Optimal Shunt Type for Norwood Procedure: Predicted Adverse Impact of Discordant Surgical Approach.

BACKGROUND: The Single Ventricle Reconstruction (SVR) trial compared survival after Norwood procedure with either modified Blalock Taussig shunt (MBTS) or right ventricle pulmonary artery shunt (RVPAS). METHODS: Data from all 549 participants in the SVR trial were used to develop the MBTS TFSA algorithms, which predict the transplantation-free survival advantage (TFSA) after MBTS vs RVPAS at 1 and 6 years after Norwood procedure. Linear regression analysis of the MBTS TFSA values was performed to identify factors related to more optimal outcomes with MBTS at each timepoint. The impact of discordant management (ie, predicted shunt type did not equal the one actually received) on outcomes and the extent of inconsistencies between predictions were evaluated. RESULTS: The MBTS TFSA algorithm favored MBTS over RVPAS for only 6.2% of participants at 1 year and for 27.0% at 6 years. In terms of both 1- and 6-year outcomes, MBTS was favored with younger age at Norwood procedure and pre-Norwood intubation, while RVPAS was favored with younger gestational age and metrics indicating larger right ventricle size in the parasternal echocardiographic views. Other predictors were timepoint-specific. MBTS TFSA based allocation could have led to an absolute risk reduction in heart transplantation and mortality of 8.0% at 1 year and 16.8% at 6 years, mostly by preventing discordant MBTS management. Notably, separate predictions from the 1-year and 6-year algorithms produced discordant predictions for 136 participants (24.8%). CONCLUSIONS: The incorporation of data-derived patient-specific factors for selection of shunt type for the Norwood procedure may produce more optimal transplantation free survival. These precision medicine algorithms require prospective validation.

Serum Chloride and the Response to Acetazolamide in Patients With Acute Heart Failure and Volume Overload: A Post Hoc Analysis From the ADVOR Trial.

BACKGROUND: Chloride plays a crucial role in renal salt sensing. This study investigates whether serum chloride is associated with clinical outcomes and decongestive response to acetazolamide in patients with acute decompensated heart failure. METHODS: This post hoc analysis includes all 519 patients from the ADVOR trial (Acetazolamide in Decompensated Heart Failure With Volume Overload), randomized to intravenous acetazolamide or matching placebo on top of intravenous loop diuretics. The impact of baseline serum chloride on the main trial end points and the treatment effect of acetazolamide was assessed, as was the evolution of serum chloride under decongestive treatment. RESULTS: Hypochloremia (<96 mmol/L) and hyperchloremia (>106 mmol/L) were present in 80 (15%) and 53 (10%), respectively, at baseline. Hypochloremia was associated with significantly slower decongestion, a longer length of hospital stay, and increased risk of all-cause mortality and heart failure readmissions. Acetazolamide increased the odds of successful decongestion and reduced length of stay irrespectively of baseline serum chloride levels. No statistically significant interaction between serum chloride levels and the effect of acetazolamide on death or heart failure readmissions was observed. The placebo group exhibited a progressive decline in serum chloride, which was effectively prevented by acetazolamide (P<0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Hypochloremia is associated with diuretic resistance and worse clinical outcomes. Add-on acetazolamide therapy improves decongestion across the entire range of serum chloride and prevents the drop in chloride levels caused by loop diuretic monotherapy. REGISTRATION: URL: https://www.clinicaltrials.gov; Unique identifier: NCT03505788.

Machine learning-based prediction of off-pump coronary artery bypass grafting-associated acute kidney injury.

