Role of intravascular ultrasound in patients with acute myocardial infarction undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention

Stent thrombosis and restenosis remain drawbacks of drug-eluting stents in patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI). Intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) guidance for stent deployment helps optimize its results in stable patients. The aim of this study was to examine the utility of routine IVUS guidance in patients with AMI undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). Employing data from Korea Acute Myocardial Infarction Registry (KAMIR), we analyzed 14,329 patients with AMI from April 2006 through September 2010. Patients with cardiogenic shock and rescue PCI after thrombolysis were excluded. Clinical outcomes of 2,127 patients who underwent IVUS-guided PCI were compared to those of 8,235 patients who did not. Mean age was 63.6 ± 13.5 years and 72.3% were men. Patients undergoing IVUS-guided PCI were younger, more often men, more hyperlipemic, and had increased body mass index and left ventricular ejection fraction. Number of treated vessels and stents used, stent length, and stent diameter were increased in the IVUS-guided group. Multivessel involvement was less frequent and American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association type C lesion was more frequent in the IVUS-guided group. Drug-eluting stents were more frequently used compared to bare-metal stents in the IVUS group. There was no significant relation of stent thrombosis between the 2 groups. Twelve-month all-cause death was lower in the IVUS group. After multivariate analysis and propensity score adjustment, IVUS guidance was not an independent predictor for 12-month all-cause death (hazard ratio 0.212, 0.026 to 1.73, p = 0.148). In conclusion, this study does not support routine use of IVUS guidance for stent deployment in patients who present with AMI and undergo PCI.     

Usefulness of Frequency Domain Optical Coherence Tomography Compared with Intravascular Ultrasound as a Guidance for Percutaneous Coronary Intervention

Objectives

To compare outcomes and rates of optimal stent placement between optical coherence tomography (OCT) and intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) guided percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI).

Background

Unlike IVUS‐guided PCI, rates of clinical outcomes and optimal stent placement have not been well characterized for OCT‐guided PCI.

Methods

The study enrolled 290 patients who underwent implantation of a second generation drug eluting stent under OCT (122 patients) or IVUS (168 patients) guidance. The two groups were compared after adjusting for baseline differences using 1:1 propensity score matching (PSM) (114 patients in each group). Optimal stent placement was defined as achieving an adequate lumen (optimal minimum stent area [MSA > 4.85 mm² for OCT, >5 mm² for IVUS] or a final MSA ≥ 90% of the distal reference lumen area, without edge dissection, incomplete stent apposition, or tissue prolapse), or otherwise performing additional interventions to address suboptimal post‐stenting OCT or IVUS findings. The primary endpoint was one‐year cumulative incidence of major adverse cardiac events (MACE; cardiac death, myocardial infarction and target lesion revascularization). Definite or probable stent thrombosis (ST) rates were evaluated.

Results

In adjusted comparisons between OCT and IVUS groups, there was no significant difference in rates of MACE (3.5% vs. 3.5%, P = 1.000) and ST (0% vs. 0.9%, P = 1.000) at 1 year, optimal stent placement (89.5% vs. 92.1%, P = 0.492), and further intervention (7.9% vs.13.2%, P = 0.234), despite OCT significantly more frequently detecting tissue prolapse (97.4% vs. 47.4%, P < 0.001), and numerically more edge dissection (10.5% vs. 4.4%, P = 0.078) or incomplete stent apposition (48.2% vs. 36.8%, P = 0.082).

Conclusions

OCT guidance showed comparable results to IVUS in mid‐term clinical outcomes, suggesting that OCT can be an alternative tool for stent placement optimization. (J Interven Cardiol 2016;29:216–224)

     

Impact of intravascular ultrasound‐guided percutaneous coronary intervention on long‐term clinical outcomes in a real world population

