Myocarditis after BNT162b2 mRNA Vaccine against Covid-19 in Israel.

BACKGROUND: Approximately 5.1 million Israelis had been fully immunized against coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) after receiving two doses of the BNT162b2 messenger RNA vaccine (Pfizer-BioNTech) by May 31, 2021. After early reports of myocarditis during adverse events monitoring, the Israeli Ministry of Health initiated active surveillance. METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed data obtained from December 20, 2020, to May 31, 2021, regarding all cases of myocarditis and categorized the information using the Brighton Collaboration definition. We analyzed the occurrence of myocarditis by computing the risk difference for the comparison of the incidence after the first and second vaccine doses (21 days apart); by calculating the standardized incidence ratio of the observed-to-expected incidence within 21 days after the first dose and 30 days after the second dose, independent of certainty of diagnosis; and by calculating the rate ratio 30 days after the second dose as compared with unvaccinated persons. RESULTS: Among 304 persons with symptoms of myocarditis, 21 had received an alternative diagnosis. Of the remaining 283 cases, 142 occurred after receipt of the BNT162b2 vaccine; of these cases, 136 diagnoses were definitive or probable. The clinical presentation was judged to be mild in 129 recipients (95%); one fulminant case was fatal. The overall risk difference between the first and second doses was 1.76 per 100,000 persons (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.33 to 2.19), with the largest difference among male recipients between the ages of 16 and 19 years (difference, 13.73 per 100,000 persons; 95% CI, 8.11 to 19.46). As compared with the expected incidence based on historical data, the standardized incidence ratio was 5.34 (95% CI, 4.48 to 6.40) and was highest after the second dose in male recipients between the ages of 16 and 19 years (13.60; 95% CI, 9.30 to 19.20). The rate ratio 30 days after the second vaccine dose in fully vaccinated recipients, as compared with unvaccinated persons, was 2.35 (95% CI, 1.10 to 5.02); the rate ratio was again highest in male recipients between the ages of 16 and 19 years (8.96; 95% CI, 4.50 to 17.83), with a ratio of 1 in 6637. CONCLUSIONS: The incidence of myocarditis, although low, increased after the receipt of the BNT162b2 vaccine, particularly after the second dose among young male recipients. The clinical presentation of myocarditis after vaccination was usually mild.

Post-transcatheter aortic valve implantation isolated PR prolongation: incidence and clinical significance.

AIMS: Conduction abnormalities post-transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) are common. Post-TAVI PR prolongation was mainly studied as an adjunct to new-onset bundle branch block. The net effect of isolated PR prolongation (IPRP) without post-TAVI QRS changes is not well known. The aim of this study was to define the incidence and clinical significance of post-TAVI IPRP. METHODS AND RESULTS: A total of 1108 consecutive TAVI patients were reviewed. Patients with IPRP were compared with patients without post-TAVI electrocardiogram (ECG) changes. Clinical outcomes included permanent pacemaker implantation (PPI) and overall mortality. A total of 146 patients with IPRP were compared with 290 patients without post-TAVI ECG changes. At 1 year follow-up, 4 (2.7%) and 7 (2.4%) patients underwent PPI (P = 0.838) and 10 (6.8%) and 25 (8.6%) died (P = 0.521), from the study and control groups, respectively. No patient with IPRP and narrow QRS underwent PPI during 1 year post-TAVI, and all death events were non-cardiac except one unknown cause. Permanent pacemaker implantation rates among patients with IPRP and wide QRS were higher (n = 4, 12.1%), compared with patients with wide QRS without post-TAVI ECG change (n = 3, 4%) however not reaching statistical significance (P = 0.126). Multivariate Cox proportional hazards model demonstrated that in patients with narrow QRS, neither PR prolongation nor baseline or maximal PR intervals was associated with the combined endpoint of PPI and mortality. However, in patients with wide QRS, baseline PR intervals and QRS width, but not PR prolongation were associated with the combined outcome. CONCLUSION: Post-TAVI IPRP in patients with narrow QRS is not associated with adverse outcome. This finding may translate clinically into a more permissive approach to these patients.

