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Objectives This study aimed to compare differences in patient characteristics and clinical outcomes of nonagenarians undergoing transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) versus patients younger than 90 years of age and to test the predictive accuracy of the logistic EuroSCORE (European System for Cardiac Operative Risk Evaluation), the EuroSCORE II, and the STS-PROM (Society of Thoracic Surgeons Predicted Risk of Mortality) for mortality after TAVR in nonagenarians. Background The prevalence of severe aortic valve stenosis is increasing due to the rising life expectancy. However, there are limited data evaluating outcomes in patients older than 90 years of age. Moreover, the predictive accuracy of risk scores for mortality has not been evaluated in nonagenarian patients undergoing transfemoral TAVR. Methods The CENTER (Cerebrovascular EveNts in Patients Undergoing TranscathetER Aortic Valve Implantation) collaboration (N = 12,381) is an international collaboration consisting of 3 national registries, 6 local or multicenter registries, and 1 prospective clinical study, selected through a systematic online search. The primary endpoint of this study was the difference in 30-day all-cause mortality and stroke after TAVR in nonagenarians versus patients younger than 90 years of age. Secondary endpoints included differences in baseline characteristics, in-hospital outcomes, and the differences in predictive accuracy of the logistic EuroSCORE, the EuroSCORE II, and STS-PROM. Results A total of 882 nonagenarians and 11,499 patients younger than 90 years of age undergoing transfemoral TAVR between 2007 and 2018 were included. Nonagenarians had considerably fewer comorbidities than their counterparts. Nevertheless, rates of 30-day mortality (9.9% vs. 5.4%; relative risk [RR]: 1.8; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.4 to 2.3; p = 0.001), in-hospital stroke (3.0% vs. 1.9%; RR: 1.5; 95% CI: 1.0 to 2.3; p = 0.04), major or life-threatening bleeding (8.1% vs. 5.5%; RR: 1.6; 95% CI: 1.1 to 2.2; p = 0.004), and new-onset atrial fibrillation (7.9% vs. 5.2%; RR: 1.6; 95% CI: 1.1 to 2.2; p = 0.01) were higher in nonagenarians. The STS-PROM adequately estimated mortality in nonagenarians, with an observed-expected mortality ratio of 1.0. Conclusions In this large, global, patient-level analysis, mortality after transfemoral TAVR was 2-fold higher in nonagenarians compared with patients younger than 90 years of age, despite the lower prevalence of baseline comorbidities. Moreover, nonagenarians had a higher risk of in-hospital stroke, major or life-threatening bleeding, and new-onset atrial fibrillation. The STS-PROM was the only surgical risk score that accurately predicted the risk of mortality in nonagenarians.

Background Previous evidence suggests that acute treatment with statins reduce atherosclerotic complications, including periprocedural myocardial infarction, but currently, there are no large, adequately powered studies to define the effects of early, high-dose statins in patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS) and planned invasive management. Objectives The main goal of Statins Evaluation in Coronary procedUres and REvascularization (SECURE-PCI) Trial is to determine whether the early use of a loading dose of 80 mg of atorvastatin before an intended percutaneous coronary intervention followed by an additional dose of 80 mg 24 hours after the procedure will be able to reduce the rates of major cardiovascular events at 30 days in patients with an ACS. Design The SECURE-PCI study is a pragmatic, multicenter, double-blind, placebo-controlled randomized trial planned to enroll around 4,200 patients in 58 different sites in Brazil. The primary outcome is the rate of major cardiovascular events at 30 days defined as a composite of all-cause mortality, nonfatal acute myocardial infarction, nonfatal stroke, and coronary revascularization. Summary The SECURE PCI is a large randomized trial testing a strategy of early, high-dose statin in patients with ACS and will provide important information about the acute treatment of this patient population.

Background Severe stenosis of the proximal left anterior descending artery (LAD) is classified as a high-risk lesion, as it may affect a large part of the left ventricular myocardium. Second-generation drug-eluting stents (DES) have been shown to be more effective and safer when compared to bare-metal or first-generation ones. There are few reports in the literature on the use of these devices for the treatment of isolated lesions in the proximal LAD. Methods Observational and prospective study, which included single-vessel patients with de novo lesions in the proximal LAD, electively treated with second-generation DES. In-hospital and late clinical outcomes were evaluated. Results Seventy patients were included, most of them males (70%), with a mean age of 65.4 ± 11.2 years and a high prevalence of diabetes (37%). The most common clinical presentation was stable angina (57.1%) and half of the lesions were type B2 or C. A total of 70 lesions were treated with 71 stents, with 100% angiographic success. The primary endpoint, consisting of cardiac death, nonfatal infarction, or target-vessel revascularization during the 2.5-year clinical follow-up, occurred in 3% of the patients. Cardiac death was 1.5%, and target-lesion revascularization was required in only 1.5% of the patients. Conclusions Elective treatment with second-generation DES seems to be a safe option in single-vessel patients with de novo lesions in the proximal LAD, with low rates of adverse cardiac events or need for additional revascularization procedure.

