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Obstructive coronary artery disease (CAD) remains the most common etiology of heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF). However, there is controversy whether invasive coronary angiography (ICA) should be used initially to exclude CAD in patients presenting with new-onset HFrEF of unknown etiology. Our study aimed to develop a clinical score to quantify the risk of obstructive CAD in these patients.We performed a cross-sectional observational study of 452 consecutive patients presenting with new-onset HFrEF of unknown etiology undergoing elective ICA in one academic center, between January 2005 and December 2019. Independent predictors for obstructive CAD were identified. A risk score was developed using multivariate logistic regression of designated variables. The accuracy and discriminative power of the predictive model were assessed.A total of 109 patients (24.1%) presented obstructive CAD. Six independent predictors were identified and included in the score: male gender (2 points), diabetes (1 point), dyslipidemia (1 point), smoking (1 point), peripheral arterial disease (1 point), and regional wall motion abnormalities (3 points). Patients with a score ≤3 had less than 15% predicted probability of obstructive CAD. Our score showed good discriminative power (C-statistic 0.872; 95% CI 0.834-0.909: p0.001) and calibration (p=0.333 from the goodness-of-fit test).A simple clinical score showed the ability to predict the risk of obstructive CAD in patients presenting with new-onset HFrEF of unknown etiology and may guide the clinician in selecting the most appropriate diagnostic modality for the assessment of obstructive CAD.

During the Covid-19 pandemic there has been a general belief that hospital admissions for non-infectious causes, especially cardiovascular diseases, have fallen.To assess the impact of the pandemic on admissions for ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) during the first pandemic wave.We performed a multicenter retrospective analysis of consecutive patients presenting with STEMI in two Portuguese hospital centers in two sequential periods - P1 (March 1 to April 30) and P2 (May 1 to June 30). Patient's clinical data and hospital outcomes were compared between the years 2017 to 2019 and 2020 for both periods.During P1 in 2020, a reduction in the number of STEMI patients was observed in comparison with previous years (26.0±4.2 vs. 16.5±4.9 cases per month; p=0.033), as well as an increase in the number of mechanical complications (0.0% vs. 3.0%; p=0.029). Percutaneous coronary interventions in the setting of failed thrombolysis were more frequent (1.9% vs. 9.1%; p=0.033). An overall trend for longer delays in key timings of STEMI care bundles was noted. Mortality was higher during P1 compared to previous years (1.9% vs. 12.1%; p=0.005).During the first Covid-19 wave fewer patients presented with STEMI at the catheterization laboratory for percutaneous coronary intervention. These patients presented more mechanical complications and higher mortality.Recentemente durante a pandemia por Covid-19 houve uma perceção global de uma diminuição de admissões hospitalares por causas não infeciosas, em particular por doenças cardiovasculares.Avaliar o impacto da pandemia nas admissões por enfarte agudo do miocárdio com supradesnivelamento de ST (STEMI), na primeira onda da pandemia.Análise multicêntrica e retrospetiva de doentes consecutivos admitidos em dois hospitais portugueses por STEMI em dois períodos sequenciais - P1 (1 de março a 30 de abril) e P2 (1 de maio a 30 de junho). Foi realizada uma comparação dos dados clínicos e de evolução hospitalar entre 2017 a 2019 e 2020 para os dois períodos.No P1 de 2020 observou-se, relativamente a anos prévios, uma redução do número de doentes com STEMI (26,0±4,2Durante a primeira onda da pandemia Covid-19 houve uma redução do número de doentes submetidos a angioplastia coronária por STEMI. Esses apresentaram mais complicações mecânicas e uma maior mortalidade.

The need for permanent pacemaker implantation (PPMI) is a burdensome complication of transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI). The aim of our study was to evaluate different anatomical, clinical, electrocardiographic, and procedural variables associated with the development of conduction abnormalities after TAVI across the entire device spectrum. Single-center prospective cohort of consecutive patients who underwent TAVI since March 2017. Final cohort was studied to detect areas of calcium within aortic valve characterized by leaflet sector and region. Membranous septum (MS) length was assessed throughout a modified coronal view. Device selection and positioning were performed according to the operator criteria. Device selection and positioning were performed according to the operator criteria. From the 273 patients included, 57 underwent PPMI (20.8%). Univariate analysis determined right bundle branch block (RBBB), QRS duration, MS length and calcium within LVOT of non-coronary cuspid as independent predictors. After multivariable logistic regression, both RBBB (OR 6.138; 95% CI 1.23–30.73, P = 0.027) and MS length (OR 0.259; 95% CI 0.164–0.399, P

Aim To evaluate the real need for coronary access after transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI). Methods and results Prospective observational single-center registry, including 563 consecutive patients who underwent TAVI between April 2008 and November 2018, with both self- and balloon-expandable valves in a tertiary European center. Mean age was 82.4 ± 6.9 years, 53.3% were female, 16% had previous history of coronary artery bypass grafting, 33% of previous percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI), and 16.6% of myocardial infarction (MI). Twenty-four percent of the patients were revascularized within one year before TAVI in preparation for the procedure. Median Society of Thoracic Surgeons score was 4.82 (IQ 2.84). In a median follow-up of 24 months (IQ 21.5), 18 patients (3.2%) were identified as potentially in need for invasive coronary angiography: 9 (1.6%) in the setting of stable coronary artery disease and 9 (1.6%) for an acute coronary syndrome. A total of 11 PCIs were performed in 9 patients, with a complete success rate of 63.6%. Procedures that were unsuccessful or partially unsuccessful were due to the inability to cross the stent or the drug-eluting balloon through the valve struts or misplacement within the coronary artery due to lack of catheter support. Conclusion In this population, a strategy of previous guideline-directed revascularization before TAVI was associated with a low rate of MI and repeated need of coronary access, with a scattered distribution over time. Assuring future access to coronary arteries in patients at increased risk may depend on the revascularization strategy rather than device selection.

Resumo: A angina refratária define‐se como a persistência de sintomas superior a três meses apesar da terapêutica médica otimizada e revascularização. É uma entidade em crescimento, resultado da melhoria do prognóstico da doença coronária com a terapêutica farmacológica e com as técnicas de revascularização contemporâneas. A mortalidade a longo prazo enquadra‐se no espetro prognóstico da doença estável assintomática, contudo interfere com a qualidade de vida do doente e tem um impacto significativo nos sistemas de saúde.Múltiplos alvos terapêuticos têm sido investigados, contudo, a maioria com resultados dececionantes. Muitas das técnicas foram abandonadas por ausência de eficácia, problemas de segurança e limitações tanto logísticas como económicas à sua implantação.Esta revisão incide essencialmente sobre o dispositivo de redução do seio coronário, cuja evidência, embora ainda escassa, é promissora relativamente à segurança e eficácia na redução dos sintomas anginosos e na melhoria da qualidade de vida. Para além do seu efeito terapêutico, é uma opção virtualmente acessível a todos os serviços de cardiologia de intervenção. Abstract: Refractory angina is defined as persistent angina (≥3 months) despite optimal medical and interventional therapies. It is increasing in frequency, due to the success of current medical and interventional therapies in improving the prognosis of coronary artery disease. Long‐term mortality is similar to that of patients with asymptomatic stable disease, but it affects patients’ quality of life, and has a significant impact on health care resources.Several therapeutic targets have been investigated, most with disappointing results. Many of the techniques have been abandoned because of lack of efficacy, safety issues, or economic and logistic limitations to wider applicability.The primary focus of this review is the coronary sinus Reducer, supporting evidence for which, although scarce, is promising regarding safety and efficacy in improving anginal symptoms and quality of life. It is also accessible to virtually all interventional cardiology departments.

Background Allograft renal vein thrombosis can cause graft loss during the early postoperative period. This diagnosis is sometimes elusive, requiring a strong suspicion. On the other hand, several authors have recognized risk factors for allograft renal vein thrombosis, but neither a preventive approach nor a treatment have been recommended for this complication. Case presentation We present a case report of early allograft renal vein thrombosis, preceded by femoral common deep vein thrombosis in a recipient of a third kidney transplant. Despite femoral common deep vein thrombosis treatment with low-molecular-weight heparin and progressive improvement of renal function to a nadir serum creatinine of 0.51 mg/dL, the patient experienced a sudden episode of anuria on postoperative day 5. Doppler ultrasonography strongly suggested the diagnosis of allograft renal vein thrombosis. The patient underwent balloon catheter and aspiration venous thrombectomy, followed by unfractionated heparin perfusion. After 4 days of anuria and multiple blood transfusions, when allograft nephrectomy was contemplated, diuresis suddenly resumed. After 1 year of follow-up, the patient still has a normal renal function. Conclusion This case report shows successful treatment of allograft renal vein thrombosis associated with deep vein thrombosis in the first week of transplantation, using balloon catheter and aspiration venous thrombectomy followed by perfusion of unfractionated heparin. The authors suggest this technique as a treatment option for transplant renal vein thrombosis. However, they reinforce the importance of individualized treatment and they remind that a delay may jeopardize the potential benefit of the procedure.

