Many patients with end-stage heart failure require mechanical circulatory support as a temporizing measure to enable multidisciplinary assessment for the most suitable therapeutic strategy. Impella ...5.0 can be used as a bridge to decision to evaluate patients for potential recovery or bridge to next therapy (bridge to heart transplantation BTHT or bridge to durable left ventricular assist device or VAD BLVAD. Our goal was to examine single-center outcomes with the Impella 5.0 device as a bridge to next therapy (BTHT or BTLVAD). Forty patients underwent Impella 5.0 support from December 2009 to December 2015 with the intent of BTHT (n = 20) or BTLVAD (n = 20). The primary end point was survival to next therapy. Secondary end points included hemodynamic assessments and in-hospital/30-day complications. All patients were inotrope-dependent, with severely depressed left ventricular ejection fraction (12%) and renal insufficiency (creatinine 2.0 mg/dl). Most were Interagency Registry for Mechanically Assisted Circulatory Support (INTERMACS) 2 (66%) with biventricular failure (65%). Thirty patients (75%) survived to next therapy, including transplant (n = 13), durable LVAD (n = 15), and recovery of native heart function (n = 2). No strokes or major bleeding events requiring surgery were observed. Acute renal dysfunction, bleeding requiring transfusion, hemolysis, device malfunction, limb ischemia occurred in 13 (33%), 11 (28%), 3 (8%), 4 (10%), and 1 (3%) patients, respectively. Survival rate to discharge and/or 30 days was 68% (27 of 40). Temporary support with the Impella 5.0 allows for an effective bridge to decision strategy for hemodynamic stabilization and multidisciplinary heart team assessment of critically ill patients with heart failure. In conclusion, many of these patients can be subsequently bridged to the next therapy with favorable outcomes.
The outcome of cardiogenic shock complicating myocardial infarction has not appreciably changed in the last 30 years despite the development of various percutaneous mechanical circulatory support ...options. It is clear that there are varying degrees of cardiogenic shock but there is no robust classification scheme to categorize this disease state.
A multidisciplinary group of experts convened by the Society for Cardiovascular Angiography and Interventions was assembled to derive a proposed classification schema for cardiogenic shock. Representatives from cardiology (interventional, advanced heart failure, noninvasive), emergency medicine, critical care, and cardiac nursing all collaborated to develop the proposed schema.
A system describing stages of cardiogenic shock from A to E was developed. Stage A is "at risk" for cardiogenic shock, stage B is "beginning" shock, stage C is "classic" cardiogenic shock, stage D is "deteriorating", and E is "extremis". The difference between stages B and C is the presence of hypoperfusion which is present in stages C and higher. Stage D implies that the initial set of interventions chosen have not restored stability and adequate perfusion despite at least 30 minutes of observation and stage E is the patient in extremis, highly unstable, often with cardiovascular collapse.
This proposed classification system is simple, clinically applicable across the care spectrum from pre-hospital providers to intensive care staff but will require future validation studies to assess its utility and potential prognostic implications.
In 2018, the Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network (OPTN) modified adult heart allocation to better stratify candidates and provide broader access to the most medically urgent candidates. We ...analyzed OPTN data that included waiting list and transplant characteristics, geographical distribution, and early outcomes 1 year before (pre: October 18, 2017‐October 17, 2018) and following (post: October 18, 2018‐October 17, 2019) implementation. The number of adult heart transplants increased from 2954 pre‐ to 3032 postimplementation. Seventy‐eight percent of transplants in the post era were for the most medically urgent (statuses 1‐3) compared to 68% for status 1A in the pre era. The median distance between the donor hospital and transplant center increased from 83 to 216 nautical miles, with an increase in total ischemic time from 3 to 3.4 hours (all P < .001). Waiting list mortality was not different across eras (14.8 vs 14.9 deaths per 100 patient‐years pre vs post respectively). Posttransplant patient survival was not different, 93.6% pre and 92.8% post. There is early evidence that the heart allocation policy has enhanced stratification of candidates by their medical urgency and broader distribution for the most medically urgent candidates with minimal impact on overall waiting list mortality and posttransplant outcomes.
