Impact of prior coronary artery bypass grafting in patients undergoing chronic total occlusion-percutaneous coronary intervention: Procedural and clinical outcomes from the REgistry of Crossboss and Hybrid procedures in FrAnce, the NetheRlands, BelGium, and UnitEd Kingdom (RECHARGE).

AIM: Chronic total occlusions (CTO) in patients with history of coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) show more advanced and complex atherosclerotic pathology. Aim of our study is to compare outcomes in patients undergoing CTO percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) with previous CABG versus those without in the REgistry of Crossboss and Hybrid procedures in FrAnce the NetheRlands, BelGium and UnitEd Kingdom (RECHARGE). METHODS & RESULTS: The RECHARGE cohort (1,252 patients) was divided in two groups according to the presence of previous CABG (217) or not. We also focused, in the post-CABG group, on a comparison between CTO in previously grafted vessels versus non-grafted vessels. The CTO complexity scores were higher and the success rate (71.9% vs. 88.7%, p < .001) was lower in the CABG group, this difference was driven by higher failure rates in high-complexity-score CTO. The rate of in-hospital complications was similar. In the post-CABG group, the procedural success of CTO located in previously grafted vessels versus those in vessels not previously grafted, was comparably suboptimal (73.1% vs. 68%, p = .47). CONCLUSION: Patients undergoing CTO PCI with prior CABG have a higher prevalence of comorbidities and more complex lesion characteristics. In the post-CABG population the success rate was significantly lower, particularly in high CTO complexity scores, though complication rates were comparable. In the post-CABG population, the CTO success rate was independent of the presence of a previous graft on the CTO vessel.

Kinetics Analysis of Circulating MicroRNAs Unveils Markers of Failed Myocardial Reperfusion.

BACKGROUND: Failed myocardial reperfusion occurs in approximately 50% of patients with ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) treated with primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PPCI). It manifests as microvascular obstruction (MVO) on cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) imaging. Although prognostically important, MVO is not routinely screened for. Our aim was to investigate the kinetics of circulating short noncoding ribonucleic acids [microRNAs (miRNAs)] following PPCI and their association with MVO in STEMI patients. METHODS: Screening of 2083 miRNAs in plasma from STEMI patients with (n = 6) and without (n = 6) MVO was performed by next-generation sequencing. Two candidate miRNAs were selected and quantified at 13 time points within 3 h postreperfusion in 20 STEMI patients by reverse transcription and quantitative PCR. Subsequently, these 2 miRNAs were measured in a "validation" STEMI cohort (n = 50) that had CMR imaging performed at baseline and 3 months post-PPCI to evaluate their association with MVO. RESULTS: miR-1 and miR-133b were rapidly released following PPCI in a monophasic or biphasic pattern. Both miRNAs were enriched in circulating microparticles. A second miR-1 peak (90-180 min postreperfusion) seemed to be associated with a higher index of microvascular resistance. In addition, miR-1 and miR-133b levels at 90 min post-PPCI were approximately 3-fold (P = 0.001) and 4.4-fold (P = 0.008) higher in patients with MVO, respectively. Finally, miR-1 was significantly increased in a subgroup of patients with worse left ventricular (LV) functional recovery 3 months post-PPCI. CONCLUSIONS: miR-1 and miR-133b levels increase within 3 h of PPCI. They are positively associated with MVO and worse LV functional recovery post-PPCI.

Towards a contemporary, comprehensive scoring system for determining technical outcomes of hybrid percutaneous chronic total occlusion treatment: The RECHARGE score.

