Renal Dysfunction Increases Risk of Adverse Cardiovascular Events in 5-Year Follow-Up Study of Intermediate Coronary Artery Lesions.

BACKGROUND Progression of chronic coronary syndrome (CCS) is influenced by chronic kidney disease (CKD). This 5-year follow-up study aimed to assess 100 patients with 118 intermediate coronary artery lesions evaluated by fractional flow reserve (FFR) and intravascular imaging stratified according to renal function. MATERIAL AND METHODS This prospective study enrolled patients with intermediate coronary stenosis identified by coronary angiogram. Patients with severe renal dysfunction (estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) <45 ml/min/1.73 m²) were excluded from the study. The remaining were divided into 2 groups according to eGFR: 45-60 ml/min/1.73 m² for mild-to-moderate renal dysfunction and >60 ml/min/1.73 m² for no renal dysfunction. We analyzed intermediate-grade stenoses (40-80% as assessed in coronary angiography) with the use of optical coherence tomography (OCT), FFR, and intravascular ultrasound (IVUS). RESULTS Renal dysfunction patients were older (67.7±8.1 vs 63.6±9.7 years, P=0.044). Lesion characteristics, including plaque type and minimal lumen area in OCT, showed no significant differences between the renal dysfunction and no renal dysfunction groups. Thin-cap fibroatheroma, calcific plaques, lipidic plaques, and fibrous plaques had similar prevalence. FFR values and IVUS parameters did not significantly differ between the groups. Over a 5-year follow-up, individuals with mild-to-moderate renal dysfunction had an elevated risk of all-cause mortality and major adverse cardiovascular events in multivariate analyses adjusted for age and sex. CONCLUSIONS Mild-to-moderate renal dysfunction was not associated with significant differences in OCT- and IVUS-derived plaque morphology nor with functional indices characterizing intermediate-grade coronary stenoses. Renal dysfunction was related to a higher risk of all-cause mortality and major adverse cardiovascular events prevalence in 5-year follow-up.

Chemokine Fractalkine and Non-Obstructive Coronary Artery Disease-Is There a Link?

Non-obstructive coronary artery disease (NO-CAD) constitutes a heterogeneous group of conditions collectively characterized by less than 50% narrowing in at least one major coronary artery with a fractional flow reserve (FFR) of ≤0.80 observed in coronary angiography. The pathogenesis and progression of NO-CAD are still not fully understood, however, inflammatory processes, particularly atherosclerosis and microvascular dysfunction are known to play a major role in it. Chemokine fractalkine (FKN/CX3CL1) is inherently linked to these processes. FKN/CX3CL1 functions predominantly as a chemoattractant for immune cells, facilitating their transmigration through the vessel wall and inhibiting their apoptosis. Its concentrations correlate positively with major cardiovascular risk factors. Moreover, promising preliminary results have shown that FKN/CX3CL1 receptor inhibitor (KAND567) administered in the population of patients with ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI), inhibits the adverse reaction of the immune system that causes hyperinflammation. Whereas the link between FKN/CX3CL1 and NO-CAD appears evident, further studies are necessary to unveil this complex relationship. In this review, we critically overview the current data on FKN/CX3CL1 in the context of NO-CAD and present the novel clinical implications of the unique structure and function of FKN/CX3CL1 as a compound which distinctively contributes to the pathomechanism of this condition.

Implementation of Microcirculation Examination in Clinical Practice-Insights from the Nationwide POL-MKW Registry.

