Influence of Gender in Advanced Heart Failure Therapies and Outcome Following Transplantation.

Biological differences between males and females change the course of different diseases and affect therapeutic measures' responses. Heart failure is not an exception to these differences. Women account for a minority of patients on the waiting list for heart transplantation or other advanced heart failure therapies. The reason for this under-representation is unknown. Men have a worse cardiovascular risk profile and suffer more often from ischemic heart disease. Conversely, transplanted women are younger and more frequently have non-ischemic cardiac disorders. Women's poorer survival on the waiting list for heart transplantation has been previously described, but this trend has been corrected in recent years. The use of ventricular assist devices in women is progressively increasing, with comparable results than in men. The indication rate for a heart transplant in women (number of women on the waiting list for millions of habitants) has remained unchanged over the past 25 years. Long-term results of heart transplants are equal for both men and women. We have analyzed the data of a national registry of heart transplant patients to look for possible future directions for a more in-depth study of sex differences in this area. We have analyzed 1-year outcomes of heart transplant recipients. We found similar results in men and women and no sex-related interactions with any of the factors related to survival or differences in death causes between men and women. We should keep trying to approach sex differences in prospective studies to confirm if they deserve a different approach, which is not supported by current evidence.

Gender differences in heart transplantation: Twenty-five year trends in the nationwide Spanish heart transplant registry.

The study of gender differences may lead into improvement in patient care. We have aimed to identify the gender differences in heart transplantation (HT) of adult HT recipients in Spain and their evolution in a study covering the years 1993-2017 in which 6740 HT (20.6% in women) were performed. HT indication rate per million inhabitants was lower in women, remaining basically unchanged during the 25-year study period. HT rate was higher in men, although this decreased over the 25-year study period. Type of heart disease differed in men versus women (p < .001): ischemic heart disease 47.6% versus 22.5%, dilated cardiomyopathy 41.3% versus 34.6%, or other 36% versus 17.8%, respectively. Men were more frequently diabetics (18% vs. 13.1% p < .001), hypertensives (33.1% vs. 24% p < .001), and smokers (21.7% vs. 12.9% p < .001), respectively. Women had more pre-HT malignancies (7.1% vs. 2.8% p < .001), and their clinical status was worse at HT due to renal function and mechanical ventilation. Adjusted survival (p = .198) and most of the mortality-related variables were similar in men and women. Death occurred more frequently in women due to rejection (7.9% vs. 5.1% p < .001) and primary failure (18.2% vs. 12.5% p < .001) and in men due to malignancies (15.1% vs. 6.6% p < .001).

Cold ischemia >4 hours increases heart transplantation mortality. An analysis of the Spanish heart transplantation registry.

BACKGROUND: Cold ischemia time (CIT) has been associated to heart transplantation (HT) prognosis. However, there is still uncertainty regarding the CIT cutoff value that might have relevant clinical implications. METHODS: We analyzed all adults that received a first HT during the period 2008-2018. CIT was defined as the time between the cross-clamp of the donor aorta and the reperfusion of the heart. Primary outcome was 1-month mortality. RESULTS: We included 2629 patients, mean age was 53.3 ± 12.1 years and 655 (24.9%) were female. Mean CIT was 202 ± 67 min (minimum 20 min, maximum 600 min). One-month mortality per CIT quartile was 9, 12, 13, and 19%. One-year mortality per CIT quartile was 16, 19, 21, and 28%. CIT was an independent predictor of 1-month mortality, but only in the last quartile of CIT >246 min (odds ratio 2.1, 95% confidence interval 1.49-3.08, p < .001). We found no relevant differences in CIT during the study period. However, the impact of CIT in 1-month and 1-year mortality decreased with time (p value for the distribution of ischemic time by year 0.01), particularly during the last 5 years. CONCLUSIONS: Although the impact of CIT in HT prognosis seems to be decreasing in the last years, CIT in the last quartile (>246 min) is associated with 1-month and 1-year mortality. Our findings suggest the need to limit HT with CIT > 246 min or to use different myocardial preservation systems if the expected CIT is >4 h.

Venoarterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation with or without simultaneous intra-aortic balloon pump support as a direct bridge to heart transplantation: results from a nationwide Spanish registry.

OBJECTIVES: To investigate the potential clinical benefit of an intra-aortic balloon pump (IABP) in patients supported with venoarterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (VA-ECMO) as a bridge to heart transplantation (HT). METHODS: We studied 169 patients who were listed for urgent HT under VA-ECMO support at 16 Spanish institutions from 2010 to 2015. The clinical outcomes of patients under simultaneous IABP support (n = 73) were compared to a control group of patients without IABP support (n = 96). RESULTS: There were no statistically significant differences between the IABP and control groups with regard to the cumulative rates of transplantation (71.2% vs 81.2%, P = 0.17), death during VA-ECMO support (20.6% vs 14.6%, P = 0.31), transition to a different mechanical circulatory support device (5.5% vs 5.2%, P = 0.94) or weaning from VA-ECMO support due to recovery (2.7% vs 0%, P = 0.10). There was a higher incidence of bleeding events in the IABP group (45.2% vs 25%, P = 0.006; adjusted odds ratio 2.18, 95% confidence interval 1.02-4.67). In-hospital postoperative mortality after HT was 34.6% in the IABP group and 32.5% in the control group (P = 0.80). One-year survival after listing for urgent HT was 53.3% in the IABP group and 52.2% in the control group (log rank P = 0.75). Multivariate adjustment for potential confounders did not change this result (adjusted hazard ratio 0.94, 95% confidence interval 0.56-1.58). CONCLUSIONS: In our study, simultaneous IABP therapy in transplant candidates under VA-ECMO support did not significantly reduce morbidity or mortality.

