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Purpose: To compare the early and long-term outcomes of subclavian artery angioplasty in patients with aortoarteritis and atherosclerosis.Methods: Sixty-one subclavian artery angioplasties were performed in 55 consecutive patients with aortoarteritis (n = 32) and atherosclerosis (n = 23) between 1986 and 1995. An arch aortogram followed by a selective subclavian artery angiogram was done to profile the site and extent of the lesion, its relation to the vertebral artery, and the distal circulation. Percutaneous transluminal angioplasty (PTA) was performed via the femoral route for 56 stenotic lesions and 5 total occlusions.Results: PTA was successful in 52 (92.8%) stenotic lesions and 3 (60%) total occlusions. Three patients (5.4%) had complications, that could be effectively managed nonsurgically. Compared with atherosclerosis, patients with aortoarteritis were younger (27.4 +/- 9.3 years vs 54.5 +/- 10.5 years; p < 0.001), more often female (75% vs 17.4%; p < 0.001), gangrene was uncommon (0% vs 17.4%; p < 0.05), and diffuse involvement was seen more often (43.8% vs 4.4%; p < 0.001). The luminal diameter stenoses were similar before PTA (88.6 +/- 9.7% vs 89.0 +/- 9.1%; p = NS). Higher balloon inflation pressure was required to dilate the lesions of aortoarteritis (9.9 +/- 4.6 ATM vs 5.5 +/- 1.0 ATM; p < 0.001). This group had more residual stenosis (15.5 +/- 12.4% vs 8.3 +/- 9.4%; p < 0.05) after PTA. There were no neurological sequelae, even in PTA of prevertebral lesions. On 3-120 months (mean 43.3 +/- 28.9 months) follow-up of 40 patients, restenosis was more often observed in patients with aortoarteritis, particularly in those with diffuse arterial narrowing. These lesions could be effectively redilated. Clinical symptoms showed marked improvement after successful angioplasty.Conclusion: Subclavian PTA is safe and can be performed as effectively in aortoarteritis as in atherosclerosis, with good long-term results. Long-term follow-up shows that it provides good symptomatic relief. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The last ten years have seen rapid strides in the evolution of nonvitamin K oral anticoagulants (NOACs) for stroke prevention in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF). For the preparation of this consensus, a comprehensive literature search was performed and data on available trials, subpopulation analyses, and case reports were analyzed. This Indian consensus document intends to provide guidance on selecting the right NOAC for the right patients by formulating expert opinions based on the available trials and Asian/Indian subpopulation analyses of these trials. A section has been dedicated to the current evidence of NOACs in the Asian population. Practical suggestions have been formulated in the following clinical situations: (i) Dose recommendations of the NOACs in different clinical scenarios; (ii) NOACs in patients with rheumatic heart disease (RHD); (iii) Monitoring anticoagulant effect of the NOACs; (iv) Overdose of NOACs; (v) Antidotes to NOACs; (vi) Treatment of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) with AF using NOACs; (vii) NOACs dose in elderly, (viii) Switching between NOACs and vitamin K antagonists (VKA); (ix) Cardioversion or ablation in NOAC-treated patients; (x) Planned/emergency surgical interventions in patients currently on NOACs; (xi) Management of bleeding complications of NOACs; (xii) Management of acute coronary syndrome (ACS) in AF with NOACs; (xiii) Management of acute ischemic stroke while on NOACs., (Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier B.V.)

