Degenerative mitral regurgitation due to flail leaflet: sex-related differences in presentation, management, and outcomes.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Presentation, outcome, and management of females with degenerative mitral regurgitation (DMR) are undefined. We analysed sex-specific baseline clinical and echocardiographic characteristics at referral for DMR due to flail leaflets and subsequent management and outcomes. METHODS: In the Mitral Regurgitation International Database (MIDA) international registry, females were compared with males regarding presentation at referral, management, and outcome (survival/heart failure), under medical treatment, post-operatively, and encompassing all follow-up. RESULTS: At referral, females (n = 650) vs. males (n = 1660) were older with more severe symptoms and higher MIDA score. Smaller cavity diameters belied higher cardiac dimension indexed to body surface area. Under conservative management, excess mortality vs. expected was observed in males [standardized mortality ratio (SMR) 1.45 (1.27-1.65), P < .001] but was higher in females [SMR 2.00 (1.67-2.38), P < .001]. Female sex was independently associated with mortality [adjusted hazard ratio (HR) 1.29 (1.04-1.61), P = .02], cardiovascular mortality [adjusted HR 1.58 (1.14-2.18), P = .007], and heart failure [adjusted HR 1.36 (1.02-1.81), P = .04] under medical management. Females vs. males were less offered surgical correction (72% vs. 80%, P < .001); however, surgical outcome, adjusted for more severe presentation in females, was similar (P ≥ .09). Ultimately, overall outcome throughout follow-up was worse in females who displayed persistent excess mortality vs. expected [SMR 1.31 (1.16-1.47), P < .001], whereas males enjoyed normal life expectancy restoration [SMR 0.92 (0.85-0.99), P = .036]. CONCLUSIONS: Females with severe DMR were referred to tertiary centers at a more advanced stage, incurred higher mortality and morbidity under conservative management, and were offered surgery less and later after referral. Ultimately, these sex-related differences yielded persistent excess mortality despite surgery in females with DMR, while males enjoyed restoration of life expectancy, warranting imperative re-evaluation of sex-specific DMR management.

TRI-SCORE and benefit of intervention in patients with severe tricuspid regurgitation.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Benefit of tricuspid regurgitation (TR) correction and timing of intervention are unclear. This study aimed to compare survival rates after surgical or transcatheter intervention to conservative management according to a TR clinical stage as assessed using the TRI-SCORE. METHODS: A total of 2,413 patients with severe isolated functional TR were enrolled in TRIGISTRY (1217 conservatively managed, 551 isolated tricuspid valve surgery, and 645 transcatheter valve repair). The primary endpoint was survival at 2 years. RESULTS: The TRI-SCORE was low (≤3) in 32%, intermediate (4-5) in 33%, and high (≥6) in 35%. A successful correction was achieved in 97% and 65% of patients in the surgical and transcatheter groups, respectively. Survival rates decreased with the TRI-SCORE in the three treatment groups (all P < .0001). In the low TRI-SCORE category, survival rates were higher in the surgical and transcatheter groups than in the conservative management group (93%, 87%, and 79%, respectively, P = .0002). In the intermediate category, no significant difference between groups was observed overall (80%, 71%, and 71%, respectively, P = .13) but benefit of the intervention became significant when the analysis was restricted to patients with successful correction (80%, 81%, and 71%, respectively, P = .009). In the high TRI-SCORE category, survival was not different to conservative management in the surgical and successful repair group (61% and 68% vs 58%, P = .26 and P = .18 respectively). CONCLUSIONS: Survival progressively decreased with the TRI-SCORE irrespective of treatment modality. Compared to conservative management, an early and successful surgical or transcatheter intervention improved 2-year survival in patients at low and, to a lower extent, intermediate TRI-SCORE, while no benefit was observed in the high TRI-SCORE category.

Prospective Comparison of Free-Breathing Accelerated Cine Deep Learning Reconstruction Versus Standard Breath-Hold Cardiac MRI Sequences in Patients With Ischemic Heart Disease.

