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Background-Significant left main coronary artery stenosis is an accepted indication for surgical revascularization. The potential of angiography to evaluate the hemodynamic severity of a stenosis is limited. The aims of the present study were to assess the long-term clinical outcome of patients with an angiographically equivocal left main coronary artery stenosis in whom the revascularization strategy was based on fractional flow reserve (FFR) and to determine the relationship between quantitative coronary angiography and FFR. Methods and Results-In 213 patients with an angiographically equivocal left main coronary artery stenosis, FFR measurements and quantitative coronary angiography were performed. When FFR was Ն0.80, patients were treated medically or another stenosis was treated by coronary angioplasty (nonsurgical group; nϭ138). When FFR was Ͻ0.80, coronary artery bypass grafting was performed (surgical group; nϭ75). The 5-year survival estimates were 89.8% in the nonsurgical group and 85.4% in the surgical group (Pϭ0.48). The 5-year event-free survival estimates were 74.2% and 82.8% in the nonsurgical and surgical groups, respectively (Pϭ0.50). Percent diameter stenosis at quantitative coronary angiography correlated significantly with FFR (rϭϪ0.38, PϽ0.001), but a very large scatter was observed. In 23% of patients with a diameter stenosis Ͻ50%, the left main coronary artery stenosis was hemodynamically significant by FFR. Conclusions-In patients with equivocal stenosis of the left main coronary artery, angiography alone does not allow appropriate individual decision making about the need for revascularization and often underestimates the functional significance of the stenosis. The favorable outcome of an FFR-guided strategy suggests that FFR should be assessed in such patients before a decision is made "blindly" about the need for revascularization. (Circulation. 2009;120:1505-1512.)

Percutaneous coronary intervention with n-DES is associated with a 38% lower risk of clinically meaningful restenosis, a 43% lower risk of definite ST, and a 23% lower risk of death compared with o-DES in this observational study from a large real-world population.

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On MSCT, differences in plaque characterization were demonstrated between patients with ACS and stable CAD. Plaques of ACS patients showed features of vulnerability to rupture on VH IVUS. Potentially, MSCT may be useful for non-invasive identification of atherosclerotic plaque patterns associated with higher risk.

NCT00297661.

OCT allows a detailed visualisation of vessel injury after stent implantation and enables a systematic classification and quantification in vivo. In this study, frequency of tissue prolapse or intra-stent dissections after stenting was high, irrespective of the clinical presentation of the patients, and was not associated with clinical events during hospitalisation.