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Nine hundred sixty consecutive cardiac catheterization procedures were studied prospectively for the presence of periprocedural bacteremia. Overall, among 960 procedures, only 4 were associated with clinically significant bacteremia. All 4 were related to the intravenous line and none to the cardiac procedure itself. Clinically nonsignificant bacteremias were correlated with procedural duration, multiple skin punctures, use of multiple balloons, and obesity. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Focuses on the tissue factor (TF), a low molecular weight membrane-bound glycoprotein and a major regulator of coagulation and determinant of thrombin generation in normal hemostasis and atherothrombotic disease. First step in the coagulation process; Presence of TF on cells; Proteolytic activity of TF.

Various physical, emotional, and extrinsic triggers have been attributed to acute coronary syndrome. Whether a correlation can be drawn between identifiable ischemic triggers and the nature of coronary artery disease (CAD) still remains unclear. In the present study, we evaluated the correlation between triggered versus nontriggered ischemic symptoms and the extent of CAD in patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI). We conducted a retrospective, single-center observational study including 1,345 consecutive patients with STEMI, treated with primary percutaneous coronary intervention. Acute physical and emotional triggers were identified in patients' historical data. Independent predictors of multivessel CAD were determined using a logistic regression model. A potential trigger was identified in 37% of patients. Physical exertion was found to be the most dominant trigger (65%) followed by psychological stress (16%) and acute illness (12%). Patients with nontriggered STEMI tended to be older and more likely to have co-morbidities. Patients with nontriggered STEMI showed a higher rate of multivessel CAD (73% vs 30%, p <0.001). In a multivariate regression model, nontriggered symptoms emerged as an independent predictor of multivessel CAD (odds ratio 8.33, 95% CI 5.74 to 12.5, p = 0.001). No specific trigger was found to predict independently the extent of CAD. In conclusion, symptoms onset without a recognizable trigger is associated with multivessel CAD in STEMI. Further studies will be required to elucidate the putative mechanisms underlying ischemic triggering. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Patients with previous coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) are considered to be at increased perioperative risk for a redo cardiac operation. In the era of transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI), these patients constitute a considerable portion of those with severe aortic stenosis referred for TAVI. We evaluated the impact of previous CABG on transfemoral TAVI outcomes. Patients with severe symptomatic aortic stenosis (n = 515) who underwent transfemoral TAVI were divided according to the presence of history of CABG. Patients with previous valvular surgery were excluded (n = 12). TAVI clinical end points and adverse events were considered according to the Valve Academic Research Consortium 2 definitions. Survival was estimated using Cox regression models at the enter mode with the dependent variable defined as all-cause mortality. Of the total 503 patients who underwent TAVI, 91 (18.1%) had previous CABG. At baseline, patients with previous CABG were younger (80.8 vs 83.1 years, p <0.001), mostly men (85% vs 35%, p <0.001), had more cardiac and vascular co-morbidities, higher mean logistic EuroSCORE (32.8 vs 22; p <0.001), lower ejection fraction (53% vs 56%, p <0.001), and lower AV gradients and larger valve area. At a mean follow-up of 636 days, the overall Valve Academic Research Consortium 2-adjudicated end points did not differ. No differences in mortality were observed at 30 days, 6 months, and 1 year after TAVI (hazard ratio 1.34, p = 0.55, Cox regression). We conclude that patients with previous CABG who underwent TAVI do not have increased risk of periprocedural complications or mortality, although having distinct clinical features compared with the total TAVI population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Past studies examining the effects of the metabolic syndrome (MS) on prognosis in postangiography patients were limited in size or were controversial in results. The aim of the study was to examine the association of the MS and the risk for long-term mortality in a large cohort of patients undergoing coronary angiography for various clinical indications. Medical history, physical examination, and laboratory values were used to diagnose patients with the MS. Cox regression models were used to analyze the effect of MS on longterm all-cause mortality. We prospectively recruited 3,525 consecutive patients with a mean age of 66 ± 22 years (range 24 to 97) and 72% men. Thirty percent of the cohort had MS. Patients with MS were more likely to have advanced coronary artery disease and acute coronary syndrome (p <0.001). Patients with MS had more abnormalities in their metabolic and inflammatory biomarkers regardless of their clinical presentation. A total of 495 deaths occurred during a mean follow-up period of 1,614 ± 709 days (median 1,780, interquartile range 1,030 to 2,178). MS was associated with an increased risk of death in the general cohort (hazard ratio [HR] 1.27, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.01 to 1.56, p [ 0.02). MS had a significant effect on mortality in stable patients (HR 1.55, 95% CI 1.1 to 2.18, p[ 0.01), whereas it did not have a significant effect on mortality in patients with acute coronary syndrome (HR 1.11, 95% CI 0.86 to 1.44, p [ 0.42). In conclusion, MS is associated with increased mortality in postangiography patients. Its adverse outcome is mainly seen in patients with stable angina. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Vascular complications (VC) after transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) are reported using various criteria and several access site approaches. We aimed to describe them in a solely percutaneous transfemoral TAVI approach and their association with survival using both the updated Valve Academic Research Consortium (VARC)-2 criteria and the former VARC-1 criteria. From March 2009 to September 2013, 403 consecutive patients at a mean age (±SD) of 83 ± 6 years underwent percutaneous transfemoral TAVI. VC were defined by both VARC-1 and VARC-2 criteria and analyzed separately. Cox proportional hazard ratio models for all-cause mortality were adjusted separately as defined by each criteria. VARC-1-defined and VARC-2-defined VC occurred in 71 (18%) and 78 (19%) patients, respectively, with 15 (4%) and 33 (8%) defined as major VC. The difference in frequency of major and minor VC was mainly driven by VARC-2 implementation of major bleeding events. With either VARC definition, patients with minor VC had similar mortality and complications rates as those patients without VC. In multivariate analyses, referenced to patients with minor or no VC, only VARC-1-defined major VC were significantly associated with increased mortality (hazard ratio 3.52; confidence interval 1.5 to 8.4; p = 0.005), whereas VARC-2-defined major VC were found to be only marginally significant (hazard ratio 1.9; confidence interval 0.9 to 3.9; p = 0.08). In conclusion, the implementation of the VARC-2 criteria resulted in a higher rate of reported major VC after TAVI compared with VARC-1 criteria, mainly by the inclusion of major bleeding events and a reduced association with patient mortality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) is considered a suitable treatment for pa-tients with severe symptomatic aortic stenosis and high operative risk. Our aim was to evaluate the effect of preprocedural and new-onset atrial fibrillation (NOAF) on mortality and stroke in patients who underwent TAVI. We performed a single-center study of 380 consecutive patients enrolled to a TAVI registry. NOAF was defined as postprocedural atrial fibrillation (AF) occurring within 30 days after the procedure. Patients were followed up for a mean of 528 ± 364 days. During follow-up, 19 (5%) new episodes of stroke occurred, of whom 6 and 18 cases occurred within 30 days and 1 year, respectively. Overall mortality during the follow-up was 68 (20%), of those 12 and 58 patients died within 30 days and 1 year, respectively. NOAF occurred in 31 (8.2%) patients and was not asso-ciated with higher stroke or mortality rates at 30 days or 1 year of follow-up. Notably, compared with patients without previous AF, patients with previous AF at baseline had increased rates of stroke and mortality at 1-year follow-up (2.1% vs 9.6%, p = 0.01, and 8.2% vs 34.9%, p <0.01; respectively). In multivariate analysis, AF at baseline but not NOAF was a significant predictor of mortality throughout the follow-up period (HR 2.2, 95% confidence interval 1.3 to 3.8, p = 0.003, and HR 1.5, 95% confidence interval 0.5 to 4.1, p = 0.390, respectively). In conclusion, previous AF at baseline but not NOAF significantly increases stroke and mortality rates after TAVI. The inclusion of AF into future TAVI risk stratification scores should be strongly considered. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fever after transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) is common and may result in extensive workup, treatment with broad-spectrum antibiotics, and prolonged hospitalization. Despite these consequences, the prevalence and nature of fever after TAVI and whether cases of fever could be attributed to an infectious origin have not been studied thoroughly to date. We conducted an observational retrospective analysis of 148 consecutive patients undergoing percutaneous transfemoral TAVI at the Tel-Aviv Medical Center. All patients were treated with antibiotic prophylaxis using first- or second-generation cephalosporins (or vancomycin upon a b-lactam allergy) on the procedure day. Medical and nursing records were reviewed for the occurrence, extent, and origin of fever. Laboratory databases were screened for positive cultures. Fever ‡37.5°C occurred in 66 patients (47%) and ‡38.0°C in 27 patients (19.4%). Most febrile episodes ‡38.0°C were of short duration, lasting <8 hours (59.3%, n [ 16), and occurred in the first 48 hours after procedure (74%, n [ 22). Bacteremia was found in 2 cases and urinary tract infection in 3 other cases; most pathogens isolated were resistant to prophylactic antibiotic regimen. Unlike prolonged fever, a short febrile episode was not associated with an extended hospital stay or with increased 30-day mortality rate after TAVI. In conclusion, fever after TAVI occurs frequently and may represent a noninfectious inflammatory response as it rarely associates with a documented bacterial infection. Therefore, deferring antibiotic therapy in an otherwise well post-TAVI patient with a short febrile episode should be considered, whereas prolonged and high-grade fever warrants further workup and empirical antibiotic therapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We aimed to evaluate the clinical and hemodynamic impact of transcatheter aortic valve implantation in patients with typical low-gradient severe aortic stenosis (LGSAS) and at high operative risk for surgical valve replacement. Prospectively collected clinical and echo Doppler data were retrospectively analyzed in 112 and 86 patients, respectively. Follow-up period was 31 months (21 to 38). Thirty-eight patients died; combined long-term cardiovascular events were identified in 68 patients. The 30-day mortality rate was 2.4% in patients with typical severe aortic stenosis (AS) and 3.3% in patients with LGSAS (p[1.0). Two-year survival rate was 77 ± 5% for the former (n[82) and 68 ± 8% for the latter (n[30; hazard ratio 1.4, 95% confidence interval 0.7 to 2.7 for LGSAS; p [ 0.3). Two-year cardiovascular event-free survival rates were 56.5 ± 5.0% and 48.4 ± 9.0%, respectively, (hazard ratio 