Impact of Calcium Channel Blockers on Aspirin Reactivity in Patients with Coronary Artery Disease.

Purpose: Calcium channel blockers (CCBs) do not reduce the risk of initial or recurrent myocardial infarction (MI) in patients diagnosed with stable coronary artery disease (CAD). The aim of this current study was to evaluate the association between CCBs and aspirin resistance in patients with CAD.

Methods: Patients with stable CAD who were regularly taking aspirin (75-100 mg qd) for at least 1 month prior to enrollment in the study were included.

The Association between Multi-Vessel Coronary Artery Disease and High On-Aspirin Platelet Reactivity.

Background: Multi-vessel coronary artery disease (MV-CAD) is correlated with worse clinical outcomes compared with single-vessel CAD (SV-CAD). The aim of this study was to evaluate the association between MV-CAD and high on-aspirin platelet reactivity (HAPR) in patients with stable CAD treated with aspirin.

Methods: The current study is an analysis of prospectively enrolled randomly selected patients with known stable CAD, who were taking aspirin (75-100 mg qd) regularly for at least one month, and had undergone coronary angiography at least 3 months prior to the enrollment to the study.

Prognostic significance of reticulated platelet levels in diabetic patients with stable coronary artery disease.

Levels of reticulated platelets (RP) increase during high platelet turnover conditions, and have been shown to correlate with diabetes mellitus (DM) status. Little is known regarding the prognostic significance of levels of RP among patients with stable coronary artery disease (SCAD). The study consisted of patients with SCAD and DM, who visited our cardiology outpatient clinic between June 2016 and February 2017.

Relation of Hypoalbuminemia to Response to Aspirin in Patients With Stable Coronary Artery Disease.

Serum albumin (SA) level is a powerful cardiovascular prognostic marker, suggested to be involved in regulation of platelet function. High on-aspirin platelet reactivity (HAPR) is associated with increased risk for deleterious cardiovascular events. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the association between HAPR and albumin levels in patients with stable coronary artery disease (CAD) treated with aspirin.

Prognosis of stress-only SPECT myocardial perfusion imaging with prone imaging.

Background: Stress-only single-photon emission computed tomography myocardial perfusion imaging (SO SPECT MPI) is associated with similarly benign prognosis as stress-rest SPECT MPI. However, previous studies have used attenuation correction rather than prone imaging to increase the rate of SO studies.

Objectives: To assess the prognosis of SO SPECT MPI performed with prone imaging.

Prevalence of Carotid Artery Disease among Ambulatory Patients with Coronary Artery Disease.

Background: Concomitant carotid artery disease (CaAD) in patients with coronary artery disease (CAD) is associated with worse cardiac and neurologic outcomes. The reported prevalence and risk factors for concomitant CaAD in CAD patients varied among previous studies.

Objectives: To examine these factors in ambulatory patients with CAD and well-documented cholesterol levels treated with cholesterol-lowering medications.

Yield of left ventricular dyssynchrony by gated SPECT MPI in patients with heart failure prior to implantable cardioverter-defibrillator or cardiac resynchronization therapy with a defibrillator: Characteristics and prediction of cardiac outcome.

Background: Mechanical left ventricular dyssynchrony (MLVD) might contribute in the therapeutic decision-making in patients with heart failure (HF) prior to cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT). Our aim was to assess MLVD in patients with HF prior to implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD) compared to patients with CRT-D.

Methods: In a prospective study, patients with LVEF ≤ 35% who were scheduled for ICD or CRT-D, underwent gated SPECT myocardial perfusion imaging with technetium 99m sestamibi within 3 months prior procedure.

Association of Helicobacter pylori with coronary artery disease and myocardial infarction assessed by myocardial perfusion imaging.

Background: The relationship between Helicobacter pylori infection and coronary artery disease (CAD) has as yet not been fully examined. The myocardial perfusion imaging (MPI) stress test has proven its efficacy as an integral part of diagnosing CAD.

Objectives: To investigate the association between CAD and H.

Prognostic value of left ventricular dyssynchrony by myocardial perfusion-gated SPECT in patients with normal and abnormal left ventricular functions.

Background: Left ventricular (LV) dyssynchrony by phase analysis has been studied by myocardial perfusion imaging (MPI)-gated SPECT in patients with LV dysfunction in various clinical settings. We aimed to investigate the routine use of phase analysis with gated SPECT for predicting cardiac outcome.

Methods: Patients referred to a tertiary medical center in 2010-2011 prospectively underwent a gated SPECT and phase analysis, and follow-up for cardiac events.

Angiographic correlation of myocardial perfusion imaging with half the radiation dose using ordered-subset expectation maximization with resolution recovery software.

Background: We previously described the feasibility of performing myocardial perfusion imaging (MPI) with half the technetium (Tc-99m) activity using ordered-subset expectation maximization with resolution recovery (OSEM-RR) processing. This study sought to assess the accuracy of this technique by correlating the findings with coronary angiography.

Methods: Of 290 patients who underwent MPI-gated SPECT using a half dose of Tc-99m sestamibi and OSEM-RR software in 2010-2012 at a tertiary medical center, 62 were referred for invasive coronary angiography within 90 days and formed the study group.

Relation of aspirin response to age in patients with stable coronary artery disease.

Recent studies have suggested that clopidogrel response may vary significantly with age. Limited data are available exploring the age dependency of ex vivo aspirin response in young and old patients with stable coronary artery disease. Patients with stable coronary artery disease (n = 583) who had been treated with aspirin 75 to 325 mg/day for ≥1 week were recruited from a general cardiology practice.

Feasibility of myocardial perfusion imaging with half the radiation dose in obese patients using ordered-subset expectation maximization with resolution recovery software.

