A Simple Frailty Score Predicts Survival and Early Mortality in Systemic AL Amyloidosis

Systemic AL amyloidosis is a challenging disease for which many patients are considered frail in daily clinical practice. However, no study has so far addressed frailty and its impact on the outcome of these patients. We built a simple score to predict mortality based on three frailty-associated variables: age, ECOG performance status (<2 vs. ≥2) and NT-proBNP (<8500 vs. ≥8500 ng/L). Four-hundred and sixteen consecutive newly diagnosed patients diagnosed at ten sites from the Spanish Myeloma Group were eligible for the study. The score was developed in a derivation cohort from a referral center, and it was externally validated in a multicenter cohort. Multivariate analysis showed that the three variables were independent predictors of survival. The score was able to discriminate four groups of patients in terms of overall survival and early mortality in both cohorts. Comorbidity was also analyzed with the Charlson comorbidity index, but it did not reach statistical significance in the model. A nomogram was created to easily estimate the mortality risk of each patient at each time point. This score is a simple, robust, and efficient approach to dynamically assess frailty-dependent mortality both at diagnosis and throughout follow-up. The optimal treatment for frail AL amyloidosis patients remains to be determined but we suggest that the estimation of frailty-associated risk could complement current staging systems, adding value in clinical decision-making in this complex scenario.

Remote Dielectric Sensing Before and After Discharge in Patients With ADHF: The ReDS-SAFE HF Trial

BACKGROUND

Incomplete treatment of congestion often leads to worsening heart failure (HF). The remote dielectric sensing (ReDS) system is an electromagnetic energy-based technology that accurately quantifies changes in lung fluid concentration noninvasively.

OBJECTIVES

This study sought to assess whether an ReDS-guided strategy during acutely decompensated HF hospitalization is superior to routine care for improving outcomes at 1 month postdischarge.

METHODS

ReDS-SAFE HF (Use of ReDS for a SAFE discharge in patients with acute Heart Failure) was an investigator-initiated, multicenter, single-blind, randomized, proof-of-concept trial in which 100 patients were randomized to a routine care strategy, with discharge criteria based on current clinical practice, or an ReDS-guided decongestion strategy, with discharge criteria requiring an ReDS value of ≤35%. ReDS measurements were performed daily and at a 7-day follow-up visit, with patients and treating physicians in the routine care arm blinded to the results. The primary outcome was a composite of unplanned visits for HF, HF rehospitalization, or death at 1 month after discharge.

RESULTS

The mean age was 67 ± 14 years, and 74% were male. On admission, left ventricular ejection fraction was 37% ± 16%, and B-type natriuretic peptide was 940 pg/L (Q1-Q3: 529-1,665 pg/L). The primary endpoint occurred in 10 (20%) patients in the routine care group and 1 (2%) in the ReDS-guided strategy group (log-rank P = 0.005). The ReDS-guided strategy group experienced a lower event rate, with an HR of 0.094 (95% CI: 0.012-0.731; P = 0.003), and a number of patients needed to treat of 6 to avoid an event (95% CI: 3-17), mainly resulting from a decrease in HF readmissions. The median length of stay was 2 days longer in the ReDS-guided group vs the routine care group (8 vs 6; P = 0.203).

CONCLUSIONS

A ReDS-guided strategy to treat congestion improved 1-month prognosis postdischarge in this proof-of-concept study, mainly because of a decrease of the number of HF readmissions. (Use of ReDS for a SAFE discharge in patients with acute Heart Failure [ReDS-SAFE HF]; NCT04305717).

The cardiomyopathy of cystic fibrosis: a modern form of Keshan disease

Introduction

We conducted a study to determine the prevalence of structural heart disease in patients with CF, the characteristics of a cardiomyopathy not previously described in this population, and its possible relationship with nutritional deficiencies in CF.

Methods

We studied 3 CMP CF patients referred for heart-lung transplantation and a prospective series of 120 adult CF patients. All patients underwent a clinical examination, blood tests including levels of vitamins and trace elements, and echocardiography with evaluation of myocardial strain. Cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (CMR) was performed in patients with CMP and in a control group. Histopathological study was performed on hearts obtained in transplant or necropsy.

Results

We found a prevalence of 10% (CI 4.6%-15.4%) of left ventricular (LV) dysfunction in the prospective cohort. Myocardial strain parameters were already altered in CF patients with otherwise normal hearts. Histopathological examination of 4 hearts from CF CMP patients showed a unique histological pattern of multifocal myocardial fibrosis similar to Keshan disease. Four of the five CF CMP patients undergoing CMR showed late gadolinium uptake, with a characteristic patchy pattern in 3 cases (p < 0.001 vs. CF controls). Selenium deficiency (Se < 60 µg/L) was associated with more severe LV dysfunction, higher prevalence of CF CMP, higher NTproBNP levels, and more severe pulmonary and digestive involvement.

Conclusion

10% of adults with CF showed significant cardiac involvement, with histological and imaging features resembling Keshan disease. Selenium deficiency was associated with the presence and severity of LV dysfunction in these patients.

Review of the allocation criteria for heart transplant in Spain in 2023. SEC-Heart Failure Association/ONT/SECCE consensus document

Heart transplant (HT) remains the best therapeutic option for patients with advanced heart failure (HF). The allocation criteria aim to guarantee equitable access to HT and prioritize patients with a worse clinical status. To review the HT allocation criteria, the Heart Failure Association of the Spanish Society of Cardiology (HFA-SEC), the Spanish Society of Cardiovascular and Endovascular Surgery (SECCE) and the National Transplant Organization (ONT), organized a consensus conference involving adult and pediatric cardiologists, adult and pediatric cardiac surgeons, transplant coordinators from all over Spain, and physicians and nurses from the ONT. The aims of the consensus conference were as follows: a) to analyze the organization and management of patients with advanced HF and cardiogenic shock in Spain; b) to critically review heart allocation and priority criteria in other transplant organizations; c) to analyze the outcomes of patients listed and transplanted before and after the modification of the heart allocation criteria in 2017; and d) to propose new heart allocation criteria in Spain after an analysis of the available evidence and multidisciplinary discussion. In this article, by the HFA-SEC, SECCE and the ONT we present the results of the analysis performed in the consensus conference and the rationale for the new heart allocation criteria in Spain.

Frailty Is Common in Heart Transplant Candidates But Is Not Associated With Clinical Events and Is Reversible After Heart Transplantation

Assessment of frailty before heart transplant (HT) is recommended but is not standard in most HT protocols. Our objective was to evaluate frailty at inclusion in HT list and during follow-up and to assess the influence of baseline frailty on prognosis. A prospective multicenter study in all adults included in the nonurgent HT waiting list. Frailty was defined as Fried's frailty phenotype score ≥3. Mean follow-up was 25.9 ± 1.2 months. Of 99 patients (mean age 54.8 [43.1 to 62.5] years, 70 men [70.7%]), 28 were frail (28.3%). A total of 85 patients received HT after 0.5 ± 0.01 years. Waiting time was shorter in frail patients (0.6 years [0.3 to 0.8] vs 0.2 years [0.1 to 0.4], p = 0.001) because of an increase in priority. Baseline frailty was not associated with overall mortality, (hazard ratio 0.99 [95% confidence interval 0.41 to 2.37, p = 0.98]). A total of 16 transplant recipients died (18.8%). Of the remaining 69 HT recipients, 65 underwent frailty evaluation during follow-up. Patients without baseline frailty (n = 49) did not develop it after HT. Of 16 patients with baseline frailty, only 2 were still frail at the end of follow-up. Frailty is common in HT candidates but is reversible in most cases after HT and is not associated with post-transplant mortality. Our results suggest that frailty should not be considered an exclusion criterion for HT.

