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Objectives: In this study, we sought to investigate the association between revolution speed of rotational atherectomy (RA) and debulking area assessed by frequency domain-optical coherence tomography (FD-OCT)., Background: The number of patients with severe calcified coronary artery disease requiring treatment with calcium ablation, such as RA, is increasing. However, there is little evidence available regarding the association between debulking area and revolution speed during RA., Methods: We retrospectively investigated 30 consecutive severely calcified coronary lesions in 29 patients who underwent RA under FD-OCT guidance. The association between preset revolution speed of RA and burr size-corrected debulking area of the calcified lesion was evaluated using a multivariable regression model with nonlinear restricted-cubic-spline, which can help assess nonlinear associations between variables., Results: The median age of study participants was 73 years (quartile 65-78); 82.8% were male. The median burr size was 1.5 mm (1.5-1.75); median total duration of ablation was 120 s (100-180). FD-OCT revealed that the post-procedural minimum lumen area increased significantly from 1.64 mm 2 (1.40-2.09) to 2.45 mm 2 (2.11-2.98) (p < .001). In addition, the burr size-corrected debulking area increased significantly as the preset revolution speed decreased (p = .018), especially when the revolution speed was less than 150,000 rpm. This result implies that additional lumen gain will be obtained by decreasing rpm when the burr speed is set at <150,000 rpm., Conclusions: FD-OCT demonstrated that RA with lower revolution speed, below 150,000 rpm, has the potential to achieve greater calcium debulking effect in patients with severe calcified coronary lesions., (© 2019 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.)

Background: HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors (statin) have been reported to decrease coronary artery events in several angiographic studies. However, the mechanism by which statin achieve this is still unclear. The purpose of this study was to identify the effect of statin on coronary plaque using serial intravascular ultrasound analysis., Methods and Results: In this study, 48 patients with 48 lesions were divided into the prescribed group (statin group, n = 22) or the non-prescribed group (control group, n = 26) after successful coronary artery stenting. IVUS images were obtained at consecutive 5 mm segments, 5 mm from the proximal stent edge, immediately after stenting and at 6 months follow up. External elastic membrane volume (EEMV), lumen volume (LV) and plaque volume (PV) were measured using Simpson's method. The control group revealed no significant serial change in EEMV, PV, and LV during 6 months. On the other hand, the statin group revealed significant reductions of PV (35.5 +/- 12.7 mm3 vs 30.9 +/- 15.6 mm3, p = 0.001), resulting in increase of LV (47.7 +/- 19.8 mm3 vs 52.5 +/- 22.2 mm3, p = 0.003) without EEMV change (82.8 +/- 21.8 mm3 vs 83.9 +/- 25.7 mm3, p = NS). Although percent EEMV and percent LV changes showed no differences between the two groups, a larger percent PV change was observed in the statin group compared to the control group (control; 5.8 +/- 20.3% vs statin; -20.4 +/- 21.8%, p = 0.02)., Conclusion: The results of this study suggest that statin administration for 6 months reduces coronary plaque without positive vessel remodeling.

Background: Microvascular damage immediately after reperfusion therapy is an independent predictor of left ventricular function in patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI). However, its recovery may vary among individuals and the relationship between convalescent stage microvasculature and late myocardial morphologic change is unclear., Methods and Results: Patients treated with coronary angioplasty within 12 h of their first anterior AMI were enrolled in this study. Coronary flow reserve (CFR) was measured 3 weeks post AMI, in both branches of the left coronary artery: culprit (left anterior descending artery: LAD) and non-culprit (left circumflex artery: LCX). Left ventriculography was performed at 3 weeks and 6 months post AMI and compared. Seventeen patients showed abnormal CFR in the LAD (Group 1: CFR<2), whereas 20 patients showed normal CFR (Group 2: CFR >/=2). Percent changes of end-diastolic volume tended to be higher in Group 1 than in Group 2 (11.8+/-21.6% vs -1.3+/-14.4%, p=0.056), and %changes of end-systolic volume was significantly smaller in Group 2 (11.8+/-22.1% vs -8.7+/-25.1%, p<0.05). A statistically significant correlation was found between absolute and relative CFR in the LAD and %change of end-systolic volume (r=-0.58: p<0.001, and r=0.40: p<0.05, respectively)., Conclusions: Microvascular function in the convalescent stage may be related to these favorable changes.