BACKGROUND. Cine cardiac MRI sequences require repeated breath-holds, which can be difficult for patients with ischemic heart disease (IHD). OBJECTIVE. The purpose of the study was to compare a free-breathing accelerated cine sequence using deep learning (DL) reconstruction and a standard breath-hold cine sequence in terms of image quality and left ventricular (LV) measurements in patients with IHD undergoing cardiac MRI. METHODS. This prospective study included patients undergoing 1.5- or 3-T cardiac MRI for evaluation of IHD between March 15, 2023, and June 21, 2023. Examinations included an investigational free-breathing cine short-axis sequence with DL reconstruction (hereafter, cine-DL sequence). Two radiologists (reader 1 [R1] and reader 2 [R2]), in blinded fashion, independently assessed left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF), left ventricular end-diastolic volume (LVEDV), left ventricular end-systolic volume (LVESV), and subjective image quality for the cine-DL sequence and a standard breath-hold balanced SSFP sequence; R1 assessed artifacts. RESULTS. The analysis included 26 patients (mean age, 64.3 ± 11.7 [SD] years; 14 men, 12 women). Acquisition was shorter for the cine-DL sequence than the standard sequence (mean ± SD, 0.6 ± 0.1 vs 2.4 ± 0.6 minutes; p < .001). The cine-DL sequence, in comparison with the standard sequence, showed no significant difference for LVEF for R1 (mean ± SD, 51.7% ± 14.3% vs 51.3% ± 14.7%; p = .56) or R2 (53.4% ± 14.9% vs 52.8% ± 14.6%; p = .53); significantly greater LVEDV for R2 (mean ± SD, 171.9 ± 51.9 vs 160.6 ± 49.4 mL; p = .01) but not R1 (171.8 ± 53.7 vs 165.5 ± 52.4 mL; p = .16); and no significant difference in LVESV for R1 (mean ± SD, 88.1 ± 49.3 vs 86.0 ± 50.5 mL; p = .45) or R2 (85.2 ± 48.1 vs 81.3 ± 48.2 mL; p = .10). The mean bias between the cine-DL and standard sequences by LV measurement was as follows: LVEF, 0.4% for R1 and 0.7% for R2; LVEDV, 6.3 mL for R1 and 11.3 mL for R2; and LVESV, 2.1 mL for R1 and 3.9 mL for R2. Subjective image quality was better for cine-DL sequence than the standard sequence for R1 (mean ± SD, 2.3 ± 0.5 vs 1.9 ± 0.8; p = .02) and R2 (2.2 ± 0.4 vs 1.9 ± 0.7; p = .02). R1 reported no significant difference between the cine-DL and standard sequences for off-resonance artifacts (3.8% vs 23.1% examinations; p = .10) and parallel imaging artifacts (3.8% vs 19.2%; p = .19); blurring artifacts were more frequent for the cine-DL sequence than the standard sequence (42.3% vs 7.7% examinations; p = .008). CONCLUSION. A free-breathing cine-DL sequence, in comparison with a standard breath-hold cine sequence, showed very small bias for LVEF measurements and better subjective quality. The cine-DL sequence yielded greater LV volumes than the standard sequence. CLINICAL IMPACT. A free-breathing cine-DL sequence may yield reliable LVEF measurements in patients with IHD unable to repeatedly breath-hold. TRIAL REGISTRATION. ClinicalTrials.gov NCT05105984.

Chronic kidney disease is a key risk factor for aortic stenosis progression.

BACKGROUND: Rapid progression of aortic stenosis (AS) has been observed in patients undergoing dialysis, but existing cross-sectional evidence is contradictory in non-dialysis-dependent chronic kidney disease (CKD). The present study sought to evaluate whether CKD is associated with the progression of AS over time in a large cohort of patients with AS. METHODS: We retrospectively studied all consecutive patients diagnosed with AS [peak aortic jet velocity (Vmax) ≥2.5 m/s] and left ventricular ejection fraction ≥50% in the echocardiography laboratories of two tertiary centers between 2000 and 2018. The estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) (mL/min/1.73 m2) was calculated from serum creatinine values. Patients were divided into five CKD stages according to the baseline eGFR. Annual rates of change in the aortic valve area (AVA) were determined by a linear mixed-effects model. RESULTS: Among the 647 patients included, 261 (40%) had CKD. After a median follow-up of 2.9 (interquartile range 1.8-4.8) years, the mean overall rate of change in AVA was -0.077 (95% confidence interval -0.082; -0.073) cm2/year. There was an inverse relationship between the progression rate and kidney function. The more severe the CKD stage, the greater the AVA narrowing (P < .001). By multivariable linear regression analysis, the eGFR was also negatively associated (P < .001) with AS progression. An eGFR strata below 45 mL/min/1.73 m2 was associated with higher odds of rapid progression of AS than normal kidney function. During the clinical follow-up, event-free survival (patients free of aortic valve replacement or death) decreased as CKD progressed. Rapid progression of AS in patients with kidney dysfunction was associated with worse outcomes. CONCLUSIONS: Patients with CKD exhibit more rapid progression of AS over time and require close monitoring. The link between kidney dysfunction and rapid progression of AS is still unknown and requires further research.

Characteristics, management, and outcomes of patients with multiple native valvular heart disease: a substudy of the EURObservational Research Programme Valvular Heart Disease II Survey.

