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Objectives We aimed to evaluate the clinical and laboratory characteristics of patients with Kawasaki disease (KD) before and after therapy. Methods Patients with KD were divided into different groups according to their responsiveness to initial intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) treatment and coronary status. The clinical and laboratory parameters before and after therapy were compared. Multivariate analysis was performed to identify the independent risk factors, and the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was applied to assess and compare the prediction ability of risk factors and their fluctuations. Results Of the 153 patients included in the study, 41 (26.8%) had IVIG resistance and 37 (24.2%) had developed CAA. After stratifying by therapy response, the two groups differed in the levels of total bilirubin (TSB), albumin, and sodium, neutrophil-to-lymphocyte count ratio (NLR), platelet-to-lymphocyte count ratio (PLR), TSB-to-albumin (B/A) ratio, and prognostic nutritional index (PNI) before IVIG, and in the white blood cell count (WBC), neutrophil count, levels of hemoglobin, C-reactive protein (CRP), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), and albumin, NLR, PNI, capillary leakage index (CLI), and systemic immune-inflammation index (SII) after IVIG. Multivariate analysis revealed that the B/A ratio before IVIG and CLI and SII after IVIG were significantly and positively associated with IVIG resistance and that there was a larger decline in the B/A ratio and smaller decline in CLI and SII pre- and post-treatment in the IVIG-resistant group than in the IVIG-responsive group. However, no statistical differences in the fluctuations of the B/A ratio, CLI, and SII as well as all parameters before and after therapy were observed in patients with and without CAA. ROC curve analyses found a greater AUC value of post-treatment parameters (0.751 and 0.706 for CLI and SII, respectively) compared with pre-treatment parameters (0.654 for B/A ratio) in predicting IVIG resistance; however, the predictive ability of the fluctuations in risk factors before and after therapy was not superior to that of baseline values. Conclusions The B/A ratio before IVIG and CLI and SII after IVIG were risk factors for IVIG resistance in patients with KD, independent of CAA development. Key Points• A high total bilirubin-to-albumin ratio before IVIG and high capillary leakage and systemic immune-inflammation indices after IVIG may indicate an increased risk of intravenous immunoglobulin resistance in patients with Kawasaki disease.• Post-treatment parameters were superior to pre-treatment parameters in terms of prediction; therefore, rapid and repeated assessment of risk factors before and after treatment must be considered in children in whom the vital signs and symptoms do not improve after treatment.

Starch accounts for about 80-85 % of the dry weight of grains and determines yield by impact on grain weight. And, the content and composition of starch also determine appearance, eating, cooking and nutritional quality of rice. By coordinating crucial reactions of the primary carbohydrate metabolism in all eukaryotes, fructose-2,6-bisphosphate (Fru-2,6-P

Immune checkpoint inhibitors have emerged as the treatment landscape of advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) in recent years. However, approximately 80% of NSCLC patients do not benefit from ICIs due to primary resistance (no initial response) or acquired resistance (tumor relapse after an initial response). In this review, we highlight the mechanisms of primary and secondary resistance. Furthermore, we provide a future direction of the potential predictive biomarkers and the tumor microenvironmental landscape and suggest treatment strategies to overcome these mechanisms.

Objective Heart failure is a common complication in children with dilated cardiomyopathy. The aim of this study was to determine whether severe heart failure at diagnosis was related to poor outcomes in children with dilated cardiomyopathy. Methods We analyzed medical data from 121 children with dilated cardiomyopathy in our hospital from 2003 to 2021. The children were grouped by the degree of heart failure. Cox regression analysis was performed to confirm whether severe heart failure was associated with poor outcomes. Results There were 121 patients with dilated cardiomyopathy in this research. The mean age of the 121 patients was 118.5 ± 63.0 months. Of these patients, 81 (67.8%) were sorted into a severe heart failure group and 39 (32.2%) were placed into a mild heart failure group. A comparison between the two groups showed that patients with severe heart failure were older and more likely to be male, have lower systolic blood pressure measurements, be admitted to the intensive care unit and be treated with β-blockers, loop diuretics, spironolactone and digoxin. In addition, they had larger systolic and diastolic left ventricular end-diastolic dimensional and lower left ventricular ejection fractional z-scores as well as being more prone to aortic and tricuspid regurgitations (P

The paper contains the description of the methods which could be used for mapping of crops of interest on a basis of qualitative information, extracted from satellite images - image interpretation signs, like color or tone, used in conjunction with geographical, phenological, ecological data and regional statistical information. Three crops: lavender, almonds and barley were selected as crops of interest.

