Aortic Valve Infective Endocarditis Complicated by Annular Abscess: Antibiotics in the Abscess Cavity.

OBJECTIVES: Infective endocarditis of the aortic valve complicated by annular abscess is a challenging problem and often requires patch reconstruction after surgical debridement of the abscess cavity. Filling the remaining cavity with antibiotics is advocated to prevent recurrent endocarditis. This study aimed at evaluating the role of local antibiotics in patients with aortic valve infective endocarditis complicated by annular abscess. METHODS: Between January 2012 and December 2021, all consecutive patients with aortic valve infective endocarditis complicated by annular abscess undergoing cardiac surgery and annular patch reconstruction were included. Patients receiving local antibiotics were compared with patients without local antibiotics. The primary endpoints were the incidence of recurrent endocarditis, re-operation, and mortality during two-year follow-up. RESULTS: A total of 41 patients with aortic valve infective endocarditis complicated by annular abscess underwent surgical patch reconstruction after radical debridement. In total, 20 patients received local antibiotics in the abscess cavity and 21 patients were treated without local antibiotics. The most common causative microorganisms were the staphylococci species and the most common location of the abscess was the non-coronary annulus. During two-year follow-up, one patient in each group developed recurrent endocarditis (p > 0.99) and both patients were reoperated (p > 0.99). Two-year mortality was 30% in the local antibiotic group and 24% in the control group (p = 0.65). CONCLUSIONS: Radical debridement and patch reconstruction of the aortic annulus in patients with aortic valve infective endocarditis complicated by annular abscess is an effective surgical strategy. Filling of the remaining abscess cavity with antibiotic seems not to affect the rate of recurrent endocarditis, reoperation, and mortality during two-year follow-up.

Hemoadsorption Using CytoSorb® in Patients with Infective Endocarditis: A German-Based Budget Impact Analysis.

A considerable number of infective endocarditis (IE) patients require cardiac surgery with an increased risk for postoperative sepsis. Intraoperative hemoadsorption may diminish the risk of postoperative hyperinflammation with potential economic implications for intensive care unit (ICU) occupation. The present study aimed to theoretically investigate the budget impact of a reduced length of ICU stay in IE patients treated with intraoperative hemoadsorption in the German healthcare system. Data on ICU occupation were extrapolated from a retrospective study on IE patients treated with hemoadsorption. An Excel-based budget impact model was developed to simulate the patient course over the ICU stay. A base-case scenario without therapy reimbursement and a scenario with full therapy reimbursement were explored. The annual eligible German IE patient population was derived from official German Diagnostic-Related Group (DRG) volume data. One-way deterministic sensitivity analysis and multivariate analysis were performed to evaluate the uncertainty over the model results. The use of intraoperative hemoadsorption resulted in EUR 2298 being saved per patient in the base-case scenario without therapy reimbursement. The savings increased to EUR 3804 per patient in the case of full device-specific reimbursement. Deterministic and probabilistic sensitivity analyses confirmed the robustness of savings, with a probability of savings of 87% and 99% in the base-case and full reimbursement scenario, respectively. Intraoperative hemoadsorption in IE patients might have relevant economic benefits related to reduced ICU stays, resulting in improved resource use. Further evaluations in larger prospective cohorts are warranted.

Limited versus Radical Resection in Mitral Valve Infective Endocarditis Surgery.