Background: The cardiac surgery-associated acute kidney injury (CSA-AKI) occurs in up to 1 out of 3 patients. Off-pump coronary artery bypass grafting (OPCABG) is one of the major cardiac surgeries leading to CSA-AKI. Early identification and timely intervention are of clinical significance for CSA-AKI. In this study, we aimed to establish a prediction model of off-pump coronary artery bypass grafting-associated acute kidney injury (OPCABG-AKI) after surgery based on machine learning methods. Methods: The preoperative and intraoperative data of 1,041 patients who underwent OPCABG in Chest Hospital, Tianjin University from June 1, 2021 to April 30, 2023 were retrospectively collected. The definition of OPCABG-AKI was based on the 2012 Kidney Disease Improving Global Outcomes (KDIGO) criteria. The baseline data and intraoperative time series data were included in the dataset, which were preprocessed separately. A total of eight machine learning models were constructed based on the baseline data: logistic regression (LR), gradient-boosting decision tree (GBDT), eXtreme gradient boosting (XGBoost), adaptive boosting (AdaBoost), random forest (RF), support vector machine (SVM), k-nearest neighbor (KNN), and decision tree (DT). The intraoperative time series data were extracted using a long short-term memory (LSTM) deep learning model. The baseline data and intraoperative features were then integrated through transfer learning and fused into each of the eight machine learning models for training. Based on the calculation of accuracy and area under the curve (AUC) of the prediction model, the best model was selected to establish the final OPCABG-AKI risk prediction model. The importance of features was calculated and ranked by DT model, to identify the main risk factors. Results: Among 701 patients included in the study, 73 patients (10.4%) developed OPCABG-AKI. The GBDT model was shown to have the best predictions, both based on baseline data only (AUC =0.739, accuracy: 0.943) as well as based on baseline and intraoperative datasets (AUC =0.861, accuracy: 0.936). The ranking of importance of features of the GBDT model showed that use of insulin aspart was the most important predictor of OPCABG-AKI, followed by use of acarbose, spironolactone, alfentanil, dezocine, levosimendan, clindamycin, history of myocardial infarction, and gender. Conclusions: A GBDT-based model showed excellent performance for the prediction of OPCABG-AKI. The fusion of preoperative and intraoperative data can improve the accuracy of predicting OPCABG-AKI.

Time course of hypertension and myocardial dysfunction following anthracycline chemotherapy in pediatric patients.

Background: Anthracyclines are associated with cardiac dysfunction. Little is known about the interplay of pre-existing hypertension and treatment response. We aimed to investigate the relationship between hypertension and the development of cancer therapy-related cardiac dysfunction (CTRCD) in pediatric patients treated with anthracycline chemotherapy. Methods: Pediatric patients with cancer who received anthracycline chemotherapy from 2013 to 2021 were retrospectively included. Serial cardiac assessments were conducted during and after chemotherapy. The primary outcome was the development of CTRCD, classified as mild, moderate, or severe according to contemporary definitions. Results: Among 190 patients undergoing anthracycline chemotherapy, 34 patients (17.9 %) had hypertension (24 patients Stage 1, and 10 patients Stage 2) at baseline evaluation. Patients underwent chemotherapy for a median of 234.4 days (interquartile range 127.8-690.3 days) and were subsequently followed up. Hypertension was frequent during follow-up 31.3 % (0-3 months), 15.8 % (3-6 months), 21.9 % (0.5-1 years), 24.7 % (1-2 years), 31.1 % (2-4 years) and 35.8 % (beyond 4 years) (P for trend < 0.001). Freedom from mild CTRCD at 5 years was 45.0 %, freedom from moderate CTRCD was 87.8 % at 5 years. Baseline hypertension did not increase the risk of mild (HR 0.77, 95 % CI: 0.41-1.42, P = 0.385) or moderate CTRCD (HR 0.62, 95 % CI: 0.14-2.72, P = 0.504). Patients with baseline hypertension showed different global longitudinal strain (P < 0.001) and LVEF (P < 0.001) patterns during follow-up. Conclusions: Pediatric patients often develop CTRCD post-anthracycline chemotherapy. Those with pre-existing hypertension show a unique treatment response, despite no increased CTRCD risk, warranting further investigation.