Hemoglobin A1C as a prognostic factor and the pre-diabetic paradox in patients admitted to a tertiary care medical center intensive cardiac care unit : The Jerusalem platelets thrombosis and intervention in cardiology (JUPITER-6) study group.

BACKGROUND: Hemoglobin A1C (HbA1c) is a form of glycated hemoglobin used to estimate glycemic control in diabetic patients. Data regarding the prognostic significance of HbA1c levels in contemporary intensive cardiac care unit (ICCU) patients is limited. METHODS: All patients admitted to the ICCU at a tertiary care medical center between January 1, 2020, and June 30, 2021, with documented admission HbA1c levels were included in the study. Patients were divided into 3 groups according to their HbA1c levels: < 5.7 g% [no diabetes mellitus (DM)], 5.7-6.4 g% (pre-DM), ≥ 6.5 g% (DM). RESULTS: A total of 1412 patients were included. Of them, 974 (69%) were male with a mean age of 67(± 15.7) years old. HbA1c level < 5.7 g% was found in 550 (39%) patients, 5.7-6.4 g% in 458 (32.4%) patients and ≥ 6.5 g% in 404 (28.6%) patients. Among patients who did not know they had DM, 81 (9.3%) patients had high HbA1c levels (≥ 6.5 g%) on admission. The crude mortality rate at follow-up (up to 1.5 years) was almost twice as high among patients with pre-DM and DM than in patients with no DM (10.6% vs. 5.4%, respectively, p = 0.01). Interestingly, although not statistically significant, the trend was that pre-DM patients had the strongest association with mortality rate [HR 1.83, (95% CI 0.936-3.588); p = 0.077]. CONCLUSIONS: Although an HbA1c level of ≥ 5.7 g% (pre-DM & DM) is associated with a worse prognosis in patients admitted to ICCU, pre-DM patients, paradoxically, have the highest risk for short and long-term mortality rates.

Lead fixation mechanism impacts outcome of transvenous lead extraction: data from the European Lead Extraction ConTRolled Registry.

AIMS: The aims of this study is to characterize the transvenous lead extraction (TLE) population with active (A) compared with passive fixation (PFix) leads and to compare the safety, efficacy, and ease of extracting active fixation (AFix) compared with PFix right atrial (RA) and right ventricular (RV) leads. METHODS AND RESULTS: The European Lead Extraction ConTRolled Registry (ELECTRa) was analysed. Patients were divided into three groups; those with only AFix, only PFix, and combined Fix leads. Three outcomes were defined. Difficult extraction, complete radiological, and clinical success. Multivariate model was used to analyse the independent effect of Fix mechanism on these outcomes. The study included 2815 patients, 1456 (51.7%) with only AFix leads, 982 (34.9%) with only PFix leads, and 377 (13.4%) with combined Fix leads. Patients with AFix leads were younger with shorter lead dwelling time. Infection was the leading cause for TLE among the combined Fix group with lowest rates among AFix group. No difference in complications rates was noted between patients with only AFix vs. PFix leads. Overall, there were 1689 RA (1046 AFix and 643 PFix) and 2617 RV leads (1441 AFix and 1176 PFix). Multivariate model demonstrated that PFix is independently associated with more difficult extraction for both RA and RV leads, lower radiological success in the RA but has no effect on clinical success. CONCLUSION: Mechanism of Fix impact the ease of TLE of RA and RV leads and rates of complete radiological success in the RA but not clinical success. These findings should be considered during implantation and TLE procedures.

The quality, safety, feasibility, and interpretive accuracy of echocardiographic and lung ultrasound assessment of COVID-19 patients using a hand-held ultrasound.

