Prediction of survival in out-of-hospital cardiac arrest: the updated Swedish cardiac arrest risk score (SCARS) model.

Aims: Out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) is a major health concern worldwide. Although one-third of all patients achieve a return of spontaneous circulation and may undergo a difficult period in the intensive care unit, only 1 in 10 survive. This study aims to improve our previously developed machine learning model for early prognostication of survival in OHCA. Methods and results: We studied all cases registered in the Swedish Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation Registry during 2010 and 2020 (n = 55 615). We compared the predictive performance of extreme gradient boosting (XGB), light gradient boosting machine (LightGBM), logistic regression, CatBoost, random forest, and TabNet. For each framework, we developed models that optimized (i) a weighted F1 score to penalize models that yielded more false negatives and (ii) a precision-recall area under the curve (PR AUC). LightGBM assigned higher importance values to a larger set of variables, while XGB made predictions using fewer predictors. The area under the curve receiver operating characteristic (AUC ROC) scores for LightGBM were 0.958 (optimized for weighted F1) and 0.961 (optimized for a PR AUC), while for XGB, the scores were 0.958 and 0.960, respectively. The calibration plots showed a subtle underestimation of survival for LightGBM, contrasting with a mild overestimation for XGB models. In the crucial range of 0-10% likelihood of survival, the XGB model, optimized with the PR AUC, emerged as a clinically safe model. Conclusion: We improved our previous prediction model by creating a parsimonious model with an AUC ROC at 0.96, with excellent calibration and no apparent risk of underestimating survival in the critical probability range (0-10%). The model is available at www.gocares.se.

Recurrence of Atrial Fibrillation in Patients With New-Onset Postoperative Atrial Fibrillation After Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting.

Importance: New-onset postoperative atrial fibrillation (POAF) occurs in approximately 30% of patients undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG). It is unknown whether early recurrence is associated with worse outcomes. Objective: To test the hypothesis that early AF recurrence in patients with POAF after CABG is associated with worse outcomes. Design, Setting, and Participants: This Swedish nationwide cohort study used prospectively collected data from the SWEDEHEART (Swedish Web System for Enhancement and Development of Evidence-Based Care in Heart Disease Evaluated According to Recommended Therapies) registry and 3 other mandatory national registries. The study included patients who underwent isolated first-time CABG between January 1, 2007, and December 31, 2020, and developed POAF. Data analysis was performed between March 6 and September 16, 2023. Exposure: Early AF recurrence defined as an episode of AF leading to hospital care within 3 months after discharge. Main Outcomes and Measures: The primary outcome was all-cause mortality. Secondary outcomes included ischemic stroke, any thromboembolism, heart failure hospitalization, and major bleeding within 2 years after discharge. The groups were compared with multivariable Cox regression models, with early AF recurrence as a time-dependent covariate. The hypothesis tested was formulated after data collection. Results: Of the 35 329 patients identified, 10 609 (30.0%) developed POAF after CABG and were included in this study. Their median age was 71 (IQR, 66-76) years. The median follow-up was 7.1 (IQR, 2.9-9.0) years, and most patients (81.6%) were men. Early AF recurrence occurred in 6.7% of patients. Event rates (95% CIs) per 100 patient-years with vs without early AF recurrence were 2.21 (1.49-3.24) vs 2.03 (1.83-2.25) for all-cause mortality, 3.94 (2.92-5.28) vs 2.79 (2.56-3.05) for heart failure hospitalization, and 3.97 (2.95-5.30) vs 2.74 (2.51-2.99) for major bleeding. No association between early AF recurrence and all-cause mortality was observed (adjusted hazard ratio [AHR], 1.17 [95% CI, 0.80-1.74]; P = .41). In exploratory analyses, there was an association with heart failure hospitalization (AHR, 1.80 [95% CI, 1.32-2.45]; P = .001) and major bleeding (AHR, 1.92 [1.42-2.61]; P < .001). Conclusions and Relevance: In this cohort study of early AF recurrence after POAF in patients who underwent CABG, no association was found between early AF recurrence and all-cause mortality. Exploratory analyses showed associations between AF recurrence and heart failure hospitalization, oral anticoagulation, and major bleeding.

