The effect of gender on clinical outcomes following routine revascularizations with polymer-free sirolimus-eluting stents.

Background: Gender-specific outcomes after percutaneous coronary interventions were studied by a number of research groups with different endpoints and cohorts of different ethnic extractions. The purpose of this report is to use propensity score matching to determine gender-specific differences in clinical outcomes after percutaneous coronary interventions with polymer-free sirolimus-coated stents.

Materials And Methods: The basis for this post hoc analysis was two large all-comers studies with prospectively enrolled patients from Europe and Asia.

Impact of Atrial Fibrillation on Outcome in Takotsubo Syndrome: Data From the International Takotsubo Registry.

Background Atrial fibrillation (AF) is a major risk factor for mortality. The prevalence, clinical correlates, and prognostic impact of AF in Takotsubo syndrome (TTS) have not yet been investigated in a large patient cohort. This study aimed to investigate the prevalence, clinical correlates, and prognostic impact of AF in patients with TTS.

Ethnic comparison in takotsubo syndrome: novel insights from the International Takotsubo Registry.

Background: Ethnic disparities have been reported in cardiovascular disease. However, ethnic disparities in takotsubo syndrome (TTS) remain elusive. This study assessed differences in clinical characteristics between Japanese and European TTS patients and determined the impact of ethnicity on in-hospital outcomes.

Prognostic impact of acute pulmonary triggers in patients with takotsubo syndrome: new insights from the International Takotsubo Registry.

Aims: Acute pulmonary disorders are known physical triggers of takotsubo syndrome (TTS). This study aimed to investigate prevalence of acute pulmonary triggers in patients with TTS and their impact on outcomes.

Methods And Results: Patients with TTS were enrolled from the International Takotsubo Registry and screened for triggering factors and comorbidities.

Clinical outcomes following polymer-free sirolimus-eluting stent implantations in unselected patients: A descriptive subgroup analysis in patients with renal impairment.

Patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD are frequently excluded from coronary artery disease trials. The aim of this assessment was to study the clinical outcomes of polymer-free sirolimus-eluting stent implantations in patients with impaired renal function.Large-scale, international, single-armed, multicenter, 'all comers' observational studies (ClinicalTrials.

Coexistence and outcome of coronary artery disease in Takotsubo syndrome.

Aims: Takotsubo syndrome (TTS) is an acute heart failure syndrome, which shares many features with acute coronary syndrome (ACS). Although TTS was initially described with angiographically normal coronary arteries, smaller studies recently indicated a potential coexistence of coronary artery disease (CAD) in TTS patients. This study aimed to determine the coexistence, features, and prognostic role of CAD in a large cohort of patients with TTS.

Age-Related Variations in Takotsubo Syndrome.

Background: Takotsubo syndrome (TTS) occurs predominantly in post-menopausal women but is also found in younger patients.

Objectives: This study aimed to investigate age-related differences in TTS.

Methods: Patients diagnosed with TTS and enrolled in the International Takotsubo Registry between January 2011 and February 2017 were included in this analysis and were stratified by age (younger: ≤50 years, middle-age: 51 to 74 years, elderly: ≥75 years).

Intraventricular Thrombus Formation and Embolism in Takotsubo Syndrome: Insights From the International Takotsubo Registry.

Objective: Takotsubo syndrome (TTS) is characterized by acute left ventricular dysfunction, which can contribute to intraventricular thrombus and embolism. Still, prevalence and clinical impact of thrombus formation and embolic events on outcome of TTS patients remain unclear. This study aimed to investigate clinical features and outcomes of patients with and without intraventricular thrombus or embolism.

Clinical Predictors and Prognostic Impact of Recovery of Wall Motion Abnormalities in Takotsubo Syndrome: Results From the International Takotsubo Registry.

Background Left ventricular (LV) recovery in takotsubo syndrome (TTS) occurs over a wide-ranging interval, varying from hours to weeks. We sought to investigate the clinical predictors and prognostic impact of recovery time for TTS patients. Methods and Results TTS patients from the International Takotsubo Registry were included in this study.

Comparative preclinical evaluation of a polymer-free sirolimus-eluting stent in porcine coronary arteries.

