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Background: Data regarding the association between sleep apnea (SA) and atrial fibrillation (AF) in hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) are still limited. We aim to investigate the association of both types of SA, obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) and central sleep apnea (CSA), and nocturnal hypoxemia with AF in HCM. Methods: A total of 606 patients with HCM who underwent sleep evaluations were included. Logistic regression was used to assess the association between sleep disorder and AF. Results: SA was presented in 363 (59.9%) patients, of whom 337 (55.6%) had OSA and 26 (4.3%) had CSA. Patients with SA were older, more often male, had a higher body mass index, and more clinical comorbidities. Prevalence of AF was higher in patients with CSA than patients with OSA and without SA (50.0% versus 24.9% and 12.8%, p < 0.001). After adjustment for age, sex, body mass index, hypertension, diabetes mellitus, cigarette use, New York Heart Association class and severity of mitral regurgitation, SA (OR, 1.79; 95% CI, 1.09–2.94) and nocturnal hypoxemia (higher tertile of percentage of total sleep time with oxygen saturation < 90% [OR, 1.81; 95% CI, 1.05–3.12] compared with lower tertile) were significantly associated with AF. The association was much stronger in the CSA group (OR, 3.98; 95% CI, 1.56–10.13) than in OSA group (OR, 1.66; 95% CI, 1.01–2.76). Similar associations were observed when analyses were restricted to persistent/permanent AF. Conclusion: Both types of SA and nocturnal hypoxemia were independently associated with AF. Attention should be paid to the screening of both types of SA in the management of AF in HCM.

Introduction: Newer generation bioresorbable scaffolds (BRSs) with thinner struts and improved deliverability are expected to enhance safety and efficacy profiles. Bioheart (Bio-Heart, Shanghai, China) BRS is constructed from a PLLA (poly-l-lactic acid) backbone coated with a PDLLA (poly d-l-lactic acid) layer eluting sirolimus. We report 2-year serial intracoronary imaging findings. Methods: In this first-in-human study, 46 patients with single de novo lesions in native coronary vessels (vessel size 3.0–3.75 mm, lesion length ≤ 25 mm) were enrolled at a single institution. Baseline intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) and post-implantation IVUS and optical coherence tomography (OCT) examinations were mandatory. After successful implantations of BRS, the 46 patients were randomized to two different follow-up cohorts in a 2:1 ratio. Thirty patients in cohort 1 had to undergo angiography, IVUS, and OCT follow-ups at 6 and 24 months, respectively. The 16 patients in cohort 2 underwent the same types of imaging follow-ups at 12 and 36 months, respectively. Clinical follow-ups were scheduled uniformly in both cohorts at 1, 6, and 12 months and annually up to 5 years for all patients. Results: Between August and November 2016, a total of 54 patients were assessed. However, 8 patients could not meet all the inclusion criteria; thus, the remaining 46 patients (age 57.5 ± 8.7 years, 34.8% female, 50.0% with unstable angina, 26.1% diabetics) with 46 target lesions were enrolled in this study. All patients in both cohorts were required to complete clinical follow-up uniformly and regularly. In cohort 1, one patient had definite scaffold thrombosis within 6 months of follow-up; thus, after 6 months, cohort 1 had 96.7% patients. Imaging follow-up was available in 24 patients, and in-scaffold late loss was 0.44 ± 0.47 mm; intracoronary imaging confirmed the late loss was mainly due to to neointimal hyperplasia, but not scaffold recoil. Conclusions: Serial 2-year clinical and imaging follow-up results confirmed the preliminary safety and efficacy of Bioheart BRS for treatment of simple coronary lesions.

Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most common arrhythmia and potentially increase the risk of embolic stroke and aggravate progressive heart failure in patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM). Recent studies demonstrated that epicardial adipose tissue (EAT) was closely associated with AF in general population. However, the relationship between EAT and AF in HCM patients remains unclear. A total of 93 consecutive patients with hypertrophic obstructive cardiomyopathy (HOCM) at Fuwai Hospital were enrolled in our study. There were 18 patients with AF and 75 patients without it. Cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) imaging was performed in all participants. EAT volume (EATV) and left atrial volume (LAV) were determined by E-3D medical model software. HOCM patients with AF had significantly greater EATV index (EATVI, P

Introduction Treatment strategies to improve clinical outcomes in Takayasu's arteritis (TA) with coronary lesions have ranged from pharmacological therapy to invasive procedures, such as coronary angioplasty, stenting, and surgery. However, the therapeutic strategy for this kind of patient is still unclear. This study aimed to investigate the clinical characteristics and influence of revascularization versus medical therapy in TA patients with coronary artery involvement. Methods We analyzed the medical records of 806 TA patients between January 2008 and December 2019. Clinical features and treatment were analyzed, and patients were categorized into medical treatment and revascularization. Additionally, patients were sorted as percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) and coronary artery bypass surgery (CABG) based on the strategy of revascularization. Results Ninety cases with coronary lesions induced by TA were enrolled. Among 90 cases, 39 patients adopted conservative treatment, and 51 patients received revascularization (28 subjects with PCI, 23 participants with CABG). The median follow-up time was 63 (45–91) months. There is no significant difference in cardiovascular death between medical treatment and revascularization (2/39, 5.1% vs. 5/51, 9.8%, P = 0.971). The analysis of subgroup indicated that the mortality caused by cardiovascular disease was also similar in the CABG and PCI (2/28, 7.1% vs. 3/23, 13.0%, P = 0.772). However, the proportion of restenosis is much higher in the PCI compared with that of CABG (39.3%, 8.7%, P = 0.022, respectively). Heart failure is an independent predictor of death in these patients. Conclusions There is no significant difference in cardiovascular death between medical treatment and revascularization. The analysis of the subgroup indicated that the mortality caused by cardiovascular disease was also similar in the CABG and PCI, but the restenosis is much higher in the PCI compared with that of CABG. Heart failure is an independent predictor of death in these patients.

