Five-year outcomes of ST-elevation myocardial infarction versus non-ST-elevation acute coronary syndrome treated with biodegradable polymer-coated sirolimus-eluting stents: Insights from the CREATE trial

48-Month Clinical Outcomes and Prognostic Factors in an All-Comers Population with Acute Coronary Syndrome and Chronic Coronary Syndrome Undergoing Percutaneous Coronary Intervention with a Sirolimus-Eluting Stent

We characterized the performance as well as safety of a second-generation thin-strut sirolimus-eluting stent with a biodegradable polymer, Alex Plus (Balton, Poland), deployed in the acute coronary syndrome (ACS) setting. We enrolled patients who were subjected to percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) between July 2015 and March 2016 and took into consideration demographics, clinical and laboratory data, and clinical outcomes. We defined the primary endpoint as the 48-month rate of major cardiovascular adverse events (MACE), including cardiac death, myocardial infarction (MI), or target lesion revascularization (TLR). The secondary endpoints were all-cause death, cardiac death, MI, and TLR rates at 12-, 24-, 36-, and 48 months. We enrolled 232 patients in whom 282 stents were implanted, including 88 ACS and 144 chronic coronary syndrome (CCS) patients. The mean age of the ACS population was 67 ± 13 years old, and 32% of it consisted of females. Patients with ACS were characterized by lower rates of arterial hypertension (85.2% vs. 95.8%, p = 0.004), dyslipidemia (67% vs. 81.9%, p = 0.01), prior MI (34.1% vs. 57.6%, p < 0.001), and prior PCI (35.2% vs. 68.8%, p < 0.001). At 48 months, among the ACS patients, the rates of MACE, death, cardiac death, MI, and TLR were 23.9%, 11.4%, 7.9%, 9.1%, and 10.2%, respectively. No stent thrombosis cases were reported. Multivariable Cox regression revealed that the statistically significant MACE predictors were massive calcifications in coronary arteries (HR 9.0, 95% CI 1.75-46.3, p = 0.009), post-dilatation (HR 3.78, 95% CI 1.28-11.2, p = 0.016), prior CABG (HR 6.64, 95% CI 1.62-27.1, p = 0.008), vitamin K antagonist use (HR 5.99, 95% CI 1.29-27.8, p = 0.022), and rivaroxaban use (HR 51.7, 95% CI 4.48-596, p = 0.002). The study findings show that Alex Plus was effective and safe in a contemporary cohort of real-world ACS patients undergoing primary PCI. The outcomes were comparable between the ACS and chronic coronary syndrome patients, with a trend of lower TLR in ACS patients at 4 years.

Fragmented QRS predicted major adverse cardiovascular events in patients with coronary artery disease and percutaneous coronary intervention, 10-years of follow-up

Aim    Identifying high-risk groups in patient with coronary artery disease (CAD) is critical for predicting future adverse events. fQRS has been shown to be related to major cardiovascular adverse events (MACE) in patients with CAD. However, predictive value of fQRS for more than 5 yrs has not been evaluated. This study examined the predictive value of fQRS in patients with CAD and percutaneous coronary intervention during a 10‑yrs period.Material and methods    Patients with CAD and percutaneous coronary intervention between March 2007 and May 2009 were included the study. An electrocardiogram was recorded following percutaneous coronary intervention and analyzed for the presence of fQRS. The fQRS pattern was defined as an additional spike inside the QRS complexes of at least two consecutive leads. Patients were followed for 10 yrs. A MACE was all-cause mortality or new-onset decompensated heart failure. Patients were divided into two groups according to presence or absence of MACE, and their clinical variables were compared.Results    Of 1261 patients included in the study, MACE developed in 374 (29.6 %). MACE (+) patients were older (p&lt;0.001), more likely to have diabetes mellitus (p=0.003), fQRS (p&lt;0.001), and ST-elevated myocardial infarction (STEMI) (p&lt;0.001). Multivariable Cox regression analysis revealed that age (p&lt;0.001), STEMI (p=0.001), fQRS (p=0.017), and elevated serum creatinine (p=0.001) were independent predictors of MACE.Conclusion    The presence of fQRS predicted MACE during 10 yrs of follow-up of patients with CAD and percutaneous coronary intervention.

