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The radial artery is the preferred access site for cardiac catheterization because of patient comfort, early ambulation, and improved survival in acute coronary syndromes, when compared to the femoral artery route. However, it is associated with a high radial artery occlusion (RAO) rate, and patent haemostasis which can reduce this is extremely hard to implement in a busy clinical practice. Smaller sized sheaths are associated with less RAO but are uncommonly used as they could limit procedural prowess and complexity. Alternatively, the distal radial artery (dRA) approach appears to be safer with observed RAO rates of well under 1 percent without compromising benefits offered by the radial artery access. Default dRA can be accessed by palpation alone in most cases with some practice, and this can be improved further with ultrasound guidance. There is a subset of patients, especially in the elderly, where dRA access can be particularly challenging. To mitigate this, we propose a two-step cannulation strategy and illustrate this with a few cases with difficult dRA and radial artery anatomies.

We describe the first long-term follow-up of a young patient with active Takayasu arteritis who presented with an acute coronary syndrome, treated endovascularly with percutaneous coronary intervention without stenting. A drug-coated balloon was used with high-resolution coronary imaging guidance in the form of optical coherence tomography on a critical ostial left anterior descending coronary artery lesion. A repeat procedure was undertaken after 4 months confirming a durable coronary angioplasty result and the patient remained symptom-free beyond 3 years. Coronary stenting in this population is associated with early and aggressive stent failure. Hence, this is an innovative approach. We believe that the stent, regardless of whether it is first, second or subsequent generation, leaves a permanent foreign body within the vasculature that becomes the seed for inflammatory reactions, resulting in recurrent in-stent restenotic fibrosis irrespective of concurrent immunotherapy or the degree of disease activity.

Imagine that it is possible to know, the actual coronary blood flow. Would this not remove any doubt, if a chest pain is the heart's fault?

Background Limited information exists regarding procedural success and clinical outcomes in patients with previous coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention ( PCI ). We sought to compare outcomes in patients undergoing PCI with or without CABG . Methods and Results This was an observational cohort study of 123 780 consecutive PCI procedures from the Pan‐London ( UK ) PCI registry from 2005 to 2015. The primary end point was all‐cause mortality at a median follow‐up of 3.0 years (interquartile range, 1.2–4.6 years). A total of 12 641(10.2%) patients had a history of previous CABG , of whom 29.3% (n=3703) underwent PCI to native vessels and 70.7% (n=8938) to bypass grafts. There were significant differences in the demographic, clinical, and procedural characteristics of these groups. The risk of mortality during follow‐up was significantly higher in patients with prior CABG (23.2%; P =0.0005) compared with patients with no prior CABG (12.1%) and was seen for patients who underwent either native vessel (20.1%) or bypass graft PCI (24.2%; P PCI was performed in native vessels in patients with previous CABG (hazard ratio [HR],1.02; 95% CI, 0.77–1.34; P =0.89), but a significantly higher mortality was seen among patients with PCI to bypass grafts (HR,1.33; 95% CI, 1.03–1.71; P =0.026). This was seen after multivariate adjustment and propensity matching. Conclusions Patients with prior CABG were older with greater comorbidities and more complex procedural characteristics, but after adjustment for these differences, the clinical outcomes were similar to the patients undergoing PCI without prior CABG . In these patients, native‐vessel PCI was associated with better outcomes compared with the treatment of vein grafts.

Background and aims: In patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI), mortality is directly related to time to reperfusion with guidelines recommending patients be delivered directly to centres for primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). The aim of this study was to describe the impact of inter-hospital transfer on reperfusion time and to assess whether or not treatment delays influenced clinical outcomes in comparison with direct admission to a primary PCI centre in a large regional network. Method and results: We undertook an observational cohort study of patients with STEMI treated with primary PCI between 2005 and 2015 in London, UK. Patient details were recorded at the time of the procedure in databases using the British Cardiovascular Intervention Society PCI dataset. The primary end-point was all-cause mortality at a median of 4.1 years (interquartile range: 2.2–5.8 years). Secondary outcomes were in-hospital major adverse cardiac events. Of 25,315 patients, 17,560 (69.4%) were admitted directly to a primary PCI centre and 7755 (31.6%) were transferred from a non-primary PCI centre. Patients in the direct admission group were older and more likely to have left ventricular impairment compared with the inter-hospital transfer group. Median time from call for help to reperfusion in transferred patients was 52 minutes longer compared with patients admitted directly (p Conclusions: In this large registry of over 25,000 STEMI patients treated by primary PCI survival was better in patients admitted directly to a cardiac centre versus patients transferred for primary PCI, most likely due to longer call to balloon times in patient transferred from other hospitals.