Background Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is highly prevalent in patients with hypertrophic obstructive cardiomyopathy (HOCM). Inflammatory responses are increased in patients with OSA, meanwhile, inflammation is also associated with adverse outcomes in HOCM. Hypothesis To investigate the association between severity of OSA and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) in patients with HOCM. Methods Three hundred and ninteen patients with HOCM who underwent sleep evaluations at Fuwai Hospital were retrospectively included between February 2010 and December 2018. Data from baseline clinical characteristics and polysomnography studies were collected. Results OSA was present in 168 (52.7%). Patients with OSA were older, more likely to be male, had a higher body mass index and more clinical comorbidities. Patients with OSA had enlarged left ventricular diameter and similar left ventricular outflow tract obstruction compared with those without. In multivariate logistic analysis, apnea-hypopnea index (OR, 1.024; 95% CI, 1.005-1.044; P = .014), oxygen desaturation index (OR, 1.025; 95% CI, 1.004-1.046; P = .018) and lowest oxygen saturation (OR, 0.951; 95% CI, 0.915-0.989; P = .011) were independently associated with high risk hs-CRP (>3 mg/L) after adjusting for confounders. In addition, decreasing lowest oxygen saturation (β = -.159, P = .004) was also independently correlated with increasing hs-CRP concentrations in multivariate linear analysis after adjusting for confounders. Conclusions Severity of OSA was independently associated with elevated hs-CRP levels in patients with HOCM. Further studies are needed to evaluate the effects of treating OSA on hs-CRP as well as clinical outcomes in these patients.

To determine whether late percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) of an infarct-related artery12 h after ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction onset is beneficial, patients were included from the prospective, nationwide, multicenter China Acute Myocardial Infarction registry. The number of patients who underwent PCI or received drug therapy alone was 4791 and 1149, respectively. Hazard ratio (HR) and associated 95% confidence interval (CI) were calculated. Compared with drug therapy, PCI was associated with lower incidences of 2-year major adverse cardiac and cerebrovascular events (MACCE; 6.43 vs 20.19%; HR, .27; 95% CI, .23-.32; P.001), all-cause death (4.13 vs 15.74%; HR, .24; 95% CI, .20-.30; P.001), myocardial infarction (1.73 vs 3.31%; HR, .49; 95% CI, .33-.72; P = .0003), stroke (1.02 vs 2.00%; HR, .47; 95% CI, .28-.77; P = .0026), and revascularization (10.96 vs 27.56%; HR, .32; 95% CI, .26-.39; P.001). Subgroup analysis consistently indicated that PCI was superior to drug therapy. Moreover, the left ventricular ejection fraction in the PCI group was increased after 2-year follow-up, whereas there was no significant increase in the drug therapy group. In conclusion, late PCI is common in Chinese clinical practice, and it is associated with significant improvements in cardiac function and survival compared with drug therapy alone.

Rapid progression of coronary no-target lesions is essential for the induction of future cardiovascular events. We aimed to investigate clinical predictors of rapid progression and revascularization of coronary non-target lesions. Consecutive patients who underwent two serial coronary angiographies were included. All coronary non-target lesions were recorded and evaluated at both procedures. A total of 1255 patients and 1670 lesions were included. At the patient level, 239 (19%) had rapid progression and 186 (14.8%) underwent revascularization. The incidence of lesion revascularization and myocardial infarction was significantly higher in patients with rapid progression. In multivariable analyses, hypertension (hazards ratio [HR], 0.76; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.58-1.00; P = 0.049), ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (HR, 1.46; 95%CI, 1.03-2.07; P = 0.035), glycosylated hemoglobin (HR, 1.16; 95%CI, 1.01-1.33; P = 0.039) and lesion classification (B2/C versus A/B1) (HR, 1.73; 95%CI, 1.27-2.35; P = 0.001) were significant factors associated with rapid progression. The level of triglyceride (HR, 1.10; 95%CI, 1.00-1.20; P = 0.040) and lesion classification (B2/C versus A/B1) (HR, 1.53; 95%CI, 1.09-2.14; P = 0.014) were predictors of lesion revascularization. Clinicians should pay more attention to patients with these factors to prevent future cardiovascular events.

BACKGROUND This retrospective study aimed to compare the effects of methylprednisolone and dexamethasone in 35 patients with anaphylactic shock due to iodinated contrast media (ICM) during cardiac catheterization. MATERIAL AND METHODS Thirty-five patients diagnosed with ICM-related anaphylactic shock were enrolled. Nineteen patients received methylprednisolone, while 16 patients received dexamethasone. RESULTS The mean age of patients was 59.8 years in the methylprednisolone group and 57.2 years in the dexamethasone group (P=0.502). Most patients were male (82.9% [26/35]). The groups were matched for cardiac function, kidney function, comorbidities, prior contrast, previous radiocontrast media reactions, and allergic tendencies (all P0.05). The severity of coronary artery disease, assessed using the SYNTAX II score, was similar between groups (P=0.620). Six patients died from ICM-induced anaphylactic shock. There was no significant difference in mortality between the 2 groups (P=1.000). CONCLUSIONS There was no significant difference in patient mortality from anaphylactic shock associated with ICM during cardiac catheterization between the methylprednisolone and dexamethasone groups.

