Significant mitral regurgitation in patients undergoing TAVR: Mechanisms and imaging variables associated with improvement.

BACKGROUND: Significant mitral regurgitation (MR) is associated with poorer outcomes in patients undergoing transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR). Factors associated with MR improvement have not been studied thoroughly. METHODS: Retrospective analysis of consecutive patients treated with TAVR with more than mild MR at baseline. MR evolution was assessed at 1-3 and 6-12 months after intervention. MR severity and mechanisms were assessed by echocardiography. Mitral annulus calcification (MAC) was quantified using preoperative cardiac CT. RESULTS: From 674 consecutive TAVR recipients, 78 with more than mild MR had a 6-12 months follow-up. Following TAVR, MR improved in 34 patients (43%), remained stable in 38 (49%) and worsened in 6 (8%). Patients with MR improvement had greater tenting area (141 ± 56 vs. 99 ± 40 mm2 , P < 0.01), tenting height (7.2 ± 1.9 vs. 5.6 ± 1.9 mm, P < 0.01) and lower ejection fraction (43 ± 16 vs. 52 ± 14%, P = 0.01). MAC was frequent (87.7% of patients) and a trend in greater MAC was observed in patients without MR improvement (3560 ± 5587 vs. 2053 ± 2800, P = 0.16). In multivariable analysis, tenting area (OR per 10 mm2 increase: 1.012, 95% CI, 1.001-1.024 P = 0.039) and annulus calcifications associated with leaflet restriction (OR = 0.108, 95% CI, 0.012-0.956, P = 0.045) were independently associated with MR outcome after TAVR. CONCLUSION: Larger mitral valve tenting area was associated with more improvement of MR after TAVR whereas extensive MAC associated with leaflet restriction was associated with less improvement. This may help in the clinical decision-making process of TAVR candidates with concomitant MR.

Diuretics versus volume expansion in acute submassive pulmonary embolism.

BACKGROUND: The benefit of volume expansion (VE) in submassive pulmonary embolism (PE) with right ventricular (RV) dysfunction is unclear. AIM: To compare the effects of diuretic treatment versus VE in patients hospitalized for PE with RV dysfunction. METHODS: We prospectively included 46 consecutive patients with submassive PE treated on admission with a 40mg bolus of furosemide (D group, n=24) or 500mL of saline infusion (VE group, n=22). The primary endpoint was the timing of normalization of B-type natriuretic peptide and troponin Ic concentrations. The secondary endpoints were variations in RV function variables, recorded at baseline, at the 4th hour after treatment initiation (H4) and every day until discharge, and a clinical composite endpoint of thrombolysis or death at 7 and 30 days. RESULTS: No differences were observed between patients at baseline. The primary endpoint occurred earlier in the D group than in the VE group (67.5±34.8 vs 111.6±63.3hours; P=0.006). Furosemide treatment on admission was well tolerated, and was not associated with serious adverse events. At H4, substantial improvements were observed in the D group versus the VE group in terms of heart rate reduction (-8.15±21.0 vs -0.71±6.30 beats/min; P<0.01) and peak tricuspid annular systolic velocity (Doppler tissue imaging) (11.4±2.10 vs 9.90±2.80cm/s; P=0.02). There was no significant difference between groups in terms of severe outcomes at 7 and 30 days. CONCLUSIONS: In the acute management of submassive PE patients, a single furosemide bolus on admission seems to produce significant and earlier improvements in RV function markers compared with VE, without adverse events.

Feasibility, safety, and efficacy of transcatheter aortic valve replacement without balloon predilation: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the feasibility, safety, and efficacy of direct transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR), that is, TAVR without balloon predilation (BPD), by performing a systematic review and meta-analysis of available evidence. BACKGROUND: Avoiding BPD during TAVR was shown to be feasible in previous studies but the risks and benefits of this technique are unknown owing to the limited number of patients included in these studies. METHODS: We performed a systematic search for studies comparing direct TAVR vs TAVR performed with BPD. Crude risk ratios (RRs) or mean differences and 95% confidence intervals (CI) for each endpoint were calculated using random effects models. RESULTS: Twenty studies including 3586 patients (1606 undergoing direct TAVR) were selected for the analysis. Mean device success with direct TAVR was 88% with <5% of bail-out techniques. There were no differences between direct and BPD-TAVR in short-term (in-hospital or 30-day) mortality (RR: 1.06; 95% CI: 0.78-1.43) or cerebrovascular events (RR: 0.92; 95% CI: 0.58-1.46). Direct TAVR associated with reduced moderate or severe paravalvular leak post-TAVR (RR: 0.59; 95% CI: 0.36-0.98) but not with a reduced risk of permanent pacemaker implantation (RR: 0.85, 95% CI: 0.71-1.02). A slight increase in postdilation was observed in direct transfemoral-TAVR recipients (RR: 1.2; 95% CI: 1.00-1.44). CONCLUSION: Direct TAVR is feasible and safe. However, given the unadjusted nature of our results, uncertainties remain regarding the independent effect of direct TAVR on outcomes post-TAVR. Randomized studies are warranted to determine the potential benefits of direct TAVR. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Serial Changes in Cognitive Function Following Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement.

