Accuracy of the PARIS score and PCI complexity to predict ischemic events in patients treated with very thin stents in unprotected left main or coronary bifurcations

Temporal Trends in Complex Percutaneous Coronary Interventions

Background

Accumulated experience combined with technological advancements in percutaneous coronary interventions (PCI) over the past four decades, has led to a gradual increase in PCI utilization and complexity. We aimed to investigate the temporal trends in PCI complexity and the outcomes of complex PCI (C-PCI) in our institution.

Methods

We analyzed 20,301 consecutive PCI procedures performed over a 12-year period. C-PCI was defined as a procedure involving at least one of the following: Chronic total occlusion (CTO), left main (LM), bifurcation or saphenous vein graft (SVG) PCI. Four periods of 3-year time intervals were defined (2008–10, 2011–2013, 2014–2016, 2017–2019), and temporal trends in the rate and outcomes of C-PCI within these intervals were studied. Endpoints included mortality and major adverse cardiac events [MACE: death, acute myocardial infarction (MI), and target vessel revascularization (TVR)] at 1 year.

Results

A total of 5,647 (27.8%) C-PCI procedures were performed. The rate of C-PCI has risen significantly since 2,017 (31.2%, p < 0.01), driven mainly by bifurcation and LM interventions (p < 0.01). At 1-year, rates of death, acute MI, TVR and MACE, were all significantly higher in the C-PCI group (8.8 vs. 5.1%, 5.6 vs. 4.5%, 5.5 vs. 4.0%, 17.2 vs. 12.2%, p < 0.001 for all, respectively), as compared to the non-complex group. C-PCI preformed in the latter half of the study period (2014–2019) were associated with improved 1-year TVR (4.4% and 4.8% vs. 6.7% and 7.1%, p = 0.01, respectively) and MACE (13.8% and 13.5% vs. 17.3% and 18.2%, p = 0.001, respectively) rates compared to the earlier period (2007–2013). Death rate had not significantly declined with time.

Conclusion

In the current cohort, we have detected a temporal increase in PCI complexity coupled with improved 1-year clinical outcomes in C-PCI.

Prediction of All-Cause Mortality Following Percutaneous Coronary Intervention in Bifurcation Lesions Using Machine Learning Algorithms

Stratifying prognosis following coronary bifurcation percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) is an unmet clinical need that may be fulfilled through the adoption of machine learning (ML) algorithms to refine outcome predictions. We sought to develop an ML-based risk stratification model built on clinical, anatomical, and procedural features to predict all-cause mortality following contemporary bifurcation PCI. Multiple ML models to predict all-cause mortality were tested on a cohort of 2393 patients (training, n = 1795; internal validation, n = 598) undergoing bifurcation PCI with contemporary stents from the real-world RAIN registry. Twenty-five commonly available patient-/lesion-related features were selected to train ML models. The best model was validated in an external cohort of 1701 patients undergoing bifurcation PCI from the DUTCH PEERS and BIO-RESORT trial cohorts. At ROC curves, the AUC for the prediction of 2-year mortality was 0.79 (0.74–0.83) in the overall population, 0.74 (0.62–0.85) at internal validation and 0.71 (0.62–0.79) at external validation. Performance at risk ranking analysis, k-center cross-validation, and continual learning confirmed the generalizability of the models, also available as an online interface. The RAIN-ML prediction model represents the first tool combining clinical, anatomical, and procedural features to predict all-cause mortality among patients undergoing contemporary bifurcation PCI with reliable performance.