OBJECTIVES: This study sought to create a contemporary scoring tool to predict technical outcomes of chronic total occlusion (CTO) percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) from patients treated by hybrid operators with differing experience levels. BACKGROUND: Current scoring systems need regular updating to cope with the positive evolutions regarding materials, techniques, and outcomes, while at the same time being applicable for a broad range of operators. METHODS: Clinical and angiographic characteristics from 880 CTO-PCIs included in the REgistry of CrossBoss and Hybrid procedures in FrAnce, the NetheRlands, BelGium and UnitEd Kingdom (RECHARGE) were analyzed by using a derivation and validation set (2:1 ratio). Variables significantly associated with technical failure in the multivariable analysis were incorporated in the score. Subsequently, the discriminatory capacity was assessed and the validation set was used to compare with the J-CTO score and PROGRESS scores. RESULTS: Technical success in the derivation and validation sets was 83% and 85%, respectively. Multivariate analysis identified six parameters associated with technical failure: blunt stump (beta coefficient (b) = 1.014); calcification (b = 0.908); tortuosity ≥45° (b = 0.964); lesion length 20 mm (b = 0.556); diseased distal landing zone (b = 0.794), and previous bypass graft on CTO vessel (b = 0.833). Score variables remained significant after bootstrapping. The RECHARGE score showed better discriminatory capacity in both sets (area-under-the-curve (AUC) = 0.783 and 0.711), compared to the J-CTO (AUC = 0.676) and PROGRESS (AUC = 0.608) scores. CONCLUSIONS: The RECHARGE score is a novel, easy-to-use tool for assessing the risk for technical failure in hybrid CTO-PCI and has the potential to perform well for a broad community of operators. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Myocardial ischemia and reperfusion leads to transient CD8 immune deficiency and accelerated immunosenescence in CMV-seropositive patients.

RATIONALE: There is mounting evidence of a higher incidence of coronary heart disease in cytomegalovirus-seropositive individuals. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to investigate whether acute myocardial infarction triggers an inflammatory T-cell response that might lead to accelerated immunosenescence in cytomegalovirus-seropositive patients. METHODS AND RESULTS: Thirty-four patients with acute myocardial infarction undergoing primary percutaneous coronary intervention were longitudinally studied within 3 months after reperfusion (Cohort A). In addition, 54 patients with acute myocardial infarction and chronic myocardial infarction were analyzed in a cross-sectional study (Cohort B). Cytomegalovirus-seropositive patients demonstrated a greater fall in the concentration of terminally differentiated CD8 effector memory T cells (TEMRA) in peripheral blood during the first 30 minutes of reperfusion compared with cytomegalovirus-seronegative patients (-192 versus -63 cells/µL; P=0.008), correlating with the expression of programmed cell death-1 before primary percutaneous coronary intervention (r=0.8; P=0.0002). A significant proportion of TEMRA cells remained depleted for ≥3 months in cytomegalovirus-seropositive patients. Using high-throughput 13-parameter flow cytometry and human leukocyte antigen class I cytomegalovirus-specific dextramers, we confirmed an acute and persistent depletion of terminally differentiated TEMRA and cytomegalovirus-specific CD8(+) cells in cytomegalovirus-seropositive patients. Long-term reconstitution of the TEMRA pool in chronic cytomegalovirus-seropositive postmyocardial infarction patients was associated with signs of terminal differentiation including an increase in killer cell lectin-like receptor subfamily G member 1 and shorter telomere length in CD8(+) T cells (2225 versus 3397 bp; P<0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Myocardial ischemia and reperfusion in cytomegalovirus-seropositive patients undergoing primary percutaneous coronary intervention leads to acute loss of antigen-specific, terminally differentiated CD8 T cells, possibly through programmed cell death-1-dependent programmed cell death. Our results suggest that acute myocardial infarction and reperfusion accelerate immunosenescence in cytomegalovirus-seropositive patients.

The role of gender in resting full-cycle ratio (RFR) guided coronary revascularization.

BACKGROUND: Gender-based differences in clinical outcomes of patients undergoing fractional flow reserved (FFR) guided coronary revascularization is well documented. This study aimed to compare resting full-cycle ratio (RFR) values between men and women and whether this translated into difference in clinical outcomes in patients who underwent RFR-guided coronary revascularization. METHODS: This was a retrospective single-centre study of consecutive patients who underwent RFR-guided revascularization for coronary lesions with intermediate degree of stenosis. The primary endpoint was a composite of all-cause mortality, myocardial infarction (MI), unplanned revascularization, and unstable angina requiring hospital admission at one year. RESULTS: In 373 consecutive patients (510 lesions, 26% women) there was no statistically significant difference in RFR value between men and women (0.90 ± 10 versus 0.90 ± 11, P = 0.95). There was no statistically significant difference between men and women in the primary endpoint, even after adjustment to the imbalance between the two groups [3.7% vs. 3.0%; HR 1.43, 95% CI (0.46 to 4.43), P = 0.54]; or its individual components of death (1.1% vs 0.8%, P = 0.76), MI (1.9% vs 0.8%, P = 0.38) or unplanned revascularization, including unstable angina admissions (2.6% vs 2.3%, P = 0.82). The comparable clinical outcomes were consistent across all different subgroups, including clinical presentation, diabetes status, left ventricle systolic function, kidney function, and the interrogated coronary artery. CONCLUSION: Our study suggests no significant gender-based difference in the value of RFR or 1-year clinical outcomes in patients undergoing resting physiology guided coronary revascularization.

