Influence of coronary vessel size on renarrowing process and late angiographic outcome after successful balloon angioplasty

Serial quantitative optical coherence tomography for luminal volume changes following either paclitaxel or sirolimus coated balloon in de novo small coronary artery lesions

BACKGROUND

Drug coated balloons (DCB) are a treatment option for lesions in small coronary arteries, with treatment using paclitaxel coated balloons (PCB) associated with less angiographic late lumen loss than sirolimus coated balloons (SCB).

METHODS

This single-center sub-study of the TRANSFORM-I study compared quantitative optical coherence tomography (OCT) data in patients with de novo lesions in small coronary arteries treated with the MagicTouch (SCB) or SeQuent Please Neo (PCB). The relationship between the lumen volume of the treated segment immediately post procedure and at 6-month follow-up was evaluated. Late lumen volume loss (LLVL, mm3) was defined as the post-procedural lumen volume - lumen volume at 6 months.

RESULTS

Serial OCT analysis was performed in 19 patients with 21 lesions (SCB: 9 patients/11 lesions; PCB: 10 patients/10 lesions). There was a significant decrease in lumen volume between post-procedure and 6 months in the SCB group (97.35 ± 71.09 mm3 vs 87.96 ± 61.48 mm3, p = 0.03), but not in the PCB group (69.67 ± 38.24 mm3 vs 71.64 ± 42.22 mm3, p = 0.64). The LLVL was 9.39 ± 12.76 mm3 and - 1.97 ± 12.90 mm3 in the SCB and PCB group, respectively (SCB vs PCB, p = 0.06). A trend for interaction between SCB and PCB was observed in the relationship between dissection volume and LLVL (SCB: LLVL = 1.28 ∗ dissection volume + 7.42, p = 0.37; PCB: LLVL = -2.84 ∗ dissection volume + 4.51, p = 0.12; p for interaction = 0.07).

CONCLUSION

In de novo lesions of small coronary arteries, treatment with an SCB lead to a significant decrease in lumen volume at 6-months compared to post-procedure, with no significant change observed after treatment with a PCB.

Is the axiom of balloon angioplasty, "the more you gain the more you lose," still true in the era of DCB with paclitaxel?

Balloon angioplasty achieves luminal enlargement by fracturing the atherosclerotic intima at its point of least resistance, thereby creating a dissection plane and space with dehiscence of the intima from the media. This barotraumatic dissection triggers an inflammatory and proliferative reaction, resulting in a restenosis process at medium-term. In the era of plain old balloon angioplasty, quantitative angiographic studies at follow-up demonstrated that - the greater the acute luminal gain was after balloon angioplasty, the greater the late luminal loss was at follow-up. The interventional cardiologists coined the following motto "the more you gain, the more you lose". However, in the current era of drug coated balloon (DCB), it appears that this vexing conundrum could have been abrogated. A recently published DCB study in small de novo vessel has demonstrated that there was a slightly negative correlation between the volume of dissection assessed by optical coherence tomography and the angiographic late luminal loss (now gain) after Paclitaxel coated balloon treatment. In other words, the barotraumatic dissection does not necessarily herald a restenosis process in the era of DCB. This article revisits the mechanism of balloon angioplasty and explores how DCB with Paclitaxel may change the paradigm of balloon angioplasty as default treatment in CAD percutaneous treatment.

Use of biliary stents for large coronary arteries

Dedicated coronary artery drug-eluting stents may be inadequate in coronary arteries >6 mm in diameter, due to the risk of stent undersizing if the stent is not fully expanded or to loss of radial strength or damage to the drug coating if the stent is expanded >6 mm. We present two patients with large coronary arteries who were successfully treated with biliary balloon expandable stents.

Outcomes following coronary artery bypass grafting with multiple arterial grafting by pump status in men and women

BACKGROUND

Multiple arterial grafting (MAG) and off-pump surgery are strategies proposed to improve outcomes with coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG). This study was conducted to determine the impact of off-pump surgery on outcomes after CABG with MAG in men and women.

METHODS

This cohort study used population-based data to identify all Ontarians undergoing isolated CABG with MAG between October 2008 and September 2019. The primary outcome was all-cause mortality. Secondary outcomes included major adverse cardiac and cerebrovascular events (MACCE; hospitalization for stroke, myocardial infarction hospitalization or heart failure, or repeat revascularization). Analysis used propensity-score overlap-weighted cause-specific Cox proportional hazard regression.

RESULTS

A total of 2989 women (1188 off-pump, 1801 on-pump) and 16,209 men (6065 off-pump, 10,144 on-pump) underwent MAG with a median follow-up of 5.0 years (interquartile range, 2.7-8.0) years. Compared to the on-pump approach, all-cause mortality was not changed with off-pump status (hazard ratio [HR] in women: 1.25 [95% CI, 0.83-1.88]; in men: 1.08 [95% CI, 0.85-1.37]). In women, the risk of MACCE was significantly higher off-pump (HR, 1.45; 95% CI, 1.04-2.03), with nonsignificantly increased risk observed for all component outcomes.

CONCLUSIONS

In patients undergoing CABG with MAG, this population-based analysis found no association between pump status and survival in either men or women. However, it did suggest that off-pump MAG in women may be associated with an increased risk of MACCE.

A Prospective Randomized Trial Comparing Sirolimus-Coated Balloon With Paclitaxel-Coated Balloon in De Novo Small Vessels

BACKGROUND

There are no data comparing sirolimus-coated balloons (SCBs [MagicTouch, Concept Medical]) to paclitaxel-coated balloons (PCBs [SeQuent Please Neo, B. Braun]) for the treatment of de novo small vessel disease (SVD).

OBJECTIVES

This study sought to compare quantitative coronary angiographic outcomes at 6 months after treatment of de novo SVD with a PCB or SCB.

