Abstract 4139469: Efficacy of Post-Procedure Voltage Mapping (PPVM) Guided Incremental Ablation Lesions in Improving 1-Year Success and Recurrence-Free Survival for Atrial Fibrillation Ablation

Circulation, Volume 150, Issue Suppl_1, Page A4139469-A4139469, November 12, 2024. Introduction:Pulmonary Vein Isolation (PVI) has become the cornerstone during ablation of Atrial Fibrillation. The primary goal of the procedure is to prevent potential arrhythmogenic triggers from accessing the main left atrial substrate. However, incomplete fibrosis leading to PV reconnection has been identified as the primary reason for AF recurrence. It is unclear whether immediate voltage mapping and additional lesions delivered to areas of residual or recovered voltages will improve the outcome. This study evaluates the 1-year success and long-term recurrence-free survival in patients who underwent post-procedure voltage mapping (PPVM) to identify residual Low-Voltage Areas (LVAs) to guide the delivery of additional ablation lesions.Methods:We analyzed 588 patients who underwent PVI from 2015 to 2023. Of these, 243 had PPVM done to determine LVAs and guide additional ablation lesions. The control arm comprised 345 patients who underwent PVI by the same operators without PPVM. The primary endpoints were 1-year success and longer-term recurrence-free survival. Secondary endpoints were the incidence of complications and the prevalence of LVAs in patients who underwent PPVM.Results:Patients who underwent remapping were older than the control arm (68.3 vs 65.6 years, p = 0.005). There were no other significant differences in baseline characteristics between the two groups. At 1-year follow-up, the success rates were 79% in the treatment arm compared to 72% in the control arm (p = 0.038). Patients in the intervention arm had a recurrence-free survival rate of 65% and 54% at 2 and 4 years, respectively, compared to 62% and 43% in the control arm (p = 0.044). The prevalence of LVAs in the treatment arm was 56.8%. Additionally, complication rates were not increased in the remapping arm (3% vs 8%, p = 0.012).Conclusion:PPVM-guided incremental ablation lesions improve the 1-year success rate and recurrence-free survival at 2 and 4 years compared to traditional PVI without increasing complications due to additional lesion delivery.

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Novembre 2024

Abstract 4140204: Relationship of Oxidized Phospholipids and Lp(a) to Outcomes after Acute Coronary Syndrome: A Post Hoc Analysis of the ODYSSEY OUTCOMES Trial

Circulation, Volume 150, Issue Suppl_1, Page A4140204-A4140204, November 12, 2024. Background:Oxidized phospholipids (OxPL) are preferentially carried by and contribute to the pro-inflammatory properties of lipoprotein(a) [Lp(a)]. OxPL can be quantitated on all apolipoprotein B-100 containing lipoproteins (OxPL-apoB), a dominant proportion of which are present on Lp(a) particles.Objectives:To assess the effect of PCSK9 inhibition by alirocumab on plasma levels of OxPL-apoB, and the relationship to Lp(a) and major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) in patients with a recent acute coronary syndrome (ACS) on optimized statin treatment.Methods:OxPL-apoB (Diazyme, Inc) and Lp(a) (TinaQuant, Roche Diagnostics) were measured at baseline (1-12 months after ACS) in a subset of participants in the ODYSSEY OUTCOMES trial with samples available at baseline (prior to randomization to alirocumab or placebo, n=11,630) and log2-transformed. Proportional hazards models adjusted for 12 baseline covariates evaluated the association of predictor variables (OxPL-apoB and Lp(a)) with MACE (coronary heart disease death, non-fatal MI, ischemic stroke, and hospitalized unstable angina) and all-cause death, with HRs for doubling of the predictor variable.Results:Baseline OxPL-apoB correlated with Lp(a) (r=0.68, p

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Novembre 2024

Abstract 4125636: Impaired blood pressure regulation in post-COVID-19 postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome: novel disease mechanisms beyond sinus tachycardia

