The impact of renal insufficiency on clinical outcomes in patients undergoing percutaneous coronary interventions

Clopidogrel Versus Aspirin as Chronic Maintenance Antiplatelet Monotherapy in Patients After Percutaneous Coronary Intervention With Chronic Kidney Disease: A Post Hoc Analysis of the HOST-EXAM Trial

BACKGROUND

Clopidogrel monotherapy improved clinical outcomes compared with aspirin monotherapy during a chronic maintenance period in patients who underwent coronary stenting in the HOST-EXAM (Harmonizing Optimal Strategy for Treatment of Coronary Artery Stenosis-Extended Antiplatelet Monotherapy) trial. However, it is uncertain whether the beneficial effect of clopidogrel over aspirin is different according to the renal function.

METHODS AND RESULTS

We conducted a post hoc analysis of the HOST-EXAM trial. Chronic kidney disease (CKD) was defined as baseline estimated glomerular filtration rate <60 mL/min per 1.73 m2. The primary end point was a composite of all-cause death, nonfatal myocardial infarction, stroke, readmission due to acute coronary syndrome, and Bleeding Academic Research Consortium bleeding type ≥3, during the 2-year follow up. Among the 5438 patients enrolled in the HOST-EXAM trial, 4844 patients (mean age, 63.3±10.6 years; 74.9% men) with a baseline creatinine value were analyzed in this study. A total of 508 (10.5%) patients had CKD, who were at higher risk of the primary end point compared with those without CKD (hazard ratio [HR], 2.01 [95% CI, 1.51-2.67]). Clopidogrel monotherapy was associated with a lower rate of the primary end point in both patients with CKD (HR, 0.74 [95% CI, 0.44-1.25]) and patients without CKD (HR, 0.71 [95% CI, 0.56-0.91]). No significant interaction was observed between the treatment effect and CKD status (P for interaction=0.889).

CONCLUSIONS

During the chronic maintenance period after coronary stenting, the risk of thrombotic and bleeding events was significantly higher in patients with CKD compared with those without CKD. There was no statistical difference in the treatment effect of clopidogrel monotherapy in those with versus without CKD.

Bioderived Nanoparticles for Cardiac Repair

Biobased therapy represents a promising strategy for myocardial repair. However, the limitations of using live cells, including the risk of immunogenicity of allogeneic cells and inconsistent therapeutic efficacy of autologous cells together with low stability, result in an unsatisfactory clinical outcomes. Therefore, cell-free strategies for cardiac tissue repair have been proposed as alternative strategies. Cell-free strategies, primarily based on the paracrine effects of cellular therapy, have demonstrated their potential to inhibit apoptosis, reduce inflammation, and promote on-site cell migration and proliferation, as well as angiogenesis, after an infarction and have been explored preclinically and clinically. Among various cell-free modalities, bioderived nanoparticles, including adeno-associated virus (AAV), extracellular vesicles, cell membrane-coated nanoparticles, and exosome-mimetic nanovesicles, have emerged as promising strategies due to their improved biological function and therapeutic effect. The main focus of this review is the development of existing cellular nanoparticles and their fundamental working mechanisms, as well as the challenges and opportunities. The key processes and requirements for cardiac tissue repair are summarized first. Various cellular nanoparticle modalities are further highlighted, together with their advantages and limitations. Finally, we discuss various delivery approaches that offer potential pathways for researchers and clinicians to translate cell-free strategies for cardiac tissue repair into clinical practice.

Comparison of Angiographic Success and Clinical Outcomes Based on Different Percutaneous Coronary Intervention Techniques

Introduction Primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) is the standard treatment for patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI). Various PCI techniques exist, including balloon angioplasty, bare-metal stents (BMS), drug-eluting stents (DES), thrombus aspiration, direct stenting, rotational atherectomy (Rotablation), and cutting balloon angioplasty. Specific approaches for patients with STEMI and multivessel coronary artery disease may involve: 1) culprit vessel-only (CVO) primary PCI, 2) primary PCI followed by multivessel intervention of additional noninfarct lesions at the same procedure, or 3) CVO primary PCI followed by staged PCI of noninfarct lesions later during the index hospitalization or after discharge. However, their impact on angiographic success and clinical outcomes remains unclear. Methodology A retrospective study (n=90) evaluated the effectiveness of various PCI techniques during primary PCI. Data included demographics, clinical profiles, PCI strategies, and outcomes. Techniques such as thrombus aspiration, direct stenting, balloon angioplasty, and DES deployment were assessed. Descriptive statistics and chi-square tests were employed, with logistic regression for adjustment. Results The comparison of angiographic success and clinical outcomes based on different PCI strategies during primary PCI (n=90) revealed distinct differences. Successful procedures were associated with lower mean values for age (56.00 vs. 60.20), hypertension (165.50 vs. 170.30), weight (74.00 vs. 77.50), BMI, 26.80 vs. 28.70, KILLIP class (1.30 vs. 1.50), ejection fraction (45.80 vs. 47.90), creatinine (0.95 vs. 1.00), creatinine clearance (83.50 vs. 86.70), pulse rate (84.00 vs. 87.50), oxygen saturation (95.80 vs. 94.50), and blood sugar (170.00 vs. 182.00). Risk factors like hypertension (mean = 1.40 vs. 1.60), diabetes (mean = 1.60 vs. 1.70), and hyperlipidemia (mean = 1.85 vs. 1.95) also showed differences between successful and failed procedures. Significant variations were observed across PCI strategies for outcomes including angina within 30 days (Chi square = 18.75, p < 0.001), cerebrovascular accident (CVA, Chi square = 15.42, p = 0.001), acute left ventricular failure (LVF, Chi square = 12.67, p = 0.005), and cardiogenic shock (Chi square = 8.93, p = 0.029). Conclusion Patient demographics and clinical profiles influence PCI success. Techniques such as thrombus aspiration, direct stenting, balloon angioplasty, and DES have varied impacts on clinical outcomes. While conventional balloon angioplasty remains a viable option, newer techniques such as DES and mechanical thrombectomy demonstrate superior angiographic success rates and improved clinical outcomes, particularly in complex lesion subsets. However, the selection of PCI technique should be guided by careful consideration of patient-specific factors, lesion characteristics, and procedural feasibility.

Impact of Chronic Kidney Disease on the Coronary Revascularization Guided by Intracoronary Physiology: Results of the First Registry with Long-Term Follow-Up in a Latin American Population

The use of invasive physiology methods in patients with renal dysfunction is not well elucidated. Our objective was to evaluate the in-hospital and long-term results of using intracoronary physiology to guide revascularization in patients with chronic kidney disease. In this retrospective study, we evaluated 151 patients from January 2018 to January 2022, divided into 2 groups: CKD (81 patients [114 lesions]) and non-CKD (70 patients [117 lesions]). The mean age was higher (p < 0.001), body mass index was lower (p = 0.007), contrast volume used was lower (p = 0.02) and the number of ischemic lesions/patients was higher (p = 0.005) in the CKD group. The primary outcomes (rate of major adverse cardiac events during follow-up, defined as death, infarction, and need for new revascularization) in the CKD and non-CKD groups were 22.07% and 14.92%, respectively (p = 0.363). There was a significant difference in the target lesion revascularization (TLR) rate (11.68%, CKD group vs. 1.49%, non-CKD group, p = 0.02), this initial statistical difference was not significant after adjusting for variables in the logistic regression model. There was no difference between the rates of death from all causes (6.49%, CKD group vs. 1.49%, non-CKD group, p = 0.15), reinfarction (3.89%, CKD group vs. 1.49%, non-CKD group, p = 0.394), and need for new revascularization (11.68%, CKD group vs. 5.97%, non-CKD group, p = 0.297). As there was no difference in the endpoints between groups with long-term follow-up, this study demonstrated the safety of using intracoronary physiology to guide revascularization in patients with CKD.

Real-World Clinical Performance of a Novolimus-Eluting Stent Versus a Sirolimus-Eluting Stent

INTRODUCTION

The DESyne novolimus-eluting coronary stent (NES) is a new-generation drug-eluting stent (DES) that is widely used, but clinical data are rarely reported for this stent. We compared the safety and effectiveness of the DESyne NES and the Orsiro bioresorbable polymer sirolimus-eluting stent (SES) in patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI).

METHODS

This was a retrospective, single-center, observational study. Between July 2017 and December 2022, patients who presented with chronic or acute coronary syndrome undergoing PCI with DESyne NES or Orsiro SES were consecutively enrolled in the present study. The primary endpoint, major adverse cardiovascular event (MACE), was a composite of cardiovascular death, target-vessel myocardial infarction, or clinically driven target-lesion revascularization.

RESULTS

A total of 776 patients (age 68.8 ± 12.2; 75.9% male) undergoing PCI were included. Overall, 231 patients with 313 lesions received NES and 545 patients with 846 lesions received SES. During a follow-up duration of 784 ± 522 days, the primary endpoint occurred in 10 patients (4.3%) in the NES group and in 36 patients (6.6%) in the SES group. After multivariate adjustment, the risk of MACE did not significantly differ between groups (NES vs. SES, hazard ratio 0.74, 95% CI, 0.35-1.55, p = 0.425). The event rate of individual components of the primary endpoint was comparable between the two groups.

CONCLUSIONS

Favorable and similar clinical outcomes were observed in patients undergoing PCI with either NES or SES in a medium-term follow-up duration. Future studies with adequately powered clinical endpoints are required for further evaluation.

Clinical features, future cardiac events, and prognostic factors following percutaneous coronary intervention in young female patients

BACKGROUND

The proportion of young females among the patients who undergo percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) is relatively small, and information on their clinical characteristics is limited. This study investigated the clinical characteristics and prognostic factors for future cardiac events in young females who underwent PCI.

METHODS

This multicenter observational study included 187 consecutive female patients aged < 60 years who underwent PCI in seven hospitals. The primary composite endpoint was the incidence of cardiac death, nonfatal myocardial infarction, and target vessel revascularization.