Objectives : To compare long‐term clinical outcomes between intravascular ultrasound (IVUS)‐guided and angiography‐guided percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) in a large “real world” registry. Background : The impact of IVUS‐guided PCI on clinical outcomes remains unclear. Methods : Between January 1998 and February 2006, 8,371 patients who underwent IVUS‐ (n = 4,627) or angiography‐ (n = 3,744) guided PCI were consecutively enrolled. Three‐year clinical outcomes were compared after adjustment for inverse‐probability‐of‐treatment weighting (IPTW) in the overall population and in separate populations according to stent type. Results : A crude analysis of the overall population showed that the 3‐year mortality rate was significantly lower in the IVUS‐guided group than in the angiography‐guided group (96.4% ± 0.3% vs. 93.6% ± 0.4%, log‐rank P < 0.001). When adjusted by IPTW, patients undergoing IVUS‐guided PCI remained at lower risk of mortality (hazard ratio [HR] 0.627; 95% CI 0.50–0.79, P < 0.001). Similarly, in the drug‐eluting stent (DES) population, the 3‐year risk of mortality was significantly lower in patients undergoing IVUS‐guided PCI (HR 0.46; 95% CI 0.33–0.66, P < 0.001). In contrast, IVUS‐guided PCI did not reduce the risk of mortality in the bare metal stent population (HR 0.82; 95% CI 0.60–1.10, P = 0.185). However, the risks of myocardial infarction (HR 0.95; 95% CI 0.63–1.44, P = 0.810), target vessel revascularization (HR 1.00; 95% CI 0.86–1.15, P = 0.944), and stent thrombosis (HR 0.82; 95% CI 0.53–1.07, P = 0.109) were not associated with IVUS guidance. Conclusions : IVUS‐guided PCI may reduce long‐term mortality when compared with conventional angiography‐guided PCI. This may encourage the routine use of IVUS for PCI in patients undergoing DES implantation. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

Intravascular ultrasound-guided primary percutaneous coronary intervention with drug-eluting stent implantation in patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction

Background:

Studies investigating the clinical outcome of intravascular ultrasound (IVUS)‐guided primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PPCI) in patients with ST‐segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) show conflicting results. The aim of our study was to evaluate whether IVUS‐guidedPPCI with drug‐eluting stents (DESs) in STEMI patients improves clinical outcome.

Hypothesis:

IVUS‐guided PPCI is superior to angio‐guided PPCI.

Methods:

Three hundred forty‐one patients who underwent PPCI for STEMI and survived the hospitalization were enrolled in this study. Two hundred sixteen (63.3%) patients were treated with angio‐guided PPCI and 125 (36.7%) patients were treated with IVUS‐guided PPCI. The primary endpoint was defined as the composite of death, myocardial infarction, target vessel revascularization, and target lesion revascularization at the 3‐year follow‐up visit.

Results:

Male gender, dyslipidemia, and smoking were frequent in the IVUS‐guided PPCI group. These patients had a higher rate of radial approach, adjunctive ballooning, thrombectomy, and the use of a glycoprotein IIb/IIIa inhibitor. The number and length of implanted stents were higher in the IVUS‐guided PPCI group. The primary end point (18.1% vs 12.8%, P = 0.22) and stent thrombosis (2.8% vs 2.4%, P = 1.00) was not different between the groups.

Conclusions:

In our observational study, IVUS‐guided PPCI with DESs in patients with STEMI did not improve clinical outcome or stent thrombosis. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. The authors have no funding, financial relationships, or conflicts of interest to disclose.     

Long-term outcomes with use of intravascular ultrasound for the treatment of coronary bifurcation lesions

Percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) of bifurcation lesions remains challenging with a higher risk of adverse outcomes. Whether adjunctive intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) imaging improves outcomes of PCI of bifurcation lesions remains unclear. This study sought to determine the long-term clinical outcomes associated with using IVUS for percutaneous treatment of coronary bifurcation lesions. From April 2003 through August 2010, 449 patients with 471 bifurcation lesions underwent PCI with (n = 247) and without (n = 202) the use of IVUS. Clinical outcomes (death, myocardial infarction [MI], periprocedural MI, stent thrombosis, target vessel revascularization [TVR], and target lesion revascularization [TLR]) were compared between patients undergoing PCI with and without IVUS using univariate and propensity score-adjusted analyses. Most patients (61%) presented with acute coronary syndrome and 89% of bifurcations lesions were Medina class 1,1,1. After propensity score adjustment, use of IVUS was associated with significantly lower rates of death or MI (odds ratio 0.38, 95% confidence interval 0.20 to 0.74, p = 0.005), death (odds ratio 0.40, 95% confidence interval 0.18 to 0.88, p = 0.02), MI (odds ratio 0.37, 95% confidence interval 0.14 to 0.98, p = 0.04), periprocedural MI (odds ratio 0.45, 95% confidence interval 0.20 to 0.97, p = 0.04), TVR (odds ratio 0.28, 95% confidence interval 0.14 to 0.53, p <0.0001), and TLR (odds ratio 0.27, 95% confidence interval 0.14 to 0.53, p = 0.0003) compared to no IVUS. In conclusion, IVUS-guided treatment of complex bifurcation lesions was associated with significantly lower rates of adverse cardiac events at late follow-up. Further study is warranted to evaluate the role of IVUS guidance in improving long-term outcomes after PCI of bifurcation lesions.     

