Blood group AB is associated with reduced blood loss but also elevated cardiovascular mortality in aortocoronary bypass surgery.

Patient blood group (BG) is predictive for von-Willebrand-factor (VWF) and Factor VIII variation. The clinical impact of this ABO-effect on blood loss, cardiovascular complications and outcome has been described for several patient cohorts. The aim of this study was to investigate the impact of patient BG on blood loss and outcome after coronary artery bypass surgery (CABG). Patient records, intraoperative data and perioperative transfusion records of 5713 patients receiving an on-pump CABG procedure between 05/2004 and 12/2018 were analyzed. A logistic regression model for death due to perioperative myocardial ischaemia (PMI) was developed from initially 24 variables by using an univariate and multivariate selection process. BG AB patients required less blood transfusions as compared to the other blood groups, especially in case of emergency operations. However, BG AB patients also had a higher mortality which was due to secondary cardiovascular complications. The impact of blood type on the rate of cardiovascular mortality was confirmed in the logistic regression model. BG AB patients have a worse outcome after CABG surgery due to an increased incidence of fatal cardiovascular complications. As perioperative myocardial ischemia due to graft occlusion appears to be the most likely explanation, stricter anticoagulation for BG AB patients should be discussed.

Comparison of Perioperative High-Sensitive Troponin T and Troponin I Assays in Cardiac Surgery.

BACKGROUND: Troponin measurements are among the standard parameters for monitoring perioperative myocardial ischaemia after cardiosurgical procedures. As high-sensitive assays continue to replace older analytic parameters with lower sensitivity, this study aimed to compare perioperative profiles of a high-sensitive troponin T assay (hsTnT, Roche Diagnostics, Mannheim, Germany) with a troponin I assay (sTnI, Siemens Healthcare Diagnostics, Eschborn, Germany). METHODS: A total of 287 consecutive patients undergoing a typical spectrum of cardiac procedures from August 2017 to March 2018 monitored with the hsTnT assay were compared with a propensity-matched collective analysed with the sTnI assay. For side-by side comparison, the peak troponin (Tmax) values were scaled to a z-score distribution before comparison. RESULTS: Despite absolute postoperative hsTnT and sTnI values differing by an order of magnitude, parameters could be scaled to a common distribution with kernel density curves overlapping 92%. Both parameters showed equal behaviour in subgroup analyses regarding relevant perioperative factors, such as type of procedure, cross-clamping time, and type of cardioplegic solution. However, there were some differences regarding pre-existing renal impairment between both parameters. In both groups, renal failure patients with chronic kidney disease stages IV or V as well as patients on haemodialysis exhibited a marked Tmax increase of >100% compared with normal kidney function (hsTnT, +121%; 2,383.5 vs 1,078.8 ng/L; p=0.0006; and sTnI, +149%; 27.3 ng/mL vs 11.0 ng/mL; p=0.009). However, in patients with moderately impaired renal function, those in the hsTnT group, but not in the sTnI cohort, showed significantly increased Tmax values (CKD stages II or III, 1,233.5 ng/L [+14%] and 1,314.1 ng/L [+22%] vs 1,078.8 ng/L; p=0.01 and p=0.03). In these patients, the postoperative interval until Tmax was reached was also significantly increased (14.4 and 19.0 hrs vs 12.4 hrs for chronic kidney disease stages II and III; p=0.0038 and p<0.001), indicating a higher rate of accumulation in the hsTnT parameter. CONCLUSION: In the context of cardiac surgery, this study found that both parameters behaved in a similar manner under most relevant circumstances. Despite significant difference in the absolute serum concentration, hsTnT and sTnI can be scaled to virtually identical distributions. However, renal impairment did affect both parameters differently with troponin T but not troponin I, showing evidence of accumulation in moderately impaired renal disease.

Coronary Artery Bypass Graft Surgery in Patients With Acute Coronary Syndromes After Primary Percutaneous Coronary Intervention: A Current Report From the North-Rhine Westphalia Surgical Myocardial Infarction Registry.

