Journal of Cardiovascular Medicine最新文献

Background: Transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) has become a largely used treatment for severe aortic stenosis. There are limited data, however, about predictors of long-term prognosis in this population. In this study, we assessed whether ventricular arrhythmias may predict clinical outcomes in patients undergoing TAVI.

Methods and results: We performed a 24 h ECG Holter monitoring in 267 patients who underwent TAVI for severe aortic stenosis within 30 days from a successful procedure. The occurrence of frequent premature ventricular complexes (PVCs; ≥30/h), polymorphic PVCs and nonsustained ventricular tachycardia (NSVT) was obtained for each patient. Clinical outcome was obtained for 228 patients (85%), for an average follow-up of 3.5 years (range 1.0-8.6). Cardiovascular events (CVEs; cardiovascular death or resuscitated cardiac arrest) occurred in 26 patients (11.4%) and 63 patients died (27.6%). Frequent PVCs but not polymorphic PVCs and NSVT were found to be associated with CVEs at univariate analysis. Frequent PVCs were indeed found in 12 patients with (46.2%) and 35 without (17.3%) CVEs [hazard ratio 2.30; 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.03-5.09; P  = 0.04], whereas polymorphic PVCs were found in 11 (42.3%) and 54 (26.7%) patients of the two groups, respectively (hazard ratio 1.44; 95% CI 0.64-3.25; P  = 0.38), and NSVT in 9 (34.6%) and 43 patients of the two groups, respectively (hazard ratio 1.18; 95% CI 0.48-2.87; P  = 0.72). Frequent PVCs, however, were not significantly associated with CVEs at multivariate Cox regression analysis (hazard ratio 1.53; 95% CI 0.37-6.30; P  = 0.56). Both frequent PVCs, polymorphic PVCs and NSVT showed no significant association with mortality.

Conclusion: In our study, the detection of frequent PVCs at Holter monitoring after TAVI was a predictor of CVEs (cardiovascular death/cardiac arrest), but this association was lost in multivariable analysis.

Aims: Data regarding hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM)-related mortality in United States young adults, defined as those aged between 25 and 44 years, are lacking. We sought to assess the trends in HCM-related mortality among US young adults between 1999 and 2019 and determine differences by sex, race, ethnicity, urbanization and census region.

Methods: Mortality data were retrieved by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Wide-Ranging Online Data for Epidemiologic Research (WONDER) dataset from January 1999 to December 2019. Age-adjusted mortality rates (AAMRs) were assessed using the Joinpoint regression modeling and expressed as estimated average annual percentage change (AAPC) with relative 95% confidence intervals (95% CIs).

Results: Over 20-year period, the AAMR from HCM in US young adults linearly decreased, with no differences between sexes [AAPC: -5.3% (95% CI -6.1 to -4.6), P  < 0.001]. The AAMR decrease was more pronounced in Black patients [AAPC: -6.4% (95% CI -7.6 to -5.1), P  < 0.001], Latinx/Hispanic patients [AAPC: -4.8% (95% CI -7.2 to -2.36), P  < 0.001] and residents of urban areas [AAPC: -5.4% (95% CI -6.2 to -4.6), P  < 0.001]. The higher percentages of HCM-related deaths occurred in the South of the country and at the patient's home.

Conclusion: HCM-related mortality in US young adults has decreased over the last two decades in the United States. Subgroup analyses by race, ethnicity, urbanization and census region showed ethnoracial and regional disparities that will require further investigation.

Aims: The clinical benefits of mitral valve repair over replacement in the setting of mitral infective endocarditis are not clearly established.

Methods: Data of patients who underwent cardiac surgery for infective endocarditis over a 20-year period (2001-2021) at two cardiac centres were reviewed. Among them, 282 patients underwent native mitral valve surgery and were included in the study. Nearest-neighbour propensity-score matching was performed to account for differences in patients' profile between the repair and replacement subgroups.

Results: Mitral valve replacement was performed in 186 patients, while in 96 cases patients underwent mitral valve repair. Propensity match analysis provided 89 well matched pairs. Mean age was 60 ± 15 years; 75% of the patients were male. Mitral valve replacement was more commonly performed in patients with involvement of both mitral leaflets, commissure(s) and mitral annulus. Patients with lesion(s) limited to P2 segment formed the majority of the cases undergoing mitral valve repair. There was no difference in terms of microbiological findings. In-hospital mortality was 7% with no difference between the repair and the replacement cohorts. Survival probabilities at 1, 5 and 10 years were 88%, 72% and 68%, respectively after mitral repair, and 88%, 78% and 63%, respectively after mitral replacement (log-rank P  = 0.94).

Conclusions: Mitral valve repair was more commonly performed in patients with isolated single leaflet involvement and provided good early and 10-year outcomes. Patients with annular disruption, lesion(s) on both leaflets and commissure(s) were successfully served on early and mid-term course by mitral valve replacement.

