Enhancing Coronary Intervention Outcomes Using Intravascular Ultrasound: Analysis of Long-Term Benefits in a Japanese Multicenter Registry.

Background: Although the use of intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) during percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) has been shown to improve clinical outcomes, its utilization remains inconsistent. We aimed to assess the association between IVUS-guided PCI and long-term outcomes in Japan, where a high proportion of patients undergo IVUS. Methods: We analyzed 8721 consecutive patients in a multicenter PCI registry. The primary outcome was a composite of death, acute coronary syndrome, and heart failure requiring admission and coronary artery bypass grafting at 2 years after discharge. The secondary outcome was each component of the primary outcome. We used inverse probability-weighted analysis for adjustment. Subgroup analysis was conducted on patients with complex coronary anatomy (eg, those with bifurcation, chronic total occlusion, type C lesion, left main and those who underwent rotational atherectomy). Results: Overall, 83.8% of patients underwent IVUS-guided PCI (mean age, 68.3 ± 11.3 years). After adjustments, the IVUS group had significantly lower rates of death and coronary bypass compared to no IVUS group (hazard ratio [HR], 0.73; 95% CI, 0.55-0.96; and HR, 0.62; 95% CI, 0.39-0.98) at 2-year follow-up, although the primary outcome showed only marginal differences (HR, 0.85; 95% CI, 0.71-1.01). In the subgroup analysis of complex coronary anatomy, the use of IVUS was significantly associated with a reduced risk of the primary outcome (HR, 0.72; 95% CI, 0.55-0.93) as well as death, coronary bypass, and heart failure. Conclusions: IVUS was frequently utilized in our registry and demonstrated potential benefit in reducing mortality and need for coronary bypass surgery, particularly in patients with complex coronary anatomy.

Low-Dose Prasugrel vs. Standard-Dose Clopidogrel for Patients Undergoing Percutaneous Coronary Intervention.

BACKGROUND: Low-dose prasugrel (3.75 mg) is used as maintenance therapy for percutaneous coronary intervention; however, data on long-term outcomes are scarce.Methods and Results: We analyzed 5,392 participants in the KiCS-PCI registry who were administered low-dose prasugrel or clopidogrel at discharge between 2008 and 2018 and for whom 2-year follow-up data were available. We adjusted for confounders using matching weight analyses and multiple imputations. Similarly, we used inverse probability- and propensity score-weighted analyses. We also performed instrumental variable analyses. The primary outcomes were acute coronary syndrome (ACS) and bleeding requiring readmission. Secondary outcomes were all-cause death and a composite outcome of ACS, bleeding, heart failure, stroke, coronary bypass requiring admission, and all-cause death. In this cohort, 12.2% of patients were discharged with low-dose prasugrel. Compared with clopidogrel, low-dose prasugrel was associated with a reduced risk of ACS (hazard ratio [HR] 0.58; 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.39-0.85), bleeding (HR 0.62; 95% CI 0.40-0.97), and the composite outcome (HR 0.71; 95% CI 0.59-0.86). Inverse probability-weighted analysis yielded similar results; however, matching weight analysis without multiple imputations and propensity score-matched analyses showed similar outcomes in both groups. Instrumental variable analyses showed reduced risks of ACS and composite outcome for those on low-dose prasugrel. All-cause mortality did not differ in all analyses. CONCLUSIONS: Low-dose prasugrel demonstrates comparable outcomes to clopidogrel in terms of ACS and bleeding.

Predictors and incidence of health status deterioration in patients with early atrial fibrillation.

