Intravascular ultrasound-based analysis of factors affecting minimum lumen area in coronary artery intermediate lesions

Objective To identify clinical characteristics associated with the minimum lumen area （MLA） of proximal or middle intermediate lesions in the left anterior descending （LAD） artery, and to develop a model to predict MLA. Methods We retrospectively analyzed demographic data, medical history, and intravascular ultrasound findings for 90 patients with intermediate lesions in the LAD artery. Linear regression was used to identify factors affecting MLA, and multiple regression was used to develop a model for predicting MLA. Results Age, number of lesions, and diabetes mellitus correlated significantly with MLA of proximal or middle intermediate lesions. A regression model for predicting MLA （mm2） was derived from the data： 7.00 - 0.05 × （age） - 0.50 × （number of lesions）. A cut-off value of 3.1 mm2 was proposed for deciding when to perform percutaneous coronary intervention. Conclusion This model for predicting MLA of proximal or middle intermediate lesions in the LAD artery showed high accuracy, sensitivity, and specificity, indicating good diagnostic potential.

Relationship between fibrinogen and fractional flow reserve in coronary intermediate lesions

Objective To study the relationgship and the clinical significance between plasma fibrinogen and fractional flow reserve(FFR)in coronary intermediate lesions.Methods The patients were from The Department of Cardiovascular of Affiliated Hospital of Xuzhou Medical College.Their coronary artery lesions were assessed by

Safety and efficacy of frequency-domain optical coherence tomography in evaluating and treating intermediate coronary lesions

AIM To establish whether frequency-domain optical coherence tomography(FD-OCT) is safe and effective in the evaluation and treatment of angiographicallyintermediate coronary lesions(ICL) METHODS Sixty-four patients with 2-dimensional quantitativecoronary angiography(2D-QCA) demonstrating ICL were included. OCT imaging was performed. According to predetermined OCT criteria, patients were assigned to either of 2 groups: OCT-guided percutaneous coronary intervention(PCI) or OCT-guided optimal medical therapy(OMT). The primary efficacy endpoint was to demonstrate the superiority and higher accuracy of FD-OCT compared to 2D-QCA in evaluating stenosis severity in patients with ICL. The primary safety endpoint was the incidence of 30-d major adverse cardiac events(MACE). Secondary endpoints included MACE at 12 mo and other clinical events.RESULTS Analysis of the primary efficacy endpoint demonstrates that 2D-QCA overestimates the stenosis severity of ICL in both the OCT-guided PCI and OMT groups, proving FD-OCT to be superior to and more precise than 2D-QCA in treating this subset of lesions. The primary safety endpoint was fully met with the incidence of 30-d MACE being nil in both the OCT-guided PCI and OCTguided OMT groups. Incidences of secondary endpoints were found to be low in both arms, the only exception being the relatively high incidence of recurrent episodes of angina which was, however, very similar in the 2 groups.CONCLUSION FD-OCT is safe and effective in the evaluation and treatment of ICL. Larger studies are needed to firmly establish the efficacy and safety of FD-OCT in treating ICL across all coronary artery disease population subgroups.

Clinical efficacy and gene chip expression analysis of Shenzhu Guanxin recipe granules(参术冠心方颗粒) in patients with intermediate coronary lesions

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the clinical efficacy and safety of Shenzhu Guanxin recipe granules(参术冠心颗粒, SGR) in treating patients with intermediate coronary lesions(ICL), and to investigate the potential mechanism though a transcriptome sequencing approach. METHODS: ICL patients with Qi deficiency and phlegm stasis were adopted and randomly assigned to a case group or a control by random number generator in a 1∶1 randomization ratio to evaluate the clinical efficacy. RESULTS: There was no significant difference between the two groups in coronary computed tomography angiography related indexes in the two groups before and after intervention. Through the gene chip expression analysis, it is finally concluded that there are 355 differential mRNAs(190 up-regulated genes and 165 down regulated genes) when compared the SGR group and placebo group. Through protein-protein interaction network analysis of differentially expressed genes, 10 hub genes were finally obtained: CACNA2D2, CACNA2D3, DNAJC6, FGF12, SGSM2, CACNA1G, LRP6, KIF25, OXTR, UPB1. CONCLUSIONS: SGR combined with Western Medicine can be safely used to treat ICL patients with Qi deficiency and phlegm stasis. The possible mechanism of action and relevant gene loci and pathway were proposed.

