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OBJECTIVE: To investigate the use of prasugrel after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) in African American (AA) patients presenting with acute coronary syndrome (ACS). BACKGROUND: AA patients are at higher risk for adverse cardiovascular outcomes after PCI and may derive greater benefit from the use of potent antiplatelet therapy. METHODS: Using the multicenter PROMETHEUS observational registry of ACS patients treated with PCI, we grouped patients by self-reported AA or other races. Clinical outcomes at 90-day and 1-year included non-fatal myocardial infarction (MI), major adverse cardiac events (composite of death, MI, stroke, or unplanned revascularization) and major bleeding. RESULTS: The study population included 2,125 (11%) AA and 17,707 (89%) non-AA patients. AA patients were younger, more often female (46% vs. 30%) with a higher prevalence of diabetes mellitus, chronic kidney disease, and prior coronary intervention than non-AA patients. Although AA patients more often presented with troponin (+) ACS, prasugrel use was much less common in AA vs. non-AA (11.9% vs. 21.4%, respectively, P = 0.001). In addition, the use of prasugrel increased with the severity of presentation in non-AA but not in AA patients. Multivariable logistic regression showed AA race was an independent predictor of reduced use of prasugrel (0.42 [0.37-0.49], P

BACKGROUND: Clinical trial data studies suggest superiority of prasugrel over clopidogrel in patients with diabetes. However, the use, safety and efficacy profile of prasugrel in unselected diabetic patients presenting with acute coronary syndromes (ACS) remain unclear. METHODS: PROMETHEUS was a prospective multicenter observational study of 19,919 ACS PCI patients enrolled between 2010 and 2013. The primary endpoint was 90-day major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE), comprising all-cause death, myocardial infarction, stroke or unplanned revascularization. The safety endpoint was bleeding requiring hospitalization. RESULTS: We identified 7580 (38%) subjects with and 12,329 (62%) without diabetes. Diabetic patients were older and had significantly higher rates of cardiovascular risk factors. However, they were less likely to receive prasugrel (18.2% vs. 21.7%). Use of prasugrel did not increase with the severity of clinical presentation in diabetics, whereas, among non-diabetics, prescription of prasugrel was higher in NSTEMI and STEMI compared to unstable angina. The 90-day and 1-year adjusted risk of MACE was greater in diabetics (at 1 year: 22.7% vs. 16.5%; HR 1.22 [1.14-1.33], p

OBJECTIVES To determine if fractional flow reserve guided percutaneous coronary intervention (FFR-guided PCI) is associated with reduced ischemic myocardium compared with angiography-guided PCI. BACKGROUND Although FFR-guided PCI has been shown to improve outcomes, it remains unclear if it reduces the extent of ischemic myocardium at risk compared with angiography-guided PCI. METHODS We evaluated 380 patients (190 FFR-guided PCI cases and 190 propensity-matched controls) who underwent PCI from 2009 to 2014. Clinical, laboratory, angiographic, stress testing, and major adverse cardiac events [MACE] (all-cause mortality, recurrence of MI requiring PCI, stroke) data were collected. RESULTS Mean age was 63 ± 11 years; the majority of patients were males (76%) and Caucasian (77%). Median duration of follow up was 3.4 [Range: 1.9, 5.0] years. Procedural complications including coronary dissection (2% vs. 0%, P = .12) and perforation (0% vs. 0%, P = 1.00) were similar between FFR-guided and angiography-guided PCI patients. FFR-guided PCI patients had lower unadjusted (14.7% vs. 23.2%, P = .04) and adjusted [OR = 0.58 (95% CI: 0.34-0.98)] risk of repeat revascularization at one year. FFR-guided PCI patients were less likely (23% vs. 32%, P = .02) to have ischemia and had lower (5.9% vs. 21.1%, P

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: We sought to determine the frequency of use and association between prasugrel and outcomes in acute coronary syndrome patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) in clinical practice. METHODS: PROMETHEUS was a multicenter observational registry of acute coronary syndrome patients undergoing PCI from 8 centers in the United States that maintained a prospective PCI registry for patient outcomes. The primary end points were major adverse cardiovascular events at 90days, a composite of all-cause death, nonfatal myocardial infarction, stroke, or unplanned revascularization. Major bleeding was defined as any bleeding requiring hospitalization or blood transfusion. Hazard ratios (HRs) were generated using multivariable Cox regression and stratified by the propensity to treat with prasugrel. RESULTS: Of 19,914 patients (mean age 64.4years, 32% female), 4,058 received prasugrel (20%) and 15,856 received clopidogrel (80%). Prasugrel-treated patients were younger with fewer comorbid risk factors compared with their counterparts receiving clopidogrel. At 90days, there was a significant association between prasugrel use and lower major adverse cardiovascular event (5.7% vs 9.6%, HR 0.58, 95% CI 0.50-0.67, P

Background Few studies have explored percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) in perioperative myocardial infarction (PMI), even though PMI is a major cause of mortality in patients undergoing urgent/emergent noncardiac surgery. Objectives This study sought to describe the angiographic characteristics and outcomes in patients presenting to the cardiac catheterization laboratory for myocardial infarction sustained after undergoing noncardiac surgery, with a detailed analysis of those undergoing PCI. Methods We included all patients presenting to the catheterization laboratory at our institution after PMI from 2003 to 2012, who had noncardiac surgery within the previous 7 days. Data from patients who underwent PCI were analyzed using both standard regression and time-to-event survival analysis. Results From 2003 to 2012, 1,093 patients with 3,832 person-years of follow-up underwent diagnostic coronary angiography, of whom 281 (40 ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction [STEMI] and 241 non-ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction [NSTEMI] cases) underwent PCI. Using Kaplan-Meier survival analysis, we found 30-day mortality was 5.2% and 1-year mortality was 15% in the overall population. In the PCI subpopulation, we estimated 30-day mortality to be 11.3%. The 30-day death rate in the STEMI cohort was 31.2% and 8.5% in the NSTEMI cohort of the PCI subpopulation. Stepwise logistic regression revealed the following factors as strong predictors of 30-day mortality after PCI: bleeding event after PCI (odds ratio [OR]: 4.33; 95% confidence limits (CL): 1.52 to 12.30), peak troponin T level (OR: 1.20; 95% CL: 1.08 to 1.34), and underlying peripheral vascular disease (OR: 4.86; 95% CL: 1.66 to 14.22). Cox proportional hazard analysis of survival data showed that increasing age (hazard ratio [HR]: 1.03; 95% CL: 1.01 to 1.04), bleeding after PCI (HR: 2.31; 95% CL: 1.61 to 3.32), renal insufficiency (HR: 2.26; 95% CL: 1.51 to 3.39]), and vascular surgery (HR: 1.48; 95% CL: 1.02 to 2.15]) were all significant predictors of long-term mortality after PCI. Conclusions Perioperative MI has a markedly high mortality rate, despite PCI. Bleeding event, peak troponin T level, and peripheral vascular disease predict mortality within 30 days of PCI in this patient population. Similarly, older age, vascular surgery, bleeding event, and renal dysfunction strongly predict long-term mortality after PCI in the setting of PMI.