Background and Objectives: The assessment of coronary microcirculation may facilitate risk stratification and treatment adjustment. The aim of this study was to evaluate patients' clinical presentation and treatment following coronary microcirculation assessment, as well as factors associated with an abnormal coronary flow reserve (CFR) and index of microcirculatory resistance (IMR) values. Materials and Results: This retrospective analysis included 223 patients gathered from the national registry of invasive coronary microvascular testing collected between 2018 and 2023. Results: The frequency of coronary microcirculatory assessments in Poland has steadily increased since 2018. Patients with impaired IMR (≥25) were less burdened with comorbidities. Patients with normal IMR underwent revascularisation attempts more frequently (11.9% vs. 29.8%, p = 0.003). After microcirculation testing, calcium channel blockers (CCBs) and angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors were added more often for patients with IMR and CFR abnormalities, respectively, as compared to control groups. Moreover, patients with coronary microvascular dysfunction (CMD, defined as CFR and/or IMR abnormality), regardless of treatment choice following microcirculation assessment, were provided with trimetazidine (23.2%) and dihydropyridine CCBs (26.4%) more frequently than those without CMD who were treated conservatively (6.8%) and by revascularisation (4.2% with p = 0.002 and 0% with p < 0.001, respectively). Multivariable analysis revealed no association between angina symptoms and IMR or CFR impairment. Conclusions: The frequency of coronary microcirculatory assessments in Poland has steadily increased. Angina symptoms were not associated with either IMR or CFR impairment. After microcirculation assessment, patients with impaired microcirculation, expressed as either low CFR, high IMR or both, received additional pharmacotherapy treatment more often.

Third-Generation Sirolimus-Eluting Bioresorbable Tyrocore Scaffold Implantation in Patients with ST-Segment Elevation Myocardial Infarction: Baseline and 6-Month OCT and Clinical Outcomes-a FANTOM STEMI Pilot Study.

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to evaluate the safety and efficacy of the Fantom BRS 6 months after implantation using the optical coherence tomography (OCT) imaging. METHODS: Twenty STEMI patients treated with a sirolimus-eluting Fantom BRS were enrolled into a prospective, single-arm, serial observational study. The scaffold sizing, positioning and optimisation were guided by OCT imaging. The primary endpoint was device-orientated composite endpoints (DOCE), comprised of cardiac death, target-vessel-related myocardial infarction and target lesion failure. To evaluate the device performance at the scaffold level, we performed a quantitative coronary angiography (QCA) and OCT imaging at 6 months. RESULTS: The primary endpoint did not occur in any patient within the 6-month follow-up. There were no major adverse cardiac events (MACEs) or DOCEs, no cases of scaffold thrombosis, target lesion revascularization and no deaths. In QCA, we observed a decrease in the minimum and mean lumen diameter in the in-scaffold region and in the proximal and distal peri-scaffold region. Similarly, the minimum lumen area and reference vessel diameter had decreased in both QCA and OCT. The OCT imaging showed improvement in the expansion index and malposition rate. CONCLUSION: A serial 6-month OCT imaging after implantation of a third-generation Tyrocore-based bioresorbable coronary scaffold indicated good coverage of the struts with excellent healing of the scaffold, low neointima growth and no signs of neoatherosclerosis.

Angiography-Based Fractional Flow Reserve: State of the Art.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Three-dimensional quantitative coronary angiography-based methods of fractional flow reserve (FFR) derivation have emerged as an appealing alternative to conventional pressure-wire-based physiological lesion assessment and have the potential to further extend the use of physiology in general. Here, we summarize the current evidence related to angiography-based FFR and perspectives on future developments. RECENT FINDINGS: Growing evidence suggests good diagnostic performance of angiography-based FFR measurements, both in chronic and acute coronary syndromes, as well as in specific lesion subsets, such as long and calcified lesions, left main coronary stenosis, and bifurcations. More recently, promising results on the superiority of angiography-based FFR as compared to angiography-guided PCI have been published. Currently available angiography -FFR indices proved to be an excellent alternative to invasive pressure wire-based FFR. Dedicated prospective outcome data comparing these indices to routine guideline recommended PCI including the use of FFR are eagerly awaited.

Correlation between 3D-QCA based FFR and quantitative lumen assessment by IVUS for left main coronary artery stenoses.

