Beneficial Effects of IABP in Anterior Myocardial Infarction Complicated by Cardiogenic Shock.

Background and Objectives. Recent guidelines have downgraded the routine use of the intra-aortic balloon pump (IABP) in patients with cardiogenic shock (CS) due to ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI). Despite this, its use in clinical practice remains high. The aim of this study was to evaluate the prognostic impact of the IABP in patients with STEMI complicated by CS undergoing primary PCI (pPCI), focusing on patients with anterior MI in whom a major benefit has been previously hypothesized. Materials and Methods. We enrolled 2958 consecutive patients undergoing pPCI for STEMI in our department from 2005 to 2018. Propensity score matching and mortality analysis were performed. Results. CS occurred in 246 patients (8.3%); among these patients, 145 (60%) had anterior AMI. In the propensity-matched analysis, the use of the IABP was associated with a lower 30-day mortality (39.3% vs. 60.9%, p = 0.032) in the subgroup of patients with anterior STEMI. Conversely, in the whole group of CS patients and in the subgroup of patients with non-anterior STEMI, IABP use did not have a significant impact on mortality. Conclusions. The use of the IABP in cases of STEMI complicated by CS was found to improve survival in patients with anterior infarction. Prospective studies are needed before abandoning or markedly limiting the use of the IABP in this clinical setting.

Primary Percutaneous Coronary Intervention with High-Bolus Dose Tirofiban: The FASTER (Favorite Approach to Safe and Effective Treatment for Early Reperfusion) Multicenter Registry.

Objectives: To investigate the safety and clinical efficacy of tirofiban during primary percutaneous coronary interventions (pPCI). Background: Gp IIb/IIIa inhibitors (GPI) use during pPCI has declined over years, mainly for the increased hemorrhagic risk associated to their use and for the availability of potent, fast-acting oral antiplatelet drugs. However, several pharmacodynamic studies showed suboptimal platelet inhibition with P2Y12-blockers, such as prasugrel or ticagrelor. Methods: Patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) undergoing pPCI were prospectively enrolled in a multicenter registry conducted in high-volume centers in Italy. All patients received intraprocedural tirofiban. The primary safety endpoint was the occurrence of in-hospital bleedings according to the Bleeding Academic Research Consortium definition. In-hospital major adverse coronary events (MACE, defined as death, reinfarction, stent thrombosis, and target vessel revascularization), final TIMI flow, myocardial blush grade, and ST-segment resolution were also evaluated. Results: A total of 472 patients (mean age 61 ± 11 years, 83% males) were enrolled in 16 Italian centers from October 2015 to June 2018. Mean basal thrombus grade score was 3.47 ± 1.25. PCI was performed by transradial approach in 88% of patients. We observed a very low rate of 30 days BARC bleedings (2.1%) and MACE (0.8%). Complete (>70%) ST-segment resolution was observed in 67% of patients. Conclusions: In the FASTER registry, the use of tirofiban during primary PCI, performed with a transradial approach in most cases, in patients with high thrombus burden was associated with high rates of complete ST-segment resolution and low rates of in-hospital bleeding and MACE.

Follow-up strategies and individual risk profile after percutaneous coronary intervention: The prospective post percutaneous coronary intervention registry.

BACKGROUND: A multidisciplinary consensus document (MCD) provided a follow-up strategy after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) based on individual risk profiles: A, high; B, intermediate; and C, low. AIM: To assess patterns of follow-up after PCI and to evaluate the potential reduction of cardiologic examinations with the application of the MCD. METHODS: The post-PCI registry was carried out at 31 Italian Hospitals and included consecutive patients undergoing PCI. We collected cardiologic consults (CC), noninvasive stress tests (ST), and echocardiograms (EC) actually performed at 12 months and we compared them with the expected by the MCD. RESULTS: We included 1,113 patients (58% with acute coronary syndrome) that underwent 1,567 CC, 398 ST, and 612 EC. The performed CC and ST were significantly lower compared to the expected, respectively [1.6 (95% CI, 1.5-1.7) vs. 1.9 (95% CI, 1.8-2.0), and 0.40 (95% CI, 0.4-0.5) vs. 0.61 (95% CI, 0.6-0.7), p < .001]; the performed EC were significantly higher [0.6 (95% CI, 0.6-0.7) vs. 0.3 (95% CI, 0.3-0.37), p < .001]. Patients at moderate low risk had an excess of noninvasive tests whereas patients at higher risk received less examinations than the expected. The individual risk profile was an independent predictor of increased number of cardiac examination in patients at intermediate and low risk [profile B, OR 2.56 (95%CI 1.38-4.75); profile C, OR 27.00 (95%CI 8.13-89.62), p < .001]. CONCLUSION: In real world patients undergoing PCI, the intensity of follow-up at 12 months appeared not based on individual risk profile, with a higher numbers of examinations, particularly EC, performed in low risk subjects.

