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Indwelling urethral catheters (IUCs) are used to measure urine volume, keep patients on bed rest, or keep the groin area clean in patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI). However, the association between IUC use and in-hospital urinary-related complications is unknown.This was a single-center retrospective analysis of 303 patients admitted to our hospital in 2018-2020 who had AMI without cardiogenic shock. An IUC was inserted in the emergency room upon initiation of invasive catheter treatment and removed as soon as possible. The primary outcome was in-hospital adverse urinary event (IHAUE), which consisted of in-hospital urinary tract infection and in-hospital gross hematuria.Of 303 patients, 243 patients (80.2 %) underwent IUC insertion. A lower proportion of patients with IUCs were male (72 % vs. 85 %, p = 0.044). A higher proportion had Killip classification 2 or 3 (13 % vs. 0 %, p = 0.003) or ST-elevation myocardial infarction (65 % vs. 32 %, p 0.001). IHAUEs occurred significantly more commonly in patients with IUCs than without IUCs (11 % vs. 2 %, p = 0.023). Kaplan-Meier analysis showed that IHAUEs occurred more frequently in patients with IUCs than patients without IUCs (log-rank test p = 0.033). Furthermore, IUC use longer than the median of 2 days was associated with a higher odds ratio (OR) for IHAUE when compared with those without IUC use (OR, 3.65; 95 % confidence interval, 1.28-10.4; p = 0.015). There were no significant differences in in-hospital mortality by IUC status.IUC use is associated with a higher risk of IHAUEs in patients with uncomplicated AMI. Routine IUC use might not be recommended.

Active cancer associates with increased cardiovascular and bleeding risks in patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI). Recent chemotherapeutic agents have improved survival rate which enables to induce inactive status of cancer. However, whether cardiovascular and bleeding risks still exist in AMI patients with inactive cancer remains unknown.The current study is a retrospective cross-sectional study including 712 AMI patients receiving primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) with drug-eluting stent between 2007 and 2017. Primary PCI in ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction and non-ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction subjects was defined as PCI performed within 48 and 72 hours of symptom onset, respectively. Cardiovascular (= all-cause death + non-fatal MI + stroke) and bleeding events were compared in AMI patients with and without inactive cancer.Inactive cancer was identified in 11.1% of study subjects. Patients with inactive cancer were older (P0.001) with atrial fibrillation (P0.001), chronic kidney disease (P0.001), anemia (P0.001) and a higher prevalence of Killip class IV (P0.001). Dual (82.3%Inactive cancer worsened clinical outcome, especially bleeding risks in AMI subjects, underscoring to further optimize their antithrombotic managements.

Background: Intravascular imaging has shown better response of coronary atheroma to statin-mediated lowering of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol in women. However, its detailed mechanism remains to be determined yet. Modifiability of coronary atheroma under lipid-lowering therapies is partly driven by lipidic plaque component. Given a smaller plaque volume in women, lipidic plaque features including their density may differ between sex. Therefore, the current study sought to characterize sex-related differences in the density of lipidic plaque. Methods: We analyzed 1429 coronary lesions (culprit/nonculprit lesions=825/604) in 758 coronary artery disease patients (men/women=608/150) from the REASSURE-NIRS multicenter registry (Revelation of Pathophysiological Phenotypes of Vulnerable Lipid-Rich Plaque on Near-Infrared Spectroscopy). Total atheroma volume at 4-mm segment, maximum 4-mm-lipid-core burden index, and lipid plaque density index (=maximum 4-mm-lipid-core burden index/total atheroma volume at 4-mm segment) on near-infrared spectroscopy/intravascular ultrasound imaging at culprit and nonculprit lesions were compared in men and women. Results: Statin and high-intensity statin were used in 72.4 ( P =0.81) and 22.9% ( P =0.32) of study subjects, respectively. Women exhibited a smaller adjusted total atheroma volume at 4-mm segment (culprit lesions: 50.3±0.4 versus 54.2±0.3mm 3 , P 3 , P P =0.11, nonculprit lesions: 288.8±26.7 versus 272.7±18.9, P =0.51). Furthermore, a greater adjusted lipid plaque density index was observed in women (culprit lesions: 18.2±0.9 versus 9.8±0.6, P P Conclusions: Women harbored greater condensed lipidic plaque features, accompanied by smaller atheroma volume. These observations indicate potentially better modifiable disease in women, which underscores the need to intensify their lipid-lowering therapies for further improving their outcomes. Registration: URL: https://www.clinicaltrials.gov/ ; Unique identifier: NCT04864171

