António Fiarresga

Background: Access site complications are very common complications in transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR). Usually, a second arterial sheath is placed either in the contralateral femoral artery or in the radial artery as a simplified approach. This study aimed to investigate the safety and effectiveness of a full unilateral access using the ipsilateral superficial femoral artery (iSFA) in TAVR and to determine whether it simplifies the procedure.Methods: This single‐center retrospective audit analyzed the first 100 TAVR cases between February 2022 and January 2023 using iSFA as default secondary access. The primary outcomes included 30‐day device success, bleeding, and vascular access‐related complications. The last 100 bilateral cases and all bilateral cases (n = 656) served as controls.Results: Of the 143 transfemoral TAVRs performed during the study period, 43 patients were excluded. The remaining 100 patients (median age, 84 years; interquartile range, 80–89 years; median EuroSCORE II, 2.46; interquartile range, 1.65–3.97) were analyzed. The vascular access‐related complication rates were 11% (main access, 55%; secondary access, 45%), with a 97% device success rate. In the control group of all bilateral cases, device success and vascular access‐related complication rates were 93% and 17%, respectively. In the experimental group, access complications were promptly managed in the catheterization laboratory. All cases requiring interventions other than manual compression were successfully managed using iSFA.Conclusions: The total unilateral approach using iSFA was safe and effective, shortening the time to address main access complications, providing ergonomic advantages for operators, and enhancing patient comfort.

In some transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) procedures, difficulty in crossing the valve delivery system occurs. There are some described anatomical risk factors as extreme angulation, heavy calcification, and bicuspid morphology. A possible reason may be an unfavorable angle of approach because of the outward push by the incoming crimped bioprosthesis and insufficient support/trackability of the extra stiff wire. Several techniques, tips, and tricks have been developed to overcome this problem and avoid procedure failures, such as the “pull-and-push” [...] Abstract In some transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) procedures, difficulty in crossing the valve delivery system occurs. There are some described anatomical risk factors as extreme angulation, heavy calcification, and bicuspid morphology. A possible reason may be an unfavorable angle of approach because of the outward push by the incoming crimped bioprosthesis and insufficient support/trackability of the extra stiff wire. Several techniques, tips, and tricks have been developed to overcome this problem and avoid procedure failures, such as the “pull-and-push”

Revista Española de Cardiología: Interventional Cardiology

Introduction: Percutaneous Coronary Intervention (PCI) using a "Full Metal Jacket" (FMJ) procedure (≥60 mm of continuous stent length) is often required to treat very long lesions, but its clinical efficacy and safety using contemporary drug-eluting stents (DES) remains to be determined. Objectives: To identify predictors of major adverse cardiac events (MACE) associated with FMJ using new-generation DES. We sought to develop a simple model capable of accurately predict 3-year MACE following FMJ PCI. Methods: A retrospective single-centre analysis of consecutive FMJ PCI performed between January 2015 and December 2018. Exclusion criteria were use of non-third generation DES, unsuccessful procedure and loss to follow-up. The primary endpoint was a composite of all-cause death, myocardial infarction, and target vessel revascularization. Demographic, clinical, angiographic, and procedural variables were evaluated. Logistic regression analysis was performed to determine independent predictors of outcome. Based on the results, a weighted scoring system was developed. Results: The derivation cohort included 162 patients, mean age 65.9 ± 11.1 years, 83% male. The mean stent length was 73.8 ± 12.3 mm (range 60 to 116 mm), and the average number of stents was 2.74 ± 0.74 (range 2 to 5). 30-day, 1-year and 3-year MACE were 5.5%, 12.9% and 29.0%, respectively. Multivariate analysis identified diabEtes mellitus (hazard ratio (HR) 5.92; 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.57-11.54; p=0.011), Smoking habits (HR 8.37; 95%CI 3.05-15.55; p=0.001), Acute coronary syndrome (HR 3.51; 95%CI 1.030-8.98; p=0.045), Non-right coronary artery (HR 4.38; 95%CI 1.09-7.68; p=0.038), osTial lesion (HR 10.01; 95%CI 2.91-19.14; p=0.006) and severe caLcification (HR 8.59; 95%CI 2.65-15.72; p=0.001) as independent predictors of 3-year MACE. A composite score based on these 6 variables (STANLEy score) was created, ranging from 0 to 10 (Fig.1). High acuity was verified by ROC curve analysis (AUC 0.941, p <0.001). A score ≤ 3 was associated with a reduced probability (90%) of 3-year MACE. Conclusion: The STANLEy score is a good predictive model which relies on 6 simple clinical and angiographic characteristics. This score may assist physicians in selecting high-risk patients for closer monitoring or aggressive antithrombotic strategy.Figure 1

