2014 AHA/ACC Guideline for the Management of Patients With Valvular Heart Disease: executive summary: a report of the American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association Task Force on Practice Guidelines

A staging classification of right heart remodelling for patients undergoing transcatheter edge-to-edge mitral valve repair

BACKGROUND

In patients with severe mitral regurgitation (MR) who are scheduled for transcatheter mitral valve repair (TMVR), risk stratification is predominantly based on surgical risk scores.

AIMS

We sought to characterise and define stages of right heart remodelling in patients undergoing TMVR and evaluate the impact of this staging classification on survival.

METHODS

According to echocardiographic parameters, 929 patients undergoing MitraClip treatment were classified into three stages: severe MR without right heart damage (stage 0), with moderate-to-severe tricuspid regurgitation (TR) (stage 1), with right ventricular dysfunction defined as a reduced fractional area change <35% and a tricuspid annular plane systolic excursion <17 mm, or with increased right atrial area >25 cm² and/or indexed right ventricular volume >30 ml/m² (stage 2). We compared clinical outcomes and performed a multivariate analysis to evaluate the predictive value of the extent of cardiac damage.

RESULTS

Rates of one-year all-cause mortality increased with more advanced stages of right heart remodelling (stage 0: 8% vs stage 1: 9.7% vs stage 2: 18.1%; p<0.001). In the multivariate analysis, advanced cardiac damage was an independent predictor of one-year all-cause mortality (stage 2: p=0.007).

CONCLUSIONS

A simple staging classification objectively characterises the extent of right heart remodelling caused by MR and allows risk prediction in patients undergoing a MitraClip procedure.

Measuring quality effects in equilibrium

Unlike demand studies in other industries, models of provider demand in health care often must omit a price, or any other factor that equilibrates the market such as a waiting time. Estimates of the consumer response to quality may consequently be attenuated, if the limited capacity of individual physicians prevents some consumers from obtaining higher quality. We propose a tractable method to address this problem by adding a congestion effect to standard discrete-choice models. We show analytically how this can improve forecasts of the consumer response to quality. We then apply this method to the market for heart surgery, and find that the attenuation bias in estimated quality effects can be important empirically.

Severe Aortic Stenosis: More Than an Imaging Diagnosis

The definition of severe aortic stenosis has undergone significant change casting a wider net to avoid missing patients who could benefit from valve replacement. The presence or absence of symptoms remains the key decision-making element; however, individuals presently undergoing evaluation are older, more likely asymptomatic, and have lower gradients. Due to numerous potential measurement errors, attention to detail when performing diagnostic testing and understanding their limitations are necessary to render appropriate treatment. Exercise testing adds useful information for individuals with severe aortic stenosis felt to be asymptomatic. Dobutamine echocardiography, in low flow-low gradient aortic stenosis, distinguishes between a myopathic and valvular cause of left ventricular dysfunction. Evaluation of patients when normotensive minimizes measurement errors. The amount of aortic valve calcification adds useful information when the degree of aortic stenosis is uncertain. A good history and physical integrated with high-quality imaging data allows for appropriate clinical treatment decisions for patients with aortic stenosis. The goal is simultaneously to provide aortic valve replacement for patients in need while avoiding overdiagnosis and performance of unnecessary procedures.

Clinical and echocardiographic differences in three different etiologies of severe mitral stenosis

BACKGROUND

In our institute, the causes of mitral stenosis (MS) are generally categorized into three main etiologies-rheumatic MS (RMS), degenerative MS with annular and leaflet calcification, and post-clip MS as a consequence of transcatheter mitral valve repair with clips for treating mitral regurgitation. However, clinical differences among the three etiologies are uncertain.

METHODS

We retrospectively assessed 293 consecutive patients (53 with RMS, 118 with degenerative MS, and 122 with post-clip MS) who had a three-dimensional (3D) transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) derived mitral valve orifice area (MVA) of ≤1.5 cm² , and a mean transmitral pressure gradient of ≥5 mmHg on transthoracic echocardiography.

RESULTS

Although there was no difference in 3D-TEE-derived MVA among the three groups, patients with post-clip MS had a significantly lower mean transmitral pressure gradient compared to those with either of the other two types of MS (10.8 ([7.9-15.2] mmHg vs. 9.6 [7.3-12.5] mmHg vs. 6.9 [6.0-9.2] mmHg; p < .001). Patients with RMS had a higher prevalence of dyspnea. The independent determinants of dyspnea were pressure half time in RMS, 3D-TEE-derived MVA and estimated right atrial pressure in degenerative MS, and left ventricle ejection fraction in post-clip MS.

CONCLUSIONS

Patients with post-clip MS had the lowest mean transmitral pressure gradient, and patients with RMS had the highest prevalence of dyspnea, despite having a similar 3D-TEE-derived MVA. The determinants of dyspnea were different among the three etiologies of MS.

Progression of Chronic Kidney Disease and All-Cause Mortality in Patients with Tricuspid Regurgitation

Aim: The impact of chronic kidney disease (CKD) on patient-related outcomes in patients with tricuspid regurgitation (TR) is well known. However, the impact of the progression of CKD in patients with TR and potentially modifiable risk factors of progressing CKD is unknown. Methods: 444 consecutive adult patients with TR and CKD stage 1−4 admitted in an inpatient setting between January 2010 and December 2017 were included. During a median follow-up of two years, eGFR and survival status were collected. Independent risk factors for CKD progression and all-cause mortality were determined. Patient survival statuses were grouped according to different combinations of the presence or absence of CKD progression and the TR grade. Results: Progression of CKD (OR 2.38 (95% confidence interval 1.30−4.35), p = 0.005), the grade of TR (OR 2.38 (1.41−4.00), p = 0.001) and mitral regurgitation (OR 1.72 (1.20−2.46), p = 0.003) were independent risk factors for all-cause mortality. Haemoglobin at admission (OR 0.80 (0.65−0.99), p = 0.043) and the presence of type 2 diabetes (OR 1.67 (1.02−2.73), p = 0.042) were independent risk factors for CKD progression. The combination of the status of CKD progression and the TR grade showed a stepwise pattern for all-cause mortality (p < 0.001). Patients with CKD progression and TR grade 1 had comparable all-cause mortality with patients without CKD progression but with TR grade 2 or 3. Even in patients with TR grade 1, the risk for all-cause mortality doubled if CKD progression occurred (OR 2.49 (95% CI 1.38−4.47), p = 0.002). Conclusion: CKD progression appears to be a risk factor for all-cause mortality in patients with TR. Anaemia and diabetes are potential modifiers of CKD progression.

Outcomes of Aortic Valve Replacement for Chronic Aortic Insufficiency: Analysis of the Society of Thoracic Surgeons Database

BACKGROUND

This study evaluated outcomes and risk factors for surgical aortic valve replacement (SAVR) for aortic insufficiency (AI) in a national cohort. We analyzed the incidence, outcomes, and risk factors for SAVR for AI in the Society of Thoracic Surgeons Adult Cardiac Surgery Database.

METHODS

The national database was queried for patients with moderate or greater AI undergoing isolated SAVR between July 2011 and December 2018. Patients with moderate or greater aortic stenosis, acute dissection, active endocarditis, concomitant procedures, or emergent operation were excluded. AI was staged using guideline criteria based on symptoms and ventricular remodeling. Operative mortality and morbidity were compared between stages, and risk factors for operative death were identified.

