Transcatheter aortic valve replacement achieves similar predicted effective orifice area to surgical aortic valve replacement in bicuspid aortic stenosis.

BACKGROUND: Studies comparing transcatheter and surgical aortic valve replacement (TAVR and SAVR) for patients with trileaflet aortic stenosis (AS) have found similar or larger effective orifice area (EOA) for TAVR prostheses. To our knowledge, no studies have compared EOA in patients undergoing TAVR versus SAVR for bicuspid AS. METHODS: We retrospectively compared prosthetic valvular sizing and predicted EOA for patients with bicuspid AS undergoing TAVR or SAVR at our institution between January 1, 2016, and December 31, 2021. We excluded patients undergoing procedures for indications other than AS and those without a pre-procedural gated Chest CT. Comparisons included demographics, comorbidities, annular size, prosthetic valve size, predicted EOA and prosthesis-patient mismatch (PPM) for TAVR (N = 78) and SAVR (N = 74) cohorts. RESULTS: TAVR patients had smaller pre-procedural annular area (501.7 mm2 vs. 571.8 mm2, p < 0.05) and annular perimeter (80.6 mm vs. 86.5 mm, p < 0.05), but larger mean implanted prosthetic valve size (26.4 mm vs 24.2 mm, p < 0.001) compared to SAVR patients. No differences were observed in predicted EOA, predicted EOA indexed to patient body surface area (EOAi), or predicted PPM grade between TAVR and SAVR groups, including in cohorts sorted by pre-procedural annular size. CONCLUSIONS: For bicuspid AS patients undergoing aortic valve replacement, TAVR achieves similar predicted EOA to SAVR. These data support the use of TAVR in selected patients with bicuspid AS and can inform heart team discussions.

Management of spontaneous coronary artery dissection: Trends over time.

BACKGROUND: Spontaneous coronary artery dissection (SCAD) is an increasingly recognized cause of acute coronary syndrome. Guidance regarding the optimal management of patients with SCAD has been published over the past 10 years, but the impact on clinical practice has not been evaluated. The present study aims to examine if approaches to invasive management, medical therapy, and vascular imaging have changed over time. METHODS: This is a retrospective cohort study of 157 patients treated for SCAD between 2005 and 2019 at an academic health system in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. We aimed to examine change in management over time, including rates of coronary revascularization, discharge medications, and vascular imaging. RESULTS: Conservative management of SCAD increased over time from 35% before 2013 to 89% in 2019, p < 0.001. Revascularization was associated with younger age, pregnancy-associated SCAD, and lesions of the left main artery, left anterior descending artery, and multiple vessels, p < 0.05 for all. Partial imaging for extracoronary vascular abnormalities ranged from 33% before 2013 to 71% in 2018, p = 0.146. The rate of comprehensive vascular imaging (cross-sectional head to pelvis imaging) remained low in all time categories (10-18%) and did not change over time. Patients who underwent comprehensive imaging were more likely to be diagnosed with fibromuscular dysplasia (FMD) compared to those with partial imaging (63% vs 15%, p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: Management of spontaneous coronary artery dissection has changed over time. More patients are being managed conservatively and undergo screening for extracoronary vascular abnormalities such as FMD. Future efforts should focus on improving rates of comprehensive vascular screening.

Timing and Outcomes After Coronary Angiography Following Out-of-Hospital Cardiac Arrest Without Signs of ST-Segment Elevation Myocardial Infarction.

