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Background: In the first report from the MitraBridge registry, MitraClip as a bridge to heart transplantation (HTx) proved to be at 1-year an effective treatment strategy for 119 patients with advanced heart failure (HF) who were potential candidates for HTx. We aimed to determine if benefits of MitraClip procedure as a bridge-to-transplant persist up to 2-years., Methods: By the end of the enrollment period, a total of 153 advanced HF patients (median age 59 years, left ventricular ejection fraction 26.9 ± 7.7%) with significant secondary mitral regurgitation, who were potential candidates for HTx and were treated with MitraClip as a bridge-to-transplant strategy, were included in the MitraBridge registry. The primary endpoint was the 2-year composite adverse events rate of all-cause death, first hospitalization for HF, urgent HTx or LVAD implantation., Results: Procedural success was achieved in 89.5% of cases. Thirty-day mortality was 0%. At 2-year, Kaplan-Meier estimates of freedom from primary endpoint was 47%. Through 24 months, the annualized rate of HF rehospitalization per patient-year was 44%. After an overall median follow-up time of 26 (9-52) months, elective HTx was successfully performed in 30 cases (21%), 19 patients (13.5%) maintained or obtained the eligibility for transplant, and 32 patients (22.5%) no longer had an indication for HTx because of significant clinical improvement., Conclusions: After 2-years of follow-up, the use of MitraClip as a bridge-to-transplant was confirmed as an effective strategy, allowing elective HTx or eligibility for transplant in one third of patients, and no more need for transplantation in 22.5% of cases., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest A.S. has served as a consultant and received consulting fees from NeoChord Inc.; R.E.L. received speaker fees from Abbott, Boston and Edwards; M.A. received speaker fees from Abbott Vascular and Medtronic; P.G. has been a proctor for Abbot; N.M.V.M. received research grant support from Abbott Vascular, Biotronik, Medtronik, Boston Scientific, Edwards Lifesciences, Daiichi Sankyo, Abiomed en PulseCath BV; F.S. received consultancy and lecture's fees from Abbott and Edwards., (Copyright © 2023 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Hemoglobin (Hb) levels have emerged as a useful tool for risk stratification and the prediction of outcome after myocardial infarction. We aimed at evaluating the prognostic impact of this parameter among patients in advanced age, where the larger prevalence of anemia and the higher rate of comorbidities could directly impact on the cardiovascular risk., Methods: All the patients in the ELDERLY-2 trial, were included in this analysis and stratified according to the values of hemoglobin at admission. The primary endpoint of this study was cardiovascular mortality within one year. The secondary endpoints were all-cause mortality, MI, Bleeding Academic Research Consortium (BARC) type 2-3 or 5 bleeding, any stroke, re-hospitalization for cardiovascular event or stent thrombosis (probable or definite) within 12 months after index admission., Results: We included in our analysis 1364 patients, divided in quartiles of Hb values (<12.2; 12.2-13.39; 13.44-14.49; ≥ 4.5 g/dl). At a mean follow- up of 330.4 ± 99.9 days cardiovascular mortality was increased in patients with lower Hb (HR[95%CI] = 0.76 [0.59-0.97], p = 0.03). Results were no more significant after correction for baseline differences (adjusted HR[95%CI] = 1.22 [0.41-3.6], p = 0.16). Similar results were observed for overall mortality. At subgroup analysis, (according to Hb median values) a significant interaction was observed only with the type of antiplatelet therapy, but not with major high-risk subsets of patients., Conclusions: Among elderly patients with acute coronary syndrome managed invasively, lower hemoglobin at admission is associated with higher cardiovascular and all-cause mortality and major ischemic events, mainly explained by the higher risk profile., (Copyright © 2022 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Background: Alcoholic cardiomyopathy(ACM) is part of the non-ischaemic dilated cardiomyopathy(NI-DCM) spectrum. Little is known about cardiovascular magnetic resonance(CMR) features in ACM patients. The aim of this study is to describe CMR findings and their prognostic impact in ACM patients., Methods: Consecutive ACM patients evaluated in five referral CMR centres from January 2005 to December 2018 were enrolled. CMR findings and their prognostic value were compared to idiopathic NI-DCM(iNI-DCM) patients. The main outcome was a composite