Influence of Patient-Specific Characteristics on Transcatheter Heart Valve Neo-Sinus Flow: An In Silico Study.

Thrombosis in post-transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) patients has been correlated with flow stasis in the neo-sinus. This study investigated the effect of the post-TAVR geometry on flow stasis. Computed tomography angiography of 155 patients who underwent TAVR using a SAPIEN 3 were used to identify patients with and without thrombosis, and quantify thrombus volumes. Six patients with 23-mm SAPIEN 3 valves were then selected from the cohort and used to create patient-specific post-TAVR computational fluid dynamic models. Regions of flow stasis (%Volstasis, velocities below 0.05 m/s) were identified. The results showed that all post-TAVR anatomical measurements were significantly different in patients with and without thrombus, but only sinus diameter had a linear correlation with thrombus volume (r = 0.471, p = 0.008). A linear correlation was observed between %Volstasis and thrombus volume (r = 0.821, p = 0.007). The combination of anatomy and valve deployment created a unique geometry in each patient, which when combined with patient-specific cardiac output, resulted in distinct flow patterns. While parametric studies have shown individual anatomical or deployment metrics may relate to flow stasis, the combined effects of these metrics potentially contributes to the biomechanical environment promoting thrombosis, therefore hemodynamic studies of TAVR should account for these patient-specific factors.

Coronary chronic total occlusions and mortality in patients with ventricular tachyarrhythmias.

AIMS: This study sought to assess the prognostic impact of coronary chronic total occlusions (CTO) in patients presenting with ventricular tachyarrhythmias on admission. METHODS AND RESULTS: A large retrospective registry was used, including all consecutive patients presenting with ventricular tachyarrhythmias on admission and undergoing coronary angiography from 2002 to 2016. Patients with a CTO were compared with all other patients (non-CTO) for prognostic outcomes. Statistics comprised Kaplan-Meier and Cox regression analyses. Within a total of 1,461 consecutive patients included with ventricular tachyarrhythmias on admission, a CTO was present in 20%. At midterm follow-up of 18 months, the primary endpoint all-cause mortality had occurred in 40% of CTO patients compared to 27% of non-CTO patients (HR 1.563, 95% CI: 1.263-1.934; p=0.001). The rates of secondary endpoints were higher for in-hospital all-cause mortality at index (29% versus 20%, log-rank p=0.027) and the composite endpoint of cardiac death at 24 hours, recurrent ventricular tachyarrhythmias and appropriate ICD therapies at midterm follow-up (28% versus 20%, log-rank p=0.005). Mortality rates were highest in CTO patients with stable coronary artery disease (CAD), acute myocardial infarction and in patients surviving index hospitalisation. CONCLUSIONS: In patients presenting with ventricular tachyarrhythmias on admission, the presence of a coronary CTO is independently associated with an increase of midterm all-cause mortality, in-hospital all-cause mortality and the composite endpoint of early cardiac death, recurrent ventricular tachyarrhythmias and appropriate ICD therapies.

Design and rationale of the COMPARE-ACUTE trial: Fractional flow reserve-guided primary multivessel percutaneous coronary intervention to improve guideline indexed actual standard of care for treatment of ST-elevation myocardial infarction in patients with multivessel coronary disease.

What the best strategy is for nonculprit lesions in ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) patients presenting with multivessel disease remains a clinical dilemma. Based on recent clinical studies suggesting that complete revascularization in the acute phase is beneficial, the European Society of Cardiology and American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association guidelines have been recently changed from class 3 discouragement to a class 2B recommendation concerning the treatment of the nonculprit lesions in the acute index procedure. However, in these recent studies, nonculprit lesion treatment was guided by angiography, which is known for its poor accuracy in determining ischemia. Fractional flow reserve (FFR) guidance for treatment of nonculprit vessels seems to be a reasonable approach, and in the acute setting of STEMI, it is not yet investigated. The COMPARE-ACUTE trial aims to investigate FFR-guided complete revascularization in comparison to a culprit lesion treatment-only strategy in STEMI patients with multivessel disease presenting for primary percutaneous coronary intervention. METHODS AND RESULTS: COMPARE-ACUTE is an investigator-initiated, prospective multicenter randomized controlled trial. After successful primary percutaneous coronary intervention, patients will be randomized in a 1:2 fashion toward FFR-guided complete revascularization or culprit lesion treatment-only strategies. The chosen primary end point is a composite of all-cause mortality, nonfatal myocardial infarction, any revascularization, and cerebrovascular events (major adverse cardiac and cerebrovascular events) at 12 months, with 3-year follow-up. Based on estimated event rates, a sample size of 885 patients is needed to show superiority of the FFR-guided revascularization with 80% power. CONCLUSION: The aim of the COMPARE-ACUTE trial is to assess whether FFR-guided complete revascularization in the acute setting is superior to culprit lesion treatment-only therapy.

