Lipoprotein(a) and Long-Term Plaque Progression, Low-Density Plaque, and Pericoronary Inflammation.

Importance: Lipoprotein(a) (Lp[a]) is a causal risk factor for cardiovascular disease; however, long-term effects on coronary atherosclerotic plaque phenotype, high-risk plaque formation, and pericoronary adipose tissue inflammation remain unknown. Objective: To investigate the association of Lp(a) levels with long-term coronary artery plaque progression, high-risk plaque, and pericoronary adipose tissue inflammation. Design, Setting, and Participants: This single-center prospective cohort study included 299 patients with suspected coronary artery disease (CAD) who underwent per-protocol repeated coronary computed tomography angiography (CCTA) imaging with an interscan interval of 10 years. Thirty-two patients were excluded because of coronary artery bypass grafting, resulting in a study population of 267 patients. Data for this study were collected from October 2008 to October 2022 and analyzed from March 2023 to March 2024. Exposures: The median scan interval was 10.2 years. Lp(a) was measured at follow-up using an isoform-insensitive assay. CCTA scans were analyzed with a previously validated artificial intelligence-based algorithm (atherosclerosis imaging-quantitative computed tomography). Main Outcome and Measures: The association between Lp(a) and change in percent plaque volumes was investigated in linear mixed-effects models adjusted for clinical risk factors. Secondary outcomes were presence of low-density plaque and presence of increased pericoronary adipose tissue attenuation at baseline and follow-up CCTA imaging. Results: The 267 included patients had a mean age of 57.1 (SD, 7.3) years and 153 were male (57%). Patients with Lp(a) levels of 125 nmol/L or higher had twice as high percent atheroma volume (6.9% vs 3.0%; P = .01) compared with patients with Lp(a) levels less than 125 nmol/L. Adjusted for other risk factors, every doubling of Lp(a) resulted in an additional 0.32% (95% CI, 0.04-0.60) increment in percent atheroma volume during the 10 years of follow-up. Every doubling of Lp(a) resulted in an odds ratio of 1.23 (95% CI, 1.00-1.51) and 1.21 (95% CI, 1.01-1.45) for the presence of low-density plaque at baseline and follow-up, respectively. Patients with higher Lp(a) levels had increased pericoronary adipose tissue attenuation around both the right circumflex artery and left anterior descending at baseline and follow-up. Conclusions and Relevance: In this long-term prospective serial CCTA imaging study, higher Lp(a) levels were associated with increased progression of coronary plaque burden and increased presence of low-density noncalcified plaque and pericoronary adipose tissue inflammation. These data suggest an impact of elevated Lp(a) levels on coronary atherogenesis of high-risk, inflammatory, rupture-prone plaques over the long term.

Impact of hyperaemic stenosis resistance on long-term outcomes of stable angina in the ILIAS Registry.

BACKGROUND: The hyperaemic stenosis resistance (HSR) index was introduced to provide a more comprehensive indicator of the haemodynamic severity of a coronary lesion. HSR combines both the pressure drop across a lesion and the flow through it. As such, HSR overcomes the limitations of the more traditional fractional flow reserve (FFR) or coronary flow reserve (CFR) indices. AIMS: We aimed to identify the diagnostic and prognostic value of HSR and evaluate the clinical implications. METHODS: Patients with chronic coronary syndromes (CCS) and obstructive coronary artery disease were selected from the multicentre ILIAS Registry. For this study, only patients with combined Doppler flow and pressure measurements were included. RESULTS: A total of 853 patients with 1,107 vessels were included. HSR more accurately identified the presence of inducible ischaemia compared to FFR and CFR (area under the curve 0.71 vs 0.66 and 0.62, respectively; p<0.005 for both). An abnormal HSR measurement was an independent and important predictor of target vessel failure at 5-year follow-up (hazard ratio 3.80, 95% confidence interval: 2.12-6.73; p<0.005). In vessels deferred from revascularisation, HSR seems to identify more accurately those vessels that may benefit from revascularisation rather than FFR and/or CFR. CONCLUSIONS: The present study affirms the theoretical advantages of the HSR index for the detection of ischaemia-Âinducing coronary lesions in a large CCS population. (Inclusive Invasive Physiological Assessment in Angina Syndromes Registry [ILIAS Registry], ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT04485234).

Unmasking of a Giant Coronary Aneurysm by Chronic Total Coronary Occlusion Percutaneous Coronary Intervention Techniques.

A young female patient presenting with a non-ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction underwent invasive coronary angiography, revealing a total occlusion of the right coronary artery. During percutaneous coronary intervention with dual catheter access, a retrograde tip injection and peculiar retrograde wiring unmasked a giant coronary aneurysm, which noninvasive imaging confirmed.