RESULTS

The mean patient age was 52.1 ± 6.1 years and 89 (47.6%) had diabetes, and renal dysfunction (an estimated glomerular filtration rate < 60 mL/min/1.73 m2) was observed in 38 (20.3%). During a median follow-up of 3.3 years, the primary endpoint occurred in 28 patients. The Cox proportional hazards models showed that renal dysfunction was an independent predictor for the primary endpoint (hazard ratio 3.04, 95% confidence interval 1.25-7.40, p = 0.01), as well as multivessel disease (hazard ratio 2.79, 95% confidence interval 1.12-6.93, p = 0.03). Patients with renal dysfunction had a significantly higher risk for the primary endpoint than those without renal dysfunction.

CONCLUSIONS

Renal dysfunction was strongly associated with future cardiac events in young females who underwent PCI.

Residual Coronary Risk Factors Associated With Long-Term Clinical Outcomes in Patients With Coronary Artery Disease Treated With High- vs. Low-Dose Statin Therapy - REAL-CAD Substudy

BACKGROUND

It remains unclear which comorbidities, other than lipid parameters, or combination of comorbidities, best predicts cardiovascular events in patients with known coronary artery disease (CAD) treated with statins. Therefore, we aimed to identify the nonlipid-related prognostic factors and risk stratification of patients with stable CAD enrolled in the REAL-CAD study.

METHODS AND RESULTS

Blood pressure, glucose level, and renal function were considered as risk factors in the 11,141 enrolled patients. The primary endpoint was a composite of cardiovascular death, nonfatal myocardial infarction, nonfatal ischemic stroke, and unstable angina. The secondary composite endpoint was the primary endpoint and/or coronary revascularization. A significantly worse prognosis at the primary endpoint was observed in the estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) ≤60 group, and the combination of eGFR ≤60 and HbA1c ≥6.0 was the worst (hazard ratio (HR) 1.66; P<0.001). However, even in the eGFR >60 group, systolic blood pressure (SBP) ≥140 mmHg met the secondary endpoint (HR 1.33; P=0.006), and the combination of eGFR ≤60 and HbA1c ≥6.0 was also the worst at the secondary endpoint (HR 1.35; P=0.002).

CONCLUSIONS

Regarding nonlipid prognostic factors contributing to the incidence of cardiovascular events in statin-treated CAD patients, renal dysfunction was the most significant, followed by poor glucose control and high SBP.

Single-Centre Registry Analysis of Patients Who Underwent Percutaneous Coronary Intervention on Their Coronary Bypass Grafts

Background

The study assessed the outcomes of patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) to bypass grafts, focusing on all-cause mortality and target vessel failure (TVF) rates.

Methods

A single-centre registry analysis included 364 patients who underwent PCI on coronary bypass grafts between 2008 and 2019. The study analyzed all-cause mortality and TVF, which encompassed target lesion revascularization, target vessel revascularization, and medically treated occluded target graft post-PCI.

Results

The median age of the patients was 71 years (interquartile range: [IQR] 65-78), with 82.1% being male. Most patients (94.8%) received PCI on saphenous vein grafts, and the median graft age was 13.0 years (IQR: 8.4-17.6). Drug-eluting stents were used more frequently (54.4%) than bare-metal stents (45.6%), with a median stent diameter of 3.5 mm (IQR: 3-4) and length of 19 mm (IQR: 18-28). Outcome differences were not significant for PCI sites (aorto-ostial, graft body, anastomosis), use of drug-eluting stents, or use of protection devices. The 1-year mortality rate was 3.3%, whereas the combined rate of TVF or death was 20.3%. After 5 years, the mortality rate increased to 14.9%, and the combined TVF or death rate rose to 40.3%. Multivariable analyses revealed that chronic kidney disease was independently associated with mortality (hazard ratio [HR] 1.74, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.16-2.61, P = 0.007), whereas hypertension (HR 2.42, 95% CI 1.32-4.42, P = 0.004) and increased stent length (HR 1.01, 95% CI 1.00-1.02, P = 0.007) were independently associated with the TVF-or-mortality outcome.

Conclusions

Patients undergoing PCI to bypass grafts experience considerable adverse outcomes over a 5-year period, highlighting the need for further strategies in managing this high-risk population.

Interpretable machine learning models for predicting in-hospital and 30 days adverse events in acute coronary syndrome patients in Kuwait

The relationships between acute coronary syndromes (ACS) adverse events and the associated risk factors are typically complicated and nonlinear, which poses significant challenges to clinicians' attempts at risk stratification. Here, we aim to explore the implementation of modern risk stratification tools to untangle how these complex factors shape the risk of adverse events in patients with ACS. We used an interpretable multi-algorithm machine learning (ML) approach and clinical features to fit predictive models to 1,976 patients with ACS in Kuwait. We demonstrated that random forest (RF) and extreme gradient boosting (XGB) algorithms, remarkably outperform traditional logistic regression model (AUCs = 0.84 & 0.79 for RF and XGB, respectively). Our in-hospital adverse events model identified left ventricular ejection fraction as the most important predictor with the highest interaction strength with other factors. However, using the 30-days adverse events model, we found that performing an urgent coronary artery bypass graft was the most important predictor, with creatinine levels having the strongest overall interaction with other related factors. Our ML models not only untangled the non-linear relationships that shape the clinical epidemiology of ACS adverse events but also elucidated their risk in individual patients based on their unique features.

Updates on New Therapies for Patients with CKD

Individuals diagnosed with chronic kidney disease (CKD) continue to increase globally. This group of patients experience a disproportionately higher risk of cardiovascular (CV) events compared to the general population. Despite multiple guidelines-based medical management, patients with CKD continue to experience residual cardiorenal risk. Several potential mechanisms explain this excessive CV risk observed in individuals with CKD. Several new drugs have become available that could potentially transform CKD care, given their efficacy in this patient population. Nevertheless, use of these drugs presents certain benefits and challenges that are often underrecognized by prescribing these drugs. In this review, we aim to provide a brief discussion about CKD pathophysiology, limiting our discussion to recent published studies. We also explore benefits and limitations of newer drugs, including angiotensin receptor/neprilysin inhibitors (ARNI), sodium glucose transporter 2 inhibitors (SGLT2i), glucagon-like peptides-1 (GLP-1) agonists and finerenone in patients with CKD. Despite several articles covering this topic, our review provides an algorithm where subgroups of patients with CKD might benefit the most from such drugs based on the selection criteria of the landmark trials. Patients with CKD who have nephrotic range proteinuria beyond 5000 mg/g, or those with poorly controlled blood pressure (systolic ≥160 mm Hg or diastolic ≥100 mm Hg) remain understudied.

Association between Non-Lipid Residual Risk Factors and Cardiovascular Events in Patients with Stable Coronary Artery Disease Treated with Pitavastatin: An Observation from the REAL-CAD Study

AIMS

We aimed to investigate the association between non-lipid residual risk factors and cardiovascular events in patients with stable coronary artery disease (CAD) who achieved low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) ＜100 mg/dL from the Randomized Evaluation of Aggressive or Moderate Lipid Lowering Therapy with Pitavastatin in Coronary Artery Disease (REAL-CAD) study.

METHODS

The REAL-CAD study was a prospective, multicenter, open-label trial. As a sub-study, we examined the prognostic impact of non-lipid residual risk factors, including blood pressure, glucose level, and renal function, in patients who achieved LDL-C ＜100 mg/dL at 6 months after pitavastatin therapy. Each risk factor was classified according to severity. The primary outcome was a composite of cardiovascular death, nonfatal myocardial infarction, nonfatal ischemic stroke, and unstable angina requiring emergency hospitalization.

RESULTS

Among 8,743 patients, the mean age was 68±8.2 years, and the mean LDL-C level was 84.4±18 mg/dL. After adjusting for the effects of confounders, an estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) ≤ 60 mL/min/1.73 m2 showed the highest risk of the primary outcome (hazard ratio [HR] 1.92; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.45-2.53). The combination of eGFR ≤ 60 and hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) ≥ 6.0% also showed the highest risk of all-cause death (HR, 2.42; 95% CI, 1.72-3.41).

CONCLUSIONS

In patients with stable CAD treated with pitavastatin and who achieved guidelines-directed levels of LDL-C, eGFR and HbA1c were independently associated with adverse events, suggesting that renal function and glycemic control could be residual non-lipid therapeutic targets after statin therapy.

Comparative treatment outcomes of a single long stent vs. overlapped short stents in acute myocardial infarction

Objectives

There is no consensus regarding the optimal choice between single long stent (SLS) and overlapped double short stents (DSS) in patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI). Therefore, we aimed to compare treatment outcomes among patients with AMI treated with these two different stenting methods.

Methods

In total, 537 patients with AMI from a single tertiary center were categorized into two groups: (1) those who received an SLS (stent length ≥38 mm) (n = 254; 47.3%) and (2) those who received overlapped DSS (individual stent lengths <38 mm) (n = 283; 52.7%). The primary outcome was the incidence of major adverse cardiac and cerebrovascular events (MACCEs) within 1 year.

Results

The mean age of participants was 65.4 years, and 75.0% were male. Patients receiving an SLS had a higher rate of serum creatinine level ≥1.5 mg/dl (16.3% vs. 8.9%, p = 0.009) but a lower rate of hypertension (46.8% vs. 55.8%, p = 0.038), lesser total stent length (38.26 ± 1.31 vs. 45.20 ± 9.25 mm, p < 0.001), total procedure time (41.40 ± 15.74 vs. 53.31 ± 21.75 min, p < 0.001) and total contrast volume (134.13 ± 30.72 vs. 160.57 ± 39.77 ml, p < 0.001) than in those receiving DSS. One-year MACCEs were comparable between the two groups before [hazard ratio (HR), 1.33; 95% confidence interval (CI), 0.80-2.24] and after adjusting for covariates (HR, 1.21; 95% CI, 0.67-2.19).

Conclusions

Stenting with an SLS demonstrated similar outcomes compared to those achieved when using stenting with overlapped DSS in patients with AMI. Therefore, if the deliverability is acceptable, stenting with an SLS appears to be a safe and effective strategy for AMI treatment.

Effect of renal function under left ventricular assist device support on the cardiac function and clinical events after heart transplantation

AIM

We investigated the effects of pre-transplantation renal dysfunction under left ventricular assisted device (LVAD) support on post-transplantation cardiac function, and patient prognosis after heart transplantation (HTx).