Background Limited study has detailed the late-term safety and efficacy of chronic total coronary occlusion (CTO) revascularization among multiple centers applying modern techniques and with newer-generation drug-eluting stents. Methods Among 20 centers, 222 patients enrolled in the XIENCE coronary stent, performance, and technique (EXPERT) CTO trial underwent CTO percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) with everolimus-eluting stents (EES). Through planned 4-year follow-up, the primary composite endpoint of major adverse cardiac events (MACE; death, myocardial infarction [MI] and target lesion revascularization) and rates of individual component endpoints and stent thrombosis were determined. Results Demographic, lesion, and procedural characteristics included prior bypass surgery, 9.9%; diabetes, 40.1%; lesion length, 36.1 ± 18.5 mm; and stent length, 51.7 ± 27.2 mm. By 4 years, MACE rates were 31.6 and 22.4% by the pre-specified ARC and per-protocol definitions, respectively. Clinically-indicated target lesion revascularization at 4 years was 11.3%. In landmark analyses of events beyond the first year of revascularization, the annualized rates of target vessel-related MI and clinically-indicated target lesion revascularization were 0.53 and 1.3%, respectively. Through 4 years, the cumulative definite/probable stent thrombosis rate was 1.7% with no events occurring beyond the initial year of index revascularization. Conclusions In a multicenter registration trial representing contemporary technique and EES, these results demonstrate sustained long-term safety and effectiveness of EES in CTO percutaneous revascularization and can be used to inform shared decision making with patients being considered for CTO PCI relative to late safety and vessel patency.

AIM We investigated sex-based and regional outcomes after contemporary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) with the Xience V stent in patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI). METHODS AND RESULTS This patient level pooled analysis includes three multi-center, prospective post-market registries performed in the US, Japan, and China. A total of 1,938 patients treated with Xience V stents in the setting of AMI were enrolled. Compared to men, women had higher major adverse cardiac events (MACE) (14.1% vs. 9.8% P

Objectives The study sought to evaluate the efficacy and safety of the Absorb everolimus-eluting bioresorbable vascular scaffold (BVS) (Abbott Vascular, Abbott Park, Illinois) in patients with diabetes mellitus. Background Randomized, controlled trials have demonstrated comparable clinical outcomes following percutaneous coronary intervention with either Absorb BVS or metallic Xience everolimus-eluting stent. However, these trials lack power required to provide reliable treatment effect estimates in this high-risk population. Methods In a pre-specified, powered analysis, patients with diabetes who received ≥1 Absorb were pooled from the ABSORB II, III, and JAPAN randomized trials and from the single arm ABSORB EXTEND registry. The study composite primary endpoint was target lesion failure (TLF) at 1 year following Absorb BVS compared with a performance goal of 12.7%. Results Among 754 diabetic patients included in analysis (27.3% insulin treated), the 1-year TLF rate was 8.3% (upper 1-sided 95% confidence limit: 10.1%; p = 0.0001 vs. performance goal). Scaffold thrombosis (definite or probable) was observed in 2.3% of patients. Multivariable regression identified older age, insulin treatment, and smaller pre-procedure reference vessel diameter as significant independent predictors of 1-year TLF. Conclusions The Absorb diabetic substudy suggests efficacy and safety of the Absorb BVS for treatment of patients with diabetes mellitus.

