The association of pre-transplant atrial fibrillation with in-hospital outcomes in patients undergoing orthotopic liver transplantation: A propensity score matching analysis.

INTRODUCTION: In this study, we sought to evaluate the prevalence and association of pre-transplant atrial fibrillation (AF) on 30-day postoperative outcomes in patients undergoing orthotopic liver transplant (OLT). METHOD: The National Inpatient Sample Database was queried from 2011 to 2017 for relevant ICD-9 and ICD-10 procedural and diagnostic codes. Baseline characteristics and in-hospital outcomes were compared in patients who underwent OLT with AF and those without. RESULTS: Among 45,357 patients who underwent OLT, women made up 35.8% of the overall population. The prevalence of AF before transplant was 2932 (6.5%) with a trend toward increasing prevalence, with an average annual change rate of 4.19%. Applying propensity score matching to control for potential confounding factors, there was no association between pre-transplant AF and in-hospital mortality in patients undergoing OLT, however there was a higher incidence of perioperative complications including: acute kidney injury, ventricular tachycardia, major bleeding, blood product transfusion, and septic shock. CONCLUSION: In patients undergoing OLT, pre-transplant AF is increasing in prevalence and appears to be associated with similar in-hospital mortality but worse perioperative outcomes. Greater emphasis should be placed on AF in the preoperative cardiovascular risk stratification of patients undergoing OLT.

Evaluating the impact of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease on in-hospital outcomes following left ventricular assist device implantation.

BACKGROUND: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a cause of ventricular dysfunction. However, in the setting of patients with heart failure undergoing left ventricular assist device (LVAD) implantation, there is a paucity of data on the association between COPD and in-hospital outcomes. METHODS AND RESULTS: Retrospective cohort study based on the NIS including patients ≥18 years who underwent LVAD implantation from 2011 to 2017. Multivariate regression was used to evaluate the impact of COPD on in-hospital outcomes. A total of 25,503 patients underwent LVAD implantation, of which 13.8% also had COPD. COPD group was older (median 62 vs. 58 years), and more males (82% vs. 76.4%, p < .001 for both). COPD group had more hypertension, diabetes, atrial tachyarrhythmias, dyslipidemia, prior stroke, coronary artery diseases, pulmonary hypertension, and chronic kidney disease (p < .001 for all). No differences in strokes, infections, mechanical circulatory support, and LVAD thrombosis. There was a higher incident of inpatient acute kidney injury, major bleeding, cardiac complications, thromboembolism, and cardiac arrest in patients without COPD (p < .05 for all). Compared with no-COPD group, COPD group had a lower mortality (6.2% vs. 12.4%; odds ratio, 0.59; confidence interval, 0.512-0.685; p < .05). CONCLUSION: Patients with COPD undergoing LVAD implantation have more comorbidities, without an associated increase mortality.

Patterns of coronary artery disease trends in patients with nephrotic syndrome: A national inpatient study.

BACKGROUND: Individuals with nephrotic syndrome (NS) are thought to have elevated cardiovascular risk because of a known association with hyperlipidemia. Unfortunately, no studies have compared the cardiovascular risk profiles of individual nephrotic syndromes. This study explores the prevalence and patterns of coronary artery disease (CAD) in patients with different types of NS, which may aid in developing risk reduction strategies. METHODS: This retrospective study queried data from the National Inpatient Sample database spanning 2016-2020 and included patients over the age of 18 years with minimal change disease (MCD), membranous nephropathy (MN), and focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS). We analyzed the prevalence and trends of hyperlipidemia and CAD in the study population. RESULTS: Of the 15,025 cohort, there were 3625 (24.1%) MCD, 4160 (27.7%) MN, and 7315 (48.7%) FSGS. Patients with MN were found to be older with a higher prevalence of hyperlipidemia and CAD compared to other groups. The odds of developing CAD when adjusting for confounding factors were increased in FSGS (adjusted odds [aOR] 1.570, 95% CI 1.406-1.753, p < 0.001) while reduced in MCD (aOR 0.671, 95% CI 0.580-0.777, p < 0.001) and MN (aOR 0.782, 95% CI 0.698-0.876, p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: The divergent results of the different NS types highlight the need for targeted research to better understand and characterize the distinct cardiovascular risk profiles inherent in each type of nephrotic disease for risk stratification.