AIMS: To assess the characteristics, management, and survival of patients with multiple native valvular heart disease (VHD). METHODS AND RESULTS: Among the 5087 patients with ≥1 severe left-sided native VHD included in the EURObservational VHD II Survey (maximum 3-month recruitment period per centre between January and August 2017 with a 6-month follow-up), 3571 had a single left-sided VHD (Group A, 70.2%), 363 had one severe left-sided VHD with moderate VHD of the other ipsilateral valve (Group B, 7.1%), and 1153 patients (22.7%) had ≥2 severe native VHDs (left-sided and/or tricuspid regurgitation, Group C). Patients with multiple VHD (Groups B and C) were more often women, had greater congestive heart failure (CHF) and comorbidity, higher left atrial volumes and pulmonary pressures, and lower ejection fraction than Group A patients (all P ≤ 0.01). During the index hospitalization, 36.7% of Group A (n = 1312), 26.7% of Group B (n = 97), and 32.7% of Group C (n = 377) underwent valvular intervention (P < 0.001). Six-month survival was better for Group A than for Group B or C (both P < 0.001), even after adjustment for age, sex, body mass index, and Charlson index [hazard ratio (HR) 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.62 (1.10-2.38) vs. Group B and HR 95% CI 1.72 (1.32-2.25) vs. Group C]. Groups B and C had more CHF at 6 months than Group A (both P < 0.001). Factors associated with mortality in Group C were age, CHF, and comorbidity (all P < 0.010). CONCLUSION: Multiple VHD is common, encountered in nearly 30% of patients with left-sided native VHD, and associated with greater cardiac damage and leads to higher mortality and more heart failure at 6 months than single VHD, yet with lower rates of surgery.

TRI-SCORE: a new risk score for in-hospital mortality prediction after isolated tricuspid valve surgery.

AIMS: Isolated tricuspid valve surgery (ITVS) is considered to be a high-risk procedure, but in-hospital mortality is markedly variable. This study sought to develop a dedicated risk score model to predict the outcome of patients after ITVS for severe tricuspid regurgitation (TR). METHODS AND RESULTS: All consecutive adult patients who underwent ITVS for severe non-congenital TR at 12 French centres between 2007 and 2017 were included. We identified 466 patients (60 ± 16 years, 49% female, functional TR in 49%). In-hospital mortality rate was 10%. We derived and internally validated a scoring system to predict in-hospital mortality using multivariable logistic regression and bootstrapping with 1000 re-samples. The final risk score ranged from 0 to 12 points and included eight parameters: age ≥70 years, New York Heart Association Class III-IV, right-sided heart failure signs, daily dose of furosemide ≥125 mg, glomerular filtration rate <30 mL/min, elevated bilirubin, left ventricular ejection fraction <60%, and moderate/severe right ventricular dysfunction. Tricuspid regurgitation mechanism was not an independent predictor of outcome. Observed and predicted in-hospital mortality rates increased from 0% to 60% and from 1% to 65%, respectively, as the score increased from 0 up to ≥9 points. Apparent and bias-corrected areas under the receiver operating characteristic curves were 0.81 and 0.75, respectively, much higher than the logistic EuroSCORE (0.67) or EuroSCORE II (0.63). CONCLUSION: We propose TRI-SCORE as a dedicated risk score model based on eight easy to ascertain parameters to inform patients and physicians regarding the risk of ITVS and guide the clinical decision-making process of patients with severe TR, especially as transcatheter therapies are emerging (www.tri-score.com).

Usefulness of Right Ventricular Longitudinal Shortening Fraction to Detect Right Ventricular Dysfunction in Acute Cor Pulmonale Related to COVID-19.

OBJECTIVE: To compare two-dimensional-speckle tracking echocardiographic parameters (2D-STE) and classic echocardiographic parameters of right ventricular (RV) systolic function in patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19)-related acute respiratory distress syndrome (CARDS) complicated or not by acute cor pulmonale (ACP). DESIGN: Prospective, between March 1, 2020 and April 15, 2020. SETTING: Intensive care unit of Amiens University Hospital (France). PARTICIPANTS: Adult patients with moderate-to-severe CARDS under mechanical ventilation for fewer than 24 hours. INTERVENTIONS: None. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: Tricuspid annular displacement (TAD) parameters (TAD-septal, TAD-lateral, and RV longitudinal shortening fraction [RV-LSF]), RV global longitudinal strain (RV-GLS), and RV free wall longitudinal strain (RVFWLS) were measured using transesophageal echocardiography with a dedicated software and compared with classic RV systolic parameters (RV-FAC, S' wave, and tricuspid annular plane systolic excursion [TAPSE]). RV systolic dysfunction was defined as RV-FAC <35%. Twenty-nine consecutive patients with moderate-to-severe CARDS were included. ACP was diagnosed in 12 patients (41%). 2D-STE parameters were markedly altered in the ACP group, and no significant difference was found between patients with and without ACP for classic RV parameters (RV-FAC, S' wave, and TAPSE). In the ACP group, RV-LSF (17% [14%-22%]) had the best correlation with RV-FAC (r = 0.79, p < 0.001 v r = 0.27, p = 0.39 for RVGLS and r = 0.28, p = 0.39 for RVFWLS). A RV-LSF cut-off value of 17% had a sensitivity of 80% and a specificity of 86% to identify RV systolic dysfunction. CONCLUSIONS: Classic RV function parameters were not altered by ACP in patients with CARDS, contrary to 2D-STE parameters. RV-LSF seems to be a valuable parameter to detect early RV systolic dysfunction in CARDS patients with ACP.