METHODS

This prospective, multicenter, noninferiority trial randomized 121 patients (129 SVD lesions) to treatment with an SCB or PCB, with balloon sizing determined using optical coherence tomography. The primary endpoint was noninferiority for the 6-month angiographic net lumen gain.

RESULTS

Angiographic follow-up was completed in 109 (90.1%) patients in the per-protocol analysis. The mean ± SD angiographic net gains were 0.25 ± 0.40 mm with SCBs vs 0.48 ± 0.37 mm with PCBs, resulting in SCBs failing to meet the 0.30 mm criterion for noninferiority (Pnoninferiority = 0.173), with an absolute difference of -0.23 mm (95% CI: -0.37 to -0.09) secondary to a smaller late loss (0.00 ± 0.32 mm vs 0.32 ± 0.47 mm; P < 0.001) and more frequent late lumen enlargement (53.7% vs 30.0%; OR: 2.60; 95% CI: 1.22-5.67; P = 0.014) with PCBs. Binary restenosis rates were 32.8% and 12.5% following treatment with SCBs and PCBs, respectively (OR: 3.41; 95% CI: 1.36-9.44; P = 0.012). The mean angiography-derived fractional flow ratio at follow-up was 0.86 ± 0.15 following treatment with SCBs and 0.91 ± 0.09 following PCBs (P = 0.026); a fractional flow ratio ≤0.80 occurred in 13 and 5 vessels after treatment with SCBs and PCBs, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

The SCB MagicTouch failed to demonstrate noninferiority for angiographic net lumen gain at 6 months compared to the PCB SeQuent Please Neo.

Obesity Paradox in the Intrahospital and Follow-Up Phases of the Acute Coronary Syndrome: A Meta-Analysis and Systematic Review

BACKGROUND

Obesity is an important risk factor for the development of dyslipidemia, diabetes mellitus, hypertension, coronary artery disease, ventricular dysfunction, congestive heart failure (HF), stroke, and cardiac arrhythmias.

OBJECTIVES

This meta-analysis brings comprehensive evaluation about still controversial association between the body mass index (BMI) and the outcomes of acute coronary syndrome.

METHOD

PubMed/ScienceDirect databases were systematically searched for studies with baseline parameters, primary (HF, cardiogenic shock, cardiac arrest, reinfarction, stroke, death, total in-hospital complications) and secondary outcomes (reinfarction, stroke, death, total major adverse cardiovascular events [MACE]) in relation to BMI strictly classified into four groups (underweight [<18.5 kg/m2], normal weight [18.5-24.9 kg/m2], overweight [25.0-29.9 kg/m2], and obese [≥30.0 kg/m2], grouped into mildly obese [30.0-34.9 kg/m2] and severely obese [≥35.0 kg/m2]).

RESULTS

We included 24 studies, with 585,919 participants (55.5% males), aged 66.8 years. Underweight was negatively associated with hypertension, hyperlipidemia and diabetes, and positively with primary outcomes {HF (odds ratio [OR] = 1.37, confidence interval [CI] [1.15-1.63]), cardiogenic shock (OR = 1.43, CI [1.04-1.98]), stroke (OR = 1.21, CI [1.05-1.40]), overall death (OR = 1.64, CI [1.20-2.26]), total in-hospital complications (OR = 1.39, CI [1.24-1.56])} and secondary outcomes during 34-month follow-up {cardiovascular/overall death (OR = 3.78, CI [1.69-8.49]/OR = 2.82, CI [2.29-3.49]), respectively, total MACE (OR = 2.77, CI [2.30-3.34])} (for all p < 0.05). Obesity had positive association with hypertension, hyperlipidemia, diabetes and smoking, and negative with primary outcomes {reinfarction (OR = 0.83, CI [0.76-0.91]), stroke (OR = 0.67, CI [0.54-0.85]), overall death (OR = 0.55, CI [0.49-0.63]), total in-hospital complications (OR = 0.81, CI [0.70-0.93])} and secondary outcomes {cardiovascular/overall death (OR = 0.77, CI [0.66-0.88]/OR = 0.62, CI [0.53-0.72]), respectively, total MACE (OR = 0.63, CI [0.60-0.77])} (for all p < 0.05). This negative association with several primary outcomes (cardiogenic shock, overall death, total in-hospital complications) and secondary outcomes (cardiovascular/overall death, total MACE) was more pronounced in mild obesity (p < 0.05). These results give an "obesity paradox" with a bimodal pattern (slightly U-shaped).

CONCLUSIONS

Obesity is positively associated with traditional cardiovascular risk factors and negatively with primary and secondary outcomes, which confirms the persistence of overall "obesity paradox."

Novel application of drug-coated balloons in coronary heart disease: A narrative review

The incidence of coronary heart disease (CAD) has soared over the years, and coronary intervention has become an increasingly important therapeutic approach. The past decade has witnessed unprecedented developments in therapeutic medical instruments. Given that drug-coated balloons bring many benefits, they are indicated for an increasing number of conditions. In this article, we review the results of current clinical trials about drug-coated balloons and summarize their safety and clinical progression in different coronary artery diseases, laying the groundwork for basic research, and clinical therapeutics of this patient population.

Observational, prospective, single-center study: Should body mass index be added to the scoring criteria of hepatic critically ill patients in the intensive care unit

BACKGROUND

Obesity has recently become more prevalent, and thus the coexistence of liver cirrhosis with obesity has become very pervasive. The purpose of this study is to investigate the correlation between abnormal body mass index (BMI) (overweight and obese) and clinical outcomes in critically ill cirrhotic patients.

METHODS

This is a single-center, prospective observational study of cirrhotic patients admitted to the intensive care unit for either medical or surgical indications in the period from February 2018 to December 2020. Patients were categorized based on their body mass index and the reason for admission to the intensive care unit (ICU).

