Science News from ESC 2016
European Society of Cardiology
August 27–31, 2016 | Rome, Italy
AHA's SCIENCE NEWS covers the science presented daily at ESC Congress 2016 with exclusive video interviews, summary slides for late-breaking clinical trials presented in Hot Line sessions, and links to AHA resources related to the Hot Line science each day.
For press releases, please visit the AHA|ASA Newsroom.
Sunday: Hot Lines I & II
Steven Houser, PhD, president of the American Heart | American Stroke association interviews Mariell Jessup, MD, past president, about the heart failure science presented in Hotline 1 at the 2016 Congress of the European Society of Cardiology in Rome.
Steven Houser, PhD, president of the American Heart Association, interviews Mark Creager, MD, immediate past president, about the prevention science presented in Hotline II at the 2016 Congress of the European Cardiology Society in Rome.
Hot Line I: Heart failure and innovative approaches
DANISH — A DANish Randomized, Controlled, Multicenter Study to Assess the Efficacy of Implantable Cardioverter Defibrillator in Patients With Non-ischemic Systolic Heart Failure on Mortality
Lars Køber | Copenhagen, Denmark
- RESULTS: DANISH did not demonstrate a significant reduction in the long-term all-cause mortality rate
- DANISH Summary (PDF)
- DANISH Trial on ClinicalTrials.gov (opens in new window)(link opens in new window)
- Simultaneous publication in NEJM
REM-HF — Remote management of heart failure using implanted devices and formalized follow-up procedures
Martin Cowie | London, UK
- RESULTS: REM-HF did not demonstrate a benefit (all-cause death) to the addition of remote monitoring.
- REM-HF Summary (PDF)
- REM-HF Trial on PubMed.gov (opens in new window)(link opens in new window)
aMBMC — A Phase IIa Randomized Study to Assess the Safety, Tolerability, and Preliminary Efficacy of a Single Intravenous Dose of Ischemia-tolerant Allogeneic Mesenchymal Bone Marrow Cells to Subjects With Non-ischemic Heart Failure
Javed Butler | Atlanta, Georgia
- RESULTS: A single IV dose of ischemia-tolerant allogenic mesenchymal bone marrow cells (aMBMC) given to patients with chronic non-ischemic heart failure did not demonstrate a difference over placebo in reducing adverse events. The 6 Minute Walk results were improved.
- aMBMC Summary (PDF)
- aMBMC Trial on ClinicalTrials.gov (opens in new window) (link opens in new window)
Hot Line II: Preventive strategies 1
NIPPON — Nobori Dual Antiplatelet Therapy as Appropriate Duration
Matsato Nakamura | Tokyo, Japan
- RESULTS: This Japan study demonstrated non-inferiority for the use of short-term DAPT compared to longer-term (Net Adverse Clinical and Cerebral (NACCE)).
- NIPPON Summary (PDF)
- NIPPON Trial on ClinicalTrials.gov (opens in new window)(link opens in new window)

Sunday's Related Science
- ACC/AHA Joint Guidelines and AHA statements
- Updated Clinical Practice Guidelines on Heart Failure: An International Alignment
- Duration of Dual Antiplatelet Therapy: A Systematic Review for the 2016 ACC/AHA Guideline Focused Update on Duration of Dual Antiplatelet Therapy in Patients With Coronary Artery Disease
Published Today in Circulation
Performance and Validation of a Novel Biomarker-Based Stroke Risk Score for Atrial Fibrillation
Jonas Oldgren, et al.
Monday: Hot Lines III & IV
Steven Houser, PhD, president of the American Heart | American Stroke Association, interviews Elliott Antman, MD, past president, about the prevention and lipids science presented during Hotline III.
Steven Houser, PhD, president of the American Heart | American Stroke Association, interviews Mark Creager, MD, immediate past president, about the coronary artery disease and imaging science presented in Hotline IV.
Hot Line III: Prevention and lipids
HIJ-PROPER — The Heart Institute of Japan-PRoper level of lipid lOwering with Pitavastatin and Ezetimibe in acute coRonary syndrome
Nobuhisa Hagiwara | Tokyo, Japan
- RESULTS: The addition of a second cholesterol-lowering drug to standard statin therapy to patients with acute coronary syndrome and dyslipidemia did not significantly improve the primary endpoint rates.
- HIJ-PROPER Summary (PDF)
- HIJ-PROPER Trial in Journal of the Japanese College of Cardiology (opens in new window)(link opens in new window)
ODYSSEY ESCAPE — A Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled, Parallel-Group Study to Evaluate the Efficacy and Safety of Alirocumab in Patients With Heterozygous Familial Hypercholesterolemia Undergoing Lipid Apheresis Therapy
Patrick Moriarty | Kansas City, KS
- RESULTS: The number of apheresis treatments needed compared to placebo were reduced in those patients treated with the PCSK9 inhibitor alirocumab.
- ODYSSEY ESCAPE Summary (PDF)
- ESCAPE Trial on ClinicalTrials.gov (opens in new window)(link opens in new window)
Hot Line IV: Coronary artery disease and imaging
CE-MARC 2 — Clinical Evaluation of Magnetic Resonance Imaging in Coronary Heart Disease - 2
John Greenwood | Leeds, UK
- RESULTS: In this study the rates of unnecessary angiography were lower with CMR and MPS compared to current NICE guideline directed care.