Circulation, Volume 150, Issue Suppl_1, Page A4125636-A4125636, November 12, 2024. Background:Postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS) is a prevalent cardiovascular disorder after COVID-19 infection. Although POTS is characterized by the presence of sinus tachycardia, other hemodynamic disturbances including blood pressure (BP) regulation, remain largely unexplored.Aims:We investigated BP changes using 24-hour ambulatory-BP-monitoring in patients with new-onset POTS after COVID-19 compared with pre-pandemic healthy controls.Methods:We performed a case-control study in 100 verified COVID-19 patients with new-onset POTS (mean age 40.0±12.9 years, 85% women) diagnosed by positive head-up tilt-testing versus 100 healthy controls (mean age 45.0±14.6 years, 70% women) from a population-based cohort with negative active standing test, no history of syncope, orthostatic intolerance, or endocrine disease. We analyzed 24-hour Systolic BP (SBP) and hypotensive SBP episodes (

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Novembre 2024

Abstract 4139933: Hypercholesterolemia and proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 potentiate inflammatory response against aortic valve bioprosthetic tissue post-implantation.

Circulation, Volume 150, Issue Suppl_1, Page A4139933-A4139933, November 12, 2024. Introduction:Calcific aortic valve stenosis is the more frequent valvular disease, affecting more than 10% of patients >75 years old. Surgical or transcatheter aortic valve replacement is the only treatment available. There is an increase use of bioprosthetic valves, even if they present a limited durability with the progressive development of structural bioprosthetic deterioration (SVD). Recent clinical studies highlighted an association between circulating lipid factors, such as proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 (PCSK9), Lipoprotein (a) and LDL-cholesterol, and SVD. However, the underlying mechanisms remain unknown.Objective:We aim at deciphering the role of hypercholesterolemia and/or PCSK9 on the early processes leading to SVD.Methods:Subcutaneous implantation of bioprosthetic tissue was performed on 10-week old wild type (WT), PCSK9 knock-out (KO) and PCSK9 overexpressing C57BL/6J mice for 28 days. A qualitative anatomopathological score evaluating cell density, infiltration, and tissue degradation was developed. Infiltrated immune cells were characterized by IHC, with a focus on anti- (CD163+) and pro-inflammatory (F4/80+) macrophages, lymphocytes (CD3+) and polynuclear eosinophils (CCR3+).Results:An important infiltration of mononuclear cells into the explanted punches was observed among the 3 groups (n=10 mice/group). Cell recruitment was more pronounced in mice overexpressing PCSK9 compared to WT and KO. The anatomopathological score of PCSK9 overexpressing mice was significantly higher as compared to WT and KO (7.0 [4.1-8.4] vs 4.0 [3.0-4.5] and 2.8 [2.0-3.9], respectively; p=0.008). The infiltrate was mainly composed of macrophages (CD163+ F4/80+) and polynuclear eosinophils, even if few lymphocytes were observed. Polynuclear eosinophils were more abundant in mice overexpressing PCSK9 compared to WT and KO (p=0.01 and p=0.002).Conclusion:Hypercholesterolemia and/or high PCSK9 level promote the cellular response against the bioprosthetic tissue. It potentiates the infiltration of polynuclear eosinophils and macrophages, pointing out for an exacerbated inflammatory response, post implantation. Deeper cellular/molecular analyses are ongoing to provide mechanistic clues to better understand the link between hypercholesterolemia/PCSK9 and the early inflammatory processes leading to SVD.

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Novembre 2024

Abstract 4138964: Longer AF Diagnosis-to-Ablation Time is Associated with AF Inducibility Post-Pulmonary Vein Isolation

