Efectividad y seguridad de una estrategia de antiagregación plaquetaria simple tras cierre percutáneo de orejuela izquierda en pacientes con FA / Single antiplatelet therapy after left atrial appendage closure in patients with AF: safety and effectiveness

Introduction and objectives The optimal antithrombotic strategy following left atrial appendage closure (LAAC) is poorly defined in patients with nonvalvular atrial fibrillation. We assessed the safety and effectiveness of a single antiplatelet treatment (SAPT) strategy after LAAC in a population at high risk of ischemic and bleeding events. Methods This single-center, observational, prospective study included a consecutive cohort of patients who underwent LAAC using the LAmbre device (Lifetech Scientific, China) and who were discharged with SAPT. The primary outcome was a composite of stroke, systemic embolism, and device-related thrombosis during follow-up. Secondary endpoints were cardiovascular mortality and major bleeding events (BARC ≥3a). Clinical follow-up was performed at 1, 6, and 12 months and subsequently on an annual basis. Transesophageal echocardiography was performed at 1 and 12 months of follow-up. Results The study comprised 74 patients. The median age was 77 [72-83] years and 43% were women. The cohort exhibited a high prevalence of comorbidities and cardiovascular risk factors. The median CHA2DS2-VASc and HAS-BLED scores were 4 [3-6] and 4 [4-5], respectively. The median length of follow-up was 2.5 years (188 patients-year). During follow-up, device-related thrombosis occurred in 3 patients (4%). Ischemic stroke occurred in 1 patient (1.3%, rate 0.5%/y), representing a 90.9% relative risk reduction compared with the risk predicted by CHA2DS2-VASc. Major bleeding events occurred in 12 patients (16%, 6.4%/y), with a relative risk reduction of 26.4% of that predicted by HAS-BLED. Cardiovascular-related mortality was observed in 2 patients (2.7%). Conclusions SAPT appears to be a safe and effective treatment following LAAC in patients at high ischemic and hemorrhagic risk. Further studies are needed to confirm our findings (AU)

Introducción y objetivos Se desconoce cuál es la terapia antitrombótica óptima tras el cierre percutáneo de la orejuela izquierda (CPOI) en pacientes con fibrilación auricular no valvular. El objetivo de este estudio es analizar la efectividad y la seguridad de un régimen de tratamiento antiagregante plaquetario simple (TAPS) tras el CPOI en una población con alto riesgo isquémico y hemorrágico. Métodos Estudio observacional prospectivo que incluyó una cohorte consecutiva de pacientes a los que se realizó CPOI con dispositivo LAmbre (Lifetech Scientific, China) y que recibieron TAPS al alta. El evento primario fue un combinado de ictus, embolia sistémica y trombosis del dispositivo. Los eventos secundarios fueron mortalidad cardiovascular y hemorragia mayor (BARC ≥ 3a). Se realizó seguimiento clínico al mes y a los 6 y 12 meses y cada año después. Se realizó ecocardiograma transesofágico al mes y a los 12 meses. Resultados Se incluyó a 74 pacientes (el 43% mujeres) con una mediana de edad de 77 [intervalo intercuartílico, 72-83] años, que presentaban gran comorbilidad y factores de riesgo cardiovascular. Los valores de CHA2DS2-VASc y HAS-BLED fueron una mediana de 4 [3-6] y 4 [4-5] respectivamente. Durante el seguimiento (mediana, 2,5 años), 3 pacientes (4%) presentaron trombosis del dispositivo. Uno sufrió ictus isquémico (1,3%, 0,5%/año), lo que supone, según la incidencia esperada por CHA2DS2-VASc, una reducción del riesgo relativo del 90,9%. Sufrieron eventos hemorrágicos 12 pacientes (16%; 6,4%/año), una tasa el 26,4% menor que el riesgo HAS-BLED predicho. Se produjo la muerte cardiovascular de 2 pacientes (2,7%). Conclusiones Una estrategia de TAPS tras el CPOI parece ser una opción efectiva y segura para los pacientes con altos riesgos isquémico y hemorrágico. Se necesitan más estudios que corroboren nuestros resultados (AU)

Evaluation and management of patients with coronary chronic total occlusions considered for revascularisation. A clinical consensus statement of the European Association of Percutaneous Cardiovascular Interventions (EAPCI) of the ESC, the European Association of Cardiovascular Imaging (EACVI) of the ESC, and the ESC Working Group on Cardiovascular Surgery.

