Risk factors and mortality associated with permanent pacemaker after surgical or transcatheter aortic valve replacement: Early versus late implantation.

INTRODUCTION: Inflation of transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) procedures compared to surgical aortic valve replacement (SAVR) has increased the number of patients requiring a postprocedure permanent pacemaker (PPM). We investigate the impact of PPM on mid-term mortality comparing SAVR versus TAVR procedures and risk factors for early and late (>14 days) need of PPM. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective, single-center evaluation of 903 patients that underwent either SAVR or TAVR procedures at the Yale New Haven Hospital from 2012 to 2017. Patients were stratified into PPM and non-PPM groups. We performed Kaplan-Meier and Cox proportional hazard analysis to characterize mid-term mortality. Further subgroup analysis was performed to identify risk factors for early and late PPM implantation in the TAVR cohort. RESULTS: There was no correlation between PPM implantation and mid-term mortality in both SAVR (hazard ratio [HR] = 0.69; confidence interval [CI] = 0.21-2.30; p = .56) and TAVR (HR = 0.70; CI = 0.42-1.17; p = .18) patients. The presence of the right bundle branch block (Odds ratio = 24.07; 95% CI = 2.34-247.64, p = .007) was associated with higher odds of early PPM requirement after TAVR procedures. CONCLUSION: PPM placement after SAVR or TAVR procedures is not associated with increased mid-term mortality. In-depth characterization of risk factors for early and late PPM implantation will require further analysis in the growing TAVR patient population.

Clinical Profile and Sex-Specific Recovery With Cardiac Rehabilitation After Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting Surgery.

BACKGROUND: Cardiac rehabilitation (CR) improves major adverse cardiac outcomes in patients recovering from myocardial infarction. CR influences outcomes through attenuation of cardiac risk factors, lifestyle changes, and biological effects on endothelial function. The clinical profile and sex-specific outcomes with CR after coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) is less well defined. METHODS: This retrospective cohort study of consecutive patients undergoing elective or urgent CABG was performed between 2014 and 2016 at a single site. Patients requiring concomitant procedures were excluded. Patients received referral to a 12-week, 36-session CR program standardized through the health care system and tracked via electronic health records. Clinical data and complications during hospitalization were abstracted from Society of Thoracic Surgeons (STS) registry and matched with 12-months outcomes from electronic health records. Primary composite outcomes were mortality and STS-defined complications within 12 months after CABG. Kaplan-Meier plots for mortality were generated from conditional 6-month survival data. FINDINGS: Of 756 patients undergoing CABG, 420 met the eligibility criteria (mean age, 66 years). Women (18%) had a similar cardiac risk profile to men except for a higher hemoglobin A1c level and lower hematocrit before surgery. Women had similar extent of revascularization to men but had higher rates of intraoperative (30% vs 8%; p < 0.001) and postoperative blood transfusions (43% vs 29%; p = 0.014) compared with men. Only 66% of women qualified for direct discharge to home compared with 85% of men (p = 0.0003). Twelve-month mortality was 1.3% and 2%, respectively (p > 0.05). Half of the cohort got referred for CR, and 32% of men and 23% of women underwent CR. Twelve-month composite outcomes did not differ by referral to cardiac rehabilitation (odds ratio = 0.77; 95% CI, 0.36-1.64) or engagement with CR (odds ratio = 0.67; 95% CI -0.05 to 0.086), adjusting for age, sex, body mass index, and diabetes. Kaplan-Meier analysis found no significant difference in survival between those who did and did not undergo CR. Men experienced increases in metabolic equivalents (38%, P = 0.014), grip strength (11%, P < 0.0001), and sense of physical well-being (40.9%, P < 0.0001), whereas women experienced increases in aerobic exercise duration (15.5%, P = 0.02) and a trend in improved sense for physical well-being (93.3%, P = 0.06). IMPLICATIONS: Sex differences exist with CR after CABG. Future studies should confirm these findings in larger cohorts and corroborate the effect on endothelial function and other biological markers.

Propensity-Matched 1-Year Outcomes Following Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement in Low-Risk Bicuspid and Tricuspid Patients.

