Considerations in the Diagnosis and Management of Pulmonary Hypertension Associated With Left Heart Disease.

Pulmonary hypertension associated with left heart disease (PH-LHD) remains the most common cause of pulmonary hypertension globally. Etiologies include heart failure with reduced and preserved ejection fraction and left-sided valvular heart diseases. Despite the increasing prevalence of PH-LHD, there remains a paucity of knowledge about the hemodynamic definition, diagnosis, treatment modalities, and prognosis among clinicians. Moreover, clinical trials have produced mixed results on the usefulness of pulmonary vasodilator therapies for PH-LHD. In this expert review, we have outlined the critical role of meticulous hemodynamic evaluation and provocative testing for cases of diagnostic uncertainty. Therapeutic strategies-pharmacologic, device-based, and surgical therapies used for managing PH-LHD-are also outlined. PH-LHD in advanced heart failure, and the role of mechanical circulatory support in PH-LHD is briefly explored. An in-depth understanding of PH-LHD by all clinicians is needed for improved recognition and outcomes among patients with PH-LHD.

Machine learning of ECG waveforms and cardiac magnetic resonance for response and survival after cardiac resynchronization therapy.

Cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) can lead to marked symptom reduction and improved survival in selected patients with heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF); however, many candidates for CRT based on clinical guidelines do not have a favorable response. A better way to identify patients expected to benefit from CRT that applies machine learning to accessible and cost-effective diagnostic tools such as the 12-lead electrocardiogram (ECG) could have a major impact on clinical care in HFrEF by helping providers personalize treatment strategies and avoid delays in initiation of other potentially beneficial treatments. This study addresses this need by demonstrating that a novel approach to ECG waveform analysis using functional principal component decomposition (FPCD) performs better than measures that require manual ECG analysis with the human eye and also at least as well as a previously validated but more expensive approach based on cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR). Analyses are based on five-fold cross validation of areas under the curve (AUCs) for CRT response and survival time after the CRT implant using Cox proportional hazards regression with stratification of groups using a Gaussian mixture model approach. Furthermore, FPCD and CMR predictors are shown to be independent, which demonstrates that the FPCD electrical findings and the CMR mechanical findings together provide a synergistic model for response and survival after CRT. In summary, this study provides a highly effective approach to prognostication after CRT in HFrEF using an accessible and inexpensive diagnostic test with a major expected impact on personalization of therapies.

A meta-analysis of left ventricular dysfunction in ankylosing spondylitis.

Ankylosing spondylitis (AS) is a chronic inflammatory arthritis affecting the spine, presenting a considerable morbidity risk. Although evidence consistently indicates an elevated risk of ischemic heart disease among AS patients, debates persist regarding the likelihood of these patients developing left ventricular dysfunction (LVD). Our investigation aimed to determine whether individuals with AS face a greater risk of LVD compared to the general population. To accomplish this, we identified studies exploring LVD in AS patients across five major databases and Google Scholar. Initially, 431 studies were identified, of which 30 met the inclusion criteria, collectively involving 2933 participants. Results show that AS patients had: (1) poorer Ejection Fraction (EF) [mean difference (MD): -0.92% (95% CI: -1.25 to -0.59)], (2) impaired Early (E) and Late (atrial-A) ventricular filling velocity (E/A) ratio [MD: -0.10 m/s (95% CI: -0.13 to -0.08)], (3) prolonged deceleration time (DT) [MD: 12.30 ms (95% CI: 9.23-15.36)] and, (4) a longer mean isovolumetric relaxation time (IVRT) [MD: 8.14 ms (95% CI: 6.58-9.70)] compared to controls. Though AS patients show increased risks of both systolic and diastolic LVD, we found no significant differences were observed in systolic blood pressure [MD: 0.32 mmHg (95% Confidence Interval (CI): -2.09 to 2.73)] or diastolic blood pressure [MD: 0.30 mmHg (95% CI: -0.40 to 1.01)] compared to the general population. This study reinforces AS patients' susceptibility to LVD without a notable difference in HTN risk.

Association between social vulnerability index and admission urgency for transcatheter aortic valve replacement.