US trends of in-hospital morbidity and mortality for acute myocardial infarctions complicated by cardiogenic shock.

BACKGROUND: There is limited real-world data highlighting recent temporal in-hospital morbidity and mortality trends for cases of acute myocardial infarction complicated by cardiogenic shock. The role of mechanical circulatory support within this patient population remains unclear. METHODS: The US National Inpatient Sample database was sampled from 2011 to 2018 identifying 206,396 hospitalizations with a primary admission diagnosis of ST- or Non-ST elevation myocardial infarction complicated by cardiogenic shock. The primary outcomes included trends of all-cause in-hospital mortality, mechanical circulatory support use, and sex-specific trends for acute myocardial infarction complicated by cardiogenic shock (AMI-CS) over the study period. RESULTS: The annual number of AMI-CS hospitalizations increased from 22,851 in 2011 to 30,015 in 2018 and in-hospital mortality trends remained similar (42.9 % to 43.7 %, ptrend < 0.001). The proportion of patients receiving any temporary MCS device decreased (46.4 % to 44.4 %). The use of intra-aortic balloon pump (IABP) decreased (44.9 % to 32.9 %) and the use of any other non-IABP MCS device increased (2.5 % to 15.6 %), ptrend<0.001. Sex-specific mortality indicate female in-hospital mortality remained similar (50.3 % to 51 %, ptrend<0.001), but higher than male in-hospital mortality, which increased non-significantly (38.8 % to 40.2 %, ptrend = 0.372). CONCLUSIONS: From 2011 to 2018, hospitalizations for AMI-CS patients have increased in number. However, there has been no recent appreciable change in AMI-CS mortality despite a changing treatment landscape with decreasing use of IABPs and increasing use of non-IABP MCS devices. Further research is necessary to examine the appropriate use of MCS devices within this population.

In-hospital outcomes with extracorporeal membrane oxygenation alone versus combined with percutaneous left ventricular assist device.

BACKGROUND: Veno-arterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) is associated with increased afterload and hindered myocardial recovery. Adding a percutaneous left ventricular assist device (pLVAD) to ECMO is one strategy to unload the left ventricle. We evaluated in-hospital outcomes in cardiogenic shock patients treated with ECMO alone versus ECMO plus pLVAD. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective study using the National Inpatient Sample database from 2011 to 2019. Logistic regression analysis was performed to adjust for covariates. RESULTS: 20,171 patients were included. 16,064 (79.6 %) patients received ECMO alone and 4107 (20.4 %) patients received ECMO plus pLVAD. The ECMO plus pLVAD group had higher rates of mortality, stroke, acute kidney injury, pericardial complications, and vascular complications. After adjusting for covariates, combined therapy was associated with higher rates of mortality (OR 1.2; 95 % CI [1.1-1.3]) and stroke (OR 1.3; 95 % CI [1.2-1.5]), however lower bleeding (OR 0.7; 95 % CI [0.68-0.81]) (p < 0.001 for all). After adjusting for covariates, a subgroup analysis of 5019 patients with acute coronary syndrome cardiogenic shock (ACS-CS) demonstrated higher rates of mortality (OR 1.3; 95 % CI [1.2-1.5]) and stroke (OR 1.7; 95 % CI [1.4-2.1]; p < 0.001 for all) with combined therapy, however similar rates of bleeding compared to ECMO alone (OR 0.95; 95 % CI [0.8-1.1]; p = 0.54). CONCLUSIONS: In the overall group, ECMO plus pLVAD was associated with increased mortality and stroke, however decreased bleeding. In a sub-group of ACS-CS, ECMO plus pLVAD was associated with increased mortality and stroke, however similar rates of bleeding compared to ECMO alone.

In-hospital outcomes in unhoused patients with cardiogenic shock in the United States: Insights from The National Inpatient Sample 2011-2019.

