Advantages of a prospective multidisciplinary approach in transcatheter aortic valve implantation: Eight years of experience

INTRODUCTION

Aortic stenosis is the most prevalent type of valvular disease in Europe. Surgical aortic valve replacement (SAVR) is the standard therapy, while transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) is an alternative in patients at unacceptably high surgical risk. Assessment by a heart team is recommended by the guidelines but there is little published evidence on this subject. The purpose of this paper is to describe the experience of a multidisciplinary TAVI program that began in 2008.

METHODS

The heart team prospectively assessed 473 patients using a standardized approach. A total of 214 patients were selected for TAVI and 80 for SAVR. Demographic, clinical and procedural characteristics and long-term success rates were compared between the groups.

RESULTS

TAVI patients were older than the SAVR group (median 83 vs. 81 years), and had higher surgical risk scores (median EuroSCORE II 5.3 vs. 3.6% and Society of Thoracic Surgeons score 5.1 vs. 3.1%), as did the patients under medical treatment only. These scores were unable to assess multiple comorbidities. Patients' outcomes were different between the three groups (mortality with SAVR 25% vs. TAVI 37.6% vs. conservative therapy 57.6%, p=0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

The heart team program was able to select candidates appropriately for TAVI, SAVR and conservative treatment, taking into account the risk of both invasive treatments. The use of a prospective standardized heart team approach is recommended, but requires continuous monitoring to ensure effectiveness in a timely manner.

Worrisome trends of ST-elevation myocardial infarction during the Covid-19 pandemic: Data from Portuguese centers

Introduction

During the Covid-19 pandemic there has been a general belief that hospital admissions for non-infectious causes, especially cardiovascular diseases, have fallen.

Objectives

To assess the impact of the pandemic on admissions for ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) during the first pandemic wave.

Methods

We performed a multicenter retrospective analysis of consecutive patients presenting with STEMI in two Portuguese hospital centers in two sequential periods - P1 (March 1 to April 30) and P2 (May 1 to June 30). Patient's clinical data and hospital outcomes were compared between the years 2017 to 2019 and 2020 for both periods.

Results

During P1 in 2020, a reduction in the number of STEMI patients was observed in comparison with previous years (26.0±4.2 vs. 16.5±4.9 cases per month; p=0.033), as well as an increase in the number of mechanical complications (0.0% vs. 3.0%; p=0.029). Percutaneous coronary interventions in the setting of failed thrombolysis were more frequent (1.9% vs. 9.1%; p=0.033). An overall trend for longer delays in key timings of STEMI care bundles was noted. Mortality was higher during P1 compared to previous years (1.9% vs. 12.1%; p=0.005).

Conclusions

During the first Covid-19 wave fewer patients presented with STEMI at the catheterization laboratory for percutaneous coronary intervention. These patients presented more mechanical complications and higher mortality.

Acute coronary syndrome in the oncology patient: An avoidable event?

5-Fluorouracil is a first-line agent in several cancer-therapy regimens. Cardiotoxicity is common, with coronary artery disease being an important risk factor. We report the case of an acute coronary syndrome presumably induced by 5-FU, in a patient with previously unknown and asymptomatic coronary artery disease, with an estimated intermediate risk for cardiovascular events. Pre-chemotherapy risk evaluation and optimal patient care are still not standardized in this clinical scenario.

Non-pharmacological treatment of refractory angina: The coronary sinus reducer, the new kid on the block

Refractory angina is defined as persistent angina (≥3 months) despite optimal medical and interventional therapies. It is increasing in frequency, due to the success of current medical and interventional therapies in improving the prognosis of coronary artery disease. Long-term mortality is similar to that of patients with asymptomatic stable disease, but it affects patients' quality of life, and has a significant impact on health care resources. Several therapeutic targets have been investigated, most with disappointing results. Many of the techniques have been abandoned because of lack of efficacy, safety issues, or economic and logistic limitations to wider applicability. The primary focus of this review is the coronary sinus Reducer, supporting evidence for which, although scarce, is promising regarding safety and efficacy in improving anginal symptoms and quality of life. It is also accessible to virtually all interventional cardiology departments.

TAVI via alternative access routes: patient selection and 10-year center experience

Background

Femoral access is considered the gold standard for transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI). However, this route might be precluded due to the presence of tortuosity, small vessel diameter and/or peripheral artery disease. We aimed to investigate TAVI through an alternative access (AA), focusing on the selection criteria and clinical outcomes compared to the femoral route (TF).

Methods

We conducted an all-comers longitudinal single-centre prospective registry in whom a TAVI was performed. The feasibility, safety and efficacy of TAVI by means of an access route other than standard TF was assessed, according to the VARC-2 criteria. The prospective surgical criteria used at our institution to accept an AA route were: a) TF deemed inappropriate; b) acceptable haemorrhagic risk; c) acceptable general anaesthesia risk; and d) adequate anatomy and diameter within acceptable range (subclavian, axillar, transaortic) or e) age <85 years and non-frail patient (transapical). The primary endpoint was all-cause death at 1-year.