RESULTS

The current study enrolled 517 patients; 39.3% were overweight, and 19.5% were obese (85% were class 1 and 2). Surgical subgroup analysis revealed that the hospital stay was shorter in the obese than average weight patients (p-value= 0.039), and ICU stay was shorter in overweight patients than patients with average weight (p-value= 0.022). The incidence of acute kidney injury was shorter in the obese group than in overweight and average-weight patients (p-value= 0.045). The medical subgroup analysis revealed that the need for noninvasive ventilation was lower in the obese and overweight groups than in the normal group (p-value= 0.040).

CONCLUSIONS

Despite having similar Child-Pugh (CP) and Sequential Organ Failure Assessment Score (SOFA) scores on admission, obese patients had better outcomes than non-obese patients, demonstrating the obesity paradox. Further research is required on BMI as a predictive score in a patient with critical cirrhosis as an indicator of obesity.

The Morphology of Coronary Artery Disease in South Asians versus White Caucasians and its Implications

South Asians (SAs) experience a higher prevalence and earlier onset of coronary artery disease and have worse outcomes relative to White Caucasians (WCs) following invasive revascularization procedures, a mainstay of coronary artery disease (CAD) management. We sought to review the differences in the CAD pattern and risk factors between SA and WC patients and discuss their potential impact on the development of coronary disease, acute coronary syndrome and revascularization outcomes. SAs have a more diffuse pattern with multi-vessel involvement compared to WCs. However, less is known about other morphological characteristics such as calcification of atherosclerotic plaque and coronary diameter in SA populations. Despite a similar coronary calcification burden, higher non-calcified plaque composition, elevated thrombosis and inflammatory markers likely contribute to the disease pattern. While the current evidence on the role of coronary vessel size remains inconsistent, smaller coronary diameters in SAs could play a potential role in the higher disease prevalence. This is especially important given the impact of coronary artery diameter on revascularization outcomes. In conclusion, SAs have a unique CAD risk profile comprised of traditional and novel risk factors. Our findings highlight the need for additional awareness of healthcare professionals of this specific risk profile and potential therapeutic targets, as well as the need for further research in this vulnerable population.

Smaller Superficial Femoral Artery is Associated with Worse Outcomes after Percutaneous Transluminal Angioplasty for De Novo Atherosclerotic Disease

BACKGROUND

With the exponential increase in the use of endovascular techniques in the treatment of peripheral artery disease, our understanding of factors that affect intervention failures continues to grow. We sought to assess the outcomes of percutaneous transluminal angioplasty for isolated de novo superficial femoral artery (SFA) disease based on balloon diameter.

METHODS

The Vascular Quality Initiative database was queried for patients undergoing percutaneous balloon angioplasty for isolated de novo atherosclerotic SFA disease. Based on the diameter of the angioplasty balloon as a surrogate measure of arterial diameter, patients were stratified into 2 groups: group 1, balloon diameter <5 mm (354 patients) and group 2, balloon diameter ≥5 mm (1,550 patients). The primary patency and major adverse limb event (MALE) were estimated by the Kaplan-Meier method and compared with the log-rank test, based on vessel diameter. Multivariable Cox regression analysis was used to determine factors associated with the primary patency.

RESULTS

From January 2010 through December 2018, a total of 1,904 patients met criteria for analysis, with a mean follow-up of 13.3 ± 4.5 months. The mean balloon diameters were 3.92 ± 0.26 mm and 5.47 ± 0.55 mm in group 1 and 2, respectively (P < 0.001). The mean length of treatment and distribution of TASC lesions were not statistically different between the groups. Primary patency at 18 months was significantly lower in group 1, compared with group 2 (55% vs. 67%; log-rank P < 0.001). The MALE rate was higher in group 1 than group 2 (33% vs. 26%; log-rank P < 0.001). Among patients with claudication, there was no significant difference in the primary patency (61% vs 68%; log-rank P = 0.073) and MALE (27% vs. 22%; log-rank P = 0.176) at 18 months between groups 1 and 2, respectively. However, in patients with CLTI, group 1 had significantly lower 18-month primary patency (47% vs. 64%; log-rank P < 0.014) and higher MALE rates (41% vs. 35%; log-rank P = 0.012) than group 2. Cox proportional hazard analysis confirmed that balloon diameter < 5 mm was independently associated with increased risks of primary patency loss (HR 1.35; 95% CI, 1.04-1.72; P = 0.021) and MALE (HR 1.29; 95% CI, 1-1.67; P = 0.048) at 18-months.

CONCLUSIONS

In patients undergoing isolated SFA balloon angioplasty for CLTI, smaller SFA (<5 mm) was associated with worse primary patency and MALE. Using balloon size as a surrogate, our findings suggest that patients with a smaller SFA diameter appear to be at increased risk for treatment failure and warrant closer surveillance. Furthermore, these patients may also be considered for alternative approaches, including open revascularization.

Possible mechanism of late lumen enlargement after treatment for de novo coronary lesions with drug-coated balloon

BACKGROUND

Drug-coated balloon (DCB) treatment for de novo coronary artery disease has demonstrated late lumen enlargement (LLE) in mid-term follow-up and it was considered as clinical benefit; however, its mechanism and the predictive factor remains unclear.

METHODS

This study enrolled 46 consecutive patients (54 lesions) treated with DCB, using intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) at the index procedure and at the 9-month follow-up. We measured IVUS parameters at 1-mm intervals and calculated the mean volume of the external elastic membrane (EEM), lumen, and plaque. We calculated the dissection index (DI) defined as summation of the following points, 2: dissection over EEM, 1: intra-EEM dissection, 0: no dissection at every 1-mm interval, and divided by lesion length.

RESULTS

IVUS showed that there was no flow limiting dissection just after DCB treatment, the mean EEM and lumen volume (LV) had significantly increased while mean plaque volume had significantly decreased at 9 months, and 74.1% lesions exhibited LLE. We divided the patients into three groups according to delta mean LV. Mean EEM volume significantly increased and mean plaque volume significantly decreased in the larger and smaller LLE groups, but not in the non-LLE group. The DI was higher in a descending order in the three groups. The multiple regression analysis demonstrated that the DI was the strongest predictor of the change in mean LV.