Current guidelines emphasize timely coronary intervention with a door to balloon time of ≤90min for favorable survival impact after STEMI. Efforts to achieve these targets may result in unnecessary emergent angiography for inappropriate activations.Evaluate the frequency, trend and factors which are significantly associated with inappropriate for intervention cardiac catheterization laboratory (CCL) activation.We analyzed 1764 consecutive emergent CCL activation for possible ST segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) between 7/2005 and 8/2013. Inappropriate for intervention activation was defined as negative STEMI (incorrect diagnosis: insignificant coronary lesion, not requiring any intervention) and inappropriate patients (true STEMI but poor CCL candidacy).Inappropriate for intervention CCL activation occurred in 317 patients (17.9%): 292 incorrect diagnosis (negative STEMI diagnosis), 25 inappropriate patients, with no difference in the frequency based on time of the day (18.6% regular hours vs. 17.6% off-hours, p=0.6). On multivariable analysis, female gender (OR 1.9 [1.2-3.0]), African American race (OR 1.9[1.3-2.7]), and prior coronary artery bypass graft surgery (OR 3.6 [2.3-5.5]) were significantly associated with incorrect diagnosis (negative STEMI diagnosis) (all p0.005) and hyperlipidemia (OR 0.2 [0.1-0.3]), tobacco use (OR 0.2 [0.1-0.3]), and stroke/TIA (OR 0.2 [0.1-0.4]) had a significant inverse association (all p0.001). ST Elevation with no reciprocal depression and pericarditis/myocarditis were the most common ECG finding and etiology respectively.Inappropriate for intervention CCL activation is not uncommon and should be closely monitored to maximize resource utilization. Females, African American patients with few or no risk factors and patients presenting ST elevation but no reciprocal depression constitute a population that may require attention.

AIM Transcatheter mitral valve implantation (TMVI) is a novel technology for patients with severe mitral valve disease but at high surgical risk. Imaging guidance during the procedure is critical for successful device deployment. Identification of the mitral annular plane (MAP) with fluoroscopy during the procedure is limited by lack of clearly defined landmarks. We hypothesized that a plane defined by left circumflex-right coronary arteries (LCX-RCA) would have a consistent relationship to MAP. METHODS AND RESULTS We studied 25 patients with gated cardiac computed tomography. We identified the MAP and the LCX-RCA plane in mid systole and diastole. The distance between the two planes in prespecified four points (anterior, posterior, medial, and lateral) in the apical 2 and 3-chamber views. Alignment of the planes was described by cranial/caudal angulation for both planes in RAO 30° and LAO 90° (lateral) angulation. Mean age was 81 ± 9 years, 56% of patients had ≥2+ mitral regurgitation. In mid systole, the distances between the LCX-RCA plane and the MAP in the four points were

Background A percutaneous approach with transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) and percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) of the left main coronary artery (LM) is frequently used in high-risk patients with coexisting aortic stenosis and LM disease. Outcomes of TAVR plus LM PCI have not been previously reported. Objectives The primary objective of the TAVR-LM registry is to evaluate clinical outcomes in patients undergoing TAVR plus LM PCI. Methods Clinical, echocardiographic, computed tomographic, and angiographic characteristics were retrospectively collected in 204 patients undergoing TAVR plus LM PCI. In total, 128 matched patient pairs were generated by performing 1:1 case-control matching between 167 patients with pre-existing LM stents undergoing TAVR and 1,188 control patients undergoing TAVR without LM revascularization. Results One-year mortality (9.4% vs. 10.2%, p = 0.83) was similar between the TAVR plus LM PCI cohort and matched controls. One-year mortality after TAVR plus LM PCI was not different in patients with unprotected compared with protected LMs (7.8% vs. 8.1%, p = 0.88), those undergoing LM PCI within 3 months compared with those with LM PCI greater than 3 months before TAVR (7.4% vs. 8.6%, p = 0.61), and those with ostial versus nonostial LM stents (10.3% vs. 15.6%, p = 0.20). Unplanned LM PCI performed because of TAVR-related coronary complication, compared with planned LM PCI performed for pre-existing LM disease, resulted in increased 30-day (15.8% vs. 3.4%, p = 0.013) and 1-year (21.1% vs. 8.0%, p = 0.071) mortality. Conclusions Despite the anatomic proximity of the aortic annulus to the LM, TAVR plus LM PCI is safe and technically feasible, with short- and intermediate-term clinical outcomes comparable with those in patients undergoing TAVR alone. These results suggest that TAVR plus LM PCI is a reasonable option for patients who are at high risk for surgery.