Incidence and predictors of unplanned non-target lesion revascularisation up to three years after drug-eluting stent implantation: insights from a pooled analysis of the RESOLUTE Global Clinical Trial Program.

AIMS: To compare the incidence and predictors of target lesion revascularisation (TLR) and non-TLR after percutaneous coronary intervention with drug-eluting stents (DES). METHODS AND RESULTS: We pooled patient-level data on 6,137 patients (Resolute zotarolimus-eluting stent: 5,016, XIENCE everolimus-eluting stent: 1,121) in the RESOLUTE Global Program. At three years, clinically driven TLR, unplanned non-TLR, and no revascularisation occurred in 186, 618, and 5,333 patients, respectively. On multivariate analysis, predictors of both TLR and non-TLR were pre-procedure diameter stenosis (%) (odds ratio [OR] 1.01, 95% confidence interval [CI] [1.01-1.02], and OR 0.99 [0.99-1.00]), diabetes (OR 1.46 [1.07-1.99], and OR 1.37 [1.15-1.64]), and prior PCI (OR 1.42 [1.01-2.00], and OR 1.41 [1.18-1.68]). Baseline characteristics associated with TLR only were prior coronary artery bypass graft surgery (OR 2.85 [1.91-4.27]), in-stent restenosis (OR 2.35 [1.43-3.83]), age (OR 0.98 per year [0.97-1.00]), hypertension (OR 1.64 [1.10-2.44]), and pre-procedure reference vessel diameter (OR 0.74 per mm [0.55-0.99]). Baseline characteristics associated with non-TLR only were lesion location (left anterior descending vs. all others) (OR 0.70 [0.59-0.83]), and hyperlipidaemia (OR 1.42 [1.15-1.75]). CONCLUSIONS: The cumulative incidence of non-TLR at three years in patients treated with current-generation DES was almost three times higher than TLR.

The influence of age on clinical outcomes in patients treated with the resolute zotarolimus-eluting stent.

AIMS: To evaluate the rate of clinical events and bleeding risk according to age in patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) with a new-generation drug-eluting stent (DES) enrolled in the RESOLUTE Global Clinical Program. METHODS: This study represents a pooled analysis of five trials included in the RESOLUTE program including 5,130 patients, of whom 1,675 (32.6%) were ≥70 years old (elderly patients). RESULTS: After adjusting for confounders, age ≥70 years was a significant predictor of high mortality at 30 days (0.6 vs. 0.1%, P = 0.017) and 2 years (7.2 vs. 2%, P < 0.001). No differences were seen with respect to acute myocardial infarction (MI) or target lesion and vessel revascularization rates between young and elderly patients. Bleeding rates were higher in the elderly throughout follow-up. In the elderly, 7 of the 27 (26%) patients with bleeding episodes died, with a median time between bleeding episode to death of 21 days. In the younger population, 1 patient of 17 with a bleeding episode died (400 days later). CONCLUSIONS: Elderly patients undergoing PCI with a new-generation DES have increased mortality and bleeding risk, with similar rates of acute MI and repeat revascularization. Bleeding risk was higher in the elderly and strongly related to death. Target lesion failure rates were not significantly different between the two age groups, suggesting that the Resolute zotarolimus-eluting stent (R-ZES) is effective for patients younger and older than 70 years of age. R-ZES may be recommended for elderly patients when PCI with a DES is identified as a suitable option.