Chronic total occlusions (CTO) are commonly encountered in patients undergoing coronary angiography; however, percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) is infrequently performed owing to technical difficulty, the perceived risk of complications and a lack of randomized data. The aim of this study was to analyse the frequency and outcomes of CTO-PCI procedures in a large contemporary cohort of successive patients.We undertook an observational cohort study of 48 234 patients with stable angina of which 5496 (11.4%) procedures were performed for CTOs between 2005 and 2015 at nine tertiary cardiac centres across London, UK. Outcome was assessed by in-hospital major adverse cardiac events and all-cause mortality at a median follow-up of 4.8 years (interquartile range: 2.2-6.4 years).Over time, there was an increase in the proportion of elective PCI procedures performed for CTOs, but no increase in the absolute number. Overall success rates increased over time (74.3% in 2005 to 81.5% in 2015; P=0.0003) despite an increase in case complexity (previous myocardial infarction, diabetes, renal failure, previous coronary artery bypass grafting, peripheral vascular disease and left ventricular impairment) that correlated with procedural advancements. Successful CTO PCI was associated with lower mortality [9.5%, 95% confidence interval (CI): 8.1-11.6 vs. 15.3%, 95% CI: 13.7-20.6, P0.0001] that persisted after multivariate cox analysis (hazard ratio: 0.37, 95% CI: 0.25-0.62) and propensity matching (hazard ratio=0.36, 95% CI: 0.18-0.73, P=0.0005).Successful procedures were associated with lower mortality suggesting that the greater uptake of CTO PCI may improve clinical outcomes in a wider population than are currently being offered therapy.

Background A large proportion of patients presenting with non–ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (NSTEMI) present with multivessel disease (MVD). There is uncertainty in the role of complete coronary revascularization in this group of patients. Objectives The aim of this study was to investigate the outcomes of complete revascularization compared with culprit vessel–only intervention in a large contemporary cohort of patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) for NSTEMI. Methods The authors undertook an observational cohort study of 37,491 NSTEMI patients treated between 2005 and 2015 at the 8 heart attack centers in London. Clinical details were recorded at the time of the procedure into local databases using the British Cardiac Intervention Society (BCIS) PCI dataset. A total of 21,857 patients (58.3%) presented with NSTEMI and MVD. Primary outcome was all-cause mortality at a median follow-up of 4.1 years (interquartile range: 2.2 to 5.8 years). Results A total of 11,737 (53.7%) patients underwent single-stage complete revascularization during PCI for NSTEMI, rates that significantly increased during the study period (p = 0.006). Those patients undergoing complete revascularization were older and more likely to be male, diabetic, have renal disease and a history of previous myocardial infarction/revascularization compared with the culprit-only revascularization group. Although crude, in-hospital major adverse cardiac event rates were similar (5.2% vs. 4.8%; p = 0.462) between the 2 groups. Kaplan-Meier analysis demonstrated significant differences in mortality rates between the 2 groups (22.5% complete revascularization vs. 25.9% culprit vessel intervention; p = 0.0005) during the follow-up period. After multivariate Cox analysis (hazard ratio: 0.90; 95% confidence interval: 0.85 to 0.97) and the use of propensity matching (hazard ratio: 0.89; 95% confidence interval: 0.76 to 0.98) complete revascularization was associated with reduced mortality. Conclusions In NSTEMI patients with MVD, despite higher initial (in-hospital) mortality rates, single-stage complete coronary revascularization appears to be superior to culprit-only vessel PCI in terms of long-term mortality rates. This supports the need for further randomized study to confirm these findings.

Objectives: This study aimed to determine the effect on long-term survival of using optical coherence tomography (OCT) during percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI).Background: Angiograph...

Objective To establish the analytical performance of a heart fatty acid binding protein (HFABP) method suitable for routine clinical use and examine its role for the diagnosis of myocardial ischemia and myocardial infarction. Methods Analyses of HFABP were performed on an Advia 2400 (Siemens Healthcare Diagnostics). Imprecision, limit of detection (LOD), limit of blank (LOB), and linearity were assessed using standard methods. Stability was assessed at 4 °C, −20 °C, and with 3 repeated freeze-thaw cycles. Clinical diagnostic performance was assessed using chest pain in patients, with a final diagnosis according to the universal definition of myocardial infarction with cardiac troponin I (cTnI) measured on the Siemens Advia Centaur (cTnI Ultra method, 99th percentile 50 ng/L, 10% CV 30 ng/L). Ischemia was detected using sampling pre- and postangioplasty. Results LOD and analytical imprecision exceeded the manufacturer's specification (LOD 1.128 μg/L, 20% CV 1.3 μg/L, 10% CV 2.75 μg/L). Clinical diagnostic efficiency was less than cTnI. Addition of HFABP to cTnI produced a modest increase in diagnostic sensitivity at a cost of significant loss of specificity. Conclusions Although the test had excellent analytical performance, it did not contribute to the clinical diagnosis of patients with chest pain. HFABP appears to be a marker of myocardial infarction not myocardial ischemia.