Results

From 2008 to 2018, there were 548 patients submitted to TAVI [median age 84 (79–87) years, males 45.4%]. An AA route was used in 100 patients (79 trans-apical, 9 trans-aortic, and 12 trans-subclavian), with a decreasing rate over follow-up (−11% per year). Compared to TF, these patients were younger [80 (77–84) vs. 85 (80–87) years; p<0.001) with a similar baseline surgical risk as per EuroSCORE II [5.1 (3.3–9.0) vs. 4.7 (3.3–7.0); p=0.410). AA patients presented a higher burden of atherosclerotic disease, namely coronary (54.0 vs. 41.3%; p<0.001) and peripheral artery disease (35.0 vs. 16.5%, p<0.001) despite a lower number of other comorbidities (e.g. glomerular filtration rate <50mL/min: 53.1 vs. 64.8%; p=0.030). Left ventricular ejection fraction (56±13 vs 55±12%; p=0.203) and aortic stenosis severity (e.g. valve area: 0.70±0.19 vs. 0.67±0.18cm2; p=0.302) were similar between groups. Haemorrhagic events (minor or major) following TAVI were less often documented in the AA group (11.0 vs 21.7%; p=0.015), contrasting with de novo atrial fibrillation (18.5 vs 7.6%; p=0.048). Overall, 67 patients met the primary endpoint (18.8 vs 16.2%; p=0.584). After adjusted multivariate analysis, the independent predictors of one-year mortality did not include the TAVI access route.

Conclusion

In the first 10 years of experience, 1 in every 6 patients was treated with a TAVI by means of an AA, most often trans-apically initially and, nowadays, via a trans-subclavian approach. The use of meticulous prospective selection criteria seems to explain the one-year similar results, regardless of the access route.

Funding Acknowledgement

Type of funding sources: None.

P4575UA and NSTEMI in the era of high-sensitivity Troponin: impact on patient risk profile and management

Aim

High-sensitivity troponin assays (HST) entered the clinical arena to facilitate exclusion of ACS in the emergency department (ER) in patients presenting with chest pain. Due to its higher sensitivity there is the potential for an overestimation of the diagnosis of NSTEMI, and possibly ACS overall. We assessed the impact of HST in the classification of ACS (NSTEMI vs UA) and its ability to predict obstructive coronary disease (CAD), in a population of pts referred to coronary angiography (ICA).

Methods

Retrospective analysis of 1844 pts with suspected NSTEMI or UA referred for ICA from a single ER between Feb 2013 and Nov 2018. Standard Troponin-I was used until Feb 2016 and HST thereafter. The characteristics of UA and NSTEMI pts before and after the introduction of HST were compared. Multivariate binary logistic regression models were used to access the association of different troponin assays with CAD (>50% for LM and >70% for the remaining). Sensitivity, specificity, NPV and PPV for angiographic CAD were also determined.

Results

The relative proportion of patients with UA and NSTEMI was similar between study periods: 31% vs 29% and 69% vs 71%, respectively (p=0.3). Clinical and angiographic characteristics did not differ in UA pts before and after the use of HST. NSTEMI patients in the HST era were less frequently women (39% vs 32%, p=0.026), had higher creatinine (0.93 IQR 0.75–1.3 vs 1.0 IQR 0.82–1.38), higher number of lesions (2 IQR 1–4 vs 3 IQR 1–4) and a lower rate of normal coronary arteries (10.5% vs 3.9%, p<0.001). The prevalence of significant CAD in this population, before and after HST, was 65% and 73%, respectively (p=0.001). However, when clinically relevant characteristics and judgement were accounted for, both standard troponin (OR 0.99, 95% CI 0.99–1.01) and HST (1.0, 95% CI 1.0–1.0) were poor predictors of significant CAD. Sensitivity was 69% vs 72%, specificity 30% vs 30%, PPV 65% vs 73% and NNP 34% vs 28%, respectively. Finally, rates of percutaneous intervention did not differ between the two periods (30% vs 33.5%, p=0.157), nor between ACS types within each period.

CAD/PCI in ACS within each period

Conclusion

The introduction of HST did not result in an increase of the diagnosis of NSTEM vs UA, suggesting that clinical judgment remains an important determinant of the diagnosis of ACS. Also there was no evidence of an increase in PCI rates, despite worse CAD severity in NSTEMI patients.

Risk stratification in unprotected left main coronary disease: do we have the tools?

Introduction

The evolution of percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) and coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) techniques made the choice of the optimal revascularization strategy of unprotected left main coronary disease (ULMD) challenging. Scoring systems are useful tools for the decision-making process and for risk stratification.

Purpose

To evaluate 1) the performance of the SYNTAX score I (SSI) and II (SSII) and Euroscore II (EII) in risk stratification and 2) the outcome predictors of patients (pts) with ULMD, according to the treatment strategy chosen (PCI or CABG).

