Search

Abstract Aims In low‐risk patients with severe aortic stenosis (AS), sutureless surgical aortic valve replacement (SU‐SAVR) may be an alternative to transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI). The risk of heart failure hospitalization (HFH) after aortic valve replacement (AVR) in this population is incompletely characterized. This study aims to investigate the incidence, predictors, and outcomes of HFH in patients undergoing SU‐SAVR versus TAVI. Methods and results Patients referred for AVR between 2013 and 2020 at two centres were consecutively included. The decision for SU‐SAVR or TAVI was determined by a multidisciplinary Heart Team. Cox regression and competing risk analysis were conducted to assess adverse events. Of 594 patients (mean age 77.5 ± 6.4, 59.8% male), 424 underwent SU‐SAVR, while 170 underwent TAVI. Following a mean follow‐up of 34.1 ± 23.1 months, HFH occurred in 112 (27.8%) SU‐SAVR patients and in 8 (4.8%) TAVI patients (P

Abstract Aims Interatrial shunts are under evaluation as a treatment for heart failure (HF); however, their in vivo flow performance has not been quantitatively studied. We aimed to investigate the fluid dynamics properties of the 0.51 cm orifice diameter Ventura shunt and assess its lumen integrity with serial transesophageal echocardiography (TEE). Methods and results Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) and bench flow tests were used to establish the flow‐pressure relationship of the shunt. Open‐label patients from the RELIEVE‐HF trial underwent TEE at shunt implant and at 6 and 12 month follow‐up. Shunt effective diameter (Deff) was derived from the vena contracta, and flow was determined by the continuity equation. CFD and bench studies independently validated that the shunt's discharge coefficient was 0.88 to 0.89. The device was successfully implanted in all 97 enrolled patients; mean age was 70 ± 11 years, 97% were NYHA class III, and 51% had LVEF ≤40%. Patency was confirmed in all instances, except for one stenotic shunt at 6 months. Deff remained unchanged from baseline at 12 months (0.47 ± 0.01 cm, P = 0.376), as did the trans‐shunt mean pressure gradient (5.1 ± 3.9 mmHg, P = 0.316) and flow (1137 ± 463 mL/min, P = 0.384). TEE measured flow versus pressure closely correlated (R2 ≥ 0.98) with a fluid dynamics model. At 12 months, the pulmonary/systemic flow Qp/Qs ratio was 1.22 ± 0.12. Conclusions When implanted in patients with advanced HF, this small interatrial shunt demonstrated predictable and durable patency and performance.

Patent foramen ovale (PFO) closure, along with medical therapy, has emerged as the therapeutic gold standard in younger (60 years) patients with a PFO-related cerebrovascular event, a complex group of patients who were mostly excluded from PFO closure clinical trials. Nevertheless, several studies have shown a higher prevalence of PFO among older patients with cryptogenic stroke, and its presence has been associated with an increased risk of recurrent events. Furthermore, older patients exhibit a higher prevalence of high-risk PFO anatomical features, present inherent age-related risk factors that might increase the risk of paradoxical embolism through a PFO, and have a higher incidence of ischemic events after a PFO-related event. Additionally, observational studies have shown the safety and preliminary efficacy of PFO closure in older PFO-related stroke patients. Yet, higher rates of recurrent cerebrovascular events and new-onset atrial fibrillation were observed in some studies among older patients compared to their younger counterparts. After careful case-by-case evaluation, including the assessment of hidden potential cardioembolic sources of a cryptogenic stroke other than PFO, transcatheter PFO closure might be a safe and effective therapeutic option for preventing recurrent thromboembolic events in patients >60 years with a high-risk PFO-associated stroke. Ongoing trials will provide important insights into the role of PFO closure in the elderly population.

BackgroundPeriprocedural myocardial injury (PPMI) frequently occurs after transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI), although its impact on long-term mortality is uncertain.MethodsWe performed a pooled analysis of Kaplan-Meier-derived individual patient data to compare survival in patients with and without PPMI after TAVI. Flexible parametric models with B-splines and landmark analyses were used to determine PPMI prognostic value. Subgroup analyses for VARC-2, troponin, and creatine kinase-MB (CK-MB)-defined PPMI were also performed.ResultsEighteen observational studies comprising 10,094 subjects were included. PPMI was associated with lower overall survival (OS) after two years (HR = 1.46, 95% CI 1.30–1.65, p

Background Scarce data exist on sex differences in patients with cryptogenic cerebrovascular events undergoing patent foramen ovale (PFO) closure. This study aimed to determine the sex differences in clinical profile, procedural characteristics, and long‐term outcomes of patients with cryptogenic cerebrovascular events undergoing PFO closure. Methods and Results A retrospective cohort was used, including 1076 consecutive patients undergoing PFO closure because of a cryptogenic cerebrovascular event. Patients were divided into 2 groups: 469 (43.6%) women and 607 (56.4%) men. The median follow‐up was 3 years (interquartile range, 2–8 years). Women were younger (46±13 versus 50±12 years; P

