Editorial Material
Cardiac & Cardiovascular Systems
Masashi Kawabori, Taylor Nordan, Navin K. Kapur, Gregory S. Couper
Summary: Right ventricular failure has a negative impact on prognosis post left ventricular assist device implantation. However, a strategy for primary prevention of right ventricular failure in high-risk patients has been proposed.
EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF CARDIO-THORACIC SURGERY
(2021)
Article
Biology
Thomas Schloeglhofer, Franziska Wittmann, Robert Paus, Julia Riebandt, Anne-Kristin Schaefer, Philipp Angleitner, Marcus Granegger, Philipp Aigner, Dominik Wiedemann, Gunther Laufer, Heinrich Schima, Daniel Zimpfer
Summary: Right heart failure (RHF) is a severe complication after left ventricular assist device (LVAD) implantation. This study analyzed the incidence, risk factors, and biomarkers for late RHF. The use of HVAD, lower heart rate, and higher central venous pressure were identified as independent risk factors for RHF following LVAD implantation.
Article
Cardiac & Cardiovascular Systems
Minoru Ono
Summary: ARVC is an inherited cardiomyocyte disease characterized by intractable ventricular arrhythmia. Fatal ventricular arrhythmia has been the primary cause of death in ARVC patients. However, improved early recognition and treatment have increased survival. For a small proportion of patients with biventricular failure, heart transplantation is the only option. There is no consensus on effectively supporting these patients with a mechanical circulatory device.
FRONTIERS IN CARDIOVASCULAR MEDICINE
(2022)
Article
Cardiac & Cardiovascular Systems
Jason W. Greenberg, Roosevelt Bryant, Chet Villa, Katrina Fields, Francis Fynn-Thompson, Farhan Zafar, David L. S. Morales
Summary: Children of minority race and ethnicity experience inferior outcomes postheart transplantation (HTx). Studies have associated ventricular assist device (VAD) bridge-to-transplant (BTT) with similar-to-superior post-transplant-survival (PTS) compared to no mechanical circulatory support. It is unclear whether racial and ethnic discrepancies exist in VAD utilization and outcomes.
JOURNAL OF HEART AND LUNG TRANSPLANTATION
(2023)
Article
Cardiac & Cardiovascular Systems
Shusaku Maeda, Hidetsugu Asanoi, Koichi Toda, Shigeru Miyagawa, Yasushi Yoshikawa, Hiroki Hata, Daisuke Yoshioka, Satoshi Kainuma, Masataka Igeta, Yoshiki Sawa
Summary: This study visualized the dynamic circulatory equilibrium of acute RVF after LVAD implantation using a new four-quadrant diagram, and stratified LVAD patients into different groups based on duration of postoperative inotropic support. The novel presentation showed characteristics such as increased CVP, relatively small increase in CI, and concomitant impairment of pressure natriuresis in acute RVF. The four-quadrant presentation serves as a useful guide for prompt and optimal management of circulatory malfunction.
AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PHYSIOLOGY-HEART AND CIRCULATORY PHYSIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Cardiac & Cardiovascular Systems
Jan D. Schmitto, Steven Shaw, Jens Garbade, Finn Gustafsson, Michiel Morshuis, Daniel Zimpfer, Jacob Lavee, Yuriy Pya, Michael Berchtold-Herz, Aijia Wang, Carlo Gazzola, Evgenij Potapov, Diyar Saeed
Summary: The long-term survival rate for primary implants of HeartMate 3 is 63.3%, and improvements in adverse events reduction, quality of life, and functional capacity were observed in patients with advanced heart failure during extended follow-up.
EUROPEAN HEART JOURNAL
(2023)
Article
Cardiac & Cardiovascular Systems
Palak Shah, Melana Yuzefpolskaya, Gavin W. Hickey, Khadijah Breathett, Omar Wever-Pinzon, Van-Khue Ton, William Hiesinger, Devin Koehl, James K. Kirklin, Ryan S. Cantor, Jeffrey P. Jacobs, Robert H. Habib, Francis D. Pagani, Daniel J. Goldstein
Summary: The twelfth annual report from The Society of Thoracic Surgeons (STS) Interagency Registry for Mechanically Assisted Circulatory Support (Intermacs) provides an overview of outcomes for LVAD patients over the past decade, highlighting the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on LVAD implant volumes and improvements in survival rates and patient adverse events. The report also emphasizes the importance of reducing readmissions after LVAD implantation in improving patient outcomes.