BACKGROUND: There is broad consensus that resuscitated out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) should receive immediate coronary angiography (CAG); however, factors that guide patient selection and optimal timing of CAG for post-arrest patients without evidence of STEMI remain incompletely described. OBJECTIVE: We sought to describe the timing of post-arrest CAG in actual practice, patient characteristics associated with decision to perform immediate vs. delayed CAG, and patient outcomes after CAG. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective cohort study at seven U.S. academic hospitals. Resuscitated adult patients with OHCA were included if they presented between January 1, 2015 and December 31, 2019 and received CAG during hospitalization. Emergency medical services run sheets and hospital records were analyzed. Patients without evidence of STEMI were grouped and compared based on time from arrival to CAG performance into "early" (≤ 6 h) and "delayed" (> 6 h). RESULTS: Two hundred twenty-one patients were included. Median time to CAG was 18.6 h (interquartile range [IQR] 1.5-94.6 h). Early catheterization was performed on 94 patients (42.5%) and delayed catheterization was performed on 127 patients (57.5%). Patients in the early group were older (61 years [IQR 55-70 years] vs. 57 years [IQR 47-65] years) and more likely to be male (79.8% vs. 59.8%). Those in the early group were more likely to have clinically significant lesions (58.5% vs. 39.4%) and receive revascularization (41.5% vs. 19.7%). Patients were more likely to die in the early group (47.9% vs. 33.1%). Among survivors, there was no significant difference in neurologic recovery at discharge. CONCLUSIONS: OHCA patients without evidence of STEMI who received early CAG were older and more likely to be male. This group was more likely to have intervenable lesions and receive revascularization.

Racial, Ethnic, and Socioeconomic Inequities in Access to Left Atrial Appendage Occlusion.

Background Inequitable access to high-technology therapeutics may perpetuate inequities in care. We examined the characteristics of US hospitals that did and did not establish left atrial appendage occlusion (LAAO) programs, the patient populations those hospitals served, and the associations between zip code-level racial, ethnic, and socioeconomic composition and rates of LAAO among Medicare beneficiaries living within large metropolitan areas with LAAO programs. Methods and Results We conducted cross-sectional analyses of Medicare fee-for-service claims for beneficiaries aged 66 years or older between 2016 and 2019. We identified hospitals establishing LAAO programs during the study period. We used generalized linear mixed models to measure the association between zip code-level racial, ethnic, and socioeconomic composition and age-adjusted rates of LAAO in the most populous 25 metropolitan areas with LAAO sites. During the study period, 507 candidate hospitals started LAAO programs, and 745 candidate hospitals did not. Most new LAAO programs opened in metropolitan areas (97.4%). Compared with non-LAAO centers, LAAO centers treated patients with higher median household incomes (difference of $913 [95% CI, $197-$1629], P=0.01). Zip code-level rates of LAAO procedures per 100 000 Medicare beneficiaries in large metropolitan areas were 0.34% (95% CI, 0.33%-0.35%) lower for each $1000 zip code-level decrease in median household income. After adjustment for socioeconomic markers, age, and clinical comorbidities, LAAO rates were lower in zip codes with higher proportions of Black or Hispanic patients. Conclusions Growth in LAAO programs in the United States had been concentrated in metropolitan areas. LAAO centers treated wealthier patient populations in hospitals without LAAO programs. Within major metropolitan areas with LAAO programs, zip codes with higher proportions of Black and Hispanic patients and more patients experiencing socioeconomic disadvantage had lower age-adjusted rates of LAAO. Thus, geographic proximity alone may not ensure equitable access to LAAO. Unequal access to LAAO may reflect disparities in referral patterns, rates of diagnosis, and preferences for using novel therapies experienced by racial and ethnic minority groups and patients experiencing socioeconomic disadvantage.

Loss of Right Atrial Pacing Lead Capture Due to Myocardial Infarction Obscuring Diagnosis on Electrocardiogram.

Right coronary artery occlusion can lead to failure to capture from the right atrial pacing lead. In this case, acute infarction resulted in failure of the right atrial lead to capture and thus increased right ventricular pacing. The new ventricular pacing masked the diagnosis of acute myocardial infarction. (Level of Difficulty: Intermediate.).

Clinical factors associated with significant coronary lesions following out-of-hospital cardiac arrest.

