Prognostic Impact of Active Mechanical Circulatory Support in Cardiogenic Shock Complicating Acute Myocardial Infarction, Results from the Culprit-Shock Trial

Cardiogenic Shock: An Overview

Cardiogenic shock (CS) is a complex and dreadful condition for which effective treatments remain unclear. The concerningly high mortality rate of CS emphasizes a need for developing effective therapies to reduce its mortality and reverse its detrimental course. This article aims to provide an updated and evidence-based review of the pathophysiology of CS and the related pharmacotherapeutics with a special focus on vasoactive and inotropic agents.

Early temporary mechanical circulatory support for cardiogenic shock: Real-life data from a regional cardiac assistance network

BACKGROUND

Temporary mechanical circulatory support as well as multidisciplinary team approach in a regional care organization might improve survival of cardiogenic shock. No study has evaluated the relative effect of each temporary mechanical circulatory support on mortality in the context of a regional network.

METHODS

Prospective observational data were retrieved from patients consecutively admitted with cardiogenic shock to the intensive care units in 3 centers organized into a regional cardiac assistance network. Temporary mechanical circulatory support indication was decided by a heart team, based on the initial shock severity or if shock was refractory to medical treatment within 24 hours of admission. A propensity score for circulatory support use was used as an adjustment co-variable to emulate a target trial. The primary endpoint was in-hospital mortality.

RESULTS

Two hundred and forty-six patients were included in the study (median age: 59.5 years, 71.9% male): 121 received early mechanical assistance. The main etiologies were acute myocardial infraction (46.8%) and decompensated heart failure (27.2%). Patients who received early mechanical assistance had more severe conditions than other patients. Their crude in-hospital mortality was 38% and 22.4% in other patients but adjusted in-hospital mortality was not different (hazard ratio 0.91, 95% CI:0.65-1.26). Patients with mechanical assistance had a higher rate of complications than others with longer Intensive Care Unit and hospital stays.

CONCLUSIONS

In the conditions of a cardiac assistance regional network, in-hospital mortality was not improved by early mechanical assistance implantation. A high incidence of complications of temporary mechanical circulatory support may have jeopardized its potential benefit.

Clinical outcomes of hundred large Impella implantations in cardiogenic shock patients based on individual clinical scenarios

BACKGROUND

Large Impella systems (5.0 or 5.5; i.e., Impella 5+) (Abiomed Inc., Danvers, MA, USA) help achieve better clinical outcomes through relevant left ventricular unloading in acute cardiogenic shock (CS). Here, we report our experience with Impella 5+, while focusing on the clinical outcomes depending on individual case scenarios in patients with acute CS.

METHODS

This single-center retrospective observational study included 100 Impella 5+ implantations conducted on patients with acute CS from November 2018 to October 2021. After excluding 10 reimplantation cases, 90 cases were enrolled for further analysis.

RESULTS

In-hospital and 30-day mortality rates were 56.7% (n = 51) and 48.9% (n = 44), respectively. In-hospital mortality was lower in patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI) than in non-AMI patients (p = 0.07). Young age and low lactate levels were the independent predictors of successful transition and survival after permanent mechanical circulatory support/heart transplantation (pMCS/HTX) (age, p = 0.03; lactate level, p = 0.04; survived after pMCS/HTX, n = 11; died on Impella, n = 41). During simultaneous utilization of venoarterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation therapy and Impella 5+, termed ECMELLA therapy, high dose of noradrenaline was a predictive factor for in-hospital mortality by multivariate analysis (n = 0.02).

CONCLUSIONS

Our results suggest that enhanced Impella support might have better clinical outcomes among acute CS patients supported with large Impella, those with AMI than those with no AMI. Young age and low lactate levels were predictors of successful bridging to pMCS/HTX and favorable clinical outcomes thereafter. The clinical outcomes of ECMELLA therapy might depend on noradrenaline dose at the time of Impella 5+ implantation.

