Early reduction of pulmonary arterial hypertension in patients using a long-term mechanical ventricular assistance device: a cross-sectional study

ABSTRACT BACKGROUND: Severe pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is a contraindication for heart transplantation (HT). It has been correlated with increased early and late mortality, mainly associated with right ventricular failure. Ventricular assistance devices (VADs) can promote reduction of intracardiac pressures and consequent reduction of PAH over the medium and long terms, thus enabling future candidature for HT. The diminution of early pulmonary pressure within this scenario remains unclear. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the reduction of PAH and correlate data from right catheterization with the earliness of this reduction. DESIGN AND SETTING: Cross-sectional study in a general hospital in São Paulo, Brazil. METHODS: This was a retrospective analysis on the medical records of patients undergoing VAD implantation in a single hospital. Patients for whom VAD had been indicated as a bridge to candidature for HT due to their condition of constant PAH were selected. RESULTS: Four patients with VADs had constantly severe PAH. Their mean pulmonary artery systolic pressure (PASP) before VAD implantation was 66 mmHg. Over the 30-day period after the procedure, all the patients evolved with a drop in PASP to below 60 mmHg. Their new average was 36 mmHg, which was a drop of close to 50% from baseline values. The one-year survival of this sample was 100%. CONCLUSION: VAD implantation can reduce PAH levels. Early reduction occurred in all patients. Thus, use of VAD is an important bridge tool for enabling candidature for HT among patients with constantly severe PAH.

Early reduction of pulmonary arterial hypertension in patients using a long-term mechanical ventricular assistance device: a cross-sectional study.

BACKGROUND: Severe pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is a contraindication for heart transplantation (HT). It has been correlated with increased early and late mortality, mainly associated with right ventricular failure. Ventricular assistance devices (VADs) can promote reduction of intracardiac pressures and consequent reduction of PAH over the medium and long terms, thus enabling future candidature for HT. The diminution of early pulmonary pressure within this scenario remains unclear. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the reduction of PAH and correlate data from right catheterization with the earliness of this reduction. DESIGN AND SETTING: Cross-sectional study in a general hospital in São Paulo, Brazil. METHODS: This was a retrospective analysis on the medical records of patients undergoing VAD implantation in a single hospital. Patients for whom VAD had been indicated as a bridge to candidature for HT due to their condition of constant PAH were selected. RESULTS: Four patients with VADs had constantly severe PAH. Their mean pulmonary artery systolic pressure (PASP) before VAD implantation was 66 mmHg. Over the 30-day period after the procedure, all the patients evolved with a drop in PASP to below 60 mmHg. Their new average was 36 mmHg, which was a drop of close to 50% from baseline values. The one-year survival of this sample was 100%. CONCLUSION: VAD implantation can reduce PAH levels. Early reduction occurred in all patients. Thus, use of VAD is an important bridge tool for enabling candidature for HT among patients with constantly severe PAH.

COVID-19 complicating perioperative management of LVAD implantation: A case report and systematic review.

The coronavirus 2019 disease (COVID-19) affected 125 million people worldwide and caused 2.7 million deaths. Some comorbidities are associated with worse prognosis and left ventricular assist device (LVAD) recipients are probably part of this high-risk population. We report a 31-year-old male patient who developed COVID-19 during LVAD implantation. His postoperative period was complicated by severe pneumonia and mechanical ventilation (MV) leading to right ventricular failure (RVF) and inotrope necessity. He experienced multiple complications, but eventually recovered. We present a systematic review of LVAD recipients and COVID-19. Among 14 patients, the mean age was 62.7 years, 78.5% were male. A total of 5 patients (35.7%) required MV and 3 patients (21.4%) died. A total of 2 patients (14.2%) had thromboembolic events. This case and systematic review suggest LVAD recipients are at particular risk of unfavorable outcomes and they may be more susceptible to RVF in the setting of COVID-19, particularly during perioperative period.

Worsening of heart failure by coronavirus disease 2019 is associated with high mortality.

