Do Women Physicians Accept and Follow Heart Failure Guidelines More Than Men?

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Our aim was to assess the degree of acceptance of the European Clinical Practice Guidelines (CPG) on heart failure (HF) among Spanish physicians according to sex. This was a cross-sectional study, employing Google Forms, conducted by a group of HF experts from the Region of Madrid (Spain), between November 2021 and February 2022, among specialists and residents of Cardiology, Internal Medicine, and Primary Care from Spain. RECENT FINDINGS: A total of 387 physicians-173 women (44.7%)-from 128 different centers completed the survey. Compared to men, women were significantly younger (38.2 ± 9.1 years vs. 40.6 ± 11.2 years; p = 0.024) and had fewer years of clinical practice (12.1 ± 8.1 years vs. 14.5 ± 10.7 years; p = 0.014). Briefly, women and men had a positive opinion of the guidelines and thought that implementing quadruple therapy is feasible in less than 8 weeks. Women followed more frequently than men the new paradigm of "4 pillars at lowest doses" and considered more frequently the establishment of quadruple therapy before implanting a cardiac device. Although they agreed about "low blood pressure" as the major limitation for achieving quadruple therapy in heart failure with reduced ejection fraction, there were discrepancies on the second most frequent barrier, and women were more proactive when initiating SGLT2 inhibitors. In a large survey including nearly 400 doctors from all over Spain to provide real-world opinion on 2021 ESC HF Guidelines and experience with SGLT2 inhibitors, women follow more frequently the new paradigm of "4 pillars at lowest doses", consider more frequently the establishment of quadruple therapy before implanting a cardiac device, and were more proactive when initiating SGLT2 inhibitors. Further studies confirming an association of sex with a better compliance of HF guidelines are needed.

Invasive Treatment Strategy in Adults With Frailty and Non-ST-Segment Elevation Myocardial Infarction: A Secondary Analysis of a Randomized Clinical Trial.

Importance: The MOSCA-FRAIL randomized clinical trial compared invasive and conservative treatment strategies in patients with frailty with non-ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (NSTEMI). It showed no differences in the number of days alive and out of the hospital at 1 year. Objective: To assess the outcomes of the MOSCA-FRAIL trial during extended follow-up. Design, Setting, and Participants: The MOSCA-FRAIL randomized clinical trial was conducted at 13 hospitals in Spain between July 7, 2017, and January 9, 2021, and included 167 adults (aged ≥70 years) with frailty (Clinical Frailty Scale score ≥4) and NSTEMI. In this preplanned secondary analysis, follow-up was extended to January 31, 2023. Data analysis was performed from April 5 to 29, 2023, using the intention-to-treat principle. Interventions: Patients were randomized to a routine invasive (coronary angiography and revascularization if feasible [n = 84]) or a conservative (medical treatment with coronary angiography only if recurrent ischemia [n = 83]) strategy. Main outcomes and measures: The primary end point was the difference in restricted mean survival time (RMST). Secondary end points included readmissions for any cause, considering recurrent readmissions. Results: Among the 167 patients included in the analysis, the mean (SD) age was 86 (5) years; 79 (47.3%) were men and 88 (52.7%) were women. A total of 93 deaths and 367 readmissions accrued. The RMST for all-cause death over the entire follow-up was 3.13 (95% CI, 2.72-3.60) years in the invasive and 3.06 (95% CI, 2.84-3.32) years in the conservative treatment groups. The RMST analysis showed inconclusive differences in survival time (invasive minus conservative difference, 28 [95% CI, -188 to 230] days). Patients under invasive treatment tended to have shorter survival in the first year (-28 [95% CI, -63 to 7] days), which improved after the first year (192 [95% CI, 90-230] days). Kaplan-Meier mortality curves intersected, displaying higher mortality to 1 year in the invasive group that shifted to a late benefit (landmark analysis hazard ratio, 0.58 [95% CI, 0.33-0.99]; P = .045). Early harm was more evident in the subgroup with a Clinical Frailty Scale score greater than 4. No differences were found for the secondary end points. Conclusions and Relevance: In this extended follow-up of a randomized clinical trial of patients with frailty and NSTEMI, an invasive treatment strategy did not improve outcomes at a median follow-up of 1113 (IQR, 443-1441) days. However, a differential distribution of deaths was observed, with early harm followed by later benefit. The phenomenon of depletion of susceptible patients may be responsible for this behavior. Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT03208153.

