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Background: Mortality related to percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) has gradually declined during the last decade. However, the causes and circumstances of death remain largely undescribed in contemporary practice.Methods: We retrospectively evaluated all patients undergoing PCI at our institution from July 2013 to March 2021. Three cardiologists independently determined the causes and circumstances of death, and evaluated the preventability of death using validated methods.Results: During study period, 4334 patients underwent 5506 PCIs, of whom 166 patients suffered in-hospital death (3.0%). Ninety-three percent of deceased patients initially presented with acute coronary syndrome, and 45% with cardiogenic shock. Left ventricular failure was the most common cause of death (39.7%), followed by neurologic compromise after cardiac arrest (16.8%) and infections (13.8%). The circumstance of death was most commonly acute cardiac (51.8%), followed by non-cardiac (19.2%) and non-procedural complications (17.4%). Death was attributed to a procedural complication in only 12% of cases. Reviewers determined that 90% of cases as being unpreventable or slightly preventable. Inter-reviewer agreement was substantial (the three reviewers agreed in >80% of cases for cause and preventability of death).Conclusion: Mortality after PCI is uncommon, largely unpreventable, and most often related to pre-existing, acute cardiovascular conditions. Procedural complications account for a minority of cases of death, and future effort should focus on the treatment of acute cardiovascular conditions, in particular cardiogenic shock, to decrease acute mortality after PCI. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Revascularization decisions can profoundly impact patient survival, quality of life, and procedural risk. Although use of Heart Teams to make revascularization decisions is growing, data on their implementation in the real-world are limited. Our objective was to assess the prevalence of Heart Teams and their association with collaboration in routine practice. Methods: A survey of cardiologists and cardiac surgeons at 31 hospitals in Michigan was performed in May, 2011 – prior to the recommendation for using Heart Teams in national guidelines. This survey included all percutaneous coronary intervention-performing hospitals in Michigan participating in the Blue Cross/Blue Shield of Michigan Cardiovascular Consortium and Michigan Society of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgeons Quality Collaborative. It targeted both the use of Heart Teams and multidisciplinary Case Conferences. Results: There were 53 physician survey respondents from 27 hospitals with 4 hospitals not responding. Among respondents, 11 (40.7%) hospitals reported no Heart Teams or Case Conferences while 7 (25.9%) hospitals reported either a Heart Team or Case Conference. However, there was disagreement about the presence of a Heart Team at seven hospitals, and about Case Conferences at nine hospitals. Hospitals with definite Heart Teams reported significantly greater levels of collaboration between cardiologists and cardiac surgeons. Conclusion: The overall presence of Heart Teams prior to their recommendation in national guidelines was limited. Even among hospitals with a potential Heart Team, there was substantial disagreement between respondents about their presence. Further refinement of the definition of a Heart Team and measures of successful implementation are needed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Transfusion is a common complication of Percutaneous Coronary Intervention (PCI) and is associated with adverse short and long term outcomes. There is no risk model for identifying patients most likely to receive transfusion after PCI. The objective of our study was to develop and validate a tool for predicting receipt of blood transfusion in patients undergoing contemporary PCI. Methods: Random forest models were developed utilizing 45 pre-procedural clinical and laboratory variables to estimate the receipt of transfusion in patients undergoing PCI. The most influential variables were selected for inclusion in an abbreviated model. Model performance estimating transfusion was evaluated in an independent validation dataset using area under the ROC curve (AUC), with net reclassification improvement (NRI) used to compare full and reduced model prediction after grouping in low, intermediate, and high risk categories. The impact of procedural anticoagulation on observed versus predicted transfusion rates were assessed for the different risk categories. Results: Our study cohort was comprised of 103,294 PCI procedures performed at 46 hospitals between July 2009 through December 2012 in Michigan of which 72,328 (70%) were randomly selected for training the models, and 30,966 (30%) for validation. The models demonstrated excellent calibration and discrimination (AUC: full model  = 0.888 (95% CI 0.877–0.899), reduced model AUC = 0.880 (95% CI, 0.868–0.892), p for difference 0.003, NRI = 2.77%, p = 0.007). Procedural anticoagulation and radial access significantly influenced transfusion rates in the intermediate and high risk patients but no clinically relevant impact was noted in low risk patients, who made up 70% of the total cohort. Conclusions: The risk of transfusion among patients undergoing PCI can be reliably calculated using a novel easy to use computational tool (https://bmc2.org/calculators/transfusion). This risk prediction algorithm may prove useful for both bed side clinical decision making and risk adjustment for assessment of quality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The role of vascular closure devices (VCDs) in patients having percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) is controversial, and recommendations for use vary. Objective: To examine the use of and outcomes associated with VCDs in real-world practice. Design: Observational cohort study. Setting: 32 hospitals in Michigan that participate in a large multicenter quality