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to compare 1-year outcomes after transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) in low surgical risk patients with bicuspid aortic stenosis to patients with tricuspid aortic stenosis. BACKGROUND: The pivotal TAVR trials excluded patients with bicuspid aortic valves. The Low Risk Bicuspid Study 30-day primary endpoint of death or disabling stroke was 1.3%. METHODS: The Low Risk Bicuspid Study is a prospective, single-arm, TAVR trial that enrolled patients from 25 U.S. sites. A screening committee confirmed bicuspid anatomy and valve classification on computed tomography using the Sievers classification. Valve sizing was by annular measurements. An independent clinical events committee adjudicated all serious adverse events, and an independent core laboratory assessed all echocardiograms. The 150 patients from the Low Risk Bicuspid Study were propensity matched to the TAVR patients in the randomized Evolut Low Risk Trial using the 1:1 5- to-1-digit greedy method, resulting in 145 pairs. RESULTS: All-cause mortality or disabling stroke at 1 year was 1.4% in the bicuspid and 2.8% in the tricuspid group (P = 0.413). A pacemaker was implanted in 16.6% of bicuspid and 17.9% of tricuspid patients (P = 0.741). The effective orifice area was similar between groups at 1 year (2.2 ± 0.7 cm2 vs 2.3 ± 0.6 cm2, P = 0.677) as was the mean gradient (8.7 ± 3.9 mm Hg vs 8.5 ± 3.1 mm Hg, P = 0.754). Fewer patients in the bicuspid group had mild or worse paravalvular leak (21.3% vs 42.6%, P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: There were no significant differences in clinical or forward flow hemodynamic outcomes between the propensity-matched groups at 1 year.

2-Year Outcomes After Transcatheter Versus Surgical Aortic Valve Replacement in Low-Risk Patients.

BACKGROUND: The Evolut Low Risk Trial (Medtronic Evolut Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement in Low Risk Patients) showed that transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) with a supra-annular, self-expanding valve was noninferior to surgery for the primary endpoint of all-cause mortality or disabling stroke at 2 years. This finding was based on a Bayesian analysis performed after 850 patients had reached 1 year of follow-up. OBJECTIVES: The goal of this study was to report the full 2-year clinical and echocardiographic outcomes for patients enrolled in the Evolut Low Risk Trial. METHODS: A total of 1,414 low-surgical risk patients with severe aortic stenosis were randomized to receive TAVR or surgical AVR. An independent clinical events committee adjudicated adverse events, and a central echocardiographic core laboratory assessed hemodynamic endpoints. RESULTS: An attempted implant was performed in 730 TAVR and 684 surgical patients from March 2016 to May 2019. The Kaplan-Meier rates for the complete 2-year primary endpoint of death or disabling stroke were 4.3% in the TAVR group and 6.3% in the surgery group (P = 0.084). These rates were comparable to the interim Bayesian rates of 5.3% with TAVR and 6.7% with surgery (difference: -1.4%; 95% Bayesian credible interval: -4.9% to 2.1%). All-cause mortality rates were 3.5% vs 4.4% (P = 0.366), and disabling stroke rates were 1.5% vs 2.7% (P = 0.119), respectively. Between years 1 and 2, there was no convergence of the primary outcome curves. CONCLUSIONS: The complete 2-year follow-up from the Evolut Low Risk Trial found that TAVR is noninferior to surgery for the primary endpoint of all-cause mortality or disabling stroke, with event rates that were slightly better than those predicted by using the Bayesian analysis. (Medtronic Evolut Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement in Low Risk Patients [Evolut Low Risk Trial]; NCT02701283).

The Impact of Sex on Strength Training in Adults With Cardiovascular Disease.

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the leading killer of American males and females. Outcomes of treatment for CVD have historically been worse in females than in males. The inability to recover, may be, at least in part, due to lower levels of skeletal muscle mass in females; which is made worse with the onset of menopause and especially when a catabolic event like surgery and / or illness occurs. We theorize that while regaining cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) after treatment for CVD is very important, it is only part of what is required for complete recovery. Regaining strength and muscle mass is just as important for healthy physiologic aging and recovery from illness. We outline a simply strategy for helping males and females train for strength while recovering from CVD.

An unbelievable ordeal: The experiences of adult survivors treated with extracorporeal membrane oxygenation.

