Andrea Natale M.D., F.A.C.C., F.H.R.S., F.E.S.C., Executive Medical Director, Texas Cardiac Arrhythmia Institute at St. David’s Medical Center at Texas Cardiac Arrhythmia. In this video, he speaks about Endocardial Scar-Homogenization With vs Without Epicardial Ablation in VT Patients With Ischemic Cardiomyopathy.
\n\n
Observation -
\n\n
Goals:
\n\n
The authors of this study compared the success of scar homogeneity with a mixed (epicarddial + endocardial) vs endocardial-only technique for ventricular tachycardia (VT) in patients with ischemic cardiomyopathy (ICM) at 5 years of follow-up.
\n\n
Origins:
\n\n
The best ablation strategy for achieving long-term success in VT patients with ICM is unknown.
\n\n
Methodology:
\n\n
Patients with ICM who underwent VT ablation at our center were divided into two groups: endocardial + epicardial scar homogenization and endocardial scar homogenization. Patients who had already undergone open heart surgery were not eligible. Despite the fact that all group 1 patients were noninducible following endocardial ablation, epicardial ablation was done. All patients received bipolar substrate mapping with conventional scar settings of >1.5 mV for normal tissue and 0.5 mV for severe scar. The procedure\'s endpoint in both groups was noninducibility of monomorphic VT. Implantable device interrogations were performed on patients every 4 months for 5 years.
\n\n
Outcomes:
\n\n
The study included 361 participants (n = 70 in group 1 and n = 291 in group 2). At 5 years, 81.4 percent (n = 57/70) of group 1 patients and 66.3 percent (n = 193/291) of group 2 patients were arrhythmia-free (P = 0.01). Anti-arrhythmic medications (AAD) were used by 26 of 57 (45.6 percent) and 172 of 193 (89.1 percent) of the patients in groups 1 and 2 (log-rank P 0.001). Endo-epicarddial scar homogeneity was linked with a substantial reduction in arrhythmia recurrence after controlling for age, gender, and obstructive sleep apnea (HR: 0.48; 95 percent CI: 0.27-0.86; P = 0.02).
\n\n
Observations:
\n\n
Despite being noninducible following endocardial ablation, epicardial substrate was found in all group 1 patients in this series of patients with ICM and VT. Furthermore, when compared to endocardial ablation alone, combined endo-epicarddial scar homogeneity was linked with a much higher success rate at 5 years of follow-up and a significantly lower demand for antiarrhythmic medicines after the treatment.
Scott Wright, MD, Professor of Medicine, Chair of the IRB at the Mayo Clinic. In this video, he speaks about the Phase III ORION-9,10, and 11 Studies.
In summary:
This is a placebo-controlled, double-blind, randomized Phase III research in patients with ASCVD with increased LDL-C despite the maximum tolerated dose of LDL-C lowering treatments to assess the efficacy, safety, and tolerability of subcutaneous (SC) inclisiran injection (s). The study will be conducted in multiple locations across the United States.
Prakriti Gaba, MD, Cardiology Fellow at Harvard Medical School. In this video, she speaks about the Prevention of Cardiovascular Events and Mortality With Icosapent Ethyl in Patients With Prior Myocardial Infarction.
Outline
Origins:
REDUCE-IT was a double-blind experiment in which 8,179 statin-treated individuals with reduced low-density lipoprotein cholesterol and moderately increased triglycerides were randomly assigned to icosapent ethyl (IPE) or placebo. The primary objective, including death from cardiovascular (CV) causes, was significantly reduced. It was uncertain what effect IPE has on people who had previously had a myocardial infarction (MI).
Goals:
In REDUCE-IT, we wanted to look at the effect of IPE on ischemic events in patients who had previously had a MI.
Methodology:
We conducted post-hoc analysis on patients who had previously experienced MI. CV mortality, MI, stroke, coronary revascularization, or hospitalization for unstable angina were the primary endpoints. The most important secondary outcome was CV death, MI, or stroke.
Outcomes:
A total of 3,693 patients had a previous MI. With IPE vs placebo, the primary endpoint was lowered from 26.1 percent to 20.2 percent; HR: 0.74 (95 percent CI: 0.65-0.85; P = 0.00001). The main secondary endpoint was lowered from 18.0% to 13.3%; HR: 0.71 (95 percent CI: 0.61-0.84; P = 0.00006). There was also a substantial 35% relative risk reduction in total ischemia events (P = 0.0000001), 34% reduction in MI (P = 0.00009), 30% reduction in CV death (P = 0.01), and a 20% reduction in all-cause mortality (P = 0.054), despite a modest rise in atrial fibrillation. Sudden cardiac death and cardiac arrest were also drastically reduced by 40% and 56%, respectively.
Inferences:
Patients in REDUCE-IT with a history of recent MI who were treated with IPE had large and significant relative and absolute risk reductions in ischemic events, including CV mortality. (AMR101 Study to Assess Its Ability to Reduce Cardiovascular Events in High-Risk Patients With Hypertriglyceridemia and Statin Use. The primary goal is to assess the effect of 4 g/day AMR101 on the occurrence of a first major cardiovascular event. NCT01492361; [REDUCE-IT])
Jean Marie Ruddy, MD, Vascular surgeon with clinical interests in lower extremity venous insufficiency and atherosclerotic disease of the abdominal aorta, carotid artery, and extremity vessels at Medical University of South Carolina. Anne Kroman DO, PhD, Cardiac Electrophysiologist at Medical University of South Carolina. Ryan Tedford, MD, Dr. Peter C. Gazes Endowed Chair in Heart Failure; Professor of Medicine at Medical University of South Carolina; Chief, Heart Failure; Medical Director, Cardiac Transplantation; Director, AHFTX Fellowship Program. In this video, she and her colleagues speak about the article MUSC doctors first at academic medical center to perform ‘game-changing’ new heart failure device procedure.
Two MUSC Health doctors are the first at an academic medical center and just the second in the world to employ a new, minimally invasive procedure to implant a heart failure therapy device – and, in an unusual turn of events, they're both women in traditionally male-dominated specialties.
Jean Marie Ruddy, M.D., a vascular surgeon, is the lead investigator at the MUSC site for the testing of this innovative implantation procedure for Barostim. Anne Kroman, D.O., Ph.D., a cardiac electrophysiologist, is the site co-principal investigator for the BATwire percutaneous implant research employing the Barostim Neo System.
Following successful trials headed by MUSC Health cardiologist Michael Zile, M.D., Barostim received breakthrough device approval from the US Food and Drug Administration in 2019. The device stimulates the nerve that regulates blood pressure with electrical impulses, causing the blood arteries to relax.
Although the gadget cannot cure heart failure, it can significantly enhance patients' quality of life. According to cardiologist Ryan Tedford, M.D., section chief of heart failure, medical director of cardiac transplantation, and professor in the College of Medicine, it's intended for patients who aren't getting enough benefit from medication but aren't sick enough for a heart pump or heart transplant.
On Thursday, his patient became the first at MUSC Health to undergo the innovative type of implantation.
To insert the electrode, the first method of implantation required a vascular surgeon to create an incision in the patient's neck. However, in a "engineering achievement," the new approach being investigated would allow the device to be implanted through a wire, according to Ruddy. Kroman explained that it is comparable to how pacemaker wires are now implanted.
Instead, the surgeons used ultrasound to locate the region of the blood vessel where the proper nerve is located, then advanced a needle into place to guide the wire through. The whole thing took around an hour and a half. Although it is believed that this will become an outpatient treatment, participants must be hospitalized overnight for the duration of the experiment.
Patients who have already had the device implanted have reported an improvement in their quality of life, according to Ruddy and Kroman. Patients are typically short of breath before the treatment, even while walking about, and may have given up cherished activities – Ruddy noted one patient who was eager to return to fishing.
According to Tedford, there are a substantial number of people who could benefit from this type of treatment, either because they aren't sick enough for more serious procedures or because they don't match the criteria for those surgeries.
Michelle M. Kittleson, MD, PhD, Director, Heart Failure Research, Director, Post Graduate Medical Education in Heart Failure and Transplantation, Professor of Medicine at Cedars-Sinai. In this video, she speaks about A Clinician's Guide to the 2022 ACC/AHA/HFSA Guideline for the Management of Heart Failure.