Chronic total occlusions (CTOs) of coronary arteries can be found in the context of chronic or acute coronary syndromes; sometimes they are an incidental finding in those apparently healthy individuals undergoing imaging for preoperative risk assessment. Recently, the invasive management of CTOs has made impressive progress due to sophisticated preinterventional assessment, including advanced non-invasive imaging, the availability of novel and dedicated tools for CTO percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI), and experienced interventionalists working in specialised centres. Thus, it is crucial that referring physicians who see patients with CTO be aware of recent developments and of the initial evaluation requirements for such patients. Besides a careful history and clinical examination, electrocardiograms, exercise tests, and non-invasive imaging modalities are important for selecting the patients most suitable for CTO PCI, while others may be referred to coronary artery bypass graft or optimal medical therapy only. While CTO PCI improves angina and reduces the use of antianginal drugs in patients with symptoms and proven ischaemia, hibernation and/or wall motion abnormalities at baseline or during stress, the effect of CTO PCI on major cardiovascular events is still controversial. This clinical consensus statement specifically focuses on referring physicians, providing a comprehensive algorithm for the preinterventional evaluation of patients with CTO and the current evidence for the clinical effectiveness of the procedure. The proposed care track has been developed by members and with the support of the European Association of Percutaneous Cardiovascular Interventions (EAPCI), the European Association of Cardiovascular Imaging (EACVI), and the European Society of Cardiology (ESC) Working Group on Cardiovascular Surgery.

Placement of a self-expanding transcatheter aortic valve prosthesis in the presence of aortic arch angulation.

An 83-year-old man with symptomatic severe aortic valve stenosis with severe ventricular dysfunction underwent valvuloplasty with a 25-mm NuCLEUS-X balloon (B. Braun Interventional Systems) and percutaneous coronary intervention of the left main and circumflex arteries (left anterior descending artery presented a chronic total occlusion without viability of this territory) before being referred for transcatheter aortic valve replacement.

Genetic characteristics involved in COVID-19 severity. The CARGENCORS case-control study and meta-analysis.

Pre-existing coronary artery disease (CAD), and thrombotic, inflammatory, or virus infectivity response phenomena have been associated with COVID-19 disease severity. However, the association of candidate single nucleotide variants (SNVs) related to mechanisms of COVID-19 complications has been seldom analysed. Our aim was to test and validate the effect of candidate SNVs on COVID-19 severity. CARGENCORS (CARdiovascular GENetic risk score for Risk Stratification of patients positive for SARS-CoV-2 [COVID-19] virus) is an age- and sex-matched case-control study with 818 COVID-19 cases hospitalized with hypoxemia, and 1636 controls with COVID-19 treated at home. The association between severity and SNVs related to CAD (n = 32), inflammation (n = 19), thrombosis (n = 14), virus infectivity (n = 11), and two published to be related to COVID-19 severity was tested with adjusted logistic regression models. Two external independent cohorts were used for meta-analysis (SCOURGE and UK Biobank). After adjustment for potential confounders, 14 new SNVs were associated with COVID-19 severity in the CARGENCORS Study. These SNVs were related to CAD (n = 10), thrombosis (n = 2), and inflammation (n = 2). We also confirmed eight SNVs previously related to severe COVID-19 and virus infectivity. The meta-analysis showed five SNVs associated with severe COVID-19 in adjusted analyses (rs11385942, rs1561198, rs6632704, rs6629110, and rs12329760). We identified 14 novel SNVs and confirmed eight previously related to COVID-19 severity in the CARGENCORS data. In the meta-analysis, five SNVs were significantly associated to COVID-19 severity, one of them previously related to CAD.

Baseline NT-proBNP levels as a predictor of short-and long-term prognosis in COVID-19 patients: a prospective observational study.