Same-day discharge after large-bore access in percutaneous coronary intervention of chronic total coronary occlusions.

BACKGROUND: Same-day discharge (SDD) in patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) of a chronic total occlusion (CTO) is appealing because of the increased patient comfort. However, data on SDD following large-bore vascular access are scarce. AIMS: We investigated the feasibility and safety of SDD in patients undergoing large-bore CTO PCI. METHODS: Between 2013 and 2023, 948 patients were prospectively enrolled in a single-centre CTO registry and underwent CTO PCI. SDD was pursued in all patients. Large-bore access was defined as the use of ≥7 French (Fr) sheaths in ≥1 access site. A logistic regression analysis was used to identify predictors for non-SDD. Clinical follow-up was obtained at 30 days. RESULTS: SDD was observed in 62% of patients. Large-bore access was applied in 99% of the cohort. SDD patients were younger and more often male, with lower rates of renal insufficiency and prior coronary artery bypass grafting. Local access site bleeding (odds ratio [OR] 8.53, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 5.24-13.87) and vascular access complications (OR 7.23, 95% CI: 1.98-26.32) made hospitalisation more likely, with vascular access complications occurring in 3%. At 30 days, the hospital readmission rate was low in both SDD and non-SDD patients (5% vs 7%; p=non-significant). Finally, SDD was not a predictor for major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) at follow-up. CONCLUSIONS: Same-day discharge can be achieved in the majority of patients undergoing CTO PCI with large-bore (≥7 Fr) access. Similar low hospital readmission and MACE rates between SDD and non-SDD patients at 30 days demonstrate the feasibility and safety of SDD.

Microvascular resistance reserve before and after PCI: A serial FFR and [15O] H2O PET study.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Microvascular Resistance Reserve (MRR) has recently been introduced as a microvasculature-specific index and hypothesized to be independent of coronary stenosis. The aim of this study was to investigate the change of MRR after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). METHODS: In this post-hoc analysis from the PACIFC trials, symptomatic patients underwent [15O]H2O positron emission tomography (PET) and invasive fractional flow reserve (FFR) before and after revascularization. Coronary flow reserve (CFR) from PET and invasive FFR were used to calculate MRR. RESULTS: Among 52 patients (87 % male, age 59.4 ± 9.4 years), 61 vessels with a median FFR of 0.71 (95 % confidence interval: 0.55 to 0.74) and a mean MRR of 3.80 ± 1.23 were included. Following PCI, FFR, hyperemic myocardial blood flow (hMBF) and CFR increased significantly (all p-values ≤0.001). MRR remained unchanged after PCI (3.80 ± 1.23 before PCI versus 3.60 ± 0.97 after PCI; p=0.23). In vessels with a pre-PCI, FFR ≤0.70 pre- and post-PCI MRR were 3.90 ± 1.30 and 3.73 ± 1.14 (p=0.56), respectively. Similar findings were observed for vessels with a FFR between 0.71 and 0.80 (pre-PCI MRR 3.70 ± 1.17 vs. post PCI MRR 3.48 ± 0.76, p=0.19). CONCLUSIONS: Our study indicates that MRR, assessed using a hybrid approach of PET and invasive FFR, is independent of the severity of epicardial stenosis. These findings suggest that MRR is a microvasculature-specific parameter.

Determining Hemodynamically Significant Coronary Artery Disease: Patient-Specific Cutoffs in Quantitative Myocardial Blood Flow Using [15O]H2O PET Imaging.

Currently, cutoffs of quantitative [15O]H2O PET to detect fractional flow reserve (FFR)-defined coronary artery disease (CAD) were derived from a single cohort that included patients without prior CAD. However, prior CAD, sex, and age can influence myocardial blood flow (MBF). Therefore, the present study determined the influence of prior CAD, sex, and age on optimal cutoffs of hyperemic MBF (hMBF) and coronary flow reserve (CFR) and evaluated whether cutoff optimization enhanced diagnostic performance of quantitative [15O]H2O PET against an FFR reference standard. Methods: Patients with chronic coronary symptoms underwent [15O]H2O PET and invasive coronary angiography with FFR. Optimal cutoffs for patients with and without prior CAD and subpopulations based on sex and age were determined. Results: This multicenter study included 560 patients. Optimal cutoffs were similar for patients with (n = 186) and without prior CAD (hMBF, 2.3 vs. 2.3 mL·min-1·g-1; CFR, 2.7 vs. 2.6). Females (n = 190) had higher hMBF cutoffs than males (2.8 vs. 2.3 mL·min-1·g-1), whereas CFRs were comparable (2.6 vs. 2.7). However, female sex-specific hMBF cutoff implementation decreased diagnostic accuracy as compared with the cutoff of 2.3 mL·min-1·g-1 (72% vs. 82%, P < 0.001). Patients aged more than 70 y (n = 79) had lower hMBF (1.7 mL·min-1·g-1) and CFR (2.3) cutoffs than did patients aged 50 y or less, 51-60 y, and 61-70 y (hMBF, 2.3-2.4 mL·min-1·g-1; CFR, 2.7). Age-specific cutoffs in patients aged more than 70 y yielded comparable accuracy to the previously established cutoffs (hMBF, 72% vs. 76%, P = 0.664; CFR, 80% vs. 75%, P = 0.289). Conclusion: Patients with and without prior CAD had similar [15O]H2O PET cutoffs for detecting FFR-defined significant CAD. Stratifying patients according to sex and age led to different optimal cutoffs; however, these values did not translate into an increased overall accuracy as compared with previously established thresholds for MBF.