The American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association/Heart Failure Society of America (ACC/AHA/HFSA) 2022 Guideline for the Management of Heart Failure provides clinicians with patient-centered recommendations for preventing, diagnosing, and managing heart failure patients (HF). 1 The document, the result of nearly two years of work by the writing committee's 26 members, includes 159 pages of text (including 40 pages of references), 14 sections, 33 tables, 15 figures, and 192 recommendations—a daunting task for any clinician interested in optimizing the care of patients with HF. What is the best strategy to approach a new policy?
Anuradha Lala, MD, Associate Professor of Medicine, Cardiology, Associate Professor, Population Health Science and Policy at Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai. Robert John Mentz, MD, Associate Professor of MedicineAssociate Professor in Population Health Sciences, Member in the Duke Clinical Research Institute at Duke University. In this video, she speaks about the article #WordsMatter Continued: Moving from “Candidacy” To “Benefit Derived”.
As professionals who care for patients suffering from heart failure, we are all too familiar with such phrases.
Consider yourself a patient who has been told that you are not a "candidate" for a particular therapy. Is this language likely to make you feel marginalized? Ill-fated? Denied? Such difficulties have recently come to light in relation to the need for COVID-19 vaccination prior to being listed for heart transplantation.
The definition of the candidate, according to Merriam-Webster Dictionary, covers the following:
a:
one who wants to, is nominated for, or qualifies for a position, membership, or honor
b:
one who is likely to go through or be chosen for something specific
Complex integrated decision-making, as is prevalent in clinical practice, contributes to our patients' "fate." However, this is another important proof of how much our #wordsmatter. Our goal is not to determine fate. It is not to favor one patient over another or to refuse anyone life-saving treatment. Rather, our aim and role are to serve as resource stewards while also assisting in determining the amount to which a patient will benefit from a certain therapy (based on aggregated experience and data).
So we've been debating... Why not phrase it that way if that is the intention?
Consider the following phrase in place of the preceding:
"Mr. X is unlikely to benefit from heart transplantation at this time due to active colon cancer (which would grow due to post-transplant immunosuppression)."
Or
"Ms. Y is unlikely to benefit appreciably from sustained LVAD installation at this time due to past stroke, severe peripheral vascular disease, and recurrent gastrointestinal bleeding, all of which put her at high risk of post-surgical complications and mortality."
These rephrasing issues also apply to medical therapies:
"The patient is unlikely to benefit from sacubitril/valsartan at this time due to significant symptomatic hypotension - which may worsen after medication administration."
Articulating why an individual may or may not benefit from therapy at a certain time allows us to communicate more effectively - not only with patients and their loved ones but also among physicians. Furthermore, rather than conveying judgmental feelings, this approach emphasizes nonmaleficence, in which decisions are balanced against all benefits, risks, and consequences. Circumstances change, and assessments based on the current level of expected benefit from a therapy might be evaluated at individualized intervals.
Heart failure is a disease with unacceptably high morbidity and fatality rates. Let us focus on how we relay and convey information as we attempt to enhance therapeutic outcomes. At JCF, we know that our #wordsmatter — to patients, their families, each other, and the communities we serve – whether it's changing "failure" to "function", replacing "non-compliance" with "barriers to adherence", or shifting from "candidacy" to "extent of benefit obtained."
Jonathan P. Piccini, MD, Associate Professor at Duke University. In this video, he speaks about the Safety of the oral factor XIa inhibitor asundexian compared with apixaban in patients with atrial fibrillation (PACIFIC-AF): a multicentre, randomised, double-blind, double-dummy, dose-finding phase 2 study.
Summarization:
Backstory -
The use of direct-acting oral anticoagulants for stroke prevention in atrial fibrillation is restricted due to bleeding concerns. Asundexian, a new oral small molecule activated coagulation factor XIa (FXIa) inhibitor, has the potential to minimize thrombosis while having no effect on haemostasis. In individuals with atrial fibrillation, we wanted to find the best dose of asundexian and compare the risk of bleeding to that of apixaban.
Techniques -
We compared asundexian 20 mg or 50 mg once daily with apixaban 5 mg twice daily in patients 45 years or older with atrial fibrillation, a CHA2DS2-VASc score of at least 2 if male or at least 3 if female, and an increased bleeding risk in this randomised, double-blind, phase 2 dose-finding study. The research was carried out at 93 sites across 14 nations, including 12 in Europe, Canada, and Japan. Using an interactive web response system, participants were randomly assigned (1:1:1) to a treatment group, with randomization stratified by whether patients were using a direct-acting oral anticoagulant prior to the study's start. A double-dummy design was used to achieve masking, with participants receiving both the assigned treatment and a placebo that mimicked the non-assigned therapy. The primary outcome was a composite of major or clinically relevant non-major bleeding based on International Society of Thrombosis and Haemostasis criteria, which was examined in all patients who received at least one dose of study medication. This study is listed on ClinicalTrials.gov as NCT04218266 and EudraCT as 2019-002365-35.
Results -
862 patients were registered between January 30, 2020, and June 21, 2021. 755 individuals were randomized to treatment at random. Because two participants (assigned to asundexian 20 mg) did not take any trial medicine, 753 patients were included in the analysis (249 received asundexian 20 mg, 254 received asundexian 50 g, and 250 received apixaban). The participants' mean age was 737 years (SD 83), 309 (41%) were women, 216 (29%) had chronic renal disease, and the mean CHA2DS2-VASc score was 39 (13%). Asundexian 20 mg inhibited FXIa activity by 81 percent at trough concentrations and 90 percent at peak concentrations; asundexian 50 mg inhibited FXIa activity by 92 percent at trough concentrations and 94 percent at peak concentrations. The incidence proportions for the primary endpoint were 050 (90 percent confidence interval 014–168) for asundexian 20 mg (three events), 016 (001–099) for asundexian 50 mg (one event), and 033 (009–097) for pooled asundexian (four occurrences) against apixaban (six events). Any adverse event occurred at the same rate in all three treatment groups: 118 (47%) with asundexian 20 mg, 120 (47%) with asundexian 50 mg, and 122 (49%) with apixaban.
Explanation -
In patients with atrial fibrillation, the FXIa inhibitor asundexian at dosages of 20 mg and 50 mg once daily led in decreased rates of bleeding compared to normal apixaban treatment, with near-complete in vivo FXIa suppression.
Ibrahim Sultan, MD, Associate Professor of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Director, Center for Thoracic Aortic Disease, Surgical Director, Center for Heart Valve Disease, UPMC Heart and Vascular Institute at UPMC. In this video, he speaks about Transfusion of non–red blood cell blood products does not reduce survival following cardiac surgery.
Outline
Goals:
The evidence suggests that patients undergoing cardiac surgery who receive perioperative packed red blood cell (pRBC) transfusions have an increased risk of death. The current investigation is to determine whether there is a link between non–pRBC blood product transfusions and higher mortality.
Methodology:
Patients who underwent heart surgery between 2010 and 2018 were included in data from our center's Society of Thoracic Surgeons database. Patients requiring pRBC infusions or experiencing circulatory arrest were excluded. Propensity matching (1:1; caliper = 0.2 times the standard deviation of logit of propensity score) was used. Cox regression and Kaplan–Meier estimates were utilized. This study excluded individuals with cardiac transplants, ventricular assist devices, transcatheter aortic valves, and circulatory arrest.
Outcomes:
A total of 8042 patients met the analytic requirements. 395 patients requiring perioperative non–pRBC blood products (platelets, fresh-frozen plasma, and cryoprecipitate) were matched with 395 nontransfusion patients using propensity matching (1:1), resulting in equitable patient cohorts. The median duration of follow-up was 4.5 (3.0-6.4) years. Platelets (327 [82.8 percent]), fresh-frozen plasma (141 [35.7 percent]), and cryoprecipitate were given to patients (60 [15.2 percent ]). There was no statistically significant difference in postoperative mortality (6 [1.5%] vs 4 [1.0%]; P =.52). The transfusion group had higher rates of reoperation (20 [5.0 percent] vs 8 [2.0 percent]; P.02) and prolonged ventilation (36 [9.1 percent] vs 19 [4.8 percent]; P.02). Blood product use was strongly linked with emergent surgery (odds ratio [OR] 2.86 [1.72-4.78]; P.001), intra-aortic balloon pump (OR 3.24 [1.64-6.39]; P.001), and multivalve surgery (OR 4.34 [2.83-6.67]; P.001). Blood product transfusion (hazard ratio: 1.15 [0.89-1.48]; P =.3) was not related with an increased risk of death. There was no significant difference in long-term survival between groups.