We evaluated the long-term outcomes of multivessel compared with single-vessel percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) with Xience V everolimus-eluting stents in real-world patients.Treatment options for multivessel disease include PCI, coronary artery bypass grafting, and medical therapy. Patients with multivessel disease are at a higher risk for ischemic complications than those with single-vessel disease.The XIENCE V USA study was a condition-of-approval, single-arm, prospective study in unselected real-world patients. Patients who underwent multivessel PCI (n = 655) were compared with those who underwent single-vessel PCI (n = 4079). Major clinical outcomes, including mortality, stent thrombosis, and target-lesion failure (TLF), were evaluated at 4 years.At 4 years, mortality was similar in both groups (11.1% in multivessel patients vs 9.8% in single-vessel patients; P=.31). The multivessel PCI group had higher rates of Academic Research Consortium (ARC)-defined TLF (24.3% vs 16.4% in single-vessel patients; P.001) and ARC-defined definite and probable stent thrombosis (2.43% vs 1.11% in single-vessel patients; P=.02). The independent predictors of ARC-defined TLF at 4 years on multivariable analysis were prior myocardial infarction, number of treated vessels, total stent length, and sex.Despite significant differences in baseline characteristics, long-term mortality rates were similar in both groups. Although ischemic complications were higher in the multivessel PCI group, the overall rates were acceptable, demonstrating the safety and efficacy of Xience V everolimus-eluting stents for the treatment of multivessel disease in a real-world population.

Limited study has detailed the late-term safety and efficacy of chronic total coronary occlusion (CTO) revascularization among multiple centers applying modern techniques and with newer-generation drug-eluting stents.Among 20 centers, 222 patients enrolled in the XIENCE coronary stent, performance, and technique (EXPERT) CTO trial underwent CTO percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) with everolimus-eluting stents (EES). Through planned 4-year follow-up, the primary composite endpoint of major adverse cardiac events (MACE; death, myocardial infarction [MI] and target lesion revascularization) and rates of individual component endpoints and stent thrombosis were determined.Demographic, lesion, and procedural characteristics included prior bypass surgery, 9.9%; diabetes, 40.1%; lesion length, 36.1 ± 18.5 mm; and stent length, 51.7 ± 27.2 mm. By 4 years, MACE rates were 31.6 and 22.4% by the pre-specified ARC and per-protocol definitions, respectively. Clinically-indicated target lesion revascularization at 4 years was 11.3%. In landmark analyses of events beyond the first year of revascularization, the annualized rates of target vessel-related MI and clinically-indicated target lesion revascularization were 0.53 and 1.3%, respectively. Through 4 years, the cumulative definite/probable stent thrombosis rate was 1.7% with no events occurring beyond the initial year of index revascularization.In a multicenter registration trial representing contemporary technique and EES, these results demonstrate sustained long-term safety and effectiveness of EES in CTO percutaneous revascularization and can be used to inform shared decision making with patients being considered for CTO PCI relative to late safety and vessel patency.

In this paper, we propose a fast and efficient multitemporal despeckling method. The key idea of the proposed approach is the use of the ratio image, provided by the ratio between an image and the temporal mean of the stack. This ratio image is easier to denoise than a single image thanks to its improved stationarity. Besides, temporally stable thin structures are well preserved thanks to the multitemporal mean. The proposed approach can be divided into three steps: 1) estimation of a “superimage” by temporal averaging and possibly spatial denoising; 2) denoising of the ratio between the noisy image of interest and the “superimage”; and 3) computation of the denoised image by remultiplying the denoised ratio by the “superimage.” Because of the improved spatial stationarity of the ratio images, denoising these ratio images with a speckle-reduction method is more effective than denoising images from the original multitemporal stack. The amount of data that is jointly processed is also reduced compared to other methods through the use of the “superimage” that sums up the temporal stack. The comparison with several state-of-the-art reference methods shows better results numerically (peak signal-noise-ratio and structure similarity index) as well as visually on simulated and synthetic aperture radar (SAR) time series. The proposed ratio-based denoising framework successfully extends single-image SAR denoising methods to time series by exploiting the persistence of many geometrical structures.

Change detection methods often use denoised data because the original speckle noise has a strong influence on the detection results. The effect of using different data sources (different equivalent number of looks, original data, denoised data) and different threshold methods are studied based on four kinds of generalized likelihood ratio test approaches. NL-SAR [1] denoised data and the corresponding spatially varying equivalent number of looks are taken into account in the detection procedure. The bi-temporal experimental results on simulated data, realistic synthetic Sentinel-1 SAR data show the improvement of using equivalent number of looks of denoised data and corresponding adaptive thresholds for change detection in urban areas.

