Among patients with acute coronary syndrome following transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR), those presenting with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) are at highest risk.
The ...goal of this study was to determine the clinical characteristics, management, and outcomes of STEMI after TAVR.
This was a multicenter study including 118 patients presenting with STEMI at a median of 255 days (interquartile range: 9 to 680 days) after TAVR. Procedural features of STEMI after TAVR managed with primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) were compared with all-comer STEMI: 439 non-TAVR patients who had primary PCI within the 2 weeks before and after each post-TAVR STEMI case in 5 participating centers from different countries.
Median door-to-balloon time was higher in TAVR patients (40 min interquartile range: 25 to 57 min vs. 30 min interquartile range: 25 to 35 min; p = 0.003). Procedural time, fluoroscopy time, dose-area product, and contrast volume were also higher in TAVR patients (p < 0.01 for all). PCI failure occurred more frequently in patients with previous TAVR (16.5% vs. 3.9%; p < 0.001), including 5 patients in whom the culprit lesion was not revascularized owing to coronary ostia cannulation failure. In-hospital and late (median of 7 months interquartile range: 1 to 21 months) mortality rates were 25.4% and 42.4%, respectively (20.6% and 38.2% in primary PCI patients), and estimated glomerular filtration rate <60 ml/min (hazard ratio HR: 3.02; 95% confidence interval CI: 1.42 to 6.43; p = 0.004), Killip class ≥2 (HR: 2.74; 95% CI: 1.37 to 5.49; p = 0.004), and PCI failure (HR: 3.23; 95% CI: 1.42 to 7.31; p = 0.005) determined an increased risk.
STEMI after TAVR was associated with very high in-hospital and mid-term mortality. Longer door-to-balloon times and a higher PCI failure rate were observed in TAVR patients, partially due to coronary access issues specific to the TAVR population, and this was associated with poorer outcomes.
Sacubitril-valsartan is an angiotensin receptor–neprilysin inhibitor (ARNI) associated with a decreased risk of death and hospitalization for selected patients with heart failure (HF). However, its ...association with improved atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) events remains unclear. We performed a meta-analysis to evaluate the association of ARNI with ASCVD events in patients with HF. We systematically searched PubMed, Embase, Cochrane, and ClinicalTrials.gov for studies comparing ARNIs with angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors (ACEIs) or angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs) in terms of myocardial infarction, stroke, angina pectoris, peripheral artery disease, and the composite end point in patients with HF. A total of 8 randomized controlled trials were included, with 17,541 patients assigned to either the ARNI (8,764 patients) or ACEi/ARB (8,777 patients) groups. The incidence of composite end point (risk ratio RR 1.03, 95% confidence interval CI 0.93 to 1.13, p = 0.63), myocardial infarction (RR 1.02, 95% CI 0.81 to 1.30, p = 0.85), angina pectoris (RR 0.96, 95% CI 0.80 to 1.17, p = 0.70), and stroke (RR 0.99, 95% CI 0.85 to 1.16, p = 0.93) were not statistically different between the ARNI and ACEi/ARB groups. However, ARNI was associated with a higher incidence of peripheral artery disease (RR 1.63, 95% CI 1.05 to 2.52, p = 0.03). In conclusion, this meta-analysis found no association between ARNI therapy and improved ASCVD events in patients with HF.
Few data exist on patients with low-flow, low-gradient aortic stenosis (LFLG-AS) undergoing transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR). Also, very scarce data exist on the usefulness of dobutamine ...stress echocardiography (DSE) before TAVR in these patients.
The authors sought to evaluate clinical outcomes and changes in left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) following TAVR in patients with classical LFLG-AS.
This multicenter registry included 287 patients with LFLG-AS undergoing TAVR. DSE was performed before TAVR in 234 patients and the presence of contractile reserve was defined as an increase of ≥20% in stroke volume. Transthoracic echocardiography was repeated at hospital discharge and at 1-year follow-up. Clinical follow-up was obtained at 1 and 12 months, and yearly thereafter.
The median Society of Thoracic Surgeons score of the study population was 7.7% (interquartile range 5.3% to 12.0%), and the mean LVEF and transvalvular gradient were 30.1 ± 9.7% and 25.4 ± 6.6 mm Hg, respectively. The presence of contractile reserve was observed in 45% of patients at DSE. Mortality rates were 3.8%, 20.1%, and 32.3% at 30 days, 1 year, and 2 years, respectively. On multivariable analysis, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (p = 0.022) and lower hemoglobin values (p < 0.001) were associated with all-cause mortality. Lower hemoglobin values (p = 0.004) and moderate-to-severe aortic regurgitation post-TAVR (p = 0.018) were predictors of the composite of mortality and rehospitalization due to heart failure. LVEF increased by 8.3% (95% confidence interval: 6% to 11%) at 1-year follow-up, and the lack of prior coronary artery bypass graft (p = 0.004), a lower LVEF at baseline (p < 0.001), and a lower stroke volume index at baseline (p = 0.019) were associated with greater increase in LVEF. The absence of contractile reserve at baseline DSE was not associated with any negative effect on clinical outcomes or LVEF changes at follow-up.