BACKGROUND: Various treatment approaches for atrial fibrillation (AF) have demonstrated improved health status, yet the significance of these therapeutic interventions in individual patients remains unclear. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to evaluate health status changes in patients with early AF, focusing on those who experience clinically significant deterioration after treatment initiation. METHODS: We analyzed data from a multicenter, prospective registry of newly diagnosed patients with AF. One-year changes in health status across different treatment strategies were assessed by the Atrial Fibrillation Effect on QualiTy-of-life Overall Summary (AFEQT-OS) score. Clinically relevant deterioration and improvement in health status were defined as ≥5-point decrease and increase in AFEQT-OS score, respectively; no change was -5 to 5 points. RESULTS: Overall, 1960 patients with AF were evaluated. Mean AFEQT-OS scores at baseline and 1-year follow-up were 76.7 ± 17.7 and 85.4 ± 14.8, respectively. Although most patients (53.9%) experienced clinically important improvement, a considerable proportion had no change (28.7%) or deterioration (17.4%) in their health status. Proportions of patients with no change or deterioration varied by treatment strategy: 59.9%, 53.9%, and 32.0% in rate control, antiarrhythmic drug, and catheter ablation groups, respectively. The multivariable model identified older age, female sex, heart failure, coronary artery disease, and higher baseline AFEQT-OS score as independent predictors of worsening health status, regardless of treatment strategy. CONCLUSION: Many patients with early AF experience worsening or no change in health status irrespective of treatment strategy. Standardizing patients' health status assessment, especially for patients with comorbidities, may aid in patients' selection and their outcomes.

Rationale and protocol of the LAQUA-HF trial: a factorial randomised controlled trial evaluating the effects of neurohormonal and diuretic agents on health-status reported outcomes in heart failure patients.

INTRODUCTION: The current guidelines strongly recommend early initiation of multiple classes of cardioprotective drugs for patients with heart failure with reduced ejection fraction to improve prognosis and health status. However, evidence on the optimal sequencing of approved drugs is scarce, highlighting the importance of individualised treatment plans. Registry data indicate that only a portion of these patients can tolerate all four recommended classes, underscoring the need to establish the favoured sequence when using these drugs. Additionally, the choice between long-acting and short-acting loop diuretics in the present era remains uncertain. This is particularly relevant given the frequent use of angiotensin receptor-neprilysin inhibitor and sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 inhibitor, both of which potentiate natriuretic effects. METHODS AND ANALYSIS: In a prospective, randomised, open-label, blinded endpoint method, LAQUA-HF (Long-acting vs short-acting diuretics and neurohormonal Agents on patients' QUAlity-of-life in Heart Failure patients) will be a 2×2 factorial design, with a total of 240 patients randomised to sacubitril/valsartan versus dapagliflozin and torsemide versus furosemide in a 1:1 ratio. Most enrolment sites have participated in an ongoing observational registry for consecutive patients hospitalised for heart failure involved dedicated study coordinators, and used the same framework to enrol patients. The primary endpoint is the change in patients' health status over 6 months, defined by the Kansas City Cardiomyopathy Questionnaire. Additionally, clinical benefit at 6 months defined as a hierarchical composite endpoint will be assessed by the win ratio as the secondary endpoint. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: The medical ethics committee Keio University in Japan has approved this trial. All participants provide written informed consent prior to study entry. The results of this trial will be disseminated in one main paper and additional papers on secondary endpoints and subgroup analyses. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: UMIN000045229.

Physician Estimates and Patient-Reported Health Status in Atrial Fibrillation.

Importance: A primary objective in managing atrial fibrillation (AF) is to optimize patients' health status, which can be done only if physicians accurately quantify the outcomes associated with AF in patients' lives. Objective: To explore physicians' estimation of the health status of patients with AF and its association with subsequent care and outcomes. Design, Setting, and Participants: A multicenter, prospective cohort study was conducted in 2 outpatient practices in Tokyo, Japan. Participants included patients with newly diagnosed AF or those referred for initial treatment of AF at outpatient practices and treating physicians from November 8, 2018, to April 1, 2020. Data analysis was performed from December 22, 2022, to July 7, 2023. Exposures: Participating patients completed the Atrial Fibrillation Effect on Quality-of-Life (AFEQT) questionnaire, a 20-item tool covering 4 domains with a 7-point Likert scale; 3 domains (symptoms, daily activities, and treatment concerns) were used in this study. Blinded to patients' responses, treating physicians answered a 3-item questionnaire quantifying each patient's AFEQT domain with a single item. Patients' mean Likert scale responses within each AFEQT domain were subtracted from the physicians' assessments so that higher scores (≥0.5 points) indicate physician underestimation, while lower scores (≤0.5 points) indicate physician overestimation of the health status of patients with AF. Main Outcomes and Measures: The independent association of physician-patient concordance with treatment escalation (alteration or initiation of antiarrhythmic drugs, cardioversion, or catheter ablation) and 1-year adjusted changes in AFEQT scores. Results: Among 330 patients (238 [72.1%] men; mean [SD] age, 67.9 [11.9] years; 163 [49.4%] with paroxysmal AF), physicians correctly estimated health status in 112 patients (33.9%), underestimated it in 42 patients (12.7%), and overestimated it in 176 patients (53.3%). Treatment escalation occurred in 63.6% of patients whose health status was correctly estimated, 47.6% of those whose health status was underestimated, and 66.3% of patients whose health status was overestimated. After multivariable adjustment, underestimation of health status was independently associated with less treatment escalation (adjusted odds ratio, 0.43; 95% CI, 0.20-0.90) and less frequent AFEQT overall summary score improvement at 1 year (underestimated, 2.5 [95% CI, -1.6 to 6.7] vs correctly and overestimated health status, 8.4 [95% CI, 7.0-9.9] points; P = .01). Conclusions and Relevance: In this cohort study, physician underestimation of the health status of patients with AF was common and associated with less aggressive treatment and less health status improvement at 1 year.