BACKGROUND: Up to 20% of COVID-19 patients can suffer COVID-19-related myocardial injury. Elevated cardiac biomarkers, such as hs-cTnT and NT-proBNP, have been related to worse short-term prognosis. However, data on NT-proBNP and long-term prognosis are scarce. We have evaluated the potential association of baseline age-adjusted NT-proBNP levels and outcomes at one-year follow-up in COVID-19 patients. METHODS: This was a single-center prospective study of 499 COVID-19 patients in whom NT-proBNP was assessed at hospital admission. NT-proBNP levels were age-adjusted and patients were classified as high or low NT-proBNP. Clinical and demographic characteristics, comorbidities, laboratory results, and in-hospital complications and mortality were compared between the two groups. Survivors of the acute phase of COVID-19 were followed up for one year from admission to detect readmissions and mortality. RESULTS: The 68 patients with high NT-proBNP levels at hospital admission were older, with more cardiovascular risk factors, cardiovascular disease, comorbidities, myocardial injury, and higher levels of inflammatory markers than patients with low NT-proBNP levels. They also had more in-hospital complications and a higher acute-phase mortality rate (60.3% vs. 10.2%, p < 0.001). High NT-proBNP levels were an independent marker of death during hospitalization (HR 1.95; CI 1.07-3.52). At one-year follow-up, high NT-proBNP levels were independently associated with mortality (HR 2.69; CI 1.47-4.89). Among survivors of the acute phase of COVID-19, there were no differences in hospital readmissions between those with high vs. low NT-proBNP levels, but survivors with high baseline NT-proBNP levels showed a higher 1-year mortality rate (7.4% vs. 1.3%, p = 0.018). CONCLUSIONS: High age-adjusted NT-proBNP levels at the time of hospital admission for COVID-19 are associated with poor short and long-term prognosis. High NT-proBNP seems also to be related to worse prognosis in survivors of the acute phase of COVID-19. A closer follow-up on these patients may be crucial.

Single antiplatelet therapy after left atrial appendage closure in patients with AF: safety and effectiveness.

INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVES: The optimal antithrombotic strategy following left atrial appendage closure (LAAC) is poorly defined in patients with nonvalvular atrial fibrillation. We assessed the safety and effectiveness of a single antiplatelet treatment (SAPT) strategy after LAAC in a population at high risk of ischemic and bleeding events. METHODS: This single-center, observational, prospective study included a consecutive cohort of patients who underwent LAAC using the LAmbre device (Lifetech Scientific, China) and who were discharged with SAPT. The primary outcome was a composite of stroke, systemic embolism, and device-related thrombosis during follow-up. Secondary endpoints were cardiovascular mortality and major bleeding events (BARC ≥3a). Clinical follow-up was performed at 1, 6, and 12 months and subsequently on an annual basis. Transesophageal echocardiography was performed at 1 and 12 months of follow-up. RESULTS: The study comprised 74 patients. The median age was 77 [72-83] years and 43% were women. The cohort exhibited a high prevalence of comorbidities and cardiovascular risk factors. The median CHA2DS2-VASc and HAS-BLED scores were 4 [3-6] and 4 [4-5], respectively. The median length of follow-up was 2.5 years (188 patients-year). During follow-up, device-related thrombosis occurred in 3 patients (4%). Ischemic stroke occurred in 1 patient (1.3%, rate 0.5%/y), representing a 90.9% relative risk reduction compared with the risk predicted by CHA2DS2-VASc. Major bleeding events occurred in 12 patients (16%, 6.4%/y), with a relative risk reduction of 26.4% of that predicted by HAS-BLED. Cardiovascular-related mortality was observed in 2 patients (2.7%). CONCLUSIONS: SAPT appears to be a safe and effective treatment following LAAC in patients at high ischemic and hemorrhagic risk. Further studies are needed to confirm our findings.

OPTImized coronary interventions eXplaIn the bEst cliNical outcomEs (OPTI-XIENCE) study. Rationale and study design.

INTRODUCTION: Clinical events may occur after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI), particularly in complex lesions and complex patients. The optimization of PCI result, using pressure guidewire and intracoronary imaging techniques, may reduce the risk of these events. The hypothesis of the present study is that the clinical outcome of patients with indication of PCI and coronary stent implantation that are at high risk of events can be improved with an unrestricted use of intracoronary tools that allow PCI optimization. METHODS AND ANALYSIS: Observational prospective multicenter international study, with a follow-up of 12 months, including 1064 patients treated with a cobalt­chromium everolimus-eluting stent. Inclusion criteria include any of the following: Lesion length > 28 mm; Reference vessel diameter < 2.5 mm or > 4.25 mm; Chronic total occlusion; Bifurcation with side branch ≥2.0 mm;Ostial lesion; Left main lesion; In-stent restenosis; >2 lesions stented in the same vessel; Treatment of >2 vessels; Acute myocardial infarction; Renal insufficiency; Left ventricular ejection fraction <30 %; Staged procedure. The control group will be comprised by a similar number of matched patients included in the "extended risk" cohort of the XIENCE V USA study. The primary endpoint will be the 1-year rate of target lesion failure (TLF) (composite of ischemia-driven TLR, myocardial infarction (MI) related to the target vessel, or cardiac death related to the target vessel). Secondary endpoints will include overall mortality, cardiovascular mortality, acute myocardial infarction, TVR, TLR, target vessel failure, and definitive or probable stent thrombosis at 1 year. IMPLICATIONS: The ongoing OPTI-XIENCE study will contribute to the growing evidence supporting the use of intra-coronary imaging techniques for stent optimization in patients with complex coronary lesions.