TAVR was associated with good periprocedural outcomes in patients with LFLG-AS. However, approximately one-third of LFLG-AS TAVR recipients died at 2-year follow-up, with pulmonary disease, anemia, and residual paravalvular leaks associated with poorer outcomes. LVEF improved following TAVR, but DSE failed to predict clinical outcomes or LVEF changes over time. (Multicenter Prospective Study of Low-Flow Low-Gradient Aortic Stenosis TOPAS Study; NCT01835028).
The projected impact of global warming on coffee production may require the heat-adapted genotypes in the next decades. To identify cellular strategies in response to warmer temperatures, we compared ...the effect of elevated temperature on two commercial
L. genotypes exploring leaf physiology, transcriptome, and carbohydrate/protein composition. Growth temperatures were 23/19°C (day/night), as optimal condition (OpT), and 30/26°C (day/night) as a possible warmer scenario (WaT). The cv. Acauã showed lower levels of leaf temperature (Tleaf) under both conditions compared to cv. Catuaí, whereas slightly or no differences for other leaf physiological parameters. Therefore, to explore temperature responsive pathways the leaf transcriptome was examined using RNAseq. Genotypes showed a marked number of differentially-expressed genes (DEGs) under OpT, however DEGs strongly decrease in both at WaT condition indicating a transcriptional constraint. DEGs responsive to WaT revealed shared and genotype-specific genes mostly related to carbohydrate metabolism. Under OpT, leaf starch content was greater in cv. Acauã and, as WaT temperature was imposed, the leaf soluble sugar did not change in contrast to cv. Catuaí, although the levels of leaf starch, sucrose, and leaf protein decreased in both genotypes. These findings revealed intraspecific differences in the underlying transcriptional and metabolic interconnected pathways responsive to warmer temperatures, which is potentially linked to thermotolerance, and thus may be useful as biomarkers in breeding for a changing climate.
•The use of glycinate to remove brownish-black tarnish on silver–copper alloy objects is studied.•The method is easy to use and harmless. It is based in the coordination of Ag and Cu in tarnish with ...glycinate.•The surface of corroded silver objects and products of reaction were studied and glycinate showed to be very selective for Ag(I) and Cu(II). The selectivity for Ag(I) was studied by means of quantum chemical calculations.
This article has the principal aim of presenting a new method of chemical cleaning of tarnished silver–copper alloy objects. The chemical cleaning must be harmless to the health, selective to tarnish removal, and easy to use. Sodium glycinate was selected for the study. The reactions of sodium glycinate with tarnish and the silver–copper alloy were evaluated. Products of the reaction, the lixiviated material, and the esthetics of silver–copper alloy coins (used as prototypes) were studied to evaluate if the proposed method can be applied to the cleaning of silver objects.
Silver–copper alloys can be deteriorated through a uniform and superficial corrosion process that produces brownish-black tarnish. This tarnish alters the esthetic of the object. The cleaning of artistic and archeological objects requires more caution than regular cleaning, and it must take into account the procedures for the conservation and restoration of cultural heritage. There are different methods for cleaning silver–copper alloy objects, chemical cleaning is one of them. We studied two chemical cleaning methods that use sodium glycinate and sodium acetylglycinate solutions. Silver–copper alloy coins were artificially corroded in a basic thiourea solution and immersed in solutions of sodium glycinate and sodium acetylglycinate. After immersion, optical microscopy and scanning electron microscopy of the surfaces were studied. The sodium glycinate solution was shown to be very efficient in removing the brownish-black tarnish. Absorption spectroscopy measured the percentage of silver and copper lixiviated in immersion baths, and very small quantities of these metals were detected. Infrared absorption spectroscopy and X-ray fluorescence characterized the obtained products. The greater efficiency of the sodium glycinate solution compared to the sodium acetylglycinate solution was explained by chelation and Hard–Soft Acid–Base Theory with the aid of quantum chemical calculations.
The best management of stable coronary artery disease (CAD) in patients undergoing transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) is still unclear due to the marked inconsistency of the available ...evidence.
The REVASC-TAVI registry (Management of Myocardial Revascularization in Patients Undergoing Transcatheter Aortic Valve Implantation With Coronary Artery Disease) collected data from 30 centers worldwide on patients undergoing TAVI who had significant, stable CAD at preprocedural work-up. For the purposes of this analysis, patients with either complete or incomplete myocardial revascularization were compared in a propensity score matched analysis, to take into account of baseline confounders. The primary and co-primary outcomes were all-cause death and the composite of all-cause death, stroke, myocardial infarction, and rehospitalization for heart failure, respectively, at 2 years.
