Abstract Objectives This study sought to investigate the effect of daily glucose fluctuation on coronary plaque properties in patients with coronary artery disease (CAD) pre-treated with ...lipid-lowering therapy. Background There is growing evidence that glucose fluctuation, as a residual risk apart from dyslipidemia, is an important factor contributing to the development of CAD. Methods This prospective study enrolled 70 consecutive CAD patients who were referred for percutaneous coronary intervention and whose low-density lipoprotein cholesterol level was <120 mg/dl under statin treatment or <100 mg/dl without statins. Daily glucose fluctuation was analyzed by measuring the mean amplitude of glycemic excursion (MAGE). The plaque properties in the culprit and nonculprit lesions were assessed by virtual histology intravascular ultrasound, and the volume percentage of necrotic core within the plaque (%NC) and the presence of thin-cap fibroatheroma were evaluated. Results In total, 165 lesions were evaluated in 70 patients (40 diabetic and 30 nondiabetic patients). %NC was well correlated with MAGE (r = 0.490, p <0.001). A linear mixed effect model showed that MAGE had the strongest effect on %NC (coefficient β = 0.080 ± 0.020 standard error, p < 0.001). The generalized linear mixed effect model revealed that MAGE was the only independent predictor of the presence of thin-cap fibroatheroma (odds ratio: 1.037; 95% confidence interval: 1.010 to 1.065; p = 0.007). Conclusions Daily glucose fluctuation may have an effect on coronary plaque vulnerability in patients with CAD pre-treated with lipid-lowering therapy. Further investigations should address the rationale for the early detection and control of glucose fluctuation in the era of universal statin use for CAD patients.
Abstract Background Previous studies have suggested that peri-procedural myocardial infarction (PMI) following percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) is associated with adverse short- and long-term ...outcomes, and several morphological predictors of PMI have been studied. However, the determinants of PMI under novel anti-platelet therapy are not fully elucidated. Methods and results PRASFIT-Elective is a multicenter, parallel-group study of PCI patients in non-acute settings receiving either prasugrel or clopidogrel in addition to aspirin. Among 742 study patients, 94 (116 lesions) underwent optical coherence tomography (OCT) to evaluate the area of intra-stent tissue (IST, which comprises tissue protrusion and thrombus) after stenting in addition to standard parameters. We investigated the relationship between the peak creatine kinase (CK)-MB fraction levels after PCI and post-stent OCT findings, as well as on-treatment platelet reactivity determined by the P2Y12 reaction units (PRU) at PCI, in a post hoc manner. The multivariate linear analysis revealed that a larger total IST area (standardized coefficient: 0.370, p < 0.001) and smaller minimal stent diameter (standardized coefficient: −0.242, p < 0.014), but not the PRU value ( p = 0.988), were independently associated with CK-MB leakage. The IST area after stenting was mainly determined by the target lesion lipid index (averaged lipid arc × lipid length) ( r = 0.583, p < 0.001). Conclusion Following elective PCI, a large IST area originating from a lipid-rich plaque and a smaller minimal stent diameter were associated with PMI.
Abstract Background The Nobori (Terumo Corporation, Tokyo, Japan) is a biolimus A9-eluting stent (BES) featured with a biodegradable polymer coated on the abluminal side only. We previously reported ...that favourable vessel healing was achieved at 6-12 months after BES implantation. However, detailed long-term vessel reaction after BES deployment is unclear. Methods Twenty-two BESs were serially evaluated using optical coherence tomography (OCT) at 6, 12, and 24 months after stenting. Average neointimal thickness, uncovered struts, and neointimal unevenness score (each cross-section as maximum neointimal thickness in 1 cross section divided by the average neointimal thickness of the same cross-section) were manually measured. In addition, we evaluated the percentage of struts with peri-strut low-intensity area (a region around stent struts that homogenously showed less intensity than the surrounding tissue, which suggests fibrin deposition or impaired neointima maturation), thrombi, and atherogenic neointimas (neointimas containing a diffuse border and poor-signal region with invisible struts due to marked signal attenuation). Results Serial OCT observation revealed a small gradual increase in neointimal thickness from 6 to 24 months (73 ± 24 μm; 81 ± 26 μm; and 108 ± 35 μm, respectively, P = 0.001) with a nonsignificant decrease in the lumen area (6.36 ± 1.98 mm2 ; 6.18 ± 2.04 mm2 ; and 5.87 ± 2.06 mm2 ; P = 0.72). Frequency of uncovered struts (3.89 ± 3.91%; 1.55 ± 1.63%; and 0.23 ± 0.67%; P = 0.001), neointimal unevenness score (1.95 ± 0.18% to 1.86 ± 0.19% to 1.78 ± 0.17; P = 0.012), percentage of thrombi (5%, 0%, and 0%; P = 0.37) and peri-strut low-intensity area (6.8%, 5.1%, and 1.6%; P = 0.017) decreased from 6 to 12 and 24 months. Atherogenic neointima was not observed in the event-free OCT cohort. Conclusions The Nobori stent achieved acceptable long-term vessel healing, mostly without adverse vessel reactions.
