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IMPORTANCE: Long-term follow-up after a clinical trial of 2 often-used, newer-generation drug-eluting stents (DESs) in a broad patient population is of interest. Comprehensive long-term outcome of eligible nonenrolled patients has never been reported. OBJECTIVE: To assess 5-year safety and efficacy of 2 newer-generation DESs in randomized participants with non–ST-elevation acute coronary syndromes or stable angina and to evaluate long-term outcomes of nonenrolled eligible patients treated with the same DESs. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS: The TWENTE (Real-World Endeavor Resolute vs Xience V Drug-Eluting Stent Study in Twente) trial is an investigator-initiated, patient-blinded, randomized, comparative DES trial that enrolled patients from June 18, 2008, to August 26, 2010. Most patients had non–ST-elevation acute coronary syndromes and complex lesions. Of all 1709 eligible patients, 1391 (81.4%) were treated in the TWENTE trial with zotarolimus-eluting (ZES, n = 697) or everolimus-eluting (EES, n = 694) cobalt-chromium stents. The remaining 318 eligible patients (18.6%) were not enrolled but underwent nonrandomized treatment with the same DESs. Data were analyzed from August 26, 2015, to October 11, 2016. Event rates (percentages) were derived from log-rank analysis and may differ from straightforward calculation (nominator/denominator). The 5-year follow-up of the TWENTE participants was prespecified in the trial protocol; that of the nonenrolled participants was ad hoc. MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES: Target vessel failure (TVF), a composite of cardiac death, target vessel–related myocardial infarction, or target vessel revascularization. RESULTS: Of 1709 eligible participants, 1233 (72.1%) were men, 476 (27.9%) were women, and mean (SD) age was 64.6 (10.6) years. Among the 1370 of 1391 TWENTE trial participants (98.5% follow-up), TVF was similar between those in the ZES (16.1%) and EES (18.1%) groups (P = .36). Stent thrombosis rates were low: definite (7 of 697 [1.0%] vs 4 of 694 [0.6%]; P = .37) and occurred after more than 1 year in 3 (0.4%) with ZES vs 4 (0.6%) with EES (P = .69). The 318 nonenrolled eligible patients (308 patients [96.9%] of whom were followed up) were older and had more advanced disease than trial participants. Their TVF rate was higher than that of trial participants (71 of 318 [23.3%] vs 233 of 1391 [17.1%]; P = .02), which partly reflects a difference in cardiac mortality (23 of 318 [7.7%] vs 60 of 1391 [4.5%]; P = .03). Similar 5-year rates were found for myocardial infarction (91 of 1391 [6.7%] vs 22 of 318 [7.2%]; P = .80) and target vessel revascularization (129 of 1391 [9.7%] vs 34 of 318 [11.4%]; P = .36) between trial participants and nonenrolled eligible patients. In all eligible patients (ie, trial participants plus nonenrolled eligible patients), the TVF rate was only slightly higher than in trial participants only (18.3% vs 17.1%). CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE: Long-term outcome data from nonenrolled eligible patients support the validity of the TWENTE trial findings and present, with the trial, a strong case for the long-term safety and efficacy of the newer-generation DESs used. TRIAL REGISTRATION: clinicaltrials.gov Identifier: NCT01066650.

Objective To compare long-term outcome of patients treated for chronic total occlusion (CTO) lesions versus patients treated for non-CTO lesions only. Background Percutaneous coronary interventions (PCI) for CTO lesions generally have a higher adverse event risk than PCI for non-CTO lesions. However, long-term outcome data from prospective studies with second-generation drug-eluting stent (DES) use in CTO lesions is scarce. Methods We analyzed in this substudy of the TWENTE trial the data of 674 patients, who had stable angina and were electively treated with second-generation DES (Resolute zotarolimus-eluting or Xience V everolimus-eluting stents). Main outcome parameter was target lesion failure (TLF), a composite of cardiac death, target vessel-related myocardial infarction (MI), or target lesion revascularization (TLR). Results Patients with CTO lesions (n = 59, 8.8%) were more often treated for lesions in small vessels (94.9% vs. 63.1%, P

Objectives The aim of the present study was to assess the impact on clinical outcome of right coronary artery (RCA) ostial coverage with second-generation drug-eluting stents (DES). Background Treatment of the aorta-ostial (AO) region of the RCA with bare metal stents and first-generation DES has been associated with a higher risk of target-lesion revascularization (TLR). Methods Of the 1,391 patients of the prospective TWENTE trial, we identified 321 (23%) with single-vessel RCA treatment, who were categorized into stenting with AO stent coverage (AOC) versus stenting without AOC. The AO region was defined as 3 mm from the aortic orifice. Results The 67 (20.9%) patients with AOC showed more severe lesion calcifications than the 254 patients without AOC (31.3% vs. 12.6%; P

Objective To assess the differences in clinical outcome between complex patients treated with Resolute zotarolimus-eluting stents (ZES) versus Xience V everolimus-eluting stents (EES). Background Nowadays, many complex patients with coronary disease are treated with percutaneous coronary interventions, using drug-eluting stents (DES). Methods We analyzed 2-year outcome data of 1,033 complex patients of the TWENTE trial, treated with second-generation Resolute ZES or Xience V EES. Complex patients had at least one of the following characteristics: renal insufficiency (creatinine ≥ 140 µmol/l); ejection fraction 1 lesion/vessel; >2 vessels treated; lesion length > 27 mm; bifurcation; saphenous vein graft lesion; arterial bypass graft lesion; in-stent restenosis; unprotected left main lesion; lesion with thrombus; or lesion with total occlusion. Target vessel failure (TVF), the primary composite endpoint of the trial, was defined as cardiac death, target vessel-related MI, or target vessel revascularization. Results Among the 1,033 complex patients, 529 (51%) were treated with Resolute ZES and 504 (49%) with Xience V EES. Patient- and procedure-related characteristics were similar between DES groups. After 2-year follow-up, outcome was also similar between DES groups. TVF occurred in 12.1% of patients treated with Resolute ZES and 12.3% of patients treated with Xience V EES. In addition, DES groups did not differ significantly in cardiac death, MI, or target vessel revascularization—the individual components of TVF. Conclusion Complex patients treated with Resolute ZES and Xience V EES showed similar safety and efficacy during 2-year follow-up

