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Abstract Aims This study evaluated how well serial pulse pressure (PP) and PP adjusted by the vasoactive inotropic score (VIS) predicted venoarterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (VA‐ECMO) weaning success and clinical outcomes in acute myocardial infarction complicated by cardiogenic shock (AMI‐CS) patients. Methods and results A total of 213 patients with AMI‐CS who received VA‐ECMO between January 2010 and August 2021 were enrolled in the institutional ECMO registry. Serial PP and VIS were measured immediately, 12, 24, and 48 h after VA‐ECMO insertion. PP adjusted by VIS was defined as PP/√VIS. The primary outcome was successful VA‐ECMO weaning. Successful weaning from VA‐ECMO was observed in 151 patients (70.9%). Immediately after VA‐ECMO insertion, PP [successful vs. failed weaning, 26.0 (15.5–46.0) vs. 21.0 (12.5–33.0), P = 0.386] and PP/√VIS [11.1 (5.1–25.0) vs. 6.0 (3.1–14.2), P = 0.118] did not differ between the successful and failed weaning groups. Serial PP and PP adjusted by VIS at 12, 24, and 48 h after VA‐ECMO insertion were significantly higher in patients with successful weaning than those with failed weaning [successful vs. failed weaning, 24.0 (4.0–38.0) vs. 12.5 (6.0–25.5), P = 0.007 for 12 h PP, and 10.1 (5.7–22.0) vs. 2.9 (1.7–5.9), P 7). Conclusions PP adjusted by VIS taken 12 h following VA‐ECMO initiation can predict weaning from VA‐ECMO more successfully than PP alone, and its low value was associated with a higher risk of mortality in AMI‐CS patients.

Although percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) for chronic total occlusion (CTO) has been increasing in recent years, CTO PCI is still one of the most challenging procedures with relatively higher rates of procedural complications and adverse clinical events after PCI. Due to the innate limitations of invasive coronary angiography, intravascular imaging (IVI) has been used as an adjunctive tool to complement PCI, especially in complex coronary artery disease. Considering the complexity of CTO lesions, the role of IVI is particularly important in CTO intervention. IVI has been a useful adjunctive tool in every step of CTO PCI including assisted wire crossing, confirmation of wire location within CTO segment, and stent optimization. The meticulous use of IVI has been one of the greatest contributors to recent progress of CTO PCI. Nevertheless, studies evaluating the role of IVI during CTO PCI are limited. The current review provides a comprehensive overview of the mechanistic advantages of IVI in CTO PCI, summarizes previous studies and trials, and presents future perspective of IVI in CTO PCI.

Abstract We investigated the long-term patterns and effects of transfusion on the clinical outcome of patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) using a nationwide registry. Five-year clinical outcome of all Koreans undergoing PCI using stent in year 2011 (n = 48,786) was investigated. Primary outcome was the incidence density of transfusion. The association of transfusion with major adverse clinical event (MACE) consisting all-cause death, revascularization, critically ill cardiovascular status, or stroke was assessed after adjusting the propensity of each patient for transfusion. The 5-year incidence density of transfusion was 4.74 (95% confidence interval [CI] 4.70–4.79) per 100 person-year. Patients who received transfusion were older and had higher frequency of clinical risk factors (p

Abstract Background Underutilization of implantable cardioverter defibrillators (ICD) to prevent sudden cardiac death (SCD) in post-myocardial infarction (MI) patients remains an issue across several geographies. A better understanding of risk factors for SCD in post-MI patients from regions with low ICD adoption rates will help identify those who will benefit from an ICD. This analysis assessed risk factors for all-cause and cardiovascular-related mortality in post-MI patients from the Improve Sudden Cardiac Arrest (SCA) Bridge Trial. Results For the entire cohort, the overall 1-year mortality rate was 5.9% (88/1491) and 3.4% (51/1491) for all-cause and cardiovascular mortality, respectively, with 76.5% of all cardiac deaths being from SCD. A multivariate model determined increased age, reduced left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF), increased time from myocardial infarction to hospital admission, being female, being from Southeast Asia (SEA), and having coronary artery disease to be significant risk factors for all-cause mortality. The risk factors for cardiovascular-related mortality revealed increased age, reduced LVEF, and being from SEA as significant risk factors. Conclusions We show several characteristics as being predictors of cardiovascular-related mortality in post-MI patients from the Improve SCA Bridge study. Patients who experience an MI and present with these characteristics would benefit from a referral to an electrophysiologist for further SCD risk stratification and management and possible subsequent ICD implantation to reduce unnecessary death.

Background: Survival rates following percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) show variability across studies, particularly regarding sex-specific outcomes. Relative survival analysis, which considers survival patterns in sex- and age-matched general populations, could help explain this variability. Methods: In a 2011 nationwide South Korean PCI cohort study with 48,783 patients, all-cause death was assessed as the primary outcome over 5 years. Observed and relative survival rates at 5 years conditional on surviving 0 days, 30 days, 1 year, and 2 years were assessed. Sex-specific differences in clinical characteristics were adjusted using propensity score-matching. Results: In the unadjusted analyses, 15,710 females had more cardiovascular risk factors than 33,073 males. Both observed survival (HR 1.28; 95% CI [1.22–1.34]) and relative survival (HR 1.21; 95% CI [1.16–1.27]) were lower in females than males (all p

Abstract The clinical impact of different polymer technologies in newer-generation drug-eluting stents (DESs) for patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI) complicated by cardiogenic shock (CS) remains poorly understood. We investigated the efficacy and safety of durable polymer DESs (DP-DESs) compared with biodegradable polymer DESs (BP-DESs). A total of 620 patients who underwent percutaneous coronary intervention with newer-generation DESs for AMI complicated by CS was divided into two groups based on polymer technology: the DP-DES group (n = 374) and the BP-DES group (n = 246). The primary outcome was target vessel failure (TVF) during a 12-month follow-up, defined as a composite of cardiac death, myocardial infarction, or target vessel revascularization. Both the DP-DES and BP-DES groups exhibited low stent thrombosis rates (1.3% vs. 1.6%, p = 0.660). The risk of TVF did not significantly differ between the two groups (34.2% vs. 28.5%, hazard ratio [HR] 0.94, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.69–1.29, p = 0.721). This finding remained consistent after adjustment with inverse probability of treatment weighting (28.1% vs. 25.1%, HR 0.98, 95% CI 0.77–1.27, p = 0.899). In AMI patients complicated by CS, the risk of a composite of cardiac death, myocardial infarction, or target vessel revascularization was not significantly different between those treated with DP-DESs and those treated with BP-DESs. Trial registration: RESCUE registry, https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT02985008 , NCT02985008.

Introduction There is a lack of evidence to support the effectiveness of prolonged β-blocker therapy after stabilisation of patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI) without heart failure (HF) or left ventricular systolic dysfunction.Methods and analysis The SMart Angioplasty Research Team: DEcision on Medical Therapy in Patients with Coronary Artery DIsease or Structural Heart Disease Undergoing InterventiON (SMART-DECISION) trial is a multicentre, prospective, open-label, randomised, non-inferiority trial designed to determine whether discontinuing β-blocker therapy after ≥1 year of maintenance in stabilised patients after AMI is non-inferior to continuing it. Patients eligible for participation are those without HF or left ventricular systolic dysfunction (ejection fraction >40%) who have been continuing β-blocker therapy for ≥1 year after AMI. A total of 2540 patients will be randomised 1:1 to continuation of β-blocker therapy or not. Randomisation will be stratified according to the type of AMI (ie, ST-segment-elevation MI or non-ST-segment-elevation MI), type of β-blocker (carvedilol, bisoprolol, nebivolol or other) and participating centre. The primary study endpoint is a composite of all-cause death, MI and hospitalisation for HF over a median follow-up period of 3.5 years (minimum, 2.5 years; maximum, 4.5 years). Adverse effects related to β-blocker therapy, the occurrence of atrial fibrillation, medical costs and Patient-reported Outcomes Measurement Information system-29 questionnaire responses will also be collected as secondary endpoints.Ethics and dissemination Ethics approval for this study was granted by the Institutional Review Board of Samsung Medical Center (no. 2020-10-176). Informed consent is obtained from every participant before randomisation. The results of this study will be submitted for publication in international peer-reviewed journals and the key findings will be presented at international scientific conferences.Trial registration number ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT04769362.

