Mark Liszkowski

Heart Failure With Anemia Novel Findings on the Roles of Renal Disease, Interleukins, and Specific Left Ventricular Remodeling Processes

Background— Anemia is a highly prevalent and strong independent prognostic marker in heart failure (HF), yet this association is not completely understood. Whether anemia is simply a marker of disease severity and concomitant chronic kidney disease or represents the activation of other detrimental pathways remains uncertain. We sought to determine which pathophysiological pathways are exacerbated in patients with HF, reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF) and anemia in comparison with those without anemia. Methods and Results— In a prospective study involving 151 patients, selected biomarkers were analyzed, each representing proposed contributive mechanisms in the pathophysiology of anemia in HF. We compared clinical, echocardiographic, and circulating biomarkers profiles among patients with HFrEF and anemia (group 1), HFrEF without anemia (group 2), and chronic kidney disease with preserved EF, without established HF (chronic kidney disease control group 3). We demonstrate here that many processes other than those related to chronic kidney disease are involved in the anemia–HF relationship. These are linked to the pathophysiological mechanisms pertaining to left ventricular systolic dysfunction and remodeling, systemic inflammation and volume overload. We found that levels of interleukin-6 and interleukin-10, specific markers of cardiac remodeling (procollagen type III N-terminal peptide, matrix metalloproteinase-2, tissue inhibitor of matrix metalloproteinase 1, left atrial volume), myocardial stretch (NT-proBNP [N-terminal probrain natriuretic peptide]), and myocyte death (troponin T) are related to anemia in HFrEF. Conclusions— Anemia is strongly associated not only with markers of more advanced and active heart disease but also with the level of renal dysfunction in HFrEF. Increased myocardial remodeling, inflammation, and volume overload are the hallmarks of patients with anemia and HF. Clinical Trial Registration— URL: . Unique identifier: [NCT00834691][1]. [1]: /lookup/external-ref?link_type=CLINTRIALGOV&access_num=NCT00834691&atom=%2Fcirchf%2F7%2F5%2F773.atomBackground—Anemia is a highly prevalent and strong independent prognostic marker in heart failure (HF), yet this association is not completely understood. Whether anemia is simply a marker of disease severity and concomitant chronic kidney disease or represents the activation of other detrimental pathways remains uncertain. We sought to determine which pathophysiological pathways are exacerbated in patients with HF, reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF) and anemia in comparison with those without anemia. Methods and Results—In a prospective study involving 151 patients, selected biomarkers were analyzed, each representing proposed contributive mechanisms in the pathophysiology of anemia in HF. We compared clinical, echocardiographic, and circulating biomarkers profiles among patients with HFrEF and anemia (group 1), HFrEF without anemia (group 2), and chronic kidney disease with preserved EF, without established HF (chronic kidney disease control group 3). We demonstrate here that many processes other than those related to chronic kidney disease are involved in the anemia–HF relationship. These are linked to the pathophysiological mechanisms pertaining to left ventricular systolic dysfunction and remodeling, systemic inflammation and volume overload. We found that levels of interleukin-6 and interleukin-10, specific markers of cardiac remodeling (procollagen type III N-terminal peptide, matrix metalloproteinase-2, tissue inhibitor of matrix metalloproteinase 1, left atrial volume), myocardial stretch (NT-proBNP [N-terminal probrain natriuretic peptide]), and myocyte death (troponin T) are related to anemia in HFrEF. Conclusions—Anemia is strongly associated not only with markers of more advanced and active heart disease but also with the level of renal dysfunction in HFrEF. Increased myocardial remodeling, inflammation, and volume overload are the hallmarks of patients with anemia and HF. Clinical Trial Registration—URL: http://www.clinicaltrials.gov. Unique identifier: NCT00834691.

Innovative Approaches in the Perioperative Care of the Cardiac Surgical Patient in the Operating Room and Intensive Care Unit

Perioperative care for cardiac surgery is undergoing rapid evolution. Many of the changes involve the application of novel technologies to tackle common challenges in optimizing perioperative management. Herein, we illustrate recent advances in perioperative management by focusing on a number of novel components that we judge to be particularly important. These include: the introduction of brain and somatic oximetry; transesophageal echocardiographic hemodynamic monitoring and bedside focused ultrasound; ultrasound-guided vascular access; point-of-care coagulation surveillance; right ventricular pressure monitoring; novel inhaled treatment for right ventricular failure; new approaches for postoperative pain management; novel approaches in specialized care procedures to ensure quality control; and specific approaches to optimize the management for postoperative cardiac arrest. Herein, we discuss the reasons that each of these components are particularly important in improving perioperative care, describe how they can be addressed, and their impact in the care of patients who undergo cardiac surgery.

Extracardiac Signs of Fluid Overload in the Critically Ill Cardiac Patient: A Focused Evaluation Using Bedside Ultrasound

Fluid balance management is of great importance in the critically ill cardiac patient. Although intravenous fluids are a cornerstone therapy in the management of unstable patients, excessive administration coupled with cardiac dysfunction leads to elevation in central venous pressure and end-organ venous congestion. Fluid overload is known to have a detrimental effect on organ function and is responsible for significant morbidity in critically ill patients. Multisystem bedside point of care ultrasound imaging can be used to assess signs of fluid overload and venous congestion in critically ill patients. In this review we describe the ultrasonographic extracardiac signs of fluid overload and how they can be used to complement clinical evaluation to individualize patient management.

