2017 ESC/EACTS Guidelines for the management of valvular heart disease

[Cardiological functional diagnostics]

Cardiovascular diseases are common; therefore, adequate and guideline-based diagnostics and treatment are essential. In addition to an electrocardiogram (ECG) and (treadmill) exercise tests, echocardiography plays the pivotal role in functional cardiac testing. It is permanently available at the bedside and has a high diagnostic accuracy; however, examinations such as cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and computed tomography (CT) as well as nuclear medical imaging, e.g. single proton emission CT (SPECT) and positron emission tomography (PET) are becoming more and more common in clinical practice. This is due to the wide range of additional information and the high diagnostic accuracy. In the following article, the individual possibilities of non-invasive cardiac functional testing are presented and their meaningful application will be discussed; however, studies on the meaningful application of non-invasive diagnostics are scarce.

European Society of Cardiology (ESC) Annual Congress Report From Barcelona 2017

From August 26th to 30th, the 2017 Annual Congress of the European Society of Cardiology (ESC 2017) was held in Barcelona, Spain. Despite the terrorism tradegy just before the ESC congress, the congress attracted many medical professionals from all over the world to discuss the recent topics in cardiovascular medicine in more than 500 sessions, including COMPASS (Cardiovascular OutcoMes for People using Anticoagulation StrategieS Trial), CANTOS (Canakinumab Anti-Inflammatory Thrombosis Outcomes Study), and ORION (which assessed the effect of a novel siRNA inhibitor to PCSK9 on reductions in low-density lipoprotein cholesterol). Japanese cardiologists and the Japanese Circulation Society greatly contributed to the congress. This report briefly introduces some late-breaking registry results, late-breaking clinical trials, and ESC Guidelines from the ESC 2017 Congress.

Assessment of the severity of native mitral valve regurgitation

Mitral regurgitation (MR) is a major cause of cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. MR is classified as primary (organic) if it is due to an intrinsic valve abnormality, or secondary (functional) if the etiology is because of remodeling of left ventricular geometry and/or valve annulus. Transthoracic echocardiography (TTE) is the initial modality for MR evaluation. Parameters used for the assessment of MR include valve structure, cardiac remodeling, and color and spectral Doppler. Quantitative measurements include effective regurgitant orifice area, regurgitant volume, and regurgitant fraction. Knowledge of advantages and limitations of echo-Doppler parameters is essential for accurate results. An integrative approach is recommended in overall grading of MR as mild, moderate, or severe since singular parameters may be affected by several factors. When the mechanism and/or grade of MR is unclear from the TTE or is discrepant with the clinical scenario, further evaluation with transesophageal echocardiography or cardiac magnetic resonance imaging is recommended, the latter emerging as a powerful MR quantitation tool.

[Antiplatelet or anticoagulative strategies after surgical/interventional valve treatment]

At the end of August 2017 the European Society of Cardiology (ESC) and the European Association for Cardio-Thoracic Surgery (EACTS) published new joint guidelines for the treatment of valvular heart disease. These guidelines incorporate the scientific progress since the last version of the guidelines published in 2012. This article reviews current guideline recommendations for antiplatelet and anticoagulative therapy after surgical/interventional treatment of the aortic and mitral valves and discusses the underlying scientific evidence.

Early Experience With New Transcatheter Mitral Valve Replacement

BACKGROUND

Transcatheter mitral valve replacement (TMVR) is a potential therapy for patients with symptomatic, severe mitral regurgitation (MR). The feasibility of this therapy remains to be defined.

OBJECTIVES

The authors report their early experience with TMVR using a new valve system.

METHODS

The valve is a self-expanding, nitinol valve with bovine pericardial leaflets that is placed using a transapical delivery system. Patients with symptomatic MR who were deemed high or extreme risk by the local heart teams were enrolled in a global pilot study at 14 sites (United States, Australia, and Europe).

RESULTS

Fifty consecutively enrolled patients (mean age: 73 ± 9 years; 58.0% men; 84% secondary MR) underwent TMVR with the valve. The mean Society for Thoracic Surgery score was 6.4 ± 5.5%; 86% of patients were New York Heart Association functional class III or IV, and the mean left ventricular ejection fraction was 43 ± 12%. Device implant was successful in 48 patients with a median deployment time of 14 min (interquartile range: 12 to 17 min). The 30-day mortality was 14%, with no disabling strokes, or repeat interventions. Median follow-up was 173 days (interquartile range: 54 to 342 days). At latest follow-up, echocardiography confirmed mild or no residual MR in all patients who received implants. Improvements in symptom class (79% in New York Heart Association functional class I or II at follow-up; p < 0.0001 vs. baseline) and Minnesota Heart Failure Questionnaire scores (56.2 ± 26.8 vs. 31.7 ± 22.1; p = 0.011) were observed.