RESUMEN Introducción y objetivos: Existe poca información comparativa entre el cierre de la orejuela izquierda (COI) y los anticoagulantes orales de acción directa (ACOD). Nuestro objetivo fue comparar los resultados clínicos entre el COI y los ACOD en una población de pacientes mayores de 80 años. Métodos: Se analizaron 1.144 pacientes octogenarios con fibrilación auricular provenientes de 3 hospitales terciarios. De ellos, 970 recibían ACOD y 174 fueron sometidos a COI. Ambos grupos presentaban similares factores de riesgo cardiovascular. El grupo de COI tenía mayor porcentaje de antecedentes de hemorragia, anemia y cáncer previo. Se llevó a cabo un análisis emparejado y se obtuvieron 2 grupos de 58 pacientes con similares factores de riesgo, comorbilidad y escalas de riesgo que fueron sometidos a COI o recibían tratamiento con ACOD. Los resultados de acuerdo con la estrategia terapéutica se obtuvieron mediante regresión de Cox. Resultados: Durante una mediana de seguimiento de 2 años [rango: 0,9-3,5] no hubo diferencias en cuanto al evento combinado primario de muerte, hemorragia mayor o ictus (HR = 1,05; IC95%, 0,15-7,51). Las hemorragias fueron similares en ambos grupos, sin diferencias estadísticamente significativas (HR = 1,79; IC95%, 0,73-4,41). La mortalidad fue mayor en los pacientes con ACOD (31,8%) frente a aquellos con COI (26,4%), sin diferencias significativas (HR = 0,70; IC95%, 0,33-1,47). Conclusiones: En comparación con los ACOD, el COI no ha mostrado diferencias en cuanto a eventos embólicos, hemorragias y mortalidad en una población de pacientes de edad avanzada. En nuestra cohorte, el COI es una alternativa que puede considerarse para los pacientes mayores de 80 años.

ABSTRACT Introduction and objectives: Information comparing left atrial appendage closure (LAAC) to direct oral anticoagulation (DOAC) therapy is scarce. Our aim is to compare the clinical outcomes between LAAC and DOACs on an elderly population (> 80 years of age). Methods: We retrospectively collected 1144 octogenarian patients with atrial fibrillation from 3 different tertiary hospitals. A total of 970 patients received DOACs and 174 patients were treated with LAAC. At baseline, both groups had similar cardiovascular risk factors. The LAAC group had more history of bleeding, anemia or previous cancer. We conducted a propensity score matching study and obtained 2 different paired groups of 58 patients with similar baseline risk factors, comorbidities, and risk scores who received DOACs or were treated with LAAC. The outcomes of the therapeutic strategy used (DOACs or LAAC) were assessed using the Cox regression analysis. Results: During a median follow-up of 2.0 years [range 0.9-3.5] no differences regarding the primary endpoint (a composite of death, major bleeding, and stroke) were found (HR, 1.05; 95%CI, 0.15-7.51). Bleeding events were similar in both groups with no statistically significant differences being reported (HR, 1.79; 95%CI, 0.73-4.41). Mortality rate was numerically higher in patients on DOACs (31.8%) vs LAAC (26.4%). However, this finding did not reach statistical significance (HR, 0.70; 95%CI, 0.33-1.47; P = .343). Conclusions: Compared to DOACs, LAAC has not shown any differences regarding embolic events, bleeding, and mortality in a population of elderly patients > 80 years of age. In our population, LAAC is a strategy as safe and effective as DOACs, and is an alternative to be taken into consideration in real-world patients > 80 years.

Transcatheter patent foramen ovale (PFO) closure is a safe and effective treatment for secondary prevention after a PFO-associated stroke as demonstrated in multiple large randomized clinical trials. However, these trials excluded a significant proportion of patients who could have benefited from percutaneous PFO closure due to coexisting potential confounders such as additional thromboembolic risk factors, namely thrombophilia. Since scarce and conflicting data existed on such patients, current clinical management guidelines on patients with PFO mainly recommended against PFO closure in patients with thrombophilia and failed to provide any recommendation on the type and duration of antithrombotic treatment after transcatheter PFO closure. In the past 2 years, there has been new evidence supporting transcatheter PFO closure as a clinically meaningful alternative (vs. medical treatment) in this high-risk group of patients, along with additional data supporting the important role of systematic screening for thrombophilia in PFO-associated cerebrovascular events. This review article provides an updated overview of the incidence, clinical characteristics and outcomes of PFO closure in patients with thrombophilia, also commenting on the most appropriate medical treatment after PFO closure and future perspectives in the field.

The use of transcatheter edge-to-edge mitral valve repair (TEER) in symptomatic patients with severe mitral regurgitation (MR) has dramatically increased over the last few years. Current guidelines consider TEER as a reasonable option in symptomatic patients with primary or chronic secondary severe MR with high or prohibitive surgical risk and favorable anatomy. However, several anatomical and morphological mitral features have restricted the use of this mini-invasive technique in its early experience. The latest fourth generation (G4) of the MitraClip system has been recently introduced and includes the possibility of independent leaflet grasping and 4 different sizes. This technical update offers the possibility of selecting and combining multiple devices for complex mitral valve anatomies and challenging procedures, which helps expand the applications of TEER. The present review describes the potential advantages and the help of the MitraClip G4 devices to overcome various anatomic and morphologic issues in challenging cases with complex primary and secondary MR procedures.