Catheter-directed therapy for acute pulmonary embolism: results of a multicenter national registry.

INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVES: Catheter-directed therapy (CDT) for acute pulmonary embolism (PE) is an emerging therapy that combines heterogeneous techniques. The aim of the study was to provide a nationwide contemporary snapshot of clinical practice and CDT-related outcomes. METHODS: This Investigator-initiated multicenter registry aimed to include consecutive patients with intermediate-high risk (IHR) or high-risk (HR), acute PE eligible for CDT. The primary outcome of the study was in-hospital all-cause death. RESULTS: A total of 253 patients were included, of whom 93 (36.8%) had HR-PE, and 160 (63.2%) had IHR-PE with a mean age of 62.3±15.1 years. Local thrombolysis was performed in 70.8% and aspiration thrombectomy in 51.8%, with 23.3% of patients receiving both. However, aspiration thrombectomy was favored in the HR-PE cohort (80.6% vs 35%; P<.001). Only 51 patients (20.2%) underwent CDT with specific PE devices. The success rate for CDT was 90.9% (98.1% of IHR-PE patients vs 78.5% of HR-PE patients, P<.001). In-hospital mortality was 15.5%, and was highly concentrated in the HR-PE patients (37.6%) and significantly lower in IHR-PE patients (2.5%), P<.001. Long-term (24-month) mortality was 40.2% in HR-PE patients vs 8.2% in IHR-PE patients (P<.001). CONCLUSIONS: Despite the high success rate for CDT, in-hospital mortality in HR-PE is still high (37.6%) compared with very low IHR-PE mortality (2.5%).

Very long-term efficacy and safety of paclitaxel-eluting balloon after a bare-metal stent for the treatment of ST-elevation myocardial infarction: 8-year results of a randomized clinical trial (PEBSI study).

Background: Drug-eluting stents (DES) are considered the therapy of choice in ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI); however, a low persistent rate of revascularizations and stent thrombosis exist over the time. We have previously shown that a paclitaxel (PTX)-drug-coated balloon (DCB) after a bare-metal stent (BMS) implantation (DCB-combined strategy) yields superior angiographic and clinical results compared to BMS in the short term. However, the long-term safety and efficacy of this approach remain uncertain. Methods: An 8-year clinical follow-up was conducted on patients enrolled in the randomized PEBSI-1 trial (NCT01839890). The original trial included patients who suffered a STEMI, patients were randomly assigned to receive a DCB-combined strategy or BMS only and the primary endpoint was in-stent late luminal loss (LLL) at 9-month follow-up. After the completion of this study, death, myocardial re-infarction, ischemia-driven repeated revascularizations included target lesion revascularization (TLR) and target vessel revascularization (TVR), and stent thrombosis, were assessed by yearly contact by a clinical visit, telephone or by electronic records. These outcomes were adhered to ARC-2 criteria. Results: The rate of incomplete follow-up was very low, with only 3 out of 111 patients (2.7%) in the DCB-combined strategy group and 1 out of 112 patients (0.9%) in the BMS group. At 8 years there were a lower rate of TVR [3.7% vs. 14.3%; hazard ratio (HR): 0.243; 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.081-0.727; P=0.006], and a trend towards lower TLR (2.8% vs. 8.9%; HR: 0.300; 95% CI: 0.083-1.090; P=0.052) in the DCB-combined strategy group. No statistical difference between the DCB-combined strategy and BMS groups were found for all causes of death, deaths from cardiovascular disease, reinfarctions or stent thrombosis. Notably in the DCB-combined strategy group, no episode of stent thrombosis occurred after the first year. Similarly, there were no cardiovascular deaths, TVR and TLR in the DCB-combined strategy group after 5 years. In contrast, during the period from year 5 to 8, the BMS group experienced an additional cardiovascular death, as well as one case of TVR, one case of TLR, and one case of stent thrombosis. Conclusions: In STEMI patients, the DCB-combined strategy maintains its safety and clinical efficacy over time. Our rates of TVR, TLR, and very late stent thrombosis (VLST) at very long-term are the lowest ever found in a STEMI trial. Further studies are warranted to assess the potential superiority of this novel strategy as compared with new-generation DES to prevent very late events in these patients. Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov; identifier: NCT01839890.

