Thrombolysis in Myocardial Infarction (TIMI) Trial--phase I: hemorrhagic manifestations and changes in plasma fibrinogen and the fibrinolytic system in patients treated with recombinant tissue plasminogen activator and streptokinase

Characteristics and clinical outcomes of patients with de-escalation from prasugrel to clopidogrel after acute myocardial infarction - Insights from the prospective Japan Acute Myocardial Infarction Registry (JAMIR)

BACKGROUND

De-escalation of P2Y12 inhibitor may occur for various clinical reasons in patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI). We aimed to assess the characteristics and outcomes of patients who underwent a de-escalation strategy in real-world clinical practice.

METHODS AND RESULTS

We studied 2604 AMI patients initially treated with prasugrel using the Japan Acute Myocardial Infarction Registry (JAMIR) database. Of these, 110 (4%) were discharged on clopidogrel [de-escalation group; switching 4 days after admission (median)] and the remaining 2494 continued prasugrel at discharge (continuation group). The de-escalation group had higher incidence of heart failure or history of cerebrovascular disease, and were more likely to receive mechanical circulatory support, and oral anticoagulation than the continuation group. During mean follow-up of 309±133 days post-discharge, no significant differences were observed in ischemic events (2.2% vs. 2.8%, p = 0.74) or major bleeding (1.1% vs. 1.6%, p = 0.72) between the de-escalation and continuation groups.

CONCLUSIONS

Although, patients with de-escalation from prasugrel to clopidogrel had higher bleeding risk profile than those continued on prasugrel, post discharge ischemic and bleeding events were similar between patients with and without de-escalation. De-escalation strategy may be an option for AMI patients with high risk for bleeding.

Rare severe hypofibrinogenemia induced by tissue plasminogen activator in stroke patients: Case report

RATIONALE

Severe hypofibrinogenemia after intravenous thrombolysis (IVT) with recombinant tissue plasminogen activator (rt-PA) is rare and easily overlooked, but hypofibrinogenemia increases the risk of major bleeding. However, it is unclear when hypofibrinogenemia reaches the peak and when hypofibrinogenemia is resolved.

PATIENT CONCERNS

Case 1 was of a 66-year-old man who was hospitalized due to sudden onset of vague speech and right hemiplegia for 4 hours. Case 2 was of an 84-year-old woman who was hospitalized for sudden onset of left hemiplegia and vague speech for 4 hours. In case 1, fibrinogen levels decreased from normal values to <0.25 g/L within 4.5 hours after commencing IVT and returned to normal at 35 hours later. In case 2, fibrinogen levels decreased from 1.1 to <0.25 g/L within 2 hours after commencing IVT and normalized 36.5 hours later.

DIAGNOSES

Both patients were diagnosed with rt-PA-related hypofibrinogenemia.

INTERVENTIONS

No antiplatelet or symptomatic treatment was administered during the period of hypofibrinogenemia.

OUTCOMES

Fibrinogen levels gradually recovered. In case 1, the patient did not experience cerebral hemorrhage during hypofibrinogenemia. His symptoms improved significantly within 1 week. In case 2, repeat computed tomography revealed minor cerebral hemorrhage, but no deterioration in her condition was noted until she was discharged.

LESSONS

Rapid, severe, and prolonged hypofibrinogenemia may occur after IVT with rt-PA, which may increase the risk of massive hemorrhage and affect the related therapy. Prompt diagnosis of hypofibrinogenemia is important for preventing complications. We recommend checking the fibrinogen levels routinely after IVT. Fibrinogen replacement therapy and platelet transfusion are the main management routes for rt-PA-related symptomatic intracranial hemorrhage.

Efficacy and safety of ticagrelor versus clopidogrel with different dosages in acute coronary syndrome patients with high GRACE and CRUSADE scores

Objective

To investigate the efficacy and safety of ticagrelor and different dosages of clopidogrel after acute coronary syndrome.

Methods

We compared different antiplatelet strategies for the prevention of cardiovascular events in 1939 patients admitted to the hospital with an acute coronary syndrome undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI).

Results

At 24 months, a survival analysis showed that ticagrelor and double-dose clopidogrel decreased the incidence of MACCE (a composite of all-cause death, myocardial infarction (MI), target vessel revascularization and stroke) (p < 0.001, p = 0.012, respectively). Although double-dose clopidogrel obviously increased the risk of major bleeding (p < 0.001), a similar result was not observed in the ticagrelor group (p = 0.398). These two stronger antiplatelet strategies also decreased the incidence of myocardial infarction (p = 0.004 and 0.045, respectively). The advantages of ticagrelor are also evident in the endpoints of all cause death and target vessel revascularization. The NACCE (a composite of all-cause death, MI, stroke and major bleeding) rate was also reduced in the ticagrelor group (p = 0.004).

Conclusions

In PCI patients with a high ischemic and bleeding risk, the ticagrelor antiplatelet strategy significantly reduced the MACCE rate without increasing the risk of major bleeding. A decreased MACCE rate was also observed in patients administered the double dosage of clopidogrel, but the bleeding risk was increased compared with the control group.

Low Dose Rivaroxaban for Atherosclerotic Cardiovascular Diseases: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis

Background: This study aims to explore the role of low-dose rivaroxaban (≤10 mg daily) for the treatment of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD). Methods: PubMed, Embase and the Cochrane Library were searched for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) of low-dose rivaroxaban in patients with ASCVD including coronary artery disease (CAD) and peripheral artery disease (PAD). Literature screening, data extraction, and risk of bias assessment were carried out independently by two researchers. Hazard ratio (HR) and 95% confidence interval (CI) were calculated using random-effect models to determine risks of outcomes in ASCVD patients treated with rivaroxaban and comparators, and meta-analysis was conducted via Review Manager 5.3.5 software. Results: 3,768 records were obtained through literature search, and 9 articles representing 6 RCTs ultimately qualified for this study. The meta-analysis indicated that for patients with CAD, the addition of rivaroxaban (5 mg daily) to aspirin could significantly reduce the risk of major adverse cardiovascular events (MACEs) compared with aspirin alone (HR 0.81, 95% CI, 0.72 to 0.91, p = 0.0004, I² = 60%, 4 studies). For PAD patients receiving rivaroxaban (5 mg daily) plus aspirin, there was no significant reduction in the risk of MACEs (HR 0.84, 95% CI, 0.63 to 1.13, p = 0.25, I² = 74%, 2 studies); however, there was significant reduction in major adverse limb events (MALEs) (HR 0.54, 95% CI, 0.35 to 0.83, p = 0.005, one studies) and in the composite of MACEs or MALEs (HR 0.78, 95% CI, 0.64 to 0.95, p = 0.02, I² = 66%, 2 studies) when compared with patients receiving aspirin alone. Meanwhile, rivaroxaban combined with aspirin significantly increased the risk of International Society on Thrombosis and Haemostasis (ISTH) major bleeding compared with aspirin alone in patients with CAD (HR 1.74, 95% CI, 1.43 to 2.13, p < 0.00001, I² = 0%, 2 studies) and PAD (HR 1.47, 95% CI, 1.19 to 1.83, p = 0.0004, I² = 0%, 2 studies). Conclusions: Compared with standard antiplatelet therapy, the addition of a 5 mg daily dose of rivaroxaban to standard antiplatelet therapy may improve cardiovascular or limb outcomes of patients with ASCVD, with an increase in major bleeding. Patients who would benefit from the addition of low-dose rivaroxaban to antiplatelet agents and appropriate dual-pathway antithrombotic strategies should be identified in clinical practice to individualize antithrombotic therapy.