Ten-Year Outcome of Recanalization or Medical Therapy for Concomitant Chronic Total Occlusion After Myocardial Infarction.

BACKGROUND: The EXPLORE (Evaluating Xience and Left Ventricular Function in PCI on Occlusions After STEMI) trial was the first and only randomized trial investigating chronic total occlusion (CTO) percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) early after primary PCI for ST-segment-elevation myocardial infarction, compared with medical therapy for the CTO. We performed a 10-year follow-up of EXPLORE to investigate long-term safety and clinical impact of CTO PCI after ST-segment-elevation myocardial infarction, compared with no-CTO PCI. METHODS AND RESULTS: In EXPLORE, 302 patients post-ST-segment-elevation myocardial infarction with concurrent CTO were randomized to CTO PCI within ≈1 week or no-CTO PCI. We performed an extended clinical follow-up for the primary end point of major adverse cardiac events, consisting of cardiovascular death, coronary artery bypass grafting, or myocardial infarction. Secondary end points included all-cause death, angina, and dyspnea. Median follow-up was 10 years (interquartile range, 8-11 years). The primary end point occurred in 25% of patients with CTO PCI and in 24% of patients with no-CTO PCI (hazard ratio [HR], 1.11 [95% CI, 0.70-1.76]). Cardiovascular mortality was higher in the CTO PCI group (HR, 2.09 [95% CI, 1.10-2.50]), but all-cause death was similar (HR, 1.53 [95% CI, 0.93-2.50]). Dyspnea relief was more frequent after CTO PCI (83% versus 65%, P=0.005), with no significant difference in angina. CONCLUSIONS: This 10-year follow-up of patients post-ST-segment-elevation myocardial infarction randomized to CTO PCI or no-CTO PCI demonstrated no clinical benefit of CTO PCI in major adverse cardiac events or overall mortality. However, CTO PCI was associated with a higher cardiovascular mortality compared with no-CTO PCI. Our long-term data support a careful weighing of effective symptom relief against an elevated cardiovascular mortality risk in CTO PCI decisions. REGISTRATION: URL: https://www.trialregister.nl; Unique identifier: NTR1108.

Impact of a Chronic Total Coronary Occlusion on the Incidence of Appropriate Implantable Cardioverter-Defibrillator Shocks and Mortality: A Substudy of the Dutch Outcome in ICD Therapy (DO-IT)) Registry.

BACKGROUND: Chronic total coronary occlusions (CTO) substantially increase the risk for sudden cardiac death. Among patients with chronic ischemic heart disease at risk for sudden cardiac death, an implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) is the favored therapy for primary prevention of sudden cardiac death. This study sought to investigate the impact of CTOs on the risk for appropriate ICD shocks and mortality within a nationwide prospective cohort. METHODS AND RESULTS: This is a subanalysis of the nationwide Dutch-Outcome in ICD Therapy (DO-IT) registry of primary prevention ICD recipients in The Netherlands between September 2014 and June 2016 (n=1442). We identified patients with chronic ischemic heart disease (n=663) and assessed available coronary angiograms for CTO presence (n=415). Patients with revascularized CTOs were excluded (n=79). The primary end point was the composite of all-cause mortality and appropriate ICD shocks. Clinical follow-up was conducted for at least 2 years. A total of 336 patients were included, with an average age of 67±9 years, and 20.5% was female (n=69). An unrevascularized CTO was identified in 110 patients (32.7%). During a median follow-up period of 27 months (interquartile range, 24-32), the primary end point occurred in 21.1% of patients with CTO (n=23) compared with 11.9% in patients without CTO (n=27; P=0.034). Corrected for baseline characteristics including left ventricular ejection fraction, and the presence of a CTO was an independent predictor for the primary end point (hazard ratio, 1.82 [95% CI, 1.03-3.22]; P=0.038). CONCLUSIONS: Within this nationwide prospective registry of primary prevention ICD recipients, the presence of an unrevascularized CTO was an independent predictor for the composite outcome of all-cause mortality and appropriate ICD shocks.