RESULTS

A total of 12,564 patients underwent isolated SAVR for AI from 2011 to 2018. Patients were most frequently AI stage D (7019 [57.5%]), compared with B (1405 [11.2%]), C1 (1128 [9.0%]), or C2 (1325 [10.5%]). Operative mortality was 1.1% overall, and increased between stage C1, C2, and D (0.4% vs 0.7% vs 1.6%, respectively, P < .01), along with major morbidity (5.1% vs 7.5% vs 9.9%, respectively; P < .01). Mortality was higher in patients with severe ventricular dilation and an ejection fraction of less than 0.30 (2.7% vs 1.0%, P < .01). Risk factors for death were symptomatic AI, decreased ejection fraction, age, weight, body surface area, and dialysis.

CONCLUSIONS

Operative mortality and morbidity for isolated SAVR for AI is very low in a national cohort, providing a benchmark for future transcatheter approaches. Operative risk increases with advanced ventricular remodeling. SAVR before development of ventricular remodeling may be appropriate in patients with severe AI.

Development and Validation of Artificial Intelligence-based Method for Diagnosis of Mitral Regurgitation from Chest Radiographs

Purpose

To develop an artificial intelligence-based model to detect mitral regurgitation on chest radiographs.

Materials and Methods

This retrospective study included echocardiographs and associated chest radiographs consecutively collected at a single institution between July 2016 and May 2019. Associated radiographs were those obtained within 30 days of echocardiography. These radiographs were labeled as positive or negative for mitral regurgitation on the basis of the echocardiographic reports and were divided into training, validation, and test datasets. An artificial intelligence model was developed by using the training dataset and was tuned by using the validation dataset. To evaluate the model, the area under the curve, sensitivity, specificity, accuracy, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value were assessed by using the test dataset.

Results

This study included a total of 10 367 images from 5270 patients. The training dataset included 8240 images (4216 patients), the validation dataset included 1073 images (527 patients), and the test dataset included 1054 images (527 patients). The area under the curve, sensitivity, specificity, accuracy, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value in the test dataset were 0.80 (95% CI: 0.77, 0.82), 71% (95% CI: 67, 75), 74% (95% CI: 70, 77), 73% (95% CI: 70, 75), 68% (95% CI: 64, 72), and 77% (95% CI: 73, 80), respectively.

Conclusion

The developed deep learning-based artificial intelligence model may possibly differentiate patients with and without mitral regurgitation by using chest radiographs.Keywords: Computer-aided Diagnosis (CAD), Cardiac, Heart, Valves, Supervised Learning, Convolutional Neural Network (CNN), Deep Learning Algorithms, Machine Learning Algorithms Supplemental material is available for this article. © RSNA, 2022.

Heart Block as a Rare Complication of Tricuspid Valve Endocarditis: Awareness is the Key

Infective endocarditis (IE) occurs when bacterial or fungal pathogens enter the blood and attach to the endocardium. Right-sided endocarditis is usually associated with intravenous drug use (IVDU), intracardiac devices, and central venous catheters. There is more data published about left-side endocarditis when compared to right-sided endocarditis. Tricuspid valve infective endocarditis (TVIE) accounts for 5%-10% of IE, and of those cases, roughly 10% are complicated by conduction deficits due to inflammatory edema, myocarditis, and abscess formation. Tricuspid valve (TV) surgical repair carries its own risks, one of which includes the development of conduction abnormalities. Here, we review the current data of TVIE complicated by heart block after tricuspid valve replacement. Also, we present a case of a 21-year-old IVDU female who presented with tricuspid valve endocarditis, subsequently underwent tricuspid valve replacement, and developed a heart block.

Surgical Management of Valvular Heart Disease in Mucopolysaccharidoses: A Review of Literature

Mucopolysaccharidoses are extremely rare diseases that are frequently presenting with structural heart problems of the aortic and mitral valve in combination with myocardial dysfunction. In a substantial proportion, this leads to heart failure and is a leading cause of death in these patients. As this glycosaminoglycan degradation defect is associated with other conditions strongly influencing the perioperative risk and choice of surgical technique, multidisciplinary planning is crucial to improve short- and long-term outcomes. The extensive variance in clinical presentation between different impaired enzymes, and further within subgroups, calls for personalised treatment plans. Enzyme replacement therapies and bone marrow transplantation carry great potential as they may significantly abrogate the progress of the disease and as such reduce the clinical burden and improve life expectancy. Nevertheless, structural heart interventions may be required. We reviewed the existing literature of the less than 50 published cases regarding surgical management, technique, and choice of prostheses. Although improvement in therapy has shown promising results in protecting valvar tissue when initiated in infancy, concerns regarding stability of this effect and durability of biological prostheses remain.

Percutaneous closure of a paravalvular prosthetic mitral leak complicated by need for acute hemodialysis

A case of a severe paravalvular mechanical mitral prosthesis leak (PVL) in a high-risk surgical patient, complicated with acute heart failure at presentation is described. Considering the high surgical risk and the specific echocardiographic features that would prevent the interventional cardiologist to have a direct access to the PVL with a traditional vascular plug or duct occluder, a percutaneous PVL closure with an Amplatzer-Amulet (Abbott, Abbott Park, Illinois, United States) LAA device (28 mm) was chosen for the contiguity of the PVL to the left atrial appendage (LAA). A new-onset hemolysis post-PVL closure and severe renal failure requiring hemodialysis occurred after the procedure, treated with surgical device removal and leak suture. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first case that describes the attempt to close a PVL, contiguous to the LAA, using the Amulet device. The attempt to close a PVL with these features with an Amplatzer-Amulet device, although promising, does not appear completely safe to reach the goal, as in our case. In our opinion, the most important reasons are that specific technical recommendations and broad experiences are lacking. Indeed, specific outcomes of this kind of approach are, to date, still unknown.

In-hospital Outcomes of Infective Endocarditis from 1978 to 2015: Analysis Through Machine-Learning Techniques

BACKGROUND

Early identification of patients with infective endocarditis (IE) at higher risk for in-hospital mortality is essential to guide management and improve prognosis.

METHODS

A retrospective analysis was conducted of a cohort of patients followed up from 1978 to 2015, classified according to the modified Duke criteria. Clinical parameters, echocardiographic data, and blood cultures were assessed. Techniques of machine learning, such as the classification tree, were used to explain the association between clinical characteristics and in-hospital mortality. Additionally, the log-linear model and graphical random forests (GRaFo) representation were used to assess the degree of dependence among in-hospital outcomes of IE.

RESULTS

This study analyzed 653 patients: 449 (69.0%) with definite IE; 204 (31.0%) with possible IE; mean age, 41.3 ± 19.2 years; 420 (64%) men. Mode of IE acquisition: community-acquired (67.6%), nosocomial (17.0%), undetermined (15.4%). Complications occurred in 547 patients (83.7%), the most frequent being heart failure (47.0%), neurologic complications (30.7%), and dialysis-dependent renal failure (6.5%). In-hospital mortality was 36.0%. The classification tree analysis identified subgroups with higher in-hospital mortality: patients with community-acquired IE and peripheral stigmata on admission; and patients with nosocomial IE. The log-linear model showed that surgical treatment was related to higher in-hospital mortality in patients with neurologic complications.

CONCLUSIONS

The use of a machine-learning model allowed identification of subgroups of patients at higher risk for in-hospital mortality. Peripheral stigmata, nosocomial IE, absence of vegetation, and surgery in the presence of neurologic complications are predictors of fatal outcomes in machine learning-based analysis.