Findings:
Those undergoing cardiac surgery who require blood products alone, without pRBC transfusion, have comparable postoperative and long-term survival to patients who do not require blood products. These findings are based on a small number of patients, and further research will help to improve the generalizability of these findings.
Jean Marie Ruddy, MD, Vascular surgeon with clinical interests in lower extremity venous insufficiency and atherosclerotic disease of the abdominal aorta, carotid artery, and extremity vessels at Medical University of South Carolina. Anne Kroman DO, PhD, Cardiac Electrophysiologist at Medical University of South Carolina. Ryan Tedford, MD, Dr. Peter C. Gazes Endowed Chair in Heart Failure; Professor of Medicine at Medical University of South Carolina; Chief, Heart Failure; Medical Director, Cardiac Transplantation; Director, AHFTX Fellowship Program. In this video, she and her colleagues speak about the article MUSC doctors first at academic medical center to perform ‘game-changing’ new heart failure device procedure.
Two MUSC Health doctors are the first at an academic medical center and just the second in the world to employ a new, minimally invasive procedure to implant a heart failure therapy device – and, in an unusual turn of events, they're both women in traditionally male-dominated specialties.
Jean Marie Ruddy, M.D., a vascular surgeon, is the lead investigator at the MUSC site for the testing of this innovative implantation procedure for Barostim. Anne Kroman, D.O., Ph.D., a cardiac electrophysiologist, is the site co-principal investigator for the BATwire percutaneous implant research employing the Barostim Neo System.
Following successful trials headed by MUSC Health cardiologist Michael Zile, M.D., Barostim received breakthrough device approval from the US Food and Drug Administration in 2019. The device stimulates the nerve that regulates blood pressure with electrical impulses, causing the blood arteries to relax.
Although the gadget cannot cure heart failure, it can significantly enhance patients' quality of life. According to cardiologist Ryan Tedford, M.D., section chief of heart failure, medical director of cardiac transplantation, and professor in the College of Medicine, it's intended for patients who aren't getting enough benefit from medication but aren't sick enough for a heart pump or heart transplant.
On Thursday, his patient became the first at MUSC Health to undergo the innovative type of implantation.
To insert the electrode, the first method of implantation required a vascular surgeon to create an incision in the patient's neck. However, in a "engineering achievement," the new approach being investigated would allow the device to be implanted through a wire, according to Ruddy. Kroman explained that it is comparable to how pacemaker wires are now implanted.
Instead, the surgeons used ultrasound to locate the region of the blood vessel where the proper nerve is located, then advanced a needle into place to guide the wire through. The whole thing took around an hour and a half. Although it is believed that this will become an outpatient treatment, participants must be hospitalized overnight for the duration of the experiment.
Patients who have already had the device implanted have reported an improvement in their quality of life, according to Ruddy and Kroman. Patients are typically short of breath before the treatment, even while walking about, and may have given up cherished activities – Ruddy noted one patient who was eager to return to fishing.
According to Tedford, there are a substantial number of people who could benefit from this type of treatment, either because they aren't sick enough for more serious procedures or because they don't match the criteria for those surgeries.
Anuradha Lala, MD, Associate Professor of Medicine, Cardiology, Associate Professor, Population Health Science and Policy at Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai. Robert John Mentz, MD, Associate Professor of MedicineAssociate Professor in Population Health Sciences, Member in the Duke Clinical Research Institute at Duke University. In this video, she speaks about the article #WordsMatter Continued: Moving from “Candidacy” To “Benefit Derived”.
As professionals who care for patients suffering from heart failure, we are all too familiar with such phrases.
Consider yourself a patient who has been told that you are not a "candidate" for a particular therapy. Is this language likely to make you feel marginalized? Ill-fated? Denied? Such difficulties have recently come to light in relation to the need for COVID-19 vaccination prior to being listed for heart transplantation.
The definition of the candidate, according to Merriam-Webster Dictionary, covers the following:
a:
one who wants to, is nominated for, or qualifies for a position, membership, or honor
b:
one who is likely to go through or be chosen for something specific
Complex integrated decision-making, as is prevalent in clinical practice, contributes to our patients' "fate." However, this is another important proof of how much our #wordsmatter. Our goal is not to determine fate. It is not to favor one patient over another or to refuse anyone life-saving treatment. Rather, our aim and role are to serve as resource stewards while also assisting in determining the amount to which a patient will benefit from a certain therapy (based on aggregated experience and data).
So we've been debating... Why not phrase it that way if that is the intention?
Consider the following phrase in place of the preceding:
"Mr. X is unlikely to benefit from heart transplantation at this time due to active colon cancer (which would grow due to post-transplant immunosuppression)."
Or
"Ms. Y is unlikely to benefit appreciably from sustained LVAD installation at this time due to past stroke, severe peripheral vascular disease, and recurrent gastrointestinal bleeding, all of which put her at high risk of post-surgical complications and mortality."
These rephrasing issues also apply to medical therapies:
"The patient is unlikely to benefit from sacubitril/valsartan at this time due to significant symptomatic hypotension - which may worsen after medication administration."
Articulating why an individual may or may not benefit from therapy at a certain time allows us to communicate more effectively - not only with patients and their loved ones but also among physicians. Furthermore, rather than conveying judgmental feelings, this approach emphasizes nonmaleficence, in which decisions are balanced against all benefits, risks, and consequences. Circumstances change, and assessments based on the current level of expected benefit from a therapy might be evaluated at individualized intervals.
Heart failure is a disease with unacceptably high morbidity and fatality rates. Let us focus on how we relay and convey information as we attempt to enhance therapeutic outcomes. At JCF, we know that our #wordsmatter — to patients, their families, each other, and the communities we serve – whether it's changing "failure" to "function", replacing "non-compliance" with "barriers to adherence", or shifting from "candidacy" to "extent of benefit obtained."
Andrea Natale M.D., F.A.C.C., F.H.R.S., F.E.S.C., Executive Medical Director, Texas Cardiac Arrhythmia Institute at St. David’s Medical Center at Texas Cardiac Arrhythmia. In this video, he speaks about Endocardial Scar-Homogenization With vs Without Epicardial Ablation in VT Patients With Ischemic Cardiomyopathy.
\n\n
Observation -
\n\n
Goals:
\n\n
The authors of this study compared the success of scar homogeneity with a mixed (epicarddial + endocardial) vs endocardial-only technique for ventricular tachycardia (VT) in patients with ischemic cardiomyopathy (ICM) at 5 years of follow-up.
\n\n
Origins:
\n\n
The best ablation strategy for achieving long-term success in VT patients with ICM is unknown.
\n\n
Methodology:
\n\n
Patients with ICM who underwent VT ablation at our center were divided into two groups: endocardial + epicardial scar homogenization and endocardial scar homogenization. Patients who had already undergone open heart surgery were not eligible. Despite the fact that all group 1 patients were noninducible following endocardial ablation, epicardial ablation was done. All patients received bipolar substrate mapping with conventional scar settings of >1.5 mV for normal tissue and 0.5 mV for severe scar. The procedure\'s endpoint in both groups was noninducibility of monomorphic VT. Implantable device interrogations were performed on patients every 4 months for 5 years.
\n\n
Outcomes:
\n\n
The study included 361 participants (n = 70 in group 1 and n = 291 in group 2). At 5 years, 81.4 percent (n = 57/70) of group 1 patients and 66.3 percent (n = 193/291) of group 2 patients were arrhythmia-free (P = 0.01). Anti-arrhythmic medications (AAD) were used by 26 of 57 (45.6 percent) and 172 of 193 (89.1 percent) of the patients in groups 1 and 2 (log-rank P 0.001). Endo-epicarddial scar homogeneity was linked with a substantial reduction in arrhythmia recurrence after controlling for age, gender, and obstructive sleep apnea (HR: 0.48; 95 percent CI: 0.27-0.86; P = 0.02).
\n\n
Observations:
\n\n
Despite being noninducible following endocardial ablation, epicardial substrate was found in all group 1 patients in this series of patients with ICM and VT. Furthermore, when compared to endocardial ablation alone, combined endo-epicarddial scar homogeneity was linked with a much higher success rate at 5 years of follow-up and a significantly lower demand for antiarrhythmic medicines after the treatment.
