Burden of Arrhythmias in Acute Myocardial Infarction Complicated by Cardiogenic Shock

Prevalence of Arrhythmias in Patients With Coronary Microvascular Dysfunction

BACKGROUND

Coronary microvascular dysfunction (CMD) is an important cause of angina with nonobstructive coronary arteries (ANOCA). It is unclear whether CMD is associated with arrhythmia.

AIMS

This study aimed to evaluate the prevalence of arrhythmias in patients with ANOCA and CMD compared to those in patients with ANOCA without CMD.

METHODS

In this observational study of the Coronary Microvascular Disease Registry (NCT05960474), patients with ANOCA who underwent invasive coronary functional assessment for CMD were included. The diagnosis of arrhythmia was based on 12-lead electrocardiography (ECG), or clinical diagnosis accompanied by ECG evidence within 1 year before CMD evaluation.

RESULTS

The study included 262 patients; 66 (25.2%) were CMD-positive. Patients with CMD were older, and there was no difference in history of heart failure and baseline left ventricular ejection fraction compared to those without CMD. Premature atrial contractions (PACs) (25.8% vs. 5.6%; p < 0.001), supraventricular tachycardia (SVT) (24.2% vs. 6.6%; p < 0.001), premature ventricular complexes (PVCs) (43.9% vs. 10.7%; p < 0.001), nonsustained ventricular tachycardia (NSVT) (28.8% vs. 3.1%; p < 0.001), and accelerated idioventricular rhythm (9.1% vs. 2.6%; = 0.02) were more common in CMD-positive patients. In a multivariate analysis adjusting for baseline differences and other variables clinically associated with arrhythmia, CMD was associated with PACs (odds ratio [OR]: 4.7; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.8-11.9), SVT (OR: 3.5; 95% CI: 1.5-8.6), PVCs (OR: 5.9; 95% CI: 2.6-13.0), and NSVT (OR: 9.5; 95% CI: 3.2-27.7).

CONCLUSION

Patients with ANOCA and CMD have a higher likelihood of arrhythmias, especially ventricular arrhythmias.

Managing Arrhythmias in Cardiogenic Shock: Insights Into Milrinone and Dobutamine Therapy

Shock is a state of inadequate perfusion that affects vital organs. Cardiogenic shock (CS) predisposes patients to various arrhythmias. The adverse effect depends on intervention and pharmacogenomics. This narrative review sheds light on treatment strategies for arrhythmias caused by milrinone and dobutamine when managing CS. Dobutamine, through beta-1 agonism, and milrinone, by phosphodiesterase-3 inhibition, increase cardiac contractility by enhancing the availability of calcium to the myocardium. Dobutamine is also a beta-2 agonist, and milrinone is a phosphodiesterase-3 inhibitor; both result in peripheral vasodilation, leading to their use preferentially in patients with CS with normotensive blood pressure. To narrow down relevant literature, various electronic databases, including PubMed, Google Scholar, and Cochrane Library, were searched. The review revealed limited evidence favoring either milrinone or dobutamine as the preferred inotropic agent for managing CS, but it did reveal that though hospital stays using dobutamine were shorter, mortality from its induced arrhythmias led to an increase in all-cause mortality rates. Both proarrhythmic agents triggered ventricular and supraventricular tachyarrhythmias, some requiring cardioversion while others are non-sustained and managed medically or symptomatically. Though neither agent has a specific reversal agent, the effect of dobutamine was seen to be successfully aborted using intravenous ultrashort half-life beta-blockers (such as esmolol). The findings accentuated the critical need for a tailored approach to managing these iatrogenic arrhythmias, emphasizing clinical vigilance and individualized patient care.

Disentangling the phenotypic patterns of hypertension and chronic hypotension

OBJECTIVE

2017 blood pressure (BP) categories focus on cardiac risk. We hypothesize that studying the balance between mechanisms that increase or decrease BP across the medical phenome will lead to new insights. We devised a classifier that uses BP measures to assign individuals to mutually exclusive categories centered in the upper (Htn), lower (Hotn) and middle (Naf) zones of the BP spectrum; and examined the epidemiologic and phenotypic patterns of these BP-categories.

METHODS

We classified a cohort of 832,560 deidentified electronic health records by BP-category; compared the frequency of BP-categories and four subtypes of Htn and Hotn by sex and age-decade; visualized the distributions of systolic, diastolic, mean arterial and pulse pressures stratified by BP-category; and ran Phenome-wide Association Studies (PheWAS) for Htn and Hotn. We paired knowledgebases for hypertension and hypotension and computed aggregate knowledgebase status (KB-status) indicating known associations. We assessed alignment of PheWAS results with KB-status for phecodes in the knowledgebase, and paired PheWAS correlations with KB-status to surface phenotypic patterns.

RESULTS

BP-categories represent distinct distributions within the multimodal distributions of systolic and diastolic pressure. They are centered in the upper, lower, and middle zones of mean arterial pressure and provide a different signal than pulse pressure. For phecodes in the knowledgebase, 85% of positive correlations align with KB-status. Phenotypic patterns for Htn and Hotn overlap for several phecodes and are separate for others. Our analysis suggests five candidates for hypothesis testing research, two where the prevalence of the association with Htn or Hotn may be under appreciated, three where mechanisms that increase and decrease blood pressure may be affecting one another's expression.

CONCLUSION

PairedPheWAS methods may open a phenome-wide path to disentangling hypertension and chronic hypotension. Our classifier provides a starting point for assigning individuals to BP-categories representing the upper, lower, and middle zones of the BP spectrum. 4.7 % of individuals matching 2017 BP categories for normal, elevated BP or isolated hypertension, have diastolic pressure < 60. Research is needed to fine-tune the classifier, provide external validation, evaluate the clinical significance of diastolic pressure < 60, and test the candidate hypotheses.

Short-term and long-term outcomes of cardiac arrhythmias in patients with cardiogenic shock

INTRODUCTION

Cardiogenic shock is severe circulatory failure that results in significant in-hospital mortality, related morbidity, and economic burden. Patients with cardiogenic shock are at high risk for atrial and ventricular arrhythmias, particularly within the subset of patients with an overlap of cardiogenic shock and cardiac arrest.

AREAS COVERED

This review article will explore the prevalence, definition, management, and outcomes of common arrhythmias in patients with cardiogenic shock. This review will describe the pathophysiology of arrhythmia in cardiogenic shock and the impact of inotropic agents on increased arrhythmogenicity. In addition to medical management, focused assessment of mechanical circulatory support, radiofrequency ablation, deep sedation, and stellate ganglion block will be provided.

EXPERT OPINION

We will navigate the limited data and describe the prognostic impacts of arrhythmia. Finally, we will conclude the review with a discussion of prevention strategies, research limitations, and future research directions.

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.

Burden of cardiac arrhythmias in patients with acute myocardial infarction and their impact on hospitalization outcomes: insights from China acute myocardial infarction (CAMI) registry

BACKGROUND

The coexistence of cardiac arrhythmias in patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI) usually exhibits poor prognosis. However, there are few contemporary data available on the burden of cardiac arrhythmias in AMI patients and their impact on in-hospital outcomes.

METHODS

The present study analyzed data from the China Acute Myocardial Infarction (CAMI) registry involving 23,825 consecutive AMI patients admitted to 108 hospitals from January 2013 to February 2018. Cardiac arrhythmias were defined as the presence of bradyarrhythmias, sustained atrial tachyarrhythmias, and sustained ventricular tachyarrhythmias that occurred during hospitalization. In-hospital outcome was defined as a composite of all-cause mortality, cardiogenic shock, re-infarction, stroke, or heart failure.

RESULTS

Cardiac arrhythmia was presented in 1991 (8.35%) AMI patients, including 3.4% ventricular tachyarrhythmias, 2.44% bradyarrhythmias, 1.78% atrial tachyarrhythmias, and 0.73% ≥2 kinds of arrhythmias. Patients with arrhythmias were more common with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (83.3% vs. 75.5%, P < 0.001), fibrinolysis (12.8% vs. 8.0%, P < 0.001), and previous heart failure (3.7% vs. 1.5%, P < 0.001). The incidences of in-hospital outcomes were 77.0%, 50.7%, 43.5%, and 41.4%, respectively, in patients with ≥ 2 kinds of arrhythmias, ventricular tachyarrhythmias, bradyarrhythmias, and atrial tachyarrhythmias, and were significantly higher in all patients with arrhythmias than those without arrhythmias (48.9% vs. 12.5%, P < 0.001). The presence of any kinds of arrhythmia was independently associated with an increased risk of hospitalization outcome (≥ 2 kinds of arrhythmias, OR 26.83, 95%CI 18.51-38.90; ventricular tachyarrhythmias, OR 8.56, 95%CI 7.34-9.98; bradyarrhythmias, OR 5.82, 95%CI 4.87-6.95; atrial tachyarrhythmias, OR4.15, 95%CI 3.38-5.10), and in-hospital mortality (≥ 2 kinds of arrhythmias, OR 24.44, 95%CI 17.03-35.07; ventricular tachyarrhythmias, OR 13.61, 95%CI 10.87-17.05; bradyarrhythmias, OR 7.85, 95%CI 6.0-10.26; atrial tachyarrhythmias, OR 4.28, 95%CI 2.98-6.16).

