Disparities in the implantation of secondary prevention implantable cardioverter defibrillator in the United States.

BACKGROUND: The annual incidence of sudden cardiac death is over 300,000 in the United States (US). Historically, inpatient implantation of secondary prevention implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) has been variable and subject to healthcare disparities. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate contemporary practice trends of inpatient secondary prevention ICD implants within the US on the basis of race, sex, and socioeconomic status (SES). METHODS: The study is a retrospective analysis of the National Inpatient Sample from 2016 to 2020 of adult discharges with a primary diagnosis of ventricular tachycardia (VT), ventricular flutter, and fibrillation (VF). Adjusted ICD implantation rates based on race, sex, and SES and associated temporal trends were calculated using multivariate regression. RESULTS: A total of 193,600 primary VT/VF discharges in the NIS were included in the cohort, of which 57,895 (29.9%) had ICD placement. There was a significant racial and ethnic disparity in ICD placement for Black, Hispanic, Asian, and Native American patients as compared to White patients; adjusted odds ratio (aOR): 0.86 [p < .01], 0.90 [p  =  .03], 0.81[p < .01], 0.45 [p < .01], respectively. Female patients were also less likely to receive an ICD compared to male patients (aOR: 0.75, p < .01). Disparities in ICD placement remained stable over the study period (ptrend ≥ .05 in all races, both sexes and income categories). CONCLUSION: Racial, sex, and SES disparities persisted for secondary prevention ICD implants in the US. An investigation into contributing factors and subsequent approaches are needed to address the modifiable causes of disparities in ICD implantation as these trends have not improved compared to historic data.

Early versus late discharge after transcatheter aortic valve replacement and readmissions for permanent pacemaker implantation.

OBJECTIVE: To examine the rate of readmission for permanent pacemaker (PPM) implantation with early versus late discharge after transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR). BACKGROUND: There is a current trend toward early discharge after TAVR. However, paucity of data exists on the impact of such practice on readmissions for PPM implantation. METHODS: The Nationwide Readmission Database 2016-2018 was queried for all hospitalizations where patients underwent TAVR. Hospitalizations were stratified into early (Days 0 and 1) versus late (≥Day 2) discharge groups. Observations in which PPM was required in the index admission were excluded. Multivariable regression analyses involving patient- and hospital-related variables were utilized. The primary outcome was 90-day readmission for PPM implantation. RESULTS: The final analysis included 68,482 TAVR hospitalizations, 20,261 (29.6%) with early versus 48,221 (70.4%) with late discharge. Early discharge after TAVR increased over the study period (16.2% in 2016 vs. 37.9% in 2018, Ptrend < 0.01). Nevertheless, 90-day readmission for PPM implantation remained stable (1.8% in 2016 vs. 2.0% in 2018, Ptrend = 0.32). The 90-day readmission rate for PPM implantation (2.0% vs. 1.8%; adjusted odds ratio: 1.15; 95% confidence interval: 0.95-1.39; p = 0.15) and median time-to-readmission (5 days [interquartile range, IQR 3-9] vs. 5 days [IQR 3-14], p = 0.92) were similar with early versus late discharge. Similar rates were observed regardless of whether readmission was elective versus not. Early discharge was associated with lower hospitalization cost ($39,990 ± $13,681 vs. $46,750 ± $18,218, p < 0.01) compared with late discharge. CONCLUSION: In patients who did not require PPM during the index TAVR hospitalization, the rate of readmission for PPM implantation was similar with early versus late discharge.

Minimally Invasive Aortic Valve Replacement: Cost-Benefit Analysis of Ministernotomy Versus Minithoracotomy Approach.