This article compares timeframes before and after implementation of a revised heart allocation policy, showing increased travel distance, more transplants for the most medically urgent, and similar waitlist and posttransplant mortality rates.
Standardized donor‐derived cell‐free DNA (dd‐cfDNA) testing has been introduced into clinical use to monitor kidney transplant recipients for rejection. This report describes the performance of this ...dd‐cfDNA assay to detect allograft rejection in samples from heart transplant (HT) recipients undergoing surveillance monitoring across the United States. Venous blood was longitudinally sampled from 740 HT recipients from 26 centers and in a single‐center cohort of 33 patients at high risk for antibody‐mediated rejection (AMR). Plasma dd‐cfDNA was quantified by using targeted amplification and sequencing of a single nucleotide polymorphism panel. The dd‐cfDNA levels were correlated to paired events of biopsy‐based diagnosis of rejection. The median dd‐cfDNA was 0.07% in reference HT recipients (2164 samples) and 0.17% in samples classified as acute rejection (35 samples; P = .005). At a 0.2% threshold, dd‐cfDNA had a 44% sensitivity to detect rejection and a 97% negative predictive value. In the cohort at risk for AMR (11 samples), dd‐cfDNA levels were elevated 3‐fold in AMR compared with patients without AMR (99 samples, P = .004). The standardized dd‐cfDNA test identified acute rejection in samples from a broad population of HT recipients. The reported test performance characteristics will guide the next stage of clinical utility studies of the dd‐cfDNA assay.
A large multicenter study in a broad heart transplant surveillance population demonstrates the ability of standardized donor‐ derived cell‐free DNA testing to identify both T cell–mediated and antibody‐mediated acute rejection with a high negative predictive value.
Aim
The MOMENTUM 3 pivotal trial established superiority of the HeartMate 3 (HM3) left ventricular assist device (LVAD), a fully magnetically levitated centrifugal‐flow pump, over the HeartMate II ...axial‐flow pump. We now evaluate HM3 LVAD outcomes in a single‐arm prospective continuous access protocol (CAP) post‐pivotal trial study.
Methods and results
We enrolled 2200 HM3 implanted patients (515 pivotal trial and 1685 CAP patients) and compared outcomes including survival free of disabling stroke or reoperation to replace or remove a malfunctioning device (primary composite endpoint), overall survival and major adverse events at 2 years. The 2‐year primary endpoint 76.7% vs. 74.8%; adjusted hazard ratio (HR) 0.87, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.71–1.08, P = 0.21 and overall survival (81.2% vs. 79.0%) were similar among CAP and pivotal cohorts despite sicker patients (more intra‐aortic balloon pump use and INTERMACS profile 1) in CAP who were more often intended for destination therapy. Survival was similar between the CAP and pivotal trial in transplant ineligible patients (79.1% vs. 76.7%; adjusted HR 0.89, 95% CI 0.68–1.16, P = 0.38). In a pooled analysis, the 2‐year primary endpoint was similar between INTERMACS profiles 1–2 (‘unstable’ advanced heart failure), profile 3 (‘stable’ on inotropic therapy), and profiles 4–7 (‘stable’ ambulatory advanced heart failure) (75.7% vs. 77.6% vs. 72.9%, respectively). The net burden of adverse events was lower in CAP (adjusted rate ratio 0.93, 95% CI 0.88–0.98, P = 0.006), with consequent decrease in hospitalization.
Conclusions
The primary results of accumulating HM3 LVAD experience suggest a lower adverse event burden and similar survival compared to the pivotal MOMENTUM 3 trial.
Accumulating post‐pivotal trial experience with the HeartMate 3 (HM3) left ventricular assist device (LVAD) suggests a lower adverse event burden, reduced hospitalizations and similar survival free of disabling stroke or reoperation to replace or remove a malfunctioning pump as compared to the pivotal MOMENTUM 3 trial outcomes at 2 years. These beneficial outcomes were noted across the continuum of clinical severity in advanced heart failure and especially among transplant ineligible patients in whom outcomes may now compare favourably with those in transplant eligible patients at 2 years.
