Early-Phase Vascular Healing of Bioabsorbable vs. Durable Polymer-Coated Everolimus-Eluting Stents in Patients With ST-Elevation Myocardial Infarction - 2-Week and 4-Month Analyses With Optical Coherence Tomography.

Background: Despite the revolution of coronary stents, there remain concerns about the risk of stent thrombosis, especially in patients with ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI). The present study compared early vascular healing as a contributing factor to reducing stent thrombosis between Xience everolimus-eluting stents (X-EES) and Synergy everolimus-eluting stents (S-EES) in patients with STEMI.

Methods and results: The present study included 47 patients with STEMI requiring primary percutaneous coronary intervention with X-EES (n=25) or S-EES (n=22).

Association between plaque characteristics and the amount of debris captured by a filter-type distal protection device in patients with acute coronary syndrome.

Background And Aims: Disruption of atherosclerotic plaque and distal embolism often cause peri-procedural myocardial injury during percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). In the present study, we evaluate the association between the characteristics of the target lesion and the amount of debris captured by the filter-type distal protection device.

Methods: We enrolled 120 consecutive patients with acute coronary syndrome, who underwent coronary stent implantation with a filter-type distal protection device after integrated backscatter intravascular ultrasound (IB-IVUS) analysis.

Impact of lesion characteristics on the prediction of optimal poststent fractional flow reserve.

Background: Poststent fractional flow reserve (FFR) is a useful indicator of optimal percutaneous coronary intervention, and higher poststent FFR is associated with favorable long-term clinical outcome. However, little is known about the factors influencing poststent FFR. The purpose of this study was to determine the impact of lesion characteristics on poststent FFR.

Tissue characteristics of neointima in late restenosis: integrated backscatter intravascular ultrasound analysis for in-stent restenosis.

Although late restenosis is one of the long-term complications of stent implantation, its pathogenesis has not been fully elucidated. For consecutive patients who developed in-stent restenosis (ISR) after stent implantation, integrated backscatter (IB) intravascular ultrasound was performed for ISR lesions. The tissue characteristics of neointima within the stented segment were compared between lesions with early restenosis and those with late restenosis.

Safety and efficacy of intracoronary nicorandil as hyperaemic agent for invasive physiological assessment: a patient-level pooled analysis.

Aims: Our aim was to evaluate the safety and efficacy of intracoronary (IC) nicorandil as an alternative choice of hyperaemic agent for invasive physiologic studies.

Methods And Results: A total of 480 intermediate coronary lesions from 429 patients enrolled from six Japanese and Korean centres were analysed. IC nicorandil showed earlier achievement of hyperaemia (time to the lowest FFR: 18.

Influence of plaque characteristics on fractional flow reserve for coronary lesions with intermediate to obstructive stenosis: insights from integrated-backscatter intravascular ultrasound analysis.

The aim of this study was to determine the correlation between the fractional flow reserve (FFR) values and volumetric intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) parameters derived from classic gray-scale IVUS and integrated backscatter (IB)-IVUS, taking into account known confounding factors. Patients with unstable angina pectoris with the frequent development of vulnerable plaques often showed the discrepancy between the FFR value and the quantitative coronary angiography findings. Our target population was 107 consecutive subjects with 114 isolated lesions who were scheduled for elective coronary angiography.

Noninvasive mathematical analysis of spectral electrocardiographic components for coronary lesions of intermediate to obstructive stenosis severity-relationship with classic and functional SYNTAX score.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to evaluate the relationship between the multifunction cardiogram (MCG), and SYNTAX score (SS) and functional SYNTAX score (FSS) in detecting the presence of intermediate to obstructive coronary lesions.

Background: Performing coronary angiography (CAG) and measuring fractional flow reserve (FFR) to calculate the SS and FSS is inherently invasive and adds complexity.

Methods: The MCG was obtained and analyzed before performing CAG in 87 consecutive subjects with suspected coronary artery disease who were scheduled for elective CAG.

Severity of morphological lesion complexity affects fractional flow reserve in intermediate coronary stenosis.

Background: Although functional ischemia identification is important when determining revascularization, angiographic assessment alone is challenging in intermediate coronary stenosis. Previous studies have reported that lesion-specific characteristics affected the fractional flow reserve (FFR). However, the relationship between morphological lesion complexity and FFR has not yet been fully evaluated.

Effects of eicosapentaenoic acid on peri-procedural (type IVa) myocardial infarction following elective coronary stenting.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to assess the effect of eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) on peri-procedural (type IVa) myocardial infarction (MI) following elective percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI).

Methods And Results: We analyzed data from 165 of 178 consecutive patients with stable angina pectoris who underwent de novo successful stent implantation in the native coronary artery. Patients were assigned to receive statin therapy in combination with 1800mg/day of EPA or statin alone.

Effects of polyunsaturated fatty acids on periprocedural myocardial infarction after elective percutaneous coronary intervention.

Aims: The aim of this study was to address the association of lipid profiles with periprocedural myocardial infarction (pMI) after elective percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI).

Methods And Results: Of the 302 consecutive patients who received elective PCI at the Chubu Rosai Hospital, Nagoya, Japan between June 2009 and December 2010, data from 231 native coronary lesions were analysed. Various biomarkers including serum troponin T (TnT), eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), arachidonic acid (AA), and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) and high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol were measured at baseline and at 18 hrs after PCI.

Variability of fractional flow reserve according to the methods of hyperemia induction.

Objectives: We performed this study to evaluate the variability of fractional flow reserve (FFR) values which were measured from various methods of hyperemia induction.

Background: Concerns have been raised regarding the variability of FFR due to different routes for hyperemic agent administration and different hyperemic agents targeting different receptors to induce maximal hyperemia.

Methods: A total of 656 intermediate coronary lesions from 628 patients with coronary artery disease were analyzed.

Impact of cigarette smoking on coronary plaque composition.

Objectives: Cigarette smoking is associated with atherosclerosis and is an important risk factor for cardiovascular disease. We evaluated the impact of cigarette smoking on coronary plaque composition using integrated backscatter intravascular ultrasound (IB-IVUS).

Methods: A total of 143 consecutive patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention were enrolled.

Clustering of metabolic syndrome components attenuates coronary plaque regression during intensive statin therapy in patients with acute coronary syndrome: the JAPAN-ACS subanalysis study.

Background: The JAPAN-ACS (Japan Assessment of Pitavastatin and Atorvastatin in Acute Coronary Syndrome) trial showed that intensive statin therapy could induce significant coronary plaque regression in acute coronary syndrome (ACS). We evaluated the impact of metabolic syndrome (MetS) and its components on coronary plaque regression in the JAPAN-ACS patients.

Methods And Results: Serial intravascular ultrasound measurements over 8-12 months were performed in 242 ACS patients receiving pitavastatin or atorvastatin.