Outcome of Patients Managed by Percutaneous Left Ventricular Assist Device Implantation During On-Hours and Off-Hours.

Percutaneous left ventricular assist devices (pVADs) may be used in patients with cardiogenic shock (CS) to stabilize hemodynamics and maintain sufficient end-organ perfusion. Vascular complications are commonly observed in patients with pVAD support. We aimed to assess the relationship between pVAD implantation time and access-site complication rates. This retrospective observational study included all patients who underwent pVAD insertion for the treatment of CS at our university hospital between 2014 and 2021 (n = 224). Depending on the pVAD insertion time, the patients were assigned to the on-hours (n = 120) or off-hours group (n = 104). Both groups had comparable baseline characteristics and comorbidities. The rate of access-site-related complications was higher in the off-hours group than in the on-hours group (26% vs. 10%, p = 0.002). Premature discontinuation of pVAD support to prevent limb ischemia or manage access-site bleeding was required more often in the off-hours group than in the on-hours group (14% vs. 5%, p = 0.016). Pre-existing peripheral artery disease and implantation time off-hours were independent predictors for access-siterelated vascular complications. In conclusion, patients with CS in whom pVAD was inserted during off-hours had higher rates of access-site-related complications and premature discontinuation of pVAD support than those in whom pVAD was inserted during on-hours.

Comparison of costs associated with transcatheter mitral valve repair: PASCAL vs MitraClip in a real-world setting.

AIMS: We aimed to conduct a clinical process cost analysis to evaluate all upcoming costs of mitral valve transcatheter edge-to-edge repair (M-TEER) treatment using the MitraClip and the PASCAL repair system. METHODS: First, we prospectively enrolled 107 M-TEER patients treated with either the PASCAL or MitraClip system and compared all upcoming costs during the M-TEER procedure and the associated in-hospital stay. Second, we retrospectively analysed 716 M-TEER procedures with regard to the occurrence of complications and their associated costs. All materials used in the catheterization laboratory for the procedures were evaluated. The cost analysis considered various expenses, such as general in-hospital costs, device costs, catheter laboratory and material costs. RESULTS: In the prospective study, 51 patients were treated using the PASCAL system, and 56 were treated using the MitraClip system. The two groups had comparable baseline characteristics and comorbidities. The total in-hospital costs were 25 414 (Interquartile range (IQR) 24 631, 27 697) € in the PASCAL group and 25 633 (IQR 24 752, 28 256) € in the MitraClip group (p = 0.515). The major cost driver was initial material expenditure, mostly triggered by device costs, which were similar to the PASCAL and MitraClip systems. Overall intensive care unit and general ward costs did not differ between the PASCAL and MitraClip groups. In the retrospective analysis, M-TEER-related complications were rare but were associated with higher costs, mainly due to prolonged hospitalisation. CONCLUSION: The major cost driver of M-TEER was the material expenditure, which was mostly triggered by high device costs. The costs of treating patients were similar for the PASCAL and MitraClip systems. M-TEER-related complications are associated with higher costs, mainly due to prolonged hospitalisation. This analysis provides valuable insights into reducing expenses by modifying the process of M-TEER.

Lactate to Albumin Ratio for Predicting Clinical Outcomes after In-Hospital Cardiac Arrest.

In-hospital cardiac arrest (IHCA) is associated with high mortality and poor neurological outcomes. Our objective was to assess whether the lactate-to-albumin ratio (LAR) can predict the outcomes in patients after IHCA. We retrospectively screened 75,987 hospitalised patients at a university hospital between 2015 and 2019. The primary endpoint was survival at 30-days. Neurological outcomes were assessed at 30 days using the cerebral performance category scale. 244 patients with IHCA and return of spontaneous circulation (ROSC) were included in this study and divided into quartiles of LAR. Overall, there were no differences in key baseline characteristics or rates of pre-existing comorbidities among the LAR quartiles. Patients with higher LAR had poorer survival after IHCA compared to patients with lower LAR: Q1, 70.4% of the patients; Q2, 50.8% of the patients; Q3, 26.2% of the patients; Q4, 6.6% of the patients (p = 0.001). Across increasing quartiles, the probability of a favourable neurological outcome in patients with ROSC after IHCA decreased: Q1: 49.2% of the patients; Q2: 32.8% of the patients; Q3: 14.7% of the patients; Q4: 3.2% of the patients (p = 0.001). The AUCs for predicting 30-days survival using the LAR were higher as compared to using a single measurement of lactate or albumin. The prognostic performance of LAR was superior to that of a single measurement of lactate or albumin for predicting survival after IHCA.

Deep sedation vs. general anesthesia for transcatheter tricuspid valve repair.