BACKGROUND AND AIM OF THE STUDY: Minimally invasive aortic valve replacement via ministernotomy (ministernotomy-AVR) or minithoracotomy (minithoracotomy-AVR) is gaining popularity. To date, a direct comparison of ministernotomy-AVR versus minithoracotomy-AVR is lacking. The study aim was to compare these two procedures from a cost-benefit perspective. METHODS: Eight reports from the United States were selected from amongst 33,494 literature citations based on sample size and data completeness. Perioperative variables were collected for each surgical approach. Fixed and variable costs were estimated as cost per case in excess of full sternotomy AVR procedures. RESULTS: Ministernotomy-AVR patients were of a significantly lower mean age (59.8 years versus 67.9 years), ejection fraction (50.4-51.6% versus 56.1-57.8%), shorter cardiopulmonary bypass time (97.2 min versus 125.6 min) and cross-clamp time (69.9 min versus 87.9 min), a lower rate of blood transfusion (25.9% versus 64.4%), and a shorter length of hospital stay (5.7 versus 6.2 days). There were no significant inter-group differences in 30-day mortality, conversion to sternotomy, neurologic events, arrhythmia, wound infection, or postoperative bleeding. Assuming a volume of 50 cases per year, the added operative cost per case for a minithoracotomy-AVR was US$ 4,254 compared to US$ 290 for a ministernotomy-AVR. The added costs per case, assuming 200 cases per year, were US$ 4,209 and US$ 290, respectively. A minithoracotomy-AVR program performing 50 cases per year adds US$ 1,063,665 of operative costs over five years, compared to US$ 72,500 for a ministernotomy-AVR program. CONCLUSION: The present analysis suggested that the clinical benefits of ministernotomy-AVR are comparable or better than those of minithoracotomy-AVR, and at lower costs. Healthcare delivery organizations should consider the results of cost-benefit examinations when developing surgical valve replacement programs.

Impact of COVID-19 infection on baseline autonomic symptoms in patients with preexisting postural tachycardia syndrome and orthostatic intolerance: A retrospective study.

BACKGROUND: Postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS) and dysautonomia following a SARS-CoV-2 infection have been recently reported. The underlying mechanism of dysautonomia is not well understood. The impact of this viral illness on the underlying autonomic symptoms has not been studied in patients with a pre-existing POTS diagnosis. Our study aims to report the impact of a COVID-19 infection on patients with preexisting POTS, both during the acute phase of the disease and post-recovery. METHODS: Institutional Review Board (IRB) approval was obtained to access charts of the study subjects. All patients with known POTS disease who acquired COVID-19 infection between April 2020 and May 2021 were included. The end point of the study was worsening POTS related symptoms including orthostatic dizziness, palpitation, fatigue and syncope/ presyncope post COVID-19 infection that required escalation of therapy. Basic demographics, details of POTS diagnosis, medications, Additional information regarding COVID 19 infection, duration of illness, need for hospitalization, worsening of POTS symptoms, need for ED visits, the type of persisting symptoms and vaccination status were obtained from the retrospective chart review. RESULTS: A total of 41 patients were studied. The alpha-variant was the most common causing SARS-CoV-2 infection. 27% (11 patients) of them had tested positive for COVID- 19 infection more than once. About 38 (92.7%) of them reported having worsening of their baseline POTS symptoms during the active infection phase. About 28 patients (68%) experienced worsening of their dysautonomia symptoms for at least 1-6 months post infection. Nearly 30 patients (73.2%) required additional therapy for their symptom control and improvement. CONCLUSIONS: Patients with pre-existing POTS, most experienced a worsening of their baseline autonomic symptoms after suffering the COVID-19 infection which required additional pharmacotherapy for their symptom improvement.

Mortality post in-patient catheter ablation of atrial fibrillation in rural versus urban areas: Insights from national inpatient sample database.

BACKGROUND: A growing body of evidence is supportive of early atrial fibrillation (AF) ablation to maintain sinus rhythm. Disparities in health care between rural and urban areas in the United States are well known. Catheter ablation (CA) of AF is a complex procedure and its outcomes among rural versus urban areas has not been studied in the past. METHODS: The national inpatient sample database 2016-2020 was queried for all hospitalization with the primary diagnosis of AF who underwent AF catheter ablation at the index hospitalization. Then, hospitalizations were stratified into rural versus urban. The primary outcome was in-hospital mortality. Secondary outcomes were total hospitalization costs and likelihood for longer length of stay. RESULTS: A total of 78,735 patients underwent inpatient CA of AF between January 2016 and December 2020, mean age was 68.5 ± 11 with 44 % being females. 27,180 (35 %) CA were performed in rural areas, while the remaining CA  51,555 (65 %) were done in urban areas. While, there was very low risk of mortality, patients who underwent CA in rural areas had more comorbidities and also was associated with a 79 % increase in post-procedural in-hospital mortality compared with urban areas (aOR 1.79, 0.8 % vs 0.4 %, CI: 1.15-2.78, P < 0.01). CA of AF in rural areas had a longer length of hospital stay (aOR 1.11, 4.21 vs 3.79 days, 95 % CI: 1.02-1.2, P = 0.02), lower overall cost compared with urban areas (49,698 ± 1251 vs. $53,252 ± 1339, P = 0.03). Multivariate regression analysis showed end stage renal disease and congestive heart failure were independent risk factors associated with increase in post CA in-hospital mortality exceeding two-fold. CONCLUSION: Inpatient CA of AF in rural areas was associated with higher in-hospital mortality, longer length of stay and a lower overall cost when compared with urban areas.

