Publications by authors named "Cuculi F"
Article Synopsis
- The study investigates the significance of cardiac troponin (cTn) levels in predicting mortality in patients with Takotsubo syndrome (TTS), analyzing data from the International Takotsubo Registry.
- It identifies that a cTn increase greater than 28.8 times the upper reference limit signals clinically relevant myocardial injury, correlating with a higher risk of mortality over 5 years (adjusted HR 1.58).
- The findings enhance understanding of patient risk profiles in TTS, emphasizing the need for increased monitoring and follow-up for those with significant troponin elevations.
Article Synopsis
- The study investigated changes in demographics, risk factors, clinical presentations, and outcomes of takotsubo syndrome (TTS) patients from 2004 to 2021, using data from the InterTAK registry.
- Over the years, the proportion of male patients increased, and there was a rise in cases of midventricular TTS as well as significant growth in the incidence of physical triggers.
- There was also a notable increase in 60-day mortality rates, although no significant change in 1-year mortality when excluding early deaths was observed, indicating a complex evolution of TTS and its management in recent years.
Article Synopsis
- The study looked at two ways to close a hole in the heart called a patent foramen ovale (PFO) to prevent blood clots, using either fluoroscopy (FS) or both fluoroscopy and transesophageal echocardiography (TOE) for guidance.
- They analyzed 203 patients and found that using FS alone was faster, but both methods achieved similar success rates in closing the PFO at 6 months.
- No significant differences were found in complications or reoccurring heart issues between the two methods, suggesting FS-only guidance is just as effective as using both TOE and FS.
Background: In patients undergoing transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR), elevated pre-procedural C-reactive protein (CRP) levels are frequently observed. Its impact on long-term results of TAVR is unclear. The aim of the study was to investigate the long-term (up to six years) clinical outcomes of TAVR patients with normal compared to elevated CRP levels before TAVR.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: In transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR), transfemoral (TF) access offers several advantages over alternative access routes. Advances in sheaths and valve delivery technology have catalyzed the feasibility of TF-TAVR, even in challenging anatomies.
Aims: Report procedural characteristics and outcomes of a TAVR program aiming for a 100% TF access rate.
Background: Patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI) and large thrombus burden (LTB) still represent a challenge. Afflicted patients have a high morbidity and mortality. Aspiration thrombectomy is often ineffective in those cases.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFObjectives: Despite the introduction of improved drug eluting stents (DES), the rate of repeat revascularization procedures following percutaneous coronary interventions (PCI) in coronary chronic total occlusions (CTO) remains high. By leaving vessels uncaged and limiting length of stented segments, drug-coated balloons (DCB) represent an appealing alternative to DES for CTO-PCI. Since data supporting the use of DCBs in CTO-PCI is scarce, we compared the outcomes of patients undergoing CTO-PCI involving DCBs vs DES only.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: There is mounting data supporting the use of drug-coated balloons (DCB) not only for treatment of in-stent restenosis (ISR), but also in native coronary artery disease. So far, paclitaxel-coated balloons represented the mainstay DCBs. The SeQuent® crystalline sirolimus-coated balloon (SCB) (B.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFObjectives: Percutaneous closure of a patent foramen ovale (PFO) for the prevention of recurrent paradoxical thromboembolic events has been shown to be safe and effective in randomized controlled trials. However, it remains uncertain if differences in the structure and design of the occluder devices impact the outcomes. The aim of this study was to compare results of percutaneous PFO closure using 2 widely used double-disc occluders.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: Chronic inflammatory disease (CID) accelerates atherosclerosis and the development of aortic stenosis. Data on long-term outcomes after transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) in those patients are missing. The aim of this study was to investigate the clinical long-term outcomes of patients with and without autoimmune-related CID undergoing TAVI for the treatment of severe aortic stenosis.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFInflammation plays a central role in coronary artery disease (CAD), and recent data have shown that anti-inflammatory drugs have the potential to reduce ischemic events in CAD patients. Colchicine is an ancient anti-inflammatory drug that targets neutrophil and inflammasome activities. It has been prescribed for decades for different rheumatological conditions.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFObjectives: The Allegra-THV is a novel, self-expanding THV with supra-annular bovine leaflets. The valve is available in 3 different sizes and is delivered through an 18 French sheath. To determine the safety and efficacy of the Allegra transcatheter heart valve (THV; Biosensors) for the treatment of severe aortic valve stenosis under real-world conditions.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: Motion artifacts in planning computed tomography (CT) for transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) can potentially skew measurements required for procedural planning. Whether such artifacts may affect safety or efficacy has not been studied.
