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Background and Aims Predicting personalized risk for adverse events following percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) remains critical in weighing treatment options, employing risk mitigation strategies, and enhancing shared decision-making. This study aimed to employ machine learning models using pre-procedural variables to accurately predict common post-PCI complications. Methods A group of 66 adults underwent a semiquantitative survey assessing a preferred list of outcomes and model display. The machine learning cohort included 107 793 patients undergoing PCI procedures performed at 48 hospitals in Michigan between 1 April 2018 and 31 December 2021 in the Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan Cardiovascular Consortium (BMC2) registry separated into training and validation cohorts. External validation was conducted in the Cardiac Care Outcomes Assessment Program database of 56 583 procedures in 33 hospitals in Washington. Results Overall rate of in-hospital mortality was 1.85% (n = 1999), acute kidney injury 2.51% (n = 2519), new-onset dialysis 0.44% (n = 462), stroke 0.41% (n = 447), major bleeding 0.89% (n = 942), and transfusion 2.41% (n = 2592). The model demonstrated robust discrimination and calibration for mortality {area under the receiver-operating characteristic curve [AUC]: 0.930 [95% confidence interval (CI) 0.920–0.940]}, acute kidney injury [AUC: 0.893 (95% CI 0.883–0.903)], dialysis [AUC: 0.951 (95% CI 0.939–0.964)], stroke [AUC: 0.751 (95%CI 0.714–0.787)], transfusion [AUC: 0.917 (95% CI 0.907–0.925)], and major bleeding [AUC: 0.887 (95% CI 0.870–0.905)]. Similar discrimination was noted in the external validation population. Survey subjects preferred a comprehensive list of individually reported post-procedure outcomes. Conclusions Using common pre-procedural risk factors, the BMC2 machine learning models accurately predict post-PCI outcomes. Utilizing patient feedback, the BMC2 models employ a patient-centred tool to clearly display risks to patients and providers (https://shiny.bmc2.org/pci-prediction/). Enhanced risk prediction prior to PCI could help inform treatment selection and shared decision-making discussions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has severely impacted healthcare delivery and patient outcomes globally. Aims: We aimed to evaluate the influence of the COVID-19 pandemic on the temporal trends and outcomes of patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) in Michigan. Methods: We compared all patients undergoing PCI in the BMC2 Registry between March and December 2020 ("pandemic cohort") with those undergoing PCI between March and December 2019 ("pre-pandemic cohort"). A risk-adjusted analysis of in-hospital outcomes was performed between the pre-pandemic and pandemic cohort. A subgroup analysis was performed comparing COVID-19 positive vs. negative patients during the pandemic. Results: There was a 15.2% reduction in overall PCI volume from the pre-pandemic (n = 25,737) to the pandemic cohort (n = 21,822), which was more pronounced for stable angina and non-ST-elevation acute coronary syndromes (ACS) presentations, and between February and May 2020. Patients in the two cohorts had similar clinical and procedural characteristics. Monthly mortality rates for primary PCI were generally higher in the pandemic period. There were no significant system delays in care between the cohorts. Risk-adjusted mortality was higher in the pandemic cohort (aOR 1.26, 95% CI 1.07–1.47, p = 0.005), a finding that was only partially explained by worse outcomes in COVID-19 patients and was more pronounced in subjects with ACS. During the pandemic, COVID-19 positive patients suffered higher risk-adjusted mortality (aOR 5.69, 95% CI 2.54–12.74, p<0.001) compared with COVID negative patients. Conclusions: During the COVID-19 pandemic, we observed a reduction in PCI volumes and higher risk-adjusted mortality. COVID-19 positive patients experienced significantly worse outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Non-primary percutaneous coronary intervention (non-PPCI) recently received certificate of need approval in the state of Michigan at sites without cardiac surgery on-site (cSoS). This requires quality oversight through participation in the BMC2 registry. While previous studies have indicated the safety of this practice, real-world comprehensive outcomes, case volume changes, economic impacts, and readmission rates at diverse healthcare centers with and without cSoS remain poorly understood. Methods: Consecutive patients undergoing non-PPCI at 47 hospitals (33 cSoS and 14 non-cSoS) in Michigan from April 2016 to March 2018 were included. Using propensity-matching, patients were analyzed to assess outcomes and trends in non-PPCI performance at sites with and without cSOS. Results: Of 61,864 PCI's performed, 50,817 were non-PPCI, with 46,096 (90.7%) performed at sites with cSoS and 4,721 (9.3%) at sites without cSoS. From this cohort, 4,643 propensity-matched patients were analyzed. Rates of major adverse cardiac events (2.6% vs. 2.8%; p = 0.443), in-hospital mortality (0.6% vs. 0.5%; p = 0.465), and several secondary clinical and quality outcomes showed no clinically significant differences. Among a small subset with available post-discharge data, there were no differences in 90-day readmission rates, standardized episode costs, or post-discharge mortality. Overall PCI volume remained stable, with a near three-fold rise in non-PPCI at sites without cSoS. Conclusions: Non-PPCI at centers without cardiac SoS was associated with similar comprehensive outcomes, quality of care, 90-day episode costs, and post-discharge mortality compared with surgical sites. Mandatory quality oversight serves to maintain appropriate equivalent outcomes and may be considered for other programs, including the performance of non-PPCI at ambulatory surgical centers in the near future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The incidence, risk factors, and outcomes associated with Contrast-induced nephropathy (CIN) after Percutaneous Vascular Intervention (PVI) in contemporary medical practice are largely unknown.Methods: A total of 13 126 patients undergoing PVI were included in the analysis. CIN was defined as an increase in serum creatinine from pre-PVI baseline to post-PVI peak Cr of ≥0.5 mg/dL.Results: CIN occurred in 3% (400 patients) of the cohort, and 26 patients (6.5%) required dialysis. Independent predictors of CIN were high and low body weight, diabetes, heart failure, anemia, baseline renal dysfunction, critical limb ischemia, and a higher acuity of the PVI procedure and a contrast dose that was greater than three times the calculated creatinine clearance (CCC) (adjusted OR 1.4, 95% CI: 1.1-1.8, P = 0.003). CIN was strongly associated with adverse outcome including in-hospital death (adjusted OR 18.1, CI 10.7-30.6, P < 0.001), myocardial infarction (adjusted OR 16.2, CI 8.9-29.5, P < 0.001), transient ischemic attack/stroke (adjusted OR 5.5, CI 3.2-14.9, P = 0.001), vascular access complications (adjusted OR 3.4, CI 2.3-5, P < 0.001), and transfusion (adjusted OR 7, CI 5.4-9, P < 0.001). Hospital stay was longer in patients who developed CIN versus those who did not.Conclusions: CIN is not an uncommon complication associated with PVI, can be reliably predicted from pre-procedural variables, including a contrast dose of greater than three times the CCC and is strongly associated with the risk of in-hospital death, MI, stroke, transfusion, and increased hospital length of stay. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Assessments of healthcare value have largely focused on measuring outcomes of care at a given level of cost with less attention paid to appropriateness. However, understanding how appropriateness relates to outcomes and costs is essential to determining healthcare value.Methods and Results: In a retrospective cohort study design, administrative data from fee-for-service Medicare patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) in Michigan hospitals between June 30, 2010, and December 31, 2014, were linked with clinical data from a statewide PCI registry to calculate hospital-level measures of (1) appropriate use criteria scores, (2) 90-day risk-standardized readmission and mortality rates, and (3) 90-day risk-standardized episode costs. We then used Spearman correlation coefficients to assess the relationship between these measures. A total of 29 839 PCIs were performed at 33 PCI hospitals during the study period. A total of 13.3% were for ST-segment-elevation myocardial infarction, 25.0% for non-ST-segment-elevation myocardial infarction, 47.1% for unstable angina, 9.8% for stable angina, and 4.7% for other. The overall hospital-level mean appropriate use criteria score was 8.4±0.2. Ninety-day risk-standardized readmission occurred in 23.7%±3.7% of cases, 90-day risk-standardized mortality in 4.3%±0.6%, and mean risk-standardized episode costs were $26 159±$1074. Hospital-level appropriate use criteria scores did not correlate with 90-day readmission, mortality, or episode costs.Conclusions: Among Medicare patients undergoing PCI in Michigan, we found hospital-level appropriate use criteria scores did not correlate with 90-day readmission, mortality, or episode costs. This finding suggests that a comprehensive understanding of healthcare value requires multidimensional consideration of appropriateness, outcomes, and costs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Atrial fibrillation (AF) is increasing in prevalence, and patients with a history of AF commonly undergo percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). There is a paucity of contemporary data on the association between AF and clinical outcomes after PCI.Objectives: The study sought to evaluate the association between AF and in-hospital adverse outcomes using a large, prospective multicenter registry.Methods: Data for consecutive PCI cases from 47 hospitals performed between April 2011 and December 2014 were utilized for the analysis. Propensity-matched multivariate analysis was used to adjust for differences in baseline characteristics between patients with and without a history of AF.Results: Of 113,283 PCI cases during the study period, a history of AF was present in 13,912 patients (12%), which varied by institution (range 2.5% to 18.4%). At baseline, patients with a history of AF were older and were more likely to have comorbid congestive heart failure, cardiomyopathy, cerebrovascular disease, and chronic lung disease. Patients with a history of AF were more likely to have in-hospital complications, including in-hospital mortality (3% vs. 1%). In propensity-matched analysis, patients with a history of AF were more likely to be treated with a bare-metal stent (27% vs. 18%). In the propensity-matched model, AF remained independently associated with an increased risk of developing post-procedural bleeding (odds ratio [OR]: 1.32; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.15 to 1.52), heart failure (OR: 1.33; 95% CI: 1.17 to 1.52), cardiogenic shock (OR: 1.26; 95% CI: 1.08 to 1.48), and in-hospital mortality (OR: 1.41; 95% CI: 1.18 to 1.68).Conclusions: AF is common among patients undergoing PCI. AF is associated with older age, the presence of other comorbidities, and independently associated with in-hospital post-procedural heart failure, cardiogenic shock, and mortality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: This study sought to examine sex-related differences in outcomes related to peripheral vascular intervention (PVI) procedures. Background: Percutaneous PVI is frequently performed for the treatment of peripheral arterial disease (PAD). However, little is known about sex-related differences related to PVI procedures. Methods: We assessed the impact of sex among 12,379 patients (41% female) who underwent lower extremity (LE)-PVI from 2004 to 2009 at 16 hospitals participating in the Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan Cardiovascular Consortium PVI registry. Multivariate propensity-matched analyses were performed to adjust for differences in baseline characteristics, procedural indications, and comorbidities on the basis of sex. Results: Compared with men, women were older and have multilevel disease and critical limb ischemia. In a propensity-matched analysis, female sex was associated with a higher rate of vascular complications, transfusions, and embolism. No differences were observed for in-hospital death, myocardial infarction, or stroke or transient ischemic attack. Technical success was more commonly achieved in women (91.2% vs. 89.1%, p = 0.014), but because of a higher complication rate, the overall procedural success rates were similar in men and women (79.7% vs. 81.6%, p = 0.08). Conclusions: Women represent a significant proportion of patients undergoing LE-PVI, have a more severe and complex disease process, and are at increased risk for adverse outcomes. Despite higher complications rates, women had similar procedural success compared with men, making PVI an effective treatment strategy among women with LE-PAD. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