Background Transfemoral transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TF-TAVR) has enjoyed a rapid diffusion in the US and Europe, but the procedure is resource intensive. Objectives We sought to identify differences in resource utilization between a US and European center to ascertain opportunities for improvement in the performance of TF-TAVR. Methods All patients undergoing TF-TAVR using the Edwards SAPIEN valve series at the San Raffaele Hospital (Milan, Italy) and the Cleveland Clinic Foundation (Cleveland, OH) between January 2011 and December 2012 were included. Resource utilization was defined as preprocedural imaging, intraprocedural imaging, and personnel present during the procedure. Results A total of 158 patients from Cleveland and 113 from Milan were analyzed. Median logistic EuroScore (22.1 vs. 15.5, P = 0.013) and STS-PROM (8.9 vs. 5.0%, P

Since the advent of bioprosthetic valves, the implications of long-term anticoagulation after valve replacement are unclear. There are very little data on outcomes of long-term anticoagulation after transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI). Our aim was to conduct a systematic review of literature regarding anticoagulation after TAVI. The existing literature on anticoagulation after bioprosthetic valve replacement was thoroughly reviewed, including the most recent American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association 2017 guidelines for management of valvular disease, which is based on sparse, nonrandomized retrospective data. A systematic review of MEDLINE, EMBASE, and Cochrane CENTRAL databases was conducted to retrieve articles reporting outcomes on anticoagulation after TAVI, and 5 articles were retrieved. Pooled analysis revealed lower bleeding rates in the anticoagulated group (22% vs 35%, p = 0.006). Stroke and mortality were inconsistently reported by the studies. The data regarding outcomes of patients on anticoagulation after TAVI are sparse. Systematic collection of anticoagulation data in the existing registries and future trials should be strongly considered in patients undergoing TAVI.

Background The SAPIEN-XT is a newer generation balloon-expandable valve created of cobalt chromium frame, as opposed to the stainless steel frame used in the older generation SAPIEN valve. We sought to determine if there was difference in acute recoil between the two valves. Methods All patients who underwent transfemoral–transcatheter aortic valve replacement using the SAPIEN-XT valve at the Cleveland Clinic were included. Recoil was measured using biplane cine-angiographic image analysis of valve deployment. Acute recoil was defined as [(valve diameter at maximal balloon inflation) − (valve diameter after deflation)]/valve diameter at maximal balloon inflation (reported as percentage). Patients undergoing SAPIEN valve implantation were used as the comparison group. Results Among the 23 mm valves, the mean (standard deviation—SD) acute recoil was 2.77% (1.14) for the SAPIEN valve as compared to 3.75% (1.52) for the SAPIEN XT valve (P = 0.04). Among the 26 mm valves, the mean (SD) acute recoil was 2.85% (1.4) for the SAPIEN valve as compared to 4.32% (1.63) for the SAPIEN XT valve (P = 0.01). Multivariable linear regression analysis demonstrated significantly greater adjusted recoil in the SAPIEN XT valves as compared to the SAPIEN valves by 1.43% [(95% CI: 0.69–2.17), P

Objectives This study investigated whether patients with patent foramen ovale (PFO) have an increased risk of stroke due to permanent pacemaker (PPM)/implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD) implantation. Background Data are lacking on the risk of stroke in patients with PFO and implantable intracardiac devices, either a PPM or an ICD. We investigated whether patients with PFO have increased risk of stroke due to PPM/ICD implantation. Methods Between 2001 and 2008, 2,921 consecutive patients with PFO (67.5 ± 16.4 years of age, 52.2% male) were identified from our echocardiography database. These patients were divided into a device group (patients had PPM/ICD implantation for any reason after receiving a diagnosis of PFO) and a no device group (patients did not have PPM or ICD implantation). Patients who had PFO closure during follow-up were excluded. Both groups were matched for baseline characteristics and medications. The incidence of ischemic stroke was assessed in each group after propensity score matching (case:control ratio of 1:1 yielding 231 pairs). All patients completed at least 4 years of follow-up until May 2012. Results There were 2,690 patients in the n device group (67.3 ± 16.4 years of age, 51.6% male) and 231 patients in the device group (75.4 ± 14.6 years of age, 59.3% male). Six patients (2.6%) in the no device group and 6 (2.6%) in the device group had a stroke during the follow-up period. No difference in the rate of stroke, transient ischemic stroke, or stroke/transient ischemic stroke was observed between the 2 groups. Conclusions The risk of stroke in patients with PFO and an implantable intracardiac device is similar to those without an intracardiac device. In patients with PFO, without a history of stroke, device implantation might not be considered a risk factor for future stroke occurrence.

Objectives Transapical transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TA-TAVR) is a viable treatment option for selected high-risk elderly patients. We analyzed the 30-day mortality and perioperative complications, focusing on the "learning curve" since our first TA procedure in 2007. We also introduce unique cases, demonstrating new possibilities for alternate access sites and concurrent cardiac interventions using the apical approach. Methods From February 2007 to May 2013, 150 patients underwent TA-TAVR (mean age, 81.4 ± 7 years; mean Society of Thoracic Surgeons score, 9.8 ± 3.5). We compared 2 groups (group A, n = 65, procedures from February 2007 to December 2010; group B, n = 85, procedures from January 2011 to May 2013). Results Five deaths (3.3%) occurred within 30 days, with a decrease in 30-day mortality between the 2 groups (group A, n = 4, 6.2%; group B, n = 1, 1.2%) that became significant at 1 year (log-rank, P = .002). Severe bleeding from the apex (group A, 4.6%; group B 4.4%) and deployment of >1 valve (group A, 7.6%; group B, 10.5%) was similar in both groups. Valve embolization was less frequent in group B (group A, 4.6%; group B, 2.4%). Postoperative complications in groups A and B included stroke (3.1% vs 0%), renal failure (9.3% vs 4.7%), and permanent pacemaker implantation (6.1% vs 5.9%). No myocardial infarctions occurred in either group. Two patients received simultaneous aortic and mitral valve implantation; 1 patient undergoing TA-TAVR also underwent distal arch and descending aorta repair; all had favorable outcomes. With a further 25 TA-TAVR since May 2013, the overall mortality is 2.9% (5/175). Conclusions Although working with the fragile apical tissues in high-risk elderly patients remains a challenge, we have demonstrated a reduction in mortality and complications with increasing experience in TA-TAVR. We have successfully demonstrated novel combined procedures and uses for the transapical approach and alternate access sites, which should continue to be explored.

