Evaluation of the Effects of an Extubation Protocol With Neostigmine on Duration of Mechanical Ventilation After Cardiac Surgery.

OBJECTIVES: Residual neuromuscular blockade is associated with increased postoperative pulmonary complications. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of an extubation protocol incorporating neuromuscular blockade reversal (NMBR) by train-of-four monitoring on "fast-track" cardiac surgery outcomes. DESIGN: A retrospective cohort study. SETTING: At a university hospital. PARTICIPANTS: Out of 1,843 cardiac surgery patients, from February 2, 2015, to March 31, 2017, 957 (52%) underwent cardiac surgery on or after February 29, 2016. INTERVENTIONS: An extubation protocol, comprised of weaning from mechanical ventilation and NMBR guidelines, was implemented on February 29, 2016. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: The associations of baseline characteristics with the postoperative duration of mechanical ventilation (primary outcome) and respiratory and/or adverse complications (secondary outcomes) were evaluated using regression and interrupted- time series models. The implementation of an extubation protocol was associated with an 18% decrease in the duration of mechanical ventilation (incident rate ratio [IRR] 0.82, 95% CI 0.72-0.94; p < 0.01), statistically insignificant 26% increase in patients extubated ≤6 hours (odds ratio [OR] 1.26, 95% CI 0.97-1.65; p = 0.09), and 13% shorter intensive care unit length of stay (LOS) (IRR 0.87, 95% CI 0.79-0.97; p < 0.01). Patients undergoing isolated coronary artery bypass graft or isolated valve procedures, on or after February 29, 2016, had decreased extubation times (IRR 0.82, p < 0.01 and IRR 0.80, p = 0.02). The protocol did not have a statistically significant association with hospital LOS (IRR 0.98, p = 0.57) or readmission (OR 1.22, p = 0.33), and differences in the occurrence of pulmonary complications and adverse outcomes between the pre- and postprotocol groups were clinically insignificant. CONCLUSIONS: The application of an extubation protocol incorporating NMBR based on neuromuscular monitoring was associated with a decrease in postoperative duration of mechanical ventilation and facilitated more patients meeting the early extubation benchmark without an increased risk of respiratory complications or adverse outcomes.

Timing of Blood Transfusions and 30-Day Patient Outcomes After Coronary Artery Bypass Graft Surgery.

OBJECTIVE: Packed red blood cell transfusion during coronary artery bypass graft surgery is known to be associated with adverse outcomes. However, the association of the timing between transfusions in relation to discharge and 30-day postoperative outcomes has not been studied. The study authors investigated the impact of transfusion timing on 30-day surgical outcomes. DESIGN: A retrospective review. SETTING: At a single tertiary-care academic hospital. PARTICIPANTS: A total of 2,481 adult patients underwent primary coronary artery bypass graft surgery between January 2014 and December 2020. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: The relationship between the timing of packed red blood cell transfusion (intraoperative, postoperative, or both) and 30-day postoperative outcome variables was calculated as an odds ratio. The influence of timing of transfusion on adjusted probability of postoperative complications was plotted against the lowest intraoperative hematocrit. The median age of the population was 67 years (60.0-74.0), body mass index was 28.5 (25.6-32.3) kg/m2, and 497 (20.0%) were female. A total of 1,588 (36%) patients received packed red blood cell transfusions; 182 (7.3%) received intraoperative transfusions, 489 (19.7%) received postoperative transfusions, and 222 (9.0%) received both (intraoperative and postoperative transfusions). Postoperative transfusion was associated with significantly higher odds of readmission (1.83 [1.32-2.54], p = 0.002) and heart failure (1.64 [1.2-2.23], p = 0.008) compared to patients with no transfusions; whereas intraoperative transfusions were not. CONCLUSION: The authors' data suggested that the postoperative timing of transfusion in patients undergoing coronary artery bypass graft surgery may be associated with an increased incidence of 30-day heart failure and readmission. Prospective research is needed to conclusively confirm these findings.

Update: Gender differences in CABG outcomes-Have we bridged the gap?