Background: As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic first wave, reductions in ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) invasive care, ranging from 23% to 76%, have been reported from various countries. Whether this change had any impact on coronary angiography (CA) volume or on mechanical support device use for STEMI and post-STEMI mechanical complications in Canada is unknown. Methods: We administered a Canada-wide survey to all cardiac catheterization laboratory directors, seeking the volume of CA use for STEMI performed during the period from March 1 2020 to May 31, 2020 (pandemic period), and during 2 control periods (March 1, 2019 to May 31, 2019 and March 1, 2018 to May 31, 2018). The number of left ventricular support devices used, as well as the number of ventricular septal defects and papillary muscle rupture cases diagnosed, was also recorded. We also assessed whether the number of COVID-19 cases recorded in each province was associated with STEMI-related CA volume. Results: A total of 41 of 42 Canadian catheterization laboratories (98%) provided data. There was a modest but statistically significant 16% reduction (incidence rate ratio [IRR] 0.84; 95% confidence interval 0.80-0.87) in CA for STEMI during the first wave of the pandemic, compared to control periods. IRR was not associated with provincial COVID-19 caseload. We observed a 26% reduction (IRR 0.74; 95% confidence interval 0.61-0.89) in the use of intra-aortic balloon pump use for STEMI. Use of an Impella pump and mechanical complications from STEMI were exceedingly rare. Conclusions: We observed a modest 16% decrease in use of CA for STEMI during the pandemic first wave in Canada, lower than the level reported in other countries. Provincial COVID-19 caseload did not influence this reduction. Résumé: Introduction: Après la première vague de la pandémie de COVID-19, de nombreux pays ont déclaré une réduction de 23 % à 76 % des soins invasifs de l'infarctus du myocarde avec élévation du segment ST (STEMI). On ignore si ce changement a entraîné des répercussions sur le volume d'angiographies coronariennes (AC) ou sur l'utilisation des dispositifs d'assistance mécanique lors de STEMI et des complications mécaniques post-STEMI au Canada. Méthodes: Nous avons réalisé un sondage pancanadien auprès de tous les directeurs de laboratoire de cathétérisme cardiaque pour obtenir le volume d'utilisation des AC lors des STEMI réalisées durant la période du 1er mars 2020 au 31 mai 2020 (période de pandémie) et durant 2 périodes témoins (1er mars 2019 au 31 mai 2019 et 1er mars 2018 au 31 mai 2018). Le nombre de dispositifs d'assistance ventriculaire gauche utilisés et le nombre de cas de communications interventriculaires et de ruptures du muscle papillaire diagnostiqués ont également été enregistrés. Nous avons aussi évalué si le nombre de cas de COVID-19 enregistrés dans chaque province était associé au volume d'AC liées aux STEMI. Résultats: Au total, 41 des 42 laboratoires canadiens de cathétérisme (98 %) ont fourni des données. Lors de la comparaison de la première vague de la pandémie aux périodes témoins, nous avons noté une réduction modeste, mais significative, sur le plan statistique de 16 % (ratio du taux d'incidence [RTI] 0,84; intervalle de confiance à 95 % 0,80-0,87) des AC lors de STEMI. Le RTI n’était pas associé au nombre provincial de cas de COVID-19. Nous avons observé une réduction de 26 % (RTI 0,74; intervalle de confiance à 95 % 0,61-0,89) de l'utilisation de pompes à ballonnet intra-aortique lors de STEMI. L'utilisation d'une pompe Impella et les complications mécaniques après les STEMI étaient extrêmement rares. Conclusions: Nous avons observé une diminution modeste de 16 % de l'utilisation des AC lors de STEMI durant la première vague de la pandémie au Canada, soit une diminution plus faible que ce que les autres pays ont signalé. Le nombre provincial de cas de COVID-19 n'a pas influencé cette réduction.

Background: Transcatheter valve-in-valve replacement (ViV-TAVR) has emerged as an alternative to redo-surgical aortic valve replacement (Redo-SAVR) for the treatment of failed surgical aortic bioprostheses. However, the benefit of ViV-TAVR compared with Redo-SAVR remains debated with regard to short-term hemodynamic results and short- and long-term clinical outcomes. Objective: This study aimed to compare short-term hemodynamic performance and long-term clinical outcomes of ViV-TAVR vs. Redo-SAVR in patients treated for surgical aortic bioprosthetic valve failure. Methods: We retrospectively analyzed the data prospectively collected in 184 patients who underwent Redo-SAVR or ViV-TAVR. Transthoracic echocardiography was performed before and after the procedure and analyzed in an echocardiography core laboratory using the new Valve Academic Research Consortium-3 criteria. An inverse probability of treatment weighting was used to compare the outcomes between both procedures. Results: ViV-TAVR showed lower rate of intended hemodynamic performance (39.2% vs. 67.7%, p < 0.001) at 30 days, which was essentially driven by a higher rate (56.2% vs. 28.8%, p = 0.001) of high residual gradient (mean transvalvular gradient ≥20 mm Hg). Despite a trend for higher 30-day mortality in the Redo-SAVR vs. ViV-TAVR group (8.7% vs. 2.5%, odds ratio [95% CI]: 3.70 [0.77-17.6]; p = 0.10), the long-term mortality was significantly lower (24.2% vs. 50.1% at 8 years; hazard ratio [95% CI]: 0.48 [0.26-0.91]; p = 0.03) in the Redo-SAVR group. After inverse probability of treatment weighting analysis, Redo-SAVR remained significantly associated with reduced long-term mortality compared with ViV-TAVR (hazard ratio [95% CI]: 0.32 [0.22-0.46]; p < 0.001). Conclusions: ViV-TAVR was associated with a lower rate of intended hemodynamic performance and numerically lower mortality at 30 days but higher rates of long-term mortality compared with Redo-SAVR.

