Elevated C-reactive protein levels could predict future events associated to non-culprit lesions. PROSPECT study sub analysis.

Original title: Relation of C-reactive protein levels to instability of untreated vulnerable coronary plaques (from the PROSPECT study). Reference: Kelly CR et al. Am J Cardiol. 2014;Epub ahead of print. The original PROSPECT study included 697 patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS) undergoing culprit artery percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) followed by intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) to the rest of<a href="https://solaci.org/en/2014/06/09/elevated-c-reactive-protein-levels-could-predict-future-events-associated-to-non-culprit-lesions-prospect-study-sub-analysis/" title="Read more" >...</a>

Orbital Atherectomy improves calcified lesions treatment outcomes

Original title: Pivotal Trial to Evaluate the Safety and Efficacy of the Orbital Atherectomy System in Treating de Novo, Severely Calcified Coronary Lesions (ORBIT II) Reference: Jeffrey Chambers, et al. JACC Intervention 2014;7:510-8 Severely calcified coronary lesions, traditionally associated to difficult or impossible stent implantation, asymmetric stent expansion, higher post procedural events rate, more restenosis, more lesion revascularization,<a href="https://solaci.org/en/2014/06/02/orbital-atherectomy-improves-calcified-lesions-treatment-outcomes/" title="Read more" >...</a>

Higher percentage of strut coverage in biodegradable polymer DES vs. durable polymer DES. Strut level OCT analyses

Original title: Randomized comparison of strut coverage between Nobori biolimus-eluting and sirolimus-eluting stents: an optical coherence tomography analysis. Reference:  EuroIntervention 2014; 9-online publish-ahead-of-print February 2014   The aim of this study was to compare strut coverage at six months follow up after Nobori biolimus eluting stent (N- BES) implantation versus Cypher Select sirolimus eluting stent (SES) implantation.<a href="https://solaci.org/en/2014/05/27/higher-percentage-of-strut-coverage-in-biodegradable-polymer-des-vs-durable-polymer-des-strut-level-oct-analyses/" title="Read more" >...</a>

Severe coronary calcification is a predictor of coronary events in acute coronary syndromes

Original title: Ischemic Outcomes After Coronary Intervention of Calcified Vessels in Acute Coronary Syndromes. Pooled Analysis From the HORIZONS and ACUITY Trials. Reference: Philippe Généreux, et al. J Am Coll Cardiol 2014;63:1845-54 Calcification of the arteries has always been a challenge and a generator of problems during coronary angioplasty, but its impact on acute coronary syndromes has not<a href="https://solaci.org/en/2014/05/21/severe-coronary-calcification-is-a-predictor-of-coronary-events-in-acute-coronary-syndromes/" title="Read more" >...</a>

Angioplasty versus surgery in patients with critical lower limb ischemia

Original title: Comparative effectiveness of endovascular andsurgical revascularization for patients with peripheralartery disease and critical limb ischemia: Systematicreview of revascularization in critical limb ischemia. Reference: W Schuyler Jones, et al. (Am Heart J 2014; 167:167:489-498.e7) Lower limbs critical ischemia is the most severe condition of PAD. The morbidity, mortality and costs related thereto are well documented; however, the<a href="https://solaci.org/en/2014/05/14/angioplasty-versus-surgery-in-patients-with-critical-lower-limb-ischemia/" title="Read more" >...</a>

Increased security with bivalirudin than with heparin alone in patients without ST segment.

Original title: Heparin monotherapy or bivalirudin during percutaneous coronary intervention in patients with non-ST-segment elevation acute coronary syndromes or stable ischemic heart disease: results from the Evaluation of Drug-Eluting Stents and Ischemic Events registry. Reference: Bangalore S et al. CircCardiovascInterv. 2014;Epub ahead of print. Bivalirudin compared to unfractionated heparin as monotherapy is associated with a lower risk of<a href="https://solaci.org/en/2014/05/14/increased-security-with-bivalirudin-than-with-heparin-alone-in-patients-without-st-segment/" title="Read more" >...</a>

Higher event rate in those with non-ST elevation ACS who received revascularization at PLATO study. Beyond this, ticagrelor reduced mortality.

Original title: Ticagrelor vs. clopidogrel in patients with non-ST-elevation acute coronary syndrome with or without revascularization: results from the PLATO trial. Reference: Lindholm D et al. Eur Heart J. 2014; Epub ahead of print. The PLATO study randomized 18624 patients with ACS to aspirin and ticagrelor (180 mg loading dose followed by 90 mg every 12 hours) versus<a href="https://solaci.org/en/2014/05/07/higher-event-rate-in-those-with-non-st-elevation-acs-who-received-revascularization-at-plato-study-beyond-this-ticagrelor-reduced-mortality/" title="Read more" >...</a>

Core Valve in high-risk patients, superior to surgical replacement at one year

Original title: Transcatheter Aortic-Valve Replacement with a Self-Expanding Prosthesis. Reference: David H. Adams et al. N Engl J Med. 2014 Mar 29. [Epub ahead of print]. Transcatheter Aortic valve replacement (TAVR) with balloon expandable valve showed survival improvement in inoperable patients and was similar to surgery inoperable high-risk patients. An alternative to the above device is the self-expandable<a href="https://solaci.org/en/2014/04/09/core-valve-in-high-risk-patients-superior-to-surgical-replacement-at-one-year/" title="Read more" >...</a>

Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting and Percutaneous Coronary Intervention show similar outcomes for ostial/midshaft lesion in Unprotected Left Main Coronary Artery

Original title: Long-Term Clinical Outcome Intervention Versus Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting for Ostial/Midshaft Lesion in Unprotected Left main Coronary Artery From The DELTA Registry. Reference: Toru Nagamuna et al. JACC Cardiovascular Intervention. Article in Press Even though surgery remains the “gold standard” to treat UMCLA lesions, current guidelines have incorporated PCI as class IIa at ostium/midshaft level. The<a href="https://solaci.org/en/2014/04/04/coronary-artery-bypass-grafting-and-percutaneous-coronary-intervention-show-similar-outcomes-for-ostial-midshaft-lesion-in-unprotected-left-main-coronary-artery/" title="Read more" >...</a>

Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement showed better results than conventional surgery in high risk diabetic patients.

Original title: Transcatheter Versus Surgical Aortic Valve Replacement in Patients With Diabetes and Severe Aortic Stenosis at High Risk for Surgery An Analysis of the PARTNER Trial (Placement of Aortic Transcatheter Valve). Reference: Lindman BR et al. J Am Coll Cardiol. 2014 Mar 25;63(11):1090-9. Diabetes is associated to greater morbidity and mortality after surgical aortic valve replacement (SAVR),<a href="https://solaci.org/en/2014/03/26/transcatheter-aortic-valve-replacement-showed-better-results-than-conventional-surgery-in-high-risk-diabetic-patients/" title="Read more" >...</a>