Project description:PurposeThe purpose of the present study was to find the independent predictors of Fractional Flow Reserve (FFR) measured immediately after percutaneous coronary intervention with drug-eluting stent implantation (post-PCI FFR) and investigate if applying vessel-specific post-PCI FFR cut-off values to predict target vessel failure (TVF), a composite of cardiac death (CD), non-fatal myocardial infarction (MI) and target vessel revascularization (TVR), or a composite of CD and MI ameliorated its predictive power.MethodsConsecutive patients with post-PCI FFR measurement at our center between 2009 and 2021 were included in this analysis.ResultsA total of 434 patients with 500 vessels were included. Median pre-PCI FFR was 0.72 with no difference between LAD and non-LAD vessels. Median post-PCI FFR was 0.87. LAD location, male gender, smaller stent diameter, and lower pre-PCI FFR proved to be significant predictors of a lower post-PCI FFR. On a vessel-level, post-PCI FFR, stent length, and diabetes mellitus proved to be significant predictors of TVF and the composite of CD and MI. The best post-PCI FFR cut-off to predict TVF or a composite of CD and MI was 0.83 in the LAD and 0.91 in non-LAD vessels.ConclusionLAD location is a predictor of a lower post-PCI FFR. Post-PCI FFR is an independent predictor of TVF as well as of the composite of CD and MI. No uniform target post-PCI FFR value exists; different cut-off values may have to be applied in LAD as opposed to non-LAD vessels.
Project description:Assessing coronary physiology after stent implantation facilitates the optimisation of percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). Coronary artery disease (CAD) patterns can be characterised by the pullback pressure gradient (PPG) index. The impact of focal vs. diffuse disease on physiology-guided incremental optimisation strategy (PIOS) is unknown. This is a sub-study of the TARGET-FFR randomized clinical trial (NCT03259815). The study protocol directed that optimisation be attempted for patients in the PIOS arm when post-PCI FFR was <0.90. Overall, 114 patients (n = 61 PIOS and 53 controls) with both pre-PCI fractional flow reserve (FFR) pullbacks and post-PCI FFR were included. A PPG ≥ 0.74 defined focal CAD. The PPG correlated significantly with post-PCI FFR (r = 0.43; 95% CI 0.26 to 0.57; p-value < 0.001) and normalised delta FFR (r = 0.49; 95% CI 0.34 to 0.62; p-value < 0.001). PIOS was more frequently applied to vessels with diffuse CAD (6% focal vs. 42% diffuse; p-value = 0.006). In patients randomized to PIOS, those with focal disease achieved higher post-PCI FFR than patients with diffuse CAD (0.93 ± 0.05 vs. 0.83 ± 0.07, p < 0.001). There was a significant interaction between CAD patterns and the randomisation arm for post-PCI FFR (p-value for interaction = 0.004). Physiology-guided stent optimisation was applied more frequently to vessels with diffuse disease; however, patients with focal CAD at baseline achieved higher post-PCI FFR.