METHOD

All patients who were bridged by LVAD and underwent HTx at our hospital between 2007 and 2022 were included in this study. Patients were classified into two groups based on estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) before HTx: renal dysfunction (RD) group (eGFR < 60 mL/min/1.73 m2 ) and non-renal dysfunction (NRD) group.

RESULT

A total of 132 patients were analyzed, of whom 48 were classified into the RD group and 84 into the NRD group (RD group, 47.9 ± 10.1 years; NRD group, 38.4 ± 11.9 years, p < .0001). Under LVAD support before HTx, the RD group tended to have a history of right ventricular failure (RD group, nine (19%); NRD group, seven (8%); p = .098). After HTx, the echocardiographic parameters did not differ between the two groups in the long term. Furthermore, more concise hemodynamic parameters, exemplified by right heart catheterization, were not significantly different between the two groups. Regarding graft rejection, no significant differences were found in acute cellular rejection and cardiac allograft vasculopathy following HTx. In contrast, patients with RD before HTx had significantly increased mortality in the chronic phase after HTx and initiation of maintenance dialysis, without any overt changes in cardiac function.

CONCLUSION

Pre-transplantation renal dysfunction under LVAD support significantly affected clinical course after HTx without any overt changes in graft cardiac function.

In-hospital outcomes of PCI in patients who have ESRD vs non-ESRD patients, a retrospective study involving a National Inpatient Sample (NIS) database

BACKGROUND

Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death for patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD). ESRD is known to affect a large portion of the American population. Previous data for patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) in the setting of ESRD for Acute Coronary Syndrome (ACS) and non-ACS etiologies have shown to have an increase in in-hospital mortality, and prolonged hospitalization among other complications.

METHODS

The national inpatient sample (NIS) was used to identify patients who underwent PCI between the years 2016-2019. Patients were then grouped into those with ESRD on renal replacement therapy (RRT). Logistic regression models were employed to assess the primary outcome of in-hospital mortality, while linear regression models were utilized to evaluate secondary outcomes, including hospitalization cost and length of stay.

RESULTS

A total of 21,366 unweighted observations were initially included, consisting of 50 % ESRD patients and 50 % randomly selected patients without ESRD who underwent PCI. These observations were weighted to represent a national estimate of 106,830 patients. The mean age of the study population was 65 years, and 63 % of the patients were male. The ESRD group had a greater representation of minority groups compared to the control group. The in-hospital mortality rate was significantly higher in the ESRD group compared to the control group, with an odds ratio of 1.803 (95 % CI: 1.502 to 2.164; p-value of 0.0002). Additionally, the ESRD group had significantly higher healthcare costs and longer length of stay, with a mean difference of $47,618 (95 % CI: $42,701 to $52,534, p-value <0.0001) and 2.933 days (95 % CI, 2.729 to 3.138 days, p-value <0.0001), respectively.

CONCLUSION

In-hospital mortality, cost, and length of stay for patients undergoing PCI were found to be significantly greater in the ESRD group.

Intravascular Imaging in Patients With Complex Coronary Lesions and Chronic Kidney Disease

Importance

As patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) are more likely to have complex coronary lesions, intravascular imaging guidance in percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) for this population could be potentially beneficial.

Objectives

To investigate whether the outcomes of intravascular imaging-guided procedural optimization would be different according to the presence of CKD.

Design, Setting, and Participants

This was a prespecified substudy of RENOVATE-COMPLEX-PCI, a recently published multicenter randomized clinical trial in Korea studying the benefits of intravascular imaging for complex coronary lesions. Patients with complex coronary lesions, with or without CKD, were enrolled between May 2018 and May 2021. Data were analyzed from January to June 2023.

Interventions

PCI in each group was done either under the guidance of intravascular imaging or angiography alone.

Main Outcomes and Measures

The primary end point was target vessel failure (TVF) at the 3-year point, defined as a composite of cardiac death, target vessel-related myocardial infarction, or clinically driven target vessel revascularization.

Results

A total of 1639 patients (1300 male [79.3%]) treated with PCI for complex coronary lesions were stratified into CKD (296 participants) and non-CKD (1343 participants) groups. The mean (SD) age of each group was 70.3 (9.4) and 64.5 (10.1) years, and mean (SD) estimated serum creatinine was 2.9 (5.3) and 0.8 (0.2) mg/dL for CKD and non-CKD groups, respectively. Intravascular imaging-guided revascularization was associated with significantly lower incidence of the primary end point compared with angiography-guided revascularization in both CKD (13.3% vs 23.3%; hazard ratio [HR], 0.51; 95% CI, 0.27-0.93; P = .03) and non-CKD (6.4% vs 9.9%; HR, 0.66; 95% CI, 0.44-0.99; P = .05) groups. The significantly lower incidence of the primary end point was mainly associated with the lower risk of cardiac death or target vessel-related myocardial infarction (9.4% vs 22.2%; HR, 0.39; 95% CI, 0.20-0.76; P = .006) in the CKD group and by target vessel revascularization (3.0% vs 5.5%; HR, 0.55; 95% CI, 0.30-0.99; P = .05) in the non-CKD group. Those with a glomerular filtration rate of at least 30 mL/min/1.73m2 and less than 60 ml/kg/1.73m2 showed the greatest benefit from imaging-guided complex PCI (8.8% vs 21.2%; HR, 0.28; 95% CI, 0.11-0.68; P = .02).

Conclusions and Relevance

In this prespecified cohort substudy of the Randomized Controlled Trial of Intravascular Imaging Guidance versus Angiography-Guidance on Clinical Outcomes After Complex Percutaneous Coronary Intervention trial, intravascular imaging guidance showed clinical benefit over angiography guidance in reducing the risk of TVF, regardless of the presence of CKD. The greatest benefits of imaging-guided complex PCI were observed in stage 3 CKD.

Trial Registration

ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT03381872.

Different effects of medications for hypertension on renal function between patients with and without diabetes mellitus undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention: a retrospective single-center cohort study

BACKGROUND

Diabetes mellitus (DM) and hypertension are well-known atherosclerosis risk factors. Furthermore, renal dysfunction is a crucial risk factor for patients with coronary artery disease (CAD), and managing renal function in these patients is complicated because of comorbid conditions and potential side effects during treatment. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the effect of medications for hypertension on renal function after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) between patients with and without DM with statins.

METHODS

In 297 consecutive patients undergoing PCI for stable angina pectoris, cystatin C (CysC) was evaluated at baseline and 9 months after PCI, and the percent change in CysC (%CysC) was calculated. The association of worsening renal function (WRF: %CysC ≥ 0) and baseline characteristics, including medications, was assessed.

RESULTS

Among 297 hypertensive patients with statins, 196 and 101 were with and without DM, respectively. Angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor (ACEI), angiotensin II receptor blocker, and β-blocker were prescribed in 56 (29%), 82 (42%), and 91 (46%) patients in the DM group, and 20 (20%), 52 (51%), and 52 (51%) in the non-DM group, respectively. The patients with WRF after PCI were 100 (51%) and 59 (58%) in the DM and non-DM groups (p = 0.261). Additionally, the %CysC had no significant differences between groups [median: 0%, interquartile range (IQR): -7.9% to 8.5% vs. median: 1.1%, IQR: -6.6% to 9.6%, p = 0.521]. Multivariate logistic analysis for WRF using relevant factors from univariate analysis showed that only β-blocker [odds ratio (OR): 2.76, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.03-7.90, p = 0.048] was independently associated with WRF in the DM group whereas ACEI (OR: 0.07, 95% CI: 0.01-0.47, p = 0.012) was negatively correlated with WRF in the non-DM group.

CONCLUSION

The β-blocker was the independent risk factor for WRF in patients with DM in the late phase after PCI for stable angina pectoris, while the use of ACEI had a renoprotective effect in patients without DM.

A risk model for the early diagnosis of acute myocardial infarction in patients with chronic kidney disease

Introduction

Acute myocardial infarction (AMI) remains a critical disease, characterized by a high fatality rate in several countries. In clinical practice, the incidence of AMI is increased in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD). However, the early diagnosis of AMI in the above group of patients is still poor.

Methods

In the present study, a total of 829 patients with CKD, defined by an estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) of <60 ml/min/1.73 m2 or 60-90 ml/min/1.73 m2 for patients with mildly reduced kidney function, who attended the Sichuan Provincial People's Hospital (SPPH) between January 2018 and November 2022 were enrolled. All patients underwent coronary angiography due to the presence of typical or atypical symptoms of AMI. Patients were divided into the following two groups: The training cohort, including 255 participants with AMI and 242 without AMI; and the testing cohort, including 165 and 167 subjects with and without AMI, respectively. Furthermore, a forward stepwise regression model and a multivariable logistic regression model, named SPPH-AMI-model, were constructed to select significant predictors and assist the diagnosis of AMI in patients with CKD, respectively.

Results

The following factors were evaluated in the model: Smoking status, high sensitivity cardiac troponin I, serum creatinine and uric acid levels, history of percutaneous coronary intervention and electrocardiogram. Additionally, the area under the curve (AUC) of the receiver operating characteristic curve were determined in the risk model in the training set [AUC, 0.78; 95% confidence interval (CI), 0.74-0.82] vs. the testing set (AUC, 0.74; 95% CI, 0.69-0.79) vs. the combined set (AUC, 0.76; 95% CI, 0.73-0.80). Finally, the sensitivity and specificity rates were 71.12 and 71.21%, respectively, the percentage of cases correctly classified was 71.14%, while positive and negative predictive values of 71.63 and 70.70%, respectively, were also recorded.

Discussion

The results of the current study suggested that the SPPH-AMI-model could be currently considered as the only risk scoring system for the early diagnosis of AMI in patients with CKD. This method could help clinicians and emergency physicians to quickly and accurately diagnose AMI in patients with CKD to promote the immediate and effective treatment of these patients.