Introduction: Compared to bare-metal stents (BMS), drug-eluting stents reduce stent restenosis and improve subsequent revascularization rates. The impact on patients’ survival has been the subject of debate. Objective: To assess the long-term (10-year) survival of patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) with first-generation sirolimus-eluting stents (SES) in comparison with BMS. Methods: In a single-center registry, 600 consecutive patients who underwent successful PCI with SES between April 2002 and February 2003 were compared to 594 patients who underwent PCI with BMS between January 2002 and April 2002, just before the introduction of SES. Clinical and procedural data were collected at the time of intervention and 10-year survival status was assessed via the national life status database. Results: All baseline characteristics were similar between groups except for smaller stent diameter (2.84±0.38 vs. 3.19±0.49 mm; p

Funding Acknowledgements Type of funding sources: None. Background Randomized controlled trials comparing stress cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) and single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) suggest similar diagnostic accuracy for detecting obstructive coronary artery disease (CAD). However, there are few data on whether or not this remains true in routine clinical practice. The aim of this study was to assess the clinical and angiographic characteristics of patients undergoing invasive coronary angiography (ICA) after a positive stress CMR or positive SPECT, and to compare their positive predictive value with published results from the CE-MARC trial. Methods In this retrospective tertiary-center analysis, we included 429 patients (mean age 67 ± 10 years, 28% women, 42% diabetic) undergoing ICA between January 2016 and December 2020, after a positive stress CMR or positive SPECT. Regarding stress test, an adenosine protocol was performed in all stress CMR and in 76.4% (n = 272) of stress SPECT. Stress test results, including ischemia location and severity, were classified as reported by their primary readers. Patients with missing data on key variables, and those in whom microvascular disease was considered likely in the original stress test report were excluded. Obstructive CAD was defined as any coronary artery stenosis ≥ 50% in a vessel compatible with the ischemic territory on stress testing. Results Out of the total 429 patients, 356 (83%) were referred after a positive SPECT, and 73 (17%) after a positive stress CMR. Patients did not differ regarding age, cardiovascular risk factors, previous revascularization or left ventricular dysfunction, but patients with SPECT were more frequently male (p = 0.046). Overall, 320 patients (75%) had obstructive CAD on ICA. The prevalence of obstructive CAD was similar in patients with positive SPECT vs. positive stress CMR (76.1% vs. 80.8%, respectively, p = 0.385). There were also no significant differences in the prevalence of left main or 3-vessel disease (9.0% vs. 9.6%, p = 0.871, and 19.7% vs. 23.3% p = 0.483, respectively). Revascularization was performed or planned in 59.3% of patients in the SPECT group, and 52.1% of those in the stress CMR group (p = 0.255). The positive predictive values of both techniques were similar to those reported in the CE-MARC trial (Figure), and would increase to 88.1% and 89.4% for SPECT and stress CMR, respectively, if patients reported as having only mild ischemia were excluded. Conclusion In this tertiary center analysis, stress CMR and SPECT showed similar positive predictive values, comparable to those reported in the CE-MARC trial.

To evaluate gender differences and mortality trends in a population undergoing transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) and to analyze the correlates to all-cause mortality at follow-up.The study comprises a prospective cohort of 592 TAVI patients (53.4% female) treated between 2008 and 2018. Mortality differences between genders at different timepoints were assessed according to log rank test. Predictors of all-cause mortality at follow-up were identified using a univariate model and were then analyzed through multivariate Cox proportional hazard models.Compared with female patients, males were younger (81 ± 7.5 years vs 84.3 ± 5.3 years) and presented more comorbidities. Twelve female and 8 male patients (3.5%) died in the first 30 days after TAVI. Despite a higher Society of Thoracic Surgeons (STS) score in women, all-cause mortality rates at 30 days and 1 year were comparable. At long-term follow-up, female patients demonstrated better survival rates, despite a higher number of periprocedural complications. Correlates identified in men were the presence of diabetes and previous history of coronary artery bypass grafting, New York Heart Association class III/IV, pulmonary artery systolic pressure, and non-transfemoral access. None of these variables remained significant in the multivariable analysis. In females, only peripheral artery disease was associated with mortality. Shock and need for renal replacement were predictors of mortality in both genders, as was heart failure readmission after discharge. STS score was also shown to correlate with long-term mortality in both genders.Despite a higher STS score in women, 30-day mortality was not significantly different from men, while women present better clinical outcomes at long-term follow-up.

BACKGROUND Recent studies suggest the use of transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) as an alternative to surgical aortic valve replacement (SAVR) in lower risk populations, but real-world data are scarce. METHODS Single-center retrospective study of patients undergoing SAVR (between June 2009 and July 2016, n = 682 patients) or TAVI (between June 2009 and July 2017, n = 400 patients). Low surgical risk was defined as EuroSCORE II (ES II) < 4% for single noncoronary artery bypass graft procedure. TAVI patients were propensity score-matched in a 1:1 ratio with SAVR patients, paired by age, New York Heart Association class, diabetes mellitus, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, atrial fibrillation, creatinine clearance, and left ventricular ejection fraction

Introduction New evidence on the role of myocardial revascularization in stable ischemic heart disease (SIHD), recently presented, showed that revascularization guided by the presence of moderate-to severe ischemia relieves angina more effectively than optimal medical therapy (OMT), without a significant benefit in hard clinical endpoints. Aim To assess the representativeness of the ISCHEMIA trial in a real-world population and compare management strategies between patients who fulfill the eligibility criteria of the trial (Group 1, G1) and those who do not (Group 2, G2). Methods and population Single centre retrospective analysis including all consecutive patients referred to coronary angiography (CA) for SIHD from January 2018 to December 2019. Patients were stratified in two groups (G1 and G2) according to the ISCHEMIA trial inclusion and exclusion criteria. G1 was compared with G2 and with a subset of G2 with obstructive coronary artery disease (CAD), defined as ≥70% luminal stenosis in at least one coronary artery or >50% for the left main. Results A total of 1020 patients underwent CA, of whom only 124 (12.2%) would have been eligible for the ISCHEMIA trial (G1). Overall, there were no significant differences in baseline characteristics between the two groups. G1 patients had more extensive and severe disease, presenting more frequently with proximal left anterior descending (LAD) involvement (26.6% vs 10.4%; p Conclusions Patients included in the ISCHEMIA trial are underrepresented in a real-world population of SIHD patients referred to coronary angiography. PCI rates were similar among patients with at least one significant coronary artery stenosis, regardless of previous evidence or severity of ischemia. Our findings underline the need for further refinement in criteria for revascularization in SIHD. Funding Acknowledgement Type of funding source: None

Current recommendations on the optimal revascularization strategy in Non-ST-elevation myocardial infarction (NSTEMI) with left main (LM) or multivessel coronary disease (MVD) are based upon randomized clinical trials conducted in stable coronary artery disease. In a real-world contemporary observational registry, we compared the long-term outcome of NSTEMI patients with LM/MVD (n = 1,104) submitted to coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG), percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI), or optimized medical therapy (OMT). The primary end point was 5-year all-cause mortality. Results were assessed in the entire population (CABG 289, PCI 399, and OMT 416) and in a propensity score-matched cohort of CABG (n = 159) and PCI (n = 159). Crude 5-year mortality rates in CABG and PCI were 25.3% versus 29.6%, respectively (unadjusted hazard ratio [HR] 1.2; 95% confidence intervals [CI] 0.9 to 1.6; p = 0.212); OMT, however, was associated with a twofold higher risk of mortality when compared with any revascularization strategy (unadjusted HR 2.0; 95% CI 1.7 to 2.5; p0.001). After propensity score-matching and multivariate analysis, there was a trend toward a higher incidence of the primary end point in patients who underwent PCI versus CABG (31% vs 21%; adjusted HR 1.52; 95% CI 0.93 to 2.50; p = 0.094). This was a consistent finding over subgroups deemed clinically relevant, such as in patients with LM or proximal left anterior descending disease, SYNergy between percutaneous coronary intervention with TAXus ≥23 and left ventricle ejection fraction40%. In conclusion, in a real-world cohort of NSTEMI patients with LM/MVD, those selected for OMT had a dire outcome. Although adjusted 5-year mortality was statistically similar between revascularization strategies, there was a trend favoring CABG, which might be the preferred option in LM, proximal LAD, SYNergy between percutaneous coronary intervention with TAXus ≥23, and left ventricle ejection fraction40% subgroups.