BACKGROUND: The association between COVID-19 infection and the cardiovascular system necessitates the use of an echocardiogram in this setting. Information on the utilization, safety, and quality of point-of-care cardiac and lung ultrasound using a hand-held device in these patients is scarce. AIMS: To investigate the safety, technical aspects, quality indices, and interpretive accuracy of a hand-held echocardiogram in patients with COVID-19. METHODS: From April-28 through July-27, 2020, consecutive patients with COVID-19 underwent hand-held echocardiogram and lung ultrasound evaluation (Vscan Extend™; GE Healthcare) within 48-h of admission. The operators recorded a series of technical parameters and graded individual experiences. The examinations were further analyzed by a blinded fellowship-trained echocardiographer for general quality, proper acquisition, and right ventricular (RV) demonstration. RESULTS: Among 103 patients, 66 (64.1%) were male. Twenty-nine (28.2%) patients could not turn on their left side and 23 (22.3%) could not maintain effective communication. The mean length of each echocardiogram study was 8.5 ± 2.9 min, battery usage was 14 ± 5%, and mean operator-to-patient proximity was 59 ± 11 cm. Ninety-five (92.2%) examinations were graded as fair/good quality. A fair agreement was demonstrated between the operator and the echocardiographer for general ultrasound quality (Kappa = 0.329, p < 0.001). A fair-good correlation (r = 0.679, p < 0.001) and substantial agreement (Kappa = 0.612, p < 0.001) were demonstrated between the operator and echocardiographer for left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF), whereas a fair agreement was demonstrated for RV systolic function (Kappa = 0.308, p = 0.002). LVEF agreement was also assessed using the Bland-Altman analysis revealing a mean bias of -0.96 (95% limits of agreement 9.43 to -11.35; p = 0.075). CONCLUSIONS: Among patients with COVID-19, echocardiography with a hand-held ultrasound is a safe and reasonable alternative for a complete formal study (<10% poor-quality indices). Echocardiogram assessment by the operators during the exam acquisition is reliable for LVEF, while RV systolic function should be subsequently offline reassessed.

Artificial intelligence based prediction model of in-hospital mortality among females with acute coronary syndrome: for the Jerusalem Platelets Thrombosis and Intervention in Cardiology (JUPITER-12) Study Group.

Introduction: Despite ongoing efforts to minimize sex bias in diagnosis and treatment of acute coronary syndrome (ACS), data still shows outcomes differences between sexes including higher risk of all-cause mortality rate among females. Hence, the aim of the current study was to examine sex differences in ACS in-hospital mortality, and to implement artificial intelligence (AI) models for prediction of in-hospital mortality among females with ACS. Methods: All ACS patients admitted to a tertiary care center intensive cardiac care unit (ICCU) between July 2019 and July 2023 were prospectively enrolled. The primary outcome was in-hospital mortality. Three prediction algorithms, including gradient boosting classifier (GBC) random forest classifier (RFC), and logistic regression (LR) were used to develop and validate prediction models for in-hospital mortality among females with ACS, using only available features at presentation. Results: A total of 2,346 ACS patients with a median age of 64 (IQR: 56-74) were included. Of them, 453 (19.3%) were female. Female patients had higher prevalence of NSTEMI (49.2% vs. 39.8%, p < 0.001), less urgent PCI (<2 h) rates (40.2% vs. 50.6%, p < 0.001), and more complications during admission (17.7% vs. 12.3%, p = 0.01). In-hospital mortality occurred in 58 (2.5%) patients [21/453 (5%) females vs. 37/1,893 (2%) males, HR = 2.28, 95% CI: 1.33-3.91, p = 0.003]. GBC algorithm outscored the RFC and LR models, with area under receiver operating characteristic curve (AUROC) of 0.91 with proposed working point of 83.3% sensitivity and 82.4% specificity, and area under precision recall curve (AUPRC) of 0.92. Analysis of feature importance indicated that older age, STEMI, and inflammatory markers were the most important contributing variables. Conclusions: Mortality and complications rates among females with ACS are significantly higher than in males. Machine learning algorithms for prediction of ACS outcomes among females can be used to help mitigate sex bias.

