Physiological Performance of Drug-Coated Balloons in Small Coronary Arteries PICCOLETO II μFR.

Background: Drug-coated balloons (DCB) are emerging as an alternative to permanent implants for managing de novo coronary artery disease, particularly in small vessels (SVD). This sub-analysis of the PICCOLETO II study aimed to compare the performance of DCB and DES in terms of Murray's law-based quantitative flow ratio (μFR) changes between baseline, post-percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI), and follow-up.

Methods: Patients with a clinical indication for PCI were assigned to receive either Xience DES or Elutax SV/Emperor DCB.

Drug-Coated Balloon Versus Drug-Eluting Stent for Small Coronary Vessel Disease: PICCOLETO II Randomized Clinical Trial.

Objectives: This study sought to compare the performance of a novel drug-coated balloon (DCB) (Elutax SV, Aachen Resonance, Germany), with an everolimus-eluting stent (EES) (Abbott Vascular, Santa Clara, California) in patients with de novo lesions.

Background: Small vessel coronary artery disease (SVD) represents one of the most attractive fields of application for DCB. To date, several devices have been compared with drug-eluting stents in this setting, with different outcomes.

Role of optical coherence tomography for distal left main stem angioplasty.

Objective: The objective is to analyze the acute and midterm angiographic outcome of percutaneous treatment of left main coronary stem (LM-PCI) guided by optical coherence tomography (OCT).

Background: LM-PCI is a complex procedure, and several anatomical factors may impair its outcome. Intravascular imaging is emerging as a useful tool to guide the procedure.

Angiographic performance of a novel sirolimus-coated balloon in native coronary lesions: the FAtebenefratelli SIrolimus COated NATIVES prospective registry.

Aims: To evaluate the angiographic performance of a novel sirolimus-coated balloon (SCB) in de novo coronary lesions.

Methods: Out of an all-comer prospective registry of patients treated with the SCB at our center from April 2016 to September 2017, we selected those treated for a de novo stenosis on a native vessel, with a scheduled angiographic control at at least 4 months after the index procedure. We performed a centralized, blinded core-lab adjudicated quantitative coronary angiography analysis.

Clinical performance of a dedicated self-apposing stent for the treatment of left main stem disease. Results of the left Main AngioplasTy wIth a Self-apposing StEnt - the MATISSE study.

Background: In the recent years percutaneous treatment of the left main stem (LM) has gained a precise role as a result of consistent scientific evidence vs. coronary artery bypass. A self-apposing stent offers an improved adaptation to the vessel wall, especially in case of tapered vessels; aim of this study was to investigate the role of a novel self-apposing, sirolimus-eluting stent (Stentys, France) for the treatment of LM coronary artery disease.

Treatment of coronary artery disease with a new-generation drug-coated balloon: final results of the Italian Elutax SV rEgistry-DCB-RISE.

Aims: Drug-coated balloons (DCBs) are a recognized alternative to stents for the treatment of in-stent restenosis (ISR), and there is some initial clinical evidence about their efficacy for the treatment of small coronary vessels. Newer-generation DCBs were developed to overcome the reduced deliverability of the previous generation, also warranting a more effective drug delivery to vessel wall. However, the vast majority of new-generation DCBs still lack of reliability due to paucity of clinical data.

One-year clinical outcomes after unrestricted implantation of the Absorb bioresorbable scaffold (RAI registry).

Aims: The aim of this study was to assess outcomes following Absorb bioresorbable scaffold (BVS) implantation in an unrestricted clinical practice according to an "on-label" versus "off-label" indication.

Methods And Results: RAI is a prospective registry, investigating BVS performance in different lesion subsets. No specific exclusion criteria were applied.

First experience of drug-coated balloons for treatment of bioresorbable vascular scaffold restenosis.

Objectives: The aim of this study is to evaluate the role of drug-coated balloons (DCB) for the management of bioresorbable vascular scaffold (BVS) restenosis.

Methods And Results: In a series of 25 BVS restenosis discovered during systematic angiographic follow up of 246 consecutive BVS implantations at our institution, DCB was used as a primary therapeutic tool in 9 patients and 3 different types of DCB were used. Follow-up coronary angiography at 12months after DCB treatment was performed to all the patients.

Immediate and short-term performance of a novel sirolimus-coated balloon during complex percutaneous coronary interventions. The FAtebenefratelli SIrolimus COated-balloon (FASICO) registry.

