Popeye's sign, heart disease, and amyloidosis

Clinical pictur

Importancia de las alteraciones del potasio. Más allá de la insuficiencia cardiaca

Editoria

Diagnóstico y tratamiento de la obstrucción al flujo en dispositivos de asistencia ventricular de flujo continuo; un problema infrecuente

Carta científic

¿La distrofinopatía de Becker es una contraindicación para el trasplante cardiaco?: experiencia de un centro

Scientific lette

Tratamiento de la hipercolesterolemia con inhibidores de la PCSK9 en receptores de trasplante cardiaco: primera experiencia en España

Carta científic

Clinical evaluation of rosuvastatin in heart transplant patients with hypercholesterolemia and therapeutic failure of other statin regimens: short-term and long-term efficacy and safety results

[Abstract] We conducted an observational study of 30 heart transplant recipients with serum low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-c) >100 mg/dl despite previous statin therapy, who were treated with rosuvastatin 10 mg daily (5 mg in case of renal dysfunction). Serum lipids, creatine phosphokinase (CPK), bilirubin, and hepatic enzymes were prospectively measured 2, 4, and 12 weeks after the initiation of the drug. Clinical outcomes of patients who continued on long-term rosuvastatin therapy beyond this 12-week period were reviewed in February 2015. Over the 12-week period following rosuvastatin initiation, serum levels of total cholesterol (TC) and LDL-c and the ratio TC/high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-c) decreased steadily (P < 0.001). Average absolute reductions of these three parameters were –48.7 mg/dl, –46.6 mg/dl, and –0.9, respectively. Seventeen (57%) achieved a serum LDL-c < 100 mg/dl. No significant changes from baseline were observed in serum levels of triglycerides, HDL-c, hepatic enzymes, bilirubin, or CPK. Twenty-seven (90%) patients continued on long-term therapy with rosuvastatin over a median period of 3.6 years, with no further significant variation in lipid profile. The drug was suspended due to liver toxicity in 1 (3.3%) patient and due to muscle toxicity in 2 (6.7%) patients. All adverse reactions resolved rapidly after rosuvastatin withdrawal. Our study supports rosuvastatin as a reasonable alternative for heart transplant recipients with hypercholesterolemia and therapeutic failure of other statin regimens

Significado pronóstico y evolución a largo plazo de la frecuencia cardiaca en los pacientes con trasplante cardiaco

[Abstract] Introduction and objectives. The aim of the present study was to examine the prognostic significance of heart rate and its trend in heart transplantation. Methods. This observational study enrolled 170 patients who received a bicaval heart transplant between 1995 and 2005; all were in sinus rhythm. The resting heart rate was determined via electrocardiography at the end of the first posttransplant year and annually until the tenth year. Cox analysis was used to evaluate the incidence of adverse events with a mean (standard deviation) follow-up of 8.9 (3.1) years. The primary study end point was the composite outcome of death or graft dysfunction. Results. The resting heart rate at the end of the first posttransplant year was an independent predictor of the primary composite end point (hazard ratio = 1.054; 95% confidence interval, 1.028-1.080; P < .001) and was significantly associated with total mortality (hazard ratio = 1.058; 95% confidence interval, 1.030-1.087; P < .001) and mortality from cardiac causes (hazard ratio = 1.069; 95% confidence interval, 1.026-1.113; P = .001), but not with graft dysfunction (hazard ratio = 1.028; 95% confidence interval, 0.989-1.069; P = .161). For patients with a heart rate ≥ 105 or < 90 bpm vs those with 90-104 bpm, the hazard ratios of the primary end point were 2.233 (95% confidence interval, 1.250-3.989; P = .007) and 0.380 (95% confidence interval, 0.161-0.895; P = .027), respectively. Heart rate tended to decrease in the first 10 years after transplantation (P = .001). Patients with a net increase in heart rate during follow-up showed a higher incidence of adverse events. Conclusions. An elevated heart rate is an adverse prognostic marker after heart transplantation.[Resumen] Introducción y objetivos. Estudiar la evolución y el significado pronóstico de la frecuencia cardiaca tras el trasplante cardiaco. Métodos. Estudio observacional de 170 pacientes que recibieron un trasplante cardiaco bicavo entre 1995 y 2005; todos estaban en ritmo sinusal. La frecuencia cardiaca en reposo se determinó a partir de electrocardiogramas al final del primer año tras el trasplante y anualmente hasta el décimo año. Mediante análisis de Cox, se evaluó la incidencia de eventos adversos en un seguimiento medio de 8,9 ± 3,1 años. El evento principal del estudio fue la variable combinada muerte o disfunción del injerto. Resultados. La frecuencia cardiaca en reposo, medida al final del primer año tras el trasplante, fue un predictor independiente del evento combinado principal (hazard ratio = 1,054; intervalo de confianza del 95%, 1,028-1,080; p < 0,001). Se observó una asociación estadísticamente significativa con la mortalidad total (hazard ratio = 1,058; intervalo de confianza del 95%, 1,030-1,087; p < 0,001) y con la mortalidad por causas cardiacas (hazard ratio = 1,069; intervalo de confianza del 95%, 1,026-1,113; p = 0,001), pero no con la disfunción del injerto (hazard ratio = 1,028; intervalo de confianza del 95%, 0,989-1,069; p = 0,161). Para los pacientes con frecuencia cardiaca ≥ 105 y < 90 lpm frente a aquellos con 90-104 lpm, las hazard ratio del evento principal fueron, respectivamente, 2,233 (intervalo de confianza del 95%, 1,250-3,989, p = 0,007) y 0,380 (intervalo de confianza del 95%, 0,161-0,895; p = 0,027). Este parámetro presentó una tendencia decreciente en los primeros 10 años del trasplante (p = 0,001). Los pacientes con incremento neto de frecuencia cardiaca en el seguimiento mostraron mayor incidencia de eventos adversos. Conclusiones. La frecuencia cardiaca elevada es un marcador pronóstico adverso tras el trasplante cardiaco