OBJECTIVES: Out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) afflicts >350,000 people annually in the United States. While postarrest coronary angiography (CAG) with percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) has been associated with improved survival in observational cohorts, substantial uncertainty exists regarding patient selection for postarrest CAG. We tested the hypothesis that symptoms consistent with acute coronary syndrome (ACS), including chest discomfort, prior to OHCAs are associated with significant coronary lesions identified on postarrest CAG. METHODS: We conducted a multicenter retrospective cohort study among eight regional hospitals. Adult patients who experienced atraumatic OHCA with successful initial resuscitation and subsequent CAG between January 2015 and December 2019 were included. We collected data on prehospital documentation of potential ACS symptoms prior to OHCA as well as clinical factors readily available during postarrest care. The primary outcome in multivariable regression modeling was the presence of significant coronary lesions (defined as >50% stenosis of left main or >75% stenosis of other coronary arteries). RESULTS: Four-hundred patients were included. Median (interquartile range) age was 59 (51-69) years; 31% were female. At least one significant stenosis was found in 62%, of whom 71% received PCI. Clinical factors independently associated with a significant lesion included a history of myocardial infarction (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] = 6.5, [95% confidence interval {CI} = 1.3 to 32.4], p = 0.02), prearrest chest discomfort (aOR = 4.8 [95% CI = 2.1 to 11.8], p ≤ 0.001), ST-segment elevations (aOR = 3.2 [95% CI = 1.7 to 6.3], p < 0.001), and an initial shockable rhythm (aOR = 1.9 [95% CI = 1.0 to 3.4], p = 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Among survivors of OHCA receiving CAG, history of prearrest chest discomfort was significantly and independently associated with significant coronary artery lesions on postarrest CAG. This suggests that we may be able to use prearrest symptoms to better risk stratify patients following OHCA to decide who will benefit from invasive angiography.

Incidence, Predictors, and Outcomes of Acute Kidney Injury in Patients Undergoing Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement: Insights From the Society of Thoracic Surgeons/American College of Cardiology National Cardiovascular Data Registry-Transcatheter Valve Therapy Registry.

[Figure: see text].

Evolution and Outcomes of Premature Coronary Artery Disease.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: The purpose of this review is to explore the evolution and outcomes of premature coronary artery disease (PCAD) while reviewing strategies for effective screening of those at high risk for developing this disease. RECENT FINDINGS: Premature coronary artery disease (PCAD) affects a population of patients not typically identified as high risk by current risk stratification guidelines or traditional risk calculation tools. Not only does PCAD represent a large proportion of overall cardiovascular disease, it also afflicts a population in which the rate of mortality from cardiovascular disease has plateaued despite an overall declining population-wide cardiovascular mortality rate. There is ample opportunity for behavioral change strategies, screening tools, adapted imaging modalities, and precision pharmacotherapies to be more precisely targeted toward those at highest risk for premature coronary artery disease. Premature coronary artery disease (PCAD) is pervasive and not frequently represented within contemporary risk calculation models. Providers should pursue proactive screening and aggressive risk factor modification and deploy appropriate preventative therapies in caring for younger populations.

Transcatheter mitral valve replacement: latest advances and future directions.

Mitral regurgitation remains the most common form of valve disease worldwide and given an aging population with a significant proportion of secondary mitral regurgitation, a transcatheter approach to mitral valve replacement has become a major goal of the transcatheter therapeutics field. Mitral regurgitation can be caused by disease of the leaflets (primary) or by diseases of the left atrium or left ventricle (LV) (secondary or functional), and may involve overlap of the two (mixed disease). The location of the mitral valve (and large size), the approach to anchoring a valve replacement, and concerns about left ventricular outflow tract (LVOT) obstruction are all issues that have made the transcatheter delivery of a valve replacement challenging. Despite these challenges, both transapical and transseptal devices are currently being developed, with several in early feasibility trials and several entering pivotal trials. As the field of transcatheter mitral valve replacement (TMVR) improves and develops, a critical part of evaluating patients with mitral valve disease will be utilizing the heart team approach to identify and individualize the most appropriate treatment for each patient.

