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BackgroundThis study estimates the temporal risk variations of ischemic and bleeding events during dual antiplatelet therapy (DAPT) and suggests the optimal period for DAPT after acute coronary syndrome (ACS) categorized by the Academic Research Consortium for High Bleeding Risk (ARC-HBR) criteria.MethodsA total of 1,264 ACS patients receiving either clopidogrel or prasugrel with aspirin were classified by ARC-HBR criteria into HBR (n = 574) and non-HBR groups (n = 690). This study was designed as a multicenter observation to evaluate the primary endpoints of ischemic, including cardiogenic death, myocardial infarction, or ischemic stroke, and bleeding events, defined as Bleeding Academic Research Consortium type 3 or 5. The temporal risk variations were estimated using the Cox hazard and Royston-Parmar models.ResultsIschemic and bleeding events were observed in 9.4% and 7.4% of patients, respectively, during an average observation period of 313 days. The HBR group had a higher incidence of both events than the non-HBR group (15.3% vs. 4.5%, P < 0.01 for ischemic; 11.9% vs. 3.8%, P < 0.01 for bleeding). The estimated risk curves revealed a peak and steep decline in the first few days, followed by a constant decline. The peak of risk was higher for bleeding than for ischemic events, but this relationship reversed early, with ischemic events displaying a higher risk in both the HBR and non-HBR groups until at least 60 days.ConclusionA 60-day period of DAPT is appropriate to balance the risks of adverse events after ACS, regardless of ARC-HBR criteria.

Excimer laser is used to treat coronary artery disease, especially in case of lesions with thrombus and in-stent restenosis (ISR). However, there are no in vivo preclinical studies that have evaluated the pathological reactions of the vessel wall after excimer laser ablation.Bare-metal stents were placed in the external iliac arteries of six healthy rabbits. Twenty-eight days later, excimer laser ablation was performed with low-power (45 (fluency)/25 (rate)) in one side, and high-power (60/40) in the opposite side, followed by optical coherence tomography (OCT) evaluation. Rabbits were sacrificed 15 min after the procedure, and histological assessment was performed.Morphometry analysis of OCT showed similar stent and lumen size between low-power and high-power group. Histological evaluation suggested endothelial cell loss, fibrin deposition, and tissue loss. The low-power group showed significantly less pathological changes compared with the high-power group: angle of endothelial cell loss, 32.4° vs. 191.7° (interquartile range, 8.8°-131.7° vs. 125.7°-279.5°; p 0.01); fibrin deposition, 1.1° vs. 59.6° (0.0°-70.4° vs. 31.4°-178.4°; p = 0.03); and tissue loss 0.0° vs. 18.2° (0.0°-8.7° vs. 0.0°-42.7°; p = 0.03).The pathological changes in neointima were more prominent after high-power excimer laser ablation than after low-power excimer laser. To improve safety in clinical practice, understanding the pathological changes of tissues after excimer laser in lesions with ISR is essential.

Recently, the efficacy was demonstrated of the Diamondback 360® Coronary Orbital Atherectomy System (OAS) (Cardiovascular Systems, Inc., St. Paul, MN, USA) for treating calcified coronary lesions in percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). The safety and feasibility of OAS application through a 5-Fr guiding catheter (GC) which is less invasive and reduces access site complications were validated. This sequential, retrospective, observational study was conducted in a single center from September 2018 to May 2020. The primary endpoint was a successful PCI with the OAS. Secondary endpoints were major adverse complications related to PCI with the OAS, including coronary dissection, perforation, side branch loss, need for an unexpected cardiac assist device, access site complications, and major adverse cardiac and cerebrovascular events. 33 PCIs in 30 patients (mean age 72 ± 11 years; male, 83.3%) were surveyed. All PCIs were successfully completed with OAS application through a 5-Fr GC. Coronary perforation after the OAS procedure occurred in one case (3.0%). Severe coronary dissection occurred in three cases (9.1%), and procedural myocardial infarction in two cases (6.1%). Regarding PCIs performed with the 5-Fr GC, the OAS is a safe and feasible strategy for calcified plaque modification.

Background This study examined the ability of a combination of biomarkers, including N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide (N-BNP) and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP), to better predict mortality than the Global Registry of Acute Coronary Events (GRACE) score in acute myocardial infarction (AMI) patients who received primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PPCI). Methods The in-hospital mortality in 754 all-comer patients with AMI who underwent successful PPCI over 8 years was examined. A receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis was performed to determine the in-hospital mortality in a single center. A logistic regression analysis was used to compare the predictive accuracy of the GRACE score and biomarkers. The incremental predictive value of those biomarkers beyond the GRACE score was also examined. Results The mean age was 66±13 years old, and 609 patients with ST-elevated AMI (80.8%) were included. The in-hospital mortality was 6.8%. The GRACE score (in-hospital survivor/non-survivor: 106±33/161±32; p0.05,) and N-BNP (in-hospital survivor/non-survivor: 2,458±7,058/8,880±1,1331 pg/mL; p0.05) were significantly lower in survivors than in non-survivors. The area under the ROC curve (AUC) of in-hospital mortality of the GRACE score was significantly higher than that of the dual-biomarker combination (0.868/0.720; p0.05). The AUC of the combination of the GRACE score and dual-biomarkers was not significantly higher than that of the GRACE score alone (0.870/0.868; p=0.747). Conclusions The measurement of representative cardiovascular biomarkers did not provide any additional benefit for mortality prediction beyond the GRACE score in AMI patients who received PPCI.

