Biochem Biophys Res Commun 2017 Sep 20. Epub 2017 Sep 20.

Department of Cardiology, The First Affiliated Hospital, Harbin Medical University, Harbin 150001, China; Key Laboratory of Cardiac Diseases and Heart Failure, Harbin Medical University, Harbin 150001, China; Institute of Metabolic Disease, Heilongjiang Academy of Medical Science, Harbin 150081, China. Electronic address:

Cardiac fibrosis is a pathological feature common to a variety of heart diseases such as myocardial infarction, arrhythmias, cardiomyopathies and heart failure. Emerging data has indicted that autophagy is involved in fibrotic synthesis. Relaxin as a pleiotropic hormone can attenuate cardiac fibrosis and hypertrophy, however the exact molecular mechanism remains largely unknown. Read More

Auton Neurosci 2017 Sep 18. Epub 2017 Sep 18.

Department of Cardiology, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, China; Cardiovascular Research Institute of Wuhan University, Wuhan, China; Hubei Key Laboratory of Cardiology, Wuhan, China. Electronic address:

Background: Heart failure (HF) is associated with autonomic dysfunction. Vagus nerve stimulation has been shown to improve cardiac function both in HF patients and animal models of HF. The purpose of this present study is to investigate the effects of ganglionated plexus stimulation (GPS) on HF progression and autonomic remodeling in a canine model of acute HF post-myocardial infarction. Read More

J Cardiol 2017 Sep 20. Epub 2017 Sep 20.

Department of Cardiology, Hirosaki University Graduate School of Medicine, Hirosaki, Japan; Department of Advanced Cardiovascular Therapeutics, Hirosaki University Graduate School of Medicine, Hirosaki, Japan. Electronic address:

Background: Rapid and accurate diagnosis of acute myocardial infarction (AMI) are critical for the initiation of effective medical treatment. Recently, a high-sensitivity cardiac troponin I (hs-cTnI) assay was developed as a biochemical marker for the early diagnosis of AMI. Current guidelines recommend that serial measurements of cardiac troponin should be performed in patients who present symptoms suggestive of acute coronary syndrome. Read More

Can J Cardiol 2017 Oct 8;33(10):1319-1326. Epub 2017 Jul 8.

Department of Medicine, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta; Canadian VIGOUR Centre, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. Electronic address:

Background: The recently released Canadian cardiac care quality indicators include 30-day in-hospital mortality and readmission rates after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) and isolated coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG). We examined long-term trends and provincial variations in these outcomes among acute myocardial infarction (AMI) patients.

Methods: We included patients aged 18 years and older who were hospitalized with a primary diagnosis of AMI between 2004 and 2013 in all Canadian provinces except Quebec. Read More

Can J Cardiol 2017 Oct 1;33(10):1229-1236. Epub 2017 Aug 1.

Cardiology Service, Department of Medicine, Centre Hospitalier de l'Université de Montréal, Montréal, Quebec, Canada; Centre de Recherche du Centre Hospitalier de l'Université de Montréal, Montréal, Quebec, Canada. Electronic address:

Background: Anterior myocardial infarction (MI) with apical dysfunction is associated with an increased risk of left ventricular thrombus (LVT) formation and systemic embolism (SE). However, the role for prophylactic anticoagulation in current practice is a matter of debate.

Methods: We conducted a systematic review of peer-reviewed original articles in either English or French on the benefit of combining anticoagulation with standard therapy for the prevention of LVT/SE after MI by searching PubMed, Ovid/MedLine/Embase, the Cochrane Library, and Google Scholar. Read More

Am J Cardiol 2017 Aug 30. Epub 2017 Aug 30.

Center for Primary Health Care Research, Lund University, Malmö, Sweden; Department of Family Medicine and Community Health, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York; Department of Population Health Science and Policy, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York.

Levothyroxine has been suggested to be cardiotoxic, but previous studies on the risk of cardiovascular events associated with levothyroxine treatment have been inconclusive. We aimed to study the association between levothyroxine treatment and all-cause mortality as well as cardiovascular events. Study population included all adults (n = 12,283) ≥ 45 years diagnosed with atrial fibrillation (AF) at 75 primary care centers in Sweden in 2001 to 2007, with (n = 1,189; 283 men and 906 women) or without (n = 11,094) levothyroxine treatment. Read More

Clin Chem Lab Med 2017 Sep 23. Epub 2017 Sep 23.