Circulation, Volume 150, Issue Suppl_1, Page A4138964-A4138964, November 12, 2024. Background:Post-ablation atrial fibrillation (AF) inducibility has been associated with AF recurrence and is often used as an endpoint for Pulmonary Vein Isolation (PVI). Little is known regarding factors affecting inducibility after PVI, as AF inducibility is common even after PV isolation. Prolonged episodes of untreated AF can result in remodeling of the atrium and the formation of new arrhythmogenic substrate, which may make treatment of AF more challenging. We hypothesized that longer diagnosis-to-ablation time (DAT) is associated with higher rates of post-PVI AF inducibility.Objective:To evaluate DATs in cases of inducible vs. non-inducible AF post ablation.Methods:A single-center, retrospective analysis of 168 consecutive patients who underwent 1sttime PVI between 1/1/2022 and 12/01/2023 was performed. Following PVI, inducibility of AF was tested by programmed stimulation using decremental pacing in 50ms windows for 10 seconds each (from 400 ms down to 200 ms or until loss of 1:1 atrial capture). Results were categorized by type of rhythm induced (non-inducible, AF) and duration (sustained, non-sustained). DAT was obtained from review of the medical records. Descriptive statistics were used to compare demographics and AF type, and parametric and non-parametric tests were used for analysis of the diagnosis-to-ablation window and its relationship to inducibility.Results:There was no difference in demographic data or AF type between the two groups. 85 patients (50.6%), had no inducible AF. 83 out of 168 cases (49.4%) had inducible sustained AF. Overall DATs ranged from 0 to 40 years. DAT was significantly higher in the inducible vs. non-inducible groups (3.810 vs. 2.906 years, p=0.023).Conclusion:Longer DAT is associated with AF inducibility post-PVI despite successful ablation. This association may reflect the increased persistence of AF as it progresses over time. Future studies are needed to evaluate the clinical implications of DAT times.

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Novembre 2024

Abstract 4146283: Infrequent Cognitive Assessments in CABG Trials (from 2005-2023) Highlight Need for Improved Strategies for Cognitive Screening post-coronary bypass grafting (CABG) surgery

Circulation, Volume 150, Issue Suppl_1, Page A4146283-A4146283, November 12, 2024. Objective:The incidence of cognitive decline following coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) is well-documented, significantly impacting patient morbidity, mortality, and quality of life. We conducted a systematic review that examines cognitive outcomes in CABG randomized controlled trials (RCTs) to identify which cognitive assessments were used, their administration frequency, attrition rates, and their effectiveness in detecting perioperative cognitive changes in control groups.Methods:We conducted a search of MEDLINE, EMBASE, Cochrane Library, and PsycINFO for CABG RCTs that included cognitive assessments, from January 2005 to December 2023. Descriptive statistics were used to summarize the frequency, domains, and attrition rates of each cognitive task. For tasks assessed both pre- and post-operatively in at least three RCTs, control group scores and standard deviations were reported.Results:Out of 3337 screened studies, 2163 were CABG RCTs, and only 69 (3.2%) included cognitive evaluations (Figure 1). These trials involved 15,839 subjects (79% male, mean age 64.4, median follow-up time 90 days) and used 145 unique cognitive tasks. The Trailmaking Test Part B (40/69; 58.0%) and Part A (38/69; 55.0%) were the most frequently used. Only 7 tasks had means and standard deviations reported before and after surgery in more than three RCTs, and none detected significant pre- to post-operative changes. Attrition rates averaged 19.3%, with a wide range from 0% to 62%. Figure 2 demonstrates the decline in cognitive assessments in CABG trials over the years, with a sharp decline after 2014. Trials that assessed cogntion after 2014 tended to favor screening tasks (MMSE/MoCA) alone.Conclusion:Cognitive assessments are infrequent in CABG trials, and existing tests fail to consistently detect cognitive changes. To effectively evaluate and address cognitive impact after CABG, new assessment strategies that are resilient to attrition and practical for use in diverse trial settings are needed.