Oral anticoagulant use in patients with atrial fibrillation and mitral valve repair.

BACKGROUND: Patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) who have undergone mitral valve repair are at risk for thromboembolic strokes. Prior to 2019, only vitamin K antagonists were recommended for patients with AF who had undergone mitral valve repair despite the introduction of direct oral anticoagulants (DOAC) in 2010. OBJECTIVE: To characterize the use of anticoagulants in patients with AF who underwent surgical mitral valve repair (sMVR) or transcatheter mitral valve repair (tMVR). METHODS: We performed a retrospective cohort analysis of patients with AF undergoing sMVR or tMVR between 04/2014 and 12/2018 using Optum's de-identified Clinformatics® Data Mart Database. We identified anticoagulants prescribed within 90 days of discharge from hospitalization. RESULTS: Overall, 1997 patients with AF underwent valve repair: 1560 underwent sMVR, and 437 underwent tMVR. The mean CHA2DS2-VASc score among all patients was 4.1 (SD 1.9). The overall use of anticoagulation was unchanged between 2014 (72.2%) and 2018 (70.0%) (P = .49). Among patients who underwent sMVR or tMVR between April 2014 and December 2018, the use of VKA therapy decreased from 62.9% to 32.1% (P < .01 for trend) and the use of DOACs increased from 12.4% to 37.3% (P < .01 for trend). CONCLUSIONS: Among patients with AF who underwent sMVR or tMVR between 2014 and 2018, roughly 30% of patients were not treated with any anticoagulant within 90 days of discharge, despite an elevated stroke risk in the cohort. The rate of DOAC use increased steadily over the study period but did not significantly increase the rate of overall anticoagulant use in this high-risk cohort.

Transcatheter Mitral Valve Replacement: Rationale and Current Status.

Mitral regurgitation (MR) is the most prevalent form of moderate or severe valve disease in the developed world. MR can result from impairment of any part of the mitral valve apparatus and is classified as primary (disease of the leaflets) or secondary (functional). The presence of at least moderate MR is associated with increased morbidity and mortality. With the goal of avoiding the risks of traditional surgery, transcatheter mitral valve therapies have been developed. The current transcatheter repair techniques are limited by therapeutic target and incomplete MR reduction, and thus transcatheter mitral valve replacement (TMVR) has been pursued. Several devices (both transapical and transseptal) are under development, with both early feasibility and pivotal trials under way. As this field develops, the decision to treat with TMVR will require a heart team approach that takes patient-, disease-, and device-specific factors into account.

Strategies for radiation exposure-sparing in fluoroscopically guided invasive cardiovascular procedures.

BACKGROUND: Minimizing radiation exposure during x-ray fluoroscopically guided procedures is critical to patients and to medical personnel. Tableside adjustment of x-ray image acquisition parameters can vary the fluoroscopic radiation exposure rate. OBJECTIVES: To determine the impact of adjusting four tableside controllable image acquisition parameters on x-ray fluoroscopic radiation exposure rate. METHODS: We made fluoroscopic exposures of a standard radiologic phantom to measure radiation exposure rates as kerma•area product per second of exposure and milligray per x-ray pulse under all possible combinations of detector zoom mode, collimated image field size, fluoroscopy dose mode, and fluoroscopy pulse frequency. RESULTS: Kerma•area product per second was linearly proportional to pulse frequency. Selecting larger detector zoom modes, smaller collimated image field sizes and low dose fluoroscopy mode each decreased exposure rate. We found a > 20-fold variation in dose rates over the range of acquisition parameter combinations. CONCLUSIONS: Selecting the most appropriate fluoroscopy acquisition parameters enables physician operators to adjust radiation exposure rates over a large range. Judicious selection of acquisition parameters can reduce patient and medical personnel radiation exposure by as much as 95% compared to "standard" fluoroscopy protocol settings.