There is evidence that collaborations between hospitals and physicians in particular regions of the country have led to improvements in the quality of care. Even so, there have not been many of these collaborations. We review one, the Michigan regional collaborative improvement program, which was paid for by a large private insurer, has yielded improvements for a range of clinical conditions, and has reduced costs in several important areas. In general and vascular surgery alone, complications from surgery dropped almost 2.6 percent among participating Michigan hospitals-a change that translates into 2,500 fewer Michigan patients with surgical complications each year. Estimated annual savings from this one collaborative are approximately $20 million, far exceeding the cost of administering the program. Regional collaborative improvement programs should become increasingly attractive to hospitals and physicians, as well as to national policy makers, as they seek to improve health care quality and reduce costs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Due to randomized trials demonstrating reduced bleeding with radial access, there is increasing use of radial access for percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) across the United States. However, with declining rates of femoral access, there is concern that operators and patient care teams have become less familiar with management of femoral access. We describe vascular access complications associated with PCI in Michigan from 2013-2017. Methods: All PCIs from 1/1/2013 through 9/30/2017 from the Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan Cardiovascular Consortium (BMC2) registry were included. The composite vascular complications endpoint included post-procedure pseudoaneurysm, AV fistula, neuropathy, RP hematoma, acute thrombosis, need for surgical repair, and loss of limb. Hierarchical generalized linear mixed effects regression was used to adjust for patient and procedural characteristics and account for site and operator level variability. Results: From 2013 to 2017, the use of radial access has increased from 25.9% to 44.6%. Vascular complications were consistently less frequent in radial access cases throughout the study period. Complications for both femoral and radial access cases increased over time, with overall complication rates relatively constant (figure). After adjusting for patient and procedural characteristics, as well as site and operator variability, radial access was significantly associated with lower complication risk (aOR = 0.1881, p < 0.001), while for both radial and femoral cases complications increased with time (aOR = 1.014 per quarter, p = 0.003). Conclusions: Despite increased use of trans-radial PCI in Michigan, there has been no significant change in the overall rate of vascular access site complications, attributable in large part to worsening vascular outcomes with femoral access. These data highlight the need to develop new strategies to mitigate vascular complications in the trans-radial era. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: With an aging population and an increase in the comorbidity burden of patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI), the management of coronary calcification for optimal PCI is critical in contemporary practice., Objectives: This study sought to examine the trends and outcomes of coronary intravascular lithotripsy (IVL), rotational/orbital atherectomy, or both among patients who underwent PCI in Michigan., Methods: We included all PCIs between January 1, 2021, and June 30, 2022, performed at 48 Michigan hospitals. Outcomes included in-hospital major adverse cardiac events (MACEs) and procedural success., Results: IVL was used in 1,090 patients (2.57%), atherectomy was used in 1,743 (4.10%) patients, and both were used in 240 patients (0.57% of all PCIs). IVL use increased from 0.04% of PCI cases in January 2021 to 4.28% of cases in June 2022, ultimately exceeding the rate of atherectomy use. The rate of MACEs (4.3% vs 5.4%; P = 0.23) and procedural success (89.4% vs 89.1%; P = 0.88) were similar among patients treated with IVL compared with atherectomy, respectively. Only 15.6% of patients treated with IVL in contemporary practice were similar to the population enrolled in the pivotal IVL trials. Among such patients (n = 169), the rate of MACEs (0.0%) and procedural success (94.7%) were similar to the outcomes reported in the pivotal IVL trials., Conclusions: Since its introduction in February 2021, coronary IVL use has steadily increased, exceeding atherectomy use in Michigan by February 2022. Contemporary use of IVL and atherectomy is generally associated with high rates of procedural success and low rates of complications., Competing Interests: Funding Support and Author Disclosures Support for the Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan Cardiovascular Consortium and the Michigan Value Collaborative is provided by Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan and Blue Care Network as part of the Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan Value Partnerships program. Although Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan and BMC2 work collaboratively, the opinions, beliefs, and viewpoints expressed by the author do not necessarily reflect the opinions, beliefs, and viewpoints of BCBSM or any of its employees. Further, BCBSM does not have access to BMC2 data, and all patient episodes occurring at engaged hospitals are included in the data registries, regardless of payer. Dr Madder has received research support, consulting fees, speaker honoraria, and serves on the Advisory Board of Corindus, a Siemens Healthineers Company; has received research support, consulting fees, and speaker honoraria from Infraredx; has received speaker honoraria from Abbott Vascular; and serves on the Advisory Board of Spectrawave and Medtronic. Dr Basir is a consultant for Abiomed, Cardiovascular Systems, Chiesi, Saranas, and Zoll. Dr Kaki serves on the Speakers Bureau of Abiomed, Abbott, CSI, Medtronic, Shockwave, and Terumo. Dr Azzalini has received consulting fees from Teleflex, Abiomed, GE Healthcare, Asahi Intecc, Philips, Abbott Vascular, Reflow Medical, and Cardiovascular Systems, Inc. Dr Gurm has received research support from Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Michigan; is the co-founder of, owns equity in, and is a consultant to Amplitude Vascular Systems; owns equity in Jiaxing Bossh Medical Technology Partnership; is a consultant for Osprey Medical; and is the chair of the Clinical Events Committee for the PERFORMANCE trial sponsored by Contego Medical. All other authors have reported that they have no relationships relevant to the contents of this paper to disclose., (Published by Elsevier Inc.)