BACKGROUND: Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) is a rescue treatment option for adult patients with severe cardiac dysfunction or respiratory failure. While short-term patient outcomes, such as in-hospital mortality and complications, have been widely described, little is known about the illness or recovery experience from the perspectives of survivors. Subjective reports of health are important indicators of the full, long-term impact of critical illness and treatment with ECMO on survivors' lives. OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to describe the experiences and needs of adults treated with ECMO, from onset of illness symptoms through the process of survivorship. METHODS: This study was guided by the qualitative method of interpretive description. We conducted in-depth, semistructured interviews with 16 adult survivors of ECMO who were treated at two participating regional ECMO centres in the northeast United States. Additional data were collected from demographic questionnaires, field notes, memos, and medical record review. Development of interview guides and data analysis were informed by the Family Management Style Framework. Qualitative data were analysed using thematic analysis techniques. RESULTS: The sample (n = 16) included 75% male participants; ages ranged from 23 to 65 years. Duration from hospital discharge to interviews ranged from 11 to 90 (M = 54; standard deviation = 28) months. Survivors progressed through three stages: Trauma and Vulnerability, Resiliency and Recovery, and Survivorship. Participants described short- and long-term impacts of the ECMO experience: all experienced physical challenges, two-thirds had at least one psychological or cognitive difficulty, and 25% were unable to return to work. All were deeply influenced by their own specific contexts, family support, and interactions with healthcare providers. CONCLUSIONS: The ECMO experience is traumatic and complex. Recovery requires considerable time, perseverance, and support. Long-term sequelae include impairments in cognitive, mental, emotional, physical, and social health. Survivors could likely benefit from specialised posthospital health services that include integrated, comprehensive follow-up care.

Percutaneous Coronary Intervention with Stenting versus Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting in Stable Coronary Artery Disease.

The debate over coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) or percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) with stent placement for the treatment of stable multivessel coronary artery disease (CAD) continues in spite of numerous studies investigating the issue. This paper reviews the most recent randomized control trials (RCT) and meta-analyses of pooled RCT data to help address this issue. General trends demonstrated that CABG was superior in all-cause mortality and fulfilling the need for repeat revascularization. These advantages tended to be more pronounced in multivessel CAD and diabetes, and less so in left main CAD. PCI showed a consistently lower rate of cerebrovascular events. CABG continues to offer significant advantages over PCI, even as drug-eluting stent technology continues to evolve. The ideal endpoint for comparing PCI and CABG remains to be determined. Furthermore, additional research is required to further refine patient selection criteria for each intervention.

Alternate accesses for transcatheter aortic valve replacement: A network meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: When transfemoral (TF) access is contraindicated in patients undergoing transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR), alternate access strategies are considered. The choice of one alternate access over the other remains controversial. METHODS: Following a comprehensive literature search, studies comparing any combination of TF, transapical (TA), transaortic (TAo), transcarotid (TC), and trans-subclavian (TS) TAVR were identified. Data were pooled using fixed- and random-effects network meta-analysis. Rank scores with probability ranks of different treatment groups were calculated. RESULTS: Eighty-four studies (26,449 patients) were included. Compared to TF access, TA and TAo accesses were associated with higher 30-day mortality (odds ratio [OR] 1.60, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.31-1.94; OR 1.79, 95% CI 1.21-2.66, respectively), while the TC and TS showed no difference (OR 1.12, 95% CI 0.64-1.95; OR 1.23, 95% CI 0.67-2.27, respectively); TF access ranked best followed by TC. There was no significant difference in 30-day stroke; TC access ranked best followed by TS. At a weighted mean follow-up of 1.6 years, TA and TAo accesses were associated with higher long-term mortality versus TF (incidence rate ratio [IRR] 1.31, 95% CI 1.18-1.45; IRR 1.41, 95% CI 1.11-1.79, respectively); there was no difference between TC and TS versus TF access (IRR 1.02, 95% CI 0.70-1.47; IRR 1.16, 95% CI 0.82-1.66, respectively); TF access ranked best followed by TC. At a weighted mean follow-up of 1.4 years, only TA access was associated with higher long-term stroke compared to TF (IRR 3.01, 95% CI 1.15-7.87); TF access ranked as the best strategy followed by TAo. CONCLUSION: TC and TS approaches are associated with superior postoperative outcomes compared to other TAVR alternate access strategies. Randomized trials definitively assessing the safety and efficacy of alternate access strategies are needed.

Aortic remodeling and competitive flow after surgical treatment of aortic dissection.