Background: Mitral valve repair is preferred in patients undergoing surgical treatment for infective endocarditis (IE) of the native mitral valve, however, radical resection of infected tissue and patch-plasty might potentially lead to low or non-durable repair. We aimed to compare a limited-resection and non-patch technique with the classic radical-resection technique. Methods: Eligible candidates were patients with definitive IE of the native mitral valve undergoing surgery between January 2013 and December 2018. Patients were classified according to the surgical strategy into two groups: limited- versus radical-resection strategy. Propensity score matching was used. Endpoints were repair rate, all-cause mortality (30-day and 2-year), re-endocarditis and reoperation at q-year follow-up. Results: After propensity score matching, 90 patients were included. Follow-up was 100% complete. Mitral valve repair rate was 84% in the limited-resection versus 18% in the radical-resection strategy, p < 0.001. The 30-day and 2-year mortality were 20% versus 13% (p = 0.396) and 33% versus 27% (p = 0.490) in the limited-resection versus radical-resection strategy, respectively. The incidence of re-endocarditis during the 2-year follow-up was 4% in the limited-resection strategy versus 9% in the radical-resection strategy, p = 0.677. Three patients in the limited-resection strategy underwent reoperation of the mitral valve, while there were none in the radical-resection strategy (p = 0.242). Conclusions: Although mortality in patients with IE of the native mitral valve remains high, the limited-resection and non-patch surgical strategy is associated with a significantly higher repair rates with comparable 30-day and mid-term mortality, risk of re-endocarditis and re-operation compared to the radical-resection strategy.

Effect of intraoperative haemoadsorption therapy on cardiac surgery for active infective endocarditis with confirmed Staphylococcus aureus bacteraemia.

OBJECTIVES: Sepsis caused by infective endocarditis (IE), due to Staphylococcus aureus, is associated with significant morbidity and mortality. Blood purification using haemoadsorption (HA) may attenuate the inflammatory response. We investigated the effect of intraoperative HA on postoperative outcomes in S. aureus IE. METHODS: Patients with confirmed S. aureus IE undergoing cardiac surgery were included in a dual-centre study between January 2015 and March 2022. Patients treated with intraoperative HA (HA group) were compared to patients not treated with HA (control group). The primary outcome was vasoactive-inotropic score within the first 72 h postoperatively and secondary outcomes were sepsis-related mortality (SEPSIS-3 definition) and overall mortality at 30 and 90 days. RESULTS: No differences in baseline characteristics were observed between groups (haemoadsorption group, n = 75, control group, n = 55). Significantly decreased vasoactive-inotropic score was observed in the haemoadsorption group at all time points [6 h: 6.0 (0-17) vs 17 (3-47), P = 0.0014; 12 h: 2 (0-8.3) vs 5.9 (0-37), P = 0.0138; 24 h: 0 (0-5) vs 4.9 (0-23), P = 0.0064; 48 h: 0 (0-2.1) vs 0.1 (0-13), P = 0.0192; 72 h: 0 (0) vs 0 (0-5), P = 0.0014]. Importantly, sepsis-related mortality (8.0% vs 22.8%, P = 0.02) and 30-day (17.3% vs 32.7%, P = 0.03) and 90-day overall mortality (21.3% vs 40%, P = 0.03) were also significantly lower with haemoadsorption. CONCLUSIONS: Intraoperative HA during cardiac surgery for S. aureus IE was associated with significantly lower postoperative vasopressor and inotropic requirements and resulted in lower sepsis-related and overall 30- and 90-day mortality. In this high-risk population, improved postoperative haemodynamic stabilization by intraoperative HA appears to improve survival and should be further tested in future randomized trials.

Removal of Apixaban during Emergency Cardiac Surgery Using Hemoadsorption with a Porous Polymer Bead Sorbent.