We herein present clinical images illustrating a transcatheter aortic valve implantation within an extremely calcified aortic valve, which posed considerable difficulty in crossing the aortic annulus. To gain maximum support, we used 2 buddy wires to allow a balloon predilation and then a successful crossing of the transcatheter heart valve. This technique provides additional support for those performing this procedure and may be included in the armamentarium of transcatheter aortic valve specialists. Résumé: Nous présentons ici des images cliniques illustrant un remplacement valvulaire aortique percutané au sein d'une valve aortique native extrêmement calcifiée, ce qui rendait très difficile la traversée de l’anneau aortique. Pour obtenir un soutien maximal, nous avons utilisé 2 fils-guides pour permettre une prédilatation par ballonnet, puis un passage réussi de la valve percutanée. Cette technique apporte un soutien supplémentaire à ceux qui pratiquent cette intervention et peut être ajoutée à l’arsenal thérapeutique des spécialistes de l’implantation de valves aortiques percutanées.

Abstract Background In patients undergoing left atrial appendage (LAA) closure, an accurate sizing of the LAA is key to optimize device sizing, procedural success and reduce complications. Previous studies have shown that intraprocedural volume loading increases LAA dimensions and improves device sizing. However, the safety and effects on LAA and device sizing of administering a fluid bolus during pre-procedural transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) are unknown. The aim of this study was to determine the safety and impact on LAA dimensions and device sizing of an intravenous (IV) fluid bolus administered during TEE in the setting of the pre-procedural work-up for LAA closure. Methods The study included a total of 72 patients who underwent TEE to assess suitability for LAAC and received a 500 ml IV bolus of normal saline. The LAA landing zone (LZ) and depth were measured by TEE before and after volume loading, and these measurements were used to predict the device size implanted during a subsequent percutaneous LAAC procedure. Results There were no complications associated with volume loading. The baseline mean LZ was 19.6 ± 3.6 mm at 90o, and 20.2 ± 4.1 mm at 135o. Following fluid bolus, the maximum diameter increased 1.5 ± 1.0 mm at 90o (p

RESUMEN El tratamiento antitrombótico tras el implante percutáneo de válvula aórtica (TAVI) ha evolucionado empíricamente, y en la actualidad en las guías clínicas se recomienda el tratamiento antiagregante plaquetario doble (TAPD, ácido acetilsalicílico más clopidogrel). El ensayo piloto ARTE mostró un mayor riesgo de episodios hemorrágicos graves o potencialmente mortales y ninguna disminución de las complicaciones tromboembólicas con el uso de TAPD frente a ácido acetilsalicílico solo en los pacientes receptores de TAVI. El ensayo POPular TAVI recientemente publicado (NCT02247128) ha confirmado los efectos negativos del TAPD (en comparación con el ácido acetilsalicílico solo) tras TAVI, que se asoció con un aumento significativo de todos los eventos hemorrágicos (objetivo principal) y ninguna disminución de los eventos isquémicos (accidente cerebrovascular, infarto de miocardio) ni de las muertes. Además, el TAPD no tuvo ningún efecto sobre la aparición de trombosis valvular clínicamente aparente. Si bien los estudios en curso y futuros determinarán el posible papel de la anticoagulación (frente a la antiagregación plaquetaria) como tratamiento antitrombótico tras TAVI, la evidencia actual apoya firmemente el uso del tratamiento antiagregante plaquetario único (ácido acetilsalicílico) en este contexto. Por lo tanto, en la práctica clínica habitual del TAVI se debe adoptar con urgencia un enfoque minimalista con ácido acetilsalicílico solo, e implementarlo en las guías de práctica clínica.