CONCLUSIONS

LLE after DCB treatment may be caused by vessel enlargement and plaque regression. The non-flow limiting larger dissection just after DCB treatment may strongly associate with the intending LLE.

Role of Drug-coated Balloons in Small-vessel Coronary Artery Disease

Percutaneous coronary intervention of small-vessel coronary artery disease (SVD) remains challenging due to difficulties with device delivery and high restenosis rate, even with the use of newer-generation drug-eluting stents. Drug-coated balloons represent an attractive emerging percutaneous coronary intervention option in patients with SVD. Potential advantages of drug-coated balloons in SVD include enhanced deliverability because of their small profile, avoidance of foreign-body implantation, and shorter duration of dual antiplatelet therapy.

The Impact of Obesity on the Cardiovascular System

Obesity is a growing health problem worldwide. It is associated with an increased cardiovascular risk on the one hand of obesity itself and on the other hand of associated medical conditions (hypertension, diabetes, insulin resistance, and sleep apnoea syndrome). Obesity has an important role in atherosclerosis and coronary artery disease. Obesity leads to structural and functional changes of the heart, which causes heart failure. The altered myocardial structure increases the risk of atrial fibrillation and sudden cardiac death. However, obesity also has a protective effect on the clinical outcome of underlying cardiovascular disease, the phenomenon called obesity paradox. The improved cardiac imaging techniques allow the early detection of altered structure and function of the heart in obese patients. In this review, we attempt to summarize the relationship between obesity and cardiovascular diseases and outline the underlying mechanisms. The demonstrated new techniques of cardiac diagnostic procedures allow for the early detection and treatment of subclinical medical conditions and, therefore, the prevention of cardiovascular events.

One-year clinical outcomes of patients implanted with a Resolute Onyx™ zotarolimus-eluting stent

Objective

To evaluate the 1-year clinical outcomes of patients who received the Resolute Onyx™ stent.

Methods

This was a single-centre, retrospective registry analysis that reviewed the clinical data from all patients who were implanted with a Resolute Onyx™ stent between March 2015 and February 2016. Clinical follow-up was performed at 1 year post-implantation.

Results

A total of 252 patients received a Resolute Onyx™ stent and two patients were lost to follow-up. The mean age of the cohort was 66.9 years and 113 (45.2%) had diabetes mellitus. Thirty-eight patients (15.2%) had left main disease and 73 (29.2%) had three-vessel disease. A total of 175 patients (70.0%) had small vessel disease (<2.75 mm) and 210 (84.0%) had long lesions (>20 mm). The 1-year target lesion failure was 4.4% (11 of 250), cardiovascular death occurred in eight patients (3.2%), ischaemia-driven target lesion revascularization was undertaken in five patients (2.0%) and stent thrombosis occurred in one patient (0.4%).

Conclusion

The Resolute Onyx™ stent showed a favourable 1-year clinical performance in a real-world population.

Clinical outcomes of balloon angioplasty alone versus nitinol stent implantation in patients with small femoropopliteal artery disease: Observations from the Retrospective Multicenter Analysis for Femoropopliteal Stenting (REAL-FP)

OBJECTIVES

We sought to assess whether balloon angioplasty (BA) alone for small femoropopliteal disease improved the outcome following endovascular therapy as compared with stent implantation.

BACKGROUND

The optimal strategy of endovascular therapy for small vessel arteries in femoropopliteal disease remains unclear.

METHODS

We performed a multicenter retrospective analysis of 337 consecutive patients (371 limbs) with femoropopliteal arteries 4.0 mm or less in diameter and 150 mm or less in length.

RESULTS

Cumulative 3-year incidence of primary patency was significantly higher in the BA group than in the stent group (53.8% vs. 34.2%, P = 0.002). While assisted-primary patency and freedom from any major adverse limb events were also significantly higher in the BA group than in the stent group (70.9% vs. 44.2%, P < 0.001 and 60.6% vs. 36.4%, P = 0.001, respectively), secondary patency did not significantly differ between the two groups (86.9% vs. 86.9%, P = 0.67). Predictors of restenosis were diabetes mellitus (hazard ratio [HR], 1.61; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.14-2.31; P = 0.01), no administration of cilostazol (HR, 1.50; 95% CI, 1.07-2.13; P = 0.02), stent implantation (HR, 1.68; 95% CI, 1.15-2.41; P = 0.01), and lesion length >75.0 mm(HR, 2.09; 95% CI, 1.50-2.92; P < 0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

Lesions in small (<4.0 mm diameter) FP vessels demonstrated better primary patency at 3 years when successfully treated with balloon angioplasty alone as opposed to routine or bailout stenting. This difference was especially pronounced for lesions 75 to 150 mm in length.

Relation of Quantity of Subepicardial Adipose Tissue to Infarct Size in Patients With ST-Elevation Myocardial Infarction

According to the so-called obesity paradox, obesity might present a protective role in patients with myocardial infarction. We aimed to assess the influence of the epicardial adipose tissue (EAT) volume on cardiac healing and remodeling in patients with acute ST-elevation myocardial infarction. We prospectively included 193 consecutive patients presenting a first STEMI without known coronary artery disease. Cardiac magnetic resonance imaging was performed at baseline and after a 3-month follow-up. EAT volume was computed, and the population was divided into quartiles: the highest quartile of EAT defining the high EAT group (h-EAT). h-EAT was associated with increased body mass index, higher rate of history of hypertension, and smaller infarct size at initial CMR assessment (18.3 ± 11.9% vs 23 ± 13.7% of total left ventricular [LV] mass, p = 0.041). Moreover, microvascular obstruction was less frequent in the h-EAT group (36.2% vs 59.3%, p = 0.006). There were no differences in LV ejection fraction (LVEF), LV volumes, systolic wall stress, coronary artery burden, and clinical events during the index hospitalization between the EAT groups at baseline and at follow-up. Linear regression analysis showed h-EAT to be associated with smaller infarct size at baseline (β coefficient = -3.25 [95% CI -5.89 to -0.61], p = 0.016). h-EAT also modified positively the effect of infarct size on LV remodeling, as assessed by the change in LVEF (p = 0.046). In conclusion, h-EAT was paradoxically related to smaller infarct size and acted as an effect modifier in the relation between the extent of infarct size and LVEF changes. Patients with higher extent of EAT presented better cardiac healing.

