Association of immune-related adverse events with durvalumab efficacy after chemoradiotherapy in patients with unresectable Stage III non-small cell lung cancer.

BACKGROUND: Immune-related adverse events (irAEs) have been found to predict PD-L1 inhibitor efficacy in metastatic NSCLC. However, the relation of irAEs to clinical outcome for nonmetastatic NSCLC has remained unknown. METHODS: In this multicenter prospective study of Stage III NSCLC treated with PACIFIC regimen, the relation of irAEs to PFS was evaluated by 8-week landmark analysis to minimise lead-time bias as well as by multivariable analysis adjusted for baseline factors. irAEs were categorised as mild or nonmild according to whether they were treated with systemic steroid. RESULTS: Median PFS was 16.0 months, not reached, and 9.7 months for patients without (85 cases) or with mild (21 cases) or nonmild (21 cases) irAEs, respectively. Multivariable analysis indicated that nonmild irAEs were associated with poor PFS, with HRs of 3.86 (95% CI, 1.31-11.38) compared with no irAEs and 11.58 (95% CI, 2.11-63.63) compared with mild irAEs. This pattern was consistent after irAE grade, the number of durvalumab doses and immune profiles (PD-L1 score, CD8+ tumour-infiltrating lymphocyte density, and tumour mutation burden) were taken into consideration. CONCLUSIONS: The development of mild irAEs might predict a better survival outcome, whereas immunosuppressive steroid-treated irAEs were associated with a worse outcome, regardless of baseline clinical and immune profiles.

The Absorb GT1 Bioresorbable Vascular Scaffold System　- 5-Year Post-Market Surveillance Study in Japan.

BACKGROUND: The 1-year clinical outcomes of the Absorb GT1 Japan post-market surveillance (PMS) suggested that an appropriate intracoronary imaging-guided bioresorbable vascular scaffold (BVS) implantation technique may reduce the risk of target lesion failure (TLF) and scaffold thrombosis (ST) associated with the Absorb GT1 BVS. The long-term outcomes through 5 years are now available.Methods and Results: This study enrolled 135 consecutive patients (n=139 lesions) with ischemic heart disease in whom percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) with the Absorb GT1 BVS was attempted. Adequate lesion preparation, imaging-guided appropriate sizing, and high-pressure post-dilatation using a non-compliant balloon were strongly encouraged. All patients had at least 1 Absorb GT1 successfully implanted at the index procedure. Intracoronary imaging was performed in all patients (optical coherence tomography: 127/139 [91.4%] lesions) and adherence to the implantation technique recommendations was excellent: predilatation, 100% (139/139) lesions; post-dilatation, 98.6% (137/139) lesions; mean (±SD) post-dilatation pressure, 18.8±3.5 atm. At 5 years, the follow-up rate was 87.4% (118/135). No definite/probable ST was reported through 5 years. The cumulative TLF rate was 5.1% (6/118), including 2 cardiac deaths, 1 target vessel-attributable myocardial infarction, and 3 ischemia-driven target lesion revascularizations. CONCLUSIONS: Appropriate intracoronary imaging-guided BVS implantation, including the proactive use of pre- and post-balloon dilatation during implantation may be beneficial, reducing the risk of TLF and ST through 5 years.

Long-term experience with tepotinib in Japanese patients with MET exon 14 skipping NSCLC from the Phase II VISION study.

