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To the Editor, Coronary artery disease due to sustained inflammation and the effects of calcification promoters is the leading cause of morbidity and mortality in patients with chronic kidney disease.1,2 When seen on the optical coherence tomography, the atheromatous plaques of these patients show features of vulnerability.3 The prevalence or kidney disease (KD) in patients with acute coronary syndrome is up to 30% and is an independent predictor of both ischemic and hemorrhagic adverse events.1 However, the evidence available on the prognostic impact of KD in patients with ST-segment elevation acute myocardial infarction treated with a primary angioplasty is scarce.4-8 Our objective was to assess the long-term and in-hospital prognosis (5-year follow-up) of a single-center, retrospective cohort of patients who underwent a primary angioplasty between 2007 and 2014. We assessed the frequency of the composite endpoint of dead, stroke or non-fatal...

TiNO-coated BAS have demonstrated competitive outcomes compared to drug-eluting stents (DES). These devices allow short antiplatelet regimens and may be a good option for the growing elderly population undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI).Multicenter observational trial in routine clinical practice. A propensity-score matched analysis compared a prospective cohort of patients ≥ 75 years undergoing PCI with BAS, with a contemporary and retrospective cohort treated with last-generation DES. The co-primary endpoints of the study were the Target-Lesion-Failure (Cardiac death, non-fatal myocardial infarction, or target lesion revascularization) and Major Adverse Cardiovascular Events (total death, non-fatal myocardial infarction, stroke, or new revascularization) at 1 year.Whole population included 1000 patients, and 326 patients in each group were matched for analysis. No differences in primary endpoints were found: TLF 10.4% vs. 11% (HR 0.96 (Confidence Interval 95%, 0.36-1.7; p = 0.87)) and MACE 16.3% vs. 17.2% (HR 0.98 (Confidence Interval 95%; 0.3-1.5, p = 0.93)). Patients treated with BAS received shorter antiplatelets regimens (dual antiplatelet therapy at 1 year, 25.7% vs. 70.6%, p = 0.0001), and they presented lower incidence of bleeding (3.7% vs. 11.7%, HR 0.3 (IC 95% 0.16-0.6, p = 0.001)).In this real-life registry of patients ≥ 75 years, BAS were similar to the latest-generation DES in terms of efficacy and reduced the duration of the antithrombotic therapy, lowering bleeding events.

Introduction and objectives: Today it has become increasingly common to perform procedures without withdrawing oral anticoagulation. However, the need to withdraw oral anticoagulants prior to cardiac catheterization in patients chronically anticoagulated (OACs) remains controversial. We evaluated the efficacy and safety of performing transradial catheterization in outpatients without withdrawing direct-action oral anticoagulants (DOACs). Methods: Prospective and observational study where 270 patients who underwent elective transradial cardiac catheterization were included from January 2013 through November 2017, divided into 3 groups of 90 patients based on their anticoagulant intake: group A (without OAC), with group B (with vitamin K antagonist), and group C (with DOACs), and matched according to the date of completion. In no case was the OAC discontinued before the procedure. We evaluated the complications of radial access within the first 24 h and 1 month after the procedure. Results: The group of patients on DOACs had a higher proportion of men compared to the vitamin K antagonist group (71.1% vs 47.8%; P = .01) and patients were younger in the group without OAC (63.45 ± 11.47 vs 70.22 ± 9.35; P = .03). Group B had a lower percentage of diabetic patients (22.2% vs 36.67% in group C, P = .03). In group A, patients were more prone to having a history of ischemic heart disease compared to the groups of anticoagulated patients (27.84% vs 14.44% in group C, P = .028) in addition to a more frequent intake of antiplatelet drugs. Radial access was the access of choice in most patients (98.2%). There were no significant differences when it comes to vascular access complications among the groups being the rate of hematoma and/or bleeding at discharge equal to 1.1% in the DOACs group and the arterial occlusion rates both at discharge and at 1 month between 0% and 2.2%. Conclusions: In our experience performing transradial diagnostic cardiac catheterizations without discontinuation of DOACs is safe, with low rates of thrombotic and hemorrhagic complications, without any differences with vitamin K antagonist and no OAC.

This corrects the article DOI: 10.23736/S0026-4725.19.05064-3.

Aspirin hypersensitivity is not a rare condition among patients with acute coronary syndrome. However, despite the publication of several successful desensitization protocols, the procedure is not as widespread as expected. We present a cohort of patients with acute coronary syndrome undergoing aspirin desensitization to evaluate its short- and long-term efficacy and safety and to reinforce data from previous studies.Of 1306 patients admitted to our Coronary Care Unit between February 2011 and February 2013, 24 (1.8%) had a history of aspirin hypersensitivity. All 24 patients underwent an eight-dose aspirin desensitization protocol (0.1, 0.3, 1, 3, 10, 25, 50 and 100 mg of aspirin given by mouth every 15 minutes) after premedication with antihistamines and corticosteroids or antileucotrienes. Previously prescribed β blockers and angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors were not discontinued. All patients were desensitized within 72 hours of admission. Those requiring urgent catheterization (five patients with ST segment elevation myocardial infarction) were desensitized within 12 hours of catheterization and the remainder before catheterization.All patients were successfully desensitized and only one presented with an urticarial reaction. The five patients with ST segment elevation myocardial infarction were treated with abciximab until desensitization was complete. All but one patient underwent catheterization and 20 underwent percutaneous coronary intervention, most (66%) with the implantation of a bare metal stent. At follow-up (a minimum of 6-24 months), only two patients had discontinued aspirin, both due to gastrointestinal bleeding, and no hypersensitivy reaction had occurred.Aspirin desensitization is effective and safe in unstable patients with acute coronary syndrome in both the short and long term.