Background: Transcatheter tricuspid valve repair (TTVr) is routinely performed under general anesthesia (GA). This study aimed to investigate whether TTVr procedures can be performed effectively and safely without GA but using deep sedation (DS). Methods: We performed a retrospective analysis of 104 patients from three centers who underwent TTVr between 2020 and 2021. The primary performance endpoints were technical success and severity of TR assessed at the time of discharge. The safety outcome was a composite of in-hospital complications, including occurrence of death, conversion to surgery, major adverse cardiac and cerebrovascular events, major vascular complications, or occurrence of pneumonia. Results: Sixty-four procedures were performed in GA and 40 procedures were performed in DS. The groups did not differ in age, EuroScore II, TR severity, ventricular function, or hemodynamic parameters. Technical success was achieved in 92.5% of the patients in the DS group and in 93.6% of the patients in the GA group (p = 0.805). In none of the patients intraprocedural conversion from DS to GA was required. There was no difference in total duration of the procedure, and number of devices implanted. The degree of TR was ≤2+ in 77.5% of the patients in the DS group and in 74.2% of the patients in the GA group (p = 0.705). The composite safety endpoint did not differ between the groups (2.5 vs. 6.3%, p = 0.384). The total duration of hospital stay was shorter in patients who underwent TTVr in DS compared to those who underwent TTVr in GA (6 [5, 9] days vs. 8 [6, 11] days; p = 0.011). Conclusion: Performing TTVr in DS was effective with similar procedural results, and was safe with similar low complication rates compared to GA.

Acute Kidney Injury Following Tricuspid Transcatheter Edge-to-Edge Repair.

BACKGROUND: Little is known about the incidence and clinical relevance of postprocedural acute kidney injury (AKI) in patients undergoing transcatheter edge-to-edge repair (TEER) for tricuspid regurgitation (TR). OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to investigate the prognostic impact of postprocedural AKI following TEER for TR. METHODS: Two hundred sixty-eight patients who underwent TEER for TR at 2 centers were retrospectively analyzed. Postprocedural AKI was defined as an increase in serum creatinine of ≥0.3 mg/dL within 48 hours or ≥50% within 7 days after the procedure compared with baseline. The association between AKI and the composite outcome, consisting of all-cause mortality and rehospitalization for heart failure within 1 year after the procedure, was determined. RESULTS: The mean age of the patients was 79.0 ± 6.8 years, and 43.3% were men. Postprocedural AKI occurred in 42 patients (15.7%). Age, male sex, an estimated glomerular filtration rate of <60 mL/min/1.73 m2, and absence of procedural success were associated with the occurrence of AKI. Patients with AKI had a higher incidence of in-hospital mortality than those without AKI (9.5% vs 0.9%; P = 0.006). Moreover, AKI was associated with the incidence of the composite outcome within 1 year after TEER for TR (adjusted HR: 2.39; 95% CI: 1.45-3.94; P = 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Postprocedural AKI occurred in 15.7% of patients undergoing TEER for TR, despite the absence of iodinated contrast agents, which was associated with worse clinical outcomes. These findings highlight the clinical impact of AKI following TEER for TR and should help in identifying patients at high risk for AKI.

Comparison of two strategies for managing in-hospital cardiac arrest.

In-hospital cardiac arrest (IHCA) is associated with poor outcomes. There are currently no standards for cardiac arrest teams in terms of member composition and task allocation. Here we aimed to compare two different cardiac arrest team concepts to cover IHCA management in terms of survival and neurological outcomes. This prospective study enrolled 412 patients with IHCA from general medical wards. From May 2014 to April 2016, 228 patients were directly transferred to the intensive care unit (ICU) for ongoing resuscitation. In the ICU, resuscitation was extended to advanced cardiac life support (ACLS) (Load-and-Go [LaG] group). By May 2016, a dedicated cardiac arrest team provided by the ICU provided ACLS in the ward. After return of spontaneous circulation (ROSC), the patients (n = 184) were transferred to the ICU (Stay-and-Treat [SaT] group). Overall, baseline characteristics, aetiologies, and characteristics of cardiac arrest were similar between groups. The time to endotracheal intubation was longer in the LaG group than in the SaT group (6 [5, 8] min versus 4 [2, 5] min, p = 0.001). In the LaG group, 96% of the patients were transferred to the ICU regardless of ROSC achievement. In the SaT group, 83% of patients were transferred to the ICU (p = 0.001). Survival to discharge did not differ between the LaG (33%) and the SaT (35%) groups (p = 0.758). Ultimately, 22% of patients in the LaG group versus 21% in the SaT group were discharged with good neurological outcomes (p = 0.857). In conclusion, we demonstrated that the cardiac arrest team concepts for the management of IHCA did not differ in terms of survival and neurological outcomes. However, a dedicated (intensive care) cardiac arrest team could take some load off the ICU.