Early ICD implantation following out-of-hospital cardiac arrest: a retrospective cohort study from the Swedish Registry for Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation.

BACKGROUND: It is unclear whether an implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD) is generally beneficial in survivors of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA). OBJECTIVE: We studied the association between ICD implantation prior to discharge and survival in patients with cardiac aetiology or initial shockable rhythm in OHCA. DESIGN: We conducted a retrospective cohort study in the Swedish Registry for Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation. Treatment associations were estimated using propensity scores. We used gradient boosting, Bayesian additive regression trees, neural networks, extreme gradient boosting and logistic regression to generate multiple propensity scores. We selected the model yielding maximum covariate balance to obtain weights, which were used in a Cox regression to calculate HRs for death or recurrent cardiac arrest. PARTICIPANTS: All cases discharged alive during 2010 to 2020 with a cardiac aetiology or initial shockable rhythm were included. A total of 959 individuals were discharged with an ICD, and 2046 were discharged without one. RESULTS: Among those experiencing events, 25% did so within 90 days in the ICD group, compared with 52% in the other group. All HRs favoured ICD implantation. The overall HR (95% CI) for ICD versus no ICD was 0.38 (0.26 to 0.56). The HR was 0.42 (0.28 to 0.63) in cases with initial shockable rhythm; 0.18 (0.06 to 0.58) in non-shockable rhythm; 0.32 (0.20 to 0.53) in cases with a history of coronary artery disease; 0.36 (0.22 to 0.61) in heart failure and 0.30 (0.13 to 0.69) in those with diabetes. Similar associations were noted in all subgroups. CONCLUSION: Among survivors of OHCA, those discharged with an ICD had approximately 60% lower risk of death or recurrent cardiac arrest. A randomised trial is warranted to study this further.

Cardiopulmonary bypass management and acute kidney injury in cardiac surgery patients.

BACKGROUND: Cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) ensures tissue oxygenation during cardiac surgery. New technology allows continuous registration of CPB variables during the operation. The aim of the present investigation was to study the association between CPB management and the risk of postoperative acute kidney injury (AKI). METHODS: This observational study based on prospectively registered data included 2661 coronary artery bypass grafting and/or valve patients operated during 2016-2020. Individual patient characteristics and postoperative outcomes collected from the SWEDEHEART registry were merged with CPB variables automatically registered every 20 s during CPB. Associations between CPB variables and AKI were analyzed with multivariable logistic regression models adjusted for patient characteristics. RESULTS: In total, 387 patients (14.5%) developed postoperative AKI. After adjustments, longer time on CPB and aortic cross-clamp, periods of compromised blood flow during aortic cross-clamp time, and lower nadir hematocrit were associated with the risk of AKI, while mean blood flow, bladder temperature, central venous pressure, and mixed venous oxygen saturation were not. Patient characteristics independently associated with AKI were advanced age, higher body mass index, hypertension, diabetes mellitus, atrial fibrillation, lower left ventricular ejection fraction, estimated glomerular filtration rate <60 or >90 mL/min/m2 , and preoperative hemoglobin concentration below or above the normal sex-specific range. CONCLUSIONS: To reduce the risk of AKI after cardiac surgery, aortic clamp time and CPB time should be kept short, and low hematocrit and periods of compromised blood flow during aortic cross-clamp time should be avoided if possible.

Renin-angiotensin system inhibition after surgical aortic valve replacement for aortic stenosis.