RESUMO Introducao A estenose grave do terco proximal da arteria descendente anterior (ADA) e classificada como lesao de alto risco, visto que pode comprometer grande parte do miocardio ventricular esquerdo. Os stents farmacologicos (SF) de segunda geracao tem demonstrado maior eficacia e seguranca quando comparados aos nao farmacologicos ou aos de primeira geracao. Sao escassos os relatos na literatura do emprego desses dispositivos para o tratamento de lesoes isoladas do terco proximal da ADA. Metodos Estudo observacional e prospectivo, que incluiu pacientes uniarteriais, portadores de lesao de novo no terco proximal da ADA, tratados eletivamente com SF de segunda geracao. Avaliamos os desfechos clinicos hospitalares e tardios. Resultados Foram incluidos 70 pacientes, sendo a maioria do sexo masculino (70%), com media de idades de 65,4 ± 11,2 anos e com alta prevalencia de diabetes (37%). O quadro clinico mais frequente foi angina estavel (57,1%) e metade das lesoes era do tipo B2 ou C. Foram tratadas 70 lesoes com 71 stents, com sucesso angiografico de 100%. O desfecho primario composto por obito cardiaco, infarto nao fatal ou revascularizacao do vaso alvo no seguimento clinico de 2,5 anos ocorreu em 3% dos pacientes. A mortalidade cardiaca foi de 1,5%, e a revascularizacao da lesao alvo foi necessaria em apenas 1,5% dos pacientes. Conclusoes Em pacientes uniarteriais com lesoes de novo da ADA proximal, o tratamento eletivo com SF de segunda geracao parece ser uma opcao segura, com baixas taxas de eventos cardiacos adversos ou necessidade de nova revascularizacao.

The aim of this study is to evaluate the predictors of permanent pacemaker (PPM) implantation after TAVI.Between January 2008 and February 2012, 418 patients with severe aortic stenosis underwent TAVI and were enrolled in a Brazilian multicenter registry. After excluding patients who died during the procedure and those with a previous PPM, 353 patients were included in the analysis.At 30 days, the overall incidence of PPM implantation was 25.2%. Patients requiring PPM were more likely to be older (82.73 vs. 81.10 years, p=0.07), have pre-dilation (68.42% vs. 60.07%, p=0.15), receive CoreValve (93.68% vs. 82.55%, p=0.008), and have baseline right bundle branch block (RBBB, 25.26% vs. 6.58%, p0.001). On multivariable analysis, CoreValve vs. Sapien XT (OR, 4.24; 95% CI, 1.56-11.49; p=0.005), baseline RBBB (OR, 4.41; 95% CI, 2.20-8.82; p0.001), and balloon pre-dilatation (OR, 1.75; 95% CI, 1.02-3.02; p=0.04) were independent predictors of PPM implantation.PPM implantation occurred in approximately one-fourth of cases. Pre-existing RBBB, balloon pre-dilatation, and CoreValve use were independent predictors of PPM after TAVI. The type of prosthesis used and pre-balloon dilatation should be considered in TAVI candidates with baseline RBBB.

Most cases of pulmonary arteriovenous malformations occur in patients with hereditary hemorrhagic telangiectasia. It is a rare disease that may present with stroke-like symptoms in young patients. With the development of occlusion devices, percutaneous embolization has become the treatment of choice. We report a case of a 33 year-old man with a history of multiple strokes, cyanosis, dyspnea, recurrent epistaxis and high flow pulmonary fistulae who was submitted to percutaneous embolization. The patient improved clinically and has had no recurring symptoms in the 30-month follow-up.