Background: Patients with previous coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) who underwent percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) have an increased repeat revascularization rate, but data on contemporary second-generation drug-eluting stents (DES) are scarce. Methods: We evaluated 1-year clinical outcome following secondary revascularization by PCI in patients of the TWENTE trial and non-enrolled TWENTE registry, and compared patients with previous CABG versus patients without previous CABG. Results: Of all 1709 consecutive patients, 202 (11.8%) had previously undergone CABG (on average 11.2 ± 8.5 years ago). CABG patients were older (68.5 ± 9.4 years vs. 64.1 ± 10.7 years, P < 0.001) and more often had diabetes (28.7% vs. 20.9%, P = 0.01) and previous PCI (40.1% vs. 19.8%, P < 0.001) compared to patients without previous CABG. Nevertheless, a higher target vessel revascularization (TVR) rate following PCI in the CABG patients (9.4% vs. 2.3%, P < 0.001) was the only significant difference in clinical outcome at 1-year follow-up (available for 99.6%). Among CABG patients, the TVR rate was significantly higher in patients treated for graft lesions (n = 65; 95.4% in vein grafts) than in patients treated for native coronary lesions only (n = 137) (18.5% vs. 5.1%, P = 0.002). Among 1638 patients with PCI of native coronary lesions only, there was only a non-significant difference in TVR between patients with previous CABG versus patients without previous CABG (5.1% vs. 2.3%, P = 0.08). Conclusions: Patients with previous CABG showed a favorable safety profile after PCI with second-generation DES. Nevertheless, their TVR rate was still much higher, driven by more repeat revascularizations after PCI of degenerated vein grafts. In native coronary lesions, there was no such difference

Aims: The aim of this report was to assess the three-year safety and efficacy of implanting newer-generation Resolute Integrity zotarolimus-eluting stents (ZES) versus PROMUS Element everolimus-eluting stents (EES) in all-comers. Methods and results: In the randomised, multicentre, investigator-initiated Dutch PEERS trial, a total of 1,811 all-comers were 1:1 randomly assigned to treatment with ZES versus EES. A total of 1,293 patients (72%) were treated for complex lesions and 455 patients (25%) were treated for multiple lesions. The primary endpoint target vessel failure (TVF) is a composite of cardiac death, target vessel-related myocardial infarction or target vessel revascularisation. Adverse clinical events were independently adjudicated. Three-year follow-up data were obtained in 1,807 patients (99.8%, four withdrawals). Both the ZES and EES groups showed favourable outcomes with a similar incidence of TVF (10.7% vs. 10.3%; pLog-rank =0.77) and the individual components thereof: cardiac death (3.2% vs. 3.1%; pLog-rank=0.87), target vessel-related myocardial infarction (2.8% vs. 2.2%; pLog-rank =0.44) and target vessel revascularisation (6.0% vs. 6.2%; pLog-rank =0.87). In addition, the incidence of definite or probable stent thrombosis was similar for patients treated with ZES versus EES (1.4% vs. 1.1%; pLog-rank =0.66). Conclusions: The safety and efficacy of treating all-comers with newer-generation Resolute Integrity and PROMUS Element stents was found to be extended up to three years.

Resumen Introduccion y objetivos En el infarto agudo de miocardio (IAM), los nuevos stents farmacoactivos (SFA) de alta liberacion de farmacos pueden ser de especial utilidad, ya que su diseno flexible podria reducir los traumatismos inducidos por el dispositivo en la lesion culpable. El objetivo del estudio es evaluar la seguridad y la eficacia de las intervenciones coronarias percutaneas con 2 nuevos SFA con recubrimiento de polimero duradero en pacientes con IAM. Metodos El ensayo multicentrico prospectivo y aleatorizado DUTCH PEERS (TWENTE II ) compara los stents Resolute Integrity y Promus Element en 1.811 pacientes consecutivos no seleccionados (all-comers); a 817 (45,1%) de ellos se los trato por un IAM con o sin elevacion del segmento ST y se dispuso de un seguimiento de 2 anos del 99,9% de los casos. El objetivo clinico principal es el fallo del vaso diana (FVD), que consiste en la combinacion de muerte cardiaca, infarto de miocardio relacionado con el vaso diana y revascularizacion del vaso diana. Resultados De los 817 pacientes tratados por un IAM, 421 (51,5%) recibieron un stent Resolute Integrity y 396 (48,5%), un Promus Element. A los 2 anos de seguimiento, las tasas de FVD (el 7,4 frente al 6,1%; p = 0,45), revascularizacion de la lesion diana (el 3,1 frente al 2,8%; p = 0,79) y trombosis del stent definitiva (el 1,0 frente al 0,5%; p = 0,69) fueron bajas en los 2 grupos de stents. En consonancia con estos resultados obtenidos en el conjunto de los pacientes con IAM, los resultados observados con los 2 SFA fueron favorables y similares con ambos dispositivos en 370 pacientes con IAM con elevacion del segmento ST (FVD, el 5,1 frente al 4,9%; p = 0,81) y 447 pacientes con IAM sin elevacion del segmento ST (FVD, el 9,0 frente al 7,5%; p = 0,56). Conclusiones Los stents Resolute Integrity y Promus Element fueron seguros y eficaces en el tratamiento de pacientes con IAM. Los datos de seguimiento a 2 anos subrayan la seguridad de emplear estos dispositivos en este contexto clinico especifico.