ANNALS OF THORACIC SURGERY
(2022)
Article
Cardiac & Cardiovascular Systems
Mahmood Abu Akel, Aviv A. Shaul, Gustavo R. Goldenberg, Yaron D. Barac, Binyamin Ben-Avraham, Dan Gorfil, Dan Aravot, Tuvia Ben-Gal
Summary: This case report describes the successful heart transplantation of a patient with ventricular arrhythmia who was treated with combined LVAD and VA ECMO, effectively controlling heart failure and achieving good clinical outcomes.
Article
Cardiac & Cardiovascular Systems
Joseph Philip, Emma Powers, Desiree Machado, Dalia Lopez Colon, Dipankar Gupta, Renata Shih, Mohammad Ebraheem, Curt Fudge, Mark Bleiweis
Summary: This retrospective study describes successful use of paracorporeal pulsatile VADs in high-risk single ventricle patients before or after the first stage of palliation, showing it as a feasible bridge-to-transplant option. Patients implanted with Berlin Heart EXCOR VAD were early implanted with good survival outcomes.
JOURNAL OF THORACIC AND CARDIOVASCULAR SURGERY
(2021)
Review
Cardiac & Cardiovascular Systems
Claudio A. Bravo, Andrew G. Navarro, Karanpreet K. Dhaliwal, Maziar Khorsandi, Jeffrey E. Keenan, Parvathi Mudigonda, Kevin D. O'Brien, Claudius Mahr
Summary: Left ventricular assist device (LVAD) therapy is a life-saving option for patients with advanced heart failure who do not respond to medical treatment. However, a significant percentage of LVAD patients develop right heart failure (RHF), which is associated with poor outcomes. The mechanisms of RHF are complex, involving patient factors, surgical factors, and hemodynamic factors. Despite advances in surgical techniques and LVAD technology, RHF remains a major cause of morbidity and mortality among LVAD patients. Current medical therapies for RHF are limited, and cardiac transplantation or supportive management are the only options for these patients. Efforts to predict the risk of RHF in LVAD patients have been challenging, with varying definitions of RHF in different studies. Additionally, most research in this field has focused on early-onset RHF, while late-onset RHF is increasingly recognized as a significant problem. This review aims to describe the unique physiology of the right ventricle and the changes caused by LVADs that may contribute to both early- and late-onset RHF. The available treatments for RHF, including mechanical circulatory support and medical therapies, will also be analyzed.
FRONTIERS IN CARDIOVASCULAR MEDICINE
(2022)
Article
Cardiac & Cardiovascular Systems
Chiho Tokunaga, Atsushi Iguchi, Hiroyuki Nakajima, Fumiya Chubachi, Yuto Hori, Akitoshi Takazawa, Jun Hayashi, Toshihisa Asakura, Akihiro Yoshitake
Summary: This study evaluated the clinical outcomes of acute myocardial infarction patients in cardiogenic shock supported by an extracorporeal left ventricular assist device. The mortality rate after the implantation of the device was low, and the strategy of early hemodynamic stabilization with the device was effective in improving survival rates as a bridge-to-bridge therapy.
BMC CARDIOVASCULAR DISORDERS
(2022)
Article
Cardiac & Cardiovascular Systems
Taylor Nordan, Andre C. Critsinelis, Shant H. Mahrokhian, Navin K. Kapur, Amanda Vest, David DeNofrio, Frederick Y. Chen, Gregory S. Couper, Masashi Kawabori
Summary: This study compared the effectiveness of Impella and IABP as bridges to heart transplantation and found no significant differences in post-transplant survival rates between the two groups. However, Impella-supported candidates had worse preoperative profiles and were more likely to be delisted from the waitlist under the new allocation system.