Elevated serum uric acid is associated with a greater inflammatory response and with short- and long-term mortality in patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction undergoing primary percutaneous coronary intervention.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Despite elevated serum uric acid (eSUA) has been identified as independent risk factor for cardiovascular diseases, its prognostic value in the setting of ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) is still controversial. Although the mechanisms of this possible relationship are unsettled it has been suggested that eSUA could trigger the inflammatory response. This study sought to investigate the association between eSUA with short- and long-term mortality and with inflammatory response in patients with STEMI treated with primary percutaneous coronary intervention (pPCI). METHODS AND RESULTS: Blood samples were collected on admission and at 24 and 48 h after pPCI: the inflammatory biomarkers C-reactive protein (CRP), neutrophil count and neutrophil to lymphocytes ratio (NLR) were considered. Baseline eSUA was defined as ≥6.8 mg/dl. Cumulative 30-days and 1-year mortalities were estimated using the Kaplan-Meyer analysis. Multivariable analyses were performed by Cox proportional hazard models. In the 2369 patients with STEMI considered, 30-day mortality was 5.8% among patients with eSUA and 2% among patient with normal SUA level (p < 0.001); 1-year mortality was 8.5% vs 4%, respectively (p < 0.001). At multivariable analyses eSUA was an independent predictor of 30-day mortality (HR 1.196, 95%CI 1.006-1.321, p = 0.042) and 1-year mortality (HR 1.178, 95%CI 1.052-1.320, p = 0.005). eSUA patients presented higher values in on admission CRP (p < 0.001) and in neutrophil count and NLR at 24 h (respectively, p = 0.020 and p < 0.001) and at 48 h (p = 0.018 and p < 0.001) compared to patients with normal SUA levels. CONCLUSIONS: Elevated serum uric acid is associated with higher short- and long-term mortality and with a greater inflammatory response after reperfusion in patients with STEMI treated with primary PCI.

Elevated serum uric acid is a predictor of contrast associated acute kidney injury in patient with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction undergoing primary percutaneous coronary intervention.

BACKGROUND: Contrast associated-acute kidney injury (CA-AKI) has been associated with adverse outcomes after ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI). However, early markers of CA-AKI are still needed to improve risk stratification. We investigated the association between elevated serum uric acid (eSUA) and CA-AKI in patients with STEMI treated with primary percutaneous coronary intervention (pPCI). METHODS AND RESULTS: Serum creatinine (Scr) was measured at admission and 24, 48 and 72 h after pPCI. CA-AKI was defined as an increase of 25% (CA-AKI 25%) or 0.5 mg/dl (CA-AKI 0.5) of Scr level above the baseline after 48 h following contrast administration. Multivariable analyses to investigate CA-AKI predictors were performed by binary logistic regression and multivariable backward logistic regression model. In the 3023 patients considered, CA-AKI was more frequent among patients with eSUA as compared with patients with normal SUA levels, considering both CA-AKI definitions (CA-AKI25%: 20.8% vs 16.2%, p < 0.012; CA-AKI 0.5: 10.1% vs 5.8%, p < 0.001). The association between eSUA and CA-AKI was confirmed at multivariable analyses (CA-AKI 25%: odd ratio 1.32, 95% CI 1.03-1.69, p = 0.027; CA-AKI 0.5: odd ratio 1.76, 95% CI 1.11-2.79, p = 0.016). CONCLUSION: Elevated serum uric acid is associated with CA-AKI after reperfusion in patients with STEMI treated with pPCI.

Has hyperglycemia a different prognostic role in STEMI patients with or without diabetes?

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Hyperglycemia at hospital admission is a common finding in patients with STEMI. However, whether elevated acute glycemia in these patients may have a direct impact on worsening prognosis or is just a marker of a greater neurohormonal activation in response to the infarction is still unsettled. We sought to investigate the prognostic impact of hyperglycemia at hospital admission in patients undergoing primary PCI (pPCI) for STEMI, and the influence of the presence of diabetes mellitus (DM) on its prognostic impact. METHODS: and Results, We enrolled 2958 consecutive STEMI patients treated by pPCI. Hyperglycemia was defined as plasma glucose >198 mg/dL (or >11 mmol/L). Patients with hyperglycemia showed a greater risk-profile; they also experienced a higher mortality both at univariable (17.6% vs 5.2%, p < 0.001) and multivariable (HR 1.9, 95%IC 1.5-2.9, p = 0.001) analysis. However, after stratification for DM presence, hyperglycemia resulted as an independent predictor of mortality only in patients without DM (HR 2, 95%IC 1.2-3.4, p = 0.01). CONCLUSION: Hyperglycemia in the setting of myocardial infarction treated with primary PCI in an independent predictor of all-cause mortality in patients without diabetes; in patients with diabetes, its prognostic impact seems attenuated.