Primary and mid-term outcome of sirolimus-eluting stent implantation with angiographic guidance alone

BACKGROUND: Usefulness and efficacy of intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) for the implantation of sirolimus-eluting stent (SES) is controversial. We investigated the primary and mid-term results of SES deployment with angiographic guidance comparing with IVUS guidance, retrospectively. METHODS AND RESULTS: SESs were deployed in 480 de novo lesions of 459 patients (341 lesions treated without IVUS and 139 lesions treated using IVUS); 368 lesions underwent follow-up coronary angiography. Late luminal loss, in-stent restenosis (ISR) rate and target lesion revascularization (TLR) rate were not significantly different between the non-IVUS group and the IVUS group. There was no acute thrombosis or other major adverse cardiac events except for TLR in both groups. Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that SES implantation without IVUS was not an independent risk factor for restenosis. On the other hand, in one case, target-vessel revascularization was difficult because of the mal-apposition of the SES previously implanted without IVUS. CONCLUSIONS: For lesions for which stent size and endpoint are decided from angiographic information alone, angio-guided SES implantation is safe and provides a good mid-term outcome that is comparable to the IVUS-guided SES stent deployment., while IVUS may be helpful to decide stent size for complex lesions and reduce possible complications.     

The PREHAMI (PREsillion™ in high‐risk acute myocardial infarction) registry

Objectives : To evaluate the efficacy of the new Cobalt–Chromium (Co‐Cr) Presillion? stent for the treatment of high‐risk acute myocardial infarction (MI) patients. Background : Percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) with stent represents the gold standard treatment for acute MI. Methods and Results : We enrolled patients with high‐risk acute MI (either ST‐segment elevation MI or non‐ST‐segment elevation MI) treated with PCI using a new Co‐Cr bare metal stent with closed cells design and limited balloon compliance. We considered high‐risk features as one of the following: age ≥70 years, ejection fraction ≤35%, glomerular filtration rate ≤60 mL/min, diabetes mellitus, rescue PCI, or chronic atrial fibrillation or other conditions requiring long‐term oral anticoagulation therapy. Primary outcome of the study was rate of major adverse cardiac events (MACE) defined as all‐cause death, new MI, and target‐vessel revascularization. A total of 129 consecutive patients were enrolled (69 ± 11 years, 74% men): 71 (55%) patients with ST‐segment elevation MI and 58 (45%) patients with non‐ST‐segment elevation MI. A total of 153 vessels (169 lesions and 179 stents) were treated. The device success rate was high (98.8%). In‐hospital MACE rate was 5.4% mainly because of death associated with the acute MI. At 1‐year follow‐up, the MACE rate was 17.3%, with 11% all‐cause death (7.9% of cardiac origin), 0.6% of stent thrombosis, and 4.6% target‐vessel revascularization. Conclusions : The use of the Co‐Cr Presillion stent in patients with high‐risk acute MI treated invasively seems to be safe and efficacious with optimal deliverability and good long‐term outcomes and represents a good option in the treatment of these patients. © 2011 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.     

Long-Term Outcomes of Coronary Stenting With and Without Use of Intravascular Ultrasound