ANNALS OF THORACIC SURGERY
(2022)
Article
Cardiac & Cardiovascular Systems
Maria J. Ruiz-Cano, Lylit Ramazyan, Renne Schramm, Volker Lauenroth, Lech Paluszkiewicz, Sebastian Rojas, Jan Gummert, Michiel Morshuis
Summary: LoRVF, occurring months after LVAD implantation, is associated with preoperative RV dilatation and severe tricuspid regurgitation. Postoperative, LoRVF is often characterized by RV dilatation, exacerbation of tricuspid regurgitation, requiring more interventions and prone to complications.
EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF CARDIO-THORACIC SURGERY
(2021)
Article
Cardiac & Cardiovascular Systems
Enrico Ammirati, Michela Brambatti, Oscar O. Braun, Palak Shah, Manlio Cipriani, Quan M. Bui, Jesse Veenis, Euyhyun Lee, Ronghui Xu, Kimberly N. Hong, Caroline M. Van de Heyning, Enrico Perna, Philippe Timmermans, Maja Cikes, Jasper J. Brugts, Giacomo Veronese, Jonathan Minto, Saige Smith, Grunde Gjesdal, Yan K. Gernhofer, Cynthia Partida, Luciano Potena, Marco Masetti, Silvia Boschi, Antonio Loforte, Nina Jakus, Davor Milicic, Johan Nilsson, Dina De Bock, Caroline Sterken, Klaartje Van den Bossche, Filip Rega, Hao Tran, Ramesh Singh, Jonathan Montomoli, Michele Mondino, Barry Greenberg, Claudio F. Russo, Victor Pretorius, Klein Liviu, Maria Frigerio, Eric D. Adler
Summary: There are geographic variations in the management and outcomes of CF-LVAD patients between the US and Europe, but overall survival rates are similar. Disparities in donor characteristics, duration of support, and adverse events between the US and Europe may explain differences in the utilization of mechanical bridging strategies.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF CARDIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Critical Care Medicine
Auriane Bidaut, Erwan Flecher, Nicolas Nesseler, Karl Bounader, Andre Vincentelli, Mouhammed Moussa, Clement Delmas, Jean Porterie, Karine Nubret, Mathieu Pernot, Michel Kindo, Clement Schneider, Philippe Gaudard, Philippe Rouviere, Magali Michel, Thomas Senage, Aude Boignard, Olivier Chavanon, Constance Verdonk, Marylou Para, Baptiste Maille, Vlad Gariboldi, Matteo Pozzi, Elisabeth Hugon-Vallet, Pierre-Yves Litzler, Frederic Anselme, Katrien Blanchart, Gerard Babatasi, Marie Bielefeld, Sandrine Grosjean, Costin Radu, David Hamon, Thierry Bourguignon, Thibaud Genet, Romain Eschalier, Nicolas D'Ostrevy, Helene Nougue, Anne Cecile Martin, Fabrice Vanhuyse, Hugues Blangy, Christophe Leclercq, Raphael P. Martins, Vincent Galand
Summary: The study aimed to analyze the outcome of temporary circulatory support (TCS) strategy as a bridge-to-left ventricular assist device (BTL) in cardiogenic shock patients and identify predictors of postoperative mortality. The results showed that there was no significant difference in 30-day survival between the TCS group and the non-TCS group, but the TCS group had a longer ICU duration stay. Combined surgery with LVAD, higher BMI, and HF duration were identified as independent predictors of mortality in the TCS group.
CRITICAL CARE MEDICINE
(2022)
Article
Engineering, Biomedical
Diyar Saeed, Antonio Loforte, Michiel Morshuis, David Schibilsky, Daniel Zimpfer, Julia Riebandt, Federico Pappalardo, Matteo Attisani, Mauro Rinaldi, Assad Haneya, Faiz Ramjankhan, Dirk W. Donker, Ulrich P. Jorde, Davide Pacini, Wolfgang Otto, Julia Stein, Daniel Lewin, Khalil Jawad, Radi Wieloch, Rafael Ayala, Jochen Cremer, Michael A. Borger, Artur Lichtenberg, Jan Gummert, Evgenij Potapov
Summary: Stroke is a common complication in patients who have undergone durable mechanical circulatory support (MCS) following extracorporeal life support (ECLS). This multicenter study found that 27% of patients developed stroke after durable MCS support, with 48% being ischemic strokes and 52% being hemorrhagic strokes. Hemorrhagic stroke was associated with significantly lower survival rate.