Background: Mortality is the most devastating complication of percutaneous coronary interventions (PCI). Identifying the most common causes and mechanisms of death after PCI in contemporary practice is an important step in further reducing periprocedural mortality., Objectives: To systematically analyze the cause and circumstances of in-hospital mortality in a large, multi-center, statewide cohort., Methods: In-hospital deaths after PCI occurring at 39 hospitals included in the Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan Cardiovascular Consortium (BMC2) between 2012 and 2014 were retrospectively reviewed using validated methods. A priori PCI-related mortality risk was estimated using the validated BMC2 model., Results: A total of 1,163 deaths after PCI were included in the study. Mean age was 71±13 years, and 507 (44%) were women. Left ventricular failure was the most common cause of death (52% of cases). The circumstance of death was most commonly related to prior acute cardiovascular condition (61% of cases). Procedural complications were considered contributing to mortality in 235 (20%) cases. Death was rated as not preventable or slightly preventable in 1,045 (89.9%) cases. The majority of the deaths occurred in intermediate or high-risk patients, but 328 (28.2%) deaths occurred in low-risk patients (<5% predicted risk of mortality). PCI was considered rarely appropriate in 30% of preventable deaths., Conclusions: In-hospital mortality after PCI is rare, and primarily related to pre-existing critical acute cardiovascular condition. However, approximately 10% of deaths were preventable. Further research is needed to characterize preventable deaths, in order to develop strategies to improve procedural safety., Competing Interests: I have read the journal’s policy and the authors of this manuscript have the following competing interests: Dr. Azzalini received consulting fees from Teleflex, Abiomed, GE Healthcare, Asahi Intecc, Philips, Abbott Vascular, Reflow Medical, and Cardiovascular Systems, Inc.; is on the advisory board of GE Healthcare; and owns equity in Reflow Medical. Devraj Sukul reports no relevant financial disclosures. Hitinder Gurm receives research support from Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Michigan. He is the co-founder of, owns equity in, and is a consultant to Amplitude Vascular Systems. He also owns equity in Jiaxing Bossh Medical Technology Partnership and is a consultant for Osprey Medical. He is the chair of the Clinical Events Committee for the PERFORMANCE trial sponsored by Contego Medical. All other authors have nothing to disclose. This does not alter our adherence to PLOS ONE policies on sharing data and materials., (Copyright: © 2024 Moroni et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.)

Background: Improved radiation safety practices are needed across hospitals performing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). This study was performed to assess the temporal trend in PCI radiation doses concurrent with the conduct of a statewide radiation safety initiative., Methods: A statewide initiative to reduce PCI radiation doses was conducted in Michigan between 2017 and 2021 and included focused radiation safety education, reporting of institutional radiation doses, and implementation of radiation performance metrics for hospitals. Using data from a large statewide registry, PCI discharges between July 1, 2016, and July 1, 2022, having a procedural air kerma (AK) recorded were analyzed for temporal trends. A multivariable regression analysis was performed to determine whether declines in procedural AK over time were attributable to changes in known predictors of radiation doses., Results: Among 131 619 PCI procedures performed during the study period, a reduction in procedural AK was observed over time, from a median dose of 1.46 (0.86-2.37) Gy in the first year of the study to 0.97 (0.56-1.64) Gy in the last year of the study ( P <0.001). The proportion of cases with an AK ≥5 Gy declined from 4.24% to 0.86% over the same time period ( P <0.0001). After adjusting for variables known to impact radiation doses, a 1-year increase in the date of PCI was associated with a 7.61% (95% CI, 7.38%-7.84%) reduction in procedural AK ( P <0.0001)., Conclusions: Concurrent with the conduct of a statewide initiative to reduce procedural radiation doses, a progressive and significant decline in procedural radiation doses was observed among patients undergoing PCI in the state of Michigan., Competing Interests: Disclosures Dr Madder received speaker honoraria from Abbott Vascular, Corindus, and Infraredx; has served as a consultant to Abbott Vascular, Angiowave Imaging, Corindus, Infraredx, and SpectraWAVE; received research support from Corindus and Infraredx; and serves on the advisory boards of Medtronic and SpectraWAVE. Dr Sukul receives salary support for his role in the Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan Cardiovascular Collaborative. Dr Gurm receives research support from Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan. He is a co-founder of, owns equity in, and is a consultant to Amplitude Vascular Systems. He also owns equity in Jiaxing Bossh Medical Technology Partnership and is a consultant for Osprey Medical. He is the chair of the Clinical Events Committee for the PERFORMANCE trial (Protection Against Emboli During Carotid Artery Stenting Using a 3-in-1 Delivery System Comprised of a Post-Dilation Balloon, Integrated Embolic Filter, and a Novel Carotid Stent II) sponsored by Contego Medical. The other authors report no conflicts.

Background: International registry comparisons provide insight into regional differences in clinical practice patterns, procedural outcomes, and general trends in population health and resource utilization in percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). We sought to compare data from a state-wide PCI registry in the United States with a national registry from the United Kingdom (UK)., Methods: We analyzed all PCI cases from the Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan Cardiovascular Consortium and the British Cardiovascular Intervention Society registries from 2010 to 2017. Procedural characteristics and in-hospital outcomes were stratified by PCI indication., Results: A total of 248,283 cases were performed in Michigan and 773,083 in the United Kingdom during the study period. The proportion of patients with a prior diagnosis of diabetes in Michigan was nearly double that in the United Kingdom (38.9% vs. 21.0%). PCI for ST-elevation myocardial infarction was more frequent in the UK (25% UK vs. 14.3% Michigan). Radial access increased in both registries, reaching 86.8% in the United Kingdom versus 45.1% in Michigan during the final study year. Mechanical support utilization was divergent, falling to 0.9% of cases in the United Kingdom and rising to 3.95% of cases in Michigan in 2017. Unadjusted crude mortality rates were similar in the two cohorts, with higher rates of post-PCI transfusion and other complications in the Michigan population., Conclusions: In a real-world comparison using PCI registries from the US and UK, notable findings include marked differences in the prevalence of diabetes and other comorbidities, a greater proportion of primary PCI with more robust adoption of transradial PCI in the United Kingdom, and divergent trends in mechanical support with increasing use in Michigan., (© 2023 Wiley Periodicals LLC.)

Background: Despite its established benefit and strong endorsement in international guidelines, cardiac rehabilitation (CR) use remains low. Identifying determinants of CR referral and use may help develop targeted policies and quality improvement efforts. We evaluated the variation in CR referral and use across percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) hospitals and operators., Methods: We performed a retrospective observational cohort study of all patients who underwent PCI at 48 nonfederal Michigan hospitals between January 1, 2012 and March 31, 2018 and who had their PCI clinical registry record linked to administrative claims data. The primary outcomes included in-hospital CR referral and CR participation, defined as at least one outpatient CR visit within 90 days of discharge. Bayesian hierarchical regression models were fit to evaluate the association between PCI hospital and operator with CR referral and use after adjusting for patient characteristics., Results: Among 54 217 patients who underwent PCI, 76.3% received an in-hospital referral for CR, and 27.1% attended CR within 90 days after discharge. There was significant hospital and operator level variation in in-hospital CR referral with median odds ratios of 3.88 (95% credible interval [CI], 3.06-5.42) and 1.64 (95% CI, 1.55-1.75), respectively, and in CR participation with median odds ratios of 1.83 (95% CI, 1.63-2.15) and 1.40 (95% CI, 1.35-1.47), respectively. In-hospital CR referral was significantly associated with an increased likelihood of CR participation (adjusted odds ratio, 1.75 [95% CI, 1.52-2.01]), and this association varied by treating PCI hospital (odds ratio range, 0.92-3.75) and operator (odds ratio range, 1.26-2.82)., Conclusions: In-hospital CR referral and 90-day CR use after PCI varied significantly by hospital and operator. The association of in-hospital CR referral with downstream CR use also varied across hospitals and less so across operators suggesting that specific hospitals and operators may more effectively translate CR referrals into downstream use. Understanding the factors that explain this variation will be critical to developing strategies to improve CR participation overall.