OBJECTIVE: The optimal medical therapy after surgical aortic valve replacement (SAVR) for aortic stenosis remains unknown. Renin-angiotensin system (RAS) inhibitors could potentially improve cardiac remodelling and clinical outcomes after SAVR. METHODS: All patients undergoing SAVR due to aortic stenosis in Sweden 2006-2020 and surviving 6 months after surgery were included. The primary outcome was major adverse cardiovascular events (MACEs; all-cause mortality, stroke or myocardial infarction). Secondary endpoints included the individual components of MACE and cardiovascular mortality. Time-updated adjusted Cox regression models were used to compare patients with and without RAS inhibitors. Subgroup analyses were performed, as well as a comparison between angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors and angiotensin II receptor blockers (ARBs). RESULTS: A total of 11 894 patients (mean age, 69.5 years, 40.4% women) were included. Median follow-up time was 5.4 (2.7-8.5) years. At baseline, 53.6% of patients were dispensed RAS inhibitors, this proportion remained stable during follow-up. RAS inhibition was associated with a lower risk of MACE (adjusted hazard ratio (aHR) 0.87 (95% CI 0.81 to 0.93), p<0.001), mainly driven by a lower risk of all-cause death (aHR 0.79 (0.73 to 0.86), p<0.001). The lower MACE risk was consistent in all subgroups except for those with mechanical prostheses (aHR 1.07 (0.84 to 1.37), p for interaction=0.040). Both treatment with ACE inhibitors (aHR 0.89 (95% CI 0.82 to 0.97)) and ARBs (0.87 (0.81 to 0.93)) were associated with lower risk of MACE. CONCLUSION: The results of this study suggest that medical therapy with an RAS inhibitor after SAVR is associated with a 13% lower risk of MACE and a 21% lower risk of all-cause death.

[New-onset postoperative atrial fibrillation following coronary artery bypass grafting: Incidence, clinical course and short-term outcomes].

INTRODUCTION: The aims of this retrospective study were to investigate the incidence, clinical course and short term outcomes of new-onset postoperative atrial fibrillation (POAF) following coronary artery bypass surgery (CABG). MATERIALS AND METHODS: A nation-wide study on 1622 patients who underwent CABG from 2006-2020 at Landspitali University Hospital. Clinical data were extracted from registries and 121 patients with pre-existing AF excluded, leaving 1501 patients for further analysis. Patient charts and postoperative ECGs were manually reviewed for determining details of POAF, which was defined as a postoperative episode of AF before discharge lasting at least 5 minutes. Patients with POAF (n=483) were compared to non-POAF patients (n=1018). RESULTS: Altogether 483 (32.2%) patients developed POAF; the annual incidence decreasing over time (tau= -0,45, p=0.023). Most patients were diagnosed on the second day postoperatively (43.5%) and over 90% were diagnosed within 4 days. The median number of POAF episodes was 3 (IQR: 1-5), the first episode lasting 1-6 hours in half of the cases and the total POAF-duration being 12 hours median (IQR: 5-30). Over 94% of cases converted to sinus rythm before discharge, with 25 (5.3%) patients being discharged in AF. Most patients were treated with beta-blockers (98.8%), amiodarone (95%) and 14.9% with electric cardioversion. POAF-patients were older, had higher EuroSCORE II and a longer hospital stay, however, they had similar rates of early postoperative stroke and 30 day mortality. CONCLUSION: The incidence of POAF remains high and was associated with prolonged hospital stay, but not significantly higher 30 day mortality or early postoperative stroke compared to patients in sinus rhythm. POAF-episodes were predominantly transient and almost 95% of patients were discharged in sinus rythm.

Cardiopulmonary bypass management and risk of new-onset atrial fibrillation after cardiac surgery.

OBJECTIVES: Cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) management may potentially play a role in the development of new-onset atrial fibrillation (AF) after cardiac surgery. The aim of this study was to explore this potential association. METHODS: Patients who underwent coronary artery bypass grafting and/or valvular surgery during 2016-2020 were included in an observational single-centre study. Data collected from the Swedish Web System for Enhancement and Development of Evidence-Based Care in Heart Disease Evaluated According to Recommended Therapies registry and a local CPB database were merged. Associations between individual CPB variables (CPB and aortic clamp times, arterial and central venous pressure, mixed venous oxygen saturation, blood flow index, bladder temperature and haematocrit) and new-onset AF were analysed using multivariable logistic regression models adjusted for patient characteristics, comorbidities and surgical procedure. RESULTS: Out of 1999 patients, 758 (37.9%) developed new-onset AF. Patients with new-onset postoperative AF were older, had a higher incidence of previous stroke, worse renal function and higher EuroSCORE II and CHA2DS2-VASc scores and more often underwent valve surgery. Longer CPB time [adjusted odds ratio 1.05 per 10 min (95% confidence interval 1.01-1.08); P = 0.008] and higher flow index [adjusted odds ratio 1.21 per 0.2 l/m2 (95% confidence interval 1.02-1.42); P = 0.026] were associated with an increased risk for new-onset AF, while the other variables were not. A sensitivity analysis only including patients with isolated coronary artery bypass grafting supported the primary analyses. CONCLUSIONS: CPB management following current guideline recommendations appears to have minor or no influence on the risk of developing new-onset AF after cardiac surgery.