Cardio-Ankle Vascular Index and Heart Failure Hospitalization in Patients With Aortic Stenosis Following Transcatheter Aortic Valve Implantation

Background: The cardio-ankle vascular index (CAVI) is associated with the severity of vascular stiffness and heart failure (HF). However, little is known about CAVI in aortic stenosis (AS) patients, probably because of the difficulty of accurately measuring CAVI in these patients owing to their slow-rising pulse. In this study, we investigated the prevalence and prognostic impact of abnormally elevated CAVI measured after transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI).

Methods and Results: Among patients with AS who underwent TAVI, those with bilateral peripheral artery disease, atrial fibrillation, and systolic HF were excluded. The effect of post-TAVI elevated CAVI (defined as ≥9.0) on HF readmission after the index discharge was investigated. In all, 149 patients (mean [±SD] age 84.8±5.6 years, 24.2% men, mean [±SD] post-TAVI CAVI 9.6±1.4) were included in the study. There was no significant difference in baseline characteristics between groups with and without elevated CAVI, except for lower high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) and a higher prevalence of HF history in the group with elevated CAVI (P<0.05 for both). Post-TAVI elevated CAVI (n=102) was associated with lower freedom from HF recurrence during the observational period (89.1% vs. 100%; median 726 days [interquartile range 329–1,104 days]; P<0.05). Moreover, CAVI was an independent predictor of HF occurrence (hazard ratio 1.62; 95% confidence interval 1.07–2.46; P=0.022).

Conclusions: Elevated CAVI was associated with HF occurrence before and after TAVI.

Transcatheter Mitral Valve-in-Valve Implantation With a New Transcatheter Heart Valve for Bioprosthetic Degeneration

BACKGROUND

Transcatheter mitral valve-in-valve (TMVIV) procedure with aortic transcatheter heart valves has recently become a less invasive alternative for patients with mitral bioprosthetic dysfunction. This study reports the initial experience of TMVIV implantation using the J-Valve System (JieCheng Medical Technology Corporation Ltd., Suzhou, China).

METHODS

A retrospective observational multicenter study was conducted to evaluate the short-term outcomes of TMVIV. In total, 26 consecutive patients with symptomatic bioprosthetic failure at eight hospitals underwent TMVIV using the J-Valve System between May 2019 and June 2021. Procedural results and clinical outcomes were analyzed using the Mitral Valve Academic Research Consortium criteria.

RESULTS

The mean age was 75.3 ± 7.1 years and 69.2% of patients were female. The mean Society of Thoracic Surgeons Predicted Risk of Mortality score was 12.3 ± 8.3%. The technical success rate was 96.2%. Nine of the 26 patients (34.6%) were implanted with a J-Valve of a size equal to the internal diameters of the deteriorated prostheses. At the 30-day and 1-year follow-ups, all-cause mortality was 3.8 and 16.0% and the stroke rates were 0 and 12.0%, respectively. Device-related mortality was 0% and the mean mitral valve gradient was 6.4 ± 2.7 mm Hg. No patient experienced device embolization, left ventricular outflow tract obstruction, or mitral valve reintervention. Postprocedural mitral regurgitation was none or trace in all the patients. All the patients were in the New York Heart Association (NYHA) class ≤ II at the last follow-up.

CONCLUSION

Transcatheter implantation of the J-Valve System in high-risk patients with mitral bioprosthetic dysfunction was found to be a reasonable alternative and associated with good short-term outcomes.

Cardiac Imaging for the Assessment of Left Atrial Mechanics Across Heart Failure Stages

The left atrium (LA) is emerging as a key element in the pathophysiology of several cardiac diseases due to having an active role in contrasting heart failure (HF) progression. Its morphological and functional remodeling occurs progressively according to pressure or volume overload generated by the underlying disease, and its ability of adaptation contributes to avoid pulmonary circulation congestion and to postpone HF symptoms. Moreover, early signs of LA dysfunction can anticipate and predict the clinical course of HF diseases before the symptom onset which, particularly, also applies to patients with increased risk of HF with still normal cardiac structure (stage A HF). The study of LA mechanics (chamber morphology and function) is moving from a research interest to a clinical application thanks to a great clinical, prognostic, and pathophysiological significance. This process is promoted by the technological progress of cardiac imaging which increases the availability of easy-to-use tools for clinicians and HF specialists. Two-dimensional (2D) speckle tracking echocardiography and feature tracking cardiac magnetic resonance are becoming essential for daily practice. In this context, a deep understanding of LA mechanics, its prognostic significance, and the available approaches are essential to improve clinical practice. The present review will focus on LA mechanics, discussing atrial physiology and pathophysiology of main cardiac diseases across the HF stages with specific attention to the prognostic significance. Imaging techniques for LA mechanics assessment will be discussed with an overlook on the dynamic (under stress) evaluation of the chamber.

Transcatheter Versus Surgical Valve Repair in Patients with Severe Mitral Regurgitation

Background. Transcatheter edge-to-edge mitral valve repair (TMVR) is increasingly performed. However, its efficacy in comparison with surgical MV treatment (SMV) is unknown. Methods. Consecutive patients with severe mitral regurgitation (MR) undergoing TMVR (68% functional, 32% degenerative) or SMV (9% functional, 91% degenerative) were enrolled. To account for differences in baseline characteristics, propensity score matching was performed, including age, EuroSCORE-II, left ventricular ejection fraction, and NT-proBNP. A composite of heart failure (HF) hospitalization/death served as primary endpoint. Kaplan-Meier curves and Cox-regression analyses were used to investigate associations between baseline, imaging, and procedural parameters and outcome. Results. Between July 2017 and April 2020, 245 patients were enrolled, of whom 102 patients could be adequately matched (73 y/o, 61% females, EuroSCORE-II: 5.7%, p > 0.05 for all). Despite matching, TMVR patients had more co-morbidities at baseline (higher rates of prior myocardial infarction, coronary revascularization, pacemakers/defibrillators, and diabetes mellitus, p < 0.009 for all). Patients were followed for 28.3 ± 27.2 months, during which 27 events (17 deaths, 10 HF hospitalizations) occurred. Postprocedural MR reduction (MR grade <2: TMVR vs. SMV: 88% vs. 94%, p = 0.487) and freedom from HF hospitalization/death (log-rank: p = 0.811) were similar at 2 years. On multivariable Cox analysis, EuroSCORE-II (adj.HR 1.07 [95%CI: 1.00–1.13], p = 0.027) and residual MR (adj.HR 1.85 [95%CI: 1.17–2.92], p = 0.009) remained significantly associated with outcome. Conclusions. In this propensity-matched, all-comers cohort, two-year outcomes after TMVR versus SMV were similar. Given the reported favorable long-term durability of TMVR, the interventional approach emerges as a valuable alternative for a substantial number of patients with functional and degenerative MR.

Budget impact analysis of transcatheter aortic valve replacement in low, intermediate, and high-risk patients with severe aortic stenosis in Saudi Arabia

AIMS

A budget impact analysis (BIA) comparing transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) with SAPIEN 3 and surgical aortic valve replacement (SAVR) for severe, symptomatic aortic stenosis among patients of low, intermediate, and high surgical risk from the perspective of the public and private sectors in Saudi Arabia.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A Markov model was developed with six states to calculate the budget impact from time of either TAVR or SAVR intervention up to 5 years. We compared the budget effects of new permanent pacemaker implantation (PPI), new onset atrial fibrillation (AF), major/disabling stroke (MDS), and surgical site infections (SSI). One-way sensitivity analyses (OWSA) were performed on cost and probability inputs.