Background: We previously described the feasibility of myocardial perfusion imaging (MPI) with nearly half the radiation dose using ordered-subset expectation maximization with resolution recovery (OSEM-RR) processing. This study sought to determine if the findings can be expanded to obese patients.

Methods: Fifty obese patients (>100 kg) referred for MPI underwent stress-rest or rest-stress studies with a half dose of Tc-99m sestamibi in a 1-day protocol using OSEM-RR processing.

Feasibility of myocardial perfusion imaging with half the radiation dose using ordered-subset expectation maximization with resolution recovery software.

Objective: This study sought to assess the feasibility of performing myocardial perfusion imaging (MPI) with half the technetium activity using ordered-subset expectation maximization with resolution recovery (OSEM-RR), an iterative reconstruction software developed to improve count statistics and acquisition time.

Methods: Two hundred eighteen patients referred for MPI were randomly allocated to undergo stress-rest or rest-stress protocols with standard full-dose (FD) injections of technetium (Tc)-99m sestamibi or half-dose (HD) injections and OSEM-RR processing. Dose activities were adjusted individually by weight.

Yield of a novel ultra-low-dose computed tomography device mounted on a dedicated cardiac SPECT system in improving the accuracy of myocardial perfusion imaging and the detection of chest abnormalities.

Background: To examine the yield of an ultra-low-dose computed tomography (CT) transmission module for attenuation-correction (AC) on a dedicated cardiac camera in evaluation of SPECT-myocardial perfusion imaging (MPI) in the diagnosis of CAD and for additional chest abnormalities.

Methods: The study group included 150 patients with known or suspected CAD referred for technetium sestamibi SPECT MPI. CT transmission scanning (effective radiation 0.

Clopidogrel tapering as a strategy to attenuate platelet rebound phenomenon in patients with bare-metal stents.

Early clustering of adverse cardiovascular events after abrupt cessation of clopidogrel has been reported in patients with acute coronary syndromes. A platelet rebound phenomenon may contribute to this increased thrombotic risk and a gradual drug tapering may attenuate this proposed platelet effect. Accordingly, we aimed to assess the effect of clopidogrel tapering on platelet reactivity.

Feasibility of myocardial perfusion SPECT with prone and half-time imaging.

Background: Myocardial perfusion imaging with single-photon emission tomography (SPECT) is associated with reduced specificity due to tissue attenuation. This can be corrected by prone imaging while necessitating additional imaging time. Image processing with iterative reconstruction allows for a half-time (HT) acquisition.

Circulating endothelial progenitor cell levels and function in patients who experienced late coronary stent thrombosis.

Aims: The pathogenesis of late coronary stent thrombosis may be related to impaired arterial healing. Endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) have been shown to play an important role in repair and re-endothelialization following vascular injury. We hypothesized that patients who develop late stent thrombosis may have reduced or dysfunctional EPCs, and aimed to compare EPC level and function in patients who experienced stent thrombosis vs.

Treatment of aspirin-resistant patients with omega-3 fatty acids versus aspirin dose escalation.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to evaluate whether addition of omega-3 fatty acids or increase in aspirin dose improves response to low-dose aspirin among patients who are aspirin resistant.

Background: Low response to aspirin has been associated with adverse cardiovascular events. However, there is no established therapeutic approach to overcome aspirin resistance.

Prognostic importance of right ventricular infarction in an acute myocardial infarction cohort referred for contemporary percutaneous reperfusion therapy.

Background: Right ventricular (RV) involvement during acute inferior myocardial infarction (MI) is associated with increased early morbidity and mortality. With recent improvement in percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) techniques, it is unclear which factors may improve the outcomes of these patients. We sought to assess the prognostic significance of the presence of right ventricular myocardial infarction (RV-MI) in patients undergoing primary PCI and to explore factors associated with improved outcomes by using a large database representing the "real life" of patients with acute MI (AMI) treated by primary PCI.

The impact of renal insufficiency on patients' outcomes in emergent angioplasty for acute myocardial infarction.

Background: Renal insufficiency (RF) was shown to be associated with a worsened prognosis following acute myocardial infarction (AMI).

Objectives: The authors analyzed the outcomes of AMI patients with impaired renal function tests treated using primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI), to determine factors associated with increased mortality risk.

Methods: This study included 558 consecutive AMI patients treated using primary PCI between January 2001 and June 2005.

Drug-eluting stents in bifurcation lesions: to stent one branch or both?

Objectives: The objective of this study was to compare two techniques to treat bifurcation lesions: a single drug-eluting stent (DES) implanted in the main branch combined with balloon dilatation for the side branch vs. stenting of both branches (double stent).

Background: Percutaneous coronary intervention in coronary bifurcation lesions remains challenging.

Use of noninvasive tools in primary pulmonary hypertension to assess the correlation of right ventricular function with functional capacity and to predict outcome.

Unlabelled: Most patients with Primary Pulmonary Hypertension (PPH) have severe exertional limitation which ultimately leads to right heart failure and death. The purpose of the study was to assess the correlation between right ventricular (RV) systolic and diastolic noninvasive variables and exercise tolerance, as well as the predictors of adverse outcome in treated patients.

Methods: We prospectively studied 29 patients, 17 with PPH and 12 with PPH due to collagen disease.

Predictors of left ventricular dysfunction in patients with first acute anterior myocardial infarction undergoing primary angioplasty.

Background: The degree of left ventricular dysfunction determines the prognostic outcome of patients with acute myocardial infarction.

Objectives: To define the clinical, angiographic and procedural variables related to LV dysfunction in patients with anterior wall AMI referred for primary percutaneous coronary intervention.

Methods: The sample included 168 patients treated by primary PCI for first anterior wall AMI.