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Background: The study aim was to evaluate and compare the analytical performance of the new chemiluminescent immunoassay for cardiac troponin I (cTnI), called Access hs-TnI using DxI platform, with those of Access AccuTnI+3 method, and high-sensitivity (hs) cTnI method for ARCHITECT platform.

Methods: The limits of blank (LoB), detection (LoD) and quantitation (LoQ) at 10% and 20% CV were evaluated according to international standardized protocols. For the evaluation of analytical performance and comparison of cTnI results, both heparinized plasma samples, collected from healthy subjects and patients with cardiac diseases, and quality control samples distributed in external quality assessment programs were used. Read More

J Cell Mol Med 2017 Sep 22. Epub 2017 Sep 22.

Cardiac Electrophysiology Research and Training Center, Faculty of Medicine, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai, Thailand.

The current therapeutic strategy for the management of acute myocardial infarction (AMI) is to return blood flow into the occluded coronary artery of the heart, a process defined as reperfusion. However, reperfusion itself can increase mortality rates in AMI patients because of cardiac tissue damage and dysfunction, which is termed 'ischaemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury'. Mitochondria play an important role in myocardial I/R injury as disturbance of mitochondrial dynamics, especially excessive mitochondrial fission, is a predominant cause of cardiac dysfunction. Read More

J Interv Cardiol 2017 Sep 20. Epub 2017 Sep 20.

Department of Cardiology, The General Hospital of Shenyang Military Region, Chinese People's Liberation Army, Shenyang, China.

Objective: It is not known if ACEF scores could evaluate the prognosis of recanalization of non-infarct-related coronary arteries (non-IRA) with chronic total occlusions (CTO) in patients who successfully underwent primary PCI. The objective of the current study was to assess the prognostic value of ACEF scores in acute ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) patients with non-IRA CTO after successful primary PCI.

Methods: There were 2952 STEMI patients who underwent successful primary PCI from January 2006 to December 2014 in our hospital, among them 377 patients had a non-IRA CTO lesion. Read More

J Interv Cardiol 2017 Sep 20. Epub 2017 Sep 20.

Department of Cardiology, St Vincent's Hospital Melbourne, Fitzroy, Australia.

Introduction: There is progressive interest worldwide in spontaneous coronary artery dissection (SCAD). To identify a SCAD cohort and compare risk factors, presentation, and management outcomes compared to acute coronary syndrome (ACS) matched controls.

Methods: Retrospective analysis was performed from 2000 to 2015. Read More

Clin Res Cardiol 2017 Sep 22. Epub 2017 Sep 22.

Internal Medicine III, University Hospital of Schleswig Holstein, Campus Kiel, Rosalind-Franklin-Str.12, 24105, Kiel, Germany.

Objectives: To assess, whether cardiac catheterization via radial access prevents contrast-induced nephropathy.

Background: Contrast-induced nephropathy (CIN) is a major clinical problem which accounts for more than 10% of acute kidney injury cases in hospitalized patients. Protective measures such as the infusion of isotonic saline solution or acetylcysteine have not consistently been proven to prevent acute kidney injury (AKI). Read More

J Interv Card Electrophysiol 2017 Sep 22. Epub 2017 Sep 22.

Heart Centre, Department of Cardiology, Copenhagen University Hospital, Rigshospitalet, 9441, Blegdamsvej 9, 2100, Copenhagen Ø, Denmark.

Purpose: We aimed to assess sex differences in clinical characteristics, circumstances of arrest, and procedural characteristics in ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) patients with ventricular fibrillation (VF) prior to angioplasty.

Methods: Cases of VF with first STEMI (n = 329; 276 men and 53 women) were identified from the GEVAMI study, which is prospectively assembled case-control study among first STEMI patients in Denmark.

Results: Compared to men, women experienced symptoms for a longer time interval prior to angioplasty (140 vs. Read More

J Am Heart Assoc 2017 Sep 22;6(9). Epub 2017 Sep 22.

