OBJECTIVES The aim of this analysis was to assess the 7-year long-term safety and effectiveness of a randomized comparison of percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) with sirolimus-eluting stents (SES) versus minimally invasive direct coronary artery bypass (MIDCAB) surgery for the treatment of isolated proximal left anterior descending lesions. BACKGROUND Long-term follow-up data comparing PCI by SES and MIDCAB surgery for isolated proximal left anterior descending lesions are sparse. METHODS Patients were randomized either to PCI with SES (n ¼ 65) or MIDCAB (n ¼ 65). Follow-up data were obtained after 7 years with respect to the primary composite endpoint of death, myocardial infarction, and target vessel revas- cularization. Angina was assessed by the Canadian Cardiovascular Society classification and quality of life with Short Form 36 and MacNew quality of life questionnaires. RESULTS Follow-up was conducted in 129 patients at a median time of 7.3 years (interquartile range: 5.7, 8.3). There were no significant differences in the incidence of the primary composite endpoint between groups (22% PCI vs. 12% MIDCAB; p ¼ 0.17) or the endpoints death (14% vs. 17%; p ¼ 0.81) and myocardial infarction (6% vs. 9%, p ¼ 0.74). However, the target vessel revascularization rate was higher in the PCI group (20% vs. 1.5%; p < 0.001). Clinical symptoms and quality of life improved significantly from baseline with both interventions and were similar in magnitude between groups. CONCLUSIONS At 7-year follow-up, PCI by SES and MIDCAB in isolated proximal left anterior descending lesions yielded similar long-term outcomes regarding the primary composite clinical endpoint and quality of life. Target vessel revascularization was more frequent in the PCI group. (Randomied Comparison of Minimally Invasive Direct Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting and Percutaneous Coronary Intervention With Drug-Eluting Stents in Patients With Proximal Stenosis of the Left Anterior Descending Coronary Artery; NCT00299429) (J Am Coll Cardiol Intv 2014;-:-–-) © 2014 by the American College of Cardiology Foundation.

FUNDAMENTOS: Com a expressiva ampliação do uso dos stents farmacológicos (SF), nos diversos cenários em que se apresenta a doença arterial coronária (DAC), e diante de todas as evoluções das diferentes formas de tratamento, levantou-se o questionamento sobre a propriedade de indicação da intervenção coronária percutânea (ICP), à busca do discernimento sobre quais pacientes (P) com DAC apresentam o melhor balanço risco/benefício. Visando a sistematizar as indicações para procedimentos de RM, e tomando como referência as Diretrizes Internacionais baseadas nos principais estudos e ensaios clínicos desta área, em 2009, pela primeira vez, ACC/AHA/SCAI/AATS publicaram um documento sugerindo, frente aos diversos cenários clínicos e anatômicos da DAC, critérios de propriedade de indicação para os procedimentos de RM, permitindo classificá-los quanto à indicação em: A - apropriado, PA - pode ser apropriado ou RA - raramente apropriado. OBJETIVOS: O objetivo primário foi avaliar o grau de propriedade de indicação da ICP com SF nos pacientes do Registro DESIRE, no período de Janeiro de 2012 a Dezembro de 2013, correlacionando com a ocorrência de eventos cardíacos maiores (ECAM) (óbito, infarto e revascularização da lesão-alvo), num seguimento clínico de dois anos. Os objetivos secundários foram: comparar o grau de propriedade de indicação da ICP entre pacientes com apresentação clínica estável versus aqueles com síndrome coronária aguda (SCA); e a ocorrência isolada de óbito cardíaco (OC), infarto agudo do miocárdio não-fatal (IM), revascularização da lesão-alvo (RLA) e trombose do stent no período de follow-up. CASUÍSTICA E MÉTODOS: Foram incluídos todos os pacientes, consecutivamente tratados no HCor-ASS com ICP e implante de pelo menos um SF, entre 01/01/2012 a 31/12/2013. A coleta de dados foi feita do banco de dados do Registro DESIRE, em cujo programa constam dados pormenorizados das características clínicas, angiográficas e informações técnicas da intervenção, incluindo complicações, de cada um dos P registrados, além dos dados evolutivos obtidos nos períodos definidos após o procedimento-índice (1, 6, 12 meses e anualmente a partir de então). Fez-se a validação desses critérios, usando-se o aplicativo SCAI-QIT®, que permite a definição, ao serem incluídas as variáveis do P, do grau de propriedade de indicação para o implante do SF. Este aplicativo é facilmente acessado via internet, no seguinte site: http://scai-qit.org/. Após ser feita a classificação dos critérios de propriedade de indicação, os dados foram analisados estatisticamente, para obtenção dos objetivos e resultados do estudo em questão. RESULTADOS: Dentre os 1.108 P do Registro DESIRE analisados, usando-se o aplicativo SCAI-QIT®, observou-se