Risk factors for percutaneous left ventricular assist device explant complications.

INTRODUCTION: Percutaneous left ventricular assist device (pLVAD) explant remains nonstandardized with potential complications of bleeding and thrombosis. Explant settings include percutaneous techniques in the catheterization laboratory (CL), manually at bedside (MB), and surgically in the operating room (OR). OBJECTIVE: Identify high-risk features for explant-related complications, including indication for support, setting, and technique. METHODS: Postexplant bleeding and thrombosis/limb ischemia were identified following pLVAD removals over 2 years at a multicenter healthcare system. RESULTS: Of 156 patients, bleeding (n = 26 [17%]) and thrombosis (n = 9 [6%]) occurred more often in patients with the peripheral arterial disease (PAD), female gender, anemia, and cardiogenic shock. OR explants had a higher combined endpoint (4/8 [50%]) versus CL (23/133 [17%], p < 0.05) driven by transfusion. There was no difference between OR versus MB (5/15 [33%], p = 0.66) or CL versus MB (p = 0.62). In shock patients, there was no difference between CL (7/30 [23%]) versus MB (5/15 [33%], p = 0.5) and OR (4/7 [57%], p = 0.16); or MB versus OR (p = 0.38). Average length of stay was significantly lower in the CL group versus MB and OR (3.6 ± 33.2 vs. 18.4 ± 10.9 vs. 28.1 ± 15.8 days, p < 0.0001). Preclosure in shock patients (5/25 [20%] vs. 11/27 [41%], p = 0.1383) and crossover balloon occlusion technique (9/44 [16%] vs. 25/112 [22%]; p = 1) were not associated with higher combined endpoints versus control. CONCLUSION: Risk factors for pLVAD explant complications include PAD, female gender, and cardiogenic shock. There was no difference in complication rates between explant settings among cardiogenic shock patients, but shorter length of stay when performed in the CL. There was no difference in complication rates when using the crossover balloon occlusion technique.

Treatment of Acute Myocardial Infarction and Cardiogenic Shock: Outcomes of the RECOVER III Postapproval Study by Society of Cardiovascular Angiography and Interventions Shock Stage.

BACKGROUND: The Society for Cardiovascular Angiography and Interventions proposed a staging system (A-E) to predict prognosis in cardiogenic shock. Herein, we report clinical outcomes of the RECOVER III study for the first time, according to Society for Cardiovascular Angiography and Interventions shock classification. METHODS AND RESULTS: The RECOVER III study is an observational, prospective, multicenter, single-arm, postapproval study of patients with acute myocardial infarction with cardiogenic shock undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention with Impella support. Patients enrolled in the RECOVER III study were assigned a baseline Society for Cardiovascular Angiography and Interventions shock stage. Staging was then repeated within 24 hours after initiation of Impella. Kaplan-Meier survival curve analyses were conducted to assess survival across Society for Cardiovascular Angiography and Interventions shock stages at both time points. At baseline assessment, 16.5%, 11.4%, and 72.2% were classified as stage C, D, and E, respectively. At ≤24-hour assessment, 26.4%, 33.2%, and 40.0% were classified as stage C, D, and E, respectively. Thirty-day survival among patients with stage C, D, and E shock at baseline was 59.7%, 56.5%, and 42.9%, respectively (P=0.003). Survival among patients with stage C, D, and E shock at ≤24 hours was 65.7%, 52.1%, and 29.5%, respectively (P<0.001). After multivariable analysis of impact of shock stage classifications at baseline and ≤24 hours, only stage E classification at ≤24 hours was a significant predictor of mortality (odds ratio, 4.8; P<0.001). CONCLUSIONS: In a real-world cohort of patients with acute myocardial infarction with cardiogenic shock undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention with Impella support, only stage E classification at ≤24 hours was significantly predictive of mortality, suggesting that response to therapy may be more important than clinical severity of shock at presentation.

Valve-in-Mitral Annular Calcification Transcatheter Mitral Valve Replacement After Thrombosis of Extracardiac Valved Conduit.

We report a patient with severe mitral annular calcification, mitral stenosis/regurgitation, hypertrophic obstructive cardiomyopathy, and subaortic membrane treated with valved left atrium-left ventricle conduit, septal myectomy, and membrane resection. Subsequent thrombosis of the conduit prompted successful valve-in- mitral annular calcification transcatheter mitral valve replacement and laceration of the anterior mitral leaflet to prevent outflow obstruction. (Level of Difficulty: Advanced.).

Chronic Stress, Exercise and Cardiovascular Disease: Placing the Benefits and Risks of Physical Activity into Perspective.

Chronic stress, which has been exacerbated worldwide by the lingering COVID pandemic, has been strongly linked to cardiovascular disease (CVD). In addition, autonomic dysregulation via sustained sympathetic activity has been shown to increase the risk of arrhythmias, platelet aggregation, acute coronary syndromes and heart failure. Fortunately, effective coping strategies have been shown to attenuate the magnitude of hyperarousal associated with the stress response, including moderate-to-vigorous lifestyle activity and/or structured exercise. A good-to-excellent level of cardiorespiratory fitness also appears to be highly cardioprotective. These beneficial effects have been substantiated by numerous studies that have evaluated the levels of stress reactivity and stress recovery in physically active individuals versus matched sedentary controls, as well as before and after exercise interventions. On the other hand, unaccustomed strenuous exercise in habitually sedentary persons with underlying CVD is associated with a disproportionate incidence of acute cardiac events. Moreover, extreme exercise regimens appear to increase coronary calcification and the likelihood of developing atrial fibrillation. This review summarizes these relations and more, with specific reference to placing the benefits and risks of physical activity into perspective.

Hydroxychloroquine/Azithromycin Therapy and QT Prolongation in Hospitalized Patients With COVID-19.

OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to characterize corrected QT (QTc) prolongation in a cohort of hospitalized patients with coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) who were treated with hydroxychloroquine and azithromycin (HCQ/AZM). BACKGROUND: HCQ/AZM is being widely used to treat COVID-19 despite the known risk of QT interval prolongation and the unknown risk of arrhythmogenesis in this population. METHODS: A retrospective cohort of COVID-19 hospitalized patients treated with HCQ/AZM was reviewed. The QTc interval was calculated before drug administration and for the first 5 days following initiation. The primary endpoint was the magnitude of QTc prolongation, and factors associated with QTc prolongation. Secondary endpoints were incidences of sustained ventricular tachycardia or ventricular fibrillation and all-cause mortality. RESULTS: Among 415 patients who received concomitant HCQ/AZM, the mean QTc increased from 443 ± 25 ms to a maximum of 473 ± 40 ms (87 [21%] patients had a QTc ≥500 ms). Factors associated with QTc prolongation ≥500 ms were age (p < 0.001), body mass index <30 kg/m2 (p = 0.005), heart failure (p < 0.001), elevated creatinine (p = 0.005), and peak troponin (p < 0.001). The change in QTc was not associated with death over the short period of the study in a population in which mortality was already high (hazard ratio: 0.998; p = 0.607). No primary high-grade ventricular arrhythmias were observed. CONCLUSIONS: An increase in QTc was seen in hospitalized patients with COVID-19 treated with HCQ/AZM. Several clinical factors were associated with greater QTc prolongation. Changes in QTc were not associated with increased risk of death.