Quality of life after PCI vs CABG among patients with diabetes and multivessel coronary artery disease: a randomized clinical trial

Illusion of revascularization: does anyone achieve optimal revascularization during percutaneous coronary intervention?

This Perspective article is a form of 'pastiche', inspired by the 1993 review by Lincoff and Topol entitled 'Illusion of reperfusion', and explores how their concept continues to apply to percutaneous revascularization in patients with coronary artery disease and ischaemia. Just as Lincoff and Topol argued that reperfusion of acute myocardial infarction was facing unresolved obstacles that hampered clinical success in 1993, we propose that challenging issues are similarly jeopardizing the potential benefits of stent-based angioplasty today. By analysing the appropriateness and efficacy of percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI), we emphasize the limitations of relying solely on visual angiographic guidance, which frequently leads to inappropriate stenting and overtreatment in up to one-third of patients and the associated increased risk of periprocedural myocardial infarction. The lack of optimal revascularization observed in half of patients undergoing PCI confers risks such as suboptimal physiology after PCI, residual angina and long-term stent-related events, leaving an estimated 76% of patients with an 'illusion of revascularization'. These outcomes highlight the need to refine our diagnostic tools by integrating physiological assessments with targeted intracoronary imaging and emerging strategies, such as co-registration systems and angiography-based computational methods enhanced by artificial intelligence, to achieve optimal revascularization outcomes.

Evaluate the Quality of Life in Patients With Percutaneous Coronary Intervention Versus Coronary Artery Bypass Graft

Introduction Globally, coronary heart disease is the most imperative cause of premature death. However, timely management with percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) or coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) can improve the quality of life (QoL) and reduce mortality. The objective of this study was to evaluate the QoL between the patients who received PCI and CABG for the treatment of coronary heart disease. Materials and methods This was a retrospective observational study. Patients who underwent PCI or CABG at least three months before or more at enrollment were purposefully selected. Results A total of 156 patients were enrolled, 78 in each group. Health-related QoL was assessed by using the SF-36 scale for PCI or CABG procedures. The mean ± SD scores of QoL for PCI and CABG were 78.95 ±10.14 and 78.17 ± 10.92, respectively. Of the patients, 72.43% felt better after treatment, 17.95% felt the same as before treatment, and 9.62% felt worse than before treatment in both groups. Among CABG patients, 38.46% felt significantly better after treatment compared to PCI (33.97%) (p=0.048). Moreover, more CABG patients (6.41%) felt significantly worse than PCI patients (3.21%) after treatment (p=0.048). Male patients were significantly more in the CABG group (89.74%) compared to the PCI group (75.64%). In contrast, female patients had more PCI (24.36%) compared to CABG patients (10.26%) (p=0.020). Conclusion Subjective perceptions of physical and mental well-being improved significantly from before treatment to at least three months after treatment, and an enhanced health-related QoL was noticed for medical intervention (PCI) and surgical approach (CABG).

Quality of Life After Percutaneous Coronary Intervention Versus Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting

BACKGROUND

Differences in quality of life (QoL) after coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) compared with percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) are not well characterized. We aimed to compare the short- and long-term effects of CABG versus PCI on QoL.

METHODS AND RESULTS

We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials comparing CABG versus PCI using the Seattle Angina Questionnaire (SAQ)-Angina Frequency, SAQ-QoL, SAQ-Physical Limitations, EuroQoL-5D, and Short-Form Questionnaire. We calculated mean changes within each group from baseline to 1, 6, 12, and 36 to 60 months (latest follow-up) and the weighted mean differences between groups using inverse-variance methods. A total of 10 760 patients were enrolled in 5 trials. From baseline to 12 months and 36 to 60 months, the mean change in SAQ-Angina Frequency was >22 points (95% CI, 21.0-25.6) after both PCI and CABG. The mean difference in SAQ-Angina Frequency was similar between procedures at 1 month and at 36 to 60 months but favored CABG at 12 months (1.97 [95% CI, 0.68-3.26]). SAQ-QoL favored PCI at 1 month (-2.92 [95% CI, -4.66 to -1.18]) and CABG at 6 (2.50 [95% CI, 1.02-3.97]), 12 (3.30 [95% CI, 1.78-4.82]), and 36 to 60 months (3.17 [95% CI, 0.54 5.80). SAQ-Physical Limitations (-12.61 [95% CI, -16.16 to -9.06]) and EuroQoL-5D (-0.07 [95% CI, -0.08 to -0.07) favored PCI at 1 month. Short-Form Questionnaire-Physical Component favored CABG at 12 months (1.18 [95% CI, 0.46-1.90]).

CONCLUSIONS

Both PCI and CABG improved long-term disease-specific and generic QoL.

Designing the coronary artery bypass surgery operation of the future

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

This article discusses current shortcomings in coronary artery bypass surgery and ways to overcome them.

RECENT FINDINGS

Minimally invasive coronary bypass surgery, robotic coronary bypass, and hybrid approaches aim to avoid sternotomy, employ arterial grafts, and minimize the use of cardiopulmonary bypass. Other considerations such as bypass graft validation, the optimization of guideline-directed medical therapy, and the development of coronary surgery specialists are also crucial to further the benefits of coronary artery bypass grafting on future patients.

SUMMARY

Coronary artery bypass grafting must become less invasive, be better validated, and be carried out with an even higher emphasis on quality, including graft validation and preoperative/postoperative optimization, if it is to remain the best treatment for advanced, severe coronary artery disease.

Efficacy and risks of drug-coated balloon treatment for coronary artery disease: A meta-analysis

Introduction

Coronary artery disease (CAD) often leads to myocardial ischemia and impaired cardiac function, significantly impacting the well-being and quality of life (QOL) of individuals. The use of drug-coated balloon (DCB) treatment has become a widespread approach in CAD management. However, currently, there is limited evidence available for the meta-analysis of DCB treatment in CAD.

Materials and methods

A systematic search was conducted across databases including PubMed, Cochrane Library, China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), Wanfang Database, and VIP Database, covering data from the inception of each database up to April 2023. Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) regarding DCB treatment were meticulously chosen based on independent assessment of eligibility and scope by three researchers. Literature screening and data extraction were independently performed by two researchers, while methodological quality of the enrolled studies was assessed using the risk of bias (ROB) tool developed by the Cochrane Collaboration. Meta-analysis was conducted using RevMan 5.3.

Results

Following the screening process, seven studies were included. Four studies demonstrated an odds ratio (OR) of 0.66 for target lesion revascularization (TLR), five reported an OR of 0.41 for postoperative myocardial infarction (MI), four indicated a mean difference (MD) of 6.03 in the degree of stenosis (DOS), five exhibited an MD of 0.13 for late lumen loss (LLL), five reported an OR of 0.33 for cardiac death, and two presented an OR of 1.01 for binary restenosis (BR).

Conclusion

DCB demonstrated a comparable efficacy to drug-eluting stents (DES) in treating CAD, with relatively lower associated risks.

Effects of percutaneous coronary intervention on dyspnea in stable coronary artery disease

BACKGROUND

Dyspnea is a frequent symptom in patients with stable coronary artery disease (CAD) and is recognized as a possible angina equivalent.

OBJECTIVES

This study was to assess the impact of percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) on dyspnea, quality of life, and angina pectoris in patients with stable CAD.