CONCLUSION

Cardiac arrhythmia commonly occurred in patients with AMI might be ventricular tachyarrhythmias, followed by bradyarrhythmias, atrial tachyarrhythmias, and ≥ 2 kinds of arrhythmias. The presence of any arrhythmias could impact poor hospitalization outcomes.

REGISTRATION

Clinical Trial Registration: Identifier: NCT01874691.

Prognostic impact of preoperative atrial fibrillation in patients undergoing heart surgery in cardiogenic shock

Surgical intervention in the setting of cardiogenic shock (CS) is burdened with high mortality. Due to acute condition, detailed diagnoses and risk assessment is often precluded. Atrial fibrillation (AF) is a risk factor for perioperative complications and worse survival but little is known about AF patients operated in CS. Current analysis aimed to determine prognostic impact of preoperative AF in patients undergoing heart surgery in CS. We analyzed data from the Polish National Registry of Cardiac Surgery (KROK) Procedures. Between 2012 and 2021, 332,109 patients underwent cardiac surgery in 37 centers; 4852 (1.5%) patients presented with CS. Of those 624 (13%) patients had AF history. Cox proportional hazards models were used for computations. Propensity score (nearest neighbor) matching for the comparison of patients with and without AF was performed. Median follow-up was 4.6 years (max.10.0), mean age was 62 (± 15) years and 68% patients were men. Thirty-day mortality was 36% (1728 patients). The origin of CS included acute myocardial infarction (1751 patients, 36%), acute aortic dissection (1075 patients, 22%) and valvular dysfunction (610 patients, 13%). In an unadjusted analysis, patients with underlying AF had almost 20% higher mortality risk (HR 1.19, 95% CIs 1.06-1.34; P = 0.004). Propensity score matching returned 597 pairs with similar baseline characteristics; AF remained a significant prognostic factor for worse survival (HR 1.19, 95% CI 1.00-1.40; P = 0.045). Among patients with CS referred for cardiac surgery, history of AF was a significant risk factor for mortality. Role of concomitant AF ablation and/or left atrial appendage occlusion or more aggressive perioperative circulatory support should be addressed in the future.

Immediate in-hospital outcomes after percutaneous revascularization of acute myocardial infarction complicated by cardiogenic shock

BACKGROUND

Cardiogenic shock (CS) is a life-threatening complication of acute myocardial infarction with high morbidity and mortality rates. Primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) has been shown to improve outcomes in patients with CS.

AIM

To investigate the immediate mortality rates in patients with CS undergoing primary PCI and identify mortality predictors.

METHODS

We conducted a retrospective analysis of 305 patients with CS who underwent primary PCI at the National Institute of Cardiovascular Diseases, Karachi, Pakistan, between January 2018 and December 2022. The primary outcome was immediate mortality, defined as mortality within index hospitalization. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were performed to identify predictors of immediate mortality.

RESULTS

In a sample of 305 patients with 72.8% male patients and a mean age of 58.1 ± 11.8 years, the immediate mortality rate was found to be 54.8% (167). Multivariable analysis identified Killip class IV at presentation [odds ratio (OR): 2.0; 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.2-3.4; P = 0.008], Multivessel disease (OR: 3.5; 95%CI: 1.8-6.9; P < 0.001), and high thrombus burden (OR: 2.6; 95%CI: 1.4-4.9; P = 0.003) as independent predictors of immediate mortality.

CONCLUSION

Immediate mortality rate in patients with CS undergoing primary PCI remains high despite advances in treatment strategies. Killip class IV at presentation, multivessel disease, and high thrombus burden (grade ≥ 4) were identified as independent predictors of immediate mortality. These findings underscore the need for aggressive management and close monitoring of patients with CS undergoing primary PCI, particularly in those with these high-risk characteristics.

Effects of renal denervation on cardiac function after percutaneous coronary intervention in patients with acute myocardial infarction

Objective

To observe the effect of renal artery denervation (RDN) on cardiac function in patients with acute myocardial infarction after percutaneous coronary intervention (AMI-PCI).

Methods

This is a single-centre, prospective randomized controlled study. A total of 108 AMI-PCI patients were randomly assigned to the RDN group or the control group at 1:1 ratio. All patients received standardized drug therapy after PCI, and patients in the RDN group underwent additional RDN at 4 weeks after the PCI. The follow-up period was 6 months after RDN. Echocardiography-derived parameters, cardiopulmonary exercise testing (CPET) data, Holter electrocardiogram, heart rate variability (HRV) at baseline and at the 6 months-follow up were analyzed.

Results

Baseline indexes were similar between the two groups (all P > 0.05). After 6 months of follow-up, the echocardiography-derived left ventricular ejection fraction was significantly higher in the RDN group than those in the control group. Cardiopulmonary exercise test indicators VO₂Max, metabolic equivalents were significantly higher in the RDN group than in the control group. HRV analysis showed that standard deviation of the normal-to-normal R-R intervals, levels of square root of the mean squared difference of successive RR intervals were significantly higher in the RDN group than those in the control group.

Conclusions

RDN intervention after PCI in AMI patients is associated with improved cardiac function, improved exercise tolerance in AMI patients post PCI. The underlying mechanism of RDN induced beneficial effects may be related to the inhibition of sympathetic nerve activity and restoration of the sympathetic-vagal balance in these patients.

A New Scoring System for Predicting Ventricular Arrhythmia Risk in Patients with Acute Myocardial Infarction

Objective

In this study, a risk score for ventricular arrhythmias (VA) were evaluated for predicting the risk of ventricular arrhythmia (VA) of acute myocardial infarction (AMI) patients.

Methods

Patients with AMI were divided into two sets according to whether VA occurred during hospitalization. Another cohort was enrolled for external validation. The area under the curve (AUC) of receiver operating characteristic (ROC) was calculated to evaluate the accuracy of the model.

Results

A total of 1493 eligible patients with AMI were enrolled as the training set, of whom 70 (4.7%) developed VA during hospitalization. In-hospital mortality was significantly higher in the VA set than in the non-VA set (31.4% vs 2.7%, P=0.001). The independent predictors of VA in patients with AMI including Killip grade ≥3, STEMI patients, LVEF <50%, frequent premature ventricular beats, serum potassium <3.5 mmol/L, type 2 diabetes, and creatinine level. The AUC of the model for predicting VT/VF in the training set was 0.815 (95% CI: 0.763-0.866). A total of 1149 cases were enrolled from Xuzhou Center Hospital as the external validation set. The AUC of the model in the external validation set for predicting VT/VF was 0.755 (95% CI: 0.687-0.823). Calibration curves indicated a good consistency between the predicted and the observed probabilities of VA in both sets.

Conclusion

We have established a clinical prediction risk score for predicting the occurrence of VA in AMI patients. The prediction score is easy to use, performs well and can be used to guide clinical practice.

In-Hospital cardiac arrest complicating ST-elevation myocardial Infarction: Temporal trends and outcomes based on management strategy

BACKGROUND

There are limited data on the relationship of ST-segment-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) management strategy and in-hospital cardiac arrest (IHCA).

AIMS

To investigate the trends and outcomes of IHCA in STEMI by management strategy.

METHODS

Adult with STEMI complicated by IHCA from the National Inpatient Sample (2000-2017) were stratified into early percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) (day 0 of hospitalization), delayed PCI (PCI ≥ day 1), or medical management (no PCI). Coronary artery bypass surgery was excluded. Outcomes of interest included in-hospital mortality, adverse events, length of stay, and hospitalization costs.

RESULTS

Of 3,967,711 STEMI admissions, IHCA was noted in 102,424 (2.6%) with an increase in incidence during this study period. Medically managed STEMI had higher rates of IHCA (3.6% vs 2.0% vs 1.3%, p < 0.001) compared to early and delayed PCI, respectively. Revascularization was associated with lower rates of IHCA (early PCI: adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 0.44 [95% confidence interval (CI) 0.43-0.44], p < 0.001; delayed PCI aOR 0.33 [95% CI 0.32-0.33], p < 0.001) compared to medical management. Non-revascularized patients had higher rates of non-shockable rhythms (62% vs 35% and 42.6%), but lower rates of multiorgan damage (44% vs 52.7% and 55.6%), cardiogenic shock (28% vs 65% and 57.4%) compared to early and delayed PCI, respectively (all p < 0.001). In-hospital mortality was lower with early PCI (49%, aOR 0.18, 95% CI 0.17-0.18), and delayed PCI (50.9%, aOR 0.18, 95% CI 0.17-0.19) (p < 0.001) compared to medical management (82.5%).

