Hospital Outcomes of Spontaneous Coronary Artery Dissection With Concurrent Ventricular Arrhythmias.

Background: While patients with spontaneous coronary artery dissection (SCAD) occasionally present with concurrent ventricular arrhythmias (VA), the impact of VA on in-hospital outcomes in the United States (US) is not well-established. This study aims to analyze in-hospital outcomes of patients with SCAD and concurrent VA and to determine the factors associated with VA occurrence in this high-risk population in the US. Methods: Using the Nationwide Readmissions Database, our study included patients age 18 years or older who had SCAD between 2017 and 2020. We categorized the cohort into 2 groups depending on the presence of VA during hospitalization. In-hospital outcomes were assessed between SCAD patients with VA and those without. Weighted analysis was performed. We analyzed the independent factors associated with VA occurring among SCAD patients through univariable and multivariable analyses. Results: Eight hundred seventy-seven SCAD patients were included in the study: 118 (13.5%) with VA and 759 (86.6%) without. SCAD patients with concurrent VA were associated with higher rates of early mortality (10.2% vs 2.0%; P < .01), prolonged index hospital stay (≥7 days) (33.1% vs 11.7%; P < .01), and non-home discharge (21.2% vs 5.9%; P < .01). The length of hospital stay was longer in the SCAD with concurrent VA group (7.39 days vs 3.58 days; P < .01), and the median cumulative cost of hospitalization was also higher in this group ($31,451 vs $13,802; P < .01). SCAD patients with concurrent VA had increased in-hospital adverse events: acute heart failure, cardiac arrest, cardiogenic shock, cerebral infarction, pulmonary edema, and acute kidney injury. In multivariable analysis, the independent factors associated with VA occurrence among SCAD patients were chronic liver disease (aOR, 3.42; 95% CI, 1.43-8.20; P < .01) and heart failure (aOR, 5.63; 95% CI, 3.36-9.42; P < .01). Conclusions: Concurrence of VA among SCAD patients was associated with poorer in-hospital outcomes. Heart failure and chronic liver disease were the independent factors associated with VA occurrence in SCAD patients.

Lipoprotein(a) and Long-term In-stent Restenosis after Percutaneous Coronary Intervention.

AIM: Lipoprotein(a) [Lp(a)] has demonstrated its association with atherosclerosis and myocardial infarction. However, its role in the development of in-stent restenosis (ISR) after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) is not clearly established. The aim of this study is to investigate the association between Lp(a) and ISR. METHODS: A retrospective study of adult patients who underwent successful PCI between January 2006 and December 2017 at the three Mayo Clinic sites and had a preprocedural Lp(a) measurement was conducted. Patients were divided into two groups according to the serum Lp(a) concentration (high Lp(a) ≥50 mg/dl and low Lp(a) <50 mg/dl). Univariable and multivariable analyses were performed to compare risk of ISR between patients with high Lp(a) versus those with low Lp(a). RESULTS: A total of 1209 patients were included, with mean age 65.9 ±11.7 years and 71.8% were male. Median follow-up after baseline PCI was 8.8 (IQR 7.4) years. Restenosis was observed in 162 (13.4%) patients. Median serum levels of Lp(a) were significantly higher in patients affected by ISR versus non-affected cases: 27 (IQR 73.8) vs. 20 (IQR 57.5) mg/dL, p=0.008. The rate of ISR was significantly higher among patients with high Lp(a) versus patients with low Lp(a) values (17.0% vs 11.6%, p=0.010). High Lp(a) values were independently associated with ISR events (HR 1.67, 95%CI 1.18 to 2.37, p=0.004), and this association was more prominent after the first year following the PCI. CONCLUSION: Lipoprotein(a) is an independent predictor for long-term in-stent restenosis and should be considered in the evaluation of patients undergoing PCI.

The role of Lp(a) in the development of in-stent restenosis is not clearly established. In this study including 1209 patients who underwent successful percutaneous coronary intervention and had a preprocedural Lp(a) measurement between 2006 and 2017, the rates of restenosis were significantly higher among patients with high Lp(a) versus patients with low Lp(a) values and high Lp(a) concentrations were independently associated with restenosis events. Lp(a) should be considered as a risk factor for long term in-stent restenosis in the evaluation of patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention and assessed as a potential therapeutic target for reducing residual cardiovascular risk in this population.

