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Background: Microvascular blood flow (MBF) impairment in patients with lower extremity arterial disease (LEAD) is associated with more severe major adverse limb events (MALE). The contribution of ticagrelor, a P2Y12 antagonist and an adenosine enhancer, on blood viscosity (BV) and BV-dependent MBF in LEAD is unknown. The aim of the trial is to investigate the effects of ticagrelor on BV, and explore the association of BV-dependent MBF in participants with LEAD and type 2 diabetes (T2DM)., Methods: Randomized, double-blind, double-dummy, crossover trial design that compares treatment with aspirin 81 mg/ticagrelor placebo, aspirin 81 mg/ticagrelor 90 mg twice daily and aspirin placebo/ticagrelor 90 mg twice daily on high-shear (300 s -1 ) and low-shear (5 s -1 ) BV, and laser Doppler flowmetry (LDF) in the dorsum of the feet of participants with T2DM., Results: We randomized 70 (45% female) participants aged (mean ± SD) 72 ± 9 years. The duration of LEAD was 12.3 ± 10.3 years, and 96.9% reported intermittent claudication symptoms. Use of statins was 93% (high-intensity 43%, moderate intensity 49%), renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system inhibitors (75%) and beta-blockers (61%). Treatment with ticagrelor with or without aspirin reduced high-shear BV by 5%, in both cases, while aspirin monotherapy increased high-shear BV by 3.4% (p < 0.0001). Ticagrelor with or without aspirin reduced low-shear BV by 14.2% and 13.9% respectively, while aspirin monotherapy increased low-shear BV by 9.3% (p < 0.0001). The combination of ticagrelor and aspirin increased MBF in the left foot compared to the other two treatments (p = 0.02), but not in the right foot (p = 0.25)., Conclusions: Ticagrelor should be considered in the treatment of microvascular disease in patients with LEAD and T2DM. Trial registration Registration number: NCT02325466, registration date: December 25, 2014.

Objectives: We sought to determine the prevalence, predictors, and clinical impact of target lesion calcification in patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) with newer generation drug-eluting stents (DES) and devices., Background: Coronary calcification is independently associated with adverse outcomes following PCI. While newer DES and contemporary devices are considered safer and more efficacious, their influence on outcomes following PCI of heavily calcified lesions is unknown., Methods: We performed a retrospective analysis of a large, multiethnic cohort of patients undergoing PCI with new generation DES at an academic center between 2009 and 2013. Coronary calcification was qualitatively assessed as none/mild, moderate, or severe. Independent demographic, clinical, and anatomic predictors of moderate/severe calcification were identified using logistic regression. Associations between coronary calcification and 1-year MACE (death, myocardial infarction, or target vessel revascularization) were examined using Cox modeling., Results: Compared to patients with none/mild (n = 10,180; 82.0%), those with moderate (n = 1,271; 10.0%) or severe (n = 994; 8.0%) calcification were older, more often Caucasian, had more complex target lesions, and worse renal function. The strongest demographic, clinical, and anatomic correlates of moderate/severe calcification were age, Caucasian race, renal dysfunction, lesion length, and left main location. Unadjusted MACE rates among those with none/mild, moderate, and severe calcification were 8.3, 14.6, and 17.8%, respectively (P < 0.001). After multivariable adjustment, the hazard ratio (95% CI) for MACE associated with moderate or severe coronary calcification was 1.63., Conclusions: Target lesion calcification remains independently associated with adverse outcomes in patients treated with newer generation DES and modern devices., (© 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.)