ObjectivesThis study sought to explore if intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) use in real-world patients is associated with improved long-term outcomes of percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI).BackgroundThe benefit of IVUS use with PCI in real world is uncertain.MethodsWe identified Medicare patients who underwent PCI from 2009 to 2017 and evaluated the association of IVUS use with long-term risk of mortality, myocardial infarction (MI), and repeat revascularization. We used propensity score matching and inverse probability weighting to adjust for baseline characteristics. To account for hospital effects, patients undergoing IVUS-guided PCI were matched to non-IVUS patients in the same hospital and year. Sensitivity analyses comparing outcomes with and without IVUS in stable coronary artery disease and acute coronary syndrome, PCI with bare-metal stents and drug-eluting stents, complex and noncomplex PCI, and facilities with 1% to 5%, 5% to 10%, and >10% IVUS use were performed.ResultsOverall, IVUS was used in 5.6% of all PCI patients (105,787 out of 1,877,177 patients). Patients with IVUS-guided PCI had a higher prevalence of most comorbidities. In the propensity matched analysis, IVUS-guided PCI was associated with lower 1-year mortality (11.5% vs. 12.3%), MI (4.9% vs. 5.2%), and repeat revascularization (6.1% vs. 6.7%) (p < 0.001 for all). In inverse probability weighting analysis with a median follow-up of 3.7 years (interquartile range: 1.7 to 6.4 years), IVUS-guided PCI was associated with a lower risk of mortality (adjusted hazard ratio [aHR]: 0.903; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.885 to 0.922), MI (aHR: 0.899; 95% CI: 0.893 to 0.904), and repeat revascularization (aHR: 0.893; 95% CI: 0.887 to 0.898) (p < 0.001 for all). These findings were consistent in all subgroups in sensitivity analyses.ConclusionsIn this contemporary U.S. Medicare cohort, the use of IVUS guidance in PCI remains low. Use of IVUS is associated with lower long-term mortality, MI, and repeat revascularization.     

Angiographically confirmed stent thrombosis in contemporary practice: Insights from intravascular ultrasound

Objective : We hypothesized that patients presenting with stent thrombosis (ST) have a high prevalence of stent underexpansion and malapposition when assessed by intravascular ultrasound (IVUS). Background : IVUS can provide mechanistic insight into mechanical factors, including stent underexpansion, malapposition, and fracture that may predispose to ST. Methods : All consecutive cases of angiographically confirmed ST from a multicenter registry (from 2005 to 2010) were reviewed. All IVUS images were reviewed off‐line for the presence of stent underexpansion, malapposition, and fracture. Kaplan–Meier analysis was used to determine whether use of IVUS at the time of ST was associated with long‐term mortality and major adverse cardiovascular events. Results : IVUS was performed in 32 of 173 subjects with ST (18%). Stent underexpansion was present in 82% of cases and in all cases of early ST, with a mean stent expansion of 0.7 ± 0.23 by MUSIC criteria. Stent malapposition was most frequently observed in very late ST (40%). In‐hospital mortality was similar between subjects who had IVUS performed at the time of ST when compared with the non‐IVUS group (3.2% vs. 4.3%, P = 0.8). Subjects who had IVUS performed at the time of ST had lower rates of mortality (HR 0.4, 95% CI 0.1‐1.6, P =0.2) and major adverse cardiovascular events (HR 0.5, 95% CI 0.2–1.4, P =0.2) at follow‐up, but these values were not statistically significant. Conclusions : There is a high prevalence of stent underexpansion in early ST, while the prevalence of malapposition is higher in very late ST. Use of IVUS during treatment for ST may identify mechanisms underlying the development of ST. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

血管内超声指导对于冠状动脉真性分叉病变介入治疗长期预后的影响

目的研究血管内超声（intravascular ultrasound,IVUS）指导对于冠状动脉真性分叉病变植入药物洗脱支架（drug eluting stent,DES）长期预后的影响。方法通过分析2005年10月至2010年3月DK—Crush系列随机对照研究入选735例原位冠状动脉真性分叉病变植入DES患者,应用倾向评分匹配临床和造影特征,165例IVUS指导和165例冠状动脉造影指导患者纳入研究,比较两组患者的长期预后。结果两组临床基线资料和造影特征比较,差异无统计学意义（P〉0．05）。IVUS指导组更常见选择双支架策略（P=0．007）,IVUS指导组主支血管（MV）和分支血管（SB）的最大支架直径和支架总长度以及分支血管支架个数显著超过常规造影指导组;介入治疗后QCA分析显示,IVUS指导组分支血管参考血管直径（RVD）和即刻获得以及主支血管近端和分支血管最小管腔直径（MLD）显著超过造影指导组。12个月随访发现两组心脏死亡、靶病变重建（TLR）和主要心血管事件（MACE）比较,差异无统计学意义（P〉0．05）。然而,IVUS指导组晚期支架内血栓和急性心肌梗死发生率显著低于造影指导组,差异有统计学意义（0．6％ vs.4．8％。P=0．04;1．8％ vs.6．7％,P=0．03）。结论IVUS指导冠状动脉真性分叉病变植入DES可以显著减低晚期支架内血栓和由此引起急性sT段抬高心肌梗死发生率而改善长期预后。     