improvement collaborative. Patients: Consecutive patients having emergent and nonemergent PCI from 2007 to 2009. Measurements: Vascular complications and the need for Transfusion. Results: Of the 85 048 PCIs performed during the study that met the inclusion criteria, 28 528 (37%) procedures used VCDs. In propensity score–matched analysis, VCDs were associated with reductions in vascular complications (odds ratio [OR], 0.78 [95% CI, 0.67 to 0.90]; P 0.001) and postprocedure transfusions (OR, 0.85 [CI, 0.74 to 0.96]; P 0.011). These findings were consistent across many prespecified subgroups except for patients with a body mass index (BMI) less than 25 kg/m2 and those treated with platelet glycoprotein (GP) IIb/IIIa inhibitors, in whom the benefit of VCDs over manual closure was attenuated. When the specific subtypes of vascular complications were evaluated, VCDs were associated with fewer hematomas (OR, 0.69 [CI, 0.58 to 0.83]; P 0.001) or pseudoaneurysms (OR, 0.54 [CI, 0.38 to 0.76]; P 0.001) but an increase in the odds of retroperitoneal bleeding (OR, 1.57 [CI, 1.12 to 2.20]; P 0.009). Limitation: Unmeasured confounding cannot be excluded despite the study having measured and balanced many confounders. Conclusion: Vascular closure devices were associated with a significant reduction in vascular complications and need for transfusion in this large cohort of patients having transfemoral PCI. This benefit was lost in patients receiving GP IIb/IIIa inhibitors and those with normal or lean BMI and was counterbalanced by a small increase in the more serious risk for retroperitoneal bleeding. Primary Funding Source: Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan and the National Science Foundation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: The aim of the study was to develop and validate a tool for predicting risk of contrast-induced nephropathy (CIN) in patients undergoing contemporary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). Background: CIN is a common complication of PCI and is associated with adverse short- and long-term outcomes. Previously described risk scores for predicting CIN either have modest discrimination or include procedural variables and thus cannot be applied for pre-procedural risk stratification. Methods: Random forest models were developed using 46 pre-procedural clinical and laboratory variables to estimate the risk of CIN in patients undergoing PCI. The 15 most influential variables were selected for inclusion in a reduced model. Model performance estimating risk of CIN and new requirement for dialysis (NRD) was evaluated in an independent validation data set using area under the receiver-operating characteristic curve (AUC), with net reclassification improvement used to compare full and reduced model CIN prediction after grouping in low-, intermediate-, and high-risk categories. Results: Our study cohort comprised 68,573 PCI procedures performed at 46 hospitals between January 2010 and June 2012 in Michigan, of which 48,001 (70%) were randomly selected for training the models and 20,572 (30%) for validation. The models demonstrated excellent calibration and discrimination for both endpoints (CIN AUC for full model 0.85 and for reduced model 0.84, p for difference <0.01; NRD AUC for both models 0.88, p for difference = 0.82; net reclassification improvement for CIN 2.92%, p = 0.06). Conclusions: The risk of CIN and NRD among patients undergoing PCI can be reliably calculated using a novel easy-to-use computational tool (https://bmc2.org/calculators/cin). This risk prediction algorithm may prove useful for both bedside clinical decision making and risk adjustment for assessment of quality. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Patients with end-stage renal disease commonly develop acute coronary syndromes (ACS). Little is known about the natural history of ACS in patients receiving dialysis. We evaluated the presentation, management, and outcomes of patients with ACS who were receiving dialysis before presentation for an ACS and were enrolled in the Global Registry of Acute Coronary Events (GRACE) at 123 hospitals in 14 countries from 1999 to 2007. Of 55,189 patients, 579 were required dialysis at presentation. Non–ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction was the most common ACS presentation in patients receiving dialysis, occurring in 50% (290 of 579) of patients versus 33% (17,955 of 54,610) of those not receiving dialysis. Patients receiving dialysis had greater in-hospital mortality rates (12% vs 4.8%; p <0.0001) and, among those who survived to discharge, greater 6-month mortality rates (13% vs 4.2%; p <0.0001), recurrent myocardial infarction (7.6% vs 2.9%; p <0.0001), and unplanned rehospitalization (31% vs 18%; p <0.0001). The outcome in patients receiving dialysis was worse than that predicted by their calculated GRACE risk score for in-hospital mortality (7.8% predicted vs 12% observed; p <0.05), 6-month mortality/myocardial infarction (10% predicted vs 21% observed; p <0.05). In conclusion, in the present large multinational study, approximately 1% of patients with ACS were receiving dialysis. They were more likely to present with non–ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction, and had markedly greater in-hospital and 6-month mortality. The GRACE risk score underestimated the risk of major events in patients receiving dialysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses a study on outcomes of carotid stenting based on operator experience in the U.S. from 2005 to 2007. The study evaluated the link between outcomes and two variables of operator experience, namely, annual volume and experience at the time of the procedure among new operators who performed carotid stenting for the first time following a national coverage decision by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). Administrative data collected from fee-for-service Medicare beneficiaries aged 65 years old and above was used under the study. Higher 30-day mortality was observed among patients treated by operators with lower annual volumes and patients treated early during a new operator's experience.