ObjectiveTo investigate the long-term efficacy of percutaneous transluminal pulmonary angioplasty (PTPA) in patients with Takayasu arteritis (TA) and pulmonary artery stenosis and pulmonary hypertension (PH).MethodsData from 183 lesions from 79 surgeries performed on 32 patients with TA and PH were analyzed. Symptoms, laboratory investigation results, World Health Organization (WHO) functional class, 6-min walk distance (6 MWD), hemodynamic parameters, and prognosis were analyzed at baseline and follow-up.ResultsThe mean (± SD) age of the 32 patients (28 female, 4 male) was 42.8 ± 11.9 years, and the median follow-up was 49.5 months (interquartile range, 26–71 months). Compared with baseline, changes in total bilirubin, N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) level, 6 MWD, and WHO score functional class demonstrated significant differences (PP=0.016, PPand P=0.005, respectively). Importantly, repeat right heart catheterization revealed that mean pulmonary artery pressure, pulmonary vascular resistance, and cardiac index also improved significantly at follow-up (PPP=0.011, respectively). Pulmonary angiography revealed post-procedure restenosis in 64 (35.0%) lesions underwent PTPA within three to six months. Among three patients who underwent stent implantation, one experienced restenosis. Two patients died during the follow-up period, one from aggravation of right heart failure after lung infection, and the other in a traffic accident.ConclusionsResults of this study indicated that PTPA significantly improved clinical symptoms, exercise tolerance, and hemodynamic parameters in patients with TA pulmonary artery stenosis and PH. More importantly, reperfusion pulmonary edema significantly decreased, and no patient died of PTPA-related complications with guidance from the pressure wire.

To evaluate the prognostic influence of the presence of right ventricular myocardial infarction (RVMI) on patients with inferior ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) in the contemporary reperfusion era.9308 patients with inferior STEMI were included from the prospective, nationwide, multicenter China Acute Myocardial Infarction Registry, including 1745 (18.75%) patients with RVMI and 7563 (81.25%) patients without RVMI. The primary outcome was two-year all-cause mortality. The secondary outcome was major adverse cardiac and cerebrovascular event (MACCE) defined as a composite of all-cause mortality, recurrent MI, revascularization, stroke, and major bleeding.After two-year follow up, there were no significant differences between inferior STEMI patients with or without RVMI in all-cause mortality (12.0% vs 11.3%; adjusted HR: 1.05; 95% CI: 0.90 to 1.24; P = 0.5103). Inferior STEMI with RVMI was associated with higher risk of MACCE (25.6% vs 22.0%; adjusted HR: 1.17; 95% CI: 1.05 to 1.31; P = 0.0038), revascularization (10.3% vs 8.1%; adjusted HR: 1.23; 95% CI: 1.03 to 1.48; P = 0.0218), and major bleeding (4.6% vs 2.7%; adjusted HR: 1.56; 95% CI: 1.18 to 2.07; P = 0.0019). Primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) and thrombolysis were independent predictors to decrease all-cause mortality. For patients who received timely reperfusion, RVMI involvement did not increase all-cause mortality, whereas for those who did not undergo reperfusion, RVMI increased all-cause mortality (20.3% vs 15.7%; HR: 1.34; 95% CI: 1.10 to 1.63).RVMI did not increase all-cause mortality for inferior STEMI patients in contemporary reperfusion era, whereas the risk was increased for patients with no reperfusion treatment.

New findings What is the central question of this study? The concentrations of β1 -adrenergic receptor and M2 -muscarinic receptor autoantibodies in hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) patients and the relationship between the cardiac autoantibodies and clinical manifestations of HCM have rarely been reported. What is the main finding and its importance? We found that the concentrations of the two autoantibodies in HCM patients were significantly higher than those in control subjects. Furthermore, we found that the concentrations of the two autoantibodies could reflect myocardial injury and diastolic dysfunction in HCM patients to some extent and might be involved in the occurrence of arrhythmia. These findings might be valuable in exploration of the mechanisms of occurrence and progression of HCM. Abstract Increasing attention is being given to the role of immunological mechanisms in the development of heart failure. The purpose of this study was to investigate the concentration of serum β1 -adrenergic receptor autoantibody (β1 -AAb) and M2 -muscarinic receptor autoantibody (M2 -AAb) in patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM), and the relationship between β1 -AAb, M2 -AAb and clinical indices. One hundred and thirty-four patients with HCM were recruited consecutively into the HCM group. Forty healthy subjects were assigned as the normal controls (NCs). Serum samples were collected to measure the concentrations of β1 -AAb and M2 -AAb by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The clinical data of HCM patients were collected. The serum concentrations of β1 -AAb and M2 -AAb of HCM patients were significantly higher than those of NCs. In HCM patients, those with a left atrial diameter ≥50 mm or moderate-to-severe mitral regurgitation had significantly higher concentrations of the two autoantibodies. Patients with a history of syncope had higher concentrations of β1 -AAb. Female patients and patients with a family history of sudden cardiac death or atrial fibrillation had higher concentrations of M2 -AAb. Maximal wall thickness, interventricular septum thickness and resting left ventricular outflow tract gradient were positively correlated with log β1 -AAb or log M2 -AAb in HCM patients. In conclusion, the serum concentrations of β1 -AAb and M2 -AAb of HCM patients were significantly higher than those of NCs. Being female, syncope, a family history of sudden death, atrial fibrillation, left atrial diameter ≥50 mm, moderate-to-severe mitral regurgitation, maximal wall thickness, interventricular septum thickness and resting left ventricular outflow tract gradient may affect the concentrations of the two autoantibodies.

