Monoclonal Antibodies Targeting CGRP: A Novel Treatment in Vestibular Migraine.

. Monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) directed against the calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) or its receptor represented the first targeted and specialized approach to migraine prophylaxis. Nevertheless, they have been rarely considered in the treatment of vestibular migraine (VM).

Ratio Aβ1-42:p-Tau: a Possible Diagnostic Tool in Differentiating Dementias.

Background: Patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD) present a typical biochemical profile of biomarkers: low concentration of β amyloid 1-42 (Aβ1-42), high concentration of total Tau (t-Tau) and phosphorylated Tau at threonine 181 (p-Tau). Several neurodegenerative diseases may overlap with AD, both in regards to clinical symptoms and neuropathology. Many data suggest that Alzheimer's disease (AD) pathophysiology can be identified using biomarkers.

Angiotensin II receptor blockers: a new possible treatment for chronic migraine?

The objective is to suggest a possible role of different angiotensin receptor blockers in the treatment of chronic migraine, especially in hypertensive subjects. Chronic migraine is a highly disabling disorder affecting between 1.4 and 2.

Efficacy of oxygen inhalation in sumatriptan refractory "high altitude" cluster headache attacks.

We describe the case of a 40-year-old woman, affected by episodic cluster headache, who presented with a cluster headache triggered by exposure to high altitude. Her attacks were refractory to sumatriptan, very effective at sea level, but responded to oxygen. A pathophysiological mechanism is proposed.

Vascular response to sirolimus-eluting stents delivered with a nonaggressive implantation technique: comparison of intravascular ultrasound results from the multicenter, randomized E-SIRIUS, and SIRIUS trials.

Background: The effectiveness of SES to reduce the risk of restenosis was initially demonstrated in short lesions using stent implantation with routine pre-dilatation and post-dilatation. This intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) substudy of the E-SIRIUS trial sought to evaluate local arterial responses to sirolimus-eluting stents (SES) delivered with a stent implantation technique allowing direct stenting and only selectively applying high-pressure post-dilatation.

Methods And Results: IVUS was performed immediately after intervention and at 8-month follow-up in 51 patients randomised to either bare-metal stents (BMS; Bx-Velocitytrade mark; N=20) or SES (Cyphertrade mark N=31).

Five-year outcomes after coronary stenting versus bypass surgery for the treatment of multivessel disease: the final analysis of the Arterial Revascularization Therapies Study (ARTS) randomized trial.

Objectives: The long-term (five-year) comparative results of treatment of multivessel coronary artery disease with stenting or coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) is at present unknown.

Background: The Arterial Revascularization Therapies Study (ARTS) was designed to compare CABG and stenting in patients with multivessel disease.

Methods: A total of 1,205 patients with the potential for equivalent revascularization were randomly assigned to CABG (n = 605) or stent implantation (n = 600).

Incomplete stent apposition after implantation of paclitaxel-eluting stents or bare metal stents: insights from the randomized TAXUS II trial.

Background: The clinical impact of late incomplete stent apposition (ISA) for drug-eluting stents is unknown. We sought to prospectively investigate the incidence and extent of ISA after the procedure and at 6-month follow-up of paclitaxel-eluting stents in comparison with bare metal stents (BMS) and survey the clinical significance of ISA over a period of 12 months.

Methods And Results: TAXUS II was a randomized, double-blind study with 536 patients in 2 consecutive cohorts comparing slow-release (SR; 131 patients) and moderate-release (MR; 135 patients) paclitaxel-eluting stents with BMS (270 patients).

Fluvastatin reduces the 4-year cardiac risk in patients with multivessel disease.

Background: To evaluate the impact of the extent of coronary disease (single- or multivessel) and of fluvastatin treatment on the incidence of long-term cardiac atherosclerotic complications in the Lescol Intervention Prevention Study (LIPS).

Methods: A total of 1063 patients with single-vessel disease and 614 patients with multivessel disease were randomized to receive fluvastatin (40 mg bid) or placebo for at least 3 years following a first successful percutaneous coronary intervention. The incidence of cardiac atherosclerotic events (cardiac death, non-fatal myocardial infarction, and coronary re-interventions not related to restenosis) was evaluated.

Impact of body mass index on the outcome of patients with multivessel disease randomized to either coronary artery bypass grafting or stenting in the ARTS trial: The obesity paradox II?

The effect of body mass index (BMI) on outcomes after coronary artery revascularization remains controversial. We studied 1,203 patients who had multivessel coronary artery disease and underwent stenting (n = 599) or coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG; n = 604) in the Arterial Revascularization Therapies Study. Patients were assigned to 1 of 3 groups according to BMI: <25, 25 to 30, and >30 kg/m(2).

Incidence of high-strain patterns in human coronary arteries: assessment with three-dimensional intravascular palpography and correlation with clinical presentation.

Background: Rupture of thin-cap fibroatheromatous plaques is a major cause of acute myocardial infarction (AMI). Such plaques can be identified in vitro by 3D intravascular palpography with high sensitivity and specificity. We used this technique in patients undergoing percutaneous intervention to assess the incidence of mechanically deformable regions.

Vascular responses at proximal and distal edges of paclitaxel-eluting stents: serial intravascular ultrasound analysis from the TAXUS II trial.

Background: On the basis of brachytherapy experience, edge stenosis has been raised as a potential limitation for drug-eluting stents. We used serial intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) to prospectively analyze vessel responses in adjacent reference segments after implantation of polymer-controlled paclitaxel-eluting stents.