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Novembre 2024

Abstract 4135852: Safety and Post-operative Complications of Endovascular Versus Surgical Versus Follow-up and Medical Treatment for Patients with Vertebrobasilar Artery Stenosis: Propensity Score Weighting and a Machine Learning Driven Analysis

Circulation, Volume 150, Issue Suppl_1, Page A4135852-A4135852, November 12, 2024. Background:Vertebrobasilar artery stenosis (VBAS) can cause posterior circulation strokes (PCS). Optimal management is controversial, with options including medical therapy (MT), endovascular stenting (ES), and surgical revascularization (SR). This study compares outcomes of these treatments and evaluates the correlation between clinical features and medical history with 30-day outcome.Methods:Patients with VBAS were identified from the 2017-2018 National Inpatient Sample (NIS). Propensity scores adjusted for baseline differences. Outcomes included mortality, neurological complications (NC), discharge destination (DD), length of stay (LOS), total charges (TC), and procedural complications (PC). Predictive ability of clinical variables was assessed using logistic regression (LR) and machine learning techniques (MLT).Results:Of 1,343 patients, 1,061 (79.0%) received NI, 234 (17.4%) underwent ES, and 24 (1.8%) had SR. Mean age was 69.45 years, with 64.1% male. Demographics: 69.8% White, 14.9% Black, 10.0% Hispanic, and 5.3% other races. Hypertension (HTN, 85.4%) and diabetes (DM, 18.9%) were prevalent. After propensity weighting, ES was associated with higher odds of mortality, surgical/medical complications (SMC), and device/graft complications (DGC) compared to NI. SR showed a non-significant trend toward higher non-home discharges (NHD). ES and SR groups had higher resource utilization with longer LOS and greater TC. Clinical variables alone were weak predictors, with AUC values ranging from 0.454 to 0.71 across different outcomes and models.Conclusion:ES of VBAS was associated with higher mortality and complication rates compared to MT alone, with inconsistent benefits for NC. SR also carried elevated risks without clear advantages over MT. These results support that current clinical independent variables from the NIS are weak predictors. This highlights the limitation of the database in relying solely on clinical and medical history, and suggests that future use of radiological and anatomical features can improve predictions of outcomes and determination of subgroups that can benefit from certain treatment. More studies should be conducted, including post hoc analyses based on radiological and anatomical features, to better inform treatment decisions and determine subgroups that can benefit from intervention or surgery. These findings suggest a need for judicious patient selection and reinforce the role of optimal MT.

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Novembre 2024

Abstract 4144651: Association Between Pre-Existing Chronic Total Occlusion and Post-TAVR Pacemaker Implantation: A Retrospective Propensity Matched Analysis

Circulation, Volume 150, Issue Suppl_1, Page A4144651-A4144651, November 12, 2024. Introduction:Post-transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) pacemaker (PPM) implantation is a known complication. Chronic total occlusion (CTO) of coronary arteries is common in TAVR patients and is a marker of advanced coronary calcification. Its influence on the requirement for PPM post-TAVR remains unclear. We investigated the association between pre-existing CTO and the incidence of PPM post-TAVR.Methods:A retrospective cohort study was conducted using the National Inpatient Sample database from 2018-2020 with 205,565 patients who underwent TAVR. Propensity score matching was utilized to create a matched cohort of patients with and without CTO, balancing key variables such as age, sex, elective procedure status, and comorbid conditions (heart failure, arrhythmias, pulmonary circulation disorders, peripheral vascular disorders, and complicated diabetes). Outcomes measured included the requirement for PPM implantation post-TAVR, in-hospital mortality, and major adverse cardiac events (MACE). Weighted samples were utilized and p-value

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Novembre 2024

Abstract 4141719: Gender Differences in Bleeding Risk and Mortality Following Dual Antiplatelet Therapy Post-Percutaneous Coronary Intervention: A Meta-Analysis

