ANZACS-QI Heart Failure Registry: a new approach using age-stratified sampling of hospital discharges to guide quality improvement (ANZACS-QI 79).

Heart failure is a major healthcare problem in New Zealand. The Acute Decompensated Heart Failure (ADHF) Registry was introduced in 2015, and has identified the need for quality improvement strategies to improve care of patients hospitalised with heart failure. In this paper, we describe the implementation of the revised ANZACS-QI Heart Failure Registry, which has a primary aim to support evidence-based management of and quality improvement measures for patients who are hospitalised with heart failure in New Zealand. Taking the learnings from the initial experience with the ADHF Registry, the revised ANZACS-QI Heart Failure Registry i) utilises age-stratified sampling of hospital discharge coding to identify a representative heart failure cohort, ii) utilises existing ANZACS-QI infrastructure for data-linkage to reduce the burden of manual data entry, iii) receives governance from the Heart Failure Working Group, and iv) focusses on established quality improvement indicators for heart failure management.

Cardiogenic Shock Prior to Percutaneous Coronary Intervention in ST-Elevation Myocardial Infarction: Outcomes and Predictors of Mortality (ANZACS-QI 73).

BACKGROUND & AIMS: Cardiogenic shock (CS) is a serious complication of acute myocardial infarction (MI) and is associated with significant mortality. We describe a contemporary, real-world cohort of patients with ST-elevation MI (STEMI) and CS, including 30-day mortality and clinically relevant predictors of mortality. METHODS: All patients presenting with STEMI who were treated with percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) in New Zealand (2016 to 2020) were identified from the Aotearoa New Zealand All Cardiology Services Quality Improvement (ANZACS-QI) registry and stratified based on their Killip class on arrival to the cardiac catheterisation laboratory. Primary outcome was 30-day all-cause mortality. Multivariable analysis was used to identify predictors of mortality prior to PCI and to develop a mortality scoring system. RESULTS: In total, 6,649 patients were identified, including 192 (2.9%) Killip IV (CS) patients. Thirty-day mortality was 47.5% in patients with CS, 14.6% in those with heart failure without shock, and 3% in those without heart failure. Independent predictors of 30-day mortality for patients with CS were: estimated glomerular filtration rate <60 mL/min/1.73m2 (relative risk [RR] 1.89, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.39-2.58), cardiac arrest (RR 1.54, 95% CI 1.15-2.06), diabetes (RR 1.31, 95% CI 1.01-1.70), female sex (RR 1.32, 95% CI 1.01-1.72), femoral arterial access (RR 1.42, 95% CI 1.06-1.90) and left main stem culprit (RR 2.16, 95% CI 1.65-2.84). A multivariable Shock score was developed which predicts 30-day mortality with good global discrimination (area under the curve 0.79, 95% CI 0.73-0.85). CONCLUSION: In this national cohort, the 30-day mortality for STEMI patients presenting with CS treated with PCI remains high, at nearly 50%. The ANZACS-QI Shock score is a promising tool for mortality risk stratification prior to PCI but requires further validation.

2023 position statement on improving management for patients with heart failure in Aotearoa New Zealand.

Heart failure affects 1-3% of the population and remains a major public health problem, with high rates of hospitalisation and mortality. Health inequities in the incidence of heart failure have widened over the last 13 years in Aotearoa New Zealand. Urgent action is required to address the inequitable burden of heart failure among Maori and Pasifika. Regional and international heart failure guidelines now provide clear and consistent guidance on the contemporary approach to management for patients with heart failure. The purpose of this position statement is to ensure that all people in Aotearoa New Zealand have access to optimal healthcare delivery and pharmacotherapy for contemporary management of heart failure. Three main areas are addressed, including: 1) access to evidence-based pharmacotherapy for patients with heart failure, 2) the importance of early initiation and titration of pharmacotherapy, and 3) the workforce required to ensure timely delivery of heart failure therapies. Implementation of evidence-based healthcare will ensure all patients with heart failure in Aotearoa New Zealand have opportunity for substantial improvement in health.