Thoraxcenter, Erasmus Medical Center, Rotterdam, Netherlands

Background: Coronary artery perforation (CAP) is a potentially lethal complication of percutaneous coronary intervention. We report on the incidence, clinical characteristics, and management of iatrogenic coronary perforations based on an 11-year single-center experience.

Methods And Results: From February 9, 2005, through November 20, 2016, 150 CAP cases were identified from our percutaneous coronary intervention database of 21 212 procedures (0. Read More

J Am Heart Assoc 2017 Sep 22;6(9). Epub 2017 Sep 22.

Duke Clinical Research Institute, Durham, NC.

Background: Current guidelines recommend early P2Y12 inhibitor administration in non-ST-elevation myocardial infarction, but it is unclear if precatheterization use is associated with longer delays to coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) or higher risk of post-CABG bleeding and transfusion. This study examines the patterns and outcomes of precatheterization P2Y12 inhibitor use in non-ST-elevation myocardial infarction patients who undergo CABG.

Methods And Results: Retrospective analysis was done of 20 304 non-ST-elevation myocardial infarction patients in the ACTION (Acute Coronary Treatment and Intervention Outcomes Network) Registry (2009-2014) who underwent catheterization within 24 hours of admission and CABG during the index hospitalization. Read More

J Am Heart Assoc 2017 Sep 22;6(9). Epub 2017 Sep 22.

The University of Texas Health Sciences Center, Houston, TX

Background: With increasing rates of obesity and its link with cardiovascular disease, there is a need for better understanding of the obesity-outcome relationship. This study explores the association between categories of obesity with treatment times and mortality for patients experiencing ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction.

Methods And Results: We examined 8725 patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction who underwent primary percutaneous coronary intervention and used regression models to analyze the relationship between 6 categories of body mass index with key door-to-balloon time, total ischemic time, and in-hospital mortality. Read More

J Am Heart Assoc 2017 Sep 22;6(9). Epub 2017 Sep 22.

Department of Cardiology, Henry Ford Hospital, Detroit, MI.

Background: Various combinations of creatine kinase-MB, myoglobin, and cardiac troponin I or T (cTnI/cTnT) have been used to evaluate patients with suspected acute coronary syndromes. The current recommendation is to use the 99th percentile of cTnI/cTnT as the sole marker for diagnosis of acute myocardial infarction.

Methods And Results: We retrospectively analyzed cardiac marker protocols collected from 824 US hospitals undergoing Chest Pain Center Accreditation through the Society of Cardiovascular Patient Care from 2009 to 2014. Read More

J Am Heart Assoc 2017 Sep 22;6(9). Epub 2017 Sep 22.

Clinical and Translational Neuroscience Unit, Feil Family Brain and Mind Research Institute, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY.

Background: Our aim was to determine whether patients with embolic strokes of undetermined source (ESUS) have higher rates of elevated troponin than patients with noncardioembolic strokes.

Methods And Results: CAESAR (The Cornell Acute Stroke Academic Registry) prospectively enrolled all adults with acute stroke from 2011 to 2014. Two neurologists used standard definitions to retrospectively ascertain the etiology of stroke, with a third resolving disagreements. Read More

BMJ Open 2017 Sep 21;7(9):e015723. Epub 2017 Sep 21.

Department of Clinical Science and Education, Södersjukhuset, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to explore whether recording in primary care of a previously recorded hospital diagnosis was associated with increased patient utilisation of recommended medications.

Design: Registry-based prospective cohort study.

Setting And Participants: 19 072 patients with a hospital discharge diagnosis of transient ischaemic attack (TIA), stroke or acute coronary syndrome from hospitals in Stockholm County 2010-2013 were included in the study. Read More

BMJ Open 2017 Sep 21;7(9):e015241. Epub 2017 Sep 21.

Department of Cardiology and Department of Medical and Health Sciences, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden.

Objectives: To evaluate gender differences in outcomes in patents with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) planned for primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PPCI).

Settings: A prespecified gender analysis of the multicentre, randomised, double-blind Administration of Ticagrelor in the catheterisation Laboratory or in the Ambulance for New ST elevation myocardial Infarction to open the Coronary artery.