Background: Little is known about the association between seasonal variation and prognosis in patients with CS caused by AMI. Objectives: We investigated the 12-month clinical outcomes in patients treated with percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) for acute myocardial infarction (AMI) complicated by cardiogenic shock (CS) according to season. Methods: A total of 695 patients undergoing PCI for AMI complicated by CS was enrolled from 12 centers in South Korea. The study patients were divided into four groups according to season in which the AMI with CS occurred (spring, n = 178 vs. summer, n = 155 vs. autumn, n = 182 vs. winter, n = 180). We compared major adverse cardiovascular events (MACEs; the composite of cardiac death, myocardial infarction, re-hospitalization due to heart failure, and any revascularization) between the four groups. Results: The risk of MACE during the 12 months after CS was similar in the four groups: spring, 68 patients, vs. summer, 69, vs. autumn, 73, vs. winter, 68 (p = 0.587). Multivariate Cox-regression analysis revealed no significant difference in 12-month MACE among groups compared to the spring group after inverse probability of treatment weighting adjustment (summer, HR 1.40, 95 % CI 0.98–1.99, p = 0.062; autumn, HR 1.26, 95 % CI 0.89–1.80, p = 0.193; winter, HR 1.18, 95 % CI 0.83–1.67, p = 0.356). The similarity of MACE between the four groups was consistent across a variety of subgroups. Conclusions: After adjusting for baseline differences, seasonal variation seems not to influence the mid-term risk of 12-month MACE in patients treated with PCI for AMI complicated by CS. Condensed abstract: Data are limited regarding the association between seasonal variation and prognosis in patients with cardiogenic shock (CS) caused by AMI. This study divided patients undergoing PCI for AMI complicated by CS into four groups based on the season of occurrence and found no significant differences in 12-month MACE between the groups after adjusting for bias and confounding factors. Multivariate analysis revealed consistent MACE similarity across subgroups. The study suggests that seasonal variation has no impact on the mid-term risk of 12-month MACE in patients with CS caused by AMI, after adjusting for baseline differences. Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT02985008RESCUE (REtrospective and prospective observational Study to investigate Clinical oUtcomes and Efficacy of left ventricular assist device for Korean patients with cardiogenic shock), NCT02985008, Registered December 5, 2016 - retrospectively and prospectively. Irb information: This study was approved by the institutional review board of Samsung Medical Center (Reference number: 2016-03-130).

Abstract Limited knowledge exists regarding the predictors of mortality after successful weaning of venoarterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO). We aimed to identify predictors of in-hospital mortality in patients with cardiogenic shock (CS) after successful weaning from ECMO. Data were obtained from a multicenter registry of CS. Successful ECMO weaning was defined as survival with minimal mean arterial pressure (> 65 mmHg) for > 24 h after ECMO removal. The primary outcome was in-hospital mortality after successful ECMO weaning. Among 1247 patients with CS, 485 received ECMO, and 262 were successfully weaned from ECMO. In-hospital mortality occurred in 48 patients (18.3%). Survivors at discharge differed significantly from non-survivors in age, cardiovascular comorbidities, cause of CS, left ventricular ejection fraction, and use of adjunctive therapy. Five independent predictors for in-hospital mortality were identified: use of continuous renal replacement therapy (odds ratio 5.429, 95% confidence interval [CI] 2.468–11.940; p

Background Clinical outcome of ischemic cardiogenic shock (CS) requiring extracorporeal membrane oxygenation is highly variable, necessitating appropriate assessment of prognosis. However, a systemic predictive model estimating the mortality of refractory ischemic CS is lacking. The PRECISE (Prediction of In‐Hospital Mortality for Patients With Refractory Ischemic Cardiogenic Shock Requiring Veno‐Arterial Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation Support) score was developed to predict the prognosis of refractory ischemic CS due to acute myocardial infarction. Methods and Results Data were obtained from the multicenter CS registry RESCUE (Retrospective and Prospective Observational Study to Investigate Clinical Outcomes and Efficacy of Left Ventricular Assist Device for Korean Patients With Cardiogenic Shock) that consists of 322 patients with acute myocardial infarction complicated by refractory ischemic CS requiring extracorporeal membrane oxygenation support. Fifteen parameters were selected to assess in‐hospital mortality. The developed model was validated internally and externally using an independent external cohort (n=138). Among 322 patients, 138 (42.9%) survived postdischarge. Fifteen predictors were included for model development: age, diastolic blood pressure, hypertension, chronic kidney disease, peak lactic acid, serum creatinine, lowest left ventricular ejection fraction, vasoactive inotropic score, shock to extracorporeal membrane oxygenation insertion time, extracorporeal cardiopulmonary resuscitation, use of intra‐aortic balloon pump, continuous renal replacement therapy, mechanical ventilator, successful coronary revascularization, and staged percutaneous coronary intervention. The PRECISE score yielded a high area under the receiver‐operating characteristic curve (0.894 [95% CI, 0.860–0.927]). External validation and calibration resulted in competent sensitivity (area under the receiver‐operating characteristic curve, 0.895 [95% CI, 0.853–0.930]). Conclusions The PRECISE score demonstrated high predictive performance and directly translates into the expected in‐hospital mortality rate. The PRECISE score may be used to support clinical decision‐making in ischemic CS (www.theprecisescore.com). Registration URL: https://www.clinicaltrials.gov; Unique identifier: NCT02985008.

Abstract Prognostic effect of discontinuing renin–angiotensin–aldosterone-system-inhibitor (RAASi) for patients with heart failure (HF) after acute myocardial infarction (AMI) whose left ventricular (LV) systolic function was restored during follow-up is unknown. To investigate the outcome after discontinuing RAASi in post-AMI HF patients with restored LV ejection fraction (EF). Of 13,104 consecutive patients from the nationwide, multicenter, and prospective Korea Acute Myocardial Infarction-National Institutes of Health (KAMIR-NIH) registry, HF patients with baseline LVEF

Abstract Background Myocardial injury after non-cardiac surgery (MINS) has recently been accepted as a predictor of mortality. However, sex differences in the incidence of MINS and survival thereafter are not fully understood. This study aimed to compare the incidence of MINS and mortality among male and female patients. Methods This single-center study was conducted using the database of a large tertiary referral hospital. Consecutive patients with cardiac troponin (cTn) detected within 30 days after non-cardiac surgery performed between January 2010 and June 2019 were grouped according to sex. The incidence of MINS and mortality of patients with MINS were compared between men and women. Results Of the 33,311 patients, 18,546 (55.7%) were men and 14,765 (44.3%) were women. In a multivariable analysis, women showed a significantly lower incidence of MINS than did men (17.9% vs. 14.2%; odds ratio, 0.76; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.71–0.81; P

Background: Early risk stratification is necessary for optimal determination of the treatment strategy in cardiogenic shock (CS) complicating acute coronary syndrome (ACS). Therefore, we evaluated the prognostic impact of an intra-aortic balloon pump on the cardiogenic shock (IABP-SHOCK) II score according to the treatment strategies in ACS complicated by CS using the RESCUE (REtrospective and prospective observational Study to investigate Clinical oUtcomes and Efficacy of left ventricular assist device for Korean patients with cardiogenic shock) registry. Methods: The RESCUE registry contains multicenter observational retrospective and prospective cohorts that include 1247 patients with CS from 12 centers in Korea. A total of 865 patients with ACS complicated by CS were selected and stratified into low-, intermediate- and high-risk categories according to their IABP-SHOCK II scores and then according to treatment: non-mechanical support, IABP, and extracorporeal membrane oxygenators (ECMOs). The primary outcome was all-cause mortality during follow-up. Results: The observed mortality rates for the low-, intermediate-, and high-IABP-SHOCK II score risk categories were 28.8%, 52.4%, and 69.8%, respectively (p < 0.01). Patients in the non-mechanical support and IABP groups showed an increasingly elevated risk of all-cause mortality as their risk scores increased from low to high. In the ECMO group, the risk of all-cause mortality did not differ between the intermediate- and high-risk categories (HR = 1.21, 95% CI: 0.81–1.81, p = 0.33). The IABP-SHOCK II scores for the non-mechanical support and IABP groups showed a better predictive performance (area under curve [AUC] = 0.70, 95% CI: 0.65–0.76) for mortality compared with the EMCO group (AUC = 0.61, 95% CI 0.54–0.67; p-value for comparison = 0.02). Conclusions: Risk stratification using the IABP-SHOCK II score is useful for predicting mortality in ACS complicated by CS when patients are treated with non-mechanical support or IABP. However, its prognostic value may be unsatisfactory in severe cases where patients require ECMOs.

