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Background: Severe coronary artery calcification (CAC) remains challenging during percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) and often requires 1 or more advanced calcium modification tools., Objectives: We describe the combination use of rotational (RA) or orbital atherectomy (OA), with intravascular lithotripsy (IVL), termed rotatripsy and orbital-tripsy, respectively, for modifying CAC prior to stent implantation during PCI., Methods: We performed a retrospective analysis of patients treated with rotatripsy or orbital-tripsy at our center between July 2019 and March 2022. The primary efficacy endpoint was procedural success (successful stent implantation, <30% residual stenosis visually, Thrombolysis in Myocardial Infarction 3 flow; absence of types C to F dissection/perforation or loss of side branch ≥2.0mm visually) without in-hospital major adverse cardiovascular event (MACE, defined as cardiovascular death, myocardial infarction [MI], target-vessel revascularization)., Results: A total of 25 patients (14 rotatripsy and 11 orbital-tripsy) were included in our study. The mean age was 72.2 ± 7.6 years and 76% were men. PCI was guided by intravascular imaging in 24 patients (96%). All cases were treated with either RA or OA before utilization of IVL. Procedural success was achieved in 22 cases (88%) with 1 sidebranch loss without periprocedural MI (4%) and 2 in-patient deaths (8%) unrelated to the procedure (1 intracerebral hemorrhage and 1 cardiac arrest)., Conclusion: We describe efficacious use of both rotatripsy and orbital-tripsy to modify severe CAC during PCI in a real-world setting. Intravascular imaging can guide appropriate use of these devices to complement each other to modify severe CAC to achieve optimal outcomes.

Objective: The Asia-Pacific Evaluation of Cardiovascular Therapies (ASPECT) collaboration was established to inform on percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) in the Asia-Pacific Region. Our aims were to (i) determine the operational requirements to assemble an international individual patient dataset and validate the processes of governance, data quality and data security, and subsequently (ii) describe the characteristics and outcomes for ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) patients undergoing PCI in the ASPECT registry., Methods: Seven (7) ASPECT members were approached to provide a harmonised anonymised dataset from their local registry. Patient characteristics were summarised and associations between the characteristics and in-hospital outcomes for STEMI patients were analysed., Results: Six (6) participating sites (86%) provided governance approvals for the collation of individual anonymised patient data from 2015 to 2017. Five (5) sites (83%) provided >90% of agreed data elements and 68% of the collated elements had <10% missingness. From the registry (n=12,620), 84% were male. The mean age was 59.2±12.3 years. The Malaysian cohort had a high prevalence of previous myocardial infarction (34%), almost twice that of any other sites (p<0.001). Adverse in-hospital outcomes were the lowest in Hong Kong whilst in-hospital mortality varied from 2.7% in Vietnam to 7.9% in Singapore., Conclusions: Governance approvals for the collation of individual patient anonymised data was achieved with a high level of data alignment. Secure data transfer process and repository were established. Patient characteristics and presentation varied significantly across the Asia-Pacific region with this likely to be a major predictor of variations in the clinical outcomes observed across the region., (Copyright © 2022 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Background: Diabetes is associated with poorer outcomes and increased complication rates in STEMI patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). Data are notably lacking in the Asia-Pacific region. We report the overall association of Diabetes with clinical characteristics and outcomes in STEMI patients undergoing PCI across the Asia-Pacific, with a particular focus on regional differences., Methodology: The Asia Pacific Evaluation of Cardiovascular Therapies (ASPECT) collaboration consists of data from various PCI registries across Australia, Hong Kong, Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia and Vietnam. Clinical characteristics, lesion characteristics, and outcomes were provided for STEMI patients. Key outcomes included 30-day overall mortality and major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE)., Results: A total of 12,144 STEMI patients (mean(SD) age 59.3(12.3)) were included, of which 3912 (32.2%) had diabetes. Patients with diabetes were likely to have a higher baseline risk profile, poorer clinical presentation, and more complex lesion patterns (all p < 0.05). Across all regions, patients with diabetes had a higher rate of 30-day mortality and MACE (all p < 0.05). After multivariable adjustment, diabetes was significantly associated with both increased 30-day mortality (9.6%vs 5.5%, OR 1.79 [95% CI 1.40-2.30]) and MACE (13.3% vs 8.6%, R 1.73 [1.44-2.08]). The association between diabetes and 30-day MACE varied by region (p interaction  = 0.041), with the association (OR) ranging from 1.34 [1.08-1.67] in Malaysia, to 2.39 [1.66-3.45] in Singapore., Conclusions: Diabetes portends poorer clinical outcomes in STEMI patients undergoing PCI in the Asia-Pacific with regional variations noted. The development of effective preventative measures and interventional strategies targetted at this high-risk group is crucial., Competing Interests: Conflicts of interest Nil., (Copyright © 2022 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Since optical coherence tomography (OCT) was first performed in humans two decades ago, this imaging modality has been widely adopted in research on coronary atherosclerosis and adopted clinically for the optimization of percutaneous coronary intervention. In the past 10 years, substantial advances have been made in the understanding of in vivo vascular biology using OCT. Identification by OCT of culprit plaque pathology could potentially lead to a major shift in the management of patients with acute coronary syndromes. Detection by OCT of healed coronary plaque has been important in our understanding of the mechanisms involved in plaque destabilization and healing with the rapid progression of atherosclerosis. Accurate detection by OCT of sequelae from percutaneous coronary interventions that might be missed by angiography could improve clinical outcomes. In addition, OCT has become an essential diagnostic modality for myocardial infarction with non-obstructive coronary arteries. Insight into neoatherosclerosis from OCT could improve our understanding of the mechanisms of very late stent thrombosis. The appropriate use of OCT depends on accurate interpretation and understanding of the clinical significance of OCT findings. In this Review, we summarize the state of the art in cardiac OCT and facilitate the uniform use of this modality in coronary atherosclerosis. Contributions have been made by clinicians and investigators worldwide with extensive experience in OCT, with the aim that this document will serve as a standard reference for future research and clinical application., (© 2022. Springer Nature Limited.)