Conventional radial access (cRA) for percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) has become the current standard due to low bleeding complications, although recently, distal radial access (dRA) has attracted attention as an alternative. Here, the usefulness of dRA is shown in a case in whom neither side could be used for cRA. The patient was a woman in her 70 s diagnosed with unstable angina pectoris at another hospital. Although ad hoc PCI was attempted via her right forearm radial artery, her hemodynamics deteriorated and the procedure was abandoned. After an intra-aortic balloon pumping device was inserted via the left femoral approach and hemostasis was established with a dedicated device, the patient was transferred to our hospital. Her right radial artery was being used for hemostasis and her left radial artery was poorly palpable. Because her right distal radial artery was palpable, access via that location was attempted after confirming sufficient blood vessel diameter and blood flow by ultrasound. A 6Fr sheath was inserted and PCI was safely accomplished. Hemostasis on dRA was completed without complications using a hemostasis device. Thus, dRA may be an option as an alternative access site in an emergency.

The effects of cardiac rehabilitation (CR) on long-term prognosis of cardiovascular disease (CVD) are well known. However, the effect of CR on frail CVD patients has not been fully addressed.This study consisted of 89 CVD patients with their age ≥65 years old (68 males, 75 ± 6 years), who participated in the outpatient CR program for 3 months. All the patients underwent cardiopulmonary exercise testing and the physical frailty was assessed using the Japanese Version of the Cardiovascular Health Study Standard before and after CR. Based on the assessment of frailty before CR, the patients were divided into the following two groups: frailty group (n = 23) and non-frailty group (n = 66: robust in 10 and pre-frail in 56 patients).In the frailty group, 20 patients (87%) improved from frail status after CR, and usual walking speed, maximal grip strength, and lower extremity strength were significantly improved (1.06±0.20 vs. 1.20±0.18 m/sec, p0.001; 21.7 ± 5.5 vs. 23.6 ± 6.3 kg, p0.01; 0.37±0.09 vs. 0.43±0.11 kgf/kg, p = 0.001, respectively), but peak VOShort-term CR could obtain the improvement of the physical function, providing the prerequisite step for possibly following improvement of exercise capacity in elderly CVD patients with frailty. It may be inferred that longer duration of CR would be needed to obtain the improvement of exercise capacity in these patients, being the future consideration to be determined.

The transradial approach is the standard for percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). Moreover, to lead to the evolution of PCI, a new approach site was developed, namely the distal radial approach (dRA). The vessel diameter of the distal radial artery is smaller than that of the forearm radial artery; hence, use of 1 Fr size or a sheath with a thinner outer diameter is recommended. Ultrasound examination before the procedure provides useful information on this matter. There are two approaches to puncture: proximal site puncture of the distal radial artery and distal site puncture. Based on anatomical characteristics, the puncture angle is large on the former and small on the latter. Although a learning curve for the dRA puncture is needed, the use of ultrasound facilitates the process. Using a hemostatic device dedicated to the dRA simplifies observation after PCI. Hemostatic devices for the conventional radial approach or simple bandage with an elastic band can be useful. Usually, less hemostasis time is needed for the dRA compared with the conventional radial approach. Studies have shown high success rates of the dRA (approximately 88–99.5%). Advantages of the dRA are patient comfort, short hemostasis time, less restraint for the patients after PCI, and easy observation at the ward. Disadvantages are the learning curve required for the puncture and the small diameter of the distal radial artery. The dRA is a new approach site for PCI. Further research is warranted for the selection of suitable patients to undergo PCI through the dRA.

There is no established hemostasis method or protocol for the transdistal radial approach. Therefore, this study aimed to determine whether “the PreludeSYNC DISTAL” radial compression device (PSD; Merit Medical Systems, Inc., South Jordan, UT) can effectively prevent distal radial artery (dRA) occlusion following catheterization procedures. This retrospective study analyzed patients who underwent hemostasis using the PSD from January 1, 2019, to March 31, 2019. The primary endpoint was occlusion or excessive stenosis of the radial artery (RA) 1 month after catheterization. Pulsatile blood flow and vessel diameters of the dRA and forearm RA (fRA) were measured using vascular ultrasound before and 1 month after catheterization to determine arterial damage. Secondary endpoints were achievement of hemostasis, bleeding, hematoma, aneurysm, neurological abnormality, and functional disturbance of the fingers or hand. Fifty patients (mean age, 70.9 ± 10.7 years; male, 72.0%) were enrolled in this study. Complete hemostasis was achieved in all cases. Total hemostasis time was 161 ± 45 min. No procedure-associated complications were noted. Pulsations of the dRA and fRA were maintained at 1 month. No functional disturbance or neurological abnormality was observed. Vessel diameters of the dRA and fRA were not significantly different before and 1 month after catheterization. No dissection, pseudoaneurysm, or occlusion/stenosis was observed on ultrasound. Distal radial access with a unique device and protocol effectively achieved hemostasis and prevented injury and occlusion of the dRA and fRA.