Impella versus extracorporeal membranous oxygenation (ECMO) for cardiogenic shock: a systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

The use of mechanical circulatory support (MCS) in cardiogenic shock (CS) is increasing. We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis to compare outcomes with the Impella device vs. ECMO in patients with CS.

METHODS

We searched the Medline, EMBASE, Cochrane, and Clinicaltrials.gov databases for observational studies comparing Impella to ECMO in patients with CS. Risk ratios (RRs) for categorical variables and standardized mean differences (SMDs) for continuous variables were calculated with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) using a random-effects model.

RESULTS

Twelve retrospective studies and one prospective study (Impella n=6652, ECMO n=1232) were identified. Impella use was associated with lower incidence of in-hospital mortality (RR 0.88 [95% CI 0.80-0.94], p=0.0004), stroke (RR 0.30 [0.21-0.42], p<0.00001), access-site bleeding (RR 0.50 [0.37-0.69], p<0.0001), major bleeding (RR 0.56 [0.39-0.80], p=0.002), and limb ischemia (RR 0.42 [0.27-0.65], p=0.0001). Baseline lactate levels were significantly lower in the Impella group (SMD -0.52 [-0.73- -0.31], p<0.00001). There was no significant difference in mortality at 6-12 months, MCS duration, need for MCS escalation, bridge-to-LVAD or heart transplant, and renal replacement therapy use between Impella and ECMO groups.

CONCLUSION

In patients with CS, Impella device use was associated with lower in-hospital mortality, stroke, and device-related complications than ECMO. However, patients in the ECMO group had higher baseline lactate levels.

Mortality in cardiogenic shock patients receiving mechanical circulatory support: a network meta-analysis

Objective

Mechanical circulatory support (MCS) devices are widely used for cardiogenic shock (CS). This network meta-analysis aims to evaluate which MCS strategy offers advantages.

Methods

A systemic search of PubMed, EMBASE, and the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials was performed. Studies included double-blind, randomized controlled, and observational trials, with 30-day follow-ups. Paired independent researchers conducted the screening, data extraction, quality assessment, and consistency and heterogeneity assessment.

Results

We included 39 studies (1 report). No significant difference in 30-day mortality was noted between venoarterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (VA-ECMO) and VA-ECMO plus Impella, Impella, and medical therapy. According to the surface under the cumulative ranking curve, the optimal ranking of the interventions was surgical venting plus VA-ECMO, medical therapy, VA-ECMO plus Impella, intra-aortic balloon pump (IABP), Impella, Tandem Heart, VA-ECMO, and Impella plus IABP. Regarding in-hospital mortality and 30-day mortality, the forest plot showed low heterogeneity. The results of the node-splitting approach showed that direct and indirect comparisons had a relatively high consistency.

Conclusions

IABP more effectively reduce the incidence of 30-day mortality compared with VA-ECMO and Impella for the treatment of CS.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12872-022-02493-0.

Complicating Acute Myocardial Infarction. Current Status and Unresolved Targets for Subsequent Research

Mechanical reperfusion with primary angioplasty, as the treatment of choice in acute myocardial infarction (MI), is associated not only with a high percentage of full epicardial and tissue reperfusion but also with a very good immediate and long-term clinical outcome. However, the Achilles heel of MI treatment is its ensemble of complications, such as cardiogenic shock due to severe systolic and/or diastolic dysfunction or MI mechanical complications, including perforation of the left ventricular free wall, papillary muscle rupture with acute mitral regurgitation and ventricular septal rupture. They are associated with an increased or, sometimes, with an extremely high mortality rate, determining the overall mortality in an MI patient population. In this review we summarize the mechanisms of MI complications, current therapeutic management and alternative directions for overcoming their devastating consequences. Moreover, we have sought to indicate gaps in the evidence on current treatments as the potential targets for further clinical research. From the perspective of mortality trends that are not improving, the forthcoming therapeutic management of complicated MI will require an individualized and novel approach based on their thorough pathobiology.