Sex differences in myocarditis hospitalizations: Rates, outcomes, and hospital characteristics in the National Readmission Database.

Inflammation of the myocardium, or myocarditis, presents with varied severity, from mild to life-threatening such as cardiogenic shock or ventricular tachycardia storm. Existing data on sex-related differences in its presentation and outcomes are scarce. Using the Nationwide Readmission Database (2016-2019), we identified myocarditis hospitalizations and stratified them according to sex to either males or females. Multivariable regression analyses were used to determine the association between sex and myocarditis outcomes. The primary outcome was in-hospital mortality, and the secondary outcomes included sudden cardiac death (SCD), cardiogenic shock (CS), use of mechanical circulatory support (MCS), and 90-day readmissions. We found a total of 12,997 myocarditis hospitalizations, among which 4,884 (37.6 %) were females. Compared to males, females were older (51 ± 15.6 years vs. 41.9 ± 14.8 in males) and more likely to have connective tissue disease, obesity, and a history of coronary artery disease. No differences were noted between the two groups with regards to in-hospital mortality (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 1.20; confidence interval [CI] 0.93-1.53; P = 0.16), SCD (aOR:1.18; CI 0.84-1.64; P = 0.34), CS (aOR: 1.01; CI 0.85-1.20;P = 0.87), or use of MCS (aOR: 1.07; CI:0.86-1.34; P = 0.56). In terms of interventional procedures, females had lower rates of coronary angiography (aOR: 0.78; CI 0.70-0.88; P < 0.01), however, similar rates of right heart catheterization (aOR 0.93; CI:0.79-1.09; P = 0.36) and myocardial biopsy (aOR: 1.16; CI:0.83-1.62; P = 0.38) compared to males. Additionally, females had a higher risk of 90-day all-cause readmission (aOR: 1.25; CI: 1.16-1.56; P < 0.01) and myocarditis readmission (aOR:1.58; CI 1.02-2.44; P = 0.04). Specific predictors of readmission included essential hypertension, congestive heart failure, malignancy, and peripheral vascular disease. In conclusion, females admitted with myocarditis tend to have similar in-hospital outcomes with males; however, they are at higher risk of readmission within 90 days from hospitalization. Further studies are needed to identify those at higher risk of readmission.

Inpatient outcomes of transcatheter aortic valve replacement based on class of obesity.

Transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) is a transformative option for severe aortic stenosis, especially in elderly patients. obesity's impact on TAVR outcomes is limited. Using the National Inpatient Sample from 2016 to 2020, We analyzed 217,300 TAVR hospitalizations across BMI groups. No difference in in-hospital mortality was observed, class III obesity experienced longer hospital stays (adjusted ß: 0.43 days, P < 0.05), higher costs (adjusted ß: $3,126, P < 0.05), increased heart failure exacerbation (adjusted odds ratio [aOR]: 2.68, 95% confidence interval [CI]: [1.03-7.01], p < 0.05), vascular access complications (aOR: 1.29, 95% CI: [1.07-1.52], P < 0.05), and post-operative pulmonary complications (Pneumonia (aOR: 1.42, 95% CI: [1.16-1.74], p < 0.05), acute hypoxic respiratory failure (aOR: 1.99, 95% CI: [1.67-2.36], p < 0.05), and non-invasive ventilation (aOR: 1.62, 95% CI: [1.07-2.44], p < 0.05). Complete heart block and permanent pacemaker requirement were higher in both class II and class III ((aOR: 1.30, 95% CI: [1.11-1.51], P < 0.05), (aOR:1.25, 95% CI: [1.06-1.46], P < 0.05) and ((aOR: 1.18, 95% CI: [1.00-1.40], P < 0.05), (aOR:1.22, 95% CI: [1.02-1.45], P < 0.05)) respectively. Understanding these links is crucial for optimizing TAVR care in obesity, ensuring enhanced outcomes, and procedural safety.

