How do cardiologists select patients for dual antiplatelet therapy continuation beyond 1 year after a myocardial infarction? Insights from the EYESHOT Post-MI Study

Background: Current guidelines suggest to consider dual antiplatelet therapy (DAPT) continuation for longer than 12 months in selected patients with myocardial infarction (MI). Hypothesis: We sought to assess the criteria used by cardiologists in daily practice to select patients with a history of MI eligible for DAPT continuation beyond 1 year. Methods: We analyzed data from the EYESHOT Post-MI, a prospective, observational, nationwide study aimed to evaluate the management of patients presenting to cardiologists 1 to 3 years from the last MI event. Results: Out of the 1633 post-MI patients enrolled in the study between March and December 2017, 557 (34.1%) were on DAPT at the time of enrolment, and 450 (27.6%) were prescribed DAPT after cardiologist assessment. At multivariate analyses, a percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) with multiple stents and the presence of peripheral artery disease (PAD) resulted as independent predictors of DAPT continuation, while atrial fibrillation was the only independent predictor of DAPT interruption for patients both at the second and the third year from MI at enrolment and the time of discharge/end of the visit. Conclusions: Risk scores recommended by current guidelines for guiding decisions on DAPT duration are underused and misused in clinical practice. A PCI with multiple stents and a history of PAD resulted as the clinical variables more frequently associated with DAPT continuation beyond 1 year from the index MI

Sex- and age-related differences in the management and outcomes of chronic heart failure: an analysis of patients from the ESC HFA EORP Heart Failure Long-Term Registry

Aims: This study aimed to assess age- and sex-related differences in management and 1-year risk for all-cause mortality and hospitalization in chronic heart failure (HF) patients. Methods and results: Of 16 354 patients included in the European Society of Cardiology Heart Failure Long-Term Registry, 9428 chronic HF patients were analysed [median age: 66 years; 28.5% women; mean left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) 37%]. Rates of use of guideline-directed medical therapy (GDMT) were high (angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors/angiotensin receptor blockers, beta-blockers and mineralocorticoid receptor antagonists: 85.7%, 88.7% and 58.8%, respectively). Crude GDMT utilization rates were lower in women than in men (all differences: P\ua0 64 0.001), and GDMT use became lower with ageing in both sexes, at baseline and at 1-year follow-up. Sex was not an independent predictor of GDMT prescription; however, age >75 years was a significant predictor of GDMT underutilization. Rates of all-cause mortality were lower in women than in men (7.1% vs. 8.7%; P\ua0=\ua00.015), as were rates of all-cause hospitalization (21.9% vs. 27.3%; P\ua075 years. Conclusions: There was a decline in GDMT use with advanced age in both sexes. Sex was not an independent predictor of GDMT or adverse outcomes. However, age >75 years independently predicted lower GDMT use and higher all-cause mortality in patients with LVEF 6445%

Concurrent Self-Organizing Maps for Supervised/Unsupervised Change Detection in Remote Sensing Images

This paper proposes two approaches to change detection in bitemporal remote sensing images based on concurrent self-organizing maps (CSOM) neural classifier. The first one performs change detection in a supervised way, whereas the second performs change detection in an unsupervised way. The supervised approach is based on two steps: 1) concatenation (CON); and 2) CSOM classification. CSOM classifier uses two SOM modules: 1) one associated to the class of change; and 2) the other to the class of no-change for the generation of the training set. The unsupervised change detection approach is based on four steps: 1) image comparison (IC), consisting of either computation of difference image (DI) for passive sensors or computation of log-ratio image (LRI) for active sensors; 2) unsupervised selection of the pseudotraining sample set (USPS); 3) concatenation (CON); and 4) CSOM classification. The proposed approaches are evaluated using two datasets. First dataset is a LANDSAT-5 TM bitemporal image over Mexico area taken before and after two wildfires, and the second one is a TerraSAR-X image acquired in the Fukushima region, Japan, before and after tsunami. Experimental results confirm the effectiveness of the proposed approaches

Ventricular assist devices for heart failure: a focus on patient selection and complications

Manlio Cipriani, Vincenzo De Simone, Luciana D'Angelo, Enrico Perna, Marzia Lilliu, Virginia Bovolo, Fabrizio Oliva, Maria Frigerio Cardiovascular and Thoracic Department, A De Gasperis Niguarda Ca' Granda Hospital, Milan, Italy Abstract: Heart transplantation represents the “gold standard” for the treatment of patients with end-stage heart failure, but remains challenged by inadequate donor supply, finite graft survival, and long-term complications arising from immunosuppressive therapy. In addition, a lot of patients waiting for a heart transplant experience clinical deterioration, and other patients become ineligible to undergo this treatment due to their age or relevant comorbidities. Left ventricular assist devices have emerged as a valid therapeutic option for advanced heart failure. In recent years, we have seen significant advances not only in the technologies available, but also in patient selection, indications for use, and management after implantation. Consequently, there has been an increase in the number of implants and an improvement in the survival rate and quality of life for these patients. At the same time, there are new challenges on the horizon. Patient selection is a difficult process, based on clinical and imaging parameters and risk scores, and more data are needed to refine patient selection criteria and the timing of the implant. Left ventricular assist device-related complications are still a serious problem, causing adverse events and hospital readmissions. Continuous progress in the development of these implantable devices, such as a further reduction in size and hopefully the abolition of the external driveline, will probably make ventricular assist devices an option also for less advanced stages of heart failure. Here, we discuss the current indications for left ventricular assist device implantation, patient selection criteria, and the most frequent complications associated with these devices. Keywords: mechanical circulatory support, heart failure, destination therapy, bridge to transplantation, heart transplan