Ultrasound Assessment in Cardiogenic Shock Weaning: A Review of the State of the Art

Cardiogenic shock (CS) is associated with a high in-hospital mortality despite the achieved advances in diagnosis and management. Invasive mechanical ventilation and circulatory support constitute the highest step in cardiogenic shock therapy. Once established, taking the decision of weaning from such support is challenging. Intensive care unit (ICU) bedside echocardiography provides noninvasive, immediate, and low-cost monitoring of hemodynamic parameters such as cardiac output, filling pressure, structural disease, congestion status, and device functioning. Supplemented by an ultrasound of the lung and diaphragm, it is able to provide valuable information about signs suggesting a weaning failure. The aim of this article was to review the state of the art taking into account current evidence and knowledge on ICU bedside ultrasound for the evaluation of weaning from mechanical ventilation and circulatory support in cardiogenic shock.

Incidence, predictors, and clinical outcomes of mechanical circulatory support-related complications in patients with cardiogenic shock

BACKGROUND

Mechanical circulatory support (MCS) is essential to maintain the hemodynamics in selected patients with cardiogenic shock (CS). However, little is known about predictors and clinical impact of device-related complications on clinical outcomes in patients with MCS.

METHODS

We retrospectively reviewed consecutive 477 patients who received veno-arterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (VA-ECMO), Impella (Abiomed, Danvers, MA, USA), and intra-aortic balloon pump (IABP) from January 2012 to May 2020. After excluding patients with only VA-ECMO and patients with MCS for procedural support, 403 patients were included in this study. Predictors and clinical outcomes of device-related complications were analyzed. Furthermore, complication rates were compared between Impella and IABP groups in patients with and without VA-ECMO.

RESULTS

Hemolysis, major bleeding defined by Bleeding Academic Research Consortium type 3 or 5 bleeding, thromboembolic events, and ischemic stroke were observed in 42 (10.4%), 150 (37.2%), 52 (12.9%), and 30 patients (7.4%), respectively. Patients with major bleeding had a higher in-hospital mortality than those without major bleeding (31.2% vs. 56.0%, p<0.001), whereas hemolysis (47.6% vs. 52.4%, p=0.32), thromboembolic events (38.5% vs. 40.7%, p=0.76), and ischemic stroke (48.5% vs. 39.7%, p=0.33) did not increase the in-hospital mortality. In multivariate analysis, both Impella and VA-ECMO were independent predictors of major bleeding and thromboembolic events. However, in-hospital mortality was similar between the Impella and IABP groups irrespective of the VA-ECMO insertion.

CONCLUSIONS

Among several important complications in CS patients with MCS, major bleeding events most strongly affected the mortality. Implanted MCS type was associated with the device-related complications.

Management of out-of hospital cardiac arrest patients with extracorporeal cardiopulmonary resuscitation in 2021

INTRODUCTION

Over the last decade, eCPR programs have become more and more popular, at least amongst high-volume centers. Despite its rise in popularity and promising outcome, strategies concerning pre- and post-implantation of VA-ECMO remain at least debatable. Besides, integrating the appropriate set-up, managing anticoagulation, implementing LV-venting, and predicting neurological outcome play important roles in caring for thise highly selective patient-collective. We sought to present our institutional´s techniques for establishing an eCPR program and managing patients peri- and post implantation in eCPR-runs.

AREAS COVERED

This manuscript covers the majority of clinical concerns and parameters for establishing an eCPR program and its recent advantages. We will describe a safe way of cannulation, setting anticoagulation goals, strategies for LV-venting and ICU-treatment. Also included, an elaboration on neurological and cardiac prognostication.

EXPERT OPINION

We advocate ultrasound-guided cannula placement in eCPR patients. Also, we emphasize the importance of using stiffer wires and smaller arterial cannula sizes due to the different physiological parameters of OHCA patients. After cannulation, we aim for lower flow goals, the concept of 'partial VA-ECMO,' and lower anticoagulatory targets. LV-venting with Impella should remain an individual case to case decision.