Background: Transcatheter closure of coronary artery fistulas has emerged as a successful alternative to surgery. We describe various techniques and short-term findings in 15 patients who were taken up for transcatheter closure of these fistulas., Methods and Results: Fifteen patients (aged 2-55 years; 12 males) with coronary artery fistulas underwent percutaneous transcatheter closure between June 1997 and December 2002. Site of origin of these fistulas were: right coronary artery in 7, left anterior descending coronary artery in 4, left main coronary artery in 2 and left circumflex coronary artery in 2 patients. Drainage site of these fistulas were: right ventricle in 9, right atrium in 4 and pulmonary artery in 2 patients. Out of these 15 fistulas, 14 were congenital and one was iatrogenically produced following inadvertent cutting balloon angioplasty of a septal perforator in a patient with chronic total occlusion of left anterior descending coronary artery. Various occlusion devices used to close these fistulas were: conventional metallic coils in 10, floppy tips of coronary angioplasty guidewires in 2, Amplatzer duct occluder in 1 and Amplatzer septal occluder in 2 patients. One of our patients had a coronary artery fistula draining by two openings into the right atrium, both of which were successfully closed using 2 Amplatzer duct occluders. Check angiogram after the procedure revealed complete occlusion in 13 (86.6%) and small residual flow in 2 patients. Follow-up studies at 3-55 months (mean 18 months) showed complete abolition of shunt in all patients with no evidence of recanalization leading to recurrence of shunt., Conclusion: Transcatheter closure of coronary artery fistulas is feasible and safe in the anatomically suitable vessels. Use of floppy tips of coronary angioplasty guidewires reduces the cost of the procedure significantly. which is an important consideration in developing countries like India.

Accelerated coronary and peripheral vascular atherosclerosis is one of the most common and chronic complications of diabetes mellitus. A relatively recently analysed aspect of coronary artery disease in this condition is its silent or asymptomatic nature. We studied silent/asymptomatic myocardial ischaemia in unselected consecutive middle aged asymptomatic diabetics and controls by 24-hour ambulatory electrocardiographic monitoring, treadmill test and coronary angiography. Also, a relationship was sought between silent myocardial ischaemia and autonomic dysfunction. Thirty asymptomatic diabetics between the ages 35-60 without any documented evidence of coronary artery disease and as many controls (matched for age, sex, smoking habits, blood pressure, serum cholesterol and body mass index) were studied. All the diabetics and controls were subjected to treadmill test and 24-hour ambulatory electrocardiographic monitoring. Coronary angiography was done in those who were positive in treadmill test or 24-hour ambulatory electrocardiographic monitoring. Also five simple bedside tests for autonomic dysfuncton i.e. heart rate response to valsalva, deep breathing and orthostatic variation and blood pressure response to orthostatic variation and sustained handgrip were done in all the subjects. Those with two or more abnormal tests were diagnosed as having autonomic dysfunction. ST segment depression indicating silent myocardial ischaemia was seen in 14 (46.7%) out of 30 diabetics and in 3 (10.0%) out of 30 controls on both Holter and treadmill test (p=0.002). Also, diabetics had higher heart rate and greater number of supraventricular and ventricular ectopics than controls. Coronary angiography done in patients with silent ischaemia revealed higher prevalence of multivessel involvement and diffuse disease in diabetics as compared to controls. Half the diabetics (50%) and none of the control had autonomic dysfunction. Autonomic dysfunction was present in 85.7 percent of diabetics with silent ischaemia compared to 18.7 percent diabetics without silent ischaemia (p=0.001).

Coronary artery disease has assumed alarming proportions in Indians and often affects people at younger age. Traditional risk factors fail to explain the high incidence of disease. Although lipoprotein(a) has been shown to be a powerful risk factor for atherosclerosis, there is very limited data with regard to its significance in premature coronary artery disease. The present study was therefore undertaken to assess lipoprotein(a) levels and its role as a marker of coronary artery disease in patients below the age of 40 years. Lipid profile and lipoprotein(a) levels were estimated in 50 patients of angiographically proven coronary artery disease and an equal number of age-matched healthy controls. There was no significant difference in the family history of coronary artery disease, body mass index and waist-hip ratio between the two groups. Total plasma cholesterol, triglyceride and LDL-cholesterol levels were significantly higher and HDL-cholesterol significantly lower in patients as compared to controls. In patients of coronary artery disease, mean lipoprotein(a) levels, measured by ELISA method, were 35.0 +/- 32.4 mg/dL and the median was 26.7 mg/dL. These values were significantly higher than the mean of 20.3 +/- 17.0 mg/dL (p < 0.002) and the median of 13.8 mg/dL (p < 0.015) in controls. Multiple regression analysis, to assess the influence of various risk factors, showed that low HDL-cholesterol (odds ratio 4.62, 95% CI 1.84-11.60; p < 0.015) and elevated lipoprotein(a) levels (odds ratio 3.06, 95% CI 1.24-7.55; p < 0.001) were independent risk factors, whereas high total cholesterol and triglyceride levels did not have any independent influence on premature coronary artery disease. Our data thus suggest that lipoprotein (a) levels are elevated and constitute an independent risk factor in patients with premature coronary artery disease below 40 years of age.

