Top 5 presentations from SCAI 2018

Cardiology Today’s Intervention recently reported live from the Society for Cardiovascular Angiography Intervention Scientific Sessions and compiled a list of our most-read stories presented at this year’s meeting. This year, our readers were most interested the necessary steps to starting a vascular practice, the results of the FLARE study, the challenges presented by cancer in the cath lab, biological therapy for psoriasis, the effect of non-vitamin K antagonist oral anticoagulants in venous thromboembolism, and much more.

Do’s and don’ts of starting a vascular practice

SAN DIEGO — Starting a vascular practice may be an uphill climb, but taking certain steps and avoiding common pitfalls can help pave a path to success, according to two speakers at the SCAI Scientific Sessions.

During his presentation, Brian Kolski, MD, from St. Joseph Hospital in Orange, California, provided an early-career perspective aimed to help interventional cardiologists looking to perform vascular cases, providing tips to help define their goals, identify important sources of patient referrals, emphasize quality control and typical issues that may arise.

FLARE: Novel treatment safe, effective in acute PE

SAN DIEGO — Use of catheter-directed mechanical thrombectomy without thrombolytics was safe and improved right ventricular strain in intermediate-risk patients with pulmonary embolism, according to data from the FLARE study.

“This is the first trial evaluating a novel procedure in which a catheter-directed mechanical thrombectomy device is used to treat acute PE without the use of thrombolytics,” study researcher Thomas Tu, MD, from Baptist Health Louisville, Kentucky, said during a press conference at the SCAI Scientific Sessions.

Interventional cardiologists face challenges with cancer in the cath lab

SAN DIEGO — As the field of cardio-oncology evolves, interventional cardiologists are now searching for answers to important questions about how best to treat the patient with cancer.

Currently, in patients, there are three major challenges, including the optimal approach to dual antiplatelet therapy discontinuation, addressing patients with thrombocytopenia and anemia, and the incorporation of research on novel mechanisms of ACS into clinical care, Konstantinos Marmagkiolis, MD, MBA, FACC, FSCAI, staff interventional cardiologist at Premier Heart and Vascular Group and Florida Hospital Pepin Heart Institute, said during a presentation at the SCAI Scientific Sessions.

Biologic therapy for psoriasis may also benefit coronary plaque

SAN DIEGO — In a first-in-human observational study, treatment with common biologic therapies used for psoriasis resulted in regression of coronary plaque burden over 1 year, according to data presented at the SCAI Scientific Sessions.

It is estimated that 2% to 4% of the population has psoriasis, with more than 1 billion immune cells activated within the body during a severe psoriasis flare. There are FDA-approved biologic treatments for psoriasis, including commonly used interleukin (IL)-17 inhibitors and anti-tumor necrosis factor (TNF) agents. There has been increasing interest in looking at psoriasis as “more than just a skin disease,” and increasing attention on the CV effects of psoriasis, Youssef Elnabawi, BS, fourth-year medical student at Tufts University School of Medicine and research fellow with the NHLBI, said here.

Novel oral anticoagulants useful in VTE, but careful decisions required

SAN DIEGO — As the number of available novel oral anticoagulants expands, physicians must consider how best to use these agents in patients with VTE.

“For over 50 years, the only oral anticoagulant that was available on the market was warfarin, but since 2010, there have been four different novel oral anticoagulants or direct-acting oral anticoagulants that have been approved for use in VTE,” Satish Madiraju, MD, FSCAI, from the Cardiology Associates of Schenectady, said during a presentation at the SCAI Scientific Sessions.