Review
Cardiac & Cardiovascular Systems
Julie K. K. Vishram-Nielsen, Farid Foroutan, Saima Rizwan, Serena S. Peck, Julia Bodack, Ani Orchanian-Cheff, Finn Gustafsson, Heather J. Ross, Eddy Fan, Vivek Rao, Filio Billia, Ana Carolina Alba
Summary: This study evaluated the short-term mortality and predictive factors in patients with FM supported by VA-ECMO. The results showed a pooled short-term mortality rate of 35%, with younger populations having lower mortality. Factors such as female sex, receiving a biopsy, cardiac arrest, left ventricular unloading, and earlier recruitment time frame did not explain heterogeneity. Various indicators were identified as independent predictors of mortality.
HEART FAILURE REVIEWS
(2023)
Article
Cardiac & Cardiovascular Systems
Hannah Copeland, Ivan Knezevic, David A. Baran, Vivek Rao, Michael Pham, Finn Gustafsson, Sean Pinney, Brian Lima, Marco Masetti, Agnieszka Ciarka, Navin Rajagopalan, Adriana Torres, Eileen Hsich, Jignesh K. Patel, Livia Adams Goldraich, Monica Colvin, Javier Segovia, Heather Ross, Mahazarin Ginwalla, Babak Sharif-Kashani, MaryJane A. Farr, Luciano Potena, Jon Kobashigawa, Maria G. Crespo-Leiro, Natasha Altman, Florian Wagner, Jennifer Cook, Valentina Stosor, Paolo A. Grossi, Kiran Khush, Tahir Yagdi, Susan Restaino, Steven Tsui, Daniel Absi, George Sokos, Andreas Zuckermann, Brian Wayda, Joost Felius, Shelley A. Hall
Summary: The proposed guidelines for donor heart selection are evidence-based and expert-consensus recommendations that were compiled by an international panel of experts after an extensive literature review.
JOURNAL OF HEART AND LUNG TRANSPLANTATION
(2023)
Article
Immunology
Mariafrancesca Fiorentino, Antonio Loforte, Giacomo Murana, Gregorio Gliozzi, Giulio Giovanni Cavalli, Valeria Santamaria, Carlo Mariani, Luca Botta, Sofia Martin-Suarez, Luciano Potena, Davide Pacini
Summary: This study investigated the impact of preoperative right ventricular dysfunction on heart transplant outcomes. Retrospective analysis of 517 patients revealed that preoperative right ventricular dysfunction was an independent predictor of in-hospital mortality and early graft failure. Patients with preoperative right ventricular dysfunction had significantly worse survival rates during follow-up.
TRANSPLANTATION PROCEEDINGS
(2023)
Article
Critical Care Medicine
Roberto Lorusso, Maria Elena De Piero, Silvia Mariani, Michele Di Mauro, Thierry Folliguet, Fabio Silvio Taccone, Luigi Camporota, Justyna Swol, Dominik Wiedemann, Mirko Belliato, Lars Mikael Broman, Alain Vuylsteke, Yigal Kassif, Anna Mara Scandroglio, Vito Fanelli, Philippe Gaudard, Stephane Ledot, Julian Barker, Udo Boeken, Sven Maier, Alexander Kersten, Bart Meyns, Matteo Pozzi, Finn M. Pedersen, Peter Schellongowski, Kaan Kirali, Nicholas Barrett, Jordi Riera, Thomas Mueller, Jan Belohlavek, EuroECMO COVID Study Grp
Summary: This study aimed to investigate in-hospital outcomes in patients who received ECMO during the first wave of COVID-19 and found that factors such as patient's age, timing of cannulation, and use of medication were associated with higher in-hospital mortality. Despite favorable post-discharge survival, some patients still require long-term rehabilitation.
