Publications by authors named "Aya J Alame"
Importance: Compared with white individuals, black individuals have increased electrocardiographic voltage and an increased prevalence of concentric left ventricular (LV) hypertrophy. Whether environmental or genetic factors lead to these racial differences is unknown.
Objective: To determine whether proportion of genetically determined African ancestry among self-reported black individuals is associated with increased electrocardiographic voltage and concentric LV hypertrophy (LVH).
Background: The contemporary use and outcomes of excimer laser coronary atherectomy (ELCA) in percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) are not well described.
Methods: We examined the baseline clinical and angiographic characteristics and procedural outcomes of 130 target lesions in 121 consecutive PCIs (n = 116 patients) in which ELCA was performed at three United States Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) medical centers between 2008 and 2016.
Results: Mean age was 68.
Radiation-associated lens changes in the cardiac catheterization laboratory: Results from the IC-CATARACT (CATaracts Attributed to RAdiation in the CaTh lab) study.
Catheter Cardiovasc Interv
March 2018
Objective: To examine the relationship between occupational exposure to ionizing radiation and the prevalence of lens changes in interventional cardiologists (ICs) and catheterization laboratory ("cath-lab") staff.
Background: Exposure to ionizing radiation is associated with the development of lens opacities. ICs and cath-lab staff can receive high doses of ionizing radiation without protection, and may thus be at risk for lens opacity formation.
Introduction: We examined the impact of proximal vessel tortuosity on the outcomes of chronic total occlusion (CTO) percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI).
Methods: The baseline clinical and angiographic characteristics and procedural outcomes of 1618 consecutive CTO-PCIs performed between 2012 and 2016 at 14 United States centers in 1589 patients were reviewed.
Results: Mean patient age was 65.
Background: The American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association (ACC/AHA) and the European Society of Cardiology (ESC) have developed guidelines to assist clinicians in making evidence-based decisions. This study compares the ACC/AHA and ESC guidelines for the management of patients with valvular heart disease (VHD).
Methods: The current ACC/AHA and ESC guidelines for VHD, last updated in 2014 and 2012, respectively, were compared by class of recommendation (COR), level of evidence (LOE), and content.
Introduction: The American College of Cardiology (ACC), the American Heart Association (AHA), and the European Society of Cardiology (ESC) have been developing guidelines to assist clinicians in making evidence-based decisions.
Materials And Methods: The current ACC/AHA and ESC guidelines for non-ST-segment elevation acute coronary syndromes (NSTE-ACS) that were updated in 2014 and 2015, respectively, were compared to assess the number of recommendations on the basis of class of recommendation and level of evidence (LOE), the sources cited, and the content.
Results: The total number of recommendations in the ACC/AHA and ESC guidelines was 182 and 147, respectively.
Background: Various scoring systems have been developed to predict the technical outcome and procedural efficiency of chronic total occlusion (CTO) percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI).
Methods: We examined the predictive capacity of 3 CTO PCI scores (Clinical and Lesion-related [CL], Multicenter CTO registry in Japan [J-CTO] and Prospective Global Registry for the Study of Chronic Total Occlusion Intervention [PROGRESS CTO] scores) in 664 CTO PCIs performed between 2012 and 2016 at 13 US centers.
Results: Technical success was 88% and the retrograde approach was utilized in 41%.
Background: Balloon uncrossable lesions can be challenging to treat, requiring specialized techniques and equipment.
Methods: We examined the prevalence, clinical and angiographic characteristics, management and procedural outcomes of balloon uncrossable lesions in a multicenter chronic total occlusion (CTO) percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) registry.
Results: Between 2012 and 2016, 718 CTO PCIs (in which the occlusion was successfully crossed with a guidewire) were performed in 701 patients at 11 US centers.
Objectives: We sought to examine near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) imaging findings of aortocoronary saphenous vein grafts (SVGs).
Background: SVGs are prone to develop atherosclerosis similar to native coronary arteries. They have received little study using NIRS.
Background: We sought to determine the effect of lesion age on procedural techniques and outcomes of chronic total occlusion (CTO) percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI).
Methods: We examined the characteristics and outcomes of 394 CTO PCIs with data on lesion age, performed between 2012 and 2016 at 11 experienced US centres.
Results: Mean patient age was 66 ± 10 years and 85.