Long-term safety and effectiveness of drug-eluting stents compared to bare metal stents in ST elevation myocardial infarction: findings from the Guthrie Health Off-label Stent (GHOST) Registry

Background: Multiple randomized trials and observational studies have shown drug‐eluting stents (DES) to be safe and effective at 3‐year follow‐up in stent thrombosis (ST)‐segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) treated with primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). However, outcomes data beyond 3–4 years after DES implantation are sparse. Methods: We studied 554 STEMI patients who underwent successful PCI with either DES or bare metal stent (BMS). Primary study end‐points were time to occurrence of ST and the composite of death or myocardial infarction (MI). Secondary end‐points were time to occurrence of major adverse cardiac events (MACEs) and discrete events that comprise MACE (death, MI, and target vessel revascularization [TVR]). Outcomes of the DES and BMS groups were assessed by survival analysis and multivariable Cox regression. Results: There were 205 (37%) patients who received DES and 349 (63%) patients who received BMS. At a median follow‐up of 41.4 months after PCI, there were no differences in the unadjusted incidence of ST (ST, 3.4 vs. 4.3%, log‐rank P = 0.61) and MI (6.8% vs. 8%, P = 0.61) between DES versus BMS groups, respectively. However, DES implantation was associated with lower unadjusted incidence of death or MI (11% vs. 23.5%, P = 0.0002), MACE (16% vs. 34%, P < 0.0001), death (6.3% vs. 17%, P = 0.0004), and TVR (9.8% vs. 18%, P = 0.008) than BMS implantation. In multivariable analyses, DES implantation was associated with significantly lower incidence of MACE (adjusted HR = 0.47 [95% CI: 0.31–0.76], P = 0.0007) than BMS implantation. Conclusion: In our study of STEMI patients, DES implantation was safer than BMS implantation and was associated with lower MACE at long‐term follow‐up. (J Interven Cardiol 2012;25:118–125)     

One-year clinical outcomes after sirolimus-eluting coronary stent implantation for acute myocardial infarction in the worldwide e-SELECT registry

Background: The aim was to ascertain the 1‐year clinical outcomes of 1,234 patients who underwent implantations of sirolimus‐eluting stents (SES) for acute myocardial infarction (MI) in the multinational e‐SELECT registry. Methods: Fifteen thousand and one hundred and forty‐seven patients treated with SES were entered in the e‐SELECT registry, of whom 1,234 presented within <24 hours of onset of acute MI. Results: At 1 year, the rates of major adverse cardiac events (MACE) (5.5% vs. 4.8%; P = 0.28) were similarly low in the acute and no acute MI groups. The rates of definite/probable stent thrombosis (ST) were higher in the acute MI group (2.1%vs; 0.88%, P < 0.001). ST was a strong independent predictor of death at 1 year (HR 13.4; 95% CI 5.0, 36.0; P < 0.001) and MI (HR 58.9; 95% CI 26.9, 129.1; P < 0.001). Dual antiplatelet therapy (DAPT) compliance at 6 months was 96.0% in the acute MI versus 94.5% in the no acute MI group (P = 0.03). Conclusion: In selected patients presenting within <24 hours of acute MI onset and highly compliant with DAPT, SES implantation was associated with similar rates of MACE, though higher rates of ST, as compared to no acute MI patients. Condensed abstract In the e‐SELECT registry which included 15,147 patients treated with sirolimus‐eluting stent (SES), we ascertained the 1‐year clinical outcomes of 1,234 patients who presented within <24 hours of acute MI onset. In acute MI patients SES implantation was associated with similar rates of MACE, though higher rates of ST, as compared to no acute MI patients (MACE: 5.5% vs. 4.8%; P = 0.28; ST: 2.1 vs. 0.88%, P < 0.001). (J Interven Cardiol 2012;25:253–261)     

Multicenter international registry of unprotected left main coronary artery percutaneous coronary intervention with drug‐eluting stents in patients with myocardial infarction