Introduction and objectives Long-term data on the relationship between endothelial dysfunction after ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction and future adverse clinical events are scarce. The aim of this study was to noninvasively assess whether endothelial dysfunction 4 to 6 weeks after primary percutaneous coronary intervention for acute ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction predicts future clinical events. Methods This prospective cohort study was performed in 70 patients of the RESPONSE randomized trial, who underwent noninvasive assessment of endothelial function 4 to 6 weeks after primary percutaneous coronary intervention. Endothelial function was measured by the reactive hyperemia peripheral artery tonometry method; an index < 1.67 identified endothelial dysfunction. Results The reactive hyperemia peripheral artery tonometry index measured on average 1.90 ± 0.58. A total of 35 (50%) patients had endothelial dysfunction and 35 (50%) patients had normal endothelial function. Periprocedural “complications” (eg, cardiogenic shock, total atrioventricular block) were more common in patients with endothelial dysfunction than in those without (25.7% vs 2.9%; P < .01). During 4.0 ± 1.7 years of follow-up, 20 (28.6%) patients had major adverse cardiovascular events: events occurred in 9 (25.7%) patients with endothelial dysfunction and in 11 (31.5%) patients with normal endothelial function (P = .52). There was an association between the prevalence of diabetes mellitus at baseline and the occurrence of major adverse cardiovascular events during follow-up (univariate analysis: hazard ratio = 2.8; 95% confidence interval, 1.0-7.8; P < .05), and even in multivariate analyses the risk appeared to be increased, although not significantly (multivariate analysis: hazard ratio = 2.5; 95% confidence interval, 0.8-7.5). Conclusions In this series of patients who survived an ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction, endothelial dysfunction, as assessed by reactive hyperemia peripheral artery tonometry 4 to 6 weeks after myocardial infarction, did not predict future clinical events during a mean follow-up of 4 years.

Background: Patients with a presumed diagnosis of acute coronary syndrome (ACS) or stroke may have had contact with several healthcare providers prior to hospital arrival. The aim of this study was to describe the various prehospital paths and the effect on time delays of patients with ACS or stroke. Methods: This prospective observational study included patients with presumed ACS or stroke who may choose to contact four different types of health care providers. Questionnaires were completed by patients, general practitioners (GP), GP cooperatives, ambulance services and emergency departments (ED). Additional data were retrieved from hospital registries. Results: Two hundred two ACS patients arrived at the hospital by 15 different paths and 243 stroke patients by ten different paths. Often several healthcare providers were involved (60.8 % ACS, 95.1 % stroke). Almost half of all patients first contacted their GP (47.5 % ACS, 49.4 % stroke). Some prehospital paths were more frequently used, e.g. GP (cooperative) and ambulance in ACS, and GP or ambulance and ED in stroke. In 65 % of all events an ambulance was involved. Median time between start of symptoms and hospital arrival for ACS patients was over 6 h and for stroke patients 4 h. Of ACS patients 47.7 % waited more than 4 h before seeking medical advice compared to 31.6 % of stroke patients. Median time between seeking medical advice to arrival at hospital was shortest in paths involving the ambulance only (60 min ACS, 54 min stroke) or in combination with another healthcare provider (80 to 100 min ACS, 99 to 106 min stroke). Conclusions: Prehospital paths through which patients arrived in hospital are numerous and often complex, and various time delays occurred. Delays depend on the entry point of the health care system, and dialing the emergency number seems to be the best choice. Since reducing patient delay is difficult and noticeable differences exist between various prehospital paths, further research into reasons for these different entry choices may yield possibilities to optimize paths and reduce overall time delay.

Introduction and objectives: In acute myocardial infarction (MI), novel highly deliverable drug-eluting stents (DES) may be particularly valuable as their flexible stent designs might reduce device-induced traumas to culprit lesions. The aim of the study was to assess the safety and efficacy of percutaneous coronary interventions with 2 novel durable polymer-coated DES in patients with acute MI. Methods: The prospective, randomized DUTCH PEERS (TWENTE II) multicenter trial compares Resolute Integrity and Promus Element stents in 1811 all-comer patients, of whom 817 (45.1%) were treated for ST-segment elevation MI or non—ST-segment elevation MI and the 2-year outcome is available in 99.9%. The primary clinical endpoint is target vessel failure (TVF), a composite of cardiac death, target vessel related MI, or target vessel revascularization. Results: Of all 817 patients treated for acute MI, 421 (51.5%) were treated with Resolute Integrity and 396 (48.5%) with Promus Element stents. At the 2-year follow-up, the rates of TVF (7.4% vs 6.1%; P = .45), target lesion revascularization (3.1% vs 2.8%; P = .79), and definite stent thrombosis (1.0% vs 0.5%; P = .69) were low for both stent groups. Consistent with these findings in all patients with acute MI, outcomes for the 2 DES were favorable and similar in both, with 370 patients with ST-segment elevation MI (TVF, 5.1% vs 4.9%; P = .81) and 447 patients with non—ST-segment elevation MI (TVF, 9.0% vs 7.5%; P = .56). Conclusions: Resolute Integrity and Promus Element stents were both safe and efficacious in treating patients with acute MI. The present 2-year follow-up data underline the safety of using these devices in this particular clinical setting.

There are no risk models available yet that accurately predict a person's risk for developing venous thrombosis. Our aim was therefore to explore whether inclusion of established thrombosis-associated single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in a venous thrombosis risk model improves the risk prediction. We calculated genetic risk scores by counting risk-increasing alleles from 31 venous thrombosis-associated SNPs for subjects of a large case-control study, including 2712 patients and 4634 controls (Multiple Environmental and Genetic Assessment). Genetic risk scores based on all 31 SNPs or on the 5 most strongly associated SNPs performed similarly (areas under receiver-operating characteristic curves [AUCs] of 0.70 and 0.69, respectively). For the 5-SNP risk score, the odds ratios for venous thrombosis ranged from 0.37 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.25-0.53) for persons with 0 risk alleles to 7.48 (95% CI, 4.49-12.46) for persons with more than or equal to 6 risk alleles. The AUC of a risk model based on known nongenetic risk factors was 0.77 (95% CI, 0.76-0.78). Combining the nongenetic and genetic risk models improved the AUC to 0.82 (95% CI, 0.81-0.83), indicating good diagnostic accuracy. To become clinically useful, subgroups of high-risk persons must be identified in whom genetic profiling will also be cost-effective.

