Contemporary Management of Cardiogenic Shock: A Scientific Statement From the American Heart Association

Resource Utilization and Costs Associated With Cardiogenic Shock Complicating Myocardial Infarction: A Population-Based Cohort Study

Background

Cardiogenic shock due to acute myocardial infarction (AMI-CS) is associated with significant short- and long-term morbidity and mortality. Despite this, little is known about associated cost.

Objectives

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the health care costs and resource use associated with AMI-CS using administrative data from the province of Ontario, Canada.

Methods

This was a retrospective cohort study of adult patients with AMI-CS from April 2009 to March 2019. One-year costs following index admission were reported at an individual level. We used generalized linear models to identify factors associated with increased cost. We stratified patients by revascularization strategy to compare cost in each group and examined total cost at a patient level per individual fiscal year.

Results

We included 9,789 consecutive patients with AMI-CS across 135 centers in Ontario (mean age 70.5 years; 67.7% male). Mortality in-hospital was 30.2%, and mortality at 2 years was 45.9%. The median inpatient cost per patient was $23,912 (IQR: $12,234-$41,833) with a median total 1-year cost of $37,913 (IQR: $20,113-$66,582). The median 1-year cost was $17,730 (IQR: $9,323-$38,379) for those who died in hospital, and $45,713 (IQR: $29,688-$77,683) for those surviving to discharge, with $12,719 (IQR: $4,262-$35,275) occurring after discharge. Patients who received coronary artery bypass grafting incurred the highest cost among revascularization groups. No significant differences were observed in cost per fiscal year from 2009 to 2019.

Conclusions

AMI-CS is associated with significant health care costs, both during the index hospitalization and following discharge. To optimize cost-effectiveness, future therapies should aim to reduce disability in addition to improving mortality.

Electrocardiographic patterns and clinical outcomes of acute coronary syndrome cardiogenic shock in patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention - A propensity score analysis

OBJECTIVES

To determine the influence of presenting electrocardiographic (ECG) changes on prognosis in acute coronary syndrome cardiogenic shock (ACS-CS) patients undergoing percutaneous coronary angiography (PCI).

BACKGROUND

The effect of initial ECG changes such as ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) versus non-STEMI among patients ACS-CS on prognosis remains unclear.

METHODS

We analysed data from consecutive patients with ACS-CS enrolled in the Victorian Cardiac Outcomes registry between 2014 and 2020. Inverse probability of treatment weighting analysis (IPTW) was used to assess the effect of ECG changes on 30-day mortality.

RESULTS

Of 1564 patients with ACS-CS who underwent PCI, 161 had non-STEMI and 1403 had STEMI on ECG. The mean age was 66 ± 13 years, and 74 % (1152) were males. Patients with non-STEMI compared to STEMI were older (70 ± 12 vs 65 ± 13 years), had higher rates of diabetes (34 % vs 21 %), prior coronary artery bypass graft surgery (14 % vs 3.3 %), peripheral arterial disease (10.6 % vs 4.1 %, p < 0.01), and lower baseline eGFR (53.8 [37.1, 75.4] vs 65.3 [46.3, 87.8] ml/min/1.73m2), all p ≤ 0.01. Non-STEMI patients were more likely to have a culprit left circumflex artery (29 % vs 20 %) and more often underwent multivessel percutaneous coronary intervention (30 % vs 20 %) but had lower rates of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (21 % vs 39 %), all p ≤ 0.01. Propensity score analysis with IPTW confirmed that non-STEMI ECG was associated with lower odds for 30-day all-cause mortality (OR 0.47 [0.32, 0.69], p < 0.001), and 30-day major adverse cardiovascular and cerebrovascular events (OR 0.48 [0.33, 0.70]).

CONCLUSIONS

In patients undergoing PCI, Non-STEMI as compared to STEMI on index ECG was associated with approximately half the relative risk of both 30-day mortality and 30-day MACCE and could be a useful variable to integrate in ACS-CS risk scores.

In-hospital cardiac arrest after STEMI: prevention strategies and post-arrest care

INTRODUCTION

In-Hospital Cardiac Arrest (IHCA) after ST-segment Elevation Myocardial Infarction (STEMI) is a subset of IHCA with high morbidity. While information on this selected group of patients is limited, closer inspection reveals that this is a challenging patient population with certain risk factors for IHCA following treatment of STEMI.

AREAS COVERED

In this review article, strategies for prevention of IHCA post STEMI are reviewed, as well as best-practices for the care of STEMI patients post-IHCA.

EXPERT OPINION

Early and successful reperfusion is key for the prevention of IHCA and has a significant impact on in-hospital mortality. A number of pharmacological treatments have also been studied that can impact the progression to IHCA. Development of cardiogenic shock post-STEMI increases mortality and raises the risk of cardiac arrest. The treatment of IHCA follows the ACLS algorithm with some notable exceptions.

Acute normovolemic hemodilution in cardiac surgery: Rationale and design of a multicenter randomized trial

BACKGROUND

Minimizing the use of blood component can reduce known and unknown blood transfusion risks, preserve blood bank resources, and decrease healthcare costs. Red Blood Cell (RBC) transfusion is common after cardiac surgery and associated with adverse perioperative outcomes, including mortality. Acute normovolemic hemodilution (ANH) may reduce bleeding and the need for blood product transfusion after cardiac surgery. However, its blood-saving effect and impact on major outcomes remain uncertain.

METHODS

This is a single-blinded, multinational, pragmatic, randomized controlled trial with a 1:1 allocation ratio conducted in Tertiary and University hospitals. The study is designed to enroll patients scheduled for elective cardiac surgery with planned cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB). Patients are randomized to receive ANH before CPB or the best available treatment without ANH. We identified an ANH volume of at least 650 ml as the critical threshold for clinically relevant benefits. Larger ANH volumes, however, are allowed and tailored to the patient's characteristics and clinical conditions.

RESULTS

The primary outcome is the percentage of patients receiving RBCs transfusion from randomization until hospital discharge, which we hypothesize will be reduced from 35% to 28% with ANH. Secondary outcomes are all-cause 30-day mortality, acute kidney injury, bleeding complications, and ischemic complications.

CONCLUSION

The trial is designed to determine whether ANH can safely reduce RBC transfusion after elective cardiac surgery with CPB.

STUDY REGISTRATION

This trial was registered on ClinicalTrials.gov in April 2019 with the trial identification number NCT03913481.

Prehabilitation Maximizing Functional Mobility in Patients With Cardiogenic Shock Supported on Axillary Impella

Physical therapy (PT) benefits for critically ill patients are well recognized; however, little data exist on PT in patients receiving temporary mechanical circulatory support. In this single-center retrospective study (February 2017-January 2022), we analyzed 37 patients who received an axillary Impella device (Abiomed, Danvers, MA) and PT to "prehabilitate" them before durable left ventricular assist device (dLVAD) implantation. The Activity Measure for Post-Acute Care (AM-PAC) Basic Mobility tool assessed the functional status at different points during admission. Immediately after Impella placement, the median AM-PAC score was 12.7 (interquartile range [IQR], 9-15), and the scores continued to significantly increase to 18.4 (IQR, 16-23) before dLVAD and up to 20.7 (IQR, 19-24) at discharge, indicating improved independence. No PT-related complications were reported. Thus, we hypothesize that critically ill patients initially deemed equivocal candidates may safely participate in PT while maximizing functional activities before dLVAD placement.

Beyond one-size-fits-all in cardiogenic shock: impella, extracorporeal membrane oxygenation or tailored use of mechanical circulatory support?

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

This article offers an overview of recent randomized controlled trials (RCTs) testing the efficacy of veno-arterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (VA ECMO) and microaxial flow pump (mAFP) in treating cardiogenic shock, including findings from the DanGer shock trial. It summarizes the clinical implications and limitations of these studies and key decision-making considerations for cardiogenic shock device use.

RECENT FINDINGS

Despite important limitations in all published RCTs, the routine use of VA ECMO for acute myocardial infarction related cardiogenic shock did not demonstrate benefit and should be reserved for selected patients with extreme forms of cardiogenic shock. Conversely, mAFP (Impella CP) appears promising for cardiogenic shock due to ST elevation myocardial infarction. A stepwise approach - initial mAFP use for cardiogenic shock with left ventricular failure, supplemented by VA ECMO if mAFP is inadequate or if severe right ventricular failure is present - may be preferable, but requires validation through RCTs. High complication rates in device arms underscore the need for careful patient selection, preventive strategies, education for centers and operators, and further research.

SUMMARY

Recent trials offer insights into mechanical circulatory support in cardiogenic shock, but their real-world applicability is limited. Despite potential benefits, the use of VA ECMO and mAFP is associated with significant complication rates, emphasizing the need for personalized use.