Clinical Utility of Baseline Brain Natriuretic Peptide Levels on Health Status Outcomes after Catheter Ablation for Atrial Fibrillation in Individuals without Heart Failure.

BACKGROUND: Catheter ablation (CA) benefits atrial fibrillation (AF) patients with heart failure (HF). Brain natriuretic peptide (BNP), a marker of left-ventricular pressure load, may serve as a potential surrogate for predicting quality of life (QOL) in a broader range of patients. METHODS: Within the multicenter KiCS-AF registry, 491 AF patients underwent CA without clinical HF (e.g., documented history of HF, left ventricular ejection fraction ≤ 40%, or BNP levels ≥ 100 pg/mL). Participants, aged 61 ± 10 years, were categorized by baseline BNP quartiles. Atrial Fibrillation Effect on QualiTy-of-Life (AFEQT) questionnaire assessments were assessed at baseline and 1 year. RESULTS: A lower baseline BNP correlated with reduced AFEQT scores. Post CA, all groups showed significant AFEQT score improvements. The lower-BNP group displayed notable enhancements (18.2 ± 1.2, 15.0 ± 1.1, 12.6 ± 1.2, 13.6 ± 1.2, p < 0.005), especially in symptom and treatment concern areas. Even those with normal BNP levels (≤18.4 pg/mL) exhibited significant QOL improvements. Comparing paroxysmal AF (PAF) and non-PAF groups, the PAF group, especially with higher BNP levels, showed greater AFEQT score improvements. CONCLUSIONS: This study establishes BNP as a predictive marker for QOL enhancement in non-HF patients undergoing CA for AF. BNP levels represent AF stages, with individuals in earlier stages, especially within normal BNP levels, experiencing greater QOL improvements.

Discontinuation of Oral Anticoagulants in Atrial Fibrillation Patients: Impact of Treatment Strategy and on Patients' Health Status.

AIMS: The discontinuation of oral anticoagulants (OACs) remains as a significant concern in the management of atrial fibrillation (AF). The discontinuation rate may vary depending on management strategy, and physicians may also discontinue OACs due to concerns about patient satisfaction with their care. We aimed to assess the incidence of OAC discontinuation and its relationship to patients' health in an outpatient AF registry. METHODS AND RESULTS: From a multicenter registry for newly recognized AF patients (n = 3313), we extracted 1647 (49.7%) patients with OACs and a CHA2DS2-Vasc score of ≥2. Discontinuation was defined as sustained cessation of OACs within a 1-year follow-up. We examined predictors associated with discontinuation and its relations to health status defined by the AFEQT questionnaire. Of the 1647 patients, 385 (23.6%) discontinued OACs after 1 year, with discontinuation rates varying across treatment strategies (15.3% for catheter ablation, 4.9% for rhythm control with antiarrhythmic drugs, and 3.0% for rate control). Successful rhythm control was associated with discontinuation in the catheter ablation (OR 6.61, 95% CI 3.00-14.6, p < 0.001) and antiarrhythmic drugs (OR 6.47, 95% CI 2.62-15.9, p < 0.001) groups, whereas the incidence of bleeding events within 1 year was associated with discontinuation in the rate control group. One-year AFEQT scores did not significantly differ between patients who discontinued OACs and those who did not in each treatment strategy group. CONCLUSIONS: OAC discontinuation was common among AF patients with significant stroke risk but varied depending on the chosen treatment strategy. This study also found no significant association between OAC discontinuation and patients' health status.