CONCLUSIONS

TMVR with the valve was feasible in a study group at high or extreme risk for conventional mitral valve replacement. These results inform trial design of TMVR in lower-risk patients with severe mitral valve regurgitation (Evaluation of the Safety and Performance of the Twelve Intrepid Transcatheter Mitral Valve Replacement System in High Risk Patients with Severe, Symptomatic Mitral Regurgitation - The Twelve Intrepid TMVR Pilot Study; NCT02322840).

Clinical outcome and functional characteristics of patients with asymptomatic low-flow low-gradient severe aortic stenosis with preserved ejection fraction are closer to high-gradient severe than to moderate aortic stenosis

Asymptomatic "paradoxic" severe low-flow low-gradient aortic stenosis with preserved ejection fraction (PAS) constitutes a challenging condition where the optimal management and follow-up remain elusive. We evaluated the clinical outcome in patients with PAS as compared to asymptomatic patients with moderate (MAS) or classical severe aortic stenosis (CAS). Consecutive asymptomatic moderate or severe aortic stenosis patients without concomitant other heart or lung disease (n = 121) were invited. Participants (n = 74) were assigned to three subgroups with regard to degree of aortic stenosis: MAS (n = 25), CAS (n = 22) and PAS (n = 27). Echocardiographic parameters at baseline and clinical outcome data after > 3 years of follow-up time were obtained. Patients with PAS had the smallest stroke volumes and the highest relative wall thickness (p < 0.05). Left ventricular mass index was highest in subjects with CAS, followed closely by PAS and eventually MAS subjects. Whereas ejection fraction was similar amongst the subgroups, a stepwise decrease in global longitudinal left ventricular strain with increasing degree of aortic stenosis was observed, with CAS patients displaying the lowest mean global longitudinal strain, followed by PAS and MAS. A trend towards increasing mortality rate by increasing degree of stenosis was observed. Patients with CAS underwent aortic valve replacement surgery more frequently than both PAS and MAS (p < 0.001). These data suggest that echocardiographic parameters and clinical outcome in patients with PAS bear closer resemblance to CAS than to MAS, but management of PAS is more conservative than in CAS.

Beating-Heart Mitral Valve Repair Using a Novel ePTFE Cordal Implantation Device: A Prospective Trial

BACKGROUND

Conventional mitral valve (MV) operations allow direct anatomic assessment and repair on an arrested heart, but require cardiopulmonary bypass, aortic cross-clamping, sternotomy or thoracotomy, and cardioplegic cardiac arrest, and are associated with significant perioperative disability, and risks of morbidity and mortality.

OBJECTIVES

This study evaluated safety and performance of a transesophageal echocardiographic-guided device designed to implant artificial expanded polytetrafluoroethylene (ePTFE) cords on mitral leaflets in the beating heart.

METHODS

In a prospective multicenter study, 30 consecutive patients with severe degenerative mitral regurgitation (MR) were treated with a mitral valve repair system (MVRS) via small left thoracotomy. The primary (30-day) endpoint was successful implantation of cords with MR reduction to moderate or less.

RESULTS

The primary endpoint was met in 27 of 30 patients (90%). Three patients required conversion to open mitral surgery. There were no deaths, strokes, or permanent pacemaker implantations. At 1 month, MR was mild or less in 89% (24 of 27) and was moderate in 11% (3 of 27). At 6 months, MR was mild or less in 85 % (22 of 26), moderate in 8% (2 of 26), and severe in 8% (2 of 26). Favorable cardiac remodeling at 6 months included decreases in end-diastolic (161 ± 36 ml to 122 ± 30 ml; p < 0.001) and left atrial volumes (106 ± 36 ml to 69 ± 24 ml; p < 0.001). The anterior-posterior mitral annular dimension decreased from 34.7 ± 5.8 mm to 28.2 ± 5.1 mm; p < 0.001 as did the mitral annular area (10.0 ± 2.7 cm² vs. 6.9 ± 2.0 cm²; p < 0.0001).

CONCLUSIONS

MVRS ePTFE cordal implantation can reduce the invasiveness and morbidity of conventional MV surgery. The device's safety profile is promising and prospective trials comparing the outcomes of the MVRS to conventional MV repair surgery are warranted. (CE Mark Study for the Harpoon Medical Device [TRACER]; NCT02768870).