RESULTS

Analysis of the base case parameters suggests TAVR vs. SAVR is budget saving among intermediate- and high-risk patients at 5 years. TAVR vs. SAVR for low surgical risk reaches budget neutrality at 5 years. TAVR is associated with higher costs for PPI and budget savings for MDS, AF, and SSI. TAVR also results in savings for non-device costs due to fewer human resource uses and shorter procedure durations. Similarly, TAVR is associated with cost savings due to shorter hospital intensive care unit (ICU) and non-ICU stays. The OWSA consistently revealed that SAVR non-device theater costs were the leading cost driver across all surgical risk levels.

LIMITATIONS

This is the first budget impact analysis of its kind in Saudi Arabia and future research is needed on costing TAVR and SAVR procedures, the economic impact of SSI, and corroborating estimates for the public and private sectors.

CONCLUSIONS

Payers, providers, and policymakers increasingly turn to results of BIA to inform technologies affordability decisions. TAVR with SAPIEN 3 appears to generate savings vs. SAVR from a budget impact perspective across various surgical risk levels in Saudi Arabia.

Hemodynamics for the Heart Failure Clinician: A State-of-the-Art Review

Heart failure (HF) fundamentally reflects an inability of the heart to provide adequate blood flow to the body without incurring the cost of increased cardiac filling pressures. This failure occurs first during the stressed state, but progresses until hemodynamic derangements become apparent at rest. As such, the measurement and interpretation of both resting and stressed hemodynamics serve an integral role in the practice of the HF clinician. In this review, we discuss conceptual and technical best practices in the performance and interpretation of both resting and invasive exercise hemodynamic catheterization, relate important pathophysiologic concepts to clinical care, and discuss updated, evidence-based applications of hemodynamics as they pertain to the full spectrum of HF conditions.

An unusual presentation of a corpus luteum rupture

Rheumatic heart disease (RHD) is one of the most common cardiac conditions seen in India with mitral stenosis as the most prevalent cause affecting females more than males. With the increasing number of patients undergoing mitral valve replacement (MVR) and mandatory use of anticoagulants post-MVR, the patients presenting with drug-induced coagulopathy have increased. One of the rare complications of coagulopathy-related hemorrhage may be associated with a gynecological cause with maximum risk in women of reproductive age group. This chance of hemorrhage has increased due to various events that occur in reproductive organs, namely, ovulation, menstruation, trauma due to sexual intercourse, or pregnancy-related bleeding. Such bleeding is evident as external vaginal bleeding or hemoperitoneum. Hereby, we present a rare case of a 30-year-old woman, on anticoagulant therapy for MVR who presented with congestive cardiac failure associated with massive hemoperitoneum. On ultrasound-guided paracentesis, the cause of mild-to-moderate ascites was normal ovulatory bleed evident by the bleeding from the corpus luteal cyst.

Budget impact analysis of a bioprosthetic valve with a novel tissue versus mechanical aortic valve replacement in patients older than 65 years with aortic stenosis in Saudi Arabia

AIMS

A budget impact analysis (BIA) comparing bioprosthetic valves with RESILIA tissue and mechanical valves in aortic stenosis (AS) patients > 65 years in the public and private sectors of Saudi Arabia.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A decision-tree with a partitioned survival model was adapted to estimate the financial consequences of either a RESILIA tissue valve or a mechanical valve in aortic valve replacement (AVR) procedures up to 5 years. The budget impact of resource consumption for both valve types was compared and included disabling strokes, reoperations, minor thromboembolic events, major bleeding, endocarditis, anticoagulation treatment and monitoring, and echocardiogram assessments. One-way sensitivity analyses (OWSA) were performed on cost and probability inputs.

RESULTS

RESILIA tissue valves versus mechanical valves are overall budget saving commencing in Year 1 and savings gradually increase year-on-year. The higher costs of the initial procedure, reoperation, and additional monitoring (echocardiogram tests and visits) associated with RESILIA tissue valves are offset by savings in warfarin use, disabling strokes, major bleeding, and anticoagulation complications. The cost per initial procedure per patient is SAR795 higher for a RESILIA tissue valve reflecting the higher valve acquisition cost, which is partially offset by a shorter hospital stay. The OWSA suggests that total procedure costs of each valve, including the hospital stay, are the main cost drivers in the model.

LIMITATIONS

The variability of cost inputs and the presence of multiple payers with multiple costing data is a key challenge in Saudi Arabia. Budget impact results may, therefore, change if repeated per AVR center and may also be impacted by the long-term durability of RESILIA tissue valves.

CONCLUSIONS

An AVR in patients > 65 years with a RESILIA tissue valve is budget-saving from the first year in Saudi Arabia. Patients, payers, providers and policymakers may benefit economically from increased implantation of RESILIA tissue valves.

Left ventricular remodelling in bicuspid aortic valve disease

AIMS

Characterization of left ventricular (LV) geometric pattern and LV mass could provide an important insight into the pathophysiological adaptations of the LV to pressure and/or volume overload in patients with bicuspid aortic valve (BAV) and significant (≥moderate) aortic valve (AV) disease. This study aimed to characterize LV remodelling and its prognostic impact in patients with BAV according to the predominant type of valvular dysfunction.

METHODS AND RESULTS

In this international, multicentre BAV registry, 1345 patients [51.0 (37.0-63.0) years, 71% male] with significant AV disease were identified. Patients were classified as having isolated aortic stenosis (AS) (n = 669), isolated aortic regurgitation (AR) (n = 499) or mixed aortic valve disease (MAVD) (n = 177). LV hypertrophy was defined as a LV mass index >115 g/m2 in males and >95 g/m2 in females. LV geometric pattern was classified as (i) normal geometry: no LV hypertrophy, relative wall thickness (RWT) ≤0.42, (ii) concentric remodelling: no LV hypertrophy, RWT >0.42, (iii) concentric hypertrophy: LV hypertrophy, RWT >0.42, and (iv) eccentric hypertrophy: LV hypertrophy, RWT ≤0.42. Patients were followed-up for the endpoints of event-free survival (defined as a composite of AV repair/replacement and all-cause mortality) and all-cause mortality. Type of AV dysfunction was related to significant variations in LV remodelling. Higher LV mass index, i.e. LV hypertrophy, was independently associated with the composite endpoint for patients with isolated AS [hazard ratio (HR) 1.08 per 25 g/m2, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.00-1.17, P = 0.046] and AR (HR 1.19 per 25 g/m2, 95% CI 1.11-1.29, P < 0.001), but not for those with MAVD. The presence of concentric remodelling, concentric hypertrophy and eccentric hypertrophy were independently related to the composite endpoint in patients with isolated AS (HR 1.54, 95% CI 1.06-2.23, P = 0.024; HR 1.68, 95% CI 1.17-2.42, P = 0.005; HR 1.59, 95% CI 1.03-2.45, P = 0.038, respectively), while concentric hypertrophy and eccentric hypertrophy were independently associated with the combined endpoint for those with isolated AR (HR 2.49, 95% CI 1.35-4.60, P = 0.004 and HR 3.05, 95% CI 1.71-5.45, P < 0.001, respectively). There was no independent association observed between LV remodelling and the combined endpoint for patients with MAVD.

CONCLUSIONS

LV hypertrophy or remodelling were independently associated with the composite endpoint of AV repair/replacement and all-cause mortality for patients with isolated AS and isolated AR, although not for patients with MAVD.

