Background and Objectives: The risk profiles, procedural characteristics, and clinical outcomes for women undergoing bifurcation percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) are not well defined compared to those in men. Methods: COronary BIfurcation Stenting III (COBIS III) is a multicenter, real-world registry of 2,648 patients with bifurcation lesions treated with second-generation drug-eluting stents.We compared the angiographic and procedural characteristics and clinical outcomes based on sex. The primary outcome was 5-year target lesion failure (TLF), a composite of cardiac death, myocardial infarction, and target lesion revascularization. Results: Women (n=635, 24%) were older, had hypertension and diabetes more often, and had smaller main vessel and side branch reference diameters than men. The pre- and post-PCI angiographic percentage diameter stenoses of the main vessel and side branch were comparable between women and men. There were no differences in procedural characteristics between the sexes. Women and men had a similar risk of TLF (6.3% vs. 7.1%, p=0.63) as well as its individual components and sex was not an independent predictor of TLF. This finding was consistent in the left main and 2 stenting subgroups. Conclusions In patients undergoing bifurcation PCI, sex was not an independent predictor of adverse outcome.

Background and Objectives: The risk profiles, procedural characteristics, and clinical outcomes for women undergoing bifurcation percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) are not well defined compared to those in men. Methods: COronary BIfurcation Stenting III (COBIS III) is a multicenter, real-world registry of 2,648 patients with bifurcation lesions treated with second-generation drug-eluting stents.We compared the angiographic and procedural characteristics and clinical outcomes based on sex. The primary outcome was 5-year target lesion failure (TLF), a composite of cardiac death, myocardial infarction, and target lesion revascularization. Results: Women (n=635, 24%) were older, had hypertension and diabetes more often, and had smaller main vessel and side branch reference diameters than men. The pre- and post-PCI angiographic percentage diameter stenoses of the main vessel and side branch were comparable between women and men. There were no differences in procedural characteristics between the sexes. Women and men had a similar risk of TLF (6.3% vs. 7.1%, p=0.63) as well as its individual components and sex was not an independent predictor of TLF. This finding was consistent in the left main and 2 stenting subgroups. Conclusions In patients undergoing bifurcation PCI, sex was not an independent predictor of adverse outcome.

Background/Aims: Patients with diverticular disease (DD) frequently have abnormal bowel movements. However, it is unknown whether the entity of these alterations is associated with the severity of DD. We aimed to assess bowel habits and their relationship with the severity of DD according to Diverticular Inflammation and Complication Assessment (DICA) classification, Combined Overview on Diverticular Assessment (CODA) score, and fecal calprotectin (FC). Methods: An international, multicenter, prospective cohort study was conducted in 43 centers. A 10-point visual analog scale (VAS) was used to assess the severity of constipation and diarrhea. The association of constipation and diarrhea with DICA classification, CODA score, and basal FC was tested using non-parametric tests. Survival methods for censored observations were applied to test the association of constipation and diarrhea with the incidence of acute diverticulitis over a 3-year follow-up. Results: Of 871 patients with DD were included in the study. Of these, 208 (23.9%) and 199 (22.9%) reported a VAS score for constipation and diarrhea at least 3 at baseline, respectively. Higher constipation and diarrhea scores were associated with increasing DICA classification, CODA score and basal FC (P< 0.001). Constipation and diarrhea scores were independently associated with an increased hazard of developing acute diverticulitis (hazard ratio [HR]constipation = 1.15 per 1-VAS point increase, 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.04–1.27; P=0.004; and HRdiarrhea =1.14; 95% CI, 1.03–1.26; P=0.014, respectively). Conclusions In newly diagnosed patients with DD, higher endoscopic and combined scores of DD severity were associated with higher scores of constipation and diarrhea at baseline. Both constipation and diarrhea were independent prognostic factors of acute diverticulitis.