Background: Transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) are not offered equitably to vulnerable population groups. Adequate levels of insurance may narrow gaps among patients with higher social vulnerability index (SVI). Among a national population of individuals with commercial or Medicare insurance, we sought to determine whether SVI was associated with urgency of receipt of TAVR for aortic stenosis. Methods and results: Using Optum's de-identified Clinformatics Data Mart Database (CDM), we identified admissions for TAVR with aortic stenosis between January 2018 and March 2022. Admission urgency was identified by CDM claims codes. SVI was cross-referenced to patient zip codes and grouped into quintiles. Generalized linear mixed effects models were used to predict the probability of a TAVR admission being urgent based on SVI quintiles, adjusting for patient and hospital-level covariates. Results: Among 6680 admissions for TAVR [median age 80 years (interquartile range 75-85), 43.9 % female], 8.5 % (n = 567) were classified as urgent. After adjusting for patient and hospital-level variables, there were no significant differences in the odds of urgent admission for TAVR according to SVI quintiles [OR 5th (greatest social vulnerability) vs 1st quintile (least social vulnerability): 1.29 (95 % CI: 0.90-1.85)]. Conclusions: Among commercial or Medicare beneficiaries with aortic stenosis, SVI was not associated with admission urgency for TAVR. To clarify whether cardiovascular care delivery is improved across SVI with higher paying beneficiaries, future investigation should identify whether relationships between SVI and TAVR urgency vary for Medicaid beneficiaries compared to commercial beneficiaries.

Differences in Donor Heart Acceptance by Race and Gender of Patients on the Transplant Waiting List.

Importance: Barriers to heart transplant must be overcome prior to listing. It is unclear why Black men and women remain less likely to receive a heart transplant after listing than White men and women. Objective: To evaluate whether race or gender of a heart transplant candidate (ie, patient on the transplant waiting list) is associated with the probability of a donor heart being accepted by the transplant center team with each offer. Design, Setting, and Participants: This cohort study used the United Network for Organ Sharing datasets to identify organ acceptance with each offer for US non-Hispanic Black (hereafter, Black) and non-Hispanic White (hereafter, White) adults listed for heart transplant from October 18, 2018, through March 31, 2023. Exposures: Black or White race and gender (men, women) of a heart transplant candidate. Main Outcomes and Measures: The main outcome was heart offer acceptance by the transplant center team. The number of offers to acceptance was assessed using discrete time-to-event analyses, nonparametrically (stratified by race and gender) and parametrically. The hazard probability of offer acceptance for each offer was modeled using generalized linear mixed models adjusted for candidate-, donor-, and offer-level variables. Results: Among 159 177 heart offers with 13 760 donors, there were 14 890 candidates listed for heart transplant; 30.9% were Black, 69.1% were White, 73.6% were men, and 26.4% were women. The cumulative incidence of offer acceptance was highest for White women followed by Black women, White men, and Black men (P < .001). Odds of acceptance were less for Black candidates than for White candidates for the first offer (odds ratio [OR], 0.76; 95% CI, 0.69-0.84) through the 16th offer. Odds of acceptance were higher for women than for men for the first offer (OR, 1.53; 95% CI, 1.39-1.68) through the sixth offer and were lower for the 10th through 31st offers. Conclusions and Relevance: The cumulative incidence of heart offer acceptance by a transplant center team was consistently lower for Black candidates than for White candidates of the same gender and higher for women than for men. These disparities persisted after adjusting for candidate-, donor-, and offer-level variables, possibly suggesting racial and gender bias in the decision-making process. Further investigation of site-level decision-making may reveal strategies for equitable donor heart acceptance.

Characterizing advanced heart failure risk and hemodynamic phenotypes using interpretable machine learning.