Long-term outcomes of periprocedural coronary dissection and perforation for patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention in a Japanese multicenter registry.

Long-term outcomes of iatrogenic coronary dissection and perforation in patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) remains under-investigated. We analyzed 8,721 consecutive patients discharged after PCI between 2008 and 2019 from Keio Cardiovascular (KiCS) PCI multicenter prospective registry in the Tokyo metropolitan area. Significant coronary dissection was defined as persistent contrast medium extravasation or spiral or persistent filling defects with complete distal and impaired flow. The primary outcome was a composite of all-cause death, acute coronary syndrome, heart failure, bleeding, stroke requiring admission, and coronary artery bypass grafting two years after discharge. We used a multivariable Cox hazard regression model to assess the effects of these complications. Among the patients, 68 (0.78%) had significant coronary dissections, and 61 (0.70%) had coronary perforations at the index PCI. Patients with significant coronary dissection had higher rates of the primary endpoint and heart failure than those without (25.0% versus 14.3%, P = 0.02; 10.3% versus 4.2%, P = 0.03); there were no significant differences in the primary outcomes between the patients with and without coronary perforation (i.e., primary outcome: 8.2% versus 14.5%, P = 0.23) at the two-year follow-up. After adjustments, patients with coronary dissection had a significantly higher rate of the primary endpoint than those without (HR 1.70, 95% CI 1.02-2.84; P = 0.04), but there was no significant difference in the primary endpoint between the patients with and without coronary perforation (HR 0.51, 95% CI 0.21-1.23; P = 0.13). For patients undergoing PCI, significant coronary dissection was associated with poor long-term outcomes, including heart failure readmission.

Prognostic Implications and Efficacy of Catheter Ablation by Atrial Fibrillation Type.

Background Catheter ablation (CA) for atrial fibrillation (AF) is preferred for paroxysmal AF (PAF) but selectively performed in patients with persistent AF (PersAF). This study aimed to investigate the prognostic differences and consequences of CA based on the AF type. Methods and Results Data from a multicenter AF cohort study were analyzed, categorizing patients as PAF or PersAF according to AF duration (≤7 or >7 days, respectively). A composite of all-cause death, heart failure hospitalization, stroke, and bleeding events during 2-year follow-up and changes in the Atrial Fibrillation Effect on Quality-of-life score were compared. Additionally, propensity score matching was performed to compare clinical outcomes of patients with and without CA in both AF types. Among 2788 patients, 51.6% and 48.4% had PAF and PersAF, respectively. Patients with PersAF had a higher incidence of the composite outcome (12.8% versus 7.2%; P<0.001) and smaller improvements in Atrial Fibrillation Effect on Quality-of-life scores than those with PAF. After adjusting for baseline characteristics, PersAF was an independent predictor of adverse outcomes (adjusted hazard ratio, 1.35 [95% CI, 1.30-1.78], P=0.031) and was associated with poor improvements in Atrial Fibrillation Effect on Quality-of-life scores. Propensity score matching analysis showed that the CA group had significantly fewer adverse events than the medication group among patients with PAF (odds ratio, 0.31 [95% CI, 0.18-0.68]; P=0.002). Patients with PersAF showed a similar but nonsignificant trend. Conclusions PersAF is a risk factor for worse clinical outcomes, including patients' health status. CA is associated with fewer adverse events, although careful consideration is required based on the AF type.

Patient concern regarding bleeding side effects from oral anticoagulation therapy for atrial fibrillation: An analysis from the multicenter KiCS-AF registry.

