Clinical Outcomes with Cardiac Resynchronization Therapy in Patients with Cardiac Sarcoidosis: A Systematic Review and Proportional Meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Cardiac sarcoidosis (CS) is an inflammatory condition that can present with heart failure (HF). Cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) is known to improve clinical outcomes for patients with left bundle branch block in the general HF population. However, data about the outcomes of CRT in CS is limited. METHODS: A systematic literature search was conducted using PubMed/Medline, Embase, and the Cochrane Library from inception to February 2024 to identify studies that reported clinical outcomes following the use of CRT in patients with CS. Data for outcomes was extracted, pooled, and analyzed. OpenMetaAnalyst was used for pooling untransformed proportions along with the corresponding 95% confidence intervals (CIs). RESULTS: Five studies with a total of 176 CS patients who received CRT were included. The pooled incidence for all-cause mortality was 7.6% (95% CI: -3% to 18%), for HF-related hospitalizations 23.2% (95% CI: 2% to 43%), and for major adverse cerebral and cardiovascular events 27% (95% CI: 8% to 45%) after a mean follow-up of 60.1 (±48.7) months. The pooled left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) was 34.28% (95% CI: 29.88% to 38.68%) demonstrating an improvement of 3.75% in LVEF from baseline LVEF of 30.58% (95% CI: 24.68% to 36.48%). The mean New York Heart Association (NYHA) functional class was 2.16 (95% CI: 1.47 to 2.84) after CRT as compared to the baseline mean NYHA of 2.58 (95% CI: 2.29 to 2.86). CONCLUSION: Although improvements were observed in LVEF and mean NYHA, mortality was high in CS patients with CRT.

Characteristics and clinical outcomes of patients with sarcoidosis admitted for ST-elevation myocardial infarction in the United States: a propensity matched analysis from the National Inpatient Sample.

Introduction: Sarcoidosis is a systemic inflammatory disorder characterised by non-caseating granulomas. Cardiac sarcoidosis (CS) normally causes conduction abnormalities, ventricular arrhythmias, and heart failure. Little is known about the characteristics and impact of sarcoidosis in patients admitted with ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI). This study aims to fill this void. Material and methods: Utilising the National Inpatient Sample (NIS) database (2016-2020), individuals with STEMI were identified and categorised based on sarcoidosis presence whilst adjusting for confounders via logistic regression models. Results: Among 851,290 STEMI patients, 1215 had sarcoidosis. Before propensity matching, sarcoidosis patients were notably different in demographics and comorbidities compared to non-sarcoidosis patients. After propensity score matching (PSM), sarcoidosis patients were found to have a higher incidence of supraventricular tachycardia (SVT) (2.5% vs. 1.3%, p = 0.024) and acute kidney injury (AKI) (23.3% vs. 20.8%, aOR = 1.269, 95% CI: 1.02-1.58, p = 0.033) but a lower incidence of undergoing coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) (5.5% vs. 8.5%, aOR = 0.663; 95% CI: 0.472-0.931, p = 0.018), while no significant disparities were noted in PCI, cardiogenic shock, mortality, or mean length of stay (LOS). Conclusions: Using propensity-matched large real-world data of STEMI patients, sarcoidosis was associated with fewer cases of CABG and a greater incidence of AKI and SVT compared to non-sarcoidosis patients.

The effect of oral anticoagulants on the incidence of dementia in patients with atrial fibrillation: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background: Dementia is a recognized complication of atrial fibrillation (AF). Oral anticoagulant (OAC) therapy can potentially be protective against this complication. Methods: A comprehensive search of MEDLINE and Embase for comparative observational studies reporting the efficacy of OAC therapy for the incidence of dementia in patients with AF was conducted from its inception until March 2023. Studies that had patients with prior use of OAC or with a previous history of dementia were excluded. Results: A total of 22 studies were included in this review involving 617,204 participants. The pooled analysis revealed that OAC therapy, including direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs) and vitamin K antagonists (VKAs), was associated with a reduced incidence of dementia in AF patients. Specifically, compared to non-OAC treatment, OACs demonstrated a significant reduction in dementia incidence (HR 0.68, 95 % CI [0.58, 0.80], p < 0.00001), with similar findings observed for DOACs (HR 0.69, 95 % CI [0.51, 0.94], p = 0.02) and VKAs (HR 0.73, 95 % CI [0.56, 0.95], p = 0.02). The comparison of DOAC vs VKA revealed that DOACs are associated with reduced risk of dementia (HR 0.87, 95 % CI [0.79, 0.96], p = 0.004). Conclusion: Our SR and meta-analysis showed that the use of OAC therapy is associated with a reduced risk of dementia in individuals with AF. However, our results are limited by the potential influence of confounding bias and significant heterogeneity in the analyses.

