Browsing by Author "Dobrić, Milan (23484928600)"

Background/Aim. Chronic total occlusions (CTOs) of the coronary artery are still one of the most complex procedures in the treatment of coronary arteries. If there is a bifurcation lesion within the CTO, it is certainly one of the biggest challenges for interventional cardiologists. Methods. We present a retrospective analysis of patients from our center who underwent percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) with a bifurcation lesion within the CTO and a side branch with a diameter of 2 mm or more from January 2017 to December 2020. Results. Out of the total 216 patients in the four-year period, 38 (18%) had a bifurcation lesion within the CTO. The most common bifurcation lesions (50%) were on the left anterior descending artery, and the least frequent (21%) on the circumflex coronary artery. CTO recanalization was successful in 35 (92%) patients. The one-stent technique was used in 27 (77%) patients, while the two-stent technique was used in 8 (23%) patients. Conclusion. Bifurcation lesions in the context of PCI CTOs are a relatively common finding in coronary angiography and represent a special challenge for CTO operators. The provisional technique (one-stent technique) is the most common strategy for the treatment of bifurcation lesions in patients with CTO. © 2023 Inst. Sci. inf., Univ. Defence in Belgrade. All rights reserved.

Introduction: Coronary artery thrombosis in ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) is a dynamic process often preceded by episodes of silent plaque rupture and subocclusive thrombosis. Thrombus organization is achieved by ingrowth of endothelial and smooth muscle cells. Clinical significance and impact of thrombus neovascularization on primary percutaneous coronary intervention (pPCI) outcome remain unclear. Therefore we investigated composition and neovascularization of thrombi aspirated during pPCI and their association with clinical and angiographic parameters of STEMI patients. Methods: Aspirated thrombi retrieved from 84 STEMI patients were classified as fresh (<1 day), lytic (1-5 days) or organized (>5 days). Thrombus neovascularization was evaluated immunohistochemically using CD34, CD31 and VEGF antibodies. CD34 and CD31 immunopositive (CD34/CD31+) cells were organized as single, clusters and microvessels. VEGF positivity was graded as low or high, based on thrombus surface immunopositive area. Results: CD34/CD31+cells were presentin67% of all aspirated thrombi. Thrombus CD34/CD31 positivity was associated with previous history of angina pectoris (χ2 = 6.142, p = 0.013) and lower myocardial blush grade (MBG < 3, χ2 = 12.602, p < 0.001). Organization of CD34/CD31+ cells showed inverse association with the extent of VEGF positivity (χ2 = 10.607, p = 0.005). Fresh thrombi were associated with shorter ischemic time (U = 237.5, p = 0.002) and MBG 3 (χ2 = 6.379, p = 0.012). Conclusions: Older thrombus age and neovascularization are associated with suboptimal myocardial perfusion in STEMI patients. Thrombus VEGF expression is inversely associated with degree of CD34+ cell organization. Therefore, neovascularization of aspirated thrombi may indicate the duration of thrombosis, coronary microcirculation status and outcome in STEMI patients. © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Assessment of the functional significance of coronary artery stenosis using invasive measurement of fractional flow reserve (FFR) or non-hyperemic indices has been shown to be safe and effective in making clinical decisions on whether to perform percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). Despite strong evidence from clinical trials, utilization of these techniques is still relatively low worldwide. This may be to some extent attributed to factors that are inherent to invasive measurements like prolongation of the procedure, side effects of drugs that induce hyperemia, additional steps that the operator should perform, the possibility to damage the vessel with the wire, and additional costs. During the last few years, there was a growing interest in the non-invasive assessment of coronary artery lesions, which may provide interventionalist with important physiological information regarding lesion severity and overcome some of the limitations. Several dedicated software solutions are available on the market that could provide an estimation of FFR using 3D reconstruction of the interrogated vessel derived from two separated angiographic projections taken during diagnostic coronary angiography. Furthermore, some of them use data about aortic pressure and frame count to more accurately calculate pressure drop (and FFR). The ideal non-invasive system should be integrated into the workflow of the cath lab and performed online (during the diagnostic procedure), thereby not prolonging procedural time significantly, and giving the operator additional information like vessel size, lesion length, and possible post-PCI FFR value. Following the development of these technologies, they were all evaluated in clinical trials where good correlation and agreement with invasive FFR (considered the gold standard) were demonstrated. Currently, only one trial (FAVOR III China) with clinical outcomes was completed and demonstrated that QFR-guided PCI may provide better results at 1-year follow-up as compared to the angiography-guided approach. We are awaiting the results of a few other trials with clinical outcomes that test the performance of these indices in guiding PCI against either FFR or angiography-based approach, in various clinical settings. Herein we will present an overview of the currently available data, a critical review of the major clinical trials, and further directions of development for the five most widely available non-invasive indices: QFR, vFFR, FFRangio, caFFR, and AccuFFRangio. 2023 Dobrić, Furtula, Tešić, Timčić, Borzanović, Lazarević, Lipovac, Farkić, Ilić, Boljević, Rakočević, Aleksandrić, Juričić, Ostojić and Bojić.