SummaryModerate alcohol consumption is associated with lower levels of several coagulation factors. It is an established protective factor for cardiovascular disease; however, the effect on venous thrombosis is unknown. In a large population-based case-control study, we evaluated the association between alcohol consumption and the risk of venous thrombosis. The MEGA study included consecutive patients with a first venous thrombosis between March 1999 and September 2004 from six anticoagulation clinics in the Netherlands. Partners of patients were asked to participate, and additional controls were recruited using a random digit dialling method. All participants completed a standardized questionnaire, and blood samples were collected. A total of 4,423 patients and 5,235 controls were included in the analyses. Alcohol consumption was associated with a reduced risk of venous thrombosis, with 2–4 glasses per day resulting in the largest beneficial effect (odds ratio [OR] 0.67, 95% confidence interval [CI95] 0.58–0.77) compared to abstainers. The effect was more pronounced in women (OR 0.66, CI95 0.53–0.84) than men (OR 0.82, CI95 0.63–1.07) and also more striking for pulmonary embolism (OR 0.56, CI95 0.46–0.70) than for deep venous thrombosis of the leg (OR 0.74, CI95 0.63–0.88). Compared to abstainers, fibrinogen levels were decreased in individuals who consumed alcohol (maximum decrease: 0.30 g/l). FactorVII and vonWillebrand levels were mildly decreased in these individuals but not consistently over the categories of alcohol consumption. In conclusion, alcohol consumption is associated with a reduced risk of venous thrombosis, which may be in part mediated by decreased fibrinogen levels. Thromb

Background: Treatment of lesions in small vessels was associated with worse clinical outcome, and various definitions of “small vessels” have been used. Data with novel drug-eluting stents are scarce. Methods: To compare the outcome of patients with vs without small-vessel treatment, we assessed 2-year follow-up data of the DUTCH PEERS randomized trial (ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT01331707), in which 1,811 all-comers were treated with contemporary zotarolimus-eluting (Resolute Integrity) or everolimus-eluting (Promus Element) stents. Primary end point was target lesion failure (TLF), a composite of cardiac death, target vessel myocardial infarction, and target lesion revascularization. Results: The rates of TLF (9.5% vs 5.4%; P log rank = .001) and 2 individual components thereof—target vessel myocardial infarction (3.1% vs 1.3%; P log rank = .006) and target lesion revascularization (4.8% vs 2.8%; P log rank = .02)—were higher among 798 (44.1%) patients treated in at least one small vessel (

Background Point-of-care (POC) tests are devices or test strips that can be used near or at the site where care is delivered to patients, enabling a relatively fast diagnosis. Although many general practitioners (GPs) in the Netherlands are using POC tests in their practice, little is known on how they manage the corresponding patient safety aspects. Methods To obtain information on this aspect, an invitation to participate in a web-based questionnaire was sent to a random sample of 750 GP practices. Of this sample 111 GP practices returned a complete questionnaire. Data was analysed by using descriptive statistics. Results Results show that there is not always attention for quality control measures such as checking storage conditions, executing calibration, and maintenance. In addition, universal hygienic measures, such as washing hands before taking a blood sample, are not always followed. Refresher courses on the use of POC tests are hardly organized. Only a few of the GPs contact the manufacturer of the device when a device failure occurs. Well-controlled aspects include patient identification and actions taken when ambiguous test results are obtained. Conclusions We observed a number of risks for errors with POC tests in GP practices that may be reduced by proper training of personnel, introduction of standard operating procedures and measures for quality control and improved hygiene. To encourage proper use of POCT in general practices, a national POCT guideline, dedicated to primary care and in line with ISO standards, should be introduced. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12875-014-0217-2) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

BACKGROUND Women report more often chest pain following percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI), yet little is known about the impact of age on these symptoms. We aimed to assess age and gender-related differences in chest pain following PCI with newergeneration drug-eluting stents (DES). METHODS A patient-level pooled analysis of the TWENTE and DUTCH PEERS randomized trials (NCT01066650; NCT01331707) was performed, in which patients were treated with newer generation permanent polymer DES. The primary endpoint of both studies was target vessel failure (TVF); secondary endpoints included MACE (composite of any death, any myocardial infarction (MI), emergent CABG or target lesion revascularization) and POCE (composite of any death, any MI and any revascularization). RESULTS Clinical follow-up was available in 3,188 patients (99.8%). Women had more risk factors including diabetes (24.2% vs. 17.8%, p65 years. Women 65 years, both women and men reported similar levels of chest pain at rest or mild exertion (8.8% and 8.7%, p=0.76); in this subgroup gender did not independently predict chest pain (adjusted OR 1.27 95%-CI:0.8-1.9, p=0.26). Nevertheless, in women and men similar 3-year rates of TVF, MACE, and POCE were found (11.6% vs. 11.3%, p=0.81; 13.6% vs. 12.5%, p=0.43; 18.8% vs. 18.0%, p=0.60, respectively). CONCLUSION While for both genders the incidence of adverse cardiovascular events was low and similar, women

Acute coronary syndrome (ACS) guidelines have been changed, favoring dual antiplatelet therapy (DAPT) with more potent antiplatelet drugs (e.g. ticagrelor). This investigator-initiated, observational study assessed at a Dutch high-volume PCI center the safety and efficacy of changing the primary

Objective To investigate the effect of passive smoking, active smoking and smoking cessation on inflammation, lipid profile and the risk of myocardial infarction (MI), Methods A total of 423 cases with a first MI and 465 population controls from the Maltese Acute Myocardial Infarction (MAMI) Study were analysed. Data were collected through an interviewer-led questionnaire, and morning fasting blood samples were obtained. ORs adjusted for the conventional risk factors of MI (aORs) were calculated as an estimate of the relative risk of MI. The influence of smoking on biochemical parameters was determined among controls., Results Current smokers had a 2.7-fold (95%CI 1.7 to 4.2) and ex-smokers a 1.6-fold (95%CI 1.0 to 2.4) increased risk of MI. Risk increased with increasing pack-years and was accompanied by an increase in highsensitivity C reactive protein levels and an abnormal lipid profile. Smoking cessation was associated with lower triglyceride levels. Exposure to passive smoking increased the risk of MI (aOR 3.2 (95% CI 1.7 to 6.3)), with the OR being higher for individuals exposed to passive smoking in a home rather than in a public setting (aOR 2.0 (95% CI 0.7 to 5.6) vs aOR 1.2 (95% CI 0.7 to 2.0)). Passive smoke exposure was associated with higher levels of total cholesterol, triglycerides and total cholesterol:high-density lipoprotein cholesterol ratio compared with individuals not exposed to passive smoking., Conclusions Both active and passive smoking are strong risk factors for MI. This risk increased with increasing pack-years and decreased with smoking cessation. Such effects may be partly mediated through the influence of smoking on inflammation and lipid metabolism., peer-reviewed

