Comparison of Angiographic and Intravascular Ultrasound Vessel Measurements in Infra-Popliteal Endovascular Interventions: The Below-the-Knee Calibration Study.

Background: Endovascular revascularization (ER) via percutaneous transluminal angioplasty (PTA) and stenting are viable options for revascularization in below-the-knee (BTK) peripheral arterial disease. Two-dimensional angiography has been the standard of practice for estimating vessel size and selecting treatment devices during ER. However, in other vascular territories, intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) offers better visualization of the lumen dimensions.

In-hospital outcomes after transcatheter edge-to-edge mitral valve repair in patients with chronic kidney disease: An analysis from the 2010-2016 National inpatient sample.

Objectives: To assess the outcomes following transcatheter edge-to-edge mitral valve repair (TMVr) in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD).

Background: Percutaneous TMVr is beneficial in high surgical risk patients with severe mitral regurgitation (MR). However, those with CKD are not well studied.

Shear Stress Estimated by Quantitative Coronary Angiography Predicts Plaques Prone to Progress and Cause Events.

Objectives: This study examined the value of endothelial shear stress (ESS) estimated in 3-dimensional quantitative coronary angiography (3D-QCA) models in detecting plaques that are likely to progress and cause events.

Background: Cumulative evidence has shown that plaque characteristics and ESS derived from intravascular ultrasound (IVUS)-based reconstructions enable prediction of lesions that will cause cardiovascular events. However, the prognostic value of ESS estimated by 3D-QCA in nonflow limiting lesions is yet unclear.

Predictive value of the QFR in detecting vulnerable plaques in non-flow limiting lesions: a combined analysis of the PROSPECT and IBIS-4 study.

Studies have shown that the quantitative flow ratio (QFR), recently introduced to assess lesion severity from coronary angiography, provides useful prognostic information; however the additive value of this technique over intravascular imaging in detecting lesions that are likely to cause events is yet unclear. We analysed data acquired in the PROSPECT and IBIS-4 studies, in particular the baseline virtual histology-intravascular ultrasound (VH-IVUS) and angiographic data from 17 non-culprit lesions with a presumable vulnerable phenotype (i.e.

Reshaping bicuspid aortic valve stenosis with an hourglass-shaped balloon for transcatheter aortic valve replacement: A pilot study.

Objectives: We evaluated the safety and usefulness of preparatory anatomical reshaping with a geometric hourglass-shaped balloon to optimize transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) outcomes in bicuspid aortic valve (BAV) stenosis.

Background: TAVR has been increasingly performed for BAV stenosis; however, technical challenges remain. Procedural results are suboptimal given unfavorable valvular anatomies.

Predictors of In-Hospital Mortality after Transcatheter Aortic Valve Implantation.

The development of aortic valve stenosis is strongly associated with older adults. Patients who undergo transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) for severe aortic stenosis frequently have heart failure (HF). We investigated the predictors of mortality after TAVI according to the presence of HF, and specifically HF with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) versus HF with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF).

Baseline Predictors of Low-Density Lipoprotein Cholesterol and Systolic Blood Pressure Goal Attainment After 1 Year in the ISCHEMIA Trial.

Background: Risk factor control is the cornerstone of managing stable ischemic heart disease but is often not achieved. Predictors of risk factor control in a randomized clinical trial have not been described.

Methods And Results: The ISCHEMIA trial (International Study of Comparative Health Effectiveness with Medical and Invasive Approaches) randomized individuals with at least moderate inducible ischemia and obstructive coronary artery disease to an initial invasive or conservative strategy in addition to optimal medical therapy.

Cost-Effectiveness of Transcatheter Mitral Valve Repair Versus Medical Therapy in Patients With Heart Failure and Secondary Mitral Regurgitation: Results From the COAPT Trial.

Background: The COAPT trial (Cardiovascular Outcomes Assessment of the MitraClip Percutaneous Therapy for Heart Failure Patients With Functional Mitral Regurgitation) demonstrated that edge-to-edge transcatheter mitral valve repair (TMVr) with the MitraClip resulted in reduced mortality and heart failure hospitalizations and improved quality of life compared with maximally tolerated guideline-directed medical therapy (GDMT) in patients with heart failure and 3 to 4+ secondary mitral regurgitation. Whether TMVr is cost-effective compared with GDMT in this population is unknown.

Methods: We used data from the COAPT trial to perform a formal patient-level economic analysis of TMVr+GDMT versus GDMT alone for patients with heart failure and 3 to 4+ secondary mitral regurgitation from the perspective of the US healthcare system.

Clinical Outcomes Before and After Complete Everolimus-Eluting Bioresorbable Scaffold Resorption: Five-Year Follow-Up From the ABSORB III Trial.

Background: The Absorb everolimus-eluting bioresorbable vascular scaffold (BVS) provides early drug delivery and mechanical support similar to those of metallic drug-eluting stents, followed by complete resorption in ≈3 years with recovery of vascular structure and function. The ABSORB III trial demonstrated noninferior rates of target lesion failure (cardiac death, target vessel myocardial infarction, or ischemia-driven target lesion revascularization) at 1 year with BVS compared with cobalt chromium everolimus-eluting stents. Between 1 and 3 years and cumulative to 3 years, adverse event rates (particularly target vessel myocardial infarction and scaffold thrombosis) were increased after BVS.

3-Year Outcomes of the DKCRUSH-V Trial Comparing DK Crush With Provisional Stenting for Left Main Bifurcation Lesions.