Background: Clinical evidence of prasugrel/ticagrelor in dual antiplatelet therapy (DAPT) in Asian acute coronary syndrome (ACS) population remains inconclusive. We aimed to compare the clinical efficacy and safety of prasugrel/ticagrelor compared to clopidogrel as part of DAPT in Hong Kong ACS population for 10 years., Hypothesis: Prasugrel/ticagrelor, compared to clopidogrel, reduces risk of major adverse cardiovascular event (MACE) in Hong Kong ACS population., Methods: The retrospective observational cohort study included patients admitted to seven institutions under Hospital Authority Hong Kong with diagnosis of ACS during 2008-2017. Risk of MACE, defined as composite of cardiovascular (CV) death, non-fatal myocardial infarction (MI) and non-fatal stroke, and risk of any bleeding leading to hospitalization were examined. Baseline characteristics difference was adjusted by propensity score (PS) matching. Adjusted Cox regression model was used to estimate hazard ratio of interested outcome., Results: In PS matched cohort including 944 patients in each group, MACE risk reduction of 40% from 1 year to 5 years after index ACS event was observed in prasugrel/ticagrelor group (HR 0.60, 95% CI 0.39-0.91, p = .015). The risk reduction was highly driven by MI reduction (HR 0.54, 95% CI 0.33-0.91, p = .019). Lower bleeding risk was observed in prasugrel/ticagrelor group compared to clopidogrel from 1 year to 5 years (HR 0.46, 95% CI 0.21-1.00, p = .051)., Conclusions: Prasugrel/ticagrelor showed MACE risk reduction over clopidogrel as part of DAPT up to 5 years after index event, while prasugrel/ticagrelor was not associated with increased bleeding risk., (© 2021 The Authors. Clinical Cardiology published by Wiley Periodicals LLC.)

Background: The COMBO drug eluting stent is a novel device with luminal endothelial progenitor cell capture technology for rapid homogeneous endothelialization., Methods and Results: We examined for sex differences in 1-year outcomes after COMBO stenting from the COMBO collaboration, a pooled patient-level dataset from the MASCOT and REMEDEE multicenter registries. The primary endpoint was 1-year target lesion failure (TLF), composite of cardiac death, target vessel-myocardial infarction (TV-MI), or clinically driven target lesion revascularization (CD-TLR). Secondary outcomes included stent thrombosis (ST). Adjusted outcomes were assessed using Cox regression methods. The study included 861 (23.8%) women and 2,753 (76.2%) men. Women were older with higher prevalence of several comorbidities including diabetes mellitus. Risk of 1-year TLF was similar in both sexes (3.8% vs. 3.9%, HR 0.92, 95% CI 0.59-1.42, p = .70), without sex differences in the incidence of cardiac death (1.6% vs. 1.5%, p = .78), TV-MI (1.5% vs. 1.1%, p = .32), or CD-TLR (2.0% vs. 2.2%, p = .67). Definite or probable ST occurred in 0.4% women and 1.0% men (HR 0.26, 95% CI 0.06-1.11, p = .069)., Conclusions: Despite greater clinical risks at baseline, women treated with COMBO stents had similarly low 1-year TLF and other ischemic outcomes compared to men., (© 2020 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.)

Older patients who undergo coronary interventions are at greater risk of ischemic events and less likely to tolerate prolonged dual antiplatelet therapy (DAPT) due to bleeding risk. The COMBO biodegradable polymer sirolimus-eluting stent promotes rapid endothelialization through endothelial progenitor cell capture technology which may be advantageous in elderly patients. We compared 1-year clinical outcomes and DAPT cessation events in patients >75 versus ≤75 years from the MASCOT registry. MASCOT was a prospective, multicenter cohort study of all-comers undergoing attempted COMBO stenting. The primary endpoint was 1-year target lesion failure (TLF), composite of cardiac death, myocardial infarction (MI) not clearly attributed to a nontarget vessel or clinically driven target lesion revascularization. Bleeding was adjudicated using the Bleeding Academic Research Consortium criteria. Adjusted outcomes were analyzed using Cox regression methods. The study included 18% (n = 479) patients >75 years and 72% (n = 2,135) patients ≤75 years. One-year TLF occurred in 4.6% patients >75 years versus 3.1% patients ≤75years of age, p = 0.10; adj hazard ratio 1.36, 95% confidence intervals 0.77 to 2.38, p = 0.29. There were no significant differences in cardiac death (1.7% vs 1.3%, p = 0.55), MI (2.1% vs 1.2%, p = 0.14), target lesion revascularization (1.7% vs 1.4%, p = 0.60) and definite stent thrombosis (0.8% vs 0.4%, p = 0.19). Major Bleeding Academic Research Consortium 3,5 bleeding (3.1% vs 1.5%, p = 0.01) and DAPT cessation rates (32.4% vs 23.0%, p <0.001) were significantly higher in elderly patients. In conclusion, elderly patients >75 years treated with COMBO stents had similar TLF but significantly greater incidence of bleeding than younger patients and DAPT cessation in one-third of patients over 1 year., (Copyright © 2020. Published by Elsevier Inc.)