Potent antithrombotic agents are routinely prescribed after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) to reduce ischemic complications. However, in patients who are at an increased bleeding risk, this may pose significant risks. We sought to evaluate the association between a history of gastrointestinal bleeding (GIB) and outcomes after PCI. We linked clinical registry data from PCIs performed at 48 Michigan hospitals between 1/2013 and 3/2018 to Medicare claims. We used 1:5 propensity score matching to adjust for patient characteristics. In-hospital outcomes included bleeding, transfusion, stroke or death. Post-discharge outcomes included 90-day all-cause readmission and long-term mortality. Of 30,206 patients, 1.1% had a history of GIB. Patients with a history of GIB were more likely to be older, female, and have more cardiovascular comorbidities. After matching, those with a history of GIB (n = 312) had increased post-procedural transfusions (15.7% vs 8.4%; p < 0.001), bleeding (11.9% vs 5.2%; p < 0.001), and major bleeding (2.8% vs 0.6%; p = 0.004). Ninety-day readmission rates were similar among those with and without a history of GIB (34.3% vs 31.3%; p = 0.318). There was no significant difference in post-discharge survival (1 year: 78% vs 80%; p = 0.217; 5 years: 54% vs 51%; p = 0.189). In conclusion, after adjusting for baseline characteristics, patients with a history of GIB had increased risk of post-PCI in-hospital bleeding complications. However, a history of GIB was not significantly associated with 90-day readmission or long-term survival., (Published by Elsevier Inc.)

Objectives: The aim of this study was to evaluate the association between reported marijuana use and post-percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) in-hospital outcomes., Background: Marijuana use is increasing as more states in the United States legalize its use for recreational and medicinal purposes. Little is known about the frequency of use and relative safety of marijuana among patients presenting for PCI., Methods: The authors analyzed Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan Cardiovascular Consortium PCI registry data between January 1, 2013, and September 30, 2016. One-to-one propensity matching and multivariable logistic regression were used to adjust for differences between patients with or without reported marijuana use, and rates of post-PCI complications were compared., Results: Among 113,477 patients, 3,970 reported marijuana use. Compared with those without reported marijuana use, patients with reported marijuana use were likely to be younger (53.9 years vs 65.8 years), to use tobacco (73.0% vs 26.8%), to present with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (27.3% vs 15.9%), and to have fewer cardiovascular comorbidities. After matching, compared with patients without reported marijuana use, those with reported marijuana use experienced significantly higher risks for bleeding (adjusted odds ratio [aOR]: 1.54; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.20-1.97; P < 0.001) and cerebrovascular accident (aOR: 11.01; 95% CI: 1.32-91.67; P = 0.026) and a lower risk for acute kidney injury (aOR: 0.61; 95% CI: 0.42-0.87; P = 0.007). There were no significant differences in risks for transfusion and death., Conclusions: A modest fraction of patients undergoing PCI used marijuana. Reported marijuana use was associated with higher risks for cerebrovascular accident and bleeding and a lower risk for acute kidney injury after PCI. Clinicians and patients should be aware of the higher risk for post-PCI complications in these patients., Competing Interests: Funding Support and Author Disclosures The BMC2 coordinating center is supported by a grant from Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan to the University of Michigan. The sponsor had no role in the study design or decision to publish this work. Dr Yoo has received support from the Fogarty International Center and the National Institute of Mental Health of the National Institutes of Health under award D43 TW010543. The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the National Institutes of Health. Mr Seth, Drs Sukul and Gurm have received salary support from Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan for their roles in the BMC2. However, the opinions, beliefs and viewpoints expressed by the authors do not necessarily reflect those of Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan or any of its employees. Dr Gurm has received research support from Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan, the National Institutes of Health Center for Accelerated Innovations, and the Michigan Translational Research and Commercialization for Life Sciences Innovation Hub; is a cofounder of, owns equity in, and is a consultant to Calcium Solution; owns equity in Jiaxing Bossh Medical Technology Partnership; and is a consultant for Osprey Medical. Dr Vaduganathan is supported by the KL2/Catalyst Medical Research Investigator Training Award from Harvard Catalyst (National Institutes of Health/National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences award UL 1TR002541); receives research grant support from Amgen; serves on advisory boards for Amgen, AstraZeneca, Baxter Healthcare, Bayer, Boehringer Ingelheim, Cytokinetics, and Relypsa; and has participated on clinical endpoint committees for studies sponsored by Galmed, Novartis, and the National Institutes of Health. All other authors have reported that they have no relationships relevant to the contents of this paper to disclose., (Published by Elsevier Inc.)

Background: An inverse relationship has been described between procedural success and outcomes of all major cardiovascular procedures. However, this relationship has not been studied for percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) of chronic total occlusion (CTO)., Methods: We analyzed the data on patients enrolled in Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan Cardiovascular Consortium registry in Michigan (January 1, 2010 to March 31, 2018) to evaluate the association of operator and hospital experience with procedural success and outcomes of patients undergoing CTO-PCI. CTO-PCI was defined as intervention of a 100% occluded coronary artery presumed to be ≥3 months old., Results: Among 210 172 patients enrolled in the registry, 7389 (3.5%) CTO-PCIs were attempted with a success rate of 53%. CTO-PCI success increased with operator experience (45% and 65% in the lowest and highest experience tertiles) and was the highest for highly experienced operators at higher experience centers and the lowest for inexperienced operators at low experience hospitals. Multivariable logistic regression models (with spline transformed prior operator and institutional experience) demonstrated a positive relationship between prior operator and site experience and procedural success rates (likelihood ratio test=141.12, df=15, P <0.001) but no relationship between operator and site experience and major adverse cardiac event (likelihood ratio test=19.12, df=15, P =0.208)., Conclusions: Operator and hospital CTO-PCI experiences were directly related to procedural success but were not related to major adverse cardiac event among patients undergoing CTO-PCIs. Inexperienced operators at high experience centers had significantly higher success but not major adverse cardiac event rates compared with inexperienced operators at low experience centers. These data suggested that CTO-PCI safety and success could potentially be improved by selective referral of these procedures to experienced operators working at highly experienced centers.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to evaluate institutional variability in high radiation doses during percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI)., Background: It is unknown whether radiation safety practices are optimally applied across institutions performing PCI., Methods: Using data from a large statewide registry, PCI discharges between July 1, 2016, and March 31, 2018, with a procedural air kerma (AK) recorded were analyzed. PCI procedures were grouped by the performing hospital, and institutional frequency of procedural AK ≥5 Gy was calculated. Fitted hierarchical Bayesian modeling was performed to identify variables independently associated with an AK ≥5 Gy. The performing hospital was included as a random effect in the hierarchical model., Results: Among 36,201 PCI procedures at 28 hospitals, procedural AK was ≥5 Gy in 1,477 cases (4.1%), ≥10 Gy in 185 (0.5%), and ≥15 Gy in 105 (0.3%). The institutional frequency of procedural AK ≥5 Gy ranged from 0.0% to 10.9%. Bayesian modeling identified body mass index, dyslipidemia, diabetes, prior coronary bypass surgery, use of mechanical circulatory support, and the performing hospital as independent predictors of an AK ≥5 Gy. The median odds ratio for the performing hospital, representing an estimate of the contribution of interhospital variability in determining the odds of having a procedural AK ≥5 Gy, was 3.08 (95% confidence interval: 3.01 to 3.16)., Conclusions: Wide variability exists in the institutional frequency of procedural AK ≥5 Gy during PCI. After accounting for patient characteristics and procedural variables, the performing hospital appears to be a major factor in determining patient radiation dose in contemporary PCI., (Copyright © 2020 American College of Cardiology Foundation. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Objectives: This study sought to describe the association between trends in primary and secondary vascular access sites and vascular access site complications (VASCs) among patients who underwent percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) in Michigan., Background: The frequency of transradial PCI has increased. As a result, there is concern that operators may lose femoral-access proficiency resulting in a paradoxical increase in PCI complications. Anecdotally, an increase in secondary access use during PCI has also been observed., Methods: Data from the BMC2 (Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan Cardiovascular Consortium) registry was queried to evaluate the use of transradial and transfemoral PCI and their associated VASCs., Results: From 2013 to 2017, transradial PCI increased from 25.9% to 45.2% and the overall use of secondary vascular access increased from 4.9% to 8.7% with minimal change in overall VASCs (1.2% to 1.4%). The use of secondary vascular access was associated with increased VASCs (odds ratio [OR]: 5.82; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 5.26 to 6.43). Although, patients treated by operators in the highest tertile of radial use were more likely to experience femoral VASCs (adjusted OR: 1.51; 95% CI: 1.08 to 2.13), treatment by these operators was associated with an overall reduction in all VASCs (adjusted OR: 0.62; 95% CI: 0.46 to 0.83)., Conclusions: Despite increased use of transradial PCI, there has been no significant decrease in VASCs. This is in part attributable to an increased incidence of femoral VASCs and increasing use of secondary vascular access. An overall reduction in VASCs was observed in the highest radial use operators. Further strategies are needed to reduce VASCs in the transradial era., (Copyright © 2019 American College of Cardiology Foundation. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background Troponin release in ST-segment-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) has predictable kinetics with early levels reflective of ischemia duration. Little research has examined the value of admission troponin levels in STEMI patients undergoing primary percutaneous coronary intervention. We investigated the relationship between troponin on presentation and mortality in a large, real-world cohort of STEMI patients undergoing primary percutaneous coronary intervention. Methods and Results We used multivariable adaptive regression modeling to examine the association between admission troponin levels and in-hospital mortality for patients who underwent primary percutaneous coronary intervention for STEMI. We adjusted for known clinical risk factors using a validated mortality risk model derived from the NCDR (National Cardiovascular Data Registry) CathPCI database, and this same model was used to calculate patients' predicted mortality based on clinical and demographic factors. Patients were then stratified by troponin groups to compare predicted versus observed mortality. Of the 14 061 patients included in the cohort, 47.2% had initial troponin levels that were undetectable or within the reference range. Admission troponin was an independent predictor of in-hospital mortality, and any value above the reference range was associated with increased mortality (1.8% versus 5.1%, [standardized difference, 18.2%]). Patients with the highest predicted risk for mortality (13% predicted) in the highest admission troponin grouping experienced an observed mortality of 19.5%. Patients in low troponin groupings consistently demonstrated lower than predicted mortality based on their clinical and demographic risk profile. Conclusions Nearly half of patients undergoing primary percutaneous coronary intervention had normal troponin on presentation and had a relatively good outcome. Mortality increases with elevated admission troponin levels, regardless of baseline clinical risk. The substantial number of patients who present with markedly elevated troponin and their relatively worse outcomes highlights the need for continued improvement in prehospital STEMI detection and care.