Association between serum cystatin C level and hemodynamically significant aortic stenosis: a prospective cohort study

BACKGROUND

Cystatin C (CysC) is a cysteine protease inhibitor involved in proteins catabolism and plays an essential role in human vascular pathophysiology. CysC may also increase the risk of aortic stenosis (AS), but limited studies have reported on this association. This study aimed to investigate if elevated serum CysC levels are associated with hemodynamically significant AS.

METHODS

Serum CysC levels were estimated in 4,791 participants, samples were collected in 1990-1992. The study population was divided into quintile groups. Follow-up continued in 2011-2013 when participants returned for echocardiography examination. Incidence of aortic valve disease (AVD) was ascertained by Doppler echocardiography through the end of 2013. AVD defined in hemodynamic progression was assessed and classified as aortic sclerosis, mild stenosis, and moderate-to-severe stenosis.

RESULTS

Overall, a total of 4,791 participants (mean age: 54.8 ± 5.0 years, females: 57.6%, blacks: 8.2%) were included in this study. During a follow-up of 21 years, we identified 736 cases (15.4%) of aortic sclerosis, 194 cases (4.0%) of mild stenosis, and 42 cases (0.7%) of moderate-to-severe stenosis. Compared with serum CysC levels within individual quintile groups, the odds ratio (OR) was per standard deviation associated with an increased incidence of AVD (OR = 1.15, 95% CI: 1.05-1.26,P = 0.002).

CONCLUSIONS

In this large population-based study, an increased serum CysC levels is independently associated with the incidence of hemodynamically significant AS. However, this association appears not to extend to patients with extremely high serum CysC levels and necessitate further investigation.

Adjunctive Techniques for Repair of Ischaemic Mitral Regurgitation

Ischaemic mitral regurgitation is a complex process with debate in the literature as to the optimal treatment pathway. Multiple therapies are available to alleviate mitral regurgitation including medical management, transcatheter edge-to-edge repair, mitral valve repair and mitral valve replacement. Medical management with goal-directed therapy should be utilised in patients with heart failure and mild-to-moderate regurgitation. Transcatheter approaches are typically used in patients with prohibitive operative risk, although their use is expanding, especially in those with functional mitral regurgitation who are not responding to goal-directed medical therapy. It is generally accepted that patients with mild-to-moderate disease can avoid valve intervention if successful revascularisation is performed. A higher consideration should be given to valve replacement over repair in patients with severe mitral regurgitation in the setting of myocardial ischaemia. Operative course must be personalised to each patient, and continues to develop with improving technologies and ongoing research into optimal treatment.

Severity of Functional Mitral Regurgitation on Admission for Acute Decompensated Heart Failure Predicts Long-Term Risk of Rehospitalization and Death

Background

Functional mitral regurgitation (FMR) has emerged as a therapeutic target in patients with chronic heart failure and left ventricular systolic dysfunction. The significance of FMR in acute decompensated heart failure remains obscure. We systematically investigated the prevalence and clinical significance of FMR on admission in patients admitted with acute decompensated heart failure and left ventricular systolic dysfunction.

Methods and Results

The study was a single‐center, retrospective review of patients admitted with acute decompensated heart failure and left ventricular systolic dysfunction between 2012 and 2017. Patients were divided into 3 groups of FMR: none/mild, moderate, and moderate‐to‐severe/severe FMR. The primary outcome was 1‐year post‐discharge all‐cause mortality. We also compared these groups for 6‐month heart failure hospitalization rates. Of 2303 patients, 39% (896) were women. Median left ventricular ejection fraction was 25%. Four hundred and fifty‐three (20%) patients had moderate‐to‐severe/severe FMR, which was independently associated with 1‐year all‐cause mortality. Moderate or worse FMR was found in 1210 (53%) patients and was independently associated with 6‐month heart failure hospitalization. Female sex was independently associated with higher severity of FMR.

Conclusions

More than half of patients hospitalized with acute decompensated heart failure and left ventricular systolic dysfunction had at least moderate FMR, which was associated with increased readmission rates and mortality. Intensified post‐discharge follow‐up should be undertaken to eliminate FMR amenable to pharmacological therapy and enable timely and appropriate intervention for persistent FMR. Further studies are needed to examine sex‐related disparities in FMR.

Transcatheter aortic valve replacement for aortic regurgitation in Asians: TAVR for aortic regurgitation in Asians

AIMS

Although surgical aortic valve replacement (SAVR) is currently the recommended intervention for patients with native AR without aortic stenosis, a significant proportion of Asian patients undergo transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR), which has not been studied fully for safety and outcomes. This systematic review aims to examine the characteristics and outcomes of Asian patients with pure native aortic regurgitation (AR) undergoing TAVR.

METHODS AND RESULTS

PubMed, Embase, Scopus, Web of Science and Cochrane CENTRAL were systematically searched for randomised controlled trials, observational studies and case reports published  from inception to 2 April 2020, involving patients of Asian ethnicity with pure native aortic regurgitation who had undergone TAVR. Our primary outcome was all-cause mortality, with secondary outcomes including all major complications. Five studies (n=274 patients) and eight case reports were included. Device success was reported in 94.9% of the patients, the all-cause mortality rate was 4.4%, 2.5% were converted to SAVR, 1.7% had post-operative paravalvular leak and 6.7% required permanent pacemaker implantation.

CONCLUSIONS

TAVR has demonstrated acceptable safety and efficacy in Asian patients with pure AR displaying low mortality rates and few adverse outcomes.

Mitral valve repair with a device for artificial chordal implantation at 2 years

Objectives

This study examines the early and midterm safety, efficacy, and durability of mitral valve repair for primary mitral regurgitation (MR) using the ChordArt device (CoreMedic) for chordal replacement.

Methods

Five patients with symptomatic severe primary degenerative MR due to isolated central posterior leaflet prolapse/flail were treated with the ChordArt device in a transseptal surgical approach and followed prospectively with periodical clinical and echocardiographic assessments for 2 years.

Results

Reduction of MR immediately after the implantation of artificial chords was achieved in all patients showing no or trace MR (<1+/4+). In all patients, MR <1+ was maintained during 24 months of follow-up. No dehiscence, detachment, or dislocation of the implanted ChordArt devices was observed. Transthoracic echocardiography showed that left ventricle end diastolic diameter significantly decreased during the whole follow-up period in comparison to baseline condition, especially at discharge and 1-month follow-up. Left ventricle end systolic diameter also significantly decreased during the whole follow-up period in comparison to baseline condition. Left atrial volume significantly decreased during the follow-up period in comparison to discharge. No major adverse events, as defined per protocol, were observed during the intervention or during the follow-up period.

Conclusions

The ChordArt device allows successful treatment of primary degenerative MR due to posterior mitral leaflet prolapse or flail, with a good safety profile and promising immediate clinical and echocardiographic benefits that are confirmed up to 24 months.

Predictors and prognostic relevance of tricuspid alterations in patients undergoing transcatheter edge-to-edge mitral valve repair

BACKGROUND

Mitral valve repair may lead to alterations of tricuspid regurgitation (TR).

AIMS

We aimed to investigate alterations, predictors and prognostic relevance of TR evolution in a large-scale multicentre population of patients undergoing transcatheter mitral valve repair (TMVR) via the MitraClip.

METHODS

In total, we included 531 TMVR patients with at least one available follow-up echocardiography. TR improvement was defined as a TR ≥II at baseline, which showed a decline of at least one TR categorisation.