Clinical presentation of stent thrombosis (ST) and its sequela under contemporary practice have not been fully elucidated largely due to rare incidence of ST. We sought to assess the characteristics in patients with clinical presentation of ST and their in-hospital outcomes, utilizing nationwide registration system for percutaneous coronary interventions (J-PCI). The present study included acute coronary syndrome (ACS) patients undergoing PCI with clinical findings of definite ST from January 2014 to December 2016. Patients' characteristics, in-hospital mortality and its composite with periprocedural complications were evaluated. Full match comparison was performed. During the study period, 256,610 ACS patients (37.9% of total PCI cases) underwent PCI and 1,367 ST patients (1.9%) were identified from 73,241 ACS patients' records who had a history of previous PCI. Overall, patients with ST were younger but had higher incidence of previous myocardial infarction, compared with those without. In addition, ST patients had increased rate of crude in-hospital death (4.8% vs 1.1%, p

Statin therapy has been shown to induce carotid atherosclerotic plaque regression and reduce the periprocedural ischemic complications of carotid artery stenting (CAS). This study assessed the safety and usefulness of pretreatment using a high-dose strong statin (HDSS) to reduce the periprocedural ischemic complications of CAS. We analyzed 117 carotid lesions treated by CAS that were evaluated with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) within 48 h after the procedure. For 67 lesions, an HDSS (rosuvastatin 20 mg or atorvastatin 40 mg daily) were prescribed from at least 14 days before CAS to at least 14 days after procedure (HDSS group). Clinical and angiographic data, as well as in-hospital outcomes, of the HDSS group were retrospectively compared with 50 lesions with conventional treatment without an HDSS (non-HDSS group). There were no significant differences in the baseline clinical and procedural characteristics between the two groups. There was no side effect related to the HDSS. Stroke rates were similar between the two groups (3.0% in HDSS group vs 8.0% in non-HDSS group, p = 0.22). All were minor strokes. Compared to the non-HDSS group, the HDSS group had a lower frequency of new lesions on diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) with MRI (25.4% vs 44.0%, p = 0.0345). New ipsilateral DWI-positive rate in the HDSS group was significantly lower than in the non-HDSS group (16.4% vs 34.0%, p = 0.0275). Nonipsilateral (contralateral or posterior circulation) DWI-positive rates were similar between the two groups (13.4% vs 20.0%, p = 0.34). Pretreatment with an HDSS might reduce the periprocedural ischemic complications of CAS.

PURPOSE Among patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD), little is known about whether the effect of cardiac rehabilitation (CR) on renal function differs across baseline estimated glomerular filtration rate using the serum concentration of cystatin C (eGFRcys). The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of CR on renal function in patients with CKD. METHODS We performed a retrospective cohort study of patients with CKD (15 ≤ eGFRcys < 60 mL/min/1.73 m2) who participated in our CR program for cardiovascular disease. First, the patients were divided into three groups according to the baseline severity of the eGFRcys: G3a, G3b, and G4 groups. We compared the eGFRcys before and after the CR in each group. Second, to determine the association of baseline eGFRcys with the effect of CR, we fitted a linear regression model using the percent change in the eGFRcys (%ΔeGFRcys) as an outcome. RESULTS Of the 203 patients, 122 were in G3a, 60 were in G3b, and 21 were in G4 groups. The mean improvement of eGFRcys in each group was 1.3, 3.1, and 4.8 mL/min/1.73 m2, respectively. The %ΔeGFRcys was larger among patients with lower baseline eGFRcys (0.47% greater improvement of %ΔeGFRcys/one lower baseline eGFRcys; 95% CI, 0.23-0.72%). This association remained significant after adjustment for potential confounders (0.63% greater improvement of %ΔeGFRcys/one lower baseline eGFRcys; 95% CI, 0.35-0.91%). CONCLUSIONS The effect of CR on renal function was greater in patients with worse renal dysfunction measured by eGFRcys. A CR program could be useful for patients with severe renal dysfunction and it might have a beneficial effect on their renal function.

The transradial approach (TRA) is recommended in coronary catheterization due to the lower rate of bleeding complications compared with the transfemoral approach. However, a disadvantage of TRA is difficulty in puncturing under palpation of the radial pulse alone without arterial visibility. To overcome this limitation, a vessel visualization device using near-infrared rays, Art View (Forte Grow Medical Company), was used in the puncture of the radial artery (RA).Patients who underwent coronary angiography via the right RA with Art View were retrospectively surveyed. According to the quality of RA visibility, the performance of the Art View was rated as follows: 5 = excellent; 4 = good; 3 = fair; 2 = not good; and 1 = poor. The primary endpoint was the procedural success of TRA using the Art View device. The secondary endpoints were procedural time (from injection of local anesthesia to successful crossing of the guidewire attached to the sheath), number of RA punctures, and change of puncture method or approach site.The Art View device was used in 38 patients (mean age, 71 ± 11 years). Puncturing of the visualized RA was successful in 30 patients (79.0%). Among successful cases, the mean procedural time was 142 ± 87 seconds. The success rates of each visualization evaluation were 100%, 100%, 84.6%, 33.3%, and 0% from grades 5 to 1, respectively (P.01). The mean procedural times were 92 ± 18 seconds, 102 ± 58 seconds, 180 ± 75 seconds, 306 ± 80 seconds, and not available from grades 5 to 1, respectively (P.01).The Art View RA visualization device is useful for RA puncture.

