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Introduction: The purpose of this study was to investigate the safety of performing a dipyridamole stress test and to explore the incidence of reversible perfusion defects on myocardial perfusion imaging, five to six days after primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI)., Methods: Forty-one patients underwent myocardial perfusion imaging using a dipyridamole stress test, five to six days after primary PCI., Results: Headache, chest pain, and dizziness were the most common side effects seen after dipyridamole administration. All occurrences were mild and short lasting. ST changes on the electrocardiogram were also seen in 12% of patients. Reversible perfusion defects occurred in 17%., Conclusions: This is one of the few studies to investigate patients using a dipyridamole stress test early after primary PCI. We conclude that it is safe to perform myocardial perfusion imaging under dipyridamole administration, just a few days after primary PCI. Additionally, a high incidence (17%) of myocardial perfusion defects was seen in this group of patients. According to our investigational protocol, a second myocardial perfusion imaging examination is scheduled for six months later, in order to clarify how many of these patients suffer from restenosis, or whether the finding was merely due to early endothelial dysfunction.

In patients with in-stent restenosis (ISR) inside bare metal stents, drug-eluting stents reduce the recurrence of restenosis compared with balloon angioplasty. However, few data are available about this therapeutic modality in the case of diffuse restenosis. The aim of this study was to evaluate the immediate and mid-term outcome of sirolimus- and paclitaxel-eluting stent implantation in diffuse ISR and determine the predictors of clinical and angiographic restenosis recurrence. A series of 161 consecutive patients with 194 diffuse ISR lesions (>10 mm) treated with drug-eluting stent implantation were evaluated. Major adverse cardiac events were defined as death, myocardial infarction, and the need for target lesion revascularization. During a mean follow-up of 8.2 +/- 3.4 months, the cumulative incidence of major adverse cardiac events was 19% in the SES group and 24% in the PES group (p = 0.56). Angiographic follow-up was performed in 80% of the lesions. The overall restenosis rate was 22% and was not significantly different between lesions treated with sirolimus-eluting (20%) or paclitaxel-eluting (25%, p = 0.55) stents. The incidence of restenosis was higher in diabetics (32%) than in nondiabetics (16%, odds ratio 2.5, 95% confidence interval 1.1 to 5.5, p = 0.02). By multivariate analysis, diabetes was confirmed to be the only independent predictor of recurrent restenosis (odds ratio 3.53, 95% confidence interval 1.39 to 9.02, p = 0.008). In conclusion, drug-eluting stent implantation for diffuse ISR is associated with acceptable clinical and angiographic results. The association of diffuse restenosis and diabetes mellitus is an unfavorable condition leading to a high risk of recurrence.

Objectives: The purpose of the present report was to evaluate clinical and angiographic outcomes of drug-eluting stent (DES) implantation in saphenous vein graft (SVG) lesions., Background: The safety and efficacy of DES implantation for the treatment SVG lesions remains uncertain., Methods: We evaluated in-hospital and six-month outcomes in 61 consecutive patients treated with DES in SVG lesions from March 2002 to March 2004 (DES group), as compared to 89 consecutive patients treated with bare-metal stents (BMS) in the 24 months immediately before the introduction of DES (BMS group). Major adverse cardiac events (MACE) including death, myocardial infarction, target lesion revascularization (TLR), and target vessel revascularization (TVR) were recorded in-hospital and at six-month follow-up., Results: The rate of in-hospital MACE was similar between the two groups (6.6% vs. 5.6%, p = 1.0). Cumulative MACE at six months was 11.5% in the DES group and 28.1% in the BMS group (p = 0.02). The DES group had a significantly lower incidence of in-segment restenosis (10.0% vs. 26.7%, p = 0.03), TLR (3.3% vs. 19.8%, p = 0.003), and TVR (4.9% vs. 23.1%, p = 0.003). By Cox regression analysis, diabetes (hazard ratio [HR]: 3.03; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.33 to 6.90; p = 0.008), usage of BMS (HR: 2.53; 95% CI: 1.07 to 5.97; p = 0.03), and age of SVG (HR: 1.10; 95% CI: 1.02 to 1.19; p = 0.02) were identified as predictors of MACE at six-month follow-up., Conclusions: Compared to BMS implantation, DES implantation in SVG lesions appears safe with favorable and improved mid-term outcomes.