Investigation and treatment after non-ST segment elevation acute coronary syndrome for patients presenting to rural or urban hospitals in Aotearoa New Zealand: ANZACS-QI 75.

AIMS: Compare the care patients with non-ST segment elevation acute coronary syndrome (NSTEACS) received in Aotearoa New Zealand depending on the rural-urban category of the hospital they are first admitted to. METHODS: Patients with NSTEACS investigated with invasive coronary angiogram between 1 January 2014 and 31 December 2019 were included. There were three hospital categories (routine access to percutaneous coronary intervention [urban interventional], other urban [urban non-interventional] and rural) and three ethnicity categories (Maori, Pacific and non-Maori/non-Pacific). Clinical performance measures included: angiography ≤3 days, assessment of left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) and prescription of secondary prevention medication. RESULTS: Of 26,779 patients, 66.2% presented to urban-interventional, 25.6% to urban non-interventional and 8.2% to rural hospitals. A smaller percentage of patients presenting to urban interventional than urban non-interventional and rural hospitals were Maori (8.1%, 17.0% and 13.0%). Patients presenting to urban interventional hospitals were more likely to receive timely angiography than urban non-interventional or rural hospitals (78.5%, 60.8% and 63.1%). They were also more likely to have a LVEF assessment (78.5%, 65.4% and 66.3%). In contrast, the use of secondary prevention medications at discharge was similar between hospital categories. Maori and Pacific patients presenting to urban interventional hospitals were less likely than non-Maori/non-Pacific to receive timely angiography but more likely to have LVEF assessed. However, LVEF assessment and timely angiography in urban non-interventional and rural hospitals were lower than in urban interventional hospitals for both Maori and non-Maori/non-Pacific. CONCLUSIONS: Patients presenting to urban hospitals without routine interventional access and rural hospitals were less likely to receive LVEF assessment or timely angiography. This disproportionately impacts Maori, who are more likely to live in these hospital catchments.

Prognostic modelling of clinical outcomes after first-time acute coronary syndrome in New Zealand.

OBJECTIVE: The Multi-Ethnic New Zealand Study of Acute Coronary Syndromes (MENZACS) was established to investigate the drivers of secondary events after first-time acute coronary syndrome (ACS), including addressing inequitable outcomes by ethnicity. Herein, the first clinical outcomes and prognostic modelling approach are reported. METHODS: First, in 28 176 New Zealanders with first-time ACS from a national registry, a clinical summary score for predicting 1-year death/cardiovascular readmission was created using Cox regression of 20 clinical variables. This score was then calculated in the 2015 participant MENZACS study to represent clinical risk. In MENZACS, Cox regression was used to assess N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) as a prognostic marker for death/cardiovascular readmission in four models, adjusting for (1) age and sex; (2) age, sex, ethnicity; (3) clinical summary score; (4) clinical summary score and ethnicity. RESULTS: Of the 2015 MENZACS participants (mean age 61 years, 79% male, 73% European, 14% Maori, 5% Pacific people), 2003 were alive at discharge. Of the 2003, 416 (20.8%) experienced all-cause death/cardiovascular readmission over a median of 3.5 years. In a simple model, age, male sex, Maori ethnicity and NT-proBNP levels were significant predictors of outcome. After adjustment for the clinical summary score, which includes age and sex, NT-proBNP and ethnicity were no longer statistically significant: log2(NT-proBNP) hazard ratio (HR) 1.03, 95% confidence interval (95% CI) 0.98 to 1.08, p=0.305; Maori ethnicity HR 1.26, 95% CI 0.97 to 1.62, p=0.084. CONCLUSIONS: In 2015 patients with first-time ACS, recurrent events were common (20.8%). Increasing NT-proBNP levels and Maori ethnicity were predictors of death/cardiovascular readmission, but not after adjustment for the 20 clinical risk factors represented by the clinical summary score. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: ACTRN12615000676516.