Catheter angioplasty or angiography via the distal access point of the radial artery (dRA), located at the anatomical snuff box, is a less invasive strategy for coronary intervention attracting considerable attention. Determining the diameter of the dRA is necessary to minimize the risk of artery occlusion and safely perform catheter intervention. This was a retrospective observational study including patients who underwent coronary angiography or coronary intervention at Aomori Kyoritsu Hospital, Aomori, Japan, between February 2018 and August 2018. The diameter of the dRA and the conventional access point of the radial artery (cRA) at the wrist of the patients were measured using ultrasound prior to angiography or interventional procedure. A total of 120 patients were analyzed. In male patients, the diameters of the cRA and dRA were 2.62 ± 0.60 mm and 2.04 ± 0.43 mm, respectively. In females, these diameters were 2.44 ± 0.51 mm and 1.96 ± 0.44 mm, respectively. Overall, the dRA was statistically significantly smaller than the cRA. However, variations were observed, with eight patients (6.7%) having a larger dRA than cRA. The diameter of the dRA indicated only that of the cRA. A multivariate analysis did not reveal factors associated with vessel diameter. The size and anatomy of the dRA varied considerably. Thus, it is difficult to predict the actual diameter of the artery. Customized selection of the size of the sheath and site of intervention is essential for each patient to safely perform ultrasound examination prior to cannulation.

Under ordinary circumstances, the Slender percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) guiding catheter (GC) offers less backup support than large-diameter GC. This is true when both catheters are engaged in a coronary artery in the quite same situation with normal engagement. Because a big diameter tube can enlarge the rigidity relative to the bending moment comparing with a small diameter tube. However, there are several techniques to take advantages of Slender PCI and its flexible features to compensate for the limited backup support. A few Slender PCI techniques will be introduced in this chapter.

Some renowned physicians claim that a big-diameter GC should be used for treating chronic total occlusion (CTO), especially with the retrograde approach. However, this suggests that physicians are competent in using 7 Fr or 8 Fr GC and lack experience in using a slender GC. Every physician with specialized knowledge of slender percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) may be able to perform the antegrade and retrograde procedure for the treatment of CTO with a slender GC. Naturally, a learning curve is necessary owing to the marked differences in use between a slender GC and a big-diameter GC.

Although extracorporeal life support (ECLS) is utilized for acute hemodynamic collapse, clinical outcomes for such patients are uncertain. The present study examined 30-day clinical outcomes in patients treated with ECLS for acute hemodynamic collapse, and determined the factors associated with 30-day mortality in patients who required ECLS for cardiopulmonary arrest (CPA). A total of 200 patients, in whom emergency ECLS was utilized for acute hemodynamic collapse from 2006 to 2015, were analyzed retrospectively. The impact of CPA on all-cause 30-day death in the overall population was examined by multivariable logistic regression analysis; comparisons were made between 30-day survivors (n = 78) and non-survivors (n = 122). In addition, clinical factors associated with 30-day survival for patients in whom ECLS was utilized for CPA (n = 139) were examined. All-cause 30-day mortality in the overall study population was 61 % (122/200). CPA was the most common cause of ECLS requirement (70 %), and the factor associated strongest with death at 30-days (OR 3.31, 95 % CI 1.75–6.36, P

Patients with ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) and multi-vessel disease (MVD) have higher mortality, especially with comorbid chronic total occlusion (CTO). The origin of collateral flow to the CTO segment has not been studied in regard to short-term mortality. This study examined the impact of collateral feeding donor arteries from an infarct-related artery (IRA) or non-IRA to the comorbid CTO segment in regard to STEMI short-term mortality.Data from 760 consecutive STEMI patients who underwent primary percutaneous coronary intervention were obtained retrospectively from medical records. The number of vessels involved and origin of the collateral feeding donor artery were evaluated using angiograms from the primary percutaneous coronary intervention. The study population was divided into patients with: single-vessel disease (SVD) (n=483), MVD without CTO (n=208), and MVD with CTO (n=64). All CTO segments had collateral flow from an IRA (n=23) or non-IRA (n=46). All-cause mortality (30-day) was analyzed.Compared to SVD and MVD without CTO, MVD with comorbid CTO had a higher mortality (5.4% vs. 15.9% vs. 24.6%, P0.0001, respectively). Of patients with CTO, those with collateral flow from the IRA had significantly higher mortality than the non-IRA group (52.2% vs. 10.9%, P0.0001). Collateral flow from the IRA was extracted as an independent predictor associated with 30-day all-cause mortality using a multivariate Cox proportional hazards model (hazard ratio 4.71, 95% confidence interval 1.60-14.2, P=0.0005).The origin of the collateral donor artery from the IRA had an impact on short-term mortality in STEMI patients with comorbid CTO lesions.

A 56-year-old woman was diagnosed as atrial septal defect (ASD) with pulmonary hypertension; pulmonary blood flow/systemic blood flow (Qp/Qs) of 2.3, pulmonary artery pressure (PAP) of 71/23(39) mmHg and diastolic dysfunction of left ventricle. PAP was improved after medical therapy; therefore, transcatheter ASD closure was performed. Seven days later, left-sided heart failure occurred, however, the improvement of Qp/Qs (1.7) and PAP of 51/21(32) was confirmed. Diuretic therapy was introduced which led to further decrease of PAP 40/12(25) and Qp/Qs (1.1). Because of gradual decrease of Qp/Qs, this patient appeared to be protected from acute pulmonary edema.