Patient Selection and Clinical Outcomes in the STOPDAPT-2 Trial: An All-Comer Single-Center Registry During the Enrollment Period of the STOPDAPT-2 Randomized Controlled Trial

BACKGROUND

We sought to evaluate the impact of patient selection for the STOPDAPT-2 trial (Short and Optimal Duration of Dual Antiplatelet Therapy After Everolimus-Eluting Cobalt-Chromium Stent-2) on clinical outcomes in a registry from a single center that participated in the STOPDAPT-2 trial.

METHODS

Among 2190 consecutive patients who underwent percutaneous coronary intervention using stent in Kokura Memorial Hospital during the enrollment period of the STOPDAPT-2 trial, 521 patients had exclusion criteria such as in-hospital major complications, anticoagulant use, or prior intracranial bleeding (ineligible group). Among 1669 patients who met the eligibility criteria (eligible group), 582 were enrolled (enrolled group) and 1087 were not enrolled (nonenrolled group) in the STOPDAPT-2 trial. The primary outcome measure was defined as a composite of cardiovascular death, myocardial infarction, definite stent thrombosis, stroke, or Thrombolysis in Myocardial Infarction major and minor bleeding.

RESULTS

Compared with the enrolled group, patients in the nonenrolled group more often had high bleeding risk according to the Academic Research Consortium for High Bleeding Risk definition (52.6% versus 41.2%; P<0.001) and were frailer according to the Canadian Study of Health and Aging Clinical Frailty Scale (intermediate, 21.4% versus 14.1%; high, 6.4% versus 2.1%; P<0.001). The cumulative 1-year incidences of the primary outcome measure, all-cause death, and major bleeding were significantly higher in the nonenrolled group than in the enrolled group (7.2% versus 4.5%, P=0.03; 4.1% versus 0.9%, P<0.001; and 4.3% versus 2.1%, P=0.03, respectively) and in the ineligible group than in the eligible group (21.2% versus 6.3%, P<0.001; 9.9% versus 3.0%, P<0.001; and 13.5% versus 3.5%, P<0.001, respectively).

CONCLUSIONS

Patients who were ineligible, eligible but not enrolled, and enrolled in the STOPDAPT-2 trial had different risk profiles and clinical outcomes, suggesting important implications in applying the trial results in daily clinical practice.

Effects of morphine on P2Y12 platelet inhibitors in patients with acute myocardial infarction: A meta-analysis

OBJECTIVE

To explore the effects of morphine on P2Y₁₂ platelet inhibitors in patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI).

METHODS

PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, and Web of Science were used to retrieve literature through 11th May 2019. Standardized weighted mean difference (SMD) and relative risk (RR) with 95% confidence intervals (CI), P-value, and I² value were used to assess the strength of the association in this meta-analysis. Outcomes included platelet reactivity, high residual platelet reactivity (HRPR), ticagrelor maximum concentration (Cmax), ticagrelor area under curve (AUC), death rate, reinfarction rate, stroke, stent thrombosis, thrombolysis in myocardial infarction (TIMI) hemorrhage, dyspnea, emesis, contrast-induced nephropathy, and pulmonary edema.

RESULTS

A total of 13 articles were included in this study, containing 5688 patients (morphine group: n = 2014, control group: n = 3674). Results illustrated that the morphine group had a higher platelet reactivity (SMD: 0.834, 95%CI: 0.483-1.186, P < 0.001) and HRPR rate (RR: 1.994, 95%CI: 1.536-2.588, P < 0.001) than the control group, while the Cmax of ticagrelor (WMD: -481.838, 95%CI: -841.242-122.434, P = 0.009) was lower than that of the control group. The death rate of the morphine group was lower than that in the control group (RR: 0.561, 95%CI: 0.337-0.933, P = 0.026). The morphine group had a higher emesis rate than the control group (RR: 4.486, 95%CI: 2.263-8.891, P < 0.001).

CONCLUSION

Morphine effectively suppresses the inhibition effect of P2Y₁₂ platelet inhibitors in patients with AMI.

Influence of CYP2C19 genotypes for the effect of 1-month dual antiplatelet therapy followed by clopidogrel monotherapy relative to 12-month dual antiplatelet therapy on clinical outcomes after percutaneous coronary intervention: a genetic substudy from the STOPDAPT-2

The ultra-short dual antiplatelet therapy (DAPT) followed by P2Y₁₂ inhibitor monotherapy might be promising after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). However, CYP2C19 loss-of-function (LOF) alleles have been reported to diminish the effect of clopidogrel, and clopidogrel monotherapy has a concern about the increased ischemic risk for patients with such alleles. STOPDAPT-2 is the multicenter prospective open-label, but adjudicator-blinded randomized control study comparing 1-month DAPT followed by clopidogrel monotherapy with the standard 12-month DAPT after PCI with cobalt-chromium everolimus-eluting stents. Among the participants of STOPDAPT-2, selected patients participated in a substudy of the CYP2C19 gene test. Patients with two CYP2C19*2 or *3 alleles were defined as the poor metabolizer (PM), one allele as the intermediate metabolizer (IM), and no allele as the extensive metabolizer (EM). The primary endpoint was the composite of cardiovascular and bleeding events, as defined in STOPDAPT-2. Among 750 (24.9%) patients with known CYP2C19 genotypes, 129 (17.2%) were PM, 367 (49.0%) were IM, and 254 (33.9%) were EM. The hazard ratios of 1-month DAPT relative to 12-month DAPT for the primary endpoint in PM, IM, and EM strata were 0.66 (95% CI 0.11-3.94), 1.94 (95% CI 0.60-6.31), and 0.21 (95% CI 0.02-1.78), respectively (P interaction = 0.17), and those for cardiovascular composite endpoint were 1.00 (95% CI 0.14-7.10), 6.10 (95% CI 0.75-49.55), and 0.26 (95% CI 0.03-2.34), respectively (P interaction = 0.12). In conclusion, for the selected patients in STOPDAPT-2 trial, CYP2C19 LOF alleles had no significant, consistent interaction with the effect of 1-month DAPT relative to 12-month DAPT for clinical outcomes, although the study was overtly underpowered. TRIAL REGISTRY: STOPDAPT-2 ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT02619760.

Efficacy and safety of ticagrelor and clopidogrel in East Asian patients with coronary artery disease undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention

AIMS

The efficacy and safety of ticagrelor and clopidogrel in East Asian patients with coronary artery disease (CAD) undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) remains uncertain. The purpose of this study was to compare the efficacy and safety of ticagrelor and clopidogrel in East Asian patients with CAD treated with PCI.