It's time to end racism in our profession: an open letter to the New Zealand medical community.

This is an open letter to all medical professionals in Aotearoa/New Zealand in response to a recently publicised incident at a medical conference held in late 2020, where racist and offensive remarks were made about Maori to an audience of medical professionals and an invited Maori delegate. The incident brings to light cultural flaws in our profession that implicitly allow this type of behaviour to exist and negatively impact Maori patients. The challenge to our profession is to be honest, reflect on what we can learn from this incident, and bring about cultural change through personal reflection and collective action.

Inequity in one-year mortality after first myocardial infarction in Maori and Pacific patients: how much is associated with differences in modifiable clinical risk factors? (ANZACS-QI 49).

AIMS: Ischaemic heart disease (IHD) mortality rates after myocardial infarction (MI) are higher in Maori and Pacific compared to European people. The reasons for these differences are complex and incompletely understood. Our aim was to use a contemporary real-world national cohort of patients presenting with their first MI to better understand the extent to which differences in the clinical presentation, cardiovascular (CVD) risk factors, comorbidity and in-hospital treatment explain the mortality outcomes for Maori and Pacific peoples. METHODS: New Zealand residents (≥20 years old) hospitalised with their first MI (2014-2017), and who underwent coronary angiography, were identified from the All New Zealand Acute Coronary Syndrome Quality Improvement (ANZACS-QI) registry. All-cause mortality up to one year after the index admission date was obtained by linkage to the national mortality database. RESULTS: There were 17,404 patients with a first ever MI. European/other comprised 76% of the population, Maori 11.5%, Pacific 5.1%, Indian 4.3% and Other Asian 2.9%. Over half (55%) of Maori, Pacific and Indian patients were admitted with their first MI before age 60 years, compared with 29% of European/other patients. Maori and Pacific patients had a higher burden of traditional and non-traditional cardiovascular risk factors, and despite being younger, were more likely to present with heart failure and, together with Indian peoples, advanced coronary disease at presentation with first MI. After adjustment for age and sex, Maori and Pacific, but not Indian or Other Asian patients had significantly higher all-cause mortality at one year compared with the European/other reference group (HR 2.55 (95% CI 2.12-3.07), HR 2.98 (95% CI 2.34-3.81) for Maori and Pacific respectively). When further adjusted for differences in clinical presentation, clinical history and cardiovascular risk factors, the excess mortality risk for Maori and Pacific patients was reduced substantially, but a differential persisted (HR 1.77 (95% CI 1.44-2.19), HR 1.42 (95% CI 1.07-1.83)) which was not further reduced by adjustment for differences in in-hospital management and discharge medications. CONCLUSION: In New Zealand patients after their first MI there is a three-fold variation in one-year mortality based on ethnicity. At least half of the inequity in outcomes for Maori, and three-quarters for Pacific people, is associated with differences in preventable or modifiable clinical factors present at, or prior to, presentation.

Myocardial Infarction Without Obstructive Coronary Artery Disease is Not a Benign Condition (ANZACS-QI 10).

