Psoas Muscle Area Predicts Mortality after Left Ventricular Assist Device Implantation

Unplanned hospital readmissions following HeartMate 3 implantation: Readmission rates, causes, and impact on survival

BACKGROUND

Hospital readmissions following left ventricular assist device (LVAD) remain a frequent comorbidity, associated with decreased quality of life and increased resources utilization. This study sought to determine causes, predictors, and impact on survival of hospitalizations during HeartMate 3 (HM3) support.

METHODS

All patients implanted with HM3 between November 2014 to December 2019 at Columbia University Irving Medical Center were consecutively enrolled in the study. Demographics and clinical characteristics from the index admission and the first outpatient visit were collected and used to estimate 1-year and 900-day readmission-free survival and overall survival. Multivariable analysis was performed for subsequent readmissions.

RESULTS

Of 182 patients who received a HM3 LVAD, 167 (92%) were discharged after index admission and experienced 407 unplanned readmissions over the median follow up of 727 (interquartile range (IQR): 410.5, 1124.5) days. One-year and 900-day mean cumulative number of all-cause unplanned readmissions was 0.43 (95%CI, 0.36, 0.51) and 1.13 (95%CI, 0.99, 1.29). The most frequent causes of rehospitalizations included major infections (29.3%), bleeding (13.2%), device-related (12.5%), volume overload (7.1%), and other (28%). One-year and 900-day survival free from all-cause readmission was 38% (95%CI, 31-46%) and 16.6% (95%CI, 10.3-24.4%). One-year and 900-day freedom from 2, 3, and ≥4 readmissions were 60.7%, 74%, 74.5% and 26.2%, 33.3%, 41.3%. One-year and 900-day survival were unaffected by the number of readmissions and remained >90%. Male sex, ischemic etiology, diabetes, lower serum creatinine, longer duration of index hospitalization, and a history of readmission between discharge and the first outpatient visit were associated with subsequent readmissions.

CONCLUSIONS

Unplanned hospital readmissions after HM3 are common, with infections and bleeding accounting for the majority of readmissions. Irrespective of the number of readmissions, one-year survival remained unaffected.

Impact of sarcopenia on outcomes in surgical patients: a systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

Surgeons have historically used age as a preoperative predictor of postoperative outcomes. Sarcopenia, the loss of skeletal muscle mass due to disease or biological age, has been proposed as a more accurate risk predictor. The prognostic value of sarcopenia assessment in surgical patients remains poorly understood. Therefore, the authors aimed to synthesize the available literature and investigate the impact of sarcopenia on perioperative and postoperative outcomes across all surgical specialties.

METHODS

The authors systematically assessed the prognostic value of sarcopenia on postoperative outcomes by conducting a systematic review and meta-analysis according to Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines, searching the PubMed/MEDLINE and EMBASE databases from inception to 1st October 2022. Their primary outcomes were complication occurrence, mortality, length of operation and hospital stay, discharge to home, and postdischarge survival rate at 1, 3, and 5 years. Subgroup analysis was performed by stratifying complications according to the Clavien-Dindo classification system. Sensitivity analysis was performed by focusing on studies with an oncological, cardiovascular, emergency, or transplant surgery population and on those of higher quality or prospective study design.

RESULTS

A total of 294 studies comprising 97 643 patients, of which 33 070 had sarcopenia, were included in our analysis. Sarcopenia was associated with significantly poorer postoperative outcomes, including greater mortality, complication occurrence, length of hospital stay, and lower rates of discharge to home (all P <0.00001). A significantly lower survival rate in patients with sarcopenia was noted at 1, 3, and 5 years (all P <0.00001) after surgery. Subgroup analysis confirmed higher rates of complications and mortality in oncological (both P <0.00001), cardiovascular (both P <0.00001), and emergency ( P =0.03 and P =0.04, respectively) patients with sarcopenia. In the transplant surgery cohort, mortality was significantly higher in patients with sarcopenia ( P <0.00001). Among all patients undergoing surgery for inflammatory bowel disease, the frequency of complications was significantly increased among sarcopenic patients ( P =0.007). Sensitivity analysis based on higher quality studies and prospective studies showed that sarcopenia remained a significant predictor of mortality and complication occurrence (all P <0.00001).

CONCLUSION

Sarcopenia is a significant predictor of poorer outcomes in surgical patients. Preoperative assessment of sarcopenia can help surgeons identify patients at risk, critically balance eligibility, and refine perioperative management. Large-scale studies are required to further validate the importance of sarcopenia as a prognostic indicator of perioperative risk, especially in surgical subspecialties.

Sarcopenia and Cardiovascular Diseases

Sarcopenia is the loss of muscle strength, mass, and function, which is often exacerbated by chronic comorbidities including cardiovascular diseases, chronic kidney disease, and cancer. Sarcopenia is associated with faster progression of cardiovascular diseases and higher risk of mortality, falls, and reduced quality of life, particularly among older adults. Although the pathophysiologic mechanisms are complex, the broad underlying cause of sarcopenia includes an imbalance between anabolic and catabolic muscle homeostasis with or without neuronal degeneration. The intrinsic molecular mechanisms of aging, chronic illness, malnutrition, and immobility are associated with the development of sarcopenia. Screening and testing for sarcopenia may be particularly important among those with chronic disease states. Early recognition of sarcopenia is important because it can provide an opportunity for interventions to reverse or delay the progression of muscle disorder, which may ultimately impact cardiovascular outcomes. Relying on body mass index is not useful for screening because many patients will have sarcopenic obesity, a particularly important phenotype among older cardiac patients. In this review, we aimed to: (1) provide a definition of sarcopenia within the context of muscle wasting disorders; (2) summarize the associations between sarcopenia and different cardiovascular diseases; (3) highlight an approach for a diagnostic evaluation; (4) discuss management strategies for sarcopenia; and (5) outline key gaps in knowledge with implications for the future of the field.