[Insight of France PCI registry in 2023]. / État des lieux en 2023 du registre France PCI.

The French PCI Registry collects up to 150 clinical, procedural, and one-year follow-up data on all coronary angiographies and angioplasties performed in the 61 participating centers in September 2023. Thanks to the support of the GACI, the DGOS, the ARS, and numerous hospitals, the registry is continuing to expand its coverage across the entire territory, with 90 centers expected to participate in 2024, accounting for nearly half of the French centers. The high quality of this data has already led to the publication of 18 studies in international journals, and around twenty others are currently being written. The online publication of comprehensive and comparative annual reports, along with the implementation of quality indicators to assess practices, would enhance the performance of all participating centers and ultimately benefit our coronary patients.

[French National registry of spontaneous coronary artery dissections : ''DISCO registry'']. / Registre national des dissections coronaires spontanées : le registre DISCO.

AIM: Spontaneous coronary artery dissection (SCAD) is a form of acute coronary syndrome (ACS). The aim of this registry is to assess the clinical and angiographic features of SCAD, to describe the therapeutic management and prognosis, and to identify links with other vascular diseases. METHOD: From 2016 to 2018, 424 patients with a diagnosis of SCAD were included prospectively and retrospectively in 51 French cardiology centres. RESULTS: 373 patients with confirmed SCAD were included. The mean age was 51.5±10.3 years with 90.6% women. 54.7% of patients had <2 cardiovascular risk factors. ACS occurred in 96.2% of patients. 84.2% of patients were managed conservatively, 15.5% interventionally and 0.3% surgically. At 1-year follow-up, recurrence of SCAD occurred in 3.3%. No deaths occurred. The association with fibro-muscular dysplasia was found in 45% of cases and genetic analysis confirmed a strong relationship between the occurrence of SCAD and gene variations at the PHACTR1 locus. CONCLUSION: The DISCO registry is the largest European cohort of SCAD. It confirms that this disease mainly affects young women with few cardiovascular risk factors, and that there is a strong association with the presence of fibromuscular dysplasia (45%). Conservative management should be preferred, with a favourable prognosis (no deaths at 1 year; recurrence rate of 3.3%).

Is the duration of dual antiplatelet therapy (DAPT) excessive in post-angioplasty in chronic coronary syndrome? Data from the France-PCI registry (2014-2019).

Background: while the duration of dual antiplatelet therapy (DAPT) following coronary angioplasty for chronic coronary syndrome (CCS) recommended by the European Society of Cardiology has decreased over the last decade, little is known about the adherence to those guidelines in clinical practice in France. Aim: To analyze the real duration of DAPT post coronary angioplasty in CCS, as well as the factors affecting this duration. Methods: Between 2014 and 2019, 8.836 percutaneous coronary interventions for CCS from the France-PCI registry were evaluated, with 1 year follow up, after exclusion of patients receiving oral anticoagulants, procedures performed within one year of an acute coronary syndrome, and repeat angioplasty. Results: Post-percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) DAPT duration was > 12 months for 53.1% of patients treated for CCS; 30.5% had a DAPT between 7 and 12 months, and 16.4% a DAPT ≤ 6 months. Patients with L-DAPT (>12 months) were at higher ischemic risk [25.0% of DAPT score ≥2 vs. 18.8% DAPT score ≥2 in S&I-DAPT group (≤12 months)]. The most commonly used P2Y12 inhibitor was clopidogrel (82.2%). The prescription of ticagrelor increased over the period. Conclusions: post-PCI DAPT duration in CCS was higher than international recommendations in the France PCI registry between 2014 and 2019. More than half of the angioplasty performed for CCS are followed by a DAPT > 12 months. Ischemic risk assessment influences the duration of DAPT. This risk is probably overestimated nowadays, leading to a prolongation of DAPT beyond the recommended durations, thus increasing the bleeding risk.

[Coronary angiography my false friend]. / Mon faux-ami l'angiographie coronaire.