1.4, 95% confidence interval 0.78 to 2.3 for LGSAS; p[0.25). Patients with typical severe AS (n [ 64) and those with LGSAS (n [ 23) demonstrated similar increases in left ventricular ejection fraction and stroke volume (7 ± 10% vs 6 ± 6% and p[0.67; 12 ± 22% vs 12 ± 16%, p[0.88, respectively) and reduction in systolic pulmonary artery pressure (5 ± 14 vs 5 ±9mm Hg, respectively, p [ 0.83). In conclusion, transcatheter aortic valve implantation appears to result in similar hemodynamic and long-term clinical outcomes for high-risk surgical patients with LGSAS as those with typical severe AS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The impact of age on baseline characteristics and outcomes in patients with severe aortic stenosis who undergo transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) has not been thoroughly investigated. To describe the baseline clinical profile of TAVI patients aged >85 and ≤85 years and to evaluate the influence of age differences on outcomes, we evaluated a consecutive cohort of 293 patients who underwent transfemoral TAVI at the Tel Aviv Medical Center. The cohort was divided into 2 groups: patients aged >85 years (n = 93) and patients aged ℸ85 years (n=200). Mean age was 83 - 5.3 years (range 63 to 98) for the entire cohort. Women comprised 70% of the older group and 57.5% of the younger age group (p = 0.043). Baseline clinical profile, including EuroSCORE index and preprocedural aortic valve area were similar in both age groups. Thirty-day mortality, major vascular complications, need for permanent pacemaker implantation, length of hospital stay, and improvement in functional class after the procedure showed no differences between the 2 groups. Adjustment for baseline clinical differences between groups did not change the results. In conclusion, among patients who underwent transfemoral TAVI, older patients (>85 years) experience similar benefits and outcomes regarding functional status, complication rates, and 30-day mortality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) frequently requires postprocedural permanent pacemaker (PPM) implantation. We evaluated clinical and hemodynamic impact of PPM after TAVI. Clinical and echocardiographic data were retrospectively analyzed in 230 consecutive patients who underwent TAVI and echocardiography at baseline and after 6 months. Echocardiographic parameters included left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF), left ventricular (LV) stroke volume, early mitral velocity/annulus velocity ratio (E/e0), right ventricular index of myocardial performance, systolic pulmonary artery pressure (SPAP), and aortic, mitral, and tricuspid regurgitation grades. Clinical outcomes included 2-year survival and cardiovascular and PPM-related event-free survival. The Medtronic CoreValve and Edwards Sapien prosthesis were used in 201 and 29 patients, respectively. PPM was required in 58 patients (25.4%). Two-year and event-free survival rates were similar between patients with and without PPM. At 6 months, patients with PPM demonstrated attenuated improvement in LVEF (-0.9 ± 8.7% vs 2.3 ± 10.8%, respectively, p = 0.03) and LV stroke volume (-2 ± 16 vs 4 ± 10 ml/m², respectively, p = 0.015), a trend toward smaller reduction in systolic pulmonary artery pressure (-1 ± 12 vs -6 ± 10 mm Hg, respectively, p = 0.09), and deterioration of right ventricular index of myocardial performance (-3 ± 17% vs 5 ± 26%, respectively, p = 0.05). The differences in post-TAVI aortic, mitral, and tricuspid regurgitation grades were insignificant. In conclusion, PPM implantation after TAVI is associated with reduced LVEF and impaired LV unloading. However, this unfavorable hemodynamic response does not affect the 2-year clinical outcome. The maintenance of clinical benefit appears to be driven by TAVI-related recovery of LV and right ventricular performance that mitigates unfavorable impact of PPM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Reflux of contrast medium into the inferior vena cava (IVC) is often detected on computerized tomographic pulmonary angiogram. The potential clinical implications and associated diagnoses of this finding have not been established. We investigated the prevalence and significance of reflux of contrast medium into the IVC in a large cohort of patients evaluated for possible pulmonary embolism (PE) by computerized tomographic pulmonary angiography. We retrospectively reviewed 1,065 consecutive computerized tomographic pulmonary angiographic examinations performed from January 1, 2007 through January 7, 2008 for the presence of reflux. Degree of reflux into the IVC and hepatic veins was graded from 1 (none) to 6 (severe). Patients'' charts were reviewed for diagnoses during the index hospitalization and for background diseases. These clinical data were correlated with the reflux grade. The final study included 967 computerized tomographic pulmonary angiographic scans of 367 men and 600 women (mean age 62 ± 20 years, range 17 to 103). Almost 1/2 (480, 49.6%) had grade 1, 310 (32.1%) had grades 2 to 3, and 177 (18.3%) had grades 4 to 6. Multivariate logistic regression found that pulmonary hypertension, history of congestive heart failure, chronic atrial fibrillation, and acute PE were associated with extensive reflux (grades 4 to 6) with odds ratios (95% confidence intervals) of 5.4 (3.0 to 9.9, p <0.001), 3.7 (2.3 to 6.1, p <0.001), 2.3 (1.0 to 5.3, p = 0.044), and 1.8 (1.2 to 2.9, p = 0.011), respectively. Interobserver agreement between the 2 readers for reflux grading was good (kappa = 0.77). In conclusion, extensive reflux of contrast medium into the IVC detected on computerized tomographic pulmonary angiogram may serve as a pathophysiologic marker of right heart dysfunction, specifically pulmonary hypertension, congestive heart failure, chronic atrial fibrillation, or PE. