A randomized controlled trial of ivabradine in patients with acute myocardial infarction related cardiogenic shock.

Objective: . Acute myocardial infarction-related cardiogenic shock (AMI-CS) is often accompanied by tachycardia, which, in turn, increases myocardial oxygen consumption and hinders the use of ventricular assist devices, such as intra-aortic balloon pump. Evidence suggests that ivabradine may reduce heart rate (HR) without affecting other hemodynamic parameters. The aim of the present study was to determine the effect of ivabradine on reducing HR and changes in other hemodynamic parameters such as cardiac index (CI), in patients with AMI-CS and tachycardia. Materials and methods: . A single-center, open label, randomized clinical trial included patients diagnosed with AMI-CS and tachycardia with >100 beats per minute (BPM). Heart rate, cardiac index, and other hemodynamic parameters measured by pulmonary flotation catheter were compared at 0, 6, 12, 24, and 48 hours after randomization. Results: . A total of 12 patients were randomized; 6 received standard therapy, and 6 received ivabradine in addition to standard therapy. Baseline clinical characteristics were similar at randomization. A statistically significant lower heart rate was found at 12 hours (p=0.003) and 48 hours (p=0.029) after randomization, with differences of -23.3 (-8.2 to -38.4) BPM and -12.6 (-0.5 to -25.9) BPM, respectively. No differences in cardiac index, or any other evaluated hemodynamic parameters, length of hospital stay, nor mortality rate were noted between both groups. Conclusions: . The use of ivabradine in patients with AMI-CS was associated with a significant reduction in heart rate at 12 and 48 h, without affecting other hemodynamic parameters.

Objetivo: . El choque cardiogénico relacionado con el infarto agudo de miocardio (AMI-CS, por sus siglas en inglés) suele ir acompañado de taquicardia, lo que, a su vez, aumenta el consumo de oxígeno miocárdico y dificulta el uso de dispositivos de asistencia ventricular, como la bomba de balón intraaórtico. La evidencia sugiere que la ivabradina puede reducir la frecuencia cardíaca (FC) sin afectar otros parámetros hemodinámicos. El objetivo del presente estudio fue determinar el efecto de la ivabradina en la reducción de la FC y los cambios en otros parámetros hemodinámicos como el índice cardíaco (CI) en pacientes con AMI-CS y taquicardia. Materiales y métodos: Se incluyeron pacientes diagnosticados con AMI-CS y taquicardia con >100 latidos por minuto (LPM) en un ensayo clínico aleatorizado de un solo centro. La frecuencia cardíaca, el índice cardíaco y otros parámetros hemodinámicos medidos mediante catéter de flotación pulmonar se compararon a las 0, 6, 12, 24 y 48 h después de la aleatorización. Resultados: Se aleatorizaron un total de 12 pacientes; 6 recibieron terapia estándar y 6 recibieron ivabradina además de la terapia estándar. Las características clínicas basales fueron similares en la aleatorización. Se encontró una frecuencia cardíaca significativamente más baja a las 12 h (p=0,003) y a las 48 h (p=0,029) después de la aleatorización, con diferencias de -23,3 (-8,2 a -38,4) LPM y -12,6 (-0,5 a -25,9) LPM, respectivamente. No se observaron diferencias en el índice cardíaco, en ningún otro parámetro hemodinámico evaluado; tampoco en la duración de la estancia hospitalaria, ni en la tasa de mortalidad entre ambos grupos. Conclusiones: El uso de ivabradina en pacientes con AMI-CS se asoció con una reducción significativa en la frecuencia cardíaca a las 12 y 48 h, sin afectar otros parámetros hemodinámicos.

A comparison of hemodynamic measurement methods during orthotopic liver transplantation: evaluating agreement and trending ability of PiCCO versus pulmonary artery catheter techniques.

