Use of Japanese Herbal Kampo Medicine in Patients With Acute Cardiovascular Disease　- A 12-Year Nationwide Cohort Analysis.

BACKGROUND: Kampo, a Japanese herbal medicine, is approved for the treatment of various symptoms/conditions under national medical insurance coverage in Japan. However, the contemporary nationwide status of Kampo use among patients with acute cardiovascular diseases remains unknown. METHODS AND RESULTS: Using the Japanese Diagnosis Procedure Combination database, we retrospectively identified 2,547,559 patients hospitalized for acute cardiovascular disease (acute myocardial infarction, heart failure, pulmonary embolism, or aortic dissection) at 1,798 hospitals during the fiscal years 2010-2021. Kampo medicines were used in 227,008 (8.9%) patients, with a 3-fold increase from 2010 (4.3%) to 2021 (12.4%), regardless of age, sex, disease severity, and primary diagnosis. The top 5 medicines used were Daikenchuto (29.4%), Yokukansan (26.1%), Shakuyakukanzoto (15.8%), Rikkunshito (7.3%), and Goreisan (5.5%). From 2010 to 2021, Kampo medicines were initiated earlier during hospitalization (from a median of Day 7 to Day 3), and were used on a greater proportion of hospital days (median 16.7% vs. 21.4%). However, the percentage of patients continuing Kampo medicines after discharge declined from 57.9% in 2010 to 39.4% in 2021, indicating their temporary use. The frequency of Kampo use varied across hospitals, with the median percentage of patients prescribed Kampo medications increasing from 7.7% in 2010 to 11.5% in 2021. CONCLUSIONS: This nationwide study demonstrates increasing Kampo use in the management of acute cardiovascular diseases, warranting further pharmacoepidemiological studies on its effectiveness.

Body Mass Index and Outcomes in Patients with Takotsubo Syndrome: A Nationwide Retrospective Cohort Study.

BACKGROUND: Takotsubo syndrome (TTS) is a cardiac disorder that mimics acute coronary syndrome at presentation. While previous studies have demonstrated a relationship between body mass index (BMI) and outcomes in acute coronary syndrome, few have examined its relationship with TTS. METHODS: Using the Japanese Diagnosis Procedure Combination database, we retrospectively identified 14,551 patients admitted for TTS between 2010 and 2021. By applying multivariable regressions with restricted cubic splines, we examined the association between BMI and in-hospital mortality after adjusting for potential confounders. RESULTS: Mean BMI was 21.1 kg/m2, classifying patients into severe underweight (<16.0 kg/m2, 7.1%), mild/moderate underweight (16.0-18.4 kg/m2, 18.3%), normal weight (18.5-22.9 kg/m2, 46.8%), overweight (23.0-27.4 kg/m2, 22.2%), and obese (≥27.5 kg/m2, 5.6%) groups. Patients with severe or mild/moderate underweight were older and had a higher prevalence of impaired physical activity, malignancy, chronic pulmonary disease, and pneumonia. In-hospital mortality was the highest (9.4%) in the severe underweight group, followed by the mild/moderate underweight group (5.4%), with the lowest being in the obese group (2.1%). Severe underweight (adjusted odds ratio = 2.05; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.54-2.73) and mild/moderate underweight (1.26; 95% CI = 1.01-1.57) were significantly associated with higher mortality compared with normal weight, while no significant association was noted with obesity. A nonlinear association between continuous BMI and mortality was observed, with mortality increasing when BMI decreased <20.0 kg/m2 but nearly plateauing in BMI >20.0 kg/m2. CONCLUSIONS: The present nationwide analysis demonstrated a nonlinear association between BMI and in-hospital mortality of TTS. BMI is an easily available and clinically relevant marker for the risk stratification of TTS.

Clinical characteristics and outcomes of preterm versus term uterine rupture: a nationwide observational study.