Associations between new-onset postoperative atrial fibrillation and long-term outcome in patients undergoing surgical aortic valve replacement.

OBJECTIVES: Data on prognostic implications of new-onset postoperative atrial fibrillation (POAF) after surgical aortic valve replacement (SAVR) is limited. We sought to explore associations between POAF, early initiated oral anticoagulation (OAC) and long-term outcome after SAVR and combined SAVR + coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG). METHODS: This is a retrospective, population-based study including all isolated SAVR (n = 7038) and combined SAVR and CABG patients (n = 3854) without a history of preoperative atrial fibrillation (AF) in Sweden 2007-2017. Individual patient data were merged from 4 nationwide registries. Inverse probability of treatment weighting-adjusted Cox regression models were employed separately in SAVR and SAVR + CABG patients. The median follow-up time was 4.7 years (range 0-10 years). RESULTS: POAF occurred in 44.5% and 50.7% of SAVR and SAVR + CABG patients, respectively. In SAVR patients, POAF was associated with increased long-term risk of death [adjusted hazard ratio (aHR) 1.21 (95% confidence interval 1.06-1.37)], ischaemic stroke [aHR 1.32 (1.08-1.59)], any thromboembolism, heart failure hospitalization and recurrent AF. In SAVR + CABG, POAF was associated with death [aHR 1.31 (1.14-1.51)], recurrent AF and heart failure, but not with ischaemic stroke [aHR 1.04 (0.84-1.29)] or thromboembolism. OAC was dispensed within 30 days after discharge to 67.0% and 65.9%, respectively, of SAVR and SAVR + CABG patients with POAF. Early initiated OAC was not associated with reduced risk of death, ischaemic stroke or thromboembolism in any group of patients. CONCLUSIONS: POAF after SAVR is associated with an increased risk of long-term mortality and morbidity. Further studies are warranted to clarify the role of OAC in SAVR patients with POAF.

Medical therapy after surgical aortic valve replacement for aortic regurgitation.

OBJECTIVES: Current clinical guidelines have no specific recommendations regarding medical therapy after surgical aortic valve replacement in patients with aortic regurgitation (AR). We studied the association between medical therapy with renin-angiotensin system (RAS) inhibitors, statins and ß-blockers and long-term major adverse cardiovascular events. METHODS: All patients undergoing valve replacement due to AR between 2006 and 2017 in Sweden and alive 6 months after discharge were included. Time-dependent multivariable Cox regression models adjusted for age, sex, patient characteristics, comorbidities, other medications and year of surgical aortic valve replacement were used. Primary outcome was a composite of all-cause mortality, myocardial infarction and stroke. Subgroup analyses based on age, sex, heart failure, low ejection fraction, hyperlipidaemia and hypertension were performed. RESULTS: A total of 2204 patients were included [median follow-up 5.0 years (range 0.0-11.5)]. At baseline, 68% of the patients were dispensed RAS inhibitors, 80% ß-blockers and 35% statins. Dispense of RAS inhibitors and ß-blockers declined over time, especially during the first year after baseline, while dispense of statins remained stable. Treatment with RAS inhibitors or statins was associated with a reduced risk of the primary outcome [adjusted hazard ratio (aHR) 0.71, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.57-0.87 and aHR 0.78, 95% CI 0.62-0.99, respectively]. The results were consistent in subgroups based on age, sex and comorbidities. ß-Blocker treatment was associated with an increased risk for the primary outcome (aHR 1.35, 95% CI 1.07-1.70). CONCLUSIONS: The results indicate a potential beneficial association of RAS inhibitors and statins as part of a secondary preventive treatment regime after aortic valve replacement in patients with AR. The role of ß-blockers needs to be further investigated.

Predicting recurrent cardiac arrest in individuals surviving Out-of-Hospital cardiac arrest.