As highly sensitive and specific markers of myocardial damage, cardiac troponins were demonstrated to correlate with clinical parameters of patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. However, the relationship between cardiac troponins and presence of non-sustained ventricular tachycardia (NSVT) in hypertrophic cardiomyopathy remains unclear. The aim of our study was to explore the association between serum cardiac troponin I (cTNI) and presence of NSVT in patients with hypertrophic obstructive cardiomyopathy (HOCM). A total of 309 HOCM patients were enrolled in our study. All participants underwent clinical evaluations, including collections of medical history, blood tests, 24-h Holter monitoring, echocardiography, and cardiac magnetic resonance imaging. There were 53 (17.2%) patients with NSVT and 256 patients without it. Compared to patients without NSVT, serum cTNI (P

We sought to investigate the short- and long-term outcomes in patients with right ventricular infarction in China.Data from China Acute Myocardial Infarction (CAMI) Registry for patients with right ventricular infarction between January 2013 and September 2014 were analyzed.Of the 1,988 patients with right ventricular infarction, 733 patients did not receive reperfusion therapy, 281 patients received thrombolysis therapy, and 974 patients underwent primary PCI. Primary PCI and thrombolysis were all associated with lower risks of in-hospital (3.1 vs. 12.6%; adjusted OR: 0.48; 95% CI: 0.27-0.87;Timely reperfusion therapy is essential for patients with right ventricular infarction. Primary PCI may be considered as the default treatment strategy for patients with right ventricular infarction in the contemporary primary PCI era.

To investigate the measurement discrepancy of coronary computed tomography angiography (CTA)-derived fractional flow reserve (FFR) between diastolic (CT-FFR-D) and systolic (CT-FFR-S) phases using FFR as the reference standard.Participants, suspected of coronary artery disease and indicated for invasive coronary angiography (ICA) and FFR and coronary CTA and CT-FFR, were enrolled in this study (Clinicaltrials.gov:NCT03692936) from September 2018 to October 2019. For every participant, coronary CTA of both systolic and diastolic phases was postprocessed to calculate CT-FFR-S and CT-FFR-D, respectively. Diagnostic sensitivity, specificity, accuracy, and the area under the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve were compared.A total of 181 lesions from 151 participants (mean age 54.5 ± 7.8 years, 113 males) were analyzed. Of these, 129 lesions from 110 participants were successfully measured both in diastolic and systolic phases. Sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy of CT-FFR-D and CT-FFR-S on per-patient level were 88.9%, 91.3%, 90.1% and 66.7%, 87.7%, 76.7%, on per-vessel level were 89.5%, 91.5%, 90.6% and 66.7%, 87.0%, 77.9%, respectively. The ROC curve of CT-FFR-D was significantly higher than that of CT-FFR-S on both per-patient and per-vessel levels (0.938 vs. 0.771, 0.935 vs. 0.772, both p 0.0001). In severe hemodynamic lesions (FFR ≤ 0.7), the absolute difference between CT-FFR-S and FFR was significantly higher than that between CT-FFR-D and FFR [0.1636, inter-quartile range (IQR): 0.0662-0.2586 vs. 0.0953, IQR: 0.0496-0.1702, p = 0.035].CT-FFR derived in diastole was superior to that derived in systole in detecting coronary ischemic lesions. For lesions with FFR 0.7, CT-FFR measured in the diastolic phase was noted to be more closely approximated to FFR.

Objective The present study compared 10-year clinical outcomes between transradial access (TRA) and transfemoral access (TFA) for left main (LM) percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). Background There are limited data regarding the long-term safety and efficacy of TRA for LM PCI. Methods This retrospective study evaluated consecutive patients who underwent unprotected LM PCI between January 2004 and December 2008 at Fu Wai Hospital. The exclusion criteria were age of less than 18 years and presentation with acute myocardial infarction. The primary endpoint was major adverse cardiac or cerebrovascular events (MACCE), which was defined as a composite of all-cause death, myocardial infarction, stroke, and any revascularization at the 10-year follow-up. Results Among 913 eligible patients, TRA was used for 417 patients (45.7%) and TFA was used for 496 patients (54.3%). The 30-day clinical outcomes were similar between the two groups. Results from the 10-year follow-up revealed that MACCE occurred in 180 patients (46.7%) from the TRA group and in 239 patients (51.2%) from the TFA group (log-rank p = .3). The TRA and TFA groups also had low and comparable cumulative rates of all-cause death (14.6% vs. 17.3%, log-rank p = .56) and cardiac death (7.9% vs. 9.1%, log-rank p = .7). Conclusion The present study revealed no significant differences in long-term clinical outcomes when TRA or TFA were used for LM PCI.

Objective: To evaluate the prognostic influence of the presence of right ventricular myocardial infarction (RVMI) on patients with acute inferior myocardial infarction (MI) in the contemporary reperfusion era. Methods: A total of 9,308 patients with acute inferior MI were included from the prospective, nationwide, multicenter China Acute Myocardial Infarction Registry, including 1,745 (18.75%) patients with RVMI and 7,563 (81.25%) patients without RVMI. The primary outcome was all-cause mortality. The secondary outcome was major adverse cardiac and cerebrovascular event (MACCE) defined as a composite of all-cause mortality, recurrent MI, revascularization, stroke, and major bleeding. Results: There were no significant differences between acute inferior MI patients with or without RVMI in all-cause mortality and MACCE. Acute inferior MI patients with RVMI was associated with higher risks of in-hospital atrial-ventricular block (5.8% vs 3.1%; adjusted OR: 1.39; 95% CI: 1.06 to 1.84; P=0.0187) and two-year revascularization (10.3% vs 8.1%; adjusted HR: 1.21; 95% CI: 1.01 to 1.45; P=0.0418) relative to patients without RVMI. Primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) and thrombolysis were all independent predictors to decrease both in-hospital and two-year all-cause mortality. For patients who received timely reperfusion, RVMI involvement did not increase all-cause mortality, whereas for those who did not undergo reperfusion treatment, RVMI involvement significantly increased all-cause mortality (20.3% vs 15.7%; HR: 1.34; 95% CI: 1.10 to 1.63). Conclusion: RVMI involvement did not increase all-cause mortality for acute inferior MI patients in contemporary reperfusion era, whereas the risk of all-cause mortality was increased for patients with no reperfusion treatment.