Background: Patients who present with myocardial infarction (MI) and unprotected left main coronary artery (ULMCA) disease represent an extremely high‐risk subset of patients. ULMCA percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) with drug‐eluting stents (DES) in MI patients has not been extensively studied. Methods: In this retrospective multicenter international registry, we evaluated the clinical outcomes of 62 consecutive patients with MI who underwent ULMCA PCI with DES (23 ST‐elevation MI [STEMI] and 39 non‐ST‐elevation MI [NSTEMI]) from 2002 to 2006. Results: The mean age was 70 ± 12 years. Cardiogenic shock was present in 24%. The mean EuroSCORE was 10 ± 8. Angiographic success was achieved in all patients. Overall in‐hospital major adverse cardiac event (MACE) rate was 10%, mortality was 8%, all due to cardiac deaths from cardiogenic shock, and one patient suffered a periprocedural MI. At 586 ± 431 days, 18 patients (29%) experienced MACE, 12 patients (19%) died (the mortality rate was 47% in patients with cardiogenic shock), and target vessel revascularization was performed in four patients, all of whom had distal bifurcation involvement (two patients underwent repeat PCI and two patients underwent bypass surgery). There was no additional MI. Two patients had probable stent thrombosis and one had possible stent thrombosis. Diabetes [hazard ratio (HR) 4.22, 95% confidence interval (CI) (1.07–17.36), P = 0.04), left ventricular ejection fraction [HR 0.94, 95% CI (0.90–0.98), P = 0.005), and intubation [HR 7.00, 95% CI (1.62–30.21), P = 0.009) were significantly associated with increased mortality. Conclusions: Patients with MI and ULMCA disease represent a very high‐risk subgroup of patients who are critically ill. PCI with DES appears to be technically feasible, associated with acceptable long‐term outcomes, and a reasonable alternative to surgical revascularization for MI patients with ULMCA disease. Randomized trials are needed to determine the ideal revascularization strategy for these patients. © 2008 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.     

A randomized comparison of manual versus mechanical thrombus removal in primary percutaneous coronary intervention in the treatment of ST‐segment elevation myocardial infarction (TREAT‐MI)

Objectives : The objective of this study was to compare the efficacy and long‐term clinical outcome of manual thrombus aspiration with the Export catheter (Medtronic, Minneapolis, MN) versus mechanical thrombus cutting/aspiration with the X‐sizer system (eV3, White Bear Lake, MN) in primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PPCI). Background : In PPCI for acute ST‐segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI), markers of myocardial reperfusion are improved with adjunctive thrombectomy. Previous studies of different devices showed a variability in performance, suitability, and short‐term clinical outcome. In current literature, no direct comparison is available. Methods : We prospectively randomized 201 patients admitted for PPCI for STEMI to either the Export catheter or the X‐sizer prior to stent deployment. Technical success in advancing to and across the lesion, improvement of flow, reduction of thrombus, and the effect on ST‐segment resolution were examined. The primary endpoint of the follow‐up study was the combined endpoint of cardiac death, recurrent myocardial infarction (MI), or target‐vessel revascularization (TVR) at 3 years. Results : Although the Export catheter was more successfully deployed, other procedural parameters were similar with a trend toward better ST‐segment resolution (56.6% vs. 44%; P = 0.06) as compared to the X‐sizer system. The occurrence of the primary clinical endpoint at 3 years was 22.2% and 18.6%, respectively (HR 1.20; 95% CI 0.65–2.22; P = 0.35). Conclusion : Despite shorter procedural times, better lesion crossing, and fewer complications, both surrogate endpoints as well as 3‐year clinical follow‐up were similar with the use of the Export catheter as compared to the X‐sizer system. © 2011 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.     

