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Background: There is no clear consensus regarding the optimal risk stratification of high-degree atrioventricular block (HDAVB) after transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR)., Methods: This prospective study sought to determine the utility of the pre- and post-TAVR His-ventricular (HV) interval in the risk stratification of post-TAVR HDAVB. One hundred twenty-one patients underwent an electrophysiology study before and after TAVR. The primary outcome was HDAVB requiring pacemaker implantation within 30 days post-TAVR. A separate retrospective cohort was analyzed to determine the postoperative interval at which the risk of HDAVB is reduced to <5%., Results: HDAVB occurred in 12 (10%) patients. Baseline right bundle branch block (RBBB) (odds ratio [OR]: 13.6), implant depth >4 mm (OR: 3.9), use of mechanically- or self-expanding valves (OR: 6.3), and post-TAVR HV > 65 ​ms (OR: 4.9) were associated with increased risk of HDAVB, whereas PR intervals and pre-TAVR HV were not. In patients without baseline RBBB or new persistent left bundle branch block (LBBB), not one patient with post-TAVR HV < 65 ​ms developed HDAVB. In the separate retrospective cohort (N = 1049), the risk of HDAVB is reduced (<5%) on postoperative days 4 and 3 in patients with pre-TAVR RBBB and post-TAVR persistent LBBB, respectively., Conclusions: Baseline RBBB, new persistent LBBB, implant depth >4 mm, and a post-TAVR HV ≥ 65 ​ms were associated with a higher risk of post-TAVR HDAVB, whereas an HV ≤ 65 ​ms was associated with a lower risk. The pre-TAVR HV was not associated with our outcome, and the delta HV did not have practical incremental prognostic value. Among those without pre-TAVR RBBB or post-TAVR persistent LBBB, no patients with post-TAVR HV < 65 ​ms developed HDAVB., Competing Interests: P. Villablanca is a consultant for Edwards LifeSciences and Teleflex. D. D. Wang is a consultant for Abbott, Boston Scientific, and Edwards LifeSciences. D. D. Wang receives research grant support from Boston Scientific assigned to her employer, Henry Ford Health. B. O'Neill is a consultant to Abbott, Edwards LifeSciences, and Medtronic and receives research support from Edwards LifeSciences assigned to his employer, Henry Ford Health. T. Frisoli is a clinical proctor for Edwards Lifesciences, Abbott, Boston Scientific, and Medtronic. W. O'Neill is a consultant to Abiomed, Medtronic, and Boston Scientific. The other authors had no conflicts to declare., (© 2024 Published by Elsevier Inc. on behalf of Cardiovascular Research Foundation.)

Background: Scarce data exist on the evolution of device-related thrombus (DRT) after left atrial appendage closure (LAAC)., Objectives: This study sought to assess the incidence, predictors, and clinical impact of persistent and recurrent DRT in LAAC recipients., Methods: Data were obtained from an international multicenter registry including 237 patients diagnosed with DRT after LAAC. Of these, 214 patients with a subsequent imaging examination after the initial diagnosis of DRT were included. Unfavorable evolution of DRT was defined as either persisting or recurrent DRT., Results: DRT resolved in 153 (71.5%) cases and persisted in 61 (28.5%) cases. Larger DRT size (OR per 1-mm increase: 1.08; 95% CI: 1.02-1.15; P = 0.009) and female (OR: 2.44; 95% CI: 1.12-5.26; P = 0.02) were independently associated with persistent DRT. After DRT resolution, 82 (53.6%) of 153 patients had repeated device imaging, with 14 (17.1%) cases diagnosed with recurrent DRT. Overall, 75 (35.0%) patients had unfavorable evolution of DRT, and the sole predictor was average thrombus size at initial diagnosis (OR per 1-mm increase: 1.09; 95% CI: 1.03-1.16; P = 0.003), with an optimal cutoff size of 7 mm (OR: 2.51; 95% CI: 1.39-4.52; P = 0.002). Unfavorable evolution of DRT was associated with a higher rate of thromboembolic events compared with resolved DRT (26.7% vs 15.1%; HR: 2.13; 95% CI: 1.15-3.94; P = 0.02)., Conclusions: About one-third of DRT events had an unfavorable evolution (either persisting or recurring), with a larger initial thrombus size (particularly >7 mm) portending an increased risk. Unfavorable evolution of DRT was associated with a 2-fold higher risk of thromboembolic events compared with resolved DRT., Competing Interests: Funding Support and Author Disclosures Dr Rodés-Cabau holds the Research Chair “Fondation Famille Jacques Larivière” for the Development of Structural Heart Disease Interventions (Laval University, Quebec City, Canada). He also has received institutional research grants from Boston Scientific. Dr Maarse has received an unrestricted grant from Boston Scientific. Dr Pérez de Prado has served as a proctor for Boston Scientific. Dr Gupta has served as a proctor for Abbott. Dr Sanchez has served as a speaker and proctor for Boston Scientific. Dr Wang has served as a consultant for Edwards Lifesciences, Boston Scientific, and Neochord; and received research grant support from Boston Scientific assigned to his employer, the Henry Ford Health System. Dr Demkow has served as a proctor for Abbott and Boston Scientific. Dr Alkhouli has served as a consultant for Boston Scientific. All other authors have reported that they have no relationships relevant to the contents of this paper to disclose., (Copyright © 2023 American College of Cardiology Foundation. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: The MITRAL (Mitral Implantation of Transcatheter Valves) trial is the first prospective trial to evaluate the safety and feasibility of balloon-expandable aortic transcatheter heart valves in patients with failed surgical bioprostheses or annuloplasty rings and severe mitral annular calcification treated with mitral valve-in-valve (MViV), valve-in-ring (MViR), or valve-in-mitral annular calcification (ViMAC)., Objectives: The aim of this study was to evaluate 5-year outcomes among these patients., Methods: A multicenter prospective study was conducted among patients at high surgical risk at 13 U.S. sites. Patients underwent MViV (n = 30), MViR (n = 30), or ViMAC (n = 31) and were followed annually for 5 years. Kansas City Cardiomyopathy Questionnaire scores were obtained at baseline and follow-up visits. Echocardiograms were analyzed at independent core laboratories., Results: A total of 91 patients underwent transcatheter mitral valve replacement (February 2015 to December 2017). The mean age was 74.3 ± 8.9 years. At 5-year follow-up, the lowest all-cause mortality was observed in the MViV group (21.4%), 94.7% of patients were in NYHA functional class I or II, and the mean mitral gradient was 6.6 ± 2.5 mm Hg. The MViR and ViMAC groups had higher all-cause mortality (65.5% and 67.9%), most survivors were in NYHA functional classes I and II (50% and 55.6%), and mean mitral gradients remained stable (5.8 ± 0.1 and 6.7 ± 2.5 mm Hg). Significant improvements in Kansas City Cardiomyopathy Questionnaire