Successful recanalization of coronary total occlusions (CTOs) remains an area where improvements are needed. We propose an approach similar to the one utilized in treating some peripheral artery occlusions and aimed to create a subintimal dissection with distal reentry. A 0.014' hydrophilic wire with a J-configuration is utilized for this purpose. We applied this technique to CTO of native coronaries in 31 patients where previous attempts failed in 21 of them (67%). The right coronary artery (RCA) was the index vessel in 87% of patients. Recanalization of the vessel and of most of distal branches was achieved in 21 patients; patency of at least one major distal branch was achieved in 9 patients. Drug-eluting stents (DESs) were implanted in 53% of patients. Three patients had intraprocedural vessel perforation without consequences. Five patients (16%) had in-hospital non-Q-wave myocardial infarction. No other adverse events occurred at a mean follow-up of 5.1 +/- 3.7 months except for one noncardiac death. Angiographic follow-up was performed in 21 (67%) patients and 53% of them developed restenosis. Reintervention on the target vessel was performed in 11 patients (52%). Complete success with the procedure was originally obtained in 8 of the 10 patients who did not develop restenosis and in 8 of them DESs were originally implanted. This technique appears a promising approach to recanalize difficult total occlusions, particularly the ones localize on the RCA, which has the most important side branches located distally., (Copyright 2005 Wiley-Liss, Inc.)

The aim of this study was to assess the safety and effectiveness of > or =4 sirolimus-eluting stent (SES; Cypher, Cordis, Johnson and Johnson) implantation. The safety of implantation of > or =4 SESs in the same patient and setting has not been established. Furthermore, it has been hypothesized that sirolimus administration with the use of multiple stents may diminish the platelet inhibitory effects of clopidogrel and may trigger drug-drug interactions. We identified 96 consecutive patients (96 procedures) who underwent implantation of > or =4 SESs in 365 lesions (438 stents) during the same procedure. All patients received aspirin indefinitely and clopidogrel or ticlopidine for at least 1 year postprocedure; 57% and 47% of the patients were on calcium channel blocker and statin therapy, respectively. All stents were successfully deployed and glycoprotein IIb/IIIa inhibitors were used in 50% of the procedures. There were no in-hospital deaths, Q-wave myocardial infarction (MI), urgent bypass surgery, or repeat percutaneous coronary intervention; 18 patients (19%) suffered non-Q-wave MI (defined as CK-MB elevation >3 times the upper limit of normal). At 30-day follow-up, there was one (1%) subacute thrombosis resulting in target lesion revascularization. At mean follow-up time of 15.4 +/- 6.2 months, the frequency of target lesion revascularization, target vessel revascularization, and major adverse cardiac event rates were 12%, 16%, and 18%, respectively. No other notable clinical events that might have been attributed to the possible drug-drug interactions or discontinuation of concomitant antithrombotic, statin, or calcium channel blocker therapy were reported. Multiple (> or =4) SES implantation appears safe with no increase in major adverse cardiac events., (Copyright 2005 Wiley-Liss, Inc.)

We evaluated the safety and effectiveness of postdilating a 3.0 mm sirolimus-eluting stents (SESs; six cells) with a 3.5-4.0 mm balloon. We identified 254 consecutive patients who underwent percutaneous coronary interventions using SESs with a nominal diameter of 3.0 mm (six cells). Patients were divided into two groups based on whether they were subsequently postdilated with a 3.0 mm (group 1: 168 patients, 251 lesions) or a 3.5-4 mm balloon (group 2: 86 patients, 102 lesions). There were no significant differences regarding the incidence of in-hospital and long-term follow-up. Angiographic follow-up was available in 72% and 74% of groups 1 and 2, respectively. The two groups had no significant differences regarding late lumen loss (0.51 +/- 0.36 vs. 0.52 +/- 0.33; P = 0.3) and binary restenosis rates (10.7% vs. 8.8%; P = 0.1). Six-month clinical follow-up was available in all patients. At long-term follow-up (mean: 10.6 +/- 3.7 for group 1 and 11.3 +/- 3.9 months for group 2), there were no significant differences between the two groups regarding major adverse cardiac events (8.9% vs. 9.2%; P = 0.9). Implantation of a 3.0 mm SES with postdilation with a 3.5-4 mm balloon did not result in any significant difference in complications, in-hospital non-Q-wave myocardial infarction, binary restenosis, or target lesion revascularization. These data should lessen concern that overdilation may dilute the beneficial effects of SESs., (2005 Wiley-Liss, Inc.)