Data of 67 consecutive patients who underwent stent implantation in the parent vessel and non-stent dilatation of the side branch of a true bifurcation stenosis was retrospectively analysed. The mean age was 53.2 +/- 9.7 years, with majority (89.6%) being males. Forty-seven (70.1%) lesions involved the bifurcation of left anterior descending artery and its major diagonal branch. The parent vessel was treated using balloon angioplasty in 50 (74.6%), rotational atherectomy in 15 (22.4%) and directional coronary atherectomy in 2 (3.0%) patients. All the patients subsequently received an intracoronary stent in the parent vessel. Depending upon the treatment strategy for the side branch, the patients were divided into two groups: (1) Percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty group, which included 37 patients in whom the side branch was dilated by plain balloon angioplasty, and (2) Debulking group, in which 30 patients underwent debulking of the side branch using rotablation or directional coronary atherectomy. Overall, the procedure was successful in 64 (95.6%) patients. One (1.5%) patient developed non-Q wave myocardial infarction during the hospital stay. There were no Q-wave myocardial infarction, need for emergency coronary artery bypass surgery or death. Clinical follow-up of at least six months was available in all patients with a mean duration of 9.5 +/- 3.2 months. Recurrence of symptoms developed in 19 (28.4%) patients. Fourteen (20.9%) patients required target vessel revascularisation, of which 11 (29.7%) belonged to the percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty group and 3 (10.0%) to the debulking group, the difference being statistically significant (p = 0.045). The freedom from target vessel revascularisation was 93.1 and 89.4 percent at 6 and 12 months in the debulking group, compared to 78.4 and 68.9 percent at the same time in the percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty group. This study thus demonstrates that percutaneous intervention for true bifurcation stenosis with stent implantation in the parent vessel and non-stent dilatation in the side branch provides favourable immediate and follow-up results. Debulking in comparison to plain balloon angioplasty of the side branch results in further improvement in clinical outcome and need for target vessel revascularisation on follow-up.

We report the cases of two patients where catheter-based laser direct myocardial revascularisation has been coupled with conventional coronary angioplasty at the same sitting using the Biosense left ventricular electromechanically guided laser procedure. In both the cases, the non-revascularizable ischaemic target zone was identified using left ventricular electromechanical mapping signals, and Ho: YAG laser channels were placed at the designated target lesion following successful coronary stenting. The results did not show any procedural complications. This preliminary report suggests the feasibility and safety of this "hybrid" percutaneous approach for myocardial revascularisation.