Coronary angiography has been a long-standing friend since the first selective injection by Sones in 1958. More than 400,000 coronary angiographies are performed each year in France for the diagnosis and treatment of ischemic heart disease. In just over 60 years, examinations have become simpler, with imaging that has considerably progressed. Nevertheless, it remains an invasive and radiating examination and requires an injection of a potentially nephrotoxic contrast medium. It is a two-dimensional projection of a luminogram of small arteries, in perpetual movement. The technical realization must be perfect, the analysis of the images must be careful. It is important to be aware of the pitfalls and limitations of the examination, and to rely on complementary techniques to resolve ambiguities, whether functional (FFR, IMR) or morphological (IVUS, OCT). Although non-invasive explorations, such as coroscanner, are in full development, these alternative methods have other limitations (lack of resolution, artifacts related to calcifications) which mean that angiography often remains essential for the diagnosis of coronary artery disease, indispensable for deciding on treatment and guiding revascularization. All of these elements make coronary angiography the definition of a friend: someone you know well... but you love anyway.

[stent thrombosis : A won battle ? (data from the France PCI registry)]. / Thrombose de stent : une bataille gagnée ? (Données du registre France PCI).

GOAL: The aim of the study is to assess the incidence, risk factors and prognosis of definite stent thrombosis (ST) at 1 year in the France PCI multicenter prospective registry. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Only patients who underwent coronary angioplasty with at least one stent implantation between 1st January 2014 and 31 December 2019 were included. The population was separated into 2 groups: the "ST" group with stent thrombosis and the "control" group without stent thrombosis. RESULTS: 35,435 patients were included. 256 patients (0.72%) presented a ST at 1 year. The rate of ST decreased significantly in acute coronary syndrome (1.5% in 2014 vs. 0.73% in 2019; p = 0.05) but not in chronic coronary syndrome (0.46% in 2014 vs 0.40%; p = 0.98). The risk factors are young age (65.8 years vs 68.2; p = 0.002), clinical context (35.27% vs 16.68%; p = 0.0001), diabetes (35.2 % vs 26.4%; p = 0.002), renal failure (11.7% vs 8%; p = 0.009) and history of coronary angioplasty (28.63% vs 21.86%; p = 0.009) and peripheral arterial disease (14.5% vs 10.1%; p = 0.021), LV dysfunction (37% vs 27.5%; p = 0.003), mean length (39.6 mm vs 31, 7mm; p <0.0001) and the mean number of stents per procedure (1.9 vs 1.6; p <0.0001), a TIMI flow ≤1 pre procedure (21.5% vs 12.4%; p <0.0001) and an intrastent restenosis (11% vs 6%; p <0.0001). The 1-year mortality of the ST group was significantly higher than that of the control group (19.14% vs 5.82%; p <0.0001). CONCLUSION: Since 2014, the incidence of ST at 1 year has been decreasing but remains stuck at a floor level of 0.54% in 2019. The battle for ST seems to have been partly won and its risk factors well identified, but its mortality is still high.

[COVID-19 and STEMI]. / COVID-19 et SCA ST.

The COVID-19 pandemic had an unexpected impact on cardiovascular emergencies, particularly STEMI. The France PCI registry and other studies around the world have highlighted a significant decrease in myocardial infarctions arriving at hospital. This decrease is mainly related to patients' fear of coming to the hospital and being contaminated. Although the STEMI revascularisation time targets (<120min) are often difficult to achieve in normal times, they were almost impossible to achieve in periods of lockdown because of the many obstacles. Longer delays and longer total ischemic time have led to excess mortality, especially in the regions most affected by the epidemic. Recommendations for the management of STEMI during the COVID-19 period have thus been issued by the scientific societies. STEMI in patients with COVID-19 often have an uncommon clinical presentation, and the absence of coronary obstruction on angiography is frequent. Their prognosis is very poor. Only public information campaigns and an organisation adapted to the management of coronary emergencies during epidemics can try to limit their effects and avoid aggravating an already fragile health situation in the future.

[TAVI and coronary revascularization]. / TAVI et revascularisation coronaire.

Transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) has become the major approach to manage the severe aortic stenosis in inoperable patients that frequently present a coronary artery disease. To date, the available data related to the impact of these coronary lesions on survival is conflicting. When indicated, coronary revascularization could be beneficial for proximal lesions when performed before or during TAVI. The per-procedure coronary artery occlusion is rare, but with a bad prognosis. The coronary occlusion is more frequent with short distance of the coronary implantation and the small aortic sinuses, mostly occurring in the left main coronary. The scan analysis to identify high-risk cases is therefore important before the procedure in order to anticipate and prevent complications by specific techniques. Recently, late occlusion cases have been described and linked to thrombus or fibrosis mechanisms. The rate of success of percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) after TAVI approach is weak, because of the difficulties of selective catheterization due to the stent of prosthesis. The different techniques of PCI have been outlined according to the type of the prosthesis.

[Ventricular arrythmia and sport practice: A Gallavardin's ventricular tachycardia during exercice in healthy heart, about a case and review of the literature]. / Arythmie ventriculaire et activité sportive : tachycardie ventriculaire d'effort de Gallavardin sur cœur sain, à propos d'un cas et revue de la littérature.

Regular physical exercice has undeniable cardiovascular benefits and improves life expectancy. This benefice seems limited to moderate intensity exercises. Intense and chronic physical exercice would lead to heart structural changes. For a long time, knowledge of these cardiac effects seemed limited to the left ventricle. Since more authors have shown that right ventricle is vulnerability to the effects of intense chronic training. We report a Gallavardin-type ventricular stress tachycardia in a young with healthy hearted; in whom a right infundibular arrhythmogenic focus has been found in the absence of structural alteration of the right ventricle. Intense athletic activity may reveal a latent arrhythmogenic focus through sympathetic activation. Ablation was the preferred therapeutic strategy, preferred to drug therapy and derived from an analysis of risk-benefit ratios.

Position paper of French Interventional Group (GACI) for TAVI in France in 2018.

Aortic stenosis is a frequent disease in the elderly. Its prevalence is 0.4% with a sharp increase after the age of 65, and its outcome is very poor when the patient becomes symptomatic. The interventional procedure known as TAVI (trans-catheter aortic valve implantation), which was developed in France and carried out for the first time in Rouen by Prof. Alain Cribier and his team in 2002, has proven to be a valid alternative to surgical aortic valve replacement. At first, this technique was shown to be efficient in patients with contra-indications to surgical treatment or deemed to be at high surgical risk. Given the very promising outcomes achieved as a result of close heart team collaboration, appropriate patient selection, simplified procedures and reduced complication rates, transfemoral (TF) TAVI is now preferred in symptomatic intermediate risk patients>75 years old according to the latest ESC guidelines. In 2017, in France, TAVI is currently performed in 50 centers with on-site cardiac surgery. The 2016 TAVI outcomes recorded in the French national TAVI registry (France TAVI) are very encouraging and show that for 7133 patients treated (age 83.4±7 years, logistic Euroscore 14%), 87% of whom via the TF approach, cross-over to surgery was very low (0.5%) with a 3.0% in-hospital mortality rate. The substantial increase in TAVI indications and the improvement of its outcomes may in the near future call for a reconsideration of the number of high volume centers authorized to carry out this technique.

[Non-ST elevation acute coronary syndrome: CRAC register experience]. / SCA sans sus ST chez le nonagénaire : expérience du CRAC.

PURPOSE: To compare the clinical, angiographic, therapeutic and prognostic characteristics of nonagenarians presenting with non-ST elevation acute coronary syndrome with those of patients under 90 years of age. METHODS: We used the CRAC register database including 6 catheterization laboratories in the Center Val-de-Loire region. Only patients with positive-troponin non-ST elevation ACS included in the registry from 2014 to 2017 were selected for epidemiological and procedural data. Regarding antiplatelet therapy, hospital and one-year follow-up data, only patients in the 2014-2015 period were analyzed. RESULTS: From January 1st, 2014 to December 31st, 2017, 5.964 patients with a positive-troponin non-ST ACS, including 133 nonagenarians (2.2%) were included in the CRAC registry. Arterial hypertension and the history of coronary angioplasty were more common among nonagenarians. They present more multivessel and left main disease. The use of the bare metal stent was predominant in 2014-2015 and then became marginal in 2016-2017. Clopidogrel was the most widely used anti platelet and more than one in two nonagenarians remain on dual therapy after 12 months. One-year stroke and hospital and one-year mortality were higher in this age group. CONCLUSIONS: Nonagenarians with a positive-troponin non-ST elevation ACS have more severe coronary artery disease and a poorer prognosis than those younger than 90 years of age.

