Temporary Venoarterial Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation: Ten-Year Experience at a Cardiac Transplant Center.

OBJECTIVE: Advances in extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) have enabled rapid deployment in a wide range of clinical settings. We report our experience with venoarterial (VA) ECMO in adult patients over 10 years and aim to identify predictors of mortality. DESIGN: This is a retrospective analysis of all adult patients undergoing VA ECMO at a tertiary care center from January 1, 2004, to December 31, 2013. RESULTS: A total of 224 consecutive cases were reviewed. Eighty (35.7%) patients survived to discharge and 144 (64.3%) patients died. Patients requiring ECMO for heart transplant graft failure had lower mortality (51.6%) compared to all other etiologies (69.1%; P = .02). Forty-two percent (94 of the 224) of the patients required cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) preceding ECMO and had higher rate of in-hospital mortality (74.5%) compared with patients without cardiac arrest (56.9%; P = .01). Patients with less than 30 minutes of CPR had a mortality rate of 40.0% compared to 91.4% for CPR > 30 minutes ( P = .001). In all, 24.1% of patients (54 of the 224) experienced ECMO-associated complications without significant increase in mortality, and 22.3% (50 of the 224) of the patients were transitioned to ventricular assist devices (VADs) or transplant. Patients bridged to a VAD including left ventricular assist devices and biventricular assist devices had a mortality rate of 56.1% versus 22.2% when bridged directly to transplant ( P = .01). Paradoxically, patients with an ejection fraction (EF) > 35% had a higher mortality compared to patients with an EF < 35% (75.3% vs 49.4%, respectively, P = .001). CONCLUSION: Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation in patients with heart transplant graft failure had the best outcome. In patients who had cardiac arrest, prolonged CPR > 30 minutes was associated with very high mortality. Paradoxically, patients with EF > 35% had a higher mortality than patients with EF < 35%, likely reflecting patients with diastolic heart failure or noncardiac causes necessitating ECMO. For transplant candidates, direct bridge from ECMO to transplant could achieve a very good outcome.

Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement Guided by Preprocedural Simulation of Fluoroscopic Location of the Membranous Septum.

We show the virtual simulation of the fluoroscopic location of the membranous septum using preprocedural cardiac computed tomographic data sets. Recognizing the risk distance before the procedure can help individualize implantation strategy to reduce the risk of atrioventricular conduction axis damage during transcatheter aortic valve replacement. (Level of Difficulty: Advanced.).

Single Center Trends in Acute Coronary Syndrome Volume and Outcomes During the COVID-19 Pandemic.

BACKGROUND: The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has greatly affected healthcare delivery across the world. In this report, we aim to further characterize the changes in cardiac catheterization at our institution, specifically in the setting of acute coronary syndrome (ACS). METHODS: We performed a retrospective analysis of patients undergoing cardiac catheterization between December 23, 2019 and April 12, 2020 at our institution. All patients with cardiac catheterizations for ACS, ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) activation, and out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) were analyzed. Cardiac catheterization volume, as well as clinical and procedural characteristics of patients undergoing cardiac catheterization, was compared before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. RESULTS: Patients presenting with ACS and OHCA were similar in terms of demographics and comorbidities during both time periods. The mean monthly volume for ACS cases dropped by 26% during the pandemic, which was consistent among both unstable angina/non-ST-elevation myocardial infarction (UA/NSTEMI) and STEMI cases. OHCA volume decreased significantly as well (five cases per month before to zero cases during the pandemic, P = 0.01). Among patients with STEMI, initial markers of cardiac injury, door-to-balloon time, and all-cause mortality were similar in both time periods. CONCLUSIONS: With the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, there was a reduction in cardiac catheterization volume across the spectrum of ACS at our institution, which was consistent with reports from other centers across the globe. Patients with STEMI during the initial phase of the COVID-19 pandemic did not seem to have delays in presentation or significant differences in all-cause mortality at our institution.

Mortality differences among patients with in-hospital ST-elevation myocardial infarction.