BACKGROUND: Significant hemodynamic changes occur during liver transplantation, emphasizing the importance of precious and continuous monitoring of cardiac output, cardiac index, and other parameters. Although the monitoring of cardiac output by pulse indicator continuous cardiac output (PiCCO) was statistically homogeneous compared to the clinical gold standard pulmonary artery catheterization (PAC) in previous studies of liver transplantation, there are fewer statistical methods for the assessment of its conclusions, and a lack of comparisons of other hemodynamic parameters (e.g., SVRI, systemic vascular resistance index). Some studies have also concluded that the agreement between PiCCO and PAC is not good enough. Overall, there are no uniform conclusions regarding the agreement between PiCCO and PAC in previous studies. This study evaluates the agreement and trending ability of relevant hemodynamic parameters obtained with PiCCO compared to the clinical gold standard PAC from multiple perspectives, employing various statistical methods. METHODS: Fifty-two liver transplantation patients were included. Cardiac output (CO), cardiac index (CI), SVRI and stroke volume index (SVI) values were monitored at eight time points using both PiCCO and PAC. The results were analyzed by Bland-Altman analysis, Passing-bablok regression, intra-class correlation coefficient (ICC), 4-quadrant plot, polar plot, and trend interchangeability method (TIM). RESULTS: The Bland-Altman analysis revealed high percentage errors for PiCCO: 54.06% for CO, 52.70% for CI, 62.18% for SVRI, and 51.97% for SVI, indicating poor accuracy. While Passing-Bablok plots showed favorable agreement for SVRI overall and during various phases, the agreement for other parameters was less satisfactory. The ICC results confirmed good overall agreement between the two devices across most parameters, except for SVRI during the new liver phase, which showed poor agreement. Additionally, four-quadrant and polar plot analyses indicated that all agreement rate values fell below the clinically acceptable threshold of over 90%, and all angular deviation values exceeded ± 5°, demonstrating that PiCCO is unable to meet the acceptable trends. Using the TIM, the interchangeability rates were found to be quite low: 20% for CO and CI, 16% for SVRI, and 13% for SVI. CONCLUSIONS: Our study revealed notable disparities in absolute values of CO, CI, SVRI and SVI between PiCCO and PAC in intraoperative liver transplant settings, notably during the neohepatic phase where errors were particularly pronounced. Consequently, these findings highlight the need for careful consideration of PiCCO's advantages and disadvantages in liver transplantation scenarios, including its multiple parameters (such as the encompassing extravascular lung water index), against its limited correlation with PAC.

Improving transportability of randomized controlled trial inference using robust prediction methods.

Randomized trials have been the gold standard for assessing causal effects since their introduction by Fisher in the 1920s, since they can eliminate both observed and unobserved confounding. Estimates of causal effects at the population level from randomized controlled trials can still be biased if there are both effect modification and systematic differences between the trial sample and the ultimate population of inference with respect to these modifiers. Recent advances in the survey statistics literature to improve inference in nonprobability samples by using information from probability samples can provide an avenue for improving population causal inference in randomized controlled trials when relevant probability samples of the patient population are available. We review some recent work in "transporting" causal effect estimates from trials to populations, focusing on the setting where there is a "benchmark" or population-representative sample along with the RCT sample. We then propose estimators using either inverse probability weighting (IPWT) or prediction that can accommodate unequal probability of selection in the "benchmark" or population, and use Bayesian additive regression trees for both inverse probability of treatment weighting and prediction estimation that do not require specification of functional form or interaction. We also consider how the assumption of ignorability may be assessed from observed data and propose a sensitivity analysis under the failure of this assumption. We compare our proposed approach with existing methods in simulation and apply these alternative approaches to a study of pulmonary artery catheterization in critically ill patients. We also suggest next steps for future work.

Comparison of invasive and non-invasive measurements of cardiac index and systemic vascular resistance in living-donor liver transplantation: a prospective, observational study.