[Recent insights on spontaneous coronary artery dissection (SCAD): From diagnosis suspicion to long-term outcomes]. / Hématome et dissection coronaire spontanés, enseignements récents : de la suspicion diagnostique au devenir après traitement.

Spontaneous coronary artery dissection (SCAD) is a poorly understood and under-diagnosed entity of acute coronary syndrome, affecting predominantly young women. Relatively large series have been published in the past five years highlighting this condition, once believed to be rare. Indeed, the pathophysiology, natural history, clinical presentation, patient profile, diagnostic modalities, management and outcomes of SCAD are becoming better understood. The aim of our review is to provide a brief "state of the art" of SCAD in 2016 to help the clinician in the management of this challenging condition.

[Spontaneous coronary artery dissection and ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI)]. / Un cas, une revue : hématome et dissection coronaire spontanés dans le SCA ST.

Spontaneous coronary artery dissection (SCAD) is a poorly understood and under-diagnosed entity of acute coronary syndrome, affecting predominantly young women. On coronary angiography, the diagnosis remains challenging, particularly in case of intramural hematoma without intimal rupture. Intracoronary imaging, especially by optical coherence tomography (OCT), provides an incremental value in terms of diagnosis and management. We report the case of a 49-year-old woman admitted for STEMI caused by an intramural hematoma. In the discussion part, we aim to review the epidemiology, physiopathology, diagnosis, management and long-term prognosis of SCAD.

[Characteristics and management of ST-elevation myocardial infarction in France: Regional variations in 2010]. / Prise en charge du syndrome coronaire aigu avec sus-décalage de ST en France : variations régionales en 2010.

Data on regional variations in the characteristics, management and early outcome of patients admitted with ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) in France are limited. We used data from the FAST-MI 2010 registry to determine whether regional specificities existed, dividing the French territory into 6 larger geographical regions. Variations in the patients' characteristics were found, partly related to regional variations in demography. Acute reperfusion strategy showed more use of primary percutaneous coronary intervention in the greater Paris area, compared to other regions, which would be expected owing to geography and local availability of catheterization laboratories. Overall, however, in-hospital management showed more similarities than differences across regions. Complications, and in particular in-hospital mortality, did not differ significantly among regions.

[Women and acute coronary syndrome with ST elevation: Excess mortality related to longer delays and spontaneous coronary dissection]. / Syndromes coronariens aigus avec sus-ST chez la femme: une surmortalité liée aux délais de prise en charge et dissection coronaire spontanée.

The outcome of patients with ST elevation acute coronary syndrome (ACS) has been increasingly improving in the general population over the past few decades. However, detailed analysis of the results show that the reduction in mortality rates is higher in males compared to their female counterparts. The excess mortality rate observed in women, though sometimes questioned, has been widely reported in the literature. The higher mortality rate observed in women with ST elevation ACS can be explained by the presence of aggravating clinical factors such as older age, a higher percentage of diabetics, and a higher frequency of cardiogenic shock. Other factors pertaining to patient management seem to negatively impact the outcome. These factors include a lower use of reperfusion strategies, longer time to treatment mainly as a result of diagnostic uncertainty with respect to a disease, which is believed to affect principally the male gender. The doubts that female patients themselves and their families have about the nature of their symptoms are also present in the medical environment but cease to exist in the catheterization laboratory. This is illustrated in the first clinical case that we present here. Coronary reperfusion is the cornerstone of the therapeutic management of MI. In this context, bleeding complications associated with the implemented treatments can also result in an increased mortality rate in this more vulnerable population. When all the factors likely to influence the prognosis are taken into account, excess mortality seems to persist in women, especially in younger patients. As described in the second clinical case, a distinct physio-pathological factor, more frequent in women, could account for this higher mortality rate. Indeed, spontaneous coronary dissection and intramural hematoma are not always easy to diagnose and may not be adequately managed by reperfusion treatments. In addition, these coronary reperfusion strategies are probably not adapted to this type of ACS. It is, therefore, very important to identify them by angiography coupled with intra-coronary imaging examination when necessary and to carry out further research to adjust our PCI techniques to this pathology.