Pullback Pressure Gradient-An Emerging Concept in Patients with Coronary Artery Disease.

Fractional flow reserve fractional flow reserve (FFR)-guided percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) is currently recommended in the management of patients with stable coronary artery disease (CAD). Pullback pressure gradient (PPG) index is an emerging concept that provides a fully quantitative measure of the longitudinal distribution of CAD. It can be derived from FFR, as well as other non-hyperemic indices, and is a novel metric of assessing the focality or diffuseness of CAD. PPG adds a second domain to the assessment of CAD, beyond ischemia as measured by FFR, and may enable clinicians to better inform their patients about the status of their CAD but may also predict potential outcomes before revascularization. In this article, we will provide an in-depth review on the concept of PPG index and its correlation to pre and post revascularization ischemia. We will assess the relationship between PPG index and plaque characteristics and how this is translated into any difference in procedural and long-term clinical outcomes.

Percutaneous Left Ventricular Unloading During High-Risk Coronary Intervention: Rationale and Design of the CHIP-BCIS3 Randomized Controlled Trial.

INTRODUCTION: Percutaneous coronary intervention for complex coronary disease is associated with a high risk of cardiogenic shock. This can cause harm and limit the quality of revascularization achieved, especially when left ventricular function is impaired at the outset. Elective percutaneous left ventricular unloading is increasingly used to mitigate adverse events in patients undergoing high-risk percutaneous coronary intervention, but this strategy has fiscal and clinical costs and is not supported by robust evidence. METHODS: CHIP-BCIS3 (Controlled Trial of High-Risk Coronary Intervention With Percutaneous Left Ventricular Unloading) is a prospective, multicenter, open-label randomized controlled trial that aims to determine whether a strategy of elective percutaneous left ventricular unloading is superior to standard care (no planned mechanical circulatory support) in patients undergoing nonemergent high-risk percutaneous coronary intervention. Patients are eligible for recruitment if they have severe left ventricular systolic dysfunction, extensive coronary artery disease, and are due to undergo complex percutaneous coronary intervention (to the left main stem with calcium modification or to a chronic total occlusion with a retrograde approach). Cardiogenic shock and acute ST-segment-elevation myocardial infarction are exclusions. The primary outcome is a hierarchical composite of all-cause death, stroke, spontaneous myocardial infarction, cardiovascular hospitalization, and periprocedural myocardial infarction, analyzed using the win ratio. Secondary outcomes include completeness of revascularization, major bleeding, vascular complications, health economic analyses, and health-related quality of life. A sample size of 250 patients will have in excess of 80% power to detect a hazard ratio of 0.62 at a minimum of 12 months, assuming 150 patients experience an event across all follow-up. CONCLUSIONS: To date, 169 patients have been recruited from 21 National Health Service hospitals in the United Kingdom, with recruitment expected to complete in 2024. REGISTRATION: URL: https://www.clinicaltrials.gov; Unique identifier: NCT05003817.

Impact of thrombus aspiration during primary percutaneous coronary intervention on mortality in ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction.

AIMS: To assess the impact of thrombus aspiration during primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PPCI) on the mortality of patients with ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) patients. METHODS AND RESULTS: Retrospective analysis of prospectively collected data on 2567 consecutive PPCI-treated STEMI patients between 2008 and 2011. Cox proportional hazard models and multiple logistic regression analysis were used to adjust for known covariates. Thrombectomy was performed in 1095 patients (42.7%). Post-PPCI thrombolysis in myocardial infarction 3 flow was more frequently achieved in the thrombectomy group [adjusted odds ratio (OR); 1.92, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.34-2.76, P = 0.0004]. Overall in-hospital and longer term (mean follow-up 9.9 months) mortality rates were 4.5 and 9.0%, respectively. Thrombectomy was associated with a significant reduction in in-hospital (adjusted OR: 0.51, 95% CI: 0.29-0.93, P = 0.027) and longer term mortality [adjusted hazard ratio (HR): 0.69, 95% CI: 0.48-0.96, P = 0.028]. With propensity weighting, the adjusted HR for longer term mortality for thrombectomy was 0.43 (95% CI: 0.19-0.97; P = 0.042). The association between thrombectomy and reduced longer term mortality was only significant in those with a total ischaemic time ≤180min (P = 0.001) but not in patients with a total ischaemic time >180min (P = 0.99). CONCLUSION: This study of real-world, unselected STEMI patients demonstrates that thrombus aspiration during PPCI is associated with a significant reduction in mortality, especially in those with a short total ischaemic time. These findings support the use of thrombectomy during PPCI in this group of patients.

