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Abstract Background Glutaraldehyde-treated bioprosthetic heart valves are commonly used for replacement of diseased heart valves. However, calcification and wear limit their durability, and the development of new and improved bioprosthetic valve designs is needed and must be evaluated in a reliable animal model. We studied glutaraldehyde-treated valves 6 months after implantation to evaluate bioprosthetic valve complications in the mitral position in juvenile pigs. Materials The study material comprised eight, 5-month old, 60-kg pigs. All pigs received a size 27, glutaraldehyde-treated, stented, Carpentier-Edwards S.A.V. mitral valve prosthesis. After six months, echocardiography was performed, and the valves explanted for gross examination, high resolution X-ray, and histological evaluation. Results Five pigs survived the follow-up period. Preexplant echocardiography revealed a median peak and mean velocity of 1.61 m/s (range: 1.17-2.00) and 1.20 (SD = ±0.25), respectively, and a median peak and mean pressure difference of 10.42 mmHg (range: 5.83-16.55) and 6.51 mmHg (SD = ±2.57), respectively. Gross examination showed minor thrombotic depositions at two commissures in two valves and at all three commissures in three valves. High resolution X-ray imaging revealed different degrees of calcification in all explanted valves, primarily in the commissural and belly areas. In all valves, histological evaluation demonstrated various degrees of fibrous sheath formation, limited immunological infiltration, and no overgrowth of host endothelium. Conclusions Bioprosthetic glutaraldehyde-treated mitral valves can be implanted into the mitral position in pigs and function after 6 months. Echocardiographic data, calcification, and histological examinations were comparable to results obtained in sheep models and human demonstrating the suitability of the porcine model.

Background: Cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) induces segmental left ventricular (LV) remodeling. The LV lead position (LV-LP) affects response to CRT and remodeling.Objective: We aimed to assess segmental remodeling concordant, adjacent, and remote to LV-LP using cardiac computed tomography (CT).Methods: We included patients from the Empiric Versus Imaging-Guided Left Ventricular Lead Placement in Cardiac Resynchronization Therapy trial. Dynamic cardiac CT was performed at baseline and after 6 months. We assessed systolic wall thickening (WT) and exact LV-LP from the CT scans according to a 16-segment model. Response to CRT was defined as ≥15% reduction in LV end-systolic volume.Results: A total of 107 consecutive patients were included. The change in WT from baseline to follow-up was -19% (95% confidence interval [CI] -25% to -13%; P < .001) in concordant segments, -0.1% (95% CI -5% to 5%; P = .97) in adjacent segments, and 20% (95% CI -17% to 23%; P < .001) in remote segments. Diastolic wall thickness changed only marginally. Twenty patients (19%) were nonresponders at follow-up. In nonresponders with nonischemic cardiomyopathy, we observed a significant reduction in WT in concordant and adjacent segments with no increase in WT in remote segments.Conclusion: During CRT, systolic WT increases in segments remote to LV-LP, decreases in concordant segments, and remains unchanged in adjacent segments. Only marginal changes occur in wall thickness. In nonresponders with nonischemic cardiomyopathy, deleterious changes in segmental myocardial function occur, and further studies on how to treat these patients best are warranted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose To assess long-term geometric changes of the mitral valve apparatus using cardiac CT in individuals who underwent cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT). Materials and Methods Participants from a randomized controlled trial with cardiac CT examinations before CRT implantation and at 6 months follow-up (Clinicaltrials.gov identifier NCT01323686) were invited to undergo an additional long-term follow-up cardiac CT examination. The geometry of the mitral valve apparatus, including mitral valve annulus area, A2 leaflet angle, tenting height, and interpapillary muscle distances, were assessed. Geometric changes at the long-term follow-up examination were reported as mean differences (95% CI), and the Pearson correlation test was used to assess correlation between statistically significant geometric changes and left ventricular (LV) volumes and function. Results Thirty participants (mean age, 68 years ± 9 [SD]; 25 male participants) underwent cardiac CT imaging after a median long-term follow-up of 9.0 years (IQR, 8.4-9.4). There were reductions in end-systolic A2 leaflet angle (-4° [95% CI: -7, -2]), end-systolic tenting height (-1 mm [95% CI: -2, -1]), and end-systolic and end-diastolic interpapillary muscle distances (-4 mm [95% CI: -6, -2]) compared with pre-CRT implantation values. The mitral valve annulus area remained unchanged. LV end-diastolic and end-systolic volumes decreased (-68 mL [95% CI: -99, -37] and -67 mL [95% CI: -96, -39], respectively), and LV ejection fraction increased (13% [95% CI: 7, 19]) at the long-term follow-up examination. Changes in interpapillary muscle distances showed moderate to strong correlations with LV volumes ( r = 0.42-0.72; P < .05), while A2 leaflet angle and tenting height were not correlated to LV volumes or function. Conclusion Among the various geometric changes in the mitral valve apparatus after long-term CRT, the reduction in interpapillary muscle distances correlated with LV volumes while the reduced A2 leaflet angle and tenting height did not correlate with LV volumes. Keywords: Mitral Valve Apparatus, Cardiac Resynchronization Therapy, Cardiac CT Supplemental material is available for this article. © RSNA, 2024.

Aims: To examine the associations between three social determinants of health (SDOH) and recurrence of AF after ablation., Methods and Results: We selected patients who underwent a first ablation after an incident hospital diagnosis of AF between 2005 and 2018 from the entire Danish population. Educational attainment, family income, and whether the patient was living alone were assessed at the time of ablation. We used cause-specific proportional hazard models to estimate hazard ratios (HR) with 95% confidence interval (CI) adjusted for age and sex. In secondary analyses, we adjusted for comorbidities, antiarrhythmic medication, and prior electrical cardioversion.We selected 9728 patients (mean age 61 years, 70% men), and 5881 patients had AF recurrence over an average of 1.37 years after ablation (recurrence rate 325.7 (95% CI 317.6-334.2) per 1000 person-years). Lower education (HR 1.09 [1.02-1.17] and 1.07 [1.01-1.14] for lower and medium vs. higher), lower income [HR 1.14 (1.06-1.22) and 1.09 (1.03-1.17) for lower and medium vs. higher], and living alone [HR 1.07 (1.00-1.13)] were associated with increased rates of recurrence of AF. We found no evidence of interaction between sex or prior HF with SDOH. The association between family income and AF recurrence was stronger among patients < 65 years compared with those aged ≥ 65 years. The associations between SDOH and AF recurrence did not persist in the multivariable model., Conclusion: AF was more likely to recur among patients with lower educational attainment, lower family income, or those living alone. Multidisciplinary efforts are needed to reduce socioeconomic inequity in the effect of ablation., (© The Author(s) 2022. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the European Society of Cardiology.)