Impact of time in therapeutic range after left ventricular assist device placement: a comparison between thrombus and thrombus-free periods.

The association between time in therapeutic range (TTR) and clinical outcomes in patients with left ventricular assist devices (LVADs) on chronic warfarin therapy is not well understood. This study assessed TTR using the Rosendaal Method prior to suspected or confirmed pump thrombosis or ischemic stroke. Each patient served as their own control. Characteristics and TTR in 1, 2, and 3 months prior to thrombus (thrombus period) were compared to a thrombus-free period during 6 months to 3 months prior to thrombus (control period). There were 30 thrombus events observed in 25 patients for a rate of 0.06 events per LVAD day. Average TTR (target INR = 2-3) over 3 months for patients combined in both the thrombus and control time period was 53.4%. TTR (target INR = 2-3) was 11.4% lower 1 month prior to thrombus than the comparable month in the control period (p = 0.029). The TTR (target INR = 1.8-2.5) was 11.8% lower in the thrombus time period compared to the control time period 2 months prior to thrombus (p = 0.032). Our study found an increased risk of thrombosis with lower TTR in months leading up to thrombus compared to a thrombus-free period.

Cardio-Oncology Training: A Proposal From the International Cardioncology Society and Canadian Cardiac Oncology Network for a New Multidisciplinary Specialty.

There is an increasing awareness and clinical interest in cardiac safety during cancer therapy as well as in optimally addressing cardiac issues in cancer survivors. Although there is an emerging expertise in this area, known as cardio-oncology, there is a lack of organization in the essential components of contemporary training. This proposal, an international consensus statement organized by the International Cardioncology Society and the Canadian Cardiac Oncology Network, attempts to marshal the important ongoing efforts for training the next generation of cardio-oncologists. The necessary elements are outlined, including the expectations for exposure necessary to develop adequate training. There should also be a commitment to local, regional, and international education and research in cardio-oncology as a requirement for advancement in the field.

Outcomes of patients implanted with a left ventricular assist device at nontransplant mechanical circulatory support centers.

The goal of this study was to assess outcomes of patients who underwent implantation of left ventricular assist devices (LVADs) at nontransplantation mechanical circulatory support centers. As the availability of LVADs for advanced heart failure has expanded to nontransplantation mechanical circulatory support centers, concerns have been expressed about maintaining good outcomes. Demographics and outcomes were evaluated in 276 patients with advanced heart failure who underwent implantation of LVADs as bridge to transplantation or destination therapy at 27 open-heart centers. Baseline characteristics, operative mortality, length of stay, readmission rate, adverse events, quality of life, and survival were analyzed. The overall 30-day mortality was 3% (8 of 276), and survival rates at 6, 12, and 24 months, respectively, were 92±2%, 88±3%, and 84±4% for the bridge-to-transplantation group and 81±3%, 70±5%, and 63±6% for the destination therapy group, comparable with results published by the national Interagency Registry for Mechanically Assisted Circulatory Support (INTERMACS). The median length of stay for all patients was 21 days. Bleeding was the most frequent adverse event. Stroke occurred in 4% (bridge to transplantation) and 6% (destination therapy) of patients. Quality-of-life measures and 6-minute walk distances showed sustained improvements throughout support. In conclusion, outcomes with LVAD support at open-heart centers are acceptable and comparable with results from the INTERMACS registry. With appropriate teams, training, center commitment, and certification, LVAD therapy is being disseminated in a responsible way to open-heart centers.