The impact of cusp overlap on permanent pacemaker requirement following self-expanding transcatheter aortic valve replacement.

BACKGROUND/PURPOSE: The cusp overlap technique has standardized implantation for self-expanding valves with the goal of achieving more consistent implantation depths and lowering permanent pacemaker (PPM) implantation rates. We retrospectively compared short-term outcomes in patients undergoing transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) with a self-expanding valve implanted using the cusp overlap technique vs. the traditional coplanar technique in a large tertiary referral center. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective study among PPM-naïve patients who underwent TAVR using the CoreValve Evolut PRO/PRO+. We compared in-hospital PPM rates in patients who underwent TAVR using the cusp overlap technique vs. the coplanar technique. Additional outcomes included in-hospital all-cause mortality, stroke, major vascular complications, annular rupture, and >mild paravalvular leak. Furthermore, we compared outcomes over time to see whether there was evidence of a learning curve. RESULTS: Of the 528 patients included, 270 underwent TAVR using the coplanar technique and 258 underwent TAVR using the cusp overlap technique. The rate of new PPM implantation did not differ between cohorts (17.0 % vs. 16.7 %; p = 0.910). Additionally, rates of in-hospital all-cause mortality (0.0 % vs. 0.4 %; p = 0.328), stroke (3.7 % vs. 1.6 %; p = 0.124), major vascular complications (0.7 % vs. 1.2 %; p = 0.617), annular rupture (0.4 % vs. 0.0 %; p = 0.328) and >mild paravalvular leak (0.0 % vs. 0.4 %; p = 0.444) were similar. Our secondary analysis did not identify any evidence of a learning curve. CONCLUSIONS: The cusp overlap technique may not yield a reduction in PPM rates when compared with the coplanar technique. Other confounders should be explored to further minimize in-hospital PPM rates.

Clinical Profile and Outcomes of Patients With Pure Aortic Regurgitation Who Underwent Surgical Aortic Valve Replacement.

Surgical aortic valve replacement (SAVR) remains the standard of care for patients with chronic severe aortic regurgitation (AR). The introduction of a dedicated transcatheter heart valve for AR has fueled interest in using transcatheter aortic valve replacement to treat patients with isolated AR. We aimed to characterize the profile and outcomes of patients with symptomatic severe AR who underwent isolated SAVR. We conducted a retrospective, observational study of patients who underwent isolated SAVR for symptomatic severe AR at our institution. The primary outcome was in-hospital all-cause mortality. Patients were followed up with 30-day clinical and echocardiographic assessment. A total of 979 patients who underwent SAVR for severe AR between January 2015 and June 2021 were screened for eligibility, of whom 112 patients (11.4%) underwent isolated SAVR for symptomatic severe AR and were included in this analysis. Approximately 25% of patients were deemed to be at intermediate or high risk (n = 26 of 112). The primary outcome occurred in 2.7% of patients (n = 3 of 112). In-hospital stroke occurred in 2.7% of patients (n = 3 of 112), and new-onset atrial fibrillation occurred in 32.1% (n = 36 of 112). At 30-day follow-up, all-cause mortality occurred in 3.6% of patients (n = 4 of 112), and 0.8% (1 of 112) had >mild AR. In conclusion, in a tertiary referral center, the number of patients who underwent isolated SAVR for pure AR represented a small fraction of the overall SAVR patients. The vast majority were low risk and younger when compared with patients with severe aortic stenosis. SAVR yielded excellent short-term mortality and echocardiographic improvements.

The Evolving Impact of Myocardial Injury in Patients With COVID-19 Amid the Omicron Wave of the Pandemic.

COVID-19 with myocardial injury, defined as troponin elevation, is associated with worse outcomes. The temporal changes in outcomes during various phases of the pandemic remain unclear. We evaluated outcomes during the Omicron phase compared with previous phases of the pandemic. We analyzed patients who were COVID-19-positive with evidence of myocardial injury who presented to the MedStar Health system (11 hospitals in Washington, District of Columbia, and Maryland) during phase 1 of the pandemic (March to June 2020), phase 2 (October 2020 to January 2021), and phase 3 (Omicron; December 2021 to March 2022), comparing their characteristics and outcomes. The primary end point was in-hospital mortality. The cohort included 2,079 patients admitted who were COVID-19 positive and for whom troponin was elevated (phase 1: n = 150, phase 2: n = 854, phase 3: n = 1,075). Baseline characteristics were similar overall. Inflammatory markers were significantly elevated in phase 1 compared with phases 2 and 3. The use of remdesivir and dexamethasone was highest in phase 2. In phase 3, 52.6% of patients were fully vaccinated. In-hospital mortality, though high, was lower in phase 3 than in phases 1 and 2 (59.3% vs 28.1% vs 23.3%; p <0.001). Patients who were vaccinated showed more favorable in-hospital outcomes than did those who were unvaccinated (18.3% vs 24.2%, p = 0.042). In conclusion, patients with COVID-19 with elevated troponin during phase 3 tended to have improved outcomes when compared with patients in earlier waves of the pandemic. This improvement could be attributed to the implementation of the COVID-19 vaccines, advances in COVID-19 treatment options, provider experience, and less virulent variants.