BACKGROUND: Appreciation of unique presentation, patterns and underlying pathophysiology of coronary artery disease in women has driven gender based risk stratification and risk reduction efforts over the last decade. Data regarding whether these advances have resulted in unequivocal improvements in outcomes of CABG in women is conflicting. The objective of our study was to assess gender differences in post-operative outcomes following CABG. METHODS: Retrospective analyses of institutional data housed in the Society of Thoracic Surgeons (STS) database for patients undergoing CABG between 2002 and 2020 were conducted. Multivariable regression analysis was conducted to investigate gender differences in post-operative outcomes. P-values were adjusted using Bonferroni correction to reduce type-I errors. RESULTS: Our final cohort of 6,250 patients had fewer women than men (1,339 vs. 4,911). more women were diabetic (52.0% vs. 41.2%, p<0.001) and hypertensive (89.1% vs. 84.0%, p<0.001). Women had higher adjusted odds of developing ventilator dependence >48 hours (OR: 1.65 [1.21, 2.45], p = 0.002) and cardiac readmissions (OR: 1.56 [1.27, 2.30], p = 0.003). After adjustment for comorbidity burden, mortality rates in women were comparable to those of age-matched men. CONCLUSION: The findings of our study indicate that despite apparent reduction of differences in mortality, the burden of postoperative morbidity is still high among women.

Cardiac surgeons' concerns, perceptions, and responses during the COVID-19 pandemic.

BACKGROUND: The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has had an unprecedented impact on health care and cardiac surgery. We report cardiac surgeons' concerns, perceptions, and responses during the COVID-19 pandemic. METHODS: A detailed survey was sent to recruit participating adult cardiac surgery centers in North America. Data regarding cardiac surgeons' perceptions and changes in practice were analyzed. RESULTS: Our study comprises 67 institutions with diverse geographic distribution across North America. Nurses were most likely to be redeployed (88%), followed by advanced care practitioners (69%), trainees (28%), and surgeons (25%). Examining surgeon concerns in regard to COVID-19, they were most worried with exposing their family to COVID-19 (81%), followed by contracting COVID-19 (68%), running out of personal protective equipment (PPE) (28%), and hospital resources (28%). In terms of PPE conservation strategies among users of N95 respirators, nearly half were recycling via decontamination with ultraviolet light (49%), followed by sterilization with heat (13%) and at home or with other modalities (13%). Reuse of N95 respirators for 1 day (22%), 1 week (21%) or 1 month (6%) was reported. There were differences in adoption of methods to conserve N95 respirators based on institutional pandemic phase and COVID-19 burden, with higher COVID-19 burden institutions more likely to resort to PPE conservation strategies. CONCLUSIONS: The present study demonstrates the impact of COVID-19 on North American cardiac surgeons. Our study should stimulate further discussions to identify optimal solutions to improve workforce preparedness for subsequent surges, as well as facilitate the navigation of future healthcare crises.

Anticoagulation and amiodarone for new atrial fibrillation after coronary artery bypass grafting: Prescription patterns and 30-day outcomes in the United States and Canada.

OBJECTIVE: We sought to elucidate national practice patterns regarding anticoagulation and antiarrhythmic medication use at discharge and examine short-term patient outcomes. METHODS: In this retrospective cohort study, we analyzed the data of patients from the Society of Thoracic Surgeons Adult Cardiac Surgery Database from July 2011 to June 2018 who underwent first-time isolated coronary artery bypass graft surgery (CABG) and developed new post-CABG atrial fibrillation (AF) without significant complications. In total, 166,747 patients met study criteria. We examined 30-day outcomes. RESULTS: In total, 166,747 patients were analyzed and divided into 4 groups based on discharge medications: amiodarone with or without anticoagulation, anticoagulation alone, and neither. Demographic characteristics were similar among the 4 groups. In total, 25.7% of patients were discharged on anticoagulation with an average CHA2DS2-VASc score of 3.2 ± 1.3. Anticoagulation use at discharge was not associated with lower 30-day stroke readmissions (adjusted odds ratio [AOR], 0.87; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.65-1.16; P = .35). Adjusted 30-day readmissions for major bleeding were significantly more common in anticoagulated patients (AOR, 4.30; 95% CI, 3.69-5.03; P < .0001). Among those discharged off anticoagulation, there was no significant difference in adjusted 30-day stroke rates based on amiodarone use at discharge (AOR, 1.19; 95% CI, 0.85-1.66; P = .31). CONCLUSIONS: Post-CABG anticoagulation for new AF is associated with increased bleeding and no difference in stroke at 30 days. Prospective randomized studies are needed to formalize safe and efficacious short- and long-term management strategies.