Evolución a corto y medio plazo del infarto agudo de miocardio transmural en mujeres ancianas. ¿Son tratadas correctamente? / Short- and mid-term outcomes of Q-wave acute myocardial infarction in elderly women. Are they receiving appropriate treatment?

Objetivos: dado que el infarto agudo de miocardio (IAM) con onda Q es una afección con elevada mortalidad en mujeres ancianas, intentamos conocer cuál es su evolución actual, su tratamiento y los factores que condicionan el pronóstico. Material y métodos: estudio descriptivo que incluyó a todas las mujeres >= 75 años con diagnóstico de IAM transmural en el período 2002-2005. Se analizaron las variables epidemiológicas, clínicas, complicaciones vasculares y la evolución durante la estancia intrahospitalaria y a medio plazo. Se compararon estas variables según hubieran recibido en fase aguda terapia de reperfusión o no, y se registró el motivo de no recibir ese tratamiento. Resultados: se incluyó a 152 mujeres; la edad media fue de 82,2 ± 6,2 años. Un 34,2% eran diabéticas y con IAM anterior en el 40,8%; el 27% tenía un grado Killip III-IV. Se realizó tratamiento de revascularización en fase aguda al 21,1%. La mortalidad intrahospitalaria fue del 25,8% y la acumulada a 6 meses del 37,3%. La incidencia de eventos mayores al año fue 43,8%. No recibir terapia de reperfusión estuvo condicionado por. la edad, el bloqueo de la rama izquierda, la demora en acudir al hospital y por decisión médica. La mortalidad fue 3,3 veces menor en el grupo tratado, aunque con un riesgo relativo de complicación hemorrágica del 2,5. Además de la ausencia de tratamiento revascularizador, el grado Killip y la fracción de eyección fueron predictores independientes de mortalidad. Conclusiones: el IAM en las ancianas continúa siendo una afección con elevada morbimortalidad. A pesar del beneficio observado, estas pacientes reciben escasa terapia de reperfusión en fase aguda, aunque no existe contraindicación formal en la mitad de los casos

Objectives: Q-wave acute myocardial infarction leads to high mortality in elderly women. The aim of this study was to determine current outcomes, treatment and prognostic factors in these patients. Material and methods: all women aged >=75 with Q-wave acute myocardial infarction admitted to our hospital from 2002-2005 were included in this descriptive study. Epidemiological and clinical variables, vascular complications, intra-hospital outcomes, and mid-term follow-up were analyzed and compared depending on whether reperfusion therapy was administered on admission or not. The reasons for not administering this therapy were recorded. Results: we included 152 women. The mean age was 82.2 years (SD 6.2). A total of 34.2% had diabetes and 40.8% had anterior myocardial infarction. Killip class III-IV was found in 27.0%. Reperfusion therapy was administered to 21.1% of the patients. Intra-hospital mortality was 25.8% and 6-month mortality was 37.3%. The incidence of major cardiac events at 1 year was 43.8%. Non-administration of reperfusion therapy was related to age, left bundle-branch block, delayed admission, and medical decision. Mortality was 3.3 times lower in treated patients, although the relative risk of hemorrhagic complications was 2.5 times higher than that in non-treated patients. Independent predictors of mortality were lack of reperfusion therapy, high Killip class on admission, and low ejection fraction. Conclusions: acute myocardial infarction in elderly women continues to cause high morbidity and mortality. Reperfusion therapy is little used in this group of patients, despite the observed benefits. Half these patients have no contraindications for reperfusion therapy

Muerte súbita, taponamiento y síndrome coronario agudo como manifestación clínica de un aneurisma coronario gigante / Sudden death, tamponade and acute coronaey syndrome as the clinical presentation of a giant coronary aneurysm

Los aneurismas coronarios son una patología infrecuente (0,5-3 por ciento de incidencia). Suelen asociarse con estenosis coronarias y la aterosclerosis es la etiología más frecuente. Nuestro paciente debutó con muerte súbita. Posteriormente presentó taponamiento cardíaco y a las 24 horas desarrolló un IAM inferior. La coronariografía mostró una gran dilatación esferoidal (4,5 × 5 cm) en la coronaria derecha proximal. Se trató con resección del aneurisma y puente aortocoronario. La evolución suele ser asintomática. La rotura o la muerte súbita son formas raras de presentación. La actitud conservadora es el tratamiento más comúnmente aplicado. La indicación quirúrgica dependerá de la presencia de estenosis coronarias asociadas o de la existencia de complicaciones.

Muerte súbita, taponamiento y síndrome coronario agudo como manifestación clínica de un aneurisma coronario gigante / Sudden death, tamponade and acute coronaey syndrome as the clinical presentation of a giant coronary aneurysm

Los aneurismas coronarios son una patología infrecuente (0,5-3 por ciento de incidencia). Suelen asociarse con estenosis coronarias y la aterosclerosis es la etiología más frecuente. Nuestro paciente debutó con muerte súbita. Posteriormente presentó taponamiento cardíaco y a las 24 horas desarrolló un IAM inferior. La coronariografía mostró una gran dilatación esferoidal (4,5 Î 5 cm) en la coronaria derecha proximal. Se trató con resección del aneurisma y puente aortocoronario. La evolución suele ser asintomática. La rotura o la muerte súbita son formas raras de presentación. La actitud conservadora es el tratamiento más comúnmente aplicado. La indicación quirúrgica dependerá de la presencia de estenosis coronarias asociadas o de la existencia de complicaciones.(AU)