Background Computed tomography (CT) imaging has not been systematically studied for predicting vascular complications during transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR). Methods Clinical data were obtained from the electronic medical record and analysis was performed for each individual patient's iliofemoral CT angiogram. Sheath : femoral artery diameter ratio (SFAR) and sheath : femoral artery area ratio (SFAAR) were defined as the ratio of the sheath outer diameter to the femoral minimal lumen diameter (MLD) and sheath area to the femoral minimal lumen area (MLA), respectively. Results A total of 255 patients underwent TF-TAVR with a 30-day mortality of 0.4% and 30-day stroke rate of 1.6%. Twenty-eight (11%) patients suffered a vascular complication, the majority of whom (82%) were managed percutaneously. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis demonstrated an SFAAR of 1.35 to predict the occurrence of vascular complications with a sensitivity of 78.6%. By comparison, similar analysis using SFAR provided a value of 1.45 with sensitivity of 64.2%. Multivariable modeling confirmed SFAR [OR (95% CI): 8.3(1.8–39.1)] and log-transformed SFAAR [OR (95% CI): 40.1 (2.4–650.0)] as significant predictors of vascular complication. Conclusions Using CT analysis, an SFAR of 1.45 and an SFAAR of 1.35 are each significant predictors of vascular complications among patients undergoing TF-TAVR. Utilization of CT-based area may provide a more accurate screen for patients undergoing evaluation for TF-TAVR as it takes into consideration the elliptical nature of the vessel. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Objectives The goal of this study was to provide a systematic review and analysis of observational studies on percutaneous left atrial appendage (LAA) occlusion for stroke prophylaxis in nonvalvular atrial fibrillation (NVAF). Background A recent randomized controlled trial in patients with NVAF suggested noninferiority of percutaneous LAA occlusion versus medical management for stroke prevention. However, the use of percutaneous devices remains controversial because of limited literature on their efficacy and safety. We performed a systematic analytical review of existing observational studies to assess the rate of neurological events for patients treated with occlusion devices. Methods A comprehensive search of the Medline, Scopus, and Web of Science databases from inception through August 1, 2013, was conducted using pre-defined criteria. We included studies reporting implantation in at least 10 patients and a follow-up of 6 months or more. Results In 17 eligible studies, a total of 1,052 devices were implanted in 1,107 patients with 1,586.4 person-years (PY) of follow-up. The adjusted incidence rate of stroke was 0.7/100 PY (95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.3 to 1.1/100 PY), of transient ischemic attacks was 0.5/100 PY (95% CI: 0.1 to 1.8/100 PY), and of combined neurological events (strokes or transient ischemic attacks) was 1.1/100 PY (95% CI: 0.6 to 1.6/100 PY). Access site vascular complications and pericardial effusion were the most commonly observed procedural complications at a rate of 8.6% (95% CI: 6.3% to 11.7%) and 4.3% (95% CI: 3.1% to 5.9%), respectively. Conclusions Our systematic review suggested comparable efficacy of LAA occlusion devices compared with historical controls treated with adjusted-dose warfarin and other anticoagulation strategies for prevention of stroke in patients with NVAF.

Data are limited about the prevalence trends of risk factors, lesion morphology, and clinical outcomes of coronary artery disease in patients, aged ≤45 years, undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI), between the bare-metal stent (BMS; 1994 to 2002) and drug-eluting stent (DES; 2003 to 2012) eras. From the PCI database at the Cleveland Clinic, we identified 1,640 patients aged ≤45 years and without a history of coronary artery bypass grafting who underwent PCI from 1994 to 2012. There were 883 patients in the BMS era cohort with a mean follow-up period of 13.15 years and 757 in the DES era cohort with a mean follow-up of 5.02 years. The DES era had more obese (51.8% vs 44.7%, p0.001) and diabetes (23.0% vs 19.5%, p = 0.09) patients. DES era patients had more B2/C lesions (74.0% vs 32.5%, p0.001), more severe preprocedural stenosis (86.1 ± 12.9 vs 72.2 ± 21.3, p0.001), and longer lesions (15.5 ± 9.9 vs 9.6 ± 6.8, p0.001). No difference was observed in the 30-day mortality between the DES and BMS eras. Irrespective of era, diabetics had worse long-term mortality (19.4% vs 9.3%, p0.001) compared with nondiabetics. Obese patients had similar long-term outcomes compared with nonobese patients. In conclusion, patients aged ≤45 years, who underwent a PCI procedure in the DES era had worse risk factor profiles, including obesity, compared with patients in the BMS era. They also had more complex lesions. Procedural and long-term outcomes of these patients have not changed between the 2 eras. Young diabetic patients have worse long-term outcomes compared with nondiabetics.

Objectives This study sought to compare everolimus-eluting stents (EES) with zotarolimus-eluting stents (ZES) in patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI). Background There is a paucity of data to exclusively evaluate the safety and efficacy of second-generation drug-eluting stents (DES) in the setting of AMI. Methods The present study enrolled 3,309 AMI patients treated with ZES (n = 1,608) or EES (n = 1,701) in a large-scale, prospective, multicenter registry—KAMIR (Korea Acute Myocardial Infarction Registry). Propensity score matching was applied to adjust for differences in baseline clinical and angiographic characteristics, producing a total of 2,646 patients (1,343 receiving ZES, and 1,343 receiving EES). Target lesion failure (TLF) was defined as the composite of cardiac death, recurrent nonfatal myocardial infarction, or target lesion revascularization. Major clinical outcomes at 1 year were compared between the 2 propensity score-matched groups. Results After propensity score matching, baseline clinical and angiographic characteristics were similar between the 2 groups. Clinical outcomes of the propensity score-matched patients showed that, despite similar incidences of recurrent nonfatal myocardial infarction and in-hospital and 1-year mortality, patients in the EES group had significantly lower rates of TLF (6.5% vs. 8.7%, p = 0.029) and probable or definite stent thrombosis (0.3% vs. 1.6%, p Conclusions In this propensity-matched comparison, EES seems to be superior to ZES in reducing TLF and stent thrombosis in patients with AMI.