scores were observed when all 3 arms were pooled., Conclusions: MViV, MViR, and ViMAC procedures were associated with sustained improvement of heart failure symptoms and quality of life among survivors at 5 years. Transcatheter heart valve function remained stable in all 3 groups. Patients treated with MViV had excellent survival at 5 years, whereas survival was lower in the MViR and ViMAC groups, consistent with underlying disease severity. Patients with more residual mitral regurgitation had higher mortality., Competing Interests: Funding Support and Author Disclosures This study was partially supported by an unrestricted research grant from Edwards Lifesciences. The authors had absolute control over the study design, data collection, analysis and interpretation of data, and writing of this manuscript, and they take full responsibility for the findings. Dr Guerrero has received institutional research grant support from Edwards Lifesciences; and has served as consultant for Abbott Structural Heart and Medtronic. Dr Wang is a consultant for Abbott, Boston Scientific, Edwards Lifesciences, Materialise, and NeoChord. She also receives research grant support from Boston Scientific assigned to her employer Henry Ford Hospital. Dr Tang is a physician proctor and consultant for Medtronic; is a consultant and physician advisory board member for Abbott Structural Heart; and is a consultant for NeoChord. Dr McCabe has received honoraria from Boston Scientific, Cardiovascular Systems, Edwards Lifesciences, and Medtronic. Dr Whisenant has received consulting and speaker fees from Edwards Lifesciences. Dr Hahn has received speaker fees from Abbott Structural, Baylis Medical, Edwards Lifesciences, and Philips Healthcare; has institutional consulting contracts for which she receives no direct compensation with Abbott Structural, Boston Scientific, Edwards Lifesciences, Medtronic, and Novartis; and is chief scientific officer for the echocardiography core laboratory at the Cardiovascular Research Foundation for multiple industry-sponsored trials, for which she receives no direct industry compensation. Dr Rihal has received institutional research grant support from Edwards Lifesciences. All other authors have reported that they have no relationships relevant to the contents of this paper to disclose., (Copyright © 2023 American College of Cardiology Foundation. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background/purpose: Percutaneous valve interventions for aortic stenosis (AS) include transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) and balloon aortic valvuloplasty (BAV). Intraprocedural mechanical circulatory support (MCS) with Impella devices (Abiomed, Danvers, MA) is used in select high-risk patients, although data regarding its efficacy is limited. This study sought to evaluate the clinical outcomes of Impella use in patients with AS who underwent TAVR and BAV at a quaternary-care center., Methods/materials: All patients with severe AS who underwent TAVR and BAV with Impella between 2013 and 2020 were included. Patient demographics, outcomes, complications, and 30-day mortality data was analyzed., Results: Over the study period 2680 procedures were performed, 1965 TAVR and 715 BAV. 120 utilized Impella support, 26 TAVR and 94 BAV. Among TAVR Impella cases, justifications for MCS included cardiogenic shock (53.9 %), cardiac arrest (19.2 %), and coronary occlusion (15.4 %). Among BAV Impella cases, justifications for MCS included cardiogenic shock (55.3 %) and protected percutaneous coronary intervention (43.6 %). The 30-day mortality rate in TAVR Impella was 34.6 % and in BAV Impella was 28 %. BAV Impella cases involving cardiogenic shock had a higher rate of 45 %. Impella remained in-use past 24 h from the procedure in 32.2 % cases. Vascular access-related complications occurred in 4.8 % cases and bleeding complications occurred in 1.5 % cases. Conversion to open-heart surgery occurred in 0.7 % cases., Conclusions: MCS is an option for high-risk patients with severe AS who require TAVR and BAV. Despite hemodynamic support, the 30-day mortality rate remained high especially in cases where support was employed for cardiogenic shock., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest None., (Copyright © 2023. Published by Elsevier Inc.)

Introduction: Acute MR due to mechanical mitral valve (MV) complications frequently results in cardiogenic shock and requires emergency surgical intervention. There was limited evidence for alternative treatment like MitraClip for patients at prohibitive surgical risk. We aimed to study the technical features and outcomes of emergency transcatheter edge-to-edge repair (TEER) using the MitraClip system for patients with cardiogenic shock (CS) secondary to acute mitral regurgitation (MR) and mechanical MV complication., Material and Methods: We performed institutional review and systemic literature review to identify all TEER for CS patients due to acute mitral regurgitation and mechanical MV complication. Clinical endpoints included device success rate assessed at the end of procedure, ability to wean off MCS, all-cause and cardiovascular mortality at 30-day., Results: Eight patients were identified from institutional review. Detail anatomical analysis found that patients with mechanical MV complications related to myocardial infarction had a lower transseptal height achieved during MitraClip (3.6 ± 0.1 cm vs 4.3 ± 0.3 cm, p = 0.03) than those not related. Pooled analysis for cases from institutional review (n = 8) and systemic literature review (n = 16) was performed. The device success rate was 68.8 %. Seventy-five percent (n = 18) cases required mechanical circulatory support (MCS), and 94.4 % were able to wean off MCS. At 30-day, the cardiovascular mortality was 4.5 % and the all-cause mortality was 9.1 %., Conclusions: In CS patients due to acute MR and mechanical MV complications, TEER with/without MCS was feasible with a reasonable device success rate., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest Dr. Frisoli is a clinical proctor for Abbott. Dr. O'Neill is a consultant to Abiomed. All other authors have reported that they have no relationships relevant to the contents of this paper to disclose., (Copyright © 2022 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Veno-arterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation is used in patients requiring biventricular support; however, its use increases the afterload. In patients with severe aortic insufficiency or severe left ventricular disfunction, it will increase left-side filling pressures, hence the need for left ventricle unloading with an additional mechanical circulatory support device. We present a case of a patient with cardiogenic shock and severe aortic insufficiency who underwent left atrial veno-arterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation and provide a step-by-step explanation of the technique., (© 2022 The Author(s).)