Impact of Advanced Age on the Incidence of Major Adverse Cardiovascular Events in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus and Stable Coronary Artery Disease in a Real-World Setting in Spain

Patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and coronary artery disease (CAD) without myocardial infarction (MI) or stroke are at high risk for major cardiovascular events (MACEs). We aimed to provide real-world data on age-related clinical characteristics, treatment management, and incidence of major cardiovascular outcomes in T2DM-CAD patients in Spain from 2014 to 2018. We used EHRead® technology, which is based on natural language processing and machine learning, to extract unstructured clinical information from electronic health records (EHRs) from 12 hospitals. Of the 4072 included patients, 30.9% were younger than 65 years (66.3% male), 34.2% were aged 65-75 years (66.4% male), and 34.8% were older than 75 years (54.3% male). These older patients were more likely to have hypertension (OR 2.85), angina (OR 1.64), heart valve disease (OR 2.13), or peripheral vascular disease (OR 2.38) than those aged <65 years (p < 0.001 for all comparisons). In general, they were also more likely to receive pharmacological and interventional treatments. Moreover, these patients had a significantly higher risk of MACEs (HR 1.29; p = 0.003) and ischemic stroke (HR 2.39; p < 0.001). In summary, patients with T2DM-CAD in routine clinical practice tend to be older, have more comorbidities, are more heavily treated, and have a higher risk of developing MACE than is commonly assumed from clinical trial data.

AL Amyloidosis and Multiple Myeloma: A Complex Scenario in Which Cardiac Involvement Remains the Key Prognostic Factor

Monoclonal gammopathies (MGs) are a wide range of diseases that may evolve or progress over time. Comorbidity plays a critical role in this setting. The co-occurrence of two MGs is not a rare event. The evidence on the association of systemic light chain (AL) amyloidosis and multiple myeloma (MM) is scarce and controversial. Herein we aim to address this topic in a large series of patients of a referral center. All consecutive AL amyloidosis patients treated at our center from January 2005 to April 2023 were prospectively enrolled in a clinical and epidemiological registry. 141 patients diagnosed with AL amyloidosis were included, of which 7 (5%) had localized whereas 134 presented with systemic disease. The heart was the most frequently affected organ (90.3%). 25 patients (18.7%) fulfilled the IMWG diagnostic criteria of MM (AL/MM). Time-dependent association between AL and MM showed that the synchronous pattern is more frequent than the appearance of a second primary malignancy. The diagnostic delay was six months (m). Patients with AL/MM had a poorer median overall survival (OS) than AL-only patients (35.5 m, CI 95% 0-88.9, vs. 52.6 m, CI 95% 16.7-88.5), but this difference was not statistically significant. The prognosis in AL is dominated by the heart involvement, which is massive in this series. In our Cox regression model, only three prognostic variables remain as independent prognostic factors: age, N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide (≥8500 ng/L), and undergoing an autologous stem cell transplant, whereas left ventricular ejection fraction shows a marginal effect. More and large studies focusing on the AL/MM association are needed to uncover the characteristics and prognostic impact of this association.

Danon Disease Presenting as Eosinophilic Myocarditis

A 21-year-old woman with a history of atopy, peripheral eosinophilia, Wolf-Parkinson-White syndrome, and 5 episodes of myocarditis was diagnosed with eosinophilic myocarditis. Despite adequate immunosuppressive treatment and resolution of the myocarditis episode, the patient developed dilated cardiomyopathy and presented with worsening of her functional class. Finally, genetic testing unveiled an additional diagnosis: Danon disease. (Level of Difficulty: Advanced.).

Cardiogenic shock code 2023. Expert document for a multidisciplinary organization that allows quality care

Despite the efforts made to improve the care of cardiogenic shock (CS) patients, including the development of mechanical circulatory support (MCS), the prognosis of these patients continues to be poor. In this context, CS code initiatives arise, based on providing adequate, rapid, and quality care to these patients. In this multidisciplinary document we try to justify the need to implement the SC code, defining its structure/organization, activation criteria, patient flow according to care level, and quality indicators. Our specific purposes are: a) to present the peculiarities of this condition and the lessons of infarction code and previous experiences in CS; b) to detail the structure of the teams, their logistics and the bases for the management of these patients, the choice of the type of MCS, and the moment of its implantation, and c) to address challenges to SC code implementation, including the uniqueness of the pediatric SC code. There is an urgent need to develop protocolized, multidisciplinary, and centralized care in hospitals with a large volume and experience that will minimize inequity in access to the MCS and improve the survival of these patients. Only institutional and structural support from the different administrations will allow optimizing care for CS.

β3‐adrenergic agonist treatment in chronic pulmonary hypertension associated with heart failure ( SPHERE‐HF ): a double blind, placebo‐controlled, randomized clinical trial

AIMS

Pulmonary hypertension (PH) associated with left heart disease is an increasingly prevalent problem, orphan of targeted therapies, and related to a poor prognosis, particularly when pre- and post-capillary PH combine. The current study aimed to determine whether treatment with the selective β3 adrenoreceptor agonist mirabegron improves outcomes in patients with combined pre- and post-capillary PH (CpcPH).

METHODS AND RESULTS

The β3 Adrenergic Agonist Treatment in Chronic Pulmonary Hypertension Secondary to Heart Failure (SPHERE-HF) trial is a multicentre, randomized, parallel, placebo-controlled clinical trial that enrolled stable patients with CpcPH associated with symptomatic heart failure. A total of 80 patients were assigned to receive mirabegron (50 mg daily, titrated till 200 mg daily, n = 39) or placebo (n = 41) for 16 weeks. Of them, 66 patients successfully completed the study protocol and were valid for the main analysis. The primary endpoint was the change in pulmonary vascular resistance (PVR) on right heart catheterization. Secondary outcomes included the change in right ventricular (RV) ejection fraction by cardiac magnetic resonance or computed tomography, other haemodynamic variables, functional class, and quality of life. The trial was negative for the primary outcome (placebo-corrected mean difference of 0.62 Wood units, 95% confidence interval [CI] -0.38, 1.61, p = 0.218). Patients receiving mirabegron presented a significant improvement in RV ejection fraction as compared to placebo (placebo-corrected mean difference of 3.0%, 95% CI 0.4, 5.7%, p = 0.026), without significant differences in other pre-specified secondary outcomes.

