Safety of Factor XI Inhibition With Abelacimab in Atrial Fibrillation by Kidney Function: A Prespecified Analysis of the AZALEA-TIMI 71 Randomized Clinical Trial.

Importance: Chronic kidney disease is common in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) and is associated with higher rates of bleeding with anticoagulation. In the AZALEA-TIMI 71 randomized clinical trial, abelacimab, a novel factor XI inhibitor, reduced rates of major or clinically relevant nonmajor (CRNM) bleeding compared with rivaroxaban in patients with AF.

Objective: To examine the safety of abelacimab vs rivaroxaban across a range of kidney function.

Computed Tomography Angiography or Standard Care After Left Main PCI?

Background: The clinical benefit of routine coronary computed tomography angiography (CCTA) after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) for unprotected left main (LM) disease is uncertain.

Objectives: The authors evaluated whether CCTA-guided follow-up improves clinical outcomes vs symptoms- or ischemia-driven care after LM PCI.

Methods: PULSE was a prospective, multicenter, open-label randomized trial.

Artificial Intelligence based fractional flow reserve.

Fractional flow reserve (FFR) - a physiological indicator of coronary stenosis significance - has now become a widely used parameter also in the guidance of percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). Several studies have shown the superiority of FFR compared to visual assessment, contributing to the reduction in clinical endpoints. However, the current approach to FFR assessment requires coronary instrumentation with a dedicated pressure wire and thus increasing invasiveness, cost, and duration of the procedure.

Balloon-assisted paravalvular leakage crossing for transcatheter closure: a pilot study.

Objectives. Transcatheter closure of paravalvular leaks (PVL) is an established treatment method. However, because of the frequent anatomical complexity of the PVL channel and lack of dedicated equipment, PVL crossing remains challenging.

Cryptogenic stroke patient's pathway and the qualification process for a patent foramen ovale closure: Experiences of the NeuroHeart Team.

Background: Nearly half of all patients with cryptogenic stroke (CS) have a patent foramen ovale (PFO). Percutaneous PFO closure is a well-established method for secondary prevention of CS and should be considered for individuals with the highest likelihood of a causal link between PFO and stroke.

Aims: The study aimed to describe the qualification process and analyze the profiles of patients eligible for PFO closure as a secondary prevention strategy for CS.

Association between post-PCI vessel fractional flow reserve (vFFR) and optical coherence tomography (OCT) findings: Results from the FAST OCT study.

Aims: Reduced post-PCI fractional flow reserve (FFR) and suboptimal optical coherence tomography (OCT) findings are associated with impaired outcomes. Angiography-derived vessel FFR (vFFR) has emerged as an accurate alternative to pressure-wire based FFR. This study sought to define the association between post-PCI vFFR and OCT findings.

A Novel Concept of the "Standard Human" in the Assessment of Individual Total Heart Size: Lessons from Non-Contrast-Enhanced Cardiac CT Examinations.

This single-center retrospective observational study reviewed data from 2305 persons examined for coronary artery calcium (CAC) with non-contrast-enhanced cardiac CT. Other cardiac structures, including chamber volumes, were evaluated besides the CAC scoring. We proposed a novel body size indexing measure that may outperform common indices for quantifying total heart volume (THV).

Abelacimab Versus Rivaroxaban in Patients With Atrial Fibrillation on Antiplatelet Therapy: A Prespecified Analysis of the AZALEA-TIMI 71 Trial.

Background: Combining antiplatelet therapy (APT) with conventional anticoagulants increases the risk of bleeding. In the AZALEA-TIMI 71 trial (Safety and Tolerability of Abelacimab [MAA868] vs Rivaroxaban in Patients With Atrial Fibrillation), the novel factor XI inhibitor abelacimab significantly reduced the risk of bleeding compared with rivaroxaban in patients with atrial fibrillation. Whether the safety of combination antithrombotic therapy differs in the context of factor XI inhibition has not been well characterized.

Procedural characteristics and outcomes of patients undergoing Impella-assisted high-risk percutaneous coronary interventions in the IMPELLA-PL registry.

Background: Impella is a catheter-based, continuous blood flow left ventricle assist device used in selected patients undergoing high-risk percutaneous coronary interventions (HR PCI). We aimed to evaluate outcomes in patients undergoing Impella-assisted HR-PCI and identify independent predictors of 12-month mortality.

Methods: Consecutive HR-PCI patients enrolled in the national, multicentre, retrospective IMPELLA-PL registry (n = 253) in 20 Polish interventional cardiological centres from October 2014 until December 2021 were included in the analysis.