Before cardiac catheterization, patient preparation and checking of general condition and appropriateness for procedure should be done. This may not always be possible in emergency cases however.

We previously reported safety and usefulness of transradial iliac artery stenting using 6 Fr guiding sheath. However, radial artery occlusion was a major limitation of this procedure. We analyzed the safety and utility of slender transradial iliac artery stenting using a 4.5 Fr guiding sheath to prevent radial artery occlusion. We performed transradial iliac artery stenting in left radial artery, using a 4.5 Fr sheath incorporating a shaft length of 110 cm, for 34 lesions in 29 patients. Transradial intervention was attempted at the discretion of the operator. Clinical data were analyzed retrospectively. Cases with scheduled multiple sheath insertions for a bidirectional approach were excluded. Twenty-three (79.3%) patients were male. Diabetes mellitus, hypertension, dyslipidemia, and smoking habit were present in 11 (37.9%), 27 (93.1%), 19 (65.5%), and 24 (82.8%) patients, respectively. Nine lesions (26.5%) were diagnosed as chronic total occlusion. All lesions were successfully treated using a total of 40 stents incorporating a 4.5 Fr radial access system. Ankle-brachial index (ABI) significantly improved from 0.68 ± 0.15 to 0.99 ± 0.17 (p

The aim of this study was to evaluate the safety and feasibility of the new 5 Fr Glidesheath Slender (GSS). The transradial (TR) approach has become popular because of several advantages, such as a reduced rate of vascular access site complications. However, because the radial artery is narrow, a limitation of TR access is the potential for artery spasm or occlusion. Studies of radial artery size demonstrate that 5 Fr sheaths are too wide for more than 10 % of patients. The GSS (Terumo, Tokyo, Japan) is a new radial sheath with a thinner wall and a hydrophilic coating. It has an inner diameter that is compatible with a 5 Fr guiding catheter, while the outer diameter is similar to that of a 4 Fr sheath. A total of 21 consecutive patients undergoing transradial angiography and/or transradial percutaneous coronary intervention with the 5 Fr GSS were included, and safety and feasibility of the device were assessed. Transradial angiography was performed in 10 patients, and transradial intervention in 11 patients. All procedures were successful, without the need for conversion to the transfemoral approach. The radial artery occlusion rate was 0 %, including a patient who had experienced six previous radial artery punctures. There were no cases of artery spasm, hematoma, major bleeding or functional disorders. One coronary artery perforation caused by a guidewire was reported, but it was unrelated to the sheath introducer. The new 5 Fr GSS was safe and feasible for transradial angiography and transradial intervention.

Percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) guided with fractional flow reserve (FFR) has been shown to improve clinical outcome. Although coronary angiography is the standard method for PCI guidance, the visual severity of stenosis is not always correlated with functional severity, suggesting that there are additional angiographic factors that affect functional ischemia.To evaluate angiographic predictors of positive FFR in stenotic lesions, angiographic characteristics of 260 consecutive patients (362 lesions) who underwent FFR testing from April 2009 to September 2012 were analyzed. A scoring system (STABLED score) using these predictors was developed and compared with quantitative coronary angiography (QCA). %Diameter stenosis50% (OR, 8.43; P0.0001), tandem lesion (OR, 4.00; P0.0001), true bifurcation (OR, 2.42; P=0.028), lesion length20 mm (OR, 5.40; P=0.0002), and distance from ostium20 mm (OR, 1.94; P=0.028) were determined as independent predictors of positive FFR. Area under the ROC curve for probability of positive FFR using the STABLED score (Stenosis 2 points, TAndem lesion 1 point, Bifurcation 1 point, LEsion length 1 point, Distance from ostium 1 point) was 0.85, higher than that for QCA stenosis alone (0.76). STABLED score ≥3 had 72.3% sensitivity and 83.6% specificity for predicting positive FFR, and PPV was 76.7%.Specific angiographic features are applicable for predicting functional ischemia. STABLED score correlates well with FFR.

The frequency of radial artery occlusion was compared between patients receiving 4Fr versus 6Fr transradial coronary interventions (TRIs) in an open-label randomized trial (ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT00815997). The primary outcome measure was radial artery occlusion on the day after TRI. The secondary outcome measures were the procedural success, major advanced cardiac events, access site-related complications, procedural times, fluoroscopy times, and contrast dye usage. A total of 160 patients were included. The procedure was successful in 79 of 80 patients (99%) in both groups. Whereas the 4Fr group showed no access site-related complications, the 6Fr developed 5 (6%), including 3 radial artery occlusions and 2 bleedings (1 radial artery perforation and 1 massive hematoma; p = 0.02). Although the radial artery occlusion rate was lower in the 4Fr versus the 6Fr groups, the difference was not significant (0% vs 4%, p = 0.08). The mean hemostasis time was significantly shorter in the 4Fr than in the 6Fr groups (237 ± 105 vs 320 ± 238 minutes, p = 0.007). In conclusion, these findings suggest that 4Fr TRI may become a less invasive alternative to 6Fr TRI in treating coronary artery diseases.

