Temporal Dissociation between Myeloperoxidase (MPO)-Modified LDL and MPO Elevations during Chronic Sleep Restriction and Recovery in Healthy Young Men

OBJECTIVES: Many studies have evaluated the ways in which sleep disturbances may influence inflammation and the possible links of this effect to cardiovascular risk. Our objective was to investigate the effects of chronic sleep restriction and recovery on several blood cardiovascular biomarkers. METHODS AND RESULTS: Nine healthy male non-smokers, aged 22-29 years, were admitted to the Sleep Laboratory for 11 days and nights under continuous electroencephalogram polysomnography. The study consisted of three baseline nights of 8 hours sleep (from 11 pm to 7 am), five sleep-restricted nights, during which sleep was allowed only between 1 am and 6 am, and three recovery nights of 8 hours sleep (11 pm to 7 am). Myeloperoxidase-modified low-density lipoprotein levels increased during the sleep-restricted period indicating an oxidative stress. A significant increase in the quantity of slow-wave sleep was measured during the first recovery night. After this first recovery night, insulin-like growth factor-1 levels increased and myeloperoxidase concentration peaked. CONCLUSIONS: We observed for the first time that sleep restriction and the recovery process are associated with differential changes in blood biomarkers of cardiovascular disease

Combined Tricuspid and Mitral Versus Isolated Mitral Valve Repair for Severe MR and TR An Analysis From the TriValve and TRAMI Registries

OBJECTIVES The aim of this study was to retrospectively compare the characteristics, procedural courses, and outcomes of patients presenting with concomitant mitral regurgitation (MR) and tricuspid regurgitation (TR) in the TriValve (Transcatheter Tricuspid Valve Therapies) and TRAMI (Transcatheter Mitral Valve Interventions) registries. BACKGROUND Transcatheter mitral edge-to-edge valve repair (TMVR) has been shown to be successful in patients with severe MR. Lately, edge-to-edge repair has also emerged as a possible treatment for severe TR in patients at high risk for cardiac surgery. In patients with both severe MR and TR, the yield of concomitant transcatheter mitral and tricuspid valve repair (TMTVR) for patients at high surgical risk is unknown. METHODS The characteristics, procedural data, and 1-year outcomes of all patients in the international multicenter TriValve registry and the German multicenter TRAMI registry, who presented with both severe MR and TR, were retrospectively compared. Patients in TRAMI (n = 106) underwent isolated TMVR, while those in TriValve (n = 122) additionally underwent concurrent TMTVR in compassionate and/or off-label use. RESULTS All 228 patients (mean age 77 +/- 8 years, 44.3% women) presented with significant dyspnea at baseline (New York Heart Association functional class III or IV in 93.9%), without any differences in the rates of pulmonary hypertension and chronic pulmonary disease. The proportion of patients with left ventricular ejection fraction <30% was higher in the TMVR group (34.9% vs. 18.0%; p < 0.001), while patients in the TMTVR group had lower glomerular filtration rates. At discharge, MR was comparably reduced in both groups. At 1 year, overall all-cause mortality was 34.0% in the TMVR group and 16.4% in the TMTVR group (p = 0.035, Cox regression). On multivariate analysis, TMTVR was associated with a 2-fold lower mortality rate (hazard ratio: 0.52; p = 0.02). The rate of patients in New York Heart Association functional class <= II at 1 year did not differ (69.4% vs. 67.0%; p = 0.54). CONCLUSIONS Concurrent TMTVR was associated with a higher 1-year survival rate compared with isolated TMVR in patients with both MR and TR. Further randomized trials are needed to confirm these results. (C) 2020 Published by Elsevier on behalf of the American College of Cardiology Foundation

Impact of Proportionality of Secondary Mitral Regurgitation on Outcome After Transcatheter Mitral Valve Repair