Revascularisation versus medical treatment in patients with stable coronary artery disease: network meta-analysis.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate whether revascularisation improves prognosis compared with medical treatment among patients with stable coronary artery disease. DESIGN: Bayesian network meta-analyses to combine direct within trial comparisons between treatments with indirect evidence from other trials while maintaining randomisation. ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA FOR SELECTING STUDIES: A strategy of initial medical treatment compared with revascularisation by coronary artery bypass grafting or Food and Drug Administration approved techniques for percutaneous revascularization: balloon angioplasty, bare metal stent, early generation paclitaxel eluting stent, sirolimus eluting stent, and zotarolimus eluting (Endeavor) stent, and new generation everolimus eluting stent, and zotarolimus eluting (Resolute) stent among patients with stable coronary artery disease. DATA SOURCES: Medline and Embase from 1980 to 2013 for randomised trials comparing medical treatment with revascularisation. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE: All cause mortality. RESULTS: 100 trials in 93,553 patients with 262,090 patient years of follow-up were included. Coronary artery bypass grafting was associated with a survival benefit (rate ratio 0.80, 95% credibility interval 0.70 to 0.91) compared with medical treatment. New generation drug eluting stents (everolimus: 0.75, 0.59 to 0.96; zotarolimus (Resolute): 0.65, 0.42 to 1.00) but not balloon angioplasty (0.85, 0.68 to 1.04), bare metal stents (0.92, 0.79 to 1.05), or early generation drug eluting stents (paclitaxel: 0.92, 0.75 to 1.12; sirolimus: 0.91, 0.75 to 1.10; zotarolimus (Endeavor): 0.88, 0.69 to 1.10) were associated with improved survival compared with medical treatment. Coronary artery bypass grafting reduced the risk of myocardial infarction compared with medical treatment (0.79, 0.63 to 0.99), and everolimus eluting stents showed a trend towards a reduced risk of myocardial infarction (0.75, 0.55 to 1.01). The risk of subsequent revascularisation was noticeably reduced by coronary artery bypass grafting (0.16, 0.13 to 0.20) followed by new generation drug eluting stents (zotarolimus (Resolute): 0.26, 0.17 to 0.40; everolimus: 0.27, 0.21 to 0.35), early generation drug eluting stents (zotarolimus (Endeavor): 0.37, 0.28 to 0.50; sirolimus: 0.29, 0.24 to 0.36; paclitaxel: 0.44, 0.35 to 0.54), and bare metal stents (0.69, 0.59 to 0.81) compared with medical treatment. CONCLUSION: Among patients with stable coronary artery disease, coronary artery bypass grafting reduces the risk of death, myocardial infarction, and subsequent revascularisation compared with medical treatment. All stent based coronary revascularisation technologies reduce the need for revascularisation to a variable degree. Our results provide evidence for improved survival with new generation drug eluting stents but no other percutaneous revascularisation technology compared with medical treatment.

Impact of overlapping newer generation drug-eluting stents on clinical and angiographic outcomes: pooled analysis of five trials from the international Global RESOLUTE Program.

BACKGROUND: Overlapping first generation sirolimus- and paclitaxel-eluting stents are associated with persistent inflammation, fibrin deposition and delayed endothelialisation in preclinical models, and adverse angiographic and clinical outcomes--including death and myocardial infarction (MI)--in clinical studies. OBJECTIVES: To establish as to whether there are any safety concerns with newer generation drug-eluting stents (DES). DESIGN: Propensity score adjustment of baseline anatomical and clinical characteristics were used to compare clinical outcomes (Kaplan-Meier estimates) between patients implanted with overlapping DES (Resolute zotarolimus-eluting stent (R-ZES) or R-ZES/other DES) against no overlapping DES. Additionally, angiographic outcomes for overlapping R-ZES and everolimus-eluting stents were evaluated in the randomised RESOLUTE All-Comers Trial. SETTING: Patient level data from five controlled studies of the RESOLUTE Global Clinical Program evaluating the R-ZES were pooled. Enrollment criteria were generally unrestrictive. PATIENTS: 5130 patients. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: 2-year clinical outcomes and 13-month angiographic outcomes. RESULTS: 644 of 5130 patients (12.6%) in the RESOLUTE Global Clinical Program underwent overlapping DES implantation. Implantation of overlapping DES was associated with an increased frequency of MI and more complex/calcified lesion types at baseline. Adjusted in-hospital, 30-day and 2-year clinical outcomes indicated comparable cardiac death (2-year overlap vs non-overlap: 3.0% vs 2.1%, p=0.36), major adverse cardiac events (13.3% vs 10.7%, p=0.19), target-vessel MI (3.9% vs 3.4%, p=0.40), clinically driven target vessel revascularisation (7.7% vs 6.5%, p=0.32), and definite/probable stent thrombosis (1.4% vs 0.9%, p=0.28). 13-month adjusted angiographic outcomes were comparable between overlapping and non-overlapping DES. CONCLUSIONS: Overlapping newer generation DES are safe and effective, with comparable angiographic and clinical outcomes--including repeat revascularisation--to non-overlapping DES.

Prasugrel versus clopidogrel in patients with acute coronary syndromes.