Isolated tricuspid valve surgery: impact of aetiology and clinical presentation on outcomes.

AIMS: The aim of this study was to identify determinants of in-hospital and mid-term outcomes after isolated tricuspid valve surgery (ITVS) and more specifically the impact of tricuspid regurgitation (TR) mechanism and clinical presentation. METHODS AND RESULTS: Among 5661 consecutive adult patients who underwent a tricuspid valve (TV) surgery at 12 French tertiary centres in 2007-2017 collected from a mandatory administrative database, we identified 466 patients (8% of all tricuspid surgeries) who underwent an ITVS. Most patients presented with advanced disease [47% in New York Heart Association (NYHA) III/IV, 57% with right-sided heart failure (HF) signs]. Tricuspid regurgitation was functional in 49% (22% with prior left-sided heart valve surgery and 27% isolated) and organic in 51% (infective endocarditis in 31% and other causes in 20%). In-hospital mortality and major complications rates were 10% and 31%, respectively. Rates of survival and survival free of HF readmission were 75% and 62% at 5 years. Patients with functional TR incurred a worse in-hospital mortality than those with organic TR (14% vs. 6%, P = 0.004), but presentation was more severe. Independent determinants of outcomes were NYHA Class III/IV [odd ratios (OR) = 2.7 (1.2-6.1), P = 0.01], moderate/severe right ventricular dysfunction [OR = 2.6 (1.2-5.8), P = 0.02], lower prothrombin time [OR = 0.98 (0.96-0.99), P = 0.008], and with borderline statistical significance, right-sided HF signs [OR = 2.4 (0.9-6.5), P = 0.06] while TR mechanism was not [OR = 0.7 (0.3-1.8), P = 0.88]. CONCLUSION: Isolated TV surgery was associated with high mortality and morbidity, both in hospital and during follow-up, predicted by the severity of the presentation but not by TR mechanism. Our results suggest that TV intervention should be performed earlier in the course of the disease.

Cardiac failure in patients treated with azacitidine, a pyrimidine analogue: Case reports and disproportionality analyses in Vigibase.

AIMS: Azacitidine (AZA), a pyrimidine analogue, is validated for high-risk myelodysplastic syndrome or low-blast acute myeloid leukaemia in unfit patients for more intensive treatment. This study assessed the putative link between cardiac failure (CF) and AZA exposure. METHODS: Cases of CF in patients treated with AZA were retrospectively collected and described from several centres of the Groupe Francophone des Myélodysplasies. A description analysis and a disproportionality analysis using Vigibase, the WHO Global Individual Case Safety Reports (ICSRs) database, were conducted on ICSRs by the Standardized MedDRA Queries (SMQ broad) cardiac failure and by preferred terms cardiac failure and cardiac failure acute. The reported odds ratio (ROR) and its 95% 2-sided confidence interval was computed by comparing the proportion of CF reports with the suspected drug (AZA) and the proportion of reports of the same adverse drug reaction with all other suspected drugs in the database during the same period. RESULTS: In the 4 case reports, all patients presented a cardiovascular history. In 1 patient, CF recurred after AZA re-challenge. The pharmacovigilance analysis in Vigibase retrieved 307 ICSRs of CF (SMQ) with AZA. Significant disproportionality signals associated with AZA were identified by using the SMQ cardiac failure (ROR 1.3) and the preferred terms cardiac failure (ROR 5.1) and cardiac failure acute (ROR 23.2). CONCLUSION: This study points to the potential role of AZA in the occurrence of CF. Cardiac evaluation before AZA initiation and regular monitoring of cardiac function during AZA treatment should be performed in patients with a history of cardiovascular disease.

Aortic root dilatation in PFO-related cryptogenic stroke: A propensity score-matched analysis.