Objectives Metabolic abnormalities have been associated with long-term cardiac mortality in patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM). Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a risk factor for metabolic abnormalities in general populations, but association between OSA and metabolic abnormalities in HCM is still undefined. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between OSA and metabolic dysfunction in a large series of patients with HCM. Methods A total of 587 patients with HCM who underwent sleep evaluations at Fuwai Hospital were included. Data from clinical characteristics, polysomnography studies, and metabolic measurements were collected. Results OSA was present in 344 patients (58.6%). Patients with OSA were older, more often male, and had more clinical comorbidities. Body mass index, blood pressure, fasting glucose, and triglycerides all increased (all P Conclusions Severity of OSA is independently associated with some profiles of metabolic abnormalities. Clinical trials are required to determine whether OSA treatment improves metabolic abnormalities and long-term outcomes in patients with HCM.

Objective This study aimed to investigate the clinical characteristics and impact of intra-aortic balloon pump (IABP) implantation on the prognosis of patients with anaphylactic shock (AS) during cardiac catheterization. Methods We analyzed the medical records of 34 patients who had AS caused by iodine contrast media (ICM) between January 2009 and December 2019. Clinical features and treatments were analyzed, and patients were categorized into survival and dead groups. In addition, the patients were further divided into IABP and non-IABP (NIABP) groups to assess the impact on AS according to whether a IABP was used or not. Results Of the 417,938 patients in whom ICM was used, 34 with AS were monitored. The prevalence of AS was 0.008%. Among the 34 patients, 6 (0.001%) died from fatal anaphylactic reactions accompanying shock, 26 (76.5%) had hypotension as the first presentation of AS in the survival and dead groups (78.6% and 66.7%, respectively), and 5 (14.7%) had unconsciousness at the initial onset of AS. The subgroup analysis revealed a higher mortality in the IABP group than in the NIABP (4/9, 44.4% vs. 2/25, 8%; P = 0.031). Conclusions The present study suggests a low prevalence of ICM-related AS. Hypotension was more frequent in AS related to ICM, and unconsciousness at the initial onset of AS implied a poor prognosis. The use of an IABP did not improve the outcome of the patients with AS. IABP implantation should not be used as a routine treatment for patients with AS., Highlights 1. What is already known about this topic? Anaphylactic shock is the most severe form of iodine contrast media (ICM)-related anaphylactic reaction and can be life-threatening if not treated properly. 2.What does this article add to our knowledge? According to our data, the mortality rate was higher in the patients who had intra-aortic balloon pump (IABP) implantation than in those with non-IABP, the use of an IABP did not improve the outcome of the patients with AS, and unconsciousness as the first manifestation of anaphylaxis implied a poor prognosis. 3.How does this study impact current management guidelines This study reminds us that IABP implantation should not be used as a routine treatment for patients with anaphylactic shock. Anaphylaxis with unconsciousness at the initial onset must be paid more attention.

Coronary bifurcation intervention is common but complex. Progress in this field has been made in recent years with considerable contribution from the Asia Pacific (APAC) region. However, the standard of practice varies across the APAC region due to differences in culture, socioeconomic state and healthcare set-up. Practice may also differ from the rest of the world. Hence, a panel of experts was invited to discuss topics relevant to bifurcation intervention in order to make a concerted effort to achieve consensus that is applicable within the region and in line with available evidence.

BACKGROUND It is ill-defined which factors affect the prognosis of patients with recanalized chronic total occlusion (CTO). This study sought to investigate predictors for adverse outcome in such a cohort with long-time follow-up. METHODS From 2010 to 2013, patients with successfully recanalized CTO were included. The primary endpoint was a composite of all-cause death, myocardial infarction or target vessel revascularization (TVR). The secondary endpoints were TVR and target lesion revascularization (TLR). RESULTS A total of 1987 patients were enrolled and 1806 (90.6%) subjects completed 5-year follow-up. Multivariate Cox analysis revealed that age ≥ 75 years (HR,1.70; 95% CI, 1.09-2.64; P = .02), left ventricular ejection fraction

Background: Patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention react differently to antiplatelet drugs. Those with low responsiveness to clopidogrel have a higher risk of cardiac ischemic events. The goal of this study is to conduct a head-to-head comparison of the safety and effectiveness of intensified antiplatelet therapies (either double-dose clopidogrel [DOUBLE] or adjunctive cilostazol [TRIPLE]) and conventional strategy (STANDARD) in patients after percutaneous coronary intervention. Methods: In this single-center, randomized, controlled trial, we used thromboelastography, a platelet function test, to select 1078 patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention at high thrombotic risk and compared the intensified antiplatelet therapies with standard antiplatelet therapy. The primary outcome was the incidence of major adverse cardiac and cerebrovascular events at 18 months after percutaneous coronary intervention, defined as a composite of all-cause death, myocardial infarction, target vessel revascularization, or stroke. Bleeding Academic Research Consortium defined bleeding complications (types 1, 2, 3, or 5) were the safety end points. Results: The primary end point occurred in 52 patients (14.4%) in the STANDARD group, 38 patients (10.6%) in the DOUBLE group, and 30 patients (8.5%) in the TRIPLE group (hazard ratio, 0.720; 95% confidence interval, 0.474–1.094, DOUBLE versus STANDARD; hazard ratio, 0.550; 95% confidence interval, 0.349–0.866, TRIPLE versus STANDARD). No significant difference in the rates of major bleeding (Bleeding Academic Research Consortium grade≥3) was found in the DOUBLE group (3.34% versus 1.93% in STANDARD, P =0.133) and the TRIPLE group (2.53% versus 1.93% in STANDARD, P =0.240). The rate of Bleeding Academic Research Consortium–defined minor bleeding increased in the DOUBLE group (27.4% versus 20.3% in STANDARD, P =0.031), but not in the TRIPLE group (23.6% versus 20.3% in STANDARD, P =0.146). Conclusions: In patients with low responsiveness to clopidogrel, as measured by thromboelastography, the intensified antiplatelet strategies with adjunctive use of cilostazol significantly improved the clinical outcomes without increasing the risk of major bleeding. Decreased trend of negative outcomes could be observed in patients with double dosage of clopidogrel, but the difference was not significant. Clinical Trial Registration: URL: https://www.clinicaltrials.gov . Unique identifier: NCT01779401.