High-dose aspirin has been reported to aggravate coronary artery spasm (CAS). However, it is unknown whether low-dose aspirin (LDA; 100mg) has deleterious impact on CAS. We assessed the impact of LDA on CAS induced by intracoronary acetylcholine (ACh) provocation test. A total of 2789 consecutive patients without significant coronary artery disease who underwent ACh test between November 2004 and March 2010 were enrolled. The patients were divided into two groups: the aspirin group taking LDA before ACh test (n=221) and the no aspirin group not taking aspirin (n=2568). At baseline, the prevalence of old age, diabetes mellitus, hypertension, and hyperlipidemia were higher in the aspirin group. During the ACh test, the incidence of significant CAS, ischemic chest pain, as well as severe and multivessel spasm was higher in the aspirin group. The response rate to lower ACh dose was higher in the aspirin group. Multivariate analysis showed that the previous use of LDA was an independent predictor of CAS (adjusted odds ratio, 1.6, 95% confidence interval, 1.0–2.3; p=0.031). However, it is likely that the association of LDA and CAS that we have observed is not causal but may be hypothesis generating due to significant baseline differences. Further, male gender, old age, lipid-lowering drugs, baseline spasm, and myocardial bridge were independent predictors of CAS. LDA was more frequently associated with CAS and ischemic symptoms, as well as severe and multivessel spasm, suggesting the patients who have received LDA would require more intensive medical therapies and close follow up.

1. Coronary artery spasm (CAS) is known to be a major cause of myocardial ischaemia. Multivessel coronary spasm (MVS) in particular is likely to induce more severe and prolonged myocardial ischaemia than single vessel spasm (SVS). 2. In the present study, a total of 1082 consecutive patients without significant coronary artery disease who underwent an acetylcholine (ACh) provocation test between March 2004 and April 2009 were investigated. Patients were divided into three groups: an MVS group (n = 275), an SVS group (n = 376) and a non-CAS group (n = 431). Differences in clinical and angiographic characteristics following the ACh provocation test were evaluated between the MVS, SVS and non-CAS groups. 3. At baseline, patients in the MVS group had the highest prevalence of peripheral artery disease (PAD), hyperlipidaemia, smoking and old age, as well as the highest triglyceride levels. Calcium channel blockers were most frequently prescribed in MVS patients before the ACh test. During the ACh test, the highest prevalence of chest pain, ischaemic electrocardiogram changes, baseline spasms and diffuse and severe spasms were observed in the MVS group. The response rate to lower ACh doses that induce CAS was also higher in the MVS group. Multivariate analysis showed that the presence of PAD (odds ratio (OR) 2.0; P = 0.006) and baseline spasm (OR 1.4; P = 0.045) were independent predictors of ACh-induced MVS. 4. In conclusion, ischaemic symptoms, diffuse and severe spasm and baseline spasm were more frequently associated with MVS patients, suggesting more intensive medical therapies and close clinical follow up would be required for this patient group.

Break of a stent delivery catheter and subsequent stent loss (SL) has been a rare event in the drug-eluting stent (DES) era. We here report a case of successful retrieval of a stent after a break if the delivery catheter and SL from a balloon catheter at a culprit lesion. We finally resolved this situation using a simple balloon technique for both the broken stent catheter inside of the guide catheter and the unexpanded stent in the culprit lesion. Thus balloons are an important weapon in our armamentarium in the cardiac catheterization laboratory for urgent retrieval of a lost stent. Their apt use definitely allowed our patient to avoid undergoing emergency cardiovascular thoracic surgery.

Summary 1. The aim of the present study was to evaluated the impact of prior cerebrovascular disease (CVD) on the clinical characteristics and mid-term clinical outcomes of patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI) in the era of drug-eluting stents. 2. Data from 12 914 patients with acute myocardial infarction who were enrolled in the Korea Acute Myocardial Infarction Registry were analysed retrospectively from November 2005 to December 2007. Prior CVD was defined as having had one or more events of ischaemic or haemorrhagic stroke or a transient ischaemic attack. 3. Of the 12 914 patients reviewed, 906 (7.0%) were found to have had prior CVD. Patients with CVD were older, were more likely to be women and were more likely to have hypertension and diabetes than those without CVD. Patients with prior CVD presented more often with non-ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction and higher Killip class than those without CVD. Furthermore, patients with CVD received less percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) or thrombolysis compared with those without CVD. Although intensive medical therapy was equal in both groups, clinical outcomes at 8 months showed that patients with CVD had a higher incidence of cardiac death (adjusted odds ratio (OR) 1.42; 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.14–1.76; P = 0.002) and total death (adjusted OR 1.50; 95% CI 1.25–1.81; P

Both hypertension and coronary artery spasm (CAS) are associated with endothelial dysfunction. Thus, a higher incidence of CAS is expected in hypertensive patients. We evaluated the impact of hypertension on CAS with intracoronary acetylcholine (ACh) provocation test. A total of 986 patients (685 hypertensive patients vs 301 normotensive patients) who underwent coronary angiography with ACh provocation test were enrolled. ACh was injected into the left coronary artery in incremental doses of 20, 50 and 100 microg min(-1). Significant CAS was defined as a transient70% luminal narrowing with concurrent chest pain and/or ST-segment changes. Although the incidences of significant ACh-induced CAS were similar between hypertensive and normotensive patients (35.8 vs 39.2%, P=0.303), multivariate logistic analysis showed that hypertension was negatively associated with ACh-induced CAS (odds ratio: 0.70, 95% confidence interval: 0.51-0.94, P=0.020). The angiographic characteristics of ACh-induced CAS were similar between these two groups. Subgroup analysis regarding the impact of the status of blood pressure control on CAS showed that hypertensive patients with controlled blood pressure had a significantly higher incidence of CAS than those with uncontrolled blood pressure (45.2 vs 27.9%, P0.001), and that uncontrolled blood pressure was negatively associated with ACh-induced CAS (odds ratio: 0.56, 95% confidence interval: 0.40-0.79, P=0.001). In conclusion, despite the expected endothelial dysfunction, hypertension and uncontrolled blood pressure are negatively associated with CAS, suggesting that the mechanisms and risk factors of CAS may be significantly different from those of coronary artery disease.