Neoaortic Regurgitation Detected by Echocardiography After Arterial Switch Operation: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Background: Neoaortic root dilatation (NeoARD) and neoaortic regurgitation (NeoAR) are common sequelae following the arterial switch operation (ASO) for transposition of the great arteries. Objectives: The authors aimed to estimate the cumulative incidence of NeoAR, assess whether larger neoaortic root dimensions were associated with NeoAR, and evaluate factors associated with the development of NeoAR during long-term follow-up. Methods: Electronic databases were systematically searched for articles that assessed NeoAR and NeoARD after ASO, published before November 2022. The primary outcome was NeoAR, classified based on severity categories (trace, mild, moderate, and severe). Cumulative incidence was estimated from Kaplan-Meier curves, neoaortic root dimensions using Z-scores, and risk factors were evaluated using random-effects meta-analysis. Results: Thirty publications, comprising a total of 6,169 patients, were included in this review. Pooled estimated cumulative incidence of ≥mild NeoAR and ≥moderate NeoAR at 30-year follow-up were 67.5% and 21.4%, respectively. At last follow-up, neoaortic Z-scores were larger at the annulus (mean difference [MD]: 1.17, 95% CI: 0.52-1.82, P < 0.001; MD: 1.38, 95% CI: 0.46-2.30, P = 0.003) and root (MD: 1.83, 95% CI: 1.16-2.49, P < 0.001; MD: 1.84, 95% CI: 1.07-2.60, P < 0.001) in patients with ≥mild and ≥moderate NeoAR, respectively, compared to those without NeoAR. Risk factors for the development of any NeoAR included prior pulmonary artery banding, presence of a ventricular septal defect, aorto-pulmonary mismatch, a bicuspid pulmonary valve, and NeoAR at discharge. Conclusions: The risks of NeoARD and NeoAR increase over time following ASO surgery. Identified risk factors for NeoAR may alert the clinician that closer follow-up is needed. (Risk factors for neoaortic valve regurgitation after arterial switch operation: a meta-analysis; CRD42022373214).

Computational simulation of the potential improvement in clinical outcomes of cardiovascular diseases with the use of a personalized predictive medicine approach.

IMPORTANCE AND OBJECTIVES: The current medical paradigm of evidence-based medicine relies on clinical guidelines derived from randomized clinical trials (RCTs), but these guidelines often overlook individual variations in treatment effects. Approaches have been proposed to develop models predicting the effects of individualized management, such as predictive allocation, individualizing treatment allocation. It is currently unknown whether widespread implementation of predictive allocation could result in better population-level outcomes over guideline-based therapy. We sought to simulate the potential effect of predictive allocation using data from previously conducted RCTs. METHODS AND RESULTS: Data from 3 RCTs (positive trial, negative trial, trial stopped for futility) in pediatric cardiology were used in a computational simulation study to quantify the potential benefits of a personalized approach based on predictive allocation. Outcomes were compared when using a universal approach vs predictive allocation where each patient was allocated to the treatment associated with the lowest predicted probability of negative outcome. Compared to results from RCTs, predictive allocation yielded absolute risk reductions of 13.8% (95% confidence interval [CI] -1.9 to 29.5), 13.9% (95% CI 4.5-23.2), and 15.6% (95% CI 1.5-29.6), respectively, corresponding to a number needed to treat of 7.3, 7.2, and 6.4. The net benefit of predictive allocation was directly proportional to the performance of the prediction models and disappeared as model performance degraded below an area under the curve of 0.55. DISCUSSION: These findings highlight that predictive allocation could result in improved group-level outcomes, particularly when highly predictive models are available. These findings will need to be confirmed in simulations of other trials with varying conditions and eventually in RCTs of predictive vs guideline-based treatment allocation.

Late Outcomes After Transcatheter Aortic Valve Implantation with Balloon-Versus Self-Expandable Valves: Meta-Analysis of Reconstructed Time-To-Event Data.

Self-expanding valves (SEV) and balloon-expandable valves (BEV) for transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) have their own features. There is a growing interest in long-term outcomes with the adoption of lifetime management in younger patients. To evaluate late outcomes in TAVI with SEV versus BEV, we performed a study-level meta-analysis of reconstructed time-to-event data published by May 31, 2023. We found no statistically significant difference in all-cause death after TAVI with SEV versus BEV. Randomized controlled trials are warranted to validate our results.

ECMO Alone Versus ECPELLA in Patients Affected by Cardiogenic Shock: The Multicenter EVACS Study.