Introduction: The timing of hemodynamic support in acute myocardial infarction complicated by cardiogenic shock (AMICS) has yet to be defined. The aim of this meta-analysis was to evaluate the impact of timing of Impella initiation on early and midterm mortality., Methods: A systematic literature review and meta-analysis was conducted using PubMed and Cochrane databases. All studies reporting short-term mortality rates and timing of Impella placement in AMICS were included. Meta-regression analysis and sensitivity analysis were performed on the primary endpoint, short-term mortality (≤30 days), and secondary endpoints (midterm mortality, device-related bleeding, and limb ischemia)., Results: Of 1289 studies identified, 13 studies (6810 patients; 2970 patients identified as receiving Impella pre-PCI and 3840 patients receiving Impella during/post-PCI) were included in this analysis. Median age was 63.8 years (IQR 63-65.7); 76% of patients were male, and a high prevalence of cardiovascular risk factors was noted across the entire population. Short-term mortality was significantly reduced in those receiving pre-PCI vs. during/post-PCI Impella support (37.2% vs 53.6%, RR 0.7; CI 0.56-0.88). Midterm mortality was also lower in the pre-PCI Impella group (47.9% vs 73%, RR 0.81; CI 0.68-0.97). The rate of device-related bleeding (RR 1.05; CI 0.47-2.33) and limb ischemia (RR 1.6; CI 0.63-2.15) were similar between the two groups., Conclusion: This analysis suggests that Impella placement prior to PCI in AMICS may have a positive impact on short- and midterm mortality compared with post-PCI, with similar safety outcomes. Due to the observational nature of the included studies, further studies are needed to confirm this hypothesis (CRD42022300372)., (Copyright © 2022 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Background: Several studies have pair-wise compared access sites for transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) but pooled estimate of overall comparative efficacy and safety outcomes are not well known. We sought to compare short- and long-term outcomes following various alternative access routes for TAVR., Methods: Thirty-four studies with a pooled sample size of 32,756 patients were selected by searching PubMed and Cochrane library databases from inception through 11th June 2021 for patients undergoing TAVR via 1 of 6 different access sites: Transfemoral (TF), Transaortic (TAO), Transapical (TA), Transcarotid (TC), Transaxillary/Subclavian (TSA), and Transcaval (TCV). Data were extracted to conduct a frequentist network meta-analysis with a random-effects model using TF access as a reference group., Results: Compared with TF, both TAO [RR 1.91, 95% CI (1.46-2.50)] and TA access [RR 2.12, 95% CI (1.84-2.46)] were associated with an increased risk of 30-day mortality. No significant difference was observed for stroke, myocardial infarction, major bleeding, conversion to open surgery, and major adverse cardiovascular or cerebrovascular events at 30 days between different accesses. Major vascular complications were lower in TA [RR 0.43, (95% CI, 0.28-0.67)] and TC [RR 0.51, 95% CI (0.35-0.73)] access compared to TF. The 1-year mortality was higher in TAO [RR of 1.35, (95% CI, 1.01-1.81)] and TA [RR 1.44, (95% CI, 1.14-1.81)] groups., Conclusion: Non-thoracic alternative access site utilization for TAVR implantation (TC, TSA and TCV) is associated with outcomes similar to conventional TF access. Thoracic TAVR access (TAO and TA) translates into increased short and long-term mortality., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest Adnan K. Chhatriwalla: Speakers Bureau: Abbott Vascular, Edwards Lifesciences, Medtronic Inc.; Proctor: Edwards Lifesciences, Medtronic Inc.; Consultant: Boston Scientific, Silk Road Medical; Research Grant: Boston Scientific. Keith B. Allen: Institutional Research/Grant support: Edwards, Abbott, Medtronic, Boston Scientific; Speakers Bureau: Edwards Lifesciences, Medtronic Inc.; Proctor: Edwards Lifesciences, Medtronic Inc.; Consultant: Abbott, Edwards, Medtronic, Boston Scientific; (all payments are to the institution and none to me personally)., (Copyright © 2021 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Objectives: To identify predictors of overall survival (OS) in oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (OPSCC) patients who achieved complete response (CR)., Methods: We performed a retrospective study of OPSCC patients who achieved CR from a single academic medical center. Associations between OS, AJCC 8th edition staging system, definitive treatment choice, smoking history, and p16 status were assessed., Results: p16+ status was associated with favorable prognosis for CR (p < 0.001) but not non-CR (p = 0.67) patients. For early stage, p16+ OPSCC patients who achieved CR, surgery + adjuvant radiation (RT) treatment was more durable compared to concurrent chemoradiation (CRT), particularly in smokers., Conclusions: Curative intent treatment choice and smoking history has an impact on the long-term OS of the CR p16+ OPSCC cohort. Prospective studies to define the optimal multi-modality treatment option to manage p16+ OPSCC patients is needed., (Copyright © 2022 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Objectives: This study sought to evaluate the differences in cardiogenic shock patient characteristics in trial patients and real-life patients., Background: Cardiogenic shock (CS) is a leading cause of mortality in patients presenting with acute myocardial infarction (AMI). However, the enrollment of patients into clinical trials is challenging and may not be representative of real-world patients., Methods: We performed a systematic review of studies in patients presenting with AMI-related CS and compared patient characteristics of those enrolled into randomized controlled trials (RCTs) with those in registries., Results: We included 14 RCTs (n = 2,154) and 12 registries (n = 133,617). RCTs included more men (73% vs 67.7%, P < 0.001) compared with registries. Patients enrolled in RCTs had fewer comorbidities, including less hypertension (61.6% vs 65.9%, P < 0.001), dyslipidemia (36.4% vs 53.6%, P < 0.001), a history of stroke or transient ischemic attack (7.1% vs 10.7%, P < 0.001), and prior coronary artery bypass graft surgery (5.4% vs 7.5%, P < 0.001). Patients enrolled in RCTs also had lower lactate levels (4.7 ± 2.3 mmol/L vs 5.9 ± 1.9 mmol/L, P < 0.001) and higher mean arterial pressure (73.0 ± 8.8 mm Hg vs 62.5 ± 12.2 mm Hg, P < 0.001). Percutaneous coronary intervention (97.5% vs 58.4%, P < 0.001) and extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (11.6% vs 3.4%, P < 0.001) were used more often in RCTs. The in-hospital mortality (23.9% vs 38.4%, P < 0.001) and 30-day mortality (39.9% vs 45.9%, P < 0.001) were lower in RCT patients., Conclusions: RCTs in AMI-related CS tend to enroll fewer women and lower-risk patients compared with registries. Patients enrolled in RCTs are more likely to receive aggressive treatment with percutaneous coronary intervention and extracorporeal membrane oxygenation and have lower in-hospital and 30-day mortality., Competing Interests: Funding Support and Author Disclosures Dr Basir is a consultant/speaker for Abbott Vascular, Abiomed, Cardiovascular Systems, Chiesi, Procyrion, and Zoll. Dr Alaswad has received honoraria for consulting/speaking from Boston Scientific, Cardiovascular Systems Inc, LivaNova, and Teleflex. Dr Brilakis has received honoraria for consulting/speaking from Abbott Vascular, American Heart Association (associate editor Circulation), Amgen, Biotronik, Boston Scientific, Cardiovascular Innovations Foundation (Board of Directors), ControlRad, Cardiovascular Systems Inc, Ebix, Elsevier, GE Healthcare, InfraRedx, Medtronic, Siemens, and Teleflex; has received research support from Regeneron and Siemens; and is a shareholder of MHI Ventures. Dr Napp has received honoraria for lecturing/consulting and has received research support from Cytosorbents; has received honoraria for lecturing from Abbott and Maquet; and has received honoraria for lecturing/proctoring/consulting and research funding from Abiomed. Dr O’Neill is a consultant/speaker for Abbott Vascular, Abiomed, Boston Scientific, Edwards, and Zoll. All other authors have reported that they have no relationships relevant to the contents of this paper to disclose., (Copyright © 2022 American College of Cardiology Foundation. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

