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In these 13 cases of P-SCAD, clinical presentation commonly included acute myocardial infarction and cardiogenic shock. Multivessel dissections and involvement of the left coronary artery and left main coronary artery were highly prevalent. Clinicians must be aware of angiographic appearances of P-SCAD for prompt diagnosis and management in these high-risk patients.

Background: No data exist about the characteristics of infective endocarditis (IE) post-transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) according to transcatheter valve type. We aimed to determine the incidence, clinical characteristics, and outcomes of patients with IE post-TAVR treated with balloon-expandable valve (BEV) versus self-expanding valve (SEV) systems. Methods: Data from the multicenter Infectious Endocarditis After TAVR International Registry was used to compare IE patients with BEV versus SEV. Results: A total of 245 patients with IE post-TAVR were included (SEV, 47%; BEV, 53%). The timing between TAVR and IE was similar between groups (SEV, 5.5 [1.2–15] months versus BEV, 5.3 [1.7–11.4] months; P =0.89). Enterococcal IE was more frequent in the SEV group (36.5% versus 15.4%; P <0.01), and vegetation location differed according to valve type (stent frame, SEV, 18.6%; BEV, 6.9%; P =0.01; valve leaflet, SEV, 23.9%; BEV, 38.5%; P =0.01). BEV recipients had a higher rate of stroke/systemic embolism (20.0% versus 8.7%, adjusted OR: 2.46, 95% CI: 1.04–5.82, P =0.04). Surgical explant of the transcatheter valve (SEV, 8.7%; BEV, 13.8%; P =0.21), and in-hospital death at the time of IE episode (SEV, 35.6%; BEV, 37.7%; P =0.74) were similar between groups. After a mean follow-up of 13±12 months, 59.1% and 54.6% of the SEV and BEV recipients, respectively, had died ( P =0.66). Conclusions: The characteristics of IE post-TAVR, including microorganism type, vegetation location, and embolic complications but not early or late mortality, differed according to valve type. These results may help to guide the diagnosis and management of IE and inform future research studies in the field.

Background Procedural improvements combined with the contemporary clinical profile of patients undergoing transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) may have influenced the incidence and outcomes of infective endocarditis (IE) following TAVR. We aimed to determine the temporal trends, characteristics, and outcomes of IE post-TAVR. Methods Observational study including 552 patients presenting definite IE post-TAVR. Patients were divided in 2 groups according to the timing of TAVR (historical cohort [HC]: before 2014; contemporary cohort [CC]: after 2014). Results Overall incidence rates of IE were similar in both cohorts (CC vs HC: 5.45 vs 6.52 per 1000 person-years; P = .12), but the rate of early IE was lower in the CC (2.29‰ vs 4.89‰, P &lt; .001). Enterococci were the most frequent microorganism. Most patients presented complicated IE ( CC: 67.7%; HC: 69.6%; P = .66), but the rate of surgical treatment remained low (CC: 20.7%; HC: 17.3%; P = .32). The CC exhibited lower rates of in-hospital acute kidney injury (35.1% vs 44.6%; P = .036) and in-hospital (26.6% vs 36.4%; P = .016) and 1-year (37.8% vs 53.5%; P &lt; .001) mortality. Higher logistic EuroScore, Staphylococcus aureus etiology, and complications (stroke, heart failure, and acute renal failure) were associated with in-hospital mortality in multivariable analyses (P &lt; .05 for all). Conclusions Although overall IE incidence has remained stable, the incidence of early IE has declined in recent years. The microorganism, high rate of complications, and very low rate of surgical treatment remained similar. In-hospital and 1-year mortality rates were high but progressively decreased over time.

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Contemporary Bare Metal Stents Implantation: Comparison of Stainless Steel versus Cobalt Chromium Coronary Stents Introduction: Higher strut thickness of coronary bare metal stents is associated with restenosis risk after bare metal stent implantation. New bare metal stents with thin struts have been developed, but there have been few studies comparing these new devices. Methods: from February 2004 until January 2007, 475 consecutive patients underwent percutaneous coronary intervention treating "de novo" coronary lesions exclusively using BMS. One hundred and eleven patients with stainless steel stent (Liberté ®group I) and 364 with cobalt chromium stent (Driver ®group II). Bypass venous graft, cardiogenic shock and restenosis were excluded. Patient progress was evaluated during their hospital stay and an average 18-month outpatient follow-up. Results: Angiographic success in almost all cases, with reduced in-hospital cardiac complications. Over an average 18-month period we found a low incidence of major adverse cardiac events (10.1 vs 7.3%; p=0.2) and a reduction in target vessel revascularization procedures (8.6 vs 6.9%; p=0.3). Conclusion: Implantation of new generation BMS with thinner-struts to treat "de novo" coronary lesions, in a select population, reduces target vessel revascularization to below 10%, with both devices achieving similar results.

Background Infective endocarditis (IE) following transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) has been associated with a dismal prognosis. However, scarce data exist on IE perivalvular extension (PEE) in such patients. Methods This multicenter study included a total of 579 patients who had the diagnosis of definite IE at a median of 171 (53-421) days following TAVR. PEE was defined as the presence of an intracardiac abscess, pseudoaneurysm or fistula confirmed by transthoracic/transophageal echocardiography, computed tomography or peri-operative findings. Results A total of 105 patients (18.1%) were diagnosed with PEE (perivalvular abscess, pseudoaneurysm, fistula, or a combination in 87, 7, 7, and 4 patients, respectively). A history of chronic kidney disease (ORadj: 2.08; 95% CI: [1.27-3.41], p=0.003) and IE secondary to coagulase-negative staphylococci (ORadj: 2.71; 95% CI: [1.57-4.69], p&lt;0.001) was associated with an increased risk of PEE. Surgery was performed at index IE episode in 34 patients (32.4%) with PEE (vs. 15.2% in patients without PEE, p&lt;0.001). In-hospital and 2-year mortality rates among PEE-IE patients were 36.5% and 69.4%, respectively. Factors independently associated with an increased mortality risk were the occurrence of other complications (stroke post-TAVR, acute renal failure, septic shock) and the lack of surgery at index IE hospitalization (padj&lt;0.05 for all). Conclusion PEE occurred in about one fifth of IE post-TAVR patients, with the presence of coagulase-negative staphylococci and chronic kidney disease determining an increased risk. Patients with PEE-IE exhibited very high early and late mortality rates, and surgery during IE hospitalization seemed to be associated with better outcomes.