Project description:BackgroundCoronary computed tomography angiography-derived fractional flow reserve (FFRCT) is a per-vessel index reflecting cumulative hemodynamic burden while coronary events occur in focal lesions.ObjectivesThe authors sought to evaluate the additive prognostic value of the local gradient of FFRCT (FFRCT gradient) in addition to FFRCT to predict future coronary events.MethodsThe current study included 245 patients (634 vessels) who underwent coronary computed tomography angiography within 6 to 36 months before the index angiography, of which 209 vessels had future coronary events and 425 vessels did not. Future coronary events were defined as a composite of vessel-specific myocardial infarction or urgent revascularization during a mean interval of 1.5 years. Pre-existing disease patterns were classified according to FFRCT of ≤0.80 and FFRCT gradient of ≥0.025/mm.ResultsBoth FFRCT (per 0.01 decrease; adjusted HR: 1.040; 95% CI: 1.029-1.051; P < 0.001) and FFRCT gradient (per 0.01 increase; adjusted HR: 1.144; 95% CI: 1.101-1.190; P < 0.001) were significantly associated with the risk of future coronary events. Lesions with FFRCT gradient of ≥0.025/mm showed significantly higher risk of future coronary events than those with FFRCT gradient of <0.025/mm in both the FFRCT >0.80 (49.2% vs 30.1%; HR: 2.069; 95% CI: 1.265-3.385; P = 0.004) and FFRCT ≤0.80 groups (60.9% vs 38.3%; HR: 1.988; 95% CI: 1.317-2.999; P =0 .001). Adding FFRCT gradient into the model with FFRCT alone showed significantly increased predictability of future coronary events (global chi-square: 45.8 vs 39.9; P = 0.015).ConclusionsPatients with high FFRCT gradient showed increased risk of future coronary events irrespective of FFRCT. Integrating both FFRCT and FFRCT gradient showed incremental predictability of future coronary events compared with FFRCT alone. (Prediction and Validation of Clinical Course of Coronary Artery Disease With CT-Derived Non-Invasive Hemodynamic Phenotyping and Plaque Characterization [DESTINY Study]; NCT04794868).
Project description:Background and objectivesThe influence of pre-intervention coronary physiologic status on outcomes post percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) is not well known. We sought to investigate the prognostic implications of pre-PCI fractional flow reserve (FFR) combined with post-PCI FFR.MethodsA total of 1,479 PCI patients with pre-and post-PCI FFR data were analyzed. The patients were classified according to the median values of pre-PCI FFR (0.71) and post-PCI FFR (0.88). The primary outcome was target vessel failure (TVF) at 2 years.ResultsThe risk of TVF was higher in the low pre-PCI FFR group than in the high pre-PCI FFR group (hazard ratio, 1.82; 95% confidence interval, 1.15-2.87; p=0.011). In 4 group comparisons, the cumulative incidences of TVF at 2 years were 3.8%, 4.1%, 4.8%, and 10.2% in the high pre-/high post-, low pre-/high post-, high pre-/low post-, and low pre-/low post-PCI FFR groups, respectively. The risk of TVF was the highest in the low pre-/low post-PCI FFR group among the groups (p values for comparisons <0.05). In addition, the high pre-/low post-PCI FFR group presented a comparable risk of TVF with the high post-PCI FFR groups (p values for comparison >0.05). When the prognostic value of the post-PCI FFR was evaluated according to the pre-PCI FFR, the risk of TVF significantly decreased with an increase in post-PCI FFR in the low pre-PCI FFR group, but not in the high pre-PCI FFR group.ConclusionsPre-PCI FFR was associated with clinical outcomes after PCI, and the prognostic value of post-PCI FFR differed according to the pre-PCI FFR.Trial registrationClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT04012281.
Project description:BackgroundPercutaneous coronary interventions (PCI) with drug-coated balloons (DCB) might be a promising trade-off between balloon angioplasty and drug-eluting stents, since DCB inhibit neointimal proliferation and limit duration of dual antiplatelet therapy. We investigated the safety, feasibility, and 6-month results of fractional flow reserve (FFR)-guided use of the paclitaxel-coated SeQuent Please® balloon without stenting for elective PCI of de novo lesions.Methods and resultsIn 46 patients (54 lesions) with stable symptomatic coronary artery disease (CAD), a FFR-guided POBA (plain old balloon angioplasty) was performed. In case of a sufficient POBA result with residual stenosis < 40 %, FFR > 0.8 and no severe dissection, the target lesion was finally dilated using the DCB. Quantitative coronary angiography (QCA) was performed before and after the index procedure and at 6-month follow-up (f/u) to calculate late lumen loss (LLL) and net luminal gain (NLG). Optical coherence tomography (OCT) was performed at f/u to assess vascular remodeling. DCB-only treatment was applied to 43 patients (51 lesions), while 3 patients (3 lesions) needed provisional stenting. Invasive f/u was completed in 39 patients (47 lesions). At the stenotic site, the lumen diameter showed a trend toward progressive increase at f/u (LLL: -0.13 ± 0.44 mm, n.s.; NLG: 1.10 ± 0.53 mm, p < 0.001) without aneurysm formation or restenosis after DCB-only treatment.ConclusionsFFR-guided DCB-only PCI of de novo lesions appeared feasible and safe in stable CAD with clopidogrel discontinuation after 4 weeks, showing a trend toward positive vessel remodeling without lumen loss at 6 months. Clinical trial registration http://www.clinicaltrials.gov . Unique identifier: NCT02120859.