Antiplatelet Therapy in End-stage Renal Disease Patients on Maintenance Dialysis: a State-of-the-art Review

Patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD) on maintenance dialysis have an increased risk of ischaemic events, such as recurrent myocardial infarction (MI) and stroke. Potent antiplatelet therapy may help mitigate this risk. Nonetheless, ERSD patients are also at increased risk of bleeding due to their complex vascular milieu, which limits the routine use of potent P2Y12 inhibitors. Moreover, these patients are often underrepresented or excluded from major clinical trials leaving a significant gap in existing knowledge. Understanding the mechanisms of this paradox may serve as a benchmark for the development of ESRD trials. The present review aims to provide an overview of the pathophysiological nature of increased bleeding and ischaemic risks in ERSD patients as well as summarize available evidence of antiplatelet use and propose new concepts to guide physicians in selecting appropriate drug regimes for this high-risk cohort.

Ticagrelor Versus Clopidogrel in Patients With Acute Coronary Syndrome and on Dialysis: A Meta-Analysis

This study aims to compare the safety and efficacy of clopidogrel and ticagrelor in patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS) and undergoing dialysis. This study was conducted per the guidelines of the Preferred Reporting of Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA). A comprehensive search was performed using electronic databases, including PubMed, EMBASE, and Web of Science, to identify relevant studies comparing clopidogrel and ticagrelor in patients undergoing dialysis. To ensure the inclusion of all relevant articles, a combination of the following keywords, along with medical subject heading (MeSH) terms, was used: "clopidogrel," "ticagrelor," "acute coronary syndrome," and "dialysis." The primary endpoint of this meta-analysis was the incidence of major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE), which consisted of cardiovascular death, myocardial infarction, stroke, and revascularization. The secondary endpoint was all-cause mortality. The occurrence of any bleeding events (including major and nonmajor bleeding events) and major bleeding events was chosen as the safety endpoints. A total of four studies were included in the pooled analysis. The pooled sample size was 5,417 patients, including 892 in the ticagrelor group and 4525 in the clopidogrel group. The findings indicate that ticagrelor, compared to clopidogrel, is associated with a significantly higher risk of MACEs, all-cause death, and major bleeding events. The findings suggest that clopidogrel may be a better choice for individuals with ACS undergoing dialysis due to its lower risk of MACE, all-cause death, and major bleeding events compared to ticagrelor.

The Relationship of Kidney Function, Cardiovascular Morbidity, and All-Cause Mortality: a Prospective Primary Care Cohort Study

BACKGROUND

Lower-than-normal estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) is associated with the risk for all-cause mortality and adverse cardiovascular events. In this regard, the role of higher-than-normal eGFR is still controversial.

OBJECTIVE

Investigate long-term clinical consequences across the levels of eGFR calculated by the creatinine-based Chronic Kidney Disease Epidemiology Collaboration (CKD-EPI) equation among apparently healthy cardiovascular risk subjects.

DESIGN

Prospective study.

PARTICIPANTS

Participants (n=1747) of a population-based screening and intervention program for cardiovascular risk factors in Finland during the years 2005-2007.

MAIN MEASURES

Cardiovascular morbidity and all-cause mortality.

KEY RESULTS

Over the 14-year follow-up, subjects with eGFR ≥105 ml/min/1.73 m2 (n=97) had an increased risk for all-cause mortality [HR 2.15 (95% CI: 1.24-3.73)], incident peripheral artery disease [HR 2.62 (95% CI: 1.00-6.94)], and atrial fibrillation/flutter [HR 2.10 (95% CI: 1.21-3.65)] when compared to eGFR category 90-104 ml/min after adjustment for cardiovascular and lifestyle-related risk factors. The eGFR category ≥105 ml/min was also associated with a two-fold increased mortality rate compared to the Finnish general population.

CONCLUSIONS

Renal hyperfiltration defined as eGFR ≥105 ml/min/1.73 m2 is a frequent and important finding in patients commonly treated in primary care. These patients should be followed closely for timely interventions, such as strict BP and blood glucose regulation.

PROGNOSTIC VALUE OF HIGH-SENSITIVITY C-REATIVE PROTEIN AMONG CHRONIC KIDNEY DISEASE PATIENTS UNDERGOING PERCUTANEOUS CORONARY INTERVENTION

BACKGROUND

Data on the prognostic value of high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) levels in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) are limited.

METHODS

Patients undergoing PCI at a tertiary center from January 2012 to December 2019 were included. CKD was defined as a glomerular filtration rate (GFR) <60 mL/min/1.73m² and elevated hs-CRP was defined as >3 mg/L. Acute myocardial infarction (MI), acute heart failure, neoplastic disease, patients undergoing hemodialysis, or hs-CRP >10 mg/L were exclusion criteria. The primary outcome was major adverse cardiac events (MACE), a composite of all-cause death, MI, and target vessel revascularization at 1-year after PCI.

RESULTS

Out of 12,410 patients, 3,029 (24.4%) had CKD. Elevated hs-CRP levels were found in 31.8% of CKD and 25.8% of non-CKD patients. At 1 year, MACE occurred in 87 (11.0%) CKD patients with elevated hs-CRP and 163 (9.5%) with low hs-CRP (adj. HR 1.26, 95% CI 0.94-1.68); among non-CKD patients, in 200 (10%) and 470 (8.1%), respectively (adj. HR 1.21, 95% CI 1.00-1.45). Hs-CRP was associated with an increased risk of all-cause death in both CKD (Adj. HR 1.92, 95% CI 1.07-3.44) and no-CKD patients (adj. HR 3.02, 95% CI 1.74-5.22). There was no interaction between hs-CRP and CKD.

CONCLUSIONS

Among patients undergoing PCI without acute MI, elevated hs-CRP values were not associated with a higher risk of MACE at 1 year, but with increased mortality hazards irrespective of the CKD status. The prognostic value of hs-CRP was consistent in patients with or without CKD.

Diabetes Mellitus with Mild or Moderate Kidney Dysfunction is Associated with Poor Prognosis in Patients with Coronary Artery Disease: A Large-Scale Cohort Study

AIM

Both kidney dysfunction and diabetes mellitus (DM) predict long-term poor prognosis in patients with coronary artery disease (CAD). We aimed to evaluate the clinical outcomes according to the combined status of DM and different stages of kidney dysfunction in CAD patients.

METHODS

From January 2013 to December 2013, 9293 eligible patients hospitalized for percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) at Fuwai hospital were followed up for major adverse cardiovascular and cerebrovascular events (MACCEs), a composite of all-cause mortality, myocardial infarction and stroke. Baseline kidney function was considered as stage I: normal or high kidney function; stage II: mild dysfunction and stage III: moderate dysfunction according to estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR). Upon baseline kidney function, diabetic and non-diabetic patients were divided into six groups.

RESULTS

During a median follow-up of 2.4 years, 326 (3.5%) MACCEs occurred. Compared to patients in the stage I/non-DM group, patients in the stage II/DM and stage III/DM groups had significantly increased MACCE risk [adjusted hazard ratio (aHR), 1.53; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.09-2.15; P = 0.014; aHR, 3.00; 95%CI, 1.74-5.18; P<0.002, respectively]. Additionally, there were J-shaped associations of eGFR with MACCE risk regardless of glycemic metabolism status after adjusted for confounders. Furthermore, moderate kidney dysfunction conferred an increased MACCE risk in diabetic patients with uncontrolled glycemia (aHR, 2.93; 95%CI, 1.48-5.78; P=0.002).

CONCLUSIONS

DM with mild or moderate kidney dysfunction is associated with poor prognosis in CAD patients. Categorical classification of patients with DM and kidney dysfunction could provide prognostic information for risk stratification of CAD patients.

Long-term outcomes after stent implantation in very small vessel coronary artery disease

BACKGROUND

Percutaneous coronary interventions (PCI) in very small vessel lesions represent an intriguing aspect of coronary artery disease (CAD). Uncertainty still exists in stent implantation in very small caliber vessels. This study aimed to evaluate the long-term outcomes of patients treated with 2.0-mm drug-eluting stent (DES).

METHOD

This retrospective observational study included 134 patients undergoing PCI with 2.0-mm zotarolimus DES from December 2016 to May 2020. The primary endpoint was major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) at 2-year follow-up, which was composed of all-cause mortality, target vessel myocardial infarction, and ischemia-driven target lesion revascularization. Multiple logistic regression analysis was used to identify the independent predictors of MACE, and odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) were calculated.

RESULT

The lesions were diffuse (mean length 20.9 ± 5.51 mm) and belong to type B2/C lesions (90.3%). On follow-up, the MACE rate was 20.1% and mostly driven by late lumen loss demanding revascularization (11.9%). In multivariable analysis, chronic kidney disease (CKD) (OR: 4.291, 95% CI: 1.574-11.704, p = 0.004) and calcified lesions (OR: 3.688, 95% CI: 1.311-10.371, p = 0.013) were the independent predictors of subsequent cardiovascular events, whereas statin was associated with better outcomes (OR: 0.335, 95% CI: 0.119-0.949, p = 0.040).

CONCLUSION

2.0-mm DES is a feasible option for treating very small vessel CAD in complex lesions. Patients with CKD and calcified lesions carry the hazard of worse outcomes, and careful consideration should be taken before stenting in this high-risk population.

Association of the Systemic Immune-Inflammation Index with Outcomes in Acute Coronary Syndrome Patients with Chronic Kidney Disease

Background

The systemic immune-inflammation index (SII; neutrophil × platelet/lymphocyte) is a novel marker for immune and inflammatory status and is associated with adverse prognosis in cardiovascular disease.

Methods

In total, 744 patients diagnosed with acute coronary syndrome (ACS) and chronic kidney disease (CKD) were included in our study, received standard therapies, and were followed up. Patients were divided into high and low SII groups according to the baseline SII. The primary endpoint was major cardiovascular events (MACEs), defined as cardiovascular death, nonfatal myocardial infarction, and nonfatal stroke.

Results

During a median follow-up of 2.5 years, a total of 185 (24.9%) MACEs were recorded. Analysis of the ROC curve revealed that the best cutoff value of SII was 1159.84×10⁹/L for predicting MACEs. The Kaplan-Meier analysis showed that those patients in the low SII group had higher survival rates than those in the high SII group (p < 0.001). Compared to those in the low SII group, patients in the high SII group were at significantly higher risk of MACEs (134 (38.8%) vs 51 (12.8%), p < 0.001). Univariate and multivariable Cox regression analyses revealed that a high SII level was independently associated with MACEs in ACS patients with CKD (adjusted hazard ratio [HR]: 1.865, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.197-2.907, p = 0.006).