Background Despite the benefit of culprit‐only percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) in the CULPRIT‐SHOCK (Culprit Lesion Only PCI Versus Multi‐vessel PCI in Cardiogenic Shock) trial, the optimal revascularization strategy for refractory cardiogenic shock (CS) requiring mechanical circulatory support devices remains controversial. This study aimed to compare clinical outcomes between the culprit‐only and immediate multivessel PCI strategies in patients with acute myocardial infarction complicated by CS who underwent venoarterial‐extracorporeal membrane oxygenation before revascularization. Methods and Results This study included patient‐pooled data from the RESCUE (Retrospective and Prospective Observational Study to Investigate Clinical Outcomes and Efficacy of Left Ventricular Assist Devices for Korean Patients With Cardiogenic Shock) and SMC‐ECMO (Samsung Medical Center–Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation) registries. A total of 315 patients with acute myocardial infarction with multivessel disease who underwent venoarterial‐extracorporeal membrane oxygenation before revascularization attributable to refractory CS were included in this analysis. The study population was classified into culprit‐only versus immediate multivessel PCI according to nonculprit lesion treatment strategies. The primary end point was 30‐day mortality or renal‐replacement therapy, and the key secondary end point was 12‐month follow‐up mortality. Among the study population, 175 (55.6%) underwent culprit‐only PCI and 140 (44.4%) underwent immediate multivessel PCI. Compared with culprit‐only PCI, immediate multivessel PCI was associated with significantly lower risks of 30‐day mortality or renal‐replacement therapy (68.0% versus 54.3%; P=0.018) and all‐cause mortality during 12 months of follow‐up (59.5% versus 47.5%; hazard ratio [HR], 0.689 [95% CI, 0.506–0.939]; P=0.018) in patients with acute myocardial infarction and CS who underwent venoarterial‐extracorporeal membrane oxygenation before revascularization. These results were also consistent in the 99 pairs of propensity score–matched population (60.6% versus 43.6%; HR, 0.622 [95% CI, 0.420–0.922]; P=0.018). Conclusions Among patients with acute myocardial infarction with multivessel disease complicated by advanced CS requiring venoarterial‐extracorporeal membrane oxygenation before revascularization, immediate multivessel PCI was associated with lower incidences of 30‐day mortality or renal replacement therapy and 12‐month follow‐up mortality, compared with culprit‐only PCI. Registration Information clinicaltrials.gov. Identifier: NCT02985008.

BackgroundOlder patients who treated by percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) are at a higher risk of adverse cardiac outcomes. We sought to investigate the clinical impact of bifurcation PCI in older patients from Korea and Italy.MethodsWe selected 5,537 patients who underwent bifurcation PCI from the BIFURCAT (comBined Insights from the Unified RAIN and COBIS bifurcAtion regisTries) database. The primary outcome was a composite of target vessel myocardial infarction, clinically driven target lesion revascularization, and stent thrombosis at two years.ResultsIn patients aged ≥75 years, the mean age was 80.1 ± 4.0 years, 65.2% were men, and 33.7% had diabetes. Older patients more frequently presented with chronic kidney disease (CKD), severe coronary calcification, and left main coronary artery disease (LMCA). During a median follow-up of 2.1 years, older patients showed similar adverse clinical outcomes compared to younger patients (the primary outcome, 5.7% vs. 4.5%; p = 0.21). Advanced age was not an independent predictor of the primary outcome (p = 0.93) in overall patients. Both CKD and LMCA were independent predictors regardless of age group.ConclusionsOlder patients (≥75 years) showed similar clinical outcomes to those of younger patients after bifurcation PCI. Advanced age alone should not deter physicians from performing complex PCIs for bifurcation disease.

Background Recently, diastolic stress testing and invasive hemodynamic measurements have been emphasized for diagnosis of heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) because when determined using noninvasive parameters it can fall into a nondiagnostic intermediate range. The current study evaluated the discriminative and prognostic roles of invasive measured left ventricular end‐diastolic pressure in the population with suspected HFpEF, particularly for patients with intermediate Heart Failure Association Pre‐test Assessment, Echocardiography & Natriuretic Peptide, Functional Testing, Final Etiology (HFA‐PEFF) score. Methods and Results A total of 404 patients with symptoms or signs of HF and preserved left ventricular systolic function were enrolled. All subjects underwent left heart catheterization with left ventricular end‐diastolic pressure measurement for confirmation of HFpEF (≥16 mm Hg). The primary outcome was all‐cause death or readmission due to HF within 10 years. Among the study population, 324 patients (80.2%) were diagnosed as invasively confirmed HFpEF, and 80 patients (19.8%) were as noncardiac dyspnea. The patients with HFpEF showed a significantly higher HFA‐PEFF score than the patients with noncardiac dyspnea (3.8±1.8 versus 2.6±1.5, P

Abstract Long-term follow-up data on differential effects of intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) according to lesion complexity are limited in patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). The current study compared long-term clinical outcomes between IVUS-guided and angiography-guided PCI in patients with second-generation drug-eluting stents (DES). Between February 2008 and December 2015, 5488 patients undergoing PCI with second-generation DES were recruited from an institutional registry of Samsung Medical Center. The primary outcome was a composite of cardiac death or myocardial infarction (MI) during 46 months of median follow-up (interquartile range: 32–102 months). IVUS-guided PCI was performed in 979 patients (17.8%). IVUS-guided PCI was associated with a significantly lower risk of cardiac death or MI compared with angiography-guided PCI (5.7% vs. 12.9%, hazard ratio 0.408, 95% confidence interval 0.284–0.587, p

Background Coronary microvascular dysfunction (CMD) has been considered as a possible cause of cardiac diastolic dysfunction. The current study evaluated the association between cardiac diastolic dysfunction and CMD, and their prognostic implications in patients without significant left ventricular systolic dysfunction and epicardial coronary stenosis. Methods and Results A total of 330 patients without left ventricular systolic dysfunction (ejection fraction ≥50%) and significant epicardial coronary stenosis (fractional flow reserve >0.80) were analyzed. Cardiac diastolic dysfunction was defined by echocardiographic parameters (early diastolic transmitral flow velocity/early diastolic mitral annular velocity, e' velocity, tricuspid regurgitation velocity, and left atrial volume index). Overt CMD was defined as coronary flow reserve

ObjectivesWe evaluated the clinical impact of residual non-culprit left main coronary artery disease (LMCAD) on prognosis in patients undergoing emergent percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) for acute myocardial infarction (AMI) complicated by cardiogenic shock (CS).MethodsA total of 429 patients who underwent PCI for AMI complicated by CS was enrolled from 12 centers in the Republic of Korea. The patients were divided into two groups according to presence of non-culprit LMCAD or not: the LMCAD non-culprit group (n = 43) and the no LMCAD group (n = 386). Primary outcome was major adverse cardiac event (MACE, defined as a composite of cardiac death, myocardial infarction, or repeat revascularization). Propensity score matching analysis was performed to reduce selection bias and potential confounding factors.ResultsDuring a 12-month follow-up, a total of 168 MACEs occurred (LMCAD non-culprit group, 17 [39.5%] vs. no LMCAD group, 151 [39.1%]). Multivariate analysis revealed no significant difference in the incidence of MACE at 12 months between the LMCAD non-culprit and no LMCAD groups (adjusted hazard ratio [HR] 0.97, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.58 to 1.62, p = 0.901). After propensity score matching, the incidence of MACE was still similar between the two groups (HR 0.64; 95% CI 0.33 to 1.23; p = 0.180). The similarity of MACEs between the two groups was consistent across a variety of subgroups.ConclusionsAfter adjusting for baseline differences, residual non-culprit LMCAD does not appear to increase the risk of MACEs at 12 months in patients undergoing emergent PCI for AMI complicated by CS.