OBJECTIVE: To assess and compare the clinical aspects of uterine rupture by dividing the gestational age at uterine rupture occurrence into < 37-week (preterm) and ≥ 37-week (term) groups. METHODS: This retrospective cohort study analyzed data from 187 acute-care hospitals across Japan and included patients who experienced uterine rupture. Data were sourced from the Diagnosis Procedure Combination inpatient database, spanning July 2010 to March 2022. The patients' characteristics, in-hospital procedures, and outcomes were compared between those with uterine rupture at < 37 and ≥ 37 weeks of gestation. The main outcomes were hysterectomy, complications, proportion of blood transfusions, and postoperative length of stay. RESULTS: A total of 298 patients were identified, with 161 in the preterm group and 137 in the term group. Placenta accreta spectrum occurred more frequently in the preterm group than in the term group (18.0% vs. 6.6%, respectively; P = 0.003). Vacuum delivery (19.0% vs. 0.6%, P < 0.001) and uterine fundal pressure (2.9% vs. 0.0%, P = 0.004) were more likely to be applied in the term group. The maternal need for mechanical ventilation (26.3% vs. 12.4%, P = 0.003), the proportion of disseminated intravascular coagulation (40.1% vs. 25.5%, P = 0.009), and the requirement for platelet transfusions (32.8% vs. 15.5%, P < 0.001) were greater in the term. The postoperative hospital stays were also longer in the term group. CONCLUSION: This study shows that individual characteristics vary with the gestational age at uterine rupture, and maternal morbidity is notably higher in term compared to preterm ruptures.

One-year clinical and echocardiographic outcomes of transcatheter aortic valve replacement with SAPIEN 3 Ultra versus SAPIEN 3.

BACKGROUND: The newest-generation balloon-expandable valve, SAPIEN 3 Ultra (S3U), is expected to function well with the enhanced sealing skirt compared with SAPIEN 3 (S3). However, current literature on the comparison between these two valves is limited to short-term follow-ups. Therefore, we aimed to evaluate the 1-year outcomes and echocardiographic changes of S3U compared with S3. METHODS: We retrospectively identified patients who underwent transfemoral-transcatheter aortic valve replacement with S3U or S3 (20/23/26 mm) at our institution in 2018-2020. Outcomes were 1-year clinical events and echocardiographic parameters, and were compared between S3U and S3 after adjustment with inverse probability of treatment weighting. RESULTS: The S3U and S3 groups included 297 (25.7%) and 858 (74.3%) patients, respectively. There were no significant differences between the two groups in clinical events (death 5.8% vs. 5.5%, hazard ratio [HR] 1.07, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.81-1.90; death or heart failure hospitalization 10.3% vs. 10.1%, HR 1.04, 95% CI 0.67-1.62). The S3U group had a lower prevalence of mild paravalvular leakage (PVL) (13.7% vs. 22.3%, p = 0.044), with similar moderate PVL (0.7% vs. 1.2%, p > 0.99). No significant differences were observed in aortic valve mean gradient and Doppler velocity index at 1 year. However, the S3U group had a larger increase in mean gradient from implantation to 1 year (median +4.70 vs. +1.63 mmHg, p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: S3U and S3 carried similarly favorable clinical event risks. Nonetheless, S3U was associated with less frequent mild PVL but a larger increase in transprosthetic gradient. Further studies are needed to determine the prognostic impact of these hemodynamic differences.

Association of hospital procedural volume with incidence and outcomes of surgical bailout in patients undergoing transcatheter aortic valve replacement.

OBJECTIVES: This study sought to examine the association of hospital procedural volume with the incidence and outcomes of surgical bailout (SB) in patients who undergo transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR). BACKGROUND: SB is required for serious complications during or after TAVR. It remains unclear whether hospital experiences affect the incidence and outcomes of SB. METHODS: We retrospectively identified patients who underwent endovascular TAVR using the Nationwide Readmissions Database 2012-2017. We examined the association of annual hospital procedural volume (annual number of endovascular TAVR cases in each hospital in each year) with the incidence and in-hospital mortality of SB using multivariable logistic regressions and restricted cubic splines. RESULTS: Among 82,764 eligible patients, the incidence of SB was 0.95% (n = 789) and decreased from 2012 to 2017 (from 2.66% to 0.49%; Ptrend < 0.001), while in-hospital mortality of SB remained high over years (from 26.0% to 23.5%; Ptrend  = 0.773). Very-high-volume hospitals (≥200 cases/year), as compared with low-volume hospitals (≤49 cases/year), showed significantly a lower incidence of SB (0.49% vs. 1.81%; adjusted OR = 0.28, 95% CI = 0.21-0.38), but similar in-hospital mortality of SB (26.2% vs. 25.6%; adjusted OR = 0.88, 95% CI = 0.47-1.66). There was a significant nonlinear, inverse association of hospital volume with the incidence of SB, but not with the in-hospital mortality of SB. CONCLUSIONS: Hospitals with higher TAVR volumes have a lower risk of SB, but the in-hospital mortality after SB does not change with hospital TAVR volume. Our findings highlight the importance that physicians should always be aware of the high mortality risk of SB following TAVR regardless of hospital procedural experiences.