Effect of Routine Invasive vs Conservative Strategy in Older Adults With Frailty and Non-ST-Segment Elevation Acute Myocardial Infarction: A Randomized Clinical Trial.

Importance: To our knowledge, no randomized clinical trial has compared the invasive and conservative strategies in frail, older patients with non-ST-segment elevation acute myocardial infarction (NSTEMI). Objective: To compare outcomes of invasive and conservative strategies in frail, older patients with NSTEMI at 1 year. Design, Setting, and Participants: This multicenter randomized clinical trial was conducted at 13 Spanish hospitals between July 7, 2017, and January 9, 2021, and included 167 older adult (≥70 years) patients with frailty (Clinical Frailty Scale score ≥4) and NSTEMI. Data analysis was performed from April 2022 to June 2022. Interventions: Patients were randomized to routine invasive (coronary angiography and revascularization if feasible; n = 84) or conservative (medical treatment with coronary angiography for recurrent ischemia; n = 83) strategy. Main Outcomes and Measures: The primary end point was the number of days alive and out of the hospital (DAOH) from discharge to 1 year. The coprimary end point was the composite of cardiac death, reinfarction, or postdischarge revascularization. Results: The study was prematurely stopped due to the COVID-19 pandemic when 95% of the calculated sample size had been enrolled. Among the 167 patients included, the mean (SD) age was 86 (5) years, and mean (SD) Clinical Frailty Scale score was 5 (1). While not statistically different, DAOH were about 1 month (28 days; 95% CI, -7 to 62) greater for patients managed conservatively (312 days; 95% CI, 289 to 335) vs patients managed invasively (284 days; 95% CI, 255 to 311; P = .12). A sensitivity analysis stratified by sex did not show differences. In addition, we found no differences in all-cause mortality (hazard ratio, 1.45; 95% CI, 0.74-2.85; P = .28). There was a 28-day shorter survival in the invasive vs conservatively managed group (95% CI, -63 to 7 days; restricted mean survival time analysis). Noncardiac reasons accounted for 56% of the readmissions. There were no differences in the number of readmissions or days spent in the hospital after discharge between groups. Neither were there differences in the coprimary end point of ischemic cardiac events (subdistribution hazard ratio, 0.92; 95% CI, 0.54-1.57; P = .78). Conclusions and Relevance: In this randomized clinical trial of NSTEMI in frail older patients, there was no benefit to a routine invasive strategy in DAOH during the first year. Based on these findings, a policy of medical management and watchful observation is recommended for older patients with frailty and NSTEMI. Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT03208153.

Should Advanced Friedreich's Ataxia Be a Contraindication for Heart Transplantation? A Case Report of a Successful Procedure in a 58-Year-Old Patient.

The information on heart transplantation (HT) in patients with Friedreich's Ataxia (FA) is scarce, and the few published case reports are limited to young patients with mild neurological manifestations. We present the case of a 58-year-old patient with advanced FA (Scale for the Assessment and Rating of Ataxia [SARA] score 30/40), wheelchair-bound for the last 16 years and had urinary incontinence, dysarthria, and neurosensorial deafness. The patient was admitted for a refractory arrhythmic storm and had previous hypertrophic cardiomyopathy that evolved to dilated cardiomyopathy with severely reduced left ventricular ejection fraction and recurrent ventricular arrhythmias. A multidisciplinary team discussed the HT option. The patient was aware of the risks and benefits and considered worthy of the intervention, so he was listed for HT. After a successful surgical intervention, the patient had a long postoperative stay in ICU. He required a high dose of vasopressors, underwent hemofiltration for one month, suffered critical illness myopathy, had several respiratory infections and delayed tracheal extubation. Two and a half months after HT and almost five months at the hospital, the patient was successfully discharged. FA patients with severe heart conditions should be carefully evaluated by a multidisciplinary team to decide the candidacy for HT.