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Objectives The purpose of this study was to evaluate the 1-year clinical outcomes of more complex XIENCE V USA real-world patients with small versus nonsmall vessel lesions. Background Patients with small vessel lesions undergoing coronary stent placement are at higher risk of major adverse cardiac events. Improved safety and efficacy of XIENCE V everolimus eluting stents (EES) have been previously demonstrated in selected low-risk small vessel populations in randomized clinical trials. Methods The XIENCE V USA study was a condition of approval, single-arm study in unselected real-world patients. Baseline and 1-year clinical outcomes were compared between XIENCE V USA patients who received a single 2.5 mm stent (small vessel group, N = 838) and patients implanted with a single >2.5 mm stent (non-small vessel group, N = 2,015). Mean reference vessel diameter was 2.55 ± 0.36 and 3.25 ± 0.46 mm in the small and non-small vessel groups, respectively (P

The study sought to evaluate the efficacy and safety of the Absorb everolimus-eluting bioresorbable vascular scaffold (BVS) (Abbott Vascular, Abbott Park, Illinois) in patients with diabetes mellitus.Randomized, controlled trials have demonstrated comparable clinical outcomes following percutaneous coronary intervention with either Absorb BVS or metallic Xience everolimus-eluting stent. However, these trials lack power required to provide reliable treatment effect estimates in this high-risk population.In a pre-specified, powered analysis, patients with diabetes who received ≥1 Absorb were pooled from the ABSORB II, III, and JAPAN randomized trials and from the single arm ABSORB EXTEND registry. The study composite primary endpoint was target lesion failure (TLF) at 1 year following Absorb BVS compared with a performance goal of 12.7%.Among 754 diabetic patients included in analysis (27.3% insulin treated), the 1-year TLF rate was 8.3% (upper 1-sided 95% confidence limit: 10.1%; p = 0.0001 vs. performance goal). Scaffold thrombosis (definite or probable) was observed in 2.3% of patients. Multivariable regression identified older age, insulin treatment, and smaller pre-procedure reference vessel diameter as significant independent predictors of 1-year TLF.The Absorb diabetic substudy suggests efficacy and safety of the Absorb BVS for treatment of patients with diabetes mellitus.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to identify predictors of clinical events after XIENCE V (Abbott Vascular, Santa Clara, California) stenting.Background: The XIENCE V USA (XIENCE V Everolimus ...

The XIENCE V USA (XIENCE V Everolimus Eluting Coronary Stent System Condition-of-Approval Post-Market Study) sought to evaluate the safety of everolimus-eluting coronary stent systems in a real-world population with a total of 5,054 participants (1,875 standard-risk; 3,179 extended-risk). At 1 year, the rate of Academic Research Consortium-defined definite and probable stent thrombosis was 0.84%, and the composite rate of cardiac death and Academic Research Consortium-defined myocardial infarction was 6.5%. Consistent safety outcomes between the matched standard-risk cohorts from the XIENCE V USA study and the SPIRIT IV randomized trial (Clinical Evaluation of the XIENCE V Everolimus Eluting Coronary Stent System in the Treatment of Subjects With de Novo Native Coronary Artery Lesions) suggest that this study affords a reliable benchmark for understanding the safety of everolimus-eluting coronary stent systems in real-world clinical practice. Objectives The XIENCE V USA (XIENCE V Everolimus Eluting Coronary Stent System Condition-of-Approval Post-Market study) sought to: 1) evaluate the safety of everolimus-eluting coronary stent systems (EECSS) in a contemporary cohort of real-world subjects; and 2) prospectively test the quality of event reporting with analysis of matched patients from the randomized SPIRIT IV (Clinical Evaluation of the XIENCE V Everolimus Eluting Coronary Stent System in the Treatment of Subjects With de Novo Native Coronary Artery Lesions) trial. Background Randomized trials have demonstrated the safety and efficacy of EECSS in selected “standard-risk” patients. Methods The XIENCE V USA trial was a prospective, multicenter, single-arm study in unselected patients. The primary endpoint was Academic Research Consortium (ARC)-defined definite and probable stent thrombosis (ST); the co-primary endpoint was the composite of cardiac death and myocardial infarction at 1 year. Secondary analyses included: 1) stratification by standard-risk and extended-risk cohorts; and 2) late ST after dual antiplatelet therapy interruption. Results Of 5,054 participants (1,875 standard-risk; 3,179 extended-risk), 4,958 (98.1%) reached 1-year follow-up. The rate of ARC-defined definite and probable ST was 0.84% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.60% to 1.14%) in the overall population and 0.33% (95% CI: 0.12% to 10.72%) and 1.14% (95% CI: 0.80% to 11.58%) in the standard-risk and extended-risk cohorts, respectively. No late ST was observed after dual antiplatelet therapy interruption in either cohort after 6 months. The composite rate of cardiac death and ARC-defined myocardial infarction was 6.5% (95% CI: 5.79% to 17.17%) in the overall population, 3.8% (95% CI: 2.98% to 14.78%) in the standard-risk cohort, and 8.0% (95% CI: 7.09% to 19.02%) in the extended-risk cohort. Conclusions This study comprehensively reports ST rates for EECSS in a contemporary real-world population. The absence of ST after dual antiplatelet therapy interruption beyond 6 months in standard-risk and high-risk patients is notable. Consistent safety outcomes between matched standard-risk cohorts from the XIENCE V USA study and the SPIRIT IV randomized trial suggest that this study affords a reliable benchmark for understanding the safety of EECSS in the context of real-world clinical practice. (XIENCE V Everolimus Eluting Coronary Stent System [EECSS] USA Post-Approval Study; NCT00676520)