Methods And Results: TAXUS II was a randomized, double-blind trial with 2 consecutive patient cohorts that compared slow-release (SR) and moderate-release (MR) paclitaxel-eluting stents with control bare metal stents (BMS).

Clinical and angiographic predictors of restenosis after stent deployment in diabetic patients.

Background: Restenosis and consequent adverse cardiac events are increased in diabetics undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention. Use of intracoronary stents may ameliorate such risks; however, factors influencing the likelihood of restenosis after stent deployment in this high-risk patient subgroup are unknown.

Methods And Results: We retrospectively analyzed all stented diabetic patients in 16 studies of percutaneous coronary intervention, all of which underwent core angiographic analysis at Cardialysis, Rotterdam.

Chronic arterial responses to polymer-controlled paclitaxel-eluting stents: comparison with bare metal stents by serial intravascular ultrasound analyses: data from the randomized TAXUS-II trial.

Background: Polymer-controlled paclitaxel-eluting stents have shown a pronounced reduction in neointimal hyperplasia compared with bare metal stents (BMS). The aim of this substudy was to evaluate local arterial responses through the use of serial quantitative intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) analyses in the TAXUS II trial.

Methods And Results: TAXUS II was a randomized, double-blind study with 536 patients in 2 consecutive cohorts comparing slow-release (SR; 131 patients) and moderate-release (MR; 135 patients) paclitaxel-eluting stents with BMS (270 patients).

A retrospective analysis of the effect of noncompliance on time to first major adverse cardiac event in LIPS.

Background: In the main publication for LIPS (Lescol Intervention Prevention Study), a 22% relative risk (RR) reduction for major adverse cardiac events (MACE) was found among those who used fluvastatin after a successful first percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). However, intent-to-treat (ITT) analysis of clinical studies generally provides an observed treatment effect that is likely to underestimate what the treatment effect would be if compliance were perfect, because compliance in a clinical trial is invariably <100% during long-term follow-up.

Objective: The aim of this study was to analyze the relationship between compliance and treatment effect in LIPS.

TAXUS III Trial: in-stent restenosis treated with stent-based delivery of paclitaxel incorporated in a slow-release polymer formulation.

Background: The first clinical study of paclitaxel-eluting stent for de novo lesions showed promising results. We performed the TAXUS III trial to evaluate the feasibility and safety of paclitaxel-eluting stent for the treatment of in-stent restenosis (ISR).

Methods And Results: The TAXUS III trial was a single-arm, 2-center study that enrolled 28 patients with ISR meeting the criteria of lesion length < or =30 mm, 50% to 99% diameter stenosis, and vessel diameter 3.

Angiographic findings of the multicenter Randomized Study With the Sirolimus-Eluting Bx Velocity Balloon-Expandable Stent (RAVEL): sirolimus-eluting stents inhibit restenosis irrespective of the vessel size.

Background: Restenosis remains the major limitation of coronary catheter-based intervention. In small vessels, the amount of neointimal tissue is disproportionately greater than the vessel caliber, resulting in higher restenosis rates. In the Randomized Study With the Sirolimus-Eluting Bx Velocity Balloon-Expandable Stent (RAVEL) trial, approximately 40% of the vessels were small (<2.

Intracoronary beta-radiation to reduce restenosis after balloon angioplasty and stenting; the Beta Radiation In Europe (BRIE) study.

Aims: The BRIE trial is a registry evaluating the safety and performance of (90)Sr delivered locally (Beta-Cath TM system of Novoste) to de-novo and restenotic lesions in patients with up to two discrete lesions in different vessels.

Methods And Results: In total, 149 patients (175 lesions) were enrolled; 62 treated with balloons and 113 with stents. The restenosis rate, the minimal luminal diameter and the late loss were determined in three regions of interest: (a) in a subsegment of 5mm containing the original minimal luminal diameter pre-intervention termed target segment; (b) the irradiated segment, 28 mm in length, and (c) the entire analysed segment, 42 mm in length, termed the vessel segment.

Geographical miss during catheter-based intracoronary beta-radiation: incidence and implications in the BRIE study. Beta-Radiation In Europe.

Objectives: We sought to determine the incidence and causes of geographical miss (GM) and to evaluate its impact on edge restenosis after intracoronary beta-radiation therapy.

Background: Edge restenosis is a limitation of intracoronary beta-radiation therapy. Geographical miss is the situation in which the radiation source does not fully cover the injured segment and may lead to edge restenosis.

Continued benefit of coronary stenting versus balloon angioplasty: five-year clinical follow-up of Benestent-I trial.

Objectives: This study sought to establish whether the early favorable results in the Benestent-I randomized trial comparing elective Palmaz-Schatz stent implantation with balloon angioplasty in 516 patients with stable angina pectoris are maintained at 5 years.

Background: The size of the required sample was based on a 40% reduction in clinical events in the stent group. Seven months and one-year follow-up in this trial showed a decreased incidence of restenosis and clinical events in patients randomized to stent implantation.

Endoluminal beta-radiation therapy for the prevention of coronary restenosis after balloon angioplasty. The Dose-Finding Study Group.

Background: Beta radiation is effective in reducing vascular neointimal proliferation in animals after injury caused by balloon angioplasty. However, the lowest dose that can prevent restenosis after coronary angioplasty has yet to be determined.

Methods: After successful balloon angioplasty of a previously untreated coronary stenosis, 181 patients were randomly assigned to receive 9, 12, 15, or 18 Gy of radiation delivered by a centered yttrium-90 source.