Optical Coherence Tomography in the Assessment and Management of Cardiac Allograft Vasculopathy.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Cardiac Allograft vasculopathy (CAV) is a major barrier to improving outcomes after heart transplantation. Coronary angiography has very low sensitivity to detect early CAV and intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) only improves it to some extent. In this article, we detail the current evidence surrounding use of Optical Coherence tomography (OCT) in patients with CAV. RECENT FINDINGS: OCT has the ability to recognize CAV at earlier stages with intimal thickness < 150 µm, can characterize CAV in almost pathologic / microscopic detail - plaque characteristics are better visualized and novel early features such as layered fibrotic plaques and microchannels have been identified. Progression of CAV can be monitored also, with promise shown in automated serial measurements also. OCT has significantly advanced our understanding of the pathophysiology-as well as permits precise monitoring and surveillance of the disease. Potential treatment options could also be evaluated using OCT.

Adverse Events in Total Artificial Heart for End-Stage Heart Failure: Insight From the Food and Drug Administration Manufacturer and User Facility Device Experience (MAUDE).

Background and Objectives: Real-world clinical data, outside of clinical trials and expert centers, on adverse events related to the use of SyncCardia total artificial heart (TAH) remain limited. We aim to analyze adverse events related to the use of SynCardia TAH reported to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA)'s Manufacturers and User Defined Experience (MAUDE) database. Methods: We reviewed the FDA's MAUDE database for any adverse events involving the use of SynCardia TAH from 1/01/2012 to 9/30/2020. All the events were independently reviewed by three physicians. Results: A total of 1,512 adverse events were identified in 453 "injury and death" reports in the MAUDE database. The most common adverse events reported were infection (20.2%) and device malfunction (20.1%). These were followed by bleeding events (16.5%), respiratory failure (10.1%), cerebrovascular accident (CVA)/other neurological dysfunction (8.7%), renal dysfunction (7.5%), hepatic dysfunction (2.2%), thromboembolic events (1.8%), pericardial effusion (1.8%), and hemolysis (1%). Death was reported in 49.4% of all the reported cases (n=224/453). The most common cause of death was multiorgan failure (n=73, 32.6%), followed by CVA/other non-specific neurological dysfunction (n=44, 19.7%), sepsis (n=24, 10.7%), withdrawal of support (n=20, 8.9%), device malfunction (n=11, 4.9%), bleeding (n=7, 3.1%), respiratory failure (n=7, 3.1%), gastrointestinal disorder (n=6, 2.7%), and cardiomyopathy (n=3, 1.3%). Conclusions: Infection was the most common adverse event following the implantation of TAH. Most of the deaths reported were due to multiorgan failure. Early recognition and management of any possible adverse events after the TAH implantation are essential to improve the procedural outcome and patient survival.

Trends and Disparities in Valvular Heart Disease Mortality in the United States From 1999 to 2020.

BACKGROUND: Percutaneous heart valve procedures have been increasingly performed over the past decade, yet real-world mortality data on valvular heart disease (VHD) in the United States remain limited. METHODS AND RESULTS: We queried the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Wide-Ranging Online Data for Epidemiologic Research database among patients ≥15 years old from 1999 to 2020. VHD and its subtypes were listed as the underlying cause of death. We calculated age-adjusted mortality rate (AAMR) per 100 000 individuals and determined overall trends by estimating the average annual percent change using the Joinpoint regression program. Subgroup analyses were performed based on demographic and geographic factors. In the 22-year study, there were 446 096 VHD deaths, accounting for 0.80% of all-cause mortality (56 014 102 people) and 2.38% of the total cardiovascular mortality (18 759 451 people). Aortic stenosis recorded the highest mortality of VHD-related death in both male (109 529, 61.74%) and female (166 930, 62.13%) populations. The AAMR of VHD has declined from 8.4 (95% CI, 8.2-8.5) to 6.6 (95% CI, 6.5-6.7) per 100 000 population. Similar decreasing AAMR trends were also seen for the VHD subtypes. Men recorded higher AAMR for aortic stenosis and aortic regurgitation, whereas women had higher AAMR for mitral stenosis and mitral regurgitation. Mitral regurgitation had the highest change in average annual percent change in AAMR. CONCLUSIONS: The mortality rate of VHD among the US population has declined over the past 2 decades. This highlights the likely efficacy of increasing surveillance and advancement in the management of VHD, resulting in improved outcomes.