Restenosis of the Coronary Arteries: Past, Present, Future Directions

Restenosis is a pathologic response to vascular injury, characterized by neointimal hyperplasia and progressive narrowing of a stented vessel segment. Although advances in stent design have led to a dramatic reduction in the incidence of restenosis, it continues to represent the most common cause of target lesion failure following percutaneous coronary intervention. Efforts to maximize restenosis prevention, through careful consideration of modifiable risk factors and an individualized approach, are critical, as restenosis, once established, can be particularly difficult to treat. Novel approaches are on the horizon that have the potential to alter the natural history of this stubborn disease.

A propensity score matched comparative study between paclitaxel-coated balloon and everolimus-eluting stents for the treatment of small coronary vessels

OBJECTIVES

To compare the long-term clinical outcomes of paclitaxel drug-coated-balloons (DCB) and everolimus-eluting-stents (EES) following the treatment of de novo small vessel coronary artery disease.

BACKGROUND

It is currently unclear whether treatment of de novo small vessel coronary disease with DCB is comparable to second generation drug-eluting stents, which are the current standard of care.

METHODS

The present study enrolled 90 patients with small vessel coronary disease from the DCB treatment arm of the BELLO (Balloon Elution and Late Loss Optimization) trial and 2,000 patients treated with EES at the San Raffaele Scientific Institute. Propensity score matching was performed to adjust for differences in baseline clinical and angiographic characteristics, yielding a total of 181 patients: 90 patients with 94 lesions receiving DCB and 91 patients with 94 lesions receiving EES. Major adverse cardiac events (MACE) were defined as the composite of cardiac death, recurrent non-fatal myocardial infarction, and target vessel revascularization.

RESULTS

After propensity score matching, baseline clinical and angiographic characteristics were similar between the two groups. The cumulative MACE rate at 1-year was 12.2% with DCB and 15.4% with EES (P = 0.538). Patients in the DCB group had similar TLR rates as compared to EES over the same interval (4.4% vs. 5.6%; P = 0.720). There were no cases of definite or probable stent or vessel thrombosis.

CONCLUSIONS

The use of paclitaxel-DCB appears to be associated with similar clinical outcomes when compared to second-generation-EES in small coronary artery disease. The findings of this study should be confirmed with larger prospective randomized studies with longer follow-up. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

“Obesity paradox” in coronary artery disease

Obesity used to be among the more neglected public health problems, but has unfolded as a growing medical and socioeconomic burden of epidemic proportions. Morbid obesity is linked to traditional cardiovascular risk factors like, hypertension, hyperlipidemia and diabetes, and suspected to incur increased morbidity and mortality in the Western and even third world populations. This patient cohort is also at greater risk to develop coronary artery disease. Recent population-based registries revealed that 43% and 24% of all cases of coronary revascularization were carried out in overweight and obese patients, respectively. However, despite evidence of a positive correlation between obesity and increased cardiovascular morbidity, some authors have described a better clinical outcome in overweight and obese patients, a phenomenon they coined “obesity paradoxon”. Thus, there is an ongoing debate in light of conflicting data and the possibility of confounding bias causing misconception and challenging the “obesity paradox”. In this review article we present the current evidence and throughly discuss the validity of the “obesity paradoxon” in a variety of clinical settings.

Comparison of Long-Term Outcomes in Real-World Patients Between Resolute Zotarilumus-Eluting and Paclitaxel-Eluting Stents in Small Vessel

OBJECTIVE

To compare the long-term clinical outcomes between Resolute zotarolimus-eluting stent (R-ZES) and paclitaxel-eluting stent (PES) in patients with small coronary artery disease.

BACKGROUND

Patients with a small vessel diameter are independently associated with increased risk of adverse cardiac events after drug-eluting stent implantation.

METHODS

A cohort of 265 patients treated with R-ZES (185 patients with 211 lesions) or PES (80 patients with 100 lesions) in small vessel (≤2.5 mm) lesions were retrospectively analyzed. The primary end point of the study was the composite of major adverse cardiac events. The secondary end points included target lesion revascularization (TLR), target vessel revascularization (TVR), and stent thrombosis at 3 years.

RESULTS

The baseline characteristics were similar between the 2 groups. In the R-ZES group, the mean stent diameter was smaller and the total stent length per lesion was longer. Major adverse cardiac events occurred in 8 (10%) patients who had received PES and in 7 (3.8%) patients who had received R-ZES (P = .07). The rates of 3-year TLR (2.2% vs 2.5%; P = 1.00) and TVR (5.4% vs 10.0%; P = .17) showed no statistically significant difference between the R-ZES and PES groups. The rate of stent thrombosis was 0.5% in the R-ZES group and 2.5% in the PES group (P = .21).

CONCLUSION

The rates of major adverse cardiac events and cardiac death were similar in the R-ZES-treated group compared with the PES-treated group.

Composite outcomes in 2.25-mm drug eluting stents: a systematic review

BACKGROUND

Coronary atherosclerosis often involves small-caliber coronaries, yet the safety and efficacy of 2.25-mm DES have been poorly defined, with a general lack of separation of 2.25 with 2.5-mm performance. No randomized head-to-head 2.25 mm DES studies have been reported. There are several single-arm prospective studies, and we aim to systematically review all published specific 2.25-mm data to estimate composite DES-specific performance and highlight current knowledge gaps.