Study Design: Acute experimental study Objectives: Cold-induced vasodilation (CIVD) is a local mechanism of protection against frostbite in able-body persons. This study assessed whether CIVD was observed in the sensate and non-sensate area in spinal cord injuries (SCIs) and whether the response patterns were different between the region levels or sites. Setting: Laboratory of Wakayama Medical University, Japan Methods: A local cooler device (diameter 4 cm) was placed on the chest (sensate) and thigh (non-sensate) in persons with cervical (SCIC; n=9) and thoracolumbar spinal cord injuries (SCITL; n=9). After the surface temperature was controlled at 33°C for 10 min (baseline), local cooling (LC) with a rate of 0.045°C/s was applied and the temperature was maintained at 15 and 8°C for 15 min of each stage. Skin blood flow (SkBF; laser Doppler flowmetry) was monitored using a 1-mm needle-type probe inserted into its center. CIVD was observed on the both sites in all participants at 8°C LC. Results: % change in SkBF (%ΔSkBF) on the chest remained unchanged until the end of the 15°C stage in both groups, then it increased at 8°C stage over the baseline. %ΔSkBF on the thigh remained unchanged throughout the measurement in SCIC, but decreased during the periods from 33 to 15°C and from 15 to 8°C, then recovered to around the baseline level at 8°C in SCITL. Conclusions: CIVD was observed both in the sensate and non-sensate areas in SCIs. The magnitudes of the response were different between the both areas.

Calcified nodule (CN) is an eruptive calcified mass causing acute coronary syndrome (ACS). Since coronary calcification is associated with an elevated cardiac event's risk, ACS attributable to CN may exhibit worse clinical outcome following percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI).We retrospectively analyzed 657 ACS patients receiving PCI with newer-generation drug-eluting stent (DES) implantation under intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) guidance. CN was defined as (1) protruding calcification with its irregular surface and (2) the presence of calcification at adjacent proximal and distal segments. The primary endpoint was a composite of major adverse cardiac event [MACE = cardiac death + ACS recurrence + target lesion revascularization (TLR)].CN was identified in 5.3% (=35/657) of the study subjects. CN patients were more likely to have coronary risk factors including hypertension (p = 0.005), chronic kidney disease (p 0.001), maintenance hemodialysis (p 0.001) and a history of PCI (p 0.001). During the observational period (median = 1304 days), CN was associated with an increased risk of MACE (HR = 7.68, 95%CI = 4.61-12.80, p 0.001), ACS recurrence (HR = 12.32, 95%CI = 6.05-25.11, p 0.001) and TLR (HR = 10.48, 95%CI = 5.80-18.94, p 0.001). These cardiac risks related to CN were consistently observed by Cox proportional hazards model (MACE: p 0.001, ACS recurrence: p 0.001, TLR: p 0.001) and a propensity score-matched cohort analysis (MACE: p = 0.002, ACS recurrence: p = 0.01, TLR: p = 0.005). Of note, over 80% of TLR at the CN lesion was driven by its re-appearance within the implanted DES.ACS patients attributable to CN have an increased risk of ACS recurrence and TLR, mainly driven by the continuous growth and protrusion of the calcified mass.

