Concurrent Association of Multifocality, Bilaterality, and Recurrence in Pediatric Papillary Thyroid Cancer Patients.

Purpose: Pediatric papillary thyroid cancer (PTC) is recommended to perform aggressive surgery to reduce the risk of recurrence. This study was designed to evaluate the concurrent association between multifocality, bilaterality, and the risk of recurrence in pediatric PTC.

Materials And Methods: This retrospective cohort study included pediatric patients (age <19 years) who underwent total thyroidectomy for PTC between 1996 and 2014 in a single tertiary center.

Impact of Scoring Balloon Angioplasty on Lesion Preparation for DCB Treatment of Coronary Lesions.

Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of scoring balloon angioplasty for drug-coated balloon (DCB) treatment in percutaneous coronary intervention.

Background: The scoring balloon angioplasty may play a pivotal role in enhancing the outcomes of DCB treatment.

Methods: A total of 259 patients (278 lesions) with coronary artery disease successfully treated with DCB were retrospectively enrolled.

Drug-coated balloon-based versus drug-eluting stent-only revascularization in patients with diabetes and multivessel coronary artery disease.

Background: Data on drug-coated balloon (DCB) treatment in the context of diabetes mellitus (DM) and multivessel coronary artery disease (CAD) are limited. We aimed to investigate the clinical impact of DCB-based revascularization on percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) in patients with DM and multivessel CAD.

Methods: A total of 254 patients with multivessel disease (104 patients with DM) successfully treated with DCB alone or combined with drug-eluting stent (DES) were retrospectively enrolled (DCB-based group) and compared with 254 propensity-matched patients treated with second-generation DES from the PTRG-DES registry (n = 13,160 patients) (DES-only group).

Stent underexpansion is associated with high wall shear stress: a biomechanical analysis of the shear stent study.

Coronary stent underexpansion is associated with restenosis and stent thrombosis. In clinical studies of atherosclerosis, high wall shear stress (WSS) has been associated with activation of prothrombotic pathways, upregulation of matrix metalloproteinases, and future myocardial infarction. We hypothesized that stent underexpansion is predictive of high WSS.

Feasibility of Prompt Lumbar Drainage in Patients with Aneurysmal Subarachnoid Hemorrhage.

Background: Numerous studies have shown that continuous lumbar drainage (LD) reduces spontaneous subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH)-related complications, decreasing the incidence of cerebral vasospasm, delayed cerebral ischemia , and hydrocephalus in patients treated with coiling or clipping, but performing LD before securing the aneurysm is still controversial. Our hospital has been implementing prompt LD for several years, and we present the results in this paper.

Methods: Between January 2014 and December 2020, a total of 438 patients with SAH were included in this retrospective study.

Clinical Impact of Drug-Coated Balloon-Based Percutaneous Coronary Intervention in Patients With Multivessel Coronary Artery Disease.

Background: Data on drug-coated balloon (DCB) treatment in the context of multivessel coronary artery disease (CAD) are limited.

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to investigate the impact of DCB-based treatment on percutaneous coronary intervention for multivessel CAD.

Methods: A total of 254 patients with multivessel disease successfully treated with DCBs or in combination with drug-eluting stents (DES) were retrospectively enrolled (DCB-based group) and compared with 254 propensity-matched patients treated with second-generation DES from the PTRG-DES (Platelet Function and Genotype-Related Long-Term Prognosis in Drug-Eluting Stent-Treated Patients With Coronary Artery Disease) registry (n = 13,160) (DES-only group).

Early Invasive Strategy Based on the Time of Symptom Onset of Non-ST-Segment Elevation Myocardial Infarction.

Background: A limitation of the current guidelines regarding the timing of invasive coronary angiography for patients with non-ST-segment elevation acute coronary syndrome is the randomization time. To date, no study has reported the clinical outcomes of invasive strategy timing on the basis of the time of symptom onset.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of invasive strategy timing from the time of symptom onset on the 3-year clinical outcomes of patients with non-ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (NSTEMI).

Comparison of 2 Different Paclitaxel-Coated Balloons in Coronary In-Stent Restenosis: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

Background: Drug-coated balloons (DCBs) offer an effective treatment for in-stent restenosis (ISR). The Genoss DCB is a novel paclitaxel-coated balloon with a shellac plus vitamin E excipient that enhances drug delivery to the target lesion, minimizing restenosis.

Objectives: This study aimed to investigate the angiographic efficacy, clinical safety, and effectiveness of the novel shellac plus vitamin E-based DCB in a randomized controlled trial designed to enable regulatory approval of this new device in South Korea.

Clinical Outcomes of Drug-Coated Balloon Treatment After Successful Revascularization of Chronic Total Occlusions.

Background: The safety and efficacy of drug-coated balloon (DCB) treatment for coronary chronic total occlusion (CTO) remain uncertain. The aim of this study was to evaluate the outcomes of DCB only treatment for CTO.

Methods: In this retrospective study, 101 vessels with CTO lesions dilated by balloon angioplasty with thrombolysis in myocardial infarction flow grade 3 were included.

Rationale and design for comparison of non-compliant balloon with drug-coating balloon angioplasty for side branch after provisional stenting for patients with true coronary bifurcation lesions: a prospective, multicentre and randomised DCB-BIF trial.

Introduction: Provisional stenting using drug-eluting stent is effective for simple coronary bifurcation lesions. Kissing balloon inflation using conventional non-compliant balloon is the primary treatment of side branch (SB) after main vessel (MV) stenting. Drug-coating balloon (DCB) is reported to be associated with less frequent clinical events in in-stent restenosis and small vessel disease.

Design and rationale for a comparison study of Olmesartan and Valsartan On myocardial metabolism In patients with Dilated cardiomyopathy (OVOID) trial: study protocol for a randomized controlled trial.

