The evolution of the CTO-PCI landscape in Belgium and Luxembourg: a four-year appraisal.

Background: To chart the evolution of the CTO-PCI landscape in Belgium and Luxembourg, the Belgian Working Group on Chronic Total Occlusions (BWGCTO) was established in 2016.

Methods: Between May 2016 and December 2019, patients undergoing a CTO-PCI treatment were prospectively and consecutively enrolled. Twenty-one centres in Belgium and one in Luxembourg participated.

Assessing the landscape of percutaneous coronary chronic total occlusion treatment in Belgium and Luxembourg: the Belgian Working Group on Chronic Total Occlusions (BWGCTO) registry.

Important developments in materials, devices, and techniques have improved outcomes of chronic total occlusion (CTO) percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI), and resulted in a growing interest in CTO-PCI. The Belgian Working Group on Chronic Total Occlusions BWGCTO) working group aims to assess the evolution within the CTO-PCI landscape over the next years. From May 2016 onwards, patients undergoing CTO-PCI were included in the BWGCTO registry by 15 centres in Belgium and Luxemburg.

Interaction between the Kansas City Cardiomyopathy Questionnaire and the Pocock's clinical score in predicting heart failure outcomes.

Purpose: Heart failure (HF) is a complex syndrome. Its appropriate management should combine several health measurements. We assessed the relationship between the Kansas City Cardiomyopathy Questionnaire (KCCQ) and the Pocock's clinical score.

Long-term effect of molsidomine, a direct nitric oxide donor, as an add-on treatment, on endothelial dysfunction in patients with stable angina pectoris undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention: results of the MEDCOR trial.

Objective: The MEDCOR trial is a double-blind, randomized study aiming at demonstrating the superiority of molsidomine (direct NO donor) over placebo, used as add-on treatments, on improving endothelial function (EF) after 12 months, in stable angina patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention.

Methods: EF was assessed by peripheral vasodilator response (i.e.

Double-blind parallel placebo-controlled study to evaluate the effect of molsidomine on the endothelial dysfunction in patients with stable angina pectoris undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention: the MEDCOR Trial.

The effects of molsidomine (a direct nitric oxide donor) on the endothelial dysfunction have never been evaluated using reactive hyperemia peripheral arterial tonometry (RH-PAT). The objective of the MEDCOR double-blind trial will be to demonstrate the superiority of molsidomine (Coruno® 16 mg, once daily) over placebo, on improving the endothelial function (Endoscore by RH-PAT) after 12 months of treatment in stable angina patients undergoing elective percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). Study design will take care of the real-life situation, in which patients are being offered PCI and stent placement (drug-eluting or bare metal), but also gold standard medical therapy (beta-blockers, statins, angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors (ACEIs), and/or calcium antagonists).

Transcriptional fingerprint of human whole blood at the site of coronary occlusion in acute myocardial infarction.

Aims: Transcriptome patterns associated with acute myocardial infarction at the site of coronary occlusion are largely unknown. The aim of this study was to decipher the angiogenic, atherosclerotic, and inflammatory mRNA profiles in whole blood samples collected at the site of coronary occlusion in patients with ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI).

Methods And Results: In five consecutive patients with STEMI, blood was sampled at the site of occlusion (local) and in the systemic circulation (peripheral) during primary percutaneous coronary intervention.

Time-dependent effects on coronary remodeling and epicardial conductance after intracoronary injection of enriched hematopoietic bone marrow stem cells in patients with previous myocardial infarction.

Bone marrow (BM) cells may interact with coronary endothelium and modulate coronary atherosclerosis. We investigated the time course of coronary luminal loss and changes in conductance after intracoronary injection of enriched hematopoietic BM stem cells in patients with previous myocardial infarction (MI). Among 24 patients with acute MI, 13 were randomized to early (<7 days) and 11 to late (4 months) intracoronary injection of CD133+ cells after the infarction.

Direct volumetric blood flow measurement in coronary arteries by thermodilution.

Objectives: This study sought to validate a new method for direct volumetric blood flow measurement in coronary arteries in animals and in conscious humans during cardiac catheterization.

Background: Direct volumetric measurement of blood flow in selective coronary arteries would be useful for studying the coronary circulation.

Methods: Based on the principle of thermodilution with continuous low-rate infusion of saline at room temperature, we designed an instrumental setup for direct flow measurement during cardiac catheterization.