Prognostic Utility of Society for Cardiovascular Angiography and Interventions Shock Stage Approach for Classifying Cardiogenic Shock Severity in Takotsubo Syndrome

BACKGROUND

Cardiogenic shock (CS) is a significant complication of Takotsubo syndrome (TTS), contributing to heightened mortality and morbidity. Despite this, the Society for Cardiovascular Angiography and Interventions (SCAI) staging system for CS severity lacks validation in patients with TTS and CS. This study aimed to characterize a patient cohort with TTS using the SCAI staging system and assess its utility in cases of TTS complicated by CS.

METHODS AND RESULTS

From a TTS national registry, 1591 consecutive patients were initially enrolled and stratified into 5 SCAI stages (A through E). Primary outcome was all-cause in-hospital mortality; secondary end points were TTS-related in-hospital complications and 1-year all-cause mortality. After exclusions, the final cohort comprised 1163 patients, mean age 71.0±11.8 years, and 87% were female. Patients were categorized across SCAI shock stages as follows: A 72.1%, B 12.2%, C 11.2%, D 2.7%, and E 1.8%. Significant variations in baseline demographics, comorbidities, clinical presentations, and in-hospital courses were observed across SCAI shock stages. After multivariable adjustment, each higher SCAI shock stage showed a significant association with increased in-hospital mortality (adjusted odds ratio: 1.77-29.31) compared with SCAI shock stage A. Higher SCAI shock stages were also associated with increased 1-year mortality.

CONCLUSIONS

In a large multicenter patient cohort with TTS, the functional SCAI shock stage classification effectively stratified mortality risk, revealing a continuum of escalating shock severity with higher stages correlating with increased in-hospital mortality. This study highlights the applicability and prognostic value of the SCAI staging system in TTS-related CS.

Impact of a Successful Percutaneous Mitral Paravalvular Leak Closure on Long-term Major Clinical Outcomes

BACKGROUND

Percutaneous mitral paravalvular leak (PVL) closure techniques are an effective and safe alternative to surgical treatment, but data regarding long-term outcomes are scarce. We aim to describe the impact of successful percutaneous mitral PVL closure on long-term outcomes.

METHODS

All consecutive patients in whom a first-attempt percutaneous mitral PVL closure was performed in a single tertiary centre between January 2010 and October 2021 were included. Clinical variables, procedural details, and procedural success were collected. Patients were classified based on procedural success, defined as no more than mild residual leak. All-cause mortality was the primary endpoint. Cardiovascular death and heart failure hospitalizations (HFHs) were key secondary endpoints.

RESULTS

Ninety patients (median age 72.5 years [66.0-78.4]; median EuroSCORE-II 8.2 [5.3-12.46]) were included. Although reduction of at least 1 degree in PVL severity was achieved in 82 (91.1%), procedural success was achieved in 47 (52.2%). Chronic kidney disease, previous surgery for PVL, and the presence of multiple jets were independently associated with procedural failure. After a median follow-up of 3.2 (1.2-5.2) years, mortality rate was higher in the procedural failure group (27.3 per 100 patients-years) compared with the group with successful closure (8.2 per 100 patient-years). Procedural failure was associated with all-cause death (adjusted hazard ratio [aHR], 2.59; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.41-4.78), cardiovascular death (aHR, 3.53; 95% CI, 1.67-7.49) and HFH (aHR, 3.27; 95% CI,1.72-6.20).

CONCLUSIONS

A successful reduction in PVL to mild or absent is associated with improved rates of all-cause death, cardiovascular death, and HFHs.

Predicted Heart Mass: A Tale of 2 Ventricles

BACKGROUND

Total predicted heart mass (PHM) is the recommended metric to assess donor-recipient size matching in patients undergoing heart transplantation. Separately measuring right ventricular (RV) and left ventricular (LV) PHM may improve risk prediction of 1-year graft failure.

METHODS

Adult heart transplant recipients from the UNOS database from 2000 to 2018 were included in the study. LV and RV PHM were modeled as restricted cubic splines. The association with 1-year graft failure was determined using adjusted Cox regression. The risk reclassification of using both LV and RV PHM versus total PHM was assessed using the net reclassification index.