AIMS: The purpose of this study is to utilize PROs to determine the percentage of patients concerned about mild to moderate bleeding side effects of anticoagulants. METHODS AND RESULTS: We consecutively enrolled 3,312 newly diagnosed or referred patients for atrial fibrillation (AF) management from 11 sites within the Keio interhospital Cardiovascular Studies-Atrial Fibrillation Registry between September 2012 and May 2018. Of these patients, 2,636 (79.5%) were taking oral anticoagulants at enrollment. Using the Atrial Fibrillation Effect on Quality-of-life questionnaire (AFEQT), the patients who responded "1: not at all bothered" or "2: hardly bothered" on the seven-point scale regarding bleeding side effects were classified as the "no OAC concern" group while those responding "3: a little bothered" to "7: extremely bothered" were classified as the "OAC concern" group. On baseline analysis, 29.3% (n = 772) were "concerned" about bleeding side effects. The proportion of women and patients with AF-related symptoms was higher in the OAC concern vs. no OAC concern group (36.9% vs. 29.8%, p < 0.0004 and 66.2% vs. 56.7%, p < 0.0001, respectively). The CHADS2 scores ≥ 2 were comparable between groups. Of the 430 patients in the 1-year follow-up analysis, the proportion of the continued OAC concern group (1 year from enrollment) was 41.6%.The dabigatran, rivaroxaban, and apixaban usage rates were comparable between the two groups in baseline and 1-year follow-up analysis. CONCLUSION: Approximately one-third of all patients with AF on anticoagulant therapy were concerned regarding bleeding from short-and long-term anticoagulant use.

Gender Differences in Long-Term Outcomes of Young Patients Who Underwent Percutaneous Coronary Intervention: Long-Term Outcome Analysis from a Multicenter Registry in Japan.

Young patients who underwent percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) have shown worse long-term outcomes but remain inadequately investigated. We analyzed 1,186 consecutive young patients (aged ≤55 years) from the Keio Cardiovascular PCI registry who were successfully discharged after PCI (2008 to 2019) and compared them to 5,048 older patients (aged 55 to 75 years). The primary outcome was a composite of all-cause death, acute coronary syndrome, heart failure, bleeding, stroke requiring admission, and coronary artery bypass grafting within 2 years after discharge. In the young patients, the mean age was 48.4 ± 5.4 years, acute coronary syndrome cases accounted for 69.6%, and 92 (7.8%) were female. Body mass index; hemoglobin levels; and proportions of smoking, hyperlipidemia, and ST-elevation myocardial infarction were lower and dialysis or active cancer proportions were higher in young female patients than male patients. A higher number of young female than male patients reached the primary end point and all-cause death (15.2% vs 7.1%, p = 0.01; 4.3% vs 1.0%, p = 0.023), mainly because of noncardiac death (4.3% versus 0.5%, p = 0.001). After covariate adjustment, the primary end point rates were higher among young women than men (hazard ratio 2.00, 95% confidence interval 1.03 to 3.89, p = 0.042). Gender did not predict the primary end point among older patients (vs men; hazard ratio 0.84, 95% confidence interval 0.67 to 1.06, p = 0.14). In conclusion, young women showed worse outcomes during the 2-year post-PCI follow-up, but this gender difference was absent in patients aged 55 to 75 years.

Baseline Health Status and its Association With Subsequent Cardiovascular Events in Patients With Atrial Fibrillation.

BACKGROUND: Clinical practice guidelines recommend optimizing the health status of patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) as a primary treatment goal. Whether disease-specific health status is associated with subsequent clinical events is unknown. OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to investigate the association between health status and subsequent clinical events among patients with AF. METHODS: Using a prospective cohort study of patients with new-onset AF referred to 11 hospitals (n = 3,313, 68.4% men, mean age 67.8 ± 11.6 years), data were extracted from 3,296 patients (99.4%) who completed the disease-specific Atrial Fibrillation Effects on Quality-of-Life (AFEQT) questionnaire between 2012 and 2018. Factors associated with baseline AFEQT overall summary (OS) score and associations between major adverse cardiovascular or neurologic events (MACNE; a composite of all-cause death, stroke, or new-onset heart failure hospitalization) over 2 years were investigated. RESULTS: Overall, 517 participants (15.6%) had poor to fair health status (AFEQT OS <60), and 1,035 (31.2%) had fair to good health status (AFEQT OS 60 to <80) at baseline. Female sex, younger age, family history of AF, higher baseline heart rate, paroxysmal AF, initial visit to the emergency department, and history of heart failure were associated with lower AFEQT OS scores. Of those, 226 participants (6.8%) experienced MACNE; restricted cubic spline analysis with adjustment for factors associated with baseline AFEQT score showed a nonlinear increase in the risk for MACNE with AFEQT OS score <80. The strongest associations were observed for baseline AFEQT daily activity scores (for AFEQT daily activity score of <80 vs ≥80, HR: 1.65; 95% CI: 1.21-2.25). CONCLUSIONS: Diminished health status in patients with AF is common and is independently associated with subsequent adverse cardiovascular events.