From Coronary Care Units to Cardiac Intensive Care Units: Recommendations for Organizational, Staffing, and Educational Transformation

Medical care in Canadian cardiac units has changed considerably over the past 3 decades in response to an increasingly complex and diverse patient population admitted with acute cardiac pathology. To maintain the highest level of care for these patients, there is a pressing need to evolve traditional coronary care units into contemporary cardiac intensive care units. In this article we aim to highlight the current variations in Canadian units, develop approaches to overcome logistical and infrastructural obstacles, and propose staffing and training recommendations that would allow for the establishment of contemporary cardiac intensive care units.

The Association Between Pulsatile Portal Flow and Acute Kidney Injury after Cardiac Surgery: A Retrospective Cohort Study

OBJECTIVE Venous congestion is a possible mechanism leading to acute kidney injury (AKI) following cardiac surgery. Portal vein flow pulsatility is an echographic marker of cardiogenic portal hypertension and might identify clinically significant organ congestion. This exploratory study aims to assess if the presence of portal flow pulsatility measured by transthoracic echography in the postsurgical intensive care unit is associated with AKI after cardiac surgery. DESIGN Retrospective cohort study. SETTING Specialized care university hospital. PARTICIPANTS Patients who underwent cardiac surgery between May 2015 and February 2016 and had at least 1 Doppler assessment of portal flow performed by the attending critical care physician during the week following cardiac surgery. INTERVENTIONS The association between portal flow pulsatility defined as a pulsatility fraction ≥50% and the risk of subsequent AKI was assessed using univariate and multivariate logistic regression analysis. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS The files of 132 consecutive patients were reviewed and 102 patients were included in the analysis. Significant portal flow pulsatility was detected in 38 patients (37.3%) in the week following surgery. During this period, 60.8% developed AKI and 13.7% progressed to severe AKI. The detection of portal flow pulsatility was associated with an increased risk for the development of AKI (odds ration [OR] 4.31, confidence interval [CI] 1.50-12.35, p = 0.007). After adjustment, portal flow pulsatility and AKI were independently associated (OR 4.88, CI 1.54-15.47, p = 0.007). CONCLUSIONS Assessment of portal flow using Doppler ultrasound at the bedside might be a promising tool to detect patients at risk for AKI due to cardiogenic venous congestion.

An unusual case of giant cell myocarditis missed in a Heartmate-2 left ventricle apical-wedge section: a case report and review of the literature

Herein we present a case of fulminant myocarditis in a woman previously treated for B-cell lymphoma. While the clinical context was suggestive of adriamycin-induced cardiomyopathy, the initial pathology of the Heartmate-2 apical core showed lymphocytic myocarditis. After 8 months of stability, the patient presented with progressive heart failure and recurrent ventricular arrhythmias. An endomyocardial biopsy revealed findings typical of giant cell myocarditis (GCM); poor response to immunosuppressive therapy and marked hemodynamic instability led to urgent transplantation. To our knowledge, this is the first reported case of GCM following an acute lymphocytic myocarditis and the second GCM case associated with B-cell lymphoma.

Noncardiovascular Disease and Critical Care Delivery in a Contemporary Cardiac and Medical Intensive Care Unit

Background: Noncardiovascular comorbidities and critical illness are increasing in cardiovascular intensive care units (CICUs). There are limited data comparing critical care delivery, resource utilization, and costs between contemporary CICUs and medical intensive care units (MICUs). Methods: All CICU (n = 6967; 22 748 patient-days) and MICU (n = 10 892; 39 211 patient-days) admissions to Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, a tertiary care academic medical center, between January 2011 and December 2016 were reviewed. Both the CICU and MICU admitted patients for primary cardiovascular or medical conditions during the study period, but not for postoperative surgical care. Results: Patients admitted to the CICU were more frequently older, male, and had more preexisting cardiac disease (P < .0001). More than one-fifth (21.4%) of CICU patients had a noncardiovascular primary admission diagnosis, compared to 89.2% of MICU patients. Cardiovascular intensive care unit patients had lower Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation III scores (51.1 [19.9] vs 61.1 [24.9], P < .0001) and shorter median hospital length of stay (P < .001), but not in-unit stay, as compared to MICU patients. Mechanical ventilation, vasopressors, inotropes, renal replacement therapy, and/or blood transfusion were required in 35.0% of CICU patients compared with 62.2% of MICU patients (P < .0001). The unit mortality rate was lower for CICU than MICU patients (4.8% vs 13.0%, P < .0001), as was the hospital mortality rate (9.3% vs 21.6%, P < .0001). The standardized mortality ratio was 0.73 for the CICU and 0.86 for the MICU. There was no difference in the mean direct cost of care per patient-day between the CICU and MICU (

A comparison of the effects of selective and non-selective mineralocorticoid antagonism on glucose homeostasis of heart failure patients with glucose intolerance or type II diabetes: A randomized controlled double-blind trial

4011 USD [376] vs

Heart Failure With Anemia

3990 USD [214], P = .77). Conclusions: The burden of noncardiovascular diseases and the requirement for critical care therapies are high in contemporary CICU patients but remain lower compared to the MICU population. Our findings support the growing complexity of care in tertiary CICUs. Further studies are required to explore the association between critical care delivery and outcomes in this evolving population.

Heart Failure With AnemiaCLINICAL PERSPECTIVE

&NA; Mineralocorticoid receptor antagonists (MRAs) decrease morbidity and mortality in patients with heart failure (HF). However, spironolactone, a non‐selective MRA, has been shown to exert a harmful effect on glucose homeostasis. The objective of this multicenter, randomized, controlled, double‐blind trial was to compare the effects of spironolactone to those of the selective MRA eplerenone on glucose homeostasis among 62 HF patients with glucose intolerance or type II diabetes. Trial registration number: NCT01586442.