Novel use of the double kissing crush technique to stent complex pulmonary artery stenosis in a child with Alagille syndrome.

Coronary bifurcation lesions and treatment with two-stent techniques have been developed, including the double kissing (DK) crush technique. The use of this technique in children or noncoronary vessels, including pulmonary arteries, has not been described. We present a 12-year-old girl with Alagille syndrome, a ventricular septal defect (VSD), and complex bilateral pulmonary artery (PA) stenoses who is status post six catheterizations for PA angioplasty and stenting to improve her marked right ventricular hypertension. With collaboration between the congenital and structural teams, she successfully underwent the DK crush technique for a complex lesion in her PA. This improved pulmonary flow and allowed for successful surgical VSD closure.

Impact of Social Vulnerability and Demographics on Ischemic Heart Disease Mortality in the United States.

Background: Cardiovascular disease is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality, largely dominated by ischemic heart diseases (IHDs). Social determinants of health, including geographic, psychosocial, and socioeconomic factors, influence the development of IHD. Objectives: This study aimed to evaluate yearly trends and disparities in IHD mortality and to assess the impact of social vulnerability. Methods: We performed cross-sectional analyses using United States county-level mortality data and social vulnerability index (SVI) obtained from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention databases. Age-adjusted mortality rates (AAMRs) per 100,000 population were compared between aggregated U.S. county groups, stratified by demographic information and SVI quartiles. Log-linear regression models were used to identify mortality trends from 1999 to 2020, with inflection points determined through the Monte-Carlo permutation test. Results: We identified a total of 9,108,644 deaths related to IHD between 1999 and 2020. Overall AAMR decreased from 194.6 in 1999 to 91.8 in 2020. Males (AAMR: 161.51) and Black (AAMR: 141.49) populations exhibited higher AAMR compared to females (AAMR: 93.16) and White (AAMR: 123.34) populations, respectively. Disproportionate AAMRs were observed among nonmetropolitan (AAMR: 136.17) and Northeastern (AAMR: 132.96) regions. Counties with a higher SVI experienced a greater AAMR, with a cumulative excess of 20.91 deaths per 100,000 person-years associated with increased social vulnerability. Conclusions: Despite a decline in IHD mortality from 1999 to 2020, disparities persisted among racial, gender, and geographic subgroups. A higher SVI was linked to increased IHD mortality. Policy interventions should prioritize integrating the SVI into health care delivery systems to effectively address these disparities.

A randomized controlled trial of simulation training in teaching coronary angiographic views.

INTRODUCTION: Simulation technology has an established role in teaching technical skills to cardiology fellows, but its impact on teaching trainees to interpret coronary angiographic (CA) images has not been systematically studied. The aim of this randomized controlled study was to test whether structured simulation training, in addition to traditional methods would improve CA image interpretation skills in a heterogeneous group of medical trainees. METHODS: We prospectively randomized a convenience sample of 105 subjects comprising of medical students (N = 20), residents (N = 68) and fellows (N = 17) from the University of Arizona. Subjects were randomized in a stratified fashion into a simulation training group which received simulation training in addition to didactic teaching (n = 53) and a control training group which received didactic teaching alone (n = 52). The change in pre and post-test score (delta score) was analyzed by a two-way ANOVA for education status and training arm. RESULTS: Subjects improved in their post-test scores with a mean change of 4.6 ± 4.0 points. Subjects in the simulation training arm had a higher delta score compared to control (5.4 ± 4.2 versus 3.8 ± 3.7, p = 0.04), with greatest impact for residents (6.6 ± 4.0 versus 3.5 ± 3.4) with a p = 0.02 for interaction of training arm and education status. CONCLUSIONS: Simulation training complements traditional methods to improve CA interpretation skill, with greatest impact on residents. This highlights the importance of incorporating high-fidelity simulation training early in cardiovascular fellowship curricula.