Background:: Polymer-free drug-eluting stents (DES) without permanent-polymer coating may be associated with rapid vessel healing, providing a rationale to reduce dual-antiplatelet therapy (DAPT). The aim of the current study was to compare vessel healing of a polymer-free sirolimus-eluting stent (PF-SES), its bare metal stent (BMS) analogue to a permanent polymer-based sirolimus-eluting stent (SES) with proven effectiveness in porcine coronary arteries.

Material And Methods:: An ultrathin-strut cobalt-chromium PF-SES, its BMS analogue and an SES with a permanent polymer were used to study vessel healing and their antistenotic potential.

Cardiac contractility modulation: mechanisms of action in heart failure with reduced ejection fraction and beyond.

Heart failure (HF) is responsible for substantial morbidity and mortality and is increasing in prevalence. Although there has been remarkable progress in the treatment of HF with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF), morbidity and mortality are still substantial. Cardiac contractility modulation (CCM) signals, consisting of biphasic high-voltage bipolar signals delivered to the right ventricular septum during the absolute refractory period, have been shown to improve symptoms, exercise tolerance and quality of life and reduce the rate of HF hospitalizations in patients with ejection fractions (EF) between 25% and 45%.

9-month results of polymer-free sirolimus eluting stents in young patients compared to a septuagenarian and octogenarian all-comer population.

Objectives: To evaluate the 9-month safety and efficacy of polymer-free sirolimus eluting drug eluting stents in septuagenarians and octogenarians.

Methods: An all-comer, worldwide single armed trial (ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier NCT02629575) was conducted to demonstrate the safety and efficacy of an ultra-thin strut, polymer-free sirolimus eluting stent (PF-SES).

Heart failure with preserved ejection fraction: current management and future strategies : Expert opinion on the behalf of the Nucleus of the "Heart Failure Working Group" of the German Society of Cardiology (DKG).

About 50% of all patients suffering from heart failure (HF) exhibit a reduced ejection fraction (EF ≤ 40%), termed HFrEF. The others may be classified into HF with midrange EF (HFmrEF 40-50%) or preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF, EF ≥ 50%). Presentation and pathophysiology of HFpEF is heterogeneous and its management remains a challenge since evidence of therapeutic benefits on outcome is scarce.

Propensity score matched all comers population treated with ultra-thin strut bare metal and sirolimus-probucol coated drug-eluting stents of identical stent architecture.

Objective: The objective of this study was to compare the safety and efficacy of a polymer-free sirolimus coated, ultrathin strut drug eluting stent (PF-SES) to its uncoated bare-metal stent (BMS) platform of identical stent architecture.

Background: Recently published randomized trials comparing BMS to DES with a focus on shortened dual-antiplatelet therapy reported incidences of stent thrombosis (ST) and bleeding complications (LEADERS FREE) in favor of drug eluting stents (DES).

Methods: Data of previously published large-sale, international, single-armed, multicenter, observational studies of ultra-thin PF-SES, and BMS were propensity score (PS) matched for selected lesion morphological and cardiovascular risk factors to compare target lesion revascularization (TLR), myocardial infarction, cardiac death, major adverse cardiac events (MACE), bleeding complications and ST rates.

Heart Failure with Preserved Ejection Fraction and Future Pharmacological Strategies: a Glance in the Crystal Ball.

Purpose Of Review: The current definition of heart failure is mainly based on an inappropriate measure of cardiac function, i.e., left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF).

Low permanent pacemaker rates following Lotus device implantation for transcatheter aortic valve replacement due to modified implantation protocol.

Background: Conduction disturbances requiring permanent pacemaker implantation following transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) are a common problem. Pacemaker implantation rates after TAVR appear to be higher compared to conventional aortic valve replacement. The aim of this study was to analyze whether a high annulus implantation conveys the benefit of a decreased rate of permanent pacemaker implantation while being safe and successful according to Valve Academic Research Consortium 2 (VARC2)-criteria.

Postprocedural radial artery occlusion rate using a sheathless guiding catheter for left ventricular endomyocardial biopsy performed by transradial approach.

Background: For coronary interventions the arterial access via the radial artery is associated with fewer vascular access site complications, and has been shown to reduce major bleeding when compared to the femoral approach. But the endomyocardial biopsy (EMB) approach is usually done by a transfemoral or cervical access known to be associated with an increased risk of artery puncture and its potential complications (i.e.