Funding Acknowledgements: Type of funding sources: None. Introduction: The hemodynamic definition of pulmonary hypertension (PH) has been updated, with lowering of the mean pulmonary arterial pressure (mPAP) threshold from 25 to 20 mmHg according to the new 2022 ESC/ERS Guidelines. Although there is no single echocardiographic parameter that reliably informs about PH status, some of the echocardiographic parameters cut-offs remained the same, including a peak tricuspid regurgitation velocity (PTRV) >2.8m/s. The potential underdiagnosis of PH has not been evaluated. Objectives: To evaluate the screening power of the standard echocardiographic parameters to detect PH according to the new guidelines and to establish new predictors. Methods: A prospective registry of consecutive intermediate-high- and high-risk PE pts submitted to CDT in a single tertiary center was used. 3 months after the procedure, the patients were submitted to a right heart catheterization and echocardiogram to screen chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension (CTEPH). According to new PH criteria, patients were divided in two groups, and echocardiographic parameters were analyzed regarding their predictive power. A ROC curve analysis was performed to evaluate optimal cut-offs in predicting PH according the new guidelines. Results: 17 pts (60% women, mean age 59 ± 16 years) were included. Among these, 7 pts (41,2%) were diagnosed with pre-capillary PH by RHC at 3 months of follow-up. Among echocardiographic parameters, PTRV (p 0.015), presence of tricuspid regurgitation (0.034) and right ventricle-pulmonary artery (RV-PA) coupling (p 0.041) were significantly different between groups (Fig 1 A). Other parameters, such as right ventricle dilation (p 0.849), TAPSE (p 0.100), annular tricuspid s’ velocity (p 0.646), right ventricle outflow tract acceleration time (p 0.229) and the presence of pericardial effusion (p 0.849) did not show significant differences. Regarding the PTRV, a ROC curve analysis revealed an PTRV optimal cut-off of 2.6 m/s (pressure gradient 27mmHg) in our population (AUC 0.911, p 0.030, Sn 71.4%, Sp 100%), compared to the conventional cut-off of 2.8 m/s (pressure gradient 31 mmHg) (p 0.470, Sn 28.6%, Sp 100%). The use of PTRV > 2.6 m/s allows to reduce false negatives without losing specificity (Fig 1 B, C and D). Conclusion: With the recent update in PH criteria, the use of the conventional PTRV cut-off leads to a significant underdiagnosis in our population. Lowering the PTRV threshold seems to increase sensitivity, without losing specificity. Other standard echocardiographic parameters did not seem to predict accurately the presence of PH.

Background: Two‐dimensional speckle tracking echocardiography has been shown to correlate with microvascular dysfunction, a hallmark of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM). We hypothesized that there is an association between myocardial work and left ventricular ischemia, with incremental value to global longitudinal strain, in patients with HCM. Methods and Results: We performed a prospective assessment of patients with HCM, undergoing 2‐dimensional speckle tracking echocardiography and stress perfusion cardiac magnetic resonance. Results were stratified according to obstructive or nonobstructive HCM and the presence of significant replacement fibrosis (late gadolinium enhancement ≥15% of left ventricular mass). Seventy‐five patients with HCM (63% men, age 55±15 years) were evaluated, 28% with obstructive HCM (mean gradient 89±60 mm Hg). Perfusion defects were found in 90.7%, involving 22.5±16.9% of left ventricular mass, and 38.7% had late gadolinium enhancement ≥15%. In a multivariable analysis, a lower global work index ( r =−0.519, β‐estimate −10.822; P =0.001), lower global work efficiency ( r =−0.379, β‐estimate −0.123; P =0.041), and impaired global constructive work ( r =−0.532, β‐estimate −13.788; P −15.5%) had a sensitivity of 64% and a specificity of 57%. The association between myocardial work and perfusion defects was significant independently of late gadolinium enhancement ≥15% and obstructive HCM. Conclusions: Impaired myocardial work was significantly correlated with the extent of ischemia in cardiac magnetic resonance, independently of the degree of left ventricular hypertrophy or fibrosis, with a higher predictive power than global longitudinal strain.

Background In patients recovering from an ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI), it is not clear whether the negative impact of stent thrombosis (ST) is different from a non-stent-related recurrent myocardial infarction (NSRMI). This study sought to assess the long-term incidence and prognostic impact of recurrent myocardial infarction (MI) after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) for STEMI by comparing outcomes of ST versus NSRMI. Patients and methods From 2001 to 2007, 1025 patients undergoing PCI for STEMI were prospectively followed up. Patients with ST, with NSRMI, and those free from recurrent MI were compared regarding mortality and major adverse cardiac and cerebrovascular events (MACCE). Results Recurrent MI decreased from 37 events per 1000 person/months in the first month to 3.3 events per 1000 person/months after the first year. The cumulative 5‑year incidence of ST and NSRMI was 5.27 % and 13.2 %, respectively. MACCE at 60 months after recurrence were not significantly different for patients with reinfarction but were significantly higher than for patients free from any recurrent MI (both log-rank p < 0.001). However, the cumulative all-cause death rate did not differ between the three groups (27.8 vs. 26.7 vs. 23.0 %). Compared with ST occurring in the first 30 days after PCI for STEMI, early NSRMI was associated with a significantly reduced risk for all-cause death (HR, 0.21; 95 % CI, 0.33–3.30) but this association did not persist for recurrent MIs occurring in the late (HR, 1.05; 95 % CI, 0.33–3.30) or very late follow-up periods. Conclusion Although ST was associated with a significant increase in adverse events in the early recovery period, in the long term, MACCE and all-cause mortality rates were comparable to those for NSRMI.