Sixty in-stent restenotic lesions were treated with sirolimus-eluting stent implantation and retrospectively compared with a group of matched lesions treated with cutting balloon angioplasty. The results indicate a good safety profile of the procedure and a 57% reduction in the incidence of recurrent restenosis in comparison with cutting balloon angioplasty.

Objectives: This observational study evaluated the clinical and angiographic outcomes of patients with aorto-ostial coronary artery disease treated with sirolimus-eluting stents (SESs) or with bare metal stents (BMSs)., Background: The safety and effectiveness of SESs for the treatment of aorto-ostial lesions have not been demonstrated., Methods: We identified 82 consecutive patients who underwent percutaneous coronary interventions in 82 aorto-ostial lesions using the SES (32 patients) or BMS (50 patients) and compared the two groups of patients. The incidence of major adverse cardiac events (MACE), including death or Q-wave myocardial infarction (MI), target lesion revascularization (TLR), and target vessel revascularization (TVR), were recorded in-hospital and at a 10-month follow-up., Results: All stents were implanted successfully. There were no statistically significant differences regarding major in-hospital complications between the two groups. At 10-month follow-up, two (6.3%) patients in the SES group and 14 (28%) patients in the BMS group underwent TLR (p = 0.01); MACE were less frequent in the SES group compared to the BMS group (19% vs. 44%, p = 0.02). Angiographic follow-up showed lower binary restenosis rates (11% vs. 51%, p = 0.001) and smaller late loss (0.21 +/- 0.31 mm vs. 2.06 +/- 1.37 mm, p < 0.0001) in the SES group., Conclusions: The main finding of our study is that, compared to the BMS, implantation of the SES in aorto-ostial lesions appears safe and effective, with no increase in major in-hospital complications and a significant improvement in restenosis and late event rates at 10-month follow-up.

The impact of the use of sirolimus-eluting stents (SESs) in the treatment of in-stent restenosis in previously irradiated sites has not been adequately evaluated. Fifteen consecutive patients who underwent percutaneous coronary interventions using SESs in lesion sites previously intervened with intracoronary radiation therapy were identified. All stents were implanted successfully, and there were no major in-hospital complications. At 30-day follow-up, there was 1 case of subacute thrombosis that led to target lesion revascularization (TLR). At 6 months, 2 patients underwent TLR because of recurrent angina with angiographic restenosis, and 1 patient underwent target vessel revascularization distally to the SES site; no other major adverse cardiac events occurred at long-term follow-up (mean 17 +/- 8 months).

The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of vascular brachytherapy with gamma-radiation (gamma-RT) in patients with diabetes mellitus (DM) with coronary in-stent restenosis (ISR). In the Washington Radiation for In-Stent Restenosis (WRIST) trial, 130 patients with ISR were treated with (192)Ir or placebo. Of the patients enrolled, 44 (34%) had DM (18 of them treated with gamma-RT and 26 with placebo). Gamma-radiation therapy of ISR in diabetics resulted in similar procedural success and in-hospital outcome compared to nondiabetics. At 6-month follow-up, both DM and non-DM patients treated with gamma-RT had significantly lower target lesion revascularization (TLR), target vessel revascularization, and major adverse cardiac event rates compared to placebo. DM remains a powerful predictor of TLR and major adverse cardiac events even after treatment of ISR with gamma-RT., (Copyright 2004 Wiley-Liss, Inc.)

Larger final lumen dimensions after percutaneous coronary interventions in native coronary arteries lead to lower restenosis rates. We sought to determine the impact of stent expansion, as assessed by intravascular ultrasound, on clinical results of stent implantation in saphenous vein grafts (SVGs). We identified 226 consecutive patients who underwent intravascular ultrasound-guided stenting of 234 de novo SVG lesions. Patients were divided into 2 groups based on the final stent cross-sectional area (CSA): group I (stent CSA <100% of the reference lumen CSA, n = 176 patients, 182 lesions) and group II (stent CSA >/=100% of the reference lumen CSA, n = 50 patients, 52 lesions). Baseline patient characteristics were similar between the 2 groups with the exception of smaller lesions in group II. More aggressive stent expansion (group II) was associated with (1) increased rates of in-hospital non-Q-wave myocardial infarction (29% vs 17%, p = 0.05), (2) any myocardial infarction (26% vs 8%, p = 0.003) at 1-year follow-up, and (3) no improvement in target vessel revascularization at 1 year (31% vs 26%, p = 0.3). Aggressive stent expansion in SVG lesions resulted in higher myocardial infarction rates and, unlike native arteries, no improvement in target vessel revascularization rate at 1 year. A less aggressive stent implantation strategy in SVGs than in native coronary lesions appears prudent.