The Effect of War on STEMI Incidence: Insights from Intensive Cardiovascular Care Unit Admissions.

(1) Background: The impact of armed conflicts on public health is undeniable, with psychological stress emerging as a significant risk factor for cardiovascular disease (CVD). Nevertheless, contemporary data regarding the influence of war on CVD, and especially on acute coronary syndrome (ACS), are scarce. Hence, the aim of the current study was to assess the repercussions of war on the admission and prognosis of patients admitted to a tertiary care center intensive cardiovascular care unit (ICCU). (2) Methods: All patients admitted to the ICCU during the first three months of the Israel-Hamas war (2023) were included and compared with all patients admitted during the same period in 2022. The primary outcome was in-hospital mortality. (3) Results: A total of 556 patients (184 females [33.1%]) with a median age of 70 (IQR 59-80) were included. Of them, 295 (53%) were admitted to the ICCU during the first three months of the war. Fewer Arab patients and more patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infraction (STEMI) were admitted during the war period (21.8% vs. 13.2%, p < 0.001, and 31.9% vs. 24.1%, p = 0.04, respectively), whereas non-STEMI (NSTEMI) patients were admitted more frequently in the pre-war year (19.3% vs. 25.7%, p = 0.09). In-hospital mortality was similar in both groups (4.4% vs. 3.4%, p = 0.71; HR 1.42; 95% CI 0.6-3.32, p = 0.4). (4) Conclusions: During the first three months of the war, fewer Arab patients and more STEMI patients were admitted to the ICCU. Nevertheless, in-hospital mortality was similar in both groups.

Culprit Lesion Coronary Intervention Before Complete Angiography in ST-Elevation Myocardial Infarction: A Randomized Clinical Trial.

Importance: Rapid reperfusion during primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) is associated with improved outcomes among patients with ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI). Although attempts at reducing the time from STEMI diagnosis to arrival at the catheterization laboratory have been widely investigated, intraprocedural strategies aimed at reducing the time to reperfusion are lacking. Objective: To evaluate the effect of culprit lesion PCI before complete diagnostic coronary angiography (CAG) vs complete CAG followed by culprit lesion PCI on reperfusion times among patients with STEMI. Design, Setting, and Participants: This open-label, prospective, randomized clinical trial was conducted between April 1, 2021, and August 31, 2022, among patients admitted to a tertiary center in Jerusalem, Israel, with a diagnosis of STEMI undergoing primary PCI. All patients were followed up for 1 year. Analysis was on an intention-to-treat basis. Intervention: Patients were randomized in a 1:1 ratio to undergo either culprit lesion PCI before complete CAG or complete CAG followed by culprit lesion PCI. Main Outcomes and Measures: A needle-to-balloon time of 10 minutes or less. Results: A total of 216 patients were randomized, with 184 patients (mean [SD] age, 62.9 [12.2] years; 155 men [84.2%]) included in the final intention-to-treat analysis; 90 patients (48.9%) were randomized to undergo culprit lesion PCI before CAG, and 94 (51.1%) were randomized to undergo to CAG followed by PCI. Patients who underwent culprit lesion PCI before complete CAG had a shorter mean (SD) needle-to-balloon time (11.4 [5.9] vs 17.3 [13.3] minutes; P < .001). The primary outcome of a needle-to-balloon time of 10 minutes or less was achieved for 51.1% of patients (46 of 90) who underwent culprit lesion PCI before CAG and for 19.1% of patients (18 of 94) who underwent complete CAG followed by culprit lesion PCI (odds ratio, 4.4 [95% CI, 2.2-9.1]; P < .001). Rates of adverse events were similar between groups. In a subgroup analysis, the effect of culprit lesion PCI before complete CAG on the primary outcome was consistent. There were no differences in rates of in-hospital, 30-day, and 1-year all-cause mortality. Conclusions and Relevance: In this randomized clinical trial of patients with STEMI, culprit lesion PCI before complete CAG resulted in shorter reperfusion times. Larger trials are needed to validate these results and to evaluate the effect on clinical outcomes. Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT05415085.