Mortality outcome of out-of-hours primary percutaneous coronary intervention in the current era.

AIMS: To assess the impact of the time of primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PPCI) on in-hospital and long-term all-cause mortality in ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI). METHODS AND RESULTS: The study retrospectively analyses the prospectively collected data on 2571 consecutive PPCI-treated STEMI patients between March 2008 and June 2011. Of these, 1036 patients (40.3%) underwent PPCI during a weekday between 08:00 and 18:00 (routine-hours group) and 1535 patients (59.7%) underwent PPCI on a weekday between 18:00 and 08:00 or a weekend (out-of-hours group). Compared with the routine-hours group, the out-of-hours group had a lower mean age, fewer patients with previous angina, longer call-to-hospital time, and fewer multivessel PCI. The overall in-hospital mortality rate was 4.5% with no significant difference [0.2%, 95% confidence interval (CI): -1.4 to 1.9%] between the routine-hours group (4.3%) and the out-of-hours group (4.6%) (adjusted odds ratio: 1.33, 95% CI: 0.73-2.40, P = 0.35). During a mean follow-up period of 560 days, 295 patients (11.5%) died, 12.2% in the routine-hours group and 11.0% in the out-of-hours group (difference of -0.1%, 95% CI: -0.4 to 0.2%). In the multiple Cox proportional hazards model, there was no difference in mortality between the two groups (adjusted hazard ratio: 1.09, 95% CI: 0.82-1.46, P = 0.57). Similarly, no increase in mortality was seen in patients who underwent PPCI later at night (22:00-06:00). CONCLUSION: This study of real-world, unselected STEMI patients demonstrates that in a large, well-staffed centre, PPCI outside routine-working hours is safe with no difference in outcome of in-hospital and long-term mortality compared with PPCI during routine-working hours.

Impact on stable chest pain pathways of CT fractional flow reserve.

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the impact of introducing CT fractional flow reserve (FFRCT) on stable chest pain pathways, concordance with National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) chest pain guidelines, resource usage and revascularisation of patients from a tertiary UK cardiac centre rapid access chest pain clinic (RACPC). METHODS: Single-centre before and after study comparing data from electronic records and Strategic Tracing Service of all RACPC patients attending between 1 July 2017 and 31 December 2017, and 1 August 2018 and 31 January 2019. RESULTS: Two hundred and sixty-eight and 287 patients (overall mean age 62 years, range 26-89 years, 48.3% male), were eligible for first-line CT coronary angiography (CTCA) pre-FFRCT and post-FFRCT, respectively. First-line CTCA use per NICE Guideline CG95 increased (50.6% pre-FFRCT vs 75.7% post-FFRCT, p<0.001). More patients reached pathway endpoint (revascularisation or assumed medical management) after one investigation (74.9% pre-FFRCT vs 84.9% post-FFRCT, p=0.005). There were fewer stress (22.8% pre-FFRCT vs 7.7% post-FFRCT, p<0.001) and rest (10.4% pre-FFRCT vs 4.2% post-FFRCT, p=0.007) myocardial perfusion scans and diagnostic-only angiograms (25.5% vs 13.7%, p<0.001). Despite fewer invasive procedures (29.3% pre-FFRCT vs 17.6% post-FFRCT, p=0.002), revascularisation rates remained similar (10.4% pre-FFRCT vs 8.8% post-FFRCT, p=0.561). Avoiding invasive investigations reduced inpatient admissions (39.0% pre-FFRCT vs 24.3% post-FFRCT, p<0.001). Time to revascularisation was unchanged (153.5 days pre-FFRCT vs 142.0 post-FFRCT, p=0.925). Unplanned hospital attendances, emergency admissions and adverse events were similar. CONCLUSIONS: FFRCT adoption was associated with greater compliance with NICE guidelines, reduced invasive diagnostic angiography, planned admissions and needing more than one test to reach a pathway endpoint.