RESULTS

Distribution of preprocedural TR severity was TR 0/I 41% (220/531), TR II 39% (209/531) and TR ≥III 19% (102/531), respectively. Follow-up echocardiography was at 308±187 days. TR severity improved to TR 0/I 49% (259/531), TR II 35% (183/531) and TR III 17% (89/531), p=0.003. Out of 311 patients with TR ≥II at baseline, 41% (127/311) showed TR improvement. Atrial fibrillation (AF), residual mitral regurgitation ≥II (rMR) and tricuspid annular diameter (TAD) remained variables which prevented TR improvement (odds ratio 0.49 [0.29-0.84], 0.47 [0.27-0.81] and 0.97 [0.93-0.997], respectively). TR improvement was associated with better event-free survival regarding post-procedural heart failure hospitalisation (HHF) (hazard ratio 0.6 [0.38-0.94]). The main changes of TR severity occurred within 3 months post TMVR (p=0.006), while there were only minor TR changes between 3 and 12 months of follow-up (p=0.813).

CONCLUSIONS

TR improvement was frequent after TMVR. Predictors preventing TR improvement were AF, post-procedural rMR, and TAD. Furthermore, TR improvement was an early phenomenon occurring primarily within the first three months post TMVR and served as a suitable marker of reduced HHF.

One-Year Hemodynamic Performance of Three Cardiac Aortic Bioprostheses: A Randomized Comparative Clinical Trial

Background: We aimed to compare 1 year the hemodynamic in-vivo performance of three biological aortic prostheses (Carpentier Perimount Magna Ease^TM, Crown PRT^TM, and Trifecta^TM). Methods: The sample used in this study comes from the “BEST-VALVE” clinical trial, which is a phase IV single-blinded randomized clinical trial with the three above-mentioned prostheses. Results: 154 patients were included. Carpentier Perimount Magna Ease^TM (n = 48, 31.2%), Crown PRT^TM (n = 51, 32.1%) and Trifecta^TM (n = 55, 35.7%). One year after the surgery, the mean aortic gradient and the peak aortic velocity was 17.5 (IQR 11.3–26) and 227.1 (IQR 202.0–268.8) for Carpentier Perimount Magna Ease^TM, 21.4 (IQR 14.5–26.7) and 237.8 (IQR 195.9–261.9) for Crown PRT^TM, and 13 (IQR 9.6–17.8) and 209.7 (IQR 176.5–241.4) for Trifecta^TM, respectively. Pairwise comparisons demonstrated improved mean gradients and maximum velocity of Trifecta^TM as compared to Crown PRT^TM. Among patients with nominal prosthesis sizes ≤ 21, the mean and peak aortic gradient was higher for Crown PRT^TM compared with Trifecta^TM, and in patients with an aortic annulus measured with metric Hegar dilators less than or equal to 22 mm. Conclusions: One year after surgery, the three prostheses presented a different hemodynamic performance, being Trifecta^TM superior to Crown PRT^TM.

Long term outcomes in patients with RF/RHD: Eight-year follow-up of HP-RF/RHD (Himachal Pradesh Rheumatic Fever/Rheumatic Heart Disease) registry in a Northern Indian state

BACKGROUND

The long-term outcome data in patients with rheumatic fever/rheumatic heart disease (RF/RHD) is limited. We report the cumulative incidence of adverse outcomes in a cohort of RHD patients from a northern state of India at a median follow-up of 5.4 years.

METHODS

1714 patients with RF/RHD diagnosed using clinical and echocardiographic criteria were registered from 2011 to 2018, and their baseline clinical characteristics and treatment practices were recorded. Patients were followed up annually for a median of 5.4 years (range 1-8 years) for incident adverse outcomes. The cumulative incidence of adverse composite outcomes, all-cause mortality, hospitalization for heart failure, stroke, and/or peripheral embolism was estimated. The baseline clinical characteristics were explored to identify the potential risk predictors using a multivariate cox proportional hazard model.

RESULTS

The cumulative incidence of adverse composite outcomes was 17.1% (15.3%-19.0%) at a median follow-up of 5.4 years. The predictors for the adverse composite outcomes (hazard ratio, 95% confidence interval) were age (1.03, 1.02-1.04), education status below primary level (1.60, 1.23-2.05), severe valvular heart disease (1.74, 1.36-2.23), NYHA class III/IV at enrollment (1.56, 1.18-2.07), right heart failure (4.48, 2.85-6.95), history of stroke and/or peripheral embolism (3.7, 1.5-9.2) and mitral balloon valvuloplasty (0.62, 0.40-0.96).

CONCLUSIONS

The incidence of adverse outcomes is substantial in patients with RF/RHD. Thus, early detection of high-risk patients and their risk management is needed to improve outcomes.

Characteristics, interventions and outcomes of patients with valvular heart disease hospitalised in China: a cross-sectional study

OBJECTIVES

Little is known about contemporary characteristics and management of valvular heart disease (VHD) in China. This study aimed to examine the clinical characteristics, aetiology and type of VHD, interventions and in-hospital outcomes of patients with VHD hospitalised in China.

METHODS

We used a two-stage random sampling design to create a nationally representative sample of patients with VHD hospitalised in 2015 in China and included adult patients with mild, moderate or severe VHD. We abstracted data from medical records, including echocardiogram reports, on patient characteristics, aetiology, type and severity of VHD, interventions and in-hospital outcomes. We weighted our findings to estimate nationally representative hospitalisations. We performed multivariable logistic regression analysis to identify factors associated with valve intervention.

RESULTS

In 2015, 38 841 patients with VHD were hospitalised in 188 randomly sampled hospitals, representing 662 384 inpatients with VHD in China. We sampled 9363 patients, mean age 68.7 years (95% CI 42.2 to 95.2) and 46.8% (95% CI 45.8% to 47.8%) male, with an echocardiogram. Degenerative origin was the predominant aetiology overall (33.3%, 95% CI 32.3% to 34.3%), while rheumatic origin was the most frequent aetiology among patients with VHD as the primary diagnosis (37.4%, 95% CI 35.9% to 38.8%). Rheumatic origin was also the most common aetiology among patients with moderate or severe VHD (27.3%, 95% CI 25.6% to 29.0% and 33.6%, 95% CI 31.9% to 35.2%, respectively). The most common VHD was mitral regurgitation (79.1%, 95% CI 78.2% to 79.9%), followed by tricuspid regurgitation (77.4%, 95% CI 76.5% to 78.2%). Among patients with a primary diagnosis of severe VHD who were admitted to facilities capable of valve intervention, 35.6% (95% CI 33.1% to 38.1%) underwent valve intervention during the hospitalisation. The likelihood of intervention decreased significantly among patients with higher operative risk.

CONCLUSIONS

Among patients with VHD hospitalised in China, the predominant aetiology was degenerative in origin; among patients with moderate or severe VHD, rheumatic origin was the most common aetiology. Targeted strategies and policies should be promoted to address degenerative VHD. Patients with severe VHD may be undertreated, particularly those with high operative risk.

Repeated echocardiographic imaging of aortic stenosis: Real-life lessons

BACKGROUND

Timing of aortic valve intervention is dependent on the accuracy and reproducibility of echocardiographic (ECHO) parameters. We aimed to assess haemodynamic subsets of aortic stenosis (AS), their change over time, and variability of ECHO parameters.

METHOD

This retrospective, longitudinal study compared sequential ECHO over 15 months to identify concordant or discordant aortic valve area (AVA) and mean pressure gradient (MPG) in order to determine the real world variability of echocardiographic indices.