Project description:Objective proof of focal lesions is mandatory, and the best invasive method of physiological testing is fractional flow r eserve (FFR). The increased trans-stenotic gradient is measured via the guiding catheter and pressure transducer on a 0.014" coronary wire at maximal hyperaemia induced by adenosine. Patients with a FFR of less than 0.8 should undergo myocardial revascularisation by percutaneous coronary intervention or coronary artery bypass graft, particularly if the proximal and middle segments of the main coronary arteries and large side-branches are affected; there is no prognostic revascularisation benefit in patients with moderate stenoses and FFR greater than 0.80. FFR assessment of coronary lesions is superior to other invasive morphological studies, such as intracoronary ultrasound or optical coherence tomography. Its use in non-culprit vessels in acute coronary syndromes is currently under scrutiny. Recent advances in computed tomographic technique allow non-invasive assessment of FFR, but clinical validation has yet to be obtained.
Project description:Physiologically driven coronary revascularization has been shown to be superior in terms of better outcomes and optimum resource utilization for percutaneous interventions. However, its applicability to surgical myocardial revascularization lacks evidence base. GRAFITTI Trial aims at bridging this gap and Dr. F Casselman discusses its rationale and design.
Project description:Background Intracoronary physiologic indexes such as coronary flow reserve (CFR) and left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) have been regarded as prognostic indicators in patients with coronary artery disease. The current study evaluated the association between intracoronary physiologic indexes and LVEF and their differential prognostic implications in patients with coronary artery disease. Methods and Results A total of 1889 patients with 2492 vessels with available CFR and LVEF were selected from an international multicenter prospective registry. Baseline physiologic indexes were measured by thermodilution or Doppler methods and LVEF was recorded at the index procedure. The primary outcome was target vessel failure, which was a composite of cardiac death, target vessel myocardial infarction, or clinically driven target vessel revascularization over 5 years of follow-up. Patients with reduced LVEF <50% (162 patients [8.6%], 202 vessels [8.1%]) showed a similar degree of epicardial coronary artery disease but lower CFR values than those with preserved LVEF (2.4±1.2 versus 2.7±1.2, P<0.001), mainly driven by the increased resting coronary flow. Conversely, hyperemic coronary flow, fractional flow reserve, and the degree of microvascular dysfunction were similar between the 2 groups. Reduced CFR (≤2.0) was seen in 613 patients (32.5%) with 771 vessels (30.9%). Reduced CFR was an independent predictor for target vessel failure (hazard ratio, 2.081 [95% CI, 1.385-3.126], P<0.001), regardless of LVEF. Conclusions CFR was lower in patients with reduced LVEF because of increased resting coronary flow. Patients with reduced CFR showed a significantly higher risk of target vessel failure than did those with preserved CFR, regardless of LVEF. Registration URL: https://www.clinicaltrials.gov; Unique identifier: NCT04485234.
Project description:Fractional flow reserve (FFR) assessment provides anatomical and physiological information that is often used to tailor treatment strategies in coronary artery disease. Whilst robust data validates FFR use in stable ischaemic heart disease, its use in acute coronary syndromes (ACS) is less well investigated. We critically review the current data surrounding FFR use across the spectrum of ACS including culprit and non-culprit artery analysis. With adenosine being conventionally used to induce maximal hyperaemia during FFR assessment, co-existent clinical conditions may preclude its use during acute myocardial infarction. Therefore, we include a current review of instantaneous wave free ratio as a novel vasodilator independent method of assessing lesion severity as an alternative strategy to guide revascularisation in ACS.