Anticoagulant monitoring in ventricular assist device patients: a feasibility study

Remote monitoring for better management of LVAD patients: the potential benefits of CardioMEMS

Left ventricular assist devices (LVAD) are frequently used in the treatment of end-stage heart failure (HF), and due to the shortage of heart donors and destination programs, it is likely to keep on growing. Still, LVAD therapy is not without complications and morbidity and rehospitalization rates are high. New ways to improve LVAD care both from the side of the patient and the physician are warranted. Remote monitoring could be a tool to tailor treatment in these patients, as no feedback exists at all about patient functioning on top of the static pump parameters. We aim to provide an overview and evaluation of the novel remote monitoring strategies to optimize LVAD management and elaborate on the opportunities of remote hemodynamic monitoring with CardioMEMS, at home in these patients as the next step to improve care.

2019 EACTS Expert Consensus on long-term mechanical circulatory support

Long-term mechanical circulatory support (LT-MCS) is an important treatment modality for patients with severe heart failure. Different devices are available, and many-sometimes contradictory-observations regarding patient selection, surgical techniques, perioperative management and follow-up have been published. With the growing expertise in this field, the European Association for Cardio-Thoracic Surgery (EACTS) recognized a need for a structured multidisciplinary consensus about the approach to patients with LT-MCS. However, the evidence published so far is insufficient to allow for generation of meaningful guidelines complying with EACTS requirements. Instead, the EACTS presents an expert opinion in the LT-MCS field. This expert opinion addresses patient evaluation and preoperative optimization as well as management of cardiac and non-cardiac comorbidities. Further, extensive operative implantation techniques are summarized and evaluated by leading experts, depending on both patient characteristics and device selection. The faculty recognized that postoperative management is multidisciplinary and includes aspects of intensive care unit stay, rehabilitation, ambulatory care, myocardial recovery and end-of-life care and mirrored this fact in this paper. Additionally, the opinions of experts on diagnosis and management of adverse events including bleeding, cerebrovascular accidents and device malfunction are presented. In this expert consensus, the evidence for the complete management from patient selection to end-of-life care is carefully reviewed with the aim of guiding clinicians in optimizing management of patients considered for or supported by an LT-MCS device.

International coordinator survey results on the outpatient management of patients with the HeartWare® ventricular assist system

PURPOSE

While the HeartWare® Ventricular Assist System (HVAS) is a successful therapy for end-stage heart failure, outpatient management methods can vary significantly and require further investigation.

METHODS

A survey to assess the long-term HVAS patient management and monitoring strategies was completed by 36 international heart centers that currently have over 1,450 patients on VAD support either at home or in the hospital. Multiple choice questions examined VAD program characteristics, anticoagulation management, driveline exit-site dressing and showering recommendations, blood pressure and pump parameter monitoring, and patient discharge protocols.

RESULTS

Outpatient international normalized ratio (INR) was most frequently measured every 3-4 days (28.6%), and the most frequent schedule for changing driveline exit site dressings was 3 times per week (30.6%). Only 25.7% of centers required their patients to measure blood pressure at home. A subgroup analysis was performed to assess the influence of center experience and larger centers generally had more frequent monitoring compared to smaller centers.

CONCLUSIONS

This survey showed specific differences in outpatient management strategies that were previously unreported. However, further studies with correlations to patient outcomes are necessary to determine optimal patient management recommendations.

Correlation Between Home INR and Core Laboratory INR in Patients Supported with Continuous-Flow Left Ventricular Assist Devices

It has been well established that patient self-testing (PST) of international normalized ratio (INR) using home monitoring devices increases the average therapeutic time and patient satisfaction. Long-term anticoagulation therapy with warfarin is used in patients with continuous-flow left ventricular assist device (CF-LVAD) to minimize the occurrence of thromboembolic events; however, PST devices have never been tested in patients with CF-LVADs. The purpose of this study was to determine the reliability of the PST device Alere INRatio 2 in patients supported with CF-LVADs. A correlation study was performed in 50 patients with CF-LVAD who were on stable warfarin therapy for a minimum of 3 weeks. Simultaneous INR values were determined from capillary whole blood samples using the Alere PST device and venous blood samples processed in the core laboratory at Columbia University Medical Center. There was a moderate correlation between the venous and the capillary INR values with a correlation coefficient of 0.83. The median difference between the methods was 0.39, with 44 of 50 patients recording higher INRs with Alere. Results remained unchanged after adjusting for use of amiodarone, abnormal hematocrit and liver enzymes, creatinine, and thyroid-stimulating hormone. Point of care testing with Alere correlates moderately well but consistently overestimates INR when compared with conventional laboratory testing in patients with CF-LVAD.