Cardiopulmonary Bypass Suppresses Forkhead Box O3 and Downstream Autophagy in the Diabetic Human Heart.

BACKGROUND: Autophagy is an integral component of cellular homeostasis and metabolism. The exact mechanism of impaired autophagy in diabetes mellitus is unknown. Forkhead Box O3 (FOXO3α) is a key regulator of oxidative stress-related responses. We hypothesize FOXO3α is a direct upstream regulator of the autophagy pathway, and its upregulation is compromised in diabetic patients during stress of cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB). METHODS: The study enrolled 32 diabetic and 33 nondiabetic patients undergoing a cardiac surgical procedure on CPB. Right atrial tissue and serum samples were collected before and after CPB per protocol. A set of key components were quantitatively assessed and compared by microarray, immunoblotting, and immunohistochemistry studies. Data were analyzed using paired or unpaired student test. A P of <.05 or less was considered significant. RESULTS: Serum microarray showed FOXO3α was upregulated in the diabetic vs nondiabetic group after CPB (P = .033), autophagy-related 4B gene and Beclin 1 gene were greatly upregulated in the nondiabetic group (P = .028 and P = .002, respectively). On immunoblotting, there was upregulation of FOXO3α in the nondiabetic patients after CPB (P = .003). There were increased levels of Beclin-1, Bcl-2, and light chain 3B after CPB in the nondiabetic group only (P = .016, P = .005, P = .002, respectively). Sirtuin 1, Unc-51-like autophagy activating kinase 1 (ULK1), peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma coactivator 1α (PGC1α), and mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) were not significantly changed in the nondiabetic group after CPB. CONCLUSIONS: Compared with nondiabetic patients, there was no significant upregulation of FOXO3α in diabetic patients, which could possibly explain the lack of upregulation of the autophagy process after CPB. FOXO3α could potentially serve as a therapeutic target to improve cellular homeostasis.

Development of an Instrument for Preoperative Prediction of Adverse Discharge in Patients Scheduled for Cardiac Surgery.

OBJECTIVE: Inability of home discharge occurs in nearly a third of patients undergoing cardiac surgery and is associated with increased mortality. The authors aimed to evaluate the incidence and risk factors for adverse discharge disposition (ADD) after cardiac surgery and develop a prediction tool for preoperative risk assessment. DESIGN: This retrospective cohort study included adult patients undergoing cardiac surgery between 2010 and 2018. The primary outcome was ADD, defined as in-hospital mortality, discharge to a skilled nursing facility, or transfer to a long-term care hospital. The authors created a prediction tool using stepwise backward logistic regression and used 5-fold and leave-one-out cross-validation. SETTING: University hospital network. PARTICIPANTS: Adult patients living at home prior to surgery, who underwent coronary artery bypass grafting and/or valve procedures at the authors' institution. INTERVENTIONS: None. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: A total of 3,760 patients were included in the final study cohort. The observed rate of ADD was 33.3%. The prediction model showed good discrimination and accuracy, with C-statistic of 0.78 (95% confidence interval [CI] 0.76-0.79) and unmodified Brier score of 0.177 (reliability 0.001). The final model comprised 14 predictors. Patients who experienced ADD were more likely to be older, of female sex, to have had higher length of hospital stay prior to surgery, and to have undergone emergency surgery. CONCLUSIONS: The authors present an instrument for prediction of loss of the ability to live independently in patients undergoing cardiac surgery. The authors' score may be useful in identifying high-risk patients such that earlier coordination of care can be initiated in this vulnerable patient population.

Intraoperative Oxygen Concentration and Neurocognition after Cardiac Surgery.