Background:The purpose of the present study was to confirm the diagnostic accuracy of Global Registry of Acute Coronary Events (GRACE) risk score 1.0 (GRACE 1.0) and updated GRACE 1.0 (GRACE 2.0) for in-hospital and 360-day mortality in ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) in Japanese patients. GRACE 1.0 and GRACE 2.0 are the established predictive models in acute coronary syndrome, but their application to Japanese patients has not been fully verified.Methods and Results:The present study retrospectively analyzed 412 consecutive STEMI patients who had undergone primary percutaneous coronary intervention from January 2006 to September 2011. All causes of death during hospitalization were examined to confirm the diagnostic accuracy of GRACE 1.0 on receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis. Similarly, all causes of death during the 360 days after hospitalization were analyzed to confirm the diagnostic accuracy of GRACE 2.0. The average GRACE 1.0 score was 175.8±50.9. In-hospital and 360-day mortality were 13.1% and 15.5%, respectively. Area under the ROC curve, which describes the diagnostic accuracy of the GRACE 1.0 predicted in-hospital mortality and the GRACE 2.0 predicted 360-day mortality, was as high as 0.95 and 0.92, respectively.Conclusions:Both GRACE 1.0 and GRACE 2.0 had a high diagnostic accuracy for prediction of in-hospital and 360-day mortality in Japanese STEMI patients. (Circ J 2014; 78: 2950–2954)

Background Up to half of patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention have multivessel coronary artery disease ( MVD ) with conflicting data regarding optimal revascularization strategy in such patients. This paper assesses the evidence for complete revascularization ( CR ) versus incomplete revascularization in patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention, and its prognostic impact using meta‐analysis. Methods and Results A search of PubMed, EMBASE , MEDLINE , Current Contents Connect, Google Scholar, Cochrane library, Science Direct, and Web of Science was conducted to identify the association of CR in patients with multivessel coronary artery disease undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention with major adverse cardiac events and mortality. Random‐effects meta‐analysis was used to estimate the odds of adverse outcomes. Meta‐regression analysis was conducted to assess the relationship with continuous variables and outcomes. Thirty‐eight publications that included 156 240 patients were identified. Odds of death ( OR 0.69, 95% CI 0.61‐0.78), repeat revascularization ( OR 0.60, 95% CI 0.45‐0.80), myocardial infarction ( OR 0.64, 95% CI 0.50‐0.81), and major adverse cardiac events ( OR 0.63, 95% CI 0.50‐0.79) were significantly lower in the patients who underwent CR . These outcomes were unchanged on subgroup analysis regardless of the definition of CR . Similar findings were recorded when CR was studied in the chronic total occlusion ( CTO ) subgroup ( OR 0.65, 95% CI 0.53‐0.80). A meta‐regression analysis revealed a negative relationship between the OR for mortality and the percentage of CR . Conclusion CR is associated with reduced risk of mortality and major adverse cardiac events, irrespective of whether an anatomical or a score‐based definition of incomplete revascularization is used, and this magnitude of risk relates to degree of CR . These results have important implications for the interventional management of patients with multivessel coronary artery disease.

Background The impact of regional wall motion abnormality (RWMA) on the accuracy of heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) diagnosis using the E/e′ ratio, which is a non-invasive parameter of left ventricular diastolic performance, is unknown. The purpose of this study was to elucidate the impact of RWMA of the lateral wall (RWMAlat) on the correlation between E/e′ and invasive parameters of left ventricular diastolic performance. Methods Three hundred and eight consecutive patients undergoing tissue Doppler imaging and catheterization pressure examination were retrospectively analyzed. E/e′ was calculated as the ratio of early diastolic transmitral flow velocity to mitral annular velocity at the lateral wall. Invasive parameters including left ventricular end-diastolic pressure (LVEDP) and isovolumetric relaxation time constant (τ) were assessed based on the left ventricular pressure study. Correlation coefficients between E/e′ and these invasive parameters were analyzed and compared between cases with RWMAlat and without RWMA. Results LVEDP and τ correlated well with E/e′ for all 308 patients (r = 0.51 and r = 0.65, respectively). Sixty-two patients had RWMA; the remaining 246 did not have RWMAlat. We confirmed that the presence of RWMAlat weakens both the correlations between E/e′ and LVEDP (r = 0.574 vs. r = 0.381), and E/e′ and τ (r = 0.729 vs. r = 0.461). Conclusions Although E/e′ correlates well with parameters of left ventricular diastolic performance assessed by invasive methods, the presence of RWMAlat worsens this correlation. In cases with RWMAlat, careful assessment is required for HFpEF diagnosis because the diagnostic value of the E/e′ ratio could be decreased compared to patients without RWMAlat.