Jonathan P. Piccini, MD, Associate Professor at Duke University. In this video, he speaks about the Safety of the oral factor XIa inhibitor asundexian compared with apixaban in patients with atrial fibrillation (PACIFIC-AF): a multicentre, randomised, double-blind, double-dummy, dose-finding phase 2 study.
Summarization:
Backstory -
The use of direct-acting oral anticoagulants for stroke prevention in atrial fibrillation is restricted due to bleeding concerns. Asundexian, a new oral small molecule activated coagulation factor XIa (FXIa) inhibitor, has the potential to minimize thrombosis while having no effect on haemostasis. In individuals with atrial fibrillation, we wanted to find the best dose of asundexian and compare the risk of bleeding to that of apixaban.
Techniques -
We compared asundexian 20 mg or 50 mg once daily with apixaban 5 mg twice daily in patients 45 years or older with atrial fibrillation, a CHA2DS2-VASc score of at least 2 if male or at least 3 if female, and an increased bleeding risk in this randomised, double-blind, phase 2 dose-finding study. The research was carried out at 93 sites across 14 nations, including 12 in Europe, Canada, and Japan. Using an interactive web response system, participants were randomly assigned (1:1:1) to a treatment group, with randomization stratified by whether patients were using a direct-acting oral anticoagulant prior to the study's start. A double-dummy design was used to achieve masking, with participants receiving both the assigned treatment and a placebo that mimicked the non-assigned therapy. The primary outcome was a composite of major or clinically relevant non-major bleeding based on International Society of Thrombosis and Haemostasis criteria, which was examined in all patients who received at least one dose of study medication. This study is listed on ClinicalTrials.gov as NCT04218266 and EudraCT as 2019-002365-35.
Results -
862 patients were registered between January 30, 2020, and June 21, 2021. 755 individuals were randomized to treatment at random. Because two participants (assigned to asundexian 20 mg) did not take any trial medicine, 753 patients were included in the analysis (249 received asundexian 20 mg, 254 received asundexian 50 g, and 250 received apixaban). The participants' mean age was 737 years (SD 83), 309 (41%) were women, 216 (29%) had chronic renal disease, and the mean CHA2DS2-VASc score was 39 (13%). Asundexian 20 mg inhibited FXIa activity by 81 percent at trough concentrations and 90 percent at peak concentrations; asundexian 50 mg inhibited FXIa activity by 92 percent at trough concentrations and 94 percent at peak concentrations. The incidence proportions for the primary endpoint were 050 (90 percent confidence interval 014–168) for asundexian 20 mg (three events), 016 (001–099) for asundexian 50 mg (one event), and 033 (009–097) for pooled asundexian (four occurrences) against apixaban (six events). Any adverse event occurred at the same rate in all three treatment groups: 118 (47%) with asundexian 20 mg, 120 (47%) with asundexian 50 mg, and 122 (49%) with apixaban.
Explanation -
In patients with atrial fibrillation, the FXIa inhibitor asundexian at dosages of 20 mg and 50 mg once daily led in decreased rates of bleeding compared to normal apixaban treatment, with near-complete in vivo FXIa suppression.
Ibrahim Sultan, MD, Associate Professor of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Director, Center for Thoracic Aortic Disease, Surgical Director, Center for Heart Valve Disease, UPMC Heart and Vascular Institute at UPMC. In this video, he speaks about Transfusion of non–red blood cell blood products does not reduce survival following cardiac surgery.
Outline
Goals:
The evidence suggests that patients undergoing cardiac surgery who receive perioperative packed red blood cell (pRBC) transfusions have an increased risk of death. The current investigation is to determine whether there is a link between non–pRBC blood product transfusions and higher mortality.
Methodology:
Patients who underwent heart surgery between 2010 and 2018 were included in data from our center's Society of Thoracic Surgeons database. Patients requiring pRBC infusions or experiencing circulatory arrest were excluded. Propensity matching (1:1; caliper = 0.2 times the standard deviation of logit of propensity score) was used. Cox regression and Kaplan–Meier estimates were utilized. This study excluded individuals with cardiac transplants, ventricular assist devices, transcatheter aortic valves, and circulatory arrest.
Outcomes:
A total of 8042 patients met the analytic requirements. 395 patients requiring perioperative non–pRBC blood products (platelets, fresh-frozen plasma, and cryoprecipitate) were matched with 395 nontransfusion patients using propensity matching (1:1), resulting in equitable patient cohorts. The median duration of follow-up was 4.5 (3.0-6.4) years. Platelets (327 [82.8 percent]), fresh-frozen plasma (141 [35.7 percent]), and cryoprecipitate were given to patients (60 [15.2 percent ]). There was no statistically significant difference in postoperative mortality (6 [1.5%] vs 4 [1.0%]; P =.52). The transfusion group had higher rates of reoperation (20 [5.0 percent] vs 8 [2.0 percent]; P.02) and prolonged ventilation (36 [9.1 percent] vs 19 [4.8 percent]; P.02). Blood product use was strongly linked with emergent surgery (odds ratio [OR] 2.86 [1.72-4.78]; P.001), intra-aortic balloon pump (OR 3.24 [1.64-6.39]; P.001), and multivalve surgery (OR 4.34 [2.83-6.67]; P.001). Blood product transfusion (hazard ratio: 1.15 [0.89-1.48]; P =.3) was not related with an increased risk of death. There was no significant difference in long-term survival between groups.
Findings:
Those undergoing cardiac surgery who require blood products alone, without pRBC transfusion, have comparable postoperative and long-term survival to patients who do not require blood products. These findings are based on a small number of patients, and further research will help to improve the generalizability of these findings.
Scott Wright, MD, Professor of Medicine, Chair of the IRB at the Mayo Clinic. In this video, he speaks about the Phase III ORION-9,10, and 11 Studies.
In summary:
This is a placebo-controlled, double-blind, randomized Phase III research in patients with ASCVD with increased LDL-C despite the maximum tolerated dose of LDL-C lowering treatments to assess the efficacy, safety, and tolerability of subcutaneous (SC) inclisiran injection (s). The study will be conducted in multiple locations across the United States.
Prakriti Gaba, MD, Cardiology Fellow at Harvard Medical School. In this video, she speaks about the Prevention of Cardiovascular Events and Mortality With Icosapent Ethyl in Patients With Prior Myocardial Infarction.
Outline
Origins:
REDUCE-IT was a double-blind experiment in which 8,179 statin-treated individuals with reduced low-density lipoprotein cholesterol and moderately increased triglycerides were randomly assigned to icosapent ethyl (IPE) or placebo. The primary objective, including death from cardiovascular (CV) causes, was significantly reduced. It was uncertain what effect IPE has on people who had previously had a myocardial infarction (MI).
Goals:
In REDUCE-IT, we wanted to look at the effect of IPE on ischemic events in patients who had previously had a MI.
Methodology:
We conducted post-hoc analysis on patients who had previously experienced MI. CV mortality, MI, stroke, coronary revascularization, or hospitalization for unstable angina were the primary endpoints. The most important secondary outcome was CV death, MI, or stroke.
Outcomes:
A total of 3,693 patients had a previous MI. With IPE vs placebo, the primary endpoint was lowered from 26.1 percent to 20.2 percent; HR: 0.74 (95 percent CI: 0.65-0.85; P = 0.00001). The main secondary endpoint was lowered from 18.0% to 13.3%; HR: 0.71 (95 percent CI: 0.61-0.84; P = 0.00006). There was also a substantial 35% relative risk reduction in total ischemia events (P = 0.0000001), 34% reduction in MI (P = 0.00009), 30% reduction in CV death (P = 0.01), and a 20% reduction in all-cause mortality (P = 0.054), despite a modest rise in atrial fibrillation. Sudden cardiac death and cardiac arrest were also drastically reduced by 40% and 56%, respectively.
Inferences:
Patients in REDUCE-IT with a history of recent MI who were treated with IPE had large and significant relative and absolute risk reductions in ischemic events, including CV mortality. (AMR101 Study to Assess Its Ability to Reduce Cardiovascular Events in High-Risk Patients With Hypertriglyceridemia and Statin Use. The primary goal is to assess the effect of 4 g/day AMR101 on the occurrence of a first major cardiovascular event. NCT01492361; [REDUCE-IT])
Michelle M. Kittleson, MD, PhD, Director, Heart Failure Research, Director, Post Graduate Medical Education in Heart Failure and Transplantation, Professor of Medicine at Cedars-Sinai. In this video, she speaks about A Clinician's Guide to the 2022 ACC/AHA/HFSA Guideline for the Management of Heart Failure.
