D-dimer levels at diagnosis and long-term clinical outcomes in venous thromboembolism: from the COMMAND VTE Registry.

The relationship between D-dimer level at diagnosis and long-term clinical outcomes has not been fully evaluated in venous thromboembolism (VTE). The COMMAND VTE Registry is a multicenter registry enrolling consecutive acute symptomatic VTE patients in Japan. Patients with available D-dimer levels at diagnosis (N = 2852) were divided into 4 groups according to the D-dimer levels; Quartile 1 (0.0-4.9 µg/mL): N = 682, Quartile 2 (5.0-9.9 µg/mL) N = 694, Quartile 3 (10.0-19.9 µg/mL) N = 710, and Quartile 4 (≥ 20.0 µg/mL): N = 766. The cumulative incidence of all-cause death was higher in Quartile 4 throughout the entire follow-up period (19.9%, 24.9%, 28.8%, and 41.5% at 5-year, P < 0.0001), as well as both within and beyond 30-day. After adjustment, the excess risk of Quartile 4 relative to Quartile 1 for all-cause death remained significant (HR 1.60, 95% CI 1.29-2.03). Similarly, the excess risk of Quartile 4 relative to Quartile 1 for recurrent VTE was significant (HR 1.57, 95% CI 1.02-2.41), which was more prominent in the cancer subgroup. The dominant causes of death in Quartile 4 were pulmonary embolism within 30-day, and cancer beyond 30-day. In conclusions, in VTE patients, elevated D-dimer levels at diagnosis were associated with the increased risk for both short-term and long-term mortality. The higher mortality risk of patients with highest D-dimer levels was driven by the higher risk for fatal PE within 30-day, and by the higher risk for cancer death beyond 30-day. Elevated D-dimer levels were also associated with the increased risk for long-term recurrent VTE, which was more prominent in patients with active cancer.

Association of Previous Hospitalization for Heart Failure With Increased Mortality in Patients Hospitalized for Acute Decompensated Heart Failure.

Background: We sought to explore the effects of previous heart failure (HF) hospitalization on mortality in patients hospitalized for acute decompensated HF (ADHF) in a large Japanese contemporary observational database. Methods and Results: We prospectively enrolled consecutive patients with ADHF in 19 participating hospitals between October 2014 and March 2016. Of 4,056 patients, 1,442 patients (35.4%) had at least 1 previous HF hospitalization (previous hospitalization group), while 2,614 patients (64.5%) did not have a history of HF hospitalization (de novo hospitalization group). Patients with previous hospitalization were older and more often had comorbidities such as anemia, and renal failure than those without. The cumulative 1-year incidence of all-cause death was significantly higher in the previous hospitalization group than in the de novo hospitalization group (28% vs. 19%, P<0.001). After adjusting confounders, the excess risk of the previous hospitalization group relative to the de novo hospitalization group for all-cause death remained significant (HR, 1.28; 95% CI: 1.10-1.50, P=0.001). The excess risk was significant in patients without advanced age, anemia, or renal failure, but not significant in patients with these comorbidities, with significant interaction. Increase in the number of hospitalizations was associated with an increased risk for mortality. Conclusions: In a contemporary ADHF cohort in Japan, repeated hospitalization was associated with an increasing, higher risk for 1-year mortality.

Kyoto Congestive Heart Failure (KCHF) study: rationale and design.

AIMS: Over the last decade, major developments in medicine have led to significant changes in the clinical management of heart failure patients. This study was designed to evaluate the recent trends in clinical characteristics, management, and short-term and long-term prognosis of patients with acute decompensated heart failure (ADHF) in Japan. METHODS AND RESULTS: The Kyoto Congestive Heart Failure study is a prospective, observational, multicentre cohort study, enrolling consecutive ADHF patients from 19 participating hospitals in Japan from November 2014 to March 2016. A total of 4000 patients will be enrolled into the study and patients' anthropometric, socio-economic, and clinical data from hospital admission to discharge will be collected. In addition, in a pre-determined subgroup of patients (n=1500), a longitudinal follow-up for 2 years is scheduled. CONCLUSIONS: The Kyoto Congestive Heart Failure study will provide valuable information regarding patients with ADHF in the real-world clinical practice of Japan and will be indispensable for future clinical and policy decision-making with respect to heart failure.

Comparison of the Influence of Right Atrial Septal Pacing and Appendage Pacing on an Atrial Function and Atrial Fibrillation in the Clinical Situation.

