Background: The response of diastolic Doppler indices to exercise is not well defined for young subjects. The aims of this study were to evaluate this in nonathletic and endurance-trained probands and to correlate echocardiographic data with maximal oxygen consumption.Methods: In this prospective study, Doppler echocardiography was performed at rest and after exercise in 40 nonathletes (NAs) and 20 endurance-trained athletes (ETs) aged < 40 years, matched for age and gender. Diastolic function was assessed by mitral inflow and early diastolic velocities of the septal (e' septal) and lateral (e' lateral) mitral annulus. Maximal oxygen consumption quantification was performed simultaneously.Results: All cardiac chambers were larger in ETs than NAs. ETs had higher e' lateral at rest (18.1 +/- 2.7 vs 16.3 +/- 3.3 cm/sec, P = .02) and higher mitral E (141 +/- 15 vs 132 +/- 15 cm/sec, P = .02) and e' lateral (23.5 +/- 2.5 vs 21.4 +/- 3.0 cm/sec, P = .01) with exercise than NAs. There was a slight increase in E/e' septal (overall, from 6.8 +/- 1.3 to 7.2 +/- 1.2; P = .02) and E/e' lateral (overall, from 5.0 +/- 0.8 to 6.2 +/- 0.9; P < .0001) with exercise. Changes in diastolic parameters with exercise were similar in ETs and NAs. Percentage of predicted maximal oxygen consumption was correlated with exertional E (r = 0.28, P = .03) and e' lateral (r = 0.32, P = .01), but the strongest predictor was indexed left ventricular end-diastolic volume (r = 0.66, P < .0001).Conclusions: During exercise, E/e' increases but remains within normal ranges in healthy young subjects, and the response to exercise does not differ between ETs and NAs. These data help define the normal diastolic stress echocardiographic response in the young. Exercise capacity shows a correlation with enhanced exertional early diastolic velocities but is more closely related to cardiac structural adaption to endurance training.

Objectives This study sought to define the importance of 5-year coronary artery disease (CAD) progression after successful stenting.Background Safety concerns regarding first-generation drug-eluting stents mandate 5-year follow-up studies. However, only limited data exist on the long-term importance of CAD progression relative to late stent-related problems.Methods This study followed for 5 years, 428 consecutive patients randomized to drug-eluting versus bare-metal stents with successful stenting documented by freedom from symptoms/events and no ischemic perfusion defects (PDs) after 6 months. Rest/stress scintigraphic scans were repeated after 60 months. Late events and new PDs in areas remote from stented vessels indicated CAD progression.Results During follow-up, 110 of 428 (25.7%) patients had 150 clinical events: 43 patients (10%) died, 36 (8.4%) suffered a myocardial infarction, and 71 (16.6%) needed repeat revascularization. Event rates were lower in remote versus target-vessel areas (9.8% vs. 14.3%, p = 0.019). Remote myocardial infarction and repeat revascularization accounted for 46 of 124 (37.1%) nonfatal events and were similar for both stent types. Five-year scintigraphic studies in patients without follow-up events showed 23.3% new PDs, 71% of which were asymptomatic. Remote defects accounted for 37.5% PDs and were similar for both stent types.Conclusions Even 5 years after stenting, target-vessel events and/or new PDs remained more frequent than CAD progression assessed by remote events and/or new PDs. Still, remote events accounted for almost 40% of all events with a similar rate of additional new PDs, often silent, and independent of stent type. This documents the importance of CAD progression and stresses the need to differentiate remote from target-vessel events/PDs in long-term stent safety studies. (Basel Stent Kosten-Effektivitats Trial [BASKET]; ISRCTN75663024) (J Am Coll Cardiol 2012; 59: 793-9) (C) 2012 by the American College of Cardiology Foundation

AIMS To assess the long-term benefit-risk ratio of drug-eluting (DES) vs. bare-metal stents (BMS) relative to stent size. METHODS AND RESULTS All 826 consecutive BASKET (BAsel Stent Kosten-Effektivitäts Trial) patients randomized 2:1 to DES vs. BMS were followed after 3 years. Data were analysed separately for patients with small stents (<3.0 mm vessel/<4.0 mm bypass grafts, n = 268) vs. only large stents (> or =3.0 mm native vessels, n = 558). Clinical events were related to stent thrombosis. Three-year clinical target-vessel revascularization rates remained borderline reduced after DES [9.9 vs. 13.9% (BMS), P = 0.07], particularly in patients with small stents (10.7 vs. 19.8%, P = 0.03; large stents: 9.5 vs. 11.5%, P = 0.44). Cardiac death/myocardial infarction (MI) rates (12.7 vs. 10.0%, P = 0.30) were similar, however, death/MI beyond 6 months was higher after DES [9.1 vs. 3.8% (BMS), P = 0.009], mainly due to increased late death/MI in patients with large stents (9.7 vs. 3.1%, P = 0.006). The results paralleled findings for stent thrombosis. CONCLUSION The clinical benefit of DES was maintained at no overall increased risk of death or death/MI up to 3 years. However, death/MI rates were increased in DES vs. BMS patients beyond 6 months, particularly in patients with large stents, paralleling findings for stent thrombosis. Thus, stent size seems to influence the 3-year benefit-risk ratio after DES implantation.

OBJECTIVES:We sought to define the incidence of late clinical events and late stent thrombosis in patients treated with drug-eluting (DES) versus bare-metal stents (BMS) after the discontinuation of clopidogrel as well as their timing and outcome. BACKGROUND:There is growing concern that delayed endothelialization after DES implantation may lead to late stent thrombosis and related myocardial infarction (MI) or death. However, event rates and outcomes after clopidogrel discontinuation versus BMS are unknown. METHODS:A consecutive series of 746 nonselected patients with 1,133 stented lesions surviving 6 months without major events were followed for 1 year after the discontinuation of clopidogrel. Patients were assigned randomly 2:1 to DES versus BMS in BASKET (Basel Stent Kosten Effektivitäts Trial). The primary focus of this observation was cardiac death/MI. RESULTS:Rates of 18-month cardiac death/MI were not different between DES and BMS patients. However, after the discontinuation of clopidogrel (between months 7 and 18), these events occurred in 4.9% after DES versus 1.3% after BMS implantation. Target vessel revascularization remained lower after DES, resulting in similar rates of all clinical events for this time period (DES 9.3%, BMS 7.9%). Documented late stent thrombosis and related death/target vessel MI were twice as frequent after DES versus BMS (2.6% vs. 1.3%). Thrombosis-related events occurred between 15 and 362 days after the discontinuation of clopidogrel, presenting as MI or death in 88%. CONCLUSIONS:After the discontinuation of clopidogrel, the benefit of DES in reducing target vessel revascularization is maintained but has to be balanced against an increase in late cardiac death or nonfatal MI, possibly related to late stent thrombosis.