Myocarditis after Covid-19 Vaccination in a Large Health Care Organization.

BACKGROUND: Reports have suggested an association between the development of myocarditis and the receipt of messenger RNA (mRNA) vaccines against coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19), but the frequency and severity of myocarditis after vaccination have not been extensively explored. METHODS: We searched the database of Clalit Health Services, the largest health care organization (HCO) in Israel, for diagnoses of myocarditis in patients who had received at least one dose of the BNT162b2 mRNA vaccine (Pfizer-BioNTech). The diagnosis of myocarditis was adjudicated by cardiologists using the case definition used by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. We abstracted the presentation, clinical course, and outcome from the patient's electronic health record. We performed a Kaplan-Meier analysis of the incidence of myocarditis up to 42 days after the first vaccine dose. RESULTS: Among more than 2.5 million vaccinated HCO members who were 16 years of age or older, 54 cases met the criteria for myocarditis. The estimated incidence per 100,000 persons who had received at least one dose of vaccine was 2.13 cases (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.56 to 2.70). The highest incidence of myocarditis (10.69 cases per 100,000 persons; 95% CI, 6.93 to 14.46) was reported in male patients between the ages of 16 and 29 years. A total of 76% of cases of myocarditis were described as mild and 22% as intermediate; 1 case was associated with cardiogenic shock. After a median follow-up of 83 days after the onset of myocarditis, 1 patient had been readmitted to the hospital, and 1 had died of an unknown cause after discharge. Of 14 patients who had left ventricular dysfunction on echocardiography during admission, 10 still had such dysfunction at the time of hospital discharge. Of these patients, 5 underwent subsequent testing that revealed normal heart function. CONCLUSIONS: Among patients in a large Israeli health care system who had received at least one dose of the BNT162b2 mRNA vaccine, the estimated incidence of myocarditis was 2.13 cases per 100,000 persons; the highest incidence was among male patients between the ages of 16 and 29 years. Most cases of myocarditis were mild or moderate in severity. (Funded by the Ivan and Francesca Berkowitz Family Living Laboratory Collaboration at Harvard Medical School and Clalit Research Institute.).

Novel plasma biomarkers of coronary artery calcium incidence or progression: Insights from the prospective multi-ethnic Dallas Heart Study cohort.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Identifying the association of novel plasma biomarkers with coronary artery calcium (CAC) incidence or progression may provide insights into the pathophysiology of atherogenesis and plaque formation. METHODS: Participants of the Dallas Heart Study (DHS), a multi-ethnic cohort of ambulatory individuals at low-intermediate risk for future atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD), who had their blood tested for 31 biomarkers reflecting multiple pathophysiological pathways, underwent 2 serial non-contrast computed tomography assessments for CAC a median ∼7 years apart. The collected biomarkers were explored for association with CAC incidence or progression using univariate and multivariate analysis. RESULTS: A total of 1424 participants were included; mean age 43 years, 39 % male, and nearly half African-American. Over a 7-year interval between the two CAC measurements, 340 participants (23.9 %) had CAC incidence or progression, 105 (7.4 %) with incident CAC, and 309 (21.7 %) with CAC progression. Although several plasma biomarkers were associated with CAC incidence or progression in a univariate model, only soluble intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (sICAM-1), related to atherosclerosis by the inflammatory pathway, remained independently associated in a multivariate model adjusted for traditional risk factors. CONCLUSIONS: Further studies are needed to characterize the role of sICAM-1 in CAC evolvement to establish whether it has a pivotal mechanistic contribution or is rather an innocent bystander. Alternate measures of coronary atherosclerosis may be needed to elucidate contributors to atherosclerosis incidence or progression.

Noninvasive Hemodynamic Evaluation Following TAVI for Severe Aortic Stenosis.

Background Various hemodynamic changes occur following transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) that may impact therapeutic decisions. NICaS is a noninvasive bioimpedance monitoring system aimed at hemodynamic assessment. We used the NICaS system in patients with severe aortic stenosis (AS) to evaluate short-term hemodynamic changes after TAVI. Methods and Results We performed hemodynamic analysis using NICaS on 97 patients with severe AS who underwent TAVI using either self-expandable (68%) or balloon-expandable (32%) valves. Patients were more often women (54%) and had multiple comorbidities including hypertension (83%), coronary artery disease (46%), and diabetes (37%). NICaS was performed at several time points-before TAVI, soon after TAVI, at hospital discharge, and during follow-up. Compared with baseline NICaS measurements, we observed a significant increase in systolic blood pressure and total peripheral resistance (systolic blood pressure 132±21 mm Hg at baseline versus 147±23 mm Hg after TAVI, P<0.001; total peripheral resistance 1751±512 versus 2084±762 dynes*s/cm5, respectively, P<0.001) concurrent with a decrease in cardiac output and stroke volume (cardiac output 4.2±1.5 versus 3.9±1.3 L/min, P=0.037; stroke volume 61.4±14.8 versus 56.2±15.9 mL, P=0.001) in the immediate post-TAVI period. At follow-up (median 59 days [interquartile range, 40.5-91]) these measurements returned to values that were not different from the baseline. A significant improvement in echocardiography-based left ventricular ejection fraction was observed from baseline to follow-up (55.6%±11.6% to 59.4%±9.4%, P<0.001). Conclusions Unique short-term adaptive hemodynamic changes were observed using NICaS in patients with AS soon after TAVI. Noninvasive hemodynamic evaluation immediately following TAVI may contribute to the understanding of complex hemodynamic changes and merits favorable consideration.