A plethora of catheter-based strategies have been developed to treat mitral valve disease. Evolving 3-dimensional (3D) multidetector computed tomography (MDCT) technology can accurately reconstruct the mitral valve by means of 3-dimensional computational modeling (3DCM) to allow virtual implantation of catheter-based devices. 3D printing complements computational modeling and offers implanting physician teams the opportunity to evaluate devices in life-size replicas of patient-specific cardiac anatomy. MDCT-derived 3D computational and 3D-printed modeling provides unprecedented insights to facilitate hands-on procedural planning, device training, and retrospective procedural evaluation. This overview summarizes current concepts and provides insight into the application of MDCT-derived 3DCM and 3D printing for the planning of transcatheter mitral valve replacement and closure of paravalvular leaks. Additionally, future directions in the development of 3DCM will be discussed., Competing Interests: Funding Support and Author Disclosures Dr. Wang has served as a consultant for Edwards Lifesciences, Boston Scientific, and Materialise. Dr. Redwood has served as a proctor and consultant for Edwards Lifesciences. Dr. Popma has received institutional grants from Medtronic, Boston Scientific, Edwards Lifesciences, and Abbott; and is a member of the Medical Advisory Board of Edwards Lifesciences. Dr. Little has served as a consultant for Abbot Cardiovascular and Medtronic; and has received a research grant from Siemens Health. Dr. Pfeiffer has served as a consultant for LivaNova Inc.; and has served as a speaker and proctor for Edwards Lifesciences and Abbott Cardiovascular. Dr. Dahle has served as a proctor for Abbot Cardiovascular. Mrs. Minet is a former employee of Materialise NV. Dr. O’Neill has served as a consultant for Boston Scientific. Dr. Van Mieghem has received research grant support from Abbott, Boston Scientific, Edwards Lifesciences, and Medtronic; and has served as a consultant for Abbott, Boston Scientific, Edwards Lifesciences, Medtronic, Pie Medical, and Materialise NV. All other authors have reported that they have no relationships relevant to the contents of this paper to disclose., (Copyright © 2021 American College of Cardiology Foundation. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Objectives: The aim of this study was to evaluate the combined impact of race, ethnicity, and sex on in-hospital outcomes using data from the National Inpatient Sample., Background: Cardiogenic shock (CS) is a major cause of mortality following ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI). Early revascularization reduces mortality in such patients. Mechanical circulatory support (MCS) devices are increasingly used to hemodynamically support patients during revascularization. Little is known about racial, ethnic, and sex disparities in patients with STEMI and CS., Methods: The National Inpatient Sample was queried from January 2006 to September 2015 for hospitalizations with STEMI and CS. The associations between sex, race, ethnicity, and outcomes were examined using complex-samples multivariate logistic or generalized linear model regressions., Results: Of 159,339 patients with STEMI and CS, 57,839 (36.3%) were women. In-hospital mortality was higher for all women (range 40% to 45.4%) compared with men (range 30.4% to 34.7%). Women (adjusted odds ratio [aOR]: 1.11; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.06 to 1.16; p < 0.001) as well as Black (aOR: 1.18; 95% CI: 1.04 to 1.34; p = 0.011) and Hispanic (aOR: 1.19; 95% CI: 1.06 to 1.33; p = 0.003) men had higher odds of in-hospital mortality compared with White men, with Hispanic women having the highest odds of in-hospital mortality (aOR: 1.46; 95% CI: 1.26 to 1.70; p < 0.001). Women were older (age: 69.8 years vs. 63.2 years), had more comorbidities, and underwent fewer invasive cardiac procedures, including revascularization, right heart catheterization, and MCS., Conclusions: There are significant racial, ethnic, and sex differences in procedural utilization and clinical outcomes in patients with STEMI and CS. Women are less likely to undergo invasive cardiac procedures, including revascularization and MCS. Women as well as Black and Hispanic patients have a higher likelihood of death compared with White men., Competing Interests: FUNDING SUPPORT AND Author Disclosures Dr. Basir is a consultant for Abbott Vascular, Abiomed, Cardiovascular Systems, Chiesi, Procyrion, and Zoll. Dr. O’Neill is a consultant for Abiomed, Edwards Lifesciences, and Medtronic. All other authors have reported that they have no relationships relevant to the contents of this paper to disclose., (Copyright © 2021 American College of Cardiology Foundation. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: Percutaneous ventricular assist devices and extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) are increasingly used for mechanical circulatory support (MCS) in patients with acute myocardial infarction with cardiogenic shock (AMI-CS) in hospitals throughout the United States., Methods: Using the National Inpatient Sample from October 2015 to December 2017, we identified hospital admissions that underwent percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) and non-elective Impella or ECMO placement for AMI-CS using ICD-10 codes. Propensity-score matching was performed to compare both groups for primary and secondary outcomes., Results: We identified 6290 admissions for AMI-CS who underwent PCI and were treated with Impella (n = 5730, 91%) or ECMO (n = 560, 9%) from October 2015 to December 2017. After propensity-match analysis, the ECMO cohort had significantly higher in-hospital mortality (43.3% vs 26.7%, OR: 2.10, p = 0.021). The incidence of acute respiratory failure and vascular complications were significantly lower in the Impella cohort. We observed a shorter duration of hospital stay and lower hospital costs in the Impella cohort compared to those who received ECMO., Conclusions: In AMI-CS, the use of Impella was associated with better clinical outcomes, fewer complications, shorter length of hospital stay and lower hospital cost compared to those undergoing ECMO placement., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest Dr Basir has the following disclosures: Abbott Vascular, Abiomed, Chiesi, Cardiovascular Systems, and Zoll. Dr Kapur has the following disclosures: Abbott, Abiomed, Boston Scientific, Medtronic, LivaNova, MD Start, and Precardia. Dr O'Neill has the following disclosures: Abiomed and Abbott. The rest of the authors have nothing to disclose., (Copyright © 2020 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to investigate the association between obtaining hemodynamic data from early pulmonary artery catheter (PAC) placement and outcomes in cardiogenic shock (CS)., Background: Although PACs are used to guide CS management decisions, evidence supporting their optimal use in CS is lacking., Methods: The Cardiogenic Shock Working Group (CSWG) collected retrospective data in CS patients from 8 tertiary care institutions from 2016 to 2019. Patients were divided by Society for Cardiovascular Angiography and Interventions (SCAI) stages and outcomes analyzed by the PAC-use group (no PAC data, incomplete PAC data, complete PAC data) prior to initiating mechanical circulatory support (MCS)., Results: Of 1,414 patients with CS analyzed, 1,025 (72.5%) were male, and 494 (34.9%) presented with myocardial infarction; 758 (53.6%) were in SCAI Stage D shock, and 263 (18.6%) were in Stage C shock. Temporary MCS devices were used in 1,190 (84%) of those in advanced CS stages. PAC data were not obtained in 216 patients (18%) prior to MCS, whereas 598 patients (42%) had complete hemodynamic data. Mortality differed significantly between PAC-use groups within the overall cohort (p < 0.001), and each SCAI Stage subcohort (Stage C: p = 0.03; Stage D: p = 0.05; Stage E: p = 0.02). The complete PAC assessment group had the lowest in-hospital mortality than the other groups across all SCAI stages. Having no PAC assessment was associated with higher in-hospital mortality than complete PAC assessment in the overall cohort (adjusted odds ratio: 1.57; 95% confidence interval: 1.06 to 2.33)., Conclusions: The CSWG is a large multicenter registry representing real-world patients with CS in the contemporary MCS era. Use of complete PAC-derived hemodynamic data prior to MCS initiation is associated with improved survival from CS., Competing Interests: Author Relationship With Industry Funding was received from the Cardiogenic Shock Working Group Fund, Abbott, Abiomed, and Boston Scientific. The Cardiogenic Shock Working Group had full control over the content of the manuscript and none of the industry sponsors had a role in the final presentation of this work. Dr. Garan has served as an unpaid advisor to Abiomed; and received research support from Abbott. Dr. Kanwar is an advisor to Abiomed. Dr. Mahr is a consultant for Abbott, Medtronic, and Abiomed. Dr. O’Neill is a consultant for Abiomed and Abbott. Dr. Kapur has received speaker/consulting honoraria from Abbott, Abiomed, Boston Scientific, Medtronic, MDStart, LivaNova, Getinge; and has received Institutional Research Grants from Abbott, Abiomed, Boston Scientific and MDStart., (Copyright © 2020 American College of Cardiology Foundation. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Introduction: Medial arterial calcification is a common and progressive lesion in end-stage renal disease that is associated with poor cardiovascular outcomes. Whether this lesion can be arrested or reversed is unknown, and was examined retrospectively by measuring progression of breast arterial calcification before and after kidney transplantation., Methods: Arterial calcification was measured on serial mammograms from patients with previous kidney transplantation and compared to measurements performed before transplantation or in patients on the active waitlist. Serum creatinine >2.0 mg/dl after transplantation or warfarin use were exclusions., Results: Median (interquartile range) progression of arterial calcification was 12.9 mm/breast per year (5.9 to 32.6) in 34 patients before or awaiting transplantation compared to just 1.2 mm/breast per year (-0.54 to 5.1) in 34 patients after transplantation ( P  < 0.001). Slowing of progression was also seen in longitudinal analyses of patients with mammograms performed both before and after transplantation. Duration of end-stage renal disease before transplantation but not age, diabetes, baseline calcification, or serum chemistries correlated with progression after transplantation. Significant regression was not observed in any patient., Conclusion: In this first quantitative study of the effect of kidney transplantation, medial arterial calcification appeared to slow to rates seen in patients with normal renal function, indicating that the effect of renal failure may be completely abrogated. Overall, however, there was no significant regression, suggesting that calcification is irreversible and emphasizing the importance of prevention. Duration of pretransplant end-stage renal disease but not baseline calcification was a determinant of progression, consistent with cumulative, permanent changes to arteries that promote calcification., (© 2020 International Society of Nephrology. Published by Elsevier Inc.)

