Red cell distribution width in anemic patients undergoing transcatheter aortic valve implantation

AIM: To determine the impact of red blood cell distribution width on outcome in anemic patients undergoing transcatheter aortic valve implantation(TAVI).METHODS: In a retrospective single center cohort study we determined the impact of baseline red cell distribution width(RDW) and anemia on outcome in 376 patients with aortic stenosis undergoing TAVI. All patients were discussed in the institutional heart team and declined for surgical aortic valve replacement due to high operative risk. Collected data included patient characteristics, imaging findings, periprocedural in hospital data, laboratory results and follow up data. Blood samples for hematology and biochemistry analysis were taken from every patient before and at fixed intervals up to 72 h after TAVI including blood count and creatinine. Descriptive statistics were used for patient's characteristics. KaplanMeier survival curves were used for time to event outcomes. A recursive partitioning regression and classification was used to investigate the association between potential risk factors and outcome variables.RESULTS: Mean age in our study population was 81 ± 6.1 years. Anemia was prevalent in 63.6%(n = 239) of our patients. Age and creatinine were identified as risk factors for anemia. In our study population, anemia per se did influence 30-d mortality but did not predict longterm mortality. In contrast, a RDW > 14% showed to be highly predictable for a reduced short- and longterm survival in patients with aortic valve disease after TAVI procedure.CONCLUSION: Age and kidney function determine the degree of anemia. The anisocytosis of red blood cells in anemic patients supplements prognostic information in addition to that derived from the WHO-based definition of anemia.

Impairment of aspirin antiplatelet effects by non-opioid analgesic medication

Aspirin is the mainstay in prophylaxis of cardiovascular diseases. Impaired aspirin antiplatelet effects are associated with enhanced incidence of cardiovascular events. Comedication with non-opioid analgesic drugs has been described to interfere with aspirin,resulting in impaired aspirin antiplatelet effects. Additionally,nonopioid analgesic medication has been shown to enhance the risk of cardiovascular events and death. Pain is very frequent and many patients rely on analgesic drugs to control pain. Therefore effective analgesic options without increased risk of cardiovascular events are desirable. This review focuses on commonly used nonopioid analgesics,interactions with aspirin medication and impact on cardiovascular risk.

Initial clinical experience using the Echo Navigator~-system during structural heart disease interventions

AIM: To present our initial clinical experience using this innovative software solution for guidance of percutaneous structural heart disease interventions.METHODS: Left atrial appendage, atrial septal defect and paravalvular leak closure, transaortic valve repair and Mitra Clip procedures were performed in the catheter laboratory under fluoroscopic and echocardiographic guidance. The two-dimensional and three-dimensional images generated by the transesophageal echocardiography probe were interfaced with the fluoroscopic images in real-time using the Echo Navigator-system.RESULTS:The application of the novel image fusion technology was safe and led to a better appreciation of multimodality imaging guidance due to improved visualization of the complex relationship between catheter devices and anatomical structures.CONCLUSION:The Echo Navigator-system is a feasible and safe tool for guidance of interventional procedures in structural heart disease.This innovative technology may improve confidence of interventional cardiologists in targeting and positioning interventional devices in order to increase safety,accuracy,and efficacy of percutaneous interventions in the catheter laboratory.

Optimal C-arm angulation during transcatheter aortic valve replacement: Accuracy of a rotational C-arm computed tomography based three dimensional heart model

AIMTo investigate the accuracy of a rotational C-arm CT-based 3D heart model to predict an optimal C-arm configuration during transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR).METHODSRotational C-arm CT (RCT) under rapid ventricular pacing was performed in 57 consecutive patients with severe aortic stenosis as part of the pre-procedural cardiac catheterization. With prototype software each RCT data set was segmented using a 3D heart model. From that the line of perpendicularity curve was obtained that generates a perpendicular view of the aortic annulus according to the right-cusp rule. To evaluate the accuracy of a model-based overlay we compared model- and expert-derived aortic root diameters.RESULTSFor all 57 patients in the RCT cohort diameter measurements were obtained from two independent operators and were compared to the model-based measurements. The inter-observer variability was measured to be in the range of 0°-12.96° of angular C-arm displacement for two independent operators. The model-to-operator agreement was 0°-13.82°. The model-based and expert measurements of aortic root diameters evaluated at the aortic annulus (r = 0.79, P < 0.01), the aortic sinus (r = 0.93, P < 0.01) and the sino-tubular junction (r = 0.92, P < 0.01) correlated on a high level and the Bland-Altman analysis showed good agreement. The interobserver measurements did not show a significant bias.CONCLUSIONAutomatic segmentation of the aortic root using an anatomical model can accurately predict an optimal C-arm configuration, potentially simplifying current clinical workflows before and during TAVR.