Between September 1987 and June 1992, 571 patients of coronary artery disease underwent percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty in our institute. Their ages ranged from 31-82 years (mean 51 +/- 9) and majority (88.3%) were males. At baseline, 318 (55.7%) patients had chronic stable angina, 184 (32.2%) unstable angina, and 57 (10%) underwent PTCA for recurrence of angina in the post-infarction period. Single vessel angioplasty was performed in 406 (71.1%), two-vessel angioplasty in 121 (21.2%) and three or more vessels were dilated in 44 (7.7%). The procedure was successful in 524 (91.8%) patients. Follow-up was available in 438 (83.6%) patients, and ranged from 78 to 135 months (mean 89 +/- 29) with all the patients completing at least 60 months of follow-up. Using Kaplan-Meier statistical analysis, event-free survival (freedom from repeat percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty, myocardial infarction, coronary artery bypass surgery, or death) was 72.5 percent at three, 68.0 percent at five, 61.8 percent at seven and 55.6 percent at 10 years of follow-up. Freedom from major adverse cardiac events (myocardial infarction, coronary artery bypass surgery or death) was 88.3, 85.8, 82.0 and 75.4 percent at 3, 5, 7 and 10 years, respectively. Overall survival was 97.4 and 95.2 percent, respectively at 5 and 10 years. Subgroup analysis for all major events was done between males and females, diabetics and non-diabetics, previous history or absence of myocardial infarction, stable versus unstable angina and single versus multivessel disease. Event-free survival rates were compared between the groups using log rank test. On follow-up, the need for surgical revascularisation was more in males compared to females although statistically insignificant, and in patients with unstable angina compared to stable angina (p < 0.02). Similarly, freedom from major adverse cardiac events was significantly better in females compared to males (p < 0.05) and in stable versus unstable angina (p < 0.01). Event-free survival (repeat percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty, myocardial infarction, coronary artery bypass surgery, death) was also significantly better in patients with stable angina (p < 0.02). The other outcomes were comparable in all the subgroups. In conclusion, plain balloon angioplasty provides excellent long-term results in patients with coronary artery disease in terms of reduction in major adverse cardiovascular events and need for subsequent revascularisation.

Between January 1997 to May 1998, 37 consecutive patients underwent high speed rotational atherectomy with adjunctive balloon angioplasty for the management of first-time diffuse variety of in-stent restenosis in the native coronary arteries. Their age ranged from 38 to 71 years (mean 54.3 +/- 9.7 years). All the patients underwent initial stent implantation at moderate to high pressure. Patients were either symptomatic or demonstrated significant ischaemia by non-invasive testing. The median time from the index procedure to in-stent restenosis was 20 weeks (range 9-40 weeks). Majority (78.1%) of lesions were in the territory of left anterior descending coronary artery. The mean lesion length was 24.3 +/- 8.3 mm (range 12-42 mm). Five lesions each (12.2%) were total occlusion and ostial in location. High speed rotational atherectomy was performed using stepped burr technique in majority (90.2%) with the largest burr corresponding to approximately 70 percent of the reference vessel diameter. The initial burr size ranged from 1.5-2.0 mm, final burr was 1.75-2.25 mm and the average number of burrs used per target vessel was 2.2 +/- 0.3 (range 1-3). Adjunctive balloon angioplasty was performed in all (100%) cases using a semi-compliant oversized balloon (balloon-to-artery ratio 1.1:1) inflated at a pressure of 6.5 +/- 2.1 atmospheres (range 4-10). The procedure was successful in all cases without any major complications (death, Q-MI, CABG or repeat PTCA). Over a median follow-up of 10 months, 27 (73%) patients were asymptomatic. Recurrence of clinical events occurred in 10 (27%) patients at median interval of 16 weeks after rotational atherectomy. Angina was controlled on drug therapy in six (16.2%) and target vessel revascularisation was required in three (8.1%) cases. By the Kaplan-Meier estimate, an event-free survival (absence of death, Q-MI, recurrence of angina, target vessel revascularisation) was 97.3, 94.6, 75.7 and 72.6 percent at 1, 3, 6 and 12 months, respectively. Thus, rotational atherectomy using a stepped burr approach for adequate debulking, followed by adjunctive balloon angioplasty is safe with excellent in-hospital results for the treatment of diffuse in-stent restenosis. Although recurrence of symptoms develops in approximately one-fourth of patients on follow-up, it is much less than reported with balloon angioplasty in this subgroup of patients.