BACKGROUND: Although previous risk models exist for advanced heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF), few integrate invasive hemodynamics or support missing data. This study developed and validated a heart failure (HF) hemodynamic risk and phenotyping score for HFrEF, using Machine Learning (ML). METHODS: Prior to modeling, patients in training and validation HF cohorts were assigned to 1 of 5 risk categories based on the composite endpoint of death, left ventricular assist device (LVAD) implantation or transplantation (DeLvTx), and rehospitalization in 6 months of follow-up using unsupervised clustering. The goal of our novel interpretable ML modeling approach, which is robust to missing data, was to predict this risk category (1, 2, 3, 4, or 5) using either invasive hemodynamics alone or a rich and inclusive feature set that included noninvasive hemodynamics (all features). The models were trained using the ESCAPE trial and validated using 4 advanced HF patient cohorts collected from previous trials, then compared with traditional ML models. Prediction accuracy for each of these 5 categories was determined separately for each risk category to generate 5 areas under the curve (AUCs, or C-statistics) for belonging to risk category 1, 2, 3, 4, or 5, respectively. RESULTS: Across all outcomes, our models performed well for predicting the risk category for each patient. Accuracies of 5 separate models predicting a patient's risk category ranged from 0.896 +/- 0.074 to 0.969 +/- 0.081 for the invasive hemodynamics feature set and 0.858 +/- 0.067 to 0.997 +/- 0.070 for the all features feature set. CONCLUSION: Novel interpretable ML models predicted risk categories with a high degree of accuracy. This approach offers a new paradigm for risk stratification that differs from prediction of a binary outcome. Prospective clinical evaluation of this approach is indicated to determine utility for selecting the best treatment approach for patients based on risk and prognosis.

Central Sleep Apnea in Patients With Coronary Heart Disease Taking P2Y12 Inhibitors.

ABSTRACT: Central sleep apnea (CSA) is common in patients with heart failure. Recent studies link ticagrelor use with CSA. We aimed to evaluate CSA prevalence in patients with coronary heart disease (CHD) and whether ticagrelor use is associated with CSA. We reviewed consecutive patients with CHD who underwent a polysomnography (PSG) test over a 5-year period from 3 sleep centers. We sampled patients who were on ticagrelor or clopidogrel during a PSG test at a 1:4 ticagrelor:clopidogrel ratio. Patients with an active opioid prescription during PSG test were excluded. Age, left ventricle (LV) dysfunction, and P2Y12 inhibitor use were included in a multivariate logistic regression. A total of 135 patients were included with 26 on ticagrelor and 109 on clopidogrel (age 64.1 ± 11.4, 32% male). High CSA burden (12%) and strict CSA (4.4%) were more common in patients on ticagrelor than in those on clopidogrel (27% vs. 8.3% and 10.0% vs. 1.8%). Ticagrelor use (vs. clopidogrel) was associated with high CSA burden (OR 3.53, 95% CI 1.04-12.9, P = 0.039) and trended toward significance for strict CSA (OR 6.32, 95% CI 1.03-51.4, P = 0.052) when adjusting for age and LV dysfunction. In an additional analysis also adjusting for history of atrial fibrillation, ticagrelor use and strict CSA became significantly associated (OR 10.0, 95% CI 1.32-117, P = 0.035). CSA was uncommon in patients with CHD undergoing sleep studies. Ticagrelor use (vs. clopidogrel) was associated with high CSA burden and trended toward significance for strict CSA.

Obesity in heart failure with preserved ejection fraction: Insights from the REDUCE LAP-HF II trial.

AIMS: Obesity is causally related to the development of heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) but complicates the diagnosis and treatment of this disorder. We aimed to determine the relationship between severity of obesity and clinical, echocardiographic and haemodynamic parameters in a large cohort of patients with documented HFpEF. METHODS AND RESULTS: The REDUCE LAP-HF II trial randomized 626 patients with ejection fraction ≥40% and exercise pulmonary capillary wedge pressure (PCWP) ≥25 mmHg to atrial shunt or sham procedure. We tested for associations between body mass index (BMI), clinical characteristics, cardiac structural and functional abnormalities, physical limitations, quality of life and outcomes with atrial shunt therapy. Overall, 60.9% of patients had BMI ≥30 kg/m2 . As the severity of obesity increased, symptoms (Kansas City Cardiomyopathy Questionnaire score) and 6-min walk distance worsened. More severe obesity was associated with lower natriuretic peptide levels despite more cardiac remodelling, higher cardiac filling pressures, and higher cardiac output. Lower cut points for E/e' were needed to identify elevated PCWP in more obese patients. Strain measurements in all four chambers were maintained as BMI increased. Pulmonary vascular resistance at rest and exercise decreased with higher BMI. Obesity was associated with more first and recurrent heart failure events. However, there was no significant interaction between obesity and treatment effects of the atrial shunt. CONCLUSIONS: Increasing severity of obesity was associated with greater cardiac remodelling, higher right and left ventricular filling pressures, higher cardiac output and increased subsequent heart failure events. Despite significant obesity, many HFpEF patients have preserved right heart and pulmonary vascular function and thus, may be appropriate candidates for atrial shunt therapy.