Vitamin D Supplementation in Heart Failure-Confusion Without a Cause?

Heart failure (HF) remains a global health burden with high morbidity and mortality, despite significant pharmacological advances. Vitamin D deficiency (VDD) is commonly observed in HF patients and may exacerbate disease progression through various pathophysiological mechanisms, including activation of the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system, inflammation, oxidative stress, and impaired calcium homeostasis. While vitamin D (VD) supplementation may positively influence surrogate markers in selected patient groups-particularly those with reduced ejection fraction or severe vitamin D deficiency-its effect on primary endpoints such as mortality or HF-related hospitalization varies significantly across studies and patient populations.

Long-Acting Factor XI Inhibition and Periprocedural Bleeding: An Analysis From AZALEA-TIMI 71.

Background: In AZALEA-TIMI 71 (A Multicenter, Randomized, Active-Controlled Study to Evaluate the Safety and Tolerability of Two Blinded Doses of Abelacimab Compared with Open-Label Rivaroxaban in Patients with Atrial Fibrillation-Thrombolysis In Myocardial Infarction 71), abelacimab, a novel factor XI inhibitor, significantly reduced the rate of major or clinically relevant nonmajor (CRNM) bleeding compared with rivaroxaban in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF). Abelacimab is long-acting with a half-life of ∼28 days.

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to examine periprocedural bleeding among patients undergoing invasive procedures in the context of long-acting factor XI inhibition with abelacimab.

Coronary revascularization in patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction and multivessel disease: 2-year follow-up from a large multicenter registry.

Introduction: Multivessel coronary artery disease (MVD) occurs in one‑third of patients with ST‑segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) who undergo primary percutaneous coronary intervention (pPCI). However, long‑term prognosis and readmission rates in this high‑risk group remain unclear.

Objectives: We aimed to evaluate the long‑term risk of cardiovascular events and readmissions in STEMI patients with MVD.

Long-term safety and efficacy of self-apposing Stentys drug-eluting stent in left main stem percutaneous coronary intervention: final results of multicentre LM-STENTYS registry.

Background: Stentys drug-eluting stent (Stentys DES) was proposed to possess potential benefits over balloon-expandable platforms in large bifurcations, mainly distal left main stem (LMS). Several registries demonstrated favourable one-year clinical results of percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) using Stentys DES for LMS disease. However, long-term follow- up data have been lacking hitherto.

Artificial Intelligence-Based Algorithm for Stent Coverage Assessments.

Neointimal formation after stent implantation is an important prognostic factor since delayed healing may lead to stent thrombosis. In vivo, optical coherence tomography (OCT) can most precisely assess stent strut coverage. Since analyzing neointimal coverage is time-consuming, artificial intelligence (AI) may offer valuable assistance.

Preprocedural CT angiography and machine learning for mortality prediction after transcatheter aortic valve replacement.

Prediction of outcomes following transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) is challenging. Considering that in aortic stenosis outcomes are governed by both valve degeneration and myocardial adverse remodeling, we aimed to evaluate machine-learning leveraging pre-procedural computed tomography (CT) for the prediction of 1-year mortality following TAVR. The analysis included data of consecutive patients who underwent TAVR at a high-volume center between January 2017 and January 2022 and was externally validated on unseen data from 3 international sites.

Short- and long-term outcomes of Impella-protected, high-risk, elective PCI in patients with multivessel coronary disease and low ejection fraction - Polish Impella Registry.

Background: The Impella percutaneous mechanical circulatory support device provides improved support in treating patients with high-risk percutaneous coronary interventions (HR-PCI) or in cardiogenic shock. IMPELLA-PL is a multicenter registry developed to share clinical data and experiences using Impella technology in Poland. The retrospective analysis conducted in this study aims to fill the knowledge gap of Impella performance in patients with multivessel coronary artery disease (CAD) and depressed left ventricular ejection fraction (EF) (≤30%) treated with HR-PCI.

Short- and mid-term outcomes in patients undergoing transcatheter aortic valve implantation in Poland in 2019-2023.

Background: Transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) has become a cornerstone in the treatment of severe aortic stenosis, with expanding indications for lower-risk patients. However, real-world data, especially regarding post-discharge outcomes, from multicenter registries are scarce but needed.

Aims: To evaluate the in-hospital and mid-term outcomes of patients undergoing TAVI in all Polish centers between 2019 and 2023.