Background Coronary artery bypass grafting has remained an important treatment option for acute coronary syndromes, particularly in patients (1) with ongoing ischemia and large areas of jeopardized myocardium, if percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) cannot be performed; (2) following successful PCI of the culprit lesion with further indication for coronary artery bypass grafting; and (3) where PCI is incomplete, not sufficient, or failed. Methods and Results We aimed to analyze coronary artery bypass grafting outcome following prior PCI in acute coronary syndromes from the North-Rhine-Westphalia surgical myocardial infarction registry comprising 2616 patients. Primary end points were in-hospital all-cause mortality and major adverse cardio-cerebral event. Patients were 68±11 years of age, had 3-vessel and left main-stem disease in 80.4% and 45.3%, presenting a logistic EuroSCORE of 15.1% in unstable angina, 20.3% in non-ST-segment-elevation myocardial infarction, and 23.5% in ST-segment-elevation myocardial infarction. A history of PCI was present in 36.2% and PCI was performed within 24 hours before surgery in 5.2% in unstable angina, 5.9% in non-ST-segment-elevation myocardial infarction, and 16.1% in ST-segment-elevation myocardial infarction. PCI failed in 5.3% in unstable angina, 6.8% in non-ST-segment-elevation myocardial infarction and 17.2% in ST-segment-elevation myocardial infarction, and 28.8% of patients presented with cardiogenic shock. In-hospital mortality without PCI was 7.4%, but increased to 8.7% with prior PCI >24 hours, 14.5% with prior PCI <24 hours, and 14.1% with failed PCI (P<0.003). The in-hospital major adverse cardio-cerebral event rate was 16.4% without PCI, but 17.4% with prior PCI >24 hours, 25.6% with prior PCI <24 hours, and 41.3% with failed PCI (P=0.014). Multivariable logistic regression analysis showed prior PCI (P=0.039), as well as failed PCI (P=0.001) to be predictors for in-hospital all-cause mortality and major adverse cardio-cerebral event. Conclusions In the current PCI era, immediately prior or failed PCI before coronary artery bypass grafting in acute coronary syndromes is associated with high perioperative risk, cardiogenic shock, and increased morbidity and mortality.

Surgical revascularization for acute coronary syndromes: a report from the North Rhine-Westphalia surgical myocardial infarction registry.

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this was to analyse current outcomes in patients referred to coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) for acute coronary syndromes (ACSs), including ST-elevation or non-ST-elevation ACS (non-ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction) or unstable angina. METHODS: Patients (n = 2432) undergoing CABG for ACS between January 2010 and December 2017 were prospectively entered into a surgical myocardial infarction registry in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. Key end points were in-hospital all-cause mortality (IHM) and major adverse cardio-cerebral events (MACCE). Predictors for IHM and MACCE were analysed by multivariable logistic regression. RESULTS: Patients (78% males) were referred for CABG for unstable angina (25%), non-ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (50%), and ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (25%). The mean patient age was 68 ± 11 years, logistic EuroSCORE was 19 ± 18% and three-vessel and left main stem diseases were diagnosed in 81% and 45% of patients, respectively. On-pump CABG with cardiac arrest or beating heart was performed in 92% and 2%, respectively, with only 6% off-pump surgery and 6% multiple arterial revascularization (3.1 ± 1.0 grafts, 93% left internal thoracic artery). Emergency CABG was performed in 23% of patients (42% in ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction; P < 0.001). The total IHM and MACCE rates were 8.1% and 17.5% and were highest in ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction patients with 12.6% and 28.5%, respectively (P < 0.001). Key predictors for IHM and MACCE were female gender, elevated troponin, left ventricular ejection fraction, inotropic support, logistic EuroSCORE, cardiopulmonary bypass and aortic clamp time and the need for emergency CABG. CONCLUSIONS: Surgical myocardial revascularization in patients with ACS is still linked to substantial in-hospital mortality. Emergency CABG for patients with ACS was associated with poorer outcomes.