The safety and feasibility of ambulatory PCI has been demonstrated in selected patients with "simple" lesions, but it is not well known whether it could be applied in more "complex" scenarios.Main objective is to assess the feasibility and safety of ambulatory complex PCI. Prospective multicentre registry of 1047 consecutive patients planned for ambulatory trans-radial PCI. Outcomes in patients with "complex angioplasty" (CA group: 313 (30%)) were analysed and compared with those of "simple angioplasty" (SA group: 734, 70%). The feasibility (% of patients finally discharged) and safety (MACE at 24 h and at 1 month) were compared between groups. We also analyse admissions, visits to the emergency department and minor vascular complications.Feasibility was higher for SA (80.6% vs. 63.6%, OR 1.89, 95% CI 1.52-2.35, p 0.001). Ambulatory PCI was very safe in both groups. In CA no MACE occurred at 24 h (vs. 0.17% SA) or 30 days (vs. 0.68% in SA). There were also no differences in re-admissions, visits to the emergency department or minor vascular complications (there was a non-significant tendency to higher rate of radial occlusion at 1 month in the CA group, 5.5% vs. 2.7%, p: 0.07).The feasibility of ambulatory PCI in selected patients with complex lesions is lower than in simple lesions, however when it is possible, it is as safe as in selected patients with simple lesions.

The use of bioresorbable vascular scaffolds (BVS) in aortocoronary grafts has been scarcely reported in the literature, with some isolated cases [(1–3)][1] and a unicentric series of 6 cases [(4)][2]. In pivotal trials, saphenous vein grafts (SVGs) were also excluded, and have been poorly

Cardiac catheterization in anticoagulated patients is usually performed after the anticoagulation has been withdrawn, at least in the previous 48h, and sometimes bridging therapy with heparin is used.A prospective observational study including 489 patients undergoing transradial catheterization was conducted. A total of 140 patients were under acenocoumarol (group A) and they were compared with the remainder (group B) for complications after the procedure (bleeding and vascular access complications).Patients in group A were older (74±12 years vs. 68±17 years, p0.01) and the main indication for anticoagulation was atrial fibrillation (58.6%). No complications occurred during the procedures. There were no acute bleedings just after the bandage removal. During the first 24h, only 3 (2.1%) radial occlusions in group A and 2 (0.6%) in group B (p=0.14) were recorded. Hematomas between 5 and 10cm appeared in 5% of the group A vs. 4.6% in group B. During the 1-month follow-up period, one more radial occlusion in each group was recorded and there were 4 (1.1%) additional mild hematomas in group B and none in group A (p=0.48).Performing a transradial diagnostic cardiac catheterization without removal of the oral chronic anticoagulation appears safe in patients under acenocumarol therapy.

Objetivo: Comparar la evolución durante el ingreso y a largo plazo de pacientes con choque cardiogénico de origen isquémico. Método: Estudio observacional prospectivo unicéntrico llevado a cabo en la unidad coronaria de un hospital terciario manejada por cardiólogos. Se incluyen pacientes con choque cardiogénico de origen isquémico que recibieron revascularización coronaria precoz. Dividimos a los pacientes en 2 grupos: mayores de 75 anos (grupo A) y menores (grupo B), y comparamos la evolución durante el ingreso y en un seguimiento máximo de 4 años. El objetivo principal fue estimar la mortalidad a los 4 años. El objetivo secundario se definió como la mortalidad intrahospitalaria. Resultados: Incluimos a 97 pacientes, 44 del grupo A (45%). Los pacientes del grupo B eran con más frecuencia varones (81 vs. 57%, p = 0.014), diabéticos (49 vs. 21%, p: 0.006) y fumadores (39.6 vs. 4.5%, p < 0.05). La mortalidad hospitalaria fue superior en el grupo A (54.5 vs. 30.2%, p = 0.022). El objetivo principal ocurrió en 32 pacientes del grupo A frente a 20 del grupo B (73 vs. 38%, p = 0.007). Conclusión: El choque cardiogénico de origen isquémico en paciente mayores de 75 anos presenta una alta mortalidad durante la estancia hospitalaria y en el seguimiento a largo plazo.

Se presenta el caso de un paciente de 11 anos que ingresa por un cuadro de fibrilacion ventricular y que es diagnosticado de miocardiopatia hipertrofica medioseptal. La analitica de ingreso y la evolucion anatomica miocardica sugieren etiologia isquemica. Se revisan los factores de riesgo para muerte subita, su relacion con la isquemia miocardica y la etiologia de la misma en la miocardiopatia hipertrofica.