Background Collateral filling of chronic total occlusion (CTO) segments is considered to affect hemodynamic stability in primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) for ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) with CTO, however its value as a prognostic indicator for mortality is uncertain. The present study examined the relationship between collateral filling of CTO segments and short-term mortality in patients with STEMI with a comorbid CTO lesion. Methods Among 829 STEMI patients who underwent primary PCI, 74 patients with CTO were identified. Collateral filling of their CTO segment was assessed by Rentrop grade (0; n =10, 1; n =13, 2; n =31, 3; n =20) in their initial angiogram and whether the origin of the feeding collateral donor artery was infarct-related artery (IRA) was evaluated using their final angiogram in primary PCI; IRA ( n =26) and non-IRA group ( n =48). The relationship between these classifications and 30-day all-cause mortality was examined retrospectively. Results The 30-day mortalities were 4.5% in single-vessel disease, 18.3% in multi-vessel disease (MVD) without CTO and 25.7% in MVD with CTO. Mortality of MVD with CTO reduced with increasing Rentrop grade from 0 to 3 (80.0%, 30.8%, 19.4%, and 5.0%, respectively). IRA was associated with a significant higher mortality than those of non-IRA (50.0% vs. 12.5%, P =0.0004). Low Rentrop grade 0 or 1 was extracted as an independent predictor of 30-day death (HR 3.28, 95% CI 1.20–9.96, P =0.0203). Conclusions Poor collateral filling of the CTO segment assessed by Rentrop grade was an independent angiographic predictor for 30-day death in patients with STEMI combined with CTO.

Percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) in the elderly is a major hospital burden since this group of patients exhibits high mortality rates and many comorbidities. The aim of this study was to analyze the impact of a transradial intervention (TRI) approach for PCI on bleeding complications in octogenarians. We retrospectively analyzed a consecutive cohort of 2530 patients who underwent PCI at a tertiary care center in Japan. Octogenarians constituted 12 % (291 cases) of the total PCI cases during the study period. Bleeding complications and all-cause mortality were observed at 30 days after PCI. Average age was 83 ± 3 years and female gender was 32 %. Stable coronary artery disease was 59 %. TRI was performed in 218 patients (75 %) and transfemoral intervention (TFI) in 73 (25 %). Bleeding Academic Research Consortium (BARC) major bleeding unrelated to bypass surgery were observed in 7.6 %, which were significantly lower in TRI than TFI (5.1 vs. 15.1 %, P = 0.005). The 30-day mortality rate was significantly low in patients without bleeding (4.9 vs. 31 %, p

The purpose of this study is to determine reduction of door-to-balloon (D2B) time using a single universal guiding catheter (Ikari-Left catheter) in transradial approach. In this procedure, we can skip a total of five steps compared with a conventional procedure (two catheter insertions, two catheter removals, and one catheter engagement). Reducing total ischemic time is important to achieving a better outcome in primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) for ST segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI). We retrospectively compared 30 consecutive STEMI patients who underwent transradial primary PCI with a single guiding catheter (IL group) with 30 consecutive patients with conventional transradial primary PCI. Patients with cardiogenic shock, heart failure, or need for intra-aortic balloon pumping support before primary PCI were excluded. Baseline characteristics were not different between the two groups. The D2B time was significantly shorter in the IL group (55 ± 16 vs. 63 ± 17 min, respectively; p = 0.01). Puncture-to-balloon time was also significantly shorter in the IL group (15 ± 11 min vs. 25 ± 11 min, respectively; p = 0.001). The total number of diagnostic and guiding catheters was significantly less in IL group (1 (IQR 1-1) vs. 3 (IQR 3-3), respectively; p

Background. Benefits of beta-adrenergic receptor blockers (BB) following ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) are based on data before primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) became the therapeutic first choice. This study examined the relationship between BB dose and magnitude of left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) improvement in STEMI following primary PCI. Methods and Findings. A total of 235 STEMI patients following primary PCI who underwent echocardiography during the acute phase and over 6 months from onset were studied retrospectively. Serial LVEFs were assessed for three groups: no BB (n=33), carvedilol (n=163), and bisoprolol (n=42). Left ventricular reverse remodeling (RR) was defined as LVEF improvement ≥10%. All patients received fixed doses of BB and renin-angiotensin system inhibitor during observation. The median interval between echocardiographs was 526 days. The mean LVEF change was +2.6% (acute: 53.9±9.9%, chronic: 56.4±10.6%). Carvedilol and bisoprolol groups showed LVEF improvement, but none was seen in the no BB group (+3.7±6.5%, +3.8±6.9%, -4.2±5.0%, P

Background— Atherosclerotic plaques progress in a highly individual manner. The purposes of the Prediction of Progression of Coronary Artery Disease and Clinical Outcome Using Vascular Profiling of Shear Stress and Wall Morphology (PREDICTION) Study were to determine the role of local hemodynamic and vascular characteristics in coronary plaque progression and to relate plaque changes to clinical events. Methods and Results— Vascular profiling, using coronary angiography and intravascular ultrasound, was used to reconstruct each artery and calculate endothelial shear stress and plaque/remodeling characteristics in vivo. Three-vessel vascular profiling (2.7 arteries per patient) was performed at baseline in 506 patients with an acute coronary syndrome treated with a percutaneous coronary intervention and in a subset of 374 (74%) consecutive patients 6 to 10 months later to assess plaque natural history. Each reconstructed artery was divided into sequential 3-mm segments for serial analysis. One-year clinical follow-up was completed in 99.2%. Symptomatic clinical events were infrequent: only 1 (0.2%) cardiac death; 4 (0.8%) patients with new acute coronary syndrome in nonstented segments; and 15 (3.0%) patients hospitalized for stable angina. Increase in plaque area (primary end point) was predicted by baseline large plaque burden; decrease in lumen area (secondary end point) was independently predicted by baseline large plaque burden and low endothelial shear stress. Large plaque size and low endothelial shear stress independently predicted the exploratory end points of increased plaque burden and worsening of clinically relevant luminal obstructions treated with a percutaneous coronary intervention at follow-up. The combination of independent baseline predictors had a 41% positive and 92% negative predictive value to predict progression of an obstruction treated with a percutaneous coronary intervention. Conclusions— Large plaque burden and low local endothelial shear stress provide independent and additive prediction to identify plaques that develop progressive enlargement and lumen narrowing. Clinical Trial Registration— URL: http:www.//clinicaltrials.gov . Unique Identifier: NCT01316159.

