Amir Solomonica

Hemodynamic Determinants of Dyspnea Improvement in Acute Decompensated Heart Failure

Background— Dyspnea relief constitutes a major treatment goal and a key measure of treatment efficacy in decompensated heart failure. However, there are no data with regard to the relationship between hemodynamic measurements during treatment and dyspnea improvement. Methods and Results— We studied 233 patients assigned to right heart catheterization in the Vasodilation in the Management of Acute Congestive Heart Failure trial. Dyspnea (assessed using a 7-point Likert scale) and hemodynamic parameters were measured simultaneously at 15 and 30 minutes and 1, 2, 3, 6, and 24 hours. Dyspnea relief was defined as moderate or marked improvement. There was a time-dependent association between the reductions in pulmonary capillary wedge pressure (PCWP; 25.4, 24.6, 24.0, 23.5, 23.4, 21.5, and 19.9 mm Hg) and the percentage of patients achieving dyspnea relief (17.7%, 24.6%, 32.2%, 36.2%, 37.8%, 47.4%, and 66.1%, in the respective time points). Multivariable logistic generalized estimating equations modeling demonstrated that reductions of both PCWP and mean pulmonary artery pressure were independently associated with dyspnea relief. Compared with the highest PCWP quartile, the adjusted odds ratios for dyspnea relief were 0.92 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.67–1.29), 1.07 (95% CI, 0.75–1.55), and 1.80 (95% CI, 1.22–2.65) in the third, second, and first PCWP quartiles, respectively (P trend =0.003). Compared with the highest mean pulmonary artery pressure quartile, the adjusted odds ratios for dyspnea relief were 2.0 (95% CI, 1.41–2.82), 2.23 (95% CI, 1.52–3.27), and 2.98 (95% CI, 1.91–4.66) in the third, second, and first mean pulmonary artery pressure quartiles, respectively (P trend<0.0001). Conclusions— A clinically significant improvement in dyspnea is associated with a reduction in both PCWP and mean pulmonary artery pressure.

Interaction Between Worsening Renal Function and Persistent Congestion in Acute Decompensated Heart Failure

Worsening renal function (WRF) and congestion are inextricably related pathophysiologically, suggesting that WRF occurring in conjunction with persistent congestion would be associated with worse clinical outcome. We studied the interdependence between WRF and persistent congestion in 762 patients with acute decompensated heart failure (HF). WRF was defined as ≥0.3 mg/dl increase in serum creatinine above baseline at any time during hospitalization and persistent congestion as ≥1 sign of congestion at discharge. The primary end point was all-cause mortality with mean follow-up of 15 ± 9 months. Readmission for HF was a secondary end point. Persistent congestion was more common in patients with WRF than in patients with stable renal function (51.0% vs 26.6%, p <0.0001). Both persistent congestion and persistent WRF were significantly associated with mortality (both p <0.0001). There was a strong interaction (p = 0.003) between persistent WRF and congestion, such that the increased risk for mortality occurred predominantly with both WRF and persistent congestion. The adjusted hazard ratio for mortality in patients with persistent congestion as compared with those without was 4.16 (95% confidence interval [CI] 2.20 to 7.86) in patients with WRF and 1.50 (95% CI 1.16 to 1.93) in patients without WRF. In conclusion, persisted congestion is frequently associated with WRF. We have identified a substantial interaction between persistent congestion and WRF such that congestion portends increased mortality particularly when associated with WRF.

Direct comparison between coronary computed tomography and invasive angiography for calculation of SYNTAX score.

AIMS We aimed to test the feasibility of calculating SYNTAX score from coronary computed tomographic angiography (CCTA) compared to from invasive coronary angiography (ICA). METHODS AND RESULTS SYNTAX score was independently and blindly calculated from CCTA and from ICA in 104 patients, age 57±10, with significant (>50%) stenoses in 1.7±0.7 vessels. The level of agreement was assessed by Cohens kappa. Agreement between ICA and CCTA for conventional vessel-based analysis (presence of >50% stenosis per vessel) was substantial with kappa=0.66 and sensitivity, specificity and accuracy of 74%, 90% and 80%, respectively. The mean SYNTAX score was 14.2±10.0 by ICA and 10.3±6.9 by CCTA, with a significant underestimation of 3.9±8.2 by CCTA (p<0.001). Weighted kappa was 0.33, indicating only fair agreement. When only good quality CCTA were included, kappa improved to 0.56. Analysis of the cause of the bias showed ICA to identify more lesions per patient (2.2±1.3 vs. 1.7±1.0, p<0.001), while the mean score per lesion was not different (6.4 vs. 5.9, p=ns). CONCLUSIONS CCTA, despite having a good agreement with ICA by conventional vessel-based analysis, showed only fair agreement for the calculation of SYNTAX score, and cannot be currently used as a substitute for diagnostic ICA for this purpose.