METHODS

The prospective, multi-center PLA-pCi-EBO-pilot trial included 144 patients with symptomatic stable CAD and successful PCI. The prespecified endpoints angina pectoris (Seattle Angina Questionnaire-SAQ) and dyspnea (NYHA scale) were assessed 6 months after PCI. Predictors for symptomatic improvement were assessed with uni- and multivariable logistic regression analyses.

RESULTS

Patients with concomitant dyspnea had worse SAQ physical limitation scores at baseline (49.5 ± 21.0 vs 58.9 ± 22.0, p = 0.013) but showed no difference for angina frequency or quality of life. Overall, symptomatic burden of angina pectoris and dyspnea was alleviated by PCI. However, patients with concomitant dyspnea had markedly worse scores for physical limitation (78.9 ± 25.0 vs 94.3 ± 10.6, p < 0.001), angina frequency (77.9 ± 22.8 vs 91.1 ± 12.4, p < 0.001), and quality of life (69.4 ± 24.1 vs 82.5 ± 14.4, p < 0.001) after PCI. The prevalence of dyspnea (NYHA class ≥ 2) declined from 73% before PCI to 54%. Of 95 initially dyspneic patients, 57 (60%) improved at least one NYHA class 6 months after PCI. In a multivariable logistic regression analysis, "atypical angina pectoris" was associated with improved NYHA class, whereas "diabetes mellitus" had a negative association.

CONCLUSION

PCI effectively reduced dyspnea, which is a frequent and demanding symptom in patients with CAD. The German Clinical Trials Register registration number is DRKS0001752 ( www.drks.de ).

2023 AHA/ACC/ACCP/ASPC/NLA/PCNA Guideline for the Management of Patients With Chronic Coronary Disease: A Report of the American Heart Association/American College of Cardiology Joint Committee on Clinical Practice Guidelines

AIM

The "2023 AHA/ACC/ACCP/ASPC/NLA/PCNA Guideline for the Management of Patients With Chronic Coronary Disease" provides an update to and consolidates new evidence since the "2012 ACCF/AHA/ACP/AATS/PCNA/SCAI/STS Guideline for the Diagnosis and Management of Patients With Stable Ischemic Heart Disease" and the corresponding "2014 ACC/AHA/AATS/PCNA/SCAI/STS Focused Update of the Guideline for the Diagnosis and Management of Patients With Stable Ischemic Heart Disease."

METHODS

A comprehensive literature search was conducted from September 2021 to May 2022. Clinical studies, systematic reviews and meta-analyses, and other evidence conducted on human participants were identified that were published in English from MEDLINE (through PubMed), EMBASE, the Cochrane Library, Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, and other selected databases relevant to this guideline.

STRUCTURE

This guideline provides an evidenced-based and patient-centered approach to management of patients with chronic coronary disease, considering social determinants of health and incorporating the principles of shared decision-making and team-based care. Relevant topics include general approaches to treatment decisions, guideline-directed management and therapy to reduce symptoms and future cardiovascular events, decision-making pertaining to revascularization in patients with chronic coronary disease, recommendations for management in special populations, patient follow-up and monitoring, evidence gaps, and areas in need of future research. Where applicable, and based on availability of cost-effectiveness data, cost-value recommendations are also provided for clinicians. Many recommendations from previously published guidelines have been updated with new evidence, and new recommendations have been created when supported by published data.

2023 AHA/ACC/ACCP/ASPC/NLA/PCNA Guideline for the Management of Patients With Chronic Coronary Disease: A Report of the American Heart Association/American College of Cardiology Joint Committee on Clinical Practice Guidelines

AIM

The "2023 AHA/ACC/ACCP/ASPC/NLA/PCNA Guideline for the Management of Patients With Chronic Coronary Disease" provides an update to and consolidates new evidence since the "2012 ACCF/AHA/ACP/AATS/PCNA/SCAI/STS Guideline for the Diagnosis and Management of Patients With Stable Ischemic Heart Disease" and the corresponding "2014 ACC/AHA/AATS/PCNA/SCAI/STS Focused Update of the Guideline for the Diagnosis and Management of Patients With Stable Ischemic Heart Disease."

METHODS

A comprehensive literature search was conducted from September 2021 to May 2022. Clinical studies, systematic reviews and meta-analyses, and other evidence conducted on human participants were identified that were published in English from MEDLINE (through PubMed), EMBASE, the Cochrane Library, Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, and other selected databases relevant to this guideline.

STRUCTURE

This guideline provides an evidenced-based and patient-centered approach to management of patients with chronic coronary disease, considering social determinants of health and incorporating the principles of shared decision-making and team-based care. Relevant topics include general approaches to treatment decisions, guideline-directed management and therapy to reduce symptoms and future cardiovascular events, decision-making pertaining to revascularization in patients with chronic coronary disease, recommendations for management in special populations, patient follow-up and monitoring, evidence gaps, and areas in need of future research. Where applicable, and based on availability of cost-effectiveness data, cost-value recommendations are also provided for clinicians. Many recommendations from previously published guidelines have been updated with new evidence, and new recommendations have been created when supported by published data.

Impact of residual angina on long-term clinical outcomes after percutaneous coronary intervention or coronary artery bypass graft for complex coronary artery disease

AIMS

The aim of this study was to investigate the impact on 10-year survival of patient-reported anginal status at 1 year following percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) or coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) in patients with left main coronary artery disease (LMCAD) and/or three-vessel CAD (3VD).

METHODS AND RESULTS

In this post hoc analysis of the randomized SYNTAX Extended Survival study, patients were classified as having residual angina (RA) if their self-reported Seattle Angina Questionnaire angina frequency (SAQ-AF) scale was ≤90 at the 1-year follow-up post-revascularization with PCI or CABG. The primary endpoint of all-cause death at 10 years was compared between the RA and no-RA groups. A sensitivity analysis was performed using a 6-month SAQ-AF.At 1 year, 373 (26.1%) out of 1428 patients reported RA. Whilst RA at 1 year was an independent correlate of repeat revascularization at 5 years [18.3 vs. 11.5%; adjusted hazard ratio (HR): 1.54; 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.10-2.15], it was not associated with all-cause death at 10 years (22.1 vs. 21.6%; adjusted HR: 1.11; 95% CI: 0.83-1.47). These results were consistent when stratified by the modality of revascularization (PCI or CABG) or by anginal frequency. The sensitivity analysis replicating the analyses based on 6-month angina status resulted in similar findings.

CONCLUSION

Among patients with LMCAD and/or 3VD, patient-reported RA at 1 year post-revascularization was independently associated with repeat revascularization at 5 years; however, it did not significantly increase 10-year mortality, irrespective of the primary modality of revascularization or severity of RA.

Long-term survival, cardiovascular, and functional outcomes after minimally invasive coronary artery bypass grafting in 566 patients

OBJECTIVE

Sternotomy has been the gold standard incision for surgical revascularization but may be associated with chronic pain and sternal malunion. Minimally invasive coronary artery bypass grafting allows for complete surgical revascularization through a small thoracotomy in selected patients. There is a paucity of long-term data, particularly functional outcomes, for patients who underwent minimally invasive coronary artery bypass grafting.

METHODS

Patients (N = 566) who underwent minimally invasive coronary artery bypass grafting at a single institution over a 17-year period were prospectively followed. The primary outcome was survival. At late follow-up, patients were contacted for a questionnaire on functional outcomes. Multivariable Cox proportional hazard model identified correlates of the primary outcome.