This study evaluated prehospital transport times and clinical outcomes after different reperfusion strategies for ST-elevation myocardial infarction in a real-world setting. We consecutively enrolled 27,205 patients who underwent percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) for ST-elevation myocardial infarction in Michigan from 2010 to 2016. Primary PCI was performed in 25,927 patients (95%), whereas 1,278 (5%) were treated with a pharmacoinvasive strategy. The overall use of a pharmacoinvasive strategy decreased during the study period (p <0.001). Prehospital transport times were estimated by using the Google Maps API from the centroid of each home zip code tabulation area to the zip code tabulation area for the nearest hospital with PCI capability. The estimated prehospital transport time predicted the choice of reperfusion strategy (p <0.001). Primary PCI was used in 97% of the patients living within 1 hour from a hospital with PCI capability compared with 48% with estimated transport times >1 hour. Bleeding and mortality rates were similar for patients treated with primary PCI or a pharmacoinvasive strategy (odds ratio 0.832, 95% confidence interval 0.649 to 1.067, p = 0.147). In conclusion, almost all patients in Michigan had timely access to a hospital with PCI capability and received treatment with primary PCI. The authors declare no conflicts of interests., (Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier Inc.)

Background: The risk of contrast-induced acute kidney injury (CI-AKI) increases in a nonlinear fashion with increasing volume of contrast media. Prior studies recommend limiting contrast volume to less than three times the estimated creatinine clearance (CC). Recently, a number of operators have reported successful percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) using even lower volumes of contrast., Objectives: To evaluate the prevalence and outcomes associated with ultra-low contrast volume among patients undergoing PCI., Methods: We assessed the prevalence and outcomes associated with use of ultra-low contrast volume among 75 393 patients undergoing PCI in Michigan between July 2014 and June 2017 in the BMC2 (Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan Cardiovascular Consortium) registry. Ultra-low contrast volume was defined as contrast volume less than or equal to the patient's estimated CC. Patients receiving dialysis at the time of the procedure were excluded., Results: Ultra-low contrast volume was used in 13% of procedures with the majority of these patients being at low risk of renal complications. Compared with patients who received a contrast volume between one and three times the CC, use of ultra-low volume of contrast was associated with a significantly lower incidence of AKI (aOR 0.682, 95% CI 0.566-0.821, P < 0.001) and a lower incidence of need for dialysis (aOR = 0.341, 95% CI 0.165-0.704, P = 0.003). These benefits were most evident in the patients with a high baseline predicted risk of AKI., Conclusions: A small but clinically significant number of patients are treated with ultra-low contrast volume. Ultra-low contrast volume use is associated with a significant reduction in the incidence of AKI or need for dialysis. It may be prudent to consider this new threshold when performing PCI on patients who are at an increased risk of AKI., (© 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.)

Background: Percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) is a common and expensive procedure that has become a target for bundled payment initiatives. We described the magnitude and determinants of variation in 90-day PCI episode payments across a diverse array of patients and hospitals., Methods and Results: We linked clinical registry data from PCIs performed at 33 Michigan hospitals to 90-day episodes of care constructed using Medicare fee-for-service and commercial insurance claims from January 2012 to October 2016. Payments were price standardized and risk adjusted using clinical and administrative variables in an observed-over-expected framework. Hospitals were stratified into quartiles based on average episode payments. Payment components between the highest and the lowest quartiles were compared with identified drivers of variation (ie, index hospitalization/procedure, readmissions, postacute care, and professional fees). Among 40 925 90-day PCI episodes, the average risk-adjusted 90-day episode payment by hospital ranged between $22 154 and $27 205 with a median of $24 696 (interquartile range, $24 190-$25 643). Hospitals in the lowest and the highest quartiles had average episode payments of $23 744 and $26 504, respectively (difference, $2760). Readmission payments were the primary driver of this variation (46.2%), followed by postacute care (22.6%). Readmissions remained the primary driver of variation in key subgroups, including inpatient and outpatient PCI, as well as PCI for acute myocardial infarction and nonacute myocardial infarction indications., Conclusions: Substantial hospital-level variation exists in 90-day PCI episode payments. Over half the variation between high- and low-payment hospitals was related to care after the index procedure, primarily because of readmissions and postacute care. Hospitals and policymakers should consider targeting these components when developing initiatives to reduce PCI-related spending.

Background: Because of shared risk factors between coronary artery disease and cerebrovascular disease, patients with a history of transient ischemic attack (TIA) or stroke are at greater risk of developing coronary artery disease, which may require percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). However, there remains a paucity of research examining outcomes after PCI in these patients., Methods and Results: We analyzed consecutive patients who underwent PCI between January 1, 2013, and March 31, 2016, at 47 Michigan hospitals and identified those with a history of TIA/stroke. We used propensity score matching to adjust for differences in baseline characteristics and compared in-hospital outcomes between patients with and without a history of TIA/stroke. We compared rates of 90-day readmission and long-term mortality in a subset of patients. Among 98 730 patients who underwent PCI, 10 915 had a history of TIA/stroke. After matching (n=10 618 per group), a history of TIA/stroke was associated with an increased risk of in-hospital stroke (adjusted odds ratio, 2.04; 95% confidence interval, 1.41-2.96; P <0.001). There were no differences in the risks of other in-hospital outcomes. In a subset of patients with postdischarge data, a history of TIA/stroke was associated with increased risks of 90-day readmission (adjusted odds ratio, 1.22; 95% confidence interval, 1.09-1.38; P <0.001) and long-term mortality (hazard ratio, 1.23; 95% confidence interval, 1.07-1.43; P =0.005)., Conclusions: A history of TIA/stroke was common in patients who underwent PCI and was associated with increased risks of in-hospital stroke, 90-day readmission, and long-term mortality. Given the devastating consequences of post-PCI stroke, patients with a history of TIA/stroke should be counseled on this increased risk before undergoing PCI., (© 2018 American Heart Association, Inc.)

