Chronic Total Occlusion Interventions in Patients with Reduced Ejection Fraction.

Purpose Of The Review: The goal of this paper is to review the current evidence surrounding CTO PCI in patients with low EF, the most high-risk population to treat. We also present pertinent case examples and offer practical tips to increase success and lower complications when performing CTO PCI in patients with low EF.

Recent Findings: In a prospective randomized control study, greater improvement in angina frequency and quality of life, assessed by the Seattle Angina Questionnaire, was achieved by CTO PCI compared to optimal medical therapy.

Five-year clinical outcomes of a 2.25 mm sirolimus-eluting stent in Japanese patients with very small coronary artery disease: final results of the CENTURY JSV study.

The aim of this study is to evaluate the long-term safety and efficacy of the 2.25 mm bioresorbable-polymer sirolimus-eluting Ultimaster stent in a Japanese patient population. Treatment of coronary artery disease in very small vessels is associated with an increased risk for cardiac events.

A Phenotyping of Diastolic Function by Machine Learning Improves Prediction of Clinical Outcomes in Heart Failure.

Discriminating between different patterns of diastolic dysfunction in heart failure (HF) is still challenging. We tested the hypothesis that an unsupervised machine learning algorithm would detect heterogeneity in diastolic function and improve risk stratification compared with recommended consensus criteria. This study included 279 consecutive patients aged 24-97 years old with clinically stable HF referred for echocardiographic assessment, in whom diastolic variables were measured according to the current guidelines.

Giant fenestration and fibrous strand rupture of aortic valve without massive regurgitation.

We present a case of a giant fenestration and a fibrous strand rupture of the aortic valve without massive regurgitation. A 56-year-old woman, was referred for coronary revascularization, had II-III degree aortic regurgitation without symptoms of heart failure. On the intraoperative direct view, the non coronary cusp (NCC) had the giant fenestration and the left coronary cusp (LCC) had the fibrous strand rupture.

Relationship between 24-h Holter recordings and clinical outcomes in patients with permanent atrial fibrillation.

Objectives: This study aimed to test the hypothesis that the range of 24-h total heart beats (24 h-tHB) correlates with cardiac outcomes (cardiac death and incidence of hospitalization with heart failure) in patients with permanent atrial fibrillation (AF).

Methods And Results: We divided 252 consecutive outpatients with permanent AF into 4 groups according to their 24 h-tHB and examined clinical outcomes. Initial 24 h-tHB at enrollment was significantly associated with patient characteristics including age, sex, presence of structural heart diseases, and left ventricular ejection fraction (EF).

Alternative technique for implanting an epicardial cardioverter defibrillation patch during a tricuspid valve replacement for arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy.

Transvenous endocardial cardioverter defibrillator lead implantation is contraindicated in patients with prosthetic tricuspid valves (TVs). A 61-year-old male was hospitalized due to right heart failure, severe TV regurgitation, and non-sustained ventricular tachycardia (VT), which required Sotalol. The patient received an implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) using an epicardial cardioverter defibrillation patch during a TV replacement (TVR) for VT and severe TV regurgitation because of arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy.

Prediction of late restenosis after sirolimus-eluting stent implantation using serial quantitative angiographic and intravascular ultrasound analysis.

Although sirolimus-eluting stents (SESs) have shown to significantly reduce the incidence of restenosis, it remains unclear when the follow-up angiography should be performed after SES implantation. A total of 868 patients with 1,574 lesions were treated with SES. Of the 71 patients with 87 lesions were performed serial angiographic and intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) analysis (pre, post, 1st and 2nd-follow-up).

Surgical outcome of simultaneous carotid and cardiac surgery.

Purpose: The surgical outcome of a simultaneous carotid endarterectomy and cardiac surgery has not been clarified. This study retrospectively reviewed short- and mid-term outcomes after a carotid endarterectomy combined with valvular surgery or coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG).

Methods: Fifteen patients (12 males and 3 females, mean age 68.

Effects of treatment with once-daily nifedipine CR and twice-daily benidipine on prevention of symptomatic attacks in patients with coronary spastic angina pectoris-Adalat Trial vs Coniel in Tokyo against Coronary Spastic Angina (ATTACK CSA).