BACKGROUND: Dilatation of the ascending aorta has an important role in the anatomical conformation of interatrial septum (IAS) especially when a patent foramen ovale (PFO) is present. The aim of the study was to investigate the relationship between ascending aortic dilation and PFO-related cryptogenic stroke in a cohort of cryptogenic strokes. METHODS: It is a retrospective, single-center echocardiographic study assessing aortic root dilatation in 315 consecutive patients with cryptogenic stroke between January 2011 and January 2019. Aortic root dilatation was defined by a diameter of the Valsalva sinuses of the proximal aorta >40 mm. Predictive factors of PFO were assessed by a multivariate analysis. Propensity score matching was applied to account for clinical differences. RESULTS: Of the 315 patients, 68 (22%) had an aortic root dilatation and 167 (53%) had a PFO. In the aortic root dilation group, PFO was more often diagnosed (n = 47/68 [69%], vs n = 120/247 [49%], P = .004). In the PFO group with aortic dilatation, IAS was more mobile (n = 37/47[79%] vs n = 69/120[57%], P < .012) and smaller (2.3 ± 0.5 vs 2.5 ± 0.5 mm, P < .009). On multivariate analysis, aortic root dilatation (OR: 2.6; 95% CI [1.2-5.6]; P = .001) and IAS hypermobility (OR: 5.2 95% CI [2.7-10]; P = .001) were associated with PFO. After propensity matching, aortic root dilatation remained strongly associated with PFO (n = 34/107 [32%] vs 15/107[14%], P = .002). CONCLUSION: Aortic root dilation and IAS hypermobility were strongly associated with PFO-related cryptogenic stroke.

Impact of Preoperative Left Atrial Dimension on Outcome in Patients in Sinus Rhythm Undergoing Surgical Valve Repair for Severe Mitral Regurgitation due to Mitral Valve Prolapse.

BACKGROUND: Left atrial (LA) enlargement has been previously identified as a predictor of mortality in patients with medically managed mitral regurgitation (MR) due to mitral valve prolapse (MVP). No study has specifically assessed the prognostic value of LA size in patients undergoing mitral valve repair (MVRp). OBJECTIVE: We aimed to investigate the relationship between LA area and mortality in patients in sinus rhythm (SR) undergoing MVRp for MVP. METHODS: We included 305 patients in SR who underwent MVRp for MVP. Median follow-up time was 7.9 years. Patients were divided into 3 groups: LA area ≤25 cm2 (reference group), LA 26-30 cm2, and LA >30 cm2. RESULTS: Compared with patients with an LA area ≤25 cm2, those with an LA area >30 cm2 had a lower 10-year survival (98 ± 2 vs. 86 ± 4%; p = 0.037). In multivariate analysis, after adjustment for established outcome predictors including age, symptoms, EuroSCORE, and left ventricular size and function, LA enlargement >30 cm2 was associated with increased mortality (adjusted HR = 2.20, 95% CI 1.03-4.90; p = 0.042), whereas LA enlargement between 26 and 30 cm2 was not (adjusted HR = 1.37, 95% CI 0.56-3.56; p = 0.52). CONCLUSION: LA enlargement is independently predictive of long-term mortality after MVRp in patients in SR with severe MR due to MVP. Our findings suggest that MVRp should be considered before the LA area exceeds 30 cm2.

Impact of low stroke volume on mortality in patients with severe aortic stenosis and preserved left ventricular ejection fraction.

Aims: In patients with severe aortic stenosis (AS) and preserved left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF), low flow (LF) is currently defined using Doppler-echocardiography by a stroke volume index (SVi)<35 mL/m2. However, the relationship between LF and outcome remains unclear as data on normal reference values defining LF are scarce, and previous studies did not explore the risk associated with other SVi cut-points. We analysed the relationship between LF and mortality in severe AS to establish prognostic LF values associated with mortality risk. Methods and results: This study included 1450 consecutive patients with severe AS (aortic valve area <1 cm2 and/or <0.6 cm2/m2) and preserved LVEF and 1645 controls with normal echocardiograms. Patients were stratified in three groups: (i) SVi > 35 mL/m2 or SV > 70 mL; (ii) SVi 30-35 mL/m2 or SV 55-70 mL; and (iii) SVi < 30 mL/m2 or SV < 55 mL. Mortality with medical and surgical management was analysed. Five-year survival was low for SVi < 30 mL/m2 and SV < 55 mL compared to the other groups (all P-values <0.001). After adjustment for outcome predictors, including aortic valve replacement, mortality risk was considerable with SVi < 30 mL/m2 vs. >35 mL/m2 [adjusted hazard ratio (HR) 1.60 (1.17-2.18)] and SV < 55 mL vs. >70 mL [adjusted HR 1.84 (1.32-2.58)]. Similar mortality risk was observed for SVi 30-35 mL/m2 vs. >35 mL/m2 [adjusted HR 1.05 (0.78-1.41)], and for SV 55-70 mL vs. >70 mL [adjusted HR 1.22 (0.94-1.58)]. The prognostic impact of SVi < 30 mL/m2 and SV < 55 mL was consistent in subgroups, including asymptomatic patients and patients with low-gradient severe AS. Conclusion: Low flow defined as SVi < 30 mL/m2 or SV < 55 mL is an important outcome predictor in severe AS with preserved LVEF under medical and surgical management. Further studies are needed to prospectively test these values for risk stratification and decision making.