CONCLUSION

Early PCI in STEMI impacts the natural history of IHCA including timing and type of IHCA.

One-year outcomes in cardiogenic shock triggered by ventricular arrhythmia: An analysis of the FRENSHOCK multicenter prospective registry

Background

Cardiogenic shock (CS) is a life-threatening condition carrying poor prognosis, potentially triggered by ventricular arrhythmia (VA). Whether the occurrence of VA as trigger of CS worsens the prognosis compared to non-VA triggers  remains  unclear.  The  aim  of  this  study  was  to  evaluate  1-year  outcomes [mortality, heart transplantation, ventricular assist devices (VAD)] between VA-triggered and non-VA-triggered CS.

Methods

FRENSHOCK is a prospective multicenter registry including 772 CS patients from 49 centers. One to three triggers can be identified in the registry (ischemic, mechanical complications, ventricular/supraventricular arrhythmia, bradycardia, iatrogenesis, infection, non-compliance). Baseline characteristics, management and 1-year outcomes were analyzed according to the VA-trigger in the CS population.

Results

Within 769 CS patients included, 94 were VA-triggered (12.2%) and were compared to others. At 1 year, although there was no mortality difference [42.6 vs. 45.3%, HR 0.94 (0.67-1.30), p = 0.7], VA-triggered CS resulted in more heart transplantations and VAD (17 vs. 9%, p = 0.02). Into VA-triggered CS group, though there was no 1-year mortality difference between ischemic and non-ischemic cardiomyopathies [42.5 vs. 42.6%, HR 0.97 (0.52-1.81), p = 0.92], non-ischemic cardiomyopathy led to more heart transplantations and VAD (25.9 vs. 5%, p = 0.02).

Conclusion

VA-triggered CS did not show higher mortality compared to other triggers but resulted in more heart transplantation and VAD at 1 year, especially in non-ischemic cardiomyopathy, suggesting the need for earlier evaluation by advanced heart failure specialized team for a possible indication of mechanical circulatory support or heart transplantation.

Clinical trial registration

https://clinicaltrials.gov, identifier NCT02703038.

Contemporary Management of Concomitant Cardiac Arrest and Cardiogenic Shock Complicating Myocardial Infarction

Cardiogenic shock (CS) and cardiac arrest (CA) are the most life-threatening complications of acute myocardial infarction. Although there is a significant overlap in the pathophysiology with approximately half the patients with CS experiencing a CA and approximately two-thirds of patients with CA developing CS, comprehensive guideline recommendations for management of CA + CS are lacking. This paper summarizes the current evidence on the incidence, pathophysiology, and short- and long-term outcomes of patients with acute myocardial infarction complicated by concomitant CA + CS. We discuss the hemodynamic factors and unique challenges that need to be accounted for while developing treatment strategies for these patients. A summary of expert-based step-by-step recommendations to the approach and treatment of these patients, both in the field before admission and in-hospital management, are presented.

Arrhythmic events and mortality in patients with cardiogenic shock on inotropic support: results of the DOREMI randomized trial

BACKGROUND

Inotropic support is widely used in the management of cardiogenic shock (CS). Existing data on the incidence and significance of arrhythmic events in patients with CS on inotropic support is at high risk of bias.

METHODS

The DObutamine compaREd to MIlrinone (DOREMI) trial randomized patients to receive dobutamine or milrinone in a double-blind fashion. Patients with and without arrhythmic events (defined as arrhythmias requiring intervention or sustained ventricular arrhythmias) were compared to (1) identify factors associated with their occurrence and (2) examine their association with in-hospital mortality and secondary outcomes.

RESULTS

Ninety-two patients (47.9%) had arrhythmic events, occurring equally with dobutamine and milrinone (P=0.563). The need for vasopressor support at inotrope initiation and a history of atrial fibrillation were positively associated with arrhythmic events whereas predominant right ventricular dysfunction, previous myocardial infarction, and increasing left ventricular ejection fraction were negatively associated with them. Supraventricular arrhythmic events were not associated with mortality (RR 0.97, 95% CI 0.68-1.40, P=0.879) but were positively associated with resuscitated cardiac arrests and hospital length of stay. Ventricular arrhythmic events were positively associated with mortality (RR 1.66, 95% CI 1.13-2.43; P=0.026) and resuscitated cardiac arrests. Arrhythmic events were most often treated with amiodarone (97%) and electrical cardioversion (27%), which were not associated with mortality.

CONCLUSIONS

Clinically relevant arrhythmic events occur in approximately half of patients with CS treated with dobutamine or milrinone and are associated with adverse clinical outcomes. Five factors may help identify patients most at risk of arrhythmic events.

Influence of Household Income on Management and Outcomes of Acute Myocardial Infarction Complicated by Cardiogenic Shock

The impact of socioeconomic status on care and outcomes of patients with acute myocardial infarction complicated by cardiogenic shock (AMI-CS) remains understudied. Hence, adult admissions with AMI-CS were identified from the National Inpatient Sample database (2005 to 2017) and were divided into quartiles on the basis of median household income for zip code (0 to 25th, 26th to 50th, 51st to 75th, and 76th to 100th). In-hospital mortality, use of cardiac and noncardiac procedures, and resource utilization were compared between all 4 income quartiles. Among a total of 7,805,681 AMI admissions, cardiogenic shock was identified in 409,294 admissions (5.2%) with comparable prevalence of cardiogenic shock across all 4 income quartiles. AMI-CS admissions belonging to the lowest income quartile presented more often with non-ST-elevation myocardial infarction and had comparable use of coronary angiography and percutaneous coronary intervention but lower use of early coronary angiography, early percutaneous coronary intervention, mechanical circulatory support devices, and pulmonary artery catheterization than higher income quartiles. In the adjusted analysis, admissions belonging to the 0 to 25th income quartile (odds ratio [OR] 1.17 [95% confidence interval [CI] 1.15 to 1.20], p <0.001), 26th to 50th quartile (OR 1.11 [95% CI 1.09 to 1.14], p <0.001), and 51st to 75th income quartile (OR 1.06 [95% CI 1.04 to 1.09], p <0.001) had higher adjusted in-hospital mortality than the highest income quartile (76th to 100th). Lowest income quartile admissions had lower rates of palliative care consultations and higher rates of do-not-resuscitate status than the higher income quartiles. Hospitalization charges and length of stay were higher for admissions belonging to the highest income quartile. In conclusion, lowest income quartile AMI-CS admissions were associated with higher rates of non-ST-elevation myocardial infarction, lower use of mechanical circulatory support devices, and higher in-hospital mortality.

Management and Outcomes of Acute Myocardial Infarction-Cardiogenic Shock in Uninsured Compared With Privately Insured Individuals

BACKGROUND

There are limited data on uninsured patients presenting with acute myocardial infarction-cardiogenic shock (AMI-CS). This study sought to compare the management and outcomes of AMI-CS between uninsured and privately insured individuals.

METHODS

Using the National Inpatient Sample (2000-2016), a retrospective cohort of adult (≥18 years) uninsured admissions (primary payer-self-pay or no charge) were compared with privately insured individuals. Interhospital transfers were excluded. Outcomes of interest included in-hospital mortality, temporal trends in admissions, use of cardiac procedures, do-not-resuscitate status, palliative care referrals, and resource utilization.

RESULTS

Of 402 182 AMI-CS admissions, 21 966 (5.4%) and 93 814 (23.3%) were uninsured and privately insured. Compared with private insured individuals, uninsured admissions were younger, male, from a lower socioeconomic status, had lower comorbidity, higher rates of acute organ failure, ST-segment elevation AMI-CS (77.3% versus 76.4%), and concomitant cardiac arrest (33.8% versus 31.9%; all P<0.001). Compared with 2000, in 2016, there were more uninsured (adjusted odds ratio, 1.15 [95% CI, 1.13-1.17]; P<0.001) and less privately insured admissions (adjusted odds ratio, 0.85 [95% CI, 0.83-0.87]; P<0.001). Uninsured individuals received less frequent coronary angiography (79.5% versus 81.0%), percutaneous coronary intervention (60.8% versus 62.2%), mechanical circulatory support (54% versus 55.5%), and had higher palliative care (3.8% versus 3.2%) and do-not-resuscitate status use (4.4% versus 3.2%; all P<0.001). Uninsured admissions had higher in-hospital mortality (adjusted odds ratio, 1.62 [95% CI, 1.55-1.68]; P<0.001) and resource utilization.

CONCLUSIONS

Uninsured individuals have higher in-hospital mortality and lower use of guideline-directed therapies in AMI-CS compared with privately insured individuals.