Absence of accelerated atherosclerotic disease progression after intracoronary infusion of bone marrow derived mononuclear cells in patients with acute myocardial infarction--angiographic and intravascular ultrasound--results from the TErapia Celular Aplicada al Miocardio Pilot study.

BACKGROUND: We tried to evaluate a putative negative effect on coronary atherosclerosis in patients receiving intracoronary infusion of unfractionated bone marrow mononuclear cells (BMMC) following an acute ST-elevation myocardial infarction. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells or enriched CD133(+) BMMC have been associated with accelerated atherosclerosis of the distal segment of the infarct related artery (IRA). METHODS: Thirty-seven patients with ST-elevation myocardial infarction from the TECAM pilot study underwent intracoronary infusion of autologous BMMC 9 +/- 3.1 days after onset of symptoms. We compared angiographic changes from baseline to 9 months of follow-up in the distal non-stented segment of the IRA, as well as in the contralateral coronary artery, with a matched control group. A subgroup of 15 treated patients underwent additional IVUS within the distal segment of the IRA. RESULTS: No difference between stem cell and control group were found regarding changes in minimum lumen diameter (0.006 +/- 0.42 vs 0.06 +/- 0.41 mm, P = ns) and the percentage of stenosis (-2.68 +/- 12.33% vs -1.78 +/- 8.75%, P = ns) at follow-up. Likewise, no differences were seen regarding changes in the contralateral artery (minimum lumen diameter -0.004 +/- 0.54 mm vs -0.06 +/- 0.35 mm, P = ns). In the intravascular ultrasound substudy, no changes were demonstrated comparing baseline versus follow-up in maximum area stenosis and plaque volume. CONCLUSIONS: In this pilot study, analysis of a subgroup of patients found that intracoronary injection of unfractionated BMMC in patients with acute ST-elevation myocardial infarction was not associated with accelerated atherosclerosis progression at mid term. Prospective, randomised studies in large cohorts with long-term angiographic and intravascular ultrasound follow-up are necessary to determine the safety of this therapy.

Spanish Heart Transplant Registry. 31th Official Report of the Heart Failure Association of the Spanish Society of Cardiology.

INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVES: The present report describes the clinical characteristics and outcomes of heart transplants in Spain and updates the data to 2019. METHODS: We describe the clinical characteristics and outcomes of heart transplants performed in Spain in 2019, as well as trends in this procedure from 2010 to 2018. RESULTS: In 2019, 300 transplants were performed (8794 since 1984; 2745 between 2010 and 2019). Compared with previous years, the most notable findings were the decreasing rate of urgent transplants (38%), and the consolidation of the type of circulatory support prior to transplant, with an almost complete disappearance of counterpulsation balloon (0.7%), stabilization in the use of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (9.6%), and an increase in the use of ventricular assist devices (29.0%). Survival from 2016 to 2018 was similar to that from 2013 to 2015 (P=.34). Survival in both these periods was better than that from 2010 to 2012 (P=.002 and P=.01, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: Heart transplant activity has remained stable during the last few years, as have outcomes (in terms of survival). There has been a trend to a lower rate of urgent transplants and to a higher use of ventricular assist devices prior to transplant.

Early translation of adipose-derived cell therapy for cardiovascular disease.

