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Background: The purpose of a bioresorbable scaffold (BRS) is to provide radial support during coronary healing. In this study, coronary artery healing after optical coherence tomography (OCT)- versus angiography-guided magnesium BRS (MBRS) implantation in patients with non-ST-segment-elevation myocardial infarction (NSTEMI) is compared., Methods: 75 patients were randomized 1:1 to OCT- or angiography-guided implantation of a MBRS with protocolled pre- and post-dilation. In the OCT-guided group, prespecified criteria indicating additional intervention were (1) scaffold under-expansion, (2) strut malapposition, (3) edge dissection, and (4) residual stenosis at distal or proximal reference segments. The primary endpoint was OCT-derived healing stage at 6 months., Results: At 6 months, there was no difference in average healing stage between OCT- and angiography-guided intervention (4.6 [interquartile range (IQR): 4.5-4.7] versus 4.5 [IQR: 4.3-4.7]; p = 0.54). The MBRSs were completely resolved in 77.0% [IQR: 68.5-85.5] versus 76.5% [IQR: 67.9-85.5]; (p = 0.97). Minimal lumen area (MLA) was reduced at 6 months in both the OCT- (32.3%; p < 0.01) and the angiography-guided group (21.3%; p < 0.01), however OCT-guided implantation was associated with a greater reduction of total lumen volume (-27.1 ± 32.5 mm 3 versus -5.0 ± 32.9 mm 3 ; p < 0.01) and MLA (-2.3 ± 1.6 mm 2 vs. -1.4 ± 1.4 mm 2 ; p = 0.02)., Conclusions: In NSTEMI patients, OCT-guidance with protocolled pre- and post-dilation of MBRS implantation showed similar healing pattern at 6 months compared to angiography-guidance alone., Clinical Trial Registration: The Coronary Artery Healing Process after Optical Coherence Tomography Guided Percutaneous Coronary Intervention with Magmaris Bioresorbable Scaffold in Patients with Non-ST-Segment-Elevation Myocardial Infarction: (HONEST) trial is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT03016624., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest AM has received research grant from Abbott Vascular and Boston Scientific. Consultant for Boston Scientific and Philips. JFL has received speakers fee from Biotronik, Boston Scientific, Abbott Vascular, Biosensors, Therumo, and St. Jude Medical. LOJ has received research grants to her institution from Biotronik, Biosensors and Terumo and honoraria from Biotronik. COF, LA, MN, MH, KNH, JE, OA, KTV, ABJ, and HSH declare that they have no conflicts of interest., (Copyright © 2021 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Objectives: To compare the early vascular healing of ruptured plaques (RP) and non-ruptured plaques (NRP) one month after primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) in patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI), using optical coherence tomography (OCT)., Background: Vascular healing and strut coverage are important factors in reducing the risk of stent thrombosis after PCI. Influence of underlying lesion characteristics and differences in healing response between RP and NRP are unknown., Methods: Twenty-six STEMI-patients underwent PCI and implantation of a polymer-free drug-coated Biofreedom stent (BF-BES). OCT was performed pre-PCI, post-PCI and at 1-month follow-up. The patients were divided into two groups: RP = 15 and NRP = 11. OCT analyses of culprit lesion, post stent implantation at baseline and follow-up were performed to determine the difference in vascular healing based on presence of uncovered and/or malapposed stent struts and intraluminal filling defects., Results: The stent coverage did not differ significantly between the two groups at 1-month follow-up with percentage of uncovered struts: RP 26.5% [IQR 15.0-49.0] and NRP 28.1% [IQR 15.5-38.8] for NRP (p = 0.78). At 1-month, RP showed an increased percentage of late acquired malapposed struts (1.4% [IQR 0.8-2.4] vs. 0.0% [IQR 0.0-1.4], p = 0.03) and a larger total malapposition area (1.3 mm 2 [IQR 0.4-2.5] vs. 0.0 mm 2 [IQR 0.0-0.9], p = 0.01), compared to NRP., Conclusion: Three out of four struts were covered within one month after stenting. The vascular healing was comparable in RP and NRP on stent coverage. However, RP had more and larger late acquired malapposition areas., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest LOJ has received research grants from Biotronik, Biosensors and Terumo to her institution and honoraria from Biotronik. EHC has received unrestricted research grant from Biotronik and Biosensors to his institution and honoraria from Abbott. KiNH, LA, AM, MM, JE, OA, KTV, KnNH, MN, COF and TT declare that they have no conflict of interests. The SORT OUT organization has received grants from Biosensors. The company had no influence on the study design, data collection, data analysis or data interpretation, and did not have access to the clinical trial database., (Copyright © 2020 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Aims: The aim of the trial was to examine the influence of ezetimibe on plaque morphology in patients with ST-segment Elevation Myocardial Infarction (STEMI) with respect to fibrous cap thickness (FCT) and arcs of lipid plaque, calcific plaque, and macrophages using Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT)., Methods and Results: In 87 statin