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    <title>Albertal, M.</title>
    <link>http://repub.eur.nl/res/aut/1064/</link>
    <description>List of Publications</description>
    <language>en</language>
    <image>
      <url>http://repub.eur.nl/static-eur/img/logo.png</url>
      <title>RePub, Erasmus University Rotterdam</title>
      <link>http://repub.eur.nl</link>
    </image>
    <item>
      <title>Sirolimus-eluting stents inhibit neointimal hyperplasia in diabetic patients. Insights from the RAVEL Trial (Article)</title>
      <link>http://repub.eur.nl/res/pub/10290/</link>
      <pubDate>2004-01-01T00:00:00Z</pubDate>
      <description>Patients with diabetes mellitus have less favourable outcomes after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) than non-diabetics. We performed a subgroup analysis of the multicentre RAVEL trial to examine the impact of the sirolimus-eluting stent (SES) on outcomes in diabetic patients. The RAVEL study randomized 238 patients to treatment with either sirolimus-eluting or bare metal stents. Forty-four patients were diabetic; 19 received sirolimus-eluting stents and 25 were treated with bare metal stents. The differences in outcomes between diabetic and non-diabetic patients treated with SES (n=101) were also assessed. Follow-up angiography was performed at 6 months. Major adverse cardiac events (MACE) defined as death, myocardial infarction (MI), or target lesion revascularization (TLR) were analysed at 12-month follow-up. Six-month in-stent late lumen loss was significantly lower for the diabetic SES than the bare stent group (0.07+/-0.2 vs 0.82+/-0.5mm; P&lt;0.001) and similar to that in non-diabetics treated with SES (-0.03+/-0.27mm). There was zero restenosis in the SES groups (diabetic and non-diabetic) compared to a 42% rate in the diabetic population assigned to bare metal stents (P=0.001). After 12 months, there was one non-Q-wave MI and one non-cardiac death in the diabetic SES group, while 12 patients in the bare metal stent group had MACE (one death, two MI, nine TLR) (P=0.01)-an event-free survival rate of 90% vs 52%, respectively (P&lt;0.01). There were no TLRs in both SES groups compared to 36% rate in the diabetic bare metal stent group (P=0.007).Conclusion Diabetics treated with SES were associated with a virtual abolition of neointimal proliferation and low event rates at long-term follow-up.</description>
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      <title>Value of coronary stenotic flow velocity acceleration in prediction of angiographic restenosis following balloon angioplasty (Article)</title>
      <link>http://repub.eur.nl/res/pub/10021/</link>
      <pubDate>2002-12-01T00:00:00Z</pubDate>
      <description>INTRODUCTION: Quantitative angiographic assessment after balloon angioplasty is a poor predictor of immediate and long-term outcome. However, the measurement of blood flow velocity during angioplasty has been proved clinically useful. AIMS: To analyse the value of the maximal stenotic flow velocity and the presence of stenotic flow velocity acceleration (aSV) for the long-term outcome after balloon angioplasty. METHODS AND RESULTS: Patients undergoing single lesion angioplasty within the DEBATE trial were included. aSV was defined as acceleration in the stenotic coronary flow velocity &gt;50% baseline velocity assessed at a reference site of the target vessel. After balloon angioplasty diameter stenosis, minimal lumen diameter (MLD) and coronary flow velocity reserve were similar between the aSV (n=54) and non-aSV group (n=125). At follow-up, the aSV group had a higher restenosis rate (52% vs 30%, P=0.006) The presence of aSV was the strongest independent predictor of restenosis (OR 3.08, 95% CI 1.35 to 7.05, P=0.008). The best predictive cut-off value of SV was 101cm.s(-1) (sensitivity of 46%, specificity of 81%, positive predictive value of 85% and a negative predictive value of 58%). CONCLUSION: Following angioplasty, SV appears to be exquisitely sensitive to the changes experienced at the treated area without depending on the status of the microcirculation.</description>
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      <title>Coronary hemodynamics of stent implantation after suboptimal and optimal balloon angioplasty. (Article)</title>
      <link>http://repub.eur.nl/res/pub/4785/</link>
      <pubDate>2002-05-01T00:00:00Z</pubDate>
      <description></description>
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      <title>Flow velocity and predictors of a suboptimal coronary flow velocity reserve after coronary balloon angioplasty. (Article)</title>
      <link>http://repub.eur.nl/res/pub/13002/</link>
