Latest news with #OCT
Wales Online
14-07-2025
- Wales Online
Police found suspicious messages on Snapchat - they led them straight to a Cardiff drug dealer
Police found suspicious messages on Snapchat - they led them straight to a Cardiff drug dealer Matthew Jones was found to be playing a leading role in an organised crime group Matthew Jones (Image: South Wales Police ) A 29-year-old man from Llanrumney has been jailed for his role in a major organised crime group supplying Class A and B drugs across Cardiff. Matthew Jones was sentenced to six years and nine months in prison at Cardiff Crown Court on Friday, June 27, after admitting multiple drug offences, including being concerned in the supply of heroin, crack cocaine, cocaine, and cannabis. He also pleaded guilty to possessing criminal property and driving without a licence or insurance. His arrest followed an investigation by the Cardiff and Vale Organised Crime Team (OCT), which uncovered incriminating messages on Snapchat during a separate inquiry. The messages revealed conversations about the large-scale supply of drugs and the significant profits being made. Don't miss a court report by signing up to our crime newsletter here Detectives later identified Jones as one of the individuals involved in the chat. Evidence showed he was receiving daily updates on drug sales and cash generated, and he was found to be playing a leading role in the network, which was responsible for flooding the streets of Llanrumney with illegal drugs. As part of the investigation, officers linked Jones to the supply of 466 grams of heroin, 1kg of cocaine, and 3kgs of cannabis. Article continues below In addition to his prison sentence, Jones was handed a four-year driving ban. PC Homan said: 'Jones' drug dealing will undoubtedly have impacted the local community, and I'm pleased to see this significant sentence. 'There is zero tolerance for drug supply on our streets, and our organised crime team is committed to identifying and apprehending those involved." Article continues below
Medscape
02-07-2025
- Health
- Medscape
OCT Bests Angiography Guidance for Improving PCI Outcomes
An 'optical biopsy' of intravascular plaque during stenting is more effective at reducing the rate of restenosis or thrombosis in people with moderately or severely calcified lesions than angiography guidance, a substudy of the ILUMIEN IV clinical trial has found. Gregg Stone, MD 'We found that in those calcified lesions there was a marked benefit of optical coherence tomography [OCT] guidance compared with angiography guidance in improving long-term outcomes, specifically in reducing the 2-year rate of target vessel failure and serious adverse cardiovascular events, as well as stent thrombosis,' study leader Gregg Stone, MD, director of academic affairs for Mount Sinai Heart Health System in New York City, told Medscape Medical News. Results of the analysis were published in the European Heart Journal . Substudy Results The study included 2114 patients from the ILUMIEN IV clinical trial, which compared OCT- and angiography-guided percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). The participants in the substudy had a single treated calcified lesion in a major epicardial vessel. On angiographic guidance, 1082 patients (51.2%) had a moderately or severely calcified lesion and 1032 (48.8%) had no or mild calcification. Using angiographic guidance alone, the rate of target vessel failure at 2 years in the moderately or severely calcified lesions was 93% greater than that in the lesions with no or mild calcification (9.7% vs 5.2%). However, with OCT guidance, the 2-year rates of failure were similar in both groups, 6.8% in the moderately and severely calcified lesions and 7.7% in the no or mildly calcified lesions. With OCT guidance, the 2-year failure rates were 38% lower compared with angiography guidance in the patients with moderately and severely calcified lesions: 6.8% vs 9.7%. The differences in the patients with no or mild calcification were not statistically significant, the substudy found: 7.7% with OCT guidance and 5.2% with angiographic guidance ( P = .01). The three major predictors of vessel failure after PCI, Stone said, are minimal stent area and a major dissection or untreated disease at the edge of the stent. 'The real advantage of optical coherence tomography is that it provides a much more accurate picture than angiography in determining the minimal stent area or in detecting edge-related dissections or significant untreated disease,' he said. The 2024 European Society of Cardiology guidelines recommend intravascular imaging as a Class IA indication for anatomically complex lesions, Stone noted; but those guidelines do not specifically call out calcified lesions. 'That's the major gap this study fills,' he said. The American College of Cardiology, in conjunction with the American Heart Association and the Society for Cardiovascular Angiography and Intervention, this year issued a Class 1A recommendation for intracoronary imaging, including OCT, during stenting of the left main artery or for other complex lesions. 