Background: Primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PPCI) is being increasingly performed nationally at sites without on-site cardiac surgery; however, recent guidelines only provide a Class IIa recommendation for this practice. The state of Michigan has permitted PPCI without on-site surgery under a closely monitored system that mandates auditing of all procedures and quarterly feedback on quality and outcomes. This study sought to compare outcomes of patients undergoing PPCI at centers with and without on-site surgery in the state of Michigan., Methods: Consecutive patients who underwent PPCI at 47 hospitals in Michigan from January 2010 to December 2015 were included. From this cohort, 4,091 patients from sites with and without on-site cardiac surgery were propensity matched in a 1:1 fashion to compare baseline characteristics, procedural details, and in-hospital outcomes., Results: Of the 25,886 PPCIs performed at 47 hospitals in Michigan from 2010 to 2015, 21,610 (83.5%) were performed at sites with on-site surgery and 4,276 (16.5%) at sites without on-site surgery. Using propensity score matched cohorts (4,091 patients for each site type), we found no significant differences in baseline characteristics. Overall mortality (5.4% vs 5.8%; P=.442); composite outcome of in-hospital mortality, contrast-induced nephropathy, bleeding, and stroke (13.8% vs 12.8%; P=.152); and individual outcomes within the composite group showed no significant differences. Additionally, there were no clinically meaningful differences in rates of urgent/emergent coronary artery bypass graft or length of stay. Significant differences, however, were found in procedural access site, antiplatelet therapy, contrast volume, and anticoagulant strategy., Conclusions: Primary PCI performed at centers with and without cardiac surgery have comparable outcomes and complication rates when performed with close monitoring of quality and outcomes., (Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Objectives: To evaluate the clinical features and outcomes of patients with anemia undergoing percutaneous peripheral vascular intervention (PVI) in a contemporary registry., Methods: We evaluated the differences in the clinical features and outcomes of patients with and without anemia undergoing PVI in the Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan Cardiovascular Consortium (BMC2 VIC) registry. Anemia was defined using World Health Organization criteria., Results: Baseline anemia was present in 42.3% of 15,683 patients undergoing PVI. Compared to patients without anemia, those with anemia were older (mean age, 67 years vs 71 years), were more often black (16% vs 29%), and had higher comorbidities. Anemic patients were twice as likely to present with acute limb ischemia (5% vs 11%) and undergo urgent PVI (6% vs 15%) or below-the-knee PVI (18% vs 35%). Many in-hospital adverse events were higher in anemic patients. In a propensity-matched cohort, any adverse outcome (3.4% vs 8.4%; odds ratio [OR], 2.58; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.94-3.42) or major cardiovascular event, defined as death, myocardial infarction, stroke, or amputation (1.1% vs 3.2%; OR, 2.96; 95% CI, 1.83-4.79) was more likely in anemic patients. Of all adverse events, the highest odds were observed for post-PVI transfusions and amputations in anemic patients. Multivariable logistic regression showed that baseline hemoglobin (1 g/dL below the normal value) was associated with greater risk of any adverse event (OR, 1.57; 95% CI, 1.47-1.68)., Conclusion: The prevalence of anemia was high among PVI patients and was associated with significantly greater likelihood of amputation, any adverse event, and major cardiovascular events. Whether preprocedure correction of anemia has the potential to decrease post-PVI adverse events remains to be studied.

Objectives: We sought to describe trends in the use of preprocedural P2Y12 inhibitors and their clinical impact in patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI)., Background: Oral P2Y12 inhibitors are ubiquitously used medications; however, the specific timing of initial P2Y12 inhibitor administration remains intensely debated., Methods: Our study population comprised 74,053 consecutive patients undergoing PCI at 47 hospitals in Michigan from January 2013 through June 2015. In-hospital outcomes included stent thrombosis, bleeding, need for transfusion, and death. Hierarchical logistic regression, propensity matching, and targeted maximum likelihood estimation were used to adjust for baseline patient differences and clustering, and to minimize bias., Results: Of 24,733 patients who received a preprocedural P2Y12 inhibitor, 82% received clopidogrel, 8% prasugrel, and 10% ticagrelor. Preprocedural administration of P2Y12 inhibitors declined during the study (49.3% to 24.8%; P<.001), and varied greatly across hospitals (14.5%-95.9%). No significant differences in outcomes were observed between patients receiving preprocedural clopidogrel and a matched cohort of those not receiving any preprocedural P2Y12 inhibitor (stent thrombosis: adjusted odds ratio [OR], 1.55; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.30-7.84; bleeding: OR, 0.96; 95% CI, 0.63-1.46; transfusion: OR, 1.03; 95% CI, 0.69-1.55; and death: OR, 0.95; 95% CI, 0.38-2.37). Similar findings were demonstrated for preprocedural ticagrelor and prasugrel. Results from a subgroup analysis of patients with non-ST segment elevation acute coronary syndrome (n = 28,072) were consistent with the overall findings., Conclusions: There was a substantial decline in the rate of preprocedural P2Y12 inhibitor administration during the study. Furthermore, there were no significant differences in outcomes between patients treated with preprocedural P2Y12 inhibitors and those who were not.

Objectives: The aim is to examine trends in procedural indication, arterial beds treated, and device usage in peripheral arterial interventions (PVIs)., Background: There is little data on indication, vascular beds treated and devices utilized for peripheral arterial interventions., Methods: We used data from 43 hospitals participating in the BMC2 VIC registry. PVIs were separated by year and divided by arterial segment. Lower extremity PVIs were subclassified as having been performed for claudication or critical limb ischemia (CLI). Yearly device usage was also included. A repeated measure ANOVA was used to determine trends., Results: 44,650 PVIs were performed from 2006 to 2013. Renal interventions decreased from 18% of interventions in 2006 to 5.6% in 2013 (P < 0.001) and femoral-popliteal increased from 54.9% in 2006 to 64.5% in 2013 (P < 0.001). No significant trend was seen for aorta-iliac or below-the-knee interventions. 58.6% of PVIs were performed for claudication in 2006 and this decreased to 44.6% in 2013 (P = 0.025). Indications for CLI were 24.1% in 2006 and 47.5% in 2013 (P < 0.001). There were significant increases in the use of balloon angioplasty (P = 0.029) and cutting/scoring balloons (P < 0.001) while cryoballoon usage decreased (P < 0.001). No significant changes were found with stenting, atherectomy, and laser., Conclusions: There is a significant increase in patients presenting with CLI. Renal artery intervention rates are decreasing while femoral-popliteal interventions are increasing. Additionally, balloon angioplasty and cutting/scoring balloon usage is increasing. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc., (© 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.)

Introduction: Public reporting (PR) is a policy mechanism that may improve clinical outcomes for percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). However, prior studies have shown that PR may have an adverse impact on patient selection. It is unclear whether alternatives to PR, such as collaborative quality improvement (CQI), may drive improvements in quality of care and outcomes for patients receiving PCI without the unintended consequences seen with PR., Methods: Using National Cardiovascular Data Registry CathPCI Registry data from January 2011 through September 2012, we evaluated patients who underwent PCI in New York (NY), a state with PR (N = 51,983), to Michigan, a state with CQI (N = 53,528). We compared patient characteristics, the quality of care delivered, and clinical outcomes., Results: Patients undergoing PCI in NY had a lower-risk profile, with a lower proportion of patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction, non-ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction, or cardiogenic shock, compared with Michigan. Quality of care was broadly similar in the 2 states; however, outcomes were better in NY. In a propensity-matched analysis, patients in NY were less likely to be referred for emergent, urgent, or salvage coronary artery bypass surgery (odds ratio [OR] 0.67, 95% CI 0.51-0.88, P < .0001) and to receive blood transfusion (OR 0.7, 95% CI 0.61-0.82, P < .0001), and had lower in-hospital mortality (OR 0.72, 95% CI 0.63-0.83, P < .0001)., Conclusions: Public reporting of PCI data is associated with fewer high-risk patients undergoing PCI compared with CQI. However, in comparable samples of patients, PR is also associated with a lower risk of mortality and adverse events. The optimal quality improvement method may involve combining these 2 strategies to protect access to care while still driving improvements in patient outcomes., (Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: Acute kidney injury (AKI) post percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) is associated with increased mortality but both death and AKI share common risk factors. Moreover, the effect of a high contrast dose, a known modifiable risk factor for AKI, on mortality is unknown. The aim of our study was to analyze the association between AKI and in-hospital mortality post PCI after adjustment for confounding by common risk factors., Methods and Results: This study was performed using a regional registry of all patients undergoing PCI in Michigan. Primary end points were AKI (serum creatinine increase >0.5 mg/dL) and all-cause in-hospital mortality. Propensity matching was performed, with each AKI patient matched to 4 controls. Attributable risk fraction and the exposed index number of AKI for mortality were calculated within the propensity-matched cohort. Between 2010 and 2013, 92 317 patients underwent PCI, of whom 2141 (2.3%) developed AKI. We matched 1371/2141 patients with AKI to 5484 controls. AKI was strongly associated with mortality (odds ratio=12.52, 95% confidence interval 9.29-16.86) in the propensity-matched cohort. The attributable risk fraction for mortality of AKI was 31.4% (95% confidence interval 26.8%-37.5%), and one death could be prevented for every 9 cases of AKI successfully avoided. The independent impact of a high contrast dose at time of PCI on in-hospital mortality risk was weak (adjusted odds ratio 1.19, 95% confidence interval 0.97-1.45)., Conclusions: Nearly one-third of the in-hospital mortality post PCI is attributable to AKI. Preventing 9 cases of AKI could potentially prevent one death. These study findings stress the need for developing effective AKI preventive strategies beyond minimization of contrast dose., (© 2015 American Heart Association, Inc.)