AIMS: Patients with advanced heart failure (HF) with reduced left ventricular ejection fraction (HFrEF) and concurrent coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) might have a higher risk of severe events. METHODS AND RESULTS: We retrospectively studied 16 patients with advanced HFrEF who developed COVID-19 between 1 March and 29 May 2020. Follow-up lasted until 30 September. Ten patients previously hospitalized with decompensated HFrEF were infected with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) during hospitalization. Six patients undergoing ambulatory care at initiation of COVID-19 symptoms were hospitalized because of advanced HFrEF. All patients who experienced worsening of HFrEF due to COVID-19 required higher doses or introduction of additional inotropic drugs or intra-aortic balloon pump in the intensive care unit. The mean intravenous dobutamine dose before SARS-CoV-2 infection in previously hospitalized patients (n = 10) and the median (inter-quartile range) peak intravenous dobutamine dose during SARS-CoV-2 infection in all patients (n = 16) were 2 (0-7) µg/kg/min and 20 (14-20) (P < 0.001), respectively. During follow-up, 56% underwent heart transplantation (n = 2) or died (n = 7). Four patients died during hospitalization from mixed shock consequent to severe acute respiratory syndrome with inflammatory storm syndrome associated with septic and cardiogenic shock during COVID-19. After COVID-19 recovery, two patients died from mixed septic and cardiogenic shock and one from sustained ventricular tachycardia and cardiogenic shock. Five patients were discharged from hospital to ambulatory care. Four were awaiting heart transplantation. CONCLUSION: Worsening of advanced HF by COVID-19 is associated with high mortality. This report highlights the importance of preventing COVID-19 in patients with advanced HF.

Prevention and Treatment of Chemotherapy-Induced Cardiotoxicity.

Recent decades have seen an increase in survival rates for cancer patients, partially explained by earlier diagnoses and new chemotherapeutic agents. However, chemotherapy may be associated with adverse cardiovascular events, including hypertension and pulmonary hypertension, supraventricular and ventricular arrhythmias, cardiomyopathy, and other forms of cardiovascular disease. For patients, the benefits of chemotherapy may be partially obfuscated by deleterious effects on the cardiovascular system, resulting in a significant increase in morbidity and mortality. In this article, we review strategies for prevention and treatment of chemotherapy-related cardiotoxicity.

Diretriz Brasileira de Insuficiência Cardíaca Crônica e Aguda

INTRODUÇÃO: A organização de uma diretriz clínica é tarefa complexa, que necessariamente deve envolver planejamento prévio, coordenação apropriada, revisão aprofundada da literatura científica, com envolvimento de múltiplos profissionais da área da saúde com notório reconhecimento. A elaboração de uma diretriz clínica de insuficiência cardíaca é ainda mais difícil, por conta da complexidade da síndrome, da amplitude das evidências científicas que permeiam o tópico e do grande impacto que as recomendações propostas têm sobre os pacientes, a comunidade médica e a sociedade como um todo. No presente documento, o Departamento de Insuficiência Cardíaca (DEIC) da Sociedade Brasileira de Cardiologia (SBC) apresenta uma revisão e uma atualização detalhadas de sua Diretriz de Insuficiência Cardíaca Crônica. Os trabalhos se iniciaram em setembro de 2017, com a definição da Comissão Coordenadora, que estabeleceu prioridades, dividiu grupos de trabalho e definiu o cronograma das atividades. Os grupos de trabalho, compostos por três a cinco participantes, deram início a intensas discussões virtuais, que culminaram com a redação de tabelas preliminares, sendo posteriormente amplamente divulgadas e revisadas pelos 34 participantes da diretriz. As discussões finais foram realizadas em reunião presencial em março de 2018, com a participação de todos os colaboradores, nas quais as principais recomendações foram votadas individualmente. As decisões quanto à classe das recomendações foram definidas por maioria plena (concordância de mais de 75% dos participantes). As recomendações terapêuticas propostas no presente documento se embasam nas evidências científicas mais atuais, considerando não apenas aspectos de eficácia clínica demonstrados em grandes ensaios clínicos, mas também contextualizando seus achados para o cenário de saúde brasileiro e incorporando aspectos econômicos definidos em estudos de custo-efetividade. Buscamos sumarizar as principais recomendações em fluxogramas e algoritmos de fácil entendimento e grande aplicabilidade clínica, propondo abordagens para o diagnóstico e o tratamento da síndrome em formato moderno, atualizado e didático. Na última seção da diretriz, o que não podemos deixar de fazer e o que não devemos fazer no diagnóstico, prevenção e tratamento da síndrome foram sumarizados em apenas três tabelas. Em especial, destacamos seis intervenções que foram consideradas de alta prioridade, por apresentarem relações de custo-efetividade altamente favoráveis. Sobretudo, esperamos que a publicação deste documento possa auxiliar na redução das elevadas taxas de mortalidade que ainda estão associadas com a insuficiência cardíaca no Brasil, além de minimizar o cruel impacto que a síndrome causa na qualidade de vida de nossos pacientes. Acreditamos que esta diretriz apresenta, de forma hierarquizada, a linha mestra que deve nortear a prática clínica em diferentes níveis de atenção à saúde, permitindo reconhecimento precoce de pacientes em risco, diagnóstico apropriado e implementação de tratamento de forma escalonada, eficaz e coerente com nossa realidade.