Background: Hypertrophic obstructive cardiomyopathy (HOCM) is a myocardial disease characterized by fibrosis and microvascular ischemia. Microvessels play a critical role in myocardial fibrosis in HOCM. However, it remains unclear whether or not myocardial fibrosis is associated with microvascular density (MVD) changes. Objective: The aim of the present study was to investigate whether a reduction in MVD is related to myocardial fibrosis in HOCM cardiac samples. Methods: We analyzed MVD and fibrosis in myectomy left ventricular (LV) septal wall specimens from 53 HOCM patients. Control myocardium from the LV septal wall was collected at autopsy of 9 individuals who died of noncardiac causes. Results: The fibrosis ratio (% area) in HOCM was higher and the MVD was lower than that in control subjects (i.e., 12.7 ± 10.0 vs. 4.0 ± 1.4%, p = 0.012, and 480.9 ± 206.7 vs. 1,425 ± 221/mm2, p < 0.001). Patients with mild fibrosis had a higher MVD than patients with moderate fibrosis (i.e., 568.2 ± 214.8 vs. 403.2 ± 167.8/mm2, p = 0.006) and patients with severe fibrosis (i.e., 568.2 ± 214.8 vs. 378.6 ± 154.0/mm2, p = 0.024). Furthermore, a significant negative correlation was found between myocardial fibrosis and MVD in HOCM patients (r = –0.40, p = 0.003), which was also found in mild fibrosis (r = –0.40, p = 0.043), moderate fibrosis (r = –0.50, p = 0.024), and severe fibrosis (r = –0.24, p = 0.61), although no significant differences were observed in severe fibrosis. Additionally, we demonstrated that late gadolinium enhancement was negatively correlated with MVD (r = –0.37, p = 0.03) and positively correlated with fibrosis (r = 0.44, p = 0.01). Conclusion: HOCM patients had a higher myocardial fibrosis ratio and a lower MVD. The severity of myocardial fibrosis was negatively correlated with MVD in HOCM. These findings showed that a reduced MVD may contribute to myocardial fibrosis in HOCM.

There are controversies on optimal stenting strategy regarding true left main (LM) bifurcation lesions. The present study compared 1- and 2-stenting strategy for patients with true LM bifurcation lesions as differentiated by DEFINITION criteria. 928 patients with true LM bifurcation lesions (Medina 1,1,1 or 0,1,1) treated with DES were enrolled consecutively. 297 (32.0%) patients were identified as complex LM bifurcation, and 631 (68.0%) patients into simple LM bifurcation group according to DEFINTION criteria. Patients in complex vs. simple LM bifurcation group had significantly higher major adverse cardiac event (MACE, including cardiac death, myocardial infarction [MI] and ischemia-driven target vessel revascularization) rate at 30 days (7.8% vs. 4.0%, p = 0.01), 1 year (10.3% vs. 6.4%, p = 0.04), and numerically at 3 years (14.2% vs. 10.1%, p = 0.07), which was mainly driven by increased MI. Moreover, patients in the 2-stent strategy group had strong trend towards lower incidence of cardiac death in both complex LM bifurcation group (2.0% vs. 5.9%, p = 0.08) and simple LM bifurcation group (1.9% vs. 4.5%, p = 0.07). In conclusion, the complex bifurcation lesion criteria established in DEFINITION study was able to risk-stratify LM bifurcation patients. Two-stent technique yielded numerically lower 3-year cardiac mortality regardless of LM bifurcation complexity.

Background: The clinical condition of hypertrophic obstructive cardiomyopathy (HOCM) and concomitant systemic hypertension is growing more and more prevalent, and it brings about a challenging diagnostic and therapeutic dilemma. However, whether systemic hypertension has an impact on HOCM, and whether sex-related differences exist in this impact, remains unclear. Methods: A total of 453 HOCM patients (age 48.7 ± 12.8 years, 252 [55.6%] males) were recruited in this study. There were 150 patients (33.1%, 81 males and 69 females) with a history of controlled systemic hypertension. Cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) imaging was performed in all patients. Left ventricular (LV) remodeling index (LVRI) was determined by CMR. LVRI >1.3 g/mL was defined as pathological LV remodeling. Results: Men had significantly greater LVRI (1.40 ± 0.54 vs. 1.15 ± 0.38 g/mL, p < 0.001) and LVRI >1.3 g/mL (p = 0.002), compared with women. The incidence of syncope and 5-year sudden cardiac death risk score were significantly lower in HOCM with hypertension than those without hypertension. LVRI (p = 0.003) and LVRI >1.3 g/mL (p = 0.007) were significantly smaller in males with hypertension, but not in females with hypertension. However, log cardiac troponin I and log N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide were positively correlated with LVRI in men and women. On multivariable logistic analysis, hypertension (OR 0.172, 95% CI 0.056–0.528, p = 0.002) remained an independent determinant of pathological LV remodeling in males, whereas not in females. Conclusions: There were significant sex differences in the impact of systemic hypertension on LV remodeling in patients with HOCM. Controlled systemic hypertension may contribute to improving LV remodeling in male patients with HOCM, but not in females.

