Alterations in heart rate variability in patients with peripheral arterial disease requiring surgical revascularization have limited association with postoperative major adverse cardiovascular and cerebrovascular events.

Objective: Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is common in peripheral arterial disease (PAD) and associates with high mortality after surgery. Since abnormal heart rate variability (HRV) is predictive of postoperative complications, we investigated the relations of HRV with PAD, OSA and major adverse cardiovascular and cerebrovascular events (MACCE).

Materials And Methods: Seventy-five patients (67±9 years) scheduled for sub-inguinal revascularization and 15 controls (63±6 years) underwent polysomnography and HRV analyses.

Case fatality of acute coronary events is improving even among elderly patients; the FINAMI study 1995-2012.

Aim: To examine trends in incidence and 28-day case fatality of myocardial infarction (MI) in persons aged 75-99 years in four areas of Finland.

Methods And Results: The Finnish Acute Myocardial Infarction (FINAMI) register is a population-based MI register study, which during 1995-2012 recorded 30561 suspected acute coronary syndromes in persons aged ≥75 years. Of them, 16229 fulfilled the American Heart Association criteria for a definite, probable or possible MI or coronary death.

Impact of Calcified Target Lesions on the Outcome of Percutaneous Coronary Intervention for Acute Coronary Syndrome: Insights From the BASE ACS Trial.

Objectives: We performed a post hoc analysis of outcome in patients with, versus those without, calcified target lesions from the BASE ACS trial.

Background: The outcome of contemporary stent implantation in patients with calcified lesions presenting with acute coronary syndrome is unknown.

Methods: The BASE ACS trial randomized 827 patients (1:1) presenting with acute coronary syndrome to receive either titanium-nitride-oxide-coated stents or everolimus-eluting stents.

Prediction of severe bleeding after coronary surgery: the WILL-BLEED Risk Score.

Severe perioperative bleeding after coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) is associated with poor outcome. An additive score for prediction of severe bleeding was derived (n=2494) and validated (n=1250) in patients from the E-CABG registry. Severe bleeding was defined as E-CABG bleeding grades 2-3 (transfusion of >4 units of red blood cells or reoperation for bleeding).

Usefulness of Post-coronary Dilation to Prevent Recurrent Myocardial Infarction in Patients Treated With Percutaneous Coronary Intervention for Acute Coronary Syndrome (from the BASE ACS Trial).

Stent underexpansion is associated with worse outcome after stent implantation. Whether post-dilation (PD) improves outcome in patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS) remains unclear. We performed post hoc analysis of outcome in patients from the BASE ACS (A prospective randomized comparison of titanium-nitride-oxide-coated bioactive stents with everolimus-eluting stents in acute coronary syndrome) trial who underwent PD versus those who did not.

Comparison of two different sampling intervals for optical coherence tomography evaluation of neointimal healing response after coronary stent implantation.

Background/objectives: Optical coherence tomography (OCT) is widely used for evaluation of healing response to stent implantation. We sought to test the agreement between the 1-mm and 0.6-mm sampling intervals for assessment of the percentage of uncovered and malapposed struts by OCT.

Renal sympathetic denervation for treatment of patients with atrial fibrillation: Reappraisal of the available evidence.

Afferent renal sympathetic nerve signaling regulates central sympathetic outflow. In this regard, renal sympathetic denervation has emerged as a novel interventional strategy for treatment of patients with resistant hypertension. Despite the disappointing results of the Simplicity HTN-3 randomized controlled trial, promoters of renal denervation argue that the negative results were due to ineffective denervation technique and poor patient selection.

Excessive intravenous fluid therapy in head and neck cancer surgery.

Background: The purpose of this retrospective study was to present our assessment of modifiable perioperative factors for major cardiac and cerebrovascular events (MACCE).

Methods: This study included an unselected cohort of patients with head and neck cancer (n = 456) treated in Turku University Hospital between 1999 and 2008.

Results: Perioperative and postoperative univariate predictors of MACCE at 30-day follow-up were: total amount of fluids (during 24 hours) over 4000 mL, any red blood cell (RBC) infusion, treatment in the intensive care unit (ICU), tracheostomy, and microvascular reconstruction surgery.

Long-term outcome of early percutaneous coronary intervention in diabetic patients with acute coronary syndrome: insights from the BASE ACS trial.

Background: The BASE ACS trial demonstrated an outcome of titanium-nitride-oxide-coated bioactive stents (BAS) that was non-inferior to everolimus-eluting stents (EES) in patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS). We performed a post-hoc analysis of diabetic versus non-diabetic patients from the trial.