Participants: Between September 2011 and October 2013, 1862 patients with STEMI and symptom duration <6 hours were included. Read More

JMIR Res Protoc 2017 Sep 22;6(9):e186. Epub 2017 Sep 22.

Department of Cardiology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, Netherlands.

Background: Recent evidence suggests that frequent monitoring using smartphone-compatible wearable technologies might improve clinical effectiveness and patient satisfaction of care.

Objective: The aim of this study is to investigate the clinical effectiveness and patient satisfaction of a smart technology intervention in patients admitted with a ST elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) or non-ST acute coronary syndrome (NST-ACS).

Methods: In this single center, open, randomized controlled trial patients who suffered from STEMI or NST-ACS will be randomized 1:1 to an intervention group or control group. Read More

Braz J Phys Ther 2017 Sep 7. Epub 2017 Sep 7.

Laboratory of Physiology, Universidade Federal de Ciências da Saúde de Porto Alegre (UFCSPA), Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil; Department of Physical Therapy, Universidade Federal de Ciências da Saúde de Porto Alegre (UFCSPA), Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil. Electronic address:

Objective: This study examined the effects of exercise training (ExT) upon concentration of tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), interleukin-6 (IL-6) and interleukin-10 (IL-10) in the gastrocnemius of rats with heart failure (HF) induced by left coronary artery ligation.

Methods: Adult male Wistar rats submitted to myocardial infarction (MI) or sham surgery were randomly allocated into one of four experimental groups: trained HF (Tr-HF), sedentary HF (Sed-HF), trained sham (Tr-Sham) and sedentary sham (Sed-Sham). ExT protocol was performed on treadmill for a period of 8 weeks (60m/days, 5×/week, 16m/min), which started 6 weeks after MI. Read More

Arch Cardiovasc Dis 2017 Sep 19. Epub 2017 Sep 19.

Department of cardiology, université Paris-Descartes, hôpital européen Georges-Pompidou, AP-HP, 75015 Paris, France. Electronic address:

Background: Thrombolysis in myocardial infarction (TIMI) flow grade 2 or 3 before percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) in acute myocardial infarction (AMI) is associated with improved outcomes. However, no recent data are available on its impact beyond 1 year and/or by type of AMI.

Aims: To assess the prognostic impact of prePCI TIMI flow at 30 days and 3 years in patients with ST-segment elevation (STEMI) or non-ST-segment elevation (NSTEMI) AMI. Read More

J Electrocardiol 2017 Aug 15. Epub 2017 Aug 15.

Department of Cardiology, Kars Kafkas University, Faculty of Medicine, Kars, Turkey.

Background: Fragmented QRS (fQRS) has been shown to be a marker of local myocardial conduction abnormalities, cardiac fibrosis in previous studies. It was also reported to be a predictor of sudden cardiac death and increased morbidity and mortality in selected populations. However, there is no study investigating the role of fQRS in the development of atrial fibrillation in patients with ST segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI). Read More

Am Heart J 2017 Oct 14;192:38-47. Epub 2017 Jul 14.

Duke Clinical Research Institute, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC.

Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most common sustained arrhythmia worldwide. However, there are few contemporary comparative data on AF from middle-income countries.

Methods: Baseline characteristics of the IMPACT-AF trial were analyzed to assess regional differences in presentation and antithrombotic treatment of AF from 5 middle-income countries (Argentina, Brazil, China, India, and Romania) and factors associated with antithrombotic treatment prescription. Read More

Am Heart J 2017 Oct 28;192:1-12. Epub 2017 Jun 28.

Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA; Department of African and African American Studies, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA.

Although a growing body of evidence indicates strong links between psychological stress (stress) and untoward cardiovascular disease (CVD) outcomes, comprehensive examination of these effects remains lacking. The "Cumulative Psychological Stress and Cardiovascular Disease Risk in Middle Aged and Older Women" study is embedded within the landmark Women's Health Study (WHS) follow-up cohort and seeks to evaluate the individual and joint effects of stressors (cumulative stress) on incident CVD risk, including myocardial infarction, stroke, coronary revascularization and CVD death. GWAS data will be used for exploratory analyses to identify any genes associated with stress and CVD. Read More

Am J Epidemiol 2017 Sep;186(6):696-708

Observational studies and randomized controlled trials of menopausal hormone therapy (HT) and chronic disease risk appear to have divergent results for cardiovascular disease. However, differences may be related to a modifying effect of age, time since menopause, and HT formulation. In the Nurses' Health Study (NHS) (enrolling during 1980-1994 and following participants until 2002), we investigated associations between the use of oral conjugated equine estrogens (CEE) (0. Read More

Oncotarget 2017 Aug 27;8(35):59387-59396. Epub 2017 Jul 27.