Cerebral embolic protection and severity of stroke following transcatheter aortic valve replacement.

BACKGROUND: The cerebral embolic protection (CEP) device captures embolic debris during transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR). However, the impact of CEP on stroke severity following TAVR remains unclear. Therefore, we aimed to examine whether CEP was associated with reduced severity of stroke following TAVR. METHODS: This was a retrospective cohort study of 2839 consecutive patients (mean age: 79.2 ± 9.5 years, females: 41.5%) who underwent transfemoral TAVR at our institution between 2013 and 2020. We categorized patients into Sentinel CEP users and nonusers. Neuroimaging data were reviewed and the final diagnosis of a cerebrovascular event was adjudicated by a neurologist blinded to the CEP use or nonuse. We compared the incidence and severity (assessed by the National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale [NIHSS]) of stroke through 72 h post-TAVR or discharge between the two groups using stabilized inverse probability of treatment weighting (IPTW) of propensity scores. RESULTS: Of the eligible patients, 1802 (63.5%) received CEP during TAVR and 1037 (36.5%) did not. After adjustment for patient characteristics by stabilized IPTW, the rate of overall stroke was numerically lower in CEP users than in CEP nonusers, but the difference did not reach statistical significance (0.49% vs. 1.18%, p = 0.064). However, CEP users had significantly lower rates of moderate-or-severe stroke (NIHSS ≥ 6: 0.11% vs. 0.69%, p = 0.013) and severe stroke (NIHSS ≥ 15: 0% vs. 0.29%, p = 0.046). Stroke following CEP use (n = 8), compared with stroke following CEP nonuse (n = 15), tended to carry a lower NIHSS (median [IQR], 4.0 [2.0-7.0] vs. 7.0 [4.5-19.0], p = 0.087). Four (26.7%) out of 15 patients with stroke following CEP nonuse died within 30 days, with no death after stroke following CEP use. CONCLUSIONS: CEP use may be associated with attenuated severity of stroke despite no significant difference in overall stroke incidence compared with CEP nonuse. This finding is considered hypothesis-generating and needs to be confirmed in large prospective studies.

Two-year outcomes after transcatheter aortic valve-in-valve implantation in degenerated surgical valves.

BACKGROUND: Transcatheter aortic valve-in-valve implantation (ViV-TAVI) has emerged in recent years as a safe alternative to redo surgery in high-risk patients. Although early results are encouraging, data beyond short-term outcomes are lacking. Herein, we aimed to assess the 2-year outcomes after ViV-TAVI. METHODS: Patients undergoing ViV-TAVI for degenerated surgical valves between 2013 and 2019 at the Cleveland Clinic were reviewed. The coprimary endpoints were all-cause mortality and congestive heart failure (CHF) hospitalizations. We used time-to-event analyses to assess the primary outcomes. Further, we measured the changes in transvalvular gradients and the incidence of structural valve deterioration (SVD). RESULTS: One hundred and eighty-eight patients were studied (mean age = 76 years; 65% males). At 2 years of follow-up, all-cause mortality and CHF hospitalizations occurred in 15 (8%) and 28 (14.9%) patients, respectively. On multivariable analysis, the postprocedural length of stay was a significant predictor for both all-cause mortality (hazard ratio [HR] = 1.1; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.01, 1.19) and CHF hospitalization (HR = 1.16; 95% CI: 1.07, 1.27). However, the internal diameter of the surgical valve was not associated with significant differences in both primary endpoints. For hemodynamic outcomes, nine patients (4.8%) developed SVD. The mean and peak transvalvular pressure gradients remained stable over the follow-up period. CONCLUSION: ViV-TAVI for degenerated surgical valves was associated with favorable 2-year clinical and hemodynamic outcomes. Further studies are needed to better understand the role of ViV-TAVI as a treatment option in the life management of aortic valve disease.