Spanish cardiac catheterization and coronary intervention registry. 32nd official report of the Interventional Cardiology Association of the Spanish Society of Cardiology (1990-2022).

INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVES: This article presents the annual activity report of the Interventional Cardiology Association of the Spanish Society of Cardiology (ACI-SEC) for the year 2022. METHODS: All Spanish centers with catheterization laboratories were invited to participate. Data were collected online and were analyzed by an external company in collaboration with the members of the board of the ACI-SEC. RESULTS: A total of 111 centers participated. The number of diagnostic studies increased by 4.8% compared with 2021, while that of percutaneous coronary interventions (PCI) remained stable. PCIs on the left main coronary artery increased by 22%. The radial approach continued to be preferred for PCI (94.9%). There was an upsurge in the use of drug-eluting balloons, as well as in intracoronary imaging techniques, which were used in 14.7% of PCIs. The use of pressure wires also increased (6.3% vs 2021) as did plaque modification techniques. Primary PCI continued to grow and was the most frequent treatment (97%) in ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction. Most noncoronary procedures maintained their upward trend, particularly percutaneous aortic valve implantation, atrial appendage closure, mitral/tricuspid edge-to-edge therapy, renal denervation, and percutaneous treatment of pulmonary arterial disease. CONCLUSIONS: The Spanish cardiac catheterization and coronary intervention registry for 2022 reveals a rise in the complexity of coronary disease, along with a notable growth in procedures for valvular and nonvalvular structural heart disease.

Subclinical congestion assessed by lung ultrasound in ST segment elevation myocardial infarction.

OBJECTIVE: We evaluated the prognostic value of subclinical congestion assessed by lung ultrasound (LUS) in patients admitted for ST segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI). METHODS: This was a multicentre study that prospectively enrolled 312 patients admitted for STEMI without signs of heart failure (HF) at admission. LUS was performed during the first 24 hours after revascularisation and classified patients as having either wet lung (three or more B-lines in at least one lung field) or dry lung. The primary endpoint was a composite of acute HF, cardiogenic shock or death during hospitalisation. The secondary endpoint was a composite of readmission for HF or new acute coronary syndrome or death during 30-day follow-up. Zwolle score was calculated in all patients to assess predictive improvement by adding the result of the LUS to this score. RESULTS: 14 patients (31.1%) in the wet lung group presented the primary endpoint vs 7 (2.6%) in the dry lung group (adjusted RR 6.0, 95% CI 2.3 to 16.2, p=0.007). The secondary endpoint occurred in five patients (11.6%) in the wet lung group and in three (1.2%) in the dry lung group (adjusted HR 5.4, 95% CI 1.0 to 28.7, p=0.049). Addition of LUS improved the ability of the Zwolle score to predict the follow-up composite endpoint (net reclassification improvement 0.99). LUS showed a very high negative predictive value in predicting in-hospital and follow-up endpoints (97.4% and 98.9%, respectively). CONCLUSION: Early subclinical pulmonary congestion identified by LUS in patients with Killip I STEMI at hospital admission is associated with adverse outcomes during hospitalisation and 30-day follow-up.

Parents who spent more hours in intensive care units with their low birthweight newborn infant did not achieve autonomous care faster.

AIM: We examined the correlation between how long it took the parents of very low birthweight infants, born weighing up to 1500 g, to provide different kinds of autonomous care in a neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). METHODS: This prospective observational was conducted in the NICU of a Spanish hospital from 10 January 2020 to 3 May 2022. The unit had 11 beds single-family rooms and provided eight beds in an open bay room. The study examined breastfeeding, patient safety, participation in rounds, pain prevention and cleanliness. RESULTS: We studied 96 patients and their parents and there was no correlation between any type of care and the time it took parents to provide it autonomously. Parents in the single-family room cohort spent a median of 9.5 h per day between them in the NICU, while the parents in the open bay room spent 7.0 h with their infants (p = 0.03). However, parents in the single-family room group were able to recognise pain faster (p = 0.02). CONCLUSION: Parents in single-family rooms spent more time in the NICU and recognised pain faster but did not achieve autonomous care faster than parents in the open bay group.