METHODS

A total of 12383 patients with CAD undergoing PCI who received dual antiplatelet therapy (DAPT) were consecutively enrolled in the ticagrelor group (n = 1321) and the clopidogrel group (n = 11062). Major adverse cardiovascular and cerebrovascular events (MACCEs) and thrombolysis in myocardial infarction (TIMI) bleeding events were compared according to ticagrelor or clopidogrel use were compared.

RESULTS

After propensity matching (n = 1321 in each group), ticagrelor was associated with lower incidence of MACCEs compared with clopidogrel (3.9 vs. 5.9%, hazard ratio [HR] = 0.65, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.45-0.92, p = .015). The incidence of TIMI bleeding events was higher in the ticagrelor group than in the clopidogrel group (4.5 vs. 2.9%, HR = 1.90, 95% CI 1.25-2.88, p = .024). The difference between ticagrelor and clopidogrel for net adverse clinical events was nonsignificant (4.3 vs. 4.9%, HR = 0.88, 95% CI 0.61-1.27, p = .458).

CONCLUSIONS

Ticagrelor was associated with a lower incidence of MACCEs and an increased risk of TIMI bleeding events in East Asian patients with CAD receiving PCI.

Temporal Trends in Invasive Management and In-Hospital Mortality of Patients With Non-ST Elevation Acute Coronary Syndromes and Chronic Kidney Disease

We analyzed data from 4 nationwide prospective registries of consecutive patients with acute coronary syndromes (ACS) admitted to the Italian Intensive Cardiac Care Unit network between 2005 and 2014. Out of 26 315 patients with ACS enrolled, 13 073 (49.7%) presented a diagnosis of non-ST elevation (NSTE)-ACS and had creatinine levels available at hospital admission: 1207 (9.2%) had severe chronic kidney disease (CKD) (estimated glomerular filtration rate [eGFR] <30), 3803 (29.1%) mild to moderate CKD (eGFR 31-59), and 8063 (61.7%) no CKD (eGFR > 60 mL/min/1.73 m²). Patients with severe CKD had worse clinical characteristics compared with those with mild-moderate or no kidney dysfunction, including all the key predictors of mortality (P < .0001) which became worse over time (all P < .0001). Over the decade of observation, a significant increase in percutaneous coronary intervention rates was observed in patients without CKD (P for trend = .0001), but not in those with any level of CKD. After corrections for significant mortality predictors, severe CKD (odds ratio, OR: 5.49; 95% CI: 3.24-9.29; P < .0001) and mild-moderate CKD (OR: 2.33; 95% CI: 1.52-3.59; P < .0001) remained strongly associated with higher in-hospital mortality. The clinical characteristics of patients with NSTE-ACS and CKD remain challenging and their mortality rate is still higher compared with patients without CKD.

Clinical characteristics, management and outcomes of patients with acute coronary syndrome and atrial fibrillation: real-world data from two nationwide registries in Italy

BACKGROUND

Atrial fibrillation is common in the setting of acute coronary syndromes (ACS) although its impact on ACS remains controversial.

AIM

To describe in-hospital management of patients with atrial fibrillation and ACS evaluating the impact of atrial fibrillation on in-hospital and mid-term outcome.

METHODS

We analysed the data of two prospective multicentre nationwide registries (IN-ACS Outcome and MANTRA) to assess clinical characteristics, management, and outcomes of patients with ACS and atrial fibrillation. Study outcomes included death from any cause and a composite end-point of death/re-infarction/stroke/major bleeding within index admission and 6 months' follow-up.

RESULTS

Out of 12 288 ACS patients, 1236 (10.1%) had atrial fibrillation at admission or developed it during hospitalization. Atrial fibrillation patients were older, more often female, and had higher burden of comorbidities. In-hospital mortality was higher among atrial fibrillation patients (8.7 vs. 2.4%, P < 0.001). Patients with atrial fibrillation had a higher incidence of re-infarction (3.5 vs. 1.7%, P < 0.0001) and ischemic stroke (1.7 vs. 0.4%, P < 0.001) compared with those in sinus rhythm. Major bleedings were also more frequent among atrial fibrillation patients (1.9 vs. 0.9%, P < 0.001). In-hospital and at 6 months' follow-up death from any cause occurred more often in atrial fibrillation patients than in those without atrial fibrillation (9.4 vs. 3.5%, P < 0.0001). At multivariable analysis, atrial fibrillation was an independent predictor of the in-hospital composite end-point (OR 1.67, 95% CI 1.35-2.06, P < 0.0001) but not at 6 months' follow-up. The independent role of atrial fibrillation on the in-hospital composite end-point was also confirmed by propensity score analyses.

CONCLUSION

Atrial fibrillation was an independent predictor for adverse in-hospital outcome in ACS. This effect disappeared at mid-term follow-up, whereas noncardiac comorbidities emerged as prognostic factors of adverse outcomes.

Intensity of Statin Treatment in Korean Patients with Acute Myocardial Infarction and Very Low LDL Cholesterol

Objective

Data on the intensity of statin therapy for patients with acute myocardial infarction (MI) and very low baseline low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol level are lacking. We sought to assess the impact of statin intensity in patients with acute MI and LDL cholesterol <70 mg/dL.

Methods

A total of 1,086 patients with acute MI and baseline LDL cholesterol <70 mg/dL from the Korea Acute Myocardial Infarction Registry-National Institute of Health database were divided into less intensive statin (expected LDL reduction <40%, n=302) and more intensive statin (expected LDL reduction ≥40%, n=784) groups. The primary endpoint was major adverse cardiac and cerebrovascular events (MACCEs), a composite of cardiac death, MI, revascularization occurring at least 30 days after admission, and stroke, at 12 months.

Results

After 1:2 propensity matching, differences were not observed between less intensive (n=302) and more intensive statin (n=604) groups in incidence of cardiac death (0.3% vs. 0.3%) and hemorrhagic stroke (0.3% vs. 0.5%, p=0.727) at 12 months. Compared with the less intensive statin group, the more intensive statin group showed lower target-vessel revascularization (4.6% vs. 1.8%, p=0.027) and MACCE (11.6% vs. 7.0%, p=0.021). Major bleeding was not different between less intensive and more intensive statin groups (1.0% vs. 2.6%, p=0.118).

Conclusion

More intensive statin therapy was associated with significantly lower major adverse cardiovascular events in patients with acute MI and very low LDL cholesterol compared with less intensive statin therapy.

Effects of different strategies on high thrombus burden in patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction undergoing primary percutaneous coronary catheterization

OBJECTIVE

This study aimed at evaluating efficacy and safety of thrombus aspiration and intracoronary-targeted thrombolysis on coronary thrombus burden in ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) patients undergoing primary percutaneous catheterization, comparing their effects on myocardial perfusion through index of microcirculatory resistance (IMR) and single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT).

PARTICIPANTS AND METHODS

From January 2017 to January 2018, STEMI patients with high thrombus burden undergoing primary catheterization were enrolled and randomly assigned to receiving thrombus aspiration (TA group) or intracoronary thrombolysis (IT group). IMR, SPECT, and other conventional measurements were adopted to assess myocardial perfusion. Major adverse cardiovascular events (MACEs) and complications were recorded over a 90-day follow-up and a 12-month follow-up after the procedure.

