Mild therapeutic hypothermia in cardiogenic shock syndrome.

OBJECTIVE: Mortality in patients with cardiogenic shock after out-of-hospital cardiac arrest remains high despite advances in resuscitation and early revascularization strategies. Recent studies suggest a reduced mortality in survivors of cardiac arrest subjected to mild therapeutic hypothermia, but the underlying mechanisms are not yet clear. Because positive hemodynamic effects of mild therapeutic hypothermia have been suggested, we aimed at testing the hypothesis that patients in cardiogenic shock might benefit from mild therapeutic hypothermia. METHODS: Hemodynamic effects of mild therapeutic hypothermia in 20 consecutive patients admitted in cardiogenic shock after successful resuscitation from out-of-hospital cardiac arrest were investigated. A historic normothermic control group was matched (one-to-one) by means of a propensity score. Patients were cooled to 33°C for 24 hrs using an endovascular cooling device and hemodynamic variables were continuously recorded by means of pulse contour analysis. Cardiac performance was determined by echocardiography. RESULTS: Mild therapeutic hypothermia induced a significant decrease in heart rate from 74 to 64 beats per minute. Despite the reduction in heart rate, cardiac index remained unchanged under mild therapeutic hypothermia likely due to an increase in ejection fraction from 43 ± 4% to 55 ± 4%. Mean arterial pressure increased rapidly from 75 ± 2 mm Hg to 84 ± 3 mm Hg (p = .001) upon induction of hypothermia paralleled by an initial increase in systemic vascular resistance. Accordingly, patients with mild therapeutic hypothermia required lower cumulative doses of vasopressors and inotropes. CONCLUSIONS: We conclude that in cardiogenic shock mild therapeutic hypothermia provides circulatory support and an increase in systemic vascular resistance that leads to reduced vasopressor use and may result in lower oxygen consumption. These findings suggest that mild therapeutic hypothermia could be a therapeutic option in hemodynamically unstable patients independent of cardiac arrest and further randomized clinical studies are needed.

Long-term medication adherence in patients with ST-elevation myocardial infarction and primary percutaneous coronary intervention.

AIMS: Besides early percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) long-term medical treatment is crucial for outcomes after ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI). The present study aimed to identify predictors of adherence to evidence-based medication in this high risk population. METHODS AND RESULTS: A total of 1025 consecutive patients with adjudicated STEMI treated by primary PCI in a single centre as part of the Cologne Infarction Model (KIM) were prospectively analysed. Gender-specific multivariate predictors of long-term medication adherence were identified. Follow-up with available information on drug use was completed for 610 of 738 (82.7%) patients confirmed to be alive after a median period of 36 months. Adherence was persistently high for evidence-based medication with 90.8% for acetylsalicylic acid (ASA), 88.2% for statins, 87.5% for beta-blockers and 79.2% for ACE-inhibitors or angiotensin-receptor blockers (ARBs). Patients with a history of heart failure had a higher medication adherence to beta-blockers, ACE-inhibitors/ARBs and diuretics, whereas long-term prescription rates for calcium channel blockers (CCBs) were lower in patients with reduced versus preserved ejection fraction. Patients with a history of hypertension presented higher medication adherence to CCBs, ACE-inhibitors/ARBs and diuretics but not to beta-blockers. On multivariate analysis, age, body mass index (BMI), hypertension, chronic kidney disease and lack of PCI were independently associated with prescription of diuretics at follow-up. In women, adherence was lower to beta-blockers and higher to CCBs compared to men. CONCLUSION: In the high risk population of STEMI patients long-term adherence to evidence-based medication is high. The lower adherence to beta-blockers and higher prescription rate for CCBs in women needs particular attention.

Fluid therapy and acute kidney injury in cardiogenic shock after cardiac arrest.