Implications of COVID-19 Vaccination on Hospital Encounters and Outcomes.

Adverse events, including cardiac involvement, after vaccination for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) have been reported. We sought to evaluate trends of hospital encounters for vaccine recipients before and after vaccination. We analyzed patients who received the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccine in the MedStar Health system (11 hospitals in Washington, District of Columbia and Maryland) from December 2020 through August 2021. We then compared hospital encounters (emergency department visits) of patients 60 days before a vaccine dose and 30 days after a vaccine dose, along with encounters related to the SARS-CoV-2 infection itself. The cohort included 5,217 patients who were vaccinated against COVID-19. Our analysis revealed a total of 6,751 emergency department visits, and we divided this total into 3 cohorts: fully vaccinated (n = 1,779), in vaccination window (n = 1,420), and before vaccination (n = 3,552). We found no significant association between vaccination and rate of presentation for acute coronary syndrome, pericarditis, myocarditis, heart failure, conduction abnormality, or noncardiac conditions. Further, encounters for complications related to SARS-CoV-2 infection decreased significantly from those before vaccination (5.4%) to those in vaccination window (4.2%) to those who were fully vaccinated (1.6%). These findings were consistent when all vaccinated encounters were combined into 1 cohort (fully vaccinated + in vaccination window). In conclusion, our analysis suggests that there is no significant association of COVID-19 vaccination with the rate of hospital encounters for cardiac disease, including acute coronary syndrome, pericarditis, myocarditis, congestive heart failure, and conduction abnormality. Further, administration of the vaccine resulted in a significant decrease in hospital encounters for SARS-CoV-2 infections and associated complications.

Comparison of Outcomes in Patients With COVID-19 and Thrombosis Versus Those Without Thrombosis.

The occurrence of venous thromboembolisms in patients with COVID-19 has been established. We sought to evaluate the clinical impact of thrombosis in patients with COVID-19 over the span of the pandemic to date. We analyzed patients with COVID-19 with a diagnosis of thrombosis who presented to the MedStar Health system (11 hospitals in Washington, District of Columbia, and Maryland) during the pandemic (March 1, 2020, to March 31, 2021). We compared the clinical course and outcomes based on the presence or absence of thrombosis and then, specifically, the presence of cardiac thrombosis. The cohort included 11,537 patients who were admitted for COVID-19. Of these patients, 1,248 had noncardiac thrombotic events and 1,009 had cardiac thrombosis (myocardial infarction) during their hospital admission. Of the noncardiac thrombotic events, 562 (45.0%) were pulmonary embolisms, 480 (38.5%) were deep venous thromboembolisms, and 347 (27.8%) were strokes. In the thrombosis arm, the mean age of the cohort was 64.5 ± 15.3 years, 53.3% were men, and the majority were African-American (64.9%). Patients with thrombosis tended to be older with more co-morbidities. The in-hospital mortality rate was significantly higher (16.0%) in patients with COVID-19 with concomitant non-cardiac thrombosis than in those without thrombosis (7.9%, p <0.001) but lower than in patients with COVID-19 with cardiac thrombosis (24.7%, p <0.001). In conclusion, patients with COVID-19 with thrombosis, especially cardiac thrombosis, are at higher risk for in-hospital mortality. However, this prognosis is not as grim as for patients with COVID-19 and cardiac thrombosis. Efforts should be focused on early recognition, evaluation, and intensifying antithrombotic management for these patients.

Evolution of Management and Outcomes of Patients with Myocardial Injury During the COVID-19 Pandemic.