INTRODUÇÃO: Um terço da população idosa portadora de estenose aórtica calcificada sintomática não apresenta condições cirúrgicas em decorrência do elevado risco operatório. O implante valvar aórtico transcateter (IVAT) surgiu como uma alternativa terapêutica para esses pacientes. MÉTODOS: Incluímos, no período de novembro de 2008 a abril de 2012, todos os pacientes submetidos a IVAT em nosso serviço. Relatamos as características clínicas basais, os dados dos procedimentos, os resultados hospitalares e o seguimento clínico dessa população. As definições utilizadas foram baseadas nos critérios do Valve Academic Research Consortium. RESULTADOS: O IVAT foi realizado em 23 pacientes, com 79 ± 6,7 anos de idade, 56% do sexo feminino. O EuroSCORE foi de 20,4 ± 11,1%. A prótese CoreValve® foi utilizada em 19 pacientes (82,6%) e a Edwards SAPIEN TM nos demais. A taxa de sucesso do procedimento foi de 96%. O tempo médio de seguimento clínico foi de 22 ± 12,8 meses, observando-se 6 óbitos (26,1%) nesse período, 3 dos quais ocorreram nos primeiros 30 dias (13%) e outros 2 (21,7%), até o final do primeiro ano. Um paciente apresentou ataque isquêmico transitório na fase hospitalar (4,3%), mas não ocorreram episódios de acidente vascular encefálico ou de infarto do miocárdio no período periprocedimento ou no acompanhamento tardio. O desfecho combinado de segurança aos 30 dias ocorreu em 5 pacientes (21,7%) e o desfecho combinado de eficácia aos 12 meses foi de 78,3%. CONCLUSÕES: Os resultados obtidos neste estudo demonstram o IVAT como procedimento atrativo para o tratamento de pacientes portadores de estenose aórtica calcificada de alto risco cirúrgico.

BACKGROUNDDrug-eluting stents have been used since 2002 in different patient populations aiming to achieve high success rates with low clinical and angiographic restenosis rates. With the late thrombosis adverse events associated to the first generation sirolimus and paclitaxel-eluting stents, second-generation everolimus and zotarolimus-eluting stents has been recently developed.METHODSThe POLAR registry is a prospective, non-randomized, multicenter study, which included 988 patients, totaling 1,362 lesions treated with the everolimus-eluting stent Promus®. In order to represent the clinical practice, almost all subtypes of patients and lesions were included in this registry. Clinical follow-up was planned to be performed 1, 6, 12 and 24 months after the procedure.RESULTSMost patients were male (69.8%), with mean age of 64.9±9.4years, 35.2% were diabetics and 55% had been treated for acute coronary syndrome. Vessel diameter was 2.95±0.43mm and lesion extension was 20.5±5.6mm. A total of 1.14±0.38 stent/patient were implanted and the procedural success rate was 96.6%. Major adverse cardiac events occurred in 4.5% of patients, and stent thrombosis was observed in 5 patients (0.5%) after a clinical follow-up of 12 months.CONCLUSIONSThe present registry suggests that everolimus-eluting stents are safe and effective in daily clinical practice patients, with a low rate of major adverse cardiac events at the end of the first year of follow-up.

BackgroundTransfemoral access is the preferred approach for transcatheter aortic valve implantation. However, some situations, such as the presence of peripheral vascular disease, preclude the use of such access. In these cases, subclavian access is an alternative approach for this procedure. This study aimed at evaluating the Brazilian experience using the subclavian approach for transcatheter CoreValve® prosthesis implantation.MethodsAortic valve area

Objectives The purpose of this pilot study was to evaluate the feasibility and safety of transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) without balloon pre-dilation. Background Balloon pre-dilation of the stenosed aortic valve is currently believed to be a necessary step for valve preparation before device placement in patients undergoing TAVI and, therefore, is considered an obligatory part of the procedure. However, clear evidence supporting this policy is lacking. In contrast, pre-dilation might be responsible in part for distal embolizations as well as atrioventricular conduction disturbances seen during TAVI procedures. Methods A total of 60 consecutive patients (mean age 80.1 ± 6.4 years, 53% female, mean logistic EuroScore 23.3 ± 15.2%) undergoing TAVI using the self-expanding Medtronic CoreValve prosthesis (Medtronic, Minneapolis, Minnesota) have been prospectively enrolled at 13 international centers. Results Pre-procedural mean transaortic valve gradient was 47.8 ± 15.5 mm Hg, mean effective orifice area was 0.67 ± 0.15 cm 2 . Technical success rate was 96.7% (58 of 60) of patients. Post-dilation was performed in 16.7% (10 of 60) of patients. Post-procedural mean valve gradient was 4.4 ± 2.0 mm Hg. Circular and noncircular valve configuration was present in 41 and 19 cases (68.3% vs. 31.7%), respectively, with similar effective orifice areas (1.74 ± 0.10 cm 2 vs. 1.71 ± 0.22 cm 2 , p = NS). In-hospital mortality, myocardial infarction, stroke, and major vascular complications occurred in 6.7% (4 of 60), 0%, 5%, and 10% of patients. There was no valve embolization. New permanent pacing was needed in 11.7% (7 of 60) of patients. Conclusions Transcatheter aortic valve implantation without balloon pre-dilation is feasible and safe, resulting in similar acute safety and efficacy as the current standard approach of TAVI with pre-dilation.

