The current clinical practice for management of post-infarction ventricular septal rupture: a European survey.

Aims: Many historical and recent reports showed that post-infarction ventricular septal rupture (VSR) represents a life-threatening condition and the strategy to optimally manage it remains undefined. Therefore, disparate treatment policies among different centres with variable results are often described. We analysed data from European centres to capture the current clinical practice in VSR management. Methods and results: Thirty-nine centres belonging to eight European countries participated in a survey, filling a digital form of 38 questions from April to October 2022, to collect information about all the aspects of VSR treatment. Most centres encounter 1-5 VSR cases/year. Surgery remains the treatment of choice over percutaneous closure (71.8% vs. 28.2%). A delayed repair represents the preferred approach (87.2%). Haemodynamic conditions influence the management in almost all centres, although some try to achieve patients stabilization and delayed surgery even in cardiogenic shock. Although 33.3% of centres do not perform coronarography in unstable patients, revascularization approaches are widely variable. Most centres adopt mechanical circulatory support (MCS), mostly extracorporeal membrane oxygenation, especially pre-operatively to stabilize patients and achieve delayed repair. Post-operatively, such MCS are more often adopted in patients with ventricular dysfunction. Conclusion: In real-life, delayed surgery, regardless of the haemodynamic conditions, is the preferred strategy for VSR management in Europe. Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation is becoming the most frequently adopted MCS as bridge-to-operation. This survey provides a useful background to develop dedicated, prospective studies to strengthen the current evidence on VSR treatment and to help improving its currently unsatisfactory outcomes.

Post-Intensive Care Unit Multidisciplinary Approach in Patients with Severe Bilateral SARS-CoV-2 Pneumonia.

Background: Short and long-term sequelae after admission to the intensive care unit (ICU) for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) are to be expected, which makes multidisciplinary care key in the support of physical and cognitive recovery. Objective: To describe, from a multidisciplinary perspective, the sequelae one month after hospital discharge among patients who required ICU admission for severe COVID-19 pneumonia. Design: Prospective cohort study. Environment: Multidisciplinary outpatient clinic. Population: Patients with severe COVID-19 pneumonia, post- ICU admission. Methods: A total of 104 patients completed the study in the multidisciplinary outpatient clinic. The tests performed included spirometry, measurement of respiratory muscle pressure, loss of body cell mass (BCM) and BCM index (BCMI), general joint and muscular mobility, the short physical performance battery (SPPB or Guralnik test), grip strength with hand dynamometer, the six-minute walk test (6-MWT), the functional assessment of chronic illness therapy-fatigue scale (FACIT-F), the European quality of life-5 dimensions (EQ-5D), the Barthel index and the Montreal cognitive assessment test (MoCA). While rehabilitation was not necessary for 23 patients, 38 patients attended group rehabilitation sessions and other 43 patients received home rehabilitation. Endpoints: The main sequelae detected in patients were fatigue (75.96%), dyspnoea (64.42%) and oxygen therapy on discharge (37.5%). The MoCA showed a mean score compatible with mild cognitive decline. The main impairment of joint mobility was limited shoulder (11.54%) and shoulder girdle (2.88%) mobility; whereas for muscle mobility, lower limb limitations (16.35%) were the main dysfunction. Distal neuropathy was present in 23.08% of patients, most frequently located in lower limbs (15.38%). Finally, 50% of patients reported moderate limitation in the EQ-5D, with a mean score of 60.62 points (SD 20.15) in perceived quality of life. Conclusions: Our findings support the need for a multidisciplinary and comprehensive evaluation of patients after ICU admission for COVID-19 because of the wide range of sequelae, which also mean that these patients need a long-term follow-up. Impact on clinical rehabilitation: This study provides data supporting the key role of rehabilitation during the follow-up of severe patients, thus facilitating their reintegration in society and a suitable adaptation to daily living.

Prognostic Impact of Change in Nutritional Risk on Mortality and Heart Failure After Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement.