Association Between Clinical Trial Participation Status and Outcomes With Mitral Transcatheter Edge-to-Edge Repair.

BACKGROUND: Clinical trials have demonstrated the efficacy and safety of mitral transcatheter edge-to-edge repair (M-TEER) for selected patients with severe mitral regurgitation. However, the generalizability of trial results to real-world patients remains uncertain. OBJECTIVES: The authors aimed to compare baseline characteristics and in-hospital outcomes among trial participants with nonparticipants undergoing M-TEER. METHODS: Using the National Inpatient Sample database years 2016-2020, M-TEER admissions were identified and categorized into trial participants vs none. We also identified a cohort of trial noneligible patients based on clinical exclusion criteria from pivotal trials. Multivariate regression analysis was performed to compare in-hospital outcomes. The primary outcome was in-hospital mortality, and secondary outcomes included in-hospital complications, length of stay, and hospitalization cost. RESULTS: Among 38,770 M-TEER admissions from 2016 to 2020, 11,450 (29.5%) were trial participants, 22,975 (59.3%) were eligible nonparticipants, and 2,960 (7.6%) were noneligible. Baseline characteristics and comorbidity profiles were mostly similar between trial participants vs eligible nonparticipants. In-hospital mortality (adjusted OR [aOR]: 0.98; 95% CI: 0.60-1.62), cardiogenic shock (aOR: 1.06; 95% CI: 0.80-1.42), mechanical circulatory support (aOR: 0.91; 95% CI: 0.58-1.41), mechanical ventilation (aOR: 1.03; 95% CI: 0.74-1.42), and conversion to mitral valve surgery (aOR: 1.08; 95% CI: 0.57-2.03) were not different between both groups. Conversely, M-TEER for noneligible patients was associated with higher rates of mortality (aOR: 6.27; 95% CI: 3.75-10.45) and complications. CONCLUSIONS: The majority of real-world M-TEER patients would have been eligible for clinical trial participation and had comparable clinical profiles and in-hospital outcomes to trial participants. However, noneligible patients had worse in-hospital outcomes compared with trial participants.

Association Between ß-thalassemia and Atrial Fibrillation: Insights from the United States National Inpatient Sample.

Transfusion-dependent ß-thalassemia (thalassemia major and thalassemia intermedia) (BT) requires repeated blood transfusions for survival due to ineffective erythropoiesis. Consequently, iron overload can predispose the patient to atrial fibrillation (AF) despite the improved prognosis achieved with transfusion and chelation therapy. We sought to study the impact of AF on BT patients through a large database analysis. The current study used data from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality's Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project National Inpatient Sample collected from 2016-2019. A total of 17,150 admissions were included, of which 2100 (12.2%) admissions had a concomitant diagnosis of AF. Admissions with AF were older (mean age, 72.1 vs. 47.3 years; P < .001) and more likely to have congestive heart failure (CHF), hypertension, valvular heart disease, and renal disease. BT admission was associated with a higher AF prevalence than non-BT admission across all age groups. AF was not associated with an increased risk of in-hospital mortality (adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 1.36; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.67-2.78; P = .398) or an increased length of stay (LOS) (aOR, 1.00; 95% CI, 0.78-1.29; P = .997) in the general cohort. In a subgroup analysis, AF was associated with increased in-hospital mortality in women (aOR, 2.73; 95% CI, 1.09-6.8; P = .031). Predictors of in-hospital mortality were increasing age, CHF, and liver disease, while predictors of prolonged LOS were diabetes mellitus, CHF, and increasing age. Further studies are warranted to develop strategies to improve the quality of care and outcome in this population.