BACKGROUND: Based on the controversy surrounding pulmonary artery catheterization (PAC) in surgical patients, we investigated the interchangeability of cardiac index (CI) and systemic vascular resistance (SVR) measurements between ClearSight™ and PAC during living-donor liver transplantation (LDLT). METHODS: This prospective study included consecutively selected LDLT patients. ClearSight™-based CI and SVR measurements were compared with those from PAC at seven LDLT-stage time points. ClearSight™-based systolic (SAP), mean (MAP), and diastolic (DAP) arterial pressures were also compared with those from femoral arterial catheterization (FAC). For the comparison and analysis of ClearSight™ and the reference method, Bland-Altman analysis was used to analyze accuracy while polar and four-quadrant plots were used to analyze the trending ability. RESULTS: From 27 patients, 189 pairs of ClearSight™ and reference values were analyzed. The CI and SVR performance errors (PEs) exhibited poor accuracy between the two methods (51.52 and 51.73%, respectively) in the Bland-Altman analysis. CI and SVR also exhibited unacceptable trending abilities in both the polar and four-quadrant plot analyses. SAP, MAP, and DAP PEs between the two methods displayed favorable accuracy (24.28, 21.18, and 26.26%, respectively). SAP and MAP exhibited acceptable trending ability in the four-quadrant plot between the two methods, but not in the polar plot analyses. CONCLUSIONS: During LDLT, CI and SVR demonstrated poor interchangeability, while SAP and MAP exhibited acceptable interchangeability between ClearSight™ and FAC.

Catheterization of Pulmonary and Carotid Arteries for Concurrent Measurement of Mean Pulmonary and Systemic Arterial Pressure in Rat Models of Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension.

Pulmonary hypertension (PH) is a group of pulmonary vascular disorders in which mean pulmonary arterial pressure (mPAP) becomes abnormally high because of various pathological conditions, including remodeling of the pulmonary arteries, lung and heart disorders, or congenital conditions. Various animal models, including mouse and rat models, have been used to recapitulate elevated mPAP observed in PH patients. However, the measurement and recording of mPAP and mean systemic arterial pressure (mSAP) in small animals require microsurgical procedures and a sophisticated data acquisition system. In this paper, we describe the surgical procedures for right heart catheterizations (RHC) to measure mPAP in rats. We also explain the catheterization of the carotid artery for simultaneous measurement of mPAP and mSAP using the PowerLab Data Acquisition system. We enumerate the surgical steps involved in exposing the jugular vein and the carotid artery for catheterizing these two blood vessels. We list the tools used for microsurgery in rats, describe the methods for preparing catheters, and illustrate the process for inserting the catheters in the pulmonary and carotid arteries. Finally, we delineate the steps involved in the calibration and setup of the PowerLab system for recording both mPAP and mSAP. This is the first protocol wherein we meticulously explain the surgical procedures for RHC in rats and the recording of mPAP and mSAP. We believe this protocol will be essential for PH research. Investigators with little training in animal handling can reproduce this microsurgical procedure for RHC in rats and measure mPAP and mSAP in rat models of PH. Further, this protocol is likely to help master RHC in rats that are performed for other conditions, such as heart failure, congenital heart disease, heart valve disorders, and heart transplantation.

Effectiveness of pulmonary artery catheter monitoring for patients with cardiogenic shock of various causes: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background: Cardiogenic shock is associated with significant morbidity and mortality. Invasive hemodynamic monitoring with pulmonary artery catheterization (PAC) can be useful in the assessment of changes in cardiac function and hemodynamic status; however, the benefits of PAC in the management of cardiogenic shock are not known well. Methods: We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis of observational studies and randomized controlled trials, comparing in-hospital mortality between PAC and non-PAC groups of cardiogenic shock patients with various underlying causes. Articles were obtained from MEDLINE, Embase, and Cochrane CENTRAL. We reviewed titles, abstracts, and full articles and evaluated the quality of evidence using the GRADE (Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development, and Evaluations) framework. We used a random-effects model to compare studies in terms of in-hospital mortality findings. Results: We included twelve articles in our meta-analysis. Mortality among patients with cardiogenic shock was not significantly different between the PAC and the non-PAC groups [risk ratio (RR) 0.86, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.73-1.02, I2=100%, P<0.01]. Two studies investigating cardiogenic shock caused by acute decompensated heart failure determined lower in-hospital mortality in the PAC group than in the non-PAC group (RR 0.49, 95% CI: 0.28-0.87, I2=45%, P=0.18). Six studies investigating cardiogenic shock of any cause determined lower in-hospital mortality in the PAC group than in the non-PAC group (RR 0.84, 95% CI: 0.72-0.97, I2=99%, P<0.01). There was no significant difference in in-hospital mortality between the PAC and non-PAC groups of patients with cardiogenic shock secondary to acute coronary syndrome (RR 1.01, 95% CI: 0.81-1.25, I2=99%, P<0.01). Conclusions: Overall, our meta-analysis demonstrated no significant association between PAC monitoring and in-hospital mortality among patients managed for cardiogenic shock. The use of PAC in the management of cardiogenic shock caused by acute decompensated heart failure was associated with lower in-hospital mortality, but there was no association between PAC monitoring and in-hospital mortality among patients with cardiogenic shock caused by acute coronary syndrome.

