CRT 2026: What to Expect in Washington, DC

It’s March, and that means the Cardiovascular Research Technologies (CRT) meeting is here to kick off the month. I will be onsite in Washington, DC, covering late-breaking trial research and looking for other interesting news to share.

If you want to alert me to something you or your team is presenting, feel free to reach out by email at the meeting or ahead of time.

This year’s CRT, held March 7-10, will feature more than 30 late-breaking clinical trials (LBCT) and featured science presentations spread over 4 days.

Saturday will start out with more than a dozen abstract sessions in the morning and two LBCT sessions in the afternoon. The Coronary I session will include 5-year follow-up from the SUGAR trial comparing a polymer-free, amphilimus-eluting stent to a permanent-polymer zotarolimus-eluting stent in patients with diabetes. This session also features 3-year outcomes from the AGENT IDE trial of a drug-coated balloon for in-stent restenosis. The Coronary II session that follows immediately thereafter offers up the X1-ACCURACY study, which involves AI-assisted single-view angiographic fractional flow reserve (FFR) versus invasive hyperemic FFR. In that same session is a systematic review and network meta-analysis of angiography, imaging, and physiology to guide coronary revascularization.

Sunday’s LBCT session, Coronary III, is set to highlight a study of efficacy and safety of clopidogrel versus aspirin monotherapy beyond 12 months after PCI in patients at high risk of experiencing subsequent CV events. The DOBERMANN-D trial, which is looking at the effect of low-dose dobutamine infusion on N-terminal pro B-type natriuretic peptide in patients with acute MI and intermediate to high risk of cardiogenic shock, will also be presented.

In addition to the popular Women in Cardiology session, Monday morning will see a Featured Clinical Science session that includes, among other things, a substudy of the SELUTION trial focused on the effects of operator experience on a sirolimus-eluting balloon strategy in de novo coronary lesions.

Monday’s LBCTs delve into new data on tirzepatide (Zepbound; Eli Lilly) and subclinical leaflet thrombosis and paravalvular leak in obese patients who have undergone TAVI. Another will look at real-world reintervention rates among low-risk Medicare patients who have had TAVI.

Tuesday morning brings us the endovascular LBCTs. Of particular interest among these is CARPOOL, a study comparing radial-to-peripheral (R2P) and femoral artery vascular access in PAD revascularization. This session also features new data on standard versus enhanced radiation protection devices in peripheral cases and an update from the CREST-2 trial chair.

As usual, the keynote speaker for CRT 2026 is a true Washington insider. On Monday, March 9, at 8 PM, Joseph R. Biden Jr, the 46th President of the United States, is scheduled to address meeting attendees. Pro tip: line up early!