RESULTS

Clinical follow-up was complete for 100% of patients (mean 7.0 ± 4.4 years); a follow-up questionnaire was also completed for 83.9% (N = 427) of live patients. Fifty percent of patients (N = 283) had undergone multivessel grafting. At 12 years, survival for the entire cohort was 82.2% ± 2.6%. On late follow-up questionnaire, 12 patients (2.8%) had greater than Canadian Cardiovascular Score Class II angina and 19 patients (4.5%) had greater than New York Heart Association Class II symptoms. More than 98% of patients did not have pain related to the incision site. Cox proportional hazards analysis identified older age, peripheral vascular disease, prior myocardial infarction, left ventricular dysfunction, cancer in the past 5 years, intraoperative transfusion, and hybrid revascularization as correlates of mortality during follow-up.

CONCLUSIONS

Minimally invasive coronary artery bypass grafting is a safe and durable alternative to sternotomy coronary artery bypass grafting in selected patients, with excellent short- and long-term outcomes, including for multivessel coronary disease. At long-term follow-up, the proportion of patients with significant symptoms and incisional pain was low.

Incremental effect of coronary obstruction on myocardial microvascular dysfunction in type 2 diabetes mellitus patients evaluated by first-pass perfusion CMR study

BACKGROUND

Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) frequently coexists with obstructive coronary artery disease (OCAD), which are at increased risk for cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. This study aimed to investigate the impact of coronary obstruction on myocardial microcirculation function in T2DM patients, and explore independent predictors of reduced coronary microvascular perfusion.

METHODS

Cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) scanning was performed on 297 T2DM patients {188 patients without OCAD [T2DM(OCAD -)] and 109 with [T2DM(OCAD +)]} and 89 control subjects. CMR-derived perfusion parameters, including upslope, max signal intensity (MaxSI), and time to maximum signal intensity (TTM) in global and segmental (basal, mid-ventricular, and apical slices) were measured and compared among observed groups. According to the median of Gensini score (64), T2DM(OCAD +) patients were subdivided into two groups. Univariable and multivariable linear regression analyses were performed to identify independent predictors of microcirculation dysfunction.

RESULTS

T2DM(OCAD -) patients, when compared to control subjects, had reduced upslope and prolonged TTM in global and all of three slices (all P < 0.05). T2DM(OCAD +) patients showed a significantly more severe impairment of microvascular perfusion than T2DM(OCAD -) patients and control subjects with a more marked decline upslope and prolongation TTM in global and three slices (all P < 0.05). From control subjects, through T2DM(OCAD +) patients with Gensini score ≤ 64, to those patients with Gensini score > 64 group, the upslope declined and TTM prolonged progressively in global and mid-ventricular slice (all P < 0.05). The presence of OCAD was independently correlated with reduced global upslope (β =  - 0.104, P < 0.05) and global TTM (β = 0.105, P < 0.05) in patients with T2DM. Among T2DM(OCAD +) patients, Gensini score was associated with prolonged global TTM (r = 0.34, P < 0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

Coronary artery obstruction in the context of T2DM exacerbated myocardial microcirculation damage. The presence of OCAD and Gensini score were independent predictors of decreased microvascular function.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

Retrospectively registered.

Randomized comparison of the clinical Outcome of single versus Multiple Arterial grafts: Quality of Life (ROMA:QOL) - Rationale and Study Protocol

AIMS

The objective of the Randomized comparison of the Outcome of single vs. Multiple Arterial grafts: Quality of Life (ROMA:QOL) trial is to evaluate the impact of coronary artery bypass graft surgery (CABG) on quality of life (QOL). The primary hypothesis of ROMA:QOL is that participants in the multiple arterial graft (MAG) will report time-varying changes in QOL that will be lower in the post-operative recovery period and higher after 12 months compared to patients in the single arterial graft (SAG). The secondary hypotheses are that both groups will have improvements in symptoms at 12 months, and that compared to the SAG group, participants in the MAG group will experience better physical functioning and physical and mental health symptoms.

METHODS AND RESULTS

An estimated 2111 participants will be enrolled from the parent ROMA trial from 13 countries. Outcome assessments include the Seattle Angina Questionnaire (SAQ) (primary outcome), Short Form-12v2, EuroQol-5D (EQ-5D)-5L, PROMIS-29, and PROMIS Neuropathic Pain measured at baseline, first post-operative visit, 6, 12, 24, 36, 48, and 60 months. The analysis for the primary outcome, the change in the SAQ from baseline to 12 months, will be compared across all time-points between the two treatment arms.

CONCLUSION

The ROMA:QOL trial will answer whether there are differences in QOL, physical and mental health symptoms overall for CABG, by MAG and SAG intervention arms, by sex, and between patients with and without diabetes.

Diabetes, heart failure, and myocardial revascularization: Is there a new message from the ISCHEMIA trial?

There is no evidence that the indications for myocardial revascularization differ between patients with and without diabetes. Accepted indications include stable angina that cannot be adequately managed by medication, acute coronary syndromes, severely reduced left ventricular (LV) function due to coronary artery disease, left main stenosis, and advanced coronary artery disease causing substantial inducible ischemia. The recent ISCHEMIA trial challenged the criterion of ischemia. With respect to its primary endpoint, ISCHEMIA showed no benefit of an invasive strategy with systematic myocardial revascularization in patients with stable angina and moderate-to-severe ischemia compared with a conservative strategy. However, myocardial revascularization resulted in a statistically significant and clinically meaningful reduction in angina and an improvement in quality of life. There was a significant reduction in prognostically relevant spontaneous myocardial infarction (MI) in the long term, which came at the cost of an increased rate of peri-interventional MI that was of minor prognostic relevance. The risk profile and number of patients included in the ISCHEMIA trial, as well as the duration of follow-up, are not sufficient to show that the lower incidence of spontaneous infarcts improved survival. In ISCHEMIA, there was no heterogeneity in treatment effect depending on diabetes.

Colchicine and quality of life in patients with acute coronary syndromes: Results from the COPS randomized trial

BACKGROUND

Recent data suggest that colchicine may reduce cardiovascular events among patients presenting with acute coronary syndromes. This sub-study of the Australian COPS trial aimed to assess whether colchicine affects health status outcomes.

METHODS

Health status was assessed at baseline and 12-months using the EuroQol-5 Dimension 5-level (EQ-5D-5L) score and the full 19-question Seattle Angina Questionnaire (SAQ). Data were available for 786 patients (388 randomized to colchicine, 398 to placebo).

RESULTS

Baseline characteristics were well matched between groups; mean age was 60.1 (SD 14.8) years, and 20 % were female. Baseline health status scores were impaired, and most parameters demonstrated significant improvement from baseline to 12-months (EQ-5D-5L Visual Analogue Score [VAS] 69.3 to 77.7; SAQ angina frequency score 83.0 to 95.3, both p < 0.001). No significant differences in adjusted mean score change among any of the EQ-5D-5L or SAQ dimensions were observed between treatment groups in either intention-to-treat or per-protocol analysis. There were borderline interactions in EQ-5D-5L scores for those with previous MI vs not, and in SAQ scores for those with obesity vs not. In categorical analysis using observed data, patients treated with colchicine were more likely to have clinically significant improvement in physical limitation score over the period (36 % improved vs. 28 %, p < 0.05). Baseline health status scores were not associated with the primary endpoint at 12 months.

CONCLUSIONS

Treatment with colchicine did not appear to affect change in measures of health status following acute coronary syndromes, but it did lead to a greater likelihood of improvement in physical limitation scores.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

ACTRN, ACTRN12615000861550. Registered 18/08/2015, https://www.anzctr.org.au/Trial/Registration/TrialReview.aspx?id=368973.