Background: We compared the efficacy of once-daily treatment with nifedipine CR 40 mg (NR) and twice-daily treatment with benidipine 4 mg (BD) in patients with coronary spastic angina (CSA) registered in 3 cardiovascular institutes in Tokyo.

Methods And Results: CSA was diagnosed by an ischemic ST change during Holter ECG monitoring or drug-induced test. Thirty patients were randomly allocated to either NR or BD group.

A case report of central extracorporeal membrane oxygenation after implantation of a left ventricular assist system: femoral vein and left atrium cannulation for ECMO.

Purpose: The left ventricular assist system (LVAS) is often used for end-stage heart failure. However, in severe lung disorder, the patient needs extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) because oxygenation using only a ventricular assist system (VAS) is insufficient. We report a successful case of combining the use of LVAS and right VAS (RVAS) with ECMO.

Angiotensin converting enzyme 2 gene expression increased compensatory for left ventricular remodeling in patients with end-stage heart failure.

It has been reported that angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) 2, a homologue of ACE, has direct effects on cardiac function. However, the role of ACE2 in the development of human heart failure is not fully understood. We evaluated the expression of the ACE2 gene by means of real-time RT-PCR in myocardium from 14 patients with end-stage heart failure.

Qualitative and quantitative changes in coronary plaque associated with atorvastatin therapy.

Background: The aim of this study was to elucidate the time course of atorvastatin-induced changes in vulnerable plaque using angioscopy and intravascular ultrasound (IVUS).

Methods And Results: Fifty-seven hypercholesterolemic patients with coronary artery disease (CAD) were treated with atorvastatin (10-20 mg/day) for 80 weeks and then coronary plaques were evaluated with angioscopy and IVUS. Angioscopic images were classified into 6 grades (0-5) based on yellow color intensity.

Soft plaque detected on intravascular ultrasound is the strongest predictor of in-stent restenosis: an intravascular ultrasound study.

Aims: Although various predictors of in-stent restenosis (ISR) have been reported, the subject of parameters relating to ISR on intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) still leaves room for discussion. The aim of this study was to clarify the strongest predictors of ISR using IVUS.

Methods And Results: Ninety-two native coronary lesions undergoing single bare-metallic stent implantation were investigated retrospectively.

Arterial remodeling patterns before intervention predict diffuse in-stent restenosis: an intravascular ultrasound study.

Objectives: The aim of this retrospective study was to determine the predictors of diffuse in-stent restenosis (ISR) among the lesions causing the first ISR by intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) studies.

Background: Although some predictors of diffuse ISR have been reported, parameters on IVUS relating to diffuse ISR are not well characterized.

Methods: We classified 52 ISR lesions that had undergone successful stent implantation and led to restenosis into two types--focal and diffuse ISR--using quantitative coronary angiography.

Nifekalant hydrochloride, a novel class III antiarrhythmic agent, suppressed postoperative recurrent ventricular tachycardia in a patient undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting and the Dor approach.

A patient with 3-vessel coronary artery disease and left ventricular aneurysm underwent coronary artery bypass grafting combined with the Dor approach. Five days later, ventricular tachycardia following short-coupled ventricular premature contractions suddenly occurred and was not responsive to class IB drugs (lidocaine and mexiletine), requiring frequent electrical cardioversion. After the administration of a novel class III drug, nifekalant hydrochloride, this electrical storm of ventricular tachycardia was completely suppressed together with the disappearance of ventricular premature contractions.

J wave and ST segment elevation in the inferior leads: a latent type of variant Brugada syndrome?

In a patient referred for the evaluation of non-sustained monomorphic ventricular tachycardia on Holter recordings, ventricular fibrillation was electrically induced during electrophysiologic study. Despite the absence of structural heart diseases, his ECG revealed J wave and ST segment elevation in the inferior leads, which showed circadian variation and were augmented by the sodium channel blocker, pilsicainide. This case might lead us to notice a new concept, a 'latent' type of variant Brugada syndrome, and these ECG findings and changes might serve as its diagnostic sign.