Impact of transcatheter aortic valve implantation on the left ventricular mass

Background: Aortic stenosis (AS) induces pressure overload of the left ventricle (LV) and results in left ventricular hypertrophy. The remodeling of the LV in patients with AS is a com­plex process including structural and functional disturbances. After aortic valve replacement, reverse remodeling of LV begins. The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of transcatheter aortic valve ımplantation (TAVI) on LV mass (LVM) in early and mid-term follow-ups after the procedure. Methods and Results: We enrolled consecutive 75 patients who underwent successful TAVI. Transthoracic echocardiography was performed prior to TAVI and at hospital discharge, in the 1st month and 6th month of the follow-ups. The mean LV ejection fraction improved significantly after TAVI (54.2 ± 15.0% to 57.3 ± 11.7%, p < 0.001). There were no significant changes between the baseline and discharge mean LVM and LVM index values (LVMI; p = 0.1). However, LVMI decreased significantly in the 1st month of follow-up compared to baseline (123.3 ± 20.3 to 127.9 ± 21.3 g/m2, respectively, p < 0.001). Also, significant regression of LVM was observed at the 1st month of follow-up compared to baseline (228.3 ± 33.5 g vs. 236.5 ± 34.2 g, respectively, p < 0.001). Furthermore, the significant regression in both of LVM and LVMI continued at 1st and 6th months of the follow-ups (p < 0.001). Conclusions: A significant regression of LVM was observed after TAVI. These changes may have prognostic value in patients with severe AS

Immediate recovery of the left atrial and left ventricular diastolic function after transcatheter aortic valve implantation: A transesophageal echocardiography study

Background: Chronic increased afterload due to severe aortic stenosis (AS) results in com­pensatory concentric left ventricular (LV) hypertrophy and LV dysfunction. These in turn cause remodeling of the left heart. The aim of this study was to investigate the acute effect of transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) on left atrial (LA) mechanics and LV diastolic function. Methods: The study consisted of a total of 35 consecutive patients (mean age was 77.7 ± 5.0 years, 25 female) undergoing TAVI. All TAVI procedures have been performed under the transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) guidance. Before and 24 h after TAVI, all patients underwent transthoracic echocardiography (TTE) and mitral inflow velocities with pulsed-wave (PW) Doppler including early filling wave (E), late diastolic filling wave (A), and E/A ratio were obtained. LV diastolic function was also explored by pulsed tissue Doppler imaging (TDI). Early (E’) and late (A’) diastolic annular velocities, E’/A’ ratio and E/E’ ratio were obtained. In addition, during the procedure before and minutes after the valve implantation, the left atrial appendage-peak antegrade flow velocity (LAA-PAFV) was measured and recorded with TEE. Results: Compared with baseline, the mean mitral E, septal E’ and E’/A’ ratio increased significantly after TAVI. In addition, the LAA-PAFV increased significantly within minutes of TAVI (32.45 ± 10.7 cm/s vs. 47.6 ± 12.6 cm/s, p < 0.001). Conclusions: TAVI improves LV diastolic function and LA performance immediately

Impact of transcatheter aortic valve implantation in patients with reduced ejection fraction

Background: Aortic stenosis increases with age. According to guidelines, left ventricular systolic dysfunction is an indication for aortic valve replacement, even in asymptomatic patients. There is no clear data on the application of transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI), which is a method showing continuous improvement in recent years, in patients with reduced ejection fraction (REF) having a poor prognosis for surgical aortic valve replacement. We therefore aimed to investigate the effect of TAVI on left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) and also its efficacy and safety in patients with REF. Methods and results: The study included 104 patients who underwent transfemoral TAVI in our clinic. The patients were divided into two groups: LVEF ≤ 45% (REF group, n = 28) and LVEF > 45% (preserved ejection fraction [PEF] group, n = 76). Follow-up measure­ments were performed at baseline, discharge, 1st, 6th and 12th months. No statistical difference was found between the groups with respect to complications and mortality rates. A statistically significant difference was detected in LVEF after TAVI, either in all patients (53.9 ± 14.6, 57.0 ± 11.4, 59.4 ± 8.4, 60.4 ± 6.8, 63.2 ± 3.9, respectively, at baseline, discharge, 1st, 6th and 12th months, p < 0.001) or in the groups separately. A statistically significant increase in LVEF (p < 0.001) was determined at discharge, 1st, 6th and 12th months, whereas LVEF increased in all follow-ups of the PEF group, however this elevation reached a statistical significance only at the 1st month (p = 0.04). Conclusions: Our study has shown the positive effect of TAVI on LVEF and its effective and safe applicability in patients with REF.