Background Although primary percutaneous coronary intervention (pPCI) is the optimal reperfusion method for ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI), it remains difficult to implement in many areas. Some STEMI patients have to accept fibrinolytic therapy and no reperfusion therapy instead. Purpose The aim of this study was to describe the impact of reperfusion therapy on the long-term outcomes of STEMI patients in China. Methods Using data from the China Acute Myocardial Infarction (CAMI) registry, we analyzed the 2-year outcomes of 18,075 STEMI patients symptom onset within 7 days from January 2013 to September 2014 according to the type of reperfusion therapy. The primary endpoint was a composite of major adverse cardiovascular event (MACE), defined as all-cause mortality, myocardial infarction or stroke. Results 7798 (43%) were treated with pPCI and 1798 (10%) underwent fibrinolysis; 8479 (47%) did not receive any reperfusion. The 2-year MACE was 9.6% following pPCI, 15.7% following fibrinolysis, and 21.5% for patients without reperfusion therapy (P6 hours (HR 0.86, 95% CI 0.76–0.97, P=0.01) of symptom onset. Adjusted cumulative MACE rate Conclusions In a real-world setting, early reperfusion is the optimal strategy for STEMI. Fibrinolysis was not associated with better outcome in STEMI patients admitted >3 hours of symptom onset in Chinese real world setting. Acknowledgement/Funding Ministry of Science and Technology of China (Grant No. 2011BAI11B02)

Background Myocardial fibrosis (MF) is considered a result of microvascular dysfunction in patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) and their tissue inhibitors (TIMPs), capable of degrading collagen, directly participate in the development of MF. First we investigated the relationships among MF, microvascular rarefaction, and MMPs. Then we assessed the prognostic value of MF-related circulating biomarkers. Methods Fifty-five obstructive hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HOCM) patients were enrolled after surgical myectomy. Myocardial samples were performed with Masson’s trichrome staining and immunohistochemical procedures for collagen volume fraction and microvascular density, respectively. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays were used to assess myocardial and plasma of MMP-2, MMP-9, and TIMP-1 and plasma C-terminal propeptide of procollagen type Ⅰ (PICP) and C-terminal telopeptide of type Ⅰ collagen (ICTP) levels. The composite cardiovascular endpoint consisted of new-onset atrial fibrillation, heart failure requiring hospitalization, and all-cause death. Results In HOCM patients microvascular density was associated with the myocardial MMP-2/TIMP-1 ratio (r = –0.348, P = .009), whereas no correlation was found between collagen volume fraction and myocardial MMPs. During the 44-month follow-up 6 patients experienced a cardiovascular endpoint. The plasma PICP/ICTP ratio and MMP-2/TIMP-1 ratio were the 2 strongest prognostic makers. In multivariable analyses high PICP/ICTP and MMP-2/TIMP-1 ratios remained independent predictors of cardiovascular outcomes after adjusting for clinical confounders (hazard ratios, 12.683 [P = .021] and 17.037 [P = .027], respectively). Conclusions In HOCM patients the myocardial MMP-2/TIMP-1 ratio was elevated because of microvascular rarefaction but may not be responsible for MF. High plasma PICP/ICTP and MMP-2/TIMP-1 ratios are independent predictors of adverse outcomes in HOCM patients.

Background Whether current proposed biomarkers of myocardial fibrosis (BMFs) actually reflect the changes in fibrous characteristics of myocardial tissue remains unclear. The relation between peripheral BMFs and histological myocardial fibrosis in patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) has been unknown. Methods and results We studied 52 HCM patients who underwent a transaortic extended septal myectomy. Complete medical history was collected, and related examinations were performed. Echocardiography and cardiovascular magnetic resonance were employed to characterize cardiac morphology and function. Procollagen type I carboxy-terminal propeptide (PICP), C-terminal telopeptide of type I collagen (CITP), matrix metalloproteinases (total MMP-2 and total MMP-9), and tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase 1 (TIMP-1) levels in both plasma and myocardial tissues were determined and compared. Myocardial fibrosis was detected with Masson's trichrome staining, and collagen volume fraction (CVF) was calculated. There was a significant correlation between plasma PICP levels and myocardial PICP contents (r=0.382, P=.007). Besides, plasma PICP (r=0.332, P=.020) levels correlated positively with CVF. In addition, plasma TIMP-1 levels were significantly correlated with myocardial TIMP-1 contents (r=0.282, P=.043). Plasma MMP-2 levels correlated positively with CVF (r=0.379, P=.006). Patients who took calcium channel blockers (CCBs; diltiazem or verapamil) had significantly lower plasma PICP levels, myocardial PICP content, and CVF in comparison with those who did not take CCBs. Conclusions In patients with HCM, plasma PICP and MMP-2 levels quantitatively reflect myocardial fibrosis, suggesting that PICP and MMP-2 may be used as reliable BMFs. CCBs may attenuate cardiac fibrosis in patients with HCM.

