A randomized controlled trial to investigate the use of acute coronary syndrome therapy in patients hospitalized with COVID-19: the COVID-19 Acute Coronary Syndrome trial.

Background: Patients hospitalized with COVID-19 suffer thrombotic complications. Risk factors for poor outcomes are shared with coronary artery disease.

Objectives: To investigate the efficacy of an acute coronary syndrome regimen in patients hospitalized with COVID-19 and coronary disease risk factors.

Ultra-low contrast, complex left main coronary intervention case series using novel intravascular ultrasound technology.

Background: Contrast-induced nephropathy (CIN) in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) carries a high morbidity and mortality. Ultra-low contrast percutaneous coronary intervention (ULPCI) has previously been described. Complex left main (LM) ULPCI using two-stent strategy guided by novel intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) co-registration software has not been described.

Quality of Life Assessment in Patients Undergoing Trans-Catheter Aortic Valve Implantation Using MacNew Questionnaire.

The MacNew questionnaire is a disease-specific quality of life measure that has been used in patients with myocardial infarction and heart failure. We aimed to investigate the impact of transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) on health-related quality of life (HRQoL) using MacNew Questionnaire and identify predictors associated with a change in its score. This was a prospective multi-center study performed across 5 National Health Service hospitals in the United Kingdom performing TAVI between 2016 and 2018.

Use of dalbavancin in infective endocarditis: a case series.

Background: Infective endocarditis, typically caused by Gram-positive organisms such as viridans group streptococci and , is associated with high mortality and morbidity and requires aggressive, prolonged antimicrobial treatment and sometimes surgery. Dalbavancin, a lipoglycopeptide active against Gram-positive pathogens, has a long half-life, which allows IV treatment as one dose or two doses with a prolonged interval, offering personalized treatment for complex psychosocial situations or facilitating early discharge. In the absence of randomized controlled trials in infective endocarditis, current evidence derives from real-world case series involving off-licence use.

Mental Health Outcomes Among British Healthcare Workers-Lessons From the First Wave of the Covid-19 Pandemic.

Objective: To ascertain the level of psychological distress, using validated psychology tools, among British National healthcare workers (HCW) during the first wave of the Covid-19 crisis.

Methods: A multi-centre, anonymized, all-comer staff survey across 3 hospitals in Lancashire, England during the Covid-19 first wave (April to June 2020), consisting of Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9), Perceived Stress Scale-10 (PSS-10), Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 (GAD-7), and Impact of Events Scale (IES-6).

Results: Among 1113 HCW, median (IQR) PHQ-9, GAD-7, PSS-10, and IES-6 score was 7 (3 to 11), 6 (3 to 11), 19 (13 to 24), and 9 (5 to 14), respectively.

Meta-Analysis Comparing Direct Oral Anticoagulants to Vitamin K Antagonists for The Management of Left Ventricular Thrombus.

: To compare vitamin K antagonists (VKAs) and direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs) treatment in patients with left ventricular (LV) thrombus. The primary outcome was stroke or systemic embolism (SSE). Secondary outcomes were thrombus resolution, bleeding, and death.

Hospital admission with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease is associated with increased all-cause mortality independent of cardiovascular risk factors.

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is common and strongly associated with the metabolic syndrome. Though NAFLD may progress to end-stage liver disease, the top cause of mortality in NAFLD is cardiovascular disease (CVD). Most of the data on liver-related mortality in NAFLD derives from specialist liver centres.

One-year outcomes of percutaneous coronary intervention in native coronary arteries versus saphenous vein grafts in patients with prior coronary artery bypass graft surgery.

Background: Patients with prior coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery often require percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). Data are still limited in regards to the outcomes of native saphenous vein graft (SVG) PCI after CABG.

Methods: We performed a retrospective study in a tertiary reference cardiac center of consecutive patients who underwent PCI after CABG.

Meta-Analysis Comparing Percutaneous to Surgical Access in Trans-Femoral Transcatheter Aortic Valve Implantation.

To compare the outcomes in trans-femoral transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TF-TAVI) performed with percutaneous approach (PC) versus surgical cut-down (SC). In 13 trials including 5,859 patients (PC = 3447, SC = 2412), the outcomes based on Valve Academic Research Consortium criteria were compared between PC and SC in TF-TAVI. Compared with SC, PC was associated with similar major vascular complications (VCs) (8.