Circulation, Volume 150, Issue Suppl_1, Page A4141719-A4141719, November 12, 2024. Background:Dual antiplatelet therapy (DAPT) is widely used following percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI), but it can be associated with bleeding events and adverse outcomes during therapy. This study aims to perform a gender-based analysis of the bleeding risk and mortality associated with DAPT following PCI.Methods:On May 15, 2024, we searched the following databases: PubMed, Embase and Cochrane. Our inclusion criteria included any trial or cohort that performed a gender-based analysis of bleeding and mortality outcomes in patients taking DAPT post-PCI. Our outcomes were all-cause mortality, cardiac mortality, and bleeding risk. Bleeding risk was assessed using the Bleeding Academic Research Consortium (BARC) classification, and Thrombolysis in Myocardial Infarction (TIMI) bleeding criteria. We used RevMan with a random-effects model to calculate the effect size, using odds ratios (OR) with a 95% confidence interval.Results:Out of the 1,865 articles searched, only 26 papers were eligible for inclusion and analysis. Nine were randomized controlled trials, and 17 were observational cohorts. The total number of patients was 267,986, of which 203,524 were male and 64,436 were female. There was no significant difference in cardiac mortality between males and females; the OR was 0.88 (95% CI: 0.71-1.08, P=0.22). All-cause mortality was reduced in males compared to females, with an OR of 0.81 (95% CI 0.71-0.92, p=0.002). The BRAC 2-5 classification was less likely in males compared to females, with an OR of 0.81 (95% CI: 0.70-0.94, p=0.005). Similarly, in the BRAC 3-5 classification, there was a significant lower probability of bleeding in male compared to female (OR 0.65, 95% CI: 0.52-0.82, p=0.0002). TIMI major bleeding classification was lower in males compared to females, with an OR of 0.61 (95% CI: 0.42-0.88, p = 0.009). This indicates higher rates of major bleeding in females compared to males; and Similar findings were also observed with TIMI minor (OR 0.65, 95% CI: 0.46-0.92, p=0.01).Conclusions:These findings highlight the disparities in clinical outcomes of dual antiplatelet therapy following PCI. Females had higher rates of significant bleeding events and all-cause mortality compared to males. This underscores the necessity of investigating the underlying mechanisms driving this gap, emphasizing the need for further research in order to understand and address these differences.

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Novembre 2024

Abstract 4125667: National Estimates of Patient Eligibility for Renal Denervation Therapy Post-FDA Approval

Circulation, Volume 150, Issue Suppl_1, Page A4125667-A4125667, November 12, 2024. Background:Renal denervation (RDN) has been shown in randomized trials to improve blood pressure compared with a sham procedure. Currently, there are two FDA-approved RDN devices in the United States (US). While nearly half of the US population has hypertension (HTN), the number of patients who may benefit from RDN therapy remains uncertain. In this study, we used a nationally representative dataset to approximate the proportion of patients with HTN who may be eligible for consideration of RDN based on selective criteria.Methods:All adult patients with HTN who participated in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) between the years 2009-2020 were identified. We characterized the proportion of these participants that met eligibility criteria based on 1) the FDA indication, 2) the SCAI 2023 RDN position statement, and 3) enrollment criteria from the RDN on-medication randomized trials. National estimates were obtained utilizing survey weighting from the NHANES multistage probability survey design.Results:In total, we identified 16,677 patients with HTN in the US, representing a weighted total of 113,786,149 patients (Table). Using the FDA indication, 31.6% (95% CI, 30.7%-32.6%) of patients meet eligibility criteria for RDN, corresponding to 35,988,870 US adults. By the SCAI 2023 position statement selection criteria, 21.5% (95% CI, 20.7%-22.3%) of patients are eligible for consideration of RDN. Based on enrollment criteria from the RDN on-medication randomized trials, 2.05% (95% CI, 1.81%-2.33%) of US adults meet eligibility for consideration of RDN (Figure).Conclusions:Our findings indicate that nearly one third of US adults with HTN are eligible for consideration of RDN based on the FDA indication; however, a smaller proportion of patients would be eligible based upon society recommendations and randomized trial inclusion criteria. Future studies are needed to further inform which patients will best benefit from this intervention.