Impact of sex on myocardial perfusion following percutaneous coronary intervention of chronic total coronary occlusions.

OBJECTIVES: We sought to investigate the impact of sex on myocardial perfusion changes following chronic total coronary occlusion (CTO) percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) as measured by [15O]H2O positron-emission tomography (PET) perfusion imaging. BACKGROUND: CTO PCI has been associated with an increase in myocardial perfusion, yet females are less likely to undergo revascularization. As such, data on the impact of sex on myocardial perfusion following CTO PCI is scarce. METHODS: A total of 212 patients were prospectively enrolled and underwent CTO PCI combined with [15O]H2O PET perfusion imaging prior to and 3 months after PCI. Hyperemic myocardial blood flow (hMBF, mL·min-1·g-1) and coronary flow reserve (CFR) allocated to the CTO territory were quantitatively assessed. RESULTS: This study comprised 34 (16 %) females and 178 (84 %) males. HMBF at baseline did not differ between sexes. Females showed a higher increase in hMBF than males (Δ1.34 ± 0.67 vs. Δ1.06 ± 0.74, p = 0.044), whereas post-PCI hMBF was comparable (2.59 ± 0.85 in females vs. 2.28 ± 0.84 in males, p = 0.052). Female sex was independently associated with a higher increase in hMBF after correction for clinical covariates. CFR increase after revascularization was similar in females and males (Δ1.47 ± 0.99 vs. Δ1.30 ± 1.14, p = 0.711). CONCLUSIONS: The present study demonstrates a greater recovery of stress perfusion in females compared to males as measured by serial [15O]H2O PET imaging. In addition, a comparable increase in CFR was found in females and males. These results emphasize the benefit of performing CTO PCI in both sexes. CLINICAL PERSPECTIVE: What is new? What are the clinical implications?

Development and Validation of a Quantitative Coronary CT Angiography Model for Diagnosis of Vessel-Specific Coronary Ischemia.

BACKGROUND: Noninvasive stress testing is commonly used for detection of coronary ischemia but possesses variable accuracy and may result in excessive health care costs. OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to derive and validate an artificial intelligence-guided quantitative coronary computed tomography angiography (AI-QCT) model for the diagnosis of coronary ischemia that integrates atherosclerosis and vascular morphology measures (AI-QCTISCHEMIA) and to evaluate its prognostic utility for major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE). METHODS: A post hoc analysis of the CREDENCE (Computed Tomographic Evaluation of Atherosclerotic Determinants of Myocardial Ischemia) and PACIFIC-1 (Comparison of Coronary Computed Tomography Angiography, Single Photon Emission Computed Tomography [SPECT], Positron Emission Tomography [PET], and Hybrid Imaging for Diagnosis of Ischemic Heart Disease Determined by Fractional Flow Reserve) studies was performed. In both studies, symptomatic patients with suspected stable coronary artery disease had prospectively undergone coronary computed tomography angiography (CTA), myocardial perfusion imaging (MPI), SPECT, or PET, fractional flow reserve by CT (FFRCT), and invasive coronary angiography in conjunction with invasive FFR measurements. The AI-QCTISCHEMIA model was developed in the derivation cohort of the CREDENCE study, and its diagnostic performance for coronary ischemia (FFR ≤0.80) was evaluated in the CREDENCE validation cohort and PACIFIC-1. Its prognostic value was investigated in PACIFIC-1. RESULTS: In CREDENCE validation (n = 305, age 64.4 ± 9.8 years, 210 [69%] male), the diagnostic performance by area under the receiver-operating characteristics curve (AUC) on per-patient level was 0.80 (95% CI: 0.75-0.85) for AI-QCTISCHEMIA, 0.69 (95% CI: 0.63-0.74; P < 0.001) for FFRCT, and 0.65 (95% CI: 0.59-0.71; P < 0.001) for MPI. In PACIFIC-1 (n = 208, age 58.1 ± 8.7 years, 132 [63%] male), the AUCs were 0.85 (95% CI: 0.79-0.91) for AI-QCTISCHEMIA, 0.78 (95% CI: 0.72-0.84; P = 0.037) for FFRCT, 0.89 (95% CI: 0.84-0.93; P = 0.262) for PET, and 0.72 (95% CI: 0.67-0.78; P < 0.001) for SPECT. Adjusted for clinical risk factors and coronary CTA-determined obstructive stenosis, a positive AI-QCTISCHEMIA test was associated with an HR of 7.6 (95% CI: 1.2-47.0; P = 0.030) for MACE. CONCLUSIONS: This newly developed coronary CTA-based ischemia model using coronary atherosclerosis and vascular morphology characteristics accurately diagnoses coronary ischemia by invasive FFR and provides robust prognostic utility for MACE beyond presence of stenosis.