BACKGROUND: Unhoused patients face significant barriers to receiving health care in both the inpatient and outpatient settings. For unhoused patients with heart failure who are in extremis, there is a lack of data regarding in-hospital outcomes and resource utilization in the setting of cardiogenic shock (CS). HYPOTHESIS: Unhoused patients hospitalized with CS have increased mortality and decreased use of invasive therapies as compared to housed patients. METHODS: The National Inpatient Sample (NIS) database was queried from 2011 to 2019 for relevant ICD-9 and ICD-10 codes to identify unhoused patients with an admission diagnosis of CS. Baseline characteristics and in-hospital outcomes between patients were compared. Binary logistic regression was used to adjust outcomes for prespecified and significantly different baseline characteristics (p < .05). RESULTS: We identified a weighted sample of 1 202 583 adult CS hospitalizations, of whom 4510 were unhoused (0.38%). There was no significant difference in the comorbidity adjusted odds of mortality between groups. Unhoused patients had lower odds of receiving mechanical circulatory support, left heart catheterization, percutaneous coronary intervention, or pulmonary artery catheterization. Unhoused patients had higher adjusted odds of infectious complications, undergoing intubation, or requiring restraints. CONCLUSIONS: These data suggest that, despite having fewer traditional comorbidities, unhoused patients have similar mortality and less access to more aggressive care than housed patients. Unhoused patients may experience under-diuresis, or more conservative care strategies, as evidenced by the higher intubation rate in this population. Further studies are needed to elucidate long-term outcomes and investigate systemic methods to ameliorate barriers to care in unhoused populations.

Racial Differences in Hospice Care Outcomes in Patients With Advanced Heart Failure: Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.

There remains a paucity of investigational data about disparities in hospice services in people with non-cancer diagnoses, specifically in heart failure (HF). Black patients with advanced HF have been disproportionally affected by health care services inequities but their outcomes after hospice enrollment are not well studied. We aimed to describe race-specific outcomes in patients with advanced HF who were enrolled in hospice services. We obtained the data from PubMed, Scopus, and Embase for all investigations published until January 11, 2023. All studies that reported race-specific outcomes after hospice enrollment in patients with advanced HF were included. Of the 1,151 articles identified, 5 studies (n = 24,899) were considered for analysis involving a sample size ranging from 179 to 11,754 patients. Black patients had an increased risk of readmission (odds ratio 1.55, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.34 to 1.79, I2 0%) and discharge (odds ratio 1.75, 95% CI 1.53 to 1.99, I2 0%) compared with White patients. Moreover, Black patients have a nonsignificant lower risk of mortality compared with White patients (relative risk 0.67, 95% CI 0.43 to 1.05, I2 90%). In conclusion, this study showed that Black patients with advanced HF receiving hospice care have a higher risk of readmission and discharge compared with White patients.

In-Hospital Outcomes in Patients With Non-ST Segment Elevation Myocardial Infarction and Concomitant Neurodevelopmental Disorders in the United States: Insights From the National Inpatient Sample 2011-2020.

Patients with neurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs) encounter significant barriers to receiving quality health care, particularly for acute conditions such as non-ST segment elevation myocardial infarction (NSTEMI). This study addresses the critical gap in knowledge regarding in-hospital outcomes and the use of invasive therapies in this demographic. By analyzing data from the National Inpatient Sample database from 2011 to 2020 using the International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Edition (ICD-9) and Tenth Edition (ICD-10) codes, we identified patients with NSTEMI, both with and without NDDs, and compared baseline characteristics, in-hospital outcomes, and the application of invasive treatments. The analysis involved a weighted sample of 7,482,216 NSTEMI hospitalizations, of which 30,168 (0.40%) patients had NDDs. There were significantly higher comorbidity-adjusted odds of in-hospital mortality, cardiac arrest, endotracheal intubation, infectious complications, ventricular arrhythmias, and restraint use among the NDD cohort. Conversely, this group exhibited lower adjusted odds of undergoing left heart catheterization, percutaneous coronary intervention, or coronary artery bypass graft surgery. These findings underscore the disparities faced by patients with NDDs in accessing invasive cardiac interventions, highlighting the need for further research to address these barriers and improve care quality for this vulnerable population.

In-hospital outcomes of septal myectomy vs. alcohol septal ablation for hypertrophic cardiomyopathy with outflow tract obstruction: An update and insights from the national inpatient sample from 2011 to 2019.