A simplified echocardiographic formula to estimate cardiac index in the intensive care unit.

BACKGROUND AND AIM: Measurement of cardiac index (CI) is crucial in the hemodynamic assessment of critically ill patients in the intensive care unit (ICU). The most reliable trans-thoracic echocardiography (TTE) technique for CI estimation is the left ventricular outflow tract (LVOT) Doppler method that requires, among other parameters, the LVOT cross-sectional area (CSA) measurement. However, inherent and practical disadvantages, mostly related to the ICU setting, hamper LVOT-CSA assessment. In this study, we aimed to validate a simplified formula, leveraging on LVOT-velocity time integral (VTI) and heart rate (HR) only, for non-invasive estimation of CI in ICU patients. METHODS AND RESULTS: We prospectively enrolled 50 consecutive patients admitted to our ICU requiring pulmonary artery catheterization (PAC) over a one-year period. For each patient we measured the CI by PAC (CIPAC) and TTE. The latter was obtained both with the "traditional formula" (traditional CITTE), requiring LVOT-CSA assessment, and our new "simplified formula" (simplified CITTE). The correlation between the simplified CITTE and CIPAC was strong (r = 0.81) and resulted significantly greater than the traditional CITTE and CIPAC correlation (r = 0.70; p < 0.05 for Pearson r coefficients comparison). Both TTE-based CI showed an acceptable agreement (+0.19 ± 0.48 L/min/m2 for simplified CITTE and - 0.18 ± 0.58 L/min/m2 for traditional CITTE) with the reference CIPAC. CONCLUSION: In this study, we validated a practical approach, leveraging on TTE LVOT-VTI and HR only, for non-invasive estimation of CI in ICU patients.

Hemodynamic assessment and risk classification for successful weaning of Impella in patients with cardiogenic shock.

BACKGROUND: Clinical predictors for successful weaning of patients from Impella heart pump have not been clarified. We aimed to elucidate the relationship between pulmonary artery catheter (PAC) parameters at the time of Impella weaning and subsequent outcomes. METHODS: We enrolled consecutive patients who had received Impella for cardiogenic shock. PAC data were collected immediately before Impella weaning. Patients were classified as non-survivors if they died or required any mechanical circulatory support reintroduction within 30 days of weaning. RESULTS: Of 81 patients enrolled, 61 underwent Impella weaning. Of these, 16 were non-survivors. Predictive indicators of non-survival were high pulmonary artery wedge pressure (PAWP; hazard ratio [HR] per 5 mm Hg 1.97, 95% CI 1.35-2.80; p < 0.001), high mean pulmonary artery pressure (MPAP; HR per 5 mm Hg 1.90, 1.38-2.58; p < 0.001), and low cardiac power output (CPO; HR per 0.1 Watts 0.71, 0.52-0.92; p = 0.006). Cutoff values of PAWP 20 mm Hg, MPAP 22 mm Hg, and CPO 0.59 Watts showed strong associations with 30-day non-survival risk (low risk 8% in patients with low PAWP and high CPO or 4% in patients with low MPAP and high CPO; high risk 100% in patients with high PAWP and low CPO or 82% in patients with high MPAP and low CPO). CONCLUSIONS: PAWP or MPAP higher than the cutoff with CPO below the cutoff at Impella weaning were associated with worse outcomes. We proposed a risk classification model for successful Impella weaning using PAC.

Pulmonary Artery Catheter in Patients with Severe Acute Pancreatitis: A Single-Center Retrospective Study.