Long-term outcomes of high-risk percutaneous coronary interventions under extracorporeal membrane oxygenation support: An observational study

BACKGROUND

Venoarterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (VA-ECMO) offers hemodynamic support for patients undergoing high-risk percutaneous coronary interventions (PCIs). However, long-term outcomes associated with VA-ECMO have not previously been studied.

AIM

To explore long-term outcomes in high-risk cases undergoing PCI supported by VA-ECMO.

METHODS

In the present observational cohort study, 61 patients who received VA-ECMO-supported high-risk PCI between April 2012 and January 2020 at the Sixth Medical Center of Chinese People’s Liberation Army General Hospital were enrolled. The endpoint characteristics such as all-cause mortality, repeated cardiovascular diseases, and cardiac death were examined.

RESULTS

Among 61 patients, three failed stent implantation due to chronic total occlusions with severely calcified lesions. One patient showed VA-ECMO intolerance because of high left ventricular afterload. PCI was successfully performed in 57 patients (93.4%). The in-hospital mortality was 23.0%, and the overall survival was 45.9%, with a median follow-up period of 38.6 (8.6-62.1) mo.

CONCLUSION

VA-ECMO can be used as a support in patients undergoing high-risk PCI as it is associated with favorable long-term patient survival.

Comprehensive Quality-of-Life Outcomes With Invasive Versus Conservative Management of Chronic Coronary Disease in ISCHEMIA

BACKGROUND

ISCHEMIA (International Study of Comparative Health Effectiveness with Medical and Invasive Approaches) compared an initial invasive treatment strategy (INV) with an initial conservative strategy in 5179 participants with chronic coronary disease and moderate or severe ischemia. The ISCHEMIA research program included a comprehensive quality-of-life (QOL) substudy.

METHODS

In 1819 participants (907 INV, 912 conservative strategy), we collected a battery of disease-specific and generic QOL instruments by structured interviews at baseline; at 3, 12, 24, and 36 months postrandomization; and at study closeout. Assessments included angina-related QOL (19-item Seattle Angina Questionnaire), generic health status (EQ-5D), depressive symptoms (Patient Health Questionnaire-8), and, for North American patients, cardiac functional status (Duke Activity Status Index).

RESULTS

Median age was 67 years, 19.2% were female, and 15.9% were non-White. The estimated mean difference for the 19-item Seattle Angina Questionnaire Summary score favored INV (1.4 points [95% CI, 0.2-2.5] over all follow-up). No differences were observed in patients with rare/absent baseline angina (SAQ Angina Frequency score >80). Among patients with more frequent angina at baseline (SAQ Angina Frequency score <80, 744 patients, 41%), those randomly assigned to INV had a mean 3.7-point higher 19-item Seattle Angina Questionnaire Summary score than conservative strategy (95% CI, 1.6-5.8) with consistent effects across SAQ subscales: Physical Limitations 3.2 points (95% CI, 0.2-6.1), Angina Frequency 3.2 points (95% CI, 1.2-5.1), Quality of Life/Health Perceptions 5.3 points (95% CI, 2.8-7.8). For the Duke Activity Status Index, no difference was estimated overall by treatment, but in patients with baseline SAQ Angina Frequency scores <80, Duke Activity Status Index scores were higher for INV (3.2 points [95% CI, 0.6-5.7]), whereas patients with rare/absent baseline angina showed no treatment-related differences. Moderate to severe depression was infrequent at randomization (11.5%-12.8%) and was unaffected by treatment assignment.

CONCLUSIONS

In the ISCHEMIA comprehensive QOL substudy, patients with more frequent baseline angina reported greater improvements in the symptom, physical functioning, and psychological well-being dimensions of QOL when treated with an invasive strategy, whereas patients who had rare/absent angina at baseline reported no consistent treatment-related QOL differences.

REGISTRATION

URL: https://www.

CLINICALTRIALS

gov; Unique identifier: NCT01471522.

External Validation of the FREEDOM Score for Individualized Decision Making Between CABG and PCI

BACKGROUND

Although randomized trials have established that coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) is, on average, the most effective revascularization strategy compared with percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) in patients with diabetes and multivessel disease (MVD), individual patients differ in many characteristics that can affect the benefits and harms of treatment. The FREEDOM (Future Revascularization Evaluation in Patients with Diabetes Mellitus) score was developed to predict different outcomes with CABG vs PCI on the basis of 8 patient characteristics and the smoking-treatment interaction.

OBJECTIVES

This study aimed to assess the ability of the 5-year major adverse cardiovascular event (MACE) model to predict treatment benefit of CABG vs PCI in the SYNTAX (Synergy Between Percutaneous Coronary Intervention With Taxus and Cardiac Surgery) and BEST (Bypass Surgery and Everolimus-Eluting Stent Implantation in the Treatment of Patients with Multivessel Coronary Artery Disease) trials.

METHODS

This study identified 702 patients with diabetes and MVD to mirror the FREEDOM participants. Discrimination was assessed by C-index, and calibration was assessed by calibration plots in the PCI and CABG arms, respectively. The ability of the FREEDOM score to predict treatment benefit of CABG vs PCI was assessed.

RESULTS

Overall, CABG was associated with a lower rate of 5-year MACE compared with PCI (12.4% vs 20.3%; log-rank P = 0.021) irrespective of a history of smoking (P_interaction = 0.975). Both discrimination and calibration were helpful in the PCI arm (C-index: 0.69; slope: 0.96, intercept: -0.24), but moderate in the CABG arm (C-index: 0.61; slope: 0.61; intercept: -0.53). The FREEDOM score showed some heterogeneity of treatment benefit.

CONCLUSIONS

The FREEDOM score could identify some heterogeneity of treatment benefit of CABG vs PCI for 5-year MACE. Until further prospective validations are performed, these results should be taken into consideration when using the FREEDOM score in patients with diabetes and MVD. (Synergy Between Percutaneous Coronary Intervention With Taxus and Cardiac Surgery [SYNTAX]; NCT00114972) (Bypass Surgery and Everolimus-Eluting Stent Implantation in the Treatment of Patients with Multivessel Coronary Artery Disease [BEST]; NCT00997828) (Future Revascularization Evaluation in Patients with Diabetes Mellitus [FREEDOM]; NCT00086450).

Relationship between dynamic changes of peri-procedure anxiety and short-term prognosis in patients undergoing elective percutaneous coronary intervention for coronary heart disease: A single-center, prospective study

Background

Patients with coronary heart disease (CHD) often experience anxiety, but the current studies on anxiety mostly focused on a certain point in time. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the dynamic changes of peri-procedure anxiety, status of post-procedure quality of life, and cardiovascular readmission rates in patients with CHD who undergoing elective percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI), and to analyze the influence of peri-procedure anxiety on quality of life and readmission rate after PCI.

Methods

This prospective study was conducted at Changshu NO.1 People’s Hospital. A total of 220 patients with CHD undergoing elective PCI were selected as study subjects. The general information, clinical data, anxiety, quality of life and readmission of patients were collected. Multivariate linear regression was used to examine the effect of peri-procedure anxiety on quality of life, and multivariate logistic regression was used to analyze the influence of peri-procedure anxiety on readmission rate.