High bleeding risk (HBR) patients experience not only high risk for bleeding but also high risk for ischemic events. Similarly, complex vs. non-complex PCI is generally associated with increased ischemic risk. We aimed to evaluate whether complex vs. non-complex PCI further increases the ischemic

Two kinds of nanofiltration (NF) membranes were investigated in treating the Sulfur Black B dye wastewater. Negatively charged polypiperazine amide/poly (phthalazinone ether sulfone ketone) (PIP/PPESK) NF membrane was prepared by interfacial polymerization method while positively charged quaternized poly (phthalazinone ether sulfone ketone) (QAPPESK) membrane was prepared by phase inversion method. QAPPESK NF membrane was selected for further study because it performed higher dye rejection and flux compared with the PIP/PPESK NF membrane. The effects of different operation conditions were systematically studied based on the rejection and desalination of the dye. Over 14.5 L/m2 h flux, 92.3% dye rejection and 10% salts rejection were observed in the long term operation at 60 °C which indicated that the QAPPESK membranes could be successfully applied in the sulfur black dye wastewater treatment and inorganic salts reuse.

Sympathetic vasoconstriction is attenuated in exercising muscle by locally generated vasodilators, including NO. Skeletal muscle also produces reactive oxygen species (ROS), such as superoxide (O 2 − ), which inactivates NO. We, therefore, hypothesized that excessive ROS production would result in enhanced sympathetic vasoconstriction in exercising muscle. To increase O 2 − by activating NADPH oxidase, rats underwent chronic infusion of angiotensin II (Ang II) or unilateral renal artery stenosis (2K1C) to increase endogenous Ang II. At rest, sympathetic nerve stimulation (range: 1 to 5 Hz) evoked similar graded decreases in femoral vascular conductance (range, −34% to −66%) in rats infused with vehicle, Ang II, or norepinephrine and in 2K1C or sham-operated rats. These sympathetically mediated decreases in femoral vascular conductance were markedly attenuated during hindlimb contraction in the vehicle, norepinephrine, and sham rats (range, −3% to −26%) and to a lesser degree in the Ang II (range, −16% to −47%) and 2K1C (range, −16% to −45%) rats. In muscles from Ang II and 2K1C rats, ROS were elevated and the NADPH oxidase subunit gp91 phox was upregulated. The O 2 − scavenger tempol restored the normal attenuation of sympathetic vasoconstriction in the contracting hindlimbs of the Ang II and 2K1C rats, but this effect was prevented by pretreatment with an NO synthase inhibitor. Taken together, these data indicate that chronically elevated Ang II increases muscle ROS, which disrupts the normal NO-dependent attenuation of sympathetic vasoconstriction. These findings may have implications for muscle oxidative stress and sympathetic vasoregulation when the renin–angiotensin system is chronically activated.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the role of afferent input from the lung and lower airways in magnitude estimation of inspiratory resistive loads (R). To assess the role of lung vagal afferents in respiratory sensation, sensations related to inspiratory R, reflected by subjects' percentage of handgrip responses (HG%), were compared between double-lung transplant (DLT) recipients with normal lung function and healthy control (Nor) subjects. Perceptual sensitivity to the external load was measured as the slope of HG% as a function of peak mouth pressure (Pm), and the slope of HG% as a function of R, after a log-log transformation. The results showed that the DLT group had a similar HG% response, as well as the slopes of log HG%-log Pm and log HG%-log R, compared with the Nor group. Furthermore, the ventilatory responses to external loads were also similar between the two groups. These results suggest that lung vagal afferents do not play a significant role in magnitude estimation of inspiratory resistive loads in humans.

