The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is characterized by poor outcomes and mortality, particularly in older patients. Post-hoc analysis of the international, multicentre, “real-world” HOPE COVID-19 registry. All patients aged ≥65 years hospitalised for COVID-19 were selected. Epidemiological, clinical, analytical and outcome data were obtained. A comparative study between two age subgroups, 65–74 and ≥75 years, was performed. The primary endpoint was all cause in-hospital mortality. 1,520 patients aged ≥65 years (60.3% male, median age of 76 [IQR 71–83] years) were included. Comorbidities such as hypertension (69.2%), dyslipidemia (48.6%), cardiovascular diseases (any chronic heart disease in 38.4% and cerebrovascular disease in 12.5%), and chronic lung disease (25.3%) were prevalent, and 49.6% were on ACEI/ARBs. Patients aged 75 years and older suffered more in-hospital complications (respiratory failure, heart failure, renal failure, sepsis) and a significantly higher mortality (18.4 vs. 48.2%, P < 0.001), but fewer admissions to intensive care units (11.2 vs. 4.8%). In the overall cohort, multivariable analysis demonstrated age ≥75 (OR 3.54), chronic kidney disease (OR 3.36), dementia (OR 8,06), peripheral oxygen saturation at admission <92% (OR 5.85), severe lymphopenia (1 (OR 8.31) to be independent predictors of mortality. Patients aged ≥65 years hospitalised for COVID-19 had high rates of in-hospital complications and mortality, especially among patients 75 years or older. Age ≥75 years, dementia, peripheral oxygen saturation 1 were independent predictors of mortality in this population.

BACKGROUND: The underlying mechanisms responsible for the clinical benefits following coronary sinus narrowing and pressure elevation remain unclear. The present study aims to investigate whether coronary sinus narrowing improves the indexes of coronary microcirculatory function. METHODS: Patients with refractory angina who had a clinical indication for reducer implantation underwent invasive physiological assessments before and 4 months after the procedure. The primary outcome was the change in the values of the index of microcirculatory resistance. Secondary end points included changes in coronary flow reserve and the resistive resistance ratio values. Angina status was assessed with the Canadian Cardiology Society class and the Seattle Angina Questionnaire. RESULTS: Twenty-four patients with a history of obstructive coronary artery disease and prior coronary revascularization (surgical and percutaneous) treated with reducer implantation were enrolled, and 21 of them (87%) underwent repeated invasive coronary physiological assessment after 4 months. The index of microcirculatory resistance values decreased from 33.35±19.88 at baseline to 15.42±11.36 at 4-month follow-up ( P <0.001; mean difference, −17.90 [95% CI, −26.16 to −9.64]). A significant (≥20% from baseline) reduction of the index of microcirculatory resistance was observed in 15 (71.4% [95% CI, 47.8%–88.7%]) patients. The number of patients with abnormal index of microcirculatory resistance (≥25) decreased from 12 (57%) to 4 (19%; P =0.016). Coronary flow reserve increased from 2.46±1.52 to 4.20±2.52 (mean difference, 1.73 [95% CI, 0.51–2.96]). Similar findings were observed for resistive resistance ratio values. Overall, 16 patients (76.1%) had an improvement of 1 Canadian Cardiology Society class. Seattle Angina Questionnaire summary score increase of around 3 points (3.01 [95% CI, 1.39–4.61]). CONCLUSIONS: Coronary sinus reduction implantation is associated with a significant improvement in the parameters of coronary microcirculatory function. These findings provide insights into the improvement of angina symptoms and may have implications for the treatment of coronary microvascular dysfunction. REGISTRATION: URL: https://www.clinicaltrials.gov ; Unique identifier: NCT05174572.

Background: We aimed to compare the incremental value of contrast myocardial perfusion imaging (MPI) for the detection of intermediate versus severe coronary artery stenosis during dipyridamole-atropine echocardiography (DASE). Wall motion (WM) assessment during stress-echocardiography demonstrates suboptimal sensitivity to detect coronary artery disease (CAD), particularly in patients with isolated intermediate (50%-70%) coronary stenosis. Methods: We performed DASE with MPI in 150 patients with a suspected chest pain syndrome who were given clinical indication to coronary angiography. Results and discussion: When CAD was defined as the presence of a ≥50% stenosis, the addition of MPI increased sensitivity (+30%) and decreased specificity (-14%), with a final increase in total diagnostic accuracy (+16%, p < 0.001). The addition of MPI data substantially increased the sensitivity to detect patients with isolated intermediate stenosis from 37% to 98% (p < 0.001); the incremental sensitivity was much lower in patients with severe stenosis, from 85% to 96% (p < 0.05), at the expense of a higher decrease in specificity and a final decrease in total diagnostic accuracy (-18%, p < 0.001). Conclusions: The addition of MPI on top of WM analysis during DASE increases the diagnostic sensitivity to detect obstructive CAD, whatever its definition (≥50% or > 70% stenosis), but it is mainly driven by the sensitivity increase in the intermediate group (50%-70% stenosis). The total diagnostic accuracy increased only when defining CAD as ≥50% stenosis, since in patients with severe stenosis (> 70%) the decrease in specificity is not counterbalanced by the minor sensitivity increase.

Acute pulmonary embolism (PE), often resulting from deep vein thrombosis (DVT), is the third most frequent cause of cardiovascular death and is associated with increasing incidence, causing considerable morbidity and mortality. This review aims to evaluate the efficacy, safety, and outcomes of treatment options in the management of acute PE and DVT, encompassing both established and emerging technologies, such as catheter-directed thrombolysis, aspiration thrombectomy, and other endovascular techniques. A comprehensive literature review was conducted, assessing clinical studies, trials, and case reports that detail the use of percutaneous interventions for PE and DVT and analyzing the advantages and disadvantages of each percutaneous system. Several percutaneous treatments have shown promising results, especially in cases where rapid thrombus resolution is critical, such as in high- and intermediate–high-risk patients. The incidence of major complications, such as bleeding, remains a consideration, though it is generally manageable with proper patient selection and technique. It is fundamentally important to tailor the specific treatment strategy to the clinical and anatomical characteristics of each patient. Percutaneous treatments for acute PE and DVT represent valuable options in the therapeutic arsenal, offering enhanced outcomes in appropriately selected patients. Ongoing advancements in technology and technique, along with comprehensive clinical trials, are essential to further define the role and optimize the use of these interventions.

Underexpanded stent in heavily calcified coronary lesion is common and persists over years. It is related to long-term failure and negative outcomes. Treatment of this situation after many years with intracoronary lithotripsy (ICL-Shockwave^®) could be an option. We report a case of a man with underexpanded coronary stent implanted 11 years earlier. Optical coherence tomography highlighted the mechanism of stent underexpansion showing the presence of calcium stones under the old struts. Intracoronary lithotripsy crushed calcium under the stent struts causing its geometric change (from elliptical to round shape) and a consequent better transmission of the true radial force of the old stent. Heavily calcified coronary lesions lead to stent underexpansion which persists over years. Intracoronary lithotripsy could be a very late option to manage this unfavourable common result.