Septal Myectomy (SM) and Alcohol Septal Ablation (ASA) improve symptoms in patients with Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy with outflow tract obstruction (oHCM). However, outcomes data in this population is predominantly from specialized centers. The National Inpatient Database was queried from 2011 to 2019 for relevant international classification of diseases (ICD)-9 and -10 diagnostic and procedural codes. We compared baseline characteristics and in-hospital outcomes of patients with oHCM who underwent SM vs ASA. A p-value < 0.001 was considered statistically significant. We identified 15,119 patients with oHCM who underwent septal reduction therapies, of whom 57.4% underwent SM, and 42.6% underwent ASA. Patients who underwent SM had higher all-cause mortality (OR: 1.8 (1.3-2.5)), post-procedure ischemic stroke (OR: 2.3 (1.7-3.2)), acute kidney injury (OR: 1.4 (1.2-1.7)), vascular complications (OR: 3.6 (2.3-5.3)), ventricular septal defect (OR: 4.4 (3.2-6.1)), cardiogenic shock (OR: 1.7 (1.3-2.3)), sepsis (OR: 3.2 (1.9-5.4)), and left bundle branch block (OR: 3.5 (3-4)), compared to ASA. Patients who underwent ASA had higher post-procedure complete heart block (OR: 1.3 (1.1-1.4)), right bundle branch block (OR: 6.3 (5-7.7)), ventricular tachycardia (OR: 2.2 (1.9-2.6)), supraventricular tachycardia (OR: 1.6 (1.4-2)), and more commonly required pacemaker insertion (OR: 1.4 (1.3-1.7)) (p < 0.001 for all) compared to SM. This nationwide analysis evidenced that patients undergoing SM had higher in-hospital mortality and periprocedural complications than ASA; however, those undergoing ASA had more post-procedure conduction abnormalities and pacemaker implantation. The implications of these findings warrant further investigation regarding patient selection strategies for these therapies.

Outcomes of Acute Myocardial Infarction in Female Patients With Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus.

There is a paucity of data on acute myocardial infarction (AMI) outcomes for female patients with type 1 diabetes (T1DM) compared with men. The National Inpatient Sample Database was queried from 2011 to 2019 for relevant International Classification of Diseases, Ninth and Tenth Revision procedural and diagnostic codes. Hospitalizations with an admitting diagnosis of non-ST-elevation myocardial infarction or ST-elevation myocardial infarction were compared between male and female patients with T1DM. A multivariate logistic regression adjusting for baseline characteristics and primary diagnosis was performed. A p <0.001 was considered significant. A total of 50,020 hospitalizations for AMI in patients with T1DM were identified, of which 23,980 (47.9%) were women. The baseline characteristics are listed in Table 1. Women experienced similar rates of all-cause and inhospital mortality (5.0% vs 4.7%, p = 0.082). However, after adjusting for baseline characteristics and primary diagnosis, women had higher odds of mortality (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 1.26, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.15 to 1.38). Women were less likely to undergo cardiac catheterization (65.7% vs 68.2%; aOR 0.90, 95% CI 0.86 to 0.94) and coronary artery bypass grafting (5.6% vs 6.9%; aOR 0.76, 95% CI 0.70 to 0.82, p <0.001 for both). There was no difference in the use of percutaneous coronary intervention (41.0% vs 41.9%; aOR 1.01, 95% CI 0.97 to 1.05, p = 0.042). The female gender is not protective against AMI in patients with T1DM. Women with T1DM, on average, experience AMI at the same age as men, are less likely to undergo surgical revascularization, and have higher odds of mortality.

Temporal Changes in Racial and Ethnic Disparities in the Utilization of Left Atrial Appendage Occlusion in the United States.