Objectives We evaluated the impact of sex on mid-term prognosis in patients who underwent coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG). Data on gender differences in current management or clinical outcomes after CABG are controversial, and there have been limited data focusing on them. Methods This was a retrospective and prospective, single-center, observational study. Between January 2001 and December 2017, 6613 patients who underwent CABG were enrolled from an institutional registry of Samsung Medical Center, Seoul, Korea (Clinicaltrials.gov, NCT03870815) and divided into two groups according to sex (female group, n = 1679 vs. male group, n = 4934). The primary outcome was cardiovascular death or myocardial infarction (MI) at 5 years. Propensity score matching analysis was performed to reduce confounding factors. Results During a mean follow-up duration of 54 months, a total of 252 cardiovascular death or MIs occurred (female, 78 [7.5%] vs. male, 174 [5.7%]). Multivariate analysis revealed no significant difference in the incidence of cardiovascular death or MI at 5 years between female and male groups (hazard ratio [HR] 1.05; 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.78 to 1.41; p = 0.735). After propensity score matching, the incidence of cardiovascular death or MI was still similar between the two groups (HR 1.08; 95% CI 0.76 to 1.54; p = 0.666). The similarity of long-term outcomes between the two groups was consistent across various subgroups. There was also no significant difference in the risk of 5-year cardiovascular death or MI between males and females according to age (pre- and postmenopausal status) (p for interaction = 0.437). Conclusions After adjusting for baseline differences, sex does not appear to influence long-term risk of cardiovascular death or MI in patients undergoing CABG. Clinical trials.gov number NCT03870815.

BackgroundDiabetes mellitus (DM) is a critical risk factor for the pathogenesis and progression of coronary artery disease, with a higher prevalence of complex coronary artery disease, including bifurcation lesions. This study aimed to elucidate the optimal stenting strategy for coronary bifurcation lesions in patients with DM.MethodsA total of 905 patients with DM and bifurcation lesions treated with second-generation drug-eluting stents (DES) from a multicenter retrospective patient cohort were analyzed. The primary outcome was the 5-year incidence of target lesion failure (TLF), which was defined as a composite of cardiac death, target vessel myocardial infarction, and target lesion revascularization.ResultsAmong all patients with DM with significant bifurcation lesions, 729 (80.6%) and 176 (19.4%) were treated with one- and two-stent strategies, respectively. TLF incidence differed according to the stenting strategy during the mean follow-up of 42 ± 20 months. Among the stent strategies, T- and V-stents were associated with a higher TLF incidence than one-stent strategy (24.0 vs. 7.3%, p < 0.001), whereas no difference was observed in TLF between the one-stent strategy and crush or culotte technique (7.3 vs. 5.9%, p = 0.645). The T- or V-stent technique was an independent predictor of TLF in multivariate analysis (hazard ratio, 3.592; 95% confidence interval, 2.117–6.095; p < 0.001). Chronic kidney disease, reduced left ventricular ejection fraction, and left main bifurcation were independent predictors of TLF in patients with DM.ConclusionT- or V-stenting in patients with DM resulted in increased cardiovascular events after second-generation DES implantation.Clinical trial registrationhttps://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT03068494?term=03068494&draw=2&rank=1, identifier: NCT03068494.

Abstract Background Limited data are available on the clinical significance of lactate clearance (LC) in patients with cardiogenic shock (CS). This study investigated the prognostic role of LC in CS patients. Methods We analyzed data from 628 patients in the RESCUE registry, a multicenter, observational cohort enrolled between January 2014 and December 2018. Univariable logistic regression analysis was performed to determine the prognostic implications of 24 h LC, and then patients were divided into two groups according to the cut-off value of 24 h LC (high lactate clearance [HLC] group vs. low lactate clearance [LLC] group). The primary outcome was in-hospital mortality. We also assessed all-cause mortality at 12 month follow-up and compared the prognostic performance of 24 h LC according to initial serum lactate level. Results In the univariable logistic regression analysis, 24 h LC was associated with in-hospital mortality (odds ratio 0.989, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.985–0.993, p 5 mmol/L than in those with serum lactate ≤ 5 mmol/L (c-statistics of initial serum lactate > 5 mmol/L = 0.782 vs. c-statistics of initial serum lactate ≤ 5 mmol/L = 0.660, p = 0.011). Conclusions Higher LC during the early phase of CS was associated with reduced risk of in-hospital and 12 month all-cause mortalities. Patients with LC ≥ 64% during the 24 h after CS onset could expect a favorable prognosis, especially those with an initial serum lactate > 5 mmol/L. Trial registration: RESCUE (REtrospective and prospective observational Study to investigate Clinical oUtcomes and Efficacy of left ventricular assist device for Korean patients with cardiogenic shock), NCT02985008, Registered December 5, 2016—retrospectively and prospectively registered, https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/record/NCT02985008

ObjectiveThis study aims to analyze cardiac and renal outcomes of chronic kidney disease (CKD) patients with multi-vessel disease who have undergone coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) or percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI).Materials and methodsChronic kidney disease patients with multi-vessel disease who underwent CABG or PCI were retrospectively selected from our database and divided into the PCI group [further stratified into PCI with complete revascularization (PCI-CR) and PCI with incomplete revascularization (PCI-IR) groups] and the CABG group. The primary endpoint was the composite of all-cause death, myocardial infarction (MI), or stroke at 5 years. The key secondary endpoint was the 5-year rate of the renal composite outcome, defined as >40% glomerular filtration rate decrease, initiation of dialysis, and/or kidney transplant. Outcomes were compared using Cox proportional hazards regression analysis, and the results were further adjusted by multivariable analyses and inverse probability weighting.ResultsAmong the study population (n = 798), 443 (55.5%) patients received CABG and 355 (44.5%) patients received PCI. Compared with the CABG group, the PCI group had similar risk of the primary endpoint (CABG vs. PCI, 19.3% vs. 24.0%, HR: 1.28, 95% CI: 0.95–1.73, p = 0.11) and a lower risk of the renal composite outcome (36.6% vs. 31.2%, HR: 0.74, 95% CI 0.58–0.94, p = 0.03). In addition, PCI-IR was associated with a significantly higher risk of the primary endpoint than CABG (HR: 1.54, 95% CI: 1.11–2.13, p = 0.009) or PCI-CR (HR: 1.78, 95% CI: 1.09–2.89, p = 0.02). However, PCI-CR had a comparable 5-year death, MI, or stroke rate to CABG (HR: 0.86, 95% CI 0.54–1.38, p = 0.54).ConclusionCoronary artery bypass grafting showed an incidence of death, MI, or stroke similar to PCI but was associated with a higher risk of renal injury. PCI-CR had a prognosis comparable with that of CABG, while PCI-IR had worse prognosis. If PCI is chosen for revascularization in patients with CKD, achieving CR should be attempted to ensure favorable outcomes.Clinical trial registration[clinicaltrials.gov], identifier [NCT 03870815].