Aortic remodeling after dissection is poorly understood and remains a focus of current research. In the present report, we have described the cases of two patients with acute lower extremity ischemia related to malperfusion from aortic dissection treated with extra-anatomic axillobifemoral bypass. During long-term follow-up, aortic remodeling led to reinstitution of flow through the native aorta. This resulted in competitive flow, leading to complete thrombosis of the extra-anatomic conduits. These cases highlight the occurrence of spontaneous aortic recanalization and subsequent competitive flow, two vascular phenomena that are not well understood but can significantly affect patient outcomes.

Impact of Preoperative Lymphopenia on Survival Following Left Ventricular Assist Device Placement.

Lymphopenia has been implicated in poor outcomes in the heart failure population. However, the prognostic implication of lymphopenia in left ventricular assist device (LVAD) patients is unknown. We examine the impact of lymphopenia on all-cause mortality in this population over a 24-month period post-implantation. A total of 170 patients between June 2011 and July 2018 receiving permanent durable LVAD at a single center formed the study population. Criteria for lymphopenia on admission, defined as an absolute lymphocyte count (ALC) <1500 cells/µl, was met in 99 patients. A total of 11 patients were excluded: two with ALC >4800/µl and nine with incomplete data. Survival across groups was compared with a Kaplan-Meier plot and log-rank statistics. The Cox proportional hazard model was used to examine the association between lymphopenia and 24-month all-cause mortality. In the lymphopenia group, mean ALC was 909.6 ± 331.9 versus 2073.6 ± 501.1 in the non-lymphopenic group. Twenty-four-month all-cause mortality was significantly higher in the lymphopenia group (p = 0.009). The lymphopenic patients had worse unadjusted (hazard ratio [HR] = 2.14, confidence interval [CI] = 1.19-3.82; p = 0.01) and adjusted survival (HR = 2.07, CI = 1.13-3.79; p = 0.02). Further clinical investigations are required to assess the utility of continued clinical monitoring of ALC levels beyond LVAD placement.

Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement in Low-risk Patients With Bicuspid Aortic Valve Stenosis.

Importance: The outcomes of transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) in low-risk patients with bicuspid aortic valve stenosis have not been studied in a large scale, multicentered, prospective fashion. Objective: To evaluate the procedural safety, efficacy, and 30-day outcomes of TAVR in patients with bicuspid aortic stenosis at low surgical risk. Design, Setting, and Participants: The Low Risk Bicuspid Study is a prospective, single-arm trial study with inclusion/exclusion criteria developed from the Evolut Low Risk Randomized Trial. Follow-up is planned for 10 years. Patients underwent TAVR at 25 centers in the United States who were also participating in the Evolut Low Risk Randomized Trial from December 2018 to October 2019. Eligible patients had severe bicuspid aortic valve stenosis and met American Heart Association/American College of Cardiology guideline indications for aortic valve replacement. Interventions: Patients underwent attempted implant of an Evolut or Evolut PRO transcatheter aortic valve, with valve size based on annular measurements. Main Outcomes and Measures: The prespecified primary end point was the incidence of all-cause mortality or disabling stroke at 30 days. The prespecified primary efficacy end point was device success defined as the absence of procedural mortality, the correct position of 1 bioprosthetic heart valve in the proper anatomical location, and the absence of more than mild aortic regurgitation postprocedure. Results: A total of 150 patients underwent an attempted implant. Baseline characteristics include mean age of 70.3 (5.5) years, 48.0% female (n = 72), and a mean Society of Thoracic Surgeons score of 1.4 (0.6%). Most patients (136; 90.7%) had Sievers type I valve morphology. The incidence of all-cause mortality or disabling stroke was 1.3% (95% CI, 0.3%-5.3%) at 30 days. The device success rate was 95.3% (95% CI, 90.5%-98.1%). At 30 days, the mean (SD) AV gradient was 7.6 (3.7) mm Hg and effective orifice area was 2.3 (0.7) cm2. A new permanent pacemaker was implanted in 22 patients (15.1%). No patients had greater than mild paravalvular leak. Conclusions and Relevance: Transcatheter aortic valve replacement in low-surgical risk patients with bicuspid aortic valve stenosis achieved favorable 30-day results, with low rates of death and stroke and high device success rate. Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT03635424.

Three-Year Outcomes With a Contemporary Self-Expanding Transcatheter Valve From the Evolut PRO US Clinical Study.