AIM OF THE STUDY: It has recently been suggested that acute kidney injury (AKI) may strongly be influenced by post-resuscitation disease and cardiogenic shock (CS), and may not just be a consequence of cardiac arrest and time without spontaneous circulation. AKI also has been suggested as a strong independent predictor of in-hospital mortality. Therefore the present study aimed at investigating the effect of fluid management on the incidence of AKI in patients with cardiogenic shock after cardiac arrest treated by mild therapeutic hypothermia. METHODS: Fluid therapy and the incidence of acute kidney injury (AKI) was retrospectively reviewed in 51 patients with cardiogenic shock after cardiac arrest comparing patients with and without hemodynamic (PPV, SVV) and volumetric (ELWI, GEDI) monitoring. RESULTS: There was no significant difference in baseline or cardiac arrest characteristics between hemodynamic monitored patients and conventional monitored patients. 28 patients were monitored by standard monitoring, in 23 patients monitoring was complemented by a PICCO system. In the first 24h of treatment the total amount of fluid was significantly higher in patients under PICCO monitoring compared to conventional monitoring (4375±1285ml vs. 5449±1438ml, p=0.007). This was associated with a significant reduction in the incidence of AKI (RIFLE 'I'/'F': PICCO-group: 1 (4.3%) vs. conventional group 8 (28.6%), p=0.03). CONCLUSION: The presented data suggest that volume therapy guided by volumetric (ELWI, GEDI) and arterial waveform derived variables (PPV, SVV) can reduce the incidence of AKI in patients with cardiogenic shock after cardiac arrest treated with mild therapeutic hypothermia.

Postprocedural atrial fibrillation after transcatheter aortic valve implantation versus surgical aortic valve replacement.

BACKGROUND: Transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) represents an alternative option for elderly patients with severe aortic valve stenosis who are denied surgical aortic valve replacement (SAVR) because of high perioperative risk. The impact of TAVI on postprocedural atrial fibrillation is undefined. METHODS: In a single-center analysis, we assessed clinical data, preoperative risk scores (Society for Thoracic Surgeons score, logistic European System for Cardiac Operative Risk Evaluation), preprocedural electrocardiograms, and 72-hour postprocedural rhythm monitoring of 170 patients undergoing TAVI (n=84) or SAVR (n=86). In a subanalysis, transapical (n=43) and transfemoral TAVI (n=41) were compared. RESULTS: Expectedly, TAVI patients were significantly older, presented with more severe symptoms, had higher Society for Thoracic Surgeons score, higher logistic European System for Cardiac Operative Risk Evaluation score, and revealed more frequently intermittent atrial fibrillation compared with SAVR patients. Despite this more compromised health state, prevalence of postprocedural atrial fibrillation was significantly lower in the TAVI group (6.0%, versus 33.7% after SAVR, p<0.05). More than two thirds of TAVI patients but no SAVR patient with atrial fibrillation in preprocedural electrocardiograms had stable sinus rhythm during 72-hour postprocedural monitoring. Notably, no atrial fibrillation was observed after transfemoral TAVI. Whereas atrial fibrillation onset in the SAVR group predominantly occurred on postoperative day 3, atrial fibrillation onset after transapical TAVI was obtained within the first 24 hours after the intervention. CONCLUSIONS: Our results indicate that TAVI, compared with SAVR, reduces the risk of periprocedural atrial fibrillation. Furthermore, preprocedural atrial fibrillation may be converted into sinus rhythm particularly after transfemoral TAVI, suggesting an impact of decreased intracardiac pressures in the absence of adverse periprocedural factors that might promote atrial fibrillation.

Non-invasive diagnosis of pulmonary hypertension: ESC/ERS Guidelines with Updated Commentary of the Cologne Consensus Conference 2011.

The 2009 European Guidelines on Diagnosis and Treatment of Pulmonary Hypertension have been adopted for Germany. The guidelines contain detailed recommendations for the diagnosis of pulmonary hypertension. However, the practical implementation of the European Guidelines in Germany requires the consideration of several country-specific issues and already existing novel data. This requires a detailed commentary to the guidelines, and in some aspects an update already appears necessary. In June 2010, a Consensus Conference organized by the PH working groups of the German Society of Cardiology (DGK), the German Society of Respiratory Medicine (DGP) and the German Society of Pediatric Cardiology (DGPK) was held in Cologne, Germany. This conference aimed to solve practical and controversial issues surrounding the implementation of the European Guidelines in Germany. To this end, a number of working groups was initiated, one of which was specifically dedicated to the non-invasive diagnosis of pulmonary hypertension. This manuscript describes in detail the results and recommendations of the working group which were last updated in October 2011.