Balloon post-dilatation (BPD) is needed for optimizing transcatheter heart valve (THV) implantation, since paravalvular leak (PVL) after transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) is associated with poor outcome and mortality. Quantitative assessment of PVL severity before and after BPD is

INTRODUÇÃO: A via radial é objeto de interesse crescente para procedimentos diagnósticos e terapêuticos, por possuir diversas vantagens, como comodidade para o paciente no pós-procedimento imediato, diminuição do tempo de internação com consequente redução dos custos hospitalares e menor índice de complicações no sítio de punção, quando comparada à via femoral. MÉTODO: Realizada análise retrospectiva de 2.027 pacientes consecutivos submetidos a intervenção coronária percutânea eletiva no período de junho de 2006 a janeiro de 2008. Comparamos os pacientes tratados pelas vias radial e femoral (grupos VR e VF, respectivamente) em relação a características clínicas, angiográficas e do procedimento, e evolução tanto hospitalar como tardia. RESULTADOS: Angioplastia coronária por via radial foi realizada em 27% dos pacientes. O grupo VR mostrou maior número de pacientes do sexo masculino (75% vs. 63,8%; P < 0,001) e com lesões uniarteriais (45,1% vs. 37,3%; P < 0,001). Não encontramos diferença em relação a disfunção do ventrículo esquerdo, tipo de lesão tratada ou uso de inibidor da glicoproteína IIb/IIIa. O sucesso angiográfico foi maior na via radial (99% vs. 97,3%; P = 0,046). Houve menor número de eventos cardíacos adversos maiores com a via radial nas fases tanto hospitalar (0,7% vs. 2%; P = 0,043) como tardia (11,3% vs. 16,3%; P < 0,005), em virtude da menor complexidade clínica e angiográfica dos pacientes. CONCLUSÃO: A técnica radial, na curva inicial de aprendizado dos operadores e em pacientes selecionados, mostrou excelentes resultados clínicos quando comparada à femoral. Sua incorporação à prática clínica poderá ser uma opção adicional na abordagem de pacientes com perfil mais complexo.

Percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) is associated with an increase in inflammatory activity. However, little is known about the association between the inflammatory response post-PCI and plaque morphology. The objective of this study was to characterize the inflammatory response following coronary stent implantation (CSI) of stable atherosclerotic plaques, according to plaque morphology.The study population consisted of 62 patients with stable angina that had an elective indication of CSI. Immediately before CSI, the patients underwent intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) for determination of the predominant plaque morphology of the target lesion: calcified (C, n=15), fibrocalcified (FC, n=16), fibrolipidic (FL, n=16), or lipidic (L, n=15). Angiographic lesion types were also determined. Coronary sinus samples were collected at baseline (BL) and 15 min after CSI for measuring inflammatory mediators (IM): interleukin-6 (IL-6, in pg/ml), tumoral necrosis factor-alpha (TNF, in pg/ml), interferon-gamma (IFN, in IU/ml), and neopterin (N, in ng/ml).BL IL-6, TNF, IFN, and N were, respectively, for C plaques (mean+/-S.D.): 1.3+/-3.0, 8.0+/-3.5, 0.1+/-0.2, and 3.2+/-0.8; for FC plaques: 6.7+/-3.3, 1.9+/-2.0, 0.1+/-0.1, and 3.8+/-2.0; for FL plaques: 0.7+/-0.9, 8.7+/-4.3, 0.1+/-0.2, and 4.0+/-2.4; and, for L plaques: 1.9+/-2.8, 0.9+/-1.4, 0.0+/-0.1, and 5.2+/-3.3. After 15 min of CSI, percentual changes of IL-6, TNF, IFN, and N, respectively, were for C plaques: 43.8+/-19.6%, 7.7+/-5.5%, -7.5+/-5.3%, and -20.0+/-11.2%; for FC plaques: 7.7+/-5.5%, 168.4+/-56.9%, 311.1+/-159.9%, and 0%; for FL plaques: 147.5+/-16.1%*, 714.3+/-34.4%*, 116.1+/-9.9%*, and 3000.0+/-230.0%*; and, for L plaques: 147.7+/-14.4%*, 140.3+/-15.0%*, 131.6+/-11.9%*, and 2300.0+/-25.9%*. Moreover, B1 (n=28) and B2 (n=32) predominated and resulted in significant changes only for IL-6 and IFN, respectively. *P0.05: 15 min vs BL.These data suggest that stable angina patients with predominant lipidic (L and FL) plaques present a greater inflammatory response after CSI in than those with predominant calcified (C and FC) plaques.