The relation between lesion length and effectiveness of gamma radiation treatment (gamma-RT) has not been well described. We evaluated the acute and long-term outcome according to baseline lesion length in 130 patients treated with (192)Ir in the Washington Radiation for In-Stent Restenosis Trial; 44 (35.5%) had baseline short in-stent restenosis (ISR) lesions (length < 15 mm) and 80 (64.5%) long ISR lesions (length > or = 15 mm). At 6-month follow-up after gamma-RT, the short ISR group had larger lumen dimensions and lower late loss than the long ISR group. Restenosis rate was significantly higher in patients with long ISR for both the placebo (74% vs. 39%; P = 0.01) and the gamma-RT arm (31% vs. 5.3%; P = 0.04). gamma-RT significantly improved the angiographic outcome in the short-lesion groups but had the more pronounced effect on the reduction of clinical events after treatment of long ISR group. Lesion length remains a powerful predictor of recurrent ISR and clinical events after treatment of ISR even with gamma-RT., (Copyright 2004 Wiley-Liss, Inc.)

Objectives: This study was designed to investigate the impact of percutaneous coronary interventions (PCIs) in degenerated saphenous vein grafts (SVGs) without distal embolic protection., Background: Distal embolic protection devices have been shown to reduce the incidence of no reflow/slow flow during PCI of de novo lesions in degenerated SVGs. It is unclear whether PCI of in-stent restenosis (ISR) lesions in degenerated SVGs is associated with no reflow/slow flow and whether distal embolic protection is beneficial in these cases as well., Methods: We studied 54 consecutive patients with treated ISR lesions in degenerated SVGs who underwent PCI without distal embolic protection in a single center. Procedural and in-hospital outcomes were examined. The average age was 71 +/- 8 years; 32% of the patients had diabetes. The mean lesion length was 13 +/- 6 mm and the procedural success rate was 98% (53/54). Cutting balloon angioplasty was used in 46% (25/54) of cases, and a new stent was inserted in 46% (25/54) of patients. Gamma brachytherapy was performed in 19% (10/54) of patients. During the procedure there were no episodes of no reflow/slow flow, and there were no patients with in-hospital Q-wave or non-Q-wave myocardial infarction. There was one in-hospital noncardiac death., Conclusions: In this consecutive series of patients with ISR of degenerated SVGs undergoing PCI without distal protection, there were no episodes of slow flow/no reflow and no procedure-related myocardial infarctions. It appears that distal embolic protection may not be necessary during PCI of ISR lesions in degenerated SVGs.

Objectives: To compare long term outcomes of the crush versus the T technique in bifurcation lesions. Design: 182 consecutive patients were identified who underwent percutaneous coronary interventions for bifurcation lesions with drug eluting stents between April 2002 and January 2004. Two techniques were used according to the operator's discretion: crush (group C, n = 121 ) or T (group T, n = 61 ). Results: In-hospital outcome differed significantly between the two groups. Angiographic follow up was available for 142 (78%) patients. Groups C and T did not differ significantly regarding late loss (0.42 (0.39) mm v 0.34 (0.35) mm, p = 0.52) and rate of restenosis (16.2% v 13.0%, p = 0.80) in both the main and the side branch without final kissing balloon post-dilatation. However, when final kissing balloon post-dilatation was performed, group C had significantly lower late lumen loss (0.23 (0.21) mm v 0.37 (0.33) mm, p = 0.02) and restenosis rate (8.6% v 26.5%, p = 0.04) in the side branch. At one year's clinical follow up, group C compared with group T had lower rates of target lesion revascularisation (14.0% v 31.1%, p = 0.01) and target vessel revascularisation (16.5% v 32.8%, p = 0.02). Conclusions: In non-selected bifurcation lesions treated with drug eluting stents, the restenosis rate remains relatively high in the side branch. Compared with the T stenting technique, crush stenting with kissing balloon post-dilatation is associated with a reduced rate of restenosis in the side branch. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]