que: 375 (33,8%) tiveram indicações Apropriada (Grupo I); 480 (43,3%) tiveram indicação Pode Ser Apropriada (Grupo II) e 215 (19,4%) tiveram indicação Raramente Apropriada (Grupo III). No Grupo I, 22,7% tinham isquemia silenciosa, 13,3% angina estável, 36,8 % SCAssST e 27,2% SCAcsST. No Grupo II, 34,0% tinha isquemia silenciosa, 11,9% angina estável, 33,3% SCAssST e 20,8% SCAcsST. No Grupo III, 82,3% tinham isquemia silenciosa, 4,2% angina estável, 0% SCAssST e 13,5% SCAcsST. A ocorrência de IM (definido como aumento da CKMB massa >3X o percentil 99) foi de 9,6%, 9,6%% e 7,0% (p= 0,652) nos Grupos I, II e III, respectivamente. A RLA foi de 1,9%, 2,1% e 0,9% (p= 0,592) e a taxa de trombose do stent foi 0,3%, 0,6% e 1,4% (p=0,406). Comparando os 3 grupos não foi estatisticamente significativo as taxas de OC e ECAM no follow-up de 2 anos. CONCLUSÕES: Os resultados deste estudo demonstram que apesar das taxas de PCI em pacientes estáveis e instáveis, destoarem das esperadas e das já documentadas, isso não teve relevância nos eventos maiores e sobrevida dos pacientes no follow-up clínico. / BACKGROUND: With the significant expansion of the use of drug-eluting stents in different scenarios as presented coronary artery disease (CAD), and before all the developments of different forms of treatment, rose the questioning on the indication of ownership of percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI), the pursuit of insight into which patients (P) with CAD have the best balance risk/benefit. Aiming to systematize indications for coronary revascularization procedures, and by reference to the International Guidelines based on the main studies and clinical trials in this area, in 2009 for the first time, ACC/AHA/SCAI/AATS published a paper suggesting, compared to various clinical and anatomical scenarios of CAD, criteria for appropriate indication of coronary revascularization procedures, allowing to classify them as the indicated in: A - Appropriate, PA - May be appropriate or RA - Rarely appropriate. OBJECTIVES: The primary objective was to evaluate the degree of appropriateness of the ICP with pharmacological stents in patients of DESIRE Registry, in the period from January 2012 to December 2013, correlating with the occurrence of major cardiac events (MACE)(death, myocardial infarction and target vessel revascularization), in the clinical follow-up of two years. The secondary objective were: to compare the degree of appropriateness of PCI indication among patients with clinical presentation satble versus those with acute coronary syndrome to isolated occurrence of cardiac death, myocardial infarction (MI), new target lesion revascularization (TLR) and stent thrombosis in follow-up period. METHODS: We included all patients consecutively treated in HCor-ASS with ICP and implantation of at least one drug-eluting stent, between 01/01/2012 to 31/12/2013. Data collection was made of the DESIRE Registry data base in whose program includes these full details of clinical features, and technical information of the intervention, including complications, each of registered patients in addition to the rolling data over defined periods after the index procedure (1, 6 12 months and annually thereafter). It was made the validation of these criteria, using the application SCAI-QIT, which allows definition, when the patient variables are include, the degree of appropriateness implantation of drug-eluting stent. This application is easily accessed via the internet, at the following site: http://scai-qit.org/. After being made the classification of statement of appropriateness criteria, data were statistically analyzed to obtain the objectives and results of the study in question. RESULTS: Among the 1.108 P of DESIRE Registry analyzed using the SCAI-QIT® application, it was observed that: 375 (33,8%) had Appropriate(Group I) indication; 480 (43,3%) had May be appropriate (Group II) indication and 215 (19,4%) had Rarely appropriate (Group II) indication. In Group I, 22,7% had silent ischemia, 13,3% stable angina, 36,8% SCAssST e 27,2% SCAcsST. In Group II, 34,0% had silent ischemia, 11,9% stable angina, 33,3% SCAssST e 20,8% SCAcsST. No Group III, 82,3% had silent ischemia, 4,2% stable angina, 0% SCAssST e 13,5% SCAcsST. The occurrence of MI (defined as increase of CKMB mass >3x the 99 percentile) was 9,6%, 9,6%% and 7,0% (p= 0,652) in Groups I, II e III, respectively. The TLR was 1,9%, 2,1% and 0,9% (p= 0,592) and stent thrombosis rate was 0,3%, 0,6% and 1,4% (p=0,406). Comparing the 3 groups was not statistically significant the rates of mortality and mace in follow-up of 2 years. CONCLUSIONS: The results of this study demonstrate that despite PCI in stable and unstable patients, diverges the expected and already documented, it had no relevance in major events and survival of patients in the clinical follow-up.