Long term safety and efficacy of the Yukon Choice Flex sirolimus-eluting coronary stent-a real-world data from India

In-stent restenosis and stent thrombosis are the major concerns while choosing a coronary stent. This single-centre, retrospective study evaluated the one and three-year clinical outcomes following implantation of Yukon Choice Flex (YCF) sirolimus-eluting stent. A total of 168 consecutive patients with 217 lesions underwent stenting with YCF stent. The presentation was with acute coronary syndrome in 158 (94%) patients. At 3 years, 9 (5.3%) patients died due to cardiac cause. Myocardial infarction, and definite stent thrombosis occurred in 10 (6%) and 4 (2.4%) patients respectively. Redo stenting and coronary artery bypass surgery was performed in 3 (1.8%) and 1 (0.6%) patient respectively. The use of YCF sirolimus eluting stent was associated with a favourable safety and efficacy profile at one and three-years of follow-up in a high-risk population.

Effects of Prolonged Dual Antiplatelet Therapy in ST-Segment Elevation vs. Non-ST-Segment Elevation Myocardial Infarction

BACKGROUND

The benefits and risks of prolonged dual antiplatelet therapy (DAPT) have not been studied extensively across a broad spectrum of acute coronary syndromes. In this study we investigated whether treatment effects of prolonged DAPT were consistent in patients presenting with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) vs. non-STEMI (NSTEMI).Methods and Results:As a post hoc analysis of the SMART-DATE trial, effects of ≥12 vs. 6 months DAPT were compared among 1,023 patients presenting with STEMI and 853 NSTEMI patients. The primary outcome was a composite of recurrent myocardial infarction (MI) or stent thrombosis at 18 months after the index procedure. Compared with the 6-month DAPT group, the rate of the composite endpoint was significantly lower in the ≥12-month DAPT group (1.2% vs. 3.8%; hazard ratio [HR] 0.31, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.12-0.77; P=0.012). The treatment effect of ≥12- vs. 6-month DAPT on the composite endpoint was consistent among NSTEMI patients (0.2% vs. 1.2%, respectively; HR 0.20, 95% CI 0.02-1.70; P=0.140; P_interaction=0.718). In addition, ≥12-month DAPT increased Bleeding Academic Research Consortium (BARC) Type 2-5 bleeding among both STEMI (4.4% vs. 2.0%; HR 2.18, 95% CI 1.03-4.60; P=0.041) and NSTEMI (5.1% vs. 2.2%; HR 2.37, 95% CI 1.08-5.17; P=0.031; P_interaction=0.885) patients.

CONCLUSIONS

Compared with 6-month DAPT, ≥12-month DAPT reduced recurrent MI or stent thrombosis regardless of the type of MI at presentation.

Liver parameters as part of a non-invasive model for prediction of all-cause mortality after myocardial infarction

INTRODUCTION

Liver parameters are associated with cardiovascular disease risk and severity of stenosis. It is unclear whether liver parameters could predict the long-term outcome of patients after acute myocardial infarction (AMI). We performed an unbiased analysis of the predictive value of serum parameters for long-term prognosis after AMI.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

In a retrospective, observational, single-center, cohort study, 569 patients after AMI were enrolled and followed up until 6 years for major adverse cardiovascular events, including cardiac death. Patients were classified into non-survivors (n = 156) and survivors (n = 413). Demographic and laboratory data were analyzed using ensemble feature selection (EFS) and logistic regression. Correlations were performed for serum parameters.