BACKGROUND: In-hospital ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) is associated with a higher mortality rate than out-of-hospital STEMI. Quality measures and universal protocols for treatment of in-hospital STEMI do not exist, likely contributing to delays in recognition and treatment. HYPOTHESIS: To analyze differences in mortality among three subsets of patients who develop in-hospital STEMI. METHODS: This was a multicenter, retrospective observational study of patients who developed in-hospital STEMI at six United States medical centers between 2008 and 2017. Patients were stratified into three groups: (1) cardiac, (2) periprocedure, or (3) noncardiac/nonpostprocedure. Outcomes examined include time from electrocardiogram (ECG) acquisition to cardiac catheterization lab arrival (ECG-to-CCL) and survival to discharge. RESULTS: We identified 184 patients with in-hospital STEMI (mean age 68.7 years, 58.7% male). Group 1 (cardiac) patients had a shorter average ECG-to-CCL time (69 minutes) than group 2 (periprocedure, 215 minutes) and group 3 (noncardiac/nonpostprocedure, 199 minutes). Compared to group 1, survival to discharge was lower for group 2 (OR 0.33, P = .102) and group 3 (OR 0.20, P = .016). After adjusting for prespecified covariates, the relationship between group and survival showed a similar trend but did not reach statistical significance. CONCLUSIONS: Patients who develop in-hospital STEMI in the context of a preceding procedure or noncardiac illness appear to have longer reperfusion times and higher in-hospital mortality than patients admitted with cardiac diagnoses. Larger studies are warranted to further investigate these observations. Health systems should place an increased emphasis on developing quality metrics and implementing quality improvement initiatives to improve outcomes for in-hospital STEMI.

Angiotensin Converting Enzyme Inhibitor and Angiotensin II Receptor Blocker Use Among Outpatients Diagnosed With COVID-19.

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a viral pandemic precipitated by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2. Since previous reports suggested that viral entry into cells may involve angiotensin converting enzyme 2, there has been growing concern that angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitor (ACEI) and angiotensin II receptor blocker (ARB) use may exacerbate the disease severity. In this retrospective, single-center US study of adult patients diagnosed with COVID-19, we evaluated the association of ACEI/ARB use with hospital admission. Secondary outcomes included: ICU admission, mechanical ventilation, length of hospital stay, use of inotropes, and all-cause mortality. Propensity score matching was performed to account for potential confounders. Among 590 unmatched patients diagnosed with COVID-19, 78 patients were receiving ACEI/ARB (median age 63 years and 59.7% male) and 512 patients were non-users (median age 42 years and 47.1% male). In the propensity matched population, multivariate logistic regression analysis adjusting for age, gender and comorbidities demonstrated that ACEI/ARB use was not associated with hospital admission (OR 1.2, 95%CI 0.5 to 2.7, p = 0.652). CAD and CKD/end stage renal disease [ESRD] remained independently associated with admission to hospital. All-cause mortality, ICU stay, need for ventilation, and inotrope use was not significantly different between the 2 study groups. In conclusion, among patients who were diagnosed with COVID-19, ACEI/ARB use was not associated with increased risk of hospital admission.

Monomorphic Ventricular Arrhythmias in Athletes.

Ventricular arrhythmias are challenging to manage in athletes with concern for an elevated risk of sudden cardiac death (SCD) during sports competition. Monomorphic ventricular arrhythmias (MMVA), while often benign in athletes with a structurally normal heart, are also associated with a unique subset of idiopathic and malignant substrates that must be clearly defined. A comprehensive evaluation for structural and/or electrical heart disease is required in order to exclude cardiac conditions that increase risk of SCD with exercise, such as hypertrophic cardiomyopathy and arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy. Unique issues for physicians who manage this population include navigating athletes through the decision of whether they can safely continue their chosen sport. In the absence of structural heart disease, therapies such as radiofrequency catheter ablation are very effective for certain arrhythmias and may allow for return to competitive sports participation. In this comprehensive review, we summarise the recommendations for evaluating and managing athletes with MMVA.

Optimal P2Y12 Inhibitor in Patients With ST-Segment Elevation Myocardial Infarction Undergoing Primary Percutaneous Coronary Intervention: A Network Meta-Analysis.

