Real-world procedural and 30-day outcome using the Portico transcatheter aortic valve prosthesis: A large single center cohort.

BACKGROUND: Published procedural and short-term outcome of the Portico valve for Transcatheter Aortic Valve Implantation (TAVI) is limited. We report a single-center patient series assessing procedural and 30-day outcome of this device. METHODS AND RESULTS: Procedural and 30-day follow-up data were prospectively collected from a consecutive series of 73 patients (80.7±6.9years, 45% male, mean STS score: 4.8±3.9) with severe aortic stenosis undergoing transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI). Transfemoral access was used in 69 patients (94.5%), whereas in the remainder subclavian access was used. Concomitant interventions were performed in 30% of the patients. At 30days, all-cause mortality and the rate of neurological events were both 2.7%. The rates of non-minor bleeding and major vascular complications were 8.2% and 4.1%, respectively. Clinically significant aortic regurgitation was limited to a single case (1.4%) of moderate regurgitation at discharge, which was reduced to mild at 30days. Overall pacemaker rate after TAVI was 12% and the transprosthetic gradient was 6.9±3.2mmHg. CONCLUSIONS: TAVI using the Portico system was associated with low mortality and a low rate of neurological events at 30days and excellent hemodynamic outcome with no more than mild residual aortic regurgitation.

SYNTAX score II in patients with coronary artery disease undergoing percutaneous mitral repair with the MitraClip.

BACKGROUND: Percutaneous mitral valve repair (PMVR) using the MitraClip™ system has become a valuable alternative in patients with severe mitral regurgitation (MR) and high surgical risk. We sought to evaluate the prognostic value of the SYNTAX II score (SSII) in patients with concomitant coronary artery disease (CAD) undergoing a Mitraclip procedure. METHODS: In seventy-five consecutive patients who underwent PMVR at the University Heart Center Zürich and the Cardiocentro Ticino, the SSSII was calculated at baseline. Clinical endpoints comprised of all-cause mortality, mitral valve surgery due to failure of PMVR or reoperation, hospitalization for congestive heart failure, heart transplantation and the composite of all four endpoints. RESULTS: Patients were followed for a median of 271days. And were divided in tertiles of SSII: SSII low ≤46.5 (n=25), SSII mid 46.6-54.4 (n=25) and SSII high ≥54.5 (n=25). Patients in the highest SSII tertile had a lower left ventricular ejection fraction (33% vs. 40% vs. 53%) with a higher log-BNP (3.6 vs. 3.45 vs. 3.16) when compared to SSII mid and SSII low, respectively. However, the anatomical syntax score (SS) did not differ significantly within the tertiles (9.1±6.3 (SSII Low) vs 9.5±7.6 (SSII Mid) vs 10.2±6.7(SSII High), p=0.837). The primary endpoint occurred in 33% of patients (n=25). By multivariate analysis patients in the high SSII tertile (OR=6.12, 95% confidence interval, [CI] 1.45-25.86, p=0.014) and patients with a history of MI (OR=3.57, 95% confidence interval, [CI] 1.17-10.88, p=0.025) were at significantly higher risk of experiencing adverse events. Furthermore, in a combined outcome ROC curve analysis, the SSII showed good discrimination with an AUC of 0.73, p=0.001. A cutoff SSII >49 has been identified to have a sensitivity of 83% and specificity of 53% with approximately 45% of the patients experiencing an event during follow-up. CONCLUSION: Using SSII in CAD patients undergoing PMVR is feasible and of prognostic significance hence widening its clinical utility in valvular heart disease.

Feasibility of concomitant MitraClip and left atrial appendage occlusion.

AIMS: The aim of our study is to report our single-centre experience with concomitant MitraClip (MC) and left atrial appendage occlusion (LAAO) and further to assess the feasibility, safety and short-term outcome of such an approach. METHODS AND RESULTS: Twenty-five consecutive patients underwent MC with concomitant LAAO at our hospital (combined group). As a control group, 25 consecutive patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) undergoing standalone MC were selected. Baseline parameters were equal between the two groups. Patients in the combined group had longer procedural time (90.0 min vs. 66.0 min, p=0.02) and radiation time (32.0 min vs. 18.0 min, p=0.01). There were no procedural deaths. At 30 days, one patient died due to cerebral haemorrhage (combined vs. CONTROL: 4% vs. 0%, p=0.32) and two had acute kidney injury (combined vs. CONTROL: 4% vs. 4%, p=1.00). In multivariate analysis, the association of LAAO with device or procedural success was not significant. CONCLUSIONS: LAAO along with MC in a single stage procedure is feasible. These preliminary results have to be validated in a large randomised study, in order to assess the efficacy of combined LAAO that can be expected to become evident only after longer follow-up.

European expert consensus on rotational atherectomy.

The interest in rotational atherectomy (RA) has increased over the past decade as a consequence of more complex and calcified coronary stenoses being attempted with percutaneous coronary interventions. Yet adoption of RA is hampered by several factors: amongst others, by the lack of a standardised protocol. This European expert consensus document stems from the awareness of the large heterogeneity in the protocols adopted to perform rotational atherectomy. The objective of the present document is to provide some points of consensus among highly experienced operators on the most controversial steps of RA in an attempt to build the basis of a standardised and universally accepted protocol.

Interaction of sildenafil with cAMP-mediated vasodilation in vivo.

Sildenafil inhibits cGMP breakdown by phosphodiesterase 5. In vitro, increased cGMP levels inhibit cAMP breakdown by phosphodiesterase 3. It is uncertain, however, whether sildenafil increases biological effects of interventions increasing cAMP levels in vivo. The objective of the present study in 40 healthy male volunteers was to determine the existence and extent of interactions with sildenafil and vasodilators acting via cGMP or cAMP or independently from these mediators on the arterial tone of the human forearm. Forearm blood flow (FBF) responses (plethysmography) to brachial artery infusions of 3 doses each of nitroglycerin, which increases cGMP levels; of isoprenaline and milrinone, which increase cAMP levels; and of verapamil as a control were assessed at baseline and 80 minutes after 50 mg oral sildenafil in 10 volunteers each. Sildenafil increased FBF (2.5+/-0.1 to 3.5+/-0.2 mL/min per 100 mL, P<0.001; n=40). At equipotent vasodilator dosages, sildenafil increased FBF from 7.5+/-1.0 to 9.8+/-1.2 mL/min per 100 mL for nitroglycerin, from 8.3+/-1.0 to 10.4+/-1.4 mL/min per 100 mL for isoprenaline, and from 8.1+/-1.0 to 10.3+/-1.2 mL/min per 100 mL for milrinone and slightly decreased FBF from 7.7+/-1.3 to 7.1+/-1.2 mL/min per 100 mL for verapamil. ANOVA for repeated measures revealed a significant interaction between sildenafil and the type of vasodilator on FBF (P<0.01). The responses of FBF to nitroglycerin, milrinone, and isoprenaline after sildenafil were similarly increased compared with the response to verapamil (P<0.01). Sildenafil markedly enhanced the arterial vasodilator response to nitroglycerin, milrinone, and isoprenaline. The response to milrinone and isoprenaline is compatible with an interaction between cGMP and phosphodiesterase 3 or an enhancement of the NO component of cAMP-mediated vasodilation, and raises the possibility of enhanced biological effects of interventions leading to increases of cAMP in the presence of sildenafil.