Successful Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement in an Elderly Patient with Calcified Bicuspid Aortic Valve with Calcified Raphe: A Case Report.

At present, transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) is not only used in high-surgical-risk patients with aortic stenosis (AS), but its use has also been extended to low-risk patients, resulting in its increasing utilization in patients with bicuspid aortic valve (BAV). BAV however presents unique challenges for TAVR due to its distinct valvular anatomy, and surgical aortic valve replacement (SAVR) remains the primary recommended method of aortic valve replacement in patients with BAV. Nonetheless, observational data have been quickly accumulating regarding the successful use of TAVR in BAV. Here, we present a case of a 73-year-old female who presented with heart failure symptoms and was found to have severe AS and BAV with calcified raphe (Sievers 1a). Due to her age and complicated medical history, including coronary artery disease and chronic kidney disease, she was considered to be at intermediate surgical risk (Society of Thoracic Surgeons (STS) score 5.4%) and underwent TAVR with the successful deployment of a 29 mm Edwards SAPIEN valve (Edwards Lifesciences, California, USA). A post-procedure echocardiogram confirmed the appropriate placement of the prosthesis without any valvular or paravalvular regurgitation. This case, therefore, adds to the growing body of evidence regarding the use of TAVR in patients with BAV despite anatomical challenges.

Inpatient characteristics, complications, and outcomes of patients with cardiac sarcoidosis: A study from the National Inpatient Sample.

Although seen in ∼5% of sarcoidosis patients, cardiac sarcoidosis (CS) accounts for nearly 25% of disease-related deaths. This study aimed to describe characteristics and outcomes among CS patients. Patients diagnosed with CS in 2016-2017 in the US National Inpatient Sample Database were evaluated to study patient characteristics, reasons ascribed to admission, in-hospital outcomes, and complications. A total of 2420 patients (median age 56 years) were included in the analysis. Most admissions occurred due to ventricular tachycardia (12.8%), followed by myocarditis (9.9%) with a mean length of stay of 7 ± 7 days. The overall incidence of in-hospital mortality was 2.5%.

Exception-Status Listing: A Critical Pathway to Heart Transplantation for Adults With Congenital Heart Diseases.

Adults with congenital heart diseases may not be candidates for conventional therapies to control ventricular systolic dysfunction, including mechanical circulatory support, which moves potential heart-transplantation recipients to a listing status of higher priority. This results in longer waitlist times and greater mortality rates. Exception-status listing allows a pathway for this complex and anatomically heterogenous group of patients to be listed for heart transplantation at appropriately high listing status. Our study queried the United Network for Organ Sharing registry to evaluate trends in the use of exception-status listing among adults with congenital heart diseases awaiting heart transplantation. Uptrend in the use of exception-status listing precedes the new allocation system, but it has been greatest since changes were made in the allocation system. It continues to remain a vital pathway for adults with congenital heart disease (whose waitlist mortality rates are often not characterized adequately by using the waitlist-status criteria) timely access to heart transplantation.

Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement and Surgical Aortic Valve Replacement Outcomes in Left Ventricular Assist Device Patients with Aortic Insufficiency.

Background: Worsening aortic insufficiency (AI) is a known sequela of prolonged continuous-flow left ventricular assist device (LVAD) support with a significant impact on patient outcomes. While medical treatment may relieve symptoms, it is unlikely to halt progression. Surgical aortic valve replacement (SAVR) and transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) are among non-medical interventions available to address post-LVAD AI. Limited data are available on outcomes with either SAVR or TAVR for the management of post-LVAD AI. Methods: The National Inpatient Sample data collected for hospital admissions between the years 2015 and 2018 for patients with pre-existing continuous-flow LVAD undergoing TAVR or SAVR for AI were queried. The primary outcome of interest was a composite of in-hospital mortality, stroke, transient ischaemic attack, MI, pacemaker implantation, need for open aortic valve surgery, vascular complications and cardiac tamponade. Results: Patients undergoing TAVR were more likely to receive their procedure during an elective admission (57.1 versus 30%, p=0.002), and a significantly higher prevalence of comorbidities, as assessed by the Elixhauser Comorbidity Index, was observed in the SAVR group (29 versus 18; p=0.0001). We observed a significantly higher prevalence of the primary composite outcome in patients undergoing SAVR (30%) compared with TAVR (14.3%; p=0.001). Upon multivariable analysis adjusting for the type of admission and Elixhauser Comorbidity Index, TAVR was associated with significantly lower odds of the composite outcome (odds ratio 0.243; 95% CI [0.06-0.97]; p=0.045). Conclusion: In this nationally representative cohort of LVAD patients with post-implant AI, it was observed that TAVR was associated with a lower risk of adverse short-term outcomes compared with SAVR.

