Collaboration between cardiologist and clinical pharmacist on prescription quality: What is the potential clinical impact for cardiology patients?

International audienceObjectives: The aim of this study was to determine the effect of pharmacists’ interventions (PI) on the potential clinical impact of medication errors, including the lack of therapeutic optimisation of patients with cardiologic diseases, such as heart failure and acute coronary syndrome).Methods: This was an observational, prospective study conducted in the cardiology department of a French university hospital centre for a duration of 9 months. All prescriptions were analysed and PI were registered for clinical rating by pharmacists and cardiologist.Results: A total of 532 PI cases were recorded in 339 patients, with a mean of 1.57 (±1.04) PI. The PI acceptance rate was 98.1%. “Dose adjustment” and “introduction therapy” were the most common interventions and represented 38.0% and 32.9%, respectively, of all PI. Statins were the most frequently involved drugs (18.1%), followed by ACE (Angiotensin Converting Enzyme) inhibitors (10.9%) and antiplatelet agents (9.3%). Moreover, 13.8% of PI potentially avoided a severe or very severe clinical impact (n = 71) and 38.6% had a significant impact altering the quality of life (n = 198). There was no significant difference between the average score performed by the clinical pharmacist included in the cardiology team and the one obtained by the cardiologist (P = .797). In contrast, a significant difference was observed for the average score established by the pharmacist localised in central pharmacy versus the rating of the cardiologist (P < .001).Conclusions: The collaboration between clinical pharmacists and cardiologists in the medical units seems to be beneficial to the quality of prescriptions, including the implementation of recommendations. The good rate of PI acceptance and the similar rating with the cardiologist show that there is a change in perspective of the pharmacist, being closer to the clinical realit

Ruptured right valsalva sinus into the right atrium due to infective endocarditis: a case report

International audienceRupture of Valsalva sinus remains a very rare and deadly complication of Valsalva sinus aneurysm with a high mortality rate. We report here the case of a 47-year-old man who presented to the emergency department with acute exercise-induced dyspnea, chest pain, and fever. Transthoracic (TTE) and transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) highlighted a rupture of the right Valsalva sinus in the right atrium due to infective endocarditis. After stabilization of the patient, a successful surgical repair with double pericardial patches was performed

Multimarker approach including CRP, sST2 and GDF‐15 for prognostic stratification in stable heart failure

International audienceAims Inflammation and cardiac remodelling are common and synergistic pathways in heart failure (HF). Emerging biomarkers such as soluble suppression of tumorigenicity 2 (sST2) and growth differentiation factor-15 (GDF-15), which are linked to inflammation and fibrosis process, have been proposed as prognosis factors. However, their potential additive values remain poorly investigated. Methods and results Here, we aimed at evaluating inflammatory and remodelling biomarkers to predict both short-term and long-term mortality in a population with chronic HF in comparison with other classical clinical or biological markers (i.e. N terminal pro brain natriuretic peptide, hs-cTnT, C-reactive protein) alone or using meta-analysis global group in chronic HF risk score in a cohort of 182 patients followed during 80 months (interquartile range: 12.3-90.0). Proportional hazard assumption does not hold for sST2 and C-reactive protein, and follow-up was split into short term (less than 1 year), midterm (between 1 and 5 years), and long term (after 5 years). In univariate analysis, C-reactive protein and sST2 were predictive of short-term mortality but not of middle term and long term whereas GDF-15 was predictive of short and mid-term but not of long-term mortality. In a multivariate model after adjustment for meta-analysis global group in chronic HF score including the three markers, only sST2 was predictive of short-term mortality (P = 0.0225), and only GDF-15 was predictive of middle term mortality (P = 0.0375). None of the markers was predictive of long-term mortality. Conclusions Our results demonstrate that both sST2 and GDF-15 significantly improve the prognosis evaluation of HF patients and suggest that the value of GDF-15 is more sustained overtime and could predict middle term events

Idarucizumab (Praxbind ® ) for dabigatran reversal in patients undergoing heart transplantation: a cohort of ten patients