OBJECTIVE: It is still uncertain what effects pulmonary artery catheter (PAC)-guided resuscitation has on outcomes for patients with severe acute pancreatitis (SAP). Therefore, we aimed to investigate the effect of PAC on hospital mortality in patients with SAP. METHODS: We collected the data of patients with a diagnosis of SAP from January 10, 2017, to July 30, 2019. Patients were divided into a PAC group and a control group. The primary outcome measured was the day-28 mortality. Secondary outcomes included day-90 mortality, duration of ICU and hospital stay, ventilation days, usage of renal support and vasoactive agents, incidences of acute abdominal compartment syndrome, infusion volumes, and fluid balance and hemodynamic characteristics measured by the PAC. Kaplan-Meier analysis was applied to estimate survival outcomes. Complications related to PAC were also analyzed. RESULTS: There was no significant difference between the PAC group and the control group for day-28 mortality (22.7% vs. 30%, odds ratio, 0.69; 95% CI 0.31-1.52; P = 0.35). The duration of ICU stay in the PAC group was shorter (P = 0.00), and the rate of dependence on renal support treatment was lower in the PAC group than in the control group (P = 0.03). There was no difference in other secondary outcomes and no significant difference in the survival curve between the two groups (log-rank P = 0.72, X2 = 0.13). However, SAP patients inserted PAC within 24 h ICU admission showed that duration of renal support therapy in PAC patients within 24 h ICU admission (mean days, 1.60; standard deviation, 0.14) was shorter than those with 24-72 h ICU admission (mean days, 2.94; standard deviation, 0.73; P = 0.03). The organ failure rates (1 organ, 2 organs and 3 organs) were all lower in PAC patients within 24 h ICU admission than with 24-72 h ICU admission (P = 0.02, P = 0.02, P = 0.048, respectively). CONCLUSION: In patients with severe acute pancreatitis, PAC-guided fluid resuscitation shortened the duration of ICU stay, and patients in the PAC group had a lower rate of dependence on renal support, while no benefit in terms of mortality was observed. However, SAP patients inserted PAC within 24 h ICU admission showed shorter duration of renal support therapy and lower organ failure rates than those with 24-72 h ICU admission, indicating that early use of PAC, especially within 24 h, might be better for SAP patients.

Pulmonary artery catheterization in patients with cardiogenic shock: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

PURPOSE: Cardiogenic shock carries high morbidity and mortality. The purpose of this review was to determine the safety and efficacy of pulmonary artery catheterization (PAC) in adult patients hospitalized with cardiogenic shock. SOURCE: We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis of observational studies and randomized controlled trials comparing PAC vs no PAC in cardiogenic shock. We searched MEDLINE, EMBASE, Cochrane CENTRAL, and grey literature. We screened articles, abstracted data, and evaluated risk of bias in duplicate. We pooled data using a random-effects model and evaluated the quality of evidence using the GRADE framework. Outcomes of interest were mortality, length of stay, and procedural complications. PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: We identified 19 eligible observational studies (≥ 2,716,287 patients) and no randomized controlled trials; 14 studies were at high risk of bias (lack of adjustment for prognostic variables and/or co-interventions). When pooling adjusted results, PAC was associated with improved survival to hospital discharge (relative risk [RR], 0.77; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.64 to 0.91, I2 = 98%; very low-quality evidence) and at longest available follow-up (RR, 0.72; 95% CI, 0.60 to 0.87; I2 = 99%; very low-quality evidence). Unadjusted length of stay was 3.5 days longer (95% CI, 1.49 to 5.54; I2 = 100%; very low-quality evidence) with PAC. Procedural complications were inconsistently reported. CONCLUSIONS: Very low-quality observational evidence suggests PAC use in patients with cardiogenic shock is associated with lower mortality. Overall, these results support consideration of PAC for hemodynamic assessment in cardiogenic shock. Prospective randomized clinical trials are needed to further characterize the role of PAC in this population.

