Clinical Research Directory

Drug-coatEd Balloon Multicentric Registry in Spain and PORTugal

Drug-eluting stents (DES) have been the main treatment option for coronary angioplasty (PCI) for many years. The antiproliferative drug in DES has the effect of preventing in-stent restenosis, which is typically a consequence of intimal hyperplasia, a characteristic phenomenon of bare metal stents (BMS). DES have shown to be safe and effective in many clinical and anatomical scenarios. There are, however, several caveats to DES, like restenosis, thrombosis, accelerated atherosclerosis, impossibility of surgical revascularization and disruption of vessel dynamics. These phenomena have a very meaningful negative impact on patient outcomes. Drug-coated balloons (DCB) may avoid those limitations of DES and are an appealing alternative in many different scenarios. They have been the mainstay treatment of in-stent restenosis (ISR) and were formally recommended for this setting in internationally, although recent guidelines recommend DES over a DCB for a first DES restenosis. There is, however, solid evidence for their use in the context of any ISR (BMS or DES-related) and both comparing with POBA or DES. The presence of metal from previous stents makes the implantation of more stents even more of a thing to avoid. High bleeding risk may also be an advantageous setting for DCB, as it may allow for a shorter or less intensive anti-thrombotic treatment with the same or even improved safety endpoints when compared to BMS or DES with standard therapy. Other than ISR, there are other particularly appealing anatomical settings for DCBs such as bifurcations, small vessels and diffuse disease. In the setting of a bifurcation where only the side branch is to be treated, there is evidence that DCB is a good option and provides significantly less late luminal loss when compared to POBA. In case a stent is used in the main branch, a DCB is also a good option for the side branch. In small vessels (\<3,0mm), in which the stent metal would be more conspicuous relative to the smaller lumen, there is strong evidence pointing to a benefit of DCB when compared to balloon angioplasty (POBA) and results at least as good as full-DES. A similar MACE rate between DCB and DES has been reported, with a benefit for DCB in terms of bleeding. In fact, also in larger vessels, DCB may lead to similarly good outcomes. DCB (alone or in combination with DES) is a good alternative to DES-only in diffuse disease. Provided that a good lesion preparation is achieved and there is no structural compromise to the vessel, the lack of a metal stent will be of benefit for any type of lesion. It will contribute to late lumen enlargement (LLE), which can happen in 40-56% of lesions treated with DCB7 and is associated with layered plaques by OCT and medial dissection after lesion preparation. Evidence for DCBs is increasing in different anatomical and clinical contexts, and there are some dedicated recommendations and consensus regarding their use. There is some data regarding real-world clinical performance of DCBs, but there is still the need for large real-world studies with different DCBs, techniques, clinical settings and anatomical contexts with long term follow-up, which is the main driver for this registry.

Effect of Digitally Supported Medical Nutrition Therapy on Left Ventricular Ejection Fraction in Patients With ST-Elevation Myocardial Infarction

This study is designed to investigate the effect of a nutrition program supported by digital content on heart function in patients who have experienced a heart attack with ST-elevation. Participants will receive personalized dietary guidance and digital support materials for three months. The main goal is to determine whether this digital support materials can improve heart pumping function (measured by left ventricular ejection fraction). Participation involves following the dietary program and undergoing heart function measurements at the beginning, after one months and after three months.

Drug-Coated Balloon Versus Drug-Eluting Stent in Patient With ST-Segment Elevation Myocardial Infarction

Acute ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) is a life-threatening emergency requiring immediate intervention. The incidence of premature coronary artery disease (PCAD) is rising rapidly in China; its long-term prognosis remains poor and it frequently progresses to acute myocardial infarction, necessitating high-risk therapies such as primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) or coronary artery bypass grafting, thereby imposing enormous economic and psychological burdens on patients and their families. Moreover, the cumulative 6-year rate of death or myocardial infarction after implantation of the latest-generation drug-eluting stents still reaches 15%, and management of stent failure is extremely challenging. Drug-coated balloon (DCB) angioplasty-representing the "leave-nothing-behind" paradigm-is a highly promising option in young subjects. Accumulating clinical evidence demonstrates that DCB provides favorable efficacy across a broad spectrum of lesions, including small-vessel and large-vessel de novo disease, bifurcation lesions, and in-stent restenosis. Nevertheless, high-quality data on the impact of DCB angioplasty in de novo large-vessel disease and in the setting of acute STEMI are still lacking.