Over the past decade, cell therapy has emerged as a new approach to reversing myocardial ischemia. Several types of adult stem cells have been studied in both preclinical and clinical conditions for this purpose: bone marrow cells, circulating cells, and myoblasts. Nevertheless, the quest for the ideal "anti-ischemic" cell is still ongoing. Recently, the existence of a population of stem cells located in adipose tissue (adipose-derived stem cells) has been observed. These are able to differentiate into multiple cell lineages including cardiomyocytic differentiation. In this review we discuss the basic principles of adipose-derived stem cells (types and characteristics, harvesting, and expansion), the initial experimental studies, and the currently ongoing clinical trials.

Invasive Versus Conservative Strategy in Frail Patients With NSTEMI: The MOSCA-FRAIL Clinical Trial Study Design.

INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVES: Although clinical guidelines recommend invasive management in non-ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (NSTEMI), this strategy is underused in frail elderly patients in the real world. Furthermore, these patients are underrepresented in clinical trials and therefore the evidence is scarce. Our hypothesis is that an invasive strategy will improve prognosis in elderly frail patients with NSTEMI. METHODS: This will be a prospective, multicenter, randomized trial, in which the conservative and invasive strategies will be compared in patients meeting all of the following inclusion criteria: NSTEMI diagnosis, age ≥ 70 years, and frailty defined by a category ≥ 4 in the Clinical Frailty Scale. Participants will be randomized to an invasive (coronary angiogram and revascularization if anatomically amenable) or conservative (medical treatment and coronary angiogram only if persistent clinical instability) strategy. The primary endpoint will be the number of days alive out of hospital during the first year. The coprimary endpoint will be the time until the first cardiac event (cardiac death, reinfarction or postdischarge revascularization). We estimate a sample size of 178 patients (89 per arm), considering an increase of 20% in the proportion of days alive out of hospital with the invasive management. RESULTS: The results of this study will add important knowledge to inform the management of frail elderly patients hospitalized with NSTEMI. CONCLUSIONS: We hypothesize that the invasive strategy will improve outcomes in frail elderly patients with NSTEMI. If this is confirmed, frailty status should not dissuade physicians from implementing an invasive management strategy. CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION: URL: http://www.clinicaltrials.gov.Identifier: NCT03208153.

Ventricular arrhythmias following intracoronary bone marrow stem cell transplantation.

We describe the appearance of delayed episodes of ventricular arrhythmias in 4 patients out of 72 undergoing intracoronary transplantation of autologous bone marrow mononuclear cells (BMMC) following ST elevated myocardial infarction (STEMI). Two cases with severely depressed systolic function presented electrical storms with monomorphic sustained ventricular tachycardia (SVT) within 2 to 3 days following cell transplantation, even though there were no periprocedural complications. Both patients were implanted with an internal defibrillator (ICD) after ruling out coronary re-occlusion. The remaining 2 patients presented several asymptomatic episodes of non-sustained ventricular tachycardia within one month following cell transfer. Only one of the latter presented syncopal SVT through programmed ventricular stimulation, undergoing ICD implantation afterwards. Neither new arrhythmic episodes nor ICD interventions have occurred during later follow-up of the three ICD patients (639+/-59 days). Information from large multicenter databases and our historical cohort of STEMI patients indicates that the rate of VT occurring within the first weeks after the initial 48 hours of infarction is significantly lower than that observed in our cell-therapy experience. The lack of information regarding the appearance of malignant arrhythmias in patients with severe systolic dysfunction following this type of therapy after STEMI requires us to be extremely cautious. However, any claim of a mechanism related to cell transfer would be completely speculative with the available data. Therefore, our only aim when reporting our findings is to recommend a short but longer stay (2-3 days) following cell transplantation, particularly in patients with a natural tendency to develop arrhythmic events.

Contemplating the bright future of stem cell therapy for cardiovascular disease.

Not long ago, it was assumed that mammalian hearts were so differentiated that regeneration of cardiac tissue was not possible, but now an increasing amount of information suggests that the intrinsic regenerative capacity of the heart can be encouraged by stimulating resident stem cells or transplanting extracardiac progenitor cells. In the future, cardiovascular stem cell therapy may be administered to all patients. Here, we review what has happened and look at where we are going.

