Clinical outcomes in patients treated for coronary in-stent restenosis with drug-eluting balloons: Impact of high platelet reactivity.

BACKGROUND: The impact of high platelet reactivity (HPR) on clinical outcomes after elective percutaneous coronary interventions (PCI) with drug-eluting balloons (DEB) due to in-stent restenosis (ISR) is unknown. OBJECTIVE: We sought to evaluate the prognostic importance of HPR together with conventional risk factors in patients treated with DEB. METHODS: Patients treated with DEB due to ISR were enrolled in a single-centre, prospective registry between October 2009 and March 2015. Only patients with recent myocardial infarction (MI) received prasugrel, others were treated with clopidogrel. HPR was defined as an ADP-test >46U with the Multiplate assay and no adjustments were done based on results. The primary endpoint of the study was a composite of cardiovascular mortality, MI, any revascularization or stroke during one-year follow-up. RESULTS: 194 stable angina patients were recruited of whom 90% were treated with clopidogrel. Clinical characteristics and procedural data were available for all patients; while platelet function testing was performed in 152 subjects of whom 32 (21%) had HPR. Patients with HPR had a higher risk for the primary endpoint (HR: 2.45; CI: 1.01-5.92; p = 0.03). The difference was primarily driven by a higher risk for revascularization and MI. According to the multivariate analysis, HPR remained a significant, independent predictor of the primary endpoint (HR: 2.88; CI: 1.02-8.14; p = 0.04), while total DEB length and statin treatment were other independent correlates of the primary outcome. CONCLUSION: HPR was found to be an independent predictor of repeat revascularization and MI among elective patients with ISR undergoing PCI with DEB

Natriuretic peptides in the detection of preclinical diastolic or systolic dysfunction

The diagnostic value of natriuretic peptides in asymptomatic patients at risk for diastolic or systolic HF is controversial. We tested (1) the prevalence of preclinical LV dysfunction in an at-risk cohort; (2) the diagnostic accuracy of natriuretic peptides alone or in combination with clinical parameters for predicting asymptomatic left ventricular systolic or diastolic dysfunction. 542 primary care patients (mean age 63 +/- A 11 years, 42% female) without prediagnosed HF, but with risk factors for left ventricular dysfunction, underwent thorough cardiological workup, including echocardiography and analysis of natriuretic peptides. 23 patients (4%) showed reduced systolic function (EF < 50%), and 15 patients (3%) had severe diastolic dysfunction. All natriuretic peptides significantly increased with decreasing ejection fraction and with increasing degree of diastolic dysfunction. For natriuretic peptides, receiver operating characteristics analysis yielded good results for the detection of systolic dysfunction or severe diastolic dysfunction. Combining clinical parameters with natriuretic peptide data improved the diagnostic accuracy and largely reduced the number of needed screening echoes to identify patients with LV systolic or diastolic dysfunction. The prevalence of preclinical diastolic dysfunction is high in primary care patients at risk, but the relative prevalence of severe diastolic dysfunction and systolic dysfunction is only 7%. High-risk individuals may be screened most efficiently by using a score system incorporating clinical data and NT-proBNP.German Federal Ministry of Education and Research [FKZ 01GI0205

How to solve difficult side branch access?

Safe guidewire placement in the main vessel (MV) and in the side branch (SB) does represent the key point for successful percutaneous coronary interventions (PCI) in bifurcated lesions. During bifurcation PCI, SB wiring is systematically performed as a first step and is often repeated ("rewiring") during the procedure in order to treat the SB after MV stenting. Wiring and rewiring are crucial phases of bifurcation PCI which require, in the most complex cases, specific operator experience. In the present paper, the classic SB wiring techniques necessary for routine bifurcation interventions (antegrade and pullback wiring technique) as well as "advanced" wiring techniques ("reverse wire" technique, Venture-facilitate wiring, MV balloon predilation or debulking) are described. Moreover, the rewiring technique is discussed in detail, with particular attention on the tips and tricks which may facilitate the achievement of optimal result with provisional stenting (pullback rewiring) and help manage bail out situations like acute SB flow impairment after MV stenting

Predictors of ostial side branch damage during provisional stenting of coronary bifurcation lesions not involving the side branch origin: an ultrasonographic study

Aims: To analyse the ultrasound anatomy of bifurcation lesions {1,1,0}, {0,1,0} and {1,0,0} of the Medina classification in order to identify predictors of angiographic side branch (SB) damage after main branch (MB) stenting. Methods and results: One hundred and ten patients with Medina classification bifurcation lesions of {1,1,0},{0,1,0} and {1,0,0} were recruited. An intravascular ultrasound study (IVUS) was performed on the MB before treatment, after stent implantation and after SB intervention. A quantitative analysis was conducted in combination with a qualitative study of the carina morphology and plaque distribution. Ostial SB damage (an increase of the percentage of ostial stenosis by QCA ≥ 30%) was observed in 51 lesions (48%) after MB stenting. The baseline IVUS identified a carina with a spiky morphology ("eyebrow" sign) in 51 bifurcations. In 41 out of 51 bifurcations with this sign, ostial SB damage was induced after stenting the MB due to carina shift (p<0.01). Narrower angiographic angles were associated with the presence of the "eyebrow" sign (62°±23° vs. 76°±24°, p <0.05). Plaque located at the carina was associated with a lower rate of ostial SB damage (29%) when compared with those lesions with no plaque exhibiting at the carina (51%), p <0.05. Conclusions: The "eyebrow" sign is a powerful predictor of ostial SB damage after stent implantation in the MB in bifurcation coronary lesions without plaque involving the SB.1154114781,9493,173Q1Q2SCI