OBJECTIVES: We aimed to evaluate the feasibility of using three dimensional-quantitative coronary angiography (3D-QCA) based fractional flow reserve (FFR) (vessel fractional flow reserve [vFFR], CAAS8.1, Pie Medical Imaging) and to correlate vFFR values with intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) for the evaluation of intermediate left main coronary artery (LMCA) stenosis. BACKGROUND: 3D-QCA derived FFR indices have been recently developed for less invasive functional lesion assessment. However, LMCA lesions were vastly under-represented in first validation studies. METHODS: This observational single-center cohort study enrolled consecutive patients with stable angina, unstable angina, or non-ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction and nonostial, intermediate grade LMCA stenoses who underwent IVUS evaluation. vFFR was computed based on two angiograms with optimal LMCA stenosis projection and correlated with IVUS-derived minimal lumen area (MLA). RESULTS: A total of 256 patients with intermediate grade LMCA stenosis evaluated with IVUS were screened for eligibility; 147 patients met the clinical inclusion criteria and had a complete IVUS LMCA footage available, of them, 63 patients (63 lesions) underwent 3D-QCA and vFFR analyses. The main reason for screening failure was insufficient quality of the angiogram (51 patients,60.7%). Mean age was 65 ± 11 years, 75% were male. Overall, mean MLA within LMCA was 8.77 ± 3.17 mm2 , while mean vFFR was 0.87 ± 0.09. A correlation was observed between vFFR and LMCA MLA (r = .792, p = .001). The diagnostic accuracy of vFFR ≤0.8 in identifying lesions with MLA < 6.0 mm2 (sensitivity 98%, specificity 71.4%, area under the curve (AUC) 0.95, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.89-1.00, p = .001) was good. CONCLUSIONS: In patients with good quality angiographic visualization of LMCA and available complete LMCA IVUS footage, 3D-QCA based vFFR assessment of LMCA disease correlates well to LMCA MLA as assessed by IVUS.

Predicting 2-year all-cause mortality after contemporary PCI: Updating the logistic clinical SYNTAX score.

AIMS: We aimed to update the logistic clinical SYNTAX score to predict 2 year all-cause mortality after contemporary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). METHODS AND RESULTS: We analyzed 15,883 patients in the GLOBAL LEADERS study who underwent PCI. The logistic clinical SYNTAX model was updated after imputing missing values by refitting the original model (refitted original model) and fitting an extended new model (new model, with, selection based on the Akaike Information Criterion). External validation was performed in 10,100 patients having PCI at Fu Wai hospital. Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, prior stroke, current smoker, hemoglobin level, and white blood cell count were identified as additional independent predictors of 2 year all-cause mortality and included into the new model. The c-indexes of the original, refitted original and the new model in the derivation cohort were 0.74 (95% CI 0.72-0.76), 0.75 (95% CI 0.73-0.77), and 0.78 (95% CI 0.76-0.80), respectively. The c-index of the new model was lower in the validation cohort than in the derivation cohort, but still showed improved discriminative ability of the newly developed model (0.72; 95% CI 0.67-0.77) compared to the refitted original model (0.69; 95% CI 0.64-0.74). The models overestimated the observed 2 year all-cause mortality of 1.11% in the Chinese external validation cohort by 0.54 percentage points, indicating the need for calibration of the model to the Chinese patient population. CONCLUSIONS: The new model of the logistic clinical SYNTAX score better predicts 2 year all-cause mortality after PCI than the original model. The new model could guide clinical decision making by risk stratifying patients undergoing PCI.

Vulnerable plaques and patients: state-of-the-art.

Despite advanced understanding of the biology of atherosclerosis, coronary heart disease remains the leading cause of death worldwide. Progress has been challenging as half of the individuals who suffer sudden cardiac death do not experience premonitory symptoms. Furthermore, it is well-recognized that also a plaque that does not cause a haemodynamically significant stenosis can trigger a sudden cardiac event, yet the majority of ruptured or eroded plaques remain clinically silent. In the past 30 years since the term 'vulnerable plaque' was introduced, there have been major advances in the understanding of plaque pathogenesis and pathophysiology, shifting from pursuing features of 'vulnerability' of a specific lesion to the more comprehensive goal of identifying patient 'cardiovascular vulnerability'. It has been also recognized that aside a thin-capped, lipid-rich plaque associated with plaque rupture, acute coronary syndromes (ACS) are also caused by plaque erosion underlying between 25% and 60% of ACS nowadays, by calcified nodule or by functional coronary alterations. While there have been advances in preventive strategies and in pharmacotherapy, with improved agents to reduce cholesterol, thrombosis, and inflammation, events continue to occur in patients receiving optimal medical treatment. Although at present the positive predictive value of imaging precursors of the culprit plaques remains too low for clinical relevance, improving coronary plaque imaging may be instrumental in guiding pharmacotherapy intensity and could facilitate optimal allocation of novel, more aggressive, and costly treatment strategies. Recent technical and diagnostic advances justify continuation of interdisciplinary research efforts to improve cardiovascular prognosis by both systemic and 'local' diagnostics and therapies. The present state-of-the-art document aims to present and critically appraise the latest evidence, developments, and future perspectives in detection, prevention, and treatment of 'high-risk' plaques occurring in 'vulnerable' patients.