Background: The use of a retrograde approach and algorithm-driven CTO (chronic total occlusion) percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) has become widespread, and many registries have reported good results. This study established a new algorithm and applied it to current CTO practice and collected a CTO registry to document the results. It compared the outcomes of a retrograde versus antegrade approach in a contemporary multicentre CTO registry., Methods: Between 1 January 2016 and 31 December 2016, consecutive patients who underwent CTO PCI performed by eight high-volume CTO operators were included in a registry., Results: During this period, 485 patients with 497 CTOs were treated with technical and procedural success rates of 93.8% and 89.9%, respectively. Antegrade and retrograde technical success was 95.9% and 91.2% (p = 0.03), respectively. Procedural success for antegrade and retrograde was 94.4% and 84.6%, respectively (p < 0.001). The pure retrograde success rate was 80% and pure antegrade success rate was 75%. Technical success in different Japanese Chronic Total Occlusion (JCTO) score groups was 100% (JCTO 0), 96.2% (JCTO 1), 95.3% (JCTO 2), and 92.5% (JCTO ≥ 3), with no statistical difference in success rates between different JCTO scores. In-hospital major adverse cardiac event (MACE) was 3.8% and more common in the retrograde group (6.6% vs 1.5%)., Conclusions: The retrograde approach, when used by experienced operators who have been well trained in retrograde approach, can produce higher retrograde success in complex CTO lesions. The use of an algorithm approach can improve procedural efficiency, reduce contrast and radiation dosage, and reduce the time spent in failure mode. These tools remain vital to the development of future CTO PCI., (Copyright © 2019 Australian and New Zealand Society of Cardiac and Thoracic Surgeons (ANZSCTS) and the Cardiac Society of Australia and New Zealand (CSANZ). Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Background: The COMBO drug-eluting stent combines sirolimus-elution from a biodegradable polymer with an anti-CD34+ antibody coating for early endothelialization., Objective: We investigated for geographical differences in outcomes after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) with the COMBO stent among Asians and Europeans., Methods: The COMBO Collaboration is a pooled patient-level analysis of the MASCOT and REMEDEE registries of all-comers undergoing attempted COMBO stent PCI. The primary outcome was 1-year target lesion failure (TLF), composite of cardiac death, target vessel myocardial infarction (TV-MI) and target lesion revascularization (TLR)., Results: This study included 604 Asians (17.9%) and 2775 Europeans (82.1%). Asians were younger and included fewer females, with a higher prevalence of diabetes mellitus but lower prevalence of other comorbidities than Europeans. Asians had a higher prevalence of ACC/AHA C type lesions and received longer stent lengths. More Asians than Europeans were discharged on clopidogrel (86.5% vs 62.8%) rather than potent P2Y 12  inhibitors. One-year TLF occurred in 4.0% Asians and 4.1% of Europeans, p = 0.93. The incidence of cardiac death was higher in Asians (2.8% vs. 1.3%, p = 0.007) with similar rates of TV-MI (1.5% vs. 1.2%, p = 0.54) and definite stent thrombosis (0.3% vs. 0.5%, p = 0.84) and lower incidence of TLR than Europeans (1.0% vs. 2.5%, p = 0.025). After adjustment, differences for cardiac death and TLR were no longer significant., Conclusions: In the COMBO collaboration, although 1-year TLF was similar regardless of geography, Asians experienced higher rates of cardiac death and lower TLR than Europeans, while incidence of TV-MI and ST was similar in both regions. Adjusted differences did not reach statistical significance. CLINICALTRIAL., Gov Identifier-Numbers: NCT01874002 (REMEDEE Registry), NCT02183454 (MASCOT registry)., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest Dr. Mehran has received institutional research grant support from Eli Lilly/Daiichi-Sankyo Inc., AstraZeneca, The Medicines Company, Bristol-Myers Squibb, OrbusNeich, Beth Israel Deaconess, and Bayer; has served as a consultant for Boston Scientific, Cardiovascular Systems Inc., Medscape, and Shanghai BraccoSine Pharmaceutical; has received institutional advisory board funding from Bristol-Myers Squibb; has received institutional funding from Claret Medical; owns equity in Claret Medical and Elixir Medical; has served on the executive committee for Janssen Pharmaceuticals and Osprey Medical; has served on the data safety monitoring board for Watermark Research Partners; and has a spouse who has served as a consultant for Abiomed and the Medicines Company. Dr. Kala has served as a consultant for Boston Scientific; has received research support from AstraZeneca, Novartis, Zoll; has served on advisory board for Astra Zeneca, Bayer, Medtronic and Boston Scientific. All other authors have reported that they have no relationships relevant to the contents of this paper to disclose., (Copyright © 2020 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Background: In routine clinical practice, the implantation of a drug-eluting stent (DES) versus a bare metal stent (BMS) for percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) has been guided by criteria for appropriate use. The cost-effectiveness (CE) of adopting these guidelines, however, is not clear, and was investigated from the perspective of the Australian healthcare payer. Methods and results: Baseline and 12-month follow-up data of 12,710 PCI patients enrolled in the Melbourne Interventional Group (MIG) registry between 2004 and 2011 were analysed. Costs inputs were derived from a clinical costing database and published sources. Propensity-score-matching was performed for DES and BMS groups within sub-groups. Incremental cost-effectiveness ratios (ICERs) were evaluated for all patients, and sub-groups of patients with '0', 1, 2, or ≥3 indications for a DES. The incremental cost per target vessel revascularization avoided for the overall population was $24,683, and for patients with 0, 1, and 2 indications for a DES was $44,635, $33,335, and $23,788, respectively. However, for those with >3 indications, DES compared with BMS was associated with cost savings. At willingness to pay thresholds of $45,000-$75,000, the probability of cost-effectiveness of DES for the overall cohort was 71-91%, '0' indications, 49-67%, 1 indication, 56-82%, 2 indications, 70-90%, and ≥3 indications, 97-99%. Conclusions: The cost-effectiveness of DES compared with BMS increased with increasing risk profile of patients from those who had 1, 2, to ≥3 indications for a DES. When compared with BMS, DES was least cost effective among patients with '0' indications for a DES. Based on these results, selective use of DES implantation is supported. These findings may be useful for evidence-based clinical decision-making.