Dynamiczna homeostaza tiolowo-disulfidowa i jej wartość prognostyczna u chorych z ostrym zespołem wieńcowym bez uniesienia odcinka ST

Background: Cardiovascular diseases are still one of the leading causes of death in industrialised countries, and oxidative stress plays an important role in the pathogenesis of acute coronary syndromes (ACS). The dynamic thiol/disulphide homeostasis plays an important role in maintaining the oxidant-antioxidant balance. Aim: We aimed to demonstrate the relationship between dynamic thiol/disulphide homeostasis parameters and non-ST elevation ACS (NSTE-ACS). Methods: Patients with NSTE-ACS (n = 210) and a control group (n = 185) were included in the study. The GRACE risk score and the development of major adverse cardiovascular event (MACE) were used to evaluate the prognosis. Results: Native thiol, total thiol, disulphide/native thiol, disulphide/total thiol, and native thiol/total thiol levels were found to be lower in the NSTE-ACS group (p &lt; 0.001). There was a statistically significant difference between native and total thiol levels in the GRACE risk score subgroups (p &lt; 0.001). There was a correlation between MACE and native thiol levels (p = 0.04). Conclusions: Consequently, the dynamic thiol/disulphide homeostasis parameters were significantly different in the NSTE-ACS group and may be used to predict prognosis in this patient group.Wstęp: Choroby sercowo-naczyniowe są nadal jedną z głównych przyczyn zgonu w krajach uprzemysłowionych, a stres oksydacyjny odgrywa istotną rolę w patogenezie ostrych zespołów wieńcowych (ACS). Dynamiczna homeostaza tiolowo-disulfidowa ma ważne znaczenie w utrzymywaniu równowagi między oksydantami a antyoksydantami. Cel: Badanie przeprowadzono w celu wykazania zależności między parametrami dynamicznej homeostazy tiolowo-disulfidowej a ostrymi zespołami wieńcowymi bez uniesienia odcinka ST (NSTE-ACS). Metody: Do badania włączono chorych z NSTE-ACS (n = 210) oraz grupę kontrolną (n = 185). Do oceny rokowania pacjentów zastosowano skalę oceny ryzyka GRACE oraz występowanie poważnych sercowych zdarzeń niepożądanych (MACE). Wyniki: W grupie NSTE-ACS stwierdzono niższe stężenia natywnych grup tiolowych, całkowite stężenia grup tiolowych oraz niższe współczynniki disulfidy/tiole natywne, disulfidy/tiole całkowite i tiole natywne/tiole całkowite (p < 0,001). Odnotowano statystycznie istotną różnicę w stężeniach natywnych i całkowitych między podgrupami wydzielonymi na podstawie oceny ryzyka w skali GRACE (p < 0,001). Wykazano korelację między MACE a stężeniem natywnych grup tiolowych (p = 0,04). Wnioski: Podsumowując, parametry dynamicznej homeostazy tiolowo-sulfidowej były istotnie różne w grupie NSTE-ACS i mogą być stosowane w ustalaniu rokowania u chorych z tej grupy

Effects of serum uric acid levels on coronary collateral circulation in patients with non-ST elevation acute coronary syndrome

Objectives The strong relationship between high level of serum uric acid (UA) and cardiovascular disease has been shown in many studies. In this study, we investigated whether serum UA levels affect coronary collateral circulation (CCC) in patients with non-ST elevation acute coronary syndrome

304 Advances in Interventional Cardiology 2015; 11, 4 (42) Original paper Corresponding author:

Transfemoral aortic valve implantation in severe aortic stenosis patients with prior mitral valve prosthesi

TRANSCATHETER AORTIC VALVE IMPLANTATION IN PATIENTS WITH LEFT ATRIAL APPENDIX THROMBUS

Aim. The transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) which developed in the recent years has become an alternative for surgery. However, in spite of new developments the process based vascular and neurological complications still remain to be a problem with elderly patients who also tend to have many co-morbid conditions. With this study we aimed to evaluate the TAVI efficacy and reliability on patients with scarcely relative contraindication and with intracardiac thrombus who are mostly left out of the study.Methods and Results. There has been a successful TAVI process conducted in our clinic for antiplatelet and anticoagulation for 6 cases in which thrombus was seen in left atrial appendix (LAA) via transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) and which are not suitable for surgical valve replacement due to atrial fibrillation (AF) and severe AS comorbid reasons. Edwards SAPIEN XT valve was implanted to all patients transfemorally with general anaesthesia. The process was facilitated successfully and no major/minor stroke was observed in post-process early period, and 9 month controls, in average.Conclusion. Other than AS, also AF, whose frequency increases with age, is an important risk factor for neurological complications. In patients who has AF and AS the source of the cardioembolic focus is mainly LAA. The post-TAVI antiplatelet and anticoagulation treatment is not clear for these patients. We tried to show that TAVI process is reliable in terms of the risk of stroke, in careful processing and suitable anticoagulation treatment for the patients with AF, AS and LAA in this first case study in literature, as far as we know