OBJECTIVES The purpose of this paper was to evaluate the impact of proportionality of secondary mitral regurgitation (SMR) in a large real-world registry of transcatheter edge-to-edge mitral valve repair (TMVr) BACKGROUND Differences in the outcomes of recent randomized trials of TMVr for SMR may be explained by the proportionality of SMR severity to left ventricular (LV) volume. METHODS The ratio of pre-procedural effective regurgitant orifice area (EROA) to LV end-diastolic volume (LVEDV) was retrospectively assessed in patients undergoing TMVr for severe SMR between 2008 and 2019 from the EuroSMR registry. A recently proposed SMR proportionality scheme was adapted to stratify patients according to EROA/LVEDV ratio in 3 groups: MR-dominant (MD), MR-LV-co-dominant (MLCD), and LV-dominant (LD). All-cause mortality was assessed as a primary outcome, secondary heart failure (HF) outcomes included hospitalization for HF (HHF), New York Heart Association (NYHA) functional class, N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP), 6-min-walk distance, quality of life and MR grade. RESULTS A total of 1,016 patients with an EROA/LVEDV ratio were followed for 22 months after TMVr. MR was reduced to grade <= 2+ in 92%, 96%, and 94% of patients (for MD, MLCD, and LD, respectively; p = 0.18). After adjustment for covariates including age, sex, diabetes, kidney function, body surface area, LV ejection fraction, and procedural MR reduction (grade <= 2+), adjusted rates of 2-year mortality in MD patients did not differ from those for MLCD patients (17% vs. 18%, respectively), whereas it was higher in LD patients (23%; p = 0.02 for comparison vs. MD+MLCD). The adjusted first HHF rate differed between groups (44% in MD, 56% in MLCD, 29% in LD; p = 0.01) as did the adjusted time for first death or HHF rate (66% in MD, 82% in MLCD, 68% in LD; p = 0.02). Improvement of NYHA functional class was seen in all groups (p < 0.001). Values for 6-min-walk distances, quality of life and NT-proBNP improved in most patients. CONCLUSIONS MD and MLCD patients had a comparable, adjusted 2-year mortality rate after TMVr which was slightly better than that of LD patients. Patients treated with TMVr had symptomatic improvement regardless of EROA/LVEDV ratio. (C) 2021 by the American College of Cardiology Foundation

Sex-Related Clinical Characteristics and Outcomes of Patients Undergoing Transcatheter Edge-to-Edge Repair for Secondary Mitral Regurgitation.

OBJECTIVES The authors sought to assess sex-based differences in characteristics and outcomes of patients undergoing transcatheter edge-to-edge mitral valve repair (TMVR) for secondary mitral regurgitation (SMR). BACKGROUND Subgroup analysis from the COAPT (Cardiovascular Outcomes Assessment of the MitraClip Percutaneous Therapy for Heart Failure Patients with Functional Mitral Regurgitation) trial indicated potential sex-related differences in outcomes after TMVR. The impact of sex on results after TMVR in a real-world setting is unknown. METHODS The authors assessed clinical outcomes and echocardiographic parameters in women and men undergoing TMVR for SMR between 2008 and 2018 who were included in the large, international, multicenter real-world EuroSMR registry (European Registry of Transcatheter Repair for Secondary Mitral Regurgitation). RESULTS A total of 1,233 patients, including 445 women (36%) and 788 men (64%), were analyzed. Although women were significantly older and had fewer comorbidities than men, TMVR was equally effective in women and men (mitral regurgitation [MR] grade ≤2+ at discharge: 93.2% vs. 94.6% for women vs. men; p = 0.35). All-cause mortality at 1 year (17.9% vs. 18.9%, adjusted hazard ratio: 0.806; p = 0.46) and at 2-year follow-up (26.5% vs. 26.4%, adjusted hazard ratio: 0.757; p = 0.26) were similar in women versus men after multivariate regression analysis. Durability of MR reduction, improvement in symptoms, quality of life, and functional capacity did also not differ during follow-up. CONCLUSIONS Results from the EuroSMR registry confirmed effective and similar MR reduction with TMVR in women and men. There were no sex-related differences in clinical outcomes up to 2 years of follow-up

Impact of Right Ventricular Dysfunction on Outcomes After Transcatheter Edge-to-Edge Repair for Secondary Mitral Regurgitation.