Conclusion

The present study showed that an elevated SII is associated with adverse cardiovascular outcomes in ACS with CKD patients, suggesting that SII may be a valuable predictor of poor prognosis in ACS with CKD patients. Further studies are needed to confirm our findings.

Association between 10-Year Atherosclerotic Cardiovascular Disease Risk and Estimated Glomerular Filtration Rate in Chinese People with Normal to Slightly Reduced Kidney Function: A Cross-Sectional Study

Many studies suggest that cardiovascular-related mortality is higher in patients with end-stage renal disease, but few focus on the risk of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) in subjects with normal to slightly reduced kidney function. Our study aimed to explore the association between normal to slightly decreased estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) and 10-year ASCVD risk levels among subjects with relative health conditions. A total of 12,986 subjects from the Chinese Physiological Constant and Health Condition survey were included. We used the Chronic Kidney Disease Epidemiology Collaboration equations to calculate eGFR and the 10-year ASCVD risk scores to assess the subjects' risk of 10-year ASCVD. Ordinal logistic regression analysis was conducted to explore the association between ASCVD risk levels and eGFR, and adjust the possible confounding factors. Results indicated that the 10-year ASCVD risk scores gradually increased following the decrease in eGFR. Subjects who had smaller eGFR were more likely to have a greater risk of 10-year ASCVD. Additionally, the association between eGFR and 10-year ASCVD risk level changed with varying eGFR. The risk of one or more levels increasing in the 10-year ASCVD risk group was 5.20 times (Quartile 2 [Q2], 95%CI: 3.90, 6.94), 9.47 times (Q3, 95%CI: 7.15, 12.53) and 11.41 times (Q4, 95%CI: 8.61, 15.12) higher compared with Q1. We found that eGFR was significantly associated with 10-year ASCVD risk among Chinese subjects with normal to slightly reduced kidney function. Therefore, clinicians should strengthen the monitoring of cardiovascular risk in patients with renal impairment (even if renal function is only mildly reduced), assess the patients' risk of ASCVD, and take early action in high-risk groups to reduce the risk of adverse atherosclerotic cardiovascular events.

The impact of chronic kidney disease severity on clinical outcomes after current generation drug-eluting stent implantation for left main distal bifurcation lesions: the Milan and New-Tokyo registry

Objectives. The impact of chronic kidney disease (CKD) on clinical outcomes after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) for unprotected left main distal bifurcation lesions (ULMD) is not fully understood in current generation drug eluting stent (cDES) era. We assessed clinical outcomes after PCI using cDES for ULMD according to CKD severity based on estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR). Design. We identified 720 consecutive patients who underwent PCI using cDES for ULMD at three high volume centers between January 2005 and December 2015. We divided those patients to the following five groups according to eGFR. Each group was defined as follows: no CKD (60 mL/min/1.73 m² ≤ eGFR), mild CKD (45 ≤ eGFR < 60 mL/min/1.73 m²), moderate CKD (30 ≤ eGFR < 45 mL/min/1.73 m²), severe CKD (15 ≤ eGFR < 30 mL/min/1.73 m²) and hemodialysis (HD). The primary endpoint was target lesion failure (TLF) at 3 years. TLF was defined as a composite of cardiac death, target lesion revascularization (TLR) and myocardial infarction (MI). Results. TLF occurred more frequently in severe CKD and HD group compared with other three groups. Conclusions. The patients who have severe CKD or are on HD, were extremely associated with worse clinical outcomes after PCI for ULMD even with cDES.

The Association of Sex with Unplanned Cardiac Readmissions following Percutaneous Coronary Intervention in Australia: Results from a Multicentre Outcomes Registry (GenesisCare Cardiovascular Outcomes Registry)

Background and aim: Unplanned cardiac readmissions in patients with percutaneous intervention (PCI) is very common and is seen as a quality indicator of in-hospital care. Most studies have reported on the 30-day cardiac readmission rates, with very limited information being available on 1-year readmission rates and their association with mortality. The aim of this study was to investigate the impact of biological sex at 1-year post-PCI on unplanned cardiac readmissions. Methods and results: Patients enrolled into the GenesisCare Cardiovascular Outcomes Registry (GCOR-PCI) from December 2008 to December 2020 were included in the study. A total of 13,996 patients completed 12 months of follow-up and were assessed for unplanned cardiac readmissions. All patients with unplanned cardiac readmissions in the first year of post-PCI were followed in year 2 (post-PCI) for survival status. The rate of unplanned cardiac readmissions was 10.1%. Women had a 29% higher risk of unplanned cardiac readmission (HR 1.29, 95% CI 1.11 to 1.48; p = 0.001), and female sex was identified as an independent predictor of unplanned cardiac readmissions. Any unplanned cardiac readmission in the first year was associated with a 2.5-fold higher risk of mortality (HR 2.50, 95% CI 1.67 to 3.75; p < 0.001), which was similar for men and women. Conclusion: Unplanned cardiac readmissions in the first year post-PCI was strongly associated with increased all-cause mortality. Whilst the incidence of all-cause mortality was similar between women and men, a higher incidence of unplanned cardiac readmissions was observed for women, suggesting distinct predictors of unplanned cardiac readmissions exist between women and men.

Prevalence and Clinical Impact of Electrocardiographic Abnormalities in Patients with Chronic Kidney Disease

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a strong risk factor for cardiovascular disease. An electrocardiogram (ECG) is a basic test for screening cardiovascular disease. However, the impact of ECG abnormalities on cardiovascular prognosis in patients with CKD is largely unknown. A total of 2442 patients with CKD (stages 3−5) who underwent ECG between 2013 and 2015 were selected from the electronic health record database of the Korea University Anam Hospital. ECG abnormalities were defined using the Minnesota classification. The five-year major adverse cerebrocardiovascular event (MACCE), the composite of death, myocardial infarction (MI), and stroke were analyzed. The five-year incidences for MACCE were 27.7%, 20.8%, and 17.2% in patients with no, minor, and major ECG abnormality (p < 0.01). Kaplan−Meier curves also showed the highest incidence of MI, death, and MACCE in patients with major ECG abnormality. Multivariable Cox regression analysis revealed age, sex, diabetes, CKD stage, hsCRP, antipsychotic use, and major ECG abnormality as independent risk predictors for MACCE (adjusted HR of major ECG abnormality: 1.39, 95% CI: 1.09−1.76, p < 01). Among the detailed ECG diagnoses, sinus tachycardia, myocardial ischemia, atrial premature complex, and right axis deviation were proposed as important ECG diagnoses. The accuracy of cardiovascular risk stratification was improved when the ECG results were added to the conventional SCORE model (net reclassification index 0.07). ECG helps to predict future cerebrocardiovascular events in CKD patients. ECG diagnosis can be useful for cardiovascular risk evaluation in CKD patients when applied in addition to the conventional risk stratification model.

Prediction of cardiovascular outcome by estimated glomerular filtration rate among high-risk patients: a Thai nationwide cohort study

BACKGROUND

Decline of estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) is associated with increased cardiovascular (CV) morbidity and mortality, but the predictive value of different eGFR on CV outcomes is limited in Southeast Asian populations.

AIMS

We aimed to stratify CV outcomes according to renal function among Thai patients with high atherosclerosis risk.

METHODS

We performed a secondary analysis in a 5-year national cohort entitled "CORE-Thailand study." Subjects were classified in 6 groups according to baseline kidney function: group I, eGFR ≥ 90; group II, eGFR 60-89; group IIIa, eGFR 45-59; group IIIb, eGFR 30-44; group IV, eGFR 15-29; group V, eGFR < 15 ml/min/1.73 m² or receiving renal replacement therapy. The primary outcome was 4-point major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE). Secondary outcomes included all-cause mortality, CV mortality, hospitalization for heart failure, nonfatal myocardial infarction, and nonfatal stroke.

RESULTS

A total of 6376 subjects (3467 men and 2909 women) were categorized in 6 groups. After adjusting covariates in the Cox proportional hazards model, compared to group I, subjects in groups II-V had a 1.65-fold, 2.17-fold, 2.67-fold, 4.24-fold, and 4.87-fold risk for 4-point MACE, respectively, with statistical significance at P < 0.05 in all groups. Kaplan-Meier analysis illustrated stepwise lower survivals from 4-point MACE following the groups with lower baseline eGFR (log-rank test with P < 0.001). All secondary outcomes showed similar trends as the primary outcome, except nonfatal stroke.

CONCLUSION

Lower baseline kidney function was independently associated with increased risk of CV events and all-cause mortality in Thai populations at high CV risk.

Growth factors: avenues for the treatment of myocardial infarction and potential delivery strategies

Acute myocardial infarction (AMI) is one of the leading causes of death worldwide. Despite recent advances in clinical management, reoccurence of heart failure after AMI remains high, in part because of the limited capacity of cardiac tissue to repair after AMI-induced cell death. Growth factor-based therapy has emerged as an alternative AMI treatment strategy. Understanding the underlying mechanisms of growth factor cardioprotective and regenerative actions is important. This review focuses on the function of different growth factors at each stage of the cardiac repair process. Recent evidence for growth factor therapy in preclinical and clinical trials is included. Finally, different delivery strategies are reviewed with a view to providing workable strategies for clinical translation.

Percutaneous coronary intervention versus coronary artery bypass graft surgery in dialysis-dependent patients: A pooled meta-analysis of reconstructed time-to-event data

OBJECTIVE

Το perform a systematic review with meta-analysis of published data comparing outcomes between a percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) and coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) in dialysis-dependent patients.

METHODS

We searched PubMed, Scopus, and Cochrane databases for studies including dialysis-dependent patients who underwent either CABG or PCI. This meta-analysis follows the recommendations of the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses statement. We conducted one-stage and two-stage meta-analysis with Kaplan-Meier-derived individual patient data for overall survival and meta-analysis with the random-effects model for the in-hospital mortality and repeat revascularization.

