Concordance between vessel-specific and vascular territory coronary functional assessment: A comparison of quantitative flow ratio and myocardial perfusion scintigraphy.

Background: Quantitative flow ratio (QFR) and myocardial perfusion scintigraphy (MPS) are utilized for assessing coronary artery disease (CAD) significance. We aimed to analyze their concordance and prognostic impact.

Aims: We aimed to analyze the concordance between QFR and MPS and their risk stratification.

B-type natriuretic peptide and N-terminal Pro-B-type natriuretic peptide in severe aortic stenosis: a comprehensive literature review.

B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP) and N-terminal pro-BNP (NT-pro BNP) are cardiac biomarkers that are released in response to increased ventricular and atrial wall stress. Aortic stenosis (AS) leads to hemodynamic changes and left ventricular hypertrophy and may be associated with natriuretic peptide levels. Several studies have shown that increased natriuretic peptide levels are correlated with AS severity and can predict the need for intervention.

The safety of SGLT-2 inhibitors in diabetic patients submitted to elective percutaneous coronary intervention regarding kidney function: SAFE-PCI pilot study.

Background: Percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) is one of the most performed well-succeeded therapeutic procedures worldwide, reducing symptoms and improving quality of life. Neutrophil Gelatinase-associated Lipocalin (NGAL) is a biomarker of acute kidney injury (AKI) produced early after an ischemic renal insult. Osmotic diuresis and the vasoconstriction of the afferent arteriole promoted by Sodium-glucose Cotransporter-2 Inhibitors (SGLT2i) generate a concern regarding the possibility of dehydration and consequent AKI.

Microvascular lung vessels obstructive thromboinflammatory syndrome in patients with COVID-19: Insights from lung intravascular optical coherence tomography.

Background: Microvascular lung vessels obstructive thromboinflammatory syndrome has been proposed as a possible mechanism of respiratory failure in COVID-19 patients. However, it has only been observed in post-mortem studies and has never been documented , probably because of a lack of CT scan sensitivity in small pulmonary arteries. The aim of the present study was to assess the safety, tolerability, and diagnostic value of optical coherence tomography (OCT) for the assessment of patients with COVID-19 pneumonia for pulmonary microvascular thromboinflammatory syndrome.

Offline Assessment of the Quantitative Flow Ratio: Is it Useful in Clinical Practice?

Introduction: Fractional flow reserve (FFR) has been established as the gold standard in the physiological assessment of coronary obstructions severity. However, the need to insert an intracoronary pressure guidewire is a factor that limits its use. Quantitative flow ratio (QFR) is a method that infers the value of FFR from 3-dimensional quantitative coronary angiography (3D-QCA), eliminating the use of a pressure wire and coronary hyperemia.

A Novel Percutaneous Technique for Left Ventricular Assist Device Deactivation Using a Left Atrial Appendage Occluder in the Outflow Cannula.

Reverse cardiac remodeling may occur in some left ventricular assist device (LVAD) recipients. Although considered the standard therapy, surgical device explantation with repeat sternotomy might be undesirable or very high risk. On the other hand, there are few data reporting minimally invasive percutaneous LVAD deactivation.

Septal Ablation with Radiofrequency Catheters Guided by Echocardiography for Treatment of Patients with Obstructive Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy: Initial Experience.

Background: Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) can cause obstruction in the left ventricular outflow tract (LVOT), and be responsible for the onset of limiting symptoms, such as tiredness. When such symptoms are refractory to pharmacological treatment, interventionist alternative therapies can be useful, such as septal ablation through the infusion of alcohol in the coronary artery or through myectomy. Recently, the use of a radiofrequency (RF) catheter for endocardial septal ablation guided by electroanatomic mapping has proven to be efficient, despite the high incidence of complete atrioventricular block.

Performance of Prediction Models for Contrast-Induced Acute Kidney Injury after Transcutaneous Aortic Valve Replacement.

