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•Randomized evidence regarding the optimal revascularization strategey in NSTEMI patients with multivessel coronary artery disease is limited.•The COMPLETE-NSTEMI trail aims to investigate whether complete revascularization is superior over culprit-lesion only PCI in these patients.•This trial will enroll 3390 NSTEMI patients at 65 to 70 in Germany and Austria. Multivessel coronary artery disease (CAD) is present in 30% to 70% of patients presenting with non-ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (NSTEMI) depending on varying age and risk profiles. In contrast to the STEMI cohort, there is only limited scientific evidence derived from randomized controlled trials directing the general decision for or against complete revascularization in the NSTEMI population. The COMPLETE-NSTEMI trial aims to investigate whether multivessel percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) is superior over culprit-lesion only PCI in patients with NSTEMI and multivessel CAD. COMPLETE-NSTEMI is a prospective, randomized, controlled, multicenter, parallel group, open-label trial. It will enroll 3390 NSTEMI patients with multivessel CAD at 65 to 70 sites in Germany and Austria. Patients will be randomized 1:1 to either complete revascularization with PCI or culprit lesion-only PCI. The primary efficacy endpoint is a composite of cardiovascular death or rehospitalization for nonfatal myocardial infarction during follow-up. The trial is event-driven and will be stopped as soon as 578 primary endpoint events and a minimal follow-up duration of 12 months for each patient are reached. The first patient was enrolled at October 27, 2023. By April 2025, 51 sites have been activated and >500 patients have been randomized. Completion of recruitment is expected for the first half of 2027. The final results of the primary endpoint are expected in 2028. COMPLETE NSTEMI will be the first dedicated trial to answer the question about the optimal revascularization strategy in patients with NSTEMI and multivessel CAD. NCT05786131

In patients with non–ST-elevation myocardial infarction (NSTEMI), total occlusion of the culprit coronary artery (OCA) is not uncommon. We sought to determine the frequency and clinical impact of OCA at presentation in a large population of patients presenting with NSTEMI and who underwent systematic early invasive management. We performed a post hoc analysis of the TAO (Treatment of Acute Coronary Syndrome with Otamixaban) randomized trial, which included patients with NSTEMI with systematic coronary angiography within 72 hours. We compared the baseline characteristics and outcomes of patients according to whether the culprit vessel was occluded (thrombolysis in myocardial infarction flow grade [TFG] 0 to 1) or patent (TFG 2 to 3) at presentation. A total of 7,473 patients with NSTEMI with only 1 culprit lesion identified were enrolled, of whom 1,702 patients had OCA (22.8%). In the OCA group, coronary angiography was performed earlier (18 ± 15 vs 20 ± 16 hours, p <0.01), the culprit lesion was less likely to be the left anterior descending artery (26.5% vs 41.4%, p <0.001) but with more frequent angiographic thrombus (49.9% vs 22.7%, p <0.01). Culprit artery percutaneous coronary intervention during the index procedure was also more frequent (88.5% vs 78.1%, p <0.001) but with a lower rate of TFG grade 3 after the procedure and higher subsequent peak troponin I levels (8.3 ± 13.6 µg/L vs 5.6 ± 11.9 µg/L, p <0.001). At day 7, patients with OCA had higher mortality, and this persisted after adjustment on gender, Grace risk score, cardiovascular risk factors, and culprit vessel location (0.9% vs 0.4%, p = 0.02; adjusted odds ratio [OR] = 2.55, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.23 to 5.29, p = 0.01). The absolute difference of mortality was maintained through 30 days: 1.2% versus 0.8%, p = 0.13; OR: 1.72, 95% CI 0.97 to 3.05, but mortality rates were similar by 180 days: 1.5% versus 1.6%, p = 0.8, adjusted OR = 1.11, 95% CI 0.69 to 1.80, p = 0.66. In conclusion, a significant proportion of patients with NSTEMI have a totally occluded culprit vessel at presentation. These patients are at higher risk of early mortality but not at 6 months.