BACKGROUND: Paravalvular regurgitation (PVR) following transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) is associated with increased morbidity and mortality. PVR continues to plague TAVR jeopardizing long-term results. New device iterations, such as the self-expandable Evolut PRO valve, aim to decrease PVR while maintaining optimal hemodynamics. This study sought to evaluate clinical and hemodynamic performance of the Evolut PRO system at 3 years. METHODS: The Evolut PRO US Clinical Study included 60 patients at high or extreme surgical risk undergoing TAVR with the Evolut PRO valve at 8 centers in the United States. Clinical outcomes were evaluated using Valve Academic Research Consortium (VARC)-2 criteria and included all-cause mortality, cardiovascular mortality, disabling stroke and valve complications. An independent core laboratory centrally assessed all echocardiographic measures. RESULTS: At 3 years, all-cause mortality was 25.8% (cardiovascular mortality 16.5%) and the disabling stroke rate was 10.7%. There were no cases of repeat valve intervention, endocarditis or coronary obstruction. Valve thrombosis was identified in 1 patient 2 years post-procedure and was treated medically. Hemodynamics at 3 years included a mean gradient of 7.2 ± 4.5 mm Hg, an effective orifice area of 2.0 ± 0.5 cm2, and 88.2% of patients had no or trace PVR. The remaining patients had mild PVR. Most of the surviving patients (80.6%) had New York Heart Association class I symptoms at 3 years. CONCLUSION: Outcomes at 3-years following TAVR with a contemporary self-expanding prosthesis are favorable, with no signal of valve deterioration, excellent hemodynamics including very low prevalence of PVR.

Snare-assisted thoracic endovascular aortic repair for redirection of a false lumen elephant trunk.

In recent years, a hybrid approach to the classic two-stage elephant trunk technique has come into favor for treatment of thoracic aortic dissection. During the first stage, inadvertent intraoperative placement of the elephant trunk into the false lumen can occur on rare occasions, resulting in untoward difficulties during the second stage of the procedure. We describe here a snare-assisted technique for endovascular salvage of an elephant trunk that had inadvertently been placed in the false lumen of a chronic aortic dissection.

Inconsistent Addiction Treatment for Patients Undergoing Cardiac Surgery for Injection Drug Use-associated Infective Endocarditis.

INTRODUCTION: Cases of surgical injection drug use-associated infective endocarditis (IDU-IE) are on the rise, amid the US opioid epidemic. We aimed to describe nature of perioperative addiction treatment for these patients. METHODS: This is a retrospective review of 56 surgical IDU-IE from 2011 to 2016 at a tertiary care center. Data collected included substances used, documented psychosocial consultations (social work or psychiatry), medications for addiction and evidence of enrollment in a drug rehabilitation program after discharge.Among patients with active drug use (ADU), we compared the 24-month survival of those who received comprehensive addiction treatment, defined as both psychosocial consultation and medications for opioid use disorder to that of those who received partial or no treatment. RESULTS: Out of 56 patients, 42 (75%, n = 56) received a psychosocial consultation, 23 (41.1%, n = 56) received medications for opioid use disorder and 15 (26.8% n = 56) attended a drug rehabilitation program.Forty-two patients had ADU. Among those, 20 (47.6%, n = 42) received comprehensive addiction treatment, while 28 (52.4%, n = 42) received partial or no treatment, and 10 (23.8%, n = 42) attended drug rehabilitation. Most patients with ADU who attended drug rehabilitation (9, 90%) had received comprehensive addiction treatment. All patients with ADU who received comprehensive addiction treatment were alive after 24-months, while 7 patients (25%, n = 28) who received partial or no treatment were not. CONCLUSION: Addiction treatment was inconsistent for surgical IDU-IE patients. Comprehensive addiction treatment predicted drug rehabilitation attendance, and was protective against 24-month mortality. Implementing protocols for comprehensive perioperative addiction treatment in IDU-IE patients is of the utmost importance.

Impact of Repositioning on Outcomes Following Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement With a Self-Expandable Valve.