This is the report on a 77-year-old female patient on antihistaminic associated to pseudoephedrin to treat an allergy condition in upper airways. The patient was admitted to the Emergency Unit with acute myocardial infarction and ST segment elevation in the antero-lateral wall. Cardiac catheterism showed tortuous coronaries, no obstructive lesions, and baseline hypercontractility associated to antero-apical akinesia on left ventriculography. As a result of repeated pericardial strokes, the patient was submitted to pleuro-pericardial drainage. Rheumatological causes were ruled out. The patient was discharged after 30 days in good clinical conditions.

Background Patients with degenerative aortic stenosis (AS) referred for transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) typically have advanced cardiac and vascular adverse remodeling and multiple comorbidities and, therefore, might not recover a normal functional capacity after valve replacement. We sought to investigate the prevalence, the predictors, and the prognostic impact of residual impairment of functional capacity after TAVI. Methods and results Out of 790 patients undergoing TAVI with impaired functional capacity (NYHA II–IV) at baseline, NYHA functional class improved in 592 (86.5%) and remained unchanged/worsened in 92 (13.5%) at follow-up [median (IQR): 419 (208–807) days] after TAVI. Normal functional capacity (NYHA I) was recovered in 65.5% (n = 448) of patients, while the rest had variable degrees of residual impairment. On multivariable regression analysis, atrial fibrillation [odds ratio-OR, 2.08 (1.21–3.58), p = 0.008], low-flow–low-gradient AS [OR, 1.97 (1.09–3.57), p = 0.026], chronic obstructive pulmonary disease [OR, 1.92 (1.19–3.12), p = 0.008], and lower hemoglobin at baseline [OR, 1.11 (1.01–1.21) for each g% decrement, p = 0.036] were independently associated with residual impairment of functional capacity. All-cause and cardiac mortality were significantly higher in those with residual impairment of functional capacity than in those in NYHA I class [hazard ratio-HR: 2.37 (95% CI: 1.51–3.72), p

Stent thrombosis (ST) is an infrequent event following 2nd generation drug-eluting stents (DES); however, its occurrence may be catastrophic. Our objective was to report the incidence of ST in a large population treated with Endeavor zotarolimus-eluting stents (E-ZES) and randomized to short- (3

Transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) has been established as a standard treatment in inoperable and high-risk elderly pts with severe aortic stenosis. However, there is no data thus far assessing the safety and the efficacy of TAVI in pts older than 90 years. We therefore sought to

Previous studies have suggested that short-term dual antiplatelet therapy (DAPT) (3-6 months) is non-inferior to long term therapy (≥12 months) in patients treated with new generation drug-eluting stents in daily practice. However, the very long-term follow-up is still unknown. The OPTIMIZE trial

Direct transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) is regarded as having potential advantages over TAVR with balloon aortic valve predilatation (BAVP) in reducing procedural complications. However, there is few data to support this approach. The objective of the study was to compare clinical

Cristiane Moraes Barbosa – Nucleo de Pesquisa da Equipe de Hemodinâmica e Cardiologia Intervencionista Dr. Jose Armando Mangione – Real e Benemerita Associacao Portuguesa de Beneficencia – Rua Maestro Cardim, 769. 1 SS – Bloco 1 - Sala 71 – Sao Paulo – SP – CEP: 01323-900 – pesquisaclinica@bpmangione.com.br

Adriano Caixeta, J Eduardo Sousa, Luiz Antonio Carvalho, Jose A. Mangione, Rogerio Sarmento-Leite, Alexandre S. Colafranceschi, Pedro Lemos, Paulo Caramori, Julio Andrea, Maria C. Ferreira, Valter Lima, Dimytri Siqueira, Fabio Brito Jr, Hospital Israelita Albert Einstein, Sao Paulo, Brazil, Dante Pazzanese, Sao Paulo, Brazil, Pro-Cardiaco, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Beneficencia Portuguesa de Sao Paulo, SAo Paulo, SP, Instituto de Cardiologia, Fundacao Universitaria de Cardiologia, Porto Alegre, Brazil, Instituto Nacional de Cardiologia Laranjeiras, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Heart Institute InCor, University of Sao Paulo Medical School, Sao Paulo, Brazil, Hospital Sao Lucas da PUCRS, Porto Alegre, RS, Clinica Sao Vicente, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Hospital Naval Marcilio Dias, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Santa Casa de Misericordia de Porto Alegre, Porto Alegre, Brazil