      <pubDate>2002-01-01T00:00:00Z</pubDate>
      <description>AIMS: This study was conducted to analyse flow velocity parameters and predictors of a suboptimal coronary flow reserve (&lt;2.5) following balloon angioplasty. METHODS: Two hundred and twenty-five patients underwent sequential intracoronary Doppler as part of the DEBATE I study. Of these, 183, with complete angiography and Doppler at the 6-month follow-up, were included. Univariate and multivariate logistic analysis was performed to identify independent predictors of post-procedural suboptimal coronary flow reserve, defined as coronary flow reserve &lt;2.5. RESULTS: Forty-eight per cent (n=88) of the patients achieved a suboptimal coronary flow reserve. These patients had higher baseline velocities (cm.s(-1)) before balloon angioplasty (18+/-9 vs 14+/-6, P=0.004), after balloon angioplasty (22+/-11 vs 14+/-5, P&lt;0.001) and at follow-up (19+/-9 vs 16+/-6, P=0.011) than the optimal coronary flow reserve group. Although the suboptimal group had lower hyperaemic velocities (cm.s(-1)) after balloon angioplasty than the optimal group (42+/-17 vs 49+/-16, P=0.008), these velocities became similar at follow-up. Increasing age (odds ratio, OR 1.071, P=0.0002), female gender (OR 2.52, P=0.014) and increasing pre-procedural baseline average peak velocities (OR 1.056, P&lt;0.001) were found to be independent predictors of a suboptimal coronary flow reserve following balloon angioplasty. CONCLUSION: A suboptimal coronary flow reserve was associated with (1) a chronically elevated baseline average peak velocity (2) a transient deficit in the hyperaemic average peak velocity (3) the elderly, and female gender.</description>
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      <title>Coronary flow velocity reserve after percutaneous interventions is predictive of periprocedural outcome (Article)</title>
      <link>http://repub.eur.nl/res/pub/9882/</link>
      <pubDate>2002-01-01T00:00:00Z</pubDate>
      <description>BACKGROUND: Because heterogeneous results have been reported, we assessed coronary flow velocity changes in individuals who underwent percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty (PTCA) and examined their impact on clinical outcome. METHODS AND RESULTS: As part of the Doppler Endpoints Balloon Angioplasty Trial Europe (DEBATE) II study, 379 patients underwent Doppler flow-guided angioplasty. All patients were evaluated according to their coronary flow velocity reserve (CFVR) results (&gt; or =2.5 or &lt; 2.5) at the end of the procedure. A CFVR &lt; 2.5 after angioplasty was associated with an elevated baseline blood flow velocity in both the target artery and reference artery. CFVR before PTCA and CFVR in the reference artery were independent predictors of an optimal CFVR after balloon angioplasty (CFVR before PTCA: odds ratio [OR], 2.26; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.57 to 3.24; CFVR in reference artery: OR, 1.90; 95% CI, 1.21 to 2.98; both P&lt;0.001) and stent implantation (before PTCA: OR, 2.54; 95% CI, 1.47 to 4.36; reference artery: OR, 1.97; 95% CI, 1.07 to 3.87; both P&lt;0.05). A low CFVR at the end of the procedure was an independent predictor of major adverse cardiac events (MACE) at 30 days (OR, 4.71; 95% CI, 1.14 to 25.92; P=0.034) and at 1 year (OR, 2.06; 95% CI, 1.16 to 3.66; P=0.014). After excluding MACE at 30 days, no difference in MACE at 1 year was observed between the patients with and without a CFVR &lt; 2.5 at the end of the procedure. CONCLUSIONS: A low postprocedural CFVR was associated with a worse periprocedural outcome (which was related to microcirculatory disturbances), but there was no significant difference at late follow-up.</description>
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      <title>Value of intracoronary Doppler for guiding percutaneous interventions (Doctoral Thesis)</title>
      <link>http://repub.eur.nl/res/pub/23592/</link>
      <pubDate>2001-12-12T00:00:00Z</pubDate>
      <description>Following the rapid developments in computer software directed towards the
anatomical assessment of coronary arteries by quantitative coronary angiography
(QCA), interventional cardiologist felt that the anatomical information obtained was
sufficient for clinical decision-making. However, further down the line, it became
clear that QCA presented some limitations especially in patients with diffuse coronary
artery atherosclerosis. In addition, the presence of haziness at the dilated area
precluded an accurate estimate of the acute angioplasty results. The latter was further
supporter by a lack of correlation observed between the QCA and coronary
physiological data following an intervention.