METHODS

We performed a systematic literature search of PubMed, EMBASE, Web of Science and Cochrane database for clinical trials of 2.25-mm DES. Angiographic and composite clinical outcomes were compared with descriptive statistics.

RESULTS

2.25 mm-Paclitaxel (PES), sirolimus (SES), everolimus (EES) and platinum chromium EES DES-specific outcomes have been reported. Death at 12 months for SES, PES, EES and platinum chromium EES was 1.3%, 3.0%, 1.5%, and 4.4%. Rates of target vessel revascularization at 12 months for SES, PES, EES and platinum chromium EES were 5.7%, 13.3%, 8.8%, and 3.3%. Angiographic outcomes at 9 months to one year were as follows: mean late lumen loss (LLL) for SES, PES, and EES was 0.15 ± 0.11-mm, 0.28 ± 0.11-mm, and 0.16 ± 0.41-mm and mean diameter restenosis for SES, PES, and EES were 29.5 ± 6.2%, 34.7 ± 4.2%, and 20.9 ± 22.5%. Reported stent thrombosis rates for 2.25-mm DES were low ranging from 0% to 2.2% in up to 24-months of follow-up.

CONCLUSIONS

This systematic review summarizes and tabulates all available specific data on 2.25-mm DES. Based on our descriptive analysis, 2.25-mm DESs have a favorable safety and efficacy profile for the treatment of very small coronary lesions.

Clinical utility of low-pressure implantation of drug-eluting stent into very small vessels

BACKGROUND

Although drug-eluting stents (DES) reduce restenosis, the best strategy for DES implantation in small vessels has not been established.

PURPOSE

We investigated the clinical usefulness of low-pressure implantation of a 2.5-mm DES for small vessels less than 2.5mm in diameter.

METHODS

In 118 patients, a 2.5-mm DES was implanted for small vessels less than 2.5mm in diameter between 2007 and 2009 in our hospital. The patients were divided into two groups by initial deployment pressure: low-pressure (LP; n=46) and nominal-pressure (NP; n=72).

RESULTS

Patients with impaired glucose tolerance were more frequent (p=0.02) and the target vessel diameter was significantly smaller (p=0.01) in the LP group than in the NP group. A smaller minimum lumen diameter (MLD) was obtained (LP: 2.22±0.27mm vs. NP: 2.34±0.26mm, p=0.02) after DES implantation with a smaller balloon-to-artery ratio (p=0.03) in the LP group. However, at mid-term follow-up (7.7±3.9 months), MLD (p=0.55) and the binary restenosis rate (LP: 2.6% vs. NP: 11.1%, p=0.12) were not significantly different between the LP and NP groups. Furthermore, by Kaplan-Meier analysis, the incidence of major adverse cardiac events was not different between the groups during the long-term follow-up (32.4±8.6 months).

CONCLUSION

The present study indicates that low-pressure implantation of 2.5-mm DES for very small vessels may be feasible with regard to short- and long-term clinical outcomes.

Percutaneous revascularization strategies in small-vessel disease

Percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) of small coronary vessels represents a real challenge for myocardial revascularization because of the high risk of stent-restenosis and increased risk of adverse clinical events. Moreover, small coronary arteries supply small myocardial territories therefore questioning the clinical significance of small-vessel stenoses. The definition of small-vessel disease and PCI-strategies used are very heterogeneous across studies. The present review will focus on percutaneous coronary revascularization in patients with small vessel coronary artery disease.

Bare-metal stent versus drug-eluting stent in large coronary arteries: meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials

BACKGROUND

Uncertainties exist with regard to the efficacy of drug-eluting stent (DES) versus bare-metal stent (BMS) in large coronary arteries.

OBJECTIVE AND METHODS

The aim of this study was to investigate the efficacy of BMS versus DES in terms of clinical events in large coronary vessels (≥3.0 mm) by performing a meta-analysis of all relevant randomized controlled trials (RCTs).

RESULTS

Six RCTs with 4,399 patients were included in this study. Overall, there were no significant between-group differences in the risks of the composite of cardiac death and nonfatal myocardial infarction (cardiac death/MI), cardiac death, myocardial infarction, and stent thrombosis, however, DES was associated with significant reduction in the risk of target vessel revascularization (TVR) compared with BMS [0.48 (0.33, 0.70)] with consistent benefits among patients with reference vessel diameter ≥ 3.5 mm, reference vessel diameter ≥ 4.0 mm, stent length ≤ 15 mm, first-generation DES or second-generation DES. In patients with ≥ 3-year follow-up, there were no significant between-group differences in the risk of cardiac death/MI, TVR, cardiac death, myocardial infarction or stent thrombosis.

CONCLUSIONS

This meta-analysis suggests that DES is superior to BMS in terms of adverse cardiac events in large coronary arteries at the mid-term follow-up. The long-term efficacy of newer-generation DES versus BMS in larger coronary arteries is still worth further evaluation.

Stenting in Acute STEMI Intervention

Stenting in acute myocardial infarction (AMI) has the benefits of achieving acute optimal angiographic results and correcting residual dissection to decrease the incidence of restenosis and reocclusion. Studies have shown that percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty for primary treatment after AMI is superior to thrombolytic therapy regarding the restoration of normal coronary blood flow. Coronary stenting improves initial success rates, decreases the incidence of abrupt closure, and is associated with a reduced rate of restenosis. In the presence of thrombus-containing lesions, coronary stenting constitutes an effective therapeutic strategy, either after failure of initial angioplasty or electively as the primary procedure.

Intra-individual head-to-head comparison of Sirolimus®- and Paclitaxel®-eluting stents for coronary revascularization. A randomized, multi-center trial

BACKGROUND

Despite the known effects of drug-eluting stents (DES), other cofactors attributed to patient characteristics affect their success. Interest focused on designing a study minimizing these factors to answer continuing concerns on the heterogeneity of response to different DESs. The study's aim was to investigate the feasibility and impact of an intra-individual comparison design in patients (pts) with two coronary artery stenosis treated with a Sirolimus- (SES) and a Paclitaxel- (PES) eluting stent.