Management strategies for heavily calcified coronary stenoses: an EAPCI clinical consensus statement in collaboration with the EURO4C-PCR group.

Since the publication of the 2015 EAPCI consensus on rotational atherectomy, the number of percutaneous coronary interventions (PCI) performed in patients with severely calcified coronary artery disease has grown substantially. This has been prompted on one side by the clinical demand for the continuous increase in life expectancy, the sustained expansion of the primary PCI networks worldwide, and the routine performance of revascularization procedures in elderly patients; on the other side, the availability of new and dedicated technologies such as orbital atherectomy and intravascular lithotripsy, as well as the optimization of the rotational atherectomy system, has increased operators' confidence in attempting more challenging PCI. This current EAPCI clinical consensus statement prepared in collaboration with the EURO4C-PCR group describes the comprehensive management of patients with heavily calcified coronary stenoses, starting with how to use non-invasive and invasive imaging to assess calcium burden and inform procedural planning. Objective and practical guidance is provided on the selection of the optimal interventional tool and technique based on the specific calcium morphology and anatomic location. Finally, the specific clinical implications of treating these patients are considered, including the prevention and management of complications and the importance of adequate training and education.

The natural history of QTc interval and its clinical impact in coronavirus disease 2019 survivors after 1 year.

Background and objective: Prolonged QTc interval on admission and a higher risk of death in SARS-CoV-2 patients have been reported. The long-term clinical impact of prolonged QTc interval is unknown. This study examined the relationship in COVID-19 survivors of a prolonged QTc on admission with long-term adverse events, changes in QTc duration and its impact on 1-year prognosis, and factors associated with a prolonged QTc at follow-up. Methods: We conducted a single-center prospective cohort study of 523 SARS-CoV-2-positive patients who were alive on discharge. An electrocardiogram was taken on these patients within the first 48 h after diagnosis and before the administration of any medication with a known effect on QT interval and repeated in 421 patients 7 months after discharge. Mortality, hospital readmission, and new arrhythmia rates 1 year after discharge were reviewed. Results: Thirty-one (6.3%) survivors had a baseline prolonged QTc. They were older, had more cardiovascular risk factors, cardiac disease, and comorbidities, and higher levels of terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide. There was no relationship between prolonged QTc on admission and the 1-year endpoint (9.8% vs. 5.5%, p = 0.212). In 84% of survivors with prolonged baseline QTc, it normalized at 7.9 ± 2.2 months. Of the survivors, 2.4% had prolonged QTc at follow-up, and this was independently associated with obesity, ischemic cardiomyopathy, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and cancer. Prolonged baseline QTc was not independently associated with the composite adverse event at 1 year. Conclusions: Prolonged QTc in the acute phase normalized in most COVID-19 survivors and had no clinical long-term impact. Prolonged QTc at follow-up was related to the presence of obesity and previously acquired chronic diseases and was not related to 1-year prognosis.

Mid-Term Angiographic and Intracoronary Imaging Results Following Intracoronary Lithotripsy in Calcified Coronary Artery Disease: Results From Two Tertiary Referral Centres.

BACKGROUND: Intracoronary lithotripsy (IVL) is a safe and effective treatment for coronary calcification. Angiographic and intracoronary imaging follow-up have not yet been described. We aimed to describe the mid-term angiographic outcomes following IVL. METHODS: Patients successfully treated with IVL in two tertiary referral hospitals were included. Repeat angiography and intracoronary imaging was performed. Quantitative coronary angiography (QCA) and optical coherence tomography (OCT) analyses were performed using dedicated workstations. RESULTS: Twenty patients were included; mean age 67.1 years, left anterior descending artery 55 %. Median IVL balloon size was 3.0 mm and a median of 60 pulses were delivered per vessel. Percentage stenosis by QCA was 60 % [IQR 51-70] reducing to 20 % post stenting (p < 0.001). On OCT, 88.9 % had circumferential calcium. IVL resulted in fractures in 88.9 %. Resulting minimum stent expansion was 91.75 % [IQR 81.5-108]. Follow-up was at a median of 22.7 months [IQR16.4-25.5]. Percentage stenosis by QCA was 22.5 % [IQR 14-30] and not significantly different from the index procedure (p > 0.05). Minimum stent expansion by OCT was 85 % [IQR 72-97]. Late luminal loss was 0.15 mm [IQR -0.25 to 0.69]. Binary angiographic instent restenosis (ISR) was 10 % (2 of 20 patients). OCT demonstrated a predominantly homogenous neointimal pattern with high backscatter. CONCLUSION: Following successful IVL treatment, repeat angiography demonstrated preserved stent parameters in the majority of patients with favorable vascular healing properties by OCT. A binary restenosis rate of 10 % was observed. These results suggest durable results following IVL treatment of severe coronary calcification however larger studies are warranted.