BACKGROUND: Dual-antiplatelet therapy with aspirin and a thienopyridine is a cornerstone of treatment to prevent thrombotic complications of acute coronary syndromes and percutaneous coronary intervention. METHODS: To compare prasugrel, a new thienopyridine, with clopidogrel, we randomly assigned 13,608 patients with moderate-to-high-risk acute coronary syndromes with scheduled percutaneous coronary intervention to receive prasugrel (a 60-mg loading dose and a 10-mg daily maintenance dose) or clopidogrel (a 300-mg loading dose and a 75-mg daily maintenance dose), for 6 to 15 months. The primary efficacy end point was death from cardiovascular causes, nonfatal myocardial infarction, or nonfatal stroke. The key safety end point was major bleeding. RESULTS: The primary efficacy end point occurred in 12.1% of patients receiving clopidogrel and 9.9% of patients receiving prasugrel (hazard ratio for prasugrel vs. clopidogrel, 0.81; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.73 to 0.90; P<0.001). We also found significant reductions in the prasugrel group in the rates of myocardial infarction (9.7% for clopidogrel vs. 7.4% for prasugrel; P<0.001), urgent target-vessel revascularization (3.7% vs. 2.5%; P<0.001), and stent thrombosis (2.4% vs. 1.1%; P<0.001). Major bleeding was observed in 2.4% of patients receiving prasugrel and in 1.8% of patients receiving clopidogrel (hazard ratio, 1.32; 95% CI, 1.03 to 1.68; P=0.03). Also greater in the prasugrel group was the rate of life-threatening bleeding (1.4% vs. 0.9%; P=0.01), including nonfatal bleeding (1.1% vs. 0.9%; hazard ratio, 1.25; P=0.23) and fatal bleeding (0.4% vs. 0.1%; P=0.002). CONCLUSIONS: In patients with acute coronary syndromes with scheduled percutaneous coronary intervention, prasugrel therapy was associated with significantly reduced rates of ischemic events, including stent thrombosis, but with an increased risk of major bleeding, including fatal bleeding. Overall mortality did not differ significantly between treatment groups. (ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT00097591 [ClinicalTrials.gov].)

Adjunctive mechanical devices to prevent distal embolization in patients undergoing mechanical revascularization for acute myocardial infarction: a meta-analysis of randomized trials.

BACKGROUND: The benefits of adjunctive mechanical devices to prevent distal embolization in patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI) are still a matter of debate. The aim of this meta-analysis was to combine data from all randomized trials conducted with adjunctive mechanical devices to prevent distal embolization in AMI. METHODS: The literature was scanned by formal searches of electronic databases (MEDLINE and Central) from January 1990 to October 2006, scientific session abstracts (from January 1990 to October 2006), and oral presentation and/or expert slide presentations (from January 2002 to October 2006) (on the Transcatheter Cardiovascular Therapeutics, American Heart Association, European Society of Cardiology, American College of Cardiology, and European Percutaneous Revascularization Web sites). We examined all randomized trials on adjunctive mechanical devices to prevent distal embolization in AMI. The following key words were used: randomized trial, myocardial infarction, reperfusion, primary angioplasty, rescue angioplasty, thrombectomy, thrombus aspiration, proximal or distal protection device, X-sizer, Diver, Export Catheter, Angiojet, Rescue catheter, Pronto catheter, PercuSurge, GuardWire, FilterWire, and SpideRX. Disagreements were resolved by consensus. RESULTS: A total of 21 trials with 3721 patients were included (1877 patients [50.4%] in the adjunctive mechanical device group and 1844 [49.6%] in the control group); 1502 patients (40.3%) were randomized in trials with distal protection devices, and 2219 patients (59.7%) were randomized in trials with thrombectomy devices. Adjunctive mechanical devices were associated with a higher rate of postprocedural TIMI 3 flow (89.4% vs 87.1%, P = .03), a significantly higher rate of postprocedural myocardial blush grade 3 (48.8% vs 36.5%, P < .0001), and less distal embolization (6.0% vs 9.3%, P = .008), without any benefit in terms of 30-day mortality (2.5% vs 2.6%, P = .88). No difference was observed in terms of coronary perforations (0.27% vs 0.07%, P = .24). CONCLUSIONS: This meta-analysis demonstrates that, among patients with AMI treated with percutaneous coronary intervention, the use of adjunctive mechanical devices to prevent distal embolization is associated with better myocardial perfusion and less distal embolization, but without an apparent improvement in survival.

