Evaluation of Coronary Artery Stenosis by Quantitative Flow Ratio During Invasive Coronary Angiography: The WIFI II Study (Wire-Free Functional Imaging II).

Background: Quantitative flow ratio (QFR) is a novel diagnostic modality for functional testing of coronary artery stenosis without the use of pressure wires and induction of hyperemia. QFR is based on computation of standard invasive coronary angiographic imaging. The purpose of WIFI II (Wire-Free Functional Imaging II) was to evaluate the feasibility and diagnostic performance of QFR in unselected consecutive patients.

Identification of High-Risk Plaques Destined to Cause Acute Coronary Syndrome Using Coronary Computed Tomographic Angiography and Computational Fluid Dynamics.

Objectives: The authors investigated the utility of noninvasive hemodynamic assessment in the identification of high-risk plaques that caused subsequent acute coronary syndrome (ACS).

Background: ACS is a critical event that impacts the prognosis of patients with coronary artery disease. However, the role of hemodynamic factors in the development of ACS is not well-known.

Assessing microscope image focus quality with deep learning.

Background: Large image datasets acquired on automated microscopes typically have some fraction of low quality, out-of-focus images, despite the use of hardware autofocus systems. Identification of these images using automated image analysis with high accuracy is important for obtaining a clean, unbiased image dataset. Complicating this task is the fact that image focus quality is only well-defined in foreground regions of images, and as a result, most previous approaches only enable a computation of the relative difference in quality between two or more images, rather than an absolute measure of quality.

Aortic valve and left ventricular outflow tract calcium volume and distribution in transcatheter aortic valve replacement: Influence on the risk of significant paravalvular regurgitation.

Objectives: We sought to determine the impact of aortic root calcium on the risk of significant paravalvular regurgitation (sPAR) in transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR).

Methods: In 302 consecutive patients from 3 centers, aortic root calcium was quantified volumetrically on pre-TAVR multidetector computed tomography (MDCT) in three regions: 1) the aortic valve region, 2) the overall left ventricular outflow tract (LVOT) and 3) the upper LVOT. Transcathether heart valve (THV) oversizing was calculated as (THV nominal area/MDCT annular area-1) × 100.

Mortality after coronary artery bypass grafting versus percutaneous coronary intervention with stenting for coronary artery disease: a pooled analysis of individual patient data.

Background: Numerous randomised trials have compared coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) with percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) for patients with coronary artery disease. However, no studies have been powered to detect a difference in mortality between the revascularisation strategies.

Methods: We did a systematic review up to July 19, 2017, to identify randomised clinical trials comparing CABG with PCI using stents.

Diagnosing coronary artery disease after a positive coronary computed tomography angiography: the Dan-NICAD open label, parallel, head to head, randomized controlled diagnostic accuracy trial of cardiovascular magnetic resonance and myocardial perfusion scintigraphy.

Aims: Perfusion scans after coronary computed tomography angiography (CCTA) in patients with suspected coronary artery disease (CAD) may reduce unnecessary invasive coronary angiographies (ICAs). However, the diagnostic accuracy of perfusion scans after primary CCTA is unknown. The aim of this study was to determine the diagnostic accuracy of cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) and myocardial perfusion scintigraphy (MPS) against ICA with fractional flow reserve (FFR) in patients suspected of CAD by CCTA.

One-year rehospitalisation after percutaneous coronary intervention: a retrospective analysis.

Aims: The aim of the study was to evaluate the incidence and causes of rehospitalisation within one year after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) in a country where the National Health Service provides universal tax-supported healthcare, guaranteeing residents free hospital access.

Methods And Results: Between January 2010 and September 2014, 17,111 patients were treated with PCI in two University Hospitals in Western Denmark. Patients who were readmitted within one year after PCI were identified.

In vivo serial invasive imaging of the second-generation drug-eluting absorbable metal scaffold (Magmaris - DREAMS 2G) in de novo coronary lesions: Insights from the BIOSOLVE-II First-In-Man Trial.

Rationale: Bioresorbable scaffolds may confer clinical benefit in long-term studies; early mechanistic studies using intravascular imaging have provided insightful information about the immediate and mid-term local serial effects of BRS on the coronary vessel wall.

Objectives: We assessed baseline, 6- and 12-month imaging data of the drug-eluting absorbable metal scaffold (DREAMS 2G).