The various perioperative issues of structural heart diseases and cardiogenic shock

Up to 20 % of patients presenting with acute heart failure and cardiogenic shock have a structural etiology. Despite efforts in timely management, mortality rates remain alarmingly high, ranging from 50 % to 80 %. Surgical intervention is often the definitive treatment for structural heart disease; however, many patients are considered high risk or unsuitable candidates for such procedures. Consequently, there has been a paradigm shift towards the development of novel percutaneous management strategies and temporizing interventions. This article aims to provide a comprehensive review of the pathophysiology of valvular and structural heart conditions presenting in cardiogenic shock, focusing on the evolving landscape of mechanical circulatory support devices and other management modalities.

miR-619-5p and cardiogenic shock in patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction

BACKGROUND

Cardiogenic shock (CS) is a severe myocardial dysfunction secondary to various cardiac conditions including ST-segment elevation acute myocardial infarction (STEMI) and associated with a high risk of death. Little is known on epigenetic determinants in CS. Here, we investigated plasma miRNAs in relation to CS stratification in STEMI-patients.

METHODS

STEMI-patients (n = 49), with (CS, n = 25) and without CS (non-CS, n = 24) fulfilling inclusion criteria were included from HSCSP-cohort (Derivation-cohort). CS-miRNAs were analysed by Affymetrix-microarray and RT-PCR. Results were validated in a second cohort of CS-patients (CardShock: n = 35) with similar inclusion/exclusion criteria as the derivation cohort. In silico analysis were performed to identify potential miRNA target genes.

RESULTS

Of the 5-miRNA signature obtained from microarray analysis, miR-619-5p showed higher levels in CS than in Non-CS patients (p = .003) and discriminating power for CS by ROC (AUC: .752, p = .003). miR-619-5p directly associated with risk scores [GRACE, p = .001; CardShock, p < .001]. Furthermore, miR-619-5p showed discrimination power for death in CS. Thus, miRNA levels were significantly higher in patients with mortality outcome both in the Derivation HSCSP-cohort (p = .02; AUC: .78 ± .095) and the Validation CardShock-cohort (p = .017; AUC: .737 ± .086) By in silico analysis, miR-619-5p target genes and TNF-alpha were involved in the regulation of inflammation. miR-619-5p and TNF-alpha levels discriminated mortality outcome in CS-patients during 30-day follow-up (Validation-Cohort: ROC: .812, p = .002; HR: 9.99, p = .003).

CONCLUSIONS

Up-regulation of miR-619-5p is found in the plasma of STEMI-patients with CS and mortality outcome. These findings highlight the specificity of epigenetic regulation of inflammation on the disease severity of MI.

Venous Excess Ultrasound for Fluid Assessment in Complex Cardiac Patients With Acute Kidney Injury

INTRODUCTION

The introduction of point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) into clinical practice has revolutionized bedside hemodynamic assessment in recent years. POCUS has expanded its utility to include evaluating and grading venous congestion through Doppler analysis of venous blood flow. This innovative technique, VExUS (venous excess ultrasound), comprehensively evaluates venous congestion across multiple sites, including the inferior vena cava (IVC), hepatic vein, portal vein, and intrarenal vasculature. The aim of the current study was to determine whether venous excess ultrasound can help guide fluid therapy in complex patients with acute kidney injury (AKI) in addition to the standard physical examination and imaging.

METHODS

Our current study shows instructive 18 clinical adult cases (enrolled between January 2024 and May 2024) to determine whether venous excess ultrasound can help guide fluid therapy in complex cardiac patients with acute kidney injury, in addition to the standard physical examination and imaging.

RESULTS

VExUS was pivotal in guiding fluid therapy in all complex patients with AKI and suspected right ventricular dysfunction. By integrating VExUS findings with clinical data and cardiac ultrasound results, clinicians were able to make patient-favouring decisions regarding fluid management, diuresis, and vasopressor therapy, addressing critical aspects of conditions such as septic shock, heart failure, and acute kidney injury.

CONCLUSIONS

In our study of VExUS in sick patients with AKI, we concluded that VExUS proved to be a valuable tool for fluid assessment and management. By providing real-time visualization of venous congestion, VExUS allowed for more precise and individualized fluid management strategies. This led to improved decision-making regarding fluid administration and removal, helping to prevent both fluid overload and hypovolemia. Consequently, the use of VExUS contributed to better clinical outcomes in patients with AKI, demonstrating its potential as a critical component in the management of fluid balance in this vulnerable patient population.

ICU management of cardiogenic shock before mechanical support

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

Treatment of cardiogenic shock remains largely driven by expert consensus due to limited evidence from randomized controlled trials. In this review, we aim to summarize the approach to the management of patients with cardiogenic shock in the ICU prior to mechanical circulatory support (MCS).

RECENT FINDINGS

Main topics covered in this article include diagnosis, monitoring, initial management and key aspects of pharmacological therapy in the ICU for patients with cardiogenic shock.

SUMMARY

Despite efforts to improve therapy, short-term mortality in patients with cardiogenic shock is still reaching 40-50%. Early recognition and treatment of cardiogenic shock are crucial, including early revascularization of the culprit lesion with possible staged revascularization in acute myocardial infarction (AMI)-CS. Optimal volume management and vasoactive drugs titrated to restore arterial pressure and perfusion are the cornerstone of cardiogenic shock therapy. The choice of vasoactive drugs depends on the underlying cause and phenotype of cardiogenic shock. Their use should be limited to the shortest duration and lowest possible dose. According to recent observational evidence, assessment of the complete hemodynamic profile with a pulmonary artery catheter (PAC) was associated with improved outcomes and should be considered early in patients not responding to initial therapy or with unclear shock. A multidisciplinary shock team should be involved early in order to identify potential candidates for temporary and/or durable MCS.

Predictors of short-term mortality in cardiogenic shock: insights from an Egyptian multicenter registry

BACKGROUND

Cardiogenic shock (CS) remains a major cause of morbidity and mortality, particularly in developing countries where there are limited resources and a lack of data on CS outcomes. This study aimed to investigate 30-day all-cause mortality in Egyptian patients with CS at tertiary referral centers.

RESULTS

This prospective, observational multicenter registry analyzed 16,681 patients from six cardiac centers, to evaluate the incidence, causes and predictors of CS-related mortality. Among the 529 diagnosed CS patients, 68.2% had an ischemic etiology. No discernable variations were observed in clinical or laboratory features, as well as mortality rates, between ischemic and non-ischemic CS patients. Within 30 days, 210 deaths (39.7%) occurred. Non-survivors with ischemic CS had a higher prevalence of diabetes, worsening renal function, and were more likely to receive multiple inotropes. Mortality did not significantly differ between acute coronary syndrome patients with ST elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) and non-STEMI (NSTEMI) (42.7% vs. 43.7%, p < 0.887). However, anterior STEMI patients had significantly higher mortality than those with inferior STEMI (49.5% vs. 21.6%, p < 0.003). Multivariate regression analysis identified predictors of mortality in CS, including the median hospital stay duration, leucocyte count, alanine transaminase levels, highest creatinine levels, resuscitated cardiac arrest, and use of norepinephrine, epinephrine, and dopamine.

CONCLUSION

In an Egyptian cohort, CS incidence was 3.17%, with no mortality difference based on the underlying etiology. Independent predictors of 30-day all-cause mortality included worsening renal function, leucocyte count, resuscitated cardiac arrest, and use of multiple inotropes/vasopressors.

Clinical significance of residual ischaemia in acute myocardial infarction complicated by cardiogenic shock undergoing venoarterial-extracorporeal membrane oxygenation

AIMS

Although culprit-only revascularization during the index procedure has been recommended in patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI) complicated by cardiogenic shock (CS), the reduction in residual ischaemia is also emphasized to improve clinical outcomes. However, few data are available about the significance of residual ischaemia in patients undergoing mechanical circulatory supports. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of residual ischaemia on clinical outcomes in patients with AMI undergoing venoarterial-extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (VA-ECMO).

METHODS AND RESULTS

Patients with AMI with multivessel disease who underwent VA-ECMO due to refractory CS were pooled from the RESCUE and SMC-ECMO registries. The included patients were classified into three groups according to residual ischaemia evaluated using the residual Synergy between percutaneous coronary intervention with Taxus and Cardiac Surgery (SYNTAX) score (rSS): rSS = 0, 0 < rSS ≤ 8, and rSS > 8. The primary outcome was 1-year all-cause death. A total of 408 patients were classified into the rSS = 0 (n = 100, 24.5%), 0 < rSS ≤ 8 (n = 136, 33.3%), and rSS > 8 (n = 172, 42.2%) groups. The cumulative incidence of the primary outcome differed significantly according to rSS (33.9 vs. 55.4 vs. 66.1% for rSS = 0, 0 < rSS ≤ 8, and rSS > 8, respectively, overall P < 0.001). In a multivariable model, rSS was independently associated with the risk of 1-year all-cause death (adjusted hazard ratio 1.03, 95% confidence interval 1.01-1.05, P = 0.003). Conversely, the baseline SYNTAX score was not associated with the risk of the primary outcome. Furthermore, when patients were stratified by rSS, the primary outcome did not differ significantly between the high and low delta SYNTAX score groups.