RESULTS

The study consisted of 38 patients in the IT group and 33 in the TA group. After recanalization, thrombus burden score, corrected thrombolysis in myocardial infarction (TIMI) frame count, the proportion of TIMI myocardial perfusion 3 grade, and IMR in the IT group were significantly better than those of the TA group (P<0.05). During the 90-day follow-up, no difference was observed in cardiac function and MACEs. During the 12-month follow-up, there were significant differences in infarct size of SPECT (18.56±8.56 vs. 22.67±7.66, P=0.046), left ventricular ejection fraction of echocardiography (58.13±5.92 vs. 55.17±5.68, P=0.043), and the composite MACEs between the two groups (P=0.034).

CONCLUSION

Thrombus aspiration and intracoronary-targeted thrombolysis are effective and safe strategies in managing high coronary thrombus burden in STEMI patients. Compared with aspiration, intracoronary-targeted thrombolysis is more beneficial in improving myocardial microcirculation perfusion.

[Gastrointestinal Bleeding in Patients with Coronary Heart Disease: Preventive Options]

Extensive use of antithrombotic drugs (ATD) in patients with ischemic heart disease (IHD), on the one hand, provides a considerable decrease in the risk for development of life-threatening cardiovascular complications but on the other hand, is associated with a risk of gastrointestinal bleedings (GIB), which may develop in 0.5-1.0 % of patients. In such cases, the major measures for prevention of GIB are strict adherence to indications for the ATD treatment, detection and analysis of risk factors for GIB and their elimination as far as feasible. For evaluation of GIB risk in patients with IHD, the PRECISE-DAPT and DAPT, HAS-BLED scales should be used. If the risk factors are non-modifiable the therapeutic tactics for further management of these patients should be strictly individual with determining the nature of damage, degree of a risk for present and possible complications, and the range of required therapeutic and diagnostic measures. The use of ATD requires monitoring of the patient's condition to timely detect and treat GI complications.

Clinical outcomes of patients treated using very short duration dual antiplatelet therapy after implantation of biodegradable-polymer drug-eluting stents: rationale and design of a prospective multicenter REIWA registry

Several studies have demonstrated the safety and feasibility of short (3-6 months) and very short duration (< 2 months) dual antiplatelet therapy (DAPT) in patients with a durable-polymer drug-eluting stent (DP-DES). However, the clinical importance of using very short duration DAPT has yet to be established in patients with a biodegradable polymer drug-eluting stent (BP-DES). The aim of this REIWA registry (multicenter and prospective registry; investigation of clinical outcomes of patients treated with short duration dual antiplatelet therapy after implantation of biodresorbable-polymer drug-eluting stent: a multicenter, prospective registry from Iwate medical university affiliated hospitals) is to determine the safety and feasibility of using 1-month DAPT followed by P2Y12 inhibitor monotherapy in patients after BP-DES implantation. This study is an observational, prospective, multicenter registry encompassing the entire local medical region of Iwate Prefecture (northern area of mainland Japan). A total of 1200 patients who underwent successful PCI with a novel thin strut BP-DES (Synergy, Ultimaster or Orsiro) and are considered to be appropriate patients for very short DAPT, are registered and subsequently administered 1-month DAPT followed by P2Y12 inhibitor monotherapy (clopidogrel 75 mg/day or prasugrel 3.75 mg/day). The primary endpoint was a composite of cardiovascular and bleeding events, which included cardiovascular death, spontaneous myocardial infarction, definite stent thrombosis, ischemic or hemorrhagic stroke, or TIMI major or minor bleeding at 12 months. The REIWA registry (UMIN000037321) will demonstrate both the safety and feasibility of using 1-month DAPT in patients with BP-DES. Furthermore, results of this study will also be able to provide supportive evidence for P2Y12 inhibitor monotherapy after 1-month DAPT following BP-DES implantation.

Cangrelor, Tirofiban, and Chewed or Standard Prasugrel Regimens in Patients With ST-Segment-Elevation Myocardial Infarction: Primary Results of the FABOLUS-FASTER Trial

BACKGROUND

Standard administration of newer oral P2Y12 inhibitors, including prasugrel or ticagrelor, provides suboptimal early inhibition of platelet aggregation (IPA) in patients with ST-segment-elevation myocardial infarction undergoing primary percutaneous coronary intervention. We aimed to investigate the effects of cangrelor, tirofiban, and prasugrel, administered as chewed or integral loading dose, on IPA in patients undergoing primary percutaneous coronary intervention.

METHODS

The FABOLUS-FASTER trial (Facilitation Through Aggrastat or Cangrelor Bolus and Infusion Over Prasugrel: A Multicenter Randomized Open-Label Trial in Patients with ST-Elevation Myocardial Infarction Referred for Primary Percutaneous Intervention) is an investigator-initiated, multicenter, open-label, randomized study. A total of 122 P2Y12-naive patients with ST-segment-elevation myocardial infarction were randomly allocated (1:1:1) to cangrelor (n=40), tirofiban (n=40) (both administered as bolus and 2-hour infusion followed by 60 mg of prasugrel), or 60-mg loading dose of prasugrel (n=42). The latter group underwent an immediate 1:1 subrandomization to chewed (n=21) or integral (n=21) tablets administration. The trial was powered to test 3 hypotheses (noninferiority of cangrelor compared with tirofiban using a noninferiority margin of 9%, superiority of both tirofiban and cangrelor compared with chewed prasugrel, and superiority of chewed prasugrel as compared with integral prasugrel, each with α=0.016 for the primary end point, which was 30-minute IPA at light transmittance aggregometry in response to 20 μmol/L adenosine diphosphate.

RESULTS

At 30 minutes, cangrelor did not satisfy noninferiority compared with tirofiban, which yielded superior IPA over cangrelor (95.0±8.9 versus 34.1±22.5; P<0.001). Cangrelor or tirofiban were both superior to chewed prasugrel (IPA, 10.5±11.0; P<0.001 for both comparisons), which did not provide higher IPA over integral prasugrel (6.3±11.4; P=0.47), despite yielding higher prasugrel active metabolite concentration (ng/mL; 62.3±82.6 versus 17.1±43.5; P=0.016).

CONCLUSIONS

Cangrelor provided inferior IPA compared with tirofiban; both treatments yielded greater IPA compared with chewed prasugrel, which led to higher active metabolite concentration but not greater IPA compared with integral prasugrel. Registration: URL: https://www.clinicaltrials.gov; Unique identifier: NCT02978040; URL: https://www.clinicaltrialsregister.eu; EudraCT 2017-001065-24.