The American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association/Heart Failure Society of America (ACC/AHA/HFSA) 2022 Guideline for the Management of Heart Failure provides clinicians with patient-centered recommendations for preventing, diagnosing, and managing heart failure patients (HF). 1 The document, the result of nearly two years of work by the writing committee's 26 members, includes 159 pages of text (including 40 pages of references), 14 sections, 33 tables, 15 figures, and 192 recommendations—a daunting task for any clinician interested in optimizing the care of patients with HF. What is the best strategy to approach a new policy?
Professor Daniel I Sessler, Michael Cudahy Professor and Chair at the department of outcomes resesarch at Cleveland Clinic. In this video, he speaks about Aggressive intraoperative warming versus routine thermal management during non-cardiac surgery (PROTECT): a multicentre, parallel group, superiority trial.
Synopsis
Origins:
Intraoperative hypothermia of moderate severity causes myocardial damage, surgical site infections, and blood loss. It is unknown whether forceful warming to a true normothermic temperature approaching 37°C improves outcomes. We wanted to see if intensive intraoperative warming minimizes severe perioperative problems.
Methodologies:
During non-cardiac surgery, patients were randomly assigned (1:1) to either aggressive warming to a target core temperature of 37°C (aggressively warmed group) or routine thermal management to a target of 35°C (routine thermal management group) at 12 sites in China and the Cleveland Clinic in the United States. Randomization was stratified by location, with randomly sized blocks generated by a computer. Eligible patients (aged 45 years) had at least one cardiovascular risk factor, were scheduled for inpatient non-cardiac surgery lasting 2–6 hours under general anaesthesia, and had at least half of the anterior skin surface available for warming. Patients on dialysis and those with a BMI more than 30 kg/m2 were excluded. In the modified intention-to-treat population, the primary outcome was a composite of myocardial damage (troponin increase, probably of ischemic origin), non-fatal cardiac arrest, and all-cause mortality within 30 days of surgery. NCT03111875, this study is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov.
Observations:
5056 participants were enrolled between March 27, 2017 and March 16, 2021, with 5013 included in the intention-to-treat population (2507 in the aggressively warmed group and 2506 in the routine thermal management group). Patients allocated to intense warming had a mean final intraoperative core temperature of 371°C (SD 03), whereas patients assigned to regular thermal care had a mean final intraoperative core temperature of 356°C (SD 03). At least one of the primary outcome components (myocardial damage following non-cardiac surgery, cardiac arrest, or mortality) occurred in 246 (99% of 2497) of the forcefully warmed patients and in 239 (96% of 2490) of the normal thermal care patients. The calculated common impact relative risk of active versus routine thermal management was 104 (95 percent CI 087–124; p=069). There were 39 adverse events (17 of which were significant) in patients assigned to intense warming and 54 in those assigned to normal thermal care (30 of which were serious). One major adverse event in a patient who had been intensively warmed was thought to be connected to thermal management.
Observation:
The 30-day composite of main cardiovascular events did not differ substantially between participants randomly assigned to 355°C or 37°C. There was no evidence that any significant consequence differed throughout a 15°C range from extremely mild hypothermia to full normothermia. In surgical patients, maintaining a core temperature of at least 355°C appears to be sufficient.
Dr. John W. Ostrominski is an internist at Brigham and Women's Hospital and Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston, Massachusetts. In this video Dr. Ostrominski discusses Cost and Value in Contemporary Heart Failure Clinical Guidance Documents.
Link to Abstract-
https://www.jacc.org/doi/10.1016/j.jchf.2021.08.002
Abstract -
The researchers wanted to see if global longitudinal strain (GLS) is linked to the natural history of patients with heart failure (HF) who had a better ejection fraction (HFimpEF).
Background
The ejection fraction (EF) of the left ventricle (LV) generally improves in people who have a low EF. Patients with HFimpEF, on the other hand, have a wide range of clinical outcomes. GLS, a sensitive biomarker of LV systolic function, could help this population estimate the risk of future occurrences.
Methods
Retrospective examination of HF patients with LVEF greater than 40% on index echocardiography who had LVEF less than 40% on initial study and improved by 10%. On index echocardiography, GLS was measured using 2-dimensional speckle-tracking software. The primary outcome was the time it took for cardiovascular death or HF hospitalization/emergency treatment to occur for the first time.
Results
The median absolute values of GLS (aGLS) and LVEF from index echocardiogram were 12.7 percent (IQR: 10.8 percent-14.7 percent) and 52 percent (IQR: 46 percent -58 percent) for the 289 patients with HFimpEF, respectively. The primary endpoint occurred less frequently in patients with aGLS above the median than below it (21 percent vs 34 percent; P = 0.014); HR of 0.51; 95 percent CI: 0.33-0.81; P = 0.004; HR of 0.51; 95 percent CI: 0.33-0.81; P = 0.004; HR of 0.51; 95 percent CI: 0.33-0.81; P = 0.004; HR of 0.51; 95 percent CI: 0.3 When aGLS on index echocardiogram was assessed as a continuous variable, each 1% increase was associated with a lower likelihood of the composite endpoint; HR 0.86; 95 percent CI: 0.79-0.93; P 0.001, an association that persisted after multivariable adjustment; HR 0.90; 95 percent CI: 0.82-0.97; P = 0.01. Lower aGLS was linked to a higher chance of LVEF worsening.
Conclusions
GLS is a powerful predictor of future HF episodes and heart function impairment in patients with HFimpEF.
We discuss several aspects of cardio-oncology including screening protocols, specific chemotherapy related cardiotoxicities and management of cardiovascular disease among cancer patients and cancer survivors. Dr Sherry-Ann Brown is the director of Cardio-Oncology Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI.
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Dr. Kim Eagle provides a weekly tip for clinicians on the front lines of the COVID-19 pandemic. This week's tip focuses on the WHO Solidarity trial (https://www.acc.org/latest-in-cardiol...) and whether COVID-19 drugs (i.e., remdesivir, hydroxychloroquine
Prakriti Gaba, MD, Cardiology Fellow at Harvard Medical School. In this video, she speaks about the Prevention of Cardiovascular Events and Mortality With Icosapent Ethyl in Patients With Prior Myocardial Infarction.
Outline
Origins:
REDUCE-IT was a double-blind experiment in which 8,179 statin-treated individuals with reduced low-density lipoprotein cholesterol and moderately increased triglycerides were randomly assigned to icosapent ethyl (IPE) or placebo. The primary objective, including death from cardiovascular (CV) causes, was significantly reduced. It was uncertain what effect IPE has on people who had previously had a myocardial infarction (MI).
Goals:
In REDUCE-IT, we wanted to look at the effect of IPE on ischemic events in patients who had previously had a MI.
Methodology:
We conducted post-hoc analysis on patients who had previously experienced MI. CV mortality, MI, stroke, coronary revascularization, or hospitalization for unstable angina were the primary endpoints. The most important secondary outcome was CV death, MI, or stroke.
Outcomes:
A total of 3,693 patients had a previous MI. With IPE vs placebo, the primary endpoint was lowered from 26.1 percent to 20.2 percent; HR: 0.74 (95 percent CI: 0.65-0.85; P = 0.00001). The main secondary endpoint was lowered from 18.0% to 13.3%; HR: 0.71 (95 percent CI: 0.61-0.84; P = 0.00006). There was also a substantial 35% relative risk reduction in total ischemia events (P = 0.0000001), 34% reduction in MI (P = 0.00009), 30% reduction in CV death (P = 0.01), and a 20% reduction in all-cause mortality (P = 0.054), despite a modest rise in atrial fibrillation. Sudden cardiac death and cardiac arrest were also drastically reduced by 40% and 56%, respectively.
Inferences:
Patients in REDUCE-IT with a history of recent MI who were treated with IPE had large and significant relative and absolute risk reductions in ischemic events, including CV mortality. (AMR101 Study to Assess Its Ability to Reduce Cardiovascular Events in High-Risk Patients With Hypertriglyceridemia and Statin Use. The primary goal is to assess the effect of 4 g/day AMR101 on the occurrence of a first major cardiovascular event. NCT01492361; [REDUCE-IT])
Ibrahim Sultan, MD, Associate Professor of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Director, Center for Thoracic Aortic Disease, Surgical Director, Center for Heart Valve Disease, UPMC Heart and Vascular Institute at UPMC. In this video, he speaks about Transfusion of non–red blood cell blood products does not reduce survival following cardiac surgery.