Among 2407 patients enrolled, 675 pairs of patients achieving complete or incomplete myocardial revascularization were matched. The primary (21.6% versus 18.2%, hazard ratio' 0.88 95% CI, 0.66-1.18;
=0.38) and co-primary composite (29.0% versus 27.1%, hazard ratio' 0.97 95% CI, 0.76-1.24;
=0.83) outcome did not differ between patients achieving complete or incomplete myocardial revascularization, respectively. These results were consistent across different prespecified subgroups of patients (< or >75 years of age, Society of Thoracic Surgeons score > or <4%, angina at baseline, diabetes, left ventricular ejection fraction > or <40%, New York Heart Association class I/II or III/IV, renal failure, proximal CAD, multivessel CAD, and left main/proximal anterior descending artery CAD; all
values for interaction >0.10).
The present analysis of the REVASC-TAVI registry showed that, among TAVI patients with significant stable CAD found during the TAVI work-up, completeness of myocardial revascularization achieved either staged or concomitantly with TAVI was similar to a strategy of incomplete revascularization in reducing the risk of all cause death, as well as the risk of death, stroke, myocardial infarction, and rehospitalization for heart failure at 2 years, regardless of the clinical and anatomical situations.
Objectives The aim of this study was to determine the impact of new-onset persistent left bundle branch block (NOP-LBBB) on late outcomes after transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI). ...Background The impact of NOP-LBBB after TAVI remains controversial. Methods A total of 668 consecutive patients who underwent TAVI with a balloon-expandable valve without pre-existing LBBB or permanent pacemaker implantation (PPI) were included. Electrocardiograms were obtained at baseline, immediately after the procedure, and daily until hospital discharge. Patients were followed at 1, 6, and 12 months and yearly thereafter. Results New-onset LBBB occurred in 128 patients (19.2%) immediately after TAVI and persisted at hospital discharge in 79 patients (11.8%). At a median follow-up of 13 months (range 3 to 27 months), there were no differences in mortality rate between the NOP-LBBB and no NOP-LBBB groups (27.8% vs. 28.4%; adjusted-hazard ratio: 0.87 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.55 to 1.37; p = 0.54). There were no differences between groups regarding cardiovascular mortality (p = 0.82), sudden death (p = 0.87), rehospitalizations for all causes (p = 0.11), or heart failure (p = 0.55). NOP-LBBB was the only factor associated with an increased rate of PPI during the follow-up period (13.9% vs. 3.0%; hazard ratio: 4.29 95% CI: 2.03 to 9.07, p < 0.001. NOP-LBBB was also associated with a lack of left ventricular ejection fraction improvement and poorer New York Heart Association functional class at follow-up (p < 0.02 for both). Conclusions NOP-LBBB occurred in ∼1 of 10 patients who had undergone TAVI with a balloon-expandable valve. NOP-LBBB was associated with a higher rate of PPI, a lack of improvement in left ventricular ejection fraction, and a poorer functional status, but did not increase the risk of global or cardiovascular mortality or rehospitalizations at 1-year follow-up.
The aim of this study was to determine the impact of the degree of residual aortic regurgitation (AR) and acuteness of presentation of AR after transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) on ...outcomes.
The degree of residual AR after TAVR leading to excess mortality remains controversial, and little evidence exists on the impact of the acuteness of presentation of AR.
A total of 1,735 patients undergoing TAVR with balloon-expandable or self-expanding valves were included. The presence and degree of AR were evaluated by transthoracic echocardiography; acute AR was defined as an increase in AR severity of ≥1 degree compared with pre-procedural echocardiography.
Residual AR was classified as mild in 761 patients (43.9%) and moderate to severe in 247 patients (14.2%). The presence of moderate to severe AR was an independent predictor of mortality at a mean follow-up of 21 ± 17 months compared with none to trace (adjusted hazard ratio HR: 1.81, 95% confidence interval CI: 1.32 to 2.48; p < 0.001) and mild AR (adjusted HR: 1.68, 95% CI: 1.27 to 2.24; p < 0.001) groups. There was no increased risk in patients with mild AR compared with those with none to trace AR (p = 0.393). In patients with moderate to severe AR, acute AR was observed in 161 patients (65%) and chronic AR in 86 patients (35%). Acute moderate to severe AR was independently associated with increased risk of mortality compared with none/trace/mild AR (adjusted HR: 2.37, 95% CI: 1.53 to 3.66; p < 0.001) and chronic moderate to severe AR (adjusted HR: 2.24, 95% CI: 1.17 to 4.30; p = 0.015) corrected. No differences in survival rate were observed between patients with chronic moderate to severe and none/trace/mild AR (p > 0.50).
AR occurred very frequently after TAVR, but an increased risk of mortality at ∼2-year follow-up was observed only in patients with acute moderate to severe AR.