Objectives: This study aims to establish a computed tomography (CT)-based scoring system for grading mitral annular calcification (MAC) severity and potentially aid in predicting valve embolization during transcatheter mitral valve (MV) replacement using balloon-expandable aortic transcatheter heart valves., Background: Transcatheter MV replacement is emerging as an alternative treatment for patients with severe MAC who are not surgical candidates. Although cardiac CT is the imaging modality of choice in the evaluation of candidates for valve-in-MAC (ViMAC), a standardized grading system to quantify MAC severity has not been established., Methods: We performed a multicenter retrospective review of cardiac CT and clinical outcomes of patients undergoing ViMAC. A CT-based MAC score was created using the following features: average calcium thickness (mm), degrees of annulus circumference involved, calcification at one or both fibrous trigones, and calcification of one or both leaflets. Features were assigned points according to severity (total maximum score = 10) and severity grade was assigned based on total points (mild ≤3, moderate 4 to 6, and severe ≥7 points). The association between MAC score and device migration/embolization was evaluated., Results: Of 117 patients in the TMVR in MAC registry, 87 had baseline cardiac CT of adequate quality. Of these, 15 were treated with transatrial access and were not included. The total cohort included 72 (trans-septal = 37, transapical = 35). Mean patient age was 74 ± 12 years, 66.7% were female, and the mean Society of Thoracic Surgery risk score was 15.4 ± 10.5%. The mean MAC score was 7.7 ± 1.4. Embolization/migration rates were lower in higher scores: Patients with a MAC score of 7 had valve embolization/migration rate of 12.5%, MAC score ≥8 had a rate of 8.7%, and a MAC score of ≥9 had zero (p = 0.023). Patients with a MAC score of ≤6 had 60% embolization/migration rate versus 9.7% in patients with a MAC score ≥7 (p < 0.001). In multivariable analysis, a MAC score ≤6 was in independent predictor of valve embolization/migration (odds ratio [OR]: 5.86 [95% CI: 1.00 to 34.26]; p = 0.049)., Conclusions: This cardiac CT-based score provides a systematic method to grade MAC severity which may assist in predicting valve embolization/migration during trans-septal or transapical ViMAC procedures., (Copyright © 2020 American College of Cardiology Foundation. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Significance: The United States is in an acceleration phase of the COVID-19 pandemic. Currently there is no known effective therapy or vaccine for treatment of SARS-CoV-2, highlighting urgency around identifying effective therapies., Objective: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the role of hydroxychloroquine therapy alone and in combination with azithromycin in hospitalized patients positive for COVID-19., Design: Multi-center retrospective observational study., Setting: The Henry Ford Health System (HFHS) in Southeast Michigan: large six hospital integrated health system; the largest of hospitals is an 802-bed quaternary academic teaching hospital in urban Detroit, Michigan., Participants: Consecutive patients hospitalized with a COVID-related admission in the health system from March 10, 2020 to May 2, 2020 were included. Only the first admission was included for patients with multiple admissions. All patients evaluated were 18 years of age and older and were treated as inpatients for at least 48h unless expired within 24h., Exposure: Receipt of hydroxychloroquine alone, hydroxychloroquine in combination with azithromycin, azithromycin alone, or neither., Main Outcome: The primary outcome was in-hospital mortality., Results: Of 2,541 patients, with a median total hospitalization time of 6 days (IQR: 4-10 days), median age was 64 years (IQR:53-76 years), 51% male, 56% African American, with median time to follow-up of 28.5 days (IQR:3-53). Overall in-hospital mortality was 18.1% (95% CI:16.6%-19.7%); by treatment: hydroxychloroquine+azithromycin, 157/783 (20.1% [95% CI: 17.3%-23.0%]), hydroxychloroquine alone, 162/1202 (13.5% [95% CI: 11.6%-15.5%]), azithromycin alone, 33/147 (22.4% [95% CI: 16.0%-30.1%]), and neither drug, 108/409 (26.4% [95% CI: 22.2%-31.0%]). Primary cause of mortality was respiratory failure (88%); no patient had documented torsades de pointes. From Cox regression modeling, predictors of mortality were age>65 years (HR:2.6 [95% CI:1.9-3.3]), white race (HR:1.7 [95% CI:1.4-2.1]), CKD (HR:1.7 [95%CI:1.4-2.1]), reduced O2 saturation level on admission (HR:1.5 [95%CI:1.1-2.1]), and ventilator use during admission (HR: 2.2 [95%CI:1.4-3.3]). Hydroxychloroquine provided a 66% hazard ratio reduction, and hydroxychloroquine+azithromycin 71% compared to neither treatment (p<0.001)., Conclusions and Relevance: In this multi-hospital assessment, when controlling for COVID-19 risk factors, treatment with hydroxychloroquine alone and in combination with azithromycin was associated with reduction in COVID-19 associated mortality. Prospective trials are needed to examine this impact., (Copyright © 2020 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.)