The objective was to investigate the outcomes of concomitant venoarterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) and left ventricular unloading with Impella (ECPELLA) compared with ECMO alone to treat patients affected by cardiogenic shock. Data from patients needing mechanical circulatory support from 4 international centers were analyzed. Of 438 patients included, ECMO alone and ECPELLA were adopted in 319 (72.8%) and 119 (27.2%) patients, respectively. Propensity score matching analysis identified 95 pairs. In the matched cohort, 30-day mortality rates in the ECMO and ECPELLA were 49.5% and 43.2% ( P = 0.467). The incidences of complications did not differ significantly between groups ( P = 0.877, P = 0.629, P = 1.000, respectively). After a median follow-up of 0.18 years (interquartile range 0.02-2.55), the use of ECPELLA was associated with similar mortality compared with ECMO alone (hazard ratio 0.81, 95% confidence interval 0.54-1.20, P = 0.285), with 1-year overall survival rates of 51.3% and 46.6%, for ECPELLA and ECMO alone, respectively. ECMO alone and ECPELLA are both effective strategies in patients needing mechanical circulatory support for cardiogenic shock, showing similar rates of early and mid-term survival.

WITHDRAWN: Proteogenomic analyses identify coagulation factor XI as a thromboinflammatory mediator of long COVID.

The authors have withdrawn their manuscript due to analytical errors invalidating the main study findings. The authors of this work discovered the errors after submitting the initial version of the preprint. Therefore, the authors do not wish this work to be cited as reference for the project. If you have any questions, please contact the corresponding author.

Renal Sodium Avidity in Heart Failure.

BACKGROUND: Increased renal sodium avidity is a hallmark feature of the heart failure syndrome. SUMMARY: Increased renal sodium avidity refers to the inability of the kidneys to elicit potent natriuresis in response to sodium loading. This eventually causes congestion, which is a major contributor to hospital admissions and mortality in heart failure. KEY MESSAGES: Important novel concepts such as the renal tamponade hypothesis, accelerated nephron loss, and the role of hypochloremia, the sympathetic nervous system, inflammation, the lymphatic system, and interstitial sodium buffers are involved in the pathophysiology of renal sodium avidity. A good understanding of these concepts is crucially important with respect to treatment recommendations regarding dietary sodium restriction, fluid restriction, rapid up-titration of guideline-directed medical therapies, combination diuretic therapy, natriuresis-guided diuretic therapy, use of hypertonic saline, and ultrafiltration.

Abnormal Cardiac Magnetic Resonance-Derived Ascending Aortic Area Strain Demonstrates Altered Ventriculo-Vascular Function in Marfan Syndrome.

PURPOSE: There remains a need for improved imaging markers for risk stratification and treatment guidance in Marfan syndrome (MFS). After aortic root replacement (ARR), vascular remodeling and progressive aneurysm formation can occur due to alterations in up- and downstream wall biomechanics and hemodynamics. We aim to compare the ventriculo-vascular properties of patients with MFS with controls, and investigate the correlation between ascending aortic area strain and descending aortic area strain (DAAS) with other clinical variables. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Nineteen patients with MFS (47% males), including 6 with ARR were studied. In 26 studies, aortic area strain was measured using cross-sectional cardiac magnetic resonance images at the ascending and proximal descending aortic levels. Left atrial, left ventricular longitudinal, and left ventricle circumferential strain (left atrial longitudinal strain, left ventricular longitudinal strain, and left ventricular circumferential strain, respectively) were measured using cardiac magnetic resonance-feature tracking. RESULTS: Compared with healthy controls, patients with MFS had significantly impaired left ventricular longitudinal strain and left ventricular circumferential strain (-15.8 ± 4.7 vs -19.7 ± 4.8, P = 0.005, and -17.7 ± 4.0 vs -27.0 ± 4.1, P < 0.001). Left atrial longitudinal strain was comparable between patients with MFS and controls. AAAS was significantly reduced (19.0 [11.9, 23.7] vs 46.1 ± 11.3, P < 0.001), whereas DAAS was not significantly decreased. AAAS and DAAS were negatively correlated with age, whereas no significant associations were identified with left ventricle function indices. No significant differences were observed between the ventriculo-vascular properties of patients with MFS who underwent ARR and those who did not. CONCLUSION: Patients with MFS demonstrated impaired ventricular and vascular function compared with healthy controls. Further investigations are warranted to determine clinical utility of aortic stiffness indices for predicting primary and repeat aortic events.

Effect of haemoadsorption during cardiac surgery for Staphylococcus aureus endocarditis: a REMOVE trial post hoc analysis.