Background: Patients on direct oral anticoagulants are at high risk of perioperative bleeding complications. We analyzed the results of intraoperative hemoadsorption (HA) in patients undergoing cardiac surgery who were also on concurrent therapy with apixaban. Methods: we included 25 consecutive patients on apixaban who underwent cardiac surgery with the use of cardio-pulmonary bypass (CPB) at three sites. The first 12 patients underwent surgery without hemoadsorption (controls), while the next 13 consecutive patients were operated with the Cytosorb® (Princeton, NJ, USA) device integrated into the CPB circuit (HA group). The primary outcome was perioperative bleeding assessed by the Bleeding Academic Research Consortium (BARC) definition and secondary outcomes included 24 h chest-tube-drainage (CTD) and need for 1-deamino-8-d-arginine-vasopressin (desmopressin (DDAVP)) administration to achieve hemostasis. Results: Preoperative mean daily dose of apixaban was higher in the HA group (8.5 ± 2.4 vs. 5.6 ± 2.2 mg, p = 0.005), while time since last apixaban dose was longer in the controls (1.3 ± 0.9 vs. 0.6 ± 1.2 days, p < 0.001). No BARC-4 bleeding events and no repeat-thoracotomies occurred in the HA group compared with 3 and 1, respectively, in the controls. Postoperative 24 h CTD volume was significantly lower in the HA group (510 ± 152 vs. 893 ± 579 mL, p = 0.03) and there was no need for DDAVP compared to controls, who received an average of 10 ± 13.6 mg (p = 0.01). Conclusions: In patients on apixaban undergoing emergent cardiac surgery, the intraoperative use of hemoadsorption was feasible and safe. Compared to patients operated on without hemoadsorption, BARC-4 bleeding complications did not occur and the need for 24 h CTD and DDAVP was significantly lower.

Intraoperative hemoadsorption in high-risk patients with infective endocarditis.

BACKGROUND: Postoperative sepsis is an important cause of morbidity and mortality in patients with infective endocarditis undergoing surgical therapy. Blood purification using hemoadsorption therapy shows promising results in the treatment of sepsis. In this study, the clinical effects of intraoperative hemoadsorption in high-risk patients with infective endocarditis were evaluated. METHODS: Eligible candidates were high-risk patients with infective endocarditis undergoing cardiac surgery between January 2014 and December 2019. Patients with intraoperative hemoadsorption (hemoadsorption) were compared to patients without hemoadsorption (control). The endpoints were the incidence of postoperative sepsis, sepsis-associated death and in-hospital mortality. Additionally, postoperative vasopressor need, systemic vascular resistance indices and Sequential Organ Failure Assessment (SOFA) scores were compared. RESULTS: After propensity score matching, 70 high-risk patients were included. Postoperative sepsis occurred in 14 patients in the hemoadsorption group and in 16 patients in the control group, p = 0.629. Four patients died due to postoperative sepsis in the hemoadsorption group, while 11 postoperative septic patients died in the control group, p = 0.041. In-hospital mortality was 34% in the hemoadsorption group versus 43% in the control group, p = 0.461. On ICU-admission and the first postoperative day, the cumulative vasopressor need was 0.17 versus 0.25 µg/kgBW/min, p = 0.123 and 0.06 versus 0.11 µg/kgBW/min, p = 0.037, and the systemic vascular resistance index was 1448 versus 941 dyn·s·cm-5, p = 0.013 and 1156 versus 858 dyn·s·cm-5, p = 0.110 in the hemoadsorption versus control group, respectively. Postoperative course of SOFA score normalized significantly (p = 0.01) faster in the hemoadsorption group. CONCLUSIONS: In high-risk cardiac surgical patients with infective endocarditis, intraoperative hemoadsorption significantly reduced sepsis-associated mortality. Furthermore, intraoperative hemoadsorption resulted in significant faster recovery of hemodynamics and organ function. Intraoperative hemoadsorption seems to attenuate the severity of postoperative sepsis.

Urgent Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting Complicated by Systemic Inflammatory Response from Fulminant Herpes Zoster Successfully Managed with Adjunct Extracorporeal Hemoadsorption: A Case Report.

Blood purification by hemoadsorption therapy seems to improve outcomes in selected patients undergoing cardiac surgery with cardiopulmonary bypass. Here, we report the successful application of hemoadsorption in the severe systemic inflammatory response during coronary artery bypass surgery in a patient with reactivated herpes zoster.

Extracorporeal cytokine adsorption: Significant reduction of catecholamine requirement in patients with AKI and septic shock after cardiac surgery.