RESULTS

A total of 34 976 recipients were included. We observed a U-shaped association between total PHM and 1-year graft failure, such that risk increased for hearts undersized by >15% and those oversized by more than 27%. Graft failure incrementally increased when LV PHM was undersized by more than 5% and when RV was oversized by >20%. There was 1.5-fold greater risk of graft failure for an LV undersized by >26% or an RV oversized by more than 40%. Using LV and RV PHM risk-assessment separately led to a net reclassification index=8.5% ([95% CI, 5.3%-11.7%], nonevent net reclassification index=9.1%, event net reclassification index=-0.6%).

CONCLUSIONS

The association between donor-recipient PHM match and the risk of graft failure after heart transplantation can be further understood as risk attributable to LV undersizing and RV oversizing. Assessing LV and RV PHM separately instead of total PHM could further refine the methods used to match donors and recipients for heart transplantation, minimize the risk of 1-year graft failure, and increase the use of donor organs.

Usefulness of the Vall d'Hebron Risk Score to stratify the risk of patients with ischemic cardiomyopathy

BACKGROUND

To evaluate the Vall d'Hebron-Risk-Score (VH-RS) to stratify the risk of patients with stable ischemic cardiomyopathy (ICM), and assess whether hemoglobin (Hb) and estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) provide additional information to the VH-RS.

METHODS AND RESULTS

We analysed 673 consecutive patients with ICM who underwent gated SPECT. According to VH-RS, we stratified patients into 4-risk-levels: very-low-risk (VLR), low-risk (LR), moderate-risk (MR), and high-risk (HRi). We considered as MACEs: non-fatal myocardial infarction (MI), heart failure hospitalization (HF), coronary revascularization (CR), and cardiac death (CD). Also the cardiac-resynchronization-therapy (CRT), and the implantable-cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD) were investigated. During the follow-up (4.8 ± 2.7 years), 379 patients had MACEs (0.18/patient/year). There were no patients in VLR and LR. All patients were reclassified in 3-risk-levels (MRi = 48; HRi = 121; VHRi[very high risk] = 504). Most patients with MACEs were in VHRi level (test-for-trend: MACEs ≥ 1 without CRT/ICD, P < .001; combined non-fatal MI, CD and CR, P < .001; MACEs ≥ 1 with CRT/ICD, P < .001). The Hb and eGFR values do not properly improve the risk stratification obtained by the VH-RS (global-NRI[net-reclassification-improvement] was: (MACEs ≥ 1 without CRT/ICD: - 10.6%; non-fatal MI, CD and CR: - 9.08%; and MACEs ≥ 1 with CRT/ICD: - 8.85%).

CONCLUSION

VH-RS is effective in evaluating risk of patients with stable ICM. In our population, adding Hb and eGFR variables do not improve the performance of the VH-RS.

Development of a risk score for patients with ischaemic cardiomyopathy

BACKGROUND

Ischaemic cardiomyopathy is a leading cause of heart failure and is associated with a poor prognosis.

AIM

To evaluate predictors of major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) and to develop a risk score for the disease.

METHODS

All patients with ischaemic cardiomyopathy referred to a tertiary hospital between 2010 and 2018 for stress-rest gated single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) were included retrospectively (n=747). Clinical and gated SPECT-derived variables were analysed as predictors of MACE, a combined endpoint of cardiovascular mortality, heart failure hospitalization or myocardial infarction during follow-up. A multivariable Cox model using backwards stepwise regression with competing risks was used to select the best parsimonious model.

RESULTS

After a median follow-up of 4.7 years, 313 patients had MACE (41.9%). Independent predictors of MACE were previous heart failure admission, worsening angina or dyspnoea, estimated glomerular filtration rate ≤60mL/min/1.73 m², age>73 years, diabetes, atrial fibrillation, end-diastolic volume index>83mL/m² and>12% of scarred myocardium. A risk score ranging from 0 to 12 classified patients as at intermediate risk (event rate of 4.0 MACE per 100 person-years), high risk (11.3 MACE per 100 person-years) or very high risk (27.8 MACE per 100 person-years). The internally validated area under the curve was 0.720 (95% confidence interval 0.660-0.740) and calibration was adequate (Hosmer-Lemeshow test P=0.28) for MACE.