BACKGROUND: Despite evidence suggesting detrimental effects of perioperative hyperoxia, hyperoxygenation remains commonplace in cardiac surgery. Hyperoxygenation may increase oxidative damage and neuronal injury leading to potential differences in postoperative neurocognition. Therefore, this study tested the primary hypothesis that intraoperative normoxia, as compared to hyperoxia, reduces postoperative cognitive dysfunction in older patients having cardiac surgery. METHODS: A randomized double-blind trial was conducted in patients aged 65 yr or older having coronary artery bypass graft surgery with cardiopulmonary bypass. A total of 100 patients were randomized to one of two intraoperative oxygen delivery strategies. Normoxic patients (n = 50) received a minimum fraction of inspired oxygen of 0.35 to maintain a Pao2 above 70 mmHg before and after cardiopulmonary bypass and between 100 and 150 mmHg during cardiopulmonary bypass. Hyperoxic patients (n = 50) received a fraction of inspired oxygen of 1.0 throughout surgery, irrespective of Pao2 levels. The primary outcome was neurocognitive function measured on postoperative day 2 using the Telephonic Montreal Cognitive Assessment. Secondary outcomes included neurocognitive function at 1, 3, and 6 months, as well as postoperative delirium, mortality, and durations of mechanical ventilation, intensive care unit stay, and hospital stay. RESULTS: The median age was 71 yr (interquartile range, 68 to 75), and the median baseline neurocognitive score was 17 (16 to 19). The median intraoperative Pao2 was 309 (285 to 352) mmHg in the hyperoxia group and 153 (133 to 168) mmHg in the normoxia group (P < 0.001). The median Telephonic Montreal Cognitive Assessment score on postoperative day 2 was 18 (16 to 20) in the hyperoxia group and 18 (14 to 20) in the normoxia group (P = 0.42). Neurocognitive function at 1, 3, and 6 months, as well as secondary outcomes, were not statistically different between groups. CONCLUSIONS: In this randomized controlled trial, intraoperative normoxia did not reduce postoperative cognitive dysfunction when compared to intraoperative hyperoxia in older patients having cardiac surgery. Although the optimal intraoperative oxygenation strategy remains uncertain, the results indicate that intraoperative hyperoxia does not worsen postoperative cognition after cardiac surgery.

Physical Performance and Risk of Postoperative Delirium in Older Adults Undergoing Aortic Valve Replacement.

BACKGROUND: Delirium is a major risk factor for poor recovery after surgical aortic valve replacement (SAVR) and transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR). It is unclear whether preoperative physical performance tests improve delirium prediction. OBJECTIVE: To examine whether physical performance tests can predict delirium after SAVR and TAVR, and adapt an existing delirium prediction rule for cardiac surgery, which includes Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE), depression, prior stroke, and albumin level. DESIGN: Prospective cohort, 2014-2017. SETTING: Single academic center. SUBJECTS: A total of 187 patients undergoing SAVR (n=77) or TAVR (n=110). METHODS: The Short Physical Performance Battery (SPPB) score was calculated based on gait speed, balance, and chair stands (range: 0-12 points, lower scores indicate poor performance). Delirium was assessed using the Confusion Assessment Method. We fitted logistic regression to predict delirium using SPPB components and risk factors of delirium. RESULTS: Delirium occurred in 35.8% (50.7% in SAVR and 25.5% in TAVR). The risk of delirium increased for lower SPPB scores: 10-12 (28.2%), 7-9 (34.5%), 4-6 (37.5%) and 0-3 (44.1%) (p-for-trend=0.001). A model that included gait speed <0.46 meter/second (OR, 2.7; 95% CI, 1.2-6.4), chair stands time ≥11.2 seconds (OR, 3.5; 95% CI, 1.0-12.4), MMSE <24 points (OR, 2.9; 95% CI, 1.3-6.4), isolated SAVR (OR, 5.4; 95% CI, 2.1-13.8), and SAVR and coronary artery bypass grafting (OR, 15.8; 95% CI, 5.5-45.7) predicted delirium better than the existing prediction rule (C statistics: 0.71 vs 0.61; p=0.035). CONCLUSION: Assessing physical performance, in addition to cognitive function, can help identify high-risk patients for delirium after SAVR and TAVR.