naïve patients with STEMI treated with primary percutaneous intervention, a non-culprit study plaque in a non-infarct related coronary artery was assessed with OCT at baseline and after 12 months. Patients were treated with atorvastatin 80 mg and randomized (1:1) to ezetimibe 10 mg (n = 43) or placebo (n = 44). An increase in median FCT (ezetimibe 200 (140-260) μm to 240 (190-305) μm (p = 0.002) vs. placebo 205 (135-260) μm to 230 (180-270) μm (p < 0.001), between groups p = ns), a reduction in lipid arc (ezetimibe 1728.5 (1022.5-3904.7)° to 1164.5 (736.6-2580.1)° (p = 0.001) vs. placebo 1671.6 (978.3-2868.7)° to 1373.7 (791.2-2267.3)° (p = 0.019), between groups p = ns), and macrophage arc (ezetimibe 1730.3 (965.7-2984.4)° to 1324.8 (819.0-2819.7)° (p < 0.05) vs. placebo 1570.5 (794.7-3016.8)° to 1418.9 (584.1-2501.1)° (p < 0.01), between groups p = ns) were observed., Conclusion: Aggressive LDL-lowering resulted in changes in OCT assessed plaque composition by increased FCT thickness and a reduction in lipid content and macrophage infiltration. Addition of ezetimibe 10 mg to atorvastatin 80 mg resulted in further LDL reduction, but no additional change in plaque composition was found., (Copyright © 2019 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

A 60-year old woman with non-ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction, underwent coronary angiogram combined with optical coherence tomography (OCT) revealing a long dissection in the right coronary artery. The patient experienced peri-procedural chest pain, the electrocardiogram showed ST-segment elevations, and compromised coronary blood flow, why mechanical revascularization with percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) was indicated. At 1-month follow-up, OCT revealed early, competent vascular healing, and a distal stenosis was treated with PCI. The patient has been asymptomatic since the procedure for three years., (Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Introduction: Drug-eluting stents (DES) reduce the risk of restenosis after percutaneous coronary intervention. The aim of the study was to evaluate, by intravascular ultrasound (IVUS), the minimum lumen area site in the stented segment and the distribution of intimal hyperplasia in patients presenting with a DES or bare-metal stent (BMS) in-stent restenosis., Methods: The "Nordic Intravascular Ultrasound Study (NIVUS)" study was conducted in Nordic and Baltic countries as a prospective multicenter registry. Two hundred nine patients (DES n=121 and BMS n=88) with in-stent restenosis were enrolled., Results: At the minimum lumen area site in the stented segment, the stent area (5.8±2.2mm 2 vs. 7.6±2.4mm 2 , p<0.001) and intimal hyperplasia area (2.6±2.0mm 2 vs. 5.0±2.2mm 2 , p<0.001) were significantly lower in patients treated with DES compared to BMS. The percentage of stents that did not have a minimum stent area of at least 5.0mm 2 (under expansion) was higher in DES (58.7% vs. 37.7%, p=0.008) compared to BMS. Intimal hyperplasia covered 55.4±33.3% of the stent length in the DES compared to 90.7±17.4% in the BMS group, p<0.001. Focal in-stent restenosis was more often seen in DES treated patients compared to BMS treated patients (DES n=84 (59.9%) vs. BMS n=15 (17.0%), p<0.001)., Conclusion: Stent underexpansion was more often seen in DES than BMS in-stent restenosis. DES more often had focal in-stent restenosis with less intimal hyperplasia., (Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

An 81-year-old male patient with a severe de novo coronary artery stenosis in the proximal left anterior descending artery was treated with a BioFreedom stent (3.5×11mm), three months later, the patient was re-admitted with chest pain and slightly increased troponin. The angiogram showed a significant in-stent restenosis in the recently treated lesion. Optical coherence tomography revealed a fully expanded stent without areas of incomplete stent apposition. Severe immature neointimal hyperplasia without formation of thrombosis was visualized, causing a severe in-stent restenosis. An underlying plaque rupture within the mid-proximal part of the in-stent restenosis was evident., (Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: The aim of this study was to examine the influence of ezetimibe in addition to atorvastatin on plaque composition in patients with first-time ST-segment Elevation Myocardial Infarction treated with primary percutaneous intervention., Methods: Eighty-seven patients were randomized (1:1) to ezetimibe 10mg or placebo in addition to Atorvastatin 80mg. Intravascular ultrasound with iMap was performed at baseline and after 12months in a non-infarct-related artery. Primary endpoint was change in necrotic core (NC). Secondary endpoints were total atheroma volume (TAV) and percentage atheroma volume (PAV)., Results: NC did not change significantly: ezetimibe group 24.9 (11.9, 51.3) mm 3 to 24.9 (15.3, 54.5) mm 3 , p=0.76, placebo group 29.4 (16.3, 78.5) mm 3 to 32.0 (16.0, 88.7) mm 3 , p=0.30, (p=0.35 between groups). TAV was reduced in the ezetimibe group only: ezetimibe (200.0 (135.6, 311.9) mm 3 to 189.3 (126.4, 269.1) mm 3 , p<0.001) compared to placebo group (218.4 (163.5, 307.9) mm 3 to 212.2 (149.9, 394.8) mm 3 , p=0.07) (p=0.56 between groups). PAV was reduced in the ezetimibe group only (40.1±8.6% to 39.2±9.0%, p=0.036) compared to placebo group (43.3±9.4% to 42.2±10.7%, p=0.07), p=0.91 between groups., Conclusions: Ezetimibe in addition to atorvastatin therapy did not influence NC content, but was associated with regression of coronary atherosclerosis., (Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