CONCLUSIONS

SPHERE-HF is the first clinical trial to assess the potential benefit of β3 adrenergic agonists in PH. The trial was negative since mirabegron did not reduce PVR, the primary endpoint, in patients with CpcPH. On pre-specified secondary outcomes, a significant improvement in RV ejection fraction assessed by advanced cardiac imaging was found, without differences in functional class or quality of life.

Endomyocardial biopsy-confirmed myocarditis and inflammatory cardiomyopathy: clinical profile and prognosis

INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVES

Endomyocardial biopsy (EMB) is the only technique able to establish an etiological diagnosis of myocarditis or inflammatory cardiomyopathy (ICM). The aim of this study was to analyze the clinical profile, outcomes, and prognostic factors of patients with suspected myocarditis/ICM undergoing EMB.

METHODS

We retrospectively analyzed the clinical characteristics, histological findings, and follow-up data of all patients with suspected myocarditis or ICM who underwent EMB between 1997 and 2019 in a Spanish tertiary hospital. The diagnostic yield was compared using the Dallas criteria vs immunohistochemical criteria (IHC).

RESULTS

A total of 99 patients underwent EMB (67% male; mean age, 42±15 years; mean left ventricular ejection fraction [LVEF], 34%±14%). Myocarditis or ICM was confirmed in 28% with application of the Dallas criteria and in 54% with the IHC criteria (P <.01). Lymphocytic myocarditis was diagnosed in 47 patients, eosinophilic myocarditis in 6, sarcoidosis in 3, and giant cell myocarditis in 1 patient. After a median follow-up of 18 months, 23 patients (23%) required heart transplant (HTx), a left ventricular assist device (LVAD), and/or died. Among the patients with IHC-confirmed myocarditis, 21% required HTx/LVAD or died vs 7% of those without inflammation (P=.056). The factors associated with a worse prognosis were baseline LVEF ≤ 30%, left ventricular end-diastolic diameter ≥ 60mm, and NYHA III-IV, especially in the presence of inflammation.

CONCLUSIONS

EMB allows an etiological diagnosis in more than half of patients with suspected myocarditis/ICM when IHC techniques are used. IHC-confirmed inflammation adds prognostic value and helps to identify patients with a higher probability of developing complications.

Left bundle branch pacing after transcatheter aortic valve implantation. Initial experience of a center

Introduction

Permanent pacing is often needed in patients with severe aortic stenosis undergoing transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) due to new onset conduction disorders. Nevertheless, continuous right ventricular pacing may deteriorate left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) and lead to poor outcomes. Thus, in last years, more physiological forms of pacing, such as left bundle branch pacing (LBBP) have been developed to prevent pacing induced cardiomyopathy.

Purpose

The aim of our study is to describe the initial experience in our center, evaluate the safety and feasibility of LBBP after TAVI and describe electrophysiological outcomes in the first months of follow-up.

Methods

We designed a prospective registry that collected all patients from the TAVI program of our center who developed conduction abnormalities in the immediate postoperative and received LBBP. We analyzed baseline characteristics, complications and procedure time, electrophysiological parameters after the procedure and final QRS interval. During follow-up LVEF, electrophysiological parameters and adverse clinical events (readmissions for heart failure, cardiovascular mortality and all-cause of mortality) were also evaluated at 3rd, 6th and 12th month.

Results

Between January 2020 and January 2022, twenty patients who developed conduction abnormalities after TAVI underwent LBBP. Seven patients (35%) had a complete atrioventricular block, two patients (10%) alternating bundle branch block and 11 (55%) had a new left bundle branch block. HV electrophysiology study was performed in 8 patients, with a median value of 68ms (66–72).

Of the 20 patients, 3 out of 4 patients were male and had history of hypertension. 40% had previous ischemic heart disease and one patient had transthyretin cardiac amyloidosis. Median age was 79 years-old (76–83.5). Balloon-expandable prosthesis was implanted in 11 patients while 9 received a self-expandable prosthesis. Median basal LVEF was 59% (41.5–60) and median NTproBNP was 1722pg/ml (535–5848).

LBBP was successful in all of the 20 patients. The median time of the procedure was 60 minutes (45–80) without suffering any complications. The median QRS interval before the procedure was 155ms (140–158) and 116ms (105–125) post-implant.

To date, two patients have died of non-cardiac cause 3 and 8 months after LBBP. There have been no readmissions for heart failure. LVEF (pre and post-LBBP) and electrophysiological parameters post-implant and three-month follow-up are shown in Table 1.

Conclusions

In our experience, LBBP after TAVI is a safe and feasible procedure. Despite the small sample size and short follow-up period, our first results indicate stability of LVEF and pacemaker parameters.

Funding Acknowledgement

Type of funding sources: None.

Gender Differences in Cardiogenic Shock Patients: Clinical Features, Risk Prediction, and Outcomes in a Hub Center

Introduction

There is scarce knowledge about gender differences in clinical presentation, management, use of risk stratification tools and prognosis in cardiogenic shock (CS) patients.

Purpose

The primary endpoint was to investigate the differences in characteristics, management, and in-hospital mortality according to gender in a cohort of CS patients admitted to a tertiary hub center. The secondary endpoint was to evaluate the prognostic performance of the Society of Cardiovascular Angiography and Interventions (SCAI) classification in predicting in-hospital mortality according to sex.

Methods

This is a retrospective single-Center cohort study of CS patients treated by a multidisciplinary shock team between September 2014 and December 2020. Baseline characteristics and clinical outcomes according to gender were registered. Discrimination of SCAI classification was assessed using the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC).

Results

Overall, 163 patients were included, 39 of them female (24%). Mean age of the overall cohort was 55 years (44–62), similar between groups. Compared with men, women were less likely to be smokers and the prevalence of COPD and diabetes mellitus was significantly lower in this group (p < 0.05). Postcardiotomy (44 vs. 31%) and fulminant myocarditis (13 vs. 2%) were more frequent etiologies in females than in males (p = 0.01), whereas acute myocardial infarction was less common among females (13 vs. 33%). Regarding management, the use of temporary mechanical circulatory support, mechanical ventilation, or renal replacement therapy was frequent and no different between the groups (88, 87, and 49%, respectively, in females vs. 42, 91, and 41% in males, p > 0.05). In-hospital survival in the overall cohort was 53%, without differences between groups (52% in females vs. 55% in males, p = 0.76). Most of the patients (60.7%) were in SCAIE at presentation without differences between sexes. The SCAI classification showed a moderate ability for predicting in-hospital mortality (overall, AUC: 0.653, 95% CI 0.582–0.725). The AUC was 0.636 for women (95% CI 0.491–0.780) and 0.658 for men (95% CI 0.575–0.740).

Conclusions

Only one in four of patients treated at a dedicated CS team were female. This may reflect differences in prevalence of severe heart disease at young (<65) ages, although a patient-selection bias cannot be ruled out. In this very high-risk CS population of multiple etiologies, overall, in-hospital survival was slightly above 50% and showed no differences between sexes. Treatment approaches, procedures, and SCAI risk stratification performance did not show gender disparities among treated patients.

