Garima Arora

Implantable Cardioverter-Defibrillator for Nonischemic Cardiomyopathy: An Updated Meta-Analysis

The use of implantable cardioverter-defibrillators (ICDs) has been a major advancement in patients with ischemic cardiomyopathy with reduced ejection fraction 1100 patients with NICM on optimal medical therapy (OMT) and cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) to ICD versus no ICD for primary prevention of sudden cardiac death, revealed no difference in all-cause mortality between the 2 groups at 5-year follow-up.4 Although the primary results of DANISH were neutral, the ICD group showed reduction in incidence of sudden cardiac death by half, and there was an interaction …

Comparison of Approaches to Revascularization in Patients With Multivessel Coronary Artery Disease Presenting With ST-Segment Elevation Myocardial Infarction: Meta-analyses of Randomized Control Trials.

Background Significant controversy exists regarding the best approach for nonculprit vessel revascularization in patients with multivessel coronary artery disease presenting with ST‐segment elevation myocardial infarction. We conducted a systematic investigation to pool data from current randomized controlled trials (RCTs) to assess optimal treatment strategies in this patient population. Methods and Results A comprehensive search of SCOPUS from inception through May 2015 was performed using predefined criteria. We compared efficacy and safety outcomes of different approaches by categorizing the studies into 3 groups: (1) complete revascularization (CR) versus culprit lesion revascularization (CL) at index hospitalization, (2) CR at index hospitalization versus staged revascularization (SR) of nonculprit vessels at a separate hospitalization, and (3) comparison of SR versus CL. Eight eligible RCTs met the inclusion criteria: (1) CR versus CL (6 RCTs, n=1727) (2) CR versus SR (3 RCTs, n=311), and (3) SR versus CL (1 RCT, n=149). We observed significantly lower rates of major adverse cardiovascular events, revascularization, and repeat percutaneous coronary interventions among patients treated with CR and SR compared with a CL approach (P<0.05). The rates of all‐cause mortality, cause‐specific mortality, major bleeding, reinfarction, stroke, and contrast‐induced nephropathy did not differ in the CR arm compared with the CL arm. The rates of these outcomes were similar in the CR and SR arms. Conclusion Results suggest that CR and SR compared with CL reduce major adverse cardiovascular event and revascularization rates primarily by lowering repeated percutaneous coronary intervention rates. We did not observe any increase in the rate of adverse events while using a CR or SR strategy compared with a CL approach. Current guidelines discouraging CR need to be reevaluated, and clinical judgment should prevail in treating multivessel coronary artery disease patients with ST‐segment elevation myocardial infarction as data from larger RCTs accumulate.

Hospitalization Rates, Prevalence of Cardiovascular Manifestations, and Outcomes Associated With Sarcoidosis in the United States

Background Recent trends of hospitalizations and in‐hospital mortality are not well defined in sarcoidosis. We examined aforementioned trends and prevalence of cardiovascular manifestations and explored rates of implantable cardioverter‐defibrillator implantation in hospitalizations with sarcoidosis. Methods and Results Using data from the National Inpatient Sample, a retrospective population cohort from 2005 to 2014 was studied. To identify sarcoidosis, an International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision, Clinical Modification (ICD‐9‐CM) diagnosis code was used. We excluded hospitalizations with myocardial infarction, coronary artery disease, and ischemic cardiomyopathy. Cardiovascular manifestations were defined by the presence of diagnosis codes for conduction disorders, arrhythmias, heart failure, nonischemic cardiomyopathy, and pulmonary hypertension. A total of 609 051 sarcoidosis hospitalizations were identified, with an age of 55±14 years, 67% women, and 50% black. The number of sarcoidosis hospitalizations increased from 2005 through 2014 (138 versus 175 per 100 000, P trend<0.001). We observed declining trends of unadjusted in‐hospital mortality (6.5 to 4.9 per 100 sarcoidosis hospitalizations, P trend<0.001). Overall ≈31% (n=188 438) of sarcoidosis hospitalizations had coexistent cardiovascular manifestations of one or more type. Heart failure (≈16%) and arrhythmias (≈15%) were the most prevalent cardiovascular manifestations. Rates of implantable cardioverter‐defibrillator placement were ≈7.5 per 1000 sarcoidosis hospitalizations (P trend=0.95) during the study period. Black race was associated with 21% increased risk of in‐hospital mortality (odds ratio, 1.21; 95% confidence interval, 1.16–1.27 [P<0.001]). Conclusions Sarcoidosis hospitalizations have increased over the past decade with a myriad of coexistent cardiovascular manifestations. Black race is a significant predictor of in‐hospital mortality, which is declining. Further efforts are needed to improve care in view of low implantable cardioverter‐defibrillator rates in sarcoidosis.