Which congestion presentation pattern on the physical findings is associated with future adverse events? A cluster analysis in the multicenter acute heart failure registry.

BACKGROUND: Clinical congestion is the most frequent reason for hospital admission in patients with acute heart failure (AHF). However, few studies have investigated the patterns and prognostic implication of the physical congestion using unbiased and robust statistical methods. METHODS: A hierarchical agglomerative clustering analysis was performed in the multicenter Japanese AHF registry (N = 3151) with the distance calculated by Jaccard's distance for jugular vein distention (JVD), leg edema, S3, crackles, and orthopnea. The primary outcome was a composite of cardiac death and heart failure readmission within 1-year. RESULTS: At the time of admission, the median number of prevalent congestive signs was 2. We identified three phenogroups: 'no physical congestions' (N = 251); 'congestion without JVD' (N = 1415); and 'congestion with JVD' (N = 1495). Patients in 'no physical congestion' were the youngest (median 75 [62, 83] years) with the lowest systolic blood pressure (122 [106, 142] mmHg). Patients in 'congestion without JVD', and 'congestion with JVD' were similar in terms of age (77 [67, 84] vs. 78 [69, 84] years) and systolic blood pressure (138 [118, 160] vs. 137 [118, 158] mmHg). While 30-day mortality was similar (4.0%, 3.7%, and 4.3% in 'no physical congestion,' 'congestion without JVD,' and 'congestion with JVD', respectively), the patients in 'congestion with JVD' were at the highest risk for the primary outcome (adjusted hazard ratio 1.79, 95% CI 1.26-2.55 when 'no physical congestion' was a reference). CONCLUSIONS: Our clustering analysis demonstrated that congestion signs, particularly JVD, allowed identification of AHF phenogroups with distinct clinical characteristics and long-term outcomes.

Standard modifiable cardiovascular risk factors in patients with acute coronary syndrome: A report from multicenter percutaneous coronary intervention registry.

BACKGROUND: High mortality in patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS) without standard modifiable cardiovascular risk factors [SMuRFs (e.g. diabetes, hypertension, smoking, and dyslipidemia)] has been reported. However, details regarding their acute presentation and reasons for the excess risk remain unclear. METHOD: Patient-level data were extracted from a multicenter procedure-based registry (KiCS-PCI). We analyzed consecutive patients with ACS who underwent de novo percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) between 2009 and 2020. The primary outcome of interest was the in-hospital mortality. RESULTS: Among the 10,523 patients with ACS, 7775 met the inclusion criteria. Patients without SMuRFs who underwent PCI [n = 529 (6.8 %)] were older [median 71 (IQR: 63-79) vs. 68 (59-76) years, p < 0.001] and more often presented with cardiogenic shock or cardiopulmonary arrest (14.6 % vs. 8.6 %, p < 0.001; 12.7 % vs. 5.3 %, p < 0.001, respectively). In patients with ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI), median door-to-balloon time was significantly longer in SMuRF-less patients (90 min vs 82 min). In-hospital death was significantly higher in SMuRF-less patients [10.2 % vs. 4.1 %, p < 0.001, adjusted odds ratio, 1.81 (95%CI, 1.26-2.59); p = 0.001], whereas the rate of procedural complications showed no significant difference. When stratified by the ACS presentation pattern, the findings were consistent, although the association between SMuRF-less and the increased risk of in-hospital mortality was not statistically significant in patients with non-ST-elevation- (NSTE)-ACS. CONCLUSIONS: SMuRF-less ACS patients frequently presented with cardiopulmonary arrest and/or cardiogenic shock, leading to high in-hospital mortality. When stratified by the ACS presentation pattern, the association of SMuRF-less and the increased risk of mortality was more prominent in STEMI patients and it was not statistically significant in NSTE-ACS patients. Almost half of these patients had amendable left main trunk or left anterior descending artery disease and treating clinicians should be aware of this paradox to avoid the delay in treatment.