Racial and ethnic disparities in the access to left atrial appendage occlusion (LAAO) have been previously described. However, it remains unclear if there have been any changes in these disparities over the years and if the disparities include other racial and ethnic groups not previously studied. We aimed to determine the temporal evolution of the racial and ethnic disparities in the utilization of LAAO from 2016 to 2019. We conducted a retrospective cohort study using the National Inpatient Sample from 2016 to 2019. International Classification of Diseases, 10th edition codes were used to identify all adult admissions with atrial fibrillation (AF) and those who underwent LAAO. The sample was divided into Asian American and Pacific Islander, Black, Hispanic, White, and other races/ethnicities. Our primary outcome was the utilization of LAAO in patients admitted with a diagnosis of AF. The Cochran-Armitage test was conducted to evaluate the yearly trend in LAAO utilization stratified by race/ethnicity. Multivariable regression analysis was conducted to assess the association of race/ethnicity with multiple end points. A total of 59,415 patients underwent LAAO. The highest yearly increase in LAAO utilization was seen in White patients (trend: 0.16%, p <0.001). Furthermore, compared with White patients, the yearly increase in LAAO utilization was lower in all other racial/ethnic groups. Black patients had the lowest odds of who underwent LAAO (odds ratio = 0.45, 95% confidence interval 0.40 to 0.50, p <0.001). In conclusion, significant gaps exist in the utilization of LAAO between racial and ethnic groups, and they appear to continue worsening from 2016 to 2019.

Trends and In-Hospital Outcomes of Patients With Baseline Right Bundle Branch Block Who Underwent Transcatheter Aortic Valve Implantation.

This study aimed to explore contemporary in-hospital outcomes and trends of transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) outcomes in patients with baseline right bundle branch block (RBBB) using data collected from a nationwide sample. Using the National Inpatient Sample, we identified patients hospitalized for an index TAVI procedure from 2016 to 2019. Primary outcomes included in-hospital all-cause mortality, complete heart block, and permanent pacemaker (PPM) implantation. A total of 199,895 hospitalizations for TAVI were identified. RBBB was present in 10,495 cases (5.3%). Patients with RBBB were older (median age 81 vs 80 years, p <0.001) and less likely to be female (35% vs 47.4%, p <0.001). After adjusting for differences in baseline characteristics and elective versus nonelective admission, patients with RBBB had a higher incidence of complete heart block (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 4.77, confidence interval [CI] 4.55 to 5.01, p <0.001) and PPM implantation (aOR 4.15, CI 3.95 to 4.35, p <0.001) and no difference in-hospital mortality rate (aOR 0.85, CI 0.69 to 1.05, p = 0.137). Between 2016 and 2019, there was a 3.5% and 2.9% decrease in in-hospital PPM implantation in patients with and without RBBB, respectively. In conclusion, from 2016 to 2019, the rate of in-hospital PPM implantation decreased during index TAVI hospitalization in both patients with and without RBBB. However, in those with baseline RBBB, complete heart block complication rates requiring PPM implantation remain relatively high. Further research and advances are needed to continue to reduce complication rates and the need for PPM implantation.

Impact of Chronic Heart Failure on Acute Pulmonary Embolism in-Hospital Outcomes (From a Contemporary Study).

There is a paucity of evidence on the impact of chronic heart failure (HF) on acute pulmonary embolism (PE) hospitalization outcomes. The aim of this study was to evaluate the in-hospital outcomes of patients with chronic HF and acute PE. A total of 1,391,145 hospitalizations with acute PE from the National Inpatient Sample Database from 2011 to 2019 were included. The database was queried for relevant International Classification of Diseases, Ninth and Tenth Revisions procedural and diagnostic codes. Baseline characteristics and in-hospital outcomes for patients with acute PE were compared in patients with and without a history of chronic HF. Multivariate logistic regression analyses were performed, adjusting for age, race, gender, and statistically significant co-morbidities between cohorts. A p value <0.001 was considered significant. Overall, the mean age was 65.2±16 years; 50.9% of patients were women, and 230,875 patients (16.6%) had chronic HF. The patients in the chronic HF cohort were predominantly older (mean age 69.0 vs 61.4 years) and male (49.9% vs 48.3%). In the multivariate model, chronic HF was associated with increased all-cause mortality (odds ratio [OR] 1.6, 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.57 to 1.63, 10.4% vs 5.7%), acute respiratory distress (OR 1.7, 95% CI 1.70 to 1.74, 39.5% vs 22.1%), cardiac arrest (OR 1.4, 95% CI 1.40 to 1.49, 3.9% vs 2.2%), and cardiogenic shock (OR 3.0, 95% CI 2.85 to 3.06, 4.2% vs 1.2%). All p values were <0.001. In conclusion, patients with PE and chronicHF are associated with increased in-hospital complications compared with patients with PE and without chronic HF. Prospective studies are needed to evaluate optimal management strategies in this population at high risk.

Prevalence of conduction abnormalities in a systolic heart failure population by race, ethnicity, and gender.

