Doppler echocardiography for assessment of systemic vascular resistances in cardiogenic shock patients.

OBJECTIVE: Impaired vascular tone plays an important role in cardiogenic shock. Doppler echocardiography provides a non-invasive estimation of systemic vascular resistance. The aim of the present study was to compare Doppler echocardiography with the transpulmonary thermodilution method for the assessment of systemic vascular resistance in patients with cardiogenic shock. METHODS: This prospective monocentric comparison study was conducted in a single cardiology intensive care unit (Hopital Nord, Marseille, France). We assessed the systemic vascular resistance index by both echocardiography and transpulmonary thermodilution in 28 patients admitted for cardiogenic shock, on admission and after the introduction of an inotrope or vasopressor treatment. RESULTS: A total of 35 paired echocardiographic and transpulmonary thermodilution estimations of the systemic vascular resistance index were compared. Echocardiography values ranged from 1309 to 3526 dynes.s.m2/cm5 and transpulmonary thermodilution values ranged from 1320 to 3901 dynes.s.m2/cm5. A statistically significant correlation was found between echocardiography and transpulmonary thermodilution (r=0.86, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.74, 0.93; P<0.0001). The intraclass correlation coefficient was 0.84 (95% CI 0.72, 0.92). The mean bias was -111.95 dynes.s.m2/cm5 (95% CI -230.06, 6.16). Limits of agreement were -785.86, 561.96. CONCLUSIONS: Doppler echocardiography constitutes an accurate non-invasive alternative to transpulmonary thermodilution to provide an estimation of systemic vascular resistance in patients with cardiogenic shock.

High incidence of atrial fibrillation in patients treated with ibrutinib.

Objective: Atrial fibrillation (AF) is one of the most common side effects of ibrutinib, a drug that has dramatically improved the prognosis of chronic B-cell malignancies such as chronic lymphocytic leukaemia (CLL). The true incidence of ibrutinib-related AF (IRAF) is not well known and its therapeutic management poses unique challenges especially due to the inherent risk of bleeding. We aimed to determine the incidence and predictors of IRAF, and to analyse its management and outcome. Methods: A standardised monitoring was applied at two cardio-oncology clinics in consecutive patients referred before and during ibrutinib therapy. The primary endpoint was the incidence of IRAF. The excess of AF incidence with ibrutinib was studied by comparing the incidence of IRAF with the expected incidence of AF in general population and in patients with CLL not exposed to ibrutinib. Results: 53 patients were included. The incidence of IRAF was 38% at 2 years and the risk was 15-fold higher than the AF risk in both the general population and patients with CLL not exposed to ibrutinib (p<0.0001). The majority of cases occurred in asymptomatic patients within the first 6 months. Left atrial volume index ≥40 mL/m2 at treatment initiation identified patients at high risk of developing IRAF. No major bleeding events occurred in patients on ibrutinib, although the majority of patients with IRAF were treated with anticoagulants. Conclusions: This cardio-oncology study showed that the risk of IRAF was much higher than previously reported. The majority of cases occurred in asymptomatic patients justifying close monitoring.

Dynamic iron status after acute heart failure.

BACKGROUND: Iron deficiency (ID) is common in heart failure (HF), and is associated with unfavourable clinical outcomes. Although it is recommended to screen for ID in HF, there is no clear consensus on the optimal timing of its assessment. AIM: To analyse changes in iron status during a short-term follow-up in patients admitted for acute HF. METHODS: Iron status (serum ferritin concentration and transferrin saturation) was determined in 110 consecutive patients (median age: 81 years) admitted to a referral centre for acute HF, at three timepoints (admission, discharge and 1 month after discharge). ID was defined according to the guidelines. RESULTS: The prevalence rates of ID at admission, discharge and 1 month were, respectively, 75% (95% confidence interval [CI] 67-83%), 61% (95% CI: 52-70%), and 70% (95% CI: 61-79%) (P=0.008). Changes in prevalence were significant between admission and discharge (P=0.0018). Despite a similar ID prevalence at admission and 1 month (P=0.34), iron status changed in 25% of patients. Between admission and discharge, variation in C-reactive protein correlated significantly with that of ferritin (ρ=0.30; P=0.001). Advanced age, anaemia, low ferritin concentration and low creatinine clearance were associated with the persistence of ID from admission to 1 month. CONCLUSIONS: Iron status is dynamic in patients admitted for acute HF. Although ID was as frequent at admission as at 1 month after discharge, iron status varied in 25% of patients.

Management and research in cancer treatment-related cardiovascular toxicity: Challenges and perspectives.

Cardiovascular toxicity is a potentially serious complication that can result from the use of various cancer therapies and can impact the short- and long-term prognosis of treated patients as well as cancer survivors. In addition to their potential acute cardiovascular adverse events, new treatments can lead to late toxicity even after their completion because patients who survive longer generally have an increased exposure to the cancer therapies combined to standard cardiovascular risk factors. These complications expose the patient to the risk of cardiovascular morbi-mortality, which makes managing cardiovascular toxicity a significant challenge. Cardio-oncology programs offer the opportunity to improve cardiovascular monitoring, safety, and management through a better understanding of the pathogenesis of toxicity and interdisciplinary collaborations. In this review, we address new challenges, perspectives, and research priorities in cancer therapy-related cardiovascular toxicity to identify strategies that could improve the overall prognosis and survival of cancer patients. We also focus our discussion on the contribution of cardio-oncology in each step of the development and use of cancer therapies.