Results

This study showed the anxiety scores at hospitalization appointment(T1), 3 days before procedure(T2), 1 day before procedure(T3), 1 day after procedure(T4) were 57(55,61),64(61,68),54(51.58), and 54(50,60), respectively. And, at 3 months and 6 months after PCI, the scores of Seattle Angina Questionnaire (SAQ) were 346.61(319.06,366.52) and 353.34(334.18,372.84) respectively. During 6 months follow-up, 54 cases were readmitted, with a readmission rate of 25.5%. Statistical analysis showed that T1 with anxiety (P = 0.002) and T2 with anxiety (P = 0.024) were independent risk factors for treatment satisfaction at 3 months after PCI. Anxiety in T4 (P = 0.005) was an independent risk factor on the angina frequency at 6 months after PCI. T2 with anxiety (B = 1.445, P = 0.010, 95%CI:1.409–12.773) and T4 without anxiety (B = -1.587, P = 0.042, 95%CI:-0.044–0.941) were risk factors affecting readmission for cardiovascular reasons within 6 months.

Conclusion

Patient anxiety at T1 and T2 affects the treatment satisfaction dimension of the SAQ at 3 months after PCI, and anxiety at T4 affects the angina frequency dimension of the SAQ at 6 months after PCI. Anxiety at T2 and no anxiety at T4 increase short-term readmission rates. In the future, interventions should be strengthened at various time points in the peri-procedure period to improve post-procedure rehabilitation effect.

Regenerative strategies for the consequences of myocardial infarction: Chronological indication and upcoming visions

Heart muscle injury and an elevated troponin level signify myocardial infarction (MI), which may result in defective and uncoordinated segments, reduced cardiac output, and ultimately, death. Physicians apply thrombolytic therapy, coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery, or percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) to recanalize and restore blood flow to the coronary arteries, albeit they were not convincingly able to solve the heart problems. Thus, researchers aim to introduce novel substitutional therapies for regenerating and functionalizing damaged cardiac tissue based on engineering concepts. Cell-based engineering approaches, utilizing biomaterials, gene, drug, growth factor delivery systems, and tissue engineering are the most leading studies in the field of heart regeneration. Also, understanding the primary cause of MI and thus selecting the most efficient treatment method can be enhanced by preparing microdevices so-called heart-on-a-chip. In this regard, microfluidic approaches can be used as diagnostic platforms or drug screening in cardiac disease treatment. Additionally, bioprinting technique with whole organ 3D printing of human heart with major vessels, cardiomyocytes and endothelial cells can be an ideal goal for cardiac tissue engineering and remarkable achievement in near future. Consequently, this review discusses the different aspects, advancements, and challenges of the mentioned methods with presenting the advantages and disadvantages, chronological indications, and application prospects of various novel therapeutic approaches.

2021 ACC/AHA/SCAI Guideline for Coronary Artery Revascularization: A Report of the American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association Joint Committee on Clinical Practice Guidelines

AIM

The guideline for coronary artery revascularization replaces the 2011 coronary artery bypass graft surgery and the 2011 and 2015 percutaneous coronary intervention guidelines, providing a patient-centric approach to guide clinicians in the treatment of patients with significant coronary artery disease undergoing coronary revascularization as well as the supporting documentation to encourage their use.

METHODS

A comprehensive literature search was conducted from May 2019 to September 2019, encompassing studies, reviews, and other evidence conducted on human subjects that were published in English from PubMed, EMBASE, the Cochrane Collaboration, CINHL Complete, and other relevant databases. Additional relevant studies, published through May 2021, were also considered. Structure: Coronary artery disease remains a leading cause of morbidity and mortality globally. Coronary revascularization is an important therapeutic option when managing patients with coronary artery disease. The 2021 coronary artery revascularization guideline provides recommendations based on contemporary evidence for the treatment of these patients. The recommendations present an evidence-based approach to managing patients with coronary artery disease who are being considered for coronary revascularization, with the intent to improve quality of care and align with patients' interests.

2021 ACC/AHA/SCAI Guideline for Coronary Artery Revascularization: A Report of the American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association Joint Committee on Clinical Practice Guidelines

AIM

The guideline for coronary artery revascularization replaces the 2011 coronary artery bypass graft surgery and the 2011 and 2015 percutaneous coronary intervention guidelines, providing a patient-centric approach to guide clinicians in the treatment of patients with significant coronary artery disease undergoing coronary revascularization as well as the supporting documentation to encourage their use.

METHODS

A comprehensive literature search was conducted from May 2019 to September 2019, encompassing studies, reviews, and other evidence conducted on human subjects that were published in English from PubMed, EMBASE, the Cochrane Collaboration, CINHL Complete, and other relevant databases. Additional relevant studies, published through May 2021, were also considered.

STRUCTURE

Coronary artery disease remains a leading cause of morbidity and mortality globally. Coronary revascularization is an important therapeutic option when managing patients with coronary artery disease. The 2021 coronary artery revascularization guideline provides recommendations based on contemporary evidence for the treatment of these patients. The recommendations present an evidence-based approach to managing patients with coronary artery disease who are being considered for coronary revascularization, with the intent to improve quality of care and align with patients' interests.

Evaluation of myocardial perfusion and systolic function in patients with coronary heart disease by myocardial contrast echocardiography and 2-dimensional speckle tracking imaging

OBJECTIVES

The high prevalence and high fatality rate of coronary heart disease seriously endanger the safety of human life. The key to its treatment is to restore the perfusion of the narrowed coronary arteries as soon as possible. Two-dimensional echocardiography is limited for assessment of postoperative myocardial function. Myocardial contrast echocardiography (MCE) and 2-dimensional speckle tracking imaging (2D-STI) possess good value in assessing myocardial perfusion and systolic function. We used MCE and 2D-STI to explore the changes of myocardial perfusion and systolic function after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) in patients with coronary heart disease, and to evaluate the clinical value of MCE and 2D-STI.

METHODS

Twenty patients with coronary heart disease undergoing PCI were selected. MCE was performed before and one day after PCI, and 2D-STI and conventional ultrasound were performed before and a month after PCI. The recovery of left ventricular wall motion was used as a standard to evaluate the ability of MCE semi-quantitative analysis and to predict the recovery of myocardial segment motion.

RESULTS

The quantitative value of MCE (signal intensity of contrast medium in plateau phase, slope of curve, and their product) one day after PCI and the contractile function of one month after PCI were significantly improved (all P<0.05). There were 90 myocardial segments with abnormal motion dominated by the coronary artery with stent implantation before PCI, and 54 segments recovered 1 month after PCI. The sensitivity and specificity of MCE score ≤2 to predict recoverable wall motion were 93% and 53%, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

MCE and 2D-STI can evaluate the improvement of myocardial perfusion and systolic function in patients with coronary heart disease after PCI, and MCE semi-quantitative analysis can effectively predict the ability of ventricular wall recovery.

Effect of coronary artery bypass grafting on quality of life: a meta-analysis of randomized trials

AIMS

We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis to evaluate temporal trends in quality of life (QoL) after coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) surgery in randomized clinical trials, and a quantitative comparison from before surgery to up to 5 years after surgery.

