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Background: Endothelial progenitor cell (EPC) capture stent is designed to promote rapid endothelization and healing and is potentially useful in patients undergoing primary percutaneous coronary intervention ( PCI) for acute myocardial infarction (AMI). We studied the intermediate-term efficacy and safety of EPC stent and compared that with sirolimus-eluting bioabsorbable polymer stent (CURA) and bare metal stent (BMS) in AMI patients. Methodology: Patients presenting with AMI who underwent primary PCI with the respective stents between January 2004 and June 2006 were enrolled in the single-center clinical registry. The study end-points were major adverse cardiac events (MACE) and stent thrombosis. Results: A total of 366 patients (EPC = 95, CURA = 53, BMS 218) were enrolled. Baseline demographics including age, gender, diabetes, renal impairment, predischarge left ventricular ejection fraction, and creatinine kinase level were comparable among the groups. Procedural success rate was 99.5%. Post-procedural thrombolysis in myocardial infarction (TIMI) 3 flow was achieved in EPC 91.6%, CURA 96.2%, and BMS 88.5% (P = 0.209). At 2 years, the MACE rate was EPC 13.7%, CURA 15.1%, and BMS 19.7% (P = 0.383). Target vessel revascularizations (TVR) were EPC 4.2%, CURA 9.4%, and BMS 6.0% (P = 0.439). Nonfatal myocardial infarctions were EPC 1.1%, CURA 3.8%, and BMS 4.1% (P = 0.364). One patient in the EPC group had acute stent thrombosis. There was no late stent thrombosis in the EPC group. Conclusion: EPC stent appeared to be safe and had comparable clinical efficacy with a BMS when used in the AMI setting. At 2-year follow-up, the EPC group showed favorable, single-digit TVR rate and stent thrombosis remained a low-event occurrence. (J Interven Cardiol 2010;23:101-108) [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The role of microvascular perfusion in relation to door-to-balloon time and mortality remains unknown. We sought to compare microvascular perfusion in patients who had undergone primary percutaneous coronary intervention with door-to-balloon time ≤90 minute versus >90 minutes. Methods: Using myocardial blush grade (MBG), corrected TIMI frame count (CTFC), and ST-segment resolution, microvascular perfusion was assessed in 297 patients who underwent successful primary percutaneous coronary intervention between January 2007 and April 2008. Results: Door-to-balloon time was ≤90 minutes in 199 (67%) patients and >90 minutes in 98 (33%) patients. Univariate analysis showed that door-to-treatment >90 minutes was associated with MBG 0/1 and CTFC >28. However, it was not associated with ST-segment resolution ≤70%. After adjustment for baseline confounding factors, door-to-balloon time >90 minutes was still associated with MBG 0/1 (adjusted OR 3.20, 95% CI 1.87 to 5.49, P < 0.001) and CTFC >28 (adjusted OR 6.30, 95% CI 3.56 to 11.17, P < 0.001). Thirty-day mortality was higher in patients with longer door-to-balloon time (adjusted OR 2.87, 95% CI 0.94 to 8.77, P = 0.064). Conclusion: We found that door-to-balloon time >90 minutes, compared with ≤90 minutes, was independently associated with MBG 01/2 and CTFC >28, both suggesting microvascular obstruction. However, such association was not found in ST-segment resolution. Patients with door-to-balloon time >90 minutes also had higher 30-day mortality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Studies on balloon angioplasty, atherectomy, and bare metal stent have shown a direct relation between residual plaque burden and restenosis. We investigated the relation between residual plaque burden and neointimal proliferation after drug-eluting stent (DES) implantation. Methods: Over a period of 12 months, 65 patients (Cypher, n = 25; Taxus, n = 28; Endeavor, n = 12) from two centers underwent intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) examination at 8.2 (interquartile range 6.8–9.5) months after coronary stent implantation in native de novo coronary arteries. IVUS images were acquired with motorized pullback at 0.5 mm/s, and cross-sectional measurements were performed within the stents at 1-mm intervals. The following measurements were obtained: (1) lumen area (LA), (2) stent area (SA), (3) external elastic membrane area (EEMA), (4) percent neointimal hyperplasia area (SA-LA/SA) × 100, and (5) percent residual plaque area (EEMA-SA)/EEMA × 100. Results: The analysis of 1,173 cross sections (Cypher, n = 436; Taxus, n = 532, Endeavor, n = 205) using mixed model to account for intrasubject correlation showed an absence of relation between percent residual plaque area and percent neointimal hyperplasia area (P = 0.189). Mean residual plaque burden outside the stent for Cypher, Taxus, and Endeavor groups was similar (45.7%, 44.8%, and 42.4%, respectively). Mean percent neointimal hyperplasia area for the Cypher, Taxus, and