OBJECTIVES: Multi-organ failure is one of the leading causes of mortality after cardiac surgery for infective endocarditis (IE). Although the randomized evidence does not support the use of haemoadsorption during cardiac surgery for IE, observational studies suggest a beneficial effect in selected patient groups. Staphylococcus aureus is the most common pathogen, and its presence is an independent mortality predictor. We aimed to analyse the effect of haemoadsorption in patients with IE caused by S. aureus. METHODS: This is a post hoc analysis of the REMOVE trial that randomized 288 patients with IE who underwent cardiac surgery with haemoadsorption using CytoSorb® or control. The primary outcome was ΔSequential Organ Failure Assessment (SOFA), defined as the difference between the mean total postoperative and baseline SOFA score within 24 h of surgery. RESULTS: Among the total of 282 patients included in the modified intention-to-treat analysis of the REMOVE trial, 73 (25.9%) had S. aureus IE (38 patients in the haemoadsorption group and 35 patients in the control group). The overall ΔSOFA did not differ between the intervention groups in patients with S. aureus IE (mead difference = -0.4, 95% confidence interval -2.3 to 1.4, P = 0.66) and neither did 30-day mortality (hazard ratios = 1.32, 95% confidence interval 0.53-3.28, P = 0.55). No differences were observed with regard to any of the other secondary outcomes. CONCLUSIONS: Based on a post hoc analysis from REMOVE trial, the intraoperative use of haemoadsorption in patients with S. aureus IE was not associated with reduction of postoperative organ dysfunction, 30-day mortality or other major clinical end points.

Occult solitary fibrous tumour of the pleura presenting as recurrent spontaneous pneumothorax.

A woman in her 30s, non-smoker, presented at the emergency department two times because of spontaneous pneumothorax. The first episode was treated with small bore catheter drainage, while during the second episode-occurring only 1 week later-thoracoscopic talcage was attempted. The postoperative course was characterised by slow clinical and radiological resolution, and recurrence 3 days after discharge. Eventually, multiportal video-assisted thoracoscopic exploration identified an interfissural solid mass. Resection and further work-up revealed the diagnosis of 'low-risk' solitary fibrous tumour (SFT) stage pT1N0M0. The interdisciplinary tumour board advised no adjuvant therapy. A CT thorax was scheduled in 1 year for follow-up. The patient was discharged without complications and has had no recurrences of pneumothorax at 6 months of follow-up. This report shows that SFT can easily be missed on initial presentation and should be considered in the differential diagnosis of pneumothorax, especially when frequently recurring.

Impact of Prosthesis-Patient Mismatch After Surgical Aortic Valve Replacement: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Reconstructed Time-to-Event Data of 122 989 Patients With 592 952 Patient-Years.

BACKGROUND: It remains controversial whether prosthesis-patient mismatch (PPM) impacts long-term outcomes after surgical aortic valve replacement. We aimed to evaluate the association of PPM with mortality, rehospitalizations, and aortic valve reinterventions. METHODS AND RESULTS: We performed a systematic review with meta-analysis of reconstructed time-to-event data of studies published by March 2023 (according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses). Sixty-five studies met our eligibility criteria and included 122 989 patients (any PPM: 68 332 patients, 55.6%). At 25 years of follow-up, the survival rates were 11.8% and 20.6% in patients with and without any PPM, respectively (hazard ratio [HR], 1.16 [95% CI, 1.13-1.18], P<0.001). At 20 years of follow-up, the survival rates were 19.5%, 12.1%, and 8.8% in patients with no, moderate, and severe PPM, respectively (moderate versus no PPM: HR, 1.09 [95% CI, 1.06-1.11], P<0.001; severe versus no PPM: HR, 1.29 [95% CI, 1.24-1.35], P<0.001). PPM was associated with higher risk of cardiac death, heart failure-related hospitalizations, and aortic valve reinterventions over time (P<0.001). Statistically significant associations between PPM and worse survival were observed regardless of valve type (bioprosthetic versus mechanical valves), contemporary PPM definitions unadjusted and adjusted for body mass index, and PPM quantification method (in vitro, in vivo, Doppler echocardiography). Our meta-regression analysis revealed that populations with more women tend to have higher HRs for all-cause death associated with PPM. CONCLUSIONS: The results of the present study suggest that any degree of PPM is associated with poorer long-term outcomes following surgical aortic valve replacement and provide support for implementation of preventive strategies to avoid PPM after surgical aortic valve replacement.