BACKGROUND: Data regarding the mid- to long-term cognitive trajectory of transcatheter aortic valve (TAVR) recipients are scarce. OBJECTIVES: Changes in global cognition and specific cognitive domains up to 1 year post-TAVR were evaluated. METHODS: Fifty-one patients (median age 80.0 [interquartile range: 72.0 to 85.0] years; 37% women) underwent TAVR and prospective assessment of cognitive function using the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) at baseline, short-term (30 days), and 1 year post-TAVR. Processing speed and executive cognitive functions were further evaluated with the digit-symbol substitution test (DSST), Trail Making Tests (TMT), and verbal fluency tests at the same time points. Cognitive decline (CD) was determined by changes in mean scores and as a rate using practice-corrected reliable change index (RCI). RESULTS: The baseline mean total MoCA score was 22.71 ± 3.84. Twenty patients (39.2%) were considered cognitively impaired using a cutoff of <23 of 30 points. Mean total MoCA score improved at short-term post-TAVR and remained stable at 1 year (p = 0.022). On the basis of the RCI of total MoCA score, 4 patients (7.8%) presented with short-term CD, which persisted at 1 year in 1 patient (2.0%). Four patients (7.8%) exhibited cognitive improvement at 1 year, increasing to 15% among those with baseline cognitive impairment. No significant changes were observed over time in the mean DSST, TMT, and verbal fluency test scores. On the basis of the RCI, 10 of 40 patients (25%) presented with a reduction in performance of at least 1 test at 30 days that persisted at 1 year in 4 patients (10%). CONCLUSIONS: TAVR was associated with global improvement in cognitive status, more pronounced among those with cognitive impairment pre-TAVR. However, early decline in some complex cognitive functions was observed in one-quarter of TAVR recipients, persisting at 1 year in 10% of patients.

Predictors of Early Cerebrovascular Events in Patients With Aortic Stenosis Undergoing Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement.

BACKGROUND: Identifying transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) patients at high risk for cerebrovascular events (CVE) is of major clinical relevance. However, predictors have varied across studies. OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to analyze the predictors of 30-day CVE post-TAVR. METHODS: A systematic review of studies that reported the incidence of CVE post-TAVR while providing raw data for predictors of interest was performed. Data on study, patient, and procedural characteristics were extracted. Crude risk ratios (RRs) and 95% confidence intervals for each predictor were calculated. RESULTS: Sixty-four studies involving 72,318 patients (2,385 patients with a CVE within 30 days post-TAVR) were analyzed. Incidence of CVE ranged from 1% to 11% (median 4%) without significant differences between single and multicenter studies, or according to CVE adjudication availability. The summary RRs indicated lower risk for men (RR: 0.82; p = 0.02) and higher risk for patients with chronic kidney disease (RR: 1.29; p = 0.03) and with new-onset atrial fibrillation post-TAVR (RR: 1.85; p = 0.005), and for procedures performed within the first half of center experience (RR: 1.55; p = 0.003). The use of balloon post-dilation tended to be associated with a higher risk of CVE (RR: 1.43; p = 0.07). Valve type (balloon-expandable vs. self-expandable, p = 0.26) and approach (transfemoral vs. nontransfemoral, p = 0.81) did not predict CVE. CONCLUSIONS: Female sex, chronic kidney disease, enrollment date, and new-onset atrial fibrillation were predictors of CVE post-TAVR. This study provides effect estimates to identify high-risk TAVR patients for early CVE, providing possible guidance for tailored preventive strategies.

B blood group: A strong risk factor for venous thromboembolism recurrence.