Impact of Preoperative Left Ventricular Remodelling Patterns on Long-Term Outcome after Aortic Valve Replacement for Severe Aortic Stenosis.

OBJECTIVES: Four patterns of left ventricular (LV) geometry have been described in aortic stenosis (AS): normal geometry, concentric remodelling (LVCR), concentric hypertrophy (CH), and eccentric hypertrophy (EH). LVCR and CH are independently associated with an increased risk of mortality in patients with medically managed AS. No data are available on the impact of aortic valve replacement (AVR) on the negative prognostic implications of LV remodelling patterns. METHODS: This study evaluated the long-term postoperative prognostic value of preoperative LV patterns in a cohort of 779 patients (mean age 73 years) with severe AS and ejection fraction >50% undergoing AVR. RESULTS: Long-term postoperative all-cause and cardiovascular mortality in patients with LVCR (adjusted HR = 0.50 [0.17-1.45], p = 0.202, and 0.45 [0.10-2.15], p = 0.373, respectively), CH (adjusted HR = 0.98 [0.68-1.40], p = 0.915, and 1.25 [0.60-2.40], p = 0.556, respectively), or EH (adjusted HR = 1.02 [0.79-1.32], p = 0.870, and 1.18 [0.70-1.99], p = 0.537, respectively) were comparable to those of patients with normal LV geometry. CONCLUSIONS: Despite the negative prognostic impact of LVCR and CH observed in patients with medically managed AS, these LV remodelling patterns are not associated with excess mortality after AVR. Surgery should therefore be discussed in patients with LVCR or CH and severe AS to avoid the risk of increased mortality observed under conservative management.

[Complications of infective endocarditis]. / Complications de l'endocardite infectieuse.

COMPLICATIONS OF INFECTIVE ENDOCARDITIS. The high in-hospital mortality of patients with infective endocarditis (about 20%) is mainly due to its complications. These complications are essentially of cardiac, neurological, and infectious origin. Rapid diagnosis and early antibiotic treatment are of paramount importance and allow drastic reduction of the frequency and severity of such complications. Discussion with all physicians caring for the patients with infective endocarditis in an "endocarditis team" setting is a mandatory step in management optimization and outcome improvement. This "endocarditis team" approach allows faster identification of patients at high risk of acute heart failure and/or cerebral embolism, and selection of those who might benefit from urgent valvular surgery. Factors associated with high embolic risk are the size and mobility of vegetation, mitral valve endocarditis, and infection with Staphylococcus aureus. When neurological complications occur, there is a risk that these may be worsened by the valvular surgery if there is a hemorrhagic component. This risk needs to be careful weighed in a team approach before sending patients to surgery. Persistent sepsis after effective antibiotic treatments prompts to local extension of the disease or to embolic extra cardiac secondary infectious localization.

COMPLICATIONS DE L'ENDOCARDITE INFECTIEUSE. Les complications de l'endocardite infectieuse (EI) sont à l'origine d'une mortalité hospitalière élevée d'environ 20 %. Elles sont essentiellement cardiaques, neurologiques et septiques. Un diagnostic rapide et une antibiothérapie précoce sont essentiels, car ils permettent de réduire la fréquence et la sévérité de ces complications. Une discussion collégiale au sein de l'équipe pluridisciplinaire (endocarditis team) est indispensable pour optimiser la prise en charge et améliorer le pronostic. Elle permet notamment d'identifier rapidement les patients à haut risque d'insuffisance cardiaque aiguë et/ou d'embolie cérébrale et de sélectionner les patients nécessitant une chirurgie valvulaire urgente. Les facteurs prédictifs d'un haut risque embolique sont la taille et la mobilité de la végétation, sa localisation sur la valve mitrale et l'EI à Staphylococcus aureus. La survenue d'une complication neurologique nécessite une évaluation rigoureuse compte tenu des risques d'aggravation de la lésion par la chirurgie valvulaire en présence d'une composante hémorragique. Un sepsis persistant sous traitement antibiotique doit faire rechercher une extension locale de l'endocardite ou des foyers emboliques extracardiaques.