Abstract Aims This study aimed to investigate differences in baseline and treatment characteristics, and in‐hospital mortality according to the aetiologies of cardiogenic shock in patients undergoing veno‐arterial‐extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (VA‐ECMO). Methods and results The RESCUE registry is a multicentre, observational cohort that includes 1247 patients with cardiogenic shock from 12 centres. A total of 496 patients requiring VA‐ECMO were finally selected, and the study population was stratified by cardiogenic shock aetiology [ischaemic cardiomyopathy (ICM, n = 342) and non‐ICM (NICM, n = 154)]. The primary outcome of interest was in‐hospital mortality. Sensitivity analyses including propensity‐score matching adjustments were performed. Mean age of the entire population was 61.8 ± 14.2, and 30.8% were women. There were significant differences in baseline characteristics; notable differences included the older age of patients with ICM (65.1 ± 13.7 vs. 58.2 ± 13.8, P

Background: The optimal side branch (SB) treatment strategy after simple crossover stenting in bifurcation lesions is still controversial. Objectives: The purpose of this study was to compare the long-term outcomes of a 1-stent strategy with simple crossover alone versus with an additional SB–opening procedure in patients with left main (LM) and non-LM coronary bifurcation lesions. Methods: Patients who underwent percutaneous coronary intervention with a 1-stent strategy for bifurcation lesions including LM were selected from the COBIS (Coronary Bifurcation Stenting) III registry and divided into the simple crossover–alone group and SB-opening group. Clinical outcomes were assessed by the 5-year rate of target lesion failure (a composite of cardiac death, target vessel myocardial infarction, and target lesion repeat revascularization). Results: Among 2,194 patients who underwent the 1-stent strategy, 1,685 (76.8%) patients were treated with simple crossover alone, and 509 (23.2%) patients were treated with an additional SB-opening procedure. Although the baseline SB angiographic disease was more severe in the SB-opening group, the final lumen diameter of the SB was larger. The 5-year observed target lesion failure rate was similar between the 2 groups (7.0% in the simple crossover vs. 6.7% in SB-opening group; hazard ratio: 0.99; 95% confidence interval: 0.66 to 1.48; p = 0.947), even in the subgroup analyses including LM (9.5% vs. 11.3%; p = 0.442) and true bifurcation (5.3% vs. 7.8%; p = 0.362). The results were not changed after an inverse probability of treatment weighting adjustment. There was no difference in the overall and SB-related target lesion revascularization rate in both groups. Conclusions: The long-term clinical outcome of the 1-stent strategy with simple crossover alone for coronary bifurcation lesions was acceptable compared to those of additional SB-opening procedures. (Korean Coronary Bifurcation Stenting [COBIS] Registry III [COBIS III]; NCT03068494)

Background: There is a paucity of data regarding the long-term clinical outcomes of first- versus second-generation drug-eluting stent (DES), especially when used to treat complex lesions such as bifurcation lesions. Objectives: The current study compares the efficacy and safety of first- versus second-generation DES at the 5-year follow-up in patients who underwent bifurcation percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). Methods: A total of 5,498 patients with a bifurcation lesion who underwent PCI were pooled at a single patient level from COBIS (Coronary Bifurcation Stenting) registries II and III. Five-year target lesion failure (TLF) (the composite of cardiac death, myocardial infarction [MI], and target lesion revascularization [TLR]) and cardiac death or MI were compared between the use of first-generation DES (n = 2,436) and second-generation DES (n = 3,062) during PCI. Propensity score matching was performed to reduce selection bias. Results: After a 1:1 propensity score matching procedure was conducted, the cohort consisted of 1,702 matched pairs. Patients treated with second-generation DES had a significantly lower risk of TLF at 5 years than those treated with first-generation DES in both overall and propensity-matched populations (matched hazard ratio [HRmatched]: 0.576; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.456 to 0.727; p

BackgroundNo data is available on delirium prediction models in the cardiac intensive care unit (CICU), although preexisting delirium prediction models [PREdiction of DELIRium in ICu patients (PRE-DELIRIC) and Early PREdiction of DELIRium in ICu patients (E-PRE-DELIRIC)] were developed and validated based on a population admitted to the general intensive care unit (ICU). Therefore, we externally validated the usefulness of the PRE-DELIRIC and E-PRE-DELIRIC models and compared their predictive performance in patients admitted to the CICU.MethodsA total of 2,724 patients admitted to the CICU were enrolled between September 2012 and December 2018. Delirium was defined as at least one positive Confusion Assessment Method for the ICU (CAM-ICU) which was screened at least once every 8 h. The PRE-DELIRIC value was calculated within 24 h of CICU admission, and the E-PRE-DELIRIC value was calculated at CICU admission. The predictive performance of the models was evaluated by using the area under the receiver operating characteristic (AUROC) curve, and the calibration slope was assessed graphically by plotting.ResultsDelirium occurred in 677 patients (24.8%) when the patients were assessed thrice daily until 7 days of the CICU stay. The AUROC curve for the prediction of delirium was significantly greater for PRE-DELIRIC values [0.84, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.82–0.86] than for E-PRE-DELIRIC values (0.79, 95% CI: 0.77–0.80) [z score of −6.24 (p < 0.001)]. Net reclassification improvement for the prediction of delirium increased by 0.27 (95% CI: 0.21–0.32, p < 0.001). Calibration was acceptable in the PRE-DELIRIC model (Hosmer-Lemeshow p = 0.170) but not in the E-PRE-DELIRIC model (Hosmer-Lemeshow p < 0.001).ConclusionAlthough both models have good predictive performance for the development of delirium, even in critically ill cardiac patients, the performance of the PRE-DELIRIC model might be superior to that of the E-PRE-DELIRIC model. Further studies are required to confirm our results and design a specific delirium prediction model for CICU patients.

BackgroundThe prognostic role of myocardial ischemia in patients with heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) has not been fully elucidated. Therefore, we investigated the change in echocardiographic parameters and clinical outcomes based on the presence of epicardial coronary artery disease (CAD) and positive stress tests in HFpEF patients.MethodsSymptomatic patients with left ventricular end diastolic pressure ≥15 mmHg who underwent coronary angiography were analyzed between January 2000 and August 2019 after exclusion of patients with acute coronary syndrome.ResultsA total of 555 HFpEF patients were invasively confirmed, 285 (51%) had angiographically-proven CAD. HFpEF patients with CAD displayed greater deterioration in left ventricular ejection fraction (p = 0.002) over time but this was not observed in those without CAD (p = 0.99) on follow-up echocardiography; however, the mitral annulus early diastolic velocity (e') was significantly decreased in both groups (p < 0.001 and p = 0.003, respectively). Among 274 patients that received stress tests, those with positive stress tests showed a decline in e' (p 0.001), but this was not found in subjects with negative stress tests (p = 0.44). There was no significant difference in all-cause mortality between patients with CAD and without CAD (p = 0.26) with a median follow-up of 10.6 years.ConclusionIn HFpEF patients, CAD was associated with greater deterioration in the left ventricular systolic function but not with mortality during the follow-up. In addition, myocardial ischemia with a positive stress test may contribute to greater deterioration of diastolic dysfunction.

Background Several studies have shown that obesity is associated with better outcomes in patients with cardiogenic shock (CS). Although this phenomenon, the “obesity paradox,” reportedly manifests differently based on sex in other disease entities, it has not yet been investigated in patients with CS. Methods and Results A total of 1227 patients with CS from the RESCUE (Retrospective and Prospective Observational Study to Investigate Clinical Outcomes and Efficacy of Left Ventricular Assist Device for Korean Patients With Cardiogenic Shock) registry in Korea were analyzed. The study population was classified into obese and nonobese groups according to Asian Pacific criteria (BMI ≥25.0 kg/m2 for obese). The clinical impact of obesity on in‐hospital mortality according to sex was analyzed using logistic regression analysis and restricted cubic spline curves. The in‐hospital mortality rate was significantly lower in obese men than nonobese men (34.2% versus 24.1%, respectively; P=0.004), while the difference was not significant in women (37.3% versus 35.8%, respectively; P=0.884). As a continuous variable, higher BMI showed a protective effect in men; conversely, BMI was not associated with clinical outcomes in women. Compared with patients with normal weight, obesity was associated with a decreased risk of in‐hospital death in men (multivariable‐adjusted odds ratio [OR], 0.63; CI, 0.43–0.92 [P=0.016]), but not in women (multivariable‐adjusted OR, 0.94; 95% CI, 0.55–1.61 [P=0.828]). The interaction P value for the association between BMI and sex was 0.023. Conclusions The obesity paradox exists and apparently occurs in men among patients with CS. The differential effect of BMI on in‐hospital mortality was observed according to sex. Registration URL: https://www.clinicaltrials.gov; Unique identifier: NCT02985008.