Tepotinib is a highly selective MET tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) that has demonstrated robust and durable clinical activity in patients with MET exon 14 (METex14) skipping non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). In the Phase II VISION study, patients received oral tepotinib 500 mg once daily. The primary endpoint was an objective response by an independent review committee (IRC) according to RECIST v1.1 criteria. The secondary endpoints included duration of response (DOR), progression-free survival (PFS), overall survival (OS), and safety. Here we report the analysis of the efficacy and safety of tepotinib in all Japanese patients with advanced METex14 skipping NSCLC from VISION (n = 38) with >18 months' follow-up. The median age of the Japanese patients was 73 years (range 63-88), 39.5% of patients were ≥75 years old, 68.4% were male, 55.3% had a history of smoking, 76.3% had adenocarcinoma, and 10.5% of patients had known brain metastases at baseline. Overall, the objective response rate (ORR) was 60.5% (95% confidence interval (CI): 43.4, 76.0) with a median DOR of 18.5 months (95% CI: 8.3, not estimable). ORR in treatment-naïve patients (n = 18) was 77.8% (95% CI: 52.4, 93.6), and in patients aged ≥75 years (n = 15), ORR was 73.3% (95% CI: 44.9, 92.2). The most common treatment-related adverse event (AE) with any grade was blood creatinine increase (65.8%), which resolved following tepotinib discontinuation. Other common treatment-related AEs were peripheral edema (60.5%), hypoalbuminemia (34.2%), diarrhea (28.9%), and nausea (15.8%). In summary, tepotinib demonstrated robust and durable clinical activity irrespective of age or therapy line, with a manageable safety profile in Japanese patients with METex14 skipping NSCLC enrolled in VISION.

Sex Differences in 5-Year Outcomes After Deferral of Revascularization Following Physiological Coronary Assessment.

Background: The relationship between sex differences and long-term outcomes after fractional flow reserve (FFR)- and instantaneous wave-free ratio (iFR)-guided deferral of revascularization has yet to be elucidated. Methods and Results: From the J-CONFIRM registry (long-term outcomes of Japanese patients with deferral of coronary intervention based on FFR in a multicenter registry), this study included 432 lesions from 385 patients (men, 323 lesions in 286 patients; women, 109 lesions in 99 patients) with paired data of FFR and iFR. The primary endpoint was the cumulative 5-year incidence of target vessel failure (TVF), including cardiac death, target vessel-related myocardial infarction, and clinically driven target vessel revascularization. The median FFR value was lower in men than in women (0.85 [0.81, 0.88] vs. 0.87 [0.83, 0.91], P=0.002), but the iFR value was comparable between men and women (0.94 [0.90, 0.98] vs. 0.93 [0.89, 0.98], P=0.26). The frequency of discordance between FFR and iFR was comparable between men and women (19.5% vs. 23.9%, P=0.34), although with different discordance patterns (P=0.036). The cumulative incidence of 5-year TVF did not differ between men and women after adjustment for baseline characteristics (13.9% vs. 6.9%, adjusted hazard ratio 1.82 [95% confidence interval: 0.44-7.56]; P=0.41). Conclusions: Despite sex differences in the results for physiological indexes, the 5-year TVF in deferred lesions did not differ between men and women after adjustment for baseline characteristics.

Efficacy and safety of post-closure technique using Perclose ProGlide/ProStyle device for large-bore mechanical circulatory support access sites.

PURPOSE: Mechanical circulatory support (MCS) using a venoarterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (VA-ECMO) device or a catheter-type heart pump (Impella) is critical for the rescue of patients with severe cardiogenic shock. However, these MCS devices require large-bore cannula access (14-Fr and larger) at the femoral artery or vein, which often requires surgical decannulation. METHODS: In this retrospective study, we evaluated post-closure method using a percutaneous suture-mediated vascular closure system, Perclose ProGlide/ProStyle (Abbott Vascular, Lake Bluff, IL, Perclose), as an alternative procedure for MCS decannulation. Closure of 83 Impella access sites and 68 VA-ECMO access sites performed using Perclose or surgical method between January 2018 and March 2023 were evaluated. RESULTS: MCS decannulation using Perclose was successfully completed in all access sites without surgical hemostasis. The procedure time of ProGlide was shorter than surgical decannulation for both Impella and VA-ECMO (13 min vs. 50 min; p < 0.001, 21 min vs. 65 min; p < 0.001, respectively). There were no significant differences in the 30-day survival rate and major adverse events by decannulation including arterial dissection requiring endovascular treatment, hemorrhage requiring a large amount of red blood cell transfusion, and access site infection. CONCLUSION: Our results suggest that the post-closure technique using the percutaneous suture-mediated closure system appears to be a safe and effective method for large-bore MCS decannulation.