ABSTRACT Antithrombotic therapy following transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) has evolved empirically with dual antiplatelet therapy (DAPT, aspirin plus clopidogrel) currently recommended in the clinical guidelines. The pilot ARTE trial showed a higher risk of major/life-threatening bleeding events and no reduction of thromboembolic complications with the use of DAPT vs aspirin alone in TAVI recipients. The recently published POPular TAVI trial (NCT02247128) confirmed an increased risk of DAPT (vs. aspirin alone) following TAVI, which was associated with a significant increase in all bleeding events (primary endpoint) and no reduction of ischemic events (stroke, myocardial infarction) or death. Also, DAPT had no effects on the occurrence of clinically apparent valve thrombosis. While ongoing and future studies will have to determine the potential role of anticoagulation (vs antiplatelet) therapy as the antithrombotic treatment of TAVI, the evidence currently available strongly supports the use of single antiplatelet therapy (aspirin) in this setting. Thus, a minimalist approach with aspirin alone should urgently be adopted in the TAVI routine clinical practice and, therefore, implemented in the guidelines.

BackgroundThe long-term cardiovascular (CV) outcomes of COVID-19 have not been fully explored.MethodsThis was an international, multicenter, retrospective cohort study conducted between February and December 2020. Consecutive patients ≥18 years who underwent a real-time reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) for SARS-CoV2 were included. Patients were classified into two cohorts depending on the nasopharyngeal swab result and clinical status: confirmed COVID-19 (positive RT-PCR) and control (without suggestive symptoms and negative RT-PCR). Data were obtained from electronic records, and clinical follow-up was performed at 1-year. The primary outcome was CV death at 1-year. Secondary outcomes included arterial thrombotic events (ATE), venous thromboembolism (VTE), and serious cardiac arrhythmias. An independent clinical event committee adjudicated events. A Cox proportional hazards model adjusted for all baseline characteristics was used for comparing outcomes between groups. A prespecified landmark analysis was performed to assess events during the post-acute phase (31-365 days).ResultsA total of 4,427 patients were included: 3,578 (80.8%) in the COVID-19 and 849 (19.2%) control cohorts. At one year, there were no significant differences in the primary endpoint of CV death between the COVID-19 and control cohorts (1.4% vs. 0.8%; HRadj 1.28 [0.56-2.91]; p = 0.555), but there was a higher risk of all-cause death (17.8% vs. 4.0%; HRadj 2.82 [1.99-4.0]; p = 0.001). COVID-19 cohort had higher rates of ATE (2.5% vs. 0.8%, HRadj 2.26 [1.02-4.99]; p = 0.044), VTE (3.7% vs. 0.4%, HRadj 9.33 [2.93-29.70]; p = 0.001), and serious cardiac arrhythmias (2.5% vs. 0.6%, HRadj 3.37 [1.35-8.46]; p = 0.010). During the post-acute phase, there were no significant differences in CV death (0.6% vs. 0.7%; HRadj 0.67 [0.25-1.80]; p = 0.425), but there was a higher risk of deep vein thrombosis (0.6% vs. 0.0%; p = 0.028). Re-hospitalization rate was lower in the COVID-19 cohort compared to the control cohort (13.9% vs. 20.6%; p = 0.001).ConclusionsAt 1-year, patients with COVID-19 experienced an increased risk of all-cause death and adverse CV events, including ATE, VTE, and serious cardiac arrhythmias, but not CV death.Study registrationURL: https://www.clinicaltrials.gov. Unique identifier: NCT04359927.

Background No study has evaluated the impact of the additional manipulation demanded by multiple resheathing (MR) in patients undergoing transcatheter aortic valve replacement with repositionable self‐expanding valves. Methods and Results This study included a real‐world, multicenter registry involving 16 centers from Canada, Germany, Latin America, and Spain. All consecutive patients who underwent transcatheter aortic valve replacement with the Evolut R, Evolut PRO, and Portico valves were included. Patients were divided according to the number of resheathing: no resheathing, single resheathing (SR), and MR. The primary end point was device success. Secondary outcomes included procedural complications, early safety events, and 1‐year mortality. In 1026 patients, the proportion who required SR and MR was 23.9% and 9.3%, respectively. MR was predicted by the use of Portico and moderate/severe aortic regurgitation at baseline (both with P

An air embolism (AE) is a rare but dreaded complication during endovascular procedures. Current guidance recommends hyperbaric oxygen therapy and aspiration for the management of a venous AE. However, the management of an arterial AE is much less described. We report a case of a 79-year-old man with symptomatic mitral regurgitation who underwent a MitraClip procedure. During the intervention, a massive AE was detected in the ascending aorta on transesophageal echocardiography. The AE was successfully aspirated while the patient remained hemodynamically stable. This report demonstrates the efficacy of an arterial AE’s aspiration with a real-time echocardiography recording of the technique. Résumé: Une embolie gazeuse (EG) est une complication rare mais redoutée lors des interventions endovasculaires. Les directives actuelles recommandent l'oxygénothérapie hyperbare et l'aspiration pour la prise en charge d'une EG veineuse. Cependant, la prise en charge d'une EG artérielle est beaucoup moins bien décrite. Nous rapportons le cas d'un homme de 79 ans présentant une insuffisance mitrale symptomatique et ayant subi une procédure MitraClip. Au cours de l'intervention, une EG massive a été détectée dans l'aorte ascendante à l'échocardiographie transoesophagienne. L'EG a été aspirée avec succès alors que le patient est resté stable sur le plan hémodynamique. Ce rapport démontre l'efficacité de l'aspiration d'une EG artérielle avec un enregistrement en temps réel de la technique par échocardiographie.