The afferent pathways mediating respiratory load perception are still largely unknown. To assess the role of lung vagal afferents in respiratory sensation, detection of inspiratory resistive loads was compared between 10 double-lung transplant (DLT) recipients with normal lung function and 12 healthy control (Nor) subjects. Despite a similar unloaded and loaded breathing pattern, the DLT group had a significantly higher detection threshold (2.91 ± 0.5 vs. 1.55 ± 0.3 cmH2O · l−1 · s) and Weber fraction (0.50 ± 0.1 vs. 0.30 ± 0.1) compared with the Nor group. These results suggest that inspiratory resistive load detection occurs in the absence of vagal afferent feedback from the lung but that lung vagal afferents contribute to inspiratory resistive load detection response in humans. Lung vagal afferents are not essential to the regulation of resting breathing and load compensation responses.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the 1-year clinical outcomes of more complex XIENCE V USA real-world patients with small versus nonsmall vessel lesions.Patients with small vessel lesions undergoing coronary stent placement are at higher risk of major adverse cardiac events. Improved safety and efficacy of XIENCE V everolimus eluting stents (EES) have been previously demonstrated in selected low-risk small vessel populations in randomized clinical trials.The XIENCE V USA study was a condition of approval, single-arm study in unselected real-world patients. Baseline and 1-year clinical outcomes were compared between XIENCE V USA patients who received a single 2.5 mm stent (small vessel group, N = 838) and patients implanted with a single2.5 mm stent (non-small vessel group, N = 2,015). Mean reference vessel diameter was 2.55 ± 0.36 and 3.25 ± 0.46 mm in the small and non-small vessel groups, respectively (P 0.001).Small vessel group had more females, presented with a higher rate of diabetes, and had more complex lesion characteristics. The definite or probable ST rates analyzed using Kaplan-Meier method were low and not significantly different between the groups at 0.37 and 0.40% for the small and nonsmall vessel group (P = 0.88), respectively. The composite rate of cardiac death or MI was comparable at 4.5% for the small and 5.1% for the non-small vessel 1 groups (P = 0.57). The 1-year target lesion revascularization rate was also comparable in the small vessel group (3.8% vs. 3.0%, P = 0.35).Despite gender difference, higher prevalence of diabetes and more complex lesions in the small vessel groups, the 1-year clinical outcomes were similar in both small and nonsmall vessel groups. These results demonstrate the therapeutic benefit of XIENCE V EES in a real-world all inclusive patient population with small vessel disease.

Objectives: This 2-year follow-up of the XIENCE V® USA study examines both the long-term safety and effectiveness of the everolimus-eluting coronary stent system (EECSS) in real-world patients. Background: The safety and effectiveness of EECSS at 1 year in real-world clinical settings have been demonstrated in XIENCE V® USA trial with low rates of target lesion revascularization (TLR), cardiac death, myocardial infarction (MI), and stent thrombosis (ST). Data on whether efficacy is maintained after 1 year and the event rate of very late stent thrombosis (VLST) between 1 and 2 years have not yet been reported. Methods: XIENCE V® USA is a prospective, multicenter, single-arm, FDA required condition of approval study designed to examine the safety and effectiveness of EECSS in an all-inclusive, consecutively enrolled population from real-world clinical settings. Clinical end-point events, including ST, cardiac death, MI, and revascularization were adjudicated by an independent Clinical Events Committee. Results: Four thousand eight hundred and seventy-three (96.4%) out of 5,054 participants (1,875 standard-risk; 3,059 extended-risk) reached 2-year follow-up. The 2-year rate of Academic Research Consortium (ARC)-defined definite and probable ST was 0.96% (95% CI 0.70–1.28) in the overall population and 0.34% (95% CI 0.12–0.74) and 1.33% (95% CI 0.95–1.81) in the standard-risk and extended-risk cohorts, respectively. The rate of VLST was 0.06% in the overall population, 0.0% in the standard-risk, and 0.10% in the extended-risk cohorts. The 2-year composite rate of cardiac death and ARC-defined MI was 8.9% (95% CI 8.08–9.70) in the overall population and 5.6% (95% CI 4.61–6.78) and 10.8% (95% CI 9.71–11.94) in the standard-risk and extended-risk cohorts, respectively. Conclusion: Low event rates observed at 1 year were maintained through 2 years. Despite the increased number of patients who discontinued dual antiplatelet therapy by 2 years, the ST rate remained consistently low, and