Right ventricular dysfunction and tricuspid regurgitation in functional mitral regurgitation.

AIM: The objective of this study was to investigate the prognostic importance of right ventricular dysfunction (RVD) and tricuspid regurgitation (TR) in patients with moderate-severe functional mitral regurgitation (FMR) receiving MitraClip procedure. RVD and TR grade are associated with cardiovascular mortality in the general population and other cardiovascular diseases. However, there are limited data from observational studies on the prognostic significance of RVD and TR in FMR receiving MitraClip procedure. METHODS AND RESULTS: A systemic review and meta-analysis were performed using MEDLINE, Scopus, and Embase to assess the prognostic value of RVD and TR grade for mortality in patients with functional mitral regurgitation (FMR) receiving MitraClip procedure. Hazard ratios were extracted from multivariate models reporting on the association of RVD and TR with mortality and described as pooled estimates with 95% confidence intervals. A total of eight non-randomized studies met the inclusion criteria with seven studies having at least 12 months follow-up with a mean follow-up of 20.9 months. Among the aforementioned studies, a total of 1112 patients (71.5% being male) were eligible for being included in our meta-analysis with an overall mortality rate of 28.4% (n = 316). Of the enrolled patients, RVD was present in 46.1% and moderate-severe TR in 29.2%. RVD was significantly associated with mortality compared to normal RV function (HR, 1.79, 95% CI, 1.39-2.31, P < 0.001, I2  = 0). Patients with moderate-severe TR showed increased risk of mortality compared with those in the none-mild TR group (HR, 1.61. 95% CI, 1.11-2.33, P = 0.01, I2  = 14). CONCLUSIONS: This meta-analysis demonstrates the prognostic importance of RVD and TR grade in predicting all-cause mortality in patients with significant FMR. RV function and TR parameters may therefore be useful in the risk stratification of patients with significant FMR undergoing MitraClip procedure.

Intravascular Ultrasound for Pulmonary Vein Stenosis Interventions in Congenital Heart Disease.

OBJECTIVE: Pulmonary vein stenosis (PVS) is aggressive, with high morbidity and mortality. Surgical and catheter interventions yield modest success, at best. Refinements in catheter interventions could potentially improve outcomes in this patient population. The goal of this study was to determine the utility of intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) for patients with congenital heart disease and PVS. METHODS: Single-center, retrospective review of patients with congenital heart disease and PVS undergoing diagnostic or interventional catheterizations from March 2015 to February 2020. IVUS of the pulmonary veins was performed using an Eagle Eye Platinum IVUS catheter (Volcano Corporation). RESULTS: Five patients underwent 6 procedures (2 diagnostic, 4 interventional). Median age was 1.5 years (range, 0.7-47.5 years) and weight was 8.8 kg (range, 7.3-61 kg). For the interventional procedures, mean pulmonary vein gradient was 8.7 mm Hg with reduction to 1.1 mm Hg (P<.001). Four patients had congenital PVS and 1 patient was post repair of Scimitar syndrome with an obstructed pulmonary venous baffle. Use of IVUS allowed confirmation of stent expansion and apposition, interval vessel growth after initial stenting, and detection of long-segment hypoplasia, unlikely to respond to intervention. There were no thrombotic complications related to IVUS use. CONCLUSIONS: IVUS of the pulmonary veins is safe and easy to perform, and provides detailed imaging of PVS to help guide therapy. For those requiring intervention, adequate stent apposition to the pulmonary vein walls, as well as limiting vessel overdilation, may minimize future in-stent stenosis and need for reintervention in this challenging disease.

Corrigendum: Characterization of Two Novel Bacteriophages Infecting Multidrug-Resistant (MDR) Acinetobacter baumannii and Evaluation of Their Therapeutic Efficacy in vivo.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2018.00696.].

Randomized Pilot Clinical Trial of Early Coronary Angiography Versus No Early Coronary Angiography After Cardiac Arrest Without ST-Segment Elevation: The PEARL Study.