Posterior wall thickness of the confluent inferior pulmonary veins measured by left atrial intracardiac echocardiography: implications for catheter ablation.

BACKGROUND: Confluent inferior pulmonary veins (CIPV) is a rare anatomical variant. There is few evidence in the literature regarding anatomic landmarks consideration to guide radiofrequency application in avoiding complications in the esophagus in CIPV cases. METHODS: Of 986 consecutive patients undergoing atrial fibrillation (AF) ablation from July 2020 to June 2022, seven (0.7%) had CIPV with a common trunk connecting to the LA diagnosed by 3-dimensional contrast-enhanced computed tomography. Using intracardiac echocardiography (ICE) performed from the left atrium (LA), we measured the posterior wall thickness (PWT) of the CIPV adjacent to the esophagus and compared the measurement with the LA posterior wall thickness (LAPWT) at the left inferior PV level of 25 controls without CIPV. For ablation in CIPV patients, each superior PV was individually isolated, and box isolation of CIPV without ablating the CIPV posterior wall was added (tri-circle ablation technique). RESULTS: The CIPV PWT was 0.7 ± 0.1 mm, while non-CIPV LAPWT was 2.0 ± 0.4 mm (P < 0.001). In the CIPV group, upper and lower portions of the CIPV were both apart from the esophagus (mean distances, 6.7 ± 3.4 mm and 7.9 ± 2.7 mm, respectively). Individual superior PV isolation and box CIPV isolation resulted in complete isolation of all PVs, with no complications. All CIPV patients except one remained AF recurrence-free for 376 ± 52 days. CONCLUSIONS: Although CIPV frequency is low, CIPV PWT is very thin and special care is needed during ablation. A "tri-circle" ablation strategy avoids ablating in the thinnest portion of the posterior wall. Further studies are warranted to assess the safety.

First-Line Osimertinib for Previously Untreated Patients With NSCLC and Uncommon EGFR Mutations: The UNICORN Phase 2 Nonrandomized Clinical Trial.

Importance: Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) with uncommon EGFR mutations is a rare subgroup, composing 14% of all EGFR mutations. Objective: To determine the usefulness of osimertinib in previously untreated patients with metastatic NSCLC harboring uncommon EGFR mutations, excluding exon 20 insertion mutations. Design, Setting, and Participants: This multicenter, open-label, single-group, phase 2 nonrandomized clinical trial enrolled patients from April 10, 2020, to May 31, 2022, with a follow-up of 6 months from the date the last patient was enrolled. The study enrolled 42 patients with uncommon EGFR mutations, of whom 40 were eligible. Intervention: Osimertinib, 80 mg once daily, was administered orally to patients. Main Outcomes and Measures: The primary end point was the overall response rate (ORR). The secondary end points were disease control rate (DCR), progression-free survival (PFS), time to treatment failure (TTF), overall survival (OS), duration of response (DoR), and safety of osimertinib. Patients were included in the study on an intention-to-treat basis. Results: Of the 40 eligible patients, 22 were men (55.0%) and the median age was 72 years (range, 39.0-88.0 years). The most common mutations were G719X (20 [50.0%]), S768I (10 [25.0%]), and L861Q (8 [20.0%]). The ORR was 55.0% (90% CI, 40.9%-68.5%) and the DCR was 90.0% (95% CI, 76.3%-97.2%). The median PFS was 9.4 months (95% CI, 3.7-15.2 months) after a median follow-up of 12.7 months (range, 2.7-30.7 months). The median TTF was 9.5 months (95% CI, 5.6-30.3 months), median OS was not reached (NR; 95% CI, 19.3 months to NR), and median DoR was 22.7 months (95% CI, 9.5 months to NR). The ORR for patients with solitary or compound uncommon EGFR mutations was 45.5% (90% CI, 26.9%-65.3%) and 66.7% (90% CI, 43.7%-83.7%), respectively. Median PFS for patients with solitary or compound uncommon EGFR mutations was 5.4 months (95% CI, 3.6-22.7 months) and 9.8 months (95% CI, 5.1 months to NR), respectively. Median OS for patients with solitary or compound uncommon EGFR mutations was 23.0 months (95% CI, 12.3 months to NR) and NR, respectively. Median DoR for patients with solitary or compound uncommon EGFR mutations was 22.7 months (95% CI, 3.6-22.7 months) or NR (95% CI, 5.7 months to NR), respectively. Grade 3 or 4 adverse events were reported by 11 patients (27.5%), and 5 patients (12.5%) developed interstitial lung disease. All adverse events were manageable, and there were no treatment-related deaths. Conclusions and Relevance: Osimertinib showed clinical activity with manageable toxic effects among previously untreated patients with metastatic NSCLC harboring uncommon EGFR mutations other than exon 20 insertion mutations. The results support the use of osimertinib as a treatment option for this patient population. Trial Registration: Japan Registry of Clinical Trials Identifier: jRCTs071200002.