Impact of Left Ventricular Ejection Fraction on Procedural and Long-Term Outcomes of Bifurcation Percutaneous Coronary Intervention

The association of left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) with procedural and long-term outcomes after state-of-the-art percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) of bifurcation lesions remains unsettled. A total of 5,333 patients who underwent contemporary coronary bifurcation PCI were included in the intercontinental retrospective combined insights from the unified RAIN (veRy thin stents for patients with left mAIn or bifurcatioN in real life) and COBIS (COronary BIfurcation Stenting) III bifurcation registries. Of 5,003 patients (93.8%) with known baseline LVEF, 244 (4.9%) had LVEF <40% (bifurcation with reduced ejection fraction [BIFrEF] group), 430 (8.6%) had LVEF 40% to 49% (bifurcation with mildly reduced ejection fraction [BIFmEF] group) and 4,329 (86.5%) had ejection fraction (EF) ≥50% (bifurcation with preserved ejection fraction [BIFpEF] group). The primary end point was the Kaplan-Meier estimate of major adverse cardiac events (MACEs) (a composite of all-cause death, myocardial infarction, and target vessel revascularization). Patients with BIFrEF had a more complex clinical profile and coronary anatomy. No difference in procedural (30 days) MACE was observed across EF categories, also after adjustment for in-study outcome predictors (BIFrEF vs BIFmEF: adjusted hazard ratio [adj-HR] 1.39, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.37 to 5.21, p = 0.626; BIFrEF vs BIFpEF: adj-HR 1.11, 95% CI 0.25 to 2.87, p = 0.883; BIFmEF vs BIFpEF: adj-HR 0.81, 95% CI 0.29 to 2.27, p = 0.683). BIFrEF was independently associated with long-term MACE (median follow-up 21 months, interquartile range 10 to 21 months) than both BIFmEF (adj-HR 2.20, 95% CI 1.41 to 3.41, p <0.001) and BIFpEF (adj-HR 1.91, 95% CI 1.41 to 2.60, p <0.001) groups, although no difference was observed between BIFmEF and BIFpEF groups (adj-HR 0.87, 95% CI 0.61 to 1.24, p = 0.449). In conclusion, in patients who underwent PCI of a coronary bifurcation lesion according to contemporary clinical practice, reduced LVEF (<40%), although a strong predictor of long-term MACEs, does not affect procedural outcomes.

Prognostic and Practical Validation of ESC/EACTS High Ischemic Risk Definition on Long-Term Thrombotic and Bleeding Events in Contemporary PCI Patients

AIMS

The ESC/EACTS myocardial revascularization guidelines recently standardized the definition of patients at high ischemic risk (HIR). However, the ability of ESC/EACTS-HIR criteria to stratify ischemic and bleeding risk in a contemporary real-world East Asian cohort remains unexplored.

METHODS

A total of 10,167 consecutive patients undergoing PCI from prospective Fuwai PCI Registry (January 2013 to December 2013) were reviewed. ESC/EACTS-HIR features was defined as having at least one of the eight clinical and angiographic characteristics. The primary ischemic endpoint was target vessel failure (cardiac death, target vessel myocardial infarction [MI], or target vessel revascularization [TVR]); bleeding outcome was assessed using the BARC type 2, 3, or 5 bleeding. Median follow-up was 29 months.

RESULTS

Compared with non-HIR patients, HIR patients (n=5,149, 50.6%) were associated with increased risk for target vessel failure (adjusted hazard ratio [HRadjust]: 1.48 [1.25-1.74]) and patient-oriented composite outcome (HRadjust: 1.44 [1.28-1.63]), as well as cardiac death, MI, and TVR. By contrast, the risk of clinically relevant bleeding was not significantly different between the two groups. (HRadjust: 0.84 [0.66-1.06]). Greater than or equal to three implanted stents and diabetic patients with diffuse multivessel coronary disease emerged as independent predictors for long-term adverse outcomes. There was no significant interaction between high bleeding risk (HBR) status and clinical outcomes associated with ESC/EACTS-HIR criteria (all Pinteraction ＞0.05).

CONCLUSION

The ESC/EACTS-HIR features identified patients at increased risk of thrombotic events, including cardiac death, but not for clinically relevant bleeding. Importantly, HBR did not modify cardiovascular risk subsequent to patients with ESC/EACTS-HIR features, suggesting its potential clinical applicability in tailoring antithrombotic therapy.