Impact of chronic kidney disease on in-hospital mortality and clinical outcomes of catheter ablation of ventricular tachycardia: Insights from the national readmission database.

BACKGROUND: Catheter ablation is an effective treatment for ventricular tachycardia (VT), albeit the decision to undergo this procedure is often influenced by underlying comorbidities. The present study aims at evaluating the effects of chronic kidney disease (CKD) on clinical outcomes of VT ablation. METHODS: We identified 7212 patients who presented between 2016 and 2018 and underwent catheter ablation for VT. Their clinical data were retrospectively accrued from the national readmission database (NRD) using the corresponding diagnosis codes. We compared clinical outcomes between patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD group) and patients without. Odds ratios (OR) for the primary and secondary outcomes were calculated, and multivariable regression analysis was utilized to adjust for confounding variables. RESULTS: Compared with patients without CKD, patients in CKD group were older (mean age 67.9 vs. 60.5 years, P < 0.01), had a longer mean length of stay (8.73 vs. 5.69 days, P < 0.01), and higher in-hospital mortality 113 (6.7%) vs. 119 (2.2%) (OR 2.24, 95% confidence interval (CI) (1.29-3.88), P < 0.01). CKD group patients had increased risk of developing acute kidney injury 726 (43%) vs. 623 (11.3%) (3.69 95% CI (2.87-4.74), P < 0.01). CONCLUSION: In patients with CKD, VT ablation is associated with worse clinical outcomes in-hospital mortality, acute kidney injury, mean length of stay, and total hospital charge. This significantly influences the decision-making prior to performing this procedure.

Trends and Predictors of Poor Outcomes in Patients With Right Heart Failure: Insights From the National Readmission Database.

Right heart failure (RHF) is a complex clinical syndrome that confers high risk of morbidity and mortality. We sought to study RHF using large national database. The study is a retrospective analysis of the National Readmission Database (NRD) of years 2017-2019. Admissions with a primary diagnosis of RHF were included. Study outcomes were temporal trends of RHF diagnosis and predictors of in-hospital mortality and 30-day readmission. Subgroup analysis according to co-presence of reduced or preserved left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF). Multivariate logistic regression was utilized to detect predictors of poor outcome and difference between subgroups. A total of 127,503 admissions were identified from the database of which 4,717 primary RHF admissions were included in our cohort. There was a trend of increasing RHF diagnosis from 2017 4th Quarter to 2019 4th Quarter. Age, liver disease and reduced LVEF were amongst predictors of in-hospital mortality while iron deficiency anemia and a Charlson Comorbidity Score ≥ 3 were predictors of 30-day readmission. The study of real-world data contributes to a better understanding of RHF outcomes. Further studies are needed to investigate the association between RHF and different types of heart failure and its implications on clinical practice.

Disparities in Acute Coronary Syndrome Outcomes in Individuals With Intellectual Disabilities: A Propensity-Matched Analysis of National Inpatient Sample.

BACKGROUND: Individuals with intellectual disabilities (IDs) are at similar risk of acute coronary syndrome (ACS) as compared to general population. However, there is a paucity of real-world data evaluating outcomes of ACS in this population. We sought to study ACS outcomes in individuals with IDs using a large national database. METHODS: Adult admissions with a primary diagnosis of ACS were identified from the national inpatient sample of years 2016-2019. Cohort was stratified according to presence of IDs. A 1 to 1 nearest neighbor propensity score matching using 16 patient variables. Outcomes evaluated were in-hospital mortality, coronary angiography (CA), timing of CA (early [day 0] vs. late [>day0]), and revascularization. RESULTS: A total of 5110 admissions (2555 in each group) were included in our matched cohort. IDs admissions had higher rates of in-hospital mortality (9 % vs. 4 %, aOR: 2.84, 95 % CI [1.66-4.86], P < 0.001), and were less likely to receive CA (52 % vs. 71 %, aOR: 0.44, 95 % CI [0.34-0.58], P < 0.001) and revascularization (33 % vs. 52 %, aOR: 0.45, 95 % CI [0.35-0.58], P < 0.001). In-Hospital mortality was higher in the ID admissions whether invasive coronary treatment (CA or revascularization) was performed (6 % vs. 3 %, aOR: 2.34, 95 % CI [1.09-5.06], P = 0.03) or not (13 % vs. 5 %, aOR: 2.56, 95 % CI [1.14-5.78], P = 0.023). CONCLUSION: Significant disparities exist in ACS outcomes and management in individuals with IDs. More research is needed to understand the reasons for these disparities and develop interventions to improve quality of care in this population.