Over the past decade, several transcatheter devices have been developed to address the treatment of severe mitral regurgitation (MR) in patients at high surgical risk, mainly aimed at repairing the native mitral valve (MV). MV repair devices have recently been shown to have high efficacy and safety. However, to replicate promising trial results, specific anatomical and pathophysiological criteria have to be met and operators need a high level of experience. As yet, the longer-term durability of transcatheter MV repair remains unknown. Transcatheter MV replacement (TMVR) might be a treatment option able to target various anatomies, reliably abolish MR, and foster ease of use with a standardised implantation protocol. This review presents upcoming TMVR devices and available data and discusses how TMVR might further advance the field of transcatheter treatment of MR.

Background In patients undergoing transcatheter aortic valve implantation without an indication for oral anticoagulation, it is unclear whether single or dual antiplatelet therapy (DAPT) is necessary to minimize both the bleeding and thromboembolic risk. In this patient‐level meta‐analysis, we further investigate the effect of aspirin alone compared with DAPT for preventing both thromboembolic and bleeding events after transcatheter aortic valve implantation. Methods and Results We conducted a systematic review of all available randomized controlled trials comparing aspirin with DAPT. In total, 1086 patients were included across 4 eligible trials. The primary outcomes were the composite of all‐cause mortality, major or life‐threatening bleeding, stroke or myocardial infarction (first composite outcome), and the same composite excluding bleeding (second composite outcome), both tested at 30 days and 3 months. The first composite outcome occurred significantly less in the aspirin‐alone group at 30 days (10.3% versus 14.7%, odds ratio [OR], 0.67; 95% CI, 0.46–0.97, P=0.034) and 3 months (11.0% versus 16.5%, hazard ratio [HR], 0.66; 95% CI, 0.47–0.94, P=0.02), compared with the DAPT group. The second composite outcome occurred in 5.5% and 6.6% at 30 days (OR, 0.83; 95% CI, 0.50–1.38, P=0.47) and in 6.9% and 8.5% at 3 months in the aspirin‐alone group compared with the DAPT group (HR, 0.82; 95% CI, 0.52–1.29, P=0.39), respectively. Conclusions In patients without an indication for oral anticoagulation undergoing transcatheter aortic valve implantation, aspirin alone significantly reduced the composite of thromboembolic and bleeding events, and does not increase the composite of thromboembolic events after transcatheter aortic valve implantation, compared with DAPT.

Background Some concerns remain regarding the safety of transcarotid and transsubclavian approaches for transcatheter aortic valve replacement. We aimed to compare the risk of 30‐day complications and death in transcarotid/transsubclavian versus transfemoral transcatheter aortic valve replacement recipients. Methods and Results Data from 20 studies, including 79 426 patients (16 studies) and 3992 patients (4 studies) for the evaluation of the unadjusted and adjusted impact of the arterial approach were sourced, respectively. The use of a transcarotid/transsubclavian approach was associated with an increased risk of stroke when using unadjusted data (risk ratio [RR], 2.28; 95% CI, 1.90–2.72) as well as adjusted data (odds ratio [OR], 1.53; 95% CI, 1.05–2.22). The pooled results deriving from unadjusted data showed an increased risk of 30‐day death (RR, 1.46; 95% CI, 1.22–1.74) and bleeding (RR, 1.53; 95% CI, 1.18–1.97) in patients receiving transcatheter aortic valve replacement through a transcarotid/transsubclavian access (compared with the transfemoral group), but the associations between the arterial access and death (OR, 1.22; 95% CI, 0.89–1.69), bleeding (OR, 1.05; 95% CI, 0.68–1.61) were no longer significant when using adjusted data. No significant effect of the arterial access on vascular complication was observed in unadjusted (RR, 0.84; 95% CI, 0.66–1.06) and adjusted (OR, 0.79; 95% CI, 0.53–1.17) analyses. Conclusions Transcarotid and transsubclavian approaches for transcatheter aortic valve replacement were associated with an increased risk of stroke compared with the transfemoral approach. However, these nonfemoral arterial alternative accesses were not associated with an increased risk of 30‐day death, bleeding, or vascular complication when taking into account the confounding factors.

Transcatheter tricuspid valve intervention (TTVI) has recently emerged as an alternative for the treatment of severe tricuspid regurgitation (TR). Multiple percutaneous devices have been developed in the last decade with promising early results. Among them, the coaptation devices are designed to reduce TR severity by valve leaflet plication or occupying the regurgitant orifice with a spacer. To date, the MitraClip/TriClip devices (Abbott, Santa Clara, CA, USA), the PASCAL system (Edwards Lifesciencies, Irvine, CA, USA), and the FORMA device (Edwards Lifesciencies, Irvine, CA, USA) have been used as coaptation devices for treating severe TR. The present document aimed to review the clinical evidence on coaptation devices in the field of TTVI, describing its design characteristics, main procedural steps, and early and mid-term outcomes.