Objective: With the evolution of chronic total occlusion (CTO) percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) technique and equipment, the success rate of CTO PCI has improved over the years. We examined the failed cases in this expert registry and looked at the mode of failure., Methods: In 2016, consecutive CTO PCI performed by eight high volume CTO with an agreed CTO algorithm were examined in a registry., Results: There was a total of 485 patients with 497 CTOs were treated with technical and procedural success rates of 93.8% and 89.9%, respectively. The mean J-CTO score was 2.9 ± 1.2. The main mode of failure in cases with only antegrade attempt was inability to wire to true lumen despite advanced antegrade wiring technique for example, parallel wiring or IVUS guided wiring (10 out of 11 cases). The mode of failure in retrograde attempt was: 30% was due to inability to wire the collateral channel; 30% was due to failed reverse controlled antegrade and retrograde subintimal tracking (CART); 30% was due to inability to cross CTO by retrograde microcatheter. Four cases were terminated prematurely due to procedure complications., Conclusion: Similar to previous reported studies, primary failure mode of only antegrade attempt was inability to wire to true lumen. However, contrary to other registries where failure to cross the retrograde channel with wire was the predominant failure mode, the retrograde failure mode was equally divided between failure to cross the channel with wire, failure to do reverse CART, and failure to cross the CTO with the microcatheter., (© 2019 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.)

Optimal GuideLiner positioning for OCT acquisition in tortuous vessels requires special attention to avoid iatrogenic dissection.

Background: Impact of percutaneous coronary interventions (PCI) on health-related quality of life (HRQOL) is important but under-reported in elderly patients., Objectives: To evaluate long-term health status in elderly patients who underwent PCI., Methods: Consecutive patients who underwent PCI at a university-affiliated hospital from September 2009 to June 2012 were prospectively enrolled with HRQOL assessment at baseline (up to 2 weeks before PCI) and at 6-, 12-, and 36-month follow-up using the EuroQol five-dimensional questionnaire descriptive profile and visual analogue scale (VAS). Minimally important benefit (MIB) in HRQOL was defined as greater than half an SD improvement in the baseline VAS score., Results: Of 1957 patients, 49.9%, 29.1%, and 21.0% were aged younger than 65 years, 65 to 74 years, and 75 years and older, respectively. Mean VAS scores at baseline (50.1 ± 20.5 vs. 51.6 ± 20.5 vs. 52.6 ± 21.8; P = 0.09) and at 36 months (72.9 ± 14.0 vs. 72.8 ± 16.1 vs. 72.0 ± 14.8; P = 0.77) were similar between the three age groups, respectively. MIB at 36 months was observed in 65.7%, 61.9%, and 61.2% of patients in each age group, respectively. Proportion of patients aged 75 years and older reporting problems in pain/discomfort and self-care reduced from 91.2% and 24.8% at baseline to 41.4% and 10.1% at 36 months, respectively (both P < 0.01). Independent predictors of MIB in HRQOL at 36 months in patients 75 years and older included poor baseline HRQOL, MIB at 6 months, and presentation with myocardial infarction (all P < 0.01)., Conclusions: Elderly patients experienced sustained long-term improvement in quality of life comparable with younger patients after PCI. Our findings suggest that age per se should not deter against revascularization because of sustained benefit in HRQOL., (Copyright © 2018 International Society for Pharmacoeconomics and Outcomes Research (ISPOR). Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: This study aimed to assess the effect of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) goal attainments (of <2.6mmol/L and <1.8mmol/L) on first major adverse cardiovascular events (MACEs) for acute coronary syndrome (ACS) patients who underwent percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI)., Methods: A retrospective cohort study was conducted using case reviews of post-PCI ACS patients at an acute public hospital in Hong Kong between January 2009 and August 2015. Patients were followed from the date of PCI procedure until the first documented MACE (including all-cause death, myocardial infarction, heart failure, documented unstable angina, revascularization, and stroke) or to the end of the first year. Kaplan-Meier estimates were used to evaluate the impact of LDL-C goal attainments prior to the event on event-free time., Results: A total of 1684 patients were identified (79.0% males). At one-year endpoint, 658 (39.1%) attained the LDL-C goal of <1.8mmol/L, 727 (43.2%) had the LDL-C level between 1.8mmol/L and 2.6mmol/L, and 299 (17.8%) had the LDL-C level≥2.6mmol/L. About 10% experienced a MACE within one year. After adjustment for other available risk factors, attainment of LDL-C goal <2.6mmol/L was significantly associated with lower rates of MACEs during the one-year follow-up; and those who achieved the LDL-C level of 1.8mmol/L did not seem to carry any incremental clinical benefits., Conclusions: Among post-PCI ACS patients, we merely observed a high correlation between the lipid goal attainment of <2.6mmol/L and MACEs through one-year follow-up, but not for the goal of <1.8mmol/L., (Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) continues to evolve with shifting patient demographics, treatments, and outcomes. We sought