坂倉 建一

The impact of mid-range (mr) ejection fraction (EF) on long-term clinical outcomes has been reported in patients with heart failure but remains unclear in patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI). The purpose of this study was to compare the long-term clinical outcomes among STEMI patients with preserved EF (pEF), mrEF, and reduced EF (rEF), and to evaluate the significance of mrEF as a prognostic factor for patients with STEMI. We included 705 patients with STEMI and divided them into rEF group (n = 155), mrEF group (n = 155), and pEF group (n = 395) according to the pre-discharge EF. The primary endpoint was the major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE), which were defined as the composite of all-cause death, re-admission for heart failure, and non-fatal myocardial infarction (MI). The median follow-up duration was 906 days (Q1:349.5-Q3:1479). The Kaplan-Meier curves showed that MACE and re-admission for heart failure were more frequently observed in the rEF group, followed by the mrEF group, and least in the pEF group (p < 0.001). The multivariate Cox hazard analysis revealed that mrEF as well as rEF were significantly associated with MACE after controlling for confounding factors [rEF: hazard ratio (HR) 2.333, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.350-4.034, p = 0.002, mrEF:HR1.852, 95%CI 1.139-3.010, p = 0.013]. Mid-range EF as well as rEF was significantly associated with MACE and re-admission for heart failure in patients with STEMI. Our results suggest that mrEF is an important prognostic factor in patients with STEMI.

Background: Peripheral arterial disease (PAD) is associated with cardiovascular events in patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI). However, there are limited reports regarding the association between PAD and bleeding events. In this study, we aimed to evaluate whether PAD is independently associated with an increased risk of major bleeding events, in addition to major adverse cardiovascular events (MACEs), in patients with AMI undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). Methods: We included 1391 patients with AMI who underwent PCI and divided them into the PAD group (n = 210) and the non-PAD group (n = 1181). The primary endpoint was total bleeding events, defined as Bleeding Academic Research Consortium type 3/5. The secondary endpoint was MACE, defined as the composite of all-cause death, non-fatal myocardial infarction, and hospitalization for heart failure. Results: The median follow-up duration was 653 days. Total bleeding events were more frequently observed in the PAD group than in the non-PAD group (24.8% vs. 11.3%, p < 0.001). The multivariate Cox hazard analysis confirmed that PAD was significantly associated with total bleeding events (HR 1.509; 95% CI 1.056-2.156, p = 0.024) as well as MACEs (HR 2.152; 95% CI 1.510-3.066, p < 0.001) after controlling for confounding factors. Conclusions: PAD was independently associated with a higher risk of major bleeding and cardiovascular events in patients with AMI undergoing PCI. These findings suggest that PAD should be recognized as a critical factor in risk stratification for AMI and may affect individualized bleeding risk management strategies in patients with AMI.

BACKGROUND: In pulmonary vein isolation (PVI) for atrial fibrillation (AF), intraoperative defibrillation is often required. Intracardiac defibrillation catheters (ICDCs) are most effective when positioned to enclose the heart between the coronary sinus (CS) and right atrium (RA) (CS/RA configuration). However, achieving this positioning via the inferior vena cava (IVC) can be challenging, and alternative configurations remain underexplored. METHODS: This study included patients with paroxysmal or persistent AF who underwent cryoballoon ablation followed by intracardiac cardioversion using an ICDC via the IVC. The catheter was initially positioned with distal electrodes in the CS and proximal electrodes in the IVC (CS-only configuration). If cardioversion failed, the catheter was repositioned to place distal electrodes in the superior vena cava (SVC configuration). A maximum of 30 J of energy was used for all cardioversion attempts. RESULTS: A total of 81 patients were included. Cardioversion in the CS-only configuration restored sinus rhythm in 11% (9/81) of patients. Repositioning to the SVC configuration achieved successful cardioversion in 93.1% (67/72) of the remaining cases without complications. Patients requiring the SVC configuration had a significantly higher prevalence of persistent AF (33.3% vs. 80.6%; p = 0.045). No adverse events were observed following cardioversion in the SVC configuration. CONCLUSIONS: While the CS-only configuration offers ease of placement, its efficacy is limited. Repositioning to the SVC configuration significantly enhances cardioversion success and represents a safer, more effective alternative for ICDC use during AF ablation.

BACKGROUND: The below the knee (BTK) arteries of legs with peripheral artery disease (PAD) frequently exhibit medial calcification and chronic thrombus. However, the relationship between chronic thrombus and medial calcification remains poorly understood. AIMS: This study aimed to evaluate the association between chronic thrombus and medial calcification in the BTK arteries of patients with PAD using optical frequency domain imaging (OFDI). METHODS: OFDI frames were analyzed in legs with PAD undergoing OFDI-guided endovascular therapy. Data regarding thrombus, medial calcification, and the type and extent of calcification were collected. The multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to find the OFDI factors significantly associated with chronic thrombus. The causes of chronic thrombus were examined. RESULTS: A total of 5293 frames from 21 legs in 19 patients were analyzed. Among all frames, medial calcification and chronic thrombus were observed in 51% and 23%, respectively. The multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that medial calcification and the degree of arc-quadrant of medial calcification were significantly associated with chronic thrombus. Medial calcification-related thrombus was the most common cause of chronic thrombus (57%), followed by lipidic atherosclerosis (35%), calcified nodule (3%) and distal emboli (3%). The prevalence of chronic thrombus related to medial calcification increased as the degree of arc-quadrant of medial calcification increased. CONCLUSIONS: Chronic thrombus was significantly associated with medial calcification in the BTK arteries. The major cause of chronic thrombus was medial calcification-related thrombus. This study proposed a potential mechanism by which medial calcification can induce chronic thrombus in the BTK lesions.

Objective Immediate primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) for ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction is closely associated with better clinical outcomes. However, the optimal timing of PCI for the culprit lesion in non-ST-elevation myocardial infarction (NSTEMI) is not fully understood. The aim of this study was to compare clinical outcomes between patients with early and delayed PCI and to investigate whether early PCI within 24 hours of admission can improve long-term clinical outcomes in patients with NSTEMI. Methods This was a single-center, retrospective study. The primary endpoint was major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE), which was defined as the composite of all-cause death, non-fatal MI, and re-admission for heart failure. Results We included 816 patients with NSTEMI and divided them into an early PCI group (n=446) and a delayed PCI group (n=370). The median follow-up period was 856 days. The median age was lower in the early PCI group [73 (65-79) years] than in the delayed PCI group [76 (69-81)] (p<0.001). Shock at admission was more frequently observed in the early PCI group (11.9%) than in the delayed PCI group (3.2%) (p=0.001). The incidence of MACE in the delayed PCI group (40.8%) was higher than that in the early PCI group (28.5%) (P<0.001). However, a multivariate Cox hazard analysis revealed that early PCI was not associated with MACE after controlling for multiple confounding factors (HR 1.005, 95% CI 0.763-1.322, p=0.973). Conclusion The timing of PCI may not be important in hemodynamically stable patients with NSTEMI, as long as primary PCI is performed.