[The Bleeding Safety of Ticagrelor in Patients With ST-Elevation Acute Coronary Syndrome Treated With Fibrinolytic Therapy]

Aim      To compare hemorrhagic safety of ticagrelor and clopidogrel in patients with ST-segment elevation acute coronary syndrome (STEACS) after thrombolytic therapy (TLT).Material and methods  This nonrandomized study included 183 patients followed up for 30 days. Hemorrhagic safety was compared in a group of patients with STEACS (n=71) after a thrombolytic treatment with alteplase and early ticagrelor treatment (180 mg followed by switching to 90 mg twice daily) and in a group of patients (n=112) with STEACS receiving TLT with alteplase and clopidogrel (loading dose, 600 mg followed by switching to 75 mg daily). Primary endpoint was hemorrhage associated with TLT; patients were followed up for 30 days.Results During the follow-up period, TLT-associated hemorrhages were observed in 11.3% of patients in the ticagrelor treatment group and in 10.7% of patients in the clopidogrel treatment group (p=0.9; odds ratio, 1.06 at 95 % confidence interval, from 0.41 to 2.73). Intracranial hemorrhages and fatal hemorrhages were absent in both groups.Conclusion      There were no significant differences in hemorrhagic safety between patients with STEACS after the TLT treatment with alteplase and early treatment with ticagrelor or clopidogrel.

TWILIGHT: A Randomized Trial of Ticagrelor Monotherapy Versus Ticagrelor Plus Aspirin Beginning at 3 Months in High-risk Patients Undergoing Percutaneous Coronary Intervention

A P2Y12 inhibitor-based monotherapy after a short period of dual antiplatelet therapy is emerging as a plausible strategy to decrease bleeding events in high-risk patients receiving dual antiplatelet therapy after percutaneous coronary intervention. Ticagrelor With Aspirin or Alone in High-Risk Patients After Coronary Intervention (TWILIGHT), a randomized double-blind trial, tested this approach by dropping aspirin at 3 months and continuing with ticagrelor monotherapy for an additional 12 months. The study enrolled 9,006 patients, of whom 7,119 who tolerated 3 months of dual antiplatelet therapy were randomized after 3 months into two arms: ticagrelor plus placebo and ticagrelor plus aspirin. The primary endpoint of interest, Bleeding Academic Research Consortium type 2, 3, or 5 bleeding, occurred less frequently in the experimental arm (HR 0.56; 95% CI [0.45-0.68]; p<0.001), whereas the secondary endpoint of ischemic events was similar between the two arms (HR 0.99; 95% CI [0.78-1.25]). Transition from dual antiplatelet therapy consisting of ticagrelor plus aspirin to ticagrelor-based monotherapy in high-risk patients at 3 months after percutaneous coronary intervention resulted in a lower risk of bleeding events without an increase in risk of death, MI, or stroke.

The Effect of Ticagrelor on Platelet Reactivity in Patients with Clopidogrel Resistance Undergoing Neuroendovascular Procedures

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Suboptimal platelet inhibition by clopidogrel (clopidogrel resistance) may be associated with high rates of stent thrombosis and ischemic events. Our objective was to determine if ticagrelor, a P2Y₁₂ receptor inhibitor, can result in platelet inhibition in patients with clopidogrel resistance.

METHODS

A thromboelastography-platelet mapping assay was used in all patients undergoing neuroendovascular procedures requiring oral clopidogrel. In patients with suboptimal platelet inhibition (<60%) on clopidogrel, ticagrelor was imitated after an oral bolus of 180 mg followed by 90 mg twice daily and the platelet mapping assay was repeated. The primary endpoint was hemorrhagic complications classified as major (hemoglobin decrease >5 g/dL or intracranial hemorrhage with deficits), minor (hemoglobin decrease 3-5 g/dL or intracranial hemorrhage without residual deficits), or insignificant.

RESULTS

Suboptimal platelet inhibition on clopidogrel was seen in 70 of 106 patients undergoing neuroendovascular procedures. There was a significantly higher magnitude of platelet inhibition with ticagrelor compared with clopidogrel in patients with clopidogrel resistance (mean ± SD: 85.90 ± 10.74% vs. 29.26 ± 17.71%; P < .001); 50 of 70 patients showed optimal inhibition. Two patients had major (fatal) hemorrhagic events (both received either intravenous thrombolytics and/or eptifibatide infusion). Three patients had minor hemorrhagic events, and two patients had insignificant hemorrhagic events. Four of seven hemorrhagic events occurred in patients with optimal response to clopidogrel, two occurred in patients with suboptimal response to ticagrelor, and one occurred in a patient with optimal response to ticagrelor.

CONCLUSIONS

Oral ticagrelor can augment platelet inhibition in patients who have clopidogrel resistance.

Ticagrelor hemorrhagic safety in patients with acute coronary syndrome with ST-segment elevation received thrombolytic therapy in daily clinical practice: 30-day observation results

Objective: to compare the safety of ticagrelor use in patients with STEMI after ineffective thrombolytic treatment (TLT) and successfully performed recanalization of infarct-dependent artery (IDA) by PCI, as ticagrelor loading dose was administered in the time window from TLT to PCI, compared with the TREAT studyresultson the risk of bleeding in real clinical practice. Materials and methods: a comparative analysis of the results of a 30-day follow-up of 52 patients with acute coronary syndrome with ST-segment elevation who received thrombolytic therapy with alteplasa and early ticagrelor administration with the ticagrelor group in the TREAT study on the parameters of hemorrhagic safety. Results: arterial hypertension, dyslipidemia, generalized atherosclerosis, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and a history of myocardial infarction were significantly more common in the study group. Analysis of the results revealed no significant differences between the groups in the frequency and risk of hemorrhagic complications. Conclusion: there are no significant differences in the frequency of major bleeding according to the TIMI and BARC criteria between the groups, which indicates the safety of early (within 24 hours after thrombolysis) ticagrelor use in the pharmacoinvasive approach in real clinical practice.

Low-Dose Alteplase During Primary Percutaneous Coronary Intervention According to Ischemic Time

BACKGROUND

Microvascular obstruction affects one-half of patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction and confers an adverse prognosis.

OBJECTIVES

This study aimed to determine whether the efficacy and safety of a therapeutic strategy involving low-dose intracoronary alteplase infused early after coronary reperfusion associates with ischemic time.

METHODS

This study was conducted in a prospective, multicenter, parallel group, 1:1:1 randomized, dose-ranging trial in patients undergoing primary percutaneous coronary intervention. Ischemic time, defined as the time from symptom onset to coronary reperfusion, was a pre-specified subgroup of interest. Between March 17, 2016, and December 21, 2017, 440 patients, presenting with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction within 6 h of symptom onset (<2 h, n = 107; ≥2 h but <4 h, n = 235; ≥4 h to 6 h, n = 98), were enrolled at 11 U.K. hospitals. Participants were randomly assigned to treatment with placebo (n = 151), alteplase 10 mg (n = 144), or alteplase 20 mg (n = 145). The primary outcome was the amount of microvascular obstruction (MVO) (percentage of left ventricular mass) quantified by cardiac magnetic resonance imaging at 2 to 7 days (available for 396 of 440).

RESULTS

Overall, there was no association between alteplase dose and the extent of MVO (p for trend = 0.128). However, in patients with an ischemic time ≥4 to 6 h, alteplase increased the mean extent of MVO compared with placebo: 1.14% (placebo) versus 3.11% (10 mg) versus 5.20% (20 mg); p = 0.009 for the trend. The interaction between ischemic time and alteplase dose was statistically significant (p = 0.018).