RESULTS

Twelve studies met our eligibility criteria, including 13,651 and 28,493 patients were identified in the CABG and PCI arms, respectively. Patients who underwent CABG had overall improved survival compared with those who underwent PCI at the one-stage meta-analysis (hazard ratio [HR]: 1.12, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.09-1.16, p < .0001) and the two-stage meta-analysis (HR: 1.15, 95% CI: 1.08-1.23, p < .001, I²  = 30.0%). Landmark analysis suggested that PCI offers better survival before the 8.5 months of follow-up (HR: 0.96, 95% CI: 0.92-0.99, p = .043), while CABG offers an advantage after this timepoint (HR: 1.3, 95% CI: 1.22-1.32, p < .001). CABG was associated with increased odds for in-hospital mortality (odds ratio [OR]: 1.70, 95% CI: 1.50-1.92, p < .001, I²  = 0.0%) and decreased odds for repeat revascularization (OR: 0.22, 95% CI: 0.14-0.34, p < .001, I²  = 58.08%).

CONCLUSIONS

In dialysis-dependent patients, CABG was associated with long-term survival but a higher risk for early mortality. The risk for repeat revascularization was higher with PCI.

Dose-dependent effect of impaired renal function on all-cause mortality in patients following percutaneous coronary intervention

Objective

To determine the risk prediction of various degrees of impaired renal function on all‐cause mortality in patients following percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI).

Background

Patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) are at high risk of all‐cause mortality after PCI. However, there are less data of various degrees of impaired renal function to predict those risks.

Methods

This was a subgroup analysis of nationwide PCI registry of 22 045 patients. Patients were classified into six CKD stages according to preprocedure estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) (ml/min/1.73 m²): I (≥90), II (60−89), III (30−59), IV (15−29), or V (<15) without or with dialysis. Baseline clinical and angiographic characteristics were compared among patients in each stage. One‐year all‐cause mortality was reported with risk prediction based on CKD stages and other risk factors.

Results

Patients with CKD stage I−V without and with on dialysis were found in 26.9%, 40.8%, 23.2%, 3.9%, 1.5%, and 3.7%, respectively. PCI procedural success and complication rates ranged from 94.0% to 96.2% and 2.8% to 6.1%, respectively. One‐year overall survival among CKD stages I−V was 96.3%, 93.1%, 84.4%, 65.2%, 68.0%, and 69.4%, respectively (p < .001 by log‐rank test). After adjusting covariables, the hazard ratios of all‐cause mortality for CKD stages II−V as compared to stage I by multivariate Cox regression analysis were 1.5, 2.6, 5.3, 5.9, and 7.0, respectively, (p < .001).

Conclusion

Among patients undergoing PCI, lower preprocedure eGFR is associated in a dose‐dependent effect with decreased 1‐year survival. This finding may be useful for risk classification and to guide decision‐making.

Prognostic impact of the presence of chronic kidney disease on percutaneous left trial appendage closure for atrial fibrillation: A single center experience

BACKGROUND

Percutaneous left atrial appendage closure (LAAC) has been proposed as an alternative to anticoagulation therapy in patients with nonvalvular atrial fibrillation (NVAF) to decrease the thromboembolic risk, while avoiding the risks of chronic anticoagulation. This option may be attractive in patients with NVAF and chronic kidney disease (CKD), since they exhibit both high thromboembolic and bleeding risks.

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the prognostic impact of the presence of CKD in patients with atrial fibrillation undergoing LAAC peri-procedure and during the follow-up as compared with patients with preserved renal function.

METHODS

Retrospective, observational study that included 124 consecutive patients with atrial fibrillation undergoing LAAC in a university hospital, and the results were evaluated according to the baseline renal function of the patients.

RESULTS

The median age was 75,5 years (IQR 67,6-80) and 62,1% were men, the median of CHA₂DS₂-Vasc and HASBLED scores was 4 (IQR 3-4) for both scores. Up to 57,3% of the total sample had CKD. Baseline characteristics were similar between groups, but CKD patients were older and had a higher HASBLED score. During the procedure, no thromboembolic, bleeding events, or deaths were observed. Combining the time of hospitalization and follow-up, no significant differences were observed between groups in the annual rate of thromboembolic events (0.97/100 patient-years [100PY] vs 4.06/100PY, P =,09), but there was a higher rate of bleeding events (5.67/100PY vs. 13.3/100PY, P =,033) and mortality among CKD patients (6.50/100PY vs. 17.2/100PY, P =,009), with an odds ratio of 2.711 (95% CI 1,96-6,95). In the multivariate analysis a preserved eGFR was independently associated with a lower mortality risk.

CONCLUSIONS

LAAC is a valid alternative to oral anticoagulation in patients with CKD and atrial fibrillation, with a low rate of peri- and post-procedure complications, although CKD patients exhibited a higher risk of bleeding and mortality during the follow-up. However, these higher rates may not be necessarily related to the procedure.

Feasibility, Safety, and Long-Term Outcomes of Zero-Contrast Percutaneous Coronary Intervention in Patients With Chronic Kidney Disease

BACKGROUND

The long-term safety and utility of intravascular ultrasound (IVUS)-guided zero-contrast percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) are unknown.

METHODS AND RESULTS

A total of 698 consecutive patients treated with PCI (1,061 procedures) in our center were studied. Patients with acute coronary syndrome, who are on maintenance hemodialysis, and who had a planned rotational atherectomy were excluded. Finally, they were divided into 2 groups: zero-contrast PCI (n=55, 78 procedures) and conventional PCI (n=462, 670 procedures). After propensity score matching, 50 patients were matched for each group to evaluate long-term outcomes. Primary endpoints were major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE), including all-cause death, non-fatal myocardial infarction (MI), and clinically driven target lesion revascularization. All patients in the zero-contrast PCI group had stage 3-5 CKD with an estimated glomerular filtration rate of 38.3±14.8 mL/min/1.73 m2. Zero-contrast PCI was successful in all 78 procedures without renal events such as acute kidney injury or emergent hemodialysis and procedural complications such as coronary perforation or periprocedural MI. During a follow-up period of 32 months, 7 patients died (1 cardiac, 6 non-cardiovascular), and 4 patients were introduced to renal replacement therapy. The incidence of MACE was similar between the zero-contrast and conventional PCI groups (log-rank, P=0.95).

CONCLUSIONS

IVUS-guided zero-contrast PCI might be safe and feasible in patients with CKD with satisfactory acute and long-term renal and cardiovascular outcomes.

Impact of contrast-induced acute kidney injury on long-term major adverse cardiovascular events and kidney function after percutaneous coronary intervention: insights from a territory-wide cohort study in Hong Kong

BACKGROUND

The impact of contrast-induced acute kidney injury (CI-AKI) on long-term major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) remains controversial.

METHOD

This was a retrospective cohort study from 14 hospitals under the Hospital Authority of Hong Kong between 2004 and 2017. Severe CI-AKI was defined as an increase in serum creatinine of >50% from the baseline value, an absolute increase of >1 mg/dL (88 μmol/L) or requiring dialysis after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). Mild CI-AKI was defined as an increase in serum creatinine of >25% from the baseline value or an absolute increase of >0.5 mg/dL (44 μmol/L) after PCI but not fulfilling the criteria for severe CI-AKI. The primary endpoint was MACE, defined as a composite outcome of all-cause mortality, non-fatal myocardial infarction after hospital discharge, stroke or any unplanned coronary revascularization, in a time-to-first-event analysis up to 5 years after PCI. The secondary endpoints were individual components of MACE and cardiovascular mortality.

RESULTS

A total of 34 576 patients were analysed. After adjustment for cardiovascular risk factors, procedural characteristics and medication use, the risk of MACE at 5 years was significantly higher with mild CI-AKI {hazard ratio [HR], 1.18 [95% confidence interval (CI) 1.12-1.26); P < 0.001} and severe CI-AKI [HR 1.92 (95% CI 1.78-2.07); P < 0.001]. Severe CI-AKI was associated with higher adjusted risks of each secondary end point and the risks monotonically accrued over time.

CONCLUSIONS

Among patients undergoing a first-ever PCI, CI-AKI of any severity was associated with a higher adjusted risk of MACE at 5 years. Severe CI-AKI has a stronger association with MACE and its individual components, with an excess of early and late events.

Kidney Disease as Risk of In-Hospital Mortality in Patients With Acute Coronary Syndrome

Background

An acute coronary syndrome (ACS) event can be linked to several risk factors, including kidney disease. Currently, it is unknown if kidney disease is associated with the in-hospital mortality of patients admitted with ACS, regardless of the main confounders. In this study, we aimed to determine if kidney disease predicts in-hospital mortality among ACS patients.

Methodology

This is a retrospective cohort study that included patients who were admitted to the cardiology center with ACS. The patients were analyzed for their clinical characteristics, previous diseases, risk factors, and blood samples for laboratory analysis. Continuous variables were analyzed using Student’s t-test, and categorical variables using the chi-square test. A p-value of <0.05 was considered statistically significant.

Results

Of the 340 patients who were included in the study, 59 had ST-elevation myocardial infarction. The mean age of the patients was 62.17 years, 59.41% were male, 67.9% were Caucasian, 26% had diabetes, and 20% had a history of coronary artery disease. Age, systolic blood pressure, and a history of myocardial infarction and chronic kidney disease were linked with a higher mortality rate. In the multivariate analysis, only kidney disease was shown to be an independent marker of mortality.

Conclusions

Among individuals admitted with ACS, kidney disease at hospital admission is associated with increased chances of in-hospital mortality, regardless of other major and minor cardiovascular comorbidities and inflammation at baseline.