Comparison of prognosis in isolated versus systemic manifestations of cardiac sarcoidosis.

BACKGROUND: Isolated cardiac sarcoidosis (iCS) is a poorly understood and under-recognised entity. Previous research has postulated that those with iCS have worsened outcomes compared to those with other manifestations of the disease, however, there have been studies which both support and refute this hypothesis. PURPOSE OF REVIEW: This review will summarise the literature which focuses on differences in the epidemiology, imaging findings and patient outcome of those with isolated cardiac sarcoidosis (iCS) versus 'systemic' cardiac sarcoidosis (sCS) which is not isolated to the heart. SUMMARY: Variations in study design make accurate comparison between current papers challenging, and that the factors which indicate poor prognosis in patients with iCS is not yet fully understood. Current literature suggests those with iCS are more likely to be male, have higher numbers of abnormal uptake patterns on cardiac imaging, and may have poorer prognosis than sCS patients. Multi-centre, prospective studies analysing isolated cardiac sarcoidosis across geographical regions are needed to improve our understanding of this phenomenon and ultimately improve patient outcome.

Age-related disparities in complications among women with peripartum cardiomyopathy.

INTRODUCTION: While the exact pathogenesis of peripartum cardiomyopathy, a potentially life-threatening condition, is still unknown, its incidence is rising globally. We sought to understand the differences in outcomes and complications based on age. METHODS: Records from the 2016-2020 National Inpatient Sample were used for our study. The sample consisted of females diagnosed with peripartum cardiomyopathy that required hospitalization care. They were divided into two age-based cohorts: 15-29 years and 30-40 years. We evaluated differences in in-hospital complications between the two groups using multivariable regression. RESULTS: The analysis consisted of 20520 females diagnosed with peripartum cardiomyopathy, of whom 57.3 % were in the 30-40 years cohort and 42.7 % in the 15-29 years group. The prevalence of cardiovascular risk factors such as smoking, obesity, hypertension, diabetes and lipid disorder was higher among women aged 30-40 years (p < 0.01). These patients also demonstrated higher odds of reporting acute ischemic stroke (aOR 1.354, 95 % CI 1.038-1.767, p = 0.026) while having a reduced risk of cardiogenic shock (aOR 0.787, 95 % CI 0.688-0.901, p < 0.01) as compared to those aged 15-29 years during their hospitalisation with PPCM. No statistically significant differences were noted for events of acute kidney injury (aOR 1.074, 95 % CI 0.976-1.182, p = 0.143), acute pulmonary oedema (aOR 1.147, 95 % CI 0.988-1.332, p = 0.071) or in-hospital mortality (aOR 0.978, 95 % CI 0.742-1.290, p = 0.877). CONCLUSION: Peripartum cardiomyopathy is a serious condition that requires appropriate care and management. Our study linked cases of ages 30-40 years with increased odds of acute ischemic stroke but lower odds of cardiogenic shock.

Characteristics and Outcomes of Hospitalized Patients With Heart Failure and Sarcoidosis: A Propensity-Matched Analysis of the Nationwide Readmissions Database 2010-2019.