Background: Diastolic dysfunction is a predictor of poor outcomes in many cardiovascular conditions. At present, it is unclear whether diastolic dysfunction predicts adverse outcomes in patients with atypical aortic stenosis who undergo aortic valve replacement (AVR).

Methods: Five hundred and twenty-three patients who underwent transcatheter AVR (TAVR) (n = 303) and surgical AVR (SAVR) (n = 220) at a single institution were included in our analysis. Baseline left and right heart invasive hemodynamics were assessed. Baseline transthoracic echocardiograms were reviewed to determine aortic stenosis subtype and parameters of diastolic dysfunction. Aortic stenosis subtype was categorized as typical (normal flow, high-gradient) aortic stenosis, classical, low-flow, low-gradient (cLFLG) aortic stenosis, and paradoxical, low-flow, low-gradient (pLFLG) aortic stenosis. Cox proportional hazard models were utilized to examine the relation between invasive hemodynamic or echocardiographic variables of diastolic dysfunction, aortic stenosis subtype, and all-cause mortality. Propensity-score analysis was performed to study the relation between aortic stenosis subtype and the composite outcome [death/cerebrovascular accident (CVA)].

Results: The median STS risk was 5.3 and 2.5% for TAVR and SAVR patients, respectively. Relative to patients with typical aortic stenosis, patients with atypical (cLFLG and pLFLG) aortic stenosis displayed a significantly higher prevalence of diastolic dysfunction (LVEDP ≥ 20mmHg, PCWP ≥ 20mmHg, echo grade II or III diastolic dysfunction, and echo-PCWP ≥ 20mmHg) and, independently of AVR treatment modality, had a significantly increased risk of death. In propensity-score analysis, patients with atypical aortic stenosis had higher rates of death/CVA than typical aortic stenosis patients, independently of diastolic dysfunction and AVR treatment modality.

Conclusion: We demonstrate the novel observation that compared with patients with typical aortic stenosis, patients with atypical aortic stenosis have a higher burden of diastolic dysfunction. We corroborate the worse outcomes previously reported in atypical versus typical aortic stenosis and demonstrate, for the first time, that this observation is independent of AVR treatment modality. Furthermore, the presence of diastolic dysfunction does not independently predict outcome in atypical aortic stenosis regardless of treatment type, suggesting that other factors are responsible for adverse clinical outcomes in this higher risk cohort.

Background: Traditional scores as CHADS2 and CHA2DS2-Vasc are suitable for predicting stroke and systemic embolism in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) and have shown to be also associated with mortality. Other more complex scores have been recommended for survival prediction. The purpose of our analysis was to test the performance of different clinical scores in predicting 1-year mortality in AF patients.

Material and methods: CHADS2 and CHA2DS2-Vasc scores were calculated for AF patients of the BLITZ-AF register and compared to R2-CHADS2, R2-CHA2DS2-Vasc and CHA2DS2VASc-RAF scores in predicting 1-year survival. Scores including renal function were calculated both with glomerular filtration rate (GFR) and creatinine clearance.

Results: One-year vital status (1960 alive and 199 dead) was available in 2159 patients. Receiver-operating characteristic curves displayed an association of each score to all-cause mortality, with R2(ClCrea)-CHADS2 being the best [area under the curve (AUC) 0.734]. Differences among the AUCs of the eight scores were not so evident, and a significant difference was found only between R2(ClCrea)-CHADS2 and CHADS2, CHA2DS2VASc, (ClCrea)-CHA2DS2-VASC-RAF.All the scores showed a similar performance for cardiovascular (CV) mortality, with CHA2DS2VASc-RAF being the best (AUC 0.757), with a significant difference with respect to CHADS2, CHA2DS2VASc, and (ClCrea)CHA2DS2Vasc-RAF.

Conclusions: More complex scores, even if with better statistical performance, do not show a clinically relevant higher capability to discriminate alive or dead patients at 12 months. The classical and well known CHA2DS2VASc score, which is routinely used all around the world, has a high sensitivity in predicting all-cause mortality (AUC 0.695; Sensit. 80.4%) and CV mortality (AUC 0.691; Sensit. 80.0%).

Graphical abstract: http://links.lww.com/JCM/A632.

Aims: We present the experience and long-term results of intracardiac echocardiography (ICE)-guided closure of ostium secundum atrial septal defects (ASDs) in two Italian centers and investigate its systematic applicability as the gold standard in routine clinical practice.

Methods: We retrospectively evaluated all consecutive patients who underwent an ASD percutaneous closure procedure from March 2008 to February 2020. All patients underwent a preprocedural transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) evaluation. The closures were carried out under fluoroscopic and ICE guidance. A follow-up visit was performed at 1, 3 and 12 months, followed by telephone evaluations approximately every 2 years.