Incidence of Ventricular Fibrillation and Sustained Ventricular Tachycardia Complicating Non-ST Segment Elevation Myocardial Infarction.

Background: Primary ventricular fibrillation (VF) and sustained ventricular tachycardia (VT) are potentially lethal complications in patients suffering from acute myocardial infarction (MI). In contrast with the profound data regarding the incidence and prognostic value of ventricular arrhythmias in ST elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) patients, data regarding contemporary non-ST elevation myocardial infarction (NSTEMI) patients with ventricular arrhythmias is scarce. The aim of the current study was to investigate the incidence of VF/VT complicating NSTEMI among patients admitted to an intensive coronary care unit (ICCU). Methods: Prospective, single-center study of patients diagnosed with NSTEMI admitted to ICCU between June 2019 and December 2022. Data including demographics, presenting symptoms, comorbid conditions, and physical examination, as well as laboratory and imaging data, were analyzed. Patients were continuously monitored for arrhythmias during their admission. The study endpoint was the development of VF/sustained VT during admission. Results: A total of 732 patients were admitted to ICCU with a diagnosis of NSTEMI. Of them, six (0.8%) patients developed VF/VT during their admission. Nevertheless, three were excluded after they were misdiagnosed with NSTEMI instead of posterior ST elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI). Hence, only three (0.4%) NSTEMI patients had VF/VT during admission. None of the patients died during 1-year follow-up. Conclusions: VF/VT in NSTEMI patients treated according to contemporary guidelines including early invasive strategy is rare, suggesting these patients may not need routine monitoring and ICCU setup.

Association between peak troponin level and prognosis among patients admitted to intensive cardiovascular care unit.

INTRODUCTION: High-sensitivity cardiac troponin (hs-cTn) is a key biomarker for myocardial injury, yet its prognostic value in intensive cardiovascular care units (ICCU) remains poorly understood. We aimed to assess the association between peak hs-cTn levels and prognosis in ICCU patients. METHODS: All patients admitted to a tertiary care center ICCU between July 2019 - July 2023 were prospectively enrolled. Patients were divided into five groups according to their peak hs-cTnI levels: A) hs-cTnI <100 ng/L; B) hs-cTnI of 100-1000 ng/L; C) hs-cTnI of 1000-10,000 ng/L; D) hs-cTnI of 10,000-100,000 ng/L and E) hs-cTnI ≥100,000 ng/L. The primary outcome was all-cause mortality at one year. RESULTS: A total of 4149 patients (1273 females [30.7 %]) with a median age of 69 (IQR 58-79) were included. Group E was highly specific for myocardial infarction (97.4 %) and especially for ST segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) (87.5 %). Patients in group E were 56 % more likely to die at 1-year in an adjusted Cox model (95 % CI 1.09-2.23, p = 0.014) as compared with group A. Subgroup analyses revealed that among STEMI patients, higher peak hs-cTnI levels were not associated with higher mortality rate (HR 1.04, 95 % CI 0.4-2.72, p = 0.9), in contrast to patients with NSTEMI (HR 7.62, 95 % CI 1.97-29.6, p = 0.003). CONCLUSIONS: Peak hs-cTnI levels ≥100,000 ng/L were linked to higher one-year mortality, largely indicative of large myocardial infarctions. Notably, the association between elevated hs-cTnI levels and mortality differed between STEMI and NSTEMI patients, warranting further investigation.

Administration of Intravenous Furosemide in Patients with Acute Infection: Patient Characteristics and Impact on In-Hospital Outcome.