Hospital-Level Disparities in the Management and Outcomes of Cardiac Arrest Complicating Acute Myocardial Infarction

There are limited contemporary data evaluating the relation between hospital characteristics and outcomes of patients with cardiac arrest complicating acute myocardial infarction (AMI-CA). As such, we used the National Inpatient Sample database (2000 to 2017), to identify adult admissions with primary diagnosis of AMI and concomitant CA. Interhospital transfers were excluded, and hospitals were classified based on location and teaching status (rural, urban nonteaching, and urban teaching) and bed size (small, medium, and large). Among 494,083 AMI-CA admissions, 9.3% received care at rural hospitals, 43.4% at urban nonteaching hospitals, and 47.3% at urban teaching hospitals. Compared with urban nonteaching and teaching hospitals, AMI-CA admissions at rural hospitals received lower rates of cardiac and noncardiac procedures. Admissions to urban teaching hospitals had higher rates of acute organ failure, concomitant cardiogenic shock, and cardiac and noncardiac procedures. When hospitals were stratified by bed size, 9.8% of AMI-CA admissions were admitted to small capacity hospitals, 26.0% to medium capacity, and 64.2% to large capacity hospitals. The use of cardiac and noncardiac procedures was lower in small hospitals with higher rates of use in medium and large hospitals. In-hospital mortality was higher in urban nonteaching (adjusted odds ratio [OR] 1.17; 95% confidence interval [CI]1.14 to 1.20; p <0.001) and urban teaching hospitals (adjusted OR 1.36; 95% CI 1.32 to 1.39; p <0.001) compared with rural hospitals. Compared with small hospitals, medium (adjusted OR 1.11; 95% CI 1.08 to 1.14; p <0.001) and large hospitals (adjusted OR 1.22; 95% CI 1.19 to 1.25; p <0.001) were associated with higher in-hospital mortality. In conclusion, AMI-CA admissions to large and urban hospitals had higher in-hospital mortality compared with small and rural hospitals potentially owing to greater acuity.

A Clinical Update on Vasoactive Medication in the Management of Cardiogenic Shock

This is a focused review looking at the pharmacological support in cardiogenic shock. There are a plethora of data evaluating vasopressors and inotropes in septic shock, but the data are limited for cardiogenic shock. This review article describes in detail the pathophysiology of cardiogenic shock, the mechanism of action of different vasopressors and inotropes emphasizing their indications and potential side effects. This review article incorporates the currently used specific risk-prediction models in cardiogenic shock as well as integrates data from many trials on the use of vasopressors and inotropes. Lastly, this review seeks to discuss the future direction for vasoactive medications in cardiogenic shock.

Racial and ethnic disparities in the management and outcomes of cardiogenic shock complicating acute myocardial infarction

BACKGROUND

It remains unclear if there remain racial/ethnic differences in the management and in-hospital outcomes of acute myocardial infarction-cardiogenic shock (AMI-CS) in contemporary practice.

METHODS

We used the National inpatient Sample (2012-2017) to identify a cohort of adult AMI-CS hospitalizations. Race was classified as White, Black and Others (Hispanic, Asian/Pacific Islander, Native Americans). Primary outcome of interest was in-hospital mortality, and secondary outcomes included use of invasive cardiac procedures, length of hospital stay and discharge disposition.

RESULTS

Among 203,905 AMI-CS admissions, 70.4% were White, 8.1% were Black and 15.7% belonged to Other races. Black AMI-CS admissions were more often female, with lower socio-economic status, greater comorbidity, and higher rates of non-ST-segment-elevation AMI-CS, cardiac arrest, and multi-organ failure. Compared to White AMI-CS admissions, Black and Other races had lower rates of coronary angiography (75.3% vs 69.3% vs 73.6%), percutaneous coronary intervention (52.7% vs 48.6% vs 54.8%), and mechanical circulatory devices (48.3% vs 42.8% vs 43.7%) (all p < 0.001). Unadjusted in-hospital mortality was comparable between White (33.3%) and Black (33.8%) admissions, but lower for other races (32.1%). Adjusted analysis with White race as the reference identified lower in-hospital mortality for Black (odds ratio [OR] 0.85 [95% confidence interval {CI} 0.82-0.88]; p < 0.001) and Other races (OR 0.97 [95% CI 0.94-1.00]; p = 0.02). Admissions of Black race had longer hospital stay, and less frequent discharges to home.

CONCLUSIONS

Contrary to previous studies, we identified Black and Other race AMI-CS admissions had lower in-hospital mortality despite lower rates of cardiac procedures when compared to White admissions.

Temporal Trends, Predictors and Outcomes of Inpatient Palliative Care Use in Cardiac Arrest Complicating Acute Myocardial Infarction

BACKGROUND

Utilization of inpatient palliative care services (PCS) has been infrequently studied in patients with cardiac arrest complicating acute myocardial infarction (AMI-CA).

METHODS

Adult AMI-CA admissions were identified from the National Inpatient Sample (2000-2017). Outcomes of interest included temporal trends and predictors of PCS use and in-hospital mortality, length of stay, hospitalization costs and discharge disposition in AMI-CA admissions with and without PCS use. Multivariable logistic regression and propensity matching were used to adjust for confounding.

RESULTS

Among 584,263 AMI-CA admissions, 26,919 (4.6%) received inpatient PCS. From 2000 to 2017 PCS use increased from <1% to 11.5%. AMI-CA admissions that received PCS were on average older, had greater comorbidity, higher rates of cardiogenic shock, acute organ failure, lower rates of coronary angiography (48.6% vs 63.3%), percutaneous coronary intervention (37.4% vs 46.9%), and coronary artery bypass grafting (all p < 0.001). Older age, greater comorbidity burden and acute non-cardiac organ failure were predictive of PCS use. In-hospital mortality was significantly higher in the PCS cohort (multivariable logistic regression: 84.6% vs 42.9%, adjusted odds ratio 3.62 [95% CI 3.48-3.76]; propensity-matched analysis: 84.7% vs. 66.2%, p < 0.001). The PCS cohort received a do- not-resuscitate status more often (47.6% vs. 3.7%), had shorter hospital stays (4 vs 5 days), and were discharged more frequently to skilled nursing facilities (73.6% vs. 20.4%); all p < 0.001. These results were consistent in the propensity-matched analysis.

CONCLUSIONS

Despite an increase in PCS use in AMI-CA, it remains significantly underutilized highlighting the role for further integrating of these specialists in AMI-CA care.

Geographic variation and temporal trends in management and outcomes of cardiac arrest complicating acute myocardial infarction in the United States

BACKGROUND

Limited studies have evaluated regional disparities in the care of acute myocardial infarction (AMI) patients with cardiac arrest (CA). This study sought to evaluate 18-year national trends, resource utilization, and geographical variation in outcomes in AMI-CA admissions.

METHODS AND RESULTS

Using the National Inpatient Sample (2000-2017), we identified adults with AMI and concomitant CA admitted to the United States census regions of Northeast, Midwest, South, and West. Clinical outcomes of interest included in-hospital mortality, use of coronary angiography, percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI), mechanical circulatory support (MCS), hospitalization costs and length of stay. Of 9,680,257 admissions for AMI, 494,083 (5.1%) had concomitant CA. The West (6.0%) had higher prevalence compared to the Northeast (4.4%), Midwest (5.0%), and South (5.1%), p < 0.001. Admissions in the West had higher rates of STEMI, cardiogenic shock, multiorgan failure, mechanical ventilation, and hemodialysis. Northeast admissions had lower use of coronary angiography (52.0% vs. 67.9% vs. 60.9% vs. 61.5%), PCI (38.7% vs. 51.9% vs. 44.8% vs. 46.7%), and MCS (18.4% vs. 21.8% vs. 18.1%, vs. 20.0%) compared to the Midwest, West and South (all p < 0.001). Compared with the Northeast, adjusted in-hospital mortality was higher in the Midwest (odds ratio [OR] 1.06 [95% confidence interval {CI} 1.03-1.08]), South (OR 1.11 [95% CI 1.09-1.13]) and highest in the West (OR 1.16 [95% CI 1.13-1.18]), all p < 0.001. Temporal trends showed a decline in in-hospital mortality except in the West, which showed a slight increase.

CONCLUSIONS

There remain significant regional disparities in the management and outcomes of AMI-CA.

