Impact of Pacemaker Implantation After Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement on Long-Term Survival in Patients With Bicuspid Aortic Valve.

Limited data are available about the impact of permanent pacemaker (PPM) implantation on long-term survival in patients with a bicuspid aortic valve (BAV) and severe aortic stenosis (AS) treated with transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR). We aimed to evaluate the long-term clinical outcomes of patients with BAV with AS who underwent periprocedural PPM implantation after TAVR with a self-expandable prosthesis. Data from patients with BAV and severe AS who underwent TAVR between April 2009 and January 2022 and followed in the framework of the One Hospital ClinicalService-CoreValve Project were collected.

Instantaneous wave-free ratio-guided revascularization of nonculprit lesions in STEMI patients with multivessel coronary disease: The WAVE registry.

Background: Complete revascularization (CR) of nonculprit lesions (NCL) is strongly recommended in patients with ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) and multivessel coronary artery disease (MVD), but no definitive evidence is available regarding which diagnostic strategy should be preferred. Instantaneous wave-free ratio (iFR) has never been investigated in this setting. We aimed to describe clinical outcomes of a cohort of patients undergoing iFR-guided CR.

A Redo Percutaneous Emergency Intervention of Left Ventricular Assist Device Graft Occlusion.

In patients with advanced heart failure (HF), left ventricular assist devices (LVADs) have demonstrated to be effective in improving the quality of life and reducing further hospitalizations. Although uncommon, LVAD outflow graft obstruction (OGO) is a potentially life-threatening complication and percutaneous treatment has been proposed as a standard intervention strategy in such cases. We report the case of a 69 year old man admitted due to LVAD failure causing unstable HF.

A Comparison Between Gore Cardioform and Amplatzer Septal Occluder for Percutaneous Closure of Patent Foramen Ovale Associated With Atrial Septal Aneurysm: Clinical and Echocardiographic Outcomes.

Objectives: To evaluate the short- and long-term clinical and echocardiographic outcomes of the percutaneous closure of the patent foramen ovale (PFO) with an atrial septal aneurysm (ASA) using 2 different devices.

Methods: We enrolled 100 patients with PFO and ASA. Fifty consecutive patients had transcatheter closure of the PFO with the Gore Cardioform septal occluder (GSO) (Gore Medical) and a second group of 50 consecutive patients with the Amplatzer PFO occluder (APO) (Abbott).

Instantaneous wave-free ratio-guided revascularization of non-culprit lesion in patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction and multivessel coronary disease: design and rationale of the WAVE Registry.

Background: The optimal management of patients with ST-elevation acute coronary syndromes and multivessel coronary artery disease is challenging. There is a growing body of evidence supporting invasive functional evaluation of multivessel disease with FFR or iFR, which it has been added to the literature. In this regard, the WAVE Study recently demonstrated the diagnostic accuracy of instantaneous wave-free ratio (iFR) functional assessment of non-culprit lesions in multivessel patients with STEMI.

Post-Procedural Bivalirudin Infusion at Full or Low Regimen in Patients With Acute Coronary Syndrome.

Background: The value of prolonged bivalirudin infusion after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) in acute coronary syndrome (ACS) patients with or without ST-segment elevation remains unclear.

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to assess efficacy and safety of a full or low post-PCI bivalirudin regimen in ACS patients with or without ST-segment elevation.

Methods: The MATRIX program assigned bivalirudin to patients without or with a post-PCI infusion at either a full (1.

Comparison of Early and Long-Term Outcomes After Transcatheter Aortic Valve Implantation in Patients with New York Heart Association Functional Class IV to those in Class III and Less.

Our aim was to investigate the impact of a baseline New York Heart Association (NYHA) class IV on clinical outcomes of a large real-world population who underwent transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI). The primary end points were all-cause mortality, cardiovascular mortality, and re-hospitalization, evaluated at the longest available follow-up and by means of a 3-month landmark analysis. The secondary end points were: change in NYHA class, left ventricular ejection fraction, pulmonary pressure and mitral regurgitation.

Polymer-free drug-coated coronary stents in diabetic patients at high bleeding risk: a pre-specified sub-study of the LEADERS FREE trial.

Objective: Diabetics are at increased risk after stent implantation and potentially sensitive to the type of stent and dual anti-platelet therapy (DAPT). The randomized, double-blind LEADERS FREE trial compared 2432 patients at high bleeding risk (HBR) receiving either a polymer-free BA9-coated stent (DCS) or a bare metal stent (BMS) with 1 month of DAPT, and showed superior safety and efficacy of the DCS at 2 years. We report outcomes at 2 years of the pre-specified diabetic subgroup.

