A Prospective, Randomized Trial of Bioresorbable Polymer Drug-Eluting Stents versus Fully Bioresorbable Scaffolds in Patients Undergoing Coronary Stenting.

The performance of an everolimus-eluting bioresorbable scaffold (BRS) was inferior to an everolimus-eluting metallic drug-eluting stent (DES) with permanent polymer, mainly due the mechanical features of BRS technology. The performance of BRS as compared to metallic DES with bioresorbable polymers remains unstudied. This prospective, randomized, multicenter, clinical trial enrolled patients who underwent coronary stenting for de novo coronary lesions.

Simultaneous 18-FDG PET and MR imaging in lower extremity arterial disease.

Background: Simultaneous positron emission tomography (PET) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is a novel hybrid imaging method integrating the advances of morphological tissue characterization of MRI with the pathophysiological insights of PET applications.

Aim: This study evaluated the use of simultaneous 18-FDG PET/MR imaging for characterizing atherosclerotic lesions in lower extremity arterial disease (LEAD).

Methods: Eight patients with symptomatic stenoses of the superficial femoral artery (SFA) under simultaneous acquisition of 18-FDG PET and contrast-enhanced MRI using an integrated whole-body PET/MRI scanner.

Outcomes of endovascular treatment for popliteal artery disease.

Finding the appropriate endovascular revascularization strategy for patients with peripheral artery disease and a popliteal artery lesion remains particulary challenging. Data regarding predictors for a beneficial outcome are scarce. All endovascular procedures of popliteal artery lesions (n=227) performed in 197 patients between February 2009 and May 2018 at our institution were retrospectively analyzed.

Ten-year outcomes after percutaneous coronary intervention of in-stent restenosis in saphenous vein grafts.

Background: Only few data is available for long-term outcomes of patients being treated for in-stent restenosis (ISR) in saphenous vein grafts (SVG).

Aims: Thus, the aim of this observational, retrospective study was to close this lack of evidence.

Methods: Between January 2007 and February 2021 a total of 163 patients with 186 ISR lesions located in SVG were treated at two large-volume centers in Munich, Germany.

Prevalence and patterns of in-stent neoatherosclerosis in lower extremity artery disease.

Background: In-stent restenosis (ISR) is responsible for a rapid decline of vessel patency after stenting. To date, little is known about the role of in-stent neoatherosclerosis (NA) in stent failure in lower limb arteries.

Aims: This study aimed to determine the prevalence and patterns of in-stent NA in patients with symptomatic ISR of the lower extremity vasculature using intravascular optical coherence tomography (OCT) imaging.

Frequency of subclavian artery stenosis in patients with mammarian artery coronary bypass and suspected coronary artery disease progression.

We retrospectively analyzed patient records of all patients with a history of internal mammarian artery (IMA) coronary bypass undergoing coronary angiography at two cardiovascular centers between January 1st 1999 and December 31st 2019. A total of 11,929 coronary angiographies with or without percutaneous coronary intervention were carried out in 3921 patients. Our analysis revealed 82 (2%) patients with documented subclavian artery stenosis.

Efficacy and safety of ECG-synchronized pulsatile extracorporeal membrane oxygenation in the clinical setting: The SynCor Trial.

Introduction: Mechanical circulatory support (MCS) devices are increasingly used as a treatment option in resuscitation or in patients with cardiogenic shock (CS). Prophylactic implantation in high-risk percutaneous coronary interventions (HRPCI) is another upcoming indication. The i-cor ECG-synchronized cardiac assist device combines the hemodynamic support of a veno-arterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (VA-ECMO) with the ability to generate a pulsatile flow and thus decreasing adverse effects of VA-ECMO on myocardial function.

Optical coherence tomography tissue coverage and characterization at six months after implantation of bioresorbable scaffolds versus conventional everolimus eluting stents in the ISAR-Absorb MI trial.

Purpose: Data regarding vessel healing by optical coherence tomography (OCT) after everolimus-eluting bioresorbable scaffolds (BRS) or everolimus-eluting metallic stent (EES) implantation in acute myocardial infarction (AMI) patients is scarce. We compared OCT findings after BRS or EES implantation in patients with AMI enrolled in a randomized trial.

Methods: In ISAR-Absorb MI, AMI patients were randomized to BRS or EES implantation, with 6-8 month angiographic follow-up.

