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Background: Head-to-head comparisons of devices for transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) are mostly limited to 2-arm studies so far. The aim of this study was to compare simultaneously outcomes of the most used, second- and third-generation transcatheter aortic valves in a real-world population. Methods: A total of 2728 patients undergoing TAVI with different second- and third-generation devices, and enrolled in the multicenter, prospective OBSERVANT II study (Observational Study of Effectiveness of TAVI With New Generation Devices for Severe Aortic Stenosis Treatment) from December 2016 to September 2018 were compared according to the transcatheter aortic valve received. Outcomes were adjudicated through a linkage with administrative databases, and adjusted using inverse propensity of treatment weighting. The primary end point was the composite of all-cause death, stroke and rehospitalization for heart failure at 1-year. Rates were reported consecutively for Evolut R, Evolut PRO, SAPIEN 3, ACURATE neo, and Portico groups. Results: The primary end point did not differ among groups (23.9% versus 24.7% versus 21.5% versus 23.7% versus 27.4%, respectively, P =0.56). Permanent pacemaker implantation was significantly lower for patients receiving SAPIEN 3 (19.9% versus 19.3% versus 12.5% versus 14.7% versus 22.1%, respectively, P P P Conclusions: Data from real-world practice showed low and comparable rates of complications after TAVI considering all the available devices. Patients receiving SAPIEN 3 valve had lower rates of paravalvular regurgitation and permanent pacemaker implantation, but higher transprosthetic gradients.

Introduction: Few data on long-term follow-up of effectiveness and advantages related to the employ of double internal thoracic artery grafts (BITA) for coronary artery bypass grafting are available and the advantage of the employ of BITA have been recently questioned. Hypothesis: This observational cohort study was designed by the PRIORITY planning committee to evaluate 10-year follow-up of isolated CABG performed with and without BITA in order to evaluate the impact of BITA on long-term outcomes. Methods: The PRIORITY project was designed to evaluate the long-term outcomes of 2 large prospective multicenter cohort studies on CABG conducted between 2002-2004 and 2007-2008. Data on isolated CABG were linked to 2 administrative datasets. The primary endpoints were death and major adverse cardiac events (MACEs) at follow-up. Time-to-event data were analyzed using Kaplan-Meier estimates and Cox regression. Models generation was performed on the full dataset and the validation was performed with Montecarlo simulations. Results: The population consisted of 11021 patients who underwent isolated CABG; double thoracic internal artery grafts was employed in 23.5%. The median follow-up time was 7.9 years (interquartile range 7.4 - 10 years). After adjustment for potential confounding factors, BITA was significantly associated with better survival (HR 0.81, 95%CI 0.73-0.89, p < 0.001). Moreover, the employment of BITA reduced the incidence of MACEs at follow-up (adjusted HR 0.83, 95%CI 0.77-0.89, p < 0.001). In details, BITA was demonstrated to be a protective factor for acute myocardial infarction (adjusted HR 0.83, 95%CI 0.72-0.96, p = 0.001) and for rehospitalization for percutaneous cardiac intervention (PCI; adjusted HR 0.72, 95%CI 0.63-0.84, p < 0.001). Conclusions: The employment of double internal thoracic artery grafts for coronary artery bypass grafting has been associated to significant survival advantage at long-term. Moreover, it is a protective factor for acute myocardial infarction and rehospitalization for percutaneous cardiac intervention, reducing the hazard by 28%.

Introduction: We and others have previously shown that SYNTAX score predicts outcome in patients undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG). More recently, the residual SYNTAX score (rSS) has emerged as a reliable tool to quantify the extent and complexity of untreated coronary lesions after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). Indeed, rSS is an independent predictor of morbidity and mortality following PCI. Whether rSS may help to stratify mortality risk after CABG remains largely unknown. Hypothesis: The present study was designed to investigate the predictive value of rSS on mortality risk in a prospective cohort of patients undergoing surgical revascularization. Methods: Average baseline SYNTAX score calculated on 1608 patients (mean age 68±6 years, F:M 213:1395) undergoing isolated first-time CABG was 26.6 ± 9.4. The rSS measured after CABG was 3.2 ± 1.8 (p8). Results: Following CABG, 1157/1608 (71.9%) patients had rSS=0, whereas 209/1608 (12.9%) had low rSS, 176/1608 (10.9%) had intermediate rSS and 66/1608 (4.1%) had high rSS. At Kaplan-Meier analysis of survival subjects in the highest rSS tertile (rSS>8) showed significant worse survival as compared to patients with rSS=0, 02 77.1, p Conclusions: These unanticipated findings suggest that residual SYNTAX score may stratify mortality risk in patients undergoing isolated first-time CABG. Our study may set the stage for further investigation addressing this important clinical question.

Introduction: The debate on the advantages and limitations of off-pump (OPCAB) vs on pump CABG has not still arrived to a conclusion and concerns still exist on graft patency. This study was designed to compare the impact on mortality and morbidity of OPCAB and on-pump CABG, with a specific focus on mid-term need for percutaneous cardiac intervention (PCI). Methods: The PRIORITY project was designed to evaluate the mid-long term outcomes of 2 large prospective multicenter cohort studies on CABG conducted between 2002-2004 and 2007-2008. Data on isolated CABG performed both on-pump and off-pump were derived from clinical dataset and linked to 2 administrative datasets. Time-to event analyses were performed in a competing risk framework to evaluate the potential role of surgical techniques on outcomes. Results: The population consisted of 11020 patients who underwent isolated CABG (27.2% OPCAB). Several risk factor but surgical technique independently affected in-hospital mortality. The incidence of postoperative PCI was significantly higher in OPCAB group (p Conclusions: This study demonstrated that OPCAB did not affect short and long-term mortality. Nonetheless, it was a risk factor for re-hospitalization for PCI.