Intraoperative post-annuloplasty three-dimensional valve analysis does not predict recurrent ischemic mitral regurgitation.

BACKGROUND: High ischemic mitral regurgitation (IMR) recurrence rates continue to plague IMR repair with undersized ring annuloplasty. We have previously shown that pre-repair three-dimensional echocardiography (3DE) analysis is highly predictive of IMR recurrence. The objective of this study was to determine the quantitative change in 3DE annular and leaflet tethering parameters immediately after repair and to determine if intraoperative post-repair 3DE parameters would be able to predict IMR recurrence 6 months after repair. METHODS: Intraoperative pre- and post-repair transesophageal real-time 3DE was performed in 35 patients undergoing undersized ring annuloplasty for IMR. An advanced modeling algorhythm was used to assess 3D annular geometry and regional leaflet tethering. IMR recurrence (≥ grade 2) was assessed with transthoracic echocardiography 6 months after repair. RESULTS: Annuloplasty significantly reduced septolateral diameter, commissural width, annular area, and tethering volume and significantly increased all segmental tethering angles (except A2). Intraoperative post-repair annular geometry and leaflet tethering did not differ significantly between patients with recurrent IMR (n = 9) and patients with non-recurrent IMR (n = 26). No intraoperative post-repair predictors of IMR recurrence could be identified. CONCLUSIONS: Undersized ring annuloplasty changes mitral geometry acutely, exacerbates leaflet tethering, and generally fixes IMR acutely, but it does not always fix the delicate underlying chronic problem of continued left ventricular dilatation and remodeling. This may explain why pre-repair 3D valve geometry (which reflects chronic left ventricular remodeling) is highly predictive of recurrent IMR, whereas immediate post-repair 3D valve geometry (which does not completely reflect chronic left ventricular remodeling anymore) is not.

Immediate Preoperative Transthoracic Echocardiography for the Prediction of Postoperative Atrial Fibrillation in High-Risk Cardiac Surgery.

OBJECTIVE: The present study aimed to validate the utility of bedside cardiac ultrasound to identify patients for the risk of postoperative atrial fibrillation (POAF). DESIGN: A prospective cohort study of consecutive patients. SETTING: Single-center tertiary referral center. PARTICIPANTS: After Institutional Review Board consent, 169 patients undergoing elective cardiac surgery were enrolled in the study. INTERVENTIONS: A preoperative transthoracic echocardiographic interrogation assessing diastolic function was performed. Measurements were assessed offline with experienced echocardiographers blinded to clinical outcomes. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: The primary outcome was POAF during the first 72 hours after surgery. A total of 169 patients completed the study, 44 of whom (26.0%) developed POAF, and 39 (25.2%) had diastolic dysfunction. Patients with POAF had a higher rate of postoperative heart failure, reintubation within 24 hours of surgery, and length of stay (p = 0.002, 0.01, and 0.0006, respectively). Predictors significant for POAF included increasing age, left atrial volume indexed to body surface area (LAVI), and diastolic dysfunction (p = 0.02, 0.0001, and 0.001, respectively). Multivariate spline regressions demonstrated a nonlinear correlation between increasing LAVI and risk of POAF. CONCLUSION: Left atrial volume can be assessed efficiently preoperatively to provide superior risk stratification over clinical factors and diastolic parameters alone for the prediction of POAF. Furthermore, the present study demonstrated that the cutoffs of chamber quantification currently used do not appropriately capture the increased risk of POAF. Thus, LAVI provides a simple measure to identify patients who are in need of targeted prophylaxis for POAF.

A Practical Two-Stage Frailty Assessment for Older Adults Undergoing Aortic Valve Replacement.