Echocardiographic derived pulmonary artery wedge pressure is associated with mortality, heart hospitalizations, and functional capacity in chronic systolic heart failure: insights from the HF-ACTION trial.

BACKGROUND: Heart Failure (HF) is associated with increased morbidity and mortality. Identification of patients at risk for adverse events could lead to improved outcomes. Few studies address the association of echocardiographic-derived PAWP with exercise capacity, readmissions, and mortality in HF. METHODS: HF-ACTION enrolled 2331 outpatients with HF with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF) who were randomized to aerobic exercise training versus usual care. All patients underwent baseline echocardiography. Echocardiographic-derived PAWP (ePAWP) was assessed using the Nagueh formula. We evaluated the relationship between ePAWP to clinical outcomes. RESULTS: Among the 2331 patients in the HF-ACTION trial, 2125 patients consented and completed follow-up with available data. 807 of these patients had complete echocardiographic data that allowed the calculation of ePAWP. Of this cohort, mean age (SD) was 58 years (12.7), and 255 (31.6%) were female. The median ePAWP was 14.06 mmHg. ePAWP was significantly associated with cardiovascular death or HF hospitalization (Hazard ratio [HR] 1.02, coefficient 0.016, CI 1.002-1.030, p = 0.022) and all-cause death or HF hospitalization (HR 1.01, coefficient 0.010, CI 1.001-1.020, p = 0.04). Increased ePAWP was also associated with decreased exercise capacity leading to lower peak VO2 (p = < 0.001), high Ve/VCO2 slope (p = < 0.001), lower exercise duration (p = < 0.001), oxygen uptake efficiency (p = < 0.001), and shorter 6-MWT distance (p = < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Among HFrEF patients, echocardiographic-derived PAWP was associated with increased mortality, reduced functional capacity and heart failure hospitalization. ePAWP may be a viable noninvasive marker to risk stratify HFrEF patients.

Change in Systemic Arterial Pulsatility Index (SAPi) during Heart Failure Hospitalization is Associated with Improved Outcomes.

Study Objective: To identify Change in Systemic Arterial Pulsatitlity index (ΔSAPi) as a novel hemodynamic marker associated with outcomes in heart failure (HF). Design: The ESCAPE trial was a randomized controlled trial. Setting: The ESCAPE trial was conducted at 26 sites. Participants: 134 patients were analyzed (mean age 56.8 ± 13.4 years, 29% female). Interventions: We evaluated the change in SAPi, ([systemic pulse pressure/pulmonary artery wedge pressure) obtained at baseline and at the final hemodynamic measurement in the ESCAPE trial. Main Outcome Measures: Change in SAPi, (ΔSAPi), was analyzed for the primary outcomes of death, heart transplant, left ventricular assist device (DTxLVAD) or hospitalization, (DTxLVADHF) and secondary outcome of DTxLVAD using Cox proportional hazards regression. Results: Median change in SAPi was 0.81 (IQR 0.20-1.68). ΔSAPi in uppermost quartile was associated with reductions in DTxLVADHF (HR 0.55 [95% CI 0.32, 0.93]). ΔSAPi in the uppermost and lowermost quartiles combined was similarly associated with significant reductions in DTxLVADHF (HR 0.62 [95% CI 0.41, 0.94]). ΔSAPi higher than 1.17 was associated with improved DTxLVADHF. ΔSAPi was also associated with troponin levels at discharge (regression coefficient p = 0.001) and trended with 6-minute walk at discharge (Spearman correlation r = 0.179, p = 0.058). Conclusion: ΔSAPi was strongly associated with improved HF clinical profile and adverse outcomes. These findings support further exploration of Δ SAPi in the risk stratification of HF.

Cardiac Magnetic Resonance, Electromechanical Activation, Kidney Function, and Natriuretic Peptides in Cardiac Resynchronization Therapy Upgrades.