Background: Revascularization decisions can profoundly impact patient survival, quality of life, and procedural risk. Although use of Heart Teams to make revascularization decisions is growing, data on their implementation in the real-world are limited. Our objective was to assess the prevalence of Heart Teams and their association with collaboration in routine practice., Methods: A survey of cardiologists and cardiac surgeons at 31 hospitals in Michigan was performed in May, 2011--prior to the recommendation for using Heart Teams in national guidelines. This survey included all percutaneous coronary intervention-performing hospitals in Michigan participating in the Blue Cross/Blue Shield of Michigan Cardiovascular Consortium and Michigan Society of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgeons Quality Collaborative. It targeted both the use of Heart Teams and multidisciplinary Case Conferences., Results: There were 53 physician survey respondents from 27 hospitals with 4 hospitals not responding. Among respondents, 11 (40.7%) hospitals reported no Heart Teams or Case Conferences while 7 (25.9%) hospitals reported either a Heart Team or Case Conference. However, there was disagreement about the presence of a Heart Team at seven hospitals, and about Case Conferences at nine hospitals. Hospitals with definite Heart Teams reported significantly greater levels of collaboration between cardiologists and cardiac surgeons., Conclusion: The overall presence of Heart Teams prior to their recommendation in national guidelines was limited. Even among hospitals with a potential Heart Team, there was substantial disagreement between respondents about their presence. Further refinement of the definition of a Heart Team and measures of successful implementation are needed.

Background: Bleeding after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) is more common in women than in men. However, the relationship of sex and bleeding with outcomes is less well studied., Methods: We examined the sex-related differences in the incidence of bleeding and its association with in-hospital outcomes among 96,637 patients undergoing PCI enrolled in the BMC2 registry (2010-2012)., Results: Women had higher bleeding rate than did men (3.9% vs 1.8%) and thus received more blood transfusions (59% vs 41%). Both men (odds ratio [OR] 2.25, 95% CI 1.70-2.97) and women (OR 3.13, 95% CI 2.42-4.07) who bled had higher risk-adjusted death compared with their counterparts without bleeding. Although there was no difference in adjusted mortality between women and men without bleeding (OR 1.14, 95% CI 0.99-1.32), among patients who bled, adjusted death was higher in women (OR 1.28, 95% CI 1.11-1.47). Among patients with bleeding, transfusion was associated with similar increased risk of death in both men (OR 2.00, 95% CI 1.23-3.25) and women (OR 2.18, 95% CI 1.31-3.63) compared with their counterparts without transfusion(s)., Conclusions: Post-PCI bleeding was more common and associated with higher-than-expected in-hospital death in women compared with men with bleeding. This trend for higher death in women with bleeding was independent of transfusion. Quality efforts geared toward reducing bleeding in general, with a special focus on women, need to be explored to help reduce post PCI-bleeding and mortality and decrease sex-related disparity in adverse events., (Copyright © 2014 Mosby, Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: Earlier studies suggest that administering statins prior to percutaneous coronary interventions (PCIs) is associated with lower risk of periprocedural myocardial infarction and contrast-induced nephropathy. Current American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association guidelines recommend routine use of statins prior to PCI. It is unclear how commonly this recommendation is followed in clinical practice and what its effect on outcomes is., Methods: We evaluated the incidence and in-hospital outcomes associated with statin pretreatment among patients undergoing PCI and enrolled in the Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan Cardiovascular Consortium PCI registry at 44 hospitals in Michigan between January 2010 and December 2012. Propensity and exact matching were used to adjust for the nonrandom use of statins prior to PCI. Long-term mortality was assessed in a subset of patients who were linked to Medicare data., Results: Our study population was comprised of 80,493 patients of whom 26,547 (33 %) did not receive statins prior to undergoing PCI. When compared to statin receivers, nonreceivers had lower rates of prior cardiovascular disease. In the matched analysis, absence of statin use prior to PCI was associated with a similar rate of in-hospital mortality (0.43% vs 0.42%, odds ratio 1.00, 95% CI 0.70-1.42, P = .98) and periprocedural myocardial infarction (2.34% vs 2.10%, odds ratio 1.13, 95% CI 0.97-1.32, P = .11) compared to statin receivers. Likewise, no difference in the rate of coronary artery bypass grafting, cerebrovascular accident (CVA), or contrast-induced nephropathy was observed. There was no association between pre-PCI use of statins and long-term survival among the subset of included Medicare patients (hazard ratio = 1.0, P = .96)., Conclusions: A significant number of patients undergo PCI without statin pretreatment, but this is not associated with in-hospital major complications or long-term mortality., (Copyright © 2014 Mosby, Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: Percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) is sometimes performed with the intent to lower cardiovascular risk before high-risk noncardiac surgery (HRNCS). There are limited data on the frequency and outcome of PCIs performed in this setting., Methods and Results: We assessed the frequency, characteristics, and in-hospital outcomes of patients undergoing PCI as part of the preoperative workup for HRNCS among all 61 145 elective PCIs performed between 2002 and 2009 at 14 hospitals in the Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan Cardiovascular Consortium. Propensity matching was performed to compare outcomes of patients undergoing PCI before HRNCS with all other elective PCI patients. The frequency of PCI before HRNCS was low (4.2%). Patients undergoing PCI before HRNCS were older (67.3 versus 64.9 years, P<0.0001) and had a greater burden of comorbidity. Patients undergoing PCI before HRNCS had an increase in unadjusted major adverse cardiovascular events, postprocedure transfusion, contrast-induced nephropathy, nephropathy requiring dialysis, and same-admission coronary artery bypass graft surgery, but there was no difference in mortality (0.27% versus 0.14%, P=0.11). However, in propensity score-matched samples, there was a significant difference only in nephropathy requiring dialysis., Conclusions: The incidence of PCI performed in preparation for high-risk noncardiac surgery is low, and these procedures are currently being performed on a highly selected high-risk patient population.

Background: Transradial percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI [TRI]) does not involve catheter manipulation in the descending aorta, whereas transfemoral PCI (TFI) does. Therefore, the risk of acute kidney injury (AKI) after PCI might be influenced by vascular access site. We compared risks of AKI and nephropathy requiring dialysis (NRD) among patients treated with TRI and TFI., Methods and Results: We included patients across 47 hospitals in Michigan. Primary end point was AKI (serum creatinine increase ≥0.5 mg/dL). Secondary end points were NRD and postprocedural bleeding. Odds ratios (OR) for study end points were calculated for the entire and propensity-matched population, reported as crude, and values adjusted for preprocedural calculated AKI risk. Between 2010 and 2012, a total of 82 225 PCI procedures were performed, of which 8915 were TRI. After adjustment, TRI was associated with a reduction in AKI (OR, 0.76, 95% confidence intervals [0.62-0.92]) and bleeding with a trend toward lower NRD risk. The propensity-matched population consisted of 8857 procedures per group. In this population, TRI was associated with lower adjusted odds of AKI (OR, 0.74; 95% confidence intervals [0.58-0.96]), and bleeding (OR, 0.47; 95% confidence intervals [0.36-0.63]), but no difference in NRD was observed. Although postprocedural bleeding was independently associated with AKI (OR, 2.86; 95% confidence intervals [1.75-4.66]) in the propensity-matched population, the lower odds of AKI was not mediated by a reduction in bleeding with TRI. Sensitivity analysis demonstrated that the observed association between access site and AKI could potentially be explained by a moderately strong unknown confounder., Conclusions: The risk of AKI was significantly lower after TRI compared with TFI. This finding needs to be evaluated in randomized controlled trials.