Results: Sixty-six patients (29% male individuals), mean age 43 ± 16 years, were treated. In 15 cases, the TEE defect diameter was less than 10 mm, and in 8 of these patients, the ICE intraprocedural sizing increased the maximum diameter by more than 5 mm. Sizing balloon of the defect was performed in 51 cases; 2 patients received an ASD 38 mm device. Eight patients had multiple defects; in three of these, it was necessary to apply two devices. Four patients showed nonsignificant residual shunt; no complications related to the use of ICE were observed. One patient presented the migration of the ASD device into the abdominal aorta, percutaneously retrieved with a snare. No major complications were recorded during the entire follow-up period.

Conclusion: This study confirms that ICE monitoring during ASD percutaneous closure is well tolerated and effective; it might be achievable as a routine gold standard by operators willing to use ICE systematically in all transcatheter closure interventions of interatrial communications.

Aims: The use of sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 inhibitors (SGLT2i) as a new class of drug in treating type 2 diabetes has expanded beyond its original framework. Positive results have been achieved in reducing symptoms in patients with cardiovascular disease (CVD). The aim of this article is to present an in-depth review of the basic principles of this class of medications and how it has brought benefits to patients affected particularly by heart failure.

Methods: Following a thorough PubMed search, this review includes 62 studies published between 2015 and 2023. Keywords searched included 'sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 inhibitors', 'cardiovascular disease', 'heart failure', 'chronic kidney disease', and 'type 2 diabetes'. The most recent and comprehensive data were used.

Results: Positive results have been achieved in reducing symptoms in patients with CVD. SGLT2 inhibitors have also been shown to be useful in other contexts such as nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) by reducing liver fat accumulation, kidney benefits by improving body weight and vascular endothelium, improving eGFR, and reducing progression to end stage kidney disease (ESKD). SGLT2 inhibitors are also effective in reducing the need for heart failure hospitalizations and the risk of serious cardiac adverse events, including cardiovascular and all-cause mortality, in patients with reduced or preserved left ventricular (LV) ejection fraction and in acute or decompensated settings.

Conclusion: SGLT2 inhibitors have evolved into metabolic drugs because of their multisystem action and are indicated for the treatment of all spectrums of heart failure, type 2 diabetes, and chronic kidney disease.

Background: An app providing material for education and entertaining is a possible way to support patients and healthcare providers in achieving person-centered care.

Methods: An app tailored on the Fondazione Toscana Gabriele Monasterio (FTGM), a research hospital treating cardiac and lung disorders, was created. A pilot evaluation project was conducted on consecutive patients hospitalized for heart or lung disorders. Patients were asked to complete an assessment questionnaire.

Results: The FTGM app provides information on diagnostic and therapeutic investigations, hospital and healthcare personnel, and includes content for entertainment and learning. It was tested on 215 consecutive patients (75% men, 66% aged >60 years, and 40% with a primary or middle school degree). Sixty-nine percentage of patients used the FTGM app, including 67% of patients aged >80 years and 65% of those with an elementary education (65%). Patients gave positive feedback on the app layout. Many (76%) looked for information on doctors and nurses in the 'People' section. Sixty-five percent of responders had used at least one of the sections called 'Music' and 'Museum visits'. The app helped many patients perceive the hospital as a more liveable place (68%), and to feel less anxious (76%), and more engaged in the diagnostic and therapeutic workup (65%). Overall, the majority of responders (87%) rated the app as 'excellent' or 'good', and almost all (95%) would have recommended other patients to use the app.

Conclusions: The FTGM app is a possible tool to improve patient wellbeing during hospitalization.

Aims: Septal myectomy is the treatment of choice for hypertrophic obstructive cardiomyopathy (HOCM). Around 30-60% of patients with HOCM have a secondary mitral valve regurgitation due to systolic anterior motion (SAM). We report our experience with extended septal myectomy and its impact on the incidence of concomitant mitral valve procedures.

Methods: This is a retrospective study on 84 patients who underwent SM from January 2008 to February 2022. Surgical procedure was performed according to the concept of 'extended myectomy' described by Messmer in 1994. Follow-up outcomes in terms of survival, hospital admissions for heart failure or MV disease, cardiac reoperations, and pacemaker (PMK) implantation were recorded.

Results: Mean age was 61 ± 15 years. Mitral valve surgery was performed in seven cases (8%); particularly only one patient without degenerative mitral valve disease underwent mitral valve surgery, with a plicature of the posterior leaflet. In-hospital mortality was 5%. Mitral valve regurgitation greater than mild was present in four patients (5%) at discharge. Twelve-year survival was 78 ± 22%. Cumulative incidence of rehospitalization for heart failure and rehospitalization for mitral valve disease was 10 ± 4 and 2.5 ± 2.5%, respectively. PMK implantation was 5% at discharge, with a cumulative incidence of 15 ± 7%. Freedom from cardiac reoperations was 100%.

Conclusion: Septal myectomy for HOCM is associated with good outcomes. Although concomitant surgery on the mitral valve to address SAM and associated regurgitation has been advocated, these procedures were needed in our practice only in patients with intrinsic mitral valve disease. Adequate myectomy addresses the underlying pathophysiology in most patients.