Paroxysmal bradyarrhythmias are frequent among heart transplant recipients with unexplained syncope: a study based on implantable loop recorders

Research lette

In-hospital postoperative infection after heart transplantation: risk factors and development of a novel predictive score

[Abstract] Introduction: Infection is one of the most significant complications following heart transplantation (HT). The aim of this study was to identify specific risk factors for early postoperative infections in HT recipients, and to develop a multivariable predictive model to identify HT recipients at high risk. Methods: A single-center, observational, and retrospective study was conducted. The dependent variable was in-hospital postoperative infection. We examined demographic and epidemiological data from donors and recipients, surgical features, and adverse postoperative events as independent variables. Backwards, stepwise multivariable logistic regression with a P-value < 0.05 was used to identify clinical factors independently associated with the risk of in-hospital postoperative infections following HT. Results: Six hundred seventy-seven patients were included in this study. During the in-hospital postoperative period, 348 episodes of infection were diagnosed in 239 (35.9%) patients. Seven variables were identified as independent clinical predictors of early postoperative infection after HT: history of diabetes mellitus, previous sternotomy, preoperative mechanical ventilation, primary graft failure, major surgical bleeding, use of mycophenolate mofetil, and use of itraconazole. Based on the results of multivariable models, we constructed a 7-variable (8-point) score to predict the risk of in-hospital postoperative infection in HT recipients, which showed a reasonable ability to predict the risk of in-hospital postoperative infection in this population. Prospective external validation of this new score is warranted to confirm its clinical applicability. Conclusions: In-hospital postoperative infection is a common complication after HT, affecting 35% of patients who underwent this procedure at our institution. Diabetes mellitus, previous sternotomy, preoperative mechanical ventilation, primary graft failure, major surgical bleeding, use of mycophenolate mofetil, and itraconazole were all independent clinical predictors of early postoperative infection after HT

Estado serológico frente a Toxoplasma gondii en receptores de trasplante cardiaco: ¿un factor pronóstico independiente?

[Resumen] Introducción y objetivos. Analizar la influencia pronóstica del estado serológico frente a Toxoplasma gondii en receptores de trasplante cardiaco (TC). Métodos. Se realizó un estudio retrospectivo unicéntrico con 657 receptores de TC entre 1991 y 2015. Mediante dos modelos multivariantes de Cox se comparó la supervivencia y la incidencia de episodios clínicos adversos de los receptores seropositivos (n = 481) y los receptores seronegativos (n = 176) frente a T. gondii. El modelo 1 incluyó edad y sexo, y el modelo 2 incluyó otros factores de confusión potenciales. Resultados. Con una mediana de seguimiento de 2.903 días (rango intercuartílico: 898-4.757), fallecieron 250 pacientes seropositivos (52%) y 72 receptores seronegativos (41%) frente a T. gondii. Los pacientes seropositivos presentaron mayor mortalidad no ajustada tras el TC (hazard ratio [HR] = 1,31; intervalo de confianza del 95% [IC95%], 1,00-1,70). Tras el ajuste multivariante, este efecto perdió su significación estadística (modelo 1: HR = 1,09; IC95%, 0,83-1,43; modelo 2: HR = 1,12; IC95%, 0,85-1,47). La seropositividad frente a T. gondii del receptor se asoció de modo independiente con mayor riesgo de rechazo agudo (modelo 1: HR = 1,36; IC95%, 1,06-1,74; modelo 2: HR = 1,29; IC95%, 1,01-1,66). Los modelos multivariantes no pusieron de manifiesto una influencia significativa del estado serológico frente a T. gondii del receptor sobre la incidencia de infección, neoplasias, enfermedad vascular del injerto o el desenlace combinado muerte cardiaca o retrasplante. Tampoco se observó una influencia pronóstica significativa de la concordancia donante-receptor respecto al estado serológico frente a T. gondii. Conclusiones. El presente estudio no ha puesto de manifiesto un efecto pronóstico independiente del estado serológico frente a T. gondii en los receptores de TC