Methods: We randomised 827 patients (1:1) with ACS to receive either BAS or EES.

Early vascular healing after titanium-nitride-oxide-coated stent versus platinum-chromium everolimus-eluting stent implantation in patients with acute coronary syndrome.

Data on early vascular healing response of novel stent designs are scarce. In this randomized prospective trial, we sought to compare early neointimal coverage of cobalt-chromium-based titanium-nitride-oxide-coated bioactive stents (CoCr-BAS) versus platinum-chromium everolimus-eluting stents (PtCr-EES) at 2-month follow-up in patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS). Forty patients with ACS were randomized to receive either CoCr-BAS (n = 19) or PtCr-EES (n = 21).

Evaluation of the efficacy and safety of dual antiplatelet therapy with or without warfarin in patients with a clinical indication for DAPT and chronic anticoagulation: A meta-analysis of observational studies.

Objective: To compare the efficacy and safety of dual antiplatelet therapy (DAPT) and triple therapy (TT, dual antiplatelet plus warfarin) in patients with myocardial infarction (MI) or PCI with stenting (PCI-S) who also require chronic oral anticoagulation.

Background: Recommendations for the optimal antiplatelet/anticoagulant treatment regimen for patients undergoing PCI-S or MI who also require oral anticoagulation are largely based on evidence from observational studies and expert opinions.

Methods: A systematic search was performed for studies comparing TT vs.

Early neointimal coverage and vasodilator response following biodegradable polymer sirolimus-eluting vs. durable polymer zotarolimus-eluting stents in patients with acute coronary syndrome –HATTRICK-OCT trial.

Background: Patients at high bleeding risk would benefit from a shorter dual antiplatelet therapy after PCI. Compared to first-generation devices, the design of newer generation drug-eluting stents may facilitate more rapid anatomical and functional healing of stented vessel based on thinner stent platforms, biodegradable/biocompatible polymers and rapid drug elution.

Methods And Results: Forty-four non-diabetic patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS) and culprit lesion in the LAD were randomized to receive either biodegradable polymer sirolimus-eluting stent (BP-SES) or durable polymer zotarolimus-eluting stent (DP-ZES).

Gender-based analysis of randomized comparison of bioactive versus everolimus-eluting stents in acute coronary syndrome.

Aims: The randomized comparison of titanium-nitride-oxide-coated bioactive stent with everolimus-eluting stent in acute coronary syndrome (BASE-ACS) trial demonstrated an outcome of the titanium-nitride-oxide coated bioactive stents (BASs) that was statistically noninferior to that of the everolimus-eluting stents (EESs) at 12-month follow-up, in patients presenting with acute coronary syndrome (ACS) who underwent early percutaneous coronary intervention. We performed a post-hoc gender-based analysis of the BASE-ACS trial at 24-month follow-up.

Methods: A total of 827 patients (198 women) with ACS were randomly assigned to receive either BAS or EES.

Pooled analysis of two randomized trials comparing titanium-nitride-oxide-coated stent versus drug-eluting stent in STEMI.

Introduction And Objectives: We performed a pooled analysis based on patient-level data from the TITAX-AMI and BASE-ACS trials to evaluate the outcome of titanium-nitride-oxide-coated bioactive stents vs drug-eluting stents in patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction at 2-year follow-up.

Methods: The TITAX-AMI trial compared bioactive stents with paclitaxel-eluting stents in 425 patients with acute myocardial infarction. The BASE-ACS trial compared bioactive stents with everolimus-eluting stents in 827 patients with acute coronary syndrome.

Impact of anaemia on clinical outcome in patients with atrial fibrillation undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention: insights from the AFCAS registry.

Objectives: Anaemia has an adverse impact on the outcome in the general patient population undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). The aim of this study was to analyse the impact of anaemia on the 12-month clinical outcome of patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) undergoing PCI and therefore requiring intense antithrombotic treatment. We hypothesised that anaemia might be associated with a worse outcome and more bleeding in these anticoagulated patients.

Transthoracic echocardiography for non-invasive assessment of coronary vasodilator function after DES implantation.