Atrial fibrillation in advanced renal failure: are there alternative solutions to warfarin-dicumarol?

Patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) and chronic renal failure (CRF) represent a growing population in epidemiological terms since both conditions increase with advancing age. The association of AF and CRF is burdened with a poor prognosis and with a high risk of adverse events, both ischaemic and haemorrhagic. Oral anticoagulant therapy, in these patients, is more problematic, especially due to the concomitant increased risk of bleeding. The use of direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs) in patients with non-severe renal insufficiency appears to be safe and effective. Since all currently available DOACs are at least partially eliminated by the kidney (dabigatran is the direct anticoagulant with the highest rate of renal elimination, approximately 80%), periodic monitoring of renal function is recommended to evaluate possible need for dosage adjustment. In patients with advanced renal insufficiency, the use of DOAC appears controversial, given the small number of clinical studies that have tested its efficacy and safety. It is known, however, that oral anticoagulation therapy with vitamin K antagonists (VKAs) is associated with an increase in nephropathy and renal-vascular calcification. From this point of view, therapy with DOAC could be more advantageous than VKAs. Data from clinical studies would seem to show that the use of dabigatran and rivaroxaban in these patients may lead to a reduction in the inevitable deterioration of renal function.

ANMCO POSITION PAPER: Role of intra-aortic balloon pump in patients with acute advanced heart failure and cardiogenic shock.

The treatment of patients with advanced acute heart failure is still challenging. Intra-aortic balloon pump (IABP) has widely been used in the management of patients with cardiogenic shock. However, according to international guidelines, its routinary use in patients with cardiogenic shock is not recommended. This recommendation is derived from the results of the IABP-SHOCK II trial, which demonstrated that IABP does not reduce all-cause mortality in patients with acute myocardial infarction and cardiogenic shock. The present position paper, released by the Italian Association of Hospital Cardiologists, reviews the available data derived from clinical studies. It also provides practical recommendations for the optimal use of IABP in the treatment of cardiogenic shock and advanced acute heart failure.

Leptin affects the inflammatory response after STEMI.

Leptin is an adipose tissue-derived hormone primarily involved in the regulation of food intake. Leptine has been shown to have a much broader role than just regulating body weight and appetite in response to food intake: among the others, it has been associated with increased ROS production and inflammation, factors involved in the restoration of an effective myocardial reperfusion after myocardial revascularization. Our study, to our best knowledge, is the first showing a direct relationship between leptin serum levels, inflammatory mediators of the ischemia reperfusion damage and effective myocardial reperfusion in patients with ST elevation myocardial infarction undergoing primary percutaneous coronary intervention. Our findings suggest that leptin serum levels are directly associated with the inflammatory response during an acute myocardial infarction and may have a role in risk stratification in this clinical setting.

Favorable effect of glycoprotein IIbIIIa inhibitors among STEMI patients treated with primary PCI and incomplete ST resolution.

Incomplete ST resolution after primary percutaneous coronary interventions (pPCI) in STEMI patients is a well known prognostic marker, associated with the occurrence of microvascular obstruction and increased mortality. The effects of the use of glycoprotein IIbIIIa inhibitors (GPIs) in this peculiar subset of high- risk patients is still unknown. The aim of the present study was to assess whether the GPIs administration would result in improved outcome in ST elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) patients with incomplete ST resolution (ISTR).All consecutive STEMI patients who underwent pPCI at our hospital between 2005 and 2014 were enrolled (n = 2001). ST resolution was defined as incomplete with a < 70% resolution of initial ST shift. Mortality analyses were performed by Kaplan-Meier curves, multivariable analysis through Cox regressions and propensity matching score. The incidence of ISTR was 29% (n = 592). Among ISTR patients, GPIs use was an independent predictor of better prognosis (HR 0.39, 95% CI 0.16-0.96, p < 0.04). Propensity matched analysis confirmed that the use of GPIs was associated with a lower 30-day (6.1% vs 13.4%, p = 0.02) and 1-year (8.4% vs 15.1%, p = 0.045) mortality. STEMI patients treated with pPCI and presenting ISTR show a poor outcome. The use of GPIs in these patients is associated with improved survival at 30 days and at 1 year; the causes for these favorable effects remain speculative and could be related to the development and evolution of microvascular obstruction.