Methods And Results: The international, first-in-man BIOSOLVE-II trial enrolled 123 patients with up to 2 de novo lesions (in vessels of 2.

Nonculprit Stenosis Evaluation Using Instantaneous Wave-Free Ratio in Patients With ST-Segment Elevation Myocardial Infarction.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to examine the level of agreement between acute instantaneous wave-free ratio (iFR) measured across nonculprit stenoses in patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) and iFR measured at a staged follow-up procedure.

Background: Acute full revascularization of nonculprit stenoses in STEMI is debated and currently guided by angiography. Acute functional assessment of nonculprit stenoses may be considered.

Detection of early changes in the coronary artery microstructure after heart transplantation: A prospective optical coherence tomography study.

Background: Optical coherence tomography (OCT) enables in-vivo cardiac allograft vasculopathy (CAV) microstructure characterization. Early coronary artery microstructure changes after heart transplantation (HTx) may provide valuable mechanistic information regarding CAV development. Our in this study was to describe and characterize changes in the coronary artery microstructure during the first year after HTx using serial OCT scans.

Diagnostic performance of an acoustic-based system for coronary artery disease risk stratification.

Objective: Diagnosing coronary artery disease (CAD) continues to require substantial healthcare resources. Acoustic analysis of transcutaneous heart sounds of cardiac movement and intracoronary turbulence due to obstructive coronary disease could potentially change this. The aim of this study was thus to test the diagnostic accuracy of a new portable acoustic device for detection of CAD.

Short- and Long-Term Mortality and Stroke Risk After Transcatheter Aortic Valve Implantation.

No published studies have compared the outcome after transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) with the outcome in the general population. Thus, it is unknown whether TAVI restores normal life expectancy and stroke risk. Furthermore, despite the increasing use of TAVI, only little is known about the temporal trends for TAVI regarding patient characteristics and outcomes.

Intravascular ultrasound assessment of minimum lumen area and intimal hyperplasia in in-stent restenosis after drug-eluting or bare-metal stent implantation. The Nordic Intravascular Ultrasound Study (NIVUS).

Introduction: Drug-eluting stents (DES) reduce the risk of restenosis after percutaneous coronary intervention. The aim of the study was to evaluate, by intravascular ultrasound (IVUS), the minimum lumen area site in the stented segment and the distribution of intimal hyperplasia in patients presenting with a DES or bare-metal stent (BMS) in-stent restenosis.

Methods: The "Nordic Intravascular Ultrasound Study (NIVUS)" study was conducted in Nordic and Baltic countries as a prospective multicenter registry.

Small composite field correction factors for the CyberKnife radiosurgery system: clinical and PCSR plans.

A formalism has been proposed for small and non-standard photon fields in which [Formula: see text] correction factors are used to correct dosimeter response in small fields (indiviual or composite) relative to that in a larger machine-specific reference (MSR) field. For clinical plans consisting of several fields, a plan-class specific reference (PCSR) plan can also be defined, serving as an intermediate calibration field between the MSR and clinical plans within a certain plan-class. In this work, the formalism was applied in the calculation of [Formula: see text] for 21 clinical plans delivered by the [Formula: see text] radiosurgery system, each plan employing one or two of the smallest diameter collimators: 5 mm, 7.

Ketoprofen pharmacokinetics of R- and S-isomers in juvenile loggerhead sea turtles (Caretta caretta) after single intravenous and single- and multidose intramuscular administration.

Ketoprofen is a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory and analgesic agent that nonselectively inhibits cyclooxygenase, with both COX-1 and COX-2 inhibition. Recent studies on COX receptor expression in reptiles suggest that nonselective COX inhibitors may be more appropriate than more selective inhibitors in some reptiles, but few pharmacokinetic studies are available. The goal of this study was to determine single- and multidose (three consecutive days) pharmacokinetics of racemic ketoprofen administered intravenously and intramuscularly at 2 mg/kg in healthy juvenile loggerhead turtles (Caretta caretta).

Early-life sensitization to hen's egg predicts asthma and rhinoconjunctivitis at 14 years of age.