As the mechanism for worse prognosis after cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) upgrades in heart failure patients with RVP dependence (RVP-HF) has clinical implications for patient selection and CRT implementation approaches, this study's objective was to evaluate prognostic implications of cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) findings and clinical factors in 102 HF patients (23.5% female, median age 66.5 years old, median follow-up 4.8 years) with and without RVP dependence undergoing upgrade and de novo CRT implants. Compared with other CRT groups, RVP-HF patients had decreased survival (p = 0.02), more anterior late-activated LV pacing sites (p = 0.002) by CMR, more atrial fibrillation (p = 0.0006), and higher creatinine (0.002). CMR activation timing at the LV pacing site predicted post-CRT LV functional improvement (p < 0.05), and mechanical activation onset < 34 ms by CMR at the LVP site was associated with decreased post-CRT survival in a model with higher pre-CRT creatinine and B-type natriuretic peptide (AUC 0.89; p < 0.0001); however, only the higher pre-CRT creatinine partially mediated (37%) the decreased survival in RVP-HF patients. In conclusion, RVP-HF had a distinct CMR phenotype, which has important implications for the selection of LV pacing sites in CRT upgrades, and only chronic kidney disease mediated the decreased survival after CRT in RVP-HF.

Association Between Race, Cardiology Care, and the Receipt of Guideline-Directed Medical Therapy in Peripartum Cardiomyopathy.

BACKGROUND: Black patients with peripartum cardiomyopathy (PPCM) have disproportionately worse outcomes than White patients, possibly related to variable involvement of cardiovascular specialists in their clinical care. We sought to determine whether race was associated with cardiology involvement in clinical care during inpatient admission and whether cardiology involvement in care was associated with higher claims of guideline-directed medical therapy (GDMT) a week after hospital discharge. METHODS: Using Optum's de-identified Clinformatics® Data Mart (CDM), we included Black and White patients' first hospital admission for PPCM from 2008 to 2021. Cardiology involvement in clinical care was defined as the receipt of attending care from a cardiovascular specialist during admission. GDMT included beta-blockers (BB) for all patients and triple therapy (BB, angiotensin-responsive medications, and mineralocorticoid receptor antagonists) for non-pregnant patients. Logistic regression was used to determine the associations between cardiology involvement in clinical care during admission and (1) patient race and (2) GDMT prescription, adjusting for age and comorbidities. RESULTS: Among 668 patients (32.6% Black, 67.4% White, 93.3% commercially insured), there was no significant difference in the odds of cardiology involvement in clinical care by race (aOR: 1.41; 95%CI: 0.87-2.33, P=0.17). Inpatient cardiology care was associated with 2.75 times increased odds of having a prescription claim for GDMT (BB) for White patients (aOR: 2.75; 95%CI 1.50-5.06, P=0.001), and the estimated effect size was similar but not statistically significant for Black patients (aOR: 2.20, 95% CI, 0.84-5.71, P=0.11). The interaction between race and cardiology involvement in clinical care was not statistically significant for the receipt of BB prescription. Among 274 non-pregnant patients with PPCM (37.2% Black, 62.8% White), 5.8% received triple GDMT. Of these, none of the Black patients lacking cardiology care had triple GDMT. However, cardiology involvement in care was not significantly associated with triple GDMT for either race. CONCLUSIONS: Among a commercially insured population within PPCM, race was not associated with cardiology involvement in clinical care during hospitalization. However, cardiology involvement in care was associated with significantly higher odds of prescription claims for BB for only White patients. Additional strategies are needed to support equitable GDMT prescription.

Heart Failure with Reduced Ejection Fraction and COVID-19, when the Sick Get Sicker: Unmasking Racial and Ethnic Inequities During a Pandemic.

Minoritized racial and ethnic groups have the highest incidence, prevalence, and hospitalization rate for heart failure. Despite improvement in medical therapies and overall survival, the morbidity and mortality of these groups remain elevated. The reasons for this disparity are multifactorial, including social determinant of health (SDOH) such as access to care, bias, and structural racism. These same factors contributed to higher rates of COVID-19 infection among minoritized racial and ethnic groups. In this review, we aim to explore the lessons learned from the COVID-19 pandemic and its interconnection between heart failure and SDOH. The pandemic presents a window of opportunity for achieving greater equity in the health care of all vulnerable populations.

Noninvasive Electrical Mapping Compared with the Paced QRS Complex for Optimizing CRT Programmed Settings and Predicting Multidimensional Response.