Factors influencing the functional significance in intermediate coronary stenosis

Objective To analyze the influencing factors of the functional significance determined by fractional flow reserve （FFR） in interme- diate coronary artery stenosis. Methods The study enrolled 143 patients with 203 intermediate coronary lesions. Pressure-derived FFR of these lesions was gained at maximal hyperemia induced by intravenous adenosine infusion. An FFR 〈 0.80 was considered as abnormal functional significance. Anatomic parameters at the lesion sites were obtained by off-line quantitative coronary angiography analysis （QCA）. The predictive value of the demographic characteristics and anatomic parameters for FFR in these intermediate lesions was assessed using multiple linear and binary logistic regression analysis. Results Overall, FFR 〈 0.8 was found in 70 （34%） of the total 203 intermediate coronary lesions. FFR values were positively correlated with QCA-measured minimum lumen diameters （MLD, r = 0.372, P = 0.000） and the reference vessel diameters （RVD, r = 0.217, P〈 0.002） were negatively correlated with percent area stenosis （AS, r = -0.251, P = 0.000） and percent diameter stenosis （DS, r = -0.210, P = 0.000）. Age, MLD and the lesion location in different coronary arteries were the inde- pendent determinants of FFR 〈 0.8. Conclusions MLD can predict the functional significance of intermediate coronary stenosis, while age and the lesion location in different coronary arteries should be taken into account as important influencing factors of FFR values.

A case report of significant progression after FFR-guided deferred PCI

In recent years,the use of coronary functional evaluation derived by fractional flow reserve(FFR)to guide percutaneous coronary intervention(PCI)treatment has been recommended by several mainstream guidelines.Typically,FFR>0.80 in coronary artery indicates the lesions do not affect the coronary blood flow.

Intermediate coronary lesions: prognostic evaluation of plasma osteoprotegerin in elderly patients

<正>Objective To investigate the plasma osteoprotegerin(OPG)measurement for assessing the prognosis of intermediate coronary lesions in elderly patients.Methods We retrospectively analyzed patients meeting the inclusion criteria of suspicious chest pain or confirmed coronary artery disease(CHD),and intermediate stenosis lesions(20%~70%)in 3 main coronary arteries

Usefulness of lumen area parameters determined by intravascular ultrasound to predict functional significance of intermediate coronary artery stenosis

Background Coronary artery disease is the leading cause of death in China. Percutaneous coronary intervention is a recent milestone technology for treatment coronary artery disease. However, clinical decision making for patients with intermediate coronary stenosis is still controversial. We designed this study to assess the optimal intravascular ultrasound （IVUS） criteria for predicting functional significance of intermediate coronary lesions. Methods We enrolled 141 patients with 165 intermediate coronary lesions located in vessels with a diameter 〉2.50 mm. IVUS of intermediate coronary lesions were performed before intervention. Pressure-derived fractional flow reserve （FFR） was measured at maximal hyperemia induced by adenosine infusion. An FFR 〈0.80 was considered as abnormal functional significance. Results For the overall 165 lesions, the mean FFR value was 0.84±0.09. The diameter of the stenosis by visual estimation on angiogram was （59.63±11.29）%. Minimum lumen diameter （MLD）, minimum lumen area （MLA） and plaque burden （PB） were （2.00±0.36） mm, （3.88±1.34） mm2, （67.28±9.89）% respectively by IVUS measurements. An FFR 〈0.80 was seen in 43 lesions （30.5%）. There was a moderate correlation between IVUS parameters and FFR, including MLD （r=0.372, P 〈0.001 ）, MLA （r=0.442, P 〈0.001 ） and PB （t=-0.172, P 〈0.05）. MLA was a predictor for FFR as a continuous variable independent of possible confounding variables （P 〈0.05）, and MLA and PB, were predictors for FFR 〈0.80 as binary variables （P 〈0.05）. The best cutoff value of MLA to predict FFR 〈0.80 was 〈3.15 mm2, with a 73.6% diagnostic accuracy; sensitivity 71.4%, specificity 67.0%, AUC=0.709, and P 〈0.001. The cutoff value of the PB to predict FFR 〈0.80 was 65.45%; sensitivity 82.6%, specificity 41.2%, AUC=0.644, and P 〈0.01. If both MLA and PB were taken into account, the negative predictive value and the positive predictive value were 88.7% and 64.8% respectively. Conclusions Anatomic measurements of intermediate coronary lesions obtained by IVUS showed a moderate correlation to FFR values. IVUS-derived MLA 〉3.15 mm2 may be useful to exclude FFR 〈0.80, but poor specificity limits its applicability for physiological assessment of lesions 〈3.15 mm2. MLA was one of many factors affecting coronary flow hemodynamics. Both MLA and PB should be taken into account when determining functional ischemia.