Low-speed rotational atherectomy with substantial debulking and long-term survival: a retrospective observational study of 889 consecutive patients.

BACKGROUND In recent years, a series of studies have investigated long-term outcome of rotational atherectomy (RA). However, only little attention was given to the procedural details of RA technique, especially with regard to platform speed. AIMS The aim of the study was to evaluate the impact of low-speed RA with substantial debulking before stenting on long-term mortality.

Electrocardiogram changes and wall motion abnormalities in the acute phase of Tako-Tsubo syndrome.

Background: The Tako-Tsubo syndrome is still rarely diagnosed in patients presenting with symptoms of acute myocardial ischaemia. It is accompanied by wall motion abnormalities of the left ventricle but significant narrowings or occlusions of epicardial coronary arteries are absent. We investigated a potential relationship between electrocardiogram (ECG) changes, wall motion abnormalities and gender influence of Tako-Tsubo syndrome in an Austrian cohort of Tako-Tsubo syndrome patients.

European expert consensus on rotational atherectomy.

The interest in rotational atherectomy (RA) has increased over the past decade as a consequence of more complex and calcified coronary stenoses being attempted with percutaneous coronary interventions. Yet adoption of RA is hampered by several factors: amongst others, by the lack of a standardised protocol. This European expert consensus document stems from the awareness of the large heterogeneity in the protocols adopted to perform rotational atherectomy.

Stress-induced cardiomyopathy (Tako-Tsubo syndrome) in Austria.

Background: Tako-Tsubo syndrome (TS) is a still rarely diagnosed clinical syndrome, which is characterized by acute onset of chest pain, transient cardiac dysfunction with (frequently) reversible wall motion abnormalities (WMAs), but with no relevant obstructive coronary artery disease.

Methods And Results: Among 179 consecutive patients with proven diagnosis of TS that were retrospectively analysed in this multicentre registry, women represented the majority of patients (94%) while only 11 men (6%) developed TS. Mean age was 69.

Health related quality of life and mental distress after PCI: restoring a state of equilibrium.

Background: Patient self reported measures for Health Related Quality of Life (HRQOL) and mental distress are frequently used to evaluate outcome of therapeutic strategies in cardiac patients.Our study aims to describe changes in HRQOL and mental distress after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) focusing on temporal pattern of change and interdependences between both outcome measures.

Method: 163 PCI patients recruited at 7 cardiovascular care units in Austria answered MacNew Health Related Quality of Life and Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) questionnaires during hospital stay after intervention and at 1, 6, 12 and 24 months.

Duration of development of symptomatic in-stent restenosis correlates with the stent-to-vessel-diameter ratio: an intravascular ultrasound study.

Objective: Several predictors for in-stent restenosis (ISR) have been defined by intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) assessment; however, there is a lack of data correlating IVUS parameters with the speed of development of ISR. This study aims to investigate the relation between the duration of development of symptomatic ISR and the relative stent diameter.

Methods: A total of 46 lesions in 43 consecutive patients with symptomatic ISR were investigated by IVUS with the Endosonics system (Volcano Therapeutics Inc.

Increased occurrence of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest on Mondays in a community-based study.

Acute myocardial infarction and sudden cardiac death are more common on Mondays than other days of the week. The stress of returning to work at the beginning of the week has been postulated as a possible trigger factor. This project examined the weekly variation of out-of-hospital cardiac arrests of nontraumatic origin for the entire case series as well as for selected subgroups.

Use of abciximab prior to primary angioplasty in STEMI results in early recanalization of the infarct-related artery and improved myocardial tissue reperfusion - results of the Austrian multi-centre randomized ReoPro-BRIDGING Study.

Aims: The aim of the ReoPro-BRIDGING Austrian multi-centre study was to investigate the effects of abciximab (ReoPro) on early reperfusion in ST-elevation myocardial infarction prior to or during primary percutaneous coronary angioplasty (pPCI).

Methods And Results: Fifty-five patients with STEMI were randomized either to start abciximab (0.25 mg/kg bolus followed by 10 microg/min infusion) during the organization phase for pPCI (Group 1, n=28) or immediately before pPCI (Group 2, n=27).