Background The impact of coronary artery disease (CAD) extension/complexity on outcomes and on the comparative benefits/risks of zotarolimus-eluting stent (ZES) versus bare-metal stents (BMS) remains unclear in patients at high risk of bleeding or thrombosis or at low restenosis risk. Methods We performed a post-hoc analysis of the ZEUS trial. The impact of coronary anatomic complexity measured by the SYNTAX score on the differences in outcomes following ZES and BMS was assessed at 1 year. Results The mean SYNTAX score was 16.3 ± 13.1 with a median of 12 (IQR: 7 to 22). We stratified patients according to SYNTAX tertiles (0–8: n = 563; >8–19 n = 532; >19: n = 511), and observed that the higher the score, the correspondingly higher was the rate of the primary endpoint of major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) and other ischemic events, but not bleeding after adjustment. The superior efficacy of ZES versus BMS for MACE was consistent across SYNTAX tertiles (tertile 1: HR 0.71, 95% CI 0.44–1.13; tertile 2: HR 0.71, 95% CI 0.46–1.09; tertile 3: HR 0.83, 95% CI 0.61–1.10) without significant heterogeneity (p for trend = 0.55). This between-groups difference mainly reflected a reduction in MI and TVR without effect on mortality. There was no significant interaction between the SYNTAX score and allocated stent type with respect to ischemic and bleeding endpoints. Conclusions The SYNTAX score was predictor of major adverse cardiovascular events but not bleeding and ZES provided superior efficacy and safety than BMS across the whole spectrum of CAD complexity. SYNTAX score may be routinely used for the assessment of the ischemic risk (but not bleeding) after PCI and should not guide the decision-making for DES versus BMS in patients undergoing PCI.

Refractory angina is defined as persistent angina (≥3 months) despite optimal medical and interventional therapies. It is increasing in frequency, due to the success of current medical and interventional therapies in improving the prognosis of coronary artery disease. Long-term mortality is similar to that of patients with asymptomatic stable disease, but it affects patients’ quality of life, and has a significant impact on health care resources. Several therapeutic targets have been investigated, most with disappointing results. Many of the techniques have been abandoned because of lack of efficacy, safety issues, or economic and logistic limitations to wider applicability. The primary focus of this review is the coronary sinus Reducer, supporting evidence for which, although scarce, is promising regarding safety and efficacy in improving anginal symptoms and quality of life. It is also accessible to virtually all interventional cardiology departments.

Coronary CT angiography (CTA) is currently considered a reliable method to exclude obstructive coronary artery disease (CAD) before valvular heart surgery in patients with low pretest probability. However, its role in excluding obstructive CAD before transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) is less well established. Single-center retrospective study where patients with severe symptomatic aortic stenosis underwent both CTA and invasive coronary angiography (ICA) as part of TAVI planning. CTA exams were conducted on a 64-slice dual source scanner, with a median interval of 45 days to ICA (IQR 25–75 [13–82]). In both tests, obstructive CAD was defined as a ≥50% stenosis in an epicardial vessel ≥2 mm diameter. Per-patient, per-vessel and per-proximal segment analyses were conducted, excluding and including non-evaluable segments. The study included 200 patients (120 women, mean age 83 ± 6 years). The prevalence of obstructive CAD on ICA was 35.5% (n = 71). On a per-patient analysis (assuming non-evaluable segments as stenotic), CTA showed sensitivity of 100% (95% CI, 95–100%), specificity of 42% (95% CI, 33–51%), and positive and negative predictive values of 48% (95% CI, 44–51%) and 100% (95% CI, 92–100%), respectively. CTA was able to exclude obstructive CAD in 54 patients (27%), in whom ICA could have been safely withheld. Despite the high rate of inconclusive tests, pre-procedural CTA is able to safely exclude obstructive CAD in a significant proportion of patients undergoing TAVI, possibly avoiding the need for ICA in roughly one quarter of the cases.

Introduction Vascular calcification has been associated with worse outcomes in transfemoral TAVI (TF-TAVI). However, there is currently no simple method to assess it and identify different patterns of calcification in an objective and quantitative manner. The purpose of this study was to develop a quantitative score of aortic (Ao) and ileofemural (IF) calcification and to assess its ability to predict life-threatening bleeding (LTB) and major vascular complications during TF-TAVI. Methods Case-control single center retrospective study of patients undergoing TF-TAVI between Nov2015 and Aug2018 including 183 consecutive patients (99 women, mean age 83±3 years, mean Euroscore II - ESII - 6.0±4.1). The Vascular Calcium Score was calculated for the entire Ao and IF vessels using a modified Agatston score derived from contrast-enhanced CT images, with calcium threshold locally adjusted for luminal attenuation (mean attenuation + 5x SD). A luminal attenuation threshold >600UH impaired vascular calcium evaluation and patients were excluded. LTB and major vascular complications were adjudicated according to the VARC-2 classification and identified by chart review by and independent team. Results Thirty patients (16%) suffered major bleeding and 13 (7%) experienced LTB. Major vascular injury occurred in 11 patients (6%). The median total vascular calcium score (TCS) was 11752 AU (IQR: 6388–19844) and median IF score (IFS) was 2210AU (IQR: 865–4170). TCS indexed for body surface area (TCSi) was predictor of LTB (AUC: 0.78±0.07, p Conclusions A quantitative score for vascular calcification in contrast-enhanced CT images was developed. iTCS was independently associated with life-threatening bleeding and major vascular complications.

Background and aim Transradial approach (TRA) is being used increasingly as the preferential vascular access site for both diagnostic and interventional procedures. However, concerns have risen about the risk of clinically meaningful neurologic complications. We aimed to assess the association between the risk of stroke/transient ischemic attack (TIA) and the transradial (vs. transfemoral) approach. Methods and Results Data from 16,710 cases included in a single centre prospective registry between January 2006 and November 2012 was analyzed. Radial procedures were considered as those in which the radial access was used either primarily (n = 4,195) or after conversion (n = 36). Potential cases with neurologic events were targeted by cross-referencing patients who underwent both cardiac catheterization and cranial-computed tomography (cranial-CT) during the same admission episode (n = 67). Procedure-related events were defined as a definitive non-CABG related stroke/TIA occurring within 48 hr of the procedure. TRA increased from 0.7% in 2006 to 75% in 2012. Total incidence of stroke/TIA was 0.16% and did not change over the study period (P = 0.26). There was no significant difference in stroke/TIA rates between groups (0.165% vs. 0.160%; P = 1.0). After correction for baseline differences and propensity score matching, TRA was not an independent predictor of stroke/TIA (OR 1.21; 95% CI 0.49–2.98 and 1.3; 95% CI 0.55–3.54, respectively). Results were consistent in pre-specified sub-groups according to age (≥65 y.o. vs. younger), gender, interventional vs. diagnostic and ACS vs. stable. Conclusion Rates of documented stroke/TIA were low. Our observational study suggests that widening the use of the TRA is not associated with an increased risk of clinically relevant procedure-related neurologic complications. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

BACKGROUND The use of drug-eluting stents (DES) in patients at high risk of bleeding or thrombosis has not been prospectively studied; limited data are available in patients who have a low restenosis risk. OBJECTIVES This study sought to compare a hydrophilic polymer-based, second-generation zotarolimus-eluting stent (ZES) with a unique drug fast-release profile versus bare-metal stents (BMS) under similar durations of dual-antiplatelet therapy (DAPT). METHODS We randomly assigned 1,606 patients with stable or unstable symptoms, and who on the basis of thrombotic bleeding or restenosis risk criteria, qualified as uncertain candidates for DES, to receive ZES or BMS. DAPT duration was on the basis of patient characteristics, rather than stent characteristics, and allowed for a personalized 1-month dual antiplatelet regimen. The primary endpoint was the risk of 1-year major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE), which included death, myocardial infarction (MI), or target vessel revascularization (TVR). RESULTS Median DAPT duration was 32 days (interquartile range [IQR]: 30 to 180 days) and did not differ between the groups. In the ZES group, 140 patients (17.5%) reached the primary endpoint, compared with 178 patients (22.1%) in the BMS group (hazard ratio: 0.76; 95% confidence interval: 0.61 to 0.95; p = 0.011) as a result of lower MI (2.9% vs. 8.1%; p < 0.001) and TVR rates (5.9% vs. 10.7%; p = 0.001) in the ZES group. Definite or probable stent thrombosis was also significantly reduced in ZES recipients (2.0% vs. 4.1%; p = 0.019). CONCLUSIONS Compared with BMS, DES implantation using a stent with a biocompatible polymer and fast drug-eluting characteristics, combined with an abbreviated, tailored DAPT regimen, resulted in a lower risk of 1-year MACE in uncertain candidates for DES implantation. (Zotarolimus-eluting Endeavor Sprint Stent in Uncertain DES Candidates [ZEUS] Study; NCT01385319) (C) 2015 by the American College of Cardiology Foundation.