Innovations in Aortic Valve Replacement: A Comprehensive Overview of the Intuity Rapid Deployment Valve.

Rapid deployment/sutureless (RDS) valves have recently emerged as an innovative surgical solution, providing an alternative to traditional methods of surgical aortic valve replacement (SAVR) by eliminating the need for suture placement and tying. This innovation leads to a reduction in aortic crossclamp and cardiopulmonary bypass times, enhancing the efficiency of the procedure. Among the 2 available RDS valves, the Edwards Intuity valve in particular has been demonstrated to be a particularly promising substitute in the field of SAVR. The Intuity valve distinguishes itself from other RDS and conventional valves by yielding superior outcomes, such as a significant reduction in mortality, increase in the longevity of the valve, and a marked decrease in both mean and peak transvalvular pressure gradients. These benefits collectively contribute to its appeal as a favorable new solution. However, further investigation is needed to conclusively determine the long-term outcomes and safety of RDS valves. Nevertheless, the utilization of the Intuity valve presents an exciting solution to the existing limitations of conventional and minimally invasive SAVR, especially for patients afflicted with severe aortic stenosis.

Noninvasive Advanced Cardiovascular Magnetic Resonance-Derived Fontan Hemodynamics Are Associated With Reduced Kidney Function But Not Albuminuria.

BACKGROUND: Kidney disease is the most important predictor of death in patients with a Fontan circulation, yet its clinical and hemodynamic correlates have not been well established. METHODS AND RESULTS: A total of 53 ambulatory patients with a Fontan circulation (median age, 16.2 years, 52.8% male patients) underwent advanced cardiovascular magnetic resonance assessment, including 4-dimensional flow imaging and computational fluid dynamics. Estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) <90 mL/min per 1.73 m2 was observed in 20.8% and albumin-to-creatinine ratio >3 mg/mmol in 39.6%. The average eGFR decline rate was -1.83 mL/min per 1.73 m2 per year (95% CI, -2.67 to -0.99; P<0.001). Lower eGFR was associated with older age, larger body surface area at examination, longer time since Fontan procedure, and lower systemic ventricular ejection fraction. Higher albumin-to-creatinine ratio was associated with absence of fenestration at the Fontan operation, and older age and lower systemic ventricular ejection fraction at the assessment. Lower cross-sectional area of the Fontan conduit indexed to flow (r=0.32, P=0.038), higher inferior vena cava-conduit velocity mismatch factor (r=-0.35, P=0.022), higher kinetic energy indexed to flow in the total cavopulmonary connection (r=-0.59, P=0.005), and higher total cavopulmonary connection resistance (r=-0.42, P=0.005 at rest; r=-0.43, P=0.004 during exercise) were all associated with lower eGFR but not with albuminuria. CONCLUSIONS: Kidney dysfunction and albuminuria are common among clinically well adolescents and young adults with a Fontan circulation. Advanced cardiovascular magnetic resonance-derived metrics indicative of declining Fontan hemodynamics are associated with eGFR and might serve as targets to improve kidney health. Albuminuria might be driven by other factors that need further investigation.

Respect Versus Resect Approaches for Mitral Valve Repair: A Meta-Analysis of Reconstructed Time-to-Event Data.

Mitral valve repair (MVr) has been associated with superior long-term survival and freedom from valve-related complications compared with mitral valve replacement for primary mitral regurgitation (MR). The 2 main approaches for MVr are chordal replacement ("respect approach") and leaflet resection ("resect approach"). We performed a systematic review and a meta-analysis using 3 search databases to compare the long-term end points between both approaches. The primary end point was long-term survival. The secondary end points were long-term MR recurrence and reoperation. After reconstruction of time-to-event data for the individual survival analysis, pooled Kaplan-Meier curves for the end points were generated. A total of 14 studies (5,565 patients) were included in the analysis. The respect approach was associated with superior survival compared with the resect approach in the overall sample (hazard ratio [HR] 0.73, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.56 to 0.96, p = 0.024, n = 3,901 patients) but not in the risk-adjusted sample (HR 1.00, 95% CI 0.55 to 1.82, p = 0.991, n = 620 patients). There was no difference between the approaches in the rate of MR recurrence in the overall sample (HR 1.39, 95% CI 0.92 to 2.08, p = 0.116, n = 1,882 patients) or in the risk-adjusted sample (HR 1.62, 95% CI 0.76 to 3.47, p = 0.211, n = 288 patients). The data for reoperation were only available in the overall sample and did not reveal a difference (HR 0.92, 95% CI 0.62 to 1.35, p = 0.663, n = 3,505 patients). In conclusion, the current evidence suggests no difference in long-term mortality, MR recurrence, or reoperation between the resect and respect approaches for MVr after adjusting for patient risk factors. More long-term follow-up data are warranted.