Between January 1995 to December 1997, 45 patients with complex lesions in coronary arteries were treated by using the strategy of initial debulking with an atherectomy device followed by elective stenting. Their age ranged from 35-73 years (mean +/- SD:53.9 +/- 9.1) and 93.3 percent were males. The lesion morphology was type B1 in 14 (31.1%), B2 in 16 (35.6%) and type C in 13 (28.9%) patients. The choice of atherectomy device, based primarily on the morphology of lesion, was rotational atherectomy in 23 (51.1%) and directional coronary atherectomy in 22 (48.9%) patients. While majority (73.9%) of the lesions treated by rotablation were long, diffuse and calcified, directional atherectomy was preferred for highly eccentric stenoses in large-sized arteries. All patients underwent elective stent implantation after optimal lesion debulking using a mean burr size of 1.74 +/- 0.2mm for rotablation and a 7Fr. atherocath in majority (90.9%) of patients treated by directional coronary atherectomy. Angiographic success was achieved in all, while clinical success was 97.8 percent. One patient died of acute-on-chronic renal failure during hospitalisation. There were no other major in-hospital adverse cardiac events. At a median follow-up of 13 months (range 1-36 months), recurrence of angina developed in 10 (22.7%), out in which target lesion revascularisation was required in 5 (11.4%) and elective coronary artery bypass graft surgery in one (2.2%) patient. The event-free survival as calculated by the Kaplan-Meier method was 85.8 percent at six, 77.2 at 12 71.7 percent at 18 months of follow-up. In conclusion, optimal debulking before stent implantation provides a larger lumen, and thus eliminates sub-acute stent thrombosis in complex coronary lesions. This strategy also resulted in a high incidence of event-free survival and a low frequency of target lesion revascularisation on mid-term follow-up.

Elective stenting as a primary strategy for non-surgical revascularisation was performed in five patients with symptomatic unprotected left main coronary artery ostial stenoses. Their ages ranged from 24 to 57 years (mean: 44.6 +/- 14.4 years). Left ventricular ejection fraction ranged from 35 to 55 percent. All patients underwent successful stenting for left main ostial stenoses using a disarticulated 7 mm Palmaz-Schatz stent. Luminal diameter stenosis reduced from 74 +/- 10.8 to 10 +/- 7.2 percent after the procedure. One patient developed recurrence of angina on the 7th day due to marked recoil of the left main coronary artery with possible thrombosis, requiring immediate coronary artery bypass graft surgery without any sequelae. Remaining four patients were asymptomatic over a mean follow-up of 54 +/- 36 weeks (range: 25-96) and none developed angiographic restenosis at six months. Our preliminary observations therefore suggest that primary stenting is a feasible alternative to bypass graft surgery in patients with unprotected left main coronary artery ostial stenoses.

Lesions at the ostium of the left anterior descending coronary artery constitute a distinct group because of suboptimal results and higher restenosis rate after balloon angioplasty. Several non-balloon devices have been used to improve the outcome of dilatation of such lesions. We retrospectively compared the in-hospital and follow-up results of directional coronary artherectomy and stents for the treatment of ostial lesions of the left anterior descending artery. Out of 37 patients, 12 underwent directional coronary atherectomy and 25, stent implantation. The two strategies were deployed at different periods over the past five years. The baseline clinical and angiographic characteristics were comparable in the two groups. Directional coronary atherectomy was done using 7Fr atherocath with adjunctive balloon angioplasty in all. All the stents were deployed using moderate to high pressure balloon inflation after adequate predilatation. While the pre-procedure luminal diameter stenosis was similar in the two groups (87.3 +/- 8.8% vs 89.3 +/- 7.2%; p = NS), the residual stenosis was significantly lower in the stent group (5 +/- 2.8%) compared to directional coronary atherectomy (18.7 +/- 9.8; p = 0.02). There was no significant difference in the primary success rate between the two devices (91.6% directional coronary atherectomy vs 100% stent; p = NS). One patient in the directional coronary atherectomy group developed acute closure followed by emergency coronary artery bypass graft surgery and death. No major complication was observed in the stent group. Over a mean follow-up of 9.9 +/- 11.6 months following directional coronary atherectomy and 8.6 +/- 4.4 months after stenting, significantly higher number of patients (60%) developed recurrence of angina or any event following directional coronary atherectomy compared to stent (15.8%; p < 0.02). There was no myocardial infarction, coronary artery bypass graft surgery or death in either group on follow-up. The need for target lesion revascularisation was significantly higher in the directional coronary atherectomy group (50%) compared to stenting (10.5%; p < 0.02). Comparing directional coronary atherectomy with stent, the event-free survival was 80 percent vs 94.7 percent at three months and 50 percent vs 84.7 percent, both at six and nine months, respectively. In conclusion, stenting of the left anterior descending artery ostial lesion results in a significantly lesser post-procedure residual stenosis, improved in-hospital outcome, a lesser need for target lesion revascularisation and much improved event-free survival on follow-up as compared to directional coronary atherectomy. Therefore, stenting appears to be a more favourable treatment option compared to directional coronary atherectomy for the treatment of ostial lesions in the left anterior descending artery.