OBJECTIVES: This study sought to compare outcomes following transcatheter aortic valve replacement when valve repositioning was performed (repositioned group) versus procedures without repositioning (nonrepositioned group). BACKGROUND: The Evolut R and Evolut PRO valves were designed to allow repositioning during deployment, yet the effect of repositioning on clinical outcomes remains unclear. METHODS: Patients implanted with the Evolut R or PRO valve from the SURTAVI (Surgical Replacement and Transcatheter Aortic Valve Implantation) trial continued access study and the Evolut Low Risk Trial between June 2016 and November 2018 were combined. Baseline multidetector computed tomography data were analyzed for the Evolut Low Risk Trial patients. The primary outcomes were the rate of all-cause mortality and the rate of disabling stroke 30 days. Secondary outcomes were per Valve Academic Research Consortium-2. RESULTS: The Evolut R or PRO valve was implanted in 946 patients, and repositioning was performed in 318 (33.6%). Compared with patients in the nonrepositioned group, patients in the repositioned group had lower Society of Thoracic Surgeons score (2.3 ± 1.3% vs. 2.6 ± 1.4%; p < 0.001) and fewer prior percutaneous coronary interventions (11.9% vs. 19.7%; p = 0.003). There were no differences in baseline multidetector computed tomography parameters between groups. There were no differences in the primary outcome of death (0.3% vs. 0.3%; p = 0.99) or disabling stroke (0.3% vs. 0.5%; p = 0.71) at 30 days or 1 year (1.9% vs. 2.9%; p = 0.44; and 0.8% vs. 0.9%%; p = 0.79, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: The utilization of the repositioning feature of the Evolut valves was safe, and no differences in death or disabling stroke were observed at 30 days or 1 year between groups. (Medtronic Evolut Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement in Low Risk Patients; NCT02701283; Safety and Efficacy Study of the Medtronic CoreValve® System In the Treatment of Severe, Symptomatic Aortic Stenosis in Intermediate Risk Subjects Who Need Aortic Valve Replacement [SURTAVI]; NCT01586910).

Trends in Infective Endocarditis Hospitalizations, Characteristics, and Valve Operations in Patients With Opioid Use Disorders in the United States: 2005-2014.

Background To evaluate changes in patient characteristics and outcomes for infective endocarditis (IE) related to opioid use disorder (OUD), we used the National (Nationwide) Inpatient Sample (NIS) to characterize the trend in hospitalizations for patients with IE with and without OUD and those treated medically and surgically. Methods and Results Temporal trends in hospitalization characteristics for patients with IE with and without OUD and those treated medically and surgically were estimated via the NIS data in 2005-2014. Hospitalizations for OUD and IE increased from 119 to 202 and from 12 to 15 cases per 100 000 between 2005 and 2014, respectively. Hospitalizations with OUD among all IE hospitalizations increased from 6.3% in 2005 to 11.6% in 2014. Among all IE hospitalizations, patients being admitted for IE in the setting of OUD were younger compared with the cohort of IE without OUD (aged 37.6±0.21 years versus 60.9±0.16 years). Myocardial infarction, diabetes mellitus, chronic kidney disease, peripheral vascular disease, and heart failure were more common in patients without OUD. The OUD cohort more frequently had liver disease (46.0% versus 10.8%) and immunosuppressed status (4.3% versus 2.1%). Valve operations for IE accounted for 10.2% of all valve operations in 2005, and this increased to 12.7% in 2014. These proportions were similar between OUD (11.4%) and non-OUD (11.1%) cohorts. Operative mortality was lower in patients with OUD (4.3% versus 9.4%, P<0.001). Conclusions IE associated with OUD has a distinct phenotype and has become more prevalent. Surgical outcomes are favorable and operations were performed in similar proportions of patients who had IE with OUD compared with patients who had IE without OUD.

Incidence and characteristics of hospitalization for proximal aortic surgery for acute syndromes and for aneurysms in the USA from 2005 to 2014.

