CCTA-Guided Invasive Coronary Angiography in Patients With CABG: A Multicenter, Randomized Study.

Background: Coronary computed tomography angiography (CCTA) in patients with post-coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) has a high diagnostic accuracy for visualization of grafts. Invasive coronary angiography (ICA) in patients with CABG is associated with increased procedural time, contrast agent administration, radiation exposure, and complications, compared with non-CABG patients. The aim of this multicenter, randomized controlled trial was to compare the strategy of CCTA-guided ICA versus classic ICA in patients with prior CABG.

Ticagrelor potentiates cardioprotection by remote ischemic preconditioning: the ticagrelor in remote ischemic preconditioning (TRIP) randomized clinical trial.

Objective: Remote ischemic preconditioning (RIPC) reduces periprocedural myocardial injury (PMI) after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) through various pathways, including an adenosine-triggered pathway. Ticagrelor inhibits adenosine uptake, thus may potentiate the effects of RIPC. This randomized trial tested the hypothesis that ticagrelor potentiates the effect of RIPC and reduces PMI, assessed by post-procedural troponin release.

Emergency coronary artery bypass surgery after chronic total occlusion percutaneous coronary intervention: Insights from the PROGRESS-CTO registry.

Background: Emergency coronary artery bypass surgery (eCABG) is a serious complication of chronic total occlusion (CTO) percutaneous coronary artery intervention (PCI).

Methods: We examined the incidence and outcomes eCABG among 14,512 CTO PCIs performed between 2012 and 2023 in a large multicenter registry.

Results: The incidence of eCABG was 0.

Ping-pong guide catheter technique for facilitating antegrade crossing of a chronic total occlusion.

A 60-year-old man was referred for percutaneous coronary intervention of a proximal left circumflex (Cx) chronic total occlusion (CTO) with distal filling via epicardial collaterals from the left anterior descending (LAD) artery.

Atrial fibrillation and chronic total occlusion percutaneous coronary intervention outcomes: insights from the Progress-CTO registry.

Background: We examined the effect of atrial fibrillation on the outcomes of chronic total occlusion (CTO) percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI).

Methods: We examined the baseline characteristics and procedural outcomes of 9,166 CTO PCIs performed at 39 US and non-US centers between 2012 and 2023.

Results: Atrial fibrillation was present in 1122 (12%) patients.

Incidence, mechanisms, treatment, and outcomes of donor vessel injury during percutaneous coronary interventions for chronic total occlusion.

Background: Donor vessel injury is a potentially life-threatening complication of chronic total occlusion (CTO) percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI).

Aims: Our goal was to examine the incidence, mechanisms, treatment, and outcomes of patients with donor vessel injury in a large multicenter CTO PCI registry.

Methods: We analyzed the baseline clinical and angiographic characteristics, and procedural outcomes of 12,349 CTO PCIs performed between 2012 and 2022 at 44 centers.

Distal Target Vessel Quality and Outcomes of Chronic Total Occlusion Percutaneous Coronary Intervention.

Background: Distal vessel quality is a key parameter in the global chronic total occlusion (CTO) crossing algorithm.

Objectives: The study sought to evaluate the association of distal vessel quality with the outcomes of CTO percutaneous coronary intervention.

Methods: We examined the clinical and angiographic characteristics and procedural outcomes of 10,028 CTO percutaneous coronary interventions performed at 39 U.

Dual Antiplatelet Therapy and Cancer; Balancing between Ischemic and Bleeding Risk: A Narrative Review.

Cardiovascular (CV) events in patients with cancer can be caused by concomitant CV risk factors, cancer itself, and anticancer therapy. Since malignancy can dysregulate the hemostatic system, predisposing cancer patients to both thrombosis and hemorrhage, the administration of dual antiplatelet therapy (DAPT) to patients with cancer who suffer from acute coronary syndrome (ACS) or undergo percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) is a clinical challenge to cardiologists. Apart from PCI and ACS, other structural interventions, such as TAVR, PFO-ASD closure, and LAA occlusion, and non-cardiac diseases, such as PAD and CVAs, may require DAPT.

Thirty-Days versus Longer Duration of Dual Antiplatelet Treatment after Percutaneous Coronary Interventions with Newer Drug-Eluting Stents: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Abbreviation of the duration of dual antiplatelet therapy (DAPT) (one or three months) has been recently proposed, especially for high bleeding risk patients, after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) with drug-eluting stent (DES). Three databases were screened for eligible randomized control trials. The primary endpoint was the incidence of net adverse clinical events (NACE).

Angiographic Features and Clinical Outcomes of Balloon Uncrossable Lesions during Chronic Total Occlusion Percutaneous Coronary Intervention.

Balloon uncrossable lesions are defined as lesions that cannot be crossed with a balloon after successful guidewire crossing. We analyzed the association between balloon uncrossable lesions and procedural outcomes of 8671 chronic total occlusions (CTOs) percutaneous coronary interventions (PCIs) performed between 2012 and 2022 at 41 centers. The prevalence of balloon uncrossable lesions was 9.

Impact of lesion length on the outcomes of chronic total occlusion percutaneous coronary intervention: Insights from the PROGRESS-CTO registry.

Background: The impact of occlusion length on the procedural techniques and outcomes of chronic total occlusion (CTO) percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) has received limited study.

Methods: We examined the clinical and angiographic characteristics and procedural outcomes of 10,335 CTO PCIs at 42 US and non-US centers between 2012 and 2022. The cohort was divided into two groups based on lesion length (≥20 mm vs.

