TCT offers cutting-edge clinical results

The Transcatheter Cardiovascular Therapeutics conference, taking place in Washington, D.C. from Oct. 29 to Nov. 2, will feature a total of 27 late-breaking trials and first report investigations as well as the implementation of new ways to learn from material presented at TCT throughout the year.

“We’re looking forward to a very exciting TCT,” Gregg W. Stone, MD, professor of medicine at Columbia University, director of cardiovascular research and education at the Center for Interventional Vascular Therapy, NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital/Columbia University Medical Center, co-director of medical research and education at the Cardiovascular Research Foundation and director of TCT. “It’s going to be characterized by a lot of new, important clinical trials, both [late-breaking trials] and first report investigations that will significantly impact clinical practice in the U.S. and abroad.”

Gregg W. Stone

Late-breaking trials

According to Stone, a member of the Cardiology Today’s Intervention Editorial Board, two of the most anticipated highlights from TCT 2016 will be a pair of large-scale randomized trials of PCI with drug-eluting stents compared with CABG in selected patients with unprotected left main CAD.

The EXCEL and the NOBLE trials, which include over 31,000 patients combined, are widely anticipated, Stone said.

He said other highlights from the meeting include:

Results of BIO-RESORT (TWENTE III), which compared two biodegradable polymer-based drug-eluting stents with a durable polymer-based DES in patients with CAD
The BIONICS head-to-head study of two DES in patients with CAD
New data from the ABSORB bioresorbable scaffold trial program, including ABSORB China and 3-year results from ABSORB II
LEADERS FREE 2-year results comparing a polymer-free drug-coated stent with a bare-metal stent in patients with CAD at high risk for bleeding
PARTNER trials of transcatheter aortic valve replacement systems, including PARTNER I 5-year echocardiographic data and PARTNER II quality-of-life data
Long-term data from the RESPECT study of patent foramen ovale closure for stroke prevention; and
The ILLUMENATE U.S. study of a paclitaxel-coated balloon vs. an uncoated balloon for treatment of superficial femoral or popliteal artery disease.

Year-round coverage

While TCT is presenting more coverage than ever, this year’s meeting is actually one half-day shorter than previous years. To do justice to all presentations, Stone said, there are several new additions to this year’s coverage to make sure those interested can access it at their convenience.

“One of our challenges that has been that the subspecialty of interventional cardiology has, of course, exploded in breadth and the amount of content that it encompasses," said Stone. “the question has always been, ‘how do we present this material in a relatively short period?’”

One answer, he said, is TCT 360, a new installation for this year. Taking one-quarter of the content from the afternoon’s didactic sessions, moderators and panelists will discuss finer points from presentations in front of a camera with no audience. In addition, all content in the main sessions of TCT will be taped using enhanced film, which will make all content available for those who could not attend the meeting.

TCT 360 will make all sessions accessible and will be rolled out throughout the year on a week-by-week basis, making it easier for attendees and non-attendees to see sessions they may have missed, Stone said.

“It’s a very exciting line-up of studies reflecting coronary intervention, structural heart disease and peripheral vascular intervention,” he said. “Many of which, I think, will change practice almost immediately, while others will set the stage for future studies for years to come.”

Cardiology Today’s Intervention and healio.com/intervention will be covering TCT live. Check healio.com/intervention for news, perspectives and videos from the meeting.