- CE-MARC 2 Summary (PDF)
- CE-MARC 2 Trial on ClinicalTrials.gov (opens in new window) (link opens in new window)
AMERICA — Active Detection and Management of the Extension of Atherothrombosis in High Risk Coronary Patients In Comparison With Standard of Care for Coronary Atherosclerosis
Jean-Philippe Collet | Paris, France
- RESULTS: The 2-year results did not demonstrate a significant difference or clinical benefit between the use of the pro-active approach of detecting asymptomatic multisite artery disease in these high risk patients compared to the conventional treatment of symptomatic coronary and extracoronary artery disease.
- AMERICA Summary (PDF)
- AMERICA Trial on ClinicalTrials.gov (opens in new window)(link opens in new window)
Monday's Related Science
- ACC/AHA Joint Guidelines and AHA statements
- The Agenda for Familial Hypercholesterolemia
- 2013 ACC/AHA Guideline on the Treatment of Blood Cholesterol to Reduce Atherosclerotic Cardiovascular Risk in Adults
- Use of Mobile Devices, Social Media, and Crowdsourcing as Digital Strategies to Improve Emergency Cardiovascular Care
Published Today in Circulation
Optical Coherence Tomography to Optimize Results of Percutaneous Coronary Intervention in Patients with Non-ST-Elevation Acute Coronary Syndrome: Results of the Multicenter, Randomized DOCTORS (Does Optical Coherence Tomography Optimize Results of Stenting) Study
Nicolas Meneveau | Besancon, France
Editorial: Optical Coherence Tomography Guidance for Percutaneous Intervention: The French "Doctors" Are Seeing Light at the End of the Tunnel
William Wijns and Stylianos A. Pyxaras
Tuesday: Hot Lines V & VI
Mark Creager, MD, immediate past president of the American Heart Association, and Frank Sellke, MD, discuss the coronary artery disease and stenting science presented during Hot Line V on Tuesday.
Frank Sellke, MD and Mark Creager, MD, immediate past president of the American Heart Association discuss the prevention science presented in Hotline VI.
Hot Line V: Coronary artery disease and stenting
NorStent — Comparison of the Long-term Effects on Mortality and Cardiovascular Morbidity of Percutaneous Coronary Intervention With Drug-eluting Stent Versus Bare-metal Stent. Randomized, Five-year Prospective, Multicenter Clinical Trial
Kaare Harald Bonaa | Trondheim, Norway
- RESULTS All-cause death and non-fatal spontaneous MI rates were not significantly different between DES and BMS with 6 years f/u.
- NorStent Summary (PDF)
- NorStent Trial on ClinicalTrials.gov (opens in new window) (link opens in new window)

Hot Line VI: Preventive strategies 2
ENSURE-AF — A Prospective, Randomized, Open-Label Blinded Endpont Evaluation (PROBE) Parallel Group Study Comparing Edoxaban (DU-176b) With Enoxaparin/Warfarin Followed by Warfarin Alone in Subjects Undergoing Planned Electrical Cardioversion of Nonvalvular Atrial Fibrillation
Andreas Goette | Paderborn, Germany
- RESULTS Efficacy and safety rates were low and similar for edoxaban vs warfarin and enoxaparin.
- ENSURE-AF Summary (PDF)
- ENSURE-AF Trial on ClinicalTrials.gov (opens in new window)(link opens in new window)
ANNEXA-4 — Prospective, Open-Label Study of Andexanet Alfa in Patients Receiving a Factor Xa Inhibitor Who Have Acute Major Bleeding
Stuart J. Connolly | Hamilton, ON, Canada
- RESULTS Excellent or good hemostasis in 79% of the study patients was demonstrated 12 hours after the infusion of andexanet alfa.
- ANNEXA-4 Summary (PDF)
- ANNEXA-4 Trial on ClinicalTrials.gov (opens in new window)(link opens in new window)
Tuesday's Related Science
- ACC/AHA Joint Guidelines and AHA statements
- 2015 ACC/AHA/SCAI Focused Update on Primary Percutaneous Coronary Intervention for Patients With ST-Elevation Myocardial Infarction
- Wearable Cardioverter-Defibrillator Therapy for the Prevention of Sudden Cardiac Death
- 2016 ACC/AHA Clinical Performance and Quality Measures for Adults With Atrial Fibrillation or Atrial Flutter
- 2014 AHA/ACC/HRS Guideline for the Management of Patients With Atrial Fibrillation
Published Today in Circulation
Prasugrel versus Ticagrelor in Patients with Acute Myocardial Infarction Treated with Primary Percutaneous Coronary Intervention: Multicenter Randomized PRAGUE-18 Study
Zuzana Motovska, et al.
Perspective: The Implications of Blood Pressure Measurement Methods on Treatment Targets for Blood Pressure
George L. Bakris | Chicago, IL
Impact of Optimal Medical Therapy in the Dual Antiplatelet Therapy Study
Charles D. Resor, et al.