Intravenous (IV) fluid is frequently used to treat patients who have been admitted with an acute infection; among these patients, some will experience pulmonary congestion and will need diuretic treatment. Consecutive admissions to the Internal Medicine Department of patients with an acute infection were included. Patients were divided based on IV furosemide treatment within 48 h after admission. A total of 3556 admissions were included: In 1096 (30.8%), furosemide was administered after ≥48 h, and in 2639 (74.2%), IV fluid was administered within <48 h. Mean age was 77.2 ± 15.8 years, and 1802 (50.7%) admissions were females. In a multivariable analysis, older age (OR 1.01 [95% CI, 1.00-1.01]), male gender (OR 0.74 [95% CI, 0.63-0.86]), any cardiovascular disease (OR 1.51 [95% CI, 1.23-1.85]), congestive heart failure (CHF) (OR 2.81 [95% CI, 2.33-3.39), hypertension (OR 1.42 [95% CI, 1.22-1.67]), respiratory infection (OR 1.38 [95% CI, 1.17-1.63]), and any IV fluid administration (OR 3.37 [95% CI, 2.80-4.06]) were independently associated with furosemide treatment >48 h after hospital admission. In-hospital mortality was higher in patients with furosemide treatment (15.9% vs. 6.8%, p < 0.001). Treatment with furosemide in patients admitted with an infection was found to be associated with prolonged hospital stay and increased in-hospital mortality.

Artificial Intelligence-Powered Left Ventricular Ejection Fraction Analysis Using the LVivoEF Tool for COVID-19 Patients.

We sought to prospectively investigate the accuracy of an artificial intelligence (AI)-based tool for left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) assessment using a hand-held ultrasound device (HUD) in COVID-19 patients and to examine whether reduced LVEF predicts the composite endpoint of in-hospital death, advanced ventilatory support, shock, myocardial injury, and acute decompensated heart failure. COVID-19 patients were evaluated with a real-time LVEF assessment using an HUD equipped with an AI-based tool vs. assessment by a blinded fellowship-trained echocardiographer. Among 42 patients, those with LVEF < 50% were older with more comorbidities and unfavorable exam characteristics. An excellent correlation was demonstrated between the AI and the echocardiographer LVEF assessment (0.774, p < 0.001). Substantial agreement was demonstrated between the two assessments (kappa = 0.797, p < 0.001). The sensitivity, specificity, PPV, and NPV of the HUD for this threshold were 72.7% 100%, 100%, and 91.2%, respectively. AI-based LVEF < 50% was associated with worse composite endpoints; unadjusted OR = 11.11 (95% CI 2.25-54.94), p = 0.003; adjusted OR = 6.40 (95% CI 1.07-38.09, p = 0.041). An AI-based algorithm incorporated into an HUD can be utilized reliably as a decision support tool for automatic real-time LVEF assessment among COVID-19 patients and may identify patients at risk for unfavorable outcomes. Future larger cohorts should verify the association with outcomes.

A prospective study on myocardial injury after BNT162b2 mRNA COVID-19 fourth dose vaccination in healthy persons.

AIMS: To prospectively evaluate the incidence of myocardial injury after the administration of the fourth dose BNT162b2 mRNA vaccine (Pfizer-BioNTech) against COVID-19. METHODS AND RESULTS: Health care workers who received the BNT162b2 vaccine during the fourth dose campaign had blood samples collected for high-sensitivity cardiac troponin (hs-cTn) during vaccine administration and 2-4 days afterward. Vaccine-related myocardial injury was defined as hs-cTn elevation above the 99th percentile upper reference limit and >50% increase from baseline measurement. Participants with evidence of myocardial injury underwent assessment for possible myocarditis. Of 324 participants, 192 (59.2%) were female and the mean age was 51.8 ± 15.0 years. Twenty-one (6.5%) participants had prior COVID-19 infection, the mean number of prior vaccine doses was 2.9 ± 0.4, and the median time from the last dose was 147 (142-157) days. Reported vaccine-related adverse reactions included local pain at injection site in 57 (17.59%), fatigue in 39 (12.04%), myalgia in 32 (9.88%), sore throat in 21 (6.48%), headache in 18 (5.5%), fever ≥38°C in 16 (4.94%), chest pain in 12 (3.7%), palpitations in 7 (2.16%), and shortness of breath in one (0.3%) participant. Vaccine-related myocardial injury was demonstrated in two (0.62%) participants, one had mild symptoms and one was asymptomatic; both had a normal electrocardiogram and echocardiography. CONCLUSION: In a prospective investigation, an increase in serum troponin levels was documented among 0.62% of healthy health care workers receiving the fourth dose BNT162b2 vaccine. The two cases had mild or no symptoms and no clinical sequela. CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT05308680.