Anemia is associated with increased risk of contrast‑induced acute kidney injury: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis

Previous studies have identified numerous risk factors of contrast-induced acute kidney injury (CI-AKI) in patients undergoing coronary angiography. However, the association between anemia and CI-AKI remains conflicting. Thus, we conducted a meta-analysis to further clarify the relationship between anemia and CI-AKI. PubMed, EMBASE and Web of Science were systematically searched from inception to June 2020 to identify eligible studies. The pooled odds ratios (ORs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were used to estimate the correlation between anemia and CI-AKI. The potential publication bias was estimated using funnel plot and Begg's test. A total of 13 studies (five case-control studies and eight cohort studies) comprising 27,135 patients were included. The pooled results showed that anemia was a significant risk factor of CI-AKI (OR, 1.82; 95% CI, 1.27-2.61). Moreover, the results of subgroup analyses and sensitivity analyses were basically consistent with the overall pooled result. Funnel plot and Begg's test indicated that there existed potential publication bias, but the result of trim and filled analysis showed that the pooled results kept stable after adding 'missing' studies. This meta-analysis suggested that anemia may be correlated with an increased incidence of CI-AKI in patients undergoing coronary angiography. However, our conclusions should be interpreted with caution due to some limitations. Therefore, further high-quality trials should be conducted to confirm our findings.

In-hospital outcomes of patients with chronic kidney disease undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention for chronic total occlusion: a systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

The relative safety and efficacy of percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) for chronic total occlusions (CTO) in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) have not been well defined. We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis of observational studies to assess in-hospital outcomes in this population.

METHODS

We searched MEDLINE, EMBASE, and Cochrane Library databases from inception to April 2020 for all clinical trials and observational studies. Five observational studies with a total of 6769 patients met our inclusion criteria. Patients were divided into two groups based on estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR <60 ml/min/1.73m2 in CKD group and ≥ 60 ml/min/1.73m2 in non-CKD group). The primary outcome was in-hospital mortality. Secondary outcomes were acute kidney injury, coronary injury (perforation, dissection or tamponade), stroke and procedural success. Mantel-Haenszel random-effects model was used to calculate the odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI).

RESULTS

In-hospital mortality was significantly higher among patients with CKD undergoing PCI for CTO (OR: 5.16, 95% CI: 2.60-10.26, P < 0.00001). Acute kidney injury (OR: 2.54, 95% CI: 1.89-3.40, P < 0.00001) and major bleeding (OR: 2.58, 95% CI: 1.20-5.54, P < 0.01) were also more common in the CKD group. No significant difference was observed in the occurrence of stroke (OR: 2.36, 95% CI: 0.74-7.54, P < 0.15) or coronary injury (OR: 1.38, 95% CI: 0.98-1.93, P < 0.06) between the two groups. Non-CKD patients had a higher likelihood of procedural success compared to CKD patients (OR: 0.66, 95% CI: 0.57-0.77, P < 0.00001).

CONCLUSION

Patients with CKD undergoing PCI for CTO have a significantly higher risk of in-hospital mortality, acute kidney injury and major bleeding when compared to non-CKD patients. They also have a lower procedural success rate.

Development and validation of a predictive model for bleeding after peripheral vascular intervention: A report from the National Cardiovascular Data Registry Peripheral Vascular Interventions Registry

OBJECTIVES

To develop a model to predict risk of in-hospital bleeding following endovascular peripheral vascular intervention.

BACKGROUND

Peri-procedural bleeding is a common, potentially preventable complication of catheter-based peripheral vascular procedures and is associated with increased mortality. We used the National Cardiovascular Data Registry (NCDR) Peripheral Vascular Interventions (PVI) Registry to develop a novel risk-prediction model to identify patients who may derive the greatest benefit from application of strategies to prevent bleeding.

METHODS

We examined all patients undergoing lower extremity PVI at 76 NCDR PVI hospitals from 2014 to 2017. Patients with acute limb ischemia (n = 1600) were excluded. Major bleeding was defined as overt bleeding with a hemoglobin (Hb) drop of ≥ 3 g/dl, any Hb decline of ≥ 4 g/dl, or a blood transfusion in patients with pre-procedure Hb ≥ 8 g/dl. Hierarchical multivariable logistic regression was used to develop a risk model to predict major bleeding. Model validation was performed using 1000 bootstrapped replicates of the population after sampling with replacement.

RESULTS

Among 25,382 eligible patients, 1017 (4.0%) developed major bleeding. Predictors of bleeding included age, female sex, critical limb ischemia, non-femoral access, prior heart failure, and pre-procedure hemoglobin. The model demonstrated good discrimination (optimism corrected c-statistic = 0.67), calibration (corrected slope = 0.98, intercept of -0.04) and range of predicted risk (1%-18%).

CONCLUSIONS

Post-procedural PVI bleeding risk can be predicted based upon pre- and peri-procedural patient characteristics. Further studies are needed to determine whether this model can be utilized to improve procedural safety through developing and targeting bleeding avoidance strategies.

Treatment Effect of Percutaneous Coronary Intervention in Dialysis Patients With ST-Elevation Myocardial Infarction

RATIONALE & OBJECTIVE

Patients receiving maintenance dialysis have higher mortality following primary percutaneous coronary intervention (pPCI) than patients not receiving dialysis. Whether pPCI confers a similar benefit to patients receiving dialysis remains unknown. We compared the effect of pPCI on in-hospital outcomes among patients hospitalized for STEMI and receiving maintenance dialysis to the effect among patients hospitalized for STEMI but not receiving dialysis.

STUDY DESIGN

Retrospective cohort study.

SETTING & PARTICIPANTS

We used the National-Inpatient-Sample (2016-2018) and included all adult hospitalizations with a primary diagnosis of STEMI.

PREDICTORS

Primary exposure was PCI. Confounders included dialysis status, demographics, insurance, household income, comorbidities, and the elective nature of the admission.

OUTCOMES

In-hospital mortality, stroke, AKI, new dialysis requirements, vascular complications, gastrointestinal bleeding, blood transfusion, mechanical ventilation, palliative care, and discharge destination.

ANALYTICAL APPROACH

The average treatment effect [ATE] of pPCI was estimated using propensity score matching within ESRD and non-ESRD groups independently to explore if the effect is modified by ESRD status. Additionally, the average marginal effect [AME] was calculated accounting for the clustering within hospitals.

RESULTS

4,220 (1.07%) out of 413,500 hospitalizations were for patients receiving dialysis. The dialysis cohort was older (65.2±12.2 vs. 63.4±13.1, p<0.001), had more females (42.4% vs. 30.6%, p<0.001) and more comorbidities, but fewer White patients (41.1% vs. 71.7%, p<0.001). Patients receiving dialysis underwent less angiography (73.1% vs. 85.4%, p<0.001) or pPCI (57.5% vs. 79.8%, p<0.001). pPCI was associated with lower mortality in patients receiving dialysis (15.7% vs. 27.1%, p<0.001) as well as in those who were not (5.0% vs. 17.4%, p<0.001). The ATE on mortality did not differ significantly between patients receiving dialysis (-8.6% [-15.6%, -1.6%], p=0.02) and those who were not (-8.2% [-8.8%, -7.5%], p<0.001 (p-interaction=0.9). The AME method showed similar results (-9.4% [-14.8%, -4.0%], p<0.001) among patients receiving dialysis and those who were not (-7.9% [-8.5%, -7.4%], p<0.001) (p-interaction=0.59). Both the ATE and AME were comparable for other in-hospital outcomes in both groups.

LIMITATIONS

Administrative data, lack of pharmacotherapy and long-term outcome data, and residual confounding.

CONCLUSION

Compared with conservative management, pPCI for STEMI was associated with comparable reductions in short-term mortality among patients irrespective of their receipt of maintenance dialysis.

Renal Dysfunction as a Predictor of Slow-Flow/No-Reflow Phenomenon and Impaired ST Segment Resolution After Percutaneous Coronary Intervention in ST-Elevation Myocardial Infarction With Initial Thrombolysis in Myocardial Infarction Grade 0

BACKGROUND

The slow-flow/no-reflow phenomenon and impaired ST segment resolution (STR) following primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) in ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) predict unfavorable prognosis and are characterized by obstruction of the coronary microvascular. Several predictors of slow-flow/no-reflow have been revealed, but few studies have investigated predictors of slow-flow/no-reflow and STR exclusively in acute myocardial infarction patients with initial Thrombolysis in Myocardial Infarction (TIMI) Grade 0.

METHODS AND RESULTS

In all, 279 STEMI patients with initial TIMI Grade 0 were enrolled in the study. Slow-flow/no-reflow was defined as TIMI Grade <3 by angiography after PCI, and impaired STR was defined as STR <50% on an electrocardiogram after PCI. Slow-flow/no-reflow was observed in 31 patients. In multivariate analysis, estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR; odds ratio [OR] 0.97; P=0.007), a history of cerebrovascular disease (OR 4.65, P=0.007), time to recanalization ≥4 h (OR 2.76, P=0.023), and systolic blood pressure ≤90 mmHg (OR 3.45, P=0.046) were independent predictors of slow-flow/no-reflow. Impaired STR was observed in 102 of 248 patients with TIMI Grade 3. In multivariate analysis, eGFR (OR 0.94, P<0.001) and occlusion of the left anterior descending artery (OR 4.48, P<0.001) were independent predictors of impaired STR; eGFR was the only independent predictor of both slow-flow/no-reflow and impaired STR.

CONCLUSIONS

Renal dysfunction may be related to coronary microvascular dysfunction and obstruction.

How does clinical profile and outcome differ in patients with Chronic Kidney Disease undergoing percutaneous coronary revascularization according to the severity of CKD? - CHANNEL Study

BACKGROUND

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is an independent risk factor for the development of coronary artery disease. We evaluated outcomes amongst patients of CKD undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) as assessed on severity of CKD based on estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) at the time of PCI.

METHOD AND MATERIALS

We analyzed 100 consecutive CKD patients who underwent PCI and were followed up for 1 year; an observational, prospective, open-label study. Multivariate and Receiver operator characteristics (ROC) analysis was used to determine the cut point ofeGFR for predicting 4-P major adverse cardiac events (MACE) outcomes defined as the composite of Cardiovascular (CV) mortality, heart failure hospitalization (HHF), repeat revascularization and non-fatal MI over 1 year follow up.