Comparison of Hospitalization Trends and Outcomes in Acute Myocardial Infarction Patients With Versus Without Opioid Use Disorder.

Discrepancies in medical care are well known to adversely affect patients with opioid abuse disorders (OUD), including management and outcomes of acute myocardial infarction (AMI) in patients with OUD. We used the National Inpatient Sample was queried from January 2006 to September 2015 to identify all patients ≥18 years admitted with a primary diagnosis of AMI (weighted N = 13,030; unweighted N = 2,670) and concomitant OUD. Patients using other nonopiate illicit drugs were excluded. Propensity matching (1:1) yielded 2,253 well-matched pairs in which intergroup comparison of invasive revascularization strategies and cardiac outcomes were performed. The prevalence of OUD patients with AMI over the last decade has doubled, from 163 (2006) to 326 cases (2015) per 100,000 admissions for AMI. The OUD group underwent less cardiac catheterization (63.2% vs 72.2%; p <0.001), percutaneous coronary intervention (37.0% vs 48.5%; p <0.001) and drug-eluting stent placement (32.3% vs 19.5%; p <0.001) compared with non-OUD. No differences in in-hospital mortality/cardiogenic shock were noted. Among subgroup of ST-elevation myocardial infarction patients (26.2% of overall cohort), the OUD patients were less likely to receive percutaneous coronary intervention (67.9% vs 75.5%; p = 0.002), drug-eluting stent (31.4% vs 47.9%; p <0.001) with a significantly higher mortality (7.4% vs 4.3%), and cardiogenic shock (11.7% vs 7.9%). No differences in the frequency of coronary bypass grafting were noted in AMI or its subgroups. In conclusion, OUD patients presenting with AMI receive less invasive treatment compared with those without OUD. OUD patients presenting with ST-elevation myocardial infarction have worse in-hospital outcomes with increased mortality and cardiogenic shock.

Evolution of Diagnostic and Treatment Patterns of Cardiac Sarcoidosis.

Cardiac sarcoidosis (CS) may impart substantial morbidity and mortality, and novel imaging modalities are now available to aid in early diagnosis of this clinically silent disease. A better understanding of the clinical experience with CS is important. Twenty-eight patients were diagnosed with the aid of multimodality imaging techniques and were treated by a multidisciplinary team. Demographics, symptomatology, imaging, and therapeutic interventions were compiled from our referral center. In patients with CS, nuclear and MR techniques were often the first studies performed. Echocardiographic findings differed widely. Immunosuppressive therapy and cardiac devices were frequently used. Importantly, isolated CS was not an infrequent finding.

Comparison of Trends, Mortality, and Readmissions After Insertion of Left Ventricular Assist Devices in Patients <65 Years Vs ≥65 Years.

Left ventricular assist devices (LVADs) use in treatment of stage D heart failure (HF) has evolved and expanded in the past decade. There is paucity of data on LVAD utilization in patients with age ≥65 years with multiple co-morbidities. We aimed to investigate utilization trends, outcomes, and rates and predictors of readmissions in patients receiving LVADs with age ≥65 years (AO) and comparing them with patient age <65 years (AY). We analyzed hospitalization data from the Nationwide Inpatient Sample from 2007 to 2015 to evaluate LVAD utilization trends and outcomes between the 2 patient cohorts. We also queried the Nationwide Readmission Database from 2014 to third quarter of 2015 to identify trends and compare etiologies of readmissions. Implants in AO patients increased from 20% (154) of the total LVADs implanted in 2007 to 33.2% (1,215) in 2014 and 31.8% (910) through September 2015 (p < 0.01). Over the study period there was a steady and significant increase in the mean Elixhauser scores in elderly patients who underwent LVAD implantation from 15.4 in 2007 to 24.54 in 2015 (p < 0.01). Despite this finding, the mean LOS in the AO cohort decreased from 56.0 days in 2007 to 33.8 days in 2015 (p < 0.001). Furthermore, the in-hospital mortality associated with LVAD implantation among the AO group gradually decreased over the study time period (39% in 2007 to 12.2% in 2015, p < 0.001). The overall readmission rate was not significantly different between AO versus AY group (28% vs 33%, p = 0.2). The most common cause in both groups was gastrointestinal bleed but it was significantly higher in AO group (24.3% vs 11.3%, p = 0.01). In conclusion, patients age ≥65 years with multiple co-morbidities are receiving increasing number of LVADs with improved survival outcomes. Their 30-day readmissions are comparable to the younger patients.

Viscoelastic Haemostatic Assays in Cardiovascular Critical Care.