Objectives To evaluate acute changes in serum brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) concentration following combined endurance exercise and heat stress through head-out water immersion (HOI). Setting Observational study with crossover design. Methods Ten healthy young male participants performed HOI at 40 °C (40 °C HOI) or continuous cycling at 60% of maximal oxygen uptake while immersed in 40 °C (40 °C HOI-ex) or 23 °C water (23 °C HOI-ex) for 15 min. Serum BDNF, cortisol and lactate concentrations, and core temperature (Tcore) were measured pre, immediately post, and 15 and 30 min post-immersion. Results BDNF concentration increased immediately and 15 min after 40 °C HOI-ex, but not after 40 °C or 23 °C HOI-ex. No changes in Tcore concentration were observed during 23 °C HOI-ex (Pre; 37.3 °C ± 0.3 °C, Post; 37.8 °C ± 0.2 °C, Post 15; 37.4 °C ± 0.3 °C, Post 30; 37.2 °C ± 0.2 °C). Tcore increased significantly post, post 15, and post 30 min of 40 °C HOI (Pre; 37.1 °C ± 0.4 °C, Post; 38.8 °C ± 0.5 °C, Post 15; 37.9 °C ± 0.4 °C, Post 30; 37.9 °C ± 0.2 °C) and 40 °C HOI-ex (Pre; 37.2 °C ± 0.2 °C, Post; 40.2 °C ± 0.7 °C, Post 15; 38.9 °C ± 0.5 °C, Post 30; 38.3 °C ± 0.5 °C). Tcore was higher in 40 °C HOI-ex compared with 40 °C HOI and 23 °C HOI-ex immediately post and post 15 min. Plasma lactate and cortisol were significantly higher in 40 °C HOI-ex compared with 40 °C HOI and 23 °C HOI-ex after immersion (p = 0.001). Conclusion While 15 min HOI alone or thermoneutral exercise do not increase BDNF concentration, both combined may form a time-efficient strategy to acutely elevate BDNF.

The distal radial approach (DRA) is a novel catheter cannulation technique to access the distal radial artery for coronary angiography (CAG). It is associated with less occurrence of puncture site occlusion than the conventional transradial approach. However, cannulation failure occasionally occurs due to difficulty in puncturing the smaller distal radial artery. Nitroglycerin is expected to improve the rate of successful DRA via its vasodilative and vasospasm-preventive effects.The DRA in CAG using transdermal NitroGlycerin patch (DRANG) study is a single-center, double-arm, parallel-assignment, double-blinded, randomized, controlled trial. Eligible patients with angina pectoris who are scheduled to receive CAG via DRA at the National Cerebral and Cardiovascular Center will be enrolled and allocated to the nitroglycerin group (n = 46) or the no-treatment group (n = 46). The nitroglycerin group will receive a transdermal nitroglycerin patch pre-integrated with a covering material that completely conceals the patch on their upper arm on the puncture side. The no-treatment group will receive only the covering material. Applications are performed 2-8 h before puncture while the patient wears an eye mask. Physicians who are blinded to the allocation and have similar experience with DRA puncture will perform DRA using the Seldinger technique with a 22-gauge needle. The primary outcome is the rate of successful palpation-guided distal radial artery cannulation with the first puncture. The secondary outcomes are the rate of successful distal radial artery cannulation, number of punctures, procedure time, use of ultrasound guidance, diameter of the distal radial artery and changes before and after patch application, and occurrence of arterial vasospasm, occlusion, or hypotension.This study will allow us to determine the impact of a transdermal nitroglycerin patch on the rate of successful DRA and validate its effectiveness as a DRA pretreatment.jRCTs051210128.

Lipid-rich plaque is an important substrate that causes future coronary events. However, the clinical implications of underlying plaque characteristics in coronary lesions after newer-generation drug-eluting stent (DES) implantation remain unknown.The current study analyzed 445 target lesions after newer-generation DES implantation in 416 patients with coronary artery disease (CAD) (chronic coronary syndrome/acute coronary syndrome = 264/181) from the REASSURE-NIRS multicentre registry. Near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) imaging was used to evaluate maximum lipid core burden index after stent implantation in target lesions (residual maxLCBIMedian residual maxLCBIResidual maxLCBI