There is a paucity of evidence on the impact of angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors (ACEi) and angiotensin receptor blockers (ARB) on long-term outcomes in patients with ejection fraction (EF)40% after primary percutaneous coronary intervention for ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI). We compared long-term all-cause mortality between patients with left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF)40% discharged on ACEi/ARB with patients who were discharged on neither of these agents. Patients discharged after percutaneous intervention for STEMI from our catheterization laboratories from January 2002 to December 2011 were considered for inclusion. Patients were excluded if they had LVEF40% or chronic kidney disease or hypotension (systolic blood pressure90 mm Hg any time after the procedure). Long-term mortality and discharge medications were determined using the Social Security Death Index and electronic medical record review, respectively. A total of 988 patients were included. The median follow-up duration was 4.6 years. Kaplan-Meier analysis showed no significant difference in long-term all-cause mortality in patients discharged on ACEi/ARB compared with those who were not discharged on these medications. The number needed to treat to prevent 1 death at 1 year was 714. In addition, multivariable Cox proportional hazard modeling failed to demonstrate any beneficial effect of ACEi/ARB similar to Kaplan-Meir analysis (hazard ratio 0.88, 95% confidence interval 0.57 to 1.36). In conclusion, we found no significant benefit in long-term mortality using ACEi/ARB in patients with LVEF40% after primary percutaneous coronary intervention for STEMI.

Transfemoral transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TF-TAVR) has enjoyed a rapid diffusion in the US and Europe, but the procedure is resource intensive.We sought to identify differences in resource utilization between a US and European center to ascertain opportunities for improvement in the performance of TF-TAVR.All patients undergoing TF-TAVR using the Edwards SAPIEN valve series at the San Raffaele Hospital (Milan, Italy) and the Cleveland Clinic Foundation (Cleveland, OH) between January 2011 and December 2012 were included. Resource utilization was defined as preprocedural imaging, intraprocedural imaging, and personnel present during the procedure.A total of 158 patients from Cleveland and 113 from Milan were analyzed. Median logistic EuroScore (22.1 vs. 15.5, P = 0.013) and STS-PROM (8.9 vs. 5.0%, P 0.001) were higher in Cleveland. Thirty-day outcomes were similar. Majority of procedures in Milan were conducted without a cardiac surgeon (79%) or an imaging specialist (99%) present during the case. There was greater reliance on endotracheal intubation (94.3 vs. 3.5%), general anesthesia (GA: 94.3 vs. 4.4%), and intraprocedural TEE (93 vs. 12.4%) in Cleveland, but shorter length of stay (mean: 6.42 vs. 11.16 days).We characterized resources used for patients undergoing TF-TAVR in Cleveland and Milan. Important differences included less reliance on GA and TEE and streamlining of procedural personnel in Milan, and reduced length-of-stay in Cleveland. Evolution of TF-TAVR to involve fewer operators must be balanced with the need for ready access to a comprehensive group of specialists in case of emergencies. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Background The SAPIEN-XT is a newer generation balloon-expandable valve created of cobalt chromium frame, as opposed to the stainless steel frame used in the older generation SAPIEN valve. We sought to determine if there was difference in acute recoil between the two valves. Methods All patients who underwent transfemoral–transcatheter aortic valve replacement using the SAPIEN-XT valve at the Cleveland Clinic were included. Recoil was measured using biplane cine-angiographic image analysis of valve deployment. Acute recoil was defined as [(valve diameter at maximal balloon inflation) − (valve diameter after deflation)]/valve diameter at maximal balloon inflation (reported as percentage). Patients undergoing SAPIEN valve implantation were used as the comparison group. Results Among the 23 mm valves, the mean (standard deviation—SD) acute recoil was 2.77% (1.14) for the SAPIEN valve as compared to 3.75% (1.52) for the SAPIEN XT valve (P = 0.04). Among the 26 mm valves, the mean (SD) acute recoil was 2.85% (1.4) for the SAPIEN valve as compared to 4.32% (1.63) for the SAPIEN XT valve (P = 0.01). Multivariable linear regression analysis demonstrated significantly greater adjusted recoil in the SAPIEN XT valves as compared to the SAPIEN valves by 1.43% [(95% CI: 0.69–2.17), P

Computed tomography (CT) imaging has not been systematically studied for predicting vascular complications during transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR).Clinical data were obtained from the electronic medical record and analysis was performed for each individual patient's iliofemoral CT angiogram. Sheath : femoral artery diameter ratio (SFAR) and sheath : femoral artery area ratio (SFAAR) were defined as the ratio of the sheath outer diameter to the femoral minimal lumen diameter (MLD) and sheath area to the femoral minimal lumen area (MLA), respectively.A total of 255 patients underwent TF-TAVR with a 30-day mortality of 0.4% and 30-day stroke rate of 1.6%. Twenty-eight (11%) patients suffered a vascular complication, the majority of whom (82%) were managed percutaneously. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis demonstrated an SFAAR of 1.35 to predict the occurrence of vascular complications with a sensitivity of 78.6%. By comparison, similar analysis using SFAR provided a value of 1.45 with sensitivity of 64.2%. Multivariable modeling confirmed SFAR [OR (95% CI): 8.3(1.8-39.1)] and log-transformed SFAAR [OR (95% CI): 40.1 (2.4-650.0)] as significant predictors of vascular complication.Using CT analysis, an SFAR of 1.45 and an SFAAR of 1.35 are each significant predictors of vascular complications among patients undergoing TF-TAVR. Utilization of CT-based area may provide a more accurate screen for patients undergoing evaluation for TF-TAVR as it takes into consideration the elliptical nature of the vessel. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

The determinants of clinical decision-making for potent platelet inhibition with prasugrel versus clopidogrel in real-world patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS) undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) remain poorly characterized. The purpose of this study was to identify factors

The contemporary incidence, associated factors and implications of stroke after acute coronary syndromes (ACS) managed with percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) and novel antiplatelet drugs is unknown. We sought to characterize the incidence, predictors and impact of stroke on subsequent

