Apolipoprotein CIII in statin-treated type 2 diabetic patients: Its implications for plaque progression and instability: The pre-specified analysis from the OPTIMAL randomized controlled trial.

Aims: Apolipoprotein CIII (ApoCIII) has a variety of proatherogenic properties. Given that hyperglycemia induces ApoCIII transcription, this apolipoprotein may promote coronary atherosclerosis in type 2 diabetic patients. We aimed to elucidate whether ApoCIII affects plaque progression and instability in statin-treated type 2 diabetic patients.

Combined Use of Statin and PCSK9 Inhibitor in a Pregnant Woman with Possible Familial Hypercholesterolemia and Coronary Artery Stenosis.

Although the risk of acute coronary syndrome increases during pregnancy and the postpartum period compared to the non-pregnant state, dyslipidemia-one of the key risk factors for atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease-is often undertreated in this population. Several lipid-lowering medications, including statin, have not been used due to concerns about their impact on the fetus. Herein, we report a pregnant woman with possible familial hypercholesterolemia (FH) and coronary artery stenosis, whose low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) level was managed by a combination of statin and proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 (PCSK9) inhibitor for the secondary prevention of coronary artery disease.

Circulating apolipoprotein B levels in statin-treated type 2 diabetic patients with coronary artery disease: Implications for coronary atheroma progression and instability.

Background: Type 2 diabetic patients exhibited an increased secretion of triglyceride-rich lipoproteins and low high-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels with a greater amount of small dense low-density lipoprotein (LDL). Given that apolipoprotein B (apoB), a proatherogenic lipoprotein, exists at both triglyceride-rich lipoproteins and LDL particles, circulating apoB may associate with diabetic coronary atherosclerosis.

Methods: The OPTIMAL study was a prospective randomized-controlled study which employed serial near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS)/intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) imaging to evaluate the efficacy of glycemic control on coronary atherosclerosis in 94 statin-treated type 2 diabetic patients with coronary artery disease (CAD) (UMIN000036721).

Drug-Coated Balloon Versus Newer-Generation Drug-Eluting Stent Following Directional Coronary Atherectomy for Left Main Bifurcation Lesions.

Directional Coronary Atherectomy (DCA) is a potential treatment option for left main (LM) bifurcation lesions, as it may prevent side branch occlusion and reduce the need for complex stenting. Recent studies have suggested that combining drug-coated balloon (DCB) with DCA can lead to favorable cardiovascular outcomes. However, the comparative efficacy of DCB and current drug-eluting stents (DES) following DCA for LM bifurcation lesions remains unclear.

Impact of the en face view for coronary cannulation after transcatheter aortic valve replacement.

With the increasing number of transcatheter aortic valve replacements (TAVR) performed annually, coronary cannulation in post-TAVR patients has gained importance. The aim of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of the en face view for post-TAVR coronary cannulation. Between March 2015 and March 2024, we evaluated coronary cannulation based on the period when the en face view was initiated post-TAVR in December 2021.

Surgical repair for postinfarction left ventricular free-wall rupture: 25-year single-centre experience†.

Objectives: Postinfarction left ventricular free-wall rupture (LVFWR) is a rare, unpredictable and often fatal complication of acute myocardial infarction. We reviewed our surgical experience with postinfarction LVFWR over 25 years to identify risk factors for in-hospital mortality.

Methods: Seventy-two consecutive patients with LVFWR who underwent surgical repair between 1994 and 2023 were retrospectively analysed.

Characterization of lipidic plaque features in association with LDL-C<70 mg/dL and lipoprotein(a) <50 mg/dL.

Background: The ongoing residual cardiovascular risks despite lowering low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) levels suggest the need to identify additional drivers associated with atherosclerosis. Circulating lipoprotein(a) [Lp(a)] promotes formation of foam cells via its proatherogenic properties. However, whether a lower Lp(a) level in combination with favorable LDL-C control could induce a more stable form of disease remains unknown.

Clinical implications of calcification severity adjacent to calcified nodule: Its association with first and recurrent risks of target lesion revascularization after percutaneous coronary intervention.

Background And Aims: Calcified nodule (CN) is a plaque phenotype characterized by protruding calcification, associated with repeat revascularization after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). The severity of calcification increases the risk of future target lesion revascularization (TLR). This study was conducted to determine whether calcification severity in the adjacent zone is associated with TLR.

Association between left ventricular reverse remodelling and the B-type natriuretic peptide-cGMP cascade after anterior acute myocardial infarction.

Background: The role of cyclic guanosine 3',5'-monophosphate (cGMP) after acute myocardial infarction (AMI) is not well understood despite its significance as a second messenger of natriuretic peptides (NPs) in cardiovascular disease. We investigated the association between the NP-cGMP cascade and left ventricular reverse remodelling (LVRR) in anterior AMI.

Methods: 67 patients with their first anterior AMI (median age, 64 years; male, 76%) underwent prospective evaluation of plasma concentrations of the molecular forms of A-type and B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP) and cGMP from immediately after primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PPCI) to 10 months post-AMI.

Predictive models of in-hospital deterioration of Society of Cardiovascular Angiography and Intervention shock stage in patients with acute myocardial infarction initially presenting with stable hemodynamic condition.