Time Trend in Incidence of Sudden Cardiac Death After Percutaneous Coronary Intervention from 2009 to 2017 (from the Japanese Multicenter Registry).

The advances in the integrated management of patients with coronary artery disease undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) have reduced subsequent cardiovascular events. Nonetheless, sudden cardiac death (SCD) remains a major concern. Therefore, we aimed to investigate the time trend in SCD incidence after PCI and to identify the clinical factors contributing to SCD. From a prospective, multicenter cohort registry in Japan, 8,723 consecutive patients with coronary artery disease undergoing PCI between 2009 and 2017 were included. We evaluated the SCD incidence 2 years after PCI; all death events were adjudicated, and SCD was defined as unexpected death without a noncardiovascular cause in a previously stable patient within 24 hours from the onset. The Fine and Gray method was used to identify the factors associated with SCD. Overall, the mean age of the patients was 68.3 ± 11.3 years, and 1,173 patients (13.4%) had heart failure (HF). During the study period, the use of second-generation drug-eluting stents increased. The 2-year cumulative incidence of all-cause mortality and SCD was 4.29% and 0.45%, respectively. All-cause mortality remained stable during the study period (p for trend = 0.98), whereas the crude incidence of SCD tended to decrease over the study period (p for trend = 0.052). HF was the strongest predictor associated with the risk of SCD (crude incidence [vs non-HF] 2.13% vs 0.19%; p <0.001). In conclusion, the incidence of SCD after PCI decreased over the last decade, albeit the high incidence of SCD among patients with HF remains concerning.

Catheter ablation for patients with atrial fibrillation and heart failure with reduced and preserved ejection fraction: insights from the KiCS-AF multicentre cohort study.

AIMS: The usefulness of catheter ablation (CA) for atrial fibrillation (AF) across a broad spectrum of heart failure (HF) patients remains to be established. We assessed the association of CA with both health-related quality of life (QoL) and cardiovascular events among HF patients with reduced and preserved left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) in an 'all-comer' outpatient-based AF registry. METHODS AND RESULTS: Of 3303 patients with AF consecutively enrolled in a retrospective multicentre registry that mandated the Atrial Fibrillation Effect on QualiTy-of-life (AFEQT) questionnaire at registration and 1-year follow-up, we extracted data from 530 patients complicating clinical HF. The association between CA and both 1-year change in AFEQT Overall Summary (AFEQT-OS) scores and 2-year composite clinical outcomes (including all-cause death, stroke, and HF hospitalization) was assessed by multivariable analyses. The median duration of AF was 108 days (52-218 days), and 83.4% had LVEF >35%. Overall, 75 patients (14.2%) underwent CA for AF within 1-year after registration. At 1-year follow-up, 67.2% in the ablation group showed clinically meaningful improvements of ≥ 5 points in AFEQT-OS score than 47.8% in the non-ablation group {adjusted odds ratio, 2.03 [95% confidence interval (CI): 1.13-3.64], P = 0.017}. Furthermore, the composite endpoint of all-cause death, stroke, and HF hospitalization occurred less frequently in the ablation group than the non-ablation group [adjusted hazard ratio, 0.27 (95% CI: 0.09-0.86), P = 0.027]. CONCLUSION: Among AF-HF patients, CA was associated with improved QoL and lower risk of cardiovascular events against drug therapy alone, even for patients with mildly reduced and preserved LVEF.

Genetic Backgrounds Associated With Stent Thrombosis: A Pilot Study From a Percutaneous Coronary Intervention Registry.