Background: Acute kidney injury (AKI) has shown to adversely affect outcomes in patients undergoing transcutaneous aortic valve replacement (TAVR), and its correct risk estimation may interfere in procedural planning and strategies. The aim of the study was to test and compare 6 scores in predicting AKI after TAVR.

Methods: We tested 6 scores (the contrast material limit score, volume-to-creatinine clearance ratio, ACEF, CR4EATME3AD3, Mehran model A, and Mehran model B) in a total of 559 consecutive patients included in the Brazilian TAVR registry.

Improvement of renal function after transcatheter aortic valve replacement in patients with chronic kidney disease.

Background: Chronic kidney disease is commonly found in patients with aortic stenosis (AS) undergoing transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) and has marked impact in their prognosis. It has been shown however that TAVR may improve renal function by alleviating the hemodynamic barrier imposed by AS. Nevertheless, the predictors of and clinical consequences of renal function improvement are not well established.

Comparative clinical performance of two types of drug-eluting stents with abluminal biodegradable polymer coating: Five-year results of the DESTINY randomized trial.

Introduction And Objectives: The Stents Coated With the Biodegradable Polymer on Their Abluminal Faces and Elution of Sirolimus Versus Biolimus Elution for the Treatment of de Novo Coronary Lesions - DESTINY Trial is a non-inferiority randomized study that compared the Inspiron™ sirolimus-eluting stent (SES) with the control Biomatrix™ Flex biolimus-eluting stent (BES). Previous reports in the first year showed similar outcomes for both stents, in clinical, angiographic, optical coherence tomography, and intravascular ultrasound assessments. The present analysis aims to compare the clinical performance of these two biodegradable polymer drug-eluting stents five years after the index procedure.

Mid- to long-term clinical and echocardiographic outcomes after transcatheter aortic valve replacement with a new-generation, self-expandable system.

Objectives: The aim of the study was to evaluate mid- to late clinical and echocardiographic outcomes after transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) with Acurate neo™ (Boston Scientific, Boston, MA).

Background: TAVR is an established treatment for aortic stenosis (AS). Few data exist on mid- to long-term outcomes and durability after new-generation valves.

Comparison of Minimum Pressure and Patent Hemostasis on Radial Artery Occlusion After Transradial Catheterization.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to compare two hemostatic techniques, minimum pressure technique and patent hemostasis, on radial artery occlusion (RAO) after transradial catheterization.

Background: RAO is an infrequent complication of transradial procedures. One of the strategies used to reduce this complication is the patent hemostasis technique.

E/e` ratio is superior to speckle tracking for detecting elevated left ventricular end-diastolic pressure in patients with coronary artery disease and preserved ejection fraction.

Background: A weak correlation has been reported between left ventricular filling pressures and the traditional echocardiographic tools for the evaluation of diastolic function in patients with coronary artery disease (CAD) and preserved left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF). On the other hand, studies that compared invasive measurements with speckle tracking echocardiography have shown promising results, but they were not exclusively targeted on this specific population.

Methods And Results: Immediately before the left heart catheterization, a comprehensive two-dimensional Doppler echocardiography and speckle tracking analysis was prospectively performed in outpatients referred for coronary angiography.

Progression and Prognosis of Paravalvular Regurgitation After Transcatheter Aortic Valve Implantation.

Background: The impact of paravalvular regurgitation (PVR) following transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) remains uncertain.

Objective: To evaluate the impact of PVR on mortality and hospital readmission one year after TAVI.

Methods: Between January 2009 and June 2015, a total of 251 patients underwent TAVI with three different prostheses at two cardiology centers.

Primary Mitral Valve Regurgitation Outcome in Patients With Severe Aortic Stenosis 1 Year After Transcatheter Aortic Valve Implantation: Echocardiographic Evaluation.

Background:: Mitral valve regurgitation (MR), present in up to 74% of the patients with severe aortic stenosis (AS), can be a negative prognostic factor when moderate or severe. The outcome of MR after percutaneous transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) and predictors associated with that outcome have not been well established in the literature.

Objective:: To assess the outcome of primary MR in patients submitted to TAVI and to identify associated factors.