International audienceBackground: Novel oral anticoagulants are used in atrial fibrillation. Idarucizumab has been approved for reversal of dabigatran in situations of life-threatening hemorrhage or emergency surgery.Objectives: We report a single center experience of ten patients on dabigatran therapy who were given idarucizumab prior to heart transplantation. Methods & results: The mean plasma concentration of dabigatran prior to reversal was 139 ± 89 ng/ml. Hemoglobin, hematocrit and platelet levels were decreased after surgery. Surgical procedures were successfully performed with no increased risk, especially regarding bleeding complications. All patients were alive after 90 days.Conclusion: Dabigatran reversal with idarucizumab in contexts of emergency surgery/urgent procedures is an attractive and safe option to be taken into consideration for patients with end stage heart disease awaiting transplantation and indication of anticoagulant therapy

Prognostic Impact of Calcium Score after Transcatheter Aortic Valve Implantation Performed With New Generation Prosthesis

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Atrial fibrillation screening on systematic ambulatory electrocardiogram monitoring after percutaneous patent foramen ovale closure: A prospective study

International audienceBackground: Increased risk of new-onset atrial fibrillation (AF) after patent foramen ovale (PFO) closure was observed in randomized trials without however systematic AF screening. We aimed to evaluate the incidence of AF within 6-month following PFO closure with serial 24-hour ambulatory electrocardiogram (AECG) monitoring.Methods: All patients undergoing PFO closure were prospectively included in 2 centers. AF was defined as irregular rhythm without discernible P waves > 30 s on AECG at day 0, 1-month and 6-month follow-up. Primary endpoint was the incidence of AF within the study period. Secondary endpoints evaluated clinical outcomes within 6-month follow-up.Results: Between February 2018 and March 2019, 62 patients underwent PFO closure including 40 male (64.5%) with a mean age of 48 ± 9.5. Atrial septal aneurysm was observed in 37 patients (64.9%), 57 patients (91.9%) received an Amplatzer Occluder device (Abbott Vascular) and 5 (8.1%) an Occlutech device (Occlutech). After a mean follow-up of 7.7 ± 2.8 months, new-onset AF occurred in 3 patients (4.8%), all within the first month following PFO closure, including one per-procedural, all were asymptomatic and paroxysmal. Two patients with AF (3.2%) required chronic oral anticoagulant therapy. No adverse outcomes occurred at follow-up. No predictive factors of AF were highlighted. A total of 16 patients (25.8%) reported palpitations without AF on the AECGs.Conclusion: In highly selected patients, incidence of AF, evaluated with 3 systematic 24-hour AECG within 6-month following PFO closure, was low (<5%). Always paroxysmal, AF occurred within the first month after the procedure and was not associated with adverse outcomes

Evolution of right ventricular dysfunction and tricuspid regurgitation after TAVI: A prospective study

International audienceBackground: Right ventricular (RV) dysfunction and tricuspid regurgitation (TR) may impact prognosis of patients undergoing Transcatheter Aortic Valve Implantation (TAVI). We aimed to evaluate the evolution of previous RV dysfunction and/or significant TR after TAVI procedure.Methods: All patients undergoing TAVI between January 2018 and January 2019 were enrolled in this prospective cohort. Patients with at least one right heart (RH) abnormality at baseline including RV dysfunction (TAPSE −20%, Tei > 0.54) and/or significant TR (Effective Regurgitant Orifice Area ≥ 40 mm2 and/or Regurgitant Volume ≥ 45 mL) underwent transthoracic echocardiography at day 1 and 6-month after TAVI. The primary endpoint was the regression of pre-TAVI RV dysfunction and/or significant TR at 6-month follow-up.Results: The study enrolled 144 patients including 76 women (52.8%) with a mean age of 81.1 ± 6.8 yo, a mean EuroSCORE 2 of 5.2 ± 3.9%. At least one RH abnormality was observed in 53 patients (36.8%). At 6-month, at least one RV dysfunction parameter significantly improved in 26 patients (63.4%), TAPSE increasing from 13.0 ± 2.6 to 16.0 ± 9.8 mm, p < 0.0001 and S-wave from 7.7 ± 1.2 to 10.0 ± 2.6 cm/s, p = 0.004. Among 31 patients with baseline significant TR, TR decreased in 14 (45.2%); p = 0.003. Among patients with baseline RH abnormalities, 13 (24.5%) fully recovered. Baseline significant TR was predictive of 6-month clinical outcomes (OR = 3.1, 95%CI = [1.01–9.0], p = 0.03).Conclusion: In our recent intermediate surgical risk TAVI population, RV dysfunction and/or significant TR are frequent at baseline and fully or partially recover in most patients at 6-month follow-u