Lack of Usefulness of Donor-Derived Cell-Free DNA as a Biomarker for Cardiac Allograft Vasculopathy: A Prospective Study

Background

Cardiac allograft vasculopathy (CAV) remains a major cause of morbidity and mortality among long-term heart transplant recipients. There is an unmet need for a non-invasive biomarker of CAV that could obviate the need to perform surveillance coronary angiograms in these patients. Our aim was to evaluate the performance of Donor-derived Cell Free DNA (dd-cfDNA) as a biomarker of CAV.

Methods

We prospectively measured dd-cfDNA levels in all patients undergoing routine coronary angiography >1 year after heart transplant at a single center. Endpoints included the association between dd-cfDNA levels and the presence CAV, according to several prespecified criteria.

Results

We included 94 heart transplant recipients, a median of 10.9 years after transplant. Coronary angiogram revealed CAV₀, CAV₁, CAV₂, and CAV₃ in 61, 19, 14, and 6% of patients, respectively. Comparison of dd-cfDNA levels in patients with CAV₀ and CAV_1–2–3 (primary end-point) did not show significant differences (0.92%, IQR 0.46–2.0 vs. 0.46%, IQR 0.075–1.5, p = 0.059), nor did the comparison between patients with stable CAV (no new coronary lesions since previous angiogram, n = 77) and progressive CAV (n = 17); dd-cfDNA values 0.735% (IQR 0.195–2.0) vs. 0.9% (IQR 0.12–1.8), p = 0.76. However, we found an association between NTproBNP levels and CAV degree (p = 0.017). Dd-cfDNA levels did not correlate with NTproBNP (ρ = −0.095).

Conclusion

In this study, dd-cfDNA did not perform as a useful biomarker to avoid surveillance coronary angiograms for CAV diagnosis.

Clinical Trial Notation

Potential Role of Donor-derived Cell Free DNA as a Biomarker in Cardiac Allograft Vasculopathy, NCT 04791852.

Prevalence, Incidence, and Outcomes of Hyperkalaemia in Patients with Chronic Heart Failure and Reduced Ejection Fraction from a Spanish Multicentre Study: SPANIK-HF Design and Baseline Characteristics

Hyperkalaemia is a growing concern in the treatment of patients with heart failure and reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF) as it limits the use of some prognostic-modifying drugs and has a negative impact on prognosis. The objective of the present study was to estimate the prevalence of hyperkalaemia in outpatients with HFrEF and its impact on achieving optimal medical treatment. For this purpose, a multicentre, prospective, and observational study was carried out on consecutive HFrEF patients who were monitored as outpatients in heart failure (HF) units and who, in the opinion of their doctor, received optimal medical treatment. A total of 565 HFrEF patients were included from 16 specialised HF units. The mean age was 66 ± 12 years, 78% were male, 45% had an ischemic cause, 39% had atrial fibrillation, 43% were diabetic, 42% had a glomerular filtration rate < 60 mL/min/1.7 m2, and the mean left ventricular ejection fraction was 31 ± 7%. Treatment at the study entry included: 76% on diuretics, 13% on ivabradine, 7% on digoxin, 18.9% on angiotensin-conversing enzyme inhibitors (ACEi), 11.3% on angiotensin receptors blockers (ARBs), 63.8% on angiotensin-neprilysin inhibitors (ARNi), 78.5% on mineralocorticoid receptor antagonists (MRAs), and 92.9% on beta-blockers. Potassium levels in the baseline analysis were: ≤5 mEq/L = 80.5%, 5.1−5.4 mEq/L = 13.8%, 5.5−5.9 mEq/L = 4.6%, and ≥6 mEq/L = 1.06%. Hyperkalaemia was the reason for not prescribing or reaching the target dose of an MRAs in 34.8% and 12.5% of patients, respectively. The impact of hyperkalaemia on not prescribing or dropping below the target dose in relation to ACEi, ARBs, and ARNi was significantly less. In conclusion, hyperkalaemia is a frequent problem in the management of patients with HFrEF and a limiting factor in the optimisation of medical treatment.

Usefulness of severity scales for cardiogenic shock in-hospital mortality. Proposal for a new prognostic model

Cardiogenic shock (CS) is a condition comprising multiple etiologies, which associates high mortality rates. Some scoring systems have been shown to be good predictors of hospital mortality in patients admitted to Critical Care Units (CCU). The main objective of this study is to analyze their usefulness and validity in a cohort of CS patients.

METHODS

Observational unicentric study of a cohort of CS patients. SOFA, SAPS II and APACHE II scores were calculated in the first 24 h of CCU admission.

RESULTS

130 patients with CS were included. SOFA, SAPS II and APACHE II scores revealed good discrimination for hospital mortality: (AUC) ROC values (AUC: 0.711, 0.752 and 0.742 respectively; P = .6). Calibration, estimated by the Hosmer-Lemeshow test, was adequate in all cases. Acute coronary syndrome, lactate serum values, SAPS II score and vasoactive inotropic score (VIS) were found to be independent predictors for mortality, upon ICU admission. With these variables, a specific prognostic indicator was developed (SAPS-2-LIVE), which improved predictive capability for mortality in our series (AUC) ROC, 0.825 (95% CI 0.752-0.89).

CONCLUSION

In this contemporary CS cohort, the aforementioned scores have been shown to have good predictive ability for hospital mortality. These findings could contribute to a more accurate risk stratification in CS.

Impact of intrapatient blood level variability of calcineurin inhibitors on heart transplant outcomes

INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVES

Intrapatient blood level variability (IPV) of calcineurin inhibitors has been associated with poor outcomes in solid-organ transplant, but data for heart transplant are scarce. Our purpose was to ascertain the clinical impact of IPV in a multi-institutional cohort of heart transplant recipients.

METHODS

We retrospectively studied patients aged ≥18 years, with a first heart transplant performed between 2000 and 2014 and surviving≥ 1 year. IPV was assessed by the coefficient of variation of trough levels from posttransplant months 4 to 12. A composite of rejection or mortality/graft loss or rejection and all-cause mortality/graft loss between years 1 to 5 posttransplant were analyzed by Cox regression analysis.

RESULTS

The study group consisted of 1581 recipients (median age, 56 years; women, 21%). Cyclosporine immediate-release tacrolimus and prolonged-release tacrolimus were used in 790, 527 and 264 patients, respectively. On multivariable analysis, coefficient of variation> 27.8% showed a nonsignificant trend to association with 5-year rejection-free survival (HR, 1.298; 95%CI, 0.993-1.695; P=.056) and with 5-year mortality (HR, 1.387; 95%CI, 0.979-1.963; P=.065). Association with rejection became significant on analysis of only those patients without rejection episodes during the first year posttransplant (HR, 1.609; 95%CI, 1.129-2.295; P=.011). The tacrolimus-based formulation had less IPV than cyclosporine and better results with less influence of IPV.