Thanks to the pioneer work of Lance Gould and his team, who established the
relationship between the coronary blood flow resistance and the severity of the
condnit obstruction, the understanding of coronary physiology and its assessment had
rapidly evolved. Furthermore, technical improvements have allowed the development
of miniaturized pressure and Doppler transducers, mounted on 0.014-in. guidewire,
These small devices did not exert a significant effect in coronary fluid dynamics,
which permitted an accurate physiological evaluation of percutaneous interventions at
the catheterization laboratory.</description>
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      <title>Value of coronary stenotic flow velocity acceleration on the prediction of long-term improvement in functional status after angioplasty. (Article)</title>
      <link>http://repub.eur.nl/res/pub/4831/</link>
      <pubDate>2001-07-01T00:00:00Z</pubDate>
      <description>Background The coronary flow velocity acceleration at the stenotic site (SVA), defined as a ≥50% increase in resting stenotic velocity when compared with the reference segment, has been shown to be highly sensitive and specific for the diagnosis of a hemodynamically significant stenosis. In this study, we describe the value of postprocedural SVA for the prediction of a lack of improvement in functional activity at long-term follow-up balloon angioplasty (BA). Methods We investigated the improvement in functional activity in patients undergoing single native vessel angioplasty and intracoronary Doppler (before BA, after BA, and again at 6-month follow-up) as part of the Doppler Endpoints Balloon Angioplasty Trial Europe (DEBATE) I trial. Lack of improvement was defined as no change in Duke Activity Status Index (DASI) at 6-month follow-up, whereas SVA was defined as ≥50% elevation in resting velocity at the treated area compared with the distal measurement. Results SVA was found more frequently in patients without improvement in DASI (45% vs 31%, P = .03). Similar percent diameter stenosis and coronary flow velocity reserve were observed in patients with and those without improvement in DASI at follow-up. By multivariate regression analysis, the presence of SVA (P = .029; odds ratio, 1.97; 95% confidence interval, 1.07 to 3.63) and an elevated DASI at baseline (P &lt; .001; odds ratio, 1.05; 95% confidence interval, 1.03 to 1.07) were associated with a lack of improvement at follow-up. Conclusions The detection of SVA was associated with failure of improvement in functional activity at follow-up after coronary intervention.</description>
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      <title>Uncomplicated moderate coronary artery dissections after balloon angioplasty: good outcome without stenting (Article)</title>
      <link>http://repub.eur.nl/res/pub/8301/</link>
      <pubDate>2001-01-01T00:00:00Z</pubDate>
      <description>OBJECTIVE: To study the relation between moderate coronary dissections, coronary flow velocity reserve (CFVR), and long term outcome. METHODS: 523 patients undergoing balloon angioplasty and sequential intracoronary Doppler measurements were examined as part of the DEBATE II trial (Doppler endpoints balloon angioplasty trial Europe). After successful balloon angioplasty, patients were randomised to stenting or no further treatment. Dissections were graded at the core laboratory by two observers and divided into four categories: none, mild (type A-B), moderate (type C), severe (types D to F). Patients with severe dissections (n = 128) or without available reference vessel CFVR (n = 139) were excluded. The remaining 256 patients were divided into two groups according to the presence (group A, n = 45) or absence (group B, n = 211) of moderate dissection. RESULTS: Following balloon angioplasty, there was no difference in CFVR between the two groups. At 12 months follow up, a higher rate of major adverse cardiac events was observed overall in group A than in group B (10 (22%) v 23 (11%), p = 0.041). However, the risk of major adverse events was similar in the subgroups receiving balloon angioplasty (group A, 6 (19%) v group B, 16 (16%), NS). Among group A patients, the adverse events risk was greater in those randomised to stenting (odds ratios 6.603 v 1.197, p = 0.046), whereas there was no difference in risk if the group was analysed according to whether the CFVR was &lt; 2.5 or &gt;/= 2.5 after balloon angioplasty. CONCLUSIONS: Moderate dissections left untreated result in no increased risk of major adverse cardiac events. Additional stenting does not improve the long term outcome.</description>
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      <title>Comparison of mechanical properties of the left ventricle in patients with severe coronary artery disease by nonfluoroscopic mapping versus two-dimensional echocardiograms. (Article)</title>