METHODS AND RESULTS

We searched MEDLINE, CINAHL, EMBASE, Cochrane Library, and PsycINFO from 2010 to 2020 to identify studies that included the measurement of QoL in patients undergoing CABG. The primary outcome was the Seattle Angina Questionnaire (SAQ), and secondary outcomes were the 36-item Short Form Health Survey (SF-36) and EuroQol Questionnaire (EQ-5D). We pooled the means and the weighted mean differences over the follow-up period. In the meta-analysis, 2586 studies were screened and 18 full-text studies were included. There was a significant trend towards higher QoL scores from before surgery to 1 year post-operatively for the SAQ angina frequency (AF), SAQ QoL, SF-36 physical component (PC), and EQ-5D, whereas the SF-36 mental component (MC) did not improve significantly. The weighted mean differences from before surgery to 1 year after was 24 [95% confidence interval (CI): 21.6-26.4] for the SAQ AF, 31 (95% CI: 27.5-34.6) for the SAQ QoL, 9.8 (95% CI: 7.1-12.8) for the SF-36 PC, 7.1 (95% CI: 4.2-10.0) for the SF-36 MC, and 0.1 (95% CI: 0.06-0.14) for the EQ-5D. There was no evidence of publication bias or small-study effect.

CONCLUSION

CABG had both short- and long-term improvements in disease-specific QoL and generic QoL, with the largest improvement in angina frequency.

Patient-Reported Outcomes in Cardiovascular Trials

Patient-reported outcomes (PROs) are reports of a person's health status that provide a global perspective of patient well-being. PROs can be classified into 4 primary domains: global, mental, physical, and social health. In this descriptive review, we focus on how PROs can be used in cardiac clinical trials, with an emphasis on cardiac surgical trials for patients with coronary heart disease and heart failure. We also highlight ongoing challenges and provide specific suggestions and novel opportunities to advance cardiac clinical trials. Current challenges include the long-term measurement of PROs in clinical trials beyond 1 year, inconsistency in the choice of the outcome measures among studies, and the lack of measurement of PROs across multiple domains. Opportunities for advancement include measuring PROs using consumer health informatics tools, including returning information back to participants in formats that they can understand using visualization. Future opportunities include quantifying cohort-specific minimal clinically important differences for PROs.

Invasive Coronary Physiology After Stent Implantation: Another Step Toward Precision Medicine

Intracoronary physiology is routinely used in setting the indication for percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) but seldom in assessing procedural results. This attitude is increasingly challenged by accumulated evidence demonstrating the value of post-PCI functional assessment in predicting long-term patient outcomes. Besides fractional flow reserve, a number of new indexes recently incorporated to clinical practice, including nonhyperemic pressure and functional angiographic indexes, provide new opportunities for the physiological assessment of PCI results. Largely, the benefit of these tools is derived from longitudinal analysis of the treated vessel, which allows precise identification of the vessel segment accounting for a suboptimal functional result and enabling operators to perform accurate PCI optimization. In this document the authors review available evidence supporting why physiological assessment should be extended to immediate post-PCI with the aim of improving patient outcomes. A step-by-step guide on how available physiological tools can be used for such purpose is provided.

Real-World Outcomes of Revascularization Strategies in Patients With Left Ventricular Dysfunction and Three-Vessel Coronary Disease Stratified by Mitral Regurgitation

Aims: Limited information exists regarding optimal revascularization options for patients with triple-vessel coronary artery disease (TVD), heart failure (HF), and different degrees of mitral regurgitation (MR). Thus, we aimed to compare the effect of percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) and coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) surgery in the indicated patients.

Methods and Results: In the real-world prospective study, 1190 patients with multi-vessel disease and decreased left ventricular systolic function but without severe MR, who underwent PCI or CABG, were enrolled and followed-up for 4.7 ± 1.8 years. The primary endpoint was a composite of cardiovascular death and HF hospitalization. Secondary endpoints were the individual components of the primary outcome. Risk of the primary endpoint was higher in the PCI than in the CABG group (HR = 1.38, 95%CI: 1.14–1.67, and P < 0.01), particularly in patients with moderate MR (HR = 1.85, 95%CI: 1.35–2.55, and P < 0.01). In patients with no-mild MR, the risk of the primary endpoint did not differ significantly between PCI and CABG (P = 0.09). Treatment with PCI was associated with an increased risk for cardiovascular death and HF hospitalization in the moderate MR cohort, while PCI was comparable to CABG in the no-mild MR cohort.

Conclusions: In this real-world study, for patients with HF and TVD, CABG was related to lower adverse outcome rates compared to PCI. Assessment of MR can aid in selecting optimal revascularization therapies and in risk stratification.

Interpretation of the Seattle Angina Questionnaire as an Outcome Measure in Clinical Trials and Clinical Care: A Review

Importance

Patient-reported outcomes are increasingly used as end points in clinical trials, assessments in clinical care, and tools for population health, with an increasing role in quality assessment. For patients with coronary artery disease, the Seattle Angina Questionnaire (SAQ) has emerged as the most commonly used measure of disease-specific health status to quantify patients' symptoms of angina and the extent to which their angina affects their functioning and quality of life. This review explains how to interpret the SAQ and describes the construction and face validity of the SAQ, focusing on aligning scores and changes in scores with clinical constructs.

Observations

The SAQ asks questions similar to those an experienced clinician would ask of a patient with stable ischemic heart disease. Therefore, SAQ scores can be aligned with clinical constructs (eg, scores on the SAQ angina frequency scale of 0-30 points indicate daily angina, 31-60 points indicate weekly angina, 61-99 points indicate monthly angina, and 100 points indicate no angina), and changes in scores can be described by aligning them with changes in question responses. After clinical thresholds are defined, it is important for clinical trials to not simply report mean differences between treatment arms but to also report the distributions of patients who have had clinically important benefits so that a number needed to treat can be generated.

Conclusions and Relevance

The widespread use of the SAQ is a consequence of its well-established validity, reproducibility, prognostic importance, and sensitivity to clinical change. Nevertheless, interpreting the SAQ can be challenging because of lack of familiarity with the clinical importance of its domains, either cross-sectionally or longitudinally. This review provides an overview of the interpretability of the SAQ as a foundation for its use as an end point in clinical trials, a tool to support more patient-centered care, and a means of facilitating population health strategies to provide a better foundation for the integration of patient experiences with clinical care.

Quality of life after coronary artery bypass graft & percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty: A follow up study from India

Coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) and percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty (PTCA) are treatments of choice for coronary artery disease. Quality of life (QoL) is an important factor in determining optimum treatment. This study was aimed to compare changes in QoL, six months post procedure, between CABG and PTCA, and to understand the confounding effect of various contributing factors. Thirty stable angina patients each in CABG and PTCA groups, were followed up for six months. QoL was assessed with WHO-QoL-BREF. Depression was rated on the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale. Changes in QoL and depression within and between CABG and PTCA groups were compared. Multinomial logistic regression was used to measure the predictive strength of treatment type (CABG and PTCA) on QoL, controlling for significant confounders. Although scores of QoL and depression significantly changed over time in both the groups, time×group interaction did not reach to a significance. Significant confounding effects of diabetes (P<0.01), hypertension (P<0.05) and diet restriction (P<0.05) were found. Controlling for confounding effects of these factors, group distribution to PTCA, compared to CABG, significantly predicted greater improvements in QoL (P<0.01).