RESULTS

Age (73; 64; p < 0.01), alanine aminotransferase (ALT; 93 U/l; 40 U/l; p < 0.01), aspartate aminotransferase (AST; 162 U/l; 66 U/l; p < 0.01), C-reactive protein (CRP; 4.7 U/l; 1.6 U/l; p < 0.01), creatinine (1.6; 1.3; p < 0.01), γ-glutamyltransferase (GGT; 71 U/l; 46 U/l; p < 0.01), urea (29.5; 20.5; p < 0.01), estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR; 49.6; 61.4; p < 0.01), troponin (13.3; 7.6; p < 0.01), myoglobin (639; 302; p < 0.01), and cardiovascular risk factors (hypercholesterolemia p < 0.02, family history p < 0.01, and smoking p < 0.01) differed significantly between non-survivors and survivors. Age, AST, CRP, eGFR, myoglobin, sodium, urea, creatinine, and troponin correlated significantly with death (r = -0.29; 0.14; 0.31; -0.27; 0.20; -0.13; 0.33; 0.24; 0.12). A prediction model was built including age, CRP, eGFR, myoglobin, and urea, achieving an AUROC of 77.6% to predict long-term survival after AMI.

CONCLUSIONS

Non-invasive parameters, including liver and renal markers, can predict long-term outcome of patients after AMI.

In-hospital mortality analysis of Japanese patients with acute coronary syndrome using the Tokyo CCU Network database: Applicability of the GRACE risk score

BACKGROUND

The GRACE risk score was developed to predict in-hospital mortality for acute coronary syndrome (ACS) using multinational registries, but did not include Japanese data. Therefore, GRACE risk scores are not extensively used in Japan. The present study aimed to evaluate the relationship between the GRACE risk score and in-hospital mortality among Japanese patients with ACS using the Tokyo CCU (cardiovascular care unit) Network Database.

METHODS AND RESULTS

A total of 9460 patients with ACS hospitalized at 67 Tokyo CCUs between January 2011 and December 2013 were retrospectively reviewed and GRACE risk scores were calculated. Patients in the Tokyo CCU Network database had more severe conditions compared to those of the original GRACE study. There was a strong correlation between the GRACE risk score and in-hospital mortality for patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) or non ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (NSTEMI) (r=0.99, p<0.001); however, the correlation was not significant for patients with unstable angina (r=0.35, p=0.126). For STEMI+NSTEMI patients, the discrimination ability of the GRACE risk score was excellent, with a c statistic of 0.87 (95% confidence interval, 0.86-0.89).

CONCLUSIONS

The GRACE risk score is a good predictor of in-hospital mortality for Japanese patients with STEMI or NSTEMI, and can help clinicians stratify patients by risk for optimal patient triage and early treatment management.

Two-year vascular responses to drug-eluting stents with biodegradable polymer versus durable polymer: An optical coherence tomography sub-study of the NEXT

BACKGROUND

This study aimed to compare very late vascular response after stent implantation between everolimus-eluting stent (EES) with a thin, non-adhesive, durable, biocompatible fluorinated polymer and biolimus-eluting stent (BES) with a biodegradable polymer by optical coherence tomography (OCT).

METHODS AND RESULTS

In the NOBORI-BES Versus XIENCE V/PROMUS-EES Trial (NEXT), a formal OCT substudy investigated 48 patients (27 EES-treated lesions in 23 patients and 28 BES-treated lesions in 25 patients) with 2-year (18-30 months) follow-up imaging at 18 centers. The percentage of uncovered strut by neointima was significantly lower in EES compared with BES (2.1±4.7% vs. 7.9±10.8%, p=0.013). The percentage of malapposed strut was not different between EES and BES (0.1±0.3% vs. 0.5±1.3%, p=0.138). The frequency of stent with evagination, which is identified as outward bulges in the luminal contour between struts, was significantly lower in EES compared with BES (22% vs. 86%, p<0.001). The frequency of neoatherosclerosis was not different between EES and BES (11% vs. 11%, p=1.000).

CONCLUSIONS

At 2 years after stent implantation, uncovered stent strut by neointima and evagination were less frequently observed in EES compared with BES. This OCT study suggests that the very late vascular response is different between EES and BES.