LANCET RESPIRATORY MEDICINE
(2023)
Article
Cardiac & Cardiovascular Systems
Benedicte Heegaard, Tania Deis, Kasper Rossing, Mads Ersboll, Caroline Kistorp, Finn Gustafsson
Summary: This study aims to investigate the impact of diabetes on hemodynamics in heart failure patients. It found that heart failure patients with diabetes have higher filling pressures, including pulmonary capillary wedge pressure, central venous pressure, cardiac index, and mean arterial pressure. Additionally, poor glycemic control in diabetic patients is associated with higher filling pressures. Therefore, diabetic cardiomyopathy may contribute to the increased mortality in heart failure patients with diabetes, but other unknown mechanisms beyond hemodynamic factors are also likely involved.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF CARDIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Cardiac & Cardiovascular Systems
Johan E. Larsson, Caecilie Stilling Denholt, Jens Jakob Thune, Anna Axelsson Raja, Emil Fosbol, Morten Schou, Lars Kober, Olav Wendelboe Nielsen, Finn Gustafsson, Soren L. Kristensen
Summary: This study compared the clinical outcomes, daily dosages, and discontinuation rates of two MRAs (eplerenone and spironolactone) in heart failure patients. The results showed no differences in clinical outcomes between the two drugs, but spironolactone had a higher discontinuation rate and lower daily dosage.
EUROPEAN HEART JOURNAL-CARDIOVASCULAR PHARMACOTHERAPY
(2023)
Article
Cardiac & Cardiovascular Systems
Per Eldhagen, Jukka Lehtonen, Einar Gude, Finn Gustafsson, Anne Bagger-Bahnsen, Merja Vakevainen, Trine Pilgaard, Dorte Wedell-Wedellsborg, Steen Hvitfeldt Poulsen
Summary: The Nordic PROACT study investigated the health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in patients with Transthyretin amyloid cardiomyopathy (ATTR CM). The study found that HRQoL in ATTR CM patients was influenced by the severity of heart failure and disease stage, while the prevalence of depression was relatively low.
Editorial Material
Cardiac & Cardiovascular Systems
Felix Schoenrath, Finn Gustafsson, Claudius Mahr, Ivan Netuka
FRONTIERS IN CARDIOVASCULAR MEDICINE
(2023)
Article
Cardiac & Cardiovascular Systems
Samuel Heuts, Silvia Mariani, Bas C. T. van Bussel, Udo Boeken, Robertas Samalavicius, Karl Bounader, Xiaotong Hou, Jeroen J. H. Bunge, Kogulan Sriranjan, Dominik Wiedemann, Diyar Saeed, Matteo Pozzi, Antonio Loforte, Leonardo Salazar, Bart Meyns, Michael A. Mazzeffi, Sacha Matteucci, Sandro Sponga, Vitaly Sorokin, Claudio Russo, Francesco Formica, Pranya Sakiyalak, Antonio Fiore, Daniele Camboni, Giuseppe Maria Raffa, Rodrigo Diaz, I-wen Wang, Jae-Seung Jung, Jan Belohlavek, Vin Pellegrino, Giacomo Bianchi, Matteo Pettinari, Alessandro Barbone, Jose P. Garcia, Kiran Shekar, Glenn Whitman, Roberto Lorusso
Summary: This study evaluated the association between body mass index (BMI) and in-hospital outcomes in cardiac surgery patients requiring postcardiotomy venoarterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (V-A ECMO). The results showed that there was no association between BMI and in-hospital outcomes after adjustment for confounders. Therefore, BMI should not be incorporated in the risk stratification for postcardiotomy V-A ECMO.
ANNALS OF THORACIC SURGERY
(2023)
Review
Orthopedics
Emre Aldinc, Courtney Campbell, Finn Gustafsson, Abigail Beveridge, Richard Macey, Laura Marr, Catherine Summers, Dafang Zhang
Summary: This review explores the association of musculoskeletal manifestations with ATTR amyloidosis and the delay in diagnosis, highlighting the need for early detection by orthopedic surgeons for timely treatment referrals and effective management.