Initial results of transcatheter modification of left atrial appendage by obliteration with device in patients with nonvalvular atrial fibrillation: Real-world data from the TERMINATOR registry.

BACKGROUND: Percutaneous left atrial appendage closure (LAAC) has increased for those who need alternative to long-term anticoagulation with non-valvular atrial fibrillation (NVAF). METHODS AND RESULTS: From September 2019, after initiating WATCHMAN (Boston Scientific, Maple Grove, MN, USA) device implantation, we established Transcatheter Modification of Left Atrial Appendage by Obliteration with Device in Patients from the NVAF (TERMINATOR) registry. Utilizing 729 patients' data until January 2022, we analyzed percutaneous LAAC data regarding this real-world multicenter prospective registry. A total of 729 patients were enrolled. Average age was 74.9 years and 28.5 % were female. Paroxysmal AF was 37.9 % with average CHADS2 3.2, CHA2DS2-VASc 4.7, and HAS-BLED score of 3.4. WATCHMAN implantation was successful in 99.0 %. All-cause deaths were 3.2 %, and 1.2 % cardiovascular or unexplained deaths occurred during follow-up [median 222, interquartile range (IQR: 93-464) days]. Stroke occurred in 2.2 %, and the composite endpoint which included cardiovascular or unexplained death, stroke, and systemic embolism were counted as 3.4 % [median 221, (IQR: 93-464) days]. Major bleeding defined as BARC type 3 or 5 was seen in 3.7 %, and there was 8.6 % of all bleeding events in total [median 219, (IQR: 93-464) days]. CONCLUSIONS: These preliminary data demonstrated percutaneous LAAC with WATCHMAN device might have a potential to reduce stroke and bleeding events for patients with NVAF. Further investigation is mandatory to confirm the long-term results of this strategy using this transcatheter local therapy instead of life-long systemic anticoagulation.

Atezolizumab and Platinum Plus Pemetrexed With or Without Bevacizumab for Metastatic Nonsquamous Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer: A Phase 3 Randomized Clinical Trial.