      <link>http://repub.eur.nl/res/pub/4858/</link>
      <pubDate>2000-11-01T00:00:00Z</pubDate>
      <description>In 40 patients, we compared linear local shortening assessed with nonfluoroscopic electromechanical mapping as a function of regional wall motion with echocardiographic data in a subset of patients with severe coronary artery disease and subsequently decreased left ventricular function. Our study showed that nonfluoroscopic electromechanical mapping can accurately assess regional wall motion. In addition, this study showed a significant decrease in unipolar voltages among segments with declining regional function.</description>
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      <title>Angiographic and clinical outcome of mild to moderate nonocclusive unstented coronary artery dissection and the influence on coronary flow velocity reserve (Article)</title>
      <link>http://repub.eur.nl/res/pub/4874/</link>
      <pubDate>2000-08-15T00:00:00Z</pubDate>
      <description>Limited data are available regarding the angiographic healing rate and physiologic impact of coronary artery dissections. Therefore, we studied the impact of coronary dissections on coronary flow velocity and outcome as well as their healing rate at 6-month follow-up balloon angioplasty. Of 297 patients who underwent balloon angioplasty, 225 underwent intracoronary Doppler measurements and 184 had Doppler and angiographic assessment at 6-month follow-up. Dissections were scored by an independent core lab (Cardialysis BV) and divided in 4 groups: mild (types A to B), moderate (type C), severe (D to F), and patients without dissections. Severe dissections (types D to F) were excluded from the analysis. Clinical, angiographic, and Doppler data were compared among the remaining 3 patient groups. From the 67 dissections detected after balloon angioplasty, only 3 (4.5%) remained unhealed at follow-up. Immediately after balloon angioplasty, the moderate dissection group was associated with a lower coronary flow velocity reserve than the patients with mild (2.16 +/- 0.60 vs 2.82 +/- 1.00, p = 0.037) or no dissections (2.16 +/- 0.60 vs 2.71 +/- 0.88, p = 0.046), respectively. In addition, higher recurrence of angina at 30 days was observed in the moderate group rather than in the mild group (5 [50%] vs 8 [16%], p = 0.0160) and in the patients without dissections (11 [12%], p = 0.007). After standard balloon angioplasty, the occurrence of unhealed dissections is a rare phenomenon. An impaired coronary flow reserve was observed after the development of nonocclusive type C dissections, which was associated with a worse short-term outcome.</description>
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      <title>Three-dimensional intravascular ultrasonic volumetric quantification of stent recoil and neointimal formation of two new generation tubular stents (Article)</title>
      <link>http://repub.eur.nl/res/pub/4905/</link>
      <pubDate>2000-01-15T00:00:00Z</pubDate>
      <description>Currently, several different designs of coronary stents are available. However, only a few of the new generation stents have been investigated in large randomized trials. Mechanical behavior of first-generation stents (Palmaz-Schatz, Gianturco-Roubin) may not be applied to the new designs. We investigated the chronic mechanical behavior (recoil) of 2 stents recently approved by the Food and Drug Administration (MULTILINK and NIR). Forty-eight patients with single-stent implantation (23 MULTILINK and 25 NIR) were assessed by means of volumetric 3-dimensional intravascular ultrasound analysis after the procedure and at 6-month follow-up. In addition, volumetric assessment of neointimal formation was performed. No significant chronic stent recoil was detected in both groups (Δ MULTILINK stent volume: +5.6 ± 41 mm3 [p = NS] and Δ NIR stent volume + 2.1 ± 26 mm3 [p = NS]). A similar degree of neointimal formation at 6 months was observed between the 2 stents (MULTILINK 46 ± 31.9 mm3 vs NIR 39.9 ± 27.6 mm3, p = NS). In conclusion, these 2 second-generation tubular stents did not show chronic recoil and appeared to promote similar proliferative response after implantation in human coronary arteries.</description>
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      <title>Positive Geometric Vascular Remodeling Is Seen After Catheter-Based Radiation Followed by Conventional Stent Implantation but Not After Radioactive Stent Implantation (Article)</title>
      <link>http://repub.eur.nl/res/pub/4868/</link>
      <pubDate>2000-01-01T00:00:00Z</pubDate>
      <description>Background—Recent reports demonstrate that intracoronary radiation affects not only neointimal formation but also vascular remodeling. Radioactive stents and catheter-based techniques deliver radiation in different ways, suggesting that different patterns of remodeling after each technique may be expected.