Discordance Between Hemoconcentration and Clinical Assessment of Decongestion in Acute Heart Failure

INTRODUCTION Hemoconcentration has been proposed as a surrogate for successful decongestion in acute heart failure (AHF). The aim of the present study was to evaluate the relationship between hemoconcentration and clinical measures of congestion. METHODS AND RESULTS We studied 704 patients with AHF and volume overload. A composite congestion score was calculated at admission and discharge, with a score >1 denoting persistent congestion. Hemoconcentration was defined as any increase in hematocrit and hemoglobin levels between baseline and discharge. Of 276 patient with hemoconcentration, 66 (23.9%) had persistent congestion. Conversely, of 428 patients without hemoconcentration, 304 (71.0%) had no clinical evidence of congestion. Mean hematocrit changes were similar with and without persistent congestion (0.18 ± 3.4% and -0.19 ± 3.6%, respectively; P = .17). There was no correlation between the decline in congestion score and the change in hematocrit (P = .93). Hemoconcentration predicted lower mortality (hazard ratio 0.70, 95% confidence interval 0.54-0.90; P = .006). Persistent congestion was associated with increased mortality independent of hemoconcentration (Ptrend = .0003 for increasing levels of congestion score). CONCLUSIONS Hemoconcentration is weakly related to congestion as assessed clinically. Persistent congestion at discharge is associated with increased mortality regardless of hemoconcentration. Hemoconcentration is associated with better outcome but cannot substitute for clinically derived estimates of congestion to determine whether decongestion has been achieved.

Simulator training to minimize ionizing radiation exposure in the catheterization laboratory

To learn about radiation and how to lower it. Patients and operators are routinely exposed to high doses of ionizing radiation during catheterization procedures. This increased exposure to ionizing radiation is partially due to a lack of awareness to the effects of ionizing radiation, and lack of knowledge on the distribution and behavior of scattered radiation. A simulator, which incorporates data on scattered ionizing radiation, was built based on multiple phantom measurements and used for teaching radiation safety. The validity of the simulator was confirmed in three catheterization laboratories and tested by 20 interventional cardiologists. All evaluators were tested by an objective knowledge examination before, immediately following, and 12 weeks after simulator-based learning and training. A subjective Likert questionnaire on satisfaction with simulation-based learning and training was also completed. The 20 evaluators learned and retained the knowledge that they gained from using the simulator: the average scores of the knowledge examination pre-simulator training was 54 ± 15% (mean ± standard deviation), and this score significantly increased after training to 94 ± 10% (p < 0.001). The evaluators also reported high levels of satisfaction following simulation-based learning and training according to the results of the subjective Likert questionnaire. Simulators can be used to train cardiology staff and fellows and to further educate experienced personnel on radiation safety. As a result of simulator training, the operator gains knowledge, which can then be applied in the catheterization laboratory in order to reduce radiation doses to the patient and to the operator, thereby improving the safety of the intervention.

Coronary artery aneurysm following drug-coated balloon treatment.

Drug-coated balloons are an effective treatment option for stent restenosis. Because of their potential benefits, the use of drug-coated balloons is predicted to increase in the future and expand further for the treatment of de novo lesions as well. We hereby present a case in which a patient developed a coronary artery aneurysm following the treatment of a de novo native coronary narrowing with a drug-coated balloon.

Renal denervation therapy beyond resistant hypertension

It is estimated that over one billion people worldwide are affected by hypertension (HTN) and that over nine million annual deaths can be attributed to complications of HTN such as myocardial infarction, stroke and renal disease. The prevalence of HTN is constantly rising and this trend is expected to continue unless appropriate measures are taken (1,2). Importantly, even very mild reductions in blood pressure were linked to a large effect on rates of cardiovascular events (3,4).

An atypical presentation of acute coronary syndrome

A 53-year-old woman, with a body mass index of 25.6 kg/m2, and a past medical history consisting of type 2 diabetes mellitus diagnosed 10 years earlier, hypertension, hyperlipidemia and remote smoking presented to the emergency department complaining of chest heaviness, shortness of breath and general myalgia.

Shedding light on stent thrombosis

Stent thrombosis (ST) is a less commonly seen complication of percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) with the current use of second generation drug eluting stents (DES), compared to previous stent platforms (1).