Sex differences in outcomes of transvenous lead extraction: insights from National Readmission Database.

BACKGROUND: With the growing use of implantable cardiac devices, the need for transvenous lead extraction has increased, which translates to increased procedural volumes. Sex differences in lead extraction outcomes are not well studied. OBJECTIVE: The present study aims at evaluating the impact of sex on outcomes of lead extraction. METHODS: We identified 71,754 patients who presented between 2016 and 2019 and underwent transvenous lead extraction. Their clinical data were retrospectively accrued from the National Readmission Database (NRD) using the corresponding diagnosis codes. We compared clinical outcomes between male and female patients. Odds ratios (ORs) for the primary and secondary outcomes were calculated, and multivariable regression analysis was utilized to adjust for confounding variables. RESULTS: Compared to male patients, female patients had higher in-hospital complications including pneumothorax (OR 1.26, 95% CI (1.07-1.4), P < 0.01), hemopericardium (OR 1.39, 95% CI (1.02-1.88), P = 0.036), injury to superior vena cava and innominate vein requiring repair (OR 1.88, 95% CI (1.14-3.1), P = 0.014; OR 3.4, 95% CI (1.8-6.5), P < 0.01), need for blood transfusion (OR 1.28, 95% CI (1.18-1.38), P < 0.01), and pericardiocentesis (OR 1.6, 95% CI (1.3-2), P < 0.01). Thirty-day readmission was also significantly higher in female patients (OR 1.09, 95% CI (1.02-1.17), P < 0.01). There was no significant difference regarding in-hospital mortality (OR 0.99, 95% CI (0.87-1.14), P = 0.95). CONCLUSION: In female patients, lead extraction is associated with worse clinical outcomes and higher 30-day readmission rate.

National Trends of Structural Heart Disease Interventions from 2016 to 2020 in the United States and the Associated Impact of COVID-19 Pandemic.

The Coronavirus Disease-2019 (COVID-19) pandemic placed an enormous strain on the healthcare system. Data on the impact of COVID-19 on the utilization and outcomes of structural heart disease interventions in the United States are scarce. The National Inpatient Sample from 2016 to 2020 was queried to identify adult admissions for transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR), left atrial appendage occlusion (LAAO), and transcatheter end-to-end repair (TEER). The primary outcome was temporal trends of procedure utilization rate per 100,000 admissions over quarters from 2016 to 2020. The secondary outcomes were adjusted rates of in-hospital mortality, major complications, and length of stay (LOS). Among 434,630 weighted admissions (TAVR: 305,550; LAAO: 89,300; TEER: 40,160), 95,010 admissions (22%) were during the COVID-19 era. There was a decline during the second quarter of 2020 followed by an increase to the pre pandemic levels (TAVR: 220 to 253, LAAO: 57 to 109, and TEER: 31 to 36 per 100,000 admissions, Ptrend<0.001). There were no differences in the mortality or major complication rates. Median LOS has decreased in TAVR (4 days-1 day) and in TEER (3 days-1 day) but remained stable in LAAO (1 day). This nationwide analysis showed that structural heart disease interventions decreased during the early waves of COVID-19 pandemic. There was a significant reduction in hospital LOS without differences in in-hospital mortality or complication rates during the pandemic. These data suggest that hospitals adapted to the unprecedent challenges during the pandemic to provide advanced cardiac care to patients.

Short-term Outcomes of Hypertensive Crises in Patients with Orthostatic Hypotension.