Cardiac involvement in coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has been established. This is manifested by troponin elevation and associated with worse patient prognosis. We evaluated whether patient outcomes improved as experience accumulated during the pandemic. We analyzed COVID-19-positive patients with myocardial injury (defined as troponin elevation) who presented to the MedStar Health system (11 hospitals in Washington, DC, and Maryland) during the "Early Phase" of the pandemic (March 1 - June 30, 2020) and compared their characteristics and outcomes to the COVID-19-positive patients with the presence of troponin elevation in the "Later Phase" of the pandemic (October 1, 2020 - January 31, 2021). The cohort included 788 COVID-19-positive admitted patients for whom troponin was elevated, 167 during the "Early Phase" and 621 during the "Later Phase." Maximum troponin-I in the "Early Phase" was 13.46±34.72 ng/mL versus 11.21±20.57 ng/mL in the "Later Phase" (p = 0.553). In-hospital mortality was significantly higher in the "Later Phase" (50.3% vs. 24.6%; p<0.001), as were incidence of intensive-care-unit admission (77.8% vs. 46.1%; p<0.001) and need for mechanical ventilation (61.7% versus 28%; p<0.001). In addition, more "Early Phase" patients underwent coronary angiography (6% vs. 2.3%; p=0.013). Finally, 3% of "Early Phase" and 0.8% of "Later Phase" patients underwent percutaneous coronary intervention (p=0.025). In conclusion, treatment outcomes have significantly improved since the beginning of the pandemic in COVID-19-positive patients with troponin elevation. This may be attributed to awareness, severity of the disease, improvements in therapies, and provider experience.

The Impact of Aortic Angulation on Contemporary Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement Outcomes.

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to investigate whether the degree of aortic angulation (AA) affects outcomes after transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) using newer-generation transcatheter heart valves (THVs). BACKGROUND: AA ≥48° has been reported to adversely influence accurate THV deployment, procedural success, fluoroscopy time, and paravalvular leak (PVL) in patients undergoing TAVR with early generation self-expanding (SE) THVs. METHODS: A retrospective observational study was conducted among 841 patients across all risk strata who underwent transfemoral TAVR using the balloon-expandable (BE) SAPIEN 3 or the SE CoreValve Evolut PRO from 2015 to 2020. The previously published cutoff of 48° was used to analyze procedural success and in-hospital outcomes according to THV type. Receiver-operating characteristic analysis was performed to investigate the impact of AA on an in-hospital composite outcome (need for >1 THV, more than mild PVL, new permanent pacemaker implantation, stroke, and death). RESULTS: AA ≥48° did not influence outcomes in patients with BE THVs. Additionally, AA ≥48° did not influence procedural success (99.1% vs. 99.1%; p = 0.980), number of THVs used (1.02 vs. 1.04; p = 0.484), rates of more than mild PVL (0.4% vs. 0%; p = 0.486), new permanent pacemaker implantation (11.8% vs. 17.1%; p = 0.178), in-hospital stroke (3.9% vs. 1.8%; p = 0.298), or in-hospital death (0.4% vs. 0.9%; p = 0.980) in patients with SE THVs. Receiver-operating characteristic analysis demonstrated similar outcomes irrespective of AA, with areas under the curve of 0.5525 for SE THVs and 0.5115 for BE THVs. CONCLUSIONS: AA no longer plays a role with new-generation BE or SE THVs in contemporary TAVR practice. AA ≥48° did not affect procedural success or in-hospital outcomes and should no longer be a consideration when determining THV selection.

The Impact of COVID-19 Patients With Troponin Elevation on Renal Impairment and Clinical Outcome.

BACKGROUND: Cardiac involvement in coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is known, manifested by troponin elevation, and these patients have a worse prognosis than patients without myocardial injury. METHODS: We analyzed COVID-19-positive patients who presented to the MedStar Health system (11 hospitals in Washington, DC, and Maryland) during the pandemic (March 1-September 30, 2020). We compared renal function and subsequent in-hospital clinical outcomes based on the presence or absence of troponin elevation. The primary outcome was the incidence of acute kidney injury in COVID-19 patients with troponin elevation. We also evaluated in-hospital mortality, overall and based on the presence and absence of both troponin elevation and renal dysfunction. RESULTS: The cohort included 3386 COVID-19-positive admitted patients for whom troponin was drawn. Of these patients, 195 had troponin elevation (defined as ≥1.0 ng/mL), mean age was 61 ± 16 years, and 51% were men. In-hospital mortality was significantly higher (53.8%) in COVID-19-positive patients with concomitant troponin elevation than in those without troponin elevation (14.5%; p < 0.001). COVID-19-positive patients with troponin elevation had a higher prevalence of renal dysfunction (58.5%) than those without troponin elevation (23.4%; p < 0.001). Further analysis demonstrated that having both troponin elevation and renal dysfunction carried the worst in-hospital prognosis (in-hospital mortality 57.9%; intensive-care-unit admission 76.8%; ventilation requirement 63.2%), as compared to the absence or presence of either. CONCLUSION: COVID-19 patients with troponin elevation are at higher risk for worsening renal function, and these patients subsequently have worse in-hospital clinical outcomes. Efforts should focus on early recognition, evaluation, and intensifying care of these patients.