Early Clinical Outcomes of Surgical Myocardial Revascularization for Acute Coronary Syndromes Complicated by Cardiogenic Shock: A Report From the North-Rhine-Westphalia Surgical Myocardial Infarction Registry.

Background Coronary artery bypass grafting for acute coronary syndrome complicated by cardiogenic shock ( CS ) is associated with a high mortality. This registry study aimed to distinguish between early surgical outcomes of CS patients with non- ST -segment-elevation myocardial infarction ( NSTEMI ) and ST -segment-elevation myocardial infarction ( STEMI ). Methods and Results Patients with NSTEMI (n=1218) or STEMI (n=618) referred for coronary artery bypass grafting were enrolled in a prospective multicenter registry between 2010 and 2017. CS was present in 227 NSTEMI (18.6%) and 243 STEMI patients (39.3%). Key clinical end points were in-hospital mortality ( IHM ) and major adverse cardiocerebral events ( MACCEs ). Predictors for IHM and MACCEs were identified using multivariable logistic regression analysis. STEMI patients with CS were younger, had a lower prevalence of diabetes mellitus and multivessel disease, and exhibited higher myocardial injury (troponin 9±17 versus 3±6 ng/mL) before surgery compared with patients with NSTEMI ( P<0.05). Emergency coronary artery bypass grafting was performed more often in STEMI (58%) versus NSTEMI (40%; P=0.002). On-pump surgery with cardioplegia was the preferred surgical technique in CS . IHM and MACCE rates were 24% and 49% in STEMI patients with CS and were higher compared with NSTEMI ( IHM 15% versus MACCE 34%; P<0.001). Predictors for IHM and MACCE in CS were a reduced ejection fraction and a higher European System for Cardiac Operative Risk Evaluation score. Conclusions Surgical revascularization in NSTEMI and STEMI patients with CS is associated with a substantial but not prohibitive IHM and MACCE rate. Worse early outcomes were found for patients with STEMI complicated by CS compared with NSTEMI patients.

Retrograde autologous priming in surgery of thoracic aortic aneurysm.

OBJECTIVES: Surgery of thoracic aortic aneurysm (TAA) is associated with blood loss and coagulopathy and a high need for red blood cell (RBC) volume. Retrograde autologous priming (RAP) decreases haemodilution during cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB). The aim of this study was to show the effect of RAP during surgery of TAA repair on haemodilution, the need for RBC transfusion and the postoperative course compared to conventional CPB (cCPB). METHODS: A retrospective study was performed on 120 patients with TAA. Half of these patients underwent cCPB and the other half received RAP. Statistical analysis was performed using IBM SPSS statistics 23. The χ2 test, the Fisher's exact tests, the independent t-test and the Mann-Whitney U-test were used. Statistical significance was assumed at P-value <0.05. RESULTS: Lower blood product requirements were observed for the RAP group regarding the transfusion of intraoperative RBC (0.87 ± 1.33 vs 1.97 ± 2.43, P = 0.013), postoperative RBC (0.57 ± 1.4 vs 1.32 ± 1.82, P = 0.002) and postoperative fresh frozen plasma (0.52 ± 1.63 vs 1.48 ± 3.32, P = 0.036). The postoperative drainage loss showed significantly lower measurements for the RAP group after 6 h (295.9 ± 342.6 vs 490.6 ± 414.4 ml, P ≤ 0.001), 12 h (450.1 ± 415.5 vs 652.1 ± 463.9 ml, P < 0.001) and 24 h (693.1 ± 483.9 vs 866.4 ± 508.4 ml, P = 0.004). CONCLUSIONS: RAP is a safe and easy method to reduce RBC transfusion in TAA surgery without any adverse effects on the clinical outcome. We were also able to show beneficial effects on fresh frozen plasma requirements and postoperative chest drainage volume. Furthermore, improved microcirculation can be suspected. In consequence, we have implemented RAP as a clinical standard during thoracic aortic surgery.