Impact of Pre-Hospital Heparin Loading in STEMI Patients for Primary PCI: The HELP-PCI 2 Trial

This randomized, multicenter, prospective trial will enroll 6,294 participants in approximately 80 centers. STEMI patients with onset time within 12 hours and scheduled for primary PCI will be randomly assigned to two groups in a 1:1 ratio. Patients meeting the criteria were randomly assigned. It is recommended that loading doses of dual antiplatelet therapy be administered immediately after electrocardiogram diagnosis. The experimental group was required to be given an intravenous injection of 100 U/kg of UFH within 10 minutes after randomization, and this should be completed at least before delivery to the catheter lab. The control group was recommended to be given 100 U/kg of UFH through the arterial sheath, but the actual intraoperative dosage was determined by the interventional cardiologist. No patient is allowed to use low-molecular-weight heparin, bivalirudin, glycoprotein IIb/IIIa inhibitors or other antithrombotic drugs before coronary angiography. The planned enrollment period for this study is 24 months. The scheduled follow-up visits will occur at 30 days (±7 days), 3 months (±14 days), and if conditions permit, at 6 months (±30 days) and 1 year (±30 days) after randomization. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the composite endpoint of all-cause death, recurrent myocardial infarction, urgent coronary revascularization, stent thrombosis, or stroke within 30 days after randomization.

Functional Milk Supplementation to Reduce In-Stent Restenosis in STEMI Patients (SMASOEA Trial)

This randomized, double-blind, controlled clinical trial will evaluate the effects of daily supplementation with functionalized bovine milk, enriched with bioactive peptides and optimized lipid profile, on coronary in-stent restenosis and major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) in patients with first ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) treated with primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) and drug-eluting stent (DES) implantation. Participants will be randomly assigned to receive either functionalized milk or an isocaloric non-functional milk for 12 months, in addition to standard secondary prevention care. The primary endpoint is the incidence of in-stent restenosis at 12 months, assessed by coronary computed tomography angiography (CCTA). Secondary endpoints include MACE occurrence, metabolic and inflammatory biomarkers, oxidative stress markers, serum sirtuins, metabolomic profiles, and myocardial injury evaluated by cardiac positron emission tomography (PET). The study aims to determine whether functionalized milk can improve cardiovascular outcomes and modulate pathophysiological mechanisms after STEMI.

A Phase 3 Study of Zalunfiban in Subjects With ST-elevation MI

This is a Phase 3 prospective, blinded, randomized, placebo controlled, international multicenter study. Subjects with STEMI will be enrolled in the ambulance if they meet all eligibility criteria. These subjects will be evaluated by (para)medics who transport the subjects to the participating hospitals in Europe and North America. Hospitals and ambulance services with experience in ambulance studies will be selected. Each subject will receive a single subcutaneous injection containing either Disaggpro(tm) zalunfiban Dose 1 (0.110 mg/kg) or Disaggpro(tm) zalunfiban Dose 2 (0.130 mg/kg) or placebo

Microplastics and Nanoplastics (MNPs) in Patients With ST-elevation Myocardial Infarction (STEMI)

Air pollution and microplastics pose major public health threats. Emerging data have shown that micro- and nanoplastics (MNPs) are ubiquitous environmental pollutants accumulating in human tissues, triggering inflammation and prothrombotic state. This study will investigate the presence and burden of MNPs within coronary thrombi/thromboaspirate of patients presenting with ST segment elevation acute myocardial infarction (STEMI) undergoing primary percutaneous coronary intervention and their association with cardiac damage, plaque vulnerability, microvascular obstruction, and cardiovascular events. Plaque vulnerability will be explored by optical coherence tomography, while microvascular obstruction will be assessed by bolus thermodilution and cardiac magnetic resonance. Participants will be followed up for 1-year to evaluate whether the presence and the burden of MNPs will be associated with a higher incidence of the cardiovascular events.

Low-dose Evaluation of Aspirin After STEMI Patients With PCI: A Multicenter, Double-blind, Randomized Controlled Clinical Trial

The study aims to optimize the dual antiplatelet therapy regimen for patients with STEMI after PCI, focusing on addressing the following key technical challenges: establishing an effectiveness evaluation system for a low-dose aspirin (50mg/day) antithrombotic treatment strategy based on ticagrelor, including the formulation of a scientific non-inferiority margin, assessment criteria, and composite endpoint determination standards; constructing a strict risk assessment system for major bleeding events, including bleeding event grading based on BARC standards and a blind evaluation process by an independent endpoint event adjudication committee; and developing a quality control system for multicenter clinical research to ensure patient follow-up compliance and data reliability. By solving the above technical challenges, the study provides evidence-based medical support and technical support for optimizing the antithrombotic treatment regimen for STEMI patients after PCI.