BACKGROUND: Extracorporeal cytokine adsorption is an option in septic shock as an additional measure to treat a pathological immune response. Purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of extracorporeal cytokine adsorption on hemodynamic parameters in patients with acute kidney injury (AKI) on continuous renal replacement therapy (CRRT) and septic shock after cardiac surgery. METHODS: In this retrospective study, a total of 98 patients were evaluated. Hemoadsorption was performed by the CytoSorb® adsorber. In all patients cytokine adsorption was applied for at least 15 hours and at least one adsorber was used per patient. To compare cumulative inotrope need in order to maintain a mean arterial pressure (MAP) of ≥ 65 mmHg, we applied vasoactive score (VAS) for each patient before and after cytokine adsorption. A paired t-test has been performed to determine statistical significance. RESULTS: Before cytokine adsorption the mean VAS was 56.7 points. This was statistically significant decreased after cytokine adsorption (27.7 points, p< 0.0001). Before cytokine adsorption, the mean noradrenalin dose to reach a MAP of ≥ 65 mmHg was 0.49 µg/kg bw/min, the mean adrenalin dose was 0.12 µg/kg bw/min. After cytokine adsorption, significantly reduced catecholamine doses were necessary to maintain a MAP of ≥ 65 mmHg (0.24 µg/kg bw/min noradrenalin; p< 0.0001 and 0.07 µg/kg bw/min adrenalin; p < 0.0001). Moreover, there was a significant reduction of serum lactate levels after treatment (p< 0.0001). The mean SOFA-score for these patients with septic shock and AKI before cytokine adsorption was 16.7 points, the mean APACHE II-score was 30.2 points. The mean predicted in-hospital mortality rate based on this SOFA-score of 16.7 points was 77,0%, respectively 73,0% on APACHE II-score, while the all-cause in-hospital mortality rate of the patients in this study was 59.2%. CONCLUSION: In patients with septic shock and AKI undergoing cardiac surgery, extracorporeal cytokine adsorption could significantly lower the need for postoperative inotropes. Additionally, observed versus SOFA- and APACHE II-score predicted in-hospital mortality rate was decreased.

Intraoperative Hemoadsorption in Patients With Native Mitral Valve Infective Endocarditis.

BACKGROUND: Cardiac surgery in patients with infective endocarditis is associated with high mortality owing to postoperative septic multiorgan failure. Hemoadsorption therapy may improve surgical outcomes by reducing the circulating cytokines. We aimed to evaluate the clinical effects of intraoperative hemoadsorption in patients with mitral valve endocarditis. METHODS: Eligible candidates were patients with infective endocarditis of the native mitral valve undergoing cardiac surgery between January 2014 and July 2018. Patients with intraoperative hemoadsorption (hemoadsorption) were compared with surgery without hemoadsorption (control). The end points were the incidence of postoperative sepsis, sepsis-associated death, and 30-day mortality. Furthermore, postoperative need for epinephrine and norepinephrine and systemic vascular resistance were evaluated. RESULTS: A total of 58 consecutive patients were included: 30 in the hemoadsorption group and 28 in the control group. Postoperative sepsis occurred in 5 patients in the hemoadsorption group and in 11 in the control group (P = .05). No sepsis-associated death occurred in the hemoadsorption group, whereas five septic patients in the control group died (P = .02). Thirty-day mortality was 10% in the hemoadsorption group versus 18% in the control group (P = .39). On intensive care unit admission, the cumulative need for epinephrine and norepinephrine was 0.15 versus 0.24 µg/kg body weight/min (P = .01) and the median systemic vascular resistance was 1413 versus 1010 dyn·s·cm-5 (P = .02) in the hemoadsorption versus control group, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Intraoperative hemoadsorption might reduce the incidence of postoperative sepsis and sepsis-related death. In addition, patients with intraoperative hemoadsorption showed greater hemodynamic stability. These data suggest that intraoperative hemoadsorption may improve surgical outcome in patients with mitral valve endocarditis.