The aim was to test the hypothesis that left ventricular (LV) and right ventricular (RV) activation from body surface electrical mapping (CardioInsight 252-electrode vest, Medtronic) identifies optimal cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) pacing strategies and outcomes in 30 patients. The LV80, RV80, and BIV80 were defined as the times to 80% LV, RV, or biventricular electrical activation. Smaller differences in the LV80 and RV80 (|LV80-RV80|) with synchronized LV pacing predicted better LV function post-CRT (p = 0.0004) than the LV-paced QRS duration (p = 0.32). Likewise, a lower RV80 was associated with a better pre-CRT RV ejection fraction by CMR (r = - 0.40, p = 0.04) and predicted post-CRT improvements in myocardial oxygen uptake (p = 0.01) better than the biventricular-paced QRS (p = 0.38), while a lower LV80 with BIV pacing predicted lower post-CRT B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP) (p = 0.02). RV pacing improved LV function with smaller |LV80-RV80| (p = 0.009). In conclusion, 3-D electrical mapping predicted favorable post-CRT outcomes and informed effective pacing strategies.

Racial and Ethnic Disparities in Ambulatory Heart Failure Ventricular Assist Device Implantation and Survival.

BACKGROUND: Durable left ventricular assist devices (VADs) improve survival in eligible patients, but allocation has been associated with patient race in addition to presumed heart failure (HF) severity. OBJECTIVES: This study sought to determine racial and ethnic differences in VAD implantation rates and post-VAD survival among patients with ambulatory HF. METHODS: Using the INTERMACS (Interagency Registry of Mechanically Assisted Circulatory Support) database (2012-2017), this study examined census-adjusted VAD implantation rates by race, ethnicity, and sex in patients with ambulatory HF (INTERMACS profile 4-7) using negative binomial models with quadratic effect of time. Survival was evaluated using Kaplan-Meier estimates and Cox models adjusted for clinically relevant variables and an interaction of time with race/ethnicity. RESULTS: VADs were implanted in 2,256 adult patients with ambulatory HF (78.3% White, 16.4% Black, and 5.3% Hispanic). The median age at implantation was lowest in Black patients. Implantation rates peaked between 2013 and 2015 before declining in all demographic groups. From 2012 to 2017, implantation rates overlapped for Black and White patients but were lower for Hispanic patients. Post-VAD survival was significantly different among the 3 groups (log rank P = 0.0067), with higher estimated survival among Black vs White patients (12-month survival: Black patients: 90% [95% CI: 86%-93%]; White patients: 82% [95% CI: 80%-84%]). Low sample size for Hispanic patients resulted in imprecise survival estimates (12-month survival: 85% [95% CI: 76%-90%]). CONCLUSIONS: Black and White patients with ambulatory HF had similar VAD implantation rates but rates were lower for Hispanic patients. Survival differed among the 3 groups, with the highest estimated survival at 12 months in Black patients. Given higher HF burden in minoritized populations, further investigation is needed to understand differences in VAD implantation rates in Black and Hispanic patients.

Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on chronic disease management and patient reported outcomes in patients with pulmonary hypertension: The Pulmonary Hypertension Association Registry.

To better understand the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the care of patients with pulmonary hypertension, we conducted a retrospective cohort study evaluating health insurance status, healthcare access, disease severity, and patient reported outcomes in this population. Using the Pulmonary Hypertension Association Registry (PHAR), we defined and extracted a longitudinal cohort of pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) patients from the PHAR's inception in 2015 until March 2022. We used generalized estimating equations to model the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on patient outcomes, adjusting for demographic confounders. We assessed whether insurance status modified these effects via covariate interactions. PAH patients were more likely to be on publicly-sponsored insurance during the COVID-19 pandemic compared with prior, and did not experience statistically significant delays in access to medications, increased emergency room visits or nights in the hospital, or worsening of mental health metrics. Patients on publicly-sponsored insurance had higher healthcare utilization and worse objective measures of disease severity compared with privately insured individuals irrespective of the COVID-19 pandemic. The relatively small impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on pulmonary hypertension-related outcomes was unexpected but may be due to pre-established access to high quality care at pulmonary hypertension comprehensive care centers. Irrespective of the COVID-19 pandemic, patients who were on publicly-sponsored insurance seemed to do worse, consistent with prior studies highlighting outcomes in this population. We speculate that previously established care relationships may lessen the impact of an acute event, such as a pandemic, on patients with chronic illness.