OBJECTIVES: The study sought to compare the clinical efficacy and safety of P2Y12 inhibitors in patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) undergoing primary percutaneous intervention (PPCI). BACKGROUND: Limited data exist regarding the comparative efficacy and safety of P2Y12 inhibitors in STEMI patients undergoing PPCI. METHODS: Clinical trials enrolling STEMI patients were identified and relevant data was extracted. Major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) were defined as the composite of all cause mortality, MI, and target vessel revascularization. Network meta-analysis was performed using Bayesian methods. RESULTS: A total of 37 studies with 88,402 STEMI patients and 5,077 MACE were analyzed. Outcomes at 1 month (22 studies and 60,783 patients) suggest that prasugrel was associated with: lower MACE than clopidogrel (standard dose odds ratio [OR]: 0.59, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.50 to 0.69; high-dose OR: 0.60, 95% CI: 0.51 to 0.71; upstream OR: 0.79, 95% CI: 0.66 to 0.94), and ticagrelor (standard dose OR: 0.69, 95% CI: 0.56 to 0.84; upstream OR: 0.72, 95% CI: 0.50 to 1.05); lower mortality and MI than clopidogrel and standard ticagrelor; lower stroke risk than standard clopidogrel and standard or upstream ticagrelor; and lower stent thrombosis than standard or upstream clopidogrel. At 1-year (10 studies, n = 40,333) prasugrel was associated with lower mortality and MACE than other P2Y12 inhibitors. MACE was particularly lower with prasugrel in studies where patients received bivalirudin, drug-eluting stents, and but not glycoprotein IIb/IIIa inhibitor. CONCLUSIONS: In STEMI patients undergoing PPCI, prasugrel and ticagrelor are more efficacious than clopidogrel; in addition, prasugrel was superior to ticagrelor particularly in conjunction with bivalirudin and drug-eluting stents.

Inflammatory/antiinflammatory properties of high-density lipoprotein distinguish patients from control subjects better than high-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels and are favorably affected by simvastatin treatment.

BACKGROUND: The inflammatory/antiinflammatory properties of HDL were compared with HDL cholesterol in 2 groups of patients and in age- and sex-matched control subjects. METHODS AND RESULTS: Group 1 consisted of 26 patients not yet taking a statin who presented with coronary heart disease (CHD) or CHD equivalents by National Cholesterol Education Program Adult Treatment Panel III criteria studied before and 6 weeks after 40 mg/d of simvastatin. Group 2 consisted of 20 patients with documented CHD and HDL cholesterol > or =84 mg/dL. The inflammatory/antiinflammatory properties of HDL were determined by the ability of the subject's HDL to alter LDL-induced monocyte chemotactic activity (MCA) in a human artery wall coculture. Induction of MCA by a control LDL was determined in the absence or presence of the subject's HDL. Values in the absence of HDL were normalized to 1.0. Values >1.0 after the addition of HDL indicated proinflammatory HDL; values <1.0 indicated antiinflammatory HDL. Group 1 values before simvastatin were LDL cholesterol, 118+/-24 mg/dL; HDL cholesterol, 57+/-13 mg/dL; triglycerides, 125+/-64 mg/dL; and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP), 1.7+/-1.9 mg/L; and MCA values were 1.38+/-0.91, compared with 0.38+/-0.14 for control subjects (P=1.5x10(-5)). After simvastatin, values were LDL cholesterol, 73+/-24 mg/dL; HDL cholesterol, 61+/-14 mg/dL; triglycerides, 99+/-52 mg/dL; and hs-CRP, 1.3+/-1.3 mg/L; and MCA values were 1.08+/-0.71. In group 2, values were LDL cholesterol, 108+/-34 mg/dL; HDL cholesterol, 95+/-14 mg/dL; triglycerides, 89+/-44 mg/dL; and hs-CRP, 0.8+/-0.7 mg/L; and MCA values were 1.28+/-0.29, compared with 0.35+/-0.11 for control subjects (P=1.7x10(-14)). Similar results were obtained with the cell-free assay. CONCLUSIONS: The inflammatory/antiinflammatory properties of HDL distinguished patients from control subjects better than HDL cholesterol and were improved with simvastatin.