Impact of diabetes on epicardial reperfusion and mortality in a contemporary STEMI population undergoing mechanical reperfusion: Insights from the ISACS STEMI COVID 19 registry.

Background And Aim: Diabetes has been shown in last decades to be associated with a significantly higher mortality among patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) treated with primary PCI (PPCI). Therefore, the aim of current study was to evaluate the impact of diabetes on times delays, reperfusion and mortality in a contemporary STEMI population undergoing PPCI, including treatment during the COVID pandemic.

Methods And Results: The ISACS-STEMI COVID-19 is a large-scale retrospective multicenter registry involving PPCI centers from Europe, Latin America, South-East Asia and North-Africa, including patients treated from 1st of March until June 30, 2019 and 2020.

Impact of hypertension on mortality in patients with ST-elevation myocardial infarction undergoing primary angioplasty: insights from the international multicenter ISACS-STEMI registry.

Background: Hypertension is the most prevalent cardiovascular risk factor, with several detrimental effects on the cardiovascular system. Contrasting results have been reported so far on its prognostic role in patients admitted for ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI). Therefore, we investigated the impact of hypertension on short-term mortality in a large multicenter contemporary registry of STEMI patients, including patients treated during COVID-19 pandemic.

Characterisation and distribution of human coronary artery innervation.

Background: A detailed understanding of the sympathetic innervation of coronary arteries is relevant to facilitate the development of novel treatment approaches.

Aims: This study aimed to quantitatively examine periarterial innervation in human epicardial coronary arteries.

Methods: Coronary arteries with adjacent epicardial adipose tissue were excised along the left main coronary artery (LMCA), left anterior descending artery (LAD), left circumflex artery (LCx), and right coronary artery (RCA) from 28 body donors and examined histologically.

In vivo biocompatibility of a new hydrophobic coated Al/AlO nanowire surface on stents.

Background: Intima proliferation and in-stent restenosis is a challenging situation in interventional treatment of small vessel obstruction. Al/AlO nanowires have been shown to accelerate vascular endothelial cell proliferation and migration in vitro, while suppressing vascular smooth muscle cell growth. Moreover, surface modification of Al/AlO nanowires with poly[bis(2,2,2-trifluoromethoxy)phosphazene (PTFEP) coating enables further advantages such as reduced platelet adhesion.

Paclitaxel-coated versus sirolimus-coated balloon angioplasty for coronary artery disease: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background: Although use of sirolimus-based analogs has shown superiority over paclitaxel in drug-eluting stents, the relative efficacy of these two agents released from drug-coated balloons (DCB) is unclear. The present meta-analysis is aimed to compare outcomes after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) with paclitaxel-coated balloons (PCB) versus sirolimus-coated balloons (SCB) for either in-stent restenosis or native de novo lesions.

Methods: The study outcomes were 1) target lesion failure (TLF), a composite of cardiac death, target vessel myocardial infarction, or target lesion revascularization, and 2) follow-up angiographic parameters including late lumen loss (LLL), diameter stenosis, and minimal lumen diameter (MLD).

Mechanical thrombectomy in intermediate- and high-risk acute pulmonary embolism: hemodynamic outcomes at three months.

Background: Mechanical thrombectomy has been shown to reduce thrombus burden and pulmonary artery pressure (PAP) and to improve right ventricular (RV) function in patients with high-risk or intermediate-high-risk pulmonary embolism (PE). As hemodynamic data after mechanical thrombectomy for PE are scarce, we aimed to assess the hemodynamic effects of mechanical thrombectomy in acute PE with right heart overload.

Methods: In this prospective, open-label study, patients with acute symptomatic, computed tomography-documented PE with signs of right heart overload underwent mechanical thrombectomy using the FlowTriever System.

Synchrotron microtomography reveals insights into the degradation kinetics of bio-degradable coronary magnesium scaffolds.

Bioresorbable magnesium scaffolds are a promising future treatment option for coronary artery stenosis, especially for young adults. Due to the degradation of these scaffolds (<1 year), long-term device-related clinical events could be reduced compared to treatments with conventional drug eluting stents. First clinical trials indicate a return of vasomotion after one year, which may be associated with improved long-term clinical outcomes.

Sex-specific inequalities in the use of drug-coated balloons for small coronary artery disease: a report from the BASKET-SMALL 2 trial.

Background And Objectives: Recent data have established non-inferiority of drug-coated balloons (DCB) compared to drug-eluting stents (DES) for treatment of small-vessel coronary artery disease. Since coronary vessels in women might have anatomical and pathophysiological particularities, the safety of the DCB strategy among women compared to men needs to be assessed in more detail.

Methods: In BASKET-SMALL 2, patients with de novo lesions in coronary vessels < 3 mm and an indication for percutaneous coronary intervention were randomly allocated (1:1) to DCB vs.

Coronary Drug-Coated Balloons for De Novo and In-Stent Restenosis Indications.

Drug-coated balloons are approved outside the United States, not only for the treatment of peripheral arteries but also for coronary arteries. This review describes the technological basics, the scenarios of clinical application, and the current available data from clinical trials for the different coronary indications.

Impact of Insulin-Treated Compared to Non-Insulin-Treated Diabetes Mellitus on Outcome of Percutaneous Coronary Intervention with Drug-Coated Balloons versus Drug-Eluting Stents in De Novo Coronary Artery Disease: The Randomized BASKET-SMALL 2 Trial.

Background: We evaluated the outcome of PCI of de novo stenosis with drug-coated balloons (DCB) versus drug-eluting stents (DES) in patients with insulin-treated diabetes mellitus (ITDM) versus non-insulin-treated diabetes mellitus (NITDM).

Methods: Patients were randomized in the BASKET-SMALL 2 trial to DCB or DES and followed over 3 years for MACE (cardiac death, non-fatal myocardial infarction [MI], and target vessel revascularization [TVR]). Outcome in the diabetic subgroup ( = 252) was analyzed with respect to ITDM or NITDM.

One single drug-coated balloon for all shapes/diameters? Neointimal proliferation inhibition in porcine peripheral arteries.

Background: Long diseased vessel segments of peripheral arteries may display irregular shapes with different diameters. The aim of this study was to investigate inhibition of neointimal proliferation in porcine peripheral vessels with different diameters covered by one single hyper-compliant drug-coated balloon (HCDCB), compared to conventional drug-coated balloons (DCB), each selected according to the respective vessel diameter.

Methods And Results: Neointimal proliferation was stimulated in proximal and distal segments of the peripheral arteries by balloon overstretch and stent implantation.

Prediction of conduction disturbances in patients undergoing transcatheter aortic valve replacement.

Aim: Transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) can cause intraventricular conduction disturbances (ICA), particularly left bundle branch block (BBB) and high-degree atrioventricular block (HAVB). The aim of this study was to investigate clinical, anatomical, procedural, and electrophysiological parameters predicting ICA after TAVR.

Methods: Patients with severe aortic stenosis (n = 203) without pacing devices undergoing TAVR with a self-expanding (n = 103) or balloon-expanding (n = 100) valve were enrolled.

Drug-Coated Balloons: Drugs Beyond Paclitaxel?

Background: Although controversially discussed, paclitaxel is the only clinically proven drug that inhibits restenosis when released from drug-coated balloons (DCBs). Limus drugs are currently being explored as alternatives. The aim of the preclinical studies was to investigate drug candidates beyond paclitaxel considered for balloon coating.