Aims The public reporting of healthcare outcomes has a number of potential benefits; however, unintended consequences may limit its effectiveness as a quality improvement process. We aimed to assess whether the introduction of individual operator specific outcome reporting after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) in the UK was associated with a change in patient risk factor profiles, procedural management, or 30-day mortality outcomes in a large cohort of consecutive patients. Methods and results This was an observational cohort study of 123 780 consecutive PCI procedures from the Pan-London (UK) PCI registry, from January 2005 to December 2015. Outcomes were compared pre- (2005–11) and post- (2011–15) public reporting including the use of an interrupted time series analysis. Patients treated after public reporting was introduced were older and had more complex medical problems. Despite this, reported in-hospital major adverse cardiovascular and cerebrovascular events rates were significantly lower after the introduction of public reporting (2.3 vs. 2.7%, P Conclusion The introduction of public reporting has been associated with an improvement in outcomes after PCI in this data set, without evidence of risk-averse behaviour. However, the lower reported complication rates might suggest a change in operator behaviour and decision-making confirming the need for continued surveillance of the impact of public reporting on outcomes and operator behaviour.

OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to determine the effect on long-term survival of using optical coherence tomography (OCT) during percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). BACKGROUND: Angiographic guidance for PCI has substantial limitations. The superior spatial resolution of OCT could translate into meaningful clinical benefits, although limited data exist to date about their effect on clinical endpoints. METHODS: This was a cohort study based on the Pan-London (United Kingdom) PCI registry, which includes 123,764 patients who underwent PCI in National Health Service hospitals in London between 2005 and 2015. Patients undergoing primary PCI or pressure wire use were excluded leaving 87,166 patients in the study. The primary endpoint was all-cause mortality at a median of 4.8 years. RESULTS: OCT was used in 1,149 (1.3%) patients, intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) was used in 10,971 (12.6%) patients, and angiography alone in the remaining 75,046 patients. Overall OCT rates increased over time (p < 0.0001), with variation in rates between centers (p = 0.002). The mean stent length was shortest in the angiography-guided group, longer in the IVUS-guided group, and longest in the OCT-guided group. OCT-guided procedures were associated with greater procedural success rates and reduced in-hospital MACE rates. A significant difference in mortality was observed between patients who underwent OCT-guided PCI (7.7%) compared with patients who underwent either IVUS-guided (12.2%) or angiography-guided (15.7%; p < 0.0001) PCI, with differences seen for both elective (p < 0.0001) and acute coronary syndrome subgroups (p = 0.0024). Overall this difference persisted after multivariate Cox analysis (hazard ratio [HR]: 0.48; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.26 to 0.81; p = 0.001) and propensity matching (hazard ratio: 0.39; 95% CI: 0.21 to 0.77; p = 0.0008; OCT vs. angiography-alone cohort), with no difference in matched OCT and IVUS cohorts (HR: 0.88; 95% CI: 0.61 to 1.38; p = 0.43). CONCLUSIONS: In this large observational study, OCT-guided PCI was associated with improved procedural outcomes, in-hospital events, and long-term survival compared with standard angiography-guided PCI.

Objectives This study aimed to assess the impact of thrombus aspiration on mortality in patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction treated with primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). Background The clinical effect of routine intracoronary thrombus aspiration before primary PCI in patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction is uncertain. Methods We undertook an observational cohort study of 10,929 ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction patients from January 2005 to July 2011 at 8 centers across London, United Kingdom. Patients’ details were recorded at the time of the procedure into local databases using the British Cardiac Intervention Society PCI dataset. Primary outcome was all-cause mortality at a median follow-up of 3.0 years (interquartile range: 1.2 to 4.6 years). Results In our cohort, 3,572 patients (32.7%) underwent thrombus aspiration during primary PCI. Patients who had thrombus aspiration were younger, had lower rates of previous myocardial infarction but were more likely to have poor left ventricular function. Procedural success rates were higher (90.9% vs. 89.2%; p = 0.005) and in-hospital major adverse cardiac event rates were lower (4.4% vs. 5.5%; p = 0.012) in patients undergoing thrombus aspiration. However, Kaplan-Meier analysis demonstrated no significant difference in mortality rates between patients with and without thrombus aspiration (14.8% aspiration vs. 15.3% PCI only; p = 0.737) during the follow-up period. After multivariate Cox analysis (hazard ratio [HR]: 0.89, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.65 to 1.23) and the addition of propensity matching (HR: 0.85 95% CI: 0.60 to 1.20) thrombus aspiration was still not associated with decreased mortality. Conclusions In this cohort of nearly 11,000 patients, routine thrombus aspiration was not associated with a reduction in long-term mortality in patients undergoing primary PCI, although procedural success and in-hospital major adverse cardiac event rates were improved.

