Quantitative Tc-pyrophosphate myocardial uptake: Changes on transthyretin stabilization therapy.

Background: Quantitative technetium-99m-pyrophosphate cardiac single-photon emission computed tomography (Tc-PYP SPECT/CT) is an emerging method for estimating myocardial burden of transthyretin cardiac amyloidosis (ATTR-CA), but its efficacy in monitoring longitudinal changes remains uncertain. We aimed to investigate longitudinal changes in cardiac ATTR amyloid burden following transthyretin stabilization therapy using visual and quantitative Tc-PYP SPECT/CT and to relate these with changes in cardiac biomarkers and function.

Methods: This prospective longitudinal cohort study investigated changes in Tc-PYP SPECT/CT in 23 participants with ATTR-CA on transthyretin stabilization therapy (median: 2.

Coronary Microvascular Dysfunction Is Present Among Well-Treated Asymptomatic Persons With HIV and Similar to Those With Diabetes.

Background: Coronary microvascular dysfunction (CMD) could be a potential underlying mechanism for myocardial disease in HIV.

Methods: Comparisons of coronary flow reserve corrected for heart rate-blood pressure product (CFR) were made among people with HIV (PWH) with no known history of cardiovascular disease (CVD) or diabetes mellitus, persons without HIV (PWOH), and persons with diabetes (PWDM) and no known history of CVD or HIV.

Results: PWH (n = 39, 74% male, age 55 [7] years, body mass index [BMI] 32.

Angiogenic Gene Therapy for Refractory Angina: Results of the EXACT Phase 2 Trial.

Background: XC001 is a novel adenoviral-5 vector designed to express multiple isoforms of VEGF (vascular endothelial growth factor) and more safely and potently induce angiogenesis. The EXACT trial (Epicardial Delivery of XC001 Gene Therapy for Refractory Angina Coronary Treatment) assessed the safety and preliminary efficacy of XC001 in patients with no option refractory angina.

Methods: In this single-arm, multicenter, open-label trial, 32 patients with no option refractory angina received a single treatment of XC001 (1×10 viral particles) via transepicardial delivery.

EXACT Trial: Results of the Phase 1 Dose-Escalation Study.

Background: New therapies are needed for patients with refractory angina. Encoberminogene rezmadenovec (XC001), a novel adenoviral-5 vector coding for all 3 major isoforms of VEGF (vascular endothelial growth factor), demonstrated enhanced local angiogenesis in preclinical models; however, the maximal tolerated dose and safety of direct epicardial administration remain unknown.

Methods: In the phase 1 portion of this multicenter, open-label, single-arm, dose-escalation study, patients with refractory angina received increasing doses of encoberminogene rezmadenovec (1×10, 1×10, 4×10, and 1×10 viral particles) to evaluate its safety, tolerability, and preliminary efficacy.

Frequency, compliance, and yield of cardiac testing after high-sensitivity troponin accelerated diagnostic protocol implementation.

Background: Among persons presenting to the emergency department with suspected acute myocardial infarction (MI), cardiac troponin (cTn) testing is commonly used to detect acute myocardial injury. Accelerated diagnostic protocols (ADPs) guide clinicians to integrate cTn results with other clinical information to decide whether to order further diagnostic testing.

Objective: To determine the change in the rate and yield of stress test or coronary CT angiogram following cTn measurement in patients with chest pain presenting to the emergency department pre- and post-transition to a high-sensitivity (hs-cTn) assay in an updated ADP.