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Novembre 2024

Abstract 4140074: Risk of the Post-Partum Period Among Women with Diagnosed and Treated Type 2 Long QT Syndrome (LQT2)

Circulation, Volume 150, Issue Suppl_1, Page A4140074-A4140074, November 12, 2024. Background:Long QT syndrome (LQTS) is a potentially lethal cardiac channelopathy. Among women with LQT2, the post-partum period has been considered high risk for cardiac events. However, whether this risk persists after establishing their diagnosis and implementing their LQT2-directed treatment program remains to be determined.Objective:To describe the management and outcomes of LQT2 women during the 9 months post-partum period.Methods:A retrospective analysis of 1869 patients with LQTS treated and evaluated at a tertiary center specializing in Genetic Heart Disease from January 2000 to November 2023 was performed to identify women with diagnosed and treated LQT2 who had a pregnancy during follow-up. Data were abstracted for patient demographics, clinical characteristics, symptomatic status, and treatment plans before and after pregnancy.Results:Overall, 30 pregnancies occurred in 22 women with LQT2. Their average QTc was 489 ± 34 ms with 7 patients (32%) having a resting QTc > 500 ms. Prior to their first post-partum period, 5/22 (23%) were symptomatic with 2 (9%) experiencing a LQT2-triggered sudden cardiac arrest (SCA). Before their post-partum period, their LQT2-directed therapy comprised preventative measures only in 7 (23%), drug therapy in 16 (53%), combination therapy in 7 (23%), and 10 women (43%) had an implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD). Pre-emptive treatment intensification was done for 24/30 post-partum periods. Only a single VF-terminating ICD therapy occurred in 1 (3%) of the 30 post-partum periods involving a 21-year-old with p.Lys610Asn-KCNH2 variant, QTc = 490 ms, and a pre-diagnosis presentation of seizures.Conclusion:Although the post-partum period is regarded as a ‘high risk’ window of time for women with LQT2, the risk of a LQT2-triggered cardiac event after diagnosis and implementation of contemporary therapies is very low. This designation of “high risk” among correctly diagnosed and treated women is misleading and generates inappropriate and unnecessary anxiety.

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Novembre 2024

Abstract 4142740: O2-independent photodynamic neuroimmune modulation for prevention and treatment of malignant arrhythmia post myocardial infarction

Circulation, Volume 150, Issue Suppl_1, Page A4142740-A4142740, November 12, 2024. Background:Hyperactivation of the left stellate ganglion (LSG) is a key link in the occurrence of ventricular arrhythmias after myocardial infarction (MI). It is reported that neuroimmune interaction based on the depleting of macrophages modulated the overactive neural activity. However, exogenous macrophage scavengers, which is the common depletion strategy in animal models, are hardly capable of depleting the target cells selectively in certain tissues and transient control performance. Consequently, a degradable nanocomposite (PPSM@CS/DSS) were fabricatedto deplete M1 macrophages selectively in LSG and further inhibit the overactive LSG neural activity after myocardial infarction.Hypothesis:In this study, we constructed a degradable nanocomposite with dual functions of targeting M1 macrophages and oxygen-independent PDT-mediated neuroimmune modulation, which isanticipated to deplete M1 macrophages selectively in LSG and further inhibit the overactive LSG neural activity after myocardial infarctionfor prevention and treatment of ventricular arrhythmias post MI.Methods:The prepared nanocomposite material, which is capable of targeting M1 macrophages and oxygen-independent PDT-mediated neuroimmune modulation, was slowly microinjected into LSG of Beagle dogs. The effectiveness and safety of this method based on apoptosisof M1 macrophagesby oxidizing active species was explored and the mechanism of prevention as well as treatment of malignant arrhythmias were discussed. M1 macrophages were selectively apoptotic in the LSG after myocardial infarction under the irradiation of near infrared light.Results:PPSM@CS/DSS is a core-shell structure with a particle size of about 50nm. The PPSM@CS/DSS nanocomposites exhibits band adsorption between 200-900 nm with a pronounced peaks at 650 nm.Cell experiments showed that PPSM@CS/DS was targeted and mainly induced apoptosis of M1 macrophages under 650nm near-red light, but did not significantly increase apoptosis of neuronal cells. PPSM@CS/DSS significantly reduced LSG activity and the incidence of malignant arrhythmias after MI in Beagle dogs under the action of 650nm light.Conclusion:An innovative nanomaterial for regulating LSG through depletion M1 macrophages selectively in LSG is developed to prevent and treat malignant arrhythmias after myocardial infarction.The implementation of this work will provide a novel neural modulation strategy for preventing ventricular arrhythmias.

