In order to compare the long-term clinical and angiographic outcomes after sirolimus-eluting stent (SES) and bare-metal stent (BMS) placement in severely calcified lesions using a rotablator under the widespread indication of SES, a nonrandomized examination of 312 consecutive lesions after successful implantation of a BMS (99 lesions in 84 patients; from January 2003) or SES (213 in 167; from September 2004) using a rotablator was conducted. The lesion-based primary endpoints (cardiac death and nonfatal recurrent myocardial infarction) and the secondary endpoint [binary restenosis (BR) (diameter stenosis > 50%) at follow-up angiography] were retrospectively determined in August 2010. The incidence of primary endpoint in the SES group (2.3%; mean follow-up period of 1289 ± 526 days) was significantly lower than that in the BMS group (7.1%; P = 0.043; 1803 ± 887 days), although the several variables related to the endpoints were present in the SES group. Cox proportional hazard model analysis revealed that SES was not significantly related to a primary endpoint [hazard ratio of 0.42 (95% CI, 0.073-2.42; P = 0.33)]. The incidence of BR in the SES group (21.3%) was not significantly different from that in the BMS group (27.1%) (P = 0.33). Multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that SES was not a significant predictor of BR [Odds ratio of 0.78 (95% CI, 0.41-1.51; P = 0.47)]. Thus, although the results of the present retrospective nonrandomized study demonstrate the long-term safety of SES for calcified lesions using a rotablator in daily practice, SES did not show a benefit for the angiographic outcomes compared to BMS.

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The aim of this study was to assess whether carotid plaque morphology is an independent predictive factor of stroke and, innovatively, of acute coronary syndrome (ACS). We analyzed morphological aspects of carotid atherosclerotic plaque associated with an increased risk of ACS and stroke. We examined 72 carotid endarterectomy (CEA) specimens obtained between January 2005 and February 2009. All patients underwent follow-up for 12 months after the revascularization treatment to assess the occurrence of ACS and stroke. Data obtained showed that in patients with a previous ACS and in those who had developed an ACS during follow-up after CEA, the degree of carotid plaque calcification was more severe than in patients who did not develop an ACS, either before CEA or during follow-up. However, plaques of patients with ACS were mostly devoid of a significant inflammatory component, whereas a rich infiltrate, mainly consisting of monocytes-macrophages and lymphocytes, was present in plaques of subjects who did not develop an ACS. This element was particularly important since strokes occurred only in the latter group of patients (62% versus 0%). Therefore, we deduced that inflammation, from the histological point of view, is more correlated with cerebral circulation disorders than with coronary disease. In conclusion, while the finding of a soft plaque with a large necrotic core and a marked inflammatory component, often characterized by acute complications, may be predictive of an increased risk of cerebro-vascular events, a heavily calcified plaque may be indicative of a high risk of coronary events.

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Questions about the long-term safety over the beneficial effects of drug-eluting stents (DES) have grown. We compared the long-term safety and efficacy of DES and bare-metal stents (BMS) in patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI). A total of 1,017 AMI patients treated with stent implantation were followed for 3 years; 660 (64.9%) patients were treated with at least one DES and 357 (35.1%) patients were treated with at least one BMS. The primary endpoints were total mortality and the composite of major adverse cardiac events (MACE) including total mortality, re-MI, target lesion revascularization (TLR), and coronary artery bypass graft. At 3-years, the overall risks of cardiac and all-cause mortality were not different between the groups. However, the use of DES significantly decreased TLR (17.4% versus 7.1%, adjusted hazard ratio [HR] 0.44, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.30 to 0.65) and the composite of MACEs (27.2% versus 19.5%, adjusted HR 0.65, 95% CI 0.48 to 0.87) with no differences in MI. The risk of MACE up to 1 year (HR 0.56, 95% CI 0.39 to 0.80) was higher in BMS patients, whereas from 1 year to 2 years (HR 0.55, 95% CI 0.27 to 1.10) and from 2 years to 3 years (HR 1.13, 95% CI 0.56 to 2.28), it was similar between the groups. The use of DES does not have a significant effect on overall long-term clinical survival compared with that of BMS in AMI patients. However, the use of DES reduced the need for re-intervention and the risk of MACE, mostly within 1 year.