METHODS AND RESULTS

The study was conducted as a prospective, randomized, multi-center trial in 112 pts who consented to treatment with a SES and a PES. Pts were eligible if they suffered from the presence of two single primary target lesions in two different native coronary arteries. Lesions were randomized to either SES or PES treatment. The primary endpoint was in-stent luminal late loss (LLL), as determined by quantitative angiography at 8 months; clinical follow up was obtained at 1, 8, and 12 months additionally. The LLL (0.13 ± 0.28 mm SES vs. 0.26 ± 0.35 mm PES, p=0.011) showed less neointima in SES. With a predefined cut-off criterion of 0.2mm difference in LLL, 53/87 pts SES and PES were similar effective. 34/87 pts had a divergent result, 26 pts had greater benefit from SES while 8 pts had greater benefit from PES. Overall, MACE (MI, TLR, and death) occurred in 19 (17%) pts. Based on lesion analysis of 108 lesions treated with SES and 110 lesions treated with PES, 5 (4.6%) lesions with SES and 3 (2.7%) lesions with PES required repeated TLR.

CONCLUSION

An intra-individual comparison design to assess differences in efficacy of different DESs is feasible, safe and achieves similar results to inter-individual studies. This study is among the first to show that failure of one DES does not necessarily implicate failure of another DES and vice versa.

Long-term clinical outcome in patients with small vessel disease treated with drug-eluting versus bare-metal stenting

BACKGROUND

DES is superior to BMS in reducing restenosis and repeat revascularization. Available data are less convincing in small vessel disease. Aim of our study is to assess long-term clinical outcome of drug-eluting stents (DES) vs. bare-metal stents (BMS) in small coronary vessel disease.

METHODS

Procedural and long-term clinical outcomes were assessed in consecutive patients (pts) treated with stenting of native small coronary arteries (reference vessel diameter and implanted stent < 3mm).

RESULTS

Pts enrolled were 645: DES group (n = 277) presented more frequently diabetes (173 [62%] vs. 32 [9%], P < .0001), higher body mass index (27 ± 5 vs. 26 ± 4, P = .01) and with previous PCI (115 [42%] vs. 118 [32%], P = .01) as compared to BMS group (n=368). DES group presented more frequently with unstable angina (46 [17%] vs. 38 [10%], P = .02); BMS group presented more frequently with myocardial infarction (103 [28] vs. 43 [15], P = .0002). Reference vessel (2.27 ± 0.36 vs. 2.24 ± 0.36, P = .29), minimal lumen (0.81 ± 0.32 vs. 0.80 ± 0.31, P = .84) and stent diameter (2.59 ± 0.17 vs. 2.60 ± 0.15, P = .69) did not differ between the 2 groups. Lesion length was significantly higher in DES group (15.85 ± 6.81 vs. 13.66 ± 7.18, P = .01). At a median clinical follow-up of 3.0 years (IQR range 2.2-4.6), pts with DES showed significantly lower major adverse cardiac events (MACE, HR 0.51, 95%CI 0.33-0.78) and target vessel revascularization (TVR, HR 0.44, 95%CI 0.25-0.78). No differences were observed between the two groups as to death, myocardial infarction and stent thrombosis.

CONCLUSIONS

In small vessel disease, DES was more frequently implanted in pts at higher risk of restenosis, though it demonstrated to be more effective than BMS in reducing MACE and TVR at long-term follow-up.

Outcomes of small coronary artery stenting with bare-metal stents versus drug-eluting stents: results from the NHLBI Dynamic Registry

OBJECTIVES

Examine 1-year outcomes of patients with small coronary arteries in the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute Dynamic Registry (NHLBI) undergoing drug-eluting stent (DES) vs. bare-metal stent (BMS) placement.

BACKGROUND

While randomized trials of DES vs. BMS demonstrate reduced target vessel revascularization, it is unclear whether similar outcomes are seen in unselected patients after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) for small coronary arteries.

METHODS

Utilizing patients from the NHLBI Registry Waves 1-3 for BMS (1997-2002) and Waves 4-5 for DES (2004 and 2006), demographic, angiographic, in-hospital, and 1-year outcome data of patients with small coronary arteries treated with BMS (n = 686) vs. DES (n = 669) were evaluated. Small coronary artery was defined as 2.50-3.00 mm in diameter.

RESULTS

Compared to BMS-treated patients, the mean lesion length of treated lesions was longer in the DES treated group (16.7 vs. 13.1 mm, P < 0.001) and the mean reference vessel size of attempted lesions was smaller (2.6 vs. 2.7 mm, P < 0.001). Adjusted analyses of 1-year outcomes revealed that DES patients were at lower risk to undergo coronary artery bypass graft surgery (Hazard Ratio [HR] 0.40, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.17-0.95, P = 0.04), repeat PCI (HR 0.53, 95% CI 0.35-0.82, P = 0.004), and experience the combined major adverse cardiovascular event rate (HR 0.59, 95% CI 0.42-0.83, P = 0.002). There was no difference in the risk of death and myocardial infarction (MI) (HR 0.78, 95% CI 0.46-1.35, P = 0.38).

CONCLUSIONS

In this real-world registry, patients with small coronary arteries treated with DES had significantly lower rates of repeat revascularization and major adverse cardiovascular events at 1 year compared to patients treated with BMS, with no increase in the risk of death and MI. These data confirm the efficacy and safety of DES over BMS in the treatment of small coronary arteries in routine clinical practice.

Late outcomes of drug eluting and bare metal stents in saphenous vein graft percutaneous coronary intervention

AIMS

PCI with drug eluting stents (DES) has been shown to reduce restenosis and major adverse cardiac event (MACE) rates compared to bare metal stents (BMS) in native coronary vessels, although outcomes in saphenous vein graft (SVG) lesions are less clear. We retrospectively studied 388 consecutive patients admitted to our centre for SVG PCI to assess mortality and MACE outcomes (defined as composite endpoint of all-death, stroke, myocardial infarction, stent thrombosis and target lesion (TLR)/vessel (TVR) revascularisation) associated with BMS and DES use.