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Femoral artery pseudoaneurysm is a common complication associated with cardiac catheterization procedures. Ultrasound-based techniques (e.g., mechanical compression, thrombin injection) and open surgical intervention are frequently used in the management of pseudoaneurysm. The investigators report their prospective experience with a novel method for the treatment of pseudoaneurysm after cardiac catheterization using ultrasound-guided, para-aneurysmal injection of physiologic saline. Sixty-four consecutive patients with pseudoaneurysms after cardiac catheterization were treated using normal saline (0.9% sodium chloride 25 to 60 ml) injected into the tissue surrounding the tract connecting the pseudoaneurysm with the femoral artery, followed by manual pressure of short duration. In none of the patients was concomitant antithrombotic therapy (aspirin [n = 63], clopidogrel [n = 45], unfractionated or low-molecular-weight heparin [n = 23], and warfarin [n = 5]) discontinued during the closure attempt. Fifty-nine of the 64 pseudoaneurysms (92%) were successfully occluded using saline injection. In 5 patients in whom saline injection failed, the pseudoaneurysms were successfully treated with thrombin injection (n = 4) or ultrasound-guided compression (n = 1). In all 64 patients, pseudoaneurysm closure was confirmed by ultrasound at 24 hours. The procedure was very well tolerated by the patients, and no side effects or complications were noted. In conclusion, ultrasound-guided saline injection affords a simple, safe, and effective alternative treatment for the closure of postcatheterization pseudoaneurysms. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The aim of this study was to evaluate long-term (3.4 years) outcomes and predictors of clinical events in patients treated with sirolimus-eluting stents in the Israeli arm of the e-Cypher registry. From July 2002 to October 2003, 488 patients from 8 medical centers in Israel were enrolled in the e-Cypher registry. Nineteen patients with interventions in venous grafts were excluded from the final analysis. Long-term follow-up was completed for 98% of the remaining patients. There were 29 cases (6.3%) of death (3.9% cardiac and 2.4% noncardiac deaths). According to the broad academic research consortium definition of stent thrombosis, there were 19 cases (4%) of stent thrombosis (incidence density 0.9 cases/100 patient-years). There were 46 cases (9.9%) of target lesion revascularization and 76 cases (16.3%) of major adverse cardiac events (combination of death, myocardial infarction, and target lesion revascularization). Independent predictors of stent thrombosis were renal failure (hazard ratio 9.6, 95% confidence interval 1.9 to 47), stent length (hazard ratio 1.1, 95% confidence interval 1 to 1.2), and the off-label use of sirolimus-eluting stents (hazard ratio 5.3, 95% confidence interval 1.2 to 24). In conclusion, during >3 years of follow-up, stent thrombosis, major adverse cardiac events, and target lesion revascularization continued at constant rates over time. Clinical parameters such as renal failure and procedural parameters such as off-label use and stent length were independent predictors of stent thrombosis. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

This study compared the recently introduced cheaper and more accessible wide-range C-reactive protein (wr-CRP) with the commonly used high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) in patients undergoing coronary angiography. One hundred fifty-two consecutive patients who were admitted to a tertiary medical center and underwent angiography were included in the study. Arterial blood was obtained for the 2 assays at the beginning of angiography. A highly significant correlation (r = 0.983, p <0.001) was found between the 2 methods. This correlation was observed in different clinical scenarios and in different ranges of CRP. In conclusion, the real-time, online, and low-cost wr-CRP assay is a reasonable alternative to the Behring Dade hs-CRP method in the setting of stable and unstable coronary artery disease. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

QT interval prolongation is common in patients hospitalized with Takotsubo syndrome (TTS), however, only a minority experience ventricular tachyarrhythmias. Our aim was to characterize the electromechanical window (EMW) in patients with TTS and to evaluate its association with ventricular tachyarrhythmias. We preformed aretrospective analysis of 84 patients hospitalized with TTS in the Tel-Aviv Medical Center between 2013 and 2022. All patients underwent a comprehensive echocardiographic evaluation and the EMW was calculated by subtracting the QT interval from the QRS onset to the aortic valve closure obtained from a continuous-wave Doppler for the same beat. Of the 84 patients with TTS, 74 (88%) were female and the mean age was 70 ± 11 years. The mean left ventricular ejection fraction was 42 ± 8%. The EMW was negative in 81 patients (96%), and the mean EMW was -69 ± 50 ms. Ventricular tachyarrhythmias occurred in 7 patients (8%). The EMW of patients who experienced ventricular tachyarrhythmias was more negative than patients who did not (-133 ± 23 ms vs -63 ± 48 ms, p = 0.001). In the univariate analysis, EMW and QT were associated with ventricular tachyarrhythmias (univariate odds ratio [OR] EMW  1.03, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.01 to 1.05, p = 0.003 and univariate OR QTc  1.02, 95% CI 1.01 to 1.03, p = 0.02); however, only EMW remained significant in the multivariate analysis (OR EMW  1.03 95% CI 1.03 to 1.05, p = 0.023). EMW was more effective than corrected QT interval in identifying patients who had ventricular tachyarrhythmias (AUC EMW : 0.89, 95% CI 0.82 to 0.97 vs AUC QTc  0.77, 95% CI 0.61 to 0.93, p = 0.02), and a cut-off value of -108 ms was predictive of ventricular tachyarrhythmias with a sensitivity of 86% and a specificity of 79%. In conclusion, EMW is negative in patients with TTS and is associated with increased risk for ventricular tachyarrhythmias. The role of EMW in the risk stratification of patients with TTS warrants further investigation., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors have no competing interest to declare., (Copyright © 2023 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Coronary sinus narrowing device (reducer) implantation has emerged as an effective treatment to improve the quality of life and functional capacity in patients suffering from disabling refractory angina. Left ventricle global longitudinal strain (LV-GLS) is a useful tool for early diagnosis of subclinical cardiac injury and an independent predictor for coronary artery disease. We aimed to investigate whether LV-GLS could help predict clinical improvement after coronary sinus reducer implantation. LV-GLS assessments were performed at baseline and 6 months after reducer implantation in consecutive patients treated for refractory angina. Patients were divided into 2 groups based on reduced (<17% absolute value) or preserved baseline LV-GLS. Clinical improvement was defined as an increase of ≥25 m in the 6-minute walk test (6MWT) at follow-up. Overall, 41 patients were included, 31 in the reduced LV-GLS group and 10 in the preserved LV-GLS group. The mean age was 68 ± 8 years, with only 2 female patients (5%). Baseline characteristics did not differ significantly between the 2 groups. Univariable analysis revealed that LV-GLS was the only significant predictor for 6MWT improvement. Baseline preserved LV-GLS reduced the likelihood of 6MWT improvement by 82% (odds ratio 0.18 [0.04 to 0.83], p = 0.029). A significant increase in 6MWT (307 ± 97 m to 343 ± 92 m, p = 0.017) was observed in the reduced LV-GLS group, compared with a decrease in the preserved LV-GLS group (378 ± 86 m to 361 ± 123 m, p = 0.651). In conclusion, reduced LV-GLS may serve as a marker for potential clinical improvement in patients with refractory angina treated with reducer. Larger clinical trials are needed to establish its role., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors have no competing interests to declare., (Copyright © 2023 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Early recognition of deteriorating left ventricular function plays a key prognostic role in patients with aortic stenosis (AS). First-phase ejection fraction (EF1), the ejection fraction (EF) up to time of maximal contraction, has been suggested for detection of early left ventricular dysfunction in patients with AS with preserved EF. This work aims to evaluate the predictive value of EF1 for assessment of long-term survival in patients with symptomatic severe AS and preserved EF who undergo transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI). We included 102 consecutive patients (median age 84 years [interquartile range 80 to 86 years]) who underwent TAVI between 2009 and 2011. Patients were retrospectively stratified into tertiles by EF1. Device success and procedural complications were defined according to the Valve Academic Research Consortium-3 criteria. Mortality data were retrieved from a computerized interface of the Israeli Ministry of Health. Baseline characteristics, co-morbidities, clinical presentation, and echocardiographic findings were similar among groups. The groups did not differ significantly regarding device success and in-hospital complications. During a potential follow-up period of >10 years, 88 patients died. Kaplan-Meier analysis (log-rank p = 0.017) followed by multivariable Cox regression analysis showed that EF1 predicted long-term mortality independently, either as continuous variable (hazard ratio 1.04, 95% confidence interval 1.01 to 1.07, p = 0.012) or for each decrease in tertile group (hazard ratio 1.40, 95% confidence interval 1.05 to 1.86, p = 0.023). In conclusion, low EF1 is associated with a significant decrease in adjusted hazard for long-term survival in patients with preserved EF who undergo TAVI. Low EF1 might delineate a population at great risk who would benefit from prompt intervention., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors have no conflicts of interest to declare., (Copyright © 2023 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Limited and inconsistent data are present regarding the importance of the time delay between symptom onset and balloon inflation in ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) patients. We aimed to investigate the possible influence of prolonging pain-to-balloon times (PBT) on in-hospital outcomes and mortality in a large cohort of patients with STEMI undergoing primary percutaneous coronary intervention. We retrospectively studied 2,345 STEMI patients (age 61 ± 13 years, 82% men) who underwent primary percutaneous coronary intervention. Patients were stratified according to PBT into 3 groups: ≤120 minutes, 121 to 360 minutes, and >360 minutes. Patients' records were assessed for the occurrence of in-hospital complications, 30-day, and 1-year mortality. Of the 2,345 study patients, 36% had PBT time ≤120 minutes, 40% had PBT of 121 to 360 minutes and 24% had PBT time >360 minutes. The major part of the total PBT (average 358 minutes) was caused by the time interval from symptom onset to hospital arrival, namely, pain-to-door time (average 312 minutes) in all 3 groups. Longer PBT was associated with a lower left ventricular ejection fraction, higher incidence of in-hospital complications, and higher 30-day mortality. In 2 multivariate cox regression models, a per-hour increase in PBT (hazard ratio 1.03 [95% confidence interval 1.00 to 1.06], p = 0.039) as well as PBT >360 minutes (hazard ratio 1.6 [95% confidence interval 1.1 to 2.5], p = 0.04) were both independently associated with an increased risk for 1-year mortality. In conclusion, PBT may be an accurate and independent marker for adverse events, pointing to the importance of coronary reperfusion as early as possible based on the onset of pain., Competing Interests: Disclosures The authors have no conflicts of interest to declare., (Copyright © 2021 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Current risk models have only limited accuracy in predicting transcatheter aortic valve Implantation (TAVI) outcomes and there is a paucity of clinical variables to guide patient management after the procedure. The prognostic impact of elevated left ventricular end-diastolic pressure (LVEDP) in TAVI patients is unknown. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the prognostic value of after-procedural LVEDP in patients who undewent TAVI. Consecutive patients with severe symptomatic aortic stenosis who undewent TAVI were divided into 2 groups according to after-procedural LVEDP above and below or equal 12 mm Hg. Collected data included baseline clinical, laboratory and echocardiographic variables. We evaluated the impact of elevated vs. normal LVEDP on in-hospital outcomes, short- and long-term mortality. Eight hundred forty-five patients were included in the study with complete in-hospital and late mortality data available for all survivors (median follow-up 29.5 months [IQR 16.5 to 48.0]). The mean age (±SD) was 82.3±6.2 years and mean Society of Thoracic Surgery score was 4.0%±3.0%. Patients with LVEDP>12 mm Hg (n = 591, 70%) and LVEDP≤12 mm Hg (n = 254, 30%) had a 6-months mortality rate of 6.8% and 2%, respectively (P=0.004) and a 1-year mortality rate of 10.1% vs 4.9%, respectively (p = 0.017). By multivariable analysis, after-procedural LVEDP>12 mm Hg was independently associated with all-cause mortality (HR 2.45, 95% CI 1.58 to 3.76, p <0.001) during long-term follow-up. In conclusion, elevated after-procedural LVEDP in patients who undewent TAVI is an independent predictor of mortality following TAVI. Further research regarding the use of LVEDP as a tool for after-procedural medical management is warranted., Competing Interests: Disclosures Ariel Finkelstein reports receiving consultation fees from Medtronic and Edwards Lifesciences. Amir Halkin reports receiving consultation fees from Abbott Laboratories and Boston Scientific. All other authors have no conflict of interests to declare., (Copyright © 2021 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

In light of recent studies describing the antibacterial properties of ticagrelor, the association between treatment with ticagrelor and subsequent risk for infection following acute coronary syndrome (ACS) is taking on increased importance. A single center, retrospective, matched cohort analysis was performed. All patients older than 30 years of age admitted between January 1, 2013 and November 1, 2019 for an ACS and discharged with dual antiplatelet therapy (DAPT) were included. The primary outcome was defined as hospital admissions due to infections likely caused by gram-positive bacteria up to 1 year following the ACS hospitalization. The base cohort included 3,909 patients. About 2,035 (52.1%) were treated with ticagrelor and 1,874 (47.9%) with clopidogrel. Patients treated with ticagrelor had a 64% lower risk of gram-positive infection during the first year following hospitalization after adjusting for demographic and co-morbidity factors compared with those treated with clopidogrel (hazard ratio [HR], 0.36; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.21 to 0.61; p <0.001). In a cohort starting from 1 year (conclusion of DAPT period) and up to 3 years following ACS hospitalization, the risk of gram-positive infection was comparable in both groups (HR, 0.70; 95% CI, 0.41 to 1.19; p = 0.182). Treatment with ticagrelor was not associated with a reduced risk of gram-negative infections (HR, 0.48; 95% CI, 0.21 to 1.06; p = 0.07). In conclusion, DAPT regimen that includes aspirin and ticagrelor is associated with reduced risk of gram-positive infection compared with the combination of aspirin and clopidogrel., (Copyright © 2020 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

The coronary sinus reducer (CSR) has been introduced as therapy for patients with refractory angina with no other treatment options. Aim of this study is to investigate the efficacy of the CSR in patients with refractory angina and presence of coronary chronic total occlusions (CTO). In this multicentre, international retrospective study, patients undergoing CSR implantation were screened and divided in 2 groups according to the presence/absence of CTO lesions. Baseline and clinical characteristics were analyzed in the 2 groups. Primary-outcome consisted of the variation in Canadian Cardiovascular Society (CCS) class at 6-month follow-up. Between January 2014 and December 2018, 205 patients with refractory angina were consecutively treated with the study device in the participating centers, 103 (50.2%) of which had a CTO lesion at coronary angiogram and formed the CTO-group. Baseline characteristics of the study population were well balanced between the 2 groups. CSR was successfully implanted in all cases. Baseline CCS class was 3  ±  0.5 in the CTO-group versus 3.1  ±  0.6 in the non-CTO group (p = 0.45), and improved at follow-up to 1.6  ±  0.9 versus 2  ±  1.1 respectively (p <0.01), with a significantly higher improvement in CCS class in the CTO-group (1.4  ±  0.9 vs 1.1  ±  1 respectively, p = 0.01). Any improvement in CCS class was registered in 79 (80.6%) CTO-patients, while a significantly lower percentage (65 patients, 66.3%) of the non-CTO patients reported benefits in CCS class (p = 0.03). In conclusions, patients suffering from refractory angina with non-revascularized CTO lesions have a better response to CSR implantation than patients without CTOs. CSR implantation should be considered a valid complementary therapy to CTO-PCI in these patients., Competing Interests: Conflict of Interests The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2020 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Treatment of bifurcation lesions is technically challenging and has been associated with an increased risk of adverse events. We sought to evaluate the clinical and angiographic outcomes of patients who underwent bifurcation lesion provisional treatment in the BioNIR Ridaforolimus Eluting Coronary Stent System in Coronary Stenosis trial. A prospective, multicenter, 1:1 randomized trial was conducted to evaluate the safety and efficacy of