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The left internal thoracic artery (LITA) is the conduit of choice for coronary artery bypass (CABG) due to favorable long-term patency. Uncommonly, diffuse narrowing like a string without significant stenosis of an anastomosis is observed in the LITA graft (called “string sign”). Isolated left main trunk (LMT) diseases were reported to regress in some cases. However, the relationship between “string sign” and the regression of solitary LMT disease remains unknown.
We retrospectively studied 40 consecutive patients with isolated LMT stenosis who underwent CABG using LITA and who underwent angiography before and after operation (31 males, 9 females, mean age, 65.0 years). The patients were divided into 2 groups according to the postoperative angiographic outcomes of the LITA graft: one group included patients with “string sign” (6 patients), the other group consisted of patients with a patent LITA graft (34 patients).
There were no significant differences in clinical backgrounds between the two groups. The 2 groups showed similar quantitative % coronary artery stenosis of the LMT before operation (77.5% versus 76.8%) and the observation period was similar in both groups. Coronary angiography after CABG revealed that % stenosis of the LMT in patients with “string sign” was significantly less than that in patients with a patent LITA graft (41.7 ± 26% versus 82.5 ± 11%, P < 0.001). Regression in LMT was significantly more frequently observed in the “string sign group”. Furthermore, ostial stenosis was more frequent in patients with “string sign”.
“String phenomenon” of the LITA graft is one of the signs related to the regression of LMT stenosis, and especially in ostial stenosis of the LMT.

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The efficacy of drug-eluting stents (DES) has been proven, but concerns about late complications after DES have been raised. Polymers that do not increase inflammatory or hypersensitivity reactions which may contribute to late complications are needed for new generation DES. To evaluate the safety and efficacy of phosphorylcholine-polymer coating, we investigated serial clinical and angiographic outcomes after phosphorylcholine-coated stent placement. Seventy-five consecutive patients treated with a BiodivYsio phosphorylcholine-coated stent for de novo lesions at our institute between October 2001 and August 2002 were enrolled. Six-month follow-up angiography was performed in 71 lesions (94.7%), and angiographic restenosis was found in 19 lesions (26.8%). Target lesion revascularization (TLR) was performed in 10 lesions (14.1%). Eighteen-month follow-up angiography was performed in 58 (95.1%) of the remaining 61 lesions (excluding TLR lesions), and angiographic restenosis was found in only 3 lesions. The cumulative MACE-free survival rate was 86.3%, 83.6%, and 78.6% at 6-month, 18-month, and 8-year follow-up, respectively. There were no episodes of stent thrombosis. Late loss decreased significantly from 0.74 ± 0.40 mm (6-months) to 0.51 ± 0.46 mm (18-months) (P < 0.0001). Phosphorylcholine-coated stent implantation was associated with acceptable clinical and angiographic results. Phosphorylcholine-coating may be an ideal polymer for new generation DESs.

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Left atrial roof line (LARL) can prevent the perpetuation of atrial fibrillation (AF) by delineation of the arrhythmogenic substrate, but it may be associated with an increased incidence of atrial tachycardia (AT). This study was performed to evaluate the characteristics and clinical implications of inducible AT after LARL.
A total of 139 consecutive patients with AF who underwent catheter ablation were prospectively enrolled in this study. LARL was required to prevent the perpetuation of AF in 98 of 139 patients (71%). LARL significantly reduced the incidence of inducible AF (before versus after: 100% versus 44%, respectively, P < 0.01), whereas it significantly increased the incidence of AT (18% versus 63%, P < 0.01). ATs were observed after LARL in 62 of 98 patients (63%), and these circuits were determined in 99 of 112 stable ATs (88%), including tricuspid isthmus-dependent (n = 35), mitral annulus (n = 22), septal (n = 15), surrounding right pulmonary veins (PVs) (n = 12), coronary sinus (CS) ostium (n = 4), upper loop (n = 4), surrounding left PVs (n = 4), and LA anterior wall (n = 3). Catheter ablation (CA) successfully terminated 111 of 122 stable ATs (91%) during CA. The occurrence of AT after CA was significantly higher in patients with than in those without residual AT (26% versus 2%, P < 0.05).
Induced AT with a stable circuit after LARL creation could be mapped, and delineation of the induced AT may lead to a favorable outcome.