Impact of sex on the assessment of the microvascular resistance reserve.

BACKGROUND: The microvascular resistance reserve (MRR) is an innovative index to assess the vasodilatory capacity of the coronary circulation while accounting for the presence of concomitant epicardial disease. The MRR has shown to be a valuable diagnostic and prognostic tool in the general coronary artery disease (CAD) population. However, considering the fundamental aspects of its assessment and the unique hemodynamic characteristics of women, it is crucial to provide additional considerations for evaluating the MRR specifically in women. AIM: The aim of this study was to assess the diagnostic and prognostic applicability of the MRR in women and assess the potential differences across different sexes. METHODS: From the ILIAS Registry, we enrolled all patients with a stable indication for invasive coronary angiography, ensuring complete physiological and follow-up data. We analyzed the diagnostic value by comparing differences between sexes and evaluated the prognostic value of the MRR specifically in women, comparing it to that in men. RESULTS: A total of 1494 patients were included of which 26% were women. The correlation between MRR and CFR was good and similar between women (r = 0.80, p < 0.005) and men (r = 0.81, p < 0.005). The MRR was an independent and important predictor of MACE in both women (HR 0.67, 0.47-0.96, p = 0.027) and men (HR 0.84, 0.74-0.95, p = 0.007). The optimal cut-off value for MRR in women was 2.8 and 3.2 in men. An abnormal MRR similarly predicted MACE at 5-year follow-up in both women and men. CONCLUSION: The MRR seems to be equally applicable in both women and men with stable coronary artery disease.

Validation of resting full-cycle ratio and diastolic pressure ratio with [15O]H2O positron emission tomography myocardial perfusion.

Fractional flow reserve (FFR) and instantaneous wave-free ratio (iFR) are invasive techniques used to evaluate the hemodynamic significance of coronary artery stenosis. These methods have been validated through perfusion imaging and clinical trials. New invasive pressure ratios that do not require hyperemia have recently emerged, and it is essential to confirm their diagnostic efficacy. The aim of this study was to validate the resting full-cycle ratio (RFR) and the diastolic pressure ratio (dPR), against [15O]H2O positron emission tomography (PET) imaging. A total of 129 symptomatic patients with an intermediate risk of coronary artery disease (CAD) were included. All patients underwent cardiac [15O]H2O PET with quantitative assessment of resting and hyperemic myocardial perfusion. Within a 2 week period, coronary angiography was performed. Intracoronary pressure measurements were obtained in 320 vessels and RFR, dPR, and FFR were computed. PET derived regional hyperemic myocardial blood flow (hMBF) and myocardial perfusion reserve (MPR) served as reference standards. In coronary arteries with stenoses (43%, 136 of 320), the overall diagnostic accuracies of RFR, dPR, and FFR did not differ when PET hyperemic MBF < 2.3 ml min-1 (69.9%, 70.6%, and 77.1%, respectively) and PET MPR < 2.5 (70.6%, 71.3%, and 66.9%, respectively) were considered as the reference for myocardial ischemia. Non-significant differences between the areas under the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve were found between the different indices. Furthermore, the integration of FFR with RFR (or dPR) does not enhance the diagnostic information already achieved by FFR in the characterization of ischemia via PET perfusion. In conclusion, the novel non-hyperemic pressure ratios, RFR and dPR, have a diagnostic performance comparable to FFR in assessing regional myocardial ischemia. These findings suggest that RFR and dPR may be considered as an FFR alternative for invasively guiding revascularization treatment in symptomatic patients with CAD.

Beyond early LDL cholesterol lowering to prevent coronary atherosclerosis in familial hypercholesterolaemia.