The Molecular Microscope Diagnostic System (MMDx) analyzes RNA transcripts of transplanted heart tissue to differentiate among T cell–mediated rejection (TCMR), antibody‐mediated rejection (AMR), ...injury, and healthy tissue. However, little is known about its performance in relation to other modalities in a real‐world heart transplant population. We evaluated whether MMDx performs in agreement with other validated modalities. Two hundred and twenty‐eight corresponding endomyocardial biopsies (EMBx) and MMDx specimens from 135 adult heart transplant patients were retrospectively reviewed with correlating donor‐derived cell‐free DNA (dd‐cfDNA). Rejection was classified on EMBx in 29 specimens (TCMR ≥ 2R and/or AMR ≥ 1), on MMDx in 56 specimens, and in 74 values with dd‐cfDNA ≥0.20%. Despite moderate agreement between EMBx and MMDx (84% agreement, Cohen’s kappa, 0.48, p < .001), systematic differences were observed (McNemar’s test, p < .001) where MMDx classified 32 of 37 discordant cases as rejection. MMDx and dd‐cfDNA demonstrated slight agreement (72% agreement, Cohen’s kappa, 0.39, p < .001); however, systematic differences were also apparent where MMDx classified 12 of 50 discordant specimens as rejection when dd‐cfDNA was <0.20% (McNemar’s test, p < .001). Our findings provide insight on the performance of MMDx relative to other modalities in a heart transplant cohort and have implications on the surveillance and workup of allograft rejection in heart transplantation.
The investigators analyze endomyocardial biopsy results and donor‐derived cell‐free DNA levels from adult heart transplant recipients to compare the performance of the Molecular Microscope Diagnostic System to established modalities.
Liver transplant (LT) candidates today are older, have greater medical severity of illness, and have more cardiovascular comorbidities than ever before. In addition, there are specific cardiovascular ...responses in cirrhosis that can be detrimental to the LT candidate. Cirrhotic cardiomyopathy, a condition characterized by increased cardiac output and a reduced ventricular response to stress, is present in up to 30% of patients with cirrhosis, thus challenging perioperative management. Current noninvasive tests that assess for subclinical coronary and myocardial disease have low sensitivity, and altered hemodynamics during the LT surgery can unmask latent cardiovascular disease either intraoperatively or in the immediate postoperative period. Therefore, this review, assembled by a group of multidisciplinary experts in the field and endorsed by the American Society of Transplantation Liver and Intestine and Thoracic and Critical Care Communities of Practice, provides a critical assessment of the diagnosis of cardiac and pulmonary vascular disease and interventions aimed at managing these conditions in LT candidates. Key points and practice‐based recommendations for the diagnosis and management of cardiac and pulmonary vascular disease in this population are provided to offer guidance for clinicians and identify gaps in knowledge for future investigations.
In this white paper, the American Society of Transplantation Liver and Intestinal and Thoracic and Critical Care Communities of Practice summarize current evidence and make consensus recommendations for cardiac and pulmonary vascular disease risk assessment for potential liver transplant recipients.
Abstract The purpose of this study is to examine the association of sarcopenia as measured by psoas muscle area and outcomes in patients undergoing LVAD implantation. We retrospectively examined 333 ...consecutive patients who underwent implantation of a HeartMate II LVAD at our institution between June 2008 and August 2013. Patients were included if they had a perioperative CT that spanned the L3-L4 vertebrae. Sarcopenia was defined as having lowest tertile psoas muscle area by gender. The primary endpoint was the composite of inpatient death or prolonged length of stay of >30 days. 100 patients met inclusion criteria. The psoas muscle area cut-off values for the lowest tertiles were 12.0 cm2 for males and 6.5 cm2 for females, resulting in n=32 (32%) sarcopenic. The primary outcome of inpatient death or prolonged length of stay occurred in 81% of patients in the sarcopenic vs 60% of the non-sarcopenic group (p=0.043). There was a trend toward prolonged length of stay in sarcopenic patients but no difference in overall mortality. This demonstrates that sarcopenia as measured by psoas muscle area is associated with increased composite length of stay and mortality following LVAD implantation and may serve as correlate for frailty.
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