INTRODUCTION: Recently right atrial septal (RAS) pacing is often selected, but the benefit brought by RAS pacing has not been clear. The aim of this study was to evaluate the differences between RAS pacing and right appendage (RAA) pacing. METHODS: 223 consecutive new patients with a right atrial (RA) electrode during the period from January 2004 to December 2012 were studied retrospectively. They were observed regularly at our pacemaker (PM) clinic, and we measured paced P - sensed QRS interval (pPQi) and left atrial dimension (LAD) during the observation period, furthermore the onset of atrial fibrillation (AF) was assessed. RESULTS: Mean age was 74.5 years and 104 were men. Mean follow-up period was 4.5 years. 177 patients received RAA pacing and 46 received RAS pacing. There was no difference of LAD and pPQi between patients with RAA pacing and with RAS pacing with more than 50% of percentage as the atrial pacing (%AP). About the comparison between intrinsic PQ interval and pPQi, only RAA pacing made long significantly from intrinsic PQ interval to pPQi (p=0.020, 172.3±46.3 vs. 189.7±38.0). The %AP more than 50% brought less probability of the onset AF. On the other hand, none of pacing sites of RA, pacing mode, and the percentage of ventricular pacing influenced on the probability of the onset of AF. Although in patients with 50% as %AP RAA pacing made patients with AF increased (from 17 to 22), RAS pacing made them decreased (from 14 to 12). CONCLUSIONS: This study did not show the superiority of RAS pacing to RAA pacing, it seems that %AP is more important for the onset of AF. The possibility was seen that RAS pacing reduces the onset of AF.

Sirolimus-eluting stent implantation for ostial right coronary artery lesions: five-year outcomes from the j-Cypher registry.

Ostial right coronary artery (RCA) lesions are associated with a high restenosis rate after bare-metal stent implantation. However, long-term outcomes after drug-eluting stent (DES) implantation for ostial RCA lesions have not been adequately evaluated. Among 12824 patients enrolled in the j-Cypher registry, 5-year outcomes were compared between 397 patients with ostial RCA lesions, and 3716 patients with non-ostial RCA lesions treated with sirolimus-eluting stents (SES). Through 5-year follow-up, patients with ostial RCA lesions had a significantly higher cumulative incidence of target lesion revascularization (TLR) (28.2 versus 13.7 %, P < 0.0001) than those with non-ostial RCA lesions. After adjusting for confounders, excess TLR risk of the ostial group relative to the non-ostial group was significant for both early TLR within 1-year and late TLR beyond 1-year (HR 2.14 [95 % CI 1.59-2.84], P < 0.0001, and HR 1.58 [95 % CI 1.06-2.26], P = 0.02, respectively). Although the cumulative incidence of death was also significantly higher in the ostial group than in the non-ostial group (25.7 versus 14.4 %, P < 0.0001), the excess risk of the ostial group relative to the non-ostial group was no longer significant after adjusting for confounders (HR 1.25 [95 % CI 0.99-1.57], P = 0.07). SES implantation for ostial RCA lesions was associated with higher risk for TLR as compared with that for non-ostial RCA lesions. Restenosis, both early and late, remains an issue in coronary DES implantation for ostial RCA lesions.

Utility of nicorandil for the measurement of coronary fractional flow reserve.

Nicorandil, an adenosine triphosphate (ATP)-sensitive potassium channel opener, has been used as an anti-angina drug that causes coronary vasodilation of both epicardial and resistance vessels. We assessed the hyperaemic efficacy of nicorandil for the measurement of coronary fractional flow reserve (FFR). In this prospective, single-centre study, we enrolled 20 consecutive patients (20 lesions) with intermediate coronary artery stenosis. Hyperaemic efficacy of intracoronary bolus injection of nicorandil (2 mg) was compared with that of continuous intravenous infusion of adenosine triphosphate (ATP, 150 µg/kg/min). The intra-patient difference of FFR value between the two hyperaemic stimuli was evaluated using a non-inferiority design with the margin of 0.03. Among study patients, no serious event occurred with administration of either stimulus. A strong and linear correlation of FFR with ATP and nicorandil was observed (r (2) = 0.98, P < 0.0001). The intra-patient difference of the FFR between nicorandil and ATP was 0.003 (95 % confidence interval -0.004 to 0.011), and the probability for the non-inferiority margin of 0.03 was <0.0001. In conclusion, bolus intracoronary injection of nicorandil was non-inferior to continuous intravenous injection of ATP in achieving maximal hyperaemia. Nicorandil could be considered as an alternative option for achieving maximal coronary and myocardial hyperaemia for the assessment of FFR.