Spanish Heart Transplantation Registry. 26th Official Report of the Spanish Society of Cardiology Working Group on Heart Failure and Heart Transplantation (1984-2014).

INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVES: We present the characteristics and outcomes of heart transplantation in Spain since it was first performed in 1984. METHODS: A descriptive analysis of the characteristics of recipients, donors, the surgical procedure, and the outcomes of heart transplantations performed in Spain until 31 December 2014. RESULTS: In 2014, 266 procedures were performed, making a time series of 7289 transplantations. The temporal analysis confirmed a significant worsening of the clinical profile of recipients (higher percentage of older patients, patients with severe renal failure, insulin-dependent diabetes, previous cardiac surgery, and previous mechanical ventilation), of donors (higher percentage of older donors and greater weight mismatch), and of the procedure (higher percentage of emergency transplantations, reaching 41.4% in 2014, and ischemia time>240min). Mechanical assist devices were used less than in 2013; in 2014 they were used in 18.8% of all transplant recipients. Survival at 1, 5, 10, and 15 years was 76%, 65%, 52%, and 38%, respectively, and has remained stable since 1995. CONCLUSIONS: Cardiac transplantation activity in Spain has remained stable in recent years, at around 250 procedures per year. Despite a clear deterioration in donor and recipient characteristics and surgical times, the mortality outcomes have remained comparable to those of previous periods in our environment. The growing use of circulatory assist devices before transplantation is also confirmed.

Comparison of Different Bone Marrow-Derived Stem Cell Approaches in Reperfused STEMI. A Multicenter, Prospective, Randomized, Open-Labeled TECAM Trial.

BACKGROUND: Stem cell-based therapy has emerged as a potential therapy in acute myocardial infarction (AMI). Although various approaches have been studied, intracoronary injection of bone marrow autologous mononuclear cells (BMMC) and the ability of granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF) to mobilize endogenous cells have attracted the most attention. OBJECTIVES: This study compares, for the first time, the efficacy of BMMC injection, G-CSF mobilization, and the combination of both with standard treatment. METHODS: On Day 1 after primary percutaneous coronary intervention, 120 patients were randomized to a 1) intracoronary BMMC injection; 2) mobilization with G-CSF; 3) both (BMMC injection plus G-CSF); or 4) conventional treatment (control group). G-CSF, 10 µg/kg/day subcutaneously, was started Day 1 and maintained for 5 days. BMMC injection was performed on Days 3 to 5. Our primary endpoint was absolute change in 12-month left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) and left ventricular end-systolic volume (LVESV) relative to baseline measured by cardiac magnetic resonance. RESULTS: The mean change in LVEF between baseline and follow-up for all patients was 4 ± 6% (p = 0.006). Change in LVEF and LVESV over time did not differ significantly among the 4 groups. Patients actively treated with any stem cell approach showed similar changes in LVEF and LVESV versus control subjects, with a small but significant reduction in infarct area (p = 0.038). CONCLUSIONS: In our study, 3 different bone marrow-derived stem cell approaches in AMI did not result in improvement of LVEF or volumes compared with standard AMI care (Trial of Hematopoietic Stem Cells in Acute Myocardial Infarction [TECAM]; NCT00984178).

Invasive aspergillosis among heart transplant recipients: a 24-year perspective.