Hypoxemia after myocardial infarction (MI) is usually explained by common culprits, including congestive heart failure, pre-existing lung disease, and pulmonary infection. We report a case of a 60-year-old woman who experienced severe persistent hypoxemia caused by a patent foramen ovale in the setting of anterior MI complicated by a contained left ventricular rupture.

BACKGROUND Myocardial infarction is frequently the initial form of presentation of coronary artery disease (CAD). Systemic Coronary Risk Estimation (SCORE) risk tables are used in primary prevention and provide an estimate of cardiovascular (CV) risk through known risk factors. The aim of this study was to evaluate the performance of the SCORE, calculated using data previous to the event, to estimate CV risk of a population of patients presenting with ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) as the first manifestation of CAD. METHODS AND RESULTS From a prospective registry including 3056 patients with STEMI subjected to coronary angiography between 2004 and 2014, 1628 patients with STEMI as the first manifestation of CAD were included after the exclusion of patients with known CAD (n=748, 24.5%), patients with high-risk equivalents (n=930, 30.4%), and patients with normal coronaries (n=57, 1.87%). The individual risk profile was calculated using data previous to the event and patients were classified into three established subgroups: low risk (SCORE

The evolution of transcatheter aortic valve replacement since its introduction in 2002 has been astonishing. Classically, contralateral ancillary femoral artery (FA) access was used. More recently, the radial artery (RA) has been proposed for angiography and iliac crossover ([1][1]). Khubber et al

Introduction and aims Randomized trials and registries have shown that drug-eluting stents (DES) have an overall better performance than bare-metal stents in patients treated in the setting of both ST-segment and non-ST-segment elevation acute coronary syndromes, mainly by reducing restenosis. Whether or not the use of newer second-generation devices (vs. first-generation DES) differs in these high-risk patients remains to be determined. Methods and results In a single-centre prospective registry, 3266 patients underwent a percutaneous coronary intervention with at least one DES from January 2003 to December 2009. Of these, 1423 (43.6%) were treated in the setting of an acute coronary syndrome, using either first-generation-only DES [paclitaxel or sirolimus; n=923 (64.9%)] or second-generation-only [zotarolimus or everolimus; n=500 (35.1%)]. The occurrence of death from any cause, nonfatal myocardial infarction or target vessel failure (composite primary endpoint) was compared between these two groups; repeat revascularization of the index stented lesion and definite stent thrombosis [according to the academic research consortium (ARC) definition] were assessed as isolated secondary outcomes. At a median follow-up of 598 days (interquartile range 453-1206), the incidence of death was 10.7% (152), 136 patients (9.6%) had a new myocardial infarction and target vessel failure events occurred in 147 patients (10.3%). Disparity in the follow-up duration was accounted for by considering only the 1-year major adverse cardiac event rate (n=161; 11.3%). After adjustment for baseline characteristics using a Cox proportional hazard model, we could not find a significant difference in the incidence of the composite primary endpoint at 1-year between first-generation (10.8%) and second-generation DES (12.2%) [hazard ratio (HR): 1.1; 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.82-1.57, P=0.463], nor in the occurrence of repeat target lesion revascularization (3.6 vs. 4.4%; HR 1.35; 95% CI 0.77-2.34; P=0.293). In a per patient analysis, at 1 year, ARC-definite ST was documented in 1.0% of patients treated with second-generation DES versus 2.8% in those treated with first-generation DES (corrected HR 0.36; 95% CI 0.14-0.94; P=0.037), owing mostly to a higher difference in late ST. Conclusion Our results suggest that both first-generation and second-generation DES seem to be similarly effective in patients undergoing a percutaneous coronary intervention in the setting of acute coronary syndromes. However, newer second-generation devices may offer potential advantages because of a significantly lower incidence of ARC-definite ST.

Background The use of drug-eluting stent (DES) instead of bare-metal stent (BMS) in patients at high stent thrombosis or bleeding risk as well as in those at low restenosis risk (ie, uncertain DES candidates) remains a matter of debate. Zotarolimus-Eluting Endeavor Sprint stent (E-ZES) (Santa Rosa, CA) is a hydrophilic polymer-based second-generation device with unique drug fast-release profile, which may allow for a shorter dual antiplatelet therapy (DAPT) duration without safety concerns. Hypothesis The primary objective is to assess whether E-ZES implantation followed by a shorter than currently recommended course of DAPT will decrease the incidence of 12-month major adverse cardiovascular events as compared with BMS in undefined DES recipients. Actual duration of DAPT regimen will be dictated by patients' characteristics and not by stent type and, as such, can be as short as 30 days after intervention in both stent groups. Study Design The ZEUS study is an open-label randomized clinical trial conducted at 20 clinical sites in Italy, Switzerland, Portugal, and Hungary. With 1,600 individuals, this study will have 85% power to detect a 33% difference in the primary end point consisting of the composite of death, nonfatal myocardial infarction, or target vessel revascularization. Summary The ZEUS trial aims to assess whether the use of E-ZES, followed by a DAPT duration regimen based on patients' characteristics and not by stent type, is superior to conventional BMS implantation in undefined DES recipients who qualify for the presence of high thrombosis, bleeding, or low restenosis risk criteria.

To describe a coronary computed tomography angiography (CCTA)-adapted Leaman score (CT-LeSc) as a tool to quantify total coronary atherosclerotic burden with information regarding localization, type of plaque and degree of stenosis and to identify clinical predictors of a high coronary atherosclerotic burden as assessed by the CT-LeSc. Single center prospective registry including a total of 772 consecutive patients undergoing CCTA (Dual-source CT) from April 2011 to March 2012. For the purpose of this study, 581 stable patients referred for suspected coronary artery disease (CAD) without previous myocardial infarction or revascularization procedures were included. Pre-test CAD probability was determined using both the Diamond-Forrester extended CAD consortium method (DF-CAD consortium model) and the Morise score. Cardiovascular risk was assessed with the HeartScore. The cut-off for the 3rd tercile (CT-LeSc ≥8.3) was used to define a population with a high coronary atherosclerotic burden. The median CT-LeSc in this population (n = 581, 8,136 coronary segments evaluated; mean age 57.6 ± 11.1; 55.8 % males; 14.6 % with diabetes) was 2.2 (IQR 0-6.8). In patients with CAD (n = 341), the median CT-LeSc was 5.8 (IQR 3.2-9.6). Among patients with nonobstructive CAD, most were classified in the lowest terciles (T1, 43.0 %; T2, 36.1 %), but 20.9 % were in the highest tercile (T3). The majority of the patients with obstructive CAD were classified in T3 (78.2 %), but 21.8 % had a CT-LeSc in lower terciles (T1 or T2). The independent predictors of a high CT-LeSc were: Male sex (OR 1.73; 95 % CI 1.04-2.90) diabetes (OR 2.91; 95 % CI 1.61-5.23), hypertension (OR 2.54; 95 % CI 1.40-4.63), Morise score ≥ 16 (OR 1.97; 95 % CI 1.06-3.67) and HeartScore ≥ 5 (OR 2.42; 95 % CI 1.41-4.14). We described a cardiac CT adapted Leaman score as a tool to quantify total (obstructive and nonobstructive) coronary atherosclerotic burden, reflecting the comprehensive information about localization, degree of stenosis and type of plaque provided by CCTA. Male sex, hypertension, diabetes, a HeartScore ≥5 % and a Morise score ≥ 16 were associated with a high coronary atherosclerotic burden, as assessed by the CT-LeSc. About one fifth of the patients with nonobstructive CAD had a CT-LeSc in the highest tercile, and this could potentially lead to a reclassification of the risk profile of this subset of patients identified by CCTA, once the prognostic value of the CT-LeSc is validated.