Anatomical Mitral Valve Repair: Mathematical Prediction of Artificial Chordae Length in Para-Commissural Regions.

To develop a mathematical formula for calculating the length of ruptured mitral valve chordae (with a view to surgically replacing them with artificial chordae) when rupture occurs at scallop A1, A3, P1, or P3. We studied human cadaver hearts collected by the Faculty of Medicine at Amiens Picardy University Hospital. The donors' mean age standard deviation age at death was 79 ± 10. After weighing and dissection, we counted the number of para-commissural chordae per scallop and measured their length with a digital calliper. A total of 31 human cadaver hearts (14 from females and 17 from males) were analyzed. The mean lengths of scallops A1, A2, A3, P1, P2, and P3 were 17.45, 19.42, 17.58, 13.32, 14.52, and 13.26 mm, respectively. A linear regression gave the following mathematical equations: A1 = 0.96 × A2- - 1.3 (R: 0.99; P < 0.001); A3 = 0.9 × A2 + 0.17 (R: 0.95; P < 0.01); P1 = 0.87 × P2 +0.74 (R: 0.89; P < 0.001), and P3 = 0.91 × P2 - 0.01 (R: 0.87; P < 0.0001). When the patient's anatomy prevents manual measurements of the chordae during mitral valve repair surgery, the mathematical formulae derived here can be used to predict the length of the chordae on A1, A3, P1, and P3 from the length of the chordae on A2 and P2. The mitral chordae can therefore be replaced with prostheses with a great degree of precision.

Feasibility, safety and diagnostic yield of interventional cardiac magnetic resonance for routine right heart catheterization in adults.

BACKGROUND: Real-time cardiac magnetic resonance generates spatially and temporally resolved images of cardiac anatomy and function, without the need for contrast agent or X-ray exposure. Cardiac magnetic resonance-guided right heart catheterization (CMR-RHC) combines the benefits of cardiac magnetic resonance and invasive cardiac catheterization. The clinical adoption of CMR-RHC represents the first step towards the development of cardiac magnetic resonance-guided therapeutic procedures. AIM: To describe the feasibility, safety and diagnostic yield of CMR-RHC in consecutive all-comer patients with clinical indications for right heart catheterization. METHODS: From December 2018 to May 2021, 35 consecutive patients with prespecified indications for right heart catheterization were scheduled for CMR-RHC via the femoral route under local anaesthesia in a 1.5T cardiac magnetic resonance suite equipped for interventional cardiac magnetic resonance. The duration of various procedural components and safety data were recorded. Success rate (defined by the ability to record all prespecified haemodynamic measurements and imaging metrics), adverse events and patient/physician perprocedural comfort were assessed. RESULTS: One patient withdrew his consent before the study, and scanner troubleshooting occurred in one case. Among the 33 remaining patients, prespecified cardiac magnetic resonance imaging metrics were obtained in all patients, whereas full CMR-RHC measurements were obtained in 30 patients (91%). A dedicated cardiac magnetic resonance-compatible wire was used in 25/33 procedures. CMR-RHC was completed in 29±16minutes, and the total duration of the procedure, including conventional cardiac magnetic resonance imaging, was 62±20minutes. There were no adverse events and no femoral haematomas. Procedural comfort was deemed good by the patients and operators for all procedures. CMR-RHC significantly impacted diagnosis or patient management in 28/33 patients (85%). CONCLUSIONS: CMR-RHC seems to be a feasible and safe procedure that can be used in routine daily practice in consecutive adults with an impactful clinical yield.

Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement for Sutureless Bioprosthetic Valve Tilting Resulting in Severe Paravalvular Leak.

Severe paravalvular leak (PVL) may be complicated by heart failure and haemolysis. PVL management is challenging, especially when the gap is large. We describe a case of PVL due to tilting of a sutureless biological prosthesis successfully treated by transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAV-in-SAV).

Indexing left ventricular end-systolic dimension to body size: Association with mortality in patients with degenerative mitral regurgitation.