BACKGROUND: There is paucity of data regarding conduction abnormalities in the Hispanic population with systolic heart failure (HF). We aimed to evaluate the prevalence of electrocardiogram (ECG) abnormalities in a systolic HF population, with attention to the Hispanic population. METHODS: A cross sectional study of 926 patients enrolled in a systolic HF disease management program. ECGS were obtained in patients with an ejection fraction (EF) ≤ 40% by echocardiography at enrollment. Univariate and multivariate analysis adjusted by ethnicities was performed. RESULTS: White patients exhibited higher prevalence of atrial fibrillation (14.7%) than black patients (8.0%, P = 0.01) whereas Hispanics presented higher prevalence of paced rhythm (14.3% in Hispanics vs. 6.5% in whites and 5.2% in blacks, P<0.01 for both comparisons), higher prevalence of left bundle branch block (LBBB, 14.5% in Hispanics vs. 8.8% in whites and 5.8% in blacks, P = 0.002) and increased frequency of abnormal QT intervals (76.7% in Hispanics) than whites (59.6%) and blacks (69%) patients (P< 0.01 for both comparisons). A QRS interval greater than 120 ms was less prevalent among blacks (15.8% vs. 26.0% in whites and 25.3% in Hispanics, P = 0.01 for both comparisons). Univariate and multivariate analysis disclosed no influence of other characteristics (age, sex, coronary artery disease, hypertension, ejection fraction, medications) in the ECG findings. CONCLUSIONS: Hispanics with Systolic HF presented with increased prevalence of paced rhythm, LBBB, and abnormal QT intervals. Attention should be addressed to these ECG variations to recommend additional guidance for therapeutic interventions and provide important prognostic information.

Hereditary Transthyretin Amyloidosis Cardiomyopathy: The South Florida Experience.

Numerous studies have examined distinct populations with hereditary transthyretin amyloidosis (hATTR); however, to the best of our knowledge, no studies have focused on the hATTR population of South Florida, a region characterized by its diverse population, with a prominent Black, Afro-Caribbean, and Hispanic presence. We performed a retrospective observational study of patients diagnosed with hATTR cardiomyopathy from 2010 to 2020 at the University of Miami Hospital located in Miami, Florida. Patients with either a positive endomyocardial biopsy or Technetium-99m Pyrophosphate scan were selected and classified into hATTR or wild-type ATTR (ATTRwt), based on genetic testing results. A subsequent electronic medical record review was performed, and baseline characteristics were obtained for both groups. A total of 144 patients were identified to have ATTR and were included in this study. Of these patients, 36% had hATTR (n = 52), and 64% had ATTRwt (n = 92). Baseline age, gender, and race characteristics in the hATTR and ATTRwt groups were consistent with previous observational studies. When comparing our findings with preliminary data from the Transthyretin Amyloidosis Outcome Survey reported in 2016, we observed a higher proportion of Val122Ile (75% vs 44% of all hATTR cases), a lower proportion of hATTR cases (36% vs 52%), and a higher proportion of ATTRwt (64% vs 48%). Preliminary data from the Transthyretin Amyloidosis Outcome Survey did not report specific data about Hispanic patients with hATTR, with only 7% of all cases reported being from non-Caucasian and non-Black patients. Hispanic patients represented 25% of all hATTR cases within our population, with 69% of them being positive for the Val122Ile allele. In conclusion, the large presence of Black and Afro-Caribbean subjects within the South Florida region, in combination with its prominent Hispanic population and the high proportion of adults aged more than 65 years, results in a unique population composition that could help explain the higher-than-expected frequency of Val122Ile and ATTRwt cases observed within our study.

Impact of left bundle branch block in Takotsubo Syndrome.