Outcomes of mitral valve repair in acute native mitral valve infective endocarditis.

OBJECTIVES: Mitral valve repair (MVR) is considered the treatment of choice for mitral valve (MV) regurgitation. However, MVR in acute native MV infective endocarditis is technically challenging and not commonly performed. Our goal was to report our outcomes of MVR in acute native MV infective endocarditis. METHODS: Between January 2016 and December 2017, 35 patients presenting with acute native MV infective endocarditis underwent MVR. Primary end points were successful MVR and freedom from recurrent endocarditis. Secondary end point was the postoperative incidence of major adverse events. RESULTS: The mean age was 58 ± 13 years (74% men) and the median logistic EuroSCORE was 17.1%. Twenty patients underwent isolated MVR; the other 15 patients underwent concomitant procedures. MVR was performed with removal of the vegetation (vegectomy), limited resection of the infected tissue, direct closure of the defect, besides annuloplasty in all patients. Mean intensive care and hospital stays were 5 and 17 days, respectively. All-cause mortality was 11% (4/35) at 30 days and a total of 23% (8/35) within a follow-up period of 10 ± 7.7 months. Endocarditis recurred in 2 patients 15 and 8 months after surgery, respectively. Both underwent successful MV re-repair. Follow-up echocardiography indicated none-to-trace, mild or moderate regurgitation in 15, 10 and 2 patients, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Although MVR in acute native MV infective endocarditis is a complex procedure, it offers a treatment option for such patients with acceptable short-term results. Limited resection in addition to annuloplasty is our preferred method of repair. Nevertheless, long-term results in a larger cohort are still mandatory.

Comparison of different electrocardiographic scoring systems for detection of any previous myocardial infarction as assessed with cardiovascular magnetic resonance imaging.

Although electrocardiography is frequently used as an initial test to detect or rule out previous myocardial infarction (MI), the diagnostic performance of commonly used electrocardiographic scoring systems is not well described. We aimed to determine the diagnostic accuracy of (1) the Universal Definition, (2) Minnesota ECG Code (MC), (3) Selvester QRS Score, and (4) assessment by cardiologists using late gadolinium enhancement cardiovascular magnetic resonance imaging as the reference standard. Additionally, the effect of electrocardiographic patterns and infarct characteristics on detecting previous MI was evaluated. The 3-month follow-up electrocardiograms of 78 patients with first-time reperfused ST elevation MI were pooled with electrocardiograms of 36 healthy controls. All 114 electrocardiograms were randomly analyzed, blinded to clinical and LGE-CMR data. The sensitivity of the Universal Definition, MC, Selvester QRS Score, and cardiologists to detect previous MI was 33%, 79%, 90%, and 67%, respectively; specificity 97%, 72%, 31%, and 89%, respectively; diagnostic accuracy 54%, 77%, 71%, and 74%, respectively. Probability of detecting MI by cardiologists increased with an increasing number (odds ratio [OR] 2.00, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.30 to 3.09), width (OR 1.02, 95% CI 1.01 to 1.03), and depth (OR 1.16, 95% CI 1.07 to 1.27) of Q waves as well as increasing infarct size (OR 1.15, 95% CI 1.06 to 1.25) and transmurality (OR 1.05, 95% CI 1.01 to 1.08; p <0.05 for all). The time-consuming MC and rapid visual assessment by cardiologists achieved the best and similar diagnostic accuracies to detect previous MI. The diagnostic performance of all 4 electrocardiographic scoring systems was modest and related to the number, depth, and width of Q waves as well as increasing infarct size and transmurality. In conclusion, the exclusion of a previous MI based solely on electrocardiographic findings should be done with caution. Future studies are needed to define which patients should be referred to additional diagnostic testing.