Ticagrelor monotherapy in patients with concomitant diabetes mellitus and chronic kidney disease: a post hoc analysis of the GLOBAL LEADERS trial.

BACKGROUND: Patients with both diabetes mellitus (DM) and chronic kidney disease (CKD) are a subpopulation characterized by ultrahigh ischemic and bleeding risk after percutaneous coronary intervention. There are limited data on the impact of ticagrelor monotherapy among these patients. METHODS: In this post hoc analysis of the GLOBAL-LEADERS trial, the treatment effects of the experimental (one-month dual-antiplatelet therapy [DAPT] followed by 23-month ticagrelor monotherapy) versus the reference regimen (12-month DAPT followed by 12-month aspirin alone) were analyzed according to DM/CKD status. The primary endpoint was a composite endpoint of all-cause death or new Q-wave myocardial infarction at 2-years. The patient-oriented composite endpoint (POCE) was defined as the composite of all-cause death, any stroke, site-reported MI and any revascularization, whereas net adverse clinical events (NACE) combined POCE with BARC type 3 or 5 bleeding events. RESULTS: At 2 years, the DM + /CKD + patients had significantly higher incidences of the primary endpoint (9.5% versus 3.1%, adjusted HR 2.16; 95% CI [1.66-2.80], p < 0.001), BARC type 3 or 5 bleeding events, stroke, site-reported myocardial infraction, all revascularization, POCE, and NACE, compared with the DM-/CKD- patients. Among the DM + /CKD + patients, after adjustment, there were no significant differences in the primary endpoints between the experimental and reference regimen; however, the experimental regimen was associated with lower rates of POCE (20.6% versus 25.9%, HR 0.74; 95% CI [0.55-0.99], p = 0.043, pinteraction = 0.155) and NACE (22.7% versus 28.3%, HR 0.75; 95% CI [0.56-0.99], p = 0.044, pinteraction = 0.310), which was mainly driven by a lower rate of all revascularization, as compared with the reference regimen. The landmark analysis showed that while the experimental and reference regimen had similar rates of all the clinical endpoints during the first year, the experimental regimen was associated with significantly lower rates of POCE (5.8% versus 11.0%, HR 0.49; 95% CI [0.29-0.82], p = 0.007, pinteraction = 0.040) and NACE (5.8% versus 11.2%, HR 0.48; 95% CI [0.29-0.82], p = 0.007, pinteraction = 0.013) in the second year. CONCLUSION: Among patients with both DM and CKD, ticagrelor monotherapy was not associated with lower rates of all-cause death or new Q-wave, or major bleeding complications; however, it was associated with lower rates of POCE and NACE. These findings should be interpreted as hypothesis-generating. CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT01813435).

Second generation, sirolimus-eluting, bioresorbable Tyrocore scaffold implantation in patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction: Baseline OCT and 30-day clinical outcomes - A FANTOM STEMI pilot study.