BACKGROUND: The benefit of emergency coronary angiography after resuscitation from out-of-hospital cardiac arrest is uncertain for patients without ST-segment elevation. The aim of this randomized trial was to evaluate the efficacy and safety of early coronary angiography and to determine the prevalence of acute coronary occlusion in resuscitated patients with out-of-hospital cardiac arrest without ST-segment elevation. METHODS: Adult (>18 years) comatose survivors without ST-segment elevation after resuscitation from out-of-hospital cardiac arrest were prospectively randomized in a 1:1 fashion under exception to informed consent regulations to early coronary angiography versus no early coronary angiography in this multicenter study. Early angiography was defined as ≤120 minutes from arrival at the percutaneous coronary intervention-capable facility. The primary end point was a composite of efficacy and safety measures, including efficacy measures of survival to discharge, favorable neurologic status at discharge (Cerebral Performance Category score ≤2), echocardiographic measures of left ventricular ejection fraction >50%, and a normal regional wall motion score of 16 within 24 hours of admission. Adverse events included rearrest, pulmonary edema on chest x-ray, acute renal dysfunction, bleeding requiring transfusion or intervention, hypotension (systolic arterial pressure ≤90 mm Hg), and pneumonia. Secondary end points included the incidence of culprit vessels with acute occlusion. RESULTS: The study was terminated prematurely before enrolling the target number of patients. A total of 99 patients were enrolled from 2015 to 2018, including 75 with initially shockable rhythms. Forty-nine patients were randomized to early coronary angiography. The primary end point of efficacy and safety was not different between the 2 groups (55.1% versus 46.0%; P=0.64). Early coronary angiography was not associated with any significant increase in survival (55.1% versus 48.0%; P=0.55) or adverse events (26.5% versus 26.0%; P=1.00). Early coronary angiography revealed a culprit vessel in 47%, with a total of 14% of patients undergoing early coronary angiography having an acutely occluded culprit coronary artery. CONCLUSIONS: This underpowered study, when considered together with previous clinical trials, does not support early coronary angiography for comatose survivors of cardiac arrest without ST elevation. Whether early detection of occluded potential culprit arteries leads to interventions that improve outcomes requires additional study. REGISTRATION: URL: https://www.clinicaltrials.gov; Unique identifier: NCT02387398.

Corrigendum to "Pulmonary Hypertension Secondary to Partial Anomalous Pulmonary Venous Return in an Elderly Patient".

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1155/2016/8609282.].

Clinical outcomes of primary arterial embolization in severe hepatic trauma: A systematic review.

PURPOSE: This purpose of this systematic review was to determine the safety and efficacy of arterial embolization as the primary treatment for grade III-V liver trauma, excluding the postoperative use of arterial embolization. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A total of 24 studies published between January 2000 and June 2018 qualified for inclusion in this study. Four of them were prospective studies and 20 were retrospective. A total of 3855 patients (mean age, 33.5 years; range: 22-52.5 years) were treated non-operatively and 659 patients (659/3855; 17.09%) with hepatic hemorrhage underwent primary arterial embolization from 2000 to 2017. Indication for arterial embolization was a contrast blush visible on computed tomography in hemodynamically stable patient in all studies. RESULTS: The arterial embolization success rate ranged from 80% to 97%. The most commonly reported complication was bile leak, with an incidence of 5.7%. Nineteen bilomas (2.8%) were reported in five studies with a range between 4% and 45%. Hepatic ischemia was reported in eight studies, with a mean incidence of 8.6%. CONCLUSION: Primary arterial embolization has a high success rate in patients with hepatic trauma. Complications, including biloma and hepatic ischemia, have acceptable rates in the context of a minimally-invasive procedure that allows stabilization of life-threatening, complex liver injuries.