Methods and Results—We analyzed remodeling in 18 patients after conventional stent implantation, 16 patients after low-activity radioactive stent implantation, 16 patients after higher activity radioactive stent implantation, and, finally, 17 patients who underwent catheter-based radiation followed by conventional stent implantation. Intravascular ultrasound with 3D reconstruction was used after stent implantation and at the 6-month follow-up to assess remodeling within the stent margins and at its edges. Preprocedural characteristics were similar between groups. In-stent neointimal hyperplasia (NIH) was inhibited by high-activity radioactive stent implantation (NIH 9.0 mm3) and by catheter-based radiation followed by conventional stent implantation (NIH 6.9 mm3) compared with low-activity radioactive stent implantation (NIH 21.2 mm3) and conventional stent implantation (NIH 20.8 mm3) (P=0.008). No difference in plaque or total vessel volume was seen behind the stent in the conventional, low-activity, or high-activity stent implantation groups. However, significant increases in plaque behind the stent (15%) and in total vessel volume (8%) were seen in the group that underwent catheter-based radiation followed by conventional stent implantation. All 4 groups demonstrated significant late lumen loss at the stent edges; however, edge restenosis was seen only in the group subjected to high-activity stent implantation and appeared to be due to an increase in plaque and, to a lesser degree, to negative remodeling.

Conclusions—Distinct differences in the patterns of remodeling exist between conventional, radioactive, and catheter-based radiotherapy with stenting.</description>
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      <title>Improved regional wall motion 6 months after direct myocardial revascularization (DMR) with the NOGA DMR system (Article)</title>
      <link>http://repub.eur.nl/res/pub/9440/</link>
      <pubDate>2000-01-01T00:00:00Z</pubDate>
      <description>A60-year-old man was referred to our intervention laboratory for direct myocardial revascularization (DMR). He had received maximal medical therapy and had undergone coronary bypass surgery 10 years earlier, and his peripheral coronary anatomy was now found to be unsuited for surgical revascularization.</description>
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      <title>Positive geometric vascular remodeling is seen after catheter-based radiation followed by conventional stent implantation but not after radioactive stent implantation (Article)</title>
      <link>http://repub.eur.nl/res/pub/9460/</link>
      <pubDate>2000-01-01T00:00:00Z</pubDate>
      <description>BACKGROUND: Recent reports demonstrate that intracoronary radiation
      affects not only neointimal formation but also vascular remodeling.
      Radioactive stents and catheter-based techniques deliver radiation in
      different ways, suggesting that different patterns of remodeling after
      each technique may be expected. METHODS AND RESULTS: We analyzed
      remodeling in 18 patients after conventional stent implantation, 16
      patients after low-activity radioactive stent implantation, 16 patients
      after higher activity radioactive stent implantation, and, finally, 17
      patients who underwent catheter-based radiation followed by conventional
      stent implantation. Intravascular ultrasound with 3D reconstruction was
      used after stent implantation and at the 6-month follow-up to assess
      remodeling within the stent margins and at its edges. Preprocedural
      characteristics were similar between groups. In-stent neointimal
      hyperplasia (NIH) was inhibited by high-activity radioactive stent
      implantation (NIH 9.0 mm(3)) and by catheter-based radiation followed by
      conventional stent implantation (NIH 6.9 mm(3)) compared with low-activity
      radioactive stent implantation (NIH 21.2 mm(3)) and conventional stent
      implantation (NIH 20.8 mm(3)) (P:=0.008). No difference in plaque or total
      vessel volume was seen behind the stent in the conventional, low-activity,
      or high-activity stent implantation groups. However, significant increases
      in plaque behind the stent (15%) and in total vessel volume (8%) were seen
      in the group that underwent catheter-based radiation followed by
      conventional stent implantation. All 4 groups demonstrated significant
      late lumen loss at the stent edges; however, edge restenosis was seen only
      in the group subjected to high-activity stent implantation and appeared to
      be due to an increase in plaque and, to a lesser degree, to negative
      remodeling. CONCLUSIONS: Distinct differences in the patterns of
      remodeling exist between conventional, radioactive, and catheter-based
      radiotherapy with stenting.</description>
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