Background: The Society of Cardiovascular Angiography and Intervention (SCAI) has defined 5 stages of cardiogenic shock (CS). In patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI) who initially present in stable hemodynamic condition (SCAI CS stage: A or B), CS stages could deteriorate despite therapeutic management. However, deterioration of SCAI CS stages after AMI remains to be fully characterized.

Change in Pd/Pa: Clinical Implications for Predicting Future Cardiac Events at Deferred Coronary Lesions.

Background: Cardiovascular events still occur at intermediate stenosis with fractional flow reserve (FFR) ≥0.81, underscoring the additional measure to evaluate this residual risk. A reduction in distal coronary artery pressure/aortic pressure (Pd/Pa) from baseline to hyperemia (ie, change in Pd/Pa) reflects lipidic burden within vessel walls.

Glucagon-like Peptide-1 analogues and delipidation of coronary atheroma in statin-treated type 2 diabetic patients with coronary artery disease: The prespecified sub-analysis of the OPTIMAL randomized clinical trial.

Background And Aims: Randomized clinical trials have demonstrated the ability of glucagon-like peptide-1 analogues (GLP-1RAs) to reduce atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease events in patients with type 2 diabetes (T2D). How GLP-1RAs modulate diabetic atherosclerosis remains to be determined yet.

Methods: The OPTIMAL study was a prospective randomized controlled study to compare the efficacy of 48-week continuous glucose monitoring- and HbA1c-guided glycemic control on near infrared spectroscopty (NIRS)/intravascular ultrasound (IVUS)-derived plaque measures in 94 statin-treated patients with T2D (jRCT1052180152, UMIN000036721).

Bypass failure of internal mammary artery caused by subclavian artery stenosis: its clinical characteristics and cardiovascular outcomes in patients receiving coronary artery bypass graft surgery.

Background: While internal mammary artery (IMA) has become a major conduit of coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery, subclavian artery stenosis (SAS) could cause subsequent coronary events due to ischemia of myocardial territory supplied by IMA. Clinical characteristics and cardiovascular outcomes of SAS-related IMA failure (SAS-IMAF) remain to be fully determined yet. Therefore, the current study was designed to characterize SAS-IMAF in patients receiving CABG with IMA.

Diagnosis and Management of Vasospastic Angina in a Young Woman Wishing to Become Pregnant.

Vasospastic angina can sometimes induce acute myocardial infarction in pregnant women, potentially endangering the lives of mother and child. We describe a case of a young woman with suspected vasospastic angina who wished to become pregnant. Vasospasm provocation testing revealed severe vasospasm, and subsequent appropriate management resulted in successful delivery.

A case report of cardiac allograft vasculopathy complicated with coronary vasospasm: insights from near-infrared spectroscopy, intravascular ultrasound, and optical coherence tomography.

Background: Cardiac allograft vasculopathy (CAV) remains a major complication after heart transplantation. Although coronary vasospasm after heart transplantation has occasionally been reported, the association between CAV and coronary vasospasm remains unclear.

Case Summary: A 68-year-old male with a history of heart transplantation 21 years ago presented with atypical angina.

Distal Radial Approach in Coronary Angiography Using a Transdermal Nitroglycerin Patch: Double-Blinded Randomized Trial.

Nitroglycerin dilates the radial artery and prevents spasm, which increases the success rate of sheath cannulation through the conventional transradial approach. However, the effects of nitroglycerin on distal radial approach (DRA) procedures are not known. The aim of this study is to elucidate whether a transdermal nitroglycerin patch improves the rate of successful DRA cannulation.

Characterization of plaque phenotypes exhibiting an elevated pericoronary adipose tissue attenuation: insights from the REASSURE-NIRS registry.

Inflammation has been considered to promote atheroma instability. Coronary computed tomography angiography (CCTA) visualizes pericoronary adipose tissue (PCAT) attenuation, which reflects coronary artery inflammation. While PCAT attenuation has been reported to predict future coronary events, plaque phenotypes exhibiting high PCAT attenuation remains to be fully elucidated.

Calcified plaque harboring lipidic materials associates with no-reflow phenomenon after PCI in stable CAD.

Calcified atheroma has been viewed conventionally as stable lesion which less likely increases no-reflow phenomenon. Given that lipidic materials triggers the formation of calcification, lipidic materials could exist within calcified lesion, which may cause no-reflow phenomenon after PCI. The REASSURE-NIRS registry (NCT04864171) employed near-infrared spectroscopy and intravascular ultrasound imaging to evaluate maximum 4-mm lipid-core burden index (maxLCBI) at target lesions containing small (maximum calcification arc < 180°: n = 272) and large calcification (maximum calcification arc ≥ 180°: n = 189) in stable CAD patients.

Feasibility of rotational atherectomy in patients with acute coronary syndrome: favorable in-hospital outcomes and clinical importance of complexed coronary atherosclerosis.

The feasibility of rotational atherectomy (RA) during percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) in patients who present with acute coronary syndrome (ACS) remains fully unsettled. We retrospectively evaluated 198 consecutive patients who underwent RA during PCI from 2009 to 2020. All patients underwent intracoronary imaging (intravascular ultrasound 96.