The association between anemia at admission and adverse outcomes in patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS) has been incompletely studied. Anemia was defined as serum hemoglobin <12 g/dl in women or <13 g/dl in men in 2 large trials of patients with ACS. We plotted hazard functions for major bleeding at 30 days and all-cause mortality, myocardial infarction, and stent thrombosis at 1 year according to baseline hemoglobin. Among 16,318 patients, 3070 (18.8%) had anemia at baseline. All-cause death at 1 year (2.9% vs 1.5%), major bleeding (7.6% vs 3.6%, p <0.001), and transfusions (6.7% vs 1.5%, p <0.001) were more common in patients with baseline anemia. Spline transformations of the hazard for adverse events as a function of hemoglobin level on admission showed that adverse outcomes increased in a nonlinear fashion with lower levels of baseline hemoglobin; the lowest rates were observed at a level of ∼14 g/dl. Baseline hemoglobin and anemia were independent predictors of major bleeding and death. In conclusion, in patients with ACS, baseline hemoglobin carries important independent prognostic information and demonstrates a nonlinear association with major bleeding and mortality.

Non-ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (NSTEMI) is a common form of acute coronary syndrome (ACS), and approximately 25% of patients present with acute total occlusion (ATO) of the culprit vessel. ATO may lead to more extensive myocardial injury and poorer outcomes. However, its prognostic significance in NSTEMI, particularly in the Chinese population, is not well established. This study aimed to evaluate the association between the occlusion status of the culprit vessel and clinical outcomes in NSTEMI patients. This retrospective study included 1,128 NSTEMI patients who underwent coronary angiography. Patients were categorized into total occlusion (TO) and non-total occlusion (Non­-TO) groups based on the occlusion status of the culprit vessel. The primary endpoint was major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE), defined as a composite of all-cause death, non-fatal myocardial infarction, non-fatal stroke, unplanned revascularization, and rehospitalization for heart failure. ATO was identified in 286 patients (25.4%), most frequently involving the left circumflex artery. Over a median follow-up of 3.6 years, patients in the TO group had a 46% higher risk of MACE compared to those in the Non­-TO group (adjusted hazard ratio [aHR]: 1.46; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.16–1.83; p = 0.002). Incorporating occlusion status into the GRACE score improved its predictive accuracy for MACE. ATO of the culprit vessel was independently associated with an increased risk of MACE in NSTEMI patients. The occlusion status of the culprit vessel could aid in risk stratification and prognostic assessment in this population.

Background The European Society of Cardiology (ESC) guidelines for the management of acute coronary syndromes in patients presenting without persistent ST‐segment elevation (non‐ST‐segment elevation myocardial infarction [NSTEMI]) has recommended immediate (<2 h) percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) in very‐high risk patients and early (<24 h) PCI in high‐risk patients. Hypothesis To examine the ESC NSTEMI guidelines adherence in a nationwide survey in Israel using the Acute Coronary Syndrome Israeli Survey (ACSIS). We hypothesized that adherence to the guidlines' recommnded PCI timing in NSTEMI pateints will be inadequate, partly due to the inconsistent evidence regarding its effect on clinical outcomes. Methods All NSTEMI patients who underwent PCI during the ACSIS surveys in 2016 and 2018 were included in the analysis. Results Out of 1793 NSTEMI patients, 1643 (92%) patients underwent PCI, and door to balloon time was documented in 1078 of them. One hundred and fifty‐six (14.5%) patients and 922 (85.5%) patients were defined as very high‐risk and high‐risk NSTEMI patients, respectively. Of the very high‐risk NSTEMI patients, only 10 (6.4%) underwent immediate coronary angiography, and 50 (32.1%) underwent early coronary angiography. Acute heart failure 139 (89.1%) was the main reason for including NSTEMI patients in the very high‐risk category. Of the high‐risk patients, early coronary angiography was performed in only 405 (43.9%) patients. Patients in whom coronary angiography was postponed were older and had more comorbidities. Conclusions Despite guidelines recommendations for immediate and early PCI in very high‐risk and high‐risk NSTEMI patients, respectively, most patients do not undergo immediate or early PCI according to contemporary guidelines. Further studies are needed to better understand the reasons for guidelines' nonadherence in those high‐risk patients.