AimsThe aim of this document was to obtain a real-life contemporary analysis of the demographics and heart failure (HF) statistics, as well as the organization and major activities of the Heart Failure National Societies (HFNS) in European Society of Cardiology (ESC) member countries.Methods and resultsData from 33 countries were collected from HFNS presidents/ representatives during the first Heart Failure Association HFNS Summit (Belgrade, Serbia, 29 October 2011). Data on incidence and/or prevalence of HF were available for 22 countries, and the prevalence of HF ranged between 1% and 3%. In five European and one non-European ESC country, heart transplantation was reported as not available. Natriuretic peptides and echocardiography are routinely applied in the management of acute HF in the median of 80% and 90% of centres, respectively. Eastern European and Mediterranean countries have lower availability of natriuretic peptide testing for acute HF patients, compared with other European countries. Almost all countries have organizations dealing specifically with HF. HFNS societies for HF patients exist in only 12, while in 16 countries HF patient education programmes are active. Most HFNS reported that no national HF registry exists in their country. Fifteen HFNS produced national HF guidelines, while 19 have translated the ESC HF guidelines. Most HFNS (n = 23) participated in the organization of the European HF Awareness Day.ConclusionThis document demonstrated significant heterogeneity in the organization of HF management, and activities of the national HF working groups/associations. High availability of natriuretic peptide and echocardiographic measurements was revealed, with differences between developed countries and countries in transition. © The Author 2012. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the European Society of Cardiology.

Introduction/Objective Patients with submassive (intermediate risk) pulmonary embolism (PE) represent a very heterogeneous group, whose therapeutic strategy still questions whether some groups of patients would have net clinical benefit from fibrinolytic therapy (FT). Methods From the institutional pulmonary embolism registry, 116 patients with submassive PE were identified, and the relation of their outcome to FT was analyzed using the propensity score (PS) adjustment. The primary endpoint was the composite of death, in-hospital cardiopulmonary deterioration, or recurrence of PE. Safety outcomes were updated TIMI non-CABG related major and minor bleeding. Results According to Cox regression analysis, the incidence of composite endpoint was significantly lower in patients treated with FT compared to anticoagulant therapy (AT) only (PS adjusted HR 0.22; 95% CI 0.05–0.89; p = 0.039). But, when patients were stratified into four PS quartiles, only patients in the highest PS quartile that received fibrinolysis, had significantly lower composite event rate than patients treated with AT (HR 0.20; 95% CI 0.01–0.56; p = 0.016). The overall mortality of the study group was 5.2% and there was no significant difference between the treatment groups. Total bleeding was significantly more frequent in FT patients (HR 3.07; 95% CI 1.02–13.29; p = 0.047), but not the major one. Conclusion The use of FT was associated with a better outcome compared to AT in patients with submassive PE, but the benefit was mainly driven from those with highest values of PS, i.e. with the highest baseline risk. The rate of major bleeding was not significantly increased by FT. © 2019, Serbia Medical Society. All rights reserved.

Introduction. Chronic total occlusion (CTO) of the coronary artery still represents one of the most challenging lesion subsets in the field of interventional cardiology. Considering the complexity and increased risk posed by the retrograde approach, it is most often performed after a failed antegrade approach. Case report. We present a series of cases describing the retrograde approach as a special technique for treating CTO of the coronary artery. All cases had some special characteristics that are part of a dedicated portfolio in every catheterization lab today. In our series of cases, all three percutaneous coronary interventions (PCI) with a different strategies of the retrograde approach and supported with rotational atherectomy or intravascular ultrasound finished with successful recanalization of CTO. Conclusion. In cases where there is the presence of “interventional” collaterals, as well as when the antegrade approach is very difficult, the retrograde approach can increase the success rate of procedures. The retrograde approach requires a long learning curve as well as very skilled and experienced operators who are able to perform the procedure independently. © 2022 Inst. Sci. inf., Univ. Defence in Belgrade. All rights reserved.

[No abstract available]