Abstract Background Dust storms affect human health by impairing visibility and promoting interactions with microscopic organisms, such as bacteria and fungi. Although ST-elevation MI (STEMI) and non-ST-elevation MI (NSTEMI) differ mechanistically, few studies have investigated the incidence of cardiovascular diseases according to infarction type; these studies have yielded inconsistent findings. This study aimed to examine whether PM size (

ObjectivesWhile coronary computed tomography angiography (CCTA) enables the evaluation of anatomic and hemodynamic plaque characteristics of coronary artery disease (CAD), the clinical roles of these characteristics are not clear. We sought to evaluate the prognostic implications of CCTA-derived anatomic and hemodynamic plaque characteristics in the prediction of subsequent coronary events.MethodsThe study cohort consisted of 158 patients who underwent CCTA with suspected CAD within 6–36 months before percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) for acute myocardial infarction (MI) or unstable angina and age-/sex-matched 62 patients without PCI as the control group. Preexisting high-risk plaque characteristics (HRPCs: low attenuation plaque, positive remodeling, napkin-ring sign, spotty calcification, minimal luminal area 0.80), adding HRPCs into clinical risk factors significantly increased discriminant and reclassification abilities for subsequent coronary events (c-index 0.687 vs. 0.576, P = 0.005; NRI 0.412, P = 0.002; IDI 0.064, P = 0.001) but not for vessels with positive FFRCT (≤0.80).ConclusionIn predicting subsequent coronary events, both HRPCs and hemodynamic parameters by CCTA allow better prediction of subsequent coronary events than clinical risk factors. HRPCs provide more incremental predictability than clinical risk factors alone among vessels with negative FFRCT but not among vessels with positive FFRCT.Clinical Trial RegistrationPreDiction and Validation of Clinical CoursE of Coronary Artery DiSease With CT-Derived Non-INvasive HemodYnamic Phenotyping and Plaque Characterization (DESTINY Study), NCT04794868.

Background Chronic vasodilator therapy with long‐acting nitrate is frequently used to treat vasospastic angina. However, the clinical benefits of this approach are controversial. We investigated the prognostic impact of vasodilator therapy in patients with vasospastic angina from the multicenter, prospective VA‐KOREA (Vasospastic Angina in KOREA) registry. Methods and Results We analyzed data from 1895 patients with positive intracoronary ergonovine provocation test results. The patients were divided into 4 groups: no vasodilator (n=359), nonnitrate vasodilator (n=1187), conventional nitrate (n=209), and a combination of conventional nitrate and other vasodilators (n=140). The primary end point was a composite of cardiac death, acute coronary syndrome, and new‐onset arrhythmia at 2 years. Secondary end points were the individual components of the primary end point, all‐cause death, and rehospitalization due to recurrent angina. The groups did not differ in terms of the risk of the primary end point. However, the acute coronary syndrome risk was significantly higher in the conventional nitrate (hazard ratio [HR], 2.49; 95% CI, 1.01–6.14; P=0.047) and combination groups (HR, 3.34; 95% CI, 1.15–9.75, P=0.027) compared with the no‐vasodilator group, as assessed using the inverse probability of treatment weights. Subgroup analyses revealed prominent adverse effects of nitrate in patients with an intermediate positive ergonovine provocation test result and in those with low Japanese Coronary Spasm Association scores. Conclusions Long‐acting nitrate‐based chronic vasodilator therapy was associated with an increased 2‐year risk of acute coronary syndrome in patients with vasospastic angina, especially in low‐risk patients.

Abstract Background Limited data are available on the impact of a specialized extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) team on clinical outcomes in patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI) complicated by cardiogenic shock (CS). This study evaluated whether specialized ECMO team is associated with improved in-hospital mortality in AMI patients undergoing veno-arterial (VA) ECMO. Methods A total of 255 AMI patients who underwent VA-ECMO were included. In January 2014, a multidisciplinary ECMO team was founded at our institution. Eligible patients were classified into a pre-ECMO team group (n = 131) and a post-ECMO team group (n = 124). The primary outcome was in-hospital mortality. Results In-hospital mortality (pre-ECMO team vs. post-ECMO team, 54.2% vs. 33.9%; p = 0.002) and cardiac intensive care unit mortality (pre-ECMO team vs. post-ECMO team, 51.9% vs. 30.6%; p = 0.001) were significantly lower after the implementation of a multidisciplinary ECMO team. On multivariable logistic regression model, implementation of the multidisciplinary ECMO team was associated with reduction of in-hospital mortality [odds ratio: 0.37, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.20–0.67; p = 0.001]. Incidence of all-cause mortality [58.3% vs. 35.2%; hazard ratio (HR): 0.49, 95% CI 0.34–0.72; p

Background/Aims Minimising total ischemic time (TIT) is important for improving clinical outcomes in patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction who have undergone percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). TIT has not shown a significant improvement due to persistent pre-hospital delay. This study aimed to investigate the risk factors associated with pre-hospital delay. Methods Individuals enrolled in the Korea Acute Myocardial Infarction Registry-National Institutes of Health between 2011 and 2015 were included in this study. The study population was analyzed according to the symptom-to-door time (STDT; within 60 or > 60 minutes), and according to the type of hospital visit (emergency medical services [EMS], non-PCI center, or PCI center). Results A total of 4,874 patients were included in the analysis, of whom 28.4% arrived at the hospital within 60 minutes of symptom-onset. Old age (> 65 years), female gender, and renewed ischemia were independent predictors of delayed STDT. Utilising EMS was the only factor shown to reduce STDT within 60 minutes, even when cardiogenic shock was evident. The overall frequency of EMS utilisation was low (21.7%). Female gender was associated with not utilising EMS, whereas cardiogenic shock, previous myocardial infarction, familial history of ischemic heart disease, and off-hour visits were associated with utilising EMS. Conclusions Factors associated with delayed STDT and not utilising EMS could be targets for preventive intervention to improve STDT and TIT.

Background Only a few observational studies using small patient samples and one subgroup analysis have compared norepinephrine and dopamine for the treatment of cardiogenic shock (CS). The objective of the present study was to investigate whether the use of norepinephrine was associated with improvements in clinical outcomes in CS patients compared to dopamine. Methods We retrospectively reviewed hospital medical records of patients who were admitted to cardiac intensive care unit from 2012 to 2018. We included 520 patients with CS in this analysis. The primary outcome was in-hospital mortality, and serial hemodynamic data were also assessed. Results As a first-line vasopressor, dopamine was used in 156 patients (30%) and norepinephrine in 364 patients (70%). Overall, the norepinephrine group had significantly higher severity of shock, arrest at presentation, vital signs, and lactic acid than did the dopamine group at the time of vasopressor initiation. Nevertheless, in the norepinephrine group, additional vasopressor was required in 123 patients (33.8%), which was a significantly smaller percentage than the 92 patients (56.4%) in the dopamine group who required additional vasopressor (p < 0.001). There was no significant difference in in-hospital mortality between the two groups (26.9% and 31.9%, respectively, p = 0.26). In addition, the incidence of arrhythmia was not different between the two groups (atrial fibrillation, 12.2% vs. 15.7%, p = 0.30; ventricular tachyarrhythmia, 19.9% vs. 25.3%, p = 0.18). Conclusions The use of norepinephrine as a first-line vasopressor was not associated with reductions of in-hospital mortality or arrythmia but could reduce use of additional vasopressors in CS patients.