Changes in the Treatment Strategy Following Intracoronary Pressure Wire in a Contemporaneous Real-Life Cohort of Patients With Intermediate Coronary Stenosis. Results From a Nationwide Registry.

BACKGROUND: Intracoronary pressure wire is useful to guide revascularization in patients with coronary artery disease. AIMS: To evaluate changes in diagnosis (coronary artery disease extent), treatment strategy and clinical results after intracoronary pressure wire study in real-life patients with intermediate coronary artery stenosis. METHODS: Observational, prospective and multicenter registry of patients in whom pressure wire was performed. The extent of coronary artery disease and the treatment strategy based on clinical and angiographic criteria were recorded before and after intracoronary pressure wire guidance. 12-month incidence of MACE (cardiovascular death, non-fatal myocardial infarction or new revascularization of the target lesion) was assessed. RESULTS: 1414 patients with 1781 lesions were included. Complications related to the procedure were reported in 42 patients (3.0 %). The extent of coronary artery disease changed in 771 patients (54.5 %). There was a change in treatment strategy in 779 patients (55.1 %) (18.0 % if medical treatment; 68.8 % if PCI; 58.9 % if surgery (p < 0.001 for PCI vs medical treatment; p = 0.041 for PCI vs CABG; p < 0.001 for medical treatment vs CABG)). In patients with PCI as the initial strategy, the change in strategy was associated with a lower rate of MACE (4.6 % vs 8.2 %, p = 0.034). CONCLUSIONS: The use of intracoronary pressure wire was safe and led to the reclassification of the extent of coronary disease and change in the treatment strategy in more than half of the cases, especially in patients with PCI as initial treatment.

Insular Role in Blood Pressure and Systemic Vascular Resistance Regulation.

OBJECTIVES: The insula is a brain area involved in the modulation of autonomic responses. Previous studies have focused mainly on its heart rate regulatory function, but its role in vascular control is not well defined. Ictal/postictal blood pressure (BP) fluctuations may have a role in the pathogenesis of sudden unexpected death in epilepsy. This study aims to characterize the insular influence on vascular regulation through direct high-frequency electrical stimulation (E-stim) of different insular regions during stereo-electroencephalographic studies. MATERIALS AND METHODS: An observational, prospective study was conducted, involving people with epilepsy who underwent E-stim of depth electrodes implanted in the insular cortex. Patients with anatomical or electrophysiological insular abnormalities, E-stim producing after discharges, or any elicited symptoms were excluded. Variations of BP and systemic vascular resistance (SVR) during the insular stimuli were analyzed, comparing them with those observed during E-stim of control contacts implanted in cortical noneloquent regions and sham stimulations. RESULTS: Fourteen patients were included, five implanted in the right insula and nine in the left. We analyzed 14 stimulations in the right insula, 18 in the left insula, 18 in control electrodes, and 13 sham stimulations. Most right insular responses were hypertensive, whereas most left ones were hypotensive. E-stim of the right insula produced a significant BP and SVR increase, whereas the left insula induced a significant BP decrease without SVR changes. The most remarkable changes were elicited in both posterior insulas, although the magnitude of BP changes was generally low. Control and sham stimulations did not induce BP or SVR changes. CONCLUSION: Our findings on insular stimulation suggest an interhemispheric difference in its vascular regulatory function, with a vasopressor effect of the right insula and a vasodilator effect of the left one.

Safety and feasibility of transradial access for percutaneous coronary intervention in chronic total occlusions.

INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVES: Transfemoral access is the most frequently used vascular approach in chronic total occlusion percutaneous coronary interventions (CTO-PCI). The aim of this study was to evaluate the safety and feasibility of a transradial access CTO-PCI program and its impact on angiographic and clinical results and length of hospital stay. METHODS: Retrospective multicenter cohort study including 2550 consecutive CTO-PCI procedures included in a multicenter registry with accurate information on vascular access. A total of 896 procedures were performed as radial-only access while 1654 were performed through at least 1 femoral puncture. Clinical and angiographic data were collected. RESULTS: The mean age was 66.3± 11.4 years. The mean Japan-chronic total occlusion score (2.7±0.3) was similar in the 2 groups. Successful revascularization was achieved in 2009 (79.6%) cases, 78.2% and 82.1% in the femoral and radial access cohorts, respectively (P=.002). Periprocedural in-hospital complications were observed in 5.1% and 2.3% (P=.02), with fewer access site-dependant vascular complications in the transradial cohort (2.3% vs 0.2%; P=.009). The mean length of hospital stay was significantly shorter in the transradial access group (0.89±1.4 vs 2.2±3.2 days, P<.001). CONCLUSIONS: A transradial program for CTO-PCI is safe and effective in most CTO lesions. The transradial strategy has fewer vascular complications and shorter length of hospital stay without compromising the success rate.

Overlapping versus single long stents in long chronic total occlusions: insights of the Iberian CTO Registry.

BACKGROUND: It is unknown whether the availability of long drug-eluting stents modify the PCI strategy of long CTO. To describe the contemporary PCI strategy of long chronic total occlusions (CTO) using overlapping (OS) or single long stents (SS) and to analyze its results. METHODS: 2842 consecutive CTO PCIs were included. Those with an occlusion length ≥20 mm in which ≥1 drug eluting stent (DES) was implanted were analyzed. We compared procedural characteristics and clinical outcomes of CTO treated with OS or SS. RESULTS: 1088 CTO PCIs were analyzed (79.9% males; 64.7±10.6 years). Mean J-score was 2.8±0.9. A SS was used in 38.5% of cases and OS in 61.5%. Total stent length was 64.1±29.9 mm; it was higher in the OS group (OS: 79.9±25.5 mm vs. SS: 38.3±14.7 mm; P<0.0001). Mean number of stents in the OS group was 2.3±1. Very long stents (≥40 mm) were used in 27.4% of cases, more frequently in the OS group (OS:32.4% vs. SS:19.3%; P<0.0001). After a mean follow-up of 19±15.9 months, the rate of adverse events (MACE) was 2% (cardiac death: 1.6%, myocardial infarction: 1.6%, target lesion revascularization: 1.9% and stent thrombosis: 0.18%) with no significant differences between both groups. Overlapping was not an independent predictor of MACE. CONCLUSIONS: In long CTO PCIs, OS is more frequently used than single stenting, especially in more complex procedures. Clinical outcomes at a mid-term follow-up are favorable. Using newer generation DES, overlapping was not an independent predictor of MACE; however, a trend toward a higher event rate was observed in the OS group.

Clinical Outcomes of Left Main Coronary Artery PCI With Rotational Atherectomy.

Data regarding rotational atherectomy percutaneous coronary intervention (RA PCI) angioplasty in the left main (LM) coronary artery are scarce, and mostly outdated. We aimed to describe clinical outcomes of RA PCI in LM. Patients requiring RA in 8 European countries and 19 centers were prospectively and consecutively included in the European registry of Cardiac Care of Calcified and Complex patients registry. In-hospital data collection and 1-year follow-up were performed for each patient. Between October 2016 and July 2018, 966 patients with complete data were included. Among them, 241 presented with an LM lesion, and 171 required an LM lesion preparation by RA. The latter, allocated to the LM-RA group, were compared with the 725 patients in the non-LM-RA group. Clinical success of the RA procedure was comparable in both groups, but in-hospital major adverse cardiac events were higher in the RA-LM group (7.6% vs 3.2%, adjusted p = 0.04), mainly driven by a higher in-hospital mortality rate (5.3 vs 0.3%, adjusted p = 0.005). At 1-year follow-up, mortality and major adverse cardiac event rates were comparable in both groups (12.9% vs 8.0%, adjusted p value: 0.821, and 15.8% vs 10.9%, adjusted p value: 0.329, respectively), but the rate of target vessel revascularization remained higher in the RA-LM group (5.3% vs 3.2%, adjusted p = 0.021). In conclusion, RA PCI is an efficient option for calcified LM lesions, providing acceptable outcomes regarding this population with high risk at 1 year, and yields comparable outcomes with RA PCI performed on non-LM lesions.