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Background: Coronary intervention is routinely deferred in intermediate lesions with fractional flow reserve (FFR) ≥ 0.80. Patients with borderline FFR (0.80-0.85) who were initially deferred, have been shown to have higher risk of future interventions; however, the data is limited, and the long term prognosis in these patients remains unknown. We assessed the utility of adjunctive imaging modalities to determine the need for intervention in lesions with borderline FFR.Methods: We retrospectively evaluated consecutive patients who underwent coronary angiography at Einstein Medical Center from January 2013 to April 2016. All patients with borderline FFR (0.80-0.85) were included. Patients were divided into Defer or Perform intervention groups based on additional available or procured clinical data. The Perform group was further stratified into intervention With or Without adjunctive imaging guidance (including intravascular ultrasound, optical coherence tomography, echocardiography, and exercise or pharmacologic stress test). Follow-up data was collected for all patients, which included future target lesion revascularization (TLR) and major adverse cardiac events (MACE; all-cause and cardiovascular mortality and acute coronary syndromes).Results: A total of 196 patients were eligible. Median (IQR) FFR in Perform and Defer groups was 0.81 (0.8-0.83) and 0.84 (0.82-0.85) respectively. Median (IQR) follow up was 21 (13-29) and 25 (15-36) months respectively. Overall MACE rate in Perform group (n = 101) was 20.8% (n = 21) and Defer group (n = 95) was 15.8% (n = 15). The stratified MACE rate in Perform group With imaging guidance (n = 57) was 17.5% (n = 10) and Without imaging guidance (n = 44) was 25% (n = 11). Overall, the FFR only guided management (n = 196) led to MACE rate of 18.4% (n = 36); whereas, FFR With imaging guidance (n = 136) led to MACE rate of 16.2% (n = 22). The p values were non-significant in each of the above group comparisons due to relatively low numbers with trends as noted.Conclusions: Our study suggests that intervention of coronary lesions with borderline FFR under imaging guidance, although not significant, trends towards improved cardiovascular outcomes compared with intervention in this group without adjunctive imaging. These findings are merely speculative without achieving statistical significance in a small subset and need to be further validated in a large scale prospective study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: The interwoven nitinol design of the Supera stent has been shown to have superior radial strength and fracture resistance resulting in higher patency rates at 6 and 12months. A detailed sub-analysis of SUPERB trial showed differences in patency based on stent conformation post deployment. We evaluated the patency of the stent within the SAKE study cohort based on stent deployment conformation.Methods: We retrospectively evaluated the medical records of 63 patients (77 limbs) with Rutherford class 2-5 symptoms who received Supera stents in the femoro-popliteal artery from March 2010 through May 2011 as part of the SAKE study. These patients were followed for patency and the need for re-intervention over a mean follow up of 15months. Compression or Elongation was defined as follows based on previous sub-analyses: Moderate Compression (-40 to -21%); Minimal Compression (-20 to -11%); Nominal (-10 to 10%); Minimal Elongation (11 to 20%); Moderate Elongation (21 to 40%); and Severe Elongation (>40%). Significance was determined using Chi X2 test.Results: The best patency rates (85.2% primary patency and 92.6% assisted primary patency) and lowest re-intervention rates (14.8%) were achieved with stent compression, followed by nominal deployment or minimal elongation, and worst outcomes (64.7% primary patency; 82.3% assisted primary patency; and 35.3% re-intervention) with stent elongation to moderate or severe degree.Conclusions: Patency rates and re-intervention rates are variable based on deployment characteristics of the Supera stent. Best outcomes are achieved with compression of the stent during deployment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The treatment of ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) has advanced dramatically over the past 30 years since the introduction of reperfusion therapies, such that mechanical reperfusion with primary percutaneous coronary intervention is now the standard of care. With STEMI, as with other forms of acute coronary syndrome, stent deployment in culprit lesions is the dominant form of reperfusion in the developed world and is supported by contemporary guidelines. However, the precise timing of stenting and the extent to which both culprit and non-culprit lesions should be treated continue to be active areas of study. In this review, we revisit key data that support the use of mechanical reperfusion therapy in STEMI patients and explore the optimal timing for and extent of stent implantation in this complex patient group. We also review data surrounding the deleterious effects of untreated residual myocardial ischemia, the importance of complete revascularization, and the recent data exploring culprit-only versus multivessel stenting in the STEMI setting. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chronic total occlusions (CTO) are common in patients with symptomatic peripheral arterial disease. Endovascular CTO intervention remains a challenging endeavor for interventionalists, but is being increasingly considered as a plausible alternative to surgical revascularization, even for complex CTO lesions. We review common endovascular techniques using antegrade, retrograde and transcollateral approaches in femoropopliteal CTO intervention. In addition, we review the current literature on the utility, efficacy, and safety of novel crossing and re-entry devices in femoropopliteal CTO interventions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The association of cardiovascular risk factors and complexity and severity of coronary artery disease with contrast volume (CV) remains unknown. We assessed the predictive factors of CV use during elective and emergent cardiac catheterization (CC). Electronic medical records from 2010 to 2013 were retrospectively reviewed. A total of 708 patients were eligible. On multivariable regression analysis, the presence of obstructed coronary arteries was associated with CV (P = .01, β = −14.17), with greater CV used in patients with single or double vessel disease compared to those with triple vessel disease. The presence of lesions with >70% stenosis in major epicardial arteries (P = .019, β = 24.39) and ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (P = .001, β = 36.14) was associated with increased CV use. Elevated B-type natriuretic peptide (P = .036, β = −17.23) and increase in Synergy between Percutaneous Coronary Intervention with Taxus and Cardiac Surgery score (P = .024, β = −29.06) were associated with decreased CV use. These aforementioned associations were attenuated after adjusting for percutaneous coronary intervention. Our findings may help predict patient populations who could be exposed to increased CV during CC, thereby possibly increasing their risk of contrast-induced nephropathy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We assessed the association of mitral annular calcification (MAC) with atherosclerotic risk factors and severity and complexity of coronary artery disease (CAD). Cardiac catheterization reports and electronic medical records from 2010 to 2011 were retrospectively reviewed. A total of 481 patients were divided into 2 groups: MAC present (209) and MAC absent (272). All major cardiovascular risk factors, comorbidities, and coronary lesion characteristics were included. On linear regression analysis, age (P = .001, β 1.12) and female gender (P = .031, β 0.50) were the independent predictors of MAC. Mitral annular calcification was not independently associated with the presence of lesions with >70% stenosis (P = .283), number of obstructive vessels (P = .469), lesions with 50% to 70% stenosis (P = .458), and Synergy Between Percutaneous Coronary Intervention With Taxus and Cardiac Surgery score (P = .479). Mitral annular calcification is probably a benign marker of age-related degenerative changes in the heart independent of the severity and complexity of CAD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We sought to determine the association of major cardiovascular risk factors and other comorbidities with the presence or absence of coronary collateral (CC) circulation. All electronic medical records from 2010 to 2011 were retrospectively reviewed. A total of 563 patients were divided into 2 groups: CC present (180) and CC absent (383). Smoking (P = .012, odds ratio [OR] 1.58), hypercholesterolemia (P = .001, OR 2.21), and hypertension (P = .034, OR 1.75) were associated with the presence of CC. Increasing body mass index (BMI, P = .001) and decreasing estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR, P = .042) were associated with the absence of CC. On multivariable linear regression analysis, hypercholesterolemia (P = .001, OR 2.28), BMI (P = .012, OR 0.77), and eGFR (P = .001, OR 0.70) were found to be independently associated with CC. Our findings will help predict patient populations more likely to have presence or absence of CC circulation. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The article describes the case of methyprednisolone-induced transient ventricular dysfunction seen in a 26-year-old woman who had a right temporo-occipital throbbing headache, vertigo, and numbness in the right hand and right side of the face. Topics discussed include the clinical history of the patient, manifestations of stress-induced cardiomyopathy, and patient outcome.