CONCLUSION

In patients with AMI with refractory CS who underwent VA-ECMO, residual ischaemia was associated with an increased risk of 1-year mortality. Future studies are needed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of revascularization strategies to minimize residual ischaemia in patients with CS supported with VA-ECMO.

CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION

REtrospective and Prospective Observational Study to Investigate Clinical oUtcomes and Efficacy of Left Ventricular Assist Device for Korean Patients With Cardiogenic Shock (RESCUE), NCT02985008.

Efficacy and safety of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation for cardiogenic shock complicating myocardial infarction: a systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) has been presented as a potential therapeutic option for patients with cardiogenic shock complicating myocardial infarction (CS-MI). We aimed to investigate the efficacy and safety of ECMO in CS-MI.

METHODS

A systematic review and meta-analysis synthesizing evidence from randomized controlled trials obtained from PubMed, Embase, Cochrane, Scopus, and Web of Science until September 2023. We used the random-effects model to report dichotomous outcomes using risk ratio and continuous outcomes using mean difference with a 95% confidence interval. Finally, we implemented a trial sequential analysis to evaluate the reliability of our results.

RESULTS

We included four trials with 611 patients. No significant difference was observed between ECMO and standard care groups in 30-day mortality with pooled RR of 0.96 (95% CI: 0.81-1.13, p = 0.60), acute kidney injury (RR: 0.65, 95% CI: 0.41-1.03, p = 0.07), stroke (RR: 1.16, 95% CI: 0.38-3.57, p = 0.80), sepsis (RR: 1.06, 95% CI: 0.77-1.47, p = 0.71), pneumonia (RR: 0.99, 95% CI: 0.58-1.68, p = 0.96), and 30-day reinfarction (RR: 0.95, 95% CI: 0.25-3.60, p = 0.94). However, the ECMO group had higher bleeding events (RR: 2.07, 95% CI: 1.44-2.97, p < 0.0001).

CONCLUSION

ECMO did not improve clinical outcomes compared to the standard of care in patients with CS-MI but increased the bleeding risk.

Cardiac arrest and cardiogenic shock complicating ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction in China: A retrospective multicenter study

Background

Data on the effect of cardiac arrest (CA), cardiogenic shock (CS), and their combination on the prognosis of Chinese patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) are limited. The present study sought to evaluate the clinical outcomes of STEMI complicated by CA and CS, and to identify the risk factors for CA or CS.

Methods

This study included 7468 consecutive patients with STEMI in China. The patients were divided into 4 groups (CA + CS, CA only, CS only, and No CA or CS). The endpoints were 30-day all-cause death and major adverse cardiovascular events. A Cox proportional hazards regression analysis was performed.

Results

CA, CS, and their combination were noted in 332 (4.4 %), 377 (5.0 %), and 117 (1.6 %) among all patients. During the 30-day follow-up, 817 (10.9 %) all-cause deaths and 964 (12.9 %) major adverse cardiovascular events occurred, and the incidence of all-cause mortality (3.6 %, 62.3 %, 74.1 %, 83.3 %) and major adverse cardiovascular events (5.4 %, 67.1 %, 75.0 %, and 87.2 %) significantly increased in the No CA or CS, CS only, CA only, and CA + CS groups, respectively. In the multivariate Cox regression models, compared with the No CA or CS group, the CA + CS, CA, and CS-only groups were associated with an increased risk of all-cause death and major adverse cardiovascular events. Patients with CA + CS had the highest risk of all-cause death (hazard ratio [HR], 25.259 [95 % confidence interval (CI) 19.221-33.195]) and major adverse cardiovascular events (HR 19.098, 95%CI 14.797-24.648).

Conclusions

CA, CS, and their combination were observed in approximately 11 % of Chinese patients with STEMI, and were associated with increased risk for 30-day mortality and major adverse cardiovascular events in Chinese patients with STEMI.

Implementation of a cardiogenic shock team in a tertiary academic center

OBJECTIVE

Observational studies have shown that the management of patients with cardiogenic shock (CS) by dedicated multidisciplinary teams improves clinical outcomes. Nevertheless, these studies reflect a specific organizational setting with most patients being transferred from referring hospitals, hospitalized in cardiac intensive care units (ICU), or treated with mechanical circulatory support (MCS) devices. The purpose of this study was to document the organization and outcomes of a CS team offering acute care in an all-comer population.

METHODS

A CS team was developed in a large academic tertiary institution. The team consisted of emergency care physicians, critical care cardiologists, interventional cardiologists, cardiac surgeons, ICU physicians, and heart failure specialists and was supported by a predefined operating protocol, a dedicated communication platform, and regular team meetings.

RESULTS

Over 12 months, 70 CS patients (69 ± 13 years old, 67% males) were included. Acute myocardial infarction (AMI-CS) was the most common cause (64%); 31% of the patients presented post-resuscitated cardiac arrest and 56% needed invasive mechanical ventilation (IMV). Coronary angiography was performed in 70% and 53% had percutaneous coronary intervention. MCS was used in 10% and 6% were referred for urgent cardiac surgery. The in-hospital mortality in our center was 40% with 39% of the patients dying within 24 h from presentation. Overall, 76% of the live patients were discharged home.

CONCLUSION

Across an all-comer population, AMI was the most common cause of CS. A significant number of patients presented post-cardiac arrest, and the majority required IMV. Mortality was high with a significant number dying within hours of presentation.

Left Ventricular Unloading in Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation: A Clinical Perspective Derived from Basic Cardiovascular Physiology

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

To present an abridged overview of the literature and pathophysiological background of adjunct interventional left ventricular unloading strategies during veno-arterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (V-A ECMO). From a clinical perspective, the mechanistic complexity of such combined mechanical circulatory support often requires in-depth physiological reasoning at the bedside, which remains a cornerstone of daily practice for optimal patient-specific V-A ECMO care.

RECENT FINDINGS

Recent conventional clinical trials have not convincingly shown the superiority of V-A ECMO in acute myocardial infarction complicated by cardiogenic shock as compared with medical therapy alone. Though, it has repeatedly been reported that the addition of interventional left ventricular unloading to V-A ECMO may improve clinical outcome. Novel approaches such as registry-based adaptive platform trials and computational physiological modeling are now introduced to inform clinicians by aiming to better account for patient-specific variation and complexity inherent to V-A ECMO and have raised a widespread interest. To provide modern high-quality V-A ECMO care, it remains essential to understand the patient's pathophysiology and the intricate interaction of an individual patient with extracorporeal circulatory support devices. Innovative clinical trial design and computational modeling approaches carry great potential towards advanced clinical decision support in ECMO and related critical care.

Mixed Shock Complicating Cardiogenic Shock: Frequency, Predictors, and Clinical Outcomes

BACKGROUND

Patients presenting with cardiogenic shock (CS) are at risk of developing mixed shock (MS), characterized by distributive-inflammatory phenotype. However, no objective definition exists for this clinical entity.

METHODS

We assessed the frequency, predictors, and prognostic relevance of MS complicating CS, based on a newly proposed objective definition. MS complicating CS was defined as an objective shock state secondary to both an ongoing cardiogenic cause and a distributive-inflammatory phenotype arising at least 12 hours after the initial CS diagnosis, as substantiated by predefined longitudinal changes in hemodynamics, clinical, and laboratory parameters.

RESULTS

Among 213 consecutive patients admitted at 2 cardiac intensive care units with CS, 13 with inflammatory-distributive features at initial presentation were excluded, leading to a cohort of 200 patients hospitalized with pure CS (67±13 years, 96% Society of Cardiovascular Angiography and Interventions CS stage class C or higher). MS complicating CS occurred in 24.5% after 120 (29-216) hours from CS diagnosis. Lower systolic arterial pressure (P=0.043), hepatic injury (P=0.049), and suspected/definite infection (P=0.013) at CS diagnosis were independent predictors of MS development. In-hospital mortality (53.1% versus 27.8%; P=0.002) and hospital stay (21 [13-48] versus 17 [9-27] days; P=0.018) were higher in the MS cohort. At logistic multivariable analysis, MS diagnosis (odds ratio [OR], 3.00 [95% CI, 1.39-6.63]; Padj=0.006), age (OR, 1.06 [95% CI, 1.03-1.10] years; Padj<0.001), admission systolic arterial pressure <100 mm Hg (OR, 2.41 [95% CI, 1.19-4.98]; Padj=0.016), and admission serum creatinine (OR, 1.61 [95% CI, 1.19-2.26]; Padj=0.003) conferred higher odds of in-hospital death, while early temporary mechanical circulatory support was associated with lower in-hospital death (OR, 0.36 [95% CI, 0.17-0.75]; Padj=0.008).

CONCLUSIONS

MS complicating CS, objectively defined leveraging on longitudinal changes in distributive and inflammatory features, occurs in one-fourth of patients with CS, is predicted by markers of CS severity and inflammation at CS diagnosis, and portends higher hospital mortality.