Racial Differences in Plasma Levels of N-Terminal Pro–B-Type Natriuretic Peptide and Outcomes: The Reasons for Geographic and Racial Differences in Stroke (REGARDS) Study

Importance Recent studies have suggested that the natriuretic peptide system may be endogenously suppressed in black individuals who are free of prevalent cardiovascular disease. Whether natriuretic peptide levels contribute to racial disparities in clinical outcomes is unknown. Objective To examine racial differences in N-terminal pro–B-type natriuretic peptide (NTproBNP) levels and their association with all-cause mortality and cause-specific mortality in the Reasons for Geographic and Racial Differences in Stroke (REGARDS) study. Design, Setting, and Participants Baseline NTproBNP levels were measured in a randomly selected sample of 4415 REGARDS study participants. Those with prevalent cardiovascular disease and renal dysfunction were excluded. From July 1, 2003, to September 12, 2007, among the remaining 1998 individuals, racial differences in NTproBNP levels were estimated, and the percentage difference in NTproBNP levels by race was meta-analyzed and compared with published results on participants free of prevalent cardiovascular disease from the Dallas Heart Study and Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities study, using random effects modeling. The association of NTproBNP levels, race, all-cause mortality, and cause-specific mortality in the REGARDS study was studied using appropriate modeling techniques. Data analysis was conducted from July 1, 2003, to March 31, 2016. Main Outcomes and Measures Racial differences in NTproBNP levels and association with all-cause mortality and cause-specific mortality. Results Among the 1998 participants studied (972 women and 1026 men; median age, 63 years [interquartile range, 54-72 years]), median NTproBNP levels in black individuals were significantly lower than those in white individuals (46 pg/mL [interquartile range, 23-91] vs 60 pg/mL [interquartile range, 33-106]; P < .001). With multivariable adjustment, NTproBNP levels were up to 27% lower in black individuals as compared with white individuals (&bgr;, –0.32; 95% CI, –0.40 to –0.24; P < .001) in the REGARDS study. In meta-analysis of the 3 cohorts, NTproBNP levels were 35% lower in black individuals than white individuals. Among the REGARDS study participants, for every 1-SD higher log NTproBNP, there was a 31% increased risk of death in the multivariable-adjusted model (hazard ratio, 1.31; 95% CI, 1.11-1.54). This increase was driven primarily by association of NTproBNP with cardiovascular mortality (hazard ratio, 1.69; 95% CI, 1.19-2.41). No interaction between race and NTproBNP levels was observed with all-cause mortality and cause-specific mortality. Conclusions and Relevance Plasma NTproBNP levels are significantly lower in black individuals as compared with white individuals in the REGARDS study and in pooled results from the REGARDS study, Dallas Heart Study, and Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities study. Higher NTproBNP levels were associated with higher incidence of all-cause mortality and cardiovascular mortality in healthy black and white individuals, and this association did not differ by race.

Surgical Embolectomy for Acute Pulmonary Embolism: Systematic Review and Comprehensive Meta-Analyses

Surgical pulmonary embolectomy (SPE) is a viable treatment approach for subsets of patients with acute pulmonary embolism. However, outcomes data are limited. We sought to characterize mortality and safety outcomes for this population. Studies reporting inhospital mortality for patients undergoing SPE for acute pulmonary embolism were included. In 56 eligible studies, we found 1,579 patients who underwent 1,590 SPE operations. The pooled inhospital all-cause mortality rate was 26.3% (95% confidence interval: 22.5% to 30.5%). Surgical site complications occurred in 7.0% of operations (95% confidence interval: 4.9% to 9.8%). More investigation is required to define the patient population that would benefit the most from SPE.

Catheter-directed treatment for acute pulmonary embolism: Systematic review and single-arm meta-analyses ☆

BACKGROUND We sought to estimate the efficacy and safety outcomes of catheter-directed treatment (CDT) for patients with acute pulmonary embolism (PE). METHODS We searched SCOPUS for studies reporting outcomes after CDT for acute PE. Studies were categorized in three groups for analyses due to heterogeneity in the classification of acute PE: 1) patients with PE causing right ventricular dysfunction and haemodynamic instability: unstable haemodynamic status, 2) patients with PE causing right ventricular dysfunction where study outcomes were not stratified by haemodynamic status: stable and unstable haemodynamic status, and 3) patients with PE causing right ventricular dysfunction who remained haemodynamically stable: stable haemodynamic status. Efficacy and safety outcomes were estimated and presented as point estimates with 95% confidence intervals. RESULTS In 35 studies with 1253 patients, 1277 CDTs were performed. The in-hospital mortality rates for the unstable haemodynamic status, stable and unstable haemodynamic status, and stable haemodynamic status groups were 18.1% (7.3-38.2%), 7.1% (5.0-10.1%), and 2.6% (0.8-7.3%), respectively. The major bleeding rates across the groups were estimated to be 4.5, 8.5 and 3.9 per 100 CDTs, respectively. Minor bleeding occurred in 6.2, 11.9 and 9.1 per 100 CDTs, respectively. After CDT, all groups had improvements in mean pulmonary artery pressure and right ventricular function. CONCLUSIONS We provide descriptive measures of efficacy and safety for patients who underwent CDT for acute PE.