Objectives: This study sought to compare outcomes of patients enrolled in the NCSI (National Cardiogenic Shock Initiative) trial who were treated using a revascularization strategy of percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) of multivessel PCI (MV-PCI) versus culprit-vessel PCI (CV-PCI)., Background: In patients with multivessel disease who present with acute myocardial infarction and cardiogenic shock (AMICS), intervening on the nonculprit vessel is controversial. There are conflicting published reports and lack of evidence, particularly in patients treated with early mechanical circulatory support (MCS)., Methods: From July 2016 to December 2019, patients who presented with AMICS to 57 participating hospitals were included in this analysis. All patients were treated using a standard shock protocol emphasizing early MCS, revascularization, and invasive hemodynamic monitoring. Patients with multivessel coronary artery disease (MVCAD) were analyzed according to whether CV-PCI or MV-PCI was undertaken during the index procedure., Results: Of 198 patients with MVCAD, 126 underwent MV-PCI (64%) and 72 underwent CV-PCI (36%). Demographics between the cohorts were similar with respect to age, sex, history of diabetes, prior PCI or coronary artery bypass grafting, and prior history of myocardial infarction. Patients who underwent MV-PCI had a trend toward more severe impairment of cardiac output and worse lactate clearance on presentation, and cardiac performance was significantly worse at 12 h. However, 24 h from PCI, the hemometabolic derangements were similar. Survival and rates of acute kidney injury were not significantly different between groups (69.8% MV-PCI vs. 65.3% CV-PCI; p = 0.51; and 29.9% vs. 34.2%; p = 0.64, respectively)., Conclusions: In patients with MVCAD presenting with AMICS treated with early MCS, revascularization of nonculprit lesions was associated with similar hospital survival and acute kidney injury when compared with culprit-only PCI. Selective nonculprit PCI can be safety performed in AMICS in patients supported with mechanical circulatory support., (Copyright © 2020 American College of Cardiology Foundation. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: High-risk percutaneous coronary interventions (HR-PCI) are prone to hemodynamic instability, resulting in poor outcomes. Acute mechanical circulatory support (AMCS) devices are used during HR-PCI to improve outcomes. However, the clinical criteria for extended AMCS have not been well characterized. The aim of this study was to describe the prevalence and clinical correlates of extended AMCS in patients undergoing elective or urgent HR-PCI., Methods: We retrospectively analyzed 507 patients enrolled in the catheter-based ventricular assist device (cVAD) registry who underwent elective or urgent HR-PCI with prophylactic use of Impella. The study population was divided into two groups: Impella support removed immediately after PCI (Group A, n = 464) and extended support after PCI (Group B, n = 43). Multivariable regression analysis was used to identify independent predictors of extended AMCS., Results: Baseline characteristics were similar between the groups. Non-ST-elevation myocardial infarction in 26.3% in Group A vs 41.8% in Group B (p = 0.03). PCI of left main was common in Group A (p = 0.02), whereas the right coronary artery was common in Group B (p < 0.001). The mean duration of Impella support 1.1 ± 0.6 h in Group A vs 11.4 ± 16.8 h in Group B (p < 0.001). Death and vascular complications were higher with extended Impella support. Revascularization of chronic total occlusion (CTO) was an independent predictor of extended Impella support (OR 3.2, 95% CI 1.20-8.53)., Conclusions: About 9% of patients enrolled in the cVAD registry undergoing elective or urgent HR-PCI received extended Impella support. In-hospital mortality was about 12% in patients requiring extended Impella support. CTO was associated with a higher likelihood of extended AMCS. The hemodynamic benefits of extended AMCS support must be weighed in terms of risk of complications., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest Dr. O'Neill has received research funding from Abiomed Inc. Dr. Witzke and O'Neill receive speaker/consulting honoraria from Abiomed Inc. Dr. Kapur is currently funded by the National Institutes of Health (RO1HL139785, RO1H133215) and has received research funding from Abiomed Inc., Abbott Inc., Boston Scientific Inc., and MD Start Inc., Maquet Cardiovascular Inc. The remaining authors report no conflicts., (Copyright © 2019 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

The transradial approach has emerged as the preferred alternative to the traditional transfemoral approach owing to the increased evidence of its safety and efficacy. The field of structural heart disease is rapidly evolving; however, periprocedural complications related to access site remain a major determinant of morbidity and mortality. The transradial approach as primary or secondary access site in structural heart interventions like transcatheter aortic valve replacement, balloon aortic valvuloplasty, alternative access, alcohol septal ablations, paravalvular leak, valve snaring, coronary protection, and ventricular septal defect is feasible, safe, with lower vascular complications and high procedural success., (Copyright © 2019 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Mitral valve disease becomes more prevalent as the population ages. As the number of percutaneous mitral valve interventions expands, obscure clinical scenarios may emerge and challenge conventional treatment algorithms. Strategies for dealing with complex repairs build on prior experience in mitral perivalvular leak repair. Cases using nitinol- and expanded polytetrafluoroethylene-based devices are used to treat mitral regurgitation in cases of focal mitral perforations and leaks between previously placed mitral valve edge-to-edge devices. This review discusses risks and benefits of performing such complex mitral repairs and informs clinicians of the strengths of weaknesses of different occluder devices in the mitral position., (Copyright © 2019 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: Right ventricular failure (RVF) after myocardial infarction, cardiotomy, or left ventricular assist device (LVAD) implantation increases morbidity and mortality. RVF also contributes to prolonged length of hospital stay and higher costs of care. The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy and safety of the Impella RP (Abiomed, Danvers, MA) in patients with severe RVF in these clinical settings., Methods: This is a prospective cohort study of patients with severe RVF treated with a percutaneous right ventricular assist device (RVAD). Sixty patients with RVF refractory to medical treatment received the Impella RP device at 14 United States institutions as part of the Impella RP pre‒ and post‒market approval studies. The study population included 2 cohorts: Cohort A, patients with RVF post-(LVAD) implantation (n = 31); and Cohort B, patients with RVF post-cardiotomy, heart transplant, or myocardial infarction (n = 29). The primary end-point was survival at 30 days or hospital discharge (whichever was longer)., Results: Mean age of patients was 59 ± 15 years; 68% were males, 84% had a history of congestive heart failure, 44% had valvular disease, and 35% had pre-operative renal dysfunction. Patients received an average of 3.4 inotropes/vasopressors before the Impella RP implant. Patients were supported with the Impella RP for 4.0 ± 1.5 (0.5 to 14) days. Hemodynamics improved immediately after initiation of device support, with an increase in cardiac index from 1.9 ± 0.1 to 3.1 ± 0.2 liters/min/m 2 (p < 0.001) and a decrease in central venous pressure from 19.0 ± 1 to 13 ± 1 mm Hg (p < 0.001). The overall survival at 30 days (or discharge) was 72%., Conclusions: To the best of our knowledge, this study represents the largest prospective study of patients with life-threatening RVF. Mechanical support with the Impella RP device in patients with RVF resulted in rapid hemodynamic improvement with reversal of shock and favorable survival., (Copyright © 2018 International Society for Heart and Lung Transplantation. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Context: Residential hospices may be an optimal compromise between home and hospital settings for end-of-life care, but there has been little systematic research regarding the quality of dying and death in such locations., Objectives: The objective of this study was to assess the quality of dying and death of patients who received end-of-life care in a residential hospice and its relationship to hospice length of stay (LOS) and prior receipt of palliative care., Methods: A total of 100 caregivers of patients who died in a residential hospice in downtown Toronto, Canada, were recruited four to six months after patient's death. The quality of dying and death was measured, based on interviews with bereaved caregivers, using the Quality of Dying and Death (QODD) questionnaire., Results: The overall mean QODD score was 68.85 ± 11.62, which is in the intermediate ("neither good nor bad") range (30-70) of the scale. The lowest QODD subscale score was on the Transcendence subscale, which evaluates death-related concerns; this was 59.48 ± 25.37, with ratings in 14.6% of the sample in the "terrible to poor" (0-29) range. QODD scores were higher for patients with hospice LOS of more than one week (72.21 ± 9.64) than for those with a shorter LOS (60.38 ± 11.92) (P < 0.001)., Conclusion: Overall quality of dying and death was perceived as average to above average, in an urban residential hospice, although death-related distress was present in a substantial minority of patients. The association of better QODD with hospice LOS of more than one week may be due to better clinical status on admission and/or longer duration of time that is needed to achieve optimal outcomes., (Crown Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