Background: Stent thrombosis (ST) is a rare, yet devastating, complication following percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI), with poorly understood pathophysiologic characteristics and genetic backgrounds. Objectives: The authors performed a genome-wide association study to identify the common genetic loci associated with early stent thrombosis (EST) and late/very late ST (LST/VLST) in a contemporary Japanese multicenter PCI registry. Methods: Among 8,642 PCI patients included in the registry, 42 who experienced stent thrombosis [EST (n = 15) and LST/VLST (n = 27)] were included (mean age, 67.6 ± 10.8 years; and 88.1% men). We conducted a genome-wide association study using the BioBank Japan patient population as the control (control #1: acute coronary syndrome [n = 29,542] and control #2: effort angina [n = 8,900]) to identify significant single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and evaluate the performance of polygenic risk scores (PRSs) for predicting these conditions. Results: We compared patients with EST with controls #1 and #2 and identified SNPs (rs565401593 and rs561634568) in NSD1, and patients with LST/VLST with controls #1 and #2 and identified SNPs (rs532623294 and rs199546342) in GRIN2A. PRS for LST/VLST showed high predictive performance (area under the curve 0.83 [95% CI: 0.76-0.89] and 0.83 [95% CI: 0.77-0.89]), whereas PRS for EST showed modest predictive performance (area under the curve 0.71 [95% CI: 0.58-0.85] and 0.72 [95% CI: 0.58-0.85]). Conclusions: We identified different genetic predispositions between EST and LST/VLST and demonstrated that the incorporation of PRS may aid in risk prediction of this highly fatal event.

Left Ventricular Diastolic Indices and Their Impact on Outcomes in Patients with Recently Diagnosed Atrial Fibrillation.

Background: Early identification of atrial fibrillation (AF) patients at risk for heart failure (HF) remains critical for improving their outcomes. We aimed to investigate whether indices of left ventricular diastolic dysfunction (LVDD) can stratify AF patients without clinical history of HF. Methods: We extracted 1775 patients' data from a prospective cohort that consecutively recruited recently recognized AF patients with ejection fraction ≥50%. We categorized patients as LVDD grade 0 (none) to 3 (severe) based on mitral deceleration time and E/e' per the American Society of Echocardiography recommendation. The primary outcome was a composite of all-cause death, stroke, and HF hospitalization during the 2-year follow-up. We also investigated the Atrial Fibrillation Effects on QualiTy-of-Life (AFEQT) scores. Results: Overall, 857 (48.3%) had mild or higher LVDD. Incidence of primary outcomes increased in parallel with LVDD grading (1.8%, 2.8%, 6.5%, and 8.1% for grades 0−3, respectively, p < 0.001), and the presence of grade 3 LVDD was an independent predictor of the primary outcome (adjusted HR 2.28 (vs. grade 0), 95%CI 1.13−4.60). Furthermore, patients with LVDD had lower AFEQT scores at the enrollment and 1-year follow-up. Conclusions: LVDD indices were associated with adverse clinical outcomes and patients' perceived health status in a recently diagnosed AF cohort without HF.

Contrast volume and in-hospital outcomes of dialysis patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention.

Toxicity resulting from retained contrast media may cause adverse cardiovascular outcomes (e.g., heart failure and cardiogenic shock) for dialysis patients. However, the association between the administered contrast volume and outcomes of dialysis patients after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) has not been sufficiently investigated. We evaluated 953 consecutive dialysis patients (age, 67.9 ± 9.9 years; 30.1% with acute coronary syndrome) who underwent PCI between September 2008 and March 2019. Patients were divided into two groups: those with a contrast volume ≥ 200 ml and those with a contrast volume < 200 ml. The cutoff was 200 ml because 100 ml increment of contrast volume is known to raise the risk of acute kidney injury, and 200 ml is more than the average volume used at most PCI centers. The primary endpoint was a composite of in-hospital death, post-PCI cardiogenic shock and post-PCI heart failure. A multivariable logistic regression model and smooth spline curve were constructed to assess the association between contrast volume and the primary endpoint. The median contrast volume was 157 ml (interquartile range, 115-210 ml). The overall primary endpoint incidence was 6.8% (N = 65). A contrast volume ≥ 200 ml was associated with a higher risk of the primary endpoint (odds ratio 2.91; 95% confidence interval 1.42-6.05; P = 0.004). The smooth spline curve demonstrated a linear relationship between the contrast volume and primary endpoint. In conclusions, the contrast volume was associated with adverse in-hospital outcomes of dialysis patients undergoing PCI. Attention should be focused on the contrast volume used for dialysis patients undergoing PCI.