Gender differences in heart transplantation: Twenty-five year trends in the nationwide Spanish heart transplant registry.

The study of gender differences may lead into improvement in patient care. We have aimed to identify the gender differences in heart transplantation (HT) of adult HT recipients in Spain and their evolution in a study covering the years 1993-2017 in which 6740 HT (20.6% in women) were performed. HT indication rate per million inhabitants was lower in women, remaining basically unchanged during the 25-year study period. HT rate was higher in men, although this decreased over the 25-year study period. Type of heart disease differed in men versus women (p < .001): ischemic heart disease 47.6% versus 22.5%, dilated cardiomyopathy 41.3% versus 34.6%, or other 36% versus 17.8%, respectively. Men were more frequently diabetics (18% vs. 13.1% p < .001), hypertensives (33.1% vs. 24% p < .001), and smokers (21.7% vs. 12.9% p < .001), respectively. Women had more pre-HT malignancies (7.1% vs. 2.8% p < .001), and their clinical status was worse at HT due to renal function and mechanical ventilation. Adjusted survival (p = .198) and most of the mortality-related variables were similar in men and women. Death occurred more frequently in women due to rejection (7.9% vs. 5.1% p < .001) and primary failure (18.2% vs. 12.5% p < .001) and in men due to malignancies (15.1% vs. 6.6% p < .001).

Venoarterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation with or without simultaneous intra-aortic balloon pump support as a direct bridge to heart transplantation: results from a nationwide Spanish registry.

OBJECTIVES: To investigate the potential clinical benefit of an intra-aortic balloon pump (IABP) in patients supported with venoarterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (VA-ECMO) as a bridge to heart transplantation (HT). METHODS: We studied 169 patients who were listed for urgent HT under VA-ECMO support at 16 Spanish institutions from 2010 to 2015. The clinical outcomes of patients under simultaneous IABP support (n = 73) were compared to a control group of patients without IABP support (n = 96). RESULTS: There were no statistically significant differences between the IABP and control groups with regard to the cumulative rates of transplantation (71.2% vs 81.2%, P = 0.17), death during VA-ECMO support (20.6% vs 14.6%, P = 0.31), transition to a different mechanical circulatory support device (5.5% vs 5.2%, P = 0.94) or weaning from VA-ECMO support due to recovery (2.7% vs 0%, P = 0.10). There was a higher incidence of bleeding events in the IABP group (45.2% vs 25%, P = 0.006; adjusted odds ratio 2.18, 95% confidence interval 1.02-4.67). In-hospital postoperative mortality after HT was 34.6% in the IABP group and 32.5% in the control group (P = 0.80). One-year survival after listing for urgent HT was 53.3% in the IABP group and 52.2% in the control group (log rank P = 0.75). Multivariate adjustment for potential confounders did not change this result (adjusted hazard ratio 0.94, 95% confidence interval 0.56-1.58). CONCLUSIONS: In our study, simultaneous IABP therapy in transplant candidates under VA-ECMO support did not significantly reduce morbidity or mortality.

Muerte súbita, taponamiento y síndrome coronario agudo como manifestación clínica de un aneurisma coronario gigante / Sudden death, tamponade and acute coronaey syndrome as the clinical presentation of a giant coronary aneurysm

Los aneurismas coronarios son una patología infrecuente (0,5-3 por ciento de incidencia). Suelen asociarse con estenosis coronarias y la aterosclerosis es la etiología más frecuente. Nuestro paciente debutó con muerte súbita. Posteriormente presentó taponamiento cardíaco y a las 24 horas desarrolló un IAM inferior. La coronariografía mostró una gran dilatación esferoidal (4,5 × 5 cm) en la coronaria derecha proximal. Se trató con resección del aneurisma y puente aortocoronario. La evolución suele ser asintomática. La rotura o la muerte súbita son formas raras de presentación. La actitud conservadora es el tratamiento más comúnmente aplicado. La indicación quirúrgica dependerá de la presencia de estenosis coronarias asociadas o de la existencia de complicaciones.