Endeavor groups was 12.0%, 15.0%, and 16.2%, respectively (P = 0.163). Conclusion: In patients after first-generation DES implantation and without significant in-stent restenosis, late in-stent neointimal proliferation is not related to the amount of residual plaque burden after stent implantation. This suggests against routine plaque removal before DES implantation to reduce neointimal proliferation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Primary percutaneous coronary intervention is the standard reperfusion strategy for ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction in our center. We aimed to shorten the median door-to-balloon time from over 100 minutes to 90 minutes or less. Methods: We have been using three strategies since March 2007 to shorten the door-to-balloon time: (1) the intervention team is now activated by emergency department physicians (where previously it had been activated by coronary care unit); (2) all members of the intervention team have converted from using pagers to using cell phones; and (3) as soon as the intervention team is activated, patients are transferred immediately to the cardiac catheterization laboratory (where previously they had waited in the emergency department for the intervention team to arrive). An in-house physician and a nurse would stay with the patients before arrival of the intervention team. Results: During 12 months, 285 nontransfer patients (analyzed, n = 270) underwent primary PCI. The shortest monthly median door-to-balloon time was 59 minutes; the longest monthly median door-to-balloon time was 111 minutes. The overall median door-to-balloon time for the entire 12 months was 72 minutes. On a per-month basis, the median door-to-balloon time was 90 minutes or less in 10 of 12 months. On a per-patient basis, the median door-to-balloon time was 90 minutes or less in 182 patients (67.4%). There was 1 case (0.4%) of inappropriate activation by the emergency department. While waiting for the intervention team to convene, 1 patient (0.4%) deteriorated and had to be resuscitated in the cardiac catheterization laboratory. Conclusions: Improved health care delivery can be achieved by changing simple and inexpensive operational processes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To evaluate the safety and efficacy of the X-SIZER thrombectomy device versus the use of abciximab during primary angioplasty for acute ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI). Design: Retrospective analysis of patients undergoing primary angioplasty for STEMI from October 2000 to December 2002 using the X-SIZER thrombectomy device versus abciximab. Setting: National University Hospital, Singapore. Patients: Out of 79 patients, 44 underwent X-SIZER use, while 35 received adjunct abciximab. Both groups were similarly represented with regards to age, gender, risk factors, target vessel site/diameter, cardiogenic shock, and onset of chest pain to procedure time. The infarct-related artery was occluded in 88.6% in both groups. Interventions: A 2-mm X-SIZER was used in 34/44 (77.3%), while a 1.5-mm device was used in the remainder. Final TIMI 3 flow was obtained in 38/44 (86.4%) in the X-SIZER group compared to 26/35 (74.3%) in the abciximab group (P = 0.175). Main Outcome Measures: Coronary TIMI flow rate, electrocardiogram (ECG) resolution, slow flow/no reflow phenomenon, and patient outcome (death, cardiac failure, or repeat revascularization) at 1 month. Results: ECG resolution and slow flow/no reflow were better in the X-SIZER group (77.3% vs 54.3%, P = 0.031; 9.1% vs 25.7%, P = 0.047, respectively). Patient outcome at 1 month was, however, not significantly different (18.2% vs 17.1%, P = 0.904, respectively, for X-SIZER and abciximab). Conclusion: X-SIZER thrombectomy during primary percutaneous coronary intervention for thrombus-laden STEMI is a safe and effective strategy. When compared to patients receiving abciximab, it was associated with improved ECG resolution, less slow flow/no reflow and a trend to better TIMI 3 flow. (J Interven Cardiol 2005;18:267–273) [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Occurrence of no reflow phenomenon during percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) is associated with increased mortality. Although intracoronary medications can improve coronary flow, the effect on mortality is not known. Methods: Patients who had PCI for myocardial infarction (MI) at the Singapore National University Hospital from January 2000 to March 2004 were studied. Our analysis stratified patients into three groups according to the occurrence and persistence of no reflow during PCI. (1) Adequate reflow: without no reflow occurrence; (2) Reversible no reflow: no reflow occurred, but final thrombolysis in myocardial infarction (TIMI) 3 flow restored after intracoronary medications; and (3) Refractory no reflow: no reflow occurred and