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Brugada syndrome is an inherited disorder that predisposes some patients to sudden cardiac death. It is not well established which Brugada syndrome patients are at risk of life-threatening arrhythmias. We investigated whether standard 12-lead electrocardiograms (ECG) can identify such patients. The subjects were 35 men with Brugada syndrome (mean age, 50.1 ± 12.4 years). Documented ventricular fibrillation or aborted sudden cardiac arrests were judged to be related to the Brugada syndrome. Ten patients (mean age, 49.6 ± 14.9 years) were symptomatic, and 25 (mean age, 50.3 ± 11.5 years) were asymptomatic. We determined the PR interval, QRS duration, and QT interval from baseline 12-lead ECG leads II and V2 as well as the J point elevation amplitude of lead V2. The QRS interval was measured from QRS onset to the J point in leads II and V2. The only significant difference between the symptomatic and asymptomatic patients was the QRS duration measured from lead V2. The mean QRS interval was 129.0 ± 23.9 ms in symptomatic patients versus 108.3 ± 15.9 ms in asymptomatic patients (P = 0.012). A QRS interval in lead V2 ≥ 120 ms was found to be a possible predictor of a life-threatening ventricular arrhythmia and/or syncope (P = 0.012). Prolonged QRS duration as measured on a standard 12-lead ECG is associated with ventricular arrhythmia and could serve as a simple noninvasive marker of vulnerability to life-threatening cardiac events in patients with Brugada syndrome.

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Recent clinical evidence and animal experiments support the belief that statins have beneficial effects on cardiovascular outcomes and prevention of atrial fibrillation (AF). We investigated whether the use of statins reduces the mortality, morbidity, and recurrence rate of AF in patients with paroxysmal AF. A post hoc analysis of the Japanese Rhythm Management Trial for Atrial Fibrillation (J-RHYTHM) study was conducted.
Of the 823 patients with paroxysmal AF in the J-RHYTHM study, 101 (12.3%) were receiving a statin at baseline. Patients taking statins were older and more likely to have hypertension, dyslipidemia, coronary artery disease, and ischemic stroke compared to patients not taking statins. During a mean follow-up period of 19.3 months, 40 patients (5.5%) reached the primary endpoint (a composite of all-cause death, stroke, systemic embolism, major bleeding, and hospitalization for heart failure) and 140 patients (19.4%) experienced a recurrence of AF. Multivariate Cox proportional-hazard regression analysis revealed statin use was not associated with improved mortality and morbidity (hazard ratio [HR] 0.409, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.113-1.482), or a decreased risk of AF recurrence (HR 0.662, 95% CI 0.299-1.466).
This analysis provides evidence that statin use did not affect clinical outcomes in patients with paroxysmal AF and emphasizes the need for randomized clinical trials defining more clearly the role of statins in treating AF.

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Five patients who had had previous cardiac operations underwent minimally invasive beating heart mitral valve operations via a right minithoracotomy between November 2006 and February 2009. The mean age was 64 ± 10 years and 4 were female. Under general anesthesia with single-lumen ventilation, cardiopulmonary bypass was established using the right femoral artery and vein. Through right minithoracotomy, the left atrium was opened without dissection of pericardial adhesion. The aorta was not cannulated or clamped, using a so-called “No Touch” technique. Four patients had mitral valve replacement and one had mitral ring annuloplasty with the heart beating. Mean cardiopulmonary bypass time was 118 ± 38 minutes. There was no early mortality or confirmed stroke. One patient who underwent mitral ring annuloplasty for ischemic mitral regurgitation died 3 months after surgery due to renal failure. At follow-up, New York Heart Association functional class had improved in 3 patients. In conclusion, in our initial series, minimally invasive beating heart redo mitral valve surgery through right minithoracotomy was safely performed with no early mortality.