CONCLUSIONS

IPV of calcineurin inhibitors is only marginally associated with mid-term outcomes after heart transplant, particularly with the tacrolimus-based immunosuppression, although it could play a role in the most stable recipients.

Quality of life and disease experience in patients with heart failure with reduced ejection fraction in Spain: a mixed-methods study

OBJECTIVES

To gather insights on the disease experience of patients with heart failure (HF) with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF), and assess how patients' experiences and narratives related to the disease complement data collected through standardised patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs). Also, to explore new ways of evaluating the burden experienced by patients and caregivers.

DESIGN

Observational, descriptive, multicentre, cross-sectional, mixed-methods study.

SETTING

Secondary care, patient's homes.

PARTICIPANTS

Twenty patients with HFrEF (New York Heart Association (NYHA) classification I-III) aged 38-85 years.

MEASURES

PROMs EuroQoL 5D-5L (EQ-5D-5L) and Kansas City Cardiomyopathy Questionnaire and patient interview and observation.

RESULTS

A total of 20 patients with HFrEF participated in the study. The patients' mean (SD) age was 72.5 (11.4) years, 65% were male and were classified inNYHA functional classes I (n=4), II (n=7) and III (n=9). The study showed a strong impact of HF in the patients' quality of life (QoL) and disease experience, as revealed by the standardised PROMs (EQ-5D-5L global index=0.64 (0.36); Kansas City Cardiomyopathy Questionnaire total symptom score=71.56 (20.55)) and the in-depth interviews. Patients and caregivers often disagreed describing and evaluating perceived QoL, as patients downplayed their limitations and caregivers overemphasised the poor QoL of the patients. Patients related current QoL to distant life experiences or to critical moments in their disease, such as hospitalisations. Anxiety over the disease progression is apparent in both patients and caregivers, suggesting that caregiver-specific tools should be developed.

CONCLUSIONS

PROMs are an effective way of assessing symptoms over the most recent time period. However, especially in chronic diseases such as HFrEF, PROM scores could be complemented with additional tools to gain a better understanding of the patient's status. New PROMs designed to evaluate and compare specific points in the life of the patient could be clinically more useful to assess changes in health status.

Risk Factors for Clostridioides Difficile Diarrhea In Solid Organ Transplantation Recipients

BACKGROUND

There is limited knowledge about risk factors for Clostridioides difficile infection (CDI) and recurrent CDI in solid organ transplant (SOT) recipients.

METHODS

A case-control study of CDI in SOT recipients compared with controls (SOT recipients who did not present CDI).

RESULTS

Sixty-seven patients from 1089 SOT recipients (6.2%) suffered at least one episode of CDI. The mean age was 55 ± 12 years and 20 cases (69%) were men. The accumulated incidence was 8% in liver transplantation, 6.2% in lung transplantation, 5.4% in heart transplantation, and 4.7% in kidney transplantation. Twenty-nine cases (43.3%) were diagnosed during the first 3 months after SOT. Forty-one cases (61.2%) were hospital acquired. Thirty-one patients with CDI presented with mild-moderate infection (46.3%), 30 patients with severe infection (44.8%), and 6 patients with severe-complicated disease (9%). Independent variables found to be related with CDI were hospitalization in the previous 3 months (odds ratio: 2.99; [95% confidence interval 1.21-7.37]) and the use of quinolones in the previous month (odds ratio: 3.71 [95% confidence interval 1.16-11.8]). Eleven patients (16.4%) had at least one recurrence of CDI. Previous treatment with amoxicillin-clavulanate, severe-complicated index episode, and high serum creatinine were associated with recurrent CDI in the univariant analysis CONCLUSIONS: Liver transplant recipients presented the highest incidence of CDI among SOT recipients. Risk factors for CDI were hospitalization in the previous 3 months and the use of quinolones in the previous month.

Early Preventive Treatment With Enalapril Improves Cardiac Function and Delays Mortality in Mice With Arrhythmogenic Right Ventricular Cardiomyopathy Type 5

BACKGROUND

Arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy type 5 (ARVC5) is an inherited cardiac disease with complete penetrance and an aggressive clinical course caused by mutations in TMEM43 (transmembrane protein 43). There is no cure for ARVC5 and palliative treatment is started once the phenotype is present. A transgenic mouse model of ARVC5 expressing human TMEM43-S358L (TMEM43mut) recapitulates the human disease, enabling the exploration of preventive treatments. The aim of this study is to determine whether preventive treatment with heart failure drugs (β-blockers, ACE [angiotensin-converting enzyme] inhibitors, mineralocorticoid-receptor antagonists) improves the disease course of ARVC5 in TMEM43mut mice.

METHODS

TMEM43mut male/female mice were treated with metoprolol (β-blockers), enalapril (ACE inhibitor), spironolactone (mineralocorticoid-receptor antagonist), ACE inhibitor + mineralocorticoid-receptor antagonist, ACE inhibitor + mineralocorticoid-receptor antagonist + β-blockers or left untreated. Drugs were initiated at 3 weeks of age, before ARVC5 phenotype, and serial ECG and echocardiograms were performed.

RESULTS

TMEM43mut mice treated with enalapril showed a significantly increased median survival compared with untreated mice (26 versus 21 weeks; P=0.003). Enalapril-treated mice also exhibited increased left ventricular ejection fraction at 4 months compared with controls (37.0% versus 24.9%; P=0.004), shorter QRS duration and reduced left ventricle fibrosis. Combined regimens including enalapril also showed positive effects. Metoprolol decreased QRS voltage prematurely and resulted in a nonsignificant decrease in left ventricular ejection fraction compared with untreated TMEM43mut mice.

CONCLUSIONS

Preventive enalapril-based regimens reduced fibrosis, improved ECG, echocardiographic parameters and survival of ARVC5 mice. Early metoprolol did not show positive effects and caused premature ECG abnormalities. Our findings pave the way to consider prophylactic enalapril in asymptomatic ARVC5 genetic carriers.

Prevalence and characterization of frailty, depression, and cognitive impairment in patients listed for heart transplantation: Results of the FELICITAR prospective registry

INTRODUCTION

It is recommended to assess frailty prior to heart transplantation (HT). Our objective was to assess the prevalence of frailty in patients listed for HT.

METHODS

The FELICITAR registry (Frailty Evaluation after List Inclusion, Characteristics and Influence on TrAnsplantation And Results) is a prospective registry that includes patients listed for HT in three centers, from January 2017 to April 2019. We assessed the presence of frailty, depression, cognitive impairment, and quality of life when included.

RESULTS

Ninety-nine patients were included. Of this group, 30.6% were frail, 55 (56.1%) had depression (treated only in nine patients), and 51 (54.8%) had cognitive impairment. Compared with non-frail patients, frail patients were more frequently hospitalized when included in HT waiting list (P = .048), had a lower upper-arm circumference (P = .026), had a lower Barthel index (P = .001), more anemia (P = .010), higher rates of depression (P = .001), poorer quality of life (P = .001), and lower hand-grip strength (P < .001). In multivariate analysis hand-grip strength (odds ratio .91; 95% confidence interval .87-.96, P < .001) and Barthel index (odds ratio .90; 95% confidence interval .82-.99, P = .024) were associated with frailty.