Comparison of approaches for stroke prophylaxis in patients with non-valvular atrial fibrillation: Network meta-analyses of randomized controlled trials

Background Multiple novel oral anticoagulants and left atrial appendage closure devices (WATCHMAN) have been tested against dose-adjusted vitamin K antagonists in randomized controlled trials for stroke prophylaxis in non-valvular atrial fibrillation. No direct comparisons of these strategies are available from randomized controlled trials. We conducted the current analyses by combining efficacy and safety characteristics of all FDA approved stroke prophylaxis treatment strategies for patients with non-valvular atrial fibrillation. Materials and Methods We searched SCOPUS from 1945 till October 2015 for randomized controlled trials comparing these strategies and reporting efficacy and safety outcomes. Six randomized controlled trials were identified and included in the final analyses and review. We followed PRISMA guidelines for network meta-analyses while reporting the current analyses. We collected data on ischemic stroke, major bleeding, and the composite primary safety endpoint as defined by various randomized controlled trials. Network meta-analyses were conducted using consistency and inconsistency models for efficacy and safety outcomes. Surface under the cumulative ranking curve were then utilized to cluster rank these treatments for safety and efficacy. Results Six randomized controlled trials with 59,627 patients comparing six treatment strategies were eligible for the analyses. All prophylaxis strategies had comparable rates of ischemic stroke. Apixaban was associated with the least number of primary safety endpoint events as compared with all other treatments. In the cluster analyses assessing safety and efficacy, apixaban, edoxaban and dabigatran ranked best followed by vitamin K antagonists and rivaroxaban, whereas the WATCHMAN left atrial appendage closure device ranked last. Conclusions Dose-adjusted vitamin K antagonists, novel oral anticoagulants, and the WATCHMAN left atrial appendage closure devices are equally efficacious for ischemic stroke prevention but these treatments have different safety profiles. More randomized controlled trials are needed to directly compare these strategies.

Chest Pain Characteristics and Gender in the Early Diagnosis of Acute Myocardial Infarction

Acute myocardial infarction is one of the leading causes of cardiovascular disease mortality in both men and women. Chest pain, which is often described as chest pressure, tightness, or a squeezing sensation, is the most frequent symptom in patients presenting with acute myocardial infarction. Although the diagnosis of acute myocardial infarction is often based on typical changes on a surface electrocardiogram and on changes in cardiac biomarkers, there is a need to better recognize and understand the impact of sex on symptoms among patients presenting with acute coronary syndrome or acute myocardial infarction. We briefly review the pathophysiology of ischemic symptoms, discuss potential mechanisms for variation in ischemic symptoms by sex, and summarize recent publications that have addressed sex differences in ischemic symptoms.

Effect of NT-proBNP–Guided Therapy on All-Cause Mortality in Chronic Heart Failure With Reduced Ejection Fraction

The role of natriuretic peptide (NP)-guided treatment of heart failure (HF) has been evaluated in multiple randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and meta-analyses [(1)][1]. These studies differ in many aspects including type of NP chosen (N-terminal pro–B-type natriuretic peptide [NT-proBNP] vs. B-

FFR-guided multivessel stenting reduces urgent revascularization compared with infarct-related artery only stenting in ST-elevation myocardial infarction: A meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials

BACKGROUND Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) have shown fractional flow reserve-guided (FFR) multivessel stenting to be superior to infarct-related artery (IRA) only stenting in patients with ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) and multivessel disease. This effect was mainly driven by a reduction in overall repeat revascularization. However, the ability to assess the effect of this strategy on urgent revascularization or reinfarction was underpowered in individual trials. METHODS We searched Pubmed, EMBASE, Cochrane CENTRAL, and Web of Science for RCTs of FFR-guided multivessel stenting versus IRA-only stenting in STEMI with multivessel disease. The outcomes of interest were death, reinfarction, urgent, and non-urgent repeat revascularization. Risk ratios (RR) were pooled using the DerSimonian and Laird random-effects model. RESULTS After review of 786 citations, 2 RCTs were included. The pooled results demonstrated a significant reduction in the composite of death, reinfarction, or revascularization in the FFR-guided multivessel stenting group versus IRA-only stenting group (RR [95%, Confidence Interval]: 0.49 [0.33-0.72], p<0.001). This risk reduction was driven mainly by a reduction in repeat revascularization, both urgent (0.41 [0.24-0.71], p=0.002) and non-urgent revascularization (0.31 [0.19-0.50], p<0.001). Pooled RR for reinfarction was lower in the FFR-guided strategy, but was not statistically significant (0.71[0.39-1.31], p=0.28). CONCLUSIONS This systematic review and meta-analysis suggests that a strategy of FFR-guided multivessel stenting in STEMI patients reduces not only overall repeat revascularization but also urgent revascularization. The effect on reinfarction needs to be evaluated in larger trials.