The Interrelationship between Sarcoidosis and Atherosclerosis-Complex Yet Rational.

Sarcoidosis is a systemic inflammatory disease of unknown etiology, characterized by the presence of non-caseating granulomas in affected organs [...].

Management and outcomes over time of acute coronary syndrome patients at particularly high cardiovascular risk : the ACSIS registry-based retrospective study.

OBJECTIVE: Some patients following acute coronary syndrome (ACS) are at particularly increased risk for recurrent cardiovascular events. We aimed to examine temporal trends in the management and outcomes across the spectrum of these particularly high-risk patients. DESIGN AND SETTING: A retrospective study based on the ACS Israeli survey (ACSIS) registry, a multicentre prospective national registry, taking place biennially in 25 cardiology departments in Israel. Temporal trends were examined in the early (2002-2008) and late (2010-2018) time periods. PARTICIPANTS: Consecutive patients with ACS enrolled in the ACSIS registry were stratified according to the Thrombolysis in Myocardial Infarction Risk Score for secondary prevention (TRS2°P) to high (TRS2°p=3), very high (TRS2°p=4) or extremely high risk (TRS2°p=5-9). Patients with TRS2°p<3 were excluded. From the initial 15 196 patients enrolled, 5359 patients were eventually included.Clinical outcome measures included 30-day major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) and 1-year mortality. RESULTS: Among 5359 patients (50% high risk, 30% very high risk and 20% extremely high risk), those with a higher risk were older, had more comorbidities, presented more with non-ST elevation myocardial infarction, and were treated less often with guideline-recommended pharmacotherapy and percutaneous coronary intervention. Over time, treatment has improved in all risk strata, and the rate of 30-day MACE has significantly decreased in all risk groups (from 21% to 10%, from 22% to 15%, and from 26% to 16%, in high, very high and extremely high-risk groups, respectively, p<0.001 for each). However, 1-year mortality decreased only among high and very high-risk patients, and not among extremely high-risk patients in whom 1-year mortality rates remained very high (28.7% vs 28.9%, p=1). CONCLUSION: Within a particularly high-risk cohort of patients with ACS, treatment has significantly progressed over almost 2 decades. While short-term outcomes have improved in all risk groups, 1-year mortality has remained unchanged in extremely high-risk patients with ACS.

Myocarditis following COVID-19 vaccination: magnetic resonance imaging study.

AIMS: To describe the cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) imaging findings of patients who developed myocarditis following messenger RNA (mRNA) coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccination. METHODS AND RESULTS: The present study retrospectively evaluated patients with clinically adjudicated myocarditis within 42 days of the first Pfizer-BNT162b2 mRNA COVID-19 vaccination, between 20 December 2020 and 24 May 2021 who underwent CMR. A total of 15 out 54 patients (28%) with myocarditis underwent a CMR and were included, 100% males, median age of 32 years (interquartile range = 22.5-40). Most patients presented with chest pain (87%) and had an abnormal electrocardiogram (79%). The severity of the disease was mild in 67% and intermediate in 33%. All patients survived and one patient was readmitted during the study period. CMR was performed at a median of 65 days (range 3-130 days) following diagnosis. Median ejection fraction was 58% (range 51-74%) global- and regional wall motion abnormalities were present in one and three patients, respectively. Native T1 was available in 13/15 patients (2/3 in 3 T and 11/12 in the 1.5 T), with increased values among 6/13. Late gadolinium enhancement (LGE) was found among 13/15 patients with a median of 2% (range 0-15%) with inferolateral wall being the most common location (8/13). The patterns of the LGE were: mid-wall in six patients; epicardial in five patients; and mid-wall and epicardial in two patients. CONCLUSIONS: Among patients who were diagnosed with post-vaccination clinical myocarditis, CMR imaging findings are mild and consistent with 'classical myocarditis'. The short-term clinical course and outcomes were favourable.

Albumin as a Prognostic Marker for Atrial Fibrillation Recurrence following Cryoballoon Ablation of Pulmonary Venous.