Radiation reduction in a modern catheterization laboratory: A single-center experience.

BACKGROUND: Measures were undertaken at the Cleveland Clinic to reduce radiation exposure to patients and personnel working in the catheterization laboratories. We report our experience with these improved systems over a 7-year period in patients undergoing diagnostic catheterization (DC) and percutaneous coronary interventions (PCIs). METHODS: Patients were categorized into preinitiative (2009-2012) and postinitiative (2013-2019) groups in the DC and PCI cohorts. Propensity score matching was done between the pre- and postinitiative groups for both cohorts based on age, sex, body surface area, total fluoroscopy time, and total acquisition time. The effectiveness of radiation reduction measures was assessed by comparing the total air kerma (Ka,r ), and fluoroscopy- and acquisition-mode air kerma in patients in the two groups. RESULTS: In the DC cohort, there was a significant reduction in Ka,r in the postinitiative group in comparison to the preinitiative group (median, 396 vs. 857 mGy; p < 0.001). In the PCI cohort, Ka,r in the postinitiative group was 1265 mGy, which was significantly lower than the corresponding values in the preinitiative group (1994 mGy; p < 0.001). We also observed a significant reduction in fluoroscopy- and acquisition-based air kerma rates, and air kerma area product in the postinitiative group in comparison to the preinitiative group in both matched and unmatched DC and PCI cohorts after the institution of radiation reduction measures. CONCLUSION: There was a significant and sustained reduction in radiation exposure to patients in the catheterization laboratory with the implementation of advanced protocols. Similar algorithms can be applied in other laboratories to achieve a similar reduction in radiation exposure.

Incidence, treatment, and outcomes of acute myocardial infarction following transcatheter or surgical aortic valve replacement.

OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to evaluate the incidence, treatment, and outcomes of acute myocardial infarction (AMI) following transcatheter or surgical aortic valve replacement (TAVR or SAVR). BACKGROUND: Coronary artery disease is common in patients who undergo aortic valve replacement. However, little is known about differences in clinical features of post-TAVR or post-SAVR AMI. METHODS: We retrospectively identified post-TAVR or post-SAVR (including isolated and complex SAVR) patients admitted with AMI using the Nationwide Readmissions Database 2012-2017. Incidence, invasive strategy (coronary angiography or revascularization), and in-hospital outcomes were compared between post-TAVR and post-SAVR AMIs. RESULTS: The incidence of 180-day AMI was higher post-TAVR than post-SAVR (1.59% vs. 0.72%; p < 0.001). Post-TAVR AMI patients (n = 1315), compared with post-SAVR AMI patients (n = 1344), were older, had more comorbidities and more frequent non-ST-elevation AMI (NSTEMI: 86.6% vs. 78.0%; p < 0.001). After propensity-score matching, there was no significant difference in in-hospital mortality between post-TAVR and post-SAVR AMIs (14.7% vs. 16.1%; p = 0.531), but the mortality was high in both groups, particularly in ST-elevation AMI (STEMI: 38.8% vs. 29.2%; p = 0.153). Invasive strategy was used less frequently for post-TAVR AMI than post-SAVR AMI (25.6% vs. 38.3%; p < 0.001). Invasive strategy was associated with lower mortality in both post-TAVR (adjusted odds ratio = 0.40; 95% confidence interval = [0.24-0.66]) and post-SAVR groups (0.60 [0.41-0.88]). CONCLUSIONS: AMI, albeit uncommon, was more frequent post-TAVR than post-SAVR. Patients commonly presented with NSTEMI, but the mortality of STEMI was markedly high. Further studies are needed to understand why a substantial percentage of patients do not receive invasive coronary treatment, particularly after TAVR, despite seemingly better outcomes with invasive strategy.

Short-term outcomes of transcatheter aortic valve replacement for pure native aortic regurgitation in the United States.