Intra-coronary thrombus evolution during acute coronary syndrome: regression assessment by serial optical coherence tomography analyses.

AIMS: We investigated the feasibility of thrombus quantification by frequency-domain optical coherence tomography (FD-OCT) methods in patients with highly thrombotic acute coronary syndrome (ACS) treated by deferred stenting strategy. METHODS AND RESULTS: Patients were suitable for inclusion if they presented (i) an ACS that was successfully revascularized by manual thrombo-aspiration and (ii) a large residual thrombus on coronary angiography and initial FD-OCT analysis. These patients underwent a second procedure including FD-OCT analysis after several days of optimal antithrombotic therapy. Serial area measurements within the athero-thrombotic culprit lesion were performed to evaluate the OCT-thrombus score, volume, and length. Sixteen patients (88% men/age = 59.3 ± 4.1 years/94% STEMI) were included in the study. The mean delay between OCT analyses was 3.9 ± 0.3 day. No adverse event was observed during this interval. We observed a reduction of thrombus burden between the two analyses, as assessed by the significant reductions in OCT-thrombus score (22.3 ± 2.6 vs. 10.3 ± 1.3, P < 0.001), OCT-thrombus volume (9.6 ± 2.3 vs. 3.6 ± 0.9 mm(3), P = 0.003), and OCT-thrombus length (11.1 ± 1.4 vs. 7.4 ± 0.8 mm, P = 0.01). The percentages of OCT-thrombus score and volume reduction were highly correlated with the inter-OCT analyses delay (respectively ρ = 0.65 and ρ = 0.84, P < 0.01 for both). CONCLUSION: FD-OCT assessment of thrombus volume in selected ACS patients is feasible, safe, and could allow clot regression monitoring in vivo.

[ST segment elevation myocardial infarction in a young patient: special physiopathology and unusual management]. / Infarctus du sujet jeune: à physiopathologie particulière, prise en charge singulière?

We report the case of a 24-year-old patient admitted for anterior ST segment elevation myocardial complicated by ventricular fibrillation and revealing thrombotic sub occlusion of the left anterior descending coronary artery. Revascularization is achieved by manual thrombectomy and use of Glycoprotein GPIIbIIIa inhibitors and permits to restore TIMI 3 flow. Given the large thrombotic burden, the patient is initially treated medically (optimal anti thrombotic therapy without stenting) and benefits from angiographic control 48 hours later with imaging by Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT). It shows a reduction of thrombus burden and lack of significant underlying organic lesion (no organic stenosis or plaque rupture). In view of these data, it was decided to continue medical treatment alone without stenting. OCT imaging at 6 months shows atheroma without stenosis, thrombus or plaque rupture. This young patient remains asymptomatic and recovered normal left ventricular function with a 2-year follow-up.

Management of spontaneous coronary artery dissection: review of the literature and discussion based on a series of 12 young women with acute coronary syndrome.

Spontaneous coronary artery dissection (SCAD) is a rare pathology, principally affecting young women free of atheroma risk factors. Its physiopathology remains little understood, and the prognosis for such acute coronary syndromes is poor, as they occur suddenly. Management is often difficult, and no guidelines exist. The present single-center retrospective study concerns 12 cases of SCAD occurring between 2001 and 2008 in female patients under the age of 60. Eleven patients survived, with a favorable long-term evolution. Only 2 had conservative medical therapy, the other 10 undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (2 procedures involving a coronary artery bypass graft). On the basis of this series and data from the literature, we suggest a strategy to improve the often dire prognosis of SCAD. Emergency angiography to confirm diagnosis is essential. Treatment should be guided by the extent of the lesions, the myocardial ischemia and the hemodynamic status. Conservative medical therapy is a reasonable approach in the case of distal dissection or conserved coronary flow. Percutaneous coronary intervention is feasible in the acute phase to restore coronary perfusion and hemodynamic stability. Surgery - emergency bypass or assisted circulation - should be restricted to cases where percutaneous coronary intervention has failed or is impossible.