Outline
Goals:
The evidence suggests that patients undergoing cardiac surgery who receive perioperative packed red blood cell (pRBC) transfusions have an increased risk of death. The current investigation is to determine whether there is a link between non–pRBC blood product transfusions and higher mortality.
Methodology:
Patients who underwent heart surgery between 2010 and 2018 were included in data from our center's Society of Thoracic Surgeons database. Patients requiring pRBC infusions or experiencing circulatory arrest were excluded. Propensity matching (1:1; caliper = 0.2 times the standard deviation of logit of propensity score) was used. Cox regression and Kaplan–Meier estimates were utilized. This study excluded individuals with cardiac transplants, ventricular assist devices, transcatheter aortic valves, and circulatory arrest.
Outcomes:
A total of 8042 patients met the analytic requirements. 395 patients requiring perioperative non–pRBC blood products (platelets, fresh-frozen plasma, and cryoprecipitate) were matched with 395 nontransfusion patients using propensity matching (1:1), resulting in equitable patient cohorts. The median duration of follow-up was 4.5 (3.0-6.4) years. Platelets (327 [82.8 percent]), fresh-frozen plasma (141 [35.7 percent]), and cryoprecipitate were given to patients (60 [15.2 percent ]). There was no statistically significant difference in postoperative mortality (6 [1.5%] vs 4 [1.0%]; P =.52). The transfusion group had higher rates of reoperation (20 [5.0 percent] vs 8 [2.0 percent]; P.02) and prolonged ventilation (36 [9.1 percent] vs 19 [4.8 percent]; P.02). Blood product use was strongly linked with emergent surgery (odds ratio [OR] 2.86 [1.72-4.78]; P.001), intra-aortic balloon pump (OR 3.24 [1.64-6.39]; P.001), and multivalve surgery (OR 4.34 [2.83-6.67]; P.001). Blood product transfusion (hazard ratio: 1.15 [0.89-1.48]; P =.3) was not related with an increased risk of death. There was no significant difference in long-term survival between groups.
Findings:
Those undergoing cardiac surgery who require blood products alone, without pRBC transfusion, have comparable postoperative and long-term survival to patients who do not require blood products. These findings are based on a small number of patients, and further research will help to improve the generalizability of these findings.
Andrea Natale M.D., F.A.C.C., F.H.R.S., F.E.S.C., Executive Medical Director, Texas Cardiac Arrhythmia Institute at St. David’s Medical Center at Texas Cardiac Arrhythmia. In this video, he speaks about Endocardial Scar-Homogenization With vs Without Epicardial Ablation in VT Patients With Ischemic Cardiomyopathy.
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Observation -
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Goals:
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The authors of this study compared the success of scar homogeneity with a mixed (epicarddial + endocardial) vs endocardial-only technique for ventricular tachycardia (VT) in patients with ischemic cardiomyopathy (ICM) at 5 years of follow-up.
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Origins:
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The best ablation strategy for achieving long-term success in VT patients with ICM is unknown.
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Methodology:
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Patients with ICM who underwent VT ablation at our center were divided into two groups: endocardial + epicardial scar homogenization and endocardial scar homogenization. Patients who had already undergone open heart surgery were not eligible. Despite the fact that all group 1 patients were noninducible following endocardial ablation, epicardial ablation was done. All patients received bipolar substrate mapping with conventional scar settings of >1.5 mV for normal tissue and 0.5 mV for severe scar. The procedure\'s endpoint in both groups was noninducibility of monomorphic VT. Implantable device interrogations were performed on patients every 4 months for 5 years.
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Outcomes:
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The study included 361 participants (n = 70 in group 1 and n = 291 in group 2). At 5 years, 81.4 percent (n = 57/70) of group 1 patients and 66.3 percent (n = 193/291) of group 2 patients were arrhythmia-free (P = 0.01). Anti-arrhythmic medications (AAD) were used by 26 of 57 (45.6 percent) and 172 of 193 (89.1 percent) of the patients in groups 1 and 2 (log-rank P 0.001). Endo-epicarddial scar homogeneity was linked with a substantial reduction in arrhythmia recurrence after controlling for age, gender, and obstructive sleep apnea (HR: 0.48; 95 percent CI: 0.27-0.86; P = 0.02).
\n\n
Observations:
\n\n
Despite being noninducible following endocardial ablation, epicardial substrate was found in all group 1 patients in this series of patients with ICM and VT. Furthermore, when compared to endocardial ablation alone, combined endo-epicarddial scar homogeneity was linked with a much higher success rate at 5 years of follow-up and a significantly lower demand for antiarrhythmic medicines after the treatment.
Scott Wright, MD, Professor of Medicine, Chair of the IRB at the Mayo Clinic. In this video, he speaks about the Phase III ORION-9,10, and 11 Studies.
In summary:
This is a placebo-controlled, double-blind, randomized Phase III research in patients with ASCVD with increased LDL-C despite the maximum tolerated dose of LDL-C lowering treatments to assess the efficacy, safety, and tolerability of subcutaneous (SC) inclisiran injection (s). The study will be conducted in multiple locations across the United States.
Mads D. Lyhne, MD from the Department of Cardiology, Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus, Denmark speaks about Levosimendan, milrinone, and dobutamine in experimental acute pulmonary embolism.
Link to Abstract:
https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/20458940211022977
Abstract-
Acute pulmonary embolism is a common and possibly deadly disease in emergency care. Right ventricular failure is the cause of mortality, which is caused by an increase in right ventricular afterload caused by both pulmonary vascular obstruction and vasoconstriction. Inodilators are intriguing medicines of choice because they have the potential to enhance right ventricular performance and reduce afterload. In acute pulmonary embolism, we wanted to see how three therapeutically relevant inodilators, levosimendan, milrinone, and dobutamine, affected the cardiovascular system. We used 18 female pigs in randomized, blinded animal research. Animals were given a substantial autologous pulmonary embolism and were randomized to escalating dosages of each inodilator until their baseline mean pulmonary arterial pressure was doubled. Biventricular pressure-volume loop recordings, right heart catheterization, and blood gas analysis were used to assess the effects. Inducing pulmonary embolism resulted in a rise in right ventricular afterload and pulmonary pressure (p 0.05), resulting in right ventricular dysfunction. Levosimendan and milrinone improved right ventricular function and cardiac output (p 0.05) without increasing right ventricular mechanical work and showed beneficial hemodynamic profiles by lowering right ventricular pressures and volume (p 0.001) and improving right ventricular function and cardiac output (p 0.001). Dobutamine improved right ventricular function and pressure (p 0.01), but at the expense of increased mechanical effort at the highest dosages, indicating an unfavorable hemodynamic profile. Levosimendan and milrinone decreased right ventricular afterload and enhanced right ventricular function in a porcine model of acute pulmonary embolism, but dobutamine raised right ventricular afterload and right ventricular mechanical effort at higher dosages. The research aims to evaluate inodilators in patients with acute pulmonary embolism and right ventricular failure in the clinic.
Dr. Oscar M. Westin is a PHd student and a medical doctor at the University Hospital of Copenhagen's Heart Center, Rigshospitalet. In this video Dr. Westin speaks on the Two Decades of Cardiac Amyloidosis: A Danish Nationwide Study.
Link to Abstract-
https://www.jacc.org/doi/10.1016/j.jaccao.2021.05.004
Abstract-
Cardiac amyloidosis (CA) is linked to a bad prognosis. According to screening studies, CA is often ignored, especially in the elderly. Recent therapy improvements have drawn attention to the condition, although data on CA epidemiology across time is scarce.
Objectives
The goal of this study was to describe all CA patients in Denmark from 1998 to 2017, as well as to look at changes in patient characteristics over time.
Methods
In Danish nationwide registries, all patients with any kind of amyloidosis diagnosed between 1998 and 2017, as well as their comorbidities and medication, were identified. Any diagnosis code for amyloidosis paired with a diagnosis code for heart failure, cardiomyopathy, or atrial fibrillation, or a procedural code for pacemaker installation, regardless of order, was classified as CA. The index date was established as the date on which those criteria were met. By index date, patients were separated into 5-year segments. We also included control subjects (1:4 ratio) from the general population as a comparison.