Repeated postprandial hyperglycemia may play an important role in the development of atherosclerosis by suppressing vascular endothelial function. Although miglitol suppresses the elevation of blood ...glucose levels shortly after a meal more than other α-glucosidase inhibitors, the effect of 3-month repeated administration of miglitol on endothelial dysfunction is unknown. Fifty patients with type 2 diabetes and coronary artery disease were enrolled in the present study. The patients were randomly divided into 2 groups, the first treated with miglitol and the second with voglibose for 3 months. Blood chemistry (lipid and blood glucose profiles, glycosylated hemoglobin, 1,5-anhydroglucitol, serum insulin levels, and C-reactive protein) and flow-mediated dilatation were measured at the beginning and end of the trial period. Patient characteristics and blood chemistry of the 2 groups were similar at the beginning of the trial. At the end of the trial, glycosylated hemoglobin decreased in the 2 groups, but the improvements in 1,5-anhydroglucitol in the miglitol group were significantly higher than in the voglibose group. Insulin resistance index, C-reactive protein, and percentage flow-mediated dilatation were also improved in the miglitol group but not in the voglibose group. In conclusion, 3-month repeated administration of miglitol improved vascular endothelial dysfunction by strongly suppressing postprandial hyperglycemia. Miglitol may have antiatherogenic effects in patients with type 2 diabetes and coronary artery disease.
Abstract Background Hemodialysis (HD) patients are at high risk for adverse clinical outcomes after drug-eluting stent (DES) implantation. However, the impact of residual platelet reactivity under ...dual anti-platelet therapy in this subset of patients remains unclear. Methods We enrolled 142 stable angina patients (194 lesions) treated with DES, who were taking aspirin and 75 mg clopidogrel and had undergone 8-month angiography with optical coherence tomography (OCT). OCT findings and major adverse cardiac events (MACEs) at 1 year (cardiac death, acute coronary syndrome, target lesion and vessel revascularization, and stent thrombosis) were compared between 28 HD patients and 114 non-HD patients. Responsiveness to clopidogrel was assessed by measuring P2Y12 reaction unit (PRU) at 8 months. Results PRU was significantly higher in HD patients than in non-HD patients ( p = 0.006), even though proportion of cytochrome P450 2C19 genotype was equivalent. HD patients had a significantly higher rate of thrombi formation (assessed using OCT) and MACEs than non-HD patients (thrombi: p = 0.001; MACEs: p = 0.0001). The PRU value was independently associated with MACEs in both groups. The optimal cutoff values of PRU for predicting MACEs were 235 for HD patients and 259 for non-HD patients. Conclusions HD was associated with a high residual platelet reactivity, which may contribute to the higher incidence of MACEs after DES implantation in HD patients. HD may be a patient profile that merits a more potent anti-platelet regimen.
Abstract Background We aimed to clarify the differences in vessel healing after stenting of bifurcation lesions using sirolimus-eluting stents (SESs) or everolimus-eluting stents (EESs). Methods J ...apanese R egistry Study in Comparison Between Ever olimus-Eluting Stent and S irolimus- E luting Stent for the Bifurcation Lesion (J-REVERSE) is a prospective multicentre registry of 303 bifurcation lesions that were treated with provisional SES or EES with or without final kissing inflation. The first 115 lesions at selected study sites were predefined for inclusion in the optical coherence tomography (OCT) substudy, and 9-month follow-up OCT was conducted in 64 lesions (SES, n = 18; EES, n = 46). In addition to standard OCT parameters, stent eccentricity index (SEI; minimum divided by the maximum stent diameter), neointimal unevenness score (NUS; maximum neointimal thickness in the cross-section CS divided by the average neointimal thickness NIT of the same CS; uniformity of the neointima suppression) were averaged for each segment (proximal, bifurcation, and distal segments). Results Overall, the average stent and luminal area, NIT, and frequency of uncovered struts were similar. The frequency of malapposed struts and SEI were significantly lower in the EES group than in the SES group. The EES group had a significantly smaller NUS in the proximal and distal segments. Conclusions EESs offer homogeneous vessel healing with less malapposition in the treatment of bifurcation lesions.