Combined Transcatheter Treatment of Severe Aortic Valve Stenosis and Infrarenal Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm in Increased Surgical Risk Patients.

The prevalence of combined severe aortic stenosis and abdominal aortic aneurysm is increasing with the aging of the population. Both conditions are associated with adverse outcome if not adequately managed. The choice of the optimal treatment of these patients is challenging and no clear recommendations are available. We report 2 cases of patients with concomitant severe symptomatic aortic stenosis and infrarenal abdominal aortic aneurysm successfully treated with combined transfemoral transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) and endovascular aortic aneurysm repair (EVAR). The reported cases demonstrate the versatility of transcatheter techniques and suggest that, in carefully selected patients, the combined procedure of TAVI plus EVAR, if performed by multidisciplinary expert operators, is safe and effective.

Drug eluting stents are superior to bare metal stents to reduce clinical outcome and stent-related complications in CKD patients, a systematic review, meta-analysis and network meta-analysis.

Aims To compare clinical outcome in Chronic kidney disease (CKD) patients receiving coronary stents according to stent type BMS versus DES and 1st generation versus 2nd generation DES. Methods and Results PubMed, Cinhal, Cochrane, Embase, and Web of Science were searched for studies including CKD patients. CKD was defined as eGFR < 60 mL/min. We selected n = 35 articles leading to 376 169 patients, of which 76 557 CKD patients receiving BMS n = 35,807, 1st generation DES n = 37,650, or 2nd generation DES n = 3100. Patient receiving DES, compared to BMS, had a 18% lower all-cause mortality (RR 0.82, 95%CI 0.71-0.94). The composite of death or myocardial infarction (MI) was lower in DES patients (RR 0.78, 95%CI 0.67-0.91), as was stent thrombosis (ST) (RR 0.57, 95%CI 0.34-0.95), target vessel/lesion revascularization (TVR/TLR) (RR 0.69, 95%CI 0.57-0.84) and death for cardiovascular cause (RR 0.43, 95%CI 0.25-0.74). We also found a gradient between 1st and 2nd generation DES, through BMS. Second, compared to 1st generation DES, were associated with further relative risk (RR) reduction of -18% in of all-cause death, and lower incidence of stent-related clinical events: -39% RR of ST risk; -27 RR of TVR/TLR risk. Conclusions DES in CKD patients undergoing PCI were superior to BMS in reducing major adverse clinical events. This was possibly explained, by a lower risk of stent-related events as ST and TVR or TLR. Second, compared to 1st generation DES may furtherly reduce clinical events.

Antiplatelet therapy and outcome in patients undergoing surgery following coronary stenting: Results of the surgery after stenting registry.

OBJECTIVES: The aim of the present study was to define the feasibility and clinical impact of complying with national consensus recommendations on perioperative management of antiplatelet therapy in patients with coronary stents undergoing cardiac and noncardiac surgery. BACKGROUND: There are limited evidence-based recommendations on the perioperative management of antiplatelet therapy in stented patients undergoing surgery. METHODS: The recommendations provided by the national consensus document were applied in a multicenter, prospective registry of consecutive patients with prior coronary stenting undergoing any type of surgery at 19 hospitals in Italy. The primary end-point was in-hospital net adverse clinical events (NACE) represented by the composite of all-cause death, myocardial infarction, probable/definite stent thrombosis and Bleeding Academic Research Consortium (BARC) grade ≥3 bleeding. Patients were followed for 30 days. RESULTS: A total of 1,082 patients were enrolled. Adherence to consensus recommendations occurred in 85% of the cases. Perioperative aspirin and dual antiplatelet therapy were maintained in 69.7 and 10.5% of the cases, respectively. In-hospital NACE rate was 12.7%, being significantly higher in patients undergoing cardiac surgery (36.3% vs. 7.3%, P < 0.01), mainly due to BARC 3 bleeding events (32.3%). At 30 days, MACE rates were similar (3.5% vs. 3.5%, P = NS) in patients undergoing cardiac and noncardiac surgery, whereas BARC ≥3 bleeding events were significantly higher with cardiac surgery (36.3% vs. 5.6%, P < 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: The results of this registry demonstrate the safety and feasibility of applying a national consensus document on the perioperative management of antiplatelet therapy in stented patients undergoing surgery. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Which long-term antiplatelet regimen for patients with acute coronary syndromes?