Long-Term Outcomes of Percutaneous Coronary Intervention for Patients With In-Stent Chronic Total Occlusion Versus De Novo Chronic Total Occlusion

Limited data are available on long-term outcomes and health status in the treatment of in-stent coronary chronic total occlusion (IS-CTO) and de novo coronary chronic total occlusion (de novo CTO). This study compared the long-term clinical outcomes and health status of percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) for patients with IS-CTO versus patients with de novo CTO in the drug-eluting stent era. We screened 483 consecutive patients with 1 CTO lesion, including 81 patients with IS-CTO and 402 patients with de novo CTO. Propensity score matching was used to balance baseline characteristics between the 2 groups. The clinical end point was major adverse cardiac events (MACE). The success rates of CTO lesion revascularization were similar in both groups. In the propensity score-matched patients, after a median follow-up of 36 months, MACE was observed in 32.8% of patients with IS-CTO versus 13.5% of the patients with de novo CTO (P < .001), mainly driven by target-vessel revascularization (21.9% vs 6.7%; P < .01). Moreover, patients with IS-CTO had significantly worse Seattle Angina Questionnaire anginal stability scores than the patients with de novo CTO. In conclusion, patients with IS-CTO after PCI had a worse clinical outcome, mainly MACE, and a poorer anginal stability in the long term than patients with de novo CTO.

Long-term survival in patients who had CABG with or without prior coronary artery stenting

Objective

To conduct a large-scale, single-centre retrospective cohort study to understand the impact of prior percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) on long-term survival of patients who then undergo coronary artery bypass graft (CABG).

Methods

Between 1999 and 2017, a total of 11 332 patients underwent CABG at a hospital in the UK. The patients were stratified into those who received PCI (n=1090) or no PCI (n=10 242) prior to CABG. A total of 1058 patients from each group were matched using propensity score matching. Kaplan-Meier estimates were used to assess risk-adjusted survival in patients with prior PCI. Cox proportional hazards (CoxPH) model was then used to assess the effect of prior PCI and other variables in patients undergoing CABG.

Results

The immediate postoperative outcome showed no difference in number of grafts per patients, blood transfusion, hospital stay or 30 days mortality between the groups. There was no significant difference in 5 years (90.8% vs 87.9), 10-year (76.5% vs 74.6%) and 15-year (64.4% vs 64.7%) survival between the non-PCI versus PCI groups. The Cox proportional hazards model further supports the null hypothesis as the PCI variable was found to be non-significant (CoxPH=1.03, p=0.75, CI=0.87–1.22) implying there was no difference in hazard of death for CABG patients with or without previous PCI. However, the model did yield information on the covariates that do affect the hazard of death.

Conclusion

There is no difference in 5-year, 10-year and 15-year survival between patients undergoing CABG with or without prior PCI. However, certain patient, preoperative and intraoperative risk factors were identified with high hazard of death which needs to be investigated further.

Comparison of Percutaneous Coronary Intervention, Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting and Medical Therapy in Non-ST Elevation Acute Coronary Syndrome Patients With 3-Vessel Disease

BACKGROUND

The aim of this study is to compare the long-term prognosis of non-ST elevation acute coronary syndrome (NSTE-ACS) patients with 3-vessel disease (3VD) who underwent percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI), coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) or medical therapy (MT).Methods and Results:Overall, 3,928 NSTE-ACS patients with 3VD were consecutively enrolled from April 2004 to February 2011 at Fu Wai Hospital. Patients were followed up for a median of 7.5 years, and were divided into PCI, CABG or MT groups according to their treatment. Compared with patients undergoing PCI, CABG patients had lower rates of myocardial infarction (MI), unplanned revascularization, major adverse cardiovascular and cerebrovascular events (MACCE) and a higher rate of stroke (all P<0.05). Compared with MT, PCI and CABG had lower incidences of all adverse outcomes (all P<0.05), except for a similar rate of stroke between PCI and MT. Kaplan-Meier analysis showed similar results. After adjusting for confounders, CABG was independently associated with a lower risk of cardiac death, revascularization and MACCE compared with PCI (all P<0.05). Compared with MT, PCI reduced long-term risk of death, whereas CABG reduced long-term risk of death, revascularization and MACCE events (all P<0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

In NSTE-ACS patients with 3VD, CABG is independently associated with a lower risk of long-term cardiac death, revascularization and MACCE compared with PCI. Patients who received MT alone had the highest risk of long-term MACCE.

Quality of Life Changes in Acute Coronary Syndromes Patients: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

There is little up-to-date evidence about changes in quality of life following treatment for acute coronary syndrome (ACS) patients. The main aim of this review was to assess the changes in QoL in ACS patients after treatment. We undertook a systematic review and meta-analysis of quantitative studies. The search included studies that described the change of QoL of ACS patients after receiving treatment options such as percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI), coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) and medical therapy (MT). We synthesized findings using content analysis and pooled the estimates using meta-analysis. We used the PRISMA guidelines to select and appraise the studies and report the findings. Twenty-nine (29) articles were included in the review. We found a significant improvement of QoL in ACS patients after receiving treatment. Particularly, the meta-analytic association found that the mean QoL of patients diagnosed with ACS was higher after receiving treatment compared to baseline (overall pooled mean difference = 31.88; 95% CI = 31.64–52.11, I² = 98) with patients on PCI having slightly lower QoL gains (pooled mean difference = 30.22; 95% CI = 29.9–30.53, I² = 0%) compared to those on CABG (pooled mean difference = 34.01; 95% CI = 33.66–34.37, I² = 0%). The review confirmed that QoL of ACS patients improved after receiving treatment therapies although varied by the treatment options and patients’ preferences. This suggests the need to perform further study on the QoL, patient preferences and physicians’ decision to prescription of treatment options.

The association between self-reported health status and adverse events: a comparison among coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) versus percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI)

PURPOSE

While several studies have investigated clinical outcomes following coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) vs. percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI), studies investigating self-reported health and the association with adverse outcomes are limited. Thus, the aim was to investigate differences in health-related quality of life (HRQoL), anxiety and depression at discharge and the association with a composite endpoint of the first event of acute cardiac readmission, revascularisation or 1-year mortality among patients undergoing CABG vs. PCI.

METHODS

Data from the national cohort study, DenHeart, were used, including measures of HRQoL; EuroQoL-5D-5L (EQ-5D Index Score and VAS) and HeartQoL (Global, Physical and Emotional), anxiety and depression (Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, HADS) and register-based follow-up. A total of 7000 patients were included (CABG n = 652, PCI n = 6348) (median age 65, 75% men). Cox Proportional Hazard models were performed among a propensity-matched population of responders (n = 520).

RESULTS

HRQoL was significantly better among patients undergoing PCI vs. CABG, but with no differences in time to readmission or revascularisation. HRQoL, anxiety and depression were significantly associated with the risk of the composite endpoint among the PCI group (Hazard Ratio, HR (95% confidence intervals, CI) [EQ-5D index score 3.07 (1.67-5.67), EQ-5D VAS 0.97 (0.96-0.99), HeartQol Global 0.61 (0.38-0.95), HeartQol Emotional 0.56 (0.39-0.80), HADS-D ≥ 8 3.12 (1.61-6.01), HADS-A ≥ 8 2.08 (1.14-3.80)].

CONCLUSION

Patients undergoing PCI reported better HRQoL at discharge compared with patients undergoing CABG, whereas readmission rates were similar. Self-reported health was associated with the risk of adverse events among patients undergoing PCI, but not among patients undergoing CABG.

CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION

NCT01926145.

Percutaneous Coronary Intervention Compared with Coronary Artery Bypass Graft Surgery for Patients With 3-vessel Disease: A Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses-compliant Systematic Review and Meta-analysis

OBJECTIVES

Previous investigations showed inconsistent results for comparison in clinical outcomes between patients with 3-vessel disease (3VD) treated with percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) and coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery. A systematic review and meta-analysis is essential to compare the clinical outcomes of PCI with CABG surgery for patients with 3VD.