Objective Preoperative cardiac risk assessment scoring systems traditionally do not include valvular regurgitation as a criterion for adverse outcome prediction. We sought to determine the impact of significant mitral regurgitation on postoperative outcomes after planned noncardiac surgeries. Methods Patients with significant mitral regurgitation (moderate-severe or severe) undergoing noncardiac surgery were identified using surgical and echocardiographic databases at the Cleveland Clinic. The mechanism of mitral regurgitation was identified and classified as ischemic or nonischemic. By using propensity score analysis, we obtained 4 matched controls (patients undergoing noncardiac surgery without mitral regurgitation) for each case. The primary outcome was defined as a composite of 30-day mortality, myocardial infarction, heart failure, and stroke. Secondary outcomes included 30-day mortality, myocardial infarction, heart failure, stroke, and atrial fibrillation. Results A total of 298 cases and 1172 controls were included in the study. The incidence of primary outcome was significantly higher among patients with mitral regurgitation (22.2%) compared with controls (16.4%, P =.02). Analysis of the secondary outcomes revealed significant differences in perioperative heart failure (odds ratio, 1.4; 95% confidence interval, 1.02-2.0) and perioperative myocardial infarction (odds ratio, 2.9; 95% confidence interval, 1.2-7.3). Of patients with mitral regurgitation, those with ischemic mitral regurgitation had significantly more events than those with nonischemic mitral regurgitation (39.2% vs 13.3%, P Conclusions Patients undergoing noncardiac surgery with significant ischemic mitral regurgitation are at higher risk of a composite adverse postoperative outcome, including short-term mortality, heart failure, myocardial infarction, and stroke.

Summary Of the patients suffering from acute myocardial infarction (AMI), smokers are younger than non-smokers, which may be a major confounding factor causing ‘smoker's paradox’. Therefore, in the present study we evaluated the ‘smoker's paradox’ in young patients with AMI. In all, 1218 young AMI patients (≤ 45 years of age), comprising 990 smokers and 228 non-smokers, were enrolled in the present study. In-hospital and 8 months clinical outcomes were compared between the smokers and non-smokers. Baseline clinical characteristics showed that smokers were more likely to be male (97.9% vs 72.4%; P

Results: High hs CRP group had more elderly and smoker, more STEMI and NSTEMI, and lower left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF). Six-month angiographic outcomes were similar between two groups and pts of high hs CRP group showed higher cumulative cardiac death (CD) and total major cardiac adverse event (MACE) up to 2 years compared with control group. High hsCRP was an independent risk factor of CD (Adjusted OR: 11.290, 95% CI:3.847-33.133, p-value=0.001) and total MACE up to 2 years (Adjusted OR: 2.712, 95% CI:1.854-3.967, p-value=0.001) (Table).

To the Editor: Mitral valve (MV) surgery is recommended in patients with severe symptomatic mitral regurgitation (MR) [(1)][1]. The role of MV surgery is unclear in patients with severe MR secondary to left ventricular (LV) dysfunction [(1)][1]. Many patients with severe MR are at high surgical

American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association guidelines for management of patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) recommend culprit artery-only revascularization (CULPRIT) based on safety concerns during noninfarct-related artery intervention. However, the data to support this safety concern are scant. Searches were performed in PubMed/EMBASE/CENTRAL for studies evaluating multivessel revascularization versus CULPRIT in patients with STEMI and multivessel disease (MVD). A multivessel revascularization strategy had to be performed at the time of CULPRIT or during the same hospitalization. Early (≤30-day) and long-term outcomes were evaluated. Among 19 studies (23 arms) that evaluated 61,764 subjects with STEMI and MVD, multivessel revascularization was performed in a minority of patients (16%). For early outcomes, there was no significant difference for outcomes of mortality, MI, stroke, and target vessel revascularization, with a 44% decrease in risk of repeat percutaneous coronary intervention and major adverse cardiovascular events (odds ratio 0.68, 95% confidence interval 0.57 to 0.81) with multivessel revascularization compared to CULPRIT. Similarly, for long-term outcomes (follow-up 2.0 ± 1.1 years), there was no difference for outcomes of MI, target vessel revascularization, and stent thrombosis, with 33%, 43%, and 53% decreases in risk of mortality, repeat percutaneous coronary intervention, coronary artery bypass grafting, respectively, and major adverse cardiovascular events (odds ratio 0.60, 95% confidence interval 0.50 to 0.72) with multivessel revascularization compared to CULPRIT. In conclusion, in patients with STEMI and MVD, multivessel revascularization appears to be safe compared to culprit artery-only revascularization. These findings support the need for a large-scale randomized trial to evaluate revascularization strategies in patients with STEMI and MVD.

Background The optimal loading dose of clopidogrel in Asian patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) has not been fully investigated. We compared bleeding, vascular complications, and midterm outcomes of a 300-mg versus a 600-mg loading dose of clopidogrel in a large series of Korean patients with STEMI undergoing primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). Methods A total of 2,664 STEMI patients (age 61.96 ± 11.91 years, men 70.4%) who underwent primary PCI were enrolled in this study. The patients were divided into a standard loading dose group (300 mg; n = 1,447 patients) and a high loading dose group (600 mg; n = 1,217 patients). Bleeding and vascular complications, and in-hospital and clinical outcomes up to 12 months were compared between the 2 groups. Results In-hospital bleeding and vascular complications were similar between the 2 groups. There were no differences in bleeding and vascular complications and in 1- and 12-month clinical outcomes, including mortality, myocardial infarction, repeated PCI, and major adverse cardiac events, between the 2 groups. These findings were consistent even after the propensity score–matched analysis. Conclusions The standard loading dose of clopidogrel may be as safe and similarly effective as the high loading dose in Asian STEMI patients undergoing primary PCI.

