Updates on Patent Foramen Ovale (PFO) Closure.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Patent foramen ovale (PFO) has been previously linked to left circulation thromboembolism and stroke. This review article aims to discuss the latest evidence, updated societal guidelines, diagnostic algorithms and novel therapeutic devices for PFO closure. RECENT FINDINGS: PFO closure for cryptogenic stroke and systemic embolization is supported by a large body of evidence and has a strong societal recommendation. Limited data are available for platypnea-orthodeoxia syndrome, although closure appears to be beneficial. Current data do not support routine closure for migraines and decompression Illness. Development of heart-brain teams can improve identification of patients most likely to benefit from closure, utilizing a combination of imaging test and risk score algorithms. Multiple novel devices aiming at reducing complications and improving the long-term impact of current available devices are being evaluated. PFO closure has significantly progressed over the last years, with new data supporting its superiority in reducing risk of recurrent embolic stroke in patients with PFO-related stroke. Additional clinical data are required to provide further refinements on patient selection and guidance on treatment of specific subgroups.

Prevalence of Cardiovascular Disease and Risk Factors Among Former National Football League Players.

BACKGROUND: Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the leading cause of death worldwide, but prevalence estimates in former professional athletes are limited. OBJECTIVES: HUDDLE (Heart Health: Understanding and Diagnosing Disease by Leveraging Echocardiograms) aimed to raise awareness and estimate the prevalence of CVD and associated risk factors among members of the National Football League (NFL) Alumni Association and their families through education and screening events. METHODS: HUDDLE was a multicity, cross-sectional study of NFL alumni and family members aged 50 years and older. Subjects reported their health history and participated in CVD education and screening (blood pressure, electrocardiogram, and transthoracic echocardiogram [TTE] assessments). Phone follow-up by investigators occurred 30 days postscreening to review results and recommendations. This analysis focuses on former NFL athletes. RESULTS: Of 498 participants screened, 57.2% (N = 285) were former NFL players, the majority of whom were African American (67.6%). The prevalence of hypertension among NFL alumni was estimated to be 89.8%, though only 37.5% reported a history of hypertension. Of 285 evaluable participants, 61.8% had structural cardiac abnormalities by TTE. Multivariable analysis showed that hypertension was a significant predictor of clinically relevant structural abnormalities on TTE. CONCLUSIONS: HUDDLE identified a large discrepancy between participant self-awareness and actual prevalence of CVD and risk factors, highlighting a significant opportunity for population health interventions. Structural cardiac abnormalities were observed in most participants and were independently predicted by hypertension, affirming the role of TTE for CVD screening in this population aged older than 50 years. (Heart Health: Understanding and Diagnosing Disease by Leveraging Echocardiograms [HUDDLE]; NCT05009589).

Functional and Quality of Life Outcomes After TAVR in Patients With Low Gradient Aortic Stenosis.

Severe aortic stenosis is a common valvular heart disease associated with significant mortality and morbidity. Transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) is an effective treatment for this condition. Less data is available regarding functional and quality-of-life outcomes in patients with severe, low-gradient aortic stenosis following TAVR. This single-center, retrospective study compared changes in New York Heart Association (NYHA) class and Kansas City Cardiomyopathy Questionnaire (KCCQ) scores at 30 days and 1 year in patients with 3 variants of severe, low-gradient aortic stenosis following TAVR. Secondary outcomes included 1-year major adverse cardiovascular event. A total of 170 patients were included. All 3 low-gradient variants had significant improvement in NYHA class and KCCQ overall scores at 30 days and 1 year. There were no significant differences in KCCQ overall scores between the 3 groups and no significant differences in secondary outcomes. Patients with low-gradient aortic stenosis experienced significant improvements in functional and quality-of-life outcomes following TAVR.

Patent Foramen Ovale Closure for Nonstroke Indications.

The patent foramen ovale (PFO) is a flap or tunnel-like communication in the atrial septum present in 20% to 34% of the adult population. In most cases, it is a benign finding and poses no health risk. However, some PFOs may provide a conduit for bloodborne materials, such as thrombi, vasoactive substances, or air to pass into the systemic circulation causing a paradoxical embolus. PFOs have been linked with several clinical disease states including cryptogenic stroke, migraine headache, platypnea-orthodeoxia, and decompression illness. Percutaneous PFO closure provides a practical solution to the problem of PFO in carefully selected populations. Recent randomized control trials have demonstrated that PFO closure in patients with cryptogenic stroke is associated with reduced rates of recurrent stroke compared with medical therapy. This translated into a dramatic increase in the number of PFO closure procedures worldwide, primarily for the indication of cryptogenic stroke, with high procedural success and low complication rates. However, there are no randomized clinical trials available to support PFO closure in other clinical conditions. This article reviews potential indications, existing data, and management approaches for PFO closure in disorders other than cryptogenic stroke.

SCAI/HRS Expert Consensus Statement on Transcatheter Left Atrial Appendage Closure.

Exclusion of the left atrial appendage to reduce thromboembolic risk related to atrial fibrillation was first performed surgically in 1949. Over the past 2 decades, the field of transcatheter endovascular left atrial appendage closure (LAAC) has rapidly expanded, with a myriad of devices approved or in clinical development. The number of LAAC procedures performed in the United States and worldwide has increased exponentially since the Food and Drug Administration approval of the WATCHMAN (Boston Scientific) device in 2015. The Society for Cardiovascular Angiography & Interventions (SCAI) has previously published statements in 2015 and 2016 providing societal overview of the technology and institutional and operator requirements for LAAC. Since then, results from several important clinical trials and registries have been published, technical expertise and clinical practice have matured over time, and the device and imaging technologies have evolved. Therefore, SCAI prioritized the development of an updated consensus statement to provide recommendations on contemporary, evidence-based best practices for transcatheter LAAC focusing on endovascular devices.

SCAI Guidelines for the Management of Patent Foramen Ovale.

Background: Patent foramen ovale (PFO) is a vestigial congenital cardiovascular structure present in around 25% of adults. In most cases, PFO is entirely benign and requires no treatment. However, it may cause serious complications under certain circumstances. Objective: These evidence-based guidelines from the Society for Cardiovascular Angiography and Interventions (SCAI) aim to support patients, clinicians, and other stakeholders in decisions about management of PFO. Methods: SCAI convened a multidisciplinary guideline panel balanced to minimize potential bias from conflicts of interest. The Evidence Foundation, a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, provided methodological support for the guideline-development process. Following the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE) approach, the guideline panel formulated and prioritized clinical questions in population, intervention, comparison, outcome (PICO) format. A separate technical review team of clinical and methodological experts conducted systematic reviews of the evidence, synthesized data, and graded the certainty of the evidence across outcomes. The guideline panel then reconvened to formulate recommendations and supporting remarks informed by the results of the technical review and additional contextual factors described in the GRADE evidence-to-decision framework. Results: The panel agreed on 13 recommendations to address variations on 5 clinical scenarios. Conclusions: Key recommendations address patient selection for PFO closure in the prevention of recurrent PFO-associated stroke, including populations not commonly included in randomized studies, and scenarios where the PFO closure might serve a role in the prevention of other outcomes such as migraine headaches and decompression illness. The panel has also identified future research priorities to advance the field.