Long-Term Follow-Up of Patients after Percutaneous Coronary Intervention with Everolimus-Eluting Bioresorbable Vascular Scaffold.

Background:: Bioresorbable vascular scaffolds (BVS) were developed to improve the long-term results of percutaneous coronary intervention, restoring vasomotion.

Objectives:: To report very late follow-up of everolimus-eluting Absorb BVS (Abbott Vascular, Santa Clara, USA) in our center.

Methods:: Observational retrospective study, in a single Brazilian center, from August 2011 to October 2013, including 49 patients submitted to Absorb BVS implantation.

Prospective comparison between three TAVR devices: ACURATE neo vs. CoreValve vs. SAPIEN XT. A single heart team experience in patients with severe aortic stenosis.

Objective: We sought to compare the new transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) device ACURATE neo (ACT) with the already established CoreValve (MCV) and SAPIEN XT (SXT) for the treatment of severe aortic stenosis (AS).

Background: Very few data on TAVR devices are available beyond MCV and SAPIEN and there is no previous study comparing ACT with MCV and SXT.

Methods: We prospectively evaluated consecutive patients who underwent transfemoral TAVR for the treatment of severe AS.

Intravascular imaging comparison of two metallic limus-eluting stents abluminally coated with biodegradable polymers: IVUS and OCT results of the DESTINY trial.

We sought to compare, by means of IVUS and OCT imaging, the performance of a novel sirolimus-eluting drug-eluting stent (DES) with biodegradable polymer (Inspiron™) to the Biomatrix™ DES. From the DESTINY trial, a total of 70 randomized patients (2:1) were enrolled in the IVUS substudy (Inspiron™, n = 46; Biomatrix™: n = 20) while 25 patients were evaluated with OCT (Inspiron™, n = 19; Biomatrix™: n = 06) at 9-month follow-up. The main endpoints were % of neointimal tissue obstruction (IVUS) and neointimal stut coverage (OCT) at 9 months.

Paravalvular Regurgitation: Clinical Outcomes in Surgical and Percutaneous Treatments.

Background: Paravalvular regurgitation (paravalvular leak) is a serious and rare complication associated with valve replacement surgery. Studies have shown a 3% to 6% incidence of paravalvular regurgitation with hemodynamic repercussion. Few studies have compared surgical and percutaneous approaches for repair.

Metallic Limus-Eluting Stents Abluminally Coated with Biodegradable Polymers: Angiographic and Clinical Comparison of a Novel Ultra-Thin Sirolimus Stent Versus Biolimus Stent in the DESTINY Randomized Trial.

Aims: To evaluate the outcomes of patients treated with a new drug-eluting stent formulation with low doses of sirolimus, built in an ultra-thin-strut platform coated with biodegradable abluminal coating.

Methods: This study is a randomized trial that tested the main hypothesis that the angiographic late lumen loss of the novel sirolimus-eluting stent is noninferior compared with commercially available biolimus-eluting stent. A final study population comprising 170 patients with one or two de novo lesions was randomized in the ratio 2:1 for sirolimus-eluting stent or biolimus-eluting stent, respectively.

Design and rationale of the AngioSeal versus the Radial approach In acute coronary SyndromE (ARISE) trial: a randomized comparison of a vascular closure device versus the radial approach to prevent vascular access site complications in non-ST-segment elevation acute coronary syndrome patients.

Background: Arterial access is a major site of bleeding complications after invasive coronary procedures. Among strategies to decrease vascular complications, the radial approach is an established one. Vascular closure devices provide more comfort to patients and decrease hemostasis and need for bed rest.

Randomized comparison of distal and proximal cerebral protection during carotid artery stenting.

Objectives: This study sought to randomly compare cerebral protection with ANGIOGUARD (Cordis Corporation, Bridgewater, New Jersey) with Mo.Ma (Invatec/Medtronic Vascular Inc, Santa Rosa, California) during carotid artery stenting (CAS), using diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging (DW-MRI) to detect new ischemic cerebral lesions. The number, size, and location of lesions were analyzed.