clinicAl outcome of CALCIFIED NODULEs assessed by OCT: A SUBANALYSIS OF The CLIMA study.

AIMS: The goal of the present post-hoc analysis of the CLIMA registry was the relationship between calcified nodules (CNs) with (CND) or without (CNWD) disruption of the superficial intimal fibrous rhyme and one-year occurrence of target lesion myocardial infarction (MI) and/or cardiac death. METHODS AND RESULTS: CND and CNWD were identified based on the presence or absence of superficial irregularities indicative of disruption of the intimal fibrous rhyme, with possible overlying local thrombus. In total 222 CNs were found in the 1776 non-culprit LAD plaques. CND had larger maximum calcific arc and smaller lumen area. Cardiac death and MI occurred in 20% of patients in the CND group vs 2.7% in the CNWD group and 3.3% in the group without CN (p<0.001). This figure was mainly due to the 13.3% incidence of cardiac death in the CND group vs 2.0% in the CNWD group and vs 2.2% in the group without CN (p<0.001). The presence of CND was confirmed as an independent predictor of events (HR 6.58, CI 95% 2.7-15.8, p< 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Presence of CND was associated to a high one-year incidence of cardiac death and or target lesion MI.