BACKGROUND: There is paucity of data on acute performance of Fantom (REVA Medical, CA), a second generation sirolimus-eluting bioresorbable scaffold (BRS), in ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) patients undergoing primary percutaneous coronary intervention. The aim of this study was to evaluate safety and efficacy of the Fantom BRS in the acute setting of STEMI characterized by thrombogenic milieu. METHODOLOGY: Ten STEMI patients treated with a sirolimus-eluting Fantom BRS were enrolled into prospective, observational study. The scaffold sizing, positioning, and optimization were optical coherence tomography (OCT) guided. The primary end-point was the device-oriented composite endpoint (DOCE), additionally angiographic and OCT analysis were performed. RESULTS: The primary-end point, defined as DOCE, did not occur in any patient within the 30-day follow-up. The procedural and angiographic success rates were both 100%, there was no case of scaffold thrombosis, target lesion revascularization nor death. In QCA, an in-device minimum lumen diameter was 2.89 ± 0.24 mm and the residual diameter stenosis was 3.56 ± 3.17%. OCT revealed an incomplete scaffold apposition in five patients with an average of seven malapposed struts per scaffold and mean distance of 120 ± 30 µm. There was no proximal edge dissection, the distal edge dissection was recorded in one patient. CONCLUSIONS: This is the first pilot study evaluating safety and efficacy of the Fantom BRS, a second generation fully bioresorbable coronary scaffold, in STEMI patients undergoing primary PCI with OCT guidance. Fantom BRS showed adequate safety and efficacy in the acute 30-day angiographic, OCT, and clinical follow-up.

Two years clinical outcomes with the state-of-the-art PCI for the treatment of bifurcation lesions: A sub-analysis of the SYNTAX II study.

BACKGROUND: Bifurcation PCI is associated with a lower rate of procedural success, especially in multivessel disease patients. We aimed to determine the impact of bifurcation treatment on 2-years clinical outcomes when a state-of-the-art PCI strategy (heart team decision-making using the SYNTAX score II, physiology guided coronary stenosis assessment, thin strut bioresorbable polymer drug-eluting stent, and intravascular ultrasound guidance) is followed. METHODS: Three-vessel disease patients enrolled in the SYNTAX II trial (n = 454) were categorized in patients with (a) ≥1 treated bifurcation (n = 126), and (b) without bifurcation (n = 281). The primary endpoint was the occurrence of major adverse cardio and cerebrovascular events (MACCE-a composite of all-cause death, stroke, any myocardial infarction, or any revascularization) at 2 years. Secondary endpoints were the occurrence of target lesion failure (TLF) defined as cardiac death, target-vessel myocardial infarction and ischemia-driven target lesion revascularization, and the individual components of the composite primary endpoint, as well as stent thrombosis. RESULTS: A total of 145 bifurcation were treated in 126 patients. At 2 years, MACCE occurred in 75/407 patients (20.7% for bifurcation versus 17.5% for nonbifurcation, hazard ratio [HR] of 1.28, CI95% 0.78-2.08, p = .32). TLF presented a trend toward higher occurrence in bifurcation (16.8% vs. 10.8%, HR 1.75, CI95% 0.99-3.09, p = .053). Definite stent thrombosis did not differ at 2-year between groups (0.8% for the bifurcation vs. 0.7% for the nonbifurcation, p = .92). CONCLUSION: Bifurcation treatment in patients with three-vessel disease undergoing state-of-the-art PCI had similar event rate of MACCE but was associated with a trend toward higher incidence of TLF compared with nonbifurcation lesions.

Clinical relevance of ticagrelor monotherapy following 1-month dual antiplatelet therapy after bifurcation percutaneous coronary intervention: Insight from GLOBAL LEADERS trial.

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to investigate the impact of ticagrelor monotherapy following 1-month dual antiplatelet therapy (DAPT) after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) for bifurcation lesions. METHODS: GLOBAL LEADERS was a randomized, superiority, all-comers trial comparing 1-month DAPT with ticagrelor and aspirin followed by 23-month ticagrelor monotherapy (experimental treatment) with standard 12-month DAPT followed by 12-month aspirin monotherapy (reference treatment) in patients treated with a biolimus A9-eluting stent. The primary endpoint was a composite of all-cause death or new Q-wave myocardial infarction (MI) at 2 years. RESULTS: Among the 15,845 patients included in this subgroup analysis, 2,498 patients (15.8%) underwent PCI for at least one bifurcation lesion. The incidence of the primary endpoint was similar between the bifurcation and nonbifurcation groups (4.7 vs. 4.0%, p = .083). The experimental treatment had no significant effect on the primary endpoint according to the presence/absence of a bifurcation lesion (bifurcation: hazard ratio [HR]: 0.74, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.51-1.07; nonbifurcation: HR: 0.90, 95% CI: 0.76-1.07, p for interaction = .343), but was associated with significant reduction in definite or probable stent thrombosis (p for interaction = .022) and significant excess of stroke (p for interaction = .018) when compared with the reference treatment. CONCLUSIONS: After PCI for bifurcation lesions using 1-month of DAPT followed by ticagrelor monotherapy for 23 months did not demonstrate explicit benefit regarding all-cause death or new Q-wave MI as in the overall trial.