Abciximab in primary coronary stenting of ST-elevation myocardial infarction: a European meta-analysis on individual patients' data with long-term follow-up.

AIMS: Varying results have been reported in studies evaluating glycoprotein (GP) IIb/IIIa inhibition in primary coronary stenting of acute ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI), usually with limited clinical follow-up. We performed a meta-analysis on case specific data of primary stenting in STEMI with a long-term evaluation. METHODS AND RESULTS: For this meta-analysis, studies of rescue percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) after failed lytic therapy, plain balloon angioplasty studies and studies with an angiographic selection of patients were excluded. The ISAR-2, ADMIRAL, and ACE studies fulfilled inclusion criteria and all individual data were analysed together. The primary endpoint was the composite of death or re-infarction up to 3 years of follow-up. A total of 1101 patients, presenting for primary PCI and stenting of STEMI were randomized to abciximab (n=550) or placebo (n=551). This population had high-risk characteristics with 41% of anterior MI, 30% with a prior history of MI, 8.4% of cardiogenic shock, and 3.1% of previous coronary artery bypass graft (CABG). The primary endpoint of death or re-infarction was significantly reduced from an estimated cumulative hazard rate of 19.0% with placebo to 12.9% with abciximab [RR(95% IC): 0.633 (0.452; 0.887), P=0.008]. The mortality rate was reduced from an estimated cumulative hazard rate of 14.3% in the placebo arm to 10.9% in the abciximab arm [0.695 (0.482; 1.003), P=0.052]. Re-infarction was reduced from an estimated cumulative hazard rate of 5.5% with placebo to 2.3% with abciximab [0.41 (0.203; 0.831), P=0.013]. Major bleedings were 2.5 and 2% with and without abciximab, respectively (NS). In the control arm, both the death or MI cumulative hazard rate (54 vs. 13.5%) and mortality rate (39.7 vs. 10.1%) were four-fold higher in diabetics when compared with non-diabetics. Abciximab provided a significant benefit on the primary endpoint for diabetics [0.525 (0.303; 0.911), P=0.022]. CONCLUSION: Abciximab has a strong and persistent impact on hard clinical endpoints in patients undergoing primary stenting for STEMI.

X-sizer for thrombectomy in acute myocardial infarction improves ST-segment resolution: results of the X-sizer in AMI for negligible embolization and optimal ST resolution (X AMINE ST) trial.

OBJECTIVES: We sought to compare, in a prospective randomized multicenter study, the effect of adjunctive thrombectomy using X-Sizer (eV3, White Bear Lake, Minnesota) before percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) versus conventional PCI in patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI) for <12 h and Thrombolysis In Myocardial Infarction (TIMI) flow grade 0 to 1. The primary end point was the magnitude of ST-segment resolution after PCI. BACKGROUND: Despite a high rate of TIMI flow grade 3 achieved by PCI in patients with AMI, myocardial reperfusion remains relatively low. Distal embolization of thrombotic materials may play a major role in this setting. METHODS: We conducted a prospective, randomized, multicenter study in patients with AMI <12 h and initial TIMI flow grade 0 to 1 who were treated with primary PCI. The magnitude of ST-segment resolution 1 h after PCI was the primary end point. RESULTS: A total of 201 patients were included. Treatment groups were comparable by age (61 +/- 13 years), diabetes (22%), previous MI (8%), anterior MI (52%), onset-to-angiogram (258 +/- 173 min), and glycoprotein IIb/IIIa inhibitor use (59%). The magnitude of ST-segment resolution was greater in the X-Sizer group compared with the conventional group (7.5 vs. 4.9 mm, respectively; p = 0.033) as ST-segment resolution >50% (68% vs. 53%; p = 0.037). The occurrence of distal embolization was reduced (2% vs. 10%; p = 0.033) and TIMI flow grade 3 was obtained in 96% vs. 89%, respectively (p = 0.105). Myocardial blush grade 3 was similar (30% vs. 31%; p = NS). Six-month clinical outcome was comparable (death, 6% vs. 4% and major adverse cardiac and cerebral events, 13% vs. 13%, respectively). By multivariate analysis, independent predictors of ST-segment resolution >50% were: younger age, non-anterior MI, use of the X-Sizer, and a short time interval from symptom onset. CONCLUSIONS: Reducing thrombus burden with X-Sizer before stenting leads to better myocardial reperfusion, as illustrated by a reduced risk of distal embolization and better ST-segment resolution.