BACKGROUND: Non-obstructive coronary artery disease (CAD) on coronary angiography after myocardial infarction (MI) is associated with a lower risk of adverse outcomes, but the prognosis may not be benign. Our aim was to assess outcomes in MI with and without obstructive CAD, and in an age and sex matched comparison cohort without known cardiovascular disease. METHODS: We performed a single centre analysis of consecutive patients undergoing coronary angiography for MI between 2007 and 2012. Patients were classified into those with obstructive CAD (≥50% epicardial coronary artery stenosis) and those without obstructive CAD (<50%). Myocardial infarction patient data was collected in an electronic registry and linked anonymously to national hospitalisation and mortality records. Age and sex matched patients without known CVD were identified from the community PREDICT cohort. RESULTS: Of the 2070 patients with MI, 302 (15%) had non-obstructive CAD. Compared to patients with obstructive disease they were younger (mean 57 v 61 years, p<0.001), more likely to be women (50% vs 23%, p<0.001), to be of Maori or Pacific vs. European ethnicity (p<0.001), more likely to be lifelong non-smokers (46% v 38%, p=0.02), non-diabetic (80v 73%, p <0.01), have no ST-segment deviation (78% v 46%, p<0.001), and have a low risk Global Registry of Acute Coronary Events acute coronary syndrome (GRACE ACS) score (54 v 35%, p<0.001). They were also less likely to receive 'triple therapy' secondary prevention medications (81% v 94%, p<0.0001). The cumulative two-year Kaplan-Maier composite outcome of mortality or non-fatal MI was 14.3% for MI with obstructive CAD, 4.6% for MI without obstructive disease, and 2.2% for patients without prior CVD (p<0.001). CONCLUSION: Myocardial infarction without obstructive coronary disease is common (∼1 in 7 patients) and is not clinically benign, with an adverse outcome rate double that of age and sex matched patients without CVD.

A review of a regional primary percutaneous coronary intervention service, with a focus on door to reperfusion times: the 2012 Auckland/Northland experience.

AIMS: Primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) is the optimal management for ST segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) patients. We reviewed the largest primary PCI regional service in New Zealand: the Auckland/Northland service based at Auckland City Hospital, to assess patient management, in particular the door to reperfusion times (DTRTs), and predictors of death in hospital. METHODS: We obtained patient details from a comprehensive prospective database of all primary PCI patients admitted with STEMI from 1/1/12 to 31/12/12 to the Auckland City Hospital cardiac catheterisation laboratory. Of four District Health Boards (DHBs) within the region, two accessed this regional service at all times, and two accessed the Auckland City Hospital cardiac catheterisation laboratory 'after hours': all times except for 08:00 to 16:00 hours on Monday to Friday. RESULTS: A total of 401 adult patients underwent a primary PCI at the Auckland City Hospital Regional centre for a STEMI presentation, over the 12 months period. The median patient age was 61 years, 77% were male. Overall 183 (46%) (95% CI 41, 51) patients achieved a DTRT of < 90 mins, and 266 (66%) (95% CI 61, 71) a DTRT of < 120 mins, with a clear geographical influence to these times. Of 27 patients with direct transfer to the catheter laboratory from the community, the DTRT was < 120 mins in 24 (92%) (95% CI 72, 96) patients. In-hospital mortality was 24 (6%) patients (95% CI 4, 9). CONCLUSIONS: The 2012 Auckland/Northland primary PCI service delivers good outcomes consistent with current Australasian standards. Although geographical isolation complicates door to reperfusion times, these may potentially be improved by more focus on direct transfer to the cardiac catheterisation laboratory, especially directly from the community.

Ethnicity and revascularisation following acute coronary syndromes: a 5-year cohort study (ANZACS-QI-3).

BACKGROUND: Prior studies have reported higher rates of coronary revascularisation in European compared with Maori and Pacific patients. Our aim was to define the current variation by ethnicity in investigation, revascularisation and pharmacotherapy after admission with an acute coronary syndrome (ACS). METHODS: Data from consecutive New Zealand residents <80 years of age admitted to the Middlemore Hospital coronary care unit with ACS (2007 to 2012) were collected prospectively. RESULTS: Of 2666 ACS patients <80y, 51.5% were European/Other, 14.2% Maori, 16.0% Pacific, 14.8% Indian, and 3.5% Asian. Cardiac risk factors and comorbidity varied markedly by ethnicity. The overall coronary angiography rate was high (89%). After adjustment for clinical factors which influence the decision to perform angiography, European/Other patients were about 5% more likely than Maori and Pacific patients to have angiography. Overall revascularisation was highest in Asian, Indian and European/Other (76.1%, 69.1% and 68.6%), and lower in Maori and Pacific patients (58.2% and 52.9%). Non-obstructive coronary disease was more common in Maori and Pacific (20.6 and 18.6%, respectively), than in European/Other, Indian and Asian patients (13.3%, 8.7% and 6.1%). After adjustment, Maori, Indian and Asian patients were as likely to receive revascularisation as European/Others, but revascularisation in Pacific patients was 13% lower. Discharge prescribing of triple preventive therapy was uniformly high across ethnic groups (overall 91%). CONCLUSIONS: There is a small unexplained variation in angiography rates across ethnic groups. Much of the observed variation in revascularisation may be due to differences in the coronary artery disease phenotype.