OBJECTIVE: We aimed to compare short-term outcomes between transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) for pure aortic regurgitation (AR) and TAVR for aortic stenosis (AS). BACKGROUND: In patients with severe pure AR for whom surgical valve replacement is infeasible, TAVR is sometimes used off-label. METHODS: Using the Nationwide Readmissions Database 2016-2017, we retrospectively identified patients without prior valve surgery who underwent endovascular TAVR. We compared in-hospital and 30-day outcomes according to the type of aortic valve disease. RESULTS: A total of 81,542 eligible patients were divided into the pure AR (n = 1,222, 1.50%), pure AS (n = 72,690, 89.1%), and AS + AR (n = 7,630, 9.36%) groups. In unadjusted analyses, the pure AR group, compared with the pure AS and AS + AR groups, showed a higher incidence of acute kidney injury (16.8% vs. 9.8% vs. 12.1%, respectively; p < .001) and need of surgical bailout (1.4% vs. 0.4% vs. 0.6%; p < .01). The pure AR group also showed higher in-hospital mortality than the pure AS group (2.4% vs. 1.4%; p = .005). After multivariable adjustment, TAVR for pure AR was significantly associated with a higher risk of acute kidney injury (odds ratio [OR] = 1.64, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.33-2.02; p < .001), cardiac tamponade (OR = 1.98, 95% CI = 1.00-3.92; p = .0498), and prolonged hospital stay (OR = 1.59, 95% CI = 1.29-1.95; p < .001) compared with TAVR for pure AS, whereas it was not significantly associated with in-hospital mortality (OR = 1.55, 95% CI = 0.99-2.45; p = .058) and other outcomes. CONCLUSIONS: TAVR may be a reasonable treatment option for selected patients with pure AR with regard to short-term outcomes. However, additional techniques or devices may be necessary to reduce periprocedural risk.

Impact of atrial fibrillation on outcomes following MitraClip: A contemporary population-based analysis.

OBJECTIVES: Despite the rising use of MC, the impact of preexisting AF, a common comorbidity, on short-term postprocedural outcomes is poorly defined. We sought to assess outcomes between patients with and without atrial fibrillation (AF) who underwent percutaneous mitral valve repair with MitraClip (MC). METHODS: In this retrospective cohort study, the Nationwide Readmissions Database was queried for patients who underwent MC between 2014-2017. Groups were stratified based on the presence of AF. Multivariable logistic regression analyses were performed to identify the association between AF and in-hospital stroke and mortality. RESULTS: Of the 15,570 patients who underwent MC, 7,740 (49.7%) had AF. AF patients were older (82 vs. 79 years, p < .001) and more comorbid. Patients with AF relative to without AF demonstrated increased rates of in-hospital ischemic (1.3% vs .0.7%, p < .001) and hemorrhagic stroke (0.3% vs. 0.1%, p = .007), longer duration of hospitalization (median 3 vs. 2 days, p < .001), and similar in-hospital mortality (2.8% vs. 2.6%, p = .52). After adjusting for comorbidities, age, sex, hospital procedural volume, and CHA2DS2-VASc, the presence of AF was associated with higher in-hospital stroke (OR = 2.096, 95%CI[1.503-2.921], p < .001) but not in-hospital mortality (OR = 1.012, 95%CI[0.828-1.238], p = .904). AF patients were more likely to be readmitted (16.8% vs.14.1%, p < .001) and die (1.5% vs. 0.9%, p = .005) within 30 days of discharge despite similar incidences of stroke (0.7% vs. 0.6%, p = .53). CONCLUSIONS: The increased risk of in-hospital stroke, 30-day mortality, and longer hospitalization suggest the need for increased preprocedural optimization by means of stroke prevention strategies in those with AF undergoing MC.

Impact of thoracic aortic aneurysm on outcomes of transcatheter aortic valve replacement: A nationwide cohort analysis.

BACKGROUND: The use of transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) has expanded to patient populations of varying surgical risk in light of recent clinical trials, yet its role in patients with aortic stenosis and coexisting thoracic aortic aneurysm (TAA) is not well-delineated. We aimed to evaluate whether risk factors and in-hospital outcomes vary between TAVR patients with and without an unruptured TAA. METHODS: The Nationwide Readmissions Database was queried for patients hospitalized between January 2012 and December 2017 who underwent TAVR with and without an unruptured TAA. In-hospital outcomes were compared between cohorts after adjusting for sex, comorbidities, and TAVR approach, and in a subgroup analysis that excluded those with bicuspid aortic valves. RESULTS: Among 171,011 TAVR patients, 1,677 (1%) presented with TAA. Patients with TAA were younger (median age 80 vs. 82 years, p < .001) and more likely to have bicuspid aortic valves (9.3% vs. 0.9%, p < .001). Among patients with aneurysm, 2.6% died, 2.2% developed stroke, 1% developed aortic dissection, and 1.4% experienced cardiac tamponade while hospitalized. After adjusting for age, sex, bicuspid aortic valve, and all comorbidities, TAA was associated with significantly higher risk of post-TAVR aortic dissection (OR = 2.117, 95% CI [1.304-3.435], p = .002) and cardiac tamponade (OR = 1.682, 95% CI [1.1-2.572], p = .02). CONCLUSIONS: While the overall incidence of post-TAVR complications is low, patients with an unruptured TAA should be carefully considered by the Heart Team in weighing the additional risks of aortic dissection and cardiac tamponade after TAVR with those associated with surgery.