OBJECTIVES: The effectiveness of proximal thoracic aortic aneurysm (TAA) surgery in preventing acute aortic syndromes, such as dissection and rupture, is unknown at the populational level. This study evaluated trends in acute aortic syndrome operation incidence relative to proximal aortic surgical volume in the USA. METHODS: A retrospective analysis of the National Inpatient Sample in 2005-2014 was performed. Acute aortic syndrome and TAA were identified with International Classification of Diseases, 9th edition diagnosis codes. Proximal aortic surgery was defined as the diagnosis of acute aortic syndrome or TAA with an aortic procedure and either cardioplegia, cardiopulmonary bypass or other cardiac operation. Annual rates of acute aortic syndrome surgery and proximal thoracic aneurysm surgery were adjusted for US population. Trends were evaluated using linear regression. RESULTS: We identified 38 442 operations for acute aortic diagnoses and 74 953 operations for TAAs. Case volume for acute aortic syndromes increased from 0.93 to 1.63 per 100 000 (P = 0.001), and aneurysm surgery increased from 1.75 to 3.19 per 100 000 (P < 0.001). Patient and hospital characteristics differed between acute aortic and aneurysm operations, with black patients being most notably underrepresented in the aneurysm population (4.9% vs 17.0%, P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Acute aortic syndrome operative volume increased from 2005 to 2014 despite increasing rates of proximal aortic aneurysm surgery. Patient characteristic discrepancies were observed between the 2 groups of hospitalizations, highlighting the need for continued efforts to minimize sociodemographic disparities.

Survival of the Fittest: Impact of Cardiorespiratory Fitness on Outcomes in Men and Women with Cardiovascular Disease.

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) in general and myocardial infarction in particular are the leading causes of mortality in men and women globally. Sex differences in CVD recovery exist, with higher rates of mortality, recurrent myocardial infarction, and poor functional outcomes seen in women compared to men with CVD. Physical inactivity has been identified as a crucial modifiable risk factor linked with poor survival and recovery in patients with CVD. Cardiac rehabilitation programs that aim to improve physical inactivity and cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF), a measure of physical fitness in patients with CVD, have gained popularity. The goals of this commentary were to summarize the existing literature on the impact of CRF on survival in patients with CVD, to document the impact of sex on CVD outcomes, and to highlight any gaps in current knowledge. Even minor improvements in CRF have been linked with improved survival, although contemporary data from randomized controlled trials have shown mixed results. Gender differences in cardiac rehabilitation have been well documented, with lower referral, enrollment, and completion rates noted in women compared to men with CVD. However, data on sex differences in CRF with cardiac rehabilitation are scant, mostly indicating lower peak CRF observed in female compared to male patients on completion. It is unclear whether similar thresholds of peak CRF are needed in male and female patients to improve survival after onset of CVD, and whether exercise prescriptions need to be adapted to include additional forms of exercise. CRF is also influenced by age, with a decline in peak exercise capacity with advancing age observed in both sexes, but steeper declines noted in men than women. From this perspective, we review the data intersecting age, sex, and exercise on survival in patients with CVD, as well as the biological mechanisms at play, and we identify areas for future research (Clin Ther. 2020; 42:XXX-XXX) © 2020 Elsevier Inc.

Persistence of risk of death after hospital discharge to locations other than home after cardiac surgery.

OBJECTIVE: Temporal changes in the risk of postoperative death following cardiac surgery are uncharacterized. We aimed to quantify the duration of postoperative phase with elevated risk of death in patients who underwent cardiac surgery and were discharged to home and destinations other than home. METHOD: We conducted a retrospective cohort study of 6894 patients who underwent cardiac surgery between 2008 and 2016 at a tertiary care center in the United States. Logistic regression models with restricted cubic splining along the days since hospital discharge were fitted for risk of death in patients who were discharged to home and those discharged to destinations other than home. The splining curves were analyzed to quantify the duration of postoperative high-risk phase in each cohort. RESULTS: Mortality rate was significantly higher in the nonhome cohort compared with those discharged to home at 365 days following hospital discharge (9.3% vs 2.1%; P < .001). Discharge to destinations other than home was an independent predictor of late death (hazard ratio, 1.36; 95% confidence interval, 1.15-1.61; P < .001). Analysis of restricted cubic splining curves demonstrated that the postoperative phase with elevated risk of death persisted for 80.3 days in nonhome discharge cohorts, whereas a comparable phase was nonexistent in patients who went home. Predictors of nonhome discharge were identified, with combination of preoperative and postoperative variables yielding C statistics of 0.83. CONCLUSIONS: Hospital discharges to locations other than home following cardiac surgery were associated with an increased risk of late mortality. The postoperative high-risk phase persisted for 80 days in patients who were discharged to locations other than home, supporting the use of 90-day outcome measures as quality metrics. Predictors of discharge to locations other than home were identified, and this may aid in selective intervention to reduce the risk of death in this vulnerable patient population.