Background: s/Aims: Irreversible electroporation (IRE) may have a potential application as either a “back-up therapy” or for margin accentuation during trial dissection of locally advanced pancreatic cancer (LAPC). The aim of this report was to describe our experience with IRE in terms of its potential applications mentioned above. Methods: A clinical policy to use IRE in LAPC patients undergoing exploratory surgery after neoadjuvant therapy (NAT) was initiated in 2017. If resection was feasible, IRE was used for margin accentuation. If not, then IRE was undertaken as a “back-up therapy” of non-resectable tumor. Data on baseline characteristics, perioperative 90-day morbidity, recurrence-free survival (RFS) and overall survival (OS) were collected. Results: IRE was successfully performed in 18 (95%) patients. IRE was abandoned in one case for technical reasons. Nine patients who were found to have an unresectable disease underwent IRE as a “back-up therapy” while the remaining patients received IRE for margin accentuation. Complications were recorded in 33% patients. There was no procedure-related mortality. In the group receiving IRE for margin accentuation, the median RFS was 10.0 months (range, 4.5–15.0 months). The median OS of our cohort was 22 months (range, 14.75–27.50 months). Conclusions This report shows that in patients with LAPC undergoing exploratory surgery following NAT, IRE seems technically feasible for margin accentuation or as a “back-up therapy”. More data are needed to determine procedure-related morbidity, mortality, and any effects of IRE on cancer-related survival.

Background: s/Aims: Irreversible electroporation (IRE) may have a potential application as either a “back-up therapy” or for margin accentuation during trial dissection of locally advanced pancreatic cancer (LAPC). The aim of this report was to describe our experience with IRE in terms of its potential applications mentioned above. Methods: A clinical policy to use IRE in LAPC patients undergoing exploratory surgery after neoadjuvant therapy (NAT) was initiated in 2017. If resection was feasible, IRE was used for margin accentuation. If not, then IRE was undertaken as a “back-up therapy” of non-resectable tumor. Data on baseline characteristics, perioperative 90-day morbidity, recurrence-free survival (RFS) and overall survival (OS) were collected. Results: IRE was successfully performed in 18 (95%) patients. IRE was abandoned in one case for technical reasons. Nine patients who were found to have an unresectable disease underwent IRE as a “back-up therapy” while the remaining patients received IRE for margin accentuation. Complications were recorded in 33% patients. There was no procedure-related mortality. In the group receiving IRE for margin accentuation, the median RFS was 10.0 months (range, 4.5–15.0 months). The median OS of our cohort was 22 months (range, 14.75–27.50 months). Conclusions This report shows that in patients with LAPC undergoing exploratory surgery following NAT, IRE seems technically feasible for margin accentuation or as a “back-up therapy”. More data are needed to determine procedure-related morbidity, mortality, and any effects of IRE on cancer-related survival.

Background/Aims: Patients with diverticular disease (DD) frequently have abnormal bowel movements. However, it is unknown whether the entity of these alterations is associated with the severity of DD. We aimed to assess bowel habits and their relationship with the severity of DD according to Diverticular Inflammation and Complication Assessment (DICA) classification, Combined Overview on Diverticular Assessment (CODA) score, and fecal calprotectin (FC). Methods: An international, multicenter, prospective cohort study was conducted in 43 centers. A 10-point visual analog scale (VAS) was used to assess the severity of constipation and diarrhea. The association of constipation and diarrhea with DICA classification, CODA score, and basal FC was tested using non-parametric tests. Survival methods for censored observations were applied to test the association of constipation and diarrhea with the incidence of acute diverticulitis over a 3-year follow-up. Results: Of 871 patients with DD were included in the study. Of these, 208 (23.9%) and 199 (22.9%) reported a VAS score for constipation and diarrhea at least 3 at baseline, respectively. Higher constipation and diarrhea scores were associated with increasing DICA classification, CODA score and basal FC (P< 0.001). Constipation and diarrhea scores were independently associated with an increased hazard of developing acute diverticulitis (hazard ratio [HR]constipation = 1.15 per 1-VAS point increase, 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.04–1.27; P=0.004; and HRdiarrhea =1.14; 95% CI, 1.03–1.26; P=0.014, respectively). Conclusions In newly diagnosed patients with DD, higher endoscopic and combined scores of DD severity were associated with higher scores of constipation and diarrhea at baseline. Both constipation and diarrhea were independent prognostic factors of acute diverticulitis.

Background and Objectives: The risk profiles, procedural characteristics, and clinical outcomes for women undergoing bifurcation percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) are not well defined compared to those in men. Methods: COronary BIfurcation Stenting III (COBIS III) is a multicenter, real-world registry of 2,648 patients with bifurcation lesions treated with second-generation drug-eluting stents.We compared the angiographic and procedural characteristics and clinical outcomes based on sex. The primary outcome was 5-year target lesion failure (TLF), a composite of cardiac death, myocardial infarction, and target lesion revascularization. Results: Women (n=635, 24%) were older, had hypertension and diabetes more often, and had smaller main vessel and side branch reference diameters than men. The pre- and post-PCI angiographic percentage diameter stenoses of the main vessel and side branch were comparable between women and men. There were no differences in procedural characteristics between the sexes. Women and men had a similar risk of TLF (6.3% vs. 7.1%, p=0.63) as well as its individual components and sex was not an independent predictor of TLF. This finding was consistent in the left main and 2 stenting subgroups. Conclusions In patients undergoing bifurcation PCI, sex was not an independent predictor of adverse outcome.