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Novembre 2024

Abstract 4143328: Safety of Direct current cardioversion without pre-cardioversion imaging in patients presenting post percutaneous left atrial appendage occlusion

Circulation, Volume 150, Issue Suppl_1, Page A4143328-A4143328, November 12, 2024. Background:Direct current cardioversion (DCCV) carries a risk of stroke in atrial fibrillation (AF) patients. Hence, published guidelines for mitigating this risk with oral anticoagulation (OAC). There is no consensus agreement on the safest approach when cardioverting patients with left atrial appendage occlusion device in situ.Aims:We aimed to compare association of pre-DCCV imaging with safety and outcomes in patients with WATCHMAN™ undergoing elective DCCV for atrial arrhythmias (AA)Methods:This was a retrospective cohort study of patients who received DCCV for AA during follow up after LAAO procedure from 2016-2024 within a large health care system. Safety endpoint was freedom from stroke, all-cause mortality, device embolism, and systemic embolism within 30-days post DCCV. Significant peri-device leak (PDL) was defined as > 5mm on cardiac imaging.Results:A total of 119 patients were included, more females 70 (59%), with more than half (64 (54%)) receiving a first-generation WATCHMAN™ 2.5, while the rest had WATCHMAN FLX™. Median age at presentation was 77 years (72,82), BMI of 31 kg/m2 (26,37), average CHADSVASC score of 4.5 and HASBLED score of 3. There was a median duration of 10 months (3,21) between LAAO to presentation for DCCV .Forty-four (37%) patients had pre-DCCV imaging, while 75 patients did not receive pre-procedural imaging. Between the two groups, there was no significant difference in OAC (VKA-antagonist/DOAC) usage prior to presentation (8 (18.6%) vs 12 (16.4%), P=0.9), with single antiplatelet therapy was the prevalent anti-thrombotic regimen. There was no significant difference in CHADSVASC, HASBLED, age, LVEF, or timing of presentation relative to the LAAO procedure. Higher percentage of patients were discharged on OAC post DCCV in the imaging cohort (13 (30.2%) vs 14 (19.4%), p=0.27), the difference was not significant. No Device related thrombus (DRT) nor significant PDL was detected on imaging. But non-significant PDL ranging from 2mm-4.7mm was found in 8 (18.1%) out of 44 patients who had imaging prior to DDCV. Safety endpoint was achieved in both cohorts with zero adverse events occurring during the 30 day follow up period post-DCCV.Conclusion:Elective cardioversion for atrial arrhythmias is safe in patients with WATCHMAN™. There were no post-DCCV stroke events in the overall cohort and no DRT identified in the pre-DCCV imaging subgroup. Further studies are needed to determine when pre-DCCV imaging is warranted in this population.

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Novembre 2024

Abstract Sa1208: Survive and Thrive: Implementing a Post Cardiac Arrest Workflow in a Rural Regional Hospital