Objectives The objective of this analysis was to evaluate the safety and effectiveness of XIENCE V in acute myocardial infarction (AMI). Background The XIENCE V® Everolimus-eluting coronary stent was superior to the TAXUS® paclitaxel-eluting stent in angiographic and clinical outcomes in the SPIRIT II, III, and IV randomized controlled trials, but patients with AMI were excluded. Methods XIENCE V USA is a large, prospective, multicenter, real-world single-arm postmarket surveillance trial. Consecutive patients undergoing PCI with XIENCE V were enrolled. For this analysis, clinical outcomes in 673 patients presenting with AMI (STEMI, n = 125) were as compared to patients without AMI (n = 3528) at 1 year. Results At 1 year, ARC-defined stent thrombosis (ST) rates were 1.08% in AMI vs. 0.85% in the non-AMI group (P = 0.4987). The late ST (30 days-1 year) rates were 0.31% vs. 0.47% (AMI vs. non-AMI, P = 0.7551). Rates of target lesion revascularization (TLR) were 4.1% vs. 4.6% (P = 0.6104), and rates of target lesion failure (TLF) were 9.1% vs. 8.5%, (P = 0.5964). With the historical WHO definition of MI, 1 year TLF rates were 7.0% vs. 6.7% (P = 0.8001). Improvements in quality of life, angina frequency, angina stability, and physical limitations occurred at 6 months (each P < 0.0001) and were sustained at 1 year in both groups. There were no significant differences in clinical outcomes between STEMI and non-STEMI patients. Conclusions At 1 year, AMI patients treated with XIENCE V had low rates of ST, TLR, and TLF, similar to non-AMI patients. Marked improvements in patients' health status in this subgroup were also demonstrated. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

The aim of this study was to identify predictors of clinical events after XIENCE V (Abbott Vascular, Santa Clara, California) stenting.The XIENCE V USA (XIENCE V Everolimus Eluting Coronary Stent System [EECSS] USA Post-Approval) study is a prospective, multicenter, Food and Drug Administration-required post-approval study to examine safety and effectiveness in real-world settings. After an initial 5,062 patients, 2,999 more were included as part of the DAPT (Dual Antiplatelet Therapy) trial (total n = 8,061).One-year clinical events, including stent thrombosis (ST), cardiac death/myocardial infarction (MI), target lesion failure, and target lesion revascularization, were adjudicated according to Academic Research Consortium criteria, with ST and cardiac death/MI as primary and co-primary endpoints. Demographic, clinical, and procedural variables were assessed by multivariable analysis. A time-dependent covariate assessed the association between DAPT usage and ST.Roughly 61% were off-label; 85.6% remained on DAPT without interruption through 1 year. Incidences of definite/probable ST, cardiac death/MI, target lesion failure, and target lesion revascularization were 0.80% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.61% to 1.03%), 7.1% (95% CI: 6.51% to 7.68%), 8.9% (95% CI: 8.30% to 9.60%), and 4.3% (95% CI: 3.82% to 4.75%), respectively. Several independent clinical and angiographic predictors were identified for each outcome. Predictors of ST included DAPT interruption ≤ 30 days (hazard ratio [HR]: 8.63, 95% CI: 2.69 to 27.73, p = 0.0003), renal insufficiency (HR: 3.72, 95% CI: 1.71 to 8.09, p = 0.0009), and total stent length (HR: 1.30, 95% CI: 1.16 to 1.47, p0.0001). A DAPT interruption30 days was not predictive of ST.In this large, real-world population, XIENCE V demonstrated low event rates at 1 year, with several independent predictors. Early DAPT interruption (≤ 30 days) was the most potent predictor of ST, whereas delayed interruption (30 days) was not predictive. (XIENCE V Everolimus Eluting Coronary Stent System [EECSS] USA Post-Approval Study; NCT00676520).