CONCLUSIONS

Frailty, depression, and cognitive impairment are common in patients included in HT waiting list. Frailty is strongly associated with hand-grip strength.

Infectious complications associated with short-term mechanical circulatory support in urgent heart transplant candidates

INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVES

Short-term mechanical circulatory support is frequently used as a bridge to heart transplant in Spain. The epidemiology and prognostic impact of infectious complications in these patients are unknown.

METHODS

Systematic description of the epidemiology of infectious complications and analysis of their prognostic impact in a multicenter, retrospective registry of patients treated with short-term mechanical devices as a bridge to urgent heart transplant from 2010 to 2015 in 16 Spanish hospitals.

RESULTS

We studied 249 patients, of which 87 (34.9%) had a total of 102 infections. The most frequent site was the respiratory tract (n=47; 46.1%). Microbiological confirmation was obtained in 78 (76.5%) episodes, with a total of 100 causative agents, showing a predominance of gram-negative bacteria (n=58, 58%). Compared with patients without infection, those with infectious complications showed higher mortality during the support period (25.3% vs 12.3%, P=.009) and a lower probability of receiving a transplant (73.6% vs 85.2%, P=.025). In-hospital posttransplant mortality was similar in the 2 groups (with infection: 28.3%; without infection: 23.4%; P=.471).

CONCLUSIONS

Patients supported with temporary devices as a bridge to heart transplant are exposed to a high risk of infectious complications, which are associated with higher mortality during the organ waiting period.

Persistent Pulmonary Hypertension in Corrected Valvular Heart Disease: Hemodynamic Insights and Long-Term Survival

Background The determinants and consequences of pulmonary hypertension after successfully corrected valvular heart disease remain poorly understood. We aim to clarify the hemodynamic bases and risk factors for mortality in patients with this condition. Methods and Results We analyzed long-term follow-up data of 222 patients with pulmonary hypertension and valvular heart disease successfully corrected at least 1 year before enrollment who had undergone comprehensive hemodynamic and imaging characterization as per the SIOVAC (Sildenafil for Improving Outcomes After Valvular Correction) clinical trial. Median (interquartile range) mean pulmonary pressure was 37 mm Hg (32-44 mm Hg) and pulmonary artery wedge pressure was 23 mm Hg (18-26 mm Hg). Most patients were classified either as having combined precapillary and postcapillary or isolated postcapillary pulmonary hypertension. After a median follow-up of 4.5 years, 91 deaths accounted for 4.21 higher-than-expected mortality in the age-matched population. Risk factors for mortality were male sex, older age, diabetes mellitus, World Health Organization functional class III and higher pulmonary vascular resistance-either measured by catheterization or approximated from ultrasound data. Higher pulmonary vascular resistance was related to diabetes mellitus and smaller residual aortic and mitral valve areas. In turn, the latter correlated with prosthetic nominal size. Six-month changes in the composite clinical score and in the 6-minute walk test distance were related to survival. Conclusions Persistent valvular heart disease-pulmonary hypertension is an ominous disease that is almost universally associated with elevated pulmonary artery wedge pressure. Pulmonary vascular resistance is a major determinant of mortality in this condition and is related to diabetes mellitus and the residual effective area of the corrected valve. These findings have important implications for individualizing valve correction procedures. Registration URL: https://www.clinicaltrials.gov; Unique identifier: NCT00862043.

Transplantation of a heart donated after circulatory death via thoraco-abdominal normothermic regional perfusion and results from the first Spanish case

BACKGROUND

Controlled donation after circulatory death (cDCD) has emerged as one of the main strategies for increasing the organ donor pool. Because of the ischemic injury that follows the withdrawal of life-sustaining therapies, hearts from cDCD donors have not been considered for transplantation until recently. The ex-situ perfusion of hearts directly procured from cDCD donors has been used to allow the continuous perfusion of the organ and the assessment of myocardial viability prior to transplantation. Based on our experience with abdominal normothermic regional perfusion in cDCD, we designed a protocol to recover and validate hearts from cDCD donors using thoraco-abdominal normothermic regional perfusion without the utilization of an ex-situ device.

CASE PRESENTATION

We describe the first case of a cDCD heart transplant performed with this approach in Spain. The donor was a 43-year-old asthmatic female diagnosed with severe hypoxic encephalopathy. She was considered a potential cDCD donor and a suitable candidate for multiorgan procurement including the heart via thoraco-abdominal normothermic regional perfusion. The heart recipient was a 60-year-old male diagnosed with amyloid cardiomyopathy. Cold ischemia time was 55 min. The surgery was uneventful.

CONCLUSIONS

This case report, the first of its kind in Spain, supports the feasibility of evaluating and successfully transplanting cDCD hearts without the need for ex-situ perfusion based on the use of thoraco-abdominal normothermic regional perfusion opening the way for multiorgan donation in cDCD.

Usefulness of natriuresis to predict in-hospital diuretic resistance

BACKGROUND

Urinary sodium excretion predicts long-term adverse events after discharge in patients with acute heart failure (AHF). The role of natriuresis as an early marker of poor diuretic response during an AHF episode has been scarcely investigated. We sought to evaluate whether early natriuresis or its change during heart failure hospitalization is associated with the development of in-hospital diuretic resistance (DR).

METHODS

This was a prospective, observational single center study of consecutive patients with AHF. Urine electrolytes were estimated from a spot urine sample within the first 6 hours following the first diuretic dose and 48 hours after admission. In-hospital DR was defined as poor diuretic response based on diuretic efficiency metrics and persistent congestion despite an intensive diuretic protocol.

RESULTS

Between January and December 2018, 143 patients were admitted for AHF. Of these, 102 fulfilled the inclusion criteria (60% males, median age 77 years [interquartile range [IQR]: 69-83), and 20 patients (19.6%) met the definition of DR. Early natriuresis was lower in patients with DR than in non-resistant patients (46 mEq/L [IQR: 38.5-80.0] vs 97.5 mEq/L [IQR: 70.5-113.5], P<0.001). Urinary sodium <50 mEq/L increased the risk of developing in-hospital DR (risk ratio: 5.011 [95% confidence interval 2.408-10.429], P<0.001). The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve for early natriuresis to predict DR was 0.791 (95% confidence interval 0.681-0.902, P<0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

Initial natriuresis can predict in-hospital DR. Patients with urinary sodium <50 mEq/L have an increased risk of early resistance to diuretic treatment.

Spanish Heart Transplant Registry. 31th Official Report of the Heart Failure Association of the Spanish Society of Cardiology

INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVES

The present report describes the clinical characteristics and outcomes of heart transplants in Spain and updates the data to 2019.

METHODS

We describe the clinical characteristics and outcomes of heart transplants performed in Spain in 2019, as well as trends in this procedure from 2010 to 2018.