To the Editor: We read with interest the work by Chen et al,1 which reported that triple antiplatelet therapy seems to be superior to dual antiplatelet therapy in patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) undergoing primary percutaneous coronary intervention with drug-eluting stents. Chen et al1 reported the mortality benefits of triple antiplatelet therapy obtained mainly within 30 days after STEMI, reflecting the importance of the addition of cilostazol to aspirin and clopidogrel before stenting. Meanwhile, …

Coronary artery calcification (CAC) is correlated with aortic calcification (AC) and predicts coronary atherosclerosis as well as obstructive coronary artery disease (OCAD). This study aims to investigate whether AC predicts OCAD independent of CAC and its incremental value in predicting OCAD with CAC.Among the consecutive patients who underwent 64-slice multidetector CT (MDCT), we enrolled 120 stable OCAD (luminal narrowing ≥ 50%) patients and 120 controls without OCAD, matched for cardiovascular risk factors. CAC, thoracic AC, and OCAD were determined by MDCT.The prevalence of AC and CAC were significantly higher in OCAD patients than in controls (64% vs. 48%, p = 0.019; 57% vs. 32%, p0.001, respectively). There is a significant correlation between AC and CAC scores in the overall study population (r = 0.528, p0.001). In univariate analysis, the odds ratios (ORs) of AC and CAC in predicting OCAD were 1.91 (95% CI, 1.14-3.21) and 2.82 (95% CI, 1.67-4.78), respectively. When an adjustment was made for each other, AC did not maintain a significant association with OCAD, whereas CAC persisted the association (OR, 2.52; 95% CI, 1.42-4.47). Both AC and CAC present as compared to both absent was found to be a more potent predictor for OCAD (OR, 3.37; 95% CI 1.78-6.36, p0.001) than CAC alone.The presence of AC was associated with stable OCAD independently from cardiovascular risk factors, but the association seemed to be based on the close correlation between AC and CAC. However, AC might have an incremental value with CAC for predicting OCAD.

Background: There is limited information regarding the angiographic and clinical outcomes among the different drug-eluting stents (DESs) in patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI) undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). Methods and Results: A total 355 consecutive AMI patients who underwent PCI with a sirolimus- (SES, n=116) or paclitaxel- (PES, n=153) or zotarolimus-eluting stent (ZES, n=86) were enrolled. The 6-month angiographic and 1-year clinical outcomes were compared among the 3 groups. At 6 months, there was a trend toward a higher incidence of binary restenosis in the PES group (SES: 8.6%, PES: 19.8%, ZES: 8.3%, P=0.052). Percentage of restenosis was higher in the PES group compared with SES, but was similar to ZES (SES: 18.75 ±18.16%, PES: 29.32 ±24.16%, ZES: 23.91 ±17.03%, P=0.006). Late loss was lower in the SES group compared with PES and ZES (SES: 0.44 ±0.52, PES: 0.83 ±0.87, ZES: 0.75 ±0.63, P

1. Both peripheral arterial disease (PAD) and coronary artery spasm (CAS) are associated with endothelial dysfunction. Thus, a higher incidence of CAS may be expected in patients with PAD. In the present study, we evaluated the incidence and characteristics of CAS in patients with PAD. 2. A total of 78 patients with PAD and 241 age- and gender-matched patients without PAD who had chest pain with normal coronary appearance on coronary angiograms underwent intracoronary acetylcholine (ACh) provocation test. Acetylcholine was injected into the left coronary artery in incremental doses of 20, 50 and 100 microg/min. Significant CAS was defined as a transient > 70% luminal narrowing with concurrent chest pain and/or ST segment changes. 3. Patients with PAD had a significantly higher incidence of ACh-induced significant CAS than those without PAD (60.3 vs 34.0%, respectively P < 0.001), as well as chest pain and ST segment changes during the ACh provocation test. Patients with PAD were more sensitive to lower doses of ACh and had a higher incidence of multivessel spasm than those without PAD. Multivariable logistic analysis showed that age, current smoking, PAD and myocardial bridge were independent predictors of ACh-induced significant CAS. Moreover, of these factors, PAD was the strongest independent predictor (odds ratio 4.25; confidence interval 1.33-13.54; P = 0.014). 4. In patients with chest pain, the presence of arterial disease at another site should still push the clinician towards treating the chest pain as angina, even if the coronary anatomy is normal on a coronary angiogram.

Background— Whether triple antiplatelet therapy is superior or similar to dual antiplatelet therapy in patients with acute ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction undergoing primary percutaneous coronary intervention in the era of drug-eluting stents remains unclear. Methods and Results— A total of 4203 ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction patients who underwent primary percutaneous coronary intervention with drug-eluting stents were analyzed retrospectively in the Korean Acute Myocardial Infarction Registry (KAMIR). They received either dual (aspirin plus clopidogrel; dual group; n=2569) or triple (aspirin plus clopidogrel plus cilostazol; triple group; n=1634) antiplatelet therapy. The triple group received additional cilostazol at least for 1 month. Various major adverse cardiac events at 8 months were compared between these 2 groups. Compared with the dual group, the triple group had a similar incidence of major bleeding events but a significantly lower incidence of in-hospital mortality. Clinical outcomes at 8 months showed that the triple group had significantly lower incidences of cardiac death (adjusted odds ratio, 0.52; 95% confidence interval, 0.32 to 0.84; P =0.007), total death (adjusted odds ratio, 0.60; 95% confidence interval, 0.41 to 0.89; P =0.010), and total major adverse cardiac events (adjusted odds ratio, 0.74; 95% confidence interval, 0.58 to 0.95; P =0.019) than the dual group. Subgroup analysis showed that older (>65 years old), female, and diabetic patients got more benefits from triple antiplatelet therapy than their counterparts who received dual antiplatelet therapy. Conclusions— Triple antiplatelet therapy seems to be superior to dual antiplatelet therapy in patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction undergoing primary percutaneous coronary intervention with drug-eluting stents. These results may provide the rationale for the use of triple antiplatelet therapy in these patients.

Background: Cerebrovascular disease (CVD) can be an important future cardiovascular event. The impact of previous cerebrovascular disease (CVD) on the clinical characteristics and midterm outcomes of patients (pts) with acute myocardial infarction (AMI) has not been well described in Asian population. Methods: Data were analyzed from 8151 pts with AMI (either STEMI or NSTEMI) enrolled in Korea Acute Myocardial Infarction Registry (KAMIR) from 2005 to 2007. Results: Of 8151 pts, 552 pts (6.8%) had previous CVD. The pts with CVD were older (68.95 ± 10.11 vs 62.83 ± 12.74, P P P P P =0.003) at 8 months. The incidences of recurrent MI and repeat revascularization at 8 months were similar between the two groups. Conclusions: Pts with CVD showed more severe and worse clinical characteristics on admission and was associated with lower rates of PCI or thrombolysis. When we consider the poorer midterm clinical outcomes including higher mortality and MACE, in pts with prior CVD, more intensive and aggressive management for this particular subset of pts should be emphasized for better long-term clinical outcomes.