Trends and differences in management and outcomes of cardiac arrest in underweight and obese acute myocardial infarction hospitalizations

The influence of weight on in-hospital events of acute myocardial infarction complicated with cardiac arrest (AMI-CA) is understudied. To address this, we utilized the National Inpatient Sample database (2008-2017) to identify adult AMI-CA admissions and categorized them by BMI into underweight, normal weight, and overweight/obese groups. The outcomes of interest included differences in in-hospital mortality, use of invasive therapies, hospitalization costs, and hospital length of stay across the three weight categories. Of the 314,609 AMI-CA admissions during the study period, 268,764 (85.4%) were normal weight, 1,791 (0.6%) were underweight, and 44,053 (14.0%) were overweight/obese. Compared to 2008, in 2017, adjusted temporal trends revealed significant increase in prevalence of AMI-CA in underweight (adjusted OR {aOR} 3.88 [95% CI 3.04-4.94], P<0.001) category, and overweight/obese AMI-CA admissions (aOR 2.67 [95% CI 2.53-2.81], P<0.001). AMI-CA admissions that were underweight were older, more often female, with greater comorbidity burden, and presented more often with non-ST-segment-elevation AMI, non-shockable rhythm, and in-hospital arrest. Overweight/obesity was associated with higher use of angiography, PCI, and greater need for mechanical circulatory support whereas underweight status had the lowest use of these procedures. Compared to normal weight AMI-CA admissions, underweight admissions had comparable adjusted in-hospital mortality (adjusted OR 0.97 [95% CI 0.87-1.09], P=0.64) whereas overweight/obese admissions had lower in-hospital mortality (adjusted OR 0.92 [95% CI 0.90-0.95], P<0.001). In conclusion, underweight AMI-CA admissions were associated with lower use of cardiac procedures and had in-hospital mortality comparable to normal weight admissions. Overweight/obese status was associated with higher rates of cardiac procedures and lower in-hospital mortality.

Impact of concomitant respiratory infections in the management and outcomes acute myocardial infarction-cardiogenic shock

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the prevalence and impact of respiratory infections in cardiogenic shock complicating acute myocardial infarction (AMI-CS).

METHODS

Using the National Inpatient Sample (2000-2017), this study identified adult (≥18 years) admitted with AMI-CS complicated by respiratory infections. Outcomes of interest included in-hospital mortality of AMI-CS admissions with and without respiratory infections, hospitalization costs, hospital length of stay, and discharge disposition. Temporal trends of prevalence, in-hospital mortality and cardiac procedures were evaluated.

RESULTS

Among 557,974 AMI-CS admissions, concomitant respiratory infections were identified in 84,684 (15.2%). Temporal trends revealed a relatively stable trend in prevalence of respiratory infections over the 18-year period. Admissions with respiratory infections were on average older, less likely to be female, with greater comorbidity, had significantly higher rates of NSTEMI presentation, and acute non-cardiac organ failure compared to those without respiratory infections (all p < 0.001). These admissions received lower rates of coronary angiography (66.8% vs 69.4%, p < 0.001) and percutaneous coronary interventions (44.8% vs 49.5%, p < 0.001), with higher rates of mechanical circulatory support, pulmonary artery catheterization, and invasive mechanical ventilation compared to AMI-CS admissions without respiratory infections (all p < 0.001). The in-hospital mortality was lower among AMI-CS admissions with respiratory infections (31.6% vs 38.4%, adjusted OR 0.58 [95% CI 0.57-0.59], p < 0.001). Admissions with respiratory infections had longer lengths of hospital stay (12^7-20 vs 6^3-11 days, p < 0.001), higher hospitalization costs and less frequent discharges to home (27.1% vs 44.7%, p < 0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

Respiratory infections in AMI-CS admissions were associated with higher resource utilization but lower in-hospital mortality.

Body Mass Index and In-Hospital Management and Outcomes of Acute Myocardial Infarction

Background and Objectives: Contemporary data on the prevalence, management and outcomes of acute myocardial infarction (AMI) in relation to body mass index (BMI) are limited. Materials and Methods: Using the National Inpatient Sample from 2008 through 2017, we identified adult AMI hospitalizations and categorized them into underweight (BMI < 19.9 kg/m²), normal BMI and overweight/obese (BMI > 24.9 kg/m²) groups. We evaluated in-hospital mortality, utilization of cardiac procedures and resource utilization among these groups. Results: Among 6,089,979 admissions for AMI, 38,070 (0.6%) were underweight, 5,094,721 (83.7%) had normal BMI, and 957,188 (15.7%) were overweight or obese. Over the study period, an increase in the prevalence of AMI was observed in underweight and overweight/obese admissions. Underweight AMI admissions were, on average, older, with higher comorbidity, whereas overweight/obese admissions were younger and had lower comorbidity. In comparison to the normal BMI and overweight/obese categories, significantly lower use of coronary angiography (62.3% vs. 74.6% vs. 37.9%) and PCI (40.8% vs. 47.7% vs. 19.6%) was observed in underweight admissions (all p < 0.001). The underweight category was associated with significantly higher in-hospital mortality (10.0% vs. 5.5%; OR 1.23 (95% CI 1.18–1.27), p < 0.001), whereas being overweight/obese was associated with significantly lower in-hospital mortality compared to normal BMI admissions (3.1% vs. 5.5%; OR 0.73 (95% CI 0.72–0.74), p < 0.001). Underweight AMI admissions had longer lengths of in-hospital stay with frequent discharges to skilled nursing facilities, while overweight/obese admissions had higher hospitalization costs. Conclusions: In-hospital management and outcomes of AMI vary by BMI. Underweight status was associated with worse outcomes, whereas the obesity paradox was apparent, with better outcomes for overweight/obese admissions.

Influence of primary payer status on non-ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction: 18-year retrospective cohort national temporal trends, management and outcomes

Background

The role of insurance on outcomes in non-ST-segment-elevation myocardial infarction (NSTEMI) patients is limited in the contemporary era.

Methods

From the National Inpatient Sample, adult NSTEMI admissions were identified [2000–2017]. Expected primary payer was classified into Medicare, Medicaid, private, uninsured and others. Outcomes included in-hospital mortality, overall and early coronary angiography, percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI), resource utilization and discharge disposition.

Results

Of the 7,290,565 NSTEMI admissions, Medicare, Medicaid, private, uninsured and other insurances were noted in 62.9%, 6.1%, 24.1%, 4.6% and 2.3%, respectively. Compared to others, those with Medicare insurance older (76 vs. 53–60 years), more likely to be female (48% vs. 25–44%), of white race, and with higher comorbidity (all P<0.001). Population from the Medicare cohort had higher in-hospital mortality (5.6%) compared to the others (1.9–3.4%), P<0.001. With Medicare as referent, in-hospital mortality was higher in other {adjusted odds ratio (aOR) 1.15 [95% confidence interval (CI), 1.11–1.19]; P<0.001}, and lower in Medicaid [aOR 0.95 (95% CI, 0.92–0.97); P<0.001], private [aOR 0.77 (95% CI, 0.75–0.78); P<0.001] and uninsured cohorts [aOR 0.97 (95% CI, 0.94–1.00); P=0.06] in a multivariable analysis. Coronary angiography (overall 52% vs. 65–74%; early 15% vs. 22–27%) and PCI (27% vs. 35–44%) were used lesser in the Medicare population. The Medicare population had longer lengths of stay, lowest hospitalization costs and fewer home discharges.

Conclusions

Compared to other types of primary payers, NSTEMI admissions with Medicare insurance had lower use of coronary angiography and PCI, and higher in-hospital mortality.

Outcomes of cardiac arrest complicating acute myocardial infarction in patients with current and historical cancer: An 18-year United States cohort study

BACKGROUND

Data regarding cardiac arrest (CA) complicating acute myocardial infarction (AMI) in patients with cancers are limited.

METHODS

Using the HCUP-NIS database (2000-2017), we identified adult admissions with AMI-CA and current or historical cancers to evaluate in-hospital mortality, utilization of coronary angiography, percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI), coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG), mechanical circulatory support (MCS), palliative care consultation, do-not-resuscitate status use, among those with current, historical and without cancer.

RESULTS

Of 11,622,528 AMI admissions, CA was noted in 584,263 (5.0%). Current and historical cancers were identified in 14,790 (2.5%) and 26,939 (4.6%), respectively. Both current and historical cancer groups were on average older, of white race, had greater comorbidity, and received care at small/medium-sized hospitals compared to those without. The current cancer cohort had the lowest rates of coronary angiography (45.2% vs. 59.2% vs. 63.3%), PCI (32.4% vs. 42.3% vs. 47.0%), MCS (13.5% vs. 16.5% vs. 20.9%) and CABG (4.1% vs. 7.6% vs. 10.2%) compared to the historical cancer and no cancer cohorts (all p < 0.001). Compared to those without, the current (61.1% vs. 44.0%; adjusted odds ratio [OR] 1.25 [95% confidence interval {CI} 1.20-1.31], p < 0.001) and historical cancer cohorts (52.2% vs. 44.0%; adjusted OR 1.05 [95% CI 1.01-1.08], p = 0.003) had higher in-hospital mortality. Cancer admissions had higher rates of palliative care consultations and do-not-resuscitate status.

CONCLUSION

AMI-CA admissions with cancer were older, had lower utilization of cardiac procedures, and higher rates of palliative care and do-not-resuscitate status and in-hospital mortality compared to those without cancer.