ridaforolimus-eluting stents (RES) versus zotarolimus-eluting stents (ZES). Enrollment of bifurcation lesions treated with a provisional 1-stent technique was allowed. Bifurcation lesions were analyzed by an angiographic core laboratory. Outcomes were analyzed according to the presence of a bifurcation lesion treatment. Study population included 686 (35.8%) patients with and 1,228 (64.2%) patients without bifurcation lesion treatment. Procedural success was high and similar between groups. In 2 years, there was no difference in the rate of target lesion failure between the bifurcation and nonbifurcation groups (7.6% vs 7.3%, respectively, p = 0.81) regardless of the presence of side branch stenosis ≥50%. In 159 patients with angiographic follow-up, there was no difference in the rate of binary restenosis between groups (9.0% vs 9.2%, p = 0.96). Rates of target lesion failure at 1-year were similar with ZES and RES, and consistent in patients with and without bifurcation lesions (p interaction  = 0.61). In conclusion, patients with bifurcation lesions treated and a provisional strategy experienced similar outcomes as those with nonbifurcation lesions. RES performed as well as ZES in bifurcation and nonbifurcation lesions., (Copyright © 2020 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Increased inflammatory response after aortic valve replacement is linked to higher postprocedural mortality. The aim of the present analysis was to assess the impact of baseline statin therapy on procedural outcomes and mortality after transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI). We performed a retrospective analysis on patients who underwent TAVI stratified to 3 statin therapy groups: high-intensity statin (HIS), low-medium intensity statins, and no statin. Included were 1,238 patients. Patients treated with HIS were significantly younger, had higher body mass index, lower Society of Thoracic Surgeons score, and higher prevalence of dyslipidemia, hypertension, past stroke, and ischemic heart disease. Procedural outcomes were similar between groups. There were no statistically significant short-term mortality differences at 1 month (2.2% vs 2.1% vs 3.5%, p = 0.50) and 1 year (6.9% vs 9.3% vs 14.2%, p = 0.15), albeit the observed numerical trend. As for long-term mortality (median follow time of 2.5 years, interquartile range 1.3 to 4.2), lower mortality rates were observed in the HIS group (14.5% vs 25.2% vs 36.6%, p = 0.001). Compared with no statin, the HIS group was significantly associated with reduced risk of long-term mortality in multivariate analysis (hazard ratio = 0.59, 95% CI 0.37 to 0.96, p = 0.03). Baseline HIS therapy is associated with reduced rates of long-term morality after TAVI., (Copyright © 2019 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Although the natural history of aortic stenosis (AS) depends on the severity of symptoms, the prognostic significance of AS clinical progression in patients who underwent aortic valve replacement is less clear. Here, we studied the correlation between the severity of AS presenting symptoms and survival after transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI). We evaluated long-term survival of a consecutive cohort of severe AS patients (n = 862, mean Society of Thoracic Surgeons score 4.16 ± 2.9) who underwent transfemoral TAVI from 2009 to 2016. Patients were classified as having severe symptoms (i.e., angina, syncope, or heart failure, n = 424) or mild symptoms (i.e., dizziness, fatigue, effort dyspnea, chest discomfort, n = 438). No differences in device success nor in-hospital complications were found between groups. During a median follow-up of 2.84 (1.9 to 4.5) years, survival at 1, 3, and 5 years in the entire cohort, was 89% ± 1.1%, 75% ± 1.6%, and 59% ± 2.1%, respectively. Severe symptoms were associated with higher mortality (hazard ratio 1.54, 95% confidence intervals 1.230 to 1.939, p <0.001). The 1-, 3-, and 5-year survival was 94% ± 1.9%, 81% ± 3.3%, and 71% ± 4.3% in patients with angina, 92% ± 3.3%, 75% ± 5.6%, and 56% ± 8.2% in patients with syncope and 77% ± 3%, 54% ± 3.7%, and 41% ± 4.1% in patients with heart failure, respectively, (p <0.001). Heart failure symptoms emerged as independent predictor of mortality (hazard ratio 1.66, 1.28 to 2.17, p <0.001), regardless of left ventricular ejection fraction. The severity of AS symptoms affects survival after TAVI and overt heart failure independently predicts early mortality. Early intervention after diagnosis of severe AS is crucial to reduce the unfavorable effects of clinical progression on survival after TAVI., (Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Referral of low surgical risk (LSR) patients for transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) becomes common in multiple tertiary centers, and clinical trial data for this population are not available to date. We performed a retrospective analysis on an Israeli multicenter registry. LSR and intermediate-high surgical risk (I-HSR) were defined by a Society of Thoracic Surgery score of <4% and ≥4%, respectively. The cohort included 2336 patients (LSR n = 1198, I-HLR n = 1138). As compared with LSR, patients with I-HSR were older and had significantly higher rates of baseline comorbidities. Although devices success rates (94% vs 96%), paravalvular leak (3.5% vs 5.2%), and permanent pacemaker implantation (17.2 vs 18%) were comparable (p >0.05 for all comparisons), the safety outcome at 1 month (12.7% vs 9.8%), procedural mortality (1.9% vs 0.6%), and mortality at 3 years (30.1% vs 16.1%) were higher in patients with I-HSR (p <0.05 for all comparisons). In a subanalysis of patients with very LSR, comparable rates of device success and safety outcomes were observed, whereas mortality at 1 to 3 years was lower. In conclusion, although procedural outcomes were comparable between LSR and I-HSR TAVI patients, the rates of short- and long-term mortality, as well as the safety outcome, were lower in LSR patients., (Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier Inc.)

