Suboptimal stent deployment defined according to specific quantitative OCT criteria was associated with an increased risk of MACE during follow-up.

This observational study, the first ever formally to appraise OCT guidance for PCI decision-making, suggests that the use of OCT can improve clinical outcomes of patients undergoing PCI.

Aims The CLIMA study, on the relationship between coronary plaque morphology of the left anterior descending artery and twelve months clinical outcome, was designed to explore the predictive value of multiple high-risk plaque features in the same coronary lesion [minimum lumen area (MLA), fibrous cap thickness (FCT), lipid arc circumferential extension, and presence of optical coherence tomography (OCT)-defined macrophages] as detected by OCT. Composite of cardiac death and target segment myocardial infarction was the primary clinical endpoint. Methods and results From January 2013 to December 2016, 1003 patients undergoing OCT evaluation of the untreated proximal left anterior descending coronary artery in the context of clinically indicated coronary angiogram were prospectively enrolled at 11 independent centres (clinicaltrial.gov identifier NCT02883088). At 1-year, the primary clinical endpoint was observed in 37 patients (3.7%). In a total of 1776 lipid plaques, presence of MLA <3.5 mm2 [hazard ratio (HR) 2.1, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.1–4.0], FCT <75 µm (HR 4.7, 95% CI 2.4–9.0), lipid arc circumferential extension >180° (HR 2.4, 95% CI 1.2–4.8), and OCT-defined macrophages (HR 2.7, 95% CI 1.2–6.1) were all associated with increased risk of the primary endpoint. The pre-specified combination of plaque features (simultaneous presence of the four OCT criteria in the same plaque) was observed in 18.9% of patients experiencing the primary endpoint and was an independent predictor of events (HR 7.54, 95% CI 3.1–18.6). Conclusion The simultaneous presence of four high-risk OCT plaque features was found to be associated with a higher risk of major coronary events.

In LM patients undergoing PCI, combined scores improve the discrimination accuracy of clinical or angiographic stand-alone tools. In LM patients undergoing CABG, the ACEF score has the best prognostic accuracy compared with other stand-alone or combined scores. The good predictive ability for PCI along with the poor predictive ability for CABG make the SYNTAX score the preferable decision-making tool in LM disease.

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Local intracoronary delivery of abciximab by means of a dedicated perfusion catheter reduces thrombus burden with the potential to improve coronary microcirculation.

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Complete revascularization with DES of MVD patients is associated with lower rates of long-term adverse events.