Role of stroke volume in patients presenting with uncomplicated anterior STEMI.

Background: Stroke volume is an established echocardiographic marker but has not been widely studied in patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI). We aimed to evaluate stroke volume in a cohort of uncomplicated anterior STEMI and to assess its prognostic role in those with severe left ventricle (LV) systolic dysfunction.

Methods And Results: This is a single-centre retrospective analysis of consecutive patients presenting with anterior STEMI who underwent uncomplicated primary percutaneous coronary intervention.

Clinical outcomes of intravascular lithotripsy according to the timing of stent failure: Insights from the COIL registry.

Background: Cumulative data has highlighted the efficacy of intra-vascular lithotripsy (IVL) in patients with stent failure (SF). However, it remains unclear whether the effectiveness of IVL, and subsequent clinical outcomes, are influenced by the timing of SF. We aimed to evaluate the outcomes of patients with SF undergoing IVL according to the age of index stent implantation.

Simultaneous Kissing Balloon Inflation Technique for Coronary Protection during Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement.

Transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) using the valve-in-valve (ViV) approach presents a substantial risk of coronary artery obstruction, which adversely impacts patient outcomes. In this report, we describe the utilization of the simultaneous kissing balloon inflation technique during ViV TAVR, which resulted in significant improvement in the patient's condition.

Single- Versus Dual-Access Transcatheter Aortic Valve Implantation Using Balloon-Expandable Platform: A Propensity Score Matching Study.

Background: Vascular complications are more frequently encountered in patients undergoing transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) compared to surgical aortic valve replacement. Single access (SA) TAVI may reduce access-site complications, but this approach has not been widely studied.

Objectives: The aim of the study was to compare clinical outcomes of SA vs dual access (DA) TAVI using balloon-expandable valve Sapien 3 Ultra.

The Role of 6-Hour ECG in Patients with Left Bundle Branch Block After TAVI in Determining Same-Day Discharge.

: Left bundle branch block (LBBB) following trans-catheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) has been excluded from same-day discharge. Early identification of patients with stable LBBB can help facilitate same-day discharge. We aim to assess the role of 6-hour ECG to determine development of LBBB in patients undergoing TAVI.

Impact of elevated lipoprotein(a) on epicardial coronary flow conductance and endoluminal atherosclerotic disease distribution.

Background: Elevated lipoprotein(a) [Lp(a)] is associated with accelerated progression of coronary plaques, a higher prevalence of thin-cap fibroatheroma, and an increased risk of spontaneous myocardial infarction. However, Lp(a)'s impact on coronary artery disease (CAD) and the resulting coronary flow dynamics have yet to be fully determined.

Objective: To evaluate the effects of elevated Lp(a) levels on epicardial coronary flow and endoluminal disease pattern (focal or diffuse).

Balloon Aortic Valvuloplasty Prior to Self-Expanding TAVI: The BAVSE-TAVI Registry.

Background: Direct transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) approach is feasible and safe compared to predilatation-TAVI. Certain clinical and computerized tomography (CT)-based characteristics might indicate the need for balloon aortic valvuloplasty (BAV) before TAVI, especially with self-expanding valves.

Aims: We aimed to identify patients who require predilatation before TAVI.

Comparative Analysis of SYNTAX and BCIS Jeopardy Score of Diabetics Versus Non-Diabetic Patients with Complex Coronary Artery Disease.

Diabetic patients tend to have complex coronary artery disease (CAD). Understanding their procedural risk may help to guide treatment strategies. SYNTAX and the British Cardiovascular Intervention Society Jeopardy Score (BCIS-JS) have been used to define complex CAD, but their use has not been compared in diabetic patients.

Comparison of mortality trends in patients with rheumatic mitral valve disease and nonrheumatic mitral valve disease: A retrospective study in US from 1999 to 2020.

Background: Mitral valve disease (MVD) can have both rheumatic and nonrheumatic etiologies. However, differences in mortality remain unknown.

Methods: We extracted age-adjusted mortality rates (AAMRs) per 100,000 persons from the CDC WONDER database and stratified them by sex, region, and race.

Aortic Valve Intervention in Patients with Aortic Stenosis and Small Annulus.

Over the last two decades, the management of aortic stenosis has undergone significant transformation due to developments in surgical techniques and the introduction of transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI). These transformations have enabled improved patient selection and treatments to be tailored based on individual clinical and anatomical characteristics. Both surgical and transcatheter options have resulted in reduced mortality and enhanced quality of life for patients with aortic stenosis.

A Meta-Analysis of Timing of Complete Revascularization in Patients with ST-Elevation Myocardial Infarction.

Recent randomized clinical trials (RCTs) of STEMI patients with multi-vessel disease (MVD) reported potential superiority of immediate (ICR) vs. staged complete revascularization (SCR). Inherently, the risk of procedural MI is less likely to be detected in ICR patients, and this may have influenced the results.