Our aim was to evaluate the mortality rate and occurrence of complications in patients aged <75 versus ≥75 years with ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI). We studied 1,657 consecutive patients with STEMI hospitalized in the cardiac intensive care unit during 2008 to 2014. All patients underwent primary percutaneous intervention, of which 292 (18%) were aged ≥75 years. Patient records were evaluated for in-hospital complications, 30-day mortality, and long-term mortality over a mean period of 3.4 ± 2.1 years. Compared with younger patients, patients aged ≥75 years had a significantly higher rate of coronary disease risk factors, prolonged symptom duration (512 ± 640 vs 333 ± 545 minutes, p <0.01) and door-to-balloon time (51.1 ± 24 vs 45.6 ± 38, p = 0.02). Patients aged ≥75 years had more in-hospital noncardiac and cardiac complications, including cardiogenic shock and arrhythmia, and had higher 30-day and long-term mortalities. Cardiogenic shock was associated with increased short- and long-term mortality in the older group but was not incremental over the noncardiogenic shock cohort. In conclusion, in patients aged ≥75 years who underwent primary percutaneous intervention for STEMI, the short- and long-term mortality rate was greater than fourfold higher compared with younger patients., (Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

New generation of the most widely used devices for transcatheter aortic valve implantation have been recently introduced into practice. We compare the short-term outcomes of transcatheter aortic valve implantation with the Edwards SAPIEN S3 and the Medtronic Evolut-R. We performed a retrospective analysis from a single high-volume tertiary center. Valve Academic Research Consortium-2 criteria were used to define composite end points of device success and safety at 30 days. Study population included 232 patients implanted with the SAPIEN S3 (n = 124) and Evolut-R (n = 108). Device success reached 91.9% and 95.4% in the SAPIEN S3 and Evolut-R groups, respectively (p = 0.289). Postprocedural echocardiography showed greater aortic valve gradients (22.8 ± 7 vs 16 ± 9 mm Hg, p <0.001) among SAPIEN S3 group. Paravalvular leak of ≥ moderate severity was observed in 2.4% and 0% in the SAPIEN S3 and Evolut-R groups, respectively (p = 0.251). Similar rates of in-hospital complications, including major bleedings, vascular complications, and pacemaker implantations were recorded in both groups. At 30-day follow-up, the combined safety end point was reached in 5.6% and in 6.5% of patients in the SAPIEN S3 and Evolut-R groups, respectively (p = 0.790). During follow-up of 237 ± 138 days, all-cause mortality was higher in patients implanted with Evolut-R compared with SAPIEN S3 (7 vs 1 cases, respectively, p = 0.006), however, cardiovascular mortality was not significantly different between groups. In conclusions, in a single-center comparative analysis, comparable rate of device success as well as safety profile and long-term cardiovascular mortality were observed with the SAPIEN S3 and Evolut-R valves., (Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Surgical aortic valve replacement (SAVR) is associated with an increased mortality risk in elderly or high-risk patients. Transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) is an alternative to surgery in patients with symptomatic severe aortic stenosis who are inoperable or at high operative risk. The impact of diabetes mellitus (DM) on patients referred to TAVI merits further investigation. The aim of our study was to evaluate the clinical characteristics and the impact of DM status on the updated Valve Academic Research Consortium 2-defined outcomes of TAVI and to stratify patient outcomes according to their initial glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) levels. We enrolled and stratified patients who underwent TAVI at our institution according to DM status. A total of 586 patients were enrolled: 348 (59%) without DM and 238 (41%) with DM. There were no significant differences in 30-day mortality patients with diabetes compared to patients without diabetes (3.3% vs 2.9%, p = 0.974). Insulin-treated DM was not associated with adverse outcome in comparison to orally treated DM. To delineate the prognostic power of HbA1C in these patients, the cohort was divided into 3 groups according to HbA1C levels (<5.7%, 5.7% to 6.49%, and ≥6.5%). Patients with HbA1C ≥6.5% were at increased risk for mortality during follow-up (hazard ratio 2.571, 95% confidence interval 1.077 to 6.136, p = 0.033) compared to patients with HbA1C <5.7%. In conclusion, unlike SAVR, DM is not associated with an increased mortality risk after TAVI, nor is it associated with increased complications rates. A more poorly controlled disease, as manifested by elevated HbA1c levels, may be associated with increased mortality during long-term follow-up., (Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)