Infectious agents and inflammation in donated hearts and dilated cardiomyopathies related to cardiovascular diseases, Chagas' heart disease, primary and secondary dilated cardiomyopathies.

BACKGROUND: Clinical and experimental conflicting data have questioned the relationship between infectious agents, inflammation and dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM). OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to determine the frequency of infectious agents and inflammation in endomyocardial biopsy (EMB) specimens from patients with idiopathic DCM, explanted hearts from different etiologies, including Chagas' disease, compared to donated hearts. METHODS: From 2008 to 2011, myocardial samples from 29 heart donors and 55 patients with DCMs from different etiologies were studied (32 idiopathic, 9 chagasic, 6 ischemic and 8 other specific etiologies). Inflammation was investigated by immunohistochemistry and infectious agents by immunohistochemistry, molecular biology, in situ hybridization and electron microscopy. RESULTS: There were no differences regarding the presence of macrophages, expression of HLA class II and ICAM-I in donors and DCM. Inflammation in Chagas' disease was predominant. By immunohistochemistry, in donors, there was a higher expression of antigens of enterovirus and Borrelia, hepatitis B and C in DCMs. By molecular biology, in all groups, the positivity was elevated to microorganisms, including co-infections, with a higher positivity to adenovirus and HHV6 in donors towards DCMs. This study was the first to demonstrate the presence of virus in the heart tissue of chagasic DCM. CONCLUSIONS: The presence of inflammation and infectious agents is frequent in donated hearts, in the myocardium of patients with idiopathic DCM, myocardial dysfunction related to cardiovascular diseases, and primary and secondary cardiomyopathies, including Chagas' disease. The role of co-infection in Chagas' heart disease physiopathology deserves to be investigated in future studies.

The first cardiac transplant experience in a patient with mucopolysaccharidosis.

Hunter syndrome (MPSII) is a rare X-linked lysosomal storage disorder that can affect multiple systems but primarily affects the heart. We report the case of a previously asymptomatic 23-year-old patient who had an attenuated form of MPSII and presented with refractory heart failure that required a heart transplant. The diagnosis was confirmed by detection of an increase in urinary excretion of glycosaminoglycans, a deficiency in enzymatic activity, and molecular analysis. A myocardial biopsy revealed hypertrophic cardiomyocytes, mild fibrosis, and lysosomal storage in interstitial cells. Molecular analysis identified a novel mutation in the iduronate-2-sulfatase gene. Although the clinical outcome was not favorable, we believe that this approach may be valid in end-stage heart failure.

Ecocardiografia com contraste miocárdico e cintilografia de perfusão miocárdica sincronizada ao eletrocardiograma na avaliação de pacientes com torácica / Contrast echocardiography and gated perfusion imaging in the evaluation of patients with chest pain

Introdução: A avaliação de pacientes com dor torácica é muitas vezes problemática. O desafio em diagnosticar corretamente a etiologia da dor torácica é dificultado pela baixa sensibilidade dos métodos diagnósticos disponíveis. Neste estudo, avaliou-se a utilidade diagnóstica da ecocardiografia com contraste miocárdico (MCE) e da cintilografia de perfusão miocárdica sincronizada ao eletrocardiograma (G-SPECT) para detecção de isquemia miocárdica. Métodos e Resultados: Dezoito pacientes atendidos no pronto socorro, para avaliação da dor torácica sugestiva de angina, foram submetidos à MCE e G-SPECT. Para ambos os métodos, a perfusão miocárdica e a mobilidade foram avaliados nos mesmos sete segmentos do ventrículo esquerdo. As imagens foram classificadas como positivas ou negativas para isquemia. Um segmento era considerado positivo na presença de um defeito da perfusão ou uma anomalia do movimento da parede. A cinecoronariografia foi realizada se MCE ou G-SPECT foram classificados como positivos para isquemia. Se ambos os exames foram negativos, o paciente foi submetido ao SPECT de estresse no dia seguinte. Sensibilidade e especificidade para detecção de isquemia miocárdica foram, respectivamente: A) G-SPECT: 1. avaliação de perfusão: 100 por cento e 75 por cento; 2. avaliação de contração: 66 por cento e 91,6 por cento; 3. associação perfusão+contração: 66 por cento e 91,6 por cento. B) MCE: 1. avaliação de perfusão: 20 por cento e 76 por cento; 2. avaliação de contração: 33,3 por cento e 83,3 por cento; 3. associação perfusão...