Impact of Intravascular Ultrasound on Long-Term Clinical Outcomes in Patients With Acute Myocardial Infarction

ObjectivesThe aim of this study was to examine the impact of intravascular ultrasound (IVUS)–guided percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) on long-term clinical outcomes in patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI).BackgroundIVUS-guided PCI has been associated with improved cardiovascular outcomes. However, the beneficial effect of IVUS-guided PCI in patients with AMI in the drug-eluting stent era remains unclear.MethodsPatients who underwent PCI with drug-eluting stents were selected from 10,719 patients enrolled in a multicenter AMI registry. The included patients were classified into 2 groups according to the use or nonuse of IVUS. The primary outcome was a composite of major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE), including cardiovascular death, myocardial infarction, and target lesion revascularization, during long-term follow-up.ResultsA total of 9,846 patients were treated with IVUS-guided PCI (n = 2,032) or angiography-guided PCI (n = 7,814). IVUS-guided PCI was associated with reduced MACE (HR: 0.779; 95% CI: 0.689-0.880; P < 0.001). The results were consistent after multivariable regression and propensity score matching. One-year landmark analysis showed a lower risk for MACE within 1 year (HR: 0.766; 95% CI: 0650-0.903; P = 0.002) and beyond 1 year (HR: 0.796; 95% CI: 0663-0.956; P = 0.014) after index PCI.ConclusionsThe use of IVUS was associated with better long-term cardiovascular outcomes. The clinical benefit of IVUS was maintained both within and beyond 1 year after index PCI. The use of IVUS in PCI should be considered for patients with AMI.     

Percutaneous coronary intervention for acute coronary syndrome due to graft failure

Objectives : To describe clinical outcome after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) for acute coronary syndrome (ACS) due to graft failure. Background : Limited data are available on outcome after PCI for graft failure‐induced ACS in the drug‐eluting stent (DES) era. Methods : Patients were identified who underwent PCI either with DES or BMS for ACS due to graft failure between January 2003 and December 2008. Follow‐up was performed at 1 year and April 2011. The primary endpoint was the composite of death, myocardial infarction (MI), or target vessel revascularization (TVR). Kaplan–Meier estimates were calculated at 1 and 5‐year follow‐up. Predictors were identified by backward selection in Cox proportional hazards models. Results : A total of 92 patients underwent PCI, of which 77 were treated with bare metal stents (BMS) and 15 with DES. Patient and procedural characteristics were similar in both groups. Mean follow‐up was 3.2 years. Five‐year composite event rate was 65.9% after BMS vs. 43.4% after DES implantation (P = 0.17). Individual endpoints were comparable in both groups. Recurrence of angina, hospitalization, and repeat interventions were similar. After multivariable adjustment, the use of DES was not associated with a significant reduction in the primary endpoint (HR = 0.44, 0.18–1.04, p = 0.06). Conclusion : In patients presenting with ACS due to acute graft failure, long‐term outcomes remain poor. In a nonrandomized comparison with BMS, DES use was not associated with significant improved long‐term clinical outcomes. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

Value of intravascular ultrasound in guiding coronary interventions

There has been great effort to improve clinical outcome in percutaneous treatment for coronary artery disease. Complementary to coronary angiography, intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) provides in vivo tomographic anatomic information, enabling to evaluate from the lumen to the vessel wall. As a result, IVUS has had a pivotal role to understand pathophysiology of coronary artery disease and improve clinical outcome. It provides preprocedural information to evaluate stenosis severity and plaque characteristics and helps with optimal stent deployment, minimizing underexpansion and geographic miss that are the major mechanisms of stent failure. Recently, many large‐scale clinical trials and meta‐analyses with drug‐eluting stents have shown the clinical benefits of IVUS‐guided percutaneous coronary intervention. Some recent studies have also supported the cost‐effectiveness of IVUS‐guided PCI especially in high‐risk patients. This article will discuss the clinical value of IVUS in contemporary practice.     

Cancer Patients Have a Higher Risk of Thrombotic and Ischemic Events After Percutaneous Coronary Intervention

ObjectivesThis study sought to define the risk of stent thrombosis (ST) and myocardial infarction (MI) in cancer patients compared with noncancer patients after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI).BackgroundCancer patients are considered to be at high thrombotic risk, but data on whether this is the case after PCI remain inconclusive.MethodsCancer patients undergoing PCI at Mayo Clinic Rochester from January 1, 2003, to December 31, 2013, were identified by cross-linking institutional cancer and PCI databases and by propensity score matching to noncancer patients. The combined primary endpoint was all-cause mortality, MI, and revascularization rate at 5-year follow-up. Secondary endpoints were the individual primary endpoint components, cause of mortality, ST, and Bleeding Academic Research Consortium 2+ bleeding.ResultsThe primary endpoint occurred in 48.6% of 416 cancer and in 33.0% of 768 noncancer patients (p < 0.001). In competing risk analyses, cancer patients had a higher rate of noncardiac death (24.0% vs. 10.5%; p < 0.001) and a lower rate of cardiac death (5.0% vs. 11.7%; p < 0.001). Cancer patients had a higher rate of MI (16.1% vs. 8.0%; p < 0.001), ST (6.0% vs. 2.3%; p < 0.001), repeat revascularization (21.2% vs. 10.0%; p < 0.001), and bleeding (6.7% vs. 3.9%; p = 0.03). The most critical period for ST in cancer patients was in the first year after PCI. The dual antiplatelet therapy score was predictive of thrombotic and ischemic events in both groups.ConclusionsCancer patients have a higher risk of thrombotic and ischemic events after PCI, identifiable by a high dual antiplatelet therapy score. These findings have important implications for antiplatelet therapy decisions.     

