PCI or CABG for left main coronary artery disease: the SWEDEHEART registry

Cardiac Surgery 2023 Reviewed

We reviewed the cardiac surgical literature for 2023. PubMed displayed almost 34,000 hits for the search term "cardiac surgery AND 2023." We used a PRISMA approach for a results-oriented summary. Key manuscripts addressed the mid- and long-term effects of invasive treatment options in patient populations with coronary artery disease (CAD), comparing interventional therapy (percutaneous coronary intervention [PCI]) with surgery (coronary artery bypass graft [CABG]). The literature in 2023 again confirmed the excellent long-term outcomes of CABG compared with PCI in patients with left main stenosis, specifically in anatomically complex chronic CAD, but even in elderly patients, generating further support for an infarct-preventative effect as a prognostic mechanism of CABG. For aortic stenosis, a previous trend of an early advantage for transcatheter (transcatheter aortic valve implantation [TAVI]) and a later advantage for surgical (surgical aortic valve replacement) treatment was also re-confirmed by many studies. Only the Evolut Low Risk trial maintained an early advantage of TAVI over 4 years. In the mitral and tricuspid field, the number of interventional publications increased tremendously. A pattern emerges that clinical benefits are associated with repair quality, making residual regurgitation not irrelevant. While surgery is more invasive, it currently generates the highest repair rates and longest durability. For terminal heart failure treatment, donor pool expansion for transplantation and reducing adverse events in assist device therapy were issues in 2023. Finally, the aortic diameter related to adverse events and technical aspects of surgery dominated in aortic surgery. This article summarizes publications perceived as important by us. It cannot be complete nor free of individual interpretation, but provides up-to-date information for patient-specific decision-making.

The predictive and prognostic value of risk factors in patients receiving hybrid coronary revascularization with postoperative pulmonary complications

Background

The mortality rate of coronary artery disease ranks first in developed countries, and coronary revascularization therapy is an important cornerstone of its treatment. The postoperative pulmonary complications (PPCs) in patients receiving one-stop hybrid coronary revascularization (HCR) aggravate the dysfunction of multiple organs such as the heart and lungs, therefore increasing mortality. However, the risk factors are still unclear. The objective of this study was to explore the risk factors of PPCs after HCR surgery.

Methods

In this study, the perioperative data of 311 patients undergoing HCR surgery were reviewed. All patients were divided into two groups according to whether the PPCs occurred. The baseline information and surgery-related indicators in preoperative laboratory examination, intraoperative fluid management, and anesthesia management were compared between the two groups.

Results

Advanced age [odds ratio (OR): 1.065, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.030-1.101, P<0.001], high body mass index (BMI; OR: 1.113, 95% CI: 1.011-1.225, P=0.02), history of percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) surgery (OR: 2.831, 95% CI: 1.388-5.775, P=0.004), one-lung volume ventilation (OR: 3.804, 95% CI: 1.923-7.526, P<0.001), inhalation of high concentration oxygen (OR: 3.666, 95% CI: 1.719-7.815, P=0.001), the application of positive end-expiratory pressure (PEEP; OR: 2.567, 95% CI: 1.338-4.926, P=0.005), and long one-lung ventilation time (OR: 1.015, 95% CI: 1.006-1.023, P=0.001) may be risk factors for postoperative PPCs in patients undergoing one-stop coronary revascularization surgery. Using the above seven factors to jointly predict the risk of PPCs in patients undergoing one-stop coronary revascularization surgery, the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve showed an area under the curve (AUC) =0.873, 95% CI: 0.835-0.911, sensitivity: 84.81%, and specificity: 75.82%; the predictive model was shown to be effective.

Conclusions

Patients undergoing HCR surgery with advanced age, high BMI, a history of PCI surgery, one-lung volume ventilation, inhalation of high concentration oxygen, use of PEEP, and prolonged single lung ventilation are more prone to PPCs.

Predictors of major adverse cardiac and cerebrovascular events after percutaneous coronary intervention in older adults: a systematic review and meta-analysis

AIM

We systematically reviewed and meta-analyzed the predictors of major adverse cardiac and cerebrovascular events (MACE/MACCE) in older adults who underwent PCI.

METHODS

Three databases, PubMed, Embase, and Scopus, were searched for observational studies considering the out-of-hospital MACE/MACCE in adults ≥ 60 years old with coronary artery disease (acute or chronic) who underwent PCI. Studies were eligible if they had determined at least two statistically significant predictors of MACE/MACCE by multivariable analysis. We used the QUIPS tool to evaluate the risk of bias in the studies. Random-effects meta-analysis was utilized to pool the hazard ratios (HRs) of the most reported predictors.