The initiation and management of anticoagulation is a fundamental practice for a wide variety of indications in cardiovascular critical care, including the management of patients with acute MI, stroke prevention in patients with AF or mechanical valves, as well as the prevention of device thrombosis and thromboembolic events with the use of mechanical circulatory support and ventricular assist devices. The frequent use of antiplatelet and anticoagulation therapy, in addition to the presence of concomitant conditions that may lead to a propensity to bleed, such as renal and liver dysfunction, present unique challenges. The use of viscoelastic haemostatic assays provides an additional tool allowing clinicians to strike a delicate balance of attaining adequate anticoagulation while minimising the risk of bleeding complications. In this review, the authors discuss the role that viscoelastic haemostatic assay plays in cardiac populations (including cardiac surgery, heart transplantation, extracorporeal membrane oxygenation, acute coronary syndrome and left ventricular assist devices), and identify areas in need of further study.

External Intensivists Versus In-House Intensivists: Analysis of Outcomes of Nighttime Coverage of ICUs by External On-Call and In-House On-Call Intensivists.

A 24/7 intensivist model may improve important outcomes such as mortality, length of stay, and number of ventilator days. In this retrospective, single-center study at Saint Luke's Hospital in Kansas City, Missouri, we examined patient outcomes before and after adopting a 24/7 model from 2014 to 2016. The addition of a nighttime intensivist did not lead to a statistically significant improvement in mortality (hospital and ICU) and LOS (hospital and ICU).

Trends of Incidence, Clinical Presentation, and In-Hospital Mortality Among Women With Acute Myocardial Infarction With or Without Spontaneous Coronary Artery Dissection: A Population-Based Analysis.

OBJECTIVES: The authors sought to determine the clinical characteristics and in-hospital survival of women presenting with acute myocardial infarction (AMI) and spontaneous coronary artery dissection (SCAD). BACKGROUND: The clinical presentation and in-hospital survival of women with AMI and SCAD remains unclear. METHODS: The National Inpatient Sample (2009 to 2014) was queried for all women with a primary diagnosis of AMI and concomitant SCAD. Iatrogenic coronary dissection was excluded. The main outcome was in-hospital mortality. Propensity score matching and multivariable logistic regression analyses were performed. RESULTS: Among 752,352 eligible women with AMI, 7,347 had a SCAD diagnosis. Women with SCAD were younger (61.7 vs. 67.1 years of age) with less comorbidity. SCAD was associated with higher incidence of in-hospital mortality (6.8% vs. 3.4%). In SCAD patients, a decrease in in-hospital mortality was evident with time (11.4% in 2009 vs. 5.0% in 2014) and concurred with less percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) (82.5% vs. 69.1%). Propensity score yielded 7,332 SCAD and 14,352 patients without SCAD. The odds ratio (OR) of in-hospital mortality remained higher with SCAD after propensity matching (OR: 1.87, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.65 to 2.11) and on multivariable regression analyses (OR: 2.41, 95% CI: 2.07 to 2.80). PCI was associated with higher mortality in SCAD patients presenting with non-ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (OR: 2.01; 95% CI: 1.00 to 4.47), but not with STEMI (OR: 0.62; 95% CI: 0.41 to 0.96). CONCLUSIONS: Women presenting with AMI and SCAD appear to be at higher risk of in-hospital mortality. Lower rates of PCI were associated with improved survival, with evidence of worse outcomes when PCI was performed for SCAD in the setting of non with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction.

Comparison of the Frequency of Acute Kidney Injury in Patients With Renal Transplant Who Underwent Percutaneous Coronary Intervention Versus Coronary Artery Bypass Graft Surgery.

Percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) and coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) are established modalities of coronary revascularization. Choosing between the two requires taking into consideration not only disease severity, patient characteristics, and expected outcomes but also adverse effects. One such adverse effect is acute kidney injury (AKI), especially when considering coronary revascularization in patients with renal transplant (RT). We searched the National Inpatient Sample from 2008 to 2014 using International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision, Clinical Modification (ICD-9-CM) codes for patients with RT (V42.0) who underwent PCI (00.66, 36.06, and 36.07) and CABG (36.1×, 36.2, and 36.3×). We further identified patients with AKI (584.5, 584.6, 584.7, 584.8, and 584.9) and those on dialysis (39.95). The propensity score model/method was used to form matched cohorts for PCI and CABG. We compared the incidence of AKI and AKI requiring dialysis in CABG and PCI groups. We identified 1,871 patients who underwent PCI and 1,878 patients who underwent CABG after propensity score matching. We found the incidence of both AKI (22% vs 38%, odds ratio 2.20, 95% confidence interval 1.91 to 2.54, p <0.0001) and AKI requiring dialysis (1% vs 3%, odds ratio 2.50, 95% confidence interval 1.49 to 4.19, p = 0.001) to be significantly higher in the CABG compared with the PCI cohort. In conclusion, the results of the study reflect the importance of accounting for the RT status before choosing between PCI and CABG for coronary revascularization.