Double-blind, placebo-controlled evaluation of biorest liposomal alendronate in diabetic patients undergoing PCI: The BLADE-PCI trial.

Background: Diabetes mellitus (DM) is an important predictor of neointimal hyperplasia (NIH) and adverse clinical outcomes after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). LABR-312, a novel intravenous formulation of liposomal alendronate, has been shown in animal models to decrease NIH at vascular injury sites and around stent struts. The aim of the Biorest Liposomal Alendronate Administration for Diabetic Patients Undergoing Drug-Eluting Stent Percutaneous Coronary Intervention trial was to assess the safety, effectiveness, and dose response of LABR-312 administered intravenously at the time of PCI withDES in reducing NIH as measured by optical coherence tomography postprocedure in patients with DM.

A multicentre, prospective, randomised controlled trial to assess the safety and effectiveness of cooling as an adjunctive therapy to percutaneous intervention in patients with acute myocardial infarction: the COOL AMI EU Pivotal Trial.

Background: Despite primary PCI (PPCI), ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) can still result in large infarct size (IS). New technology with rapid intravascular cooling showed positive signals for reduction in IS in anterior STEMI.

Aims: We investigated the effectiveness and safety of rapid systemic intravascular hypothermia as an adjunct to PPCI in conscious patients, with anterior STEMI, without cardiac arrest.

A head-to-head comparison of wall motion score index, force, strain, and ejection fraction for the prediction of SYNTAX and Gensini coronary scores by dobutamine stress echocardiography.

Background: Predicting the severity of coronary artery disease (CAD) may be possible during dobutamine stress echocardiography (DSE) with various indices of left ventricular function.

Aims: We assessed the relative value of ejection fraction (EF), force, global longitudinal strain (GLS), and wall motion score index (WMSI) in predicting SYNTAX and Gensini scores in patients with known or suspected CAD.

Methods: We prospectively enrolled 223 patients (120 men; mean [SD] age, 62 [9] years) and assessed the following indices: 1) EF (with triplane imaging); 2) force, calculated as the ratio of systolic blood pressure to left ventricular end‑systolic volume; 3) GLS; 4) WMSI.

Resistant hypertension: Renal denervation or pharmacovigilance? Insights from a renal denervation screening program.

Background: With emerging new therapeutic concepts including renal denervation (RDN), there is a renewed interest in resistant hypertension (ResH). Among patients suspected of having ResH, a definitive diagnosis needs to be established.

Objectives: This study presents observations from a standardized single-center screening program for RDN candidates, including medical therapy modification and reassessment.

Prevalence of hepatitis C virus infection in patients hospitalised for ischemic heart disease versus controls - PRO-CARDIO-C study.

Aim Of The Study: Ongoing national screening programmes suggest that the prevalence of chronic hepatitis C (CHC) in Poland ranges between 0.5% and 1%. It has been recently noted that patients with confirmed coronary artery disease may be at higher risk for hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection.

Relative value of serum pregnancy-associated plasma protein A (PAPP-A) and GRACE score for a 1-year prognostication: A complement to calculation in patients with suspected acute coronary syndrome.

Background: The Global Registry of Acute Coronary Events (GRACE) study produced a scale for risk stratification in acute coronary syndromes (ACSs). Pregnancy-associated plasma protein A (PAPP-A) serum concentration was implicated as a marker of unstable atherosclerotic plaques.

Objectives: We hypothesized that the measurement of the concentration of PAPP-A on admission may improve the stratification of cardiovascular risk in suspected ACS patients.

Conscious sedation for transcatheter implantation of atrial septal occluders with two- and three-dimensional transoesophageal echocardiography guidance - a feasibility and safety study.

Background: General anaesthesia may have negative impact on patient mortality and morbidity, as well as overall procedure costs, in atrial septal occluder (ASO) implantation.

Aim: We sought to evaluate the safety, efficacy, and feasibility of conscious sedation for transcatheter implantation of ASOs.

Methods: A total of 122 patients referred for transcatheter implantation of ASO were included.

The role of selected adipokines and ghrelin in the prognosis after myocardial infarction in a 12-month follow-up in the presence of metabolic syndrome.