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to evaluate the association between calculated creatinine clearance (CCC)-based contrast dose and renal complications in patients undergoing percutaneous coronary interventions (PCI). Background: Excess volumes of contrast media are associated with renal complications in patients undergoing cardiac procedures. Because contrast media are excreted by the kidney, we hypothesized that a dose estimation on the basis of CCC would provide a simple strategy to define a safe dose of contrast media. Methods: We assessed the association between CCC-based contrast dose and the risk of contrast-induced nephropathy (CIN) and need for in-hospital dialysis in 58,957 patients undergoing PCI and enrolled in the BMC2 (Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan Cardiovascular Consortium) registry from 2007 to 2008. Patients receiving dialysis at the time of the procedure were excluded. Results: The risk of CIN and nephropathy requiring dialysis (NRD) was directly associated with increasing contrast volume adjusted for renal function. The risk for CIN and NRD approached significance when the ratio of contrast dose/CCC exceeded 2 (adjusted odds ratio [OR] for CIN: 1.16, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.98 to 1.37, adjusted OR for NRD: 1.72, 95% CI: 0.9 to 3.27) and was dramatically elevated in patients exceeding a contrast to CCC ratio of 3 (adjusted OR for CIN: 1.46, 95% CI: 1.27 to 1.66, adjusted OR for NRD: 1.89, 95% CI: 1.21 to 2.94). Conclusions: Our study supports the need for minimizing contrast dose in patients with renal dysfunction. A contrast dose on the basis of estimated renal function with a planned contrast volume restricted to less than thrice and preferably twice the CCC might be valuable in reducing the risk of CIN and NRD. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Animal models of myocardial ischemia have demonstrated reduction in arrhythmias using statins. It was hypothesized that previous statin therapy before hospitalization might be associated with reductions of in-hospital arrhythmic events in patients with acute coronary syndromes. In this multinational, prospective, observational study (the Global Registry of Acute Coronary Events [GRACE]), data from 64,679 patients hospitalized for suspected acute coronary syndromes (from 1999 to 2007) were analyzed. The primary outcome of interest was in-hospital arrhythmic events in previous statin users compared with nonusers. The 2 primary end points were atrial fibrillation and the composite end point of ventricular tachycardia, ventricular fibrillation, and/or cardiac arrest. In-hospital death was also examined. Of the 64,679 patients, 17,636 (27%) had received previous statin therapy. Those taking statins had higher crude rates of histories of angina (69% vs 46%), diabetes (34% vs 22%), heart failure (15% vs 8.4%), hypertension (74% vs 58%), atrial fibrillation (9.3% vs 7.0%), and dyslipidemia (85% vs 35%). Patients previously taking statins were less likely to have in-hospital arrhythmias. In propensity-adjusted multivariable models, previous statin use was associated with a lower risk for ventricular tachycardia, ventricular fibrillation, or cardiac arrest (odds ratio 0.81, 95% confidence interval 0.72 to 0.96, p = 0.002); atrial fibrillation (odds ratio 0.81, 95% confidence interval 0.73 to 0.89, p <0.0001); and death (odds ratio 0.82, 95% confidence interval 0.70 to 0.95, p = 0.010). In conclusion, patients previously taking statins had a lower incidence of in-hospital arrhythmic events after acute coronary syndrome than those not previously taking statins. Our study suggests another possible benefit from appropriate primary and secondary prevention therapy with statins. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Background: Q-waves in ST-elevation acute coronary syndromes carry adverse implications. We sought to determine the frequency, predictors, and implications of Q-waves in the current era that includes primary percutaneous coronary interventions. Methods: There were 14,916 patients evaluated in a multicenter observational study. They presented with ST-elevation acute coronary syndromes between 1999 and 2006. Clinical variables were compared between patients with versus without presenting Q-waves, with an additional comparison in the latter group between those with versus without subsequent development of Q-waves. Results: ST-elevation myocardial infarction occurred in 88.6% of patients. Q-waves were present on the initial electrocardiogram in 3929 patients and developed later in an additional 3085 patients. The incidence of Q-waves at presentation or during hospitalization decreased from 61% to 39% between 1999 and 2006 (linear trend P <.001). Both presenting and subsequent Q-waves were associated with greater likelihood of coronary occlusions and higher cardiac marker elevations (P <.001). Multivariate analysis showed that presenting Q-waves were associated with male sex (odds ratio [OR] 1.28), increased age (OR 1.06 per 5 years), diabetes (OR 1.26), smoking (OR 1.11), chronic aspirin (OR 0.79), acute aspirin (OR 0.87), other chronic cardiac medications (OR 0.80), prior heart failure (OR 0.67), and prior coronary artery disease (OR 0.61). Presenting Q-waves were independently associated with increased in-hospital mortality (OR 1.46), but Q-waves at presentation or during hospitalization did not impact 6-month mortality. Conclusions: Q-waves in ST-elevation acute coronary syndromes are decreasing in incidence. Q-waves are a major determinant of in-hospital mortality, and targeted interventions should be directed to these high-risk patients. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Background: We previously reported that, in a randomized trial, carotid stenting with the use of an emboli-protection device is not inferior to carotid endarterectomy for the treatment of carotid artery disease at 30 days and at 1 year. We now report the 3-year results. Methods: The trial evaluated carotid artery stenting with the use of an emboli-protection device as compared with endarterectomy in 334 patients at increased risk for complications from endarterectomy who had either a symptomatic carotid artery stenosis of at least 50% of the luminal diameter or an asymptomatic stenosis of at least 80%. The prespecified major secondary end point at 3 years was a composite of death, stroke, or myocardial infarction within 30 days after the procedure or death or ipsilateral stroke between 31 days and 1080 days (3 years). Results: At 3 years, data were available for 260 patients (77.8%), including 85.6% of patients in the stenting group and 70.1% of those in the endarterectomy group. The prespecified major secondary end point occurred in 41 patients in the stenting group (cumulative incidence, 24.6%; Kaplan–Meier estimate, 26.2%) and 45 patients in the endarterectomy group (cumulative incidence, 26.9%; Kaplan–Meier estimate, 30.3%) (absolute difference in cumulative incidence for the stenting group, −2.3%; 95% confidence interval, −11.8 to 7.0). There were 15 strokes in each of the two groups, of which 11 in the stenting group and 9 in the endarterectomy group were ipsilateral. Conclusions: In our trial of patients with severe carotid artery stenosis and increased surgical risk, no significant difference could be shown in long-term outcomes between patients who underwent carotid artery stenting with an emboli-protection device and those who underwent endarterectomy. (ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT00231270.) N Engl J Med 2008;358:1572-9. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: This study sought to assess whether the use of eptifibatide instead of abciximab is associated with a difference in outcomes of patients undergoing primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) for ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI). Background: Pooled data from randomized controlled trials suggest that the use of abciximab may be associated with a survival advantage in patients undergoing primary PCI for acute STEMI. However, a large proportion of patients in the community are treated with eptifibatide, an agent that shares some but not all pharmacological properties with abciximab. Methods: We evaluated the outcomes of 3,541 patients who underwent primary PCI for STEMI from October 2002 to July 2006 in a large regional consortium and who were treated with abciximab (n = 729) or with eptifibatide (n = 2,812). Results: There was no difference in the incidence of in-hospital death (4.1% with abciximab vs. 3.5% with eptifibatide, p = 0.39), recurrent myocardial infarction (0.8% vs. 1.2%, p = 0.42), or stroke/transient ischemic attack (0.7% vs. 0.6%, p = 0.80). There was no difference in the need for blood transfusion (12.4% vs. 11.7%, p = 0.61), whereas there was a greater incidence of gastrointestinal bleeding with abciximab (4.8% vs. 2.8%, p = 0.01). In parsimonious risk-adjusted models, no significant difference between abciximab and eptifibatide was observed with respect to any of the outcomes measures. Conclusions: Currently, eptifibatide is used as the adjunct antiplatelet agent in the majority of patients undergoing primary PCI. There is no apparent difference in early outcomes of patients treated with eptifibatide compared with patients treated with abciximab. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Objective: To evaluate the safety and efficacy of bivalirudin based therapy among patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) for stable coronary artery disease in a large multicenter registry. Background: The REPLACE II trial demonstrated the non-inferiority of a strategy of bivalirudin compared with heparin and glycoprotein (GP) IIbIIIa inhibition in patients undergoing PCI. There is a paucity of outcome data with bivalirudin use in the setting of real-world PCI practice. Methods: We evaluated the outcome of 11,719 patients who underwent elective PCI for stable coronary artery disease (CAD) from 2002 to 2004 in a large regional consortium, and who were treated with bivalirudin (n = 2051) or with heparin and GP IIbIIIa inhibitors (n = 9,668). The primary endpoints were transfusion and in-hospital major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) defined as the composite of death, MI, stroke, and any coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) or target lesion revascularization. Results: Compared with patients who received heparin plus GP IIbIIIa inhibitors, patients who received bivalirudin had a similar incidence of post-procedural MI, stroke, in-hospital death, MACE (2.88 vs. 2.48, P = 0.30), or transfusion (2.83% vs. 2.41%, P = 0.27). Patients at greater risk of bleeding were more likely to be treated with bivalirudin. After adjusting for the propensity to receive bivalirudin and for baseline co-morbidities, there was no difference in the odds of MACE or the need for transfusion between the two groups. Conclusion: Compared with heparin plus GP IIbIIIa inhibition, use of bivalirudin in patients undergoing PCI for stable CAD is associated with similar ischemic and bleeding complications. Given the ease of administration and lower cost, bivalirudin provides an attractive treatment option in this patient population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite many recent advancements in the treatment of coronary heart disease, it continues to be an important source of patient morbidity and mortality as well as a significant source of healthcare-related expenditures. Clopidogrel has become an integral part of the management of acute coronary syndromes (ACS) and, consequently, has become one of the world’s best selling drugs. Numerous trials have demonstrated the clinical efficacy of clopidogrel in revascularized and nonrevascularized ACS including unstable angina as well as non-ST elevation and ST-elevation myocardial infarction. As a result of these trials, the use of clopidogrel has been incorporated into the American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association guidelines. Additionally, numerous analyses have proven clopidogrel to be highly cost effective. However, clopidogrel remains underutilized and guideline adherence remains inadequate despite the robust clinical data and guidelines. Institution of disease-management programs and quality-improvement initiatives appear to be an excellent strategy to promote guideline adherence and appropriate use of clopidogrel. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Platelet glycoprotein (GP) IIb/IIIa inhibitors are widely used in percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). Previous studies have suggested that they do not offer benefit in saphenous vein graft PCI. Nonetheless, their use remains widespread during vein graft angioplasty. We retrospectively analyzed 1,537 patients who underwent saphenous vein graft PCI. Patients who received a GP IIb/IIIa inhibitor (n = 941) were compared with those who did not receive any GP IIb/IIIa inhibitor (n = 596). The primary end point was myonecrosis after PCI (creatine kinase-MB level >3 times the upper reference limit). The incidence of myonecrosis after PCI was similar between the group that received GP IIb/IIIa and the group that did not (odds ratio for GP IIb/IIIa use 1.39, 95% confidence interval 0.97 to 2.00, p = 0.07). Propensity-adjusted analysis demonstrated no significant difference in myonecrosis after PCI, in-hospital mortality, Q-wave myocardial infarction, or bleeding (blood transfusion, retroperitoneal bleed, or hematoma) between the 2 groups. In an analysis restricted to patients who were treated with an emboli protection device, GP IIb/IIIa use was not associated with decreased myonecrosis after PCI (this was also the case for patients who were not treated with an emboli protection device). Unadjusted survival (mean follow-up 5.5 ± 0.1 years) was similar between the group that received GP IIb/IIIa and the group that did not (log-rank test, p = 0.89). There was no difference in survival after adjusting for the propensity to receive a GP IIb/IIIa inhibitor (adjusted odds ratio for GP IIb/IIIa use 0.92, 95% confidence interval 0.69 to 1.23, p = 0.59). In conclusion, adjunctive use of platelet GP IIb/IIIa inhibitors in saphenous vein graft PCI does not appear to be associated with less myonecrosis or improved survival. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The neutrophil to lymphocyte (N/L) ratio is a recently described independent predictor of death/myocardial infarction in patients who have undergone coronary angiography. We hypothesized that an elevated N/L ratio would be a predictor of long-term mortality in patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). A total of 1,046 patients who underwent PCI were divided into tertiles based on their preprocedural N/L ratio (mean N/L ratio, tertile 1, 1.7 ± 0.5; tertile 2: 3.2 ± 0.6; tertile 3, 11.2 ± 12.9). Vital status was assessed using the Social Security Death Index. There were a total of 144 deaths over a mean follow-up of 32 months. The best survival was seen in tertile 1, with an increase in long-term mortality seen in tertiles 2 and 3 (p <0.0001). In multivariable modeling, after adjusting for age, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, left ventricular ejection fraction, serum hemoglobin, serum creatinine, and lesion severity, the log N/L, but not the white blood cell count, was an independent significant predictor of long-term mortality (hazard ratio 1.85, 95% confidence interval 1.3, to 3.04, p = 0.01). The risk persisted when patients with an acute myocardial infarction were excluded from the analysis (hazard ratio 2.46, 95% confidence interval 1.4 to 4.4, p = 0.002). In conclusion, an elevated preprocedural N/L ratio in patients undergoing PCI is associated with an increased risk of long-term mortality. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Previous studies have shown that patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) who undergo surgical revascularization have higher in-hospital mortality rates. Limited data are available on the outcomes of patients with COPD undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). Our study evaluated the association between COPD and in-hospital and long-term mortality in patients undergoing PCI. We studied 10,994 patients who underwent PCI from 1997 to 2003 at our institution (1,117 with and 9,877 without COPD). A patient was considered to have COPD if it was listed as a co-morbid condition in our database. The primary end point was all-cause mortality. Cox logistic regression models were used to determine whether COPD was an independent predictor of all-cause mortality after PCI. The mean age of the study population was 64 years, and 70.2% were men. Significantly more patients with COPD died in hospital (2.9% vs 1.2%, p &#60;0.0001). The median follow-up was 33 months; 89.6% of patients without COPD versus 75.6% of patients with COPD (log-rank 280, degree of freedom 1, p &#60;0.0001) were alive at the end of the follow-up. After adjusting for other variables known to increase mortality, COPD was a significant independent predictor of in-hospital death (odds ratio 2.51, 95% confidence interval 1.45 to 4.35, p = 0.001) and long-term mortality (hazard ratio 2.16, 95% confidence interval 1.81 to 2.56, p &#60;0.0001) after PCI. In conclusion, patients with a history of COPD have higher in-hospital and long-term mortality rates than those without COPD after PCI. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Objectives: The objective of this study was to confirm that the efficacy and safety of percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) in diabetic patients are not compromised by a bivalirudin-based antithrombotic strategy. Background: Previous studies have shown a survival benefit with use of platelet glycoprotein (GP) IIb/IIIa inhibitors in diabetic patients undergoing PCI. The Randomized Evaluation in Percutaneous Coronary Intervention Linking Angiomax to Reduced Clinical Events (REPLACE)-2 trial showed the non-inferiority of a strategy of bivalirudin with provisional GP IIb/IIIa inhibition compared with routine GP IIb/IIIa inhibition. The relative efficacy of these two strategies in diabetic patients has not been studied. Methods: We evaluated the diabetic patients enrolled in the REPLACE-2 trial to assess the impact of these antithrombotic strategies on the short- and long-term outcome after PCI. Results: The REPLACE-2 trial enrolled 1,624 diabetic patients and 4,368 non-diabetic patients. Compared with non-diabetic patients, diabetic patients had similar short-term outcome but higher mortality at 1 year (3.06% vs. 1.85%, p = 0.004). There was no difference in short-term or long-term ischemic events among the diabetic patients randomized to the two arms. Specifically, the 1-year mortality rate was non-significantly lower in the bivalirudin arm, suggesting no differential survival impact of the two strategies (2.3% vs. 3.9%). There was less minor bleeding in the bivalirudin arm in diabetic patients (12.6% vs. 24.4%, p &#60; 0.001), whereas no difference was seen in the incidence of major bleeding (3.0% vs. 3.3%, p = 0.69). Conclusions: Compared with routine GP IIb/IIIa inhibition, the use of bivalirudin with provisional GP IIb/IIIa inhibitors in diabetic patients is associated with no differences in clinical outcomes at 30 days, a trend toward lesser mortality at 1 year, and a reduction in minor bleeding. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

A recent large-scale, randomized trial demonstrated the noninferiority of a strategy of bivalirudin with provisional glycoprotein (GP) IIb/IIIa inhibition compared with routine GP IIb/IIIa inhibition. There is a paucity of outcome data with bivalirudin use in the setting of real-world experience. We evaluated 6,996 patients who underwent percutaneous coronary intervention between January 2001 and December 2004 to compare early and late outcomes with a bivalirudin-based antithrombotic regimen with those with a heparin-based regimen. Propensity adjustment was performed to correct for baseline differences in patient characteristics. Bivalirudin-based therapy was used in 1,070 patients, heparin only in 801 patients, and heparin plus GP IIb/IIIa inhibitors in 5,125 patients. Compared with patients who received heparin or those who received heparin plus GP IIb/IIIa inhibitors, patients who received bivalirudin had lower incidences of bleeding (blood transfusion rate 1.7% vs 4.0%, p &#60;0.001) and periprocedural myonecrosis (creatine kinase-MB >5 times the upper limit of normal 2.7% vs 4.3%, p = 0.016). Differences in bleeding end points remained significant after adjusting for the propensity to receive bivalirudin, but there was no difference in ischemic events. There was no difference in unadjusted long-term survival rate (log-rank test p = 0.46, total number of deaths 412, mean follow-up 17 months) or in propensity-adjusted long-term survival rate (hazard ratio 1.37, 95% confidence interval 0.90 to 2.08, p = 0.14). Compared with heparin with or without GP IIb/IIIa inhibition, the use of bivalirudin in a large consecutive patient registry at a tertiary care center was associated with fewer bleeding events and no evident increase in the incidence of ischemic complications. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

We performed a single-center retrospective analysis evaluating the effect of chronic kidney disease among patients who underwent carotid artery stenting. The presence of chronic kidney disease is associated with higher periprocedural and 6-month death, stroke, or myocardial infarction after carotid artery stenting. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Anemia and renal insufficiency impart an increased risk of mortality in patients with congestive heart failure. There is a paucity of data on the mortality hazard associated with anemia and renal insufficiency in patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention in the setting of contemporary practice. We analyzed the short- and long-term outcomes among patients enrolled in EPIC, EPILOG and EPISTENT trials according to degree of kidney dysfunction (glomerular filtration rate [GFR] <60, 60 to 75, and >75 ml/min/1.73 m2) and by hematocrit (<35, 35 to 39 and 40). GFR was calculated as GFR = 186 × (serum creatinine-1.154) × (age-0.203) × 1.212 (if black) or ×0.742 (if female) . There were 20 deaths (3.2%) among 638 patients with a hematocrit of <35, 41 deaths among 2,066 patients (2.0%) with a hematocrit of 35 to 39, and 43 deaths in 3,618 patients (1.2%) with a hematocrit >40 at 6 months (p <0.001). Similarly, a significant increase in mortality was seen with lower GFR [33 of 1,168 (2.9%) at GFR <60, 33 of 1,766 (1.9%) at GFR 60 to 75 and 37 of 3,317 (1.1%) at GFR >75, p <0.001)]. Further, GFR and anemia independently and in combination predicted mortality at 3 years. Thus, renal insufficiency and anemia are significant independent and additive predictors of short- and long-term complications in patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

: ObjectivesWe studied the outcome of diabetics enrolled in the Global Use of Strategies to Open Occluded Coronary Arteries (GUSTO) V trial to assess whether the combination of half-dose reteplase and abciximab provides any propitious benefits over standard fibrinolytic therapy in diabetic patients.: BackgroundDiabetics with acute ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (MI) have a worse outcome compared with nondiabetics. Higher-risk patients are usually more likely to benefit from advances in medical therapy.: MethodsWe analyzed diabetic patients enrolled in the GUSTO V trial to assess the outcome of those randomized to the combination of half-dose reteplase and abciximab versus those randomized to reteplase. We also evaluated whether any differences existed in presentation and outcome of MI among the diabetics versus the nondiabetics enrolled in the study.: ResultsThe trial enrolled 13,782 nondiabetics and 2,633 diabetics. Compared to nondiabetics, diabetics had a significantly higher mortality at 30 days (8.5% vs. 5.1%, p < 0.001) and at 1 year (12.7% vs. 7.5%, p < 0.001). Among the diabetic subset, no significant difference existed in the incidence of 30-day (8.8% vs. 8.2%, p = 0.52) or 1-year mortality (13.0% vs. 12.4%, p = 0.62) among patients randomized to reteplase compared to those receiving combination of abciximab and reteplase. The incidence of reinfarction (2.5% vs. 4.3%, p = 0.013), recurrent ischemia (11.8% vs. 14.9%, p = 0.017), and urgent revascularization (10.9% vs. 13.3%, p = 0.055) at seven days was lower in diabetics treated with the combination therapy.: ConclusionsCompared to nondiabetics, diabetics continue to have a worse outcome with MI. Although combination therapy did not provide a survival benefit, nonfatal ischemic outcomes, including reinfarction, recurrent ischemia, and urgent revascularization, were substantially reduced. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Objectives: We sought to investigate the impact of body mass index (BMI) on short- and long-term outcomes after initial revascularization with percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty (PTCA) or coronary artery bypass graft surgery (CABG).Background: Equivocal results exist on the impact of BMI on the risk of in-hospital complications after PTCA or CABG, and no long-term mortality data exist from a large series of revascularized patients.Methods: From the randomized series and observational registry of the Bypass Angioplasty Revascularization Investigation (BARI), 2,108 patients who had PTCA and 1,526 patients who had CABG were evaluated by taking their BMI at study entry. They were classified as follows: low (< 20 kg/m(2)), normal (20 to 24.9 kg/m(2)), overweight (25 to 29.9 kg/m(2)), class I obese (30 to 34.9 kg/m(2)) and class II/III obese (greater-than-or-equal 35 kg/m(2)). In-hospital complications and short- and long-term mortalities were compared between levels of BMI within each mode of initial revascularization.Results: Among patients who had PTCA, each unit increase in BMI was associated with a 5.5% lower adjusted risk of a major in-hospital event (death, myocardial infarction, stroke, coma); among patients who had CABG, no difference in the in-hospital outcome was observed according to BMI. In contrast, BMI was not associated with five-year mortality in the PTCA group; among the CABG group, adjusted relative risks of five-year cardiac mortality according to levels of BMI were 0.0 (low), 1.0 (normal), 2.02 (overweight), 3.16 (class I obese) and 4.85 (class II/III obese) (linear p < 0.001).Conclusions: Body mass index appears to have a differential impact on short- and long-term outcomes after coronary revascularization. These results underscore the need for further research to identify factors responsible for the apparent short-term protective effect of a higher BMI in patients undergoing PTCA and to study the impact of weight reduction on the long-term survival of obese patients undergoing CABG. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

: ObjectivesWe sought to investigate the impact of body mass index (BMI) on short- and long-term outcomes after initial revascularization with percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty (PTCA) or coronary artery bypass graft surgery (CABG).: BackgroundEquivocal results exist on the impact of BMI on the risk of in-hospital complications after PTCA or CABG, and no long-term mortality data exist from a large series of revascularized patients.: MethodsFrom the randomized series and observational registry of the Bypass Angioplasty Revascularization Investigation (BARI), 2,108 patients who had PTCA and 1,526 patients who had CABG were evaluated by taking their BMI at study entry. They were classified as follows: low (<20 kg/m2), normal (20 to 24.9 kg/m2), overweight (25 to 29.9 kg/m2), class I obese (30 to 34.9 kg/m2) and class II/III obese (≥35 kg/m2). In-hospital complications and short- and long-term mortalities were compared between levels of BMI within each mode of initial revascularization.: ResultsAmong patients who had PTCA, each unit increase in BMI was associated with a 5.5% lower adjusted risk of a major in-hospital event (death, myocardial infarction, stroke, coma); among patients who had CABG, no difference in the in-hospital outcome was observed according to BMI. In contrast, BMI was not associated with five-year mortality in the PTCA group; among the CABG group, adjusted relative risks of five-year cardiac mortality according to levels of BMI were 0.0 (low), 1.0 (normal), 2.02 (overweight), 3.16 (class I obese) and 4.85 (class II/III obese) (linear p < 0.001).: ConclusionsBody mass index appears to have a differential impact on short- and long-term outcomes after coronary revascularization. These results underscore the need for further research to identify factors responsible for the apparent short-term protective effect of a higher BMI in patients undergoing PTCA and to study the impact of weight reduction on the long-term survival of obese patients undergoing CABG. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The outcomes of patients who underwent carotid artery interventions were evaluated by body mass index (BMI). Although there was no association between BMI and short-term outcomes, patients with small BMIs were susceptible to an exaggerated long-term mortality hazard. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Increased inflammatory markers are associated with a poor prognosis after percutaneous coronary intervention. Leukocytes play a key role in inflammation, and an increase in white blood cell (WBC) counts is a nonspecific marker of inflammation. In patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention, baseline WBC counts independently predict long-term mortality. In a pooled cohort of patients from the Evaluation of c7E3 for the Prevention of Ischemic Complications (EPIC), the Evaluation in PTCA to Improve Long-term Outcome with abciximab Glycoprotein IIb/IIIa blockade (EPILOG), and Evaluation of Platelet IIb/IIIa inhibitor for STENTing (EPISTENT) trials, postprocedural WBC counts were also found to be an independent predictor of long-term mortality. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