Steroids and myocardial infarction: Investigating safety and short-term mortality in critical post-myocardial infarction patients

BACKGROUND

Conventionally, in the pre-percutaneous intervention era, free wall rupture is reported to be a major concern for using steroids in myocardial infarction (MI) patients. Therefore, the aim of this study was to evaluate the safety of the use of steroids in critically ill post-MI patients in terms of hospital course and short-term (up to 180-day) mortality.

METHODS

We included patients admitted to CCU diagnosed with MI, undergone revascularization, critically ill, and requiring mechanical ventilator (MV) support. The hospital course and short-term (up to 180-day) mortality were independently compared between steroid and non-steroid cohorts and propensity-matched non-steroid cohorts.

RESULTS

A total of 312 patients were included, out of which steroids were used in 93 (29.8%) patients during their management. On periodic bedside echocardiography, no free wall rupture was documented in the steroid or non-steroid cohort. When compared steroids with a propensity-matched non-steroid cohort, MV duration >24 h was 66.7% vs. 59.1%; p = 0.288, major bleeding was 6.5% vs. 3.2%; p = 0.305, need for renal replacement therapy was 9.7% vs. 8.6%; p = 0.799, in-hospital mortality was 35.5% vs. 23.7%; p = 0.077, and 180-day mortality was 48.4% vs. 41.9%; p = 0.377, respectively. The hazard ratio was 1.22 [95% CI: 0.80 to 1.88] compared to the propensity-matched non-steroid cohort. The ejection fraction (%) was found to be the independent predictor of 180-day mortality with an adjusted odds ratio of 0.92 [95% CI: 0.86 to 0.98].

CONCLUSIONS

In conclusion, using steroids is safe in post-MI patients with no significant increase in short-term mortality risk.

The use of venoarterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation in cardiogenic shock: a narrative review

Aims

Cardiogenic shock (CS) develops in up to 10% of patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI) and carries a 50% risk of mortality. Despite the paucity of evidence regarding its benefits, venoarterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (VA-ECMO) is increasingly used in clinical practice in patients with AMI in CS (AMI-CS). This review aims to provide an in-depth description of the four available randomized controlled trials to date designed to evaluate the benefit of VA-ECMO in patients with AMI-CS.

Methods and results

The literature search was conducted on PubMed, Google Scholar, and clinicaltrials.gov to identify the four relevant randomized control trials from years of inception to October 2023. Despite differences in patient selection, nuances in trial conduction, and variability in trial endpoints, all four trials (ECLS-SHOCK I, ECMO-CS, EUROSHOCK, and ECLS-SHOCK) failed to demonstrate a mortality benefit with the use of VA-ECMO in AMI-CS, with high rates of device-related complications. However, the outcome of these trials is nuanced by the limitations of each study that include small sample sizes, challenging patient selection, and high cross-over rates to the intervention group, and lack of use of left ventricular unloading strategies.

Conclusion

The presented literature of VA-ECMO in CS does not support its routine use in clinical practice. We have yet to identify which subset of patients would benefit most from this intervention. This review emphasizes the need for designing adequately powered trials to properly assess the role of VA-ECMO in AMI-CS, in order to build evidence for best practices.

Analysis of Clinical Symptoms and Risk Factors Related to Functional Prognosis in Patients With Cardiogenic Stroke

Background

Cardiogenic stroke is associated with substantial morbidity and mortality, necessitating a better understanding of its clinical characteristics for improved patient outcomes. This study aimed to identify clinical characteristics influencing short-term functional prognosis in patients with cardiogenic stroke.

Methods

The study prospectively enrolled 212 patients with cardiogenic stroke, collecting their clinical data and laboratory results. The modified Rankin Scale score at 90 days was used to define functional prognosis, with patients having a good prognosis (modified Rankin Scale ≤2; n = 164) or poor prognosis (modified Rankin Scale ≥3; n = 48).

Results

The poor prognosis group had higher rates of total anterior circulation infarcts (12.5% vs 0.0%; P < .001) and posterior circulation infarction (50.0% vs 38.4%; P < .001) compared with the good prognosis group. Lesion characteristics differed significantly, with the poor prognosis group exhibiting more large-area lesions (39.6% vs 18.9%; P < .001) and multiple confluent lesions (56.3% vs 24.4%; P < .001). Admission-based National Institute of Health Stroke Scale scores were higher in the poor prognosis group (median [IQR], 12 [8-18] vs 5 [4-7]; P <.001), correlating with worse outcomes. The admission National Institute of Health Stroke Scale score predicted patients' 90-day prognosis with good accuracy (area under the curve, 0.937 [95% CI, 0.895-0.965]; P < .001), with a threshold of 7 yielding 85.42% sensitivity and 85.37% specificity.

Conclusion

Higher admission National Institute of Health Stroke Scale scores were significantly associated with poor functional prognosis at 90 days, highlighting the importance of early National Institute of Health Stroke Scale-based assessment for improved outcomes.

Influence of tricuspid regurgitation on the prognosis of patients with cardiogenic shock

OBJECTIVE

Tricuspid regurgitation (TR) is associated with adverse prognosis in various patient populations. However, data regarding the prognostic impact in patients with cardiogenic shock (CS) is limited. The study investigates the prognostic impact of pre-existing TR in patients with CS.

METHODS

Consecutive patients with CS from 2019 to 2021 were included in a monocentric registry. Every patient's medical history, including echocardiographic data, was recorded. The influence of pre-existing TR on prognosis was investigated. Furthermore, Kaplan-Meier analyses based on TR severity were conducted. Statistical analyses comprised univariable t-test, Spearman's correlation, Kaplan-Meier analyses, as well as multivariable Cox proportional regression models. Analyses were stratified by the underlying cause of CS such as acute myocardial infarction (AMI), or the need for mechanical ventilation.

RESULTS

105 patients with CS and pre-existing TR were included. In Kaplan Meier analyses, it could be demonstrated that patients with severe TR (TR III°) had the highest 30-day all-cause mortality compared to mild (TR I°) and moderate TR (TR II°) (44% vs. 52% vs. 77%; log rank p = .054). In the subgroup analyses of CS-patients without AMI, TR II°/TR III° showed a higher all-cause mortality after 30 days compared to TR I° (39% vs. 64%; log rank p = .027). In multivariable Cox regression TR II°/TR III° was associated with 30-day all-cause mortality in CS-patients without AMI (HR = 2.193; 95% CI 1.007-4.774; p = .048). No significant difference could be found in the AMI group. Furthermore, TR II°/III° was linked to an increased 30-day all-cause mortality in non-ventilated CS-patients (6% vs. 50%, log rank p = .015), which, however, could not be confirmed in multivariable Cox regression.

CONCLUSION

The occurrence of pre-existing TR II°/III° was independently related with 30-day all-cause mortality in CS-patients without AMI. However, no prognostic influence was observed in CS-patients with AMI.

A Clinical Review of Vasopressors in Emergency Medicine

BACKGROUND

Vasopressor medications raise blood pressure through vasoconstriction and are essential in reversing the hypotension seen in many critically ill patients. Previously, vasopressor administration was largely limited to continuous infusions through central venous access.

OBJECTIVES OF THE REVIEW

This review addresses the clinical use of vasopressors in various shock states, including practical considerations and innovations in vasopressor administration. The focus is on the clinical administration of vasopressors across a range of shock states, including hypovolemic, distributive, cardiogenic, and obstructive shock.

DISCUSSION

Criteria for starting vasopressors are not clearly defined, though early use may be beneficial. A number of physiologic factors affect the body's response to vasopressors, such as acidosis and adrenal insufficiency. Peripheral and push-dose administration of vasopressors are becoming more common. Distributive shock is characterized by inappropriate vasodilation and vasopressors play a crucial role in maintaining adequate blood pressure. The use of vasopressors is more controversial in hypovolemic shock, as the preferred treatment is correction of the volume deficit. Evidence for vasopressors is limited in cardiogenic shock. For obstructive shock, vasopressors can temporize a patient's blood pressure until definitive therapy can reverse the underlying cause.

CONCLUSION

Across the categories of shock states, norepinephrine has wide applicability and is a reasonable first-line agent for shock of uncertain etiology. Keeping a broad differential when hypotension is refractory to vasopressors may help to identify adjunctive treatments in physiologic states that impair vasopressor effectiveness. Peripheral administration of vasopressors is safe and facilitates early administration, which may help to improve outcomes in some shock states.

Development and external validation of a dynamic risk score for early prediction of cardiogenic shock in cardiac intensive care units using machine learning

AIMS

Myocardial infarction and heart failure are major cardiovascular diseases that affect millions of people in the USA with morbidity and mortality being highest among patients who develop cardiogenic shock. Early recognition of cardiogenic shock allows prompt implementation of treatment measures. Our objective is to develop a new dynamic risk score, called CShock, to improve early detection of cardiogenic shock in the cardiac intensive care unit (ICU).