Importance: The combination of an antibody to programmed cell death-1 (PD-1) or to its ligand (PD-L1) with chemotherapy is the standard first-line treatment for metastatic non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Bevacizumab is expected to enhance the efficacy not only of chemotherapy but also of PD-1/PD-L1 antibodies through blockade of vascular endothelial growth factor-mediated immunosuppression, but further data are needed to support this. Objective: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of bevacizumab administered with platinum combination therapy and atezolizumab in patients with advanced nonsquamous NSCLC. Design, Setting, and Participants: An open-label phase 3 randomized clinical trial was conducted at 37 hospitals in Japan. Patients with advanced nonsquamous NSCLC without genetic driver alterations or those with genetic driver alterations who had received treatment with at least 1 approved tyrosine kinase inhibitor were enrolled between January 20, 2019, and August 12, 2020. Interventions: Patients were randomly assigned to receive either atezolizumab plus carboplatin with pemetrexed (APP) or atezolizumab, carboplatin plus pemetrexed, and bevacizumab (APPB). After 4 cycles of induction therapy, maintenance therapy with atezolizumab plus pemetrexed or with atezolizumab, pemetrexed, and bevacizumab was administered until evidence of disease progression, development of unacceptable toxic effects, or the elapse of 2 years from the initiation of protocol treatment. Main Outcomes and Measures: The primary end point was progression-free survival (PFS) as assessed by blinded independent central review (BICR) in the intention-to-treat (ITT) population. Results: A total of 412 patients were enrolled (273 men [66%]; median age, 67.0 [range, 24-89] years) and randomly assigned, with 205 in the APPB group and 206 in the APP group of the ITT population after exclusion of 1 patient for good clinical practice violation. The median BICR-assessed PFS was 9.6 months with APPB vs 7.7 months with APP (stratified hazard ratio [HR], 0.86; 95% CI, 0.70-1.07; 1-sided stratified log-rank test; P = .92). According to prespecified subgroup analysis of BICR-assessed PFS, an improved PFS with APPB vs APP was apparent specifically in driver oncogene-positive patients (median, 9.7 vs 5.8 months; stratified HR, 0.67; 95% CI, 0.46-0.98). Toxic effects related to bevacizumab were increased in the APPB group. Conclusions and Relevance: The findings of this trial did not show superiority of APPB over APP for patients with nonsquamous NSCLC; however, this regimen showed a similar tolerability and improved survival relative to APP in patients with driver oncogenes. Trial Registration: Japan Registry of Clinical Trials Identifier: jRCT2080224500.

Biomarker Testing in Patients With Unresectable Advanced or Recurrent Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer.

Importance: Biomarker testing for driver mutations is essential for selecting appropriate non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) treatment but is insufficient. Objective: To investigate the status of biomarker testing and drug therapy for NSCLC in Japan for identifying problems in treatment. Design, Setting, and Participants: The REVEAL cohort study included retrospective data collection and prospective follow-up from 29 institutions across Japan. Of 1500 patients diagnosed with advanced or recurrent NSCLC between January 1 and March 18, 2021, 1479 were eligible. Cases recognized at the wrong clinical stage (n = 12), diagnosed outside the study period (n = 6), not treated according to eligibility criteria before recurrence (n = 2), and with deficient consent acquisition procedure (n = 1) were excluded. Main Outcomes and Measures: The primary end point was the biomarker testing status. Treatment-related factors were examined. Results: Among the 1479 patients included in the analysis, the median age was 72 (range, 30-95) years; 1013 (68.5%) were men; 1161 (78.5%) had an Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status 0 or 1; 1097 (74.2%) were current or past smokers; and 947 (64.0%) had adenocarcinoma. Biomarker status was confirmed in 1273 patients (86.1%). Multigene testing was performed in 705 cases (47.7%); single-gene testing, in 847 (57.3%); and both, in 279 (18.9%). Biomarker testing was performed for EGFR in 1245 cases (84.2%); ALK, in 1165 (78.8%); ROS1, in 1077 (72.8%); BRAF, in 803 (54.3%); and MET, in 805 (54.4%). Positivity rates among 898 adenocarcinoma cases included 305 (34.0%) for EGFR, 29 (3.2%) for ALK, 19 (2.1%) for ROS1, 11 (1.2%) for BRAF, and 14 (1.6%) for MET. Positivity rates among 375 nonadenocarcinoma cases were 14 (3.7%) for EGFR, 6 (1.6%) for ALK, 1 (0.3%) for ROS1, 3 (0.8%) for BRAF, and 8 (2.1%) for MET. Poor physical status, squamous cell carcinoma, and other comorbidities were associated with hampered multigene testing. Targeted therapy was received as first-line treatment by 263 of 278 cases (94.6%) positive for EGFR, 25 of 32 (78.1%) positive for ALK, 15 of 24 (62.5%) positive for ROS1, 9 of 12 (75.0%) positive for BRAF, and 12 of 19 (63.2%) positive for MET. Median overall survival of patients with positive findings for driver gene alteration and who received targeted therapy was 24.3 (95% CI, not reported) months; with positive findings for driver gene alteration and who did not receive targeted therapy, 15.2 (95% CI, 7.7 to not reported) months; and with negative findings for driver gene alteration, 11.0 (95% CI, 10.0-12.5) months. Multigene testing for nonadenocarcinomas and adenocarcinomas accounted for 705 (47.7%) of all NSCLC cases. Conclusions and Relevance: These findings suggest that multigene testing has not been sufficiently implemented in Japan and should be considered prospectively, even in nonadenocarcinomas, to avoid missing rare driver gene alterations.