Background Despite advances in devices and techniques, coronary bifurcation lesion remains a challenging lesion subset in the field of percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). We evaluate 10‐year trends in bifurcation PCI and their effects on patient outcomes. Methods and Results We analyzed 10‐year trends in patient/lesion characteristics, devices, PCI strategy, stent optimization techniques, and clinical outcomes using data from 5498 patients who underwent bifurcation PCI from 2004 to 2015. Clinical outcomes 2 years after the index procedure were evaluated in terms of target vessel failure (a composite of cardiac death, myocardial infarction, and target vessel revascularization) and a patient‐oriented composite outcome (a composite of all‐cause death, myocardial infarction, and any revascularization). During the 10‐year study period, patient and lesion complexity, such as multivessel disease, diabetes mellitus, chronic kidney disease, and left main bifurcation, increased continuously (all P

Background Perioperative blood glucose level has shown an association with postoperative outcomes. We compared the incidences of myocardial injury after noncardiac surgery (MINS) and 30‐day mortality, according to preoperative blood glucose and hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) levels. Methods and Results The patients were divided according to blood glucose level within 1 day before surgery. The hyperglycemia group was defined with fasting glucose >140 mg/dL or random glucose >180 mg/dL. In addition, we compared the outcomes according to HbA1c >6.5% among patients with available HbA1c within 3 months before surgery. The primary outcome was MINS, and 30‐day mortality was also compared. A total of 12 304 patients were enrolled and divided into 2 groups: 8324 (67.7%) in the normal group and 3980 (32.3%) in the hyperglycemia group. After adjustment with inverse probability of weighting, the hyperglycemia group exhibited significantly higher incidences of MINS and 30‐day mortality (18.7% versus 27.6%; odds ratio, 1.29; 95% CI, 1.18–1.42; P

Background As an initial treatment strategy, percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) for coronary chronic total occlusion (CTO) did not show midterm survival benefits compared with optimal medical therapy (OMT). We sought to evaluate the benefit of PCI compared with OMT in patients with CTO over extended long‐term follow‐up. Methods and Results Between March 2003 and February 2012, 2024 patients with CTO were enrolled in a single‐center registry and followed for ≈10 years. We excluded patients with CTO who underwent coronary artery bypass graft (n=477) and classified patients into the CTO‐PCI group (n=883) or OMT group (n=664) according to initial treatment strategy. Patients with multivessel disease received PCI for obstructive non‐CTO lesions in both groups. In the CTO‐PCI group, 699 patients (79.2%) underwent successful revascularization. The CTO‐PCI group had a lower 10‐year rate of cardiac death (10.4% versus 22.3%; hazard ratio [HR], 0.44 [95% CI, 0.32–0.59]; P

BackgroundThis study aimed to evaluate the association between intraoperative blood loss and myocardial injury after non-cardiac surgery (MINS), which is a severe and common postoperative complication.MethodsWe compared the incidence of MINS based on significant intraoperative bleeding, defined as an absolute hemoglobin level < 7 g/dL, a relative hemoglobin level less than 50% of the preoperative measurement, or need for packed red cell transfusion. We also estimated a threshold for intraoperative hemoglobin level associated with MINS.ResultsWe stratified a total of 15,926 non-cardiac surgical patients with intraoperative hemoglobin and postoperative cardiac troponin (cTn) measurements according to the occurrence of significant intraoperative bleeding; 13,416 (84.2%) had no significant bleeding while 2,510 (15.8%) did have significant bleeding. After an adjustment with inverse probability weighting, the incidence of MINS was higher in the significant bleeding group (35.2% vs. 16.4%; odds ratio, 1.58; 95% confidence interval, 1.43-1.75; p < 0.001). The threshold of intraoperative hemoglobin associated with MINS was estimated to be 9.9 g/dL with an area under the curve of 0.643.ConclusionIntraoperative blood loss appeared to be associated with MINS. Further studies are needed to confirm these findings.Clinical registrationThe cohort was registered before patient enrollment at https://cris.nih.go.kr (KCT0004244).

BackgroundThe interaction between smoking and the use of antiplatelet agents on the prognosis of vasospastic angina (VA) is rarely investigated.MethodsVA-Korea is a nation-wide multi-center registry with prospective design (n = 1812). The primary endpoint was the composite occurrence of acute coronary syndrome (ACS), symptomatic arrhythmia, and cardiac death. Log-rank test and Cox proportional hazard model were for statistical analysis. Also, we conducted interaction analysis in both additive and multiplicative scales between smoking and antiplatelet agents among VA patients. For additive scale interaction, relative excess risk due to interaction (RERI) was calculated and for multiplicative scale interaction, the ratio of hazard ratio (HR) was calculated. All statistical analysis conducted by Stata Ver 16.1.ResultsPatients who were smoking and using antiplatelet agents had the highest incidence rate in the primary composite outcome. The incidence rate was 3.49 per 1,000 person-month (95% CI: 2.30-5.30, log-rank test for primary outcome p = 0.017) and HR of smoking and using antiplatelet agents was 1.66 (95%CI: 0.98-2.81). The adjusted RERI of smoking and using antiplatelet agents was 1.10 (p = 0.009), and the adjusted ratio of HR of smoking and using antiplatelet agents was 3.32 (p = 0.019). The current study observed the interaction between smoking and using antiplatelet agents in both additive and multiplicative scales.ConclusionsSmoking was associated with higher rates of unfavorable clinical outcomes among VA patients taking antiplatelet agents. This suggested that VA patients, especially those using antiplatelet agents should quit smoking.

Background This study sought to investigate the safety of 3‐month dual antiplatelet therapy (DAPT) in patients receiving ultrathin sirolimus‐eluting stents with biodegradable polymer (Orsiro). Methods and Results The SMART‐CHOICE (Smart Angioplasty Research Team: Comparison Between P2Y12 Antagonist Monotherapy vs Dual Anti‐ platelet Therapy in Patients Undergoing Implantation of Coronary Drug‐Eluting Stents) randomized trial compared 3‐month DAPT followed by P2Y12 inhibitor monotherapy with 12‐month DAPT in 2993 patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention. The present analysis was a prespecified subgroup analysis for patients receiving Orsiro stents. As a post hoc analysis, comparisons between Orsiro and everolimus‐eluting stents were also done among patients receiving 3‐month DAPT. Of 972 patients receiving Orsiro stents, 481 patients were randomly assigned to 3‐month DAPT and 491 to 12‐month DAPT. At 12 months, the target vessel failure, defined as a composite of cardiac death, target vessel–related myocardial infarction, or target vessel revascularization, occurred in 8 patients (1.7%) in the 3‐month DAPT group and in 14 patients (2.9%) in the 12‐month DAPT group (hazard ratio [HR], 0.58; 95% CI, 0.24–1.39; P=0.22). In whole population who were randomly assigned to receive 3‐month DAPT (n=1495), there was no significant difference in the target vessel failure between the Orsiro group and the everolimus‐eluting stent group (n=1014) (1.7% versus 1.8%; HR, 0.96; 95% CI, 0.41–2.22; P=0.92). Conclusions In patients receiving Orsiro stents, clinical outcomes at 1 year were similar between the 3‐month DAPT followed by P2Y12 inhibitor monotherapy and 12‐month DAPT strategies. With 3‐month DAPT, there was no significant difference in target vessel failure between Orsiro and everolimus‐eluting stents. Registration URL: https://www.clinicaltrials.gov; Unique identifier: NCT02079194.

PURPOSE:Perioperative myocardial injury is a predictor of postoperative mortality, but the clinical impact of chronic injury during the perioperative period has not been fully investigated. This study aimed to evaluate chronic myocardial injury during the perioperative period in comparison with normal and acute myocardial injury. METHODS:Patients with serial cardiac troponin measurements before and within 30 days following noncardiac surgery were divided into three groups: normal, acute injury, and chronic injury groups. Acute and chronic myocardial injuries were stratified according to 2018 recommendations by the International Federation of Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine's Task Force on Clinical Applications of Bio-Markers. Thirty-day and one-year mortalities after surgery were compared. RESULTS:Of the 22,969 patients reviewed, 17,671 (76.9%) were classified into the normal, 5,179 (22.5%) into the acute injury, and 119 (0.5%) into the chronic injury groups. The acute and chronic injury groups had higher 30-day mortalities compared with the normal group (0.8% vs. 8.0%; hazard ratio [HR], 11.00; 95% confidence interval [CI], 9.05-13.37; P < 0.001 and 0.8% vs. 7.6%; HR, 10.55; 95% CI, 5.37-20.72; P < 0.001, respectively). In a direct comparison between the acute and chronic injury groups using an inverse probability of weighting adjustments, the 30-day and one-year mortalities were not significantly different. CONCLUSION:Chronic myocardial injury during the perioperative period may show similar clinical impacts on postoperative mortality compared with acute injury. Further studies are needed.