Changes of Right Ventricular Function After Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement and Association With Outcomes.

Background: Baseline right ventricular (RV) dysfunction represents a predictor for poor outcome in patients undergoing transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR). However, RV function may improve after TAVR, which could have important implications on outcomes. The aim of the present study was to assess changes in RV function after TAVR and its prognostic value regarding clinical outcome.

Efficacy and Safety of Revacept, a Novel Lesion-Directed Competitive Antagonist to Platelet Glycoprotein VI, in Patients Undergoing Elective Percutaneous Coronary Intervention for Stable Ischemic Heart Disease: The Randomized, Double-blind, Placebo-Controlled ISAR-PLASTER Phase 2 Trial.

Importance: The assessment of new antithrombotic agents with a favorable safety profile is clinically relevant.

Objective: To test the efficacy and safety of revacept, a novel, lesion-directed antithrombotic drug, acting as a competitive antagonist to platelet glycoprotein VI.

Design, Setting, And Participants: A phase 2 randomized clinical trial; patients were enrolled from 9 centers in Germany from November 20, 2017, to February 27, 2020; follow-up ended on March 27, 2020.

Impact of sinus rhythm versus atrial fibrillation on left ventricular remodeling after transcatheter aortic valve replacement.

Aims: Atrial fibrillation (AF) is associated with increased mortality after transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR). Cerebrovascular complications and bleeding events associated with anticoagulation therapy are discussed to be possible causes for this increased mortality. The present study sought to assess whether AF is associated with impaired left ventricular (LV) reverse remodeling representing another possible mechanism for poor outcome.

Outcomes of endovascular treatment for infrapopliteal peripheral artery disease based on the updated TASC II classification.

We retrospectively analyzed all endovascular procedures of infrapopliteal arterial lesions ( = 383) performed in 270 patients at our institution between December 2008 and January 2018. The overall technical success rate was 97% and yielded 98% for stenoses ( = 214) and 95% for occlusions ( = 169). Trans-Atlantic Inter-Society Consensus (TASC II) classification had no impact on success rates (TASC A + B vs C + D; 96.

Dose-Dependent Effect of Renin-Angiotensin System Blockade Following Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement.

Background: There is growing body of evidence from retrospective studies that renin-angiotensin system (RAS) blockade is associated with improved outcome after transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR). However, it remains unknown whether the effect of RAS blockade is dose dependent. The current study sought to assess the dose-dependent effect of RAS blockade on survival and left-ventricular (LV) remodelling after TAVR.

Hybrid PET/MR imaging for the prediction of left ventricular recovery after percutaneous revascularisation of coronary chronic total occlusions.

Purpose: To evaluate myocardial viability assessment with hybrid 2-deoxy-2-[F]fluoro-D-glucose positron emission tomography/magnetic resonance imaging ([F]FDG-PET/MR) in predicting left ventricular (LV) wall motion recovery after percutaneous revascularisation of coronary chronic total occlusion (CTO).

Methods And Results: Forty-nine patients with CTO and corresponding wall motion abnormality (WMA) underwent [F]FDG-PET/MR imaging for viability assessment prior to percutaneous revascularisation. After 3-6 months, 23 patients underwent follow-up MR to evaluate wall motion recovery.

Significant prevalence of peripheral artery disease in patients with disturbed wound healing following elective foot and ankle surgery: Results from the ABI-PRIORY (ABI as a PRedictor of Impaired wound healing after ORthopedic surgerY) trial.

Disturbed wound healing (DWH) following elective foot and ankle surgery is associated with a number of known risk factors. The purpose of this study was to determine if peripheral artery disease (PAD) is a potential risk factor that contributes to an increase in postoperative DWH. In a case-control study, we analyzed all patients undergoing elective foot and ankle surgery between January 1, 2014 and December 31, 2017 at two institutions and identified 51 patients with postoperative DWH.

Influence of diagnosis of venous thromboembolism on immature platelets, absolute platelet count and platelet aggregation over time.

The extent of the involvement of platelets in venous thromboembolisms (VTE) is still not fully understood. Immature platelets are large, RNA-rich, prothrombotic platelets. They are involved in arterial thromboembolisms and are associated with adverse cardiovascular events.

