Mechanical circulatory support as bridge therapy for heart transplant: case series report

Ischemic cardiomyopathy: epidemiology, pathophysiology, outcomes, and therapeutic options

Ischemic cardiomyopathy (ICM) is the most prevalent cause of heart failure (HF) in developed countries, with significant morbidity and mortality, despite constant improvements in the management of coronary artery disease. Current literature on this topic remains fragmented. Therefore, this review aimed to summarize the most recent data on ICM, focusing on its definition, epidemiology, outcomes, and therapeutic options. The most widely accepted definition is represented by a left ventricular dysfunction in the presence of significant coronary artery disease. The prevalence of ICM is largely influenced by age and sex, with older individuals and males being more affected. Its pathophysiology is characterized by plaque buildup, thrombus formation, hypoperfusion, ischemic cell death, and left ventricular remodeling. Despite improvements in therapy, ICM still represents a public health burden, with a 1-year mortality rate of 16% and a 5-year mortality rate of approximately 40% in the USA and Europe. Therefore, optimization of cardiovascular function, prevention of progressive remodeling, reduction of HF symptoms, and improved survival are the main goals of treatment. Therapeutic options for ICM include lifestyle changes, optimal medical therapy, revascularization, device therapy, mechanical circulatory support, and cardiac transplantation. Personalized management strategies and tailored patient care are needed to improve the outcomes of patients with ICM.

Short-term mechanical circulatory support devices as bridge to heart transplantation: A prospective single-center experience in Argentina

BACKGROUND

Patients with cardiogenic shock may require hemodynamic stabilization with short-term mechanical circulatory support devices (ST-MCS) such as extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) and centrifugal pump (CP) as bridge to transplantion (BTT). This study aimed to describe ECMO and CP during BTT and after heart transplant.

METHODS

A cohort of patients on ECMO or CP as BTT between April 2006 and April 2018 in a single hospital.

RESULTS

Thirty-seven consecutive patients with ECMO (n = 14) or CP (n = 23) were included. Acute kidney injury was more prevalent during CP (28.6% vs 69.6%, P = .02). There were no differences in stroke, thrombosis, sepsis, or vasoplegia. Bleeding (0% vs 56.5%, P = .0003) and reoperation (0% vs 47.8%, P = .002) were more frequent in CP group as well as mortality (0 vs 7 [30.4%], P = .03). The remaining 30 patients (81.1%) underwent heart transplantation, without differences in primary graft dysfunction, vasoplegia, reoperation for bleeding, or hospital stay. Mortality was 23.3% at 30 days, similar in both groups, with no further deaths at median follow-up of 44.2 months.

CONCLUSIONS

In patients with cardiogenic shock, ST-MCS with ECMO or CP as BTT are a lifesaving approach allowing successful transplantation in the majority of cases, with good short- and long-term survival.