Objectives. The aim of this study was to assess the clinical impact of 3 bifurcation angles in left main (LM) bifurcation treated with the 2-stent technique. Background. Data are limited regarding the impact of bifurcation angles after LM percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). Methods. Using patient-level 4 multicenter registries in Korea, 462 patients undergoing LM bifurcation PCI with the 2-stent technique were identified (181 crush, 167 T-stenting; 63% 1st generation drug-eluting stent (DES), 37% 2nd generation DES). Three bifurcation angles, between the LM and left anterior descending (LAD), the LM and left circumflex (LCX), and the LAD and LCX, were measured. The primary outcome was target lesion failure (TLF), a composite of cardiac death, myocardial infarction, and target lesion revascularization (TLR). Results. In patients treated with the crush technique, the best cutoff value (BCV) to predict TLF was 152° of the LM-LAD angle. In the crush group, a significantly higher TLF rate, mostly driven by TLR, was observed in the LM-LAD angle ≥152° group compared with the

Abstract Background Limited data are available regarding prevention of limb ischemia in femorally cannulated patients on venoarterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (VA-ECMO). We investigated the association between strategy of distal perfusion catheter (DPC) insertion and vascular complications like limb ischemia in patients undergoing VA-ECMO. Methods We evaluated 230 patients from two tertiary hospitals who received VA-ECMO via femoral cannulation between August 2014 and July 2017. The patients were divided into two groups according to DPC insertion strategy: patients who underwent DPC insertion at the time of primary cannulation (DPC group, n = 96) and patients who were provisionally treated with DPC (No-DPC group, n = 134). The primary outcome was limb ischemia. Results Of the 96 patients in the DPC group, 61 (63.5%) underwent insertion under fluoroscopic guidance. The DPC group had a significantly lower incidence of limb ischemia (2.1% vs. 8.2%, p = 0.047) and a lower tendency of in-hospital mortality (38.5% vs. 50.7%, p = 0.067) than the No-DPC group. In the multivariable analysis, fluoroscopy-guided simultaneous insertion of the DPC (odds ratio 0.11; 95% confidence interval 0.01–0.98; p = 0.048) was a significant predictor of reduction of limb ischemia. Conclusions Simultaneous insertion of a DPC, particularly under fluoroscopy guidance, can be considered as a preventive strategy for limb ischemia in femorally cannulated patients on VA-ECMO.

Background Data are limited regarding long‐term outcomes in patients with ST‐segment–elevation myocardial infarction and multivessel disease presenting with cardiogenic shock according to revascularization strategy. We sought to compare the 3‐year clinical outcomes of patients with ST‐segment‐elevation myocardial infarction multivessel disease with cardiogenic shock and patients with multivessel percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) and infarct‐related artery (IRA)–only PCI. Methods and Results Of 13 104 patients from the nationwide, multicenter, prospective KAMIR‐NIH (Korea Acute Myocardial Infarction Registry––National Institutes of Health) registry, we selected 659 patients with ST‐segment‐elevation myocardial infarction who had concomitant non‐IRA stenosis and presented with cardiogenic shock. The primary outcome was all‐cause death. Multivessel PCI was performed in 260 patients and IRA‐only PCI in 399 patients. At 3 years, patients in the multivessel PCI group had a lower risk of all‐cause death (adjusted hazard ratio, 0.65; 95% CI, 0.45–0.94 [P=0.024]), all‐cause death or MI (adjusted hazard ratio, 0.59; 95% CI, 0.41–0.84 [P=0.004]), and non‐IRA repeat revascularization (adjusted hazard ratio, 0.23; 95% CI, 0.10–0.50 [P

Background In patients with ST‐segment–elevation myocardial infarction, timely reperfusion therapy with door‐to‐balloon (D2B) time 90 minutes (adjusted hazard ratio, 0.30; 95% CI, 0.19–0.42; P

Background Quantitative flow ratio (QFR) has a high diagnostic accuracy in assessing functional stenoses relevance, as judged by fractional flow reserve (FFR). However, its diagnostic performance has not been thoroughly evaluated using instantaneous wave‐free ratio (iFR) or coronary flow reserve as the reference standard. This study sought to evaluate the diagnostic performance of QFR using other reference standards beyond FFR. Methods and Results We analyzed 182 patients (253 vessels) with stable ischemic heart disease and 82 patients (105 nonculprit vessels) with acute myocardial infarction in whom coronary stenoses were assessed with FFR, iFR, and coronary flow reserve. Contrast QFR analysis of interrogated vessels was performed in blinded fashion by a core laboratory, and its diagnostic performance was evaluated with respect to the other invasive physiological indices. Mean percentage diameter stenosis, FFR, iFR, coronary flow reserve, and QFR were 53.1±19.0%, 0.80±0.13, 0.88±0.12, 3.14±1.30, and 0.81±0.14, respectively. QFR showed higher correlation (r=0.863 with FFR versus 0.740 with iFR, P0.05, overall comparison P=0.061). Conclusions QFR has a high correlation and agreement with respect to both FFR and iFR, although it is better when FFR is used as the comparator. As a pressure‐derived index not depending on wire or adenosine, QFR might be a promising tool for improving the adoption rate of physiology‐based revascularization in clinical practice.

BACKGROUND:Little is known about the causality and pathological mechanism underlying the association of seasonal variation with myocardial injury in patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI). OBJECTIVE:We evaluated the association of seasonal effect with myocardial injury using cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR) imaging in STEMI patients undergoing primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). METHODS:In 279 patients undergoing primary PCI for STEMI, CMR was performed for a median of 3.3 days after the index procedure. Of these, STEMI occurred in 56 patients in the winter (Winter group), 80 patients in the spring (Spring group), 76 patients in the summer (Summer group), and 67 patients in the autumn (Autumn group), respectively. We compared myocardial infarct size, extent of area at risk (AAR), myocardial salvage index (MSI) and microvascular obstruction (MVO) area as assessed by CMR according to the season in which STEMI occurred. RESULTS:In the CMR analysis, the myocardial infarct size was not significantly different among the Winter group (21.0 ± 10.5%), the Spring group (19.6 ± 11.5%), the Summer group (18.6 ± 10.6%), and the Autumn group (21.1 ± 11.3%) (P = 0.475). The extent of AAR, MSI, and MVO areas were similar among the four groups. In the subgroup analysis, myocardial infarct size, extent of AAR, MSI, and MVO were not significantly different between the Harsh climate (winter + summer) and the Mild climate (spring + autumn) groups. CONCLUSIONS:Seasonal influences may not affect advanced myocardial injury in STEMI patients undergoing primary PCI.

Background Whether use of high‐intensity statins is more important than achieving low‐density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL‐C) target remains controversial in patients with coronary artery disease. We sought to investigate the association between statin intensity and long‐term clinical outcomes in patients achieving treatment target for LDL‐C after percutaneous coronary intervention. Methods and Results Between February 2003 and December 2014, 1746 patients who underwent percutaneous coronary intervention and achieved treatment target for LDL‐C (50% reduction from baseline level) were studied. We classified patients into 2 groups according to an intensity of statin prescribed after index percutaneous coronary intervention: high‐intensity statin group (atorvastatin 40 or 80 mg, and rosuvastatin 20 mg, 372 patients) and non‐high‐intensity statin group (the other statin treatment, 1374 patients). The primary outcome was a composite of cardiac death, myocardial infarction, or stroke. Difference in time‐averaged LDL‐C during follow‐up was significant, but small, between the high‐intensity statin group and non‐high‐intensity statin group (59±13 versus 61±12 mg/dL; P=0.04). At 5 years, patients receiving high‐intensity statins had a significantly lower incidence of the primary outcome than those treated with non‐high‐intensity statins (4.1% versus 9.9%; hazard ratio, 0.42; 95% confidence interval, 0.23–0.79; P

BackgroundThere are limited data regarding the prognostic impact of angiographic complete revascularization (CR) in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD). We sought to investigate the differential prognostic impact of angiographic CR over incomplete revascularization (IR), according to the presence of CKD in the drug‐eluting stent era. Methods and ResultsBetween 2003 and 2011 at Samsung Medical Center, consecutive patients with multivessel disease were stratified by the presence of CKD (estimated glomerular filtration rate