BACKGROUND: Despite improvements in short-term survival for Out-of-Hospital Cardiac Arrest (OHCA) in the past two decades, long-term survival is still not well studied. Furthermore, the contribution of different variables on long-term survival have not been fully investigated. AIM: Examine the 1-year prognosis of patients discharged from hospital after an OHCA. Furthermore, identify factors predicting re-arrest and/or death during 1-year follow-up. METHODS: All patients 18 years or older surviving an OHCA and discharged from the hospital were identified from the Swedish Register for Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (SRCR). Data on diagnoses, medications and socioeconomic factors was gathered from other Swedish registers. A machine learning model was constructed with 886 variables and evaluated for its predictive capabilities. Variable importance was gathered from the model and new models with the most important variables were created. RESULTS: Out of the 5098 patients included, 902 (∼18%) suffered a recurrent cardiac arrest or death within a year. For the outcome death or re-arrest within 1 year from discharge the model achieved an ROC (receiver operating characteristics) AUC (area under the curve) of 0.73. A model with the 15 most important variables achieved an AUC of 0.69. CONCLUSIONS: Survivors of an OHCA have a high risk of suffering a re-arrest or death within 1 year from hospital discharge. A machine learning model with 15 different variables, among which age, socioeconomic factors and neurofunctional status at hospital discharge, achieved almost the same predictive capabilities with reasonable precision as the full model with 886 variables.

Pacemaker implantation following tricuspid valve annuloplasty.

Objective: Tricuspid annuloplasty is associated with increased risk of atrioventricular block and subsequent implantation of a permanent pacemaker. However, the exact incidence of permanent pacemaker, associated risk factors, and outcomes in this frame remain debated. The aim of the study was to report permanent pacemaker incidence, risk factors, and outcomes after tricuspid annuloplasty from nationwide databases. Methods: By using data from multiple Swedish mandatory national registries, all patients (n = 1502) who underwent tricuspid annuloplasty in Sweden from 2006 to 2020 were identified. Patients who needed permanent pacemaker within 30 days from surgery were compared with those who did not. The cumulative incidence of permanent pacemaker implantation was estimated. A multivariable logistic regression model was fit to identify risk factors of 30-day permanent pacemaker implantation. The association between permanent pacemaker implantation and long-term survival was evaluated with multivariable Cox regression. Results: The 30-day permanent pacemaker rate was 14.2% (214/1502). Patients with permanent pacemakers were older (69.8 ± 10.3 years vs 67.5 ± 12.4 years, P = .012). Independent risk factors of permanent pacemaker implantation were concomitant mitral valve surgery (odds ratio, 2.07; 95% CI, 1.34-3.27), ablation surgery (odds ratio, 1.59; 95% CI, 1.12-2.23), and surgery performed in a low-volume center (odds ratio, 1.85; 95% CI, 1.17-2.83). Permanent pacemaker implantation was not associated with increased long-term mortality risk (adjusted hazard ratio, 0.74; 95% CI, 0.53-1.03). Conclusions: This nationwide study demonstrated a high risk of permanent pacemaker implantation within 30 days of tricuspid annuloplasty. However, patients who needed a permanent pacemaker did not have worse long-term survival, and the cumulative incidence of heart failure and major adverse cardiovascular events was similar to patients who did not receive a permanent pacemaker.

Stroke Risk Stratification in Patients With Postoperative Atrial Fibrillation After Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting.

Background The CHA2DS2-VASc (congestive heart failure, hypertension, age ≥75 years, diabetes, previous stroke or TIA [transient ischemic attack], vascular disease, age 65 to 74 years, sex category female; 2 indicates 2 points, otherwise 1 point) scoring system is recommended to guide decisions on oral anticoagulation therapy for stroke prevention in patients with nonsurgery atrial fibrillation. A score ≥1 in men and ≥2 in women, corresponding to an annual stroke risk exceeding 1%, warrants long-term oral anticoagulation provided the bleeding risk is acceptable. However, in patients with new-onset postoperative atrial fibrillation, the optimal risk stratification method is unknown. The aim of this study was therefore to evaluate the CHA2DS2-VASc scoring system for estimating the 1-year ischemic stroke risk in patients with new-onset postoperative atrial fibrillation after coronary artery bypass grafting. Methods and Results All patients with new-onset postoperative atrial fibrillation and without oral anticoagulation after first-time isolated coronary artery bypass grafting performed in Sweden during 2007 to 2017 were eligible for this registry-based observational cohort study. The 1-year ischemic stroke rate at each step of the CHA2DS2-VASc score was estimated using a Kaplan-Meier estimator. Of the 6368 patients included (mean age, 69.9 years; 81% men), >97% were treated with antiplatelet drugs. There were 147 ischemic strokes during the first year of follow-up. The ischemic stroke rate at 1 year was 0.3%, 0.7%, and 1.5% in patients with CHA2DS2-VASc scores of 1, 2, and 3, respectively, and ≥2.3% in patients with a score ≥4. A sensitivity analysis, with the inclusion of patients on anticoagulants, was performed and supported the primary results. Conclusions Patients with new-onset atrial fibrillation after coronary artery bypass grafting and a CHA2DS2-VASc score <3 have such a low 1-year risk for ischemic stroke that oral anticoagulation therapy should probably be avoided.