A variety of criteria exist for histopathologic diagnosis of calciphylaxis, also known as calcific uremic arteriolopathy but data on their specificity are limited. To assess this, histologic findings of 38 skin biopsies performed for a suspicion of calcific uremic arteriolopathy were compared with histologic findings in skin obtained from healthy margins of 43 amputations in patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD) without evidence of calcific uremic arteriolopathy. Abnormalities in small arteries or arterioles were present in 35% of amputation specimens and 55% of skin biopsies, and among these only thrombosis but not calcification was significantly more prevalent in skin biopsies. The prevalence of extravascular calcification did not differ. Vascular lesions were more common in skin biopsies from patients with high clinical suspicion of calcific uremic arteriolopathy (81%), significantly driven by increases in both calcification and thrombosis, compared to amputations (35%). The combination of medial calcification and thrombosis was six-fold more prevalent in high-suspicion skin biopsies than in amputation specimens. The location of affected vessels did not differ. In two autopsy cases, some but not all findings of involved skin were also present in uninvolved skin. Thus, histopathologic findings historically associated with calcific uremic arteriolopathy can also occur in viable tissue from unaffected patients with ESRD, calling into question the specificity of individual histologic findings for calcific uremic arteriolopathy. However, the combination of medial calcification and thrombosis was rare in unaffected patients and may provide a higher degree of specificity., (Copyright © 2018 International Society of Nephrology. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Introduction: Medial arterial calcification is common in chronic kidney disease (CKD) and portends poor clinical outcomes, but its progression relative to the severity of CKD and the role of other risk factors is unknown because of the lack of reliable quantification., Methods: Calcification of breast arteries detected by mammography, which is exclusively medial and correlates with medial calcification in peripheral arteries and with cardiovascular outcomes, was used to measure the progression of medial arterial calcification in women with CKD and end-stage renal disease (ESRD). Measurements showed intra- and interobserver correlations of 0.98, an interstudy variability of 8% to 11%, and a correlation with computed tomographic measurements of 0.92., Results: Progression of calcification was measured in 60 control subjects (estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) ≥ 90 ml/min per 1.73 m 2 ) and 137 subjects with CKD (eGFR < 90 ml/min per 1.73 m 2 ). Progression in control subjects was linear over time and independent of age. The rate of progression was increased in CKD but only at eGFR < 40 ml/min per 1.73 m 2 (median, 8.1 vs. 3.9 mm/breast/yr in controls; P  = 0.006). Progression accelerated markedly in subjects with ESRD (median, 20 mm/breast/yr; n = 36), but did not differ from controls after kidney transplantation (n = 25). Diabetes significantly augmented progression in subjects with CKD and ESRD but not in controls., Conclusion: Mammography is a convenient and reliable method to measure the progression of medial arterial calcification. Progression does not increase until advanced stages of CKD, accelerates markedly in ESRD, and returns to control rates after kidney transplantation. Diabetes significantly increases progression in CKD and ESRD.

Objectives: There are minimal data regarding clinical outcomes and echocardiographic findings after transcatheter mitral valve-in-valve replacement (TMVR) compared with redo surgical mitral valve replacement (SMVR)., Background: TMVR therapy has emerged as therapy for a degenerated bioprosthetic valve failure., Methods: The authors retrospectively identified patients with degenerated mitral bioprostheses who underwent redo SMVR or TMVR at 3 U.S. institutions. The authors compared clinical and echocardiographic outcomes of patients who had TMVR with those of patients who underwent redo SMVR., Results: Sixty-two patients underwent TMVR and 59 patients underwent SMVR during the study period. Mean age and the Society of Thoracic Surgeons Predicted Risk of Mortality (STS PROM) scores were significantly higher in patients with TMVR than in those with SMVR (age 74.9 ± 9.4 years vs. 63.7 ± 14.9 years; p < 0.001; STS PROM 12.7 ± 8.0% vs. 8.7 ± 10.1%; p < 0.0001). Total procedure time, intensive care unit hours, and post-procedure length of stay were all significantly shorter in the TMVR group. There was no difference in mortality at 1 year between the 2 groups (TMVR 11.3% vs. SMVR 11.9%; p = 0.92). Mean mitral valve pressure gradient and the grade of mitral regurgitation (MR) were similar between the TMVR group and the SMVR group (mitral valve pressure gradient 7.1 ± 2.5 mm Hg vs. 6.5 ± 2.5 mm Hg; p = 0.42; MR [≥moderate] 3.8% vs. 5.6%; p = 1.00) at 30 days. At 1 year, the mitral valve pressure gradient was higher in the TMVR group (TMVR 7.2 ± 2.7 vs. SMVR 5.5 ± 1.8; p = 0.01), although there was no difference in the grade of MR., Conclusions: Despite the higher STS PROM in TMVR patients, there was no difference in 1-year mortality between the TMVR and SMVR groups. Echocardiographic findings after TMVR were similar to SMVR at 30 days. There was a statistically significant difference in mitral gradient at 1 year, though this is likely not clinically important. TMVR may be an alternative to SMVR in patients with previous mitral bioprosthetic valves., (Copyright © 2018 American College of Cardiology Foundation. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Pathologic cardiovascular calcification is associated with a number of conditions and is a common complication of chronic kidney disease. Because ambient calcium and phosphate levels together with properties of the vascular matrix favor calcification even under normal conditions, endogenous inhibitors such as pyrophosphate play a key role in prevention. Genetic diseases and animal models have elucidated the metabolism of extracellular pyrophosphate and demonstrated the importance of pyrophosphate deficiency in vascular calcification. Therapies based on pyrophosphate metabolism have been effective in animal models, including renal failure, and hold promise as future therapies to prevent vascular calcification., (Copyright © 2018 International Society of Nephrology. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Sonography is increasingly being performed by clinicians and has applications throughout the spectrum of nephrology, including acute and chronic renal failure, urinary obstruction, cystic disease, pain, hematuria, transplantation, kidney biopsy, temporary and permanent vascular access, and assessment of fluid status. The skill is relatively easily acquired, expedites patient care, and enhances the practice of nephrology. However, the lack of exposure in most training programs remains a major obstacle., (Copyright © 2018 International Society of Nephrology. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

A number of histologic changes are associated with the medial arterial calcification that occurs in chronic kidney disease, leading to several different hypotheses concerning the underlying mechanism. Careful timing of these changes in relation to the onset of the calcification, as reported in this issue of the journal, can shed light on which changes are pathogenic as opposed to secondary in reaction to the calcification., (Copyright © 2017 International Society of Nephrology. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