Results
619 patients met the CA requirements. The median age at baseline grew from 67.4 years (interquartile range [IQR]: 53.9-75.2 years) in 1998-2002 to 72.3 years in 2013-2017. (IQR: 66.0-79.3 years). Male patients grew from 62.1 percent to 66.2 percent of all patients. In the Danish population aged 65 years, the incidence of CA increased from 0.88 to 3.56 per 100,000 person-years, whereas 2-year mortality reduced from 82.6 percent (IQR: 69.9 percent -90.5 percent) to 50.2 percent (IQR: 43.1 percent -56.9 percent ). CA patients had a considerably greater mortality rate than control participants (log-rank test: P 0.0001).
Conclusions
On a nationwide scale, CA, as defined in this study, was becoming more prevalent. The rising number of male patients and median age indicate that wild-type transthyretin amyloidosis is to blame. The fact that earlier, less advanced illnesses are being recognized more often could explain the lower fatality rate.
Dr. Marianna Fontana works as the Director at the Royal Free Hospital in the UCL CMR unit. She is a Honorary Consultant Cardiologist and Professor of Cardiology at the National Amyloidosis Centre at the University College London. In this video Dr. Fontana discusses
https://www.jacc.org/doi/10.1016/j.jcmg.2021.06.022
Abstract
The goal of this study was to characterize left atrial (LA) pathology in explanted hearts with transthyretin amyloid cardiomyopathy (ATTR-CM); LA mechanics using echocardiographic speckle-tracking in a large cohort of ATTR-CM patients; and investigate the relationship between LA pathology and mortality.
Background
The clinical importance of LA involvement in ATTR-CM is a hot topic in medicine.
Methods
In 5 explanted ATTR-CM atria, Congo red staining and immunohistochemistry were used to characterize the presence, type, and amount of amyloid and related alterations. In 906 individuals with ATTR-CM (551 wild-type (wt)-ATTR-CM; 93 T60A-ATTR-CM; 241 V122I-ATTR-CM; 21 other), echo speckle tracking was employed to measure LA reservoir, conduit, contractile function, and stiffness.
Results
The 5 atria had a lot of ATTR amyloid infiltration, which caused loss of normal architecture, vascular remodeling, capillary disruption, and subendocardial fibrosis. After controlling for established predictors, echo speckle tracking in 906 patients with ATTR-CM revealed higher atrial stiffness (median [25th-75th quartile] 1.83 [1.15-2.92]), which remained independently linked with prognosis (lnLA stiff: HR: 1.23; 95 percent CI: 1.03-1.49; P = 0.029). The three phasic functional atrial components were severely harmed (reservoir 8.86 percent [5.94 percent -12.97 percent ]; conduit 6.5 percent [4.53 percent -9.28 percent ]; contraction function 4.0 percent [2.29 percent -6.56 percent ]). Atrial contraction was missing in 22.1 percent of patients with sinus rhythm (SR) "atrial electromechanical dissociation" on electrocardiograms (AEMD). Patients with AEMD had a worse outcome than those with SR and efficient mechanical contraction (P = 0.0018). Patients with atrial fibrillation who received AEMD had a similar prognosis.
Conclusions
ATTR-CM has a phenotype that includes considerable atrial infiltration, gradual loss of atrial function, and increasing stiffness, all of which are strong independent predictors of death. AEMD has developed as a distinct trait that can be used to identify patients in SR who have a bad prognosis.
Dr. Alexander is a cardiologist with advanced training in heart failure. He also works at Stanford University School of Medicine as an Assistant Professor of Cardiovascular Medicine. Dr. Alexander sees a wide range of patients and specializes in the care of severe heart failure and transplant situations. He also runs a research center that studies various types of heart failure. In this video Dr. Alexander discusses Using Bone Scintigraphy to Diagnose Cardiac Amyloidosis in Patients With a Monoclonal Gammopathy.
Link to Abstract-
https://www.jacc.org/doi/10.1016/j.jaccao.2021.06.002
Abstract-
Introduction
When amyloid fibrils invade the myocardial interstitium, causing a stiffened myocardium and restrictive cardiomyopathy, cardiac amyloidosis (CA) develops. CA is caused by systemic light chain amyloidosis (AL) or transthyretin amyloidosis in more than 95% of cases (ATTR). A clonal plasma cell dyscrasia that produces amyloidogenic monoclonal immunoglobulins causes AL amyloidosis. These immunoglobulins then misfold and deposit in the heart, kidneys, liver, gastrointestinal tract, and peripheral nerves, among other organs (1). Transthyretin (2), a liver-derived thyroid hormone and retinol protein transporter, experiences tetramer dissociation, misfolds, and produces amyloid fibrils in various distant organs, resulting in ATTR amyloidosis (3).
It's critical to distinguish between AL and ATTR amyloidosis since their clinical outcomes and therapies are vastly different. Continued amyloid accumulation promotes greater organ damage, hence delays in diagnosis result in poorer results. Furthermore, diagnostic ambiguity may cause a delay in the start of amyloid-directed treatment.
As a result, a high index of clinical suspicion combined with adequate diagnostic sequencing can lead to an accurate and rapid diagnosis of CA. We provide a patient case that demonstrates the difficulties that can arise when 99mtechnetium pyrophosphate scintigraphy (99mTc-PYP) scanning is used inappropriately to identify ATTR-CA in a patient with suspected CA and a plasma cell dyscrasia.
Description of the Situation
A 63-year-old man with bilateral carpal tunnel syndrome reported with dyspnea on exertion, positional lightheadedness, and chest pain to an outpatient facility. He had a mildly increased troponin I level of 0.23 ng/mL during his first episode of chest pain (reference range: 0-0.09 ng/mL). He had 510 pg/mL of N-terminal pro–B-type natriuretic peptide (reference range: 100 pg/mL). In leads II, III, and aVF, an electrocardiogram indicated sinus rhythm, a right bundle branch block, and Q waves. A left ventricular ejection fraction of 55%, bi-atrial enlargement, concentric left ventricular hypertrophy, and grade II diastolic dysfunction were discovered on an echocardiography. Coronary angiography revealed that there was no evidence of obstructive coronary artery disease. The patient was prescribed furosemide, metoprolol, lisinopril, and spironolactone after being diagnosed with heart failure with preserved ejection fraction due to hypertension. However, due to hypotension, metoprolol was quickly withdrawn, and he was switched to midodrine. Despite medical treatment, the patient had many outpatient visits and was admitted to the hospital for dyspnea and chest pain on multiple occasions.
The patient was evaluated for ischemia again two years later. During exercise, an exercise treadmill test revealed no inducible ischemia but did reveal paroxysmal supraventricular tachycardia and infrequent premature ventricular contractions. In a second Zio Patch (iRhythm Technologies, Inc) investigation, nonsustained ventricular tachycardia was discovered, with the longest episode lasting 39 beats. A second coronary angiography revealed that there was no evidence of obstructive coronary artery disease. The patient's nonischemic cardiomyopathy was subsequently investigated further using cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (CMR). A left ventricular ejection fraction of 39%, modest concentric left ventricular hypertrophy, and diffuse late gadolinium enhancement with an inability to null the blood pool were all found on CMR imaging, all of which were problematic for CA.
Following these findings, the CMR report indicated that hematologic testing for monoclonal gammopathy and a 99mTc-PYP scan be conducted in parallel. An aberrant immunoglobulin G lambda monoclonal protein was discovered by serum electrophoresis with immunofixation. A serum free lambda of 152.03 mg/L (reference range: 5.71-26.30 mg/L), a serum free kappa of 8.91 mg/L (reference range: 3.30-19.40 mg/L), and a kappa:lambda ratio of 0.06 were found in serum free light chains (reference range: 0.26-1.65). When taken together, these findings point to a lambda monoclonal gammopathy. The patient also had a 99mTc-PYP scan during this time, which exhibited a heart/contralateral lung ratio of 1.47 and was read as grade 2 myocardial uptake (myocardial tracer uptake equals rib uptake) (Figure 1). However, single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) imaging with obvious myocardial uptake was inconclusive. His team identified him with wild-type ATTR amyloidosis based on the 99mTc-PYP scan and TTR genetic testing that came out negative for a variation.