OBJECTIVES This study sought to assess the impact of right ventricular dysfunction (RVD) as defined by impaired right ventricular-to-pulmonary artery (RV-PA) coupling, on survival after edge-to-edge transcatheter mitral valve repair (TMVR) for severe secondary mitral regurgitation (SMR). BACKGROUND Conflicting data exist regarding the benefit of TMVR in severe SMR. A possible explanation could be differences in RVD. METHODS Using data from the EuroSMR (European Registry on Outcomes in Secondary Mitral Regurgitation) registry, this study compared the characteristics and outcomes of SMR patients undergoing TMVR, according to their RV-PA coupling, assessed by tricuspid annular plane systolic excursion-to-systolic pulmonary artery pressure (TAPSE/sPAP) ratio. RESULTS Overall, 817 patients with severe SMR and available RV-PA coupling assessment underwent TMVR in the participating centers. RVD was present in 211 patients (25.8% with a TAPSE/sPAP ratio <0.274 mm/mm Hg). Although all patients demonstrated significant improvement in their New York Heart Association (NYHA) functional class, there was a trend toward a lower rate of NYHA functional class I or II among patients with RVD (56.5% vs. 65.5%, respectively; p = 0.086) after TMVR. Survival rates at 1 and 2 years were lower among patients with RVD (70.2% vs. 84.0%, respectively; p < 0.001; and 53.4% vs. 73.1%, respectively; p < 0.001). On multivariate analysis, a reduced TAPSE/sPAP ratio was a strong predictor of mortality (odds ratio: 1.62; 95% confidence interval: 1.14 to 2.31; p = 0.007). CONCLUSIONS RVD, as shown by impairment of RV-PA coupling, is a major predictor of adverse outcome in patients undergoing TMVR for severe SMR. The often neglected functional and anatomic RV parameters should be systematically assessed when planning TMVR procedures for patients with severe SMR

Loss of genomic integrity induced by lysosphingolipid imbalance drives ageing in the heart

Cardiac dysfunctions dramatically increase with age. Revealing a currently unknown contributor to cardiac ageing, we report the age-dependent, cardiac-specific accumulation of the lysosphingolipid sphinganine (dihydrosphingosine, DHS) as an evolutionarily conserved hallmark of the aged vertebrate heart. Mechanistically, the DHS-derivative sphinganine-1-phosphate (DHS1P) directly inhibits HDAC1, causing an aberrant elevation in histone acetylation and transcription levels, leading to DNA damage. Accordingly, the pharmacological interventions, preventing (i) the accumulation of DHS1P using SPHK2 inhibitors, (ii) the aberrant increase in histone acetylation using histone acetyltransferase (HAT) inhibitors, (iii) the DHS1P-dependent increase in transcription using an RNA polymerase II inhibitor, block DHS-induced DNA damage in human cardiomyocytes. Importantly, an increase in DHS levels in the hearts of healthy young adult mice leads to an impairment in cardiac functionality indicated by a significant reduction in left ventricular fractional shortening and ejection fraction, mimicking the functional deterioration of aged hearts. These molecular and functional defects can be partially prevented in vivo using HAT inhibitors. Together, we report an evolutionarily conserved mechanism by which increased DHS levels drive the decline in cardiac health

Impact of Residual Mitral Regurgitation on Survival After Transcatheter Edge-to-Edge Repair for Secondary Mitral Regurgitation

Y OBJECTIVES The aim of this study was to assess the impact of residual mitral regurgitation (resMR) on mortality with respect to left ventricular dilatation (LV-Dil) or right ventricular dysfunction (RV-Dys) in patients with secondary mitral regurgitation (SMR) who underwent mitral valve transcatheter edge-to-edge repair (TEER). BACKGROUND The presence of LV-Dil and RV-Dys correlates with advanced stages of heart failure in SMR patients, which may impact the outcome after TEER. METHODS SMR patients in a European multicenter registry were evaluated. Investigated outcomes were 2-year all-cause mortality and improvement in New York Heart Association functional class with respect to MR reduction, LV-Dil (defined as LV end-diastolic volume >= 159 ml), and RV-Dys (defined as tricuspid annular plane systolic excursion-to-systolic pulmonary artery pressure ratio of <0.274 mm/mm Hg). RESULTS Among 809 included patients, resMR <= 1+ was achieved in 546 (67%) patients. Overall estimated 2-year mortality rate was 32%. Post-procedural resMR was significantly associated with mortality (p = 0.031). Although the improvement in New York Heart Association functional class persisted regardless of either LV-Dil or RV-Dys, the beneficial treatment effect of resMR <= 1+ on 2-year mortality was observed only in patients without LV-Dil and RV-Dys (hazard ratio: 1.75; 95% confidence interval: 1.03 to 3.00). CONCLUSIONS Achieving optimal MR reduction by TEER is associated with improved survival in SMR patients, especially if the progress in heart failure is not too advanced. In SMR patients with advanced stages of heart failure, as evidenced by LV-Dil or RV-Dys, the treatment effect of TEER on symptomatic improvement is maintained, but the survival benefit appears to be (C) 2021 by the American College of Cardiology Foundation

Outcomes Stratified by Adapted Inclusion Criteria After Mitral Edge-to-Edge Repair.