Aims: Coronary vasodilator dysfunction has been reported after drug-eluting stent (DES) implantation. Recent ESC guidelines suggest that transthoracic echocardiography (TTE) may be considered for assessment of coronary flow reserve (CFR) and microvascular disease in patients with stable angina, but its reliability has not been tested in patients with DES. We sought to assess the agreement between TTE (CFRTTE) and invasive thermodilution-derived CFR (CFRThermodilution) as well as their association with index of microcirculatory resistance (IMR) in mid-term follow-up after percutaneous coronary intervention for acute coronary syndrome.

Sleep apnoea is associated with major cardiac events in peripheral arterial disease.

Obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) is associated with atherosclerosis and cardiovascular events. Peripheral arterial disease (PAD) represents severe atherosclerosis with a high mortality after vascular surgery. The role of OSA in the prognosis of these patients is not yet established.

Stent-oriented versus patient-oriented outcome in patients undergoing early percutaneous coronary intervention for acute coronary syndrome: 2-year report from the BASE-ACS trial.

Background: The BASE-ACS trial demonstrated an outcome of the titanium-nitride-oxide-coated bioactive stents (BAS) statistically non-inferior to that of the everolimus-eluting stents (EES) at 12-month follow-up in patients presenting with acute coronary syndrome (ACS). We performed a post hoc analysis of the BASE-ACS trial with particular focus on stent-oriented versus patient-oriented outcome at 24-month follow-up.

Methods: A total of 827 patients with ACS were randomly assigned to receive either BAS (417) or EES (410).

Neointimal coverage and vasodilator response to titanium-nitride-oxide-coated bioactive stents and everolimus-eluting stents in patients with acute coronary syndrome: insights from the BASE-ACS trial.

Incomplete stent endothelialization is associated with late and very late stent thrombosis. In a post hoc analysis of the BASE-ACS trial, we sought to assess neointimal coverage and coronary flow reserve (CFR) 9 months after implantation of titanium-nitride-oxide-coated bioactive stents (BAS) versus everolimus-eluting stents (EES) in patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS). In the BASE-ACS trial, 827 patients with ACS were randomized to receive either BAS or EES.

Bacterial signatures in thrombus aspirates of patients with myocardial infarction.

Background: Infectious agents, especially bacteria and their components originating from the oral cavity or respiratory tract, have been suggested to contribute to inflammation in the coronary plaque, leading to rupture and the subsequent development of coronary thrombus. We aimed to measure bacterial DNA in thrombus aspirates of patients with ST-segment-elevation myocardial infarction and to check for a possible association between bacteria findings and oral pathology in the same cohort.

Methods And Results: Thrombus aspirates and arterial blood from patients with ST-segment-elevation myocardial infarction undergoing primary percutaneous coronary intervention (n=101; 76% male; mean age, 63.

Feasibility and safety of frequency-domain optical coherence tomography for coronary artery evaluation: a single-center study.

We assessed the feasibility and safety of frequency-domain optical coherence tomography (FD-OCT) in a variety of indications. We conducted a retrospective analysis of all FD-OCT examinations performed for research and clinical indications, including stable angina, acute coronary syndromes, diagnostic procedures and percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI), at the Satakunta Central Hospital (Pori, Finland) between August 12th 2009 and February 9th 2011. All pullbacks were screened for image quality.

Prognosis of acute coronary events is worse in patients living alone: the FINAMI myocardial infarction register.

Background: Single living has been associated with a worse prognosis of acute coronary syndrome (ACS). We aimed to study the relation of sociodemographic characteristics to the morbidity, mortality, and case fatality (CF) of ACS in a large population-based ACS register.

Methods: The population-based FINAMI myocardial infarction register recorded 15,330 cases of ACS among persons aged 35-99 years in Finland in 1993-2002.

Early vascular healing after endothelial progenitor cell capturing stent implantation.

Objectives: To assess early vascular healing with endothelial progenitor cell (EPC)-capturing stents.

Background: Endothelialization of stent struts is crucial after stenting, since delayed vascular healing predisposes to stent thrombosis. The antibody-coated Genous stent promotes rapid endothelialization by capturing circulating EPCs.

A prospective randomised comparison of titanium-nitride-oxide-coated bioactive stents with everolimus-eluting stents in acute coronary syndrome: the BASE-ACS trial.

Aims: Titanium-nitride-oxide-coated bioactive stents (BAS) have demonstrated a favourable outcome when compared with paclitaxel-eluting stents in patients with acute myocardial infarction (MI). In a prospective randomised non-inferiority study design, we compared the safety and efficacy of BAS versus everolimus-eluting stents (EES) in patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS).

Methods And Results: We randomised 827 patients with ACS (1:1) to either BAS (417) or EES (410).