Incidence and short-term outcomes of surgical bailout after transcatheter mitral valve repair with the MitraClip system.

OBJECTIVES: This study sought to investigate the incidence and outcomes of surgical bailout (SB) after transcatheter mitral valve repair (TMVr) with MitraClip. BACKGROUND: TMVr poses a risk of serious procedural complications, possibly requiring urgent open surgery for SB. However, little is known about the risk of SB cases after TMVr. METHODS: We retrospectively identified patients who underwent TMVr using the Nationwide Readmissions Database 2014-2017. SB was defined as open thoracotomy for heart and aorta during the same hospitalization. Annual hospital volume was defined as the annual number of TMVr cases in each hospital in each year. RESULTS: Among 15,032 eligible patients, SB was required in 214 (1.42%), of whom 134 (62.6%) underwent mitral valve surgery (113 replacements; 21 repairs). The incidence of SB was decreasing significantly over the 4 years (5.26% in 2014; 0.43% in 2017; ptrend < .001). There was a significant nonlinear, inverse association of annual hospital volume with the incidence of SB. In-hospital death (15.0 vs. 2.1%; p < .001) and other in-hospital adverse events were significantly more frequent in patients with than without SB, whereas the 30-day readmission rate was similar (13.2 vs. 15.1%; p = .572). After adjustment for patient and hospital characteristics, SB was significantly associated with higher in-hospital mortality (odds ratio = 6.67, 95% confidence interval = 4.35, 10.23, p < .001). CONCLUSIONS: This study suggests that although the incidence of SB after TMVr is decreasing, SB is required more frequently in lower-volume hospitals and carries high in-hospital mortality. Further efforts are needed to understand the reasons for SB and improve outcomes in patients needing SB.

Utilization and outcomes of transcatheter coil embolization for various coronary artery lesions: Single-center 12-year experience.

OBJECTIVE: Determining the outcomes of transcatheter coil embolization (TCE) for several coronary artery lesions. BACKGROUND: TCE has been used as a treatment modality for various lesions in the coronary circulation. However, data on the efficacy and safety of TCE to treat coronary artery fistula (CAF), left internal mammary artery (LIMA) side-branch, coronary artery perforation (CAP), coronary artery aneurysm (CAA), and coronary artery pseudoaneurysm (CAPA) are limited. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective, descriptive analysis of all TCE devices in coronary lesions at our center from 2007 to 2019. Forty-one studied lesions included 25 CAF, 7 LIMA side-branch, 5 CAP, 2 CAA, and 2 CAPA. Short- and 1-year mortality and hospital readmission were reported, in addition to coil-related complications and procedural success. RESULTS: The utilization rate of TCE in coronary artery lesions at our center was found to be 33.8 per 100,000 percutaneous coronary intervention procedures over 12 years. Successful angiographic closure was achieved in 37 out of 41 (87.8%) cases (88, 100, 60, 100, and 100% of CAF, LIMA side-branch, CAP, CAA, and CAPA, respectively). No adverse events were directly related to TCE among the LIMA, CAA, and CAPA cases, and only one patient with CAF required reintervention at 3 months due to coil migration. CONCLUSIONS: Coil embolization in our institution was safe and effective in treating different coronary circulation abnormalities with a 87.8% overall success rate. Further study on the use of vascular plug devices in cases such as CAF or LIMA side-branch would be beneficial to understand the treatment options better.

Permanent pacemaker implantation and its predictors in patients admitted for complete atrioventricular block: a report from the Tokyo Cardiovascular Care Unit Network multi-center registry.