RéSUMé: OBJECTIF: Le choc cardiogénique entraîne une morbidité et une mortalité élevées. Le but de cette revue était de déterminer la sécurité et l'efficacité de l'utilisation d'un cathétérisme de l'artère pulmonaire (CAP) chez des patients adultes hospitalisés en choc cardiogénique. SOURCES: Nous avons réalisé une revue systématique et une méta-analyse d'études observationnelles et d'études randomisées contrôlées comparant l'utilisation vs la non-utilisation de CAP pour le traitement d'un choc cardiogénique. Nous avons effectué des recherches dans les bases de données MEDLINE, EMBASE, Cochrane CENTRAL et dans la littérature grise. Nous avons examiné les articles, résumé les données et évalué le risque de biais à deux reprises. Nous avons regroupé les données à l'aide d'un modèle à effets aléatoires et évalué la qualité des données probantes en nous appuyant sur le système GRADE. Les issues d'intérêt étaient la mortalité, la durée de séjour et les complications procédurales. CONSTATATIONS PRINCIPALES: Nous avons identifié 19 études observationnelles admissibles (≥ 2 716 287 patients) et aucune étude randomisée contrôlée; 14 études comportaient un risque élevé de biais (absence d'ajustement sur les variables pronostiques et/ou les interventions concomitantes). En regroupant les résultats ajustés, le CAP a été associé à une meilleure survie jusqu'au congé de l'hôpital (risque relatif [RR], 0,77; intervalle de confiance [IC] à 95 %, 0,64 à 0,91, I2 = 98 %; données probantes de très faible qualité) et jusqu'au point de suivi disponible rapporté le plus lointain dans le temps (RR, 0,72; IC 95 %, 0,60 à 0,87; I2 = 99 %; données probantes de très faible qualité). La durée de séjour non ajustée était 3,5 jours plus longue (IC 95 %, 1,49 à 5,54; I2 = 100 %; données probantes de très faible qualité) avec un CAP. Les complications procédurales n'étaient par rapportées de manière uniforme. CONCLUSION: Des données observationnelles de très faible qualité suggèrent que l'utilisation d'un CAP chez des patients en choc cardiogénique est associée à une réduction de la mortalité. Dans l'ensemble, ces résultats suggèrent de considérer le CAP pour l'évaluation hémodynamique en cas de choc cardiogénique. Des études cliniques randomisées prospectives sont nécessaires pour mieux caractériser le rôle du CAP dans cette population.

PRO: The pulmonary artery catheter has a paramount role in current clinical practice.

Ever since its clinical introduction, the utilization of the pulmonary artery catheter (PAC) has been surrounded by multiple controversies, mostly related to imprecise clinical indications and the complications derived from its placement. Currently, one of the most important criticisms of the PAC is the ambiguity in the interpretation of its hemodynamic measurements and therefore, in the translation of this data into specific therapeutic interventions. The popularity of the PAC stems from the fact that it provides hemodynamic data that cannot be obtained from clinical examination. The assumption is that this information would allow better understanding of the individual's hemodynamic profile which would trigger therapeutic interventions that improve patient outcomes. Nevertheless, even with the current diversity of hemodynamic devices available, the PAC remains a valuable tool in a wide variety of clinical settings. The authors present a review exposing the benefits of the PAC, current clinical recommendations for its use, mortality and survival profile, its role in goal-directed therapy, and other applications of the PAC beyond cardiac surgery and the intensive care unit.

CON: Pulmonary artery catheter use should be forgone in modern clinical practice.

The pulmonary artery catheter (PAC) and its role in the practice of modern medicine remains to be questioned and has experienced a substantial decline in its use in the most recent decades. The complications associated to its use, the lack of consistency of the interpretation provided by the PAC among clinicians, the development of new hemodynamic methods, and the deleterious cost profile associated to the PAC are some of the reasons behind the decrease in its use. Since its introduction into clinical practice, the PAC and the data obtained from its use became paramount in the management of critically ill patients as well as for the high-risk/invasive procedures. Initially, many clinicians were under the impression that regardless the clinical setting, acquiring the information provided by the PAC justified its use, until a growing body of evidence demonstrated its lack of mortality and morbidity improvement, as well as several reports of the presence of difficulties-some of them fatal-during its insertion. The authors present an updated review discussing the futility of the PAC in current clinical practice, the complications associated to its insertion, the lack of mortality benefit in critically ill patients and cardiac surgery, as well as present alternative hemodynamic methods to the PAC.