Supine hypertension-orthostatic hypotension disease poses a management challenge to clinicians. Data on short term outcomes of patients with orthostatic hypotension (OH) who are hospitalized with hypertensive (HTN) crises is lacking. The Nationwide Readmission Database 2016-2019 was queried for all hospitalizations of HTN crises. Hospitalizations were stratified according to whether OH was present or not. We employed propensity score to match hospitalizations for patients with OH to those without, at 1:1 ratio. Outcomes evaluated were 30-days readmission with HTN crises or falls, as well as hospital outcomes of in-hospital mortality, acute kidney injury, acute congestive heart failure, acute coronary syndrome, type 2 myocardial infarction, aortic dissection, stroke, length of stay (LOS), discharge to nursing home and hospitalization costs. We included a total of 9451 hospitalization (4735 in the OH group vs 4716 in the control group). OH group was more likely to be readmitted with falls (Odds ratio [OR]:3.27, P < 0.01) but not with HTN crises (P = 0.05). Both groups had similar likelihood of developing acute kidney injury (P = 0.08), stroke/transient ischemic attack (P = 0.52), and aortic dissection (P = 0.66). Alternatively, OH group were less likely to develop acute heart failure (OR:0.54, P < 0.01) or acute coronary syndrome (OR:0.39, P < 0.01) in the setting of HTN crises than non-OH group. OH group were more likely to have longer LOS and have higher hospitalization costs. Patients with OH who are admitted with HTN crises tend to have similar or lower HTN-related complications to non-OH group while having higher likelihood of readmission with falls, LOS and hospitalization costs. Further studies are needed to confirm such findings.

Temporal Trends and Sex Differences in Patients With Cardiac Amyloidosis and Heart Failure With Preserved Ejection Fraction: Retrospective Analysis of 22,015 Admissions From the National Inpatient Sample.

Cardiac amyloidosis (CA) often goes unrecognized as a cause of heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF). There is paucity of contemporary data evaluating the trends of CA diagnosis and associated sex differences. Adult heart failure hospitalizations were identified from the National Inpatient Sample between 2016 and 2019. Hospitalizations with heart failure other than HFpEF were excluded. Hospitalizations with a diagnosis of CA were identified. A Linear regression was utilized to calculate the trend of CA diagnosis over time. A multivariate logistic regressions analysis was performed to analyze sex differences. There was an increasing trend of CA from 1.2 to 2.3 per 1000 HFpEF admission in the first quarter of 2016 to the fourth quarter of 2019 (Ptrend <0.001). In females, as compared to males, there was an increased risk of AIS (6% vs 3%, aOR: 1.68[1.24-2.27], P=0.001) and major bleeding events (10% vs 5%, aOR: 1.97[1.53-2.52], P<0.001). No difference was observed in the in-hospital mortality outcome (8% vs 7%, aOR: 1.2[0.95-1.53], P=0.12) between both groups. Our real-world contemporary analysis showed an increase in CA diagnosis from 2016 to 2019. Despite similar in-hospital mortality, females were associated with higher AIS and major bleeding events rates. Further prospective studies are needed to validate these results.

Outcomes of Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting in Patients With Previous Mediastinal Radiation.

Studies have shown that patients with radiation therapy-associated coronary artery disease tend to have worse outcomes with percutaneous revascularization. Previous irradiation has been linked with future internal mammary artery graft disease. Studies investigating the outcomes of coronary artery bypass surgery (CABG) among patients with previous radiation are limited. The Nationwide Readmission Database for the years 2016 to 2019 was queried for hospitalizations with CABG and history of mediastinal radiation. Complex samples multivariable logistic and linear regression models were used to determine the association between the history of mediastinal radiation and in-hospital mortality, 90 days all-cause unplanned readmission rates, and acute coronary syndrome readmission rates. A total of 533,702 hospitalizations (2,070 in the irradiation history group and 531,632 in the control group) were included in this analysis. Patients with radiation therapy history were less likely to have traditional coronary artery disease risk factors and more likely to have associated valvular disease. Patients with a history of irradiation had similar in-hospital mortality and 90-day readmission risk at the expense of higher hospitalizations costs (ß coefficient: $2,764; p = 0.005). They had a higher likelihood of readmission with acute coronary syndrome within 90 days (adjusted odds ratio 1.67, p = 0.02). In a conclusion, a history of mediastinal irradiation is not associated with increased rates of short-term mortality or increased all-cause readmission risk after CABG. However, it may be associated with increased acute coronary syndrome readmission rates.

Outcomes of Ventricular Tachycardia Catheter Ablation in Patients Who Underwent Cardiac Defibrillator Implantation Nationwide Readmission Database Analysis.