The creation of an interatrial shunt has emerged as a new therapy to decompress the left atrium in patients with acute and chronic left heart failure (HF). Current data support the safety of this therapy, and promising preliminary efficacy results have been reported in patients who are refractory to optimal medical/device therapy. This article aims to provide an updated overview and clinical perspective on interatrial shunting for treating different HF conditions, and highlights the potential challenges and future directions of this therapy.

Patients with isolated functional or recurrent tricuspid regurgitation are often denied surgery because they are considered to be at high risk. Transcatheter valve therapy provides a less invasive alternative for tricuspid regurgitation associated with right heart failure. We have evaluated the feasibility of transcatheter tricuspid valve implantation of the NaviGate valved stent in a long-term swine model. The valved stent was successfully implanted through transjugular and transatrial approaches on the beating heart with excellent hemodynamic and valve performance. No conduction disturbance or coronary obstruction was observed. This technology could provide an alternative treatment for patients who are at high surgical risk with severe tricuspid regurgitation and compromised right ventricular function.

The optimal antithrombotic strategy following left atrial appendage occlusion (LAAO) is not yet clearly established. Low-dose non-vitamin K antagonist oral anticoagulants (NOAC) might represent a valid alternative, but data regarding their usage is scarce. The aim of this study was to examine the efficacy and safety of low-dose NOAC compared to single (SAPT) or dual antiplatelet therapies (DAPT) after LAAO. We included consecutive patients with non-valvular atrial fibrillation who underwent LAAO and received low-dose apixaban, SAPT, or DAPT at discharge. The primary objective of this study included an efficacy endpoint (thromboembolic events and device related thrombosis (DRT)) and a safety endpoint (incidence of major bleeding) within the first three months after LAAO. A total of 139 patients were included. This group involved SAPT in 26 (18%), DAPT in 73 (53%), and apixaban in 40 (29%) patients. Follow-up at three-months showed no significant differences in the primary efficacy endpoint (2 (8%) SAPT, 3 (4%) DAPT and 0 (0%) apixaban; p value = 0.25). In contrast, the primary safety endpoint occurred more frequently in DAPT patients (7 (10%) DAPT, 0 (0%), SAPT and 0 with apixaban; p value = 0.03). Combining both efficacy and safety outcomes, low dose apixaban had a lower rate of events (2 (8%) with SAPT, 9 (12%) with DAPT and 0 (0%) with apixaban; p = 0.046). Low-dose apixaban after LAAO may be a valid alternative to DAPT and SAPT as depicted by the reduction in the occurrence of major bleedings and combined DRT/major bleedings respectively. Randomized data will be necessary to validate this strategy.

Background Transcatheter mitral valve replacement (TMVR) has emerged as an alternative therapeutic option for the treatment of severe mitral regurgitation in patients with prohibitive or high surgical risk. The aim of this systematic review is to evaluate the clinical procedural characteristics and outcomes associated with the early TMVR experience. Methods and Results Published studies and international conference presentations reporting data on TMVR systems were identified. Only records including clinical characteristics, procedural results, and 30‐day and midterm outcomes were analyzed. A total of 16 publications describing 308 patients were analyzed. Most patients (65.9%) were men, with a mean age of 75 years (range: 69–81 years) and Society for Thoracic Surgery Predicted Risk of Mortality score of 7.7% (range: 6.1–8.6%). The etiology of mitral regurgitation was predominantly secondary or mixed (87.1%), and 81.5% of the patients were in New York Heart Association class III or IV. A transapical approach was used in 81.5% of patients, and overall technical success was high (91.7%). Postprocedural mean transmitral gradient was 3.5 mm Hg (range: 3–5.5 mm Hg), and only 4 cases (1.5%) presented residual moderate to severe mitral regurgitation. Procedural and all‐cause 30‐day mortality were 4.6% and 13.6%, respectively. Left ventricular outflow obstruction and conversion to open heart surgery were reported in 0.3% and 4% of patients, respectively. All‐cause and cardiovascular‐related mortality rates were 27.6% and 23.3%, respectively, after a mean follow‐up of 10 (range: 3 to 24) months. Conclusions TMVR was a feasible, less invasive alternative for treating severe mitral regurgitation in patients with high or prohibitive surgical risk. TMVR was associated with a high rate of successful valve implantation and excellent hemodynamic results. However, periprocedural complications and all‐cause mortality were relatively high.

Objectives. To report on the feasibility and technical differences between coronary procedures performed before and after TAVR with the balloon-expandable Edwards-SAPIEN or the SAPIEN XT valves. Background. Coronary artery disease (CAD) and aortic stenosis often coexist. Transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) is emerging as a treatment for younger and lower surgical risk patients who might not present with clinically evident CAD before TAVR. The demand for performing post-TAVR coronary angiograms (CAs) and percutaneous coronary interventions (PCIs) will thus increase, posing new technical challenges. Methods. Over 1000 TAVRs were performed at the Quebec Heart and Lung Institute, of which 616 with the abovementioned valves. Of these, 28 patients had an analyzable pre- and post-TAVR CAs and 13 patients had pre- and post-TAVR PCIs performed. Procedural characteristics were gathered from all coronary procedures and subsequently compared amongst the same type of procedure performed at these two distinct time periods. Results. Neither CAs‐nor PCIs‐performed after valve implantation revealed significant differences regarding arterial access site, catheter diameter, number of diagnostic or guiding catheters used, procedural duration, fluoroscopy time, or achievement of selective coronary injection. Lesion location and classification, as well as the preference of using a drug-eluting stent, remained unchanged. During post-TAVR CA, the amount of contrast delivered and the radiation dose area product were significantly lower compared with pre-TAVR CA values. Conclusions. Performance of CA and PCI after TAVR with a balloon-expandable valve appears unaffected by its presence.