RESULTS

We included 143 patients with a mean age of 76.0 years. The median length of time between studies was 112 days (IQR 38-208). Initially, participants were classified as 9 (6.4%) mild, 47 (33.6%) moderate, and 84 (60.0%%) severe AS. In 80 (55.9%) AVA and MPG were concordant; stroke volume index (SVi) was < 35 mL/m² in 53 (74.6%). AS severity was downgraded in 29 (20.7%) patients. MPG was most consistent and AVA was the least consistent between successive investigations (intraclass correlation coefficients R = .86 and R = .76, respectively). Even small variations in left ventricular outflow tract (LVOT) measurement of 1 standard deviation reclassified up to 67% of participants from severe to non-severe.

CONCLUSION

Almost half of patients with AS have valve area/gradient discordance. Variations in LVOT diameter measurement commensurate with clinical practice reclassified AS severity in up to two-third of cases. Change in AS severity should only be accepted following careful scrutiny of all available ECHO data.

Cardiac Complications in Pregnant Women With Isolated Mitral Stenosis and Their Association With Echocardiographic Changes During Pregnancy

In women with mitral stenosis (MS), mitral valve gradients and right ventricular systolic pressure (RVSP) can increase in response to the physiologic stress of pregnancy. The prognostic significance of these echocardiographic changes has not been well studied. Pregnancy outcomes and serial echocardiograms were collected in women with MS prospectively recruited as part of a larger study on pregnancy outcomes. Third trimester echocardiograms were compared with baseline echocardiograms. Changes in mitral valve area (MVA), transmitral mean gradient (MG), and RVSP during pregnancy and their relationship to adverse cardiac events (CE) were examined. Fifty-six pregnancies in 47 women with MS were included. The MVA did not change during pregnancy (1.6 ± 0.6 cm² at baseline vs 1.7 ± 0.6 cm² in the third trimester, p = 0.46). There was an increase in the MG (8 ± 3 vs 11 ± 6 mm Hg, p <0.001) and the RVSP (39 ± 14 vs 47 ± 20 mm Hg, p <0.001) during the third trimester. Adverse CE occurred in 45% (25/56) of pregnancies. CE were associated with baseline MG>10 mm Hg, baseline RVSP >40 mm Hg, third-trimester MG>10 mm Hg, and RVSP >40 mm Hg. Women with mitral valve MG ≤10 mm Hg who had a normal RVSP at baseline and in the third trimester were at lowest risk for CE (11%) with a negative predictive value of 89%. In conclusion, baseline echocardiographic assessment of MS severity as well as changing echocardiographic parameters during pregnancy can help identify women at risk for cardiac complications during pregnancy.

Prevalence and predictors of left atrial appendage inactivity in patients of rheumatic mitral stenosis in sinus rhythm: An observational study

BACKGROUND

Systemic thromboembolism is a known complication of rheumatic mitral stenosis (RMS) in sinus rhythm (SR). Left atrial appendage (LAA), the commonest site of thrombus formation is usually hypocontractile (inactive) in such patients. We aimed to study the prevalence of LAA inactivity (LAAI) in severe RMS and assess its independent predictors.

METHODS

The study population consisted of 100 patients of severe RMS in SR. Transthoracic and transesophageal echocardiography were done to assess LAA contractile function. Patients with LAA-peak emptying velocity < 25 cm/seconds were defined as having LAAI.

RESULTS

The mean age of study subjects was 31.66±8.69 years and 56% were females. 73% patients had LAAI (Group A), while remaining 27% had normal LAA function (Group B). Mitral-valve area (MVA) and lateral annulus systolic velocity (Sa-wave) were significantly lower while mitral valve mean gradient (MVMG) and serum fibrinogen were significantly higher (all p-values < 0.001) in group A patients. On multivariate binary logistic regression analysis, MVMG (p < 0.001), Sa-wave (p = 0.02), and serum fibrinogen (p = 0.005) were independent predictors of LAAI. Optimal cut-off values of MVMG, Sa-wave and serum fibrinogen for predicting LAAI were 11.5 mm Hg, 6.8 cm/seconds and 300 mg/dl, respectively. Sixty-Seven (90.55%) patients in group A compared to 13(48.1%) in group B had LA/LAA smoke. LAAI was the only independent predictor of left atrium (LA)/LAA smoke with or without associated thrombus.

CONCLUSION

There is high prevalence of LAAI in patients of severe MS in SR. MVMG, Sa-wave, and serum fibrinogen levels are independent predictors of LAAI. LAAI is an independent predictor of LA/LAA smoke with or without associated thrombus.

A Sneak-Peek into the Physician's Brain: A Retrospective Machine Learning-Driven Investigation of Decision-Making in TAVR versus SAVR for Young High-Risk Patients with Severe Symptomatic Aortic Stenosis

Transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) has rapidly become a viable alternative to the conventional isolated surgical aortic valve replacement (iSAVR) for treating severe symptomatic aortic stenosis. However, data on younger patients is scarce and a gap exists between data-based recommendations and the clinical use of TAVR. In our study, we utilized a machine learning (ML) driven approach to model the complex decision-making process of Heart Teams when treating young patients with severe symptomatic aortic stenosis with either TAVR or iSAVR and to identify the relevant considerations. Out of the considered factors, the variables most prominently featured in our ML model were congestive heart failure, established risk assessment scores, previous cardiac surgeries, a reduced left ventricular ejection fraction and peripheral vascular disease. Our study demonstrates a viable application of ML-based approaches for studying and understanding complex clinical decision-making processes.

Subphenotyping of Patients With Aortic Stenosis by Unsupervised Agglomerative Clustering of Echocardiographic and Hemodynamic Data

OBJECTIVES

The aim of this retrospective analysis was to categorize patients with severe aortic stenosis (AS) according to clinical presentation by applying unsupervised machine learning.

BACKGROUND

Patients with severe AS present with heterogeneous clinical phenotypes, depending on disease progression and comorbidities.

METHODS

Unsupervised agglomerative clustering was applied to preprocedural data from echocardiography and right heart catheterization from 366 consecutively enrolled patients undergoing transcatheter aortic valve replacement for severe AS.

RESULTS

Cluster analysis revealed 4 distinct phenotypes. Patients in cluster 1 (n = 164 [44.8%]), serving as a reference, presented with regular cardiac function and without pulmonary hypertension (PH). Accordingly, estimated 2-year survival was 90.6% (95% CI: 85.8%-95.6%). Clusters 2 (n = 66 [18.0%]) and 4 (n = 91 [24.9%]) both comprised patients with postcapillary PH. Yet patients in cluster 2 with preserved left and right ventricular structure and function showed a similar survival as those in cluster 1 (2-year survival 85.8%; 95% CI: 76.9%-95.6%), whereas patients in cluster 4 with dilatation of all heart chambers and a high prevalence of mitral and tricuspid regurgitation (12.5% and 14.8%, respectively) died more often (2-year survival 74.9% [95% CI: 65.9%-85.2%]; HR for 2-year mortality: 2.8 [95% CI: 1.4-5.5]). Patients in cluster 3, the smallest (n = 45 [12.3%]), displayed the most extensive disease characteristics (ie, left and right heart dysfunction together with combined pre- and postcapillary PH), and 2-year survival was accordingly reduced (77.3% [95% CI: 65.2%-91.6%]; HR for 2-year mortality: 2.6 [95% CI: 1.1-6.2]).

CONCLUSIONS

Unsupervised machine learning aids in capturing complex clinical presentations as observed in patients with severe AS. Importantly, structural alterations in left and right heart morphology, possibly due to genetic predisposition, constitute an equally sensitive indicator of poor prognosis compared with high-grade PH.