Agreement between continuous and intermittent pulmonary artery thermodilution for cardiac output measurement in perioperative and intensive care medicine: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Pulmonary artery thermodilution is the clinical reference method for cardiac output monitoring. Because both continuous and intermittent pulmonary artery thermodilution are used in clinical practice it is important to know whether cardiac output measurements by the two methods are clinically interchangeable. METHODS: We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis of clinical studies comparing cardiac output measurements assessed using continuous and intermittent pulmonary artery thermodilution in adult surgical and critically ill patients. 54 studies with 1522 patients were included in the analysis. RESULTS: The heterogeneity across the studies was high. The overall random effects model-derived pooled estimate of the mean of the differences was 0.08 (95%-confidence interval 0.01 to 0.16) L/min with pooled 95%-limits of agreement of - 1.68 to 1.85 L/min and a pooled percentage error of 29.7 (95%-confidence interval 20.5 to 38.9)%. CONCLUSION: The heterogeneity across clinical studies comparing continuous and intermittent pulmonary artery thermodilution in adult surgical and critically ill patients is high. The overall trueness/accuracy of continuous pulmonary artery thermodilution in comparison with intermittent pulmonary artery thermodilution is good (indicated by a pooled mean of the differences < 0.1 L/min). Pooled 95%-limits of agreement of - 1.68 to 1.85 L/min and a pooled percentage error of 29.7% suggest that continuous pulmonary artery thermodilution barely passes interchangeability criteria with intermittent pulmonary artery thermodilution. PROSPERO registration number CRD42020159730.

The role of intraoperative pulmonary arterial catheterization data in determining the need for extracorporeal membrane oxygenation in lung transplantation.

BACKGROUND: This study aims to investigate predictive factors of identification of the need of patients for extracorporeal membrane oxygenation support during lung transplantation. METHODS: A total of 63 patients (49 males, 14 females, mean age: 44.9±14.4 years; range, 14 to 64 years) who underwent lung transplantation in our institution between December 2016 and December 2019 were retrospectively analyzed. Demographic characteristics and perioperative clinical data of patients were recorded. After induction and pulmonary artery catheterization, cardiac output, mean pulmonary artery pressure, pulmonary capillary wedge pressure, cardiac index, pulmonary vascular resistance, systemic vascular resistance, and right atrial pressure were measured using the thermodilution technique. RESULTS: Thirty-three of the patients received extracorporeal membrane oxygenation support during surgery. The right atrial pressure (p<0.001), pulmonary capillary wedge pressure (p<0.002), mean pulmonary artery pressure (p<0.001), and pulmonary vascular resistance (p<0.001) were statistically significantly higher in the patients who required extracorporeal membrane oxygenation support intraoperatively. The systemic vascular resistance (p<0.032) was statistically significantly lower in the patients who required extracorporeal membrane oxygenation support intraoperatively. A mean pulmonary artery pressure of >39 mmHg (p<0.02) and a right atrial pressure of >12 mmHg (p<0.047) were independent risk factors for ECMO support intraoperatively during lung transplantation. CONCLUSION: Predicting the need of intraoperative extracorporeal membrane oxygenation support is of utmost importance in timing the need for mechanical support, protecting the new graft from high mechanical ventilator pressures, and adequately maintaining hemodynamic stability.

Expected vs Actual Outcomes of Elective Initiation of Inotropic Therapy During Heart Failure Hospitalization.

OBJECTIVE: To describe the intent and early outcomes of elective inotrope use during heart failure hospitalization. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A prospective multisite design was used to collect data for hemodynamically stable patients started electively on inotrope therapy between January 1 and August 31, 2018. We prospectively recorded data when intravenous inotropic therapy was initiated, including survey of the attending cardiologists regarding expectations for the clinical course. Patients were followed up for events through hospital discharge and an additional survey was administered at the end of hospitalization. RESULTS: For the 92 patients enrolled, average age was 60 years and ejection fraction was 24%±12%. At the time of inotrope initiation, attending heart failure cardiologists predicted that 50% (n=46) of the patients had a "high or very high" likelihood of becoming dependent on intravenous inotropic therapy and 58% (n=53) had a "high" likelihood of death, transplant, or durable ventricular assist device placement within the next 6 months. Provider predictions regarding death/hospice or need for continued home infusions were accurate only 51% (47 of 92) of the time. Only half the patients (n=47) had goals-of-care conversations before inotrope treatment initiation. CONCLUSION: More than half the patients (51 of 92) electively started on inotrope treatment without present or imminent cardiogenic shock ultimately required home inotrope therapy, died during admission, or were discharged with hospice. Heart failure clinicians could not reliably identify those patients at the time of inotrope therapy initiation and goals-of-care discussions were not frequently performed.