El acceso a la literatura médica ha sufrido un cambio radical en los últimos años. En menos de dos décadas se ha pasado de un sistema basado en papel a un sistema de envío digital en red. El desarrollo de la informática, y sobre todo de internet, ha revolucionado no solo el formato de envío de manuscritos, sino también la rapidez con que se preparan estos (incluyendo gestores informáticos de referencias adaptables al formato diferente de cada revista). Esta revolución también ha afectado a la velocidad de acceso a la información. Las bases de datos que se generaban a principios del siglo XXI pueden considerarse «prehistóricas» comparadas con las existentes hoy. La digitalización de las historias clínicas y la creación de cuadernos de recogida de datos informáticos aceleran de manera exponencial la preparación y el análisis de los datos incluidos en las investigaciones. Incluso la formación de los investigadores es en la actualidad mucho más transversal, y es frecuente encontrar en los equipos de investigación expertos en estadística que facilitan el análisis de los datos. Sin embargo, todos estos cambios tan importantes se quedan pequeños en comparación con el acceso existente a la información médica en general. Pese a que...

Access to medical literature has seen dramatic changes over the last few years. In less than two decades it has gone from a paperbased system to an online digital sending system. The advances made on computing and, above all, the Internet has revolutionized not only the way manuscripts are sent, but also how fast these get to the public (including reference manager software adaptable to the different format of various journals). This revolution has also touched the way information is being accessed these days. The databases generated at the beginning of the 21st century are «prehistoric» compared to the ones we use today. The digitalization of clinical histories and the creation of software for data mining purposes have accelerated exponentially the preparation and analysis of the data included in the studies. Even researchers have a much more transversal training and it is common to see research teams that are savvy in statistics and that facilitate data analysis. However, all these important changes are nothing compared to the actual access to general medical information. Even though access to medical literature is not actually open (something we will refer to later), access to a great deal of information is just huge. And all this has resulted in an exponential increase in the amount of papers that scientific journals receive on a monthly...

BackgroundThe influence of coronary artery disease (CAD) on clinical and echocardiographic outcomes after transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) is still controversial. We sought to evaluate the impact of CAD severity as measured by the SYNTAX score (SS) on patients undergoing TAVR. Methods and ResultsA total of 377 patients who underwent TAVR in 2 high‐volume centers in North America were included in our retrospective analysis. A blinded angiographic core laboratory calculated the SS on all available coronary angiograms with the use of quantitative coronary analysis. Patients were stratified into 4 groups: (1) no CAD (SS=0); (2) low SS (SS between 1 and 22); (3) intermediate SS (SS between 23 and 32); and (4) high SS (SS ≥33). Patients who had undergone percutaneous coronary intervention within 6 months prior to TAVR were separated into 2 categories based on their residual SS (

BackgroundQT interval has been shown to be associated with cardiovascular events. There is no data regarding the association between QT interval and left ventricular (LV) function and prognosis in patients with low LV ejection fraction (LVEF), low‐flow, low‐gradient aortic stenosis (LF‐LG AS). We aimed to examine the relationship between corrected QT interval (QTc) and LV function and outcome in these patients. Methods and ResultsNinety‐three patients (73±10 years; 74% men) with LF‐LG AS (mean gradient 450 ms in men and >470 ms in women. LV global longitudinal strain was measured by speckle tracking and expressed in absolute value |%|. QTc correlated with the following: global longitudinal strain (r=−0.40, P=0.005), LVEF (r=−0.27, P=0.02), stroke volume (r=−0.35, P=0.007), and B‐type natriuretic peptide (r=0.45, P=0.0006). During a median follow‐up of 2.0 years, 49 patients died. Prolonged QTc was associated with a 2‐fold increase in all‐cause mortality (hazard ratio=2.05; P=0.01) and cardiovascular mortality (hazard ratio=1.89; P=0.04). In multivariable analysis adjusted for EuroSCORE, aortic valve replacement, previous myocardial infarction, LVEF, and ß‐blocker medication, prolonged QTc was independently associated with all‐cause mortality (hazard ratio=2.56; P=0.008) and cardiovascular mortality (hazard ratio=2.50; P=0.02). ConclusionsIn patients with LF‐LG AS and reduced LVEF, longer QTc interval was associated with worse LV function and increased risk of death. Assessment of QTc may provide a simple and inexpensive tool to enhance risk stratification in LF‐LG AS patients. Clinical Trial RegistrationURL: https://www.clinicaltrials.gov. Unique identifier: NCT 01835028.