Platelet-rich plasma and macular hole surgery: A clue to their mode of action and the influence of anti-platelet agents.

PURPOSE: To present a case of refractory full-thickness macular hole (FTMH), in which autologous platelet-rich plasma (aPRP) was used on two consecutive occasions, and associated with successful closure only after complete cessation of anti-platelet therapy. METHODS: Interventional case report. RESULTS: A 63-year-old male with Alport syndrome underwent pars plana vitrectomy with internal limiting membrane peeling and gas for a large FTMH. The patient was on systemic anti-platelet agents for coronary disease. Post-operatively, the FTMH remained open and repeated surgery, augmented with aPRP, was performed. Although a thick pre-retinal coagulum was evident on optical coherence tomography on day one post-surgery, the second surgery failed. Ultimately, successful aPRP-augmented surgical closure of the FTMH was achieved only after complete cessation of systemic anti-platelet agents. CONCLUSION: Appropriate management of anti-platelet therapy may be relevant when planning aPRP use, though further large-scale studies are needed to assess the precise effect of anti-platelet therapy on the efficacy of aPRP, and to confirm the potential role of aPRP in patients with Alport syndrome.

Very Early Discharge After Primary Percutaneous Coronary Intervention for ST-Elevation Myocardial Infarction: Mortality Outcomes at Six Months.

BACKGROUND: Current guidelines recommend that low risk patients presenting with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) and undergoing uncomplicated primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PPCI) can be discharged home in 48-72 h. We report the safety of early discharge in STEMI patients undergoing uncomplicated PPCI after 24-h stay in-hospital. METHODS: We performed a retrospective analysis of prospectively collected data of consecutive patients presenting with STEMI between January 2014 and December 2020. One- and 6-month mortality rates were compared between patients who underwent next day (early discharge group) and two days in-hospital stay (standard discharge group). RESULTS: Of 6119 STEMI patients, 4033 were included in the analysis, of whom 1674 (42 %) underwent early discharge. Patients in the early discharge group were younger, more likely to be male, and had a lower peak troponin. Both groups had similar ischemia- and door-to-balloon time, but anterior STEMI were less frequent in the early discharge group. The 1- and 6-month mortality rate for the whole cohort was 0.6 % and 1.3 %, respectively. After adjustment, there were no significant differences in the 1-month [HR 0.54; 95 % CI (0.20 to 1.47), P = 0.23] and 6-month mortality [HR 0.73; 95 % CI (0.38 to 1.41), P = 0.35] between early and standard discharge groups. Age, admission heart rate and chronic obstructive lung disease were identified as independent predictors of 6-month mortality in patients who underwent early discharge strategy. CONCLUSION: Our data confirms safety of next day discharge of patients presenting with STEMI after successful PPCI and uncomplicated post-procedural course.

Angiographic and Procedural Characteristics in Frail Older Patients with Non-ST Elevation Acute Coronary Syndrome.

Background: Angiographic and procedural characteristics stratified by frailty status are not known in older patients with non-ST elevation acute coronary syndrome (NSTEACS). We evaluated angiographic and procedural characteristics in older adults with NSTEACS by frailty category, as well as associations of baseline and residual SYNTAX scores with long-term outcomes. Methods: In this study, 271 NSTEACS patients aged ≥75 years underwent coronary angiography. Frailty was assessed using the Fried criteria. Angiographic analysis was performed using QAngio® XA Medis in a core laboratory. Major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) consisted of all-cause mortality, MI, stroke or transient ischaemic attack, repeat unplanned revascularisation and significant bleeding. Results: Mean (±SD) patient age was 80.5 ± 4.9 years. Compared with robust patients, patients with frailty had more severe culprit lesion calcification (OR 5.40; 95% CI [1.75-16.8]; p=0.03). In addition, patients with frailty had a smaller mean improvement in culprit lesion stenosis after percutaneous coronary intervention (50.6%; 95% CI [45.7-55.6]) than robust patients (58.6%; 95% CI [53.5-63.7]; p=0.042). There was no association between frailty phenotype and completeness of revascularisation (OR 0.83; 95% CI [0.36-1.93]; p=0.67). A high baseline SYNTAX score (≥33) was associated with adjusted (age and sex) 5-year MACE (HR 1.40; 95% CI [1.08-1.81]; p=0.01), as was a high residual SYNTAX score (≥8; adjusted HR 1.22; 95% CI [1.00-1.49]; p=0.047). Conclusion: Frail adults presenting with NSTEACS have more severe culprit lesion calcification. Frail adults were just as likely as robust patients to receive complete revascularisation. Baseline and residual SYNTAX score were associated with MACE at 5 years.

