Two hour bivalirudin infusion after PCI for ST elevation myocardial infarction.

The standard of care for STEMI PCI for the past decade has been aspirin, clopidogrel, heparin, and a glycoprotein IIbIIIa receptor inhibitor (GPI). A bivalirudin strategy was shown to be superior to a GPI strategy in the HORIZONS AMI trial for net adverse clinical events (combined MACE and bleeding). An increased risk of acute stent thrombosis in the bivalirudin arm may have prevented broader adoption of bivalirudin for this indication.

Extravascular closure for patients with high-risk femoral anatomy.

Background: Vascular closure devices (VCDs) improve patient comfort and decrease time to ambulation. However, VCD studies have excluded patients with high-risk femoral artery anatomy; we examined the safety and efficacy of clip-based extravascular closure in this high-risk group.

Methods: We performed a prospective registry enrolling 98 consecutive patients undergoing diagnostic coronary angiography.

Osteoprotegerin is not associated with angiographic coronary calcification.

Unlabelled: Coronary artery calcification may play a significant role in the pathophysiology of plaque progression and healing. We hypothesized that osteoprotegerin, an inhibitor of osteoclastogenesis, may participate in the calcification of coronary plaques or the response to injury after coronary stenting. A prospective registry was performed in 2004.

Relation of leukocytosis to C-reactive protein and interleukin-6 among patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention.

An elevated white blood cell (WBC) count and elevated C-reactive protein (CRP) have been associated with an increased risk of adverse cardiac events. The relation between these 2 parameters of heightened systemic inflammation was characterized in patients who underwent percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). Femoral arterial blood samples from a prospective registry of 100 patients who underwent PCI were obtained immediately before the procedure.

Systemic inflammation after drug-eluting stent placement.

Background: Systemic inflammation after coronary intervention identifies patients at increased risk of subsequent cardiac events. Cardiac events are less frequent after use of drug eluting stents (DES) compared with bare metal stents (BMS). Thus, we sought to determine whether attenuation of the systemic inflammatory response was contributing to the improved outcomes.

Increased coronary arterial release of interleukin-1 receptor antagonist and soluble CD40 ligand indicative of inflammation associated with culprit coronary plaques.

Blood taken from the coronary artery ostium reflects biochemical changes indicative of thrombosis in the culprit vessel. We sought to determine whether inflammation is manifested by increased concentrations of selected markers in ostial blood sampled from a culprit coronary artery proximal to an atherosclerotic plaque. The concentrations of C-reactive protein (CRP), interleukin (IL)-6, IL-1 receptor antagonist, and soluble CD40 ligand (sCD40L) were measured in blood drawn from 75 patients before percutaneous coronary intervention from the femoral artery and from a guide catheter after engagement of the culprit coronary artery.

Increase in interleukin-6 in the first hour after coronary stenting: an early marker of the inflammatory response.

Background: Inflammation after coronary stenting presages adverse outcomes after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). While changes in inflammatory markers have been defined 24-72 hours after PCI, potential changes during the first few hours have not. This study was designed to determine if a systemic inflammatory response could be measured within the first hour after stenting.

Treatment of totally occluded saphenous vein grafts using self-expanding stents.

Patients with saphenous vein graft (SVG) disease represent an increasing proportion of those referred for percutaneous coronary intervention. The success of treatment of occluded SVG with percutaneous intervention has been limited by frequent occurrence of no-reflow phenomenon. Use of self-expanding stents with low pressure pre- and post-dilation may improve success by limiting embolism of atherothrombotic debris.