Introduction: The aim of this study was to evaluate the predictive value of selected adipokines in the improvement in the ejection fraction and in the development of adverse cardiac remodeling during 12 months of follow-up among patients with an ST-segment elevation acute myocardial infarction (STEMI) in the presence of metabolic syndrome (MeS).

Material And Methods: The study population consisted of 69 patients (49 male; mean age: 59 ±10 years) with a first STEMI that was treated with a primary percutaneous coronary intervention (pPCI). In this group, 36 patients (18 male; mean age: 60 ±15 years) had MeS according to the definition of the International Diabetes Federation.

COOL AMI EU pilot trial: a multicentre, prospective, randomised controlled trial to assess cooling as an adjunctive therapy to percutaneous intervention in patients with acute myocardial infarction.

Aims: We aimed to investigate the rapid induction of therapeutic hypothermia using the ZOLL Proteus Intravascular Temperature Management System in patients with anterior ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) without cardiac arrest.

Methods And Results: A total of 50 patients were randomised; 22 patients (88%; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 69-97%) in the hypothermia group and 23 patients (92%; 95% CI: 74-99) in the control group completed cardiac magnetic resonance imaging at four to six days and 30-day follow-up. Intravascular temperature at coronary guidewire crossing after 20.

Comparison of shortened gated myocardial perfusion imaging processed with "Myovation Evolution" with full time study.

Background: The work compares the results of shortened gated myocardial perfusion imaging (MPI), processed with "Myovation Evolution" software, with a study performed in a standard way.

Material And Methods: A retrospective study was conducted in a group of 95 patients (56 males and 39 females, age 62 ± 9 years, BMI 28 ± 4) with known or suspected CAD, without clinical history or any signs of a previous myocardial infarction. All patients underwent coronary angiography (CA) within 3 months of MPI.

Reduced-time myocardial perfusion study processed with "Myovation Evolution" - assessment of diagnostic efficacy.

Background: While assessing images using standard segmental method, we felt that some defects were either underscored or missed. So this work is intended to compare results of low count myocardial perfusion studies (MPS) processed with "Myovation Evolution", applying complete evaluation of all available slices, with full count studies and assess impact of reduction of counts on diagnostic efficacy of the study.

Material And Methods: A retrospective study was conducted in a group of 95 patients (56 males, age 62 ± 9 years, BMI 28 ± 4) with known or suspected CAD, without clinical history or any signs of a previous myocardial infarction.

Usefulness of the Left Anterior Descending Coronary Artery Wrapping Around the Left Ventricular Apex to Predict Adverse Clinical Outcomes in Patients With Anterior Wall ST-Segment Elevation Myocardial Infarction (from the Harmonizing Outcomes With Revascularization and Stents in Acute Myocardial Infarction Trial).

The association between anatomic features of the left anterior descending artery (LAD) and outcomes in patients with anterior ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) has not been fully investigated. We sought to clarify the impact of an LAD coronary artery wrapping around the left ventricular (LV) apex on clinical outcomes in patients with anterior STEMI. Harmonizing Outcomes with Revascularization and Stents in Acute Myocardial Infarction enrolled patients with STEMI presenting <12 hours after symptom onset who underwent primary percutaneous coronary intervention.

Outcomes of percutaneous coronary intervention in patients after previous coronary artery bypass surgery.

Background: Patients after previous coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) often require repeat percutaneous revascularisation due to poor patency rates of saphenous vein grafts (SVG) and higher risk of re-CABG. Few data are available to evaluate different percutaneous revascularisation strategies in patients after previous CABG.

Aim: To evaluate outcomes of percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) in patients after previous CABG, including the effect of treatment on the quality of life and symptoms, and secondly to assess the relation between angiographic factors and treatment outcomes

Methods: This was a prospective observational study which included 78 patients after previous CABG.

Effect of CT misalignment on attenuation--corrected myocardial perfusion SPECT.

Background: Use of CT based attenuation correction (AC) for myocardial perfusion SPECT (MPS) is growing fast due to a rapid development of hybrid SPECT/CT systems. SPECT and CT studies are performed in a sequential way extending total study acquisition and making a patient movement more likely. The present work aims at answering the question how large misalignment between SPECT and CT studies should be considered significant and how often those misregistrations are observed.