In-hospital outcomes with extracorporeal membrane oxygenation alone versus combined with percutaneous left ventricular assist device.

BACKGROUND: Veno-arterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) is associated with increased afterload and hindered myocardial recovery. Adding a percutaneous left ventricular assist device (pLVAD) to ECMO is one strategy to unload the left ventricle. We evaluated in-hospital outcomes in cardiogenic shock patients treated with ECMO alone versus ECMO plus pLVAD. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective study using the National Inpatient Sample database from 2011 to 2019. Logistic regression analysis was performed to adjust for covariates. RESULTS: 20,171 patients were included. 16,064 (79.6 %) patients received ECMO alone and 4107 (20.4 %) patients received ECMO plus pLVAD. The ECMO plus pLVAD group had higher rates of mortality, stroke, acute kidney injury, pericardial complications, and vascular complications. After adjusting for covariates, combined therapy was associated with higher rates of mortality (OR 1.2; 95 % CI [1.1-1.3]) and stroke (OR 1.3; 95 % CI [1.2-1.5]), however lower bleeding (OR 0.7; 95 % CI [0.68-0.81]) (p < 0.001 for all). After adjusting for covariates, a subgroup analysis of 5019 patients with acute coronary syndrome cardiogenic shock (ACS-CS) demonstrated higher rates of mortality (OR 1.3; 95 % CI [1.2-1.5]) and stroke (OR 1.7; 95 % CI [1.4-2.1]; p < 0.001 for all) with combined therapy, however similar rates of bleeding compared to ECMO alone (OR 0.95; 95 % CI [0.8-1.1]; p = 0.54). CONCLUSIONS: In the overall group, ECMO plus pLVAD was associated with increased mortality and stroke, however decreased bleeding. In a sub-group of ACS-CS, ECMO plus pLVAD was associated with increased mortality and stroke, however similar rates of bleeding compared to ECMO alone.

Evaluation of Inpatient Sodium-Glucose Co-Transporter-2 Inhibitor Use in Patients Hospitalized for Acute Heart Failure.

Hospitalization for acute heart failure (HF) represents an important opportunity for initiation and up-titration of guideline-directed medical therapy. This study aimed to determine whether sodium-glucose co-transporter-2 inhibitor (SGLT2I) use is safe in patients hospitalized for acute HF and whether its use is associated with improved clinical outcomes. We conducted a single-center, retrospective cohort study of adults hospitalized for acute HF with any ejection fraction and separated them into 2 matched groups based on inpatient SGLT2I use. The matching yielded 110 patients in the SGLT2I group and 110 patients in the control group. A total of 101 patients (91.8%) in the SGLT2I group were treated with dapagliflozin, whereas 9 (8.2%) were treated with empagliflozin. The mean age was 71 years, 37.7% were women, 70.9% were White, 22.7% were Black, and 64.1% were Hispanic or Latino. The length of stay was 10 days in the SGLT2I group and 11 days in the control group (p = 0.43). A total of 2 patients (1.8%) in the SGLT2I group and 13 patients (11.8%) in the control group died within 30 days of discharge (hazard ratio 0.15, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.03 to 0.66, p = 0.012). A total of 17 patients (15.5%) in the SGLT2I group and 11 patients (10.0%) in the control group had an all-cause readmission within 30 days (hazard ratio 1.58, 95% CI 0.74 to 3.37, p = 0.239). In addition, 11 patients (10.0%) in the SGLT2I group and 3 patients (2.7%) in the control group had an HF readmission within 30 days (hazard ratio 3.75, 95% CI 1.05 to 13.44, p = 0.042). Acute kidney injury (54.5% vs 18.2%, p <0.001) and hypotension (12.7% vs 2.7%, p = 0.005) occurred significantly more frequently in the control group. In conclusion, SGLT2I use in patients hospitalized for acute HF was associated with decreased 30-day all-cause mortality and lower rates of acute kidney injury and hypotension; however, the rate of 30-day HF readmission increased.

Role for advanced heart failure therapies in the management of influenza B-associated fulminant myocarditis with recovery.

A woman presented to the emergency department for syncope after developing influenza-like symptoms. She tested positive for influenza B. The patient rapidly decompensated into cardiogenic shock over 2 days, requiring aggressive pharmacological therapy and temporary mechanical circulatory support. She made a full recovery. This case highlights the importance of early intervention, urgent transplant evaluation and guideline directed medical therapy in the treatment of fulminant myocarditis secondary to influenza B infection.