'Directly Relatable to the Clinic' While OCT operators need a high level of skill to perform the imaging and interpret the results, the substudy findings are 'quite generalizable to all settings,' Stone said. 'These findings are directly translatable to the clinic, but there's always more fine tuning that can be performed,' he added. That refining would include clarification of the characteristics of calcified plaque on OCT that are at highest risk for target vessel failure, and possibly the need for an advanced strategy of lesion preparation, using either lithotripsy, atherectomy or cutting or scoring balloons, he said. Several calcium scoring classifications for OCT have been proposed, but none has been clinically validated. 'That would be a rich area for future research,' Stone said. Clinical Context Yader Sandoval, MD The new data underscore the value of intravascular imaging, and add to the data supporting OCT specifically, for characterizing plaque in percutaneous coronary intervention, Yader Sandoval, MD, an interventional cardiologist at the Minneapolis Heart Institute at Abbott Northwestern Hospital and cochair for the Center for Coronary Artery Disease at the Minneapolis Heart Institute Foundation, Minneapolis, told Medscape Medical News . 'This analysis of ILUMIEN IV complements and further adds that this is the right direction that intravascular imaging not only provides superior technical results but it improves outcomes for these patients,' Sandoval said. The substudy clears up a finding from the original ILUMIEN IV study that, while OCT guidance resulted in a larger minimal stent area than angiography guidance, it did not necessarily reduce target vessel failure at 2 years. A strength of the ILUMIEN IV trial was the 'meticulous core laboratory data analysis' used, along with its global scope, he said. The substudy, also reported using OCT guidance, took about 16 minutes longer per procedure than angiography (67.7 minutes vs 51.5 minutes) and required longer fluoroscopy duration and greater total radiation dose, Sandoval said, which could raise questions about the practicality of OCT for this indication. 'The main message is, you are better characterizing calcium and therefore better preparing the lesion and providing a better technical result, better area, and better results for the patient,' he said. 'That comes with the investment that the procedure is little more complex, and you have to do a better job of preparing the lesion. And to me these data elegantly show that.' Abbott Vascular provided funding for this study. Stone reported receiving speaking fees from Abbott. Sandoval reported serving as a consultant, advisory board member, and a speaker for Abbott.
Indian Express
01-07-2025
- Health
- Indian Express
Advanced Cardiac Centre at PGI beams live cardiac procedure to national conference in Mumbai
The Advanced Cardiac Centre (ACC) of PGIMER, Chandigarh, marked another significant milestone by successfully broadcasting a complex live case of post-cardiac surgery, bypass graft angioplasty to the prestigious National Interventional Council (NIC 2025), held in Mumbai from June 26–29. The live procedure was performed on June 28, by a team from the Department of Cardiology, ACC PGI, under the expert supervision and guidance of professor (Dr) Rajesh Vijayvergiya. The case was transmitted live from PGIMER's state-of-the-art catheterisation laboratory to an audience of national and international experts attending the scientific meeting. The patient was an elderly male who had undergone coronary bypass surgery 15 years ago and coronary angioplasty of one of the blocked bypass grafts four years ago. He presented with chest pain due to blockage of a previously implanted stent and new blockages of other bypass grafts. During the live case broadcast, two bypass grafts were successfully treated using advanced interventional strategies, including intravascular ultrasound (IVUS), Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT) — techniques that are available at only a select few centres in India. 'These are technically demanding procedures requiring specialised skills and precision. It reflects our ongoing commitment to offering world-class cardiac care at an affordable cost,' stated Vijayvergiya. The live case stimulated an engaging panel discussion among eminent national and international cardiologists, who shared insights on lesion complexity, tool selection, and alternative treatment strategies. The session provided a valuable educational platform, highlighting the evolving best practices in interventional cardiology. 'These live case demonstrations, regularly broadcast from the department of Cardiology, PGI, to major scientific forums nationally and internationally, serve as powerful tools for professional development. They help interventional cardiologists stay updated with novel and evidence-based techniques, fostering continuous improvement in patient care,' added Vijayvergiya.