Impact of proximal cap ambiguity on the procedural techniques and outcomes of chronic total occlusion percutaneous coronary intervention: Insights from the PROGRESS-CTO Registry.

Background: Proximal cap ambiguity is a key parameter in the global chronic total occlusion (CTO) percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) crossing algorithm.

Methods: We examined the baseline characteristics and procedural outcomes of 9718 CTO PCIs performed in 9498 patients at 41 US and non-US centers between 2012 and 2022.

Results: Proximal cap ambiguity was present in 35% of CTO lesions.

Equipment Utilization in Chronic Total Occlusion Percutaneous Coronary Interventions: Update From the PROGRESS-CTO Registry.

Background: Guidewires and microcatheters are critical to the success of chronic total occlusion (CTO) percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI).

Methods: We examined equipment utilization in 11,202 CTO-PCIs performed in 10,952 patients at 42 United States (US) and non-US centers between 2012 and 2022.

Results: Antegrade-only crossing was attempted in 7628 CTO-PCIs (68%) and the retrograde approach was used in 3574 CTO-PCIs (32%).

Single vs. multiple operators for chronic total occlusion percutaneous coronary interventions: From the PROGRESS-CTO Registry.

Background: There is limited data on the impact of a second attending operator on chronic total occlusion (CTO) percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) outcomes.

Methods: We analyzed the association between multiple operators (MOs) (>1 attending operator) and procedural outcomes of 9296 CTO PCIs performed between 2012 and 2021 at 37 centers.

Results: CTO PCI was performed by a single operator (SO) in 85% of the cases and by MOs in 15%.

Use of the Limited Antegrade Subintimal Tracking Technique in Chronic Total Occlusion Percutaneous Coronary Intervention.

Background: There are limited data on the limited antegrade subintimal tracking (LAST) technique for chronic total occlusion (CTO) percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI).

Objectives: The aim of this study was to analyze the frequency of use and outcomes of the LAST technique for CTO PCI.

Methods: We analyzed 2,177 CTO PCIs performed using antegrade dissection and re-entry (ADR) in the PROGRESS-CTO (Prospective Global Registry for the Study of Chronic Total Occlusion Intervention) registry between 2012 and January 2022 at 39 centers.

One-Year Outcomes in Anticoagulated Atrial Fibrillation Patients Undergoing Percutaneous Coronary Intervention: Insights From the Greek Antiplatelet Atrial Fibrillation Registry.

GReek-AntiPlatElet Atrial Fibrillation registry is a multicenter, observational, noninterventional study of atrial fibrillation patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention. Primary endpoint included clinically significant bleeding rate at 12 months between different antithrombotic regimens prescribed at discharge; secondary endpoints included major adverse cardiovascular events and net adverse clinical events. A total of 647 patients were analyzed.

Incidence, Mechanisms, Treatment, and Outcomes of Coronary Artery Perforation During Chronic Total Occlusion Percutaneous Coronary Intervention.

Coronary artery perforation is a feared complication of chronic total occlusion (CTO) percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). Our objective was to describe the incidence, mechanisms, treatment, and outcomes of coronary artery perforation during CTO PCI. We analyzed the baseline clinical and angiographic characteristics and procedural outcomes of 10,454 CTO PCIs performed in 10,219 patients between 2012 and 2022.

Primary vs Secondary Retrograde Approach in Chronic Total Occlusion Percutaneous Coronary Interventions.

Background: The retrograde approach to coronary chronic total occlusions (CTOs) can be used as the initial crossing strategy (primary retrograde) or after failure of antegrade crossing attempts (secondary retrograde).

Methods: We compared baseline clinical and angiographic characteristics and procedural outcomes of primary vs secondary retrograde crossing for CTO percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) among 2789 procedures performed at 34 centers between 2012 and 2021.

Results: Retrograde CTO-PCI was performed as the primary crossing strategy in 1086 cases (38.

Association of Annual Operator Volume With the Outcomes of Chronic Total Occlusion Percutaneous Coronary Intervention.

Objectives: There are limited data on the association of operator volume with the outcomes of chronic total occlusion (CTO) percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI).

Methods: We analyzed the association between operator volume and procedural outcomes of 7035 CTO-PCIs performed between 2012 and February 2021 at 30 centers.

Results: The study population was divided into 3 groups based on annual operator CTO-PCI volume: low-volume operators (LVO: <30 cases/year; 39.

Predicting Periprocedural Complications in Chronic Total Occlusion Percutaneous Coronary Intervention: The PROGRESS-CTO Complication Scores.

Background: Chronic total occlusion (CTO) percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) is associated with increased risk of periprocedural complications. Estimating the risk of complications facilitates risk-benefit assessment and procedural planning.

Objectives: This study sought to develop risk scores for in-hospital major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE), mortality, pericardiocentesis, and acute myocardial infarction (MI) in patients undergoing CTO PCI.

Epidemiology, reperfusion management, and outcomes of patients with myocardial infarction in Greece: The ILIAKTIS study.

Objective: Acute myocardial infarction (AMI) is one of the leading causes of death; however, updated data regarding clinical presentation and current management are missing in Greece. This study aimed to prospectively record the demographic and clinical characteristics of a representative sample of patients suffering from AMI, their management, and short-term outcomes.

Methods: ILIAKTIS is a national, prospective, multicenter, noninterventional study conducted under the auspices of Hellenic Society of Cardiology (HCS) and the European Initiative Stent - Save a Life.