Little is known about the permanent pacemaker implantation rate and predictors of permanent pacemaker implantation in patients admitted for complete atrioventricular block (cAVB). The present study was a retrospective analysis based on a multicenter cohort of 797 patients with cAVB (mean age: 79.6 ± 10.7 years; males: 48.4%) registered with the Tokyo Cardiovascular Care Unit Network multicenter registry between 2013 and 2016. Secondary cAVB due to acute coronary syndrome was excluded. The permanent pacemaker implantation rate was 82.9%. Multivariable logistic regression analysis revealed that systolic blood pressure (SBP) > 140 mmHg [odds ratio (OR) 2.10; 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.38-3.22; P < 0.001], male gender (OR 1.63; 95% CI 1.07-2.49; P = 0.023), and left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) ≥ 50% (OR 2.19; 95% CI 1.16-2.06; P = 0.016) were predictors of permanent pacemaker implantation while pre-admission ß-blocker use (OR 0.28; 95% CI 0.17-0.47; P < 0.001) was associated with a lower risk of permanent pacemaker implantation. Reversible cAVB was not rare in patients admitted for cAVB. Data on SBP on admission, gender, LVEF, and pre-admission ß-blocker use may be important for assessing the requirement for permanent pacemaker implantation in the emergency care setting.

In-hospital Takotsubo syndrome versus in-hospital acute myocardial infarction among patients admitted for non-cardiac diseases: a nationwide inpatient database study.

Takotsubo syndrome (TTS) and acute myocardial infarction (AMI) occasionally occur during hospitalization for non-cardiac diseases. However, no study has compared the clinical characteristics between in-hospital TTS and AMI. Using the Diagnosis Procedure Combination database in Japan between 2010 and 2014, we retrospectively identified eligible inpatients who were admitted for non-cardiac diseases and developed TTS (n = 230) or AMI (n = 611) as an early in-hospital complication diagnosed by coronary angiography within 7 days after admission. We examined factors associated with developing in-hospital TTS or AMI using multivariable logistic regression. We also compared 30-day and overall in-hospital mortality between patients with TTS and AMI using 1:1 propensity score matching. Despite similar age (72.7 ± 12.4 vs. 72.8 ± 10.4 years), patients with TTS were more often female (63.5 vs. 32.9%) and underweight (24.8 vs. 14.1%) and were more likely to have had impaired activities of daily living (ADL) and impaired consciousness than those with AMI. Multivariable logistic regression analysis showed that female sex [adjusted odds ratio: 4.16 (95% confidence interval: 2.73-6.34)], impaired ADL [2.33 (1.18-4.60)], chronic pulmonary disease [3.33 (1.49-7.44)], and pneumonia [3.00 (1.81-4.98)] were associated with developing TTS relative to AMI, while overweight status, aortic disease, cerebrovascular disease, peripheral arterial disease, and dyslipidemia were associated with developing AMI relative to TTS. Propensity score-matched analysis (189 pairs) showed that 30-day in-hospital mortality was not significantly different between patients with TTS and AMI (15.3 vs. 19.0%, p = 0.41), but overall in-hospital mortality was significantly lower in patients with TTS than in those with AMI (19.6 vs. 29.1%, p = 0.041). This study suggests that although in-hospital TTS and in-hospital AMI are similarly likely to occur in older patients, in-hospital TTS is more likely to occur in female patients with impaired ADL and/or respiratory disease and carries a similar 30-day mortality risk but a lower overall in-hospital mortality risk compared with in-hospital AMI. Our results indicate the importance of differentiating TTS from AMI in hospital settings.

Worldwide Incidence of Peripartum Cardiomyopathy and Overall Maternal Mortality.

Peripartum cardiomyopathy (PPCM) is a specific cardiomyopathy in which heart failure develops due to reduced myocardial contraction during pregnancy or in the postpartum period in women without a previous history of heart disease. The epidemiology of PPCM has been reported in various countries and areas, and the incidence of PPCM differed among these reports. The incidence was highest (1 in 102 deliveries) in Nigeria and lowest (1 in 15,533 births) in Japan. The incidence was higher in African-Americans than in other races in several reports from the United States, and was also high in African countries and Haiti, indicating that the risk for PPCM is highest in the black race. However, the study design and definition of PPCM differ among studies, and these differences may influence the incidence. Moreover, the incidence of PPCM and the maternal mortality rate were well correlated. Since maternal mortality reflects the level of perinatal health care and hygiene, this finding suggests that the extent of perinatal care is partly related to the incidence of PPCM, which reflects heart failure and cardiomyopathy of unknown cause in women.