Background: Sensitization to both inhalant and food allergens has been shown to be risk factors for development of asthma and rhinoconjunctivitis (RC). However, few studies have addressed the role of transient or persistent IgE sensitization to specific allergens in early life for later development of allergic diseases. The aim of this study was to explore the association between transient and persistent sensitization in early life and the development of asthma and RC at 6 and 14 years.

Long-term Risk of Cancer Following Ileal Pouch-anal Anastomosis for Ulcerative Colitis.

Background: The overall risk of cancer following ileal pouch-anal anastomosis [IPAA] is unknown, and pouch cancer surveillance is controversial. We evaluated long-term risk of cancer in a national cohort of patients with ulcerative colitis and IPAA, with emphasis on pouch cancer.

Methods: Data on incident cancers were extracted from the national Danish Cancer Registry.

The sex-shift in single disease and multimorbid asthma and rhinitis during puberty - a study by MeDALL.

Background: Cross-sectional studies suggested that allergy prevalence in childhood is higher in boys compared to girls, but it remains unclear whether this inequality changes after puberty. We examined the sex-specific prevalence of asthma and rhinitis as single and as multimorbid diseases before and after puberty onset in longitudinal cohort data.

Methods: In six European population-based birth cohorts of MeDALL, we assessed the outcomes: current rhinitis, current asthma, current allergic multimorbidity (ie, concurrent asthma and rhinitis), puberty status and allergic sensitization by specific serum antibodies (immunoglobulin E) against aero-allergens.

Effect of Post-Dilatation Following Primary PCI With Everolimus-Eluting Bioresorbable Scaffold Versus Everolimus-Eluting Metallic Stent Implantation: An Angiographic and Optical Coherence Tomography TROFI II Substudy.

Objectives: This study sought to investigate the effect of post-dilatation on angiographic and intracoronary imaging parameters in the setting of primary percutaneous coronary intervention comparing the everolimus-eluting bioresorbable scaffold (BRS) with the everolimus-eluting metallic stent (EES).

Background: Routine post-dilatation of BRS has been suggested to improve post-procedural angiographic and subsequent device-related clinical outcomes.

Methods: In the ABSORB STEMI TROFI II trial, 191 patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction were randomly assigned to treatment with BRS (n = 95) or EES (n = 96).

Serial 5-Year Evaluation of Side Branches Jailed by Bioresorbable Vascular Scaffolds Using 3-Dimensional Optical Coherence Tomography: Insights From the ABSORB Cohort B Trial (A Clinical Evaluation of the Bioabsorbable Everolimus Eluting Coronary Stent System in the Treatment of Patients With De Novo Native Coronary Artery Lesions).

Background: The long-term fate of Absorb bioresorbable vascular scaffold (Abbott Vascular, Santa Clara, CA) struts jailing side branch ostia has not been clarified. We therefore evaluate serially (post-procedure and at 6 months, 1, 2, 3, and 5 years) the appearance and fate of jailed Absorb bioresorbable vascular scaffold struts.

Methods And Results: We performed 3-dimensional optical coherence tomographic analysis of the ABSORB Cohort B trial (A Clinical Evaluation of the Bioabsorbable Everolimus Eluting Coronary Stent System in the Treatment of Patients With De Novo Native Coronary Artery Lesions) up to 5 years using a novel, validated cut-plane analysis method.

[Simultaneous intestinal tuberculosis and adenocarcinoma].

Intestinal tuberculosis is a rare diagnosis, which may often be mistaken for mb. Crohn or cancer. We present a case of a 57-year-old man, who was diagnosed with intestinal tuberculosis.

Myocardial Perfusion Imaging Versus Computed Tomography Angiography-Derived Fractional Flow Reserve Testing in Stable Patients With Intermediate-Range Coronary Lesions: Influence on Downstream Diagnostic Workflows and Invasive Angiography Findings.

Background: Data on the clinical utility of coronary computed tomography angiography-derived fractional flow reserve (FFR) are sparse. In patients with intermediate (40-70%) coronary stenosis determined by coronary computed tomography angiography, we investigated the association of replacing standard myocardial perfusion imaging with FFR testing with downstream utilization of invasive coronary angiography (ICA) and the diagnostic yield of ICA (rate of no obstructive disease, and rate of revascularization).

Methods And Results: This was a single-center observational study of symptomatic patients with suspected coronary artery disease referred to coronary computed tomography angiography between 2013 and 2015.