Background: Cardiogenic shock remains a major cause of morbidity and mortality in patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction. We aimed to assess the current trends in cardiogenic shock management, looking specifically at the incidence, use of intra-aortic balloon pump therapy and outcomes in patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction treated with primary percutaneous coronary intervention. Methods and results: We undertook an observational cohort study of 21,210 ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction patients treated between 2005–2015 at the eight Heart Attack Centres in London, UK. Patients’ details were recorded at the time of the procedure into local databases using the British Cardiac Intervention Society percutaneous coronary intervention dataset. There were 1890 patients who presented with cardiogenic shock. The primary outcome was all-cause mortality at a median follow-up of 4.1 years (interquartile range: 2.2–5.8 years). Increasing rates of cardiogenic shock were seen over the course of the study with consistently high mortality rates of 45–70%. A total of 685 patients underwent intra-aortic balloon pump insertion during primary percutaneous coronary intervention for cardiogenic shock with decreasing rates over time. Those patients undergoing intra-aortic balloon pump therapy were younger, more likely to have poor left ventricular function and less likely to have had previous percutaneous coronary intervention compared to the control group. Procedural success rates were similar (86.0% vs 87.1%, p=0.292) although crude, in-hospital major adverse cardiac event rates were higher (43.8% vs 33.7%, pConclusion: Cardiogenic shock treated by percutaneous coronary intervention is increasing in incidence and remains a condition associated with high mortality and limited treatment options. Intra-aortic balloon pump therapy was not associated with a long-term survival benefit in this cohort and may be associated with increased early morbidity.

Background— Compared with transfemoral access, transradial access (TRA) for percutaneous coronary intervention is associated with reduced risk of bleeding and vascular complications. Studies suggest that TRA may reduce mortality in patients with ST-segment–elevation myocardial infarction. However, there are few data on the effect of TRA on mortality, specifically, in patients with non–ST-segment–elevation myocardial infarction. Methods and Results— We analyzed 10 095 consecutive patients with non–ST-segment–elevation myocardial infarction treated with percutaneous coronary intervention between 2005 and 2011 in all 8 tertiary cardiac centers in London, United Kingdom. TRA was a predictor for reduced bleeding (odds ratio=0.21; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.08–0.57; P =0.002), access-site complications (odds ratio=0.47; 95% CI: 0.23–0.95; P =0.034), and 1-year mortality (hazard ratio [HR]=0.72; 95% CI: 0.54–0.94; P =0.017). Between 2005 and 2007, TRA did not appear to reduce mortality at 1 year (HR=0.81; 95% CI: 0.51–1.28; P =0.376), whereas between 2008 and 2011, TRA conferred survival benefit at 1 year (HR=0.65; 95% CI: 0.46–0.92; P =0.015). The mortality benefit with TRA at 1 year was not seen at the low-volume centers (HR=0.80; 95% CI: 0.47–1.38; P =0.428) but specifically seen in the high volume radial centers (HR=0.70; 95% CI: 0.51–0.97; P =0.031). In propensity-matched analyses, TRA remained a predictor for survival at 1 year (HR=0.60; 95% CI: 0.42–0.85; P =0.005). Instrumental variable analysis demonstrated that TRA conferred mortality benefit at 1-year with an absolute mortality reduction of 5.8% ( P =0.039). Conclusions— In this analysis of patients with non–ST-segment–elevation myocardial infarction, TRA appears to be a predictor for survival. Furthermore, the evolving learning curve, experience, and expertise may be important factors contributing to the prognostic benefit conferred with TRA.

Background ST ‐segment elevation myocardial infarction is increasingly common in octogenarians, and optimal management in this cohort is uncertain. This study aimed to describe the outcomes of octogenarians with ST ‐segment elevation myocardial infarction treated by primary percutaneous coronary intervention. Methods and Results We analyzed 10 249 consecutive patients with ST ‐segment elevation myocardial infarction treated with primary percutaneous coronary intervention between 2005 and 2011 at 8 tertiary cardiac centers across London, United Kingdom. The primary end point was all‐cause mortality at a median follow‐up of 3 years. In total, 1051 patients (10.3%) were octogenarians, with an average age of 84.2 years, and the proportion increased over the study period ( P =0.04). In‐hospital mortality (7.7% vs 2.4%, P P CI 1.07–1.09, P Conclusions In this large registry, octogenarians undergoing primary percutaneous coronary intervention had a higher rate of complications and mortality compared with a younger population. Over time, octogenarians undergoing primary percutaneous coronary intervention increased in number, age, and complexity. Nevertheless, in‐hospital outcomes were reasonable, and long‐term mortality rates were static.