AIMS: Familial hypercholesterolaemia (FH) patients are subjected to a high lifetime exposure to low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), despite use of lipid-lowering therapy (LLT). This study aimed to quantify the extent of subclinical atherosclerosis and to evaluate the association between lifetime cumulative LDL-C exposure and coronary atherosclerosis in young FH patients. METHODS AND RESULTS: Familial hypercholesterolaemia patients, divided into a subgroup of early treated (LLT initiated <25 years) and late treated (LLT initiated ≥25 years) patients, and an age- and sex-matched unaffected control group, underwent coronary CT angiography (CCTA) with artificial intelligence-guided analysis. Ninety genetically diagnosed FH patients and 45 unaffected volunteers (mean age 41 ± 3 years, 51 (38%) female) were included. Familial hypercholesterolaemia patients had higher cumulative LDL-C exposure (181 ± 54 vs. 105 ± 33 mmol/L ∗ years) and higher prevalence of coronary plaque compared with controls (46 [51%] vs. 10 [22%], OR 3.66 [95%CI 1.62-8.27]). Every 75 mmol/L ∗ years cumulative exposure to LDL-C was associated with a doubling in per cent atheroma volume (total plaque volume divided by total vessel volume). Early treated patients had a modestly lower cumulative LDL-C exposure compared with late treated FH patients (167 ± 41 vs. 194 ± 61 mmol/L ∗ years; P = 0.045), without significant difference in coronary atherosclerosis. Familial hypercholesterolaemia patients with above-median cumulative LDL-C exposure had significantly higher plaque prevalence (OR 3.62 [95%CI 1.62-8.27]; P = 0.001), compared with patients with below-median exposure. CONCLUSION: Lifetime exposure to LDL-C determines coronary plaque burden in FH, underlining the need of early as well as potent treatment initiation. Periodic CCTA may offer a unique opportunity to monitor coronary atherosclerosis and personalize treatment in FH.

This study reveals that young patients with familial hypercholesterolaemia (FH), as compared with individuals without FH, have a higher build-up of coronary artery plaque, linked directly to their increased lifetime exposure to LDL cholesterol. Genetically confirmed FH patients have a higher coronary plaque burden than those without FH, with every 75 mmol/L ∗ years increase in lifetime cumulative LDL cholesterol exposure resulting in a two-fold increase in total plaque volume. Early and potent LDL cholesterol lowering treatments are crucial for FH patients to prevent future cardiovascular diseases.

Hemodynamic Insights into Combined Fractional Flow Reserve and Instantaneous Wave-Free Ratio Assessment Through Quantitative [15O]H2O PET Myocardial Perfusion Imaging.

In patients evaluated for obstructive coronary artery disease (CAD), guidelines recommend using either fractional flow reserve (FFR) or instantaneous wave-free ratio (iFR) to guide coronary revascularization decision-making. The hemodynamic significance of lesions with discordant FFR and iFR measurements is debated. This study compared [15O]H2O PET-derived absolute myocardial perfusion between vessels with concordant and discordant FFR and iFR measurements. Methods: We included 197 patients suspected of obstructive CAD who had undergone [15O]H2O PET perfusion imaging and combined FFR/iFR interrogation in 468 vessels. Resting myocardial blood flow (MBF), hyperemic MBF, and coronary flow reserve (CFR) were compared among 4 groups: FFR low/iFR low (n = 79), FFR high/iFR low (n = 22), FFR low/iFR high (n = 22), and FFR high/iFR high (n = 345). Predefined [15O]H2O PET thresholds for ischemia were 2.3 mL·min-1·g-1 or less for hyperemic MBF and 2.5 or less for CFR. Results: Hyperemic MBF was lower in the concordant low (2.09 ± 0.67 mL·min-1·g-1), FFR high/iFR low (2.41 ± 0.80 mL·min-1·g-1), and FFR low/iFR high (2.40 ± 0.69 mL·min-1·g-1) groups compared with the concordant high group (2.91 ± 0.84 mL·min-1·g-1) (P < 0.001, P = 0.004, and P < 0.001, respectively). A lower CFR was observed in the concordant low (2.37 ± 0.76) and FFR high/iFR low (2.64 ± 0.84) groups compared with the concordant high group (3.35 ± 1.07, P < 0.01 for both). However, for vessels with either low FFR or low iFR, quantitative hyperemic MBF and CFR values exceeded the ischemic threshold in 38% and 49%, respectively. In addition, resting MBF exhibited a negative correlation with iFR (P < 0.001) and was associated with FFR low/iFR high discordance compared with concordant low FFR/low iFR measurements, independent of clinical and angiographic characteristics, as well as hyperemic MBF (odds ratio [OR], 0.41; 95% CI, 0.26-0.65; P < 0.001). Conclusion: We found reduced myocardial perfusion in vessels with concordant low and discordant FFR/iFR measurements. However, FFR/iFR combinations often inaccurately classified vessels as either ischemic or nonischemic when compared with hyperemic MBF and CFR. Furthermore, a lower resting MBF was associated with a higher iFR and the occurrence of FFR low/iFR high discordance. Our study showed that although combined FFR/iFR assessment can be useful to estimate the hemodynamic significance of coronary lesions, these pressure-derived indices provide a limited approximation of [15O]H2O PET-derived quantitative myocardial perfusion as the physiologic standard of CAD severity.