CONCLUSIONS

In patients with ischaemic cardiomyopathy, a simple risk score using dichotomic and readily available variables obtained from clinical assessment and gated SPECT accurately predicts the risk of MACE.

Sample size requirement in trials that use the composite endpoint major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE): new insights

BACKGROUND

The real impact of the degree of association (DoA) between endpoint components of a composite endpoint (CE) on sample size requirement (SSR) has not been explored. We estimate the impact of the DoA between death and acute myocardial infarction (AMI) on SSR of trials using use the CE of major adverse cardiac events (MACE).

METHODS

A systematic review and quantitative synthesis of trials that include MACE as the primary outcome through search strategies in MEDLINE and EMBASE electronic databases. We limited to articles published in journals indexed in the first quartile of the Cardiac & Cardiovascular Systems category (Journal Citation Reports, 2015-2020). The authors were contacted to estimate the DoA between death and AMI using joint probability and correlation. We analyzed the SSR variation using the DoA estimated from RCTs.

RESULTS

Sixty-three of 134 publications that reported event rates and the therapy effect in all component endpoints were included in the quantitative synthesis. The most frequent combination was death, AMI, and revascularization (n = 20; 31.8%). The correlation between death and AMI, estimated from 5 trials¸ oscillated between - 0.02 and 0.31. SSR varied from 14,602 in the scenario with the strongest correlation to 12,259 in the scenario with the weakest correlation; the relative impact was 16%.

CONCLUSIONS

The DoA between death and AMI is highly variable and may lead to a considerable SSR variation in a trial including MACE.

Impact of revascularization guided by functional testing in ischaemic cardiomyopathy

AIMS

The burden of ischaemia is a risk factor for adverse outcomes in ischaemic cardiomyopathy (ICM) but is not systematically tested when deciding on revascularization. Limited data exists in patients with ICM regarding the interaction between ischaemia and early coronary revascularization (ECR). This study sought to determine if the burden of ischaemia modifies the outcomes of ECR in ICM.

METHODS AND RESULTS

Consecutive patients with ICM (left ventricular ejection fraction < 40%) with a stress-rest gated single-photon emission computed tomography (N = 747) were followed-up for ECR and major cardiovascular events (MACEs, cardiovascular death, myocardial infarction, or heart failure hospitalization). A 1:1 matched population was selected using a propensity score for ECR. The interaction between ischaemia and ECR was evaluated in the matched cohort. In the initial cohort, 131 patients underwent ECR. Of them, 109 were matched to non-ECR patients. After a median follow up of 4.1 years, 102 (46.8%) patients experienced a MACE. The effect of revascularization on MACE was dependent of the percent of ischaemia (P for the interaction at 10% ischaemia = 0.021), so that a trend towards a decreased risk of MACE was seen in patients with >10% of ischaemia [hazard ratio (HR) = 0.59 (0.30-1.18)], whereas a non-significant increase of MACE was observed in those with <10% ischaemia (HR = 1.67 [0.94-2.96]).

CONCLUSIONS

In a contemporary cohort of patients with ICM, the beneficial effects of ECR may be mediated by the percent of ischaemia. This study supports stress testing in ICM and an ischaemia-guided approach for ECR.

Echocardiographic assessment of COVID19 sequelae in survivors with elevated cardiac biomarkers

Aims

We sought to determine, using advanced echocardiography, the prevalence and type of cardiovascular sequelae after COVID19 infection with marked elevation of cardiovascular biomarkers (CVB), and their prognostic implications.

Methods

All patients admitted from March 1st to May 25th, 2020 to a tertiary referral hospital were included. Those with cardiovascular diseases or dead during admission were excluded. Patients with hs-TnI > 45 ng/L, NT-proBNP>300 pg/mL, and D-dimer >8000 ng/mL were matched with COVID controls (three biomarkers within the normal range) based on intensive care requirements and age, and separately analyzed.