Clinical impacts of CT-derived fractional flow reserve under insurance reimbursement: Results from multicenter, prospective registry.

BACKGROUND: Although computed tomography-derived fractional flow reserve (FFRCT) has been reimbursed in a few countries, its impacts on daily practice of coronary artery diseases are not fully elucidated. We evaluated the clinical impacts of FFRCT under the real Japanese insurance reimbursement. METHODS: In the multicenter prospective registry: DYNAMIC-FFRCT study, a total of 410 patients who underwent FFRCT analysis under reimbursement were prospectively enrolled at 6 Japanese sites from October 2019 to November 2021. Coronary CT angiography and FFRCT findings, treatment plans, and 90-day outcomes were recorded. The primary endpoint was the redirection rate from the tests that might be expected without FFRCT [invasive coronary angiography (ICA)-selected group, myocardial perfusion single photon emission CT (MPS)-selected group, optimal medical therapy (OMT)-selected group, and others-selected group] to those that were actually performed based on FFRCT. RESULTS: ICA could be avoided in 39.5 % in the ICA-selected group (N = 233). In particular, in 94.3 % of patients with an FFRCT value of >0.80, additional examinations, such as ICA, were avoided. In addition, in the MPS-selected group (N = 133), 92.6 % had no additional tests with FFRCT > 0.80, while only 2 cases with FFRCT ≤ 0.80 underwent additional MPS examination. On the contrary, 33.3 % of the OMT-selected group (N = 33) had FFRCT ≤ 0.80. Approximately, 35 % medical cost reduction was also finally expected. CONCLUSION: Introduction of FFRCT could not only reduce unnecessary ICA and be a test that replaces the conventional non-invasive functional assessment modality but also result in medical cost reduction even when used under real Japanese insurance reimbursement.

Risk Assessment of Side Branch Compromise After Coronary Bifurcation Stenting　- A Substudy of the 3D-OCT Bifurcation Registry.

BACKGROUND: Side branch (SB) occlusion during bifurcation stenting is a serious complication. This study aimed to predict SB compromise (SBC) using optical coherence tomography (OCT).Methods and Results: Among the 168 patients who enrolled in the 3D-OCT Bifurcation Registry, 111 bifurcation lesions were analyzed to develop an OCT risk score for predicting SBC. SBC was defined as worsening of angiographic SB ostial stenosis (≥90%) immediately after stenting. On the basis of OCT before stenting, geometric parameters (SB diameter [SBd], length from proximal branching point to carina tip [BP-CT length], and distance of the polygon of confluence [dPOC]) and 3-dimensional bifurcation types (parallel or perpendicular) were evaluated. SBC occurred in 36 (32%) lesions. The parallel-type bifurcation was significantly more frequent in lesions with SBC. The receiver operating characteristic curve indicated SBd ≤1.77 mm (area under the curve [AUC]=0.73, sensitivity 64%, specificity 75%), BP-CT length ≤1.8 mm (AUC=0.83, sensitivity 86%, specificity 68%), and dPOC ≤3.96 mm (AUC=0.68, sensitivity 63%, specificity 69%) as the best cut-off values for predicting SBC. To create the OCT risk score, we assigned 1 point to each of these factors. As the score increased, the frequency of SBC increased significantly (Score 0, 0%; Score 1, 8.7%; Score 2, 28%; Score 3, 58%; Score 4, 85%; P<0.0001). CONCLUSIONS: Prediction of SBC using OCT is feasible with high probability.

Prognostic Impact of Renal Function on 5-Year Outcomes After Fractional Flow Reserve-Guided Deferral of Revascularization.