Background: Dilated cardiomyopathy (DCMP) is characterized by ventricular chamber enlargement and systolic dysfunction which may cause heart failure. Patients with DCMP have overactivation of the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone systems, which can also adversely affect myocardial metabolism in heart failure. The impairment of myocardial metabolism can contribute to the progression of left ventricular remodeling and contractile dysfunction in heart failure.

Sex-Related Outcomes of Successful Drug-Coated Balloon Treatment in De Novo Coronary Artery Disease.

Purpose: Although drug-coated balloon (DCB) treatment is known to be effective for de novo lesions, the influence of sex on angiographic and clinical outcomes remains unknown. This study aimed to investigate the angiographic and clinical impact of DCB treatment in patients with de novo coronary lesions according to sex.

Materials And Methods: A total of 227 patients successfully treated with DCB were retrospectively enrolled and divided into two groups according to sex.

Regional TMPRSS2 V197M Allele Frequencies Are Correlated with COVID-19 Case Fatality Rates.

Coronavirus disease, COVID-19 (coronavirus disease 2019), caused by SARS-CoV-2 (severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2), has a higher case fatality rate in European countries than in others, especially East Asian ones. One potential explanation for this regional difference is the diversity of the viral infection efficiency. Here, we analyzed the allele frequencies of a nonsynonymous variant rs12329760 (V197M) in the gene, a key enzyme essential for viral infection and found a significant association between the COVID-19 case fatality rate and the V197M allele frequencies, using over 200,000 present-day and ancient genomic samples.

Clinical and Prognostic Impact From Objective Analysis of Post-Angioplasty Fractional Flow Reserve Pullback.

Objectives: This study sought to evaluate clinical implications of the residual fractional flow reserve (FFR) gradient after angiographically successful percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI).

Background: Recent studies have demonstrated FFR measured after PCI is associated with clinical outcome after PCI. Although post-PCI FFR pull back tracings provide clinically relevant information on the residual FFR gradient, there are no objective criteria for assessing post-PCI FFR pull back tracings.

Physiological Distribution and Local Severity of Coronary Artery Disease and Outcomes After Percutaneous Coronary Intervention.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to evaluate prognostic implications of physiological 2-dimensional disease patterns on the basis of distribution and local severity of coronary atherosclerosis determined by quantitative flow ratio (QFR) virtual pull back.

Background: The beneficial effect of percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) is determined by physiological distribution and local severity of coronary atherosclerosis.

Methods: The study population included 341 patients who underwent angiographically successful PCI and post-PCI fractional flow reserve (FFR) measurement.

Functional Coronary Angiography-Derived Index of Microcirculatory Resistance in Patients With ST-Segment Elevation Myocardial Infarction.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to evaluate the diagnostic accuracy and prognostic implications of angiography-derived index of microcirculatory resistance (angio-IMR) in patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI).

Background: The index of microcirculatory resistance (IMR) is a reliable invasive measure of coronary microvascular dysfunction in patients with STEMI. A functional coronary angiography-derived method to estimate IMR is a wire- and hyperemic agent-free alternative to IMR.

Characteristic findings of microvascular dysfunction on coronary computed tomography angiography in patients with intermediate coronary stenosis.

Objectives: We aimed to assess the prevalence of coexistence of coronary microvascular dysfunction (CMD) in patients with intermediate epicardial stenosis and to explore coronary computed tomography angiography (CCTA)-derived lesion-, vessel-, and cardiac fat-related characteristic findings associated with CMD.

Methods: A retrospective cross-sectional single-center study included a total of 177 patients with intermediate stenosis in the left anterior descending artery (LAD) who underwent CCTA and invasive physiological measurements. The 320-slice CCTA analysis included qualitative and quantitative assessments of plaque, vessel, epicardial fat volume (ECFV) and epicardial fat attenuation (ECFA), and pericoronary fat attenuation (FAI).

Predictors of Favorable Angiographic Outcomes After Drug-Coated Balloon Use for de novo Small Vessel Coronary Disease (DCB-ONLY).

We evaluated the angiographic parameter and clinical outcomes of drug-coated balloon (DCB) to assess the optimal angiographic criteria in de novo small vessel disease (SVD). Patients (n = 424, mean age: 64.4 ± 11.

Non-randomized comparison between revascularization and deferral for intermediate coronary stenosis with abnormal fractional flow reserve and preserved coronary flow reserve.

Limited data are available regarding comparative prognosis after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) versus deferral of revascularization in patients with intermediate stenosis with abnormal fractional flow reserve (FFR) but preserved coronary flow reserve (CFR). From the International Collaboration of Comprehensive Physiologic Assessment Registry (NCT03690713), a total of 330 patients (338 vessels) who had coronary stenosis with FFR ≤ 0.80 but CFR > 2.

A Clinical Risk Score to Predict In-hospital Mortality from COVID-19 in South Korea.

Background: Early identification of patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) who are at high risk of mortality is of vital importance for appropriate clinical decision making and delivering optimal treatment. We aimed to develop and validate a clinical risk score for predicting mortality at the time of admission of patients hospitalized with COVID-19.

Methods: Collaborating with the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC), we established a prospective consecutive cohort of 5,628 patients with confirmed COVID-19 infection who were admitted to 120 hospitals in Korea between January 20, 2020, and April 30, 2020.

Sex difference in long-term clinical outcomes after percutaneous coronary intervention: A propensity-matched analysis of National Health Insurance data in Republic of Korea.

Objective: We investigated the gender difference in the 5-year outcome after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) using an unselected population data.

Background: Sex-specific outcome after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) is not consistent among studies.

Methods: A total of 48,783 patients were enrolled from a Korean nationwide cohort of PCI in year 2011.