of death/heart transplantation/life-threatening arrhythmias., Results: Overall 114 patients (52 with ACM and 62 with iNI-DCM) were included. ACM patients were more often males compared to iNI-DCM (90% vs 64%, respectively, p ≤ 0.001) and were characterized by a more pronounced biventricular adverse remodelling than iNI-DCM, i.e. lower LVEF (31 ± 12% vs 38 ± 11% respectively, p = 0.001) and larger left ventricular end-diastolic volume (116 ± 40 ml/m 2 vs 67 ± 20 ml/m 2 respectively, p < 0.001). Similarly to iNI-DCM, late gadolinium enhancement (LGE), mainly midwall, was present in more than 40% of ACM patients but, conversely, it was not associated with adverse outcome(p = 0.15). LGE localization was prevalently septal (87%) in ACM vs lateral in iNI-DCM(p < 0.05). Over a median follow-up of 42 months [Interquartile Range 24-68], adverse outcomes were similar in both groups(p = 0.67)., Conclusions: ACM represents a specific phenotype of NI-DCM, with severe morpho-functional features at the onset, but similar long-term outcomes compared to iNI-DCM. Despite the presence and pattern of distribution of LGE was comparable, ACM and iNI-DCM showed a different LGE localization, mostly septal in ACM and lateral in iNI-DCM, with different prognostic impact., (Copyright © 2021 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Background: Patients with heart failure (HF) and severe symptomatic functional mitral regurgitation (FMR) may benefit from MitraClip implantation. With increasing numbers of patients being treated the success of procedure becomes a key issue. We sought to investigate the pre-procedural predictors of device failure in patients with advanced HF treated with MitraClip., Methods: From April 2012 to November 2016, 76 patients with poor functional class (NYHA class III-IV) and severe left ventricular (LV) remodeling underwent MitraClip implantation at University Hospitals of Trieste and Bologna (Italy). Device failure was assessed according to MVARC criteria. Patients were subsequently followed to additionally assess the patient success after 12months., Results: Mean age was 67±12years, the mean Log-EuroSCORE was 23.4±16.5%, and the mean LV end-diastolic volume index and ejection fraction (EF) were 112±33ml/m 2 and 30.6±8.9%, respectively. At short-term evaluation, device failure was observed in 22 (29%) patients. Univariate predictors of device failure were LVEF, LV and left atrial volumes and anteroposterior mitral annulus diameter. Annulus dimension (OR 1.153, 95% CI 1.002-1.327, p=0.043) and LV end-diastolic volume (OR 1.024, 95% CI 1.000-1.049, p=0.049) were the only variables independently associated with the risk of device failure at the multivariate model., Conclusions: Pre-procedural anteroposterior mitral annulus diameter accurately predicted the risk of device failure after MitraClip in the setting of advanced HF. Its assessment might aid the selection of the best candidates to percutaneous correction of FMR., (Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Primary percutaneous coronary intervention (pPCI) largely reduced the rate of left ventricular (LV) dysfunction after ST-segment elevation acute myocardial infarction (STEMI). Though LV recovery begins early following revascularization, the optimal timing for re-assessment of LV function is still unclear. We sought to assess the proportion and timing of LV recovery in STEMI patients presenting with LV dysfunction treated by pPCI and to identify possible early predictors of adverse LV remodeling. STEMI patients with LV ejection fraction (LVEF ≤40%) at presentation treated by pPCI from 2007 to 2013 were included whether they had an available 3-step LVEF assessment (<24h post-pPCI, discharge and follow-up). Primary endpoint was LVEF ≤35% at follow-up. At a median time of 3months, 43 out of 154 patients (28%) had LVEF ≤35%. In patients with persistent LV dysfunction, LVEF was lower at admission and increased less during hospitalization (from 31±6 to 35±4% Vs 35±5 to 43±8% for patients with 3-months LVEF >35%, p<0.001). Independent predictors of 3-months LVEF ≤35% were creatinine at admission, peak troponin I and LVEF. Of note, LVEF re-assessment at discharge (median time 6days, IQR 4-9) showed an increased accuracy to predict 3-months LV dysfunction compared to LVEF at admission (AUC 0.80, 95% CI 0.72-0.88 vs AUC 0.69, 95% CI 0.58-0.79 respectively, p=0.03). In most of patients presenting with STEMI and LV dysfunction, a significant LV recovery can be observed early following pPCI. LVEF measurement at discharge indeed emerged as the best indicator of late persistence of severe LV dysfunction., (Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.)