Background Chronic kidney disease (CKD) might influence fractional flow reserve (FFR) value, potentially attenuating its prognostic utility. However, few large-scale data are available regarding clinical outcomes after FFR-guided deferral of revascularization in patients with CKD. Methods and Results From the J-CONFIRM registry (Long-Term Outcomes of Japanese Patients With Deferral of Coronary Intervention Based on Fractional Flow Reserve in Multicenter Registry), 1218 patients were divided into 3 groups according to renal function: (1) non-CKD (estimated glomerular filtration rate ≥60 mL/min per 1.73 m2), n=385; (2) CKD (estimated glomerular filtration rate 15-59 mL/min per 1.73 m2, n=763); and (3) end-stage renal disease (ESRD) (eGFR <15 mL/min per 1.73 m2, n=70). The primary study end point was the cumulative 5-year incidence of target vessel failure (TVF), defined as a composite of cardiac death, target vessel myocardial infarction, and clinical driven target vessel revascularization. Cumulative 5-year incidence of TVF was significantly higher in the ESRD group than in the CKD and non-CKD group, whereas it did not differ between the CKD and non-CKD groups (26.3% versus 11.9% versus 9.5%, P<0.001). Although the 5-year TVF risk increased as the FFR value decreased regardless of renal function, patients with ESRD had a remarkably higher risk of TVF at every FFR value than those with CKD and non-CKD. Conclusions At 5 years, patients with ESRD showed a higher incidence of TVF than patients with CKD and non-CKD, although with similar outcomes between patients with CKD and non-CKD. Patients with ESRD had an excess risk of 5-year TVF at every FFR value compared with those with CKD and non-CKD. Registration URL: https://www.umin.ac.jp; Unique identifier: UMIN000014473.

Predictors of pulmonary vein non-reconnection in the second procedure after ablation index-guided pulmonary vein isolation for atrial fibrillation and its impact on the outcome.

INTRODUCTION: Although first-pass isolation (FPI) of the pulmonary vein (PV) has been suggested as a marker for PV isolation (PVI) durability, it has not been confirmed. Non-PV atrial fibrillation (AF) triggers were the main target in patients without PV reconnection in the second ablation procedure, but the outcome was unclear. We aimed to validate FPI as a marker of PVI durability and evaluate the outcome after the second procedure in patients without PV reconnection by comparing it to those with reconnection. METHODS: Among the 2087 patients undergoing the first ablation index-guided radiofrequency AF ablation, 309 with atrial tachyarrhythmias (ATs) recurrence and undergoing the second procedure were studied. Clinical characteristics and outcomes were compared between the patients without PV reconnection (PV non-reconnection group, n = 142) and with reconnection (PV reconnection group, n = 167). RESULTS: FPI in both PV sides in the first ablation procedure was significantly more frequent in the PV non-reconnection group (77.5%) than in the PV reconnection group (45.5%) (p < .001). Multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that FPI (odds ratio, 3.71 [95% confidence interval, 2.23-6.19], p < .001) was the only predictor of PV non-reconnection. Radiofrequency applications for non-PV AF triggers were more frequently performed in the PV non-reconnection group (40.8% vs. 24.6%, respectively, p < .001). Kaplan-Meier analysis revealed that AT recurrence-free rate was significantly lower in the PV non-reconnection group (1-year recurrence-free rate, 62.7% vs. 75.4%, respectively; p = .01 by log-rank test). CONCLUSION: FPI was the only independent predictor of PV non-reconnection. Despite aggressive ablation for non-PV triggers, AT recurrence was more frequent in patients with PV non-reconnection.

Commissural alignment in the Evolut TAVR procedure: conventional versus hat marker-guided shaft rotation methods.