CONCLUSION

In patients presenting with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction and an ischemic time ≥4 to 6 h, adjunctive treatment with low-dose intracoronary alteplase during primary percutaneous coronary intervention was associated with increased MVO. Intracoronary alteplase may be harmful for this subgroup. (A Trial of Low-Dose Adjunctive Alteplase During Primary PCI [T-TIME]; NCT02257294).

Details on the effect of very short dual antiplatelet therapy after drug-eluting stent implantation in patients with high bleeding risk: insight from the STOPDAPT-2 trial

Previously we briefly reported the effect of 1-month dual antiplatelet therapy (DAPT) for patients with high bleeding risk (HBR) receiving percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) in the STOPDAPT-2 trial, but full analysis data have not been available. We conducted post hoc subgroup analysis regarding the effect of very short DAPT for HBR patients in STOPDAPT-2 trial. The primary endpoint was a 1-year composite of cardiovascular (cardiovascular death, myocardial infarction, definite stent thrombosis, or stroke) and bleeding (TIMI major/minor bleeding) outcomes. Major secondary endpoints were 1-year cardiovascular composite endpoint and bleeding endpoint. HBR was defined by the academic research consortium (ARC) HBR criteria. Among the 3009 study patients, 1054 (35.0%) were classified as HBR and 1955 (65.0%) were as non-HBR. There were no significant interactions between HBR/non-HBR subgroups and the assigned DAPT group on the primary endpoint (HBR; 3.48% vs. 5.98%, HR 0.57, 95% CI 0.32-1.03, and non-HBR; 1.81% vs. 2.36%, HR 0.78, 95% CI 0.42-1.45; P for interaction = 0.48), the major secondary cardiovascular endpoint (HBR; 3.07% vs. 4.03%, HR 0.77, 95% CI 0.40-1.48, and non-HBR; 1.41% vs. 1.61%, HR 0.89, 95% CI 0.43-1.84; P for interaction = 0.77), and the major secondary bleeding endpoint (HBR; 0.41% vs. 2.71%, HR 0.15, 95% CI 0.03-0.65, and non-HBR; 0.40% vs. 0.85%, HR 0.48, 95% CI 0.14-1.58; P for interaction = 0.22). In conclusion, the effects of 1-month DAPT for the primary and major secondary endpoints were consistent in HBR and non-HBR patients without any significant interactions. The benefit of 1-month DAPT in reducing major bleeding was numerically greater in HBR patients.Clinical trial registration Short and optimal duration of dual antiplatelet therapy after everolimus-eluting cobalt-chromium stent-2 [STOPDAPT-2]; NCT02619760.

Use of proton pump inhibitors is associated with an increase in adverse cardiovascular events in patients with hemodialysis: Insight from the kids registry

BACKGROUND

Proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) are known to increase the risk of mortality and cardiovascular events in the general population. However, in patients with maintenance hemodialysis, PPI effects are under investigated.

METHODS

We analyzed the risk of PPIs for cardiovascular events using the Kagoshima Dialysis (KIDS) registry, a prospective, multicenter, observational study in patients with maintenance hemodialysis in Japan.

RESULTS

In all, 531 patients were enrolled from June 2015 to December 2018. One-year follow-up data were available for 376 patients (Use of PPIs at baseline (PPI group): 217 patients and without PPIs (No PPI group): 159 patients). The incidence of a composite outcome (all-cause mortality, non-fatal myocardial infarction, or non-fatal stroke) was higher in patients in the PPI group than the No PPI group (15.2% vs. 4.4%; hazard ratio (HR): 3.65, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.61-8.23, P = 0.002). In the multivariate analysis, even after adjustment for covariates, the use of PPIs was an independent risk factor for a composite outcome (HR: 2.38, 95% CI: 1.02-5.54, P = 0.045). We performed propensity score matching analysis as a sensitivity analysis, showing a consistent result. The incidence of bleeding showed no difference between the two groups (15.7% vs. 11.3%; HR: 1.46, 95% CI: 0.83-2.59, P = 0.19).

CONCLUSIONS

These results indicate that the use of PPIs in patients with maintenance hemodialysis might increase mortality and cardiovascular events without decreasing the risk of bleeding. Therefore, it should always be analyzed if a patient truly needs PPIs.

Clopidogrel versus Aspirin after Dual Antiplatelet Therapy in Acute Myocardial Infarction Patients Undergoing Drug-Eluting Stenting

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES

There is a paucity of data regarding the benefit of clopidogrel monotherapy after dual antiplatelet therapy (DAPT) in patients treated with drug-eluting stents (DES). This study compared outcome between clopidogrel versus aspirin as monotherapy after DES for acute myocardial infarction (MI).

METHODS

From Korea Acute Myocardial Infarction Registry-National Institute of Health database, 1,819 patients treated with DES who were switched to monotherapy with clopidogrel (n=534) or aspirin (n=1,285) after uneventful 12-month DAPT were analyzed. The primary endpoint was net adverse clinical events (NACE), defined as a composite of death from any cause, MI, repeat percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI), stent thrombosis, ischemic stroke, or major bleeding during the period from 12 to 24 months.

RESULTS

After adjustment using inverse probability of treatment weighting, patients who received clopidogrel, compared with those treated with aspirin, had a similar incidence of NACE (0.7% and 0.7%; hazard ratio, 1.06; 95% confidence interval, 0.31-3.60; p=0.923). The 2 groups had similar rates of death from any cause (0.1% in each group, p=0.789), MI (0.3% and 0.1%, respectively; p=0.226), repeat PCI (0.1% and 0.3%, respectively; p=0.548), stent thrombosis (0.1% and 0%, respectively; p=0.121), major bleeding (0.2% in each group, p=0.974), and major adverse cardiovascular and cerebrovascular events (0.5% in each group, p=0.924).

CONCLUSIONS

Monotherapy with clopidogrel, compared to aspirin, after DAPT showed similar clinical outcomes in patients with acute MI treated with DES.

The Prognostic Significance of Different Bleeding Classifications in off-pump coronary artery bypass grafting

BACKGROUND

Perioperative bleeding during cardiac surgery are known to make patients susceptible to adverse outcomes and several bleeding classifications have been developed to stratify the severity of bleeding events. Further validation of different classifications was needed. The aim of present study was to validate and explore the prognostic value of different bleeding classifications in patients undergoing off-pump coronary artery bypass grafting (OPCAB).

METHODS

Data on baseline and operative characteristics of 3988 patients who underwent OPCAB in Beijing Anzhen Hospital from February 2008 to December 2014 were available. The primary endpoint was a composite of in-hospital death and nonfatal postoperative myocardial infarction (MI). The secondary endpoint was postoperative acute kidney injury (AKI). We explored the association of major bleeding defined by the European registry of Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting (E-CABG), Universal Definition of Perioperative Bleeding (UDPB), Bleeding Academic Research Consortium (BARC) classification and Study of Platelet Inhibition and Patient Outcomes (PLATO) with primary endpoints by multivariable logistic regression analysis and investigated their significance of adverse event prediction using goodness-of-fit tests of - 2 log likelihood.