BACKGROUND: Invasive aspergillosis is a well-known complication in severely immunosuppressed patients, including heart transplant recipients, and associated mortality is high. Despite the severity of the disease in this population, few recent series with secular trends have addressed the problem. METHODS: We performed a descriptive study of 479 consecutive heart transplant recipients from 1988 to 2011 in a single institution. RESULTS: Overall invasive aspergillosis incidence in heart transplant recipients was 6.5% (31 of 479). Incidence decreased from 8.7% (24 of 277) in the period 1988 to 2000 (historical cohort) to 3.5% (7 of 202) afterward (p = 0.02); 4 of the 7 cases were in the context of an outbreak. The most common presentation was lung infection, but episodes occurring >3 months after transplantation (late aspergillosis) showed a higher frequency of disseminated disease and involvement of the central nervous system and of atypical sites compared with early (first 3 months) episodes. Related mortality was 36%, with a significant decrease between the historical cohort and the present cohort: 46% vs 0% (p = 0.04) and a trend toward lower related death in early vs late cases (26% vs 63%, p = 0.09). CONCLUSIONS: In our series, both incidence and mortality associated with invasive aspergillosis in heart transplant recipients showed a decrease in recent years. Careful environmental management and targeted anti-fungal prophylaxis may minimize the incidence of invasive aspergillosis in this setting.

Estrategia invasiva frente a conservadora en pacientes frágiles con IAMSEST. Diseño del ensayo clínico MOSCA-FRAIL / Invasive versus conservative strategy in frail patients with NSTEMI: the MOSCA-FRAIL clinical trial study design

Introducción y objetivos: Aunque las guías de práctica clínica recomiendan una estrategia invasiva para el infarto agudo de miocardio sin elevación del segmento ST (IAMSEST), en la práctica clínica esta estrategia se infrautiliza en ancianos frágiles. Además estos enfermos habitualmente quedan excluidos de los ensayos clínicos, por lo que la evidencia es escasa. Nuestra hipótesis es que una estrategia invasiva para el anciano con fragilidad y IAMSEST mejorará el pronóstico. Métodos: Se trata de un estudio prospectivo, multicéntrico y aleatorizado que compara una estrategia invasiva frente a una conservadora en ancianos frágiles con IAMSEST. Los criterios de inclusión son: IAMSEST, edad ≥ 70 años y fragilidad definida por al menos 4 criterios de la escala Clinical Frailty Scale. Se aleatorizará a los participantes a una estrategia invasiva (coronariografía y revascularización si se considera anatómicamente indicada) o conservadora (tratamiento médico y coronariografía solo en caso de inestabilidad clínica persistente). El objetivo principal será el número de días vivo fuera del hospital durante el primer año. El objetivo coprincipal será el tiempo hasta la presentación de muerte cardiovascular, reinfarto agudo de miocardio o revascularización tras el alta. El tamaño de la muestra estimado es de 178 pacientes (89 por grupo), asumiendo un incremento del 20% en la proporción de días vivo fuera del hospital con la estrategia invasiva. Resultados: Los resultados del estudio aportarán información novedosa para el tratamiento del anciano frágil con IAMSEST. Conclusiones: Nuestra hipótesis es que una estrategia invasiva mejorará el pronóstico de los pacientes ancianos frágiles con IAMSEST. Si esta hipótesis se confirmara, la situación de fragilidad no debería disuadir al cardiólogo de indicar un tratamiento invasivo. Ensayo registrado en ClinicalTrials.gov (Identificador: NCT03208153)

Introduction and objectives: Although clinical guidelines recommend invasive management in non-ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (NSTEMI), this strategy is underused in frail elderly patients in the real world. Furthermore, these patients are underrepresented in clinical trials and therefore the evidence is scarce. Our hypothesis is that an invasive strategy will improve prognosis in elderly frail patients with NSTEMI. Methods: This will be a prospective, multicenter, randomized trial, in which the conservative and invasive strategies will be compared in patients meeting all of the following inclusion criteria: NSTEMI diagnosis, age ≥ 70 years, and frailty defined by a category ≥ 4 in the Clinical Frailty Scale. Participants will be randomized to an invasive (coronary angiogram and revascularization if anatomically amenable) or conservative (medical treatment and coronary angiogram only if persistent clinical instability) strategy. The primary endpoint will be the number of days alive out of hospital during the first year. The coprimary endpoint will be the time until the first cardiac event (cardiac death, reinfarction or postdischarge revascularization). We estimate a sample size of 178 patients (89 per arm), considering an increase of 20% in the proportion of days alive out of hospital with the invasive management. Results: The results of this study will add important knowledge to inform the management of frail elderly patients hospitalized with NSTEMI. Conclusions: We hypothesize that the invasive strategy will improve outcomes in frail elderly patients with NSTEMI. If this is confirmed, frailty status should not dissuade physicians from implementing an invasive management strategy. Clinical trial registration: URL: http://www.clinicaltrials.gov .Identifier: NCT03208153