Background Only limited data from large randomized clinical trials have been published on the long-term performance of second-generation drug-eluting stents in bifurcation lesions. Methods We investigated in patients in the randomized TWENTE trial the long-term safety and efficacy of treating bifurcation lesions with 2 widely applied second-generation drug-eluting stents, the zotarolimus-eluting Resolute stent (Medtronic Inc, Santa Rosa, CA) and the everolimus-eluting Xience V stent (Abbott Vascular, Santa Clara, CA). Three-year follow-up was available in 99.3%. Patients were categorized into treatment for ≥1 bifurcation lesion versus treatment for nonbifurcation lesions only. Results Among the 1,391 patients of the TWENTE trial, 362 (26%) were treated for bifurcation lesions. At 3-year follow-up, target-vessel failure did not differ between patients treated for bifurcation versus nonbifurcation lesions (13.1% vs 12.6%; P = .84), whereas the periprocedural myocardial infarction rate was higher in patients with bifurcation lesions (6.9% vs 3.1%; P < .01). Of the 362 patients with bifurcation lesion treatment, 179 (49.4%) were treated with Resolute and 183 (50.6%) with Xience V. There was no significant difference in target-vessel failure between the Resolute and Xience V groups with bifurcation treatment (13.6% vs 12.6%; P = .78), and their incidence of definite-or-probable stent thrombosis was low and similar (1.1% vs 0.5%, respectively; P = .62). Conclusion Despite a significant difference in periprocedural myocardial infarction, 3-year clinical outcome after implantation of second-generation stents was favorable and similar for patients with and without bifurcation lesions. In addition, we observed no difference in long-term clinical outcome after bifurcation lesion treatment with Resolute and Xience V stents. Percutaneous coronary interventions (PCIs) of bifurcation lesions have been associated with an increased procedural risk and a higher restenosis rate.1 The introduction of the first generation of drug-eluting stents (DES) reduced the incidence of restenosis.2, 3 and 4 Meanwhile, second-generation DES with more biocompatible, durable polymer-based coatings have been developed, such as the zotarolimus-eluting Resolute stent (Medtronic Inc, Santa Rosa, CA) and everolimus-eluting Xience V stent (Abbott Vascular, Santa Clara, CA). Both DES are widely applied, and they have shown favorable clinical results in a large population of all-comer patients5 and 6 and in the broad patient population of the TWENTE trial.7, 8 and 9 In bifurcation lesions, second-generation DES reduced the risk of restenosis and the need for repeat revascularization, as compared with first-generation DES.10, 11 and 12 In addition, a randomized trial that exclusively used second-generation DES recently reported very favorable 2-year outcome data after treatment of bifurcation lesions in an all-comer patient population.13 Nevertheless, so far, only limited data from large randomized clinical trials have been published on the long-term performance of second-generation DES in bifurcation lesions.13, 14 and 15 Therefore, in the present substudy of the TWENTE trial,7, 8 and 16 we performed an analysis of the 3-year follow-up data of TWENTE to compare long-term clinical outcome in patients with and without treatment of a bifurcated target lesion. In addition, to evaluate potential between-stent differences, we compared the outcome of patients with bifurcation treatment with Resolute versus Xience V stents

Aims: To assess whether better endothelial function increases the likelihood of patients with acute ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) having initially patent culprit vessels. Clinical data on the relation between endothelial function and culprit vessel patency in STEMI patients are scarce. Methods and results: In this prospective cohort study in 71 patients with STEMI, endothelial function was non-invasively assessed by use of the reactive hyperaemia peripheral artery tonometry (RH-PAT) method at four to six weeks after the primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PPCI). The RH-PAT index measured on average 1.90±0.58. In patients with patent culprit vessels before PPCI (n=33, 46.5%), endothelial function was significantly better than in patients with occluded vessels (n=38, 53.5%) (RH-PAT index 2.08±0.34 vs. 1.75±0.35; p

In thrombophilic families, protein S deficiency is clearly associated with venous thrombosis. We aimed to determine whether the same holds true in a population-based case-control study (n = 5317). Subjects were regarded protein S deficient when protein S levels were2.5th percentile of the controls. Free and total protein S deficiency was not associated with venous thrombosis: free protein S53 U/dL, odds ratio [OR] 0.82 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.56-1.21) and total protein S68 U/dL, OR 0.90 (95% CI, 0.62-1.31). When lower cutoff values were applied, it appeared that subjects at risk of venous thrombosis could be identified at levels0.10th percentile of free protein S (33 U/dL, OR 5.4; 95% CI, 0.61-48.8). In contrast, even extremely low total protein S levels were not associated with venous thrombosis. PROS1 was sequenced in 48 subjects with free protein S level1st percentile (4 6 U/dL), and copy number variations were investigated in 2718 subjects, including all subjects with protein S (free or total)2.5th percentile. Mutations in PROS1 were detected in 5 patients and 5 controls reinforcing the observation that inherited protein S deficiency is rare in the general population. Protein S testing and PROS1 testing should not be considered in unselected patients with venous thrombosis.

Aim: To evaluate the safety and efficacy of 2 novel drug-eluting stents (DES) with biodegradable polymer-based coatings versus a durable coating DES. Methods and Results: BIO-RESORT is an investigator-initiated, prospective, patient-blinded, randomized multicenter trial in 3540 Dutch all-comers with various clinical syndromes, requiring percutaneous coronary interventions (PCI) with DES implantation. Randomization (stratified for diabetes mellitus) is being performed in a 1:1:1 ratio between ORSIRO sirolimus-eluting stent with circumferential biodegradable coating, SYNERGY everolimus-eluting stent with abluminal biodegradable coating, and RESOLUTE INTEGRITY zotarolimus-eluting stent with durable coating. The primary endpoint is the incidence of the composite endpoint target vessel failure at 1 year, consisting of cardiac death, target vessel-related myocardial infarction, or clinically driven target vessel revascularization. Power calculation assumes a target vessel failure rate of 8.5% with a 3.5% non‐inferiority margin, giving the study a power of 85% (α level .025 adjusted for multiple testing). The impact of diabetes mellitus on post-PCI outcome will be evaluated. The first patient was enrolled on December 21, 2012. Conclusions: BIO-RESORT is a large, prospective, randomized, multicenter trial with three arms, comparing two DES with biodegradable coatings versus a reference DES with a durable coating in 3540 all-comers. The trial will provide novel insights into the clinical outcome of modern DES and will address the impact of known and so far undetected diabetes mellitus on post-PCI outcome