Clinical Course of Postoperative Atrial Fibrillation After Cardiac Surgery and Long-term Outcome.

BACKGROUND: New-onset postoperative atrial fibrillation (POAF) after cardiac surgery is associated with worse short- and long-term outcomes. Although the clinical presentation of POAF varies substantially, almost all studies model it with a dichotomous yes or no variable. We explored potential associations between the clinical course of POAF and long-term outcome. METHODS: This retrospective, observational, single-center study included 6435 coronary artery bypass grafting and/or valve patients between 2010 and 2018. POAF patients were grouped into spontaneous/pharmacologic conversion to sinus rhythm, sinus rhythm after electrical cardioversion, and sustained AF at discharge. Multivariable Cox regression models adjusted for age, sex, type of surgery, comorbidities, and early-initiated oral anticoagulation were used to study associations between the clinical course of POAF and long-term risk for mortality, ischemic stroke, thromboembolic events, heart failure hospitalization, and major bleeding. Median follow-up time was 3.8 years (range, 0-8.3). RESULTS: POAF occurred in 2172 patients (33.8%), 94.9% of whom converted to sinus rhythm before discharge. Of these, 73.6% converted spontaneously or with pharmacologic treatment and 26.4% after electrical cardioversion. Both sustained AF and electrical cardioversion were independently associated with an increased long-term risk for heart failure (adjusted hazard ratio for sustained AF at discharge, 2.55 [95% confidence interval, 1.65-3.93; P < .001]; adjusted hazard ratio for electrical cardioversion, 1.28 [95% confidence interval, 1.00-1.65; P = .049]) but not with increased long-term risk for death, thromboembolic complications, or bleeding. CONCLUSIONS: A more complicated POAF course is associated with increased long-term risk for heart failure hospitalization but not for all-cause mortality or thromboembolic complications.

Diagnosis, management, and outcome of cardiac sarcoidosis and giant cell myocarditis: a Swedish single center experience.

BACKGROUND: Cardiac sarcoidosis (CS) and giant cell myocarditis (GCM) are rare diseases that share some similarities, but also display different clinical and histopathological features. We aimed to compare the demographics, clinical presentation, and outcome of patients diagnosed with CS or GCM. METHOD: We compared the clinical data and outcome of all adult patients with CS (n = 71) or GCM (n = 21) diagnosed at our center between 1991 and 2020. RESULTS: The median (interquartile range) follow-up time for patients with CS and GCM was 33.5 [6.5-60.9] and 2.98 [0.6-40.9] months, respectively. In the entire cohort, heart failure (HF) was the most common presenting manifestation (31%), followed by ventricular arrhythmias (25%). At presentation, a left ventricular ejection fraction of < 50% was found in 54% of the CS compared to 86% of the GCM patients (P = 0.014), while corresponding proportions for right ventricular dysfunction were 24% and 52% (P = 0.026), respectively. Advanced HF (NYHA ≥ IIIB) was less common in CS (31%) than in GCM (76%). CS patients displayed significantly lower circulating levels of natriuretic peptides (P < 0.001) and troponins (P = 0.014). Eighteen percent of patients with CS included in the survival analysis reached the composite endpoint of death or heart transplantation (HTx) compared to 68% of patients with GCM (P < 0.001). CONCLUSION: GCM has a more fulminant clinical course than CS with severe biventricular failure, higher levels of circulating biomarkers and an increased need for HTx. The histopathologic diagnosis remained key determinant even after adjustment for markers of cardiac dysfunction.