Usefulness of the updated logistic clinical SYNTAX score after percutaneous coronary intervention in patients with prior coronary artery bypass graft surgery: Insights from the GLOBAL LEADERS trial.

OBJECTIVES: We aimed to investigate the prognostic utility of the anatomical CABG SYNTAX and logistic clinical SYNTAX scores for mortality after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) in patients with prior coronary artery bypass grafts (CABG). BACKGROUND: The anatomical SYNTAX score evaluated the anatomical complexity of coronary artery disease and helped predict the prognosis of patients undergoing PCI. The anatomical CABG SYNTAX score was derived from the anatomical SYNTAX score in patients with prior CABG, whilst the logistic clinical SYNTAX score was developed by incorporating clinical factors into the anatomical SYNTAX score. METHODS: We calculated the anatomical CABG SYNTAX score and logistic clinical SYNTAX score in 205 patients in the GLOBAL LEADERS trial. The predictive abilities of these scores for 2-year all-cause mortality were evaluated. RESULTS: Using the median scores as categorical thresholds between low and high score groups, the logistic clinical SYNTAX score was able to discriminate the risk of 2-year mortality, unlike the anatomical CABG SYNTAX score. The logistic clinical SYNTAX was significantly better at predicting 2-year mortality, compared to the anatomical CABG SYNTAX score, as evidenced by AUC values in receiver-operating characteristic curve analysis (0.806 vs. 0.582, p < .001) and integrated discrimination improvement (0.121, p < .001). CONCLUSIONS: The logistic clinical SYNTAX score was superior to the anatomical CABG SYNTAX score in predicting 2-year mortality.

Impact of established cardiovascular disease on outcomes in the randomized global leaders trial.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the impact of different anti-platelet strategies on outcomes after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) in patients with established cardiovascular disease (CVD). METHODS: GLOBAL LEADERS was a randomized, superiority, all-comers trial comparing one-month dual anti-platelet therapy (DAPT) with ticagrelor and aspirin followed by 23-month ticagrelor monotherapy (experimental treatment) with standard 12-month DAPT followed by 12-month aspirin monotherapy (reference treatment) in patients treated with a biolimus A9-eluting stent. Established CVD was defined as ≥1 prior myocardial infarction, PCI, coronary artery bypass operation, stroke, or established peripheral vascular disease. The primary endpoint was a composite of all-cause death or new Q-wave MI at 2-years. The secondary safety endpoint was BARC 3 or 5 bleeding. Exploratory secondary endpoints were the patient-orientated composite endpoint and net adverse clinical events. RESULTS: Among the 15,761 patients in this cohort were 6,693 patients (42.5%) with established CVD. Compared to those without established CVD, these patients had significantly higher rates of the primary (5.1 vs. 3.3%, HR1.59[1.36-1.86], p < .001) and secondary composite endpoints with no significant differences in bleeding. There was a nonsignificant reduction in the primary endpoint in patients with established CVD receiving the experimental treatment (4.6 vs. 5.6%, HR0.82[0.66-1.02], p = .07). When comparing patients without CVD to those with one or three territories of CVD, the hazard ratio for the primary endpoint increased in unadjusted and adjusted models. CONCLUSIONS: The poorer outcomes in patients with established CVD are not mitigated by prolonged monotherapy with a potent P2Y12 inhibitor suggesting a greater need to focus on modifiable risk factors.

Impact of long-term ticagrelor monotherapy following 1-month dual antiplatelet therapy in patients who underwent complex percutaneous coronary intervention: insights from the Global Leaders trial.