Background We hypothesized that single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) located in microRNA (miR) binding sites in genes of the renin angiotensin aldosterone system (RAAS) can influence blood pressure and risk of myocardial infarction. Methods Using online databases dbSNP and TargetScan, we identified 10 SNPs in potential miR binding sites in eight RAAS-related genes, common in Caucasians. We genotyped a large case-control study on myocardial infarctions, the Study of Myocardial Infarctions LEiden (SMILE) for these 10 SNPs and found nine SNPs, in seven genes, to be prevalent. Functionality of each SNP in interfering with mRNA/miR binding was tested using a dual luciferase reporter gene system. Results Of these nine SNPs, four SNPs, located in the arginine vasopressin 1A receptor (AVPR1A), bradykinin 2 receptor (BDKRB2), and thromboxane A2 receptor (TBXA2R) genes were associated with blood pressure. The rare allele of the AVPR1A SNP rs11174811, was associated with increased blood pressure whereas the rare alleles of the two linked BDKRB2 SNPs rs5225 and rs2069591 and of the TBXA2R SNP rs13306046 were associated with decreased blood pressure. Although not associated with blood pressure, the rare allele of the mineralocorticoid receptor (NR3C2) SNP rs5534, was associated with a twofold increased risk of myocardial infarction in men younger than 50 years. For all of these five SNPs, except rs2069591, we could demonstrate a reduction in miR-induced repression of gene expression. Conclusions Common SNPs in miR binding sites of RAAS-related genes can influence both blood pressure and risk of myocardial infarction. These results may imply an important role for SNPs in miR target sites in human disease.

Higher levels of procoagulant factors and factor XII deficiency may be risk factors for first venous thromboembolism (VTE). We studied associations of coagulation factors IX through XIII with risk of future VTE in 2 general population samples. Using a nested case-control study combining the 21 860 participants of the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities study and the Cardiovascular Health Study, we determined antigenic levels of these coagulation factors in primarily pre-event blood samples from 462 participants who subsequently developed VTE and 1047 participants who remained free of VTE. Only elevated levels of factors IX and XI were associated with increased risk of VTE after adjustment for age, sex, race, and study. For factor IX, the odds ratio (OR) was 1.4 (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.0-2.0) comparing the top to bottom quintile. The OR for factor XI was higher: 2.0 (95% CI, 1.4-2.9). With further adjustment for body mass index and diabetes, only elevated factor XI remained associated with VTE risk: OR 1.8 (95% CI, 1.3-2.7). Associations were similar by study and whether the thrombosis was idiopathic or secondary. Factor XII deficiency was not related to VTE risk. Among these procoagulant factors, only elevated factor XI was a risk factor for VTE.

Background: Pulmonary Embolism is a potentially fatal manifestation of venous thrombosis that may share genetic risk factors with deep vein thrombosis (DVT). Recently, 3 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) were reported to be associated with DVT in three studies: rs13146272 in CYP4V2 , rs2227589 in SERPINC1 , rs1613662 in GP6 . We investigated whether these 3 SNPs were also associated with pulmonary embolism. Methods: We genotyped 5840 subjects from the Multiple Environmental and Genetic Assessment of risk factors for venous thrombosis (MEGA study). Cases were 1,206 patients who had a pulmonary embolism without a symptomatic DVT: isolated pulmonary embolism (PE iso ). Controls were 4,634 subjects who had no history of DVT or pulmonary embolism. We tested the association between genotypes and PE iso using logistic regression models that adjusted for age and sex. Results: For all three SNPs, the same allele that had been previously found to be associated with increased risk of DVT was also associated with increased risk of PE iso . For homozygous carriers of the risk allele, compared with noncarriers, the ORs were 1.34 (95% CI, 1.08–1.67) for rs13146272 in CYP4V2 , 1.85 (95% CI, 1.08–3.16) for rs2227589 in SERPINC1 , and 1.20 (95% CI, 1.04–1.39) for rs1613662 in GP6. The frequencies of risk allele homozygotes in the controls of the MEGA study were 41% for rs13146272, 1% for rs2227589, and 67% for rs1613662. Conclusions: Three SNPs previously reported to be associated with DVT were found to be associated with PE iso . Because of the high frequencies of two of these polymorphisms in Caucasians, these SNPs are likely make an appreciable contribution to the population attributable risk for PE iso .

Recurrent chest pain after successful percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) is the main trigger of repeat assessment and resource utilization. PCI of bifurcated target lesions are often complex and bear a higher risk of adverse events and chest pain. To compare 2-year clinical outcome and