Lack of long‐term clinical benefit of thrombus aspiration during primary percutaneous coronary intervention with paclitaxel‐eluting stents or bare‐metal stents: Post‐hoc analysis of the PASSION‐trial

Background : Although current clinical guidelines recommend the use of thrombus aspiration (TA) during primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PPCI), previous studies evaluating TA demonstrated contradictory results. The aim of this study was to evaluate long‐term clinical outcome after TA in adjunct to PPCI for acute ST‐segment myocardial infarction (STEMI), as compared with conventional treatment, with the use of paclitaxel‐eluting stents or bare‐metal stents. Methods : We analyzed data of the PASSION trial, in which 619 patients with STEMI were randomly assigned to a paclitaxel‐eluting stent or a bare‐metal stent. TA was performed in 311 patients (50.2%). Clinical endpoints at 2 years were compared between patients who received TA during PPCI with patients who underwent conventional PPCI. The primary outcome of interest was a composite of cardiac death, recurrent myocardial infarction (MI), or target‐lesion revascularization (TLR). A propensity score model was made to account for baseline differences that could have affected the probability of performing TA. Results : Complete follow‐up was available for 598 patients (96.6%). The cumulative incidence of the combined outcome measure of cardiac death, recurrent MI, or TLR was 40 (13.0%) in the TA group and 41 (13.5%) in the conventional PPCI group (HR 0.96; 95% CI 0.62–1.47; P = 0.84). Also after adjusting for propensity score, no significant difference in event rate was observed between both treatment groups. Conclusions : In this post‐hoc analysis of the PASSION trial, TA in adjunct to PPCI did not affect rates of major adverse cardiac events at 2 years follow‐up, as compared with conventional PPCI. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

Is adjunctive balloon postdilatation necessary after coronary stent deployment? Final results from the POSTIT trial

Early-generation balloon-expandable stents required postdilatation with noncompliant balloons at high pressure to optimize stent deployment. The need for adjunctive balloon postdilatation with modern stent delivery systems is unknown. Patients undergoing elective stenting were randomized to Boston Scientific NIR, Guidant Tri-Star/Tetra, and Medtronic AVE S670 stents. The primary endpoint was optimum stent deployment defined as a minimal stent diameter (MSD) >/= 90% of the average reference lumen diameter assessed by intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) performed immediately following stent deployment. If, by operator assessment, the primary endpoint was not achieved with the stent delivery system, adjunctive postdilatation with noncompliant balloons was performed. Of 256 patients with IVUS studies adequate for core laboratory analysis, only 29% achieved optimum stent deployment with the stent delivery system. None of the baseline clinical or angiographic variables predicted optimum stent deployment. Of the procedural variables, the type of stent and nominal stent size were not predictors, but higher deployment pressures were associated with a higher frequency of optimum stent deployment (< 12 atm 14% vs. >/= 12 atm 36%; P = 0.007). The inability to achieve optimum stent deployment was not due to undersizing the stent delivery balloon, but rather to an inability of the stent delivery balloon to expand fully the stent to nominal size. In patients who underwent postdilatation, the frequency of achieving optimum stent deployment increased from 21% to 42%, minimal stent area increased from 6.6 +/- 2.2 to 7.8 +/- 2.3 mm(2), and MSD increased from 2.6 +/- 0.5 to 2.8 +/- 0.4 mm. These data stress the continued need for adjunctive balloon postdilatation with modern stent delivery systems. Cathet Cardiovasc Intervent 2003;59:184-192.