ACC.11 and i2 Summit 2011 in New Orleans — April 2 – 5, 2011!

Dear Colleagues,

The topics selected for these special articles were determined in direct consultation with the scientific steering committee of the ACC Scientific Session and the i2 Summit. All articles were written strictly from primary source data (no press releases, no third party opinion), and each statistic has been verified. The faculty who presented these data live were invited to comment on the resulting articles. Finally, an independent board of world experts carefully went over the content to ensure accuracy and fair balance.

While in most cases, the science presented at a major conference like the ACC/i2 Summit has not undergone the rigors of peer-review for publication in a scientific journal, the data presented through the trials, posters, and special sessions may provide useful information for practitioners. The careful process used in creating these conference highlights provides reassurance that the content of the presentations is being accurately represented.

This year’s meeting showcased a wide variety of important potentially practice changing clinical trial results including PARTNER and EVEREST II. The greatly anticipated results from the PARTNER Trial (cohort A), which compared transcatheter-valve replacement (TAVR) with surgery for severe aortic stenosis, demonstrated noninferiority for all-cause mortality at 1 year. These preliminary results are very encouraging and, although not yet approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA), highlight the potential of TAVR in the management of patients with severe aortic stenosis. Final full results are eagerly awaited.

The EVEREST II results showed that among patients with severe mitral regurgitation, repair with a percutaneous mitral valve clip is safe and durable with measurable clinical benefits. This therapy demonstrated improved safety at 30 days compared with surgery. The primary effectiveness outcome favored surgery at 1 and 2 years owing to more complete resolution of mitral regurgitation. Left ventricular dimension was reduced to a similar degree in both groups, although ejection fraction declined by a greater extent in the surgical group. Though the current role for this experimental therapy remains to be determined, percutaneous mitral valve repair could become an option for carefully selected patients.

In addition to the article summaries of the top late-breaking clinical trials (including PLATINUM, EXCELLENT, RESOLUTE and TARGET), summary slides and lecture notes will be available for each trial which can be used simply as a reference or as a teaching tool. Video commentary discussing the more complex trials is also available to put the data into context for the practicing physician.

We hope that you will find the highlight articles from the American College of Cardiology’s 60th Scientific Sessions edition of MD Conference Online to be a valuable reference that will be useful throughout the coming year in keeping you apprised of the latest developments in cardiovascular medicine.

Robert P. Giugliano, MD, SM Lead Medical Advisor, MD Conference Express Associate Physician, Cardiovascular Division, Brigham & Women's Hospital Associate Professor in Medicine, Harvard Medical School Boston, MA (USA)

Marc P. Bonaca, MD, MPH Cardiovascular Fellow, Brigham and Women's Hospital Boston, MA (USA)

Jacob A. Udell, MD, MPH Cardiovascular Fellow, Brigham and Women's Hospital Boston, MA (USA)