The extent to which vascular calcification is reversible and the possible mechanisms are unclear. To address this, calcified aortas from uremic mice were transplanted orthotopically into normal mice, and the calcium content, histology, and minerals of the allografts were compared with the nontransplanted donor aorta. Calcium content decreased immediately after transplantation but remained constant thereafter, with 68% ± 12% remaining after 34 weeks. X-ray diffraction showed the presence of apatite in both donor aortas and allografts. Osteoclasts were absent in the allografts and there was no expression of the macrophage marker CD11b, the osteoclast marker tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase, or carbonic anhydrase II. The initial loss of calcium was less in heavily calcified aortas and was associated with an increase in the Ca/P ratio from 1.49 to 1.63, consistent with a loss of nonapatitic calcium. The results indicate that vascular calcification persists after reversal of uremia, because of a lack of active resorption of apatite. This failure to resorb established calcifications may contribute to the severity of vascular calcification and suggests that therapy should be aimed at prevention., (Copyright © 2017 American Society for Investigative Pathology. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Objectives: The aim of this study was to examine the impact of 3-dimensional (3D) computed tomographic (CT) guided procedural planning for left atrial appendage (LAA) occlusion on the early operator WATCHMAN learning curve., Background: Traditional WATCHMAN implantation is dependent on 2-dimensional transesophageal echocardiographic (TEE) sizing and intraprocedural guidance., Methods: LAA occlusion with the WATCHMAN device was performed in 53 patients. Pre-procedural case plans were generated from CT studies with recommended device size, catheter selection, and C-arm angle for deployment., Results: All 53 patients underwent successful LAA occlusion with the WATCHMAN. Three-dimensional CT LAA maximal-width sizing was 2.7 ± 2.2 mm and 2.3 ± 3.0 mm larger than 2-dimensional and 3D TEE measurements, respectively (p ≤ 0.0001). By CT imaging, device selection was 100% accurate. There were 4 peri-WATCHMAN leaks (<4.5 mm) secondary to accessory LAA pedunculations. By 2-dimensional TEE maximal-width measurements alone, 62.3% (33 of 53) would have required larger devices. Using 3D TEE maximal-width measurements, 52.8% of cases (28 of 53) would have required larger devices. Three-dimensional TEE length would have inappropriately excluded 10 patients from WATCHMAN implantation. Compared with the average of 1.8 devices used per implantation attempt in PROTECT AF (WATCHMAN Left Atrial Appendage System for Embolic Protection in Patients With Atrial Fibrillation) (82% success rate), the present site averaged 1.245 devices per implantation attempt (100% success rate). There were no intraprocedural screen failures and no major adverse cardiac events., Conclusions: Three-dimensional CT image case planning provides a comprehensive and customized patient-specific LAA assessment that appears to be accurate and may possibly facilitate reducing the early WATCHMAN implantation learning curve., (Copyright © 2016 American College of Cardiology Foundation. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Objectives: This study sought to evaluate the outcomes of the early experience of transcatheter mitral valve replacement (TMVR) with balloon-expandable valves in patients with severe mitral annular calcification (MAC) and reports the first large series from a multicenter global registry., Background: The risk of surgical mitral valve replacement in patients with severe MAC is high. There are isolated reports of successful TMVR with balloon-expandable valves in this patient population., Methods: We performed a multicenter retrospective review of clinical outcomes of patients with severe MAC undergoing TMVR., Results: From September 2012 to July of 2015, 64 patients in 32 centers underwent TMVR with compassionate use of balloon-expandable valves. Mean age was 73 ± 13 years, 66% were female, and mean Society of Thoracic Surgeons score was 14.4 ± 9.5%. The mean mitral gradient was 11.45 ± 4.4 mm Hg and the mean mitral area was 1.18 ± 0.5 cm(2). SAPIEN valves (Edwards Lifesciences, Irvine, California) were used in 7.8%, SAPIEN XT in 59.4%, SAPIEN 3 in 28.1%, and Inovare (Braile Biomedica, Brazil) in 4.7%. Access was transatrial in 15.6%, transapical in 43.8%, and transseptal in 40.6%. Technical success according to Mitral Valve Academic Research Consortium criteria was achieved in 46 (72%) patients, primarily limited by the need for a second valve in 11 (17.2%). Six (9.3%) had left ventricular tract obstruction with hemodynamic compromise. Mean mitral gradient post-procedure was 4 ± 2.2 mm Hg, paravalvular regurgitation was mild or absent in all. Thirty-day all-cause mortality was 29.7% (cardiovascular = 12.5% and noncardiac = 17.2%); 84% of the survivors with follow-up data available were in New York Heart Association functional class I or II at 30 days (n = 25)., Conclusions: TMVR with balloon-expandable valves in patients with severe MAC is feasible but may be associated with significant adverse events. This strategy might be an alternative for selected high-risk patients with limited treatment options., (Copyright © 2016 American College of Cardiology Foundation. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

An accelerated negative buoyancy method has been developed to assess cell adhesion strength. This method has been used in conjunction with 3-D morphometric analysis to understand the effects of surface topology on cell response. Aligned micro-grooved surface topographies (with a range of groove depths) were produced on stainless steel 316L substrates by laser ablation. An investigation was carried out on the effect of the micro-grooved surface topography on cell adhesion strength, cell and nucleus volumes, cell phenotypic expression and attachment patterns. Increased hydrophobicity and anisotropic wettability was observed on surfaces with deeper grooves. A reduction was noted in cell volume, projected areas and adhesion sites for deeper grooves, linked to lower cell proliferation and differentiation rates and also to reduced adhesion strength. The results suggest that the centrifugation assay combined with three-dimensional cell morphometric analysis has considerable potential for obtaining improved understanding of the cell/substrate interface., (Copyright © 2016 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.)

Hypocalcemia is common in advanced chronic kidney disease (CKD) and end-stage renal disease (ESRD), and it is standard practice to correct this back to the normal range, presumably to prevent symptomatic hypocalcemia and help control hyperparathyroidism. However, there are few studies to support this approach, and recent data suggest that this promotes vascular calcification and adynamic bone disease. Whether setting a lower target will improve outcomes has not been tested, but existing data suggest that this may have minimal risks and substantial potential benefits and should be explored., (Copyright © 2016 International Society of Nephrology. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: Right ventricular failure (RVF) increases morbidity and mortality. The RECOVER RIGHT study evaluated the safety and efficacy of a novel percutaneous right ventricular assist device, the Impella RP (Abiomed, Danvers, MA), in a prospective, multicenter trial., Methods: Thirty patients with RVF refractory to medical treatment received the Impella RP device at 15 United States institutions. The study population included 2 cohorts: 18 patients with RVF after left ventricular assist device (LVAD) implantation (Cohort A) and 12 patients with RVF after cardiotomy or myocardial infarction (Cohort B). The primary end point was survival to 30 days or hospital discharge (whichever was longer). Major secondary end points included indices of safety and efficacy., Results: The patients (77% male) were a mean age of 59 ± 15 years, 53% had diabetes, 88.5% had a history of congestive heart failure, and 37.5% had renal dysfunction. Patients were on an average of 3.2 inotropes/pressors. Device delivery was achieved in all but 1 patient. Hemodynamics improved immediately after initiation of Impella RP support, with an increase in cardiac index from 1.8 ± 0.2 to 3.3 ± 0.23 liters/min/m(2) (p < 0.001) and a decrease in central venous pressure from 19.2 ± 4 to 12.6 ± 1 mm Hg (p < 0.001). Patients were supported for an average of 3.0 ± 1.5 days (range, 0.5-7.8 days). The overall survival at 30 days was 73.3%. All patients discharged were alive at 180 days., Conclusions: In patients with life-threatening RVF, the novel percutaneous Impella RP device was safe, easy to deploy, and reliably resulted in immediate hemodynamic benefit. These data support its probable benefit in this gravely ill patient population., (Copyright © 2015 International Society for Heart and Lung Transplantation. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)