Key Points An increasing number of patients presenting with myocardial infarction (MI) are diagnosed with non-ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction rather than an MI with ST-segment elevation, and consequently survive their first event The shift in the clinical presentation of acute coronary syndrome mandates a critical reassessment of the underlying mechanisms and the concept of the vulnerable plaque This change in clinical presentation warrants re-assessment of currently applied cardiovascular risk scores, preclinical experiments, and the validity of population data collected before the application of current preventive interventions Unstable plaques have been used as a target for imaging and drug discovery, and as a model of atherosclerosis in preclinical experiments. In this Review, Pasterkamp and colleagues describe the temporal shift in the characteristics of plaques in patients with acute coronary syndrome, and argue that the 'vulnerable plaque' concept might no longer be relevant to current practice. The concept of the 'vulnerable plaque' originated from pathological observations in patients who died from acute coronary syndrome. This recognition spawned a generation of research that led to greater understanding of how complicated atherosclerotic plaques form and precipitate thrombotic events. In current practice, an increasing number of patients who survive their first event present with non-ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (NSTEMI) rather than myocardial infarction (MI) with ST-segment elevation (STEMI). The culprit lesions that provide the pathological substrate for NSTEMI can vary considerably from the so-called 'vulnerable plaque'. The shift in clinical presentation of MI and stroke corresponds temporally to a progressive change in the characteristics of human plaques away from the supposed characteristics of vulnerability. These alterations in the structure and function of human atherosclerotic lesions might mirror the modifications that are produced in experimental plaques by lipid lowering, inspired by the vulnerable plaque construct. The shift in the clinical presentations of the acute coronary syndromes mandates a critical reassessment of the underlying mechanisms, proposed risk scores, the results and interpretation of preclinical experiments, as well as recognition of the limitations of the use of population data and samples collected before the application of current preventive interventions.

Background The aim was to determine the prevalence and impact of an occluded “culprit” artery (OCA) in patients with non-ST segment elevation myocardial infarction (NSTEMI). Methods We searched PubMed, EMBASE, and Web of Science, with no language restrictions, up to 1 Jul. 2016. Observational cohorts or clinical trials of adult NSTEMI were eligible for inclusion to determine the prevalence if the proportion of OCA on coronary angiography was reported. Studies were further eligible for inclusion to determine the outcome if the association between OCA and clinical endpoints was reported. Results Among the 60,898 patients with NSTEMI enrolled in 25 studies, 17,212 were found to have OCA. The average proportion of OCA in NSTEMI was 34% (95% CI 30–37%). Patients with OCA were more likely to have left circumflex artery as their culprit artery (odds ratio (OR) 1.65, 95% CI 1.15–2.37, p  = 0.007), and this was associated with lower left ventricular ejection fraction (standard mean difference -0.29, 95% CI -0.34 to -0.34, p  < 0.001), higher peak enzyme level (standard mean difference 0.43, 95% CI 0.27–0.58, p  < 0.001), and higher risk for cardiogenic shock (OR 1.66, 95% CI 1.35–2.04, p  < 0.001), compared with patients with a non-occlusive culprit artery. Death rate (OR 1.72, 95% CI 1.49–1.98, p  < 0.001) and recurrent myocardial infarction (OR 1.7, 95% CI 1.06–2.75, p  = 0.029) were also higher in patients with OCA, compared with patients with a non-occlusive culprit artery. Conclusions Patients with OCA comprised a substantial portion of the NSTEMI population. These patients present with more severe symptoms and worse clinical outcome. Whether these patients should be treated with more aggressive strategy warrants further study.