METHODS AND RESULTS

We developed and externally validated a deep learning-based risk stratification tool, called CShock, for patients admitted into the cardiac ICU with acute decompensated heart failure and/or myocardial infarction to predict the onset of cardiogenic shock. We prepared a cardiac ICU dataset using the Medical Information Mart for Intensive Care-III database by annotating with physician-adjudicated outcomes. This dataset which consisted of 1500 patients with 204 having cardiogenic/mixed shock was then used to train CShock. The features used to train the model for CShock included patient demographics, cardiac ICU admission diagnoses, routinely measured laboratory values and vital signs, and relevant features manually extracted from echocardiogram and left heart catheterization reports. We externally validated the risk model on the New York University (NYU) Langone Health cardiac ICU database which was also annotated with physician-adjudicated outcomes. The external validation cohort consisted of 131 patients with 25 patients experiencing cardiogenic/mixed shock. CShock achieved an area under the receiver operator characteristic curve (AUROC) of 0.821 (95% CI 0.792-0.850). CShock was externally validated in the more contemporary NYU cohort and achieved an AUROC of 0.800 (95% CI 0.717-0.884), demonstrating its generalizability in other cardiac ICUs. Having an elevated heart rate is most predictive of cardiogenic shock development based on Shapley values. The other top 10 predictors are having an admission diagnosis of myocardial infarction with ST-segment elevation, having an admission diagnosis of acute decompensated heart failure, Braden Scale, Glasgow Coma Scale, blood urea nitrogen, systolic blood pressure, serum chloride, serum sodium, and arterial blood pH.

CONCLUSION

The novel CShock score has the potential to provide automated detection and early warning for cardiogenic shock and improve the outcomes for millions of patients who suffer from myocardial infarction and heart failure.

The Management of Cardiogenic Shock From Diagnosis to Devices: A Narrative Review

Cardiogenic shock (CS) is a heterogenous syndrome broadly characterized by inadequate cardiac output leading to tissue hypoperfusion and multisystem organ dysfunction that carries an ongoing high mortality burden. The management of CS has advanced rapidly, especially with the incorporation of temporary mechanical circulatory support (tMCS) devices. A thorough understanding of how to approach a patient with CS and to select appropriate monitoring and treatment paradigms is essential in modern ICUs. Timely characterization of CS severity and hemodynamics is necessary to optimize outcomes, and this may be performed best by multidisciplinary shock-focused teams. In this article, we provide a review of CS aimed to inform both the cardiology-trained and non-cardiology-trained intensivist provider. We briefly describe the causes, pathophysiologic features, diagnosis, and severity staging of CS, focusing on gathering key information that is necessary for making management decisions. We go on to provide a more detailed review of CS management principles and practical applications, with a focus on tMCS. Medical management focuses on appropriate medication therapy to optimize perfusion-by enhancing contractility and minimizing afterload-and to facilitate decongestion. For more severe CS, or for patients with decompensating hemodynamic status despite medical therapy, initiation of the appropriate tMCS increasingly is common. We discuss the most common devices currently used for patients with CS-phenotyping patients as having left ventricular failure, right ventricular failure, or biventricular failure-and highlight key available data and particular points of consideration that inform tMCS device selection. Finally, we highlight core components of sedation and respiratory failure management for patients with CS.

Acute Coronary Syndrome Revascularization Strategies With Multivessel Coronary Artery Disease

In acute coronary syndromes (ACS), revascularization is the standard of care. However, trials comparing contemporary coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) and percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) are limited. Optimal revascularization in patients with multivessel coronary artery disease (MV-CAD) presenting with ACS is unclear. This is a multicentered, retrospective observational study from a large hospital system in the United States. We abstracted data in patients with MV-CAD and ACS from 2018 to 2022 who underwent revascularization with PCI, CABG, or medical management (MM). We evaluated multivariate statistics comparing categorical variables and outcomes, including all-cause mortality and myocardial infarction (MI) at 1 year. All logistic and Cox proportional-hazard models were balanced using inverse probability treatment weights accounting for age and gender. There were 295 patients with CABG (median age 66 years [interquartile range 59.7 to 73.1]; 73% male), 1,559 patients with PCI (median age 68.3 years [interquartile range 60 to 76.6]; 69.1% male], and 307 patients with MM (median age 70 years [60.9 to 77.1] 74% male]. Patients revascularized with PCI had greater all-cause mortality at 1 year (14.1% vs 5.1%; hazard ratio 2.4, confidence interval [1.5 to 3.8], p <0.001) and similar mortality to MM (13.4%). CABG also showed a reduced 1-year MI rate compared with PCI (1.7% vs 3.9%; hazard ratio 0.36, confidence interval 0.21 to 0.61, p ≤0.001), with a similar 1-year rate of MI to MM (3.9%). In conclusion, CABG is associated with lower mortality than are PCI and MM, and repeat ACS events at 1 year in patients with ACS and MV-CAD.

Mental health sequelae in survivors of cardiogenic shock complicating myocardial infarction. A population-based cohort study

PURPOSE

Cardiogenic shock secondary to acute myocardial infarction (AMI-CS) is associated with substantial short- and long-term morbidity and mortality. However, there are limited data on mental health sequelae that survivors experience following discharge.

METHODS

We conducted a retrospective, population-based cohort study in Ontario, Canada of critically ill adult (≥ 18 years) survivors of AMI-CS, admitted to hospital between April 1, 2009 and March 31, 2019. We compared these patients to AMI survivors without shock. We captured outcome data using linked health administrative databases. The primary outcome was a new mental health diagnosis (a composite of mood, anxiety, or related disorders; schizophrenia/psychotic disorders; and other mental health disorders) following hospital discharge. We secondarily evaluated incidence of deliberate self-harm and death by suicide. We compared patients using overlap propensity score-weighted, cause-specific proportional hazard models.

RESULTS

We included 7812 consecutive survivors of AMI-CS, from 135 centers. Mean age was 68.4 (standard deviation (SD) 12.2) years, and 70.3% were male. Median follow-up time was 767 days (interquartile range (IQR) 225-1682). Incidence of new mental health diagnosis among AMI-CS survivors was 109.6 per 1,000 person-years (95% confidence interval (CI) 105.4-113.9), compared with 103.8 per 1000 person-years (95% CI 102.5-105.2) among AMI survivors without shock. After propensity score adjustment, there was no difference in the risk of new mental health diagnoses following discharge [hazard ratio (HR) 0.99 (95% CI 0.94-1.03)]. Factors associated with new mental health diagnoses following AMI-CS included female sex, pre-existing mental health diagnoses, and discharge to a long-term hospital or rehabilitation institute.

CONCLUSION

Survivors of AMI-CS experience substantial mental health morbidity following discharge. Risk of new mental health diagnoses was comparable between survivors of AMI with and without shock. Future research on interventions to mitigate psychiatric sequelae after AMI-CS is warranted.

Cardiogenic shock diagnosis and management in general intensive care: a nationwide survey

BACKGROUND

the epidemiology of cardiogenic shock has evolved over the years: in the last decades an increasing prevalence of cardiogenic shock related to acute decompensated heart failure was observed. Therefore, treatment bundles should be updated according to the underlying pathophysiology. No data exist regarding the diagnostic/therapeutic strategies in general intensive care units.

METHODS

A 27-questions survey was spread through the GiViTi (Italian Group for the Evaluation of Interventions in Intensive Care Medicine). The results were then divided according to level of hospitals (1st-2nd versus 3rd).

RESULTS

Sixty-nine general intensive care units replied to the survey. The shock team is present in 13% of institutions; Society for Cardiovascular Angiography and Interventions shock classification is applied only in 18.8%. Among the ICUs, 94.2% routinely use a cardiac output monitoring device (pulmonary artery catheter more frequently in 3rd level centers). The first-line adrenergic drug are vasopressors in 27.5%, inotrope in 21.7% or their combination in 50.7%; 79.7% applies fluid challenge. The first vasopressor of choice is norepinephrine (95.7%) (maximum dosage tolerated higher than 0.5 mcg/kg/min in 29%); the first line inotrope is dobutamine (52.2%), followed by epinephrine in 36.2%. The most frequently used mechanical circulatory supports are intra-aortic balloon pump (71%), Impella (34.8%) and VA-ECMO (33.3%); VA-ECMO is the first line strategy in refractory cardiogenic shock (60.8%).

CONCLUSIONS

According to this survey, there is no standardized approach to cardiogenic shock amongst Italian general intensive care units. The application of shock severity stratification and the treatment bundles may play a key role in improving the outcome.

Cytoprotection as an Innovative Therapeutic Strategy to Cardiogenic Shock: Exploring the Potential of Cytidine-5-Diphosphocholine to Mitigate Target Organ Damage

BACKGROUND

Preservation of organ function and viability is a crucial factor for survival in cardiogenic shock (CS) patients. There is not information enough on cytoprotective substances that may delay organs damage in CS. We hypothesize that cytidine-5-diphosphocholine (CDP-choline) can act as a cytoprotective pharmacological measure that diminishes the target organ damage. So, we aimed to perform a review of works carried out in our institution to evaluate the effect of therapeutic cytoprotection of the CDP-choline.