Abstract 3166 Poster Board III-106 Protein S (PS) deficiency increases the risk of venous thrombosis (VT) in family studies, but it has been difficult to estimate the risk in population-based studies. Moreover, the genetic basis of PS deficiency is only poorly understood as in about 50% of PS deficient families no mutations are found by exon-targeted sequencing of the PS gene PROS1. Further, the laboratory diagnosis of PS deficiency is complicated by physiological variation due to age and sex, as well as interference by pregnancy, use of hormones and medication and vitamin K deficiency. We recently showed with the multiplex ligation-dependent probe amplification (MLPA) methodology, that whole or partial deletion of PROS1 explained PS deficiency in around 40% of point mutation-negative French PS deficient families. Here, we analyzed PS deficiency in the MEGA (Multiple Environmental and Genetic Assessment) study to verify whether gross gene deletions or duplications are also common in unselected individuals with venous thrombosis. The MEGA study included 5000 patients with a first episode of deep VT or pulmonary embolism and 5000 controls. Questionnaires and DNA samples were taken for every participant and blood was collected in around half of patients and controls. Total PS (tPS) was measured in plasma by ELISA. For analysis, vitamin K users were excluded yielding 2198 patients and 2904 controls. The mean tPS (±SD) was 102.6 U/dL (±19.1) in patients and 100.8 U/dL (±19.7) in controls. OR and 95% confidence interval were computed to estimate the relative risk of thrombosis. PS was not a risk factor for thrombosis in the MEGA study when deciles were used to calculate OR neither when lowest 2.5% or 1% PS levels was examined (data not shown). We then randomly analyzed DNA samples from 2270 participants out of 10000 individuals (1395 patients and 875 controls) by MLPA to look for copy number variations (CNVs). In only one individual an abnormal MLPA pattern was found and the test was repeated confirming results. This individual, a female patient of 66 years who was not using estrogens, was heterozygous for a deletion of the complete PROS1 gene. Her tPS was 64.3 U/dL, which was below the 2.5th percentile (tPS = 65.3 U/dL) of the total MEGA control group. To check if the frequency of CNVs in PROS1 was indeed low in the MEGA, we zoomed in on PS deficiency by selecting DNA from individuals with low tPS (cuttof: mean tPS -2SD of the total MEGA control group), not excluding vitamin K users. This selection yielded 404 individuals, out of which 198 had been previously analyzed in the first round. MLPA was performed for the remaining 206 individuals and no new CNV was found in PROS1. In conclusion, PS deficiency was not a risk factor for VT in this population-based study and deletions or duplications in PROS1 were not common. This is in contrast with previous data from family-based studies but in accordance with the fact that the genetic basis of PS deficiency and its risk for VT outside of a family setting was also not evident in other studies. Disclosures No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.

Background: Several factors influence the occurrence of acute myocardial infarction. One of these factors is thought to be Von Willebrand Factor which serves as adhesive surface for platelets to adhere to the vessel wall. We have recently found that beta2- glycoprotein I is able to inhibit platelet binding to von Willebrand Factor by binding to the A1 domain of Von Willebrand Factor 1. This could indicate that beta2-glycoprotein I possesses antithrombotic properties with respect to arterial thrombosis. In the present study we investigated whether differences in beta2-glycoprotein I plasma levels influence the risk of myocardial infarction. Methods and Results: We have measured beta2-glycoprotein I and Von Willebrand Factor antigen levels in 539 men with a first myocardial infarction and in 611 control subjects who participated in the case-control Study of Myocardial Infarction Leiden (SMILE). Although we did not find a profound effect of beta2-glycoprotein I plasma levels on myocardial infarction in the overall population (odds ratio 0.93, 95% confidence interval 0.65–1.33), there appeared to be a dose-dependent protective effect of increasing beta2-glycoprotein I plasma levels on myocardial infarction in men of 60 years and older. In this age group we found an odds Ratio of 0.44 (95% confidence interval 0.25–0.77) for high beta2-glycoprotein I levels compared to low levels. Furthermore, high plasma levels of beta2-glycoprotein I remained protective for myocardial infarction despite high levels of Von Willebrand Factor. In addition, we studied a possible association between age and Von Willebrand Factor and beta2-glycoprotein I plasma levels. It appeared that both Von Willebrand Factor and beta2-glycoprotein I plasma levels increased with age, but a larger increase in Von Willebrand Factor plasma levels was observed than in beta2-glycoprotein I plasma levels (13.7 % every 10 years versus 5.7% every 10 years). Conclusions: In this study high circulating levels of beta2-glycoprotein I appeared to be associated with a lower risk of myocardial infarction in men over 60 years. In addition we observed a larger increase in Von Willebrand Factor levels with age than beta2- glycoprotein I levels. As beta2-glycoprotein I possesses antithrombotic properties by inhibiting the activity of Von Willebrand Factor in-vitro, this might indicate that during aging the haemostatic balance slowly shifts to a more prothrombotic state 1. Future in-vivo experiments are needed to investigate the exact contribution of beta2-glycoprotein I on the pathophysiology of myocardial infarction and arterial thrombosis in general.

Risk of venous thromboembolism (VTE) is elevated in cancer, but individual risk factors cannot identify a sufficiently high-risk group of outpatients for thromboprophylaxis. We developed a simple model for predicting chemotherapy-associated VTE using baseline clinical and laboratory variables. The association of VTE with multiple variables was characterized in a derivation cohort of 2701 cancer outpatients from a prospective observational study. A risk model was derived and validated in an independent cohort of 1365 patients from the same study. Five predictive variables were identified in a multivariate model: site of cancer (2 points for very high-risk site, 1 point for high-risk site), platelet count of 350 × 109/L or more, hemoglobin less than 100 g/L (10 g/dL) and/or use of erythropoiesis-stimulating agents, leukocyte count more than 11 × 109/L, and body mass index of 35 kg/m2 or more (1 point each). Rates of VTE in the derivation and validation cohorts, respectively, were 0.8% and 0.3% in low-risk (score = 0), 1.8% and 2% in intermediate-risk (score = 1-2), and 7.1% and 6.7% in high-risk (score ≥ 3) category over a median of 2.5 months (C-statistic = 0.7 for both cohorts). This model can identify patients with a nearly 7% short-term risk of symptomatic VTE and may be used to select cancer outpatients for studies of thromboprophylaxis.