Methods: We conducted a retrospective analysis of 852 consecutive patients (mean age, 82 years; 47% women) undergoing TAVI-planning CT at a tertiary care center.
Background: Biodegradable polymer sirolimus-eluting stents improve early stent-related clinical outcomes compared to durable polymer everolimus-eluting stents in patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) undergoing primary percutaneous coronary intervention. The long-term advantages of biodegradable polymer sirolimus-eluting stents after complete degradation of its polymer coating in patients with STEMI remains however uncertain.
Methods: BIOSTEMI Extended Survival (BIOSTEMI ES) was an investigator-initiated, follow-up extension study of the BIOSTEMI prospective, multicentre, single-blind, randomised superiority trial that compared biodegradable polymer sirolimus-eluting stents with durable polymer everolimus-eluting stents in patients with STEMI undergoing primary percutaneous coronary intervention at ten hospitals in Switzerland.
Objectives: It is uncertain, if omitting post-dilatation and stent oversizing (stent optimization) is safe and may decrease the risk for distal thrombus embolization (DTE) in STEMI patients with large thrombus burden (LTB).
Background: In patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) undergoing primary percutaneous coronary intervention (pPCI) with stenting, (DTE) and flow deterioration are common and increase infarct size leading to worse outcomes.
Methods: From a prospective registry, 74 consecutive STEMI patients with LTB undergoing pPCI with stenting and intentionally deferred stent optimization were analyzed.
Background: Reducing venous drainage of the coronary sinus is a promising intervention for refractory angina. Coronary Sinus Reducer (CSR) System™ effectively treats patients with refractory angina, possibly by increasing coronary collateral circulation, and leads to an improvement in their symptoms and quality of life. In patients with impaired left ventricular function and electrocardiographic dyssynchrony, cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) is an established treatment.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFArticle Synopsis
- Researchers developed a machine learning model to predict in-hospital death risk in Takotsubo syndrome (TTS) patients using data from over 3,400 individuals.
- The model included 31 clinical variables and achieved strong performance results, with AUC values indicating high accuracy in identifying patients at risk of death.
- Clustering analysis revealed six distinct patient groups with varying in-hospital death rates, demonstrating the model's ability to stratify risk profiles effectively.
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.
Subclinical leaflet thrombosis, identified as hypoattenuated leaflet thickening (HALT) on cardiac computed tomography scan, has been observed after transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR). However, data on HALT after the implant of the supra-annular ACURATE neo/neo2 prosthesis are limited. This study aimed to determine the prevalence and risk factors for the development of HALT after TAVR with the ACURATE neo/neo2.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: Growing interest in neuroprotection in transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) has catalyzed the development of cerebral protection systems (CPS).
Objectives: Report insights from consecutive real-world patients undergoing TAVR with the Sentinel-CPS.
Methods: Patients with severe aortic stenosis undergoing TAVR from April 2019 to May 2022 were enrolled in a prospective registry.
Background: A decade ago, the iopromide-paclitaxel coated balloon (iPCB) was added to the cardiologist's toolbox to initially treat in-stent restenosis followed by the treatment of de novo coronary lesions. In the meantime, DES technologies have been substantially improved to address in-stent restenosis and thrombosis, and shortened anti-platelet therapy. Recently, sirolimus-coated balloon catheters (SCB) have emerged to provide an alternative drug to combat restenosis.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: Calcified lesions often lead to difficulty achieving optimal stent expansion. OPN non-compliant (NC) is a twin layer balloon with high rated burst pressure that may modify calcium effectively.
Methods: Retrospective, multicenter registry in patients undergoing optical coherence tomography (OCT) guided intervention with OPN NC.