SUMMARY

CDP-choline is an intermediate metabolite in the synthesis of phosphatidylcholine. It is also a useful drug for the treatment of acute ischaemic stroke, traumatic brain injury, and neurodegenerative diseases and has shown an excellent pharmacological safety profile as well. We review our institution's work and described the cytoprotective effects of CDP-choline in experimental models of heart, liver, and kidney acute damage, where this compound was shown to diminish reperfusion-induced ventricular arrhythmias, oxidative stress, apoptotic cell death, inflammation, lactic acid levels and to preserve mitochondrial function.

KEY MESSAGES

We propose that additional research is needed to evaluate the impact of cytoprotective therapy adjuvant to mitigate target organ damage in patients with CS.

Comparison of Contemporary Treatment Strategies in Patients With Cardiogenic Shock Due to Severe Aortic Stenosis

BACKGROUND

The aims of this study were to understand the incidence and outcomes of patients with cardiogenic shock (CS) due to severe aortic stenosis (AS), and the impact of conventional treatment strategies in this population.

METHODS AND RESULTS

All patients admitted to the Cleveland Clinic cardiac intensive care unit between January 1, 2010 and December 31, 2021 with CS were retrospectively identified and categorized into those with CS in the setting of severe AS versus CS without AS. The impact of various treatment strategies on mortality was further assessed. We identified 2754 patients with CS during the study period, of whom 216 patients (8%) had CS in the setting of severe AS. Medical management was associated with the highest 30-day mortality when compared with either balloon aortic valve replacement or aortic valve replacement (surgical or transcatheter aortic valve replacement) (hazard ratio, 3.69 [95% CI, 2.04-6.66]; P<0.0001). Among patients who received transcatheter therapy, 30-day mortality was significantly higher in patients who received balloon aortic valvuloplasty versus transcatheter aortic valve replacement (26% versus 4%, P=0.02). Both surgical and transcatheter aortic valve replacement had considerably lower mortality than medical management and balloon aortic valvuloplasty at 30 days and 1 year (P<0.05 for both comparisons).

CONCLUSIONS

CS due to severe AS is associated with high in-hospital and 30-day mortality, worse compared with those with CS without AS. In suitable patients, urgent surgical aortic valvuloplasty or transcatheter aortic valve replacement is associated with favorable short- and long-term outcomes. Although balloon aortic valvuloplasty may be used to temporize patients with CS in the setting of severe AS, mortality is ≈50% if not followed by definitive aortic valve replacement within 90 days.

Seasonal variation and prognosis in patients with acute myocardial infarction complicated by cardiogenic shock

Background

Little is known about the association between seasonal variation and prognosis in patients with CS caused by AMI.

Objectives

We investigated the 12-month clinical outcomes in patients treated with percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) for acute myocardial infarction (AMI) complicated by cardiogenic shock (CS) according to season.

Methods

A total of 695 patients undergoing PCI for AMI complicated by CS was enrolled from 12 centers in South Korea. The study patients were divided into four groups according to season in which the AMI with CS occurred (spring, n = 178 vs. summer, n = 155 vs. autumn, n = 182 vs. winter, n = 180). We compared major adverse cardiovascular events (MACEs; the composite of cardiac death, myocardial infarction, re-hospitalization due to heart failure, and any revascularization) between the four groups.

Results

The risk of MACE during the 12 months after CS was similar in the four groups: spring, 68 patients, vs. summer, 69, vs. autumn, 73, vs. winter, 68 (p = 0.587). Multivariate Cox-regression analysis revealed no significant difference in 12-month MACE among groups compared to the spring group after inverse probability of treatment weighting adjustment (summer, HR 1.40, 95 % CI 0.98-1.99, p = 0.062; autumn, HR 1.26, 95 % CI 0.89-1.80, p = 0.193; winter, HR 1.18, 95 % CI 0.83-1.67, p = 0.356). The similarity of MACE between the four groups was consistent across a variety of subgroups.

Conclusions

After adjusting for baseline differences, seasonal variation seems not to influence the mid-term risk of 12-month MACE in patients treated with PCI for AMI complicated by CS.

Condensed abstract

Data are limited regarding the association between seasonal variation and prognosis in patients with cardiogenic shock (CS) caused by AMI. This study divided patients undergoing PCI for AMI complicated by CS into four groups based on the season of occurrence and found no significant differences in 12-month MACE between the groups after adjusting for bias and confounding factors. Multivariate analysis revealed consistent MACE similarity across subgroups. The study suggests that seasonal variation has no impact on the mid-term risk of 12-month MACE in patients with CS caused by AMI, after adjusting for baseline differences.

Trial registration

ClinicalTrials.gov NCT02985008RESCUE (REtrospective and prospective observational Study to investigate Clinical oUtcomes and Efficacy of left ventricular assist device for Korean patients with cardiogenic shock), NCT02985008, Registered December 5, 2016 - retrospectively and prospectively.

Irb information

This study was approved by the institutional review board of Samsung Medical Center (Reference number: 2016-03-130).

Comparison of the prognosis among in-hospital survivors of cardiogenic shock based on etiology: AMI and Non-AMI

BACKGROUND

Current data on post-discharge mortality and rehospitalization is still insufficient among in-hospital survivors of cardiogenic shock (CS), including acute myocardial infarction (AMI) and non-AMI survivors.

METHODS

Patients with CS who survived after hospital discharge were selected from the Taiwan National Health Insurance Research Database. Each patient was followed up at 3-year intervals. Mortality and rehospitalization were analyzed using Kaplan-Meier curves and Cox regression models.

RESULTS

There were 16,582 eligible patients. Of these, 42.4% and 57.6% were AMI-CS and non-AMI-CS survivors, respectively. The overall mortality and rehospitalization rates were considerably high, with reports of 7.0% and 22.1% at 30 days, 24.5% and 58.2% at 1 year, and 38.9% and 73.0% at 3 years, respectively, among in-hospital CS survivors. Cardiovascular (CV) problems caused approximately 40% mortality and 60% rehospitalization. Overall, the non-AMI-CS group had a higher mortality burden than the AMI-CS group owing to older age and a higher prevalence of comorbidities. In multivariable models, the non-AMI-CS group exhibited a lower risk of all-cause mortality (adjusted hazard ratio [aHR] 0.69, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.60 to 0.78) and CV mortality (aHR 0.65, 95% CI 0.54 to 0.78) compared to the AMI-CS group. However, these risks diminished and even reversed after one year (aHR 1.13, 95% CI 1.03 to 1.25 for all-cause mortality; aHR 1.27, 95% CI 1.09 to 1.49 for CV mortality).This reversal was not observed in all-cause and CV rehospitalization. For rehospitalization, AMI-CS was associated with the risk of CV rehospitalization in the entire observation period (aHR:0.80, 95% CI:0.76-0.84).

CONCLUSIONS

In-hospital AMI-CS survivors had an increased risk of CV rehospitalization and 30-day mortality, whereas those with non-AMI-CS had a greater mortality risk after 1-year follow-up.

Management of Severe Mitral Regurgitation in Patients With Acute Myocardial Infarction: JACC Focus Seminar 2/5

Severe acute mitral regurgitation after myocardial infarction includes partial and complete papillary muscle rupture or functional mitral regurgitation. Although its incidence is <1%, mitral regurgitation after acute myocardial infarction frequently causes hemodynamic instability, pulmonary edema, and cardiogenic shock. Medical management has the worst prognosis, and mortality has not changed in decades. Surgery represents the gold standard, but it is associated with high rates of morbidity and mortality. Recently, transcatheter interventions have opened a new door for management that may improve survival. Mechanical circulatory support restores vital organ perfusion and offers the opportunity for a steadier surgical repair. This review focuses on the diagnosis and the interventional management, both surgical and transcatheter, with a glance on future perspectives to enhance patient management and eventually decrease mortality.

Current spectrum and outcomes of infarct-related cardiogenic shock: insights from the CULPRIT-SHOCK registry and randomized controlled trial

AIMS

We analysed consecutive patients with acute myocardial infarction complicated by cardiogenic shock (CS) who were enrolled into the CULPRIT-SHOCK randomized controlled trial (RCT) and those with exclusion criteria who were included into the accompanying registry.

METHODS AND RESULTS

In total, 1075 patients with infarct-related CS were screened for CULPRIT-SHOCK in 83 specialized centres in Europe; 369 of them had exclusion criteria for the RCT and were enrolled into the registry. Patients were followed over 1 year. The mean age was 68 years and 260 (25%) were women. 13.5%, 30.9%, and 55.6% had one-vessel, two-vessel, and three-vessel coronary artery disease (CAD), respectively. Significant left main (LM) coronary artery stenosis was present in 8.0%. 54.2% of the patients had cardiac arrest before admission. Thrombolysis in myocardial infarction (TIMI) 3 patency of the infarct vessel after percutaneous coronary intervention was achieved in 83.6% of all patients. Mechanical circulatory support was applied in one-third of patients. Total mortality after 30 days and 1 year was 47.6% and 52.9%. Mortality after 1 year was highest in patients with LM coronary artery stenosis (63.5%), followed by three-vessel (56.6%), two-vessel (49.8%), and one-vessel CAD (38.6%), respectively. Mechanical complications were rare (21/1008; 2.1%) but associated with a high mortality of 66.7% after 1 year.