Department of Cardiology, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430071, China.

Objective: Previous evidence suggested that intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) guidance could improve outcomes after drug-eluting stents (DES) placement, largely driven by data from observational studies. We, therefore, performed a meta-analysis and trial sequential analysis of randomized controlled trials to overcome this limitation.

Results: The retrieval process yielded 7 RCTs with 3,192 patients. Read More

Coron Artery Dis 2017 Sep 21. Epub 2017 Sep 21.

Interventional Cardiovascular Research and Clinical Trials, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, The Zena and Michael A. Wiener Cardiovascular Institute, New York City, New York, USA.

The patient population with the need for oral anticoagulation to reduce stroke risk associated with atrial fibrillation (AF) and dual antiplatelet therapy to prevent stent thrombosis and myocardial infarction after percutaneous coronary intervention is increasing. However, patients treated with a triple therapy consisting of oral anticoagulation, aspirin, and a P2Y12 inhibitor have been demonstrated to be at high bleeding risk. The best combination of these agents and the duration of the different therapies are still uncertain. Read More

Coron Artery Dis 2017 Sep 21. Epub 2017 Sep 21.

Department of Cardiology, Adiyaman Education and Research Hospital, Adiyaman, Turkey.

Objective: ABO antigens are highly abundant in many human cell types, including platelets, vascular endothelium, and red blood cells. The presence of a thrombus is associated with adverse clinical outcomes in patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI). We reviewed the relationship between ABO blood groups and thrombus burden in patients with STEMI. Read More

Coron Artery Dis 2017 Sep 21. Epub 2017 Sep 21.

aDepartment of Internal Medicine, Cardiovascular Center, Korea University Guro Hospital bDepartment of Medicine, Korea University Graduate School, Seoul, South Korea.

Background: Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a major predictor of cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. However, there are limited data on the impact of DM in patients who have chronic total occlusion (CTO) lesion on long-term outcomes.

Patients And Methods: A total of 822 CTO patients who underwent coronary angiography, treated by either percutaneous coronary intervention or optimal medical therapy, were enrolled and divided into two groups: (i) diabetic group (n=363) and (ii) nondiabetic group (n=459). Read More

Chin Med J (Engl) 2017 Oct;130(19):2321-2325

Department of Cardiology, General Hospital of Shenyang Military Region, Shenyang, Liaoning 110016, China.

Background: Acute aortic dissection is known as the most dangerous aortic disease, with management and prognosis determined as the disruption of the medial layer provoked by intramural bleeding. The objective of this study was to evaluate the safety and necessity of antiplatelet therapy on patients with Stanford Type B aortic dissection (TBAD) who underwent endovascular aortic repair (EVAR).

Methods: The present study retrospectively analyzed 388 patients with TBAD who underwent EVAR and coronary angiography. Read More

Ann Nucl Med 2017 Sep 21. Epub 2017 Sep 21.

Nuklearmedizinische Klinik, Klinikum rechts der Isar der Technischen Universität München, Munich, Germany.

Rationale: Myocardial perfusion SPECT is a commonly performed, well established, clinically useful procedure for the management of patients with coronary artery disease. However, the attenuation of photons from myocardium impacts the quantification of infarct sizes. CT-Attenuation Correction (AC) potentially resolves this problem. Read More

Adv Exp Med Biol 2017 ;998:285-307

Division of Cardiovascular Diseases, Department of Internal Medicine, Cardiovascular Research Institute, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, KS, USA.

Cardiovascular diseases are the number one cause of death globally with an estimated 7.4 million people dying from coronary heart disease. Studies have been conducted to identify the therapeutic utility of exosomes in many diseases, including cardiovascular diseases. Read More

Adv Exp Med Biol 2017 ;998:255-269

Cardiac Regeneration and Ageing Lab, School of Life Science, Shanghai University, 333 Nan Chen Road, Shanghai, 200444, China.