AIMS: In patients with degenerative mitral regurgitation (DMR), left ventricular (LV) dysfunction is associated with increased risk of heart failure and excess mortality. LV end-systolic diameter (LVESD) is an established trigger for intervention, yet recommended LVESD thresholds apply poorly to patients with small body size. Whether LV normalization to body surface area (BSA) may be used as a trigger for DMR correction is unknown. We examined the link between LVESD index (LVESDi) and outcome in DMR to identify appropriate thresholds for excess mortality. METHODS AND RESULTS: This study focuses on 2753 consecutive patients with DMR due to flail leaflets diagnosed in tertiary centres from Europe and the United States, with prospective echocardiographic measurement of LVESD and BSA and long-term follow-up. The primary endpoint was mortality after diagnosis under conservative management. Secondary endpoints were mortality under conservative and surgical management and postoperative mortality of patients who underwent surgery. The optimal LVESDi cut-off for mortality prediction was 20 mm/m2. Irrespective of management type, 10-year survival was lower with LVESDi ≥20 mm/m2 than with LVESDi <20 mm/m2 (both p < 0.001). After covariate adjustment, LVESDi ≥20 mm/m2 was independently predictive of mortality under conservative management (adjusted hazard ratio [HR] 1.41, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.15-1.75), and with conservative and surgical management (adjusted HR 1.34, 95% CI 1.17-1.54). LVESDi remained associated with poorer postoperative outcome in patients who underwent intervention. LVESDi showed higher incremental predictive value over the baseline model compared to LVESD. The association between LVESDi ≥20 mm/m2 and outcome was consistent in subgroups of patients with DMR. CONCLUSIONS: In severe DMR due to flail leaflets, LVESDi is a marker of risk additive and incremental to LVESD. Its use in clinical practice should lead to earlier referral to mitral valve surgery and improved long-term outcome.

European Association of Cardiovascular Imaging survey on cardiovascular multimodality imaging in acute myocarditis.

AIMS: To assess the current role of cardiac imaging in the diagnosis, management, and follow-up of patients with acute myocarditis (AM) through a European Association of Cardiovascular Imaging survey. METHODS AND RESULTS: A total of 412 volunteers from 74 countries responded to the survey. Most participants worked in tertiary centres (56%). All participants had access to echocardiography, while 79 and 75% had access to cardiac computed tomography angiography (CCTA) and cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR), respectively. Less than half (47%) had access to myocardial biopsy, and only 5% used this test routinely. CMR was performed within 7 days of presentation in 73% of cases. Non-ischaemic late gadolinium enhancement (LGE, 88%) and high-signal intensity in T2-weighted images (74%) were the most used diagnostic criteria for AM. CCTA was preferred to coronary angiography by 47% of participants to exclude coronary artery disease. Systematic prescription of beta-blockers and angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors was reported by 38 and 32% of participants. Around a quarter of participants declared considering LGE burden as a reason to treat. Most participants (90%) reported performing a follow-up echocardiogram, while 63% scheduled a follow-up CMR. The main reason for treatment discontinuation was improvement of left ventricular ejection fraction (89%), followed by LGE regression (60%). In two-thirds of participants, the decision to resume high-intensity sport was influenced by residual LGE. CONCLUSION: This survey confirms the high utilization of cardiac imaging in AM but reveals major differences in how cardiac imaging is used and how the condition is managed between centres, underlining the need for recommendation statements in this topic.

Quantifying the Survival Loss Linked to Late Therapeutic Indication in High-Gradient Severe Aortic Stenosis.

Background: International guidelines recommend aortic valve replacement (AVR) as Class I triggers in high-gradient severe aortic stenosis (HGSAS) patients with symptoms and/or left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) <50%. The association between waiting for these triggers and postoperative survival penalty is poorly studied. Objectives: The purpose of this study was to examine the impact of guideline-based Class I triggers on long-term postoperative survival in HGSAS patients. Methods: 2,030 patients operated for HGSAS were included and classified as follows: no Class I triggers (no symptoms and LVEF >50%, n = 853), symptoms with LVEF >50% (n = 965), or LVEF <50% regardless of symptoms (n = 212). Survival was compared after matching (inverse probability weighting) for clinical differences. Restricted mean survival time was analyzed to quantify lifetime loss. Results: Ten-year survival was better without any Class I trigger than with symptoms or LVEF <50% (67.1% ± 3% vs 56.4% ± 3% vs 53.1% ± 7%, respectively, P < 0.001). Adjusted death risks increased significantly in operated patients with symptoms (HR: 1.45 [95% CI: 1.15-1.82]) or LVEF <50% (HR: 1.47 [95% CI: 1.05-2.06]) than in those without Class I triggers. Performing AVR with LVEF >60% produced similar outcomes to that of the general population, whereas operated patients with LVEF <60% was associated with a 10-year postoperative survival penalty. Furthermore, according to restricted mean survival time analyses, operating on symptomatic patients or with LVEF <60% led to 8.3- and 11.4-month survival losses, respectively, after 10 years, compared with operated asymptomatic patients with a LVEF >60%. Conclusions: Guideline-based Class I triggers for AVR in HGSAS have profound consequences on long-term postoperative survival, suggesting that HGSAS patients should undergo AVR before trigger onset. Operating on patients with LVEF <60% is already associated with a 10-year postoperative survival penalty questioning the need for an EF threshold recommending AVR in HGSAS patients.