Our center was referred to the patient for further treatment. The patient underwent an endomyocardial biopsy two months following the 99mTc-PYP scan due to the existence of a monoclonal gammopathy, which proved CA. When mass spectrometry was used to subtype amyloid, it discovered a peptide profile that was compatible with AL (lambda)-type amyloid deposition rather than ATTR amyloidosis. A later bone marrow biopsy indicated a lambda-restricted plasma cell population of 10% to 20%. As a result, the patient was diagnosed with AL-CA. The initial misdiagnosis of ATTR-CA was due to the incorrect use and interpretation of 99mTc-PYP imaging. As a result, there was a three-month gap between the initial identification of a monoclonal gammopathy and the start of AL-CA treatment.
Bortezomib, cyclophosphamide, and dexamethasone were given to the patient as an anti-plasma cell therapy. Daratumumab was later added to the mix. Hematologic remission was achieved for the patient. Despite his hematologic remission, he nevertheless had considerable limitations as a result of his cardiac condition (New York Heart Association functional class III heart failure symptoms and orthostasis, requiring midodrine).
Discussion
This instance illustrates the dangers of using and interpreting 99mTc-PYP scans incorrectly during a CA examination. It also underlines the significance of early detection and therapy in AL-CA in order to reverse the myocardium's consequences of light chain toxicity and fibril deposition. For detecting ATTR amyloidosis, bone scintigraphy has emerged as a viable noninvasive alternative to endomyocardial biopsy. Endomyocardial biopsy has long been the gold standard for confirming ATTR amyloidosis histologically. This treatment, however, can result in problems like as tamponade and valvular injury, and should only be performed by experienced clinicians. Bone scintigraphy, on the other hand, is simpler to perform and more widely available in most clinical settings. As a result, bone scintigraphy may make it easier to diagnose ATTR amyloidosis, a previously underdiagnosed but curable cause of heart failure (2).
Expert guidelines and consensus recommendations underline the need of excluding AL amyloidosis when scheduling a bone scintigraphy scan because >20 percent of patients with AL-CA will have grade 2 or 3 radiotracer uptake (4,5). If a monoclonal gammopathy is ruled out via serum and urine testing, grade 2 or 3 myocardial radiotracer uptake on bone scintigraphy provides a 100 percent specificity and positive predictive value for ATTR-CA (6). It's crucial to get SPECT pictures for bone scintigraphy scans in addition to ruling out AL amyloidosis. Planar scintigraphy can result in false-positive scan results if radiotracer blood pooling occurs and is mistaken for myocardial uptake (7). According to follow-up SPECT imaging, the false-positive rate in individuals with grade 2 uptake on planar images is 64 percent due to blood pooling or a lack of myocardial uptake (8).
In situations of monoclonal gammopathy, a biopsy (e.g., endomyocardial) should be used instead of a 99mTc-PYP scan to confirm the presence of CA and correctly characterize the amyloid subtype. Because many older individuals with ATTR-CA can also have an unrelated monoclonal gammopathy, biopsy is still required in many cases in lieu of a 99mTc-PYP scan to confirm an ATTR-CA diagnosis (9).
It's critical to follow diagnostic standards to guarantee a thorough and accurate assessment of CA (10). Understanding the appropriate usage and caveats of interpreting bone scintigraphy will be critical to avoid misdiagnosis as ATTR-CA becomes more widely recognized and 99mTc-PYP scans become more extensively used. When there is a clinical suspicion of CA based on history, electrocardiography, echocardiography, CMR imaging, or biomarkers, consensus recommendations call for CA screening. Many clinical indicators were present in our patient, including intolerance to heart failure medicines and orthostatic hypotension needing midodrine. He also experienced bilateral carpal tunnel syndrome and a low-level positive troponin reading for a long time. Although ATTR was suspected, the initial step was to rule out the presence of a monoclonal gammopathy, as finding a monoclonal protein would necessitate an endomyocardial biopsy to rule for AL amyloidosis. A positive 99mTc-PYP scan must be evaluated in the context of ruling out AL amyloid while screening for a monoclonal gammopathy and undergoing 99mTc-PYP. Furthermore, whereas 99mTc-PYP planar pictures demonstrated grade 2 tracer uptake in our patient, SPECT imaging revealed no obvious myocardial uptake, increasing the possibility of a false-positive finding due to blood pool uptake. Despite the existence of a gammopathy, the patient was wrongly diagnosed with ATTR-CA because the 99mTc-PYP scan indicated radiotracer uptake. After a later endomyocardial biopsy and amyloid subtyping using mass spectrometry, the actual diagnosis of AL amyloidosis was made.
Conclusions
In patients with signs of monoclonal gammopathy, an endomyocardial biopsy is required for a proper diagnosis of CA. Bone scintigraphy imaging is a potentially noninvasive technology that has the potential to improve ATTR-CA diagnosis, a previously unknown but now curable cause of heart failure. A clear framework for CA evaluations, on the other hand, is critical for avoiding diagnostic delays and increasing outcomes. This is especially important for AL-CA, which has a median survival time of 6 months if left untreated (11). Our example highlights the dangers of using and interpreting bone scintigraphy imaging for CA incorrectly, as well as the significance of checking for an underlying plasma cell dyscrasia. Providers will need to follow a systematic diagnostic strategy as knowledge of CA and novel therapeutics rises, in order to minimize undue financial hardship and diagnostic delay.
Dr. Jan Griffin is a cardiologist at New York-Presbyterian/Columbia University Irving Medical Center in New York, NY. She graduated from the Royal College of Surgeons of Ireland with a medical degree. In this video Dr. Griffin discusses ATTR Amyloidosis: Current and Emerging Management Strategies.
Link to Abstract-
https://www.jacc.org/doi/10.1016/j.jaccao.2021.05.004
Abstract-
Because of noninvasive imaging and increased awareness, transthyretin cardiac amyloidosis (ATTR-CA) is becoming more common. Because pathogenic alleles do not have complete clinical penetrance, there is a substantial population of asymptomatic transthyretin variant carriers. More research is needed into screening techniques, monitoring, and therapy of subclinical ATTR-CA. The development of effective medicines based on a scientific understanding of ATTR-CA pathogenesis is perhaps the most significant translational success. These include recently established transthyretin protein stabilization and transthyretin production suppression methods. Data on neurohormonal blocking in ATTR-CA is scarce, with medical treatment focusing primarily on fluid management. Atrial fibrillation is a frequent condition that necessitates anticoagulation due to the risk of thrombus formation. Although conduction disorders and ventricular arrhythmias are common, little is known about the best ways to treat them. Finally, because aortic stenosis and ATTR-CA are usually seen together, transcatheter valve replacement is the chosen treatment option.
Highlights
• ATTR-CA is becoming more well-known as a result of increased awareness and the development of noninvasive diagnostic approaches.
• Clinical penetrance of harmful alleles is incomplete, with inadequate data for asymptomatic carriers' screening or care.
• Biological understanding of ATTR-CA pathophysiology has led to effective TTR stabilizers and silencers as targeted therapeutics.
• Future treatments could involve CRISPR, amyloid extraction/degradation, and amyloid seeding inhibition.
Introduction
Over the last decade, the field of transthyretin cardiac amyloidosis (ATTR-CA) has undergone a transformation, with an increasing recognition that many ATTR-CA patients were previously undiagnosed and instead assumed to have hypertension, heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF), or hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (1). Delays in diagnosis were almost prevalent, and they still exist today, sadly (2). However, with increased awareness of clinical clues and the ability to diagnose ATTR-CA without a biopsy (3), reports have shown ATTR-CA in patients hospitalized with HFpEF (13%) (4), patients with severe aortic stenosis undergoing transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) (16%) (5), and up to 40% of high-risk populations, such as Afro-Caribbeans with heart failure and increased ventricular wall thickness undergoing TAVR (6). As a result, every cardiologist has come across patients with ATTR-CA, whether they are aware of it or not. Despite the exponential increase in the use of cardiac bone scintigraphy and multisocietal guidelines supporting nonbiopsy diagnosis (7,8), there are certain major traps to avoid. Failure to check for monoclonal proteins or an over-reliance on planar imaging are two examples (9). The development of effective medicines based on a biological understanding of the underlying pathophysiology has been the most significant "translational victory" (10). These treatments have a significant impact on the quality and quantity of life for those who are afflicted. This article focuses on the treatment of ATTR-CA patients and the evolving therapy landscape (Central Illustration).