RESULTS

According to eGFR cut-off value derived from ROC, patients were divided in to two groups based on eGFR cut-off of 36.25 mL/min/1.73 m². Majority of patients (79%) were in Group 1 (eGFR >36.25 mL/min/1.73 m²). Group 2 had Lower HbA1C, hemoglobin and elevated level of urea as compared to group:1 (p=0.002,<0.0001 respectively). All-cause mortality had trend forbeing higher (6.3 vs. 19%) in group:2, but statistically non-significant (p = 0.17). Lower baseline LVEF (39 ± 10.08%) across the cohort was independent predictor of higher risk for HHF. eGFR <36.25 mL/mim/1.73 m² was the most robust predictor of MACE, carrying a 3-fold increase in risk of 4-P MACE with significant association (0.69, CI 0.59 to 0.78, p = 0.0009).

CONCLUSIONS

Lower baseline eGFR was associated with higher incidence of 4 P MACE with best cut-off being eGFR <36.25 mL/min/1.73 m². Lower Baseline LVEF was independent predictor from HHF across the cohort.

Poor Prognosis of Contrast-Induced Nephropathy during Long Term Follow Up

Contrast-induced nephropathy (CIN) is known to associate with poor prognosis. However, there have been few studies for long-term follow up. The purpose of this study was to know the prognosis of CIN during a 10-year follow up. We retrospectively analyzed 528 patients who underwent coronary angiography in Jeonbuk National University Hospital (South Korea, Jeonju) between Jan 2005 to Dec 2006. We excluded the patients who required regular dialysis before study enrollment. We compared adverse events in the no CIN (group I, n=485, 61.9±11.4 years, male 64.1%) and CIN (group II, n=43, 65.7±11.1 years, male 62.8%). Baseline clinical characteristics and cardiovascular risk factors were not different between the two groups except the post-procedure creatinine level (1.04 mg/dL vs 1.84 mg/dL, p=0.0001). The higher rates of all-cause death were observed in group II at 1-year (3.7% vs 13.9%, log-rank, p=0.001), 5-years (17.9% vs 34.9%, log-rank, p=0.003), and 10-years (25.3% vs 48.8%, log-rank, p=0.000). MACE was higher in group II at 1-year (3.9% vs 11.6%, log-rank, p=0.013), 5-years (6.8% vs 20.9%, log-rank, p=0.000) and 10-years (13.4% vs 27.9%, log-rank, p=0.000). In addition, CIN was an independent predictor for 10-year MACE (adjusted HR 3.432, 95% CI 1.314-8.965, p=0.012) after propensity score matching. The worse prognosis of CIN was continuously observed after the 10-year follow-up. Our data suggests that it is worthwhile to prevent the appearance of CIN in order to improve longterm results.

A 2-Year Prospective Study on the Differences in Prognostic Factors for Major Adverse Cardiovascular, Cerebrovascular and Renal Events Between Patients with Mild and Severe Chronic Kidney Disease

Purpose/Method: No studies have reported on prognostic markers in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) according to the severity of the disease. Therefore, in this multicenter, prospective trial performed as part of the Gunma CKD SPECT Multicenter Study, we recruited 311 patients with CKD (eGFR < 60 min/mL/1.73 m²) including 50 patients on hemodialysis and followed them for 2 years. The study sample underwent stress ^99mTc-tetrofosmin SPECT for suspected or possible ischemic heart disease. We evaluated the summed stress score (SSS), summed rest score (SRS), summed difference score (SDS) and cardiac function with electrocardiogram-gated SPECT. Then, we compared the differences in prognostic markers for major adverse cardiac, cerebrovascular, and renal events (MACCRE) between patients with mild CKD (30 min/mL/1.73 m² ≤ eGFR <60 min/mL/1.73 m²; n=184) and those with severe CKD (eGFR <30 min/mL/1.73 m²; n=97). Results: Of 281 patients available for analysis, 91 experienced MACCRE. In a multivariate Cox proportional hazards analysis of factors related to MACCRE, in patients with mild CKD the significant prognostic markers were SDS (P=0.002) and end-systolic volume (ESV, P=0.034); and in the patients with severe CKD, they were eGFR (P=0.03) and diabetes-mellitus (DM, P=0.023). Conclusions: Our findings indicate that SDS and ESV are significant prognostic markers for MACCRE in patients with mild CKD and eGFR and DM are significant prognostic markers in patients with severe CKD.

Effects of Bivalirudin and Unfractionated Heparin on Liver and Renal Function in Chinese Patients with Coronary Artery Disease Undergoing Coronary Angiography with/without Percutaneous Coronary Intervention

BACKGROUND AND AIMS

Unfractionated heparin (UFH) and bivalirudin are widely used as anticoagulants in cardiovascular medicine, including for thrombosis prevention during coronary angiography (CAG) and percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). Little is known of the effects of UFH and bivalirudin on liver and kidney function in patients subjected to these procedures. This study compared the effects of bivalirudin and UFH on liver/renal function in patients with coronary artery disease who underwent CAG, with or without PCI.

METHODS

The study comprised 134 consecutive patients (40-89 years-old), who underwent CAG (or CAG and PCI); among them, 66 and 68 patients were subject to, respectively, bivalirudin or UFH. The following indicators of liver/renal function were measured before and after the procedures: plasma alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), blood urea nitrogen, estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR), creatinine clearance, and serum creatinine. Patients were further stratified by severity of chronic kidney disease (CKD), based on original eGFR.

RESULTS

Relative to baseline, in the bivalirudin group, ALT and AST were higher after CAG (p=0.005, 0.025), while blood urea nitrogen and serum creatinine were lower (p=0.049, <0.001). In the UFH group, ALT, AST, eGFR, and creatinine clearance were lower after CAG (p≤0.001, all). Patients given bivalirudin with moderate or severe CKD, but not those with mild CKD, gained significant improvement in kidney function.

CONCLUSIONS

Relative to UFH, bivalirudin may better safeguard the renal function of patients with coronary artery disease who undergo CAG, especially patients with moderate-to-severe renal insufficiency. UFH may cause less liver damage than bivalirudin.

Prognostic impact of the presence of chronic kidney disease on percutaneous left trial appendage closure for atrial fibrillation: A single center experience

BACKGROUND

Percutaneous left atrial appendage closure (LAAC) has been proposed as an alternative to anticoagulation therapy in patients with nonvalvular atrial fibrillation to decrease the thromboembolic risk, while avoiding the risks of chronic anticoagulation. This option may be attractive in patients with nonvalvular atrial fibrillation and chronic kidney disease (CKD), since they exhibit both high-thromboembolic and bleeding risks.

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the prognostic impact of the presence of CKD in patients with atrial fibrillation undergoing LAAC peri-procedure and during the follow-up as compared with patients with preserved renal function.

METHODS

Retrospective, observational study that included 124 consecutive patients with atrial fibrillation undergoing LAAC in a university hospital, and the results were evaluated according to the baseline renal function of the patients.

RESULTS

The median age was 75.5 years (IQR 67.6-80) and 62.1% were men, the median of CHA2DS2-Vasc and HASBLED scores was 4 (IQR 3-4) for both scores. Up to 57.3% of the total sample had CKD. Baseline characteristics were similar between groups, but CKD patients were older and had a higher HASBLED score. During the procedure, no thromboembolic, bleeding events, or deaths were observed. Combining the time of hospitalization and follow-up, no significant differences were observed between groups in the annual rate of thromboembolic events (0.97/100 patient-years [100PY] vs. 4.06/100PY, p=.09), but there was a higher rate of bleeding events (5.67/100PY vs. 13.3/100PY, p=.033) and mortality among CKD patients (6.50/100PY vs. 17.2/100PY, p=.009), with an odds ratio of 2.711 (95% CI 1.96-6.95). In the multivariate analysis, a preserved eGFR was independently associated with a lower mortality risk.

CONCLUSIONS

LAAC is a valid alternative to oral anticoagulation in patients with CKD and atrial fibrillation, with a low-rate of peri- and post-procedure complications, although CKD patients exhibited a higher risk of bleeding and mortality during the follow-up. However, these higher rates may not be necessarily related to the procedure.

Significance of serum FGF-23 for risk assessment of contrast-associated acute kidney injury and clinical outcomes in patients undergoing coronary angiography

Background

Fibroblast growth factor (FGF)-23 levels rise as kidney function declines. Whether elevated FGF-23 levels are associated with an increased risk for contrast-associated acute kidney injury (CA-AKI) and major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) in patients undergoing coronary angiography remain uncertain.

Methods

In total, 492 patients receiving coronary angiography were enrolled. Their serum FGF-23 levels were measured before administration of contrast media. The occurrence of CA-AKI was defined as a rise in serum creatinine of 0.5 mg/dL or a 25% increase from the baseline value within 48 h after the procedure. All patients were followed up for at least 1 year or until the occurrence of MACE including death, nonfatal myocardial infarction (MI), and ischemic stroke.

Results

Overall, CA-AKI occurred in 41 (8.3%) patients. During a median follow-up of 2.6 years, there were 24 deaths, 3 nonfatal MIs, and 7 ischemic strokes. Compared with those in the lowest FGF-23 tertile, individuals in the highest FGF-23 tertile had a significantly higher incidence of CA-AKI (P < 0.001) and lower incidence of MACE-free survival (P = 0.001). In multivariate regression analysis, higher FGF-23 level was found to be independently associated with a graded risk for CA-AKI (OR per doubling, 1.90; 95% CI 1.48–2.44) and MACE (HR per doubling, 1.25; 95% CI 1.02–1.52).

Conclusions

Elevated FGF-23 levels were associated with an increased risk for CA-AKI and future MACE among patients undergoing coronary angiography. FGF-23 may play a role in early diagnosis of CA-AKI and predicting clinical outcomes after coronary angiography.

Role of Platelets in Chronic Kidney Disease

Platelet-dependent mechanisms for excessive clotting and bleeding in CKD remain undefined. Moreover, platelets' contribution to inflammation, and specifically to CKD, are equally elusive. To date, descriptions of changes in the functional properties of circulating platelets during CKD have provided confusing interpretations. Experimental approaches that can advance our understanding of platelet dysfunction in CKD are needed, and studies that provide mechanistic insights into the dynamic relationships between thrombosis, bleeding, and inflammation associated with CKD will be essential to improve clinical management and outcomes for this vulnerable population. This article summarizes existing literature characterizing platelets in CKD and identifies areas that need further investigation.