Getting Into Light Exercise (GENTLE-HF) for Patients With Heart Failure: the Design and Methodology of a Live-Video Group Exercise Study.

OBJECTIVE: Newer therapies have increased heart failure (HF) survival rates, but these therapies are rarely curative. The consequence of increased longevity is the likelihood that patients with HF will experience higher symptom burdens over time. Exercise such as cardiac rehabilitation programs can palliate symptom burdens, but numerous barriers prevent exercise participation and adherence. Small pilot studies indicate short-term beneficial effects of gentle forms of exercise such as yoga to address symptom burdens and accommodate comorbidities. Long-term symptom benefit and adherence to yoga are currently unknown. Therefore, a novel a home-based, gentle-stretching intervention that addresses issues of exercise access and adherence is described in this article. PURPOSE: The purpose of this article is to describe the background, design and study methodology of the Getting Into Light Exercise for HF (GENTLE-HF) randomized controlled trial. Gentle-HF will test a gentle stretching and education intervention compared to an education control group concerning symptom burden (dyspnea, exercise, activity adherence, depression, and anxiety) and quality of life. As an exploratory aim, we also will determine whether rurality moderates the relationships between exercise participation and symptom burden as a measure of health equity. METHODS: We designed a randomized controlled trial study (n = 234) with 2 arms: a gentle stretching intervention arm with HF education and an HF education-only control. Participants will be recruited from U.S. cardiology clinics in the mid-Atlantic and the San Francisco Bay areas. This recruitment strategy will include individuals from urban, suburban and rural areas and individuals that have diverse racial and ethnic backgrounds. All participants will be provided with an iPad set up to access HF educational topics, and the intervention arm will have both educational and gentle-stretching class links. Both arms will access the HF health education icons on their iPads weekly; they correspond to the 6 months (26 weeks) of study participation. Symptom burden (dyspnea, fatigue, exercise intolerance, depression, anxiety) and quality of life will be measured at the study's start and completion. Study adherence will be measured by using attendance rates and number of class minutes attended. RESULTS: The GENTLE-HF study is a randomized study that will test the effect of a home-based, video-conference-delivered gentle stretching and HF education intervention designed for patients with HF. The findings will inform whether gentle stretching can decrease symptom burden and potentially provide access to symptom palliation for a diverse population of patients with HF.

The Quality and Safety of Sedation and Monitoring in Adults Undergoing Nonoperative Transesophageal Echocardiography.

Sedation is an essential component of the transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) procedure for patient comfort. The use and the clinical implications of cardiologist-supervised (CARD-Sed) versus anesthesiologist-supervised sedation (ANES-Sed) are unknown. We reviewed nonoperative TEE records from a single academic center over a 5-year period and identified CARD-Sed and ANES-Sed cases. We evaluated the impact of patient co-morbidities, cardiac abnormalities on transthoracic echocardiogram, and the indication for TEE on sedation practice. We analyzed the use of CARD-Sed versus ANES-Sed in light of institutional guidelines; the consistency in the documentation of preprocedural risk stratification; and the incidence of cardiopulmonary events, including hypotension, hypoxia, and hypercarbia. A total of 914 patients underwent TEE, with 475 patients (52%) receiving CARD-Sed and 439 patients (48%) receiving ANES-Sed. The presence of obstructive sleep apnea (p = 0.008), a body mass index of >45 kg/m2 (p <0.001), an ejection fraction of <30% (p <0.001), and pulmonary artery systolic pressure of more than 40 mm Hg (p = 0.015) were all associated with the use of ANES-Sed. Of the 178 patients (19.5%) with at least 1 caution to nonanesthesiologist-supervised sedation by the institutional screening guideline, 65 patients (36.5%) underwent CARD-Sed. In the ANES-Sed group, where intraprocedural vital signs and medications were documented in all cases, hypotension (n = 91, 20.7%), vasoactive medication use (n = 121, 27.6%), hypoxia (n = 35, 8.0%), and hypercarbia (n = 50, 11.4%) were noted. This single-center study revealed that 48% of the nonoperative TEE used ANES-Sed over 5 years. Sedation-related hemodynamic changes and respiratory events were not infrequently encountered during ANES-Sed.