Background Studies in populations with or without cardiovascular disease have shown that very high HDL-C levels are associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular events. However, the exact relationship between HDL-C levels and long-term prognosis remains unknown in patients with myocardial infarction (MI) undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). Methods This was a post hoc secondary analysis of long-term follow-up results in patients undergoing PCI open-label, observational cohort study. Patients with MI who had undergone PCI were enrolled. Restricted cubic spline (RCS) analysis and logistic regression analysis were performed to assess the relationship between HDL-C levels and the risk of cardiovascular events. Results A total of 1934 patients with MI undergoing PCI were enrolled in our analysis and our population was divided in 3 groups according to the HDL-C plasma levels: HDL-C < 40 mg/dL (low HDL-C); HDL-C between 40 and 80 mg/ dL (medium HDL-C); and HDL-C > 80 mg/dL (high HDL-C). RCS analysis showed a nonlinear U-shaped association between HDL-C levels and major adverse cardiac and cerebrovascular events (MACCE) in patients with NSTEMI with adjusted variables. After adjusting for potential confounders, the follow-up analysis indicated that high risk group had elevated occurrence of MACCE than low risk group (HDL-C 35 and 55 mg/dL) (OR:1.645, P = 0.006). Conclusions Our analysis demonstrated that there is a U-shaped association between HDL-C and MACCE in patients with NSTEMI undergoing PCI.

Patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) have an increased risk of coronary artery disease (CAD) compared to patients without. Angiographic characteristics, clinical presentation and severity of CAD according to the presence of AF have been poorly described. We performed a retrospective study of 303 consecutive patients (mean age 69.6 ± 10.8 years; 23.1% women) with and without AF undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention. Data on (1) type of CAD presentation, (2) coronary involvement, and (3) number of diseased coronary vessels (≥70%/luminal narrowing) were collected. CHA2DS2-VASc and 2 major adverse cardiac event (MACE) scores were calculated. Presentation of CAD was ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) in 37.6% of patients, non–STEMI- unstable angina in 55.1%, and other in 7.3%. Non–STEMI-unstable angina was more common in AF (69.6% vs 46.6%, p <0.001), while STEMI was more in the non-AF (22.3% vs 46.6%, p <0.001) group. Left anterior descending artery (LAD) was the most common diseased vessel (70.6%) followed by right coronary artery (RCA, 56.4%) and obtuse marginal artery (36.6%). Patients with AF had a significantly lower RCA involvement (47.3% vs 61.8%, p = 0.016), with a trend for LAD (64.3% vs 74.3%, p = 0.069). At multivariable logistic regression analysis, AF remained inversely associated with RCA involvement (odds ratio [OR] 0.541, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.335 to 0.874, p = 0.012) and with ≥3 vessel CAD (OR 0.470, 95% CI 0.272 to 0.810, p = 0.007). The 2MACE score was associated with diseased LAD (OR 1.301, 95% CI 1.103 to 1.535, p = 0.002) and with ≥3 vessel CAD (OR 1.330, 95% CI 1.330 to 1.140, p <0.001). In conclusion, patients with AF show lower RCA involvement and generally less severe CAD compared to non-AF ones. The 2MACE score was higher in LAD obstruction and identified patients with severe CAD.

We evaluated the outcomes of patients with severe coronary artery calcification (CAC) who underwent rotational atherectomy (RA) and orbital atherectomy (OA). Severe CAC increases the complexity of percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) because of the difficulty in optimizing stent expansion, leading to worse clinical outcomes. Both devices are effective treatment strategies for severe CAC. No comparisons have been performed to evaluate the clinical outcomes after RA and OA. The outcomes of 67 patients with severe CAC who underwent RA from July 2012 to June 2015 and 60 patients who underwent OA from February 2014 to September 2016 were evaluated. The primary end point was the rate of 30-day major adverse cardiac and cerebrovascular events, comprising cardiac death, myocardial infarction, target vessel revascularization, and stroke. The primary end point was similar in the RA and OA groups (6% vs 6%, p >0.9), as were the individual end points of death (0% vs 2%, p = 0.8), myocardial infarction (6% vs 4%, p = 0.7), target vessel revascularization (0% vs 0%, p >0.9), and stroke (0% vs 0%, p >9). Procedural success was achieved in all patients. Angiographic complications were uncommon in both groups. No patient had stent thrombosis. In conclusion, both RA and OA are safe and effective for the treatment of severe CAC as they provided similar clinical outcomes at short-term follow-up.