BACKGROUND: Sarcoidosis is associated with a poor prognosis. There is a lack of data examining the outcomes and readmission rates of sarcoidosis patients with heart failure (SwHF) and without heart failure (SwoHF). We aimed to compare the impact of non-ischemic heart failure on outcomes and readmissions in these two groups. METHODS: The US Nationwide Readmission Database was queried from 2010 to 2019 for SwHF and SwoHF patients identified using the International Classification of Diseases, 9th and 10th Editions. Those with ischemic heart disease were excluded, and both cohorts were propensity matched for age, gender, and Charlson Comorbidity Index (CCI). Clinical characteristics, length of stay, adjusted healthcare-associated costs, 90-day readmission and mortality were analyzed. RESULTS: We identified 97,961 hospitalized patients (median age 63 years, 37.9% male) with a diagnosis of sarcoidosis (35.9% SwHF vs 64.1% SwoHF). On index admission, heart failure patients had higher prevalences of atrioventricular block (3.3% vs 1.4%, P < .0001), ventricular tachycardia (6.5% vs 1.3%, P < .0001), ventricular fibrillation (0.4% vs 0.1%, P < .0001) and atrial fibrillation (22.1% vs 7.5%, P < .0001). SwHF patients were more likely to be readmitted (hazard ratio 1.28, P < .0001), had higher length of hospital stay (5 vs 4 days, P < .0001), adjusted healthcare-associated costs ($9,667.0 vs $9,087.1, P < .0001) and mortality rates on readmission (5.1% vs 3.8%, P < .0001). Predictors of mortality included heart failure, increasing age, male sex, higher CCI, and liver disease. CONCLUSION: SwHF is associated with higher rates of arrhythmia at index admission, as well as greater hospital cost, readmission and mortality rates compared to those without heart failure.

Racial disparities among patients with cardiac sarcoidosis and arrhythmias in the United States: A propensity matched-analysis from the national inpatient sample database 2016-2020.

BACKGROUND: Cardiac sarcoidosis (CS) is frequently associated with conduction abnormalities and arrhythmias. In this study, we aim to evaluate racial disparities in the frequency of arrhythmias, and associated co-morbidities, among patients with CS. METHODS: White and African American (AA) patients diagnosed with CS were identified and compared from the 2016-2020 National Inpatient Sample (NIS) database whilst adjusting for confounders via logistic regression models. RESULTS: A total of 7,935 patients with CS were included in the study. The propensity-matched sample comprised of 5,570 patients, of whom 2,785 were White and 2,785 were AA. AA patients had a longer mean length of hospital stay (LOS) (7.84 vs. 6.94, p<0.01), a higher mean Charlson Comorbidity Index (CCI) score (3.10 vs. 2.84, p<0.01), and significantly higher incidences of cardiogenic shock [(9.2% vs 6.3%, p<0.01), aOR 1.45 (95% CI 1.17-1.78), p<0.01] and acute kidney injury (AKI) [(34.3% vs. 26.9%, p<0.01), aOR 1.41 (95% CI 1.24-1.61), p<0.01]. From an arrhythmia perspective, AA CS patients were shown to have a lower frequency of: (1) ventricular tachycardia (32.5% vs. 37.9%, p<0.01), (2) ventricular fibrillation (5.4% vs.7.2%, p<0.01), (3) first-degree AV block (1.8% vs. 4.1%, p<0.01), (4) complete AV block (6.3% vs. 14.2%, p<0.01), and (5) atrial fibrillation (31.8% vs. 34.8%, p=0.016) when compared to Whites with CS. Mortality remained higher for AAs (3.8% vs. 2.7%, p=0.024). CONCLUSION: Our study demonstrates a higher incidence of cardiac arrhythmias among White patients but a higher incidence of cardiogenic shock, AKI, mean LOS, and mortality among AA patients with cardiac sarcoidosis.

The role of ICDs in patients with sarcoidosis-A comprehensive review.

BACKGROUND: Implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) use in cardiac sarcoidosis (CS) to prevent sudden cardiac death (SCD) is a potentially life-saving intervention. However, the factors that determine outcome in this cohort remains largely unknown. This review analyses CS patients with an ICD and highlights determinants of poor outcome. OUTCOMES: Analysis of studies which used the 2014 HRS Consensus, 2017 AHA/ACC/HRS Guideline and 2022 ESC Guidelines showed that those with class I recommendations have higher incidences of ventricular arrhythmia (VA) than those with class II recommendations. Additionally, even those with normal left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) and CS are at high risk of VA and SCD. SUMMARY: Compounding research emphasises the importance of cardiac imaging in those with sarcoidosis, with evidence to suggest a possible need for revision of the guidelines. Other variables such as demographics and ventricular characteristics may prove useful in predicting those to benefit most from ICD insertion.