Retrograde Stanford type A dissection caused by a multilayer stent graft in a patient with chronic type B dissection.

A patient with progressive chronic type B dissection and contraindication for open surgery underwent thoracic endovascular aortic repair using a Cardiatis Multilayer Flow Modulator®. Two weeks after the intervention, the patient experienced a ruptured retrograde type A aortic dissection caused by the stent's uncovered proximal ends.

Dilatation of Vascular Prostheses in Ascending Aortic Position: A Long-Term Follow-Up Computed Tomography Study with Comparison of Different Measurement Methods.

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to evaluate long-term dilatation of Hemashield Gold and Hemashield Platinum vascular prostheses in ascending aortic position using different measurement methods to obtain precise results. METHODS: Between 1999 and 2007, 73 patients with Stanford type A dissection received ascending aortic replacement with Hemashield Gold and Hemashield Platinum prostheses. Measurements were performed using multiplanar reconstruction mode of electrocardiogram (ECG)-gated, multislice spiral computed tomography (MSCT) in strictly orthogonal cross-sectional planes. Different methods of measurement were compared and maximum dilatation was estimated for different time spans. RESULTS: Diameters calculated from the measured circumference showed a significant (p = 0.037) but clinically not relevant difference (0.1 mm) to the mean between the largest and the shortest cross-sectional diameter of the prosthesis. Dilatation after 24.2 ± 10.2 months was 8.5 ± 4.5%. Long-term dilatation after 91.8 ± 34 months amounted to 11.8 ± 4.2%. CONCLUSION: Based on ECG-gated MSCT images, the presented methods of measurement provided reliable results. Long-term analysis shows low dilatation rates for Hemashield prostheses, which therefore can be considered as safe from this point of view. Nevertheless, a maximal dilatation of 20% could be relevant in valve sparing root replacement. It remains unclear if a dilatation like this contributes to the formation of suture aneurysms.

German Heart Surgery Report 2016: The Annual Updated Registry of the German Society for Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery.

Based on a long-standing voluntary registry founded by the German Society for Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery (GSTCVS), well-defined data of all cardiac, thoracic, and vascular surgery procedures performed in 78 German heart surgery departments during the year 2016 are analyzed. In 2016, a total of 103,128 heart surgery procedures (implantable defibrillator, pacemaker, and extracardiac procedures excluded) were submitted to the registry. Approximately 15.7% of the patients were at least 80 years of age, resulting in an increase of 0.9% compared with the data of 2015. For 37,614 isolated coronary artery bypass grafting procedures (relationship on-/off-pump 4.4:1), an unadjusted in-hospital mortality of 2.9% was observed. Concerning the 33,451 isolated heart valve procedures (including 11,701 catheter-based procedures), the unadjusted in-hospital mortality was 4.3%. This annual updated registry of the GSTCVS represents voluntary public reporting by accumulating actual information for nearly all heart surgical procedures in Germany, describes advancements in heart medicine, and is a basis for internal and external quality assurances for all participants. In addition, the registry demonstrates that the provision of cardiac surgery in Germany is appropriate and patients are treated nationwide at all times.

The German Aortic Valve Score II.

OBJECTIVES: The German Aortic Valve Score (GAVS) was developed for national quality assurance regarding the in-hospital mortality rate of patients following isolated aortic valve replacement. The goal of this work was the recalibration of the GAVS in the context of increased numbers of transcatheter aortic valve implantations. METHODS: In 2011 and 2012, 36 183 cases were documented who had either surgical aortic valve replacement or transcatheter aortic valve implantation (45%). All cases were randomly assigned to the study or to the validation group. All items of the data set were checked for significance by developing a multiregression risk model using iterative backward elimination. Calibration was ascertained using the Hosmer-Lemeshow method. To define the quality of discrimination, the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (C-statistic) was calculated. RESULTS: The randomized study cohort comprised 18 054 patients. After modelling with multiple regression algorithms, 18 of the initial 28 risk factors entered the risk model. When applied to the validation group, the newly developed GAVS II showed good calibration with a P-value of 0.411 in the Hosmer-Lemeshow test and good discrimination with a C-statistic of 0.741. CONCLUSIONS: The GAVS II is a new risk model that is applicable to cohorts having surgical aortic valve replacement or transcatheter aortic valve implantation procedures.