persisted, final TIMI flow < 3 despite medications. Thirty-day mortality was determined for each group. Results: A total of 1,328 patients (82% male), 703 (53%) underwent primary PCI and 625 (47%) rescue PCI were analyzed. Among the study patients, no reflow (including reversible and refractory) occurred in 135 patients (10.2%). Intracoronary verapamil, adenosine, nitroprusside, or a combination of drugs were used to treat the no reflow in 70.0%, 17.7%, 3.5%, and 8.8% of cases, respectively. Intracoronary medications successfully restored final TIMI 3 in 108 patients (80%, reversible no reflow). The remaining 27 patients (20%) have final TIMI < 3 (refractory no reflow). In comparison with the adequate reflow and reversible no reflow groups, those with refractory no reflow had an increased 30-day mortality (3.7% vs 2.8% vs 32.0%, P < 0.001). Logistic regression analyses showed that patients with refractory no reflow had a significantly higher 30-day mortality compared to patients with adequate reflow (P < 0.001) and reversible no reflow (P = 0.001), but no significant differences in the 30-day mortality between patients with adequate reflow and reversible no reflow (P = 0.157) were detected after adjusting for relevant covariates. Conclusion: Among patients undergoing PCI for MI, reversible no reflow was associated with a significantly lower 30-day mortality compared with the refractory counterpart. (J Interven Cardiol 2005;18:261–266) [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The role of microvascular perfusion in relation to door-to-balloon time and mortality remains unknown. We sought to compare microvascular perfusion in patients who had undergone primary percutaneous coronary intervention with door-to-balloon time < or =90 minute versus >90 minutes., Methods: Using myocardial blush grade (MBG), corrected TIMI frame count (CTFC), and ST-segment resolution, microvascular perfusion was assessed in 297 patients who underwent successful primary percutaneous coronary intervention between January 2007 and April 2008., Results: Door-to-balloon time was < or =90 minutes in 199 (67%) patients and >90 minutes in 98 (33%) patients. Univariate analysis showed that door-to-treatment >90 minutes was associated with MBG 0/1 and CTFC >28. However, it was not associated with ST-segment resolution < or =70%. After adjustment for baseline confounding factors, door-to-balloon time >90 minutes was still associated with MBG 0/1 (adjusted OR 3.20, 95% CI 1.87 to 5.49, P < 0.001) and CTFC >28 (adjusted OR 6.30, 95% CI 3.56 to 11.17, P < 0.001). Thirty-day mortality was higher in patients with longer door-to-balloon time (adjusted OR 2.87, 95% CI 0.94 to 8.77, P = 0.064)., Conclusion: We found that door-to-balloon time >90 minutes, compared with < or =90 minutes, was independently associated with MBG 01/2 and CTFC >28, both suggesting microvascular obstruction. However, such association was not found in ST-segment resolution. Patients with door-to-balloon time >90 minutes also had higher 30-day mortality.

Background: Studies on balloon angioplasty, atherectomy, and bare metal stent have shown a direct relation between residual plaque burden and restenosis. We investigated the relation between residual plaque burden and neointimal proliferation after drug-eluting stent (DES) implantation., Methods: Over a period of 12 months, 65 patients (Cypher, n = 25; Taxus, n = 28; Endeavor, n = 12) from two centers underwent intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) examination at 8.2 (interquartile range 6.8-9.5) months after coronary stent implantation in native de novo coronary arteries. IVUS images were acquired with motorized pullback at 0.5 mm/s, and cross-sectional measurements were performed within the stents at 1-mm intervals. The following measurements were obtained: (1) lumen area (LA), (2) stent area (SA), (3) external elastic membrane area (EEMA), (4) percent neointimal hyperplasia area (SA-LA/SA) x 100, and (5) percent residual plaque area (EEMA-SA)/EEMA x 100., Results: The analysis of 1,173 cross sections (Cypher, n = 436; Taxus, n = 532, Endeavor, n = 205) using mixed model to account for intrasubject correlation showed an absence of relation between percent residual plaque area and percent neointimal hyperplasia area (P = 0.189). Mean residual plaque burden outside the stent for Cypher, Taxus, and Endeavor groups was similar (45.7%, 44.8%, and 42.4%, respectively). Mean percent neointimal hyperplasia area for the Cypher, Taxus, and Endeavor groups was 12.0%, 15.0%, and 16.2%, respectively (P = 0.163)., Conclusion: In patients after first-generation DES implantation and without significant in-stent restenosis, late in-stent neointimal proliferation is not related to the amount of residual plaque burden after stent implantation. This suggests against routine plaque removal before DES implantation to reduce neointimal proliferation.