RESULTS

In-hospital mortality was 1.23% (n = 49) and postoperative MI was observed in 4.76% (n = 190) of patients, AKI in 24.69% (n = 985). The incidence of the primary outcome was 5.99% (n = 239). Multivariable logistic regression analysis showed that BARC type 4 (OR = 2.64, 95% CI: 1.66-4.19, P < 0.001), UDPB class 4 (OR = 3.52, 95% CI: 2.05-6.02, P < 0.001) and E-CABG class 2-3 (class 2: OR = 2.24, 95% CI: 1.36-3.70, P = 0.001; class 3: OR = 12.65, 95% CI: 2.74-18.43, P = 0.002) bleeding but not PLATO bleeding were associated with an increased risk of in-hospital death and postoperative MI. Major bleeding defined by all the four classifications mentioned above was an independent risk factor of AKI after surgery. Inclusion of major bleeding defined by these four classifications improved the predictive performance of the multivariable model with baseline characteristics.

CONCLUSIONS

Bleeding assessed by BARC, E-CABG and UDPB classifications were significantly associated with poorer immediate outcomes. These classifications seemed to be valuable tool in the assessment of prognostic effect of perioperative bleeding.

Diagnostic flowchart to estimate the morphology of left descending artery lesions by initial electrocardiogram in ST-elevation myocardial infarction

BACKGROUND

ST-segment deviations in an initial 12-lead electrocardiogram provide anatomical information in ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI). A diagnostic flowchart was formulated to estimate the anatomical characteristics of a culprit left anterior descending artery (LAD).

METHODS

The present study analyzed 252 STEMI patients whose culprit lesions were confirmed to be LAD as an observational study. LAD morphology, wrapped (n = 26) or not (n = 226), and the positional relationship to first diagonal branch (n = 162 in proximal, n = 90 in distal lesions) were assessed. Their ST-segment deviations and such anatomical characteristics were examined.

RESULTS

Reciprocal ST depression in nonwrapped LAD was frequent in patients without diagonal branch flow (49.3%-18.8% in II, p < .01; 66.4%-36.3% in III, p < .01; 63.7%-30.0% in aVF, p < .01). ST elevation in inferior leads was the characteristics of wrapped LAD but was not the case in patients without diagonal flow (50%-0% in II, 60%-0% in III, and 60%-0% in aVF). ST elevation in lateral leads to the diagonal branch in nonwrapped LAD is more frequent for proximal than distal lesions (36.3% vs. 15.0% in I, p < .01; 50.7% vs. 16.3% in aVL, p < .01), but this was not observed for wrapped LAD (18.8% vs. 20.0% in I, p = .72; 31.3% vs. 10.0% in aVL, p = .21). Positive and negative predictive values for the diagnostic accuracy of suggested diagnostic flow based on the above results were 0.794 and 0.478, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

Our suggested diagnostic flowchart provides enough diagnostic accuracy to estimate culprit morphology.

Malnutrition and Clopidogrel Non-Use Worsen Prognosis of Critical Limb Ischemia Patients After Revascularization

Background: Critical limb ischemia (CLI) patients have high risk for major adverse cerebrovascular and cardiovascular events. This study investigated the risk factors of cerebrovascular or cardiovascular death in CLI patients with concomitant coronary artery disease (CAD). Methods and Results: The association between baseline characteristics and cerebrovascular or cardiovascular death ≤2 years after revascularization for CLI was investigated in 137 CLI patients who previously underwent successful revascularization for CAD before treatment for CLI. Twenty-three patients (17%) died. Geriatric nutritional risk index (GNRI) in the deceased group (DG) was significantly lower than in the surviving group (SG). On Cox proportional hazard multivariate analysis, hemodialysis (HD) and malnutrition (defined as GNRI <92) were significantly associated with cerebrovascular or cardiovascular death. Also, on Kaplan-Meier analysis, survival rate was significantly lower in CLI patients with either malnutrition or HD compared with patients without either malnutrition or HD, respectively. Furthermore, clopidogrel was less used in the DG than in the SG. The use of clopidogrel was associated with cerebrovascular or cardiovascular death. Especially, non-use of clopidogrel in the malnutrition group further increased the correlation with cerebrovascular or cardiovascular death. Conclusions: Malnutrition is a crucial risk factor for cerebrovascular and cardiovascular death in CLI patients with CAD. Nutritional status intervention and use of clopidogrel may be an important strategy for CLI.

Contemporary Antiplatelet Therapy and Clinical Outcomes of Japanese Patients With Acute Myocardial Infarction - Results From the Prospective Japan Acute Myocardial Infarction Registry (JAMIR)

BACKGROUND

Antiplatelet therapy is the corner stone of treatment following acute myocardial infarction (AMI). Prasugrel, a new and potent antiplatelet agent, was recently introduced to clinical practice. We compared the clinical outcomes of patients with AMI treated with prasugrel with those treated with clopidogrel in real-world clinical practice in Japan.

METHODS AND RESULTS

The Japan AMI Registry (JAMIR) is a multicenter, nationwide, prospective registry enrolling patients with AMI from 50 institutes. Between December 2015 and May 2017, a total of 3,411 patients were enrolled. Among them, 3,069 patients were treated with either prasugrel (n=2,607) or clopidogrel (n=462) during hospitalization. Median follow-up period was 12 months. Prasugrel-treated patients were predominantly male, younger, more often showed ST-elevation AMI, and had fewer comorbidities. After adjustment using inverse probability of treatment weighting, the primary endpoint, defined as a composite of cardiovascular death, non-fatal MI and non-fatal stroke, was comparable between the prasugrel and clopidogrel groups (adjusted hazard ratio [HR] 1.07, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.67-1.72), whereas the risk of major bleeding (BARC type 3 or 5 bleeding) was significantly lower in the prasugrel group (adjusted HR 0.62, 95% CI 0.39-0.99).

CONCLUSIONS

The present real-world database of the JAMIR demonstrated that the potent P2Y12-inhibitor prasugrel showed comparable rates of 1-year ischemic events to clopidogrel, but the risk of bleeding was lower with prasugrel than with clopidogrel.

Rationale, Design, and Baseline Characteristics of the Prospective Japan Acute Myocardial Infarction Registry (JAMIR)

Background

Antiplatelet therapy is a cornerstone of treatment following acute myocardial infarction (AMI). Recently, prasugrel, a new and potent antiplatelet agent, has been introduced in clinical practice. To date, however, real-world in-hospital and follow-up data in Japanese patients with AMI remain limited.

Objectives

To examine ischemic and bleeding events in Japanese patients with AMI and the association between these events and antiplatelet therapy.

Methods

The Japan AMI Registry (JAMIR) is a multicenter, nationwide, prospective registry enrolling patients with AMI from 50 institutions. The inclusion criterion is spontaneous onset of AMI diagnosed based on either the universal definition or Monitoring Trends and Determinants in Cardiovascular disease (MONICA) criteria. The major exclusion criteria are hospital admission ≥ 24 h after onset, no return of spontaneous circulation on admission following out-of-hospital cardiopulmonary arrest, and AMI as a complication of percutaneous coronary intervention or coronary artery bypass grafting. The primary end point of the study is the composite of cardiovascular death, non-fatal myocardial infarction, and non-fatal stroke. Major safety end points include major bleeding based on Thrombolysis in Myocardial Infarction (TIMI) criteria and type 3 or type 5 bleeding based on Bleeding Academic Research Consortium (BARC) criteria. Between December 2015 and May 2017, a total of 3411 patients (mean age 68.1 ± 13.2 years, 23.4% female) were enrolled in the study. Patients will be followed for 1 year.