Endovascular and Operative Treatment of the Aortic Arch in a High-Risk Marfan Patient.

In this case, we describe a combined endovascular and operative management for aortic arch repair in a 57-year-old Marfan patient with complex aortic arch geometry previously treated with several open surgeries for acute type A dissection. The patient, who was presented to our department with dorsal pain, deemed to be at high operative risk for another open aortic surgery due to massive aortic calcification. It is an unusual method of placing a custom-made stent-graft system in the false aortic lumen with operative and endovascular treatment of the supra-aortic vessels.

German Heart Surgery Report 2015: The Annual Updated Registry of the German Society for Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery.

On the basis of a long-standing voluntary registry, which was founded by the German Society for Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery (GSTCVS), well-defined data of all heart, thoracic, and vascular surgery procedures performed in 78 German heart surgery departments during 2015 are analyzed. In 2015, a total of 103,967 heart surgery procedures (implantable cardioverter defibrillator, pacemaker, and extracardiac procedures without ECC excluded) were submitted to the database. Approximately 14.8% of the patients were at least 80 years old, resulting in an increase of 0.6% compared with the data of 2014. For 38,601 isolated coronary artery bypass grafting procedures (relationship on-/off-pump: 5:1), the unadjusted inhospital mortality was 2.7%. Concerning the 32,346 isolated heart valve procedures (including 10,606 catheter-based implantations) an unadjusted inhospital mortality of 4.4% was observed.This annual updated registry of the GSTCVS represents voluntary public reporting by accumulating actual information for nearly all heart surgical procedures in Germany, demonstrates advancements in heart medicine, and enables internal/external quality assurance for all participants. In addition, the registry demonstrates that the provision of heart surgery in Germany is appropriate and patients are treated nationwide in a round-the-clock service.

Routine Endovascular Treatment With a Stent Graft for Access-Site and Access-Related Vascular Injury in Transfemoral Transcatheter Aortic Valve Implantation.

BACKGROUND: Access-site and access-related vascular injury (ASARVI) is still a major limiting factor in transcatheter aortic valve implantation and affects the outcome of patients. Management strategies for ASARVI include manual compression, stent grafts, and vascular surgery. We hypothesized that the standard use of a self-expanding stent graft for the management of ASARVI is feasible and safe. METHODS AND RESULTS: Of 407 patients treated by transfemoral transcatheter aortic valve implantation, 110 experienced ASARVI (27.0%). Of these, 96 (87.3%) were managed by the implantation of a self-expanding nitinol stent graft. In the majority of patients, minor vascular complications triggered the implantation of a stent graft (86.5%), mainly because of bleeding (90.6%) and dissection (5.2%) of the common femoral artery with high rates of primary treatment success (97.9%). Patients receiving stent grafts were more often female (62.2 versus 45.6%, P<0.01), had higher body mass indices (27.8±6.7 versus 25.7±4.7, P=0.01), and suffered more often from diabetes mellitus (34.4 versus 24.5%, P=0.04). Angiographic assessment after a median follow-up of 345 days (interquartile range, 23-745 days) revealed only one patient with moderate, asymptomatic instent-stenosis (1.0%). Compared with a propensity score-matched cohort of patients without ASARVI, stented patients had comparable long-term mortality, despite the occurrence of a vascular complication (1-year mortality: 17.7% versus 26.6%; stent versus matched cohort, respectively; P=0.1). CONCLUSIONS: Routine use of a self-expanding nitinol stent graft in selected patients experiencing ASARVI after transcatheter aortic valve implantation is feasible, safe, and associated with favorable short- and midterm clinical outcome.