Prognosis of patients with gastric variceal bleeding after endoscopic variceal obturation according to the type of varices.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: This study was performed to evaluate the treatment efficacy of endoscopic variceal obturation (EVO) in patients with gastric variceal bleeding (GVB) according to the type of varices. PATIENTS AND METHODS: All patients who were treated with EVO for bleeding from gastric varices (GVs) were included. Patients with a previous history of endoscopic treatment for GVB and those with accompanying portal vein invasion by hepatocellular carcinoma or other malignancy were excluded. RESULTS: Ninety-one patients with GVB were included. Mean age was 59.4±12.4 years and 72 (79.1%) patients were men. The types of varices were gastroesophageal varices (GOV) type 1 (GOV1), GOV2, and isolated gastric varices type 1 (IGV1) in 30 (33.3%), 35 (38.5%), and 26 (28.6%) patients, respectively. Hemostasis and GV obliteration were achieved in 88 (96.7%) and 81 (89.0%) patients, respectively. Among 81 patients with GV obliteration, GV recurred in 26 (32.1%) patients. The GV recurrence rate was significantly lower in patients with GOV1 than in those with GOV2 (P=0.007), while it was comparable between patients with GOV1 and IGV1 (P=0.111) and between patients with GOV2 and IGV1 (P=0.278). Variceal rebleeding occurred in 11 (13.6%) patients. GVB recurrence rate was significantly higher in patients with GOV2 than in those with GOV1 (P=0.034) and IGV1 (P=0.018), while it was comparable between patients with GOV1 and IGV1 (P=0.623). Mortality rate was comparable among the three groups. CONCLUSIONS: EVO was very effective in patients with GVB. GV recurrence and GV rebleeding were significantly lower in patients with GOV1 than in those with GOV2.

Approaches to community consultation in exception from informed consent: Analysis of scope, efficiency, and cost at two centers.

OBJECTIVES: Community consultation (CC) is fundamental to the Exception from Informed Consent (EFIC) process for emergency research, designed to inform and receive feedback from the target study population about potential risks and benefits. To better understand the effectiveness of different techniques for CC, we evaluated EFIC processes at two centers participating in a trial of early cardiac catheterization following out-of-hospital cardiac arrest. METHODS: We studied the Institutional Review Board-approved CC activities at Maine Medical Center (MMC) and University of Arizona (AZ) in support of NCT02387398. In Maine, the public was consulted by survey at a professional basketball game and in the emergency department waiting room (in-person group), by multimedia direction to an online website (online group), and by mail (mailing group). Arizona respondents were either approached at a county fair (in-person group) or were directed to an online survey (online group) via social media advertising. RESULTS: Among 2185 survey respondents, approval rates were high for community involvement and personal participation without individual consent. Community consultation using in-person, online, and mailed surveys offered slightly different approval rates, and the rate of responses by modality differed by age and education level but not ethnicity. Print advertising was the least cost effective at $442 per completed survey. CONCLUSIONS: Canvassing at public events was the most efficient mode of performing CC, with approval rates similar to mailings, online surveys, and canvassing in other locations. Print advertisements in local papers had a low yield and cost more than other approaches.

The reestablishment of microbial communities after surface cleaning in schools.

AIMS: The goal of this study was to quantify the indoor microbiome dynamics of bacterial and fungal communities on school desk surfaces during a cleaning intervention. METHODS AND RESULTS: Quantitative PCR and DNA sequenced-based approaches were employed to describe microbial community dynamics on ten desk surfaces, spread across three schools, located in the Northeast region of the United States. Six samples were taken from each desk, one precleaning, and five postcleaning at 30 min, 1, 3, 7 and 21 days. Cleaning of the desks physically removed c. 50% of bacteria, fungi, and human cells and a full recovery of the surface microbial concentrations occurred within 2-5 days. This recovery period is much shorter than the schools' once per semester cleaning schedule. The dominant source of bacteria and fungi on desks at all time points came from the human microbiome (skin, oral cavity, and gut). More than 50% fungi on desks were members of genera that contain known allergens. CONCLUSIONS: Microbial communities on these school desks are primarily generated and maintained from the deposition of human-associated bacteria and fungi. Current school surface cleaning protocols and cycles may be ineffective at reducing student exposure to fungal allergens and microbes of human origin. SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF STUDY: Multiple students often share desks in schools. Results on the removal and reestablishment of microbial communities on these surfaces are critical for setting cleaning schedules and practices that effectively interrupt exposure to surface-associated pathogens and allergens.