BACKGROUND: Non-O blood group patients are at higher risk of first episode of venous thromboembolism (VTE). However, only little is known about the risk of recurrence according to the blood group. In this study, we aimed to determine the impact of ABO blood group on VTE recurrence. METHODS: We prospectively recruited 106 consecutive patients with a first documented episode of pulmonary embolism (PE). Patients were followed at least 12months after anticoagulation discontinuation. The main endpoint was recurrence of symptomatic VTE. RESULTS: Data from 100 patients were analyzed. Median follow-up was 28months [24-34.8]. PE was unprovoked in 48 patients. Mean anticoagulation duration was 5.3±2.2months. The rate of VTE recurrence was 12.7 per 100 patient-years (30 recurrences). B blood group patients had a 2.7-fold increased risk of VTE recurrence (95%CI 1.1-6.2, p=0.03). On multivariate analysis, B blood group was the strongest independent predictor of VTE recurrence (Hazard Ratio (HR) 2.6, 95%CI 1.1-6.1, p=0.04). In contrast, A and AB blood groups were not associated with VTE recurrence. VTE recurrences were less frequent in O blood group compared to non-O patients (HR 0.5, 95%CI 0.2-1.1, p=0.09). O blood group women had a 5-fold decreased risk of VTE recurrence (HR 0.2, 95%CI 0.1-0.8, p=0.01). CONCLUSIONS: Non-O blood groups, beyond being involved in the occurrence of a first VTE event, also contribute to VTE recurrence. B blood group is strongly associated with VTE recurrence, thus high-risk B blood group patients could benefit from long-term anticoagulation therapy after a first VTE event.

The So-Called 'Eclipsed' Mitral Regurgitation.

An 89-year-old female was referred to the authors' institution for repeating pulmonary edema. Recent transthoracic echocardiography (TTE) showed only a mild mitral regurgitation (MR), but a transient severe reversible functional MR was observed during an episode of respiratory distress. TTE demonstrated the functional nature of the regurgitation with a transient tenting of the mitral leaflets, resulting in a total absence of coaptation.

Lack of copeptin elevation during induced myocardial infarction.

The specific kinetic of copeptin secretion during the course of an acute coronary syndrome (ACS) had poorly been studied, with most studies assessing copeptin levels in the very first hours of chest pain onset and not ACS itself. To overcome this issue, we took advantage of septal embolization technique for hypertrophic obstructive cardiomyopathy (HOCM) treatment, a unique situation during which myocardial infarction (MI) is provoked, to measure plasmatic copeptin levels variation.

Patent foramen ovale and stroke in intermediate-risk pulmonary embolism.

BACKGROUND: Patent foramen ovale (PFO) in pulmonary embolism (PE) is associated with an increased risk of complications. However, little is known about PFO and ischemic stroke prevalence, particularly in acute intermediate-risk PE. In addition, in this context, the so-called "gold standard" method of PFO diagnosis remains unknown. We aimed to evaluate PFO and ischemic stroke prevalence and determine which of transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) or transthoracic echocardiography (TTE) is the best PFO diagnostic method in this context. METHODS: We conducted a prospective monocentric study of consecutive patients with intermediate-risk PE in whom a TEE and TTE with contrast were performed. Brain MRI was used to confirm clinically obvious strokes or to diagnose subclinical ones. RESULTS: Forty-one patients with intermediate-risk PE were identified over a 9-month period. Contrast TEE revealed PFO in 56.1%, whereas contrast TTE showed PFO in only 19.5% (P < .001). Of note, all PFOs observed with TTE were also diagnosed by TEE. Ischemic stroke occurred in 17.1% and was always associated with PFO and large shunt. CONCLUSIONS: PFO and related ischemic strokes are frequent in intermediate-risk PE. TEE is much more efficient than TTE for PFO diagnosis. Considering the high risk of intracranial bleeding with thrombolysis in PE, which may be partly due to hemorrhagic transformation of subclinical strokes, screening PFO with TEE should be considered in intermediate-risk PE when thrombolytic treatment is discussed.

Imaging in pulmonary hypertension: Focus on the role of echocardiography.

Patients with pulmonary hypertension must be evaluated using a multimodality approach to ensure a correct diagnosis and basal evaluation as well as a prognostic assessment. Beyond the assessment of pulmonary pressures, the echocardiographical examination allows the evaluation of right ventricular adaptation to elevated afterload. Numbers of variables are commonly used in the assessment of the pulmonary hypertension patient in order to detect changes in right heart geometry, right-to-left interaction and right ventricular dysfunction. Whereas an isolated change in one echocardiographical variable is not meaningful, multiple echocardiographical variable modifications together provide accurate information. In this review, we will link pulmonary hypertension pathophysiological changes with echocardiographical indices and describe the clinical implications of echocardiographical findings.