Circulation, Volume 150, Issue Suppl_1, Page ASa1208-ASa1208, November 12, 2024. Throughout the world, neurologically intact survival to discharge remains low. The Joint Commission (TJC) released post resuscitation requirements in January of 2022. Sanford Bemidji reviewed options that would meet the TJC requirements: Transfer the patient or develop a novel way to meet those needs in the current setting. With the latter, the positive impact on patients is significant in that they receive a high care level of care close to home without delay in care.Sanford Bemidji Medical Center is a rural regional 118-bed hospital in Minnesota with a 14-bed Intensive Care unit. We are unique in that despite our size we serve a large regional footprint of over 100,000 people including three Native American reservations. Our objective was to utilize evidence based guidelines to implement a post cardiac arrest care (PCAC) workflow for adult cardiac arrest patients who obtain return of spontaneous circulation (ROSC) by end of first quarter 2023. The project incorporated low cost equipment and staff training. We used the Plan, Do, Study, Act cycle for our methodology. The outcome metric was neurologically intact survival to hospital discharge. Process metrics included placement and use of the ROSC order set, fever avoidance, rapid EEG completed, MAP over 65, and oxygen saturations of 92-98%. Sixty-one adult patients (both in hospital and out of hospital) suffered cardiac arrest at Sanford Bemidji in the 9 months following project implementation in 2023. Demographics included 3 native americans and 2 caucasians, ages 57-73, 3 males and 2 females. Our overall survival rate remained above the national average. For the few patients who met criteria for ROSC interventions, 4 of 5 (80%) received the ROSC interventions, 2 of 4 (50%) survived hospital to discharge neurologically intact. Results showed an increase in maintaining optimal MAP from 81% in 2022 to 100% in 2023 and achieving oxygen saturation parameters 80% of the time in 2023 compared to 66% in 2022. Real time monitoring and coaching of the order set is needed to increase utilization of the order set in full (fever avoidance was at 20% and rapid EEG completed in 40% of cases with a goal of 100% for both).More data is needed to ascertain the outcomes of a ROSC workflow in like sized hospitals with similar resources. The novelty of this innovative project is in the implementation of an evidence based PCAC workflow in a 118-bed rural hospital giving all cardiac arrest patients a chance for a full recovery.

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Novembre 2024

Abstract 4146512: Modifiability of Post-Exercise Oxygen Uptake Recovery Patterns: A Substudy of the SEQUOIA-HCM Randomized Trial

Circulation, Volume 150, Issue Suppl_1, Page A4146512-A4146512, November 12, 2024. Background:Recent heart failure studies show that post-exercise VO2recovery (VO2Rec) patterns track closely with exercise cardiac output and outcomes, but not with peripheral oxygen (O2) extraction. In patients with obstructive hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (oHCM), studies of VO2Rec changes with effective cardio-specific interventions are lacking. We hypothesized that treatment with aficamten, a next-in-class cardiac myosin inhibitor, would shorten VO2Rec in patients with oHCM.Methods:SEQUOIA-HCM is the pivotal phase 3 trial of aficamten in symptomatic patients with oHCM (New York Heart Association functional class [NYHA FC] II-III, peak VO2[pVO2] ≤90% predicted, respiratory exchange ratio ≥1.05). Patients were randomized 1:1 to aficamten or placebo for 24 weeks with the primary endpoint of change from baseline (BL) in pVO2. For this analysis, VO2Rec was measured as the time taken after exercise cessation for VO2to decline by 12.5% (t12.5%), 25%, or 50% of pVO2. Response rates for achieving clinically meaningful threshold reductions ( >15 seconds) in t12.5%, and correlations with changes in cardiac function (echocardiographic parameters/cardiac biomarkers) were assessed.Results:Among 282 randomized patients (mean age 59.1±12.9 years, 115 female [41%]), 263 (93%) had CPETs at BL and W24 with VO2Rec values as shown (Table). At W24, t12.5%improved by 8sec (95% CI, -12, -5sec, p

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Novembre 2024

Abstract 4141547: Dietary Branched Chain Amino Acids Modify Post-Infarct Cardiac Remodeling and Function in the Murine Heart

Circulation, Volume 150, Issue Suppl_1, Page A4141547-A4141547, November 12, 2024. Introduction:Branched chain amino acids (BCAAs) are essential amino acids that are elevated in the failing heart and that have been linked with cardiovascular disease risk. Yet, it remains unclear how BCAAs influence the heart after injury. In this study, we examined in mice whether dietary alterations of BCAA levels influences cardiac structure and function after myocardial infarction (MI).Methods and Results:To assess whether altering dietary BCAA levels would impact circulating BCAA concentrations, mice were fed a low (1/3×), normal (1×), or high (2×) BCAA diet over a 7-day period. The low and high BCAA diets were matched for macronutrient content, nitrogen content, and caloric density. We found that mice fed the low BCAA diet had >2-fold lower circulating BCAA concentrations when compared with normal and high BCAA diet feeding strategies (n=8/group; p

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Novembre 2024