Leadless pacemaker in heart transplantation: a case report and literature review.

Our case demonstrates the safe and effective use of a leadless pacemaker in a heart transplant recipient. A man in his 60s with a history of heart transplantation with biatrial anastomosis 7 months prior presented to the emergency department after several syncopal episodes. Telemetry monitoring revealed a paroxysmal complete atrioventricular block. Given his immunocompromised state and prior dual chamber pacemaker extraction at the time of heart transplantation, the patient underwent successful implantation of a leadless pacemaker. Over the past 5 years since device implantation, the patient has not had any syncopal events nor has he had any device-related complications, such as infection.

Safety and Efficacy of Traditional Heart Failure Therapies in Patients With Cardiac Amyloidosis and Heart Failure.

Randomized controlled trials have demonstrated mortality benefits for several medication classes in patients with heart failure (HF), especially with reduced ejection fraction (EF). However, the benefit of these traditional HF therapies in patients with HF from cardiac amyloidosis is unclear. our study aimed to evaluate the safety and efficacy of traditional HF therapies in patients with cardiac amyloidosis and HF with reduced EF or HF with mid-range EF (HFmrEF). We conducted a single-center retrospective study. Patients were included if they were diagnosed with cardiac amyloidosis and HF with reduced EF or HF with mid-range EF between January 2012 and 2022. The primary outcomes of interest were medication use patterns (for ß blockers [BB], angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors [ACEI], angiotensin receptor blockers [ARBs], angiotensin receptor neprilysin inhibitors [ARNI], and mineralocorticoid receptor antagonists [MRAs]); potential medication side effects (symptomatic bradycardia, fatigue, hypotension, lightheadedness, and syncope); hospitalization; and death. The associations of BB, ACEI/ARB/ARNI, and MRA use with clinical outcomes were evaluated using Kaplan-Meier and Cox proportional hazards regression. A total of 82 patients met study criteria. At time of cardiac amyloidosis diagnosis, 63.4% were on a BB, 51.2% were on an ACEI/ARB/ARNI, and 43.9% were on an MRA. At last follow-up, 51.2% were on a BB, 35.4% were on an ACEI/ARB/ARNI, and 43.9% were on an MRA. There were no statistically significant differences in rates of potential medication side effects in patients on the medication class compared with those who were not. There was no association with hospitalization or mortality for baseline or follow-up BB, ACEI/ARB/ARNI, or MRA use. In conclusion, BBs, ACEI/ARB/ARNIs, and MRAs may be safely used in this population. However, their use does not appear to improve mortality or hospitalization.

Enterocutaneous fistula formation after cardiac transplantation due to injury from LVAD driveline migration.

A man in his early 20s with heart failure with reduced ejection fraction secondary to non-compaction cardiomyopathy (Titin (TTN) gene mutation positive) was transitioned from left ventricular assist device (LVAD) mechanical support to heart transplantation. Transplantation was successful; however, LVAD explantation resulted in innumerable complications secondary to penetration of the driveline into the peritoneal cavity. He developed an enterocutaneous fistula which led to concurrent malnutrition, poor wound healing, systemic infection, and allograft rejection in a patient less than 1 month after heart transplantation on immunosuppression.

Role of wearable devices in cardiac telerehabilitation: A scoping review.

BACKGROUND: Cardiac rehabilitation (CR) is an evidence-based comprehensive program that includes exercise training, health education, physical activity promotion, and extensive counseling for the management of cardiovascular risk factors. Wearable devices monitor certain physiological functions, providing biometric data such as heart rate, movement, sleep, ECG analysis, blood pressure, energy expenditure, and numerous other parameters. Recent evidence supports wearable devices as a likely relevant component in cardiovascular risk assessment and disease prevention. The purpose of this scoping review is to better understand the role of wearable devices in home-based CR (HBCR) and to characterize the evidence regarding the incorporation of wearable devices in HBCR programs and cardiovascular outcomes. METHODS & FINDINGS: We created a search strategy for multiple databases, including PubMed, Embase (Elsevier), CINAHL (Ebsco), Cochrane CENTRAL (Wiley), and Scopus (Elsevier). Studies were included if the patients were eligible for CR per Medicare guidelines and >18 years of age and if some type of wearable device was utilized during HBCR. Our search yielded 57 studies meeting all criteria. The studies were classified into 4 groups: patients with coronary heart disease (CHD) without heart failure (HF); patients with HF; patients with heart valve repair or replacement; and patients with exposure to center-based CR. In three groups, there was an upward trend toward improvement in quality of life (QOL) and peak VO2, less sedentary time, and an increase in daily step count in the intervention groups compared to control groups. CONCLUSIONS: HBCR using wearable devices can be a comparable alternative or adjunct to center-based CR for patients with CHD and HF. More studies are needed to draw conclusions about the comparability of HBCR to center-based CR in patients with heart valve repair or replacement.