AIMS: To evaluate the impact of an experimental strategy [23-month ticagrelor monotherapy following 1-month dual antiplatelet therapy (DAPT)] vs. a reference regimen (12-month aspirin monotherapy following 12-month DAPT) after complex percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). METHODS AND RESULTS: In the present post hoc analysis of the Global Leaders trial, the primary endpoint [composite of all-cause death or new Q-wave myocardial infarction (MI)] at 2 years was assessed in patients with complex PCI, which includes at least one of the following characteristics: multivessel PCI, ≥3 stents implanted, ≥3 lesions treated, bifurcation PCI with ≥2 stents, or total stent length >60 mm. In addition, patient-oriented composite endpoint (POCE) (composite of all-cause death, any stroke, any MI, or any revascularization) and net adverse clinical events (NACE) [composite of POCE or Bleeding Academic Research Consortium (BARC) Type 3 or 5 bleeding] were explored. Among 15 450 patients included in this analysis, 4570 who underwent complex PCI had a higher risk of ischaemic and bleeding events. In patients with complex PCI, the experimental strategy significantly reduced risks of the primary endpoint [hazard ratio (HR): 0.64, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.48-0.85] and POCE (HR: 0.80, 95% CI: 0.69-0.93), but not in those with non-complex PCI (Pinteraction = 0.015 and 0.017, respectively). The risk of BARC Type 3 or 5 bleeding was comparable (HR: 0.97, 95% CI: 0.67-1.40), resulting in a significant risk reduction in NACE (HR: 0.80, 95% CI: 0.69-0.92; Pinteraction = 0.011). CONCLUSION: Ticagrelor monotherapy following 1-month DAPT could provide a net clinical benefit for patients with complex PCI. However, in view of the overall neutral results of the trial, these findings of a post hoc analysis should be considered as hypothesis generating.

Guided de-escalation of DAPT in acute coronary syndrome patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention with BVS implantation: a post-hoc analysis from the randomized TROPICAL-ACS trial.

To investigate the safety and efficacy of an early platelet function testing (PFT)-guided de-escalation of dual antiplatelet treatment (DAPT) in acute coronary syndrome (ACS) patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) with bioresorbable vascular scaffolds (BVS). Early DAPT de-escalation is a new non-inferior alternative to 12-months DAPT in patients with biomarker positive ACS treated with stent implantation. In this post-hoc analysis of the TROPICAL-ACS trial, which randomized 2610 ACS patients to a PFT-guided DAPT de-escalation (switch from prasugrel to clopidogrel) or to control group (uniform prasugrel), we compared clinical outcomes of patients (n = 151) who received a BVS during the index PCI. The frequency of the primary endpoint (cardiovascular death, myocardial infarction, stroke or BARC ≥ 2 bleeding) was 8.8% (n = 6) in the de-escalation group vs. 12.0% (n = 10) in the control group (HR 0.72, 95% CI 0.26-1.98, p = 0.52) at 12 months. One early definite stent thrombosis (ST) occurred in the control group (day 19) and 1 possible ST (sudden cardiovascular death) in the de-escalation group (day 86), both despite prasugrel treatment and in a background of high on-treatment platelet reactivity assessed at day 14 after randomization (ADP-induced platelet aggregation values of 108 U and 59 U, respectively). A PFT-guided DAPT de-escalation strategy could potentially be a safe and effective strategy in ACS patients with BVS implantation but the level of platelet inhibition may be of particular importance. This hypothesis-generating post-hoc analysis requires verification in larger studies with upcoming BVS platforms.

A 12-month angiographic and optical coherence tomography follow-up after bioresorbable vascular scaffold implantation in patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction.