Impact of sex on comparative outcomes of bivalirudin versus unfractionated heparin in patients with acute coronary syndromes undergoing invasive management: a pre-specified analysis of the MATRIX trial.

Aims: Our aim was to assess whether bivalirudin compared with unfractionated heparin (UFH) is associated with consistent outcomes in males and females with acute coronary syndrome (ACS) undergoing invasive management.

Methods And Results: In the MATRIX programme, 7,213 patients were randomised to bivalirudin or UFH. Patients in the bivalirudin group were subsequently randomly assigned to receive or not a post-PCI bivalirudin infusion.

Impact of Sex on Comparative Outcomes of Radial Versus Femoral Access in Patients With Acute Coronary Syndromes Undergoing Invasive Management: Data From the Randomized MATRIX-Access Trial.

Objectives: This study sought to assess whether transradial access (TRA) compared with transfemoral access (TFA) is associated with consistent outcomes in male and female patients with acute coronary syndrome undergoing invasive management.

Background: There are limited and contrasting data about sex disparities for the safety and efficacy of TRA versus TFA for coronary intervention.

Methods: In the MATRIX (Minimizing Adverse Haemorrhagic Events by TRansradial Access Site and Systemic Implementation of angioX) program, 8,404 patients were randomized to TRA or TFA.

Instantaneous wave-free ratio and fractional flow reserve for the assessment of nonculprit lesions during the index procedure in patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction: The WAVE study.

Background: Functional assessment of non-infarct-related artery lesions during primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) might be useful to avoid revascularization of nonsignificant stenosis and staged procedures, thus reducing hospital stay. We aimed to assess the diagnostic performance of instantaneous wave-free ratio (iFR) as compared with fractional flow reserve (FFR) in this setting.

Methods: In the WAVE study, a prospective, observational, single-center registry (NCT02869906), paired iFR and FFR measurements were performed at the level of non-IRA lesions in patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction both during primary PCI and during staged procedures (5-8 days after).

Polymer-Free Drug-Coated Coronary Stents Are Cost-Effective in Patients at High Bleeding Risk: Economic Evaluation of the LEADERS FREE Trial.

Aims: In patients at high risk of bleeding who undergo PCI the biolimus A9 polymer-free drug coated stent (DCS) has superior efficacy and safety compared to a bare metal stent (BMS). We estimated the cost effectiveness of DCS vs. BMS.

Undernutrition and Overnutrition Burden for Diseases in Developing Countries: The Role of Oxidative Stress Biomarkers to Assess Disease Risk and Interventional Strategies.

The increased life expectancy, urbanization, and unhealthy lifestyle characterized by a shift towards a sedentary lifestyle and decreased energy expenditure are considered the main drivers of epidemiological transition. In particular, developing countries are facing a double burden caused by coexisting under- and over-nutrition, which causes a change in the disease profile from infectious diseases to a chronic degenerative pattern. This review discusses the under- and over-nutrition context in Mauritania and India, two countries that are experiencing a nutritional transition, and where we began a collaboration with local medical staff to integrate interventional and diagnostic guidelines.

One-year clinical outcome of elderly patients undergoing angioplasty for ST-elevation myocardial infarction complicated by cardiogenic shock: the importance of 3-vessel disease and final TIMI-3 flow grade.

Background: The influence of age on clinical results of primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) in patients with ST-elevation myocardial infarctions (STEMI) complicated by cardiogenic shock (CS) is poorly investigated.

Methods: In this study, we evaluated the outcome of 216 consecutive all-comer patients with STEMI and CS undergoing PCI who were divided into 2 groups according to age: <75 years (n = 131) or ≥75 years (n = 81). The study endpoint was the incidence of death at 1-year follow-up.

Comparison between the new Gore septal and Amplatzer devices for transcatheter closure of patent foramen ovale. Short- and mid-term clinical and echocardiographic outcomes.

Background: The ideal device for percutaneous patent foramen ovale (PFO) occlusion should provide effective closure with long-term biocompatibility and it should have a low profile without interfering with adjacent cardiac structures. Long-term data regarding safety and efficacy of the GORE Septal Occluder (GSO) are lacking. The aim of this study was to investigate the short- and mid-term clinical and echocardiographic outcomes of this device.

Effect of multivessel coronary artery disease with or without a concomitant chronic total occlusion on 1-year survival in patients treated with rescue angioplasty.

Background: The effect of multivessel disease (MVD) with or without a concomitant chronic total occlusion (CTO) has never been investigated in patients treated with rescue percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI).