Several genetic and acquired risk factors are known to increase the risk of venous thrombosis (VT). The occurrence of multiple risk factors in a single patient may be associated with a thrombotic risk which exceeds the sum of the individual risks, as is for example seen with oral contraceptive use and factor V Leiden. Previously we have shown that reduced fibrinolytic potential a measured by a plasma-based assay increases the risk of VT. Here, we investigated the thrombotic risk in individuals with hypofibrinolysis overall and in combination with the factor V Leiden and prothrombin 20210A mutation, in the Multiple Environmental and Genetic Assessment (MEGA) of risk factors for venous thrombosis study, a large population-based case-control study. In the present analyses, 2420 patients with a first episode of deep vein thrombosis of the leg or a pulmonary embolism and 2943 control subjects (partners and randomly selected individuals) between 18 and 70 years were included. Lysis of a tissue factor-induced clot by exogenous tissue-type plasminogen activator was studied by monitoring changes in turbidity during clot formation and subsequent lysis. Using quartiles of clot lysis time (CLT) based on the values found in the control subjects, we found an increase in risk of VT with each increasing quartile of CLT. The odds ratio (OR) (95% confidence interval (CI)) for individuals in the fourth quartile of CLT compared to individuals in the first quartile was 1.8 (1.5–2.1), after adjustment for age and sex. In younger subjects and women these ORs were slightly elevated (table). In individuals with hypofibrinolysis (i.e., the highest quartile of CLT) and without the factor V Leiden mutation an OR of 1.8 (1.5–2.1) was found compared to those without the mutation and with the lowest CLTs (i.e., in the lowest quartile). Individuals with the factor V Leiden mutation with the lowest CLTs had a risk of VT that was 3.6 (2.4–5.4) times increased, compared to those without the mutation and with the lowest CLTs. The risk of VT increased 6.2–fold (4.2–9.2) for individuals in the fourth quartile of CLT with the factor V Leiden mutation compared to people in the first quartile without the mutation. The same analyses for the prothrombin 20210A mutation gave ORs of 1.8 (1.5–2.1) for hypofibrinolysis only, 3.6 (1.4–9.5) for the mutation only, and 3.2 (1.9–5.3) for the combination. Our study confirms the increased risk of VT in individuals with hypofibrinolysis. This risk is especially pronounced in women and younger individuals. The combination of hypofibrinolysis and the factor V Leiden or prothrombin mutation does not appear to enhance the risk of VT. This study was supported by the Netherlands Heart Foundation (NHF) (Grant no. 2005B060 and 98.113) and the Netherlands Organisation for Scientific research (NWO) (Grant no. 912-03-033/2003). Risk of VT for individuals in the fourth quartile (Q4) of CLT overall 49 years women men * Q1 is reference # cases(Q1/Q4) 452/784 275/285 177/499 261/385 191/398 #controles (Q1/Q4) 733/733 458/248 274/485 430/357 303/376 OR (95% CI)* 1.8 (1.5–2.1) 2.5 (1.9–3.2) 1.7 (1.4–2.2) 2.7 (2.1–3.4) 1.6 (1.3–2.1)

The objective of this study is to assess 3-year clinical outcome of patients with true bifurcation lesions (TBLs) versus non-true bifurcation lesions (non-TBLs) following treatment with second-generation drug-eluting stents (DES). TBLs are characterized by the obstruction of both main vessel and side-branch. Limited data are available on long-term clinical outcome following TBL treatment with newer-generation DES. We performed an explorative sub-study of the randomized TWENTE trial among 287 patients who had bifurcated target lesions with side-branches ≥2.0 mm. Patients were categorized into TBL (Medina classes: 1.1.1; 1.0.1; 0.1.1) versus non-TBL to compare long-term clinical outcome. A total of 116 (40.4 %) patients had TBL, while 171 (59.6 %) had non-TBL only. Target-lesion revascularization rates were similar (3.5 vs. 3.5 %; p = 1.0), and definite-or-probable stent thrombosis rates were low (both

Background: Percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) in bifurcated lesions with second-generation drug-eluting stents (DES) was associated with increased myocardial infarction (MI) rates. Flexible stent designs that accommodate well to vessel tapering may be of benefit in challenging anatomies such as bifurcated target lesions, but so far data are scarce. Methods: We analyzed the 2-year follow-up data of the DUTCH PEERS (TWENTE II) trial, which randomized 1811 all-comer patients to PCI with newer generation resolute integrity zotarolimus-eluting (Medtronic) or promus element everolimus-eluting stents (Boston Scientific). In bifurcated lesions, provisional stenting was generally performed. Target vessel failure is a composite endpoint, consisting of cardiac death, target vessel MI, or target vessel revascularization. Results: Patients with at least one bifurcated lesion (n = 465, 25.7 %) versus patients with non-bifurcated target lesions only (n = 1346, 74.3 %) showed similar rates of clinical endpoints including target vessel failure (9.2 versus 7.9 %, p = 0.36) and definite stent thrombosis (0.4 versus 1.0 %, p = 0.38). Target vessel MI was more common in patients with bifurcated lesions (3.4 versus 1.6 %, p = 0.02); but after multivariate analysis with propensity score adjustment, bifurcation treatment was found not to be an independent predictor of target vessel MI (HR 1.40, 95 % CI 0.71–2.76; p = 0.34). Among patients with bifurcated lesions, DES type and side-branch size did not affect outcome, but periprocedural MI occurred more often after two-stent approaches (9.0 versus 2.1 %; p = 0.002). Conclusion: All-comer patients treated for bifurcated and non-bifurcated target lesions showed similar and low rates of clinical endpoints, suggesting that the DES used are efficacious and safe for treating bifurcated target lesions.

Background: The multicenter, prospective, randomized, single-blinded, investigator-initiated DUTCH PEERS (TWENTE II) “All Comers” Trial demonstrated at 1-year follow-up the non-inferiority of third-generation Resolute Integrity zotarolimus-eluting stents (Medtronic Vascular, Santa Rosa, CA) versus Promus Element everolimus-eluting stents (Boston Scientific, Natick, MA), based on a similar incidence of the primary endpoint target vessel failure (TVF), a composite of cardiac death, target vessel revascularization (TVR), or myocardial infarction (MI). No other follow-up data beyond 12 months have been published from a randomized head-to-head comparison of both stents. Methods: In 4 study centers in the Netherlands, 1,811 patients were 1:1 randomly assigned to treatment with one of both stents. Patients with any clinical syndrome, any lesion type, and any number of lesions or vessels to be treated were included. Study monitoring and clinical event adjudication were performed by two independent Dutch contract research organizations (Diagram, Zwolle, and Cardialysis, Rotterdam, respectively). Results: DUTCH PEERS examines an all-comer patient population that included 59% of patients with acute coronary syndromes (20% of all patients presented with an acute STEMI) and 66% of patients with complex target lesions. We will compare for both stent groups the 2-year incidence of TVF (primary endpoint) and various secondary endpoints, including individual components of the primary endpoint, the incidence of stent thrombosis, and other composite endpoints, such as target lesion failure, major adverse cardiac events, and the patient-oriented composite endpoint. In addition, we will report the outcome of patients with longitudinal stent deformation after discontinuation of dual anti-platelet therapy. Conclusions: Clinical outcome of the DUTCH PEERS trial at 2-year follow-up will be presented.