Correlation of infarct size with invasive hemodynamics in patients with ST-elevation myocardial infarction.

OBJECTIVES: To identify invasive hemodynamic parameters that correlate with infarction size in patients with ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI). BACKGROUND: Invasive hemodynamics obtained during primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PPCI) are predictive of mortality in STEMI, but which parameters correlate best with the size of the infarction are unknown. METHODS: This is a single-center study of 405 adult patients with STEMI who had left ventricular end-diastolic pressure (LVEDP) measured during PPCI. Size of infarction was estimated by peak troponin I level and ejection fraction (LVEF) determined by echocardiography. RESULTS: The average (±SD) age was 61 ± 14 years, TIMI STEMI risk score was 3.5 ± 2.7 and Grace score was 157 ± 42. Hemodynamic parameters that correlated best with EF were LVEDP (r = -0.40), PP (r = 0.24), and SBP/LVEDP ratio (r = 0.22) and with peak troponin were SBP/LVEDP ratio (r = -0.41), LVEDP (r = 0.31), and PP (r = -0.29). SBP/LVEDP (AUC = 0.76) and SBP (AUC = 0.77) had a stronger association with in-hospital mortality than did LVEDP (AUC = 0.66) or PP (AUC = 0.64). Door-to-balloon time did not affect the correlations between hemodynamic parameters and infarct size. CONCLUSIONS: In this sample of 405 patients undergoing PPCI, SBP/LVEDP ratio had the strongest correlation with peak troponin levels and LVEDP with EF, whereas SBP/LVEDP and SBP had a strong association with in-hospital mortality. These results suggest that measurement of LVEDP as well as SBP may help risk stratify patients during PPCI.

General Anesthesia for Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement: Total Intravenous Anesthesia is Associated with Less Delirium as Compared to Volatile Agent Technique.

OBJECTIVE: Investigate the effect of volatile anesthesia versus total intravenous anesthesia on the incidence of postoperative delirium and length of stay in patients undergoing transcatheter aortic valve replacement under general anesthesia. DESIGN: Retrospective study. SETTING: Single institution, academic medical center. PARTICIPANTS: Adult patients who underwent transcatheter aortic valve replacement under general anesthesia between November 2014 and February 2017. INTERVENTIONS: This study was not an interventional study. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: Electronic medical records were reviewed for intraoperative maintenance anesthetic technique, hospital and intensive care unit length of stay, 30-day mortality, and documentation of delirium. Delirium was defined as either 1) positive Confusion Assessment Method for the Intensive Care Unit score or 2) documentation of delirium or confusion by the care team within 2 days of surgery. Overall, 116 patients were included and 84 (72%) received a total intravenous anesthesia technique. Twenty-three patients (20%) had postoperative delirium. The odds of delirium were lower in patients undergoing transcatheter aortic valve replacement with total intravenous anesthesia, compared with volatile anesthesia, even after adjusting for procedure approach (odds ratio 0.22, 95% confidence interval 0.06, 0.79, p = 0.02). No significant difference in hospital or intensive care unit length of stay was seen after adjusting for procedural characteristics. CONCLUSIONS: While postoperative delirium is a complex and multifactorial problem, the type of general anesthetic maintenance may contribute to the incidence of postoperative delirium in patients undergoing transcatheter aortic valve replacement, and total intravenous anesthesia may be an attractive alternative to volatile-based general anesthesia maintenance.

Anatomic factors affecting the use of ultrasound to predict vocal fold motion: A pilot study.

PURPOSE: Ultrasonography is a well-established modality for visualization of head and neck anatomy. Using ultrasound to detect vocal fold mobility has been described before, but no study has evaluated factors affecting the exam reliability. The aim of the study is to determine anatomic factors influencing the reliability of ultrasound to detect vocal fold motion. Methods and materials Patients underwent ultrasound evaluation and flexible laryngoscopy to assess vocal fold motion from August 2015 to March 2016. Length, accuracy, and clarity of ultrasound examination were assessed, compared to flexible laryngoscopy. For patients with prior neck CT scan imaging, laryngeal anatomy was independently assessed by a blinded neuroradiologist. RESULTS: A total of 23 patients, 21 with bilateral vocal fold motion and two with unilateral paralysis, were enrolled. Vocal folds were visible in 19 patients (82%). Eight patients (42%) had good/excellent view and 11 patients (58%) had fair/difficult view. The ultrasound correctly detected absent movement of the vocal fold in the two patients with unilateral paralysis. A total of 19 patients had CT scans, and a linear correlation (r2 = 0.65) was noted between the anterior thyroid cartilage angle measured on CT and the grade of view on ultrasound. CONCLUSION: Ultrasound was able to detect vocal fold motion in 82% of randomly screened patients. Ease of detection of vocal fold motion correlated with the anterior thyroid angle. Further studies are warranted to investigate the reproducibility of our results and how this might impact use of ultrasound for detection of vocal fold motion in the operative setting.

Presentations, Diagnosis, and Treatment of Post-COVID Viral Myocarditis in the Inpatient Setting: A Narrative Review.

While coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) infection rates have declined, and mortality outcomes have improved with vaccines, targeted antiviral therapies, and improved care practices over the course of the pandemic, post-acute sequelae of SARS CoV-2 infection (PASC, also referred to as "long COVID") has emerged as a significant concern, even among individuals who appear to have fully recovered from their initial infection. Acute COVID-19 infection is associated with myocarditis and cardiomyopathies, but the prevalence and presentation of post-infectious myocarditis are unclear. We provide a narrative review of post-COVID myocarditis, including symptoms and signs, physical exam findings, diagnosis, and treatment strategies. Post-COVID myocarditis has a wide range of presentations, from very mild symptoms to severe ones that can include sudden cardiac death. Several studies have noted what appears to be a bimodal distribution of affected patients, with individuals under age 16 (particularly males) most affected, followed by those over age 50. The gold standard of diagnosis for myocarditis is endomyocardial biopsy and cardiac magnetic resonance imaging with a confirmed diagnosis of COVID-19. However, if these are not available, other studies such as electrocardiogram, echocardiography, and inflammatory markers can guide clinicians to diagnose post-COVID myocarditis when appropriate. Treatment is largely supportive and may include oxygen therapy, intravenous hydration, diuretics, steroids, and antivirals. Post-COVID myocarditis is rare but important to recognize as more patients present with this condition in the inpatient setting.

The use of hemodynamics to predict mortality in patients undergoing primary PCI for ST-elevation myocardial infarction.

INTRODUCTION: Challenges remain in predicting mortality and severe myocardial dysfunction in patients undergoing primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PPCI) for ST elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI). Areas covered: Cardiogenic shock is associated with a high mortality rate. Less well characterized are patients who are not in cardiogenic shock but will die from pump failure as a result of a STEMI. There is a long history of using hemodynamics to risk stratify patients with acute MI with the Killip class being shown to provide prognostic information in the prereperfusion, thrombolytic and PPCI eras. Recent studies have identified low systolic blood pressure (SBP), elevated heart rate, elevated left ventricular end diastolic pressure (LVEDP), and low SBP/LVEDP ratio as hemodynamic parameters associated with early mortality in patients undergoing PPCI. Although infrequently used, prognostic information can be obtained from right heart catheterization in the setting of STEMI with the best-studied parameters being cardiac power, pulmonary capillary wedge pressure (PCWP), cardiac output, right atrial pressure/PCWP ratio, and pulmonary artery pulsatility index. Expert commentary: Hemodynamic parameters measured at the time of PPCI provide important prognostic information. Whether hemodynamics can be used to determine which patients benefit from early initiation of mechanical support remains to be determined.