Prospective investigation of calcium score in optical coherence tomography-guided revascularization to identify lesions with low risk for stent under expansion: the CORAL study.

The optical coherence tomography (OCT)-based calcium scoring system was developed to guide optimal lesion preparation strategies for percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) of calcified lesions. However, the score was derived retrospectively, and a prospective investigation is lacking. The CORAL (UMIN000053266) study was a single-arm, prospective, multicenter study that included patients with calcified lesions with OCT-calcium score of 1-2 to investigate whether these lesions could be optimally treated with a balloon-only preparation strategy using a non-compliant/scoring/cutting balloon.

Efficacy and safety of tolvaptan in acute heart failure patients during long-distance transportation.

Aims: Treating patients with acute heart failure is difficult at the local hospitals in medically depopulated areas where cardiologists are generally absent. These patients require long-distance and time-consuming transportation to the intensive care units. It is well known that tolvaptan is effective for the treatment of congestive heart failure, but the effect of prehospital tolvaptan use in patients is not well evaluated.

Insufficient recovery of fractional flow reserve even after optimal implantation of drug-eluting stents: 3-year outcomes from the FUJI study.

Background: Adequate improvement in fractional flow reserve (FFR) is not necessarily achieved in some cases of drug-eluting stent (DES) implantation, even when imaging confirms successful placement. We hypothesized that post-stent FFR may be associated with advanced diffuse atherosclerotic condition. We explored the relationships between FFR values after DES implantation (post-stent FFR).

Questionnaire in patients with aborted sudden cardiac death due to coronary spasm in Japan.

Objectives: We investigated the medical or mechanical therapy, and the present knowledge of Japanese cardiologists about aborted sudden cardiac death (ASCD) due to coronary spasm.

Methods: A questionnaire was developed regarding the number of cases of ASCD, implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD), and medical therapy in ASCD patients due to coronary spasm. The questionnaire was sent to the Japanese general institutions at random in 204 cardiology hospitals.

Clinical experience of idarucizumab use in cases of cardiac tamponade under uninterrupted anticoagulation of dabigatran during catheter ablation of atrial fibrillation.

Anticoagulants are prescribed for prevention of thromboembolic events (TE) of atrial fibrillation (AF), however, their effects have a negative impact on disastrous bleeding outcomes. Idarucizumab was developed to reverse the anticoagulation effects of dabigatran. This study aimed to retrospectively investigate the clinical efficacy and safety of idarucizumab in the setting of progressive emergent bleeding events associated with catheter ablation (CA).

Apixaban versus Warfarin for the Prevention of Periprocedural Cerebral Thromboembolism in Atrial Fibrillation Ablation: Multicenter Prospective Randomized Study.

Introduction: Stroke can be a life-threatening complication of atrial fibrillation (AF) catheter ablation. Uninterrupted warfarin treatment contributes to minimizing the risk of stroke complications.

Methods And Results: This was a prospective, open-label, randomized, multicenter study assessing the safety and efficacy of apixaban for the prevention of cerebral thromboembolism complicating AF catheter ablation.

Impaired ventricular repolarization dynamics in patients with early repolarization syndrome.

Introduction: Almost all current investigations on early repolarization syndrome (ERS) have focused on the J-wave characteristics and ST-segment configuration; however, few have reported on ventricular repolarization indexes in ERS.

Methods And Results: A total of 145 subjects were enrolled: 10 ERS patients, 45 uneventful ER pattern (ERP) subjects, and 90 healthy controls without J waves or ST-segment elevation. Ambulatory ECG-derived parameters (QT, QTc(B), QTc(F), T peak-Tend(Tpe), and QT/RR slope) were measured and statistically compared.

Acute myocardial infarction with a left main trunk lesion and documented lambda-like J waves.

We herein describe a case of a myocardial infarction, in which Lambda-like J waves were documented. The patient was referred to our hospital due to ventricular fibrillation. The twelve-lead electrocardiogram (ECG) on admission showed prominent J waves in the lateral and precordial leads.

A randomized comparison of sirolimus- vs. paclitaxel-eluting stents for treatment of bifurcation lesions by single stent and kissing balloon: results of the SINGLE KISS trial.

Background: In the treatment of bifurcation lesions, routine stenting of both branches has thus far failed to demonstrate a clear clinical advantage over a provisional one-stent strategy. On the other hand, large scale data evaluating different stent types for clinical outcomes after one-stent treatment with final kissing inflation (FKI) of bifurcation lesions is also limited. This prospective study evaluated the clinical and angiographic outcomes of paclitaxel-eluting stents (PES) vs.

Possible contribution of ischemia of the conus branch to induction or augmentation of Brugada type electrocardiographic changes in patients with coronary artery disease.

Recent evidence suggests an association between vasospastic angina and Brugada syndrome. Here we present two cases of coronary artery disease who presented with ECG abnormalities which might have been provoked or enhanced by ischemia of the conus branch of the right coronary artery. The 12-lead ECGs demonstrated normal sinus rhythm in these two cases.

A case of Brugada syndrome in which diurnal ECG changes were associated with circadian rhythms of sex hormones.

We describe a thought-provoking case of Brugada syndrome in which a relationship between the diurnal electrocardiogram (ECG) changes and sex hormone levels was observed. A 36-year-old man who experienced cardiac arrest was referred to our hospital. He had a family history of sudden cardiac death.

Brugada syndrome case: difficult differentiation between a concealed form and tricyclic antidepressant-induced Brugada sign.

We describe a case of Brugada syndrome, in which recurrent syncope with convulsive seizures was induced after antidepressant treatment. The patient had been treated with five kinds of psychotropic drugs. The twelve-lead ECG after the syncope exhibited an RSR'-pattern in the precordial leads, however, a coved type ST-segment elevation was induced by a pilsicainide test.

Brugada syndrome whose ST-segment changes were enhanced by antihistamines and antiallergenic drugs.

We describe a case of Brugada syndrome, in which a coved type ST-segment elevation was enhanced by antihistamines and antiallergenic drugs. The patient had been treated with four kinds of antihistamines and antiallergenic drugs. The twelve-lead ECG exhibited a coved type ST-segment elevation in leads V(1) and V(2), and their enhancement was induced by pilsicainide.