave; ST segment elevation in right-sided leads which should be explored; absence of ST segment depression in aVL; absent concomitant ST segment elevation in all inferior leads (DII, DIII, aVF). Applying these criteria may prevent erroneous management of right ventricular infarction if it is confused with left ventricular infarction. Right ventricular function evaluation should always be performed by echocardiography. Magnetic resonance imaging should be useful. An illustrative case and an ECG flow-chart are presented.

Is There Still a Role for Glycoprotein IIb/IIIa Antagonists in Acute Coronary Syndromes?

The role played by glycoprotein (GP) IIb/IIIa inhibitors has continuously evolved from the initial introduction in mid 90 s until the most recent guidelines for treating acute coronary syndromes, and competed with a wider use of ADP inhibitors and novel anticoagulant drugs, to the extent that they stepped down from class I to class II recommendation in the routine setting of acute coronary syndromes. As a consequence, GP IIb/IIIa use was greatly narrowed. The purpose of this review is to define the roles that GP IIb/IIIa inhibitors may still have in acute ischemic settings by explaining why in high risk patients they might be preferable and/or whether they might be added to ADP inhibitors also emphasizing the underlying mechanistic actions. It is concluded that there might be a more extensive use of GP IIb/IIIa inhibitors in patients presenting with acute coronary syndromes, strictly based on the definition for a high risk procedure: complexity, angiographic characteristics and patient's risk profile, regardless whether STEMI or NSTEMI. The positive elements one should appreciate in GP IIb/IIIa inhibitors are: efficacy, rapid onset and reversibility of action, absence of pharmacogenomic variability, pharmacoeconomic considerations and the possibility of intracoronary administration.

Age- and Gender-Normalized Coronary Incidence and Mortality Risks in Primary and Secondary Prevention.

Epidemiologic differences in ischemic heart disease incidence between women and men remain largely unexplained. The reasons of women's "protection" against coronary artery disease (CAD) are not still clear. However, there are subsets more likely to die of a first myocardial infarction. The purpose of this review is to underline different treatment strategies between genders and describe the role of classical and novel factors defined to evaluate CAD risk and mortality, aimed at assessing applicability and relevance for primary and secondary prevention. Women and men present different age-related risk patterns: it should be important to understand whether standard factors may index CAD risk, including mortality, in different ways and/or whether specific factors might be targeted gender-wise. Take home messages include: HDL-cholesterol levels, higher in pre-menopausal women than in men, are more strictly related to CAD. The same is true for high triglycerides and Lp(a). HDL-cholesterol levels are inversely related to incidence and mortality. In primary prevention the role of statins is not completely ascertained in women although in secondary prevention these agents are equally effective in both genders. Weight and glycemic control are effective to reduce cardiovascular disease (CVD) mortality in women from middle to older age. Blood pressure is strongly and directly related to CVD mortality, from middle to older age, particularly in diabetic and over weighted women. Kidney dysfunction, defined using UAE and eGFR predicts primary CVD incidence and risk in both genders. In secondary prediction, kidney dysfunction predicts sudden death in women in conjunction with left ventricular ejection fraction evaluation. Serum uric acid does not differentiate gender-related CVD incidences, although it increases with age. Age-related differences between genders have been related to loss of ovarian function traditionally and to lower iron stores more recently. QT interval, physiologically longer in women than men, may be an index of arrhythmic risk in patients with mitral valve prolapse and increased circulating levels of catecholamines. However, there are no large population-based studies to assess this. In conjunction with novel parameters, such as inflammatory markers and reproductive hormones, classical risk score in women may be implemented in the future.