Background: s/Aims: Irreversible electroporation (IRE) may have a potential application as either a “back-up therapy” or for margin accentuation during trial dissection of locally advanced pancreatic cancer (LAPC). The aim of this report was to describe our experience with IRE in terms of its potential applications mentioned above. Methods: A clinical policy to use IRE in LAPC patients undergoing exploratory surgery after neoadjuvant therapy (NAT) was initiated in 2017. If resection was feasible, IRE was used for margin accentuation. If not, then IRE was undertaken as a “back-up therapy” of non-resectable tumor. Data on baseline characteristics, perioperative 90-day morbidity, recurrence-free survival (RFS) and overall survival (OS) were collected. Results: IRE was successfully performed in 18 (95%) patients. IRE was abandoned in one case for technical reasons. Nine patients who were found to have an unresectable disease underwent IRE as a “back-up therapy” while the remaining patients received IRE for margin accentuation. Complications were recorded in 33% patients. There was no procedure-related mortality. In the group receiving IRE for margin accentuation, the median RFS was 10.0 months (range, 4.5–15.0 months). The median OS of our cohort was 22 months (range, 14.75–27.50 months). Conclusions This report shows that in patients with LAPC undergoing exploratory surgery following NAT, IRE seems technically feasible for margin accentuation or as a “back-up therapy”. More data are needed to determine procedure-related morbidity, mortality, and any effects of IRE on cancer-related survival.

Background/Aims: Patients with diverticular disease (DD) frequently have abnormal bowel movements. However, it is unknown whether the entity of these alterations is associated with the severity of DD. We aimed to assess bowel habits and their relationship with the severity of DD according to Diverticular Inflammation and Complication Assessment (DICA) classification, Combined Overview on Diverticular Assessment (CODA) score, and fecal calprotectin (FC). Methods: An international, multicenter, prospective cohort study was conducted in 43 centers. A 10-point visual analog scale (VAS) was used to assess the severity of constipation and diarrhea. The association of constipation and diarrhea with DICA classification, CODA score, and basal FC was tested using non-parametric tests. Survival methods for censored observations were applied to test the association of constipation and diarrhea with the incidence of acute diverticulitis over a 3-year follow-up. Results: Of 871 patients with DD were included in the study. Of these, 208 (23.9%) and 199 (22.9%) reported a VAS score for constipation and diarrhea at least 3 at baseline, respectively. Higher constipation and diarrhea scores were associated with increasing DICA classification, CODA score and basal FC (P< 0.001). Constipation and diarrhea scores were independently associated with an increased hazard of developing acute diverticulitis (hazard ratio [HR]constipation = 1.15 per 1-VAS point increase, 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.04–1.27; P=0.004; and HRdiarrhea =1.14; 95% CI, 1.03–1.26; P=0.014, respectively). Conclusions In newly diagnosed patients with DD, higher endoscopic and combined scores of DD severity were associated with higher scores of constipation and diarrhea at baseline. Both constipation and diarrhea were independent prognostic factors of acute diverticulitis.

Background and Objectives: The risk profiles, procedural characteristics, and clinical outcomes for women undergoing bifurcation percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) are not well defined compared to those in men. Methods: COronary BIfurcation Stenting III (COBIS III) is a multicenter, real-world registry of 2,648 patients with bifurcation lesions treated with second-generation drug-eluting stents.We compared the angiographic and procedural characteristics and clinical outcomes based on sex. The primary outcome was 5-year target lesion failure (TLF), a composite of cardiac death, myocardial infarction, and target lesion revascularization. Results: Women (n=635, 24%) were older, had hypertension and diabetes more often, and had smaller main vessel and side branch reference diameters than men. The pre- and post-PCI angiographic percentage diameter stenoses of the main vessel and side branch were comparable between women and men. There were no differences in procedural characteristics between the sexes. Women and men had a similar risk of TLF (6.3% vs. 7.1%, p=0.63) as well as its individual components and sex was not an independent predictor of TLF. This finding was consistent in the left main and 2 stenting subgroups. Conclusions In patients undergoing bifurcation PCI, sex was not an independent predictor of adverse outcome.