James Stewart

Comparison of transfemoral transcatheter aortic valve replacement performed in the catheterization laboratory (minimalist approach) versus hybrid operating room (standard approach): outcomes and cost analysis.

OBJECTIVES The aim of this study was to compare transfemoral transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TF TAVR) performed in a catheterization laboratory (minimalist approach [MA]) with TF TAVR performed in a hybrid operating room (standard approach [SA]). BACKGROUND A MA-TF TAVR can be performed without general anesthesia, transesophageal echocardiography, or a surgical hybrid room. The outcomes and cost of MA-TF TAVR compared with those of the SA have not been described. METHODS Patients who underwent elective, percutaneous TF TAVR using the Edwards Sapien valve (Edwards Lifesciences, Irvine, California) were studied. Baseline characteristics, outcomes, and hospital costs of MA-TF TAVR and SA-TF TAVR were compared. RESULTS A total of 142 patients were studied (MA-TF TAVR, n = 70 and SA-TF TAVR, n = 72). There were no differences in baseline comorbidities (Society of Thoracic Surgeons score, 10.6 ± 4.3 vs. 11.4 ± 5.8; p = 0.35). All procedures in the MA-TF TAVR group were successful; 1 patient was intubated. Three patients in the SA-TF TAVR group had procedure-related death. Procedure room time (150 ± 48 min vs. 218 ± 56 min, p < 0.001), total intensive care unit time (22 h vs. 28 h, p < 0.001), length of stay from procedure to discharge (3 days vs. 5 days, p < 0.001), and cost (

Cardiac Sarcoid: A Clinician's Review on How to Approach the Patient With Cardiac Sarcoid

45,485 ± 14,397 vs.

Repair of Prosthetic Mitral Valve Paravalvular Leak Using an Off-Pump Transapical Approach

55,377 ± 22,587, p < 0.001) were significantly less in the MA-TF TAVR group. Mortality at 30 days was not significantly different in the MA-TF TAVR group (0 vs. 6%, p = 0.12) and 30-day stroke/transient ischemic attack was similar (4.3% vs. 1.4%, p = 0.35). Moderate or severe paravalvular leak and device success were similar in the MA-TF TAVR and SA-TF TAVR groups (3% vs. 5.8%, p = 0.4 and 90% vs. 88%, p = 0.79, respectively) at 30 days. At a median follow-up of 435 days, there was no significant difference in survival (MA-TF TAVR, 83% vs. SA-TF TAVR, 82%; p = 0.639). CONCLUSIONS MA-TF TAVR can be performed with minimal morbidity and mortality and equivalent effectiveness compared with SA-TF TAVR. The shorter length of stay and lower resource use with MA-TF TAVR significantly lowers hospital costs.

Outcomes for Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement in Nonagenarians.

Cardiac sarcoid is an infiltrative, granulomatous disease of the myocardium. It is more prevalent entity than once believed, especially subclinical disease. It affects heart mechanics causing ventricular failure, and disrupts the cardiac electrical system leading to third degree heart block, malignant ventricular arrhythmias, and sudden cardiac death. This makes early diagnosis and treatment of this devastating disease essential. Based on reviewed literature this paper proposes step‐wise diagnostic and therapeutic algorithms for patients with suspected cardiac sarcoidoisis who do or do not have prior history of systemic sarcoidosis. Clin. Cardiol. 2012 DOI: 10.1002/clc.21982

Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement Results in Improvement of Pulmonary Function in Patients With Severe Aortic Stenosis.

Patients who present with significant paravalvular regurgitation after mitral valve replacement remain a difficult patient population and high-risk surgical candidates. We present 3 cases of transapical closure of mitral valve paravalvular leak (PVL) after mitral valve replacement using Amplatzer closure devices (AGA Medical Corp, Plymouth, MN). All 3 patients experienced decreased regurgitation at the site of the closure as well as symptomatic improvement in their heart failure.

Assessment of Commonly Used Frailty Markers for High- and Extreme-Risk Patients Undergoing Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement

BACKGROUND Transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) may offer extreme-aged patients a treatment alternative to surgical aortic valve replacement (SAVR). The objective of this study was to describe outcomes of TAVR in nonagenarians using transfemoral and alternative access techniques. METHODS In a retrospective review, we found 95 nonagenarians who underwent TAVR from September 2007 through February 2014 at Emory University using a balloon expandable valve: transfemoral (n = 66), transapical (n = 14), transaortic (n = 14), and transcarotid (n = 1). Morbidity and 30-day and midterm mortality were assessed. Kaplan-Meier plots were used to determine midterm survival rates. RESULTS The mean age of the patients was 91.8 ± 1.8 years, and 49 (52%) were female. Postoperative morbidity included 1 patient (1%) each with stroke, myocardial infarction, pneumonia, and renal failure. The mean postoperative length of stay was 6.8 ± 5.1 days for all patients. Overall 30-day mortality was 3.2%, much less than The Society of Thoracic Surgeons predicted risk of mortality of 14.5% ± 7.3%. There were no deaths in the transfemoral patients, but there were 2 transapical deaths (14.3%) and 1 transaortic death (7.1%). The Kaplan-Meier estimate of median survival was 2.6 years. CONCLUSIONS Extreme-aged nonagenarian patients may have excellent outcomes from TAVR at 30-day and midterm follow-up. Alternative access TAVR is associated with higher morbidity and mortality than transfemoral TAVR. Referral for TAVR of nonagenarians should not be precluded based on age alone.

Neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) and platelet-lymphocyte ratio (PLR) can risk stratify patients in transcatheter aortic-valve replacement (TAVR).

BACKGROUND Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) has been identified as a risk factor for morbidity and mortality after transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR). We hypothesized that a portion of pulmonary dysfunction in patients with severe aortic stenosis may be of cardiac origin, and has potential to improve after TAVR. METHODS A retrospective analysis was made of consecutive TAVR patients from April 2008 to October 2014. Of patients who had pulmonary function testing and serum B-type natriuretic peptide data available before and after TAVR, 58 were found to have COPD (26 mild, 14 moderate, and 18 severe). Baseline variables and operative outcomes were explored along with changes in pulmonary function. Multiple regression analyses were performed to adjust for preoperative left ventricular ejection fraction and glomerular filtration rate. RESULTS Comparison of pulmonary function testing before and after the procedure among all COPD categories showed a 10% improvement in forced vital capacity (95% confidence interval: 4% to 17%) and a 12% improvement in forced expiratory volume in 1 second (95% confidence interval: 6% to 19%). There was a 29% decrease in B-type natriuretic peptide after TAVR (95% confidence interval: -40% to -16%). An improvement of at least one COPD severity category was observed in 27% of patients with mild COPD, 64% of patients with moderate COPD, and 50% of patients with severe COPD. There was no 30-day mortality in any patient group. CONCLUSIONS In patients with severe aortic stenosis, TAVR is associated with a significant improvement of pulmonary function and B-type natriuretic peptide. After TAVR, the reduction in COPD severity was most evident in patients with moderate and severe pulmonary dysfunction.

End‐stage renal disease and severe aortic stenosis: Does valve replacement improve one‐year outcomes?

BACKGROUND The effect of frailty on outcomes after transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) remains incompletely understood. The objective of this study was to evaluate the performance of four commonly used frailty markers as predictors of early and late outcomes among patients undergoing TAVR. METHODS A review was performed of 361 high- and extreme-risk patients undergoing TAVR from 2011 to 2015. Four frailty variables were assessed: serum albumin (g/dL), 5-m walk (seconds), grip strength (kg), and Katz index of independence in activities of daily living. Logistic regression was used to examine the association between the frailty indicators and 30-day composite of mortality, stroke, new heart block requiring permanent pacemaker, major or life-threatening bleeding, acute renal failure, major vascular complication, and 30-day readmission rate. Minimum distance to the perfect point (0, 1) was performed to delineate a cutoff point for each frailty indicator, and risk models were compared using receiver-operating characteristics curves. RESULTS The composite of outcomes occurred in 28% of patients. Serum albumin, activities of daily living, and 5-m walk were independent predictors for 30-day composite outcomes, but only albumin was predictive of 30-day mortality. A new frailty model (four frailty indicators, age, and sex) to predict 30-day mortality was created and compared with The Society of Thoracic Surgeons predicted risk of mortality. Better discrimination was found with the new frailty model (area under the curve 0.74 versus 0.58). New individual frailty variable cutoff values were found to predict our composite of events. CONCLUSIONS Among high- and extreme-risk patients undergoing TAVR, our new frailty model was more discriminative of 30-day mortality than The Society of Thoracic Surgeons predicted risk of mortality. New cutoff values for frailty indicators were identified and will require further validation.

Does minimalist transfemoral transcatheter aortic valve replacement produce better survival in patients with severe chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

BACKGROUND Neutrophil-lymphocyte (NLR) and platelet-lymphocyte ratios (PLR) mark systemic inflammation. Patients with high NLR and PLR have worse cardiovascular disease and outcomes. We assessed the role of these ratios in predicting outcomes after transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR). METHODS The association between NLR and PLR with baseline characteristics, 30-day outcomes, and 1-year readmission/survival was determined in patients that underwent TAVR between 2007 and 2014 and had baseline complete blood count with differential. A subgroup analysis determined the association between change in NLR and PLR (discharge-baseline) and 1-year outcomes. RESULTS In 520 patients that underwent TAVR, a higher NLR (p=0.01) and PLR (p=0.02) were associated with a higher STS-PROM score, and with increased occurrence of the 30-day early-safety outcome (by VARC-2), even after adjusting for STS-PROM score, valve generation (Sapien vs. Sapien XT), and access (transfemoral vs. non-transfemoral) (NLR: OR 1.29, 95% CI 1.04-1.61; PLR: OR 1.27, 95% CI 1.01-1.60) but not with 1-year readmission or survival. In our subgroup analysis (N=294), change in PLR was not associated with the 1-year outcomes but a high change in NLR was associated with worse 1-year survival/readmission and 1-year survival, even after adjusting for STS-PROM score, valve generation and access (HR 1.22, 95% CI 1.04-1.44 and HR 1.26, 95% CI 0.99-1.6, respectively). CONCLUSIONS NLR and PLR correlate with surgical risk. An elevated NLR and PLR were associated with the occurrence of 30-day adverse outcomes, similar to the STS-PROM score. A high variation of NLR from baseline to discharge may help stratify patients that underwent TAVR in addition to traditional risk factors.

Anatomical risk models for paravalvular leak and landing zone complications for balloon-expandable transcatheter aortic valve replacement

Treatment for patients with end‐stage renal disease (ESRD) and severe aortic stenosis (AS) includes balloon aortic valvuloplasty (BAV), surgical (SAVR), or transcatheter (TAVR) aortic valve replacement. We compared outcomes among these strategies.