Prognostic value of admission high-sensitivity troponin in patients with ST-elevation myocardial infarction.

BACKGROUND AND AIM: Although the diagnostic usefulness of high-sensitivity cardiac troponin T (hs-cTnT) is well established in ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI), its prognostic relevance in risk stratification of patients with STEMI remains obscure. This study sought to determine the prognostic value of pre-reperfusion (admission) and post-reperfusion (12-hour) hs-cTnT in patients with STEMI treated with primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PPCI). METHODS: Retrospective observational longitudinal study including consecutive patients with STEMI treated with PPCI at a university hospital in the northeast of England. hs-cTnT was measured at admission to the catheterisation laboratory and 12 hours after PPCI. Clinical, procedural and laboratory data were prospectively collected during patient hospitalisation (June 2010-December 2014). Mortality data were obtained from the UK Office of National Statistics. The study endpoints were in-hospital and overall mortality. RESULTS: A total of 3113 patients were included. Median follow-up was 53 months. Admission hs-cTnT >515 ng/L (fourth quartile) was independently associated with in-hospital mortality (HR=2.53 per highest to lower quartiles; 95% CI: 1.32 to 4.85; p=0.005) after multivariable adjustment for a clinical model of mortality prediction. Likewise, admission hs-cTnT >515 ng/L independently predicted overall mortality (HR=1.27 per highest to lower quartiles; 95% CI: 1.02 to 1.59; p=0.029). Admission hs-cTnT correctly reclassified risk for in-hospital death (net reclassification index (NRI)=0.588, p<0.001) and overall mortality (NRI=0.178, p=0.001). Conversely, 12-hour hs-cTnT was not independently associated with mortality. CONCLUSION: Admission, but not 12-hour post-reperfusion, hs-cTnT predicts mortality and improves risk stratification in the PPCI era. These results support a prognostic role for admission hs-cTnT while challenge the cost-effectiveness of routine 12-hour hs-cTnT measurements in patients with STEMI.

Smoking status and mortality outcomes following percutaneous coronary intervention.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to assess the impact of smoking on short (30-day) and intermediate (30-day to 6-month) mortality following percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). BACKGROUND: The effect of smoking on mortality post-PCI is lacking in the modern PCI era. METHODS: This was a retrospective analysis of prospectively collected data comparing short- and intermediate-term mortality amongst smokers, ex-smokers and non-smokers. RESULTS: The study cohort consisted of 12,656 patients: never-smokers (n = 4288), ex-smokers (n = 4806) and current smokers (n = 3562). The mean age (±standard deviation) was 57 (±11) years in current smokers compared with 67 (±11) in ex-smokers and 67 (±12) in never-smokers; p < 0.0001. PCI was performed for acute coronary syndrome (ACS) in 84.1% of current smokers, 57% of ex-smokers and 62.9% in never-smokers; p < 0.0001. In a logistic regression model, the adjusted odds ratios (95% confidence intervals (CIs)) for 30-day mortality were 1.60 (1.10-2.32) in current smokers and 0.98 (0.70-1.38) in ex-smokers compared with never-smokers. In the Cox proportional hazard model, the adjusted hazard ratios (95% CI) for mortality between 30 days and 6 months were 1.03 (0.65-1.65) in current smokers and 1.19 (0.84-1.67) in ex-smokers compared with never-smokers. CONCLUSION: This large observational study of non-selected patients demonstrates that ex-smokers and never-smokers are of similar age at first presentation to PCI, and there is no short- or intermediate-term mortality difference between them following PCI. Current smokers undergo PCI at a younger age, more often for ACS, and have higher short-term mortality. These findings underscore the public message on the benefits of smoking cessation and the harmful effects of smoking.

Temporal management patterns and outcomes of non-ST elevation acute coronary syndromes in patients with kidney dysfunction.