RESULTS

A total of 34 studies were included in the review. Older age (HR = 1.04, 95% Confidence Interval (CI): 1.03-1.06, P-value < 0.001), diabetes (HR = 1.36, 95% CI: 1.22-1.53, P < 0.001), history of myocardial infarction (MI) (HR = 1.88, 95% CI: 1.37-2.57, P < 0.001), ST-elevation MI (STEMI) at presentation (HR = 1.72, 95% CI: 1.37-2.18, P < 0.001), reduced left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) (HR = 2.01, 95% CI: 1.52-2.65, P < 0.001), successful PCI (HR = 0.35, 95% CI: 0.27-0.47, P < 0.001), eGFR (HR = 0.99, 95% CI: 0.97-1.00; P-value = 0.04) and left main coronary artery (LMCA) disease (HR = 2.07, 95% CI: 1.52-2.84, P < 0.001) were identified as predictors of MACE.

CONCLUSION

We identified older age, diabetes, history of MI, STEMI presentation, lower LVEF, and LMCA disease increased the risk of MACE/MACCE after PCI in older adults. Meanwhile, higher eGFR and successful PCI predicted lower adverse events risk. Future studies should focus on a more robust methodology and a precise definition of MACE.

REGISTRATION

PROSPERO (CRD42023480332).

Off-pump coronary artery bypass grafting with clampless aortic anastomosis devices: Aortic sealing devices versus automated anastomosis punching

Objectives

Clampless aortic anastomosis devices aim to lower stroke risk in off-pump coronary artery bypass grafting. Two main strategies for clampless anastomosis devices emerged with automated anastomosis punching and aortic sealing devices, prompting the question of perioperative outcome differences.

Methods

All consecutive patients undergoing elective off-pump coronary artery bypass grafting with a clampless aortic anastomosis device between September 2014 and December 2021 in 2 centers were retrospectively included. Cohorts were divided by the use of an automated anastomosis punching device or an aortic sealing device to achieve proximal anastomosis on the ascending aorta. To reach group comparability propensity score matching was performed. The primary end point was defined as a composite of all-cause mortality, stroke and rethoracotomy. Secondary end points were perioperative outcome parameters.

Results

A total of 3703 patients were enrolled of whom 575 and 3128 were included in the automated anastomosis punching and the aortic sealing device group, respectively. By propensity score matching a total of 1150 patients were included with 575 in each group. The primary composite endpoint showed no significant difference with 6.3% versus 5.9% events (odds ratio, 0.9; 95% confidence interval, 0.58-1.53, P = .81). All-cause mortality (P = .36), stroke (P = .81), and rethoracotomy (P = .89) also exhibit no disparity. Operation time was significantly longer in the aortic sealing device cohort with 220.0 ± 50.8 minutes and 204.6 ± 53.8 minutes (P < .01).

Conclusions

Clampless aortic anastomosis strategies aortic sealing device and automated anastomosis punching did not differ in perioperative outcome parameters, whereas the implementation of aortic sealing devices were associated with a prolonged operation time without inducing any inferior clinical outcome.

Neutrophil and lymphocyte count as predictors of the location of calcific coronary lesions in patients treated with rotational atherectomy

Introduction

The role of immune system activation in development and progression of atherosclerotic plaques has been postulated. Previous studies on inflammation have focused on the severity of coronary disease, the risk of acute coronary syndrome, and the prediction of outcomes based on hematological indices obtained from whole blood count analysis.

Aim

To analyze simple data of the whole blood count in relation to the location of calcified atherosclerotic lesions in patients treated with coronary rotational atherectomy (RA).

Material and methods

Eighty-one patients (57 (70%) males, mean (SD) age of 70.4 ±8 years) who underwent RA were enrolled in the study. The study group was divided into two subgroups depending on the proximal (group 1) and non-proximal (group 2) location of the culprit lesions in coronary arteries. The angiographic results were compared with demographic and clinical data and whole blood count analysis.

Results

The multivariable analysis revealed the predictive value of low neutrophil (OR = 0.75, 95% CI: 0.58-0.97, p = 0.030) and lymphocyte counts (OR = 0.27, 95% CI: 0.11-0.68, p = 0.005) for the proximal location of the culprit lesions. In the ROC analysis, combined neutrophil and lymphocyte counts showed the best prediction of proximal location, with the area under the curve of 0.747 (p < 0.001), yielding a sensitivity of 79.07% and specificity of 73.68%.

Conclusions

The lower neutrophil and lymphocyte counts in peripheral blood count analysis may be more representative of proximal calcified coronary lesions. The relationship between neutrophil and lymphocyte blood count and calcific atherosclerotic plaque location can indicate the inflammatory background of epicardial atheroma formation and distribution.