Efficacy and safety of low intensity vitamin K antagonists in Western and East-Asian patients with left-sided mechanical heart valves

The optimal INR target in patients with mechanical heart valves is unclear. Higher INR targets are often used in Western compared with East Asian countries. The objective of this systematic review and meta-analysis was to summarize the evidence for the efficacy and safety of lower versus higher INR targets in Western and East Asian left-sided mechanical heart valve patients. We searched Western databases including Cochrane CENTRAL, Medline, and Embase as well as Chinese databases including SinoMed, CNKI, and Wanfang Data in addition to grey literature for Randomized Controlled Trials (RCTs) and observational studies. We pooled risk ratios (RRs) using random-effects model. Low and high INR targets were defined by the individual studies. We identified nine RCTs, including six Western (n = 5496) and three East Asian (n = 209) trials, and 17 observational studies, including two Western (n = 3199) and 15 East Asian (n = 5485) studies. In the RCTs, lower compared with higher targets were associated with similar rates of thromboembolism (2.4 vs. 2.3%; RR: 1.14, 95% CI 0.82, 1.60, I² = 0%) and lower rates of both total bleeding (21.9 vs. 40.9%, RR: 0.46, 95% CI 0.28, 0.78, I² = 88%) and major bleeding. RCT data showed no statistical heterogeneity by region. These effects were consistent in the observational data. We downgraded the quality of evidence due to serious risk of bias and imprecision. In patients with left-sided contemporary mechanical heart valves, low quality evidence suggests lower INR targets are associated with similar rates of thromboembolism and moderate quality evidence suggests lower rates of bleeding.

A Case of Rapid Development of Methicillin‑Resistant Staphylococcus aureus Mechanical Aortic Root Abscess Despite Appropriate Antibiotic Use

A 74-year-old male with a past medical history of mechanical aortic valve replacement presented with abdominal pain and fever. Blood cultures revealed methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and the patient was started on target antibiotics. Initial transthoracic echocardiogram and transesophageal echocardiogram (TEE) did not show any vegetations or significant valvular regurgitation. No other sources of infection were identified. Five days after the initial TEE, a repeat TEE revealed new areas of thickening and echolucency seen anterior to the mechanical aortic valve, suggestive of aortic root abscess (AoRA). It also extended down the mitral-aortic intervalvular fibrosa and was associated with mitral valvular vegetation. 

Due to worsening clinical status and persistent bacteremia on appropriate antibiotics, a high index of suspicion for infective endocarditis (IE) remained after the initial TEE. As such, the repeat TEE was obtained only five days after and demonstrated clear evidence of rapidly growing endocarditis and abscess formation. This case uniquely demonstrates how rapid MRSA endocarditis may progress and emphasizes its high mortality. This case highlights the importance of a low threshold for repeat imaging when the index of suspicion for endocarditis remains high despite negative imaging.

Current treatment of symptomatic aortic stenosis in elderly patients: Do risk scores really matter after 80 years of age?

BACKGROUND

According to the guidelines, surgical aortic valve replacement (SAVR) is recommended in patients at low surgical risk (EuroSCORE II<4%), whereas for other patients, the decision between transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) and surgery should be made by the Heart Team, with TAVI being favoured in elderly patients.

AIM

The RAC prospective multicentre survey assessed the respective contributions of age and surgical risk scores in therapeutic decision making in elderly patients with severe symptomatic aortic stenosis.

METHODS

In September and October 2016, 1049 consecutive patients aged ≥ 75 years were included in 32 centres with on-site TAVI and surgical facilities. The primary endpoint was the decision between medical management, TAVI or SAVR.

RESULTS

Mean age was 84±5 years and 53% of patients were female. The surgical risk was classified as high (EuroSCORE II>8%) in 18% of patients, intermediate (EuroSCORE II 4-8%) in 34% and low (EuroSCORE II≤4%) in 48%. TAVI was preferred in 71% of patients, SAVR in 19% and medical treatment in 10%. The choice of TAVI over SAVR was associated with older age (P<0.0001) and a higher EuroSCORE II (P=0.008). However, the weight of EuroSCORE II in therapeutic decision making markedly decreased after the age of 80 years. Indeed, 77% of patients aged ≥ 80 years were referred for TAVI, despite a low estimated surgical risk.

CONCLUSIONS

The impact of risk scores depends strongly on age, and decreases considerably after 80 years, most patients being referred for TAVI, independent of their estimated surgical risk. Despite medical advancements, 10% of patients were still denied any intervention.

Computed Tomography-Based Assessment of Transvalvular Pressure Gradient in Aortic Stenosis

Background: In patients with aortic stenosis, computed tomography (CT) provides important information about cardiovascular anatomy for treatment planning but is limited in determining relevant hemodynamic parameters such as the transvalvular pressure gradient (TPG).

Purpose: In the present study, we aimed to validate a reduced-order model method for assessing TPG in aortic stenosis using CT data.

Methods: TPG_CT was calculated using a reduced-order model requiring the patient-specific peak-systolic aortic flow rate (Q) and the aortic valve area (AVA). AVA was determined by segmentation of the aortic valve leaflets, whereas Q was quantified based on volumetric assessment of the left ventricle. For validation, invasively measured TPG_catheter was calculated from pressure measurements in the left ventricle and the ascending aorta. Altogether, 84 data sets of patients with aortic stenosis were used to compare TPG_CT against TPG_catheter.

Results: TPG_catheter and TPG_CT were 50.6 ± 28.0 and 48.0 ± 26 mmHg, respectively (p = 0.56). A Bland–Altman analysis revealed good agreement between both methods with a mean difference in TPG of 2.6 mmHg and a standard deviation of 19.3 mmHg. Both methods showed good correlation with r = 0.72 (p < 0.001).

Conclusions: The presented CT-based method allows assessment of TPG in patients with aortic stenosis, extending the current capabilities of cardiac CT for diagnosis and treatment planning.

Should We Quantify Valvular Calcifications on Cardiac CT in Patients with Infective Endocarditis?

BACKGROUND

Evaluate the impact of valvular calcifications measured on cardiac computed tomography (CCT) in patients with infective endocarditis (IE).

METHODS

Seventy patients with native IE (36 aortic IE, 31 mitral IE, 3 bivalvular IE) were included and explored with CCT between January 2016 and April 2018. Mitral and aortic valvular calcium score (VCS) were measured on unenhanced calcium scoring images, and correlated with clinical, surgical data, and 1-year death rate.

RESULTS

VCS of patients with mitral IE and no peripheral embolism was higher than those with peripheral embolism (868 (25-1725) vs. 6 (0-95), p < 0.05). Patients with high calcified mitral IE (mitral VCS > 100; n = 15) had a lower rate of surgery (40.0% vs.78.9%; p = 0.03) and a higher 1-year-death risk (53.3% vs. 10.5%, p = 0.04; OR = 8.5 (2.75-16.40) than patients with low mitral VCS (n = 19). Patients with aortic IE and high aortic calcifications (aortic VCS > 100; n = 18) present more frequently atypical bacteria on blood cultures (33.3% vs. 4.8%; p = 0.03) than patients with low aortic VCS (n = 21).

CONCLUSION

The amount of valvular calcifications on CT was associated with embolism risk, rate of surgery and 1-year risk of death in patients with mitral IE, and germ's type in aortic IE raising the question of their systematic quantification in native IE.