Background— Primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PPCI) is the treatment of choice for ST-segment–elevation myocardial infarction. Resources are limited during out of working hours (OWH). Whether PPCI outside working hours is associated with worse outcomes and whether outcomes have improved over time are unknown. Methods and Results— We analyzed 11 466 patients undergoing PPCI between 2004 and 2011 at all 8 tertiary cardiac centers in London, United Kingdom. We defined working hours as 9 am to 5 pm (Monday to Friday). We analyzed in-hospital bleeding and all-cause mortality ≤3 years, comparing OWH versus in-working hours. A total of 7494 patients (65.3%) were treated during OWH. Multivariable analyses demonstrated that PPCI during OWH was not a predictor for bleeding (odds ratio, 1.47; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.97–2.24; P =0.071) or 3-year mortality (hazard ratio, 1.11; 95% CI, 0.94–1.32; P =0.20). This was confirmed in propensity-matched analyses. Time-stratified analyses demonstrated that PPCI during OWH was a predictor for bleeding (odds ratio, 2.00; 95% CI, 1.06–3.80; P =0.034) and 3-year mortality during 2005 to 2008 (hazard ratio, 1.23; 95% CI, 1.00–1.50; P =0.050), but this association was lost during 2009 to 2011. During 2005 to 2008, transradial access was predominantly used during in-working hours and PPCI during OWH was predictive of reduced transradial access use (odds ratio, 0.83; 95% CI, 0.71–0.98; P =0.033), but this association was lost during 2009 to 2011. Conclusions— In this study of unselected patients with ST-segment–elevation myocardial infarction, PPCI during OWH versus in-working hours had comparable bleeding and mortality. Time-stratified analyses demonstrated a reduction in adjusted bleeding and mortality during OWH over time. This may reflect the improved service provision, but the increased adoption of transradial access during OWH may also be contributory.

Background— It is estimated that up to two thirds of patients presenting with ST-segment–elevation myocardial infarction have multivessel disease. The optimal strategy for treating nonculprit disease is currently under debate. This study provides a real-world analysis comparing a strategy of culprit-vessel intervention (CVI) versus multivessel intervention at the time of primary percutaneous coronary intervention in patients with ST-segment–elevation myocardial infarction. Methods and Results— We compared CVI versus multivessel intervention in 3984 patients with multivessel disease undergoing primary percutaneous coronary intervention between 2004 and 2011 at all 8 tertiary cardiac centers in London. Multivariable-adjusted models were built to determine independent predictors for in-hospital major adverse cardiovascular events (MACEs) and all-cause mortality at 1 year. To reduce confounding and bias, propensity score methods were used. CVI was associated with reduced in-hospital MACE (4.6% versus 7.2%; P =0.010) and mortality at 1 year (7.4% versus 10.1%; P =0.031). CVI was an independent predictor for reduced in-hospital MACE (odds ratio, 0.49; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.32–0.75; P P =0.011) in the complete cohort; and in 2821 patients in propensity-matched cohort (in-hospital MACE: odds ratio, 0.49; 95% CI, 0.32–0.76; P =0.002; and 1-year survival: hazard ratio, 0.64; 95% CI, 0.45–0.90; P =0.010). Inverse probability treatment weighted analyses also confirmed CVI as an independent predictor for reduced in-hospital MACE (odds ratio, 0.38; 95% CI, 0.15–0.96; P =0.040) and survival at 1 year (hazard ratio, 0.44; 95% CI, 0.21–0.93; P =0.033). Conclusions— In this observational analysis of patients with ST-segment–elevation myocardial infarction undergoing primary percutaneous coronary intervention, CVI was associated with increased survival at 1 year. Acknowledging the limitations with observational analyses, our findings support current recommended practice guidelines.