Background: Left bundle branch block (LBBB) causes left ventricular dyssynchrony, and its presence with concomitant left ventricular dysfunction has been proven to play a synergistic role, worsening ventricular function. Our study seeks to further explore the association between LBBB and various in-hospital outcomes in patients with takotsubo syndrome (TTS). Methods: The national inpatient sample was queried from 2016 to 2019 to identify all admissions with a primary diagnosis of TTS. International classification of diseases, tenth revision codes were used to divide patients based on the presence or absence of LBBB. Multivariate regression analysis was performed to assess the effect of LBBB among all the pre-specified outcomes. Results: A total of 26,615 admissions were included in the analysis. Admissions with LBBB were more likely to be older (72.2 vs. 66.2 years) and have a higher burden of comorbidities. The presence of a LBBB was associated with ventricular arrhythmias (OR = 1.97, 95% CI 1.08-3.61, p = 0.028) but not with sudden cardiac arrest (SCA), acute heart failure, cardiogenic shock, and all-cause intra-hospital mortality. Conclusions: Intraventricular dyssynchrony appears to play a significant role in ventricular arrhythmogenesis and SCA, as several trials have demonstrated that cardiac resynchronization therapy alone without defibrillator function reduces the rate of ventricular arrhythmias and SCA in patients with heart failure with systolic dysfunction and a widened QRS complex. The most likely mechanism of arrhythmia development in TTS is related to the elevated plasma levels of catecholamines and their proarrhythmic effects in the ventricular myocardium.

Comparison of In-Hospital Outcomes and Readmission Rates of Transcatheter Aortic Valve Implantation in Mixed Aortic Valve Disease Versus Pure Aortic Stenosis.

Recently, transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) has been performed in patients with combined aortic stenosis (AS) and aortic regurgitation. We sought to evaluate in-hospital outcomes and readmission rates after TAVI in patients with mixed aortic valve disease (MAVD). A total of 100,573 TAVI procedures were identified between 2011 and 2017 using International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision and International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision procedure codes the from Nationwide Readmissions Database. We separated patients into 2 cohorts, those with MAVD and those with pure AS. The primary outcome was all-cause inpatient mortality after TAVI, and secondary outcomes included rates of 30- and 90-day readmissions and postprocedural complications. A total of 3,260 patients had MAVD (median age 83 years, 43.5% women). In-hospital mortality (2.5% vs 2.6%, p = 0.531) and rates of paravalvular leak (1.0% vs 1.3%, p = 0.056) were similar between the MAVD and pure AS groups. Major bleeding (7.4% vs 9.6%, p <0.001), 30-day readmission (0.5% vs 8.8%, p <0.001) and 90-day readmission rates (0.8% vs 16.0%, p <0.001), acute kidney injury (12.9% vs 15.1%, p <0.001), postoperative ischemic stroke (2.0% vs 5.7%, p <0.001), and mechanic circulatory support use (1.9% vs 4.5%, p <0.001) were less prevalent in the MAVD cohort. Using a multivariate logistic regression model to adjust for confounding factors, MAVD was not predictive of mortality in patients who underwent TAVI (adjusted odds ratio [adjOR] 1.25, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.99 to 1.57, p = 0.056); however, MAVD was associated with: decreased odds of 30-day readmission (adjOR 0.05, 95% CI 0.03 to 0.08, p <0.001), 90-day readmission rates (adjOR 0.04, 95% CI 0.03 to 0.06, p <0.001), and higher odds of pacemaker implantation (adjOR 1.46, 95% CI 1.29 to 1.65, p <0.001). In conclusion, despite differences in the aortic valve and left ventricular anatomy (pressure vs volume-related adaptive changes) in patients with MAVD and pure AS, TAVI appears safe and feasible. However, patients with MAVD were more likely to have permanent pacemakers implanted. The results of our study warrant further randomized controlled studies to confirm these findings.

Comparison of in-hospital outcomes of patients undergoing catheter ablation for typical versus atypical atrial flutter.