Conclusions

JAMIR will provide important information regarding contemporary practice patterns in the management of Japanese patients with AMI, their demographic and clinical characteristics, in-hospital and post-discharge outcomes, and how they are related to antiplatelet therapy.

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (10.1007/s10557-018-6839-1) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Effect of 1-Month Dual Antiplatelet Therapy Followed by Clopidogrel vs 12-Month Dual Antiplatelet Therapy on Cardiovascular and Bleeding Events in Patients Receiving PCI: The STOPDAPT-2 Randomized Clinical Trial

IMPORTANCE

Very short mandatory dual antiplatelet therapy (DAPT) after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) with a drug-eluting stent may be an attractive option.

OBJECTIVE

To test the hypothesis of noninferiority of 1 month of DAPT compared with standard 12 months of DAPT for a composite end point of cardiovascular and bleeding events.

DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS

Multicenter, open-label, randomized clinical trial enrolling 3045 patients who underwent PCI at 90 hospitals in Japan from December 2015 through December 2017. Final 1-year clinical follow-up was completed in January 2019.

INTERVENTIONS

Patients were randomized either to 1 month of DAPT followed by clopidogrel monotherapy (n=1523) or to 12 months of DAPT with aspirin and clopidogrel (n=1522).

MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES

The primary end point was a composite of cardiovascular death, myocardial infarction (MI), ischemic or hemorrhagic stroke, definite stent thrombosis, or major or minor bleeding at 12 months, with a relative noninferiority margin of 50%. The major secondary cardiovascular end point was a composite of cardiovascular death, MI, ischemic or hemorrhagic stroke, or definite stent thrombosis and the major secondary bleeding end point was major or minor bleeding.

RESULTS

Among 3045 patients randomized, 36 withdrew consent; of 3009 remaining, 2974 (99%) completed the trial. One-month DAPT was both noninferior and superior to 12-month DAPT for the primary end point, occurring in 2.36% with 1-month DAPT and 3.70% with 12-month DAPT (absolute difference, -1.34% [95% CI, -2.57% to -0.11%]; hazard ratio [HR], 0.64 [95% CI, 0.42-0.98]), meeting criteria for noninferiority (P < .001) and for superiority (P = .04). The major secondary cardiovascular end point occurred in 1.96% with 1-month DAPT and 2.51% with 12-month DAPT (absolute difference, -0.55% [95% CI, -1.62% to 0.52%]; HR, 0.79 [95% CI, 0.49-1.29]), meeting criteria for noninferiority (P = .005) but not for superiority (P = .34). The major secondary bleeding end point occurred in 0.41% with 1-month DAPT and 1.54% with 12-month DAPT (absolute difference, -1.13% [95% CI, -1.84% to -0.42%]; HR, 0.26 [95% CI, 0.11-0.64]; P = .004 for superiority).

CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE

Among patients undergoing PCI, 1 month of DAPT followed by clopidogrel monotherapy, compared with 12 months of DAPT with aspirin and clopidogrel, resulted in a significantly lower rate of a composite of cardiovascular and bleeding events, meeting criteria for both noninferiority and superiority. These findings suggest that a shorter duration of DAPT may provide benefit, although given study limitations, additional research is needed in other populations.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT02619760.

Safety and Efficacy of Periprocedural Heparin Plus a Short-Term Infusion of Tirofiban Versus Bivalirudin Monotherapy in Patients Who Underwent Percutaneous Coronary Intervention (from the Intermountain Heart Institute STAIR Observational Registry)

Glycoprotein IIb/IIIa inhibitors, used as a standard intravenous bolus followed by a prolonged infusion for 12 to 18 hours, reduces ischemic complications during percutaneous coronary interventions (PCI) but often at a cost of increased bleeding. Today, when dual oral antiplatelet therapy is routine, heparin use plus short-term (bolus alone or with a <6 hours infusion) glycoprotein IIb/IIIa inhibitors, or bivalirudin monotherapy, have been proposed as potentially superior alternatives. This observational study evaluated the safety and efficacy of heparin plus short-term tirofiban versus bivalirudin monotherapy during PCI. Patients with successful PCI and no cardiogenic shock who were anticoagulated with either of the above regimens were followed for 30-day major bleeding and major adverse cardiovascular events (death, nonfatal myocardial infarction, and urgent target vessel revascularization) at 30 days, 1 year, and long term. A total of 727 patients receiving tirofiban (age = 63 ± 13 years, males = 76%, ACS presentation = 75%, radial access = 51%) and 459 patients receiving bivalirudin, (age = 65 ± 13 years, males = 71%, ACS presentation = 78%, radial access = 18%) were included. Thirty-day major bleeding was 0.7% and 4.1% for tirofiban and bivalirudin, respectively (adjusted odds ratio = 0.17 [0.06, 0.46], p = 0.001). During 30-day, 1-year, and long-term (1.7 ± 0.9 years) follow-up, major adverse cardiovascular events risk did not differ significantly between tirofiban and bivalirudin. However, long-term death was significantly lower in those receiving tirofiban (adjusted hazard ratio = 0.58 [0.34, 1.00], p = 0.05). In conclusion, in this observational study, PCI patients receiving heparin plus short-term tirofiban experienced significantly lower 30-day major bleeding, and improved long-term survival, than those receiving bivalirudin monotherapy.

Performing diagnostic radial access coronary angiography on uninterrupted direct oral anticoagulant therapy: a prospective analysis

Purpose

We sought to assess the safety of performing diagnostic radial access coronary angiography with uninterrupted anticoagulation on patients receiving direct oral anticoagulant therapy.

Background

Direct oral anticoagulants have become a popular choice for the prevention of thromboembolism. Risk factors for thromboembolism are common among cardiovascular conditions and indications for direct oral anticoagulant therapy as well as coronary angiography often overlap in patients. It has been hypothesised that uninterrupted direct oral anticoagulant therapy would increase haemorrhagic and access site complications, however data in this area is limited.

Methods

This was a prospective observational analysis of 49 patients undergoing elective diagnostic coronary angiography while receiving uninterrupted anticoagulation with direct oral anticoagulants. This population was compared with a control group of 49 unselected patients presenting to the cardiology service for elective diagnostic coronary angiography. Continuous variables were analysed using the independent samples t-test and categorical variables using Pearson’s χ² test.

Results

The mean duration of radial compression for the control group was 235.8±62.8 min and for the uninterrupted direct oral anticoagulant group was 258.4±56.5 min. There was no significant difference in mean duration of radial compression (p=0.07; 95% CI=-1.4 to 46.5). There was also no difference in the complication rate between the two groups (p=1).

Conclusions

We observed similar complication rates and radial artery compression time postangiography in both groups. This small prospective observational study suggests that uninterrupted continuation of direct oral anticoagulants during coronary angiography is safe. Larger randomised control studies in this area would be beneficial.