Management of Cardiogenic Shock in a Cardiac Intensive Care Unit.

Cardiogenic shock (CS) is a complex condition characterized by end-organ hypoperfusion and requiring pharmacologic and/or mechanical circulatory support. It is caused by a decline in cardiac output due to a primary cardiac disorder. CS is frequently complicated by multiorgan system dysfunction that requires a multidisciplinary approach in a critical care setting. Appropriate use of diagnostic data using tools available in a modern cardiac intensive care unit should guide optimal management incorporating both pharmacologic and nonpharmacologic therapies to minimize morbidity and mortality.

Pulmonary artery catheter use in acute myocardial infarction-cardiogenic shock.

AIMS: The aim of this study is to evaluate the contemporary use of a pulmonary artery catheter (PAC) in acute myocardial infarction-cardiogenic shock (AMI-CS). METHODS AND RESULTS: A retrospective cohort of AMI-CS admissions using the National Inpatient Sample (2000-2014) was identified. Admissions with concomitant cardiac surgery or non-AMI aetiology for cardiogenic shock were excluded. The outcomes of interest were in-hospital mortality, resource utilization, and temporal trends in cohorts with and without PAC use. In the non-PAC cohort, the use and outcomes of right heart catheterization was evaluated. Multivariable regression and propensity matching was used to adjust for confounding. During 2000-2014, 364 001 admissions with AMI-CS were included. PAC was used in 8.1% with a 75% decrease during over the study period (13.9% to 5.4%). Greater proportion of admissions to urban teaching hospitals received PACs (9.5%) compared with urban non-teaching (7.1%) and rural hospitals (5.4%); P < 0.001. Younger age, male sex, white race, higher comorbidity, noncardiac organ failure, use of mechanical circulatory support, and noncardiac support were independent predictors of PAC use. The PAC cohort had higher in-hospital mortality (adjusted odds ratio 1.07 [95% confidence interval 1.04-1.10]), longer length of stay (10.9 ± 10.9 vs. 8.2 ± 9.3 days), higher hospitalization costs ($128 247 ± 138 181 vs. $96 509 ± 116 060), and lesser discharges to home (36.3% vs. 46.4%) (all P < 0.001). In 6200 propensity-matched pairs, in-hospital mortality was comparable between the two cohorts (odds ratio 1.01 [95% confidence interval 0.94-1.08]). Right heart catheterization was used in 12.5% of non-PAC admissions and was a marker of greater severity but did not indicate worse outcomes. CONCLUSIONS: In AMI-CS, there was a 75% decrease in PAC use between 2000 and 2014. Admissions receiving a PAC were a higher risk cohort with worse clinical outcomes.

Takotsubo syndrome: between evidence, myths, and misunderstandings.

Takotsubo syndrome (TS) is an acute cardiac condition characterized by transient wall motion abnormalities mostly of the left ventricle. First described in 1990, TS has gained substantial attention during the past 15 years. However, the disease is still underdiagnosed. Prospective studies on TS are largely lacking, and the condition remains incompletely understood. In addition, significant misconceptions and misunderstandings are evident, contributing to potentially severe underestimation. Here, we review important aspects of TS with a focus on pitfalls, misinterpretations, and knowledge gaps considered important during diagnosis and management of the disease.

Bridging the Gap Between Clinical Practice and the AACN Practice Alert on Pulmonary Artery/Central Venous Pressure Monitoring in Adults.

Measuring and documenting accurate data from pulmonary artery and central venous pressure catheters is an important responsibility of critical care nurses. The American Association of Critical-Care Nurses Practice Alert titled Pulmonary Artery/Central Venous Pressure Monitoring in Adults provides evidence-based standards against which nurses can compare their practice related to obtaining valid hemodynamic data. Identifying and acting on improvement opportunities is also a nursing responsibility and helps to ensure that patients with pulmonary artery or central venous pressure catheters receive high-quality care. This article reviews various strategies to compare nursing practice to the Pulmonary Artery/Central Venous Pressure Monitoring in Adults Practice Alert and to close identified gaps in clinical practice.