OBJECTIVES: Despite evidence, frailty is not routinely assessed before cardiac surgery. We compared five brief frailty tests for predicting poor outcomes after aortic valve replacement and evaluated a strategy of performing comprehensive geriatric assessment (CGA) in screen-positive patients. DESIGN: Prospective cohort study. SETTING: A single academic center. PARTICIPANTS: Patients undergoing surgical aortic valve replacement (SAVR) (n = 91; mean age = 77.8 y) or transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) (n = 137; mean age = 84.5 y) from February 2014 to June 2017. MEASUREMENTS: Brief frailty tests (Fatigue, Resistance, Ambulation, Illness, and Loss of weight [FRAIL] scale; Clinical Frailty Scale; grip strength; gait speed; and chair rise) and a deficit-accumulation frailty index based on CGA (CGA-FI) were measured at baseline. A composite of death or functional decline and severe symptoms at 6 months was assessed. RESULTS: The outcome occurred in 8.8% (n = 8) after SAVR and 24.8% (n = 34) after TAVR. The chair rise test showed the highest discrimination in the SAVR (C statistic = .76) and TAVR cohorts (C statistic = .63). When the chair rise test was chosen as a screening test (≥17 s for SAVR and ≥23 s for TAVR), the incidence of outcome for screen-negative patients, screen-positive patients with CGA-FI of .34 or lower, and screen-positive patients with CGA-FI higher than .34 were 1.9% (n = 1/54), 5.3% (n = 1/19), and 33.3% (n = 6/18) after SAVR, respectively, and 15.0% (n = 9/60), 14.3% (n = 3/21), and 38.3% (n = 22/56) after TAVR, respectively. Compared with routinely performing CGA, targeting CGA to screen-positive patients would result in 54 fewer CGAs, without compromising sensitivity (routine vs targeted: .75 vs .75; P = 1.00) and specificity (.84 vs .86; P = 1.00) in the SAVR cohort; and 60 fewer CGAs with lower sensitivity (.82 vs.65; P = .03) and higher specificity (.50 vs .67; P < .01) in the TAVR cohort. CONCLUSIONS: The chair rise test with targeted CGA may be a practical strategy to identify older patients at high risk for mortality and poor recovery after SAVR and TAVR in whom individualized care management should be considered. J Am Geriatr Soc 67:2031-2037, 2019.

Association of Hospital Surgical Aortic Valve Replacement Quality With 30-Day and 1-Year Mortality After Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement.

Importance: Hospital outcomes for transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) may be dependent on the quality of evaluation, personnel, and procedural and postprocedural care common to patients undergoing cardiac surgery. Objectives: We sought to assess whether those hospitals with better patient outcomes for surgical aortic valve replacement (SAVR) subsequently achieved better TAVR outcomes after launching TAVR programs. Design, Setting, and Participants: This national cohort included US patients 65 years and older. The analysis used the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services' Medicare Provider and Review data collected between January 1, 2010, and September 29, 2015. Only hospitals performing at least 1 SAVR prior to September 1, 2011, and performing at least 1 TAVR after this date were included in the analysis. Data analysis was completed from June 2018 to August 2018. Interventions: Isolated aortic valve replacements. Main Outcomes and Measures: Hospital risk-adjusted 30-day mortality for SAVR in the pre-TAVR period was used as a surrogate for SAVR quality. Thirty-day and 1-year TAVR mortality rates were examined after stratification by quartile of baseline hospital risk-adjusted SAVR mortality. Results: A total of 51 924 TAVR procedures were performed in 519 hospitals, of which 19 798 were performed at hospitals in quartile 1 (the lowest risk-adjusted SAVR mortality rate), 7663 were performed in quartile 2, 10 180 were performed in quartile 3, and 14 283 were performed in quartile 4 (the highest risk-adjusted SAVR mortality rate). Observed mortality rates at 30 days consistently increased with increasing baseline hospital SAVR risk-adjusted mortality (quartile 1, 917 patients [4.6%]; quartile 2, 381 [5.0%]; quartile 3, 521 [5.1%]; quartile 4, 800 [5.6%]; P < .001). The same pattern was observed in 1-year mortality (quartile 1, 3359 [17.0%]; quartile 2, 1337 [17.5%]; quartile 3, 1852 [18.2%]; quartile 4, 2652 [18.6%]; P < .001). After multivariable analysis, compared with the lowest quartile of SAVR mortality, undergoing TAVR at a hospital with higher baseline SAVR mortality continued to be associated with higher 30-day mortality (odds ratios: quartile 2, 1.02 [95% CI, 0.87-1.21]; quartile 3, 1.13 [95% CI, 1.02-1.26]; quartile 4, 1.23 [95% CI, 1.07-1.40]; P = .02) and 1-year mortality (hazard ratios: quartile 2, 1.04 [95% CI, 0.92-1.17]; quartile 3, 1.14 [95% CI, 1.02-1.28]; quartile 4, 1.16 [95% CI, 1.05-1.28]; P = .02). Conclusions and Relevance: Hospitals with higher SAVR mortality rates also had higher short-term and long-term TAVR mortality after initiating TAVR programs. Quality of cardiac surgical care may be associated with a hospital's performance with new structural heart disease programs.