This study aimed to assess the impact of thrombus aspiration on mortality in patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction treated with primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI).The clinical effect of routine intracoronary thrombus aspiration before primary PCI in patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction is uncertain.We undertook an observational cohort study of 10,929 ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction patients from January 2005 to July 2011 at 8 centers across London, United Kingdom. Patients' details were recorded at the time of the procedure into local databases using the British Cardiac Intervention Society PCI dataset. Primary outcome was all-cause mortality at a median follow-up of 3.0 years (interquartile range: 1.2 to 4.6 years).In our cohort, 3,572 patients (32.7%) underwent thrombus aspiration during primary PCI. Patients who had thrombus aspiration were younger, had lower rates of previous myocardial infarction but were more likely to have poor left ventricular function. Procedural success rates were higher (90.9% vs. 89.2%; p=0.005) and in-hospital major adverse cardiac event rates were lower (4.4% vs. 5.5%; p=0.012) in patients undergoing thrombus aspiration. However, Kaplan-Meier analysis demonstrated no significant difference in mortality rates between patients with and without thrombus aspiration (14.8% aspiration vs. 15.3% PCI only; p=0.737) during the follow-up period. After multivariate Cox analysis (hazard ratio [HR]: 0.89, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.65 to 1.23) and the addition of propensity matching (HR: 0.85 95% CI: 0.60 to 1.20) thrombus aspiration was still not associated with decreased mortality.In this cohort of nearly 11,000 patients, routine thrombus aspiration was not associated with a reduction in long-term mortality in patients undergoing primary PCI, although procedural success and in-hospital major adverse cardiac event rates were improved.

Primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PPCI) is the treatment of choice for ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI). The optimum delivery of this service requires an integrated, multi-disciplinary, consultant-led, protocol-driven approach. It is widely recognised that resources including

Current guidelines discourage percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) of non-infarct-related arteries at the time of primary PCI in patients with ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) without cardiogenic shock. The optimal strategy for treating non-culprit disease is currently under debate.

Rotational atherectomy (RA) facilitates delivery of stents in calcific lesions. Calcified coronary lesions are an established risk factor for long-term failure after both bare metal stents (BMS) and drug-eluting stent (DES) implantation. Whilst DES use following RA may result in high procedural

Rationale: Patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS) predisposed to recurrent coronary events have an expansion of a distinctive T-cell subset, the CD4 + CD28 null T cells. These cells are highly inflammatory and cytotoxic in spite of lacking the costimulatory receptor CD28, which is crucial for optimal T cell function. The mechanisms that govern CD4 + CD28 null T cell function are unknown. Objective: Our aim was to investigate the expression and role of alternative costimulatory receptors in CD4 + CD28 null T cells in ACS. Methods and Results: Expression of alternative costimulatory receptors (inducible costimulator, OX40, 4–1BB, cytotoxic T lymphocyte associated antigen-4, programmed death-1) was quantified in CD4 + CD28 null T cells from circulation of ACS and stable angina patients. Strikingly, in ACS, levels of OX40 and 4-1BB were significantly higher in circulating CD4 + CD28 null T cells compared to classical CD4 + CD28 + T lymphocytes. This was not observed in stable angina patients. Furthermore, CD4 + CD28 null T cells constituted an important proportion of CD4 + T lymphocytes in human atherosclerotic plaques and exhibited high levels of OX40 and 4-1BB. In addition, the ligands for OX40 and 4-1BB were present in plaques and also expressed on monocytes in circulation. Importantly, blockade of OX40 and 4-1BB reduced the ability of CD4 + CD28 null T cells to produce interferon-γ and tumor necrosis factor-α and release perforin. Conclusions: Costimulatory pathways are altered in CD4 + CD28 null T cells in ACS. We show that the inflammatory and cytotoxic function of CD4 + CD28 null T cells can be inhibited by blocking OX40 and 4-1BB costimulatory receptors. Modulation of costimulatory receptors may allow specific targeting of this cell subset and may improve the survival of ACS patients.

Introduction The use of primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) in octogenarians to treat ST elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) is less than in other age groups. This is due in part to underrepresentation in clinical trials and perceived increased risk. We present long-term survival of a large cohort of elderly patients following primary PCI in London. Methods This was an observational study of 10 249 consecutive patients undergoing primary PCI for STEMI at eight London heart attack centres between January 2005 and November 2011. Patient9s details were recorded at the time of procedure into the British Cardiac Intervention Society (BCIS) database. Outcome was assessed by all-cause mortality. Anonymous datasets from the eight centres were merged for analysis. The primary end-point was all-cause mortality at a median follow-up of 3.0 years (IQR range 1.2–4.6 years). Results A total of 1051 octogenarians (10.3% of the study population) with an average age of 84.2 years (IQR 80–101) were treated with primary PCI during the study period. Over time, the annual proportion of octogenarians gradually increased from 9.1% in 2005 to 10.5% in 2010. Unsurprisingly, when compared to patients under 80, octogenarian STEMI patients included a higher proportion of women, and had a higher prevalence of hypertension, hypercholesterolaemia, multi-vessel disease, previous infarction and previous CABG (table 1). They additionally were less likely to undergo radial access, receive GPIIb/IIIa inhibitors or a drug-eluting stent. When compared with younger patients, primary PCI in octogenarians was less likely to achieve TIMI flow grade 3. However between 2005 and 2011 the rates of post-procedural TIMI flow grade 3 increased significantly from 80.5% in 2005 to 90% in 2011 (p for trend 0.05). The cumulative incidence of all-cause mortality during follow-up was significantly higher in the octogenarian group compared to the younger subgroup (51.6% vs 12.8%, p Conclusions Octogenarians constitute an important subgroup of STEMI patients. Data from London9s experience would suggest that primary PCI rates are increasing in this group and that despite the high long term mortality, acute/year one rates survival rates are very encouraging.