Incidental cardiac findings on somatostatin receptor PET/CT: What do they indicate and are they of clinical relevance?

We present the case of a 47-year-old man with a history of recurrent episodes of frontal headache, fever, and chest discomfort as well as longstanding, difficult to treat arterial hypertension. Clinical work-up revealed the unexpected finding of an underlying pheochromocytoma as well as recent "silent" myocardial infarction. Our case highlights the importance of paying attention to incidental cardiac findings on somatostatin receptor positron emission tomography/computed tomography, as routinely performed in patients with clinically suspected neuroendocrine tumors. These incidental cardiac findings cannot only indicate a primary or secondary (metastatic) neuroendocrine tumor, but also areas of myocardial inflammation, as somatostatin receptors cannot only be found on the majority of neuroendocrine tumors, but also among other tissues on the surface of activated macrophages and lymphocytes. The detection of myocardial inflammation is of clinical importance and its underlying etiology should be evaluated to prompt eventual necessary treatment, as it is a potential driving force for cardiac remodeling and poor prognosis.

New-Onset Atrial Fibrillation After Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting and Long-Term Outcome: A Population-Based Nationwide Study From the SWEDEHEART Registry.

Background The long-term impact of new-onset postoperative atrial fibrillation (POAF) after coronary artery bypass grafting and the benefit of early-initiated oral anticoagulation (OAC) in patients with POAF are uncertain. Methods and Results All patients who underwent coronary artery bypass grafting without preoperative atrial fibrillation in Sweden from 2007 to 2015 were included in a population-based study using data from 4 national registries: SWEDEHEART (Swedish Web System for Enhancement and Development of Evidence-based Care in Heart Disease Evaluated According to Recommended Therapies), National Patient Registry, Dispensed Drug Registry, and Cause of Death Registry. POAF was defined as any new-onset atrial fibrillation during the first 30 postoperative days. Cox regression models (adjusted for age, sex, comorbidity, and medication) were used to assess long-term outcome in patients with and without POAF, and potential associations between early-initiated OAC and outcome. In a cohort of 24 523 patients with coronary artery bypass grafting, POAF occurred in 7368 patients (30.0%), and 1770 (24.0%) of them were prescribed OAC within 30 days after surgery. During follow-up (median 4.5 years, range 0‒9 years), POAF was associated with increased risk of ischemic stroke (adjusted hazard ratio [aHR] 1.18 [95% CI, 1.05‒1.32]), any thromboembolism (ischemic stroke, transient ischemic attack, or peripheral arterial embolism) (aHR 1.16, 1.05‒1.28), heart failure hospitalization (aHR 1.35, 1.21‒1.51), and recurrent atrial fibrillation (aHR 4.16, 3.76‒4.60), but not with all-cause mortality (aHR 1.08, 0.98‒1.18). Early initiation of OAC was not associated with reduced risk of ischemic stroke or any thromboembolism but with increased risk for major bleeding (aHR 1.40, 1.08‒1.82). Conclusions POAF after coronary artery bypass grafting is associated with negative prognostic impact. The role of early OAC therapy remains unclear. Studies aiming at reducing the occurrence of POAF and its consequences are warranted.

New-onset postoperative atrial fibrillation after heart surgery.

BACKGROUND: New-onset postoperative atrial fibrillation (poAF) complicates approximately 20-60% of all cardiac surgical procedures and is associated with an increased periprocedural mortality and morbitity, prolonged hospital stay, increased costs, and worse long-term survival. Unfortunately multiple advances in surgery and perioperative care over the last two decades have not led to a reduction in the incidence of poAF or associated complications in the daily clinical practice. METHODS: A narrative review of the available literature was performed. RESULTS: An extensive review of the pathophysiology of poAF following cardiac surgery, clinical, and procedural risk-factors is provided, as well as prophylactic measures and treatment. CONCLUSION: Multiple strategies to prevent and manage poAF following heart surgery already exist. Our hope is that this review will facilitate more rigorous testing of prevention strategies, implementation of prophylaxis regimens as well as optimal treatment of this common and serious complication.