Is treatment with N-acetylcysteine to prevent contrast-induced nephropathy when using bicarbonate hydration out of date?

AIMS: Chronic renal failure (CRF) is a major risk factor for contrast-induced nephropathy (CIN) and could be prevented by bicarbonate hydration. The effect of N-acetylcysteine (NAC) in preventing CIN in patients treated by bicarbonate hydration has never been investigated. METHODS: Patients admitted for cardiac angiography from January 2002 to November 2004, with stable CRF (glomerular filtration rate (GFR) < 56 ml/min, Cockcroft-Gault formula) were included in a prospective, randomized, double-blind study comparing the efficacy of oral NAC + bicarbonate hydration vs oral placebo + bicarbonate hydration to prevent CIN. NAC 1,200 mg twice daily or placebo was given on Day -1 and Day 0 (Day 0 = cardiac angiography). A 1.4% bicarbonate solution (1 ml/ kg/h) was administered 12 hours before and after cardiac angiography. The overall CIN incidence on Day 2 was defined by one or more of the following criteria: increase in serum creatinine > 44.2 micromol/l, increase in serum creatinine > 25% or decrease in GFR > 5 ml/ min. RESULTS: Between NAC group (n = 28) and placebo group (n = 32) there was no difference in baseline demographics (age, sex ratio, weight, arterial hypertension, diabetes), in Day 0 characteristics (serum creatinine, GFR, hematocrit, protidemia) and in Day 0 cardiac angiography procedure (diagnostic or interventional, number of stents, type and volume of contrast media infused). The overall incidence of CIN in the NAC and placebo groups was 7.1 vs 9.3% (p = 1), respectively, and the rates of the observed criteria a, b, and c were 0 vs 6.3% (p = 0.49), 3.5 vs 6.3% (p = 1), and 7.1 vs 9.3% (p = 1). CONCLUSION: In CRF patients undergoing cardiac angiography, the use of bicarbonate hydration is associated with a very low incidence of CIN. In these conditions, on the basis of our results, we cannot draw any meaningful conclusion on the effect of NAC on the prevention of CIN.

Echocardiographic assessment of the incidence of mechanical complications during the early phase of myocardial infarction in the reperfusion era: a French multicentre prospective registry.

BACKGROUND: Since the early reports on the incidence of mechanical complications of acute myocardial infarction (AMI) assessed by echocardiography published in the 1980s, the management of patients with AMI has changed considerably, in particular with the progressive development of early revascularisation. METHODS: The aim of this multicentre study was to assess the incidence of mechanical complications of AMI in the reperfusion era. Nine-hundred and eight consecutive patients were included. Echocardiography was performed on admission and at discharge. Seventy-eight percent of patients were revascularised at the acute phase. RESULTS: The following incidence rates of mechanical complications were observed: mitral regurgitation 28%, secondary to left ventricular (LV) remodelling (43%) or papillary muscle dysfunction (57%); pericardial effusion 6.6%, more frequent after anterior AMI and associated with a lower ejection fraction (EF); LV thrombus 2.4%, mainly after anterior AMI and associated with a lower EF (38+/-10% vs. 48+/-12%; p<0.001); early infarct expansion 4%; septal rupture 0.6%; and acute free wall rupture 0.8%. The following factors were independently associated with the occurrence of mechanical complications by multivariate logistic regression analysis: lack of early revascularisation (OR 3.48, 95%CI 1.36-8.95; p<0.001), LV-EF<50% (OR 1.95, 95%CI 1.42-2.67; p<0.001), Killip class>II (OR 1.91, 95%CI 1.27-2.87; p<0.002) and age > or =70 years (OR 1.42, 95%CI 1.03-1.97; p<0.03). CONCLUSION: This study demonstrates the favourable prognostic influence of early revascularisation as shown by the low incidence of mechanical complications after AMI, and underlines the persistent relationship between the development of these complications and depressed LV function.