Clinical Impact and Predictors of Troponin Elevation in Patients With COVID-19.

BACKGROUND: Cardiac involvement in coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is known, manifested by troponin elevation. Studies in the initial phase of the pandemic demonstrated that these patients tended to have a worse prognosis than patients without myocardial injury. We sought to evaluate the clinical impact of significant troponin elevation in COVID-19-positive patients, along with predictors of poor outcomes, over the span of the pandemic to date. METHODS: We analyzed COVID-19-positive patients who presented to the MedStar Health system (11 hospitals in Washington, DC, and Maryland) during the pandemic (March 1-June 30, 2020). We compared clinical course and outcomes based on the presence of troponin elevation and identified predictors of mortality. RESULTS: The cohort included 2716 COVID-19-positive admitted patients for whom troponin was drawn. Of these patients, 250 had troponin elevation (≥1.0 ng/mL). In the troponin-elevation arm, the minimum troponin level was 1.9 ± 8.82 ng/mL; maximum elevation was 10.23 ± 31.07 ng/mL. The cohort's mean age was 68.0 ± 15.0 years; 52.8% were men. Most (68.5%) COVID-19-positive patients with troponin elevation were African American. Patients with troponin elevation tended to be older, with more co-morbidities, and most required mechanical ventilation. In-hospital mortality was significantly higher (48.4%) in COVID-19-positive patients with concomitant troponin elevation than without troponin elevation (12.2%; p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: COVID-19 patients with troponin elevation are at higher risk for mechanical ventilation and mortality. Efforts should focus on early recognition, evaluation, and intensifying care of these patients.

Propensity-matched comparison of large-bore access closure in transcatheter aortic valve replacement using MANTA versus Perclose: A real-world experience.

OBJECTIVE: Compare two large-bore vascular closure devices (VCDs), collagen-plug-based MANTA and suture-based dual Perclose ProGlide (PP), in patients undergoing contemporary transfemoral transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR). BACKGROUND: The SAFE MANTA IDE clinical trial demonstrated that the collagen-plug-based MANTA VCDs were safe and effective in closing large-bore arteriotomies. However, data comparing this collagen-plug-based VCD to the suture-based VCD in contemporary practice are sparse. METHODS: This was a retrospective observational study in which we screened transfemoral (TF) TAVR patients at our institution from 2017 to 2020. Included were those whose large-bore TF access was closed using either MANTA or PP with and without Angio-Seal. Our primary outcome was VCD success. Additional in-hospital outcomes included major and minor vascular complications, post-TAVR length of stay, and mortality. RESULTS: We screened 696 patients who underwent TAVR. Using propensity scores, we matched 124 patients who received MANTA with 124 patients who received PP. Patients had a mean age of 77.2 years, 69.0% were men, and their mean Society of Thoracic Surgeons score was 3.4%. VCD success was equivalent between VCDs (95.2% vs. 95.2%; p = 1.000). Patients had similar rates of mortality (0% vs. 0.8%; p = .316), and no patients had major vascular complications. CONCLUSIONS: In contemporary TAVR, the collagen-plug-based MANTA VCD appears to be as safe and effective as the suture-based dual PP VCD, with no differences in VCD success, vascular complications, or mortality. Therefore, selection of VCD for TAVR should be left to operator discretion, taking into account anatomical considerations.

Implications of Left Ventricular Function on Short-Term Outcomes in COVID-19 Patients With Myocardial Injury.

