Prevention of arterial and venous thrombotic events in symptomatic peripheral arterial disease patients after lower extremity revascularization in the VOYAGER PAD trial: Dual anticoagulant/antiplatelet regimen vs antiplatelet therapy alone.

Background: Vascular disease burden after lower extremity revascularization (LER) comprises more than the first event, more vascular beds than the local arteries, and more than one clinical event type.

Objectives: Assess total arterial and venous thrombotic burden after LER for symptomatic peripheral artery disease (PAD) and effect of low-dose anticoagulation added to low-dose antiplatelet therapy.

Patients/methods: VOYAGER PAD randomized 6564 symptomatic PAD patients undergoing LER to rivaroxaban 2.

Circulating Monocyte Subsets Are Associated With Extent of Myocardial Injury but Not With Type of Myocardial Infarction.

Inflammation is a hallmark of the period after a myocardial infarction (MI) that is either promoted or resolved by distinct subtypes of circulating inflammatory cells. The three main monocyte subpopulations play different roles inflammation. This study examined whether the type of MI (type 1 or type 2) or the extent of myocardial injury is associated with differences in monocyte subpopulations.

Direct oral anticoagulants in point-of-care monitoring: an ex-vivo study.

Background: Anticoagulatory activity of direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs) is not routinely measurable by point-of-care monitoring. Thus, the aim of this study was to evaluate the influence of dabigatran/rivaroxaban on point-of-care testing.

Methods: Samples from 34 participants under DOAC therapy were drawn at two time points.

Influence of irregular heart rhythm on radiation exposure, image quality and diagnostic impact of cardiac computed tomography angiography in 4,339 patients. Data from the German Cardiac Computed Tomography Registry.

Background: Coronary computed tomography angiography (coronary CTA) provides non-invasive evaluation of the coronary arteries with high precision for the detection of significant coronary artery disease (CAD).

Aim: To investigate whether irregular heart rhythm including atrial fibrillation and premature beats during data acquisition influences (i) radiation and contrast media exposure, (ii) number of non-evaluable coronary segments and (iii) diagnostic impact of coronary CTA.

Methods: Twelve tertiary care centers with ≥64 slice CT scanners and ≥5 years of experience with cardiovascular imaging participated in this registry.

Use of Fondaparinux Off-Label or Approved Anticoagulants for Management of Heparin-Induced Thrombocytopenia.

Background: Life-threatening heparin-induced thrombocytopenia (HIT) is treated with the alternative nonheparin anticoagulants argatroban, lepirudin, or danaparoid. Frequently, the pentasaccharide fondaparinux is used off-label.

Objectives: The authors sought to investigate the safety and efficacy of the different anticoagulants for treating HIT.

Effects of increasing age onto procedural parameters in pacemaker implantation: results of an obligatory external quality control program.

Aims: The aim of the study was to evaluate the effects of increasing patients' age onto procedural parameters, especially complications, during primary pacemaker implantation, evaluating the database of the Institute of Quality Assurance Hessen in the federal state of Hessen, Germany.

Methods And Results: The database of the obligatory external quality control program was evaluated retrospectively for the years 2003-2006. A total of 17 826 patients undergoing stationary primary pacemaker implantation have been registered in 72 centres.

In-vitro evaluation of coronary stents and 64-detector-row computed tomography using a newly developed model of coronary artery stenosis.

Background: Stent implantation is the predominant therapy for non-surgical myocardial revascularization in patients with coronary artery disease. However, despite substantial advances in multidetector computed tomography (MDCT) coronary imaging, a reliable detection of coronary in-stent restenosis is currently not possible.

Purpose: To examine the ability of 64-detector-row CT to detect and to grade in-stent stenosis in coronary stents using a newly developed ex-vivo vessel phantom with a realistic CT density pattern, artificial stenosis, and a thorax phantom.

Thrombus detection in the left atrial appendage using contrast-enhanced MRI: a pilot study.

Objective: Left atrial thrombi are an important cause for embolism-related morbidity and mortality. Transesophageal echocardiography (TEE), the clinical reference, is semiinvasive; thus, we aimed to assess the value of contrast-enhanced cardiovascular MRI for the detection of thrombus in the left atrial appendage.

Conclusion: The image quality was good for both 2D perfusion (grade 4 +/- 1) and 3D turbo fast low-angle shot (FLASH) (grade 4 +/- 1, n.

Cardiac perforation following transcatheter PFO closure.

From December 1998 to August 2001, transcatheter closure of patent foramen ovale (PFO) with an Amplatzer PFO occluder has been successfully performed in our center in 102 patients without severe complications. We are reporting the first known case of cardiac perforation by an Amplatzer PFO occluder.

Catheter closure of atrial septal defects and patent foramen ovale in patients with an atrial septal aneurysm using different devices.

Background: Atrial septal aneurysm is frequently associated with patent foramen ovale (PFO) and atrial septal defects (ASD). Moreover, a relationship between atrial septal aneurysm and embolic cerebrovascular events has been suggested. The aims of this study were to analyze morphological and functional characteristics of atrial septal aneurysm in PFO and ASD patients and to assess the feasibility and efficacy of different devices for transcatheter closure and the influence of atrial septal aneurysm.

Patent foramen ovale closure in patients with transient ischemia attack/stroke.

Paradoxical embolism through a patent foramen ovale (PFO) has been recognized as a potential cause of transient ischemia attack (TIA) and stroke especially in younger patients. The therapeutic options are medical treatment (antiaggregation or anticoagulation) with an annual recurrence rate of 3% to 4% for stroke or TIA, surgical PFO closure, or catheter closure. Randomized studies are ongoing; however, the results will not be available soon.

Stent or angioplasty after recanalization of chronic coronary occlusions? (The SARECCO Trial).

This study tests whether stent implantation without anticoagulation after catheter recanalization of coronary occlusions can improve outcome compared with balloon angioplasty alone. One hundred ten patients were randomly assigned to angioplasty alone (no stent group) or stent implantation (stent group) after successful recanalization and balloon angioplasty. The type of stent and angioplasty technique utilized were decided by the operator.