Complexity of preoperative blood pressure dynamics: possible utility in cardiac surgical risk assessment.

Complexity measures are intended to assess the cardiovascular system's capacity to respond to stressors. We sought to determine if decreased BP complexity is associated with increased estimated risk as obtained from two standard instruments: the Society of Thoracic Surgeons' (STS) Risk of Mortality and Morbidity Index and the European System for Cardiac Operative Risk Evaluation Score (EuroSCORE II). In this observational cohort study, preoperative systolic, diastolic, mean (MAP) and pulse pressure (PP) time series were derived in 147 patients undergoing cardiac surgery. The complexity of the fluctuations of these four variables was quantified using multiscale entropy (MSE) analysis. In addition, the traditional time series measures, mean and standard deviation (SD) were also computed. The relationships between time series measures and the risk indices (after logarithmic transformation) were then assessed using nonparametric (Spearman correlation, rs) and linear regression methods. A one standard deviation change in the complexity of systolic, diastolic and MAP time series was negatively associated (p < 0.05) with the STS and EuroSCORE indices in both unadjusted (21-34%) and models adjusted for age, gender and SD of the BP time series (15-31%). The mean and SD of BP time series were not significantly associated with the risk index except for a positive association with the SD of the diastolic BP. Lower preoperative BP complexity was associated with a higher estimated risk of adverse cardiovascular outcomes and may provide a novel approach to assessing cardiovascular risk. Future studies are needed to determine whether dynamical risk indices can improve current risk prediction tools.

Frailty Phenotype and Deficit Accumulation Frailty Index in Predicting Recovery After Transcatheter and Surgical Aortic Valve Replacement.

BACKGROUND: Frailty phenotype and deficit-accumulation frailty index (FI) are widely used measures of frailty. Their performance in predicting recovery after surgical aortic valve replacement (SAVR) and transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) has not been compared. METHODS: Patients undergoing SAVR (n = 91) or TAVR (n = 137) at an academic medical center were prospectively assessed for frailty phenotype and FI. Outcomes were death or poor recovery, defined as a decline in ability to perform 22 daily activities and New York Heart Association class 3 or 4 at 6 months after surgery. The predictive ability of frailty phenotype versus FI and their additive value to a traditional surgical risk model were evaluated using C-statistics, net reclassification improvement (NRI), and integrated discrimination improvement. RESULTS: TAVR patients had higher prevalence of phenotypic frailty (85% vs 38%, p < .001) and greater mean FI (0.37 vs 0.24, p < .001) than SAVR patients. In the overall cohort, FI had a higher C-statistic than frailty phenotype (0.74 vs 0.63, p = .01) for predicting death or poor recovery. Adding FI to the traditional model improved prediction (NRI, 26.4%, p = .02; integrated discrimination improvement, 7.7%, p < .001), while adding phenotypic frailty did not (NRI, 4.0%, p = .70; integrated discrimination improvement, 1.6%, p = .08). The additive value of FI was evident in TAVR patients (NRI, 42.8%, p < .01) but not in SAVR patients (NRI, 25.0%, p = .29). Phenotypic frailty did not add significantly in either TAVR (NRI, 6.8%, p = .26) or SAVR patients (NRI, 25.0%, p = .29). CONCLUSIONS: Deficit-accumulation FI provides better prediction of death or poor recovery than frailty phenotype in older patients undergoing SAVR and TAVR.