Introduction: Atrial fibrillation (AF) recurrence following pulmonary vein isolation (PVI) ablation has clinical significance. Identifying risk factors for AF recurrence is important. We investigated serum albumin (SA) levels (g/dL) as a prognostic factor for the recurrence of AF following cryoballoon PVI ablation. Methods: We included patients who underwent cryoballoon PVI ablation at our institution between the years 2013 and 2018. The primary outcome was recurrence of AF during follow up. Results: Our cohort consisted of 126 patients (67% males, mean age 61.8 ± 10.0 years). The pattern of AF amongst the cohort was paroxysmal in 62.5%, persistent in 25.4%, and longstanding persistent in 6.3%. Those with lower SA levels had a mean AF duration significantly less than those with higher SA levels (2.81 years, 7.34 years, and 6.37 years for SA levels of <3.8, 3.8−4.1, and ≥4.1, respectively; p = 0.003). Patients with lower SA levels were significantly more likely to have had more previous cardioversions and a larger left atrial area and volume. The mean follow-up was 380 days, in which the AF recurrence rate was 20.6%. Patients with lower SA level had significantly more AF recurrences (47.4%, 16.7%, and 2.2% for SA levels of <3.8, 3.8−4.1, and ≥4.1, respectively; p < 0.001). Upon multivariate analysis, an SA level < 3.8 was associated with a higher risk of AF recurrence (OR = 5.422 95% CI 1.134; 25.910; p < 0.001). Conclusion: SA levels were found to be a strong independent marker for AF recurrence following PVI ablation.

Management and outcome across the spectrum of high-risk patients with myocardial infarction according to the thrmobolysis in myocardial infarction (TIMI) risk-score for secondary prevention.

BACKGROUND: Patients with myocardial infarction (MI) are at increased risk for recurrent cardiovascular events, yet some patients, such as the elderly and those with prior comorbidities, are particularly at the highest risk. Whether these patients benefit from contemporary management is not fully elucidated. METHODS: Included were consecutive patients with MI who underwent percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) in a large tertiary medical center. Patients were stratified according to the thrombolysis in myocardial infarction (TIMI) risk score for secondary prevention (TRS2°P) to high (TRS2°P = 3), very high (TRS2°P = 4), or extremely high-risk (TRS2°P = 5-9). Excluded were low and intermediate-risk patients (TRS2°P < 3). Outcomes included 30-day/1-year major adverse cardiac events (MACE) and 1-year mortality. Temporal trends were examined in the early (2004-2010) and late (2011-2016) time-periods. RESULTS: Among 2053 patients, 50% were high-risk, 30% very high-risk and 20% extremely high-risk. Extremely high-risk patients were older (age 74 ± 10 year) and had significant comorbidities (chronic kidney disease 68%, prior CABG 40%, heart failure 78%, peripheral artery disease 29%). Drug-eluting stents and potent antiplatelets were more commonly used over time in all risk-strata. Over time, 30-day MACE rates have decreased, mainly attributed to the very high (11.3% to 5.1%, p = .006) and extremely high-risk groups (15.9% to 8.0%, p = .016), but not the high-risk group, with similar quantitative results for 1-year MACE. The rates of 1-year mortality remained unchanged in either group. CONCLUSION: Within a particularly high-risk cohort of MI patients who underwent PCI, the implementation of guideline-recommended therapies has improved over time, with the highest-risk groups demonstrating the greatest benefit in outcomes.

Temporal Trends of the Management and Outcome of Patients With Myocardial Infarction According to the Risk for Recurrent Cardiovascular Events.

BACKGROUND: Some patients are at higher risk for recurrent cardiovascular events following a myocardial infarction because of their clinical characteristics and comorbidities. Still, they are less often treated with guideline-recommended therapies. We examined trends for more than a decade in the treatment and outcome of patients with myocardial infarction according to the risk for recurrent cardiovascular events, using the Thrombolysis in Myocardial Infarction (TIMI) risk score for secondary prevention. METHODS: This is a retrospective cohort study of patients after acute myocardial infarction who underwent percutaneous coronary intervention. Temporal trends were examined in the early (2004-2010) and late (2011-2016) time periods. Patients were stratified to low, intermediate, or high risk for recurrent cardiovascular events. Clinical outcomes included 30-day major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE), 1-year MACE, and 1-year mortality. RESULTS: Among 4921 patients, 31% were low risk, 27% intermediate risk, and 42% high risk. Compared to lower-risk patients, high-risk patients were older, more commonly female, and had more comorbidities. They presented more often with non-ST elevation myocardial infarction and 3-vessel disease and were less likely to receive drug-eluting stents and potent antiplatelets, among other guideline-recommended therapies. In high-risk patients, 30-day MACE and 1-year mortality were higher. Comparing the early period to the late period, prescription rates increased for both statins and potent antiplatelets in all risk-groups. However, the rate of 30-day and 1-year MACE decreased principally in the high-risk group (from 9.9% to 5.5% and from 29.6% to 23.6%, respectively). CONCLUSION: Despite greater application of guideline-recommended therapies, patients at high risk after myocardial infarction are still relatively undertreated, which may adversely affect their prognosis. Nevertheless, they demonstrated the most notable improvement in clinical outcomes over time.