Objective: Neck radiation therapy (XRT) can induce carotid artery stenosis and may increase the technical difficulty of endarterectomy. It is considered a relative indication for carotid angioplasty and carotid artery stenting (CAS). This study sought to evaluate differences in CAS embolic potential and restenosis performed on XRT and non-XRT patients., Methods: At three institutions, 366 CAS procedures were performed on 321 patients (XRT, n = 43; non-XRT, n = 323). Mean follow-up was 410 days (median, 282 days; range, 7-1920 days). Patients were observed with duplex ultrasound to assess for restenosis. Additional end points included target lesion revascularization (TLR), myocardial and cerebrovascular events, and perioperative complications. Captured particulate from embolic protection filters was analyzed with photomicroscopy and image analysis software for 27 XRT and 214 non-XRT filters., Results: XRT patients were more likely to be male and had lower rates of hypertension, coronary artery disease, and diabetes mellitus, although the mean age at procedure did not differ. There was no increase in severe internal carotid tortuosity among XRT patients (XRT: 50% vs non-XRT: 34.7%; P = .06). Indication for CAS did not differ between the two groups, including the number of CAS procedures performed for symptomatic carotid stenosis (XRT: 39.7% vs non-XRT: 39.0%; P = NS). Perioperative outcomes, including the composite 30-day stroke, myocardial infarction, and mortality, were not significantly different (XRT: 2.6% vs non-XRT: 3.9%; P = NS.) There were no significant differences in restenosis rate at the 50% (XRT: 9.4% vs non-XRT: 8.6%; P = NS) or 70% (XRT: 3.5% vs non-XRT: 8.6%; P = NS) threshold. Filter particle analysis revealed that filters from XRT patients had more numerous large particles per filter (1.4 vs 0.7; P < .05) and larger mean particle size (464.1 μm vs 320.0 μm; P < .05). TLR did not differ significantly between the groups., Conclusions: In contrast to earlier studies, this analysis reveals that there are significant differences in XRT and non-XRT patients undergoing CAS in terms of medical comorbidities and embolic material captured in embolic protection filters. The decreased incidence of atherosclerotic risk factors was observed in XRT patients probably because XRT was the primary factor responsible for carotid stenosis. Despite increased embolic particle size, CAS can be performed safely with no increased morbidity, TLR, or restenosis in XRT patients., (Copyright © 2015 Society for Vascular Surgery. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Objectives: To compare the discriminatory value of differing risk scores for predicting clinical outcomes following PCI in routine practice., Background: Various risk scores predict outcomes after PCI. However, these scores consider markedly different factors, from purely anatomical (SYNTAX risk score [SRS]) to purely clinical (ACEF, modified ACEF [ACEFmod], NCDR), while other scores combine both elements (Clinical SYNTAX score [CSS], NY State Risk Score [NYSRS])., Methods: Patients with triple vessel and/or LM disease with 12 month follow-up were studied from a single center PCI registry. Exclusion criteria included STEMI presentation, prior revascularization and shock. Clinical events at 12 months were compared to baseline risk scores, according to score tertiles and area under receiver-operating-characteristic curves (AUC)., Results: We identified 584 eligible patients (69.8±12.3yrs, 405 males). All scores were predictive of mortality, with the SRS being least predictive (AUC=0.66). The most accurate scores for mortality were the CSS and ACEF (AUC=0.76 for both: P = 0.019 and 0.08 vs. SRS, respectively). For TLR, while the SRS trended toward being positively predictive (P = 0.075), several scores trended towards a negative association, which reached significance for the NCDR (P = 0.045). The SRS and CSS were the only scores predictive of MI (both P < 0.05). No score was particularly accurate for predicting MACE (death+MI+TLR), with AUCs ranging from 0.53 (NCDR) to 0.63 (SRS)., Conclusions: Competing factors influence mortality, MI and TLR after PCI. An increasing burden of comorbidities is associated with mortality, whereas anatomical complexity predicts MI. By combining these outcomes to predict MACE, all scores show reduced utility., (Copyright © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.)

Objectives: This study evaluated the outcomes of patients discharged the day of percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) by analyzing the data from a single-center, large, multioperator registry of interventions., Background: Although same-day discharge is likely safe after interventions on low-risk stable patients, there is limited data to guide selection of a broader population of patients. Due to numerous patient variables and physician preferences, standardization of the length of stay after PCI has been a challenge. Most of the reported studies on same-day discharge have strict inclusion criteria and hence do not truly reflect a real-world population., Methods: We analyzed the outcomes of consecutive same-day discharge in 2,400 of 16,585 patients who underwent elective PCI without any procedural or hospital complication. Composite end point included 30-day major adverse cardiac cerebral events and bleeding/vascular complications., Results: The mean age of the study population was 57.0 +/- 23.7 years with 12% aged over 65 years. Twenty-eight percent received glycoprotein IIb/IIIa inhibitor with closure devices in 90.5%. Clinical and angiographic success was noted in 97% of all PCIs. The average length-of-stay following PCI was 8.2 +/- 2.5 h. The composite end point was reached in 23 patients (0.96%). Major adverse cardiac cerebral events occurred in 8 patients (0.33%) and vascular/bleeding complications in the form of Thrombolysis In Myocardial Infarction minor bleeding in 14 patients (0.58%) and pseudoaneurysm in 1 patient (0.04%)., Conclusions: When appropriately selected, with strict adherence to the set protocol, same-day discharge after uncomplicated elective PCI is safe despite using femoral access in a wide spectrum of patients., (Copyright (c) 2010 American College of Cardiology Foundation. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)