Search

Aims: Hereditary (ATTRv) and wild‐type (ATTRwt) transthyretin amyloidosis are severe and fatal systemic diseases, characterised by amyloid fibrillar accumulation principally in the heart or peripheral nerves (or both). Since 2012, tafamidis has been used in France to treat patients with ATTRv with neuropathy (alone or combined with cardiomyopathy). Recently, the Phase III ATTR‐ACT trial showed that tafamidis decreased the relative risk of mortality in ATTR amyloidosis with cardiomyopathy. The aims of this study were to assess the clinical characteristics of ATTR amyloidosis in a real‐life population in comparison to the population included in the ATTR‐ACT trial and to assess the impact of tafamidis treatment on major cardiovascular outcome (MCO)‐free survival time without cardiac decompensation, heart transplant, or death. Methods and results: From June 2008 to November 2018, 648 patients with ATTR amyloidosis (423 ATTRwt and 225 ATTRv) consecutively referred to the French Referral Center for cardiac amyloidosis were included. A total of 467 (72%) patients matched the inclusion criteria of the ATTR‐ACT trial. For the 631 patients with cardiomyopathy, tafamidis treatment was associated with a longer median MCO‐free survival time (n = 98): 1565 (1010–2400) days vs. 771 (686–895) days without treatment (log‐rank P < 0.001). This association was confirmed after considering confounding factors (age at inclusion, N‐terminal pro‐B‐type natriuretic peptide and amyloidosis type) with a propensity score (hazard ratio 0.546; P = 0.0132). Conclusion: In a large cohort of ATTRwt and ATTRv patients, representative of the inclusion criteria of the ATTR‐ACT trial, the present results show an association between tafamidis treatment and a lower occurrence of cardiovascular outcomes in a real‐life population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Acute myocarditis usually presents as chest pain with rising troponin and normal coronary arteries. Despite frequent favourable evolution at the acute phase, it is associated with heart failure and ventricular rhythm disorders, and is considered the leading cause of sudden cardiac death in young, apparently healthy, adults. There are no specific recommendations for acute myocarditis diagnosis and management, only expert consensus, given the lack of large databases., Aim: The main objective is to describe the contemporary presentation of acute myocarditis, its management and in-hospital outcomes. Secondary objectives are to investigate survival and event-free survival for up to 10years of follow-up, the determinants of prognosis, the modalities of treatment and follow-up and the gaps between expert consensus and real-life management., Methods: MyocarditIRM is a prospective multicentre cohort that enrolled 803 consecutive patients with acute myocarditis in 49 participating centres in France between 01 May 2016 and 28 February 2019. The diagnosis of acute myocarditis was acknowledged by cardiac magnetic resonance, using the Lake Louise Criteria. Exclusion criteria were age<18years, lack of health coverage, contraindication to cardiac magnetic resonance and refusal to participate. Detailed information was collected prospectively, starting at admission. Cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (diagnosis and follow-up) is analysed centrally by the certified core laboratory IHU ICAN. Ten years of follow-up for each patient is ensured by linking with the French National Health Database, and includes information on death, hospital admissions, major clinical events and drug consumption., Conclusion: This prospective cohort with long-term follow-up represents the largest database on acute myocarditis worldwide, and will improve knowledge about its presentation, management and outcomes., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.)

Background: Limited studies reported the rate and clinical impact of peridevice leaks (PDL) after percutaneous left atrial appendage closure (LAAC)., Methods: All consecutive patients with a nonvalvular atrial fibrillation admitted for LAAC between November 2011 and October 2016 were prospectively enrolled. The follow-up included clinical, transesophageal echocardiography, and/or cardiac computed tomography angiogram (CCTA). PDL was defined by the presence of contrast within the left atrial appendage on CCTA, and Major Adverse Cardiac Event (MACE) included stroke, device-related thrombosis, and cardiovascular death., Results: Overall, 77 patients (mean CHA 2 DS 2 -VASc score = 4.4 ± 1.5 and mean HAS-BLED = 3.4 ± 1.1) were implanted using Amplatzer Cardiac Plug (n = 24), Amulet (n = 37), or Watchman devices (n = 16). Indications were stroke recurrence despite adequate oral anticoagulation (OAC, n = 6) or contraindication to long-term OAC (n = 71). From 3-month to 12-month CCTA follow-up, the PDL rate decreased from 68.5% to 56.7% (P = 0.02), without any difference between the various devices. Patients with PDL were more often in permanent atrial fibrillation, and had a larger landing zone diameter, a lower ratio of device compression, and a more frequent off-axis position of the device. A device compression ratio < 10% was the only parameter associated with PDL occurrence. During follow-up (median 236 days) the MACE rate was 9.1%, with no statistically significant difference between patients with vs without PDL (12% vs 4.3%, P = 0.3)., Conclusions: The PDL rate detected by CCTA after LAAC was high, especially in cases with a low device compression ratio (< 10%), but decreased over time. The incidence of MACE was quantitatively greater with PDL, but the difference was not statistically significant. Larger studies are needed to determine the clinical importance of PDL., (Copyright © 2018 Canadian Cardiovascular Society. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: Experimental studies suggest that morphine may protect the myocardium against ischemia-reperfusion injury by activating salvage kinase pathways. The objective of this two-center, randomized, double-blind, controlled trial was to assess potential cardioprotective effects of intra-coronary morphine in patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) referred for primary percutaneous intervention., Methods: Ninety-one patients with STEMI were randomly assigned to intracoronary morphine (1 mg) or placebo at reperfusion of the culprit coronary artery. The primary endpoint was infarct size/left ventricular mass ratio assessed by magnetic resonance imaging on day 3-5. Secondary endpoints included the areas under the curve (AUC) for troponin T and creatine kinase over three days, left ventricular ejection fraction assessed by echocardiography on days 1 and 6, and clinical outcomes., Results: Infarct size/left ventricular mass ratio was not significantly reduced by intracoronary morphine compared to placebo (27.2% ± 15.0% vs. 30.5% ± 10.6%, respectively, p = 0.28). Troponin T and creatine kinase AUCs were similar in the two groups. Morphine did not improve left ventricular ejection fraction on day 1 (49.7 ± 10.3% vs. 49.3 ± 9.3% with placebo, p = 0.84) or day 6 (48.5 ± 10.2% vs. 49.0 ± 8.5% with placebo, p = 0.86). The number of major adverse cardiac events, including stent thrombosis, during the one-year follow-up was similar in the two groups., Conclusions: Intracoronary morphine at reperfusion did not significantly reduce infarct size or improve left ventricular systolic function in patients with STEMI. Presence of comorbidities in some patients may contribute to explain these results., Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT01186445 (date of registration: August 23, 2010).