AIMS: To examine: (i) the temporal changes in the management pattern; (ii) the reasons for any treatment disparities; (iii) the relationship between invasive treatment and outcome, among acute coronary syndrome (ACS) patients with vs. without kidney dysfunction. METHODS AND RESULTS: Canadian ACS I, ACS II registries and Global Registry of Acute Coronary Events (GRACE) were prospective, multi-centre, observational studies of patients with ACS. From 1999 to 2007, non-ST elevation (NSTE) ACS patients were recruited in ACS I (n = 3295; 1999-2001), ACS II (n = 1956; 2002-2003), and GRACE (n = 6491; 2004-2007) in Canada. Using the four-variable Modified Diet in Renal Disease equation, we stratified the study population (n = 11,377) into three groups based on their estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR), and examined their treatment and outcome. While in-hospital use of coronary angiography and revascularization increased over time in all groups (P < 0.001), patients with kidney dysfunction were less likely to undergo invasive management (P < 0.001). Unadjusted 1 year mortality was lower among patients receiving in-hospital coronary angiography within all eGFR categories (> or =60 mL/min/1.73 m(2): 2.5 vs. 7.6%, P < 0.001; 30-59 mL/min/1.73 m(2): 8.0 vs. 14.6%, P < 0.001; <30 mL/min/1.73 m(2): 27.5 vs. 41.5%, P = 0.043). In-hospital revascularization was independently associated with lower 1-year mortality (adjusted OR = 0.52, 95% CI 0.36-0.77, P = 0.001), irrespective of eGFR (P for heterogeneity = 0.39). Underestimation of patient risk was the most common barrier to an invasive treatment strategy. CONCLUSION: Despite temporal increases in invasive management of NSTE-ACS, patients with kidney dysfunction are more commonly treated conservatively, with an associated worse outcome. In-hospital revascularization was independently associated with improved survival, irrespective of eGFR. Randomized controlled trials involving patients with kidney dysfunction are needed to confirm whether more aggressive treatment will improve their poor outcome.

Effect of Pressure-controlled intermittent Coronary Sinus Occlusion (PiCSO) on infarct size in anterior STEMI: PiCSO in ACS study.

BACKGROUND: The aim of this clinical research was to investigate the effects of Pressure-controlled intermittent Coronary Sinus Occlusion (PiCSO) on infarct size at 5 days after primary percutaneous coronary intervention (pPCI) in patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI). METHODS AND RESULTS: This comparative study was carried out in four UK hospitals. Forty-five patients with anterior STEMI presenting within 12 h of symptom onset received pPCI plus PiCSO (initiated after reperfusion; n = 45) and were compared with a propensity score-matched control cohort from INFUSE-AMI (n = 80). Infarct size (% of LV mass, median [interquartile range]) measured by cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) at day 5 was significantly lower in the PiCSO group (14.3% [95% CI 9.2-19.4%] vs. 21.2% [95% CI 18.0-24.4%]; p = 0.023). There were no major adverse cardiac events (MACE) related to the PiCSO intervention. CONCLUSIONS: PiCSO, as an adjunct to pPCI, was associated with a lower infarct size at 5 days after anterior STEMI in a propensity score-matched population.

The "buddy-in-jail" technique-a novel method for increasing support during percutaneous coronary intervention.

The "buddy-in-jail" technique is a novel method for increasing support during percutaneous coronary intervention. We report two case-based examples of successful coronary stent delivery using the jailed buddy wire technique.

Three-dimensional (3D) printed endovascular simulation models: a feasibility study.

BACKGROUND: Three-dimensional (3D) printing is a manufacturing process in which an object is created by specialist printers designed to print in additive layers to create a 3D object. Whilst there are initial promising medical applications of 3D printing, a lack of evidence to support its use remains a barrier for larger scale adoption into clinical practice. Endovascular virtual reality (VR) simulation plays an important role in the safe training of future endovascular practitioners, but existing VR models have disadvantages including cost and accessibility which could be addressed with 3D printing. METHODS: This study sought to evaluate the feasibility of 3D printing an anatomically accurate human aorta for the purposes of endovascular training. RESULTS: A 3D printed model was successfully designed and printed and used for endovascular simulation. The stages of development and practical applications are described. Feedback from 96 physicians who answered a series of questions using a 5 point Likert scale is presented. CONCLUSIONS: Initial data supports the value of 3D printed endovascular models although further educational validation is required.