to document the specific changes observed over a 9-year period in a contemporary Australian PCI cohort. The Melbourne Interventional Group is an established multicenter PCI registry in Melbourne, Australia. Data were collected prospectively with 30-day and 12-month follow-ups. Demographic, procedural, and outcome data for all consecutive patients were analyzed with a year-to-year comparison from 2005 to 2013. National Death Index linkage was performed for long-term mortality analysis; 19,858 procedures were captured over 9 years. Patient complexity and acuity increased with a higher proportion of traditional risk factors and more elderly patients who underwent PCI. Angiographic lesion complexity increased with more multivessel coronary artery disease and more American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association type B2/C lesions proceeding to PCI. The 30-day rate of death, myocardial infarction, or target vessel revascularization has not changed nor has 12-month mortality, myocardial infarction, or major adverse cardiovascular event rates. The strongest independent predictor of long-term mortality was cardiogenic shock at presentation (hazard ratio [HR] 2.95, p <0.01). Drug-eluting stent use (HR 0.83, p <0.01) and a history of dyslipidemia (HR 0.81, p <0.01) were associated with long-term survival. In conclusion, from 2005 to 2013, we observed a cohort of higher risk clinical and angiographic characteristics, with stable long-term mortality., (Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: Currently, the appropriateness of percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) using drug-eluting stents (DES) versus coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) for patients with diabetes (DM) and multi-vessel disease (MVD) is uncertain due to limited evidence from few randomised controlled trials (RCTs). We aimed to compare the clinical effectiveness of CABG versus PCI-DES in DM-MVD patients using an evidence-based approach., Methods: A systematic review and meta-analyses were conducted to compare the risk of all-cause mortality, myocardial infarction (MI), repeat revascularisation, cerebrovascular events (CVE), and major adverse cardiac or cerebrovascular events (MACCE)., Results: A total of 1,837 and 3,052 DM-MVD patients were pooled from four RCTs (FREEDOM, SYNTAX, VA CARDS, and CARDia) and five non-randomised studies. At mean follow-up of 3 years, CABG compared with PCI-DES was associated with a lower risk of all-cause mortality and MI in RCTs. By contrast, no significant differences were observed in the mean 3.5-year risk of all-cause mortality and MI in non-randomised trials. However, the risk of repeat revascularisations following PCI-DES compared with CABG was 2.3 (95% CI=1.8-2.8) and 3.0 (2.3-4.2)-folds higher in RCTs and non-randomised trials, respectively. Accordingly, the risk of MACCE at 3 years following CABG compared with PCI-DES was lower in both RCTs and non-randomised trials [0.65 (: 0.55-0.77); and 0.77 (0.60-0.98), respectively]., Conclusions: Based on our pooled results, we recommend CABG compared with PCI-DES for patients with DM-MVD. Although non-randomised trials suggest no additional survival-, MI-, and CVE- benefit from CABG over PCI-DES, these results should be interpreted with care., (Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Aims: Despite the guidelines, a "treatment gap" exists in the delivery of pharmacotherapy for secondary prevention. We aimed to analyze the trend in guideline-based medication usage following percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) using the Melbourne Interventional Group (MIG) registry over a 6-year period (2005-2010)., Methods: The MIG registry prospectively collects demographical, clinical, and procedural characteristics of consecutive patients undergoing PCI. We assessed medication use (aspirin, clopidogrel, ACE inhibitors, angiotensin receptor blockers, beta-blockers, and lipid-lowering agents) at 30 days and 12 months in patients alive and able to provide the information., Results: The cohort consists of 12,813 patients who underwent 14,787 consecutive interventional procedures. They comprised 76% males: 22% were elderly (≥75 years), 23% had diabetes, 2% had severe renal impairment, 2% had severe left ventricular dysfunction, 26% presented with STEMI, and 44% of patients received drug-eluting stent. Follow-up was complete for 97.8% of the cohort at 30 days (2.2% mortality) and 89.1% at 12 months (4% mortality). From 2005 to 2010, the percentage of patients taking all five classes of medications increased each year. In 2010 at 30 days, nearly 60% of patients took all five classes of medications, and by 12 months, 75% of patients were taking four or five classes of medications., Conclusion: In conclusion, while the increasing use of cardiovascular medicines in an "at-risk" Australian cohort is encouraging, a treatment gap appears to still exist., (© 2014 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Background: Comorbidities, such as diabetes, affect revascularization strategy for coronary disease. We sought to determine if the degree of renal impairment affected long-term mortality after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) compared to coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) in patients with multi-vessel coronary disease (MVD)., Methods and Results: 8970 patients with MVD undergoing revascularization between 2004 and 2008, in two multi-center parallel PCI and CABG Australian registries