Acute myocardial infarction as presentation of an infiltrative lung neoplasia.

We report the case of a 51-year-old woman who presented with acute myocardial infarction as initial symptom of an infiltrative lung neoplasia. The patient was admitted to our center following an out-of-hospital cardiac arrest due to ventricular fibrillation which was cardioverted. On electrocardiography an anterior wall ST-elevation was found and urgent coronary angiography was performed. Left anterior descending coronary artery was occluded and after thrombus aspiration, an image of diffuse loss of lumen diameter and absence of coronary branches was compatible with an extrinsic compression. Such findings along with a lingula consolidation on chest X-ray examination suggested a thoracic neoplasia. Enhanced-chest computed tomography showed a mass located in the lingula with extensive mediastinal infiltration involving pericardium and myocardium. Anatomopathologic examination confirmed the presence of lung adenocarcinoma. .

[Long-term changes in left ventricular function following intracoronary stem cell transplantation for acute myocardial infarction]. / Evolución a largo plazo de la función ventricular tras la terapia celular intracoronaria en el infarto agudo de miocardio.

Controversy surrounds the long-term effects of intracoronary bone marrow stem cell transplantation after ST-elevation acute myocardial infarction (STEAMI). We report on the long-term changes in left ventricular function observed in 29 patients with STEAMI who were treated using this technique. Cardiac magnetic resonance imaging was performed at baseline, 6 months after transplantation, and long-term follow-up (median 27 months, interquartile range 24-35 months). The left ventricular ejection fraction had improved significantly by 6 months (from 47.6 ± 8.9% to 52.7 ± 11.6%; P = .001) and this improvement was maintained long-term, at 52.4 ± 11.8% (P = .01 vs. baseline and P = .999 vs. 6 months). There was no significant change from baseline in end-diastolic or end-systolic ventricular volume. Our findings indicate the improvement in injection fraction occurs soon after stem cell transplantation, within the first 6 months, and remains unchanged at long-term follow-up.

General overview of the Seventh International Symposium on Stem Cell Therapy and Cardiovascular Innovations.

The Seventh International Symposium on Stem Cell Therapy and Cardiovascular Innovations was held in Madrid on the 6th and 7th of May 2010. Gathering for the seventh consecutive year the most relevant researchers and opinion leaders on cardiovascular cell therapy, it has become the most important worldwide event on this field. A comprehensive review of the last developments on cell therapy, surgery for heart failure and tissue engineering was made, and the results of three clinical trials were reported. The Symposium was dedicated to the memory of Professor Helmut Drexler.

Stem cell therapy in chronic ischemic heart dysfunction with and without viability.

A growing number of clinical trials are evaluating the effects of stem cell therapy in patients with chronic ischemic heart dysfunction. As most of the clinical trials included a limited and different number of patients, various stem cell sources and several delivery approaches, results vary substantially between these studies. We analyse whether the assessment of myocardial viability may be important when evaluating effects of stem cell transplantation on parameters of left ventricular remodeling. Viability assessment could help to find the best type of stem cell and the best method of cell delivery to be used in chronic ischemic heart dysfunction.