Background: Prior studies have proposed to restrict the contrast volume (CV) to <3x calculated creatinine clearance (CCC), to prevent contrast induced nephropathy (CIN) post percutaneous coronary interventions (PCI). The predictive value of this algorithm for CIN and therefore the benefit of this approach in high risk patients has been questioned. The aim of our study was to assess the association between contrast dose and the occurrence of CIN in patients at varying predicted risks of CIN and baseline CCC following contemporary PCI., Methods: Consecutive patients undergoing PCI between 2010-2012 were included. Baseline risk of CIN was calculated using a previously validated risk tool. High contrast dose was defined as CV/CCC >3. Likelihood ratio tests were used to evaluate whether the effect of a high contrast dose on the risk of CIN and nephropathy requiring dialysis (NRD) varied across the spectrum of baseline predicted risk., Results: Of the 82,120 PCI included in our analysis, 25% were performed using a high contrast dose. Patients treated with a high compared with a low contrast dose were at increased risks of CIN and NRD, throughout the entire range of baseline predicted risk and CCC in our population. The effect size of a high contrast dose on risks of both outcomes varied significantly with baseline predicted CIN risk and CCC (CIN p = 0.004, NRD p<0.001 for adding interactions), and was largest for patients with predicted CIN risk <10% and pre-existing chronic kidney disease., Conclusions: The use of a high contrast dose is associated with increased risks of CIN and NRD across the continuum of baseline predicted risk and CCC. Efforts to reduce contrast dose may therefore be effective in preventing renal complications in all patients undergoing PCI.

Outcome data regarding postoperative acute coronary syndrome treated with percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) are limited. The objective of this study was to determine clinical outcomes of patients undergoing PCI within 7 days after a surgical procedure. We assessed outcomes of 517 patients who underwent PCI within 7 days after a surgery across 44 hospitals from January 2010 to December 2011 from the Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan Cardiovascular Consortium registry. Patients with postoperative PCI were compared with all other patients with PCI using propensity-matched analysis. Of the 65,175 patients who underwent PCI within the study period, 517 patients had undergone surgery within the previous 7 days. In unadjusted analysis, patients with postsurgical PCI had higher in-hospital mortality (6.96% vs 1.33%), stroke (0.96% vs 0.26%), bleeding events (6.96% vs 2.6%), heart failure (6.96% vs 2.36%), and cardiogenic shock (7.16% vs 1.95%). After propensity matching, mortality remained higher in postsurgical patients (6.5% vs 3.96%, odds ratio 1.7 [1.1 to 2.6], p = 0.02). The odds of mortality were especially high among patients who would otherwise be considered low risk (<1% of predicted mortality in a nonsurgical setting) in whom a recent surgery was strongly associated with death (odds ratio 5.7, p = 0.02). In conclusion, PCI performed within 7 days after a surgical procedure is associated with an increased risk of early mortality. Although some of this increased risk is related to an adverse clinical profile, higher mortality is also observed in patients otherwise considered low risk for PCI., (Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Objectives: We sought to evaluate trends in door-to-balloon (D2B) times and false activation rates for the cardiac catheterization laboratory (CCL) in patients presenting to the emergency department (ED) with acute ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI). In patients with STEMI, national efforts have focused on reducing D2B times for primary percutaneous coronary intervention (P-PCI). This emphasis on time-to-treatment may increase the rate of false CCL activations and unnecessary healthcare utilization., Study Design: Retrospective quality improvement chart review., Methods: We examined all emergent CCL activations for P-PCI between 2007 and 2011 at the University of Michigan Hospital. False activation was defined as emergent CCL activation when the patient did not require CCL care or emergent cardiology evaluation in the ED. Pre-hospital or ED false activation rates and mean D2B time were retrospectively determined by chart review., Results: The CCL was activated 717 times for suspected STEMI. The number of CCL activations increased from 96 in 2007 to 190 in 2011. False CCL activations accounted for 28% of all prehospital and 29% of all ED activations. The false activation rate increased from 15% of all cases in 2007 to 40% of all cases in 2011. The median D2B time decreased from 67 minutes in 2007 to 55 minutes in 2011., Conclusions: Over a 5-year period with a strong emphasis on reducing D2B times, there has been an increased CCL false activation rate for P-PCI.

Background: The aim of this study was to examine if racial disparities exist in the treatment and outcomes of patients undergoing contemporary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI)., Methods: We examined the association between race, process of care, and outcomes of patients undergoing PCI between January 1, 2010, and December 31, 2011, and enrolled in the Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan Cardiovascular Consortium. We used propensity matching to compare the outcome of black and white patients., Results: The study cohort comprised 65,175 patients, of whom 6,873 (10.5%) were black and 55,789 (85.6%) were white. Black patients were more likely to be younger, be female, have more comorbidities, and be uninsured. Overall, black patients were less likely to receive prasugrel (10.0% vs 14.5%, P < .001) and drug-eluting stents (62.5% vs 67.7%, P < .001), largely related to lower use of these therapies in hospitals treating a higher proportion of black patients. No differences were seen between white and black patients with regard to inhospital mortality (odds ratio 1.34, 95% CI 0.82-2.2, P = .24), contrast-induced nephropathy (OR 1.06, 95% CI 0.81-1.40, P = .67), and need for transfusion (OR 1.27, 95% CI 0.98-1.64, P = .06). White race was associated with increased odds of heart failure (OR 1.48, 95% CI 1.05-2.08, P = .024) and vascular complications (OR 1.40, 95% CI 1.03-1.90, P = .032)., Conclusions: Compared with white patients, black patients undergoing PCI have a greater burden of comorbidities but, after adjusting for these differences, have similar inhospital survival and lower odds of vascular complications and heart failure after PCI., (Copyright © 2013 Mosby, Inc. All rights reserved.)

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to assess the impact of manual versus automated contrast injection on renal complications in patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI)., Background: Contrast volume is a major modifiable risk factor for contrast-induced nephropathy (CIN). Automated contrast injector systems (ACIS) are believed to be associated with a reduction in the total volume of contrast media use., Methods: We compared the outcome of 60,884 patients who underwent PCI at 28 hospitals in Michigan in 2008 to 2009 and assessed the outcome of those treated at hospitals that did not use ACIS (n = 24) and compared them with those that used ACIS (n = 4). Propensity matching was used to adjust for baseline differences., Results: The use of ACIS was associated with a statistically significant albeit clinically small difference in the average volume of contrast media use (mean 199 ± 84 ml vs. mean 204 ± 82 ml, p < 0.0001) with no difference in proportion of patients exceeding contrast volume/calculated creatinine clearance ratio of 3 (28.4% vs. 29.1%, p = 0.19). There was no difference in the incidence of CIN (3.11% vs. 3.42%, p = 0.15) or new need for dialysis (0.30% vs. 0.33%, p = 0.54), and these differences remained nonsignificant in propensity matched analysis. In fully adjusted, multivariate logistic analysis, patients treated with ACIS remained as likely to develop CIN (odds ratio: 0.96, 95% confidence interval: 0.83 to 1.11, p = 0.56) or new need for dialysis (odds ratio: 0.83, 95% confidence interval: 0.54 to 1.28, p = 0.40)., Conclusions: Compared with hospitals using manual injection, institutions having ACIS used slightly less amount of contrast with no reduction in CIN. Use of ACIS is unlikely to impact contrast-induced renal complications in patients undergoing PCI., (Copyright © 2013 American College of Cardiology Foundation. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: Peripheral arterial disease is a manifestation of systemic atherosclerosis and is predictive of future cardiovascular events. Clinical trial data have demonstrated that medical therapy can attenuate cardiovascular morbidity and mortality in patients with peripheral arterial disease. The utilization and impact of recommended medical therapy in a contemporary population of patients who undergo percutaneous interventions for lifestyle-limiting peripheral arterial disease is unknown., Methods and Results: Using the Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan Cardiovascular Consortium Peripheral Vascular Intervention (BMC2 PVI) database, we identified 1357 peripheral vascular intervention encounters between January 2007 and December 2009 for the purpose of treating claudication. Before the intervention, 85% of these patients used aspirin, 76% used statin, 65% abstained from smoking, and 47% did all 3. There was no difference in cardiovascular events among those taking an aspirin and a statin on admission and those who were not. However, in both an unadjusted and a multivariable analysis, the odds of an adverse peripheral vascular outcome (repeat peripheral intervention, amputation, or limb salvage surgery) within 6 months decreased by more than half in patients receiving aspirin and statin therapy before peripheral vascular intervention as compared with those who received neither (odds ratio, 0.45; 95% CI, 0.29-0.71)., Conclusions: The fundamental elements of medical therapy in patients with lifestyle-limiting claudication are often underutilized before referral for revascularization. Appropriate medical therapy before percutaneous revascularization is associated with fewer peripheral vascular events at 6 months.