Objectives: This study evaluates whether there is an increased rate of death at 1-year follow-up in patients undergoing rescue PCI with angiographic pattern of MVD and a concurrent CTO in comparison with single-vessel disease (SVD) and MVD without CTO.

Methods: Among 551 consecutive patients undergoing rescue PCI, we compared the 1-year survival rates of 361 patients with SVD, 137 with MVD without a CTO, and 53 with MVD and a CTO.

Head-to-head comparison of sirolimus-eluting stent versus bare metal stent evaluation of the coronary endothelial dysfunction in the same patient presenting with multiple coronary artery lesions: the CREDENTIAL study.

Objectives: To assess the endothelial dysfunction (ED) after bare metal stents (BMS) and sirolimus eluting stents (SES) implantation in the same patient, overcoming the confounding role of individual variables.

Background: SES reduce restenosis rate compared to BMS but causes more ED. ED is a potentially unsafe phenomenon, since it is the first step in the cascade of atherosclerosis.

Five-year outcomes in patients with chronic total coronary occlusion treated with drug-eluting vs bare-metal stents: a case-control study.

Background: Limited data exist on long-term safety and effectiveness of drug-eluting stents (DESs) in true chronic total coronary occlusion (CTO) settings. We evaluated 5-year clinical outcomes of patients with CTO treated successfully with DES vs bare-metal stent (BMS).

Methods: We compared the 5-year clinical outcomes of 156 patients treated with DES implantation with outcomes of a historical cohort of 159 patients treated with BMS.

Early and mid-term clinical outcome of emergency PCI in patients with STEMI due to unprotected left main coronary artery disease.

Objectives: Evaluation of acute and mid-term outcomes of patients with ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) undergoing emergency PCI due to unprotected left main coronary artery (ULMCA) disease.

Background: STEMI patients due to ULMCA disease represent a rare, high risk group. Percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) may be the preferred strategy of myocardial revascularization but there are few data about this topic.

Sex-specific benefits of sirolimus-eluting stent on long-term outcomes in patients with ST-elevation myocardial infarction undergoing primary percutaneous coronary intervention: insights from the Multicenter Evaluation of Single High-Dose Bolus Tirofiban Versus Abciximab With Sirolimus-Eluting Stent or Bare-Metal Stent in Acute Myocardial Infarction Study trial.

Objectives: We assessed the relation between female sex and sirolimus-eluting stent (SES) use on long-term outcomes in acute myocardial infarction.

Background: There are no data on sex-specific differences in long-term benefit of SES use compared with bare-metal stent (BMS) use among patients undergoing primary percutaneous coronary interventions.

Methods: We performed a post hoc analysis of the MULTISTRATEGY trial.

Long-term outcome of sirolimus-eluting vs bare-metal stent in the setting of acute myocardial infarction: 5-year results of the SESAMI trial.

Background: few long-term randomized data on safety and effectiveness of sirolimus-eluting stent (SES) in the ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) setting are available. The aim of the present investigation was to evaluate the 5-year clinical outcome of SES vs bare-metal stent (BMS) implantation in patients with STEMI.

Methods: 320 STEMI patients were randomized to receive SES or BMS.

Three-year follow-up of the MULTIcentre evaluation of Single high-dose Bolus TiRofiban versus Abciximab with Sirolimus-eluting STEnt or Bare-Metal Stent in Acute Myocardial Infarction StudY (MULTISTRATEGY).

Background: The Multicentre Evaluation of Single high-dose Bolus TiRofiban versus Abciximab with Sirolimus-eluting Stent or Bare Metal Stent in Acute Myocardial Infarction Study [MULTISTRATEGY]) randomised 745 patients with ST-elevation myocardial infarction to receive high-dose bolus (HDB) tirofiban or abciximab infusion and sirolimus-eluting (SES) or uncoated-stent (BMS) implantation. Tirofiban was non-inferior to abciximab in terms of ST-segment resolution after intervention, whereas 8 month-major adverse cardiac events occurred in 14.5% in the BMS and 7.

Comparison of one-year outcome of patients aged <75 years versus ≥75 years undergoing "rescue" percutaneous coronary intervention.

The influence of age on the clinical results after rescue angioplasty (percutaneous coronary intervention [PCI]) has been poorly investigated. In the present study, we evaluated the outcome of 514 consecutive patients undergoing rescue PCI who were divided into 2 groups according to age: <75 years (n = 469) and ≥75 years (n = 45). The primary end point of the study was the incidence of death at 1 year of follow-up.