Background: The peak oxygen consumption (V.O2peak) and blood hemoglobin concentration [Hb] are lower in stroke patients than in age-matched healthy subjects. The ability of skeletal muscles to extract oxygen is diminished after stroke. We hypothesized that the oxygen extraction capacity of skeletal muscles in stroke patients depends on [Hb]. To test the hypothesis, we determined the relationship between V.O2peak and total hemoglobin mass (tHb-mass) in stroke patients. Methods: The subjects were 19 stroke patients (age: 74 ± 2, mean ± SD, 10 males) and 11 age-matched normal subjects (age 76 ± 3, 6 males). Plasma volume (PV) and V.O2peak were measured on the same day. PV was measured using Evans Blue dye dilution method. Blood volume (BV) was calculated from PV and hematocrit, while tHb-mass was estimated from BV and [Hb]. Each subject underwent cardiopulmonary exercise test on a bicycle ergometer using a V.O2peak respiratory gas analyzer. Results: There were no differences in age, height, and weight between the two groups. V.O2peak was lower in stroke patients than in the control. BV and tHb mass were not significantly different between the two groups, but [Hb] was significantly lower in stroke patients. In stroke patients, V.O2peak correlated significantly with tHb-mass (r = 0.497, p < 0.05), but not with BV. Conclusion: Our results suggested that low [Hb] seems to contribute to V.O2peak in stroke patients. The significant correlation between tHb-mass and V.O2peak suggested that treatment to improve [Hb] can potentially improve V.O2peak in stroke patients.

Backgrounds: The formation of intrastent thrombus is a PCI-related complication in subjects with ACS, which infrequently causes acute stent thrombosis. Given that lipid-rich plaque, a substrate for ACS, activates inflammation inducing prothrombotic state, the degree of lipidic plaque materials may associate with intrastent thrombus formation. Methods: Culprit lesions in 70 ACS subjects (=STEMI/NSTEMI/uAP=28/27/15) receiving newer-generation DES implantation were evaluated by both near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) and optical coherence tomography (OCT) imaging. NIRS-derived 4-mm maximum lipid-core-burden index (maxLCBI 4mm ) at culprit lesion was measured prior to PCI. OCT-derived intrastent thrombus-burden index (ITBI) after stent implantation were calculated as follows: [Σ(every 1-mm cross sectional thrombus-arc score: 1=1-90°,2=91-180°,3=181-270°,4=271-360°)/analyzed length]x(averaged longitudinal length). ITBI was compared between subjects with maxLCBI 4mm Result: The averaged maxLCBI 4mm was 525±236, and dual-antiplatelet therapy with aspirin and clopidogrel, and aspirin and prasugrel was used in 43 and 56%, respectively. On OCT imaging analysis, maxLCBI 4mm was significantly associated with ITBI (r=0.55, p 4mm as an independent predictor of higher ITBI even after adjusting MSA, stent malapposition and other clinical characteristics (Table). Conclusions: The presence of lipid-rich plaque was associated with intrastent thrombus formation in the setting of ACS. Our findings suggest the potential importance to modulate activated prothrombotic cascade by using more potent antiplatelet agent in ACS patients exhibiting lipid-rich plaques.

The residual risk of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) in patients with diabetes on statin therapy warrants identification of other pro-atherogenic drivers. Lipoprotein(a) [Lp(a)] promotes the formation of necrotic cores within vessel walls. Given that patients with diabetes have an Lp(a)-associated ASCVD risk, Lp(a) might lead to plaque vulnerability in patients with diabetes on statin therapy.We analyzed target lesions that underwent PCI in 312 patients with coronary artery disease (CAD) on statin treatment from the REASSURE-NIRS registry (NCT04864171). Maximum 4-mm lipid-core-burden index (maxLCBIHigh-intensity statin use (p = 0.49) and on-treatment low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) (p = 0.32) and Lp(a) levels (p = 0.09) were comparable between patients with and without diabetes. Lp(a) levels were significantly associated with maxLCBIA significant relationship between Lp(a) and maxLCBI

A recent guideline has recommended the radial artery as the access site for coronary catheterization due to lower risk of bleeding and vascular complications. However, the transradial approach is not necessarily easy for interventionalists due to the smaller vessel diameter and more frequent occurrence of vasospasm induced by the procedure. By using the measurement in ultrasound, a previous study demonstrated that subcutaneous nitroglycerin injection at the radial artery puncture site dilated the radial artery, and that a patch was also easier and less invasive. The current case suggests the applicability of a nitroglycerin transdermal patch to prevent vasospasm via local transdermal absorption into the arterial wall; its use may lead to a higher success rate for the transradial approach, especially in patients who had experienced radial artery vasospasm.