BACKGROUND Although mitral valve transcatheter edge-to-edge repair (M-TEER) achieves symptomatic benefit for a broad spectrum of patients with relevant secondary mitral regurgitation, conflicting data exist on its prognostic impact. OBJECTIVES Adapted enrollment criteria approaching those used in the COAPT (Cardiovascular Outcomes Assessment of the MitraClip Percutaneous Therapy for Heart Failure Patients With Functional Mitral Regurgitation) and MITRA-FR (Percutaneous Repair or Medical Treatment for Secondary Mitral Regurgitation) trials were retrospectively applied to a European real-world registry to evaluate the influence of the respective criteria on outcomes. METHODS A total of 1,022 patients included in the EuroSMR (European Registry of Transcatheter Repair for Secondary Mitral Regurgitation) registry and treated with M-TEER (November 2008 to September 2019) were stratified into COAPT-eligible (n = 353 [34.5%]) and COAPT-ineligible (n = 669 [65.5%]) as well as MITRA-FR-eligible (n = 408 [48.3%]) and MITRA-FR-ineligible (n = 437 [51.7%]) groups. RESULTS Although the stratification of patients according to adapted MITRA-FR criteria led to comparable outcomes regarding all-cause mortality (P = 0.19), the application of adapted COAPT enrollment criteria demonstrated lower mortality rates in COAPT-eligible compared with COAPT-ineligible patients (P < 0.001). Multivariable Cox regression analysis identified New York Heart Association functional class IV (hazard ratio [HR]: 2.29; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.53-3.42; P < 0.001), logarithmic N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide (HR: 1.47; 95% CI: 1.24-1.75; P < 0.001), and right ventricular-to-pulmonary arterial coupling (HR: 0.10; 95% CI: 0.02-0.57; P = 0.009) as independent predictors of outcome. Yet improvement of functional outcome was demonstrated in a subset of patients irrespective of COAPT eligibility status. CONCLUSIONS In this real-world cohort of patients with secondary mitral regurgitation undergoing M-TEER, the retrospective application of adapted COAPT enrollment criteria successfully identified a specific phenotype demonstrating lower mortality rates. On the contrary, stratification according to adapted MITRA-FR criteria resulted in comparable outcomes

Impact of Transcatheter Edge-to-Edge Mitral Valve Repair on Guideline-Directed Medical Therapy Uptitration.

BACKGROUND Guideline-directed medical therapy (GDMT) optimization is mandatory before transcatheter edge-to-edge mitral valve repair (M-TEER) in patients with secondary mitral regurgitation (SMR) and heart failure (HF) with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF). However, the effect of M-TEER on GDMT is unknown. OBJECTIVES The authors sought to evaluate frequency, prognostic implications and predictors of GDMT uptitration after M-TEER in patients with SMR and HFrEF. METHODS This is a retrospective analysis of prospectively collected data from the EuroSMR Registry. The primary events were all-cause death and the composite of all-cause death or HF hospitalization. RESULTS Among the 1,641 EuroSMR patients, 810 had full datasets regarding GDMT and were included in this study. GDMT uptitration occurred in 307 patients (38%) after M-TEER. Proportion of patients receiving angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors/angiotensin receptor blockers/angiotensin receptor-neprilysin inhibitors, beta-blockers, and mineralocorticoid receptor antagonists was 78%, 89%, and 62% before M-TEER and 84%, 91%, and 66% 6 months after M-TEER (all P < 0.001). Patients with GDMT uptitration had a lower risk of all-cause death (adjusted HR: 0.62; 95% CI: 0.41-0.93; P = 0.020) and of all-cause death or HF hospitalization (adjusted HR: 0.54; 95% CI: 0.38-0.76; P < 0.001) compared with those without. Degree of MR reduction between baseline and 6-month follow-up was an independent predictor of GDMT uptitration after M-TEER (adjusted OR: 1.71; 95% CI: 1.08-2.71; P = 0.022). CONCLUSIONS GDMT uptitration after M-TEER occurred in a considerable proportion of patients with SMR and HFrEF and is independently associated with lower rates for mortality and HF hospitalizations. A greater decrease in MR was associated with increased likelihood for GDMT uptitration