Circulating exosomes could arrive in distant tissues via blood circulation, thus directly communicating with target cells and rapidly regulating intracellular signalings. Circulating exosomes and exosomal cargos are critically involved in cardiovascular pathophysiology, such as cardiomyocyte hypertrophy, apoptosis, and angiogenesis. Circulating exosomes enriched with various types of biological molecules can be changed not only in the number but also in the composite cargos upon cardiac injury, such as myocardial infarction, myocardial ischemia reperfusion injury, atherosclerosis, hypertension, and sepsis cardiomyopathy, which may further influence cardiomyocyte function and contribute to the pathogenesis of cardiovascular diseases. Read More

Adv Exp Med Biol 2017 ;998:179-185

Faculty of Medicine, The Department of Urology, University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, 113-8655, Japan.

Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are multipotent stem cells that reside in various organs. They have the capacity to differentiate into various cell types, including cardiomyocytes, vascular endothelial cells, and vascular smooth muscle cells. Among the various MSCs, bone marrow-derived MSCs (BMMSCs) have been widely used for treating acute myocardial infarction (AMI) and ischemic heart failure (IHF) in preclinical and clinical studies. Read More

Ir J Med Sci 2017 Sep 21. Epub 2017 Sep 21.

Department of Medicine, Section of Cardiology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA.

Background: Data from randomized trials evaluating the efficacy of on- versus off-pump coronary artery bypass grafting remain inconclusive, particularly in high-risk populations.

Aims: The aim of this study is to compare the outcomes associated with on- versus off-pump coronary artery bypass grafting among high-risk patients.

Methods: We performed a meta-analysis of randomized control trials comparing on- versus off-pump coronary artery bypass grafting, focusing on high-risk populations. Read More

Ann Transl Med 2017 Sep;5(17):347

Division of Cardiology, Westchester Medical Center, New York Medical College, Valhalla, NY, USA.

Background: Correlation of ST-segment elevation on the 12-lead electrocardiogram (ECG) with the expected affected coronary territory is established in patients with ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI). In patients with non-ST-elevation myocardial infarction (NSTEMI), correlation of ischemic ECG abnormalities with the affected coronary territory has not been well-established. We sought to investigate the correlation of electrocardiographic abnormalities with the location of 1-vessel obstructive coronary artery disease (CAD) in patients with both STEMI and NSTEMI. Read More

J Neurosci Rural Pract 2017 Aug;8(Suppl 1):S133-S135

Department of Neurology, Goa Medical College, Bambolim, Goa, India.

We present a patient who presented with cortical blindness (CB) 1 week after repeated cardiac arrest while undergoing treatment for an acute myocardial infarction. He had been revived within 5 min in each instance and was apparently neurologically normal until presentation. Magnetic resonance imaging showed subtle hyperintensities on fluid-attenuated inversion recovery and diffusion-weighted imaging in both temporooccipital cortices. Read More

Circ Cardiovasc Qual Outcomes 2017 Oct;10(10)

Am J Pathol 2017 Sep 18. Epub 2017 Sep 18.

Department of Biotechnology and Molecular Medicine, A.I. Virtanen Institute, University of Eastern Finland, Finland; Heart Center and Gene Therapy Unit, Kuopio University Hospital, Kuopio, Finland. Electronic address:

Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is a major risk factor for heart disease. Mortality rates following myocardial infarction (MI) are significantly increased in T2DM patients due to dysfunctional left ventricle (LV). However, molecular pathways underlying accelerated post-MI heart failure (HF) in T2DM remain unclear. Read More

Int J Cardiol 2017 Sep 13. Epub 2017 Sep 13.

Cardiothoracic Department, "Azienda Sanitaria Universitaria Integrata" of Udine, Italy.

Background: Although octogenarians constitute a fast-growing portion of cardiovascular patients, few data are available on the outcome of patients aged ≥85 years with ST-Elevation Myocardial Infarction (STEMI).