Importance Intracoronary pressure wire–derived measurements of fractional flow reserve (FFR) and intravascular ultrasonography (IVUS) provide functional and anatomical information that can be used to guide coronary stent implantation. Although these devices are widely used and recommended by guidelines, limited data exist about their effect on clinical end points. Objective To determine the effect on long-term survival of using FFR and IVUS during percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). Design and Setting Cohort study based on the pan-London (United Kingdom) PCI registry. In total, 64 232 patients are included in this registry covering the London, England, area. Participants All patients (n = 41 688) who underwent elective or urgent PCI in National Health Service hospitals in London between January 1, 2004, and July 31, 2011, were included. Patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (n = 11 370) were excluded. Interventions Patients underwent PCI guided by angiography (visual lesion assessment) alone, PCI guided by FFR, or IVUS-guided PCI. Main Outcomes and Measures The primary end point was all-cause mortality at a median of 3.3 years. Results Fractional flow reserve was used in 2767 patients (6.6%) and IVUS was used in 1831 patients (4.4%). No difference in mortality was observed between patients who underwent angiography-guided PCI compared with patients who underwent FFR-guided PCI (hazard ratio, 0.88; 95% CI, 0.67-1.16; P = .37). Patients who underwent IVUS had a slightly higher adjusted mortality (hazard ratio, 1.39; 95% CI, 1.09-1.78; P = .009) compared with patients who underwent angiography-guided PCI. However, this difference was no longer statistically significant in a propensity score–based analysis (hazard ratio, 1.33; 95% CI, 0.85-2.09; P = .25). The mean (SD) number of implanted stents was lower in the FFR group (1.1 [1.2] stents) compared with the IVUS group (1.6 [1.3]) and the angiography-guided group (1.7 [1.1]) ( P Conclusions and Relevance In this large observational study, FFR-guided PCI and IVUS-guided PCI were not associated with improved long-term survival compared with standard angiography-guided PCI. The use of FFR was associated with the implantation of fewer stents.

In primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PPCI) for ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI), the relative safety of drug-eluting stents (DES) versus bare metal stents (BMS) continues to be debated. Whilst DES use is associated with reduced target lesion revascularization rates, stent

Compared with trans-femoral access (TFA), trans-radial access (TRA) reduces mortality in ST elevation MI (STEMI). Whether TRA confers a mortality benefit in non-ST elevation MI (NSTEMI) is unclear. This study sought to compare TRA versus TFA for percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) in patients

Introduction Historically patients who presented following an Out of Hospital Cardiac Arrest (OHCA) of presumed cardiac origin had dismal survival data with concerns that survivors would have poor neurological outcomes. In recent years there has been increased focus on prehospital care and coordinated care once patients arrive in hospital, including urgent percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) and targeted temperature management (TTM). In our unit we have a multi-disciplinary heart attack team (HAT) in place that specialises in treating this challenging patient population by delivering the patients directly to our cardiac catheter laboratories and then to intensive care where they have TTM in addition to standard intensive care. Methods This is a retrospective observational study looking at the outcome of consecutive OHCA patients who were managed by the HAT and presented to our institution over a period of 1 year. The HAT was formally introduced in July 2011. We focused on survival, neurological status on hospital discharge using the cerebral performance scores (CPC), length of stay (LOS) in cardiothoracic ITU (CTITU) and in hospital and activity in the coronary catheter lab notably door to balloon times (DBT) for PCI. Data were derived from hospital notes, electronic records and ambulance sheets. Results A total of 53 patients presented directly to our institution following an OHCA of presumed cardiac origin. The mean age was 61 years (SD 14 years) with 75.5% male. 36 patients (67.9%) survived to hospital discharge with a mean age 59 years (SD 15 years) and 73% male. 30 patients had ST elevation or LBBB on their presenting ECG. 30 patients (83.3%) were discharged with no significant neurological impairment, CPC 1 and 2. 6 patients were discharged with neurological impairment, CPC3; there were no patients in CPC4. The median LOS on CTITU was 4 days (IQR 6.5 days) and for the survivors the median LOS was 5 days (IQR 7.4 days). The hospital LOS for all patients was 11 days (IQR 13.4 days) with the median LOS in hospital for survivors 16 days (IQR 13.5 days). 49 patients (92.5%) had urgent angiography with 29 patients proceeding to successful PCI (59.2%) and 5 patients (10.2%) referred for CABG with three vessel disease. The median DBT for these patients was 49 min (IQR 31 min), with the survivors having a median DBT 46 min (IQR 30 min). 7 patients (19.4%) were discharged from hospital with an ICD. Conclusions The survival of OHCA patients presenting to our cardiac unit compares favourably with published data. We believe these outcomes are a result of our successful heart attack team which enables us to deliver high rate of urgent coronary intervention and aggressive intensive care therapy including targeted temperature management.