RESULTS

In 2019, 300 transplants were performed (8794 since 1984; 2745 between 2010 and 2019). Compared with previous years, the most notable findings were the decreasing rate of urgent transplants (38%), and the consolidation of the type of circulatory support prior to transplant, with an almost complete disappearance of counterpulsation balloon (0.7%), stabilization in the use of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (9.6%), and an increase in the use of ventricular assist devices (29.0%). Survival from 2016 to 2018 was similar to that from 2013 to 2015 (P=.34). Survival in both these periods was better than that from 2010 to 2012 (P=.002 and P=.01, respectively).

CONCLUSIONS

Heart transplant activity has remained stable during the last few years, as have outcomes (in terms of survival). There has been a trend to a lower rate of urgent transplants and to a higher use of ventricular assist devices prior to transplant.

Noninferiority of heart failure nurse titration versus heart failure cardiologist titration. ETIFIC multicenter randomized trial

INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVES

Beta-blockers, angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors (ACE inhibitors), angiotensin-II-receptor-blockers (ARB), and mineralocorticoid-receptor antagonists decrease mortality and heart failure (HF) hospitalizations in HF patients with reduced left ventricular ejection fraction. The effect is dose-dependent. Careful titration is recommended. However, suboptimal doses are common in clinical practice. This study aimed to compare the safety and efficacy of dose titration of the aforementioned drugs by HF nurses vs HF cardiologists.

METHODS

ETIFIC was a multicenter (n=20) noninferiority randomized controlled open label trial. A total of 320 hospitalized patients with new-onset HF, reduced ejection fraction and New York Heart Association II-III, without beta-blocker contraindications were randomized 1:1 in blocks of 4 patients each stratified by hospital: 164 to HF nurse titration vs 156 to HF cardiologist titration (144 vs 145 analyzed). The primary endpoint was the beta-blocker mean relative dose (% of target dose) achieved at 4 months. Secondary endpoints included ACE inhibitors, ARB, and mineralocorticoid-receptor antagonists mean relative doses, associated variables, adverse events, and clinical outcomes at 6 months.

RESULTS

The mean±standard deviation relative doses achieved by HF nurses vs HF cardiologists were as follows: beta-blockers 71.09%±31.49% vs 56.29%±31.32%, with a difference of 14.8% (95%CI, 7.5-22.1), P <.001; ACE inhibitors 72.61%±29.80% vs 56.13%±30.37%, P <.001; ARB 44.48%±33.47% vs 43.51%±33.69%, P=.93; and mineralocorticoid-receptor antagonists 71%±32.12% vs 70.47%±29.78%, P=.86; mean±standard deviation visits were 6.41±2.82 vs 2.81±1.58, P <.001, while the number (%) of adverse events were 34 (23.6) vs 30 (20.7), P=.55; and at 6 months HF hospitalizations were 1 (0.69) vs 9 (5.51), P=.01.

CONCLUSIONS

ETIFIC is the first multicenter randomized trial to demonstrate the noninferiority of HF specialist-nurse titration vs HF cardiologist titration. Moreover, HF nurses achieved higher beta-blocker/ACE inhibitors doses, with more outpatient visits and fewer HF hospitalizations. Trial registry number: NCT02546856.

Initial outcomes of a multidisciplinary network for the care of patients with cardiogenic shock

INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVES

Mortality remains high in cardiogenic shock (CS), especially in refractory CS involving the use of mechanical circulatory support (MCS) devices. The aim of this study was to analyze the results of a care program for patients in CS after the creation of a multidisciplinary team in our center and a regional network of hospitals in our area.

METHODS

Observational and retrospective study of patients attended in this program from September 2014 to January 2019. We included patients in refractory CS who required MCS and those who, because of their age and absence of comorbidities, were candidates for advanced therapies. The primary endpoint was survival to discharge.

RESULTS

A total of 130 patients were included (69 local and 61 transferred patients). The mean age was 52±15 years (72% men). The most frequent causes of CS were acute decompensated heart failure (29%), acute myocardial infarction (26%), and postcardiotomy CS (25%). MCS was used in 105 patients (81%), mostly extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (58%). Survival to discharge was 57% (74 of 130 patients). The most frequent destinations were myocardial recovery and heart transplant. Independent predictors of in-hospital mortality were SAPS II score, lactate level, acute myocardial infarction etiology, and vasoactive-inotropic score.

CONCLUSIONS

The creation of multidisciplinary teams for patients with mainly refractory CS and a regional network is feasible and allows survival to discharge in more than a half of attended patients with CS.

Clinical picture, management and risk stratification in patients with cardiogenic shock: does gender matter?

Background

Early recognition and risk stratification are crucial in cardiogenic shock (CS). A lower adherence to recommendations has been described in women with cardiovascular diseases. Little information exists about disparities in clinical picture, management and performance of risk stratification tools according to gender in patients with CS.

Methods

Data from the multicenter Red-Shock registry were used. All consecutive patients with CS were included. Both CardShock and IABP-SHOCK II risk scores were calculated. The primary end-point was in-hospital mortality. The discriminative ability of both scores according to gender was assessed by binary logistic regression, calculating Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves and the corresponding area under the curve (AUC).

Results

A total of 793 patients were included, of whom 222 (28%) were female. Women were significantly older and had a lower proportion of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and prior myocardial infarction. CS was less often related to acute coronary syndromes (ACS) in women. The use of vasoactive drugs, renal replacement therapy, invasive ventilation, therapeutic hypothermia and mechanical circulatory support was similar between both groups. In-hospital mortality was 346/793 (43.6%). Mortality was not significantly different according to gender (p = 0.194).

Cardshock risk score showed a good ability for predicting in-hospital mortality both in man (AUC 0.69) and women (AUC 0.735). Likewise, the IABP-II successfully predicted in-hospital mortality in both groups (man: AUC 0.693; women: AUC 0.722).

Conclusions

No significant differences were observed regarding management and in-hospital mortality according to gender. Both the CardShock and IABP-II risk scores depicted a good ability for predicting mortality also in women with CS.

Design of the β3-Adrenergic Agonist Treatment in Chronic Pulmonary Hypertension Secondary to Heart Failure Trial

•

CpcPH is a relatively common complication of chronic HF, is associated with poor survival, and has no specific pharmacological treatment.

•

ß3AR stimulation has shown improvement in pulmonary hemodynamics and RV performance in a translational large animal model mimicking this condition.

•

The SPHERE-HF trial is a Phase II randomized, double-blind clinical trial designed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of mirabegron (oral β3 AR agonist) in patients with CpcPH secondary to HF.

•

The SPHERE-HF trial will include 80 patients treated with mirabegron or placebo for 16 weeks.

•

The main outcome is the change in PVR. Secondary outcomes include changes in RV performance, clinical status, NT-proBNP levels, and additional pulmonary hemodynamic parameters.