Methods And Results: We analyzed 126 consecutive patients aged ≥85 years (age 88±2 years) with STEMI, undergoing primary percutaneous coronary intervention (pPCI) within 12 hours from symptoms onset. Long-term follow-up (median 898 days) was obtained for the 102 patients surviving the index-hospitalization. Read More

JACC Cardiovasc Interv 2017 Sep;10(18):1867-1877

Department of Cardiology, Bern University Hospital, Bern, Switzerland.

Objectives: This study sought to investigate the effect of post-dilatation on angiographic and intracoronary imaging parameters in the setting of primary percutaneous coronary intervention comparing the everolimus-eluting bioresorbable scaffold (BRS) with the everolimus-eluting metallic stent (EES).

Background: Routine post-dilatation of BRS has been suggested to improve post-procedural angiographic and subsequent device-related clinical outcomes.

Methods: In the ABSORB STEMI TROFI II trial, 191 patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction were randomly assigned to treatment with BRS (n = 95) or EES (n = 96). Read More

JACC Cardiovasc Interv 2017 Sep;10(18):1865-1866

Interventional Cardiology Unit, Cardiovascular Institute, IDIBAPS Hospital Clínic, Barcelona, Spain. Electronic address:

JACC Cardiovasc Interv 2017 Sep;10(18):1855-1864

Cardiology Division, ASST Bergamo Est, Bolognini Hospital Seriate, Seriate, Italy.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to assess the feasibility and clinical results following a pre-specified bioresorbable scaffold (Absorb BVS) implantation strategy in patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI).

Background: Concerns were raised about the safety of Absorb because a non-negligible rate of thrombosis was reported within 30 days and at midterm follow-up after primary percutaneous coronary intervention.

Methods: This was a prospective, multicenter study of patients with STEMI (<75 years of age with symptom onset <12 h) undergoing primary percutaneous coronary intervention with Absorb following a dedicated implantation protocol. Read More

JACC Cardiovasc Interv 2017 Sep;10(18):1832-1838

Columbia University Medical Center/New York-Presbyterian Hospital and the Cardiovascular Research Foundation, New York, New York.

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the outcomes of the novel Fantom coronary bioresorbable scaffold at 6 months.

Background: The Fantom sirolimus-eluting bioresorbable scaffold incorporates a unique proprietary iodinated, polycarbonate copolymer of tyrosine analogs that is radiopaque, with thin struts (125 μm) that facilitate device delivery and precise target lesion treatment.

Methods: The 6-month outcomes and performance of the Fantom scaffold were evaluated in 117 patients with single de novo native coronary artery lesions of length ≤20 mm and reference vessel diameter 2. Read More

J Am Coll Cardiol 2017 Sep;70(13):1685

J Am Coll Cardiol 2017 Sep;70(13):1685-1686

J Am Coll Cardiol 2017 Sep;70(13):1569-1572

Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota.

J Am Coll Cardiol 2017 Sep;70(13):1558-1568

Cardiovascular Research Institute Basel and Department of Cardiology, University Hospital Basel, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland; GREAT Network, Rome, Italy. Electronic address:

Background: Uncertainties regarding the most appropriate definition and treatment of type 2 myocardial infarction (T2MI) due to supply-demand mismatch have contributed to inconsistent adoption in clinical practice.

Objectives: This study sought a better understanding of the effect of the definition of T2MI on its incidence, treatment, and event-related mortality, thereby addressing an important unmet clinical need.

Methods: The final diagnosis was adjudicated in patients presenting with symptoms suggestive of myocardial infarction by 2 independent cardiologists by 2 methods: 1 method required the presence of coronary artery disease, a common interpretation of the 2007 universal definition (T2MI2007); and 1 method did not require coronary artery disease, the 2012 universal definition (T2MI2012). Read More

J Am Coll Cardiol 2017 Sep;70(13):1543-1554

Division of Pharmaceutical Outcomes and Policy, UNC Eshelman School of Pharmacy, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina. Electronic address:

Background: Angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors/angiotensin II receptor blockers (ARB), beta-blockers and statins are recommended after acute myocardial infarction (AMI). Patients may adhere to some, but not all, therapies.

Objectives: The authors investigated the effect of tradeoffs in adherence to ACE inhibitors/ARBs, beta-blockers, and statins on survival among older people after AMI. Read More