Mean Platelet Volume as a Predictor of Coronary Artery Disease Severity and its Association With Coronary Artery Calcification.

Coronary calcium score (CCS) is a highly sensitive marker for estimating coronary artery calcification (CAC) and detecting coronary artery disease (CAD). Mean platelet volume (MPV (is a platelet indicator that represent platelet stimulation and production. The aim of the current study was to examine the association between MPV values and CAC. We examined 290 patients who underwent coronary computerized tomography (CT) exam between the years 2017 and 2020 in a tertiary care medical center. Only patients evaluated for chest pain were included. The Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis (MESA) CAC calculator was used to categorize patients CCS by age, gender, and ethnicity to CAC severity percentiles (<50, 50-74, 75-89, ≥90). Thereafter, the association between CAC percentile and MPV on admission was evaluated. Out of 290 patients, 251 (87%) met the inclusion and exclusion criteria. There was a strong association between higher MPV and higher CAC percentile (P = .009). The 90th CAC percentile was associated with the highest prevalence of diabetes mellitus (DM), hypertension, dyslipidemia, and statin therapy (P = .002, .003, .001, and .001, respectively). In a multivariate analysis (including age, gender, DM, hypertension, statin therapy, and low-density lipoprotein level) MPV was found to be an independent predictor of CAC percentile (OR 1.55-2.65, P < .001). Higher MPV was found to be an independent predictor for CAC severity. These findings could further help clinicians detect patients at risk for CAD using a simple and routine blood test.

Embolized Hydrophilic Coating Polymers Found in Left Ventricular Assist Device Apical Core Specimen.

Left ventricular assist devices are increasingly used in patients with advanced heart failure. Gross and histologic evaluation of myocardial apical core specimens, extracted during device placement, can provide important insights. Herein, we describe a case of hydrophilic polymer embolization with associated foreign-body giant cell reaction discovered during apical core evaluation. (Level of Difficulty: Advanced.).

The Added Value of a High CT Coronary Artery Calcium Score in the Management of Patients Presenting with Acute Chest Pain vs. Stable Chest Pain.

Background: Contrast computerized tomography (CT) scan is occasionally aborted due to a high coronary artery calcium score (CACS). For the same CACS in our clinical practice, we observed a higher occurrence of severe coronary artery disease (CAD) in patients with acute chest pain (ACP) compared to patients with stable chest pain (SCP). Since it is known that ACP differs in many ways from SCP, the aim of this study was to compare the predictive value of a high CACS for the diagnosis of severe CAD between ACP and SCP patients. Methods: This single center observational retrospective study included consecutive patients who underwent cardiac CT for chest pain and were found to have a CACS of >200 Agatston units. Patients were divided into two groups, ACP and SCP. Severe CAD was defined as ≥70% stenosis on coronary CT angiography or invasive coronary angiography. Baseline characteristics and final diagnosis of severe CAD were compared. Results: The cohort included 220 patients, 106 with ACP and 114 with SCP. ACP patients had higher severe CAD rates (60.4% vs. 36.8%; p < 0.001). On multivariate analysis including cardiac risk factors, CACS > 400 au (OR = 2.34 95% CI [1.32−4.15]; p = 0.004) and ACP (OR = 2.54 95% CI [1.45−4.45]; p = 0.001) were independent predictors of severe CAD. The addition of the clinical setting of ACP added significant incremental predictive value for severe stenosis. Conclusion: A high CACS is more associated with severe CAD in patients presenting with ACP than SCP. The findings suggest that the CACS could impact the management of patients during the scan.