Background: Primary percutaneous coronary intervention is the standard reperfusion strategy for ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction in our center. We aimed to shorten the median door-to-balloon time from over 100 minutes to 90 minutes or less., Methods: We have been using three strategies since March 2007 to shorten the door-to-balloon time: (1) the intervention team is now activated by emergency department physicians (where previously it had been activated by coronary care unit); (2) all members of the intervention team have converted from using pagers to using cell phones; and (3) as soon as the intervention team is activated, patients are transferred immediately to the cardiac catheterization laboratory (where previously they had waited in the emergency department for the intervention team to arrive). An in-house physician and a nurse would stay with the patients before arrival of the intervention team., Results: During 12 months, 285 nontransfer patients (analyzed, n = 270) underwent primary PCI. The shortest monthly median door-to-balloon time was 59 minutes; the longest monthly median door-to-balloon time was 111 minutes. The overall median door-to-balloon time for the entire 12 months was 72 minutes. On a per-month basis, the median door-to-balloon time was 90 minutes or less in 10 of 12 months. On a per-patient basis, the median door-to-balloon time was 90 minutes or less in 182 patients (67.4%). There was 1 case (0.4%) of inappropriate activation by the emergency department. While waiting for the intervention team to convene, 1 patient (0.4%) deteriorated and had to be resuscitated in the cardiac catheterization laboratory., Conclusions: Improved health care delivery can be achieved by changing simple and inexpensive operational processes.

Objective: We present our clinical experience of StarClose in patients undergoing coronary interventions, including its use in patients after repeated puncture of the same femoral access site., Background: The StarClose is a novel vascular closure device that deploys a small, flexible, circumferential nitinol clip onto the femoral artery surface., Methods: In this study, 103 consecutive patients (24% with repeated punctures) who underwent percutaneous coronary intervention and received a StarClose were followed up prospectively. The patients were assessed for vascular complications prior to hospital discharge. Device success, based on time-to-hemostasis, was divided into (1) immediate success: hemostasis achieved immediately after StarClose deployment without the need for adjunctive manual compression, (2) partial success: occurrence of minor oozing after StarClose deployment and hemostasis achieved after <3 minutes of manual compression, and (3) device failure: need for adjunctive manual compression for >3 minutes., Results: Immediate success, partial success, and device failure rates were 74% (n = 68), 16% (n = 15), and 10% (n = 9), respectively. There were no major complications attributable to the StarClose device. There were 10 (9.7%) cases of minor complications; all were recurrent wound bleeding requiring manual compression in the wards. Among these 10 cases of recurrent bleeding, 5 (50%) had initial device success (immediate success, n = 2, partial success, n = 3) in the catheterization laboratory. The risk for recurrent bleeding was 2.9% after immediate device success and 20.0% after partial device success., Conclusion: Our study found no major complications but a 10% failure rate and a 9.7% rate of minor complications. Close surveillance is important as there is a risk for recurrent bleeding, especially in patients with partial device success as defined in this report.

Background: Occurrence of no reflow phenomenon during percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) is associated with increased mortality. Although intracoronary medications can improve coronary flow, the effect on mortality is not known., Methods: Patients who had PCI for myocardial infarction (MI) at the Singapore National University Hospital from January 2000 to March 2004 were studied. Our analysis stratified patients into three groups according to the occurrence and persistence of no reflow during PCI. (1) Adequate reflow: without no reflow occurrence; (2) Reversible no reflow: no reflow occurred, but final thrombolysis in myocardial infarction (TIMI) 3 flow restored after intracoronary medications; and (3) Refractory no reflow: no reflow occurred and persisted, final TIMI flow < 3 despite medications. Thirty-day mortality was determined for each group., Results: A total of 1,328 patients (82% male), 703 (53%) underwent primary PCI and 625 (47%) rescue PCI were analyzed. Among the study patients, no reflow (including reversible and refractory) occurred in 135 patients (10.2%). Intracoronary verapamil, adenosine, nitroprusside, or a combination of drugs were used to treat the no reflow in 70.0%, 17.7%, 3.5%, and 8.8% of cases, respectively. Intracoronary medications successfully restored final TIMI 3 in 108 patients (80%, reversible no reflow). The remaining 27 patients (20%) have final TIMI < 3 (refractory no reflow). In comparison with the adequate reflow and reversible no reflow groups, those with refractory no reflow had an increased 30-day mortality (3.7% vs 2.8% vs 32.0%, P < 0.001). Logistic regression analyses showed that patients with refractory no reflow had a significantly higher 30-day mortality compared to patients with adequate reflow (P < 0.001) and reversible no reflow (P = 0.001), but no significant differences in the 30-day mortality between patients with adequate reflow and reversible no reflow (P = 0.157) were detected after adjusting for relevant covariates., Conclusion: Among patients undergoing PCI for MI, reversible no reflow was associated with a significantly lower 30-day mortality compared with the refractory counterpart.