Dual antiplatelet therapy (DAPT ) is recommended up to 12 months in patients with acute coronary syndromes, but the risk of cardiovascular events in this group of subjects remains high, also in the long-term follow-up. The potential benefit of a prolonged period of DAPT has recently been assessed in three large-volume randomized clinical trials (PEGASUS, DAPT-MI, TRA2P-TIMI 50) but final results are quite difficult to interpret and clear indications for the clinical practice are so far lacking. A direct comparison of the three studies is challenging since relevant differences exist as to clinical features and risk profile of the study populations. Different anti-platelet drugs have been tested in addition to aspirin making it difficult to understand which antithrombotic regimen guarantees the best balance between thrombotic and haemorragic events. Finally, specific designs of these trials, evaluating complex composite end-points, may generate further difficulties in the interpretation of data. We believe that the use of total mortality rather than cardiovascular death as end-point, would better describe the long-term outcome incorporating the catastrophic consequences of bleeding. This review seeks to highlight strengths and weaknesses of these three large-volume trials and tries to establish whether or not prolonging DAPT beyond 12 months in patients with acute coronary syndromes is useful and which anti-thrombotic regimen would offer the best balance between thrombotic and bleeding risk.

A multidisciplinary consensus document on follow-up strategies for patients treated with percutaneous coronary intervention.

The number of percutaneous coronary interventions (PCI) is increasing worldwide. Follow-up strategies after PCI are extremely heterogeneous and can greatly affect the cost of medical care. Of note, clinical evaluations and non-invasive exams are often performed to low risk patients. In the present consensus document, practical advises are provided with respect to a tailored follow-up strategy on the basis of patients' risk profile. Three strategies follow-up have been defined and types and timing of clinical and instrumental evaluations are reported. Clinical and interventional cardiologists, cardiac rehabilitators, and general practitioners, who are in charge to manage post-PCI patients, equally contributed to the creation of the present document.

[Venoarterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation: from evidence to clinical practice]. / Il supporto della circolazione extracorporea nelle emergenze cardiologiche: evidenze scientifiche e pratica clinica.

Mortality for cardiogenic shock is still high despite optimal pharmacological therapy. Therefore, active mechanical circulatory support devices are increasingly used; venoarterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (VA-ECMO) enables full circulatory and respiratory support. However, recent data show that in patients with infarct-related shock unselected early use of VA-ECMO does not improve survival and is associated with major bleeding and peripheral ischemic complications. Nowadays, waiting for the results of definitive randomized controlled trials, the main indication for ECMO utilization is in selected patients with cardiac arrest, in those with shock for advanced heart failure refractory to conventional therapy, in those with fulminant myocarditis, in patients candidate for heart transplant or ventricular assistance, especially in presence of respiratory insufficiency and severe biventricular dysfunction. An important recommendation is its utilization in specialized, high-volume centers in the setting of hub and spoke hospitals.

Safety and efficacy of everolimus-eluting bioresorbable vascular scaffold for cardiac allograft vasculopathy (CART).

BACKGROUND: Cardiac allograft vasculopathy (CAV) is still the main drawback of heart transplantation (HTx) and percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) is a palliative measure because of the high incidence of failure. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to investigate the safety and efficacy of bioresorbable scaffolds (BRSs) as potential novel therapeutic tool for the treatment of coronary stenoses in CAV. METHODS: This is a multicenter, single-arm, prospective, open-label study (CART, NCT02377648), that included patients affected by advanced CAV treated with PCI and second-generation ABSORB BRS (Abbott Vascular). The primary endpoint was the incidence of 12-month angiographic in-segment scaffold restenosis (ISSR). Secondary endpoints were the incidence of major adverse cardiac events (MACEs) at 12- and 36-month follow-up and the incidence of ISSR at 36 months. A paired intracoronary imaging analysis at baseline and follow-up was also performed. RESULTS: Between 2015 and 2017 35 HTx patients were enrolled and treated for 44 coronary lesions with 51 BRSs. The primary endpoint occurred in 13.5% of the lesions (5/37), with a cumulative ISSR rate up to 3 years of 16.2% (6/37). Angiographic lumen loss was 0.40 ± 0.62 mm at 12 months and 0.53 ± 0.57 mm at 36 months. Overall survival rate was 91.4% and 74.3%, and MACEs incidence 14.2% and 31.4% at 12 and 36 months, respectively. At the paired intracoronary imaging analysis, a significant increase of the vessel external elastic membrane area in the treated segment and some progression of CAV proximally to the BRS were detected. CONCLUSIONS: BRS-based PCI for the treatment of CAV is feasible and safe, with an ISSR incidence similar to what reported in retrospective studies with drug-eluting stents.