Trends in Acute Myocarditis Related Pediatric Hospitalizations in the United States, 2007-2016

There has been little exploration of acute myocarditis trends in children despite notable advancements in care over the past decade. We explored trends in pediatric hospitalizations for acute myocarditis from 2007 to 2016 in the United States (US). This was a retrospective, serial cross-sectional study of the National Inpatient Sample database from 2007 to 2016, identifying patients ≤18 years hospitalized with acute myocarditis. Patient demographics and incidence trends were examined. Other relevant clinical and resource utilization outcomes were also explored. Out of 60,390,000 weighted pediatric hospitalizations, 6371 were related to myocarditis. The incidence of myocarditis increased from 0.7 to 0.9 per 100,000 children (p <0.0001) over the study period. The mortality decreased from 7.5% to 6.1% (p = 0.02). A significant inflation-adjusted increase by $4,574 in the median hospitalization cost was noted (p = 0.02) while length of stay remained stable (median 6.1 days). Tachyarrhythmias were identified as the most common type of associated arrhythmia. The occurrence of congestive heart failure remained steady at 27%. In conclusion, in-hospital mortality associated with pediatric acute myocarditis has decreased in the United States over years 2007 to 2016 with a concurrent rise in incidence. Despite steady length of stay, hospitalization costs have increased. Future studies investigating long-term outcomes relating to acute myocarditis are warranted.

Racial and Ethnic Disparities in Management and Outcomes of Cardiac Arrest Complicating Acute Myocardial Infarction

Background The role of race and ethnicity in the outcomes of cardiac arrest (CA) complicating acute myocardial infarction (AMI) is incompletely understood. Methods and Results This was a retrospective cohort study of adult admissions with AMI-CA from the National Inpatient Sample (2012-2017). Self-reported race/ethnicity was classified as White, Black, and others (Hispanic, Asian or Pacific Islander, Native American, Other). Outcomes of interest included in-hospital mortality, coronary angiography, percutaneous coronary intervention, palliative care consultation, do-not-resuscitate status use, hospitalization costs, hospital length of stay, and discharge disposition. Of the 3.5 million admissions with AMI, CA was noted in 182 750 (5.2%), with White, Black, and other races/ethnicities constituting 74.8%, 10.7%, and 14.5%, respectively. Black patients admitted with AMI-CA were more likely to be female, with more comorbidities, higher rates of non-ST-segment-elevation myocardial infarction, and higher neurological and renal failure. Admissions of patients of Black and other races/ethnicities underwent coronary angiography (61.9% versus 70.2% versus 73.1%) and percutaneous coronary intervention (44.6% versus 53.0% versus 58.1%) less frequently compared to patients of white race (p<0.001). Admissions of patients with AMI-CA had significantly higher unadjusted mortality (47.4% and 47.4%) as compared with White patients admitted (40.9%). In adjusted analyses, Black race was associated with lower in-hospital mortality (odds ratio [OR], 0.95; 95% CI, 0.91-0.99; P=0.007) whereas other races had higher in-hospital mortality (OR, 1.11; 95% CI, 1.08-1.15; P<0.001) compared with White race. Admissions of Black patients with AMI-CA had longer length of hospital stay, higher rates of palliative care consultation, less frequent do-not-resuscitate status use, and fewer discharges to home (all P<0.001). Conclusions Racial and ethnic minorities received less frequent guideline-directed procedures and had higher in-hospital mortality and worse outcomes in AMI-CA.

Influence of body mass index on the management and outcomes of acute myocardial infarction-cardiogenic shock in the United States, 2008-2017

BACKGROUND

There are limited data on influence of body mass index (BMI) on outcomes of acute myocardial infarction-cardiogenic shock (AMI-CS).

METHODS

Adult AMI-CS admissions from 2008 to 2017 were identified from the National Inpatient Sample and stratified by BMI into underweight (<19.9 kg/m²), normal-BMI (19.9-24.9 kg/m²) and overweight/obese (>24.9 kg/m²). Outcomes of interest included in-hospital mortality, invasive cardiac procedures use, hospitalization costs, and discharge disposition.

RESULTS

Of 339,364 AMI-CS admissions, underweight and overweight/obese constitute 2356 (0.7%) and 46,675 (13.8%), respectively. In 2017, compared to 2008, there was an increase in underweight (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 6.40 [95% confidence interval {CI} 4.91-8.31]; p < 0.001) and overweight/obese admissions (aOR 2.93 [95% CI 2.78-3.10]; p < 0.001). Underweight admissions were on average older, female, with non-ST-segment-elevation AMI-CS, and higher comorbidity. Compared to normal and overweight/obese admissions, underweight admissions had lower rates of coronary angiography (57% vs 72% vs 78%), percutaneous coronary intervention (40% vs 54% vs 54%), and mechanical circulatory support (28% vs 46% vs 49%) (p < 0.001). In-hospital mortality was lower in underweight (32.9% vs 34.1%, aOR 0.64 [95% CI 0.57-0.71], p < 0.001) and overweight/obese (27.6% vs 38.4%, aOR 0.89 [95% CI 0.87-0.92], p < 0.001) admissions. Higher hospitalization costs were seen in overweight/obese admissions while underweight admissions were discharged more often to skilled nursing facilities.

CONCLUSION

Underweight patients received less frequent cardiac procedures and were discharged more often to skilled nursing facilities. Underweight and overweight/obese AMI-CS admissions had lower in-hospital mortality compared to normal BMI.

Optimizing indices of AF susceptibility and burden to evaluate AF severity, risk and outcomes

Atrial fibrillation (AF) has heterogeneous patterns of presentation concerning symptoms, duration of episodes, AF burden, and the tendency to progress towards the terminal step of permanent AF. AF is associated with a risk of stroke/thromboembolism traditionally considered dependent on patient-level risk factors rather than AF type, AF burden, or other characterizations. However, the time spent in AF appears related to an incremental risk of stroke, as suggested by the higher risk of stroke in patients with clinical AF vs. subclinical episodes and in patients with non-paroxysmal AF vs. paroxysmal AF. In patients with device-detected atrial tachyarrhythmias, AF burden is a dynamic process with potential transitions from a lower to a higher maximum daily arrhythmia burden, thus justifying monitoring its temporal evolution. In clinical terms, the appearance of the first episode of AF, the characterization of the arrhythmia in a specific AF type, the progression of AF, and the response to rhythm control therapies, as well as the clinical outcomes, are all conditioned by underlying heart disease, risk factors, and comorbidities. Improved understanding is needed on how to monitor and modulate the effect of factors that condition AF susceptibility and modulate AF-associated outcomes. The increasing use of wearables and apps in practice and clinical research may be useful to predict and quantify AF burden and assess AF susceptibility at the individual patient level. This may help us reveal why AF stops and starts again, or why AF episodes, or burden, cluster. Additionally, whether the distribution of burden is associated with variations in the propensity to thrombosis or other clinical adverse events. Combining the improved methods for data analysis, clinical and translational science could be the basis for the early identification of the subset of patients at risk of progressing to a longer duration/higher burden of AF and the associated adverse outcomes.

Influence of Human Immunodeficiency Virus Infection on the Management and Outcomes of Acute Myocardial Infarction With Cardiogenic Shock

BACKGROUND

There are limited data on the outcomes of acute myocardial infarction-cardiogenic shock (AMI-CS) in patients with HIV infection and AIDS.

SETTING

Twenty percent sample of all US hospitals.

METHODS

A retrospective cohort of AMI-CS during 2000-2017 from the National Inpatient Sample was evaluated for concomitant HIV and AIDS. Outcomes of interest included in-hospital mortality and use of cardiac procedures. A subgroup analysis was performed for those with and without AIDS within the HIV cohort.

RESULTS

A total 557,974 AMI-CS admissions were included, with HIV and AIDS in 1321 (0.2%) and 985 (0.2%), respectively. The HIV cohort was younger (54.1 vs. 69.0 years), more often men, of non-White race, uninsured, from a lower socioeconomic status, and with higher comorbidity (all P < 0.001). The HIV cohort had comparable multiorgan failure (37.8% vs. 39.0%) and cardiac arrest (28.7% vs. 27.4%) (P > 0.05). The cohorts with and without HIV had comparable rates of coronary angiography (70.2% vs. 69.0%; P = 0.37) but less frequent early coronary angiography (hospital day zero) (39.1% vs. 42.5%; P < 0.001). The cohort with HIV had higher unadjusted but comparable adjusted in-hospital mortality compared with those without [26.9% vs. 37.4%; adjusted odds ratio 1.04 (95% confidence interval: 0.90 to 1.21); P = 0.61]. In the HIV cohort, AIDS was associated with higher in-hospital mortality [28.8% vs. 21.1%; adjusted odds ratio 4.12 (95% confidence interval: 1.89 to 9.00); P < 0.001].

CONCLUSIONS

The cohort with HIV had comparable rates of cardiac procedures and in-hospital mortality; however, those with AIDS had higher in-hospital mortality.

Temporal Trends, Predictors, and Outcomes of Acute Ischemic Stroke in Acute Myocardial Infarction in the United States

Background

There are limited contemporary data prevalence and outcomes of acute ischemic stroke (AIS) complicating acute myocardial infarction (AMI).