This study investigated the correlation between an elevated white blood cell (WBC) count as a marker of inflammation and the development of atrial fibrillation (AF) after cardiac surgery. WBC counts were prospectively followed in 181 consecutive patients who underwent coronary bypass or cardiac valve surgery to determine if a baseline or postoperative WBC count elevation is an independent predictor of postoperative AF. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Background: Mortality is the most devastating complication of percutaneous coronary interventions (PCI). Identifying the most common causes and mechanisms of death after PCI in contemporary practice is an important step in further reducing periprocedural mortality. Objectives: To systematically analyze the cause and circumstances of in-hospital mortality in a large, multi-center, statewide cohort. Methods: In-hospital deaths after PCI occurring at 39 hospitals included in the Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan Cardiovascular Consortium (BMC2) between 2012 and 2014 were retrospectively reviewed using validated methods. A priori PCI-related mortality risk was estimated using the validated BMC2 model. Results: A total of 1,163 deaths after PCI were included in the study. Mean age was 71±13 years, and 507 (44%) were women. Left ventricular failure was the most common cause of death (52% of cases). The circumstance of death was most commonly related to prior acute cardiovascular condition (61% of cases). Procedural complications were considered contributing to mortality in 235 (20%) cases. Death was rated as not preventable or slightly preventable in 1,045 (89.9%) cases. The majority of the deaths occurred in intermediate or high-risk patients, but 328 (28.2%) deaths occurred in low-risk patients (<5% predicted risk of mortality). PCI was considered rarely appropriate in 30% of preventable deaths. Conclusions: In-hospital mortality after PCI is rare, and primarily related to pre-existing critical acute cardiovascular condition. However, approximately 10% of deaths were preventable. Further research is needed to characterize preventable deaths, in order to develop strategies to improve procedural safety. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses research on the use of rivaroxaban as a secondary prophylaxis for patients with acute coronary syndrome. It references the study "Rivaroxaban versus placebo in patients with acute coronary syndromes (ATLAS ACS-TIMI46): a randomised, double-blind, phase II trial," by Jessica Mega and colleagues, published within the issue. The study randomly assigned patients to either receive rivaroxaban or placebo for six months following an acute coronary syndrome. The authors argued that although the findings of the study is still premature, rivaroxaban can be considered as an alternative to parenteral anticoagulants for the early management of acute coronary syndrome.

The article focuses on a study which examines the association of red blood cell transfusion with increased in-hospital mortality level in patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). Topics discussed include association of red blood cell transfusion after PCI with mortality, myocardial infarction and stroke, use of blood transfusion for patients who are bleeding or have symptomatic anemia, and benefits of restrictive blood transfusion in different clinical setting.

The authors opine on the research "Patterns and outcomes of red blood cell transfusion in patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention" by M.W. Wang and colleagues, published in the "Journal of the American Medical Association" in a 2014 issue. Topics discussed include the outcomes of in-hospital mortality, myocardial infarction (MI), and stroke, the increased risk for thrombosis, and the need of pragmatic clinical trial for guiding the practice.

To assess the feasibility and treatment effect of pulsatile intravascular lithotripsy (PIVL) on calcified lesions in a cadaveric model of peripheral artery disease. PIVL represents a novel potential approach to intravascular lithotripsy for the treatment of vascular calcification. In this preclinical device-feasibility study, technical success, calcium morphology and luminal expansion before and after PIVL treatment were evaluated in surgically isolated, perfused atherosclerotic lower-leg arteries and in perfused whole cadaveric lower legs. Analytical methods included micro-computed tomography (μCT), intravascular optical coherence tomography, digital subtraction angiography, and quantitative coronary analysis. Treatment delivery was successful in all whole-leg specimens (N = 6; mean age 74.2, 66 % female) and in the 8 excised vessels with diameter appropriate to the PIVL balloon (2 vessels exceeding diameter specifications were excluded). There were no vessel perforations. After PIVL, excised vessels showed extensive evidence of new, full-thickness fractures in lesions with calcium arc exceeding 152° and with calcium wall thickness between 0.24 mm and 1.42 mm. PIVL fractures were observed in intimal nodules, sheets, shingles, and medial plates. Vessels within whole-leg specimens also showed full-thickness fracturing and a mean of 1.9 ± 0.9 mm in acute luminal gain, 101.6 ± 99.5 % gain in total minimum cross-sectional area, and a 31.7 ± 13.4 % relative reduction in stenosis (P < 0.001 for all analyses). In a cadaveric model, PIVL treatment was technically feasible, fractured both circumferential and eccentric calcium lesions, and resulted in acute luminal gain. A clinical feasibility study of PIVL is currently enrolling. • Pulsatile intravascular lithotripsy (PIVL) is a potentially novel alternative to first generation IVL technology. • PIVL was tested in two clinically relevant models of peripheral artery disease. • PIVL treatment caused luminal expansion while producing full-thickness calcium fractures during a single treatment session. • PIVL modified eccentric calcium and circumferential calcium over a wide range of thicknesses. • PIVL could be useful for the treatment of calcific lesions that are refractory to traditional angioplasty. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]