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Background: Coronary intervention is routinely deferred in intermediate lesions with fractional flow reserve (FFR) ≥ 0.80. Patients with borderline FFR (0.80-0.85) who were initially deferred, have been shown to have higher risk of future interventions; however, the data is limited, and the long term prognosis in these patients remains unknown. We assessed the utility of adjunctive imaging modalities to determine the need for intervention in lesions with borderline FFR., Methods: We retrospectively evaluated consecutive patients who underwent coronary angiography at Einstein Medical Center from January 2013 to April 2016. All patients with borderline FFR (0.80-0.85) were included. Patients were divided into Defer or Perform intervention groups based on additional available or procured clinical data. The Perform group was further stratified into intervention With or Without adjunctive imaging guidance (including intravascular ultrasound, optical coherence tomography, echocardiography, and exercise or pharmacologic stress test). Follow-up data was collected for all patients, which included future target lesion revascularization (TLR) and major adverse cardiac events (MACE; all-cause and cardiovascular mortality and acute coronary syndromes)., Results: A total of 196 patients were eligible. Median (IQR) FFR in Perform and Defer groups was 0.81 (0.8-0.83) and 0.84 (0.82-0.85) respectively. Median (IQR) follow up was 21 (13-29) and 25 (15-36) months respectively. Overall MACE rate in Perform group (n = 101) was 20.8% (n = 21) and Defer group (n = 95) was 15.8% (n = 15). The stratified MACE rate in Perform group With imaging guidance (n = 57) was 17.5% (n = 10) and Without imaging guidance (n = 44) was 25% (n = 11). Overall, the FFR only guided management (n = 196) led to MACE rate of 18.4% (n = 36); whereas, FFR With imaging guidance (n = 136) led to MACE rate of 16.2% (n = 22). The p values were non-significant in each of the above group comparisons due to relatively low numbers with trends as noted., Conclusions: Our study suggests that intervention of coronary lesions with borderline FFR under imaging guidance, although not significant, trends towards improved cardiovascular outcomes compared with intervention in this group without adjunctive imaging. These findings are merely speculative without achieving statistical significance in a small subset and need to be further validated in a large scale prospective study., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest Hemal Bhatt, MD: None. Sandeep Dayanand, MD: None. Jasmin M. Castellanos, MD: None. Sanjog Kalra, MD: Consultant—Abbott, Boston Scientific. Sean Janzer, MD: Consultant—Abbott, Boston Scientific, Medtronic, Philips. Jon C. George, MD: Consultant—Abbott, Boston Scientific, Medtronic, Philips., (Copyright © 2020 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

The association of cardiovascular risk factors and complexity and severity of coronary artery disease with contrast volume (CV) remains unknown. We assessed the predictive factors of CV use during elective and emergent cardiac catheterization (CC). Electronic medical records from 2010 to 2013 were retrospectively reviewed. A total of 708 patients were eligible. On multivariable regression analysis, the presence of obstructed coronary arteries was associated with CV (P = .01, β = -14.17), with greater CV used in patients with single or double vessel disease compared to those with triple vessel disease. The presence of lesions with >70% stenosis in major epicardial arteries (P = .019, β = 24.39) and ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (P = .001, β = 36.14) was associated with increased CV use. Elevated B-type natriuretic peptide (P = .036, β = -17.23) and increase in Synergy between Percutaneous Coronary Intervention with Taxus and Cardiac Surgery score (P = .024, β = -29.06) were associated with decreased CV use. These aforementioned associations were attenuated after adjusting for percutaneous coronary intervention. Our findings may help predict patient populations who could be exposed to increased CV during CC, thereby possibly increasing their risk of contrast-induced nephropathy., (© The Author(s) 2015.)

We assessed the association of mitral annular calcification (MAC) with atherosclerotic risk factors and severity and complexity of coronary artery disease (CAD). Cardiac catheterization reports and electronic medical records from 2010 to 2011 were retrospectively reviewed. A total of 481 patients were divided into 2 groups: MAC present (209) and MAC absent (272). All major cardiovascular risk factors, comorbidities, and coronary lesion characteristics were included. On linear regression analysis, age (P = .001, β 1.12) and female gender (P = .031, β 0.50) were the independent predictors of MAC. Mitral annular calcification was not independently associated with the presence of lesions with >70% stenosis (P = .283), number of obstructive vessels (P = .469), lesions with 50% to 70% stenosis (P = .458), and Synergy Between Percutaneous Coronary Intervention With Taxus and Cardiac Surgery score (P = .479). Mitral annular calcification is probably a benign marker of age-related degenerative changes in the heart independent of the severity and complexity of CAD., (© The Author(s) 2014.)

Aim: We assessed the association of aortic valve sclerosis (AVS) with atherosclerotic risk factors and severity and complexity of coronary artery disease (CAD)., Methods: In this retrospective study, a total of 482 eligible patients were divided into 2 groups: AVS present and AVS absent. All major cardiovascular risk factors and coronary lesion characteristics were included., Results: Age was the only independent predictor of AVS. AVS was not independently associated with the number of obstructive vessels, degree of lesion obstruction and SYNTAX score., Conclusion: AVS is probably a benign marker of age-related degenerative changes in the heart independent of the severity and complexity of CAD., (Copyright © 2015 Cardiological Society of India. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)