BACKGROUND: Catheter ablation (CA) is indicated as definitive therapy for patients with either typical or atypical atrial flutter (TAFlutter and AAFlutter, respectively) which is unresponsive to medical therapy. There is a paucity of data regarding in-hospital outcomes of patients undergoing CA. METHODS: Retrospective study using the NIS to identify patients ≥18 years who underwent CA between 2015 and 2017. Individuals were identified using ICD-10-CM/PCS for TAFlutter, AAFlutter, and CA. RESULTS: A total of 17,390 patients underwent CA for Aflutter (33% AAFlutter and 67% TAFlutter). The TAFlutter group was younger (mean 65.9 years vs. 67.2 years), with less females (30% vs. 43%, p ≤ 0.001 for both) compared to the AAFlutter group. The TAFlutter group had a higher rate of diabetes, tobacco use, obesity, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (p ≤ 0.001 for all). The AAFlutter cohort had increased prior strokes and atrial fibrillation (p ≤ 0.001 for both). The mean CHA2DS2-VASc score was found to be 2.3 in AAFlutter compared to 2.1 in TAFlutter (p ≤ 0.001). There were significantly higher proportions of thromboembolic events, transfusions, and longer length of stay in the TAFlutter group (p ≤ 0.001 for all) with the AAFlutter group having significantly higher rates of cardioversion, implantation of cardiac devices, and increased hospital charges (p ≤ 0.001 for all); no significant difference was found in mortality after controlling for comorbidities. CONCLUSIONS: We found higher complication rates in CA for patients with TAFlutter, but no difference in in-hospital all-cause mortality. Variation in CA depending upon the mechanism of AFlutter may underlie these differences, and warrant further study.

Effect of Gender on Prognosis in Patients With Takotsubo Syndrome (from a Nationwide Perspective).

Takotsubo syndrome (TTS) largely affects postmenopausal women but has been shown to carry increased mortality risk in men. We sought to evaluate nationwide in-hospital outcomes between men and women admitted with TTS to better characterize these disparities. Using the National Inpatient Sample database from 2011 to 2018, we identified a total of 48,300 hospitalizations with the primary diagnosis of TTS. The primary end point was in-hospital all-cause mortality. Secondary end points included in-hospital complications, length of stay, and discharge disposition. Men with TTS accounted for 8.9% of hospitalizations, were younger in age (62.0 ± 15.1 vs 66.8 ± 12.1 years, p <0.001), and were more frequently Black (9.7% vs 5.8%, p <0.001). Nationwide TTS mortality rates were 1.1% overall and may be improving, but remained higher in men than in women (2.2% vs 1.0%, p <0.001). Male gender was associated with increased all-cause mortality (adjusted odds ratios 2.41, 95% confidence interval 1.88 to 3.10, p <0.001), greater length of stay, and discharge complexity. Men carried increased co-morbidity burden associated with increased cardiogenic shock or mortality, including atrial fibrillation, thrombocytopenia, chronic kidney disease, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Men more frequently developed acute kidney injury, ventricular arrhythmias, cardiac arrest, and respiratory failure. Male gender remains associated with nearly 2.5-fold increase in in-hospital mortality risk. In conclusion, early identification of patients with high-risk co-morbidities and close monitoring for arrhythmias, renal injury, or cardiogenic shock may reduce morbidity and mortality.

The association of racial differences with in-hospital outcomes of patients admitted for sinus node dysfunction.

Background: The impact of race and its related social determinants of health on cardiovascular disease outcomes has been well documented. However, limited data exist regarding the association of race with in-hospital outcomes in patients admitted for sinus node dysfunction (SND). Objective: To evaluate whether racial disparities exist in outcomes for patients hospitalized with a primary diagnosis of SND. Methods: The National Inpatient Sample was queried from 2011 to 2018 for relevant ICD-9 and ICD-10 diagnosis and procedure codes. Baseline characteristics and in-hospital outcomes in patients with a primary diagnosis of SND were compared among White and non-White patients. A multivariate logistic regression model was used to adjust for potential confounding factors and statistically significant comorbidities between both cohorts. Results: We identified 655,139 persons admitted with a primary diagnosis of SND, 520,926 (79.5%) of whom were White. Non-White patients had significantly higher all-cause mortality, length of stay, and total hospital cost. There were lower odds of pacemaker insertion (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 1.13 [95% confidence interval (CI) 1.11-1.15]), temporary transvenous pacing (aOR 1.15 [95% CI 1.11-1.22]), and cardioversion (aOR 1.50 [95% CI 1.42-1.58]) in non-White patients. A subgroup analysis was performed and non-Hispanic Black race was predictive of a decreased odds of pacemaker insertion, cardioversion/defibrillation, and temporary transvenous pacing. Conclusion: Significant differences of in-hospital outcomes exist between White and non-White patients with SND. These findings appeared to be primarily driven by disparities in non-Hispanic Black patients. Increased recognition and focused efforts to mitigate these disparities will improve the care of underrepresented populations treated for SND.