Combined pre-and post-capillary hypertension (CpcPH) is a relatively common complication of heart failure (HF) associated with a poor prognosis. Currently, there is no specific therapy approved for this entity. Recently, treatment with beta-3 adrenergic receptor (β3AR) agonists was able to improve pulmonary hemodynamics and right ventricular (RV) performance in a translational, large animal model of chronic PH. The authors present the design of a phase II randomized clinical trial that tests the benefits of mirabegron (a clinically available β3AR agonist) in patients with CpcPH due to HF. The effect of β3AR treatment will be evaluated on pulmonary hemodynamics, as well as clinical, biochemical, and advanced cardiac imaging parameters. (Beta3 Agonist Treatment in Chronic Pulmonary Hypertension Secondary to Heart Failure [SPHERE-HF]; NCT02775539)

Venoarterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation with or without simultaneous intra-aortic balloon pump support as a direct bridge to heart transplantation: results from a nationwide Spanish registry

OBJECTIVES

To investigate the potential clinical benefit of an intra-aortic balloon pump (IABP) in patients supported with venoarterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (VA-ECMO) as a bridge to heart transplantation (HT).

METHODS

We studied 169 patients who were listed for urgent HT under VA-ECMO support at 16 Spanish institutions from 2010 to 2015. The clinical outcomes of patients under simultaneous IABP support (n = 73) were compared to a control group of patients without IABP support (n = 96).

RESULTS

There were no statistically significant differences between the IABP and control groups with regard to the cumulative rates of transplantation (71.2% vs 81.2%, P = 0.17), death during VA-ECMO support (20.6% vs 14.6%, P = 0.31), transition to a different mechanical circulatory support device (5.5% vs 5.2%, P = 0.94) or weaning from VA-ECMO support due to recovery (2.7% vs 0%, P = 0.10). There was a higher incidence of bleeding events in the IABP group (45.2% vs 25%, P = 0.006; adjusted odds ratio 2.18, 95% confidence interval 1.02-4.67). In-hospital postoperative mortality after HT was 34.6% in the IABP group and 32.5% in the control group (P = 0.80). One-year survival after listing for urgent HT was 53.3% in the IABP group and 52.2% in the control group (log rank P = 0.75). Multivariate adjustment for potential confounders did not change this result (adjusted hazard ratio 0.94, 95% confidence interval 0.56-1.58).

CONCLUSIONS

In our study, simultaneous IABP therapy in transplant candidates under VA-ECMO support did not significantly reduce morbidity or mortality.

External validation and comparison of the CardShock and IABP-SHOCK II risk scores in real-world cardiogenic shock patients

BACKGROUND

Mortality from cardiogenic shock remains high and early recognition and risk stratification are mandatory for optimal patient allocation and to guide treatment strategy. The CardShock and the Intra-Aortic Balloon Counterpulsation in Acute Myocardial Infarction Complicated by Cardiogenic Shock (IABP-SHOCK II) risk scores have shown good results in predicting short-term mortality in cardiogenic shock. However, to date, they have not been compared in a large cohort of ischaemic and non-ischaemic real-world cardiogenic shock patients.

METHODS

The Red-Shock is a multicentre cohort of non-selected cardiogenic shock patients. We calculated the CardShock and IABP-SHOCK II risk scores in each patient and assessed discrimination and calibration.

RESULTS

We included 696 patients. The main cause of cardiogenic shock was acute coronary syndrome, occurring in 62% of the patients. Compared with acute coronary syndrome patients, non-acute coronary syndrome patients were younger and had a lower proportion of risk factors but higher rates of renal insufficiency; intra-aortic balloon pump was also less frequently used (31% vs 56%). In contrast, non-acute coronary syndrome patients were more often treated with mechanical circulatory support devices (11% vs 3%, p<0.001 for both). Both risk scores were good predictors of in-hospital mortality in acute coronary syndrome patients and had similar areas under the receiver-operating characteristic curve (area under the curve: 0.742 for the CardShock vs 0.752 for IABP-SHOCK II, p=0.65). Their discrimination performance was only modest when applied to non-acute coronary syndrome patients (0.648 vs 0.619, respectively, p=0.31). Calibration was acceptable for both scores (Hosmer-Lemeshow p=0.22 for the CardShock and 0.68 for IABP-SHOCK II).

CONCLUSIONS

In our cohort, both the CardShock and the IABP-SHOCK II risk scores were good predictors of in-hospital mortality in acute coronary syndrome-related cardiogenic shock.

Sildenafil for improving outcomes in patients with corrected valvular heart disease and persistent pulmonary hypertension: a multicenter, double-blind, randomized clinical trial

Aims

We aimed to determine whether treatment with sildenafil improves outcomes of patients with persistent pulmonary hypertension (PH) after correction of valvular heart disease (VHD).

Methods and results

The sildenafil for improving outcomes after valvular correction (SIOVAC) study was a multricentric, randomized, parallel, and placebo-controlled trial that enrolled stable adults with mean pulmonary artery pressure ≥ 30 mmHg who had undergone a successful valve replacement or repair procedure at least 1 year before inclusion. We assigned 200 patients to receive sildenafil (40 mg three times daily, n = 104) or placebo (n = 96) for 6 months. The primary endpoint was the composite clinical score combining death, hospital admission for heart failure (HF), change in functional class, and patient global self-assessment. Only 27 patients receiving sildenafil improved their composite clinical score, as compared with 44 patients receiving placebo; in contrast 33 patients in the sildenafil group worsened their composite score, as compared with 14 in the placebo group [odds ratio 0.39; 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.22–0.67; P < 0.001]. The Kaplan–Meier estimates for survival without admission due to HF were 0.76 and 0.86 in the sildenafil and placebo groups, respectively (hazard ratio 2.0, 95% CI = 1.0–4.0; log-rank P = 0.044). Changes in 6-min walk test distance, natriuretic peptides, and Doppler-derived systolic pulmonary pressure were similar in both groups.

Conclusion

Treatment with sildenafil in patients with persistent PH after successfully corrected VHD is associated to worse clinical outcomes than placebo. Off-label usage of sildenafil for treating this source of left heart disease PH should be avoided.

The trial is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, number NCT00862043.

Spanish Heart Transplant Registry. 30th Official Report of the Spanish Society of Cardiology Working Group on Heart Failure (1984-2018)

INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVES

The present report updates the clinical characteristics and outcomes of heart transplant in Spain to 2018.

METHODS

Prospective registry of all the heart transplants performed between 1984 and 2018 in Spain. Specifically, temporal trends in clinical characteristics and outcomes are described for the period from 2009 to 2017.

RESULTS

In 2018, 321 transplants were performed (8494 since 1984; 2719 between 2009 and 2018). Compared with the previous year, the number of transplants performed in 2018 rose by 52% in recipients younger than 16 years and by 42% in those older than 60 years. In the last decade, significant temporal trends were observed in recipient characteristics (better pretransplant renal function, higher rates of diabetes, more urgent transplants, and greater use of pretrasplant circulatory support, particularly ventricular assist devices), donor characteristics (higher donor age, more female donors, and higher frequencies of cerebrovascular cause of death and predonation cardiac arrest and lower ischemia time). Survival significantly improved in the last decade, mainly due to lower mortality due to primary graft failure.

CONCLUSIONS

The number of heart transplants is increasing in Spain, with a progressive improvement in survival.