METHODS AND RESULTS

Two hundred and nineteen (219) patients had BMS and 169 had DES (total 388 patients). Mean follow up was 41.9±23.5 months. No significant differences were observed in mortality (14.2% vs. 11.8%) or MACE (37.6% vs. 35.8%) between the BMS and DES groups at four years follow-up or at other intervening time points studied. Similarly, no differences in TVR/TLR rates were observed over a similar time period (19.8% vs. 21.6%).

CONCLUSIONS

We have observed that DES and BMS use in SVG PCI have comparable mortality and MACE rates, and that in contrast to PCI in native coronary arteries, DES do not reduce revascularisation rates in our study cohort.

Two-year clinical outcomes after large coronary stent (4.0 mm) placement: comparison of bare-metal stent versus drug-eluting stent

BACKGROUND

The absolute benefit of drug-eluting stents (DES) in low-risk patients and lesions is not well established.

HYPOTHESIS

The long term clinical outcomes after percutaneous coronary intervention in a single coronary artery disease may not be affected by the type of stent.

METHODS

This study assessed and compared 2-year clinical outcomes of 304 consecutive patients (147 BMS patients and 157 DES patients) treated with a single coronary stent (4.0 mm) for single de novo large coronary artery disease in 3 referral cardiac centers. The primary outcome was a composite of major adverse cardiac events at 2 years after the index procedure.

RESULTS

The reference vessel diameter was similar in both groups (3.92 ± 0.29 mm in BMS vs 3.95 ± 0.24 mm in DES, P = 0.50). Late loss was larger in the BMS group (1.04 ± 0.83 mm vs 0.73 ± 0.91 mm in DES, P = 0.03). The incidence of major adverse cardiac events at the 2-year clinical follow-up was very low, 24 of 304 patients (7.9%), regardless of stent type deployed (7.5% in BMS vs 8.3% in DES, P = 0.83). The rate of target vessel revascularization was also similar in both groups (4.8% in BMS vs 5.7% in DES, P = 0.80).

CONCLUSIONS

Two-year clinical outcomes after PCI with a single large coronary stent (4.0 mm) were excellent. The clinical outcomes were not affected by the type of stent used.

Clinical and angiographic outcomes of drug-eluting stents in patients with large vessel and single coronary artery lesion

BACKGROUND

The aim of this study was to evaluate and compare the clinical and angiographic outcomes of 3 drug-eluting stents (DES) in patients with large vessel diameter and single coronary artery lesions.

HYPOTHESIS

The efficacy of 3 DESs may be similar.

METHODS

A total of 411 consecutive patients who visited 3 university hospitals from June 2004 to December 2007 and had a single coronary lesion which was treated with the use of a DES that was 3.5 mm in diameter were enrolled in this study. Patients were divided into 3 stent groups: Paclitaxel-eluting stent (PES, n = 105), Sirolimus-eluting stent (SES, n = 259), and Zotarolimus-eluting stent (ZES, n = 47). The study end point was a composite of major adverse cardiac events (MACE) including cardiac death, myocardial infarction (MI), and ischemia-driven target-vessel revascularization (TVR) for 12 months.

RESULTS

Baseline characteristics were not different. Late loss was higher in the ZES group than the other stents (0.5 +/- 0.4 mm in SES vs 0.3 +/- 0.5 mm in PES, 0.7 +/- 0.5 mm in ZES, P = 0.001). The total MACE-free survival rate was not significantly different between the SES group and the PES group (98.8% in SES vs 97.1% in PES, P = 0.252) or the PES group and the ZES group (97.1% in PES vs 93.6% in ZES, P = 0.301). However, the SES group showed a significantly better MACE-free survival rate compared with the ZES group (98.8% in SES vs 93.6% in ZES, P = 0.018).

CONCLUSIONS

Clinical and angiographic outcomes of DES in a large vessel diameter and single coronary artery is excellent and SES appears to show better angiographic and clinical outcomes than ZES.

Thin strut chrome-cobalt stent implantation for treatment of de-novo lesions in small coronary vessels: results of the RISICO Italian Registry (Registro Italiano Mini VISION nei piccolo Vasi) utilizing the Mini VISION coronary stent platform

OBJECTIVES

The Registro Italiano Mini VISION nei piccoli Vasi registry is a prospective, multicenter, observational study, aimed at assessing immediate and long-term angiographic and clinical outcomes of a small-vessel cobalt-chrome super alloy-dedicated stent (Multi-Link RX VISION) in de-novo and long lesions.

BACKGROUND

Small artery size is an important determinant of poor outcomes in percutaneous coronary interventions.

METHODS

Patients with ischemic heart disease were included. The primary end point was procedural success. Secondary end points included clinical restenosis (need for target lesion revascularization ), incidence of major adverse cardiac events at 6 months, and cost-effectiveness analysis.

RESULTS

Between September 2004 and October 2005, 143 patients (mean age 67 +/- 11 years; 22% diabetes) were enrolled; 6-month follow-up was completed in May 2006. Average lesion length, mean stent length and diameter were 16.8 +/- 7.1, 17.01 +/- 3.9 and 2.41 +/- 0.14 mm, respectively. Procedural success was 96%. At 6-month follow-up, the hierarchical major adverse cardiac event rate was 11.6%, 2.9% deaths, 2.9% myocardial infarction and 5.8% target lesion revascularization. Cost-effectiveness analysis will be reported in a further publication.

CONCLUSION

Small-vessel disease treatment with Mini VISION stents permits an elevated procedural success rate with low incidence of clinical restenosis and major adverse cardiac events at mid-term follow-up. Such results require confirmation by means of a randomized controlled study against drug-eluting stents.