Results

From 2025 patients, 80 patients with significantly elevated CVB and 29 controls were finally included. No differences in baseline characteristics were observed among groups, but elevated CVB patients were sicker. Follow-up echocardiograms showed no differences among groups regarding LVEF and only slight differences between groups within the normal range. Hs-TnI patients had lower myocardial work and longitudinal strain. The presence of an abnormal echocardiogram was more frequent in the elevated CVB group compared to controls (23.8 vs 10.3%, P = 0.123) but mainly associated with mild abnormalities in deformation parameters. Management did not change in any case and no major cardiovascular events except deep vein thrombosis occurred after a median follow-up of 7 months.

Conclusion

Minimal abnormalities in cardiac structure and function are observed in COVID19 survivors without previous cardiovascular diseases who presented a significant CVB rise at admission, with no impact on patient management or short-term prognosis. These results do not support a routine screening program after discharge in this population.

Optimal opportunistic screening of atrial fibrillation using pulse palpation in cardiology outpatient clinics: Who and how

Background

Atrial fibrillation (AF) remain a prevalent undiagnosed condition frequently encountered in primary care.

Objective

We aimed to find the parameters that optimize the diagnostic accuracy of pulse palpation to detect AF. We also aimed to create a simple algorithm for selecting which individuals would benefit from pulse palpation and, if positive, receive an ECG to detect AF.

Methods

Nurses from four Cardiology outpatient clinics palpated 7,844 pulses according to a randomized list of arterial territories and durations of measure and immediately followed by a 12-lead ECG, which we used as the reference standard. We calculated the sensitivity and specificity of the palpation parameters. We also assessed whether diagnostic accuracy depended on the nurse’s experience or on a list of clinical factors of the patients. With this information, we estimated the positive predictive values and false omission rates according to very few clinical factors readily available in primary care (age, sex, and diagnosis of heart failure) and used them to create the algorithm.

Results

The parameters associated with the highest diagnostic accuracy were palpation of the radial artery and classifying as irregular those palpations in which the nurse was uncertain about pulse regularity or unable to palpate pulse (sensitivity = 79%; specificity = 86%). Specificity decreased with age. Neither the nurse’s experience nor any investigated clinical factor influenced diagnostic accuracy. We provide the algorithm to select the ≥40 years old individuals that would benefit from a pulse palpation screening: a) do nothing in <60 years old individuals without heart failure; b) do ECG in ≥70 years old individuals with heart failure; c) do radial pulse palpation in the remaining individuals and do ECG if the pulse is irregular or you are uncertain about its regularity or unable to palpate it.

Conclusions

Opportunistic screening for AF using optimal pulse palpation in candidate individuals according to a simple algorithm may have high effectiveness in detecting AF in primary care.

Long-Term Variation in Kidney Function and Its Impact After Acute Myocardial Infarction

Kidney disease (KD) in patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI) is associated with major cardiovascular events (MACE). We sought to compare the long-term variation in KD in patients with AMI versus controls and its value as a risk factor for MACE in patients with AMI. A cohort of 300 outpatients with AMI, recruited between 2014 and 2016 in Barcelona, Spain, were compared with a control cohort matched 1:1 based on age and several risk factors for developing KD. Annual estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) using MDRD-4 formula and albuminuria were collected and patients were followed up for the occurrence of MACE (death, heart failure hospitalization, AMI, or stroke). After a median follow-up of 5.3 years, the decline in eGFR was more pronounced in patients with AMI (-1.15 ml/min/1.73 m²/ per year in patients with AMI vs -0.81 ml/min/1.73 m² per year in controls, p = 0.018 between the ß coefficients of both regression slopes). In patients with AMI, those with the greatest eGFR decline during follow-up had more MACE (hazard ratio [HR] for first vs fourth quartiles = 3.33, p <0.001). In multivariate analysis, after excluding patients with baseline KD, a newly diagnosed eGFR <60 ml/min/1.73 m² during follow-up was associated with MACE (HR = 3.21, p <0.001), as well as new onset albuminuria >30 mg/g (HR = 6.93, p <0.001) and the combination of both (HR 5.63, p <0.001). In conclusion, the decline in eGFR after AMI is more pronounced than in the general population. A longitudinal drop in eGFR and newly diagnosed albuminuria during follow-up are associated with MACE and can be useful tools to reclassify the risk profile after AMI.