Pre-Procedural Hemodynamic Status Improves the Discriminatory Value of the Aortic Regurgitation Index in Patients Undergoing Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement.

OBJECTIVES: The aims of this study were to increase the discriminatory value of the aortic regurgitation index (ARI) for the assessment of paravalvular regurgitation (PVR) and to further elucidate the association between aortic regurgitation severity and mortality after transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR). BACKGROUND: Hemodynamic parameters such as the ARI complement predominantly angiographically guided TAVR. However, the ARI depends on several baseline and periprocedural characteristics. METHODS: The ARI was prospectively calculated before and after TAVR in 600 patients. The severity of PVR was assessed in all patients by angiography and echocardiography according to a 3-class scheme. To account for pre-procedural hemodynamic status, the ARI ratio was calculated as post- over pre-procedural ARI. RESULTS: Apart from the degree of PVR (ß = -0.396, p < 0.001), pre-procedural hemodynamic status in the form of the ARI before TAVR (ß = 0.227, p < 0.001) was associated with post-procedural ARI in multivariate regression analysis. The ARI ratio increased the specificity of post-procedural ARI alone for the prediction of both more than mild PVR and 1-year mortality from 75.1% to 93.2% and from 75.0% to 93.3%, respectively. Patients with post-procedural ARI values <25 after TAVR had significantly increased 1-year mortality only when the ARI ratio was <0.60 (50.0% vs. 26.3%, p = 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: The ARI ratio integrating pre- and post-procedural hemodynamic status increases the discriminatory value of post-procedural ARI. The ARI ratio, which reflects acute hemodynamic changes after TAVR, is useful to identify patients with negative outcomes.

The prognostic value of acute and chronic troponin elevation after transcatheter aortic valve implantation.

AIMS: Myocardial injury occurs frequently following transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI). The aim of this study was to assess timing, predictors, and prognostic value of periprocedural myocardial injury and chronic troponin elevation after TAVI. METHODS AND RESULTS: Two hundred and seventy-six patients (logistic EuroSCORE 26.6±17.1%) underwent transvascular TAVI. Troponin, CK-MB, and NT-proBNP levels were measured before and after TAVI (1 hr, 4 hrs, 24 hrs, 48 hrs, 72 hrs, seven days, three, and six months). Myocardial injury (according to VARC-2 recommendation defined as ΔTroponin ≥15x URL) occurred in 143/276 patients (51.8%) during the first 72 hours following TAVI. Use of a self-expanding prosthesis (p=0.02), coronary artery disease (p=0.04), higher left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) (p<0.001), and procedure time (p<0.001) were independent predictors for the development of myocardial injury after TAVI. Thirty-day (4.2% vs. 6.1%; p=0.48) and one-year mortality (19.4% vs. 26.5%; p=0.15) were not related to the incidence of periprocedural myocardial injury. However, patients with chronic troponin elevation after TAVI had an increased one-year mortality risk (HR 4.5, 95% CI: 2.0-10.0; p<0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Myocardial injury defined as ΔTroponin ≥15x URL after TAVI seems to be a procedure-related issue without impact on 30-day and one-year survival. However, monitoring of post-procedural troponin might be useful for prognostication after TAVI.

Long-Term Outcome and Quality of Life in Aortic Type A Dissection Survivors.