Introduction and objectives: Percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) with paclitaxel drug-eluting balloons (DEBs) is used mainly for treatment of in-stent restenosis (ISR) and small vessel disease. Our objective was to evaluate the clinical efficacy of this strategy in a multicenter registry. Methods: Between 2009 and 2010 a prospective registry from two centers enrolled 156 consecutive patients undergoing PCI with at least one DEB. A primary composite endpoint of major adverse cardiac events (MACE) (all-cause death, myocardial infarction [MI] and target lesion revascularization [TLR]) was assessed at one year follow-up. Stepwise Cox regression was used to determine independent predictors of outcome. Results: DEBs (n=206) were used to treat 184 lesions. Procedural success was obtained in 98% of patients (n=150). At one-year follow-up, 86% (n=134) were free of the primary endpoint (6% death, 6% non-procedure related MI and 5% TLR). The independent predictors of MACE at one year were index PCI in the left anterior descending artery (HR 2.81, 95% CI 1.21–6.51; p=0.02) and a history of MI (HR 3.46, 95% CI 1.35–8.84; p=0.01). ISR and DEB diameter or length were not predictors of events. Conclusions: PCI with DEBs in real-world patients with complex lesions is effective, with a low rate of MACE, including TLR, at one-year follow-up. The results are equally good whether the intervention is for ISR or for native coronary disease. Resumo: Introdução e objectivos: A intervenção coronária percutânea (ICP) com balão eluidor de fármaco (DEB) tem vindo a ser utilizada no tratamento da reestenose intra-stent (RIS) e na doença coronária de pequenos vasos. O objectivo foi avaliar a eficácia clínica desta estratégia num registo multicêntrico. Métodos: Registo prospetivo de dois centros com 156 doentes (dts) consecutivos incluídos, entre 2009 e 2010, submetidos a ICP com pelo menos um balão DEB. Definiu-se como endpoint primário a ocorrência combinada (MACE) de todas as causas de morte, EAM e revascularização da lesão alvo (TLR) a um ano de seguimento. Determinou-se os preditores independentes de prognóstico através da análise de regressão de Cox. Resultados: Foram tratadas 184 lesões com 206 DEB. O sucesso do procedimento foi obtido em 98% (150 dts). A um ano de seguimento, a sobrevida livre de endpoint composto ocorreu em 134 dts e foi de 86% (morte em 6%, EAM em 6% e TLR em 5%). Os preditores independentes de MACE foram a ICP na artéria descendente anterior (HR 2,81, 95% IC 1,21-6,51, p = 0,02) e história prévia de EAM (HR 3,46, 95% IC 1,35-8,84, p = 0,01). O diâmetro ou comprimento do DEB e a RIS não foram preditores de eventos. Conclusões: A ICP com DEB em dts do mundo real e neste cenário complexo de lesões, é eficaz com baixa taxa de MACE a um ano de seguimento, incluindo TLR. Os resultados são igualmente bons se a intervenção é no contexto de RIS ou na doença coronária de novo. Keywords: Drug-eluting balloon, Small coronary vessel disease, In-stent restenosis, Palavras-chave: Balão eluidor de fármaco, Doença coronária dos pequenos vasos, Reestenose intra-stent

Resumo: Introdução e objetivos: A intervenção coronária percutânea (ICP) com balão eluidor de fármaco (DEB) tem vindo a ser utilizada no tratamento da reestenose intra-stent (RIS) e na doença coronária de pequenos vasos. O objetivo foi avaliar a eficácia clínica desta estratégia num registo multicêntrico. Métodos: Registo prospetivo de 2 centros com 156 doentes (dts) consecutivos incluídos, entre 2009 e 2010, submetidos a ICP com pelo menos um balão DEB. Definiu-se como endpoint primário a ocorrência combinada (MACE) de todas as causas de morte, EAM e revascularização da lesão alvo (TLR) a um ano de seguimento. Determinou-se os preditores independentes de prognóstico através da análise de regressão de Cox. Resultados: Foram tratadas 184 lesões com 206 DEB. O sucesso do procedimento foi obtido em 98% (150 dts). A um ano de seguimento, a sobrevida livre de endpoint composto ocorreu em 134 dts e foi de 86% (morte em 6%, EAM em 6% e TLR em 5%). Os preditores independentes de MACE foram a ICP na artéria descendente anterior (HR 2,81, 95% IC 1,21-6,51, p = 0,02) e história prévia de EAM (HR 3,46, 95% IC 1,35-8,84, p = 0,01). O diâmetro ou comprimento do DEB e a RIS não foram preditores de eventos. Conclusões: A ICP com DEB em dts do mundo real e neste cenário complexo de lesões é eficaz com baixa taxa de MACE a um ano de seguimento, incluindo TLR. Os resultados são igualmente bons se a intervenção é no contexto de RIS ou na doença coronária de novo. Abstract: Introduction and objectives: Percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) with paclitaxel drug-eluting balloons (DEBs) is used mainly for treatment of in-stent restenosis (ISR) and small vessel disease. Our objective was to evaluate the clinical efficacy of this strategy in a multicenter registry. Methods: Between 2009 and 2010 a prospective registry from two centers enrolled 156 consecutive patients undergoing PCI with at least one DEB. A primary composite endpoint of major adverse cardiac events (MACE) (all-cause death, myocardial infarction [MI] and target lesion revascularization [TLR]) was assessed at one-year follow-up. Stepwise Cox regression was used to determine independent predictors of outcome. Results: DEBs (n=206) were used to treat 184 lesions. Procedural success was obtained in 98% of patients (n=150). At one-year follow-up, 86% (n=134) were free of the primary endpoint (6% death, 6% non-procedure related MI and 5% TLR). The independent predictors of MACE at one year were index PCI in the left anterior descending artery (HR 2.81, 95% CI 1.21-6.51; p=0.02) and a history of MI (HR 3.46, 95% CI 1.35-8.84; p=0.01). ISR and DEB diameter or length were not predictors of events. Conclusions: PCI with DEBs in real-world patients with complex lesions is effective, with a low rate of MACE, including TLR, at one-year follow-up. The results are equally good whether the intervention is for ISR or for native coronary disease. Palavras-chave: Balão eluidor de fármaco, Doença coronária dos pequenos vasos, Reestenose intra-stent, Keywords: Drug-eluting balloon, Small coronary vessel disease, In-stent restenosis

AIMS Nonobstructive coronary atherosclerotic lesions can lead to ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI). Thrombus aspiration during a primary percutaneous coronary intervention provides a setting to evaluate the degree of stenosis of culprit lesions leading to STEMI. The aim of this study was to assess the degree of culprit lesion residual stenosis after thrombus aspiration and to compare the demographic, clinical, and angiographic characteristics between patients with obstructive versus nonobstructive residual stenosis. METHODS AND RESULTS From a single-center registry of 483 consecutive patients with STEMI undergoing a primary percutaneous coronary intervention, 172 patients underwent thrombus aspiration and were eligible for our study. We defined two groups according to the residual stenosis after thrombus aspiration: group A (n=119, 69%) with residual stenosis greater than or equal to 50%, and group B (n=53, 31%) with residual stenosis less than 50%.In terms of the baseline angiographic characteristics, patients with residual stenosis less than 50% had significantly lower prevalence of multivessel disease (15.1 vs. 46.2%, P

(1) To study the prevalence and severity of coronary artery disease (CAD) in diabetic patients. (2) To provide a detailed characterization of the coronary atherosclerotic burden, including the localization, degree of stenosis and plaque composition by coronary computed tomography angiography (CCTA). Single center prospective registry including a total of 581 consecutive stable patients (April 2011-March 2012) undergoing CCTA (Dual-source CT) for the evaluation of suspected CAD without previous myocardial infarction or revascularization procedures. Different coronary plaque burden indexes and plaque type and distribution patterns were compared between patients with (n = 85) and without diabetes (n = 496). The prevalence of CAD (any plaque; 74.1 vs. 56%; p = 0.002) and obstructive CAD (≥50% stenosis; 31.8 vs. 10.3%; p < 0.001) were significantly higher in diabetic patients. The remaining coronary atherosclerotic burden indexes evaluated (plaque in LM-3v-2v with prox. LAD; SIS; SSS; CT-LeSc) were also significantly higher in diabetic patients. In the per segment analysis, diabetics had a higher percentage of segments with plaque in every vessel (2.6/13.1/7.5/10.5% for diabetics vs. 1.4/7.1/3.3/4.4% for nondiabetics for LM, LAD, LCx, RCA respectively; p < 0.001 for all) and of both calcified (19.3 vs. 9.2%, p < 0.001) and noncalcified or mixed types (14.4 vs. 7.0%; p < 0.001); the ratio of proximal-to-distal relative plaque distribution (calculated as LM/proximal vs. mid/distal/branches) was lower for diabetics (0.75 vs. 1.04; p = 0.009). Diabetes was an independent predictor of CAD and was also associated with more advanced CAD, evaluated by indexes of coronary atherosclerotic burden. Diabetics had a significantly higher prevalence of plaques in every anatomical subset and for the different plaque composition. In this report, the relative geographic distribution of the plaques within each subgroup, favored a more mid-to-distal localization in the diabetic patients.

