Cardiovascular News’ top 10 most popular stories of January 2023

In the opening month of 2023, Cardiovascular News’ most read stories include sex disparities in clinical outcomes following transcatheter tricuspid valve intervention; news of enrolment for a trial assessing a new therapy for high-risk atrial fibrillation (AF) patients; and positive data from the largest registry on mitral transcatheter edge-to-edge repair (M-TEER) in primary mitral regurgitation (MR).

• 1. No sex difference seen in outcomes for transcatheter tricuspid valve intervention
     Both men and women were seen to have similar outcomes following transcatheter tricuspid valve intervention investigators in research published in the European Heart Journal.
  2. NICE lowers threshold for statins to prevent cardiovascular events
     The UK’s National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) published draft guidance recommending that the risk threshold at which statins should be offered to prevent cardiovascular events remains unchanged.
  3. Multidisciplinary teams at the heart of new guidelines on aortic disease management
     Speaking to Cardiovascular News Ourania Preventza reflects on new guidelines for the diagnosis and management of aortic disease.
  4. Hospitals without high-level designation more likely to miss strokes following TAVI procedures
     A study conducted by Michigan Medicine researchers suggests that hospitals without the highest stroke care designation may be missing strokes that occur after transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI).
  5. Enrolment begins in trial to assess new therapy in patients deemed unsuitable for anticoagulants
     Anthos Therapeutics announced its first patient enrolment in LILAC-TIMI 76 to evaluate the efficacy and safety of abelacimab in high-risk patients with atrial fibrillation (AF).
  6. Preclinical study outlines key features of foam-based LAA closure device
     A preclinical study demonstrating key features of the foam-based left atrial appendage closure device was published in the Journal of the Society for Cardiovascular Angiography and Interventions.
  7. Medicare study reopens guideline debate around surgery and PCI in patients with multivessel coronary artery disease
     A large analysis of data of patients with multivessel coronary artery disease undergoing coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery or percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) reopened debate on controversial guidelines concerning coronary revascularisation.
  8. US FDA approves use of Navitor TAVI valve in high-risk aortic stenosis patients
     The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved the Navitor (Abbott) transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) system for the treatment of severe aortic stenosis.
  9. Funding secured to advance development of Pulse IVL system
     AVS announced that it raised US$20 million in Series B financing, which the company says will accelerate clinical trial timelines for its device for peripheral application in pulsatile intravascular lithotripsy (PIVL) cases.
  10. Registry data point to a declining rate of complications among primary MR patients
      The largest dedicated registry on mitral transcatheter edge-to-edge repair (M-TEER) in primary mitral regurgitation (MR) demonstrated a decline in complication rates and overall improvement in outcomes.