Initial experience of a self-expanding transcatheter aortic valve with an outer pericardial wrap: The United Kingdom and Ireland Implanters' registry.

Objectives: The United Kingdom and Ireland Implanters' registry is a multicenter registry which reports on real-world experience with new transcatheter heart valves.

Background: The Evolut PRO (Medtronic, Minneapolis, MN) transcatheter aortic valve is a self-expanding transcatheter aortic valve with an outer pericardial wrap, designed to minimize paravalvular regurgitation.

Methods: Between July 2017 and December 2018, clinical, procedural, and 30-day outcome data were prospectively collected from all patients receiving the Evolut PRO valve across nine participating centers in the United Kingdom and Ireland.

Effect of remote ischaemic conditioning on clinical outcomes in patients with acute myocardial infarction (CONDI-2/ERIC-PPCI): a single-blind randomised controlled trial.

Background: Remote ischaemic conditioning with transient ischaemia and reperfusion applied to the arm has been shown to reduce myocardial infarct size in patients with ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) undergoing primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PPCI). We investigated whether remote ischaemic conditioning could reduce the incidence of cardiac death and hospitalisation for heart failure at 12 months.

Methods: We did an international investigator-initiated, prospective, single-blind, randomised controlled trial (CONDI-2/ERIC-PPCI) at 33 centres across the UK, Denmark, Spain, and Serbia.

Balloon-assisted tracking technique as 'a way forward' for transradial intervention.

Background: In percutaneous coronary interventions, use of the radial artery may be limited by vascular anatomy or vascular complications, such as radial artery spasm, dissection or perforation. The balloon-assisted tracking (BAT) technique is a novel and innovative method to successfully perform transradial procedures in patients with difficult vascular anatomy, severe tortuosity or radial artery spasm. In addition, the BAT technique can serve as a bail-out technique when vascular complications such as artery dissection or perforation occur.

Initial experience of a large, self-expanding, and fully recapturable transcatheter aortic valve: The UK & Ireland Implanters' registry.

Objectives: The UK & Ireland Implanters' registry is a multicenter registry which reports on real-world experience with novel transcatheter heart valves.

Background: The 34 mm Evolut R transcatheter aortic valve is a self-expanding and fully recapturable transcatheter aortic valve, designed to treat patients with a large aortic annulus.

Methods: Between January 2017 and April 2018, clinical, procedural and 30-day outcome data were prospectively collected from all patients receiving the 34 mm Evolut R valve across 17 participating centers in the United Kingdom and Ireland.

Successful Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement Using Balloon-Expandable Valve for Pure Native Aortic Valve Regurgitation in the Presence of Ascending Aortic Dissection.

The use of balloon-expandable prosthesis in the treatment of native aortic valve regurgitation in the presence of ascending aortic dissection is described.

Balloon assisted retraction of a migrated CoreValve Evolut R bioprosthesis during cardiac arrest.

We describe a case of balloon assisted retraction of a migrated CoreValve Evolut R bioprosthesis during trans-femoral TAVI.

Transcatheter aortic valve implantation through a transcarotid approach under local anesthesia.

Aims: We report the first experience of transcatheter aortic valve implantation through a transcarotid approach under local anesthesia.

Methods And Results: An 81-year-old gentleman with severe symptomatic aortic stenosis was referred for TAVI. He was not suitable for transfemoral, transapical, subclavian, or direct aortic approach.

The use of ticagrelor in a patient at increased risk of stent thrombosis resistant to multiple thienopyridines.

Ticagrelor has been shown to be superior to clopidogrel in patients presenting with acute myocardial infarction who undergo early invasive treatment. We discuss a hitherto unreported use of ticagrelor in the management of a patient resistant to multiple thienopyridines at high risk of stent thrombosis.

Coronary artery disease in Alström syndrome.

Alström syndrome (ALMS) is a rare autosomal recessive condition, caused by mutations in the ALMS1 gene located on the short arm of chromosome 2. This gene codes for a protein linked with the centrosome, whose precise function is unknown. This condition was first described by Alström in 1959.