AI-Guided Quantitative Plaque Staging Predicts Long-Term Cardiovascular Outcomes in Patients at Risk for Atherosclerotic CVD.

BACKGROUND: The recent development of artificial intelligence-guided quantitative coronary computed tomography angiography analysis (AI-QCT) has enabled rapid analysis of atherosclerotic plaque burden and characteristics. OBJECTIVES: This study set out to investigate the 10-year prognostic value of atherosclerotic burden derived from AI-QCT and to compare the spectrum of plaque to manually assessed coronary computed tomography angiography (CCTA), coronary artery calcium scoring (CACS), and clinical risk characteristics. METHODS: This was a long-term follow-up study of 536 patients referred for suspected coronary artery disease. CCTA scans were analyzed with AI-QCT and plaque burden was classified with a plaque staging system (stage 0: 0% percentage atheroma volume [PAV]; stage 1: >0%-5% PAV; stage 2: >5%-15% PAV; stage 3: >15% PAV). The primary major adverse cardiac event (MACE) outcome was a composite of nonfatal myocardial infarction, nonfatal stroke, coronary revascularization, and all-cause mortality. RESULTS: The mean age at baseline was 58.6 years and 297 patients (55%) were male. During a median follow-up of 10.3 years (IQR: 8.6-11.5 years), 114 patients (21%) experienced the primary outcome. Compared to stages 0 and 1, patients with stage 3 PAV and percentage of noncalcified plaque volume of >7.5% had a more than 3-fold (adjusted HR: 3.57; 95% CI 2.12-6.00; P < 0.001) and 4-fold (adjusted HR: 4.37; 95% CI: 2.51-7.62; P < 0.001) increased risk of MACE, respectively. Addition of AI-QCT improved a model with clinical risk factors and CACS at different time points during follow-up (10-year AUC: 0.82 [95% CI: 0.78-0.87] vs 0.73 [95% CI: 0.68-0.79]; P < 0.001; net reclassification improvement: 0.21 [95% CI: 0.09-0.38]). Furthermore, AI-QCT achieved an improved area under the curve compared to Coronary Artery Disease Reporting and Data System 2.0 (10-year AUC: 0.78; 95% CI: 0.73-0.83; P = 0.023) and manual QCT (10-year AUC: 0.78; 95% CI: 0.73-0.83; P = 0.040), although net reclassification improvement was modest (0.09 [95% CI: -0.02 to 0.29] and 0.04 [95% CI: -0.05 to 0.27], respectively). CONCLUSIONS: Through 10-year follow-up, AI-QCT plaque staging showed important prognostic value for MACE and showed additional discriminatory value over clinical risk factors, CACS, and manual guideline-recommended CCTA assessment.

Treatment of elderly patients with non-ST-elevation myocardial infarction: the nationwide POPular age registry.

OBJECTIVE: We describe the current treatment of elderly patients with non-ST-elevation myocardial infarction (NSTEMI) enrolled in a national registry. METHODS: The POPular AGE registry is a prospective, multicentre study of patients ≥ 75 years of age presenting with NSTEMI, performed in the Netherlands. Management was at the discretion of the treating physician. Cardiovascular events consisted of cardiovascular death, myocardial infarction and ischaemic stroke. Bleeding was classified according to the Bleeding Academic Research Consortium (BARC) criteria. RESULTS: A total of 646 patients were enrolled between August 2016 and May 2018. Median age was 81 (IQR 77-84) years and 58% were male. Overall, 75% underwent coronary angiography, 40% percutaneous coronary intervention, and 11% coronary artery bypass grafting, while 49.8% received pharmacological therapy only. At discharge, dual antiplatelet therapy (aspirin and P2Y12 inhibitor) was prescribed to 56.7%, and 27.4% received oral anticoagulation plus at least one antiplatelet agent. At 1­year follow-up, cardiovascular death, myocardial infarction or stroke had occurred in 13.6% and major bleeding (BARC 3 and 5) in 3.9% of patients. The risk of both cardiovascular events and major bleeding was highest during the 1st month. However, cardiovascular risk was three times as high as bleeding risk in this elderly population, both after 1 month and after 1 year. CONCLUSIONS: In this national registry of elderly patients with NSTEMI, the majority are treated according to current European Society of Cardiology guidelines. Both the cardiovascular and bleeding risk are highest during the 1st month after NSTEMI. However, the cardiovascular risk was three times as high as the bleeding risk.

Rationale and design of the CONFIRM2 (Quantitative COroNary CT Angiography Evaluation For Evaluation of Clinical Outcomes: An InteRnational, Multicenter Registry) study.