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The recommended treatment for eosinophilic myocarditis (EM), pathologically defined as myocardial inflammation with eosinophil infiltration, is corticosteroids. Although EM has a wide variety of clinical features including the degree of eosinophilic infiltration, there have been no reports on how patients with EM should be treated with corticosteroids irrespective of their pathological findings.
Thirty-seven consecutive patients with acute myocarditis hospitalized in our institute between 1996-2009 were enrolled. Excluding those with secondary EM such as Loeffler’s endocarditis, hypereosinophilic syndrome, and Churg-Strauss Syndrome, together with drug-induced allergic myocarditis, the subjects were divided into 2 groups according to the existence of eosinophils in the myocardial interstitium observed in endomyocardial biopsy specimens. There were no differences in the clinical characteristics on admission between the 2 groups: with (group EM, n = 22) and without (group lymphocytic myocarditis (LM), n = 7) eosinophilic infiltrates irrespective of pathological differences. The treatment policy has been consistent in our institution: intensive hemodynamic observation and support without corticosteroid administration, not only in LM but also in idiopathic EM. There was no significant difference in clinical recovery in the acute phase as indicated by the hospitalization period, left ventricular ejection fraction, or long-term prognosis in EM compared to LM.
A conventional management strategy for idiopathic EM without corticosteroid administration can improve the prognosis in the acute and chronic phases, similar to that of LM.

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Human atrial natriuretic peptides and nitrite compounds (NC) are infused for the initial management of acute heart failure (HF). However, there have been few studies comparing their hemodynamic effects.
Fifty-two patients in acute decompensated HF (ADHF) who received carperitide (0.07 ± 0.05 μg/kg/minute, n = 23, group C) or NC (0.39 ± 0.24 μg/kg/minute, n = 29, group N) during the initial 24 hours in the intensive care unit between 1997 and 2007 were studied. We measured and compared hemodynamic parameters by pulmonary artery catheter monitoring before and after drug administration. Heart rate (HR), diastolic pulmonary artery pressure (DPAP), and central venous pressure (CVP) after the 24-hour administration were lower (HR: 92 ± 18 versus 79 ± 13 bpm, DPAP: 17 ± 6 versus 11 ± 5 mmHg, CVP: 6 ± 4 versus 3 ± 3 mmHg, P < 0.05, respectively) and the reduction of DPAP and systemic vascular resistance index were higher in group N than in group C. However, there was no significant difference regarding other indicators of preload and afterload. Although the serum B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP) level at discharge was lower in group N than group C (382 ± 434 versus 207 ± 201 pg/mL, P < 0.05), there was no significant difference in either the in-hospital reduction of BNP, the duration of hospitalization, or total cardiac events during 1-year follow-up.
Although NC tended to improve the hemodynamics of ADHF more than carperitide, both drugs had a similar prognostic impact in patients with ADHF.

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Right ventricular (RV) dysfunction has been discussed in relation to an adverse outcome in heart failure (HF). The aim of this study was to analyze the relationship between RV function with HF exacerbation and its subsequent long-term outcome in patients with chronic left-sided HF.
We studied 122 consecutive patients who were admitted for dyspnea due to exacerbated left-sided HF with a left ventricular (LV) ejection fraction of less than 40%. Conventional echocardiography was performed in the study subjects on admission and at discharge. Cox proportional hazards analysis revealed that RV end-diastolic dimension (RVDd) (hazard ratio 1.131, P = 0.005, 95% confidence interval 1.039-1.231) and the serum level of creatinine on admission were independent predictors of subsequent cardiac-related death, but RVDd at discharge and other LV parameters were not. Thus, patients were divided into tertiles on the basis of RVDd on admission: < 32 mm (n = 37), 32-40 mm (n = 43), and ≥ 40 mm (n = 42). According to the increase in the RVDd category, the cardiac-related death-free rate significantly decreased. Among the 3 groups, the pulse pressure and serum total bilirubin levels that demonstrated low cardiac output syndrome (LOS) parameters had significant differences.
RVDd on admission could be measured noninvasively and easily to predict a worse long-term prognosis of chronic left-sided HF on admission, and showed correlations with LOS parameters.

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