Resumo: A hipertensão arterial é um importante fator de risco cardiovascular e apesar dos inúmeros avanços na terapêutica farmacológica, existe ainda uma percentagem importante de doentes que são resistentes. Os autores descrevem dois casos clínicos de ablação da atividade simpática renal por radiofrequência, que ilustram a exequibilidade de uma nova técnica para o tratamento da hipertensão arterial resistente. O procedimento consiste na aplicação de energia de radiofrequência nas artérias renais, para ablação da atividade simpática renal aferente e eferente, implicada na fisiopatologia da hipertensão arterial. Abstract: Hypertension is an important cardiovascular risk factor and although there have been many improvements in pharmacological treatment, a significant percentage of patients are still considered resistant. The authors describe two cases of radiofrequency renal sympathetic denervation that illustrate the feasibility of this new technique for the treatment of resistant hypertension. The procedure consists of the application of radiofrequency energy inside the renal arteries to ablate afferent and efferent sympathetic renal activity, which has been implicated in the pathophysiology of hypertension. Palavras-chave: Hipertensão arterial resistente, Ablação por radiofrequência, Artérias renais, Keywords: Resistant hypertension, Renal denervation, Renal arteries

Transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) has become an important treatment in high surgical risk patients with severe aortic stenosis (AS), whose complications need to be managed promptly.The authors report the case of an 86-year-old woman presenting with severe symptomatic AS, rejected for surgery due to advanced age and comorbidities. The patient underwent a first TAVI, with implantation of a Medtronic CoreValve®, which became dislodged and migrated to the ascending aorta. Due to the previous balloon valvuloplasty, the patient's AS became moderate, and her symptoms improved. After several months, she required another intervention, performed with a St. Jude Portico® repositionable self-expanding transcatheter aortic valve. There was a good clinical response that was maintained at one-year follow-up.The use of a self-expanding transcatheter bioprosthesis with repositioning features is a solution in cases of valve dislocation to avoid suboptimal positioning of a second implant, especially when the two valves have to be positioned overlapping or partially overlapping each other. Resumo: A implantação de válvula aórtica percutânea (VAP) tornou-se um procedimento importante no tratamento de doentes com estenose aórtica grave com elevado risco cirúrgico, cujas complicações devem ser avaliadas e tratadas de forma adequada.Os autores relatam o caso de uma doente de 86 anos, com estenose aórtica grave sintomática, recusada para intervenção cirúrgica dada a idade avançada e comorbilidades. A doente foi submetida a uma primeira implantação de VAP com uma válvula Medtronic CoreValve®, a qual sofreu um deslocamento para a aorta ascendente durante o procedimento. Devido à angioplastia de balão previamente efetuada, a estenose aórtica tornou-se moderada, com melhoria da sintomatologia da doente. Vários meses depois, por agravamento clínico, houve necessidade de reintervenção, a qual foi realizada com um sistema reposicionável Portico®. Verificou-se um segundo posicionamento valvular adequado, com boa resposta clínica da doente, que persiste após um ano de follow-up.A utilização de sistemas reposicionáveis de implantação de VAP constitui, atualmente, uma solução em casos de deslocamento da válvula, de forma a evitar uma segunda implantação subótima, sobretudo quando as duas válvulas têm de ficar em sobreposição. Keywords: Severe aortic stenosis, Transcatheter aortic valve implantation complications, Valve dislocation, Palavras-chave: Estenose aórtica grave, Complicações da válvula aórtica percutânea, Deslocamento da válvula

Objectives This study sought to investigate the ischemic and bleeding outcomes of patients fulfilling high bleeding risk (HBR) criteria who were randomized to zotarolimus-eluting Endeavor Sprint stent (E-ZES) or bare-metal stent (BMS) implantation followed by an abbreviated dual antiplatelet therapy (DAPT) duration for stable or unstable coronary artery disease. Background DES instead of BMS use remains controversial in HBR patients, in whom long-term DAPT poses safety concerns. Methods The ZEUS (Zotarolimus-Eluting Endeavor Sprint Stent in Uncertain DES Candidates) is a multinational, randomized single-blinded trial that randomized among others, in a stratified manner, 828 patients fulfilling pre-defined clinical or biochemical HBR criteria—including advanced age, indication to oral anticoagulants or other pro-hemorrhagic medications, history of bleeding and known anemia—to receive E-ZES or BMS followed by a protocol-mandated 30-day DAPT regimen. The primary endpoint of the study was the 12-month major adverse cardiovascular event rate, consisting of death, myocardial infarction, or target vessel revascularization. Results Compared with patients without, those with 1 or more HBR criteria had worse outcomes, owing to higher ischemic and bleeding risks. Among HBR patients, major adverse cardiovascular events occurred in 22.6% of the E-ZES and 29% of the BMS patients (hazard ratio: 0.75; 95% confidence interval: 0.57 to 0.98; p = 0.033), driven by lower myocardial infarction (3.5% vs. 10.4%; p Conclusions Among HBR patients with stable or unstable coronary artery disease, E-ZES implantation provides superior efficacy and safety as compared with conventional BMS. (Zotarolimus-Eluting Endeavor Sprint Stent in Uncertain DES Candidates [ZEUS]; NCT01385319 )

Background The benefit of complete revascularization (CR) during a primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) in patients with multivessel disease (MVD) is still not clear. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the impact of CR in a nonselected population from an all-comers prospective registry of patients with ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) over a long period of time. Methods and results Between 2004 and 2014, 671 noncardiogenic shock STEMI patients with MVD were included in the present study, of whom 522 were subjected to incomplete revascularization and 149 were subjected to CR. Patients in the CR group were younger [61 (SD 12) vs. 64 (SD 12.4) years old, P=0.001], more often subjected to femoral access (79.4 vs. 67.1%, P=0.002), and had a lower number of segments with lesion [2 (2.2) vs. 3 (3.4), P=0.001]. The CR group tended to have a lower 1-year major adverse cardiac event (MACE) rate (17.8 vs. 25.7%; P=0.05) that reached statistical significance at 2 years (19.4 vs. 28.5%, P=0.03). The rates of the individual endpoints were not different between groups. Independent predictors of 2-year MACE were age, femoral access, and previous PCI. Index CR was associated with lower MACE (hazard ratio 0.5, 0.36-0.79). MACE-free survival was higher in the CR group throughout the 2 years of follow-up. Conclusion In patients with STEMI and MVD undergoing culprit lesion PCI, preventive PCI in noninfarct coronary arteries with significant stenosis was associated with a lower risk of MACE compared with incomplete revascularization in this all-comers prospective registry.

Transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) by transapical approach is accepted for severe aortic stenosis in patients with high risk for conventional surgical therapy. Herein is reported the initial clinical results of this technique in a reference centerWe conducted a longitudinal prospective single center study including 54 consecutive patients (mean age 79 ± 7.5 years, 59% male) who underwent, between November 2008 and October 2013, TAVR with Edwards Sapien valves throught transapical approach. The etiology was native aortic stenosis in 83% (mean gradient = 49 ± 18.3 mmHg and area = 0,7 cm2), 11% aortic disease and 3 patients had degenerated biological valvular prostheses, being 65% in class III/IV NYHA. The major comorbidities were coronary heart disease in 56% (status post-coronary surgery 37%), diabetes (37%), peripheral artery disease (31%) and chronic renal failure (24%). The logistic EuroSCORE was 19.8 ± 11.2 and EuroSCORE II 5.5 ± 3.5%, with STS mortality score 5.1 ± 3.7 and 23.7 ± 7.6 STS morbidity.Analysis following the VARC-2 criteria (Valve Academic Research Consortium), showed 30-day mortality of 5.6%; peri-procedural myocardial infarction 7.4%; disabling cerebral vascular accident 1.9%; severe haemorrhage 14.8%; major vascular complications 5.6%; pacemaker implantation 11%. Unplanned extracorporeal circulation was used in 5 cases and prosthetic dysfunction occurred in 4 patients (shift valve in 2 cases). The median hospital stay was 8.0 days, with re-hospitalization in 12.2% of cases. The composite VARC-2 endpoints were: device success = 90.7%; early safety at 30 days = 75.9% and clinical efficacy after 30 days= 83.7%.The transapical approach was found as an effective therapy for patients at high risk for conventional surgery.