Between February 1995 to August 1997, 120 patients underwent elective stent implantation for isolated proximal left anterior descending coronary artery stenosis. Their age ranged from 31 to 72 years (mean: 50.8 +/- 10.2) and the majority (89%) were males. All patients had angina, documented myocardial ischemia or both and 70 percent or more luminal diameter stenosis in the proximal left anterior descending before the origin of any branch. Majority (62.5%) of the treated lesions were type A. Successful deployment of the stent at the target site was achieved in all patients without any major in-hospital complications, including myocardial infarction, emergency bypass graft surgery or death. Clinical follow-up, ranging from 6 to 31 months (mean: 18.5 +/- 8.1, median: 20), was available in 87 out of 92 (94.5%) eligible patients who had completed at least six months after the procedure. Freedom from angina, myocardial infarction, target lesion revascularization and death was observed in 90.8, 100, 95.4 and 97.7 percent of patients, respectively. By the Kaplan-Meier estimate, an event-free survival (absence of death, myocardial infarction, recurrence of angina or revascularization) was 95.4 percent at six months, 89.5 percent at 12 and 18 months and 82.7 percent at 24 to 31 months of follow-up. Only 10 (11.5%) patients developed any event and TLR was required in 4.6 percent of patients. In conclusion, elective stenting for isolated proximal left anterior descending stenosis can be achieved safely and successfully in all patients without any adverse in-hospital events. This modality of treatment also provides long-term benefits in terms of reduction in major cardiovascular events and need for subsequent revascularization.

Seventy-two out of 656 patients treated by coronary stenting between January 1995 to May 1997 underwent elective multivessel stenting as a strategy for nonsurgical revascularization in patients with two-vessel (n = 37) and three-vessel (n = 35) disease. Their age ranged from 35 to 77 years (mean: 53.6 +/- 9.2) and the majority (77.8%) were males. The patients were included if the target vessel was more than 2.7 mm in diameter and subserved a moderate to large area of viable myocardium, provided the target lesion was considered approachable by stent. In all, 160 stents were deployed in 146 vessels with a mean of 2.2 stents per patient. The procedure was performed on all the target lesions in one stage in 51(70.8%) and two stages in 21(29.2%) patients. Two-vessel stenting was done in all except 2 patients who received stents in all the three major arteries. Successful deployment of the stent was achieved at the target site in all patients without any major in-hospital complications including subacute stent thrombosis, myocardial infarction (MI), emergency bypass graft surgery (CABG) or death. Clinical follow-up was available in 66(91.6%) patients at a mean of 7.8 +/- 5.5 months. The actuarial survival rates were 98.6, 96.7 and 94.6 percent, respectively at one, 3 and 6 to 12 months after the procedure with an event-free survival (absence of death, MI, recurrence of angina or any revascularization) of 98.5 percent at one, 93 percent at 3, 83.2 percent at 6 and 68.4 percent at 12 months. Only 15(22.7%) patients developed any event and target lesion revascularization was required in 8(12%) patients. In conclusion, multivessel stenting in patients with two- and three-vessel coronary disease is feasible, safe and effective in preventing major in-hospital complications as well as reducing the recurrence of clinical events and need for revascularization on follow-up.