BACKGROUND: In the last 15 years, large registries and several randomized clinical trials have demonstrated the diagnostic and prognostic value of coronary computed tomography angiography (CCTA). Advances in CT scanner technology and developments of analytic tools now enable accurate quantification of coronary artery disease (CAD), including total coronary plaque volume and low attenuation plaque volume. The primary aim of CONFIRM2, (Quantitative COroNary CT Angiography Evaluation For Evaluation of Clinical Outcomes: An InteRnational, Multicenter Registry) is to perform comprehensive quantification of CCTA findings, including coronary, non-coronary cardiac, non-cardiac vascular, non-cardiac findings, and relate them to clinical variables and cardiovascular clinical outcomes. DESIGN: CONFIRM2 is a multicenter, international observational cohort study designed to evaluate multidimensional associations between quantitative phenotype of cardiovascular disease and future adverse clinical outcomes in subjects undergoing clinically indicated CCTA. The targeted population is heterogenous and includes patients undergoing CCTA for atherosclerotic evaluation, valvular heart disease, congenital heart disease or pre-procedural evaluation. Automated software will be utilized for quantification of coronary plaque, stenosis, vascular morphology and cardiac structures for rapid and reproducible tissue characterization. Up to 30,000 patients will be included from up to 50 international multi-continental clinical CCTA sites and followed for 3-4 years. SUMMARY: CONFIRM2 is one of the largest CCTA studies to establish the clinical value of a multiparametric approach to quantify the phenotype of cardiovascular disease by CCTA using automated imaging solutions.

Prognostic Implications of Individual and Combinations of Resting and Hyperemic Coronary Pressure and Flow Parameters.

Background: Coronary pressure- and flow-derived parameters have prognostic value. Objectives: This study aims to investigate the individual and combined prognostic relevance of pressure and flow parameters reflecting resting and hyperemic conditions. Methods: A total of 1,971 vessels deferred from revascularization after invasive pressure and flow assessment were included from the international multicenter registry. Abnormal resting pressure and flow were defined as distal coronary pressure/aortic pressure ≤0.92 and high resting flow (1/resting mean transit time >2.4 or resting average peak flow >22.7 cm/s), and abnormal hyperemic pressure and flow as fractional flow reserve ≤0.80 and low hyperemic flow (1/hyperemic mean transit time <2.2 or hyperemic average peak flow <25.0 cm/s), respectively. The clinical endpoint was target vessel failure (TVF), myocardial infarction (MI), or cardiac death at 5 years. Results: The mean % diameter stenosis was 46.8% ± 16.5%. Abnormal pressure and flow were independent predictors of TVF and cardiac death/MI (all P < 0.05). The risk of 5-year TVF or MI/cardiac death increased proportionally with neither, either, and both abnormal resting pressure and flow, and abnormal hyperemic pressure and flow (all P for trend < 0.001). Abnormal resting pressure and flow were associated with a higher rate of TVF or MI/cardiac death in vessels with normal fractional flow reserve; this association was similar for abnormal hyperemic pressure and flow in vessels with normal resting distal coronary pressure/aortic pressure (all P < 0.05). Conclusions: Abnormal resting and hyperemic pressure and flow were independent prognostic predictors. The abnormal flow had an additive prognostic value for pressure in both resting and hyperemic conditions with complementary prognostic between resting and hyperemic parameters.

The safety and feasibility of live-stream proctoring for CTO procedures.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the technical feasibility of a new method of educational training, based on audio-video (AV) communication between an interventional cardiologist and the cath lab staff members in one location and a remote expert proctor. METHODS: Overall, 9 patients underwent a percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) targeting a chronic total occlusion (CTO) between June 2021 and January 2022 at a single Belgian center using the virtual proctoring approach. For this assessment, the strategic planning of the CTO PCI and all the decisions throughout the intervention were the responsibility of the proctor. The operator was guided via an AV link, by the proctor throughout the procedure. RESULTS: The operator performed each procedural step, guided by the remote proctor, who had continuous access to all relevant interventional details. No major adverse cardiac events (MACE) occurred during the index hospitalization or within 6 months follow-up. CONCLUSIONS: A new method of virtual proctoring based on live AV communication is feasible, even in the case of highly complex CTO PCI procedures. This strategy also appears safe and may provide the patient the benefit of incremental expertise. This approach is facilitated by advances in AV communication and allows physicians to share expertise irrespective of location. It could increase global interaction between colleagues and facilitate sharing of knowledge, which are both key aspects in the development of CTO PCI. This preliminary experience could serve as a basis for future large studies to study the potential role and benefits of virtual proctoring for complex CTO PCI procedures.