Sacubitril/valsartan has an underestimated impact on the right ventricle in patients with sleep-disordered breathing, especially central sleep apnoea syndrome

International audienceBackground: Sacubitril/valsartan has been demonstrated to significantly improve left ventricular performance and remodelling in patients with heart failure. However, its effects on the right ventricle in patients with chronic heart failure and sleep-disordered breathing (SDB) have not been studied.Aim: To investigate the impact of sacubitril/valsartan treatment on right ventricular function in patients with SDB.Methods: This was a subanalysis of an observational prospective multicentre study involving 101 patients. At inclusion, patients were evaluated by echocardiography and nocturnal ventilatory polygraphy, which allowed patients to be divided into three groups: “central-SDB‿; “obstructive-SDB‿; and “no-SDB‿.Results: After 3 months of sacubitril/valsartan therapy, a positive impact on right ventricular function was observed. In the general population, tricuspid annular plane systolic excursion increased by +1.32 ± 4.74 mm (P = 0.024) and systolic pulmonary artery pressure decreased by –3.1 ± 10.91 mmHg (P = 0.048). The central-SDB group experienced the greatest echocardiographic improvement, with a significant increase in tricuspid annular plane systolic excursion of +2.1 ± 4.9 mm (P = 0.045) and a significant reduction in systolic pulmonary artery pressure of –8.4 ± 9.7 mmHg (P = 0.001).Conclusions: Sacubitril/valsartan improved right ventricular function in patients with heart failure and SDB after only 3 months of treatment. The greatest improvement in right ventricular function was observed in the central-SDB group

Conception and bicentric validation of the proSCANNED score, a simplified bedside prognostic score for Heart Failure patients

International audienceA simple and accurate prognostic tool for Heart Failure (HF) patients is critical to improve follow-up. Different risk scores are accurate but with limited clinical applicability. The current study aims to derive and validate a simple predictive tool for HF prognosis. French outpatients with stable HF of two university hospitals were included in the derivation (N = 134) or in the validation (N = 274) sample and followed up for a median of 23 months. Potential predictors were variables with known association with mortality and easily available. The proSCANNED risk score was derived using a parametric survival model on complete case data; it includes 8 binary variables and its values are 0-8. In the validation sample, the ability of the score to discriminate the 1-year vital status was moderate (AUC = 0.71, IC95% = [0.64-0.71]). However, the stratification of the score in three groups showed a good calibration for patients in the low- and medium-risk risk group. The proSCANNED score is an easy-to-use tool in clinical practice with a good discrimination, stability, and calibration sufficient to improve the medical care of patients. Other follow up studies are necessary to assess score applicability in larger populations, and its impact

STADE‐HF (sST2 As a help for management of HF): a pilot study

International audienceAims: Biomarkers are not recommended until now to guide the management of patients with heart failure (HF). Soluble suppression of tumorigenicity 2 (sST2) appears as a promising biomarker. The current study considered pre-discharged sST2 values as a guide for medical management in patients admitted for acute HF decompensation, in an attempt to reduce hospital readmission.Methods and results: STADE-HF was a blinded prospective randomized controlled trial and included 123 patients admitted for acute HF. They were randomized into the usual treatment group (unknown sST2 level) or the interventional treatment group, for whom sST2 level was known and used on Day 4 of hospitalization to guide the treatment. The primary endpoint was the readmission rate for any cause at 1 month. It occurred in 10 patients (19%) in the usual group and 18 (32%) in the sST2 group without statistical difference (P = 0.11). Post hoc analysis in the whole group shows that the mean duration of hospitalization was lower in patients with low sST2 (<37 ng/mL) at admission vs. high sST2 (8.5 ± 9.5 vs. 14.8 ± 14.9 days, respectively, P = 0.003). In addition, a decrease in sST2 greater than 18% is significantly associated with a lower readmission rate.Conclusions: Soluble suppression of tumorigenicity 2-guided therapy over a short period of time does not reduce readmissions. However, sST2 was clearly associated with duration of hospitalization, and the decrease in sST2 was associated with decreased rehospitalizations. Long-term outcome using sST2-guided therapy deserves further investigations