Endovascular therapy of subclavian artery occlusive disease involving the vertebral artery origin.

Unlabelled: Background: While the majority of subclavian artery (SA) lesions are localized in the proximal segment, the evidence in patients with medial SA disease involving the vertebral artery (VA) origin are scarce.

Patients And Methods: We retrospectively analyzed all patients who underwent percutaneous revascularization of the SA at our institution.

Results: A total of 196 patients were retrospectively analyzed.

Incidence and predictors of stent thrombosis after endovascular revascularisation of the superficial femoral artery.

Aims: The aims of this study were to assess the incidence and predictors of superficial femoral artery (SFA) stent thrombosis (ST) in a large patient cohort.

Methods And Results: A total of 984 stented SFA lesions were retrospectively analysed in 717 patients. We observed an overall ST rate of 7.

Prospective, randomized trial of bioresorbable scaffolds vs. everolimus-eluting stents in patients undergoing coronary stenting for myocardial infarction: the Intracoronary Scaffold Assessment a Randomized evaluation of Absorb in Myocardial Infarction (ISAR-Absorb MI) trial.

Aims: Bioresorbable scaffolds (BRS) provide short-term coronary artery scaffolding and drug delivery. Although prior trials showed a higher rate of device failure compared with conventional drug-eluting stents (DES), only a single trial investigated patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) for acute myocardial infarction (MI). We aimed to compare outcomes with BRS vs.

Endovascular Treatment for Steno-Occlusive Iliac Artery Disease: Safety and Long-Term Outcome.

We evaluated safety and long-term outcome of endovascular therapy for steno-occlusive iliac artery disease. All endovascular procedures of iliac artery lesions performed at our institution between 2001 and 2014 (n = 676) were retrospectively analyzed. The overall technical success rate was 99% and yielded 100% for stenoses (n = 596) and 95% for chronic total occlusions (n = 80).

Drug-eluting stents versus bare metal stents for the prevention of restenosis in patients with renovascular disease.

Aims: The aim of this study was to assess the impact of drug-eluting stents (DES) compared to bare metal stents (BMS) for the endovascular treatment of atherosclerotic renal artery stenosis (ARAS).

Methods And Results: We retrospectively evaluated all of our endovascular BMS and DES implantations performed in de novo ARAS between 2000 and 2014 at our institution. The occurrence of in-stent restenosis (ISR) detected by ultrasound or angiography, kidney function, blood pressure (BP), and the number of antihypertensive drugs were analysed as endpoints.

Combination of factor Xa inhibition and antiplatelet therapy after stenting in patients with iliofemoral post-thrombotic venous obstruction.

Objectives: Studies addressing optimal postprocedural pharmacological management after endovascular stenting of iliofemoral post-thrombotic venous obstruction are lacking. We report our early clinical experience with a combination of rivaroxaban and clopidogrel in patients after iliofemoral post-thrombotic venous obstruction stenting.

Methods: Demographic, procedural, and follow-up data of nine patients (seven women; mean age of 32 ± 11 years) undergoing 10 procedures for iliofemoral post-thrombotic venous obstruction performed between August 2012 and January 2014 were retrospectively reviewed.

Endovascular therapy for steno-occlusive subclavian and innominate artery disease.

Background: This study investigated the safety and outcome of endovascular therapy for steno-occlusive subclavian or innominate artery disease at a single center over a long period of more than 2 decades. METHODS AND RESULTS: We retrospectively analyzed all endovascular procedures of stenosis or occlusion of the subclavian or innominate artery between January 1990 and October 2013. During the observation period, a total of 130 procedures were attempted in 127 mostly symptomatic patients with stenosis (n=108; 83%) or occlusion (n=22; 17%) of the subclavian (n=119; 92%) and innominate (n=11; 8%) artery.

Radial artery applanation tonometry for continuous noninvasive arterial blood pressure monitoring in the cardiac intensive care unit.

Background: Hemodynamic monitoring plays a pivotal role in the treatment of patients in the cardiac intensive care unit (CICU). The innovative radial artery applanation tonometry technology allows for continuous noninvasive arterial blood pressure (AP) measurement. By closing the gap between continuous invasive AP monitoring (arterial catheter) and intermittent noninvasive AP monitoring (oscillometry) this technology might improve CICU patient monitoring.