BACKGROUND: Limited data are available regarding change in the nutritional status after transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR). This study evaluated the prognostic impact of the change in the geriatric nutritional risk index following TAVR. METHODS: TAVR patients were analyzed in a prospective and observational study. To analyze the change in nutritional status, geriatric nutritional risk index of the patients was calculated on the day of TAVR and at 3-month follow-up. The impact of the change in nutritional risk index after TAVR on all-cause mortality, heart failure hospitalization (HF-h), and the composite of all-cause death and HF hospitalization was analyzed using the Cox Proportional Hazards model. RESULTS: Four hundred thirty-three patients were included. After TAVR, 68.4% (n=182) patients with baseline nutritional risk improved compared with 31.6% (n=84) who remained at nutritional risk. The change from no-nutritional risk to nutritional risk after TAVR occurred in 15.0% (n=25), while 85.0% (n=142) remained without risk of malnutrition. During follow-up, 157 (36.3%) patients died and 172 patients (39.7%) were hospitalized due to HF. Patients who continued to be at nutritional risk had a higher risk of mortality (hazard ratio [HR], 2.10 [95% CI, 1.30-3.39], P=0.002), HF-h (HR, 1.97 [95% CI, 1.26-3.06], P=0.000), and the composite of death and HF-h (HR, 2.0 [95% CI, 1.37-2.91], P<0.001). The change to non-nutritional risk after TAVR significantly impacted mortality (HR, 0.48 [95% CI, 0.30-0.78], P=0.003), HF-h (HR, 0.50 [95% CI, 0.34-0.74], P=0.001), and the composite outcome (HR, 0.44 [95% CI, 0.32-0.62], P<0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Remaining at nutritional risk after TAVR confers a poor prognosis and is associated with an increased risk of mortality and HF-h, while the change from risk of malnutrition to non-nutritional risk after TAVR was associated with a halving of the risk of mortality and HF-h. Further studies are needed to identify whether patients at nutritional risk would benefit from nutritional intervention during processes of care of TAVR programs.

Valores de referencia (Z-score) de diámetros de porción de entrada y trabecular del ventrículo derecho: primera descripción en población pediátrica española sana / Reference values (Z-score) of inlet and trabecular portion diameters of the right ventricle: First description in Spanish healthy children

INTRODUCCIÓN Y OBJETIVOS: La cuantificación del tamaño del ventrículo derecho (VD) es crucial en determinadas cardiopatías congénitas. Para su evaluación se recomiendan distintas técnicas de imagen, siendo más accesible la medición de diámetros ventriculares mediante ecocardiografía. En pediatría la normalización de parámetros ecocardiográficos es compleja, escasa y heterogénea. El objetivo de este estudio consistió en establecer Z-score de diámetros de VD fiables y reproducibles capaces de predecir valores de referencia en población pediátrica sana española. MÉTODOS: Estudio multicéntrico prospectivo de 661 pacientes sanos (edades 0-18 años, 43,5% mujeres). Los diámetros ecocardiográficos del VD se relacionaron con variables biométricas mediante distintas ecuaciones de regresión. Para su estandarización se analizaron factores de confusión (sexo, edad y variabilidad inter/intraobservador), heterocedasticidad y residuos (test Saphiro-Wilk y Breusch-Pagan). RESULTADOS: Se obtuvieron curvas de normalidad (Z-score) para cada diámetro del VD que permitieron predecir el valor medio de cada diámetro en función de la edad, peso, talla y distintas superficies corporales. La superficie corporal según fórmula de Haycock ofreció un excelente ajuste para los distintos diámetros basal, medial y longitudinal (R2 0,81; 0,82; 0,9). Los factores de confusión no aportaron cambios significativos, por lo que no fueron incluidos en los modelos finales (variabilidad inter- e intraobservador, CCI > 0,9). CONCLUSIONES: Se brindan valores de referencia de diámetros VD de población pediátrica sana. Las curvas de Z-score ofrecidas cubren una importante carencia en cardiología pediátrica y son aplicables a todos los grupos de edad para evaluar el tamaño del VD, de gran interés clínico en la práctica diaria

INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVES: Right ventricle (RV) measurements are crucial for certain congenital heart diseases and various cardiovascular conditions. Echocardiographic RV diameters are especially useful for its assessment. Paediatric echocardiographic data standardisation in normal subjects is complex, scarce, and heterogeneous. The aim of this study was to establish reliable and reproducible echocardiographic reference values (Z-score) of RV diameters in a healthy Spanish paediatric cohort. METHODS: A multicentre study was conducted on 661 healthy subjects (age range 0-18 years, 43.5% female). Several regression models were tested to examine the relationship between RV diameters and biometric variables. Heteroscedasticity and residual associations (Shapiro-Wilk and Breusch-Pagan tests) and confounding factors (gender, age, inter/intraobserver agreement) were considered for an unbiased standardisation. RESULTS: Structured Z-scores were computed for each RV diameter. Predicted mean value for each diameter was determined according to age, weight, height, and different body surface area. The Haycock formula provided the best fit for basal, midcavity, and longitudinal diameters (R2 0.81; 0.82; 0.9). Confounders were not significant, and therefore not included in final models (inter/intraobserver agreement > 0.9). CONCLUSIONS: This study reports reference values for echocardiographic RV diameters from a Spanish healthy paediatric cohort using a rigorous statistical design. These Z-scores partly cover a gap in current paediatric cardiology and represent a relevant diagnostic tool for clinical practice, as well as a useful guide to decision making at any paediatric stage

[Reference values (Z-score) of inlet and trabecular portion diameters of the right ventricle: First description in Spanish healthy children]. / Valores de referencia (Z-score) de diámetros de porción de entrada y trabecular del ventrículo derecho: primera descripción en población pediátrica española sana.

INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVES: Right ventricle (RV) measurements are crucial for certain congenital heart diseases and various cardiovascular conditions. Echocardiographic RV diameters are especially useful for its assessment. Paediatric echocardiographic data standardisation in normal subjects is complex, scarce, and heterogeneous. The aim of this study was to establish reliable and reproducible echocardiographic reference values (Z-score) of RV diameters in a healthy Spanish paediatric cohort. METHODS: A multicentre study was conducted on 661 healthy subjects (age range 0-18 years, 43.5% female). Several regression models were tested to examine the relationship between RV diameters and biometric variables. Heteroscedasticity and residual associations (Shapiro-Wilk and Breusch-Pagan tests) and confounding factors (gender, age, inter/intraobserver agreement) were considered for an unbiased standardisation. RESULTS: Structured Z-scores were computed for each RV diameter. Predicted mean value for each diameter was determined according to age, weight, height, and different body surface area. The Haycock formula provided the best fit for basal, midcavity, and longitudinal diameters (R2 0.81; 0.82; 0.9). Confounders were not significant, and therefore not included in final models (inter/intraobserver agreement > 0.9). CONCLUSIONS: This study reports reference values for echocardiographic RV diameters from a Spanish healthy paediatric cohort using a rigorous statistical design. These Z-scores partly cover a gap in current paediatric cardiology and represent a relevant diagnostic tool for clinical practice, as well as a useful guide to decision making at any paediatric stage.

The Functional Significance of Paradoxical Low-Gradient Aortic Valve Stenosis: Hemodynamic Findings During Cardiopulmonary Exercise Testing.

OBJECTIVES: The goal of this study was to determine the functional impact of paradoxical low-gradient aortic stenosis (PLGAS) and clarify whether the relevance of the valvular obstruction is related to baseline flow. BACKGROUND: Establishing the significance of PLGAS is particularly challenging. METHODS: Twenty symptomatic patients (77 ± 6 years of age; 17 female subjects) with PLGAS (mean gradient 28 ± 6 mm Hg; aortic valve area 0.8 ± 0.1 cm2; ejection fraction 66 ± 7%) underwent cardiopulmonary exercise testing combined with right-heart catheterization and Doppler echocardiographic measurements. RESULTS: Aortic valve area increased by 84 ± 23% (p < 0.001) and, in 70% of subjects, it reached values >1.0 cm2 at peak exercise. Stroke volume index and blood pressure increased by 83 ± 56% and 26 ± 16%, respectively (both p < 0.0001). Peak oxygen consumption inversely correlated with the rate of increase in pulmonary capillary wedge pressure (PCWP) (PCWP slope: R = -0.61; p = 0.004). In turn, the PCWP slope was determined by changes in the valvular and vascular load but not by the rest of the indices of aortic stenosis. The functional impact of PLGAS was also not related to baseline flow. Agreement between Doppler echocardiography and the Fick technique was good up to intermediate workload. CONCLUSIONS: In symptomatic patients with PLGAS, the capacity to dynamically reduce vascular and valvular loads determines the effect of exercise on PCWP, which, in turn, conditions the functional status. A critically fixed valvular obstruction may not be the main mechanism of functional impairment in a large proportion of patients with PLGAS. Exercise echocardiography is suitable to study the dynamics of PLGAS.