Self-expanding TAVI using the cusp overlap technique versus the traditional technique: electrocardiogram changes and 1-year cardiovascular outcomes.

INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVES: Transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) using the cusp overlap technique (COT) has shown a lower pacemaker implantation rate at 30 days. The objective of this study was to compare electrocardiogram changes and clinical outcomes between COT and the traditional technique (TT) at 1 year of follow-up. METHODS: Observational, retrospective, nonrandomized study of consecutive patients undergoing TAVI between January 2015 and January 2021. Patients were matched using a propensity score and the TT was compared with COT. The primary endpoints were electrocardiogram changes and a combined endpoint including pacemaker implantation, hospitalization, or cardiovascular death at 1 year. RESULTS: We included 254 patients. After propensity score matching, 184 patients (92 per group) remained. There were no statistically significant differences in baseline characteristics. At 1 year, COT patients showed a significant reduction in new onset left bundle branch block (49% vs 27%, P=.002) and less P wave (13.1±21.0 msec vs 5.47±12.5 msec; P=.003) and QRS prolongation (29.77±27.0 msec vs 16.38±25.4 msec, P <.001). COT was associated with a significant reduction in the occurrence of the primary endpoint (SHR, 0.39 [IC95%, 0.21-0.76]; P=.005). CONCLUSIONS: At 1 year of follow-up, COT reduced the incidence of new onset left bundle branch block and diminished QRS and P wave widening compared with the TT. COT was also associated with a statistically significant reduction in the occurrence of the combined primary cardiovascular endpoint.

STEMI, primary percutaneous coronary intervention and recovering of life expectancy: insights from the SurviSTEMI study.

INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVES: In the last few decades, there has been a continuous process of improvement in medical treatment and secondary prevention measures after ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI). Patients older than 65 years are at increased risk of death due to this event. Our aim was to determine whether patients aged less than 65 years and 65 years and older experiencing a STEMI can recover a life expectancy similar to that of the general population of the same age, sex, and geographical region. METHODS: We included all patients experiencing a STEMI at our institution during a 6-year period in an observational-study (SurviSTEMI: survival in STEMI). We calculated their observed survival, expected survival, and excess mortality. We repeated all analyses for survivors of the acute event stratifying by 65 years. RESULTS: For patients aged <65 years who survived the STEMI, observed survival at 3 and 5 years of follow-up was 97.68% (95%CI, 96.05%-98.64%) and 94.14% (95%CI, 90.89%-96.25%), respectively. Expected survival at 3 and 5 years was 98.12% and 96.61%. For patients ≥ 65 years who survived the STEMI, observed survival at 3 and 5 years was 85.52% (95%CI, 82.23%-88.24%) and 75.43% (95%CI, 70.26%-79.83%), respectively. Expected survival at 3 and 5 years was 86.48% and 76.56%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: For survivors of the acute event, life expectancy is fairly similar to that of the general population of the same age, sex, and geographical region.

Sodium-Glucose Cotransporter-2 Inhibitors at Discharge from Cardiology Hospitalization Department: Decoding A New Clinical Scenario.

Sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 inhibitors (SGLT-2 inhibitors) are new glucose-lowering drugs (GLDs) with demonstrated cardiovascular benefits in patients with heart disease and type-2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). However, their safety and efficacy when prescribed at hospital discharge are unexplored. This prospective, observational, longitudinal cohort study included 104 consecutive T2DM patients discharged from the cardiology department between April 2018 and February 2019. Patients were classified based on SGLT-2 inhibitor prescription and adjusted by propensity-score matching. The safety outcomes included discontinuation of GLDs; worsening renal function; and renal, hepatic, or metabolic hospitalization. The efficacy outcomes were death from any cause, cardiovascular death, cardiovascular readmission, and combined clinical outcome (cardiovascular death or readmission). The results showed that, the incidence rates of safety outcomes were similar in the SGLT-2 inhibitor or non-SGLT-2 inhibitor groups. Regarding efficacy, the SGLT-2 inhibitors group resulted in a lower rate of combined clinical outcomes (18% vs. 42%; hazard ratio (HR), 0.35; p = 0.02), any cause death (0% vs. 24%; HR, 0.79; p = 0.001) and cardiovascular death (0% vs. 17%; HR, 0.83; p = 0.005). No significant differences were found in cardiovascular readmissions. SGLT-2 inhibitor prescription at hospital discharge in patients with heart disease and T2DM was safe, well tolerated, and associated with a reduction in all-cause and cardiovascular deaths.