Eosinopenia in patients with acute myocardial infarction- longitudinal imaging insights from the CAPRI study.

Eosinophils are recruited to the heart during acute myocardial infarction (MI) and are considered part of the inflammatory response associated with adverse clinical outcomes. We assessed the impact of eosinopenia on cardiac imaging biomarkers in patients presenting with ST-segment elevation MI. This is a post-hoc analysis of the Evaluating the effectiveness of intravenous Ciclosporin on reducing reperfusion injury in pAtients undergoing PRImary percutaneous coronary intervention (CAPRI) trial.

The role of intra-vascular imaging in patients undergoing intravascular lithotripsy: Insights from the COIL registry.

Background: The role of intra-coronary imaging in patients with stent failure undergoing intravascular lithotripsy (IVL) is unclear. We aimed to assess clinical outcomes in patients undergoing IVL treatment for stent failure stratified according to the use of intra-coronary imaging and lesion complexity.

Methods: This is a pre-specified subgroup analysis of patients who were included in the coronary intravascular lithotripsy in patients with stent failure (COIL) registry (international multi-centre study assessing IVL treatment for stent failure in 6 European centres).

Pullback Pressure Gradient-An Emerging Concept in Patients with Coronary Artery Disease.

Fractional flow reserve fractional flow reserve (FFR)-guided percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) is currently recommended in the management of patients with stable coronary artery disease (CAD). Pullback pressure gradient (PPG) index is an emerging concept that provides a fully quantitative measure of the longitudinal distribution of CAD. It can be derived from FFR, as well as other non-hyperemic indices, and is a novel metric of assessing the focality or diffuseness of CAD.

Positive Predictive Value of Computerized Tomography Coronary Angiography versus Computerized Tomography Fractional Flow Reserve in a Real-world Population.

Background: Computed Tomography coronary angiography and fractional flow reserve (CTCA and CT-FFR) are noninvasive diagnostic tools for the detection of flow-limiting coronary artery stenoses. Although their negative predictive values are well established, there is a concern that the high sensitivity of these tests may lead to overestimation of coronary artery disease (CAD) and unnecessary invasive coronary angiography (ICA). We compared the positive predictive value (PPV) of CT-FFR with computerized tomography coronary angiography (CTCA) against the gold standard of ICA in different real-world patient groups.

The role of gender in resting full-cycle ratio (RFR) guided coronary revascularization.

Background: Gender-based differences in clinical outcomes of patients undergoing fractional flow reserved (FFR) guided coronary revascularization is well documented. This study aimed to compare resting full-cycle ratio (RFR) values between men and women and whether this translated into difference in clinical outcomes in patients who underwent RFR-guided coronary revascularization.

Methods: This was a retrospective single-centre study of consecutive patients who underwent RFR-guided revascularization for coronary lesions with intermediate degree of stenosis.

Bleeding Risk in Patients Receiving Omega-3 Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Clinical Trials.

Background: There is a potential concern about increased bleeding risk in patients receiving omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs). The aims of this study-level meta-analysis were to determine the risk of bleeding and to assess whether this relationship is linked to the received dose of omega-3 PUFAs or the background use of antiplatelet treatment.

Methods And Results: Electronic databases were searched through May 2023 to identify randomized clinical trials of patients receiving omega-3 PUFAs.

The Use of Thrombectomy during Primary Percutaneous Coronary Intervention: Resurrecting an Old Concept in Contemporary Practice.

Optimal myocardial reperfusion during primary percutaneous coronary intervention (pPCI) is increasingly recognized to be beyond restoring epicardial coronary flow. Both invasive and non-invasive tools have highlighted the limitation of using this metric, and more efforts are focused towards achieving optimal reperfusion at the level of the microcirculation. Recent data highlighted the close relationship between thrombus burden and impaired microcirculation in patients presenting with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI).

Atherosclerosis Residual Lipid Risk-Overview of Existing and Future Pharmacotherapies.

Patients with atherosclerotic disease remain at increased risk of future events despite receiving optimal medical treatment. This residual risk is widely heterogeneous, but lipoprotein particles and their content play a major role in determining future cardiovascular events. Beyond low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-c), other lipoprotein particles have not demonstrated similar contribution to the progression of atherosclerosis.

Bicuspid Aortic Valve Disease: Classifications, Treatments, and Emerging Transcatheter Paradigms.

Bicuspid aortic valve (BAV) is a common congenital valvular malformation, which may lead to early aortic valve disease and bicuspid-associated aortopathy. A novel BAV classification system was recently proposed to coincide with transcatheter aortic valve replacement being increasingly considered in younger patients with symptomatic BAV, with good clinical results, yet without randomized trial evidence. Procedural technique, along with clinical outcomes, have considerably improved in BAV patients compared with tricuspid aortic stenosis patients undergoing transcatheter aortic valve replacement.