Background The aim of this study was to investigate the accuracy of optical frequency domain imaging (OFDI) in lipid-rich plaque detection and determine the causes of "misinterpretation," and evaluate whether these limitations can be overcome with intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) using ex-vivo human coronaries. Methods and results The OFDI images and corresponding 218 histological segments were evaluated. Segments with a poor signal and diffuse borders on OFDI, classified as lipid-rich plaques, were compared with the histological segments and IVUS images. Using histological images as the gold standard, the sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value of OFDI for the detection of lipid-rich plaques were 93%, 93%, 85%, and 97%, respectively. The causes of false-positive diagnosis of lipid-rich plaque (11 segments) were superficial macrophage infiltration causing signal attenuation (8/11 segments, 73%) and tangential signal dropout of light (3/11 segments, 27%), whereas the cause of false-negative diagnosis was thickening of the fibrous cap (5 segments, 100%). Simultaneous IVUS helped to correct the misinterpretation of OFDI results and improved the diagnostic accuracy; the sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value of OFDI with adjunct use of IVUS were 96%, 99%, 99%, and 98%, respectively. Conclusions OFDI occasionally over- or underestimates the existence of lipid-rich plaques, which may be overcome with adjunctive usage of IVUS.

Although there is a discussion on the outcome between percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) and bypass surgery, PCI is clearly superior to bypass surgery in terms of less invasiveness. One of the further less invasive strategy is transradial approach (TRI). There have been several limitations such as low backup force of guiding catheters. However, mechanics studies showed that the backup force does not relate to approach site but to catheter shape and size. The other strategy is slender PCI using a 5 Fr or less guiding catheter. The slender PCI has also several limitations, however, some of these limitations have been overcome using new slender devices and new slender specific techniques. In this article, current progress in this field using new devices is reviewed. The less invasive strategy such as TRI and slender PCI may be the future direction of PCI because they prevent complications and improve quality of life.

It is well known that percutaneous coronary intervention in hemodialysis (HD) patients is associated with higher rates of in-stent restenosis (ISR) compared to non-HD patients. However, little is known about lesion morphologies that may contribute to ISR in this population. Therefore, this study

A 72-year-old male with effort angina pectoris and old myocardial infarction underwent percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). A 4 Fr sheath was inserted in the radial artery. After diagnostic angiography, a guidewire was inserted from the diagnostic catheter. The diagnostic catheter is removed, and the distal tip of the guidewire remains in the coronary artery. Intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) could be performed via the 4 Fr sheath without guiding catheters. IVUS-guide PCI was successfully performed with 4 Fr sheath, although IVUS requires at least a 5 Fr or larger system. This technique is called "The Emperor's New Clothes Technique" because PCI is performed as if an invisible guiding catheter was being used.

Routine use of distal protection for ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) is not recommended. The purpose of this study was to analyze the impact of slow flow on mortality after STEMI, and the efficacy of adjunctive distal protection following primary thrombus aspiration. We retrospectively analyzed 414 STEMI patients who underwent primary PCI. Distal protection was used following primary thrombus aspiration only when the operator judged the patient to be at high risk of slow flow. Patients were divided into 3 groups: those receiving no thrombus aspiration (A- Group), thrombus aspiration without distal protection (A+/D- Group) or a combination of aspiration with distal protection (A+/D+ Group). Slow flow/no reflow was characterized as transient or persistent. The A-, A+/D-, and A+/D+ Groups consisted of 28.5 % (n = 118), 44.4 % (n = 184), and 27.1 % (n = 112) of patients, respectively. All-cause mortality at 180 days was 6.8 % without slow flow, 14.1 % with transient and 44.4 % with persistent slow flow (P < 0.0001), but was similar whether or not distal protection was used among these groups complicated without slow flow (A-, 8.7 %; A+/D-, 6.3 %; A+/D+, 4.3 %; P = 0.5854). However, in cases complicated with transient or persistent slow flow, distal protection reduced all-cause mortality to 38.5 % (A-), 23.3 % (A+/D-), and 10.8 % (A+/D+) at 180 days (P = 0.0114). Our data confirm that routine distal protection is not to be recommended. However, it is suggested that it could reduce mortality of patients with slow flow. Predicting slow flow accurately before PCI, however, remains a challenge.

We agree entirely with Dr Kaneda that both the local endothelial shear stress (ESS) stimulus and the local atherosclerotic plaque change may occur in a highly focal manner within each 3-mm segment, and one must look at both ESS and the arterial wall in portions of the wall circumference to assess plaque behavior accurately. In our original article,1 we were limited by space to describe the effect of focal ESS on focal plaque progression around the circumference of the 3-mm segment, but we presented those results from a database study at the American Heart Association Scientific Sessions in 2012.2 Focal eccentric plaque growth in a portion of the circumference of the arterial wall is indeed strongly related …