Background-Single-bolus intracoronary administration of fibroblast growth factor-2 (FGF2) improved symptoms and myocardial function in a phase I, open-label trial in patients with coronary artery disease. We conducted the FGF Initiating RevaScularization Trial (FIRST) to evaluate further the efficacy and safety of recombinant FGF2 (rFGF2). Methods and Results-FIRST is a multicenter, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial of a single intracoronary infusion of rFGF2 at 0, 0.3, 3, or 30 g/kg (nϭ337 patients). Efficacy was evaluated at 90 and 180 days by exercise tolerance test, myocardial nuclear perfusion imaging, Seattle Angina Questionnaire, and Short-Form 36 questionnaire. Exercise tolerance was increased at 90 days in all groups and was not significantly different between placebo and FGF-treated groups. rFGF2 reduced angina symptoms as measured by the angina frequency score of the Seattle Angina Questionnaire (overall Pϭ0.035) and the physical component summary scale of the Short-Form 36 (pairwise Pϭ0.033, all FGF groups versus placebo). These differences were more pronounced in highly symptomatic patients (baseline angina frequency score Յ40 or Canadian Cardiovascular Society score of III or IV). None of the differences were significant at 180 days because of continued improvement in the placebo group. Adverse events were similar across all groups, except for hypotension, which occurred with higher frequency in the 30-g/kg rFGF2 group.

Background-It has been suggested that the survival benefit associated with primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PPCI) in ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction may be attenuated if door-to-balloon (DB) time is delayed by Ͼ1 hour beyond door-to-needle (DN) times for fibrinolytic therapy. Whereas DB times are rapid in randomized trials, they are often prolonged in routine practice. We hypothesized that in clinical practice, longer DB-DN times would be associated with higher mortality rates and reduced PPCI survival advantage. We also hypothesized that in addition to PPCI delays, patient risk factors would significantly modulate the relative survival advantage of PPCI over fibrinolysis. Methods and Results-DB-DN times were calculated by subtracting median DN time from median DB time at a hospital using data from 192 509 patients at 645 National Registry of Myocardial Infarction hospitals. Hierarchical models that adjusted simultaneously for both patient-level risk factors and hospital-level covariates were used to evaluate the relationship between PCI-related delay, patient risk factors, and in-hospital mortality. Longer DB-DN times were associated with increased mortality (PϽ0.0001). The DB-DN time at which mortality rates with PPCI were no better than that of fibrinolysis varied considerably depending on patient age, symptom duration, and infarct location. Conclusions-As DB-DN times increase, the mortality advantage of PPCI over fibrinolysis declines, and this advantage varies considerably depending on patient characteristics. As indicated in the American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association guidelines, both the hospital-based PPCI-related delay (DB-DN time) and patient characteristics should be considered when a reperfusion strategy is selected.

The rapid development of angiogenic growth factor therapy for patients with advanced ischemic heart disease over the last 5 years offers hope of a new treatment strategy based on generation of new blood supply in the diseased heart. However, as the field of therapeutic coronary angiogenesis is maturing from basic and preclinical investigations to clinical trials, many new and presently unresolved issues are coming into focus. These include in-depth understanding of the biology of angiogenesis, selection of appropriate patient populations for clinical trials, choice of therapeutic end points and means of their assessment, choice of therapeutic strategy (gene versus protein delivery), route of administration, and the side effect profile. The present article presents a summary statement of a panel of experts actively working in the field, convened by the Angiogenesis Foundation and the Angiogenesis Research Center during the 72nd meeting of the American Heart Association to define and achieve a consensus on the challenges facing development of therapeutic angiogenesis for coronary disease.

The combination of CTA and perfusion correctly identifies patients with flow limiting CAD defined as ≥50 stenosis by ICA causing a perfusion defect by SPECT/MPI.

Background —Angiogenesis is a promising treatment strategy for patients who are not candidates for standard revascularization, because it promotes the growth of new blood vessels in ischemic myocardium. Methods and Results —We conducted a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study of basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF; 10 or 100 μg versus placebo) delivered via sustained-release heparin-alginate microcapsules implanted in ischemic and viable but ungraftable myocardial territories in patients undergoing CABG. Twenty-four patients were randomized to 10 μg of bFGF (n=8), 100 μg of bFGF (n=8), or placebo (n=8), in addition to undergoing CABG. There were 2 operative deaths and 3 Q-wave myocardial infarctions. There were no treatment-related adverse events, and there was no rise in serum bFGF levels. Clinical follow-up was available for all patients (16.0±6.8 months). Three control patients had recurrent angina, 2 of whom required repeat revascularization. One patient in the 10-μg bFGF group had angina, whereas all patients in the 100-μg bFGF group remained angina-free. Stress nuclear perfusion imaging at baseline and 3 months after CABG showed a trend toward worsening of the defect size in the placebo group (20.7±3.7% to 23.8±5.7%, P =0.06), no significant change in the 10-μg bFGF group, and significant improvement in the 100-μg bFGF group (19.2±5.0% to 9.1±5.9%, P =0.01). Magnetic resonance assessment of the target ischemic zone in a subset of patients showed a trend toward a reduction in the target ischemic area in the 100-μg bFGF group (10.7±3.9% to 3.7±6.3%, P =0.06). Conclusions —This study of bFGF in patients undergoing CABG demonstrates the safety and feasibility of this mode of therapy in patients with viable myocardium that cannot be adequately revascularized.

PET/CT imaging with 18 F-FDG has been used to detect inflammation in carotid and aortic plaque; its use in detecting coronary plaque has been limited by avid 18 F-FDG uptake by the myocardium. We investigated whether 18 F-FDG PET/CT could be used to image inflammation in coronary arteries as a potential noninvasive method to detect vulnerable plaque. Methods: We retrospectively studied 32 patients treated for malignancy who underwent 18 F-FDG PET/CT and concomitant cardiac catheterization. As part of the recently described protocol, all patients were instructed to eat a low-carbohydrate, high-fat meal the night before and drink a vegetable oil drink the morning of the study. We reviewed the patients' baseline characteristics and their 18 F-FDG PET/CT scans for adequacy of myocardial uptake suppression and correlated the presence of angiographically apparent plaque with 18 F-FDG uptake in the major coronary arteries. Two independent observers assessed the angiographic images and 18 F-FDG PET scans. Results: A total of 95% of patients had 2 or more coronary disease risk factors, and 25% had unstable symptoms; 30% of index catheterizations resulted in intervention. In 20 of 32 patients (63%), myocardial suppression was good (12) or adequate (8). Inadequate suppression was due to self-reported dietary nonadherence. Patients with good, adequate, and poor suppression had maximal myocardial standardized uptake values of 2.8 6 0.7, 5.0 6 1.3, and 17.0 6 9.7, respectively. We identified 18 F-FDG uptake in 15 patients in 1 or more coronary segments. A trend to significance in correlation between presence of angiographic disease and signal in the vessel was observed (P 5 0.07; 80 vessels examined). A total of 7 patients with significant coronary artery disease had aortic 18 F-FDG uptake. Conclusion: In this retrospective study, we demonstrated the potential use of 18 F-FDG PET in imaging of inflammation in coronary arteries. The potential of 18 F-FDG PET is also being investigated in a prospective study.

COX-2 plays an important role in VEGF-induced angiogenesis via p38 and JNK kinase activation pathways. These findings suggest that the cardioprotective role of COX-2 may be, at least in part, through its angiogenic activity.

Treatment with percutaneous myocardial laser revascularization provides no benefit beyond that of a similar sham procedure in patients blinded to their treatment status.