Methods and Results

Adult (>18 years) AMI admissions using the National Inpatient Sample database (2000–2017) were evaluated for in‐hospital AIS. Outcomes of interest included in‐hospital mortality, hospitalization costs, length of stay, discharge disposition, and use of tracheostomy and percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy. The discharge destination was used to classify survivors into good and poor outcomes. Of a total 11 622 528 AMI admissions, 183 896 (1.6%) had concomitant AIS. As compared with 2000, in 2017, AIS rates increased slightly among ST‐segment–elevation AMI (adjusted odds ratio, 1.10 [95% CI, 1.04–1.15]) and decreased in non–ST‐segment–elevation AMI (adjusted odds ratio, 0.47 [95% CI, 0.46–0.49]) admissions (P<0.001). Compared with those without, the AIS cohort was on average older, female, of non‐White race, with greater comorbidities, and higher rates of arrhythmias. The AMI‐AIS admissions received less frequent coronary angiography (46.9% versus 63.8%) and percutaneous coronary intervention (22.7% versus 41.8%) (P<0.001). The AIS cohort had higher in‐hospital mortality (16.4% versus 6.0%; adjusted odds ratio, 1.75 [95% CI, 1.72–1.78]; P<0.001), longer hospital length of stay, higher hospitalization costs, greater use of tracheostomy and percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy, and less frequent discharges to home (all P<0.001). Among AMI‐AIS survivors (N=153 318), 57.3% had a poor functional outcome at discharge with relatively stable temporal trends.

Conclusions

AIS is associated with significantly higher in‐hospital mortality and poor functional outcomes in AMI admissions.

Influence of primary payer status on the management and outcomes of ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction in the United States

Background

There are limited contemporary data on the influence of primary payer status on the management and outcomes of ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI).

Objective

To assess the influence of insurance status on STEMI outcomes.

Methods

Adult (>18 years) STEMI admissions were identified using the National Inpatient Sample database (2000–2017). Expected primary payer was classified into Medicare, Medicaid, private, uninsured and others. Outcomes of interest included in-hospital mortality, use of coronary angiography and percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI), hospitalization costs, hospital length of stay and discharge disposition.

Results

Of the 4,310,703 STEMI admissions, Medicare, Medicaid, private, uninsured and other insurances were noted in 49.0%, 6.3%, 34.4%, 7.2% and 3.1%, respectively. Compared to the others, the Medicare cohort was older (75 vs. 53–57 years), more often female (46% vs. 20–36%), of white race, and with higher comorbidity (all p<0.001). The Medicare and Medicaid population had higher rates of cardiogenic shock and cardiac arrest. The Medicare cohort had higher in-hospital mortality (14.2%) compared to the other groups (4.1–6.7%), p<0.001. In a multivariable analysis (Medicare referent), in-hospital mortality was higher in uninsured (adjusted odds ratio (aOR) 1.14 [95% confidence interval {CI} 1.11–1.16]), and lower in Medicaid (aOR 0.96 [95% CI 0.94–0.99]; p = 0.002), privately insured (aOR 0.73 [95% CI 0.72–0.75]) and other insurance (aOR 0.91 [95% CI 0.88–0.94]); all p<0.001. Coronary angiography (60% vs. 77–82%) and PCI (45% vs. 63–70%) were used less frequently in the Medicare population compared to others. The Medicare and Medicaid populations had longer lengths of hospital stay, and the Medicare population had the lowest hospitalization costs and fewer discharges to home.

Conclusions

Compared to other types of primary payers, STEMI admissions with Medicare insurance had lower use of coronary angiography and PCI, and higher in-hospital mortality.

Contemporary National Outcomes of Acute Myocardial Infarction-Cardiogenic Shock in Patients with Prior Chronic Kidney Disease and End-Stage Renal Disease

Background: There are limited data on acute myocardial infarction with cardiogenic shock (AMI-CS) stratified by chronic kidney disease (CKD) stages. Objective: To assess clinical outcomes in AMI-CS stratified by CKD stages. Methods: A retrospective cohort of AMI-CS during 2005–2016 from the National Inpatient Sample was categorized as no CKD, CKD stage-III (CKD-III), CKD stage-IV (CKD-IV) and end-stage renal disease (ESRD). CKD-I/II were excluded. Outcomes included in-hospital mortality, use of coronary angiography, percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) and mechanical circulatory support (MCS). We also evaluated acute kidney injury (AKI) and acute hemodialysis in non-ESRD admissions. Results: Of 372,412 AMI-CS admissions, CKD-III, CKD-IV and ESRD comprised 20,380 (5.5%), 7367 (2.0%) and 18,109 (4.9%), respectively. Admissions with CKD were, on average, older, of the White race, bearing Medicare insurance, of a lower socioeconomic stratum, with higher comorbidities, and higher rates of acute organ failure. Compared to the cohort without CKD, CKD-III, CKD-IV and ESRD had lower use of coronary angiography (72.7%, 67.1%, 56.9%, 61.1%), PCI (53.7%, 43.8%, 38.4%, 37.6%) and MCS (47.9%, 38.3%, 33.3%, 34.2%), respectively (all p < 0.001). AKI and acute hemodialysis use increased with increase in CKD stage (no CKD–38.5%, 2.6%; CKD-III–79.1%, 6.5%; CKD-IV–84.3%, 12.3%; p < 0.001). ESRD (adjusted odds ratio [OR] 1.25 [95% confidence interval {CI} 1.21–1.31]; p < 0.001), but not CKD-III (OR 0.72 [95% CI 0.69–0.75); p < 0.001) or CKD-IV (OR 0.82 [95 CI 0.77–0.87] was predictive of in-hospital mortality. Conclusions: CKD/ESRD is associated with lower use of evidence-based therapies. ESRD was an independent predictor of higher in-hospital mortality in AMI-CS.

Comparison of Complications and In-Hospital Mortality in Takotsubo (Apical Ballooning/Stress) Cardiomyopathy Versus Acute Myocardial Infarction

There are limited data on the incidence of complications and in-hospital outcomes, in patients with Takotsubo cardiomyopathy (TC), as compared with acute myocardial infarction (AMI). From 2007 to 2014, a retrospective cohort of TC was compared with AMI using the National Inpatient Sample database. Complications were classified as acute heart failure, ventricular arrhythmic, cardiac arrest, high-grade atrioventricular block, mechanical, vascular/access, pericardial, stroke, and acute kidney injury. Temporal trends, clinical characteristics, and in-hospital outcomes were compared. During the 8-year period, 3,329,876 admissions for AMI or TC were identified. TC diagnosis was present in 88,849 (2.7%). Compared with AMI admissions, those with TC were older, female, and of white race. Use of pulmonary artery catheter and mechanical ventilation was higher, but hemodialysis lower in TC. The overall frequency of complications was higher in TC (38.2% vs 32.6%). Complication rates increased in both groups over time, but the delta was greater for TC (23% [2007] vs 43% [2014]) compared with AMI (27% vs 36%). The TC cohort had a higher rate of heart failure (29% vs 16.6%) and strokes (0.5% vs 0.2%), but lower rates of other complications (all p <0.001). In-hospital mortality was lower for TC (2.6% vs 3.1%; p <0.001). TC was an independent predictor of lower in-hospital mortality in admissions with complications. In conclusion, compared with AMI, TC is associated with greater likelihood of heart failure, but lower rates of other complications and mortality. There has been a temporal increase in the rates of in-hospital complications and mortality due to TC.

Identifying cardiogenic shock in the emergency department

INTRODUCTION

Cardiogenic shock is difficult to diagnose due to diverse presentations, overlap with other shock states (i.e. sepsis), poorly understood pathophysiology, complex and multifactorial causes, and varied hemodynamic parameters. Despite advances in interventions, mortality in patients with cardiogenic shock remains high. Emergency clinicians must be ready to recognize and start appropriate therapy for cardiogenic shock early.

OBJECTIVE

This review will discuss the clinical evaluation and diagnosis of cardiogenic shock in the emergency department with a focus on the emergency clinician.

DISCUSSION

The most common cause of cardiogenic shock is a myocardial infarction, though many causes exist. It is classically diagnosed by invasive hemodynamic measures, but the diagnosis can be made in the emergency department by clinical evaluation, diagnostic studies, and ultrasound. Early recognition and stabilization improve morbidity and mortality. This review will focus on identification of cardiogenic shock through clinical examination, laboratory studies, and point-of-care ultrasound.

CONCLUSIONS

The emergency clinician should use the clinical examination, laboratory studies, electrocardiogram, and point-of-care ultrasound to aid in the identification of cardiogenic shock. Cardiogenic shock has the potential for significant morbidity and mortality if not recognized early.

Complications from percutaneous-left ventricular assist devices versus intra-aortic balloon pump in acute myocardial infarction-cardiogenic shock

BACKGROUND

There are limited data on the complications with a percutaneous left ventricular assist device (pLVAD) vs. intra-aortic balloon pump (IABP) in acute myocardial infarction-cardiogenic shock (AMI-CS).