The Utility of Handheld Cardiac and Lung Ultrasound in Predicting Outcomes of Hospitalised Patients With COVID-19.

BACKGROUND: Strict isolation precautions limit formal echocardiography use in the setting of COVID-19 infection. Information on the importance of handheld focused ultrasound for cardiac evaluation in these patients is scarce. This study investigated the utility of a handheld echocardiography device in hospitalised patients with COVID-19 in diagnosing cardiac pathologies and predicting the composite end point of in-hospital death, mechanical ventilation, shock, and acute decompensated heart failure. METHODS: From April 28 through July 27, 2020, consecutive patients diagnosed with COVID-19 underwent evaluation with the use of handheld ultrasound (Vscan Extend with Dual Probe; GE Healthcare) within 48 hours of admission. The patients were divided into 2 groups: "normal" and "abnormal" echocardiogram, as defined by biventricular systolic dysfunction/enlargement or moderate/severe valvular regurgitation/stenosis. RESULTS: Among 102 patients, 26 (25.5%) had abnormal echocardiograms. They were older with more comorbidities and more severe presenting symptoms compared with the group with normal echocardiograms. The prevalences of the composite outcome among low- and high-risk patients (oxygen saturation < 94%) were 3.1% and 27.1%, respectively. Multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that an abnormal echocardiogram at presentation was independently associated with the composite end point (odds ratio 6.19, 95% confidence interval 1.50-25.57; P = 0.012). CONCLUSIONS: An abnormal echocardiogram in COVID-19 infection settings is associated with a higher burden of medical comorbidities and independently predicts major adverse end points. Handheld focused echocardiography can be used as an important "rule-out" tool among high-risk patients with COVID-19 and should be integrated into their routine admission evaluation. However, its routine use among low-risk patients is not recommended.

D-Dimer as a Prognostic Factor in a Tertiary Center Intensive Coronary Care Unit.

INTRODUCTION: D-dimer is a small protein fragment produced during fibrinolysis. High D-dimer levels were shown to have prognostic impact in critically ill patients. Nevertheless, data regarding D-dimer's prognostic impact among tertiary care intensive coronary care unit (ICCU) patients is scarce. MATERIAL AND METHOD: All patients admitted to the ICCU between 1-12/2020 were prospectively included. Based on admission D-dimer level, patients were categorized into low and high D-dimer groups (< 500 ng/ml and ≥ 500 ng/ml) and also to age-adjusted D-dimer cutoff (500 ng/ml for ages ≤ 50 years old and age*10 for ages>50 years old). RESULTS AND DISCUSSION: A total of 959 consecutive patients were included, including 296 (27.4%) and 663 (61.3%) patients with low and high D-Dimer levels, respectively. Patients with high D-dimer level were older compared with patients with low D-dimer level (age 70.4 ± 15 and 59 ± 13 years, p = 0.004) and had more comorbidities. The most common primary diagnosis on admission among the low D-dimer group was acute coronary syndrome (ACS) (74.3%), while in the high D-dimer group it was a combination of ACS (33.6%), cardiac structural interventions (26.7%) and various arrhythmias (21.1%). High D-dimer levels were associated with increased mortality rate, even after adjustment for age, gender, comorbidities and left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF). High D-dimer levels were independently associated with increased overall 1-year mortality rate (HR = 5.8; 95% CI; 1.7-19.1; p = 0.004). CONCLUSION: Elevated D-dimer levels on admission in ICCU patients is an independently poor prognostic factor for in-hospital morbidity and 1-year overall mortality rate following hospitalization.