IntroductionThe relationship between plaque morphology detected by optical coherence tomography (OCT) and inflammatory biomarkers is not well known.Material and methodsThis study included 47 patients with ischemic heart disease (22 patients with acute coronary syndrome and 25 patients with effort angina pectoris) who underwent percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). Before PCI, peripheral blood levels of the inflammatory biomarkers high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) and interleukin-6 (IL-6) were measured. The OCT can detect thin-cap fibroatheroma (TCFA), a lesion with high potential for adverse cardiac events. We investigated the relationships between TCFAs in culprit lesions detected by OCT and the peripheral blood levels of these biomarkers.ResultsWe observed 12 lesions detected as TCFAs. The natural logs of hs-CRP and IL-6 levels in the TCFA group were higher than those in the non-TCFA group (hs-CRP 0.87 (–0.96 to 0.87) vs. –0.47 (–0.92 to 0.30) mg/l, p = 0.027; and IL-6 1.63 (0.63–3.23) vs. 0.53 (–0.21 to 1.05) pg/dl, p = 0.005, respectively). In multivariate logistic regression analysis, log IL-6 was an independent predictor for TCFA detected by OCT (log IL-6, 0.970 pg/dl, p = 0.023). Receiver operating characteristic curve analysis confirmed that IL-6, compared to hs-CRP, has a higher area under the curve for predicting TCFA (0.783 vs. 0.715, respectively).ConclusionsPeripheral blood levels of both hs-CRP and IL-6 were associated with TCFAs, as detected by OCT. Moreover, IL-6 has a higher potential than hs-CRP for predicting TCFA.
Background
Current guidelines recommend at least 6 months of antithrombotic therapy and antibiotic prophylaxis after septal‐occluding device deployment in transcatheter closure of atrial septal defect. It has been estimated that it takes ≈6 months for complete neo‐endothelialization; however, neo‐endothelialization has not previously been assessed in vivo in humans.
Methods and Results
The neointimal coverage of septal occluder devices was evaluated 6 months after implantation in 15 patients by angioscopy from the right atrium. Each occluder surface was divided into 9 areas; the levels of endothelialization in each area were semiquantitatively assessed by 4‐point grades. Device neo‐endothelialization was sufficient in two thirds of patients, but insufficient in one third. In the comparison between patients with sufficiently endothelialized devices of average grade score ≥2 (good endothelialization group, n=10) and those with poorly endothelialized devices of average grade score <2 (poor endothelialization group, n=5), those in the poor endothelialization group had larger devices deployed (27.0 mm [25.0–31.5 mm] versus 17.0 mm [15.6–22.5 mm], respectively) and progressive right heart dilatation. The endothelialization was poorer around the central areas. Moreover, the prevalence of thrombus formation on the devices was higher in the poorly endothelialized areas than in the sufficiently endothelialized areas (Grade 0, 94.1%; Grade 1, 63.2%; Grade 2, 0%; Grade 3, 1.6%).
Conclusions
Neo‐endothelialization on the closure devices varied 6 months after implantation. Notably, poor endothelialization and thrombus attachment were observed around the central areas and on the larger devices.
Background
A high frequency of coronary artery disease (CAD) is reported in patients with severe aortic valve stenosis (AS) who undergo transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI). However, the optimal management of CAD in these patients remains unknown.
Hypothesis
We hypothesis that AS patients with TAVI complicated by CAD have poor prognosis. His study evaluates the prognoses of patients with CAD and severe AS after TAVI.
Methods
We divided 186 patients with severe AS undergoing TAVI into three groups: those with CAD involving the left main coronary (LM) or proximal left anterior descending artery (LAD) lesion (the CAD[LADp] group), those with CAD not involving the LM or a LAD proximal lesion (the CAD[non‐LADp] group), and those without CAD (Non‐CAD group). Clinical outcomes were compared among the three groups.
Results
The CAD[LADp] group showed a higher incidence of major adverse cardiovascular and cerebrovascular events (MACCEs) and all‐cause mortality than the other two groups (log‐rank p = .001 and p = .008, respectively). Even after adjustment for STS score and percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) before TAVI, CAD[LADp] remained associated with MACCE and all‐cause mortality. However, PCI for an LM or LAD proximal lesion pre‐TAVI did not reduce the risk of these outcomes.
Conclusions
CAD with an LM or LAD proximal lesion is a strong independent predictor of mid‐term MACCEs and all‐cause mortality in patients with severe AS treated with TAVI. PCI before TAVI did not influence the outcomes.
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