METHODS

We systematically searched on PubMed and Web of Science for articles which compared PCI with CABG for patients with 3VD and published from January 1989 to January 2020. We computed the hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for individual clinical outcomes.

RESULTS

This study indicated that the PCI group was associated with a 1.51-fold higher risk of all-cause mortality compared with the CABG group in patients with 3VD (HR 1.51, 95% CI 1.38-1.65). In addition, the PCI group showed a 3.08-fold and 2.94-fold higher risk compared with the CABG group in risks of myocardial infarction (MI) and target-vessel revascularization (TVR), respectively (MI: HR 3.08, 95% CI 2.61-3.63; TVR: HR 2.94, 95% CI 1.94-4.46).

CONCLUSIONS

In conclusion, in patients with 3VD, PCI was consistently associated with higher rates of all-cause mortality, MI, and TVR, compared with CABG.

Individualizing Revascularization Strategy for Diabetic Patients With Multivessel Coronary Disease

BACKGROUND

In patients with diabetes and multivessel coronary artery disease (CAD), the FREEDOM (Future Revascularization Evaluation in Patients with Diabetes Mellitus: Optimal Management of Multivessel Disease) trial demonstrated that, on average, coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) was superior to percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) for major acute cardiovascular events (MACE) and angina reduction. Nonetheless, multivessel PCI remains a common revascularization strategy in the real world.

OBJECTIVES

To translate the results of FREEDOM to individual patients in clinical practice, risk models of the heterogeneity of treatment benefit were built.

METHODS

Using patient-level data from 1,900 FREEDOM patients, the authors developed models to predict 5-year MACE (all-cause mortality, nonfatal myocardial infarction, and nonfatal stroke) and 1-year angina after CABG and PCI using baseline covariates and treatment interactions. Parsimonious models were created to support clinical use. The models were internally validated using bootstrap resampling, and the MACE model was externally validated in a large real-world registry.

RESULTS

The 5-year MACE occurred in 346 (18.2%) patients, and 310 (16.3%) had angina at 1 year. The MACE model included 8 variables and treatment interactions with smoking status (c = 0.67). External validation in stable CAD (c = 0.65) and ACS (c = 0.68) demonstrated comparable performance. The 6-variable angina model included a treatment interaction with SYNTAX score (c = 0.67). PCI was never superior to CABG, and CABG was superior to PCI for MACE in 54.5% of patients and in 100% of patients with history of smoking.

CONCLUSIONS

To help disseminate the results of FREEDOM, the authors created a personalized risk prediction tool for patients with diabetes and multivessel CAD that could be used in shared decision-making for CABG versus PCI by estimating each patient's personal outcomes with both treatments.

Clinical Management of Stable Coronary Artery Disease in Patients With Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus: A Scientific Statement From the American Heart Association

Although cardiologists have long treated patients with coronary artery disease (CAD) and concomitant type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), T2DM has traditionally been considered just a comorbidity that affected the development and progression of the disease. Over the past decade, a number of factors have shifted that have forced the cardiology community to reconsider the role of T2DM in CAD. First, in addition to being associated with increased cardiovascular risk, T2DM has the potential to affect a number of treatment choices for CAD. In this document, we discuss the role that T2DM has in the selection of testing for CAD, in medical management (both secondary prevention strategies and treatment of stable angina), and in the selection of revascularization strategy. Second, although glycemic control has been recommended as a part of comprehensive risk factor management in patients with CAD, there is mounting evidence that the mechanism by which glucose is managed can have a substantial impact on cardiovascular outcomes. In this document, we discuss the role of glycemic management (both in intensity of control and choice of medications) in cardiovascular outcomes. It is becoming clear that the cardiologist needs both to consider T2DM in cardiovascular treatment decisions and potentially to help guide the selection of glucose-lowering medications. Our statement provides a comprehensive summary of effective, patient-centered management of CAD in patients with T2DM, with emphasis on the emerging evidence. Given the increasing prevalence of T2DM and the accumulating evidence of the need to consider T2DM in treatment decisions, this knowledge will become ever more important to optimize our patients' cardiovascular outcomes.

Sex Differences in 1-Year Health Status Following Percutaneous Coronary Intervention in Patients Without Acute Myocardial Infarction: Results From the China PEACE Prospective Study

Background

Sex differences in health status outcomes after percutaneous coronary intervention among patients without acute myocardial infarction are not well described.

Methods and Results

A total of 2237 patients (33.4% women) without acute myocardial infarction undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention were enrolled from 39 Chinese tertiary hospitals in the PEACE (China Patient‐centered Evaluative Assessment of Cardiac Events) prospective percutaneous coronary intervention study. Data were collected immediately before and 1 year following percutaneous coronary intervention. Health status was measured using the disease‐specific Seattle Angina Questionnaire (SAQ) Angina Frequency and Quality of Life domains, as well as the SAQ Summary Score. Among the study population, women were older, more often single, had lower levels of education, and had a higher prevalence of cardiac risk factors such as hypertension and diabetes mellitus. Women had lower mean 1‐year SAQ Angina Frequency scores (mean±SD, 91.0±17.3 versus 93.9±13.3; P<0.01), SAQ Quality of Life scores (mean±SD, 67.3±23.0 versus 70.6±21.6; P<0.01), and SAQ Summary Scores (mean±SD, 81.6±13.8 versus 84.8±11.9; P<0.01), a difference of marginal clinical significance that persisted after multivariable adjustment. A slightly larger improvement in the SAQ Summary Score was observed in women as compared with men (20.9±22.6 versus 18.5±21.3; P=0.007) in unadjusted analysis. However, women were less likely to achieve clinically significant improvement in SAQ Angina Frequency (adjusted odds ratio, 0.67; 95% CI, 0.45–1.00) and SAQ Quality of Life (adjusted odds ratio, 0.73; 95% CI, 0.56–0.96) after adjustment.

Conclusions

There were no clinically significant differences in 1‐year health status outcomes and improvement in health status by sex among patients without acute myocardial infarction following percutaneous coronary intervention. However, female sex was associated with poorer 1‐year health status and a lower likelihood of experiencing clinically improvement in health status.

Clinical Trial Registration

URL: https://www.clinicaltrials.gov/. Unique identifier: NCT01624922.

Physiological Assessment of Coronary Lesions in 2020

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

Physiological assessment of coronary artery disease (CAD) is an essential component of the interventional cardiology toolbox. However, despite long-term data demonstrating improved outcomes, physiology-guided percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) remains underutilized in current practice. This review outlines the indications and technical aspects involved in evaluating coronary stenosis physiology, focusing on the latest developments in the field.

RECENT FINDINGS

Beyond fractional flow reserve (FFR), non-hyperemic pressure ratios (NHPR) that assess coronary physiology at rest without hyperemia now abound. Additional advances in other alternative FFR approaches, including non-invasive coronary CT (FFR_CT), invasive angiography (FFR_angio), and optical coherence tomography (FFR_OCT), are being realized. Artificial intelligence algorithms and robust tools that enable detailed pre-procedure "virtual" intervention are also emerging. The benefits of coronary physiological assessment to determine lesion functional significance are well established. In addition to stable CAD, coronary physiology can be especially helpful in clinical scenarios such as left main and multivessel CAD, serial lesions, non-infarct-related arteries in acute coronary syndromes, and residual ischemia post-PCI. Today, coronary physiological assessment remains an indispensable tool in the catheterization laboratory, with an exciting technological future that will further refine clinical practice and improve patient care.