Forward Left Ventricular Ejection Fraction: A Simple Risk Marker in Patients With Primary Mitral Regurgitation

Background

The timing of mitral valve surgery in asymptomatic patients with primary mitral regurgitation (MR) is controversial. We hypothesized that the forward left ventricular (LV) ejection fraction (LVEF; ie, LV outflow tract stroke volume divided by LV end‐diastolic volume) is superior to the total LVEF to predict outcomes in MR. The objective of this study was to examine the association between echocardiographic parameters of MR severity and LV function and outcomes in patients with MR.

Methods and Results

The clinical and Doppler‐echocardiographic data of 278 patients with ≥mild MR and no class I indication of mitral valve surgery at baseline were retrospectively analyzed. The primary study end point was the composite of mitral valve surgery or death. During a mean follow‐up of 5.4±3.2 years, there were 147 (53%) events: 96 (35%) MV surgeries and 66 (24%) deaths. Total LVEF and global longitudinal strain were not associated with the occurrence of events, whereas forward LVEF (P<0.0001) and LV end‐systolic diameter (P=0.0003) were. After adjustment for age, sex, MR severity, Charlson probability, coronary artery disease, and atrial fibrillation, forward LVEF remained independently associated with the occurrence of events (adjusted hazard ratio: 1.09, [95% confidence interval]: 1.02–1.17 per 5% decrease; P=0.01), whereas LV end‐systolic diameter was not (P=0.48).

Conclusions

The results of this study suggest that the forward LVEF may be superior to the total LVEF and LV end‐systolic diameter to predict outcomes in patients with primary MR. This simple and easily measurable parameter may be useful to improve risk stratification and select the best timing for intervention in patients with primary MR.

[Structured bedside-ultrasound in intensive care medicine]

The so-called point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) is of increasing importance for diagnostics and therapy control in intensive care medicine. Based on focused thorax sonography, echocardiography, and abdominal sonography, the most important working and differential diagnoses can be demonstrated or excluded depending on the leading symptom. Sonographic-based algorithms allow a structured evaluation especially of patients with the common leading symptoms dyspnea and thoracic pain.

[Heart valve disesases : How sufficient is the knowledge of the German population?]

To evaluate the awareness and knowledge of the German population regarding diseases in general, a survey of 1446 people aged 60 years or older was conducted in 14 German towns. The focus was on heart valve diseases with special emphasis on aortic valve stenosis (AS). While cancer was the disease that respondents were most concerned about (25.2%), only 3.3% were concerned about heart valve diseases. In this respect, the knowledge was broadly limited: only 7.4% of participants claimed to have some familiarity with heart valve diseases and only 12.5% could correctly describe the symptoms of AS. Even so, 35.0% of the participants could correctly name the number of human heart valves, 71.6% knew at least one therapy option for AS and 30.6% were familiar with transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI). After providing a brief clarification of the prevalence, symptoms and course of AS, 45.6% of respondents were more concerned about the condition, 15.7% wanted to know more about the symptoms of AS and 4.7% even recognized the typical symptoms in themselves. Most of the participants would like to seek more information preferably in discussion with a specialist physician (77.2%), with their general practitioner (43.2%) or using the internet (29.7%). Despite its high prevalence, high morbidity and mortality, the vast majority of the German population were neither concerned nor fully aware of treatment options for AS. There is a strong case for public awareness campaigns that provide better knowledge of AS, and support check-ups that enable timely treatment and the avoidance of unnecessary hospitalization and death.

Minimally Invasive Surgical Mitral Valve Repair: State of the Art Review

Minimally invasive surgical mitral valve repair (MVRepair) has become routine for the treatment of mitral valve regurgitation, and indications have been expanded to include reoperations. Current European Society of Cardiology/European Association for Cardio-Thoracic Surgery guidelines for the management of valvular heart disease recommended standards in terms of mitral valve disease differentiation, timing of intervention and surgical techniques to improve patient care. Numerous minimally invasive techniques to lessen the invasiveness have been described, such as the minimal-access J-sternotomy (ministernotomy), the parasternal incision, the port-access technique and the right minithoracotomy. Despite the development of catheter-based techniques, surgical repair remains the gold standard today for nearly all patients with degenerative valvular diseases and the majority of patients with other types of valvular diseases. Techniques include resection of the prolapsed segment, neo-chordae implantation and ring annuloplasty. In this review, the current indications for mitral valve surgery are summarised and state-of-the-art MVRepair techniques are highlighted.