Midterm Survival of Low-Risk Patients Treated With Transcatheter Versus Surgical Aortic Valve Replacement: Meta-Analysis of Reconstructed Time-to-Event Data.

Background We performed a meta-analysis of reconstructed time-to-event data from randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and propensity-score matched (PSM) studies comparing transcatheter versus surgical aortic valve replacement (TAVR versus SAVR) to evaluate midterm outcomes in patients considered low risk for SAVR. Methods and Results Study-level meta-analysis of reconstructed time-to-event data from Kaplan-Meier curves of RCTs and PSM studies published by December 31, 2022 was conducted. Eight studies (3 RCTs, 5 PSM studies) met our eligibility criteria and included 5444 patients; 2639 patients underwent TAVR, and 2805 patients underwent SAVR. TAVR showed a higher risk of all-cause mortality at 8 years of follow-up (hazard ratio [HR] 1.22, [95% CI, 1.03-1.43], P=0.018). Up to 2 years of follow-up, TAVR was not inferior to SAVR (HR, 1.08 [95% CI, 0.89-1.31], P=0.448); however, we observed a statistically significant difference after 2 years with higher mortality with TAVR (HR, 1.51 [95% CI, 1.14-2.00]; P=0.004). This difference was driven by PSM studies; our sensitivity analysis showed a statistically significant difference between TAVR and SAVR when we included only PSM studies (HR, 1.41 [95% CI, 1.16-1.72], P=0.001) but no statistically significant difference when we included only RCTs (HR, 0.89 [95% CI, 0.69-1.16], P=0.398). Conclusions In comparison with TAVR, SAVR appeared to be associated with improved survival beyond 2 years in low-risk patients. However, the survival benefit of SAVR was observed only in PSM studies and not in RCTs. The addition of data from ongoing RCTs as well as longer follow-up in previous RCTs will help to confirm if there is a difference in mid- and long-term survival between TAVR versus SAVR in the low-risk population.

Surgical Ablation for Atrial Fibrillation During Mitral Valve Surgery: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials.

Although surgical ablation has been shown to produce excellent outcomes at follow-up for patients with atrial fibrillation who underwent mitral valve replacement/repair (MVR), this procedure is not commonly performed. Our objective was to conduct a systematic review and meta-analysis to evaluate the outcomes of concomitant surgical ablation during MVR. Three databases were systematically reviewed for randomized clinical trials published by August 2022. The primary outcome was sinus rhythm (SR) at 12 months. Secondary outcomes included SR at discharge and 6 months, all-cause mortality, permanent pacemaker implantation, and stroke and thromboembolic events. A random-effects meta-analysis was performed, calculating odds ratios (ORs) for each outcome. Thirteen studies were included, involving 1,089 patients comparing patients who underwent either isolated MVR ("MVR-only") or concomitant surgical ablation during MVR ("MVR+Ablation"). The odds of SR were significantly higher in the MVR+Ablation group at discharge (OR 9.62, 95% confidence interval [CI] 4.87 to 19.02, I2 = 55%), at 6-month follow-up (OR 7.21, 95% CI 4.30 to 12.11, I2 = 34%), and at 1-year follow-up (OR 8.41, 95% CI 5.14 to 13.77, I2 = 48%). All-cause mortality was not different in the groups, as were stroke and thromboembolic events, whereas the odds of permanent pacemaker implantation were slightly higher in the MVR+Ablation group (OR 1.87, 95% CI 1.11 to 3.17, I2 = 0%). Concomitant surgical ablation during MVR showed excellent outcomes at short-term follow-up, despite a slightly higher rate of permanent pacemaker implantation. Further studies with longer follow-ups are needed to assess if the SR is maintained over the years.