Electrocardiographic and echocardiographic findings in muscular dystrophy patients with heart failure.

Cardiac involvement in muscular dystrophy (MD) is known to cause heart failure (HF). However, little is known about the differences in electrocardiographic and echocardiographic findings between MD patients with and without the experience of hospitalization for HF. We retrospectively identified 95 MD patients (mean age at diagnosis of MD 41.1 ± 18.7 years; males 64.2%), including nine (9.4%) patients who were hospitalized for HF (the HF group) and 86 (90.6%) patients who were not (the non-HF group) during the follow-up period (16.7 ± 12.2 years). The HF group had a significantly wider QRS duration (126.0 ± 37.6 vs. 98.1 ± 16.7 ms, p < 0.001) and QTc interval (454.6 ± 50.5 vs. 409.5 ± 23.6 ms, p < 0.001) at the time of HF hospitalization than the non-HF group. The HF group also had a significantly lower left ventricular (LV) ejection fraction (35.4 ± 19.2 vs. 62.5 ± 11.3%, p < 0.001) and significantly larger diastolic LV dimension (64 ± 2 vs. 45 ± 1 mm, p < 0.001) and left atrial diameter (38 ± 12 vs. 29 ± 6 mm, p = 0.003) at the time of HF hospitalization than the non-HF group. In the HF group, the QRS duration was significantly wider at the time of HF hospitalization than at the initial electrocardiogram before the development of HF (129.8 ± 30.7 vs. 119.0 ± 33.3 ms, p = 0.018). This study suggests that HF occurs in MD patients with electrocardiographic and echocardiographic abnormalities. Early recognition of abnormal findings during a regular electrocardiographic or echocardiographic follow-up may be useful for identifying cardiac involvement in MD.

Clinical features and peripartum outcomes in pregnant women with cardiac disease: a nationwide retrospective cohort study in Japan.

Although the number of pregnancies in women with cardiac disease is increasing worldwide, there are few data concerning their clinical characteristics and peripartum outcomes. Using the Diagnosis Procedure Combination database between 2008 and 2014 in Japan, we retrospectively identified pregnant women who underwent high-risk delivery due to obstetric or non-obstetric comorbidities. We classified eligible women into those with pre-existing cardiac disease (cardiac disease group) and those with non-cardiac comorbidities (non-cardiac disease group) and compared their characteristics and peripartum outcomes. Of 94,364 women undergoing high-risk delivery at 556 hospitals, 857 (0.91%) had pre-existing cardiac disease (302, congenital heart disease; 190, arrhythmia; 176, valvular heart disease; 120, ischemic heart disease; 65, cardiomyopathy; 4, pericardial disease). Women in the cardiac disease group were more likely to be treated at university hospitals (51.1 versus 28.6%; p < 0.001) and in intensive care units (33.5 versus 18.8%; p < 0.001) than those in the non-cardiac disease group. The proportion of cesarean deliveries was 69.4% (emergency, 28.4%; elective, 41.1%) in the cardiac disease group and 73.4% (emergency, 38.4%; elective, 35.0%) in the non-cardiac disease group. Epidural analgesia during vaginal delivery was used significantly more frequently in the cardiac disease than non-cardiac disease group (15.6 versus 2.3%; p < 0.001). Heart failure occurred more frequently in the cardiac disease than the non-cardiac disease group (10.2 versus 0.3%; p < 0.001). In cardiac subgroup comparisons, heart failure occurred more frequently in women with congenital heart disease (12.3%), valvular heart disease (12.5%), or cardiomyopathy (12.3%) than in women with arrhythmia (6.3%) or ischemic heart disease (5.8%). Multivariable logistic regression analysis showed a significant positive association between pre-existing cardiac disease and risk of heart failure (adjusted odds ratio, 24.7; 95% confidence interval, 17.6-34.6; p < 0.001). No woman in the cardiac disease group died, whereas 18 women (0.02%) in the non-cardiac disease group did (p = 1.000). These findings suggest that pregnant women with pre-existing cardiac disease are at a higher risk of heart failure during the peripartum period than those with non-cardiac comorbidities.