OBJECTIVES: The aim of the study was to evaluate the healing process at 12 months after ABSORB™ bioresorbable vascular scaffold (BVS) implantation in patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI). BACKGROUND: There is currently no data on long-term BVS performance in the acute thrombotic setting. The underlying altered plaque pathomorphology may impact the neointima healing pattern, potentially making it different to that observed in stable coronary artery disease (CAD). METHODS: We have performed an angiographic and optical coherence tomography (OCT) 12-month follow-up of 19 STEMI patients who were treated with a BVS implantation (23 scaffolds). An independent core laboratory performed a paired analysis of the corresponding frames at baseline and follow-up. RESULTS: At 12 months, the OCT follow-up showed a decrease in the mean lumen area (8.29 ± 1.53 mm(2) vs. 6.82 ± 1.57 mm(2) , P < 0.001), but no significant change in the mean scaffold area (8.49 ± 1.53 mm(2) vs. 8.90 ± 1.51 mm(2) ). Significant decreases in malapposed strut ratio (4.9 ± 8.65% vs. 0.4 ± 1.55%, P < 0.001) and malapposition area (0.29 ± 0.60 mm(2) 0.08 ± 0.32 mm(2) , P = 0.002) were observed. A nonhomogenous proliferation of neointima was revealed with a symmetry index of 0.15 (0.08-0.27), a mean neointima thickness of 203 µm (183-249) and mean neointima area of 2.07 ± 0.51 mm(2) . The quantitative coronary angiography showed late lumen loss of 0.08 ± 0.23 mm and no significant change in the minimal lumen diameter (P = 0.11). There were no major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE), except for one nontarget vessel revascularization. CONCLUSIONS: The OCT revealed a favorable healing pattern after BVS implantation in a STEMI population.

Long COVID and its cardiovascular consequences: What is known?

The severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) pandemic has caused high morbidity and mortality and has been a source of substantial challenges for healthcare systems globally. Despite a full recovery, a significant proportion of patients demonstrate a broad spectrum of cardiovascular, pulmonary and neurological symptoms that are believed to be caused by long-term tissue damage and pathological inflammation, which play a vital role in disease development. Microvascular dysfunction also causes significant health problems. This review aimed to critically appraise the current data on the long-term cardiovascular sequelae of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), with a primary focus on cardiovascular symptoms such as chest pain, fatigue, palpitations, and breathlessness, and more significant disease entities including myocarditis, pericarditis and postural tachycardia syndrome. Potential risk factors identified in recent studies that contribute towards the development of long COVID are also included alongside a summary of recent advances in diagnostics and putative treatment options.

Clinical and echocardiographic characterization of patients hospitalized for severe tricuspid valve regurgitation: a single tertiary-care center experience with 2-year follow-up.

INTRODUCTION: Tricuspid regurgitation (TR) is a common acquired valvular heart disease. Recently, new transcatheter treatment options for severe TR have emerged that could change management of this condition, which warrants better characterization of this specific patient group. OBJECTIVES: The aim of the study was to describe the clinical and echocardiographic characteristics of patients with severe TR and to evaluate their short- and mid­term prognosis. PATIENTS AND METHODS: This retrospective, observational, single­center study enrolled consecutive patients with severe TR hospitalized between January 2016 and September 2021 in the Department of Cardiology, Medical University of Warsaw, Poland. The severity of heart failure (HF) was evaluated using the New York Heart Association classification. Echocardiographic assessment was performed by an experienced sonographer. EuroSCORE II and TRI­SCORE models were computed for each patient, and 12- and 24­month clinical outcomes were reported. RESULTS: The study comprised 172 patients (93 women [54.1%]) at a mean (SD) age of 76.4 (10.5) years. The most common comorbidities included: atrial fibrillation (84.9%), hypertension (68%), chronic kidney disease (54.1%), coronary artery disease (45.3%), and diabetes mellitus (30.9%). The median (interquartile range) EuroSCORE II and TRI­SCORE values were 4.68% (2.88%-8.05%) and 14% (5%-34%), respectively. The median follow­up was 24 (8.5-41) months. The overall mortality was 29.7% at 1 year and 47.3% at 2 years. TR grade, tricuspid annular plane systolic excursion (TAPSE) above 17 mm, TAPSE to systolic pulmonary artery pressure ratio below 0.26, and increased right atrial area were significant factors associated with mortality. CONCLUSIONS: Patients presenting with severe TR are characterized by a large comorbidity burden and poor prognosis, despite intensive HF management.