Objectives. We aim to present a new way to introduce reverse wire in crusade microcatheter-facilitated reverse wire technique to solve markedly angulated bifurcated lesions. Background. Markedly angulated coronary bifurcation lesions are still one of the considerable challenges of treatment with percutaneous coronary intervention especially with severe proximal stenosis. Microcatheter-facilitated reverse wire technique improved the efficacy of crossing a guide wire to such an extremely angulated complex targeted vessel. However, there has been a debate regarding what kind of curve was the best to introduce reverse guide wire in this technique. Methods. We analyzed 7 patients who were admitted to Fuwai Hospital and underwent antegrade wiring which failed. Crusade microcatheter-facilitated reverse wire technique with simple short tip one round curve was used successfully to solve in all 7 bifurcation lesions. We investigated the bifurcation lesion’s characteristics and details of the reverse wire technique procedures. Results. All 7 bifurcations exhibit both a smaller take-off angle and a larger carina angle and severe proximal significant stenosis. After having suitable size of balloon predilation, reverse wire with simple short distal one curve was delivered to distal segment of targeted vessel successfully. We performed all PCI procedures without any complications and no major adverse cardiac event was observed during hospitalization. Conclusions. In solving markedly angulated bifurcated lesions, especially with severe proximal stenosis, crusade microcatheter-facilitated reverse wire technique with simple short tip one curve is an effective and safe way of wiring.

Objective: ABO blood type is associated with cardiovascular diseases. Several studies have suggested sex-related differences in both hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) clinical features and ABO blood type. However, few data are available regarding the relationship between ABO blood type and HCM clinical features. We aimed to analyze the relationship between ABO blood type and HCM clinical features, and the potential effects of sex on these relationship. Methods: A total of 549 patients with HCM were enrolled consecutively. Left ventricular outflow tract gradients at rest (LOVTG-R) were measured by echocardiography. Left ventricular end-diastolic dimension, interventricular septum, left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF), left ventricular end-diastolic volume (LVEDV), left ventricular end-systolic volume (LVESV), and left ventricular mass (LVM) were assessed using cardiovascular magnetic resonance imaging. Results: Compared with the non-B antigen group, patients with B antigen had significantly higher LOVTG-R and LVEF values, worse New York Heart Association (NYHA) classification, lower left ventricular volume index values, as well as no difference in LVM index values. After adjustments for sex, male patients with B antigen still had higher LOVTG-R values and frequency of NYHA classification III/IV as well as lower LVEDV and LVESV index values. These differences were not present in female patients. Additionally, patients with NYHA classification III/IV had lower LVEDV index values. Conclusion: In males, not females, patients with HCM with blood type B antigens exhibited worse cardiac functional capacity, higher LOVTG-R values, and lower left ventricular volume index values. These relationships are a potential indicator for clinical prevention. We speculate that rehydration is more efficient in relieving symptoms in male patients with HCM with B antigens.

Background Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most common complication in hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM). The mechanisms of AF is associated with left atrial (LA) structural remodeling in HCM patients. However, the impact of left ventricular (LV) remodeling on the presence of AF in HCM patients has not been evaluated yet. We sought to investigate effect of LV remodeling on the presence of AF assessed by cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR) in HCM patients. Methods A total of 394 HCM patients were enrolled into this study, including HOCM patients (n = 293) and NOHCM patients (n = 101). Patients were divided into HCM with AF (50) and HCM without AF (n = 344). Data were collected from hospital records. Results LA diameter and LV remodeling index (LVRI) were significantly higher in HCM patients with AF than that of HCM patients without AF (46.6 ± 7.4 mm versus 39.9 ± 8.0 mm, p

Background: The impact of alcohol septal ablation (ASA) on the survival of patients with drug-refractory obstructive hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) remains unresolved. The aim of this study was to compare survival after ASA vs. conservative therapy. Methods: We studied a consecutive cohort of 274 patients with severe drug-refractory obstructive HCM, 229 in ASA group and 45 in conservative group. The primary endpoint was a composite of all-cause mortality and aborted cardiac arrest. Results: With a median follow-up of 4.3 years, primary endpoint occurred in 13 (5.7%) patients in the ASA group, and 8 (17.8%) patients in the conservative group. The 5- and 10-year survival free from primary endpoint of the ASA group (94.5% and 93.0%, respectively) was significantly better than that of the conservative group (78.3% and 72.2%, respectively, log-rank p = 0.009). Independent determinants of primary endpoint were ASA therapy (hazard ratio [HR] 0.22; 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.08–0.60; p = 0.003) and maximal septal thickness (HR 1.14; 95% CI 1.03–1.27; p = 0.011). Conclusions: In patients with severe drug-refractory obstructive HCM, survival after ASA is favorable and better than that of conservative therapy. ASA seems to improve survival.

We investigated sex differences in left ventricular (LV) remodeling and fibrosis and their relationship with LV diastolic dysfunction by cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR).CMR imaging was performed simultaneously in 152 age-matched patients (76 men, 76 women; mean age: 49±9 years) without LV systolic dysfunction. LV remodeling index (LVRI) was calculated as the ratio of LV mass and end-diastolic volume. Diastolic function indexes including peak filling rate (PFR) and time to PFR (tPFR) were evaluated. Extent of late gadolinium enhancement (LGE) was measured.LVRI and extent of LGE were greater in women compared with men (1.48±0.22 vs. 1.36±0.28g/ml; 13.15±2.48 vs. 11.35±2.34g, respectively, both P0.001). Women had lower PFR and higher tPFR (both P0.001) than men. LVRI and the extent of LGE showed significant relationships with parameters of diastolic function in both sex. In a multivariate analysis, LVRI remained a strong independent predictor of PFR and TPFR in women (β=-0.272, P=0.032; β=0.348, P=0.016, respectively), and in men (β=-0.374, P0.001; β=0.660, P0.001, respectively). Furthermore, the extent of LGE also remained an independent predictor of PFR in women (β=-0.283, P=0.033) and men (β=-0.492, P0.001).There are prominent sex differences in LV remodeling and myocardial fibrosis. We suggest that the effects of LV remodeling and fibrosis may lead to diastolic dysfunction with greater susceptibility to worse clinical outcome in women.