BACKGROUND: Myocardial injury is a complication of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). We describe a large multi-center experience of COVID-19 patients with myocardial injury, examining the prognostic role left ventricular function plays on short-term outcomes. METHODS/MATERIALS: We included adult COVID-19 patients admitted to our health system with evidence of myocardial injury and who underwent a transthoracic echocardiogram (TTE) during index admission. Patients were dichotomized into those with reduced ejection fraction (EF; <50%) and preserved EF (≥50%). RESULTS: Across our 11-hospital system, 5032 adult patients were admitted with COVID-19 from March-September 2020. Of these, 235 had evidence of myocardial injury (troponin ≥1 ng/mL). Included were 134 patients who underwent TTE, of whom 43.3% (n = 58) had reduced EF and 56.7% (n = 76) preserved EF. A subset of 6 patients had newly reduced EF, with 5 demonstrating evidence of stress cardiomyopathy and subsequently dying. Overall, mortality was high in those with reduced EF and preserved EF (in-hospital: 34.5% vs. 28.9%; p = 0.494; 6 months: 63.6% vs. 50.0%; p = 0.167; Kaplan-Meier estimates: p = 0.2886). Readmissions were frequent in both groups (30 days: 22.2% vs. 26.0%; p = 0.162; 6 months: 52.0% vs. 54.5%; p = 0.839). CONCLUSIONS: Many COVID-19 patients admitted with evidence of myocardial injury did not undergo TTE. For those who did, short-term mortality was high. Patients who survived hospitalization had frequent readmissions. In patients with newly reduced EF, most had evidence of stress cardiomyopathy and expired. Larger studies are needed to fully evaluate the prognosis of COVID-19 patients with evidence of myocardial injury and left ventricular dysfunction.

Comparison of Characteristics and Outcomes of Patients With Acute Myocardial Infarction With Versus Without Coronarvirus-19.

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has greatly impacted the US healthcare system. Cardiac involvement in COVID-19 is common and manifested by troponin and natriuretic peptide elevation and tends to have a worse prognosis. We analyzed patients who presented to the MedStar Health system (11 hospitals in Washington, DC, and Maryland) with either an ST-elevation myocardial infarction or non-ST-elevation myocardial infarction early in the pandemic (March 1, 2020 to June 30, 2020) using the International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision. Patients' clinical course and outcomes, including in-hospital mortality, were compared on the basis of the results of COVID-19 status (positive or negative). The cohort included 1533 patients admitted with an acute myocardial infarction (AMI), of whom 86 had confirmed severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 infection, during the study period. COVID-19-positive patients were older and non-White and had more co-morbidities. Furthermore, inflammatory markers and N-terminal-proB-type-natriuretic peptide were higher in COVID-19-positive AMI patients. Only 20.0% (17) of COVID-19-positive patients underwent coronary angiography. In-hospital mortality was significantly higher in AMI patients with concomitant COVID-19-positive status (27.9%) than in patients without COVID-19 during the same period (3.7%; p < 0.001). Patients with AMI and COVID-19 tended to be older, with more co-morbidities, when compared to those with an AMI and without COVID-19. In conclusion, myocardial infarction with concomitant COVID-19 was associated with increased in-hospital mortality. Efforts should be focused on the early recognition, evaluation, and treatment of these patients.

Searching electronic health records for temporal patterns in patient histories: a case study with microsoft amalga.

As electronic health records (EHR) become more widespread, they enable clinicians and researchers to pose complex queries that can benefit immediate patient care and deepen understanding of medical treatment and outcomes. However, current query tools make complex temporal queries difficult to pose, and physicians have to rely on computer professionals to specify the queries for them. This paper describes our efforts to develop a novel query tool implemented in a large operational system at the Washington Hospital Center (Microsoft Amalga, formerly known as Azyxxi). We describe our design of the interface to specify temporal patterns and the visual presentation of results, and report on a pilot user study looking for adverse reactions following radiology studies using contrast.

Crossing the quality chasm: the role of information technology departments.

Integrating information technology (IT) into medical settings is considered essential to transforming hospitals into 21st-century health care institutions. Yet the role of IT departments in maximizing the effectiveness of information systems is not well understood. This article reports a 3-round Delphi panel of Veterans Administration personnel experienced with provider order entry electronic systems. In round 1, 35 administrative, clinical, and IT personnel answered 10 open-ended questions about IT strategies and structures that best support successful transformation. In round 2, panelists rated item importance and ranked proposed strategies. In round 3, panelists received aggregate feedback and rerated the items. Four domains emerged from round 1: IT organization, IT performance monitoring, user-support activities, and core IT responsibilities (eg, computer security, training). In rounds 2 and 3, IT performance monitoring was rated the most important, closely followed by clinical support. Strategies associated with each domain are identified and discussed.