BMC MUSCULOSKELETAL DISORDERS
(2023)
Article
Cardiac & Cardiovascular Systems
Freja Pust, Tania Deis, Johan Larsson, Benjamin Lautrup Hansen, Kasper Rossing, Mads Ersboll, Soren Lund Kristensen, Finn Gustafsson
Summary: The study aimed to investigate the association between the duration of advanced heart failure (HF) and pulmonary vascular resistance (PVR). It was found that there is a positive correlation between the duration of HF and PVR. However, this association disappeared in multivariate analysis. Therefore, the duration of HF per se is unlikely to cause elevated PVR and should not discourage evaluation for heart transplantation.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF CARDIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Cardiac & Cardiovascular Systems
Stephen J. Greene, Johann Bauersachs, Jasper J. Brugts, Justin A. Ezekowitz, Gerasimos Filippatos, Finn Gustafsson, Carolyn S. P. Lam, Lars H. Lund, Robert J. Mentz, Burkert Pieske, Piotr Ponikowski, Michele Senni, Natalie Skopicki, Adriaan A. Voors, Faiez Zannad, Shelley Zieroth, Javed Butler
Summary: Despite the lack of dedicated clinical practice guidelines for the management of worsening heart failure, recent clinical trials have shown multiple therapies to be safe and effective in this high-risk population. Therefore, a proposed framework suggests treating congestion, managing precipitants, and initiating quadruple medical therapy for heart failure with reduced ejection fraction with a sense of urgency. Additionally, simultaneous use of vericiguat and intravenous iron may further reduce clinical risk.
JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN COLLEGE OF CARDIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Cardiac & Cardiovascular Systems
Silvia Mariani, Samuel Heuts, Bas C. T. van Bussel, Michele Di Mauro, Dominik Wiedemann, Diyar Saeed, Matteo Pozzi, Antonio Loforte, Udo Boeken, Robertas Samalavicius, Karl Bounader, Xiaotong Hou, Jeroen J. H. Bunge, Hergen Buscher, Leonardo Salazar, Bart Meyns, Daniel Herr, Marco L. Sacha Matteucci, Sandro Sponga, Graeme MacLaren, Claudio Russo, Francesco Formica, Pranya Sakiyalak, Antonio Fiore, Daniele Camboni, Giuseppe Maria Raffa, Rodrigo Diaz, I-wen Wang, Jae-Seung Jung, Jan Belohlavek, Vin Pellegrino, Giacomo Bianchi, Matteo Pettinari, Alessandro Barbone, Jose P. Garcia, Kiran Shekar, Glenn J. R. Whitman, Roberto Lorusso
Summary: This study investigates the characteristics and outcomes of adult patients with postcardiotomy cardiogenic shock treated with extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO). The study finds a high in-hospital mortality rate of 60.5%, but reports that two-thirds of hospital survivors have a survival rate of up to 10 years. This suggests that although ECMO has a high mortality rate in the hospital setting, the long-term survival for discharged patients is relatively good.
JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN HEART ASSOCIATION
(2023)
Article
Engineering, Biomedical
Fausto Biancari, Timo Makikallio, Antonio Loforte, Alexander Kaserer, Vito G. Ruggieri, Sung-Min Cho, Jin Kook Kang, Magnus Dalen, Henryk Welp, Kristjan Jonsson, Sigurdur Ragnarsson, Francisco J. Hernandez Perez, Giuseppe Gatti, Khalid Alkhamees, Antonio Fiore, Andrea Lechiancole, Stefano Rosato, Cristiano Spadaccio, Matteo Pettinari, Andrea Perrotti, Sebastian D. Sahli, Camilla L'Acqua, Amr A. Arafat, Monirah A. Albabtain, Mohammed M. Albarak, Mohamed Laimoud, Ilija Djordjevic, Ihor Krasivskyi, Robertas Samalavicius, Agne Jankuviene, Marta Alonso-Fernandez-Gatta, Markus J. Wilhelm, Tatu Juvonen, Giovanni Mariscalco
Summary: This study evaluated whether there were interinstitutional differences in the outcomes of postcardiotomy V-A-ECMO. The results showed significant variations in in-hospital mortality rates between different hospitals, suggesting the need for improvement in the results of postcardiotomy V-A-ECMO in many centers.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ARTIFICIAL ORGANS
(2023)