The timing of when to perform ventricular tachycardia (VT) ablation while receiving an implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) during the same hospitalization has not been explored. This study aimed to investigate the use and outcomes of VT catheter ablation in patients with sustained VT receiving ICD in the same hospital stay. The Nationwide Readmission Database 2016 to 2019 was queried for all hospitalizations with a primary diagnosis of VT with subsequent ICD during the same admission. Hospitalizations were later stratified according to whether a VT ablation was performed. All catheter ablation of VT were performed before ICD implantation. The outcomes of interest were in-hospital mortality and 90-day readmission. A total of 29,385 VT hospitalizations were included. VT ablation was performed with subsequent ICD placement in 2,255 (7.6%), whereas 27,130 (92.3%) received an ICD only. No differences were found regarding in-hospital mortality (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 0.83, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.35 to 1.9, p = 0.67) and all-cause 90-day readmission rate (aOR 1.1, 95% CI 0.95 to 1.3, p = 0.16). An increase in readmission because of recurrent VT was noted in the VT ablation group (aOR 1.53, 8% vs 5% CI 1.2 to 1.9, p <0.01); the VT ablation group encompassed a higher number of patients with heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (p <0.01), cardiogenic shock (p <0.01), and mechanical circulatory support use (p <0.01). In conclusion, the use of VT ablation in patients admitted with sustained VT is low and reserved for higher risk patients with significant co-morbidities. Despite the higher risk profile of VT ablation cohort, no differences were found in the short-term mortality and readmission rate between the groups.

Contemporary Trends, Characteristics, and Outcomes of Transcatheter Aortic Valve Implantation Among Extreme Elderly Patients.

Transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) has been increasingly performed among extreme elderly patients with symptomatic severe aortic stenosis. We aimed to study the trends, characteristics, and outcomes of TAVI among extreme elderly. The National Readmission Database for the years 2016 to 2019 was queried for extreme elderly who underwent TAVI. Linear regression analysis was used to calculate the temporal trends in outcomes. A total of 23,507 TAVI extreme elderly admissions (50.3% women and 95.9% Medicare insurance) were included. The in-hospital mortality and all-cause 30-day readmissions were 2% and 15% and have been stable over years of analysis (p trend = 0.79 and 0.06, respectively). We evaluated complications, such as permanent pacemaker implantation (12%) and stroke (3.2%). Stroke rates did not decrease (3.4% vs 2.9% in 2016 and 2019 [p trend = 0.24]). The mean length of stay improved from 5.5 days in 2016 to 4.3 days in 2019 (p trend <0.01). The rates of early discharge (day ≤3) has improved from 49% in 2016 to 69% in 2019 (p trend <0.01). In conclusion, this nationwide contemporary observational analysis showed that TAVI was associated with low rates of complications in the extreme elderly.

Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease Predicts Acute Kidney Injury Readmission in Heart Failure Hospitalizations: A Nationwide Analysis.

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) has been associated with the progression of chronic kidney disease. However, limited data is available on its impact on acute kidney injury (AKI) in heart failure(HF) patients. All primary adult HF admissions from the national readmission database of 2016-2019 were identified. Admissions from July to December of each year were excluded to allow 6 months of follow-up. Patients were stratified according to the presence of NAFLD. Complex multivariate cox regression was used to adjust for confounders and calculate the adjusted hazard ratio. A total of 420,893 weighted patients admitted with HF were included in our cohort, of whom 780 had a secondary diagnosis of NAFLD. Patients with NAFLD were younger, more likely to be female, and had higher rates of obesity and diabetes mellitus. Both groups had similar rates of chronic kidney disease irrespective of the stage. NAFLD was associated with an increased risk of 6-month readmission with AKI (26.8% vs 16.6%, adjusted hazard ratio:1.44, 95% CI [1.14-1.82], P = 0.003). The mean time to AKI readmission was 150 ± 44 days. NAFLD was associated with a shorter mean time to readmission (145 ± 45 vs 155 ± 42 days, ß =  -10 days, P = 0.044). Our study from a national database suggests that NAFLD is an independent predictor of 6-months readmission with AKI in patients admitted with HF. Further research is warranted to validate these findings.