Objectives: The present study aimed to investigate the difference in target lesion failure (TLF) at 3 years after double kissing (DK) crush stenting versus provisional stenting (PS) for unprotected left main distal bifurcation (UPLMb) lesions.

Background: The multicenter and randomized DKCRUSH-V (Double Kissing Crush versus Provisional Stenting for Left Main Distal Bifurcation Lesions: The DKCRUSH-V Randomized Trial) study showed fewer 1-year TLF after DK crush for UPLMb lesions compared with PS. The study reports the 3-year clinical outcome of the DKCRUSH-V study.

Late-term safety and effectiveness of everolimus-eluting stents in chronic total coronary occlusion revascularization: Final 4-year results from the evaluation of the XIENCE coronary stent, Performance, and Technique in Chronic Total Occlusions (EXPERT CTO) multicenter trial.

Background: Limited study has detailed the late-term safety and efficacy of chronic total coronary occlusion (CTO) revascularization among multiple centers applying modern techniques and with newer-generation drug-eluting stents.

Methods: Among 20 centers, 222 patients enrolled in the XIENCE coronary stent, performance, and technique (EXPERT) CTO trial underwent CTO percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) with everolimus-eluting stents (EES). Through planned 4-year follow-up, the primary composite endpoint of major adverse cardiac events (MACE; death, myocardial infarction [MI] and target lesion revascularization) and rates of individual component endpoints and stent thrombosis were determined.

Central Adjudication Identified Additional and Prognostically Important Myocardial Infarctions in Patients Undergoing Percutaneous Coronary Intervention.

Background: In the CHAMPION PHOENIX trial, cangrelor reduced the primary composite end point of death, myocardial infarction (MI), ischemia-driven revascularization, or stent thrombosis at 48 hours. This study aimed to explore the impact of event adjudication and the prognostic importance of MI reported by a clinical events committee (CEC) or site investigators (SIs).

Methods And Results: Data from the CHAMPION PHOENIX trial of patients undergoing elective or nonelective percutaneous coronary intervention were analyzed.

CSL112, a reconstituted, infusible, plasma-derived apolipoprotein A-I: safety and tolerability profiles and implications for management in patients with myocardial infarction.

Introduction: The risk of major adverse cardiac events (MACE) remains elevated soon after a coronary event. High-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol has been proposed as a target to reduce cardiovascular endpoints, but there is growing recognition that increasing the function of HDL may be more important than merely increasing its concentration. CSL112 is a reconstituted, infusible human plasma-derived apolipoprotein A-I (apoA-I) that increases cholesterol efflux capacity - an ex vivo measure of the ability of HDL to accept cholesterol from macrophages.

International Study of Comparative Health Effectiveness with Medical and Invasive Approaches-Chronic Kidney Disease (ISCHEMIA-CKD): Rationale and design.

Background: Patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) and stable ischemic heart disease are at markedly increased risk of cardiovascular events. Prior trials comparing a strategy of optimal medical therapy (OMT) with or without revascularization have largely excluded patients with advanced CKD. Whether a routine invasive approach when compared with a conservative strategy is beneficial in such patients is unknown.

Development of significant tricuspid regurgitation over time and prognostic implications: new insights into natural history.

Aims: To evaluate the risk factors influencing the development of significant (moderate and severe) tricuspid regurgitation (TR), and its impact on all-cause mortality in large registry of referral centre.

Methods And Results: In 1000 patients (mean age 68 ± 13 years; 50.9% male) with documented significant TR, clinical, and echocardiographic data were retrospectively analysed when the echocardiogram showed none/mild TR.

Newer-Generation Ultrathin Strut Drug-Eluting Stents Versus Older Second-Generation Thicker Strut Drug-Eluting Stents for Coronary Artery Disease.

Background: Contemporary second-generation drug-eluting stents (DES) have superior efficacy and safety in comparison with early-generation stents in patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention, in part, related to their thinner struts. Whether newer-generation ultrathin DES further improve clinical outcomes in comparison with older second-generation thicker strut DES is unknown.

Methods: We searched PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials for randomized clinical trials that compared newer-generation ultrathin strut DES (defined as strut thickness <70 µm) versus thicker strut second-generation DES and reported clinical outcomes.

Definitions of peri-procedural myocardial infarction and the association with one-year mortality: Insights from CHAMPION trials.

Background: Controversies exist over the appropriate definition for peri-procedural myocardial infarction (PPMI) and its association with mortality. This study aims to evaluate one-year survival following percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) and the association of different definitions of PPMI with survival among patients with stable angina (SA) or acute coronary syndrome (ACS) in the contemporary era.

Methods: We used data from the CHAMPION PLATFORM and CHAMPION PCI trials of patients undergoing PCI and conducted univariable and multivariable Cox proportional hazard regression models to evaluate mortality risk during the first year after PCI.

International Study of Comparative Health Effectiveness with Medical and Invasive Approaches (ISCHEMIA) trial: Rationale and design.

Background: Prior trials comparing a strategy of optimal medical therapy with or without revascularization have not shown that revascularization reduces cardiovascular events in patients with stable ischemic heart disease (SIHD). However, those trials only included participants in whom coronary anatomy was known prior to randomization and did not include sufficient numbers of participants with significant ischemia. It remains unknown whether a routine invasive approach offers incremental value over a conservative approach with catheterization reserved for failure of medical therapy in patients with moderate or severe ischemia.