Background And Purposes: Drug-coated balloons (DCB) currently represent an alternative to drug-eluting stents (DES) for the treatment of in-stent restenosis and they are also variably used for small coronary vessel and bifurcation lesion management. All DCB variably elute paclitaxel as an anti-proliferative drug. The first sirolimus coated balloon (SCB) received the CE mark in 2016, but its clinical performance has not been shown yet.

Stress-induced cardiomyopathy and psychological wellbeing 1 year after an acute event.

Stress cardiomyopathy (SCM) typically presents similar symptoms to acute myocardial infarction (AMI). However, these symptoms differ when it comes to a transient and completely reversible myocardial dysfunction, which is frequently precipitated by acute stressful events, occurring in the absence of plaque rupture and coronary thrombosis. The purpose of this study was to investigate health-related quality of life (HRQL) and emotional burden subsequent to cardiac events in SCM patients.

Type D personality is associated with the development of stress cardiomyopathy following emotional triggers.

Background: Stress cardiomyopathy (SCM) can be triggered by emotional events. Recently, type D personality has been established as an independent predictor of acute cardiac adverse events.

Purpose: We sought to examine whether type D personality can be identified in SCM patients.

Clinical impact of thrombectomy in acute ST-elevation myocardial infarction: an individual patient-data pooled analysis of 11 trials.

Aims: Thrombectomy in patients with ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) is associated to better myocardial reperfusion. However, no single trial was adequately powered to asses the impact of thrombectomy on long-term clinical outcome and to identify patients at higher benefit. Thus, we sought to assess these issues in a collaborative individual patient-data pooled analysis of randomized studies (study acronym: ATTEMPT, number of registration: NCT00766740).

Individual patient-data meta-analysis comparing clinical outcome in patients with ST-elevation myocardial infarction treated with percutaneous coronary intervention with or without prior thrombectomy. ATTEMPT study: a pooled Analysis of Trials on ThrombEctomy in acute Myocardial infarction based on individual PatienT data.

Background: Available data from randomized trials on thrombectomy in patients with ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) have shown favorable trends in myocardial reperfusion. However, few data are available on the effect of thrombectomy on clinical outcome. Thus we have designed a collaborative individual patient-data meta-analysis which aimed to assess the long-term clinical outcome in STEMI patients randomized to percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) with or without thrombectomy.

Functional derangement and cardiac innervation in the apical ballooning syndrome: a 123I-meta-iodobenzylguanidine scintigraphic and dobutamine stress echocardiographic study.

Several cases of transient left ventricular apical ballooning syndrome have already been described, but the pathophysiological mechanisms of this syndrome still remain unclear. We report the case of a patient evaluated in the acute phase of apical ballooning by coronary angiography and echocardiography who was submitted to I-meta-iodobenzylguanidine (MIBG) myocardial scintigraphy and dobutamine stress echocardiography one month after the discharge. MIBG scintigraphy demonstrated a decreased tracer uptake in the apical and periapical anterior regions, whilst myocardial perfusion at rest was normal.

Relation of terminal QRS distortion to left ventricular functional recovery and remodeling in acute myocardial infarction treated with primary angioplasty.

The association between admission electrocardiogram and 6-month change in left ventricular function and volume was assessed in 200 patients who had acute myocardial infarction that was treated with primary percutaneous coronary intervention. Logistic regression analysis indicated peak creatine phosphokinase-MB, number of Q-wave leads, QRS interval distortion, wall motion score index, and angiographic Thrombolysis In Myocardial Infarction flow grade as predictors of no functional recovery and QRS interval distortion and Thrombolysis In Myocardial Infarction flow grade as predictors of left ventricular remodeling.

Distal protection in native coronary arteries during primary angioplasty in acute myocardial infarction: single-center experience.

Distal embolization of plaque or thrombotic debris is one of the mechanisms involved in the ischemia/reperfusion injury during primary percutaneous intervention for acute occlusion of a native coronary artery. We tested the clinical application of maximal antiplatelet therapy with abciximab combined with one of two different systems of mechanical distal protection: balloon occlusion and aspiration (PercuSurge) in 24 cases and a distal filter (FilterWire Ex) in 10 cases. Feasibility, technical limitations, and pitfalls are described.