The XIENCE V USA (XIENCE V Everolimus Eluting Coronary Stent System Condition-of-Approval Post-Market study) sought to: 1) evaluate the safety of everolimus-eluting coronary stent systems (EECSS) in a contemporary cohort of real-world subjects; and 2) prospectively test the quality of event reporting with analysis of matched patients from the randomized SPIRIT IV (Clinical Evaluation of the XIENCE V Everolimus Eluting Coronary Stent System in the Treatment of Subjects With de Novo Native Coronary Artery Lesions) trial.Randomized trials have demonstrated the safety and efficacy of EECSS in selected "standard-risk" patients.The XIENCE V USA trial was a prospective, multicenter, single-arm study in unselected patients. The primary endpoint was Academic Research Consortium (ARC)-defined definite and probable stent thrombosis (ST); the co-primary endpoint was the composite of cardiac death and myocardial infarction at 1 year. Secondary analyses included: 1) stratification by standard-risk and extended-risk cohorts; and 2) late ST after dual antiplatelet therapy interruption.Of 5,054 participants (1,875 standard-risk; 3,179 extended-risk), 4,958 (98.1%) reached 1-year follow-up. The rate of ARC-defined definite and probable ST was 0.84% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.60% to 1.14%) in the overall population and 0.33% (95% CI: 0.12% to 10.72%) and 1.14% (95% CI: 0.80% to 11.58%) in the standard-risk and extended-risk cohorts, respectively. No late ST was observed after dual antiplatelet therapy interruption in either cohort after 6 months. The composite rate of cardiac death and ARC-defined myocardial infarction was 6.5% (95% CI: 5.79% to 17.17%) in the overall population, 3.8% (95% CI: 2.98% to 14.78%) in the standard-risk cohort, and 8.0% (95% CI: 7.09% to 19.02%) in the extended-risk cohort.This study comprehensively reports ST rates for EECSS in a contemporary real-world population. The absence of ST after dual antiplatelet therapy interruption beyond 6 months in standard-risk and high-risk patients is notable. Consistent safety outcomes between matched standard-risk cohorts from the XIENCE V USA study and the SPIRIT IV randomized trial suggest that this study affords a reliable benchmark for understanding the safety of EECSS in the context of real-world clinical practice. (XIENCE V Everolimus Eluting Coronary Stent System [EECSS] USA Post-Approval Study; NCT00676520).

In exercising skeletal muscle, vasoconstrictor responses to alpha-adrenoceptor activation are attenuated in part by nitric oxide (NO) produced by the neuronal isoform of NO synthase (nNOS), which is expressed constitutively in skeletal muscle cells. In skeletal muscle of pregnant animals, nNOS mRNA is upregulated, suggesting that muscle nNOS expression is modulated by the steroid hormone oestrogen. Whether oestrogen-induced changes in nNOS expression have measurable effects on vasoregulation in skeletal muscle is unknown. In this study, we hypothesized that oestrogen deficiency would reduce muscle nNOS expression, resulting in impaired modulation of sympathetic vasoconstriction in exercising skeletal muscle. Compared to gonadally intact rats, we found that ovariectomized (OVX) rats were characterized by greater sympathetic vasoconstriction in contracting hindlimb and reduced nNOS, but not eNOS, in skeletal muscle. In addition, NOS inhibition resulted in a greater enhancement of sympathetic vasoconstriction in contracting hindlimbs of intact compared to OVX rats. These effects of oestrogen deficiency were prevented by chronic treatment of OVX rats with 17beta-oestradiol, but not with chronic progesterone or acute oestradiol. Further analysis revealed that skeletal muscle nNOS correlated directly with plasma 17beta-oestradiol and inversely with the magnitude of sympathetic vasoconstrictor responses in contracting hindlimbs. These data indicate that NO-dependent attenuation of sympathetic vasoconstriction in contracting skeletal muscle is impaired in oestrogen-deficient female rats, and suggest that this impairment may be mediated by reduced skeletal muscle nNOS expression.