Patients with diabetes and multivessel coronary artery disease treated with multivessel percutaneous coronary intervention (MVPCI) have higher mortality, non-fatal myocardial infarction and repeat revascularization rates compared to coronary artery bypass graft surgery (CABG). This is also associated with high hospital costs. The objective of our study was to assess and compare the proportions and trends 2016 Appalachian Student Research Forum Page 83 of MVPCI in diabetic and all PCI patients and the total charges associated with them. Data were retrieved from nationwide inpatient sample from 2006-2011, which is a 20% stratified probability sample of discharges in all community hospitals participating in Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project. International Classification of Diseases 9 codes were used to identify diabetic patients who underwent percutaneous coronary intervention with stents in two or more vessels. Patients with a history CABG surgery, cardiac transplant and those who were below 18 years of age were excluded from this study. Bivariate analyses were computed for demographics and various diagnosis and procedures. Trends were computed for the proportions of diabetic and all patients that received stents in single, 2 or more and 3 or more vessels and for total charges for the 24 quarters. Between 2006 and 2011, a total of 145,349 diabetic patients underwent single vessel PCI with a mean age of 63.96 ± 11.70, 40.9% females and 59.1% males. 41,325 diabetic patients underwent = 2 vessels PCI, mean age 64.63 ± 11.64, 39.1% females and 60.9% males. 2,406 diabetic patients underwent = 3 vessels with a mean age of 64.92 ± 11.81 and 38.5% females and 61.5% males. The mean total charges for all single vessel PCI patients for the period was on a steady rise with a mean of $51,584.06 in the 1st quarter 2006 and $77,075.88 in the 24th quarter, 2011. Likewise, the trend for =2 vessel PCI group steadily increased from a mean of $61,089 to $91,937 and those for =3 vessel PCI group up from $73,532.08 to $105,364 through the period. For the diabetic PCI patients, charges associated with the single vessel PCI were on the upward trend with a mean of $53,217 in the 1st quarter to $81,040 in the 24th quarter. Similarly, the mean total charges associated with =2 vessel diabetic PCI group increased from $62,442 to $93,427 and from $78,401 to $110,015 for the =3 vessel diabetic PCI group across the period. There was a steady increase in the total charges for both single vessel and MVPCI procedures performed on diabetic and all patients between 2006 and 2011. The results of this study can be used to assess health care delivery cost and to inform policy to reduce cost.

The common risk factors for atherosclerosis, such as obesity, high cholesterol levels, sedentary lifestyle, diabetes and high alcohol intake, only explain approximately 50% of cardiovascular disease events. It is thereby important to identify new mechanisms that can stimulate the process of atherosclerosis. During the past decades, a wide range of investigations have demonstrated connections between infections by the respiratory bacterium Chlamydia pneumoniae and atherosclerosis. Earlier studies have focused on the interaction between C. pneumoniae and monocytes/macrophages, T-lymphocytes, smooth muscle cells and endothelial cells, which are present in the atherosclerotic plaque. However, another important player in atherosclerosis and which is also present in the plaques is the platelet. Activation of platelets can stimulate both initiation and progression of atherosclerosis and thrombosis, which is the ultimate endpoint of the disease. The aim of the present thesis was to investigate the capacity of C. pneumoniae to activate platelets and its role in atherosclerosis. The results show that C. pneumoniae at low concentrations binds to platelets and stimulates platelet aggregation, secretion, reactive oxygen species (ROS) production and oxidation of low-density lipoproteins (LDL), and that these effects are mediated by lipopolysaccharide (LPS). Activation of protein kinase C, nitric oxide synthase and 12-lipoxygenase (12-LOX) was required for platelet ROS production, whereas platelet aggregation was dependent on activation of GpIIb/IIIa. Pharmacological studies showed that the C. pneumoniae-induced platelet activation is prevented by inhibitors against 12-LOX, platelet activating factor (PAF) and the purinergic P2Y1 and P2Y12 receptors, but not against cyclooxygenase (COX). These findings were completely opposite to the effects of these inhibitors on collagen-stimulated platelets. We also present data from a clinical study indicating that percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI or balloon dilatation) leads to release of C. pneumoniae into the circulation, which causes platelet activation and LDL oxidation. In conclusion, these data support a role for C. pneumoniae-induced platelet activation in the process of atherosclerosis. Stimulation of platelets by C. pneumoniae leads to release of growth factors and cytokines, oxidation of LDL and platelet aggregation, which are processes that can stimulate both atherosclerosis and thrombosis. Development of novel drugs that prevent C. pneumoniae-platelet interaction by inhibiting 12-LOX and/or PAF, may be important in the future treatment of cardiovascular disease.