Predictors of Underutilization of Medical Therapy in Patients Undergoing Endovascular Revascularization for Peripheral Artery Disease.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to explore discharge prescription rates of guideline-directed medical therapy (GDMT), defined as aggregate antiplatelet agent, statin, and ACE inhibitor or angiotensin receptor blocker use after endovascular lower extremity (LE) peripheral vascular intervention.

Background: Little is known about contemporary GDMT prescription following LE PVI.

Methods: Sex, age, and comorbid conditions were related to discharge GDMT prescription among patients undergoing LE PVI for symptomatic peripheral artery disease in the 2014-2018 Vascular Study Group of New England Vascular Quality Initiative.

Seasonal variation in U.S. hospitalizations for chronic limb-threatening ischemia.

Background: Seasonal variation in coronary artery disease is well described, with a peak in the winter and a trough in the summer. However, little is known about seasonal trends in hospital admission for critical limb-threatening ischemia (CLTI) and associated outcomes.

Methods: Patients admitted with CLTI from January 1, 2012 through August 31, 2015 were identified in the Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project's National Inpatient Sample based upon administrative claims diagnosis codes.

Optical coherence tomography substudy of a prospective multicentre randomised post-market trial to assess the safety and effectiveness of the Firehawk cobalt-chromium coronary stent (rapamycin target-eluting) system for the treatment of atherosclerotic lesions: TARGET All Comers.

Aims: Durable polymer drug-eluting stents (DP-DES) may contribute to persistent inflammation, delayed endothelial healing and subsequent late DES thrombosis. The aim of this optical coherence tomography (OCT) substudy was to compare healing and neointimal coverage of a novel bioabsorbable polymer sirolimus-eluting stent (Firehawk®) (BP-DES) versus the DP-DES (XIENCE) at 90 days in an all-comers patient population.

Methods And Results: The TARGET All Comers study is a prospective multicentre randomised post-market trial of 1,656 patients randomised 1:1 to Firehawk or XIENCE at 21 centres in 10 European countries.