CONCLUSION

In specialized centres in Europe, short- and long-term mortality of patients with infarct-related CS treated with an invasive strategy is still high and mainly depends on the extent of CAD. Therefore, there is still a need for improvement of care to improve the prognosis of infarct-related CS.

EPidemiology Of Cardiogenic sHock in Scotland (EPOCHS): A multicentre, prospective observational study of the prevalence, management and outcomes of cardiogenic shock in Scotland

Background

Despite high rates of cardiovascular disease in Scotland, the prevalence and outcomes of patients with cardiogenic shock are unknown.

Methods

We undertook a prospective observational cohort study of consecutive patients with cardiogenic shock admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU) or coronary care unit at 13 hospitals in Scotland for a 6-month period. Denominator data from the Scottish Intensive Care Society Audit Group were used to estimate ICU prevalence; data for coronary care units were unavailable. We undertook multivariable logistic regression to identify factors associated with in-hospital mortality.

Results

In total, 247 patients with cardiogenic shock were included. After exclusion of coronary care unit admissions, this comprised 3.0% of all ICU admissions during the study period (95% confidence interval [CI] 2.6%-3.5%). Aetiology was acute myocardial infarction (AMI) in 48%. The commonest vasoactive treatment was noradrenaline (56%) followed by adrenaline (46%) and dobutamine (40%). Mechanical circulatory support was used in 30%. Overall in-hospital mortality was 55%. After multivariable logistic regression, age (odds ratio [OR] 1.04, 95% CI 1.02-1.06), admission lactate (OR 1.10, 95% CI 1.05-1.19), Society for Cardiovascular Angiographic Intervention stage D or E at presentation (OR 2.16, 95% CI 1.10-4.29) and use of adrenaline (OR 2.73, 95% CI 1.40-5.40) were associated with mortality.

Conclusions

In Scotland the prevalence of cardiogenic shock was 3% of all ICU admissions; more than half died prior to discharge. There was significant variation in treatment approaches, particularly with respect to vasoactive support strategy.

Early Serial Assessment of Aggregate Vasoactive Support and Mortality in Cardiogenic Shock: Insights From the Critical Care Cardiology Trials Network Registry

BACKGROUND

Associations of early changes in vasoactive support with cardiogenic shock (CS) mortality remain incompletely defined.

METHODS

The Critical Care Cardiology Trials Network is a multicenter registry of cardiac intensive care units. Patients admitted with CS (2018-2023) had vasoactive dosing assessed at 4 and 24 hours from cardiac intensive care unit admission and quantified by the vasoactive-inotropic score (VIS). Prognostic associations of VIS at both time points, as well as change in VIS from 4 to 24 hours, were examined. Interaction testing was performed based on mechanical circulatory support status.

RESULTS

Among 3665 patients, 82% had a change in VIS <10, with 7% and 11% having a ≥10-point increase and decrease from 4 to 24 hours, respectively. The 4 and 24-hour VIS were each associated with cardiac intensive care unit mortality (13%-45% and 11%-73% for VIS <10 to ≥40, respectively; Ptrend <0.0001 for each). Stratifying by the 4-hour VIS, changes in VIS from 4 to 24 hours had a graded association with mortality, ranging from a 2- to >4-fold difference in mortality comparing those with a ≥10-point increase to ≥10-point decrease in VIS (Ptrend <0.0001). The change in VIS alone provided good discrimination of cardiac intensive care unit mortality (C-statistic, 0.72 [95% CI, 0.70-0.75]) and improved discrimination of the 24-hour Sequential Organ Failure Assessment score (0.72 [95% CI, 0.69-0.74] to 0.76 [95% CI, 0.74-0.78]) and the clinician-assessed Society for Cardiovascular Angiography and Interventions shock stage (0.72 [95% CI, 0.70-0.74] to 0.77 [95% CI, 0.75-0.79]). Although present in both groups, the mortality risk associated with VIS was attenuated in patients managed with versus without mechanical circulatory support (odds ratio per 10-point higher 24-hour VIS, 1.36 [95% CI, 1.23-1.49] versus 1.84 [95% CI, 1.69-2.01]; Pinteraction <0.0001).

CONCLUSIONS

Early changes in the magnitude of vasoactive support in CS are associated with a gradient of risk for mortality. These data suggest that early VIS trajectory may improve CS prognostication, with the potential to be leveraged for clinical decision-making and research applications in CS.

The Intra-aortic Balloon Pump: A Focused Review of Physiology, Transport Logistics, Mechanics, and Complications

Critical care transport medicine (CCTM) teams are playing an increasing role in the care of patients in cardiogenic shock requiring mechanical circulatory support devices. Hence, it is important that CCTM providers are familiar with the pathophysiology of cardiogenic shock, the role of mechanical circulatory support, and the management of these devices in the transport environment. The intra-aortic balloon pump is a widely used and accessible cardiac support device capable of increasing cardiac output and reducing work on the left ventricle through diastolic augmentation and counterpulsation. This article reviews essential CCTM-based considerations for patients supported by intra-aortic balloon pump, including indications for placement, mechanics and physiology, potential issues during transport, and associated complications.

Cardiogenic shock as a health issue. Physiology, classification, and detection

Cardiogenic shock (CS) is a heterogeneous syndrome with high mortality and a growing incidence. It is characterized by an imbalance between the tissue oxygen demands and the capacity of the cardiovascular system to meet these demands, due to acute cardiac dysfunction. Historically, acute coronary syndromes have been the primary cause of CS. However, non-ischemic cases have seen a rise in incidence. The pathophysiology involves ischemic damage of the myocardium and a sympathetic, renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system and inflammatory response, perpetuating the situation of tissue hypoperfusion and ultimately leading to multiorgan dysfunction. The characterization of CS patients through a triaxial assessment and the widespread use of the Society for Cardiovascular Angiography and Interventions (SCAI) scale has allowed standardization of the severity stratification of CS; this, coupled with early detection and the "hub and spoke" approach, could contribute to improving the prognosis of these patients.

Diastolic/systolic blood pressure ratio for predicting febrile children with sepsis and progress to septic shock in the emergency department

OBJECTIVE

Given the scarcity of studies analyzing the clinical predictors of pediatric septic cases that would progress to septic shock, this study aimed to determine strong predictors for pediatric emergency department (PED) patients with sepsis at risk for septic shock and mortality.

METHODS

We conducted chart reviews of patients with ≥ 2 age-adjusted quick Sequential Organ Failure Assessment score (qSOFA) criteria to recognize patients with an infectious disease in two tertiary PEDs between January 1, 2021, and April 30, 2022. The age range of included patients was 1 month to 18 years. The primary outcome was development of septic shock within 48 h of PED attendance. The secondary outcome was sepsis-related 28-day mortality. Initial important variables in the PED and hemodynamics with the highest and lowest values during the first 24 h of admission were also analyzed.

RESULTS

Overall, 417 patients were admitted because of sepsis and met the eligibility criteria for the study. Forty-nine cases progressed to septic shock within 48 h after admission and 368 were discharged without progression. General demographics, laboratory data, and hemodynamics were analyzed by multivariate analysis. Only the minimum diastolic blood pressure/systolic blood pressure ratio (D/S ratio) during the first 24 h after admission remained as an independent predictor of progression to septic shock and 28-day mortality. The best cutoff values of the D/S ratio for predicting septic shock and 28-day mortality were 0.52 and 0.47, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

The D/S ratio is a practical bedside scoring system in the PED and had good discriminative ability in predicting the progression of septic shock and in-hospital mortality in PED patients. Further validation is essential in other settings.

Predicting the mortality of patients with cardiogenic shock after coronary artery bypass grafting

INTRODUCTION

Cardiogenic shock (CS) is a critical condition and the leading cause of mortality after coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG). To define the risk factors for CS in patients who undergo CABG and create a risk-predictive model is crucial.

METHODS

In this observational study, we retrospectively evaluated consecutive patients who underwent CABG between January 2018 and October 2022 at Beijing Anzhen Hospital. A total of 496 patients were enrolled and categorized into the training (396 cases) and internal test (100 cases) sets. The variables significantly associated with mortality (p < 0.05) were analyzed using logistic regression analyses.

RESULTS

The E/A ratio at admission, postoperative brain natriuretic peptide, postoperative arterial lactate, two or more arrhythmias at the same time after CABG, and carotid artery stenosis at admission were identified as independent prognostic factors for in-hospital mortality after multivariate logistic regression analysis. The CS after CABG score (ACCS) was established and three classes of ACCS, named classes I (ACCS, <20), II (ACCS, 20-30), and III (ACCS, >30), made up the risk model. The ACCS showed better discrimination with an AUROC of 0.937 (95% confidence interval, 0.982-0.892) and calibration with the Hosmer-Lemeshow test (X2 = 5.854 with 8 df; p = 0.664). In addition, tenfold cross-validation demonstrated that the mean misdiagnosis rate was 5.56% and the lowest misdiagnosis rate was 6.38%.