Methods

Retrospective single centre cohort study of 440 consecutive pts (age 68±11 years; 76.6% male) with significant ULMD (defined as left main coronary artery stenosis &gt;50%, with no patent arterial or venous bypass graft to left anterior descending artery), who were submitted to PCI (n=135) or CABG (n=307), between January 2006 and December 2018. Median follow-up (FU) was 4.0±1.8 years.

The primary outcome was a composite of cardiovascular (CV) death, non-fatal myocardial infarction (MI) and target lesion revascularization (TLR).

Results

During the FU period, there were 112 (25.5%) CV deaths, 26 (5,9%) non-fatal MI and 53 (12.0%) TLR.

Multivariate analysis of pts submitted to PCI showed that SSII and anatomical complete revascularization were independent predictors of the primary outcome (HR 1.045, CI 1.015–1.075, p=0.003 and HR 3,014, CI 1.655–5.489, p&lt;0.0001, respectively). The 63 pts submitted to PCI, who had a SSII favoring CABG, had slightly more adverse events (42.9% vs 41.7%, p=0.889).

In the CABG cohort, only SSII was an independent predictor of the outcome by multivariate analysis (HR 1.061, CI 1.035–1.086, p&lt;0.0001).

The ROC curve analysis for all cohort presented no discriminative capacity for SSI (AUC 0.538, CI 0.482–0.593, p=0.186) and a weak discrimination for SSII (AUC 0.659, CI 0.605–0.713, p&lt;0.0001) and EII (AUC 0.653, CI 0.599–0.707, p&lt;0.0001; Figure 1). The difference between SSII and EII was not statistically significant (DeLong test p=0.828). Similar results were found when analysing the CAGB group, however, in PCI cohort, SII and EII showed an acceptable discriminative capacity (AUC 0.722, CI 0.636–0.809, p&lt;0.0001 and AUC 0.700, CI 0.610–0.791, p&lt;0.0001, respectively).

Conclusion

In a real-world ULMD population, the most common risk scores, mainly those integrating anatomical and clinical features, presented a very modest role in the risk stratification, both in chronic and acute coronary syndromes. However, in pts with ULMD submitted to PCI, those risk scores had a more significant role in the risk stratification of these pts.

Figure 1. SSI, SSII, EII ROC curves for all cohort

Funding Acknowledgement

Type of funding source: None

Impact of COVID-19 pandemic on ST-elevation myocardial infarction: data from two Portuguese centers

Introduction

Recently during the COVID-19 pandemic there was a general belief in a reduction of hospital admissions due to non-infectious causes, namely cardiovascular diseases.

Objectives

To evaluate the impact of the pandemic in the admissions by ST elevation acute myocardial infarction (STEMI), during the first pandemic wave.

Methods

Multicentric and retrospective analysis of consecutive patients presenting in two Portuguese hospital centers with STEMI in two sequential periods – P1 (1st March to 30th April) and P2 (1st May to 30th June). A comparison of patient's clinical and hospital outcomes data was performed between the year 2020 and 2017 to 2019 for both periods.

Results

A total of 347 consecutive STEMI patients were included in this study. The patient's baseline characteristics and cardiovascular risk factors were similar across the considered periods. During P1 of 2020, in comparison with previous years, a reduction in the number of STEMI patients was observed (26.0±4.2 vs 16.5±4.9 cases per month; p=0.033), contrary to what was observed during P2 (19.5±0.7 vs 20.5±0.7 cases per month; p=0.500). Percutaneous coronary interventions in the setting of failed thrombolysis were more frequent (1.9% vs 9.1%; p=0.033). A global trend in longer delays in time-key bundles of STEMI care was noted, namely pain to first medical contact, door to needle, door to wire crossing and symptoms to wire crossing times, however without statistical significance. Mortality rate was six-fold higher during P1 comparing to previous years (1.9% vs 12.1%; p=0.005), and also an increase in the number of mechanical complications (0.0% vs 3.0%; p=0.029) was observed.

Conclusions

During the first COVID-19 pandemic wave there were fewer patients presenting with STEMI at catheterization laboratory for coronary angioplasty. These patients presented more mechanical complications and higher mortality rates.

Funding Acknowledgement

Type of funding sources: None.

Non-pharmacological treatment of refractory angina: The coronary sinus reducer, the new kid on the block

Refractory angina is defined as persistent angina (≥3 months) despite optimal medical and interventional therapies. It is increasing in frequency, due to the success of current medical and interventional therapies in improving the prognosis of coronary artery disease. Long-term mortality is similar to that of patients with asymptomatic stable disease, but it affects patients' quality of life, and has a significant impact on health care resources. Several therapeutic targets have been investigated, most with disappointing results. Many of the techniques have been abandoned because of lack of efficacy, safety issues, or economic and logistic limitations to wider applicability. The primary focus of this review is the coronary sinus Reducer, supporting evidence for which, although scarce, is promising regarding safety and efficacy in improving anginal symptoms and quality of life. It is also accessible to virtually all interventional cardiology departments.