Background: Fewer bleeding complications and early ambulation make radial access a privileged route for cardiac catheterization. However, transradial (TR) approach is not always successful, requiring its conversion into femoral access. Objectives: To evaluate the rate of conversion from radial into femoral access in cardiac catheterization and to identify its predictors. Methods: Prospective dual-center registry, including 7632 consecutive patients undergoing catheterization via the radial access between Jan/2009 and Oct/2012. We evaluated the incidence of conversion into femoral access and its predictors by logistic regression analysis. Results: The patients’ mean age was 66 ± 11 years, and 32% were women. A total of 2969 procedures (38.4%) were percutaneous coronary interventions (PCI), and the most used first intention arterial access was the right radial artery (97.6%). Radial access failure rate was 5.8%. Independent predictors of conversion from radial into femoral access were the use of short introducer sheaths (OR 3.047, CI: 2.380-3.902; p < 0.001), PCI (OR 1.729, CI: 1.375-2.173; p < 0.001), female sex (OR 1.569, CI: 1.234-1.996; p < 0.001), multivessel disease (OR 1.457, CI: 1.167-1.819; p = 0.001), body surface area (BSA) ≤ 1.938 (OR 1.448, CI: 1.120-1.871; p = 0.005) and age > 66 years (OR 1.354, CI: 1.088-1.684; p = 0.007). Conclusion: Transradial approach for cardiac catheterization has a high success rate and the need for its conversion into femoral access in this cohort was low. Female sex, older age, smaller BSA, the use of short introducer sheaths, multivessel disease and PCI were independent predictors of conversion into femoral access. Fundamento: Menos complicações hemorrágicas e deambulação precoce fazem do acesso radial uma via privilegiada para cateterismo cardíaco. Entretanto, a abordagem transradial (TR) nem sempre é bem-sucedida, sendo necessária a sua conversão em acesso femoral. Objetivo: Avaliar a taxa de conversão do acesso radial em femoral no cateterismo cardíaco e identificar seus fatores preditivos. Métodos: Registro prospectivo de dois centros, incluindo 7.632 pacientes consecutivos submetidos a cateterização via acesso radial entre janeiro de 2009 e outubro de 2012. Avaliou-se a incidência de conversão em acesso femoral e seus fatores preditivos através de análise de regressão logística. Resultados: A idade média dos pacientes foi de 66 ± 11 anos, sendo 32% deles mulheres. Houve 2.969 (38.4%) intervenções coronarianas percutâneas (ICP),sendo a artéria radial direita a primeira escolha mais usada (97,6%). A taxa de insucesso do acesso radial foi de 5,8%. Fatores preditivos independentes da conversão do acesso radial em femoral foram o uso de bainhas introdutoras curtas (OR 3,047; IC: 2,380-3,902; p < 0,001), ICP (OR 1,729; IC: 1,375-2,173; p < 0,001), sexo feminino (OR 1,569;IC: 1,234-1,996; p < 0,001), doença multiarterial (OR 1,457; IC: 1,167-1,819; p = 0,001), área de superfície corporal(ASC) ≤ 1,938 (OR 1,448; IC: 1,120-1,871; p = 0,005) e idade > 66 anos (OR 1,354; IC: 1,088-1,684; p = 0,007). Conclusão: A abordagem transradial para cateterismo cardíaco tem alta taxa de sucesso e a necessidade de sua conversão em acesso femoral nesta coorte foi baixa. Os fatores preditivos independentes de sua conversão em acesso femoral foram: sexo feminino; idade mais avançada; menor ASC; uso de bainhas introdutoras curtas; doença multiarterial; e ICP.

Transradial approach (TRA) is being used increasingly as the preferential vascular access site for both diagnostic and interventional procedures. However, concerns have risen about the risk of clinically meaningful neurologic complications. We aimed to assess the association between the risk of stroke/transient ischemic attack (TIA) and the transradial (vs. transfemoral) approach.Data from 16,710 cases included in a single centre prospective registry between January 2006 and November 2012 was analyzed. Radial procedures were considered as those in which the radial access was used either primarily (n = 4,195) or after conversion (n = 36). Potential cases with neurologic events were targeted by cross-referencing patients who underwent both cardiac catheterization and cranial-computed tomography (cranial-CT) during the same admission episode (n = 67). Procedure-related events were defined as a definitive non-CABG related stroke/TIA occurring within 48 hr of the procedure. TRA increased from 0.7% in 2006 to 75% in 2012. Total incidence of stroke/TIA was 0.16% and did not change over the study period (P = 0.26). There was no significant difference in stroke/TIA rates between groups (0.165% vs. 0.160%; P = 1.0). After correction for baseline differences and propensity score matching, TRA was not an independent predictor of stroke/TIA (OR 1.21; 95% CI 0.49-2.98 and 1.3; 95% CI 0.55-3.54, respectively). Results were consistent in pre-specified sub-groups according to age (≥65 y.o. vs. younger), gender, interventional vs. diagnostic and ACS vs. stable.Rates of documented stroke/TIA were low. Our observational study suggests that widening the use of the TRA is not associated with an increased risk of clinically relevant procedure-related neurologic complications.

When compared to their first-generation (1stGEN) counterparts, second-generation (2ndGEN) drug-eluting stents (DESs) have been associated with better clinical outcomes in randomized clinical trials, namely by reducing the rates of stent thrombosis (ST). Our goal was to investigate whether or not the broad use of newer devices would translate into higher safety in a real-world population. For that purpose, we compared the occurrence of definite ST at 12 months between two patient subsets from a large-volume single-center registry, according to the type of DES used. Total mortality was a secondary endpoint.Between January 2003 and December 2010, a total of 3806 patients were submitted to percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) with only 1stGEN or 2ndGEN DES: 2388 patients (62.7%) were treated with 1stGEN DES only (sirolimus-eluting stent [SES] = 1295 [34.0%]; paclitaxel-eluting stent [PES] = 943 [24.8%]; both stent types were used in 150 patients) and 1418 patients (37.3%) were treated with 2ndGEN DESs only. The total incidence of definite ST (as defined by the Academic Research Consortium) at 12 months was 1.2% (n = 46). After correction for baseline differences between study groups and other variables deemed to influence the occurrence of ST, the use of 1stGEN DES was associated with a significant 2.4-fold increase in the risk of definite ST (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.05-5.42; P=.039) at 12 months; adjusted risk was higher with PES (hazard ratio [HR], 3.6; 95% CI, 1.48-8.70; P=.005) than with SES (HR, 2.3; 95% CI, 0.92-5.65; P=.074). Total mortality (3.7% vs 3.5%) did not differ significantly between groups (adjusted HR, 1.2; 95% CI, 0.81-1.84, P=.348).Our data suggest that in the real-world setting of contemporary PCI, the unrestricted use of newer 2ndGEN DESs translates into an improvement in PCI safety (relative to 1stGEN DESs), with a significantly lower risk of definite ST at 12 months.

Coronary subclavian steal syndrome is a rare ischemic cause in patients after myocardial revascularization surgery. Subclavian artery stenosis or compression proximal to the internal mammary artery graft is the underlying cause. The authors present a clinical case of a patient with previous history of non-ST elevation myocardial infarction, triple coronary bypass, and effort angina since the surgery, with a positive ischemic test. Coronary angiography revealed a significant stenosis of the left subclavian artery, proximal to the internal mammary graft.