Background: Coronary cannulation after TAVR is sometimes difficult due to an overlap between native and neo-commissures, especially in Evolut devices with a supra-annular position. The Evolut C-tab corresponds to a neo-commissure, and the hat marker is in a fixed position. Therefore, the orientation of the hat marker can be adjusted to minimise overlaps. Aims: We investigated whether the HAt marker-guided SHaft rotation method (HASH, stylised as the #rotation method) is effective in facilitating coronary artery access after transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) with an Evolut system. Methods: We retrospectively analysed 95 patients who underwent electrocardiogram-gated cardiac computed tomography after TAVR. In the #rotation method, the hat marker of the delivery catheter was adjusted to face the greater curvature of the descending thoracic aorta in the left anterior oblique view. Its orientation was maintained while the system passed through the aortic arch. Results: In total, 60 and 35 patients underwent TAVR with the #rotation and non-#rotation methods, respectively. A ±15° angle between the native and neo-commissures was more frequent in the #rotation group (p=0.001). Favourable angles and appropriate frame orientation for access to the left coronary artery were significantly more frequent in the #rotation group than in the non-#rotation group (p<0.001 and p=0.001). Although the #rotation method showed a higher rate of favourable angles and frames in the right coronary artery, statistically significant differences were not found. Conclusions: The #rotation method is useful for improving commissural post alignment in TAVR with Evolut devices, especially in the ostium of the left coronary artery.

Tumor Microenvironment Landscape of NSCLC Reveals Resistance Mechanisms for Programmed Death-Ligand 1 Blockade After Chemoradiotherapy: A Multicenter Prospective Biomarker Study (WJOG11518L:SUBMARINE).

INTRODUCTION: The PACIFIC regimen of consolidation therapy with the programmed cell death-ligand 1 inhibitor durvalumab after definitive concurrent chemoradiation therapy has become a standard of care for individuals with unresectable stage III NSCLC. Nevertheless, approximately half of the treated patients experience disease progression within 1 year, with the mechanisms of treatment resistance being poorly understood. We here performed a nationwide prospective biomarker study to explore the resistance mechanisms (WJOG11518L:SUBMARINE). METHODS: A total of 135 patients with unresectable stage III NSCLC who received the PACIFIC regimen were included for comprehensive profiling of the tumor microenvironment by immunohistochemistry, transcriptome analysis, and genomic sequencing of pretreatment tumor tissue and flow cytometric analysis of circulating immune cells. Progression-free survival was compared on the basis of these biomarkers. RESULTS: The importance of preexisting effective adaptive immunity in tumors was revealed for treatment benefit regardless of genomic features. We also identified CD73 expression by cancer cells as a mechanism of resistance to the PACIFIC regimen. Multivariable analysis of immunohistochemistry data with key clinical factors as covariables indicated that low CD8+ tumor-infiltrating lymphocyte density and the high CD73+ cancer cells were independently associated with poor durvalumab outcome (hazard ratios = 4.05 [95% confidence interval: 1.17-14.04] for CD8+ tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes; 4.79 [95% confidence interval: 1.12-20.58] for CD73). In addition, whole-exome sequencing of paired tumor samples suggested that cancer cells eventually escaped immune pressure as a result of neoantigen plasticity. CONCLUSIONS: Our study emphasizes the importance of functional adaptive immunity in stage III NSCLC and implicates CD73 as a promising treatment target, thus providing insight forming a basis for development of a new treatment approach in NSCLC.

Fibromuscular dysplasia of the brachial artery in patients with spontaneous coronary artery dissection: a case series and literature review.

Spontaneous coronary artery dissection (SCAD) is diagnosed in a very small percentage of patients with suspected acute coronary syndromes who undergo emergency coronary angiography. Although fibromuscular dysplasia (FMD) is known to coexist in patients with SCAD, the vascular sites of FMD and their frequency have not yet been clarified. We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of 16 patients who were diagnosed with and treated for SCAD at our hospital between 1 January 2011 and 31 January 2023. We have summarized their baseline and clinical characteristics and medical variables, including coronary and upper extremity angiography and in-hospital outcomes. One of our patients had concurrent cardiac tamponade requiring pericardial drainage, and another went into hemorrhage shock the following day from dissection of the gastric retroperitoneal artery. Characteristic angiographic features of partial or diffuse nonatherosclerotic stenosis were observed mainly in the distal parts of the coronary arteries or their branches. Notably, in six patients with SCAD who underwent upper extremity angiography, FMD of the brachial artery was revealed. For the first time, to our knowledge, we found a high prevalence of multifocal FMD of the brachial artery in patients with SCAD.