OBJECTIVE

To assess the trends, rates and predictors of complications.

METHODS

Using a 17-year AMI-CS population from the National Inpatient Sample, AMI-CS admissions receiving pLVAD and IABP support were evaluated for vascular, lower limb amputation, hematologic, neurologic and acute kidney injury (AKI) complications. In-hospital mortality, hospitalization costs and length of stay in pLVAD and IABP cohorts with complications was studied.

RESULTS

Of 168,645 admissions, 7,855 (4.7%) receiving pLVAD support. The pLVAD cohort had higher comorbidity, cardiac arrest (36.1% vs. 29.7%) and non-cardiac organ failure (74.7% vs. 56.9%) rates. Complications were higher in pLVAD compared to IABP cohort-overall 69.0% vs. 54.7%; vascular 3.8% vs. 2.1%; lower limb amputation 0.3% vs. 0.3%; hematologic 36.0% vs. 27.7%; neurologic 4.9% vs. 3.5% and AKI 55.4% vs. 39.1% (all p<0.001 except for amputation). Non-White race, higher comorbidity, organ failure, and extracorporeal membrane oxygen use were predictors of complications for both cohorts. The pLVAD cohort with complications had higher in-hospital mortality (45.5% vs. 33.1%; adjusted odds ratio 1.65 [95% confidence interval 1.55-1.75]), shorter duration of hospital stay, and higher hospitalization costs compared to the IABP cohort with complications (all p<0.001). These results were consistent in propensity-matched pairs.

CONCLUSIONS

AMI-CS admissions receiving pLVAD had higher rates of complications compared to the IABP, with worse in-hospital outcomes in the cohort with complications.

Same-Day Versus Non-Simultaneous Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation Support for In-Hospital Cardiac Arrest Complicating Acute Myocardial Infarction

Background: Although extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) is used for hemodynamic support for in-hospital cardiac arrest (IHCA) complicating acute myocardial infarction (AMI), there are limited data on the outcomes stratified by the timing of initiation of this strategy. Methods: Adult (>18 years) AMI admissions with IHCA were identified using the National Inpatient Sample (2000–2017) and the timing of ECMO with relation to IHCA was identified. Same-day vs. non-simultaneous ECMO support for IHCA were compared. Outcomes of interest included in-hospital mortality, temporal trends, hospitalization costs, and length of stay. Results: Of the 11.6 million AMI admissions, IHCA was noted in 1.5% with 914 (<0.01%) receiving ECMO support. The cohort receiving same-day ECMO (N = 795) was on average female, with lower comorbidity, higher rates of ST-segment-elevation AMI, shockable rhythm, and higher rates of complications. Compared to non-simultaneous ECMO, the same-day ECMO cohort had higher rates of coronary angiography (67.5% vs. 51.3%; p = 0.001) and comparable rates of percutaneous coronary intervention (58.9% vs. 63.9%; p = 0.32). The same-day ECMO cohort had higher in-hospital mortality (63.1% vs. 44.5%; adjusted odds ratio 3.98 (95% confidence interval 2.34–6.77); p < 0.001), shorter length of stay, and lower hospitalization costs. Older age, minority race, non-ST-segment elevation AMI, multiorgan failure, and complications independently predicted higher in-hospital mortality in IHCA complicating AMI. Conclusions: Same-day ECMO support for IHCA was associated with higher in-hospital mortality compared to those receiving non-simultaneous ECMO support. Though ECMO-assisted CPR is being increasingly used, careful candidate selection is key to improving outcomes in this population.

Influence of seasons on the management and outcomes acute myocardial infarction: An 18-year US study

Background

There are limited data on the seasonal variation in acute myocardial infarction (AMI) in the contemporary literature.

Hypothesis

There would be decrease in the seasonal variation in the management and outcomes of AMI.

Methods

Adult (>18 years) AMI admissions were identified using the National Inpatient Sample (2000‐2017). Seasons were classified as spring, summer, fall, and winter. Outcomes of interest included prevalence, in‐hospital mortality, use of coronary angiography, and percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). Subgroup analyses for type of AMI and patient characteristics were performed.

Results

Of the 10 880 856 AMI admissions, 24.3%, 22.9%, 22.2%, and 24.2% were admitted in spring, summer, fall, and winter, respectively. The four cohorts had comparable age, sex, race, and comorbidities distribution. Rates of coronary angiography and PCI were slightly but significantly lower in winter (62.6% and 40.7%) in comparison to the other seasons (64‐65% and 42‐43%, respectively) (P < .001). Compared to spring, winter admissions had higher in‐hospital mortality (adjusted odds ratio [aOR]: 1.07; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.06‐1.08), whereas summer (aOR 0.97; 95% CI 0.96‐0.98) and fall (aOR 0.98; 95% CI 0.97‐0.99) had slightly lower in‐hospital mortality (P < .001). ST‐segment elevation (10.0% vs 9.1%; aOR 1.07; 95% CI 1.06‐1.08) and non‐ST‐segment elevation (4.7% vs 4.2%; aOR 1.07; 95% CI 1.06‐1.09) AMI admissions in winter had higher in‐hospital mortality compared to spring (P < .001). The primary results were consistent when stratified by age, sex, race, geographic region, and admission year.

Conclusions

Compared to other seasons, winter admission was associated with higher in‐hospital mortality in AMI in the United States.

Cardiogenic shock and cardiac arrest complicating ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction in the United States, 2000-2017

BACKGROUND

There are limited data on the outcomes of cardiogenic shock (CS) and cardiac arrest (CA) complicating ST-segment-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI).

METHODS

Adult (>18 years) STEMI admissions were identified using the National Inpatient Sample (2000-2017) and classified as CS + CA, CS only, CA only and no CS/CA. Outcomes of interest included temporal trends, in-hospital mortality, hospitalization costs, use of do-not-resuscitate (DNR) status and palliative care referrals across the four cohorts.

RESULTS

Of the 4,320,117 STEMI admissions, CS, CA and both were noted in 5.8%, 6.2% and 2.7%, respectively. In 2017, compared to 2000, there was an increase in CA (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 1.83 [95% confidence interval {CI} 1.79-1.86]), CS (aOR 3.92 [95% CI 3.84-4.01]) and both (aOR 4.09 [95% CI 3.94-4.24]) (all p < 0.001). The CS+CA (77.2%) cohort had higher rates of multiorgan failure than CS only (59.7%) and CA only (26.3%), p < 0.001. The CA only cohort had lower rates (64%) of coronary angiography compared to the other groups (>70%), p < 0.001. In-hospital mortality was higher in CS+CA compared to CS alone (adjusted OR 1.87 [95% CI 1.83-1.91]), CA alone (adjusted OR 1.99 [95% CI 1.95-2.03]) or neither (aOR 18.37 [95% CI 18.02-18.71]). The CS+CA cohort had higher use of palliative care and DNR status. The presence of CS, either alone or in combination with CA, was associated with higher hospitalization costs.

CONCLUSIONS

The combination of CS and CA was associated with higher rates of non-cardiac organ failure and in-hospital mortality in STEMI compared to those with either CS or CA alone.

Acute Myocardial Infarction among Hospitalizations for Heat Stroke in the United States

BACKGROUND

This study aimed to assess the risk factors and impact of acute myocardial infarction on in-hospital treatments, complications, outcomes, and resource utilization in hospitalized patients for heat stroke in the United States.

METHODS

Hospitalized patients with a principal diagnosis of heat stroke were identified in the National Inpatient Sample dataset from the years 2003 to 2014. Acute myocardial infarction was identified using the hospital International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision (ICD-9), diagnosis of 410.xx. Clinical characteristics, in-hospital treatment, complications, outcomes, and resource utilization between patients with and without acute myocardial infarction were compared.

RESULTS

A total of 3372 heat stroke patients were included in the analysis. Of these, acute myocardial infarction occurred in 225 (7%) admissions. Acute myocardial infarction occurred more commonly in obese female patients with a history of chronic kidney disease, but less often in male patients aged <20 years with a history of hypothyroidism. The need for mechanical ventilation, blood transfusion, and renal replacement therapy were higher in patients with acute myocardial infarction. Acute myocardial infarction was associated with rhabdomyolysis, metabolic acidosis, sepsis, gastrointestinal bleeding, ventricular arrhythmia or cardiac arrest, renal failure, respiratory failure, circulatory failure, liver failure, neurological failure, and hematologic failure. Patients with acute myocardial infarction had 5.2-times greater odds of in-hospital mortality than those without myocardial infarction. The length of hospital stay and hospitalization cost were also higher when an acute myocardial infarction occurred while hospitalized.

CONCLUSION

Acute myocardial infarction was associated with worse outcomes and higher economic burden among patients hospitalized for heat stroke. Obesity and chronic kidney disease were associated with increased risk of acute myocardial infarction, while young male patients and hypothyroidism were associated with decreased risk.