Driveline erosion of the colon as a late complication of LVAD implantation.

A 69-year-old man with ischemic cardiomyopathy underwent left ventricular assist device (LVAD) implantation as destination therapy. One month after LVAD placement, the patient reported abdominal pain with driveline site purulence. Serial wound and blood cultures were positive for various Gram-positive and Gram-negative organisms. Abdominal imaging revealed a possible intracolonic course of the driveline at the splenic flexure, but there were no imaging findings suggestive of bowel perforation. A colonoscopy did not identify a perforation. The patient was treated with antibiotics but continued to experience driveline infections over the next 9 months until frank stool started draining from the driveline exit site. Our case illustrates driveline erosion of the colon causing the insidious formation of an enterocutaneous fistula and highlights a rare late complication of LVAD therapy. Learning objective: Colonic erosion by the driveline can cause enterocutaneous fistula formation over a period of months. A change from typical infectious organisms for driveline infection should prompt investigation of a gastrointestinal source. In cases where computed tomography of the abdomen does not show perforation and there is concern for an intracolonic course of the driveline, colonoscopy or laparoscopy may be diagnostic.

A review of biomarker and imaging monitoring to predict heart failure recovery.

Heart failure is a clinical syndrome caused by structural cardiac abnormalities that lead to increased intracardiac pressures and decreased cardiac output. Following cardiovascular insult or direct myocardial injury, neurohormonal activation triggers hemodynamic changes and cardiac remodeling to preserve cardiac output. While initially adaptive, cardiac remodeling eventually causes pathologic changes in cardiac structure that often compromise cardiac function. Reverse remodeling is the regression of abnormal cardiac chamber geometry and function after myocardial injury. In recent years, several classes of therapeutics have been associated with greater likelihood of reverse remodeling. Heart failure recovery and heart failure remission, terms encompassing the clinical correlates of reverse remodeling, have been associated with improved survival in patients with heart failure with reduced ejection. As such, identifying predictors of heart failure recovery can have important implications for guiding clinical practice and therapeutic innovation. This review addresses the role of biomarkers and imaging monitoring in predicting structural, functional, and clinical recovery in patients with acute and chronic heart failure.

Bladder squamous cell carcinoma in situ in the background of condyloma acuminatum in a kidney transplant recipient.

Condyloma acuminatum with synchronous squamous cell carcinoma in situ (CIS) rarely occurs in the bladder. In developed countries, bladder squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) is uncommon. Among the various noninvasive squamous bladder lesions, there is significant morphological overlap, which further complicates accurate diagnosis. Immunosuppression and human papilloma virus increase the risk of bladder condyloma acuminatum, which has a strong association with bladder SCC. Herein, we describe a case of a 79-year-old man with a history of end-stage renal disease with kidney transplantation and anal SCC who presented with bladder squamous cell CIS arising in the background of condyloma acuminatum.

Achalasia as an Unusual Cause of Acute Cellular Rejection of a Transplanted Heart.

A 68-year-old female with end-stage heart failure presented to the hospital for heart transplant. She was diagnosed with achalasia 14 months prior and treated with frequent botulinum toxin injections. She underwent orthotopic heart transplant on the day of admission and was extubated a few days later. She developed intractable nausea and vomiting. Her first endomyocardial biopsy revealed moderate, approaching severe rejection. She was treated with high-dose intravenous pulse steroids. Fluoroscopy at the time of follow-up biopsy showed undigested pills in her esophagus with narrowing at the distal end and thus failure to deliver immunosuppressive therapy. This case highlights achalasia as an etiology for acute rejection and its potential management.