were assigned to three groups based on their estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR)≥60 mL/min/1.73 m2 (n=1678:839), 30-59 mL/min/1.73 m2 (n=452:226) and <30 mL/min/1.73 m2 (n=74:37). We used 2:1 propensity matching to compare 3306 patients undergoing primary CABG versus PCI. Shock, myocardial infarction (MI)<24 h, previous CABG, valve surgery or PCI were exclusions. Long-term mortality (mean 3.1 years) was compared with Cox-proportional hazard-adjusted modeling. Observed long-term mortality rates (CABG vs. PCI) were 4.5% vs. 4.3% p=0.84, 12.8% vs. 17.3% p=0.12, and 23.0% vs. 40.5% p=0.05 in the three strata, respectively. In patients with eGFR≥60 mL/min/1.73 m2, long-term mortality between PCI and CABG (HR 0.99, 95% CI 0.65-1.49, p=0.95) was similar. However, amongst patients with eGFR 30-59 mL/min/1.73 m2, there was a significant mortality hazard with PCI (HR 2.00, 95% CI 1.32-3.04, p=0.001). In patients with eGFR<30 mL/min/1.73 m2, there was a trend for hazard with PCI (HR 1.66, 95% CI 0.80-3.46, p=0.17)., Conclusion: Long-term mortality in MVD patients with preserved renal function was very low and similar between PCI and CABG. However there was a long-term mortality hazard associated with PCI amongst patients with moderate renal impairment., (Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Background: Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a well-established risk factor for adverse events in patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). However, few data exists on the subsequent healthcare resource use and related incremental costs in this patient subgroup. The present study compares the rates of cardiac-related hospitalisations and the associated direct costs, post-PCI in patients with and without CKD., Methods: Healthcare costs were estimated for 12,998 PCI patient-procedures from the Melbourne Interventional Group (MIG) registry, collected between February 2004 and October 2010. Information collected included the use of cardiovascular drugs and cardiac-related hospitalisations from those that completed 12-month follow-up. Individual patients were assigned unit costs based on published data from the National Hospital Cost Data Collection for Admissions in Victoria (2008-2009) and the Pharmaceutical Benefit Scheme (PBS) schedule (2011-2012). Bootstrap multiple linear regression was used to estimate the direct excess healthcare costs, adjusting for age and gender and relevant comorbidities., Results: Excess cardiac-related readmissions occurred among patients with "severe CKD or dialysis" (estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR): <30 ml/min/1.73 m(2); n = 330; 35%), compared to "moderate CKD" (eGFR: 30-60 ml/min/1.73 m(2); n = 2648; 28%), or the "referent CKD status" (eGFR: ≥ 60 ml/min/1.73 m(2); n = 10,020; 24%). On average, excess (95%CI) overall direct costs were significantly higher in patients with severe CKD or dialysis compared to those with referent CKD status [$AUD 2206 ($AUD 1148 to 3688)]., Conclusions: From the healthcare payer's perspective, PCI patients with severe CKD compared to no-CKD imposed significantly higher burden on subsequent healthcare resources. Hospitalisations accounted for the majority of these expenditures., (Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Background and objective Smoking is a common risk factor for coronary artery disease ( CAD) and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease ( COPD). We evaluated the prevalence of undiagnosed COPD in patients with CAD and assessed the relationship between airflow obstruction and markers of cardiac stress. Methods We recruited prospectively consecutive patients aged >40 years without known history of chronic lung disease (e.g. asthma, COPD, bronchiectasis) who had undergone percutaneous coronary intervention ( PCI) for obstructive CAD between August 2009 and October 2010. Spirometry was performed and serum ST2, a novel biomarker of cardiomyocyte stress and fibrosis, was measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Results Among 475 subjects (mean age 64 ± 9.7, range 42-85 years, 87.2% males, 58.5% current or ex-smokers) who underwent spirometry, 51 (10.7%) had undiagnosed airflow obstruction with FEV1/ FVC ratio <70%. Of these 51 subjects, 14 (2.9%), 23 (4.8%) and 14 (2.9%) had FEV1 ≥80, 50-80 and 30-50% predicted normal, respectively. ST2 level was measured in all the subjects with undiagnosed airflow obstruction and in 290 subjects with normal lung function. There was no significant difference in left ventricular ejection fraction on echocardiogram between subjects with and without airflow obstruction. Patients with severe airflow obstruction had a higher level of cardiac stress marker ST2 than those with mild and moderate airflow obstruction (rho = −0.214, P ≤ 0.001). Conclusion Undiagnosed airflow obstruction is common among patients with CAD who have undergone PCI. Severity of airflow limitation is associated with increasing cardiac stress. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Background: Health-related quality of life (HRQoL) is an important but often neglected outcome measure in acute coronary syndrome (ACS) management. The prevalence of elderly presenting with ACS and undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) is rising. We aimed to explore the impact of PCI on health status in elderly ACS patients. Methods: We prospectively enrolled 624 patients admitted to our institution with ACS from February 2006 to May 2008. Short Form (SF)-36 health survey was used to assess HRQoL at baseline and 6months. Baseline characteristics and HRQoL were compared for patients treated with PCI within 30days of index ACS admission vs. medical therapy across 3 age groups (<60, 60–79 and ≥80years). Results: PCI was performed in 73.6%, 55.7% and 21.3% in patients aged <60, 60–79 and older than 80years, respectively (p<0.01). Elderly patients were more likely to be female (16.9 vs. 35.4 vs. 54.6%, p<0.01) and had more co-morbidities (p<0.01). Older patients were less likely to undergo angiography (84.8 vs. 65.2 vs. 24.8%, p<0.01). Baseline HRQoL decreased with advancing age (p<0.01). However, elderly patients who underwent PCI experienced the most improvement in physical health than younger age groups. PCI was an independent predictor (Odds Ratio=1.79, 95% CI: 1.10–2.92) of better physical health status at 6months. Conclusion: Elderly ACS patients who underwent PCI experienced the most improvement in physical health compared to younger patients. Our findings suggest that age per se should not deter against revascularization because of potential benefits in HRQOL. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Aims The presence of heart failure (HF) is an established risk factor for adverse outcomes in patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence and impact of concomitant HF on major outcomes in contemporary PCI practice. Methods and results We analysed 5006 consecutive PCIs (2004–2006) enrolled in the Melbourne Interventional Group registry. Baseline characteristics, in-hospital, 30-day, and 12-month outcomes of patients with a history of HF (n= 189, 3.8%) were compared with patients without HF (n= 4817, 96.2%). Patients with a history of HF were older (mean age 72.9 ± 9.8 vs. 64.3 ± 12 years, P< 0.01) and had higher rates of diabetes (37.0 vs. 23.5%, P< 0.01), renal dysfunction (Cr >200 μmol/L; 16.5 vs. 3.9%, P< 0.01), multi-vessel disease (79.8 vs. 58.7%, P< 0.01), and presentation with cardiogenic shock (4.8 vs. 2.1%, P= 0.02). At 12 months, patients with HF had higher overall mortality (13.7 vs. 3.5%, P< 0.01) and rates of HF admission (10.4 vs. 2.0%, P< 0.01). Independent predictors of recurrent HF admission included history of HF [odds ratio (OR) 2.2, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.2–4.2, P< 0.01] and renal dysfunction (OR 2.5, 95% CI 1.4–4.4, P< 0.01). At 12 months, patients with HF had lower rates of statin (73.9 vs. 89.2%, P< 0.01) and beta-blocker use (55.6 vs. 59.0%, P< 0.01). Angiotensin-converting enzyme-inhibitor/angiotensin receptor blocker use was also relatively low in HF patients (79.6%). Conclusion While the overall incidence of HF in patients undergoing PCI is low, underutilization of HF therapies may contribute to an increased likelihood of subsequent re-admission and increased mortality. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Objectives: Controversy continues over the optimal revascularisation strategy for patients with multi-vessel coronary artery disease. Clinical characteristics, risk profile, and mortality of patients undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) and percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) are thought to differ but there are limited contemporary comparative data. Methods: We compared clinical characteristics, in-hospital and 30-day mortality of 3841 consecutive patients undergoing isolated CABG and 4417 undergoing PCI. Independent predictors of 30-day mortality were determined by multiple logistic regression analysis. Results: CABG patients were older (p <0.01). The CABG group had a higher incidence of diabetes, heart failure, left ventricular ejection fraction <45%, multi-vessel coronary artery, peripheral vascular and cerebro-vascular disease (all p <0.01). Patients undergoing PCI had a higher incidence of recent myocardial infarction (MI) as the indication for revascularisation (p <0.01). In-hospital and 30-day mortality was 1.8% and 1.7% in the CABG group, and 1.4% and 1.8% in the PCI group, respectively. Independent predictors of 30-day mortality after CABG were age (odds ratio 1.1 per year, 95% confidence interval 1.0–1.1), cardiogenic shock (4.10, 1.7–10.5) and previous CABG (6.6, 2.4–17.7). Predictors after PCI were diabetes (2.7, 1.4–5.1), female gender (3.0, 1.6–5.5), renal failure (3.2, 1.2–8.0), MI<24h (4.0, 2.2–7.6), left main intervention (5.4, 1.0–27.7), heart failure (6.0, 2.6–14.0) and cardiogenic shock (11.7, 5.4–25.2). Conclusions: In contemporary clinical practice, CABG is preferred in patients with multi-vessel coronary and associated non-coronary vascular disease, while PCI is the dominant strategy for acute MI. Despite this, in-hospital and 30-day mortality rates were similar. Predictors of early mortality after CABG differ to those of PCI. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Objectives: We sought to assess clinical outcomes of elderly patients (age ≥75 years) undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) for acute myocardial infarction (MI) complicated by cardiogenic shock (CS) in a contemporary multicenter PCI registry. Background: Although benefits of early PCI have been shown in younger groups, few studies have reported on clinical outcomes in elderly shock patients using current PCI techniques. Methods: We analyzed baseline characteristics and procedural and clinical outcomes in 143 consecutive patients presenting with MI and CS who underwent PCI from the Melbourne Interventional Group registry between 2004 and 2007. Results: Of the 143 patients, 31.5% (n = 45) were elderly and 68.5% were younger (age <75 years). Elderly patients were more likely to be female (46.7% vs. 22.4%, p < 0.01) and have hypertension (77.8% vs. 46.4%, p < 0.01), previous MI (31.1% vs. 15.5%, p = 0.03), renal failure (24.4% vs. 11.3%, p < 0.05) and multivessel coronary artery disease (93.1% vs. 68.3%, p < 0.01). Stent (86.7% vs. 94.8%, p = 0.09), glycoprotein IIb/IIIa inhibitor (68.9% vs. 65.3%, p = 0.67), and intra-aortic balloon pump (57.8% vs. 58.2%, p = 0.97) use were similar in both groups. In-hospital, 30-day, and 1-year mortality in the elderly group versus the younger group were 42.2% vs. 33.7% (p = 0.32), 43.2% vs. 36.1% (p = 0.42), and 52.6% vs. 46.8% (p = 0.56), respectively. Conclusions: In this study, the 1-year survival of elderly patients with acute MI complicated by CS undergoing PCI was comparable to younger patients. These data suggest that in elderly patients presenting with CS, benefit is possible with selective use of early revascularization and merits further investigation. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Prolonged dual-antiplatelet therapy with aspirin and clopidogrel is mandatory after drug-eluting stent implantation because of the potential increased risk of late stent thrombosis. The concern regarding prolonged antiplatelet therapy is the increased risk of bleeding. Gastrointestinal bleeding is the most common site of bleeding and presents a serious threat to patients due to the competing risks of gastrointestinal hemorrhage and stent thrombosis. Currently, there are no guidelines and little evidence on how best to manage these patients who are at high risk of morbidity and mortality from both the bleeding itself and the consequences of achieving optimum hemostasis by interruption of antiplatelet therapy. Managing gastrointestinal bleeding in a patient who has undergone recent percutaneous coronary intervention requires balancing the risk of stent thrombosis against further catastrophic bleeding. Close combined management between gastroenterologist and cardiologist is advocated to optimize patient outcomes. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Background: Restenosis rates are low in large coronary vessels ≥3.5 mm after bare-metal stent (BMS) implantation. The benefit of drug-eluting stents (DES) in large vessels is not established. Objective: We aim to assess clinical outcomes after deployment of BMS compared to DES in patients with large coronary vessels ≥3.5 mm. Methods: We analysed 672 consecutive patients undergoing percutaneous coronary interventions with ≥3.5 mm stent implantation in native coronary artery de-novo lesions from the Melbourne Interventional Group (MIG) registry. Baseline characteristics, 30-day and 12-month outcomes of patients receiving BMS were compared to DES. Multivariate analysis was performed to identify predictors of major adverse cardiac events [MACE, consisting of death, myocardial infarction (MI) and target vessel revascularisation (TVR)]. Results: Of the 672 PCIs performed in 844 lesions, DES was implanted in 39.5% (n =333) and BMS in 60.5% (n =511) of lesions. Patients who received DES compared to BMS were older, more likely to be diabetic, had left ventricular dysfunction <45% or complex lesions. Significantly fewer patients who presented with ST-elevation MI received DES compared to BMS. There were no significant differences in 12-month mortality (0.5 vs. 2.9%, p =0.07), TVR (3.6 vs. 4.8%, p =0.54), MI (6.3 vs. 3.4%, p =0.15), stent thrombosis (0.9 vs. 1.0%, p =0.88), or MACE (9.4 vs. 9.4%, p =0.90) in patients who received DES vs. BMS. Stent length ≥20 mm was the only independent predictor of 12-month MACE (Odds Ratio 2.07, 95% CI 1.14–3.76, p =0.02). Conclusion: In this registry, BMS implantation in large native coronary vessels ≥3.5 mm was associated with a low risk of MACE and repeat revascularization at 12 months that was comparable to DES. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Background: Uncertainty remains as to whether females benefit as much as males from percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) in the setting of an acute coronary syndrome (ACS). Methods: We compared 802 women with 2151 men presenting with ACS, undergoing PCI from April 2004 to October 2006 from the Melbourne Interventional Group registry. Clinical characteristics, in-hospital, 30-day and 1-year outcomes were compared. Results: Women were older (69.6±11.6 vs. 62.17±12.3years, p <0.001), and had more diabetes (27.1% vs. 19.6%, p <0.001) and hypertension (70.3% vs. 53.9%, p <0.001) than men. Women were less likely to present with ST-elevation myocardial infarction (30.5% vs. 37.9%, p <0.001). Bleeding (3.6% vs. 0.8%, p <0.001) was higher among women. Thirty-day mortality (4.7 vs. 2.4%, p <0.001) and MACE (10.1 vs. 6.4%, p <0.001) were higher in women. Gender was an independent predictor of overall MACE at 30days (OR 1.45, 95% CI 1.04–2.02, p =0.03) but not death. At 12months, there were no significant differences in mortality (6.4% vs. 4.8%, p =0.09), myocardial infarction (5.5% vs. 5.0%, p =0.64), target vessel revascularization (7.9% vs. 7.0%, p =0.42) and MACE (16.3% vs. 14%, p =0.13) between women and men. Conclusions: There is an early hazard amongst women undergoing PCI for ACS, but not at 12months. These data suggest that gender should not affect the decision to offer PCI but further gender specific studies are warranted. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]