BACKGROUND: Aortic dissection is a severe and sophisticated disease that is often linked with a number of possible complications. Our study concerns with long-term outcome and quality of life (QoL) in acute aortic dissection type A (AADA) survivors. METHODS: From January 1999 until December 2006, 120 consecutive patients with AADA received an emergency operation. Of the total number of patients, 84 were males (70.0%) and 36 females (30.0%), mean aged 59.8 ± 12 years with a mean follow-up (FU) of 99.2 ± 6 months. RESULTS: Overall mortality was 39.1% during the observational period with a maximum of 156 months. SF-36 observation showed a significant decay in both Physical Component Summary (PCS) and Mental Component Summary (MCS) in FUII (PCS = 38.4) versus FUI (PCS = 43.4, p = 0.013). CONCLUSION: With ongoing postoperative time, patients did not recover but instead have got worse in terms of QoL. The decrease in MCP and linked subscores is an underestimated factor in QoL and long-term outcome after AADA. This is especially true in younger patients, which are judged to compensate better than older patients.

Activation of Endocannabinoid System Is Associated with Persistent Inflammation in Human Aortic Aneurysm.

Human aortic aneurysms have been associated with inflammation and vascular remodeling. Since the endocannabinoid system modulates inflammation and tissue remodeling, we investigated its components in human aortic aneurysms. We obtained anterior aortic wall samples from patients undergoing elective surgery for aortic aneurysm or coronary artery disease as controls. Histological and molecular analysis (RT-qPCR) was performed, and endocannabinoid concentration was determined using LC-MRM. Patient characteristics were comparable between the groups except for a higher incidence of arterial hypertension and diabetes in the control group. mRNA level of cannabinoid receptors was significantly higher in aneurysms than in controls. Concentration of the endocannabinoid 2-arachidonoylglycerol was significantly higher, while the second endocannabinoid anandamide and its metabolite arachidonic acid and palmitoylethanolamide were significantly lower in aneurysms. Histology revealed persistent infiltration of newly recruited leukocytes and significantly higher mononuclear cell density in adventitia of the aneurysms. Proinflammatory environment in aneurysms was shown by significant upregulation of M-CSF and PPARγ but associated with downregulation of chemokines. We found comparable collagen-stained area between the groups, significantly decreased mRNA level of CTGF, osteopontin-1, and MMP-2, and increased TIMP-4 expression in aneurysms. Our data provides evidence for endocannabinoid system activation in human aortic aneurysms, associated with persistent low-level inflammation and vascular remodeling.

Risk scores and biomarkers for the prediction of 1-year outcome after transcatheter aortic valve replacement.

BACKGROUND: Up to 50% of the patients still die or have to be rehospitalized during the first year after transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR). This emphasizes the need for more strategic patient selection. The aim of this prospective observational cohort study was to compare the prognostic value of risk scores and circulating biomarkers to predict all-cause mortality and rehospitalization in patients undergoing TAVR. METHODS: We calculated the hazard ratios and C-statistics (area under the curve [AUC]) of 4 risk scores (logistic European System for Cardiac Operative Risk Evaluation [EuroSCORE], EuroSCORE II, Society of Thoracic Surgeons predicted risk of mortality, and German aortic valve score) and 5 biomarkers of inflammation and/or myocardial dysfunction (high-sensitivity C-reactive protein, growth differentiation factor (GDF)-15, interleukin-6, interleukin-8, and N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide) for the risk of death (n = 80) and the combination of death or rehospitalization (n = 132) during the first year after TAVR in 310 consecutive TAVR patients. RESULTS: The EuroSCORE II and GDF-15 had the strongest predictive value for 1-year mortality (EuroSCORE II, AUC 0.711; GDF-15, AUC 0.686) and for the composite end point (EuroSCORE II, AUC 0.690; GDF-15, AUC 0.682). When added to the logistic EuroSCORE and EuroSCORE II, GDF-15 enhanced the prognostic performance of the score and enabled substantial reclassification of patients. Combinations of increasing tertiles of the logistic EuroSCORE or EuroSCORE II and GDF-15 allowed the stratification of the patients into subgroups with mortality rates ranging from 4.0% to 49.1% and death/rehospitalization rates ranging from 15.3% to 68.4%. CONCLUSIONS: Our study identified GDF-15 in addition to the logistic EuroSCORE and the EuroSCORE II as the most promising predictors of a poor outcome after TAVR.