A 28-year old man presented to the Emergency Department with malaise after cocaine intake. After arrival he developed retrosternal chest pain and the electrocardiogram showed ST segment elevations in V1-V2 and ST segment depressions in V5-V6. An acute coronary angiogram revealed a focal non-occlusive lesion with thrombus in the left anterior descending artery. Supplementary optical coherence tomography (OCT) detected plaque erosion with adherent thrombus to be the responsible underlying pathophysiological mechanism. The patient received an effective antithrombotic regimen. Repeat angiogram with additional OCT one month later documented thrombus resolution and complete restoration of the previously eroded coronary vascular surface area., (Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Purpose: Frequency-domain optical coherence tomography (FD-OCT) is a high-resolution imaging tool (~10-15 μm), which enables near-histological in-vivo images of the coronary vessel wall. The use of the technique is increasing, both for research- and clinical purposes. This study sought to investigate the intra- and interobserver reliability, as well as the intra-catheter reproducibility of quantitative FD-OCT-assessment of morphometric stent parameters and qualitative FD-OCT-evaluation of strut coverage in 10 randomly selected 6-month follow-up Nobori® biolimus-eluting stents (N-BESs)., Methods: Ten N-BESs (213 cross sectional areas (CSAs) and 1897 struts) imaged with OCT 6 months post-implantation were randomly selected and analyzed by 2 experienced analysts, and the same 10 N-BESs were analyzed by one of the analysts 3 months later. Further, 2 consecutive pullbacks randomly performed in another 10 N-BESs (219 CSAs and 1860 struts) were independently assessed by one of the analysts., Results: The intraobserver variability with regard to relative difference of mean luminal area and mean stent area at the CSA-level was very low: 0.1%±1.4% and 0.5%±3.2%. Interobserver variability also proved to be low: -2.1%±3.3% and 2.1%±4.6%, and moreover, very restricted intra-catheter variation was observed: 0.02%±6.8% and -0.18%±5.2%. The intraobserver-, interobserver- and intra-catheter reliability for the qualitative evaluation of strut coverage was found to be: kappa (κ)=0.91 (95% confidence interval (CI): 0.88-0.93, p<0.01), κ=0.88 (95% CI: 0.85-0.91, p<0.01), and κ=0.73 (95% CI: 0.68-0.78, p<0.01), respectively., Conclusions: FD-OCT is a reproducible and reliable imaging tool for quantitative evaluation of stented coronary segments, and for qualitative assessment of strut coverage., (Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Isolated spontaneous coronary intramural hematoma is a unique subset of spontaneous coronary artery dissection that is characterized by a hemorrhage limited to the medial-adventitial layers, causing subsequent hematoma formation without visible intimal flaps. It is an infrequent and serious coronary vessel wall pathology, with poorly understood underlying pathogenic mechanisms. Affected individuals may present with a broad spectrum of symptoms ranging from acute coronary syndromes (ACS) to cardiogenic shock or even sudden cardiac death. The disease entity causes challenges in terms of both diagnostics and treatment strategy. Coronary intramural hematomas can also occur iatrogenically, as a complication to percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). Coronary angiography (CAG) has limited diagnostic value in the absence of intimal dissections, and lesions are often angiographically ambiguous. Intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) is an important diagnostic tool in establishing the correct diagnosis, as it provides a complete vessel wall assessment, and enables morphometric information regarding the magnitude and severity of the underlying hematoma. Due to the rarity of this clinical scenario, no randomized, controlled trials exist to guide treatment, and no consensus regarding management is available. Currently, treatment strategies are based on a case-by-case clinical assessment, and experiences described in previous, limited retrospective studies and case reports., (Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Peri-stent contrast staining and late acquired malapposition represent pathological vessel wall healing patterns following percutaneous coronary intervention with stent implantation. Earlier studies have described these abnormal vessel wall responses commonly present after implantation of first-generation drug-eluting stents. These coronary vascular changes can cause flow disturbance and thereby dispose for later thrombotic events. This case report, based on coronary optical frequency domain imaging, describes peri-stent contrast staining, major evaginations and severe malapposition occurring 18months after third-generation biolimus-eluting stent implantation., (Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)