Medscape
18-06-2025
- Health
- Medscape
Comorbidities Intensify Rare Neurologic Diseases
Comorbidities, especially cardiovascular and autoimmune diseases, were frequent in aquaporin-4 antibody-positive neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (AQP4-NMOSD) and myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein antibody-associated disease (MOGAD), correlating with worse clinical outcomes, including more frequent optic neuritis relapses, greater disability, and retinal layer thinning. METHODOLOGY: The CROCTINO study was a retrospective, multicentre cohort study that analysed data of 442 patients with AQP4-NMOSD, MOGAD, and double seronegative NMOSD (DN-NMOSD) across 22 centres worldwide between 2000 and 2018, focusing on retinal pathology using optical coherence tomography (OCT). Researchers assessed comorbidities (classified into 14 categories) and their impact on disease severity, optic neuritis relapse rates, Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS) scores, and retinal integrity using OCT. They compared the prevalence and types of comorbidities across disease groups, evaluated associations with clinical outcomes, and analysed changes in retinal layer thickness. TAKEAWAY: Comorbidities were present in 43.5% of patients with AQP4-NMOSD, 40.8% of those with MOGAD, and 36.4% of those with DN-NMOSD. Those with AQP4-NMOSD had more multiple comorbidities than those with MOGAD (50% vs 25%; P = .03). = .03). EDSS scores were higher in patients with MOGAD and comorbidities than in those without (3.0 vs 2.0; P = .006) and in those with DN-NMOSD and comorbidities than in those without (5.0 vs 2.0; P = .008), but not significantly different between those with AQP4-NMOSD and those without. = .006) and in those with DN-NMOSD and comorbidities than in those without (5.0 vs 2.0; = .008), but not significantly different between those with AQP4-NMOSD and those without. Among patients with AQP4-NMOSD, those with cardiovascular comorbidities exhibited higher annual optic neuritis relapses than those with autoimmune comorbidities (mean, 1.06 ± 3.33 vs 0.49 ± 0.98; P < .001). < .001). Retinal changes showed reduced inner nuclear layer thickness in patients with AQP4-NMOSD having comorbidities, especially cardiovascular conditions ( P = .009). IN PRACTICE: "Comorbidities are frequent in AQP4-NMOSD and MOGAD and are associated with ON [optic neuritis] frequency and disability. These findings highlight the need for proactive comorbidity management to improve patient care," the authors wrote. SOURCE: This study, led by Sara Samadzadeh, Institute of Regional Health Research, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark, was published online on June 09, 2025, in the European Journal of Neurology . LIMITATIONS: This study's retrospective design may have led to inaccuracies in comorbidity documentation, including unrecorded risk factors (eg, smoking) and inconsistent data recorded. Some comorbidities could independently affect OCT or EDSS outcomes, potentially confounding the results. DISCLOSURES: This study was supported by the Lundbeck Foundation; the University of Southern Denmark, Slagelse Hospital Research Fund, and Region Zealand Health Sciences Research Fund; and the Guthy-Jackson Charitable Foundation. Some authors reported receiving support from several other organisations.
Otago Daily Times
16-06-2025
- General
- Otago Daily Times
Grant boosts playground project
A new Catlins playground will have a significant cultural leaning, including verse from a well-known local poet. Coastal community Kaka Point, which is nearing a rebuild of its "ageing" 30-year-old oceanside playground, received a major boost towards the $650,000 project recently, thanks to a $120,000 grant from the Otago Community Trust (OCT). Project spokeswoman Anna Cross said she hoped work would begin on the new playground — which would contain poetry from former resident Hone Tūwhare and other "cultural" elements — in October. The group had been "overwhelmed" by support for the project, from extensive local fundraising, the Clutha District Council, and grants including the recent OCT boost, Ms Cross said. "We think the inclusion of Hone Tūwhare's poetry in the design, a significant Māori literary figure who made Kaka Point his home, is quite special and strengthens the cultural identity of the space. "The playground design will also incorporate te ao Māori, including murals and informative signs sharing local history, as well as bilingual information panels highlighting native plants." She said the project had arisen in 2020, as the town — home to many holiday cribs — began to see an increase in families choosing to live there permanently, and it hosted visitors year-round. "The existing playground had become outdated and lacks modern, age-appropriate equipment. It wasn't reflecting the unique natural and cultural environment of Kaka Point, so we wanted to create a safe, engaging and inclusive play space for all." The playground's centre point would be a lighthouse slide, reflecting nearby tourist attraction the Nuggets Lighthouse. "We've worked closely with [designer] the Playground Centre to reflect and connect to our local environment by incorporating elements that define our area. "We're hoping to create a vibrant, inclusive and culturally enriched space for locals and visitors alike." The grant was one of a total $926,085 issued by OCT during its May distribution. Other major recipients included the Mihiwaka-Kāpukataumahaka/Mt Cargill Habitat Restoration project ($40,000); He Waka Kōtuia Trust ($50,000); and $150,000 for the Millers Flat Community Reserve rejuvenation project.