BACKGROUND: Vulnerable plaque features including lipidic plaque have been shown to affect fractional flow reserve (FFR). Given that formation and propagation of lipid plaque is accompanied by endothelial dysfunction which impairs vascular tone, the degree of lipidic burden may affect vasoreactivity during hyperemia, potentially leading to reduced FFR. Our aim is to elucidate the relationship of the extent of lipidic plaque burden with coronary physiological vasoreactivity measure. METHODS: We analyzed 89 subjects requeuing PCI due to angiographically intermediate coronary stenosis with FFR ≤0.80. Near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) and intravascular ultrasound were used to evaluate lipid-core burden index (LCBI) and atheroma volume at both target lesion (maxLCBI(4mm); maximum value of LCBI within any 4 mm segments) and entire target vessel (LCBI(vessel): LCBI within entire vessel). In addition to FFR, delta-FFR was measured by difference of distal coronary artery pressure/aortic pressure (Pd/Pa) between baseline and hyperemic state. RESULTS: The averaged FFR and delta-FFR was 0.74 (0.69–0.77), and 0.17±0.05, respectively. On target lesion-based analysis, maxLCBI(4mm) was negatively correlated to FFR (ρ=−0.213, P=0.040), and it was positively correlated to delta-FFR (ρ=0.313, P=0.002). Furthermore, target vessel-based analysis demonstrated similar relationship of LCBI(vessel) with FFR (ρ=−0.302, P=0.003) and delta-FFR (ρ=0.369, P

A 75-year-old man had recurrent in-stent restenosis (ISR) attributable to calcified nodule. Near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) showed a gradual decrease in yellow signals during the process of repeated percutaneous coronary intervention for recurrent ISR that eventually halted. The case indicates that NIRS signals may represent lesion instability even in calcified nodule, and may be potentially predictive of recurrent ISR.

Background Coronary computed tomography angiography (CCTA) non-invasively visualizes lipid-rich plaque. However, this ability is not fully validated in vivo. The current study aimed to elucidate the association of CCTA features with near-infrared spectroscopy-derived lipidic plaque measure in patients with coronary artery disease. Methods 95 coronary lesions (culprit/non-culprit = 51/44) in 35 CAD subjects were evaluated by CCTA and NIRS imaging. CT density, positive remodeling, spotty calcification, napkin-ring sign and NIRS-derived maximum 4-mm lipid-core burden index (maxLCBI4mm) were analyzed by two independent physicians. The association of CCTA-derived plaque features with maxLCBI4mm ≥ 400 was evaluated. Results The median CT density and maxLCBI4mm were 57.7 Hounsfield units (HU) and 304, respectively. CT density (r = -0.75, p Conclusions CT density

Background Autoimmune diseases, such as systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), are associated with thrombosis and atherosclerosis. Presence of lupus anticoagulant is an independent risk factor for atherosclerotic diseases. Case presentation A 56-year-old man with past history of hypertension, and cerebral infarction was admitted to our hospital owing to acute chest pain. He was diagnosed with acute myocardial infarction based on his symptoms and electrocardiogram results, which demonstrated ST elevation in the precordial leads. Coronary angiography images revealed total occlusion at the proximal site of the left anterior descending artery. A drug-eluting stent was deployed, which successfully recovered coronary blood flow. The patient had fever of unknown cause when he was 30 years old; on admission, he presented with a low-grade fever and reddish exanthema affecting both cheeks. Based on his physical signs as well as elevated antinuclear antibodies (anti-double-stranded DNA), decreased lymphocytes, and a positive direct Coombs test, he was diagnosed with SLE. Owing to a positive lupus anticoagulant test, he was also suspected to have antiphospholipid syndrome (APS). Triple antithrombotic therapy, including dual antiplatelet therapy with aspirin and clopidogrel during coronary stenting and single anticoagulation therapy with warfarin, was initiated. Conclusions Careful diagnosis of autoimmune diseases should be performed in patients with thrombosis and atherosclerosis. Moreover, risk factors for coronary artery disease should be strictly controlled in patients with APS.