Registro Español de Trasplante Cardiaco. XXVI Informe Oficial de la Sección de Insuficiencia Cardiaca y Trasplante Cardiaco de la Sociedad Española de Cardiología (1984-2014) / Spanish Heart Transplantation Registry. 26th Official Report of the Spanish Society of Cardiology Working Group on Heart Failure and Heart Transplantation (1984-2014)

Introducción y objetivos. Se presentan las características y resultados del trasplante cardiaco en España desde que empezó su actividad en mayo de 1984. Métodos. Se realiza un análisis descriptivo de las características de los receptores, los donantes, el procedimiento quirúrgico y los resultados de los trasplantes cardiacos realizados en España hasta el 31 de diciembre de 2014. Resultados. Durante 2014 se han realizado 266 procedimientos, con lo que la serie histórica consta de 7.289 trasplantes. El análisis temporal confirma un empeoramiento significativo del perfil clínico de los receptores (mayor porcentaje de pacientes añosos, con insuficiencia renal grave, diabetes insulinodependiente, cirugía cardiaca previa y ventilación mecánica), de los donantes (mayor porcentaje de donantes añosos y con mayor discordancia de peso) y del procedimiento (mayor porcentaje de trasplante urgente, que en 2014 alcanza el 41,4%, y con tiempo de isquemia > 240 min). El uso de dispositivos de asistencia mecánica ha disminuido respecto a 2013, y en 2014 supone el 18,8% del total de pacientes. La supervivencia a 1, 5, 10 y 15 años es del 76, el 65, el 52 y el 38% respectivamente, y permanece estable desde 1995. Conclusiones. La actividad de trasplante cardiaco en España permanece estable en los últimos años, con alrededor de 250 procedimientos al año. A pesar del claro empeoramiento de las características de donantes, receptores y tiempos quirúrgicos, se mantienen unos resultados en mortalidad comparables a los del entorno y se confirma un uso creciente de los dispositivos de asistencia circulatoria antes del trasplante (AU)

Introduction and objectives. We present the characteristics and outcomes of heart transplantation in Spain since it was first performed in 1984. Methods. A descriptive analysis of the characteristics of recipients, donors, the surgical procedure, and the outcomes of heart transplantations performed in Spain until 31 December 2014. Results. In 2014, 266 procedures were performed, making a time series of 7289 transplantations. The temporal analysis confirmed a significant worsening of the clinical profile of recipients (higher percentage of older patients, patients with severe renal failure, insulin-dependent diabetes, previous cardiac surgery, and previous mechanical ventilation), of donors (higher percentage of older donors and greater weight mismatch), and of the procedure (higher percentage of emergency transplantations, reaching 41.4% in 2014, and ischemia time > 240 min). Mechanical assist devices were used less than in 2013; in 2014 they were used in 18.8% of all transplant recipients. Survival at 1, 5, 10, and 15 years was 76%, 65%, 52%, and 38%, respectively, and has remained stable since 1995. Conclusions. Cardiac transplantation activity in Spain has remained stable in recent years, at around 250 procedures per year. Despite a clear deterioration in donor and recipient characteristics and surgical times, the mortality outcomes have remained comparable to those of previous periods in our environment. The growing use of circulatory assist devices before transplantation is also confirmed (AU)

General overview of the Sixth International Symposium on Stem Cell Therapy and Cardiovascular Innovations.

Being one of the main stem cell therapy meetings of the year, the Sixth International Symposium on Stem Cell Therapy and Cardiovascular Innovations was held on April 23rd-24th, 2009, at the Auditorium of the High Council of Scientific Research of Spain (CSIC) in Madrid. Gathering the most prestigious basic researchers and clinical experts in the field of cardiovascular regenerative medicine, the aim of the meeting was to discuss the available evidence and the recent contributions from preclinical investigators, cardiologists, and cardiac surgeons in a participative translational fashion. The role of young "clinician scientists" was reinforced with a special poster session and three awards. The main conclusions of the symposium were (1) that standardization, larger clinical trials, and true translational research are needed, and (2) that new-allogeneic-stem cell products, biotechnological devices, and cell-based bioartificial organs are potentially exciting options for the future.