Outcome following heart transplantation in New Zealand Maori.

BACKGROUND: Disparities in health care access and outcomes between Maori (M) and Non-Maori (NM) New Zealanders have been reported but little is known about access to and outcomes following heart transplantation (HT). METHODS: A retrospective analysis was performed of M and NM who underwent HT in New Zealand. Demographic, clinical and outcome data were collected. RESULTS: Of 253 patients transplanted, 176 were European, 47 M (19%) and 30 of other ethnicities. M and NM groups were compared. Median age (both 46 years), gender (17% vs 21% female), waiting time (90 vs 76 days) and diagnosis (dilated cardiomyopathy - 62% vs 58%) were similar for both groups. M were heavier (81 vs 71 kg, p<0.0001) and more were blood group A (58% vs 39%). Five year survival was similar (79% vs 78%) but 10 year survival was significantly reduced in M (54% vs 67% p=0.02). CONCLUSION: The proportion of Maori who have undergone heart transplantation in New Zealand compares favourably with their proportion in the New Zealand population. The reasons for the adverse diverging outcomes after five years require further investigation.

Evaluation of a novel sphygmomanometer, which estimates central aortic blood pressure from analysis of brachial artery suprasystolic pressure waves.

BACKGROUND: Central arterial pressure is a better predictor of adverse cardiovascular outcomes than brachial blood pressure, but noninvasive measurement by applanation tonometry is technically demanding. METHOD: Pulsecor R6.5 is a novel device adapted from a standard sphygmomanometer which estimates the central aortic pressure from analysis of low-frequency suprasystolic waveforms at the occluded brachial artery. A physics-based model, which simulates the arterial system using elastic, thin-walled tube elements and Navier-Stokes equations, is used to calculate arterial pressure and flow propagation. To determine the reliability of the device, we compared 94 central systolic pressures estimated by Pulsecor to the simultaneous directly measured central aortic pressures at the time of coronary angiography in 37 individuals. RESULTS: There was good correlation in central SBP between catheter measurements and Pulsecor estimates by either invasive or noninvasive calibration methods (r = 0.99, P < 0.0001 and r = 0.95, P < 0.0001, respectively). The mean difference in central systolic pressure was 2.78 (SD 3.90) mmHg and coefficient of variation was 0.03 when the invasive calibration method was used.When the noninvasive calibration method was used, the mean difference in central systolic pressure was 0.25 (SD 6.31) mmHg and coefficient of variation was 0.05. CONCLUSION: We concluded that Pulsecor R6.5 provides a simple and easy method to noninvasively estimate central SBP, which has highly acceptable accuracy.

Percutaneous closure of left ventricular free wall rupture with associated false aneurysm to prevent cardioembolic stroke.

Left ventricular (LV) false aneurysm is an uncommon complication of myocardial infarction. Conventional treatment mandates surgical repair but is associated with significant perioperative risk. We present a case of successful percutaneous closure of a LV false aneurysm in a patient at high operative risk who suffered cardioembolic stroke related to thrombus within the aneurysm. The primary aim of treatment was to prevent recurrent embolic event.