Introduction and Aims: Percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) is increasingly used as a treatment option for unprotected left main coronary artery (ULMCA) lesions. We aimed to evaluate the long-term outcome of patients undergoing ULMCA PCI. Methods and Results: We retrospectively analyzed 95 consecutive patients (median EuroSCORE I 2.9 [IQR 1.4;6.1]) who underwent ULMCA PCI between 1999 and 2006, included in a single-center prospective registry. The primary outcome was major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) defined as all-cause death, myocardial infarction (MI) and target lesion revascularization (TLR) at five years. Forty patients (42.1%) were treated in the setting of acute coronary syndrome and 81 patients (85%) had at least one additional significant lesion (SYNTAX score 24.2±11.8). Single ULMCA PCI was performed in 33% (81.1% with drug-eluting stents) and complete functional revascularization was achieved in 79% of the patients. During the observation period, 20 patients died (21.1%), 6 (6.3%) had MI and 11 (11.6%) had TLR (total combined MACE 28.4%). Independent predictors of MACE were previous MI (HR 2.9 95% CI 1.23–6.92; p=0.015), hypertension (HR 5.7 95% CI 1.86–17.47; p=0.002) and the EuroSCORE I (HR 1.1 95% CI 1.03–1.12; p=0.001). Drug-eluting stent implantation was associated with a significantly lower MACE rate, even after propensity score adjustment (AUC=0.84; HR [corrected] 0.1; 95% CI 0.04–0.26; p

Hypertension is an important cardiovascular risk factor and although there have been many improvements in pharmacological treatment, a significant percentage of patients are still considered resistant. The authors describe two cases of radiofrequency renal sympathetic denervation that illustrate the feasibility of this new technique for the treatment of resistant hypertension. The procedure consists of the application of radiofrequency energy inside the renal arteries to ablate afferent and efferent sympathetic renal activity, which has been implicated in the pathophysiology of hypertension.

Coronary vasospasm is one cause of chest pain in patients with acute myocarditis. This is a rare association, with few cases reported in the literature. The authors describe a case of acute myocarditis in which presentation mimicked acute myocardial infarction. During hospitalization severe angina recurred twice, accompanied by transient ST-segment elevation in different locations. The hypothesis of coronary vasospasm is discussed. The role of cardiac magnetic resonance imaging in this context is highlighted.

The use of drug-eluting stents (DES) is beneficial in patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) and there is particular interest in long-term follow-up.We aimed to assess and characterize early DES use in Portugal during 2003 and patient follow-up over a 5-year period. We developed a web-based database to collect and organize patient and procedural data from PCI performed in ten cardiovascular interventional centers sharing the same database.This was a multicenter retrospective study that included 1833 consecutive angiographically successful coronary angioplasties in which a DES was implanted in 2003. A subgroup of patients with 5-year clinical follow-up after the initial procedure was selected for which there was at least a 90% follow-up rate during one quarter of 2003. Demographic, clinical and angiographic characteristics of the entire population were assessed. In the clinical follow-up cohort, the incidence of major adverse cardiac events (MACE)--death, myocardial infarction and surgical or percutaneous target lesion revascularization--was analyzed by survival curves and logistic regression analysis.Of the total population, 23% were female, and mean age was 62 +/- 11 years (25-92). The main risk factors were hypertension (60.5%), dyslipidemia (42.9%), smoking (45.1%) and diabetes (23.9%, of whom 13.2% were on insulin therapy). There was a history of myocardial infarction, PCI or bypass surgery respectively in 23.1%, 25.1%, and 9.7% of the patients. Multivessel disease was present in 59.9% of patients (mean of 1.86 +/- 0.81 vessels). PCI was performed on average in 1.24 +/- 0.48 lesions, and complete revascularization in 58.8%. A total of 2058 stents were used (mean of 1.62 +/- 0.84) in 1271 patients. The longitudinal substudy included only 320 PCIs, for which follow-up was achieved in 319 (99%; median: 1875 days, P25: 1457 days, P75: 2045 days). Thirty-seven deaths (11.6%) and 61 MACE (19.1%) occurred in this group, with no differences between insulin-treated and other diabetic patients.This is the first study to analyze the early Portuguese experience with drug-eluting stents. The clinical results compare favorably with the first published international registries. The on-line platform used was successful in collecting data in a standardized format on the clinical experience of multiple centers.

The use of the methodology of adjusted risk to check the calculation of the differences between patients, groups and populations, as regards outcomes, is being used more often in the era of modern interventional cardiology to validate a reliable and balanced comparison of results between institutions and to maintain uniformity of data, criteria and definitions with a view to carrying out multicenter studies in this area of medicine. In this way, the ability to determine which variables have greater predictive value for adverse events that result from percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) is an extremely important tool for clinical decisions and for risk adjustment in each patient, when evaluating the quality of the health care given.this work took the research design of a case-control study. The data analyzed related to all patients who had undergone PCI in an interventional cardiology unit, during 2002 (567 patients). The group of cases (33) corresponds to those patients in whom a major adverse cardiac or cerebrovascular event (MACCE) occurred during the procedure or within a 30-day period. The control group (534 patients) was made up of the rest of the population that underwent a PCI but that remained free of events in the same study period. The data on the PCIs carried out was taken from the database of the interventional cardiology unit. Analysis of the data was based on a descriptive and analytical statistical treatment (SPSS 11.5) with recourse to contingency tables, the Pearson's chi-square test, the Fisher exact test, and simple and multiple logistic regression, using odds ratios (OR) as a measure of association. The level of significance was 0.05 and the confidence interval was 95%. It should be noted that in the group of variables that showed greatest predictive value of the occurrence of an MACCE we found the following: female gender (OR = 1.593), advanced age (80 years, OR = 9.460), diabetes (OR = 3.063), chronic renal failure (OR = 3.063), depressed ejection fraction (30%, OR = 8.475), priority at PCI (OR = 7.108), multivessel disease (OR = 1.683), type C lesion (OR = 2.208), acute myocardial infarction (OR = 5.045) and cardiogenic shock (OR = 28.169).This study allowed us to identify, characterize and grade the set of variables that presented the strongest association with major adverse events that resulted from PCIs, for the population that underwent this type of procedure in an interventional coronary unit over the course of one year. At the same time, it enabled us to characterize the procedures that were carried out during this period, and also the demographic and clinical profile of the population. Although in some of the variables the OR values found were not statistically significant in either bivariate or multivariate analysis, we should point out that these variables are comparable to most results from similar multicenter international studies carried out with large populations. This type of study is an important contribution to improving the quality of health care given and to more efficient risk management in the field of interventional cardiology.

A 78-year-old obese and hypertensive female presented to the emergency department with acute chest pain. On physical examination blood pressure was 90/50 mmHg and her heart rate was 110 b.p.s. The electrocardiogram ( Panel A ) was notable for right-axis deviation and ST-segment elevation in DI, aVL and …

Introduction: Radial access has gained attention in cardiac catheterization laboratories in the last few years, due to both logistic and clinical reasons, and is being used with increasing frequency worldwide. However, concerns have been raised about the potential increase in the risks of Stroke/Transient Ischemic Attack rates [stroke/TIA]. Aim: To assess the association between the risk of stroke and radial artery vascular access site in current practice of both diagnostic and interventional cardiac procedures. Methods: We retrospectively analyzed the data from of 16.710 diagnostic and interventional procedures, in which there was manipulation of the aortic arch, included in a large volume single-center prospective registry between Jan'2006 and Nov'2012. Radial artery was used as the primary vascular access site in 4.195 cases and 36 patients converted from femoral to radial: the radial-to-femoral conversion rate was 7%. Target cases were identified by cross-matching patients who underwent both cardiac catheterization and cranial-CT during the same admission episode (n=67). Procedure-related events were adjudicated according to a definite diagnosis established by a neurologist, as those occurring within 48 hours after the procedure. For patients discharged before that, subsequent reporting was used. In order to reduce bias, radial procedures were considered as those in which transradial assess was used either primarily of after conversion. Results: Transradial approach increased from 0.7% in 2006 to 75% in 2012, with a sharp change between 2009 and 2010 (5.5% to 36%). Total incidence of stroke/TIA was 0.16% (n=27) and did not change significantly over the study period, despite the increase in radial procedures (p=0.26 for the comparison between years). Overall, we could not demonstrate a significant difference in stroke/TIA rates between patients undergoing cardiac catheterization via radial vs. femoral artery (0.14% vs. 0.16%; p=0.81). Results were consistent in 4 pre-specified sub-groups according to sex, age (≥65 y.o. vs. younger), interventional vs. diagnostic and ACS vs. stable. After correction for important differences in baseline characteristics (using a logistic regression model) radial assess site was not a predictor of stroke/TIA (OR 0.86; 95% CI 0.27-2.7; p=0.80). Conclusion: Stroke/TIA rates were within range of international reports. Our observational study suggests that widening the use of the transradial approach for cardiac catheterization is not associated with an increased risk of clinically relevant procedure-related neurologic complications.