CONCLUSION

The ACCS score represents a risk-predictive model for in-hospital mortality of patients with CS after CABG in acute care settings. Patients identified as class III may have a worse prognosis.

Custodiol cardioplegia for temporary mechanical circulatory support

Several patients requiring biventricular mechanical circulatory support in the acute setting will not be candidates for less invasive advanced heart failure therapies not requiring median sternotomy. Temporary biventricular assist device may provide reliable short term support bridging patients to recovery or further advanced treatments. However, this exposes patients to increased risk of reoperation due to bleeding and further exposure to blood products. This article outlines the practical details necessary in performing this technique while minimizing potential complications.

Intravascular ultrasound-guided versus angiography-guided percutaneous coronary intervention for acute myocardial infarction with cardiogenic shock

The benefits of intravascular ultrasonography (IVUS)-guided percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) in the clinical context of cardiogenic shock (CS) complicating acute myocardial infarction are lacking. We aimed to investigate the impact of IVUS-guided PCI in patients with AMI and CS. From the pooled data based on a series of Korean AMI registries during 2011-2020, we identified 1418 consecutive patients who underwent PCI with second generation drug-eluting stent (DES) for AMI and CS. The primary endpoint was the 1-year rate of target lesion failure (TLF), defined as the composite of cardiac death, target vessel myocardial infarction, and ischemic-driven target lesion revascularization. In total, 294 (20.7%) and 1124 (79.3%) underwent IVUS-guided and angiography-guided PCI with second generation DES implantation, respectively. The 1-year TLF was not significantly different between groups after IPTW analysis (hazard ratio 0.93, 95% confidence interval 0.65-1.34, p = 0.70). Additionally, the adjusted landmark analysis for TLF at 30 days and between 30 days and 1 year after PCI demonstrated no significant difference between the groups. In conclusion, in patients with AMI and CS who underwent PCI with second-generation DES, IVUS-guided PCI did not improve the 1-year TLF compared with angiography-guided PCI.Registration: URL:  http://cris.nih.go.kr . KCT0000863 and KCT0008355.

Impact of Age, Gender, and Body Mass Index on Short-Term Outcomes of Patients With Cardiogenic Shock on Mechanical Circulatory Support

This single-center, observational study assessed the impact of age, gender, and body mass index (BMI) in patients with cardiogenic shock (CS) on temporary mechanical circulatory support. All adult patients admitted to the Cleveland Clinic main campus Cardiac Intensive Care Unit (CICU) between December 1, 2015, to December 31, 2019, CICU with CS necessitating mechanical circulatory support (MCS) with intra-aortic balloon pump, Impella, or venous arterial-extra corporeal membrane oxygenation were retrospectively analyzed for this study. Baseline characteristics and 30-day outcomes were collected through physician-directed chart review. The impact of age, gender, and BMI on 30-day mortality was assessed using multivariable logistic regression. Kaplan-Meier survival curves were used to analyze the survival difference in specific subsets. A total of 393 patients with CS on temporary MCS were admitted to our CICU during the study period. The median age of our cohort was 63 years (interquartile range 54 to 70 years), median BMI was 28.50 kg/m2 (interquartile range 24.62 to 29.72) and 70% (n = 276) were men. In total, 22 patients >80 years had received MCS compared with 372 patients <80 years. Patients >80 years on MCS had significantly higher 30-day mortality compared with those <80 years (81.8% vs 49.3%, p = 0.006). Upon stratifying patients by BMI, 161 (41%) patients were found to have BMI ≥30 kg/m2 whereas 232 (59%) patients had BMI <30 kg/m2. Comparison of 30-day mortality revealed that patients with BMI ≥30 did significantly worse than patients with BMI <30 (59.6% vs 45.3%, p = 0.007). There was no difference in 30-day mortality between men and women. On multivariable logistic regression, both age and BMI had a positive linear relation with adjusted 30-day mortality whereas gender did not have a major effect. Advanced age and higher BMI are independently associated with worse outcomes in patients with CS on MCS. Utilizing a strict selection criterion for patients in CS is pertinent to derive the maximum benefit from advanced mechanical support.

A Guide to the Use of Vasopressors and Inotropes for Patients in Shock

Shock is a life-threatening circulatory failure that results in inadequate tissue perfusion and oxygenation. Vasopressors and inotropes are vasoactive medications that are vital in increasing systemic vascular resistance and cardiac contractility, respectively, in patients presenting with shock. To be well versed in using these agents is an important skill to have in the critical care setting where patients can frequently exhibit symptoms of shock. In this review, we will discuss the pathophysiological mechanisms of shock and evaluate the current evidence behind the management of shock with an emphasis on vasopressors and inotropes.

The management of heart failure cardiogenic shock: an international RAND appropriateness panel

BACKGROUND

Observational data suggest that the subset of patients with heart failure related CS (HF-CS) now predominate critical care admissions for CS. There are no dedicated HF-CS randomised control trials completed to date which reliably inform clinical practice or clinical guidelines. We sought to identify aspects of HF-CS care where both consensus and uncertainty may exist to guide clinical practice and future clinical trial design, with a specific focus on HF-CS due to acute decompensated chronic HF.

METHODS

A 16-person multi-disciplinary panel comprising of international experts was assembled. A modified RAND/University of California, Los Angeles, appropriateness methodology was used. A survey comprising of 34 statements was completed. Participants anonymously rated the appropriateness of each statement on a scale of 1 to 9 (1-3 as inappropriate, 4-6 as uncertain and as 7-9 appropriate).

RESULTS

Of the 34 statements, 20 were rated as appropriate and 14 were rated as inappropriate. Uncertainty existed across all three domains: the initial assessment and management of HF-CS; escalation to temporary Mechanical Circulatory Support (tMCS); and weaning from tMCS in HF-CS. Significant disagreement between experts (deemed present when the disagreement index exceeded 1) was only identified when deliberating the utility of thoracic ultrasound in the immediate management of HF-CS.

CONCLUSION

This study has highlighted several areas of practice where large-scale prospective registries and clinical trials in the HF-CS population are urgently needed to reliably inform clinical practice and the synthesis of future societal HF-CS guidelines.

Cardiogenic Shock in Older Adults: A Focus on Age-Associated Risks and Approach to Management: A Scientific Statement From the American Heart Association

Cardiogenic shock continues to portend poor outcomes, conferring short-term mortality rates of 30% to 50% despite recent scientific advances. Age is a nonmodifiable risk factor for mortality in patients with cardiogenic shock and is often considered in the decision-making process for eligibility for various therapies. Older adults have been largely excluded from analyses of therapeutic options in patients with cardiogenic shock. As a result, despite the association of advanced age with worse outcomes, focused strategies in the assessment and management of cardiogenic shock in this high-risk and growing population are lacking. Individual programs oftentimes develop upper age limits for various interventional strategies for their patients, including heart transplantation and durable left ventricular assist devices. However, age as a lone parameter should not be used to guide individual patient management decisions in cardiogenic shock. In the assessment of risk in older adults with cardiogenic shock, a comprehensive, interdisciplinary approach is central to developing best practices. In this American Heart Association scientific statement, we aim to summarize our contemporary understanding of the epidemiology, risk assessment, and in-hospital approach to management of cardiogenic shock, with a unique focus on older adults.

Pulmonary Artery Catheter Usage and Impact on Mortality in Patients With Cardiogenic Shock: Results From a Canadian Single-Centre Registry

BACKGROUND

Hemodynamic assessment for cardiogenic shock (CS) phenotyping in patients has led to renewed interest in the use of pulmonary artery catheters (PACs).

METHODS

We included patients admitted with CS from January 2014 to December 2020 and compared clinical outcomes among patients who received PACs and those who did not. The primary outcome was the rate of in-hospital mortality. Secondary outcomes included use of advanced heart failure therapies and coronary intensive care unit (CICU) and hospital lengths of stay.

RESULTS

A total of 1043 patients were analysed and 47% received PACs. Patients selected for PAC-guided management were younger and had lower left ventricular function. They also had higher use of vasopressor and inotropes, and 15.2% of them were already supported with temporary mechanical circulatory support (MCS). In-hospital mortality was lower in patients who received PACs (29.3% vs 36.2%; P = 0.02), mainly driven by a reduction in mortality among those in Society for Cardiovascular Angiography and Interventions (SCAI) stages D and E CS. Patients who received PACs were more likely to receive temporary MCS with Impella, durable ventricular assist devices (VADs), or orthotopic heart transplantation (OHT) (P < 0.001 for all analyses). CICU and hospital lengths of stay were longer in patients who used PACs.

CONCLUSIONS

Among patients with CS, the use of PACs was associated with lower in-hospital mortality, especially among those in SCAI stages D and E. Patients who received PACs were also more frequently rescued with temporary MCS or received advanced heart failure therapies, such as durable VADs or OHT.