Introduction During Primary Percutaneous Coronary Intervention (PPCI) post ST-Segment Myocardial Infarction (STEMI), distal embolisation of thrombus may lead to failure to re-establish normal flow in the infarct-related artery. Manual thrombus aspiration has been shown to improve coronary perfusion as assessed by time to ST-segment resolution and myocardial blush grade. Evidence supporting the benefit of thrombus aspiration on clinical outcomes, however, is limited and inconsistent. We aimed to assess the impact of manual thrombectomy on mortality in patients presenting with STEMI across all PPCI centres in London over a 5 year period from 2007 until 2012. Methods This was an observational cohort study of 9935 consecutive patients with STEMI treated with PPCI between 2007 and 2012 at eight tertiary cardiac centres across London, UK. Patient9s details were recorded at the time of the procedure into the British Cardiac Intervention Society (BCIS) database. Outcome was assessed by all-cause mortality. Anonymous datasets from the eight centres were merged for analysis. The primary end-point was all-cause mortality at a median follow-up of 2.0 years (IQR range 1.1–3.1 years). Results Of the 9935 consecutive STEMI patients presenting for PPCI, 2859 had mechanical thrombectomy. Patients who had manual thrombectomy were significantly younger (average age 60.6 vs 62.9) and were less likely to have had a previous myocardial infarction (11.9% of thrombectomy patients vs 14.7% of non-thrombectomy patients). Patients receiving manual thromectomy were found to be significantly more likely to have had PPCI via a radial approach (33.1% in thrombectomy patients vs 19.9% in non-thromectomy patients). Procedural success (defined as TIMI 3 flow at the end of procedure) was found to be significantly more likely in patients receiving manual thrombectomy (89.5% vs 86.7%) (table 1). Patients with thrombectomy use had similar unadjusted all-cause mortality rates to those without thrombectomy use (12.7% vs 16.5%, p=NS) during the 5-year follow-up period (figure 1). After multivariable adjustment thrombectomy use was associated with significantly decreased mortality rates (HR: 0.82, 95% CI 0.68 to 0.9, p=0.04). Conclusion Mechanical thrombectomy use appears to be associated with improved outcome, in the form of decreased mortality, in this large observational trial.

Background Primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) is the preferred reperfusion strategy in patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI). We evaluated whether direct transfer to a cardiac centre performing primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PPCI) leads to improved survival compared with transfer via a non-PPCI performing hospital in STEMI patients in a regional network. Methods This was an observational cohort study of 10 108 patients with STEMI treated with PPCI between 2004 and 2011 at eight tertiary cardiac centres across London, UK. Patient9s details were recorded at the time of the procedure into the British Cardiac Intervention Society (BCIS) database. Outcome was assessed by all-cause mortality. Anonymous datasets from the eight centres were merged for analysis. The primary end-point was all-cause mortality at a median follow-up of 3.0 years (IQR range 1.2–4.6 years). Results 6492 patients (64.2%) were transferred directly to a PCI performing centre (direct) and 3616, (35.8%) were transferred via a non-PCI performing centre (indirect). There were higher rates of previous MI and previous CABG in the indirect group, with higher rates of poor LV function in the direct group (table 1). Median time to reperfusion (symptom to balloon) in transferred patients was 58 min longer compared to patients admitted directly (p 0.0001) at presentation compared to those transferred directly. Kaplan-Meier analysis demonstrated no significant difference in mortality rates between patients with and without transfer (12.3% direct vs 14.3% indirect, p=0.060). Age-adjusted Cox analysis revealed inter-hospital transfer for PPCI was associated with all cause mortality (HR 0.89 (95% CI 0.79 to 0.99)), however this was not maintained after multivariate adjustment (HR 0.84 (95% CI 0.62 to 1.14)). Conclusions In this large registry survival appear comparable in patients with STEMI admitted directly versus transferred for primary PCI. This is despite longer symptom to balloon times. This unexpected finding may reflect the earlier initiation of medical therapy (eg, anti-platelets and GpIIb/IIIa receptor inhibitors) and earlier pharmacological reperfusion, reflected by lower IRA TIMI 0 rates at angiography in the patients transferred from a non-PCI hospital.