Spontaneous Coronary Artery Dissection (SCAD) from an Interventionalist Perspective.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Spontaneous coronary artery dissection (SCAD) is an increasingly recognized cause of acute coronary syndrome (ACS), particularly among women < 50 years of age. Here, we aim to review the pathogenesis of SCAD, discuss SCAD as an initial manifestation of systemic arterial disease, and highlight invasive strategies as well as unique challenges in the care of women with SCAD. RECENT FINDINGS: A paradigm shift has occurred in the care of SCAD patients in the past decade as recommendations for conservative management have become widespread. Invasive interventions are reserved for patients with hemodynamic compromise or active ischemia due to increased periprocedural complications and failure rates. Certain patient populations have been identified for larger territory infarcts and proximal disease including patients with known connective tissue disease, premenopausal women, and patients with pregnancy-associated SCAD (P-SCAD). Current recommended management of SCAD is conservative. Despite a growing awareness of SCAD and its known association with systemic arteriopathies in women, evidence-based data remains scarce. Future studies focused on identifying genetic factors, optimal medical therapy after SCAD, and techniques to minimize interventional complications are needed.

Hemodynamic Predictors of Outcome Following Alcohol Septal Ablation for Hypertrophic Obstructive Cardiomyopathy.

BACKGROUND: Alcohol septal ablation (ASA) is a minimally invasive treatment for drug-refractory obstructive hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. Detailed assessment of pressure changes and predictors of mortality and procedure success are not well defined. METHODS: This is a single-center study evaluating pressure changes and predictors of mortality and procedure success in transseptal ASA. Survival analysis and predictors of mortality were assessed using the Kaplan-Meier analysis and Cox regression, respectively. RESULTS: A total of 156 patients were included (mean age, 67.3 years; 46.8% women). Left atrial (LA) pressure and left ventricular outflow tract (LVOT) gradient decreased, whereas aortic pulse pressure (PP) increased post-ASA. Patients with lower baseline mean LA pressure (82% (gradient change median), and PP increase >19% (PP change median) had superior survival. On Cox univariable regression, baseline mean LA pressure >median (19 mm Hg; hazard ratio [HR], 2.09 [95% CI, 1.05-4.18]; P=0.036), residual LVOT gradient (HR, 1.02 [95% CI, 1.01-1.03]; P=0.003), and LVOT gradient percent reduction median (28 mm Hg; HR, 2.36 [95% CI, 1.17-4.76]; P=0.016), baseline mean LA pressure >median (19 mm Hg; HR, 2.70 [95% CI, 1.33-5.50]; P=0.006), percentage reduction in gradient

The effect of donor alcohol abuse on outcomes following heart transplantation.

BACKGROUND: Current guidelines recommend against the use of hearts from donors that abuse alcohol. We explored the effect of donor alcohol abuse (AA) on cardiac allograft function and outcomes in heart transplant (HTx) recipients. METHODS: Overall, 370 HTx recipients were divided into two groups: (a) the alcoholic donor group (AD, n = 58) and (b) the non-alcoholic donor group (NAD, n = 312). RESULTS: Recipients in the AD group had a slower heart rate (86 ± 13 vs 93 ± 13, P = 0.004) and an increased incidence of early atrial fibrillation (AF) (30% vs 11%, P = 0.003). Echocardiographic left ventricular mass was higher among alcoholic donors (171.7 ± 66.7 vs 151.6 ± 54.7, P = 0.02). This difference remained present 1 year following HTx (185 ± 43 vs 166 ± 42, P = 0.007). E/E' was higher in the AD group (9.5 ± 3.9 vs 8.4 ± 2.9, P = 0.04) and a larger number of AD recipients had a ventilatory equivalent for VCO2  > 34 (50% vs 31%, P = 0.04) on cardiopulmonary exercise test. There was no significant difference in rejection, cardiac allograft vasculopathy (CAV), or survival between the groups. CONCLUSIONS: Our data suggest that donor AA does not impact rejection, CAV, or intermediate-term survival, but may cause increased incidence of post-HTx AF and impaired cardiac allograft diastolic function.